text:
Babylon 5 solar system bears striking resemblance to our own
The number of planetary systems discovered seems to grow on a daily basis, but most of them are wildly different to our own solar system. Now a team of University of Arizona researchers led by Kate Su have used NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) flying observatory to take a closer look at […]
The number of planetary systems discovered seems to grow on a daily basis, but most of them are wildly different to our own solar system. Now a team of University of Arizona researchers led by Kate Su have used NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) flying observatory to take a closer look at a system 10.5 light years away and discovered it has a familiar general structure.
The star in question is Epsilon Eridani (ε Eri) in the southern hemisphere of the constellation of Eridanus. Its previous claims to fame were as the setting for the sci fi television series Babylon 5 and the disputed location of Star Trek's planet Vulcan. It's also been the subject of several early studies seeking extrasolar planets and was even monitored in the 1960s by Project Ozma as a possible source of extraterrestrial intelligence. Much of the previous work on Epsilon Eridani involved the Spitzer Space Telescope, but SOFIA is over twice the size of Spitzer, has three times the resolution, and can operate in the infrared at wavelengths between 25 and 40 microns. What this meant was that SOFIA could discern much smaller details, especially from warm materials, than before, which suggested an alternative model to the one provided by Spitzer's data.
Posted in Space and SatellitesTagged NASA, Babylon 5 solar system, planetary system, SOFIA
Protecting the Soldier: U.S. Army Orders More Q-53 Counterfire Radars from Lockheed Martin
Fun Fishing Times On Chesapeake Bay!


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A Feeling That Never Goes Away
Every baseball fan remembers going to their first major league game as a child. Your little league coach, a parent or relative guided you through a large portal up and out into the grand stands and you caught your very first glimpse of the ball field and massive stadium. Laid out before you was the infield, the pitcher's mound, baselines and the gloriously green outfield. If you were lucky and it was a day game with the sun shining and a big blue sky it became your indelible "Field Of Dreams" memory. It may have been Fenway Park, Dodger Stadium, Camden Yards or maybe at Yankee Stadium where I had my experience. That feeling I had as a kid going through the tunnel to the stands in Yankee Stadium is the closest thing I can explain to the feeling I still get today when I walk out onto an empty stage for sound check, especially in a place like Symphony Hall in Boston. It never gets old, looking out at those empty seats, taking in all the details of the hall: the stage lights and chandeliers, the cross beams on the ceiling, the sculptures and carvings.There's a feeling of anticipation and a sense of excitement that any performer knows. Because just like sports, you don't really know how it's all going to turn out.
The view from the Symphony Hall stage at sound check December 28, 2015
At Symphony Hall you enter the stage through a large white door that actually has a peephole so the stage manager can see the into house without opening it. How many musicians, singers and conductors made their way to that stage since it was built in 1900?
At the stage left door right after our encore. Tom is hugging Abbie Gardner from Red Molly
We hit it out of the park for Club 47 2014. It was the third year in a row that Tom Rush revived the old Club 47 shows he used to do back in the 1980's. His producing partners for the last two years were Rob Stegman and Todd Kwait of Kingswood Records. Rob and Todd produced the documentary Club 47: For The Love Of The Music and the award-winning documentary about Tom called: Tom Rush No Regrets. They are no strangers to this music.
The evening featured a bunch of younger artists and showcased an eclectic mix of styles that are always welcomed by Tom's audience: singer songwriter Monica Rizzio, sax phenom Grace Kelly, Americana vocal trio Red Molly and surprise guest Ellis Paul. We also had a new core band member with 22 year-old Matt Nakoa on keyboards.
Club 47 Class of 2014 after sound check. Back row L/R: Joe, Rob, Matt, John "Klondike" Koehler (TD), me and Marshal. Front Row L/R: Tom, Monica, Grace and Laurie MacAllister, Molly Vetner, Abbie Gardner of Red Molly
Except for Grace (and maybe Ellis Paul) none of them had been on the Symphony Hall stage before. It was so fantastic to see the look in their eyes as they walked on stage and looked out. I knew how they felt.
Backstage, Grace told me about how she made her debut at Symphony Hall when she was only 14 (she's now just 22!) and that she was so nervous about hearing her composition played by the Boston Pops and performing with them that it was a complete blur. She was looking forward to not being the center of attention and really enjoyed being a backup player with a couple of featured moments. She did an amazing soprano sax solo on Tom's classic version of Driving Wheel and then kicked it up a notch with her own interpretation of Over The Rainbow on alto accompanied by Joe Mennonna on piano and Marshal Rosenberg on percussion.
Monica wowed the house with her lovely songs Luckier Than You and Willie Nelson, played fiddle and sang backup with me on several of Tom's tunes. Red Molly proved their reputation as one of the best new Americana groups touring today. Playing three songs in the first half and two in the second and inviting me, Joe and Marshal to accompany them on a couple, they generally blew the place away. They also sang like angels on two new Tom songs: Voices and Far Away. Not bad for a Symphony Hall debut!
Ellis traded verses with Tom on the Sleepy John Estes song Drop Down Mama and did a tribute to Pete Seeger singing a hymn-like version of If I Had A Hammer backed up by Red Molly. It was one of the best things I heard all year.
For all you Tom Rush fans, here's the full set list which was posted near the stage door. FYI we ran out of time so Tom could not do Drift Away.
I treasure doing these shows each year especially knowing that they will not go on forever. So, here's to Tom and Club 47. Let's take this one on the road kids!
Special thanks to Neale Eckstein and Jake Jacobs for their beautiful photographs and to Bruce Tuller for fact checking me on Drop Down Mama!
Bruce Tuller January 8, 2015 · Reply
The photos and commentary were very impressive. I derived a good sense of the experience in being
transported by the grandeur of Symphony Hall and the stunning performances by Tom Rush, his
band and guest musicians. The collaborations among the musicians must have elevated the show to
a sublime level!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Sleepers are expensive in themselves, and can also result in a lot of waste.
WoodBlocX supplies exactly what you need in pre-fabricated BlocX, at a fraction of the price.
Sleepers are heavy and awkward to handle. Their size can mean they are difficult to get on site, and they require more man power to build with.
The individual pieces of WoodBlocx are so light, small and easily carried a child could build with them.
Sleepers require cutting, drilling and bolting together, all processes that take time and create noise.
WoodBlocX are pre-cut, pre-mitred and pre-drilled, so are quick and easy to put together and require no power tools.
Sleepers come in limited sizes, all of which are big. Their size limits the flexibility of a design.
WoodBlocX are significantly smaller, and can therefore be used to create more detailed designs and a more flexible approach to the whole area. They can also be used to make curved and circular beds – impossible with sleepers.
The width of the sleepers takes up a lot of space that could potentially be put to other uses.
WoodBlocX are only 75mm wide, leaving plenty of space for planting or paths.
Sleepers – especially re-used ones – generally only come in one shade of dark brown.
WoodBlocX can be painted any colour of the rainbow, or even clad in metal, very easily.
All WoodBlocX timber is FSC certified, most of it is UK grown, and it is all processed in the UK (at Munro Sawmills).
Sleepers are treated with a range of chemicals (including creosote for some recycled ones) that can leach out into the soil or water and be taken up by plants or poison ponds.
The WoodBlocX modular timber system is a great option for any landscaping project, and can be used to build raised beds, planters, benches and seats, raised ponds, retaining walls and edging. They are cheaper, better to build with and more flexible than railway sleepers. To see how they have been used in landscaping projects, click here, or give our team a call on 0800 389 1420 to discuss how we can help with either our kits or a bespoke design.
This entry was posted in WoodBlocX and tagged design, flexible design, gardening, landscaping, pros and cons, railway sleepers, raised beds, retaining walls, sleepers, timber, woodblocx, wooden planters. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
extern alias v200;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using v200::LiteDB;

namespace LiteDB.Shell
{
    class ShellEngine_200 : IShellEngine
    {
        private LiteDatabase _db;

        public Version Version { get { return typeof(LiteDatabase).Assembly.GetName().Version; } }

        public bool Detect(string filename)
        {
            return true; //TODO: implement a better version detect (using byte position)
        }

        public void Open(string connectionString)
        {
            _db = new LiteDatabase(connectionString);
            _db.Log.Logging += ShellProgram.LogMessage;
        }

        public void Dispose()
        {
            _db.Dispose();
        }

        public void Debug(bool enabled)
        {
            _db.Log.Level = enabled ? Logger.FULL : Logger.NONE;
        }

        public void Run(string command, Display display)
        {
            var result = _db.Run(command);

            this.WriteResult(result, display);
        }

        public void Dump(TextWriter writer)
        {
            var mapper = new BsonMapper().UseCamelCase();

            foreach (var name in _db.GetCollectionNames())
            {
                var col = _db.GetCollection(name);
                var indexes = col.GetIndexes().Where(x => x.Field != "_id");

                writer.WriteLine("-- Collection '{0}'", name);

                foreach (var index in indexes)
                {
                    writer.WriteLine("db.{0}.ensureIndex {1} {2}",
                        name,
                        index.Field,
                        JsonSerializer.Serialize(mapper.ToDocument<IndexOptions>(index.Options)));
                }

                foreach (var doc in col.Find(Query.All()))
                {
                    writer.WriteLine("db.{0}.insert {1}", name, JsonSerializer.Serialize(doc, false, true));
                }
            }
        }

        #region Display Bson Result

        private void WriteResult(BsonValue result, Display display)
        {
            var index = 0;

            if (result.IsNull) return;

            if (result.IsDocument)
            {
                display.WriteLine(ConsoleColor.DarkCyan, JsonSerializer.Serialize(result, display.Pretty, false));
            }
            else if (result.IsArray)
            {
                foreach (var doc in result.AsArray)
                {
                    display.Write(ConsoleColor.Cyan, string.Format("[{0}]:{1}", ++index, display.Pretty ? Environment.NewLine : " "));
                    display.WriteLine(ConsoleColor.DarkCyan, JsonSerializer.Serialize(doc, display.Pretty, false));
                }

                if (index == 0)
                {
                    display.WriteLine(ConsoleColor.DarkCyan, "no documents");
                }
            }
            else if (result.IsString)
            {
                display.WriteLine(ConsoleColor.DarkCyan, result.AsString);
            }
            else
            {
                display.WriteLine(ConsoleColor.DarkCyan, JsonSerializer.Serialize(result, display.Pretty, false));
            }
        }

        #endregion
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Playgrounds are more than just fun places for your child. Unstructured playtime is key to the camp experience, especially for our younger campers. Our age appropriate playgrounds are the perfect place for campers to develop fine and gross motor skills and to let their creativity and vivid imaginations run free.
With sand play, an imagination building, swings and a play structure complete with slides, a clatter bridge, and more, PLAYGROUND 1 is the place to be.
Adjacent to our Pre-K base camp, this playground is close to bathrooms and a water fountain. It's a great place to spend time on a hot summer day.
For older campers, PLAYGROUND 2 is the spot to run, climb, and create your own games. Jump on the tire swing, dig in the sand, board the pirate ship, play on the shade covered play structure, or just hang with friends. Whatever you choose, you will have a blast.
Enjoy a few playground photos from last summer!


text:
Main navigation - FR
Service Links Menu - FR
Menu Menu Close
Regime Repression and Youth Radicalization in Egypt
Stability is an illusion
Brutal regime repression, including rape and torture in detention, has initiated and fueled radicalization amoung youth activists who had originally adopted non-violent strategies. Similar to the Assad regime in Syria, Egypt's current rulers appear to be content that the most radical Jihadi groups emerge at the forefront of its opponents and make compromise appear impossible. The destruction of the Muslim Brotherhood, but also the leadership failures of the movement's top echelon, have left a whole generation adrift and receptive to radical ideologies and practices. Germany and the EU should return to a policy of strict conditionality determined by the priority of human rights. Initiatives that aim to re-insert youth into the political process need to be supported to prevent a massive increase in support for radical movements.
Preface to the Series
Recruitment in detention
Radicalization and Resistance
Dimensions of Radicalization
Stopping the Slide


Automated Video Production Can Have Big-League Impact " "
The combination of video production automation and the ability to deliver video over the web is bringing professional quality video production to youth sports is improving the experience for your coaches, athletes, and parents.
This content is presented in partnership with Pixellot, the service with which you can capture, produce, and deliver game and practice video with no camera operator.
Although over 40 million athletes across the U.S. participate in youth sports, their games rarely make it to the screen. Many parents capture video of their kids playing and share them on social media, but they lack the production quality.
However, the combination of video production automation and the ability to deliver video over the web is bringing professional quality video production to youth sports is improving the experience for your coaches, athletes, and parents.
The secret behind automated video technology revolves around not having any camera operator. Instead, someone places a special video camera on the field of play. During the broadcast, a special algorithm acts as a "camera operator" zooming in, or framing the panoramic view, and follows the action in real-time. This footage is then uploaded to the Cloud and can be streamed anywhere.
The result is a professional-quality broadcast without any human intervention at a fraction of the cost of traditional production. The technology automatically produces game highlights and clips that can easily be shared on social media or another network.
The system is easy to use and can be permanently installed by the facility or organization to automatically capture every game and practice.
Increase the visibility and audience well beyond the venue attendants. This greatly enhances the experience for everyone involved and can help drive new members to your organization.
Decrease legal liability if an incident occurs at one of your facilities with video and documentation.
Get high-quality online footage of practices and games without the need for a volunteer or paid videographer. All so you can enhance player development and aid in reflection and improvements in coaching behavior.
Allow families to relax and enjoy the moment instead of worrying about capturing video footage with their mobile devices.
Easily edit video footage and let parents or players share so everyone can enjoy the live or recorded broadcast.
Allow athletes to watch footage of their performance so they can reflect on their development.
Give coaches and players professional video that they can easily share college coaches and recruiters.
In today's "video and social media era," automated production systems will play a key role in the growth of youth sports. This advanced technology has become affordable, widely available and easy to install. All so youth athletes, parents, and coaches can feel like they are part of a big league production.
Pixellot's AI-based automated production solutions enable the sports market to easily and affordably produce and distribute high-quality game and player videos.


Greece' National Meteorology Service EMY warns of one more bad weather front with strong rainfalls, thunder- and hail-storms and gusty winds.
The weather deterioration is expected to set in in the West and the North of the country and expand to the islands of the Cyclades, the Dodecanese and Crete.
By Saturday evening, the bad weather front will affect: Central Macedonia, mainly Halkidiki, Thessaly, the Sporades islands, Western Sterea and Peloponnese, mainly its North.
Saturday noon, the intense weather phenomena will have reached Eastern Macedonia, Thrace, the Northern Aegean Sea, the rest of Sterea, the Cyclades and the Dodecanese islands and possibly also Crete.
According to EMY weather forecast, on Sunday the strong weather phenomena will be confined to the Dodecanese and probably Crete.
According to meteorologists, the bad weather will strike a certain area but then quickly move forwards.
Temperatures are expected to drop.
The West of Crete became the target of strong rainfalls on Thursday, especially the Prefecture of Chania with unprecedented floods and landslides.
The weather is expected to have a temporary improvement Monday.


The People's Republic of Interactive Fiction - Boston FIG 2018!
There we were for another year of IF outreach. We had Hollywood Hijinx (original 1980s hardware!) and The Wizard Sniffer out. People played both of them.
Thanks to Naomi Hinchen for helping at the table, and Nick Montfort for lending the Apple //c.


text:
Q: Android Studio : Diamond Layout I need help for a Layout in Android Studio.
I got Texts and Icons (5 each) and every text is associated with an icon.
Icon and text are vertically centered.
I need to put every texts and icon in a shape of a « + ». So one in center, top, bottom, left and right.
How can I group one text with its icon so I can interprete this as one element and got more easier to center for this layout ?
Thanks !
You will find the result I have to match :

A: Just put them both in a layout view. like in a linearLayout with vertical orientation and set gravity to centerhorizontal. if you want to make it clickable just add an id to the linearlayout.
<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:id="@+id/image_text_element">
    <ImageView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:src="@drawable/settings"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal">
    </ImageView>

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="test"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal" />
</LinearLayout>

A:
How can I group one text with its icon so I can interprete this as one element and got more easier to center for this layout ?

<Button
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="@string/your_text"
    android:background="?android:attr/selectableItemBackground"
    android:drawableTop="@drawable/your_icon"/>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Arnold Palmer dies at 87 - sad lost to the world of golf
by stables2511
Next: Any workout people here for a question?
Just seen this on the news, to all of us out there who play golf he was a legend
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-37469392
Do you have a favorite national park?
Bottman Sep 26, 2016 at 11:20 UTC
Not a massive golfer, so it's not quite such a big deal to me. But it's clear that he was a major influence on the modern game, much like other big names have influenced different sports. So a sad loss.
Scott696d
Also not a huge golf fan, but I can definitely respect and admire someone who played the game at his level. He did a lot to bring the game 'to the masses' and make it more of a game for the everyday joe as opposed to just the blue bloods who had been playing it before he came along.
A founding father of the modern game and forever a class act. Rest in peace Mr. Palmer.


text:
Leave Notorious RBG Alone
Once again, people on the left are complaining that Ruth Bader Ginsburg didn't retire when they wanted her to.
Doug Mataconis · Saturday, November 24, 2018 · 9 comments
With Republicans holding on to the Senate at least through the end of 2020, it's assured that any Supreme Court nomination that President Trump makes between now then will be easily confirmed. This is causing some on the political left to once again look with consternation at the Court's oldest member, and liberal icon, Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
Some offered to donate their ribs, others recommended cloaking her in bubble wrap.
The reactions following news that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had fractured three ribs in a fall at her office on Nov. 7 may have been made in jest, but some no doubt were rooted in real worry.
At 85, Ginsburg is the oldest member of the Supreme Court, and this month's health scare left many wondering if she'll really serve for five more years as promised.
But she's not the only one in recovery mode.
Washington is slowly recuperating from the bitter battle over Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation. Another vacancy on the bench would surely lead to an explosive fight with liberals trying in vain to prevent President Trump from turning the court into a conservative stronghold with a third nominee.
The repercussions of Trump appointees are why some on the left have criticized Ginsburg and 80-year-old Justice Stephen Breyer — another aging member of the court's liberal wing — for not stepping down when former President Obama was in office.
"Given that she wants her vision of the law to prevail, it was a mistake to hang in there indefinitely," said Daniel Epps, an associate professor of law at the Washington University School of Law. "If she stays for five more years from now, that's 2023. Even if there's a Democratic president elected in 2020, it's quite possible that Republicans might control the Senate in 2023."
Epps said that for now, the future of the court is riding on Ginsburg's health.
"We shouldn't be in this position where the future of certain policies turn on whether this old woman is healthy or not," he said.
Ginsburg initially went home after she fell in her office, but after feeling discomfort during the night she called Supreme Court police to take her to the hospital.
Her injury caused her to miss a day of court, but not one when the justices heard oral arguments.
Supporters say Ginsburg isn't just the court's leading liberal, she's also incredibly resilient.
The justice's personal trainer, Bryant Johnson, told The Hill on Monday that Ginsburg would be resuming her notoriously challenging workouts this week. Johnson said he would adjust Ginsburg's routine, which includes pushups and planks, to help with her recovery.
"I always use the acronym TAN — tough as nails," he said when asked to describe her. "As a matter of fact, I really have to kind of make her rest a little."
After all, ribs heal — a process Ginsburg knows all too well.
She cracked two ribs in 2012 but didn't miss a day in court, according to The Washington Post. Ginsburg has also survived two bouts of cancer.
"I think she has shown she is close to immortal," said Caroline Fredrickson, president of the American Constitution Society. "She has gone through a lot and she always comes back fighting."
Fortunately, it appears that Ginsburg's fall, while it will likely leave her with pain and discomfort for some time going forward — something I can sympathize with given my own experience with a bruised rib injury when I was in my 30s — will not result in any permanent injury. It also doesn't appear as if the fall itself was caused by any other illness or injury. Nonetheless, given her advanced age, anything that happens to Ginsburg is a potential cause for concern. Thus, I suppose it's understandable that people who consider Ginsburg a political hero, a title she would likely reject given her own comments on the relationship between politics and the law, would be worried about her future. The recent fight over the nomination of Justice Kavanaugh was driven as much by the fact that he was replacing someone seen as the lynchpin of the Supreme Court's ideological divide in controversial cases as it was about Kavanaugh's record or the accusations made against him by Christine Blasey Ford and others. Were Ginsburg, or Justice Stephen Breyer, to retire or be forced off the bench while Republicans controlled both the White House and the Senate, the direction of the Court would be even more solidly pushed to the right for the next generation or more.
Because of this, Ginsburg has been the subject of subtle and, sometimes, not-so-subtle urgings for Ginsburg to step aside while former President Obama was in office, something that I wrote about several times during those eight years — see here, here, here, here, here, here and here — from liberal pundits and legal scholars. Ginsburg also hinted at several points during the run-up to the 2016 campaign that she believed, as most of us did, that Hillary Clinton would be elected President. Had that happened, I suspect that we would have seen a retirement by Ginsburg at some point during Clinton's first term, although the timing of that resignation likely would have depended on several factors including Ginsburg's own health and her personal desires, and the question of who would have controlled the Senate in such a hypothetical world. As long as Trump is President, though, it's unlikely that Ginsburg is going to leave the Court voluntarily if she can help it.
Jazz Shaw at Hot Air comes down about the same place I do on this:
[N]o matter whether it's retirement or health concerns, the decision remains between Ruth Bader Ginsburg and God. Epps is wringing his hands over "the future of certain policies" (spoiler alert: he's talking about abortion) and describing it as hanging by a thread based on "whether this old woman is healthy or not." Is it just me, or is that a pretty offensive thing to say about anyone, particularly a Supreme Court Justice?
If you want to change the system and put term limits on the Supreme Court, draft up an amendment and start circulating it around the country. But until that time, there's no point debating the retirement age of the justices or harassing them over it. If Ginsburg wants to serve five or even ten more years, that's up to her. Conversely, if she decides that enough is enough and steps down in January, that's her prerogative as well.
This is basically the same thing I've been saying each time this issue comes up. It's more than a little presumptuous for pundits on the left to call on Ginsburg to step aside for the good of whatever political cause they are concerned with the most. She was confirmed for a position that allows her to serve as long as she's able to and to retire whenever she wishes to. If you don't like that system, and there are admittedly good reasons why it should be debated, then we can have that conversation. However, that's not the system we have right now. Justice Ginsburg will, hopefully, continue to be in good health and continue to serve her country as long as she likes. At some point, she'll probably retire and we'll have the battle over her replacement. Until then, leave her alone, because I have a feeling that every time she reads about one of these calls for her retirement she adds another year on to her plans.
FILED UNDER: Congress, Donald Trump, Law and the Courts, Politicians, Supreme Court, US Politics, Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 15:43
Dealing with broken ribs sucks.
Sitting down hurts. Standing up hurts. Lying down hurts. getting up hurts.
Sneezing *really* hurts, coughing hurts, twisting your torso hurts.
Staying absolutely, utterly still is a brief reprieve. Try doing that for more than 30 seconds.
Clicking the TV remote hurts if you don't pay attention.
This is the dirty secret no one shares – pooping with broken ribs is akin to Geneva Act torture.
Broken ribs suck, hard.
@de stijl:
Yep. I dealt with it in my 30s and it sucked. I give her credit for being back at work so soon after her injury in her 80s.
Epps is wringing his hands over "the future of certain policies" (spoiler alert: he's talking about abortion) and describing it as hanging by a thread based on "whether this old woman is healthy or not." Is it just me, or is that a pretty offensive thing to say about anyone, particularly a Supreme Court Justice?
Offensive? Nah. Indelicate, sure, but I've got elephant skin.
Epps is not wrong, though. We shouldn't be in the position where RBG is the pro-life movement's best and only defense. But there you have it…
Hal_10000 says:
I'm not completely convinced yet but I've become … a bit more open to the idea of term limits for SCOTUS. Replace a judge every two years. The current Court would have four Bush, four Obama and one Trump justice. My natural small-c conservatism resists the idea: I don't like the idea of 2 terms allowing one party to completely remake the Court. And it might politicize the Court even more (judges tend to drift toward the middle with lifetime appointments). But I'm at least listening.
Teve says:
@Hal_10000: On the other hand, we now have a solidly Republican court despite the fact that Republicans won the popular vote for prez once in the last 30 years. So the current system is already susceptible to great distortion.
@Teve:
On the other hand, we now have a solidly Republican court despite the fact that Republicans won the popular vote for prez once in the last 30 years.
That's really true and very disturbing.
Andre Kenji de Sousa says:
Sunday, November 25, 2018 at 12:18
I think that the problem is that you saying that Ginsburg should have retired because of political reasons then you are admitting that the Court is a partisan body. But if you building a cult of personality of Ginsburg based on partisan reasons then it makes sense to argue that she should have retired.
(My personal opinion is that if you are going to build a cult of personality of liberal SCOTUS Justices Sonia Sotomayor is a much better icon – she hired several minorities as law clerks and she has a far better record on the death penalty and civil liberties).
On the other hand, the Supreme Court, regardless of ideology, is not a nursing home. A mandatory retirement age would be a an excellent idea, having people at their 70's considered to be young is ridiculous.
Paine says:
If this moron gets to appoint a 3rd justice in his first term after losing the popular vote by 3 million votes the entire left coast ought to threaten to secede.
Robert Prather says:
@Hal_10000:
"But I'm at least listening."
I've been in favor of this for about a decade now and if I had heard of it sooner, I would have liked it then. I've thought that SCOTUS is political for a long time and some small-d democratic accountability would be helpful. Also, 18-year terms seem long enough to provide the independence to make unpopular judgments. YMMV.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Cancer Free, But Will Miss One More Week Of Oral Argument
Justice Ginsburg Hospitalized
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 1933-2020
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Not Going Anywhere


Jim Carrey's "The Mask" is a slapstick film that set the pace for Carrey's career in 1994. More often than not, slapstick films especially during the early 90s do not get any praise from film critics. But "The Mask" is a totally different type of slapstick film since even though it's based on a comic book by Dark Horse, Jim Carrey practically took over the role and made it his own. It's a fun movie that makes you forget it's actually an adaptation.
But aside from Jim Carrey's performance, movie fans should also note that the movie is also a vehicle for another actor. Movie fans will immediately notice the amazing performance of Cameron Diaz. She practically dazzles during the entire film and whenever she comes in the scene, everyone focuses on her.
Visual effects naturally played a part in the film. While some films make it a point to make the audiences believe that it's real, "The Mask" doesn't hide itself from its visual effects reliance and the result is actually brilliant. The things that come out of the main character are so ridiculous that it eventually makes you believe that it's actually there. The beauty of the visual effects of "The Mask" was very impressive that it was nominated for Best Visual Effects.


text:
Matchup Of The Game: Tupou Emerges In Middle
Josh Tupou has come up big this season.
BENGALS DT JOSH TUPOU VS. STEELERS RUN GAME
Major League Baseball is a general manager's industry. The NBA is a player's enterprise. College football and basketball are a recruiter's game.
And Mike Tomlin, the Steelers head coach and Nick Eason's old boss in Pittsburgh, is showing you why the NFL is a coach's league with a 5-5 team that looks nothing like the team he's had in the playoff hunt the past few seasons.
Eason, the Bengals defensive line coach, is also showing you why the NFL is a coach's league in the run up to Sunday's rematch (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) against the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium. It is after Wednesday's practice and Eason is talking to you, no, make that raving to you, about third-year defensive tackle Josh Tupou.
"A coach's dream," Eason is saying. "He volunteers to take the scout team snaps, plus our snaps during practice. When he takes his test, he not only knows what he's doing, but he knows what the ends and the linebackers are doing. He knows it all. You talk about building a room, that's the kind of guy you build a room with."
The previous coaching staff had nothing to do with Tupou. Even though he was on the roster for most of his rookie season in 2017 after coming out of Colorado undrafted, he played all of 19 snaps in one game. Last season was a little better. When he played. He averaged about 25 snaps in his six games (he was inactive for four) and was lost for the season with a pectoral injury he suffered in practice a year ago Friday.
But now with Eason and the new staff, the 6-3, 350-pound Tupou is playing like his college scouting reports. He's averaging 30 snaps playing in every game this season he and fellow inside man Andrew Billings have been one of the few bright spots on the league's 32nd defense. He's coming off a monster game in Oakland, where he more than shoved it out with Raiders Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson.
And Eason is still raving.
"Seven tackles. Two tackles for loss. A forced fumble," Eason says. "The thing about Josh what people don't understand is he's eating up a lot of blocks. People don't see when he doesn't have those seven tackles the space he's occupying."
It's a coaches' league because one man's college free agent is another man's building block. That's not to say one coach or staff is better than the other. It just comes down to perspective.
"When I came in here and looked at the film, I didn't think he was a college free agent," Eason says. "I said, 'This guy has some stuff in him.'"
The Bengals personnel department didn't think he was a free agent, either. They had a fourth-round grade on him after a college career he made 45 starts. Steven Radicevic, the Bengals' West Coast scout, saw him as a first- and second-down run-stopper who could shed blocks and play effectively at a can't-be-budged 350 pounds. He wasn't going to run away from anybody, but he could collapse the pocket. Keeps his shoulders square and doesn't get washed out.
And that's how he's risen to No. 30 in profootballfocus.com's run rankings for 185 defensive tackles, ahead of such guys as the Raiders' Jonathan Hankins, the Steelers' injured Stephon Tuitt and his pal Billings, ranked No. 37 against the run.
"If you want to run it up against the middle those guys, it's tough," Eason says.
Tupou lost one season in Boulder to an off-field incident, but his coaches assured the scouts he had matured. Or, as Radicevic says, "He appreciates the opportunity." And Eason has seen that, too.
"Never complains," Eason says. "Every pre-season game he played between 40-60 snaps. Never said a word. Just comes to work every day. Never says a word. Josh is the kind of guy you want to expose to a young guy like (Renell) Wren."
As if on cue, Tupou is walking off the practice field with rookie nose tackle Renell Wren, a guy that was taken in the fourth round. Another guy that was taken in the fourth round the year Tupou came out, defensive end Carl Lawson, has been watching him, too.
"He's honestly a guy I look up to a lot," says Lawson, fighting a knee rehab and a hamstring issue for snaps this season. "That mentality. Because no matter how things are swinging he just continues to work. That's something I really admire. That's something that really influenced me through the season. I appreciate him a lot."
Billings had to laugh when asked if it's a tie between Tupou and the Pro Bowl pantomime of Geno Atkins for title of Least Talker.
"No," Billings says. "Geno talks more than him."
"Geno talks more than him. Geno talks more than people think. At least around me," says Eason, who had to explain things to new practice squad defensive end Freedom Akinmoladun this week.
"If you're sitting there with Geno and Josh and they don't talk to you, it's not you," Eason says. "That's just their personality."
Albert Tielemans/2019 Al Tielemans via AP Images
Josh Tupou (91) is taking up space.
Tupou is a pleasant guy, but he'll tell you he really doesn't talk to anybody. Not even family members. But he's a Los Angeles guy with a raft of Dodgers jerseys. He'll talk to you about his favorite player, Cody Bellinger, and the post-season failings of ace Clayton Kershaw.
Other than that …
"He just shows up and works," Lawson says. "He's a run-stuffer and that's what we need. That's our Achilles' heel. We've got the pass rushers."
The Achilles' heel has been at its most raw against these Steelers. No matter the players, the coach, the era. The Bengals have played the Steelers 41 times this century and Tomlin and Bill Cowher have rushed for at least 100 yards in those games 29 times and won all but three of them.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor's Steelers debut wasn't one of those games back on Sept. 30. They allowed just 66 yards on the ground and the Steelers are uncharacteristically 27th running the ball with foes daring first-year starting quarterback Mason Rudolph to beat them.
But Rudolph killed the Bengals back in September softly with screens and flips that were basically runs that maimed the Bengals on the perimeter and in space. Eight of those completions were basically the pitches Bengals quarterback Ryan Finley tossed to running back Joe Mixon last week in Oakland.
Sun., Nov. 24 | 1 p.m. ET
"Same stuff," says Eason, who won a run with Tomlin in the previous decade. "That stuff was window dressing and smoke and mirrors. They still want to run it down your throat. That's what they do over there. They try to run it down your throat. One thing is they've got that great defense. They get you three and out and then wear you down with the run. And they're big up front (on the offensive line) and tough and they try to find out who's the biggest dog every play."
The Bengals are hoping they've fixed those problems on the edge. They're still ranked last against the run, but in the last three games they're giving one yard fewer per rush (4.2 compared to 5.2) and that's not good, but you can win a game doing that. They feel like they've got the middle covered with Billings, Tupou and Atkins. But as Taylor said on Tuesday, they're still looking for linebackers.
In that middle on Sunday, Eason says Tupou gets all those estimable linemen at some point. The guard Eason played with back in the day, Ramon Foster. The guard who goes to Pro Bowls, David DeCastro. The center? Maurkice Pouncey is appealing a three-game suspension, which means the center could be B.J. Finney, himself an undrafted free agent out Kansas State who has been a staple as a backup there for five years. It would be his third start at center, but the Steelers are 9-1 in the games he starts.
For Eason, it's life in the AFC North, another day in what is a coach's league. Whether it's a screen, a pitch, a zone run.
"Same stuff," Eason says. "Physical."
He'll take Tupou and those 350 pounds in this one.
Bengals Super Bowl Backer Reggie Williams Has Germaine Pratt's Number
This is why Reggie Williams, the only linebacker to play in both Bengals Super Bowls, is fiercely proud of his number and never wanted it retired when friends suggested No. 57 should blitz into history with his 206 games, second most in all of Bengaldom.
Playoff Quote Board: O-Line Pride; Ballhawks; Midseason Transformation; Sample, Morgan Doubtful; Tupou Questionable
Best of the Zoom news conferences on Friday before the Bengals hit the road for Sunday's (3 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) AFC championship game in Kansas City.
'88 Rewind: How Sam Wyche Fired Up An AFC Championship Chemistry
From coaches to players, to veterans and rookies and everyone else in between, the consensus is the Bengals have stirred a special locker room chemistry to concoct Sunday's appearance in the AFC title game (3 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) in Kansas City against the two-time conference champ Chiefs. The last time the Bengals reached a championship game, the 1988 AFC champions developed a special bond right away, thanks to a training camp idea from head coach Sam Wyche. Bengals.com wrote about it on the 30th anniversary of that training camp in this story from July of 2018.
Joe Burrow Wins The PFWA 2021 Comeback Player Of The Year
Quarterback Joe Burrow, who bounced back from a left knee injury suffered in 2020, threw for a franchise-record 34 TDs and lead the Bengals to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.


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Please contact us for information or guidance, we'd be delighted to help.


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World's Famous Ice Hotel Won't Be Build In 2020 As There's Not Enough Ice
Ice hotel, Balea Lake Ice Hotel in Romania's Sibiu County which is normally constructed at an altitude of 2,000 metres (6,561ft) can't be built this year because there isn't enough ice in the...
News Nation Bureau, 9 days ago
Alia Bhatt, Sonam Kapoor And Taapsee Pannu's Vacay Pictures Will MakeYou Pack Bags
Bollywood celebs are at exotic destination to ring in the New Year's Eve and welcome 2020 with open arms.
News Nation Bureau, 18 days ago
Anushka Sharma And Virat Kohli Reach Switzerland To Join The Bollywood Fam
Switzerland this year is the favourite destination for Bollywood fam to celebrate New Years and welcome the arrival of a brand new decade.
Little Tim Enjoys Snowy Vacay With Kareena-Saif And Karishma At Swiss Alps
Tim Tim covered in a red jacket and strikingly green helmet enjoy snow with mom Kareena and aunt Karisma
Félicitations! French Ranked The Best Nationality In The World For 8th Year
The ranking was determined by the Kälin and Kochenov's Quality of Nationality Index (QNI) which listed France in the top followed by Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.
News Nation Bureau, 2 months ago
Uttarakhand Gets Award For Best Film Promotion Friendly State
A press release from the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council said efforts are being made to promote the state as the best film shooting destination.
PTI, 4 months ago
World Tourism Day: Check Out These Five Eerie Abandoned 'Ghost Towns'
World Tourism Day is marked every year on September 27 to raise awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value.
Machu Picchu Intentionally Built On Faults: Study
The Incan sanctuary of Machu Picchu -- considered one of humanity's greatest architectural achievements -- was intentionally built in a location where tectonic faults meet, according to a study.
World's 'Longest Cruise' To Journey 6 Continents And 51 countries In 245 Days
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Humayun's Tomb among 10 Indian heritage sites set to allow night-time viewing
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Want to pump into Hollywood celebrities ? Check out these places they most visit
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Instagrammers fall sick after bathing at Spain's Monte Neme lake, here are some other beautiful yet toxic lakes
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Best Opera VPN Browser Review
The Best VPNs for The Opera Browser
Written by Nicky Hoseck
Last updated on October 10, 2019 Views: 547 Comments: 0
The internet is a huge, lumbering beast with close to two million web pages, making navigation challenging. Web browsers act a bit like sniffer dogs, hunting down the information you want by sifting through pages of information in a matter of seconds.
Opera is a fast and efficient way of locating pages, audio files, and even videos. Being both smaller and faster than many of the alternatives, it gives users a simple way of tracking down relevant content while avoiding unwanted adverts.
Like many web browsers, Opera has an incognito option available, but that's not enough to give users robust online protection, which is why many use a VPN extension. While some opt for the Opera free VPN, which is little more than a glorified proxy service, others want something a bit more robust and private, which is why we've compiled a list of the best VPNs for the Opera browser.
Opera: The Good, the Bad and Why You Need a VPN
The Best Opera VPN for the Opera Browser
How Good is the Opera free VPN?
How to Add Chrome Extensions to Opera
It may seem as though everyone's singing from the same songbook at the moment, and the song they're singing is all about cybersecurity, digital freedom, hate speech, and censorship. While these could restrict your ability to access the content you want, even if Opera finds it for you, they're nothing compared to the cyber threats online criminals are conjuring up.
In response to such cyber threats, web browsers have prioritized user privacy, and Opera is one of the most secure browsers around. Although its privacy policy leaves a lot to be desired, users can opt-out. Nevertheless, even browsing in Opera's incognito mode isn't enough to keep your online activities safe from prying eyes, so if you're doing a spot of online shopping, or regularly use banking facilities online, you could be exposing your credit card details and other sensitive financial information to the world.
A reliable Opera VPN will keep your secrets safe by ensconcing all your internet traffic within an encrypted tunnel, so rather than seeing your credit card details, cybercriminals will simply be confronted by an encoded pile of gibberish.
Certainly, the incognito mode will prevent your cookies from being tracked and reduce the number of targeted adverts you get inundated with, but it won't stop your ISP from knowing where you've been or what you've viewed. Similarly, private browsing mode can't protect you against phishing attacks or malware, which is why a VPN is so important.
While Opera works effectively when it comes to hunting and gathering information, there's only so far it can go, so if you're holed up in somewhere in China and desperate for a little Netflix action, you'll need one of the best VPNs to get around the censorship, firewalls, and geo-blocks regardless of whether you're using Opera or another web browser.
The best VPNs for the Opera browser are those that offer high speeds and cutting-edge encryption without logging your activities or leaking private traffic.
#1 – ExpressVPN
Fast, secure, and completely transparent, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for Opera, as it is for practically everything else as well. Although it has released an Opera-specific browser extension, its Chrome one will work just as effectively with Opera as it does Chrome, although it does require a few more steps to get it up and running.
Established a decade ago, ExpressVPN seems to outperform the competition at every turn, whether it's accessing Netflix, navigating the Great Firewall of China, or protecting user privacy. High speeds, cutting-edge encryption, and a no-logging policy are the standard qualities of our favorite VPNs, but ExpressVPN manages to do everything just that little bit better and faster than anyone else.
With apps available for almost every device, operating system, and web browser, ExpressVPN is nothing but versatile. It has also a huge network of servers, all of which utilize its zero-knowledge architecture to protect its users' data. While it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of some of the other VPNs discussed here, it's got everything you need, and its simplicity makes it more streamlined and user-friendly.
ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which effectively gives every user a month to try the service for free. Given how fast, effective and secure ExpressVPN is, once you've tried it, you'll find it hard to give it up, especially as you can enjoy 15 months of top-class cybersecurity for the price of 12.
Get this deal before its too late by signing up with ExpressVPN today. Alternatively, find out what makes it a top-notch cybersecurity tool by checking out our full review here.
#2 – CyberGhost VPN
Like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost doesn't have an extension for Opera specifically but does have one for Chrome that works well and is completely free of charge. Like CyberGhost's other products, its browser extensions are simple to set-up and utilize while also being surprisingly customizable.
CyberGhost works so effectively, and testing it delivered a few surprises. For example, once installed as an Opera VPN extension, it simply starts working without the user having to do anything at all! Checking to see what IP address the sites we visited were detecting proved that CyberGhost had allocated a secure European IP address, and was, with eerie efficiency, already masking our original one.
Another surprise was that not even the CyberGhost website detected that a VPN was in use, indicating that this is a great way to get around geographical restrictions and access blocked content. The only problem is, you can't select a specific server or location unless you have the complete VPN app installed on your device. Furthermore, the CyberGhost browser plugin doesn't have the full functionality of its native mobile or desktop apps and offers little protection against WebRTC leaks or contaminated Flash content.
CyberGhost VPN is the epitome of cheap and cheerful, but its goofy ghostly graphics belie the power that's behind it. Not only does CyberGhost have one of the largest server networks in the world, but it also uses the latest encryption and security protocols to deliver some of the best online protection.
Affordable long-term subscriptions and consistency of service make CyberGhost a great choice, either as a browser extension or fully-fledged VPN. Check out our full review here or start your life as a Ghostie by signing up with CyberGhost today.
#3 – Surfshark VPN
Although Surfshark VPN doesn't have a dedicated browser extension for Opera, its Chrome extension works just as effectively with Opera as it does its targeted web browser. It may not be as well known as some of our other top VPNs, but it does live up to its name when it comes to both power and speed. Using the latest 256-bit encryption, Surfshark gives its users a cloak of invisibility, from under which they can access geographically restricted content and even stream movies from other countries undetected.
Surfshark VPN has a comparatively small server network but that doesn't seem to hinder its speeds or cause any interruptions to the connections. Servers have been carefully distributed to give users worldwide access to top-class protection. Its CleanWeb feature boosts Opera's own ad-blocker to give users even more protection against malware and phishing attacks.
With unlimited simultaneous connections available and apps that are compatible with a wide range of operating systems and browsers, Surfshark is extremely versatile and even gives users the option of extra VPN protection with its Multi-Hop feature. Although diverting traffic through multiple secure servers may reduce speeds to some degree, if you want the best online protection available, this is the way to go.
Competitive pricing plans and a strict no-logging policy make Surfshark a great alternative to the free Opera VPN, while its ability to dodge geo-blocks means users can access whatever content they like. If you want to do a little stealthy streaming, sign up with Surfshark VPN today or check out all its features and functions in our full review here.
#4 – ZenMate VPN
Not only does ZenMate VPN have a browser extension dedicated to Opera, but its also completely free. While free VPNs tend to get a pretty rough ride, ZenMate's is one of the small handful are actually designed to protect user privacy and enable anonymous browsing. Inevitably, the free version is limited in terms of both available servers and maximum speeds, while the premium packages offer more locations and consistently faster connections.
ZenMate is certainly no match for the likes of ExpressVPN and, rather than switching to the latest 246-bit encryption, has stuck with the sub-standard 128-bit in an effort to bolster its average speeds. It also doesn't have the cleanest track record when it comes to logging either. On the other hand, ZenMate is adept at getting around geographical restrictions and supporting P2P traffic, so it's got some definite perks.
With servers in just 30 countries, ZenMate is tiny compared to the likes of CyberGhost VPN, but it still does a decent job of hiding your digital footprint and keeping your online transactions out of the hands of cybercriminals. In addition to its free offering, ZenMate has a range of affordable pricing plans available, with the two-year plan offering the best value at $2.05 per month.
Read more about its features in our comprehensive review.
To say that opinions are divided on the Opera VPN is an understatement. The truth is, the latest version of the Opera VPN is considerably better than the old one, but still nowhere near the quality offered by the best VPNs for Opera.
Opera VPN is limited, that's indisputable and works more like a proxy service than an actual VPN, encrypting traffic only on the Opera browser and leaving other web browsers and email clients exposed. This is a shame given that the free VPN Opera used to provide for Android devices was quite good and made use of real VPN servers.
Despite its drawbacks, however, Opera VPN is surprisingly efficient when it comes to accessing blocked content on streaming sites like Netflix. Of course, with Netflix constantly on the look-out for new VPNs and proxy services, this could vary dramatically from one day to the next.
Furthermore, the Opera free VPN is easy to use and, at present, offers a simple solution to the problem of how to watch American Netflix from abroad. Without the security of the OpenVPN protocol, however, the VPN Opera bundles in with its browser remains substandard in terms of online security and extent of protection.
For ExpressVPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost VPN, users will need to add the Chrome extension to Opera, as neither has a dedicated extension for the Opera browser. This is a straightforward process that requires you to follow these simple steps:
Step One – install the extension that allows you to install Chrome extensions into Opera.
Step Two – head over the Chrome Webstore and select the VPN extension of your choice
Step Three – click on the Add to Opera button.
While that's essentially it, with ExpressVPN and Surfshark VPN, you will also need a subscription, so you'll need to open an account and install the latest relevant app for the device you're using. You also need to tweak the settings in your Opera browser to enable the VPN connection.
Although Opera browser developers have tweaked certain settings and provided users with a variety of opt-out choices, it still isn't going to give you a secure nor anonymous browsing experience, even with the private browsing mode enabled. The Opera free VPN can help but it's not as comprehensive, powerful, or effective as a complete VPN service, operating more like a proxy.
The best VPNs for the Opera browser aren't necessarily those with dedicated Opera browser extensions and ExpressVPN, CyberGhost VPN, and Surfshark VPN all have Chrome extensions that can be used just as effectively with Opera. While users need a subscription to use either Surfshark or ExpressVPN with Opera, CyberGhost's Chrome extension is available free of charge.
As with any free service, there are limits to CyberGhost's browser extension and those wanting comprehensive online protection will need to upgrade to a paid option. Even its browser extension, however, will work more effectively than the Opera free VPN in most instances, although the latter is surprisingly good at accessing blocked content on streaming sites like Netflix.
While Opera is a decent enough web browser, those looking for a more secure browsing experience should consider downloading the free browser from Mozilla and getting one of the best VPNs for Firefox to boost security even further.
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Sports Podiatrist referee in Podòlegs Col.legi of Catalonia and AEPODE and SEBIOR member .
To collaborate in this race in Collserola , where I learned to run and bike , makes me especially excited .
My experience as an amateur athlete has taught me that my profession has a relevant importance to assist and improve the athlete's performance , being many times on the other side and see the need to integrate sports Podiatrist multidisciplinary medical services at sporting events .
I have been fortunate to get to work on what I like, following my vocation: Podiatry . And I do sports podiatrist to what really fascinates me : the biomechanics of the foot and care in different sports. This includes on-site servicing Ultra Trails.
The Podiatry in this sport have two important concepts to work, the first and second biomechanics lesions in the skin and nails.
Biomechanical measures all the forces which receives and transmits the foot to the ground. There is an example that can make us understand this: in the event that we compare the human body to a car , we would say that the feet are wheels, tires and footwear engine heart .
We will choose the most appropriate footwear to the type of terrain in this case must have a good grip and study the type of tread in determining whether to make a template or not.
The lesions in the skin and nail differentiate among before, during and after the race . A skin level have blisters. At the level of the lesion more normal nails will nail subungual hematoma or black .
The podiatry service at Barcelona Trail Races prevention tips consisting in the previous days before departure also act preventively , midway if there are problems in the feet to relieve pain and arrival to heal injuries may have suffered .


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ARRL Hudson Division Director Promotes Amateur Radio Parity Act Before Senate Committee
ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, testified Thursday (January 25) before a session of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation regarding Amateur Radio's readiness to respond in an emergency. The session, "This is not a Drill: An Examination of Emergency Alert Systems," was called in the wake of an incoming missile warning erroneously released in Hawaii earlier this month. Lisenco said Amateur Radio played a role not only in responding to the warning but in disseminating word that the missile alert had been issued by mistake.
Lisenco said the Hawaii Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) activated on UHF and via a VHF inter-island repeater network, and amateur stations monitored the alert and cancellation activity, which came less than 1 day after RACES had completed an Amateur Radio communication exercise at the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC). In his written testimony, Lisenco recounted that the situation after the missile warning in Hawaii was chaotic.
"The phone lines into the State EOC were soon overwhelmed and congested, and the website was overwhelmed with public inquiries," he said. Lisenco said that in such situations, Amateur Radio volunteers typically are present at state or county EOCs and at the State Warning Point, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. He pointed out that the cancellation of the false warning circulated on various information outlets 13 minutes after the missile warning went out.
"That was picked up and relayed through the Amateur Radio networks," he told the Committee in written testimony. "The cellphone alert system could not be used for the cancellation notice until prior FEMA approval was obtained. Once that was obtained, the cancellation alert went out to the cellphone network after 38 minutes from the initial alert."
"Many people had received the warning first on their cell phones through the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, but a cancellation on that same system was substantially delayed," Lisenco said. "The result was that Amateur Radio networks disseminated validated cancellation information long before the cellular networks were able to do so."
Lisenco took the opportunity to address how private land-use regulations can preclude Amateur Radio disaster response capabilities.
"There is no substitute for the ready availability of a residential Amateur Radio station in daily operation from a licensee's residence," he said. "The licensee cannot be expected to have the ability to communicate into or from a disaster site unless he or she has a station with an effective outdoor antenna capable of operation on multiple frequency bands at once, which is ready to be pressed into service from the licensee's residence at a moment's notice."
Lisenco reminded the panel members that the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2017 is now pending before the Committee. "[Senate Bill 1534] is a balanced, completely bipartisan bill that would fully protect both the entitlement of Amateur Radio volunteers to…provide emergency, disaster relief and public service communications, while…protecting the aesthetic concerns and the jurisdiction of homeowners' associations," Lisenco said in his written remarks, noting that the bill is unopposed. "We are in desperate need of this legislation, and without it, the volunteer emergency communications services provided by Amateur Radio will be precluded. We urge the Committee in the strongest terms to please approve and send this legislation forward without delay," Lisenco said.
Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker, a co-sponsor with Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, of the Amateur Radio Parity Act, attended the hearing. Responding to a question from Wicker at the hearing, Lisenco pointed out that an early US Coast Guard warning cancellation notice was relayed to Amateur Radio networks and disseminated quickly, while the State Warning Point waited to obtain FEMA authorization to rescind the warning via cellular phones. As a result, Amateur Radio networks were able to disseminate validated cancellation information long before the cellular networks were able to do so. Wicker issued a statement noting Lisenco's testimony and posted a video clip of his exchange with Lisenco.
South Dakota Senator John Thune, who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, convened the hearing, called to "examine policy concerns surrounding the use and effectiveness of Emergency Alert Systems including Wireless Emergency Alerts, as well as recent system failures, including but not limited to the mistaken missile alert in Hawaii."


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News, National Guard, Capitol Riots
News, National Guard
National Guard inauguration deployment 4 times more than number of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq
During a press conference on Wednesday, Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said, 'I think you can expect to see somewhere, upwards beyond 20,000 members of the National Guard that will be here in the footprint of the District of Columbia.'
's inauguration, which is roughly four times more than the amount of troops currently in Afghanistan and Iraq combined.During a press conference on Wednesday, Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said,"I think you can expect to see somewhere, upwards beyond 20,000 members of the National Guard that will be here in the footprint of the District of Columbia."
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When asked if he has ever seen law enforcement reinforcement to this magnitude in D.C., Contee said"not at this level, no."Contee also noted that since the inauguration was designated as a national special security event, the final numbers of National Guard members deployed in the city"will be provided from the United States Secret Service."
The 20,000 National Guard members expected in the city is an increase of 5,000, as 15,000 were previously deployed to the city by the Department of Defense earlier this week.As theMilitary Timesnoted on Tuesday, the 15,000 National Guard members deployed earlier this week was about twice the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, due to a drawdown to 2,500 troops in both nations. The drawdown was announced by Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller in November, when he said that by January 15, Afghanistan will reduce from 4,500 troops and Iraq from 3,000. headtopics.com
With the increase in National Guard members on Wednesday, the inauguration will have around four times more troops than those in Afghanistan and Iraq combined.National Guard members were previously deployed in D.C. following the September 11 terrorist attacks and in 1968 as the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sparked riots, but neither deployed the estimated 20,000 that will be on hand for Biden's inauguration.
Newsweekreached out to the National Guard for comment but did not receive a reply before publication.Members of the National Guard walk through the Visitor Center of the U.S. Capitol on January 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. Security has been increased throughout Washington following the breach of the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday, and leading up to the Presidential inauguration.
Stefani Reynolds/Getty Read more: Newsweek »
Should of been there on the 6th protecting the biggest congressional live session in 50 years. And if there was sufficiant security. Trump would more than likely b prez bc 7 senators would of signed instead they recanted bc of the breach Third world country So domestic terrorists are more of a danger than Afghanistan.
These 8 lawmakers voted against Trump's impeachment in 2019, but charged him after Capitol riot


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Chris, resident
Prior to his stay at The Fold, Chris was on the road to destruction. After living too long hurting people and breaking things, he agreed to attend The Fold and experienced a "miracle"...
Aiyanna, staff
Born as the result of a drug deal, Aiyanna's life became one of theft, lies, and attempted suicide, until she attended The Fold's residential treatment program and found her identity in Christ...
Katie, resident
After bouncing around in the foster care system and eventually being adopted, Katie found herself lost in anger and negative influences. After her stay at The Fold, she learned to trust...
Sabrina, resident
Sabrina grew up believing that smoking, drinking, and promiscuity were no big deal. Eventually she grew tired of her depression and hopelessness, and she agreed to attend The Fold...
"Though I had knowledge of the Lord before The Fold, I was lost. But God, who is now my Great Shepherd, was working all the while, even when I was unaware."
STEVE, BOYS' HOME RESIDENT
"I knew I needed a change (what I really needed was a heart change!) and that process began when I made the decision to enter The Fold."
CASEY, GIRLS' HOME RESIDENT
"Before I came to The Fold I didn't think God existed. Now I know God not only exists, but He loves me perfectly and is faithful and trustworthy."
Sabrina, Girls' Home Resident
"My life has gone from being a life full of lies and darkness to a life full of the love of Jesus Christ."
KaitlyN, Student
"I've learned how to establish healthy boundaries. Every aspect of my life has changed. I went to Vermont angry with no love of myself. I left The Fold at peace with a great love of myself and God."
Kelly, Student
"Words can never express the gratitude we feel. There are no words to express how a parent feels with their child who was once broken is returned home whole. It is a gift beyond expression."
Maurice & Jean, Parents
"As parents, we had tried everything. There was not a stone left unturned. We were desperate for help! We had done years of counseling, lots of praying and involvement at church, we had made hard choices and shown tough love with consequences, nothing helped. While at The Fold, we started to see a joy and peace in our daughter that had never existed before."
Holly, Parent
"I was so pleased that the emphasis of the teaching is grace-based! There is a depth of teaching but it doesn't depart from the Gospel itself. All of us need to be reminded that we are loved, that the Lord desires good for us and has promised good to us. Parents going through dark days need hope. There is plenty of hope that is dispensed during the parent seminars."
David, Parent
"I love working at The Fold because it is a community of believers committed to God's best for families, staff, and students."
Holly Goodwin, Director of Programs
"A fitting way to sum up the ministry of The Fold over these past 50 years is to borrow an expression that Oswald Chambers used concerning the school where he taught for a time. Chambers said, 'The sole purpose for the existence of this institution is for God to help Himself to young lives!' Truly God has done just that at The Fold - and in the process affecting countless lives and giving all who would trust Him a 'hope and a future.' Our God is an Awesome God!"
Dr. Fred Tomaselli, President Emeritus
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The Unsuitable
By (author) Molly Pohlig
Molly Pohlig's The Unsuitable is a fierce blend of Gothic ghost story and Victorian novel of manners that's also pitch perfect for our current cultural moment.
Iseult Wince is a Victorian woman perilously close to spinsterhood whose distinctly unpleasant father is trying to marry her off. She is awkward, plain, and most pertinently, believes that her mother, who died in childbirth, lives in the scar on her neck.
Iseult's father parades a host of unsuitable candidates before her, the majority of whom Iseult wastes no time frightening away. When at last her father finds a suitor desperate enough to take Iseult off his hands--a man whose medical treatments have turned his skin silver--a true comedy of errors ensues.
As history's least conventional courtship progresses into talk of marriage, Iseult's mother becomes increasingly volatile and uncontrollable, and Iseult is forced to resort to extreme, often violent, measures to keep her in check.
As the day of the wedding nears, Iseult must decide whether (and how) to set the course of her life, with increasing interference from both her mother and father, tipping her ever closer to madness, and to an inevitable, devastating final act.
Publication date 14 Apr 2020
Publisher Henry Holt & Company
Publication City/Country New York
Bestsellers rank 1,415,380
One of The Washington Post's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year So Far
"Pohlig's descriptions of Iseult's struggles are riveting, and will unnerve anyone who has battled an overbearing mother....The ending, both terrible and inevitable, was hard to stomach, but then again, the best horror is meant to leave you gutted, gasping for breath, straining to flee the dreadful voice echoing in your mind."
--The New York Times Book Review
The Unsuitable is a fiercely feminist Gothic novel of manners and body horror, that portrays spinsterhood, self-image, and mental illness in Victorian times in fresh light.
--Book Riot 20 Must-Read Debut Novels of 2020
Fiercely feminist. . . .The Unsuitable is a wildly imaginative novel that portrays self-harm in a respectful, comprehensive way, and sets fire to all preconceived notions with regards to spinsterhood, self-image, and mental illness in Victorian times (which can also be applied to present day.)
--Book Riot The Best Books We Read Oct-Dec 2019
A feminist Gothic tale that's both of its time and utterly timeless.
--PopSugar
[The Unsuitable] presents one of the most idiosyncratic protagonists ever to take up residence in our heads...Pohlig's clever novel will have you on pins and needles to the final sentence.
--PopMatters
A voicey, unsettling ghost story of an unmarriageable Victorian woman and her dead mother's ghost. This novel of manners is so much darker than you're expecting.
--TorNightFire
Pohlig's acerbic wit sets it apart. Her sentences hilariously critique power structures, in a way that calls back to the late great Shirley Jackson.
--Wicked Horror
"Bloody and bizarre...a pitch-perfect final scene"
--Kirkus
"...series of twists and turns. Pohlig's anti-marriage plot will interest fans of revisionist gothic fiction."
--Publishers Weekly
"This suspenseful, occasionally darkly humorous, distinctively written novel is equal parts Victorian horror and cry for independence. Those strong enough to handle this visceral content will find an absorbing read."
--Booklist
"A weird and bloody ghost story combining the terror of mental illness with body horror that, while set in a gothic world, features a sensibility more at home in the 21st century. Similar in appeal to the intense psychological suspense of Sarah Waters's The Little Stranger mixed with the real-life horror of the domestic abuse and self-harm at the heart of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects."
--Library Journal
Molly Pohlig has written a true stunner with The Unsuitable. A novel that takes the body and upends it, all the while focused on the how our interior worlds are oftentimes prolifically shaped by our parentage. On the sentence level it is both gorgeous and messy; a bloody delight. There isn't another book like it. Pohlig has crafted a wonder.
--Kristen Arnett, NYT bestselling author of Mostly Dead Things
"The Unsuitable is a gruesome, stabby, wincing book about the ways in which women are influenced, hindered, hurt, and taught to hurt themselves. There is a rebellious glee in Iseult's response to the powers that be, and great humor amidst the glittering darkness. This is a comedy of manners marvelously turned upside down."
--Sharma Shields, author of The Sasquatch Hunter's Almanac and The Cassandra
The Unsuitable is a weird neo-Victorian fever-dream with a prickly, haunted heroine and an ending you won't see coming.
--Maggie Mitchell, author of Pretty Is
The Unsuitable is vivid, bloody, and above all, wholly singular. It is impossible to not feel for Iseult as she struggles for a glimmer of independence that both the living and dead are hellbent on smudging out. With this debut, Molly Pohlig establishes herself as a startling force.
--Madeline Stevens, author of Devotion
About Molly Pohlig
Molly Pohlig graduated from James Madison University with a BA in English, and from University College Dublin with an MA in Film Studies. She is the associate editor for Vogue Knitting magazine, and has written humorous pieces and personal essays for Slate, The Toast, Racked, and The Hairpin. Originally from Virginia, she currently lives in Brooklyn.


Each merchant is unique and each store has it's own requests and objectives, the accompanying habits are more than once seen among numerous effective retailers.
Retailers are busy folks, with those not in the business regularly misinterpreting exactly what amount is on their plan for the day. From ordering inventory to exploring market trends to merchandising displays to training staff and planning in-store occasions to booking internet advertising and the sky is the limit from there, maintaining a retail business implies continually having something to do. Considering this, effective retailers perceive the incentive in booking what is important to do and disposing of what isn't. This likewise implies perceiving that while a few obligations are more charming than others, all duties must be organized to adequately maintain an effective retail business. Booking time breaking points and due dates - even as your own supervisor - can help make retailers remain concentrated and on calendar, wiping out additional time spent where it shouldn't be. Retailers also uses digital signage Manchester which every businesses should use.
With a ton on a retailer's plan for the day, who has time to dwell on the past? Without a doubt, it's anything but difficult to fall into this propensity when botches are made or openings are missed. Be that as it may, all the more imperatively, it's smarter to gain from these situations. Retailers will undoubtedly make poor stock investments or have a moderate month; anyway fruitful retailers break down these circumstances as chances to gain from versus beat themselves up finished.
It's important for retailers to push ahead since all things considered, their clients as of now have. Outstanding amongst other approaches to do this is incline toward information, which effective traders execute into their store tasks through an assortment ways. This frequently incorporates consolidating a point of offer (POS) framework, utilizing web based life checking programming and following client dependability. The more retailers know through hard information, the better they are in supporting their clients.
Stores spend a great deal of cash to open their doors and keep them open, which is the reason it generally amazes me when a business relate has no clue how to help the clients in their store. The people of any business are the essences of that mark... regardless of whether they need to acknowledge that job or not. As businesses, it's critical to comprehend this reality and train partners to best speak to their stores. Retailers who effectively maintain their organizations perceive the incentive in their partners and train them, as well as train them frequently. New contract trainings are important, however don't stop there.
Regardless of whether it's your big box rivals or your neighborhood Main Street stores, effective shippers know who their opposition is. And keeping in mind that it is anything but difficult to just find out about their opposition, clever retailers set aside the opportunity to really visit the stores that rival their business. Investigating their product assortment, customer service experiences, in-store displays, online shopping opportunities, exceptional occasions, clothing standard, store packaging, visual presentations and by and large customer impressions are only a couple of the things shrewd retailers search for with regards to looking at their competition.


A yacht brokerage website I helped build alongside the Advantage Services team. The goal of this project was to migrate from their legacy website, and to improve their overall design. I also integrated custom yacht listings management with the proprietary company CMS, and reorganized their site structure. I also built search pages to browse through co-brokerage yachts provided by the Yatco MLS.
I was responsible for building out the pages from a given PSD, integrating the pages into the proprietary company CMS. As well as implementing various front-end interactions throughout the site.


On Monday, September 26, Cyril Colonius began his tenure as Mendocino Community Health Clinic's Lakeview Health Center Site Manager. Colonius has spent most of his career working in health and human services, and says he looks forward to helping MCHC provide Lake County communities with the health care they need.
Colonius' professional experience has prepared him to help Lakeview Health Center take advantage of changes resulting from national health care reform. He was the Performance Improvement Director for the Alliance for Rural Community Health, a member of the California Primary Care Association's Patient Centered Health Home Committee, and also served as Executive Director of the Mendocino County AIDS Volunteer Network.
Colonius says he enjoys learning and believes each new experience provides an opportunity to do so. "I always enjoy figuring out how to do things better. As I start at Lakeview, I'll let everyone know that I'm there to help them do their best work. Once I learn what that is, we can work as a team to learn from each other and continually improve," he said. He also looks forward to becoming involved in the Lakeport community. "As I get to know the community, I'll have a better sense of how we can grow our services to meet local needs, " he said.


Dr. Haim Cohen and Prof. Michal Artzy of the Hatter Laboratory, Recanati Institute directed the 2nd season of excavation for Maritime Studies in the University of Haifa. Eran Meir from the Shamir Research Institute in the Golan joined as a field supervisor during the 2nd season. Prof. Liu of and students from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, as well as the archaeological museum in Changdu, joined the project. Amanda Holdeman and Alisha Hsu were in charge of the daily registration digitized in the Hatter Laboratory database created by Ragna Stidsing. Michal Oren-Paskal dealt with the finds in the University. Jonathan Gotlieb carried out the cleaning and conservation of the metals, agricultural tools and coins, as well as the conservation of the piece of wood found in Area C. Iddo Katz carried out the drone photography. Benny Arubas and Marcos Edelcopp prepared the plans. IAA's Jacques Nagar was consulted and Yehoshua (Yeshu) Dray carried out the conservation. Shmuel Garsiani served as the administrator and medic. Among the participants were students from the Department of Maritime Civilizations, University of Haifa, pupils from Eretz Israel program, Shaked High School in Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, Ulpanat Eyal Barama, Nov, Ulpana Regavim, Branco Weis School in Ramot and 6th graders from the Mitzpe Golan School, as part of the IAA Cultural-Education program. Volunteers from Norway, Sweden, USA, England, Taiwan and Israel joined the excavations as well.
The Excavation was financed with the kind contribution of Thomas Morton of the Hyslop Shanon Foundation, Sheila Bishop, the Foundation of Biblical Archaeology, Eli Malka, the Head of the Golan Regional Council, the Shamir Research Institute in Katzrin and an anonymous donor.
We are thankful for the Israel Antiquities Authority's aid and participation, especially to Dr. Kamil Sari, Dina Avshalom-Gorni, Oren Zigenboym and Dr. Dan Syon as well as the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Dr. Tsvika Tsuk, Dr. Iossi Bordowicz and Dr. Dror Ben Yosef.
This is the 2nd season of excavations in Area B. The discovery of a synagogue (assumed to have been in this area by Mendel Nun) and an inscription associated with it in the previous season, encouraged further work so as to better understand the stratigraphy and the architecture in the area. This is the reason that a concerted effort was made in the area. All in all, 9 standard squares of 5 X 5 meters, with a meter baulk, were opened. Of the 9, only 3 were opened in the first season and the rest in the present one. The first week in the season was dedicated to the cleaning of the area of the thick reed growth and the preparation of the area, which contained a great amount of organic matter due to the thin layer of reed bulbs.
We can discern at least two, very distinct, major periods of building, although there are likely to have been several building phases in the first major stratum. Clear answers will be possible with deeper analysis of the excavation results and further excavations.
A square building, ca. 13 X 13 meters was found. Its southern wall is 2012 and the western one 2043 (see plan of Area B). The walls are all constructed in a similar manner: "small" and "medium" fieldstones strengthened by white plaster. A large amount of plaster remains were found on the floors of the building, especially on its eastern side. A floor associated with this wall (loci 209, 314 and 407) bears, in part, geometric mosaic decoration at ca. -208.37 MSL.
Parts of the floor (loci 506 and 601) were found at a slightly lower height, 10-30 cm. The lower level is the one associated with the inscription slab. It is likely that the differences in heights are the result of a slow subsidence of the building in its southern side due to weight. This can be best seen among the stones on the southern side, where a small void can be discerned between them. Thus it seems that the wider wall indicates an attempt to widen the wall to avoid the subsidence. It should be mentioned here that on the southern part of the building, wall 2012, the side closer to the lake, a thick layer of gravel, mixed with broken modern glass was found. This was most likely caused during recent periods in which the lake level was high enough to cover this part of the building. Since not all the walls of the building have been excavated so far (only the eastern and southern ones), it was not established where the entrance to the building is to be looked for. Was it in the north? There may be some indication that it was in the West. The dating of the building is still questioned, although in Locus 414, the foundations of the wall were reached, and the ceramic remains and a coin indicated that it was likely to have been constructed during the Byzantine period. Remains of a mosaic floor were found in most of the squares associated with the building, they extend in size from 1-2 cms. The decorations, both of the sections found in situ and remains used as fills, are usual colorful geometric motifs, mainly of braids, triangles and medallions exhibiting several colors: reds, blue and white. A decision was made not to excavate all floor sections bearing mosaics. The floors excavated were all covered to protect them. The southwestern side of the earliest building is leaning on another structure, constructed in a similar manner. It has not been determined as yet, what the relationship between the two walls is, and whether they are both part of the same structure.
The remains of this stratum were found immediately below the surface, some of the reed bulbs were found in between the stones. The typical building material for the structures was round basalt fieldstones, bound with mud. In the middle is a room (Locus 501) whose floors were constructed using pebbles, which were likely to have been in secondary use. The walls are: 2404, 2505, 2805. No remains of the southern part were found. The builders did not use the earlier walls as foundations, and thus the later phase walls were not built on the earlier ones. We assume that this clear stratum was constructed after a period of abandonment and the foundations of the later stratum destroyed the mosaic floors of the earlier one. Remains from this stratum include several iron tools and a horse show. On the Western side no construction was found as it was likely destroyed by the lake activity during high level of the water.
The dating of this stratum is the Early Islamic period, the Abbasid-Fatimid periods (8th-10 centuries CE). At this point we cannot distinguish sub-phases within the period. Although some glazed ceramics were found, they are few. This might have to do with the fact that the tell, south of the breakwater might have been settled during the period and in contact with Tiberias, during its height of settlement, where the glazed wares abounded.
Singular Roman remains were found in Area B, including part of a lamp, but no architecture can be associated with that period so far. In addition, no Crusader or Mamluk period remains were found, despite the fact that south of the area, in Area A, partially excavated in 2015 some were noted. One possibility, presently entertained is changes due to natural, ecologic and climatic phenomena, which caused habitation changes in the area.
In square B2, Locus 22208, an 80×80 cm trench, showed that below Wall 22505, there is no architecture, but a hill of almost sterile geological fill of yellow clay. This was corroborated in a core taken in the same area, for ca. 3 meters.
In this area a round structure was noted this year due to low level of the water in the lake.
In a previous period of low level, in 2000, it was noticed by Avner Raban and Ehud Galili, who called it 'Square Tower' and who took samples of carbon for Carbon 14 testing from the plaster used to strengthen the wall, although they did not excavate the structure.The results were published as dating to the 7th-8th centuries CE (Galili, 'Kursi Hof', Hadashot Arkhiologioyot 119). Following that date, the lake level rose and in 2016, the 'square tower' was discerned again. Galili remarked that what he saw was of a terrestrial construction method. The low level of the lake aided us in the excavation of the 'square tower', which turned out to be round and not a tower at all. It showed up in a height of -213.24, although it was likely to have been a bit higher since many loose stones were found in the area.
The structure is ca 4 meters in diameter; the width of the wall is ca. 90 cm. A third of the structure was excavated, and it was found that the foundation stones, un-hewn basalt stones were placed in such a way that each layer protrudes ca. 2 cm. It was built without bonding material. The foundation stones were placed against a wet surface, a thick dark organic mud matrix, similar to that found under the earliest walls in area B, (although there it is of a lighter hue).
Above the foundation walls, were two layers of small and medium stones held together by plaster made of small stones, organic material and lime.
In the lower level, 3 openings were noted: North, West and East. An opening that was likely to have been destroyed was assumed to have been placed facing south, since stones which may have originated in it were scattered in the area. These openings are conical, and the thin opening is facing inwards. In the southern opening' which is slightly lower than the others, a 'cork' like log, in the shape of the opening was found.
The highest layers were: 25 cm layer of gravel and dark sand, under it a 15 cm layer of river pebbles. This is likely to have been the 'living layer' of the structure since most of the ceramics, mainly of jars were found there.
Also found were pieces of lead (possibly remains of fishermen's nets), lead weights and more than 130 coins in different stages of preservation.
Below this layer was 120 cm of brown-black mud into which the foundations were placed. The mud seems to be of the same consistency as the mud noted in the trial trench and core in Area B2 (see above). Organic substances associated with the lake and the area are likely to have caused the different color. A small test pit was excavated on the outskirts of the structure to try to establish the living level of the period of construction of the structure. A similar picture to that of the inner structure was discerned. Outside, the living layer is slightly shallower and does not include the foundation stones. It should be noted that most of the ceramics, are probably of a buff color but have adopted a greenish hue and show deteriorating states due to the organic make up of the standing water. The minimal wear is likely to be due to the active sea/lake water.
The round structure's utilization is not completely understood. During the excavation it was noticed that bubbles originating in the outer wall were noted, and in addition on the two upper layers of stones, those not buried in the mud, there were lines of brown-yellow hue, indicating the presence of Minerals in the water. The supposition was that these were made by warm sulfur water. However a check by Dr. Doron Merkel from the Israel Water Authority showed that there was no difference in the salinization and the warmth between the water in the structure and the lake. Another possibility entertained was that it was used as a pool for fishermen to keep the caught fish alive before their sale. This possibility seemed likely because of the number of the coins found on the floor of the structure, all of which are of low denomination. The wooden 'cork' log, was used to close the opening and keep the fish inside. It was removed to let water out when necessary and free small, unsold fish. The fact that the pool was not plastered on the inside indicates that the water utilized was that of the lake and spring. Yet a third possibility combines the fish tank idea and a an additional use of the structure, as a wishing well, a place where Christian pilgrims frequenting the area, in association with the monastery and the New Testament accounts, threw small coins for blessings.
The dating of the construction relies on Galili's dating (see above) and one ceramic piece attributed to a Sichin Jar, dating it to the Byzantine period. However work is being conducted on dating the coins as well as OSL samples of the mud and geological tests. The 'cork' log will be analyzed.
Work for future research has to do with the height of the lake during the period this structure could function, in comparison to the height when the breakwater and the inner harbour were in use (our Area A – see 2015 report).