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For VWM patients
Register as Vanishing White Matter Patient
The Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center has developed an online global registry for patients with Vanishing White Matter (VWM). The purpose of the registry is to gain as much insight as possible into the course of the disease, both in terms of clinical features, disease burden and MRI. This database plays an important role in developing treatment strategies and making decisions about therapeutic trials. When research studies or clinical trials are initiated, the registry provides rapid information and access to eligible candidates. Therefore, it is helpful that as many patients as possible are part of the registry.
Who can participate in the registry?
Patients of all ages with genetically proven Vanishing White Matter, from all over the world.
What does participation in the register mean?
When a patient signs up for the Registry, we first ask to sign informed consent. Informed consent gives us permission to collect information about you/your child. We then collect information about the clinical situation, MRI (s), and genetic test results by asking you for records and information. In addition, we send an email to provide access to an online registry, where questionnaires and score forms are available for you to complete.
Over time, we may send additional emails to invite you to share additional information via questionnaires. The frequency of the invitations to fill in the regular questionnaires and score forms depends on the age and are: 4 times a year (age 0-4 years), 2 times a year (4-8 years), or once a year (8 years and older). We send a maximum of 3 questionnaires and 3 score forms per invitation, which take a total of 30 minutes.
Participation in additional studies can be executed through the registry, such as a study on the burden of the disease on patients, parents, siblings and partners.
Once registered, you are free to participate or not in any study executed through the registry. No additional hospital visits are required. When an MRI is obtained for clinical purposes, we appreciate a copy.
Register via e-mail
You can register for the online registration by e-mail. Upon receipt of your message, we will send you more detailed information about the Registry so that you can decide to participate in the Registry. We will provide consent forms to be signed and returned to us.
The Vanishing White Matter consortium consists of 9 (pediatric) neurologists from 8 academic medical centers worldwide, all involved in leukodystrophy patient care and research. The consortium started in 2019 to work on the overarching mission: enabling and accelerating therapeutics for Vanishing White Matter, accessible and affordable for all patients. To help us achieve our mission we interact with various partners, including patient / family / caregiver foundations, (medical) specialists, academic institutes, and biotech and pharma companies.
VWM patient registry
The Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center has developed an online global registry for patients with Vanishing White Matter (VWM). The purpose of the registry is to gain as much insight as possible into the course of the disease, both in terms of clinical features and MRI. This database will play an important role in developing treatment strategies and making decisions about therapeutic trials. Information is needed about as many patients as possible.
Amsterdam UMC • Disclaimer • Privacy Policy
Website: Stoere Binken


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WIN 4 Prizes for International Women's Day
WIN 4 Prizes for International Women's Day }
WIN* Interflora Bouquet of flowers, Rosé and chocolate gift set, Biscuiteer 'Votes For Women' biscuit, and a copy of Jean Francois Bouzanquet Fast Ladies book.
You can enter in the following ways:
Facebook - SHARE and TAG a woman that inspires you
Twitter - RETWEET and MENTION a woman that inspires you
Instagram - LIKE and TAG a woman that inspires you
*Terms and Conditions:
1. Entrants must enter via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram by following the instructions mentioned above.
2. One winner will receive Interflora Bouquet of flowers, Rosé and chocolate gift set, Biscuiteer 'Votes For Women' biscuit, and a copy of Jean Francois Bouzanquet Fast Ladies book.
3. One entries per person.
4. The winning entry will be selected at random by at least one independent supervisor.
5. The draw will take place at 12:00pm on Thursday 9th March.
6. The winner will be notified no later than 5pm on Thursday 9th March.
7. The winner will need to provide their name and postal address to receive the prizes.
8. No alternative prize offered.
9. Prizes cannot be transferred to another person.
10. The decision of the Promoter is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
11. To the fullest extent permitted by law the Promoter excludes all liability for claims, damages and losses incurred in or connected with use of the prize and the Promoter does not accept liability for entries that are not submitted on time or in full.
12. By entering the draw the winner agrees to the publication of their name and photo by the Promoter for publicity purposes.
13. This promotion is governed in accordance with the law of England & Wales. By taking part in this promotion you are deemed to have accepted and be bound by these terms.
14. The promotion is open to UK residents aged 18 or over excluding employees of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited or employees of any other member of the Towergate Underwriting Group Limited group of companies. Promoter: Footman James, Castlegate House, Castlegate Way, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 4TA.
Footman James is a trading name of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. Registered in England No. 4043759. Registered Address: Towergate House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Mercedes Gullwing Competition. CIHC Women's Day Women's Day

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Wólka Orłowska – wieś w Polsce położona w województwie lubelskim, w powiecie krasnostawskim, w gminie Izbica.

W latach 1975–1998 miejscowość należała administracyjnie do województwa zamojskiego.

Wieś stanowi sołectwo gminy Izbica. Według Narodowego Spisu Powszechnego (III 2011 r.) wieś liczyła 568 mieszkańców.

Części wsi

Szlaki turystyczne
 Szlak Tadeusza Kościuszki

Zobacz też
 Wólka Orłowska (województwo warmińsko-mazurskie)

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne

Wólka Orłowska (województwo lubelskie)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


ATG, found, active decisions, others help net enterprises grow sales, drive customers to Web sites.
The recent holiday season was dismal for most retailers, but online retailers credited the deployment of new information technologies for enabling them to grow sales that far outpaced the overall sector.
Software from Art Technology Group Inc., Found Inc., Active Decisions Inc., Endeca Technologies Inc. and others helped some e-tailers improve sales and conversion rates and lower their shopping cart abandonment rates—and in some cases, drive more customers to retail stores.
In the offline world, same-store retail sales last month were up just 1 percent from the same month the year before, according to the The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. index of same-store sales.
However, Goldman Sachs, in combination with NetRatings Inc.s Nielsen/NetRatings unit and Harris Interactive Inc., reported online retail sales up 24 percent, to $13.7 billion, for the period from Nov. 2 to Dec. 27.
While much of that growth can be attributed to the natural maturing of the e-channel and free shipping promotions, online retailers give some of the credit to new technology.
Athletic footwear and apparel retailer Finish Line Inc. moved its 3-year-old Web site to ATGs Commerce Server 5.5 in mid-November after it had run on Microsoft Corp.s Site Server. The ATG technology gave Finish Lines site the improved stability and performance the company was looking for. It also improved the rate at which the site converted browsers to buyers to the 2 to 3 percent range, which is in line with the industry average and far above the rate in the 2001 holiday season, said Kent Zimmerman, director of e-commerce at Indianapolis-based Finish Line.
"We have the ability to reply to certain trends, which has had a positive effect on our conversion rate," said Zimmerman. "We see how people interact with the site and use that data to make decisions on what to present to the customer."
Finish Lines site also deployed Founds iCaM inventory and order management system to increase the number of products available online this past holiday season, which Zimmerman also credits with increasing the sites conversion rate.
"ATG gave us the ability to integrate easily with the Found system," Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman described Finish Lines online holiday season as "better than average," although he conceded that the site is probably cannibalizing some sales from Finish Lines retail stores; however, he said the company hasnt assessed that yet.
But improved Web sites dont necessarily mean the online channel will simply divert business from other channels. RadioShack Canada, a division of InterTan Canada Ltd., deployed Active Decisions AEP (Active Enterprise Platform) guided selling engine at its Web site, which officials credit with driving more business to its 1,000 retail stores across Canada, since customers can research products online before coming into the store.
The application, branded RadioShack Shopping Assistant, guides customers through comparisons of products and makes recommendations based on criteria that customers select.
The guided selling engine went live at RadioShack.ca Dec. 16. RadioShack Canadas vice president of advertising, Lyndsay Walter, said the company doesnt yet have hard data on how much the software helped improve sales or conversion rates, beyond anecdotal evidence.
"Just looking at the clicks, we know that people are using it; we know they have an interest in it," said Walter, in Barrie, Ontario.
Employees are using Shopping Assistant in the store as well to help customers make the right purchasing decision, Walter said, which helps RadioShack Canada save on training expenses. Walter uses click-stream data on what products customers are looking at on the site to plan advertising campaigns.
"Weve always graded high on providing information that customers can trust," Walter said. "This is a convenient manner for us to fulfill customer needs to learn and know about the products we sell."
Improved search technologies on Web sites also played a factor in driv-ing sales. Christianbook.com, the Web subsidiary of Christian Book Distributors Inc., deployed Endecas InFront in August.
While the site enjoyed a 15 to 20 percent increase in customer volume this holiday season, it credits InFront with helping it decrease its shopping cart abandonment rate by 30 percent: When customers put items in their "book bag" on the site, they were 30 percent more likely to complete the purchase than they were the prior holiday season.
"We allowed folks to find exactly what they were looking for in fewer clicks," said Mark Pepin, IT manager for Web development at Christianbook.com, in Peabody, Mass.


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Making a True Crime Aficionado
Queue explores Netflix's collection of true crime, and what it can teach us.
By Miranda Tsang
2 July 202113 min read
Growing up with the name Miranda, I spent a good portion of introductions being asked whether I knew I was allowed to have an attorney present and, sometimes, by the most annoying people, to recite the Miranda warning aloud. At first, I'd casually respond that I was named after Carmen Miranda and slowly back away, but it was only a matter of time before I became curious about the Miranda rights and wondered why I (or anyone) needed them. I eventually found the answers I needed in true crime shows and documentaries.
I'm now that woman who's watched and rewatched every single episode of all 22 seasons of Law and Order: SVU, a series that bills itself as "ripped from the headlines." It's so familiar that I often fall asleep watching: Stars Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T's voices are my ambient waves crashing on an unseen beach. Perhaps it's the occasional mention of my name that provides me a sense of comfort. Or perhaps, when it comes to true crime, that comfort comes from feeling seen.
My obsession with the genre started with the gigantic box-size TV set in my childhood living room, which I lay in front of every evening while doing homework. Growing up, I'd get home by taking two buses through San Francisco wearing my Catholic school uniform, which, according to what I saw on television, was practically like begging older men to hit on you. Once home, I'd lock the door and get into the serious business of watching sexy hip-hop music videos on the public access station for an hour or so. Then, around 6 o'clock, the news broadcasts would take over with headline reports of women who had something bad happen to them, ostensibly because of some action they forgot to take or the way they acted or dressed. Sometimes, when my mother got home, we'd dive deeper, watching 60 Minutes, 20/20, or America's Most Wanted. It seemed there was no dearth of occasions or methods by which a woman might die.
My immigrant parents reinforced the notion that the decisions we make play a large part in our safety. My father's mantra, which came from growing up in the streets of Ensenada, Mexico and San Francisco's Chinatown, was always, "If you see something bad happening, walk the other way. You don't want to be there when the cops show up." My Filipina mother was (and is) a look-out-for-yourself type who believes that if something bad happens to you, it's your own fault. She recently advised me to stay away from trees, lest one fall on me and leave me disfigured.
More practically, she made me aware of the very real and terrifying potential of kidnapping, rape, and murder as I "galavanted" around town with friends (how a word like "galavant" became a standard part of the Filipino lexicon, I'll never understand). She wasn't wrong, but that danger had a lot to do with the way many men treat women, and a lot less to do with women's dress or actions — I had to learn that through experience.
One day, as I was waiting at a crosswalk on Geary St. (dressed very prudishly), a beat-up four-door pulled up beside me at the stoplight. I noticed that the backseat was filled to the brim with knick-knacks and furniture. The driver, a scruffy older man, rolled down the passenger side window and reached out to me — "Get in the car," he said, touching himself and muttering a few choice phrases about my appearance. "No thanks," I said (in retrospect this was too polite of a response). He opened the door, rolled the car closer to me, and commanded, "Get in now." With that, I took off down the street, looking over my shoulder for blocks.
That wasn't my only brush with lewd men; there was the time I saw a man jerking off in his car outside my high school, and all the times I put up with unwanted sexual phone calls while working at bookstores. Walking home alone at 4 a.m. through the emptied streets of Madrid (clearly a vodka-limón-based decision), I was followed by a car full of dudes hurling pickup lines for blocks. I could also tell you about the weeks where I struggled to leave the house because a rapist was terrorizing my neighborhood.
The thing is: These are everyday experiences for women. These incidents are so commonplace that they're barely memorable to me, but that's just because I've been lucky in my encounters. There are plenty of people for whom that's not the case. That's why many women love true crime; it validates our experience with the world, one that only really gets acknowledged when something extreme or deadly happens. It tells us, yes, this happens, and especially to women. It allows us to explore the world of "what if" responses that might be essential to our survival, show empathy and support for those who've suffered tragedy, or join the cause of freeing an innocent person — or finding a killer — when we often feel powerless to end these crimes.
And although I clearly enjoy the genre, it's not something I come out with often. Admitting you love true crime is, well, embarrassing. Even as I write this essay, I'm cringing — hard. I'll talk you to death about the joys of lowbrow reality television and terrible movies, but I try not to discuss true crime unless pressed. Aficionados have the unfortunate reputation of being rubberneckers, ambulance chasers, morbidly obsessed, and nosy. Some might even say we have no taste, given that most true crime we grew up watching consisted of a handful of repetitive interviews, gross reenactments, and crime-scene footage, properly mocked in Bill Hader's SNL impression of Dateline host Keith Morrison.
Thankfully, it seems as if the golden age of television has finally arrived for today's true-crime content. Granted, a documentary about the tragic death of JonBenét Ramsey seems to come out every year (unsolved, this story continues to fascinate and inspire theories — watch Casting JonBenet for a meta-take on this case). And we'll never ever begin to hear the end of Ted Bundy, a man whose crimes prey on women's deep-seated fears that a quasi-attractive and seemingly-harmless-but-actually-murderous man lurks around every corner, waiting to be invited to our parents' house for dinner.
But there's also a new wave of true crime that aims to tell stories that the news forgets or ignores, stories where the takeaway is often a profound lesson about society's failings rather than a brash rehashing of some salacious case. Whether you're ready to dive in or simply true-crime curious, here are a handful of excellent series and documentaries that do the genre proud.
When it Happens to Someone You Love
Las tres muertes de Marisela Escobedo (The Three Deaths of Marisela Escobedo) takes place in 2008 in the Mexican state of Juárez, where Marisela Escobedo's 16-year-old daughter Rubi disappears and is eventually found burned and dismembered on a hog farm. Her live-in boyfriend confesses to killing her, but a tribunal of judges decides that his confession is coerced and that there's not enough evidence to convict, so they set him free. Marisela and her family take just one day to mourn before they're out on the streets campaigning for justice for Rubi — and symbolically for all the unresolved cases of women killed by their romantic partners. Shining a spotlight on domestic violence, this documentary depicts the many ups and downs of the case and underscores the danger of seeking justice for women in a corrupt system. I was especially moved by the centering of Marisela's two sons and their continued activism on behalf of their sister and mother.
Strong Island
"You do not know that your death may, in fact, be the actual death of our family. You do not know that we are silent in our grief, even with one another." Yance Ford, the creator and narrator of Strong Island, recites these words as she reenacts her brother William's death — William Ford was shot one night while attempting to get his car back from an auto body shop after a series of arguments with the shop's workers. From the very first moments of Strong Island, you experience the crushing weight of the Ford family's grief. The documentary poetically interweaves devastating family photos, fragments of William's case files and journals, and memories of living as a Black family in a segregated 1970s Long Island. Strong Island isn't just the account of one family's tragedy — it also offers a sobering look at how systemic racism continues to widen the racial divide in the United States.
They Didn't Do It
Who would've thought that an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm would literally save a man's life? Long Shot is the horrifying story of Los Angeles man Juan Catalan, who is very nearly convicted of a murder he didn't commit. He manages to avoid prison time due to an unassailable alibi; thanks to a chance taping of the comedy series, Catalan could be seen in the stands of a Dodgers's game. As the film takes you through the unlikely journey to acquit a misidentified man, the "what ifs" of the case are haunting: What if the show had been shot in a different part of the stadium? What if Juan had watched the game from home? Who would have believed him?
The Innocence Files
Although Juan Catalan's story has a happy ending, many people who continue to protest their innocence are nevertheless sentenced to prison-time (Making a Murderer's Steven Avery, who insists he was framed for first-degree murder, remains jailed). True-crime shows about unsolved cases and wrongful convictions are so common, they're almost their own genre. John Grisham's The Innocence Files highlights the work of the Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization working on behalf of those who insist they were unjustly convicted. Pouring over cases, the group's attorneys will often seek to obtain and introduce DNA evidence that was perhaps unavailable as the case was being tried or to dismiss evidence that has since been discredited (blood spatter, fingerprint, and firearm analysis; bite mark evidence, etc.). As said in the new Netflix documentary Sophie: A Murder in West Cork, "Justice has no time limit." And with so many innocent people being freed from prison, it begs the question: Who did commit the crime?
We'll Just Solve it Ourselves
Let's talk about the power of collective knowledge. Obviously, the internet has got a lot wrong with it — at age 13, I was surfing AOL and a/s/l-ing strangers left and right, which could have led to something bad, except that I'm very smart and hugely afraid of meeting people. Today, the internet is still used for nefarious purposes like selling drugs, founding cults, and catfishing, but we also have cadres of online sleuths who puzzle over unsolved cases like they're trying to get out of an escape room. Like me, these people grew up seeing faces on milk cartons or watching episodes of Unsolved Mysteries and Cold Case Files, feeling powerless. But today, the internet is harnessed as a network of crime-solving.
Take Don't F*** with Cats as a prime example. This gruesome story begins with anonymous postings of videos depicting animal torture, escalates to murder, and is followed in real time by concerned screen names who dig into the most miniscule details of each video to track down the aggressor's whereabouts. I won't spoil it, but it's truly amazing what these amateur detectives were able to accomplish via the internet.
Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel
On the other hand, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel shows the danger of playing Sherlock Holmes online. I remember hearing about this case when it happened in 2013; Canadian student Elisa Lam goes missing during her stay in downtown Los Angeles's Cecil Hotel but leaves behind a trove of digital breadcrumbs via her Tumblr diary. There's also mysterious footage of Elisa in the hotel elevator, conversing with an unknown, unseen person just out of view, or perhaps, with no one at all. When Elisa is eventually found in the hotel's water tank — yes, guests drank that water — the questions only grow: How did she even get in there? And why?
Theories pointed to Mexican death-metal singer Pablo Vergara, aka Morbid; he had recorded songs and videos about murder in L.A. and even filmed one video inside the Cecil Hotel (albeit a year before Lam was there). Although he had a strong alibi — he was recording in Mexico at the time — he was inundated with messages declaring him the killer. Vergara later admitted that he tried to take his own life as a result of the harassment: "The web sleuths go on with their lives like nothing happened. But they really turned my life upside down. I do feel like I have lost my freedom of expression. I actually haven't made any more music." The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel offers an in-depth examination of a fascinating case but also underscores the consequences of jumping to conclusions.
Gas Lamps Have Been Lit
And then there's Dirty John, a show so deliciously soapy, you might feel guilty watching it. Although both seasons of anthology series Dirty John lure us in with fictionalized versions of actual family dramas, we watch because of the very real way the show depicts gaslighting and other mental and emotional violence against women. Originally based on a podcast of the same name (that itself was based on an L.A. Times article), the first season follows Debra Newell (Connie Britton), a divorceé many times over, who hasn't given up hope of love. As she begins dating doctor John Meehan (Eric Bana), who her children immediately dislike, we get to see the buried family history that informs Debra's decisions. While there is something icky about fictionalized true crimes and the enjoyment we feel watching well-made television about something so terribly real, I appreciate that these shows meet the audience where they're at. Fans are used to watching shows in this format that reinforce negative stereotypes about women and relationships, or at least normalize a heightened chaos of cheating, lies, and deception (speaking of which, am I the only one who misses Passions?), but soapy true crime offers lovers of daytime drama something a bit more meaningful to chew on.
Dirty John
Cash Rules Everything
Money can buy more than designer clothes and McMansions. It can also purchase superb legal counsel and greatly influence how the legal system treats you. (See Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, or Operation Varsity Blues for proof.) Award-winning 2004 French docuseries The Staircase was among the first projects of its kind to offer an inside look at the advantages of a well-funded legal defense team. From blood spatter analysis to trips to Germany to interview the family of Michael Peterson's former wife (Elizabeth Ratliff, who also died on a staircase), these lawyers are able to accomplish a lot on behalf of their client. After watching this, you won't doubt that money can set you free.
The Staircase


Projects like PURE Tension by SDA | Synthesis Design + Architecture makes us wonder if we are crossing conception's borders of our present design regarding our daily objects.
The car industry is facing a huge challenge, shifting from petrol based engines to other systems based on renewable energies. This is a slow process, for sure slower than many people would wish, but undoubtedly electric cars will become a reality in the coming future as the main human transport system.
There are many challenges here, including the energy storage or the power supply. PURE Tension draws an original scenario where each car can supply its own electricity needs thanks to a portable pavilion that can be easily packaged into the car's trunk.
The surprising element of this project is the capacity by all parties involved (including Volvo, BuroHappold Engineering & Fabric Images), leaded by SDA | Synthesis Design + Architecture, to take a science-fiction concept and to build it for real. This pavilion is totally functional, tested together with the Volvo car model V60 in a tour through Italy that started in September 2013.
Shaped as an organic mesh surrounding the car, the pavilion combines polyester that acts as a skin for the lightweight aluminum structure. The result is an experimental structure designed to be portable and efficient at the same time.
The solar PV component (in addition to all cabling and electronics enclosed to this system) is distributed across the organic surface. To avoid mismatches of energy due to changes of the degree of exposure, the system uses a smart controller (MPPT), which disables the solar panels that are not collecting the minimum energy necessary, and keeping only the solar panels that are running at an optimal performance.
SDA | Synthesis Design + Architecture demonstrates with PURE Tension that interdisciplinary projects do not understand about established design conventions, and everything is possible with the appropriate team behind. Alvin Huang, the leader of this project, provided us with some key elements to consider when developing a project like this.
I am trying to categorize this project and I cannot find a word. As per your website it is defined as an "experimental structure". How do you deal with the boundaries between architecture, engineering, product design or public art? What is your vision for the future?
Can architecture be an accessory rather than a destination?
If form follows function, is function more than utility?
Can material intuition be developed through simulation?
Can form be informed by performance?
Can three-dimensional surface be tailored like a suit?
Can digital fabrication merge with hand craft?
When you face such a multidisciplinary project like "PURE Tension"… How do you approach it in terms of skills needed and the difficulties to coordinate them?
We see design as a collaborative discipline. There really is no such thing as sole authorship in design, and that is the way we approach things. We see ourselves as the moderators of an extended design dialogue that includes ourselves, our clients, our collaborators, and our fabricators. As designers we are asking questions which we sometimes need specialists to help us answer (or help us ask better questions). We seek out collaborators who are specialists that can assist us in developing particular enquiries.
Regarding the solar component of the work, and the challenge to arrive to a balance between the design and the efficiency… Did the final result meet your expectations? How was your experience working with thin film and its adaptation to the curved skin of the pavilion?
The first prototype of the pavilion could charge a fully depleted V60 in roughly 12 hours. Obviously, 12 hours is a long time to charge and unless you are in Scandinavia in the summer you aren't going to get 12 hours of sunlight. With that said, when we first proposed the project we weren't even sure we could get it to work at all – so the fact that it could charge the car at all was a win. For the next version of the prototype we are trying to decrease that time, but that is more of an electrical engineering issue than it is an architectural design issue. Additionally, with the time restrictions required to complete the prototype we weren't able to integrate the wiring into the seams and had to use standard off the shelf 15cm x 15cm PV panels. Our fabricators, Fabric Images, have since developed a process for producing custom PV panel shapes along with the integration of the wiring of the panels into the seams of the fabric (using the seams as conduits). We are also working on getting the deployment time (currently about 45 minutes w/ 3 people) down to a more reasonable amount of time.
What is the potential of this concept to be applied to future projects? Do you think we are close to commercial applications like "PURE Tension" or are we still talking about early prototype stages?
I think there is great potential for the concept to be applied – however as stated before I definitely think of this more as a concept car which proposes a vision – rather than a proposal for a commercial ready product. It is more about challenging the status quo and provoking a set of questions. We are currently working on a second version for limited commercial availability.
Alvin Huang, AIA is the Founder and Design Principal of Synthesis Design + Architecture and an Assistant Professor at the USC School of Architecture. He is an award-winning architect, designer, and educator specialising in the integrated application of material performance, emergent design technologies and digital fabrication in contemporary architectural practice. His work spans all scales ranging from hi-rise towers and mixed-use developments to temporary pavilions and bespoke furnishings.
Alvin Huang was interviewed by Nacho Zamora.
PURE Tension is a great architectural experiment and one of the very few built projects showing that it is possible to integrate solar panels in architectural skins by composing interesting patterns.


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Thousands of workers and students in Indonesia stage rally against the Omnibus Law Draft Bill
by TPOLS | Jul 20, 2020 | Uncategorized
An alliance of trade unions and other social movements, Labor with the People Movement (Gebrak) held a rally last Thursday, July 16th to urge the lawmakers to cancel the Omnibus Law draft bill currently under deliberation. The lawmakers are deemed to pass on the widely-rejected draft bill amidst the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Gebrak alliance organized the protest action in several major cities in Indonesia. The protesters decided to organize the rally despite being aware of the infection risk. "The government and the lawmakers keep insisting to pass on the bill. With this, working people are forced to risking their life to protest the Omnibus Law. Both are taking advantage of the situation where most people are facing hardship," said GEBRAK's spokesperson Ilhamsyah.
In Jakarta, at least five thousand members of grassroots organizations in the alliance marched towards the House of Representatives complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta. The rally was staged not only in Jakarta, but also in other major cities in North Sumatra, Riau, South Sumatra, Yogyakarta, Makassar, Jambi, Surabaya and Lampung.
In different cities, the protesters also marched towards the Regional Legislative Council to voice out their refusal towards the draft bill. It is estimated that there were tens of thousands protesters, consisting of labor union, peasant union, students, and women joined the rally nationwide.
The alliance deemed that the so-called 'trickle down economy' promoted by the Omnibus Law is only an excuse for the oligarch to accumulate their wealth by impoverishing the majority of the working people. This motive can be seen from how the Omnibus Law will promote further cheap labor policy, flexible employment and environment destruction.
"How come the Omnibus Law could create jobs while at the same time giving so many power to the employer to easily lay off workers? The labor market flexibility is the same as the modern slavery for the workers. We work so hard but remain poor, because we work to enrich the capital owner," said Nining Elitos, another Gebrak's spokesperson.
On the other hand, the so-called new investment that will be brought by the Omnibus Law is considered to not necessarily create job opportunities. The data from Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) shows that between 2013 and 2019, the foreign investment has been growing, but with a negative correlation with job creation. In 2016, for example, the total of USD 28.96 billion foreign investment created jobs for the 951.939 workforce. Meanwhile in 2019, the bigger foreign investment of USD 29.31 billion created only 490.368 jobs.
The promise of foreign investment is also deemed to not result in transfer of technology, given Omnibus Law will reduce the current amount of minimum wages. "The cheap labor politics promoted by Omnibus Law will attract investment, not in the capital-intensive industry, but in the labor-intensive which exploits the cheap labor," said Ellena Ekarahendy as the spokesperson of Gebrak from SINDIKASI trade union.
The draft bill which will simplify the investment licensing is also seen to be escalating the land conflict. The land that belongs to the peasant community, as their source of living and cultural life, will be under the threat of dispossession by the development project. "The Land Management Rights which allows 90 years of land concession by the corporation will enlarge the land ownership gap. Currently, there are only 1 percent of people controlling 68% of land assets," said Dewi Kartika.
Not only protesting against the Omnibus Law, the Gebrak alliance also urge the parliament to start the deliberation of Elimination Towards Sexual Violence draft bill. This bill is important to protect the marginalized groups from sexual violence. In addition, the alliance also demanded the parliament to pass the Protection of Domestic Workers draft bill. This law should have among the first priority given many domestic workers are still trapped by human trafficking.
The Gebrak alliance also demanded for free university tuition during the pandemic. In this regard, Gebrak also protested the sanction imposed by Universitas Nasional(National University) towards students who were against the university's policy on the tuition fee.
The rally staged by Gebrak gained support from global workers. World Federations of Trade Unions (WTFU) who have union members in 130 countries in 5 continents sent their support letter on July 15th. In their statement, WTFU fully supports the demand of Gebrak and other Indonesian working people in struggling against the Omnibus Law.
The demands of GEBRAK are as following:
1) To cancel the deliberation of Omnibus Law draft bill without any exception
2) The government should prioritize other draft bills which align with the interest of the majority of people, such Elimination Towards Sexual Violence and Protection of Domestic Workers draft bill
3) To cancel the Mining law draft bill
4) The government should prioritize the state budget and state role in battling Covid-19 pandemic and in handling the nationwide crises caused by the pandemic.
The Gebrak alliance is comprised of KASBI, KPBI, Konfederasi Serikat Nasional (KSN), Konsorsium Pembaruan Agraria (KPA), SINDIKASI, Solidaritas Pekerja Viva (SPV), Kesatuan Perjuangan Rakyat (KPR), dan Federasi Pekerja Pelabuhan Indonesia, LBH Jakarta, AEER, KPA, GMNI UKI, Aksi Kaum Muda Indonesia (AKMI), Federasi Pelajar Indonesia (Fijar), LMND DN, Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa (BEM) Jentera, and other groups.
Original source: https://fbtpi.org/roda-perjuangan/medan-juang/cabut-ruu-omnibuslaw-ribuan-buruh-dan-mahasiswa-kepung-dpr/
Writer: Marulloh (FBTPI)


text:
My Dad Works At Disneyland: Plaza Garden Memories
My Christmas celebration started early when I got this email from a gal named Holly:
Hi Dave-
You have NO idea what your Plaza Garden pictures mean to me!!!
I grew UP in them, as the Elliott Brothers were my Dad Lloyd and my Uncle Bill!! And those pictures of TERRI!!! (Uncle Bill's singer-I have never seen those.) After my parents divorced, Dad dated her—I remember going grunion hunting with her one night when I was probably 11 years old. I haven't thought about her in a long time—she was really nice.
I did hear about the plans for Plaza Gardens. One of my cousins was just visiting and we were talking about old times and how lucky we are that our dads left a legacy on vinyl (we even played a couple of tracks from Date Night at Disneyland!).
Wouldn't it be great if Disneyland had some kind of final tribute weekend to all those who ever played there? Some goodwill like that might go a long way…that and a teaspoon of sugar!
As if that weren't cool enough, I crossed my fingers and replied that I'd love to have her write down her dad's story as it related to Disneyland...and guess what readers...she did! I can't thank Holly enough for taking the time to share her story (and a few photos) with me.
That was the biggest brag a kid could make to another kid when growing up in Southern California. Well my Dad Lloyd and my Uncle Bill were the Elliott Brothers! And the Elliott Brothers and the Disneyland Date Niters dance band were a fixture for years at the Carnation Plaza Gardens just off the end of Main Street, Disneyland in view of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Their swingin', happy music attracted thousands of Disneyland-goers over the years, young and old, for an evening of dancing "under a million twinkling lights."
Bill and Lloyd were well established in their music careers before Disney came calling. The Elliott Brothers Orchestra had a recording contract with MGM and produced several hit records, including a version of "In The Mood" as sung by Thurl Ravenscroft (another Disney legend!). They were THE band to hire for dances all over the Southland. Bill was a contract saxophone/reed player at Twentieth Century Fox during the era when each studio maintained its own orchestra and band. None other than the great Alfred Newman was in command at that time. Lloyd was a freelance trombonist who played all over town. He began his legendary run of Academy Awards shows in 1951 when "All About Eve" won best picture. Movies, shows, records, dances, television, they did it all and were some of the best players in the business.
Exactly how the Elliott Brothers came to work at Disneyland is lost in time. I don't know if Disney sought them out or if it was an audition or ??? My mother does remember that everyone who was going to be working there was treated to a sneak-preview the day before the park officially opened in 1955. She dropped off the dog at Kennel-land (maybe I was sent to Baby-land [just kidding]) and she and Dad went to the park. Makes me wonder if the Brothers were already playing there, just in a different venue. Mom said that they had the most infectious personalities in town and that everyone loved them! It's possible they were hired by Tommy Walker, the park's first entertainment director [note: this is what the rest of Holly's family seems to remember as well]. Maybe they had been recommended by Tutti Camarata who was a fellow studio brass player, arranger and a co-founder of Walt Disney Records-he was great friends with Dad.
So when did they start working there? Scott Wolf of Mouseclubhouse.com was kind enough to contact Disney Legend and marketing genius Jack Lindquist. Jack was not familiar with the Elliott Brothers prior to the beginning of Date Nites so I guess it's safe to say that they were brought in for the park's new night time era. June 28, 1957 was the first Date Nite at Disneyland when the park became the number one venue for fun after the sun went down, and Carnation Plaza Gardens was THE place to be!
Both my parents really loved Walt and talked about how nice he was and how great he was to work for. Mom said that he was always on a first-name basis with everyone: "Please, call me Walt." Walt would stop by the bandstand often to shake a leg and to just enjoy the vibe of the band and those dancing to it. Dad told me that he and Bill always had a little something for Walt in the side room in case he wanted to stop by for a "nip". (And Dad told me that the reason Walt had the monorail stop at the Disneyland Hotel was so that parents could go over there and have there own "nip" as well!).
A milestone for the Elliott Brothers was the release of the "Date Night At Disneyland" record album in 1958, a live recording of some of the bands most popular dance tunes (I remember seeing the album as a Ski-Ball prize at the Fun Zone in Balboa). The album really captures the feeling of that moment-such a fun time, great music and musicians, the energy...to me it just encapsulates what Disneyland was all about. How could it not be when the album liner notes say that "The Elliott Brothers are the swingin'est bunch to come peel in' down the pike since the Brothers Dorsey"!
I remember saying to Dad how much I loved listening to it—he said he didn't like it that well: "That was during my loud period." Date Nite has been re-released on CD and at one time they would burn you a copy at the park. It's also available as an iTunes download as well. This special magic was preserved in an episode of "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" called "Disneyland After Dark." The Osmond Brothers-just grade-schoolers at that time-are featured singing barbershop, then The Elliott Brothers and the Date Niters are showcased playing everyone's favorite, "La Raspa (Mexican Hoedown)," followed by singer Tony Paris' attempt to sing "Twilight Time" with great "assistance" from the audience (You can catch this over at YouTube).
Over the years some really fabulous musicians spent time at the Plaza Gardens with the Elliott Brothers. I remember meeting Julius Wechter who went on to form the Baja Marimba Band. And according to my uncle, the first gig that film composer John Williams had when he came to town was playing piano with the Date Niters. He said he really had to work hard to keep up with Lloyd and Bill!
So what was it like, having a Dad that worked at Disneyland? Dad took us to the park quite often, especially for private parties when a company had rented out Disneyland for the evening. It was great because you didn't need tickets for the rides and it wasn't crowded. We would arrive and check in at a building called The Zoo where the character wardrobes were kept-Lloyd and Bill would put on their white Date Niter jackets and then we headed inside the park for Plaza Gardens. The band would start the first set of the evening and Uncle Bill would give us kids some maracas or a tambourine to shake-he would always say our names and introduce us like we were part of the band! Then it was off to go on rides. We always made sure we were back at Plaza Gardens at 9pm for the "Fantasy In The Sky" fireworks and Tinker Bell's descent from the Matterhorn. After wards Lloyd and Bill would gather the audience around the band stand, report the on latest college football games or baseball scores and tell some corny jokes ("We almost didn't it make to work tonight, folks. Lloyd's/Bill's mother-in-law had a terrible accident-she fell down a flight of stairs. [Oh-No's from audience]. She forgot her chain didn't go that far." [groans from audience]). Then they would play everyone's favorite "La Raspa" and we would all dance around and around. After wards it was off for more rides until the end of the evening.
The Elliott Brothers were also an important part of Disneyland's Big Band Festivals which began in 1961. Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich-they all graced the Carnation Plaza Gardens bandstand as well as other locations around the park. Sometimes multiple bands were booked for one weekend, sometimes one band would be booked for an entire week. The festivals were wildly popular with park goers! Lloyd and Bill both received Mouskers from Walt in appreciation of their contribution to the event. (A Mousker was Walt's version of an Oscar statue.).
Prior to the Big Band Festival was Dixieland at Disneyland which had its debut on October 1, 1960. Nine thousand people showed up for the event which featured six bands, including the Elliott Brothers. It started up on the Rivers of America in Frontierland, then each band marched off to a separate venue to play; then at the end of the evening they all gathered together again and marched down Main Street and played until the park closed at 1am. I think a little of this event was preserved in the "Disneyland After Dark" episode.
By the mid-60's the long hours of working the studios all day up in LA and Hollywood, then driving to Anaheim and working all night caught up with Lloyd and he left the band, leaving just Bill Elliott and the Date Niters after that. (Bill had long conquered the commuting problem by flying his airplane from Santa Monica to Fullerton every evening.). For Dad things were never the same at the park after Walt passed away. I was with him the night he had to check in with a security guard on the way in to work-he just about blew a gasket he was so mad! Bill continued playing there until 1969 when at that time entertainment management changed and he realized it was time to bid Disneyland good bye. For at least twelve years Lloyd and Bill and their band made a wonderful contribution to Disneyland's rich musical heritage, and for me and all of those who danced, listened, lingered awhile, and savored those special evenings, they made Carnation Plaza Gardens our Happiest Place On Earth!
One interesting thing about writing this is that my mother has been remembering and telling me all sorts of stories about DL and things she and my Dad did. One event she remembered is that they put together a band with 76 trombones and played at the park. Every trombone player in town and beyond got the call except for Marshall Cram (studio player friend). Mom thinks they did that to him as a joke! Unbelievable so, I found a film clip of this on YouTube! Tommy Walker is leading the band, all dressed in black tuxedos. Meredith Wilson looks authentically surprised! I love the internet!
As if all this weren't cool enough, Holly invited me to join her family at the Carnation Plaza Gardens last weekend as they paid a final tribute to the area before it goes under the wrecking ball. Left-Right: Dawn Ulyate Jenkins, Karen Ulyate Crabtree, Holly Ulyate, Ryan Ulyate, Zennon Ulyate-Crow, Betty (formerly Ulyate) Cherry, Robin Ulyate Trento, Maxine Ulyate Anderson, Laura Anderson, Kent Anderson, Dorothea Ulyate, Jordan Anderson
A shot of the direct descendants (Holly's the one in the festive Christmas vest - gotta' love it!) Left-Right: Dawn (Bill's daughter), Karen (Bill), Holly (Lloyd's daughter), Ryan (Bill's son), Robin (Bill)
Her cousin Ryan, Bill's son, wore his dad's Disneyland Blazer:
As fate would have it, while we were all convening and meeting each other, Tony Baxter was passing by with an entourage that included (ironically) the guy who is in charge of the Princess Meet-and-Greet that is replacing the Plaza Gardens. They were alerted to the Elliott family reunion; I thought this would be a great chance for them to pay tribute to the family and the significance of their dad's relationship to Disneyland. Apparently I was wrong, as Baxter & Company kept on walking. Huh...I guess the loss of the Stouffer's mural at the old Plaza Pavilion doesn't seem so surprising.
Despite that, it sure was fun to meet Holly & her family. What a great bunch of people, and so gracious to share their time and memories. Ryan had one very fun anecdote from when he was a fifth grader. Apparently he and his buddy had long hair; his dad Bill was at the Disneyland Hotel eating dinner and told the boys to take the Monorail into the park where he'd see them later when his gig started. Excitedly, the boys zoomed off for another fun day in the park. Stopped by security, they were told that they could't board because of their long hair: "It clogs the drains!" The boys shot back, "Girls have long hair, why can they get on?" Security was not impressed with their logic and told them to scram. Bill was not happy about this interruption and told Security that if his kids couldn't take the Monorail, it would make him late for his gig that night at Disneyland. Security relented and the boys were back on track for a night of riding the Skyway Buckets and other thrills. Keep in mind, this was all before Yippie Day.
MANY MANY MANY thanks to Holly & the rest of her family. What a treat for them to share today's post!
As for the impending removal of The Plaza Gardens, I went back that night to see what was going on in this area.
Looks damn fun just the way it is.
See more vintage & current Carnation Plaza Gardens photos on my Carnation Plaza Gardens web pages.
Labels: bill elliott, carnation plaza gardens, date nite at disneyland, lloyd elliott, stompy jones, the elliott brothers, vintage disneyland
Thufer said...
Another example of why your blog is so important. This is why the park is so special to us. An outstanding story, an outstanding post. There are a select few really good blogs which capture the fun, excitement and the downright magic of Walt and his 'playland'; Dave, this mornings post is an example of why you are the 'STAR' on to of that 'MATTERHORN'.
To you and the few others who loving and endearingly preserve the history of Disneyland daily, thank you and know that we who love the Park appreciate your efforts.
I also wish to thank those of you who are blessed enough to have a real personal connection to either Walt or the Park. For sharing with those of us who love hearing your stories and live vicariously through them.
I still don't see why they have to bulldoze them. Why not just put some (easily removable) decorations on it for their stupid "Princess Meet and Greet."
Great Great post, though. As a musician, I can only dream about what these days must have been like. What I wouldn't give to be there then....
Wow, neat!
I agree with Stu, too bad they can't just do a Princess "overlay" on the existing structure and build whatever else they want off to the side where the restaurant used to be.
Thank you to the Elliott Brothers' family and you, Dave for the great stories and photos!
What Thufer Said.
Sad Ending.
Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...
Amazing story and history, I'm all goose-bumpy!
Thank you Dave and Holly, what a wonderful tribute to the Elliott Brothers and the Plaza.
I listen to the DateNite LP all the time, here it is (link)
Massive disappointment in Tony B., this guy has to know the history of the Plaza Gardens, doesn't he have enough pull to stop this train-wreck, does he even want to?
I'm NEVER going to even step foot in the new area, no pictures, no attention from me, nothing, might as well be part of DCA!!!!!
Thanks again Dave and Holly, "a very special" post indeed...
The Viewliner Limited said...
Very, very nice Dave. Great story, even greater history. Much appreciated.
What Thufer said! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful post! And yes, I regret not meeting you that day!
It was great to meet all these relatives of the Elliott Brothers on Saturday. They were all so nice.
A small correction, though: the first Date Nite was held on June 14, 1957, not June 28.
I found an article from the early 1960s that indicates the Elliott Brothers began their performances in 1957, so June 14, 1957 is also very likely the first public performance of the Elliott Brothers at the Park. Disneyland closed at 10 PM in the summer of 1956, so I don't think the Brothers would have found it worth their while to commute down until the Park started staying open late for Date Nites.
SundayNight said...
Thanks dave for a great post today.
Disneyland after Dark is my favorite vintage Disney TV show. That sequence with the Elliot Bros. is classic. I love the fact that it's real people in the audience and you can see the fun they are having.
Tilly said...
dad worked at disneyland too, but he was a guy on the back of the tram. He would say, "We're going to mix up your cars and change them a different color!" He was also Mark the Shark McKay on 95.9 radio station in late 80's early 90's. My sister plays clarinet and she has wanted to play at the plaza gardens. Her school's orchestra is going there tomorrow, but idk where they will play, since it's going down.
Matterhorn1959 said...
A very excellent post. Great personal history of growing up at the park. It must have been cool to see your dad and uncle on the stage at Disneyland, and even better to run around the park riding the rides.
Just to add to the history, here is another patch the band wore: http://matterhorn1959.blogspot.com/search?q=dateniters
Tinker Bell said...
Wonderful post! Personal histories are always so fantastic! A very disappointing moment there for Mr. B., however.
piper said...
What a great piece of history. Thanks for recording it!
When was Chuck Cecil broadcasting from there? Was it a Disney show or the Swingin' Years? Any pic's of it? I'm a big fan...
I so enjoyed reading about the Elliot Brothers at Disneyland. When my husband, Gary, and I were dating, and after we married in 1965, we would go to Disneyland every Saturday night and danced to every number played. We became close friends with other regulars there and got to know Bill and the other members of the band personally. We started going in 1963 and continued until we moved out of Anaheim (to New Mexico) in 1967. Gary has since passed away, but we had often spoken of our happy memories of Date Night at Disneyland. Thank you for the wonderful pictures and the memories. It took me back to a wonderful time and help me remember wonderful things I'd forgotten. Pam Jenkins
Everything Holly wrote was true. My dad was Morrie Crawford, and he sometimes subbed in the Elliott Bros band. You can see him in your topmost picture playing sax.. he's in the middle. On days he played there, he would say he was an Elliott brother that night.
Bill's family lived a block from ours, and the kids were about the same age as me and my brother. Bill and Morrie went to the same high school and played together, and were good friends. Our families were very close. We would celebrate Christmas with them, caroling with instruments, gathering a HUGE crowd while the police stopped traffic for us.
I don't remember the Disneyland rides being free, but I do remember getting a free book of tickets. My (little) brother and I had free reign of the park, as long as we stuck together. And when we returned, just like Holly wrote, we would get introduced and some miscellaneous percussion object to play.
Bill and Morrie also played in a Sax Quartet. It was an amazing group. You can see more pictures of them and listen to them over at the Hollywood Saxophone Quartet website. (hope that link worked...)
New Year's at Disneyland, January 1968
Then & Now: Peace & Quiet at The Castle
Traveling Thursdays: Valley Forge
Greetings, Space Cadets!
Pleased as Punch, Pt. 2
Pleased as Punch
Christmas Extravaganza!
Screen Gem Saturdays: Debbie Reynolds Auction Part...
1980: Disneyland's 25th Anniversary
Traveling Thursdays: Philadelphia Half Marathon
Lost in Adventureland
Disneyland Entrance Sign Blow-out!
Disneyland Aerial: The New Fantasyland
Disneyland Aerial: No Rest For The Weary
Screen Gem Saturdays: The Rocketeer
Davy & George: Friday in Frontierland
Traveling Thursdays: Washington Square in NYC
Two Fun Gals
Disneyland: 8/27/56
Then & Now: Merlin's
Grand Circle Tour at The Disney Gallery
Screen Gem Saturdays: The Help
The ABC-TV Deal
Traveling Thursdays: Brandywine Christmas Ornaments
The Return of the Flying Saucers
Candlelight Processional, 2011
How Bazaar!
Screen Gem Saturdays: Perry & Judy
The Luckiest Kids In The World
Traveling Thursdays: Trains at Brandywine


The 2015-16 Turkish Airlines Euroleague regular season reaches its halfway mark this season with another round of exciting games. A showdown between two of the last three undefeated teams, some powerhouses playing already critical games at home, a rematch of classic games in the competition and much more is coming your way!
It all starts with five games on Thursday, followed by a full night of seven tipoffs on Friday. Don't miss it!


Milford - SY MONTGOMERY shares her new book on how to be a good creature!
This restorative memoir reflects on the personalities and quirks of thirteen animals - Sy's friends - and the truths revealed by their grace. It also explores vast themes: the otherness and sameness of people and animals; the various ways we learn to love and become empathetic; how we find our passion; how we create our families; coping with loss and despair; gratitude; forgiveness; and most of all, how to be a good creature in the world.
One of the best books our staff has shared and loved this year. A signed copy would make a cherished gift for any animal lover - be they young or old!


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home Biography Omar Benson Miller
Omar Benson Miller
Emerald Published On Wed Mar 31 2021 Modified On Wed Mar 31 2021
Facts of Omar Benson Miller
Full Name Omar Benson Miller
First Name Omar
Middle Name Benson
Last Name Miller
Birth Name Omar Benson Miller
Ethnicity Afro-American
Birth City Los Angeles
Filmography Ballers,Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,The Unicorn,Eleventh Hour
Education San Jose State University
Date of Birth October 7,1978
Body and Relation Status of Omar Benson Miller
What is Omar Benson Miller marital status ? Single
What is the height of Omar Benson Miller? 197 cm
What is the weight of Omar Benson Miller? kg
American actor Omar Benson Miller is best known for playing Walter Simmons in the police procedural CSI: Miami from 2009 to 2012. Similarly, he is also popular for Ballers, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Unicorn, Eleventh Hour, and Above Suspicion.
Miller's Wiki, Age, & Bio
Omar Benson Miller was born on 7th October 1978 in Anaheim, California, USA and grew up on Long Beach. He is 43 years old as of 2021.
American actor Omar Miller is known for CSI: Miami
Image Source: IMDB
Likewise, Miller holds American nationality and comes from Afro-American ethnic descent. Moreover, he went and graduated from San Jose State University.
Short Career Highlight
Omar began his acting journey following his college graduation. He playing Sol George in American drama film 8 Mile starring rapper Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, and Brittany Murphy.
He then appeared in Sorority Boys, Shall We Dance?, Get Rich or Die Tryin', Lucky You, Transformers, and Things We Lost in the Fire.
He earned his major role Private First Class Sam Train in epic war film Miracle at St. Anna alongside Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, and Laz Alonso.
From 2009 to 2012, Omar portrayed Walter Simmons in CBS drama CSI: Miami along with co-stars David Caruso, Emily Procter, Adam Rodriguez, and Sofia Milos.
Miller as Walter Simmons in CBS drama CSI: Miami
Image Source: CBS News
Likewise, in 2015, he was cast as Charles Greane in comedy-drama series Ballers. He starred in the show alongside Dwayne Johnson, Rob Corddry, Troy Garity, and London Brown until 2019.
Moreover, he voice the character Raph in the 2D-animated series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
As of 2021, he plays Ben Taylor in CBS sitcom The Unicorn alongside Walton Goggins, Rob Corddry, and Maya Lynne Robinson.
The 6 ft 6 inches tall actor is reportedly worth around $2 million as of 2021.
His primary source of income is his successful acting career. Besides, he also earns a decent money from his sponsors and commercial ads.
Is He Dating Anyone?
The Ballers' star prefers a low-key and private life despite being in the lime time most of his life.
He rarely addresses his love life and is rarely seen with a girl in the public.
As of 2021, he has over 125k followers on Instagram and over 64.3k on Twitter.
Also read: Chauncey Leopardi, Jacob Vargas, and Wesley Jonathan.
American Millionaire Actor
Celebrity Above 6 Feet


Marlin is still city manager-less, following a Thursday, April 4, specially called meeting.
The agenda called for City Council to consider appointing an interim city manager, but they tabled the decision until another specially called meeting April 19 to have more candidates to consider.
The council did hire a new municipal prosecutor. After considering several candidates, the council hired Austin attorney James Parker of Parker Law Firm.


My plans started way before I got back to Lithuania, since I wanted to give my little sis something extra special this year. I started looking up various Harry Potter related recipes and ideas to get the picture of what I'm aiming for.
Honestly, I ended up a little disappointed with how generic most recipes I found were, not much inspiration going on! Not to mention, most of the recipes only actually concentrated on only very few of Honeydukes treats (like butterbeer or sugar quills). So, I decided to wing it! I'm a pretty good cook, if I may say so myself, thus I wasn't really going in blind-folded, sort to speak. My imagination always works wonders when given free space, and I have to say, this time I outdid myself!
The first thing I decided to make was Fever Fudge. There are quite a few recipes of this floating around, but I found them to be far too spicy (and a little 'off' the concept). It's very personal, I'm sure, but for me Fever Fudge was supposed to be regular-looking fudge that would heat your mouth, not make you tear up. Also, thinking about actual fever, I decided to add candied ginger into the mix (since ginger is a great remedy for fever, but is also quite 'hot' in flavor). the outcome was an absolute success! The fudge came out tasting still fudgey, but with the most amazing 'warmth' from the chili chocolate and ginger. Also it was the first of 5 treats to vanish...not without the help from my sister, of course!
Here is my take on the Fever Fudge! Great thing is that you can adjust the amount of each ingredient to your taste.
Finely chop up the candied ginger. It should be just fine enough to evenly disperse through the batter, but still give a pleasant surprise to bite into!
That's it for the first Harry Potter inspired recipe! For the young ones, this fudge is great with tea or milk, and for those of us no longer considered 'underage' - this is great with a glass of red wine! This is a perfect addition to any Harry Potter themed party, as it's sure to please fans of all ages (not to mention, as it's not hiccup-inducing in spiciness, everyone can have a taste).
Stay tuned for the rest of my Harry Potter inspired recipes! Liked it? Made it? Would love to hear how it turned out!


text:
UCL IRDR Blog
UCL Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction
IRDR website
UCL IRDR Blog »
Tohoku University Research Visit and Japan Field Mission: March 2013
By Amy L Chadderton, on 26 April 2013
In March 2011, a Mw 9.0 earthquake occurred off the coast of Tohoku in northeast Japan. This earthquake triggered one of the largest tsunamis Japan has ever seen and devastated much of the coast. Three months after this historic event, EEFIT (the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team) began their Tohoku field mission. On the anniversary of this disastrous event, exactly 2 years after the fateful earthquake, BIS (UK Department for Business Innovation and Skills) funded myself and fellow PhD student Melodie Vanderpuye to undertake a brief follow-up mission to preliminarily scope the progress that has been made in rebuilding devastated areas. The week-long mission to Japan involved strengthening UK-Japan links via participation in the 10th International Workshop on Water Dynamics and ICDP Japan Beyond Brittle Project, and the undertaking of a 2-day field mission to tsunami-impacted areas.
Our week in Japan began with a fascinating 3 days at the 10th International Workshop on Water Dynamics and the ICDP Japan Beyond Brittle Project at Tohoku University, Sendai. The conference brought together a wide range of expertise from both the scientific and engineering communities and provided an interdisciplinary forum for the sharing and discussing of ideas.
The conference was not only informative, providing a brilliant insight into the issues I will be encountering during my PhD, but allowed relationships to be forged between industry representatives and the academic world. During our time at the conference meetings were also held with the IRIDeS (International Research Institute of Disaster Science) representative Prof Fumihiko Imamura to discuss the agenda for the upcoming conference at UCL in November 2013, which marks the anniversary of the 150 year relationship between UCL and Japan.
Attending the conference we saw first-hand Japan's praiseworthy desire to nurture international relationships between industry and academia. The hospitality at Tohoku University was second to non and we were looked after extremely well. The conference banquet at the end of the first day was a particular highlight, even if we were swaying slightly with exhaustion from our 12 hour flight and full conference day without any sleep!
After an enlightening 3 days at the conference it was Melodie and I's turn to go it alone and explore Japan for ourselves in order to follow up on the EEFIT report compiled 2 years earlier. We also wanted to experience first-hand the impact of such a large magnitude, both in power and impact, event. We hired a car to give us the freedom we needed to explore the planned sites. The field mission began in Sendai and took a coastal route where possible, as certain roads still have not been rebuilt after the tsunami, as far north as Ofunato. With a slight nervous excitement regarding what we were going to find, we set off on Friday 15th March heading north towards the Miyagi Prefecture coastline, one of the worst hit sections of coast in Japan.
Railway station at Nobiru.
We were immediately struck by the impact of the tsunami at one of our first stops, Nobiru, a small town east of Matsushima. Nobiru showed no signs of redevelopment apart from a few individual residential homes. The tsunami destroyed the town's railway station, twisting the tracks and overhead power lines and heavily damaging the station building and surrounding shops. The coastal road is still diverted due to unrepaired damage. It appears that due to the town's lack of industrial prowess and significant strategic importance, redevelopment has not been a priority and the whole area is mostly abandoned. A similar situation was also observed at Wakabayashi on the coast of Sendai. This is an area of near-total devastation. The only new building within this entire area was a temporary structure housing a 7 Eleven convenience store. Wakabayashi was our final site on the last day of our field mission but despite the evidence of destruction we had observed over the previous 2 days, this final site really made the impact of the tsunami hit home. The utter hopelessness and vulnerability of Wakabayashi's position coupled with the footprints of homes
Memorial at Wakabayashi, Sendai.
where living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms were still visible really made us think about the impact of this event on individual families. It is very easy to quote statistics on damage to concrete and steel, and even death toll statistics can become quite meaningless and devoid of emotion when repeated so frequently, but on the ground, stood at the front door of what was once a happy family home, now a mere footprint on the earth, really compounded our belief that something needs to be done to prevent this devastation from occurring to future generations. A memorial stands on the shoreline at Wakabayashi, dedicated to all of the victims of the tsunami.
Rebuild Shop at Onagawa
Sites where the outlook was more positive were Onagawa and Shizugawa Bay, which in contrast to Nobiru and Wakabayashi, showed clear signs of progress but had not quite reached the rebuilding stage of recovery. In Onagawa one indicator of the destruction the 16 metre inundation wave wrought on the bay has turned into an unlikely tourist attraction. A 3-storey steel framed, reinforced concrete building was overturned by the force of the water during the tsunami but remained intact. As images of the building have circled the globe and visitors to the area go out of their way to visit the site, the ruin is now being deliberately preserved as a monument and reminder of the power nature can wield. A car park has been cordoned off and a temporary 'Rebuild Shop' has sprung up to help raise funds for the redevelopment of the area.
Left: 2011 EEFIT image of Building D; Right: 2013 image.
After a refreshing night in a Japanese style hotel room, complete with slippers, Tatami Mats and a wonderful bento meal, we set out for Ofunato. On entering the town from the south, the redevelopment and rebuilding efforts of the town became apparent. The road (Route 45) appeared newly laid and lining it were newly constructed buildings housing a range of businesses from small enterprises to larger chain stores. The overall impression of Ofunato was one of progress.
Takata-Matsubara
Despite the speedy recovery of certain areas devastated by the 2011 tsunami, there is still a long way to go before the Tohoku coastline of Japan can be classified as recovered from this momentous event. Some may argue that it never can fully recover from such an earth-shattering occurrence. Hope, however, can be seen in the miraculous survival of a singular tree on the shoreline of Takata-Matsubara. Where once 70,000 pine trees stood along a 2 km stretch of beach, one tree was left standing after the 2011 tsunami. This 'miracle pine' has captured the hearts of the Japanese people and it is now being preserved as an enduring symbol that hope is not lost and life can be protected.
Throughout our enlightening week in Japan, lots of things were learnt, many sights were seen and much rice was eaten. We all came away with a far greater appreciation of what challenges Japan, and indeed the world, are facing relating to our vulnerability to natural disasters. In addition to this deeper understanding however, Melodie and I also learnt that our transferable skills extend to the operation of an entirely Japanese Sat Nav; the personal achievement of our successful navigation around the coast and arrival back at the car hire shop a mere 10 minutes before the drop off time was, we felt, quite a triumph!
We would like to thank, once again, the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) for funding the expedition; their support is gratefully acknowledged.
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DSA LAW - Daniel Sheehan & Associates, LLP - Dallas Civil Trial Attorneys
Contact Phone 214-468-8899 Fax 214-468-8803
Our Results Speak for Themselves
Success in a civil lawsuit begins with knowledge of the law and thorough case preparation. At trial, success depends on precise execution, courtroom presence and the power of persuasion. We begin planning for trial at the very start of a case and constantly adjust our strategy to maintain focus on your goals, keeping in mind how your case will ultimately play to a jury.
Here are some examples of what we have done for our clients across Texas and elsewhere:
In 2014, after a two-week trial, a jury awarded our clients over $20 million in damages for theft of trade secrets, breach of contract and fiduciary duties, tortious interference, and conspiracy. The case involved valuable technology related to the production of cement, which had been stolen from our clients by the very people who had been trying to purchase the technology from them. Our clients' business partners had conspired with the other defendants to enable the theft. The jury found all defendants liable on all claims. This was a 2014 Top Ten Jury Verdict in Texas on VerdictSearch.
We represented a large international corporation in a legal malpractice case against two law firms who had represented it in a patent infringement case. The infringement case resulted in an $18 million judgment against our client, which it was required to pay in full. We determined that the two law firms had failed to assert important defenses that it could have asserted on behalf of our client. We obtained a substantial settlement just prior to the beginning of trial.
Our client, a Dallas commercial developer, was sued for $29 million for fraud and breach of contract stemming from the construction of a multi-million dollar condominium project. We represented five corporate defendants and two individual defendants in the case. After a month-long trial in Dallas district court, a jury returned a favorable verdict for all defendants, finding no breach of contract and no fraud.
We represented a woman and her daughter in a suit against her brother over his actions as executor and trustee of a Houston estate worth more than $200 million. After five weeks of trial, we obtained a jury verdict for fraud and breach of fiduciary duties by the brother. We obtained a judgment for substantial damages to the estate, plus an award of several million dollars in excessive executor fees the brother had paid himself. We also obtained a court order removing the brother as executor and trustee, and our client was appointed instead. The damages awarded by the trial court were significantly increased on appeal. Read more.
We represented a large national health supplement product manufacturer in a claim against its product formulator for secretly marking up the cost of the raw materials used in the products. The scheme cost our client approximately $15 million in additional costs over several years. A federal court jury found the formulator liable for the entire amount, plus punitive damages and attorney fees. The trial court judgment was upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Read more.
We defended the same national supplement company in a suit brought by several former distributors. The plaintiffs claimed the company breached its distributorship agreements with the plaintiffs and violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. After a two-week jury trial, we obtained a verdict favorable to our client. The case is currently on appeal.
We have helped many clients who have been involved in fee disputes with their lawyers. In one well-known case, we prevented a law firm from collecting an excessive $1.7 million claimed contingent fee from a client who had fired the law firm prior to the settlement of their case. The Texas Supreme Court upheld our position that the termination provisions in the law firm's fee contract were contrary to public policy and unconscionable, and therefore unenforceable. The case represents significant precedent in Texas law regarding attorney-client contracts. Read more.
Our client inherited her physician husband's partnership interest in a large emergency room staffing company upon his untimely death. Unsure what to do, our client hired a lawyer, who advised her to sue the deceased husband's partners in return for a substantial portion of the "recovery" for the lawyer. The husband's interest was worth several million dollars. Shortly thereafter, the lawyer negotiated a purchase by the partners of our client's interest. We convinced a jury that the fee arrangement was unenforceable and a breach of fiduciary duty by the lawyer. The court entered a judgment voiding the fee agreement and awarding our client a substantial monetary recovery, including punitive damages.
In another attorney fee dispute case, we defended a client against an attorney's one-sided fee contract. Our out-of-state client was sued for attorney's fees by a Dallas attorney. We obtained a dismissal based on lack of personal jurisdiction. We successfully argued in the trial court that the Dallas forum selection clause in the attorney's fee contract was unreasonable. The Dallas Court of Appeals agreed with us and upheld the dismissal. Read more.
When our client's former independent contractor stole proprietary information, we sued him for conversion and obtained a judgment in excess of $600,000.
We assisted a client in a battle over her share of the family business. Her interest had been pried away through the maneuvering of a manipulative ex-husband. The case required us to fight a commercial litigation battle while simultaneously attempting to roll back a flawed divorce decree. The jury awarded several million dollars in actual and punitive damages. In addition, the court terminated the ex-husband's ownership interest in a valuable company.
We represented an investor who had been bilked by a hedge fund manager who made unauthorized transactions, costing our client several million dollars. We recouped the money by prevailing in an arbitration against the hedge fund manager. We then proceeded to a second arbitration where we gained additional reimbursement from a national brokerage firm that should have notified our client, and received his consent, before authorizing the rogue transactions.
We represented five defendants accused of trademark infringement and unfair competition for the use of their trade name at several of their business locations throughout Texas. At mediation, our clients chose to take the case to trial rather than pay the amount the plaintiff demanded. After a three-day trial, and less than 30 minutes of deliberation, a Dallas jury found our clients not liable for trademark infringement or unfair competition.
In a recent case, we obtained a jury verdict in excess of $1 million for a local company involved in a contract dispute with an individual over the sale of an ongoing business. We demonstrated to the jury that our client was the victim of fraud by being induced to enter into the contract for the sale of the business. We also convinced the jury that the defendant breached the sale contract in several material respects.
When one of our clients lost his eye as a result of falling down a faulty staircase, he hired a local personal injury firm to represent him. The law firm then retained the services of two other law firms to share in the fee. Ultimately, the attorneys failed to investigate our client's claim, resulting in an extremely low, unsatisfactory settlement that we argued our client was forced to accept. We sued all three law firms and the lawyers involved and, after months of discovery, obtained a favorable settlement for our client.
Our client, an out-of-state business, was involved in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit in federal court. Our client retained the services of a local consulting expert to analyze documents and submit an expert report on their behalf in the litigation. Due to the expert's lack of expertise and unsatisfactory work, the expert was struck as a witness and our client was forced to settle for millions more than it would have had the expert acted prudently. We sued the expert and the consulting firm for negligence and secured a favorable settlement for our client.
When two small Texas businesses were sued for excessive charges by a large international company, we tried the contract dispute in Dallas district court and obtained a verdict favorable to our clients.
We represented an individual and a trustee bank in a dispute between our client and his mother and uncle over a $2 million estate that our client's deceased grandmother had left entirely to him. Our client's mother and uncle, who were both purposefully disinherited from the will, filed suit, claiming that the will was invalid because the grandmother was mentally incapacitated and unduly influenced when she executed it. In discovery, we tracked down the doctors and witnesses involved and got their side of the story. Eventually, we secured a favorable settlement for our client that allowed him to keep the majority of the estate proceeds, including an ongoing cash flow stream stemming from mineral holdings.
We have handled bad faith insurance claims in cases where a client's insurance company refused to pay legitimate claims. In one case, the insurance company accused our client of arson in a fire that resulted in a total loss of his home and personal property. We were able to show that the fire was caused by a defective clothes dryer, and received a settlement for the full value of the house, contents and all attorney fees. In another matter, we showed that the insurance company, who had accused our client of "stealing" his own property, had not even attempted to investigate the claim. We obtained a full value settlement for our client.
We represented a property owner of 200 acres of valuable development land in Collin County. He had entered into a joint venture agreement with an unscrupulous developer, with the assistance of a lawyer, to give up one-half of his ownership interest. After 3 weeks of trial, we obtained a jury verdict of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty by the developer, and legal malpractice by the attorney. The client recovered his property, and actual and punitive damages.
The owner of a commercial property called us after the Texas Supreme Court had refused to hear his appeal of a judgment that had resulted in his property being lost in a tax sale for $5,000, although its actual value was $750,000. On Motion for Rehearing, we convinced the Texas Supreme Court to hear the appeal. The Court reversed the lower court judgment, and title was restored to our client. Read more.
City of Dallas v. Stanglin, 490 U.S. 19 (1989)
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
National Benevolent Association et al. v. Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP, 333 Fed.Appx. 822 (5th Cir. 2009)
AdvoCare International, LP v. Horizon Laboratories, Inc., 524 F.3d 679 (5th Cir. 2008)
Singh v. Duane Morris LLP, 538 F.3d 334 (5th Cir. 2008)
Hubbard v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield Ass'n, 42 F.3d 942 (5th Cir. 1995)
Transtechnology Corporation v. W. Pat Crow Forgings, Inc., 981 F.2d 1256 (5th Cir. 1992)
Fine v. American Solar King Corp., 919 F.2d 290 (5th Cir. 1990)
Sumitomo Bank of California v. Product Promotions, Inc., 717 F.2d 215 (5th Cir. 1983)
Texas Supreme Court
Hoover Slovacek v. Walton, 206 S.W.3d 557 (Tex. 2006)
Stanglin v. Keda Development Corp., 713 S.W.2d 94 (Tex. 1986)
Hathaway v. General Mills Inc., 711 S.W.2d 277 (Tex. 1986)
Texas Courts of Appeal
Falk & Fish v. Pinkston Lawnmower, 317 S.W.3d 523 (Tex.App.—Dallas 2010)
Walton v. Hoover, Bax & Slovacek, LLP, 149 S.W.3d 834 (Tex.App.—El Paso 2004)
Murphy v. Murphy, 2004 WL 254223 (Tex.App.—Fort Worth 2004)
Straza v. Friedman, Driegert & Hsuech, L.L.C., 124 S.W.3d 404 (Tex.App.—Dallas 2003)
Liptak v. Thornhill, 2002 WL 31730926 (Tex.App.—Dallas, 2002)
Domizio v. Progressive County Mut. Ins. Co., 54 S.W.3d 867 (Tex.App.—Austin 2001)
Lee v. Lee, 47 S.W.3d 767 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2001)
In re Hoover, Bax & Slovacek, L.L.P., 6 S.W.3d 646 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1999)
Rapp Collins Worldwide, Inc. v. Mohr, 982 S.W.2d 478 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1998)
Amara v. Lain, 725 S.W.2d 734 (Tex.App.—Fort Worth 1986)
Keda Development Corp. v. Stanglin, 721 S.W.2d 897 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1986)
Moore v. White Motor Credit Corp., 708 S.W.2d 465 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1985)
General Mills, Inc. v. Hathaway, 694 S.W.2d 96 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1985)
Brokers Leasing Corp. v. Standard Pipeline Coating Co., 602 S.W.2d 278 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1980)
Bair v. Voelker Realty Co., Inc., 598 S.W.2d 867 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1979)
Henry S. Miller Co. v. Treo Enterprises, 573 S.W.2d 553 (Tex.Civ.App.—Texarkana 1978)
Bridewell v. Prichett, 562 S.W.2d 956 (Tex.Civ.App.—Fort Worth 1978)
Carroll v. Knickerbocker, 544 S.W.2d 841 (Tex.Civ.App.—Texarkana 1976)
Monesson v. Champion Intern. Corp., Del-Mar Division, 546 S.W.2d 631 (Tex.Civ.App.—Tyler 1976)
Franklin & Franklin v. 7-Eleven Owners for Fair Franchising, 85 Cal. App. 4th 1168, 102 Cal. Rptr. 2d 770 (Cal. App. 1st Dist., 2000)
Lund Industries, Inc. v. GO Industries, 938 F.2d 1273, 19 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1383 (Fed. Cir. 1991)
Contact us to learn more about our services.
Daniel Sheehan & Associates, LLP
Campbell Centre II, Suite 100
Daniel J. Sheehan, Jr.
Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Fraud
Attorney Fee Contract Disputes
Probate and Estate Litigation
Based in Dallas, Texas, the law firm of Daniel Sheehan & Associates, LLP, provides experienced representation in legal malpractice and business matters. The firm's civil trial attorneys serve clients in the DFW Metroplex and elsewhere in Texas, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Denton, Plano, Frisco, Allen, Richardson, McKinney, Irving, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Flower Mound, Carrollton, Mesquite, Farmers Branch, North Richland Hills, Lewisville, Duncanville, Keller, Haltom City, Seagoville, DeSoto, Midlothian, Forest Hill, Rendon and Lancaster, and other cities in Dallas County, Tarrant County, Ellis County, Johnson County, Kaufman County, Rockwall County, Collin County and Denton County.
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Charities always see an uptick in donations during the holiday season. This year, much of that giving spirit is being directed at the global refugee crisis.
"Most charities, between now and the end of the year, many will get a quarter of their donations at least, sometimes a third," said David Morley, CEO of UNICEF Canada, which works with children in war zones and refugee camps to provide essential items, food, medicine, education and trauma counseling.
"People are always generous at this time of the year and I think for us at UNICEF, with the crisis facing Syria's children, that's what we'll be focusing on, and we think people will be generous."
Kathleen Kahlon, spokeswoman for the Canadian Red Cross, said it's too soon to say how the crisis will affect fundraising efforts, but she expects Canadians will open their pocketbooks for refugees this Christmas. The Red Cross has issued fundraising appeals for its work with refugees internationally and those arriving in Canada.
"The refugee crisis has definitely led many Canadians to reflect on their own lives and what's important to them," Kahlon told CBC News.
"That, coupled with the fact that Canadians have always been extremely generous during times of international and national crisis, I would expect that we could see a surge in donations."
Because holiday donations are so important for charities' budgets, many will reach out to people this time of year with Christmas-themed campaigns and charitable gift options.
UNICEF offers survival gifts on its website. People can choose from various items or packages for refugee children, such as baby blankets or measles vaccination kids, each of which comes with an e-card or a paper card that you can send to your loved ones to let them know you made a gift in their honour.
The UN Refugee Agency has a similar gifts campaign. The Red Cross also has Gifts For Good, which features items for domestic and international programs. For $100, Canadians can buy a set of winter clothes for families living in refugee camps. In World Vision's gift catalogue, you can donate $50 in someone else's name to support Syrian refugees.
UNICEF will also be launching a campaign where people can simply text them the word "Blanket" and automatically donate $10, the cost of a winter blanket to be distributed at a refugee camp.
Canadians are also responding to the crisis through the private sponsorship of refugees.
Peter Goodspeed is a volunteer at Lifeline Syria, an organization that helps recruit, train and assist individuals and organizations looking to sponsor refugees in the Greater Toronto Area.
He said people are sponsoring families through their schools, churches, condominiums, workplaces and more.
"The public response has just been incredible and we're still getting people signing up groups to see what they can do," Goodspeed said. "The sponsorship groups are coming from just about everywhere."
In Kings County, N.S., two Baptist churches have teamed up to form the Centreville and Aldershot Refugee Sponsorship, which is raising funds to sponsor a Somali Bantu refugee family of eight, set them up in a fully furnished home and help them in the difficult years ahead.
As a part of its fundraising, the group has issued what it's calling "the Christmas money challenge."
"We're asking people to forget the whole Christmas gifts thing or to donate at least part of their money towards the refugee fund," fundraiser Anne van Arragon Hutten, who came up with the idea, told CBC News. "It'll make all the difference in the world. People spend a fortune on Christmas gifts, and most of it's stuff they don't need."
Other Canadians are diverting funds from personal endeavours to help refugees. In Toronto, a young couple cancelled their big wedding to sponsor a family. A Calgary couple put the money they'd saved for home renos towards the cost of sponsoring a family.
A Canadian blogger, who cancelled her dream vacation to help refugees, has encouraged others to follow suit.
"I want to appeal to you who are reading this now, to cut back on that delicious daily latte, pack lunch for a week instead of buying it, or whatever other luxury you can sacrifice, in order to help these families that are dying by the hour; many due to the cold weather that is rapidly approaching," wrote Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed on CanadianMomEh.com.
With the focus on refugees this year, there is some concern other charities may get left out of the equation.
Katharine Schmidt, executive director of Food Banks Canada, said she isn't sure what effect the crisis will have on the fundraising efforts of charities like hers, but she hopes Canadians have enough holiday spirit to go around.
Food bank usage has been on the rise in Canada since the economic downturn, and food banks rely on holiday donations and food drives to stock up for the year ahead.
"We know that Canadians are incredibly generous and it is our hope with the current situation and Canada receiving an influx of refugees that Canadians will be even more generous, that they will continue to support the work of the charities that they believe in, and for some of them, maybe even be able to dig a bit deeper to be able to support the current reality of what's happening," Schmidt said.