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Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care: Meditation
An ongoing series highlighting complementary therapies, adapted from The Complete Guide to Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care
by Dr. Barrie Cassileth PhD Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair and Chief of the Integrative Medicine department at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Meditation is among the most accepted complementary therapies in mainstream medicine. Its origins lie in the work of shamans, or early priests, who meditated while seeking guidance from the spiritual realm. Every major religion in the world has regarded and used meditation as a link to spiritual enlightenment. Hypnosis, especially self-hypnosis, may be seen as a deeper form of meditation. Both have ancient origins in magic and religion.
Meditation gained serious attention in Western cultures in the 1960s. As word spread of Eastern masters able to perform remarkable feats of bodily control and achieve altered states of consciousness, people in Western countries became increasingly fascinated by meditation. Health practitioners and researchers became interested in understanding how the mind could produce physiologic changes in the body. Meditation's purported ability to achieve physical benefits was a natural springboard for the curiosity and the research activity that continues to this day.
Meditation has been described in varying, often extreme terms. Viewed by some as a means of maintaining attention pleasantly anchored in the current moment, it has also been canonized as a catalyst for world peace. As emphasized in most Asian traditions, mental control is the foundation of meditation, and mental control also lies behind the application of meditation as a complementary healing technique. Mental mastery is believed capable of producing physiologic and emotional change. The goal is to improve health in general and facilitate the healing of certain disorders.
Across its many varieties, meditation includes certain common procedures. The meditator sits or rests quietly, usually with eyes closed, in a peaceful environment devoid of distractions. Mental exercises geared to channel concentration and relax the body are performed. The aim is to stay relaxed yet alert. Typically, a point of concentration is selected. This can be an object, a word, a sound, a mantra, an action, or merely the rhythm of one's own breathing. Many practitioners also adopt a passive, receptive attitude in which fleeting thoughts are disregarded without reflection. Saint Francis of Assisi likened these thoughts to birds flying overhead that should be observed without "letting them nest in the hair."
What Practitioners Say It Does
Meditation is often lauded as a means of managing stress. Stress is now widely acknowledged as contributing to and exacerbating many health problems. Therapies such as meditation have many proponents because these approaches provide effective relaxation techniques that help patients deal with stressful situations.
During meditation people learn to redirect their attention to the present, reacting to neither memories of the past nor thoughts of the future. Preoccupation with past and future is believed to be a major source of chronic stress.
The mental training that meditation provides teaches individuals to be aware of what causes their stress, thereby giving them a sense of control. Control makes the difference between positive and detrimental stress. The benefits of relaxation and stress reduction, in turn, can reduce levels of stress hormones, improve immune function, diminish chronic pain, improve mood, and even possibly enhance fertility. Quieting the conscious mind is believed also to allow the body's inner wisdom, or "internal physician," to be heard. That is, meditation promotes the body's ability to heal itself.
Further benefits attributed to meditation include enhanced immune function in individuals with chronic diseases such as cancer and AIDS. Practitioners also claim success with meditation included as part of the treatment of patients with hypertension and heart disease. It is also considered useful in assisting rehabilitative therapies for alcohol, drug, and other addictions.
Devotees say that with regular, long-term meditation, they experience personal and spiritual growth. They claim richer sensory experiences, greater alertness, and increased mental efficiency—as well as the ability to access deeper levels of awareness. Some even attest to a mystical sense of oneness with God or the universe.
Beliefs on Which It Is Based
The major foundation for the popularity of meditation, especially as a benefit to personal health, is the belief that the mind can cause changes in the body. Many cultures, particularly in Asia where meditative strategies have long been included in health regimens, have relied on this idea for millennia. A more recent underlying belief is the idea that stress itself has harmful effects on the body. Because meditation emphasizes mental training and relaxation and imparts a sense of control, it is considered a potent agent against stress and anxiety. That is part of the reason why meditation has gained widespread acceptance as a valid, beneficial medical therapy.
Research Evidence to Date
Many studies have documented the correlation between meditation and the reduction of stress, anxiety, and panic states. Research documents the relaxation response produced by meditation and prayer, a response involving decreased heart and respiration rates and eased muscle tension. Meditation has also been shown to help control negative thinking and assist people in managing potentially stressful situations in a calm fashion.
Research evidence shows that meditation helps decrease chronic pain. Meditation performed regularly over an eight-week period reduced participants' pain by as much as 50 percent.
There's Meditation and Then There's Transcendental Meditation
During the rise in popularity of meditation in the 1960s, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a physics scholar from India, developed a version of the practice called transcendental meditation (TM). TM is based on ancient Indian practices and is similar to other forms of meditation such as Zen, yoga, progressive relaxation, and other means of eliciting deep relaxation, but promotional materials claim that TM also teaches mastery of the forces of nature, enabling students to become invisible, walk through walls, fly unassisted, and develop "the strength of an elephant." Devotees claim that TM is the vehicle for enlightenment and even world peace.
Accepting these beliefs is not prerequisite to benefiting from the practice of TM. Its physiologic benefits, which are shared by other types of meditation and are not unique to this particular approach, are well documented. But flying through the air? Becoming invisible? These aspects likely don't make sense to most of us.
The relaxation, stress reduction, and pain relief benefits of meditation are well documented. It has been found to reduce lactic acid, which is associated with anxiety. Mainstream medical practitioners often recommend meditation as an adjunct to conventional treatment or as a preventive health measure.
Meditation can ease muscle tension, lower oxygen consumption and heart rate, and, with practice, decrease blood pressure. Therefore it is often recommended for patients with hypertension or heart disease in conjunction with dietary and other positive lifestyle changes. Regular practice of meditation can enhance one's sense of control and improve self-esteem. Meditation can also promote spiritual growth, calm, and serenity.
Assistance with meditation is available from practitioners, including psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, stress reduction experts, yoga masters, and clinics at many major medical centers and local hospitals.
Many organizations offer related services and information as well as audio recordings that teach meditation. A relatively recent recording called The Eight Minute Meditation was a popular success, and it introduced many people to the benefits of meditation. You can also teach yourself meditation with self-paced online tutorials and programs and attend classes to learn the relaxation response.
In 1975 Dr. Herbert Benson, a professor at Harvard University, published a book called The Relaxation Response in which he described meditation for relaxation and decreased stress and offered instruction in the practice. Dr. Benson's books, lectures, and classes remain popular for people of all types, healthy and ill. Most have found his teaching helpful and rewarding, and for many it has been life-changing. The Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine courses at Harvard Medical School remain an important focus of research and education.
Laura Kupperman, a cancer survivor and yoga instructor, has experienced first hand the value of meditation during treatment and beyond. "Meditation is so important," Kupperman stresses. "There is such an intricate link between the state of your breath and your emotional state. Anything you can do to tap into a relaxed state gives the body a chance to rebuild. Research supports that when the body is relaxed, the immune system is stronger, and when the body is stressed and worn down, the immune system is compromised. It is important to maintain a calm state."
Meditation generally involves techniques designed to control and discipline the mind so that it is not overrun with useless thoughts, fantasies and fears. Often, newcomers to meditation misunderstand the technique and believe that the purpose is to clear their mind totally, becoming frustrated when they are unable to make their mind blank. But this is impossible. The mind can never be blank, but it can be trained.
Escaping Inward
The options for escape in our society are unlimited: television, Internet, video games, exercise and more. However, the problem with all of these escape tools is that they only provide temporary relief from real anxiety. And because what we resist usually persists, ignoring our fears and anxieties only causes them to escalate. Hours in front of the television won't eliminate anxiety; it will simply prolong it.
For this reason, the typical escape tools are useless in the face of cancer. The unique sense of anxiety and fear that cancer perpetuates cannot be placated with a few hours of escape. Instead, this anxiety requires something entirely different: our attention.
With this in mind, it's time to turn inward and utilize our own resources to quiet the mind and create a sense of calm. We all possess two invaluable tools for tapping into peace: the mind and the breath. Rather than fostering a sense of escape, these tools offer a chance for an "inscape" and a chance to truly slow down and release anxiety.
"Our brainwaves are usually on a beta frequency, for example, when we're talking or doing something," Crist explains. "The theta frequency, on the other hand, is slower and wider apart. Meditation helps us to reach that theta frequency."
Crist has been meditating regularly for over 30 years. In fact, meditation has become an integral part of her psychotherapy practice. She introduces the technique to many of her patients and even offers a free weekly meditation for anyone interested in meditating. She believes that a daily meditation practice provides an important opportunity for balance.
"If you focus on the breath, you'll hear your heartbeat. Every day, if I check in and focus on my heart, then I don't get too off balance," Crist says.
For cancer patients, daily facing the challenges of physical and emotional stress that their illness brings, this balance can seem an especially tough challenge and achieving it an incredible blessing.
How Do You Meditate? Let Us Count the Ways
There are countless meditation techniques, some of which have been passed down through ancient traditions. Every technique has value; however, you don't need any special tools to meditate. All that is required during meditation is to sit still and enter into the quiet space in the mind that most people typically try to avoid by engaging in an endless stream of activities.
The first step, then, for most of us, is to pause. Take a step back and make a conscious decision to take the time to be still. Or, as meditation practitioners and self-help gurus like to say, "Sit with it." However, it's not as easy as it sounds. In a culture where more is better, sitting runs contrary to our lifestyle. Sitting is a start, but it will take more than sitting to quiet the mind, especially a mind overcome with fear of cancer.
Once you've made the decision to take time out and sit quietly, the next step is to notice your breath. The mind and the breath are inextricably linked. The breath is the pathway to relaxation and this relaxation is the pathway to the mind. By focusing on your breath, you can quiet your mind and enter a state of calm.
"There are many different meditation techniques, but they all share one common theme: the breath," Crist says. "There are all sorts of little tricks to help keep the mind on the breath, but it doesn't have to be too complicated. I just try to get people to breathe in and down and exhale up and out."
Some meditation practitioners simply take time to breathe and get quiet, while others find it helpful to use imagery and visualization tools. (See our sidebar describing several visualization techniques.)
"Imagery is huge," says Ame Onofrey, a yoga instructor in Vail, Colorado , who works with students from all walks of life on healing what ails them. "I teach my students to see themselves in a posture, see themselves as healthy and whole, and choose to walk the path of life, not the path of death."
While the combination of breathing and imagery are enough to transport some people to peace, others recommend another step: the use of a mantra, which is a word or phrase repeated over and over to focus the mind. A mantra does not have to be a Sanskrit or holy word; it can be any word or phrase that has meaning for you. For example, cancer patients might benefit from repeating the phrase "I am healthy."
Uncovering Peace
Any advocate of meditation will tell you that it doesn't matter how you do it, it just matters that you do it. By sitting quietly and focusing on the breath, you'll tap into a state of peace that you probably didn't know was there.
Crist suggests a consistent meditation practice. "Most people get overwhelmed when they think they have to sit for 20 or 30 minutes. Five minutes is great. Consistency is important. Five minutes every day is better than 20 minutes once a week," she says.
Furthermore, Crist recommends creating a ritual of sameness to a meditation practice. "Sit in the same place, on the same cushion, ring the same bell, smell the same smell. It's like Pavlov's dogs….after a certain time, all you have to do is just sit on that cushion and you're there," she says.
And where is "there"? It's that place of peace inside each of us, a place that cancer can't touch, a place where all you have to do is sit still and breathe.
Barrie R. Cassileth, MS, PhD*, is Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair and chief of the Integrative Medicine department at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City. She has an extensive medical leadership career and is a recognized authority on complementary therapies and integrative medicine in oncology. Her work includes more 170 publications in medical literature, more than 40 medical textbook chapters, and 22 books for physicians, patients, and families. She was a founding member of the Advisory Council to the US National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine, now the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; she previously served on the National and the NY-NJ Regional Boards of the American Cancer Society and on multiple national and international committees. She is a staunch opponent of cancer quackery. She is founding president of the Society for Integrative Oncology. Since joining MSKCC in 1999, Dr. Cassileth has established prototypic research, education, and clinical programs in integrative medicine. Her most recent book, The Complete Guide to Complementary Therapies in Cancer Care: Essential Information for Patients, Survivors and Health Professionals, was published in 2011 by World Scientific Publishing Company.*


In April 2014, Governor Cuomo of New York kicked off the New York Reforming the Energy Vision (NY REV). This encompasses multiple dimensions of regulated administrated programs, regulatory reform and new institutions – all of which work together to create an enabling environment for a transition to a sustainable energy future for New York State (NYS).
The administered programs include support for renewable energy (including solar in particular), for energy efficiency, for vulnerable customers and energy affordability, for electric vehicles and so on. The new institutions includes a Green Investment Bank. At the same time, the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) initiated a regulatory reform aspect of the Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) with a regulatory Order in April 2014 from the Commissioners of the PSC to 'transform New York State's industry with the objective of creating market-based, sustainable products and services that drive an increasingly efficient, clean, reliable, and customer-orientated industry'.
NY has a comprehensive NYS Energy Plan (SEP), which fits into the US Clean Energy Plan. The NYS Energy Plan (SEP) has Greenhouse Gas (GHG) targets for a 40% reduction from 1990 levels by 2030 (and by 80% by 2050); and their energy targets are to generate 50% of electricity from renewables by 2030; and to reduce energy consumption in buildings by 23% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
IGov blogged on this regulatory reform aspect in the summer of 2014 and then provided an update in the summer of 2015. This blog is to update where the NY REV regulatory reform has got to since then because of a Ratemaking Order which was published on 19 May 2016 (a Notes powerpoint can be found here). For the first time, we now know what the NY distribution utilities are expected to transform to, and what their sources of revenue are expected to be.
This blog works on the assumption that it is being read by those who already know what has happened so far in the regulatory reforms of NYS. For those who are reading about the NY REV for the first time, please read my summer of 2014 and summer of 2015 blogs and a blog on Distribution Service Providers – these will give you the necessary background. There are also several blogs on transformative governance (for example, here and here), which include discussion of the NY REV and the degree to which a DSP may be a transformative governance mechanism. Moreover, IGov had a workshop on the Distribution Service Providers (DSP): a transformative energy system institution? and the presentations are available here.
This is a fundamentally different (energy and) regulatory paradigm from those in place across the US. Whilst it envisages an evolutionary transition to it, the Vision is setting out 'an end point' it expects to get to – which is a smart, primarily decentralised, market-based energy system. The NY REV argues that the current business-as-usual regulation cannot deal with the current challenges that energy systems face, nor can it capture the available opportunities.
The NY REV argued for a new value proposition, and for transforming 'passive' distribution network operators into 'active' distribution service providers – which are market facilitators. The idea of the DSP is that the utility is regulated in such a way that it incentives new behaviours, or animation, of the DSP itself, its customers and its service providers. The basic argument is that if a distribution network company is regulated in such a way that its incentives relate to increasing capital (ie rate of return on assets or capital revenue on units transferred across their network) then it will maximize those incentives. If a regulator wants them to act in another way, then the distribution company incentives should be related to that new role. For example, if one required output is improved energy system efficiency then the utility should be incentivized to deliver, for example, an improved rate of utilization of assets; reducing the cost of peak energy.
The DSP is envisaged as both the local System Operator and as the platform through which third-party providers of distributed energy resources (DER) can sell to customers (of all types) via new markets to create value for both customers and the system. The DSP is to serve as a multi-way retail-level dispatcher to the grid (distribution and transmission) of both energy and system services, supplied not only by traditional power plants, but also by a vastly expanded fleet of Distributed Energy Resources (DER). These resources are defined as including end-use energy efficiency, demand response, distributed storage, and distributed generation. The DER will principally be located on customer premises, but may also be located on distribution system facilities – under a very clear set of criteria. On the whole, the DSPs are expected to be facilitators and co-ordinators. If they want new services, then they provide incentives or stimulate tariffs (and necessary data and analysis) to enable a third party to provide it. If customers want to do something, then that either occurs under 'normal' market situation or the DSP will enable a value chain so that it can occur as a regulated market. It is not the intention of the PSC, that the DSPs become owner / operators of DER or to provide system services, except under very particular criteria. DER is supported via the various administrated programs, as shown in a conceptual figure of a 'generic' DSP in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: What is the generic DSP model?
The intervening two years since the start of the regulatory reform aspect of the NY REV has seen multiple documents published (Orders, Green Papers, White Papers) discussing different aspects of the NY REV. On 19 May 2016, a White Paper on Ratemaking was published which sets out the different ways that utilities will be expected to make money in the future, and the timelines for doing so. Overall, there is a large difference between the Vision as set out in the intervening documents, and the actual changes set out in the Ratemaking Order. Figure 2 shows the sources of revenue set out in the Ratemaking Order.
Revenue from Traditional cost-of-service regulation continues, and there are a number of reforms to this, for example concerning stand-by tariffs which enables a new source of revenue. There are then two wholly new areas that the DSP is expected to make money from.
The first new major area of revenue is is via performance based regulation on Earning Adjustment Mechanisms – and these EAMs are mechanisms which are necessary for a well functioning distribution service platform model. The EAMs (see Table 2 below) include incentives to improve energy efficiency and grid utilisation, to bring down peak costs, to increase the numbers of 3rd party energy service providers, to meet State energy policies, such as increasing renewable energy percentages and so on.
NYS has multiple administered programmes to complement and enable the EAMs – for example, a Clean Energy Standard which supports renewable energy; energy efficiency via a Clean Energy Fund (CEF, CEF Order) and an Affordability policy. These programmes encourage DER. The combination of the EAMs, and the administered programmes for DER essentially provide the building blocks necessary for the second area of revenue discussed below platform service revenues, made from market transactions. Those markets can only develop if DER is available. Thus, the NY REV should be envisioned as a combination of dimensions which together provide an enabling environment for, one hopes, successful regulatory reform.
Overall though the EAMs should not add more than 2% of their delivered revenues to the distribution companies in the first phase (ie over the next 3 years). Given that current performance based regulation is related to slightly less than 6% of total delivered revenues in NY, this takes PBR up to about 8%, which is a very small change.
In addition to EAMs, there is a series of areas which will have data collected about them. These are known as the Scorecard areas, and these areas (as shown in Table 3) are expected to become EAMs. Overall therefore, it is intended that the PBR proportion of total revenue grows significantly over time.
The second major new area of revenue reform is from Platform Service Revenues (PSRs), and these are related to the market transactions of the DSP. It is anticipated that there will be a payment for each market transaction replacing (to some extent) the current distribution utility payments from each unit transferred across its wires. The latter gives the distribution utility an incentive to supply. The idea is that the combination of the incentive from the PBR via EAMs and the incentive from the transaction payments in PSRs will give the DSP a dominant incentive to be a platform service company providing services which both customers want but which also fulfil the State policy objectives and at lower cost to customers. This PSR area of revenue will develop after the EAMs have got going – because they effectively are the necessary building blocks of a transactive DSP.
In addition, there will be rate-design reform which is intended provide both the DSP and customers with incentives to become more 'active'.
The timeline for this is over the next decade or so, according to the Market Design and Platform Technology Report (MDPT Report), published in August 2015. See Figure 3 below.
The NY REV is at the beginning of its Vision to transform the institutional basis, incentive structure and operation of the NY energy system. Up until the 19 May 2016 Ratemaking Order, the language of its previous Orders and Papers has been radical.
The Order has set out a very different future. The distribution utilities are expected to change where they get their revenue from in a very fundamental manner over the next decade.
Moreover, the Order provided a clear understanding of how the various dimensions interlock with each other ie the regulated administered programs, the EAMs, the PSR, the timeline.
This is not just a little bit of performance based regulation – this is a full scale regulatory restructuring over a decade or so from a cost of service mechanism where the distribution companies makes money on each unit sold to a distribution service provider which makes money NOT on units sold but from PBR and platform transactions.
Its first 'real' steps which effect day to day revenues, as set out in the Ratemaking Order, has been more limited than expected. This has been greeted as 'realistic' by some. Others may have hoped for more. Nevertheless, all recognise that the expectation of revenue sources over the next decade is a transformation of the energy system in NYS.
 An Order is a formal decision by the PSC Commissioners; A 'Staff' Report is written by staff of the PSC. Comments on the Staff reports are made by stakeholders. The Commissioners take both the staff report as well as the stakeholder comments into consideration before announcing an Order.


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These Are The Babies Saved By Donor Breast Milk
by A. Rochaun
Updated: Aug. 15, 2018
Originally Published: Aug. 15, 2018
Eats On Feets - Colorado / Facebook
Over the last few years, we've been hearing about the maternal mortality crisis, as apparent in the near-death experiences of mothers in the United States. As a nation, we seem to have come to a consensus: our most vulnerable populations are at risk for having their consent, autonomy, and ultimately their lives stolen from them during labor.
However, the public discourse often stops there. We have had minimal discussions on how to reduce these deaths and the equally important question of the long-term effects on the children. We have heard several stories of mothers taken from us way too soon, but we overlooked the extended consequences the children face post-birth because we don't typically get to view the issue from the perspective of a child having just lost their mother.
Earlier this year, Cayden Manley became the image of the maternal mortality crisis. Cayden's parents, Jessica and Chris Manley, were ecstatic when their five-year journey of trying to conceive gave them their miracle child. Unfortunately, this journey was cut short when Jessica died of a pulmonary embolism in her lung only one day after giving birth. She hadn't even left the hospital yet.
After Jessica's death, Chris made it his mission to honor his wife by providing Cayden with the "liquid gold" she always imagined for him. And when his story went public, the community leaped at the opportunity to help in the form of donor milk.
His dedication to her vision for her child warmed my heart. While different, it reminded me of my own story as a new mom with a son in the NICU. My son depended on donor milk for survival. Donor milk brings the benefits of breastmilk to those who are struggling or unable to produce the resource on their own. And then I began to wonder, why is there so little awareness around donor milk as a resource for struggling mother and newborns?
The hard days..
Those of us who have had NICU children know it's lifesaving potential, but how can we get this discussion to the larger parenting community? I often imagine the stress we could alleviate from new parents if we increase knowledge, access, and affordability of this resource.
We often discuss formula as a lifesaver, and for some, that may be true. But what happens in situations where the water isn't of reasonable drinking quality or during natural disasters when water may be completely inaccessible. Breastmilk has the potential to act as an MRE (meals ready to eat) for infants in crisis.
For me, donor milk existed as a reminder that other mothers cared enough to support me during a tough time. As my NICU baby quickly approaches three years old, there isn't a day that passes that I'm not grateful for the forward-thinking mothers who made the sacrifice of pumping a few extra hours so my baby could eat.
Discussions with friends have revealed to me that my struggles weren't uncommon, but my access to donor milk was. Naturally, I faced questions about the safety of sharing milk for those who aren't in the hospital like I was and why milk is so expensive on the "milk black market."
I couldn't answer all of those questions, but I was glad to hear them. As with everything else, it's important to consider the obstacles, risk factors, and benefits from any resource. Chris and Cayden have enough milk, but pages like Human Milk 4 Human Babies are still changing lives one donation at a time.
It's equally essential for us to consider the barriers our society has put in place that makes it difficult for women to breastfeed in the first place. Some are surface-level like stigma and hospital support. Others are more complex and indicative of systemic failures.
Our maternity/ paternity leave policies are often non-existent or vastly ignore the amount of time it takes to bond with our babies or to establish a milk supply. Similarly, our cost of living forces our most vulnerable parents to return to work as early as two-weeks postpartum. This isn't healthy for moms and puts them at substantial risk for long-term postpartum complications.
Lastly, we need to increase concern for mental health in this nation. Pregnancy, birth, and parenthood are all emotionally taxing. Without adequate channels for parents to find assistance, parents will be preoccupied with making it from day to day instead of nurturing their children.
Donor milk has the potential to do so much. But that will not be successful unless we work harder to disrupt the anti-parent structure of our society.
And while we're at it, we have to stop moms from dying.
not the a--hole
A Dad Is Upset That A Mom Of Multiples Left Her Babies Inside The House To Get A Break
miracle baby
Watch This Dad's Heartfelt Moment As He Sings To His Preemie Baby In The NICU
This article was originally published on Aug. 15, 2018

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Breakfast. KUWTK. Pool. A little rain. Sunshine again. A little shopping at Sawgrass Mills. Again. Chipotle. Again. Drinks. Again. Ice cream on the beach, in the dark. That was our Thursday. Summarised.
Poolside lounging! The pool is behind there somewhere, I promise. I was just too lazy to stand up and get a proper photo. When tanning in southern Florida it looks like you've been in the pool because you're dripping… That's how hot it is, and that's also my explanation for not moving.
Ben & Jerry's by the hotel pool surrounded by lizards and Jennie. Unfortunately, the pistachio flavour wasn't as good as I hoped. It wasn't even green but white. Imagine the disappointment. It was good though, but I probably won't buy it again. I have quite a few other flavours to try before I fly back home to Sweden.
First ice cream, then lunch. That's the way it goes, right? Hummus for two, please!
8 PM drinks in an Irish bar by the pitch-black beach. Since I live in Malmö I'm used to sunsets on the horizon across the sea. In Florida it's the opposite. So, the water was completely dark, but it was quite cool to see the big moon and the lights from the large boats/ships out there.
Pizza for three! Jennie's friend joined us for late dinner, none of us are pregnant. Don't worry mum. Don't worry aunt. We may put on some weight down here but it's merely from eating. It's cheap and it's good!
Before heading out for drinks, we went to the Galleria Mall next to the hotel. Again. I bought three bras and I got this pink, cosy companion for free. He'll be perfect for the flight home as a travel pillow!
There are cookies like these basically everywhere in this country. Although we didn't buy any from this place, I'm glad that Jennie and I walk a lot down here. Otherwise, I'm not sure we'd make it on the plane back home.
We started our Monday with another stroll around Wynwood. There is a doughnut place that I've been dying to visit but it's not the bake shop in the picture. The other day when we walked past it, there was a crazy long queue. Yesterday, Monday, when we went back – it was closed. I hope I'll get to go later this week!
As we kept on walking we found this little oasis. So cosy!
Back in the stunning Design District. I had another ice cream shop on my Miami bucket list.
Even these (whatever they're called) are cool here with palm trees. We don't even have any tree on ours back in Sweden.
Went into Longchamp. I am very fond of their bags and have quite a few of them. Unfortunately, European companies are awfully expensive here.
We finally made it to the +21 ice cream store, Aubi & Ramsa. I obviously had to snap basically everything on the way there… Anyway, I had a champagne sorbet called "Strawberries and rosé" made with Veuve Clicquot rosé. Delicious! Jennie went for a "Dirty mojito".
I mean look at the environment there. It was so hard to leave!
When I get filthy rich, this is where I'll buy most of my shoes. There's no point in arguing.
After leaving the Miami Design District it was time for us to go back to Fort Lauderdale. Little did I know Jennie was going to show me a typical American restaurant where the girls wore the shortest shorts I've ever seen. Ha! The food at Hooters was good though. I had nachos with a side of Long Island Tea.
This time around in Fort Lauderdale we're staying in a Hilton hotel by the beach. As you can see, we have a pink month coming up – Breast Cancer Awareness month. The huge pink ribbon in front of the beach were to pretty not to capture. Besides, we could tell at Ralph Lauren last week as they are selling their "Pink Pony" collection.
The rest of the evening was spent in the hotel room with some bubbles and American news in the background. We bought some breakfast for today, Tuesday, just before we got back since it's not included at this hotel. We have our own kitchen though so it's really nice. I'm starting to get hungry now. It's 9:46 AM. Talk to you later!
Yesterday. Saturday. Coffee break in Miami Beach at Paul's – mum's and Emma's favourite café in Bangkok. We had to try it as well and it was delicious. The taste of pistachio was/is a-m-a-z-i-n-g.
We found Drake in the middle of the Art District. God's plan? Who knows.
Miami forecast: sunny with a chance of sprinkles. Thanks, Taiyaki NYC Miami! That unicorn is going home with me.
There are a lot of cute shops around Wynwood with clothes that you probably won't find anywhere else in the world. I fell in love with these. However, quite pricey. I bought a jumpsuit in another boutique though. I'll show you in a separate blog post!
I like to look at walls and have too much time on my hands.
Where there's orange there's joy. These flowers were so beautiful!
Wynwood Yard. Such a dreamy and film-like place. Food trucks, live music, palm trees and string lights. I heart Miami!
Look at these red lights. Obviously I had to stop – for dinner.
Downtown. Miami. Skyline. I had a wonderful day!
I think I haven't mentioned yet how warm and humid it is down here. When we got off the plane the other day I thought the stair thingy leading out of the aircraft was hot from standing in the sun. The heat really hit me when I stepped out but it turns out, it really is HOT here. I'm starting to get used to it now though (and I love it) but it's definitely the opposite from Sweden; here you want to go out to get warm because inside you might actually freeze from the air conditioning. Quite funny. However, I'm very happy for the ACs, you certainly need to cool down after being out in the sun.
I'm just about to take a shower before we get on with day 4 in Miami but I'll give you a Friday brief.
We spent half of the day at the beach thinking we weren't going to burn after applying loads of spf 30 and even 50 in the face but of course we did. Two lobsters were later going for lunch and enormous drinks at a place called Sugar Factory right by the beach. We didn't see any celebrities but apparently my drink was approved by Drake and Jennie's by Pitbull. Ha.
Our next stop – Lincoln Road. Shopping. I got two basic tops from my favourite brand AllSaints and three cute and delicious macarons from Ladurée!
Today we're going to another hotel but we're thinking about staying in Miami Beach for a while. I love it here! The Miami Beach Boardwalk was so pretty and the beach, the sand and the shells – perfection!
Good morning guys! I just woke up about twenty minutes ago. It's Friday and it's 6:28 in the morning here. I keep waking up so early and I don't get enough sleep. I'm not completely settled in yet but soon I hope!
Yesterday we left Fort Lauderdale and arrived alive in Miami! At first I went to get a mani and pedi at the cutest little nail shop called Luv Nail Shop in Midtown Miami. It was so pretty. I have never done my nails before so it was quite an experience. I feel so pretty now. I'm just going to have to nail the tan as well and then I'll be ready to party! I don't have any good pictures of the nails yet but I'll show you in due time. I went for shimmery orange on the toes and light white/pink for the fingers. I also went for a natural look which is what I usually go for. I mean, I did not make them longer, I just told them to make the best of my own nails.
After the appointment we headed over to Miami Beach which is where we're staying for two nights. We stay at another Hilton hotel on Collins Ave, right next to the beach which is where we'll be chilling in a few hours if the weather is all right. I can't wait!
Around 4 PM after check-in we went for a stroll down Lincoln Rd to get some food. It was the worst hamburger I've ever had! We were so hungry though because we didn't eat lunch so we just picked a random place. Lesson learned!
Before we came back home (we were so tired after four hours of sleep the night before) we went for a little stroll to Whole Foods Market to buy some sweet things. I'm not big on the pictures here right now but they are being taken – rest assured. I just don't find time to edit them all as I prefer to do. Make sure to follow @jubilejulia on Instagram in the meantime. I will show you more soon. Stay tuned!
Both Jennie and I woke up at 5 in the morning local time which would be 11 o'clock in Sweden. I had to really force myself to go back to sleep. Not an easy one!
We spent the day shopping at a big fashion outlet called Sawgrass Mills. We thought we were going to stay just a few hours but we ended up leaving the mall around 10 PM. Ha! It was so big. There were shopping "avenues" and you could go both inside and outdoors. I really liked it though. It was fresh and there were really good brands and discounts. I will be back at least one more time before we go home… I still have a couple of stores left to visit and I wouldn't mind shopping some at Ralph Lauren Factory Store again. Such good prices! Actually, we didn't even have lunch until dinner time around 7 PM… It was so big and we really wanted to see it all. When we finally made it to the food court where we started we ended up at Chipotle Mexican Grill. It was delicious.
As per usual, we took an Uber back to the hotel which is where I spotted those Ben and Jerry's. Can't wait to try them all. Ha. Later on we met up with two of Jennie's friends and went out for drinks at Rhytym and Vine, and a place called Booze Garden.
I'm writing this the morning after. I slept for four hours… My body doesn't want to rest here. There's so much to explore and be excited about. Hopefully I won't get too sleepy during the day… I'll get back to you!
It's no ordinary day because me and my cousin just landed in the U, S and A! The flight was quite long with ten hours to kill but we did quite all right. Two movies, some sleep and a little chatting. Right now, we're at our first Hilton hotel for this trip. My cousin, Jennie, works at Hilton in Stockholm and she arranged this for us. Cousins with benefits. Ha!
This is my first time in the States, it feels so unreal to finally be here. The heat and the palm trees, and all the American flags… Wow. I haven't been abroad since 2007 (except from London). I am so excited!
I should be dead tired whilst writing this, it's 10:18 PM here in Florida and it's 4:18 AM in Sweden but we're doing fine actually. West is best, apparently! I thought it would be worse. I guess we could sleep if we tried to but we're making an effort to manage the jet lag.


text:
Q: How can I create dynamic labels using UIStackView I have 10 UILabels with different sizes, and I want to arrange them in 3 rows, and all rows have leading alignment, and if the last item of each row can't fit in remaining space of parent view, it have to move to the next line. How can I do that by using UIStackview?

A: You can try to do something like that:
Your ViewController
    for item in array {
        let someView = VPView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 70, height: 20))
        someView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        stackView.addArrangedSubview(someView)
    }

UIView Class:
class VPView: UIView {

    let myLabel = UILabel()

    override init(frame: CGRect) {
        super.init(frame: frame)
        self.addLabel()
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
    }

    func addLabels() {

        //Mark: - Styles
        let labelH: CGFloat = 15
        let labelW: CGFloat = 70

        //MARK: - My Label
        self.myLabel.frame = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: labelW, height: labelH)
        self.myLabel.backgroundColor = UIColor.blue
        self.myLabel.textAlignment = NSTextAlignment.center
        self.myLabel.numberOfLines = 0
        self.addSubview(self.myLabel)

        self.myLabel.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        self.myLabel.heightAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: labelH).isActive = true
        self.myLabel.widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: labelW).isActive = true
        self.myLabel.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.topAnchor).isActive = true
        self.myLabel.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.leadingAnchor).isActive = true

    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
est une chanson des disc jockeys Alesso et Calvin Harris, en featuring avec Hurts, sortie le .

Liste des pistes

Classements hebdomadaires

Liens externes
  Site officiel - Alesso
  Site officiel - Calvin Harris
  Alesso sur Beatport
  Calvin Harris sur Beatport

Notes et références

Single musical sorti en 2013
Chanson interprétée par Alesso
Chanson interprétée par Calvin Harris
Chanson de musique électronique
Single numéro un en Écosse
Single numéro un au Royaume-Uni
Single numéro un dans le classement dance britannique

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
NCH Alumni Spotlight: Soila Apparicio
NCH London | May 6, 2021
Welcome to the third edition of the NCH Alumni Spotlight, a series where we catch up (virtually) with our alumni to find out where they are now and how studying at NCH helped them!
If you missed our previous Spotlight edition with Alexander Mitchell, click HERE to read.
Today, we'll be talking to NCH Alumni, Soila Apparicio.
Soila has been busy since graduating, working on current affairs programmes Newsnight and Panorama, flagship technology show Click, and on the hit podcast The Missing Cryptoqueen. Soila also worked for environmental news outlets DeSmog and Climate Home News, freelance for outlets such as FiveThirtyEight and Talking Politics, and as a series producer for award-winning podcast Very Loose Women.
Soila now talks with us to let us know her current destination and observations about her time at NCH.
What is your name and current role?
Soila Apparicio, Researcher and Assistant Producer
BBC News, World Service
How would you explain your role?
I'm a researcher and assistant producer for the World Service on the radio show and podcast The Climate Question, a programme about climate change and all its complexities. I do everything from idea research, write briefs and scripts, organise access for interviews, manage and conduct guest recordings, edit together clips and audio montages, and produce my ideas for the programme. I also work to develop the visual and digital element of the programme for social media, which includes filming and video editing.
What course did you study at NCH and why did you choose this course?
Politics and International Relations with History, 2013-2016. I chose this course as I had grown up with an interest in the stories of the people around me and a desire to answer the question of why the world is the way it is. As I learned about injustices and the status quo at school, that still unanswerable question led me to think the political system could be a way of resolving those things. As a teenager, I was so intrigued by why people's political opinions could be so vastly different. I wanted to learn more about how politics works at its core, and the opportunity to discover that at NCH, in particular, drew me to Politics and IR.
How would you describe your overall NCH experience?
With complete honesty, my experience at NCH was mixed. I think the standard of education was the highest, and the model of both breadth and depth in learning satisfied my intense worldly curiosity. I feel like I fulfilled some of that drive to understand politics and how it works. I have also fostered some of the brightest friendships with fellow students, and seeing them grow after NCH makes me feel such pride in them. I also struggled at NCH. I took an immense amount of pressure on myself, both in my studies and in my extracurricular activities as the Student Union President and the Editor of the student magazine Anchor. I didn't give myself the time to breathe while I was a student, and I wish I had.
Tell us about your career journey after NCH.
After NCH I studied a Masters in Investigative Journalism at City University. After graduating, I had a frustrating period struggling to find a job in the industry and so went to work in a shop for almost a year while working on my friend's podcast in my spare time. That retail job taught me a lot of patience, which is also very important for my role now. I found a job as a reporter in climate change politics and got on a mentorship scheme, which brought me back into journalism. Through the podcast, I developed more practical skills in audio, which turned into more freelance jobs, and with the support of my mentor then came work on the viral BBC Sounds podcast 'The Missing Cryptoqueen'. Once I had my foot in the door at the BBC I went on to work at BBC News's Click, where I grew my video production skills, Newsnight as a broadcast journalist, and now the World Service.
How has your time at NCH contributed to your career/current role?
Undoubtedly, I would not be the journalist I am without NCH and the support for my writing that my peers gave me. NCH helped me to City, which led me to all the jobs I had before joining the BBC and I'm sure, beyond. The critical thinking I took from my studies, I use daily as part of my job. Questioning one view over another is an essential part of being a journalist that I developed at NCH. Having a mostly open environment for discussion at NCH has meant that I have sought to foster a similarly expressive one in my workplaces and I have walked away from roles where this was not. I also can't forget the importance of Anchor magazine and the editorial team. Not only did it help my writing, I learned about layout, editorial decision-making, and promotion. Overall though, my learning in politics and gaining that insight into why the world is the way it is has further guided my passion for telling those stories.
If you had one piece of advice for a prospective NCH student, what would it be?
Your institution, be that NCH is there for you to get the most out of. Use your time to read, study, plan, prepare and then also relax. University is a place for you to foster your own flourishing. Go at your pace. Try new things. Take a breath. Don't wait until the night before to write your essay, unless you'd like to become a journalist, in which case it's good practice!
For more information about our alumni destinations or to submit yourself for our NCH Alumni Spotlight feature, contact our Director of Careers – Vaibhav Rustagi: vaibhav.rustagi@nchlondon.ac.uk
NCH London
More articles by NCH London
Bright Network Language and Culture Award nomination
Skills Bootcamp: Meet the Learners
COP26: What are we doing to help tackle climate change?


text:
Home Africa Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed responds to Trump's Nobel Prize complaint
Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed responds to Trump's Nobel Prize complaint
Mr. Abiy said he was working to promote peace in the region and was not looking to be awarded
US President Donald Trump should take his complaint about being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize to the award organisers, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the 2019 winner, has said.
Mr Abiy said he was not aware of the criteria used to select him.
He was credited for his move to make peace with neighboring Eritrea.
Mr Trump said last week that he had "saved a country" from a big war, a possible reference to his work on another dispute involving Ethiopia.
Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a bitter border war from 1998-2000, which killed tens of thousands of people.
Although a ceasefire was signed in 2000, the neighbours technically remained at war until July 2018, when Mr Abiy and Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace deal.
For two decades, the long border was closed, dividing families and making trade impossible.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said Mr Abiy was honoured for his "decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea".
What did Mr. Abiy say?
He told reporters during a press briefing in South Africa that he was "not working for the prize" but for "peace in the region".
"I don't have any clue about the criteria, how the Nobel committee selects an individual for the prize," he said.
"If President Trump complained it must go to Oslo not to Ethiopia," he added.
What had Trump said?
He told supporters at a political rally last week that he had helped avert a war in "a country" and expressed surprise that his efforts were not recognised.
"I made a deal, I saved a country, and I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country. I said: 'What, did I have something to do with it?' Yeah, but you know, that's the way it is," he said.
A Twitter account run by the Democrats in Congress teased Mr. Trump saying he seemed to not know why Mr. Abiy won the peace prize.
The tweet said the president had confused his meeting last year in November with representatives from Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, over a dispute about the use of the Nile waters, as worth of a Nobel prize.
Skip Twitter post by @HouseForeign
Trump is confused.
PM @AbiyAhmedAli was awarded the @NobelPrize for his efforts to bring peace to the Horn of Africa, not stalled negotiations about a new dam on the Nile.
If they gave the Nobel for deals that didn't happen, the Pres. would have a shelf full of them. #Ethiopia https://t.co/WhJ6nLvb6Z
— House Foreign Affairs Committee (@HouseForeign) January 10, 2020
End of Twitter post by @HouseForeign
Egypt believes if Ethiopia fills the Grand Renaissance Dam, set to be Africa's biggest hydroelectric power plant, in six years instead of 21 years, it would threaten its water security.
A US initiative to find a solution over the River Nile standoff has so far failed. Mr Abiy has asked South African President Cyril Rampahosa to mediate the talks.
However, representatives of the three countries are due to meet again this week in the US.
Courtesy/Source: BBC News
Cyril Rampahosa
Eritrea President
Grand Renaissance Dam
Isaias Afwerki
Nile Dam
Noble Peace Prize
Noble Prize Nominations
Norwegian Nobel Committee
Olso
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Pope criticizes building walls to keep migrants out
Noble's tomb found in Egypt dates back to early pharaohs


text:
import assert from "assert"
import { RecordOf, defineObjectRecord } from "../../src/index"
import { thrownMessage } from "../lib/util"

describe("defineObjectRecord:", () => {
    describe("ObjectRecord with 1 'int8' field", () => {
        const TestRecord = defineObjectRecord("Int8_1", {
            a: "int8",
        })
        let buffer: Buffer
        let record: RecordOf<typeof TestRecord>

        beforeEach(() => {
            buffer = Buffer.from([0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05])
            record = TestRecord.view(buffer)
        })

        //
        // Basic
        //

        it("should read the 1st byte", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(record.a, 1)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[0], 0x01)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[1], 0x02)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[2], 0x03)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[3], 0x04)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[4], 0x05)
        })

        it("should write the 1st byte", () => {
            record.a = -121
            assert.strictEqual(record.a, -121)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[0], 0x87)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[1], 0x02)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[2], 0x03)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[3], 0x04)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[4], 0x05)
        })

        describe("with offset 4", () => {
            //eslint-disable-next-line no-shadow
            let record: RecordOf<typeof TestRecord>

            beforeEach(() => {
                record = TestRecord.view(buffer, 4)
            })

            it("should read the 5th byte", () => {
                assert.strictEqual(record.a, 5)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[0], 0x01)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[1], 0x02)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[2], 0x03)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[3], 0x04)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[4], 0x05)
            })

            it("should write the 5th byte", () => {
                record.a = -121
                assert.strictEqual(record.a, -121)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[0], 0x01)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[1], 0x02)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[2], 0x03)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[3], 0x04)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[4], 0x87)
            })
        })

        //
        // Meta Informations
        //

        it("should have bitLength 8", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(TestRecord.bitLength, 8)
        })

        it("should have byteLength 1", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(TestRecord.byteLength, 1)
        })

        it("should have keys [a]", () => {
            assert.deepStrictEqual(TestRecord.keys(record), ["a"])
        })

        it("should have values [1]", () => {
            assert.deepStrictEqual(TestRecord.values(record), [1])
        })

        it("should have entries [[a, 1]]", () => {
            assert.deepStrictEqual(TestRecord.entries(record), [["a", 1]])
        })

        //
        // Boundary Check
        //

        it("should be ok if it wrote 127", () => {
            record.a = 127
            assert.strictEqual(record.a, 127)
        })

        it("should be ok if it wrote -128", () => {
            record.a = -128
            assert.strictEqual(record.a, -128)
        })

        it("should throw if it wrote 128 (out of range)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    record.a = 128
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'a' should be within '-128..127', but got 128.",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it wrote -129 (out of range)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    record.a = -129
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'a' should be within '-128..127', but got -129.",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it creates a Record with an invalid offset (out of range)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    TestRecord.view(buffer, -1)
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'byteOffset' should be '>=0', but got -1.",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it creates a Record with an invalid offset (out of range)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    TestRecord.view(buffer, 5)
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'buffer' should have enough size for the offset and size of this record (5 + 1 = 6), but got 5.",
            )
        })

        //
        // Error messages
        //

        it("should throw if it wrote a non-integer (null)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    // @ts-ignore
                    record.a = null
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'a' should be an integer, but got null.",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it wrote a non-integer (string)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    record.a = "a" as any
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'a' should be an integer, but got a string.",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it wrote a non-integer (double)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    record.a = 0.5
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'a' should be an integer, but got a number.",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it wrote a non-integer (object)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    record.a = {} as any
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'a' should be an integer, but got an object.",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it wrote a non-integer (array)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    record.a = [] as any
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'a' should be an integer, but got an Array object.",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it wrote a non-integer (function)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    record.a = function foo() {
                        // do nothing.
                    } as any
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'a' should be an integer, but got function \"foo\".",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it wrote a non-integer (anonymous function)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    record.a = (() => {
                        // do nothing.
                    }) as any
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'a' should be an integer, but got an anonymous function.",
            )
        })
    })

    describe("ObjectRecord with 2 'int8' fields", () => {
        const TestRecord = defineObjectRecord("Int8_2", {
            a: "int8",
            b: "int8",
        })
        let buffer: Buffer
        let record: RecordOf<typeof TestRecord>

        beforeEach(() => {
            buffer = Buffer.from([0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05])
            record = TestRecord.view(buffer)
        })

        //
        // Basic
        //

        it("should read the 1st..2nd bytes", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(record.a, 1)
            assert.strictEqual(record.b, 2)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[0], 0x01)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[1], 0x02)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[2], 0x03)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[3], 0x04)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[4], 0x05)
        })

        it("should write the 1st..2nd bytes", () => {
            record.a = -121
            record.b = 101
            assert.strictEqual(record.a, -121)
            assert.strictEqual(record.b, 101)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[0], 0x87)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[1], 0x65)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[2], 0x03)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[3], 0x04)
            assert.strictEqual(buffer[4], 0x05)
        })

        describe("with offset 3", () => {
            //eslint-disable-next-line no-shadow
            let record: RecordOf<typeof TestRecord>

            beforeEach(() => {
                record = TestRecord.view(buffer, 3)
            })

            it("should read the 4th..5th bytes", () => {
                assert.strictEqual(record.a, 4)
                assert.strictEqual(record.b, 5)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[0], 0x01)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[1], 0x02)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[2], 0x03)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[3], 0x04)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[4], 0x05)
            })

            it("should write the 4th..5th bytes", () => {
                record.a = -121
                record.b = 101
                assert.strictEqual(record.a, -121)
                assert.strictEqual(record.b, 101)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[0], 0x01)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[1], 0x02)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[2], 0x03)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[3], 0x87)
                assert.strictEqual(buffer[4], 0x65)
            })
        })

        //
        // Meta Informations
        //

        it("should have bitLength 16", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(TestRecord.bitLength, 16)
        })

        it("should have byteLength 2", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(TestRecord.byteLength, 2)
        })

        it("should have keys [a,b]", () => {
            assert.deepStrictEqual(TestRecord.keys(record), ["a", "b"])
        })

        it("should have values [1,2]", () => {
            assert.deepStrictEqual(TestRecord.values(record), [1, 2])
        })

        it("should have entries [[a,1], [b,2]]", () => {
            assert.deepStrictEqual(TestRecord.entries(record), [
                ["a", 1],
                ["b", 2],
            ])
        })

        //
        // Boundary Check
        //

        it("should throw if it creates a Record with an invalid offset (out of range)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    TestRecord.view(buffer, -1)
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'byteOffset' should be '>=0', but got -1.",
            )
        })

        it("should throw if it creates a Record with an invalid offset (out of range)", () => {
            assert.strictEqual(
                thrownMessage(() => {
                    TestRecord.view(buffer, 4)
                }),
                "AssertionError: 'buffer' should have enough size for the offset and size of this record (4 + 2 = 6), but got 5.",
            )
        })
    })
})

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Free Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program for all! (contd.)
Zivame, the famous online lingerie brand, wished for and funded the organisation of a Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening Program, in collaboration with Milaap. Milaap picked Gramalaya Microfin Foundation (GMF), one of their field partners working out of rural Tiruchirappalli to do the noble deed of mobilizing villagers, borrowers of their microcredit, to be the beneficiaries of the generous program. The program was extended over a period of five days in five different locations, covering all the local branches of GMF across the district.GMF approached Harshmitra, a famous hospital in Trichy, to conduct the camp. Harshmitra, on its own, was also organizing free sampling camp at the hospital throughout this month, October being Cancer Awareness month. Apart from that, they'd been organising similar camps sponsored by different educational institutions covering various areas. Rose Garden, a nursing institution exclusively training students in cervix sample examination procedure to detect the presence of cancerous cells, worked in collboration with the hospital at all the venues to assist them in the sampling procedure. [caption id="attachment_5912" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Musiri, third day of the camp[/caption]The first day of the program was at the Training Centre of Gramalaya, the parent organization of GMF, at Kollakudipatti, some 50 kms off Trichy city. The expected turnout was 200 women, though, only 70 of them ended up coming. When we enquired around to figure out the reason for the shortfall from the expected response we found out that the Government Hospitals here have been hosting similar awareness and sampling camps covering all the village Panchayats in and around Trichy district. A lot of the women who had come had already got themselves tested at such camps. They told me that whenever someone would visit the Government Hospitals for any personal reason, the hospital staff members would ask them their age and if they are over thirty years, they'd convince them to get themselves checked for cervical cancer. We also observed that there is widespread fear associated with getting themselves checked. The doctors at the Government Hospitals were, apparently, harsh in handling the patients. As a result, a lot of them were scared of being touched by the doctors. Some of them were also shy of baring their breasts and genitalia for the purpose of collecting samples. Most of the women also didn't seem to be aware of the possibility of acquiring such cancers. Even if they had heard of it, they believed they wouldn't face such problems. They said they'd much rather live in denial of it for as long as they can. Also, many had come thinking this was a general check-up camp where they'd test for sugar level in the blood, cholesterol etc. The fourth (Valayapatti) and fifth (Thuraiyur) day of the camp also saw similar turnouts as those areas were also village panchayats. The second (Trichy) and third (Musiri) day saw much better responses as these were Town Panchayats, areas the Government hospitals had not yet covered. Musiri branch managed to gather a whooping figure of 260 women. The camp would have been a great success had it been organised on the weekend. Most of these women in the target group are daily wage labourers, tailors, farmers or have their own small scale businesses. So, if they come off to attend such a camp they'd miss out on that day's wages, which is a big loss to them. This was also a huge part of their hesitation. Those who were found to have certain complications and needed further tests to be done were handed out discount cards to be availed at Harshmitra. Over all, the camp was certainly a success. It managed to generate a lot of awareness amongst the villagers. They were all happy with the initiative, especially since it was free of cost. They expressed their heartfelt gratitude towards Zivame and Milaap.


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The J. B. Ford was a steamship bulk freighter that saw service for 112 years on the Great Lakes of the United States and Canada.

The ship was launched in Lorain, Ohio on 12 December 1903 as the Edwin F. Holmes. The freighter was named in honor of Edwin Francis Holmes, an investor in the Hawgood & Avery Transit Co. and a director of the Hawgood & Avery Fleet in 1904. The Edwin F. Holmes sailed in the Commonwealth Steamship Fleet until 1911 when she was transferred to the Acme Transit Fleet (another of the Hawgood fleets). At the time of its scrapping was the oldest intact lake freighter still afloat.

The ship was 440 feet long by 50 feet across the beam, with a depth of 28 feet. It was powered by a 1,500-horsepower triple-expansion steam engine, fed by two coal-fired Scotch marine boilers. The Ford had 12 hatches feeding into 4 cargo compartments.

Although the Ford had not seen powered service since 15 November 1985, it served as a stationary cement storage and transfer vessel in South Chicago, Chicago, from 1987 until 2001. The vessel was towed to Superior, Wisconsin to serve in the same capacity. The Ford continued in this duty until 2006 when the JAW Iglehart, former fleet mate of the Ford, was retired from service and took over the Ford's duties in Superior.

The Ford was moved to a storage dock awaiting orders to scrap the vessel. The scrapping of the E. M. Ford, and the attempts to save that ship in 2008, generated public interest in the old steamers. In 2010 the Great Lakes Steamship Society (GLSS) was formed (and soon thereafter incorporated) with the intention of acquiring and preserving items of maritime heritage on the Great Lakes, with their first goal the preservation of the J. B. Ford. The GLSS achieved 501c3 non profit status in 2011 and worked to save the vessel until July 2014. When the GLSS effort began in 2010, the vessel's owner, Lafarge, deferred scrapping the Ford to allow the group time to get organized and put a real effort forward to preserve the ship.  The effort failed due to increasing cost to stabilize and preserve the vessel, combined with a loss of interest in preserving it. As of July 2014, the GLSS was still working with the vessel's owners to recover artifacts and significant items from the vessel, particularly the forward cabins.

The J. B. Ford was towed to the Azcon scrapyard on Friday morning, 9 October 2015.

On the afternoon of Monday, 1 March 2021, the ship accidentally caught fire when a spark ignited wood in a cabin area while crews were dismantling it.

Notable events
December 12, 1903: Launched in Lorain, Ohio by American Shipbuilding Company as the Edwin F. Holmes
January 22, 1904 : Work on fitting out the new vessel was delayed by major flooding on the Black River; the Holmes broke loose from her moorings in the current, and was pushed into the opposite bank. She was not freed until 5 February 1904 when she was returned to the fit-out dock and work continued.
July 19, 1904 : The Steamer Edwin F. Holmes was backing away from the Northern Coal dock un-assisted by tugs when a wind blew her into the Booth's Line passenger Steamer America crushing in five of her cabins.  The America was not damaged below the water line so she left Duluth, MN with supplies to make repairs underway.  The next day the Holmes left Duluth, MN.
November 27-December 1, 1905 : While sailing in Lake Huron with a load of coal for Duluth, MN a tremendous storm hit the region. The Holmes made it safely to the Soo Locks but she continued on, not knowing the full intensity of the storm. The Holmes was reported overdue on 30 November 1905. Although her identical sister ship, the Umbria, sustained heavy damage to her forward cabins and navigation centre (requiring the crew to steer the vessel from the emergency steering station at the stern of the vessel as it limped into Duluth), the Holmes arrived undamaged in Duluth, MN on 1 December, sailing into the Duluth piers past the broken and battered wreck of the Pittsburgh Steamship Companies' SS Mataafa which had been wrecked trying to enter the piers. She had grounded and broken her back on the beach just a few yards from the shore. Nine crew-members of the Mataafa perished in the wreck, giving history the name Mataafa Storm.
November 6–11, 1913 : Two powerful storm fronts collided over the region creating a massive storm system. Powering through the first part of the storm the Holmes reached safety of the Locks. A day-long lull in the storm tricked many seasoned mariners into thinking the storm was over, and after venturing out into Lake Huron, weather conditions deteriorated to the worst on record, and the storm ended up causing massive losses. Twelve vessels sank with no survivors, 32 vessels were blown ashore around the region, and seven of these were completely destroyed. On the lakes 235 sailors lost their lives, with at least 36 more killed on land, making this the worst storm ever to hit the region. To date no storm has equaled the Great White Hurricane of 1913, in terms of either lake weather conditions, or loss of life and property.
October 9, 2015: Under tow by the Helen H. and the Minnesota, She departed the Superior Municipal Dock bound for Azcon Metals in Duluth Minnesota for scrapping.

See also
Great Lakes Storm of 1913

References

http://steamshipjbfordhistoricalsurvey.org/

1903 ships
Great Lakes freighters
Ships built in Lorain, Ohio


Finding unusual gifts can be tricky so we've worked hard this year to bring you a collection of beautiful vintage, rustic and reclaimed Christmas gift ideas to suit all budgets.
A smaller version of our popular reclaimed wooden tray with useful compartments.
Rustic French stoneware grès pots with lovely earthy tones.
Vintage enamel planter in a lovely shade of French blue with black trim and side handles.
Traditional English vintage oval tin bath with side handles - available in small, medium or large.
Original curvy-wire basket from France.


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Q: Quickest method of importing selected values from CSV file into MySql databse using C# within my C# application, I am looking at grabbing the end of day quantities for each product from a CSV file and inputting them into a MySQL table. The issue I have is there is a separate CSV file for each day and I need to gather a years worth of data. As well as this, I only need to first 2 columns, the StockNo and the Qty, and the rest is obsolete.
I have tried using a CSVReader and that process would take far too long to complete.
Is there a quick method that will allow me to get the data I need inserted into the database?
Thank you in advanced.

A: A really fast method is to use LOAD INFILE which works in mysql. Have a look at the mysql documentation https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/load-data.html
for example
LOAD DATA LOCAL
    INFILE '/homeimport.csv'
    REPLACE
    INTO TABLE tabellenname
    FIELDS
            TERMINATED BY ';'
            OPTIONALLY ENCLOSED BY '"';

Edit
You can build a query like this to execute within c#
conn = new MySqlConnection(connectionString);
conn.Open();
MySqlCommand cmd = new MySqlCommand();
cmd = conn.CreateCommand();
string tableName = "Table1"
string query = "LOAD DATA INFILE '" + fileName + "'INTO TABLE "+ tableName
+" FIELDS TERMINATED BY '"+colSep+"' ENCLOSED BY '"+colEncap+"' ESCAPED BY
'"+colEncap+"'LINES TERMINATED BY '"+colNewLine+"' ("+colUpFormat+");";
cmd.CommandText = query;
cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
conn.Close();


The Citadel vs. Charleston Southern, to be played at historic Johnson Hagood Stadium, with kickoff at 6:00 pm ET on Saturday, September 26. The game will not be televised.
The preview in The Post and Courier largely focused on the future of the series between The Citadel and Charleston Southern.
It is a topic that is vaguely reminiscent of last year's kerfuffle over basketball scheduling between the two schools (along with the College of Charleston). It's not quite the same thing, though there are obvious parallels.
Like the hoops situation, local media has seized on this issue, with carryover on Twitter. And like the hoops situation, the issue has been largely misrepresented.
Watching Mike Houston's weekly press conference, I shook my head at some of the questions he was asked. I have to say I am disappointed in certain members of the press corps, who should know better. Houston did a fine job handling quite a bit of nonsense.
First, WCIV-TV's Scott Eisberg tried to draw a reaction from Houston over the t-shirt Jamey Chadwell wore at the postgame presser after last year's game, but the coach wouldn't bite ("I'm not going to get into all that").
Gene Sapakoff, sports columnist for The Post and Courier, then asked a reasonable question about recruiting, but followed that up with a "please write my column for me" query/comment about alumni interest in the matchup.
Jay – James, like coach was saying, um, he kinda implied that they are sort of like an equal, I mean, do you see them as kind of an equal competitor, or something beneath you as far as a smaller school?
Riley, to his credit, didn't even blink, giving as respectful and polite an answer ("Uh, no, I never take an opponent lightly, no matter who we are playing…") as could be expected under the circumstances.
Sapakoff then asked Riley to compare Charleston Southern to other SoCon schools, "particularly Furman and Wofford". Why, I have no idea. Riley, a bit puzzled (and no wonder), noted that they ran different schemes.
The columnist then tried to bait the senior linebacker for a third time with another question about losing to Charleston Southern, and again Sapakoff did not get the answer he seemed to want.
Really, the SoCon should give a special Player of the Week Award to James Riley for handling that absurd (if not contemptible) line of questioning with considerable grace.
The media has a job to do, which is understood by all parties involved. Goading players and coaches in the hopes one of them may make an inflammatory comment is not supposed to be part of that job. It was, collectively, an embarrassing performance by the fourth estate.
Given all that, it seems the perspective of The Citadel when it comes to playing Charleston Southern isn't likely to get equal time.
So, I'll explain some of the issues in this post. I've discussed a few of these things before, but I'll go over them again just for the sake of completeness.
Charleston Southern wants to play The Citadel on an annual basis, possibly for ease of scheduling, partly for recruiting, but mostly to escape being the Lowcountry's "red-headed stepchild" (a comment Jamey Chadwell made prior to last year's contest).
All of that is understandable. It is also understandable if Charleston Southern will only play The Citadel in a home-and-home series going forward.
If it is not in the best interests of CSU to play The Citadel only at Johnson Hagood Stadium, then Charleston Southern shouldn't do so. That's a perfectly reasonable stance to take.
However, The Citadel has to do what is best for The Citadel. Playing a home-and-home series against Charleston Southern is not what is best for The Citadel.
It is nice that CSU is finally making improvements to its football facility. It should have happened many years ago.
However, The Citadel's future scheduling is too restrictive to have an annual home-and-home series with Charleston Southern, even if CSU finally has an acceptable stadium.
That is the real problem. Naturally, it hasn't received enough attention, or has been discounted as a factor — when, in fact, it is a key issue.
FCS schools will play an 11-game regular season schedule every year until 2019 (when FCS teams can schedule 12 games, as was the option in 2013 and 2014). After 2019, there won't be another 12-game schedule opportunity for FCS programs until 2024.
Beginning next season, the number of SoCon games on the slate will increase from seven to eight, as East Tennessee State begins league play. That leaves three non-conference games per season for The Citadel. One of those three contests will almost certainly always be a "money game" against FBS opposition (unless those games come to an end, but that's another issue and at least several years down the road anyway).
In 2016, the Bulldogs play at North Carolina. In 2017, The Citadel will play at South Carolina (the second game in three years against the Gamecocks).
This leaves two games on The Citadel's schedule each year. One of them has to be a "designated home game" — in other words, a game in which the opposing school does not get a return game at its place. That's to ensure there are at least five home games at Johnson Hagood Stadium every season.
The other game is what I call a "flex game". It could be a non-conference home-and-home with another FCS school, or a matchup with another FBS program. While the latter possibility may not be as likely, there are scenarios in which The Citadel would take a second FBS game (especially if it were against Army or Navy).
Charleston Southern could play The Citadel every year in the "designated home game" at Johnson Hagood Stadium. However, it would not be in the best interests of The Citadel to hamstring its future scheduling by eliminating the "flex game" to play an annual home-and-home series versus CSU.
The Citadel needs the flexibility of that spot on its schedule to pursue opportunities that could be of significant benefit to the school and its football program, whether a "bonus" money game, a matchup with a service academy, or perhaps a home-and-home with a team outside the region.
It is generally more expensive to play a home-and-home against an FCS school in another part of the country, but there are significant ancillary benefits to doing so. They include exposing the school to a wider audience, and reconnecting with certain parts of The Citadel's widely-spread alumni base.
That is something I distinctly remember about attending The Citadel's game at Princeton. It was an excellent public/alumni relations event for the military college. I also remember the surprisingly large contingent of Bulldog supporters who showed up for that contest.
I'll go further, actually, and say something a lot of people aren't going to like. The Citadel derives little benefit from playing Charleston Southern, even when the game is played at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
If the Bulldogs win the game, it's because they are "supposed to win". After all, The Citadel is the "bigger school", according to our friends in the press corps.
If they lose, it is billed as the triumph of a plucky "smaller school" over a big, hulking, undoubtedly super-evil monster of a football factory. The empire has been defeated! All the ewoks can dance!
In addition, this is not a series The Citadel's alumni base cares about, by and large.
Yes, I know that Charleston Southern's football program is not what it was 15 years ago, or even five years ago. Anyone who has been paying attention knows that.
When it comes to generating interest among supporters of The Citadel, though, that doesn't really matter much, and there isn't a whole lot CSU can do about it.
When my father graduated from The Citadel, Charleston Southern didn't exist. When I graduated from The Citadel, it wasn't called Charleston Southern (and did not have a football team). I think that for many of The Citadel's alums, there is little familiarity with Charleston Southern's football program, and next to no enthusiasm about the schools playing each other.
The Citadel has two primary rivals in football, Furman and VMI. Furman and The Citadel have been playing each other for over 100 years, and competing in the same league continuously for more than eight decades. The gridiron series with VMI is almost as long and is between two schools with a good deal in common.
Charleston Southern and The Citadel have little in common. One is a private school affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and has existed for just over 50 years; the other is a public military college that will soon celebrate its quartoseptcentennial.
Then there is the fact that The Citadel has never received a major attendance bump when Charleston Southern comes to town, which might come as a surprise to some people.
In seven games between the two schools at Johnson Hagood Stadium, the average attendance has been 13,202. The average game attendance at Johnson Hagood Stadium in those years when the schools played? 14,153.
The games versus CSU actually lowered the average attendance numbers for The Citadel for five of the seven seasons in which they were played, including the most recent meeting in 2013.
That is perhaps less of a shock when Charleston Southern's home attendance numbers are taken into consideration. CSU's average home attendance through two games this season (caveat: both games were Thursday night affairs) is 3,576.
Last year CSU drew just over 4,000 for its Homecoming game against Presbyterian, the largest attendance it had for any game in 2014 aside from the one against The Citadel, when the announced attendance was 7,954 (but the actual attendance, in my opinion, was closer to 5,500).
His comment was 'favorited' by several CSU players, including starting wide receiver Colton Korn. I don't know if the players are agreeing with the notion that current Bulldog players have an elitist attitude and aren't as good as those from teams of the past, if they are just saying that about Bulldog supporters, or both. With Twitter, nuance can be difficult.
Here is a comparison of The Citadel and Charleston Southern in select statistical categories for the 2014 season.
Incidentally, this will probably be the last post in which I use 2014 as a reference in this section; for the rest of the season, I'll likely use up-to-date 2015 statistics, because at least by then we'll have enough games to make those numbers at least somewhat relevant.
As usual, The Citadel's stats in the table below are for SoCon games only (seven contests). Those opponents: Wofford, Chattanooga, Western Carolina, Mercer, Furman, Samford, and VMI.
For Charleston Southern, I included ten of the Buccaneers' twelve games. I decided not to include statistics from CSU's victory over Point, or its loss to Georgia. Those two games weren't really indicative of how Charleston Southern played over the course of the 2014 campaign.
Thus, the statistics below for CSU are for ten games against the following opponents: Newberry, Campbell, The Citadel, Charlotte, Vanderbilt, Presbyterian, Coastal Carolina, Monmouth, Gardner-Webb, and Liberty.
I think that defensive 3rd-down conversion rate really stands out. CSU finished 19th in the category in FCS last year (counting all games).
Just as a point of comparison, Clemson led FBS last season in defensive third down conversion rate, at 27.4%. A rate of 31.1% would have been good enough to finish eighth nationally in that division.
Note: statistics below referencing Charleston Southern's 2014 season are for all twelve games of that campaign.
Last season, Charleston Southern threw the ball 33.8% of the time in its spread option attack. Passing yardage accounted for 43.2% of the Buccaneers' total offense.
Through three games this year, CSU's passing yardage accounts for 33.1% of its total offense; the Bucs are throwing the ball on 31.1% of their offensive plays from scrimmage.
Charleston Southern has a lot of experience on offense, and that includes the quarterback position.
Austin Brown transferred from UAB two seasons ago; he started last year's game against The Citadel and the first two games of this season. Last week, sophomore Kyle Copeland replaced an injured Brown and led the Buccaneers to a 47-7 victory over East Tennessee State.
There is a good chance both will play on Saturday. Brown is completing 46.4% of his passes, averaging 3.25 yards per attempt (the Bucs' game against Troy hurt him in the yards/attempt category). He has one TD toss and no interceptions.
Copeland is completing a higher percentage of his throws (55.9%), averaging 8.56 yards per attempt, with 3 TDs and no picks. He has also rushed for 115 yards in three games.
However, the primary threat on the ground for Charleston Southern so far this season is running back Darius Hammond. He had 161 yards rushing against Troy (on 23 carries). Hammond is also the Bucs' punt returner, and he took one back 74 yards for a TD last year versus The Citadel.
The other starting running back, Ben Robinson, had 127 rushing yards and 2 TDs in CSU's opener against North Greenville. Robinson did not play last week versus ETSU, but is listed as a starter on the current two-deep.
Charleston Southern's starting offensive line averages 6'2″, 287 lbs. It is a veteran group for the most part.
Left tackle Erik Austell was a preseason All-Big South selection. The right tackle, Benny Timmons, leads all active CSU players in career starts, with 29.
Tight end Nathan Prater is 6'8″, and caught three touchdown passes last season. Prater is from Ninety Six, South Carolina.
He could wear #96 for his hometown, or #68 for his height. Instead, he wears #81. Clearly a missed opportunity.
Prater and starting wide receivers Kevin Glears and Nathan Perera all have something in common besides being pass-catchers for the Buccaneers — they're all sixth-year players. Perera was an all-Big South pick in 2011 before suffering knee and shoulder injuries.
Another starting wideout, Colton Korn, specializes in moving the chains, with 21 of his 27 receptions last season resulting in a first down. His brother, Willy Korn, is the wide receivers coach at Charleston Southern (and was at one time a well-known high school recruit who had a star-crossed career at Clemson).
Larry Jones III was the Big South Freshman of the Year in 2012 but missed all of last season with a knee injury. Jones has six receptions this season, second on the team to Perera (who has eight catches).
Charleston Southern usually plays a 3-4 defense. Against The Citadel, however, the Buccaneers will probably feature at least two, and probably three fronts. That was the case in both the 2013 and 2014 meetings.
Most of CSU's experience on defense is concentrated in the secondary and in the linebacking corps.
Weakside linebacker Aaron Brown was an all-Big South choice last season after making 81 tackles. Not surprisingly, he leads the team in tackles this year, with 13 (including three for loss). Brown scored a touchdown against North Greenville in the opener, a 53-yard play that was technically a fumble return after NGU bungled a punt.
Fifth-year senior Zach Johnson is the "spur" linebacker, and no longer will be confused with former teammate (and fellow linebacker) Zac Johnston.
The Bucs have experienced cornerbacks, though preseason all-Big South pick Troy McGowens did not play in the team's first two games. He did return against ETSU and recorded two sacks. True freshman Shadarius Hopkins has started all three games in McGowens' stead and is listed as the starter this week as well.
The other cornerback is Malcolm Jackson, a team captain who had four interceptions last season. He is tied for second on the squad in tackles through three games this year.
Another Jackson in the CSU defensive backfield is Corbin Jackson. The free safety has 14 career starts.
Strong safety D.J. Curl has played in 24 games for Charleston Southern. His backup, Larenzo Mathis, returned an interception 87 yards for a TD against ETSU. Last year, Mathis had a blocked punt/TD return against Vanderbilt.
Caleb Batchelor was a regular in the Bucs' d-line rotation last season. This year, he's the starting nosetackle. Anthony Ellis, a native of Florida, has started all three games this season at defensive end after playing sparingly as a freshman.
Truett Burns is in his third year as Charleston Southern's starting punter. He usually employs a "rugby" style of punting, and last season dropped 16 of his 54 punts inside the 20-yard line.
This year, he is averaging 35.2 yards per punt, with 5 of his 13 punts landing inside the 20.
Summerville resident Bryan Jordan is CSU's placekicker. He is 0-2 on field goal attempts so far this season after serving primarily as a kickoff specialist last year, and also missed an extra point last week. His backup, David Kennedy, was 11-18 last season attempting field goals (including two successful kicks against The Citadel).
Jamey Chadwell expressed some concern about that aspect of the Bucs' kicking game during the Big South media teleconference.
Long snapper Joseph Smith is from Easley. As I noted last year, Smith began his collegiate career at Delta State, where his coach was Jamey Chadwell. When the coach took the Charleston Southern job, Smith moved back to South Carolina to continue his football career with Chadwell.
As mentioned earlier, Darius Hammond is Charleston Southern's punt returner. Hammond also returns kickoffs, as does Shadarius Hopkins.
I haven't written anything about the Georgia Southern game to this point. Usually when I don't have a "game review" post (which is what generally happens when I don't attend the contest in question), I discuss the previous game early in the following preview.
I didn't do that this week because I wanted to jump right into the issues surrounding the Charleston Southern game/series. Also, I don't really have a lot to say about the matchup with Georgia Southern.
It was a fairly simple contest to analyze. The Citadel made several mistakes early in the game it could not afford to make, and paid for them in full, which tends to happen when facing an FBS squad. Once that ball gets rolling downhill, it's not going to stop.
I was disappointed in the performance, but I'm also not too worried about it. My only concern is that the players don't lose any of the confidence they gained in the first two games of the season. I trust the coaching staff to make sure that doesn't happen.
– On Friday, The Citadel will enshrine the newest class in its athletic Hall of Fame. Baseball players Mike Pendleton and Randy Corn will be inducted, as will swimmer Milton Williams and honorary member Dr. John "Turkey" Moore.
They will be joined by Dr. Stephanie McNeill, a track and field star who will be the first woman enshrined in the Hall. Congratulations to all the honorees.
– This will be the second consecutive season that Charleston Southern has played a Thursday night home game in the week before it plays The Citadel.
– The front page of CSU's game notes mentions that The Citadel and Charleston will not play next season. Just to make sure anyone reading didn't miss that factoid, it was noted twice on the front page.
– Per one source that deals in such matters, The Citadel is a 6 1/2 point favorite over Charleston Southern this week. The over/under is 51.
That line really surprised me, to be honest. I would have guessed something like CSU -3, not that I'm a gambling expert or anything.
– Another game at Johnson Hagood Stadium, another somewhat ominous weather forecast. As of this writing, the National Weather Services is projecting a 50% chance of rain in Charleston on Saturday during the day, and 30% at night.
– Speaking of gray, the Bulldogs will be wearing all-gray uniforms for this game. I'm not excited about that, but it was inevitable.
Fans are supposed to wear light blue.
I think the game on Saturday will be competitive and close.
One thing that might be worth watching is time of possession. Both of these teams want to control the ball. Last year, Charleston Southern won that battle.
This year, The Citadel's defense has to get off the field on third down. Conversely, the Bulldogs' offense must sustain drives, particularly early in the game (last year on third down, The Citadel was only 4-14).
The Citadel must also avoid the turnover bug that cropped up against Georgia Southern (and to a certain extent in the Western Carolina game as well). That's even more important in a game in which each team will probably have no more than 12 possessions (the Bulldogs had 10 in last season's contest).
I don't have to even discuss the special teams issues The Citadel had in last year's matchup. That part of the game has to dramatically improve.
I hope the Bulldogs are ready to play on Saturday, rain or shine. Looks like rain, alas.
After reading your post I can feel good about the science backing up my gut reaction that I hope we never play them again. Making it worse are Chadwell's comments postgame although maybe he was stoked into making those by Sapakoff. Mostly, I'm just disappointed that we lost to them again.
CSU is increasingly reminding me of ECU. For years ECU was the Rodney Dangerfield of NC college football. The ACC wouldn't give them a look and the perception was that they were not a good fit alongside Wake, Duke, UNC and NCSU (in years past this was true- the academic reputation at ECU was not in the same ballpark). Ultimately it had nothing to do with football ability- ECU had some good teams- some of which would have won against all the other NC schools. But they always took the low road claiming elitist attitudes from the other NC schools.
The Big South is heading for a crisis when CCU and eventually Liberty leave. They will likely havbe to rely on some current DIIs to move up to FCS (Valdosta State?) in order to fill schedules. I expect we will hear more about our elitist attitudes form the Baptists when they are struggling to get 8 D-I games and we are playing 12 games, two of which are FBS.