text:
Here's How Shashi Tharoor Has Been Silently Fighting For The LGBT Community In Parliament
by Meenu Katariya
Supreme Court has decided to reconsider its previous order on Section 377, and now a larger bench of judges will be looking into the constitutionality of the draconian law hampering the human rights.
And in this fight against decriminalising homosexuality, an effort by one parliamentarian deserves to be noted.
Shashi Tharoor has always been vocal when it comes to the rights of the LGBTQ community. Time and again he has tried to bring modifications to the archaic law.
In the recently concluded winter session of the Parliament, Tharoor once again grabbed the opportunity to bring a change in Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. He proposed amendments to the government's bill to repeal 104 redundant laws.
This wasn't the first time he tried to get Section 377 amended in the Parliament. Earlier too, he had moved a private member's bill to repeal the entire Section, but it was defeated on the floor of the house. The parliament didn't take up any discussion on the matter and the motion was defeated.
This was one change Mr. Tharoor had proposed that largely put the onus of criminality on 'non-consensual sex'.
Sorry not entire Indian political class. You need a reminder that Congress MP @ShashiTharoor twice tried to introduce private members' bill to amend #Section377 but BJP MPs laughed it out of Parliament and refused to allow even a discussion of the bill https://t.co/Mn2F8MWm4L
— Opposition Watch (@OppWatchIndia) January 9, 2018
Although he has been unsuccessful in his efforts to amend Section 377 through legislative channels, he has often talked about the hypocrisy of Indian democracy with respect to the rights and freedom of the LGBT community.
TAGS: shashi tharoor, section 377 parliament, supreme court, lgbtq, parliament, homosexuality, section 377,
This Old Painting By An Indian Artist Depicting Same Sex Love Sells For A Whopping ₹22 Crore
This Man's Heartwarming Story Of His First Kiss At 30 Is A Reminder That Love Must Never Be Hidden
Indian Gay Couple Make Their Dream Come True In A Big Fat Wedding With Band, Baaja & 2 Baraats
The Entire Ambani Khandaan Gave Shloka A Birthday Gift With This Fairytale Themed Video
This Video Of MS Dhoni Crying After Getting Out Has Shattered Our Hearts Into A Million Pieces


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California Senate Bill 50 (SB 50) was a proposed California bill that would have preempted local government control of land zoning near public transit stations and jobs centers. The bill would have also required, at minimum, four-plex residential zoning statewide. The bill was the successor to a similar bill introduced by state senator Scott Wiener in January 2018 as Senate Bill 827 (SB 827); both would have applied to areas within  of frequent transit corridors, including rail stations and bus routes. The bills were sponsored by California YIMBY, a pro-housing lobbying group while they were opposed by local governments, anti-gentrification activists, and suburban homeowners. The bills were written in response to an ongoing housing affordability crisis in California's largest urban areas.

Senate Bill 827 failed to advance from the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee in April 2018, effectively killing it.

In 2019 and 2020, Senator Wiener attempted to pass Senate Bill 50 multiple times both in committee and on the senate floor, culminating in an unsuccessful floor vote on January 31, 2020 which resulted in the bill's demise.

Background

In 2008, Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 375, which encourages transit-oriented development to reduce vehicle miles travelled in the state and to address climate change. The bill was created to help achieve the greenhouse gas reduction goals of the 2006 bill Assembly Bill 32.

Existing state law grants the authority for local zoning from the police power in Article XI, Section 7 of the California Constitution, giving cities and counties local discretion in controlling land use. Localities have exercised these zoning powers in residential areas in various ways; while land in California cities has been historically limited to low density housing (by being zoned for single-family homes and since 2016, single-family homes and up to a 1,200 square foot secondary unit), city and county governments can allow higher density zoning, if they choose. For example, in 2018, the LA County Metro Board of Directors created the Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) program after the passage of Measure JJJ in November 2016, which allows for land zoned for commercial development near transit stations to be developed into residential housing, with between 11 and 27 percent of units required to be reserved for affordable housing.

Legislative history

2018

Senator Wiener, representing San Francisco, introduced Senate Bill 827 on the first day of the 2018 legislative session. Wiener had previously authored Senate Bill 35, a bill to streamline the approval process for residential projects, which was passed by the legislature in 2017.

Under SB 827, cities in California would have been required to permit residential buildings of up to  in "transit rich" areas near train stations and bus stops. The bill would have also eliminated minimum requirements for parking and prohibited local design requirements that would lower the amount of space in a new development. The bill would have affected roughly 50 percent of single-family homes in Los Angeles and 96 percent of land in San Francisco.

A similar bill, Senate Bill 828, was introduced by Wiener to amend market-rate housing requirements for local governments and avoided much of the controversy that affected SB 827. Another bill, Assembly Bill 2923, was announced in March 2018 and would require the Bay Area Rapid Transit system (serving the San Francisco Bay Area) to adopt zoning standards that would be accepted by cities and local jurisdictions.

The first revisions to the bill were made in late February, adding pro-tenant provisions to prevent demolition of existing housing and other protections. In April 2018, the bill was amended to reduce the maximum height in "transit rich" areas to approximately four to five stories and remove bus stops with non-frequent service outside of peak periods. The bill was brought to the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee in April, where it was rejected by a vote of 6–4.

2019

Senator Wiener announced that he intended to introduce an updated version of the bill with a new number, 50, in the 2019 legislative session. Senate Bill 50 had the same sponsors as Senate Bill 827.

Wiener added amendments that exempted counties with populations under 600,000 from transit rezoning provisions in a compromise with Marin County senator Mike McGuire. The final bill required similar rezoning near transit, four-plex zoning statewide, and additional rezoning in "jobs-rich" areas.

In May 2019, Anthony Portantino, chair of the senate appropriations committee, made Senate Bill 50 into a two-year bill with a pocket veto, meaning it would not be eligible for consideration again until the 2020 legislative session.

2020

Senator Wiener reintroduced Senate Bill 50 in January 2020 with additional amendments that gave cities the ability to opt out of its rezoning provisions providing they built the state-mandated amount of housing.

Senator Portantino, who had blocked the bill in 2019, objected to not being consulted about amendments to the bill and said Wiener did not adopt suggestions from an alternative blueprint developed by a coalition of Southern California governments. Toni Atkins, president pro tempore of the senate, used parliamentary powers to maneuver the bill out of Senator Portantino's committee to prevent it from being blocked from appearing on the senate floor again.

Following debate in the senate, Senate Bill 50 was defeated on January 31, 2020 after multiple vote attempts garnered at most 18 votes, three shy of the 21 needed to pass into the state assembly. Six senators were absent or abstained from voting.

Political debate

Senate Bill 827

Wiener said he proposed Senate Bill 827 in part to alleviate the state's ongoing housing affordability crisis as well as to address carbon emissions generated by vehicles. Regarding the issue of local control, he stated: "In education and healthcare, the state sets basic standards, and local control exists within those standards. Only in housing has the state abdicated its role. But housing is a statewide issue, and the approach of pure local control has driven us into the ditch."

The bill was opposed by city councils in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and major suburban cities, by suburban homeowners, and by tenants' rights groups, who argued that additional development would cause gentrification and displace underprivileged residents, especially non-white groups.

The bill was supported by a group of scholars who stated that it would help reduce decades of racial and economic residential segregation, by national pro-housing groups, and by over 100 executives from the Bay Area technology industry, who voiced their support for the bill in a joint letter.

Senate Bill 50

Senate Bill 50 received coverage from major national newspapers outside of California, with the New York Times and The Atlantic publishing articles and opinion pieces on the bill.

Some scholars questioned the ability of Senate Bill 50 to lower housing prices on its own, with some giving credence to the idea that it was a "luxury housing bill." Senator Wiener said "increasing the supply of market rate housing, over time, will reduce costs."

A study published in Urban Affairs Review found five years after Chicago rezoned land around transit stops for denser market-rate development, speculation caused housing prices to increase in the rezoned areas while housing production did not increase. The author of the study, in an online essay, said the tenant protections in Senate Bill 50 made it different from Chicago's rezoning. The author also acknowledged the need for affordable housing development to address California's housing issues and how more research was necessary to determine the long-term effects of rezoning on housing prices and production.

The mayor of Beverly Hills, who engaged in a broadcast debate with Senator Wiener, questioned why Senate Bill 50 would necessarily impact Southern California while exempting several affluent yet sparsely-populated Bay Area counties. The bill faced opposition from local governments around the state who objected to how the bill would usurp local land use authority. Some mayors endorsed the bill.

Senator Wiener said the passage of an anti rent-gouging bill in the previous year hindered the leverage for passing Senate Bill 50.

A Los Angeles Times columnist said lawmakers from the greater Los Angeles area delegation were responsible for the demise of Senate Bill 50, and that the fight "had nothing to do with partisan politics" but instead was "all about geography" while a Curbed columnist said opposition from a statewide coalition of affordable housing advocacy organizations was responsible for the defeat of Senate Bill 50.

Independent analyses said most of the development spurred by the bill would have likely happened in the San Francisco Bay area.

Related legislation

In 2016, California lawmakers removed local barriers to accessory dwelling unit (ADU) construction by passing Senate Bill 1069. This was later updated in 2017 with Senate Bill 229 and Assembly Bill 494. These bills modified single-family zoning throughout California by requiring speedy local approval of up to 1,200 square foot secondary units on all residential property in California, including land zoned for single-family homes. In 2019, the law was updated with Assembly Bill 68 to allow up to 500 of the 1,200 square feet to be designated a "junior accessory dwelling unit"; some commentators said this amounted to de facto triplex zoning throughout the state.

In 2020, Senator Wiener introduced Senate Bill 902, which would require approval of 2 to 4 unit apartment buildings on single-family lots, depending on a city's size.

References

SB 50
Housing in California
SB 50

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


New-to-market Italian Michelin-star quality food brand, GODO, is excited to announce the launch of House of GODO, a 3 month pop-up restaurant come Italian seasonal deli situated in the heart of Mayfair.
House of GODO offers an immersive, authentic Italian experience, allowing customers to taste the finest Italian pasta dishes created by Michelin Star chef, Tommaso Arrigoni.
GODO, which translates to "enjoy with pleasure," aims to engage customers at every touch point, from the colour scheme and décor to the friendly Italian staff and, of course, the food.
The menu at House of GODO boasts traditional Italian dishes, replicating those available for purchase and delivery within the City, Canary Wharf and Mayfair via the GODO website and app, such as Trofie with Pra basil pesto, Mezzi paccheri with Fassone Beef Ragu and Penne rigate with lobster.
Alongside the traditional dishes being served at House of GODO, seasonal Italian drinks and products will be available to purchase, including a range of Christmas artisanal panettone imported from Italy. Customers have option of buying the luxury festive sweet bread whole or in individual slices to enjoy following their pasta.
House of GODO also features a basement space which will soon host tastings and events.
House of GODO runs from 5th December until 1st March, 7 days a week, from 11am – 11pm. Dishes start at £8.


European Removals & Storage Co.
European Removal & Storage Co. was established in 1995 with head office in Copenhagen, Denmark and has organised overseas and Intra-European moves since the establishment. Besides the classical domestic removal services, European Removal specializes in moving household goods abroad to and from Denmark/Scandinavia via our own removal van fleet. Through our membership in EUROMOVERS, we manage all kinds of enquiries, including Facility Services.
Try our new and improved online quote here!
Our warehouse capacity is 2,470 square metres, which gives us a possibility to handle a large number of shipments.
Are you ready to get started and partner with us? Or Have some question?
European Removal & Storage Co. was established in 1995 with head office in Copenhagen, Denmark and has organised overseas and Intra-European moves since the establishment.


text:
Home Biafra Featured Nigeria Opinions NIGERIA REMAINS A PRIVATE COMPANY TO BRITAIN AFTER GAINING INDEPENDENCE
NIGERIA REMAINS A PRIVATE COMPANY TO BRITAIN AFTER GAINING INDEPENDENCE
at 21:40:00 Biafra, Featured, Nigeria, Opinions,
To establish a simple truth, the British didn't travel half way across the Atlantic Ocean just to spread democracy. They came to acquire NIGERIA as an investment and this is how it has remained. Historical accounts state that the British tricked the native chiefs into signing agreements that gave them the exclusive rights to export palm oil after originally agreeing that there will be free trade in the region. The chiefs believed this and signed deceitful contracts that were written in English.
It is on record that The Berlin Conference of 1884–85 was a meeting between European nations to create rules on how to peacefully divide Africa among them for colonization.
Afterwards, Nigeria became a "Royal Niger Company" and a mercantile company chartered by the British government in the nineteenth century. It was formed in 1879 as the United African Company and renamed to National African Company in 1881 and to Royal Niger Company in 1886. In 1929 the company became part of the United Africa Company, which came under the control of Unilever in the 1930s and continued to exist as a subsidiary of Unilever until 1987, when it was absorbed into the parent company.
In 1899, Royal Niger Company charter was revoked, following the revoke, the Royal Niger Company sold its holdings to the British government for £865,000. That was the price Britain paid, to buy the territory which was to become known as Nigeria.
Britain doesn't care about the people in NIGERIA nor do they care about war going on each year. The only thing that makes sense to them is the Oil Exploration in Nigeria.
Unless we wake up to the reality of the scam going on in Nigeria and the need to be free from the fangs of British Colonial Masters, we shall only deteriorate to the abyss. A man who believes in freedom will do anything under the sun to acquire, or preserve his freedom. We are the ones to destroy the hold of British on us, nobody else can do it for us.
We the Indigenous People Of BIAFRA shall continue to call for a sovereign State of BIAFRA. It is only the achievement of Biafra that can give us Freedom and a breath of fresh air.
Elvis Chinedu
For: Biafra State Media
Ngozichukwu Ada-Dav
Biafra, Featured, Nigeria, Opinions

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Classification problem-Big Data and simple decision rules: logit regression, LDA, random forest, cond. trees, or something else? This is a big data question from someone who is more accustomed to small data.  I would like to develop some classification "rules of thumb," that is, some simple decision rules or a decision tree that would allow end-users to improve classification on the binary outcome.  Such rules might include, for example, something like "If X1 * X2 > 10.5, predict outcome=failure" or "Predict outcome=success if both X1 < 10.1 and X3 < 5.2, or if X5 < 7.3."  I have n=1,000,000 observations, p=32 continuous predictors, and one binary outcome that consists of approximately 90% successes, 10% failures overall.
I have tried various logistic regression models.  Not surprisingly, the large sample causes most predictor variables to be significant, but when I use the logistic regression model results for prediction in a hold-out validation sample, I get only barely better prediction accuracy than the mindless rule of always predicting success.  Perhaps worse, these models' prediction rules are so complex that they would never be adopted by end-users.
What statistical tool(s) would be most appropriate for this problem?

A: I would suggest you try support vector machines. A polynomial kernel could capture the interacting features in your example without you having to explicitly enumerate them. LibSVM is probably the most widely used implementation.
There may be better choices depending on the distribution of your data points. There is a helpful illustration of different classifiers on three different datasets this page.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Bridges Registration
Bridges 2005-1
a Parliamentary Experience
by Cindy Otis
Undergraduates often have an ideal view of how the world works. We assume after putting in four, long years of university study, possibly even working an on- or off-campus job, eager employers will be lining up waiting for the moment when we finally put on our caps and gowns. Rarely is that truly the case.
Most of us will realize all too late that employers are actually looking for real-world experience. For those of us hoping for international careers, employers expect us to have actually been abroad. Organizations like the Kennedy Center and the Center for the Study of Europe (CSE) realized the importance of international internships long ago. Together, these centers, with faculty support, have recently created more opportunities that, if pursued, will provide undergraduates the experience that will place them in a competitive position in a tight labor market.
During spring term 2004, I participated in the Scottish Parliament internship—a relatively new program sponsored by CSE that sends students to work directly for members of Parliament in Edinburgh. After returning from Scotland, I became the student facilitator for both the Scottish and European Parliament internships. It has been incredible to not only have participated in the internship but also help to develop the program for future interns. What started out as a small, unpredictable internship sending a few participants once a year has blossomed into an established and expanding program that sends interns abroad ten months out of the year.
With Small Beginnings
In April 2002, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invited Brian Adam, a Member of Scottish (MSP) Parliament and also a member of the Church, to attend general conference. While in Utah, Adam lectured in Professor Danny Damron's two political science classes on the history leading to the opening of the Scottish Parliament and on Scotland's economic future.
Later, at a BYU-hosted lunch with Adam, Damron asked him if he would consider hosting BYU interns at the Scottish Parliament. "I immediately recognized what a unique opportunity this would be for students. It is not very often that students get to work in a newly formed government. As a sub-national parliament, the Scottish Parliament is small enough to provide students with substantive, hands-on experience, while still being large and significant enough to make significant contributions both to UK- and EU-wide policy," he recalled.
"Most of us will realize all too late that employers are actually looking for real-world experience."
Adam agreed to take two interns, and the Scottish Parliament became an official BYU internship program. The first interns, Ben Miller and John Nielson, both political science majors, went to Edinburgh during spring term 2002. They worked on a number of projects related to promoting tourism and promoting education in Scotland.
Initially, the internship was coordinated through the Washington Seminar office and the Kennedy Center's international relations major. Damron had two more interns ready to go in spring 2003, Matt Cardon and Niel Sood.
After this preliminary effort, with interns serving for eight-week periods, Damron was unsure if students would consistently want to participate with no in-country faculty. However, after two groups successfully completed the internship, he began to increase advertising. BYU's reputation among members of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Adam's party, had also begun to grow.
In winter 2004, four interns left for a full semester: Dan Evans, Casey Ewell, Richard Arner, and Chris McCusker. Damron made his first trip to Edinburgh that February in order to establish more contacts with MSPs. "At this point I knew the program would succeed. During my trip to Edinburgh, I met with roughly fifteen MSPs and members of each party. The contacts I made on that trip were instrumental to the growth of the program," he affirmed.
Recognizing the importance of developing the internship program, in April 2004, CSE sponsored Adam to return to BYU for the Kennedy Center's Global Focus Lecture Series. He also met with the interns about to leave for Scotland—one of whom was me.
During a luncheon, I noticed right away that Adam was passionate about his work in the Parliament. This shouldn't have been surprising to me; the Parliament reconvened in 1999 after a UK-imposed, 392-year recess. He told the interns that their responsibilities would include writing press releases and briefs used in debate, preparing and submitting parliamentary questions, and composing reports that would be used in policy development.
As students, we were slightly suspicious that a foreign political party would entrust important things to ignorant American students. We assumed we'd be pouring the coffee and delivering the morning donuts, as is often the case with internships. However, shortly after starting at the Parliament, my fellow interns and I were preparing briefs, writing speeches and press releases, and presenting our research to MSPs—the very things Adam had said we would be doing.
Magnifying the Opportunity
Our group of interns decided to fly to London and take the train to Edinburgh. When we arrived in Edinburgh, we were met by Adam's son. He informed us that we would be walking the few blocks to the Parliament right away with all of our luggage. Having spent the previous night in a less-than-quality London hotel and having spent the whole day traveling, we arrived at the Parliament looking far less than professional. Adam greeted us and proceeded to introduce us to members from various parties. We were nervous about what the high officials thought of us: the shabby, poorly-dressed American interns dragging large suitcases behind them.
Despite how the internship began, my internship experience was nothing short of amazing. I worked with the SNP's deputy party leader, Roseanna Cunningham, MSP. She gave me the task of compiling a report on nuclear energy policy. However, that soon began to turn into many other projects, including writing press releases on waste transportation and preparing briefs on reforming European Union (EU) treaties on nuclear plant maintenance and on the United Kingdom's efforts to develop renewable energy sources.
Justin Hocking, a senior majoring in political science from Raleigh, North Carolina, said, "The newspaper article I am holding is about the rising incidence of binge drinking in Scotland. Binge drinking is basically defined as 'drinking to get drunk.' It costs Scotland £1.1 billion (or about $2 billion) each year. I have been researching the costs of binge drinking on the criminal justice system, which totals £276.7 million per year (roughly 25 percent of the total cost of alcohol misuse). The paper states that 90 percent of the population between 16 and 74 drink, with one-third of the men binge drinking. I have been working closely with Stewart Maxwell, MSP (West of Scotland), to endorse new policies that will reduce the instance of binge drinking in Scotland and to ask the Scottish Executive for more details on how these statistics are compiled. I feel very privileged to be a part of a process that may reduce alcohol misuse and increase health all across Scotland. I want to help others achieve efficiency and, at the same time, maintain a good quality of life. This internship has given me the opportunity to see firsthand how Parliament can educate the public and make changes for the better."
Michelle Sweat said, "My experience in Scotland working in the Scottish Parliament was amazing even though it was nothing like I expected. As the other interns and I began preparing, we discovered that the internship was more a real-life situation than other internships because the university is less involved. Housing, flight arrangements, and special projects are all taken care of by the student. There are resources that were helpful, but above all it was a great adventure. I grew to love Scotland and hope to return as a tourist some day. One of the things that I really appreciated during my time in Parliament was the opportunity to work closely with the MSPs. I enjoyed that everyone in my office took part in day-to-day work, and there was no 'us vs. them' mentality. It was also interesting to be out of the United States during a presidential election and view how the press covered election news. The three months in Scotland sincerely changed my life and have made me take a greater interest in the world around me."
In addition to my work with Cunningham, I completed projects on a topic of particular interest to myself—disability employment policy. My desk at the Parliament was, as fate would have it, directly across from the SNP's member of the equal opportunities committee, Sandra White, MSP. While I was eager to work on this topic, I was nervous about imposing myself on an official to whom I was not assigned. However, encouraged by Damron, I introduced myself to White and offered my services. To my surprise, she was extremely excited and immediately put me to work preparing an analysis of U.S. strategies to integrate people with disabilities into the workforce and how those strategies could be implemented in Scotland.
Together, White and I created a proposal presented to the equal opportunities committee on how to better the situation of disabled people in Scotland. During the month of June, elections were taking place for the European Parliament in Brussels. As a result, we took part in the campaign process. And as a result of the elections, two members of the Scottish National Party won seats—Ian Hudghton and Alan Smith. Even though I had been to Europe several times before the internship, working for the Parliament was an incomparable experience.
Facilitating Expansion
Upon returning to campus fall 2004, I became the student facilitator for the internship working with Damron. The connections he had made during his trip to Edinburgh in February 2004 paid off when the first BYU student interned with the European Parliament under Ian Hudghton, MEP, during fall 2004. "My internship experience in Brussels exceeded all my expectations," remarked Mark Utley. At the same time, three more students interned with the Scottish Parliament: Michelle Sweat, Julia Shumway, and Emily Kucera.
"As students, we were slightly suspicious that a foreign political party would entrust important things to ignorant American students."
As BYU's reputation continues to spread, interns have been given more and more important responsibilities. Sweat was asked to write a speech criticizing American foreign policy to be delivered at Edinburgh University. "Even though it was a challenging experience, I looked at it as an opportunity to expand my opinions and work on my ability to present a persuasive argument," she said.
Both internship programs have continued to grow over the last year in several areas. First, we developed a one-credit course to prepare students for the kinds of research and writing they will do on the internship, as well as teach them about cultural differences and parliamentary systems.
Second, we developed a political science-based internship course that the majority of students take while in Scotland and Brussels. The course addresses the problems of mentoring students while not actually being in the country with them. Damron presented these ideas at the APSA Life and Learning Conference in Washington, D.C., in February 2005.
Third, we have secured internships with several other parties in the Scottish Parliament, including the Liberal-Democrats, the Scottish Socialist Party, the Conservatives, and the Pensioner Party. MSPs and MEPs are continually impressed by the quality of BYU interns' work, their ability to handle responsibilities, and the ethical standards they uphold in the workplace.
For winter semester 2005, MSPs requested more interns than there were students to send. Five students were sent to Edinburgh: Kris Carpenter, Justin Hocking, Rebecca Bennett, Abby Clark, and Alexandra Johnson; and two were sent to the European Parliament: Emily Pettit and Meredith Stockman. Carpenter said, "The work I have been given is exciting and has relevance to the political world."
On 17 February, CSE sponsored Jim Mather, MSP, to lecture on the economic independence of Scotland, and he also had the opportunity to meet with spring 2005 interns. They are the largest group of students to participate in the program. Nine students are in Edinburgh: Christopher Allen, Adam Heder, Diana Heder, Karene Hoopes, Christy White, Erik Kokkonen, Jacob Melzer, Kimberly Smith, and Spencer Brown; and two students are in Brussels: Emily McCarren, and Isabell Mueller.
The Edinburgh interns will have a unique experience working with Angus Robertson, SNP MP, in London for the upcoming UK parliamentary election. They will be sent to different parts of the UK for two weeks of intensive party campaigning at the SNP's expense.
As graduation approaches, I become more and more aware of the value of international internships. CSE continues to develop other internship opportunities such as programs in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. If only I had four more semesters to participate in all the options now available for undergrads.
For more information about the Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship, see their web site at http://www.rotary.org.
Portugal Health Care
Internship, Spring 2022
English Language in...
Study Abroad, Sum 2022
Talking About the...
Determination Turns Dreams...


text:
Basic Group Term Life InsuranceCurrently selected
 Content
Level of Coverage
Supplemental Coverage
Assignment of Group Term Life Insurance
Continuation of Coverage Upon Loss of Eligibility
801. General Information
The Basic Group Term Life Insurance Program is a state-paid benefit provided for managerial, supervisory, confidential, and other specified, excluded employees.
Eligible employees may apply for supplemental coverage for themselves as well as dependent coverage for their spouse, registered domestic partner and/or eligible children.
The current carrier for this state-paid benefit is Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife). MetLife can be reached at (800) 252-8524.
Government Code section 19849.11
802. Eligibility
Employees must work half-time or more with one of the following designations:
Permanent, CEA, limited-term of six months and over, or TAU in lieu of permanent appointment if CBID is:
E48, E50, E58, E59, E68, E78, E79, E88, E89, E92, E97, E98 or E99
E90 in class codes 2545, 4189, 4232, 5309, 5316, 5319 and 5695 or
E91 in class codes 5987, 5988, 5991 or
Employees moved to E01 through E21, E67 or E77 due to middle management reductions or
Permanent-intermittent employees who meet the above requirements.
The judicial council is responsible for auditing and determining temporary employee's eligibility before submitting the STD. 698, Life Insurance Enrollment Authorization form to the State Controller's Office (SCO).
803. Level of Coverage
The amount of coverage is based on the employee's eligibility as stated in Section 802.
Also, listed below is the coverage amount and employer contribution reduced at age 70.
Deduction Org Code: 200 – 003
CBID: Supervisors, confidential, E48, E58, E67***, E68, E78**, E97, E98, and supervisors moved to E01 through E21***
Benefit Amount
Premium Rate
Admin Fee
Total Employer Contribution
$25,000 policy
$4.63
$0.50
$12,500 policy at age 70
Deduction Org. Code: 200 - 003
CBID: Managers, E50, E59, E77*** E79, E88, E89, E90*, E91, E92, E99
$50,000 policy
$0.50
CBID: Managers moved to E01 through E21***
$0.50
$9.75
$25,000 policy at age 70
CBID: Judicial council staff and judges
* Only in certain class codes as listed under "Eligibility."
** Employees moved to E58 or E78 due to mid-management reductions retain the $50,000 management coverage; however, future incumbents receive the $25,000 supervisory level.
*** Employees moved to E01 through E21, E67, or E77 due to mid-management reductions retain their level of coverage prior to the re-designation; however, future incumbents are designated represented and are not eligible for this benefit.
804. Enrollment
Enrollment in the Basic Group Term Life Insurance Program is automatic. Once the departmental personnel office completes the PAR transaction for the eligible employee a deduction for this benefit will be established.
If the PAR transaction is processed by the tenth of the month, the enrollment will be effective on the first of the following month.
If an eligible employee passes away prior to the PAR transaction being processed, the actual appointment date is the effective date of coverage. The employee must have been actively at work on the effective date to provide survivor benefits.
Once the deduction code is established, MetLife will mail a packet of information to each newly enrolled employee. Each packet will contain a certificate of coverage, current policy, a supplemental life insurance pamphlet, and an application for supplemental life insurance as an option.
If eligible employees elect to waive state-paid basic life Insurance benefits, the employee must complete a Life Insurance Enrollment Authorization, Standard form 698, to cancel the basic life insurance coverage. The standard form 698 must be submitted by the department personnel office, who then will forward to the SCO, Miscellaneous Deductions Unit.
805. Supplemental Coverage
Employees enrolled in the state-paid basic life insurance may apply for supplemental coverage at any time.
Employees may elect coverage amounts in increments of $10,000 up to eight times their basic annual earnings, not to exceed $750,000 or eight times their basic annual earnings, whichever is less. The monthly premium is based on the employee's age and the adjusted annually on January 1 of each contract year.
Employees can also purchase dependent coverage for their spouse or registered domestic partner and dependent child(ren) up to age 23 at any time, in the following amounts at a flat monthly rate based on the employee's age.
Spouse/Domestic Partner
Child(ren) Coverage
Employee Age <65
Employee Age >65
$7,500 $1.85 $7.25
$15,000 $7,500 $3.71
$25,000 $7,500 $12.35 $48.35 $0.50
Eligible dependent child(ren) from birth to six months is insured for $750.00.
Employees interested in purchasing supplemental coverage should contact MetLife at (800) 252-8524 for an informational brochure and to request an "Application for Group Supplemental Life and AD&D benefits" form. The completed and signed application must be returned to MetLife for processing.
If MetLife approves the employee's request for supplemental coverage, the premium information will be forwarded to SCO to initiate the payroll deduction.
Coverage begins on the first day of the month immediately following the month in which the first deduction is made, provided the employee was actively at work on the effective date. Otherwise, it will be effective on the date the employee returns to work.
Cancellation of Supplemental Coverage
Employees may cancel their supplemental coverage at any time by submitting a written request to:
MetLife Insurance Company
MetLife Recordkeeping
Lexington, KY 40512-4402
Attention: State of California Policy Administrator (Policy No. 74503)
The request must include the employee's name, Social Security number, and deduction code 075-107. Once MetLife has processed the request, a form will be sent to SCO authorizing cancellation of the monthly premium deduction. If the form is received by SCO by the tenth of the month, the cancellation will be effective the first of the following month.
806. Accelerated Benefit Option
The Accelerated Benefit Option (ABO) allows an employee to receive partial payment of the basic and supplemental insurance benefit prior to death. To qualify for the benefit, the employee must suffer from a terminal illness. Terminal illness is defined as a sickness or injury, which is expected to result in the employee's death within six months. It must be verified by a physician's statement on the claim form. The ABO allows the employee to select payment up to 80 percent of the face amount of the policy with a service charge of four percent of the amount paid.
Eligible employees should contact MetLife at (800) 252-8524 to obtain detailed information and the ABO Claim form. The ABO applies to both the basic life insurance and supplemental life insurance for active and retired employees. The minimum amount payable on the basic life insurance is $10,000. A claimant must have a minimum of $20,000 supplemental coverage before an ABO claim.
807. Assignment of Group Term Life Insurance
An eligible employee may be able to assign their basic life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. All state laws permit assignments of basic life insurance. Generally, the basic life insurance specifically permits absolute assignments by gift and, in some cases, absolute assignment to viatical settlement providers for viatical purposes. An assignment, other than a gift or viatical, such as a collateral assignment to obtain a bank loan, is not generally permitted by the basic life insurance.
If an employee wishes to pursue the assignment of the basic life insurance, an employee must contact MetLife at (800) 252-8524 for additional information.
808. Beneficiary Designation
Benefits payable under this program will be paid to the standard order of beneficiary if one is on file with MetLife.
If there is no beneficiary designated or surviving beneficiary at the employee's death, MetLife will determine the beneficiary according to the following order:
Employee's spouse or domestic partner, if alive;
Employee's child(ren), * if there is no surviving spouse or domestic partner;
Employee's parent(s), if there is no surviving child*;
Employee's estate, if there is no surviving parent.
Benefits will be paid equally among surviving children or surviving parents. Family status changes, such as divorce and remarriage are automatically adjusted, provided an employee has not designated a beneficiary other than the above.
Employees who wish to designate a beneficiary other than the standard order stated above must request a beneficiary form from MetLife. The employee must return the completed form to MetLife. Upon receipt of the completed form, MetLife will record and retain the original in the employee's file. A signed copy will be returned to the employee for his/her records. This designation will not change with marriage, divorce, or any other family status changes. Therefore, employees must complete a new designation form if their family status change alters their desired choice of beneficiaries. California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) and departmental beneficiary designations do not apply to this coverage.
*Adopted children are considered children under the standard definition. As long as they are legally adopted; this would not include just guardianship.
How to submit the beneficiary form:
Fax:
809. Reporting a Death
Departmental personnel offices are responsible for immediately reporting the death of a covered employee to MetLife Insurance Company at (800) 252-8524.
The person reporting the death must have the following information available:
CBID
Last day physically worked
Marital or registered domestic partner status
Cause of death (if known) Names, addresses and phone numbers of next of kin on file, along with the name, department and phone number of the person reporting the death.
Claim number will always be policy no. 74503
The employee is responsible for reporting the death of a covered spouse, registered domestic partner or dependent(s) directly to MetLife.
810. Continuation of Coverage Upon Loss of Eligibility
Involuntary Re-designation to a Represented Position
Upon an employee's involuntary change from an excluded designation to a represented designation, the employing department must pay 12 months of basic life insurance premiums as follows:
Send a cover memo and check payable to MetLife in the amount of $117.00 for employees who had the $50,000 managerial coverage; or $61.56 for employees who had the $25,000 supervisory/confidential coverage to:
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
MetLife will send a conversion notice to the employee prior to the end of the 12 months. At this time the employee has the option to convert to an individual plan.
If the employee also has the supplemental life insurance, the employee may keep the coverage when they transfer to a represented position. Both the coverage and payroll deduction for the supplemental policy will continue unless the employee cancels it.
Retirees may continue their basic and/or supplemental life insurance at their own expense. The employee must contact MetLife 30-days prior to retirement to assure premiums are deducted from their retirement benefit checks. Once the employee retires, they cannot increase the amount of coverage in the basic and/or supplemental policy. The amount of basic and supplemental life insurance benefits will reduce by 50 percent and the premium will be adjusted on the first of the month in which the retiree reaches age 65.
Also at age 70, the basic coverage will reduce to $5,000.
Leave of Absence/Disability
Employees may choose to maintain the basic life insurance or supplemental life insurance at their own expense during a leave of absence or disability.
It is the employee's responsibility to contact MetLife 30 days prior to the effective date of a leave of absence or within 30 days of onset of their disability. If the employee elects not to continue the supplemental life insurance during a leave of absence, the supplemental coverage will cancel with the employee's last payroll deduction.
Upon return to active pay status, the employee would be required to reapply to regain the supplemental coverage.
Employees on disability leave (or receiving disability benefits) may apply for a waiver of premium for the supplemental coverage only.
Separation from State Service or Voluntary Transfer to a Position Designated Represented
Employees may convert their basic life insurance and/or supplemental life insurance to a private policy without proof of insurability. The employee should contact MetLife within 30 days of termination of group coverage to request a conversion authorization form.
Employees who voluntarily transfer to represented positions and are enrolled in the supplemental policy may keep the supplemental coverage. Both the coverage and payroll deduction for the supplemental life insurance will continue unless they cancel it.


Resolve IT Recycling Group specialises in all aspects of technology recycling, reusing and repurposing old or unwanted electrical equipment covering all the areas of UK. Our ability to efficiently and comprehensively delete every type of data from these electronic pieces of hardware means that you should always make use of our services when disposing of IT equipment that has been used within your business or organisation.
Our services are free of charge and are available to both organisations and individuals so call us today to see how we could assist you with the recycling of old technology based in the Somerset covering all over the UK.
The safe disposal of electronic components is of great importance to us with our mission being to reduce the amount of electronic waste that is sent to landfill sites across the UK. We have reduced the quantity of waste that we send to landfill to nil, instead ensuring that it is repurposed where possible and donated to charities and individuals who can make better use of it.
We recycle every electronic component whether it has a plug attached to it or it is powered by batteries. If you're in possession of any piece of electronic equipment that you no longer require, whether an old printer or a photocopier, make use of our services for tech recycling to ensure that it is disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
We currently don't except florescent tubes – However these are the responsibility of the company that is replacing your existing tubes.
We provide technology recycling services to businesses and individuals in the UK, allowing you to dispose of old electrical equipment with no cost to you. Our services include the collection of all technology from a location of your choice, leaving you only to sign the paperwork we provide on your behalf.
If you could benefit from tech recycling, get in touch with us today by sending us an email or calling us directly to speak to a member of our team. If you prefer, you can also make a booking online and provide us with the details of the technology equipment that you require recycling. We cover all over the UK.
If you are still not sure if an item can be recycled please contact us.


text:
Superhero Knowledge
Eye On Comics Acquisition – A To Z And Everything In Between
Comics are a language. It's a language that most people understand intuitively
– Bill Griffith
Recently Comic Bento acquired Eye On Comics – and we are super excited to welcome past and future readers to our site. Hopefully, our passion for the comic space shines through and you find everything you need. If not and you would like us to cover any specific topics, please use the contact form on the contact page to send us a message. In the meantime, here is an overview of Comic Bento A-Z:
I love comics, I always have.
They're a universal language that the entire world understands and they have become the literary form that we use to tell the stories, big and small, that enable us to escape the rigors of the modern world, help us to comprehend our place in the grand cosmic scheme and come to terms who we are, both as a species and individuals.
Comics gave me a voice, helped me to understand that I wasn't alone and that there were other people out there who adored the color world as much as I did, and made it possible for me to meet the individuals who would become my life-long friends.
That's why I started Comic Bento, to share my passion for comics with the rest of geekdom and to invite everyone to explore every facet and corner of the four-color world with me. Are you ready to embark on the comic book adventure of a lifetime? Then it's time to join me, and set sail to Comic Bento
What Is Comic Bento?
While I'm pretty sure that you know what a comic book is, and that you've probably read more than your fair share of them during your time here on Earth, you're probably scratching your head and wondering what the second word in the site's name means and refers to.
Well, a bento is a take-out Japanese meal for one that fills you up when your stomach tells you that it's time to eat, and I liked the idea of having a site that was filled with nourishing, easy to digest, and satisfying articles about comics that could be read in a single sitting.
So, I put the two together, came up with the name Comic Bento, which is what led me here, and what will, I hope, lead you to want to spend an afternoon absorbing all of the superhero knowledge, convention information, and comic book history that Comic Bento was set up to share with geekdom and four-color fandom.
But if you want to know more about what you can expect to find on the site, then read on, as I'm more than happy to talk about comics, Comic Bento, the MCU, the DCU, and the other loves of my life, Manga and Anime.
Make Mine Marvel
My comic book journey started with Marvel and the life lessons that I didn't pick up from my parents were taught to me by the founding father of Marvel, Stan Lee.
Okay, so maybe Stan didn't actually start Marvel Comics, but he became its champion and spokesman and after he retired and stopped writing, he went on to make countless cameo appearances in almost all of the first four phases of the MCU (that's the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the benefit of those who came in late), including Captain America: The First Avenger, the Avengers saga and his ridiculously funny turn as a barber in Thor: Ragnarok.
Stan was featured in every Marvel film right up until his death, and his final on-screen role was in Captain Marvel, the film that was also dedicated to his memory and whose opening credits include a heartfelt ode to the man who made it all possible.
And just like every other comic book fan in the world, I miss Stan.
That's enough about me and Stan, so let's take a brief look at the kind of Marvel content that you'll be able to immerse yourself in when you visit Comic Bento, and whether you spend ten minutes or a couple of hours in our company (our in Bento's case, being the collective plural that includes me, the writers that might be joining the site in the future and cast of hundreds of characters, books, and films that are featured on the site) there's enough Marvel content to make every comic book fan smile with the sort of geektastic glee that's normally reserved for Wednesdays when their pull list titles arrive in their local comic book store.
Have you ever wondered if Thor can actually fly without Mjolnir or if his ability to take to the air and breathe while he's soaring through space is due to the fact that he's god?
Or maybe you've always wanted to know how old Loki is and whether his youthful appearance is anyway related to his Frost Giant parents or the time he spent on Asgard? Or how Captain Marvel became one of the most powerful superheroes in the Marvel universe?
Perhaps you're a fan of Marvel's not-so-jolly green giant and have always wanted to know how big the Hulk can get when he's mad and whether or not it's actually possible to kill him?
And while we're on the subject of mortality, if you're looking for the answer to whether or not Wade Wilson Marvel's resident Merc with A Mouth is actually immortal, a mutant, or something else entirely and why he doesn't exactly get along with Wolverine?
If you want the truth, and you're sure that you can handle it, then Comic Bento has all the answers that you've been looking for.
Even though it's taken the rest of the world almost fifty years to realize that Marvel's premier team are the Earth's Mightiest Heroes and actually catch up with something that comic book fandom has known since the nineteen sixties, there might be a few gaps in your Avengers fact book that you need to fill in.
For instance, do you know how Thanos knew Tony Stark before they finally met in Infinity War? Or who the First Avenger really was?
Maybe you've always wondered what would happen if the strongest members of the Avengers decided to face off against each other, and who would win in a no-holds-barred, anything goes grudge match between Thor and Captain Marvel, or who would be the last warrior standing if Carol Danvers and Thanos had fought each other to the bitter end?
Did you ever wonder if Bruce Banner was the only Hulk and how the Avenger's power balance might have shifted or been altered if they'd had more than Gamma-powered being on their team?
And what about the Avengers who didn't get to appear on the cinematic screen, but have served the team faithfully and loyally throughout the decades?
And did you ever think about what might have happened in the battle against Thanos if the four-color members of the team had held the line with their cinematic colleagues?
Maybe you've spent hours contemplating how Thano's plan would have worked out if the heroes and villains in the second-biggest film franchise in Marvel's history, the X-Men, had been allowed to play in the same cinematic yard?
Would Magneto have been able to alter the outcome of the conflict and stop Thanos in his tracks before he managed to find all six Infinity Stones and snap his fingers?
And what would have happened if the Avengers had been able to wield the combined might of adamantium and vibranium during the climactic conflict with Thanos? Would the story have had a much different ending or would the outcome have been the same?
Comic Bento has all the facts that you need to fill in those details and answer all of the Avengers questions that you and your friends might have. Don't believe me? Then take a look and find out for yourself.
Spending Time With The Other Side… Welcome To DC
One of the most common misconceptions that people who don't read comics have about those of us who do read them is that we're either DC or Marvel fans and that our unwavering loyalty to one or the other prevents us from being able to enjoy the books that the other publishes.
That just isn't true, as just about everyone I know in fandom loves Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman just as much as Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor.
I'm a HUGE Bruce Wayne fan, and that's probably why Comic Bento has devoted as much space as possible to exploring his relationship with his closest allies Superman and Wonder Woman, and the strange, and complex nature of his rivalry with the Joker.
Who the Joker is and the role he played in Batman's evolution are as fundamental to the evolution of the DC Universe as the antagonistic relationship between Lex Luthor and Superman is, and at Bento, we plunge headlong into both and try to provide all of the context that you'll need to understand just how important, and critical both of them are.
But there's far more to the DC Universe than the founding members of the Justice League and their ever-evolving and changing friendships with their super-powered allies.
DC Comics gave the world its first real speedster, The Flash and at Bento, we've uncovered the truth about whether or not the Flash is still the fastest Speedster in comic books, and if you want to find out if Barry is still the quickest hero in history, the easiest way to do it is by paying Comic Bento a visit to find out the speedy superhero truth for yourself.
Just like the Marvel Universe, the DCU (that's the yin to Marvel's yang, the DC Comics Universe) has its own share of antagonists, and on Comic Bento we dive headlong into the history of the most powerful of all of them Darkseid, a character who has been a thorn in the DCU's heroes side in both the comics and on the big screen.
DC has also started to shine a much stronger light on their heroes who rely on magic for their powers, and the most famous of them, Shazam is now the star of his own film franchise and is set to make an appearance in the forthcoming Dwayne Johnson DC big-screen offering, Black Adam.
And where DC leads, Comic Bento follows, which is why we posed and answered the question on the lips of everyone who saw the first Shazam movie, "Who's strongest Shazam and Superman?" and if you want to find out, you'll have to show up at Comic Bento
Then there's the other DC question that I'm asked time and time again, who is the most powerful hero in the DCU and much as I love being asked about my thoughts on the subject, I thought the best way to tackle it was by approaching it head-on and using Comic Bento as the platform to answer it.
Do you want to know who the strongest superhero in the DCU is? Are you sure? Then surf on over to Comic Bento and find out.
A Whole New World… Anime And Manga
I'm aware that a lot of traditional comic book fans don't know much about Anime or Manga, as they're vastly different from the books and animated series and films that we're used to.
The truth is, the closest most comic book fans have ever come to both is through their exposure to Pikachu and Pokemon but trust me, there's so much more to Anime and Manga than the stars of one of the most popular games in the history of multi-platform gaming.
At Comic Bento you can discover some of the most mind-bending, paradigm-altering series you'll ever experience.
Shows like Demon Slayer, Attack On Titan, Black Butler, Naruto Shippuden, One Piece, and more series than you'll ever have the time to watch all make an appearance on Bento.
I know they're different, and I know that they're not for everyone, but with a little help from Comic Bento and a nudge in the right direction, maybe you'll discover the piece of the comic book puzzle that has always been missing from your life.
And maybe that piece doesn't belong in the West where the sun always sets, maybe it belongs in the country where the sun rises to shine brightly on a brand new day. What have you got to lose?
That's right, absolutely nothing, so the next time that you've got a couple of spare minutes, sit back, relax and spend some time in the Manga and Anime library on Comic Bento
It's All About The History…
Comic Bento doesn't just focus on the major players and subcultures in the four-color universe, it's also devoted to the history of comics and where the future of the genre might take it.
Do you know how many pages there are in a comic book, and why the industry decided that was the format that it was going to adopt? Comic Bento does, and if you're curious and want to know the answer, drop by to find out.
Have you ever given any credence to the mainstream media idea that the comic book industry is on its last legs? Do you want to know the truth that the mainstream refuses to acknowledge? If you do, visit Bento.
And if you've wondered which publishers own the rights to characters like Spawn and Deadpool, who the world's first superhero was, or wanted to know more about the history of black superheroes, then you need to bookmark Comic Bento, make yourself a cup of coffee and take an hour out of your busy schedule to find the answers that you've been looking for.
A little knowledge can go a long way, and at Comic Bento we believe that the more you know about comics, the more you'll enjoy them.
It's Time To Head To Comic-Con… Or Is It?
One of the biggest events in the comic book calendar, before the Pandemic radically altered the course of the last two years, was Comic-Con, the world's biggest comic convention that arrived in San Diego every July.
And I don't have to tell you that trying to get tickets for Comic-Con was harder than trying to find the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. It was and will be, next to impossible.
But San Diego isn't the only big convention player in the four-color world anymore, and as the country starts to open up again, you'll be able to hop from state to state and meet up your fellow fans and soon-to-be lifelong friends everywhere from Rhode Island to Pensacola, Seattle to Denver and Atlanta to Boston and at Comic Bento we've got the low down on, and everything that you need to know about, comic conventions all over the US as well a few of the more popular overseas gatherings.
Conventions are the lifeblood of four-color and pop culture fandom and I can't even begin to tell you how many of my friends I've met at them, and the number of great memories that I have from just hanging out at conventions.
That's why I devoted so much space on Comic Bento to them because I believe that every comic book fan should attend at least one Con during their lifetime. It's an experience that you'll treasure forever and will never forget.
See You In The Funny Pages… Or When You Visit Comic Bento
In all the furor and excitement of telling you about Comic Bento, I nearly forgot to introduce myself. Hi, I'm Cal and I'm the four-color fanatic responsible for creating Comic Bento.
I hope that you'll take some time to explore and enjoy the site, and if you do, drop me a line so that we can chat about comics, Manga and Anime because it's always good to meet new people and make new comic book buddies.
After all, that's what fandom is all about, isn't it?
What Is Anime? The History & Evolution Of Anime
How To Watch Hyouka Anime: Everything You Need To Know About Hyouka
How Does Thor Get His Eye Back?
Which Superman Is The Strongest?
What Order Should You Watch Mirai Nikki (Future Diary)?
A Watch Order Guide On How To Watch K Anime Series
Baki: The Complete Watch Order Guide
The Easy Watch Order Guide On How To Watch Chain Chronicle Anime
The Easy Order Guide On How To Watch Re: Zero Anime
Easy Watch Order Guide For Food Wars: How Should You Watch?
Copyright © 2022 Comic Bento


Many people end up spending much more than they intended during the holiday season. In 2015, Americans planned to spend an average of $830 on Christmas gifts, a sharp rise from the $720 average the previous year. Planning a holiday budget and sticking to it is a good way to keep yourself – and your finances – in check. Follow these steps to create a plan so that you can have happy holidays without financial worry.
Step 1: Start saving and shopping as early in the year as possible.
Set up a savings account that is earmarked for holiday spending, and stick to your savings. Look at last year's bank statements to estimate how much you'll likely spend, and divide that amount into weekly or monthly deposits. Buy Christmas gifts throughout the year to take advantage of seasonal sales and other promotions.
Step 2: Write out a budget.
It's not enough to have a rough number in your head. You need to set a firm budget and then itemize and total your expected expenditures. To do this, you can make a simple list, use a spreadsheet template, or create a spreadsheet yourself. You can also use Christmas apps to keep track of gift lists and costs, as well as to help you find the best deals and sales.
Step 3: Make your Christmas budget all-inclusive.
Step 4: Assign a firm monetary limit to each gift and expense item on your budget.
The total of all your line item expenses should not exceed the holiday budget that you set. If it does, go back and reduce the numbers assigned to some of the line items until the total is within your budget.
Step 5: Monitor your spending as you go.
Use your budget list, spreadsheet, or app as you shop. Keep track of each actual line item cost, including tax, and whether it is over or under the original cost that you assigned to each item. If your actual expenses are less on any particular items, you can transfer those amounts to be used on other items, if needed.
Step 6: To help you stick to your holiday budget, comparison shop online.
You may even save on shipping costs if you order multiple gifts from one site. In addition to saving money for the holidays, you'll also avoid crowded shopping malls and long lines.
Step 7: Save your holiday budget documentation for reference next year.
It might also be helpful to save gift receipts, credit and bank card statements, and any helpful notes on your list or spreadsheet that might aid you in planning for coming holiday seasons.
Another helpful tip for holiday budgeting is to build in an incentive for yourself. To encourage you to closely follow the holiday budget, make one line item a reward for sticking to or bringing the budget in under your projections. The bonus could be a special meal out, an item of clothing, a new holiday decoration, or additional funds to spend on the gift recipient of your choice. Taking the time to plan for your holiday spending and following through on your budget is one of the best ways to ensure a happy start to the New Year.


text:
/**
  @file Cola.h

  Implementaci�n del TAD Cola utilizando una
  lista enlazada de nodos.

  Estructura de Datos y Algoritmos
  Facultad de Inform�tica
  Universidad Complutense de Madrid

 (c) Marco Antonio G�mez Mart�n, 2012
*/
#ifndef __LINKED_LIST_QUEUE_H
#define __LINKED_LIST_QUEUE_H

#include "Exceptions.h"
#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

/**
 Implementaci�n del TAD Cola utilizando una lista enlazada.

 Las operaciones son:

 - EmptyQueue: -> Queue. Generadora implementada en el
   constructor sin par�metros.
 - push_back: Queue, Elem -> Queue. Generadora
 - pop_front: Queue - -> Queue. Modificadora parcial.
 - front: Queue - -> Elem. Observadora parcial.
 - empty: Queue -> Bool. Observadora.
 - size: Queue -> Entero. Observadora.

 @author Marco Antonio G�mez Mart�n
 */
template <class T>
class Queue {
public:

	/** Constructor; operacion EmptyQueue */
	Queue() : _prim(NULL), _ult(NULL), _numElems(0) {
	}

	/** Destructor; elimina la lista enlazada. */
	~Queue() {
		libera();
		_prim = _ult = NULL;
	}

	/**
	 A�ade un elemento en la parte trasera de la cola.
	 Operaci�n generadora.

	 @param elem Elemento a a�adir.
	*/
	void push_back(const T &elem) {
		Nodo *nuevo = new Nodo(elem, NULL);

		if (_ult != NULL)
			_ult->_sig = nuevo;
		_ult = nuevo;
		// Si la cola estaba vac�a, el primer elemento
		// es el que acabamos de a�adir
		if (_prim == NULL)
			_prim = nuevo;
		_numElems++;
	}

	/**
	 Elimina el primer elemento de la cola.
	 Operaci�n modificadora parcial, que falla si
	 la cola est� vac�a.

	 pop_front(Push_back(elem, EmptyQueue)) = EmptyQueue
	 pop_front(Push_back(elem, xs)) = push_back(elem, pop_front(xs)) si !empty(xs)
	 error: pop_front(EmptyQueue)
	*/
	void pop_front() {
		if (empty())
			throw EmptyQueueException("Cannot pop: Queue is empty");
		Nodo *aBorrar = _prim;
		_prim = _prim->_sig;
		delete aBorrar;
		--_numElems;
		// Si la cola se qued� vac�a, no hay
		// �ltimo
		if (_prim == NULL)
			_ult = NULL;
	}

	/**
	 Devuelve el primer elemento de la cola. Operaci�n
	 observadora parcial, que falla si la cola est� vac�a.

	 front(Push_back(elem, EmptyQueue)) = elem
	 front(Push_back(elem, xs)) = primero(xs) si !empty(xs)
	 error: front(EmptyQueue)

	 @return El primer elemento de la cola.
	 */
	const T &front() const {
		if (empty())
			throw EmptyQueueException("Cannot get front: Queue is empty");
		return _prim->_elem;
	}

	void injusto(int nInverso)
	{
		if (!empty())
		{
			Nodo *inicial = _prim, *ant, *act, *sig = NULL;
			sig = _prim->_sig;

			if (nInverso > _numElems)
				nInverso = _numElems;

			for (int i = 0; i < nInverso - 1; i++)
			{
				ant = _prim;
				_prim = sig;
				sig = _prim->_sig;
				_prim->_sig = ant;
			}

			inicial->_sig = sig;
		}
	}

	void imprimir()
	{
		Nodo *aux = _prim;

		cout << "{";

		while (aux != NULL)
		{
			if (aux->_sig == NULL)
				cout << aux->_elem;
			else
				cout << aux->_elem << ",";

			aux = aux->_sig;
		}

		cout << "}" << endl;
	}

	/**
	 Devuelve true si la cola no tiene ning�n elemento.

	 empty(EmptyQueue) = true
	 empty(Push_back(elem, p)) = false

	 @return true si la cola no tiene ning�n elemento.
	 */
	bool empty() const {
		return _prim == NULL;
	}

	/**
	 Devuelve el n�mero de elementos que hay en la
	 cola.
	 size(EmptyQueue) = 0
	 size(Push_back(elem, p)) = 1 + size(p)

	 @return N�mero de elementos.
	 */
	int size() const {
		return _numElems;
	}

	// //
	// M�TODOS DE "FONTANER�A" DE C++ QUE HACEN VERS�TIL
	// A LA CLASE
	// //

	/** Constructor copia */
	Queue(const Queue<T> &other) : _prim(NULL), _ult(NULL) {
		copia(other);
	}

	/** Operador de asignaci�n */
	Queue<T> &operator=(const Queue<T> &other) {
		if (this != &other) {
			libera();
			copia(other);
		}
		return *this;
	}

	/** Operador de comparaci�n. */
	bool operator==(const Queue<T> &rhs) const {
		if (_numElems != rhs._numElems)
			return false;
		bool iguales = true;
		Nodo *p1 = _prim;
		Nodo *p2 = rhs._prim;
		while ((p1 != NULL) && (p2 != NULL) && iguales) {
			if (p1->_elem != p2->_elem)
				iguales = false;
			else {
				p1 = p1->_sig;
				p2 = p2->_sig;
			}
		}
		return iguales;
	}

	bool operator!=(const Queue<T> &rhs) const {
		return !(*this == rhs);
	}

	/** Escribe la cola en el flujo. Se usa desde operator<< */
	void write(std::ostream& sOut) {
		Nodo* aux = _prim;
		sOut << "{";
		while (aux != NULL){
			sOut << aux->_elem;
			aux = aux->_sig;
			if (aux != NULL) sOut << ",";
		}
		sOut << "}" << endl;
	}

protected:

	void libera() {
		libera(_prim);
	}

	void copia(const Queue &other) {

		if (other.empty()) {
			_prim = _ult = NULL;
			_numElems = 0;
		} else {
			Nodo *act = other._prim;
			Nodo *ant;
			_prim = new Nodo(act->_elem);
			ant = _prim;
			while (act->_sig != NULL) {
				act = act->_sig;
				ant->_sig = new Nodo(act->_elem);
				ant = ant->_sig;
			}
			_ult = ant;
			_numElems = other._numElems;
		}
	}

private:

	/**
	 Clase nodo que almacena internamente el elemento (de tipo T),
	 y un puntero al nodo siguiente, que podr�a ser NULL si
	 el nodo es el �ltimo de la lista enlazada.
	 */
	class Nodo {
	public:
		Nodo() : _sig(NULL) {}
		Nodo(const T &elem) : _elem(elem), _sig(NULL) {}
		Nodo(const T &elem, Nodo *sig) :
		    _elem(elem), _sig(sig) {}

		T _elem;
		Nodo *_sig;
	};

	/**
	 Elimina todos los nodos de la lista enlazada cuyo
	 primer nodo se pasa como par�metro.
	 Se admite que el nodo sea NULL (no habr� nada que
	 liberar).
	 */
	static void libera(Nodo *prim) {
		while (prim != NULL) {
			Nodo *aux = prim;
			prim = prim->_sig;
			delete aux;
		}
	}

	/** Puntero al primer elemento. */
	Nodo *_prim;

	/** Puntero al �ltimo elemento. */
	Nodo *_ult;

	/** N�mero de elementos */
	int _numElems;
};

template<class T>
std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& sOut, Queue<T>& q) {
	q.write(sOut);
	return sOut;
}

#endif // __LINKED_LIST_QUEUE_H

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Servus's user interface has been carefully crafted to make it simple and intuitive for first-time users. By leveraging interactions that your staff is already familiar with, training time is significantly reduced — your staff can be expertly using the core system in a matter of minutes.
Servus is a modular, expandable system — you can run one device or several throughout your location. You can even add or remove tablets from the system while it's running should the need arise. This expandable approach means you can grow the system's capabilities over time rather than paying for everything up-front.
Servus's powerful peer-to-peer design means there's no server to buy and a possible single point of failure is eliminated. Each device in the system communicates with the others directly and all stay in sync with each other. If one fails, the others continue communicating as if nothing happened.
Servus can automatically send an SMS to your guests' cell phones when their table is ready. This can eliminate the loss of costly paging devices that guests inadvertantly lose or walk out with. That cost savings alone means that Servus could pay for itself in a matter of months.
Servus was built from the ground up for Android tablets. This gives you flexibility in choosing which devices to use without investing in proprietary hardware. With multiple devices to choose from at varying sizes and price points, you can build a system that meets your operational needs without breaking the bank.
* The free cell phone (SMS) paging add-on requires Internet access and signing up with a third-party vendor who requires a small monthly fee (around $0.99).


Sandpiper Motel offers the delights of Apollo Bay offering Motel or Guesthouse accommodation to suit the needs of the tourist on the move. Some of the rooms have Ocean Views with their own private balcony overlooking the Southern Ocean and Apollo Bay is only a short stroll away.
Beachfront Motel & Cottages Architect designed beach front accommodation, modern, quiet, family owned motel and cottages opposite beach. Ideal for overnight, weekend or holiday. Sea views. All rooms have separate kitchens. All ground floor, undercover parking, heating, elec, blankets, guests laundry, & BBQ.
Beachcomber Motel & Apartments Luxury fully self-contained apartments: Corner spa, wood heater, kitchens, remote TV, air-conditioning, VCRs available. Motel units: Ensuite, TV, tea/coffee facilities, toaster, heating. BBQ & guest laundry. 5-minute walk to golf course, beach, shops & restaurants.
Coastal Motel Four star modern luxury motel suites and fully self-contained family units all with air-conditioning, heating and QS beds. Deluxe suites with 2-person spa, gas log fire and air-conditioning. BBQ, laundry. Central location opposite beach and 150 metres from Apollo Bay shops and restaurants.
Bayview Apartments are within close proximity to the beach and shopping centre with both ocean and Otway Ranges views. Bed linen, doonas and towels are provided for up to 6 guests and a private courtyard with BBQ facilities adjoins each apartment. Secure undercover parking is provided for each apartment as well as visitor parking.
Lighthouse Keepers Inn is opposite safe beaches and close to restaurants, cafe's and shops. Our comfortable rooms with ensuites, queen sized beds, bar fridge, tea and coffee facilities and second storey balconies offer picturesque and panoramic ocean views.
Paradise Court spacious, quiet & modern getaway townhouses in quiet central location a short walk to the ocean, beach & shops. Fully equipped with open-plan living, BBQ, U/cover parking. Linen, towels & many extras are included for guests.
Seaview Motel & Apartments the perfect romantic getaway in winter. 2BR luxury apartments, executive apartments with corner spa and standard motel units. 50m from the beach and a short walk to Apollo Bays shops and restaurants.
Water Front Motor Inn for your perfect getaway our luxury spa units located opposite the beautiful Apollo Bay beach all have private balconies. Two bedroom apartments are perfect for families and our standard units offer value for money.


Nestled right between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, Falmouth is the perfect backdrop for discovery in Jamaica during your cruise— but there's lots to do right there. For a relaxing ride along the shoreline, hop on horseback in Chukkah Beach. Cruise to Falmouth and head to the Water Square and jam out with the locals to live reggae. Culture cravers can get their fix during high tea at the historical Good Hope Estate overlooking the Queen of Spain Valley. And a trip to Falmouth wouldn't be complete without chowing down on fiery jerk chicken and rum cake, two local favorites.
Take an excursion to Ocho Rios to experience the famous Dunn's River Falls. Follow your guide as you ascend to the top of the iconic waterfall. Be sure to plunge in the many natural pools as you make your way to the top!
Head to one of the many nearby rivers and ride down on an inner tube. As you cruise down the river, enjoy all the natural beauty that Jamaica has to offer.
Just a few miles from Falmouth, Burwood Beach is a quiet and secluded swath of shoreline that's perfect for some off-the-beaten-path beachcombing.
When it comes to jerk cooking, nowhere does it better than Jamaica. The same goes for their world-famous Jamaican patties— savory pastries usually stuffed with beef and spices. Be sure to pair your lunch with Jamaica's Red Stripe lager, brewed locally since 1939. If you're craving caffeine, have a cup of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee— it's rated among the best in the world.
The Shoppes at Rose Hall offer the best duty-free shopping in Jamaica. Here you'll find plenty of luxury goods, fine watches, designer jewelry, and locally made island crafts and souvenirs.
1 Falmouth is the gateway to Jamaica's top attractions, but if you want to explore outside port, try a guided tour.
2 Look for taxis with JTB decals, as they're the only ones authorized by the Jamaica Tourist Board.


The Traffic Bylaw No. 9900 was established to regulate the use of streets and activities on them in order to maintain traffic flow and ensure the safety of all people travelling within our city.
There are fines in place for individuals and/or corporations who do not comply to the regulations within the bylaw. Fines can reach up to $5,000.
If an incident involves emergency, call 911.


text:
Ecosystem studied
Ifremer - France
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) - Netherlands
Ghent University (UGENT) - Belgium
Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) - Germany
Institute of Marine Sciences - Okeanos, University of the Azores (OKEANOS) - Portugal
University of Aveiro (UAVR) - Portugal
Universidade do Algarve (UALG) - Portugal
Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI) - Germany
University of Western Britanny (UBO) - France
National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) - Irlande
Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (SGN) - Germany
University of Seville (US) - Spain
University Center in Svalbard (UNIS) - Norway
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - France
University of Bergen (UiB) - Norway
Stakeholders involved
The French National Centre for Scientific Research is among the world's leading research institutions. Its scientists explore the living world, matter, the Universe, and the functioning of human societies in order to meet the major challenges of today and tomorrow. Internationally recognised for the excellence of its scientific research, the CNRS is a reference in the world of research and development, as well as for the general public.
The National Centre for Scientific Research is an interdisciplinary public research organisation under the administrative supervision of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. The French state has entrusted the CNRS with the role of advancing knowledge for the benefit of society. The organisation seeks to accomplish this national mission while respecting ethical rules and showing commitment to professional equality.
CNRS website


text:
Video: BMW Park Assist Can Now Also Take You Out of a Parking Spot
Home » Video: BMW Park Assist Can Now Also Take You Out of a Parking Spot
Gabriel Nica
Self-parking cars have been around for quite some time now. What seemed like an option that would be available only on premium cars at first is now a commodity you can get even on budget vehicles these days. BMW Park Assist has also been around for a while and has changed accordingly. The very first versions only featured a system that would parallel park a car without you doing all of the work.
Back then, however, you still had a couple of things to do while the car was parking itself. You had to press the brake and switch between Drive and Reverse. Nowadays that's no longer needed, as the car will do everything all on its own. BMW went even a step further and is now also offering a Reversing Assistant, which can back up alone, to get you out of a tight spot.
However, that's not what we're here to discuss.
The BMW Park Assist system now also has a feature that gets you out of a parking spot. I know what you're thinking: I can get myself out anyway. That's completely understandable. You can probably also park your car by yourself and probably don't like waiting for the car to do it. However, not everyone is so well versed in the skill that is driving. Some might find these features actually useful and thus might even give them a chance every once in a while.
As you can see in the video below, in order to get your car automatically out of a parking spot, you need to press the Park Assistant button or simply engage reverse. Once the camera pops up on your iDrive screen you'll have to press on the park assist button and then confirm the direction in which you are heading.
Next, the car will then align you with the road, but not pull up onto it. Thus, once no more steering intervention is needed, you can set off. The way I see this system as being useful is when your space is terribly narrow and you need to make 100 steering adjustments to be able to get out. This way, the car will do all the legwork for you and you only need to press the gas pedal at the end.
bmw park assist
Reverse Assistant
2024 BMW 5 Series will come with iDrive 8.5
2023 BMW M3 CS Spied With Angry Front Design Akin To M4 CSL
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BMW 3 Series E46 Touring In Techno Violet Puts Diesel Engine To Work In Autobahn Run
EXCLUSIVE 2023 BMW M3 CS First Look


I'm on a plane today headed to Alberta, Canada to give a talk at an inclusion conference. Nothing new—been speaking at conferences like this for over ten years and, as someone who spent a lot of time in "special education," I believe deeply in inclusion. I believe in inclusion because during my school purgatory days, there was very little that I found was special about special education except a very special form of irony when I was called a special snowflake and then told to sit my special snowflake rear down. So because I've been doing this so long and been giving so many talks, I rarely look at the specific title of any particular conference any more—there are only so many creative ways the words inclusion, education, disabilities, at-risk kids can be combined.
By chance though, this morning when I got on the plane, I actually read my itinerary and was struck by the title of the conference I was attending. It wasn't just an inclusion conference; it was a "learning inclusion" conference. Now I know that for those out there who don't spend all their free time reading conference titles, this may sound like the proverbial difference without distinction. But I think this is an important shift from which we can learn. Let me explain.
The inclusion movement came essentially from the special education, or more precisely, in reaction to special education. It was, and is, a simple but profound idea: students with disabilities shouldn't be segregated in special classes. And they shouldn't ride the short bus, which, in some places, is the government funded form of segregated transportation. For inclusion true believers like me, the experience of people with disabilities is a civil rights issue. We are not a group of sick or broken individuals in need of treatment but a marginalized minority group in need of inclusion and empowerment.
But what's most interesting, at least from my vantage point, about this social movement is a bigger argument: people don't have disabilities but experience disabilities in environments that aren't accommodating or inclusive of the wide continuum of human differences. We are all temporally enabled learners who can be disabled by narrow, standardized learning environments, whether we have diagnoses or not. Learning inclusion is a call to create supportive and empowering learning environments — not for kids with learning disabilities, but all kids.
So my new friends in Alberta got it right on. Well done! Next time I'll read my itinerary.
Jonathan Mooney is a leader in LD/ADHD, disabilities and alternative education. A dyslexic writer and activist, he is the author of Learning Outside the Lines and The Short Bus and is a highly sought-after speaker.
Plus, children are just children and see themselves as children. They are not born with a tattoo that labels them. If we see them as capable, they see themselves as capable. All of us have areas of brilliance, and all have "disabilities". Let's just concentrate on seeing brilliance as much as we can.
« Study measures disorientation in dyslexic children….


text:
© Wonderful Films, Flitcraft
Brand Road South
The Queen's Gambit (2020 - 2020)
Want to know more about Brand Road South in Cambridge, Canada as seen in The Queen's Gambit? Just start scrolling.
Beth and the Wheatleys arrive at her new home.
15 Brant Rd, S Cambridge, Ontario N1S 2W4, Canada
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car, house
Anya Taylor-Joy, Marielle Heller
In a Kentucky orphanage in the 1950s, a young girl discovers an astonishing talent for chess while struggling with addiction.
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If you want to create you own SCEEN, please login. SCEEN IT is a great guide that lets you add and share travel info about places like Cambridge, Canada in The Queen's Gambit. It shows you where it was filmed, which filming locations were used and how to get there.


text:
La ex strada statale 281 del Passo di Limina (SS 281), ora strada provinciale 5 Inn. SS 18 (Rosarno) - Inn. SS 106 (Marina di Gioiosa Ionica) (SP 5), è una strada provinciale italiana che collega la costa tirrenica e quella jonica nella parte settentrionale della provincia di Reggio Calabria. Rappresentava una delle principali arterie per il cambio di versante, nonostante il percorso tortuoso dovuto agli sbalzi altimetrici e al passaggio nei centri urbani. Al fine di velocizzare questo tragitto, venne costruita la strada statale 682 Jonio-Tirreno con caratteristiche di strada a scorrimento veloce.

Percorso
La strada ha inizio dalla strada statale 18 Tirrena Inferiore all'interno del centro abitato di Rosarno, uscendone in direzione sud-est. Dopo aver superato il bivio per il porto di Gioia Tauro, inizia un tratto ormai classificato come parte integrante della strada statale 682 Jonio-Tirreno che passa per lo svincolo di Rosarno dell'A2 del Mediterraneo e prosegue fino al bivio per San Fili dove le due strade si dividono.

L'itinerario prosegue quindi parallelo a quello della SS 682, attraversando Melicucco e Cinquefrondi (dove incrocia la ex strada statale 536 di Acquaro), prima di entrare nel parco nazionale dell'Aspromonte. Qui la strada guadagna quota giungendo al passo della Limina (822 m s.l.m.), discendendo poi verso l'abitato di Mammola.

Attraversa quindi la vallata del Torbido, supera l'innesto della ex strada statale 501 di Mongiana ed entra a Gioiosa Ionica. Esce dal paese in direzione del mare, terminando il proprio percorso a Marina di Gioiosa Ionica dove si innesta sulla strada statale 106 Jonica.

In seguito al decreto legislativo n. 112 del 1998, dal 2002 la gestione è passata dall'ANAS alla Regione Calabria, che ha provveduto al trasferimento dell'infrastruttura al demanio della Provincia di Reggio Calabria.

Tabella percorso

Note

Primo collegamento rotto

Collegamenti esterni

 281


1. Mike R's portable gun rack?
2. Beth's new 28.8 modem, NT capable "NOT!"?
3. Joe's stainless steel lunch box, attaches to belt for quick access?
4. Nestor's first attempt at a chiller alarm panel?
5. Dean's stainless steel code book protector, attaches to pocket for quick access?
6. Hermes' left over computer parts from recent server hardware upgrade? Beth is still confused.
7. Chad's yuppie change dispenser, never has any money in it? quoted "Nnhhhh, I have a mortgage now!"
8. Jay's crude Homestead version of a complex beer bottle cap opener, also dubs as a spell checker?
9. Jack's work out tool for his "pinkie" muscle? Quoted "No muscle must go untouched"
10. The only thing left by Doug Kicker? Quoted "It belongs to Darren now guys!"
11. Bob's secret commodities calculator? Quoted "You are a mental case!"
12. Vinny's permanent metallic bus pass? Quoted "No! You!"
13. Leroy's new un-approved, totally violated, non-upgraded, latest ELECTRICOMM 1900 box? Quoted "I don't know ask Chad"
14. Darin's state-of-the-art alarm clock? Quoted "I'll make up the time tomorrow I promise"
15. Paul isn't sure what it is, but it was found on his desk as a paper weight?


play with my dolls and ride the bike.
but I still like the flowers and the toys.
I still have my story books and fairy magic.
watch the Looney Tunes and Disney.
and swirl every tip of my wavy curly hair.
and enjoy the pouring rain on our roof.
So what if I still do the things I always like?
Who cares if they see me ride on my bike?
Who cares if I still play with my toys?
And… Who cares about the stupid boys?


Jonathan Tucker special guest star Jonathan Tucker!!!!!!!!!!!
It's too bad he has maybe the most boring part on the show, which says a lot because you basically had Anthony Hopkins sleep-walking through season 1. But he sure is pretty!


text:
About Delt
About Greek Life
Delt Tradition and Symbols
About Mu Chapter
House Corp
Mu Murmurs
Mu Alumni Websites
Past-Presidents
Support Mu Chapter
Tour the Shelter
Benjamin G. Thomas, 1990-2012
Benjamin G. Thomas (Ohio Wesleyan University) passed away May 6, 2012 at the age of 22. Thomas joined Mu Chapter in 2009 then later left school for a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy as a hospitalman apprentice and member of the Color Guard. Thomas also worked part-time as an assistant nurse at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Passavant. He returned to Ohio Wesleyan in the fall of 2011.
During his time at Ohio Wesleyan, Thomas made many friends who were inspired by his dedication to environmental and political issues and were touched by his kindness and compassion. He was a political science and government major who also worked with Wesleyan Council on student affairs to make the campus a better place for everyone.
-Taken from the Winter 2013 issue of The Rainbow


I don't normally use this blog to speak about politics, and certainly not in such definite negative terms. The American Election is a very flame heavy topic i've tried to leave alone, because i know i will probably run the foul side of pretty much everyone on Fedora Planet with my views. I like to keep my political views completely separate from work as much as possible. Occasionally I need to have my say though, and for many of the people who participate in this Planet, this is a very important topic.
To put it plain and simple, Governor Sarah Palin's email accounts were hacked and i'm assuming 99% of all Americans over 18 know about this. For international readers, the email accounts of Governor Sarah Palin, vice presidential candidate for the Republican party, were hacked. The hacker, an amateur, posted both the results and the attack vector online to 4chan, an internet forum, which led to the quick discovery of his identity. It turns out that he is the son of a democratic Senator, although since nothing has gone to court yet, no one knows what the penalties are.
"This is a shocking invasion of the governor's privacy and a violation of law."
Indeed, one reason why it's illegal is to protect people from using such private information to harass her and her family, by using cell phones numbers and other private information retrieved out of the email accounts. Most importantly though, this highlights the dangers of having private information leaked to anyone.
Which brings me to my next point. Sarah Palin should be impeached and removed from all political office. I direct you to the information leaked about the attack.
If you have a look through those emails, some of them are personal or friendly, but in between there are numerous emails regarding State business. Anyone who works at Red Hat and is forced to use the bloatware called collaboration software, instead of being allowed to use a more convenient GMail account should automatically understand why this is a severe problem.
Yahoo email is neither private nor secure. The government can do all the handwaving magic it sees fit, but nothing will change the fact that Yahoo is an international company that presents a very high target to hackers. Thus Yahoo is 100% insecure. Furthermore, Yahoo has full access to emails they host and transmit. Therefore, there is no privacy, and any sensitive government issues could be revealed to the whole world. When you consider the information a VP is privy to, let alone a governor, the potential for misuse is scary. If you want to talk about radicals destroying a large nation for fun or profit, this is the way to go. If you want to discuss shady deals between politicians being revealed, carelessness like this will only make life much easier. Each state has an IT infrastructure as does the US Government, which is secured by one of the best security systems in the world. Using a Yahoo account is downright foolish.
Furthermore, privacy is also there to protect individuals from other malicious individuals. It's tragic, but a matter of ironic justice that Sarah Palin's family is suffering from the exact issues that are brought up when discussing the importance of privacy and data protection.
Yahoo mail is also run outside of the government systems. If you think the data retention policies of the Whitehouse have been bad in the past 8 years, just wait till Sarah Palin comes to power. They won't even exist! Data retention is the law for many reasons, least of all to track the doings of public officers and employees of public corporations. These rules are there to protect the American people and anyone doing business with Americans. While discussions about the data retention policies are reasonable, the bottom line is, without one, our individual rights are doomed. By using Yahoo mail, Sarah Palin has given the middle finger to the systems that keep politicians on the straight and narrow. As a politician who 'cleaned up' Alaska, she should understand this better than most politicians.
Despite this, it's clear that Sarah Palin knows very little about technology, the Internet, and most importantly the laws surrounding it. What ever reason she had for not using a state provided email address shows she thinks some need of hers trumps years of experience that IT professionals have had with privacy and security. On a personal note, it's insulting and disgusting. On a broader note, Sarah Palin is not fit to be a politician in the 21st century, let alone Vice President. Finally, it's clear she's doing something very wrong in Alaska already. She needs to be impeached.
I live in Alaska. I think you don't have any idea what the hell you are talking about when calling for her impeachment.
Living in Alaska for a lot of people who live here has very little in common with living in the 21st century. For a state with such a low population density and with a rural population living off the grid and away from anything that could be generously called a road...having a technology saavy governor isn't a big priority when it comes to issues that matter in this State. Technology issues are not the priority here.
To put this into a context you might understand, we didn't get iphone data service for nearly a year after they were introduced in the rest of the country. We've got 3 fiber lines serving as the backbone for the entire state. Two summers ago 2 of the lines were cut in the same week, nearly cutting off the interior of Alaska from the rest of the world electronically for several days...including cell phone service, credit cards and bank transactions! That was a glorious week.
Before the VP pick, did you have any idea what the actual political landscape in Alaska looked like? Do you have any idea what the important issues were for the last 6 months and how the governor was dealing with them?
I was fine with her as my governor, before the VP circus came to town, even though I vote a straight democratic ticket in an effort to make sure I throw away my vote.
Honestly, she's better than the last one that was up here. And compared to the other state officials, she's actually relatively clean of Big Oil's direct influence in comparison. For a State that runs on oil money she actually had the balls to open up the gas pipeline project to a transparent bidding process against the wishes of the established oil companies here.
The open bidding process for the natural gas pipeline work she's been doing has probably been the absolute best thing for this state. And its a direct contradiction to the previous governor's attempt at giving away the contract to established oil company interests in a sweetheart deal with little public scrutiny.
I'm not saying she'd make a good VP. Far from it. This place is different, I don't think being a good politician in Alaska translates into being a good national politician. But compared to the rest of the home-grown politicians up here, she's good value for money as Alaska's governor.
I would appreciate political messages not be sent to the Fedora Planet. They have no place in that arena.
The same thing has been happening with the current federal government. Palin may be only following their lead.


A monk Sentenced in Rebgong Amdo. A monk detained in Gangya, Labrang. Kirti Rinpoche starts, weeklong Europe lobby visit. Richard Gere on selling guitars for the Tibetan cause. US Secretary of State visits Mideast. Strong calls for change on eve of China's National Congres.