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Kazolias June 5, 2011 Africa, Arabs, Economy, Europe, France, G-8, Great Britain, Health Care, Iraq, Islam, Journalism, Kazo on TV, Libya, Middle East, Muslim, NATO, News, Opinion, Politics, Terrorism, war, Yemen
Libya Yemen and the Mainstream Press Agenda
"There is no way this is going to end up well for the United States. Every tribe in Yemen has received missiles from American drones. The US aided and financed Saleh all these years. They covered for him up to just two weeks ago. The Yemenis won't forget this. The crack troops we saw Friday fighting the tribes are the anti terrorist forces equipped and trained by the United States."
This is what I said on a France 24 debate Friday night to which Steven Erlanger of the New York Times responded "that was never the intention. They were armed and trained to fight al Qaeda."
Funny how it is never "the intention" American trained troops loyal to tyrants and kleptocratic dictators shoot at their own people but they always end up doing so. This is typical of the kind of public opinion the New York Times is trying to create behind America's (pro-Israeli) policies.
Another more dangerous example of this came out last Tuesday when the New York Times wrote that the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report in which it said "it possesses evidence that Tehran has conducted work on a highly sophisticated nuclear triggering technology that experts said could be used for only one purpose: setting off a nuclear weapon."
Now, in my book "evidence" means "proof". Yet Seymour Hersh of the New Yorker told Amy Goodman of Democracy Now on Friday "the word 'evidence' was not in what the IAEA said." He went on to say "They've been saying repeatedly that they have concerns about certain information they have. They don't describe it as evidence."
Is this not the same thing as the WMDs and the aluminum tubes that became the smoking guns to get public opinion behind the 2003 invasion of Iraq?
Hersh in an article in the New Yorker says his sources inform him that despite spies on the ground and top notch technology US officials have been unable to find decisive evidence that Iran is moving enriched uranium to an underground weapon-making center.
What we have in The New York Times is a clear agenda to create public opinion in favor of an act (war with Iran) which would have incalculable consequences. I cannot believe that using the word 'evidence' is a mistake. If it were a mistake, given their record for getting it wrong and helping to get us into war, then the paper should run a front page erratum.
But listening to Erlanger Friday, I could see they are in damage control mode in a Middle East which is completely outside Washington's control.
It is no accident how they insist on the Islamic fundamentalist nature of tribal leaders in Yemen and ignore that the area in which the Libyan rebellion began has sent the most fighters to al Qaeda in Iraq. While they are quick to point out Qaddafi's killing of opponents, they pass under complete silence the mass murders of sub-Saharan immigrant workers at the hands of the rebels.
In an April 11 article in the New Yorker called After the Uprising, Dexter Filkins (who also writes for the New York Times), points out what a corrupt and thuggish regime the US has been backing in Yemen; a crony and Kleptocratic tribal regime where government members, two dozen of whom are from Saleh's family, line their pockets and buy off tribal leaders while doing nothing for their people: nothing!
This means the New York Times knows and it seems to me this is what American public opinion needs to know; that the US is giving hundreds of millions of dollars to jerks whose behavior can only push their people to radicalism and make them justifiably hate the US. Hundreds of Yemenis have been killed by US drone missiles and tribal leaders say most of them are civilians, not al Qaeda. What right does the US have to bomb Yemen anyway?
Another interesting omission in the mainstream press is how much money Qaddafi put back into his country and his people: water works, subsidized electricity, free universal health care, housing, free education including paying those who want to study abroad, roads … . Or how about the fact that in 2009 Qaddafi began threatening he would nationalize Libyan oil? If these things were made a topic, public opinion might be able to draw the conclusion that NATO's "crusade" against Qaddafi is in fact about oil.
Filkins writes "Yemen is not Egypt: it has virtually no middle class, a weak civil society, a marginal intelligentsia and no public institutions that operate independently of Saleh." Half the population is illiterate.
Compare that to Libya which had prior to the war Africa's highest standard of living and nearly universal literacy. The regime even gave married couples $50 000 as a wedding gift to get started.
It is with these kinds of comparisons that people can make intelligent decisions. But what people are being fed by the New York Times and al is incomplete and biased; it can only be meant to support war and aggression.
It is these double standards that has now led the Arab street to ignore Washington or in the words of The Independent's Robert Fisk "who cares what Obama says?" Well, I guess the Israelis still do.
Fisk writes "Obama's failure to support the Arab revolts until they were all but over lost the US most of its surviving credit in the region." But the US press chooses to highlight the forty billion dollars the G-8 decided to award Egypt and Tunisia at the summit in Deauville, as if they can buy back what they lost in the Arab Spring.
The French press is no better. At the end of April, nearly two months into the war, French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet told the daily Libération that thus far the bombing had cost France 50 million euros. There was no follow up question asking him to justify that figure. It is obviously a lie. The first night the US shot 120 cruise missiles at a million dollars a pop! France has flown thousands of sorties and has used extremely expensive ordinance not to mention an air-craft carrier and battle group off the coast. Fifty million euros? Please.
Longuet also said he had no proof of an Islamist presence in the rebellion. That's strange. Nicolas Pelham had no trouble sitting down to tea with them as he attests in his articles in the New York Review of Books. The Libération reporter should have come back with an aggressive question here too but preferred to play the role of loyal stenographer rather than journalist.
Should the press not point out that the rebel Libyan National Transition Council is made up of the same "thugs" who worked with Qaddafi for decades? What about the tribal nature of this rebellion led by the Cyrenaican tribes of King Idris who was ousted by Qaddafi in 1969? The rebel flag is the flag of the monarchy! Would public opinion be in favor of war to restore an Islamic monarchy? Even if it is in the name of oil?
The press is not failing the people. It is operating in the interests of the banks and oil companies whose interests, I believe, are not those of the people in the Middle East, nor ours. There are good reporters out there who want to inform the public (Fisk, Filkins, Hersh, Pelham) but are prevented from getting it into the mainstream media by Editors at the top who have a different agenda.
Posted in Africa, Arabs, Economy, Europe, France, G-8, Great Britain, Health Care, Iraq, Islam, Journalism, Kazo on TV, Libya, Middle East, Muslim, NATO, News, Opinion, Politics, Terrorism, war, Yemen and tagged drones, Fisk, NATO, Yemen. Bookmark the permalink.


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Western Pennsylvania Operating Engineers (WPOE)
Training Complex Facilitates Hands-On Education
New LEED-certified building meets economy goals.
The roof color helped achieve certification by minimizing the heat island effect.
The extra space is used for storage and ventilation equipment.
Lower Lighting Costs
The daylighting system adds natural light and fit within the project's budget when other options did not.
Multifunctional Training Facility Generates Operating Savings
Space To Learn
This famous quote perfectly describes the Western Pennsylvania Operating Engineers (WPOE) Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program. Combining classroom instruction, hands-on training and on-the-job experience, the program teaches valuable skills to heavy equipment operators and mechanics.
After more than 40 years at its New Alexandria, Pennsylvania, location, the nonprofit WPOE Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program outgrew its existing facilities a few years ago. A new 32,800-square-foot Butler® building now provides ample, and cost-effective, space to meet growing demand for training.
Situated on 228 acres about 30 miles east of Pittsburgh, the training site has plenty of land for students to practice operating heavy equipment — ranging from skid steers and forklifts to bulldozers and cranes. But, the repair shop and classrooms were pinched for space.
"About 75 percent of our training is for apprentices who are new to the industry, and 25 percent provides continuing education for journeyman operators. With demand for journeymen training increasing every year, we needed more capacity," explained Steve Columbus, administrative manager for the WPOE Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program.
Mascaro Construction Company, a Butler Builder® in nearby Pittsburgh, was an ideal choice to partner with WPOE on the project. The company had previously renovated an existing building to serve as headquarters for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 66, whose 7,000 members benefit from the training center in New Alexandria.
"The goal was to build a first-class training facility with the flexibility to accommodate classroom and hands-on training space," said Ed Swiatek, project manager at Mascaro Construction. Another goal for the WPOE was to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. And like most design-build projects, budget was a factor, too.
"The goal was to build a first-class training facility with the flexibility to accommodate classroom and hands-on training space."
Ed Swiatek, Mascaro Construction
Butler systems helped achieve all these objectives with an economical design that is also highly energy efficient.
The completed LEED-certified facility includes an 80-foot-wide, 16,800-square-foot maintenance training shop with four drive through bays instead of only one, like in the previous building. The shop also incorporates eight welding booths, an equipment welding bay and a machining area. A mezzanine above the shop floor provides space for storage, and heating and ventilation equipment.
The Widespan™ structural system from Butler made possible the 80-foot clearspan area and 33-foot ceiling height needed to bring massive equipment into the shop for maintenance and training. The shop houses a vehicle lift and a 10-ton overhead crane that moves the full length of the building on rails to help students perform equipment repairs.
"Hands down, Widespan was the most efficient and cost-effective way to accomplish a column-free area large enough to accommodate the size of the equipment," said Anthony Pitassi, AIA, LEED AP, with
architectural firm Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel in Pittsburgh.
A separate classroom and administrative wing attached to the shop totals 12,900 square feet, replacing several outdated modular classrooms. Engineering support from Butler Manufacturing™ helped the construction team design retractable walls, so spaces can be configured for different class sizes. Flexibility is a must with anywhere from 25 to 150 students in the training facility at any one time.
Angling For Solutions
Together, the shop and classroom wings form an angled design that makes efficient use of the site's natural topography, as well as the area's prevailing winds.
"The shop was previously oriented in exactly the wrong direction related to the prevailing wind patterns. With dirt constantly being moved outside the facility during equipment operator training, dust control was a big problem," Pitassi explained. "By orienting the shop perpendicular to the prevailing winds, we were able to control the dust problem."
Bringing two parts of a building together on an angle was a challenge, especially with different roof lines, but it was one that the Butler systems were up to.
Although the maintenance area used the Widespan structural system, the classroom wing incorporated conventional framing with steel members. But, the two areas of the building blend seamlessly since the Shadowall™ wall system from Butler covers the exterior. The exterior walls' Cool Marsh Green color fits the rural western Pennsylvania surroundings.
Both building wings are covered with the MR-24® roof system from Butler. The standing-seam roof provides durable, efficient and low-maintenance protection from the elements. Added insulation creates
an R-30 energy value, which is beneficial during both hot summers and cold winters.
The MR-24 roof system color — Cool Solar White — contributed to the building's LEED certification by helping to lower roof temperatures. The coating color brought the solar reflective index needed to get LEED credit for mitigating heat islands on the roof.
Natural Light Solution
The original design for the training facility called for a continuous ridge skylight and clerestory to bring natural light and ventilation into the maintenance areas. Unfortunately, clerestory costs didn't fit the construction budget.
"The SunLite Strip daylighting system is a great solution to provide economical daylighting. Many people comment on how bright the shop is."
Steve Columbus, Western Pennsylvania Operating Engineers
The SunLite Strip® daylighting system proved to be a cost-effective and energy-saving alternative. The SunLite Strip daylighting system relies on prismatic acrylic-domed technology to bring in three times the amount of light earlier and later in the day compared with translucent panels. By integrating with the MR-24 roof system, the SunLite Strip daylighting system is weathertight to avoid leakage issues that are common with conventional skylights. Best of all, by reducing lighting costs, the system contributed to the project's LEED certification.
On Budget, On Schedule
The WPOE Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program is an example of a successful team effort between Butler Manufacturing,™ the construction company, the architect and the customer.
"We delivered great value as far as safety, quality, owner satisfaction and scheduling. We were able to build the project safely, within the budget and on time, so the operating engineers were able to move in
to their training facility on schedule," Swiatek said.
SunLite Strip® has been further enhanced since this project was completed. For current information about the product, click here.
Download The Story
Structural System:
Widespan™ structural system
Roof System:
MR-24® roof system, SunLite Strip® Daylighting System
Wall System:
Shadowall™ wall system
Butler Builder®
Mascaro Construction Company, L.P.
mascaroconstruction.com
Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel, AIA
Buffalo Promise Neighborhood
Iowa Lakes Community College SERT
Private Industry Council Of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc.
Twin Rivers Charter School
Back To All Customer Stories

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
from aatest.yamlcnf import parse_yaml_conf
from saml2test import operation
from saml2test.idp_test import func
from saml2test.idp_test import cl_request
from saml2test.idp_test import wb_request

__author__ = 'roland'

def test_1():
    cls_factories = {
        '': operation.factory,
        'cl': cl_request.factory,
        'wb': wb_request.factory,
    }
    func_factory = func.factory
    x = parse_yaml_conf('saml2test_flows.yaml', cls_factories, func_factory,
                        'cl')
    assert len(x['Flows']) == 16

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Posts byAndrew Kane
and Class
and Genders & Sexualities
and Nationalism
and NYC
and Urban
Solidarity in Protest
the Aftermath of the Darren Wilson Grand Jury Decision in New York City
"Precisely because not the economic but the social interests of different cross sections of the population were threatened by the market, persons belonging to various economic strata unconsciously joined forces to meet the danger." —Karl Polanyi On November 25th after long deliberation, the Grand Jury investigating the now infamous case of Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson's
Andrew Kane
and Biographies & Interviews
"I is an Other": Integration in Astoria, Queens
storia, Queens has recently developed into one of the largest Egyptian immigrant communities in New York City, hence the geographical title "Little Egypt"–one of the many affectionate nicknames ascribed to the neighborhood located at the end of the N and Q subway lines. As a small non-profit headquartered in this international hub, the Center for
Biographies & Interviews
Bodegas and Arab Identity: ناس للغة العربية
odegas are somewhat unique to New York City. Historically, they began in Spanish speaking neighborhoods but have now spread across the entire city. The bodega carries the essentials needed for everyday urban life. They carry everything from toiletries and sandwiches to cigarettes and beer. Due to the fast paced nature of New York City, the


We spent the day cleaning and setting up our family cottage. We were a little hesitant about taking the kids along, but are so glad we did! They spent the entire day playing on the beach and building sand castles. We just got home and tucked them into bed, and I am already looking forward to spending more time up there with them!
This is the existing chrome faucet, and one of the polished nickel handles from the new faucet. I love how much warmer of a silver it is!
We are planning to start this reno this week, and incase you are curious to see the progress, you can follow us over on Instagram for more updates!
And of course, heres my favourite images from this past week, enjoy!


Send only BTC to this deposit address. Sending any coin other than BTC will result in the loss of your funding.
To ensure better security, we process all withdrawals semi-manually, so it could take up to a few hours to finish. If you have any questions, please submit a request.


We have some new information about our easyE-line products.
Our current charger for NiMH batteries is undergoing an update due discontinuation of some components inside. As a part of this we are introducing an alternative solution with external electronics.


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Matthew Merritt may refer to:

 Matthew J. Merritt (1895–1946), American politician from New York
 Matthew F. Merritt (1815–1896), American politician from Connecticut

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Lake Borumba is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the  Lake Borumba had a population of 6 people.

Geography
The reservoir Lake Borumba () was created by building the Borumba Dam () across Yabba Creek.

Large areas to the north and south of the lake are within the Conondale National Park which extends south-east into neighbouring Kenilworth.

History
The Borumba Dam was designed and built by the Queensland Government's Irrigation and Water Supply Commission. The Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Authority provided advice on the hydro-electricity and spillway design. The first part of the work was the construction of a village for the workers.

Borumba Dam Provisional School opened on 23 January 1961. It was established to provide schooling to the children of the dam workers who lived at the construction site. There were two teachers at the school. Average attendance numbers in 1961 was 35 students. At the start of 1962 it became Borumba Dam State School with an average attendance of 54 students rising to an average of 61 students in 1963. The dam was completed in March 1964 and the workers and their children moved away with average attendance of 17 children in early 1964, The school closed on 29 May 1964.

In the  Lake Borumba had a population of 6 people.

Education
There are no schools in Lake Borumba. The nearest government primary schools are Mary Valley State College in neighbouring Imbil to the east and Kenilworth State Community College in neighbouring Kenilworth to the south-east. The nearest government secondary schools are Mary Valley State College (to Year 10) in Imbil, Kilcoy State High School (to Year 12) in Kilcoy to the south and Gympie State High School (to Year 12) in Gympie to the north-east.

Amenities
There is a boat ramp into the Borumba Dam (). It is accessed via Yabba Creek Road in neighbouring Imbil. It is managed by the South East Queensland Water Corporation.

References

Further reading

Gympie Region
Localities in Queensland


Adjustments up of 0.1 adults 18-49 ratings for several shows —The Big Bang Theory, Bones, Community, $#*! My Dad Says, The Office, and Grey's Anatomy. The Grey's Anatomy repeat at 8pm also was adjusted up 0.1 with adults 18-49.
Travis Yanan noted he had plans with his family today and this weekend and would likely be late in posting the normal numbers. I scrounged them up, but they are in a different format (same as our overnight format, but these are final numbers).


To start the celebrations, Vineet and Sheetal slipped into their party outfits! Maharani Sheetal donned a teal beautifully golden embroidery and to complete the look she flaunted lovely relaxed hair waves creation of Glam by Inna. Vineet's grey suit looked absolutely picture perfect for the fairytale-like photo shoot Jerome Tso Photography took of the lovebirds before the frenzy of the reception. To honor the momentous occasion, the celebrated Jacivas Bakery created the most marvelous buttercream wedding cake and Chennai Masala Catering created an exquisite menu with the most delicious and traditional flavors that delighted all the attendees. After having a blast with great dance performances and the creative sounds of Neo Fresco, Vineet and Sheetal had the loveliest sparkling exit giving the wedding's grand finale a magical touch! Head to our gallery and check out the best shots of the night!
Maharanis! We will be back on Monday with more soul-binding inspiration!
Jerome Tso Photography is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.


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Tag Archives: The Buzz
Events, Land Use, News, Outreach
Public Information Meeting about Stream Buffers
January 15, 2013 2020buzz 2 Comments
The Town of Chapel Hill will hold a public information meeting and discussion about stream buffers from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, in the Council Chamber of Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Organized by the Chapel Hill Stormwater Advisory Board, the meeting will feature presentations on key issues related to buffer widths from our waterways.
The Chapel Hill Town Council is considering changes to the Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO) that would amend the Town's existing riparian buffer protection zone known as the Resource Conservation District (RCD).
The Town enacted the Jordan Watershed Riparian Buffer Protection ordinance, which provides 50–foot buffers along intermittent and perennial streams, lakes, ponds and reservoirs. The Town has riparian buffer protection requirements contained in the RCD provisions. In some instances, the RCD buffer widths are greater than those in the Jordan buffer regulations. The Town is considering changes to simplify implementation of all regulations that apply to stream buffers.
The public meeting will provide an opportunity to identify key issues in considering the appropriate buffer widths from waterways and to hear presentations about the science of stream buffers.
Michele Drostin of the UNC Institute for the Environment will facilitate the presentations and moderate public comment. Presentations will be made by Michael Paul, a senior scientist at Tetratech; Deanna Osmond, a soil science professor and extension leader at NC State University; and Fred Royal, managing engineer at Brown and Caldwell. Paul has worked in the field of water quality with a focus on the application of ecological tools and models to develop biological criteria to protect water quality. Osmond has focused her research on reduction of agricultural pollutants through the use of conservation practices. Royal will speak on his experience in developing Chatham County's water quality ordinances.
For more information, contact Matt Witsil, Stormwater Advisory Board Chair, at mattwitsil@gmail.com; Julie McClintock, Stormwater Advisory Board member, at mcclintock.julie@gmail.com; or Sue Burke, Stormwater Management Engineer, sburke@townofchapelhill.org or 919-969-7266
Agenda item from the November 12, 2012 Public Hearing: http://chapelhillpublic.novusagenda.com/Bluesheet.aspx?itemid=2028&meetingid=176
Section 3.6 Land Use Management Ordinance (RCD is Section 3.6.3): http://bit.ly/108dV96
RCD Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.townofchapelhill.org/index.aspx?page=410
LUMO Section 5.18 Jordan Watershed Riparian Buffer Protection Ordinance: http://bit.ly/ZUyfWB
RCD – Information item: http://chapelhillpublic.novusagenda.com/Bluesheet.aspxitemid=2043&meetingid=178
Resource Conservation District (RCD) Supplemental Information: http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=17243
Resource Conservation District (RCD) Determinations: http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=17242
Land Use Management Ordinance Text Amendments for the RCD Stream Buffer Regulations: http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=17241
RCD and Jordan Buffer Comparison: http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=17240
Presentations from January 22, 2013 Public Information Meeting:
Deanna Osmond- "Stream Buffers": http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=17322
Michael J. Paul- "Riparian Zones- What is the right width? http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=17321
Fred Royal- "Establishing and Managing Riparian Buffers in Chatham County, NC http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=17320
The Buzztheme groupswatershed
A Point of View
October 3, 2011 2020buzz Leave a comment
Keren Goldshlager, Journalism Student at the University of North Carolina
An international student adamant about the University's potential. A middle-aged woman dedicated to improving the town's emergency response system. A storm water management employee passionate about environmental protection. A business owner determined to increase voter turnout in local elections.
These are just a few examples of the more than 300 residents that attended the kick-off of Chapel Hill 2020 last night. These people had different opinions to share, but they had one thing in common: a love for Chapel Hill.
The voices of these citizens will form the backbone of the new comprehensive plan. Town officials hope to make the planning process far more participatory and community-based than it has ever been. In fact, the mayor has said that he wants to get 10,000 people involved. Based on last night, I think his goal will be achieved.
The kick-off had two parts: an open house and a meeting. At the meeting, groups of about ten sat at tables and discussed what they thought the key themes of the plan should be. At the end of the night, leaders – called "facilitators" – shared the main ideas that their groups discussed.
As I circled the packed auditorium and zigzagged up and down the rows of tables, I realized just how much goes into creating a plan of this scope. While one group discussed affordable housing, another talked about cultivating creativity. As one table emphasized Chapel Hill's need for economic growth, another table was gushing about the town's quaint atmosphere. I heard about the University. I heard about expanding the tax base. I heard about just about everything.
The most interesting part of the experience was seeing people from all walks of life participating as equals. There were businessmen in button-downs quietly listening to the opinions of librarians in wide-rimmed glasses. There were town council members in t-shirts passively taking notes as small-business owners took charge of group discussions. I was enthusiastically welcomed to every table I wandered up to, even though I'm only a lowly junior at UNC.
All in all, I think the night was a success, although I'm interested to see how the dozens of themes that were discussed can possibly be narrowed down to a six key issues. How do you prioritize so many competing interests? The leaders of this plan definitely have their work cut out for them – but so do we.
Chapel Hill 2020 Kicks Off!
September 21, 2011 2020buzz 2 Comments
Each decade, Chapel Hill officials create a comprehensive plan for the town that guides policy making in areas such as land use and transportation.
But this time around, there is one important addition to the plan: you.
Although the kick-off date is still two weeks away, an initiating committee has been meeting since May to set the framework for a plan that will hinge upon citizen involvement and participation. They have named the plan Chapel Hill 2020 to emphasize its visionary approach.
The committee's 15 members were appointed by the Town Council and were chosen for their involvement and diversity. The group included a social worker, the operations manager of an affordable housing nonprofit organization, the chair of the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, a Duke physician and more.
Lee Storrow, a recent UNC graduate and candidate for Town Council, was a committee member.
"There were lots of new faces and new voices on the committee," he said, "specifically because we're hoping to bring new faces and new voices into the comprehensive plan."
Chapel Hill officials hope that these new faces and new voices will bring life to the project – but they are well aware of the challenges they face in trying to engage an entire community.
"The hardest part is finding out how to connect with all of the residents, and not just the ones who read the paper and know about this," said Kathy Atwater, a Northside resident and initiating committee member.
That's why the committee partnered with two facilitators, the Deliberative Democracy Consortium and the National Civic League (NCL), to help develop strategies for promoting civic engagement.
"These groups were very instrumental in starting the initiating committee because they had worked with other towns and other cities across the nation with their future plans," said Atwater.
Atwater was inspired to take part in the comprehensive plan because of her interest in affordable housing.
"I would like to see more zoning regulations as far as housing, and more housing for people who want to live in Chapel Hill but say they can't afford to," she said.
In addition to housing, Chapel Hill 2020 will encompass transportation, downtown businesses, sustainability, land use, environmental justice and any other topics that residents deem important.
"We really want to make sure that this vision is inclusive of all the opinions and all the experiences of the diverse group of people who live here," said committee member Allisson DeMarco.
DeMarco, who has a background in social work, was especially interested in involving low-income families and immigrants.
To encourage this involvement, the initiating committee decided to host meetings at schools rather than in town hall.
Mary Jane Nirdlinger, assistant director of the town's planning department, said she thinks that these meetings will allow the project to touch everyday residents who may not attend government-sponsored events.
"If you really want to touch 10,000 people," she said, "you need to do it in all kinds of ways."
In addition to meetings, the initiating committee planned a series of open houses, at which Chapel Hill residents will be able to meet, mingle and share.
The open houses will be both fun and informative, and will be centrally located said Nirdlinger. A family-focused open house and a job-themed open house are already in the works, she added.
The committee was also tasked with appointing two chairs – Rosemary Waldorf and George Cianciolo – to guide the development of the comprehensive plan. These co-chairs will also act as spokespeople for the project.
Cianciolo is a pathologist at the Duke University Medical Center, and Waldorf is the project manager of a local community-building company. Waldorf also served as mayor of Chapel Hill from 1995 to 2001.
Although the work of the initiating committee is over, the overall project has barely begun. The first public meeting will be held on September 27 at East Chapel Hill High School, and all residents are invited to attend.
"I encourage all residents to attend the meeting to get an overview of what this plan will entail," said Atwater. "Now is our opportunity."


The bird was taken to a local animal hospital, but is now recovering at the Brockton Animal Control Department.
BROCKTON — Officials are asking for the public's help in locating the person or people responsible for injuring a chicken in a "senseless act."
The Brockton Animal Control Department posted images of the bird to its Facebook page on Monday afternoon along with a plea to the public.
The chicken was found on Sunday on Belair Street, near Crickett Road and Rainbow Circle, with red, black and white pieces of material attached to the bird with safety pins and sewing needles.
"These pins and needles were inserted under the skin, into muscle and tissue over the entire body," the Animal Control Department posted.
In total, the bird had 13 sewing needles and four safety pins on its body, according to an image posted on the department's page.
The chicken was taken to a local animal hospital for treatment and is currently recovering at the department's headquarters on Court Street in Brockton.
"If you have any information on who may have done this or may own the animal, we ask you to call Brockton Animal Control, 508-580-7835, or Brockton police, 508-941-0200," the post stated.
Officials would also like to hear from anyone who has seen residents keeping any poultry or livestock in that immediate area.


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Home Timeline Events Camosun appoints its sixth president, Sherri Bell
Camosun appoints its sixth president, Sherri Bell
Sherri Bell, former superintendent for the Greater Victoria School District, was appointed Camosun's sixth president, July 1, 2015. Sherri brings with her a national reputation for stewarding student achievement and a focus on the delivery of exceptional education.
President Sherri Bell
Throughout her career, Sherri has focused on engaging students in learning to find their passion and make a difference in their community and the world. Sherri believes colleges should be nimble and prepared to continually respond to opportunities that reflect our changing world.
President Bell is also the Board Chair of the British Columbia Council for International Education (BCCIE), is Chair of British Columbia Colleges (BCC), is Vice-Chair of the Trades Training Consortium BC (TTCBC), and is a member of the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Board.
President Bell at Camas Pit Cook –
Camosun and HRMA sign MOU to collaborate in the education and career development of Human Resources professionals – Oct. 2015


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Poll: Which Country Star Would You Want as Your High School Principal?
Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 100 country radio stations nationwide. Producer Amber co-hosts the show with him every night from 7PM to midnight. Together they play the best new country music and interview today's top stars, like Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Brantley Gilbert, Lady A, Maren Morris + more!
High school can be a tough time, between friendship cliques, fashion, sports and trying to be cool ... My main goal every single day was to not get into trouble and wind up in the principal's office. My principal was an ex-corrections officer, so there's that. What if, though, your high school principal was a country music star? Which country music star do you think would make the best principal?
I think Carrie Underwood would make the best high school principal. Between being on the road with her two sons and husband, and being a strong Southern woman, I think she would have just the right mix of sweet and salty needed to scare and also befriend the kids.
Amber, my co-host on Taste of Country Nights, says Luke Bryan. She said he has a ton of kids and he would be such a softy that you could get away with more trouble if you needed to stir some up.
What about you? Which country star would you want as your high school principal, and why?
Source: Poll: Which Country Star Would You Want as Your High School Principal?


Here you can browse the House of Commons Summary Agenda for 10 May 2004.
Afterwards Prime Minister (Direct Election)—Motion for leave to introduce a Bill under the Ten minute rule (Mr Graham Allen) (for up to 20 minutes).
Housing Bill: Programme (No. 2) Motion (for up to 45 minutes).
Housing Bill: Report Stage and Third Reading (may continue for up to 6½ hours after the commencement of proceedings on the Programme Motion).
Visitor Facilities (Motion) (may continue until any hour, if the 7.00 p.m. Business Motion is agreed to).
At the end of the sitting Adjournment Debate: Benefits system and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (Mr Anthony D. Wright) (until 7.30 p.m. or for half an hour, whichever is later).
9.30 a.m. Dental provision in Devon (Richard Younger-Ross).
11.00 a.m. International Air Transport Association and competition policy (Andrew Selous).
2.00 p.m. Proposals for a second crossing over the River Mersey (Mr Mike Hall).
3.30 p.m. Provision of maternity services in the UK (Mr Mohammad Sarwar).
4.00 p.m. Managed clinical networks in the NHS (Dr Richard Taylor) (until 4.30 p.m.).


text:
Q: Disabling text input on MUI DateTimePicker I have a MUI DateTimePicker in my react app, and I would like to disable the text input so that it is only possible to change the date/time by clicking on the icon and launching the overlays to edit them.
I have tried a few things, such as adding disabled={true} to the renderInput, like this:
renderInput={(params: any) => <TextField
                {...params}
                disabled={true}
                InputProps={{...params.InputProps, disableUnderline: true}}
                variant="standard"/>}

Doesn't quite work as expected though. I have tried a lot of other things too, but not sure how that detail would support my question.
Suggestions?

A: Adding readOnly to the inputProps which will be passed down to the native html input element will do the trick. This also leaves the MUI component in its "normal" visual state.
<TextField
  {...params}
  disabled={true}
  InputProps={{...params.InputProps, disableUnderline: true}}
  inputProps={{ ...params.inputProps, readOnly: true }}
  variant="standard"
/>

A: I was able to do exactly what you're asking by just adding the disabled prop to the TextField in renderInput.
<DateTimePicker
  label="Date&Time picker"
  value={value}
  onChange={handleChange}
  renderInput={(params) => <TextField {...params} disabled />}
/>

It's possible that you are trying to set the disabled property to true when it just assumes the property being on the component means it is disabled.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


WASHINGTON: The U.S. supports the "pro-business reforms" of the Modi Government but at the same time remains concerned about difficulties caused to non-governmental organisations, a top State Department official has said.
"I would say, speaking generally, we're supportive. I can say Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's pro-business reforms, including his commitment to fighting corruption as well as his public remarks, recently and regarding improving India's position in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business report - these are initiatives that clearly take time to implement," State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner said.
"We have been encouraged by some of the reforms that he has pledged to undertake, Prime Minister Modi. We will see how they are implemented," Toner said yesterday.
He said fight against corruption cannot be done in a day.
"This obviously is not something that can be done overnight. But more broadly speaking, corruption is always a concern. So any government should address it," Toner said, adding that the US is supportive of the reform process.
"Certainly private companies, whether they are US or other nationalities, look at the investment climate when they are thinking about investing somewhere and obviously, corruption plays into that evaluation and assessment. So certainly corruption is never a good thing and we encourage all governments including India to address it," he said.
Toner said US remains concerned about difficulties caused to civil society organisations, NGOs, by the manner in which the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act has been applied.
"Obviously, more broadly, we support civil society throughout the world and we believe ardently that a vibrant civil society actually strengthens democratic institutions and culture and it certainly gives voice to all or for all to express their views. So we support a strong civil society and certainly non-governmental organisations, NGOs, are part of that process," Toner added.


text:
Corndog Chats
Movie Reviews by Adam Kuhn
Major League: Back to the Minors (1998)
Published March 21, 2016 by Adam Kuhn in 1998, Comedy, Sport
Written & Directed by John Warren
After Major League II, I must admit to being a bit skeptical of another in the series, especially after the drop in quality seen from the Bad News Bears trilogy, but after watching Major League: Back to the Minors, I am glad I did, not because it is a great movie. It's not. But I'm glad I did because it feels like a natural extension of the previous two films, while remaining completely separate and doing its own thing, which I can appreciate. Written and directed by John Warren with no involvement from series creator David S. Ward, Back to the Minors merely takes place in the same universe as the previous two films, and never makes an attempt to be more of the same, or even build on the stories told in those films. It stands on its own in many ways, though fans of the series will certainly find worthy connections and references as well.
The formula remains somewhat the same, as the film opens on the aged veteran trying to have one last hurrah in baseball, albeit in the minor leagues. Gus Cantrell (Scott Bakula) uses dirty tricks to get people out as a pitcher, but when an old friend (Corbin Bernsen) approaches him to manage a minor league team in South Carolina, Gus is skeptical. After the encouragement of his girlfriend, Gus accepts the position only to find a rag tag team of guys who can hardly be called ball players. But when a cocky star player (Walton Goggins) and a few familiar faces (Dennis Haysbert, Takaaki Ishibashi) turn up, the eclectic team beings winning, prompting Cantrell to challenge the Major League team and it's arrogant, belittling manager (Ted McGinley) to a "friendly" exhibition game.
This movie is as juvenile as it sounds to be completely honest, but there is charm to it for those familiar with the juvenile films that came before it. It certainly feels less polished than the previous entries, but its no less charming for its attempt at humor and building a story around a strange group of guys, each with their own unique personality, even if each character is a character as opposed to a real person, and their quirky traits are sometimes too far gone to even be worth comedic relief. Much of the setup of the film actually feels completely forced, and even the reliable Bob Uecker is given fake lines and the unwelcome job of product placement. But when Cerrano and Tanaka enter the scene, things improve quite a bit, as the film begins to feel a little more familiar and it's easier to have fun with these established characters.
Bakula's Cantrell is a welcome inclusion to the cast, however. Cantrell is the type of guy that loves and knows baseball, and with him at the helm, the film is able to focus on the baseball instead of the often forced comedy, and that is where the film gains some traction. Although it is a shame that they had to CGI the ball in many of the scenes, likely to compensate for the actor's lack of baseball ability, the baseball action is some of the most appealing scenes in the film. It builds off the other two films in its ability to get you to like and pull for this rag tag team as they begin to finally win because they play as a team instead of a bunch of individual egos.
I again come back to the word "juvenile" for this film. The characters are often juvenile, especially the Twins manager, Huff. McGinley's performance doesn't feel anything remotely like a major league manager would be like, especially not as cocky as he portrays him with a team who's having a bad season. But the sideshow of it all also somehow suits this sideshow entry into the series, with the sideshow style of the minor leagues. Major League: Back to the Minors isn't as good as the previous entries in the series, but I'm not sure it's supposed to be. It's good, dumb fun and not good movie. There really is nothing wrong with that, especially on a lazy afternoon when no baseball games are on.
**1/2 – Average
Adam Kuhn
Adam Kuhn was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, where he attended Saint Charles Preparatory School. He studied History at the University of Cincinnati, where he was a contributor of The News Record, the twice-weekly, independent student news organization. He has been writing film reviews and blogging since 2009.
Tags: Baseball, Corbin Bernsen, Dennis Haysbert, John Warren, Scott Bakula, Walton Goggins
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buried mirror: latest reflections
mesoamerica and the maya world
Category: highlands
Palo Volante, Chichicastenango
By xensen
In fiestas, highlands
During the fiesta of Santo Tomas (Dec. 21), in Chichicastenango in the Guatemalan highlands, extremely tall pine poles are consecrated and erected in the plaza for the ceremony of the palo volador — the flying pole. Pole dancers climb in pairs to the top via platforms and ropes, and then they spin at the end of the ropes dizzyingly (and dangerously) down in great swooping circles. The ropes are attached to a frame that rotates at the top of the pole.
In the background is the church of Santa Tomas, which was built on top of a pre-Columbian temple. I had assumed that the ceremony's origins lay in the Maya tradition of yaxche, the tree of life but Anthropology of Guatemala connects it to the bird deity, Itzamna:
In the pre-conquest period, the dance was said to be associated with the bird deity, Itzamna, and the recreation or regeneration of the world. A flute player stood on the top of the pole and played flute music that imitated the sound of birds singing. The "flying bird men' represented the four directions. And spinning around the pole represented the regeneration of the world.
After the arrival of Christianity, the interpretation of the dance was altered. The 'flying bird men' were replaced by Angels. And their spinning descent to the ground represented the descent of the Angels into the Underworld to do battle with the forces of darkness
Santo Tomas is Chichi's patron saint, and with Christmas approaching this festival is one of the years biggest events, perhaps equaled only by the semana santa festivites in La Antigua. The festival attracts a very large crowd from all over the highlands. The rowdy, noisy, alcohol-fueled ceremony extends for several days around the saint's official days. That day is marked by colorful processions, which include the baile de la conquista, the dance of the conquest, in which masked dancers portray the Spanish conquistados. It is the best market day of the year in Chichi, which is the prime highlands market town.
I took this photo in 1975.
In highlands
Photo Wednesday: Furniture delivery
This photo of a furniture deliveryman on the streets of Antigua, Guatemala, comes from Michael R. Swigart's photostream.
Photo Wednesday: Agua Volcano, Antigua, Guatemala
In highlands, photography
This view of Agua Volcano from somewhere near the Parqueo Central in Antigua, Guatemala, is from hexod.us' photostream.
Photo quiz, part 3
In highlands, history
Here's another image by our mystery photographer (see also the past two days' posts). What's going on here? (Hint: the picture documents a subject for which the photographer is well known.) Who is he? What is the approximate date of the photo?
Photo quiz, continued
Come, come, I know I have some readers. Surely someone can guess the famous photographer of yesterday's image. Okay, maybe this will help. Here's another photo by the same lensman. Who is it? What is it? When was it? Someone has to know the answer!
Photo quiz
Here's an image from Guatemala. Can anyone guess the subject, photographer, or approximate date the picture was taken?
113 images of Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala
112 more like this at En Antigua.
via el Blogador
Guatemalan worry dolls
In crafts, highlands
Worry people are small, rather crude (but charming) dolls, usually sold in batches of several in a bag or box. As far as I know they are particular to the Maya of highland Guatemala. Children put them under their pillows at night as a sleep aid.
Tradition — or the vendors of the dolls — has it that one confesses one's worry to the doll before putting it under the pillow. Then by morning the worry people will have taken that worry away.
The image is from dickuhne's photostream.
Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala
Two videos via Carpe Diem, the blog of Luis Figueroa.
Chichicastenango market, from gepiblu's photostream.
Antigua through the back door
Paramañana paints one of the more recognizable portraits of La Antigua, Guatemala, that I have seen in a while (of course, the best portraits are from steady bloggers like Rudy Giron, El Blogador, and Luis Figueroa).
After a little getting used to, you don't really notice the no tap water or no electricity situation any more. After all, there are more important things to think about.
The photo is from Café No Sé.
Antigua elves bring seasons tidings
San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Guatemala
This photo was taken a long time ago in Aguas Calientes, near La Antigua, Guatemala. The town is known for its beautiful textiles. Back in the day it was a quiet and tranquil place. I wonder if it has changed much.
Fuego volcano eruption
Fuego volcano, near Antigua, Guatemal, erupted in November. Inner Diablog posted a photo by Aldo Bonilla, or you can follow some of these google image results (click screenshot).
Sites we like: La Antigua Daily Photo
In architecture, art, food, highlands, towns
You can hardly go wrong with Antigua, but Rudy Girón goes the extra mile. Every day he posts a new photo from the city, along with some pretty interesting commentary. Some of his favorite topics are food, architecture, and signage, but really nothing is out of bounds. Well worth checking out (click iamge below).
The ruins of Santa Teresa, La Antigua, Guatemala
In archaeology, highlands
In 1677 three nuns arrived in Antigua from Peru. They had been sent to establish a Carmelite convent in the then Guatemalan capital. A few years later, building began on the church of Santa Teresa, where the foreign nuns and their new local sisters would be based; construction was completed in 1687. Unfortunately, thirty years later a major earthquake damaged the church. The nuns were terrified, and thereafter lived in thatched huts in the convent garden.
But that would not be the last earthquake to damage the building. Another hit in 1751. Then, in 1773, a catastrophic earthquake caused the building's total destruction. These are the ruins that are visible today (which is remarkable, since most damaged buildings in Antigua are quickly rebuilt). Although the facade may appear fairly intact from the street view, the interior is in total ruins, and cluttered with rubble to this day.
The convent itself — which had been abandoned by the nuns in favor of the garden huts — actually faired considerably better than the church. It was used as a men's prison well into the twentieth century
Mudejar architecture in La Antigua, Guatemala
In architecture, highlands
Antigua's distinctive architecture is not all in a single style, yet a certain spirit seems somehow common to each of the examples. Elaborate facades such as that of La Merced (shown) have been called churrigueresque (a term indicating elaborate symmetrical ornamentation). Other writers have called Antigua's architecture hispano-indigena. But S.D. Markman, in his excellent Colonial Architecture of Antigua Guatemala considers Antigua's architecture to be in essence mudejar.
The term mudejar is applied to Moors who remained in Spain after the Christian reconquest. It is a corruption of the Arabic word mudajjan, meaning "domesticated." In book arts, a mudejar binding is one decorated with intricate interlaced designs, and in architecture it refers to a late medieval and early Renaissance Spanish style influenced by Moorish tastes. The mudejar architectural style, in essence, involves the use of simple materials such as brick, tile, plaster, metals, and wood, which are then elaborately worked. For the Spanish workers who developed the style, labor and creativity were more obtainable than were fine, expensive materials.
According to Markman, the Spanish examples closest to the Antigua style are found in the provinces of Seville, Huelva, Cadiz, and Malaga (which collectively were called the Reino de Sevilla). "But this comparable stylistic mood is not to be found in the monumental churches of the capital cities of this part of Spain, rather in the small towns of the countryside." The image at right is the Carduja Monastery in Cadiz, Spain (the image is from somewhere on the web, but I have lost the address).
The mudejar style was exported to the new world as a craft tradition, which underlay all of the iterations and evolutions of the architecture of the often-rebuilt city (most of its architectural landmarks contain elements from a variety of different periods). "The mudejar is the one Iberian style which predominates and underlies all the other recognizable styles from which the Antigua style is derived," says Markman. It is "the basic core on which the other imported Iberian styles appear as an accretion. In this respect, the architectural tradition of Antigua is but an extension of that of the Reino de Sevilla where the mudejar style is not confined to a single stylistic period, but one which lies submerged in the nonindigenous styles such as the Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque. The same process of assimilation and acculturation of architectural styles seems to have taken place in Antigua.
In future posts we will have an opportunity to look in more detail at some of the elements that characterize the mudejar-influenced Antiguan style in architecture.
Easter carpets in Antigua
In fiestas, food, highlands
One of the great festivals in Guatemala is Semana Santa in Antigua. On Easter celebrants bear heavy floats depicting images from the passion of Christ; the floats, some requiring dozens of carriers, may weigh thousands of pounds.
Elaborate carpets — alfombras — of pine needles, corn kernels, flowers, and sawdust are created on the cobbled streets. These beautiful artworks will soften the treads of the bearers of the heavy statuary as they make their way across the hard, uneven cobbles. And they will be destroyed by them.
These photos were taken many years ago. The corn in this alfombra detail is interesting. The figure appears to be presenting the corn as a form of offering. The corn seems to emerge from a cooking vessel.
Maize has been the main crop of Mesoamerica since time immemorial. One of the chief deities of the classic Maya was the corn god, who is associated with death and rebirth. He descends to the underworld and reemerges in youthful guise much like a young shoot breaking through the surface of the earth at the beginning of the growing season. So it is natural that he would become associated with Easter, a springtime festival that is also associated with death and rebirth.
The fountain at La Merced, Antigua, Guatemala
In architecture, highlands, history
The church of La Merced is one of the most distinctive in Antigua. Its history is strongly marked by earthquakes. Originally built in the mid-sixteenth century, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times until assuming more or less its present shape in the eighteenth century. Perhaps its most striking feature, its churrigueresque facade, was added in the nineteenth century.
But this post is not about the church — I will save that for another time. This is about the fountain in the adjacent courtyard. Called the Fuente de Pescados, it dates from the eighteenth century; it was restored in 1944. Twenty-seven meters in diameter, it's said to be the largest classical fountain in Guatemala, or in Central America, or in Latin America — it doesn't really matter.
The fountain is in the shape of a water lily. Water lilies are more common in the lowlands, in which bodies of water tend to be still or slow-moving, than in the highlands. In Maya symbology, the water lily, perhaps as a result of the way it seems to emerge out of the watery depths, is associated with creation. A Lancandon legend says that the first god created a water lily, from which all the other gods emerged (Miller and Taube, The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya).
I took the picture at the top of this post some three decades ago. Compare it to the following one, which I took about five years ago. Here you can see that the surrounding arcades have been completely restored. The stucco-like surface has been replaced with brick. It's not an unpleasant change, and now one can walk all the way around the courtyard, looking down on the fountain from many angles.
Still, the romantic quality of the ruins in the first photo brings a wave of nostalgia. I feel fortunate to have been among the last to see the fountain in this form. I don't know when this latest restoration occurred, but I suspect it followed the massive earthquake that struck the highlands just a few months after the first picture was taken. Nothing is permanent in Mesoamerica, where Christian churches are built on the foundations of ancient temples, and the earth itself rearranges the surface of things at frequent intervals.
Casita in Mixco, Guatemala
In highlands, history, urbanization
Many years ago we lived in this little house in Mixco, on the outskirts of Guatemala City. The house was near the police checkpoint at the edge of town, where the road to Antigua (as I recollect you got there along Avenida Roosevelt) began to leave the broad Guate valley and wind up the bucolic hills toward the old capital. The area was largely rural — we would watch lizards sunning themselves on the fence outside our kitchen window; on the other side of the fence cattle grazed. Down a dirt road was a little cantina.
Today there is a broad freeway to Antigua. It bypasses this area, which has all been swallowed up by the grim urban sprawl that characterizes the city today.
Flying giant kites on Nov. 1 is a tradition in Santiago Sacatepequez, Guatemala.
Deadly elections in Guatemala
In highlands, politics
This year's presidential elections are the deadliest since the 1980s. Frontrunner Alvaro Colom has called his chief opponent, Otto Perez Molina, an idiot. Perez Molina has called Colom a thief. Meanwhile, "the electorate is tremendously skeptical." And people keep dying.
Francisco Goldman is releasing a book that implicates general Perez Molina in the murder of Bishop Juan Jose Gerard, a human rights activist.
Inner Diablog
Zacatenango
In highlands, music
Thanks to Rudy of La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo for pointing out "Zacatenango" by Francis Dávila, part of a compilation of electronic music from Guatemala. The compilation can be downloaded here.
The image was taken in Antigua in December 2001.
Here's "Zacatenango":
Antigua Door Knockers
In architecture, art, highlands
Tigre fe54 has a nice set of door knocker photos from Antigua, Guatemala, at his flickr site. Clickable thumbnails appear below, via the Crossroads plugin.
Alto in Antigua
Rudy Giron at Antigua Daily Photo posted the photo above of a wall in Antigua. He makes the point that "the flavor in life is found in the little details." The stop (alto) signs in Antigua are made of ceramic tiles in metal frames.
Below is a photo I took in Antigua near the church of La Merced.
Bagel Barn in Antigua
In highlands, restaurants
At Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo, Rudy Giron has posted about the Bagel Barn, which offers coffee, bagels, and free WiFi.
How times have changed. When I was teaching in Guate — there was no internet, so don't even think about WiFi — we once got so desperate for bagels (nowhere to be found in the entire country) that we tried cooking our own. As I recall you have to drop the dough into boiling water. My colleague Marvin Schwartz pronounced the result decent. "But," he concluded, "they aren't bagels."
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Some rights reserved 2020 buried mirror: latest reflections. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons (attribution, noncommercial, no derivs: 3.0) License (US), although some of the work this blog incorporates may be separately licensed. Text and images by Thomas Christensen unless otherwise noted. For print permissions or other inquiries please request via rightreading.com/contact.htm.


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text:
Spotted: Invadable Harmony – Elvenking's Halls
Today I'm introducing you to Invadable Harmony. I don't really know who this person in since Invadable Harmony (IH) don't want to reveal it's identity. Very mysterious. IH is however a composer from Morocco.
The song Elvenking's halls is released as a single, but might be included on an album in the future. The single was released in April of 2019.
Tell us something about your track Elvenkin's halls!
This fantasy medieval piece is inspired by Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. The title of this piece refers to the halls of the elvenking "Thranduil". These stunning halls were just inside a cave system in northern Mirkwood, in which King Thranduil and many of the Elves of Mirkwood lived during most of the Third Age and into the Fourth Age. The great cave had many passages and wide halls and was more wholesome than the goblin tunnels in the Misty Mountains. While most of the Elves lived in the woods the king's halls served as his palace and treasure vault, and was also a fortress for the Elves in times of danger.
Thank you for sharing this with us!
For more information, please check out any of these following links:
Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Spotify
Spotted: Voga – Matted
Spotted: Kevin Stahl – Everlasting peace


text:
Onderstaande tabel geeft een overzicht van de beschermde erfgoederen in de gemeente Thuin. Het beschermd erfgoed maakt deel uit van het cultureel erfgoed in België.

Beschermd erfgoed

|}

Uitzonderlijk erfgoed

|}

Zie ook
 Lijst van beschermd erfgoed in Henegouwen

Thuin


text:
We are a global collaborative energy program fostering research on energy access in low and middle-income countries...
What is SETI?
The Sustainable Energy Transitions Initiative (SETI) is an interdisciplinary global collaborative that aims to foster research on energy access and energy transitions in low and middle-income countries, and to better understand their impacts on health, social outcomes, economic growth, climate change and natural resources. The global network was developed by the Environment for Development program and the Duke University Energy & Health Initiative. Since 2015, the network has expanded to include over 150 researchers, policymakers, and practitioners working in the field of energy from over 35 countries. Our admin is currently housed at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, where it is led by Professors Subhrendu Pattanayak and Marc Jeuland. SETI's research addresses the most pressing energy challenges faced by low and middle-income countries, from clean cooking in Senegal to micro-hydro power in Nepal to coal divestment in Chile, to name a few.
Key research themes include:
Lack of access to electricity and other modern fuels;
Drivers of energy transitions in low- and middle-income contexts, including lessons learned from past experiences;
Impacts of energy transition on health, labor, forests, regional air quality, and global climate;
Gaps in the relevant research, including the growing importance of renewable energy technologies;
How future research efforts may be coordinated in ways that are policy-relevant.
Updated: 2 May 2020


London based Hawaiian, Leila Peterson came across our sights via Instagram sometime ago and ever since it has been a daily struggle to pull her light-filled imagery feed from our palms. This photographer has a subtle penchant for simplistic beauty, while her knack with the camera draws you in to small square-sized snaps of serenity and style. Leaving us to momentarily drift away into her humble abode or snow capped mountain tops of Switzerland.
We discovered just what it is that intrigues Leila, compelling her to capture elements of both life and the land that surrounds her.
What drew you to learn the art of photography?
I started taking photos at a young age, shooting mostly with a Polaroid SX-70 and various point and shoot cameras I'd found at flea markets. My parents would document everything my sister and I would do, from family vacations to school talent shows. After a while, I started doing the same. I'm very drawn to the feeling of looking back on my life through a series of frozen frames and cataloging it all. I don't want to forget anything.
How would you describe your style through the lens?
For a long time, I never really felt as though I had a particular style; I just shot what intrigued me. As I got older, I noticed there were a lot of recurring elements in my photos. Bright light, pastel colors, white space, and singular objects. I think my style is simple – I like focusing on the simplicity of life and capturing ordinary objects and scenes that stir up some kind of emotion in me.
What captivates you most by landscape and travel imagery?
How unpredictable it all is. I'm always faced with situations I never saw coming when I'm on the road, but go with it anyway. I've realised there's only so much you can plan — the rest will find you if you're open to experiencing it. Being completely pushed out of your comfort zone is terrifying for someone like myself, but it is also what makes the journey that much more exciting. I love seeing travel photography that captures a genuine story in a series of images. It's also something I try to work towards when I travel for work or a project.
Who or where do you seek inspiration from?
Everything. Colours, light, nature, music, love, people. I try not to look at other photographers work too much, but do enjoy the work of Vivian Maier. There is something really beautiful, and tragic about her work, and life. Something raw, and real, and not for exploitation.
What is your favourite thing about your home and interior?
How bright and airy it is. The space is full of windows and sharp angles, because we're living in a converted attic space. I love the little details, and how the over-abundance of white can transform the darkest winter day into something so lovely and relaxing.
What projects are you currently working on or have planned?
Exploring and photographing more of England, hopefully. I've been doing a lot of travelling in the past two years since moving to London, and I haven't really had the chance to see other parts of the UK. Over the weekend, I visited East Sussex and shot photos of the ocean from up on the cliffs. I'm hoping to shoot a lot more near the seaside in the coming year.


I wonder if you consider integrating Tab Mix Plus into Tree Style Tabs? Not all of Tab Mix Plus but just the opening/closing/focus behavior (under "events" options of Tab Mix Plus)?
There is a lot of interaction between Tree Style Tabs and Tab Mix Plus. Some things don't work correct because Tab Mix Plus is very slow to update. For example, "duplicate tab" used to work in firefox 3.0, but in 3.5 it doesn't work right and Tab Mix Plus had not fixed it (the error is that the duplicate tab gets stuck in middle of tree).
Also Tab Mix Plus doesn't have enough options to give good control over Tree Style Tabs. So maybe it's better if Tree Style Tabs has own options.
Thank you for interesting idea. To be honest, I received some similar suggestions about tab focus of Tree Style Tab. However, I couldn't agree them because I hope to keep Tree Style Tab as simple as possible.
There are three reasons why I implemented only minimal options about tab focus.
"Focus last selected" behavior is available with other existing addons.
"Focus to upper (left) tab" hebavior was made obsolete by an old bugfix of Mozilla.
Options dialog will become too complex.
2) For other cases, I don't agree to add "focus to upper (left) tab" option, because it was the default behavior of old Mozilla and it was "fixed" by usability reason. See bug 123563.
Anyway, this is only my policy, not the best answer. If people really want options for the feature, I hope that TST is extended by other developers like Tab Mix Plus born from Tab Mix.
I noticed that you have added support for dummy tabs to group tabs when opening multiple links from the bookmarks menu. This is very close to a feature that I've wanted since I began using this extension a few months ago: to have general dummy tabs available so that I can create and name a dummy tab from the tab bar context menu.
On Tree Style Tab 0.7.2009071001, I made dummy tabs customizable. To change the name of an existing dummy tab, switch to the tab and click the label in the content area (or double-click on any position in the content area). It possibly helps you that you create a bookmark for "about:treestyletab-group?(new group)" and put it in the bookmark toolbar.
I can't tune firefox for force opening links from bookmarks with left-click always in new tab. Tab Mix Plus have this option in Settings, but your extension didn't have. Can I tune your extension to enable opening new tab from bookmarks via left-click?
Sorry, I have no plan to add features not related to "tree" to Tree Style Tab... Instead, it is designed to work with other tiny addons together, so I hope you use TST with other addons.
BTW, Open Bookmark in New Tab does it.
The minor bug is the changing of the background color of the tree bar. In the screen shot included you can see that it is light grey. But when I change focus to Firefox the tab becomes dark grey and all the tabs darken too.
Do you talk about the changing of tab colors caused by focusing/unfocusing of Firefox window? Then, it is not a bug, but a design. The "Metal" theme (one of built-in theme of TST) is designed for Mac OS X. In the platform, any window which have no focus is shown with paled colors.


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Coronavirus - Kenya: COVID-19 update (17 January 2021)
Coronavirus - Malawi: COVID-19 update (17 January 2021)
US charges ex-Jammeh bodyguard over torture of 2006 coup plotters
A Gambian man has been indicted in Colorado on federal charges that he tortured planners of a failed 2006 presidential coup when he was a member of a special armed unit that reported directly to the dictator of the African nation, prosecutors said Thursday.
Michael Sang Correa, 41, was charged under a U.S. law that's been used only twice before allowing non-citizens who are suspected of committing torture in other countries to be prosecuted, U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn of Colorado said.
"Michael Correa allegedly committed heinous acts of violence against victim after victim in a brutal effort to coerce confessions," said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski.
Correa made an initial court appearance on seven criminal charges: one count of conspiracy to commit torture and six counts of inflicting torture on specific individuals.
Correa had been living in Denver and working as a day laborer since sometime after 2016, prosecutors said. He has been held in an immigration detention facility outside Denver since last year.
He was represented at his initial hearing by an attorney with the federal public defender's office, which does not comment on cases. An email request for comment sent to the Gambian embassy after hours was not immediately returned.
Prosecutors allege Correa was a member of an armed unit that physically and mentally tortured people who were suspected of plotting a failed coup against former president Yahya Jammeh. Correa is accused of being part of that conspiracy and torturing six people.
Correa and his alleged co-conspirators allegedly beat the detainees using their feet, pipes and wires, sometimes covering their heads with plastic bags, and also administering electric shocks to their bodies, including their genitals.
Correa's unit, known as the Junglers, was made up of people who had been chosen from the Gambian armed forces, but reported directly to Jammeh and operated outside of the military's chain of command.
Jammeh was a 22-year dictator of The Gambia, a country surrounded by Senegal except for a small Atlantic coastline, and was accused of ordering opponents tortured, jailed and killed. He lost a presidential election and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea in 2017 after initially refusing to step down.
Correa came to the United States to serve as a bodyguard for Jammeh in December 2016 but remained in the U.S. after Jammeh was ousted and overstayed his visa, Dunn said.
AFCON 2021: Gambia fined for letting Gabonese team sleep on airport floor
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Gambian ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda Sanctioned by the USA
Sudanese denounce operations of paramilitary unit after killing of a man
Uganda vote will go ahead with or without observers, says commission
United States signs $1.2bn loan deal with Sudan
Julian Assange: British judge rules Wikileaks founder should not be extradited to the US


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BLM supporter who mowed down, killed Christmas parade watchers found guilty of multiple murders
Thursday, October 27, 2022 by: JD Heyes
Tags: blm supporter, cancel culture, Christmas parade, conviction, Crybullies, Darrell Brooks, domestic terrorism, Extreme, hate, intolerance, left cult, Libtard, murders, political violence, violence, Waukesha
(Natural News) An avowed Black Lives Matter supporter who slammed into mostly white attendees at a Waukesha, Wis., Christmas parade last year has learned his fate.
A jury announced on Wednesday that members voted to convict Darrell Brooks on six counts of vehicular homicide and other charges, including the death of an eight-year-old boy named Jackson Parks.
A Catholic priest and "multiple parishioners and Waukesha Catholic school children," were among the 60 other people who were injured, according to LifeSite News, which added:
The Black Lives Matter supporter and repeat offender represented himself at trial and frequently displayed erratic behavior, including regular outbursts. He also repeatedly said he did not "consent" to being called Darrell Brooks, but instead tried to claim he was the "state of Wisconsin." He accused the judge of not having a license to practice law and of violating her oath of law, often interspersing seemingly random legal terms as if they represented a valid motion in court.
Brooks was out on just a $1,000 bail prior to the murders, thanks to left-wing Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm's office. One of the charges against Brooks at the time was attempting to run a woman over with his car.
"Earlier [in November 2021], he confronted a woman outside a motel. He knocked her phone out of her hand and drove off," as noted by NPR. "He then returned, punch her in the face, and ran her over with his vehicle. The report notes that the woman had tire marks on her pants in addition to other injuries from the incident."
Never forget what this monster did pic.twitter.com/xEzhjsAPR1
— Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) October 26, 2022
Local reports noted that Brooks now faces life in prison for each count of murder, meaning Wisconsin taxpayers including his victims who survived will now have to pay for his incarceration and care for decades.
"Burn in hell you piece of s***" is yelled at #DarrellBrooks from the gallery. Person is removed. #WaukeshaParade pic.twitter.com/SXYzdzxw3V
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 26, 2022
The convictions came after a final emotional argument by Brooks, who appeared to suggest that his vehicle was malfunctioning.
"What if the vehicle couldn't stop because of malfunction? What if the driver of the vehicle was unable to stop the vehicle? Because of that fact, what if the driver may have panicked? Does that make the driver in a rage and intent on killing people?" he said.
"I've never heard of someone trying to intentionally hurt someone while attempting to blow their horn while attempting to alert people of their presence," he added.
Meanwhile, as CNN reported:
Waukesha County District Attorney Susan Opper rebutted Brooks' claims, saying he wants jurors to care about his family when other families in this tragedy will never be able to see their loved ones again.
"There are 68 victims in this case, folks. That's not an accident," Opper said.
Despite Brooks' claims of him not intentionally striking people with an SUV, Opper repeatedly told the jury there is overwhelming evidence showing Brooks was fully aware of his actions when he drove his SUV through a crowd of hundreds of people.
"He reached speeds of approximately 30 mph. That's intentional. He plowed through 68 different people, 68. How can you hit one and keep going? How can you hit two and keep going?" Opper asked.
"You must not, not, not consider anything about Darrell Brooks other than his conduct in downtown Waukesha on the evening of November 21, 2021," Opper told the jury. "Nothing he's done before that, nothing he's done since that. When you go back to that deliberation room, please obey Judge Dorow. Confine your comments to his conduct on November 21."
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BLM supporter who mowed down, killed Christmas parade watchers found guilty of multiple murders


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As much as I love Jessica Alba, I always felt the old Fantastic Four movie lacked something. For a good portion of the movies, I really expected the two who were supposed to be brother and sister to start making out at any time, which kind of ruined any enjoyment I had for the film.
I am quite intrigued about the new reboot of the story, which looks like it will be darker and grittier, which I typically like in my superhero movies.
One big change I noticed was how much more thing-like the Thing is. He really does look like a big pile of rocks. Honestly, he definitely got the short end of the stick in the mutation department.
The Thing is the perfect choice for this edition of Cosplay Casual, because few people have time or money to make a life-like costume, but that doesn't mean you can't dress up like the most fantastic of the Fantastic 4 using items readily available at any store (my go-to shop for casual cosplay is Amazon. You can find anything there).
Of note, this rendition of the Thing is mainly brown, as opposed to the largely orange color of the previous movies and in the comics. He also looks grumpy all the time, so to complete the look, you should also adopt a grim expression or growl at people who greet you before you've had your coffee.
For men or women, girls or boys, the elements of the costume are simple. Go for brownish, lumpy textures with a lot of layers. Since you don't have rocky feet, add some tough boots. Add or subtract layers as weather dictates. Clearly, the Thing is grumpy all the time because he is always HOT under all that rockiness.
Use a number 4 emblem to solidify who you are to all the world. I particularly like these number 4 earrings I found.
Remember, Halloween is just around the corner, so start thinking now about what you want to be! This Thing costume would be perfect for a costume you can wear to work or go trick or treating in without being too bulky to carry candy around.
Who is your favorite Fantastic Four characters? And how would you dress like them?


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Worldview: Program still fails Iraqis, Afghans who aid U.S.
Posted: October 6, 2013 - 3:01 AM
Trudy Rubin, Inquirer Columnist
Early last week, with Congress in disarray over the government shutdown, something astonishing happened.
Despite the paralyzing gridlock, one bill was passed by unanimous consent in both House and Senate. Its purpose: to extend by 90 days a special visa program for Iraqis and Afghans who worked for U.S. soldiers and civilians, and who now face death threats for their past ties to Americans.
The program expired Monday.
But here's the shameful news. The SIV program is still failing thousands of those Iraqis and Afghans. Established by Congress in 2008, it was supposed to provide 25,000 visas a year over a five-year period for Iraqis. Yet only around 5,000 visas have been issued. (Only about 500 Afghans have been admitted under a separate quota.)
The bureaucratic hoops they must jump through seem designed not to save them but to keep them out.
"We thought that 25,000 [visas] would be used up in the first year," says Kirk Johnson, founder of the List Project to Resettle Iraqi Allies, which has enlisted law firms around the country in pro bono efforts that have helped 1,500 Iraqis gain visas. "But the process still takes years to navigate," Johnson told me. Many applicants, often living in hiding under death threats, wait from two to four years for an answer, or never get any reply.
"We are still reauthorizing a program that doesn't work," Johnson says. This authentic patriot has written a must-read memoir about his fight to save Iraqis who helped Americans. Its title is both apt and deeply disturbing - To Be a Friend Is Fatal: The Fight to Save the Iraqis America Left Behind. The title comes from a quote by Henry Kissinger, who once said: "To be an enemy to the U.S. is a problem, but to be a friend is sometimes fatal." Too true.
From the start, the SIV program has been mired in opaque and unresponsive Washington bureaucracy. Iraqis must submit and resubmit massive amounts of paperwork to the State Department, often traveling to the embassy in great danger. Multiple and overlapping security checks by the Department of Homeland Security can continue for years, and often get hung up over the translation of names. These procedures are supposedly necessary because some of these Iraqis might be terrorists, yet most have been repeatedly vetted by American bosses. Awards and commendations by U.S. superiors are also often ignored.
Here's one example from Johnson's book that parallels many stories I've been told while writing columns about the SIV program. Omar, a forklift driver for the Army on Forward Operating Base Warrior, applied for a special visa in June 2011; he was receiving death threats from an al-Qaeda affiliate militia that accused him of being an American spy.
For six months, the State Department kept demanding that he put them in touch with a "different" American supervisor. Though several of his former U.S. bosses sent letters that were acknowledged by the State Department, he kept receiving requests for "different contact info" and was urged to have "patience."
On June 22, 2012, 338 days after submitting his first request, Omar was killed; both his brother and widow were warned that they would be next. Omar's brother has yet to receive a visa. When his widow urgently requested entry, she was asked - again - to submit more verification of Omar's employment. She finally got a visa in July 2013 - a year after her husband's death - but only after NPR did a feature on Omar.
Lawyers who help Iraqis with SIV applications assure me that similar horror stories are going on now.
Why have we failed Iraqis and Afghans who were loyal? In part, the answer is politics. The Bush administration delayed the program and downplayed it; it didn't fit the 2008 mantra that the war had finally been "won."
Barack Obama, in a 2007 campaign speech, claimed, "We must . . . keep faith with Iraqis who kept faith with us . . . the interpreters, embassy workers, and subcontractors [who] are being targeted for assassination." But as president, he has never matched this rhetoric with action on SIVs.
While some of Obama's appointees tried in 2011 to improve the visa flow - which increased somewhat in 2012 - it has slowed again to a trickle. So long as the president remains aloof from this issue, it will not be resolved.
Johnson's book offers a historic precedent for how this could be done. After initially abandoning South Vietnamese who had worked for Americans, President Gerald R. Ford declared in May 1975 that America bore a responsibility to help them; more than 130,000 were airlifted to Guam, processed there, and flown to the United States. The backlog in Iraq and Afghanistan is only a small fraction of that.
When I asked Johnson why he wrote his memoir, he replied: "This book is a desperate attempt to remind people what we were capable of before we freaked out over 9/11. We once helped people who helped us."
In other words, the future of the SIV program is a test case of whether we are still capable of showing loyalty to our friends.
E-mail Trudy Rubin at trubin@phillynews.com.
Biden says 'it will take months' to turn pandemic around; new Pa. cases down, but deaths remain high; Philly launches vaccine registration site
Rob Tornoe and Marie McCullough
Pete Buttigieg, Biden's transportation secretary pick, touts big agenda in confirmation hearing
Hope Yen and Tom Krisher, Associated Press
Nancy Pelosi vows to move quickly on Donald Trump impeachment trial over Capitol riots, says it 'must' happen
Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press
The Harrisburg woman accused of stealing Nancy Pelosi's laptop blames her ex-boyfriend for 'overstated' accusations
Jeremy Roebuck
Self-described Haddonfield sex and 'relationship strategist' charged in Capitol riot
Jeremy Roebuck and Anna Orso
Dr. Anthony Fauci pledges U.S. COVID-19 support in re-engagement with World Health Organization
Jamey Keaten, Associated Press


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