UPDATE: Settlement checks were mailed on October 27, 2014.
The deadline to file a claim passed on June 5, 2014 and claims are no longer being accepted.
Certain capitalized terms found on this website are defined in the Settlement Agreement at pages 7-20. The Settlement Agreement can be found in the Court Documents section of this website or by clicking this link.
First, Plaintiffs allege that Comdata/Ceridian and the Major Chains entered into anticompetitive agreements whereby the Major Chains agreed not to compete with Comdata by issuing their own OTR Fleet Cards or by supporting Comdata's rivals and in exchange, Comdata provided the Major Chains with a transaction fee advantage vis à vis members of the Settlement Class.
Second, Plaintiffs allege that Comdata imposed provisions in its contracts with members of the Settlement Class that prevented them from steering fleet business to less-expensive OTR Fleet Cards through discounts or surcharges. Plaintiffs claim that these provisions enabled Comdata to impose artificially inflated Merchant Transaction Fees on the Settlement Class. Comdata did so, Plaintiffs allege, through a fee restructuring that began in 2000-2001, whereby Comdata (1) increased its fees to the members of the Settlement Class from mainly modest flat fees to higher fees (calculated as a percentage of the purchase amount); and (2) maintained the Major Chains' fees at lower, flat amounts.
Plaintiffs allege that Defendants' conduct violated the antitrust laws, reduced competition in the OTR Fleet Card market, and allowed Comdata to charge supracompetitive prices to Settlement Class Members for processing transactions using Comdata's OTR Fleet Card. A redacted copy of the Plaintiffs' Third Consolidated Amended Class Action Complaint, filed April 21, 2011 (the "Complaint"), is available in the Court Documents section of this website or by clicking this link.
The Defendants deny all of these allegations, including that any Plaintiff or Settlement Class Member is entitled to damages or other relief. The settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by any of the Defendants. No trial has been held.
THE COURT HAS NOT DECIDED WHETHER THE DEFENDANTS VIOLATED ANY LAWS. THIS NOTICE IS NOT AN EXPRESSION OF ANY OPINION BY THE COURT AS TO THE MERITS OF PLAINTIFFS' CLAIMS OR THE DEFENSES ASSERTED BY THE DEFENDANTS.
You are a Settlement Class Member if you are an owner and operator of a Truck Stop or other Retail Fueling Facility with at least one physical location in the United States that paid Merchant Transaction Fees directly to Comdata on Comdata Proprietary Transactions that were calculated based on a percentage of the face amount between March 1, 2003 and March 17, 2014. Excluded from the Settlement Class are Mobile Fuelers, Wilco-Hess locations, the Pilot Defendants, the TA Defendants, and Love's and any of the parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, franchisees or employees of any of the Defendants.
The terms of the settlement, which is subject to final approval by the Court, are set forth in the written Settlement Agreement dated March 3, 2014.
In Summary, Defendants have collectively agreed to pay $130,000,000 (One-Hundred and Thirty Million Dollars) in cash into a Settlement Fund (which will include any interest that accrues). Truck Stops and Retail Fueling Facilities that do not exclude themselves from the Settlement Class by the deadline described above and which file valid claims that meet the criteria outlined in the Plan of Administration and Distribution described in Frequently Asked Question 8 "HOW MUCH WILL MY PAYMENT BE?". The money in this fund will also be used to pay the cost of settlement administration and Class Notice, as approved by the Court, monetary service awards for Plaintiffs, as approved by the Court, and attorneys' fees and expenses, as approved by the Court. The remainder (the "Net Settlement Fund") will be divided among Settlement Class Members according to the Plan of Administration and Distribution described in Frequently Asked Question 8 and as approved by the Court. The money in the Settlement Fund will only be distributed if the Court finally approves the settlement. In addition, Comdata has agreed as part of the settlement to provide certain prospective relief as described in detail in Frequently Asked Question 6 Class Members that do not exclude themselves from the Settlement Class.


The 1940 Presidential election was an extremely heated contest. Incumbant Franklin D. Roosvelt ran as the Democratic candidate for a third term against Republican newcower Wendell Wilkie. Many Americans were torn between the discomfort of having a President serve a third term and the comfort and security of continuity in the face of the onset of WWII. Each of the cartoons in this exhibit focus on the tensions surronding the 1940 Presidential election.
To view the exhibit,click here.


text:
#include "jrk_hardware/jrk_serial.h"

#define WRITE7BITDATA(byte) ((byte)&0x7F)

// #define DEBUG 1

#ifdef DEBUG
#include <cstdio>
#endif

using jrk::Jrk;

Jrk::Jrk(const std::string port/*=""*/, uint32_t baudrate/*=9600*/, uint32_t timeout/*=0*/)
  : _serial(new serial::Serial(port, baudrate, serial::Timeout::simpleTimeout(timeout))) {};

Jrk::Jrk(serial::Serial* serial) : _serial(serial){};

Jrk::~Jrk(){};

void Jrk::reset(serial::Serial* serial)
{
  _serial.reset(serial);
}

void Jrk::sendBaudRateIndication()
{
  writeByte(baudRateIndication);
}

void Jrk::motorOff()
{
  writeByte(motorOffCommand);
}

void Jrk::setTarget(uint16_t target)
{
  // split target bytes
  uint8_t lowerByte = target & 0x1F;
  uint8_t upperByte = (target >> 5) & 0x7F;

#ifdef DEBUG
  printf(">> setTarget: %04d\n", target);
#endif

  _write_buffer[0] = setTargetCommand + lowerByte;
  _write_buffer[1] = WRITE7BITDATA(upperByte);
  writeBuffer(2);
}

uint16_t Jrk::get(uint8_t command_byte)
{
  writeByte(command_byte);

  return read16BitData();
}

void Jrk::writeByte(uint8_t dataByte)
{
  #ifdef DEBUG
    printf(">> writeByte: 0x%02x\n", dataByte);
  #endif
  _write_buffer[0] = dataByte;
  writeBuffer(1);
}

void Jrk::write7BitData(uint8_t data)
{
  writeByte(data & 0x7F);
}

void Jrk::writeBuffer(uint8_t size)
{
  _serial->write(_write_buffer, size);
  _serial->flushOutput();
}

uint16_t Jrk::read16BitData()
{
  size_t bytes;
  bytes = _serial->read(_read_buffer, 2);
  if (bytes < 2)
  {
    throw JrkTimeout();
  }

  uint16_t value = (_read_buffer[1] << 8) | (_read_buffer[0] & 0xFF);

#ifdef DEBUG
  printf("<< read16BitData: %04d\n", value);
#endif

  return value;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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text:
Are neural networks and its variants the only way to reach true artificial intelligence?
According to my knowledge most of the current artificial intelligence study uses of some kind of neural network or its variants. A good example would be DeepMind's alphago which I believe is a deep neural network, for vision CNN, text, music and other ordered features RNN's, etc. But for machine learning application we have neural networks, support vector machines, random forest, regression methods, etc. available for applications.
So are neural networks and its variants the only way to reach "true" artificial intelligence?
NietzscheanAI
EkaEka
If by true AI, you mean 'like human beings', the answer is - no-one knows what the appropriate computational mechanisms (neural or otherwise) are or indeed whether we are capable of constructing them.
What Artificial Neural Nets (ANNs) do is essentially 'nonlinear regression' - perhaps this is not a sufficiently strong model to express humanlike behaviour.
Despite the 'Universal function approximation' property of ANNs, what if human intelligence depends on some as-yet-unguessed mechanism of the physical world?
With respect to your question about "the only way": Even if (physical) neural mechanisms somehow actually were the only route to intelligence (e.g. via Penrose's quantum microtubules), how could that be proved?
Even in the formal world of mathematics, there's a saying that "Proofs of non-existence are hard". It scarcely seems conceivable that, in the physical world, it would be possible to demonstrate that intelligence could not arise by any other mechanism.
Moving back to computational systems, note that Stephen Wolfram made the interesting observation in his book 'A New Kind of Science' that many of the apparently distinct mechanisms he observed seem to be capable of 'Universal Computation', so in that sense there's nothing very particular about ANNs.
NietzscheanAINietzscheanAI
It depends on what you consider "true artificial intelligence". But this probably means to be able to think like a human - and perhaps, do so in a more rational manner, as in the human brain emotion comes before ratio.
It would seem that a neural network, or a genetic algorithm that evolves neural networks, is the closest way - mimicking humans.
However, the traditional counter-argument to this is that we tried to do the same with flight. We tried to copy nature, mimick the birds - trying to fly by flapping wings. But eventually we made airplanes that did not rely on flapping their wings.
In AI, there are far more variables than in aerodynamics. So it is quite likely that a human-like intelligence can be attained by other methods than neural networks.
In the end, neural networks are one approach to machine learning. There are others, all governed by the rules for what can and cannot be learnt. (There is a field called Computational Learning Theory that covers this).
Although it is possible to extend learning systems beyond what can be learnt according to COLT, this means that such a learning system - neural network or otherwise - is essentially flawed, and will draw wrong conclusions at one point or another.
To have any chance at answering this, you'd first need a rigorous definition of "true artificial intelligence", which we don't have. And even if you had that, the best answer would probably be "nobody knows." We don't even understand exactly how human intelligence (which is probably the best model of intelligence we have available to study) works. What we do know (or think we know) is that ANN's are at best a very superficial replica of brain function. It may turn out that they're absolutely the wrong path to achieving "true artificial intelligence" although I expect most people would be surprised if that turned out to be the case.
What probably wouldn't be so surprising would be if some other technique emerged which is better than ANN's, OR if it turns out that you need an ensemble of techniques. Personally I think it's close to self-evident that the brain works largely in a probabilistic fashion, but it's also clear that we do sometimes use symbolic processing / deductive logic / rules / etc. And right now, ANN's don't give you much in the way of reasoning, deduction, etc. So we may ultimately find that we have to combine a probabilistic approach like ANN's with other techniques - maybe Inductive Logic Programming or something of that nature.
mindcrimemindcrime
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged neural-networks or ask your own question.
Which neural networks can be used only for storing and retrieving information?
Are Cellular Neural Networks one type of Neural Networks?
Are the shortcomings of neural networks diminishing?
Reducibility and Artificial Neural Networks
Definitive methods vs Neural Networks and Artificial Intelligence
How are Artificial Neural Networks and the Biological Neural Networks similar and different?
How are artificial neural networks different from normal computer programs?
What is a "logit probability"?
Have neural networks something to offer which goes beyond regression analysis?
Is artificial intelligence and, in particular, neural networks being used in real-world critical applications?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
<?php

App::uses('TagsAppModel', 'Tags.Model');

/**
 * Tag model
 *
 * @package tags
 * @subpackage tags.models
 */
class Tag extends TagsAppModel {

/**
 * hasMany associations
 *
 * @var array
 */
	public $hasMany = array(
		'Tagged' => array(
			'className' => 'Tags.Tagged',
			'foreignKey' => 'tag_id'));

/**
 * HABTM associations
 *
 * @var array $hasAndBelongsToMany
 */
	public $hasAndBelongsToMany = array();

/**
 * Validation rules
 *
 * @var array
 */
	public $validate = array(
		'name' => array('rule' => 'notEmpty'),
		'keyname' => array('rule' => 'notEmpty'));

/**
 * Returns the data for a single tag
 *
 * @param string keyname
 * @return array
 */
	public function view($keyName = null) {
		$result = $this->find('first', array(
			'conditions' => array(
				$this->alias . '.keyname' => $keyName)));

		if (empty($result)) {
			throw new CakeException(__d('tags', 'Invalid Tag.'));
		}
		return $result;
	}

/**
 * Pre-populates the tag table with entered tags
 *
 * @param array post data, should be Contoller->data
 * @return boolean
 */
	public function add($postData = null) {
		if (isset($postData[$this->alias]['tags'])) {
			$this->Behaviors->attach('Tags.Taggable', array(
				'resetBinding' => true,
				'automaticTagging' => false));
			$this->Tag = $this;
			$result = $this->saveTags($postData[$this->alias]['tags'], false, false);
			unset($this->Tag);
			$this->Behaviors->detach('Tags.Taggable');
			return $result;
		}
	}

/**
 * Edits an existing tag, allows only to modify upper/lowercased characters
 *
 * @param string tag uuid
 * @param array controller post data usually $this->request->data
 * @return mixed True on successfully save else post data as array
 */
	public function edit($tagId = null, $postData = null) {
		$tag = $this->find('first', array(
			'contain' => array(),
			'conditions' => array(
				$this->alias . '.' . $this->primaryKey => $tagId)));

		$this->set($tag);
		if (empty($tag)) {
			throw new CakeException(__d('tags', 'Invalid Tag.'));
		}

		if (!empty($postData[$this->alias]['name'])) {
			if (strcasecmp($tag['Tag']['name'], $postData[$this->alias]['name']) !== 0) {
				return false;
			}
			$this->set($postData);
			$result = $this->save(null, true);
			if ($result) {
				$this->data = $result;
				return true;
			} else {
				return $postData;
			}
		}
	}
}


OPPO is giving the OPPO A3s a new price from this month onwards so OPPO fans can get the phone in time for Valentine's Day. The OPPO A3s with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage can now be purchased at any OPPO concept stores and OPPO official sales points nationwide. You can also order the phone online on OPPO's Online Store and also on e-commerce sites like Lazada and Shopee.
The OPPO A3s comes with a 6.2-inch HD+ display with a notch on top, supporting dual SIM cards and also a microSD card. It supports facial unlock and with two colour options, you can get the A3S in Red or Dark Purple that comes with a glossy finish.
Under the hood, the A3s sports a Snapdragon 450 processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage which can be expanded via microSD card. It ships with ColorOS 5.1 based on Android 8.1.
Camera wise, the phone comes with a dual rear camera consisting of a 13MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture and 5MP secondary sensor with f/2.4 aperture. On its front, the A3s houses an 8MP selfie camera with AI Beauty 2.0.
The A3s comes with 4,230mAh battery that is claimed to last up to 18 hours for a while day, If you're looking for a last minute Valentine's gift, the A3s can be one of your options.


text:
us us
JOBS >
What We Do What We Do What We Do
Benefits Strategy and Transformation
365-Day Benefits Solutions
Affinity and Associations
Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Wealth Manager Solutions
Pension Risk Management Transfer
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DC Delegated Solutions
MercerInsight®
Workforce and Careers
Project Management Office (PMO)
Post Merger Integration
Private Equity Advisory
Explore Mercer's latest thinking to see how we're helping to redefine the world of work, reshape retirement and investment outcomes, and unlock real health and well-being.
Retirement and investments insights
Build a workforce for the future
Our Company Our Company Our Company
At Mercer, we believe in building brighter futures. Together, we're redefining the world of work, reshaping retirement and investment outcomes, and unlocking real health and well-being.
Merger and Acquisitions
Our latest announcements and press releases
Careers at Mercer
Make a positive difference in people's lives.
US Healthcare Industry News & Articles | Mercer US
Administration Proposes Major Expansion of Health Reimbursement Accounts
Responding to an October 2017 executive order directing federal agencies to consider steps to expand consumer health care choices, the Trump administration on Oct. 23 proposed regulations to substantially expand the use of tax-advantaged health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) by allowing employers to pay for their workers' health plans in the individual market. HRAs are employer-sponsored accounts used to pay for employee premiums and other qualified medical expenses on a tax-free basis.
Employers have considered various strategies for health benefits design in recent years, including a "defined contribution" approach that would permit employees to buy individual policies on public or private exchanges. Guidance issued under the previous administration, however, prevents the use of HRAs, cafeteria plans or other employer arrangements to buy such coverage, reflecting concern that some employers might encourage only their sicker employees to buy individual market coverage.
The proposed rule includes safeguards meant to ease those concerns. Employers could, for example, offer different types of employee coverage through either an HRA or a traditional group health plan, but all employees within the same class (e.g., full-time, part-time, collectively bargained employees, and employees working at the same site) would have to be offered the same type of plan and generally receive the same amount of money.
HRAs integrated with individual policies. Under the proposal, all employers could use an HRA to help employees buy individual plans sold either on or off the federal and state exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Under a special rule, employees could pay the portion of the premiums not covered by the HRA for off-exchange policies with pretax cafeteria plan salary reductions. Employers could provide an HRA contribution as significant as they would have made for the premiums of the employer-sponsored plan. Regulators say they'll provide more guidance on whether and how coverage provided through these integrated HRAs counts toward an employer's ACA shared responsibility obligations.
This will likely spur some – especially smaller employers -- to consider moving to a pure defined contribution health benefit approach. Whether these employers, and ultimately larger firms as well, adopt this approach will depend on the terms of the final rule and whether good, affordable coverage is available in the individual market. We've seen substantial volatility in rate increases in the individual market over the past several years relative to the general stability of group plan costs. But if the coverage is competitively priced, these potential reforms could offer opportunities to employers with large number of part-time workers.
As noted above, the HRA generally would have to make available the same benefit amount on the same conditions to all employees within the same employee class. But the maximum dollar amount could increase as the participant ages and if he or she adds covered dependents. Any of the HRA's carryover amounts from prior years would be disregarded, assuming the same carryover conditions of the HRA apply equally within the class.
Excepted benefit HRAs. Another option under the proposal would permit an employer that offers a group health plan to offer, as an additional benefit, up to $1,800 per year (indexed for inflation) to cover out-of-pocket costs and premiums for excepted benefit coverage such as dental or vision coverage, COBRA, or short term limited duration insurance.
An employer could only offer an excepted-benefit HRA if traditional group health plan coverage is also made available to employees eligible to participate in the excepted-benefit HRA. So an employer couldn't offer both an HRA integrated with individual health insurance coverage and an excepted-benefit HRA to the same employees.
Opportunity seen for small firms, initially. Administration officials say they expect the proposed rule would offer more choices to employees, particularly those who work at small businesses who may only have one insurance plan option or who don't currently receive insurance through their employer. They also note that it could strengthen the individual market by encouraging more choice and competition.
Initial estimates by the Treasury Department suggest that roughly 800,000 employers could ultimately provide HRAs to pay for individual health insurance coverage to more than 10 million employees.
Employer input needed. Although the proposed rule broadly tracks policy recommendations from plan sponsor groups, it is complex and wide-ranging and will need suggestions from employers on how to ensure that the final rule meets the needs of employers and workers. Like many employers, we at Mercer will be working with our trade group partners to provide comments and welcome your suggestions. Comments on the proposed regulation should be submitted by December 28.
More Mercer posts
by Cheryl Hughes
Principal, Mercer's Law & Policy Group
US Healthcare Blog: Health Law & Policy
3 Things You Need to Know About Congress' Effort to Expand HSAs
innovative benefit strategies
Health Reform and American Businesses


text:
Q: Where do i put the admin login page on my web app i just want some insights or advice for my web app. I'm currently working with an web application for a school more like a student portal where in a student can login their account, and then view their grades and some other stuff. All the user page is done and now i need to work more on the admin page. My question is:

*

*Do i need to use the same login page as used by the user (student) and then redirect to admin page if the user is admin?

*Or just create a separate login page for the admin?

*Or is it good to have a separate folder for the admin like http://localhost/portal/admin/?
I hope that you would get my point :D . I just need some advice from any of you who already done some admin page. Thanks in advance.. :D

A: It is better to make admin in different folder, But If you are keeping all user in one table of database for student and admin then you can go for 1 login page and after login success you can redirect to admin or student by checking type of user.

A: I think separate folder is the better way for admin and also you should create the folder name  to some other word but not to admin.
like  "http://mydomain.com/portal/superadmin/"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Students demand UNCC fire former Gitmo commander as campus security chief, claim they 'do not feel safe'
Emma Schambach - UNC Charlotte •November 15, 2019
Meanwhile, other students reject #FireJohnBogdan campaign
Chalking and posters declaring "#FireJohnBogdan." Poems by Guantanamo Bay detainees touted and spread on social media. Demands that all future administrative hires be vetted by students and faculty.
These are just some of the actions underway at the University of North Carolina Charlotte against retired U.S. Army Colonel John Bogdan, a decorated vet with a 34-year career in the Army who once served as brigade commander at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and is now security chief for UNC Charlotte.
An organization called the Coalition to Remove John Bogdan was former earlier this fall semester and its members are waging a campaign to get the associate vice chancellor for safety and security at UNC Charlotte fired. They call him an alleged war criminal and claim he oversaw multiple human rights violations when commander at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
We do not feel safe with an accused human rights violator on our campus! We do not feel safe with the warden of Guantanamo on our campus! We are concerned, we are scared, we do not feel safe! #FireJohnBogdan pic.twitter.com/pH2KOZXUeG
— Coalition to Remove John Bogdan (@RemoveBogdan) November 8, 2019
"On behalf of the UNC Charlotte community, this coalition calls for the immediate termination or resignation of John Bogdan from his employment within the UNC School System. We do not feel safe," states a tweet pinned to the top of its profile.
A statement shared across social media and across campus by the coalition states: "It is evident that John Bogdan and, by extension of his hire, the University and the Board of Governors have a blatant disregard for Human Rights and People of Color on our Campus."
Prior to his post at UNCC, Bogdan served as the chief of police and chief of operations for Forces Command, headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Bogdan, for his part, said he is focused on campus safety amid the uproar.
"UNC Charlotte is already an incredibly safe place. The team responsible for safety and security is dedicated to ensuring it remains as such. My goal is to continue to build and improve the team," he told The College Fix in an email Thursday.
He said his short-term security enhancement plans include safety videos, lockdown kits and improved community policing.
"While I haven't been a member of Niner Nation very long, I have quickly developed a love and appreciation for this community," said Bogdan, who took the job in January 2019. "It is my honor to serve it in this way."
Meanwhile, there are students on campus who fully support Bogdan.
"I think hiring him was a fine idea. He used to run one of the most dangerous prisons filled with terrorists. This makes him perfectly qualified to be head of security. He's a hero," UNC Charlotte student Liam McElhaney told The College Fix.
Another UNC Charlotte student, Camden Winstead, told The Fix: "He's knowledgeable and suited to handle every emergency situation … ."
At issue is his tenure at Gitmo. WCNC reports that "Col. Bogdan's command of Gitmo received criticism in 2013 after he enacted significant security changes in an effort to improve safety" but an appeals court sided with Bogdan's decisions.
WCNC also reported: "There was also an independent report the same year by the Seton Hall University School of Law Center for Policy and Research, which identified listening devices disguised as smoke detectors that could pick up whispers in attorney-client meeting rooms. In a court filing, the government admitted the technology existed, but said it was never used for that purpose. Still, leaders eventually made changes to alleviate concerns, according to court records."
Bogdan gave WCNC his personnel record, and the news station found that "his file includes roughly 30 years of awards and glowing references and nothing but compliments in 2013 about his ability to 'flawlessly' restore order to the detainee camp. His superiors called him a model of 'military professionalism and excellence,' 'magnificent officer' and 'truly exceptional Army leader' with no international humanitarian law complaints."
In his statement to The College Fix, Bogdan said "I come from a long military tradition — every generation in my family has served this nation — and it continues with my son and nephews."
"I was raised by amazing parents who believed in helping others and service to the nation. I found my way into the Army and enlisted when I was 18 years old. I was in for only a short time when I realized that this was calling, my purpose in life. It was my distinct honor to be a member of such an awe-inspiring organization and to answer our nation's call."
In a statement to WCNC, university brass said Bogdan underwent a thorough vetting process prior to his hire.
MORE: UNC's 'Literature of 9/11' course sympathizes with terrorists
IMAGE: WCNC screenshot
Emma Schambach
Originally from Mocksville, North Carolina, Emma Schambach doubled majored in political science and communications with a focus in public advocacy at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She served as president of the Network of Enlightened Women at UNCC, founding chairwoman of Young Americans for Freedom at UNCC, state communications director for the North Carolina Federation of College Republicans, and campus liaison for Mecklenburg County Young Republicans.


As you can see from the image, my grass planes seem to be not receiving any light, and as such are far too dark when in the lighted areas.
Where did I go wrong? Also, the foliage is set up to not cast static shadows, but that's about it.
It appears your foliage is receiving lighting. As you can see there are shadows that are being cast on the ground underneath the planes. If you go to your main viewport and you go to lit mode you can see all of the mesh's being lit. If it does not show up in that viewport then they are not being lit.
Try unplugging the subsurface scattering. Also you can open up the bush mesh that you have and changing the resolution of the lighting to something higher.
I know it is casting shadows, but I am more concerned by it not changing its brightness when in shadow or out in the light. Also, I saw the same effect using the Default shading model.
Do you mind explaining what you mean by "resolution of the lighting"? I thought you can only configure lightmass resolution for static-baked objects, not foliage with static shadows disabled, or maybe I'm missing something.
So, If you double click on your mesh inside of your details panel you will open up it's properties window. On the right side of there is a section called Static Mesh Settings. In that section there is a tab called Light Map Resolution. From there you can adjust this to something like 252x256 or 512x512. The increments work like texture map resolution so you can use that as a guide for how big you want to make.
Now, I believe what is causing the light not changing is partially due to the subsurface scattering. If you unplug the subsurface scattering do you still see the same result? Also, increase the intensity of the light you have in your project that is casting those shadows. I believe you will see noticeable difference in what is receiving light. In your scene I see more light being received by the foliage that is in the direct sunlight.
If I set my shading model to Default, my results are the same as when I have the subsurface scattering enabled i.e. subsurface scattering is not working for me.
I am sure that something is either wrong with my scene lighting or my material, but it isnt subscattering or the brightness.
Interesting. I would like to test this on my end if you are willing. If you would provide a link to dropbox with your .uproject Content and Config files from your project files. I will then attempt to recreate this issue on my end to determine whether this is a bug or not.
If you are uncomfortable with posting a link here you can go to our forums and send me a private message. You can do this by going to the forums, clicking the advanced option button, and navigating down to search for user name. Enter my name there and you will be able to send me a private message.
Is a google Drive link ok? Or does it have to be a Dropbox?
They just need a reliable hosting site that is allowed on their end, they've suggested Dropbox to me before.
I'll take that as a yes, thank you for clarifying.
A google Drive link will work as well.
So, after downloading your project and experimenting I found a known issue very similar to this. It appears to be a static/stationary lighting issue where a lighting build is required and the engine collects a lighting cache. Essentially what happens is the lighting is derived from a singly source in the cache instead of driving it from the light that is influencing the foliage the most.
Currently this issue is on the TO DO list but I do not have an ETA for when or if it will be handled. The ticket number associated with it is UE-20029.
I have however a work around for you so you can progress with your development. Change all of your lights to movable so that calculation will occur in real time and bypass the cache calculation. Then go to your world settings and under Lightmass click the checkbox for Force No Precomputed Lighting. This will eliminate the build. Lastly, "and please save before you do this as you will need to restart the engine," go to your Project Settings > Rendering > Turn off the checkbox for allow static lighting.
I was able to to get this. I recorded a movie of some grass that is moving between shadow and light. There isn't a huge noticeable difference but you can tell that the light is influencing the grass. I apologize in advance for the quality.
And the dynamic lighting could be really beneficial in both the short term and long term, so thank you again!
Using the fully dynamic lighting model results in nice looking foliage, among other things.
How do I improve performance and shadow quality?


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Мулянка или Нижняя Мулянка (в верхнем течении — Бурьма, Бурма) — малая река в Пермском районе Пермского края, левый приток Камы.

География
Длина реки — 44 км, площадь бассейна — 272 км². Впадает в Каму на расстоянии 653 км от её устья. Крупнейшие притоки:
 Сарабаиха — правый приток, длина 19 км, впадает в Нижнюю Мулянку в 19 км от устья.
 Большая Усолка — правый приток, длина 14 км, в 24 км от устья.
 Юрчим — правый приток, длина 12 км, в 4,8 км от устья.

Неподалёку от Перми на левом берегу реки Нижняя Мулянка на Гляденовской горе находится Гляденовское костище — памятник гляденовской культуры.

История
В отличие от большинства рек края, топонимика которых считается пермско-финно-угорской, названия рек Верхняя Мулянка и Нижняя Мулянка происходят от персидского слова «мулла». Исследователи истории Пермского края связывают это с татарским князем Маметкулом, который поселился в этой местности до или во время царствования Ивана Грозного и был имамом или муллой. Его старший сын, Урак-бей Маметкулов, жил на Верхней Мулянке, а младший, Ирак-бей Сюндюк-бей Маметкулов — на Нижней Мулянке. Отсюда и произошли названия этих рек, а также расположенных на них сёл Верхние Муллы и Нижние Муллы, соответственно. Более древние названия этих рек не сохранились.

В 1570 году святой Трифон Вятский поселился на берегу реки и проповедовал христианство среди остяков (ханты) и вогулов (манси).

Примечания

Притоки Камы, впадающие в Воткинское водохранилище
Реки Пермского района

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Mary's journey with genetic epilepsy
Posted on November 25, 2019 by Ellen Greenlaw | Patient Stories
Tags: epilepsy, neurology, seizures
Now 6, Mary is funny, passionate, bright, and loves to sing and make art.
Lots of people don't like the heat. It makes them feel uncomfortable and sluggish. But for Mary, being outside on a hot day means risking a seizure. So can running in gym class or having a fever. That's because Mary has genetic epilepsy, a form of Dravet syndrome — a rare epilepsy syndrome caused by a genetic mutation — and a rise in her body temperature is a trigger for seizures.
Mary's journey with genetic epilepsy began when she was just a baby. "When she was about 8 months old, she had a very long seizure and ended up in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Boston Children's Hospital," says Mary's mom, Natasha. At that time, they couldn't find the source of the problem, and because it was in the context of an illness and fever, diagnosed it as a febrile seizure and sent her home.
Fever is a first clue to diagnosis
But a few weeks later, Mary had another long seizure, again accompanied by a fever. "The repeated seizure with a fever combined with her age and the length of her seizures was a clue to the doctors that something else might be wrong," says Natasha. It was then that the family was connected with Dr. Chellamani Harini in the Department of Neurology and Boston Children's Epilepsy Center.
"I was insistent on finding the cause of Mary's seizures, but Dr. Harini convinced us it was important to focus on controlling her seizures first, to minimize any long-term effects," says Natasha. "They put her on medication to control her seizures, and we tried several until we finally found one that worked for Mary."
Genetic test provides answers
With Mary's seizures finally under control, they began searching for an answer to the cause of the problem. One of the medicines Mary had tried increased her seizures, and that, combined with a genetic test at age 2 1/2 provided the diagnosis: borderline Dravet syndrome. The genetic test found a change in the SCN1A gene, which can lead to many forms of epilepsy, including Dravet syndrome. In addition to causing many kinds of seizures, Dravet syndrome can also cause developmental delays and cognitive impairment.
Mary sees Dr. Harini for regular checkups.
"We had never heard of the condition, so when we looked it up on the internet and saw the words 'rare,' 'catastrophic,' and the course it could follow, we were very scared of where she would fall on the spectrum," says Natasha.
Dr. Harini says that looking back, it was a miracle that the medications worked for Mary. "Many children with genetic epilepsies need to take several medicines and often still have continued seizures," she says.
On track developmentally
Fortunately, to date Mary has been on track developmentally. Natasha believes this is due in part to their working closely with Dr. Harini to address any problems right away and helping Mary by engaging occupational therapy and physical therapy. Today, Mary sees Dr. Harini every six months to check her medication and run labs. They are also vigilant about keeping her body temperature on an even keel.
"We check her body temperature and the room temperature several times," says Natasha. "We do our best to prevent potential triggers, such as by keeping her home from school and not leaving the house on really hot days, and working with her teachers to have her sit when she's doing too much during recess or gym class."
Though her parents keep vigilant watch on her temperature, Mary is able to participate in most of the activities she loves.
An independent first grader in a regular classroom, Mary loves to run and climb, the very things that could cause her to heat up and induce a seizure," says Natasha. "It always tugs at our heart strings when we have to tell her to slow down."
Like many parents, Natasha says they may sometimes be a bit too overprotective. "Dr. Harini has really helped by encouraging us to allow Mary to live as normal a life as possible, and to allow her to be a child," says Natasha.
Now 6, Mary is funny, passionate, bright, and loves to sing and make art. She also loves doing anything her 10-year-old brother, Gabriel, is doing. Gabriel faced his own health challenges as a young child — he was diagnosed with leukemia at age 3. Fortunately, Gabriel was successfully treated at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's and has had no major health problems since.
Mary does her best to keep up with older brother, Gabriel.
Giving back to others
With the experience of having two children treated at Boston Children's, Natasha wanted to give back and help other families. So, in June 2017, she joined the Family Advisory Council, and in November 2019, the newly-formed Neuroscience Family Advisory Council.
"When your kids are sick, the hospital is your only source of hope and the only thing you can really do is partner closely with them and hope that they will save your child," she says. "For us it was a huge reassurance that our kids were seeing top doctors at the top Children's Hospital, who not only provide excellent medical care, but also take that care to another level. It's not just health care, but whole care. We are so grateful for the care our children received there."
Learn more about the Epilepsy Center and the Epilepsy Genetics Program.
A path forward for genetic testing in unexplained epilepsy
The number of genes implicated in epilepsy has grown rapidly in the past decade. This raises questions about what tests ...
'Mom, my brain feels better.' One mother's story of her daughter's fight with epilepsy
Liliane has a lot to be grateful for this holiday season. Until just this year, her 16-year-old daughter Emily, who ...
After retinoblastoma, Finn 'keeps on showing us what he can do'
Six-year-old Finn Carlson "isn't afraid of anything," says his mother, Shannon. Whether he's playing with firetrucks, chasing after ...
Back from the bench: How my AVM was a new beginning
It's crazy how something you once thought was the worst thing that could ever happen to you turns out ...
Tagged: epilepsy, neurology, seizures


Finding low cost homeowners insurance quotes for Galena, does not have to be difficult. Our website is designed to help consumers like you to compare multiple providers. Enter your Zip Code in the form above and get a quick look at the top-recommended options for your area.
Very few people that get Galena homeowners insurance actually end up finding the best rates available. They will typically go with what their current insurance provider has for them, usually bundling that in order to get a discount. However, you can find several different Missouri companies that will charge far less than what your existing insurance policy actually offers. In fact, they may even give you more coverage for less money, but you have to obtain home insurance quotes on the web that can lead you to these exceptional deals.
The amount of money that you can save will simply depend upon the type of insurance that you are trying to get. You can save substantially on your homeowners insurance in Stone county. The premiums are typically a few thousand dollars a year, so it is possible that you could save a couple hundred dollars without any problem at all. Best of all, many of these companies offer more coverage than some of the more popular insurance providers, which means that you could insure your house in total for a much lower price. As long as you are getting these quotes, and if you can find one that is exceptional, you should consider going with that company.
The speed at which the policy will go into effect is usually quite fast. If you are coming up on your next payment with your current insurance provider, it will likely start on the same day so that you do not lose any coverage. Also remember that discounts can also be achieved by paying your premiums annually instead of making monthly payments. These are just a few other things to consider if you are looking for a way to save money on your Galena, Missouri homeowner insurance policy.
We acquire home, in get to raise our people and hold them safe. If you possess a home without getting a home owner's insurance policies plan, your house has no safety at all. If there is certainly any variety of catastrophe, you will be out on the streets with no hope of getting back again into your house. So make sure that you use these guidelines to get a great insurance bundle at a fair value.
home who pay off their house faster will see significantly less expensive insurance coverage quicker. Insurance firms think that if you possess your house outright or have a increased stake in it really is equity, you will be far more likely to take good care of it and preserve it is price larger. Try to increase the quantity you pay out each and every month to spend it off faster.
house insurance is a very huge requirement in existence. Preserve in brain that some mortgage companies will not even make the financial loan until a particular person can give evidence of protection for reasonable or total worth of the house. It can be extremely pricey so be sure to investigation the diverse organizations and compare their policies so that you can discover the greatest fee and protection.
Before setting up a pool or buying a trampoline, be sure to examine with your insurance firm to see what influence this will have on your rates. Some organizations will charge as a lot as ten% more to insure a house with a pool, trampoline or other possibly harmful gear on the home.
An alarm technique can help minimize your premium. It will actually reduce the chance of your home being robbed. Soon after lowering the chance of robbery, your insurer will lower your cost. Give your insurance coverage business proof of your protection program.
homeowner's insurance policy assert, be sure almost everything is effectively documented. This can be from taking photos and video clips of every thing in and all around your home, and then storing copies of these in a secure spot or even at a relative's home. Having this stock compiled as this sort of will aid shorten the statements procedure.
homeowner's plan with your insurance organization if you make any changes to your home with the electrical wiring or plumbing. Producing updates to your methods can help save you income on your coverage due to the fact it is regarded safer to have more recent programs instead than getting more mature ones.
Raising a deductible is a great way to reduced home insurance policy premiums. You have to do research, due to the fact small claims can expense you money and you have to pay out them, such as leaky pipe hurt and broken house.
homeowner's insurance coverage is a "confirmed substitute price" one. This shields the investment decision you have created in your house, because if your home is wrecked in a natural disaster, it will be reconstructed, irrespective of the value. Creating a home increases in price every single yr. This kind of policy offers you a fiscal cushion and absorbs the rising house-building expenses, so you do not have to.


Weddings are exciting and fun, though they definitely entail a good deal of work and planning. It can be extremely stressful during the last couple weeks. However, with proper planning you can ensure a trouble-free and enjoyable wedding. The information listed below will help you plan for and enjoy your special day.
Your wedding dress could be one of the most expensive items included in your wedding, but there are ways to save money on this purchase. When you are browsing through dress shops, remember to look a dresses that are not officially categorized as wedding dresses. You should check out the selection of bridesmaid dresses at the bridal store. One could fit your style at only a fraction of the cost. Remember, the dress you chose can be altered to change the styling, and the total cost will still probably be less than the cost of purchasing an official wedding dress.
Serve ethnic food at your wedding if you want to spice it up. Chicken and steak have been done to death, so you may want to branch out a little. Variety is essential to a wedding dinner to make it memorable for all the right reasons.
When it comes to the decor of your wedding, spice things up with small, but meaningful decorative items. You can use a nice little ribbon in many places, such as on your gown, in your hair, or even intertwined with bouquets of flowers. It's the little details which will make your wedding look superior as it shows you've put a real effort into make it your perfect day.
Even if your gut tells you otherwise, you should never commit to a wedding photographer without considering several other options. You would not want to be stuck with a wedding photographer that does not meet your high standards. For advice on great photographers in your area, you can check out reviews online or ask family members if they know of one.
Don't postpone the reception while you have photographs taken. You should take wedding pictures beforehand. You can also take your pictures with your respective parents in advance of the wedding. This will leave you more time to spend with your guests.
For any stylish and fashion forward bride, there is always the option to add some flare to a bouquet with a splash of diamonds, rhinestones or Swarovski crystals. All this requires is some heat-fixed crystals or adhesive, small costume jewelry pieces, or an heirloom piece. Make sure that the stones of your choice coordinate well with your ensemble; have consistency in your arrangement of colors, size and cut.
Don't postpone the reception while you have photographs taken. Take your bridal party photos in advance of the wedding when you are all fresh and crisp. Pictures with those being wed and their parents should also be taken beforehand if possible.
The lighting at the wedding reception venue should be able to be dimmed. Although this may seem trivial, you want the option of having a low-light setting during your first dance and a more brighter setting for the rest of the celebration. Discuss this with the venues you're considering before making your final choice.
Children who are participating in your ceremony should have comfortable clothes. Choose fabrics that are soft against the skin and that fit without bunching or pinching. Shoes need to be broken in and comfortable. This small detail can ensure that the children remain focused on their part in the wedding, instead of fidgeting with uncomfortable clothing.
If one of your friends or relatives becomes ordained over the Internet, he or she can preside over your wedding ceremony. This can not only save you money, but can also add a touch of personality to your ceremony. Make sure to check with the local officials first to see if it's legal in the area.
Be sure to prepare well for your first meeting with your wedding planner. Follow those stylists and designers who make mood boards and look books from imagery, swatches of fabric and other inspirations that may provide the starting point for a finished look. Incorporate pictures, songs, magazine clippings and other details that will help your wedding planning understand your vision.
Include the overall theme of your wedding in all of the elements of your decorations, including flowers. Vintage themes are great to make your wedding look classy. You can use pink and yellow peonies, bright daisies, or red poppies.
When you are beginning your wedding plans, make a list of your priorities. For most brides, where they are having the wedding takes precedence over who they are inviting. The flowers they are going to carry is often more pressing than the cake they will be cutting. By prioritizing your budget according to your wants, you can delegate the right amount of funds and insure your day is perfect.
The aesthetic of your big day should include all aspects of your wedding, even the flowers. Retro and vintage themes should have a bright and colorful palette with showstopping flowers evoking feelings of wistfulness and nostalgia. You can use pink and yellow peonies, bright daisies, or red poppies.
Be sure to get some practice dancing while wearing a long skirt to present the most graceful silhouette at your wedding dance. Even if you regularly wear long skirts or suit pants, your future spouse might not be used to dancing with you while you're in this type of clothing. This will get him used to dancing with you in your dress, especially if the lower half of the dress is unusually puffy.
Create a list of what you want to have at your wedding, ranking items by importance. After doing this, you may realize that the flowers, or the venue, are more critical to you than the number of guests, or the type of cake you choose. A prioritized list will help you plan your budget, and delegate the funds to the right area.
Make sure you have a nice fitting tuxedo as the groom. Ask those around you for an approval before making a final tuxedo choice. Remember pictures will be taken at your wedding, you want to look and be remembered looking your best.
Prior to your wedding day, make sure you know what gowns your bridesmaids will be wearing. In this way, you can let them know exactly what they are in for before they accept your invitation to participate. Look for something affordable, goes well with the theme and will suit the bridesmaids you choose. This ensures that you have a great wedding without any hurt feelings or misunderstandings.
When selecting a wedding videographer, interview as many candidates as possible and look at samples of their work. Ensure that the individual is not relying solely on the video recorder for his editing abilities. They need to have the necessary equipment to do the job and fix any issues from the recording stage. Many couples use to have their wedding put on a VHS tape, but these days, DVDs are the common choice. Use your intuition when choosing a videographer, because after all, they will be capturing your most memorable day.
Keep the weather in mind. Your guests probably won't be willing to stay at your outdoor wedding and celebrate, when it's miserably hot. Alternatively, a very cold day may have your guests leaving in droves. Provide comfort to your guests with small accommodations and features, like having fans available if you are having a summer wedding.
When you pick someone to take a video for a wedding, be sure you speak with a few different people and ask for examples of the work they've done. Look at samples of the videographers work to be sure it is high quality in every way. Many years ago, people wanted to get the VHS videotape of their wedding, but today make certain you will get a digital video or DVD so that you are able to see your wedding for years. Decide based on those factors and your impression of each photographer.
One of the most important things in a wedding is the that the couple enjoy their special day. Regardless of how long you have been dating, life gets difficult. Those difficulties can bring you and your partner closer together. With any luck, your wedding will be a memorable affair that brings you nothing but joy.
If you have a limited wedding budget, fear not! You do not have to spend money you do not have just to have the perfect wedding. There are many things you can do to save money, including making your invitations, decoration and food.


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ITEST Webinar
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Today we hear, "Follow the science!" People use that idiom as if to say that science is the path to all truth and that if we follow where science leads, we will never be led astray. But science doesn't work like that. The Catholic Church has a long history, codified in Genesis and professed still in our Creed, that science is the study of the handiwork of God. Science is a search for truth, but it must be guided by the light of faith. Dr. Trasancos will tell about her efforts to reunite contemporary science back with theology and philosophy in a more mature way than the Middle Ages when science was first born of Christianity. To authentically follow science in the light of faith will be the way to true progress in technology that benefits humanity, both in this world and the one to come.
Our Presenter
Dr. Stacy Trasancos
Stacy Trasancos, PhD, scientist, theologian, and mother, has a doctorate in chemistry, a master's in dogmatic theology, seven children and six grandchildren. She worked for DuPont before converting to Catholicism and leaving her career to stay home with her kids for 15 years, there becoming a writer and online educator. She is now the Director of Faith and Science for the St. Philip Institute, and she has just published her fifth book, Behold, It is I: Scripture, Tradition, and Science on the Real Presence, co-authored with Fr. George Elliott with a foreword by Bishop Joseph E. Strickland and endorsed by Fr. Robert Spitzer. She is a Fellow of the Word on Fire Institute and Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University Catholic Studies program. Her work focuses on the integration of faith and science. Stacy and her husband, Jose, live with their family in Hideaway, Texas.
Register for the Assessing Contemporary Science in the Light of Faith Webinar
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Tasty and healthy smoothie to jumpstart your immunity! You can customize your smoothie with your choice of the add-ins.
This recipe was adapted from the Tropical Turmeric Smoothie from healthysmoothiehq.com.
Place all the ingredients into blender, plus your choice of add-ins. Blend for 30 to 45 seconds or until at desired consistency.


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Trojanized Mac cryptocurrency app collects wallets and screenshots, ESET Research discovers
BRATISLAVA, MONTREAL – ESET researchers have recently discovered websites distributing trojanized cryptocurrency trading applications for Mac computers. These were legitimate apps wrapped with GMERA malware, whose operators used them to steal information, such as browser cookies, cryptocurrency wallets and screen captures. In this campaign, the legitimate Kattana trading application was rebranded – including setting up copycat websites – and the malware was bundled into its installer. ESET researchers saw four names used for the trojanized app in this campaign: Cointrazer, Cupatrade, Licatrade and Trezarus.
"As in previous campaigns, the malware reports to a Command & Control server over HTTP and connects remote terminal sessions to another C&C server using a hardcoded IP address," says ESET researcher Marc-Etienne M.Léveillé, who led the investigation into GMERA.
ESET researchers have not yet been able to find exactly where these trojanized applications are promoted. However, in March 2020, the legitimate Kattana site posted a warning suggesting that victims are approached individually to lure them to download a trojanized app, thus pointing to social engineering. Copycat websites are set up to make the bogus application download look legitimate. The download button on the bogus sites is a link to a ZIP archive containing the trojanized application bundle.
In addition to the analysis of the malware code, ESET researchers have also set up honeypots (research computers) and lured GMERA malware operators to remotely control the honeypots. The researchers' aim was to reveal the motivations behind this group of criminals. "Based on the activity we have witnessed, we can confirm that the attackers have been collecting browser information, such as cookies and browsing history, cryptocurrency wallets and screen captures," concludes M.Léveillé.
For more technical details on the latest GMERA malicious campaign, read the full blogpost, "Mac cryptocurrency trading application rebranded, bundled with malware," on WeLiveSecurity. Make sure to follow ESET Research on Twitter for the latest news from ESET Research.
Version 2 Limited is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company develops and distributes IT products for Internet and IP-based networks, including communication systems, Internet software, security, network, and media products. Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 Limited offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.
For 30 years, ESET® has been developing industry-leading IT security software and services for businesses and consumers worldwide. With solutions ranging from endpoint security to encryption and two-factor authentication, ESET's high-performing, easy-to-use products give individuals and businesses the peace of mind to enjoy the full potential of their technology. ESET unobtrusively protects and monitors 24/7, updating defenses in real time to keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats require an evolving IT security company. Backed by R&D facilities worldwide, ESET became the first IT security company to earn 100 Virus Bulletin VB100 awards, identifying every single "in-the-wild" malware without interruption since 2003.


General Supplement Guidelines A guide to selecting the supplements that are right for you.
The Nutritarian diet greatly enhances your health and promotes longevity, but you still may require additional nutrients for best results. Ideally, you want to take in the optimal amount of all important nutrients daily—as deficiencies or insufficiencies can undermine your health.
Getting the optimal amounts of vitamins and minerals every day from our diet can be tricky—especially since absorption efficiency and utilization of nutrients varies from person to person. Read more on what may be sub-optimal or lacking even in a healthful diet. Proper supplementation can fill these gaps, ensuring that we get the ideal amount of every essential micronutrient.
However, almost all conventional supplements and multivitamins contain ingredients that may pose serious health risks, particularly increasing your risk of cancer. It is critical that you do not use supplements that have potentially harmful ingredients such as folic acid, vitamin A, and others. Learn more about which ingredients to avoid.
Dr. Fuhrman's supplements are meticulously researched to determine which nutrients to include, in what form(s), and in what exact amounts; and are designed to provide optimal nutrient intakes that complement a healthful diet and maximally extend lifespan.
Use the general recommendations below as a guide to select the supplements that are right for you.
Calcium requirements increase after menopause for many women, and those with low appetite for high calcium foods such as greens, seeds and beans, may also benefit from supplemental food-derived calcium. Women's Daily Formula +D3 provides an extra 200 mg calcium to assure adequate intake. Depending on dietary intake, older women should also add 1-3 capsules/day Osteo Biotect (with meals) for additional food-derived calcium, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2. Even if you follow a Nutritarian diet, this added bone health support may be useful with aging. Adequate calcium and vitamin D throughout life, along with physical activity, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life. See Additional Supplement Recommendations.
Most premenopausal women benefit from the small amount of iron present in one capsule of Gentle Prenatal. Premenopausal women have higher requirements for iron due to blood loss during menstruation. Requirements vary however; those who experience light monthly cycles may need little or no supplemental iron while those with heavy bleeding may require more.
If you are uncertain about your need for extra iron, have a ferritin blood test done to check your iron levels. Based on your blood test results, you may or may not need the iron contained in Gentle Prenatal.
This information is for educational purposes only, and any advice regarding supplements is not intended to take the place of medical care. All recommendations are best discussed with your personal physician who oversees your care, especially since ferritin can be elevated in autoimmune illness and inflammation, not always because of iron sufficiency.
Iron is essential for the baby's developing brain, but excess iron promotes oxidative stress and is associated with low birthweight; too little or too much iron can be problematic. Iron supplementation should be tailored to individual needs aiming to achieve the "sweet spot" of adequacy for the baby's development without excess, based on monitoring the mother's iron status during pregnancy. It is wise to learn your iron status starting early in pregnancy and use this information to decide the appropriate level of supplementation to complement a health-promoting diet.
Note: Dr. Fuhrman considers Pixie Vites and DHA+EPA Purity to be the core supplements for children, and Immune Biotect an optional addition. Pixie Vites provide several phytochemical-rich plant extracts to complement a healthful diet, and Immune Biotect is available for parents who feel their child would benefit from additional immune-strengthening phytochemicals. Please note that Immune Biotect may be difficult for children to take, as it is packaged in capsules; the capsules can be opened to add the powder to a child's food or drink, but the flavor may not be child-friendly.
*Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under six. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
The products and statements made about specific products on this web site have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. All information provided on this web site or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new vitamins, supplements, diet, or exercise program, before taking any medication, or if you are pregnant or planning to be or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.


When we die, we see clearly that we must leave behind all the things we possessed, even our ideas and insights, and all that we thought was 'ours'.
We sense the transitory nature of all that is created and know that we must part from family and detach ourselves from all relationships as well. We have no clue as to what will happen next. We are afraid and the element of uncertainty only intensifies our fears.
Death is woven into the very fabric of life. There is a continuous cycle of death and birth in the seasons; winter gives way to spring. The sun sets before it rises again, and each day and night displays the continuous cycle of dying and rising.
The varying shades of brown and green that adorn nature speak of a constant process of life giving birth to life, but not before there is the process of dying. In our own bodies, countless cells continuously die and are replaced.
In our minds, we experience the constant birth and death of myriad thoughts and ideas. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus went to Jerusalem after raising Lazarus from the dead, knowing full well that he would meet his own death.
Jesus accepted death with not a sense of bitterness or anger but with a sense of anticipation and joy in the full realisation that it would be His hour of triumph.
Fear of death is largely linked to the ego. We are afraid of losing what we are most attached to. The larger the influence of the ego, the greater the fear of death. The way of the cross that Jesus invites his disciples to follow is the way of daily dying to self.
To a person who is fearless, peaceful and fulfilled in life, even death comes dancing.


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Trade unions and the climate change fight
Julie Douglas & Peter McGhee
We [unions] have to stop running away from the climate crisis, stop leaving it to the environmentalist, and look at it. Let ourselves absorb the fact that the industrial revolution that led to our society's prosperity is now destabilizing the natural systems on which all of life depends – Naomi Klein
Climate change is perhaps the greatest existential threat humanity has ever faced. Indeed, this year is predicted to be the hottest on record since pre-industrial levels. The signing of the Paris COP21 agreement in March in 2016 behoves all countries to take urgent action to reduce carbon emissions. New Zealand is a signatory to the agreement, which clearly accepts that climate action is not the responsibility of governments alone and that all affected parties have a role in developing a response to climate change. Aside from environmental impacts from climate change there will be significant social, economic and political impacts as well. Work and workplaces, at the centre of the economy and social life, are important sites for responding to climate change. Employment is core to providing a livelihood and prospects on an individual level, and contributing to society as a whole.
There needs to be a tripartite approach to climate action in the workplace. Of the key direct stakeholders (state, employers and unions), unions represent around 18.6 percent of all workers (359,782 members) in New Zealand and therefore also constitutes our largest democratic body. A body of this size which has the structure in place to educate and organise through both the peak union body, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU), and individual unions, must logically become an important partner in strategic discussions at both a government, industry and firm level.
The union movement in New Zealand has a long history of leading debate and resistance around issues of social justice, from taking a stand against Spain's fascist Franco to refusing to assist in the loading of ships carrying New Zealand police officers to Samoa in 1929 who went on to kill many Samoans in the Mau movement. With this pedigree of social conscience and history of taking action it should follow that the union movement and its members would again rise and offer leadership to the latest challenge to social order and justice, and indeed potential catastrophic change to the planet.
Not only will jobs, occupations and industries disappear or change but the health and safety of workers will be threatened and more broadly, food and water security compromised. The initial challenge to unions then, is to see these threats as core to union work and why action is imperative to ensure their unions are ready to respond, educate members, and also to work with firms to develop strategies which allow for a just transition to a more sustainable workplace and world. Unfortunately, such transformation does not appear to be forthcoming.
A recent study we conducted interviewed leaders from eleven of the affiliated unions to the NZCTU (representing 75 percent of all members in affiliated unions). These interviews sought information on what actions, if any, the unions had put in place to respond to climate change, and also the role they saw unions having in climate action and just transition. All of the interviewees articulated a strong personal position of concern about impending climate change and need for action. They all saw the union movement and the NZCTU as important stakeholders and leaders in the action required. However, when looking at the unions themselves the results were sobering. None were in a well-prepared position to face the future regarding climate change. Two had begun to develop some basic policies and plans but did not consider themselves in anyway ready; seven respondents indicated that they personally saw the issue as important but that their unions had done nothing in this area yet and that there were no conversations within the formal structure of their organisation about this issue; and the remaining two union respondents clearly articulated that climate change was not on their union's radar and there was no indication this was likely to change. Across these unions only two respondents indicated that there had been interest raised by their membership.
This is a fairly bleak outlook for society especially if it places its hope of action on the largest democratic body in the country. Why are unions so unprepared? There are some identifiable reasons, but not excuses, for this. Firstly, we must look at the current socio-political environment unions operate under in New Zealand. As a result of the neo liberal paradigm shift in the 1980s and consequent legislation changes (such as the Employment Contracts Act 1991), union membership dramatically fell, and since 2008 unions have sustained a consistent undermining of rights such as workplace access. The role that unions play in the lives of workers – including their members – has narrowed as a result.
Secondly, unions' core work is the preservation and enhancement of workers' wages and conditions. It is for this reason that workers join unions and many of the union leaders we interviewed indicated they were concerned that a shift towards long-term social issues such as climate change could affect membership numbers. The irony being that the continued focus on the short gains of wages and conditions will be pointless if in the middle to long term members' jobs ceased to exist. That said though, research from the US indicated that union members were more likely to be concerned with environment issues and therefore may well embrace their union engaging with climate change strategies[1]. Despite this finding, it is perhaps unsurprising that none of the unions interviewed had actively surveyed or begun widespread conversations about climate change within their unions and therefore were unaware of their members' position or wishes on the issue. While it was true that some unions had improved sustainability measures in specific firms and, in one instance, got an organisation to divest in fossil fuel investment, this still stopped well short of a unified approach.
System justification theory postulates that human's tend to view the wider systems on which they depend in a favourable light. As Johnson notes, upholding the status quo encourages feelings of security, purpose and relatedness through a shared reality. Unions, and their members are no different. They advocate for improved employment outcomes within a capitalist system that rewards self-interest and promotes economic growth as central to human well-being (usually at the expense of the environment). Unfortunately, climate change is a consequence of that same system. Perhaps this explains unions' reluctance to engage in any meaningful way. To embrace climate change shifts the focus from short-term economic benefits for workers to that of uniting 'all labouring men and women for a truly different order of things'.[2] Such a move could help unions become truly social democratic movements contributing to the flourishing of all.
[1] Vachon, T., & Brecher, J. (2016). Are union members more or less likely to be environmentalists? Labor Studies Journal. Doi:10.1177/0160449×16643323
[2] Leeson, R. (1971). United We Stand: British Trade Union Emblems (p. 32). London: Adams and Dart.
Tags: Trade unions
Categories: Climate change, Work & wages
Senior Lecturers - Auckland University of Technology
Dr Julie Douglas is a Senior Lecturer in the Management Department at the Auckland University of Technology. Dr Douglas teaches employment relations and has a keen interest in how ethics impacts the employment relationship, gendered notions of work, and the issue of social justice through work and collectivism. Recent research has been in the areas of the gendered construction of skill and occupations, living wage, aged care workers, and unions and climate change. Dr. Peter McGhee is a Senior Lecturer in Sustainability & Ethics in the Business, Economics & Law Faculty at AUT. He has lectured and written in the area of sustainability and ethics for the last 10 years. His current research interests include spirituality at work, new forms of leadership, and virtue ethics and organisational identity. He currently teaches introductory papers in Sustainable Leadership and Business & Society.


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The Problems with the "Swiss Model"
The New York Times had a column by "global investor" Ruchir Sharma this weekend in which he touted the Swiss model as being preferable to the Scandinavian model promoted by Bernie Sanders and other progressives. He notes that Switzerland is considerably richer, has a smaller government role in its economy, and still manages to provide health insurance to everyone.
There are a few points worth making about Sharma's piece. First, one of the big factors that contributed to Switzerland's wealth is that it shielded the wealth of rich criminals from around the world. Not only did it hide this wealth from tax authorities, it is also allowed drug dealers, gun runners, and corrupt dictators to park their money in a safe haven for themselves and their families. Not every country would want to follow this path to prosperity and in any case there is a limit to the amount of illicit funds to be deposited in such havens.
One of the reasons Sharma is impressed with Switzerland is that, rather than having the government provide health care for its population, it requires its citizens to purchase private insurance. This does lead to universal coverage, although it seems to come at a substantial price. According to the OECD, Switzerland's health care costs of $7,300 per person are considerably less than the U.S per person cost of $10,600, but 17 percent more than #3 Norway's costs and almost 40 percent higher than Denmark's. It's not clear that our model for reform should be the second most costly system in the world.
The next point is that this treatment of health care is a big factor in the difference between the 50 percent government share of GDP in the Scandinavian countries compared to the one third in Switzerland. Perhaps it makes a big difference to people whether they are mandated to pay premiums to an insurance company as opposed to taxes to the government, but it is not obvious why that would be the case.
This treatment of health care is also relevant to Sharma's point on relative wealth:
"The typical Swiss family has a net worth around $540,000, twice its Scandinavian peer."
Middle income families have greater need for wealth in Switzerland, where they have to pay for their health insurance, than in the Scandinavian countries where it is paid for by the government. How much additional wealth is needed would depend on the timing of health care payments over people's lifetimes.
There is an area where progressives Democrats are looking to Switzerland as a model. The country has a wealth tax on its richest people. Both Senators Warren and Sanders have proposed a comparable tax for the United States.
This article first appeared on Dean Baker's Beat the Press blog.
Dean Baker is the senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, DC.


The Bastille not only overshadowed the capital, but it darkened the hearts of men, for it had been notorious for centuries as the instrument and the emblem of tyranny. The captives behind its bars were few and uninteresting; but the wide world knew the horror of its history, the blighted lives, the ruined families, the three thousand dishonoured graves within the precincts, and the common voice called for its destruction as the sign of deliverance. At the elections both nobles and commons demanded that it should be levelled with the ground.
The 13th was a day wasted by Government, spent by Paris in busy preparation. Men talked wildly of destroying the Bastille, as a sign that would be understood. Early on July 14 a body of men made their way to the Invalides, and seized 28,000 stand of arms and some cannon. At the other extremity of Paris the ancient fortress of the Bastille towered over the workmen's quarter and commanded the city. Whenever the guns thundered from its lofty battlements, resistance would be over, and the conquered arms would be unavailing.
As early as the 4th of July Besenval received notice that it would be attacked. He sent a detachment of Swiss, that raised the garrison to one hundred and thirty-eight, and he did no more. During the morning hours, while the invaders of the Invalides were distributing the plundered arms and ammunition, emissaries penetrated into the Bastille, under various pretexts, to observe the defences. One fair-spoken visitor was taken to the top of the dreaded towers, where he saw that the guns with which the embrasures had bristled, which were beyond the range of marksmen, and had Paris at their mercy, were dismantled and could not be fired.
About the middle of the day, when this was known, the attack began. It was directed by the Gardes Françaises, who had been the first to mutiny, and had been disbanded, and were now the backbone of the people's army. The siege consisted in efforts to lower the drawbridge. After several hours the massive walls were unshaken, and the place was as safe as before the first discharge. But the defenders knew that they were lost. Besenval was not the man to rescue them by fighting his way through several miles of streets. They were not provisioned, and the men urged the governor to make terms before he was compelled. They had brought down above a hundred of their assailants, without losing a man. But it was plain that the loss neither of a hundred nor of a thousand would affect the stern determination of the crowd, whilst it might increase their fury. Delauney, in his despair, seized a match, and wanted to fire the magazine. His men remonstrated and spoke of the dreadful devastation that must follow the explosion. The man who stayed the hand of the despairing commander, and whose name was Bécard, deserved a better fate than he met that day, for he was one of the four or five that were butchered. The men beat a parley, hoisted the white flag, and obtained, on the honour of a French officer, a verbal promise of safety.
Then the victors came pouring over the bridge, triumphant over a handful of Swiss and invalids—triumphant too over thirteen centuries of monarchy and the longest line of kings. Those who had served in the regular army took charge of as many prisoners as they could rescue, carried them to their quarters, and gave them their own beds to sleep in. The officers who had conducted the unreal attack, and received the piteous surrender, brought the governor to the Hôtel de Ville, fighting their way through a murderous crowd. For it was long believed that Delauney had admitted the people into the first court, and then had perfidiously shot them down. In his struggles he hurt a bystander, who chanced to be a cook. The man, prompted, it seems, less by animosity than by the pride of professional skill, drew a knife and cut off his head. Flesselles, the chief of the old municipality, appointed by the Crown, was shot soon after, under suspicion of having encouraged Delauney to resist.
In a review of a book about the French Revolution Acton noted that "Our judgment of men, and parties, and systems, is determined by the lowest point they touch. Murder, as the conventional low-water mark, is invaluable as our basis of measurement. It is the historian's interest that it shall never be tampered with. If we have no scientific zero to start from, it is idle to censure corruption, mendacity, or treason to one's country or one's party, and morality and history go asunder." According to Acton the "lowest point" of the French Revolution was reached during the Terror when "the party of violence" of the Jacobins defeated the "liberal and constitutional wave" of the Girondin group in which Condorcet played an active part. In this colourful description of the symbolic opening shot of the Revolution Acton seems to share the optimism and enthusiasm of the liberal revolutionaries. The storming of the old prison and fortress was largely symbolic as few prisoners remained and many of those who were left were evacuated before the Bastille was stormed. Nevertheless, Acton acknowledged the symbolic importance of the razing of this "instrument and the emblem of tyranny" which overlooked the city of Paris.


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Philadelphians Are Fighting The Summer Heat By Turning Dumpsters Into Makeshift Pools
by Marc Schneider August 8, 2016 4:18 pm
Everyone has got their own method for beating the heat. Residents of Philadelphia have found an awesome alternative to a sprinkler with the invention of the 'Dumpster-Pool'. One of the guys behind the idea was Cedar Street native Justin Myers, who helped to oragnize a block part with a couple of his buddies for their annual Beer Olympics. In case you were wondering, Yes, the Beer Olympics did include a slip-and-slide.
A post shared by Adams Berzins (@adberzins)
According to Myers,
"The idea of converting a dumpster popped up because "it's sturdy, it's rentable and I can just give it back… I called about 10 dumpster companies "[One guy] called and leaves me a voicemail, it's like 'Justyn, such a cool idea man. I love it. Talked to my boss. Not going to happen." (via Billy Penn)
The guys were able to transform the pool into a dumpster by lining it with plywood and tarps. The total process took a little under an hour and a half, and definitely looks worth it.
A post shared by Rachel (@rdorothyp)
Of course some buzzkills had issues with the lack of permits, and the potential danger that comes with swimming in a waste receptacle. In fact, the Mayor's Office had to release a statement stating that,
"In view of the City's commitment to public health, safety and basic common sense, we will not issue permits for block party dumpster pools. And while you would think this decision would not require an explanation, three days of press requests have proven otherwise. So, Philly, here's why you shouldn't swim in a receptacle most often used for waste:
First and foremost, this could reduce the amount of water available should a fire break out in that neighborhood. So if you would like to have water available should a fire break out in your home, don't illegally tap a hydrant
There is also the potential loss of life by injury due to the hydrant water pushing a small child or even an adult into oncoming traffic.
Finally, remember that the pressure of the water coming out of the hydrant is so strong, and so powerful, that if opened too quickly or closed too quickly, it could deliver a jolt to the main of sufficient force that could break the main … and many blocks could lose water service until it is repaired.
How dare you fight the dope ass time with logic. Let the people live!
[h/t Billy Penn]
Tags Philadelphiasummer


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Guilt and self-loathing pervades the 'we must do better' responses of businesses and institutions over #BLM – it's truly pathetic
Frank Furedi
is an author and social commentator. He is an emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent in Canterbury. Author of How Fear Works: The Culture of Fear in the 21st Century. Follow him on Twitter @Furedibyte
11 Jun, 2020 09:08
Black Lives Matter protest in Kew, London, June 7, 2020 © REUTERS/Kevin Coombs
Companies are falling over themselves to atone for the sin of racism, while using their abasement as a marketing tool. Almost overnight, support for Black Lives Matters has acquired the character of an official doctrine.
It took only one email from an otherwise unknown university graduate, Kennedy Mitchum, to embarrass the Merriam-Webster Dictionary to agree to "update" its definition of racism. When called upon, like numerous individuals and organisations, Merriam-Webster unhesitatingly took the knee.
Like numerous other elite institutions, this age-old authoritative dictionary decided that accommodation of a new reality is the better part of valour!
Suddenly every celebrity and institution has decided to atone for the sin of racism by literally getting on one knee and calling for forgiveness. Suddenly, every elite institution has transformed itself into guilt-ridden supplicants.
Also on rt.com Destroy EVERYTHING! Will culture police keen to purge historical racism turn to museums, galleries and libraries next?
Typically they have sent out letters and circulars promising "to do better" and deal with their institutionalised racism. A message circulated by Simon Henderson, the headmaster of the most prestigious posh school in the UK, Eton College, illustrates this studied performance of the confessional.
Henderson notes that, while the school has sought to make itself more inclusive, "we have to have the institutional humility to appreciate that we still have more to do." Other prestigious institutions, like the British Museum, have issued similar statements.
Calls for forgiveness are accompanied by banal gestures that are meant to demonstrate solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. As usual, Hollywood leads the way. The global media company HBO has decided to pull 'Gone With The Wind,' considered a classic of American cinema, from its platform. Not to be outdone, the BBC announced that the TV show, 'Little Britain' will be removed from BBC iPlayer, Netflix and BritBox due to the use of blackface by its main characters.
Also on rt.com HBO Max has pulled 'Gone With the Wind' from its service in order to fight racism and, frankly my dear, I DO give a damn!
Without a doubt, there must be a small army of censors working out which song or film is likely to offend the sensibility of protesters. Changing words and getting rid of films is one way of communicating to the world that you too are metaphorically taking the knee. In this indecent haste to whitewash society, just about anything that someone finds offensive can be targeted.
The demand to rid the world of offending words and symbols is driven by a cultural mood that literally searches for targets that can quench its appetite for being offended. That is why protesters during last week's London protest decided that even the statue of Abraham Lincoln was offensive and therefore had to be defaced.
If Lincoln, who played a historic role in the struggle to end slavery, can become a suitable target for protest, what else has to disappear from our landscape?
It is now widely acknowledged that more and more statues and symbols of Britain's history will go. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has set up a diversity commission to review London landmarks. Its aim is to change the public landscape to create an offense-free safe space.
Also on rt.com Sadiq Khan sets up a commission for tearing down London's statues as he attempts to drag the capital from 2020 to Year Zero
The appeasement of the vandalism of historic monuments is symptomatic of the willingness of the political and cultural establishment to roll over and even embrace the sentiments expressed by its critics. Consequently, almost overnight, support for Black Lives Matters has acquired the character of an official doctrine.
Companies now market their products highlighting their support for BLM. As usual, Unilever, the wokest of woke global corporations, leads the way. Its Instagram post declared: "we have Responsibility for Racial Justice". It stated that Unilever has pledged more than a million dollars to organisations working for racial equality.
Not to be outdone, 18 fashion and beauty brands announced that they are donating money to Black Lives Matter. A few days after this statement, it was announced that now 43 fashion and beauty brands were donating to the cause.
Advertisements promoting beauty products now come across as serious political statements. Glossier no longer only sells skincare products, it is also in the business of marketing racial justice. Its Instagram post states: "We stand in solidarity with the fight against systemic racism, white supremacy, and the historic oppression of the Black community."
'Star Wars' actor who joined protests doesn't care if it DESTROYS his career. But he forgot Hollywood only punishes the OTHER side
In some instances, celebrity power has joined up with businesses to promote their brands through what is fast becoming a symbolic Black Lives Matter franchising operation. Rihanna's lingerie brand Savage x Fenty posted a plea on Instagram calling for people to #PullUp. "Now's not the time to stay silent or stand by. Pull TF Up," it declares.
Online influencers have also joined in to exploit the opportunities provided by the Black Lives Matter economy. If you are interested, you can listen to YouTube star Eva Guttowski on what influencers and brands can do to support Black Lives Matter.
As celebrities and influencers pile in to advertise their support for the protesters, can the woke Royals Meghan and Harry be far behind? Of course not! According to a so-called "royal expert," Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are "shifting focus" from their "impact of coronavirus on their charities" to devoting their energies into the Black Lives movement. It seems that this celebrity couple, who are currently residing at Hollywood mogul Tyler Perry's $18-million mansion are "passionate" about Black Lives Matter. You will be delighted to discover that Meghan sees herself as a "role model" who can speak out on the issue of racial equality.
So, while skincare companies, luxury brands and Meghan and Harry get on with their genuinely privileged lives, ordinary folk are meant to acknowledge their own white privilege. Something is rotten – and not just in the state of Denmark.
Self-hating #ShutDownSTEM signals the death of Science
Call Russia 'sponsor of TERROR'! Imperial-minded House Republicans urge return to Cold War footing & drastic sanctions policy
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Cracked silo at under-construction UK nuclear plant releases DUST CLOUD after accident
Candace Owens claims BLM riots 'destroyed MORE black lives' than cops have in a DECADE
UK military killing THOUSANDS of farm animals in Cyprus and threatening PROTECTED wildlife zones – report
Americans already tried living without police, and it wasn't called the 'Wild West' for nothing! Is THAT what you want?
'You won't need to abolish us – we won't be around for it': Why many police officers like me are quitting the force
Stock market will hit new highs if Trump wins 2020 presidential election, chief strategist tells Boom Bust
The Chinese are coming: NATO chief Stoltenberg warns Beijing nearing West in multiple ways
Nurse TRAMPLED by police horse at Black Lives Matter protests in London claims Met Police WON'T TAKE COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY
Destroy EVERYTHING! Will culture police keen to purge historical racism turn to museums, galleries and libraries next?
NATO's call on 'like-minded nations' to stand up to rise of China is just a desperate bid for global relevance
'You're about to lose your job!' BLM protesters & leftists call for removal of Seattle mayor as they occupy city hall (VIDEOS)


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