text:
Places to Celebrate St Patrick's Day
The Best Places to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day
Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit...or Happy St. Patrick's Day!
By Emy Rodriguez Flores Published: Mar 9, 2020
© Marco Bottigelli//Getty Images
St. Patrick was a rich kid from the 5th-century that belonged to a long line of British Catholic leaders. He was kidnapped by Irish raiders and spent six years in Ireland away from his native Britain where he found god. Upon finding god, he returned to Britain, got his priesthood on and returned to Ireland where he was responsible for eradicating pagan and druid culture on the islands. The idea that he was responsible for kicking out all the snakes from Ireland stems from that. He also used clovers to represent the holy trinity hence the association with the color green. Upon St. Patrick's death, food and alcohol normally banned because of lent was allowed for consumption. This explains all the drinking whenever March 17 comes around each year.
But did you know that St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in more places than just the United States and Ireland? The holiday is actually celebrated wherever there's an Irish presence (or once was one). Check out the best places to celebrate St. Patrick's Day around the world.
Salem, Montserrat
Unlike most places, the St. Patrick's Day celebrations represent something different on the Caribbean island of Montserrat. Irish settlers were one of the first on the island and on 1768, during the settlers celebration of St. Patrick's death, the slaves planned a failed rebellion and nine were hanged. The weeklong celebrations in Salem represent the struggle the slaves experienced and the failed rebellion. Presently, the celebrations consist of a parade, multiple concerts and many other events. It's a new way to experience a different side of the holiday on a beautiful island.
Montserrat Tourism Division
1962 was the first year the Chicago River was dyed green and 50lbs of dye are used each year. On March 14, you can attend the St. Patrick's Day Parade and join in on a bar crawl after. Chicago's celebrations are one of the biggest in the country.
stevegeer//Getty Images
Another city with a large Irish population, London hosts a massive parade and a festival to match. According to a 2011 census, 175,974 Irish folks live in London which makes up 2.2% of the population. Both celebrations begin on March 15.
Dolwolfian_Photography//Getty Images
According to the city itself, Savannah has the second largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world. Over 500,000 people attend the parade and this upcoming year won't disappoint. The festivities last all weekend long and it's the perfect weekend getaway.
joe daniel price//Getty Images
Montréal, Canada
The St. Patrick's Day Parade in Montréal is the longest-running parade in all of Canada. It's usually on the 17th and draws hundreds of thousands of people every year. It's definitely one of Canada's most festive holidays.
Vincent JIANG//Getty Images
New York has a long history of Irish immigrants and it's pretty evident on St. Patrick's Day. A full day is committed to the parade and festivities. 150,000 people attend the parade yearly and countless more during it's countless bar crawls. Outside of the parade and bar crawls, you can visit the Tenement Museum and have a drink at the oldest tavern in the city.
Michael Lee//Getty Images
Auckland, New Zealand is a surprising destination with a rich Irish culture that sets off more than one event during St. Patrick's Day. This year, you can attend The Greening of Auckland where Auckland's Sky Tower and Eden Park light up green on March 16 or there's the St. Patrick's Festival Parade on March 14 where 20,000 spectators and supporters attend yearly.
Dean Purcell//Getty Images
There are 500,000 Irish or inhabitants (of Irish descent) in Argentina and it shows during their St. Patrick's Day parade in Buenos Aires on March 17. A mass is held the same day at the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján.
DANIEL GARCIA//Getty Images
The 169th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival in San Francisco is one reason to visit the city on March 14. 100,000 people attend yearly and it's one holiday in the city you shouldn't miss out on.
michelmond//Getty Images
According to a 2006 census, there are 12,730 Irish-born Sydney residents and we're sure that number has grown. You can celebrate by heading over The Rocks where the Sydney St Patrick's Day Festival will be held on March 15. Events like an Irish Scones and Tea session will take place all week long as well.
Kaszojad//Getty Images
Outside of the annual parade you can celebrate by drinking from a 10,000 gallon truck of green beer at an awesome block party hosted by Coleman's the day before St. Patrick's Day. Have another pint at Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub & Restaurant, Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub or The Blarney Stone for more St. Patty's day activities.
DenisTangneyJr//Getty Images
Why not celebrate St. Patrick's Day where it actually started? Even though St. Patrick didn't technically die in Ireland, you can still catch the best parade and festivities in Dublin over the five-day celebrations. There are so many fun things to do, but our favorites are the St. Patrick's Festival at the Guinness Storehouse, The St. Patrick's Day Celebrations or just a walk down the Temple Bar neighborhood. St. Patrick died in Saul (United Kingdom), but his legacy can be seen globally every March in all shades of green.
NurPhoto//Getty Images
Emy Rodriguez Flores
Emy is a journalist and Florida native covering everything from lifestyle, travel, fashion, beauty and more.


MOISES VANEGAS PASCUAS stood barefoot in the birthplace of the Sandinista revolution Sunday morning watching 150 voters line up in front of his house to vote. The old man with a white sprout of a beard was recalling the glory days of Monimb'o, the days after Pedro Joaqu'in Chamorro Cardenal's death in 1978 when the emerging Sandinista rebels used Mr. Vanegas's neighborhood to escape the National Guard of former dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle.
To his delight, the Sandinistas toppled Somoza in 1979. But to his dismay - and to that of thousands of other Monimb'o residents - the promises of the Sandinistas weren't kept.
Like many others in this community of dirt roads, Vanegas cast his vote Sunday for opposition candidate Violeta Barrios de Chamorro.
Joining the opposition is nothing new for Vanegas or the people of Monimb'o. In the early 1980s, this community became the center for the first confrontation against the Sandinista government.
A few years later, angry mothers marched on the local Army headquarters to protest the forced recruitment of their sons. Three riots have stemmed from such protests in the past three years.
But for Vanegas, the issues this year were not so much political, but economic. He ticks off the prices for his most essential goods - rice, beans, and cornmeal - complaining that these prices have risen almost beyond his reach. Like most Nicaraguans, whose consumption of goods has decreased 70 percent since 1981, Vanegas and his family have had to reduce their diet to one or two meals a day.


text:
EconomySustainability
How to build sustainable future economies
LEIs were created following the 2008 economic crisis. Now, these unassuming financial codes are set to help us tackle the climate crisis.
Few minutes to read
会说中文吗
Tagged as BusinessClimate changeFinanceInformation technologySustainable development
Share on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin
The world has learned the hard way that it is in everyone's interest to have a stable and transparent financial sector. In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the deeply opaque and convoluted nature of some financial products, bodies and mechanisms was recognized as a contributing factor. A patchwork of rules across different countries and financial centres made it difficult, time-consuming and expensive to identify all the legal entities or businesses involved in financial transactions. This, in turn, facilitated fraud and market abuse, and made it difficult to calculate financial risk.
In response, the G20 recognized the need to improve transparency across global financial transactions, and called on the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to help. The outcome was the creation of the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): a unique code to identify individual businesses and entities. Crucially, this code worked across countries and sectors, reducing the opacity of the world's interconnected financial networks. The Global LEI System was born and the first LEI was issued in 2012.
The beauty of the LEI is that it is unambiguous. An identifier – something like a financial fingerprint – is allocated to each business subscribed to the scheme. This 20-character alpha-numeric code is generated based on an International Standard (ISO 17442), and contains information about the entity, such as its name and ownership. Any LEI can be checked against a free, public database: the Global LEI Index.
The beauty of the LEI is that it is unambiguous.
A tool for today's turmoil
Ten years on, the LEI is proving invaluable, as the financial sector once again faces instability caused by pandemic aftershocks, inflation, geopolitical turmoil and climate impacts. More innovative facets of the industry such as cryptocurrencies also raise questions around trust and safeguards. In this context, transparency is more important than ever – and LEIs can help.
US and European authorities now require corporations to use LEIs in their financial reporting, and they are mandatory for all companies trading in securities. LEIs make it easier to identify financial entities in a variety of settings – not only transactions, but also client onboarding, compliance reporting and risk monitoring. The use of LEIs also means higher-quality and more accurate financial data, putting authorities in a much better position to assess risk, identify trends and take corrective steps. Research from McKinsey has also shown that LEIs could save the global banking sector up to USD&nbsp4&nbspbillion, thanks to improved efficiency.
As we look to the future, technological innovations could make these fingerprints easier than ever to use. The "verifiable" LEI (vLEI) is a new digital counterpart of LEI which allows for identity to be verified entirely automatically, saving time and reducing human error.
But it's not only today's financial sector that stands to benefit from the increasing use of LEIs. They have been identified as a key tool in building sustainable future economies, which will rely on clear and accurate data to tackle climate-related threats and embrace opportunities.
The financial sector has a crucial role to play in climate action.
Our greatest challenge ahead: the climate crisis
The financial sector has a crucial role to play in climate action, but climate finance remains a serious challenge. Not only is there insufficient cash on offer from wealthier countries to support sustainable development in the Global South, but accessing climate finance can mean navigating a convoluted muddle of schemes, which is ultimately holding back climate-related spending. Beyond sustainable financing, there are many other issues to deal with. These include reducing the cost of green borrowing, reconceptualizing climate-related debt for poorer countries, calculating reparations for climate change loss and damage and ensuring a just climate transition. By improving financial transparency and enabling more accurate financial data, LEIs can play a role in addressing all of these challenges.
This potential was recently highlighted by the FSB: "The LEI is a key component for improving financial data, for instance to support a more accurate and timely aggregation of data on the same entity from different sources, especially on a cross-border basis. Adding the LEI of financial institutions' counterparties in data reporting templates could contribute to increasing the reliability of climate-related data used and reported by financial institutions."
In particular, the FSB pointed to how the expansion of initiatives such as LEI could be catalysts in identifying climate-related risks to the financial sector, which range from extreme weather events induced by climate change, to the impacts of disorderly energy transitions (which can leave costly stranded assets in their paths).
Alongside other ISO standards which were explicitly drafted to enable sustainable finance – such as ISO 32210 and ISO 14093 – ISO's LEI standard can reduce friction, risk and opacity in global markets. As such, it has a significant and far-reaching part to play in helping the financial sector to combat climate change.
In the coming years, there will be increased pressure on actors in the financial sector to take action to build trust and transparency into every transaction. The financial crisis of 2008 taught us that the financial sector does not operate in a silo, but is interconnected with everything else on the planet. It has the potential to cause devastation when matters fall out of control – but also the potential to help solve global challenges, and none more so than climate change.
Este artículo ha sido traducido por nuestro miembro español y se puede descargar en versión PDF.
本文已由我们的中国成员翻译,可下载中文PDF版本。
This may also interest you
Green and sustainable finance
Once a fringe investment, green and sustainable finance is fast gaining interest among investors worldwide. So what exactly are these types of investment, and why do we need them?
Legal entity identifier (LEI)
Part 1: Assignment
Guidance on the application of sustainability principles for organizations in the financial sector
Mechanism for financing local adaptation to climate change
Performance-based climate resilience grants
Reference data for financial services
Greenhouse gas and climate change management and related activities
Journalist, blogger or editor?
Want to get the inside scoop on standards, or find out more about what we do? Get in touch with our team or check out our media kit.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Gamification has tremendous possibilities and potential in education space. ToNewDigital is one of the leading organisation involved in gamified education, educational games, simulations and interactivities. ToNewDigital believes in delivering better learning outcomes for students.
There are places where even field trips can not be organised but virtual reality (VR) students are able to go places like space. Space Exploration App could be one of the earliest examples of coevolution in EdTech. Students are found learning things in a much easier way then before. It is a sheer saving of time, energy and cost.


All students at Pritchardville are exposed to a STEM curriculum. All classes Students K-5 attend Engineering in a six day rotation. Each classroom also completes STEM projects across disciplines to help support their curriculum. Every student is involved in the Engineering Expo in the fall and is invited to attend and participate in the STEAM Night Event in the spring.
All projects across the curriculum are designed and implemented incorporating the state standards. Projects are multidisciplinary and interactive. Most STEM learning in the classroom is culminated by creating a product. These products and their processes are then assessed using performance-based rubrics by teachers and the students themselves.
While working on STEM learning activities students have multiple opportunities to work in collaborative groups and also independently. Rubrics that assess collaboration are used when working with groups. Students are also encouraged to come up with creative solutions to challenges and self-direct their learning. Creative thinking rubrics are used to assess student's abilities to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to challenges. Students are able to present their STEM learning to peers, teachers, parents, and community members at a school wide engineering expo in the fall and a STEAM event in the spring. Students also are able to share projects with peers through the morning news show, hallway displays, and cross grade level collaborations.
Technology is authentically integrated throughout STEM learning experiences. Students use laptops and iPads to research, communicate, and collaborate for projects. Many activities result in a product developed using varying apps and programs.
Educators meet on a regular basis to plan STEM related learning experiences across the curriculum. A school wide document has been created in which each grade level creates interdisciplinary projects. These projects are connected to state standards in each subject area and also connected to a common key word every 9 weeks for the entire school.
At Pritchardville the STEM experience is becoming the way in which students learn and express themselves. Multiple standards and subjects are integrated into authentic problem based projects. Students are able to self-regulate their learning and understanding while finding creative solutions to authentic and complex problems.
Extended day STEM opportunities, increasing student work on local authentic problems, and continue working toward creating interdisciplinary, inquiry-based curriculum are the areas of focus for enhancement. Continuing to develop relationships with business partners in order to promote authentic STEM experiences for all children will provide increased opportunities for after school STEM activities and increase inquiry-based problem solving activities related to local issues. Continuing common planning time for grade-level educators will continue to enhance interdisciplinary inquiry-based curriculum with a STEM lens for learning. We need to increase movement away from programed curriculum and focus on using technology, engineering and mathematics as tools to solve real-world problems.


text:
People of the Year Awards 2017
Ballinasloe Benchmarking Report
How to get to Ballinasloe
History of the Fair
Walks and Trails
If you have you any news - email us!
Latest News from Ballinasloe
Sr Seraphina Weston trained nurses from every continent
One of the best-known nuns in Portiuncula Hospital, Sr. Seraphina Weston, FMDM, has passed away in her 93rd year. For 29 years she was Principal of the Madonna College of Nursing Training School, in Portiuncula, where her graduates came from every continent.
On 24th May 1953 Mother M. Margaret, who initiated the project, lectured at the opening of new College of Nursing where the first students were all FMDM sisters but permission was given by the Irish Nursing Board to begin training lay student nurses also. Sr. Seraphina was appointed principal and large numbers of students trained there until the cessation of the education system, which was replaced by a Bachelor of Nursing Degree awarded by Universities in September 2002. The Sisters had transferred ownership of Portiuncula to the Western Health Board in 2001.
Sr. Seraphina was born in Castlebar on 5th April 1927 and was baptised Annie Teresa. She was the second eldest in a family of three sisters and two brothers. A Mayo woman, through and through, she became a member of the Congregation in August 1945 and did her nursing studies in St. Luke's Hospital, Guilford, Surrey. It was there she met her life-long friend and esteemed colleague, Sr. Madeleine, who had come from Penang, Malaysia, to peruse her nurse studies. Little did they know they were destined to work together for very many years in the Madonna School of Nursing attached to Portiuncula Hospital. A hospital official told the "Surrey Advertiser" in an article that appeared 67 years ago that Sr. Seraphina was "one of the most brilliant trainees to pass through the Training School in Guilford."
She was described in Portiuncula as "a conscientious and exacting teacher and she demanded the best from her students. She had the ability to clarify difficult information in simple, intelligible language. She saw the greatest potential in every student, she had their welfare at heart and was always aware that she was preparing them for the sacred duty of caring for the sick." Sr. Seraphina had a great yearning to go to Africa to work for the poor and sick, so after 29 years as Principal of the Nurse Training School she left for Zimbabwe in 1983, where she worked for six years. On her return to Ireland she pursued a Diploma in Religious Studies in Dundalk and after a year came back to Portiuncula to do some part-time teaching. Many of her past students at the College came from all over Ireland and abroad, as did representatives of Portiuncula Hospital, to bid farewell to a nun that will be remembered for "a good life lived in a spirit of compassion, generosity, kindness and love."
If you have any news items about Ballinasloe, please use this link to contact us
The Town Team was set up by BACD Ltd. to revive the fortunes of Ballinasloe and its hinterland. With the main focus to build on the town's many strengths, change existing negative perceptions and bring about measurable improvements in the town centre economy and its wider social value.
Ballinasloe Area Community Development Ltd.
Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre
All generic photos and images have been sourced and are free of copyright or are clip art images free of copyright. Photos of Ballinasloe have been donated by BEC. If you have any photos that you would like included on the website please email us
Copyright © All rights reserved, 2019 BACD


The ancient ruins of Petra is what the middle eastern country of Jordan is primarily known for. And it is freaking incredible, but there was also an unexpected treasure, a place of tranquility and boundless empty spaces. A place that is a great addition to my list of the top things to do before you die.
Wadi Rum is 720 square kilometers of heart stopping desert landscape, where a maze of sheer-sided sandstone and granite monoliths rise up from the valley floor. Its dramatic panoramic land is where you can follow the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia, ride camels through the sun-kissed desert and be amongst the semi-nomadic Bedouin people who still live in the area.
Driving down the seemingly endless dusty road into the largest wadi in the country of Jordan it was easy to see why it was the filming location for The Martian, a movie set on Mars. Also known as The Valley of the Moon, it was dry and desolate.
Layered in countless shades of beige and desert red.
We needed a better-equipped vehicle.
Luckily, we showed up just in time for lunch, so before heading out we loaded our plates with traditional Jordanian food at their long buffet. A large, colorful pitched-tent lined with oriental carpets and cushioned bench seating was the dining room.
As we snacked on dishes like fattoush, an older male Bedouin musician was perched on a short stage playing the oud, an oriental instrument similar to the mandolin.
After lunch, three old Toyota 4×4 pickup trucks, fitted with benches in the open-air bed, were waiting for us. We were going on a five-hour desert safari through this UNESCO World Heritage site, heading further into the landscape to explore, before being dropped off at our barracks for the night. Though riding inside the cab was an option, I hopped into the back wanting to feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my face.
We began driving, a cloud of dust trailing behind us.
The aroma of sage, cardamom and cinnamon permeated the tent at our first stop for a cup of Bedouin tea. It was the teashop like no other, nestled between the rocks with a sand dune view from the seats inside. Tea is an important ritual for the Bedouins; there is never a wrong time for a cup, this includes in the middle of the desert.
Saying no to this liquid generosity is just plain rude.
Next the trucks brought us to what appeared to be in the middle of nothingness, where a dozen camels laid resting on the warm sand making chewing motions and showing their large yellowed teeth.
It was a camel spectacle.
But that wasn't why we were here; it was for the inscriptions that were carved into the rocks that lay directly across from the herd of chomping animals. These petroglyphs depicted people, footprints and animals dating back to prehistoric times. The over 35,000 chiseled images and inscriptions dotted throughout the desert tell 12,000 years of stories about the people that have inhabited Wadi Rum, including the Nabataeans.
Dunes were common in the valley, but none as impressive as the expansive Al-Hasany red sand dunes that back up to Jebel Umm Ulaydiyya. Here the drivers put the trucks in park at the base of one of the tallest slopes claiming it had the best view from the peak. There was only one way to find out, and it involved a steep climb.
Let's climb a sand dune.
We took off our shoes, sinking our feet into the soft sand and ascended to the summit. Once at the top, some of us sat cross-legged taking in the natural beauty of our surroundings, while others tried to capture the best jumping shots with a sea of sand as the background.
As evening fell, the last stop we made was in what seemed like the middle of Wadi Rum. This is where we abandoned our trucks since from here it was only a short walk to the camp. But before heading that direction, we all sat quietly on the valley floor waiting for a performance of another kind.
Nobody said a word as the sun began to set over the rocks, lighting up the desert in a flurry of color.
After five hours of exploration we ended up at a private camp deep in the desert. Entering through a candlelit walkway, there were about twenty individual tents that surrounded a central courtyard. This patio had a campfire that was already blazing when we arrived. Comfortable and colorful cushions surrounded the fire pit, a place where we convened after dropping our belongings off in our individual tents.
Our dinner had started to be prepared well before we arrived. With a cooking time of four hours, it had to be. The Bedouin staff were honoring us with a special feast, a zarb, an ancient and traditional cooking practice that is done underground.
After our casual dinner we sat back around the fire for some authentic entertainment that did not include a television or the Internet. Lively Bedouin tribe music began to be played as the natives taught us how to do the zaghrouta, a rapid ululation of a la-la-la-la sound that is used to express celebration.
Trilling of the voices and clapping hands echoed through the desert.
After the music had tapered down, the ones who stayed up later spent the evening stargazing at the twinkling sky, drinking Jordanian Syrah and smoking hookah. When the crackling of the fire started to dwindle and the bottle of wine was empty, I retreated to the cozy room in my goat hair tent where there was no electricity or amenities other than a full-size bed, a wooden chair and a box of candles. I lit one, and fell into a peaceful sleep where the only sounds you could hear were from the faint voices of chatter from those still awake and the flicker of the flame.
I woke up the next morning well before any of the others in order to climb to the peak of an untouched sand dune and watch as the sun rose over the already picturesque landscape.
Miles from the nearest town, there was complete stillness.
In our normal lives random noise is the norm, but not here. There may not have been a quieter place on earth than in the wee morning hours of Wadi Rum.
Back at the camp a slew of kneeling camels lined the walkway. Inside, our Jordanian guide Mohammad had set up a beauty shop of sorts on one of the benches in the dining area, where he was expertly wrapping traditional Bedouin scarves around camper's heads. These wraps would be helpful for our last adventure, a long camel ride through the dry desert back to the main camp.
I approached the humped animals, picking my favorite of the bunch; a choice specifically made by the colorful red and yellow saddle he was wearing. Holding on tight to the pommel, I boarded him as he was kneeling and he slowly stood to his feet jerking me forward. We then started on the journey back to where this experience began, following the paths that thousands had before.
. . . Check it Off Your Bucket List . . .
Jordan is a mostly Muslim country located in the Middle East, sharing its borders with Israel, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Wadi Rum is a 720 square kilometer dramatic desert in the southwestern corner of Jordan, near the Saudi Arabian border. Its diverse landscape consists of sheer sided sandstone and granite mountains, natural arches, narrow gorges and chiseled canyons.
There are regular flights from the U.S. on Jordan's national carrier, Royal Jordanian (www.rj.com), plus several other international carriers that will fly into Queen Alia International Airport located just south of Amman. From Amman Wadi Rum is about a 3-½ hour drive, though many visitors choose stay in Petra instead, which is roughly an hour and a half away. From Amman you can take a bus to Petra, since there is no bus service that goes all the way through to Wadi Rum. A JETT (www.jett.com.jo) bus runs daily for around $14 USD and will drop you off in Petra were you could either hop on another bus or take a taxi. Your hotel (or call 079 5235257 to book a seat) can arrange a bus from Wadi Musa, the main tourist gateway to Petra, to Wadi Rum that leaves around 6:00am and costs just under $10 USD. Taxis run roughly $50 USD and many camps will be able to arrange taxi service. Viator offers a private transfer from the airport to Petra for $68.75 USD then you can take a bus or taxi to Wadi Rum from there or for roughly $200 USD AAT (www.ammanairporttransfers.com) will give you a private transfer all the way to Wadi Rum. You can also get to Wadi Rum by renting a car, which can be the most flexible way to explore. The airport has numerous companies, many of which are also found in America (Dollar, Thrifty, Budget, etc.), so do a search on a site like Expedia (www.expedia.com) or Skyscanner (www.skyscanner.com) who will compare the rates from different car rental companies. The cost starts at around $40 USD per day. The roads are in good condition and the important signage will be in English as well as Arabic, but make sure you have a good map or GPS. Unless you rent a 4WD you won't be able to truly explore Wadi Rum in your rental, but it will get you to the visitor's center where tour or camp guides can pick you up.
Arabic is the official language. Many Jordanians in the urban cities speak English, though fewer will in the smaller villages, especially the Bedouin elders.
The local currency is the Jordanian Dinar. Some places will accept American Dollars, but it is not a guaranteed so exchange some money. ATMs can easily be found in Amman (and there is one at the airport), but can be challenging in the smaller towns.
Jordan travel requires Plug C / D / F / G / J, 230v. Most outlets will be the same as the European with two round prongs. You will need an adapter and a converter if your devices are not dual voltage. I used the Insten Universal Adapter with no problem.
The best time to visit Wadi Rum is from March to May or late September to November when the temperatures are moderate and rainfall is at a minimum. In the summertime the temperatures can soar up to 115 degrees, which will make exploring the desert next to impossible. In the winter the daytime temperatures may be comfortable in the mid 60s, but the evenings will get down to the low 40s, which will be chilly if you are sleeping in a tent with no heater.
For an overnight stay in a Bedouin tent it's best to book online directly with the camp (see the 'where to stay' section for recommendations) and have them arrange any tour experiences that you may be interested in. It is also very simple to make these arrangements once you get to the Wadi Rum visitor's center. For an easier option, Viator (www.viator.com) offers an overnight in Wadi Rum with transportation from Amman for $200 USD, though it only includes a 2-hour jeep safari. If you feel more comfortable booking with a U.S. tour operator who will plan your trip from start to finish then check the approved list on the Visit Jordan website (na.visitjordan.com).
You will need a 4×4 to navigate Wadi Rum on your own, though it is best to have a Bedouin guide who knows the area accompany you. You can hire a guide at the visitor's center who has his own truck or can hop into your rental. Otherwise most exploring of the desert is done on tours with trucks, camels, ATVs or on foot. Taxis can be arranged by your chosen camp to get you to nearby places outside of Wadi Rum, like the city of Aqaba along the Red Sea.
There are several camps that offer a similar experience, glamping in a private Bedouin style tent with shared bathrooms and dinner included. Bedouin Lifestyle Camp (from $35) is nestled beneath a rock face and run by two Bedouin brothers who want to share their culture. Wadi Rum Night Luxury Camp (from $112) offers a more extravagant glamping night with a private terrace, bathrobe and the finest linens. Obeid's Bedouin Life Camp (from $71) is a small family run camp in the heart of the desert. In the private camp at Captains Desert Camp ($71) is where I spent the night surround by sandstone rocks and sand dunes.
The Mövenpick Resort Petra (from $117 USD) is conveniently located right across the street from the Petra Visitor's Center. A simpler, no-frills option is Al Rashid Hotel (from $38) in the city center who offers clean rooms and free breakfast. Petra Moon Hotel (from $70) boasts a roof terrace that overlooks the beautiful Petra Mountains. The newly renovated Sharah Mountains is a family run 3-star hotel known for its cleanliness and hospitality.
Restaurant options are limited in the area, plus you will most likely be eating all meals at your chosen camp where they are typically provided in the cost. Though if you want to venture the Resthouse (tel. 962 2018867) located in Wadi Rum Village is a good choice since they serve alcoholic beverages. You can also get a decent buffet lunch or dinner here for around $15 USD. If you are staying in Petra before or after your visit, take a cooking class at Petra Kitchen (www.petrakitchen.com) and then eat your deliciously homemade Jordanian meal. Don't want to cook your own meal? Try the traditional lamb mansaf at the low-key Reem Baladi (Mid-Town on Tourist Street; Petra – Wadi Musa; tel. 0777312455). It's where the locals go! If you're not that hungry, head over to TimeOut (Tourist Street, Petra – Wadi Musa; tel. 962777809432) where you can get snacks and coffee while smoking shisha. With a couple extra days in Amman don't miss stopping by the most legendary falafel stand in town, Hashem (Al-Amir Mohammed St Downtown; tel. 96264636440). It will be challenging to snag a seat, but you won't be disappointed even if you are eating them in the overflow alleyway. Afterwards walk a few blocks over to Habibah; Al-Bank Al-Arabi downtown branch) who specializes in freshly baked Knafeh, a cheese pastry soaked in a sweet syrup and topped with crushed pistachios.
Get out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to get an unforgettable panorama of Wadi Rum in a hot air balloon. Royal Aero Sports Club (www.rascj.com ) offers a 50-60 minute birds-eye view for $182 USD.
Do as Lawrence of Arabia did and ride a camel through the arid desert. Rum Stars (rumstars.com; from $98) offers multiday camel trekking, but a word of warning: going by camel is a bumpy ride, much more so than a horse. Camps will also arrange tours that can range from ten minutes to ten days.
For the adventurous travelers who are not afraid of heights, stand on Burdah Bridge, the natural stone arch that sits 262 feet above the rock below. It's a dizzying and challenging climb to the summit, but the photo op from the top is a once-in-a-lifetime. Many of the jeep safari tours make a stop here, but confirm this before booking.
Strap your feet onto a board and take a wild ride down a sand dune. Sandboarding is similar to snowboarding, except if standing is too difficult it's perfectly acceptable to sit or lie down. Many full day or more tours will include sandboarding, some of the jeep safari tours will offer a sandboarding option for an additional cost (around $14 USD). The Bedouin Lifestyle Camp (www.bedouinlifestyle.com) offers a free snowboarding option upon request with all their jeep tours.
A Jeep Safari tour is the best way to see what Wadi Rum has to offer in the least amount of time. Common stops on a few hour tour can take you to Burdah Bridge, Lawrence's Spring, Al-Hasany Dunes, Nabatean Temple, and Khazali Canyon. Most, if not all, camps will offer a jeep safari, but you can also book on at the visitor's center for roughly $99 USD. Though, it will be more cost effective to book this tour in combination with an overnight camp stay, as discounts will be offered.
Do not take any photos of the Bedouin people, especially the woman, without getting permission.
The stars in Wadi Rum are unlike no other place, if you want to get photos of them be prepared with a tripod and knowing the proper settings for your camera.
It's easy to get lost in the desert, so it's best to have a guide with you when exploring. If not, make sure to carry a compass and a map.
US Citizens will need a visa, which can be purchased at the airport in Amman. A single-entry visa that is valid for up to 60 days currently costs 40 JD (about $56 USD).
Remember that some areas in Jordan, including some Wadi rum camps, are dry (no booze will be easily available) so grab a bottle or two in Amman or Petra.
Make sure to drink more water than you think you need. You are in the desert where it can be easy to get dehydrated. It doesn't hurt to stop by the pharmacy to pick up some dehydration powder packets that can easily be put into your water in case you feel dizzy.
When there is a choice, hire the Bedouin people as much as possible to support their community. Many of them are available as drivers and guides at the visitor's center.
If possible, leave your large luggage behind at your hotel. Traveling with just a backpack or duffel bag makes navigating the soft sand of Wadi Rum much easier.
Wear comfortable walking shoes; light hiking shoes or sturdy sandals would work unless you plan on doing some serious climbing. A pair of Keens would be a good choice.
Bring tissues, not so much for when you are at the camp but you make have to pit stop behind a tree while on the safari, plus frequently there's no toilet paper in the restrooms throughout Jordan.
A good pair of sunglasses is necessary for the dust and sun.
The sand will get everywhere so bring durable clothes that blend with the reddish colored sand. Anything white will discolor quickly!
It can get chilly at night, so bring layers of clothes. A long pair of warm pants and sweatshirt is a good idea.
There can be some pesky mosquitos out there, load up on the bug repellant.
Many camps are lit by candles or turn off their lights at a certain hour, so bring a flashlight to find your way around at night.
Jordan is primarily a Muslim country where many of the women choose to cover the curves of their body, hair and/or face. Though this is strictly a choice made by the individual, not a requirement, you should still be respectful to their customs by bringing modest clothing (no skimpy shorts or tops). Loose short sleeve t-shirts, ankle-length skirts, lightweight long pants, or capri-style are acceptable.
My trip to Jordan was hosted by My Jordan Journey, but all opinions are my own.
I have been a desert guide for a long time as of now. I know where to locate the most excellent and noteworthy spots of Wadi Rum furthermore its insider facts. Wadi Rum is his country and he cherishes it in particular.
I will answer all the inquiries that may strike a chord – about Bedouin dress, traditions, history or whatever other angle regarding the Bedouin you are occupied with. On wadi rum revelation visits, i will be provided food unique Bedouin sustenance and on the off chance that you like, you can find out about Bedouin conventional methods for supervision ordinary life.
This is still insufficient for you. To show you more about the critical boundary Bedouin life, i can organize home stay with families in Wadi rum desert.
Those photos look amazing! I've spent an evening in the desert (outside Abu Dhabi) but didn't get to spend the night. Definitely a bucket list item.
It was hard to take a bad photo with such beautiful landscape!
I bet your desert experience was pretty incredible too.
This looks like a really fun thing to do, especially considering the fact that you actually get in touch with a completely different culture. I actually love the desert, but I never spent an entire night out there – it gets cold pretty fast. Still, the images and the whole adventure look great!
I love the desert too, but your right that what made this such a incredible experience was the culture that was added to that.
This would definitely be an incredible first desert experience!
I love love LOVE Wadi rum and Jordan in general. My (half)sister is half Arabic herself and got married in 2017 to an Arab, and they got married in Amman (Thousand nights hotel on the rooftop, gorgeous place). Being in Jordan was absolutely amazing. I was there for the first time in 2015, then again in 2017 and for the last time in October 2018. In 2018 we went to Petra, the Dead Sea, Salt, Ma'in and Wadi Rum. We went on a Jeep ride through the desert and climbed a small mountain. It was absolutely amazing. I definitely recommend adding Ma'in and Salt to your bucket list. Ma'in is a natural hot spring. It's boiling water coming out of the mountains and you just sit in it. It's so refreshing and absolutely gorgeous. There is 3-4 parts where you can choose the warmth of the water (the 4th being a cave connected to number 3). The lowest one is the coldest and then there's 2 steps up where it gets warmer. Inside the cave the water is still boiling, and some people come there all the time to "shower" in it. It's amazing. If you ever get the chance to go to Salt in Jordan i reccomend you go to Restaurant Oriental and sit by the view and cliffs. They serve good food + there's an amazing view. I love it.
It sounds like you have had some amazing experiences in Jordan! Thank you for the recommendation, I will definitely be adding Ma'in and Salt to the bucket list.


text:
A Picture is Worth $100,000: TIAA-CREF Announces Winner of College Fund Contest at Sacramento-Area School
Nine-Year-Old Student Receives the Surprise of a Lifetime at Elementary School Assembly in Elk Grove, CA
Sacramento, CA, April 11, 2014 – Third-grade student Duncan Nakamoto received the surprise of a lifetime today when leading financial services provider TIAA-CREF unveiled his photo as the winner in the Big Dreams Start Small $100,000 College Savings Contest. His father, Calvin Nakamoto, submitted the photo and today received $100,000 to be deposited in a 529 college savings plan to help Duncan achieve his dreams through higher education.
Duncan learned the news during an assembly at Joseph Sims Elementary in Elk Grove surrounded by 800 of his schoolmates, teachers, staff, school principal and Elk Grove Board of Education members.
"Duncan dreams of the possibilities. Astronaut? Doctor? Paleontologist? With big dreams and hard work we believe he can make it a reality."
"Education is very important to our family and we have big dreams for Duncan," said Calvin Nakamoto. "Whether he decides to become a doctor, lawyer, astronaut or paleontologist, we are sure this award from TIAA-CREF – and his hard work – will set him on the path toward achieving his dreams."
The Big Dreams Start Small $100,000 College Fund Contest launched in September 2013 as part of the AARP® College Savings Solutions from TIAA-CREF program. The nationwide contest invited parents and grandparents to submit an original photo showing their child or grandchild "dreaming big" for the future, including a caption of 140 characters or fewer explaining how that child "dreams big." Calvin and Phylicia Nakamoto's photo of their son Duncan was selected by an independent panel of judges from nearly 3,000 entries.
Through AARP® College Savings Solutions from TIAA-CREF, TIAA-CREF is educating parents and grandparents about the benefits of saving for college. According to the College Savings Foundation, 37 percent of parents have not saved any money for their children, and only 30 percent have a 529 college savings plan.1 Grandparents can play an increasingly critical role in helping their grandchildren pay for college as the cost of higher education continues to rise and families struggle with tight budgets.
"We are committed to helping make college possible for more young people like Duncan," said Roger W. Ferguson Jr., president and chief executive officer of TIAA-CREF. "Research shows that children with a college savings account are seven times more likely to attend college than those without,2 so we want every parent and grandparent to know that small contributions over time can help make big dreams for college come true."
"I congratulate Calvin Nakamoto for his creativity in winning the contest and his foresight in planning now for his son's future," said California Treasurer Bill Lockyer, who chairs the ScholarShare Investment Board, which administers ScholarShare, California's 529 college savings plan. "I urge parents and grandparents everywhere to begin saving for college as early as possible. A college education helps a child succeed and prosper in an increasingly competitive economy."
Lockyer also thanked TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc., program manager for ScholarShare, for sponsoring the contest.
529 college savings plans are tax-advantaged investment accounts designed specifically to make the most of educational savings. Benefits of 529 plans include their federal tax-free growth potential, flexibility and ease of use. 529 college savings plans are sponsored by states and managed by professional financial organizations like TIAA-CREF.
"Along with parents, grandparents are playing a bigger role in providing resources to help their grandchildren achieve higher education," said Daphne Kwok, vice president, Multicultural Markets at AARP. "And through our programs, AARP supports families across the country by providing financial tools and resources and continuing to make real possibilities for all Americans."
For more information on state 529 college savings plans, visit AARP College Savings Solutions from TIAA-CREF. For more information on the Big Dreams Start Small contest, visit https://bigdreams.aarpcollegesavings.com/winner.
TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. (TFI) is one of the largest and longest-tenured program managers to state 529 college savings plans in the country. TFI successfully provides program management services to 11 state-sponsored 529 college savings plans, including California, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon, Vermont and Wisconsin.
TIAA-CREF (www.tiaa.org) is a national financial services organization with $564 billion in assets under management (as of 12.31.13) and is the leading provider of retirement services in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields.
About the Big Dreams Start Small Contest
The Big Dreams Start Small $100,000 College Fund Contest launched in September 2013 as part of the AARP® College Savings Solutions from TIAA-CREF program. The nationwide contest invited parents and grandparents to submit an original photo showing their child or grandchild "dreaming big" for the future, including a caption of 140 characters or fewer explaining how that child "dreams big."
The winning photo was selected by independent panels of judges based on creativity/originality and persuasiveness in communicating the significance of "dreaming big." Mr. Nakamoto received a $100,000 contribution to a California state 529 college savings account, which is sponsored by TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc.3 Complete contest rules, terms and conditions can be found at https://bigdreams.aarpcollegesavings.com/ .
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families, such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
About AARP Services, Inc.
AARP Services, Inc., founded in 1999, is a wholly owned taxable subsidiary of AARP. AARP Services manages the provider relationships for and performs quality control oversight of the wide range of products and services that carry the AARP name and are made available by independent providers as benefits to AARP's millions of members. The provider offers currently span health products, financial products, travel and leisure products, and life event services. Specific products include Medicare supplemental insurance; credit cards, auto and home, mobile home and motorcycle insurance, life insurance and annuities; member discounts on rental cars, cruises, vacation packages and lodging; special offers on technology and gifts; pharmacy services; legal services; and long term care insurance. AARP Services also engages in new product development activities for AARP and provides certain consulting services to outside companies.
The AARP College Savings Solutions from TIAA-CREF program is provided by TIAA-CREF, not AARP or its affiliates. TIAA-CREF pays a royalty fee to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP does not employ or endorse TIAA-CREF associates. Please contact TIAA-CREF directly for details.
1 College Savings Foundation, 2013 ( collegesavingsfoundation.org/pdf/Youth-Survey-Executive-Summary-2013.pdf )
2 http://money.cnn.com/2013/03/12/pf/college/college-savings/index.html
3 $100,000* contribution to a state 529 college savings plan account to which TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. provides services in one (1) of the following states: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon, Vermont or Wisconsin. *All federal, state, local, and other taxes on prize are the sole responsibility of the applicable winner and may significantly reduce the amount of the prize for winner.


Normal, healthy kidneys filter about 200 quarts of blood each day, generating about 2 quarts of excess fluid, salts, and waste products that are excreted as urine. Loss of function of these organs, even for a short period of time or due to gradual deterioration, can result in life-threatening complications. Whether kidney function is lost suddenly or slowly represents an important health challenge.
The NIDDK supports basic and clinical research on kidney development and disease, including the causes of kidney disease; the underlying mechanisms leading to progression of kidney disease; and the identification and testing of possible treatments to prevent development or halt progression of kidney disease. Also of interest are studies of inherited diseases such as polycystic kidney disease, congenital kidney disorders, and immune-related kidney diseases such as IgA nephropathy and hemolytic uremic syndrome.
It has been estimated that more than 30 million American adults have chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD has two main causes: high blood pressure and diabetes. CKD, especially if undetected, can progress to irreversible kidney failure. People with kidney failure require dialysis or a kidney transplant to live. Minority populations, particularly African Americans, Hispanic and Latino Americans, and American Indians and Alaska Natives, bear a disproportionate burden of CKD and kidney failure.
In addition, NIDDK has congressional authorization for the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse responds to questions and provides health information about kidney disease to people with kidney disease and to their families, health professionals, and the public. The National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) aims to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with kidney disease by promoting evidence-based interventions to improve understanding, detection, and management of kidney disease.
To achieve its mission, NIDDK supports, conducts, coordinates, and plans research. NIDDK also provides data and samples from NIDDK-funded studies and explains research findings to health professionals and the public.
NIDDK invests in basic, clinical and translational research and training at colleges, universities and other institutions.
NIDDK investigators conduct biomedical research and training in the Institute's laboratories and clinical facilities in Maryland and Arizona.
NIDDK takes multiple approaches to research planning and priority setting.
NIDDK makes publicly supported resources, data sets, and studies available to researchers.
NIDDK provides patient education information, practice tools for diagnosis and treatment, and statistics.


text:
A Bright Light in the Dark
Out musician Rod Thomas centers LGBTQ culture with his disco-laden third album
by Chris Azzopardi | photos courtesy Warren Piece
The name Rod Thomas might not be instantly recognizable, but it's likely you've come across the one he uses on stage. As Bright Light Bright Light, Thomas has been a staple of the international LGBTQ music scene for the last 10 years, performing for Cher on the European leg of her 2019 tour and collaborating on a song with Elton John.
The independent Welsh singer-songwriter's latest album, "Fun City," is awash in the queer make-up of disco culture, fittingly corralling a roster of LGBTQ notables including Andy Bell of Erasure, Jake Shears, Justin Vivian Bond and Sam Sparro.
Leading up to its release, what's been the day-to-day of getting this album out?
It's been trying to rethink the whole presentation of it because it's very LGBTQ+ focused. What I've been working on with my agent this last year-and-a-half is touring with other queer artists and going to smaller spaces in different cities and working with LGBTQ+ local artists and drag performers. We wanted to make it like "Soul Train circus comes to town" and also highlight local LGBTQ+ businesses, organizations and charities and really use it to expand on the story of the record, which is respect for queer culture.
Not being able to do that this year has been kind of depressing because it really was meant to be much more than this album, like before it was hip to be fucking amplifying people's voices the whole point of this record was to shine a light on artists that people overlook or local talent that people don't really get a chance to hear about. Not really being able to do that properly felt just a bit sad. Hopefully next year I can take that on the road and do it then, if any of these venues are still open.
Have you thought about a way to reconfigure your plan for a virtual audience?
I don't think it's very effective. I really don't think it is. I think people are so exhausted by online presence and online events that I just don't think it's going to have any impact, so I really do think it needs to happen when there's people in a room. Online there's just so much white noise that you can't really cut through, especially if you don't have the budget of a Dua Lipa or Miley Cyrus – who I love. But the minute they put out a song then that kind of dominates the gay male focus.
Your song with Justin Vivian Bond, "Saying Goodbye Is Exhausting," is really touching. What can you say about that song?
I feel like a big part of gay life is losing people too young, and that's about a friend. I don't often write that kind of lyric about personal loss, but that is about a friend who died two years ago and was 33, 34 years old. Throughout time people have been murdered by homophobes, but also with the AIDS crisis and everything that LGBTQ+ people have gone through, it has been watching their contemporaries or their friends or their family die too young.
Even during the last three weeks we've seen Black person after Black person murdered, trans woman after trans woman murdered. Saying goodbye and watching these people disappear is absolutely exhausting when people have the power to stop it and literally nobody that it doesn't affect gives a fuck and it's just unforgivable. I don't understand where the compassion in society has gone. Even if you were the shittiest white person living, how do you not understand that watching person after person die is exhausting?
I remember reading that you're a mood board person. What did your mood boards look like for this album?
Oh, fucking mental. (Laughs.) It was really mental. Let me see if I can find it. I think I have it. I still keep printouts of everything.
You should.
Yeah, I do. My apartment is a lunatic asylum.
Well, you're an artist.
Let's go with that, yeah. (Laughs.) One of the boards is: "Eyes of Laura Mars." "Body Double." "The Stepford Wives." "Escape from New York." "Party Girl." Silence=Death and the pink triangle. "Showgirls." And Sylvester's live album cover. I wanted it to feel like it sort of spoke to or about different parts of queer culture that I've really learned a lot from or was really inspired by through the years, so I kind of hope it does that in some loose way. Also, on a lighter note: "Big Trouble in Little China." "After Hours." "Cat People." "Blade Runner." "Sweet Charity," with Shirley MacLaine.
How does "Showgirls" fit into the vibe of the album?
Delusion. (Laughs.)
Do you usually reference a lot of films when you're making music?
Yes, it's mostly film that I reference, honestly. Looking at references makes me want to make a song that sounds like those images, and I find that much more inspiring than a playlist of songs because film speaks to me a little bit more and teases images out in my brain.
While we're on the topic of film, what made "Gremlins" so special to you that you named yourself after the Gizmo line "bright light, bright light"?
(Laughs.) I honestly don't know. I don't think I named myself after that because it was a particularly special film. When I was thinking about what to call myself with my manager at the time, that is the first thing that came into my head. I thought, "God, that's pretty shit," but then I couldn't think of anything better, and it kind of stuck. I liked that it alluded to dance floors and nightlife and electricity and electronic music. It just seemed to work. And I'm a huge fan of the "Gremlins" franchise, so that definitely works for me too.
And I read that the title was inspired by a comment made by former NYC mayor John V. Lindsay on his first day in office in 1966, amidst a crippling transit strike. Is that right?
Yeah, it was. Basically when he took over on his first day of office the whole city fell to shit and it was a disaster. There was a transit strike and the lights went out and everyone just lost their minds and one of his adversaries was like, "Oh, so you're still happy to be the mayor?" And he was like, "I still think it's a fun city."
So I kind of took the idea of this very flawed paradise and applied that to how queer people have had to live the whole time. It's like, you move to LA, New York, Atlanta, whatever is your city, to escape the suburbia you're not safe in. But then you get to the city, which has things like other gay people, nightlife, sex, glamour, jobs. It has everything. But you also have the prejudice and the danger and the need to keep both eyes open all the time whilst remembering to celebrate yourself and have fun. So "Fun City," for me, is like this place that you aspire to live in. But it's also a double-edged sword because it could be your downfall.
Did you personally experience this?
Yeah. Where I grew up is absolutely not tolerant of gay people. When I was young I grew up in the middle of nowhere, in like an old coal mining valley in South Wales, which was homophobic. So, for me, it was going to London and then moving from London to New York; it's like chasing the best version of yourself and finding a place that allows you to be the best version of yourself with the people you want to be surrounded by.
Has disco and dance music been a catharsis for you?
Dance, yeah. The whole ethos of disco from my understanding is: dancing through pain, or singing through turmoil, or celebrating through adversity. So referencing that in relation to what I wanted to talk about with the record felt kind of right to me. A lot of gay culture was born and bred from the love of disco music, and the joy and togetherness it inspired is still very much at the heart of LGBTQ+ culture.
As editor of Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.
Positive Thoughts: Partnership Science
Nashville CARES Announces the Iris Buhl Philanthropy Award


text:
Memphis Grizzlies New Orleans Pelicans Top 2 Western Conference
Zion Williamson (left) and Ja MorantImage: Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors lost again last night. On Tuesday, the Phoenix Suns lost a game to the modest Houston Rockets for the second time this month. Those two wins account for 22.2 percent of the Rockets' wins this season.
The Denver Nuggets have a solid grip on the Western Conference No. 3 but have struggled to string together enough wins to finish in the top two. The Dallas Mavericks have a .500 record, the Los Angeles Clippers are recovering, and the current four to seven seeded players all have 12 or 13 losses.
There are two top teams in the Eastern Conference – the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks – that are a clear cut above everyone else. With the West's top 12 teams separated by just seven games, some might think the conference lacked clarity. The top two teams didn't dominate in the same way.
Though talented and feisty, some may believe the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies are too young to be boldly declared the best in the West. Neither team has one of the top three players in the conference on their roster – Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokić or Luka Dončić. The Pelicans and Grizzlies don't currently have a MVP leader on their list, but they are tied 18-9 for the best record in the conference.
It's tempting to blame early-season injuries — along with the drama in Phoenix and Golden State — for explaining away the early-season successes in Memphis and New Orleans. As the Nuggets and Clippers continue to improve in health, they may flee after all. However, the same is also true for the grizzlies and pelicans.
The Grizz have been without their second-best scorer since Nov. 11. Desmond Bane is struggling with a big toe injury and is expected to be out for another 3-4 weeks. Brandon Ingram is the Pelicans' second-best scorer and is also struggling with a sore big toe that kept him out of the lineup for eight games and he's being re-evaluated in a week.
Herb Jones – New Orleans' best defenseman – was back on the court for the first time in three games on Tuesday. Jaren Jackson Jr. has been a mosquito net on defense for Memphis this season, but he's only played in half of their games.
Still, not only do the Pels and Grizz have the best records in the West after 25 games, they both rank in the NBA's top 10 for both offense and defensive efficiency. The pelicans are the top 5.
It's far too early to rank Zion Williamson and Ja Morant among the best No. 1 and No. 2 all-time picks selected in the same NBA draft, but the early returns look promising. As of Thursday afternoon, Zion is averaging 25 points per game and Morant is averaging 27.7 as they are two of the most unstoppable forces in the entire league.
They are also both willing passers-by. The Pelicans don't rely on Point Zion nearly as much as they did in 2020-21, but this premier power forward is still averaging 4.3 assists per game. Even with Bane out a month, Morant is averaging 1.1 more assists per game than last season.
With health always a variable and a trade deadline looming, there is no guarantee these two will remain at the forefront of the west. Maybe the Mavericks make a trade, and maybe Michael Porter Jr. will average 20 points a game on 50/40/90 shooting splits for the rest of the season when he returns from his heel injury. The Golden State Warriors are the defending champions and have beaten several of the league's best teams. They're always lurking.
It will be a tall order for the Pelicans and Grizzlies to stay on top of the west, but they have the talent. Their franchise players are rising NBA stars and play in offenses where they don't have to carry an unnecessarily heavy burden. Also, both teams are young and focused on the defensive end of the ball. That's a headache for any opponent who stays on their schedule.
And don't forget that these are two teams that have taken a good chunk of playoff hits. The Grizzlies had the Warriors on the ropes at times in their second-round streak last season. Against the 65-win Phoenix Suns, the New Orleans Pelicans didn't have Willamson for a single game and still pushed them in a hard-fought six-game streak.
Battle-hardened, upgraded, and key contributors are still out injured. The Pelicans and Grizzlies are real and expect to fight for the top spot in the west all season long.
Previous Weekly Quest Guide: Week Sixteen – DOTABUFF
Next Astralis founds the media company Blackbox Media
8 mins ago News Desk


text:
RexBlog.com
Rex Hammock's RexBlog.com
Rex on the Web
Receive posts via RSS
Twitter (@R)
Rex.tumblr.com – Off-topic interests
Pinterest (/rexhammock)
Hammock Inc.
About Hammock
Hammock Blog
Idea Email
SmallBusiness.com
SmallBusiness.com Posts by Rex
Twitter (@smallbusiness)
Pinterest.com/SmallBusiness
Tag: bicycling
Question of the Day: What is the Best Bicycle Rain Gear for Commuters?
June 7, 2018 June 7, 2018 Rex HammockLeave a comment
Rain gear vs. rain cape: My first fashion advice post in the history of this blog.
Recently, a friend of mine started commuting to work by bike. (That's one more Nashvillian down, another 691,242 to go.) As it had been raining in Nashville for the past 40 days and 40 nights, he texted me to ask if I had a suggestion regarding rain gear. After trying to answer with a text message (something like, "just enjoy getting wet"), I realized that bicycle rain apparel is a highly personal and technical topic. Not quite up there with whether or not wear a helmet (I do), but still an existential matter that can't be addressed in anything less than a few hundred words.
So here we go.
First, follow my grapefruit rule
No matter what style or brand of rain gear you get, you should be able to compress it into a nylon bag the size and shape of a grapefruit. That way, you'll put it in one of your pair of yellow Ortlieb bike bags (or "panniers" ) and always have it handy. Now that I think of it, everything you have when cycling to work (except a laptop) should be able to compress into something the size and shape of a grapefruit (even better, a tangerine).
Rain cape or rain gear?
I. What is a rain cape?
In Britain, the word "cape" means "expensive poncho." As in, "Those Yanks will pay twice as much for a poncho if you call it a cape."
Option #1 Rain Cape | Brooks | $120-$160
| Brooks Cambridge Rain Cape |
I have a Brooks rain cape. Before doing ten minutes of google-research for this post, I thought my Brooks cape was ridiculously expensive.
However, my wife gave it to me as a birthday gift and threatened to divorce me if I ever again used a Hefty 55-gallon leaf bag (sometimes called, a Tennessee rain cape).
Brooks is the British brand of a company that makes leather "saddles" (which translates into American as, "expensive seats").
Some people think Brooks saddles are over-rated and too expensive. As I've used a Brooks saddle for the last 5,000 miles or so, I have discovered that after about mile 4,000 of getting broken in, the value of a Brooks saddle starts revealing itself.
On the other hand, a Brooks "cape" seems to me to be a licensing deal with an Italian company — not something that is manufactured by Brooks. Nevertheless, it can keep a person dry in most situations. While I haven't been in most bicycle situations many times, I have been in nearly every bicycle commuting situation at least once. For example, since my commuter bike (Jamison) is made of steel, I try to avoid the situation of lightning. (It only took one near miss.) Because my Brooks cape has kept me dry but not sweaty, I think it would be a good option, unless I was from Rhode Island (see next cape option).
Option #2 Rain Cape as a Lifestyle Brand | Cleverhood | $250
Note to my friend who asked for advice about rain gear. Don't look at the rain cape on the right. I've advised people not to pay this much for bikes. But when you click over to Cloverhood, you're going to discover they are a Providence, RI, product. As you are also a Rhode Island product, perhaps you know someone who knows someone. Ask for the RI native discount. There can't be that many of you from such a small state. Perhaps they are having after summer sale?
II. Rain Gear
Rain gear is for serious lobstermen and all-weather bike commuters. It comes in various colors (black and yellow) but should always be yellow. According to this article in a long-ago Bangor Daily News about what real lobstermen wear, Tom Martin of Mackerel Cove on Bailey Island starts his day on the docks in $5,289 of lobsterman gear.
As this Flickr album will prove, I am no stranger to Bailey Island and the humor of its natives. (A native being someone who has at least two great-grandparents who were born there.) I can only imagine that Tom Marting of Mackerel Cove is still laughing that a "not from here" writer believed him when he said his rain gear cost $5,289.
However, I do suggest that New Englanders try out traditional lobster-person rain gear in the way I imagine real Mainers get theirs — as cheaply as possible.
Option 1 | Find some lobsterman gear in a garage sale and make up a story about it being the only thing to survive the Andrea Gail back during the "perfect storm" of 1991 — perhaps you found it after it floated to shore near Gloucester, Mass.
Option 2 | Turns out (according to Google) that there is Louis Vuitton rain gear that cost thousands of dollars; perhaps for those Mainers (or more likely, New Porters) who own a Hinckley Picnic boat.
Option 3 | Or, (and this is my actual advice) Search for "Commercial Rain Wear" on Granger.com (like an industrial REI). They have hundreds of yellow rain stuff priced from little to a lot.
Categories: bicycleTags: bicycle, bicycle commuting, bicycling
Yield to The Optical Illusion Planks Painted on The Street
May 11, 2016 May 11, 2016 Rex HammockLeave a comment
Zebra crossings—the striped crosswalks common on roads around the world—don't necessarily work very well.
All over Nashville's "urban core," there are pedestrian crosswalks with large white stripes painted on the street and a large "Yield" traffic sign displaying an arrow pointing down at the stripes. "STATE LAW," these signs sream in all caps..
Yet something about that combination of white stripes, "STATE LAW" and the Yield sign makes people who drive cars think they have the right away if a person walking wants to cross the street.
So when I saw these photos and a story on FastCompany.com, I couldn't help but laugh and think how great it would be to see these appear in Nashville.
Zebra crossings—the striped crosswalks common on roads around the world—don't necessarily work very well. In one Swedish study, drivers stopped for pedestrians only 5% of the time at the crosswalks and rarely slowed down. A city in India is experimenting with another approach: By adding some perspective shading to the stripes, the crosswalk looks a little like a roadblock from a distance.
Categories: bicyclingTags: bicycling, walking
Launched in August, 2000, RexBlog.com is the personal blog of Rex Hammock, founder/ceo of Hammock Inc., a customer media and marketing services company founded in 1991 in Nashville. Rex is also founder/helper-in-chief of SmallBusiness.com. (...)
Chief Executive Magazine: Top Ten CEO Blogs
CEO.com: Top 25 CEO Bloggers
Feedspot.com | Top 25 CEO Bloggers (2017)
Nashville Technology Council: Social Media/Blogger of the Year (2009)
Econsultancy.com: "When it comes to discussing what the future holds, Rex Hammock is one of the guys you want to speak to."
What Happens When You Spend too Much Time in Thin Air
Playing Hookey
Two Audio Stories That Should be Required Listening
The Only Things We Have to Fear are Statistics
Google Doodle, Bluegrass Style
Latest on SmallBusiness.com
Mastercard and Zoho Are Expanding Their Small Business Software Partnership Worldwide
Main Street Retailers Still Out-Selling Online Competitors
Independent Workers are Continuing to Find Business Outside the U.S.
How Many Paid Vacation Days Should Your Full-time Employees Receive?
Google for Small Business is a New Way to Locate Google Resources to Grow Your Business
Archive Select Month May 2019 (1) March 2019 (1) January 2019 (5) October 2018 (1) September 2018 (1) August 2018 (3) June 2018 (1) May 2018 (1) April 2018 (7) March 2018 (2) February 2018 (3) January 2018 (2) December 2017 (1) November 2017 (1) October 2017 (3) September 2017 (1) August 2017 (3) July 2017 (6) June 2017 (4) April 2017 (6) March 2017 (1) February 2017 (4) January 2017 (3) November 2016 (5) October 2016 (3) September 2016 (3) August 2016 (7) July 2016 (7) June 2016 (7) May 2016 (4) April 2016 (5) March 2016 (4) February 2016 (4) January 2016 (3) December 2015 (1) November 2015 (2) October 2015 (2) September 2015 (3) August 2015 (5) July 2015 (4) June 2015 (7) May 2015 (12) April 2015 (2) March 2015 (6) February 2015 (5) January 2015 (3) December 2014 (1) November 2014 (5) October 2014 (6) September 2014 (5) August 2014 (4) July 2014 (3) June 2014 (2) May 2014 (6) April 2014 (8) March 2014 (7) February 2014 (6) January 2014 (6) December 2013 (5) November 2013 (3) October 2013 (6) September 2013 (4) August 2013 (7) July 2013 (10) June 2013 (2) May 2013 (10) April 2013 (7) March 2013 (6) February 2013 (9) January 2013 (5) December 2012 (6) November 2012 (5) October 2012 (6) September 2012 (11) August 2012 (4) July 2012 (8) June 2012 (9) May 2012 (11) April 2012 (9) March 2012 (19) February 2012 (11) January 2012 (15) December 2011 (11) November 2011 (12) October 2011 (12) September 2011 (9) August 2011 (7) July 2011 (7) June 2011 (14) May 2011 (33) April 2011 (11) March 2011 (15) February 2011 (18) January 2011 (13) December 2010 (12) November 2010 (25) October 2010 (15) September 2010 (11) August 2010 (13) July 2010 (16) June 2010 (12) May 2010 (14) April 2010 (10) March 2010 (17) February 2010 (13) January 2010 (22) December 2009 (19) November 2009 (17) October 2009 (25) September 2009 (30) August 2009 (35) July 2009 (47) June 2009 (55) May 2009 (47) April 2009 (38) March 2009 (45) February 2009 (28) January 2009 (27) December 2008 (34) November 2008 (31) October 2008 (48) September 2008 (35) August 2008 (30) July 2008 (35) June 2008 (51) May 2008 (53) April 2008 (57) March 2008 (44) February 2008 (47) January 2008 (57) December 2007 (65) November 2007 (62) October 2007 (61) September 2007 (58) August 2007 (51) July 2007 (77) June 2007 (85) May 2007 (66) April 2007 (110) March 2007 (110) February 2007 (77) January 2007 (109) December 2006 (125) November 2006 (122) October 2006 (89) September 2006 (53) August 2006 (80) July 2006 (124) June 2006 (95) May 2006 (94) April 2006 (97) March 2006 (63) February 2006 (113) January 2006 (138) December 2005 (151) November 2005 (127) October 2005 (131) September 2005 (166) August 2005 (215) July 2005 (130) June 2005 (111) May 2005 (171) April 2005 (157) March 2005 (142) February 2005 (140) January 2005 (132) December 2004 (142) November 2004 (153) October 2004 (140) September 2004 (151) August 2004 (126) July 2004 (147) June 2004 (91) May 2004 (116) April 2004 (114) March 2004 (114) February 2004 (13) January 2004 (73) December 2003 (73) November 2003 (85) October 2003 (131) September 2003 (122) August 2003 (62) July 2003 (84) June 2003 (102) May 2003 (77) April 2003 (88) March 2003 (57) February 2003 (81) January 2003 (55) December 2002 (59) November 2002 (76) October 2002 (99) September 2002 (85) August 2002 (47) July 2002 (28) June 2002 (69) May 2002 (82) April 2002 (51) March 2002 (67) February 2002 (92) January 2002 (91) December 2001 (1) December 2000 (2) August 2000 (2)
< img />
About the can.


text:
Q: PHP - FB photo/video upload issue I'm working on a web site that has to upload some videos and photos on my personal FB page.
I'm using the PHP SDK v4, and I registered my test App on FB (called CountLikes). Trying and trying again, I finally made a simple post on my wall, so at the moment I want to upload an image on my profile.
I copied the code written here, changing filename and path: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/php/howto/uploadphoto/4.0.0
I don't get any error message, but the code is not working fine. When I check on my profile I see that there is a new album called "CountLikes Album", but inside there is no photo.
The Access Token I use has all the possible permission (I will select the right ones when I will do this upload).
I post here the code I written (APPID, APPSECRET and TOKEN are written correctly in the original code): could you help me?
<?php
define('FACEBOOK_SDK_V4_SRC_DIR', 'Z:/Sito/FB/facebook-php-sdk-v4-4.0-dev/src/Facebook/');
require __DIR__ . '/facebook-php-sdk-v4-4.0-dev/autoload.php';
use Facebook\FacebookSession;
use Facebook\FacebookRequest;
use Facebook\GraphUser;
use Facebook\FacebookRequestException;
FacebookSession::setDefaultApplication('APPID','APPSECRET');
FacebookSession::enableAppSecretProof(false);
$session = new FacebookSession('TOKEN');
if($session)
{
  try
  {
    $response = (new FacebookRequest(
  $session, 'POST', '/me/photos', array(
    'source' => new CURLFile('Z:\Sito\FB\test.jpg', 'image/png'),
    'message' => 'User provided message'
  )
))->execute()->getGraphObject();
echo "Posted with id: " . $response->getProperty('id');
  }
   catch(FacebookRequestException $e)
   {
echo "Exception occured, code: " . $e->getCode();
echo " with message: " . $e->getMessage();
}
}
?>

Thanks in advance!

A: The issue might be with this line:
'source' => new CURLFile('Z:\Sito\FB\test.jpg', 'image/png'),

You are setting the type as png and uploading jpg. Update that and see if it works.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


One of the greatest teachers I ever had was Dr. Solar. (I wish I could remember his first name). He was my zoology professor at Roosevelt University back in the late 60s. Dr. Solar was a respected member of the scientific community. (He had worked with a team of scientists on the discovery of DNA - if I recall correctly). He is also an Orthodox Jew. And yet he was the person that opened up my eyes to the Theory of Evolution.
Our class which took place in the evening consisted of many Orthodox Jewish students some of whom (like me) were Yeshiva students. After one of those lectures on evolution a few of us ran up to him and asked if he personally believed in it. His answer was an unequivocal yes. We were all somewhat surprised at that response since we all knew he was a religious Orthodox Jew. But he clearly told us that believing in Evolution does not contradict the Torah. Which of course has a different narrative about the origin of species. The two were compatible in the sense that the Torah does not tell us the mechanism God used to create the species. So that evidence of evolution can simply mean that this was the method God used.
I am not going to get into the details of evolution other than to say that I do not believe that evidence of it contradicts the Torah. I don't think there is any question that evolution takes place. This can be demonstrated in microcosm in any high school science lab. Which had been done by my daughter many times when she taught science at Hanna Sacks Beis Yaakov. Whether Evolution is the origin of species or not - is beyond the scope of this post.
I bring this up in the context of whether scientists generally believe in God. My impression is that most of them don't. I got this impression form a few very prominent scientists that do not keep these views secret.
I recall a wonderful PBS series in the 80s called 'Cosmos'. Therein the late astrophysicist Carl Sagan described the wonderful world of the stars and dealt with things like Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. Truly fascinating stuff. He explained everything on all of those episodes in easy to understand language. But I recall one particular episode where he actually made the argument not to believe in God. He was convinced that God does not exist.
A few years ago Fox had an updated version of Cosmos where another astrophysicist by the name of Neil deGrasse Tyson did the same thing, arguing that the scientific way of seeing things is the basis of all truth. And that we should all give up our preconceived notions about a Creator for which there is no proof.
The late evolutionary biologist, Stephen J. Gould was an atheist too.
Albert Einstein was an atheist as well. His comment about 'God not playing dice with the universe' was just a euphemism used to dismiss the quantum theory of the Niels Bohr and the Uncertainty Principle.
Why is it that so many scientists do not believe in God?
I have a theory of my own about that. It depends on just how much one relies on the 5 physical senses. If that is the only measure one uses to determine reality, then the scientific inability to physically detect God's existence leads the scientific mind to assume the null hypothesis. Which assumes nullity unless proven otherwise. Since God cannot be conclusively proven, why bother believing in Him, they ask.
This approach fosters a mindset that tends to doubt the existence of a spiritual world. Of which God is obviously part. They will assert that using religion to explain existence was for an era where many phenomena could not be explained in scientific terms. Now much of that phenomena can be explained. We don't need any kind of Spiritual Being to explain anything.
Where does that leave us, the believing Jew that also believes in science? Is there a such a thing as a scientist that believes in God?
Well, yes, as in the above-mentioned Dr. Solar. And among the more famous ones there is Professor Gerald Schroeder and the late physicist, Arye Kaplan. There is in fact an entire organization of scientists that believe not only in God, but in the Torah. It's called the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists.
Just because a scientific phenomenon seems to contradict what the Torah seems to be telling us does not mean that one of them is false. All it means is that we need a better understanding of one or both. This is the way I feel and I am proud to be a believer in both the Torah and science. And I thank both my Rebbe, Rav Ahron Soloveichik and Dr. Solar for guiding me in both.
Warning: As in all conversations like this, debating God's existence will not be tolerated. Nor will debating the truth of the Torah be tolerated. This is an Orthodox Jewish blog which assumes the truth of both.


text:
Drivers respect funeral procession in Newark
Barrett Lawlis
NEWARK - It's part of the Ohio Revised Code that vehicles have to yield the right of way for funeral processions, but one driver took it an extra step Tuesday and got out of her car to stand at attention for the passing procession.
Bill Bolen's funeral procession began at the Vensil & Chute Funeral Home, making its way down West Main Street toward 21st Street and eventually Ohio 13. Cars along the way pulled off to the side to let them pass out of respect and because it is the law.
However, one woman's actions caught the attention of Bolen's family.
"She was pulled over in front of AutoZone on 21st Street, and she stepped out of her car," said Ellen Bolen, sister-in-law to the deceased. "She wasn't stiff at attention, but she stood respectfully, with her arms crossed in front of her."
After the funeral, Ellen Bolen's niece created a post to the closed Facebook page "Newark Ohio Selling Wall" to thank the anonymous driver who went out of her way to show respect for her father.
The driver, Kyli Payton Hernandez, acknowledged the post and responded to Megan Bolen on the post. She said it was the "least (she) could do."
After the post went live, it received over 1,000 likes within five hours Wednesday. Ellen Bolen said she was amazed that strangers would react as they did to Hernandez's action.
"It's great to see how positive everyone has been about Megan's post and Kyli's response," she said. "I get goose bumps each time I tell the story."
Hernandez wasn't the only one who impressed the family with their respect.
As the procession made its way to Ohio 13, a Pike Electrical company work crew stopped its work on the power lines and the workers removed their hardhats until after the procession passed before resuming their work.
"I made sure to call the company to say those workers needed a pat on the back," Ellen Bolen said.


A bachelor's degree is an undergraduate program that takes around four years to complete. Many schools around the world allow students to earn this designation by taking classes online, which gives them more flexibility.
What is an online Bachelor's in Tourism and Hospitality? This program prepares students with the skills necessary to provide excellent customer service as a hospitality professional. Almost every school offers a different approach, but students often learn how local culture, the environment and economy affect the tourism and hospitality industry. Some programs may also focus on creative management and leadership skills. Scholars may also have the opportunity to specialize in a particular area, such as tourist destination development, convention and meeting management, and gaming operations.
In this program, program participants develop problem-solving and people skills, which is often beneficial in a number of different jobs as well as in an individual's personal life. Earning the degree also gives students a wide variety of careers to choose from in many different parts of the world.
The costs associated with earning this degree can vary from one school to another. Certain factors affect what each school charges for tuition, so students are encouraged to get in touch with them directly to find out what will be required financially.
There are many different careers available in the areas of management, sales and marketing, customer service and special events. Potential employers may be casinos, airlines, hotels and resorts, cruise companies, food service providers, visitor bureaus, property management companies, internet sites and travel book publishers. The types of jobs may include operations management, banquet management, activities and programs planning, trade show planning, media planning and development, promotions, travel planning and guest relations.
If a job in tourism and hospitality is of interest, start researching schools and programs now. Search for your program below and contact directly the admission office of the school of your choice by filling in the lead form.
The holder of DEESTH - Hospitality Travel creates and markets tourism products, be it travel deals or receptions venues. He knows the main attractions and sights of different countries to write a travel program, design a route and a circuit program.
In creating his product, he calculates the profitability and implements market research.
The Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality Management (Honours) programme equips you with intellectual and leadership capabilities to allow you to move into a range of international leadership positions within prestigious hospitality organizations.
An Honours degree in tourism and Hospitality management is like a passport to the entire globe. Managerial level graduates are in high demand across all sectors of the service industry. Skills shortages in hospitality and tourism are well recognized and the industry is in critical need of more management level hospitality and tourism professionals.