text:
All posts tagged Dubai Duty Free
2017 WTA Dubai (@DDFTennis) Preview, Predictions
Posted by Admin on February 18, 2017
Posted in: Dubai, Niall Clarke, WTA.	Tagged: 2017, agnieszka radwanska, caroline wozniacki, Dominika Cibulkova, Dubai Duty Free, Elina Svitolina, Kristina Pliskova, picks, predictions, preview, wta.	Leave a comment
2017 WTA Dubai Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic
The tour heads from Doha to Dubai for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships where Angelique Kerber is the top seed and Sara Errani the defending champion. Here is a run down of the 64 woman draw.
Top Quarter:
Top seed Kerber comes into Dubai out of sorts and out of form after another loss to Daria Kasatkina in Dubai. The German has a tough draw ahead of her too, starting in the second round where she will face either former world number one Jelena Jankovic or the talented but inconsistent Mona Barthel. Speaking of talent and inconsistency, Caroline Garcia is slated to meet the top seed in the third round, but the Frenchwoman has lacked match practice and could fall victim to Johanna Larsson in round one or Monica Puig in round two. The Puerto Rican could also provide a stern test for the world number two. It was around this time last year that Elena Vesnina started her climb back up the rankings, and a as a result she enters Dubai as the eighth seed and receives a bye into round two. The Russian is projected to face Sam Stosur in the third round, but the Aussie has a tough proposition in the from of rising youngster Ana Konjuh in the second round. The Croatian has a good chance of making the quarter final with her draw, and with Kerber out of sorts it is possible she might go further. There's cause for concern for Kerber, but she has one thing going for her, a lot of her possible opponents are inconsistent. It could be a case where the top seed has to battle through some tough matches on her way to the final four
Prediction: Kerber def. Konjuh
Second Quarter:
Dominika Cibulkova is not struggling for form after making the semi-finals in Qatar. The Slovak may fancy herself to go one further in Dubai where she opens in the second round against what is likely to be Ekaterina Makarova. Cibulkova could face a few lefties on her way to the quarter finals, as qualifier Kristyna Pliskova could cause a lot of damage. The Czech has the potential to upset Roberta Vinci, and a second round match against a Lauren Davis who played well in Doha could be interesting. Elina Svitolina's path to the last eight looks fairly promising as her section is full of low ranked or out of form players. Lara Arruabarrena or Saisai Zheng will entertain the Ukrainian in the second round, then it is likely Kiki Bertens in the third. A quarter final against Cibulkova looks likely and given the seventh seed already has a win against her higher ranked opponent under her belt, Svitolina's week could turn even better with an upset.
Prediction: Svitolina def. Cibulkova
Third Quarter:
Quarter number three could be the most interesting of the four as the two highest ranked players in this section are both out of form. Could that leave the door open for somebody else to make the final four? Agnieszka Radwanska headlines this quarter and opens her tournament against Tsvetana Pironkova or Elise Mertens. The Pole is projected to face Yulia Putinsteva in round three, a player who is in decent form and could be dangerous, however I see Radwanska making the last eight without many issues. Fifth seed Garbine Muguruza just has not got her game together since the French Open last year. The Spaniard should have enough quality to make the third round where Caroline Wozniacki will likely be waiting. The Dane is in good form after making the Doha final, but she herself has a tough round one against Daria Kasatkina. Wozniacki should be feeling in good form though and will likely make her way through this section. The tenth seed also defeated Radwanska last week and may fancy her chances to do the same in Dubai.
Prediction: Wozniacki def. Radwanska
Fourth Quarter:
Karolina Pliskova is the most in form player on tour after winning the Doha title last week. The Czech may be the favourite in Dubai too, and with a first round byehas a decent rest before her round two match, likely against Kristina Mladenovic. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has the game to cause an upset but with Pliskova's form the way it is, that is not looking likely. Johanna Konta's withdrawal means Barbora Strycova is now the eighth seed and Pliskova's potential quarter final opponent. An all-Czech battle could be on the horizon, but Strycova has a tough draw with Lesia Tsurenko possible for round two, and big hitting Coco Vandeweghe likely for round three. Either way it Is hard to look past Pliskova making it out of this section to set up a rematch with Wozniacki in the semi finals.
Prediction: Pliskova def. Strycova
Semi Finals:
Svitolina def. Kerber
Pliskova def. Wozniacki
Kerber's form at the moment makes it so difficult to predict her matches. The German can turn it around in a heart beat, but Svitolina looks set to have a good year and I can see the Ukrainian pulling off the upset. Pliskova got the better of Wozniacki without many issues in Doha, and barring a dip in form it will likely be a repeat in Dubai
Pliskova def. Svitolina
It is too hard to go against the big serving Czech in this form. Svitolina can certainly cause problems as she possesses a great backhand and good movement, but overall she may lack the weapons to take the match away from Pliskova.
2015 ATP Acapulco (@AbiertoTelcel), Dubai (@DDFTennis), and Buenos Aires (@ArgentinaOpen) Preview/Prediction
Posted in: Acapulco, ATP, buenos aires, Dubai, Steen Kirby.	Tagged: 2015 Abierto Mexicano, 2015 Abierto Mexicano Prediction, 2015 Abierto Mexicano Preview, 2015 Abierto Mexicano Tecel Preview, 2015 Abierto Mexicano Telcel, 2015 Abierto Mexicano Telcel Preview, 2015 Argentina Open, 2015 Argentina Open Prediction, 2015 Argentina Open Preview, 2015 ATP Acapulco, 2015 ATP Acapulco Prediction, 2015 ATP Acapulco Preview, 2015 ATP Buenos Aires, 2015 ATP Buenos Aires Prediction, 2015 ATP Buenos Aires Preview, 2015 ATP Dubai Prediction, 2015 ATP Dubai Preview, 2015 ATP World Tour, 2015 DDF Tennis Preview, 2015 DDF Tenns, 2015 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, 2015 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Prediction, 2015 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Preview, Abierto Mexicano, Abierto Mexicano Prediction, Abierto Mexicano Preview, Abierto Mexicano Telcel, Abierto Mexicano Telcel Prediction, Abierto Mexicano Telcel Preview, Acapulco Tennis, Adrian Mannarino, Andreas Seppi, Argentina Open, Argentina Open Prediction, Argentina Open Preview, atp, ATP 250, ATP 500, ATP Acapulco, ATP Acapulco Prediction, ATP Acapulco Preview, ATP Buenos Aires, ATP Buenos Aires Prediction, ATP Buenos Aires Preview, ATP Dubai, ATP Dubai Prediction, ATP Preview, ATP World Tour, ATP World Tour 250, ATP World Tour 500, bernard tomic, Buenos Aires Tennis, david goffin, DDF Tennis, DDF Tennis Preview, Dubai Duty Free, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Prediction, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Preview, Dubai Tennis, fernando verdasco, Grigor Dimitrov, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Kei Nishikori, Lucas Pouille, Marcos Baghdatis, Nicolas Almagro, novak djokovic, Pablo Andujar, Pablo Cuevas, rafael nadal, Rendy Lu, Renzo Olivo, Richard Gasquet, roger federer, Simone Bolelli, tennis, Vasek Pospisil, Victor Estrella, Victor Estrella Burgos, Yen-Hsun Lu.
2015 ATP Acapulco, Dubai, and Buenos Aires Preview/Prediction
A pair of 500 series events on hard courts this week are the highlight of the ATP calendar, as most stars will take to the courts in Mexico or Dubai, meanwhile, the ATP Golden Swing on clay concludes in Buenos Aires, with those who prefer the dirt taking their talents to Argentina for the 250 level event.
ATP Acapulco
2015 ATP Acapulco Preview
Abierto Mexicano Telcel
ATP World Tour 500*
February 23-February 28, 2015
Prize Money: $1,414,550
*denotes joint ATP/WTA event
Top 4 seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Kei Nishikori (5)
2: David Ferrer (9)
3: Grigor Dimitrov (11)
The seed cutoff is 40 (Benjamin Becker), and 4 of the top 20 are participating in this 500 level event this week.
Victor Estrella vs. Yen-Hsun Lu
Estrella is in tremendous form at the moment, he won the Morelos challenger on hard courts in Mexico, after winning his maiden ATP title in Quito. Lu, the steady veteran baseliner, reached the quarters in Delray, with an upset win over Kevin Anderson. I have Estrella winning this matchup given how well the veteran is playing right now, but it could go either way.
Bernard Tomic vs. Adrian Mannarino
Both players come off semifinals in Delray, Tomic beat Viktor Troicki en route later losing to Donald Young, while Mannarino beat Lu, and also Denis Kudla, before falling to eventual champion Ivo Karlovic. Tomic should be favored as he's in better recent form and has won consecutive matches in every tournament he's played this season (12-5 ATP record in 2015), expect a quality contest all the same though.
Kei Nishikori opens with a qualifier, and then the Estrella/Lu winner, Estrella is a dangerous opponent right now, but the top 5, and normally consistent Nishikori, should reach the quarterfinals with Sam Groth/Alex Dolgopolov his most likely opponent. The winner of Groth/Dolgopolov, will face Robin Haase or Rio semifinalist Andreas Haider-Maurer in round 2. Dolgo was a quarterfinalist in Delray, and I give him a slight edge to beat Groth, and then Haase to reach the quarters here. Nishikori, who won the title in Memphis, and has made quarterfinals or better at every tournament this season (10-2 ATP record), is 2-0 in the h2h against Dolgo, with both wins coming on hard court, so I favor Asia's top player over the unpredictable Dolgopolov for a spot in the semifinals.
Kevin Anderson, a finalist last year, will open with fellow big server Dustin Brown. Though Anderson lost early in Delray, he was a finalist in Memphis, and I have him getting through Brown, and Steve Johnson to reach the quarters. Johnson hasn't lost in the opening round of any tournament this year (9-5 ATP record including consecutive quarterfinals in Delray and Memphis). Johnson will open with Ivan Dodig, who has been thus far unable to return to his previous top 40 form this year. Anderson already has 2 wins against Johnson this year without dropping a set in Memphis and Auckland, and that's why he's the quarterfinal favorite.
Viktor Troicki, who lost to Tomic in Delray, has a reasonable chance at another quarterfinal showing, he opens with Mexican wild card Daniel Garza, who has some of the worst physical conditioning I've ever seen in a professional tennis player. After that, Troicki is likely to face Santiago Giraldo. Giraldo is 2-0 against Troicki, including a hard court win, but he retired in his last match in Rio, and given the surface, with Troicki already having an ATP title, and a quarterfinal on his resume this year, the Serbian should be favored. Troicki beat Anderson once three and a half years ago in Washington, and that match could go either way but with Anderson having previous success here, I have him into the semifinals over Troicki.
Rio champion David Ferrer opens with Igor Sijsling, who continues to struggle having lost three straight, even if Ferrer is a bit worn down, he only has one loss on the season, with two ATP titles (Doha and Rio), and with that in mind he should roll past Sijsling and then Marinko Matosevic or Marcel Granollers to reach the quarters. Matosevic has struggled this year (2-5 ATP record), while Granollers has a lone good showing this year in Zagreb (semifinals) I have Ferrer over Granollers in my bracket. Ferrer is 3-1 on hard courts against him, though Granollers won their last meeting in Tokyo.
The Tomic/Mannarino winner is a possible quarterfinal opponent for Ferrer, but watch out for 8 seed Benjamin Becker as well. Becker, who comes off a round 1 loss in Memphis, and is 2-4 on the year, opens with Tobias Kamke, a fellow German. Becker is 3-0 against Tomic, though they have never met on a hard court surface, I personally have Tomic into the quarters against Ferrer in my own bracket. Ferrer is 2-0 against Tomic, with both meetings on hard courts, and he has never dropped a set against the Aussie, still fatigue may be a factor, giving Tomic a shot at the semis.. In my own bracket I'm going with Ferrer, who has had an under the radar solid season already and isn't presently showing signs of decline. Ferrer was only pushed to 3 sets once last week in Rio.
Defending champ Grigor Dimitrov has failed to impress this year, the Bulgarian number one opens with Filip Krajinovic in round 1, he should get through that, but Donald Young should give him a round 2 test, unless fatigue is a factor. Young, a finalist in Delray, and semifinalist in Memphis, opens with a qualifier, and he has two previous hard court wins against Dimitrov, but Dimitrov has also won twice on hard courts, with three of their four hard court meetings going 3 sets. Dimitrov hasn't played like a top 10 player thus far but given his previous success here, and Young's fatigue, I have Dimitrov into the quarterfinals.
Ivo Karlovic, the Delray champion, has an interesting draw, in theory he should comfortably reach the quarterfinals, given his opponents, Teymuraz Gabashvili and Dusan Lajovic or a qualifier, are not exactly hard court superstars, but at his age, one has to wonder if he will be fatigued, creating an opening for a qualifier, or one of those other two players to reach the quarterfinals. I don't trust Karlovic's fitness and thus I have Gabashvili through, and also I have him over Lajovic, who may fall to a qualifier, to reach the quarterfinals. Gabashvili has lost three straight, while Lajovic has lost two straight and he's normally poor on hard courts. All the same Dimitrov has a relatively easy draw for a 500 level event, and should ease his way into the semifinals.
Dark Horse: Bernard Tomic
Viktor Troicki is a possible semifinalist this week, but I give Tomic the official designation because he's been consistent this year, which is a surprising thing to say, given he used to not be, and if Ferrer is fatigued, he has a shot to score a top 10 win and get himself to the semis, where Dimitrov, a beatable opponent, is most likely to await. Dimitrov is 2-0 against Tomic in the h2h, but Tomic has had a good season and he seems due to reach a final, though I'm not predicting it, the possibility is there.
Nishikori d. Anderson
Dimitrov d. Ferrer
Nishikori just beat Anderson in Memphis, and should do so again, meanwhile, Dimitrov is 0-2 against Ferrer on an outdoor hard court but given the fatigue factor, I have Dimitrov regaining form and reaching the final this week thanks to a lucky draw.
Nishikori d. Dimitrov
Nishikori is 2-0, with both wins coming on hard courts, against Dimitrov, given his solid season, he should win his second ATP title of the year in Acapulco as the top seed.
ATP Dubai
2015 ATP Dubai Preview
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
Dubai, U.A.E
1: Novak Djokovic (1)
2: Roger Federer (2)
3: Andy Murray (4)
4: Tomas Berdych (8)
The seed cutoff is 20 (David Goffin), as Dubai has a very top heavy field, with 4 of the top 10, and 8 of the top 20 participating.
(1)Novak Djokovic vs. Vasek Pospisil
Djokovic beat Pospisil in their only meeting, a competitive contest last year in Beijing, and the Australian Open champion should once again advance to round 2 at a tournament he has won four times prior, however the young Canadian has game and this isn't the easiest of round 1 matchups for the world number 1, Pospisil is 2-2 over his last four, and may be able to at least push the sets deep here.
Simone Bolelli vs. (Q)Lucas Pouille
One of the numerous matchups this week slated between in-form players, Bolelli has two ATP quarterfinals on his resume this year, most recently he reached the quarters in Marseille by upsetting top 10 player Milos Raonic in 3 sets. Pouille has risen to the occasion this year as well, the young Frenchman qualified with a pair of wins, and he was also a semifinalist in Auckland this year. Bolelli should be favored given his experience, and good recent form, but look for Pouille to test him, in a match that could go either way.
(8)David Goffin vs. (WC)Marcos Baghdatis
Baghdatis is 2-0 against Goffin, and most recently crushed him at the Australian Open, in a poor showing for the Belgian. Baghdatis has gotten his 2015 off to a strong start with a challenger final, a a third round showing in Melbourne, and a semifinal in Zagreb. Goffin meanwhile has not played as well this season, compared to last, he hasn't posted better than a quarterfinal, and he's just 2-4 over his last six matches, most recently he retired in Marseille against Dominic Thiem. With that in mind, though Goffin is much higher ranked, look for Baghdatis to move to 3-0 in the h2h and notch an upset to reach round 2.
Andreas Seppi vs. Richard Gasquet
Two players who have started the season in good form, Seppi has an ATP final (Zagreb), an ATP semifinal (Doha), and a second week appearance at the Australian Open on his resume thus far, resulting in an overall 11-5 ATP record this year, while Gasquet is 7-2 with a title in Montpellier on his resume. The shotmaking, tactically agile veterans have met five times previously, most recently back in 2012, and Gasquet is 4-1 in those meetings, with his lone loss coming on clay. Gasquet should be favored here but Seppi cannot be counted out, he's improved his game considerably it seems this season, compared to previous seasons, and this match should at minimum not be a routine affair.
Fernando Verdasco vs. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
This should be quite a high quality contest, Verdasco, who won the last hard court meeting between these Spaniards in 2012 is a slight favorite. He's had a somewhat average season thus far with a 6-4 ATP record. Dasco took his talents to the golden swing for a couple of tournaments and is now back on hard courts while GGL has been off to a hot start in 2015 sticking to the hard courts. Garcia-Lopez won Zagreb, and already has 10 wins on the season (contrasted with 4 losses, two of which came at the racquet of top 10 player Stan Wawrinka in competitive contests). I personally have GGL winning this one, his play has been quite impressive thus far, and he is outperforming Verdasco right now.
Djokovic should be able to roll to the semifinals here, after Pospisil, Andrey Golubev or qualifier Fabrice Martin await, and then it should be Feliciano Lopez in the quarters. Lopez has generally lived up to his high ranking thus far this season (6-3 on the year), and he should defeat James Ward and Marsel Ilhan or Alex Zverev, but I give him little chance against Novak who he is 0-5 in his career against. The only time he took a set was in their Dubai 2011 meeting. On an interesting note about Martin-Golubev, Martin broke a seven match losing streak dating back to last season to qualify and he beat Borna Coric notably in those qualies, while Golubev is just 1-5 this season with four straight losses. Perhaps the recent boost to Martin's confidence will get him through to round 2. Zverev should be the one to face Lopez, as he just beat Ilhan in Marseille qualifying a week prior.
Tomas Berdych, who has been solid this season with two ATP finals (Doha and Rotterdam), and of course that semifinal at the Australian Open on his resume already, opens with Jeremy Chardy, a quarterfinalist in Marseille. Berdych is 2-0 against Chardy, and does what the Frenchman is best at, better than he does, so I have little doubt it will be Berdych, who has made two consecutive finals here into round 2 against the Bolelli/Pouille winner. That should be a quality contest, and if Bolelli his Berdych's round 2 opponent, the Italian has beaten the Czech twice before (2-3 h2h), so he may be able to do some damage, but once again the confidence pick should be Berdych as a quarterfinalist at least in Dubai.
Look for Berdych to face Sergiy Stakhovsky in that quarterfinal, the Ukrainian is playing some of the best tennis of his career at the moment, he opens with Lukas Rosol, who he just dispatched in Marseille (the Czech is just 1-7 over his last 8 matches dating back to last season), and then will face Denis Istomin or Ernests Gulbis. Both players are in awful form, Istomin is just 2-6 on the year, with three straight losses, while Gulbis is yet to win a match this season (0-4), with no sets won in his previous two losses against Dominic Thiem and Jeremy Chardy. Given Gulbis is the moodier player compared to Istomin, I have Istomin through, and then Stako to take him out comfortably. Stako has just one opening round loss this year, and he made the quarters in Rotterdam and the semis in Marseille consecutively, notably knocking off Stan Wawrinka in Marseille. Stako is 2-2 on a hard court against Istomin, but form favors him strongly. Given Berdych has a higher ranking, more accomplishments, a 3-0 h2h, and a better skillset than Stako, look for a Djokovic vs. Berdych semifinal this week.
Since 2009, only Djokovic, and Roger Federer, a six time Dubai champion, and the defending champion, have won the title here in the UAE. Federer will open his quest to repeat as champion against struggling veteran Mikhail Youzhny, who is a shell of his old self. Federer is an incredible 16-0 against the Russian over his career, and Youzhny is just 2-5 over his last seven matches dating back to last year. Federer could be tested a bit more against the Garcia-Lopez/Verdasco winner. If it's GGL, as I have in my bracket, Federer is 3-0 against him, and should be able to make it 4-0 in reaching the quarterfinals. Federer is 5-0 against Verdasco if that is his opponent, and would make it 6-0.
Look for Seppi/Gasquet in the quarters for Federer, Roberto Bautista Agut is also an option here. RBA opens with Dominic Thiem, who he has already beaten twice this season, including last week in Marseille where he reached the semis. This is a difficult section to predict, RBA is 1-0 against both Seppi and Gasquet, but I feel like both of those players are outperforming the Spaniard right now and thusly I have Gasquet in the quarterfinals of my own bracket, with any of those 3 players having a case to make it that far. Gasquet has never beaten Federer on a hard court (0-7 including a Dubai loss) so Fed should reach the semis. If Seppi is his quarterfinal opponent, that would of course be a reprisal of the Italian's shocking victory in Melbourne, but even still I would pick Federer to get his revenge and reach the semis.
Andy Murray, a one time finalist in Dubai who has played well thus far this season, opens with Gilles Muller, another in-form unseeded player to watch. Murray is 1-0 against Muller who reached the second week in Melbourne, and has an ATP semi and two ATP quarterfinals already on his resume this year. Murray, the AO finalist, most recently made the quarters in Rotterdam where he was upset by Gilles Simon. After Muller tests Murray, expect him to also take out Joao Sousa, who faces wild card James McGee in the first round. The journeyman McGee is an odd wild card selection, but all the same Murray is 4-0 against Sousa including a win this year at the Australian Open. Sousa has lost three straight matches though he has an ATP semifinal on his resume this year (Montpellier).
Murray could face Marcos Baghdatis in the quarters, after Goffin, it would be Malek Jaziri or Philipp Kohlschreiber for him in round 2. Jaziri tends to peak for these events in the Arab world but after a good showing at the Australian Open he's in terrible form with three straight losses, most recently in Delray at the hands of Bernard Tomic. Kohlschreiber has lost two straight and is just 2-5 on the season, but even still I favor him over Jaziri. That said Baghdatis is playing much better than Kohli right now and has a 2-0 h2h record on hard courts, pointing to the Cypriot to reach the quarters.The aggressive Baghdatis has two previous hard court wins against Murray, who has won their last two hard court meetings for a 2-2 overall hard court h2h, and they almost always tend to play competitive contests, especially on fast surfaces, but Murray is likely to have more left in the tank these days and thus I have him into the semifinals.
Dark Horse: Marcos Baghdatis
The Cypriot appears to be motivated, fitter, and striking the ball much better in 2015, having experienced a bit of a career resurgence as of late when many thought he was near retirement. In my mind he's the favorite to at minimum reach the quarterfinals, and Murray is beatable, as he's proven before, so semis are a possible outcome for him this week, which would be remarkable given he entered this top heavy, 500 level event as a wild card.
Djokovic d. Berdych
Federer d. Murray
Djokovic has never lost to Berdych on a hard court, in a ton of meetings, including the 2013 Dubai final, and with that in mind, I don't see any reason to pick against a Djokovic vs. Federer Dubai final this week given prior history and present form.
Federer has won three straight hard court meetings against Murray and he tends to play exceptionally well in Dubai, giving him the slight edge to reach the final this week.
Djokovic d. Federer
Federer won their last hard court meeting in Shanghai, and their last Dubai meeting in 3 sets last year, but Djokovic played tremendous in Melbourne, and I still have to pick him on an outdoor hard court almost every time. This matchup could go either way, both players know each other well, and know how to beat the other, so it's a really difficult prediction all the same, with my gut favoring the world number 1.
ATP Buenos Aires
2015 ATP Buenos Aires Preview
Argentina Open presented by Buenos Aires Ciudad
Prize Money: $500,550
1: Rafael Nadal (3)
3: Pablo Cuevas (23)
4: Fabio Fognini (28)
For a 250 event, with a pair of 500s also on the calendar the same week, Buenos Aires is actually quite solid, with Nadal headlining and a host of clay courters joining him on the undercard. Everyone in the field this week has taken part in one or more previous Golden Swing events (Quito, Sao Paulo or Rio)
(7)Pablo Andujar vs. Nicolas Almagro
Andujar is a seed, but Almagro is 3-0 in the h2h, including 2-0 on clay. Almagro has gone 2-2 on the Golden swing thus far with both of his losses coming in three setters against Pablo Cuevas. Andujar is 1-2, and isn't playing that well right now, with that in mind the 2011 BA champ Almagro should advance to round 2 with a win in this all-Spanish encounter.
Rafael Nadal, a semifinalist in Rio, will face Albert Montanes or a qualifier in round 1. Nadal is 5-0 against Montanes with all meetings coming on clay, and his veteran Spanish counterpart has never taken a set against him. Next for Nadal is likely to be the winner of Federico Delbonis vs. Thomaz Bellucci. Bellucci, who just lost to Nadal in Rio, will face Paolo Lorenzi in round 1. The h2h is 1-1 and both players have lost three straight matches, but I give Bellucci, the more skilled player, the slighest of edges in that one. Delbonis has Pablo Carreno Busta in round 1, he lost an incredible quarterfinal match against Fabio Fognini in Rio, saving more than a half dozen match points before falling in a third set tiebreak. Before that, Delbonis was struggling, and likewise PCB has been up and down, he beat Carlos Berlocq, before losing to Nadal in Rio. I have Delbonis as a quarterfinalist yet again this week, given the home soil advantage, and then Nadal should take him out to reach the semis. The h2h between Delbonis and Bellucci is 3-2 in favor of Delbonis with all meetings coming on clay, and all of them being close encounters. Nadal is 1-0 against Delbonis with that win coming on clay in 2013.
Rio finalist Fabio Fognini, who found some of his best form in months to reach the final there, notably upsetting Nadal, will open with Diego Sebastian Schwartzman or Carlos Berlocq. I have Fognini beating Berlocq in round 2, after Berlocq wins the all Argentina round 1 battle. Fognini had started the season just 1-3, but as mentioned he put much more effort into his tennis in Rio, and though unpredictable, has be favored to reach the quarterfinals, though fatigue may factor in.
Jiri Vesely, the 6 seed, has a nice chance at a run this week, he opens with Blaz Rola, who has just two wins on the season (though on of them came in an upset of Leo Mayer last week in Rio), and then would face a qualifier in round 2. Vesely is 0-3 since winning the Auckland title, but he pushed Fognini to 3 sets in Rio, and his other golden swing loss was to Pablo Cuevas, who ended up taking the title in Sao Paulo, both of those losses coming in 3 sets. Vesely, though mentally fragile, is playing better than recent results would suggest, and presuming his fitness is ok, I actually have him winning that rematch with Fognini in the quarters. It was a low quality, and up and down encounter when they played last week in Rio, and by this point, Fognini should be fatigued from all the tennis he's had to play over the past week and a half, with that in mind, the advantage swings to Vesely to reach the semis. Don't count a qualifier out here either.
Tommy Robredo, the 2009 champion, will face Jarkko Nieminen or Renzo Olivo, a wild card, in round 2. The veteran Nieminen isn't that impressive on clay right now, while Olivo is actually 8-2 over his last 10 matches, a mix of Quito qualies, and the Santo Domingo challenger. With a retirement, and a loss to eventual champ Victor Estrella, the only two losses Olivo has had in weeks, I have him notching an upset on home soil to setup a meeting with Robredo. Olivo shockingly upset Robredo in Bastad last year on clay, and Robredo has been in poor form all season, with just a 1-2 record on the year, with a retirement, and a loss to the much lower ranked Andreas Haider-Maurer in Rio. With that in mind, I'm backing Olivo to reach the quarterfinals with a pair of upsets over ATP veterans, on home soil in BA.
Olivo/Robredo are most likely to meet the Andujar/Almagro winner in the quarters, I presume Almagro will be able to defeat wild card Horacio Zeballos or Albert Ramos in round 2. Ramos should beat Zeballos, he's 1-2 on the Golden Swing thus far, but Almagro is the most talented player of the bunch and should beat Olivo in the quarters to reach the semis in what would be a good week for him.
Pablo Cuevas opens with Guido Andreozzi or a qualifier, Andreozzi, a wild card, has been plying his trade on hard courts, rather than clay this year, and the qualifier will have a good chance, all the same Cuevas, the Sao Paulo champ, and a quarterfinalist in Rio who pushed Nadal to 3 sets, should have no trouble reaching the quarters given his good form. In another all-Argentine battle, Juan Monaco (2-1 clay court h2h) should have enough ability to take out Maximo Gonzalez, who hasn't won an ATP main draw match in a while. Monaco, a Rio quarterfinalist should face the top ranked Argentine Leo Mayer in round 2. Mayer retired in his last match and is just 1-2 on the Golden Swing, but I still see him beating the veteran French journeyman Stephane Robert, who hasn't played on clay since the French Open last year. Monaco and Mayer have never met on clay, but with Monaco in slightly better form, I have Pico into the quarters, and then Cuevas beating him for a spot in the semis. Monaco is 5-0 on clay against Cuevas, but they haven't played since 2011, and Cuevas has been a far superior player as of late.
Dark Horse: Renzo Olivo
The unseeded Nicolas Almagro is also a dark horse, but the home player Olivo could have the most eye catching week in Buenos Aires. As mentioned if the in-form wild card can score upset wins over Nieminen, and Robredo, he would be in the quarters, and should be find a way to beat Almagro or another player, he would find himself in his first ever ATP semifinal this week, which I'm sure the home crowd would appreciate.
Nadal d. Vesely
Cuevas d. Almagro
Even with Nadal not playing top 5 quality tennis right now, I don't see anyone in the field being able to take him out before the final, meanwhile Cuevas has dominated Almagro as of late, and should also be able to battle his way to the final this week
Nadal d. Cuevas
He didn't win Rio, but you still have to pick Nadal as the champion for almost every clay court tournament in which he is a participant. The king of clay has struggled thus far this season, but you have to feel failure to reach a final yet this year, will further motivate him to cap off the Golden Swing with good vibes, and an ATP title. Nadal just beat my favored finalist Cuevas last week in Rio in 3 sets, and his level should be good enough to take this 250 title as the top seed.


Here are some photographs from my August – the month where the sunsets are golden and spirited like a poem about love. I had a relatively happy August, some moments of sadness sunk into my bones, but nothing like the sadness I feel today. I don't know what happens to me when the seasons change but suddenly I turn into a turtle without its shell. I start wondering too much and feeling like my home is not where I am. I start looking through windowsills as if they are windows to a faraway world, a world I cannot touch or belong to.
Maybe I feel this way because summer is just another word for promises. When the calendar turns from August to September, you start to remember all of the dreams and plans you made for your summer, but you feel as if you were only chasing the tail of a wild hound. Summer puts on running shoes and before you can fulfil the desire of following dandelion orbs, going on picnics, blowing bubbles and sharing peach sangria with all of your friends, summer comes to an end.
If I could only slow the season down, maybe let the warmth sink into my autumn air, but it is a feeling not the weather that I dread. I know this is true because when I look outside, it still appears like a hot summers day. There is no snow, the sun soaks our windowsill and rosy cheeks are given to those who step outside. I have no reason to believe autumn is here, except for the name at the top of our calendar.
I have the end of season blues. I have the I wish I did more, I wish I could cut the laces of summer and wear it out a little longer blues. I've been fighting these blues since I was a small girl. I can remember sitting on the wooden fence in our front yard, school was beginning in two weeks time and I was covered in dirt. The rays from a summery sun hit my cheeks in the most peculiar way, it was as if they were robbing a kiss from me or saying goodbye. I began to weep and suddenly felt the kind of dread you feel when you're about to get sick in a car during rush hour traffic. I didn't want summer to end – not then and not now.
As I sit here mourning the end of a season, I tell myself to find something positive for me to lean on, anything to make me feel whole again. I know I could become a slave to my sad mood and never see the beauty in living for today but I wasn't born to be hopeless. I was born to live in winter, in spring, in light and in darkness. I may always crave summer and dream of its arrival, but I am living and breathing in every season, even the ones wherein flowers do not grow. I look outside and the sunset is golden and spirited, the same kind of love poem I saw in the skyline on an August night even though it is September.
Tomorrow I will be ocean bound. My family awaits me on Vancouver Island. How could I sit on top of a wooden fence and cry for the freedom that summer brings when I am ocean bound? Here's to my bountiful love of summer and learning how to plant joy in every other season. I hope your world is bright.
just love these photos! :) I'm also feeling the end of season blues and I agree with you!
Beautiful photographs! Those flowers really make things look more alive and I am so obsessed with your purple backless dress!
this is just AMAZING, dear Amy. such a refreshing beauty. you love for flowers and nature and music and wholesome beauty shines through and is so inspirational to me. your writing is like nothing else i've seen, yet familiar to me somehow. i love your life in photographs posts.
There's nothing like a trip to get you out of your blues! Love your photos, they remind me of how beautiful my summer was also.
These are wonderful, the mountain photo is so pretty I could cry.
I also fill up with regrets at the end of a lot of milestones. It's because I romanticize things. But I am looking forward to cooler weather!
Very beautifully written, you have a gift with words.
I always enjoy your colorful photos. And you really have a talent for writing.
I seriously can't get enough of your beautiful flower photos - so so lovely!
Living and dreaming, I sometimes forget what that feels like.
I know how you feel, though I usually feel it at the beginning of winter. Summers are hot and very humid where I live. Sometimes it feels like the air is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. Autumn is such a time of relief, relief from the stifling heat. Winter, now winter is a sad time, especially once the holidays are over and the Earth appears dead and bare. In winter I yearn for the newly budding green leaves and the rainbows the flowers make.
I love your love for florals!!! I suspect we'd be great friends if we were to meet in real life, honest. This is just lovely. You are lovely!


text:
Feb. 26, 2019 / 7:48 PM
Radioactive chemo meds may be health risk for crematorium workers
Dennis Thompson, HealthDay News
New research shows people who work at crematoriums may be at risk when cremating the remains of people who have undergone treatment for cancer before death. Photo by webandi/Pixabay
Deceased people who are cremated after having been treated with radioactive medications might be a health hazard to crematory operators, a new case study shows.
An Arizona crematorium became contaminated with radiation following the cremation of a man who received "radiopharmaceutical" treatment two days before he died, according to a research letter published Feb. 26 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The contamination was detected a few weeks after the 69-year-old man's cremation in 2017, and involved lutetium 177 -- the radioactive particle used to treat his pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, the report noted.
Follow-up tests found radioactive particles in the urine of the crematory operator.
RELATED Scientists develop treatment to avoid heart damage during chemotherapy
However, the particles were from a different radiopharmaceutical agent, technetium 99m, said lead researcher Dr. Nathan Yu. He's a radiation oncologist with the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.
"Given that we found that unexpected radioactive isotope, it's plausible the crematory operator was exposed to technetium 99m while cremating other human remains," Yu said. "Technetium 99m is one of the most common, if not the most common, radiopharmaceutical used worldwide."
Radioactive particles used in medications decay rapidly. Lutetium 177 has a half-life of about six days, and technetium 99m a half-life of about six hours, the researchers said.
RELATED Chemotherapy, radiation accelerates aging, reduces body function, study says
Given that, it's very unlikely that radiation exposure in this case exceeded the annual safety limit set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said senior researcher Kevin Nelson, a Mayo Clinic radiation safety expert.
But doctors are concerned that crematorium employees might face potential health problems if they are regularly exposed to particles from radioactive medications.
It's particularly troubling given the popularity of cremation. More than half of people who died in the United States in 2017 chose to be cremated, the researchers said.
RELATED Four in 10 mistakenly believe alternative therapies cure cancer
Yu said, "The clinical effects of potential repeated or long-term exposure for these employees is really unknown."
Despite this, Nelson noted, people should not be worried about radiation exposure from dad's ashes in an urn on the mantelpiece. The particles decay fast and are not powerful.
"It's a small amount of radiation, and I would wager the urn the ashes are in is probably going to block most of the emissions," Nelson said.
In this particular case, the patient died from his cancer shortly after receiving intravenous lutetium 177 at the Mayo Clinic.
One day later, he was admitted to a different hospital for dangerously low blood pressure. He died there two days later, and his body was sent off for cremation.
Yu noted that the Mayo doctors didn't know their patient had died until after his cremation, which took place five days after treatment with lutetium 177.
Once they learned of the death, they notified both the crematorium and state radiation control officials, Nelson explained.
A Geiger-Mueller detector detected radiation contamination in the crematory equipment, including the oven, the vacuum filter used to remove ashes, and the bone crusher, Nelson said. A spectroscopic radiation detector showed that the radioactivity was primarily from lutetium 177.
A 24-hour urine test found no lutetium 177 in the crematory operator, but technetium 99m was found. The employee had never received technetium 99m as part of any medical procedure, the doctors learned.
The contaminated equipment was removed from service and held for radioactive decay, Nelson said. It's since been returned to operation.
Crematory operators depend on hospitals and family members to inform them if a dead person has been treated with radioactive substances, according to a statement from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA).
"NFDA supports further study of this issue and welcomes recommendations on how the health and safety of crematory staff and the community can be protected to the greatest degree possible, including, as the research letter suggests, by evaluating radioactivity in deceased patients prior to cremation and by ensuring that crematory operators receive notification sufficient to employ the proper safety precautions, if needed," the statement said.
Laws vary from state to state, Nelson said. For example, Florida has a regulation barring cremation of patients who have radioactive material within them, but Arizona does not.
"It's really a communication issue," he said. "If you know a patient at your hospital has a large body burden of radioactive material and they succumb to their disease while in the hospital, you owe it to the funeral home to tell them about that."
Dr. Paolo Boffetta, associate director of global cancer at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, noted that while the ashes contain radioactive particles, "it's not a source of major exposure."
Boffetta said, "I don't think this is an issue that may entail any risk of cancer or other radiation-induced illnesses. Having said that, it's clear it's a possible source of exposure, and if someone is exposed regularly, every week or every few days, then it may become a source of concern. There is a need for a notification process to be put into place."
The American Cancer Society has more about radiopharmaceuticals.
Copyright © 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Health News // 4 hours ago
Flame retardants, pesticides threat to U.S. health, study says
While health problems from childhood exposure to lead and mercury are on the decline, these and other toxic chemicals continue to take a toll, especially flame retardants and pesticides, a new study says.
4 in 10 gun owners leave one unlocked at home
Researchers surveyed 3,000 people waiting for a free gun storage device at public gun safety events in 10 cities in Washington state, finding that 40 percent had at least one gun at home that wasn't locked up.
Health News // 10 hours ago
Study: Well visits to pediatricians up, sick visits down
Little Johnny's cough has lasted for days, leaving Mom and Dad wondering if the symptoms warrant a trip to the doctor. A new study suggests that such parents may choose to skip that standard pediatric sick visit.
Bariatric surgery doesn't always help mental health of overweight teens
Jan. 21 (UPI) -- The mental and emotional problems many teens experience, due at least in part to being overweight, may persist long after successful bariatric surgery.
Benefits of marijuana for sleep assistance may fade, study says
Medical marijuana may not provide long-term relief of sleep issues in people battling chronic pain, a new study finds, mainly because users may develop a tolerance to the drug.
Hospital computer system changes may reduce opioid prescriptions
New research suggests that the number of painkillers prescribed to patients can be reduced just by lowering default computer settings that display a preset number of pills.
Juul, other vape devices reversing efforts to prevent tobacco use
The epidemic of addictive vaping among youth continues, with e-cigarette devices by Juul continuing to surge in popularity among teens and young adults, new research shows.
Active ingredients from sunscreen seep into the bloodstream
Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Sunscreen protects skin from the sun's harmful rays, reducing risk for some cancers, but studies suggest users of these suntan lotions and oils likely absorb several of their active chemical ingredients.
Pot use may increase health risk for those with heart disease
Over 2 million Americans with heart disease have used marijuana, despite evidence that it might be harmful to them, a new research review finds.
Risk of kidney injury in contrast CT imaging overstated, experts say
Jan. 21 (UPI) -- The American College of Radiology and the National Kidney Foundation in new statements highlight the enhanced diagnostic accuracy afforded by the use of contrast in CT, an imaging tool that can spot various cancers.
Moments from 2020 Paris Fashion Week

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Aston Martin and How to Tickle your Senses
by Steve Johnson January 5, 2019
It is the exceptional luxury that comes in mind after hearing the name of Aston Martin. The British car manufacturer thrives to manufacture highly magnificence rides and has been successful in doing so. One of such Aston Martin Cars, which raises the bar to next level is its legendary Coupe, the Vantage. The 2018 avatar of Vantage not only looks striking but also boasts supreme on-road performance.
Powering the Coupe is a mighty V8 engine, which has a massive capacity of 4.0 Litre. At peak level, the powerhouse of the Coupe delivers an astonishing 503 hp of power. Furthermore, complementing the agile nature of the vehicle is an 8-speed automated manual transmission that actuates precise gear shifts.
When accelerated at its full potential, the vehicle realizes the speed mark of 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.5 seconds. Moreover, while running on open roads, the Vantage can reach a top speed of 195 mph, which clearly demonstrates its high-end capabilities. Being an entry-level super sports luxury Coupe, the performance of vantage is simply exceptional.
Riding Experience:
Sitting behind the wheel of the Aston Martin Vantage 2018 is a pure joy thanks to its sophisticated engineering. The speed sensing rack and pinion steering is sensitive enough to make maneuverability a much easier task. Moreover, the 20-inch alloy wheels not only leaves a long-lasting impression but also enhances the traction of the vehicle at high speeds and slippery roads.
Talking about the comfort level, the cabin of the car is one of the best in its segment. For minimizing the jitters due to bad and uneven roads, the Vantage utilizes an adaptive suspension system, which varies the degree of the damping. Consequently, it ensures that the passengers sitting inside get maximum coziness. Moreover, the interior of the car is well-isolated that minimizes the entry of noise even when the car is moving at rapid speeds.
Exterior Styling:
The well-planned exterior design of the Vantage allows the car to look like a raging beast, which is ready to put the pavement on fire. Moreover, the door handles and bumpers of the luxury sports car are painted in body color and look awesome. A rear spoiler is also available as a standard, which augments the sporty nature of the car and also improves its aerodynamic stability.
When compared to its past models, the 2018 version of the Vantage offers modified front fascia, front grille, and rear spoiler. The new aggressive headlights and taillights are also a part of the vehicle's modifications and boost the overall appeal of the car. Furthermore, changes have been made to its dimensions and the car now looks bulkier.
The interiors of the vintage are finished using premium materials and justify its tag of being a luxury vehicle. In addition, numerous features are integrated inside the vehicle to make sure that the passengers got all the hi-tech amenities. Moving further, the key highlighted features that one can access inside the cabin includes 1-touch windows, day-night rearview mirror, and driver's footrest.
Pertaining to the seating arrangement, the car accommodates only 2 people at a time. The car comes with sport seats that are comfy and practical at the same time. Both the front seats have integrated cooling and multi-level heating function to augment the comfort level of the passengers. Moreover, the car employs an 8-inch infotainment system, which can be used for streaming music and navigation.
Safety Standard:
From the safety perspective, the Aston Martin Vantage 2018 is a highly valued car. The safety features incorporated in the vehicle are state-of-the-art and assures secure rides. For ensuring the safety of the passengers, features such as seatbelts with pre-tensioners, panic alarm, engine immobilizer, and occupant sensing airbags have been provided.
As the car is designed to run at extreme speeds, it has been equipped with numerous functions that serve the purpose of avoiding accidents. Along with standard safety features such as ABS and electronic stability, the vehicle offers advanced options such as electronic brake distribution and auto-leveling suspension system.
All in all, the 2018 Aston Martin Vantage promises and delivers performance that easily meets the expectations coming from a $150K vehicle. Whether it's the on-road performance or the ultimate interior luxury, the Vantage is an ideal choice.
5 tips to profit from off-plan property investment
Save Money: 10 Tips to Save Money During the Holidays
In the Market for a New Car? Read These 5 Arguments Why a Pre-owned Vehicle Might Suit You Better
Deciding to buy a new car is not a decision that should be made ...
Lance December 11, 2019
7 Tips on How to Take Proper Care of Your Vehicle During the Winter
Many people love the cold weather. However, they don't appreciate it as much when ...
What Are the Top 5 Most Common Injuries That Come as a Result of Truck Accidents?
Numerous trucking accidents take place on America's roadways each year. Because of the sheer ...


This past weekend we went to visit family friends in Los Angeles and had a really nice time, as we always do. They are more family than friends, and we make sure to see them whenever we are in So. California.
Probably as a result of living in Hungary and being aware that different people speak different languages, Nate often asks me what language different people speak in - including Darth Vader and R2D2.
Nate: "What language does Auntie Lola speak?"
Me: "She speaks English and Tagalog."
Me: "It's the language of the Philippines."
Nate - with big eyes: "The PHILISTINES?"
Nate has taken in his fair share of Vegitales videos and Bible stories, so as he said this, it was as if I could see exactly what was going through his mind: "Auntie Lola and her family are Philistines?! The Philistines are the ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD!!!"
So I quickly tried to explain to him that they are not Philistines, they are from the Philippines - but since he doesn't know what the Philippines are, I'm not sure it helped much.
Nate: "Who is that on your shirt?
Us: "Nate! Don't take off your pants in public!"
Maybe having such exciting underwear isn't such a good idea... It's hard to have Darth Mal on your underpants and not be able so show anyone!


text:
Maharashtra: 21-year-old murders friend, demands Rs 40 lakh ransom post-killing
Free Press Journal 14 January 2020
On Sunday, a 21-year-old was arrested by the Bhosari police for kidnapping and murdering his friend.
According to Hindustan Times, the accused was identified as Umar Nasir Shaikh (21) and the victim was identified as Abdul Ahad Siddiqui (17), a resident of Dapodi. Shaikh also made a ransom demand of Rs 40 lakh to the deceased's family after the killing.
Also Read: Maha and Mumbai stand 2nd in crime against women: NCRB Data
The deceased and his friend had come to the SPPU campus on Saturday evening and consumed alcohol. The cops suspect that the accused has strangled Siddiqui between 9.30 pm and 10 pm. The accused called Siddiqui's family from his mobile phone and demanded a ransom of Rs 40 lakh.
Later, Siddiqui's family immediately approached police and registered an FIR. A friend of the duo who saw them going to the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) informed the police and Siddiqui's body was found on the premises of the University.
Mumbai: BMC to present budget in 1st week of Feb, unlikely to introduce any new taxes
Mumbai To Have Malls, Multiplexes, Shops & Restaurants Open 24x7 From January 27
Malls, multiplexes, shops in Mumbai can stay open 24x7 from Jan 27
Good News! Mumbai Eateries, Malls to Remain Open 24X7 from January 27
QCrime: Temple Head Priest Shot in MP; Teen Held for Raping Minor


100% PURE & SAFE - Our CBD Vape Cartridge is 100% natural and THC-free. Our ingredients are simple and effective: we start with a base of CBD distillate combined with fractionated coconut oil, then add our signature blend of natural terpenes for flavor Its minty taste feels smooth, revitalizing, and cleansing with each draw.
As our vapes are THC-free, it allows users who may be drug tested or cannot use products with trace amounts of THC to use a CBD product that contains multiple cannabinoids. . Cannabinoids are what provide the numerous health benefits that CBD oil is known for. Our 0% THC vapes are fully compliant with U.S. federal law , making them legal, safe, and untraceable if being drug tested.
DIRECTIONS -- Screw vape cartridge onto any 510-threaded battery and use according to manufacturer's directions. If using our Gold Standard adjustable voltage battery (this should be linked), turn the battery on by clicking button 5 times in a row. A light will appear once battery has been successfully turned on. Recommended operating voltage with our Gold Standard CBD Battery is 3.7 volts.


I have to share this very special moment with you – it is happening to me right now. I'm on a flight to London and the pilot just announced that "nature was putting on a light show" on the left side of the plane.
Looking outside of the window, I huddled my hands around my head to block the light from the guy reading in the seat behind me. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I can see what at first looks like a cloud – and now I recognize it as the Northern Lights -- like an the wisps of an airbrush from a painter in heaven. The sky is lit up with so many colors. It looks like you can see the earth moving through space. We're far above 35,000 feet. Looking up, I can clearly see the big dipper above us - in what looks like a bright starlit darkness.
The navigation map says we are someplace south of Greenland over the Atlantic Ocean. I'm listening my ipod – Howie Day's Acoustic version of his song "Collide."
The older women sitting on my left cannot use her hands – they are shaking – she may have Parkinson's. She is so sweet. I'm helping her get her fork out of the wrapper now, and get her earphone plug in. She was a nurse for people before they passed away, once helping others and now she is the one who needs help. She is trying so hard to maintain her pride, even though some of the most basic things require assistance. She decided to take a trip to Africa to go on a safari – alone.
I think her family has passed, and she needs a wheelchair, the flight crew carried her on the plane and sat her next to me. She told me about her safari, and that she "simply had to see the real lions," because she collects all things lion. And, she wanted to pet a giraffe. She lives on a ranch in California, and her eyes would light up when she would talk about her animals who she so obviously loved with all her heart. She was genuinely a caregiver.
I was watching a movie on my mini-screen, and she was watching her movie, and at some point I realized she started to watch my movie. I knew what was going on. She was watching my small screen because she wanted to watch something with someone, not alone. It mattered not what it was that I was watching, or if she could hear the sound, it could have been a blank screen, but for that moment, we were doing something together and that meant a great deal to her.
I can feel her resolve to still-do-despite-her-illness, just from sitting next to her. It breaks my heart, and renews my faith to see the courage she is exhibiting -- insisting that she can do the smallest of things with her hands that are no longer working very well.
Even the best fall down sometimes, even the wrong words seem to rhyme, some how find you and I'd collide.
She's asleep now. Her hands are not shaking any more, they only shake when she is awake and trying to move them.
I'm quiet you know, you make a first impression.
Even the stars refuse to shine.
In moments like this, I feel like I'm traveling above the earth, in the firmament of my life.
In these moments I look back on my life and consider that though we may seem to be just ants in this global human ant hill, we are more than ants. Finding out at some point in our lives that we are only one among the 6 billion people on one planet, jetting around one sun, traveling among trillions of stars in the sky - it would easy to feel insignificant. Yet it is the very people whose numbers would theoretically make us feel less significant, that in a moment as simple as helping one person take their plastic fork out of its plastic wrap -- with a glance of thanks -- help us to scratch the surface of our great significance.
Are we not a walking aid station to the lives we touch every day? Are we then not also the stars and lights that brighten the skies and the lives of our friends, lovers and family. We are not mere ants in a human ant hill, but stars that shine as the music plays in the lives of those around us.


If you wish to move to Heathfield High School, we advise you to first speak to your child's current school about the transfer process. Your child's current school can help you and your child through the process.
Heathfield High School is a zoned school. A map of the Heathfield High School zone is available at HHS zone map. Potential students who reside outside the Heathfield High School zone cannot be guaranteed enrolment, and they will need to meet the enrolment criteria.
For more information about the enrolment process, please contact Heathfield High School at dl.0926.info@schools.sa.edu.au.
Further information is also available at the South Australian Government 'Choosing a High School' site.


Releasing a new version of software usually involves a number of tasks, such as releasing the version in Jira Software, building and testing, merging code, creating tags, creating branches, labeling builds, etc. If you have connected Jira Software to Atlassian's Bamboo, you can trigger these tasks to run automatically at the release of a version in Jira Software.
When you release a Jira Software version, you will have the option of selecting a Bamboo plan and specifying which stages in the plan to run. Releasing the version will run the plan in Bamboo. If the Plan is successful, the version will be released on Jira Software. Otherwise, the version will not be released.
Your Jira administrator must have integrated Jira Software with Bamboo. For instructions, see Configuring development tools.
Your Jira administrator must have installed the latest JIRA Bamboo app to use the release management feature. For instructions on how to install an app, see Managing apps.
You must be a project administrator for the project that the version is in. See Permissions overview for more information.
Navigate to the project that your version is in.
On the version page, click the Release button.
The release build dialog will be displayed.
Choose this option if you do not want to run a Bamboo build, i.e. you only want to release the version in Jira Software .
* Using Plan — You can select any plan in the linked Bamboo instance that you have permission to view (unless your administrator has configured basic HTTP authentication).
* Stages — You can select the stages that you want to run for this release. Note, you cannot skip stages.
* Build Variables — You can override any global variables or plan variables with your own parameters. See Running a plan build manually in Bamboo.
* Stages — You can select the stages that you want to run for this release. Note, you cannot re-run stages that have been completed nor skip stages.
Click Release. The Bamboo build will run. If it is successful, the version will be released. If not, you can choose to run it again, or select a different plan.


text:
Q: Playing Blu-ray using VLC I've been searching for a way to play Blu-ray using VLC on Ubuntu 12.04 64bit and all of them tell me that I've to somehow rip the disk into .mkv format then play it.
But today, I found a page with directions on how to play Blu-rays directly on VLC. I've already finished downloading and pasting the files it told me to do, But it didn't work for me. Then I found a page where someone had tried it and it worked for them. Does anyone know how they got it to work?
The page with the directions.
The page where it worked.
I also found this
Does anyone know what it is talking about? I've already downloaded lxBDplayer, but I encountered a problem when installing the lcbdaacs plugins. Are there any other ways to install the lxbdaacs plugin?

A: The problem is, that there is currently no program or library like libdvdcss2 (which enables VLC or other programs to watch DVDs) for Blu-Rays.
You either can rip protected Blu-Rays with a program of you choice, or you have a look into MakeMKV.
Using MakeMKV - after kompiling it, which is fairly easy - enables you to do both (as far as I know). But watching the Blu-Rays without ripping them first means, you need to know, how to watch a stream with a program like VLC, because that is what they do. And you need to check first, which chapter of the disk you want to see - you need to specify the correct chapter in VLC, otherwise nothing happens! The rest (language selection and so on) works out-of-the-box. But be aware, that this is a) work in progress and b) limited for testing (Blu-Ray only).

A: So from what I'm finding I may have a solution. Can't promise this will work, but I don't think it can hurt to try.
First I'd recommend installing an updated version of libaacs0 and libbluray1 from the motumedia mplayer daily PPA, and VLC from Videolan Stable-daily PPA
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:motumedia/mplayer-daily
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:videolan/stable-daily
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Then install the two libraries.
sudo apt-get install libaacs0 libbluray1

Then you'll need to make the directory and download the file to it.
mkdir ~/.config/aacs
cd ~/.config/aacs
wget http://vlc-aacs.whoknowsmy.name/files/KEYDB.cfg

From the instructions on
they want you to place libaacs.so.0 in /usr/lib or /usr/lib64
Where this one is installed to /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu or /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu
My thoughts is that would be a possible reason.
I would try this myself but unfortunately I do not have a Blu-Ray drive. So please let me know if it works.

A: blu-play is a script that will play your blu-rays (without ripping them first). It pipes MakeMKV into VLC.
See How to play Blu-Rays in Ubuntu Linux. The installation is automatic. You just have to copy and paste a few things into Terminal.
And here's the blu-play script.

A: Here's what you can do, to start open a terminal window, you can do this through the Dash, or by keystroking "Ctrl + T". Afterwards, what you may want to do is copy and paste the following commands into terminal. You can also, if more comfortable, type them manually. You can copy one by one, or all at once, it doesn't matter. Remember, when in terminal the past command is  "Ctrl + Shift + V" instead of "Ctrl + V".
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:n-muench/vlc
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libaacs0 libbluray-bdj libbluray1
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

That will only get blu-ray to work in VLC. We now need aacs folders, and to download the keys. We just enter a couple more commands into terminal.
cd ~/
mkdir -p ~/.config/aacs/
cd ~/.config/aacs/ && wget http://vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name/files/KEYDB.cfg

You should be all set now, enjoy your blu-ray movies!
All information and alternative methods can be found here.

A: The instructions in the first link have worked for me on OS X and Ubuntu.
OS X worked as described. But in Ubuntu, when trying to play a Blu-ray, VLC told me there was an error that could not be fixed.
My problem was that, since the /usr/lib64 directory didn't exist, I just put libaacs.so.0 in /usr/lib.  Then it occurred to me, since I'm running 64-bit Ubuntu and 64-bit VLC, I should try creating the /usr/lib64 directory and putting the file in there.  Voila, it worked!
Also, I have more luck if I tell Ubuntu to ignore the disc, or open it as a folder, then open VLC manually, and do File->Open Disc, with the checkbox for "Ignore DVD Menus" checked (yes, even on Blu-ray).  This is opposed to having Ubuntu open VLC automatically when a Blu-ray is inserted.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Five books to read in May 2016
May 01 2016 30 April 2016
May has a mammoth slate of releases. Narrowing it down to five was quite difficult, but I somehow managed to do it. Maybe you don't know exactly how terrific this month is for books, though. Here's a hint: I left off Julian Barnes' follow-up to his Man Booker-winning The Sense of an Ending. Here are the five that made the cut, though.
The Sport of Kings – C.E. Morgan (5/3)
This historically rich novel about an important thoroughbred family isn't just a terrific sports novel. It transcends beyond a horse racing story and touches on themes ranging from racism and class status. Morgan's lengthy novel offers multiple threads that are all strong by themselves but become a formidable novel once they intertwine.
The Mother – Yvette Edwards (5/10)
A mother becomes consumed with grief after the murder of her teenage son. It's a story that's been told, and maybe told better than this take, but what makes this novel by Edwards stand out is the characters and how they develop. There may not be a lot happening in this terse story, but the development of the mother and her surrounding cast are superbly handled.
Zero K – Don DeLillo (5/10)
One of the best modern American writers is back. Not that he ever left. A man who has made billions in the death business – he owns a compound where the dying experience a comfortable end – must come to terms with his wife's mortality. The man's son, who is also the narrator, clashes with his father's opinion of death. Its cryptic plot is easily devoured and already being optioned for a television series.
The Fox Was Ever the Hunter – Herta Müller (5/10)
During the waning months of a communist regime, a group of friends struggle to manage to keep their heads above water. One of them, however, is a member of the secret police and is keeping tabs on the other three. This is an eloquent book that was originally published in 1992 but is finally being translated into English. The Nobel Prize-winning author's beautiful prose isn't lost in translation at all.
Girls on Fire – Robin Wassermann (5/17)
When a high school basketball star is found murdered after three days missing, rumors spread about Satanic worship in a small Pennsylvanian town. It's 1991 and the novel follows a typical innocent girl as she deals with the murder and discovers the pains of growing up. The book is a strong coming of age story with a keen insight into the transition into womanhood.


text:
AI & MLDefining the future.
Information SecurityDriving resilience. Elevating confidence.
Technology ServicesEnabling/Orchestrating transformation through a tech-forward approach
Sentient AI: Already Here, or Impossible to Say?
Artificial Intelligence is taking our society and our technology in many different directions. Advances in healthcare, ecommerce, and entertainment are manifold—and the markets for Smart devices and IoT devices (already multi-billion dollar industries) are expanding every year.
As AI reaches more aspects of daily life, we're likely to see more concerns, and excitement, about what it means for AI to be truly sentient.
In fact, some have announced that sentient AI is already here.
But what does 'sentience' mean, for humans or for computers? How can something programmed by humans be capable of thoughts or feelings? And what are the ramifications of developing technology that we believe to be sentient?
Definitions and tests:
Merriam-Webster's first definition of 'sentient' is "responsive to or conscious of sense impressions," and the second definition is "aware." The ambiguity and abstraction around these concepts—sentience, consciousness, awareness—is one of the reasons that pinning down Sentient AI is challenging.
Giandomenico Iannetti, a professor of neuroscience at University College London, has posed similar questions:
What do we mean by 'sentient'? [Is it] the ability to register information from the external world through sensory mechanisms? Or the ability to have subjective experiences? Or the ability to be aware of being conscious, to be an individual different from the rest?
Researchers looking to answer questions of life and intelligence in machines also of course employ the Turing test. Designed to discern intelligence in a computer, a Turing test requires that a human should be "unable to distinguish the machine from another human being by using the replies to questions put to both."
But the Turing test might be outdated, 70+ years on from its inception. In the past decades various AIs have passed the Turing test. But Ianneti regards the test as something that "makes less and less sense." Essentially, we've gotten good enough at creating machines that emulate emotion to deceive ourselves.
Humans anthropomorphize machines all the time, but may be failing to realize that sentience is something deeper, something further—potentially related to having feelings (not just being able to copy or emulate them in interactions) which may also be related to having a body.
If a machine can convince a person of its intelligence or its ability to feel, it's not proof that it can do either of those things. It's merely proof of the machine's ability to pretend…which is incredible in and of itself.
So incredible, in fact, that it might just be real.
Earlier in 2022, a Google engineer shot to viral fame because he claimed that their AI chatbot "LaMDa" was truly intelligent, and sentient.
According to press briefings, Blake Lemoine was testing Google's conversational AI machine to see if it produced hate speech, but during his conversations with LaMDA (short for Language Model for Dialogue Applications), he began to believe that it was fully sentient. According to the Guardian, he "published transcripts of these conversations in June and was fired on July 22 for breaching Google's confidentiality agreement."
In interviews and reports after Lemoine's dismissal, Google has repeatedly stated the claims are unfounded, saying that "LaMDA has been internally reviewed over ten times."
In order to approach the conversation of sentient AI with rigor and intention, it would help to establish some semantic agreements about what sentience means, for humans, animals, fungi, and machines. So, where do you stand? What would it take to convince you that a computer felt scared that it was going to be turned off some day?
mpix_user
Artificial Intelligence: Fears, Fun… and the Future?
A brief introduction into AI
Just those two letters, AI, can conjure up visualizations of some of the wildest technology. What do you picture when you hear them?
Often, AI makes people think of robots—humanoid, curious, and perhaps capable of acts and thoughts. But in reality, what Artificial Intelligence means is expansive: a category of machines and technology that do everything from help recommend Netflix shows as well as drive cars and make art.
AI is already part of our daily lives, even if we don't know it.
Here, we'll delve into some contemporary uses of AI, and explain how they prompt fears, a sense of fun, and how many AI systems are already taking their place in the future of technology.
Simply put, Artificial Intelligence refers to systems that are built to mimic human intelligence, especially a capacity for learning from the past in order to come to informed decisions. Yes, some robots are programmed with AI capabilities, but not all of them. Chatbots, facial recognition, self-driving cars, and disease mapping applications do however use AI—and you've likely encountered those in your daily life.
Important foundational technologies make up AI, including machine learning (ML), deep learning, and natural language processing (NLP). These are all separate from, but integral to, the concept of AI.
One core component of many AI projects is efficiency: developers use it to streamline tasks that take much more time when handled manually. Talking with thousands of customers, organizing patterns of behavior, and combating common problems in an industry are all reasons to create AI-based solutions.
Why are people scared of AI?
The reality is that we are already living in a world full of AI, and using it in our daily lives. In fact, on the occasions that technology we now expect to be "smart" isn't (like if the automatic customer service bot doesn't "understand" your request) we might experience frustration.
So it's a natural question: why are users skeptical about AI as a concept, as well as downright afraid of a robot takeover?
Fear of the unknown, combined with some media-led misinformation, have stoked concerns around AI. There is a general anxiety about mass unemployment (based on the sense that human labor will be replaced by automation), as well as about the idea of AI falling into 'the wrong hands.'
Movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and even Terminator have perpetuated an idea about what happens if the machines become "too smart" and become uncontrollable, forming a SuperIntelligence that humans can no longer compete with.
On one hand, a fear of the unknown is reasonable: we don't know what will happen in the next decades as far as AI technology goes—but on the other hand, we've never known.
What about the Fun?
Fortunately, AI is also a rich field for creative projects, not just automation tools built for data management. There are a multitude of games, art and poetry projects. There are also boundary-breaking tools that allow a user to bring a photograph of a deceased relative "alive" — and some experiments like these have caused an amazing amount of joy to those using them.
Some AI-driven tools like Roombas are anthropomorphized (we give them names and make them characters in memes), while still others are even more specifically built to play off existing desires and emotions, even becoming like their owners.
Further into a realm of what might feel like Sc-Fi, there are many exciting questions about our potential to upload our own minds to a computer, following the hubristic human reach towards immortality.
A Future Full of AI
AI is a topic containing multitudes, and it's also a bountiful realm of business opportunities and possible solutions for any industry: cybersecurity, healthcare, linguistics—the list goes on.
Almost every field has access to more data than they know what to do with, and AI is a way to analyze massive data sets, train them to predict with astounding accuracy, and present solutions we've never dreamed of.
Wondering what the possibilities are for your company? Get in touch with Cloutel and let us architect the future.
Augmented Reality: Ready for Launch
How AR is Primed for Use in Any Industry
It's becoming more and more difficult to wrap our minds around just how much the world has changed in the past twenty years. Surrounded by tech of all types, inspiring and instantaneous tools feel commonplace—from laser surgery to Pokémon Go.
Our collective drive for novelty and for efficiency—major factors in the constant invention of new technologies and new applications of existing tools—remain strong. As the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic settle, it's become clear that many aspects of digital life are here to stay.
But Augmented Reality (AR) is a body of technology that many industries are just beginning to explore—and it's a rich arena.
In essence, augmented reality is an interactive combination of a real environment and virtual components, where the objects that reside in the real world can be enhanced by digital information. This might include multiple types of sensory data; currently the most commonly applied is visual information.
The key aspect of AR is that the combination of real and virtual worlds can happen accurately and in real time. Whether the information is a visual overlay of virtual furniture in a real home, or a masking of an office to appear as a cockpit of a plane for flight training, the experience is intended to be immersive. Augmented reality is the process of altering a user's perception by changing aspects of reality (while, comparatively, Virtual Reality (VR) completely replaces reality with a simulation).
AR is already being used in many industries, with manifold results:
In archeology, researchers have been able to reconstruct city walls, and walk through a dig site as if buildings were still standing. In other educational landscapes, AR is being used for digital learning, allowing students to experience augmented classrooms, and experience simulations of historical events and places.
Perhaps the most mainstream place consumers are beginning to encounter AR in a normalized way is in their very own smartphones. Apps like Snapchat and Instagram offer customizable bitmojis you can dance with in your video, and games like Pokemon Go allow users to walk around and interact with characters in their local environment. But in the wider sphere, AR gaming devices are becoming more and more available as well.
In the vast world of healthcare, applications for AR are practically limitless. AR glasses can be used to deliver information to surgeons without interrupting an operation; immersive memory-based experiences can be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias. Procedures can be 'tested' before they are actually performed, reducing the risk of mistakes. From the training labs to the operating table, AR is a welcome addition to healthcare tech.
And perhaps the most encompassing field is commerce.
One of the many knock-on effects of the pandemic has been a marked increase in online shopping of all kinds. With AR, retail companies can provide consumers with a better, more personal experience, without leaving home. Clothing companies can provide virtual try-ons, and homewares stores can let you test out paint colors or furniture placement before you renovate your home.
The practical ways AR is entering our daily life are numerous and varied, too. AR can be delivered in a public way, where someone is using a smartphone in a public space, or in a more private sense, where the user might be sitting at a computer, or even wearing a headset.
Some questions remain.
Why are so many industries primed to include AR? What are the yet-unexplored benefits?
The answer in some ways is straightforward, cross-industry: it's all about engagement.
In a crowded and competitive digital marketplace—whether academic or entertainment—getting a user into an immersive, exciting AR experience means you can engage them on multiple levels. Whether you're teaching someone how to fly a jet or showing them what they look like with a new hair color, bringing them in with AR is highly effective.
We are just beginning to scratch the surface of the myriad possibilities for AR. If you're looking for exciting solutions for the problems in your project, get in touch.
We can help you engineer the future.
Emotional Artificial Intelligence… Requires Emotional Intelligence
The Endless Possibilities of Virtual Reality
The Metaverse: A universe within a universe?
One of the world's leading minority-owned technology companies.
©2022 Cloutel. All rights reserved.


have an Old Retirement Plan at an Old Job?
When will the next market crash turn this money into a game of Real Life CHUTES and Ladders?
Will Your Retirement Money Last?
Where Should You Put it for the Stretch Run?
Do you want to retire when you want to or when the market lets you?
Would it make sense to have this money where you know what it WILL DO or leave it where it might do?
When it comes to Your Retirement Income do you want a BIG CHECK or a little check?
It's time to get a copy of our Free Report that reveals How to Avoid the 12 Biggest Blunders When Rolling Over Old Retirement Accounts.
Complete the Information Below to Download our 12 Mistakes in Rolling Over an Old Retirement Plan.


text:
24 February 2021updated 28 Jul 2021 6:39am
What the Texas storm reveals about climate politics in the US
While energy and the climate crisis remain hyper-politicised fronts of the culture war, urgent action seems improbable.
By Emily Tamkin
A petrol station in Forth Worth, Texas on 18 February 2021. (Photo By Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
A winter storm hit the US on 13 February, leaving millions of homes and businesses in Texas without power and heat. Frozen and burst pipes led to water shortages and people were instructed to boil water before drinking after infrastructure damage affected water treatment. At time of writing, more than 15,000 people still do not have power, and almost a third of the state's population continues to experience disruptions to their water supply. The recovery could take months.
The storm had such a severe impact because much of Texas is on an independent power grid that is separate from the rest of the country, largely in order to avoid federal regulation. Tucker Carlson, the Fox News TV host, blamed the blackouts on "green energy" and the failure of wind turbines. In reality, very little of Texas runs on wind power; natural gas accounts for far more of the state's energy supply.
After a similar storm struck in 2011, a report by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation warned that energy providers needed to invest in their infrastructure to better prepare for severe winter weather. But the state, obstinately opposed to regulation, let companies decide for themselves whether or not to pay for upgrades; the companies, by and large, declined to do so.
And so Texas's natural gas infrastructure, which had not been built to withstand such extreme conditions, failed Texans during the latest storm. In the blackouts, Texas's grid reportedly lost approximately five times as much power form natural gas as from wind, after gas production and pipelines froze. (Coal plants and one nuclear reactor were also put out of action by the frigid temperatures.) The only part of the state that was largely spared the power and heat outage is on the national grid.
Ahead of the presidential election, Italians are divided on the unvaccinated
How Beijing took control of air pollution
Can anything save the French left?
What happened in Texas did not just "happen", and it didn't have to happen. The failure of the state's energy infrastructure and the mass, sustained power outages that ensued were not inevitable consequences of a bad storm. The freezing weather had such a devastating impact because Texas legislators deregulated the state's energy market, because oil and gas companies hold significant sway over Texas politicians, and because companies were allowed to decide to prioritise profit over caution – in spite of warnings and the growing impact of climate change.
But the problem goes beyond Texas and its fragile, idiosyncratic energy system. The calamity in Texas must also be seen in a national context in which regulation and tackling climate change are seen not as necessary goods that help all of society, but as a hyper-politicised issue – another front in the culture war, in the course of which even a collective disaster becomes an opportunity to polarise.
[See also: Emily Tamkin on the warning of the US storms]
It is possible, of course, that the Texas storm will be a turning point, and politicians on both sides of the aisle will begin to admit that we need to think of climate change and energy infrastructure in a practical, not partisan, way. Signs of a de-escalation along these lines came last week when the Texas Republican senator Ted Cruz, who had made fun of California's energy policies during blackouts last summer, offered a half-apology, tweeting, "I got no defense."
On Sunday, Cruz even tweeted supportively about regulators, saying that he hoped they would intervene to prevent companies from charging consumers exorbitant rates for electricity during the ongoing "energy debacle". (Cruz flew to Cancun, Mexico with his wife and daughters in the middle of the power crisis, while millions of his constituents were still without electricity, causing outrage; he returned the next day.)
The need to de-politicise the climate crisis – to make the case that tackling climate change is not so much a moral duty or a matter of global altruism, but a practical necessity that is in the US's national self-interest – is the chief emphasis of Anatol Lieven's recent book, Climate Change and the Nation State: The Realist Case. Lieven argues that the climate crisis should be presented to voters ideologically disposed to scepticism as a national security issue and so one around which patriots of all political persuasions can unite.
It's an argument that has made its way into politics and policy, too. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren took the approach of framing climate change as a national security issue in the 2020 Democratic primary. In January the defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, announced that the Pentagon will "include the security implications of climate change in our risk analyses" going forward. "There is little about what the department does to defend the American people that is not affected by climate change," Austin said. "It is a national security issue, and we must treat it as such."
This shifting approach at the national level should inform the reaction to the storm in Texas. But the corporate and political forces that created the conditions for the shortages in Texas remain in play. Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, appeared on Fox News on 16 February to claim, absurdly, that the Green New Deal – a stimulus programme that not only aims to combat climate change and overhaul the country's energy infrastructure, but has also not yet been implemented – was responsible for Texas's troubles.
Abbott then moved on to blaming the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates Texas's electrical grid. Rick Perry, a former Texas governor and US energy secretary, said that Texans would be willing to accept blackouts as the price for keeping federal regulations out of the state. The former Texas senator Troy Fraser, a Republican who co-sponsored legislation to deregulate Texas electricity, told a reporter that "being inconvenienced" wasn't a reason to redesign the market.
Dozens of people died as a result of the storm and the failure to prepare for it. This tragedy should make it clear that energy resilience and climate change are not red-state or blue-state issues, but urgent, practical matters that affect, and should concern, everyone. But in Texas, as in the US, corporate and political interests have trumped that reality. The response so far offers little reason to believe the Texas storm will lead to change.
[See also: Philippe Sands on why "ecocide" should be a crime]
Emily Tamkin
@emilyctamkin
Emily Tamkin is US editor of the New Statesman.
EmilyTamkin
Joe Biden has a communication problem. Jen Psaki isn't helping
Joe Biden's failure on voting rights could cost the Democrats the White House


ABA LSAC Official Guide to ABA Approved Law Schools, Chap. 2, page 7.
All of these skills will assist you in developing the abilities necessary to learn how to decipher information in a more deliberate manner.
If you have the time and inclination, adding a minor in a heavy writing or reading comprehension area, such as English, history, or philosophy, can be a good idea.
Why Should You Develop These Skills as an Undergraduate?
A law professor will rarely explain precisely what the rule of law is in a particular case or area, often because it is impossible to do so. Instead, you are expected to develop and organize your own understanding of the shape and trend in precedent as you digest hundreds of appellate cases.
Your classes, as well as examinations (which are in essay form and usually offered once in each course at the end of a semester), will require extensive reading and preparation. Therefore, accomplishment will most certainly depend far more upon skill at rapid analysis and articulation than upon memory and regurgitation.
Prepare for rigorous academic work.
Maintain a balance in your academic experiences.
Explore a variety of subjects.
Further develop your communication and analytical skills.
What should you ask yourself when deciding on a major?
What am I interested in studying?
What majors will I enjoy?
Will I be successful in the courses required by this major?
Will this major be a good choice for me if I decided not to attend law school?
Law schools do not dictate what you should major in. The best major or specialized course of study for you is the one in which you are most interested.
In addition, achieving good grades is incredibly important for admission to law school. With that in mind, you will likely do best in a field that you enjoy. Mastery in a specific subject is a useful experience, so even though your choice of major will not give you an "edge" in admissions decisions, the design of your overall undergraduate academic experience is very important.
The most valuable piece of advice your pre-law advisor can offer you is to work hard and get the best education you can. Also, be sure to take the first couple of classes in a potential major to ensure it's the right one for you. You might want to consider a minor or double major if you have several interests.


So what does this paradox mean for hospital administrators and other decision makers in the healthcare arena? How do they serve the growing patient population while still keeping costs down, and maintain efficiency without sacrificing the quality of their medical care?
As most design experts will tell you, one of the ways to provide high quality, cost effective care is paying close attention to the design of the facility. This means that investing in "getting it right" up front can save you a great deal of time, money, and stress in the future — really! An aesthetically appealing and efficiently operating setting can satisfy your patients, too, which goes a long way toward creating customer loyalty.
If you have any plans on the horizon to construct a new building or redesign an existing one, it's essential to identify your goals right from the start. Think about how the project can be a framework to help your services operate as efficiently as possible to meet the current healthcare needs, and also to position yourself for continued growth. Keep in mind that rather than creating a very large environmental footprint for your project, you may want to consider focusing on using smaller spaces in smarter ways.
From a practical standpoint, this means incorporating the latest technologies into your operations (think electronic medical records, medication safety system, remote surgical options, etc.), being as energy efficient as possible (such as heating and cooling on demand, and energy efficient lighting and equipment), and creating efficient spaces where staff can accommodate multiple patients in the safest and most convenient manner. In addition to better serving larger numbers of patients, this can also help to limit employee injuries, reduce burnout, and boost morale. A state-of-the-art facility can also attract high-level physicians to your network, adding further benefits.
Another important aspect of healthcare reform is taking more procedures to an outpatient setting. Explore design renovations that can help your existing spaces meet the growing needs. Think about ways to improve the patient experience, such as by incorporating technology into daily operations, updating exam rooms and waiting areas, and redoing parking lots.
Designing healthcare facilities to improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients, residents, and staff can make your operations healthier than ever. In this way, healthcare reform can be a good prescription for everyone.