DARK MATCH: Chuck Palumbo defeated Shawn Diavari (Thanks to Stevie J. from AngryMarks.com for the Live report)..
IN THE RING: World Heavyweight Champion Edge + Theodore Long..
Edge talked about beating Undertaker for the World Heavyweight title and then defeating Batista at Judgment Day..
Theodore Long came out and said Edge would face the winner of a 4-WAY in a Steel Cage match at One Night Stand..
TAG MATCH: Brian Kendrick & Paul London defeated William Regal & Dave Taylor by DQ when Deuce & Domino interfered..
After the match: Kendrick/London and Regal/Taylor and Deuce/Domino all started brawling with each other..
BACKSTAGE: Edge & Hornswoggle + Fit Finlay.
Edge was found backstage chasing Hornswoggle who had just stolen the World Heavyweight title from him..
They fan into Fit Finlay and Finlay said that Edge can have the World Heavyweight title back.. for now!
IN THE RING: Jillian Hall + The Boogeyman + The Little Boogeyman..
Jillian Hall came out and starting singing her new song "Jill & Tonic" with extremely cheesy lyrics..
The Boogeyman appeared and Jillian Hall bailed out but Michelle McCool threw her back into the ring!
The Boogeyman, joined by the Little Boogeyman, spit worms all over Jillian Hall's face and chest..
BACKSTAGE: Theodore Long officially offered the "assistent" position to Vickie Guerrero (booooooooooooo!)..
MVP CELEBRATION: Montel Vontavious Porter threw himself a party for winning the United States title..
Montel Vontavious Porter said nobody believed in him but now that he won the U.S. title they have to believe in him..
Montel Vontavious Porter said Chris Benoit should be there to help him celebrate -- -- so Chris Benoit showed up..
Montel Vontavious Porter wanted Chris Benoit to shake his hand, so Benoit shook his hand and congratulated him..
Montel Vontavious Porter wanted Chris Benoit to raise his had to show the World that he is better than Benoit..
Chris Benoit attacked Montel Vontavious Porter until MVP bailed out of the ring with his U.S. title belt..
NON (CRUISERWEIGHT) TITLE MATCH: Jimmy Wang Yang defeated Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero..
INTERVIEW: Kristal Marshall & Batista (Talked about facing Fit Finlay, Mark Henry and Kane)..
4-WAY #1 CONTENDERS MATCH: Batista defeated Fit Finlay and Mark Henry and Kane..
World Heavyweight Champion Edge joined Michael Cold & JBL on commentary to scout his One Night Stand opponent..


Greetings to you. Thank you for your correspondence.
Twenty years ago when a group of us studied these letters, I never thought that the general public would care about this. Discipleship, service, centering - these are all concepts on which many have worked diligently and secretly for years. Buddhist meditators, Theosophical thinkers and students, spiritual people in pockets around the globe, have worked on such things. It is apparent from your letters, from books and from the programs available on TV and radio, that a great many people are eager to study and devote themselves to the inner life. I think that this is because we have collectively reached a point where the outer life is devoid of real meaning and is so unsatisfactory as to be silly. For a great percentage of us, I think, it just doesn't work any more. This is very trying to our souls, but in the long view of things, it is truly an amazing time to be awake and alive. Consider our opportunities for growth and change.
To me, there was a thick curtain that separated this dense reality from the beauty and fluid life that existed concurrently with us. The barrier was real and, at times, insurmountable. Lately, however, strange things have been occurring, and I do believe any of us can sense the thin layer which separates us now. The curtain has been rent, and soon there will be no separation. What seemed, years ago, to be so far away, is almost upon us.
This realization makes it even more imperative for us to try to refine the vehicles we use to help us function on this level: the emotions, the mind, the body. (There is such a serious polarization of emotions and mental energy lately, that I feel compelled to advise you to concentrate on your mental and emotional centering. The physical body will follow, as long as you endeavor to pollute it less.) We are being assaulted on the emotional level with energy which, if we are not careful, can cause us to lose a part of our soul energy. Remember, we cannot prevent those we love from their karmic path. We can only pour love and light by example into the lives of those around us, but we cannot live their lives for them. In the past, at a karmic level, I think that people were able to step in and take karmic hits for others, to sacrifice for them, etcetera. But now, it is all up to the individual soul to make that decision. We are all becoming sovereign. We cannot hide in that sacrifice, as some have in the past. Nor can we run away from the need to face the test. The time is here.
Those of you with children, or who influence children, think of 'the guys upstairs' as adults trying to deal with some of us as children. What a mess! One of my favorite old books is "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke. What a writer, one of my favorite visionary humans of this century, or any other. That book says it all, and it was written almost 50 years ago. If you have the opportunity, read it. It is about the human race growing up and facing reality, nightmares and all. And of course, watch 2001 again. For now, keep the faith. Pray, meditate and concentrate your energies so that you may be a beacon of light for those around you. Disasters and tests are upon many of us. If you are safe, warm and happy, be thankful, but take the time to pray for others who are not. Open your heart and "serve where you stand"
"A disciple has major lessons to learn. He has to learn, first of all, to stand completely alone (though only apparently so) and (only for a space of time) detached...Sometimes even his own soul seems silent. But this is all illusion. Circumstances are staged to bring this condition about...The disciple must be thrown upon his own resources...you must demonstrate that steady calm for this life, the "poised position at the centre"..." (Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, p. 593) One other request. During the time of the full moon, try this. Meditate/pray facing east. Imagine a golden door opening in front of you. When the door is open, you may make your wish. But don't clog the pores of the Divine Mother with small selfish requests for help. Don't waste the energies.Ask for the most wonderful, altruistic wish of your heart, and ask fervently. The door will be open and they will be listening. I have faith in you, that you will know what to ask for.


Little St Margaret's Kindergarten was first established in 1929 as the kindergarten of St Margaret's School, now in Berwick. After a year in the Toorak Presbyterian Church Manse, the kindergarten transferred to the bluestone building at 19 Mayfield Avenue, Malvern. In 1940, when St Margaret's School had transferred wholly to Berwick, Misses Margaret Paton and Maisie Cooper entered a partnership agreement to manage Little St Margaret's Kindergarten.
The kindergarten moved once more, this time to its current site at 29 Mayfield Avenue, Malvern. Misses Paton and Cooper ran the kinder successfully for the next thirty years until their retirement in 1970, at which point a meeting was held to decide the future of the kinder. The outcome of the meeting was to keep the kinder going and establish a council of parent representatives – the structure we still use today. In 2014 we celebrated the 85th Anniversary of Little St Margaret's with many people who began their formal learning journey here, both past and present. To this day, we still have many children who have had grandparents, great-aunts and uncles, parents, aunties and uncles who have previously attended Little St Margaret's!


Good to see EOS here, but where is litecoin?
Strange to see metahash here.
See bottom of page: "*Disclaimer: MHC is a featured cryptocurrency from one of Cointelegraph's sponsors, and its inclusion did not affect this price analysis."


It is my pleasure to bring you a Powertex project that I have been working on for one of the most important dates in the annual calendar – Remembrance Sunday.
First of all I planned out what I wanted to include in the project with the main feature being the Poppy. These are a few of the recycled items that I started out with before I added any Powertex products.
Cardboard, an empty plastic trifle dish and a pen.
The pen casing became the bullets which were wrapped in fabric and then covered in Bronze Powertex.
The cardboard became the base and the ground and this was also covered in fabric and Bronze Powertex. Areas of the base were built up to give the idea of muddy fields. Dry brushing added texture and definition.
Then the red Powertex came out and 3 layers of bed sheeting was cut out and soaked for each Poppy. Quite a slow job but well worth it. I used an empty chocolate tray to place the wet Poppies in so that they could take shape whilst air drying. The poppies then had the middles added with black acrylic paint and glossy accents.
The cross was sculpted out of polystyrene and then covered in Stoneart powder and Ivory Powertex. I wanted to achieve a rugged effect. Stoneart is one of my favourite techniques from Powertex.
A little close up shot of some of the bullets, a little faux barbed wire and the river of poppies.
I hope that you have enjoyed looking around my Remembrance project and it has inspired you to use your Powertex products to make a mixed media project.
and will be back really soon with another project.
Previous Post We'll meet again….


text:
Progressives Are Determined To Prove In 2018 What They Couldn't In 2016: Bernie Would've Won
Groups aligned with Sen. Bernie Sanders are boosting progressive House candidates across the country, betting that liberal energy can get wins even in swing districts.
By Alexis Levinson
Reporting From
Alexis Levinson BuzzFeed News Reporter
Duane Prokop / Getty Images
Bernie Sanders never had a chance to prove that he would have beaten Donald Trump in 2016 — but his supporters think they can win that argument in this year's midterms.
In dozens of primary races across the country, Democrats are arguing not just over what their party should stand for, but over the related question of whether the new radicalism or the old centrism is better for winning elections.
The traditional playbook is to nominate Democrats who can appeal to Republicans and independents, because in Republican-leaning districts, the theory goes, there simply aren't enough Democrats — even with the outsized enthusiasm this year — to propel a Democrat to victory in a midterm year without any crossover voters.
Progressive groups contend the opposite, saying that it's not a numbers issue but an excitement issue. A candidate running on a Sanders-esque agenda of things like single-payer health care and raising the minimum wage, those groups argue, can win by inspiring the electorate and turning out enough progressive voters to overcome any Republican lean in the district.
The stakes are incredibly high. Democrats have to win a net of 24 House seats this year to end nearly a decade in exile. If they do, they can turn the second half of Trump's first term into a nightmare — for the president — of opposition, investigation, and perhaps impeachment.
Democrats' path to power runs squarely through the 23 districts that voted for both a Republican House candidate and Hillary Clinton in 2016.. But Democrats are divided on how to win those districts.
It's in part a question of what turnout will look like in November, in a year that has seen political activism on the left at an unprecedented level.
"This is actually electorally savvy; it's not just ideologically good."
"This is actually electorally savvy; it's not just ideologically good," Annie Weinberg, electoral director of Democracy for America, the populist progressive group that backed Sanders in 2016 and was founded by Howard Dean in 2004, told BuzzFeed News of the group's efforts to support progressive House candidates. "It's that voters want to hear someone who knows what they're fighting for."
"The opposite tendency is what has lost us 1,000 seats at the state and local levels" over the past decade, Weinberg added.
Those tensions burst into public view last week, when the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee attacked Democrat Laura Moser, who's running in a multi-candidate Texas congressional primary in a district currently held by a Republican but won by Clinton. Moser has been endorsed by many of the national and local Sanders-allied groups, and while the DCCC's attacks were not ideological, many of those groups saw the episode as the DCCC trying to play puppet master.
"Laura Moser is a fifth-generation Houstonian building a genuine grassroots campaign in her home community and, while that might not get the Republican-lite cheerleaders at the DCCC their sweet consulting gigs after this cycle, it's exactly the kind of campaign we need to win this critical race and retake the House," Weinberg said in a statement after the DCCC's move last week.
DFA is just one of several groups pushing progressives in primaries. Justice Democrats, which was founded by Sanders campaign staffers, and Our Revolution, the Sanders-endorsed 501(c)(4) run by former Ohio state senator Nina Turner, are also backing progressive candidates and combatting what they see as their institutional disadvantages, trying to propel candidates who once would have been unmentioned underdogs into a general election.
"We're all here to provide that alternative infrastructure for progressives to run as progressives," Waleed Shahid, a spokesman for Justice Democrats, told BuzzFeed News.
"We don't do our endorsements based on whether we think a candidate can win or whether they can fit into a box of what a candidate looks like. We endorse based on values," said Diane May, communications director for Our Revolution.
"We've had a lot of success winning in districts where progressives were never supposed to win," she added.
Lisa Lake / Getty Images
Our Revolution president Nina Turner on stage at the Protecting Working Families Rally at the Santander Performing Arts Center on Dec. 3, 2017, in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Some progressive candidates credit that infrastructure for helping to make their campaigns competitive. Greg Edwards, a pastor running for the Pennsylvania seat currently held by retiring Republican Rep. Charlie Dent with the backing of Justice Democrats and the Working Families Party, sees that progressive infrastructure filling a necessary void on the left.
"I think what happens, unfortunately, in swing districts in particular, is that the Democratic leadership tries to find candidates who are either Democrat-lite or Republican-like in order to have some of the Republicans come over to the Democrat side," Edwards told BuzzFeed News. "And we know statistically speaking that it is rare, I won't say never, but it's rare that Republicans vote for Democrats. But Democrats continue to want to message for Republicans, instead of galvanizing their base and doing targeted persuasion towards those who they know if they do show up, they'll win."
Edwards, who appears to be competitive based on his fundraising but is not a clear front-runner, is campaigning on "Medicare for all … universal preschool, debt-free college, livable-wage jobs of at least $15 an hour," ideas he describes as part of a "progressive political ideology [that] is not left but really center."
He outraised Susan Wild, seen as one of the particularly competitive contenders, by $29,000 in the fourth quarter, though the Democratic field could change now that the state's new district map made the district much more favorable to Democrats.
"When you raise a significant chunk of change, and you galvanize people who've never been interested in politics before, I think it begins to change the narrative," said Edwards.
Edwards' campaign is using Justice Democrats' phone-dialer system, which allows people to call cell phones — something a lot of phone-banking systems can't do because of a quirk of the law. The group's organizing team has been working to help with Edwards' volunteer strategy. It's also done textbanking — using their own volunteers to send texts to possible voters in the district on the candidate's behalf to to encourage supporters near and in the district to go to Edwards' campaign events — and solicited donations for the campaign, though the group did not immediately say how much money that has brought in.
In large part, Shahid said, Justice Democrats sees its role as providing a national framework so that a campaign can remain focused locally. The group can "help connect" campaigns "to national press outlets, help them connect to national donor networks, like the small-dollar donors who make up Justice Democrats," Shahid said.
In another Pennsylvania district, Justice Democrats and Democracy for America were backing Jess King, a nonprofit director, over Christina Hartman, a nonprofits consultant, for the opportunity to challenge Republican Rep. Lloyd Smucker. It was set to be a battle: Hartman had the backing of EMILY's List, the name recognition from having run in 2016, and more money. In the fourth quarter last year, King outraised both Hartman and Smucker.
The newly drawn state district maps, however, have made this a much more difficult seat for Democrats to win. Hartman dropped her bid this week, leaving King with Democrats' unified support.
King, in an interview with BuzzFeed News before the new maps were released and before Hartman's exit, spoke of her expected primary as "an interesting proxy for some national conversations about what our vision is for this country and how we're approaching it."
Namely, she explained, "what can win."
"Turns out … it works to talk about issues and policies. You can raise money and still get on the radar of the kind of establishment politics by being focused on vision and values and policy," she said.
"Turns out … it works to talk about issues and policies."
Justice Democrats, Shahid says, doesn't have a one-size-fits-all plan for all of its candidates. It depends, in part, on what a candidate needs. The group offers to help prep a candidate for a debate or a policy forum, write policy platforms, and figure out how to message on a particular issue. And Justice Democrats will connect candidates to donors who "want to support candidates who are like Bernie Sanders," Shahid said, and just need to be pointed in the right direction. The group also tries to help campaigns hire experienced staffers.
Our Revolution can't coordinate directly with campaigns, like Justice Democrats can, but it can help in other ways. The organization inherited the Sanders campaign's contact list, a hugely valuable commodity in a Democratic primary, and Our Revolution puts that to use for endorsed candidates. "Everyone gets put on the website, everyone gets a get-out-the-vote email," said May. The group has, so far, endorsed in fewer House races than Justice Democrats and DFA, but that will likely change. "It's a rolling endorsement process and we do expect to endorse more candidates as the year continues," May said.
DFA has its own phone-banking technology, DFA Dialer, to help make phone-banking on a large scale easier for its volunteers, enabling them to make more phone calls on behalf of a campaign. The group does "texting programs to mobilize voters, the fundraising support which again can look like sending support staff, doing call-time programs and connecting them with our base of members who are excited to pitch in," Weinberg said.
The group also offers to lend "strategic support," said Weinberg, be that connecting campaigns to potential staffers or helping them with their media plan. And DFA holds training sessions for candidates and staffers, both virtual and in person, to train "thousands of folks in core electoral campaign skills," Weinberg said.
There is a tendency among DFA and Justice Democrats, especially in the wake of the dustup around Moser, to speak of the DCCC in adversarial terms. "I think that progressives everywhere should be preparing for the DCCC and the party establishment to crack down on progressive populists running in a lot of these districts," Shahid told BuzzFeed News.
A spokesperson for the DCCC declined to comment for this story.
There are some places where everyone is on the same side. In Wisconsin, for instance, DFA, Our Revolution, Justice Democrats, and the Working Families Party have all endorsed Randy Bryce to take on House Speaker Paul Ryan. But Bryce, an ironworker who rocketed to prominence and fundraising success with a well-produced web video, is also on good terms with the DCCC. Bryce has sent fundraising emails on the DCCC's behalf, he told BuzzFeed News in an interview. "There is a lot of unity there," he says of the Democratic Party, saying that he's seen a Democratic infrastructure that's united around getting rid of Ryan, despite the intraparty scuffles happening elsewhere.
Bryce's candidacy, opines Working Families Party spokesperson Joe Dinkin, is "helping to transform what the Democratic establishment thinks of as viable candidates."
Some Democrats are skeptical of this progressive experiment. There is a math problem, they say: In some districts, there are just more Republicans than Democrats.
"You literally run out of Democrats," said one Democratic strategist who works on House races. "No matter how energized they are."
Alexis Levinson is a reporter with BuzzFeed News and is based in Washington, DC.
Contact Alexis Levinson at alexis.levinson@buzzfeed.com.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
— Chat Room
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Hey, an Actor!
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World's Finest Podcast
If I Ran Star Trek, part one
By Michael David Sims
28 August 2018 — Since its debut in 1966, we've been graced with seven Star Trek television shows, 13 movies spanning two continuities, countless novels and short stories, a smattering of video games, and comic books across all major publishers. This has allowed Star Trek to cross into a multitude of genres and tackle different themes. From heists to family dramas, space action to coping with PTSD, ghost stories to coming-of-age tales. The vast Star Trek Universe provides an open-ended playground for any and all types of stories.
However, at its very core Star Trek is a Western. Each series has had this stamped all over it:
Star Trek was sold as Wagon Train to the Stars.
The Animated Series was more of the same, but a little more fantastical.
While The Next Generation was headier than the two preceding series, there was no mistake it was still a Western.
Deep Space Nine focused on an outpost stationed above a dusty world, with a hard-nosed widower for a sheriff.
Voyager put the crew in unfamiliar and hostile territory.
Enterprise showed us the origins of Starfleet and The Federation as one band of adventurers struck out to find new lands.
And Discovery isn't that far removed from Enterprise and Voyager in its themes of exploring vast, strange territories.
The point is, as much as we may love and enjoy Star Trek, the creative minds behind the various television franchises always lean on the idea of Wagon Train to the Stars — be it the 1966 original series or 2017's Discovery.
All this said, what I'd like to do here today is present other ideas for Star Trek television programs. Ones that do not embrace the Western origins of Star Trek, go out on a limb, and push the boundaries of what Star Trek can be.
STARFLEET ACADEMY
I can already hear you groaning.
A Star Trek show set only on Earth, following around attractive teens and young adults as they go through school, struggle with coming-of-age issues, and learning life lessons 45-minutes at a time.
And no.
My vision for Starfleet Academy is not a clone of CW shows circa 2007. That model needs to be set aside for a good long while. But that doesn't mean it lacks virtue. While Starfleet Academy would feature coming-of-age stories, that does not mean that would be the thrust of the show.
Rather, I see Starfleet Academy as a way to explore what it means to be a member of Starfleet, to live within The Federation, to sometimes be blind to the horrors of the reality of space travel and exploration. A wide-eyed science student might join Starfleet Academy to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before. But the realities of exploration hit hard, especially on what's basically a military vessel. Also, and this was best said in the Deep Space Nine episode "The Siege of AR-558," humans are "a wonderful, friendly people, as long as their bellies are full," but "take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep ... put their lives in jeopardy ... and those same friendly, intelligent, wonderful people will become as nasty and as violent as the most bloodthirsty Klingon." When one lives inside The Federation, one does not see what the Maquis were forced to give up, they do not know what transpires in the outer systems, or even on a remote station like Deep Space 9.
And that's where this show would aim its sights. It would truly be about social justice. The Federation is all about the greater good; it's about bringing together different people and cultures to form something bigger and better together. But what happens when a planet doesn't want to join, when only half the population do, when a planet or system decides to leave The Federation? These questions about ethics will be posed to the students inside the classroom and out in the field.
Worf, Data, and Nog where all the first of their people to join Starfleet, and it took humans and other members of Starfleet a long time to accept these once-outsiders. A program like Starfleet Academy would look this dead in the eye to discuss bullying, accepting difference, and allyship. Even in Starfleet Academy there will be class and cultural difference; after all, most of the students will be barely out of high school.
"But, Mike," I hear you saying, "This sounds exactly like a CW show but with a Star Trek coat of paint."
I will give you that. For the moment.
Where Starfleet Academy will truly differ from a CW program is the Star Trek aspect.
Imagine the students taking Chief O'Brien's tech course; a guest lecture about empathy by Commander Troi; Geordi and Nog would have lots to say about being handicapped while on the battlefield; Seven of Nine could teach an entire class on The Borg Collective; and bring in Lieutenant Barclay to have frank talks about the ethics of the holodeck.
Speaking of the holodeck, here's one of the ways you get the students into adventures: thanks to modern CGI, it would be rather easy to recreate famous moments and battles we've already seen on Star Trek programming. Instead of limiting students to the Kobayashi Maru training simulation, throw them into the first meeting with The Borg ("Q Who"), put them in the captain's chair when Kirk took on his first Romulan ("Balance of Terror"), have them figure out how to communicate via metaphors on El-Adrel IV ("Darmok"). The students could learn history, battle strategy, no-win situations, diplomacy, and so much more via the programs and episodes we have already seen. While this would be used for a touch of nostalgia, it would also serve to solidify the events we've already seen as historical fact for these would-be Starfleet officers. Imagine studying for your history degree and having the opportunity to take part in picture-perfect, historically accurate recreation of the storming of the Bastille or the Haymarket Riots. Or pursuing your medical degree and having to apply field medicine during The Battle of Hastings or Waterloo. The learning experience would be incalculable.
How do we actually get them off-world, though? Through field trips to other planets, piloting missions between Earth and Mars, jaunts to home planets during summer holidays, and internships aboard vessels as the students progress through the program.
Best of all, there would be an ever-rotating cast. In season one we would be introduced to several freshmen, but also a few upperclassmen ready to graduate. When they do graduate, they could appear in other Star Trek shows, novels, comics, or games. Furthermore, once the freshmen move up to sophomore year, we get fresh faces in the form of new freshmen. Thanks to the four-year school cycle, Starfleet Academy could stay on the air for more than seven seasons.
For me, there truly is no downside to a Starfleet Academy-based program; it expands the universe, gives us something new, can explore the past, generates new characters, brings in guest stars in an organic manner, and reminds us why we love The Federation, Starfleet, and their principals.
Speaking of The Federation's principles, let's discuss the underbelly of Starfleet: Section 31.
If you've never heard of Section 31, don't worry. You're in good company, as hardly anyone within Starfleet and The Federation have. It is a small, ultra-classified black-ops group with free reign to do anything — including spying and assassinations — to keep the peace within and outside of The Federation.
Though we only saw them three times in Deep Space Nine, Section 31 was shown to be a powerful, nasty branch of Starfleet. Their ranks were never fully revealed, nor was the knowledge of who within Starfleet knows of and sanctions their continued existence. The idea that a utopia, such as The Federation, could have a semi-authorized kill-squad is something that needs exploring. Hence, this show called Section 31.
In the vein of 24, Homeland, and Spooks (MI-5 in the US), Section 31 would reveal to us just how far people within The Federation are willing to go to keep up the peace. Moreover, just how far some are willing to go to save all life in the Alpha Quadrant. And even more, just how much of their souls they will sell to achieve said goals.
When the leader of Section 31 died on Deep Space Nine, it seemed the organization died with him. To that I say nay.
One of their goals was to recruit Doctor Julian Bashir into their ranks, but, ultimately, he refused and was able to keep his soul clean.
And that's where this show picks up.
Years after the fall of Section 31, Doctor Bashir finds himself once more being followed by the clandestine organization. This time, though, their sales pitch is better received. To save all life in the universe, to preserve The Federation, his genetically enchanted mind is a crucial tool. It can see the big picture and the smallest moves, the moving pieces and those yet played. Further, they want the good doctor to lead Section 31. Initially reluctant, when a new war breaks out between The Federation and Romulan Star Empire, it quickly becomes clear the Romulans have a grand plan for conquest while The Federation is putting out fires. Proactive v reactive.
Unable to stand ideally by as his civilization burns, Bashir accepts the offer. With one caveat: he can recruit anyone he wants. They agree. So Doctor Bashir contacts his old friend Elim Garak. Together they fake Bashir's death before heading into the mire that is Starfleet's shadow.
All this is the 90-minute opener. From there we'd explore the cost of peace and freedom, how much lives are worth in the grand scheme, and just what happens when a group like Section 31 fails to achieve its goals.
The beauty of Star Trek is that it is a reflection of our times.
The original series put a mirror up to Vietnam.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, The Next Generation was very much a Reagan-era conservative notion of liberalism. (And vice versa.)
Deep Space Nine's later seasons explored how far good leaders would go to maintain a façade of strength. And let's not forget its handling of religion, specifically emerging religious nations.
And seasons three and four of Enterprise were very much a reaction to the September 11th terrorist attacks.
So what, exactly, would Section 31 hold a light to?
Turn on any 24-hour news channel and you'll be inundated with ideas for a spy program, be it set on Earth or space. Compromised politicians, meddling in elections and governments, warring over tiny pieces of land, the status of non-citizens and the handling of their children, sex, drugs, the legitimacy of the news itself. And this isn't me being political or pushing an agenda; these are all topics that are at the forefront of the news and our lives at this very moment. Pluck any one story from the headlines and it can seed an entire season of Section 31 — if not the entirety of the show.
If Starfleet Academy is designed to remind us that the future can be bright, Section 31 shows us the bloody cost to maintain that society.
ROMULAN STAR EMPIRE
Outside of the first season of Discovery, not a single Star Trek program has focused much time on any society other than The Federation.
Yes, both The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine had numerous Klingon episodes, and the latter program did give us plenty of looks at the Cardassian government. However, we have never had a program that is exclusively about a non-human race. That's where Romulan Star Empire comes in.
Romulans are very much like their Vulcan cousins: cold and cunning. Where they differ, however, is that while Vulcans put their emotional restraint into the sciences, exploration, and the quest for peace, Romulans put their analytical brains into military might, conquest, and war. They are the Chess Masters of the Alpha Quadrant; once you realize the game is on, they've already played a dozen moves.
Admittedly, I have not seen a single episode of Game of Thrones, yet I intend Romulan Star Empire to be in its mold. Throughout the run of the show, we'd follow various Romulans as they live their lives, grab power, and fight tooth and nail to keep the Romulan Star Empire at the top of the political and universal food chain. In some ways Romulan Star Empire would mirror Section 31, but where Section 31 would follow Doctor Bashir, Garak, and their small band of spies and assassins, Romulan Star Empire would have a massive cast — all of whom would be expendable. From the Empress to the lowliest citizen, every Romulan would be a king in their own game of chess, yet a pawn in someone else's.
Initially I was thinking about suggesting a Star Trek program set during the in-universe World War III, but I'm not sure that would have legs. Instead, I would rather see one set during the brief period known as The Eugenics Wars. And, of course, our star would be none other than Khan Noonien Singh.
Through Khan, the program would tackle:
The ethics of genetics, specifically modifying children.
What it means to be an outsider.
Fear of the other.
Racial and class tensions on a pre-Federation Earth.
The rise of a tyrant with a cult of personality.
Making one's own family.
The fall of an empire.
While the show wouldn't have to be topical — as many of the above-mentioned themes are evergreen — writers could choose to pull from current or recent headlines. Because, again, Star Trek has always been a mirror pointed directly at humankind. At its best, Star Trek reminds us what it means to be human, as well as what it means to be a member of a civilization. But what happens when that all breaks down; what happens when we allow ourselves to be corrupted by men who crave power?
I see Khan as a seven-season program, outlined as such:
Season 1: Basically, Khan Begins. We see the young, genetically modified man grow into adulthood. Always rejected, always spat on, always seen as an outsider because of the color of his skin and his modified genes. He's both feared and used by those around him. His strength makes him a tool to exploit — often in battle or for murder — but if he should realize his potential he would be unstoppable. So we begin to sympathize with the young man. Over the course of the first season Khan's kindness and cruelty are shown, but it's revealed the latter stems from how he was treated; he's perpetuating a cycle of violence and fear without even realizing it. Yet. Through the first season there are hints and rumblings and later outright nods to the world governments beginning to collapse. Having had enough, Khan contacts the other genetically modified humans and leads a revolt against humankind. The season ends with Earth subjugated by their own creations — with Khan having control of 1/4 the entire planet, specifically the Middle East and Asia.
Season 2: We pickup directly where the first left off. Khan and the others like him begin to form their own world government, but cracks show early. Many of the genetically modified leaders want to punish and torture their human oppressors, yet Khan insists on ruling with a light touch. Why perpetuate the cycle of violence? (Late in the first season or at some point during the second, he learns to treat his subjects with some compassion.) Why breed further fear and hate and suffering? This is an unpopular opinion, and though he has the largest share of the planet and is (reluctantly) considered the Ruler of Rulers, many express their dissatisfaction with Khan. So by the end of the season — after we've seen Khan and his ilk begin to reshape the world in their image — an attack is made on Khan's stronghold.
Seasons 3-6: Here we would see Khan's reaction to the attempted coup d'état by his former allies, the formation of his Round Table (we'd meet many of the 84 people seen or spoken about in "Space Seed"), how Khan is seen by the people, what he does with dissidents, the growth of his ego, Khan's plans to expand his empire into space, and quiet moments spent contemplating the morality of his actions. By the time season six ends, we see the people are beginning to revolt, and Khan knows his time on Earth is not long.
Season 7: Khan begins to prepare for the end. He secretly commissions stasis pods for his closest friends and allies, and gets his hands on what will become the SS Botany Bay. His empire cracks and crumbles as humans begin to push back. A lone voice for human self-rule grows louder and louder, leading to an eventual attack on Khan's base of operation. From here it's what we already know: Khan and the 84 other genetically modified people board the SS Botany Bay, subject themselves to cryostasis, and launch their ship into space — traveling and sublight speeds. The show ends with the SS Botany Bay drifting through space as a famous starship approaching from a distance.
The beauty of a Khan-centric TV program is twofold. First, it has a built-in ending. Even if it doesn't reach the planned number of seasons, one could pull the trigger on the fall of Khan's regime and his self-exile into space. The other is that, according to Star Trek lore, most of the records from this era were lost, destroyed, or are spotty at best. This means showrunners would not be beholden to pre-established continuity.
That said, the Star Trek timeline would have to be adjusted to some degree. Originally, The Eugenics Wars and Khan's reign took place in the then far-off future of 1992-1996. Since we're past that — and since a two-part episode of Voyager set in 1996 messed with the timeline already — I'd shift it to 2042-2046. Beyond shifting it for these reasons, ending Khan's reign in 2046 shrinks the gap between The Eugenics Wars and World War III from 53 years to a mere three. So my new proposed timeline is:
2024: The Bell Riots
2024-2041: Weak, ineffectual governments try to pick up the pieces of a broken society.
2042-2046: The Eugenics Wars / Khan's rule
2047-2048: More weak, ineffectual governments try to pick up the pieces of a broken society.
2049-2053: World War III
2054-2079: The post-atomic horror, and the advent of the human warp drive. (As an aside, said warp drive was invented in 2063, placing First Contact in this window.)
So while some fudging of continuity would have to happen, with in-continuity historical data being unreliable, it would be a very easy thing to say this is how it always happened; that the records, as told in "Space Seed," are wrong.
And before we move on, Khan would present us the opportunity to finally cast an Indian man in the role of Khan Noonien Singh. None of this bronzing a Mexican or whitewashing the role with an Englishman.
CAPTAIN WORF
It had to come up. Everybody wants this. Michael Dorn has been championing the cause for decades, it seems. It would be amazing.
Problem is, it can't happen. During the season six episode of Deep Space Nine called "Change of Heart," Worf makes a decision that costs millions of lives. A decision, mind you, which also prolongs The Dominion War. On a personal level, it was the absolute correct decision for the man to make. On a career level, it was ruinous. On a military level, it was morally catastrophic. Had it not been a top-secret mission, Worf would have been court-martialed and / or jailed for life. As said episode closes, Captain Sisko tells Worf: "This will go in your service record. And to be completely honest, you probably won't be offered a command on your own after this."
That right there hinders Worf from ever leading his own crew.
Note in the quote that Captain Sisko said "probably won't be offered," not "will not be offered." This is our get-out-of-continuity card.
So, okay, Captain Worf!
Worf is best when he has a foil. When Worf is called out for his self-seriousness, Michael Dorn is given the ability to show Worf's sensitive side. And for my money, Worf's two best foils were Commander Riker and Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax. One got away with it because he was akin to a brother (and Worf's commanding officer), the other because she was Worf's wife. And both were right to do it. All the time.
So, who could be this foil? Riker is off commanding the USS Titan and Jadzia was murdered, so it can't be either of them. The answer is simple: Thomas Riker, the transporter duplicate of Commander William T Riker. How, through? He and Worf don't have the same bond as William T Riker, and they barely interacted in "Second Chances" — the episode which introduced Thomas Riker. Also, isn't Thomas Riker stashed away in a Cardassian prison? The answer is the plot of the show.
After an attack on said Cardassian prison, Thomas Riker is able to escape his jailers. Simultaneously, there are attacks on Starfleet's New Zealand Penal Settlement, a Klingon prison planet, and a Bajoran moon. A total of five people escape.
This is a quadrant-spanning conspiracy, and it's feared it could lead to a terrorist attack.
So: Starfleet, the Cardassian, Klingons, and Bajorans agree on two things:
The conspiracy must be uncovered.
All of the escaped prisoners must be recaptured.
To this end, Worf's exemplary experience as the Enterprise D's Security Chief gets him the job of captaining his own prison ship: a decades-old-yet-modified Andorian battle cruiser. He's pleased and honored for the opportunity. Or so he claims.
With a small, ragtag crew made up of people from all of the aforementioned races, Worf begins tracking down the escapees while uncovering the mystery.
In no particular order, Worf finds:
Thomas Riker
Ro Lauren
Tasha Yar
Berlinghoff Rasmussen
Tuvix
Worf also uncovers the jailbreaks were orchestrated by Section 31. Upon learning it was an inside job from a branch of Starfleet, Worf doesn't know who to trust. After consulting his crew, as well as the captured prisoners, Worf goes on the run. Now he too is a criminal.
Some of you might be saying, "But, Mike, Worf would never run. He's a warrior. He'd stand and fight!" To which I would agree. Under other circumstances. But under these specific circumstances, anyone inside Starfleet could be compromised; anyone inside Starfleet could be working with Section 31.
Throughout the course of the program, Worf must outwit, outfight, and outrun every major Alpha Quadrant government all while attempting to solve the mystery of Section 31's actions. Also, why these prisoners?
During their voyage, Worf would bond with Thomas Riker, in whom he sees an honorable-but-broken man. And, coincidentally, Worf's ship would come across a small derelict. Inside would be one man: Alexander Rozhenko, his estranged son. Worf's relationship with his son, Alexander, would be repaired after years of damage. However, Worf would learn he is a grandfather, but Alexander has no contact with the child's mother. This greatly distresses Worf, because Alexander clearly followed Worf's lead when it comes to looking after his children. This leads to an entire storyline where they risk everything to reunite Alexander with his estranged wife and daughter.
But why these people? What would Section 31 want them free? Let's look at them:
Thomas Riker: As mentioned, Thomas Riker is a transporter-created duplicate of William T Riker.
Tasha Yar: While the prime universe Lieutenant Yar died at the whim of Armus ("Skin of Evil"), this Tasha Yar is the one who crossed time and reality during the events that led to the Enterprise C meeting its future counterpart ("Yesterday's Enterprise"). Though her daughter, Sela, said Tasha was executed after attempting to flee her Romulan captors, this is a falsehood. In truth, she had been held prisoner for decades.
Berlinghoff Rasmussen: The rogue time-traveler from the 22nd century, not the 26th as he claimed ("A Matter of Time").
Tuvix: Created during another transporter accident, Tuvix was the melding of the logical Vulcan Tuvok and the boisterous Talaxian Neelix. Though seemingly murdered in the Delta Quadrant by Captain Janeway ("Tuvix"), Tuvix was ripped through time and brought to the Alpha Quadrant.
Ro Lauren: The insubordinate member of Starfleet and Maquis rebel. What's she doing here?
It should be clear that everyone on the list above, excluding Ro, should not exist. They were either born from transporter accidents, ripped through time, or crossed realities. But what of Ro? She becomes a mystery worth solving, and is the crux of Section 31's plans. In Captain Worf, I would reveal her parents shunted her into the prime Star Trek universe from the Mirror Universe. Why, though? To save her from the horrors of that universe. Buy how does Section 31 know this, and what do they want from her — and the others?
At its core, Captain Worf would be half Voyager (with a ship on the run in increasingly hostile territory) and half Enterprise (with Worf and his crew piloting a ship that is outmatched and outclassed by everything else out there). Now, okay, that might not be a ringing endorsement, what with those two programs being the proverbial step-children of the Star Trek franchise. But the core concepts of said shows were solid and worth mining for further exploration.
So, that's my take on potential Star Trek television programs. Hopefully you enjoyed this, as well as my attempt to stretch the legs of what Star Trek could be. With the initial success of Discovery and the imminent return of Jean-Luc Picard, hopefully CBS will return Star Trek to its television glory. It's a vast universe — rich with untapped characters and species and potential — and, when done right, it reminds us what it means to be human, what it means to embrace our differences, and what it means to actively make a brighter today for a utopic tomorrow.
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Marvel Introduces Timely Comics
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GOT7 Wiki History
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2015: Love Train, Just Right, Laugh Laugh Laugh and Mad 편집 - Exit historical view
In January, Got7 were awarded the "New Artist Award" at the 29th Golden Disc Awards[23] and at the 24th Seoul Music Awards.[24] In the same month, Got7 starred in their own web drama Dream Knight, co-produced by Youku Tudou and JYP Pictures, and featuring actress Song Ha-yoon as the female lead role. The drama tells the story of a girl who shares dreams, love and friendship with a group of mysterious boys and gathered close to 13 million hits in total.[25][26] The show received the "Best Drama Award", "Best Director Award" and "Rising Star Award" at the K-Web Fest in July.[27]
On June 10, 2015, the group released their second Japanese single "Love Train", which debuted at #4 on the Oricon Singles Chart. The single contains an "Love Train", the original Japanese song O.M.G. and the two tracks' instrumental renditions.[28] The group released their third EP, Just Right, on July 13, 2015.[29] The title track, "Just Right", peaked at #3 on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart, remaining in the top three for two consecutive weeks.[30]
Got7 released their third Japanese single "Laugh Laugh Laugh" with its B-side "Be My Girl" on September 23. It sold over 35,000 album copies in the first week of its release and made its debut at first place on the Oricon's singles chart.[31][32]
The group released their fourth EP, Mad, and the music video for its title track, "If You Do", on September 29.[33] They followed up this release with their first repackaged album, Mad: Winter Edition, on November 23, with the three additional tracks, "Confession Song", "Everyday" and "Farewell".[34]
, co-produced by Youku Tudou and JYP Pictures, and featuring actress Song Ha-yoon as the female lead role. The drama tells the story of a girl who shares dreams, love and friendship with a group of mysterious boys and gathered close to 13 million hits in total.[25][26] The show received the "Best Drama Award", "Best Director Award" and "Rising Star Award" at the K-Web Fest in July.[27]
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Detroit Water Ice Factory Now Offering Breakfast!
The Detroit Water Ice Factory has added more delicious goodies to their amazing menu!
A whole new line of breakfast foods including french toast and rice pudding, and toasty, warm drinks like Royal Oak's own Gayle's hot chocolate and a bold brew of New Orleans style coffee.
Water Ice will now be open every morning at 8:00AM to make sure Detroiters can get the best coffee-breakfast combo to-go! And as always, 100% of the profits from Detroit Water Ice Factory goes right back to S.A.Y. Detroit charities.


A few days ago I was lucky to receive a Verizon ExpressCard V640 EVDO/3G card. Verizon also refers to this as WWAN, but simply it's Internet access over the cellular network, using 3G technology. My company provided this for the roughly 2 hours of commuting I do a day into NYC, that is a lot of non-productive time!
But what would be better? Not needing the Verizon software at all! Due to a colleague that also got one not listening to my "don't plug the card in until you install" knee-jerk ground into my skull Windows-based reaction, I would never have known that Mac OS X (at least in 10.4.8) already has the drivers and UI to manage the card. You know how when you hear Macs "just work", this is an example, I really didn't have to install anything, it was already there, and it was dead simple. So I Uninstalled the Verizon software, rebooted OS X (the Verizon software says their drivers will hang around until you do) and then plugged in the card.
When I did, OS X displayed this dialog box, when I clicked Continue, the card was ready to go. You manage the card with a couple menu items on the left, and the signal meter tells you a little about the card: This is awesome stuff, and the speed for me has been excellent during my ride up and down the Northeast Corridor train line.


This Assessment covers all of the elements you will need to create process maps using the Triaster platform.
There are no supporting course materials for this assessment. If you require course materials please complete the Triaster Software Foundation COURSE AND ASSESSMENT.


Abstract: Axions are one of the most attractive dark matter candidates. The evolution of their number density in the early universe can be determined by calculating the topological susceptibility $\chi(T)$ of QCD as a function of the temperature. Lattice QCD provides an ab initio technique to carry out such a calculation. A full result needs two ingredients: physical quark masses and a controlled continuum extrapolation from non-vanishing to zero lattice spacings. We determine $\chi(T)$ in the quenched framework (infinitely large quark masses) and extrapolate its values to the continuum limit. The results are compared with the prediction of the dilute instanton gas approximation (DIGA). A nice agreement is found for the temperature dependence, whereas the overall normalization of the DIGA result still differs from the non-perturbative continuum extrapolated lattice results by a factor of order ten. We discuss the consequences of our findings for the prediction of the amount of axion dark matter.


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Monday Morning Pre-Market Insights: Seadrill Ltd (SDRL), Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (LXRX), Linn Energy LLC (LINE), Omeros Corporation (OMER)
Kate George, Editor- August 3, 2015, 9:07 AM EDT
Seadrill Ltd (NYSE:SDRL) fell -2.13% in pre-market trading down to $8.72 as oil prices slipped. This comes after Baker Hughes, one of the largest oilfield service companies, announced it is adding five new oil rigs, bringing the total number of US oil rigs to 664. According to Reuters, the Middle East is continuing to produce unnecessary amounts of oil, thus contributing to the oversupply. Seadrill has had a tumultuous year dealing with falling oil prices. The stock last closed at $9.34, hovering above its 52-week low of $8.18, compared to its 52-week high of $37.79 achieved last August. According to 4 analysts polled by TipRanks in the last 3 months, 2 are neutral on SDRL and 2 are bearish. The average 12-month price target for the stock is $12, marking a 35% potential upside from where the stock last closed.
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:LXRX) shares soared nearly 29% in pre-market trading up to $10.88 after the company announced positive top-line results for the pivotal TELESTAR Phase 3 clinical trial. The trial tested oral telotristat etiprate, a pipeline drug developed to treat carcinoid syndrome. This is Lexicon's first pipeline product to complete a Phase 3 clinical trial and the data successfully demonstrated the benefit of using the therapy in cancer patients with carcinoid syndrome. The drug already has Fast Track designation and Orphan Drug status with the FDA. Out of the 2 analysts polled by TipRanks in the last 3 months, both are bullish on the stock. The average 12-month price target on the stock is $19, marking a potential 125% upside from where the stock last closed.
Linn Energy LLC (NASDAQ:LINE) shares slipped -5.2% to $3.83 after oil prices fell. The recent drop to fresh lows is attributed to several geopolitical factors, such as the Iran nuclear deal and China's stock market teetering on the edge of a downward spiral. Many believe that the Iran deal will lead to the country producing more oil and deepening the oversupply, while the Wall Street Journal reports that manufacturing in China has fallen to a two-year low. Linn Energy is a Houston-based oil and natural gas company. According to the 5 analysts polled by TipRanks in the last 3 months, 2 are bullish on LINE and 3 are bearish. The average 12-month price target on the stock is $6.67, marking a 65% potential upside from where the stock last closed.
Omeros Corporation (NASDAQ:OMER) increased 2.48% in pre-market trading to $16.50 following news that Omidria was approved for commercialization in the EU, Iceland, Lichtenstein, and Norway. The drug was approved in the United States by the FDA in May 2014. Omidria is Omeros' first commercial product and is used to maintain pupil size during cataract surgery, as well as to reduce postoperative eye pain. Cataract surgery is a common procedure and an estimated 3.9 million cataract operations are expected to be performed in Western Europe in 2015. According to TipRanks, 2 analysts have given OMER a bullish rating in the last 3 months. The average 12-month price target is $49.50, marking a 207% potential upside from where the stock last closed.
Here's Why Linn Energy LLC (LINE) Was the Wrong Kind of MLP
Simon Lack, May 16, 2016
Bloggers CornerEnergy
Monday Morning's Insights: Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. (CLDX), Linn Energy LLC (LINE), LinnCo LLC (LNCO)
Ben Mahaney, Editor, March 7, 2016
Broker Roundup: Analysts Weigh In On Linn Energy LLC (LINE) And Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA)
Scott Fields, February 8, 2016
Basic MaterialsInsightsMost PopularTechnology


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How much is deforestation due to agricultural activities?
www.weforum.org
Seven agricultural commodities accounted for 26% of global tree cover loss from 2001 to 2015.
Cattle, oil palm, soy, cocoa, rubber, coffee and plantation wood fiber replaced 71.9 million hectares of forest, an area of land over twice the size of Germany.
At 45.1 million hectares, cattle pasture replaced the most forest by far.
Commodities continue to be one of the leading causes for deforestation worldwide.
New analysis shows that just seven agricultural commodities — cattle, oil palm, soy, cocoa, rubber, coffee and plantation wood fiber — accounted for 26% of global tree cover loss from 2001 to 2015. These agricultural commodities replaced 71.9 million hectares of forest during that period, an area of land more than twice the size of Germany.
The results, now available on WRI's Global Forest Review, underscore the outsized role a handful of commodities play in global deforestation.
Land used for cattle is the biggest contributor to deforestation.
Image: WRI
What is agriculture's role in deforestation?
As demand for food and other resources continues to grow, forests are often cleared to make way for new fields and plantations. Scientists estimate that over a quarter of tropical forests and just under half of temperate forests have been converted to production in human history.
Today, the majority of tree cover loss associated with the expansion of farms and plantations happens in the tropics, a troubling trend considering the vast carbon stocks and biodiversity held in rainforests. While we have a general understanding of where agribusiness has replaced forests, until now the world lacked information about the impact of specific products.
Our analysis compares the current extent of seven commodities with annual tree cover loss data from 2001 to 2015 to map where each commodity replaced forests over that time span.
Cattle ranching replaced more forests than any other commodity
Of the seven agricultural commodities, cattle pasture replaced the most forest by far — 45.1 million hectares, or an area of land the size of Sweden. Cattle are responsible for 16% of total tree cover loss.
Oil palm is a distant second, replacing 10.5 million hectares from 2001 to 2015, while soy accounted for 7.9 million hectares.
Cocoa, plantation rubber, plantation wood fiber and coffee each replaced around 2 million hectares of forest from 2001 to 2015, though the analyses for rubber and wood fiber cover only a subset of countries because of data availability.
Oil palm replaced forests mostly in Indonesia and Malaysia, while soy replaced forests mainly in South American countries like Brazil and Argentina. The conversion of forests to cattle pasture was more widely distributed across the globe, but hotspots exist in South and Central America.
Cocoa, rubber, wood fiber and coffee played a big role in replacing forests in some countries, despite their smaller global impacts. In Ghana, for example, conversion of forests to cocoa represents a third of the country's total tree cover loss.
The seven commodities analyzed represent 57% of agriculture-related tree cover loss from 2001-2015.
Soy and oil palm replaced less forests in recent years
The analysis also helps identify areas where deforestation rates are coming down. In recent years, soy and oil palm, the commodities most notorious for deforestation, replaced less forests than they have historically.
Soy plants directly replace a massive number of trees.
Oil palm replaced forests mostly in Indonesia and Malaysia.
The rate at which oil palm plantations replaced forests dropped sharply after 2012. Other studies attributed this to drops in palm oil prices, national policies intended to curb forest clearing and corporate zero-deforestation commitments. Although the study period ends in 2015, Indonesia — the country accounting for two-thirds of forests replaced by oil palm — saw three consecutive years of reductions in primary forest loss from 2017-2019.
The rate at which soy replaced forests dropped dramatically after a spike in 2004. As with oil palm, the drop coincided with lower prices, new national policies and deforestation-free supply chain initiatives. Since then, the rate at which soy replaced forests rebounded in Brazil's Cerrado through 2012, but then declined slightly from 2013-2015. With primary forest loss increasing since 2015 in Brazil, the country where soy has replaced the most forest, it remains to be seen whether those declines will continue.
Although data on plantation wood fiber and rubber is more limited than other commodities, the analysis also shows some recent declines in the rate at which such plantations replaced forests. These correspond with a decline in prices for rubber and zero-deforestation commitments for most large wood fiber companies.
Cattle, cocoa and coffee continue to overtake forests
We did not see any noticeable changes in the rate at which cattle pasture replaced forestssince 2001, despite a number of zero-deforestation
commitments. Deforestation from cattle is much harder to tackle from within supply chains, because pasture expansion happens in some places despite very low or even negative profit margins. In those cases, landholders may convert forests to pasture as a form of land speculation, to secure land tenure, or for social and cultural reasons rather than for profit. Beef consumption also tends to be more domestic; only around a quarter of beef produced in Brazil is exported. This makes beef supply chains less responsive to international pressure around reducing deforestation.
More forests are replaced by cattle in Brazil than any other country.
Other agricultural commodities showing limited progress in reducing deforestation are cocoa and coffee, though detailed maps of cocoa and coffee are difficult to produce, as these commodities are often grown under canopy cover and are hard to see in satellite imagery. We've seen fluctuations in recent years in the rates of primary forest loss in the big cocoa-producing countries of Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire. Better data sets on the footprint of cocoa production could greatly improve our understanding of how much those fluctuations are related to cocoa.
Untangling commodities' impacts on forests
We are still a long way from fully understanding the complex dynamics between agricultural commodity production and deforestation. For example, the analysis can't prove that land was deforested because of any one crop, only that the crop was planted in an area that was deforested. We also aren't able to account for the indirect impacts that commodities may have on each other and the world's forests, such as when the expansion of one crop displaces another into forests or drives up land values.
However, this analysis represents an important step towards understanding the impact of agricultural commodities on forests, giving us a starting point to estimate trends and map direct impacts. Detailed maps of where each commodity has replaced forests will better inform research as we continue to tease out these complex interactions, and help us evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to slow commodity-driven deforestation.


An Opportunity for any child below 15 years to share the videos of their dance performances in various sabhas and showcase their dancing skills.
Parents and Teachers wanting to promote the talents of their Children can send videos of their performances of Classical, Devotional and Folk dances to showcase their talent.
Note: The Video should be within 8-10 minutes. Traditional attire and Jewellery are mandatory. It can be either individual/group participation.
An Opportunity for the children below 15 years to share their music videos and showcase their singing skills.
Parents and Teachers wanting to promote the talents of their Children can send videos of their performances of Classical, Devotional and Folk music to showcase their talent.
An Excellent platform for the growing buds, upto 15 years, to showcase their talents in various art forms.
Parents and Teachers wanting to promote the talents of their children/students could send a video showcasing any of their talents e.g. Storytelling, Arts and Crafts, Sloka chanting, Mono acting (except dance and music).
Note: The Video should be within 8-10 minutes. It can be either individual/group participation. Age limit: below 15 years.


We provide inpatient and outpatient pedorthic services for people of all ages with a variety of foot conditions.
Canadian Certified Pedorthists – C. Ped (C) are educated and trained in how to assess, modify, design and fit custom-made orthotics (sometimes called arch supports or custom insoles), footwear modifications and footwear. Your Pedorthist will perform a detailed clinical assessment, and will work with you and your health care team to devise a treatment plan. Pedorthotics is part of the Assistive Technology department.
To obtain new shoes or foot orthotics, a written referral is required from a health professional, general practitioner or specialist doctor. The original or a copy of the referral can be forwarded directly to our department.
You will need multiple appointments for assessment, casting/measuring, fitting, and follow-up. During assessment, the Pedorthist will ask you questions about your health, your lifestyle, and your goals, and will examine your feet carefully. A cast will usually be taken.
You will receive education about the proper use and care of your shoes or foot orthoses, how to take care of your feet, and other information to help you benefit most from your pedorthic care. You may be asked to allow a student to work with your health care provider during the appointment.
Please wear clothing that will allow easy access to your feet and ankles. Also, bring the shoes you normally wear.


text:
Littal Shemer Haim
People Analytics, HR Data Strategy, Organizational Research – Consultant, Mentor, Speaker, Influencer
People Analytics: Transforming the HR Function – Experts Panel
A panel conversation about how People Analytics transform the HR function: Significant successes and remaining challenges; Leveraging analytics to orient business leaders in the pandemic and beyond; The barriers in deploying People Analytics capabilities; and more.
Photography by Littal Shemer Haim ©
(Reading Time: 6 minutes)
People Analytics is not merely a function or a role within the HR department. It is a mindset that each HR professional should have and leverage to impact both the business and the people. This analytical mindset, which becomes more common within HR teams, essentially changes the entire sector. I was honored to participate today in HRweek, where I met three respected colleagues in a panel conversation about how People Analytics transform the HR function.
The panel facilitator, Maja Ninkovic, Global Head of People Operations, Mitto, raised four main topics: The most significant successes and the remaining challenge of People Analytics; Leveraging analytics to orient business leaders in the pandemic and beyond; The barriers in deploying People Analytics capabilities; And what most exciting in the future of HR. I was happy to share and listen to diverse perspectives in the panel, which surely represents the evolving conversation in our field. Here are the main ideas that I contributed to the discussion, followed by some key takeaways from my colleagues' presentation: Erik Van Vulpen, Founder of AIHR Academy, who talked about main skills for the future of HR, and María Jesús Belizón Cebada, Assistant Professor of HRM, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School who talked about the maturity model of People Analytics and tips to create added value.
The most significant successes and the remaining challenge
"People Analytics as a discipline has come a long way from 10 years ago. To what extent has it been successful in changing the way HR operates? What are the biggest successes, and what are some remaining challenges?"
People Analytics is a long journey. I think that all kinds of significant success and challenges in People Analytics are bound. Let me give you some examples. First, think about the deployments of the People Analytics tool. Most organizations succeed when starting to use an HR dashboard. They easily create and use the common new language based on standard metrics, and when needed, HR professionals upskill themselves as BI tool users. However, a significant impact occurs when you integrate data from different sources, both from HR systems and the business, and when you use advanced analytics with a lens into future outcomes. Although analytics skills have become more common among HR departments, Machine Learning is still challenging for most HR professionals. This knowledge gap is a serious issue when considering the available tools in the market.
Secondly, work is continuously changing. People Analytics platforms enable to analyze and visualize new concepts, e.g., the network structure of organizations. However, in many places, like in my country, it is still difficult to handle people in different occupational methods. Gig workers, contractors, and freelancers are part of teams and contribute to the business. However, in many cases, they are listed in procurement departments, separately from the workforce. And so, their measures of productivity or experience are excluded.
Third, there are organizational challenges, or if you like, social challenges, in which the use of People Analytics practices contribute to awareness, but the change or resolution is still far. Take, for instance, Diversity and Inclusion. For a few years now, this topic was one of the main themes in People Analytics, and yet the gaps exist. Even when implementing AI solutions, and the awareness of bias is growing, we can't say that bias is eliminated.
Leverage analytics in the pandemic and beyond
"The global pandemic has fundamentally transformed the way people work. What are some of the ways HR professionals can leverage analytics to help their business leaders orient themselves in the new landscape?"
Let me answer this question without reviewing the entire tech solution categories that assist in the collaboration and employee experience. When I consider the HR data strategy solely, I don't think the pandemic changed it. Just as before, we have business questions at the top, actionable insights at the bottom, and in the middle, we have a funnel consist of data from people processes, sources, storages, analysis, and outputs. The processes remained, as remote work is not a new concept. Even hot topics in pandemic times, like burnout, life balance, mental health, etc., are not new to the field of organizational research. And yet, the doze of topics we analyze changed. Mainly, think of these four questions that we asked before, but now they get much more attention: How do employees feel, What do employees need, How productive are we, And how connected are we.
Let's take productivity, and explore further. It was always challenging to associate HR activities and productivity of business units, and mostly related knowledge workers. But in Covid19 times, when measuring remote workers' productivity became crucial, people analysts could leverage the attention and integrate such data into HR data for valuable insights. It enabled executives to use talent data to capture ROI from people processes and well-being solutions.
However, organizations were still interest in measuring the facet of time. The implementation of tracking apps increased during the pandemic. HR leaders should have focused the discussion on some of the consequences of these new tools. Beyond privacy and the blurred boundaries between work and non-work, surveillance technologies that monitor work from home might be the wrong solution because it signals distrust and reduces intrinsic motivation to perform well. As research reveals, the potential reactions to surveillance solutions may undermine the goal of increased productivity.
The barriers in deploying People Analytics capabilities
"What is the single biggest barrier when it comes to developing and deploying People Analytics capabilities within the organization or HR function? Any advice that you can share on how to best address it?"
I hear accusations that HR professionals are not analytical enough. I even read articles that blame HR for the slow growth of People Analytics practices in organizations. I do perceive HR as responsible for their upskilling in this area, but their current state is more complicated.
Academic programs of HR still neglect People Analytics as a mandatory domain. I think that all programs should cover practical machine learning, and specifically, the differences between inferential statistics and machine learning. When they graduate, HR practitioners are placed in roles in which analytical expectations are not high, and so seeds of skills and interest might decline over time. The entire HR sector relies on consultants and contractors, but unfortunately, many of them are also not updated, and their interest in changing the state of affairs is unclear. Tech vendors sometimes prefer to bypass HR, which also makes HR lag. In many cases, HR is under-budgeted. It is most prominent when it comes to professional development. Relying on marketing content sponsored by technology vendors is insufficient for upskilling and reskilling.
Obviously, private learning programs do a great job in helping HR professionals closing their skill gap in analytics. However, I truly believe that HR people can overcome their analytics barriers when they exercise with real data, their own organizational data. But it doesn't mean that HR people should become data scientists. They should become great clients of data scientists.
What's most exciting in the future of HR
"Beyond just People Analytics, HRweek today is dedicated to Innovative HR and forward-thinking HR professionals. What is most exciting when it comes to the future of HR? What are some new skills, perspectives, or tools that will 'future-proof' HR professionals and HR function?"
I remember one of the first job interviews I had in my twenties. The interviewer asked me what makes a great manager. I described someone who can handle both the organization's interest and the people's interest. The people analytics domain conversation evolved in the last couple of years, moving from focusing on one stakeholder to another. It started focusing on HR processes, proceeded to business questions and c-suite level, and then shifted toward employees, teams, and finally team leaders. I follow HR-tech and people analytics and find it fascinating that a single button press enables us to handle so many stakeholders in a way I could not even imagine thirty years ago when I started my career. But to do it right, I mean, to choose the right tech tools that fit all stakeholders in the organization, HR leaders need two new skills: Procurement and AI Ethics. I believe these skills are crucial for future proof of a career in HR.
More key takeaways from my colleagues in the panel
People Analytics is a part of a broad spectrum of HR upskilling. As Erik Van Vulpen nicely articulated, there are three main skills for the future of HR: First, Business Acumen, which includes positioning HR policies and activities in a way that will serve the organization and deliver sources of competitive advantage. It is also including skills such as interpreting the context of work, understanding customer expectations, and co-creating the HR strategy. Secondly, data-driven skills, namely, turn data into information, metrics and KPIs, and the language of the business. The third is being digital savvy, who understands and leverages technology.
In a deeper glance into People Analytics practices, María Jesús Belizón Cebada offered a broad maturity model, which includes six measures: adoption, sponsorship, technology, capabilities, data points, and HR metrics. In many organizations, it takes 2-3 years to reach a maturity level across all these measures. In order to create added value with HR analytics, she offered some tips: start small, nurture the six dimensions of maturity, use data relevant to the organization's competitive advantage, build inner organizational sponsorships and get the business on board.
Littal Shemer Haim brings Data Science into HR activities, to guide organizations to base decision-making about people on data. Her vast experience in applied research, keen usage of statistical modeling, constant exposure to new technologies, and genuine interest in people's lives, all led her to focus nowadays on HR Data Strategy, People Analytics, and Organizational Research.
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Yes He's All In, But Is Jeb Somewhere Else?
I have to admit, I haven't seen Jeb Bush in action before so watching his campaign announcement was interesting … and strangely odd. He's got some weird mannerisms, the most pronounced is how he continuously looks off into space or turns inward, as if he's suddenly not there. It didn't take long for it to really distract me, especially during enthusiastic applause. It's in those moment most any other candidate would feel the charge and really tune in to the crowd, not tune out.
Was it nerves, anxiousness, inhibition? Taking screenshots, I captured instance after instance, although they tend to look the same. It's easier to see, though, if you watch him closely in the video. Over and over again, he delivers his lines, then he checks out.
After, I wondered if this behavior was specific to the announcement speech. After all, you don't launch a presidential candidacy every day. Looking through recent photo galleries, however, I found variation on the theme.
Finally, I remembered that the recent New Yorker cover caricatured the GOP candidates. I just couldn't remember how illustrator Mark Ulriksen portrayed Bush. How odd, then, to find it and take a closer look. While most of the other candidates are attention seeking or at least outwardly focused, there's Jeb staring into space.
At this point, by the way, I don't have much sense for what it means.


Defamatory statements about the prophet Muhammad are not covered by free-speech protections, the European Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday.
In a series of public seminars, the women cited Muhammad's marriage to a six-year-old girl, which, according to Islamic lore, was consummated when she was nine, as evidence of his pedophilia.
The woman was initially convicted of disparaging religious doctrines by a Vienna court in 2011 and sentenced to pay a $547 fine. An Austrian appeals court later upheld the decision.
While the woman argued that her comments were intended to inform the public debate over the merits of different religious traditions, the court argued that her remarks lacked the proper historical context.


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Impressionist And Modern Art Day Sale
No sales tax is due on the purchase price of this … Read more Property from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Sold to Benefit the Acquisitions Fund*
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
signed and dated 'Picasso 20.6-21-' (upper left)
9 x 18 in. (22.9 x 45.7 cm.)
Painted on 20 June 1921
Gordon Onslow-Ford, San Francisco (by 1950).
Gardner Dailey, San Francisco.
Gift from the above to the present owner, January 1951.
San Francisco Museum of Art, Selected European Masters, 1950.
London, The Zwemmer Gallery, date unknown.
No sales tax is due on the purchase price of this lot if it is picked up or delivered in the State of New York.
Post lot text
*This lot may be tax exempt from the sale tax as set forth in the Sales Tax Notice at the back of the catalogue.
Maya Widmaier-Picasso has confirmed the authenicity of this work.
Claude Picasso has confirmed the authenticity of this work.
In 1921, the ever-innovative Pablo Picasso found himself at a crossroads. Having invented the groundbreaking language of Cubism in 1907 with Georges Braque, and having seen this style of representation from its initial Analytic phase into its subsequent Synthetic phase, Picasso now sought yet another original idiom. Ironically, this new form of expression would harken back to ancient history; his Neoclassical style would recall the balance, order and harmony of Greece and Rome. Thus, as Carsten-Peter Warncke points out, "one and the same artist was painting classicist nudes, portraits, scenes, and works in the spirit of Synthetic Cubism--at first sight quite incompatible" at the moment the present work was executed (Pablo Picasso: 1881-1973, The Works 1890-1936, 1995, vol. I, p. 245).
The present painting features many hallmarks of Synthetic Cubism. Starting in 1912, Picasso began to replace the fragmented forms and muddily monochromatic tones of Analytic Cubism with a more constructionist collage approach and a brighter palette. The five major forms of the present composition look as though they could be snippets of paper glued onto the canvas. Specifically, the salmon-colored rectangle bears a decorative pattern that suggests a piece of wallpaper, and the tan rectangle suggests the technique of faux bois, or simulated wood grain, that played a central role in the artist's papiers collés. The blue and rose tones which Picasso chose for this canvas not only testify to Synthetic Cubism's more vibrant palette, but also self-consciously refer to the artist's earlier Blue and Rose periods.
Just as Picasso mimics his own collages by simulating wallpaper and faux bois fragments in paint, the words "LE JOU" imitate the newspaper clippings commonly pasted into the artist's collages. Simon Morley describes how the words LE JOURNAL--French for newspaper--"undergo constant metamorphosis, becoming LE JOUR (the day), or LE JOU (which suggests the French word foreplay)" (The Writing on the Wall: Word and Image in Modern Art, Berkeley, 2003, p. 42). Picasso takes pleasure in literally playing the media of painting and collage against one another.
Upon closer inspection, traces of Picasso's Neoclassical inclinations can be discovered in the present painting, as well. The "predilection for a purely linear style [that] was a feature of late 18th-century classicist art" entered his vocabulary during this transitional time (Warncke, op. cit., p. 286). Here, the café glass is rendered with just this kind of fluid line, with no cross-hatched shading to indicate dimension. Even the text, which several years earlier would have been rendered in the thick, blocky font of newspaper typesetting, is executed here with an inky-thin line.
This still life was painted in the same year as Picasso's Trois Musiciens (Coll. Museum of Modern Art, New York), the canvas that many believe to be the culminating composition of Synthetic Cubism. Like that seminal triple portrait, the present work rehearses the highlights of this stylistic period--a pasted paper aesthetic, a colorful palette, textual play--even as the elements of a new aesthetic make their debut.
More from Impressionist And Modern Art Day Sale


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Home Doosra TOP 5: Most Number Of Catches In ICC Champions Trophy
TOP 5: Most Number Of Catches In ICC Champions Trophy
With the Champions Trophy fever catching on, there have been many memorable moments in the past. Many have plundered centuries and taken plenty of wickets. There have also been some who have taken plenty of wickets. We take a look however, at those who have the most number of catches in the tournament's history:
Daniel Vettori
One of the most popular and loved New Zealand bowlers, Vettori was a respected figure in the sport. A superb left-arm spinner, he captained his country and was a successful cricketer on it. He also had a safe pair of hands and managed 9 catches in his time at the Champions Trophy. In 17 games, he reached the number and was pivotal in many of New Zealand's successful international campaigns in the sport.
Taylor is one of the most popular players to have represented the New Zealand national team. His ability to hit the big ones along with his excellent fielding, make him a force to reckon with in limited overs cricket. He also unsurprisingly has 10 catches in the tournament's history to his name in just 8 games. Playing in the 2009 and 2013 editions, he managed to get to that number, mostly at slip or the other important fielding positions on the field.
The West Indians is one of the most popular all-rounders to have played the game and is a limited overs performer. He has the ability to hit big sixes down the order and attack in addition to his excellent wicket taking bowling talent. He is also someone who has 12 catches in the Champions Trophy, one of the highest in its history. His all-round ability in all forms of the game make him one of the best to have ever represented West Indies.
The legendary Indian captain is another player who has plenty of Champions League records to his name. Most centuries, most fifty-plus scores are already enviable enough, but Ganguly also has 12 catches in the 13 games that he has played. Ganguly was a captain who led from the front and could really dominate any opposition on any day and the Champions Trophy was one tournament where he came to the fore on more occasions than one.
Mahela Jayawardene
An all-time great of Sri Lankan cricket, Jayawardene is another one who has stamped his class all over the Champions League. Now retired, Jaywardene took part in six Champions Trophy campaigns and won one of them. He has played important innings when it was required of him, but he also has a superb 15 catches in 22 games, making him a real legend of the Champions Trophy. Jayawardene is an inspirational figure with a safe pair of hands.
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Binaural beats are scientifically proven frequencies designed to induce specific states of mind. The beats in Binaural Meditation have been engineered to help you get into deep states of meditation and mindfulness as quickly and effortlessly as possible.
+ Binaural Meditation - Deep Mindfulness is an ok, 3.5-star app.


because df.2 is made from the non-duplicated values it is shorter.
the rest of the list doesn't line up.
Affyid: 1638273_at     but they occur on different rows in the data frame.
is that a bit clearer? I know this is pretty complex.
just gave NA after there.
> Here is a dataset that replicates the problem, you'll notice the "h"


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Ellis Dee
Born as Roy Collins, Ellis Dee started making tracks as a DJ in the 1990's. Starting with several volumes of 'The Ellis Dee Project' in 1992 on 12", and playing at warehouse parties he made his name, co-promoting the Rave at the Cave with Chalk.E White. He also used to host a show on Sunrise FM. Ellis Dee became a headliner at events like Perception World Dance and Fantazia.
In 1994 he released 'Big Up Your Chest', with a sample from Wow.
As well as DJing, he also began to make his own music as part of Rhythm Section with breaks godfather Rennie Pilgrem. From acid house to hardcore to drum & bass and most recently breakbeat. Ellis Dee records on his own label, Point Break, with co-owner Syrus.
Ellis Dee. Discogs.com, retrieved 9 October 2017.


Chief Executive Carrie Lam has published her annual Lunar New Year greeting to Hongkongers, wishing citizens good luck, health and happiness for the Year of the Pig.
Unlike last year, Lam's husband Lam Siu-por did not appear in the clip. The setting also switched from the government offices to stores around Sheung Wan.
The minute-long video appeared on Lam's Facebook page at noon on Monday, ahead of the public holiday.
Lam said Lunar New Year is the festival that Chinese people attach importance to, as families gather together.
She appeared in traditional clothing and appeared in a seafood store as well as a flower store in Sheung Wan. However, not all were impressed with Lam's festive message.
"What the hell is Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam doing focusing on #shark fin at #ChineseNewYear? Doesn't she know that this is AGAINST government policy?!!" wrote campaigner Alex Hofford from NGO WildAid on Twitter.
The clip showed residents asking for photos with Lam as she shook their hands.


There's no one definitive wine list for all preferences and purses so we've dispensed with the idea of offering one at all. Instead we've sought out a few lesser-known bottles, producers and people from the usual French haunts and New World nooks, as well as newcomer nations such as Morocco, Lebanon, Greece and even drizzly England. Read on for an around-the-vineyards report on the bottles we'll be stashing, sipping and stocking our cellars with come summer.
Notes: A grower's champagne, made by a small house and at the apex of a movement that is gaining speed. Full flavoured and delicious.
Notes: This rich, fortified, tawny-hued wine is a revelation served cool. Its nutty notes and creamy texture goes well with a good cheddar.
Notes: Two young men have sourced sherry from small makers and bottled it themselves. The result is extraordinary and has buoyed the sherry trend.
Notes: Expect crisp tropical fruit and a hint of lime zest. Try with spicy seafood dishes, such as chilli prawns.
Notes: This is Austria's signature grape. Franz makes a wine as good as – often better than – most great white burgundies. Glorious stuff.
Notes: Alsace's pre-eminent producer of dry elegant riesling. Also try the Clos St Hune riesling, which many consider to be the greatest in the world.
Notes: Ripe, fresh and fruity with a touch of oak. Wonderfully quaffable stuff.
Notes: Somewhat similar to a sauvignon blanc and very refreshing. Camel Valley also produces a delicious sparkling wine.
Notes: One of the greatest semillons in Australia. This is a wonderful sipper at an unbelievably reasonable price.
Notes: White burgundy from the top producer in Mâcon-Fuissé. This is powerful, intense and affordable.
Notes: Both rich and crisp, this is one of New Zealand's finest, courtesy of the winemaker who previously made Cloudy Bay such a widely exported wine.
Notes: This wine is aged in qvevri: traditional terracotta vessels buried in soil. The taste is of earthy apricots, which goes well with chicken or duck dishes.
Notes: This is a great wine: a crisp, dry but silky mouthful with a delicate, floral nose. There are rosés and then there's this.
Notes: A distinguished cabernet-led wine, this is elegant and harmonious. If older vintages are available, drink them too.
Notes: Magnificently long-lasting wine, deep, brooding, with savoury fruit and a long finish.
Notes: Fragrant, fruity and full-flavoured wine that shows the Maghreb deserves a place at the top table too.
Notes: Fragrant, with spice and fruit, this is a lovely wine with a lightly carried but unexpectedly high alcohol content.
Notes: Even in the middle of the country's civil war, the grapes were picked. Wait 15 years and decant: expect fruit, tobacco, herbs, depth and length.
Notes: Fragrant with fruit and spice, this becomes more savoury as it's drunk. Also try the delicious white Wild Ferment assyrtiko from Santorini.
Notes: Deep, dark and intense, with rich notes of herbs and fruit. This is utterly delicious and will keep for donkey's years.
Notes: Lushly sweet but with a shot of crisp acidity throughout, this has all the subtlety of a true aged riesling. Drink chilled as an aperitif or with an apple tart or cheese.
Notes: Toast and honey, orange-blossom water, ethereal sweetness shot through with acid: this wine has been called phenomenal and that won't change any time soon.


WC will work on the promotions and marketing of the selected Characters (WC Originals or user generated content). The ecosystem works on the internal digital currency- WRT (Warrior Token). As of now WRT will be used for such as leasing out the characters, downloading paid content, create and manage contests and managing the advertisement model. Warrior Comics team is constantly working on building a strong Animation Tube portal and AI enabled 2D, 3D animated characters.
Warrior Comics will be the first-ever blockchain based business and advertising model in the animation entertainment industry. WC looks forward to the promotion of hidden talents.
✅ COMMENTS: ICO "Warrior Comics"


Diamond Details:92 round brilliant cut white diamonds, of F color, VS2 clarity, of excellent cut and brilliance, weighing 3.00 carats total.
Measurements: 24mm in length and 12mm at the widest point.
This amazing pair of 18k white gold dangle earrings, feature 92 round brilliant cut white diamonds, of F color, VS2 clarity, of excellent cut and brilliance, weighing 3.00 carats total.
These diamond dangle earrings contain post and pushed backs. These dangle earrings measures 24mm in length and 12mm at the widest point.


Over the Easter long weekend I rode up to see my 'ol mate Matt at Uranquinty. As luck would have it, he was moving into his new house on that same weekend, so we got to catch up over moving furniture, setting up his stereo (yeah, baby!) and generally doing stuff….
As more luck would have it, a Goldwing club was having their AGM in Wagga Wagga that same weekend, so I was in with a good chance to see some more Goldwing's at their show and shine.
Ballarat -> Waubra -> the back roads past Mt. Beckworth to Evansford -> Talbot -> Maryborough -> Dunolly -> Llanelly -> Bridgewater -> Serpentine -> Durham Ox ->Kerang -> Barham -> Wakool -> Deniliquin -> Conargo -> Jerilderie -> Urana -> Lockhart -> Tootool -> The Rock -> Uranquinty.
659km in 8 hours. Nice ride. I wanted to see what it was like to spend a day in the seat, and mission accomplished, the only stops were for fuel and bladder. I can eat and drink very comfortably on the bike, so I eat on the wing… so to speak.
This time I took a camera….. did not take as many photos as I intended, so I will really need to focus on that next time, slow down, stop and take more photos, I really enjoy it, so make it part of the tip…. anyway, here are some of the photos I took.
I did not get any photos of the way home. I was on a mission to just get home. The first part of the trip was nice and relaxing. We went though The Rock, then some back roads (I really do love these the most!) to Urangeline East (heh, look it up!), then south to Walbundrie, down to Howlong, then at Chiltern I got on the dreaded Hume Freeway…. Nothing free about it, everyone that drives it pays in some form or another. Sadly, many have paid with their lives….Anyway, this time I survived, but doing this road on the end of a long long weekend is not fun. I got off at Seymour just in time, it was really getting crazy! This put me at Puckapunyal at dusk, I was a bit tense looking out for roos but did not see a one. Then things got dark around Emu Flat, the sun set, the wind came up big time and the general riding conditions got pretty bad. I am really struggling getting enough light out the front of my bike for any speed over 80kph. Thankfully I picked up a car that was heading my way, I pulled over, let him pass, then got in behind him….he must have known the road pretty good because he set his cruise control for 104kph and that's what we did, up hill, down hill, and around corners. I rode in his cone of light, it was fantastic! Sadly he turned off before Daylesford, so I just slogged my way home….. in the rain….heh, "It was a dark and stormy night…" 530km in 6.5 hours…. you know your alive! The bike never missed a beat. I took more stuff than I needed, so could have done it lighter, but these are the things you learn.
So, there you have it. It was a really great trip.