I first met Steak the adventure dog in Buckley's Plains – about 10 kilometres north of Broome in Western Australia – lazing in rust-coloured dirt next to an old shed. We were about to head north with camels and a trailer towards Cyclone Nicholas, a journey I won't soon forget. Little did I know, however, I would later follow Steak through ghost towns in Tasmania and to an old bushranger cave, hidden behind a forested mountain in southern Queensland.
Formerly known as Sasha, Steak's life changed irrevocably when she crossed paths with Luke, a mad hatter Australian adventurer who is also my mate. The story goes that one day, Luke visited his sister's house and came across her dog. Seeing Luke with his Akubra hat and sporting a bushy beard, Sasha fled under the house, horrified. Luke managed to lure her out with a piece of steak, the two became mates and the rest is history.
Steak then inadvertently embraced a life of adventure under the tutelage of her new master, Luke. And it was after wandering around northern Broome for a couple of months that Steak and I got to know each other fairly well. She's a laid-back sweetie who's up for pretty much anything. I've also never heard her complain.
It was great to catch up with Steak the adventure dog six years later in 2014, in Gormanston – a ghost town in Western Tasmania. I climbed the town's Mount Owen through fog and autumn chill by her side, and so it was an even bigger hoot when I caught up with her again in Byron Bay. She's looking a tad stiffer now, however she handled her latest adventure admirably, exploring the wildly beautiful Bushrangers Cave in QLD with her trademark grin.
Standing beneath the towering rhyolite overhangs – where many an adventurer (some nefarious) has found refuge – she looked right at home. I was going to take Steak and Luke to Coomera Falls afterwards, however I found a tick on my leg on the return journey and we worried she might have one too. I took Luke back to Byron Bay, where he gave her a much needed haircut and a tick rinse to keep her healthy.
Luke went a little crazy with her haircut and apparently the vet laughed just as much as I did when she was done. Steak looked embarrassed too. Although she's now ready for her next adventure, a road trip back to the wild, pindan-stained country of Broome, where Luke is set to work in Malcolm Douglas' crocodile park once again.
Have you ever travelled with a dog? Do you think they're too much of a hassle with Australia's national park laws? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Love reading about Steak and your travels – especially in Tassie!
I'll be back in Tassie for more adventures soon. Thanks for your comment!


On a recent visit to an In-House Users Group meeting at a Pharmaceutical company, I presented a 1/2 day seminar on creating Clinical Graphs using SG Procedures. Polling the audience for their experience with these procedures indicated that many SAS users are not familiar with these new ways to create graphs.
So, just as we release the 5th maintenance to SAS 9.4, I am motivated to continue with this thread of the Getting Started series with its 8th installment. The audience is the user who is new to the SG procedures. Experienced users may also find some useful nuggets of information here.
With SAS 9.3, we first saw the advent of the HIGHLOW plot statement in the SG Procedures and GTL. This statement is very versatile and feature rich. While it is very useful by itself, it is also a great tool to create many complex graphs. In the 7th installment of Getting Started, I discussed the features of the Vertical HighLow plot statement. Here, we will discuss the features of the "Horizontal" version of the same statement.
Type = line is the default, so this option is only needed when you want the "Bar" type segments. This statement plots horizontal line or bar segments from low to high value along the x-axis at the specified location on the y-axis. Let us see some examples, and build towards a popular clinical graph called the "Swimmer" plot. I have concocted some data as shown below.
The column "Item" is used to position the segments vertically, the segments are drawn along the x-axis using the various variables such as Low, High, or StartLine, EndLine, and so on. Some additional columns such as "HighCap" and "LowLabel" are used with some special features of the statement as will become clear shortly.
Let us start with the simple High Low Bar plot. The code and graph are shown below. Note, the "Low" variable has all values as zero, so the all bar segments start at zero, making this appear like a horizontal bar chart.
The above graph uses the default colors for the 4 stage values used as the classifier. We can use a Discrete Attributes Map to assign colors by value. We can also display an arrowhead where needed as shown below. The "attrmap" data set is provided on the procedure statement. An attr map data set can contain multiple attribute map sets, each used with one classification such as Stage and Status here. This grouping is done using the "ID" variable in the data set, and the appropriate value is provided with the "Attrid" option in each statement in the procedure.
For the graph above, we have created a data set "attrmap" that defines the colors for use by two statements in the procedure. These are grouped by the ID value of Stage and Status. The data set is shown below. I had to define my own "Orange" as CXff6f00, but you could find a named color for that. We have also use HIGHCAP=highcap to draw the arrowheads where appropriate.
Now, we can use the HighLow plot with Type=Line (default) to overlay response episode line segments on the overall treatment bars. The 2nd HIGHLOW plot does that . We have also added Scatter plot layers to place markers at the start and end of each episode. A legend for the Stage values is shown at the bottom, and another legend for the Status values is shown in the upper right of the plot. I have set OFFSETMAX=0.2 on the XAXIS statement to provide some space for the inner legend.
Finally, we can use the labelling features of the HighLow plot to mark the subjects who are considered to be "Durable" responsers as per the appropriate criteria. We use the LOWLABEL=lowlabel to display the annotation on the left end of each bar segment. See the linked full program below.


Much has been said about Apple's digital assistant within the iPhone 4S, but Siri, it seems, also has a mind of her own. And it's a funny one.
Siri: Apple's new digital assistant isn't just a helper application for the iPhone 4S (and other devices, depending), it's also a bona fide meme. It's also apparently been a great exercise for Apple engineers, one that has allowed them to dabble in their creative and humorous sides while slaving away on what could be considered a "smartphone AI" of sorts.
answers to the common (and otherwise absurd) questions it's been asked by its owners. And this, in turn, has propelled Siri to the status of minor Internet celebrity: A kind of friendly GLaDOS whose answers and means for arriving at them are now almost parodied as much as they are highlighted.
So what are some of the funnier Siri-related memes and videos floating around? Here's our list of the top four. And we warn you in advance: Some of them are not safe for work or, at least, your children.
Carrying on the popularity of the good ol' S*** My Dad Says meme comes S*** That Siri Says, a collection of some of Siri's best, legitimate answers to some of the stranger or otherwise unexpected questions it's been asked. We hope there's someone over at Apple HQ updating these answers on a daily basis.
If you want your Siri responses with a little less naughty language in the title, then Stuff Siri Said is the more PG-rated expression of Siri's creativity. Our favorite? Ask Siri to tell you a story – don't let the app back out of doing so, and you'll get a heartwarming tale of how the digital assistant came to be.
It had to happen – someone's combined Siri with the chief antagonist (or protagonist, depending on your point of view) from Valve's wildly successful video game series, Portal. We'd love to be able to purchase a voice pack that throws our favorite puzzle-generating robot onto the iPhone 4S – especially since an iPhone can't send you flying into an acid bath, nor zap you to death with a laser.
well, literally, a killer robot on your iPhone. Hasta la vista, Siri. It's time for ARNI.
How does Siri, the digital assistant, stack up against a real-life human assistant? There's only one way to find out: Challenge them with a tough problem like, say, fixing a relationship, and then use a stopwatch to measure the results of their abilities. Game, set, match!
For more from David, follow him on Facebook: David Murphy.


A virtual classroom, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is a great place for students to learn about wildlife and environmental sciences.
For free, refuge staff and volunteers are available to schedule educational programs developed according to the State of Texas Academic Achievement Records. Bring your class to the refuge for a short video followed by an exciting nature walk that introduces your students to the amazing wildlife and habitat in their community. If you are not able to bring your class to the refuge, let us bring the refuge to your class! Staff and volunteers are available to do on-site visits for a 30-60 minute lesson that would best fit your teaching needs. If you have specific request relating to wildlife or habitat issues, let us know your teaching needs and we will do our best to help you.
All programs must be scheduled in advance.
Reservations must provide a tentative date, length of visit, number of students, and number of chaperones.
We can accommodate school groups of 60 students or more. We recommend that larger groups be divided to avoid crowding in any one area.
An adult/student ratio of at least 1:10 is recommended for all school groups. More adults are recommended for younger groups.
Tram Tours must be scheduled in advance. The tram holds 68 passengers, which may include students, teachers, chaperones, and refuge visitors. The cost of the tram is $2.00 per person.
With the exception of the Wildlife Photography program, all programs listed can be provided at the refuge or in your classroom.
This lesson educates children about birds and their adaptations to the environment. It has been designed to meet the needs at each grade level and has the advantage of complementing what was previously learned. It also includes hands-on activities that usually require an outdoor setting. Simple preliminary preparation (available upon request) is recommended prior to lesson.
This lesson educates children about conservation, endangered and threatened species, and habitat. The student will be able to identify three endangered species of the Lower Rio Grande Valley and identify two major causes of why these species are threatened or endangered.
This lesson educates students on wetlands and their importance to our ecosystem. Students will be able to identify wetlands and will be introduced to the various species that inhabit them. Hands-on outdoor opportunities are available at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge where students can be reinforced with the basic function of wetlands and will learn to identify wildlife and vegetation. Simple preliminary preparation (available upon request) is recommended prior to lesson.
Explore the world of snakes, lizards and other reptiles and amphibians that make Santa Ana their home! Learn about our threatened reptiles and South Texas specialties. Explore their habitats, what they eat and other neat facts about these exciting creatures.
Students will enjoy a 30 minute wildlife photography walk to get closer to birds and wildlife on the refuge. They learn how to take photos of nature while also learning about wildlife. Cameras will be provided for student groups.


text:
Campus Reform | Colorado students getting an injection of civics education
Colorado students getting an injection of civics education
Students coming back to school at the University of Colorado may be more likely to be exposed to documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
A Republican Board of Regents member is behind the initiative.
Grace Gottschling | Investigative Reporter
Monday, September 2, 2019 5:01 AM
The Colorado University Board of Regents voted to create civics certificate programs and other initiatives designed to increase students' proficiency in the subject by taking courses on founding documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
Several proposals, which were approved during a June meeting, according to The Denver Post, have tasked the undergraduate University of Colorado campuses to develop plans to offer students a more comprehensive civics education through certificate programs and minors, online resources, and courses on founding U.S. documents.
[RELATED: USC ignores state law, refuses US civics graduation requirement]
The four civics proposals were introduced during a February board meeting by Republican Regent John Carson. The four parts include a request for each campus to begin a civics certificate program with classes available by spring 2020, for the Denver and Colorado Springs campuses to include a civics course as part of an online student program, for CU schools to survey incoming 2019 freshmen on civics knowledge, and for each system campus to "enhance civics education beyond certificates."
"We seem to be in a period of time where there's just an awful lot of unpleasant disagreement and fighting among people with different ideas and not approaching it in a civil way," Carson explained to the Denver Post. "We wanted to suggest we have a very good system of government here that's worked for over 200 years and people need to get back to saying, 'Hey, this worked. You had this disagreement. You worked them out through this process. It's a good process.'"
[RELATED: University regents consider required course on Constitution]
CU's undergraduate campuses, Colorado Springs, Boulder, and Denver, have been tasked with coming up with their own civics curricula to fulfill the regents' initiative. While the Colorado Springs campus proposal was approved by the board, Boulder and Denver campuses were sent back for revisions.
"We felt like with the other two campuses, we wanted to see more focus on the actual founding documents, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Federalist Papers, those type[s] of things," Carson told the Denver Post. "Their civic engagement aspects were solid, but I think we wanted to see more on the founding documents and evolution of our system of government from them."
The Colorado Springs initiative passed 6-3 during a June meeting. The campus proposal was comprised of seven elements, including civics and civic engagement certifications through the political science and U.S. history departments, respectively, an expanded pre-law minor, an American Constitution program, a new course on intellectual property, the expansion of the current GeoCivics program, and the adaptation of an existing American political system course into an online resource for high school students.
[RELATED: College leaders OPPOSE adding U.S. history, civics req to graduate]
So far, the overall cost of these initiatives is unknown, but the Colorado Springs campus civics program is estimated to total half a million dollars annually, the Denver Post reported.
"I believe we are respecting the faculty role as creators of content while also responding to a need in our communities," Sue Sharkey, chair of the Board of Regents, said when the civics enhancements were first proposed.
Follow the author of this article: @Grace_Gotcha
Grace Gottschling

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Fast setting is not always a benefit, sometimes we want slower setting especially when we need to set up clamps or make sure the wood is aligned, but fast setting is a benefit to me sometimes so I am looking for faster setting.
My idea here was to set up some identical boards with smaller strips of wood glued to it using both types of glue, then at intervals from 5 to 60 minutes, I would test to see which chunks of wood set up more quickly by trying to break them off the main board. The first test was at 5 minutes and the Titebond had set more and was stronger. This same effect was identical at 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes. At each time slot, the Titebond was had set faster and was tougher to break off the main board, than was the Bondrite.
I would love for a glue to accept a stain or in my case, a dye ... as many of you know I use dyes almost exclusively whenever I want to color wood, I just find variety and mixing capabilities more to my liking. I would love for a glue to be able to soak up some color for those time that a little bit of squeeze out or a small drop of glue gets on a board and you don't see it, and try to stain or dye over top and because most glues repel dyes and stains, after they dry on the wood you can often see a lighter spot where the glue was cleaned off the wood and the color did not adhere to the glue.
I was skeptical about this part, my expectation is that in order for a glue to work and to hold 2 pieces of wood together firmly the glue needs to seal if the glue is porous and allows dye or stain to penetrate, I thought was that it probably would not hold very well ... BUT, my mind can always be changed. Who knows what new technology has come about in the world of making glue, and I'm up for trying this out.
I laid down 2 rows of glue, one Titebond, the other Bondrite. The coatings for both were quite lean and I allow both to dry for about 2 hours.
Then I applied first my water-bourne dye, then 2 variations of Stain, one water, and another an oil variant ... then let these sit for about 5 minutes. Typically we don't let the dye sit on wood for 5 minutes before wiping off, in fact, we don't wipe dye off, but in this case, it was dry and soaked into the wood. the dye that was sitting ON the glue was also dry but when I rubbed it with my finger, I could see it was coming off. I added a bit of water to a cloth and the dye wiped right off both glue stips.
Next, I wiped off the stain, which you are supposed to do with these types and to my dismay, both stains wiped off the glue strips easily with little if any evidence that any stain had been absorbed by the glue.


And the whole damn world.
Each a cypher written in shadow and light.
A thousand million worlds of wonder.
As though steamrolled forward by the ineluctable march of progress.
As though applied by the reluctant motion of a house painter with a roller.
In a frisson of manic delight.
Like the butter on my toast.
Brain Size Doesn't Matter, It Is What You Do With It Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.


Plant, Forrest A., Sr. (1889-1933). Collection.
The papers mainly relate to Plant's Davis legal practice and his work settling the estates of eight citizens of Solano, Yolo, and Sacramento counties in the Superior Courts of those California counties. The majority of the papers are correspondence and legal and financial documents.
First City Clerk and City Attorney (1917-1932) for the City of Davis; Yolo County Superior Court Judge (1932-1933).


Commuters are facing a dance with death at the blind spot in the tram tracks as you approach Piccadilly station from Canal Street or the courts. This picture here shows a tram having narrowly missed a punter who didn't see the tram coming. Trouble is, you have to stand on the tracks to look around the corner in both directions if you're heading from Piccadilly station. Even when City Inn has been built I can't see the pathway being any safer.


text:
Rome - Mount St. Francis, IN
friar Jude 6:03 PM
July 4, 2017 Peace and Good, Happy Independence Day! I spent the past week in Rome at our definitory. We actually finished a bit early, so I was able to work on a couple of projects. One was to get ahead in daily podcast reflections since I will be travelling a lot this month. I was quite successful on that. The other was to do some editing for an Asian Christian magazine that is being published by our Theological Faculty in Rome. I am the English editor of the magazine, and some of the authors really don't know English grammar all that well. On Saturday I was able to finish the second last article for a publication coming out later this year. In these next weeks, I must finish the last one. On Sunday I flew from Rome to Dallas and then on to Louisville. In June I did a visitation of the houses of Our Lady of Consolation Province in the Southwest. Now I am starting the Midwest portion of the province. I will be in the States until the end of the month when I then head back to Rome. The weather in Rome has been uncommonly hot and humid until the last day I was there. Then suddenly the humidity broke and we had a great day. That evening we had a cook out on the fourth floor terrazza of our friary, and it was a glorious evening. I finished some reading in these days: Batavia by Peter Fitzsimons This is the true story of a ship wreck in the islands off Australia in the 17th century The boat was a treasure boat on its way to Jakarta to bring money to buy the spices that were so important for the Dutch East India Company. While the admiral in charge of the boat takes sailors on a four week trip to seek assistance in Jakarta, a band of unscrupulous pirate like mutineers seizes control and begin to cull men, women and children in order to cut down the numbers so that those who remain might survive. The murders take on their own logic, however, as the band becomes more tyranical and murderous. It is an awful story that leaves one truly shaken. Consent to Kill by Vince Flynn This is the first novel by Vince Flynn that I have read. I have seen his name and titles for his books, so I was interested in reading this book. It is about an American anti-terrorist Rambo type figure who is fighting against the Islamic attack on this country. The evil figure in the book is the minister of cult in Saudi Arabia who is secretly funding an attempt to assassinate the hero. As a spy novel, it was quite good and avoids some of the more egregious mistakes of some of the other authors in this genre. Deng Ziaoping: A Revolutionary Life by Alexander Pantsov This is an extensive biography of the leader of China after Mao. It gives an honest appraisal of the figure, including the good elements as well as the bad (which verge on the evil). It shows how he manages to survive a number of falls from grace, and how he tried to balance his life and his politics in order to survive in the Kafkaesque era of Mao. The book gives a good overview of the infighting before, during and after the Maoist communist era. A Case of Need by Michael Crichton This is an older novel, written when Abortion was illegal in most states. It takes place in Boston, and a pathologist at a hospital investigates the accusation against a fellow doctor that he performed an abortion that resulted in the death of a young woman. The doctor blamed does perform secret abortions, but he is not the one who performed this abortion. The complicating factor is that the young woman is the daughter of an old Boston family who have considerable pull in the city. Roman Britain by Henry Freeman This book speaks of the inhabitants and culture of the inhabitants of Roman Britain before the invasions of Julius Caesar (unsuccessful) and that of Claudius Caesar (successful). It tries to identify the inhabitants of Britain before the arrival of the Romans (which is quite difficult), it speaks of how Roman culture was already quite present even before the Romans arrived, and it deals with how the Romans did and did not affect the culture of the British Isles. Insomnia by Stephen King This is a rather long book which deals with an elderly man and woman who are suffering from insomnia. This leads them to be able to see the auras that surround people around them. They also encounter three mysterious figures who are like the Fates of Greek myths. Two of them are neutral harvesters of those who are dying, but one is evil and capricious. The novel is intertwined with the story of an abortion proponent who is coming to Darey to give a speech, and the attempt of radical anti-abortionists to stop her at any cost. The book presupposes other levels of reality which the two elderly heroes are able to enter due to their gifts received as recompense for the insomnia. Hope you have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude
Stephen King; Great Britain: Roman Empire; Michael Crichton; Deng Ziaoping; Batavia; Dutch East India Company; Louisville
Mount St. Francis, IN - Clarksville, IN - Louisvil...


text:
Q: Copying the address of an object into a buffer and retrieving it I would like to copy the address of an object to a buffer and typecast it back at some other point. I am unable to do it. A sample code is given below.
 #include <iostream>
#include <cstring>

class MyClass
{

public:
    MyClass(const int & i)
    {
        id = i;
    }

    ~MyClass()
    {

    }

    void print() const
    {
        std::cout<<" My id: "<<id<<std::endl;
    }

private:
    int id;
};

int main()
{

MyClass *myClass = new MyClass(10);
std::cout<<"myClass: "<<myClass<<std::endl;
myClass->print();

// Need to copy the address to a buffer and retrieve it later
char tmp[128];
//  std::vector tmp(sizeof(myClass); // preferably, we may use this instead of the previous line, and use std::copy instead of memcpy

memcpy(tmp, myClass, sizeof(myClass));

// retreiving the pointer
MyClass* myClassPtr = (MyClass*) tmp;
std::cout<<"myClassPtr: "<<myClassPtr<<std::endl;
myClassPtr->print();

return 0;
}

In fact, the pointers gives different values, which is the source of the problem. What am I doing wrong here?

A: You are copying (a pointer-sized part of) the object itself, not the pointer. You should do:
memcpy(tmp, &myClass, sizeof(myClass));

and then back:
MyClass *ptr;
memcpy(&ptr, tmp, sizeof(ptr));

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Emerging Leaders Program has a new name!
The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) has a brand new name! ELP is now called LEAP Impact: Leadership Development for Nonprofit Staff! This is the same program as ELP, just with a new name! Please visit our new webpage for LEAP Impact to read more about the program and submit applications for the class of 2018-2019!


text:
Q: ArgumentNullException I have the following code in C# WPF and when I choose no image it shows me the error message "System.ArgumentNullException: Pathe can't be null"
thank u 4 ur help
            FileStream fileStream = new FileStream(imgName, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);
            byte[] imgBytes = new byte[fileStream.Length];
            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(imgBytes.ToString()))
            {
                fileStream.Read(imgBytes, 0, Convert.ToInt32(fileStream.Length));
                fileStream.Close();
                db.SpInsProducts(txtProductName.Text.Trim(), txtPrDesc.Text.Trim(), null,
                    Convert.ToDateTime(lblDate.Content), PublicVariables.gUserId);
            }
            else
            {
                fileStream.Read(imgBytes, 0, Convert.ToInt32(fileStream.Length));
                fileStream.Close();
                db.SpInsProducts(txtProductName.Text.Trim(), txtPrDesc.Text.Trim(), imgBytes,
                    Convert.ToDateTime(lblDate.Content), PublicVariables.gUserId);
            }


text:
The 1980 Munster Senior Hurling Championship final was a hurling match played at Semple Stadium on 20 July 1980 to determine the winners of the 1980 Munster Senior Hurling Championship, the 94rd season of the Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship, a tournament organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The final was contested by Limerick and Cork, with Limerick winning by 2-14 to 2-10.

The Munster final between Limerick and Cork was the 18th Munster final meeting between the two teams. Cork were hoping for their 39th Munster title and a record-breaking sixth successive title. Limerick were hoping for their 15th Munster title and their first win since 1974.

The game was rather slow and ragged as both sides were sluggish for the opening 35 minutes. Limerick failed to move with their usual urgency, however, the forwards made full use of their limited chances. The Cork forwards received a large amount of possession but failed to convert their chances and they were 1-1 to no score in arrears after just five minutes, thanks to a goal by Éamonn Cregan. Cork equalised in the 12th minute when a Pat Horgan cross-field ball found Éamonn O'Donoghue who sent it to the net. Limerick took the lead again twelve minutes later and held a 1-7 to 1-3 lead at the interval.

Cork lost their captain, Dermot McCurtain, midway through the second half while they were forced to make a number of other changes throughout the field. The Cork attack improved in the second half with Tim Crowley and John Fenton launching attacks from midfield. Seánie O'Leary scored Cork's second goal in the 12th minute to reduced Limerick's lead to 1-10 to 2-5. Five minutes later Ollie O'Connor bagged Limerick's second goal after a pass from Donal Murray. That was the vital score for Limerick and, although Cork were only three points behind, Limerick went on to win by four.

Limerick's victory was their first over Cork in a Munster final since 1940 and their first championship victory over Cork since 1971.

Match

Details

References

Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Finals
Cork county hurling team matches
Limerick county hurling team matches

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
The State of Guanajuato is surrounded to the north by the states of Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosí, to the East by the state of Querétaro, to southeast by the state of Mexico, to the south by the state of Michoacán and to the west by Jalisco.
A little bit of geography
It is a relatively small state with an area of only 30 589 km2 (11810 square miles) for more than 4 900 000 inhabitants (2007). Compared to its territory, it is ranked 22nd in the nation. The people are divided into four large groups : León, Irapuato, Salamanca and Celaya ; And there are some other smaller but important cities like the Capital, Guanajuato, Dolorès Hidalgo, San Miguel de Allende, San Luis de la Paz and Silao. The median altitude is 2 000 m, with an average temperature going from 18 to 20°C. The city of Guanajuato had 157 000 inhabitants in 2007.
Five geographical areas characterize the state: La Sierra Gorda, La Sierra Central, El Bajío, Los Altos and Los Valles Abajeños.
There are three types of climate : temperate, semi-dry and semi-hot.
Climate : Temperate semi-humid, rainy in the summer. It results from the variation in altitude; the temperature fluctuates between 18º C in high altitudes to 22º in the plains. The northern part is arid with only 50 mm of rain a year; the main winds are into the west in winter, southeast or southwest in spring and east during summer and fall.
Left picture : group of "callejoneadas"
Flora : There are pastures in highlands, pines and live oaks in the mountains, scrubland, cactus and agaves in the central hills. In the Bajío and the valleys, farming replaced the flora even if there are some mesquites remaining; there are oaks, ahuehuetes (cypress of Tule) and fodder plants in the lake areas.
Fauna : In the Sierra Gorda, you find: tlacuacuache, fox, deer, amardillo, and wildcats. On the hills, you find rattlesnakes, corallilo, rabbits and coyotes. In the valleys, you find ducks, pigeons, doves and raccoons.
Cultures: There is Purépecha in the Abajeños Valleys and South Bajío, Guachicil in Los Altos, Pame in northern Sierra Centrale, the Sierra Gorda and North Bajío, Chichiméca in South Bajío, Zacateco in North Los Altos and Guamare in the Sierra de Comanja and el Bajío.
Indigenous groups :
There are Chichimécao in the Sierra Gorda and Otomi in the Sierra Gorda and Los Altos.
The northeast part of the state of Guanajuato is the richest in mountain landscapes. If you arrive from the Northeast, you drive on Highway 57, from San Luis Potosí via Dolorès Hidalgo. If you arrive from the south (Mexico City) you come via Querétaro. Guanajuato is 402 km from Mexico City (4h driving and Mex$300 on tolls) and 302 km from Guadalajara.
"Guanajuato", or "Quanaxhuato in purépecha language, means the Hill of the Frogs because the hills overlooking the city have the shape of frogs. The city is at the bottom of gorges.
The origins of the people of Guanajuato come from the fifteenth century, when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the region around 1520. However, the invasion really started between 1540 and 1560 when the region, where Guanajuato is now established, was granted by Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza to Rodrigo Vázquez for cattle breeding as well as in rewards for the favors done during the Conquest.
Between 1548 and 1555, the abundant silver fields were discovered by chance, especially in the mines of San Bernabé and Rayas. It is possible that these fields contributed to the creation of the city of Guanajuato. From this time, the settling as well as the coming and going of ore diggers became very frequent.
In 1557 the picture of the Virgin Mary arrived in Guanajuato as a donation made by the king to the people. From this time, she has been venerated as Our Lady of Guanajuato.
Little by little, the cattle breeding places have been moved to the north in order to allow the development of the center to switch from a village in1570 to a city. The city expands along the river that runs through it because of the need of water to clean the equipment as well as supplying the population.
On October 26, 1679 the viceroy Fray Payo Enríquez Afán de Ribera, designed the village as a city. In 1741 King Felipe V granted it the title of Most noble and loyal city of Santa Fe y Real de Minas de Guanajuato. The city prospered a lot during the eighteenth century due to the great abundance of mining. Some residents involved in the mining exploitation became nobles. Among them, there are the Marquis of San Clemente, the Marquis of Rayas and the Count of Valenciana.
Left picture : Cathedral of Guanajuato
In 1767 the Jesuits were driven out, but they left their stamp on the city, especially in terms of education. During this time of splendor, most of the buildings that you can now see the city were constructed.
In 1786, the Royal Crown divided the territory of New Spain into twelve administrative provinces. One of them was Guanajuato and, thereby, didn't depend anymore on Michoacán.
The first governor was Don Andrés Amat de Tortosa, who later was replaced by par Pedro José Soriano, himself replaced by Don Juan Antonio de Riaño y Bárcena, who became the most important and popular of the governors.
He was a huge benefactor to the city, as told by the Guanajuato native historian, Lucas Alamán. During his time there were erected wonderful buildings in the city as well as in the whole region.
Riaño's wife, Victoria de Saint Maxent, supported the young Guanajuatenses by giving them a fine education.
Governor Riaño promoted the construction of the building la Alhóndiga de Granaditas to guarantee the supply of grains and seeds for the population. Father Hidalgo and his men attacked this city. Fifty men, armed with hoes and picks, made the Spanish Garnison take refuge into the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, the granary. The King's soldiers thought they were safe there as in an inviolable fortress. Juan José Martinez, a ten year old boy entered into History under the nickname of "El Pipila". A torch in one hand, the young hero succeeded in reaching the building and put the wooden door on fire before falling, riddled with bullets. The fighters for freedom rushed into the passage and killed all the defenders. They won a battle but not the war. A few months later, the Royalists took back Guanajuato. In Chihuahua, they executed Hidalgo and Allende and planted their heads at the two corners of the Alhóndiga. The building, which long served as a jail, is today home to a museum of the War of Independence, as well as a collection of the most beautiful craft productions in the state.
In 1826 the first Constitution was voted and ratified. It converted Guanajuato to be a free and sovereign state of the Mexican Republic. The first governor, Carlos Montes de Oca, was the most important supporter of education in this state. He worked for the reopening of the Colegio de la Santísima Trinidad, founded by the Jesuits and the Ancient Colegio de la Purísima Concepción and was administrated by the felipenses priests. This one became later the Colegio del Estado.
Right picture : View in the foreground of the Temple San Diego and in the background of the Cathedral in yellow, university I white and the Templo de la Compañía de Jesús, on the right.
Notable figures of Mexican History of the fourteenth century governed this state as the liberal Manuel Plié and Florencio Antillón.
On January 17, 1858, President Juárez temporarily established the powers of the Republic in this city, due to the opposition of the conservators. During the time of the French intervention, Emperor Maximiliano de Habsurgo visited the city in September 1864 and ordered the transformation of the granary Alhóndiga de Granaditas into a prison.
In 1867, after Maximilian's empire lost power, the restoration of the republic began. Florencio Antillón was named Governor and remained in power until January 1877 when he lost the battle against General Porfirio Díaz's followers.
In 1872, Antillón began the construction of the majestic Teatro Juárez. During the historic time known as the porfiriato, from 1877 to 1911, the construction of very important buildings started : these buildings are the Legislative Palace, the Hidalgo Market, the Monument to Peace, the Monument to Hidalgo at the Presa de la Olla. The Teatro Juárez was also inaugurated and the train was introduced among other things.
The last Porfirista governor in Guanajuato, Joaquín Obregón González, ordered the constructions of the Cuajín tunnel and the presa de la Esperanza. Both works were conducted by the famous engineer, Ponciano Aguilar.
In the twentieth century, during the Revolution, the city suffered from the effects of the very severe economic and social crisis, which also affected the troops of General Alberto Carrera Torres in July 1914. In February 1916, President Venustiano Carranza visited the city and negotiated the purchase of grains to deal with the terrible famine of this time.
In 1946 the Colegio del Estado was transformed to become the University of Guanajuato. During the fifties, almost the city was rebuilt, especially Belauzarán Street that was next to the river.
Left picture : panoramic view from the Monument Pípila
Map of the city :
Map of the state of Guanajuato :
History of the state and its capital :
Detail of the chapters :
Guanajuato : capital
Tourism (including San Miguel de Allende)
Discovery of the celebrations and traditions


Hi guys today I am sharing how I played with this super awesome Souffle Clay. Its called "souffle clay" because its softer to work with, then normal clay, which makes it better for jewelry creating. So I am sharing these "Handmade Clay Aztec Drop Earrings" that I made. I love all the different trendy colors that Souffle Clay offers, I love that it has this super soft velvet like finish once you have made your creation and baked it. I had a lot of fun working with it, and the Sculpey clay tools are very helpful too. I have to say that Souffle clay is right on the money when they say its a lighter clay, so that its not heavy to wear. Its true, I am wearing my earrings now and forgot I even had them on, plus I forgot to mention that they are over 4 inches long. I new when I got working on my jewelry project that I wanted some kind of modern like "Aztec" type earrings, so I chose a triangle theme. I also wanted bright colors, so I chose what I think are fun "summer colors" orange, like red dessert sand and red rock mountains, and blues like the ocean, pools, and blue skies. Love it!
First- I started with my color choices, and then broke off a chunk and started rolling.
Second- I rolled out the pieces until I was happy with the thickness and size.
Third- I cut out my pieces with a Sculpey blade. I just winged the size I wanted and went for it.
Fourth- I took my previous cut piece and used it as a guide for my other cut triangle pieces.
Fifth- I used another Sculpey tool to poke wholes in the needed places for the earrings rings to go through.
Sixth- I baked everything for 24 minutes at 275 and added some gold paint to the center orange triangle, added my rings and my earrings hoops and I was done.
I have to say I love how they turned out, and they go with some existing bracelets I already have. I love the length, color, and style of them. Plus as mentioned they were easy to make and the Souffle clay was a breeze to work with.
To keep up on all things Polyform/Souffle Clay you can follow and find them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
This is a sponsored post by Polyform/Souffle Clay all opinions are 100% mine.
Super cute girl. You know I love my clay jewelry!
These are amazing! For some reason, they remind me of the intro to Saved by the Bell… LOL!


Elm Creek Manor blog: Elm Creek Goes Espalier & Poire Prisonniere!
We are very excited about a new project. The art of Espalier (ess-PAL-yay).
The horticultural and ancient agricultural practice of controlling woody plant growth for the production of fruit, by pruning and tying branches to a frame. Plant are frequently shaped in formal patterns, flat against a structure such as a wall, fence, or trellis, and also plants which have been shaped in this way. Espaliers, trained into flat two-dimensional forms, are used not only for decorative purposes but for border control.
We saw this in Europe about 10 years ago and just saw it again in both Mt Vernon & Williamsburg. While there, we kept seeing a low fencing that had a living tree wound through it. As I bent and inspected it, I realized they were fruit trees! I was sold and we bought 10 trees.
The limb training is beginning. You are able to pull them closer to the fence once a month as the limbs adjust to the bending. You prune any new branches that sprout and end up with only 4-6 good limbs per tree.
Our new fruit trees (apricots, plums and peaches) are training to grow low to the ground and down a fence row. The tree limbs become part of the fence. It is not only decorative, it is practical. It is amazingly beautiful in the spring bloom and a wonder to see as the fruit grows and matures into the summer. The trees yield a little less fruit, but higher quality fruit with more intense flavor and more beautiful color. It is easier to regulate the nutrition to end up with amazing fruit!!
I have talked Brad into creating Poire Prisonniere with one of our pear trees. This process is growing a pear in a bottle. You place the tiny pear ball into a bottle and suspend the bottle in the tree. The pear will grow and mature in the bottle. When ripe, you snip the pear from the tree and just fill the bottle with strong brandy and let it age. You end up with a wonderful pear Brandy (with the pear in the bottle).


ALPINE and Indigo Shire Councils have joined forces to gain the best possible deal for road sealing works.
Now in its sixth year, the cooperation between the two Councils allows for a single tender for the resealing of Alpine and Indigo roads.
Council awarded a contract for the resealing of local roads, worth $333,501, to Downer EDI Works Pty Ltd.
Director Infrastructure Services Ian Ellett said Council undertakes road resealing every year as part of its asset management.
"This year, the roads to be sealed are in the Mount Beauty area," he said.
The works are funded through the State Government's Roads to Recovery program and Council's Capital Works budget.
Gundowring Road, Keegans Lane, Mullagong Road, Bay Creek Lane, Redbank-Mongans Road, Plantation Lane, Charles Street, St Bernard Drive, Kiewa Valley Highway South East Bound Lane, Beauty Avenue, Freeburg Avenue, Roper Street, Reserve Drive Car Park, McKay Street, Reserve Drive, Mountain Avenue,Wermatong Avenue, Embankment Drive, Dederang Street, Havilah Road, Lakeside Avenue, Heberles Road, Coolumbooka Avenue, Buckland Street, Marum and Reid Court, Boat Ramp Road and final seal on Myrtleford-Stanley Road (Stage 2).


Mathematics in the primary curriculum!
Mathematics is known as one of the sciences and has been described and defined in lots of exclusive ways. It is a creative pastime and is one of the most useful, captivating and stimulating divisions of people information. It is a procedure of managing and communicating information and has the strength to predict and provide solutions to practical problems in addition to allowing the person to create new creative worlds to explore. We use arithmetic in everyday life, in technology, in industry, in business and in our unfastened time.
Mathematics education is worried about the acquisition, knowledge, and alertness of abilities. Mathematical literacy is of significant importance in offering the child with the important abilities to stay a full existence as a child and later as a grownup. Society desires people who can suppose and speak quantitatively and who can know conditions in which arithmetic can be implemented to solve issues. It is vital to make the experience of records encountered in the media, to be able in terms of vocational mathematical literacy and to use appropriate technology to help such applications. This curriculum can be a key aspect in preparing children to satisfy the needs of the twenty-first century.
Mathematical applications are required in many subjects. The potential to interpret and take care of facts is of specific relevance in records and geography. Measures and Shape and area relate to the visual arts, bodily schooling, and geography. Integration gives the child a reason and motivation to expand mathematical skills and concepts that may be utilized in all subjects.
These are similarly advanced as strand units. Each strand unit consists of the content and some exemplars for that unit. Measures, Shape and area, Data and Algebra shape a greater part of the primary math tuition bukit batok than Number; however, quantity is a quintessential factor of all of the strands. No strand stands by me and this has to be pondered in timetabling.
Integration opportunities are indicated in some strand units but these are merely hints. It is hoped that instructors will identify other opportunities to combine mathematics with the relaxation of the curriculum.
For more detail, you may visit our website https://www.thestudyschool.com.sg/tuition.


Refunk Your Junk works alongside Recycle Your Furniture, to make better use of the huge quantities of unwanted furniture around the North East. Using the base form of the piece, we re-design, refunk and re-create unique artistic pieces for your home.
Excellent seller. Very helpful. Honest description of goods. Highly recommend.


easy to access space close to my flat, I live at 32 but the space is in a small car park in front of number 34. . Space available is the middle space of 3. Good size space. Easy walking distance of university, BBC and hospitals., and also close to Redland station for getting to Temple meads. Available every day/ overnight if needed.


During this interview, Charles and I talk about his approach to lighting as well as where he finds inspiration. Below you will find information about Charles and his wife as well as where to find them online!
Description: We are full time Artists, Entrepreneurs, and Keynote Speakers who aim to succeed, inspire, and educate. We lead by example sharing our lifestyle and our creative process via our Artists at Work Vlog. We also teach photography and video techniques via tutorials here on our channel as well. Join us in our art studios, and behind the scenes on creative projects around the world as we work with celebrities, Presidents, and everyday people. Here you will find two unusually creative artists creating photographs, films, abstract paintings, and a rock band all creatively weaved into our channel stories.


In 2018 four very worthy recipients that will make an impact on the beef industry in the years to come have been selected as the worthy recipients.
Emily has grown up on a 4th generation farm, near Yea, Victoria. Her family have a self-replacing Angus herd of 400 cows and have been in the Angus breed from before Emily was born.
Emily is in her third and final year of a Bachelor of Agriculture at the University of Melbourne and completing the Production Animal major.
'After I graduate, I hope to work in the industry for a few years to gain experience and perspective, before returning home to take over from my dad running the farm,' said Emily.
'My goal is to become a top producer in my region, and someone who is active in contributing back to the industry,' she added.
Emily is extremely grateful to the Angus Australia Foundation for supporting her through my tertiary studies.
'This year I will be able to attend a number of industry events and conferences that I was not otherwise able to afford,' she concluded.
Jasmin has grown up in Guyra, New South Wales and from a young age she has been passionate about animals and being involved in the agricultural industry.
Jasmin is in her second year studying Bachelor of Veterinary Technology at Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga and aims to become a mixed practice veterinarian in rural Australia, with a focus on production animals.
'I would like to be involved with improving the economics of intensive farms and better management strategies of maintaining the health and production of animals,' said Jasmin.
'There is an increased demand on intensive farms and production animals, and I see the opportunity to be involved closely with the production animal industry as a rural veterinarian,' she added.
'I would like to thank the Angus Foundation for their support in granting me a Study Scholarship and would encourage other upcoming youth members to continue their involvement and apply in the future,' she said.
Brad grew up on sheep and cattle property near Bundarra, New South Wales. From a young age Brad's passion for beef cattle has influenced him to be actively involved in the beef industry attending and competing in various breed society youth events and shows and remaining actively involved in the family farm.
Brad is currently in his third and final year studying a Bachelor of Agriculture at University of New England.
'In 2014 I purchased my first stud Angus females and have thoroughly enjoyed building my Angus herd over the last few years,' Brad said.
'Once I graduate I aim to gain a career within the beef industry where I have particular interest in breeding, individual animal management, feed efficiency, meat quality and marketing,' he said.
'I would like to thank the Angus Foundation for their support through granting me a Study Scholarship,' Brad added.
Ruby grew up on her family farm at Mortlake, Victoria. Ruby began her tertiary studies in New Zealand at the Lincoln University but her love for the Australian beef industry brought her back to Australia.
Ruby is currently studying Bachelor of Agriculture and Bachelor of Business majoring in marketing at University of New England.
'My background in the beef industry has allowed me to pursue my passion for the industry,' said Ruby.
'I have a strong desire to be involved in supply chain management and furthermore I am interested in effective business networking and industry insights,' she said.
At the completion of her degree, Ruby plans on completing a livestock marketing internship in Canada.
'My own experiences in the beef industry have inspired me to encourage and help the younger generation to be involved in the beef industry, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities which Angus Australia and the Foundation have given me,' she added.


text:
Lizard Island National Park
Accommodation, QLD
Address: Lizard Island QLD 4871
About 93km north-east of Cooktown, in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The six islands of the Lizard Island National Park lie in a cluster 27km from the coast, 93km north-east of Cooktown. Regular flights operate to Lizard Island from Cairns. Charter flights are also available from Cairns and Cooktown. Private aircraft may land with permission from the resort. Commercial charter vessels depart Cairns, Port Douglas and Cooktown for Lizard Island. These six islands are surrounded by luxuriant coral reefs and warm, sparkling blue waters, fringed by mangroves and sandy beaches and cloaked in grasslands, woodlands and wind-sheared heaths. Lizard Island National Park is the only continental island group close to the outer barrier reef. The stark, rugged beauty of Lizard Island contrasts sharply with the sparkling blue waters and luxuriant fringing reefs which surround the island group. More than half of Lizard Island is covered in grasslands. Eucalypt and acacia woodlands, heaths, paperbark swamps and mangroves are also found on the island. More than 40 species of birds have been seen on Lizard Island, while nearby Osprey, Seabird, South, Eagle and Palfrey islands are important bird nesting sites. The island's best-known animal is a lizard — Gould's sand monitor — after which the island was named by Lt James Cook during his exploration of the east coast of Australia in 1770. The island group is rich in cultural meaning for the Dingaal Aboriginal people. The islands contain sacred sites including initiation, ceremonial and story sites as well as middens. Lizard Island is also rich in European heritage associated with the earliest European exploration of the coast and subsequent settlement. Today the islands are a popular tourism destination and the base for world-renowned tropical marine research.


Private life insurer Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Ltd today launched Care Plus Plan which is a pure term insurance plan.
Insurance industry in India has undergone significant transformational changes over the last decade; however, majority of the population still remains uninsured. The need for life insurance stems from the need to provide financial security to the family, through a robust value proposition and offer high quality, simple and convenient products and services.
Future Generali Care Plus is a simple protection plan, which provides financial security to family at extremely affordable rates. This products offers two options – Future Generali Care Plus Classic Option for insurance cover up to Rs 25 lakh and Future Generali Care Plus Premier Option for insurance cover of Rs 25 lakh and above.
Non-smokers get a preferential rate under the Future Generali Care Plus Premier option. There are tax deduction benefits under Section 80C and Section 10(10D) of the Income-Tax Act.


August 12, 2016 Wellington, westpbc.
The Wellington Amphitheater has a packed schedule of events this weekend including a Friday night movie and a Saturday night concert.
The village will host the showing of the animated movie Zootopia — Rated PG. The 2016 film about a "mammal metropolis" has strong reviews from most critics. It begins at 8 p.m. and runs an hour and 48 minutes.
The venue will host a Bruce Springsteen tribute band at 8 p.m. No word if the real Boss, who has a home in Wellington, will make an appearance.


text:
https://apnews.com/article/cuba-florida-obituaries-5ef60f67cefb46869c5b6e5814588dec
Fulgencio Batista
Fidel Castro, who defied US for 50 years, dies at 90 in Cuba
By MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN and PETER ORSINovember 26, 2016 GMT
HAVANA (AP) — Fidel Castro, who led his bearded rebels to victorious revolution in 1959, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half-century of rule in Cuba, has died at age 90.
With a shaking voice, President Raul Castro said on state television that his older brother died at 10:29 p.m. Friday. He ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: "Toward victory, always!"
Castro's reign over the island nation 90 miles (145 kilometers) from Florida was marked by the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. Castro, who outlasted a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died 10 years after a life-threatening illness led him to turn over power to his brother.
Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades he was a source of inspiration and support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa, even as Cubans who fled to exile loathed him with equal measure.
Illegal border crossings plunge among Cubans, Nicaraguans
396 Haitian migrants detained on 50-foot boat near Bahamas
His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. Castro's defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.
"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.
He survived long enough to see his brother negotiate an opening with U.S. President Barack Obama on Dec. 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a monthlong silence. Obama made a historic visit to Havana in March 2016.
Raul has announced plans to retire as president when his current term ends on Feb. 24, 2018. Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel, a relatively younger leader, is seen as a possible successor, although Raul has said he would stay on as head of the Communist Party.
In the Cuban capital, flags flew at half-staff at public buildings and some foreign embassies across the city Saturday. By midday, the U.S. Embassy's flag had not been lowered.
Havana's 23rd Street commercial center bustled with shoppers toting plastic bags and youngsters checking the internet on their smartphones like a normal weekend afternoon. But there was a notable lack of amplified music in this usually sonorous capital.
Official newspapers were published with only black ink instead of the usual bright red or blue mastheads.
Carlos Rodriguez, 15, was sitting in Havana's Miramar neighborhood when he heard that Fidel Castro had died.
"Fidel? Fidel?" he said, slapping his head in shock. "That's not what I was expecting. One always thought that he would last forever. It doesn't seem true."
"It's a tragedy," said 22-year-old nurse Dayan Montalvo. "We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard."
But the news cheered the community of Cuban exiles in Florida who had fled Castro's government. Thousands gathered in the streets in Miami's Little Havana to whoop, wave Cuban flags, and bang on pots with spoons. Cars honked horns, and police blocked off streets.
Alex Ferran, 21, headed toward the gathering in front of exile hangout Cafe Versailles with three friends early Saturday morning after his mother and grandmother called him with the news. He was beside himself with excitement.
"We're here to celebrate. This is history in the making," Ferran said. "This is insane, dude. Someone died and there's a parade. This could only happen here."
Obama said that the United States extended "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" and that "history will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him."
Obama said that in the coming days, Cubans "will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner" in America.
President-elect Donald Trump called Castro "a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades." He said he hoped the death would clear the way "toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve."
He said his administration will do all it can to help Cubans "begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty."
Fidel Castro Ruz was born Aug. 13, 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father first worked recruiting labor for U.S. sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own.
Castro attended Jesuit schools and then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed, and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison.
Fidel turned his trial defense into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, "History will absolve me."
Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organized a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.
Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on Jan. 8, 1959.
The U.S. was among the first to formally recognize his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.
Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for "re-education."
In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.
Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.
Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the U.N. General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stood more than five decades later.
As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting U.S. purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1 billion in U.S. assets.
The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all U.S. exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on Jan. 3, 1961.
On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast. But the CIA-backed invasion failed.
The debacle forced the U.S. to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didn't stop Washington and Castro's exiled enemies from trying to do him in. By Cuban count, he was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the U.S. government.
The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on Oct. 22, 1962, when President John F. Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island. Humankind held its breath, and after a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them. Never had the world felt so close to nuclear war.
Castro cobbled revolutionary groups together into the new Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Labor unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighborhood "revolutionary defense committees" kept an eye on everyone.
Castro exported revolution to Latin American countries in the 1960s, and dispatched Cuban troops to Africa to fight Western-backed regimes in the 1970s. Over the decades, he sent Cuban doctors abroad to tend to the poor, and gave sanctuary to fugitive Black Panther leaders from the U.S.
But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin. Castro briefly experimented with an opening to foreign capitalists and limited private enterprise.
As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s.
Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control, stifling much of the limited free enterprise tolerated during harder times.
As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.
By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.
In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.
His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives.
"I'll be 90 years old soon," Fidel Castro said at an April 2016 Communist Party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. "Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."
Cuba's government announced that Castro's ashes would be interred on Dec. 4 in the eastern city of Santiago that was a birthplace of his revolution. That will follow more than a week of honors, including a nearly nationwide caravan retracing, in reverse, his tour from Santiago to Havana with the triumph of the revolution in 1959.
Associated Press writer Anita Snow in Mexico City and AP news researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.
Michael Weissenstein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mweissenstein
Peter Orsi on Twitter: at www.twitter.com/Peter_Orsi


text:
Lamar Odom, Kardashian Ex Reveals He's Had Sex With Over 2,000 Women
May 16, 2019 BACLAD TV 0
In his new memoir, Darkness to Light — exclusively excerpted in PEOPLE — Lamar Odom writes, "I have been obsessed with sex for as long as I can remember,".
"I am a sex addict," writes Odom, an NBA champion who was married to Khloé Kardashian for four years before they split in 2013.
In this week's issue of PEOPLE, the 39-year-old reveals that he has had sex with more than 2,000 women. "There were too many strippers to count," he writes. "It wasn't a big deal, but often I would pay them. I never thought less of them."
Also, Odom reveals that he cheated on Kardashian throughout their marriage; she eventually discovered the infidelities.
"I was shocked and embarrassed," he tells PEOPLE in an interview. "I wanted to take it back, but you can't. [I] wanted to hide it. But that sick sin was hard for me to hide … I had a problem."
Meanwhile, Kardashian's representative did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Odom continues: "[I] ran out of porn to watch! That's how you know when you are going a little overboard."
Odom's addiction to sex was compounded by his addiction to drugs.
"Sex was a trigger for me to do drugs," he tells PEOPLE. "Because you double up on [that] good feeling."
In 2015, Odom's addictions led him to the Love Ranch brothel in Las Vegas, where he overdosed and had a close shave with death.
"That was the wake-up call," says Odom. "Like, this can't happen again."
Now Odom is drug-free but admits that he's still working through his demons.
"I'm still an addict," he writes in his book. "I still struggle … [But] I will not go into the darkness. Ever again."
Darkness To Light Cover
Darkness to Light will be out May 28, 2019.
ALSO READ THIS POST 👇🏽
"Why Would I Want An Artist Arrested? – Ruggedman Issues Apology About Naira Marley's Arrest
Many Dead As Commercial Building Collapses In Shanghai
Tiwa Savage Seemingly Shade TeeBillz In "Fvck You" Cover
March 29, 2019 BACLAD TV 0
Ikechukwu Rants, Threatens To Attack Back If Harassed #EndSARS
April 13, 2019 BACLAD TV 0
Toyin Lawani Goes Bare Butt, Slams Fan Over Reaction
Music : Street N - Amen
Music: Neo Phlames – Sharp Shooter