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Mitzvah Day magic across the miles
Four years ago, we realised that we were doing Mitzvah Day all wrong. It slowly dawned on us that as a charity working to empower communities to self-develop, and for Jewish community life to revive in Belarus in the former Soviet Union, it was not OK for us to be posting our good deeds on social media as our beneficiaries looked on. It felt wrong for us to be busy collecting, sorting and packing humanitarian aid while they watched the pictures appear on social media. They would watch and wait for the aid to arrive and while we enjoyed the warm, fuzzy feeling of doing good deeds. We realised that with the best of intentions to do good, what we were actually doing was simply perpetuating dependency.
The model had to change and we took a decision that the communities in Belarus had to also be part of Mitzvah Day, not as onlookers but as active participants. It was vital that we all did mitzvot together. Surely this was the route to revival. As with most good ideas, the putting into practice was less than straightforward. First, there were the Mitzvah Day packs that we had to get to Belarus. The only way to ensure they reached their destination was to take them ourselves. Then we faced the challenges of explaining the concept, indeed what exactly is a Mitzvah. Cultural obstacles presented themselves. Jewish continuity and understanding had all but been eradicated by communism so we literally had to start from scratch. Indeed, under communism, the state provided, the family unit was broken down and everyone looked out for themselves. To reverse that, and somehow bring Jewish values to the fore was no easy task. The whole concept of Mitzvah Day enabled us to focus on the very Jewish principle of being charitable, and communal by doing good deeds.
Over time, many in the communities we work with have come to understand, embrace and include the concept of mitzvot into their daily lives and we are very proud of this achievement. This year, with COVID all around, we were unable to take Mitzvah Day packs to Belarus, but we were determined that Mitzvah Day would still take place. And indeed it did.
Our fantastic Youth for Youth cohort our young adult volunteers took the reins and put a call out to our volunteers and community members both here in the UK and in Belarus to do a good deed, any kind of good deed, to take a photo and send it to us saying where they were and what they were doing. Maeve Silver, Sam Heller and Vasily Zaitsau (who help to drive Youth for Youth) created a brilliant slide show of all the mitzvot that took place in Belarus, Ukraine, the UK and the USA.
On Mitzvah Day itself, November 15th, Maeve organised and facilitated a Zoom event on the Mitzvah of Saving a Life. Invited speaker, Isabelle Hamilton-Bower, from the Resuscitation Council UK, ran a fascinating and informative session demonstrating basic life-saving skills, with up to date guidelines on dealing with an emergency in the current COVID climate.
The session was in Russian and English with 40 participants in attendance and the event concluded with a short film presentation of all the amazing good deeds that people had been doing. More than ever, people in Belarus pulled together to help others and we are immensely proud of what we have been able to achieve. A resounding thank you to Mitzvah Day and everyone who participated and made the day so enjoyable and meaningful.
To learn more about Youth for Youth, please click here.


Inspiro 6.0 Released: Beaver Builder Integration, Sticky Header & More!
We are very happy to announce that after several weeks of working on new features and many days of testing, Inspiro 6.0 has been released! You can upgrade now right from your dashboard, or download Inspiro 6.0 from your WPZOOM Account.
What's new in Inspiro 6.0?
Why did we replace Unyson Page Builder with Beaver Builder?
Two years ago, in Inspiro 4.0 we started to recommend to our Inspiro Customers the Page Builder from Unyson as a useful tool to create custom layouts when the widgetized page templates weren't enough for their needs.
Unyson seemed to us a good plugin at that time, and the team behind it was actively involved in the development process, but in the last months it looks that the plugin isn't receiving any updates or support anymore. New bugs appear daily and in spite of it being used on 100k+ sites, we consider that it's very unprofessional to ignore all the problems and use Unyson as a promotion tool for other products they've developed.
At this point, we consider that our customers deserve a better Page Builder recommendation, and after testing and discussing with multiple plugin authors, we decided to go with Beaver Builder.
We've been eyeing Beaver Builder for quite a time, and now it's the perfect time when we're confident that this is the right Page Builder that's missing in Inspiro.
1. There's a free version available – Beaver Builder Lite, which means that our customers won't be forced to purchase an additional product in order to get the most from Inspiro.
2. Beaver Builder is a live page builder. No more building in the blind and guessing how the page will look after you save the changes.
3. It's easy to extend it with new add-ons and templates by installing 3rd party plugins. We have even created our own free plugin named WPZOOM Addons for Beaver Builder, which will complete the free version of Beaver Builder with some useful modules for Inspiro and not only.
4. There's a Beaver Builder Premium version available, which gives us the confidence that nothing similar to what happened to Unyson will happen with Beaver Builder and customers who really like this builder, can upgrade to a Premium version for even more features.
Moreover, the team behind Beaver Builder is actively working on improving their products and we can be sure that they will be in the business for many years ahead.
Beaver Builder is already compatible with the new Gutenberg editor, so what else do you need to be prepared for the future?
How is Beaver Builder integrated in Inspiro?
When we say "integrated", of course, we don't mean that we bundled the plugin in the theme or something similar. We're referring to the fact that we've made sure that new customers will be able to create everything they see in the demo using the free version of the Beaver Builder. This is possible thanks to the new free plugin we've released to extend the free version of Beaver Builder with new modules that allow you to create any kind of website: Testimonials, Team Members, Maps, etc.
Do I Need Beaver Builder Premium?
It depends! If you're happy with the Lite version of the Beaver Builder, the theme will work great with it as it is. In case you want to unlock even more features, then you should definitely upgrade!
EXCLUSIVE DEAL: All WPZOOM customers receive a $10 discount when purchasing a premium version of Beaver Builder.
Find more details on the Deals page.
You guessed it right! A new portfolio page template which is not full-width is now available in Inspiro.
The new Clean Portfolio template will show the portfolio items in a wrap with the title will be visible below the featured image as opposed to other templates that displayed the title only on hovering.
Another feature which has been requested a lot of times by our customers was to display the Portfolio Filters (Categories) in the Portfolio widgets on the front page and other pages created using the Page Builder.
We've improved the Portfolio Showcase widget, and now it offers you an option to display the categories at the top, just like on the Portfolio page.
The only difficulty that prevented us from making this option available a long time ago was the fact that in this widget users usually display a limited number of Portfolio Posts (6-12). This means that the chance to see no posts when choosing a category was very high. However, we've found a way to overcome this difficulty by implementing AJAX requests, and now the widget will display posts from a specific category even if they aren't shown by default in the limited number of posts.
See it in action in the demo.
Instagram Bar in Footer – a new widget area is now available, in which you can insert our free Instagram Widget and create a full-width feed of your latest pictures.
Sticky Header – no more need to use additional plugins to give a nice effect to the header menu. It will stick now the top automatically when scrolling the page.
Portfolio Re-order – you can now change the order of Portfolio Posts in the gallery much easier from the page Portfolio > Re-order.
Slideshow Image size was increased for better quality on retina devices, so it's recommended to Regenerate Thumbnails.
We've also made significant changes to the theme code and now it even includes the SASS/SCSS files, which may be helpful for advanced developers.
Some changes have been also made to the theme design, so we highly recommend you to backup your current theme before updating Inspiro, especially if you have a lot of customizations.
What happens with Unyson integration?
If you're using Unyson's Page Builder in your website, then it's optional for you to switch to Beaver Builder.
Inspiro 6.0 will not affect any of your pages created in Unyson and everything will continue to work just like before. However, we recommend to migrate to Beaver Builder and re-build all your pages as we'll stop supporting Unyson because it's an outdated plugin and some things just don't depend on us.
Is there an easy way to migrate Unyson pages to Beaver Builder?
Unfortunately, no. However, you can easily insert in pages pre-build layouts in Beaver Builder > Templates.
The new update is available for all existing customers, and if you have already activated your license key and enabled 1-click theme updates, head over to your WordPress Dashboard and update your theme.
For more information about Inspiro 6.0 theme see the theme page or take a look at the live demo.
Let us know if this update meets your expectations and what are your plans with Inspiro in the comments section!
I can't seem to get the Video Background on Hover to work on a new portfolio youtube video. The same video link works on a hover with the slider, but not as a portfolio. I have the youtube link in the field under 'Video Background on Hover' tab. I also enabled the 'Video Background on Hover' within the widget Portfolio Showcase and tested this on both the homepage that is using the Portfolio Showcase and also the portfolio page view. The hover video background does work on the native demo portfolios where the video was uploaded to the web server.. It doesn't work with the youtube video link.. except for with the slider.
At the moment only self-hosted videos can be used for the Video background on hover feature.
Is it possible to include a GIF image for the headers?


Situated on the border between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter, the Luxembourg Gardens, inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence, were created upon the initiative of Queen Marie de Medici in 1612. The gardens, which cover 25 hectares of land, are split into French gardens and English gardens. Between the two, lies a geometric forest and a large pond. There is also an orchard with a variety of old and forgotten apples, an apiary for you to learn about bee-keeping and greenhouses with a collection of breathtaking orchids and a rose garden. The garden has 106 statues spread throughout the park, the monumental Medici fountain, the Orangerie and the Pavillon Davioud. There are many activities and facilities for children such as puppets, rides and slides. Adults, whether they are Parisians or tourists, can play chess, tennis, and bridge or remote control boats. The cultural programme is characterized by free photography exhibitions on the garden railings and by concerts in the bandstand.
Crèche (2pm to 6pm) from May to mid-September for children aged 18 months to 6 years. Playground (open from 10am) for children aged 7 to 12 years. Puppet theatre: Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm and everyday from 4pm during the school holidays. Pony rides, swings, tennis, model yacht hire to sail in the large pond.
Two refreshment stalls serve finger food to eat on the premises or take away. There are several kiosks selling beverages, confectionery, food and toys in various parts of the Jardin du Luxembourg.
Opens between 7.30am and 8.15am, and closes between 4.30pm and 9.30pm according to season.
Accessible from boulevard Saint-Michel, rue du Vuagiraud, rue Guyenemer, rue Auguste-Comte and rue Médicis.
There are two accessible toilets at the Auguste-Comte entrance (11am to 1pm, and 1.45pm to 7pm) and next to the Sénat (9am to 7pm).


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Auckland War Memorial Museum
Domain Dr, Auckland Domain, Parnell
Auckland Museum, AA Travel's 101 NZ Must Do's, NZHistory.net, NZ Museums
Tuesday: 9am–8:30pm
Weekends: 9am–5pm
Auckland War Memorial Museum is New Zealand's first museum. Established in 1852 in a two-room farm cottage in the central Auckland suburb of Grafton, Auckland Museum is recognised as holding nationally and internationally significant collections.
The Museum tells the story of New Zealand, its place in the Pacific and its people. The Museum is a war memorial for the province of Auckland and holds one of New Zealand's top three heritage libraries. It has pre-eminent Maori and Pacific collections, significant natural history resources and major social and military history collections, as well as decorative arts and pictorial collections.
Auckland War Memorial Museum stands on the hill known by Maori as Pukekawa. It has occupied this site since 1929 when subscriptions raised by Aucklanders in remembrance of their war dead, enabled the construction of what is considered one of New Zealand's finest heritage buildings.
To this day, Auckland War Memorial Museum is a touchstone of remembrance for families and returned service personnel who wish to honour their loved ones and fallen comrades.
After World War II, the building was extended to encompass war memorials for the over 4,000 Aucklanders who lost their lives in the second world war, and the growing need for space for the Museum's collections. The semicircular extension at the rear of the building was opened in 1960, providing two thirds more floor space and the World War II Hall of Memories which now also encompasses the names of those lost in subsequent 20th Century conflicts.
One of the most beautiful elements of the building is the frieze that runs around the top of the exterior of the building. Each picture depicts a different scene from World War I, or on the extension, World War II. All the armed services are represented.
Engraved above each window on the original building is the name of a battle in which New Zealanders fought. These include Passchendaele, where two of the architects were wounded. On the east side a memorial fountain commemorates the campaign in Palestine and lists the principal engagements. The west side features an identical commemoration of Gallipoli.
The bronze doors of the main entrance are decorated with a poppy design. Poppies now symbolise death in war because these flowers sprang up on European fields where trenches were dug and soldiers buried - the seeds lying dormant until the earth is disturbed. The poppy motif is repeated throughout the interior of the Museum.
Upcoming Events at Auckland War Memorial Museum
LIVE at the Museum: Silicon & Dual
Auckland War Memorial Museum, Parnell, Auckland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Believeland: Cleveland sports hype continues into baseball postseason
If you have no vested interest in any team still alive in the MLB playoffs, it's hard not to start rooting for history to be made. And that doesn't mean cheering for the Chicago Cubs. No. It is time to jump on the Cleveland Indians bandwagon. That poor city has had to endure so much heartbreak over the years; how can anyone root against them?
Buoyed by the success of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, something special is in Cleveland's water this year. The Indians went 94-67 this season on their way to an AL Central Division title. Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli each clubbed 34 home runs during the regular season, and the Indians' offense as a whole was the second-best in baseball.
Cleveland's karmic imbalance was somewhat corrected this summer after LeBron, Kyrie, JR, Kevin Love and co. brought home the city's first championship in 52 years. However, who says the good luck has to end there? The Cavaliers, also known as the men who currently hold the key to the city, have been on hand to witness the Indians' playoff run so far. They helped hype up the crowd before Game 2. They're sharing their magic with Terry Francona, a man who knows a little something about bringing magic back to a city.
Cleveland was not handed the easiest road through the playoffs. Things began with a difficult matchup against the Boston Red Sox backed by David Ortiz and Mookie Betts. The Indians popped their bubble immediately, clinching a sweep on Monday night within the hallowed grounds of Fenway Park. With Boston bested, Cleveland now turns its eyes to a best of seven series with the Toronto Blue Jays, proud owners of baseball's best offense. Both offenses look nigh unstoppable. Toronto also blew through the American League Division Series, vanquishing the Texas Rangers in three games. However, it feels wrong to bet against Cleveland at the moment.
With the Browns continuing to play like the Browns, and the NBA season still several weeks away from starting, there's nothing for the city to focus on besides the Indians. All of its good vibes are being directed at Progressive Field, where a little slice of history feels like it's being fashioned. After the Chicago Cubs, who are widely predicted to break their 108 year curse this fall, the Indians have gone the longest of any team in Major League Baseball without winning a World Series. It's been 68 years since the halcyon days of Joe Gordon, Ken Keltner, Lou Boudreau, Bob Lemon, Bob Feller, Larry Doby, Satchel Paige and Gene Bearden, when the Indians last won baseball's greatest prize.
That's not to say there haven't been moments when they've come close to replicating that famed success. The American League pennant was won again in 1954, 1995 and 1997. Defeats ensued to the New York Giants over four games in '54, to the Atlanta Braves over six games in '95 and, most painfully, to the Florida Marlins over seven in '97. Against Florida, Cleveland was within reaching distance of finally winning it all. The Indians entered the ninth inning leading 2-1 only to see Craig Counsell tie the game with a sacrifice fly. Two innings later, the man who had prevented them from winning the game reached base after an error by Tony Fernandez. He went on to score the game's winning run after Edgar Renteria lined one into center.
There have been other close calls since then. In 2007, behind the pitching of CY Young Award winner CC Sabathia, Roberto Hernandez and Paul Byrd and the hitting of Grady Sizemore, Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner, the Indians led the Red Sox three games to one in the American League Championship Series only to lose the final three games. However, things feel like they're finally changing in Cleveland. LeBron has brought back hope.
If the Cavs can come back from 3-1 down against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals—winning two games on the road on the way —then why can't the Indians win the pennant? Why can't they go on to win the World Series? Why can't the city of Cleveland have a season for the ages? Go on, go and do it. Baseball's neutrals, us unfortunate many stranded without a team still playing in October, are behind you. Let's go Cleveland.
World Cup updates, outlook
Women's basketball handles Cardinals, looks forward
This Week in Sports: 12/2/22
This Week In Sports: 11/18/22
Men's Basketball Crushes Martin Luther, Aims High
Coaches and first-year athletes on the transition to college
Anthony Rampling • Sep 11, 2019 at 3:05 am
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https://themacweekly.com/71417/sports/believeland-cleveland-sports-hype-continues-into-baseball-postseason/#comment-142241
Brandon Ferguson • Sep 6, 2019 at 9:25 pm
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<< Previous Event Thursday, June 2, 2022
Date: June 2, 12:00 pm-1:00pm
Details: You're invited to join Women in Business for A Place At The Table - Networking Luncheon on Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 12:00 PM at KAFM's Radio Room (1310 Ute Avenue, Grand Junction).
You're invited to join Women in Business for A Place At The Table - Networking Luncheon on Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 12:00 PM at KAFM's Radio more...0 Room (1310 Ute Avenue, Grand Junction). Learn more about the Women in Business group and network! Please bring a soup, salad, or side dish to share (at least 6 servings). Beverages and utensils will be provided.
Join us for drinks, appetizers, and music atop the beautiful 734 Main Street Rooftop while we raise money for the Foster Alumni Mentors Sylvia Aynn more...0 Richards Memorial Scholarship endowment fund through CMU! This is sure to be a spectacular event where you can mingle, chat with friends, and support an amazing cause! See you there! Ticket includes appetizers, music, and 2 drink tickets! We will also be holding a silent auction so come prepared to bid on some amazing items from our amazing community! All proceeds go to the CMU Scholarship Fund, supporting CMU students who aged out of foster care or were adopted through the foster care system. Our goal is to raise $25,000 for the endowment to impact lives for many generations.
Friday, Jun 3
5:00pm-8:00pm, Downtown Business District, Silverton, CO
Great art isn't just in museums. All over Silverton, you'll find original art, creative workspaces and glimpses of our heritage.
Having sold over 17 Million albums worldwide, performed across more than 4000 stages, and captivated a radio audience that exceeds 1 Billion, Night more...0 Ranger has both epitomized and transcended the arena rock sound and style well beyond that era. With multiple songs having a significant impact on popular culture, Night Ranger continue to grow their ever-evolving fan-base. Night Ranger have earned widespread recognition that includes both multi-platinum and gold album status all while leaving their indelible mark on the music industry with a long list of best-selling albums. Their popularity is fueled by an impressive number of instantly recognizable hit singles and signature album tracks, including legendary titles such as: Sister Christian, Don't Tell Me You Love Me, When You Close Your Eyes, the anthemic (You Can Still) Rock In America.
Sunday, Jun 5
8:00pm-11:00pm, Las Colonias Amphitheatre
311 defined the 90s with a style that many bands would come to embrace – folding rap into more traditional forms like alternative rock and more...0 reggae. Their early 90s' hits "Down" and "All Mixed Up," tracks that carried their self-titled album to the No. 12 spot on The Billboard 200, introduced the world to an original sound that remains popular today. "Over the past few years, we've realized we're primarily a live band...and we're damn glad for that," said lead singer, Nick Hexum. Their fan base, dubbed the "The Hive", agree because every 311 concert is an intense, trippy and emotional ride. 311's most recent album Universal Pulse reached No. 1 on Billboard's Tastemaker Albums and Independent Albums charts. With foresight and two decades of solid hits, 311 has turned the police code for streaking in Nebraska into an instantly recognized symbol for the meeting of ska, rap metal and jazz fusion. The band began in Omaha, Nebraska with Nick Hexum, Tim Mahoney, Chad Sexton, P-Nut and SA Martinez. The band went through several independent releases before signing with Capricorn Records in 1992. Their last album, in 2011, Universal Pulse, debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 200. Since the introduction of their first album Music in 1993, 311 has released Grassroots, 311, Transistor, Soundsystem, From Chaos, Evolver, Don't Tread on Me, Uplifter and Universal Pulse. On every even-numbered year since 2000, the date 3/11 has meant the 3-11 Day Concert, when the band performs an extremely extended set. Fans who bought tickets to 3-11 Day in 2012 saw the band perform 79 songs over two days in Las Vegas. If you're looking for their 2014 album, it will be out on — you guessed it — March 11. In the summer of 2019, 311 is touring with Dirty Heads for what they said will be a hybrid of "alternative sound and good vibes." The U.S. tour runs July 2-Aug. 20. They will be joined by pop trios Dreamers and Bikini Trill for all shows, with special guest performances by The Interrupters on all but six dates.
Tuesday, Jun 7
CLASSES/LECTURES
JUNE WRITERS' NIGHT
Pitch Your Prose
6:00pm-7:30pm, 1803 N. 7th Street
Now that you have written your prose, how well can you pitch it? This workshop is designed to assist you to succinctly pitch your written work in more...0 less than 90 seconds. At the end of the workshop, you will present a 90 second elevator pitch which will include using your strong voice and engaging gestures. Your pitch will be delivered with ease and authenticity. Step out of your box and into the challenge.
PARKER MCOLLUM
7:30pm-10:00pm, 925 STRUTHERS AVENUE
Parker McCollum wants it both ways. Restless soul who can slam dunk a major venue. Texas spirit who can exist on mainstream country radio. Songwriter more...0 with a sense of turpentine and truth singing for people whose life isn't quite the truckbed/field party revel much of country music would have you believe. Coming up in Texas, selling out Stubbs, Billy Bobs and Nutty Browns, the brash young man with a taste for Rodney Crowell, Todd Snider and James McMurtry had just enough Houston gangster rap in the water to develop a swagger that's miles from the good ole boy patina so many of his peers embody. But don't let that bravado fool you, his passion for songwriting runs deep. "I want to have Luke Bryan success, singing Chris Knight-caliber songs," he declares. "To have longevity, you can't sacrifice integrity to get on the radio. People know the difference, look at Willie, look at Strait. I knew I could do Texas and never leave, or come to Nashville and do the pop-country thing. My goal is to ride the middle." He exhales as he says this, takes in the landscape. He's already notched a platinum-certified #1 with the banged-up declaration of love and betrayal "Pretty Heart." He's gone against the grain enlisting songwriter/musician/vocalist/producer Jon Randall; he's known for his work as part of Emmylou Harris' Grammy-winning Nash Ramblers, producer of Dierks Bentley's Up To The Ridge and co-writer of the 2005 CMA Song of the Year "Whiskey Lullabye" and 2018 ACM Song of the Year "The Tin Man." "I was super burned out from co-writes," he says of their initial meeting. "He saw it, took one look, and said, 'Hey, let's hang out.' He's not just done it all, he's won awards for it… When the label didn't want him to be my producer, I thought he was a perfect fit. They let us go in and cut some demos; 'Pretty Heart' was one of those." I been drinking like a drunkard in these Austin neon lights Burning smokes and wondering if there's anything I've done right… Gold Chain Cowboy expands on that outcast drifter ethos with a collection of songs that are riddled with fuck-ups, disappointments, lost nights, real life snarls and the hunger that drives people on. Reckless, willing to reckon with the wreckage and shattered pieces of what was, McCollum's major label debut isn't a dead-end road, but more a cul-de-sac that too many people go 'round and 'round on. "I was pretty lonely," he offers, certifying his songs' angst. "I was pretty young when I started selling out these places, you know? I was a rock star. But I wasn't a rock star when I woke up, that was last night. "There was no shortage of women. There were plenty around, random girls, but people you don't care about – and they don't care about you. It was a lot of whiskey and smoking cigarettes to fill up the space. But I started thinking, 'What am I gonna do when I get a little further along?'" Figure McCollum, who admits a taste for flashy things, was raised a car dealer's son. His mother's family – "they're a little rougher, they come from the land" – were dealing with cattle, ranching, the rodeo world. In many ways a classic Texas upbringing, even his music obsession started with his brother giving him The Traveling Wilburys, Volume 1 for his 11th birthday. Working his Grandfather's ranch with his older brother and a couple cousins one summer, he heard Ryan Bingham's "Southside of Heaven" for the first time. It changed everything. "It was so simple – and stayed so simple. My sophomore and junior years, he put out two of the best records I've ever heard. It showed me what standards are, and that it could be done." Still, unhindered and young – wild living ensued. But that lust for life never got in the way of him writing songs, seeking to make the music better. Around Texas, he turned into a veritable Justin Bieber scream-inducing proposition. He didn't care. "I look back and think, 'How did I go onstage like that?'" he marvels. "It makes me sick to think about it. I can't believe I lived like that; but I liked all those things way too much. I didn't want anything to step on my songwriting. It pays to be as real as it gets, so all that just goes into the bank for writing, I guess." There's a picture frame hanging a little to the side Some drugs on the counter in the kitchen by the wine And I'm shaking like winter, but I just can't eat Four studios. Thirty musicians. Countless songs. Lots of ruminating. "I finally had my first big record deal, and the country closed down. I had to think about how did I want this record to go, trying to figure out who I am and where I am again. Just as I thought I'd done it, I had another chance to think about it." From the George Strait pluck of "Never Loved You At All" to the plaintive lonesome "Dallas," the surging dumped by phone "Why Indiana" to the guitars forward tumbling pledge of always "Wait Outside," McCollum changes gaits and gears through working class heartbreak and country. Gold Chain Cowboy offers a different take on being a good ole boy: dignity instead of pain, aching instead of numb. It hurts a lot more than you know It hurts a lot more than I show… "Slow, sad country country love songs," says McCollum, defining his sweet spot, "…about things going terribly wrong. "I'm a hopeless romantic. Take all those heartbreak moments, they come from real places. Not always mine, but I've witnessed every one. Boil'em down, put'em in a song. That's my deal." Straddling Texas and Nashville, not only has McCollum written on his own – the staggering Green Day-evoking "Rest of My Life" – he's shared songwriting credits with Randall, Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Randy Montana, Rhett Atkins, Miranda Lambert and Songwriters Hall of Famer Tony Lane. Scraping the truth from sun-baked bones isn't for the faint of heart, so McCollum proceeded with caution. "With 'Heart Like Mine,' I'd had that first verse for four years. I'd been saving it, because I always knew it was special. I'd almost pulled it out a couple times in co-writes that weren't working. But I knew not to. "When I sat down with Tony, I knew he was the one. I told him those lines, and he went, 'That's fucking bad ass.' We finished it in an hour… It was unbelievable. He had that line, 'I'm good at getting lost, but I'm bad at getting found…' He so got it." It's easier to miss ya than it is to let you down I knew from the start, I was from the wrong side of town You told me I was different, we were two of a kind Cause you got the only heart like mine… Fluid, Gold Chain Cowboy moves effortlessly from the .38 Special surge and gaited drums of "Falling Apart" to the Tim McGraw-esque questioning on the gleaming "To Be Loved By You" into the loping steel guitar-soaked tavern country lament "Drinkin'" or the old school stroll "Heart Like Mine." For the rush of energy, the raw voice, room left between the parts to let the loss and yearning permeate the tracks, Randall created a soundscape that echoes with the emotions most people would rather not look at. "If you can make people feel sorry for you in the songs, or not sorry but feel that pain, it's gold," he confesses. "Sometimes it's not me, but I know where it comes from, and I mean it. I mean it a lot." For McCollum, who cites "old school McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Gary Allen" as artists who own an emotional vista and a place on country radio, this project moves him closer to his larger dreams. "I love songs too much, though I don't think you can love songs too much. Just you have to really make all of this about the songs. Everything is a melody or a hook to me, and then it's how do you finish what there is in a way you can be proud of? "George Strait was 'the Man' in my house, the artist of my childhood. No higher, no better! His voice, the way he understands and sings a song. He isn't a writer, but 'Baby's Gotten Good At Good-Bye'? 'Amarillo by Morning' was the first song I remember turning up in my Grandpa's truck. When music does that to you, you're gonna hold songs in pretty high regard. "When I'm writing, I tell people, 'Put your map away… Put your handbook down. Close your eyes. Tell me what do you see?' That's where the best songs come from, the ones that are pure and inspired. I've lived every one of these songs… on every album… so I can't lose 'that guy.' If I never did anything else, I'd have plenty to write about – and I don't think that's gonna happen. Hell, maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong Finding out why shouldn't take this long Easier said than done I guess I'm a little bit harder to love than the rest
TONY FURTADO ACOUSTIC BAND
feat. Matt Flinner, Ross Martin, and Eric Thorin
8:00pm-10:00pm, Ute Theater, 132 E 4th St Rifle,CO 81650
Tony Furtado, renowned slide-guitarist, award-winning banjo player, and singer/songwriter, returns to his old stomping grounds of Colorado, this time more...0 performing as the Tony Furtado Acoustic Band. The band features all three members of the Matt Flinner Trio, an experimental bluegrass trio, featuring Matt Flinner on mandolin, Ross Martin on guitar and Eric Thorin on bass. The Acoustic Band is a reunion of sorts. Furtado and Flinner joined together in Sugarbeat, a groundbreaking acoustic Bluegrass/pop band in the 1990s, and have been playing together since they were teenagers. Martin and Thorin reunite with Furtado after being in the Tony Furtado Band 20 years ago when they all called the front range home. Tony offers, "So as you can see, it's a real special thing that I get to have these guys in my band for this tour!"
Mesa County Partners
Everclear put a firm stamp on modern rock in the 1990s, when they dominated alternative radio with their infectious mix of angsty grunge riffs and more...0 bright pop hooks. While the musical landscape has drastically changed since then, the band has continued to embrace their hard-rock roots well into the 21st century. Everclear's story starts with Los Angeles-born frontman Art Alexakis. After a difficult childhood in Southern California, he moved to San Francisco, where his career in music started to take shape. There, he formed a few country-punk bands — including The Easy Hoes and Colorfinger — and founded his own Shindig Records in the late '80s. But it was his eventual move to Portland, Oregon, that sealed his rock-star fate. After placing an ad in a local Portland paper, Alexakis met bassist Craig Montoya and drummer Scott Cuthbert, and Everclear was officially established in 1992 when the trio began performing at local gigs. The next year, they recorded their debut EP, Nervous & Weird. It was then expanded and turned into their first full-length, World of Noise, released on indie label Tim/Kerr. With an album to their name, the group hit the road, performing in cities around the U.S. as they sought a major-label deal. In 1994, they signed to Capitol Records, all while going through a slight lineup shift with Cuthbert being replaced by new drummer Greg Eklund. Their second album and first for Capitol, Sparkle and Fade, appeared in 1995 and caught on quickly with catchy singles like "Santa Monica." That momentum continued to grow with their next release, 1997's So Much for the Afterglow, which went double platinum thanks to modern-rock hits "Everything to Everyone," "Father of Mine," and "I Will Buy You a New Life." Everclear rolled into 2000 with just as much ambition, releasing Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile and its second volume, Good Time for a Bad Attitude. But by the band's 10th anniversary in 2004, Alexakis remained the only founding member, so he invited three new musicians into the lineup. The next decade saw the band back on indie labels, releasing a few more albums of original material, while hitting up popular festivals like the Vans Warped Tour and the now-annual Summerland Tour — founded by Alexakis in 2012 — featuring Everclear alongside other '90s rock vets.
DINOSAUR DAY
9:00am-4:00pm, 550 Jurassic Ct. Fruita, CO 81521
Join us for a fun day to celebrate Dinosaurs! This beloved yearly event is finally back in person, and we are as excited as ever to share all things more...0 Dinosaur! Booths from fellow non-profits around the valley excite and educate with activities like a dig pit, face painting, fossil prep, drawings and so much more!


2-nights' accommodations, 2 full buffet breakfast, 2 dinners including 1 lobster choice dinner, Boothbay Harbor Cruise, Guided tour of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Admission to Boothbay Railway Village and Maine Maritime Museum, Free time in Freeport and sightseeing as listed.
Welcome to Vacationland! Making your way to Freeport Village for shopping and lunch on own in Freeport, Maine. Freeport is home to the flagship L.L. Bean outdoor sporting goods store – and a myriad of outlet shops. Continue on your way to the mid-coast Maine region and Boothbay Harbor where you'll enjoy welcome reception upon checking into the Boothbay Harbor Inn for two-night stay. The hotel is located on "the quiet side" of Boothbay, just a short stroll across a charming footbridge beside the hotel to the picturesque downtown Boothbay Harbor, known for its brick sidewalks and waterfront activities. Unique shops with handcrafted goods, jewelry, books, antiques and clothing are located along the waterfront, along with a variety of art galleries to explore. Souvenir Maine lobster hats will be provided for each passenger on arrival for added festivity. Dinner included tonight at the hotel. (Dinner). *Note that some rooms may be on second floor, please advise if you are unable to do stairs.


The new virtual world, VIRTUAL CAPE BRETON, is now available for download on PC and MAC.
Please follow the instructions to download and login to visit Virtual Cape Breton.
In the Ukrainian Collection, 2774 photographs were uploaded into the Mnohaya'lita Exhibit Lyceum 3D Synth Photographs folder. These photographs document every angle of the exhibit in detail.
Those photographs are highlighted in the Virtual Tour category of the Mnohaya'lita Exhibit in the Curated Exhibits section under the Interactive Resources tab.
In the Polish Collection, photograph uploads into the archive were focused on the St. Mary's Polish Church Building and Architecture folder.
265 photographs from the 2013 renovation and repainting of the Polish church were uploaded into the St. Mary's Church Renovations 2013 folder. This renovation focused on the return of the paint colours in the interior of the church to their original hues.
In the St. Mary's Polish Church 3D Synth Photographs folder, 1317 photographs (some of which were used in the St. Mary's Polish Church Panorama and Virtual Tour) were added to the archive.
The Panorama and Virtual Tour of the church are now displayed in the St. Mary's Polish Church Architecture category of the Historic Architecture in the Curated Exhibits section under the Interactive Resources tab.
This concludes the monthly update. Please check back again next month for more additions!


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Black Women's Blueprint envisions a world where women and girls of African descent are fully empowered and where gender, race and other disparities are erased.
SEXUALIZED VIOLENCE IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE
SEXUAL ABUSE TO MATERNAL MORTALITY PIPELINE (SAMM)
Coined by Black Women's Blueprint, SAMM is the result of a six-year national sexual assault and GBV intervention process to collect survivor narratives as a Black Women's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
There are few local efforts to address what we have coined as the"Sexual Abuse to Maternal Mortality Pipeline," or the trajectory of individuals engaged in women's health across the spectrum of one's reproductive lifespan in which sexual abuse impacts maternal health and one's physical health more broadly. Even where some fragmented efforts are emerging, there is a dearth of research on the impact of sexual abuse on women's long-term reproductive health and morbidity outcomes. Consequently, sexual assault and reproductive justice advocates do not yet have the appropriate framework, models and tools to address sexualized violence in reproductive healthcare. We lack the adequate strategies for gender-responsive interventions to prevent what survivors of color have reported as "negative sexualized experiences" in women-and-maternal healthcare.
We developed a trauma-informed webinar training series for doulas, birthworkers, sexual assault prevention advocates and practitioners. The series ran from November 2019 through April 2020 and consisted of the following sessions:
Domestic and Sexual Violence Survivors, Their Risks for Maternal Mortality: Exposing the Invisible Pipeline
Body Sovereignty: A primer on the intersection of environmental justice, sexual violence and reproductive health
The Neurobiology of Trauma in Pregnant Survivors
Mothers and Sex Objects: How Patriarchy and Racism Damages Women's Health
Eliminating the Avoidance and Delay of Healthcare for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
The Abuse of Girls, Women and Gender Non-Conforming People in OBGYN and Prenatal Care: Cross-Sectoral Work and Coordinated Community Response In Prevention and Intervention
When the Body Speaks: Somatic Language Across the Continuum of Sexual and Reproductive Violations
Interrupting Obstetrics Violence in Labor and Delivery: Why It Should Matter to Gender Violence Advocates
Ending Maternal Mortality: Implications for Policy, Medical Practice and Culture Change
DOWNLOAD THE 2019 REPORT
If you'd like to engage with Black Women's Blueprint at a leadership level, join our Director's Circle with a gift of $100/mth or more.
Email us at membership@blueprintny.org


Profile Generator is independent part of a project called AnomalyDetection, it's purpsose is to transform the log files gathered using preprocessor using statistic methods and creating profiles for preprocessor. The current version enables analysis using a simple algorithm based on the average and more complex models such as autoregressive time series and Holt-Winters.
col. 3. Locale's abbreviated weekday name.
col. 5...n	Value for each counter.


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Is it Legal to Own a Pet Sloth in Florida?
Mark Roman | May 4, 2022 | Florida Law
Florida wildlife law divides non-domestic animals into three classes. Florida prohibits individuals from owning and possessing Class I animals as pets. But the state allows people to have Class II and III animals as pets.
Sloths fall into Class III. As long as you obtain a license, you can own and possess a sloth in your home.
Below are some laws and regulations that govern exotic pet ownership in Florida and who bears liability for exotic pet attacks.
Florida's Animal Classification System
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) determines which animals you can or cannot possess based on a three-class system. Class I includes dangerous or endangered animals.
Florida law prohibits personal possession of Class I animals, but it permits possession of these animals by exhibitors like zoos and animal parks.
Class I includes animals such as:
Great apes such as gorillas and chimpanzees
Big cats such as lions, tigers, and jaguars
Large carnivorous reptiles like crocodiles and komodo dragons
Florida allows personal possession of Class II and III animals. Class II animals cover several dangerous species. But Florida has determined that both their danger and less-than-endangered status make them candidates for personal possession.
As a result, Florida allows possession of Class II animals if you obtain a license and pay a fee.
Class II includes animals such as:
Small wild cats like bobcats, ocelots, and lynx
Wild canids like wolves, coyotes, and jackals
Large birds such as ostriches and cassowaries
Class III covers all other wildlife and wildlife hybrids. Florida allows possession of Class III animals with a license. But the FWCC does not charge a fee for a Class III license.
Sloths fall into Class III. This means you can own and possess a pet sloth in your home if you apply for a no-fee license and receive it. The license also allows you to travel with the sloth and take the sloth to the veterinarian.
The license does not allow you to take the sloth to a public place or exhibit it. If you take the sloth to a park or exhibit the sloth at a school, Florida considers you an exhibitor. You must apply for and receive a wildlife exhibitor's license even if you show off your sloth in public for free.
How to Obtain a Class III Wildlife Application
To obtain the permit to keep a sloth, you need to fill out an application. The FWCC licenses you and your location. If you move the animal to a new place, you need to update the FWCC.
The application requires you to describe the sloth's "habits, requirements, diet, health care, and exercise needs." You also need to prepare an emergency plan. Your plan must describe what you will do with the animal during a natural disaster, including how you will evacuate the animal from the location.
The FWCC will investigate you and the location. If you or the site fail to meet the FWCC's requirements for keeping the animal safe and healthy, the commission will deny the application.
What is Your Liability for Injuries Caused By a Pet Sloth in Florida?
Although sloths have a reputation as docile, they are not domesticated. As wildlife, they can carry diseases dangerous to people. They can also act unpredictably and even attack.
If your sloth causes a personal injury, Florida will impose strict liability on you. This means you will be financially liable for losses that result from the injury.
The accident victim does not need to prove that you acted negligently in handling or restraining the animal. Instead, the only defense you can generally raise is that the victim was trespassing when the attack occurred.
While the doctrine of strict liability might seem harsh, it encourages exotic pet owners to take extra caution in handling their animals. So although you can legally own a pet sloth in Florida, you will have the extra responsibilities of obtaining a license and protecting the public from the sloth.
Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm Of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers To Get The Help You Deserve
If you need help with your injury case or you want to learn more information, please call the Personal Injury law firm of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers at (727) 787-2500 or visit the nearest location to schedule a free case evaluation today.


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Starbucks Just Released Nitro Cold Brew — A Frothy, Chilled Coffee Served on Tap
By Khushbu Shah
Starbucks, America's foremost purveyor of milkshakes disguised as coffee drinks, is turning to the periodic table of elements for its newest menu item: Nitro Cold Brew.
While "nitro" sounds more at home on the set of The Fast & The Furious then it does in a cup, the word is short for nitrogen, the chemical element that gives the coffee a velveteen texture.
Source: Starbucks
Starbucks plans to introduce its Nitro Cold Brew to more than 500 of its stores across the country by the end of the summer, a company spokesperson said in an email. The first 500 stores to get the menu makeover are located in major cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and Boston. The move will make Starbucks the largest retailer of nitro coffee in the nation. Starbucks plans to eventually roll out the drink — which requires the installation of nitrogen kegs — to stores nationwide.
Here's the deal with nitro
Nitro coffee is unique because it's served on tap, like a beer. The coffee, which is typically made with cold brew, is "treated with nitrogen under high pressure and then it is chilled in a keg and served on draught," Bon Appétit noted. The result is an incredibly creamy coffee with a foamy head, giving the beverage a Guinness-like appearance.
Source: Khushbu Shah/Mic
Although nitro coffee is carbonated, it doesn't taste like a coffee-infused seltzer. Nitrogen bubbles are smaller than the carbon dioxide bubbles that carbonate soda, the Starbucks spokesperson said. And because the bubbles are smaller, the coffee is a smooth, non-fizzy drink that requires zero milk to achieve its silky texture. Better yet, because the coffee is pre-chilled, the drink doesn't need any ice. This means it won't get watered down like a standard iced coffee is wont to do (hallelujah!).
While Starbucks is just beginning its nitro coffee journey, the method can be traced back as far 2012. Mike McKim, the founder of Austin's Cuvée coffee told Eater that he was the first to serve the specialty drink.
The trend has been spreading like a caffeinated wildfire ever since, and is now available at a number of speciality coffee shops like Stumptown and Brooklyn Roasting Company. A number of companies, including Stumptown and Cuvée, are selling canned versions of their nitro cold brews, too.
Source: Stumptown
How Starbucks' compares to the rest
Mic taste-tested Starbucks' Nitro Cold Brew a found that, even without milk or sugar, the flavor is mild and smooth — adding either only enhances the drink. The beverage is pretty chuggable, too, which could be dangerous considering its caffeine content.
Cold brew is already much stronger than iced coffee, and some claim that the nitrogen could be responsible for "increased absorption rates," meaning the buzz will hit more quickly, Bon Appétit reported. So consider being mindful of the fact that it's possible to get a little too wired a little too fast, and sip Nitro Cold Brew like a fine wine rather than a cheap can of beer. (Just because it looks like beer, doesn't mean it should be consumed like beer.)


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Q: numpy randomly sample boolean array I have a numpy array as follows.
data = np.array([True, True, True, True, False, True, True, False, True, True, False])

From the locations of 'True', I have to randomly sample 3 locations and keep them as True, besides them, convert as False.
I tried as:
indx = np.random.choice(len(data),3,replace=False)
data[~indx] = False

How to do it in a better (1. easy, 2. performance, 3. elegance)?
print (data)

Also, how to sample only from 'True` locations?
My code is doing from all locations and incorrect.

A: For elegance, here's one -
n = 3
idx = np.flatnonzero(data)
r = np.random.choice(idx, n, replace=False)
data[idx[~np.isin(idx,r)]] = False

For performance -
s = data.sum()
t_mask = np.zeros(s, dtype=bool)
t_mask[np.random.choice(s, n, replace=False)] = True
data[data] = t_mask

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Obama and Reid Accused of Multiple Felonies
Today I watched in sadness as respected US Senators accused the President of the United States and the Senate Majority Leader of the federal crimes of vote-buying and the bribery of public officials. This was no political stunt. It was deadly serious. And it did not involve a relatively minor amount of money, such as the $90,000 cash discovered by the FBI in Louisiana Democrat Congressman William Jefferson's freezer. This involved billions of dollars of public money used to purchase the votes of US Senators in favor of the Senate's health care "reform" bill.
As I write this, it is just a few days before Christmas. Normally I would be writing something much more fitting for the season. If you are looking for a Christmas article from me, please see my Christmas 2008 article, Where's The Peace?, or my 2007 offering, The Christmas Spirit. I would much rather be writing in that vein today. But unfortunately we are faced with a serious national emergency. We have a president and a very liberal majority in the Congress who are willing to do anything (including breaking the law) to pass what Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell calls, "This 2,100 page monstrosity."
You may well ask, "If they are breaking the law, why haven't they been arrested?" Well, considering that Obama controls the Justice Department and both Houses of Congress, the two logical options to deal with his criminal behavior and Reid's (impeachment and/or criminal action) are both futile. But I will lay the facts out for you, and let you decide if they are guilty of bribery or not.
I could easily give you a dozen examples, but let's just look at the three most glaring cases. The infuriating thing about all three is the pure arrogance displayed by these crooked politicians. They are just like a crooked cop shaking down the people he is supposed to protect. When he is challenged, the cop replies, "I've got a badge and a gun; who's going to stop me?"
First, Democrat Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont pretended that he was going to vote against the bill because it didn't force every American into a European-style government-run health insurance plan. I say "pretended" because he knew (as all the Liberals do) that this was not going to happen this time around. Democrat Senator Harkin recently intoned, "To my Progressive friends, we're not building a mansion; we're building a starter home." I'm sure Stalin reassured his followers with similar thoughts at the beginning of his reign of terror. At any rate, Bernie was able to string Harry Reid out long enough to get $10 Billion extra padded into the bill for his tiny state.
Second, Democrat Senator Mary Landrieu got $300 Million for her vote in what was immediately called by the media "The New Louisiana Purchase." And Landrieu made no bones about the fact that her vote had been bought. She said she was "proud" that she had gotten extra Medicaid funds for her state. But (and here's where the dumb blonde stereotypes come from), she claimed in the same statement that: (1) Her payoff wouldn't add to the cost of the bill; and (2) Accepting the $300 Million didn't mean that she was necessarily going to vote for the bill. Huh? I know it's hard to believe, so see the LINK below (Mary Landrieu - $300 Million and She's Yours) and hear her utter her stupid words herself.
Third (the worst case) is Democrat Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska, the amount of whose bribe cannot be calculated because it goes on forever. In exchange for his vote, the "federal government" will forever pick up 100% of his state's tab for the bill's huge expansion of Medicaid. What the bill fails to mention is that this is a huge federal Ponzi scheme, because the "federal government" is the other 49 states which will have to pay Nebraska's share of Medicaid, which will amount to Billions of dollars over the years. Bernie Madoff got 150 years for his Ponzi scheme, which was puny by comparison. Obama & Reid should get 1,000 years each at hard labor.
Bill DeMint is fast becoming my hero for being one of the few Republicans who is not afraid to talk straight these days. He stated on Saturday that for the last three weeks Reid has had Republicans debating a fake bill until he introduced the so-called "Reid Amendment" that contained the real bill. Reid is forcing a vote on this in two days.
This means that the Senate will be voting on a bill that only Reid and a handful of co-conspirators have read. The vote will be called in the middle of the night on a weekend during Christmas week, when Obama and Reid hope that most Americans won't notice.
But Americans aren't as stupid as these corrupt politicians believe. We're watching, and they're going to pay the price at the polls next year. Over sixty percent of Americans are dead-set against the Democrats so-called healthcare "reform" bill, which does nothing to reform health care.
If Democrats really wanted to reform health care they would go after Medicare and Medicaid fraud, which eats up a huge percentage of the total cost of these programs. But doing that would put too many politicians in jail. Or they could limit the monstrous, ridiculous fees (one-third or more) that trial lawyers charge in medical malpractice cases. But that wouldn't work – trial lawyers are the biggest contributors to Democrat campaigns year after year.
Congress has passed health care bills in the past, with bi-partisan majorities of up to 80 votes. So why are Obama and Reid rushing to pass this Trillion dollar-plus outrage in the dark of the night? Why have they threatened and bribed their own Party members to vote for it, when they know it will mean some of them will be defeated in the next elections as a result of voting for it?
It's clear that this bill really has nothing to do with health care, and has everything to do with control. This bill will impact one sixth of our economy. It will put big government in charge of our lives in ways few of us can imagine. And, just in case you haven't discerned this by now, Obama lusts after control more than anything in the world.
And this is why I have devoted my last issue of the year, what should have been my Christmas article, to this subject. If by some chance the Loyal Opposition is able to hold off the planned 1:00 AM vote on Monday, please take the time to call your Senator. If he (or she) is a patriot and plans to vote against this, thank him. If he is a traitor, assure him that you will do everything in your power to see that he never sets foot in the Senate again.
INTERNET RESEARCH:
The Reid Amendment: Sweetheart Deals and Interstate Welfare
http://blog.heritage.org/2009/12/19/the-reid-amendment-sweetheart-deals-and-interstate-warfare/
VIDEO: Mary Landrieu - $300 Million and She's Yours
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1353210/for-sale-sen-mary-landrieu-300-million-and-she-s-yours-
TIME.COM: What a 60th Vote Costs
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/12/19/what-a-60th-vote-costs/
PAST CHRISTMAS ARTICLES:
Where's the Peace?
http://www.conservativetruth.org/article.php?id=889
The Christmas Spirit


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Rep. Eshoo Introduces Bill to Ban Microtargeted Political Ads
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18) introduced the Banning Microtargeted Political Ads Act, legislation that strengthens our democracy by prohibiting the practice of microtargeting political ads.
The Banning Microtargeted Political Ads Act prohibits online platforms, including social media, ad networks, and streaming services, from targeting political ads based on the demographic or behavioral data of users. The bill applies to all electioneering communications and advocacy for candidates, and violations will be enforced by the Federal Election Commission and through a private right of action. Targeting ads to broad geographies – states, municipalities, and congressional districts – is permitted under the bill, as is targeting individuals who opt in to receive targeted ads.
"Microtargeting political ads fractures our open democratic debate into millions of private, unchecked silos, allowing for the spread of false promises, polarizing lies, disinformation, fake news, and voter suppression," said Rep. Eshoo. "With spending on digital ads in the 2020 election expected to exceed $1.3 billion, Congress must step in to protect our nation's democratic process."
Microtargeting is enabled by the vast and unchecked use of behavioral and demographic information by online platforms, data brokers, and many other companies. A vast majority of Americans, 69% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans, oppose the use of personal information for microtargeting political ads, according to a recent Gallup poll. Rep. Eshoo has long called for a strong federal privacy law and introduced H.R. 4978, the Online Privacy Act, which is widely recognized by advocates, experts, and academics as the strongest privacy bill introduced in Congress. Rep. Eshoo also introduced H.R. 6866, the Public Health Emergency Privacy Act, a bicameral bill that protects civil liberties and privacy of coronavirus-related sensitive information.
Supporters of the Banning Microtargeted Political Ads Act include: Common Cause; Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW); the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC); the Center for Digital Democracy; MapLight; Access Now; Ambassador Karen Kornbluh and Ellen P. Goodman, senior fellows at the Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative at the German Marshall Fund; Yochai Benkler, Faculty Co-Director of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, professor at Harvard Law School, and author of Network Propaganda: Manipulation, Disinformation, and Radicalization in American Politics; Frank Pasquale, professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and author of The Black Box Society: The Secret Algorithms That Control Money and Information; Dipayan Ghosh, Co-Director of the Digital Platforms & Democracy Project at the Harvard Kennedy School, author of Terms of Disservice (forthcoming), and former technology policy advisor at the White House; and Cathy O'Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy and CEO of ORCAA, an algorithmic auditing firm.
To read a copy of the legislation, click HERE.
To read a section-by-section summary of the legislation, click HERE.
"The microtargeting of online political ads threatens the united character of our United States. Microtargeted ads are more likely to fuel divisiveness than those that face scrutiny – and counterargument – from a broader public. This is an important issue, and I'm glad to see it getting more attention," said Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub of the Federal Election Commission.
"With big corporations and special interests having near-unfettered access to intricate data about all aspects of our lives, millions of Americans' privacy rights and civil rights continue to be jeopardized," said Aaron Scherb, Director of Legislative Affairs at Common Cause. "We appreciate Congresswoman Eshoo's efforts to police microtargeting to ensure that our privacy and our civil rights are protected, and we hope that Congress will rein in social media platforms that largely operate in the 'Wild West' with no cop on the beat."
"The past four years have seen a painful demonstration of the harms that can flow from unchecked misinformation campaigns that are designed to divide our nation. While there is more work to be done to bring transparency and accountability to digital political ads, the Banning Microtargeted Political Ads Act is a welcomed first step in updating our election laws to close a significant loophole and hold willful enablers accountable for their actions," said Noah Bookbinder, Executive Director, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).
"The lack of strong privacy laws in the United States has led to system where individuals are targeted for political advertisements based on a complex web of data they don't even know has been collected about them. The Banning Microtargeted Political Ads Act would prohibit this practice, banning platforms from targeting individuals with political advertisements based on their personal information. This is an important step forward in protecting Americans' privacy and our democratic institutions. EPIC is proud to support the Banning Microtargeted Political Ads Act," said Caitriona Fitzgerald, Interim Associate Director and Policy Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).
"Voters are now subjected to unprecedented online surveillance and unfair data targeting practices. Political microtargeting is fueling voter suppression, disinformation and manipulation of the electorate. Rep. Anna Eshoo's bill will strengthen the voting rights of Americans by ensuring they are in control of their personal information – not political campaigns or giant digital platforms. By creating critically needed safeguards for federal elections in the 21st Century, Rep. Eshoo is championing the future of our democracy," said Jeff Chester, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Democracy.
"Microtargeting is particularly dangerous when it comes to online political advertising, allowing political actors to spread harmful and divisive messaging with little transparency for voters. MapLight applauds this bill for working to eliminate this serious threat to democratic debate online," said Daniel G. Newman, President and Co-Founder of MapLight.
"The microtargeting of political ads undermines the basic tenets of a healthy democracy. As we retreat deeper into our curated filter bubbles, discerning fact from fiction is extremely difficult, fueling pernicious polarization. Microtargeting also disparately impacts marginalized people, exemplified by the discriminatory voter suppression messaging in the 2016 presidential election. This bill is a welcome step in the right to direction to address what ails the U.S. political system," said Eric Null, U.S. Policy Manager at Access Now.
"Representative Eshoo's bill courageously tackles one of the biggest threats to fair elections: microtargeted political ads that exploit voters' personal information to manipulate public opinion. Any restriction on advertising must respect free speech and also the freedom of voters to know what politicians are running on," said Karen Kornbluh and Ellen P. Goodman, Senior Fellows at the Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative of the German Marshall Fund. Ambassador Kornbluh is Director of the Initiative and was U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Professor Goodman is co-director of the Rutgers Institute for Information Policy & Law and is a professor at Rutgers Law School.
"Targeted political advertising presents a serious risk to election integrity and transparent public discourse in this country. I welcome Representative Eshoo's effort to lead the way on making sure that we bring political advertising regulation into the twenty-first century," said Yochai Benkler, Faculty Co-Director of Harvard's Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Professor at Harvard Law School, and author of Network Propaganda: Manipulation, Disinformation, and Radicalization in American Politics.
"Manipulative and misleading uses of personal data are common online. Microtargeting allows a candidate to be "all things to all people," and is a force multiplier for the wealthiest candidates (who can spend the most on it). The Banning Microtargeted Political Ads Act is designed to help citizens take back control of the public sphere. It's a critical step toward restoring trust in political messaging. This Act also respects First Amendment values. Anyone who wants to opt-in to specific microtargeting can do so. The bill just flips the default, ensuring that the vast majority of us who do not want such ads are not exposed to them, and do not have to engage in endless opt-outs to protect ourselves from them," said Frank Pasquale, Professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and author of The Black Box Society: The Secret Algorithms That Control Money and Information.
"The unchecked collection of personal data by the dominant tech platforms fuels microtargeting, which is core to the business model at the heart of the consumer internet industry. I thank Congresswoman Eshoo for introducing legislation that puts the interests of our democracy over market incentives," said Dipayan Ghosh, Co-Director of the Digital Platforms & Democracy Project at the Harvard Kennedy School, author of Terms of Disservice (forthcoming), and former technology policy advisor at the White House.
"It used to be true that a politician could tell different things to different voters, but journalists would check whether the politician in question was saying different things to different people and write about it if they found conflicting political promises. That is impossible now because the different messages are shown privately on social media, and a given journalist only has his or her own profile. In other words, it's impossible to have oversight. The status quo, in other words, is bad for democracy. This new bill would address this urgent problem," said Cathy O'Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy and CEO of ORCAA, an algorithmic auditing firm.


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Hello (WHO) Can you help us?
UPDATE 25 May 2019
WHO Recognizes Chronic Pain as Disease With New Coding System
The World Health Organization has adopted a new classification system for chronic pain, assigning it the code ICD-11 in a revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). It's the first time the ICD will include a specific diagnostic code for chronic pain.
For example, neuropathic pain can be a symptom of cancer or chemotherapy, while trigeminal neuralgia could fall under neuropathic or orofacial pain.
The new coding system will make it easier for physicians to diagnose, classify and get treatment for chronic pain patients. Insurers will use the new codes to authorize payments and researchers can use them to more easily track and measure the effectiveness of therapies. That's the good news.
The bad news is that the ICD changes won't formally take effect until January 1, 2022.
Asking the World Health Organization to add Trigeminal Neuralgia on their "Health Topic List"
Lack of funding and awareness means there is little accurate data on exactly how many global citizens are currently facing the destructive plight of this illness. Information from the Facial Pain Research Foundation suggests it is approximately 4 to 8 million sufferers worldwide. Adding Trigeminal Neuralgia to your list of illnesses will expand awareness, grant access to further resources, and create opportunities for funding and research.
What is Trigeminal Neuralgia? What is Facial Pain Disorders?
"Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is considered to be one of the most painful afflictions known to medical practice. TN is a disorder of the fifth cranial (trigeminal) nerve. The typical or "classic" form of the disorder (called TN1) causes extreme, sporadic, sudden burning or shock-like facial pain in the areas of the face where the branches of the nerve are distributed – lips, eyes, nose, scalp, forehead, upper jaw, and lower jaw. The pain episodes last from a few seconds to as long as two minutes. These attacks can occur in quick succession, in volleys lasting as long as two hours. The "atypical" form of the disorder (called TN2), is characterized by constant aching, burning, stabbing pain of somewhat lower intensity than TN1. Both forms of pain may occur in the same person, sometimes at the same time. The trigeminal nerve is one of 12 pairs of nerves that are attached to the brain. The nerve has three branches that conduct sensations from the upper, middle, and lower portions of the face, as well as the oral cavity, to the brain."
Source: Facial Pain Association
Dear World Health Organization: What If you Could See Our Pain Would You Help Us?
Dear World Health Organization: Do you know Kids Get TN Too?
Dear World Health Organization: Did You Know The Facial Pain Research Foundation Is Trying To Find A CURE?!
Unlocking DNA to Find A Cure For Trigeminal Neuralgia
The Facial Pain Research Foundation's first international research project to find
a cure is underway and it seeks to discover the answers to "Why Me?" and lead
scientists to developing a cure.
The Foundation's Trustees are excited to announce their fourth research project
entitled "In Search of A Cure.. Source The Facial Pain Research Foundation
Dear World Health Organization: Did You Know We Have International Support Groups?
Dear World Health Organization: Do You Know That World Landmarks Turns Teal Except YOU on October 7th every year?
Source: World Landmarks Turn Teal for TN
Dear World Health Organization: Did You Know We Have A Intl Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Ribbon!
Dear World Health Organization: Why Are You Not Answering Us?
Over 28,000 Signatures are asking the World Health Organization to add Trigeminal Neuralgia on their "Health Topic List" Source TN Online Petition
All information contained on TNnME web site is for informational purposes only and at no time should any content on TNNME be considered medical or legal advice or imply any action should be taken. It is in no way intended to be used as a replacement for professional medical treatment. TNnME makes no claims as to the scientific/clinical validity of the information on this site OR to that of the information linked to and from this site. All information taken from the internet should be discussed with a medical professional!
Copyright © 2022 TNnME All right reserved


I'm copying this bronze age razor into porcelain as part of the CinBA (Crafts in the Bronze Age) motif tracking project. I love the image, but I really want to touch it. Is this what makes some things craft – this need to have it in your hand, in your pocket, to feel it? It's a very powerful and visceral impulse ….
There's something about the smooth coolness of the porcelain on my lip, the way its conical shape sits lightly in my fingers, the darker pool of glaze at the bottom inside, that always brings me back to myself, gives me a little jolt into the here-and-now, reminds me of the wild taste of damson on my tongue.
I can see that this could be tiring, and there's something peaceful about a set of plain IKEA white china that you can use without noticing it. I suppose as usual it's all about balance.
Beautifully written. I think that tactility (and being drawn to it) is such a huge part of being a maker. And I absolutely love the 'seachange' and 'volcanic' bowls on your website!
I love them! so smooth and beautiful. I was brought up in Conwy, there was an axe factory (granite or basalt I think) just near there which sent axes all over the UK… they are very resonant articles I think. I like modern axes too though – I've done hedge-laying with side-axes for the NT in the sw with them. Great to see the blog, great source of ideas and images – thanks!


By day, Atlanta's oldest tavern is a low-key lunch spot. After dark, the center of gravity shifts to its narrow, tin-ceilinged barroom, where sizable beer-quaffing crowds are lively, bordering on raucous. Weekends are SRO in the bar and adjoining patio.


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text:
« Tumbling Toward 2000: Evangelization movements enter the '90s
AD 2000 Gets a Millennial Check-Up »
AD 2000 Global Action Plan
You don't live until you become involved in something bigger than yourself. The following is a summary of AD 2000 Global Goals, as fashioned by global Christian leaders in 1989.
Note by Dr. Jay Gary, August 2002: The following is a summary of the AD 2000 Global Goals document. The original document, "Kaleidoscopic Global Action Plan," was created by a 15-person working group, chaired by Dr. David Barrett, with me serving as secretary. It was presented to the Global Consultation for consideration.
The complete document, revised with the input of the Consultation, was released through New Hope Publishers under the title, Our Globe and How to Reach It, 1990. This summary was reprinted in The Countdown Has Begun, chapter 29. While most of these 109 goals were not reached by the year 2000, this was an unprecedented attempt by world Christianity to set goal goals and reach them. Its aim was to accept a degree of human responsibility for world evangelization that God has given to today's church, without passing this responsibility onto succeeding generations or back to God.
Some apocalyptic doomsayers in the mid-'90s saw this as part of a New World Order conspiracy. These Fundamentalists had little foresight, much less charity to envision ideals, whether for the church or society. We are called like William Carey to expect great things from God and attempt great things for God.
This is a selection of 168 proposed Great Commission goals, each based on a stand-alone, self-sufficient definition of completing world evangelization. Together they show what an evangelized world in AD 2000 could be like if Christians met their current goals.
The listing is a collective compilation of final goals put forward by agencies and protagonists, in most cases separately. Each one is considered to be a final closure goal to complete an aspect of world evangelization by AD 2000 and to keep it completed beyond. In most cases, the phrase "by AD 2000" can be understood to mean "by AD 2000 and beyond."
Each goal is based on a different, or even unique, definition of what it would mean to complete the unfinished task of the Christian world mission. Each represents a statement of what closure means in one or more of the 180 different and distinct dimensions of the concept "evangelization" and how it is measured and quantified. Together these goals take aim at the same overall target, expressed in the watchword, "World Evangelization by AD 2000 & Beyond."
This listing of goals provides us with multiple measures of what it would mean to achieve world evangelization by AD 2000. It shows us what an evangelized world in the millennial year would look like. It is not necessary, of course, for all 168 goals to be achieved–by most people's definition, only one such goal is necessary. To be safe, however, we can say that if only 10 or at most 20 of these goals were to be achieved, then (remembering that they interact synergistically) world evangelization would certainly be completed, by anybody's and everybody's definition.
Note that a number of the goals produced here originated in major languages other than English. Goals were sent to us in Bahasa Indonesian, Bengali, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Malayalam, Portuguese, Sango, Spanish, Telugu, and others. Meanwhile, the search for such goals goes on into 1989 and beyond.
In view of the agenda of the GCOWE 2000, we have two recommendations:
that the Global Consultation decide, announce, and proclaim that all of these goals are our legitimate goals, and that we intend to press for the implementation of all of them; and
that individual Christians, groups, churches, organizations, and agencies select one or more of the goals and concentrate on implementing just those, in collaboration with other Great Commission Christians and agencies that have similar goals.
Here is a selected Listing from the full list of 168 goals:
Establish 15,000 prayer movements by 1995 in every city over 50,000 and on all 15,000 university campuses, thereby evangelizing the urban and academic worlds by 2000.
Redistribute the great majority of Christian resources of manpower, money, and methods across the world's unevangelized peoples and cities strictly according to need by 2000.
Minister in the name of Jesus to all the world's poor, destitute, sick, and dying, bringing Jesus to the poorest of the poor in every country and city on Earth by 2000.
Develop creative approaches for total ministry directed to the world's 2.4 billion children by AD 2000 through evangelism, education, aid and relief in all languages and in all 15,000 population segments.
Insist on a final negotiated settlement and end to the stateless or homeless status of 60 million refugees on Earth, of whom half are children, by the symbolic 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the child Jesus as a refugee from political evil.
See all 15,000 population segments on Earth by AD 2000 either entered (with resident missionaries) or engaged (with other deliberate but nonresidential modes) by at least one denomination or agency but preferably by several different but cooperating denominations or agencies.
Engage, with foreign missionary presence and ministry, every closed country, unreached people, and unevangelized metropolis in the world by 2000.
See at least two tentmakers become resident in every unevangelized people on Earth by 2000.
Visit every home on Earth, leaving at least two gospel leaflets in its language by 2000.
Enable by AD 2000 one million short-term youths every year to serve abroad for two weeks to a year as foreign missionaries, especially witnessing in closed or closing territories and cities.
Record and make available a gospel message in every language on Earth by 2000.
Expand broadcasted Christian programs, now in 2,000 languages, to 3,000 languages by 2000.
Increase the Unevangelized World's share of Christian broadcast hours from today's 0.0 percent to 20 percent by 2000.
Prepare or dub films on the Bible or life of Christ, specifically the JESUS film, in 500 languages and show them to the world's entire population by 2000.
Provide every people and population on Earth with a valid opportunity to hear the gospel by 2000 in a language they can understand.
Send out one million native evangelists from among the thousands of native missionary movements in the Third World, to produce by 2000 a massive revolutionary Third Wave of missions across the world.
Increase the Unevangelized World's share of citywide campaigns from today's nil to at least 100 (3 percent of total) by 2000.
Deliberately exercise power evangelism in the world's least evangelized and most hostile environments so that by AD 2000 power Christianity (gifted ministries of signs and wonders) is not enjoyed solely in Christian lands.
Launch a movement on all 3,000 major university campuses in the world to help fulfill the Great Commission among the 60 million college students in the world's 30,000 tertiary-level universities and colleges by the year 2000.
Make at least a handful of disciples and plant a beachhead church within every unevangelized population segment on Earth (country, people, metropolis) by 2000.
Begin 3.5 million new churches or house worship centers over the period 1988 to 1999, resulting in a global total of six million churches and, on average, one church by AD 2000 for every 1,000 persons, including peoples still unreached in 1988.
Mobilize the entire world's six million local churches and congregations to complete by AD 2000 the task of world evangelization in their localities and beyond.
Have 200,000 Third-World citizens serving abroad as foreign missionaries by 2000.
See annual distribution of Christian literature (tracts, leaflets, books, Scripture) reach two billion pieces per year, evenly distributed worldwide by 2000.
Have adequate access to Holy Scripture by 2000 for every population segment on Earth, through written or spoken translations either in its mother tongue, in a closely related language or idiom, in a market or trade language, or in its lingua franca.
Place a Bible in the hands of every family on Earth by 2000.
Attain total world evangelization for the first time ever by December 31, 2000, but regard that milestone date not primarily as the end of the 20th century but as the beginning of the 21st with its years beyond.
June 10th, 1989 | Tags: AD 2000 global goals, global action plan, millennium goals | Category: AD2000


text:
package com.google.cloud.datastream.v1alpha1.samples;

// [START datastream_v1alpha1_generated_Datastream_DeleteRoute_LRO_async]
import com.google.api.gax.longrunning.OperationFuture;
import com.google.cloud.datastream.v1alpha1.DatastreamClient;
import com.google.cloud.datastream.v1alpha1.DeleteRouteRequest;
import com.google.cloud.datastream.v1alpha1.OperationMetadata;
import com.google.cloud.datastream.v1alpha1.RouteName;
import com.google.protobuf.Empty;

public class AsyncDeleteRouteLRO {

  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    asyncDeleteRouteLRO();
  }

  public static void asyncDeleteRouteLRO() throws Exception {
    // This snippet has been automatically generated and should be regarded as a code template only.
    // It will require modifications to work:
    // - It may require correct/in-range values for request initialization.
    // - It may require specifying regional endpoints when creating the service client as shown in
    // https://cloud.google.com/java/docs/setup#configure_endpoints_for_the_client_library
    try (DatastreamClient datastreamClient = DatastreamClient.create()) {
      DeleteRouteRequest request =
          DeleteRouteRequest.newBuilder()
              .setName(
                  RouteName.of("[PROJECT]", "[LOCATION]", "[PRIVATE_CONNECTION]", "[ROUTE]")
                      .toString())
              .setRequestId("requestId693933066")
              .build();
      OperationFuture<Empty, OperationMetadata> future =
          datastreamClient.deleteRouteOperationCallable().futureCall(request);
      // Do something.
      future.get();
    }
  }
}
// [END datastream_v1alpha1_generated_Datastream_DeleteRoute_LRO_async]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


With no real plans for spring break, I decided to take the girls to the Paris of North America for a few days to see what Montreal was all about. Whenever we go to a new place, we find it fun to think about whether or not we could live there. The youngest one has such wanderlust, she enthusiastically wants to live in just about every place we visit. The older one, a little more reserved, definitely measures the pros and cons. This trip, I'll be honest, a little part of me was thinking about doing some immigration research just in case this years' controversial Presidential election goes awry.
Montreal is cold! While it was 70 degrees in NYC this week, we had snow several times in Montreal. Not much accumulation, but it was there. March is definitely off-season for tourists but that gave us a real chance to explore the city as residents. While we hit some of the major tourist stops, Old Town, the Port, City Hall and the Musée des Beaux Arts, we also spent a lot of time wandering neighborhoods, and, of course, eating! Here is a photo of one of the best known foods in Montreal (Poutine) at one of the best restaurants for said food, La Banquise.
Montreal is truly a bilingual city. Most signs are in French, but the residents flip back and forth between languages with fascinating ease.It is not uncommon for people to start a sentence in English, and finish it in French or vice versa. The two languages are so interchangeably used, that our girls kept wondering what is taught in school. We asked around a bit, and we learned that if you are immigrating to Montreal from Canada, you have the choice of either French or English public school. However, non-Canadians, would have to enroll in French speaking public schools. Private schools are, of course, your choice, and are much cheaper in Canada than in the U.S. My girls were decidedly split on this outcome. The big one has no interest in learning French although she thinks it's a beautiful language. The little one, was thrilled to imagine having to take her daily classes in French.
Our favorite neighborhood, and one we could really see ourselves living in, is Plateau Mont Royal. Montreal architecture in "the plateau" is delightful. The streets are lined with a combination of brightly colored stone Victorian homes, some with turrets giving them a real castle feel, and row houses, many with signature circular outdoor staircases. Combine that with unique boutiques, a strong cafe culture and a young bohemian vibe and we concluded it was exactly the neighborhood we would want to live in if we were to immigrate to the "City of 100 Steeples".
After doing a little bit of research on the rental market, we learned that the majority of leases change hands on July 1, which has become know as 'moving day' in the region of Quebec. This tradition is a carry over from the French colonial government, to accommodate the weather. The official moving day was originally May 1 and was actually moved from to July 1 in 1973 to safely allow children to finish the school year before changing schools. Many of the best apartments get leased long before July 1, so if Montreal is a city that interests you, start looking now. Imagine what the streets of Montreal must look like on July 1, lined with moving trucks!
Overall, immigration to another country is never as easy as it looks. There are often severe limitations on the ability of non-citizens to work and a whole lot of paperwork and red tape that needs to be done to gain citizenship. If you are serious about getting a new start in a new place, whether its for fear of our next President, or for a different life experience, here's a starter guide from the Canadian Immigration Newsletter.
Next Would you care for a spot of tea?
Torly Travels planned our Scandinavian Lapland vacation. Catering to our personal preferences and tastes, they located memorable places to stay, amazing activities to undertake and gourmet restaurants frequented by the local foodies to eat at! They arranged, among other activities, fine dining at an Aurora Borealis (northern lights) viewing station atop a mountain, our participation in a Sami reindeer race, a dog sledding adventure, and a visit at the exclusive ice hotel. From waiting car services to a welcoming chilled bottle of champagne upon arrival at our Stockholm hotel room, they insured that we felt pampered and arranged a schedule that included plenty of time for shopping, and also to savor the sights, relax and enjoy our vacation. Their services take out the guess work and maximize a vacation to its fullest potential. We couldn't have been happier.
Thanks for the kind words Roberto! I was honored to plan such a milestone trip for your family!