text:
By Andromeda Romano-Lax
Read by Dan Butler
Andromeda Romano-Lax Blackstone Publishing, Blackstone Publishing
Ernst Vogler is twenty-six-years old in 1938 when he is sent to Rome by his employer—the Third Reich's Sonderprojekte, which is collecting the great art of Europe and bringing it to Germany for the Führer. Vogler is to collect a famous classical Roman marble statue, The Discus Thrower, and get it to the German border, where it will be turned over to Gestapo custody. It is a simple, three-day job. Things start to go wrong almost immediately. The Italian twin brothers who have been hired to escort Vogler to the border seem to have priorities besides the task at hand—wild romances, perhaps even criminal jobs on the side—and Vogler quickly loses control of the assignment. The twins set off on a dangerous detour and Vogler realizes he will be lucky to escape this venture with his life, let alone his job. With nothing left to lose, the young German gives himself up to the Italian adventure, to the surprising love and inevitable losses along the way. The Detour is a bittersweet novel about artistic obsession, misplaced idealism, detours, and second chances, set along the beautiful back roads of northern Italy on the eve of war.
Ernst Vogler is twenty-six-years old in 1938 when he is sent to Rome by his employer—the Third Reich's Sonderprojekte, which is collecting the great art of Europe and bringing it to Germany for the Führer. Vogler is to collect a famous classical Roman marble statue, The Discus Thrower, and get it to the German border, where it will be turned over to Gestapo custody. It is a simple, three-day job. Things start to go wrong almost immediately.
The Italian twin brothers who have been hired to escort Vogler to the border seem to have priorities besides the task at hand—wild romances, perhaps even criminal jobs on the side—and Vogler quickly loses control of the assignment. The twins set off on a dangerous detour and Vogler realizes he will be lucky to escape this venture with his life, let alone his job. With nothing left to lose, the young German gives himself up to the Italian adventure, to the surprising love and inevitable losses along the way.
The Detour is a bittersweet novel about artistic obsession, misplaced idealism, detours, and second chances, set along the beautiful back roads of northern Italy on the eve of war.
"As Nazi Germany passes from living memory, novels that allow the reader to travel its ethical landscape are increasingly important. Andromeda Romano-Lax has a fine feel for moments of clarity that are recognized only in hindsight, when chance and personal defects—moral and physical—combine to produce heroism, or mediocrity, or cowardice." —Mary Doria Russell, New York Times bestselling author
"Romano-Lax brings inertia to her narrative, deflating the foreboding of this German's imploding assignment." —Publishers Weekly
"A gently haunting work of subtle and surprising wisdom." —Booklist
"Romano-Lax is singularly gifted: she creates full-fledged, engaging characters and writes compelling narrative. Some of her descriptive passages take your breath away. The author's The Spanish Bow was a hit. This novel will make a splash, too, for the same reasons." —Library Journal
"With elegance and an eye for the unexpected, Ms. Romano-Lax distills the often overwhelming anguish of World War II into this elegiac tale of an earnest young art curator's journey into Italy, where he finds himself caught between his reverence for the past and the horrors of the future. An evocative portrait of one man's passage into maturity and the resiliency of the human spirit, even in midst of the unimaginable." —C. W. Gortner, author of The Last Queen
"A poignant and important historical drama, as well as part road trip and compelling adventure, The Detour defies our expectations on every page. Andromeda Romano-Lax is a powerful and moving storyteller." —Jennifer Gilmore, author of Something Red
"A marvelous adventure across landscapes both inner and outer, The Detour is a moving study in art and memory, history and geography, courage and compassion and every kind of love. Beautifully executed, deeply felt, and crammed with what feels for all the world like reality itself, it's a rare and valuable book indeed." —Jon Clinch, author of Finn and Kings of the Earth
"The Detour is a suspenseful tale of artistic ideals, culture and power, complex family bonds, and redemptive love with one of the most finely crafted narratives I've ever read. It's certain to earn Andromeda Romano-Lax a new level of readership. Vivid and heartbreaking, set against a shameful time in world history, Lax celebrates the resilience of the human condition, and its ability to heal against all odds." —Jo-Ann Mapson, author of Solomon's Oak
"The Detour is a wonderfully evocative and lyrical novel—a coming of age story woven into an adventure of art-smuggling under the Nazis. Romano-Lax brilliantly depicts a triumph over the seductive dangers of passivity when faced by love, art and the moral choices of life. A gemstone of a book!" —Simon Goldhill, author of Jerusalem
"The Detour is both a thriller and a poetic journey of a young art specialist and an ancient statue through the deceits and dangers of the Third Reich. Plunging into crazy adventures in a truck on the back roads of Italy and fleeing long-buried memories, Ernst seeks the safe delivery of the statue and in the process discovers loyalty, love, and his own soul. Andromeda Romano-Lax is a unique and wonderfully gifted writer." —Stephanie Cowell, author of Claude & Camille
Author Bio: Andromeda Romano-Lax
Andromeda Romano-Lax has been a journalist, a travel writer, and a serious amateur cellist. The Spanish Bow is her first novel. She lives in Anchorage, Alaska, with her family.
Category: Fiction/Historical


* We will begin walking to the football field around 9:00.
* All students need tennis shoes, play clothes and a sack lunch. Students may want a sweatshirt or light jacket since we are the morning session.
** I mentioned on my blog that students may want to wear their school t-shirts to autograph. We are going to do this school-wide on the LAST day of school. Please discuss with your child whether or not they will be participating. I do not want anyone to sign a shirt that was not supposed to be signed!
I will be leaving at lunch next Thursday. I just wrapped up my final classwork and graduate next weekend with my Masters from SBU! I have some family coming in town for graduation so I will be taking Thursday afternoon off, but I will be back on Friday.
Favorite Farm Animal Graph, Farm Shared Reseach Project, shaving cream spelling words, and planting flowers!
Backyard Burger will begin selling food at 5:30 in the gym.
All games will be open from 6:00-7:30.
The auction will close at 7:30 and 4th grade STOMP will begin in the gym.
All students will need a sack lunch from home or they can get one from school. Please let me know ASAP if your child will need a school sack lunch. Also, students are invited to wear their blue tiger pride T-shirt and have other students sign their shirt. Obviously your child does not have to participate in this if they do not want to (or you do not want them to!) Students are also welcome to bring their yearbook if they ordered one and have students sign it.
Things are getting CRAZY busy at school and it seems that there is new information popping up daily! Please make sure to check the blog often for other important announcements.
Please join us Friday, May 11th for a night of fun at the Willard East Carnival! There will be games, karaoke, food and the silent auction! The carnival is from 6:00-8:00PM and you can come and go as you please. Carnival bracelets are on sale now for $10 and this give your child unlimited play. The book fair will also be open during the carnival.
* Mrs. Curry has done a fantastic job organizing our room's activity. We will be hosting face painting during the carnival. We still need a few additional face paint crayons. These are available at party stores and some beauty supply stores as well.
Just a reminder… I will be assisting with a technology training for East teachers on Thursday, May 10th. Mrs. Gentry will be my substitute again.
Field Day will be Monday, May 14th. First grade will be in the a.m. again this year followed by a picnic. Please dress your child in "play clothes" and tennis shoes for this event.
Do You Have a Silver Dollar City Pass?
Mr. Morton play with his bluegrass band, Brightwater Junction!
Brightwater Junction will be playing at Silver Dollar City's Bluegrass and BBQ Festival on May 12-13.


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The AhaBooks included in this AhaLibrary are books created by authors from Weaving Influence.


Hex Dumbbells & Rack – 5;7;10;12.5 & 15kg 5 out of 5 based on 24 ratings.
Shop Bodypower Hex Dumbbells & Rack – 5, 7, 10, 12.5 & 15Kg. Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders.
Body Power Hex Dumbbells & Rack – 5,7,10,12.5 & 15Kg This superb set comprises 5 pairs of Hex D/bells & a Powerlinee PDR282G Horizontal rack. The D/bell sizes are 5Kg, 7Kg, 10Kg, 12.5Kg & 15Kg.
5 Pairs Dumbbells & Rack This superb set comprises 5 pairs of Hex D/bells & a Powerlinee PDR282G Horizontal rack. The D/bell sizes are 5Kg, 7Kg, 10Kg, 12.5Kg & 15Kg. Powerline Rack Product Features * Can be placed against any wall or centered in a room. * Nobody builds stronger or more space efficient storage units.
Malbarter&gmail. ComHex Dumbbells set and 3 Tier Rack dumbbells are in pairs 2 x 30kg, 2 x 27.5kg, 2 x 25kg, 2 x 22.5kg, 2 x 17.5kg, 2 x 15kg, 2 x 12.5kg, 2 x 7kg some wear but overall good condition and good quality collection only and CASH ON COLLECTION ONLY PLEASE.
5 Pairs Dumbbells & Rack This superb set comprises 5 pairs of Hex D/bells & a Powerlinee PDR282G Horizontal rack. The D/bell sizes are 5Kg, 7Kg, 10Kg, 12.5Kg & 15Kg. Powerline Rack Product Features * Can be placed against any wall or centered in a room. * Nobody builds stronger or.


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Q: Case insensitive phone name lookup containing cyrillics on Android SDK I'm trying to get list of contacts using this simple query, which works perfectly ignorig case of input filter until i try to search names containing cyrillics:
Cursor c = this.getContext().getContentResolver().query(Phone.CONTENT_URI,
            PHONE_PROJECTION, Phone.DISPLAY_NAME + " LIKE '%"+filter+"%'", null,     Phone.LAST_TIME_CONTACTED + " DESC");

The problem is this piece of code returns names containing cyrillics only for exact match - so it is case sensitive for cyrillics. I'd like to have the search to be case insensitive for cyrillics too. App runs on min SDK 2.1
The system itself (tested on 4.0 ICS) is capable of doing case insensitive search in contact list (default system app - People).
Thanks for any reply.

A: Fixed your code,
Make sure to handle the rest i made an example
This is the fixed code:
 String name = "contact_name_to_search_for"
 Cursor cursor = cr.query(ContactsContract.Contacts.CONTENT_URI,
            null,"DISPLAY_NAME" + " LIKE '%"+name+"%'", null,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.LAST_TIME_CONTACTED + " DESC");

This is the full handled code i made for example
String name = "contact_name_to_search_for"
        ContentResolver cr = getContentResolver();
    Cursor cursor = cr.query(ContactsContract.Contacts.CONTENT_URI,
            null,"DISPLAY_NAME" + " LIKE '%"+name+"%'", null,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.LAST_TIME_CONTACTED + " DESC");
    if (cursor.moveToFirst()) {
        String contactId =
                cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(ContactsContract.Contacts._ID)).toLowerCase();
        Cursor phones = cr.query(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.CONTENT_URI, null,
                ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.CONTACT_ID + " = " + contactId.toLowerCase(), null, null);
        while (phones.moveToNext()) {
            String number = phones.getString(phones.getColumnIndex(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.NUMBER));
            int type = phones.getInt(phones.getColumnIndex(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE));
            switch (type) {
                case ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_HOME:
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), number+" Home number",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT ).show();
                    break;
                case ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_MOBILE:
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), number+" Mobile number",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT ).show();
                    break;
                case ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_WORK:
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), number+" Work number",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT ).show();
                    break;
            }
        }
        phones.close();
    }
    cursor.close();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Prisen, som du fandt, er 30 % lavere end dette hotels gennemsnitspris på 206 $ pr. overnatning.
Dette sted var vores første ferie i mange år, og dette sted var med til at gøre det godt. Personalet var alle venlige og hjælpsomme. Det var også vores første Bed & Breakfast og vi var imponerede. Morgenmaden var god, men med en smule anderledes.
Very comfortable bed and pillows.
I assume that no pets are allowed but I didn't notice anything specific so decided to ask. We have a 7 lb. Maltese who travels with us. Thanks.
Pets are not allowed but there are kennels on the Outer Banks.
What are the bed accommodations? Any king-size?
We booked the George Howe Rm (12) for this June 9-19, and can't wait. I just discussed some of our questions with your staff by telephone. Chris, Hannah, and Bianca couldn't have been nicer, or more Professional. We have been coming to Nags Head off an on since the late '60s, always staying at the defunct Beacon Motor Lodge, because we enjoy "Old School" stuff. We expect FCI to be our new "Beacon" for years to come.
We love the First Colony Inn and love to visit in different seasons. It is our go to place if we are not renting a house on the OBX.
How long is the walk to the beach? Can we bring our own beach equipment?
The beach is across the street. Once you walk out off the back deck of the inn, you walk across a wide grassy lawn to the street, then you go across the 2 lane street to their boardwalk which takes you over the dunes and down to the beach. There are about 8 steps down. It may be a 6 minute walk. I think if you have a rolling cart it would be much easier. But you can carry your beach goodies. Not so far, but you'll be glad you've arrived, if you load is heavy.
Is this a kid friendly place for ages 5 and 6?
Yes, there are rooms with daybeds and trundle beds and our innkeepers both have children who frequently play in the yard and pool. We do not get complaints about from other guests when we do have small children at the inn. They will love the pool and as we have a BIG yard they can run around in. Bring them!


Choose which program is best for you!
A Friend of CASA is someone who wishes to support our mission but may not be able to commit the time to take a case and/or feels better suited to duties other than the CASA volunteer position. Friends of CASA have varying skills and time that they are willing to contribute.
A CASA advocate (volunteer) speaks on behalf of the child in the family court system and acts as their voice in the courtroom. A CASA advocate serves as the eyes and ears outside of the court system so that they can ensure a safe and permanent home for the child.
Volunteers are ordinary people committed to speaking up for children who are victims of abuse and neglect.
No special educational background or expertise is required! We provide the training and support.
You could make a difference in the life of a child.


The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado is now the most up-to-date midsize pickup truck out there. On the road, it demonstrates the polished feel. That's not to say its ride is luxury-sedan smooth, but it almost does not feel like a truck at all. Handling feels equally secure, with little body lean when you're driving around turns.
The 2015 Colorado not only delivers a quiet ride, but also offers high-end materials throughout the cabin. The front seats provide plenty of head- and legroom, even for taller riders, and the rear seats also have adequate rear-seat room for adults.


Polyurethane (PUR and PU) is a polymer composed of organic units joined by carbamate. .. Isocyanates used to make polyurethane have two or more isocyanate groups on each molecule.. . Resin blend additives may include chain extenders, cross linkers, surfactants, flame retardants, blowing agents, pigments, and fillers .
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The DIC "Urethane Resins (Polyurethane)" page. Urethane resins possess high adherence to various base materials and high impact resistance, and they can .
Polyurethane resins for Electronics. This includes the Standard range for most applications with the polyether/polyester chemistry, Water Resistant Resins, and .
General info on polyurethane resins • Special protection information • Effects of exposure • Spill or leak procedures • Fire extinguishing procedures • Storage and .


Veggie burgers hardly generate a great deal of excitement around the dinner table, but these mushroom burgers are a fabulous option if you are going meatless on Mondays. They offer earthy flavors, are rich in nutrition, and easy to prepare.
Veggie burgers hardly generate a great deal of excitement around the dinner table, but these mushroom burgers are a fabulous option if you are going meatless on Mondays. They offer earthy flavors, are rich in nutrition, and easy to prepare. We whipped up a quick aioli and used some greens and sliced apple for crunch.
Grind all of the mushrooms in a food processor. Let stand for a few moments as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a separate bowl, blend onion, almost all of the garlic (see below for aioli), parsley, then add mushrooms, chickpea flour (we used Lucini's Cinque e' Cinque), ground oats, egg, salt, and pepper. You might think mixing everything with your hands might be icky, but we promise it will yield a far better blend! Let stand uncovered for about 10-15 minutes before forming burger patties.
Cooking the burgers can be done in a few different ways. We chose to cook our in olive oil on the stovetop, but they can easily be cooked under the broiler or baked. It takes about 5 minutes on the stove, a little longer in the oven.
Aioli is a simple mixture of 1/3 tbsp mayo, a little chopped garlic, a dash of lemon zest and lemon juice. An apple slice gives the burger some additional crunch and sweetness that your body will love!


text:
Home Culture Cinema & Film 2017 Cannes Film Festival: Elton John's "The Cut" and his 3 New...
2017 Cannes Film Festival: Elton John's "The Cut" and his 3 New Music Videos
By Anne McCarthy -
Elton John and Spike Lee discuss "The Cut" at Cannes Film Festival. Photo: Anne McCarthy
France Today correspondent Anne McCarthy is on location in Cannes to cover the famous film festival. For more of her dispatches and reviews, click here.
Who would've thought Elton John would feel the need to reinvent three of his most iconic songs? After all, you don't mess with perfection.
But Elton didn't mess with it, he's enhanced it.
In his latest creative venture, Elton John teamed up with YouTube, and approached them with an idea hair-brained enough to be brilliant: Hold a contest for directors to submit their ideas for music videos of: "Benny and the Jets," "Tiny Dancer," and "Rocket Man."
After all, these (and many others) of Elton's songs never got the music video treatment. The three were released in 1971, 1972, and 1973. As Elton told the audience at the screening on Monday at the Olympia Theater at Cannes: "I'm prehistoric!"
As soon as the competition was announced, applications poured in en masse from over 50 countries. Along with Elton, the judging panel included director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Grammy-winning music video director Melina Matsoukas ("Formation," "We Found Love"), and co-founder of Dreamworks Animation, Jeffrey Katzenberg.
"Our songs are very cinematic," said Elton, explaining the reason behind the new project. "I've been singing them nearly 50 years and never got sick of them. They tell stories."
The "it factor" which made the contest winners stand out was that they each had a vision for the songs' stories. The winners of the contest were: Majid Adin, who directed the video for "Rocket Man," Jack Whiteley and Laura Brownhill for "Benny and the Jets," and Max Weiland for "Tiny Dancer."
The music videos each focused on a specific medium within the medium of video and song, as outlined in the contest: animation (Adin), choreography (Whiteley and Brownhill), and live-action creative concept (Weiland).
The standout among the three was Adin's video for "Rocket Man." (He said that when he first heard "Rocket Man" as a child it was translated into Farsi.) Adin, a refugee from Iran, lived on the streets of "the jungle" in Calais for six months, before making his way to London. "Majid's story – his journey from Iran to Turkey to Greece to Calais to London – was so incredible, we just wanted him to do something," said Elton. "It was a no-brainer."
Adin's video is semi-autobiographical, showing a man in a space suit, wandering through foreign territory, like London's Tube, and being tossed around in a boat on the sea. He sees visions of a wife and a family, but they disappear. Animation director Stephen McNally collaborated with Adin on the video. Adin emphasized that it was not fully autobiographical, emphatically stating: "It's about refugees."
Elton spoke of the importance of shining light on new artists. "It's always great to see new things from someone you've never heard of. It fills you with passion," he said. "It was like giving the songs Botox," Elton laughed.
The three music videos enjoyed their world premiere at the festival, followed by a Q & A with Elton, his long-time lyricist, Bernie Taupin, and the directors of the new videos. The talk was moderated by legendary Brooklyn-born filmmaker Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, The Original Kings of Comedy), who pointed out a momentous occasion that Bernie and Elton were celebrating this year: "Fiddy – as we'd say in Brooklyn – it's been fiddy, fifty, years since you started making songs together."
Elton recalled when, at age 20, he first met Bernie, who was 17. It was happenstance, and their meeting was all the result of a folder of Bernie's lyrics landing in Elton's hands. Of their meeting, Elton said: "It was kismet."
"That was God," said Spike Lee. "That was not an accident."
Kismet, God, or accident – Bernie and Elton's meeting (those many moons ago) remains just as important today as it was then, and these reimagined videos only affirm the power of their music.
Previous articleThings to See and Do in the French Pays Basque
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Anne McCarthy
https://annemccarthy.contently.com/
Anne McCarthy is a contributing writer to The Telegraph, France Today, and The Second City Network, and is the author of the memoir "Big Macs in Paris." She lives in New York City.
French Cinema: Profile of Actress Leïla Bekhti
Interview with Jean Dujardin: Je voudrais me faire plaisir
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The Impressionists and Photography at the Museo Othyssen in Madrid, Spain
Titanic: The Promise of Modernity at the Panorama XXL in Rouen
Jun 1, 2019 - May 1, 2020
The Other Side of Now: Foresight in Contemporary Caribbean Art
Jul 18, 2019 - Jun 7, 2020
Francis Bacon: Books and Paintings at the Centre Pompidou in Paris
Sep 11, 2019 - Jan 20, 2020
Take a Wellness Retreat in the French Countryside at the Happy...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Elbow Park is a large, inner-city SW Calgary community that is flanked by the Elbow River and Mount Royal on either side. Elbow Park has always been one of Calgary's most attractive communities with access to bountiful greenspace, quiet streets, and only minutes away from downtown. One of Calgary's older communities, most of the homes have been modernized or replaced with infills creating a deep variety of style for every taste. This is the location of the prestigious Glencoe Club, and Elbow Park residents enjoy convenient access to 4th St., the heart of Calgary's trendy Mission district, with the densest concentration of restaurants in the city alongside boutique shops. Elbow Park is designated to some of the best schools in Calgary. You will find it hard to stay inside here with such easy access to the beautiful Elbow River Path System in the summer, and very well maintained community ice rink in winter. See all Elbow Park homes for sale listed below and all schools designated to this high profile community.
Map of Elbow Park boundaries.


The Fiat 500 L is a mini MPV family car, practical and easy-to-drive.
The boot holds 412 litres of luggage. If you fold the rear seatbacks, it extends to 1375 litres.
The Fiat 500 L is perfect for families with a lot of luggage.


text:
Newark schools launch free breakfast program
Maria DeVito
NEWARK- Troy Smith and his first-grade classmates munched on Pop-Tarts, Nutri-Grain bars and Craisins on Friday morning as they worked on a math assignment.
But it wasn't just Troy's class that enjoyed breakfast while they worked. All the students at Ben Franklin Elementary School were offered the same meal as part of a pilot program that offers all students a free breakfast regardless of whether they are part of the free and reduced-price lunch program.
"It's always a good breakfast," Troy said of the meal, which also came with orange juice and milk.
The pilot program started at Ben Franklin on Jan. 8, but Newark City Schools Superintendent Doug Ute said the district plans to provide breakfast at all its schools starting next school year.
"We're passionate about providing our students with those social and emotional and physical needs, and I think that's why we continue to make progress," Ute said.
Last year, the district realized that of the students who were eligible to eat a free breakfast, only about 30 percent were taking advantage.
"That told us logistically we had to look at our operation and make sure that all of our students had an opportunity to eat," Ute said.
Ben Franklin Principal Dena Cable-Miller said since the program started, student visits to the school clinic for headaches and stomach aches in the morning have decreased
Allyson Ray, a first-grade teacher at Ben Franklin who assists with the breakfast program, said her students are participating more in the morning activities.
"No one's really tired like they used to be," she said.
Breakfast is served from 8:15 a.m. until the start of class at 8:45 a.m. All students are directed to the cafeteria first before going to their classroom to pick up a to-go bag that holds items such as breakfast bars, muffins, raisins, juice and milk every morning. Students eat in their classrooms in the first few minutes of the day while they work.
Ute said the district needed to allow kids to eat, but not lose any instructional time.
"Kids multitask all the time, and so eating breakfast while maybe writing a story or completing some math homework or something like that is acceptable that way," he said.
The Ben Franklin staff, which Ute credits for the success of the program, has reduced the time it takes to serve students breakfast while also increasing the number of students served. On Friday, the school served the most students to date, 292 of the school's 356 students, Cable-Miller said.
The school uses the federal reimbursements it gets for students to pay for the program, which the students named Morning Kickoff, Cable Miller said.
Newark isn't the only district in Licking County serving breakfast for free. Licking Valley Local Schools has been offering free breakfast to all of its students for about six or seven years, said Jan Jennings, the district's cafeteria director.
The district serves breakfast everyday to about 1,100 of the more than 1,800 students who attend Licking Valley schools for almost no out of pocket costs to the district. The federal reimbursements cover most of the costs, which are about $0.80 each, Jennings said.
Heath City Schools just started serving breakfast to all of its students this year, Superintendent Trevor Thomas said.
"It's the right thing to do," he said. "I'm actually kind of sorry we didn't do it sooner."
Right now, the district does charge students $1.50 for meals, but Thomas said the district is trying to find a way to serve breakfast for free.
"It's possible. It could be next year or the year after," he said.
mdevito@gannett.com
Twitter: @MariaDeVito13


This is a great canoe camping trip for folks who want to spend time in the Boundary Waters but aren't too concerned with seeing people. There are a number of folks who visit Stairway Portage and the waterfalls as a day trip and there is no quota on day use permits. This means you could see an unlimited number of groups of up to 9 people paddling to the waterfall each day. If you make your way off of Duncan and camp on Rose Lake then you will avoid seeing the majority of these folks but chances are you will see people on your way into and out of Rose Lake. This route is close to civilization so if you are a beginner with concerns about camping out then this is a good place to start. Rose Lake is a beautiful lake with high cliffs and hiking opportunities.
The entry point for Ducan Lake is accessed via West Bearskin Lake. There's a nice parking area and a short trail down to the waterfront where you'll launch your canoe. It's a very short paddle across the west end of West Bearskin Lake over to the 75 rod portage into Duncan Lake. The portage is is relatively flat and dry and is intersected by the Caribou Rock HIking Trail.
Duncan Lake has several campsites to choose from but they are very popular due to the easy access. You may not have a choice of campsites and in my opinion one of the nicer ones is not very private. Then again, if you're looking for privacy and solitude camping on Duncan may not be the best choice.
The Stairway Portage is an 80-rod portage into Rose Lake and there's a popular waterfall along the trail. Due to the proximity to a number of mid-trail resorts and outfitters this route is a very popular day trip. The BWCA does not regulate the number of groups entering for day trips so there can be quite a bit of traffic.
The waterfalls are pretty and it's fun to cool off beneath them and relax in the pool. The portage has stairs as one would assume due to the name. The Border Route hiking trail intersects the portage and leads to some awesome views of Rose Lake. There's nice elevation on top of the cliffs so you can see most of the lake from on top of them. It's worth taking the time to veer off of the trail and explore, just don't forget your camera.
There are a number of campsites on Rose Lake to choose from. There is a beautiful site right out from the portage but with day trip traffic it might not be the quietest. There's a campsite to the west of the portage as well but any groups paddling by you would see. There are a number of campsites on the south side of the lake. The sites are all protected by pine trees and somewhat hidden. Since the lake is half in Canada and half in the US you'll need to camp and fish on the south side of the lake.
If you're a hiker then consider camping at the most eastern site. It has direct access to the hiking trail and you can do a number of awesome day hikes including hiking back to Stairway Portage. Rose is a beautiful lake that offers good fishing and is easy to get to in a short amount of time.
Imagine sitting on the shores of a wilderness lake and hearing the sound of a train whistle in the distance. When the Gunflint Trail area was opened up for settlement in the 1800's people began their journey inland from the shores of Lake Superior. They found towering pines, lakes teeming with fish and geological features that piqued their interest. Some who ventured here saw the beauty, solitude and peacefulness and decided to settle here. Others saw the tall trees and imagined making profits by harvesting and selling the lumber. And yet other folks saw the rocks and thought there might be gold or other minerals to mine and sell. But before any logging or mining could be done there needed to be a way to transport materials off of the Gunflint Trail and railroads were the answer.
The history of railroads on the Gunflint Trail is a little confusing because there were a number of them built by different companies for different reasons. Information about the railroads is somewhat sparse but this is what I have pieced together from a number of different sources.
Russell Alger and M.S. Smith both from Michigan decided to build a railroad in 1898 and name it the Duluth and Northern Minnesota, also known as the Alger-Smith line because it was owned by the logging firm of Alger, Smith and Company. The plan was to harvest timber and bring it from the Arrowhead Region to the Duluth area near the mouth of the Knife River.
The details are fuzzy but the line originally ended at Hornby. I believe Alger-Smith completed their logging and sold the line to the General Logging Company of Cloquet who dismantled the railroad and stored the steel at Hornby.
In 1926 the General Logging Company of Cloquet decided to build a spur trail from Hornby(the end of the Duluth and Northern Minnesota) to Cascade Lake. This spur was known as the General Logging Line and by 1929 it extended to Brule and Rose Lakes. The logging didn't last long for a number of reasons including the Brule Lake Fire of 1929, the beginning of the Great Depression, the dropping of the lumber market and the poor quality of the pine. The company pulled up the steel lines between 1939 and 1941 ending the era of the railroad on the Gunflint Trail.
A trip to Stairway Portage and the waterfalls are always an awesome treat. The views from the cliffs along the Border Route Hiking Trail are amazing. One time our family camped at the most eastern campsite on Rose Lake. We decided to visit the falls without having all of our gear along so Josh and I hiked to the falls on the Border Route Trail while Abby and Mike paddled. I remember watching Josh thinking he looked like a gazelle bounding through the forest over downed trees and around rocks strewn in the path. I had to watch where I stepped and traveled at a much slower pace. On the way home Josh decided to catch a ride in the canoe while I hiked back to the site. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to take long hikes while on a canoe camping trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.


text:
La , également nommée , névralgie essentielle du trijumeau, névralgie faciale, névralgie épileptiforme (selon l'ancienne dénomination de « tic douloureux de Trousseau », correspondant à une crispation de la face sous l'effet de la douleur), est une affection connue depuis le milieu du . Elle est constituée par une atteinte du nerf trijumeau, cause fréquente de céphalées (maux de tête) aiguës paroxystiques et récidivantes. Elle entraîne des douleurs majeures, qui peuvent être très handicapantes et sources d'une détresse psychologique majeure dans les cas sévères.

Épidémiologie
Son incidence est d'environ une vingtaine de nouveaux cas annuels pour  habitants.

Sa fréquence augmente avec l'âge et semble plus élevée chez les femmes (trois femmes pour deux hommes), en partie probablement par l'espérance de vie supérieure chez ces dernières.

Un facteur de risque pourrait être l'hypertension artérielle.

Dans le cas de névralgie post traumatique, l'âge et le sexe n'ont aucune incidence, la fréquence suit la courbe d'augmentation des chirurgies implantaires.

Physiopathologie
Le nerf trijumeau (appelé également  paire), est un nerf crânien mixte (c'est-à-dire sensori-moteur), dont les fibres sensorielles sont responsables de l'innervation du scalp (cuir chevelu) et de la plus grande partie de la face. Le nerf est divisé en trois rameaux :

 le  transmettant les informations sensitives issues des téguments du front, de l'œil et de ses annexes ;
 le  transmettant les informations sensitives issues des téguments de la paupière inférieure, de la joue et de la lèvre supérieure ;
 et le  transmettant les informations sensitives issues des téguments la mandibule, le menton et lèvre inférieure (et la langue) à l'exception de l'angle inférieur de la mandibule.
La névralgie du trijumeau peut concerner un ou plusieurs rameaux.

La cause du caractère paroxystique de la douleur n'est pas claire. La démyélinisation de la racine du nerf joue probablement un rôle dans l'hypersensibilité de ce dernier.

La névralgie du trijumeau est la moins rare (quatre cas sur cinq) des névralgies du nerf trijumeau.

Elle est dite essentielle ou typique quand elle est sans cause connue. Cependant l'imagerie médicale (IRM en particulier), ont pu révéler des anomalies anatomiques reliées à l'apparition des symptômes : une artère cérébelleuse comme l'artère cérébelleuse supérieure, ou plus rarement une veine, peuvent ainsi comprimer le nerf trijumeau lorsqu'elle le croise juste après sa sortie du tronc cérébral, et ce, dans près de 80 % des cas. Ces anomalies peuvent cependant exister dans près de 10 % de la population, ne présentant donc aucun signe de névralgie. Un conflit vasculo-nerveux dans l'angle pontocérébelleux est souvent invoqué par les partisans d'une chirurgie fonctionnelle.

Il existe quelques rares formes familiales faisant suspecter une participation génétique.

Causes
La plupart des névralgies du trijumeau sont dites « essentielles », cependant toute lésion du nerf sur son trajet peut conduire à une névralgie (moins de 20 % des névralgies trigéminales) :
 les traumatismes tels que accidents, chirurgies ou interventions dentaires ;
 les tumeurs irritant le nerf tel que le neurinome de l'acoustique ;
 les tumeurs du tronc cérébral ;
 les méningiomes ;
 certains phénomènes vasculaires ( syndrome de Wallenberg) ;
 les anévrismes des vaisseaux satellites du nerf ;
 le zona du ganglion de Gasser ;
 la syringobulbie ;
 la section ou la compression du nerf par une fracture de la base du crâne ou du massif facial.
La sclérose en plaques peut se manifester, rarement, par une névralgie du trijumeau.

Signes cliniques
On distingue cliniquement deux types de névralgie : la névralgie essentielle (ou idiopathique) et la névralgie secondaire (ou symptomatique).La différence entre les deux est l'étiologie : la cause dans la névralgie essentielle est absente, donnant un examen clinique normal.

« Névralgie essentielle »
Les douleurs sont unilatérales et ne sont ressenties que sur une partie du visage correspondant à l'un des territoires sensitifs du trijumeau.
Elles sont fulgurantes, très intenses, à type de brûlures, broiement, éclatement ou de décharges électriques, ressenties typiquement durant quelques secondes à quelques minutes. Elles surviennent par salves lors d'une période douloureuse (qui peut durer plusieurs heures). Les périodes douloureuses sont entrecoupées de périodes d'accalmies, sans aucun signe, qui peuvent durer des années. Une congestion de l'œil et de la muqueuse nasale peuvent apparaître durant les crises, .

Dans les cas sévères, les crises sont quotidiennes, voir pluri-quotidiennes, parfois déclenchées par la mastication, la parole ou le simple effleurement d'une zone cutanée dites « zone-gâchette » (), dont la localisation dépend de l'individu (peau, dent, gencive, mâchoire…). Sur cette zone, .

Quand la névralgie touche le territoire d'une seule branche du nerf trijumeau, c'est le territoire du nerf maxillaire (V2) qui est le plus fréquemment atteint (40 % des cas) et surtout celui du nerf sous-orbitaire (aile du nez, gencive supérieure, lèvre supérieure). Sinon, c'est le nerf mandibulaire (V3) qui est touché dans 20 % des cas, avec une douleur localisée à la houppe du menton, à la gencive inférieure et à la lèvre inférieure. La zone innervée par le nerf ophtalmique (V1) est moins souvent touchée (10 % des cas), avec alors une douleur ciblant la zone de la paupière supérieure et de la racine du nez.

L'examen neurologique est normal : la sensibilité et la motricité de la face sont normales, le réflexe cornéen est présent. Le patient peut être prostré durant les crises, et tend souvent à s'isoler (car parfois rire, parler, manger, effleurer la zone gâchette suffit à déclencher une crise). .

« Névralgie symptomatique » ou « atypique » du trijumeau
Les douleurs sont moins paroxystiques ou non paroxystiques, et toujours avec un fond douloureux.
Comme dans la névralgie « essentielle », ces douleurs intéressent un ou deux territoires de distribution cutanée du nerf trijumeau, mais sans zone-gâchette. L'examen physique est anormal entre les crises, objectivant une paralysie des muscles masticateurs, l'absence de réflexe cornéen ou une hypoesthésie (diminution de la sensibilité) du territoire douloureux.

On en distingue plusieurs formes :
 Formes avec troubles vaso-moteurs : une névralgie faciale d'abord cliniquement typique peut évoluer avec des phénomènes vaso-moteurs de type larmoiement, rougeur locale des téguments, rhinorrhée (sur le territoire du nerf ophtalmique) ;
 Formes avec fond douloureux (douleur chronique) entre les accès (dérivant d'une forme plus typique, avec le temps) ;
 Formes bilatérales exceptionnelles, avec accès asynchrones à droite et à gauche, après une phase initiale typique unilatérale ;
 Formes avec anesthésie : chez un patient ayant antérieurement connu une forme typique de la maladie, elles ne surviennent qu'après traitement chirurgical d'une névralgie faciale essentielle ; il s'agit alors d'une récidive du phénomène douloureux, mais ces formes s'expriment de manière atténuée dans un territoire théoriquement anesthésié ou devenu hypoesthésique à la suite de l'intervention.

Évolution
La maladie évolue lentement vers l'aggravation avec un allongement de la durée des crises et une période inter-crises qui se raccourcit. Elle peut aussi se manifester par l'atteinte d'autres rameaux du . La bilatéralisation est rare, mais possible.

Diagnostic

Diagnostic clinique
Le diagnostic est réputé certain quand les symptômes suivant sont associés :
 la douleur est :
 paroxystique (en éclair),
 unilatérale,
 limitée au territoire du nerf ,
 forte, avec des accès à débuts et fins brusques ;
 indolence (= absence de douleur) entre les accès ;
 « zone gâchette » présente ; (territoire cutané, plus rarement muqueux,qui, lorsqu'il est excité déclenche une crise) ;
 examen neurologique normal ;
 symptômes apparus après 60 ans.

Examens complémentaires
Le scanner crânien, ou mieux, l'IRM, permettent d'éliminer une cause tumorale. Seul ce dernier examen permet de visualiser la compression du trijumeau par une boucle artérielle.

Diagnostic différentiel
La névralgie trigéminale est rare, en l'absence de la totalité des symptômes décrits ci-dessus.

Le diagnostic différentiel permet d'éliminer les autres causes, surtout si la présentation en est atypique :
 douleurs dentaires (dont secondaires à une sinusite) ;
 migraine ;
 algie vasculaire de la face ;
 syndrome algo-dysfonctionnel de l'appareil manducateur ;
 syndrome cérébelleux ;
 syndrome pyramidal ;
 anesthésie thermo-algique suspendue dans le territoire cervical.

Traitement

La prise en charge des névralgie trigéminales a fait l'objet de la publication de plusieurs recommandations par des sociétés savantes. Celles de l' et de l' datent de 2008.
Le traitement des névralgies atypiques est celui de la cause, quand elle est curable.
La névralgie essentielle est de traitement difficile. Elle nécessite des moyens parfois lourds pour arriver à soulager les douleurs.

Traitement de la crise
Les opiacés sont généralement inefficaces. L'injection d'un anesthésique local peut écourter la crise. Dans certaines formes de névralgies (atteinte prédominante du nerf maxillaire), l'instillation de lidocaïne en spray intranasal, permet de faire cesser la crise.

Traitement médical de fond
Le traitement médical fait appel à des analgésiques (médicaments anti-douleurs) atypiques, en particulier :
 le Tégrétol (carbamazépine, médicament antiépileptique), a une bonne efficacité sur la fréquence et la sévérité des crises dans la plupart des cas, en faisant un bon « test diagnostique. » Il est prescrit en dosage progressif jusqu'à  par kilogramme et par jour au maximum.

Les effets secondaires sont réputés rares, mais beaucoup de malades en ont malgré tout (somnolence, difficulté à parler, troubles de mémoire, etc.), ce qui en fait le traitement le plus efficace mais le plus aliénant. Une intolérance immédiate est possible (allergie cutanée et poussée fébrile chez 5 % des patients environ, devant faire interrompre le traitement). Une leucopénie est également possible, imposant une surveillance de l'hémogramme en cas d'administration prolongée). En cas de dosages élevés, des dosages sanguins sont utiles. Le Tégrétol est efficace à court terme pour 70 % des malades, 25 % y sont résistants et 5 % ne le tolèrent pas.

D'autres médicaments peuvent être essayés avec des succès variables :
 oxcarbazépine, dérivée de la carbamazépine ;
 gabapentine ;
 phénytoïne ;
 clonazepam… ;
 le baclofène (Liorésal), pouvant être proposé si l'effet du Tégrétol s'épuise ;
 le Dihydan ou le Rivotril présentent une certaine efficacité, mais sont moins utilisés.
Des neuroleptiques (Nozinan) et des anxiolytiques peuvent diminuer l'anxiété.

Des antidépresseurs tricycliques ont aussi un effet antalgique.

Traitement chirurgical
En cas d'échec du traitement médicamenteux, plusieurs traitements chirurgicaux peuvent être proposés :
 l'électrocoagulation (thermocoagulation en fait) sélective du ganglion de Gasser traite les douleurs de façon radicale, avec des récidives dans 7 à 15 % des cas, mais l'opération peut être renouvelée. L'opération n'altère pas la sensibilité de la face et préserve le réflexe cornéen. Elle est basée sur la possibilité d'atteindre la région rétrogasserienne par le « trou ovale » pour traiter au niveau et en arrière du ganglion de Gasser les fibres amyéliniques qui véhiculent la sensibilité à la douleur et qui sont regroupées dans le secteur inférieur du tronc du nerf. Ces fibres sont plus vulnérables à la chaleur que les fibres myéliniques car non protégées, ce qui rend possible leur destruction sélective par chauffage. L'opération soulage le patient immédiatement dans 85 à 100 % des cas. Elle se fait sous anesthésie locale mais reste délicate et laisse de possibles séquelles (paresthésie). Des complications sont possibles, dont l'hypoesthésie de la cornée dans 10 à 20 % des cas, des dysesthésies faciales dans 15 % des cas ou une kératite dans 4 % des cas ;
 en cas de nouvel échec, une intervention neurochirurgicale, à crâne ouvert, à visée de décompression du nerf peut être envisagée sur l'angle ponto-cérébelleux pour lever un conflit vasculo-nerveux, mais c'est une opération délicate à réserver aux cas bien confirmés par l'imagerie (angiographie vertébrale, IRM, angio-IRM) et à des patients en bon état général, informés des risques (1 % de décès, 1 % de surdité, 1 % d'acouphènes, 5 % de complications générales (pneumopathie, maladie thrombo-embolique), 1,5 % de méningites) ;
 la radiochirurgie stéréotaxique : ces traitements de neurochirurgie fonctionnelle sont indiqués dans la névralgie essentielle du trijumeau, mais ne se conçoivent pas en cas de neuropathie trigéminale secondaire à une lésion du nerf trijumeau : post-thermolésion, post-traumatique, postopératoire, post-zostérienne, post-AVC qui sont plutôt des indications de techniques de neuromodulation.
La neurotomie rétrogasserienne ou la section du faisceau quinto-thalamique ont été pratiquées, mais ont été abandonnées car présentant trop de séquelles.

Traitement par ostéopathie
Dans certains cas, la névralgie peut être prise en charge par un chiropraticien ou par un ostéopathe.

Traitements alternatifs
Aux Etats-Unis, quelques études limitées tendent à montrer une efficacité limitée du cannabidiol ou CBD, un composé non psychotrope issu du chanvre. Ces résultats restent à conforter par des études de plus grande ampleur.

Notes et références

Voir aussi

Articles connexes

Névralgie
Céphalée

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


SingaporeBrides recently ran an article on 45 Important Questions to Ask Before Choosing A Wedding Photographer. In all honesty, if anybody were to come up to me with this list, I'll probably beat that person up. I have much better things to do.
1. How long have you been in the industry and how many weddings have you shot to date?
More than a decade. I'm an old stallion who's still running strong.
Unscripted, Unstaged & Unobtrusive. If you had to ask, then you need to visit my website.
3. Do you have a portfolio I can review? Where is the best place for me to view a full portfolio of your work?
Again, my website and also on my Facebook and Instagram.
4. Are all of the images yours, and is the work recent?
Of course, I guarantee they are not plagarised from some other photographer.
5. Are you open to a photographer's shot list?
6. How far in advance do I need to book with you?
Well, if I'm not booked, you can even call and book my services on the spot.
7. Is my wedding date available?
When's your wedding day again?
8. How many weddings are you booked for on my wedding date?
Well, I can only be at one place at one time.
9. Will you be the one shooting my wedding? If not, can I meet the photographer who will be on-site?
Yes. Sometimes, you'll get to say hi to some of my associates.
10. Will there be a second photographer on the day? If yes, can I meet the second photographer?
It all depends on you. Do you need a Second Photographer?
11. Why do you need a second photographer? What will he/she be in charge of photographing?
Quick answer – more coverage, more photos, more perspective.
12. Is there an additional cost if I want a second photographer?
13. Do you have a backup plan/photographer in the event that you are unable to shoot my wedding for some reason?
No, but I've not been unable to shoot a wedding I'm supposed to in the last 10 years. Don't let yours be the first.
14. What photography packages are available, and what is included in these packages?
I can't say it here. Too many prying eyes.
15. What add-ons do the more expensive packages include?
It's a question of what you are willing to spend. I can make a photo album made of pure gold if the money is right.
16. Can I customise a package to fit my needs?
Of course, no two weddings are ever the same.
17. How many hours are included in each package? How much do extra hours cost?
I don't sell packages. Everything is customised. Again, I can't name a price here. Contact me for a quick chat.
18. What is your refund or cancellation policy?
19. How much deposit do you require to book your services?
100% is preferable but otherwise we'll accept half.
20. When will the final payment be due?
When I say hi to you on your wedding day.
21. What payment methods do you offer? Do you accept payments in installations?
You mean installments. Hmm… that's something for me to think about. Otherwise, cash, cheque and credit card. No bitcoins please. We're still figuring that one out.
22. Do you often shoot weddings that have a similar size and style to the one we are planning?
I'm a wedding veteran. I've shot weddings in all race, shapes and sizes.
23. Have you ever shot a wedding at our wedding venue/s? If not, do you plan to check out the venues in advance?
Why not? New places are always fun to explore.
24. Do you offer other photography services, such as photobooths or live-roaming photography?
No. We're just very good wedding photojournalists.
25. Is there a videography team you enjoy working with that you can recommend me?
Yes, we have friends who are the excellent videographers.
26. What time will you arrive at the site and for how long will you shoot?
That depends on what time your wedding starts and how much $ you invested with me.
27. What happens if you are delayed getting to my wedding?
Again, I'm never late and make sure I never am. But if for some unfortunate incident where say Godzilla attacks me en route to your wedding, I guess that can't be helped.
28. What information do you need from me before the wedding day?
Every juicy bits that you're willing to share. I'm a friendly fella who loves to chat.
29. What kind of equipment will you be using? Will you bring our own lighting and necessary equipment?
Well, the kind of stuff that any wedding photographer in a right frame of mind would bring to a wedding.
30. Do you have backup equipment?
Oh yes. A whole bag of it.
31. Do you shoot in colour, black and white, or both?
In film too actually. Did I mention lomo? Oh yes, phone cameras too but mostly for my Instagram.
32. Will the photos be retouched and colour balanced before they are given to me?
33. If an image is delivered in black and white, will I also have access to a colour version of the image?
Well, if it's taken in black & white film, there's nothing I can do.
34. On average, how many edited images can we expect to receive from you?
That will again depend on how much $ you invested with me.
35. How will I receive the images? Do you offer an album? If yes, what type of album do you offer?
Google Drive and my Film USB Drive. I have plenty of handmade photo albums.
36. How long does it take for us to receive the images after the wedding?
That's really a question of how busy I am but I don't purposely withhold your photos, unless you forget to pay me.
37. Will we have rights to the images, to repost on social media etc?
Yes. But please do tag me. I'm a glutton for publicity.
38. Are you available to travel? If so, what are the additional costs? What do I need to provide?
I love travelling! If you're feeling generous, business class please. Otherwise, I'll accept economy.
Hey, that's just 38 questions. Well, the other 7 is for wedding couples to self-reflect.


At 3:30 am it will all begin, Thorsten's swim will begin in the dark at 3:30 am in Dover. (12:30 pm Sydney time). The weather will be sunny as it has been for the past few days and the wind will hopefully be kept to a minimal. The preparation has begun for the 2:00 am wake up and heading down for the start of the swim.
1 hour in and going strong, the swim has well and truely started now!! Follow the swim with the live tracker.
What is the Channel Swim?
There are two swimming organisations that run Channel Swims.
The English Channel, the stretch of water that separates Great Britain from the European mainland, is not just the busiest shipping lane in the world, it is also an increasingly popular destination for enthusiastic ocean swimmers.
For modern day ocean swimmers, it is considered the ultimate goal, the "Mount Everest" of open water swimming. In a straight line the swimming distance is 18.2 nautical miles (approximately 34km), equivalent to 14 laps of the popular Coogee Island Challenge swim.
All swims these days start near Dover and end on the coast of France.
In sync with the changing tides, very strong so-called tidal currents sweep parallel to the channel (and thus perpendicular to the desired swim direction) from NE to SW and vice versa, changing direction every six hours.
Image: GPS track of a successful Channel swim (this one took 18.5 hrs) from Dover to Cap Gris Nez (Arrow) in France. Strong tidal currents sweeping from NE to SW and back between high tide and low tide cause this "wonky" swim path.
Neither the swimmer, nor the boat captain were drunk during this swim!
Especially near the head land called "Cap Gris Nez" (near Audinghen in the graph above), where swimmers ideally aim to land in France, these currents can become extremely strong and can push swimmers back towards England.
Getting caught up in these currents can result either in an extra 4-5 hours of swimming or in swims like the one from 2018 shown below, which was aborted after 14 hours, just about one kilometre (!) or so from the French coast.
As tough as it may be, this swimmer was recorded as "unsuccessful".
Pure devastation after 2 years of intense preparation.
Image: GPS track of an unsuccessful swimming attempt. The swimmer was pulled out of the water about 1km from the French coast after 14 hours of swimming, feeling cold, exhausted and devastated.
To be officially recognised, channel swimmers can only wear regular speedos, a cap and goggles, plus some grease, the latter mostly to avoid chafing (the idea that grease also helps with keeping warm is a myth).
Sea temperatures peak in late August early September when the channel is nominally as "warm" as it gets, which is why I booked a "swimslot" in the first week of September. Sea temperatures so far this year have been above the long-term averages, it thus looks like I might be lucky and get around 18 degrees water temperature for my attempt.
Since making the booking for my swim in January 2017 I have spent considerable time in the water.
Regular swimming training during the week starts at 5:00 am at Des Renford Aquatic Centre, typical training sets include 5-7 km of swimming.
The pool training is accompanied by long open water swims on weekends, the swim track of a weekend training swim in late June (Coogee – North Bondi – Wylie's Baths – North Bondi – Coogee) is shown below.
The photo below shows my mate Michel on his way to a 6am start for an 8h swim in 15 degree cold water in Port Phillip near Melbourne in late April, with 7 degree outside temperature.
This represented our official English Channel qualifying swim. The first few hours of this swim took place in the dark. Training in cold water at night is important, since most likely at least some of the Channel swim (in some cases the entire swim) will take place at night time.
Getting ready for night training during "Cold Camp"
So why does anyone do this?
The answer to this question varies between individual swimmers.
For me an attempt to swim the English Channel is the natural progression of many years of ocean swimming in and around Australia, starting with the Coogee Island swim (2.4km), the South-Head Roughwater swim (11km) and the Rottnest Island swim (19.7km).
The English Channels simply seems to be the next logical step.
Much of the preparation, like getting up at 4:30am or spending hours in cold water on the weekends is not enjoyable, not at all.
What keeps me (and I suspect many others) going is the anticipation of the moment when the sand on French shores come in sight beneath the water, when the feet touch the ground and we eventually hear the siren from the pilot boat indicating a successful crossing. I hope that this short moment of glory will actually happen for me, it would make all the hard preparation worth it.
My family and several friends from Wylie's Baths will accompany me on my trip to England (and hopefully France), they will be a great support crew and source of motivation.
All English swimming attempts can be tracked online on https://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/tracking where the GPS positions of all current swims (the names of the boats are shown) are updated every ten minutes.
My boat will be "Pathfinder" with Eric Hartley, my swim is scheduled for the neap tide between 2-8 September.
About 10 years ago I was working for Swimtrek as a guide and they asked me to work on their Long Distance Training Trips. These trips were designed for people embarking on an endurance swim, most of them were potential Channel swimmers.
The trips were run in April in Gozo, Malta where the water temperature is about 14-16 degrees, which are perfect training temperatures. I worked on four week long trips and met over 40 swimmers, many who were aiming to get across the Channel either that summer or the next.
It was a steep learning curve of endurance swimming in cold water. I worked with many experienced Channel swimmers and learnt a lot, however I still thought they were slightly crazy.
I also saw that most of them were average speed swimmers like I am, and that maybe it might be a possibility for me…..one day!
In the following years amongst a whole lot of swimming everywhere I have dabbled in some long distance swims. In 2012, I completed a duo swim of Rottnest and also a crossing of the Gibraltar Straights, these were big challenges at the time.
On moving back to Melbourne in July of 2016 I started swimming in Port Phillip Bay, which after Sydney waters is VERY cold, however I loved it! I found a great group to swim with in Port Melbourne and started making a habit of this cold water swimming, initially in a wetsuit however since that first winter I haven't used my wetsuit again.
In March of 2017 after starting back at squad training and seeing some improvements in my speed and fitness it popped into my head that maybe this would be a good time to start training and looking into a Channel swim for 2018!
With that I quickly booked a boat for September 2018. Then I devised a training plan, started swimming with a group here in Melbourne that is made up of Channel swimmers and potential Channel swimmers, planned some big swims like a Rottnest solo and generally focused on the end goal to be fit, and mentally prepared for my swim in September 2018.
I have so far ticked all the boxes including completing an 8 hour qualifying swim at the end of April in 15.4 degrees water. I am training well and am now just consolidating my training over the coming two months before I leave.
The bay here is now too cold for long swims (10 degrees), therefore I only swim in the bay for up to an hour 3 times a week. Luckily I swim out of the Brighton Baths and they have a steam room with helps with the warming up process.
The Channel should be between 15-18 degrees when I am doing my swim. There seems to be about 10 people here in Melbourne currently training for the Channel and I swim regularly with about 5 of them, which helps for the longer 4-6 hour swims we need to do. I'm feeling ready and prepared now, but I'm still enjoying the training.
The accomplishments that I have made along the way and the friendships I have made have been extremely rewarding. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good weather as it is not unheard of to get over there and not even get a chance to swim due to the temperamental weather.
I have a great crew on my boat to support me for my swim, one of them being Clive (a fellow guide from Swimtrek who I met on those first Long Distance Training Trips years ago).
There are currently less than 2000 people, and less than 600 women, who have completed a solo crossing of the English Channel - and I'm hoping to join that list this coming September!
My boat will be "Optimist", my swim is scheduled for between 16-22 September.
Wylies regular, Craig Mellick, successfully completed the South Head Roughwater Swim (Bondi to Watsons Bay) on 20 May 2018. Could he be our next Channel contender?!
The 18th running of the SHRS will be held on Sunday 19 May 2019 - always the 3rd Sunday in May. For more information, check out their website.
I'm a frequent swimmer at Wylies Baths, and carried out my training at the wonderful saltwater pool in preparation for the ocean swim.
Wylies was a perfect environment to do my training as the water temperature was actually slightly colder than the ocean, especially first up in the morning where the water has settled overnight in the cold night air.
A nice hot shower and coffee after each session was always a pleasant way to finish my training. We were fortunate enough to be welcomed by favourable conditions on the day of the swim where along with a fantastic support crew of Mario Mili, Gwilym Funnell, Tony Raeside, Dan Morgan & Courtney Tallon made sure the mission to complete the 12km swim was successful.
The swim ultimately took me 4 hours and 27 minutes and I became 1 of approximately 70 odd solo swimmers male and female, from around Australia, to complete the swim on the day.
I felt as though I hit a wall after the 5km mark as the current was flowing north to south and it felt like I was swimming upstream. I needed to dig deep, remain positive and maintain my stroke and rhythm. Both my daughters were at the finish line to cheer me home.
My swim was in support for, "Lend us some Muscle", The Friedreich Ataxia Research Association (fara) a not for profit organisation that supports research into treatments and a cure for Friedreich Ataxia (FA). FA is a debilitating, life shortening degenerative neuro-muscular disorder, which affects about 1 in 30,000 people in Australia and NZ. All money raised will help establish the first clinical gene therapy trials in Australia, which will help find new treatments and a cure for Friedreich Ataxia.


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Q: How to deploy a javafx app as an image bundle without many dlls in the root folder on windows On https://docs.oracle.com/javafx/2/deployment/self-contained-packaging.htm and more specifically this image: https://docs.oracle.com/javafx/2/deployment/img/bundle_file_struc.png
You can see a windows deployed image bundle with only an executable and a couple of other files in the root folder. When I deploy an app using the following commands (EDIT: using oracle jdk 8), I get many dlls in the root directory (50+):
mkdir classes
javac -d classes/ src/helloworld/HelloWorld.java
javapackager -createjar -appclass helloworld.HelloWorld    -srcdir classes/ -outdir out -outfile outjar -v
javapackager -deploy -native image -srcfiles out/outjar.jar -appclass helloworld.HelloWorld -outdir out -outfile test

I want to get rid of the dlls because they are confusing users by making the executable hard to find. Is it possible, and how ? This is for deploying a javafx app on windows


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The Fairviewer • December 7, 2020 • https://www.fairviewer.org/entertainment/2020/12/07/grammy-nominations-spark-controversy-among-artists-and-fans/
Grammy Nominations Spark Controversy Among Artists and Fans
Emily Bosco and Alyssa Dymkowski
In late November, the much-anticipated nominations for the upcoming Grammy's were announced.
After a year of record-breaking albums by talented artists, many people were anxiously waiting to see if their favorite artist's album or song would be nominated for categories like "Album of the Year" or "Song of the Year." Many artists were also hopeful that their music would be nominated in some of these categories, especially since many albums this year were extremely successful. Though when it came time to the nominations, both artists and fans were left shocked and disappointed.
One of the most notable snubs from this year's nominations was The Weeknd, who is performing at the upcoming Super Bowl and whose new album "After Hours" was one of the biggest albums of the year, yet was not nominated for a single category. The Weeknd expressed his disappointment in a series of posts across his social media saying "The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…" Amidst the chaos, rapper Nicki Minaj chimed in tweeting, "Never forget the Grammys didn't give me my best new artist award when I had 7 songs simultaneously charting on billboard & bigger first week than any female rapper in the last decade-went on to inspire a generation." Fans flocked to both The Weeknd and Minaj's post to express their support for the musicians.
Another high-profile artist who spoke out on the matter was Halsey, who also expressed her support for The Weeknd after the Recording Academy unveiled their picks, and additionally added that she doesn't believe that the Grammy process is truly authentic, but rather depends on who you know, regardless of how your music has performed. The singer took to Instagram on November 28 to convey her opinions and speak to her fans about the controversy. She wrote "… it's about committing to exclusive TV performances and making sure you help the Academy make their millions in advertising on the night of the show." She further asserts that "it's not always about the music or quality or culture."
Based on these responses to the nominations and the number of enraged fans, it's safe to assume that next year's Grammy Awards will not be as watched or supported by viewers as it has been in previous years.


This is an enthralling arrangement of 24 white roses which will rightly uphold the spirit of any occasion. Beautifully arranged in a bouquet, coupled with gysophila, the collection of flowers will entice your dear ones in all cities in India. Send Gifts across India through GiftsAcrossIndia.com and add some more spark to the occasion.


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Book by South African who set up pottery centre in Seychelles recalls fond island days
National |Author: Sharon Ernesta | November 15, 2020, Sunday @ 08:00| 3957 views
Through her book, Kathy recounts the story of the organization, the Bible teaching and the establishment of the pottery industry (Seychelles News Agency)
A South African national who helped set up a pottery centre in Seychelles in the 1970s has written a book about her days on the island nation.
In the book, "Our Seven Years in Paradise," Kathy de Smidt recounts how she and others from her group contributed to the setting up of the Ceramics Training Centre and the Seychelles Potters Co-operative.
De Smidt, who currently lives in Cape Town, told SNA that she first came to the islands in 1977. "Our Christian mission organization was invited to consider working in Seychelles, be involved in Bible teaching in numerous spheres and support the ongoing work of other churches on the island. One of the main things we were asked to do was to provide training in pottery for young people after they left school," explained de Smidt.
Linda centering her clay (Kathy de Smidt) Photo License: CC-BY
De Smidt, who contacted SNA after an article about pottery was published by the agency recently, said that her organization - the Voluntary Service Group – established upon arrival an agreement with the Ministry for Education and set up the first-ever training centre specifically for pottery.
"Once potters were trained after a couple of years, they would then set up a craft industry, which became known as Seychelles Potters Co-operative, SeyPot, based at Les Mamelles," explained de Smidt.
Through her book, the author recounts the story of the organization, the Bible teaching and the establishment of the pottery industry. Back then pottery was booming in Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean – and was sought-after by the tourism sector.
"My husband, Brian, and I with our young son arrived in 1978, from South Africa. We came to assist with the training centre and in particular to set up the SeyPot, once the first potters were trained. In early 1979, the training centre opened its doors to the first students, and the first graduates in April 1981 were Mickey Arnephy, Kathleen Jeremie, Rodney Payet, Sarah Esparon, Jeanette Esparon and Linda Chang-Sam," explained the author.
De Smidt added "we loved living in Seychelles, and in fact, that is why I have called my book, 'Our Seven Years in Paradise'. It was a wonderful place to bring up our children and we made many good friends on the Island. Two of our children were born at Victoria Hospital. We lived in Pointe La Rue and also at Anse Aux Pins and had some interesting experiences there. Our family arrived in late July 1978 and we left in August 1985."
de Smidt family in paradise September 1983 (Kathy de Smidt) Photo License: CC-BY
Upon the opening of the Seychelles Polytechnic – an academic institution – in the 1980s, the centre was absorbed in the Art and Design department of the institution.
At the end of September 1988, the opening of the retail shop in Les Mamelles marked the point when the volunteer group completely withdrew from the pottery project, handing over the running of SeyPot to the Seychellois potters. After that, SeyPot was run by Seychellois potters for quite some years, and some potters set up their own workshops including Mickey Arnephy who still owns his pottery workshop.
From top to bottom; Jamie posing with pots at the workshop and Fabien at the co-op Shop (Kathy de Smidt) Photo License: CC-BY
"I am the only one left now amongst the first trainees and for me, the biggest satisfaction with pottery is how the mound of clay can be transformed into beautiful products using your hands and the pottery mill," Arnephy told SNA.
The potter said he remembered clearly when American Jack Wilson, Stanley Kline along with Brian De Smidt started the centre which was located in the central district of Mont Fleuri. The building – now delipidated – where the training centre was, still stands today.
Mickey Arnephy throwing a pot (Kathy de Smidt) Photo License: CC-BY
Arnephy added that he wishes that this form of art gets the recognition it deserves and his hope is that a center for training is re-opened as he is prepared to train young people in pottery.
De Smidt's book is on sale on Amazon and costs $4 for Kindle and $33 for paperback.
Tags: Kathy De Smidt, Our seven years in paradise, Amazon, Kindle, Ceramics Training Centre, Seychelles Potters Co-operative
Jasper the island-hopping dog could be a Seychellois stocking stuffer
Brazilian Amazon sees worst June in 13 years for forest fires
Brazil scraps bid to mine Amazon natural reserve


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Emergency Powers Bill Passes Committee, Statement from Pelican CEO
By Daniel J. Erspamer
Today, the Louisiana House and Government Affairs Committee passed House Bill 4, which will add checks and balances to Louisiana's emergency declarations process. Pelican Institute CEO Daniel Erspamer released the following statement in response to the passage of the legislation: "Balancing executive power in Louisiana's emergency declarations process has become one of the most consequential issues...
TAGS: checks and balances, Constitution, COVID-19, emergency declaration, Freedom
Protect Life and Liberty in a Pandemic
By Sarah Harbison
Did Louisiana's government infringe on the rights of its citizens with its COVID-19 mandates? Today, the Pelican Institute released a report to answer that question and offer approaches for addressing the ongoing pandemic and future disasters while safeguarding both public health and individual liberty. In future legislative sessions, lawmakers should consider the lessons learned from...
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Pelican Responds to State Plan to Reopen Louisiana's Economy
Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Louisiana will begin implementing Phase 1 of the federal government's reopening guidelines on May 15. Pelican released the following statement from CEO Daniel Erspamer regarding the state's plan to reopen Louisiana's economy and ease lockdown restrictions. "For the last month, the Pelican Institute has urged Louisiana leaders to begin...
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Lawyer, CNN Commentator Joins PeliCast to Talk Constitutional Role During COVID-19
CNN political analyst Sarah Isgur recently joined Pelican Institute General Counsel Sarah Harbison on the PeliCast to discuss whether state and local governments' emergency responses to the COVID-19 outbreak pass constitutional muster. In New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued an executive order on March 16 cancelling all public and private gatherings. Governor John Bel Edwards...
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Meatless Mondays on Nanny State Menu
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Poetry Month continues, and this is Day 24 of NaPoWriMo, I'm feeling the effects of daily poeming in my being, now. Parched and beginning to drift, I flee toward nature. I couldn't stick to the prompt today, and the drought in my veins reminds me of a longing; one I cannot name. But this is my attempt at capturing it for the day. Hope you enjoy.
This is beautiful. The title makes it, for me.
Day 24, time to dig deep! I love the spareness of these lines, how I have time to savor. Lucent moons and tumble of gases, yes.
Indeed, digging deep. Hahah! Thanks for reading and your lovely comment.


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Galloway Police Blotter August 12 - 18, 2018
Galloway Township Police responded to 857 calls for service during August 12, 2018 through August 18, 2018.
Additional statistics include: 2 Burglaries, 1 Vehicle Burglaries, 19 Motor Vehicle Accidents, 98 Tickets issued, 3 Driving While Intoxicated, 32 Arrests, 12 Domestic Violence, 22 Fire Calls, 96 EMS Calls and 0 Juvenile calls.
100 Block of Colonial Ct.
800 Block of 3rd Ave.
Galloway Police Blotter August 5 - 11, 2018
Galloway Township Police responded to 857 calls for service during August 5, 2018 through August 11, 2018.
200 Block of Wrangleboro Rd
500 Block of 2nd Avenue
800 Block of Clarks Landing Rd
Burglary Suspects Surrender to Galloway Police After Standoff
Gist Andriotis
On August 6, 2018 at 10:01 a.m., the Galloway Township Police Department responded to the area of Jupiter Hills Lane in reference to a 911 phone call reporting an armed robbery.
Upon arriving at the scene, police spoke to the 18 year old victim who indicated that he was just robbed at gunpoint and knifepoint at one of the local residences. Police surrounded the suspect residence, and after a standoff which last approximately one hour the suspects peacefully surrendered to police.
A search warrant was obtained for the residence which recovered additional evidence related to the robbery. A small portion of Jupiter Hills Lane was shut down for several hours while police conducted the investigation.
John C. Andriotis, 36 of Galloway and Tyrell A. Gist, 21 of Atlantic City were charged with numerous offenses including robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
Gist was additionally charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute.
Both Andriotis and Gist were lodged in The Atlantic County Justice Facility on the listed charges.
The investigation is still ongoing and additional charges are pending. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact Detective Bryan Casey at The Galloway Township Police Department.
Labels: Galloway Police, Press Release
Galloway Police Blotter July 22 - 28, 2018
Galloway Township Police responded to 937 calls for service during July 22, 2018 through July 28, 2018.
Additional statistics include: 1 Burglaries, 2 Vehicle Burglaries, 19 Motor Vehicle Accidents, 75 Tickets issued, 2 Driving While Intoxicated, 25 Arrests, 14 Domestic Violence, 31 Fire Calls, 106 EMS Calls and 0 Juvenile calls.
600 Block of S New York Rd.
300 Block of Vine Ave.
100 Block of S Concord Ter
Burglary Suspects Surrender to Galloway Police Aft...


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Fighting For Abortion Access During Coronavirus
Story from News
What It's Like Fighting For Abortion Access In America In The Age Of Coronavirus
Clinic escorts are social distancing and staying home. But the protestors shouting, "You're going to hell!" are refusing to.
Lauren Rankin
For the past five years, Kristin Hady has been a regular clinic escort at Capital Care of Toledo in Ohio, walking patients past hordes of protesters who scream in their faces that they're murderers and are going to hell. A mother of three, she also helps care for her husband's parents. Her father-in-law is in at-home hospice care, and both have been under strict quarantine for the better part of a month.
But Hady hasn't volunteered as a clinic escort for nearly a month; she simply can't risk exposing her in-laws to COVID-19. And just a couple of weeks ago, her clinic escort group stopped their work altogether. "We collectively decided that, as much as we hated it, it would be time to suspend escorting, at least while the 'stay-at-home' orders are in place," Hady told Refinery29. "We would have felt awful if our presence there, even comforting for the 30 seconds that they're outside, could have contributed to getting a patient sick." There have been over 2,000 coronavirus cases in Ohio, and like in the rest of the country, the number is growing. The governor issued a stay-at-home order on March 22.
Capital Care still has upwards of 30 protesters gathered outside its front door on any given day, and according to Hady, they stand mere inches away from patients' cars, shamelessly ignoring social distancing guidelines from scientific experts. These protesters are overwhelmingly politically conservative and while some are Catholic, many are evangelical Christians, a demographic that has largely dismissed the coronavirus pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey revealed that only 32% of white evangelicals say coronavirus poses a major health risk to the U.S., and more than three-quarters think the media has overhyped this pandemic. The same group that's showing up to protest at abortion clinics, endangering others, has seemingly refused to accept that this pandemic is real. This leaves Capital Care patients on their own, forced to try to avoid protesters who refuse to stay six feet away.
Photo: Courtesy of Kristin Hady.
Kristin Hady
Accessing an abortion is already rarely an easy feat. Depending on where you live, you may have to take multiple trips to a clinic, endure a mandatory ultrasound against your will, or even travel hundreds of miles to get to the nearest clinic. Now, abortion patients are facing a new obstacle: navigating the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has threatened more than just the safety of abortion clinic staff, escorts, and patients. It's also provided anti-choice lawmakers in several states with a prime excuse and unique opportunity to do what they've been trying to do for years: end legal abortion in their state. They are facing robust court fights.
Recently, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost ordered clinics to stop performing "non-essential" abortions to preserve statewide resources. In his order, Yost declared "non-essential" abortions as "those that can be delayed without undue risk to the current or future health of a patient." Research shows that denying abortion can negatively affect a patient's mental health. Texas immediately followed suit, requiring the postponement of "any type of abortion that is not medically necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother." Clinics that do not comply will be met with penalties up to $1,000 or 180 days in jail. On Tuesday, an appeals court let Texas uphold the ban, for now.
Ohio clinics have continued to provide abortions, citing them as "essential care" and therefore "fully compliant" with the law. They filed suit to keep it that way, and on Monday, a federal judge sided with them by temporarily blocking Ohio's restriction from closing their doors. But according to Stephanie Sherwood, executive director of Women Have Options, which provides financial and logistical support to people seeking abortion care in Ohio, pregnant people are still scared. "We're getting calls and messages on social media and email, saying, 'I've got this appointment. Can I still go? I don't know what I'm going to do if I can't get the care that I need,'" Sherwood said. "People are afraid that they will lose the opportunity to get their abortion." In Ohio, 93% of counties already don't have an abortion provider; in Texas it's 96%.
Abortion isn't like other "elective" healthcare procedures. For someone who needs an abortion, it doesn't feel elective. It's also time-sensitive. Unlike knee-replacement surgery or cosmetic procedures, there is a firm time-table when it comes to abortion, particularly in states like Texas that have banned abortions at 20 weeks. Amid this pandemic, you now don't even have the option to travel to another state. If you can't get an abortion in your state's allotted time, you are essentially being forced to give birth.
Abortion is essential care.
Even in states where abortion is more easily accessible, pregnant people are struggling to get care amid the pandemic.
"I found out I was pregnant on March 16, right when the coronavirus pandemic was starting to get extremely serious here in New York," Jennifer, who asked that her last name be withheld, told Refinery29. "My brain was so foggy at that moment, but the only thing that was clear was the fact that I had to get an abortion, and I had to get one as quickly as possible."
Jennifer lives in New York City, which, while certainly an easier place to find an abortion, has now become the epicenter of America's coronavirus crisis. She didn't have to contend with space-invading protesters or travel all that far to get to a clinic, but she did feel like she had to rush against the coronavirus clock. That included deciding whether to have a surgical or medication abortion.
"The nurse said that she usually pushes for the [surgical abortion] due to the fact that the abortion pill [can] come with very intense side effects, but she was afraid of the clinic having a forced closure, and every minute was sacred at that moment," Jennifer said. "Even the nurse told me she wouldn't want to be me at that moment."
Ultimately, Jennifer opted for medication abortion. As an editor, she was already working from home when she found out she was pregnant. Now, she worked at home through the physical symptoms because she was afraid to take more time off. While she's relieved that she was able to access an abortion, she hasn't been able to fully process the pain and trauma of having to navigate an unplanned pregnancy in the middle of a pandemic.
"I'm glad that I can take my time in quarantine to fully process everything that's going on, but the constant fear of getting infected by far outweighs the relief I feel from this whole process being over," she said.
As long as Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land, abortion is still legal in every single state. Despite the onerous restrictions in place in many states, abortion clinics remain open. For how long now depends on the courts.
What's frustrating to many abortion-rights supporters is how much easier it could be to get an abortion, particularly in the middle of this pandemic. Medication abortion, which Jennifer relied on, doesn't require undergoing a procedure in a clinic. Telemedicine allows patients to access care remotely from a doctor or nurse via technology. A study published last year in Obstetrics & Gynecology showed that telemedicine abortion is just as safe and effective as the in-person procedure. Yet it faces significant restrictions. Currently, 18 states require in-person visits to obtain medication abortion, an onerous and unnecessary requirement at any time. Now, it could potentially endanger the lives of abortion patients. Amid this crisis, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could relax restrictions on medication abortion and potentially save lives. Why won't it do so?
Perhaps because abortion, an incredibly common experience that one in four women in the U.S. will have, isn't prioritized. Politicians treat this essential care that has allowed millions of people to create the kinds of lives they want, and in some cases, literally survive, as a political football and a selfish choice. In reality, abortion is essential care, and the U.S. is very close to seeing what will happen when access to it erodes. Before coronavirus hit, we were already at a crisis point for abortion access, with a third of abortion clinics forced to close and 400 abortion restrictions passed over the past 10 years. Now, that crisis will only grow more acute for the most marginalized among us. Unless states begin to crack down on the mass of protesters still assembling at clinics and the FDA eases restrictions on medication abortion, safe and legal abortion could become a pipe dream for many pregnant people.
Instead of helping shepherd patients past protesters at Capital Care, Hady now puts in 24-hour shifts, switching off with her husband, to provide care to her in-laws. She obsessively washes her hands, disinfects everything around her, and employs strict social distancing practices. Her father-in-law is dying, and she doesn't want to expedite it by potentially exposing him to the virus.
But she plans to get back to helping abortion patients seek the care they need as soon as humanly possible. "Such is life these days," she said. "But when I'm able to go back to clinic escorting, I'll be back. As soon as this is all over, we'll be back."
All Abortions Are Medically Essential Procedures
Why Ohio Wants To Ban Abortions During Coronavirus
Why Are Guns More Essential Than Abortions?
Abortion Clinics Stay Open During Coronavirus Pandemic
News • Abortion • Abortion Apocalypse • Coronavirus • Features
written by Lauren Rankin
Photo: ©The Blade, 2019, Rebecca Benson.
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The goal of VSPVU is to offer support to students regarding their studies and to get to know one another. Being a member of the VSPVU has quite some advantages. If you are a VSPVU member, you'll get discount up to 15 percent on your study books and summaries, which you can order online or in the bookstore. It's also possible to get tutoring for courses that you find a bit hard. VSPVU organizes study-related activities, which complement your studies and help you prepare for your career as a psychologist. Besides that, VSPVU is also a great way to meet new people and make friends. VSPVU organizes all kinds of social activities, such as the social drinks and the VSPVU-parties. You can also choose to become an active member of VSPVU. This means applying for a spot in a committee. For more information about that, please click on the 'committee' button.
Every working day between 10-16, there will be two board members present at the VSPVU room, MF D056. This is in the Medical Faculty building (Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081BT Amsterdam). You are more than welcome to come by for a cup of coffee/tea, to play some games or just have a chat. You can call us at 020-5988919, our email is board@vspvu.com and you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat!
From the 7th until the 9th of September, VSPVU sets off to a secret location for the Introduction weekend. This will be an amazing weekend full of fun, parties and games. This is the perfect opportunity to meet other first-year students and your friends for the coming years! The goal of the weekend is to get to know one another and to have a lot of fun! So don't miss out and join us for the introduction weekend.


Panasonic announced today that the venerable Toughbook 19 has received a much-needed update. When we reviewed the notebook in 2009, we gave it 4 stars and an Editor's Choice, praising its light weight, responsive touch screen, bright display and strong graphics performance. Our only complaint was the friction on its touchpad. Thankfully, the latest Toughbook 19 features an improved touchpad, as well as a new Intel 3rd Generation Core i5 CPU and expanded storage, while maintaining the line's fully-rugged durability (MIL-STD-810G and IP65 rugged certified).
Panasonic boasts that the Toughbook 19 can survive a six-foot drop, and that it is fully resistant to dust and water. What's more, the notebook features improved battery life -- Panasonic claims that the Toughbook 19 will last 10 hours on a charge. 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and optional 4G LTE or 3G Gobi mobile broadband ensure connectivity at all times. To ensure peace of mind, the system is backed with a three-year limited warranty, including parts and labor.
The improved Toughbook 19 is available now, starting at $3,549. A full list of improvements and specifications is below.


broiled in an executive scandal, product-related crisis, social media firestorm, or similar emergency situation. In just the last few years, we have seen well-known brands become the subject of countless news articles, social media complaints, boycotts, and more—all due to the way in which they have handled one crisis or another.
For retailers, effective crisis management can be the difference between ensuring ongoing success and planning a going-out-of-business sale. Luckily, there are examples all around us that demonstrate what to do—and what not to do—during a retail crisis.


Create an animation to be used as a YouTube campaign, for the 2014 O.R. Tambo educational tour (SOMAFCO Trust's flagship program).
This competition included an all expenses paid trip to Tanzania, targeting people 18 – 35 year olds from South Africa to enter.