Content approaching. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia Vol II, p. 389–class.
"I have to give you credit. You've led me on quite a chase. But nobody gets away from Calo Nord in the end."
Calo Nord, a Human male, was an infamous bounty hunter who lived during the Jedi Civil War, a galaxy-spanning conflict initiated by the Sith Lords Darth Revan and Darth Malak. Nord was sold into slavery by his mother and father at a young age. On his sixteenth birthday, he killed his slave masters and tracked down his parents, murdering them as well. A bounty was placed on Nord, but he eliminated every mercenary that pursued him. Once the attempts on his life ended, Nord murdered those who had placed the bounty and became a bounty hunter by trade, taking assignments from any party that paid. Nord occasionally worked for the Exchange criminal syndicate boss Davik Kang but had been also contracted by the Galactic Republic for operations in the Core.
During the final year of the Jedi Civil War, Nord was on the planet Taris for business with Kang. Following the attack on the Republic vessel Endar Spire, Malak, who had betrayed Revan and usurped control of the Sith Empire, quarantined the planet in order to search for the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan, who had become marooned on the Tarisian surface. Malak eventually ordered the planet's destruction in an attempt to kill Shan. When the Sith began to bombard Taris, Nord and Kang attempted to flee aboard Kang's freighter Ebon Hawk and caught Shan and her companions during their attempt to steal Kang's flagship. A firefight ensued, which ended when Nord was caught under falling debris and trapped. The bounty hunter was able to flee Taris and evade the devastation wrought by the Sith. He was subsequently hired by Darth Malak to track down Shan and capture her alive. Nord located Shan's companion, Revan—now a partially retrained Jedi Padawan—in the Eastern Dune Sea on the desert planet of Tatooine as he was searching for the ancient Rakatan space station known as the Star Forge. As Revan and his team exited some ancient ruins, the bounty hunter confronted Revan. Nord was overmatched by Revan and his companions, resulting in his death.
"Calo Nord's one of the most famous bounty hunters in the galaxy. He's killed more people than the Iridian Plague!"
When the Human male known as Calo Nord was a young boy, he was sold into slavery by his mother and father. During his time as a slave, Nord learned to be ruthless and cold-hearted. After turning sixteen years of age, Nord butchered his slave masters. Free, he located his parents and murdered them. A bounty was placed on Nord's head, and the young man was pursued by many bounty hunters. Nord observed the means and methodologies of the bounty hunters who tracked him, learning and acquiring trade skills. He used his new-found skills to eliminate each one that was in pursuit. Eventually, the attempts on his life ceased. The Bounty Hunters' Guild had deemed Nord too dangerous and cancelled the contract. Nord, however, found and killed the people that had placed the bounty. Nord became a bounty hunter himself, taking contracts from whoever paid him. Among these contracts were operations on behalf of the Galactic Republic in the Core. As a bounty hunter, Nord commissioned the building of personal armor, based on the design worn by the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders. Following its completion, Nord killed the maker of the armor to make sure that it would be unique to him, and also to keep from paying the designer.
He occasionally worked for Davik Kang, a crime lord of the Exchange crime syndicate whose operations were based on the Outer Rim ecumenopolis of Taris. When contracted, Kang hired Nord to kill and bring back the heads of rancors so that the crime lord could mount the heads in his trophy room. Among the locations Nord visited while on Taris was the Hutt Zax's bounty office, an establishment contained within the Lower City locale of Javyar's Cantina. By the time of the Jedi Civil War, a galaxy-spanning conflict initiated by Darth Revan, Darth Malak, and their Sith Empire, it had even been said that Nord had killed more people than the Iridian Plague.
"A Jedi and a war hero—it's a wonder you survived the encounter."
"I am hard to kill, Lord Malak."
In 3957 BBY, Darth Malak usurped the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith when he betrayed his Sith Master Revan as the Jedi and Republic forces tried to capture them both. One year later, Malak conquered Taris; and, after the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan crash-landed on Taris, the Dark Lord quarantined the planet and ordered his fleet to blockade the planet so that the Sith forces could search for Shan.
Darth Malak hires Calo Nord to capture Bastila Shan.
During the Sith's quarantine of Taris, Nord, who was on the planet for business with Davik Kang, encountered a Republic soldier named Revan on two occasions. Revan, who was unknowingly the former Dark Lord of the Sith, had been marooned on Taris with Republic commander Carth Onasi, and they were searching for Shan. Nord first met Revan in Javyar's Cantina, where the bounty hunter killed three Black Vulkars for having disturbed him. Revan tried to engage Nord in conversation, but the departing Nord desired not to be bothered. Revan complied, not wanting to provoke the bounty hunter into attacking him. Nord later encountered Revan when the soldier was exploring the Lower City's apartments. There, Nord killed two Rodians, the assassin Luugro and his companion, so that he could collect the corresponding bounties.
Nord was present at Kang's estate when the crime lord's enforcer, the Mandalorian Canderous Ordo, brought Revan, Onasi, and Shan—who had been successfully rescued by the two Republic soldiers—to the estate. Ordo introduced Revan to the crime lord as an individual interested in joining the Exchange. Nord told the Mandalorian that it was not like him to take on partners and taunted Ordo. He then accompanied Kang while the crime lord treated Revan and his companions to a tour of his estate, showing them his freighter, the Ebon Hawk. After the tour, Nord and Kang took Ordo, Revan, Shan, and Onasi to a guest room and warned Revan to stay in the guest wing of the estate. Kang left to look into Revan's background, as a standard precaution, and told Nord to come with him.
Aboard his flagship Leviathan, Darth Malak concluded that his troops' search for Shan was taking too long and ordered the Sith Admiral Saul Karath to have the Sith fleet destroy Taris in order to kill the Jedi. Nord and Kang, hoping to flee the bombardment, entered the hangar where the Ebon Hawk was housed, but they discovered that Revan and his companions were attempting to steal the ship. After Kang spoke to the group, Nord told the crime lord he would kill them, stating that he had looked forward to doing so for a long time. Kang implored the bounty hunter to hurry, saying that if they did not escape, the Sith's lasers would be their demise. In the ensuing firefight, Nord realized that he and Kang were outmatched. Kang perished, and Nord—who was not willing to let Ordo, the Republic soldiers and the Jedi escape—tried to use a thermal detonator to kill everyone, including himself. Instead, the bombardment partially destroyed the hangar, causing Nord to be buried underneath a heap of rubble. Leaving Nord and the deceased Kang, Revan's group boarded the Ebon Hawk and gathered the rest of their companions before fleeing Taris and the Sith bombardment.
"You got lucky on Taris; the Sith attack saved you from a quick and gruesome death. But I promise you, the Sith won't be getting in my way this time!"
"Hold on, Calo… maybe we can work out a deal here."
"Sorry, I'm not in this for the credits. You're the only ones who've ever gotten away from me—I've got a rep to protect!"
Calo Nord confronts Revan in the Eastern Dune Sea on Tatooine.
Even though he had been buried in rubble on Taris, Nord survived the attack and was able to escape the planet. He was later granted an audience with Darth Malak aboard the Leviathan. Admiral Karath brought Nord in as an eyewitness of Bastila Shan's survival. When the bounty hunter entered the bridge, Malak expressed his surprise that Nord had managed to survive his encounter with Shan and Onasi, to which the bounty hunter replied that he was difficult to kill. Nord agreed to capture Shan, and Karath assured Malak that the bounty hunter's services were worth the demanded price. Malak told Nord that he desired Shan taken alive, if possible, but that the Jedi's other companions were of no value. Nord and Karath then privately met with Malak away from the crew on the Leviathan's bridge, during which Nord revealed to Malak that his former Sith Master, Revan, had survived and was one of the members responsible for Shan's escape.
Nord set out to find both Shan and Revan, who was now a retrained Jedi Padawan tasked with searching for the mysterious Rakatan Star Forge space station under Malak's control. The bounty hunter located Revan in the Eastern Dune Sea on the desert world Tatooine and hired two Rodian and two Aqualish henchmen to confront the elusive Jedi. Nord set an ambush while Revan was inside a cave where a krayt dragon had taken nest. Nord confronted Revan after the Jedi found a second Rakatan Star Map, which was needed to locate the Star Forge, inside the cave. Nord gave Revan credit for having evaded him thus far but stated that no one could ultimately escape him. The bounty hunter and his accomplices were overmatched and killed by the former Sith Lord and his companions.
"Calo Nord is dead, Lord Malak. He has failed in his mission. Forgive me."
"The penalty for failure is death, Admiral Karath. But the failure was Calo's, not yours. You may rise."
Shortly after Nord's death, Admiral Karath informed Darth Malak of Nord's failure. Malak told Karath that the penalty for failure was death, but that the failure belonged to Nord, not Karath himself. Malak dispatched his Shadow Hand, Darth Bandon, to kill Revan and capture Shan. Prior to his death, the leaders of the secret bounty hunter guild known as the GenoHaradan had considered admitting Nord into their organization, although he had not yet proven himself worthy of joining. Due to Nord's death at Revan's hands, however, the GenoHaradan's overseers opted to approach Revan with an invitation instead. Four thousand years after Nord's death, he was primarily remembered as a footnote in Revan's career with his exploits forgotten.
"I saw how you mopped up those Black Vulkars. Nice work."
"I'm not looking for a fight. I just want to talk."
"Okay, I see your point. I'll be off, then."
Calo Nord was a diminutive Human male who seemed harmless upon a first glance. Nord spoke Basic, the Republic's trade language. He moved with careful, deliberate precision and possessed an expressionless face. He was willing to take contracts from anyone who paid him well. Even though his ultimate loyalty was to whomever offered him the most credits, Nord also worked for the thrill of the hunt. He enjoyed toying with other mercenaries. Nord had a reputation of being unafraid of potential adversaries, in addition to his regular perception of being cold, menacing, and unapproachable. He also possessed innate instincts for both survival and killing. Nord's story was dismissed by some as a myth that was created to scare aspiring criminals. No name was more feared among the criminals in the Outer Rim than Calo Nord.
In a couple cases, when someone disturbed Nord, he counted to three, with a number after each interjection. Having counted to three in order for the being to escape his anger, he opened fire on the nuisance for bothering him. Nord was not willing to let anyone defeat him and would go to great lengths to ensure that an individual did not defeat him. When Shan, Ordo, and Revan defeated him on Taris, Nord threatened to kill himself with a thermal detonator in an attempt to ensure their deaths. The bounty hunter also aspired to claim a pearl from a krayt dragon on Tatooine. He considered one of these pearls to be the greatest of hunting trophies.
When Calo Nord was a boy, he was sold into slavery by his parents. He murdered his slave masters when he turned sixteen and tracked down his parents, murdering them. After establishing himself as a bounty hunter, Nord worked for any individual who offered him the most credits. He had working business relationships with Exchange crime lord Davik Kang, the Galactic Republic, and Darth Malak's Sith Empire. Nord periodically taunted the Mandalorian Canderous Ordo, who was also an employee of Davik Kang. Darth Malak's Sith apprentice, Darth Bandon, disliked Nord and viewed him as pathetic. Bandon expressed this opinion to Revan when the Sith confronted the Jedi.
Calo Nord used two Mandalorian heavy blasters as his primary weapons, but he was capable of fighting with a vibroblade when pressed. Nord also carried four stun grenades and two thermal detonators in his arsenal. He possessed a pair of goggles that granted him low-light vision when he wore them and used a prototype energy shield of Verpine design for extra protection during battle. Nord carried 2,000 credits on his person and employed a datapad, on which he kept a record of his thoughts and trophy kills. At some point during his life, Nord ordered a custom suit of battle armor that was based on heavily modified Mandalorian designs. After the suit was completed, Nord murdered the armorer to ensure his suit would remain unique.
Calo Nord was first created by the developers at BioWare as a boss-like villain for the 2003 Xbox and PC video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. He was voiced by Lloyd Sherr. A miniature of Nord was released in the Bounty Hunters (Star Wars Miniatures), an expansion set of Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Miniatures role-playing game. The set was released on September 23, 2006. Unlike the in-game outcome, Nord's entry in the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide states that he died during the Sith bombardment of Taris. His entry in The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, however, states that Nord was killed near Rakata Prime during the final battle of the Jedi Civil War. A blog entry entitled So Uncivilized: Great Gunslingers in Star Wars, the first part of which was published on September 19, 2013, confirmed that Calo Nord met his death on Tatooine.
When John Jackson Miller—the writer of the Knights of the Old Republic comic series—was asked if there any other Knights of the Old Republic video game characters that he wanted to include in the series, Miller mentioned that he regretted not putting Nord in the comic. In June 2013, Calo Nord's outfit was added for male and female players to purchase in the Cartel Market in the video game Star Wars: The Old Republic as part of the Archon's Contraband pack.
The planet on which Revan battles Nord is determined by the order the five Star Maps are obtained. Nord may appear either on Tatooine, the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, the Selkath homeworld of Manaan, or the ancient Sith tomb-world of Korriban. On Tatooine, Nord is accompanied by Rodian and Aqualish henchmen. Nord confronts Revan with Wookiees loyal to Chieftain Chuundar on Kashyyyk. On Manaan, Nord is accompanied by two Twi'leks. Should Revan encounter Nord in the Hrakert Station on Manaan, Nord explains that he used an underwater vessel to reach the station. On Korriban, Nord is accompanied by two students from the Sith Academy.
The first time Nord is encountered in gameplay is in Javyar's Cantina in the Tarisian Lower City. If the player attempts to speak to Nord, the bounty hunter simply replies to go away. If the player opts to keep speaking to Nord, the bounty hunter counts to three. Should Nord reach the end of his three-count, the bounty hunter attacks, and the player is unable to defeat him and will be killed. However, it is possible to escape death by quickly leaving the conversation, which Nord calls a smart move before leaving the cantina. Should Canderous Ordo accompany the player when Nord confronts Revan for the last time, Ordo will make note of the fact that Nord brought backup and taunt the bounty hunter.
Wookieepedia has 8 images related to Calo Nord.
↑ In the Knights of the Old Republic video game only Revan and Canderous Ordo are required to be present at this moment, they can be accompanied by any one of the other companions player has in the party at the moment: Bastila Shan, Carth Onasi, Mission Vao, Zaalbar, T3-M4 or none of the above. Later, when Admiral Saul Karath talks to Darth Malak aboard the Leviathan shortly after Taris' destruction, he mentions that Nord witnessed Bastila Shan and Carth Onasi beside Revan, establishing that those two were also canonically present during the confrontation with Nord and Davik Kang.
↑ KOTOR Countdown #7 Just-Asked Questions, Part Two (HTML). Retrieved on February 22, 2010.
↑ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Nord's response to Revan's question: "You underestimate me; there's other ways down here besides the Republic subs. A small vessel with the right weapons can blast a path right through those firaxian [sic] sharks. Once I got down to the ocean floor all I had to do was come here and wait. I knew you'd come back this way eventually."
↑ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Full statement from Canderous Ordo: "I see you brought some back up, Calo. Realized we were a bit much to handle on your own, eh?"


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Home News South Korea Casino Developer Can't Find $13m, Employee Suspected
South Korea Casino Developer Can't Find $13m, Employee Suspected
The missing money was kept on Jeju Island, home of Jeju Shinhwa World
Landing International Development can't get in contact with the employee in charge of the funds
The company's gaming business helped prop up overall losses in 2020
Dan Katz
Dan Katz graduated with a BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Emory University. He clearly uses neither of those degrees now, having been writing about the gambling industry (specializing in poker) since 2005. Prior to that, he was an IT and management consultant. He is an avid gamer, primarily on PC, and enjoys collecting retro video games and consoles; finding room to set them all up is his current challenge. Dan lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and two children. You can get in touch with Dan at dan@vegasslotsonline.com.
South Korea-based casino developer Landing International Development is missing $13m and seems to suspect the employee in charge of the funds, who cannot be located. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Money disappeared from Jeju Island
South Korean casino and resort developer Landing International Development is missing KRW14.56b ($13.39m). In an "inside information announcement" on Tuesday, the company revealed that the significant chunk of money was kept on Jeju Island and its disappearance was discovered on Monday.
employee is the suspect
In the statement, Landing said that it does not know the whereabouts of the unnamed employee who is in charge of the funds. The implication here, clearly, is that the employee is the suspect.
The company operates the foreigner-only casino resort Jeju Shinhwa World on Jeju Island. Landing did not say if the missing $13m was cash or electronic funds, but the assumption, considering the company said the money was "kept" in Jeju, is that it was likely cash taken from the casino. Police are investigating the incident.
Gaming has helped cushion losses
The possible robbery is just the latest hit to Landing International Development. In August, the company reported a net loss of HKD792.2m ($102.2) for the first six months of 2020. If there was a silver lining, it is that this was only a decline of 5.2% from the same period of the previous year. Revenue, for comparison, was down 24.5% year-on-year during the first half of 2020 to HKD262.1m ($33.8m).
It turns out that the drop in profit was not as bad as that of revenue in terms of percentage because of gaming. Gaming revenue actually jumped 26.6% in the first half of 2020 versus 2019 to HKD101.1m ($13.0m).
The company said that a "decrease in operating expenses" and the end of some leases – which, in turn, caused finance costs to drop – also buoyed the net losses compared to the revenue decrease.
Pandemic worsening in South Korea
As one would expect, the bulk of the financial problems for Landing International stem from the COVID-19 pandemic. Though South Korea has handled the pandemic better than most countries, it has still been a problem and has resulted in multiple stretches of shutdowns, including casinos.
In addition to casino closures, the overall steep reduction in visitors to the country was a sharp blow to Landing International. The company has paused major construction projects at Jeju Shinhwa World, including a Four Seasons Resort and a Lionsgate Movie World theme park.
A month ago, South Korean President Moon Jae-in called for better contact tracing and more COVID-19 testing as virus statistics took a negative turn. After averaging about 1.2% all year, the country's testing positivity rate had jumped to 4.2% in early December. Daily new cases peaked around Christmas and are still currently near their highs.
Posted in: Crime Financial World News
Tags: COVID-19 Jeju Island Jeju Shinhwa World Landing International south korea
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This one is about Avery, who is a secondary character in Sword's Call. Once again, I'm writing about when one of my characters is a child (or close to it Cera is 15 in "A is for Ash"). No reason for that,except that it's so darn fun. Avery is about ten here, so it would place this short about 7 years before the book.
Avery didn't have a brave bone in his body. He was forever getting beaten up by the other children, unless his cousin Cera was visiting from Greenwald. And Cera was a girl. How pathetic was it that a girl had to save him all the time? Even though she was older than him.
The other boys didn't even care that Avery's father was the Duke of Tarvis. But as soon as he trained his magic up, he was going to show them all.
"Avery, concentrate." He winced as his knuckles smarted from the rap they received along with his mother's admonition. He met her gray eyes and one corner of her mouth lifted.
"Sorry, Mother." Her nod of acknowledgment was only a slight tilt of her head, but he took a deep breath and flashed a half-smile.
He followed her instructions, concentrating so hard his brow wrinkled as the words exited his mouth, but the small book didn't start to lift from the table and float in the air until his mother entwined her fingers with his and started to chant the spell, too.
"Oh…I want to do it by myself!" The book crashed to the table top and several pieces of parchment scattered. One floated to the floor.
"But Ma…you don't need my help to lift the book, light the fire, get a vision…anything." He pulled his hand out of hers and crossed his small arms over his chest. His mother laughed and he scowled.
"No." His mother smiled again. He never had been able to ruffle her. She had tons of patience.
Avery nodded and took a deep breath. He placed his smaller hand in his mother's as she reached for him, and together they began to chant the spell words.
He grinned as the book rose, but it wavered and his mother squeezed his hand in warning. He reordered his focus.
Sweat broke out on his forehead as he formed the picture of the book rising higher in his mind. It wiggled in the air as his mother pulled her hand free of his but Avery willed it to remain there, hovering about a foot above the table in his school room.
The book held steady. Until he tried to open it with his mind.
"Ohhhh…" he complained as it crashed to the hard surface again.
"I tried to open it." His mother's chuckle turned his frown into a small smile.
"When can I light a fire?" His mother laughed again, reaching for the book they'd been working with.
"When I'm confident you won't burn the castle down." Avery made a face but accepted the book when she handed it to him.
"What now?" he asked, catching her gaze.
"We've been working for several hours, love. You might not realize it now, but magic can exhaust you. You need to rest." She pushed her chair back from the table as elegantly as a duchess should and ruffled his curls, but that didn't cheer him up.
Avery loved to read, but he wanted to try more magic. He looked down at the small book with its golden decorative scrollwork border on the cover. There was no title, nor was there one on the spine. He frowned.
His head reared up when he opened the book. The elegant handwriting was feminine and very neat. He had no trouble recognizing it, although it was a bit different than how she wrote now. It was his mother's handwriting.
"Mother?" He met her gaze. Somehow her smile made her look much younger.
Her meaning was clear. The little book was now his. He caressed the cover before opening it again, his fingers dancing over the spell inked on the first page. Suddenly, he wanted to memorize all the spells in the book. He flashed his mother a grin.
"Thank you, Mother." The slight tilt of her head was all the answer she gave, and then she was gone, but Avery didn't miss the mistiness of her gray eyes.
The little book meant alot to his mother, and it would mean the same to him. He read the first spell twice.
That night, when his father tucked him into bed, a part of their nighttime ritual, he cradled the small book to his chest when the duke suggested placing it on the table next to his bed. Avery wouldn't let the book out of his sight. His father just smiled and ruffled his hair.
He put the book on his pillow when he was alone, staring at it before giving into a yawn and closing his eyes.
That night, he dreamt of lighting a fire…under the rear ends of the boys who always beat him up.
This is good Chrissy :) I like Avery. He gets frustrated and the want to succeed overcomes the want to give up. I feel like he is eager to prove himself and not rely on his cousin or his mother for help. A male of worth in the making!
I love it! I want more...actually...I want it all!
Thanx for the comments guys. Steph, I am glad you got that from him, at ten. He's really an overachiever!
LOL at the ending :) This is great Chrissy!
What an interesting character. Love the humor.


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Capital South Wales
Always On My Mind Shane Codd Feat. Charlotte Haining Download 'Always On My Mind' on iTunes
News, Weather & Travel
News, Weather & Travel Home
Warren Gatland Given OBE
14 June 2014, 06:00 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50
Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland is just one of the well-known names on the Queen's Birthday Honours List.
65 people feature on the Wales list, with 2 receiving CBEs, 8 awarded OBEs, 32 awarded MBEs and 22 receiving British Empire Medals.
The New Zealander has been awarded an OBE for his services to rugby, just a few months after getting an honorary doctorate.
Welsh singer Cerys Matthews has also been honoured with an MBE for her services to music.
Secretary of State for Wales David Jones said:
"I'm delighted to extend my warmest congratulations to everyone recognised in today's Queen's Birthday Honours list.
"Every year, hundreds of people who serve their communities and country - often without expectation of reward - are honoured in this way. They are selected for their dedication, commitment and tireless work in helping to improve the lives of others."
"It is always so uplifting to hear of the good work being done by those honoured, and to see the positive difference they make to our nation. I am proud to add my thanks and congratulations to them all."
Among others to be honoured is Sybil Williams, for her voluntary service to children and adults with disabilities.
She set up charity Pedal Power in 2000 to give less abled people the opportunity to ride a bike and said she was shocked when she found out:
"It was probably about 5 weeks ago now, a letter came through the door on a Saturday morning and there it was."
"It was a real surprise, I'm really pleased. Really I think it's the people working in the charity - the staff and the volunteers - that have helped to make this award possible."
Music, TV & Celeb News
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Q: Undo (not revert) historic local commit? How can I undo a commit that should never have been made, when 17 commits have been made afterwards?
Background: a colleague in my team worked solo for a month, and now its time to merge their branch to the master. However, one of the commits contains a single file that's far too big to upload to GitHub. They tried reverting the commit but GitHub still wants to upload the file in order to remove it again, so we can't just revert the initial faulty commit.
So how can we undo that commit as if it never happened? We have GitBash and Github Desktop.

A: You can do an interactive rebase to delete the one faulty commit.
Caution: you will change history by that and may introduce surprises if someone else has already pulled the branch.
git checkout colleagues-feature-branch
git rebase -i develop

Then in the textfile that opens, mark the desired commit with drop (instead of pick). Save and exit.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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2012 CI Days
The first Michigan State University Cyberinfrastructure (CI) Days event was held on October 25-26, 2012.
CI Days presented an opportunity for faculty and students to understand the benefits that cyberinfrastructure can bring their scholarly pursuits, to see what others are doing with cyberinfrastructure, and to learn what resources are available on campus, across institutions, and nationally.
More importantly, this was an opportunity for the MSU community to share information about cyberinfrastructure resources and their use in research. The event featured:
Nationally renowned research leaders from multiple disciplines of study addressing how advanced technologies enable their scholarly work;
A panel of National Science Foundation directors discussing the future of CI-enabled discovery and learning;
Posters showcasing CI-enabled research at MSU; and
Resource fair featuring CI resources available to MSU researchers.
All events were held on campus in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences building. The conference began on Thursday, October 25 at 5 p.m. with a reception and poster session. A day of workshops, presentations, and a resource fair followed on Friday, October 26.
What is CI?
The National Science Foundation defines CI as a collection of advanced technologies and services to support scientific inquiry. This includes:
Computing clusters and high performance computing systems;
Data management, data integration, and data storage systems;
High speed networks;
Data mining and data visualization;
Collaboration and security tools; and
The people who design, build, and run these systems.
CI Days was coordinated by the Institute for Cyber Enabled Research (iCER) and IT Services Research Support. CI Days was jointly sponsored by the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies and the Vice Provost for Libraries and Information Technology Services. CI Days is based on an initiative originally supported by the National Science Foundation in 2010 to support the implementation and use of cyberinfrastructure at research institutions.
Some Assembly Required: Understanding and Enabling Collaboration in 21st Century Teams
Recent advances in Web science provide comprehensive digital traces of social actions, interactions, and transactions. These data provide an unprecedented exploratorium to model the socio-technical motivations for creating, maintaining, dissolving, and reconstituting into teams - for research, business, or social causes. Using examples from research in team science and massively multiplayer online games, Contractor will argue that network science serves as the foundation for the development of social network theories and methods to help advance our ability to understand the emergence of effective teams. More importantly, he will argue that these insights will also enable effective teams by building a new generation of recommender systems that leverage our research insights on the socio-technical motivations for creating ties.
Dr. Noshir Contractor is the Jane S. & William J. White Professor of Behavioral Sciences in the McCormick School of Engineering & Applied Science, the School of Communication, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is the Director of the Science of Networks in Communities (SONIC) Research Group at Northwestern University. He is investigating factors that lead to the formation, maintenance, and dissolution of dynamically linked social and knowledge networks in a wide variety of contexts including communities of practice in business, translational science and engineering communities, public health networks, and virtual worlds. His research program has been funded continuously for over a decade by major grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation with additional current funding from the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH), Air Force Office of Research Support, Army Research Institute, Army Research Laboratory, and the MacArthur Foundation.
Dr. Contractor has published or presented over 250 research papers dealing with communicating and organizing. His book titled Theories of Communication Networks (co-authored with Professor Peter Monge and published by the Oxford University Press) received the 2003 Book of the Year award from the Organizational Communication Division of the National Communication Association. He is the lead developer of Cyberinfrastructure for Inquiring Knowledge Networks on the Web (C-IKNOW), a socio-technical environment to understand and enable networks among communities, as well as Blanche, a software environment to stimulate the dynamics of social networks.
Openness, Reproducibility, Interactivity: A Biased View on the Relation Between Science and Computing
Computers have become so central to the scientific enterprise that today hardly any new result can be found that does not critically depend on computing. And yet there are serious issues in our computational praxis: abysmal standards of rigor lead to work that even its authors can't reproduce by the time papers reach the printing press; using parallel resources is typically difficult and inefficient; we have "black box science" where key steps are locked inside proprietary products; etc.
Trained like most scientists (i.e., computing is something you learn "as you go"), Dr. Perez has spent the last decade working with one leg in research problems in applied mathematics and the other in open source software development. In this talk, he will try to bridge those two worlds and introduce some of the lessons he has learned in open source work, focusing on the scientific ecosystem that has developed around the Python programming language. Through his view as lead of the IPython project, he will show how this ecosystem allows us to make progress on the above issues: we now have open source tools that can sustain the life-cycle of a scientific idea; from individual exploration, through collaboration, large-scale production work, publication, and education.
Dr. Fernando Perez received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Colorado-Boulder (CU), working on questions regarding the topological structure of the QCD vacuum using Lattice Gauge Theory techniques. He continued his postdoctoral research at the CU Applied Mathematics Department, developing algorithms for the application of linear operators in multiple dimensions, for the fast and accurate solution of partial differential equation. Since 2008 he has worked as a ressearch scientist at the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute at the University of California-Berkely. His current research focuses on mathematical questions and the development of computational tools for neuroimaging.
As computing has been a constant thread of his research, he has become actively involved in the development of tools for better scientific computing using high-level languages, in particular Python. He is the creator and lead of theIPython project for interactive and high-level parallel computing, as well as contributor to a number of major scientific Python projects. He regularly teaches workshops on modern practices for scientific computing.
When not glued to a computer, Dr. Perez tries to spend as much time as possible with his wife outdoors hiking and backpacking, as well as climbing. For more information, seefperez.org.
Morning Breakout Sessions
Better Data Analysis for Biologists: Help Build the Factory, Not Just the Tools
A common pain point for biologists is computationally intensive data analysis, which is usually done by individual scientists or by local, ad-hoc lab experts. Cyberinfrastructure makes it possible to do data analyses that are reproducible, efficient, best-practice, and that leverage compute resources.
Increased crop yield in changing, suboptimal environments is key for future food security. To better understand and predict plant growth and yield, plant biologists study gene-environment interaction patterns - the genotype-phenotype prediction problem. Field biologists like Dr. Stapleton and her students typically have more expertise in phenotyping and experimental design than in efficient, scalable data analysis.
Biologists learn about new and better data analyses through a variety of channels, from bioinformaticist Twitter feeds to published papers that are many years out of date. This leads to much wasted effort, as new analyses are often done late, often in response to peer reviews of manuscripts.
Let's change the scale of how we do data analysis in biology! In plant biology, we have collectively contributed to building the cyberinfrastructure "factory" that powers individual data analysis tools. Dr. Stapleton will talk about lessons learned and future developments in biology cyberinfrastructure.
Dr. Ann E. Stapleton is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington (UNCW). Her primary research focus is on the genetics of abiotic and multiple stress responses in plants. She has a substantial program in interdisciplinary computational biology tool and infrastructure development, in collaboration with computational scientists at UNCW and a national consortium led by the University of Arizona and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
nanoHub.org Powered by HUBzero® - A Platform for Collaborative Research and Dissemination with Quantifiable Impact on Research and Education
nanoHug.org served a community of 181,000 users in the past 12 months with an ever-growing collection of 2,700 resources, including over 230 simulation tools. nanoHUB.org is driving significant knowledge transfer among researchers and speeding transfer from research to education. The open-source HUBzero software platform, built for nanoHUB, is now powering many other hubs. This presentation will provide an overview of nanoHUB processes and impact, and provide a vision for a Federation of HUBs for the advancement of science and engineering.
Dr. Krishna P.C. Madhavan is an Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University. He is also the Education Director for the US NSF-funded Network for Computational Nanotechnology. His work focuses on large-scale data analysis and interactive visualization for personalizing learning and understanding academic impact. He also focuses on the design of instrumentation for large-scale engineering and science cyber-environments. He won a CAREER award for work on personalizing learning with engineering cyber-environments. Dr. Madhavan was the Chair of the IEEE/ACM Supercomputing Education Program 2006 and was the curriculum director for the Supercomputing Education Program 2005.
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
From Images to Data: Scaling and Streamlining Research Workflows
Historically, experimental observations in science have been limited to handwritten logs and field diaries. However, the recent influx of low cost digital cameras allows researchers who rely on visual observations to digitally record experiments. This has increased the amount of data available to researchers and allows researchers to time-shift their observational processes, so that multiple cameras can continually record experiments and researchers can review and re-review the data at their leisure. Such low-cost cameras can gather a tremendous amount of digital data, but there is no simple, automated method for examining this data and extracting the information necessary for scientific measurements. Thus, researchers typically use man-hours (i.e., hire students) to manually annotate video data frame-by-frame, which is an extremely slow process subject to variations in quality and detail.
The problem is that the amount of data produced by existing digital cameras is many orders of magnitude larger than the scientific observations needed by the researchers. Our research team is developing new methodologies to facilitate the scientific process and make it more affordable to filter large amounts of image data into observations that can be used to test research hypotheses. This talk will present work being done by MSU researchers to improve scientific workflow so that researchers can scale-up faster and minimize their mean time to science.
Dr. Dirk Colbry joined Michigan State University in 2009 as a research specialist within the Institute for Cyber Enabled Research (iCER). At iCER, Dr. Colbry helps the MSU community utilize Computational Infrastructure in research, through classroom instruction, one-on-one consulting, and research collaboration.
An alumus of MSU, Dr. Colbry has a Ph.D. in Computer Science and his principle areas of research include machine vision and pattern recognition (specializing in scientific imaging) and high performance computing. Dr. Colbry collaborates with scientists from multiple disciplines, including Engineering, Zoology, Mathematics, Statistics, and Biology. Recent projects include research in Image Phenomics; developing a commercially-viable 3D face verification system; adapting pattern recognition processes for tire engineering; and exploring uses of face processing to help individuals who are blind in social interactions. Dr. Colbry has taught a range of courses in computer science, including microprocessors, artificial intelligence, compilers, as well as courses in programming and algorithm analysis.
Informatics Support for Clinical Research: Study and Data Management
This presentation will have two components. Dr. Philip Reed will provide an overview of the research informatics and data management capabilities at the Biomedical Research Informatics Core (BRIC). He will focus on solutions to research informatics challenges developed for BRIC projects in Malawi, Nigeria, and the United States. Dr. Teeradache Viangteeravat will describe the process he led for BRIC to achieve certification as a Federal Data Center for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This will cover elements such as the System Security Plan, HHS Privacy Impact Assessment, Business Continuity Plan, and vulnerability assessments that are required to meet standards established by the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA).
Dr. Philip Reed, Ph.D. (Psychology) MS (Epidemiology) is Director of the MSU Biomedical Research Informatics Core and Interim Director of the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. The two organizations are central components of MSU infrastructure supporting clinical and translational research. In his role as Director of these two units, Dr. Reed oversees the activities of 40 individuals engaged in clinical trial development and support, grant development consulting regarding data management for clinical and translational investigators across several MSU colleges, and the operation of data coordinating centers for research programs at numerous locations in the U.S., Africa, Europe, Mexico, and Jamaica. Dr. Reed personaly studies the impact of trauma on the mental health of first responders and is Principal Investigator of the Data Coordinating Center for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention national study of the epidemiology of autism.
Jonathan Babbage, MS (Computer Science and Engineering) is Unit Information Systems Manager of the Biomedical Research Informatics Core. Mr. Babbage oversees the development, administration, and integration of a variety of services offered to researchers through the informatics core. He is also responsible for the deployment of mobile offline data collection devices in Malawi that enables field workers to scan barcodes, take photos, and collect GPS coordinates. These data are synchronized into a remotely administered Clinical Research Management System. Mr. Babbage works to extend this type of informatics service to a variety of researchers on campus. He integrates informatics problems into his ongoing Computer Science education through Ph.D. research focused on classification/clustering and model generation.
National Science Foundation Panelists
Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy
Dr. Myron P. Gutmann
Dr. Farnam Jahanian
Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy is an Assistant Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) for Education and Human Resources, a position she has held since February 2011, and is responsible for the leadership of the NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR). She had served the Foundation in a number of capacities since 2007 including as inaugural director (through an Intergovernmental Personnel Act appointment) of the EHR Directorate's Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings.
From 2007 through 2009, Dr. Ferrini-Mundy was a member of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Subcommittee on Education and currently co-chairs the Strategic Plan workgroup of the National Science and Technology Council Committee on STEM Education. She is a member of the Mathematics Expert Group of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), and in 2007-2008, representing the NSF, she served as an ex officio member of the President's National Mathematics Advisory Panel, and co-chaired its Instructional Practices Task Group. From 1999-2011 Dr. Ferrini-Mundy held an appointment at Michigan State University (MSU) where she was a University Distinguished Professor of Mathematics Education in the Departments of Mathematics and Teacher Education, and Associate Dean for Science and Mathematics Education in the College of Natural Science. Her research interests include calculus teaching and learning, mathematics teacher learning, and mathematics and science education policy at the K-12 level. Dr. Ferrini-Mundy holds a Ph.D. in mathematics education from the University of New Hampshire. She was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2011.
Dr. Myron P. Gutmann is Assistant Director of the NSF, where he leads the NSF's Social, Behavioral, and Economic (SBE) Sciences Directorate. The SBE Directorate is responsble for the NSF's research about people and their lives, with broad interdisciplinary connections to research throughout the foundation. He is also Professor of History and Information and a Research Professor in the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the NSF, he was Director of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). Dr. Gutmann has broad interests in interdisciplinary historical research, especially health, population, economy, and the environment. Since 1995 he has led a multi-site research program about population, agriculture, and environmental change in the U.S. Great Plains, which has produced important research results that show how demographic and agricultural change both respond to environmental conditions and shape environmental outcomes such as greenhouse gas production. As Director of ICPSR, he was a leader in the archiving and dissemination of electronic research materials related to society, population, and health, with a special interest in the protection of respondent confidentiality. He has written or edited five books and more than eighty articles and chapters. Dr. Gutmann has served on a number of national and international advisory committees and editorial boards.
Dr. Farnam Jahanian serves as the NSF Assistant Director for the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Directorate. He guides CISE in its mission to uphold the nation's leadership in computer and information science and engineering through its support for fundamental and transformative advances that are a key driver of economic competitiveness and crucial to achieving national priorities. Dr. Jahanian oversees the CISE budget of over $600 million, directing programs and initiatives that support ambitious long-term research and innovation, foster broad interdisciplinary collaborations, and contribute to the development of a computing and information technology workforce with skills essential to success in the increasingly competitive, global market. He also serves as co-chair of the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council Committee on Technology, providing overall coordination for the activies of 14 government agencies.
Dr. Jahanian holds the Edward S. Davidson Collegiate Professorship in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan, where he served as Department Chair for Computer Science and Engineering from 2007-2011 and as Director of the Software Systems Laboratory from 1997-2000. Earlier in his career, he held research and management positions at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center.
Over the last two decades at the University of Michigan, Dr. Jahanian led several large-scale research projects that studied the growth and scalability of the Internet infrastructure, which ultimately transformed how cyber threats are addressed by Internet Service Providers. His research on Internet infrastructure security formed the basis for the successful Internet security services company Arbor Networks, which he co-founded in 2001. Dr. Jahanian served as Chairman of Arbor Networks until its acquisition by Tektronix Communications, a division of Danaher Corporation, in 2010.
Dr. Jahanian is the author of over 100 published resaerch papers and has served on dozens of national advisory boards and panels. His work on Internet routing stability and convergence has been highly influential within both the network research and the Internet operational communities and was recognized with an ACM SIGCOMM Test of Time Award in 2008. He has received numerous other awards for his innovative research, commitment to education, and technology commercialization activities. He was named Distinguished University Innovator at the University of Michigan (2009) and received the Governor's University Award for Commercialization Excellence (2005).
Dr. Jahanian holds a Master's degree and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Texas-Austin. He is a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Cyber Infrastructure
2016 CI Forum


This could have had three entries in the top ten. First off, the day-time cafe regularly features an epic sandwich – the Cuban has layers of marinated pork that chef Chris Elliman has slow-cooked overnight, along with more meat, cheese and pickles that combine in a remarkable way. Working alongside Elliman is Javan-born chef Bobby Ananta providing a South-East Asian slant on the menu, and his beef rendang was a complete revelation. Warmly-spiced slow-cooked meat that fell apart, plenty of toasted coconut and fresh salad spiked with lime juice. Finally, from Thursday to Saturday evening the venue hosts Crafty's, serving up the best burgers in the county.
It seems every week some celebrity chef turns up to learn from the Kayal crew, most recently it was Ainsley Harriot and, erm, Len Goodman filming there. It's understandable as there is a long list of fine dishes on offer here along with some of the best service you'll encounter. It's hard to pick a favourite but I'm always knocked out by the Kottayam Egg Fry starter – an Easter special among Kerala's Syriac Christian community and somewhat prosaically described here as a "batter-fried boiled egg with chutney". It's a beautifully tangy, vibrant curry that everyone should try.
I'd been wanting to get to this highly-rated country pub between Melton and Oakham for years and finally made it in the Spring. I wasn't disappointed and stand-out dish was a braised leg of hare with poached pear and candied walnuts, a tremendous combination of flavours and texture.
Chef Phillip Sharpe has settled into his New Walk restaurant very comfortably and is producing elegant, fine food in sophisticated surroundings. A duck terrine from the tasting menu last Spring still lingers in the memory as combining great flavours with refined presentation. Wrapped in cabbage and made into a perfect cylinder, it was matched with charred brioche toast, a fruity mango salsa and little discs of crunchy radish.
A lively, swanky, welcoming fine dining restaurant that appears to be thriving with new head chef Arran Shaw. A long spell in Italy inspired Arran with the principles of the Slow Food movement and a respect for quality ingredients. That all came together in a marvellous starter of vibrant home-cured salmon with beer mustard and red and gold beetroot, plus a slice of remarkably complex Russian black bread – the result of several years recipe development.
After a review last summer I speculated that the big national food guides might soon catch on to the remarkable food on offer here. A few months later it was granted Leicestershire's first Michelin Star. I loved the domestic feel of John's House and while all the dishes impressed with their focus on fabulous ingredients, it was the canapes served as we sat on the sofa pondering the menu that landed a memorable knock-out blow – a dreamy duck liver parfait served in a little cornet with a dash of sweet cumberland sauce and topped with a savoury crunch of chicken skin.
New owners and new chefs have at last turned this well-known country pub into a real destination for diners. Chefs Tom Cockerill and Glenn Cowl do things the right way – as evidenced by a superb starter of grilled Dexter ox heart, lightly grilled and served with locally-made salami. A dish like that is a real statement of intent from the kitchen.
Owner Atin Anadkat has skilfully steered this business over the last decade, expanding to include a stylish boutique hotel. This year it gained a new head chef in the form of Sav Tassari. He can do big and gutsy – I remember an epic fillet steak – but he also builds on the restaurant's reputation for delicacy and for catering for vegans and vegetarians. Fitting then, that my top memory is of simple but stunning starter of fragrant winter vegetables – fine specimens including squash, artichoke and beetroots in a gentle sweet and sour dressing which let the essential earthiness through.
If I was asked to show a foreign visitor an example of British food at its very best I could happily take them to any of the fine establishments written about here. However I might just settle for The Salmon. On a Friday evening, with the serious business of the week largely done, I can think of few finer moments than when halfway down the second pint of some or other real ale in this award winning pub, one of your friends disappears to the bar shortly to be followed back by a barmaid with a large Stilton-topped pork pie, cut neatly into manageable slices, and a jar of mustard. The pub was set to change ownership in December – I hope the pies stay in place.
Leaks from Michelin ahead of tomorrow's publication of their new guide indicates a new Star for John's House in Mounstsorrel. Fabulous news for chef John Duffin and heartiest congratulations from this blog to him and his team.
Michelin-starred dining is not a pre-requisite for great food but it is a sign that a kitchen is doing something rather special and it's really great from a tourism point of view that Leicestershire can now claim one.
Well here's an interesting thing. A new fine dining restaurant, opened by an alumni of Roganic no less, with ambitious pricing of £47 for a three course dinner – and it's opened here in Leicestershire.
Chef John Duffin has returned to the family farm to open John's House at Stonehurst Farm in Mountsorrel. Can't say I know a lot about him but it appears he has an impressive CV and that he's using as much home-grown and farm-produced ingredients as possible. If I was going tomorrow – I'm not – I'd be starting with parsnip dumplings, braised oxtail, madeira and ox tongue before moving on Stonehurst hogget, wood blewits, onions and thyme, and finishing with caramelised apple, meringue, vanilla ice-cream and honey wine.
There's a serious looking eight-course taster menu at £70 – which puts it not far behind Hambleton Hall.
Have to say I'm intrigued. Feedback welcome from any one who goes.


text:
World Wildlife Fund WWF Climate Blog
Event on 6 June 2013: "Going to Extremes: The Alarming Science Behind Climate Change's Increasingly Wild Weather"
Author: Nick Sundt
Join us for a joint Climate Desk Live and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) event moderated by Chris Mooney featuring Stu Ostro, Senior Director of Weather Communications at the Weather Channel; and Jennifer Francis, Research Professor, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University. They will be discussing the alarming science behind climate change's increasingly wild weather. Chris Mooney is a science and political journalist, podcaster, and the host of Climate Desk Live.
Date and Time:Thursday, June 6, 2013, 4:30 p.m. (1630 hrs) EST.
Location: WWF Building, 1250 24th St., NW, Washington, DC. A reception will follow.
To attend, please RSVP here (free and open to the public). If you cannot make it, watch the online livestream at climatedesk.org. The video subsequently will be archived and available at climatedesk.org/category/climate-desk-live/.
Stu Ostro is a senior meteorologist at the Weather Channel, and was a longtime climate change skeptic—until the devastating 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, when he started documenting hundreds of cases of extreme and unusual weather and the patterns associated with them, and became convinced that something is very off about the atmosphere.
Jennifer Francis is a top climate researcher focused on the Arctic, whose work has drawn dramatic attention in the context of the very warm U.S. winter of 2012 (and attendant droughts and wildfires), the Russian heat wave and Pakistan floods of 2010, and other extreme weather events.
Both are now leading voices in diagnosing the wild weather that the world has seen of late—most recently, an intense winter in the UK that threatens to last throughout April.
For Ostro and Francis, the explanation for what we're seeing is simple. More heat in the Earth's system due to global warming is felt everywhere, and that includes the massive-scale patterns of atmospheric circulation that give us our weather.
Ostro's observations suggest that global warming is increasing the atmosphere's thickness, leading to stronger and more persistent ridges of high pressure, which in turn are a key to temperature, rainfall, and snowfall extremes and topsy-turvy weather patterns like we've had in recent years.
Francis's scientific story is complementary. She sees the rapid warming of the Arctic weakening the northern hemisphere jet stream, and thus, once again, slowing down the weather, leaving a given pattern stuck in place for longer (making any event potentially more disruptive and extreme).
We don't know—yet—what the next extreme manifestations of these large-scale changes in weather patterns will be. But as Ostro and Francis warn, we had better be getting ready for them --because this isn't your grandparent's Planet Earth any longer.
Climate Desk Live. Climate Desk Live is a briefing series in DC hosted by award-winning science writer Chris Mooney, in conversation with an array of scientists, pollsters, analysts, policymakers, and journalists. Learn more about previous briefings, and those upcoming, here. To attend please RSVP to [email protected]; you can livestream any Climate Desk Live session at climatedesk.org.
Stu Ostro:
Stu Ostro's Meteorology Blog - Weather Underground
Stu Ostro | Facebook
Stu Ostro on Twitter
A Connection between Global Warming and Synoptic Meteorology. Stu's massive (1000+ slides) Powerpoint presentation (in PDF format), most recently updated on 6 May 2013. He explains: "In this set of slides, I will take you chronologically...through my evolution; my overall hypothesis and the conclusions to which I've come based on my observations are interspersed throughout...[A]fter originating as a ppt [Powerpoint presentation] for the first talk I ever gave on the topic, this has grown to become a compendium of cases of extreme and/or unusualweather events in recent years (regardless of the degree of influence of global warming upon them) ..." His "Ostro Hypothesis" is that global warming is unevenly affecting the thickness of the atmosphere (what meteorologist call the geopotential height of the atmosphere, the height above sea level where atmospheric pressure is at a specific level). He argues that this is affecting large scale circulation of the atmosphere and is implicated in many of the recent climate extremes in the northern hemisphere. He was among the first to publicly suggest that the rapid Arctic warming and sea ice decline was contributing to the changes he was observing in atmospheric circulation.
Jennifer Francis:
Francis, J. A. and S. J. Vavrus, 2012: Evidence Linking Arctic Amplification to Extreme Weather in Mid-Latitudes, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 39, L06801.
Video of presentation at Weather and Climate Summit, Breckenridge, CO Jan 2-7 2012.
Weather Runs Hot and Cold, So Scientists Look to the Ice, by Justin Gillis, New York Times, 28 March 2012.
Linking Weird Weather to Rapid Warming of the Arctic. Environment 360, 5 March 2012.
Video: Extreme weather patterns and the possible role of climate change. WWF Climate Blog, 26 May 2013. "Face the Nation (CBS) today (26 May 2013) features WFOR's Chief Meteorologist David Bernard, Climate Central's Chief Climatologist Heidi Cullen, TIME Magazine's Jeffrey Kluger and American Meteorological Society President Marshall Shepherd discussing recent extreme weather events, the upcoming hurricane season (starting 1 June), and the role of climate change in recent climate extremes."
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Every Android fan out there is probably excited for the 27th of February like a kid waiting for Christmas' Eve. The reason is the opening event of the biggest exhibition focused on mobile phones, new technologies, Apps and mobile solutions.
We're talking about the Mobile World Congress and the incredible showcases we've been used to witness and enjoy every year. As usual, since 2006, Barcelona will open its arms to the thousands of exhibitors and sponsors arriving from each corner of the globe.
But how more can we push the boundaries of our technology? The devices we carry in our pockets and bags every day are just as good at handling our everyday tasks and needs as their desktop counterparts. Hence, the question: what else can we expect from the future? And what are we going to see at this year's Mobile World Congress?
This is a given and the MWC is probably the best place to showcase new devices and technologies. But while some very anticipated phones, like the new Samsung Galaxy S8, won't see the light until the end of March, we've got a lot of other manufacturers ready to take the stage.
Let's start with Huawei. The Chinese company has been enjoying a very good moment since the brand finally joined the ranks of best-sellers, thanks to last year's Huawei P9.
While Huawei usually announces their flagship device in a private conference some time after the MWC, it looks like things are going to be different this year. The company sent out press invitations announcing the unveiling of a brand new flagship device, the awaited P10. Besides that, we can also expect some new wearable device and an in-depth look at the recently revealed Huawei VR headset.
Often referred to with the name of Ocean, HTC has been teasing us with their rumoured flagship device. After a good year thanks to the launch of Google devices (both the Pixel and the Pixel XL were manufactured by HTC), it looks like HTC is finally ready to make its glorious comeback. We know very little about the new device except that it won't have any button and will offer a very different user experience. We'd love to know more about it but HTC hasn't scheduled any press conference for MWC, making a launch quite unlikely. But we might be wrong, only time will tell.
LG's invitations to their events got us really excited. The invites simply say "See More, Play More" and announce the reveal of the new G6 on February 26. While a lot of informations about the new device have leaked already, we prefer to wait for its official announcement and dream of a borderless big screen for us to enjoy movies and games.
Sony is about to introduce us to its new devices and, in typical Sony's fashion, sent out invitations stating only "Latest innovations will be unveiled". We only know that the Japanese manufacturer has two devices coming out this year but we still don't know anything in terms of technical specs about them.
The Monday evening's keynote at the MWC is usually one of the most important ones. This year, Reed Hastings from Netflix will have the honour to delight us with his words and expectations. It's clear that the fruition of mobile content is going to be an important theme, even though we're still trying to figure out in what way this could actually surprise us or give us something new. Should we wait for a game-changing announcement?
OnePlus stole our hearts with their wonderful low-cost/high-end smartphones and it looks like they're ready to charme us once again. Their sister company, Oppo, the same one who provided OnePlus with great features like the "dash charging", sent out invitations to their press conference where they'll announce "an innovative new technology". While we've heard these terms many times, we're sure that the companies will introduce something new and exciting that'll probably be featured in the still unannounced OnePlus 4.
4. What happened to Samsung?
It's been a tough year for the South Korean giant. While their S7/S7 Edge were unanimously declared the best smartphones of 2016, on the other hand, Galaxy Notes 7 were blowing up like fireworks, causing the company to withdraw all units from stores. The company has already said we can expect an announcement of the new S8 in March, but what about MWC? They'll probably show a new tablet, one that doesn't hurt people, on February 26th. Though we know some of the technical specs of the new device, supposedly named Galaxy Tab S3, we're still left wondering if this will be the device that will change our lives.
While we've heard this term ever since 4G was officially launched and we've heard that it won't be available before 2020, it looks like Sprint might give us a glimpse at the fastest network speeds ever.
Teaming up with Nokia**, Sprint will give us a demo of their 4.9G speed. It's a technology based on the 3GPP LTE Advanced Pro 2 standard and their goal is to give this infrastructure to operators around the world so that they can start offering new services while transitioning to 5G.
While Nokia will launch a whole new set of devices, like the Nokia 3, 5 and 6, respectively budget, mid-range and high-end, nothing got us excited as much as the fact that we're going to see one of the most beloved cellphones making its grand comeback in the form a totally revamped smartphone.
We all remember the wonderful ergonomics, the sturdy case and the long lasting battery of everyone's favorite** Nokia 3310**. Though nothing has been officially revealed yet, we just hope that Nokia listened to long time fans and delivers a product capable of giving us emotions again, just like in the first 2000s.
We here at Aptoide are always interested in the way Apps are distributed, used and shared (but you already knew that, right?). This year, Aptoide will also have its own stand at the MWC and we're preparing some juicy announcements to be made during the world's largest gathering for the mobile industry.
We hope to find new innovative ways to make Apps usage even more social and collaborative and, in the meanwhile, we'll show all the great things we've accomplished during the past year. With less than a week before the event, it's hard to contain our excitement!
Join us at MWC 2017 to learn more about our vision and experience the innovation of our new and exciting technologies. Come find us at Hall-App Planet, booth 8.1 G58, we'll be happy to take you on a tour into the future.
Now, over to you. What do you expect from this year's MWC? Which company do you think will give us something truly new? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Tweet us @aptoide using #MWC17 to share your thoughts, and get in touch with us to set up a meeting next week at our booth. We're looking forward to seeing you there!


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'The Fabelmans' to Receive Vanguard Award at Palm Springs International Film Awards
Michaela Zee
Steven Spielberg's "The Fabelmans" is set to receive the Vanguard Award at this year's Palm Springs International Film Awards. The award will be presented to Spielberg and cast members Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Gabriel LaBelle and Judd Hirsch.
"'The Fabelmans' is an achievement not only as a deeply personal portrait of Steven Spielberg's childhood, but also as a profoundly universal story that each and every one of us can relate to. Giving audiences a glimpse at Spielberg's early love for movies and moviemaking, the film features a tremendous ensemble performance by Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Gabriel LaBelle and Judd Hirsch, making it one of the must-see films of the year," festival chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement. "It is our honor to present the Vanguard Award to 'The Fabelmans.'"
Michelle Yeoh to Receive International Star Award for 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' at Palm Springs International Film Awards
Steven Spielberg Has COVID, Skips Gotham Awards
Ignore the Sitcom Title -- 'The Fabelmans' Is the Rare Great Movie About the Ecstasy of Making Movies
The Vanguard Award recognizes the collective work of a film's cast and director on an exceptional film project. Past recipients include Academy Award best picture winners "Green Book" and "The Shape of Water" as well as best picture nominees "Belfast," "La La Land," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "The Trial of the Chicago 7." Previously announced honorees at this year's awards ceremony include Cate Blanchett (Desert Palm Achievement Award, actress), Colin Farrell (Desert Palm Achievement Award, actor), Sarah Polley (Director of the Year Award) and Michelle Yeoh (International Star Award).
The Palm Springs International Film Awards will take place in person on Jan. 5 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. This year's festival will run through Jan. 16.


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Basílio de Braga é um santo português. Segundo a tradição bracarense foi o 2.º Bispo de Braga, entre 60 e 95. Antes foi 1.º Bispo de Meinedo (Diocese histórica na região do Porto). Recebeu a ordenação episcopal das mãos de São Pedro de Rates, 1.º Bispo de Braga.

O Agiológio Lusitano, de Jorge Cardoso, narra o seu martírio.

Pelas suas virtudes e martírio foi declarado Santo pela Igreja Católica e é comemorado a 23 de Maio.

Bispos de Braga
Basilio Braga

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Unrest Kashmir and the Resting world -By A. R. Akash
October , 2016 admin International
Since 1947, the conflict between Pakistan and India on Kashmir issue has come to a dramatic and hot position for shooting and killing innocent Kashmiri people and encounter of armed freedom fighters. Geographical position, historical chronicles and cultural differences claim the distinct position and instinct nature of Kashmir which out all doubts of illegal occupation and seizure in some extents by two big eagles of Indian subcontinents. The victimization of these innocent people has been a terrible long history since a single body had been split into two parts in 1947. In 1947, the partition of the Indian sub-continent along religious lines led to the formation of India and Pakistan. However, there remained the problem of over 650 states, run by princes, existing within the two newly independent countries. In theory, these princely states had the option of deciding which country to join, or of remaining independent. In practice, the restive population of each province proved decisive.
The people had been fighting for freedom from British rule, and with their struggle about to bear fruit they were not willing to let the princes fill the vacuum. Although many princes wanted to be "independent" (which would have meant hereditary monarchies and no hope for democracy) they had to succumb to their people's protests which turned violent in many provinces. Because of its location, Kashmir could choose to join either India or Pakistan. Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Kashmir, was Hindu while most of his subjects were Muslim.
Unable to decide which nation Kashmir should join, Hari Singh chose to remain neutral. But his hopes of remaining independent were dashed in October 1947,as Muslim Subjcts were demanding to join in Pakistn.Hari Singh appealed to the Indian government for military assistance and fled to India. He signed the Instrument of Accession, ceding Kashmir to India on October 26. Indian and Pakistani forces thus fought their first war over Kashmir in 1947-48. India referred the dispute to the United Nations on 1 January. In a resolution dated August 13, 1948, the UN asked Pakistan to remove its troops, after which India was also to withdraw the bulk of its forces. Once this happened, a "free and fair" plebiscite was to be held to allow the Kashmiri people to decide their future.
India, having taken the issue to the UN, was confident of winning a plebiscite, since the most influential Kashmiri mass leader, Sheikh Abdullah, was firmly on its side. An emergency government was formed on October 30, 1948 with Sheikh Abdullah as the Prime Minister. Pakistan ignored the UN mandate and continued fighting, holding on to the portion of Kashmir under its control. On January 1, 1949, a ceasefire was agreed, with 65 per cent of the territory under Indian control and the remainder with Pakistan. The ceasefire was intended to be temporary but the Line of Control remains the de facto border between the two countries. In 1957, Kashmir was formally incorporated into the Indian Union. It was granted a special status under Article 370 of India's constitution, which ensures, among other things, that non-Kashmiri Indians cannot buy property there. Fighting broke out again in 1965, but a ceasefire was established that September.
Indian Prime Minister, Lal BhadurShastri, and Pakistani President, M Ayub Khan, signed the Tashkent agreement on January 1, 1966. They resolved to try to end the dispute, but the death of MrShastri and the rise of Gen Yahya Khan in Pakistan resulted in stalemate. In 1971a third war, resulting in the formation of the independent nation of Bangladesh (formerly known as East Pakistan). A war had broken out in Bangladeshin March 1971, and soon India was faced with a million refugees. India declared war on December 3, 1971 after Pakistani Air Force planes struck Indian airfields in the Western sector. Two weeks later, the Indian army marched into Dhaka and the Pakistanis surrendered.
In the Western sector the Indians managed to blockade the port city of Karachi and were 50 km into Pakistani territory when a ceasefire was reached. In 1972 Indira Gandhi, the Indian prime minister, and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, her Pakistani counterpart signed the Simla Agreement, which reiterated the promises made in Tashkent. The two sides once again agreed to resolve the issue peacefully, as domestic issues dominated. Both India and Pakistan had other important domestic problems which kept Kashmir on the back-burner.
In 1975 Indira Gandhi declared a state of national emergency, but she was defeated in the 1978 general elections. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was overthrown and hanged in 1977; Pakistan reverted to military dictatorship under Gen Zia-ul-Haq. The balance of influence had decisively tilted in Pakistan's favour by the late 1980s, with people's sympathy no longer with the Indian union as it had been in 1947-48 and 1965. Mrs Gandhi's attempts to install puppet governments in state capitals, manipulating the democratic process in the state legislatures, deeply angered the Kashmiris. The status quo was largely maintained until 1989 when pro-independence and pro-Pakistan guerrillas struck in the Indian Kashmir valley. They started a resistance movement and subsequently almost all the Hindus from the valley left their place before the Indian army moved in to flush them out. Meanwhile Indian and Pakistani troops regularly exchanged fire at the border.
Whereas in 1948 India took the Kashmir issue to the UN and was all for a plebiscite, by the 1990s it hid behind the Simla agreement and thwarted any attempts at UN or third-party mediation. Over the decades the plebiscite advocated by Jawaharlal Nehru became a dirty word in New Delhi. These developments have led many to believe that Delhi has squandered the Kashmiri people's trust and allegiance. India and Pakistan both tested nuclear devices in May 1998, and then in April 1999 test-fired missiles in efforts to perfect delivery systems for their nuclear weapons. Pakistan tested its Ghauri II missile four days after India's testing of its long-range (1,250 km) Agni II. Although Pakistan claims that its missiles are an indigenous effort, in July 1999 Indian customs agents seized components shipped from North Korea which they claim were destined for Pakistan's missile program. Pakistan's later intermediate-range Ghauri III missile has a range of about 3,000 km.
When the Indian Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, set out to Lahore by bus on February 20, 1999, inaugurating the four times a week Delhi-Lahore-Delhi bus service, the world felt that such a genuine effort at friendly neighbourhood relations would lower the tension along the Line of Control in Kashmir. But, all hopes of diplomacy disappeared once the cross-LOC firing in Kargil began during the mid-1990s. The death toll , including both soldiers and civilians, was more than 30,000. In the first week of August 1998 Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged artillery fire, described by locals as heavier than that of the 1948 and 1965 wars put together.
An estimated 50,000 rounds of ammunition were expended and a large number of soldiers and civilians killed. In the summer of 1999 hostility in Kargil went far beyond the now familiar annual exhange of artillery fire. When India began patrolling the Kargil heights that summer, it found to its horror that many key posts vacated in the winter were occupied by infiltrators. A patrol was ambushed in the first week of May 1999. India belatedly realised the magnitude of the occupation – which was around 10 km deep and spanned almost 100 km of the LOC – and sent MiG fighters into action on May 26. India contended that the infiltrators were trained and armed by Pakistan, and based in "Azad Kashmir" with the full knowledge of the Pakistani government – and that Afghan and other foreign mercenaries accompanied them.
Pakistan insisted that those involved were freedom fighters from Kashmir and that it was giving only moral support. India ordered the jets not to stray into Pakistani territory; but those that did were shot down. The conflict ended only after Bill Clinton, the US President, and Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's Prime minister, met in Washington on July 4, 1999. Meanwhile, the Indian Army had made significant advances, capturing vital territory on July 4. Despite the apparent efforts to mediate, the US maintained that it was not interfering in what India still claims to be a bilateral issue. Pakistan withdrew its forces later that month. However, skirmishing continued, and in August India shot down a Pakistani reconnaissance plane, killing 16. The official number of Indian troops lost in Kargil was around 500, with almost double that number of "infiltrators" killed.
Nevertheless, India did not declare war against Pakistan – instead, Mr. Vajpayee ambiguously announced a "war-like situation". Yet this, by all accounts of soldiers and top Indian army officers involved, was a war in which India lost men engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Pakistani soldiers in the heights of Kargil – a war that could be compared with the one of 1948-49, which was limited to Kashmir, with the other border regions remaining peaceful. Thus in 1999, in a war limited to one sector, India suffered casualties within its own territory. Despite much pressure from the military and the public, the government decided not to cross the LOC. Pakistan too suffered criticism at home for limiting its war to artillery fire across the LOC and shooting down Indian aircraft. The fear of a full-scale war (with nuclear capability adding a deadly dimension), coupled with precarious economies and the knowledge of what international sanctions could do to them, may have prevailed in both countries. At last, the recent attack on Indian army in Pakistani border by insurgents or armed freedom fighters has put the last nail in the Pakistan India bilateral relationship. Now, they are threatening of being armed to confront each other in the field of nuclear weapon and economic sanction. But unrest Kashmir will never be rest and they will have been victimized for stubbornness and encounter of twin enemy.
The Deserted Teesta; Gift of a Friendly Neighbor -By Mohammad Monirul Islam
Welcome to a Multi-polar World – Again By Dr. Arshad M. Khan


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SUNDAYS AT BUUF - Thanksgiving Service - November 18, 2018
Sundays at BUUF Schedule - November 18, 2018
9:15 a.m. Childcare is available in The Children's Playhouse.
9:30 a.m. Adult Religious Education Forum
10:30 a.m. Coffee and snacks in Founder's House.
11 a.m. Service in the Sanctuary
11:20 a.m. Children & Youth religious education classes
After the Service: 12:30 p.m. Youth Group
Adult RE Forum: Adult Forum, organized by Katie Mack and Stuart Kaplan, meets for intimate, deep discussion, with the topic to be announced at the meeting.
Sunday Service Program: BUUF Thanksgiving: Gratitude and the Human Spirit
Presented by Connie Green
It's easy to be grateful for the good things that come our way, the events we celebrate, our accomplishments, and the gifts we receive. Being grateful for our whole lives, the sorrow, the losses, the failures and well as the successes, requires hard spiritual work. In this brief program of stories and reflections, we will consider spiritual practices of gratitude.
This short service will be followed by our annual BUUF Thanksgiving dinner.And as many of you know, our Thanksgiving service is a big feast! In addition to the expressions of gratitude, we need people to volunteer to bring food. Catherine Fountain has graciously put together a Sign-Up Genius list of our food needs. Please go there and volunteer to bring a dish! We'll also have a laptop available this Sunday (11/11) during announcements for those who need help using Sign-Up Genius, or who would just prefer to verbally indicate what they're bringing to the Thanksgiving feast.
We can't wait to break bread with the BUUF family on November 18th—not least of all because you're such great cooks!
After the Service at 12:30 p.m. - Youth Group: The Youth Group (grades 8-12) group meets. Contact Travis Boswell for more information.
For more events, visit the BUUF Calendar of Events and Upcoming Events main page.
Day Retreat at Valle Crucis Park - Saturday, September 22 at 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Join us for a day retreat at Valle Crucis Park that begins with a morning Yoga session led by our own Stuart Kaplan, and then moves into a combination of fun activities at the park (games, wading, etc.) and short workshops on community building, social action, and other topics. Babysitting will be available while parents and guardians attend the workshops. BUUF will provide a Bar-B-Q lunch and drinks; please bring a lunch side dish to share, and come for the whole day, a half-day, or whatever your calendar permits. A detailed schedule of events will be available two weeks before the retreat.
For more events, visit the BUUF Calendar of Events and Upcoming Events main page.
SundayS AT BUUF - July 1, 2018
Sundays at BUUF Schedule - July 1, 2018
9:30 a.m. Choir practice for July 8 Service
10:30 a.m. Childcare is available in The Children's Playhouse.
After the Service: Interdependence Potluck Picnic
Today's Program: Boonerang
Presented by Katie Mack and Rachel McKinney
Boone allows people to leave but never really leaves people. Boone has changed rather dramatically over the past decades and when you are called to return, you find both the familiar and unfamiliar. Two members, Katie Mack and Rachel McKinney, reflect on what they've found and what they continue to seek in the community and in BUUF after decades-long absences.
at Alice and Earl's Home
Directions to the Picnic: Follow US Highway 421 to South towards Mountain City, Tennessee. At the North Carolina—Tennessee Line, take a left onto Old Us Hwy 421. Drive ½ mile. Mailbox says NAYLOR. (If you're on US Highway 421 and you cross into Tennessee, Sharpie's Restaurant will be on the left and a fireworks stand on the right; that means you've gone too far.) Park behind the drive-thru barn. Folks with mobility issues may drive up the driveway to the garage and park. There is wheelchair access on the east side of the patio. In that case, you will need to drive on the lawn at the garage. Note: Please do not enter the 110-year-old barn, as it may not be safe. Children must be supervised by an adult while at the pond.
Congregational Mtgs
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Boone Unitarian
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Update on City Car development and plans included in an article in the Financial Times, May 5, 2013. Includes a photo of the current vehicle design and plans to offer it for sale in the EU next year.
For the most current overview, see the book entitled Reinventing the Automobile: Personal Mobility in the 21st Century, by William J. Mitchell, et al http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=12044&mode=toc ( released 31 March 2010) Amazon.com provides several purchase options, some less that $10.
Or see: http://mitpress-ebooks.mit.edu/product/reinventing-automobile Two purchase options are provided at this website. You can buy it in electronic form or rent it for a week or month.
The CityCar is a foldable, electric, two-passenger vehicle for crowded cities. It uses Wheel Robots—fully modular in-wheel electric motors—that integrate drive motors, suspension, braking, and steering inside the hub-space of the wheel. This drive-by-wire system requires only data, power, and mechanical connection to the chassis of the vehicle. Wheel Robots have over 120 degrees of steering freedom, allowing for a zero-turn radius and 90-degree parking (sideways translation); they also enable the CityCar to fold by eliminating the gasoline-powered engine and drive-train. Folded, the CityCar is very compact (roughly 60" or 1500mm), with an on-street parking ratio of at least 3:1 to traditional cars. It is also lightweight (1000lbs) and modular, and automatically recharges when parked, reducing battery needs and excess weight. The CityCar has two use models: private (traditional ownership), and shared (Mobility On Demand, high-utilization, one-way shared systems like Paris's Vélib' bicycle-sharing program). Work on the CityCar is currently underway in northern Spain - for details see this website.
The project is a component of a large, MIT-wide, interdisciplinary program called Transportation@MIT A series of excellent 60-minute seminars presented by various MIT faculty is available as streaming video at this website.


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Wednesday, November 12th: Home at Last, Jade
New Hampshire Chronicle continues our series dedicated to finding permanent homes for children in foster care in New Hampshire and tonight we introduce you to 12-year-old Jade. She is vibrant, full of life and energy and wants to work with animals when she grows up. All she wants, is a family to call her own. Click to view the Home at Last segment.Plus, Josh Logan may have been eliminated from the hit T.V. Show "The Voice" but the Manchester singer tells Audrey Cox he doesn't plan to end his music career anytime soon.On Fritz Wetherbee's New Hampshire: Moving Marlow.For more information on tonight's stories:Home at Lasthttp://www.wmur.com/new-hampshire-chronicle/home-at-lastDivision for Children, Youth & Families Adoptions(603) 271-4711 or 1-800-852-3345http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcyf/adoption/adoptingdcyf.htmJosh Logan Musichttp://www.joshloganonline.com/josh/Hosting this week from:Thrifty's Second Hand StuffManchester, NH(508) 735-4000thriftyssecondhandstuff.com/
New Hampshire Chronicle continues our series dedicated to finding permanent homes for children in foster care in New Hampshire and tonight we introduce you to 12-year-old Jade. She is vibrant, full of life and energy and wants to work with animals when she grows up. All she wants, is a family to call her own.
Click to view the Home at Last segment.
Plus, Josh Logan may have been eliminated from the hit T.V. Show "The Voice" but the Manchester singer tells Audrey Cox he doesn't plan to end his music career anytime soon.
On Fritz Wetherbee's New Hampshire: Moving Marlow.
For more information on tonight's stories:
http://www.wmur.com/new-hampshire-chronicle/home-at-last
Division for Children, Youth & Families Adoptions
http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcyf/adoption/adoptingdcyf.htm
Josh Logan Music
http://www.joshloganonline.com/josh/
Hosting this week from:
Thrifty's Second Hand Stuff
thriftyssecondhandstuff.com/


Make this lechon recipe for special weekend treats. Its skin is ultra-crispy! This brined and baked pork belly is moist, and since it is boneless, it is easier to eat. Look at that crispy skin, too!
In a saucepan over medium heat, add salt, sugar, pepper, to 1 cup water. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar.
Once dissolved, remove from heat and pour into a container (with a lid) that can hold the pork belly. Add remaining cold water. Set aside to cool completely.
Once cooled, place pork belly into the brine, ensuring that it is fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours, up to 72 hours (3 days).
Preheat an oven to 350° F. Remove pork from brine, and place on a roasting pan. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 3 hours or until the skin is crispy and the meat is browned.
Remove from the oven, and let rest 10 minutes before carving with a sharp knife. Serve while hot with lechon sauce on the side, if desired.


Finally, the Apple Watch ECG app is here!
We have written many stories about how the Apple Watch saved lives, whether through the emergency call option, or through the heart rate sensor, notifying people about irregular heart beats.
In its October keynote, Apple announced the much anticipated ECG feature on the Series 4 Apple Watch (using the sensors under the Apple Watch, and Digital Crown). This is a groundbreaking feature, which will put an electrocardiogram monitor on the wrists millions of people. Many people are unaware of having heart conditions, especially atrial fibrillation has no clear symptoms, which can lead to a stroke. Apple Watch Series 4 fixes that.
Early diagnosis with your Apple Watch with transform personal health in an unprecedented way.
Apple Watch customers in the US can download the ECG watchOS update. Also make sure the CBS video with Apple's COO Jeff Williams, and theVP of health Dr. Sumbul Desai.
Let us know when you try the feature in the comments!