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Needham Funds
Growth Fund
Aggressive Growth Fund
Small Cap Growth Fund
Commentary & Insight
Portfolio Manager Commentary
The Growth Factor Commentary
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Quarterly Commentary
Dear Shareholders, Friends of Needham and Prospective Shareholders,
We are pleased to report results for the second quarter and first half of 2017 for the Needham Growth Fund, Needham Aggressive Growth Fund, and Needham Small Cap Growth Fund. Our mission is to create wealth for long-term investors.
Needham Funds' Second Quarter and Semiannual Review
In the second quarter, the Needham Growth Fund Retail and Institutional classes returned 2.24% and 2.35%, respectively; the Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Retail and Institutional classes returned (0.44)% and (0.26)%, respectively; and the Needham Small Cap Growth Fund Retail and Institutional classes returned 5.43% and 5.55%, respectively. During the same period, the Russell 2000 Total Return Index returned 2.46% and the S&P 500 Total Return Index returned 3.09%.
For the half year, the Needham Growth Fund Retail and Institutional classes returned 4.03% and 4.29%, respectively; the Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Retail and Institutional classes returned 1.17% and 1.48%, respectively; and the Needham Small Cap Growth Fund Retail and Institutional classes returned 7.02 and 7.28%, respectively. For the half year, the Russell 2000 Total Return Index returned 4.99% and the S&P 500 Total Return Index returned 9.34%.
Availability of a New Institutional Share Class
Needham Funds' Institutional share class is available for sale. The purpose of this Institutional class is to offer a lower cost option to our investors who have a substantial amount invested in The Needham Funds. Highlights, as detailed in the prospectus1, are:
$100,000 investment minimum (aggregation permitted);
No 12b-1 fees;
An expense ratio capped at 1.40% (not including shorting and interest/dividend expenses); and
Tax-free conversions from the retail shares.
Institutional shares are currently available on Fidelity, Schwab, Pershing, Raymond James, Wells Fargo, and LPL platforms, and are also available for direct shareholders of Needham Funds. We are working to broaden distribution of these lower cost shares and encourage you to contact your financial advisor or intermediary about when you might find them available.
The institutional ticker symbols are Needham Growth Fund (NEEIX), Needham Aggressive Growth Fund (NEAIX), and Needham Small Cap Growth Fund (NESIX). The Needham Funds Retail share fund class is available as before under the ticker symbols NEEGX, NEAGX, and NESGX.
First Half 2017
In January, the market rallied on President Trump's inauguration and proposals of pro-growth tax reform, infrastructure spending, and a reduced regulatory burden. In February, President Trump promised a "phenomenal tax plan" and to streamline the new drug regulatory process. The markets rallied; however, failure to pass the first attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and introduce new healthcare legislation brought worries that tax reform would be delayed. Still, the averages rallied for each month of the quarter. For the quarter, all three Funds were positive, but trailed the averages.
In April, the market was positive and so were the Needham Funds. The preliminary GDP showed just 0.7% economic growth, although that was later revised to a still low 1.2%. The Atlanta Fed's GDPNow shows preliminary second quarter GDP growth at a slightly higher 2.5%, making the first half of 2017 consistent with the growth of the last 8 years.
In May, the market was mixed, and the Needham Growth Fund and Needham Small Cap Growth Fund outperformed. During the month, we witnessed the firing of FBI Director James Comey and North Korea's third missile launch.
June saw the market up and the Needham Small Cap Growth Fund outperforming the indices. There was a sell-off in the FANG stocks (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Google/Alphabet), which lasted about one week.
Market volatility is currently low as the VIX is close to its lowest on record. We imagine that volatility could increase from this low level.
John Barr's Second Quarter Commentary — On the Road
"The big money is not in the buying and the selling, but in the waiting."- Charlie Munger
As Charlie Munger, Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, said, "The big money is not in the buying and the selling, but in the waiting." He also said, "Understanding both the power of compound interest and the difficulty of getting it is the heart and soul of understanding a lot of things." Waiting with the right investments is the key to producing compound returns.
At the end of June, the trailing 12-month turnover for the Needham Aggressive Growth Fund was 3% and for the Needham Growth Fund was 5%. So if there's limited trading in my Funds, what do I, the portfolio manager, do on a daily basis? From Poor Charlie's Almanack: "The only way to win is to work, work, work, work and hope to have a few insights." Having the patience to wait means having confidence in an investment. Each day is an opportunity to learn more about the companies in the Needham Funds and research candidates for future investment. That means reading a lot of SEC filings, earnings call transcripts, blogs and websites. It means traveling to meet with companies at their headquarters, attending industry conferences, and talking to people outside of Wall Street. It means crafting a thesis on whether or not a company has a strong strategic position and if it can earn a superior return on invested capital over the long term.
In the second quarter, I was on the road. I'd like to highlight a few of my recent trips.
I started this section with some wisdom from Charlie Munger. In early May, I attended the Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (BRK.A and BRK.B) annual meeting and associated dinners in Omaha. The day of the meeting, I was up at 4:30am to get in line for a seat in the CenturyLink Center. It was amazing to see Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger answer shareholder questions all day long. Perhaps it's obvious, but I was struck by their steady optimism over long lifetimes of investing. They talk like businesspeople and company owners rather than stock traders.
A shareholder asked what dreams Buffet and Munger have. Ninety-three-year-old Munger answered, "Sometimes when I'm especially wistful, I think—oh to be 90 again." While Warren Buffet's quotes and life story are well known, Charlie Munger is just as interesting. There are two Munger biographies that I recommend, Damn Right, by Janet Lowe (Wiley, 2007), and Charlie Munger: The Complete Investor, by Tren Griffin (Columbia University Press, 2015). And the definitive work on Munger is Poor Charlie's Almanack, compiled by Peter Kaufman and Charlie Munger (Walsworth, 2005).
I think Markel Corporation (MKL), a holding in both the Needham Growth Fund and Needham Aggressive Growth Fund, is like a mini Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.—it is a diverse financial holding company that underwrites specialty insurance products. Markel holds its one and only annual analyst and investor meeting the Sunday after the Berkshire meeting. The company started holding its meeting in Omaha in 1991—the company wanted to attract the Berkshire investors and there's no better way than going to Omaha the first weekend of May.
Markel applies the earnings and discretionary float from the insurance to: 1) acquire complementary insurance companies; 2) buy operating companies for Markel Ventures; and 3) invest in public equities and debt. Markel has a $13 billion market cap and opportunities for growth. From its IPO in December 1986 at $8.33, Markel has compounded at 16.6% and risen to $975.86 per share as of June 30. The Markel Style defines the corporate culture which has produced these long-term results.
In June, I attended the DIRTT Connext User Conference in Chicago. DIRTT Environmental Solutions Ltd. (TSE:DRT) is a small cap holding of the Needham Aggressive Growth Fund. The company has an incredible computer-aided design system used to design building interiors, produce a bill of materials, and then send manufacturing files to DIRTT plants, where they produce the interiors. It saves significant time and waste on a construction site. I believe DIRTT may be the future of interior construction.
I also attended a meeting with the CEO of Oil-Dri Corporation of America (ODC), Dan Jafee. Dan meets with investors twice a year. Oil-Dri had just reported earnings and has continued to make progress with its lightweight cat litter and animal health products. Should lightweight cat litter increase its market share, Oil-Dri is positioned to benefit based on its majority share of the private label market. We urge our cat owner friends and investors to try Oil-Dri's Cat's Pride Fresh & Light Ultimate Care cat litter!
In early July, I attended the annual SEMICON West manufacturing conference in San Francisco and met with many semiconductor equipment and services companies, including Needham Funds holdings: PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS), MKS Instruments, Inc. (MKSI), Nova Measuring Instruments, Ltd. (NVMI), Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT), Entegris, Inc. (ENTG) and Form Factor, Inc. (FORM). I believe these companies have years of growth ahead of them.
The debate in semiconductor industry circles revolves around the question of cyclical versus secular growth. It is always dangerous to say, "This time is different." I believe consensus is that the semiconductor equipment stocks will suffer in unison, owing to an over-build in capacity. Yet, NAND memory is replacing disk drives in storage systems. Given the growth in data storage and the early stage of this replacement cycle, we believe the NAND memory and equipment makers could see growth for a number of years. Nonetheless, the stocks will have days or weeks when the "top is in" argument will rule.
It was a good quarter of working, and waiting.
Needham Growth Fund (NEEGX/NEEIX)
The Needham Growth Fund Retail class returned 2.24% and the Institutional class returned 2.35% in the second quarter. For the first six months of 2017, The Needham Growth Fund Retail class returned 4.03% and the Institutional class returned 4.29%.
For the second quarter and the half year, long-time holding and largest position Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO) was the top contributor, returning 13.7% in the second quarter and 23.7% in the first half. Thermo Fisher develops instruments and consumables used in life science and other research-oriented industries. Thermo Fisher demonstrated solid growth and strong margins in its pharma and biotech markets.
Corium International, Inc. (CORI) was the Fund's second leading contributor for the quarter and third leading for the half year. Corium returned 78.5% in the second quarter and 83.5% year-to-date through June 30. Corium is developing a patch-based drug-delivery system and plans to address the Alzheimer's market with a patch-based donepezil drug.
The largest detractor in the quarter and year-to-date was PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS), with almost the entire 27.3% decline occurring during the second quarter. In the March quarter, PDF's gainshare (royalty) revenue was below the estimates of the two Wall Street analysts following the company. However, we are invested in PDF for its new Designfor-Inspection service, which is sold to semiconductor design and manufacturing companies to determine whether leading-edge semiconductors can be manufactured with high yield. In 2017, PDF has made significant progress with DFI. During its July 27 conference call, PDF mentioned that John Chen of NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) was the keynote speaker at PDF's User Meeting. This is the first confirmation that NVIDIA, a leader in computer graphics and artificial intelligence industries with a $98 billion market cap, is a Design-for Inspection customer. We took advantage of the weak stock price and added to our position.
In the first half, the Needham Growth Fund added new positions in Coupa Software Inc. (COUP), Clean Harbors, Inc. (CLH), comScore, Inc. (SCOR) and Markel (MKL). We also took advantage of price weaknesses and added to existing positions in KVH Industries, Inc. (KVHI), Oil-Dri Corporation of America (ODC), Pure Storage, Inc. Class A (PSTG), Amber Road, Inc. (AMBR), Photronics, Inc. (PLAB), and Agile Therapeutics, Inc. (AGRX).
The Needham Growth Fund sold its positions in Jabil Circuit, Inc. (JBL) and UltraClean Holdings, Inc. (UCTT) as both stocks hit our price targets. In the first quarter, we purchased Xactly Corp. (formerly XTLY), a sales compensation tracking and management company, and sold it in the second quarter as the company agreed to sell to Vista Equity. We are sorry to see Xactly go (as we believed it had years of growth ahead as a public company). We sold nearly 20% of the Fund's position in Express Scripts Holding Company (ESRX). We also sold over 15% of the Fund's positions in Thermo Fisher Scientific, MKS Instruments, and Nova Measuring Instruments (NVMI).
Needham Aggressive Growth Fund (NEAGX/NEAIX)
The Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Retail class lost 0.44% and the Institutional class lost 0.26% in the second quarter. For the first six months of 2017, The Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Retail class returned 1.17% and the Institutional class returned 1.48%.
Corium International was the top contributor for the second quarter and the fourth largest year-to-date as of June 30, 2017. Entegris Inc. (ENTG) was the second leading contributor for the half-year with a return of 22.6%. All of this gain came in the first quarter. Entegris supplies filters and chemicals used in advanced manufacturing processes. Semiconductor plants require the equivalent of capturing one contaminated drop of water in a day's worth of water flowing over Niagara Falls. Advanced manufacturing is necessary to make low power semiconductors, which are necessary to extend battery life in mobile phones. After several years of investment, Entegris reported a strong 2016, including December quarter results, with margins ahead of expectations.
Four investments were both top ten contributors for the second quarter and the half year: Nova Measuring Instruments, Norsat International (NSAT), Oil-Dri, and IPG Photonics (IPGP).
Nova Measuring Instruments returned 18.8% in the second quarter and 67.9% year-to-date at June 30. Nova Measuring develops and supplies optical critical dimension (OCD) metrology equipment to the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Metrology data is now being used to control manufacturing equipment. Nova Measuring is benefiting from success with advanced logic customers, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (2330.TW), and memory customers. It is also benefiting from the sale of high-margin software into their installed base. Nova Measuring reported a strong first quarter.
Norsat supplies communications equipment to commercial and government customers. It returned 44.3% through June 30, as it agreed to a takeover by Hytera Communications Corporation Ltd. (002583.SHE). Norsat was a two-year holding of the Fund and was a micro-cap company. We were very impressed with the management team of CEO Dr. Aimee Chan and CFO Arthur Chin.
Oil-Dri returned 13.4% in the second quarter and 10.0% for the first half. The company continues to make progress with its private label, lightweight cat litter and animal health products.
IPG Photonics returned 20% in the second quarter and 47% for the first half. IPG Photonics is the leading fiber laser company. It is a vertically integrated maker of laser systems used in industrial cutting and welding applications. IPG is replacing the legacy carbon dioxide lasers. The automotive market is early in the adoption of fiber lasers for welding. Fiber lasers use much less power so they're easier on the operating budgets of users. They are also easier to operate, as carbon dioxide lasers require very sophisticated set-up and support. IPG's manufacturing scale gives a significant cost advantage. The company has a return on trailing year capital of approximately 20%, and as a supplier ranging from components to systems has good reinvestment opportunities. IPG reported a strong first quarter and the stock rallied.
Cryoport, Inc. (CYRX) is a new position within the second quarter and was a top ten contributor returning 108.5%. Cyroport supplies coldchain logistics for biopharma, in vitro fertilization and animal health. It ships biological samples at temperatures down to -150C. It has been selected by most of the very high-value CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptorsT cells), which are anti-cancer drugs that the FDA is giving fast track to market. Customers include Kite Pharma, Inc. (KITE) and Novartis AG (NOVN).
The Fund's leading detractor by far was PDF Solutions, which is also the Fund's largest position. We took advantage of the stock price weakness to add shares.
Akamai Technologies, Inc. (AKAM) was the second largest detractor and fell 16.6% in the second quarter and 25.3% for the half year. Akamai reported disappointing guidance in its media delivery business and that it will be investing in cloud-based security and enterprise content delivery service offerings, and the market responded negatively. Longer term, the media delivery business should benefit from growth in over-the-top video.
GSE Systems, Inc. (GVP) also detracted from second quarter performance with an 8.9% decline. For the half year, GSE declined 11.4%, despite reporting very good results in the first quarter. First quarter revenue was $16.3 million—the highest total in over a decade and measured 26% growth relative to the first quarter of 2016. GSE also reported $0.8 million of adjusted EBITDA, making the seventh-consecutive quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA. New orders were near $20 million. We believe the need for training and personnel in the nuclear industry remains healthy. GSE has $1.20 per share of cash, no debt, and a $3.10 per share stock price as of June 30. Its total market cap is just $56 million. We believe the stock price decline is a reflection of the inefficiency and vagaries which may happen in microcaps, and we remain enthusiastic about GSE's prospects.
It was a very light trading half for the Aggressive Growth Fund. In the first half, we added new positions in comScore, Markel, DIRTT Environmental (DRT), Pure Storage, Cryoport, Coupa Software, and Ecology and Environment (EEI).
We added to positions in Oil-Dri, KVH Industries, ViaSat, Inc. (VSAT), PDF Solutions, comScore, Vicor Corporation (VICR), GSE Systems, Akamai and Reis, Inc. (REIS) on their weaknesses. We exited TheStreet Inc. (TST), and also Xactly on M&A. It was an active half for M&A, as takeovers were announced of portfolio companies Xactly, Xcerra Corporation (XCRA), ARI Network Services, Inc. (ARIS) and Norsat.
Needham Small Cap Growth Fund (NESGX/NESIX)
The Needham Small Cap Growth Fund Retail class returned 5.43% and the Institutional class returned 5.55% in the 2Q17. In the first half of 2017, the Fund's Retail class returned 7.02% and the Institutional class returned 7.28%. The Russell 2000 Total Return Index returned 2.46% in the second quarter and 4.99% in the first half. We were very pleased with the performance of the Fund in the first half of 2017 after great performance from our holdings in 2016. We were concerned regarding a greater correction in many of our stocks; however, that correction was short lived in the first quarter and recovered by the end of the first half. We used our strategic cash position to redeploy cash into both new and existing positions that we believe offer great value. Mergers and acquisitions continued in the small capitalization stocks but slowed over 2016 activity. We believe this trend is a pause until tax reforms are established and repatriation of cash occurs. While the first half rewarded many of our stocks, we remain vigilant to any downturn in the multi-year bull run that we have experienced.
The Fund continued to show strength into the second quarter after the short-lived market pullback in the middle of the first quarter. As fears of an economic slowdown subsided and earnings season concluded, meetings with company management teams remained upbeat and stocks recovered. We were able to significantly deploy our cash levels into new and existing positions and ended the quarter with approximately 3% cash. We also were able to return to our more normal concentration with our top ten holdings accounting for over 51% of the Fund. Top holdings at June 30 included Pure Storage (PSTG), Amber Road (AMBR), PDF Solutions (PDFS) and FireEye (FEYE). Our top quarterly contributors included Pure Storage, Corium International, FireEye, Reis, Inc. and Amber Road. Our detractors were PDF Solutions, Frequency Electronics (FEIM), Photronics (PLAB) and Navigator Holdings (NVGS). In general, our technology exposure was able to perform well even during a period of volatile political rhetoric and failure to pass any major policy changes. We continue to believe that some policy change will occur; however, as we have discussed, we believe the timing of these changes is further into the future than originally expected by the market.
We expect consolidation to continue in the enterprise hardware sector and we remain exposed to this potential trend through our investments in Pure Storage (PSTG) and Nutanix (NTNX). Both of these holdings recovered in the quarter and the correction they experienced in the early part of the year allowed us to add to these positions at more reasonable entry points. While we remain confident in their long-term business plans, we recognize that the shortage in memory components and increased pricing for these components may weigh on margins for a more extended period of time while revenue continues to expand near term.
As an update to our long-term investment in Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. (UCTT), we exited the position as the stock price achieved and surpassed our price target. The company has been a tremendous contributor to the Fund over the past several years and we believed it was time to realize profits in the stock. While the semiconductor capital equipment cycle remains vibrant, we look for better valuation entry points to initiate or add to positions. PDF Solutions (PDFS), FormFactor (FORM) and Photronics (PLAB) are three companies that we believe offer a better risk/reward at their current valuations.
We still believe it is a good environment for investment in equities. We still expect pro-growth policies from the new administration; however, the timing of these policies is the big question mark and may take longer than initially expected. Small cap stocks in particular look more attractive now, as they significantly underperformed relative to large cap companies. The strength in the high-yield market also gives us confidence for now that small caps are in a bullish uptrend. Although a slight slowdown in activity occurred in the first half of the year, mergers and acquisitions should remain active and could accelerate if tax reform and repatriation is passed.
To reiterate our overall thesis: we believe the U.S. remains the best place in the world to be investing and working. We believe there remains an opportunity to invest in small and mid-cap stocks. Monetary policy remains accommodative. Most importantly, we see a revolution happening in technology that has created and continues to create investment opportunities. We see opportunity in our strategy of investing in companies that we know well and that we believe are positioned with secular growth drivers.
We welcome our new investors and thank all of our investors for their continued support. If you have any questions, thoughts or concerns, please contact us at (800) 625-7071 or send us an email at cretzler@needhamco.com or jbarr@needhamco.com. For information about the funds, please visit our website at www.needhamfunds.com.
Chris Retzler, Portfolio Manager
John O. Barr, Portfolio Manager
Portfolio holdings are subject to change. The Needham Funds ownership as a percentage of net assets in the stated securities as of 6/30/17:
1 Prospectus is available at here.
The information presented in this commentary is not intended as personalized investment advice and does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell a particular security or other investments. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Not all investments have been profitable.
This message is not an offer of the Needham Growth Fund, the Needham Aggressive Growth Fund or the Needham Small Cap Growth Fund. Shares are sold only through the currently effective prospectus. Please read the prospectus carefully and consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before you invest. The prospectus contains this and other information about the Fund.
A copy of the prospectus is available at www.needhamfunds.com or by contacting the Fund's transfer agent, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC at 1-800-625-7071.
All three of the Needham Funds have substantial exposure to small and micro capitalized companies. Funds holding smaller capitalized companies are subject to greater price fluctuation than those of larger companies.
Needham & Company, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, is the distributor of The Needham Funds, Inc.
© 2021	The Needham Group, Inc.
Needham & Company, LLC is a member of FINRA & SIPC. All Rights Reserved.
The foregoing should not be deemed as an offer to buy an interest in any of the Needham Funds (the "Funds"). Shares are sold only through the currently effective prospectus. Complete information on the Needham Funds, including a current prospectus, is available for downloading and should be read prior to making any decision to invest. Click here to go to the Download Library. Investment in the Funds involves investment risk, including the possible loss of principal. Please read the prospectus and consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of the Funds carefully before you invest. The prospectus and the summary prospectus contain this and other information about the Funds.
The results contained on this site represent past performance of the Funds. Past performance does not guarantee future results and current performance may be higher or lower than these results. Performance current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-800-625-7071. The Funds' use of short sales, options and futures strategies and leverage may result in significant capital loss. Although the Fund is classified as "diversified" under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers than other, more diversified, funds. The Fund's net asset value ("NAV") may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single issuer or group of issuers and may be relatively more susceptible to adverse effects from any single corporate, industry, economic, market, political or regulatory occurrence than if the Fund's investments consisted of securities issued by a larger number of issuers.
Total return figures include reinvestment of all dividends and capital gains. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate and when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS DOCUMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
For details regarding the Needham Funds, please contact Needham Investment Management L.L.C. at 1-800-625-7071.


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A Teesside delicacy has been flying off the shelves of a supermarket and may now go on sale around the country.
Asda is selling 6,000 chicken Parmos a week at seven stores on Teesside and said it is currently its fastest selling local line.
Parmos are chicken or pork fillets which are covered in breadcrumbs and then fried. Bechamel sauce and a layer of cheese is added and it is grilled.
The supermarket said it will now consider selling them further afield.
The Parmos are being supplied to Asda by Geoff Johns through his Jeff the Chef company.
He said: "When we went into Asda we had no staff. Now we have got 12 or 13 staff. It's just gone really ballistic over the last 12 weeks."
The company is supplying chicken Parmos at the moment but has plans to branch out into the pork variety in September.
Asda local products manager Paul Dover said: "It has made history down here at Asda.
"We are thrilled to bits with it. We are looking for more of these local gems if we can find them.
"In our Stockton store for example it's selling more than our garlic baguette, it's selling more than our sausage and mash meal. It's really making a big impression on the ready meal market."
He said they were now looking into whether the Parmos could go on wider sale.
He said: "It really would depend on the relevance to the customer and if the chicken Parmo travels well we will put it on the road."


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Tag: mixtape
Varsity Star – Mixtape
There's no shortage of people making whimsical, melody-focussed electronica, and in the wrong hands (ie. the vast majority of the time) it can come across as overly sincere or laughably lightweight. Varsity Star hits the tricky-to-find sweet spot here with Mixtape – the lead single from a forthcoming mini-LP – pairing crushed, broken beats with a glistening synth line and demonstrating it's perfectly possibly to make something beautiful yet punchy in this genre, as long as you get the balance just right.
https://www.instagram.com/varsity.star
Tags breaks, electronica, mixtape, varsity star
Kota The Friend – 200 Dollars
Kota The Friend's wonderful 2020 album Everything really didn't get the attention it deserves. Not that it seems to have affected his disposition, which is as sunny as ever on his latest mixtape Lyrics To GO, Vol.2, a collection of sub-2 minute tracks clocking in at an incredibly manageable 15 minutes. 200 Dollars is like everything else on there: brief and breezy with KTF's silky smooth flows leading the way.
https://kotathefriend.com
Tags 200 dollars, hip hop, kota the friend, lyrics to go vol. 2, mixtape
Paul White – All Eyes Open (Mixtape)
Previously best known for his production work for Danny Brown, as well as collaborations with Jamie Woon and Charlie XCX in addition to production duties for a vast number of other MCs and singers, Paul White has stepped more fully out of the shadows in the last few years. Following a string of album releases over the last decade, 2018's Rejuvenate felt like a statement of intent, and clocked up plenty of very positive reviews. His new mixtape All Eyes Open sees his step back from the mic for the most part, instead delivering a kaleidoscopic range of beats, synths and samples from multiple genres, all undershot with a yearning nostalgia that holds everything together.
https://paulwhite.bandcamp.com
Tags all eyes open, electronic, mixtape, paul white, r&b

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Tyler Perry Pleads With The Media In Emotional Letter About Bobbi Kristina Brown's Condition
Niki Cruz
Tyler Perry penned an emotional letter in regards to Bobbi Kristina Brown and her late mother Whitney Houston. This comes on the heels of Bobbi Kristina's family deciding to move her to hospice. As she deteriorates, her outcome looks grim.
In a Facebook post, Terry pleaded to people (specifically the media) to respect the privacy of the two families as they go through yet another difficult time.
"As difficult as this time is for the people that love both Whitney and Krissi, what makes it more egregious is the blatant disrespect, lies, and ignorance that are rapidly printed in this awful time. For some reason, it has become human nature in our society to look for, seek out, and celebrate darkness, glory in tragedy, and enjoy reading and reporting it."
Perry continued, "May I ask you all to please show some decency and respect? Not only to Krissi's family, but also to the other families that are there in this place. Not only is Krissi at the center but there are several other families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones at the same time. It's heartbreaking to think that even in a time like this, this child is still not allowed any peace. I assure you, the family will issue an official statement if something changes."
As the Inquisitr reported, Tyler Perry has been a very present figure in the Brown and Houston family. In fact, Perry admitted that he tried to get Whitney Houston help when she was struggling with substance abuse issues. While on Oprah Winfrey's Oprah's Next Chapter, he opened up about his friendship with the late singer.
"I felt a huge responsibility for her, for Whitney, herself. From the first day we sat down in that restaurant and had a conversation where she was so open with me, I felt a responsibility to do all I could to help her."
He continued, "I sensed, like most people who deal with people who have addiction issues, they sense that there is a 'death day' coming."
Houston was found in a bathtub of the Beverly Hilton Hotel a day before the Grammys in 2012. The coroner report ruled that it was an accidental death by drowning and effects of heart disease. She also had cocaine in her system at the time of her death.
Bobbi Kristina was found face down in the bathtub in her Atlanta home in January. Doctors went on to say that she has "global and irreversible brain damage." When Bobbi Kristina was found, Perry had flown Bobbi's father, Bobby Brown, to be at Bobbi Kristina's bedside.
[Photo by Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images]


It's great when you get the chance to work with an organisation over the course of a few days, or get to work with them again in the future.
It allows you to get a real understanding of the important and great work people are doing in all sorts of places all at the same time – an honour for a facilitator, as well as a job. You start to understand the participants at a deeper level too, which aids facilitation which in turn aids decision-making. It allows time to travel on the journey with the group, and take them back a step here and there when reflection is needed or when the seed-bed needs fertilising or digging over (excuse my inability to come up with permaculture-friendly analogies!). And like recently, you sometimes get the chance for a day or two to be in a beautiful town, by a river, and stay over in a pub with very nice beer…!
So thank you to all past, present and future.
We are currently thinking in Rhizome about ways to offer better follow-up with groups we get the chance to work with. We'll keep you posted when we figure it out – in the meantime, feel free to invite us back to work with you again!


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SINGAPORE (AP) — A U.S. military commander suggested Thursday that a loose security grouping of his country, Japan, Australia and India, also known as the quad, may be shelved for now.
Adm. Phil Davidson, who heads the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said he was on a panel with the other navy chiefs at the Raisina Dialogue, a multilateral conference in New Delhi in January.
Davidson said the issue came up "several times" but Indian navy chief Adm. Sunil Lanba "made it quite clear that there wasn't an immediate potential for a quad."
"That does not omit or prevent our ability to cooperate in crisis and conflict. And we continue collectively, all of us, to seek opportunities in which we might exercise and work together moving forward," he added.
Davidson was asked if the quad was relevant to his country's vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, which was the central theme of his lecture in Singapore.
The U.S. and the other three countries had come together to provide humanitarian assistance after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe then suggested they form the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, which met three years later.
The quad met again in 2017. India's Ministry of External Affairs said they addressed "issues of common interest" such as terrorism and "proliferation linkages impacting the region."
While members have said the grouping is not in opposition to China, it is viewed as a counterbalance to Beijing's rising influence in Indo-Pacific.
"Chinese Navy is a force and it is a force that is here to stay," the Press Trust of India news agency reported him as saying.
Beijing is pitted against smaller neighbors in the South China Sea, which it claims almost in entirety.
The U.S. is also keeping a close watch on North Korea following reported activity at a rocket launch site.
Davidson told reporters earlier Thursday that he was committed to maintaining U.N. sanctions against North Korea and a "readiness of our forces there."
He added that he was working with countries including South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and France to catch any sanctions breaches via methods such as ship-to-ship transfers.
On Wednesday, foreign experts and a South Korean lawmaker who was briefed by Seoul's spy service said North Korea was restoring facilities at a long-range rocket launch site that it dismantled last year as part of disarmament steps. Satellite photos taken on various dates showed new activity at the Tongchang-ri launch site, northwest of Pyongyang.
The reports surfaced less than a week after President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in Vietnam but failed to reach any agreement on the North's nuclear program.
The treaty calls on the U.S. and the Philippines to come to each other's defense against an external attack. "I should note that the Philippines relies heavily on the freedom of the seas and the South China Sea especially," Davidson said.
He added that he takes the treaty "quite seriously" and that the U.S. Embassy was in contact with the Philippines regarding the matter.


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Inčukalna novads was tussen 2009 en medio 2021 een gemeente in Vidzeme in het midden van Letland. Hoofdplaats was Inčukalns.

De gemeente ontstond in 2009 na een herindeling, waarbij de landelijke gemeente Inčukalns en de stad Vangaži werden samengevoegd.

Per 1 juli 2021 werd Inčukalna novads opgedeeld: Inčukalns kwam bij Siguldas novads en Vangaži bij Ropažu novads.

Gemeente in Letland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


the two men appeared out of nowhere, just a few yards apart in the slender, moonlit lane. For a 2nd they stood particularly nonetheless, wands directed at each and every different's chests; then, recognizing each different, they stowed their wands below their cloaks and began walking briskly within the equal course. "news?" requested the taller of the two. "The fine," spoke back Severus Snape. The lane was bordered on the left by using wild, low-growing brambles, on the right by way of a high, neatly manicured hedge. The men's lengthy cloaks flapped round their ankles as they marched. "thought I perhaps late," mentioned Yaxley, his blunt points sliding inside and outside of sight because the branches of overhanging timber broke the moonlight. "It used to be a bit trickier than I expected. However i hope he'll be convinced. You sound positive that your reception will probably be good?" Snape nodded, but did not problematic. They became correct, right into a broad driveway that led off the lane. The excessive hedge curved into them, running off into the space past the pair of imposing wrought-iron gates barring the men's method. Neither of them broke step: In silence both raised their left palms in a variety of salute and passed straight through, as if the dark metallic was once smoke.
The yew hedges muffled the sound of the guys's footsteps. There was a rustle someplace to their right: Yaxley drew his wand again pointing it over his accomplice's head, but the source of the noise proved to be nothing more than a pure-white peacock, strutting majestically alongside the top of the hedge.
"He continually did himself good, Lucius. Peacocks …" Yaxley thrust his wand again below his cloak with a chortle.
A good-looking manor condo grew out of the darkness at the finish of the straight drive, lights glinting within the diamond paned downstairs home windows. Someplace in the dead of night garden past the hedge a fountain used to be enjoying. Gravel crackled beneath their toes as Snape and Yaxley sped toward the entrance door, which swung inward at their process, though nobody had visibly opened it.
The hallway was giant, dimly lit, and sumptuously adorned, with an impressive carpet protecting lots of the stone floor. The eyes of the light-confronted pictures on the wall adopted Snape and Yaxley as they strode earlier. The 2 men halted at a heavy wood door leading into the following room, hesitated for the gap of a heartbeat, then Snape became the bronze control.
singular sight have been looking at it besides for a light younger man sitting close to directly beneath it. He seemed unable to avert himself from glancing upward each minute or so.
The speaker was seated directly in front of the fireplace, in order that it used to be elaborate, in the beginning, for the new arrivals to make out greater than his silhouette. As they drew nearer, however, his face shone by means of the gloom, hairless, snakelike, with slits for nostrils and gleaming purple eyes whose students had been vertical. He was once so faded that he appeared to emit a pearly glow.
the two guys took their dispensed places. Many of the eyes across the desk adopted Snape, and it was to him that Voldemort spoke first.
The curiosity across the table sharpened palpably: Some stiffened, others fidgeted, all observing at Snape and Voldemort.
"Saturday … At nightfall," repeated Voldemort. His pink eyes mounted upon Snape's black ones with such depth that one of the watchers seemed away, it seems that anxious that they themselves could be scorched through the ferocity of the gaze. Snape, nevertheless, regarded lightly back into Voldemort's face and, after a moment or two, Voldemort's lipless mouth curved into whatever like a smile.
" – from the supply we mentioned," stated Snape.
Yaxley had leaned ahead to seem down the long table at Voldemort and Snape. All faces grew to become to him.
"I assure you, my Lord, Dawlish gave the impression fairly distinct," said Yaxley.
"The Order's got one factor right, then, eh?" mentioned a squat man sitting a short distance from Yaxley; he gave a wheezy chuckle that was once echoed right here and there along the desk.
Voldemort did not giggle. His gaze had wandered upward to the body revolving slowly overhead, and he looked to be lost in idea.
Voldemort held up a huge white hand, and Yaxley subsided without delay, staring at resentfully as Voldemort became back to Snape.


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People & Places with Pierce: Swainsboro Museum of Coca-Cola Advertisement
By Pierce Legeion | June 19, 2018 at 8:51 PM EDT - Updated September 13 at 8:44 PM
SWAINSBORO, GA (WFXG) - Swainsboro, Georgia: the crossroads of the great South and also a crossroads for Coca-Cola fans.
Lynn Brinson, City of Swainsboro Director of Downtown Development, says about the Swainsboro Museum of Coca-Cola Advertisement: "There are some really neat things here."
Things you might expect.
Michael Bright, who's private collection makes up the Swainsboro Museum of Coca-Cola Advertisement, says: "This is a 1930's drink box that was used with ice."
And some you just have to see to believe.
"A young man found this for me," said Bright. "It's a Swainsboro Coca-Cola bottle that was embedded in a root found right here in Swainsboro, Georgia. A lot of people never knew that Coca-Cola made chewing gum."
"Even if you went to Atlanta to the World of Coca-Cola, you would not see some of the items that are right here in downtown Swainsboro," added Brinson.
The museum has helped keep a small town from fizzling out.
"The Swainsboro Museum of Coca-Cola Advertisement is a feature in the Main Street Market art, crafts, unique gifts store," said Brinson. "The building had been vacant downtown for many many years."
"They gave me 90 days to come here and see what I can do," said Bright about taking over the Main Street Market over 4 years ago. "So in 90 days, we went from 14 dealers to about 30 dealers. Today we have 60 dealer booths with a waiting list."
"It's brought in a lot of tourists," said Brinson. "We have billboards on the interstate and a lot of people like to come in."
All of the items in the museum are part of Bright's private collection and aren't for sale. But if you are looking to take a piece of Coca-Cola home with you, there's a booth selling Coca-Cola items just a few steps from the museum.
"A lot of folks, they'll usually see something they like and want to pick it up," said Bright.
You could say Bright picked up starting his own Coca-Cola collection in the first place.
"I was working for Coca-Cola in Summerville, South Carolina," recalled Bright. "They asked me to clean up the attic one day and after that, I found all of these signs they were going to be throwing away and that just got me into collecting Coca-Cola and I've been doing it since. I wanted something that could put Swainsboro on the map along with the antique mall so that's when I brought my private collection into the antique mall."
"We've really been able to create a fantastic resource here in downtown Swainsboro," added Brinson.
It's a place just as cool and refreshing on a hot summer day as an ice cold glass of Coca-Cola.
If you have a person or a place in the CSRA that you'd like to see featured on People & Places with Pierce, send Pierce an email or connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.
Pierce Legeion
Pierce Legeion joined the WFXG Fox 54 News Now team as a meteorologist and reporter in January 2018.


Speakers and attendees discuss their talent challenges at Chief Executive's CEO Talent Summit.
The conversations overheard at every Chief Executive Group event this year undoubtedly echo the conversations you're having with your board, your CHRO, and the heads of every division in your organization: how to deal with the skills gap that has made it so difficult for companies throughout America to fill available jobs, increase often-stalled productivity, navigate change, and fuel the sort of disruptive activity that is essential for survival in this economy.
Those having the discussions range from small manufacturers who say their Number One problem is "getting workers to show up and pass the drug test" to larger companies who wonder how they'll fill their workforce pipelines when baby boomers retire and leave few workers to take their place. In addition, all sorts of companies are searching for highly skilled employees whose abilities outpace the STEM-oriented training currently available in much of the country.
To address these issues, some companies have cut deals with local community colleges and developed courses specific to their needs. Others have created their own in-house "universities" while offering employees the choice of reskilling or leaving the company. Several top tech executives recently announced plans to help underwrite and craft STEM education in America's public elementary and high schools.
How deep is this skills gap? Writing in Bloomberg Businessweek recently, economics editor Peter Coy noted that while businesses are complaining "that they can't find workers with the skills they need…workers and their advocates respond that employers simply aren't willing to pay enough." Other cynics have suggested that complaining companies are simply trying to pass the buck, in an attempt to get government to pay for training programs.
Last week, in an effort to get to the bottom of the skills gap question, a centrist think tank called Third Way released a study that combined five different measures (job fill rate, wage gains, education and credential attainment, employer surveys and state analyses of labor supply and demand) in order to smooth out any prejudices or data inadequacies that might be inherent in one or another of the statistics.
As Third Way explained, "There is little national-level data because much of the data is gathered regionally or is incomplete. This makes it hard to get an accurate picture of how many workers have certain skills and credentials, and which skills or credentials employers really need." Critically, they continued, "proponents and skeptics of skills gaps each point to different types of data to make their case, or interpret the same data differently." By looking at all five measures, Third Way felt it could present a clear, balanced, industry- and even state-based picture that not only would be accurate, but useful to the industries and states affected.
Even so, to get at the truth, Third Way needed to go beyond the data in its analysis. For example, while four of the five data sources indicated a dire shortage of healthcare workers across the country, a look at wage growth—which was flat—seemed to undercut the other findings. Wages tend to grow when there are shortages of available employees, so why weren't they growing in the healthcare industry? As Third Way concluded, "wages in the healthcare sector are largely controlled by public healthcare funding and insurance markets." So, talent shortage or not, no significant wage growth was possible for healthcare workers.
• Technology jobs, across various skill levels, are going unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates. The U.S. Department of Labor noted that this problem was particularly evident for companies seeking "computer user support specialists" in Missouri and California and for those looking for software developers and computer programmers in New York and Washington, DC.
• Financial services, Third Way warns, is on the verge of a worker shortage—and, unlike with healthcare, wages have been rising to lure skilled workers to available jobs—median wages in financial services rose almost 4% between 2013 and 2015. The shortage of specific types of financial services workers appears to differ by state, reflecting the industries clustered in those areas. So, while Connecticut needs twice as many claims adjusters and insurance underwriters as it currently has, Colorado is facing growing shortages of accountants and auditors. Underlying this shortage, Third Way suggests, is the age of the workforce: with millennials flocking to other industries, there are fewer and fewer employees to replace retiring baby boomers.
While Third Way's study may appear to do little, at least on the surface, to help companies bedeviled by whatever type of "skills challenges" they're facing, it does underscore what is clearly a nationwide, industry-agnostic problem. It also goes a long way toward explaining not only the common causes of this problem, but also the key differences faced by specific industries, job titles and companies, which can help businesses—and, especially, their leaders—start figuring out how to turn these challenges into opportunities.
Dig more deeply into a wide range of talent issues at Chief Executive Group's annual Talent Summit, in Orlando on October 25th and 26th.


I will be targeting key areas of growth, broadening our focus on smart technology solutions for the transport, rail and defence sectors.
Brian Negus is a highly experienced, motivated and ambitious professional and board member with a demonstrated history of work within the public policy and advocacy industries. Brian joins Cica Group as Chair of the Board, in addition to his present role as Strategic Adviser for the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) and board member with Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI).
Brian brings over 40 years of government and private sector transport experience to Cica drawing on his senior management positions at RACV, Public Transport Victoria, VicRoads and the Melbourne Port Corporation. He has also played a fundamental role in the development and implementation of the renowned SCATS (Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System) urban traffic control system, which is now used globally in over 27 countries.
Brian exhibits outstanding skills in transport operations management, project management, government and stakeholder relationship management, business planning, project feasibility analysis, smart technology application and analytical problem-solving.
With a passion for improving the livability, safety and lifestyle of the community through transport mobility and technology, Brian has a keen interest in initiatives and programs to support community services and improve well-being in society. He has been a member of the Rotary Club of Templestowe since 1985 and served as Club President, Assistant District Governor and Chair of the District Community Services Committee.
Brian will continue to develop beneficial relationships across all sectors of the Australian economy, focusing on business and strategic investments to ensure Cica Group remains a sustainable business in the long term.


Is that crack in your basement floor or foundation dangerous? That simple question can cost thousands and thousands of dollars if you don't answer it right away.
Some cracks in your basement are completely harmless. Others are a sign of a much bigger problem.
If it's a small crack (around 5 feet in length) we would simply patch it. If it's something more, or in a newer home, we would likely patch down to the footing.
It's always best to have a trained professional inspect any and all worrisome cracks, so you can address the issue, or get the peace-of-mind of knowing it's nothing serious.
If you own a home, then you know that there are numerous repairs and maintenance that you need to stay up to date with. There are some things that, if you let them go, they will become more of a bother in the long run. They can also become more expensive to fix the longer that you ignore the problem. Your foundation is one of those areas that is exceedingly important to check regularly so that you can fix problems when they are small rather than letting them become worse and more expensive. If you want to safeguard your foundation against these costly bills, you should have several things checked and repaired regularly.
Why Check for Foundation Cracks?
If there is a foundation crack repair that needs to be made, foundation crack detection is one of the most important things that you can do. Without foundation crack detection, it's possible that a small basement cement crack could go for years without being noticed. When a foundation crack repair is never done, it can get bigger and cause other problems.
What Happens When a Basement Cement Crack Isn't Fixed?
When a basement cement crack isn't fixed, it can get bigger. A foundation crack repair should be done as soon as possible to avoid further damage to the structure. It's also possible to get water inside the building when it rains, there is melting snow, or there is some other source of water. This water can leak inside the home and cause damage to drywall, wood, and other materials on the house. And when paper products get wet, they can grow mold. Wood can warp, leading to even more structural damages.
Are All Cracks Cause for Concern?
The short answer is that concern isn't always warranted. Some small cracks are perfectly normal, and they can even occur on buildings that are only a couple of years old. Other cracks can lead to serious problems. For instance, many cracks that are smaller than the width of a dime might not be cause for concern at all. Buildings naturally settle, so a small crack might not necessarily turn into a larger crack. But there could be cause for concern if the crack is bigger than the width of a dime or if it has certain characteristics.
Some cracks could indicate certain types of problems. For instance, a step crack on a cinder block or brick wall could mean that water will leak into your house. A step crack is exactly what it sounds like; it's a crack in the cement between the bricks. Another type of potential problem is a long, horizontal foundation crack, which can be a sign of serious problems with the foundation. It's one of the biggest reasons that foundations leak, and it's also one of the reasons that foundations can buckle. Vertical cracks can mean that the footings on the foundation are broken. If the footings are broken, then a very specific foundation crack repair must be made. This will involve digging down to the footings to find the foundation crack.
A Toronto foundation crack repair can be extensive, but like most things, the sooner you get it fixed, the fewer problems that you will likely have. If the need for a foundation crack repair is ignored, then you will likely have more damage that will lead to greater expenses in the future. To head off the likelihood of this happening, make sure that you are having any unusual or large foundation cracks checked by a professional.
People have been trusting us with their waterproofing projects since 1991. MT Drains & Plumbing is well known for bringing together experienced and reliable professionals. We provide waterproofing services and basement crack repair to residential and commercial customers in Toronto, ON.


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Alexander Thomas Augusta (March 8, 1825December 21, 1890) was a surgeon, veteran of the American Civil War, and the first black professor of medicine in the United States. After gaining his medical education in Toronto, Canada West from 1850 to 1856, he set up a practice there. He returned to the United States shortly before the start of the American Civil War.

Augusta offered his services to the United States Army and in 1863, he was commissioned as major and the Army's first African-American physician; he became the first black hospital administrator in U.S. history while serving in the army. He left the army in 1866 at the rank of brevet lieutenant colonel.

In 1868 Augusta was the first African American to be appointed to the faculty of Howard University and the first to any medical college in the United States.

Biography
Augusta was born in 1825 to free people of color in Norfolk, Virginia. As a young man, he began to learn to read while working as a barber, although it was illegal for free blacks to do so in Virginia at that time. The state had restricted rights of free people of color following the Nat Turner slave rebellion of 1831.

Augusta moved to Baltimore while still in his youth. He also began pursuing an education in the field of medicine. He married Baltimore native Mary O. Burgoin on January 12, 1847.

Medical training
Augusta applied to study medicine at the University of Pennsylvania but was refused admission. Although he faced institutionalized racism throughout his career, the university cited inadequate preparation in its rejection of him. Augusta persisted in his education and arranged for private instruction from a doctor on the faculty. As he was determined to become a physician, Augusta travelled to California and earned the funds to pursue his goal of becoming a doctor.

Concerned that he would not be allowed to enroll in medical school in the U.S., in 1850 he enrolled at Trinity College of the University of Toronto. He also conducted business as a druggist and chemist. Six years later he received a degree in medicine.

Medical career
Augusta remained in Toronto, Canada West, establishing a medical practice. The City of Toronto appointed him as director of an industrial school. He supported local antislavery activities, which supported the American movement. He also founded the Provincial Association for the Education and Elevation of the Coloured People of Canada, a literary society that donated books and other school supplies to black children. Augusta left Canada for the West Indies in about 1860, returning to Baltimore at the beginning of the American Civil War in 1861.

American Civil War
Augusta went to Washington, D.C., where he wrote President Abraham Lincoln and Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War,  offering his services as a surgeon. He was initially rejected due to his racial background and, since he was a British subject, would violate the Great Britain's Proclamation of Neutrality. In response, he traveled to Washington, DC, to plead his case.

The Army Medical Board reconsidered and invited him to take the examination.  He passed the test on 14 April 1863 and received a major's commission as surgeon for African-American troops. He was the United States Army's first African-American physician (of a total of eight) and its highest-ranking African-American officer at the time. He was also appointed to lead the Freedman's Hospital in Washington, D.C., in 1863, becoming the first black hospital administrator in U.S. history.

Some whites resented Augusta's having such a high rank. He was mobbed in Baltimore while wearing his officer's uniform during May 1863 (where three people were arrested for assault), and in another incident in Washington. On October 2, 1863, he was commissioned Regimental Surgeon of the Seventh U.S. Colored Troops. In March 1865, he was awarded a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel, and left the military service the following year at that rank.

Activism against discrimination
While in the military, Augusta spoke out about discrimination suffered by African Americans in society. On February 1, 1864, Augusta wrote to Judge Advocate Captain C. W. Clippington about discrimination against African-American passengers on the streetcars of Washington, D.C.:

His letter was printed in New York and Washington newspapers. On February 10, 1864, Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner introduced a resolution in Congress:

To support his resolution, Sumner read to the assemblage Dr. Augusta's letter.
Edward Bates, the Attorney General in President Abraham Lincoln's cabinet, belittled the incident and senators who supported Sumner. He was a slaveholder but earlier in his career in St. Louis, Missouri, Bates had acted as defense counsel for enslaved persons in freedom suits.

In 1865 Augusta wrote a letter to Major General Lewis Wallace, protesting the unequal treatment of African-American train passengers, who were forced to sit in segregated sections. That letter preceded the Plessy v. Ferguson case which challenged racial segregation on public transportation in the U.S. On March 13, 1865, Augusta was brevetted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

On February 26, 1868, Augusta testified before the United States Congressional Committee on the District of Columbia with regard to Mrs. Kate Brown. Mrs. Brown, an employee of Congress and an African American, had been injured when an employee of the Alexandria, Washington, and Georgetown Railroad forcibly ejected her from a passenger car. The railroad was prohibited by its federal charter from discrimination against passengers because of race.

Later years
Mustering out of the service in October 1866, Augusta accepted an assignment with the Freedmen's Bureau, heading the agency's Lincoln Hospital in Savannah, Georgia. While there, he encouraged African-American self-help, urged the freedmen to support independent institutions, and gained respect from the city's white physicians.

Augusta returned to private practice in Washington, D.C. He was attending surgeon to the Smallpox Hospital in Washington in 1870. He also served on the staff of the local Freedmen's Hospital, which he had directed for a period during the war.

Augusta taught anatomy in the recently organized medical department at Howard University from November 8, 1868, to July 1877, becoming the first African American appointed to the faculty of the school and also of any medical college in the U.S. He received honorary degrees of M.D. in 1869 and A.M. in 1871 from Howard in recognition of his contributions.

Despite his accomplishments, Dr Augusta was repeatedly refused admission to the local society of physicians. On June 9, 1869, Augusta and Charles Burleigh Purvis were proposed for membership of the Medical Society of DC, a branch of the American Medical Association. They were considered eligible, but did not receive enough votes. Another black physician, A. W. Tucker, was proposed on June 23, but was also rejected. In response, these three formed the National Medical Society. Augusta feared such exclusion from a professional society would impede the progress of younger African-American physicians in the city, and worked against such racial discrimination.

He died in Washington on December 21, 1890. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia.

Augusta's headstone reads as follows: "Commissioned surgeon of colored volunteers, April 4, 1863, with the rank of Major. Commissioned regimental surgeon of the 7th Regiment of US. Colored Troops, October 2, 1863.
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel of Volunteers, March 13, 1865, for faithful and meritorious services-mustered out October 13, 1866."

See also

 List of African-American firsts

References

External links

1825 births
1890 deaths
African-American academics
African Americans in the American Civil War
Military personnel from Norfolk, Virginia
Physicians from Baltimore
University of Toronto alumni
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
African-American physicians
Union Army surgeons
Academics from Virginia
Academics from Maryland
People of Virginia in the American Civil War
Trinity College (Canada) alumni


We operate exclusively on the Upper Russian River, which is recognized for the dynamic terrain, water clarity and unspoiled wilderness. Our friendly and accomplished staff is waiting to roll out the red carpet – offering guest services and an attention to detail that is unmatched.
This peaceful morning paddle is on a quaint 5 mile section of river with a 2-3 hour paddle time at a relaxed pace. Stop along the way to swim, picnic and play!
Feeling adventurous? Head out on this 11 or 16-mile self-guided trip, rated as a Class I–II flow that winds through the unspoiled wilderness of the Russian River. Available for experienced paddlers!
Welcome! I am Lollie Mercer, the owner of River's Edge Kayak & Canoe Trips. It is our mission to help cure nature deficiency disorder, by offering complete and hassle free river excursions. Our enthusiastic team is entirely dedicated to providing a fun and safe recreation venue for everyone to enjoy. We look forward to seeing you soon!
We were three and our last minute request to change from two double and one single to three singles was handled smoothly. Everything was very well organized, staff very friendly, free supplies of dry bags, sandwich bags, coolers, hair bubbles, etc. very useful.. had a wonderful day, at our own pace, away from the big crowds.. cannot thank River's Edge enough.
We took a break from wine tasting for the day and went Kayaking and Stand-up Paddle Boarding. It was a great 3 hour trip. No agenda, just needed to be back at the base camp by 5 hours after they dropped us off. The Staff was excellent and the river was leisurely ride. Many areas to swim and have a picnic. Good for ages over 10. Had a Blast!!
My wife and I loved our experience at River's Edge. We had an amazing day and saw lots of beautiful wildlife, including a golden eagle, several egrets, a heron, a coyote, and turtles by the dozen. We started with another group, but had to stop briefly while they rowed on. That put enough space between us that we had the river to ourselves for the whole day.
Third time with this crew. Great every time.
We've used River's Edge 3 times and always had great customer service and a great paddle down the Russian River. Courteous and always willing to try to find an opening if you call, even in high season. Excellent!
Thank you so much I had such a good time I came twice once for my brothers birthday, then for my friends birthday and will be back again this month you guys are great and so friendly and helpful. If you want to spend a great day on the river I highly recommend Rivers Edge. You get to see beautiful wildlife too!
A group of 7 of us (teens and adults) rented canoes and kayaks for the self-guided river trip. Every amenity and convenience is thought of from dry bags loaned free of charge, water shoes for purchase, water, changing areas, etc. It's clear the owners want to give their customers the best possible experience. And of course, the river was perfect too. We will definitely be back.
My family, friends, and I have been canoeing with Rivers Edge for almost 10 years now and we have a great time every time. The trip is just long enough to make it nice and relaxing and not exhausting.
I've been kayaking the Russian River with River's Edge Kayak for the last two years and it is always an incredibly enjoyable time! Rochelle really commits to making sure everyone is accommodated - There are fun stops along the river with a rope swing or sandbanks to take a break. The entire crew does a great job of coordinating large groups and keeping things fun!


What is New System School, Inc?
New System School, Inc. was founded in 1980 to provide the parents of the children of Jehovah's Witnesses a legal means to provide a superior home-based education for their children. New System School, Inc. is NOT a home school, though. We are formed, according to the specific state laws, as a "private" school, or a "church-related" school. For this reason, our children are generally not subject to the laws governing "home schools," unless we are using the home-school arrangement for that state. The parents are registered as faculty members of New System School, and are responsible for providing a quality secular and spiritual education for their young ones. It is our goal to reach the hearts of our youths, providing them with more than knowledge.
Why Teach My Children at Home?
According to God's Word, the Bible, parents have a serious responsibility for the education of their children. They are responsible to train up a child "from infancy" in a way that will instill family values, good morality, concern for others, and a deep understanding of the principles and laws found in the Bible. The arrangement of teaching your own children is a precious one and deserves responsible attention.
It is well recognized, even by many secular authorities, that today's public school environment leaves much to be desired for educating children. Classrooms are overcrowded, many children are inattentive and even disruptive, teachers have more than they can handle, and school budgets are strained to the limit. Sincere teachers try very hard to educate their students, but generally are not allocated enough time since the student load is so great. The public schools are turning out a majority of students with insufficient reading and reasoning skills. Parents who care are already spending a great deal of time supplementing their children's public education, due to the sometimes overwhelming daily homework assignments. So, why not take it a step farther and teach your children at home?In the home environment, a child can be taught one-on-one, and will learn much more efficiently. The personality of the child can be taken into account, and special effort put into areas where the child needs extra help. The resulting education is much more balanced since the child does not get behind, as so often happens in a public school environment. It actually takes significantly less time to cover material in comparison to the public system, since a child can progress at her own rate, instead of the rate of the entire class. If a young one is good at Math, while less accomplished at English, why can't he progress in Math at a rate that fits his ability, while taking a bit longer with English? Would a public school allow a student to be in 5th grade math and 4th grade English - at the same time? Probably not!
The point is, we all have different skills and interests. We learn faster in some things, slower in others. The parent must see that the child progresses fully in each subject, but can do so at a rate that suits the individual child. Public school simply does not allow that flexibility, since too many children are involved in the process. But, as a teacher in a home-based school, you will have much more flexibility in choosing your own curriculum, teaching times, and methods. Your responsibility is great, since you must achieve an educational standard higher than the public schools. Fortunately, it has been proven over and over again, that children taught in the home are simply better educated. Statistics show that they are better prepared for life in this difficult world. Home-educated children generally excel in all areas of life, with higher IQs, more balanced personalities, and a better grasp of how to deal with the difficulties of life.
If you choose to join us in educating your children according to sound home-based methods, you will benefit by having better educated children...period!


Wow look at that it's so cool Woah look how cool he is! Wow! OK put him in there he goes And the best part of all is you can use your autobots transformers playset to transform despicable me minions into transformers! Ok let's put them in the machine and transform them! get in there you! Yay that was a lot of fun kids! Ok that completes today's show! Bye bye!


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Ter-Petrosyan v Armenia
Politically motivated cases Armenia Case Summary
Forum: ECtHR
Case No.: 36469/08
Judgment date: 25 April 2019
The applicant, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, is an Armenian national who was the President of Armenia between 1991 and 1998. He was the main opposition candidate in the 19 February 2008 Presidential election, standing against then Prime Minister Mr Sargsyan, from the ruling party and a close ally of the outgoing President Mr Kocharyan. Immediately after the preliminary results of the election were announced, the applicant called on his supporters to gather at Yerevan's Freedom Square to protest against alleged electoral irregularities, stating that the election had not been free and fair. From 20 February 2008 onwards, mass protests were held by the applicant's supporters in Freedom Square, in which the applicant participated and gave speeches. The applicant stayed overnight in the Square.
On 1 March 2008 at around 6 a.m. the police arrived at Freedom Square, encircled the protesters and, without warning, attacked and beat them, and destroyed their camp. Many protesters fled. The applicant alleged that he was arrested by the police and taken to his house, where, with the exception of attending one hearing of the Constitutional Court, he was effectively detained by special forces until 20 March 2008, when the state of emergency imposed on 1 March 2008 was lifted. The Government argued that the police attended Freedom Square to verify information that weapons were to be distributed among the protesters to incite provocative actions and mass disorder. It denied that the applicant had been detained, arguing that he voluntarily agreed to be escorted to his house, was free to leave his home at any time and, with the exception of the Court hearing, did not express any wish to do so.
The Court found the applicant's complaints under Art. 5(1) and Art. 2 of Protocol 4 to be unsubstantiated and therefore declared them to be manifestly ill-founded.
The applicant complained of a violation of his right to freedom of peaceful assembly (Art. 11 ECHR) as a result of the unlawful and disproportionate dispersal of the Freedom Square rally by the police, for which he had no effective domestic remedy (Art. 13 ECHR).
The Court reiterated its findings in Mushegh Saghatelyan v. Armenia (No. 23086/08, 20.9.18) that the dispersal of the Freedom Square protests had interfered with the participants' right to freedom of assembly, was not justified and took place under somewhat dubious circumstances, apparently without warnings to disperse and with unjustified and excessive use of force, and that it was a disproportionate measure going beyond what it was reasonable to expect from the authorities when curtailing freedom of assembly. The Court held that there was no reason to depart from its findings in the applicant's case, and found a breach of Art. 11.
Finding that the applicant did not have an effective remedy for his Art. 11 complaint, the Court held that the Government failed to provide any examples of the application of the administrative remedy which it relied on to police actions to disperse an assembly. Therefore, it failed to demonstrate the existence of an effective domestic remedy for the applicant's freedom of assembly complaints, in breach of Art. 13 ECHR.
This is the third ECtHR judgment specifically concerning the events of 1 March 2008, which are of great public and political significance in Armenia. Many more such cases, including those relating to responsibility for and failure to investigate the deaths of nine individuals (Farmanyan and others v Armenia, no. 15998/11), are pending judgment.
Read the full judgment on HUDOC.
Ter-Petrosyan v Armenia (HUDOC)
Тер-Петросян против Армении (Русский)
Azerbaijan found responsible for death of Armenian man who was tortured in detention
Abuses by security forces and law enforcement Armenia Azerbaijan
Content warning: descriptions of extreme violence and torture The European Court of Human Rights…


The reviews have been astonishing: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is, we're told, a glorious piece of feelgood fun; moreover, it has the emotional heft to make us cry. We're surprised: we're ABBA fans (because the music is undeniably good, right?) but we both found the first film a sort of okay-watchable-quite-good-nothing-special kind of thing. So what makes it so much better this time?
Sadly, the answer is… nothing. Nothing makes it better, because it isn't better: it's worse. It's weirdly patchy: some genuinely awful sequences interspersed with lovely moments. All together, it's a mess. Most of it (the prequel section) tells a back story we already know, fleshed out without revealing anything. There are no surprises here. The sequel section fares better, with the multi-talented Amanda Seyfried (Sophie) bringing a much-needed sincerity to proceedings, and wringing every ounce of emotion from the songs (One of Us, which she sings with her estranged husband, Sky (Dominic Cooper), is the highlight of the film for me).
The prequel takes us back to 1979, when Donna (Lily James), freshly graduated from Oxford, unsure of what she wants from life, decides to seek adventure and takes herself off travelling. In Paris, she meets Harry (Hugh Skinner); charmed by his geeky naïvety, she spends the night with him before heading off alone to Greece. En route to the unnamed island idyll that claims her, she meets Stellan Skarsgård's younger incarnation (Josh Dylan), but he's off to take part in a boat race, and – while he's gone – she falls for Sam (Jeremy Irvine), the Pierce Brosnan-a-like, who is absolutely perfect – except for the fiancée he forgets to tell her about. James is a charismatic performer, and her vocal skills are more than up to the challenge (which is more than can be said for poor Hugh Skinner, who has definitely been cast because he resembles Colin Firth, and not because he has any discernible musical ability). Her character is flighty and foolish, making literally no use of that Oxford degree, but she's engaging and entertaining, and she makes us care about her.
Not much happens in the sequel, which is a shame, because it has all the best songs and all the best actors. I mean, Sophie gets pregnant and feels close to her dead mother, and there's a party that's threatened by a storm, but that's about it. True, Cher is a camp delight, appearing as Sophie's errant grandmother and stealing the show, and Dancing Queen proves the perfect accompaniment to a lively, animated crowd scene. But honestly, that's all there is.
There are huge missteps too. I hate the graduation scene where Donna and her friends (Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies) sing I Kissed the Teacher to a badly accented Celia Imrie (I think she's supposed to be Scottish, but I can't be sure). They've changed 'he' to 'she' in a bid to make the lyrics somehow more palatable, but I can't see what difference it makes – it's a good song, but the sentiment is undeniably creepy when filtered through a 2018 lens. It makes me most uncomfortable.
Ach, I don't know. It's just a load of mawkish nonsense, unpalatably sentimental and as silly as can be. Thank you for the music, ABBA – but can we stop filming this fluff?
It's tempting to imagine the kind of think-tank meeting that might well have preceded this film.
And so on. The inevitable effect, unfortunately, makes Finding Your Feet feel like a cynical exercise in box-ticking. Which is a shame, because there are some excellent actors in this, doing their level best to make it work.
Sandra (Staunton) is the well-to-do wife of Mike (John Sessions), a former chief constable. Hosting his retirement party at their palatial home, she discovers that he's been cheating on her for the past five years with Pamela (Josie Lawrence) and, understandably miffed, she packs her bags and heads off to the council estate home of her estranged sister, Biff (Imrie), who is what might be described in these circles as 'a bit of a character.' Sandra is understandably in a foul mood when she arrives, which goes some way to explain her general unpleasantness towards everyone she encounters, but not the scene in a Chinese restaurant where her attitude borders on out-and-out racism. Quite why Biff doesn't send her packing is anybody's guess.
Meanwhile, Biff's close friend, Charlie (Spall), lives on a barge and is currently watching in helpless dismay as his wife, Lilly (Sian Thomas), who has been consigned the the tender mercies of a nursing home, slips further and further into the grip of senile dementia. His first encounters with Sandra are not exactly cordial but, when Biff manages to persuade her sister to come along to the weekly dance class that Charlie also attends, he and Sandra have a quick spin out on the dance floor and, against all the odds, they start to enjoy each other's company.
What else do we need here? Oh yes, of course, let's ship the whole cast off to an exotic location – in this case Rome – so they can participate in an international dance festival and where that new relationship can be allowed to blossom. Oh wait, there's still one vital ingredient missing… oh yes, a terminal illness. Perfect!
All this manages to yield not one single surprise in the telling, and you have to feel a little sorry for the actors who work their socks off to sell this tosh, but even they can't quite convince us to actually care. I think what's been overlooked is that The Exotic Marigold Hotel was a more heartfelt affair, with the heft of a Deborah Moggach novel behind it, and – even so – its success as a film most probably came as a pleasant surprise to everyone involved. Indeed, the attempted sequel was a pretty woeful affair as the makers attempted to replicate its charms.
Viewers can easily tell the difference between a genuine story and a marketing exercise. With Finding Your Feet I simply cannot escape the feeling that behind all those light-hearted escapades lurks a mean-spirited attempt to part older viewers from their money – and try as I might, I can't quite forgive it for that.
In 2011, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel made the cinema industry sit up and take notice. Here was a modestly budgeted film that raked in a hefty profit, but more significantly, it took it from the kind of mature audience that cinema usually fails to attract (i.e. not just 12 year old boys). So it was inevitable that sooner, rather than later, there'd be a sequel. And here it is, complete with a title that sounds worryingly like a self-fulfilling prophecy. It should be remembered that the original film was based on a rather good source novel by Deborah Moggach. This one appears to be an original screenplay, if by original, you mean borrowing an idea that famously appeared in an episode of Fawlty Towers. The kindest thing you can say about it, is that it's a curate's egg of a film, good in parts but those parts are few and far between.
Sonny (Dev Patel) is soon to marry his fiancé, Sunaina (Tina Desai), but first he plans to expand his operation by opening a second hotel and at the film's inception, has gone to America to seek finance. In this enterprise he's aided by the caustic Mrs Donnelly (Maggie Smith) her character slightly diluted from her original bitchy incarnation, but nonetheless still awarded most of the funniest lines. Meanwhile the usual suspects from Marigold 1 parade around having affairs with each other (Celia Imrie's character, Madge, appears to have turned into a borderline good time girl,) while Evelyn (Judy Dench) and Douglas (Bill Nighi) are still failing to connect, even when it's perfectly clear that the two of them are simply made for each other. Into this hotbed of geriatric passion wanders Guy Chambers (Richard Gere) who might or might not, be the hotel inspector who can grant Sonny's expansion plan. Before you can say, 'Basil Fawlty,' Guy has the hots for Sonny's widowed mother and much (alleged) hilarity ensues. The problem is, that this is all so obvious, it might as well have been performed as a series of semaphore manoeuvres. A last minute 'twist' fails to offer any surprises whatsoever. And what's happened to Sonny's character? In Marigold 1, he was charming in a bumbling, hapless sort of way, but here he's a car crash of a person who can't open his mouth without offending everybody in the vicinity.
On one hand, TSBEMH deserves respect for daring to portray senior citizens as genuine characters with real lives and real concerns; on the other hand, points must be deducted for its outdated portrayal of India as a country that has somehow never escaped the bonds of colonialism. The first film managed to skirt skilfully around these issues, but this time it just wades on in, seemingly without thinking. The climactic wedding features lots of dancing and larking about, but also comes with a large dollop of sentimentality, which once again, the first film was careful to avoid.
So, second best by name and certainly second best by nature. Ideally, the film makers should have gratefully accepted their groundbreaking hit and moved on to another idea, but of course, the movie business will always respond to a hit by throwing more money in it's general direction. Can we 'look forward' to The Third and Final Exotic Marigold Hotel? God, I hope not.
Sometimes in cinema, you encounter a bit of fluff. And other times, you encounter double fluff with extra fluff and i suppose this is the file to which you would safely consign The Love Punch. This light comedy featuring more mature actors than you'd normally expect to see in this kind of story was probably aimed at the same audience that The Exotic Marigold Hotel mined so effectively, but it's nothing like as assured and it has to be said, it's profoundly silly, to boot.
Pierce Brosnan plays Richard, an affable chap who works for a multi-national company (in what capacity, we're never entirely sure.) He's divorced from Kate (Emma Thompson) with whom he maintain an affable friendship (cynics will mutter that we're already straying into the realms of the unbelievable.) When the company is purchased by a ruthless asset-stripper, the pension scheme into which Richard and most of his staff have bought, (Kate too, as it happens) is rendered entirely worthless. The head asset-stripper decamps to Paris in order to get married and publicly purchases a ten million dollar diamond necklace for his beloved, whereupon Richard and Kate hatch a plan to pop across the channel and nick it (as you do.) They also enlist the help of their plucky neighbours, Penelope and Timothy (Celia Imrie and Timothy Spall) and with a confidence that belies their humble origins, the foursome set off to take on the bad guys.
The problem is, that the characters manage to assay their chosen mission with such aplomb everything seems faintly unbelievable. And more fatally, there's never any real sense of danger, no fear that something might go wrong for them, even when Richard and Kate find themselves in the back of a van perched on the edge of a cliff. Obviously, the veteran actors all make the most of this meagre material and the film's enough to pass an undemanding hour or so, but nothing more than that. This is perfunctory film-making at best. You'll have forgotten the details before the credits have finished rolling. And will Richard and Kate get back together? Who cares?


text:
School finance back before state Supreme Court
Local // Texas
Lauren McGaughy
Wallace Jefferson, representing Fort Bend ISD, arrives at the school finance trial.Eric Gay/POOL
AUSTIN - The Texas Supreme Court is again faced with determining whether the state's method of funding public schools is unconstitutional, the latest in a series of school finance challenges stretching back more than 30 years.
In oral arguments Tuesday, lawyers representing the state argued that the current system lives up to constitutional mandates that it provides a "general diffusion of knowledge" to public school students. Attorneys for the more than 600 school districts who sued the state said money cut from public education was never fully restored even as lawmakers instituted tougher standards on students.
"This is a case about who gets to decide and who sets education policy in the state. Our argument is simple: It's the people's representatives. It's the Legislature," Solicitor General Scott Keller said after the hearing. While the system isn't perfect, he said, lawmakers rather than the courts should determine the future of school finance.
"The state's interest here is (to) end this perpetual cycle of litigation," Keller said.
The court is expected to take months to reach a decision. The justices could throw it out, kick it back to the lower court judge for further study, or agree that the system is unconstitutional, which could require state lawmakers to convene a special legislative session to craft a fix. While some solutions were proposed during this year's session, lawmakers were reluctant to take any steps until the high court ruled.
This is the seventh time since 1984 that the Texas Supreme Court has considered a challenge to the state's complex school finance system.
This latest case dates to 2011, when the Legislature cut more than $5 billion from public education funding, spurring school districts to challenge the entire system. State District Judge John Dietz sided with the districts in 2013 and 2014 rulings that struck down the system as unconstitutional, even after lawmakers had funneled billions back into public education.
The state appealed to the high court.
On Tuesday, Keller and others from the Office of the Attorney General argued the court cannot fix school finance because only lawmakers can appropriate taxpayer money and pass laws.
Attorneys representing three groups of school districts argued the opposite.
"The state systematically fails to provide an adequate education, and it provides more advantages to students that already live in advantaged school districts," said Marisa Bono, who represents a number of districts with high rates of low-income and students learning English. "The state's failure jeopardizes our economy and our way of life."
She argued the system is chronically underfunded and based on outdated measures from decades ago.
The characteristics of Texas' school children have changed dramatically in that time, she added, with nonnative English speaking students' numbers soaring but performance stagnating.
"The system is deeply and structurally flawed," Bono told the justices.
Craig Enoch, a former state supreme court justice arguing for a group of plaintiffs who support school choice policies like vouchers, said the biggest public education waste in the last several years had been the money spent on these lawsuits. Justice Don Willett also expressed concern over the repeated litigation, saying he'd seen the current system "lurch from one lawsuit to another."


Previously, I raved about growing alfalfa in my backyard. Yes, cooing over the dainty flowers, how bees love it, and the health benefits of this green wonder. But I left you hang on the health benefits of alfalfa.
So hang on and keep reading.
University of Michigan's Health System states alfalfa contains protein and vitamins A, B1, B6, C, E and vitamin K as well as the presence of calcium, potassium, iron, and zinc.
Herbalists commonly use it to treat diabetes, menopause, arthritis, and asthma.
A study revealed that the use of alfalfa is promising as a treatment for the autoimmune disorders.
Another study showed that the alfalfa saponins reduced cholesterol absorption in animals.
Used for kidney and prostate issues and to increase urine flow.
WebMD notes that eating alfalfa is not without risk. Certain auto-immune disorders might become more active, lower sugar levels might be experienced in diabetics, and it might cause some people to be more sensitive to the sun.
Promise me that you will just play it safe and consult your doctor, before adding any supplement to your diet including alfalfa.
If you are intrigued about growing a small alfalfa patch, see how to grow and how to dry it. You won't be disappointed.
And if you want to add it to your diet, buy it HERE.
Do you take alfalfa supplement?
Do you eat alfalfa raw?
Do you add alfalfa to your smoothies?
* affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Green Talk.
Alfalfa: How to Dry and Preserve for the Backyard Gardener.
Alfalfa: Growing and Harvesting for your Backyard.
Annual Physical Exams Are a Green Fit Must for a Body Beautiful.