We spent 3 months taking different brands of probiotics and recording the results to come up with this top 5 list. We did deep research (including clinical studies and speaking to doctors and other experts) to narrow down the options to the 5 we thought we could try out ourselves. The criteria we used to rank the products include quality of ingredients, potential health benefits, number of strains in the product and number of cultures. We do really like the Alivebynature Lactobacillus Gasseri for weight loss, but for overall health the outright winner was the NatureWise Women's Probiotics W/ Cranberry & D-Mannose because it has just the right balance of all these factors. The probiotic helps with a range of issues including vaginal dryness, constipation, UTI and digestion. It contains 6 million cultures and 8 strains in total. This is a vegan probiotic so it scored high points for quality of ingredients.
It's hard to recommend Probiotics for women simply because each individual has unique needs or requirements. The different probiotics also address different issues further compounding the problem of writing a useful review. We did our best to consider the most common women's needs for probiotics and worked from there.
Our most important criteria are looked at in depth further down this review in the Buyer's Guide. We should mention that we did not experience any side effects or complications related to taking the probiotics. Our tester who was taking other medication first consulted with her doctor to make sure that it was safe to use the products. We recommend you do the same just as a precautionary measure.
This NatureWise is the best probiotic if you have 'lady issues'. We liked the details right off the bat which is why we picked it for actual testing. To begin with, the product contains 8 very different strains with each strain further containing 6 billion cultures. We recommended this one to our team member with recurrent yeast infections and the report was excellent by all accounts. The problem never surfaced again after her last treatment and since she started taking these probiotics.
We also like that this probiotic prevents a spectrum of sensitive women's issues including vaginosis, UTI's and vaginal dryness. As a bonus, the NatureWise also solves constipation and other digestive issues.
We are very particular about what we put in our bodies so this product scored high points because it is a vegetarian product. Finally, you only need to take one tablet a day so it fits nicely into your lifestyle. The bottle contains 40 capsules.
We assigned the BioTecture Probiotic to our team member with digestive issues and it worked as expected just from the details we had amassed before trying. She reported no more heartburn and her issues with constipation ended just a few days into taking the supplement.
The BioTecture contains acidophilus lactobacillus which are good bacteria found in your digestive system. The bottle comes with 30 capsules and taken once a day so you don't have to worry if you tend to forget to take your medication. This product also contains 10 billion good bacteria and is made in the United States this fact matters to you (as it should because of FDA approval).
Ingredients that we pleased to see include Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus Plantarum. Finally, this is a vegan product so no GMOs and other toxins you don't want to ingest.
The Nutrition Essential Probiotic is perfect for the quintessential health freak and we gave it to the fitness fanatic in our team. She reported feeling more energetic overall so it's highly recommended for an active lifestyle.
This product helps with cardiovascular health and boosts the body's ability to absorb minerals and vitamins. It's also great for your auto immune system. One more thing that our human guinea pig reported is she peed much better whatever that means. It makes sense though because the probiotic is also designed to help with urinary function.
We love that this product is all natural without the GMOs that we see in many supplements. There is also no need to refrigerate the bottle. The specifications were also quite impressive which would explain why our tester loved it. It's marketed as having the highest CFU per serving compared to other similar products on the market. Each bottle comes with 60 capsules so it's nice to have a two month supply before you have to restock. This one is also made in the USA.
Bonus benefits: the Nutrition Essentials Probiotic also aids with digestion and regulating appetite. Some people we interviewed during our research point to the product helping them a great deal in the weight loss journey.
The responsibility for testing the Renew Life Probiotic fell on the author of this article who had issues with stomach gas. The most notable difference within a week of using the product is no more gas. It also helped a great deal with digestion and constipation which has been a bit of a recurring issue.
One of the reasons why we selected this product for testing is Renew Life (the company that makes it) has carved out a niche in digestive aids. This niche is actually all the company does so you can expect excellence here. On to the practical information, Ultimate Flora Extra Care contains 50 billion cultures and 10 different strains of probiotics which is exemplary by any standard. This product should actually have been at the top of the list just that others on the team had more acute issues so the improvement was more noticeable.
The capsules are easy on the stomach (enteric-coated) and highly recommended for recurring stomach upsets, IBS, gas, constipation, and other digestive issues.
Hyperbiotics Pro-15 targets the large intestines so we recommend this to anyone who just wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We picked our all-natural living team member to test this one out and the results were as good as we expected. The first thing that strikes you is the size of the capsules. They look more like pearls and are actually very easy to swallow.
Our tester reported just feeling overall better, in a better mood and more energetic. This improvement makes sense since this product boosts vitamin intake in your body. The little issues that our member had with upset stomach soon disappeared after starting on a Hyperbiotics PRO-15 regiment.
The details are also quite impressive. Each capsule contains 75 billion CFU of probiotics. As usual, this is an all natural product made right here in the USA.
Most people forget or simply don't know that there are 'good' bacteria in the body. That's what probiotics are in a nutshell. These are bacteria that are already found in your body. So probiotics work very similar to supplements except the former introduces good bacteria into the body.
Probiotics help to prevent and improve a wide spectrum of conditions including digestive issues, irritable bowel syndrome, vaginal and urinary problems and even skin issues such as eczema.
The truth is there is more to probiotics than meets the eye. Remember that this is a hot market so there are plenty of sub-standard brands and company trying to cash in on the demand. There are a few guidelines that we recommend you use to choose your probiotics. We used these same criteria when compiling this list of top 5 probiotics for women.
CFU or Colony Forming Units are the basic measure for probiotics. The number is typically displayed clearly on the label so you might want to think twice about any product that doesn't make this information obvious.
You want to consider anywhere from 3 billion to 50 billion (or more) CFU. Note that 3 billion is on the lower side and only recommended for people taking probiotics for no other reason other than they want to maintain an already healthy body. If you have symptoms or want to prevent some, you might want to consider from 50 billion for the product to be effective.
You want as many different strains in a bottle of probiotics as possible to gain any real benefit. The two most important ones are Bifidobacterium and Lactobacilli. These cater to both the large and small intestines and may be abbreviated on the bottle as B and L respectively.
Keep in mind that the more the strain doesn't actually mean the better. There are only a limited number of strains that are useful either because they are good for you or will actually reach the gut. A number of about 20 strains make sense.
You need to be very careful about anything you put into your body including good bacteria. As you might have noted, we only opted for all natural products. Be mindful of GMOs, Gluten and dairies especially if you are committed to a healthy lifestyle. The options listed on this review are all safe in this regard.
The idea of shelf stable has a number of moving parts which you need to take into account. Firstly, some products lose their potency where CFU is concerned. For example, a probiotic bottle that boasts 50 billion CFU may have half that number a few months down the line. We took this factor into account when compiling our list so you should be ok in this regard.
Some probiotics also need to be refrigerated to remain effective over their life-span. Again, we chose products which don't need refrigeration since it's not always possible to keep them chilled. You still need to keep them away from direct sunlight and in a relatively cool, dry and dark place to maintain their potency.
Finally, pay close attention to the expiry date. Many probiotics have a relatively short shelf-life and you may find that yours expired by the time it was shipped to you. A guarantee certainly helps but all in all, cross check the expiry date before buying.
As you may have also noted, some probiotics have very specific issues that they address while others cover a broad spectrum. Which one to choose certainly depends on your preference although it does make sense to take probiotics that specifically address a condition you are dealing with. We limited this review to the best probiotics for women so you see a bias for women-related conditions such as UTI, vaginal dryness, constipation, mood swings and so on.
These products, however, cover a wide range of issues including inflammation, brain function, eczema and GI support. Probiotics are also available for all genders and ages.
This is a roundup of the 5 best probiotics for women based on very specific criteria. We must admit that you shouldn't take this order from 1-5 at face value. Any of these products reviewed here could easily occupy the number one spot simply based on the fact that each has its own specific area it addresses. We must also take into account the personal differences. Probiotics do not work the same way for two individuals so this difference also likely played a role in the numbering.
As a word of caution, probiotics are not a replacement for your medication. If you are taking any medication for the aforementioned conditions, you need to consult with your doctor whether it is safe for you to take these products. Additionally, you should definitely check with your doctor should you choose to stop your medication.
Finally, we must mention that you need to manage your expectations. It is very unlikely that you will see any dramatic results within the first few days because it takes time for the gut to change its condition. You should be able to report these benefits in a few weeks of taking your probiotics as prescribed on the bottle.


text:
Q: spark: use lookup in map I am trying to use lookup inside a map (in spark) in the way described below (using PySpark), and get an error.
Is this something that Spark just does not allow doing?
>>> rdd1 = sc.parallelize([(1,'a'),(2,'b'),(3,'c'),(4,'d')]).sortByKey()
>>> rdd2 = sc.parallelize([2,4])
>>> rdd = rdd2.map(lambda x: (x, rdd1.lookup(x)))
>>> rdd.collect()

The reason for doing this is that in the actual problem I am working on, rdd1 is huge. so a solution like converting it to a dictionary using a method like collectAsMap is not effective.
both rdd1 and rdd2 are very large so joining them is also extremely slow
Thanks
The error:
16/03/28 05:02:28 INFO TaskSchedulerImpl: Removed TaskSet 1.0, whose tasks have all completed, from pool
16/03/28 05:02:28 INFO DAGScheduler: Stage 1 (sortByKey at <stdin>:1) finished in 0.148 s
16/03/28 05:02:28 INFO DAGScheduler: Job 1 finished: sortByKey at <stdin>:1, took 0.189587 s
>>> rdd2 = sc.parallelize([2,4])
>>> rdd = rdd2.map(lambda x: (x, rdd1.lookup(x)))
>>> rdd.collect()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/rdd.py", line 676, in collect
    bytesInJava = self._jrdd.collect().iterator()
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/rdd.py", line 2107, in _jrdd
    pickled_command = ser.dumps(command)
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/serializers.py", line 402, in dumps
    return cloudpickle.dumps(obj, 2)
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py", line 816, in dumps
    cp.dump(obj)
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py", line 133, in dump
    return pickle.Pickler.dump(self, obj)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 224, in dump
    self.save(obj)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 286, in save
    f(self, obj) # Call unbound method with explicit self
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 562, in save_tuple
    save(element)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 286, in save
    f(self, obj) # Call unbound method with explicit self
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py", line 254, in save_function
    self.save_function_tuple(obj, [themodule])
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py", line 304, in save_function_tuple
    save((code, closure, base_globals))
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 286, in save
    f(self, obj) # Call unbound method with explicit self
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 548, in save_tuple
    save(element)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 286, in save
    f(self, obj) # Call unbound method with explicit self
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 600, in save_list
    self._batch_appends(iter(obj))
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 636, in _batch_appends
    save(tmp[0])
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 286, in save
    f(self, obj) # Call unbound method with explicit self
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py", line 249, in save_function
    self.save_function_tuple(obj, modList)
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py", line 309, in save_function_tuple
    save(f_globals)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 286, in save
    f(self, obj) # Call unbound method with explicit self
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py", line 174, in save_dict
    pickle.Pickler.save_dict(self, obj)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 649, in save_dict
    self._batch_setitems(obj.iteritems())
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 686, in _batch_setitems
    save(v)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 331, in save
    self.save_reduce(obj=obj, *rv)
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py", line 650, in save_reduce
    save(state)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 286, in save
    f(self, obj) # Call unbound method with explicit self
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py", line 174, in save_dict
    pickle.Pickler.save_dict(self, obj)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 649, in save_dict
    self._batch_setitems(obj.iteritems())
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 681, in _batch_setitems
    save(v)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/pickle.py", line 306, in save
    rv = reduce(self.proto)
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/lib/py4j-0.8.2.1-src.zip/py4j/java_gateway.py", line 538, in __call__
  File "/opt/cloudera/parcels/CDH-5.3.2-1.cdh5.3.2.p0.10/lib/spark/python/lib/py4j-0.8.2.1-src.zip/py4j/protocol.py", line 304, in get_return_value
py4j.protocol.Py4JError: An error occurred while calling o51.__getnewargs__. Trace:
py4j.Py4JException: Method __getnewargs__([]) does not exist
    at py4j.reflection.ReflectionEngine.getMethod(ReflectionEngine.java:333)
    at py4j.reflection.ReflectionEngine.getMethod(ReflectionEngine.java:342)
    at py4j.Gateway.invoke(Gateway.java:252)
    at py4j.commands.AbstractCommand.invokeMethod(AbstractCommand.java:133)
    at py4j.commands.CallCommand.execute(CallCommand.java:79)
    at py4j.GatewayConnection.run(GatewayConnection.java:207)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)

>>>

A:
Is this something that Spark just does not allow doing?

Yes there is. Spark doesn't support nested actions nor transformations. Since you already covered join and local variables pretty much the only option left is to use external system (database for example) for lookups.

A: RDD can not be used in a process of RDD.Such as :
we have two rdd:rdd1 and rdd2.
You can do this: rdd1.map(......)
But you can not do this: rdd1.map(.....rdd2....)
So,try to union/join these when you what to do some complex action.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Agenda item - Chair's Communications
Chair's Communications
31.1 The Chair gave the following communication:
Firstly, on the agenda today we were due to have a presentation on activities held during the holidays for SEND children. Unfortunately, those due to present today are unwell and we have therefore delayed this to a future meeting.
Cllr O'Quinn and I attended Youthwise in October where we were grilled by young people on the city's response to the climate crisis as we should be. Thank you to the young people present for such an insightful discussion. Committee will know that youth engagement is really important to me, and you will note that the agenda includes an update on the annual make your mark survey and a general update on the work of youth council. I'm really pleased to see that the youth council is now bursting with 23 members following the induction day held in October which I was sadly unable to attend due to contracting covid-19.
On note of covid and the pandemic, we continue to keep a watching eye on the raising figures among school age children. While vaccination among 12-15 year olds is progressing, we remain concerned that the high rates of covid are slowing the programme down, due to the wait between catching covid and having a jab. We are also critical of Government's inaction on preventing the spread in schools. Cllr Sarah Nield wrote to Government last Monday addressing some of those concerns – including the slow delivery of c02 monitors into our city's schools and how the lack of measures will further disrupt education.
Academisation
This is the first meeting since Moulsecoomb Primary has become an academy – having been forced out of our hands by the ideology of government. I want to thank the campaign for the work they did in challenging the academisation. As an administration, we have asked officers to keep a focus on what they can do to help prevent forced academisation of more education settings in our family of schools and we have requested regular updates on the work being done to support schools at risk of a negative OFSTED judgement. However, our work to support schools who are fighting academisation may well be hampered. In half term, the Government announced a consultation on removing the school improvement grant from councils. This funds the work we do in supporting our schools, including school improvement advisors who work with schools who need support. Without this grant, this work is at risk. I am concerned this is an attempt by Government to force further academisation by the back door.
Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children
Talking of Government's failed policies, I would like to highlight that the hotel that is holding uascs in our city remains open. After a few months in operation it remains clear that a rota for councils to take UASC which is voluntary is not the solution to ensuring that UASCs get the support they need from councils across the country. This council has already taken over our suggested statistical quota- we are currently around 130% of that, taking both spontaneous arrivals and from the rota in spite of this.
We remain over 0.07% of our quota, currently around 130% of that, taking both spontaneous arrivals and from the rota in spite of this. I am frustrated that this government is enabling other councils to get away without providing this support to vulnerable refugee children. Once again we call on them to close the Hove site and introduce a mandatory rota so that everyone plays their part.
Budget / Spending Review
I was keeping a keen eye on this autumns budget and spending review to see how it will impact children and young people in our city. While there were some announcements made – this doesn't fill the gaps that are needed after both increased costs and reducing funding over the last decade. In many cases was a reannouncement of funding already made. Talking of re-anouncements – they re-announced the youth investment fund, now two years after they first announced it. I would really like to see progress on this fund, and I will once again use my chairs communications to urge the Government to release the funding so that youth services in our city can access vital support.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


"Cancer has impacted me in a personal way. My sister had brain cancer, and I've got colleagues who've lost their loved ones to the disease as well. In fact, I had a cancer scare myself, and I can empathize what patients go through when they sit anxiously in the waiting room for their imaging scan results. It makes me realise that my research has a real and immediate impact on people's lives.
From a very young age, I knew I had wanted to study medicine. Unfortunately, I didn't get into medical school and went into the physics field instead. In order to pursue my passion, I did a PhD in bio-medical physics, specialising in bio-photonics. This was a really new field back in 1985.
It's a combination of biology, physics, photonics and medicine. I did not want to give up on medicine, and with that PhD, I was determined to transfer my knowledge of physics and photonics into the bio- medical field.
It was not easy at all. As a female biomedical physicist then in a pioneering field, I felt very alone in my scientific journey and had no role models in the field to mentor me. I literally knocked on many clinicians' doors to talk to them about bio-photonics, and how we can possibly use new technologies in optics, lasers, photonics, photomedicine, etc. in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
In 2011, I introduced photo-acoustic imaging into A*STAR, in SBIC. Basically, in this imaging method one uses light to generate sound waves in tissue and this enables high resolution deep tissue imaging. Sound can be imaged much deeper in tissue then light. Combining light and sound – photo-acoustics – overcomes the past limitations of light imaging and has given birth to a game changing imaging technology.
This pioneering technology can be used for the detection of cancers and other diseases and condition. We have used this in 2016-2017 in pioneering First in Man clinical studies in skin and breast cancer detection here in Singapore.
For the translational research that I do in the biomedical space, I'm very mindful of who we are doing it for. The impact has to be about making a difference to the end user, who is the patient. That's what motivates me and I have truly found my calling as a biomedical physicist.
With A*STAR's ongoing transformations, we are inspired to driving commercialisation of our technologies. If we can bring our technology to the marketplace and help more people, I'll feel that we are addressing life changing problems that will impact us. That, 'truly research will kill cancer'."
Professor Malini Olivo is the Director of Biophotonics and Head Laboratory of Bio-optical Imaging at A*STAR's Singapore Bioimaging Consortium (SBIC). She's also an Adjunct Professor at LKC, NTU. She is an elected Fellow of the American Institute of Medical & Biological Engineering (AIMBE), Fellow of Optical Society of America (OSA) and Fellow of Institute of Physics UK & Ireland.


text:
De Vredesweek is een week van bezinning en actie die jaarlijks in de week van 21 september, de door de Verenigde Naties uitgeroepen Internationale Dag van de Vrede.

De Vredesweek in Nederland wordt georganiseerd sinds 1967. Het was een initiatief van het Interkerkelijk Vredesberaad (IKV) en daarmee van de gezamenlijke kerken. Het wordt sinds 2007 georganiseerd door PAX. Hoogtepunt vormt de Vredeszondag: de eerste zondag van de Vredesweek, maar ook de daarop volgende zondag behoort nog tot de Vredesweek. Deelnemende kerken houden gezamenlijke kerkdiensten en besteden aandacht aan het thema vrede en collecteren voor het vredeswerk. Ook buiten de kerk worden er talloze activiteiten georganiseerd. Daarnaast is 21 september, de Internationale Dag van de Vrede, een belangrijke dag in de Vredesweek. In 2022 werd  de Vredesweek van 17 t/m 25 september gehouden.

Thema's
De Vredesweek heeft ieder jaar een thema, dat samenhangt met actuele vredesvraagstukken. In de jaren 70 en 80 waren dat het (kern)wapenvraagstuk en het Oost-Westconflict. In de Vredesweek van september 1977 ging de meerjarige campagne Help de kernwapens de wereld uit, om te beginnen in Nederland van start, die veel media-aandacht en sympathie genereerde (aan de massademonstraties in Amsterdam in 1981 en in Den Haag in 1983 namen ca. 500.000 mensen deel). In de jaren 90 waren er thema's die samenhingen met het opkomende nationalisme in Oost-Europa en de oorlog op de Balkan. Vanaf 1997 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 en 2006 enz.) keren regelmatig thema's terug die te maken hebben met religie en conflict, en die ook de eigen samenleving raken. Het motto van de Vredesweek 2002, 'Religie en geweld, Ontmoeting van culturen!', was bijvoorbeeld een reactie op de theorie van Samuel Huntington, die vond dat '9/11' liet zien dat er in de wereld een onvermijdelijke 'clash of civilisations' gaande was.
De Vredesweek 2012 had als motto 'Powered by Peace' en wilde een einde aan geweld en onrecht rond het delven van grondstoffen. Olie, steenkool, goud en andere grondstoffen zijn vaak de oorzaak van conflict in plaats van een bron van welvaart en vrede.

In 2018 riep de Wereldraad van Kerken al haar aangesloten kerken, geloofsgemeenschappen en maatschappelijke organisaties in de wereld op om van 16-23 september gezamenlijk een week van Gebed voor Vrede te houden voor allen in Palestina en Israël, met name voor de jongeren en kinderen.

Thema's vanaf 1967
1967: Geen spreiding van kernwapens, wel spreiding van welvaart (Eerste Vredesweek)
1968: Europa: vrede, verzoening, veiligheid
1969: Geen liefdadigheid, maar gerechtigheid
1970: Wereld in steigers - Verenig de naties
1971: 'Vrede'. Met alle geweld?
1972: De toekomst van Europa
1973: De vrede bij u thuis
1974: Nieuwe wapenfeiten
1975: Weg van honger en geweld
1976: Bedreigd bestaan
1977: Help de kernwapens de wereld uit - om te beginnen uit Nederland (met het 'Manifest tegen de kernwapens'; start van een veeljarige campagne)

(Na 1977 behield de Vredesweek een aantal jaren hetzelfde thema als in 1977, toch moeten voor een aantal jaren tot 1991 de gegevens nog worden aangevuld.)

1991: Aangevochten vrede (Golfoorlog was in voorbereiding)
1992: Steun de vredesstichters!
1993: Verzoening van herinneringen.
1994: Europa vlucht.
1995: Tussen droom en werkelijkheid
1996: Verzoening: van kerken en volken in Europa.
1997: Uit op verzoening (thema van de Kerkendag van de Raad van Kerken). Het thema van de openingsbijeenkomst was: De strijd om een houdbare multiculturele samenleving.
1998: Bedreigd Bestaan met een focus op 'kijken naar geweld' in de internationale en nationale samenleving.
1999: Gedeelde veiligheid. Beginnen met vrede.
2000: Vrede voor de stad, met een theologische uitwerking naar de 'Stad van Vrede' van Augustinus en concrete uitwerkingen naar gevoelens van onveiligheid in onze eigen steden en de politieke en religieuze toekomst van de stad Jeruzalem.
2001: Religie en geweld. Geloven in vrede.
2002: Religie en geweld. Ontmoeting van culturen!
2003: Vrede. Werk in uitvoering.
2004: Bewegen naar vrede. Stappen tegen geweld.
2005: Wij en zij? Samen verder! (Met een uitwerking naar Adventstochten voor vrede in samenwerking met de KRO).
2006: De ander, dat ben jij!
2007: Vechten voor vrede.
2008: Kiezen voor vrede.2009: Naar een nieuw klimaat voor vrede.2010: Buurten voor vrede.2011: Elk mens een veilig bestaan.2012: Powered by Peace (Van grond voor conflict naar bron van vrede)
2013: Act for Peace (met speciale aandacht voor vredesactivisme in Syrië)
2014: Wapen je met vrede (met 'ontwapening' als overkoepelend thema)
2015: Vrede verbindt (met 'moedige bruggenbouwers' als overkoepelend thema)
2016: Vrede verbindt met een focus op Syrië en vluchtelingen
2017: De kracht van verbeelding2018: Generaties voor vrede2019: Vrede verbindt over grenzen2020: Vrede verbindt verschil2021: Inclusief samenleven2022: Generatie vrede

 Publicaties
Er zijn twee belangrijke publicaties. PAX geeft de Vredeskrant uit, op breed publiek gericht. De krant kende einde jaren zeventig een oplage van vele honderdduizenden exemplaren. Tegenwoordig zijn dat er enkele tienduizenden. Laurens Hogebrink was jarenlang hoofdredacteur van de krant.

Daarnaast geeft PAX de "PAX Vieren" (voorheen de "Liturgiekrant voor kerk en school") uit. In dat magazine zijn aan de hand van het oecumenisch bijbelleesrooster van die beide zondagen gebeden, liederen en een beeldmeditatie te vinden, alsook allerlei voor onderwijsgevenden om de Vredesweek vanaf begin mei voor te kunnen bereiden. Vanaf 1994-2007 was Gied ten Berge hoofdredacteur van de Liturgiekrant. Deze groeide als werkkrant voor kerkelijke werkers en onderwijsgevenden vanaf midden jaren 90 van 4000 naar 7000 exemplaren en vormt zo voor de kerkelijke vredesorganisaties een belangrijke entree in kerken en scholen. Een brede redactie, geleid door PAX, verzorgt de krant vanaf 2007.

 Ambassades van Vrede
Vanaf 2011 richt PAX door het hele land Ambassades van Vrede op. Dit zijn lokale actiegroepen die tijdens de Vredesweek verschillende activiteiten organiseren voor hun buurtbewonders, met als doel zo veel mogelijk mensen te betrekken bij en te activeren voor vredesvraagstukken. Elk jaar wordt er een bekend boegbeeld aangetrokken als 'Ambassadeur van Vrede'. Achtereenvolgens waren dat schrijver en oud-politicus Jan Terlouw, bijgestaan door Petra Stienen die in 2012 het stokje doorgaven aan Jörgen Raymann en Merlijn Twaalfhoven. Vanaf 2014 maakten zij plaats voor zanger Tim Akkerman. In 2015 werd schrijver en cabaretier Vincent Bijlo de laatste nationale 'Ambassadeur van Vrede'. Daarna hebben Ambassades van Vrede'' nog wel gewerkt met lokale ambassadeurs van vrede.

Walk of Peace en PAX Power to the People
Zelf organiseert PAX twee evenementen tijdens de Vredesweek. De Walk of Peace is een wandeling van en voor vrede in verschillende steden in Nederland. In Utrecht vindt sinds 2020 PAX Power to the People plaats: een festival in het teken van activisme.

Externe link
 Website van de Vredesweek

Christelijke feestdag
Christendom in Nederland
Vredesbeweging
September

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
The must-try food delicacies around the UK
by Hertz - 12 April 2017
Eat your way around the UK – from Bakewells to bangers (and mash)
When it comes to worldwide foodie fame, many will look to the fancies of France or Italy's delectable dishes as the crème de la crème. Yet while it's a given that one of the great things about heading abroad is the chance to sample fine dining in its original setting, the UK more than holds its own in the culinary stakes.
So if you're looking to rekindle your love of good food without travelling overseas, why not hit the road in Britain in search of satisfaction? We've rounded up some of the best British delicacies in our guide to gastronomy, UK-style.
Bloody battles and sporting rivalries aside, there's another bone of contention between Yorkshire and Lancashire – who serves up the best northern grub. And while the Ridings can lay claim to the iconic Yorkshire pudding – that crispy, golden staple of any Sunday roast – the home of the House of Lancaster acquits itself admirably with its Lancashire hotpot, a delicious lamb stew topped off with sliced potato.
One thing these proud regions do share is some of the country's very best scenery, courtesy of the picturesque Pennines, the wuthering heights of the Yorkshire Dales and the beautiful Blackpool coast.
Another thing the coastal towns of the North pride themselves on is their delectable dinner – the classic fish and chips. First served in the UK during the 19th century, this classic deep-fried dish was prepared for the fishermen and workers who would transport their catch to towns around the country.
We reckon it's a toss-up between Blackpool and Whitby when it comes to bragging rights on who lays on the best batter. But either way you won't be disappointed. Between the old-school seaside town feel of Blackpool's Golden Mile and the goth-tinged glamour of Whitby's walking tours, neither experience is complete without this seaside treat.
Using only the freshest ingredients from local suppliers, such as Maris Piper potatoes, The Sea Restaurant delivers some of the best fish and chips that Blackpool can offer. Find them either just near the Winter Gardens in the town centre, or on the Promenade just opposite Central Pier.
If you're in Whitby then you owe it to yourself to see why the Magpie Café is a Yorkshire institution, with a spot in the Good Food Guide to boot. Look for the distinctive black and white building overlooking the harbour, where you can enjoy the fabulous views of Whitby while sampling their legendary fish and cips as well as a wide selection of specialities that use prime fresh local fish and seafood.
Raring to go
This isn't your ordinary cheese on toast – the combination of flavours and rich cheese sauce makes Welsh rarebit one of the country's proudest exports this side of Tom Jones. There's some confusion over the claim that Wales was the first to produce this slice of grilled goodness, but a 14th century Welsh joke does have it that a batch of rarebit was used to distract a rowdy group of deceased people while the gates of Heaven were closed on them.
Whether you want your Welsh rarebit served with a modern twist or cooked up traditionally, there's a number of different cafes and restaurants in Cardiff doing their (rare)bit to please. We'd recommend a visit to cheese specialists Madame Fromage, who have two locations on Castle Arcade in the centre of the capital. Here you can sit and enjoy cheese platters and real homemade food prepared in front of you, including a stand-out rarebit.
Scots' specialty
Scotland's not without its great culinary traditions either – and for the hardiest of appetites, the great haggis dish has proved one of the country's most enduring treats.
The 'chieftain of the pudding race', haggis is a mince containing sheep's pluck (the liver, heart and lungs) mixed with suet, oatmeal, onions and spices to crank up the flavour. Traditionally cooked inside the sheep's stomach, there was a rethink in the 1960s leading to the now-standard artificial lining.
While the Scots swear by Macsween's haggis, available in all good supermarkets, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better dining experience than the haggis restaurants dotted around the likes of Edinburgh, or in Glasgow's Ubiquitous Chip, a proud standard-bearer for Scottish cuisine since the '70s.
Devonian delights
As one of the favoured rural retreats in the UK, Devon offers lush forestry, plenty of beaches and, perhaps most importantly, some delicious options for enjoying a traditional afternoon tea.
Like our friends in the North, there's some dispute between Devon and neighbours Cornwall over how best to bring the cream tea experience to the dining table. While the Devon way is a scone with clotted cream and lashings of jam, Cornish folk traditionally prefer to take tea with a slightly sweetened bread roll.
Whichever one you prefer, there's only one place to try them – so head to Devon for some historic scenery and plenty of countryside to lose yourself in. Exeter holds its own when it comes to the perfect cream tea, with some quaint tearooms such as the Welcome Cafe dotted around, plus a quayside view that will shiver your timbers. If you're down in South Devon then the boutique Salcombe Harbour Hotel is well worth a look, while in Torquay head to the Angels Tea Rooms at Babbacombe which boasts home made scones, local jams and Devonshire cream topped with a stunning view of Lyme Bay.
Pasty-mania
Speaking of Cornwall, there's more than just scones to sample in this corner of the country. Known locally as the 'oggy', the Cornish pasty bakes beef and potato, plus some turnip and onion, into its trademark D-shaped dough.
Originally baked for tin miners who wanted a cutlery-free meal on the go, the pasty has become an iconic taste both regionally and nationally.
Such is the pride in their produce there's even a trade association based around the worldwide promotion of the Cornish pasty. But if you fancy trying some of these treats where it all began, head for the Chough Bakery in Padstow. Recently crowned Cornish Pasty World Champions, they source local ingredients for their prize-winning pasties, from Cornish beef skirt to vegetables grown just down the road.
While there, take a tour of the beautiful old mining areas which now form part of the UK's newest UNESCO-listed heritage site, as well as soak up the spectacular views of the coast.
Stilton going strong
Cambridgeshire's culinary contribution to our food odyssey comes courtesy of one of Britain's best-loved cheeses.
Like its Cornish compatriot, Stilton must jump through a lot of hoops if it's to be called Stilton – rules dictate it must be made from milk farmed in one of three counties and produced using a specific method. Strangely enough, Cambridgeshire is no longer one of those three counties, but the origins of the delicious cheese are worth some local celebration nonetheless.
The original blue-veined palate-pleaser was first produced at the Bell Inn in Stilton, where an enterprising 18th century owner named Cooper Thornhill began to distribute this new and wonderful product to the coaches who passed through along the Great North Road.
The blue veins are created using a special stainless steel needle which lets air into the cheese crust as it ripens – a week-long preparation that adds that distinct character.
You can visit the Bell Inn today for Stilton served in a creamy leek and potato soup, trickled onto a thick steak or simply as part of a cheese plate.
If we've got your mouth watering at the prospect of a memorable dining experience at any of the locations mentioned, check out our deals on car hire in the UK to make sure you're never far from a fulfilling foodie delight.
Article by Hertz
The 5 best day trips from Leeds
Sailing by: What to see and do in Southampton
Scenic Sardinia: Olbia's best beaches


text:
A Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson nemzetközi repülőtér  Kanada egyik nemzetközi repülőtere, amely Winnipeg közelében található.

Futópályák

Forgalom

Források

További információk

Kanada repülőterei


The previous blog post talked about clarifying expectations in order to manage conflict. This blog post addresses aligning expectations with priorities. Once we are clear about our expectations, we then need to examine our priorities. We want to align our expectations with our priorities. "What is most important" is a priority-setting question.
In "The Gray Areas: part 1", I described how my family clarified expectations about Thanksgiving and Christmas. We needed to have conversation about expectations because my mother died on November 3, 2018. We needed to communicate clearly with each other because the holidays were going to be strange and sad without my mom. We needed to be understanding with one another in our grieving and not expect too much from each other at such a difficult time.
Fortunately, our expectations aligned. Our expectations aligned because we agreed on our priorities. To be kind to one another was a high priority. To take care of our dad in the ways he desired was also a high priority. I asked my dad how he wanted to spend the holidays. My sister and I then planned accordingly. Because we had done important relational work in advance, we were able to get through the holidays more or less intact.
Aligning expectations with priorities helped my family avoid unnecessary conflict. This approach can also help churches manage conflict. One of the most helpful things churches can do for their pastors is to be clear about the church's priorities. When the pastor knows the congregation's priorities, the pastor can lead accordingly.
The expectations of a pastor are many. Pastors are to (1) preach and lead worship (2) visit the sick and the shut-in (3) teach various ages in various settings (4) counsel (5) administer the affairs of the church (6) evangelize (7) empower leaders in the congregation (8) show leadership in the community (9) lead the congregation (10) attend to personal and spiritual growth (11) fulfill denominational and ecumenical responsibilities (12) manage the office.
Given the long list of responsibilities, pastors need to know what is most important to their congregations. Church leaders, have focused conversations in your congregation about what is most important. Communicate these priorities to you pastor. Revisit these priorities regularly. Sometimes priorities need to be re-aligned with the church's mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Do the congregation's priorities support making disciples? Is the pastor able to manage their time so that they are making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world?
Conflict Transformation Ministers can help facilitate priority-setting conversations in the local church. Your congregation may never have had focused conversation about what is most important. Your congregation may have had the priority-setting conversation a while ago and needs to re-visit the conversation. Whatever your need, Conflict Transformation Ministers can assist. Helping churches make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world is our #1 priority.


Modern information technology is a key factor in the fast-moving service industry. Your most valuable resource is your employees. Having a qualified person in the right place at the right time is essential for service providers. Proper management of materials and people is vital to stay ahead.
An ERP system will help your employees work effectively – your team needs the right software to optimize processes and free time. Connamix can offer several options to meet your needs, including Dynamics CRM and our own solutions developed in-house.
The CX Scheduler is ready for immediate use; it is a clear, mobile enabled planning system that improves resource use across the board. More information can be found here.


Shingles And Tiles, Replace Me!
We liked Premier Windows, and had them do the work because we had a roof problem and the guy who did the roof was able to do the window also.
The guy from Premier Window Systems seemed to know what he was talking about; he had the materials with him to show you the options to tell you the advantages of this or that window, etc. He seemed really down to earth and sensible. And he was. He definitely made our work easy and did it well.
I want to thank the company for coming out to my home and doing all this work so fast and responsibly. You have a client for life now.


text:
IndieCade East's "Strange Arcade" lives up to its name
By Charles Battersby 05.03.2016 :: 11:15AM EDT 05.03.2016
@charlesbattersb
IndieCade East was held this weekend at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York. There were panels and exhibitions targeted at indie game developers but, for people who just want to play games, the third floor of the museum was been transformed into a "Strange Arcade" where a bizarre menagerie of interactive installations awaited. Many of these were designed around unique controllers that are intended to provide genre-defying experiences, like virtual dog butt sniffing, a Sleep Paralysis simulator, and a vagina-shaped control pad with a reset button exactly where you'd expect.
There were forty oddball games scattered around the Strange Arcade, and many more playable game demos elsewhere in the museum. Some were in innocuous little displays with standard console gamepads, but several stood out from the crowd. Butt Sniffin Pugs by SpaceBeagles is one such game. This two-player game uses giant tennis-balls as spherical controllers, however there are also plush dogs built into the cabinet. Or at least, half of the plush dogs.
The onscreen pugs run around a park, and each has several abilities like "Bark", "Bite", and "Pee". Players can only equip two of these abilities at once. If they want to change powers, they must approach the other dog and "Sniff". Players do this by squeezing the hindquarters of the stuffed dogs built into the cabinet.
On the far side of the arcade was a VR display called Anamorphic Agency. This was designed by Julie Huynh to simulate the effects of a condition known as "Sleep Paralysis" where people are trapped in lucid nightmares. Foolhardy people at IndieCade could volunteer to be strapped into an inflatable sleeping bag that held them tight, while a VR helmet and brain wave monitor were placed on them. The VR recreates the experience of lying helpless in bed while demonic monsters appear on the ceiling above. The sleeping bag tightens around the poor victim during the experience, holding them fast.
A more conventional game experience was VEC9 by Todd Bailey, Andy Reitano, and Michael Dooley. In the old days of coin op arcade games, "Vector Graphics" were a way to effectively simulate 3D objects on the primitive technology of the time. It fell out of fashion eventually, but there were many excellent vector games, including a legendary Star Wars game back in 1983. VEC9 puts players in the cockpit of a Soviet plane on a mission to destroy capitalism (The irony of the coin slot for extra lives is not lost). It captures not only the look of those old games, but also the needlessly complicated controls seen in the cabinets. There is an abundance of flashing switches and buttons, and an authentic gunner control stick from an M1 tank with six buttons to confuse players.
Hotaru is an experimental game by Kaho Abe that focuses on using costumes as an interface. Players take on the roles of two lightning bugs who have to collaborate to fight enemies. One player wears a backpack and gloves that are used to generate (imaginary in-game) electricity. The other player has a gauntlet which uses the electricity to attack enemies. Real LEDs are built into the costumes, and they light up to indicate when the power pack is charged, and the gauntlet is ready to fire, or when enemies are attacking.
There are motion sensors built into both costumes, and the controls are entirely motion sensitive. The person generating power claps their hands together, and their backpack slowly fills up with light. They can then transfer this power to the other player by holding hands. The gauntlet then fills up, and players "Fire" an energy blast by pointing their arm up. There are no graphics or interface beyond the lights on the costumes themselves, so this game rewards imagination and roleplay.
Dreams by Corazon Del Sol is a piece of conceptual art that defies conventional game genres and language. In it, a three-legged avatar walks around a level that is filled with objects which represent famous exhibits from the history of modern art. Players guide this awkward creature around the level and can deconstruct art quite liberally by lumbering over the in-game art exhibits. It plays much like a physics sandbox, but is riddled with insider references to art history.
One of the most entertaining aspects of Dreams is the plush, vagina-shaped controller. Players who probe the anus of this controller will find a reset button to start the game, and thereafter they can control the onscreen avatar by pushing left or right on the labia. A joystick is hidden deep inside, right where the clitoris would be, and players can use this move forwards and backwards.
Hello, Operator! by Mike Lazer-Walker takes the excessively elaborate controller to new heights. The game allows players to experience what it might be like to be a telephone operator in the 1920s, back when calls had to be manually connected by the operators. The game is built into an antique switchboard, and players use dozens of working switches and cables to connect phone calls from NPC characters. Challenge comes from managing the physical interface, but there is also a form of storytelling based around eavesdropping in on the conversations.
Line Wobbler by Robin Baumgarten was literally the flashiest game at the Strange Arcade. It consists of a long string of super bright LEDs. It's a one-dimensional game where the entire playing field is a series of points in a row. The LEDs can change color to simulate movement, and players have to guide a point of light from one end of the line to the other.
It is controlled by a springy doorstop, which functions like a joystick. It lets players move their dot forwards and backwards, or players can flick it to make it wobble – it's a spring after all. This bouncy wobble command is used to attack nearby dots moving up and down the line.
There are several levels to the game, and it is astonishing how the designer managed to create so many different game modes for this simple premise, while also indicating the rules of the game without text, images, or sound.
If you couldn't make it out to IndieCade East but still want to check out this weirdness don't worry. Many of these Strange Arcade games will be on display at other events in the near future.
indiecade
indiecade east
More in Games
07.17.2019 :: 1:13PM EDT :: Tony Polanco
Review: 'Blazing Chrome' Is the Best 'Contra' Game in Years
07.17.2019 :: 10:46AM EDT :: Jordan Minor
Speedrunners Can't Make 'Mario Maker' Levels But Wendy's Can?


text:
TideSports.com
Tusk/Entertainment
Judge sets hearing on Alabama prisons mental care
MONTGOMERY — A federal judge considering whether to hold Alabama prisons in contempt of court for failing to provide inmates with adequate mental health care told attorneys Wednesday to be in court next month for a hearing that could decide the issue.
U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson issued an order setting a hearing for Jan. 7 to hear evidence about staffing levels for mental health workers in state lockups. The Department of Corrections has until Dec. 21 to explain in court filings why it should be held in contempt, a move that could result in sanctions and additional demands from the court.
The decision came after a Tuesday hearing in which, the Montgomery Advertiser reported , testimony showed a contractor hired to provide medical and mental health care for more than 20,000 inmates isn't complying with its contract.
The state prison system has only about three-quarters of the number of mental health workers that it's supposed to have, testimony showed. Corrections officials say they don't have enough funding and have denied providing unconstitutional care.
The judge previously ruled that psychiatric care in Alabama prisons was "horrendously inadequate." Thompson ruled that the situation created unconstitutional conditions in state prisons.
Elaine Gedman, chief administrative officer and executive vice president for Wexford Health Sources, the contractor hired to provide health care by the state, testified that she was unaware if Wexford had been involved in negotiations about paybacks for failing to meet staffing benchmarks in a $360 million contract signed by Gov. Kay Ivey in March.
Maria Morris, a Southern Poverty Law Center attorney representing inmates, has said the state wants to amend or vacate Thompson's order and has asked for specific ways to count the number of staff members in prisons.
The class-action lawsuit filed by the law center and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program in 2014 led to a trial over inmates' claims of inadequate mental health care. An inmate who was the first to testify killed himself in prison days later.
In the 2018 fiscal year, which prison officials use to report its data, seven people were killed and six died by suicide. Nearly 40 inmates attempted suicide.
Search Display Ads
Tuscaloosa News ~ 315 28th Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Cookie Policy ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service ~ Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy
Crime/Public Safety
UA Athletics
TuscPreps
Nick Saban Anniversary
American Christian Academy
Brookwood High School
Holt High School
Northridge High School
North River Christian Academy
Paul W. Bryant High School
Sipsey Valley High School
Tuscaloosa Academy
Tuscaloosa Christian School
Tuscaloosa County High School
Theater and the Arts
Tuscaloosa Magazine
Columns/Commentary


text:
Kenes Rakishev will supply the World with cobalt and nickel
Highlanders revolt against lockdown
PM Morawiecki calls on EU to act over social media 'censorship'
Poland third best in EU for industrial production: dep min
Increase in foreign workers despite coronavirus, stats show
Warsaw Point
Life of the Polish capital and beyond
About Warsaw Point
Home > Persons > Kenes Rakishev sees AI as a vital part of the future healthcare
Kenes Rakishev sees AI as a vital part of the future healthcare
- November 23, 2020 | Viewed 8853 times
Kenes Rakishev, a well-known tech pioneer and entrepreneur from Kazakhstan sums up some of the AI projects involved in fighting with COVID-19. Rakishev points out some less-known facts, for example that quick reaction was secured by BlueDot computer. Kenes Rakishev himself invests in a couple of AI healthcare-related projects.
Times of crisis prompt us to rethink the infrastructure and institutions that we have long taken for granted, and the onset of COVID-19 has been no different. The pandemic has revealed critical areas of vulnerability in our essential systems and has accelerated the uptake of new technologies, as we strive to do things more efficiently and safely. However, no sector stands more to gain from new technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) than healthcare.
Across the world, hospitals have felt the strain of COVID-19, overwhelmed with the sheer volume of patients needing care. With cases threatening to submerge healthcare systems, providers were forced to rapidly adapt and look to emerging technologies to meet unprecedented and urgent demands. Indeed, over the last few months, we have seen a proliferation of AI, digital tools, and revolutionary technology across all elements of our COVID-19 response designed to improve our ability to detect infection, monitor and visualise the spread of the virus, as well as enhance medical treatment and boost drug discovery.
Forecasting and pattern detection
AI has been championed for playing an integral role in helping identify the initial outbreak of the virus and monitoring its spread. On December 30, 2019, an AI platform BlueDot detected a cluster of "unusual pneumonia" cases occurring around a market in Wuhan, China, and sent out an outbreak alert to public health authorities. Following this, scientists have used interactive real-time maps and sophisticated algorithms to predict where the virus will spread, when it will occur and even forecast how fast it might travel. Various contract tracing apps which have been developed rely on AI to sift through large quantities of data and accurately identify if an individual has come into contact with a COVID-19 carrier.
Analysis and diagnosis
AI has also facilitated rapid diagnosis and risk analysis of COVID-19. Tech giant Alibaba developed an AI system which can detect COVID-19 through chest CT scans in just 20 seconds, compared to the usual 15 minutes it takes a medical professional. Another example is Infervision, a Beijing based AI company, which launched an AI solution specifically designed to help clinicians detect and monitor COVID-19, using an algorithm to locate the virus on images of patients' lungs, and help healthcare professionals make quick and informed judgements.
Vocalis Health, a company pioneering AI-based vocal biomarkers for use in healthcare, repurposed its expertise in voice analysis and is now using its AI proprietary platform to detect unique acoustics in a person's voice and determine if they are a high-risk individual and vulnerable to contracting the virus. The non-invasive test will be used to inform officials who may be in greatest need of testing, treating or isolating, and could significantly alleviate pressure on health systems. By the way it is one of the companies Kenes Rakishev invested in.
Drug discovery and treatment
In the early stages of the pandemic, Google's DeepMind used AI to predict the structure of proteins of the virus based on its genetic sequence and released its projections to the wider scientific community to aid research efforts. Another interesting example is BenevolentAI, a UK AI-drug discovery company, which used AI to examine the efficacy of all existing approved drugs against COVID-19, narrowing down the 6 most effective medications for treatment within a month.
This week, Moderna announced a vaccine candidate that was found to be almost 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants, following Pfizer's announcement of a potential vaccine last week. This news restores hope that vaccines can help end the pandemic, with the companies now planning to apply for emergency approval to enable the vaccine to be administered before Christmas. Both companies used a highly innovative and experimental approach to design the vaccines. Pfizer is known for using automation, AI and predictive analysis in its drug research and development process to analyse vast quantities of data with precision, and has created some impressive innovations using these technologies. For instance, last month Pfizer and IBM announced that they have developed a new AI model that can analyse clinical verbal tests to predict the onset of Alzheimer's disease years before standard symptoms develop.
Preparing for life after COVID-19
2020 began with an announcement by Google's health research unit that it had built AI which could outperform radiologists in detecting certain types of breast cancer, and the end of the year could potentially see the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine, developed in under a year. These incredible medical feats show just how far our healthcare systems have come and how technology can support efforts to tackle new challenges.
In 2018, the World Health Assembly approved a resolution to prioritise the "development, evaluation, implementation, scale-up and greater utilisation of digital technologies, as a means of promoting equitable, affordable and universal access to health for all." Two years later, we can see that the use of AI in the healthcare sector is increasingly sophisticated and increasingly prevalent, and it comes as no surprise to me that analysts forecast the Healthcare AI Market to grow at a CAGR of 41.4% from this year, and be worth US$51 billion by 2027. Investors, like myself, tech experts and healthcare experts alike are quickly becoming more confident in the integration of AI in the medical field, including its use in common healthcare issues as well as emerging threats.
AI is by no means a panacea for the issues facing our healthcare sectors worldwide. Healthcare transformations must go beyond the adoption of health technologies, and all stakeholders across the sector need to unite and make a concerted effort to implement the required regulatory infrastructure to integrate practical new technologies into everyday practice. Although the development and use of AI must be accompanied by robust governance and regulatory mechanisms, I hope to see greater trust in this new technology, and hope governments will help create an enabling environment to support its advancement and wider application.
© 2021 Warsaw Point
[[email protected]] Powered by WordPress | Theme: AccessPress Mag


30R5001 10 GbE SR Server Adapter IBM 221 370 руб.
161105-001 10/100 Dual-Channel 64-PCI NIC, NC3134 HP 4 189 руб.
34L1109 10/100 Ethernet Server Adapter IBM 4 613 руб.
34L1199 10/100 Ethernet Server Adapter IBM 4 613 руб.
06P3601 10/100 Ethernet Server Adapter IBM 4 613 руб.
161106-001 10/100tx Dual-Channel NIC HP 19 349 руб.
P3482-63000 1000 TX NIC HP 17 706 руб.
80P4381 2Гбит/сек SP FC HBA LC LP PCI-X IBM 66 104 руб.
80P4382 2Гбит/сек SP FC HBA LC LP PCI-X IBM 66 104 руб.
19K1273 2Гбит/сек SP FC HBA LP PCI/PCI-X IBM 46 331 руб.
EXPI9404PFBLK 882888 Pro/1000 PF Quad Port 1000Base-SX 4x1GB/s Fiber Channel PCI-E4x Intel 79 569 руб.
AT-2931SX BCM5703SKFBG 1000Base-SX 1Гбит/сек Fiber Channel PCI/PCI-X Allied Telesis 7 475 руб.
406740-B21 BladeSystem cClass 1GB Ethernet Pass Thru Module HP 66 316 руб.
409513-B21 BladeSystem cClass 4Gb Virtual Connect FC Module HP 577 545 руб.
399593-B22 BLc 1/10Gb VC-Enet Module Opt Kit HP 362 642 руб.
447047-B21 BLc 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Module HP 417 455 руб.
447883-B21 BLc NC364m NIC Adapter Opt Kit HP 48 081 руб.
406770-B21 BLc NC373m Mfn Gigabit Svr Adapter HP 24 862 руб.
253177-B21 BLe RJ21 Connector Tray w/ IA HP 113 442 руб.
243282-B21 BLe RJ45 Connector Tray w/ IA HP 113 442 руб.
416557-001 Broadcom 5708 NIC for BL20p G4, BL25p G2, BL45p G2 HP 23 876 руб.
416558-001 Broadcom 5721 NIC for BL20p G4, BL25p G2, BL45p G2 HP 17 282 руб.
EA833AA Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit PCIe NIC HP 2 333 руб.
378929-B21 Cisco 1000BASE SX Fiber SFP Module HP 31 966 руб.
174831-001 Compaq NC3123 10/100BaseT Fast Ethernet PCI (NIC) with WOL and PXE HP 5 514 руб.
174830-B21 Compaq NC3123 Fast Ethernet NIC PCI 10/100 WOL wake on LAN HP 2 492 руб.
379956-B21 Compaq NC4621 Token Ring NIC PCI 4/16 WOL wake on LAN HP 9 914 руб.
158575-B21 Compaq NC7131 Gigabit server 10/100/1000Base-T (NIC) - 32/64-bit, 66MHz HP 7 528 руб.
MNKH28-XTC ConnectX™ EN network interface card, dual-port, 10GBASE-SR w/ XFP modules, PCIe2.0 x8 2.5GT/s, mem-free, tall bracket, RoHS R5. Includes two (2) XFP modules. (Condor3 SR, 2-Port) Mellanox 177 399 руб.
MNPH28B-XTC ConnectX™ EN network interface card, dual-port, 10GigE, PCIe2.0 x8 2.5GT/s, mem-free, tall bracket, RoHS R5 (Hawk2) Mellanox 72 932 руб.
MNPH29B-XTC ConnectX™ EN network interface card, dual-port, 10GigE, PCIe2.0 x8 2.5GT/s, mem-free, tall bracket, RoHS R5 (Hawk2) Mellanox 80 511 руб.
MNKH18-XTC ConnectX™ EN network interface card, single-port, 10GBASE-SR w/ XFP module, PCIe2.0 x8 2.5GT/s, mem-free, tall bracket, RoHS R5. Includes one (1) XFP module. (Condor3 SR, 1-Port) Mellanox 124 715 руб.
MNTH18-XTC ConnectX™ EN network interface card, single-port, 10GBASE-T, PCIe2.0 x8 2.5GT/s, mem-free, tall bracket, RoHS R5 (Raven) Mellanox 188 529 руб.
MNPH18B-XTC ConnectX™ EN network interface card, single-port, 10GigE, PCIe2.0 x8 2.5GT/s, mem-free, tall bracket, RoHS R5 (Hawk2, 1-Port) Mellanox 53 750 руб.
MNEH28-XTC ConnectX™ EN, Ethernet Network Interface Card, Dual Port 10GBASE-CX4, PCIe 2.0 x8 2.5GT/s, MemFree, Fiber Media Adapter Support, tall bracket, RoHS R5 Compliant Mellanox 38 215 руб.
MNEH29-XTC ConnectX™ EN, Ethernet Network Interface Card, Dual Port 10GBASE-CX4, with PCI Gen2, PCIe 2.0 x8 5GT/s, MemFree, tall bracket, RoHS R5 Compliant (Eagle EN Gen2) Mellanox 49 122 руб.
MNEH18-XTC ConnectX™ EN, Ethernet Network Interface Card, Single Port 10GBASE-CX4, PCIe 2.0 x8 2.5GT/s, MemFree, tall bracket, RoHS R5 Compliant (Eagle EN, 1-Port) Mellanox 25 028 руб.
39Y6105 DP Server Adapter i82545GM 10/100/1000Мбит/сек RJ45 LP PCI/PCI-X IBM 9 330 руб.
31P9601 DP Server Adapter i82545GM 10/100/1000Мбит/сек RJ45 LP PCI/PCI-X IBM 9 330 руб.
00P6130 DP Server Adapter i82545GM 10/100/1000Мбит/сек RJ45 LP PCI/PCI-X IBM 9 330 руб.
317453-001 Dual Fast Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX LAN adapter (NIC) - 32-bit HP 1 803 руб.
ANA-62044 DuraLan ANA-62044 Quad Port 4x100Мбит/сек 4xRJ45 PCI/PCI-X Adaptec 19 986 руб.
399852-001 Emulex-based FC Mezzanine for p-Class for BL25p G1 HP 34 086 руб.
399853-001 Emulex-based FC Mezzanine HBA for p-Class BladeSystem HP 31 064 руб.
C7772A GL/2 Card for DesignJet500 Series HP 21 629 руб.
AB232A Host Adapter for Windows Server 2003 64-bit, Integrity servers HP 77 766 руб.
AB467A Host Adapter for Windows Server 2003 64-bit, Integrity servers, 1 channel 2Gb PCI-X HP 75 063 руб.
AB466A Host Adapter for Windows Server 2003 64-bit, Integrity servers, 2channel 2Gb PCI-X HP 120 174 руб.
A6826A Host adapter PCI-X 2channel for HP-UX and Linux, Integrity servers HP 94 782 руб.
J9150A HP ProCurve 10-GbE SFP+ SR Transceiver Module HP 46 225 руб.


text:
Q: Could we use "invite" as a noun in some cases
And as many have several invites, they're happy to give some away - especially when they've been up all night. You need to ask nicely and may not always be lucky as competition is fierce.

Is the above usage of the word invite commonly accepted as standard English nowadays? I'm asking because I found many occurrences of this usage on Internet, among which the above piece is taken from The Guardian newspaper. If I am not wrong, it seems that such a Agnès Poirier, the journalist, uses "invite" as a noun.

A: Invite has been used as a noun since at least 1659. There's no good reason to stop now, but it is considered colloquial and for that reason is probably best avoided in the most formal contexts.


Miss P arrived excited and a little nervous. As she touched up her make-up and I helped her pick outfits, I could see her excitement grow. We started the shoot and I was blown away!! I have been friends with this lady for awhile now and always knew this side of her was in there. It was truly amazing to watch her break out of her shell and let this side of her out. I truly enjoyed having P in front of my lens and can't wait to shoot her again!
Here are a few photos from her shoot.
"Working with Kristina was an amazing experience. Having never done anything like this before, I was nervous and had no clue what to do with myself and have someone posing me in my underwear. Kristina made me feel relaxed and gave direction like a girlfriend not a teacher which made me completely forget I was in my underwear. Her friendly and upbeat attitude made the shoot very comfortable, which is definitely reflected in my photos. They all came out beautifully, and I was incredibly pleased with them, never mind the confidence boost it gave me!! After this experience, I can safely say that Kristina is the only person I would trust to do my photos." – P.C.


text:
St. Eutychus
Public Relations Resources
Christianity in the public sphere
Card carrying professionalsThe Beginners Guide to Taking Over the World – Table of Contents
Zapper mystery zapped
BY Nathan Campbell	/Curiosities / READ TIME: Estimated reading time: 1 minute
I've always wondered how the Nintendo Zapper worked. I was a big fan of Duck Hunt as a child.
We are living in the era of the wii – remotes with in built motion sensors with signals picked up by special peripherals near the TV. But in 1984 (the actual year – not the Orwellian future) these were the things dreams were made of – the 1984 type of dreams (the Orwellian future – not the actual year). 1984 was the year Duck Hunt was released.
Anyway, the Zapper apparently worked like this:
When you shot at one of the ducks in Duck Hunt, the screen would flash for a split second, and the duck would either plummet to Earth like a fallen angel, or continue flying around, oblivious to your vain attempts to destroy it. I always just assumed that the flash was for dramatic effect, but it turns out that it was the key to the Nintendo Zapper's closely guarded secrets.
Instead of emitting an infrared blast every time the trigger is pulled, the Zapper housed a small sensor that could pick up the flashing screen. If you watched closely you would see that, every time the screen flashed, the duck(s) would be surrounded by a box that was a different color than the background. If the Zapper was pointed at one of the ducks when the trigger was pulled, it would register that the color was different, and thus score a hit. All of this would take place so quickly that, unless you knew what to look for, you would never notice.
Duck Hunthow stuff worksNESnintendonintendo zapper
Nathan Campbell
Nathan runs St Eutychus. He loves Jesus. His wife. His daughter. His son. His other daughter. His dog. Coffee. And the Internet. He is the pastor of City South Presbyterian Church, a church in Brisbane, a graduate of Queensland Theological College (M. Div) and the Queensland University of Technology (B. Journ). He spent a significant portion of his pre-ministry-as-a-full-time-job life working in Public Relations, and now loves promoting Jesus in Brisbane and online. He can't believe how great it is that people pay him to talk and think about Jesus. If you'd like to support his writing financially you can do that by giving to his church.
Guns don't kill people. Zappers kill people.
The Great Gatsby: NES Edition
Happy Birthday Link
How Croissants Work
Mario: This is your life
How Scientists See the World
Super Mario Bros Crossover will waste your life
Ducklings for cover
About St. Eutychus
Eutychus was a young man who fell to his death because the Apostle Paul preached for too long (Acts 20). He's now the patron saint of non-boring Internet.
About Nathan
Nathan runs St Eutychus. He loves Jesus. His wife. His daughter. His son. His other daughter. His dog. Coffee. And the Internet. He is the campus pastor at Creek Road South Bank, a graduate of Queensland Theological College (M. Div) and the Queensland University of Technology (B. Journ). He spent a significant portion of his pre-ministry-as-a-full-time-job life working in Public Relations, and now loves promoting Jesus in Brisbane and online. He can't believe how great it is that people pay him to talk and think about Jesus. About this site
It's great to have you along. You'll find a comprehensive "about" page here. Please join the conversation here - but make sure you read my disclaimer, and comment policy
You can also Subscribe to the RSS Feed
10 Tips for using social media as a Christian
Communicating Sexuality
Help Tanzania meet Jesus: one coffee at a time
Ministry in an iWorld
Nathan goes to New Zealand
Plundered Gold


text:
Last names beginning with J
Jackson, Ann Fletcher
Kōrero: Jackson, Ann Fletcher
Ann Fletcher Jackson (right) and her daughter Bertha, about 1890
Quaker evangelist
I tuhia tēnei haurongo e Margaret West,, ā, i tāngia tuatahitia ki Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau Ko te wāhanga , 1993.
Ann Fletcher was born on 27 February 1833 at Leigh, Lancashire, England, the eldest of seven children of John Fletcher, a clogger, and his wife, Mary Brown, both of whom were members of the Society of Friends (Quakers). She became a member by birthright and attended Ackworth School. In Westhoughton, Lancashire, on 24 March 1859, Ann Fletcher married Thomas Jackson, a cordwainer. From the time of her marriage she was known as Ann Fletcher Jackson. In 1862 Thomas and Ann established a business at Birkenhead, Cheshire, where 11 children were born.
The Jacksons emigrated to New Zealand in 1878 and arrived at Auckland on the James Wishart on 12 January 1879. They were allotted about 300 acres at Otonga, north of Whangarei, which were difficult of access and covered in bush. In spite of the trials of daily life Ann Jackson found time to visit neighbouring families. She provided remedies from her medicine chest whenever there was need among settlers or Maori.
Although isolated the family held regular meetings for worship according to Quaker practice, inviting neighbours to join them. As circumstances eased, Ann Jackson, who took as prophecy an admonition given in her youth – 'Be thou faithful…the Lord will lead thee in…untrodden paths' – and who had been recorded as a minister by her meeting in England (a distinction not lightly given), was ready for a wider role. She now accepted invitations to speak at church services, Sunday schools and religious rallies of various Protestant denominations.
In 1885 the Jacksons accompanied a visiting Quaker evangelist to Auckland, seeing an opportunity to gather Friends together. Four meetings were held in the city and a decision was made to meet regularly on Sundays, with an additional meeting for business held quarterly. Ann Jackson strove to ensure that a firm organisation was maintained in the Auckland Meeting. She attended the quarterly meetings regularly, staying on in Auckland to assist the presiding clerk with minutes and correspondence. One clerk described her as 'our chief guide and counsellor in the conduct of Meeting business.'
Between 1886 and 1902 she made many journeys, usually accompanied by her husband or a son. Her travels by coastal steamer took her from Hokianga Harbour to Dunedin. She visited Friends, bringing assurance of religious fellowship and drawing isolated members together.
In 1893 the Jacksons moved to Avondale, Auckland. They could now regularly attend Sunday meeting for worship and Ann spent another day each week visiting among Friends. In addition she turned her attention to the local Sunday school, mission service, prayer meeting and Band of Hope. These all met in private homes, making the need for a public meeting place evident. With her support a committee was formed, fund-raising commenced, and Ann received donations from English Quakers. Victoria Hall opened in Avondale in 1897. Ann Fletcher Jackson died in Auckland on 15 October 1903 predeceased by her husband. She was buried in the Avondale cemetery beside Thomas and her son William.
Margaret West. 'Jackson, Ann Fletcher', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1993. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/biographies/2j1/jackson-ann-fletcher (accessed 18 January 2020)


A new bipartisan bill to allow legal sports betting, online poker and fantasy sports in Kentucky was introduced on Feb. 5 by state representative Adam Koenig, with the support of 14 others. HB 175 would give the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission control over sports wagering.
Racetracks and other professional sports venues would be able to obtain a sports wagering license from the KHRC for $1 million followed by an annual $50,000 renewal fee.
Online and mobile applications may also offer sports wagering but would require in-person registration to verify players are at least 18, must have geographical location software to ensure wagering remains in Kentucky's borders, and must allow advanced deposit wagering for sports events.
Wagers would be allowed on professional sports with organizations such as the NFL or NBA, as well as NCAA sports. Kentucky sporting events would be excluded. At the discretion of the KHRC, the bill also mentions international events like the Olympics and World Cup, as well as nonsporting events like the Oscars and Emmys.
Kentucky's top racetrack, of course, is Churchill Downs, which has also taken ownership of multiple casino properties across the country. This week, Churchill Downs Inc. also went live with its BetAmerica brand in New Jersey to accept wagers on sports, joining another of its books in Mississippi.
Since last year's repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Provision Act, legalization of sports betting is now a state-by-state issue, throwing into question how the racing industry is ready to react -- both to new competition and the possibility of another revenue stream for racetracks.
A bill similar to the one in Kentucky, HB 1132, was last Friday introduced in Maryland, home to Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course.