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The Middle East. Explained
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RHYTHM IS THE INSTRUMENT: WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE SUCH A POEM OUT OF EVERYTHING?
WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE SUCH A POEM OUT OF EVERYTHING?
it's just always been there.
But the truth is—some days, I'm sick of that.
on a mattress in my underwear.
in a similar but fictive universe.


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Histamine-inducing drugs improve long-term memory recall
Research Press Release | March 13, 2019
The drugs aided retrieval of long-term object memories in both mice and humans.
Researchers from Hokkaido University, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, have shown that histamine-inducing drugs can aid the retrieval of forgotten long-term memories. Their research was recently published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.
"Forgotten memories may occasionally be remembered spontaneously. Even after the memories fade over time, the lost memories may persist latently in the brain," says Hiroshi Nomura, pharmacologist at Hokkaido University and co-author of the paper.
Scientists have long been looking for a method to retrieve lost memories. The team of Japanese researchers investigated a histamine-based method of memory retrieval and found that it can aid recall of long-term object memories in both mice and humans.
Histamine is a compound with many important functions in the body and is known to play a role in learning and memory. Compounds which can upregulate histamine release are therefore potential candidates for treating memory disorders.
The researchers studied a group of chemicals called histamine H3 receptor inverse agonists, which increase histamine release by preventing its inhibition. They used several methods to explore whether and how these chemicals can aid memory recall.
In a mouse behavioral experiment, the researchers gave mice two objects, one that they had seen before in training and one that was new. Mice usually forget objects after 3 days. However, when the researchers gave the mice one of two histamine-inducing drugs made from histamine H3 receptor inverse agonists – thioperamide and betahistine – they found that the mice could remember objects they'd seen up to 28 days ago.
The researchers also tested the histamine-inducing drugs in humans. In an object recognition task, participants studied 128 images of familiar objects, like eyeglasses or a wristwatch, during training. Then, after 7 and 9 days, they were shown several images – some they had seen before and some that were new – and asked whether they recognized them.
They found that participants who had taken the drugs were better at remembering which images they had seen before compared to those who had taken a placebo. The drugs were more effective for items that are more difficult to remember and in participants with poorer memories.
Using cellular experiments, the researchers showed that histamine activates neurons in a particular region of the brain called the perirhinal cortex – this region is known to be important in sensory information and memory.
These results highlight an important interaction between central histamine signaling and memory recall. Clarifying the role of histamine in memory could have implications for the treatment of long-term memory loss due to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
The research team.
Nomura H., et al., Central Histamine Boosts Perirhinal Cortex Activity and Restores Forgotten Object Memories, Biological Psychiatry, January 8, 2019.
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.11.009
Funding information:
This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (Grant No. 16K06989), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Grants-in- Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas "Mental Time" (Grant No. 16H01500 [to HNom] and Grant No. 25119004), "Memory Dynamism" (Grant No. 16H01267), "Brain Information Dynamics" (Grant No. 18H05109), "Evolinguistic" (Grant No. 18H05056), "Prediction and Decision Making" (Grant No. 23120009), "AI and Brain Science" (Grant No. 16H06572), and "Chronogenesis" (Grant No. 18H05525), the Strategic Research Program for Brain Sciences in the "Development of BMI Technologies for Clinical Application" , SENSHIN Medical Research Foundation (Grant No. 17:2-37), Suzuken Memorial Foundation (Grant No. 17-082), the Takeda Sci- ence Foundation, the Akiyama Life Science Foundation, the Human Frontier Science Program (Grant No. RGP0019/2016), and the Japan Science and Technology Agency Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology (Grant No. JPMJER1801).
Assistant Professor Hiroshi Nomura
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Email: hnomura[at]pharm.hokudai.ac.jp
Tyler Tannert (International Public Relations Specialist)
Public Relations Division

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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On the Hulu Channel: Anthony Asquith's The Woman in Question
Scott Nye
Also known as Five Angles on Murder, Asquith's 1950 investigative thriller will sound more than a little familiar to Criterion fans. In it, detectives Lodge and Butler question the neighbors, friends, and family of a murdered fortune-teller, drudging up conflicted visions of not only the events of the days leading up to her death, but of all the people involved, very much including the, well, woman in question. While certainly not as famous as Akira Kurosawa's legendary exploration of the fragility of memory and representation (released the same year), and lacking some of that film's more surreally psychological elements, this is a striking, sort of retrospective-thriller, in which each unfolding piece gets us closer and closer to the truth without getting any more dangerous in the present, but very deadly in the past.
Better known for incisive, if somewhat polite, English stage adaptations like Pygmalion, The Browning Version, and The Importance of Being Earnest (a personal favorite), I was quite struck by Asquith's dexterity not only with genre here, but also with the medium as well. Ducking in and out of flashbacks, testimonials, and even outright fabrications in the space of a frame (no awkward fade-ins and -outs to mark the past from the present), Asquith treats his entire timeline as one stream. The past may be "over" in a more literal sense, but given the extent to which it continues to affect the progress of the investigation, as well as the way it is being continually reinvented, it cannot be dismissed as a mere flashback or exposition. John D. Guthridge's editing plays so pointedly with reaction shots, to the point that people in the present sometimes seem to be witnessing the past firsthand. It has immediate, visceral power, especially over the two men who are ostensibly the protagonists, but who have little more function than to move the plot along.
Lodge (Duncan Macrae) and Butler (Joe Linnane) have no real backstory of their own, any personal stake in the outcome, nor any sort of arc over the course of the film. They're just servicemen, both literally in their profession, but abstractly in getting us from one person to the next. They're our protagonists, but they don't actually know anything they're being told is true, as Lodge notes late in the film when he mentions that, although they've met several of her acquaintances, they have only a sketchy understanding of Agnes, the deceased, as each person relates different sides of her that may or may not inform the truth.
This structure gives actress Jean Kent a lot of fun angles to play, from proper lady to seductress to a drunken slut to an almost childlike ingenue. She crafts a glancingly-complete portait of a person without ever giving the sense that we truly know it all, letting all these angles say more about the person painting the picture than their subject. Further, by the time we found out who really killed Agnes with the whatsit in her bedroom apartment, we're able to see that even that vision might have been something of a perversion itself.
The cast is rounded out by a number of very fine performers, each of whom endears themselves to us so quickly, we hope the murderer will end up being some random passer-by. Surely none of them could have done it, from the sister (Susan Shaw), who's fallen for the former object of Agne's own affection (Dirk Borgade), or the maid (Hermione Baddeley), who perhaps too-often enlists the assistance of the pet shop owner and general handyman (Charles Victor), or most tragically, the sailor who desperately loves her, if only he'd stop walking in on her with other men (John McCallum). Each of theirs could nearly be a story all its own, and in all, has the nice effect of asking us to look deeper into people who are otherwise supporting characters in what could just as easily be Agnes' film. There's a whole world out there, after all.
That world is brought to us in high definition on Criterion's Hulu channel, and looking mighty fine, at that. The deep shadows are not purely servicing the noir style of the time, but deeply necessary, thematically and narratively, to cover up faces, events, and objects. Murder investigations are always about shining a light, drudging up what is unseen, after all, so it's very nice to have such a fine HD master to really let those inky blacks submerge those more unsavory elements. Grain is finely-managed, and the picture is as crisp as one could hope. No complaints here, in any regard, for this great transfer.
Given their apparent affection for Asquith's work, I do hope Criterion gives this a full-fledged release. Though its similarity to Rashomon is undeniable, Asquith's ends are very different here, especially in terms of playing the past against the present and creating a well-stocked ensemble. The other three releases of his films are extremely light on supplements (Earnest and Pygmalion having virtually none at all) that it's high time we get a closer look at Asquith as a filmmaker, whose talents extend well beyond more theatrical elements into playing deftly with cinematic storytelling (the climax of Earnest is exemplary in this regard, and informs the whole of The Woman in Question). Other supplements regarding the cast would not be unwelcome, either, especially since Kent is still alive, and could hopefully shed a great deal of light on the production of this film and her sizable contributions to it. Beyond that, the film would just look great on Blu-ray.
Until such a day should arrive, head on over to Criterion's Hulu channel, and give this, and hundreds of other great films, a watch.
To try Hulu Plus, and get two weeks free, click here!
Scott Nye loved movies so much, he spent four years at Emerson College earning a career-free degree in Media Studies. Now living in Los Angeles, he's trying to put that to some sort of use. OFCS member, film writer, day-tripper.


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Home » Articles » What Offences Are Ineligible for a Pardon?
What Offences Are Ineligible for a Pardon?
In many cases, obtaining a record suspension (commonly referred to as a Pardon) is an entirely feasible course of action. However, there are some offenses that cannot be suspended from your record, even from a police check or basic background check. These offences are ineligible from being suspended from a record due to the grave and serious nature of the specific charges. Below are the offences that are ineligible for a Pardon.
A Schedule 1 Offence under the Criminal Records Act
This type of criminal offence is very serious in the eyes of the law – it is generally an offence of a sexual nature that involves a child in any way. Canadian law stipulates, any convicted Schedule 1 offences or charges under the Schedule 1 in the Criminal Records Act cannot be suspended from a record, even after the sentence has been completed and carried out.
Common Assault or Assault with Intent to Commit an Indictable Offence against a Child
Assault is always a serious charge and the gravity of the offense in the eyes of the law only increases when the offence involves children.
An indictable offence is a specific kind of offense which can only be tried on an indictment (a formal and official accusation that a person has committed a crime). After a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is a prima facie case (a clear case at first sight) to address, the person can be tired by a jury. This is in contrast to a summary offence, which is a crime that can be proceeded against summarily (in some common law jurisdictions) without the right to a jury trial.
If any of these offenses were committed, charged or tried before January 4, 1983, they are not eligible for being covered under a record suspension.
More than Three Prosecuted Indictable Offences with a Prison Sentence of Two Years or More
If a person has been charged and convicted of more than three indictable offences, in addition to any of those sentences being imprisonment for two or more years, a person cannot get those charges suspended from their record.
The notion behind indictable offences in general is that they carry more moral weight behind them than summary offences, which do not require a jury. If an indictable offense requires a sentence greater than two years, it is deemed unpardonable by the Canadian government.
The standard definition of indictable offences is that they require both a judge and a jury to properly assess in the eyes of justice, but also that they are generally considered more serious and grave offences. Both in the eyes of the written law and in the eyes of Canadian society, many convicted indictable offences involve crimes that are considered to be too grave to be pardoned or suspended from a person's record, even after the individual has served their time.
If you have a criminal record, the process of re-integrating into society starts by finding out if you are eligible for a Canadian pardon.
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Medical, safety concerns driving senior living move-ins
Lois A. Bowers
Follow @lois_bowers
Katie Roper
Medical and safety concerns are the chief motivators for moves into senior living communities, according to the results of the latest Caregiver Journey survey by Caring.com.
The San Mateo, CA-based website, a Bankrate company that serves as a resource for family caregivers, in July and August polled 2,512 consumers who had visited its website and partner senior care-related websites. Twenty-two percent of participants said that a loved one lives in an assisted living community, nursing home or other type of senior living setting.
Of them, 71% said that medical concerns were the reason for the move, and 70% said that safety concerns were the reason. (Survey participants could choose more than one answer.)
"These numbers are actually going up. Last year, medical concerns was about 62%," Caring.com Vice President of Advertiser Sales and Marketing Katie Roper told those attending a Thursday webinar where she discussed the survey results. "So despite all of the efforts in the industry to sell the value of socialization and community living, it's still medical and safety drivers that are the key factors in these decisions, and it's getting to be more frequent rather than less frequent."
See the accompanying table for additional reasons survey respondents gave for move-ins.
Senior housing search tools and resources
Given the nature of the survey, all participants said they used online tools to research communities. Forty-one percent said they leveraged their own knowledge of area communities in their searches.
"I have people all the time who say, 'I don't need to market online because everybody in my community already knows me,' " Roper said. "What this [survey] says is, almost 60% of people don't know any communities in the area, or at least not ones they would feel comfortable with using in their search for senior care."
Another popular source for research, she said, was recommendations from family members and friends, with 40% of respondents citing them. See the accompanying chart for additional tools and resources that family caregivers used in the search process for senior living communities.
Factors in community selection
When Caring.com asked caregivers an open-ended question (rather than a multiple choice question) about why they chose a particular community for their loved one, a community's location was "the overwhelming driving factor in terms of which one was selected," Roper said. Twenty-two percent of respondents mentioned location as their top consideration, and one-third mentioned it somewhere in their answers.
Only 10% of respondents mentioned that a community's physical facility was a reason for choosing a particular community, Roper said. "I hate to tell you, but the chandelier in the lobby? Nobody really cared about it," she added. Respondents who cited a community's physical facility were more likely to mention a particular apartment's layout or the fact that it had a lot of natural light or a garden than they were to mention a well-appointed lobby, Roper said.
Interestingly, she added, only 8% of respondents cited care needs as being a reason for choosing a particular community, despite the fact that survey results indicated that medical concerns were the top reasons for a move into senior living in the first place.
See the accompanying table for additional reasons for community selection.
Additional survey highlights:
Pressing needs lead 32% of older adults to move into a senior living community after less than a month of searching. Another 37% move in from one to six months after a search begins, and others take anywhere from one year to more than three years to move in.
15% of older adults residing in a senior living community (not a hospice or nursing home) had moved from another senior living community, according to survey respondents. "So they either picked wrong with their first community choice or their care needs changed and the original community couldn't accommodate them anymore," Roper said.
27% of participants with loved ones residing in senior living communities said they employed an outside agency to deliver home care to their loved ones in their communities.
11% of the family caregivers participating in the survey said they were assisting with paying for senior housing for their loved ones. Roper said she was surprised that the percentage wasn't higher.
Desktop and laptop computers remain the primary devices that family caregivers use to find communities for their loved ones, being used by 42% and 32% of survey participants, respectively. iPads and tablets were used by 14% of respondents, and smartphones were used by 12%. "So while it's definitely important that your website be mobile-optimized, if it's not, it's not a 'hair-on-fire, drop-everything-and-make-it-so decision," Roper said.
48% of participants said that they and their loved ones were living together; of them, 10% said the arrangement was due to a bad experience at a senior living community.
"Similar to last year, the people whose loved ones are living in a senior community are the happiest in our survey," which also discussed seniors who live alone or with loved ones, Roper said. Fifty-nine percent said they are pleased that their loved one is safe and well cared for, she added.
Thirty-four percent of respondents said senior living is a great option for everyone, although the same percent said they felt sad or guilty that they couldn't care for the older adult themselves, and another 31% said they were unhappy but didn't have another option.
For more survey results, see "Where your new residents are moving from."
Lois A. Bowers Marketing
Follow @lois_bowers	Email
Lois has spent almost her entire career covering healthcare, the business of healthcare and related topics via journalism or public relations. She holds a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from Kent State University (media management) and is the recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award as well as other honors.
Where your new residents are moving from
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SDGLN exclusive: Uganda remains a lightning rod over gay rights
(Editor's note: This is the second part in a series on "Compass to Compassion – Discovering a Common Way to LGBT Global Equality," a consultation about finding ways to decriminalize homosexuality across the world and to bring equality and dignity to LGBT people. Editor in Chief Ken Williams was on the planning committee headed by the Rev. Canon Albert Ogle of San Diego and was a participant in the consultation, and he is sharing with SDGLN's readers what he learned during the meetings.)
NEW YORK – What's really going on in Uganda?
The notorious "Kill The Gays" bill is still floating around Parliament despite almost universal condemnation over the draconian attempts to criminalize homosexuality and punish anyone who comes to the aid of LGBT people.
Investigative reporters and faith leaders warn that Uganda is the "line in the sand" over the criminalization of homosexuality, a movement propagated and financially supported by the Religious Right in America.
LGBT activists, however, tell of small victories on the ground and the desperate need for cash to keep up their grassroots efforts to change hearts and minds.
Last week, during the "Compass to Compassion – Discovering a Common Way to LGBT Global Equality" consultation at Union Theological Seminary, almost 100 prominent leaders representing a wide diversity of faith and secular communities attended a case study that focused on Uganda.
Bruce Knotts, executive director of the United Nations Office for the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, introduced the session. He provided a brief history of the gathering, the third such meeting since Human Rights Watch alerted progressive and liberal clergy in America in spring 2009 to do something about the "Kill The Gays" bill in Uganda.
Knotts was not shy in condemning efforts by the Religious Right to promote the criminalization of homosexuality across the globe. He accused conservative faith leaders of employing "Nazi-like tactics" to push the "Kill The Gays" bill in Uganda, which has been copied by other countries.
He told of how the proposed Uganda legislation, also known as the Bahati Bill, would be far-reaching and would affect even landlords, who would face long prison sentences if they rented to LGBT people.
"This bill was created in the U.S. by so-called Christians," Knotts said. "Parents would be forced to report their gay children or be tortured and imprisoned."
Knotts ripped into anti-gay activist Scott Lively for perpetuating the myth that the Nazis were gay, noting that it was the gays and the Jews, along with many other groups opposed to the Third Reich, who were being shipped off to concentration camps and most often to their deaths.
As a former diplomat and foreign service officer, Knotts has served in Zambia, Kenya, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gambia, Greece, India and Pakistan. He is also former chair of the NGO Committee on Human Rights. He has first-hand knowledge of LGBT issues in Africa and Asia.
Knotts said he believes that most Africans are offended by the invasion of privacy that is being perpetuated by the meddling of western Evangelicals and fundamentalists who want to dictate the moral standards of nation's far from America.
He noted that the "U.S. Constitution was written over 200 years ago in English and that we can't still say what it means because it is constantly being interpreted … so how do we approach Scripture (which is ancient by comparison) with humble uncertainty?"
Knotts said Scripture throughout history had been used to justify slavery and to oppress women, but today we reject those passages. He said future generations will also reject homophobia.
Returning to his original theme, Knott posed the question: "Is there a new Nazi-like system growing in the U.S.? After reading Jeff Sharlet's book ('The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power'), I grew more concerned."
Keynote speaker Jeff Sharlet
Jeff Sharlet's groundbreaking work on The Family and its homophobic agenda exposed its far-reaching influence not only in American politics but on a global scale.
Sharlet traced the roots of The Family back to the 1930s when its disciples fought FDR's New Deal and its founder, Abraham Vereide, praised Hitler's "youth work" and lauded the tactics of strongmen who ruled with an iron glove. The message today remains the same: "Jesus plus nothing" (the title of his first magazine piece on The Family).
During his speech, which had the titillating title of "Missionary Positions: The Sex Tourists of American Fundamentalism," Sharlet talked about how American missionaries are coming to Uganda and elsewhere in Africa to teach the natives about sex between a man and a woman. He blasted people like Lou Engle and The Call, often called a "fringe figure," Sharlet said, but "he's not that marginal" because politicians like Michelle Bachmann and for Sen. Sam Brownback (now the governor of Kansas) cozy up to Engle.
Sharlet said Engle went to Kampala, the capital of Uganda, to rally the troops in support of the "Kill The Gays" bill, but noted that attendance was sparse. "It was for the videos," he said. "It is really about the regulation of sexuality in America."
The Family has taken its lumps in recent years. It seems to have survived the C Street sex scandal, and nearly every politician in Washington still attends The Family's National Prayer Breakfast every year despite its ties to homophobic legislation in Africa.
"Since the early '70s, The Family has been the most influential fundamentalist group in Washington," Sharlet said. "Their influence has expanded globally. … The Family has been involved in Uganda for decades."
Sharlet said David Bahati, the anti-gay member of Parliament who introduced the "Kill The Gays" bill, is aligned with The Family and the group brought him to the U.S. to study.
Another frequent visitor to Uganda and Africa is conservative Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), and Sharlet said the senator has "adopted" more than a dozen African countries as his "children." Inhofe is immortalized for his first Senate campaign based on "God, Gays and Guns." The homophobic Inhofe preaches the message of The Family that there is "too much wicked sex in the U.S. and that he admires Uganda's purity."
Sharlet exposed the myth that Rick Warren, an Evangelical megachurch pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., is progressive despite having given the invocation at President Barack Obama's inauguration in January 2009. He said Warren runs to Africa where he claims he can say things he can't say back home because they are politically incorrect. "The fight (or social wars) are lost in the U.S. but there is hope in Africa," Warren reportedly said.
He concluded by sharing a story on Bahati, who said "let's find common ground." Sharlet said Bahati's offer was pure rhetoric.
"Now is not the time for finding common ground," Sharlet concluded. "A master and a slave sit on common ground."
Bruce Knotts moderated the panel discussion featuring Bishop Christopher Senyonjo, a retired Anglican from Uganda; the Rev. Mark Kiyimba, founding minister of the Kampala Central Unitarian Church; Val Kalende, a postgraduate student at Episcopal Divinity School who is an activist from Uganda; and Dr. Scott Long, visiting fellow in the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School.
Bishop Christopher, who heads St. Paul's Reconciliation and Equality Centre in Kampala, spoke of his work as a straight ally in ministering to LGBT people in Uganda.
Through fundraising in the west aided by the Rev. Canon Albert Ogle, president of the San Diego-based St. Paul's Foundation for International Reconciliation, as well as receiving a grant from the Elton John Foundation, St. Paul's center in Kampala has been able to provide HIV/AIDS counseling and other LGBT services in a country that is trying to criminalize homosexuality.
"We need to decriminalization of LGBT all over the world," the bishop said.
Bishop Christopher said there was a need to teach people about human sexuality … that it's not only heterosexuality. "Many people who oppose homosexuality don't know human sexuality," he said.
Speaker after speaker over the two days of the consultation idolized the work of Bishop Christopher, whose life was put in danger when an anti-gay tabloid called Rolling Stone published his photo on the cover of its edition that advocated the hanging of LGBT people in Uganda.
The Rev. Kiyimba noted that the bishop had confirmed him into the Anglican Church when he was 14. Kiyimba is now a Unitarian.
Kiyimba talked about the difficult work of changing hearts and minds of Ugandans, most of whom attend churches that preach against homosexuality. He said LGBT Ugandans face abuse, discrimination and denial of rights.
Still, Kiyimba offers up hope for Uganda, noting that churches such as his preach tolerance and acceptance of all people.
"We all share ground on this planet," he said. "At the same time, we are one people."
Kalende, the lesbian activist, rattled off the many ways "the state is witch-hunting LGBT people." She cited the tragic murder of fellow activist David Kato, a slaying that shocked the world. Just this month, Kampala's only gay bar closed, leaving LGBT people without a public gathering place.
"The stories you hear (in the press) are LGBT people thrown in jail, blackmail and people arrested (on bogus charges," Kalende said. "What you aren't hearing is the good things that are happening. We are NOT in hiding!"
Kalende said there is a sizable group of young, passionate activists who are fighting the battle on the ground. "The Rolling Stone court case was won," she said, giving an example.
"Tell the stories that celebrate us," she urged the media.
Like many activists from Africa, Kalende pleaded for funding to continue work at the grassroots level. "Funding is a challenge," she said. "We cannot fight the well-funded fundamentalists who are funding hate. "
Dr. Long spoke on the international response to the Uganda story and what can be done about decriminalizing homosexuality.
Long credited activists on the ground in Uganda for helping to keep the "Kill The Gays" bill from passage. He also praised those activists from framing the story as human rights, not just gay rights, because the abuses are widespread.
"I honor those heroes who stood up … and spoke out for what's right," Long said.


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In recent days we have had announcements from both the Royal Court and Michael Grandage of their upcoming seasons. Representing the very different ends of the theatrical experience for audiences; the small intimately thrilling Royal Court where so many of our great playwrights were given a space to write and the cavernous and wallet-sapping Noel Coward Theatre, the name alone indicative of its West End heritage. It is heartening to think of Grandage's past as Artistic Director of The Crucible and a ten-year stint at the Donmar and realise that it is still possible to trace a line from the heart of regional theatre all the way to the money-making centre of the British stage.
One might grumble about the prices of Grandage's plays but it cannot be denied that a West End line-up containing two Shakespeare's, a McDonagh and a new play by John Loga, whilst, maybe not groundbreaking, provides rather more interest than the usual fare of rehashed musicals, Coward revivals and vehicles for ageing American celebrities. Ticket prices may be steep at the top end but, as I have commented elsewhere, the £10 tickets actually undercut the National's Travellex offer and, if star power is what you are after, provide fantastic value for money. Whilst advertised as 'moderately restricted view' I have found the seats to be absolutely adequate and you would miss virtually none of the action. Given they are available in both the Royal and Upper Circles they arguably offer better value for money than the Gallery tickets that are the next cheapest but are already edging towards an uncomfortable £27.50 for seats right up in the gods.
With information about the National Theatre and the Barbican already available we can see that the upcoming months look very rosy indeed. And as a public service, Civilian Theatre is very happy to provide you with a month-by-month guide to the most interesting plays over the coming months (a growing requirement as it is becoming more and more evident that theatre is going the same way as gigs and stand-up comedy and selling its major events anything up to 18 months in advance – Jude Law in Hamlet in November 2013 anyone? Not busy I hope?)
London Road (National)
This may be a last chance to catch one of the most interesting and innovative musicals in recent years. It sadly had the misfortune to go up against the Matilda juggernaut in all the major award ceremonies and as a result came home empty-handed but this tale, based on documentary footage taken from Ipswich in the aftermath of the discovery of five bodies in 2006 and put to music by Adam Cork, is one of the most complex and affecting new musicals in a long time. A real slow-burn hit, its success can be seen in the major summer revival it was given by the National just a year after it was first introduced. September is possibly the last time you will be seeing it in quite a while so go while you can.
Mademoiselle Julie (Barbican)
Hopefully not setting myself up for a fall after the general disappointment of Cate Blanchett in Big and Small – where the size of the play failed to meet the stature of the actor – we see Juliette Binoche meet Strindberg as another entry in the Barbican's generally excellent international programming. Binoche is one of the deserved greats of French acting; an actress capable of turning down Spielberg's Jurassic Park for a role in Kieslowski's Three Colours: Blue (now that is range). The set photos are fascinating and suggest a radical take on a work famed for its naturalistic excellence:
love and information (Royal Court)
Whilst not to everyone's tastes, a new play by Caryl Churchill is certainly not something to be ignored. One of Britain's leading playwrights over the last 40 years and an icon for the current generation of female writers who grew up on Top Girls and Cloud 9, Churchill returns to the Royal Court with a new play, love and information. Details are scarce other but it looks likely that it will be a continuation of Churchill's abiding fascination with non-linear story-telling and the use of the less naturalistic elements of theatre, as she creates a panoramic landscape of over 100 characters.
Hamlet (Queen Elizabeth Hall)
In what was very high up Civilian Theatre's 'Must Watch' list was this import from Denmark – The Tiger Lillies performing Hamlet. Unfortunately recent news tells us that it has been cancelled for 'scheduling issues' but if they can find a slot for it in 2013 then I urge all to go and see it. The Tiger Lillies describe their own music as Brechtian street opera and are instantly memorable for all of those who had the fortune to see their version of Shockheaded Peter many moons ago. For those who have missed their vaudevillian morality tales then here is a performance of a song from Shockheaded Peter:
Timon of Athens (National)
Not one of Shakespeare's best-known, best-loved or, indeed, best plays – Timon of Athens tends to labour under a difficult second-half and a lead character who goes out of his way to be hard to warm to. However of all his plays, Timon must have the most contemporary resonance; being a play of a society where wealth is all and where loyalty is only as tangible insofar as it can measured in gold, The Greek setting only lends extra hubris to the plot. Simon Russell Beale plays Timon and the Alison Jackman-inspired poster that shows him dining with a cross-section of English celebrity suggests that this may finally be the production that breathes new life into the play.
Scenes from an Execution (National)
Staying at the National, the great Fiona Shaw takes on Howard Barker's Scenes from an Execution. Originally a radio play performed by Glenda Jackson in the 1980's, Howard Barker is a playwright much feted in Europe and who hasn't ever really gained the reputation in his own country that his prodigious output deserves. Coining the term 'theatre of catastrophe' to describe his work, Scenes… may help the ongoing reassessment of his work.
the time out (Barbican)
How you feel about non zero one's the time out is likely to depend almost exclusively about how you feel about participatory or immersive theatre. Personally I would rather chew my own fingers off then have to directly involve myself into a play – taking the more traditional view that I prefer to pay other people to perform for me than taking part myself. There is, however, a growing body – of mainly trendy young things – who do like this sort of thing so it is my responsibility to report it. non zero one walked off with the 2011 Off West End Award for Best Entertainment so it is undeniable that they are onto something with their productions.
Nosferatu (Barbican)
TR Warszawa is a theatre company that represent everything that separates UK and European theatre. Their last production at the Barbican was the brutally affecting revival of Sarah Kane's 4:48 Psychosis and if their production of Nosferatu seems a little too tied to its Halloween dates, it is to be suspected that this Polish company will be approaching this tale from a radical new angle and will find ways to unnerve despite its over-familiarity.
The River (Royal Court)
Possibly the most anticipated play of the entire Autumn Season is The River, Jez Butterworth's critical and commercial smash, Jerusalem. Butterworth's Jerusalem, with a performance for the ages from Mark Rylance, confirmed that the potential shown with early work like Mojo wasn't misplaced. Jerusalem is a play that towers over all other modern plays as its rhythm and vitality of language makes it one of the rare plays that does not shy away from confronting the Shakespeare colossus that seems to make many writers shy away from attempting the epic. It not only confronts Shakespeare but at times it stands as equals. Butterworth's follow-up will be watched with keen interest, and in a canny move to beat the touts, the Royal Court have announced that there will be no advance tickets for The River, and will instead be released on the day of the performance.
Forests (Barbican)
A new production that riffs on the concept of the forest through its prominence in Shakespeare's plays by the enfant terrible of European opera, Calixto Bieito, should certainly be an event. With little more to go on than the description above, Forests remains shrouded in mystery and anticipation. You can argue that Bieito is little-more than a publicity merchant, staging what he likes in order to garner headlines but one can deny that he has hit upon a successfully alchemy of success and outrage. The images from his opera's below perhaps explain the bluster about his productions:
…on the Barbican
…on the Royal Court
…on the National Theatre
…on Michael Grandage's 2013 Season


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Costa Mesa Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
Representing the Victims of Motorcycle Accidents
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Costa Mesa
Is Lane Splitting Legal in California?
Dangerous Roads in Costa Mesa
Why You Need a Lawyer
As every rider knows, riding a motorcycle is riskier than driving a car. By their very nature, motorcycles are less crashworthy than enclosed vehicles. They can be difficult to see, are less stable than four-wheeled vehicles, and leave riders and their passengers more vulnerable to road hazards and weather conditions. Despite a 5% decrease in fatalities from the previous year, nearly 5,000 people in the U.S. were killed in motorcycle accidents in a recent year, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Motorcycle accidents can be, and often are, devastating for the biker. We at Allen Flatt Ballidis & Leslie know that all too well. We've been representing motorcyclists for years and have seen the aftermath of serious accidents. If you or a loved one have been involved in a motorcycle accident, you're likely feeling frightened about your future. You don't deserve to suffer because of someone else's negligence. Contact our Costa Mesa personal injury attorneys at (949) 752-7474 and let us fight for you.
Motorcycles are fine-tuned machines. Properly made with the appropriate upkeep, and they can last decades, providing their rider with years of enjoyment. But seemingly small issues that wouldn't cause a car any problems can lead a motorcycle to fall apart and land the rider in the hospital. They're also small and can be hard to hear. Frankly, other drivers often just don't bother keeping an eye out for bikers and the results can be catastrophic. Some common causes of motorcycle accidents are:
Dooring: A careless driver or passenger opens a parked car door directly in the path of an oncoming motorcycle, causing a crash.
Tailgating: Following too closely is dangerous under any circumstances, but it can lead to a deadly rear-end-collision when the vehicle ahead is a motorcycle.
Distracted driving: Drivers who are texting, talking on the phone, or otherwise distracted can cause catastrophic injuries to motorcyclists.
Impaired driving: Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs are a menace on the roadways, particularly to motorcyclists, who lack the protection of an enclosed vehicle.
Unsafe lane changes: Motorcycles are smaller and less visible than cars, vans, or pickup trucks. When a driver changes lanes without first signaling and checking his blind spot, it can cause a serious accident.
Negligent left-hand turns: A driver executing a left-hand turn against traffic turns directly into the path of an oncoming motorcycle, cutting the rider off.
Road hazards: Potholes, debris in the road, missing stop signs, and other dangerous road conditions can be disastrous for motorcycle riders.
Lane splitting involves riding a motorcycle between two lanes of traffic that are stopped or moving slowly. As of August 19, 2016, lane splitting is legal in California. This practice was legalized based on studies that have shown that, if done correctly, lane splitting can reduce traffic and accidents on the road. However, lane splitting done at high speeds and under unsafe conditions can increase the risk of a motorcycle wreck.
You should always avoid lane splitting near freeway on-ramps and exits. Other vehicles use those sections of the road to increase speed to match the freeway or decrease speed to match the road they're exiting onto. This sudden change of speed could result in an accidental collision with a nearby motorcycle, which can send you tumbling to the pavement.
Lane splitting is great for getting through heavy traffic that just won't seem to budge. But the faster you go, the less reaction time you have. The more cars you pass, the more likely it is that a driver right in front of you will throw open their door or suddenly try to switch lanes. Keeping yourself in speed with the cars around you can help keep you from a fatal accident.
Never travel more than 10 mph faster than the traffic around you and, if possible, you shouldn't split lanes when the traffic around you is moving at 30 mph or faster. Again, the faster you go the less time you have to brake or take evasive maneuvers. This holds true for you and for the other drivers. Roads become more dangerous as vehicles reach high speeds, because drivers may not notice you getting closer to them until it's too late and they're trying to merge.
While Costa Mesa is certainly not the most dangerous city in southern California, sections of its roadways are still hazardous, especially for motorcyclists. Freeway 55, also known at the Costa Mesa Freeway, was built in the 1930s, during a time when Californian traffic was a fair bit lighter and cars here a fair bit slower. The 55 was found to be one of the deadliest freeways in southern California in 2016, with 10 fatalities from 10 different accidents. While that may not sound like much, that section of freeway is only a little over 10 miles long, meaning that that's almost 1 fatality per mile.
In 2017, Costa Mesa was ranked 25th highest in fatalities among Californian cities with a population from 100,001 to 250,000 people. 626 people were killed in vehicle accidents, with motorcyclists making up almost 4% of that total. Costa Mesa may not rank as number one, but its roadways still present a high level of danger for drivers and bikers.
A motorcycle crash can cause serious injuries, including traumatic brain injury, back, and spinal injuries, severe road rash, and the loss of a limb. To get on the road to recovery, you will need full and fair compensation for your losses. Our lawyers at Allen Flatt Ballidis & Leslie have decades of experience and a successful track record, recovering hundreds of millions in settlements and verdicts for our clients. Call us at (949) 752-7474 to schedule a free consultation with no time limits or restrictions if you have been hurt in a motorcycle accident that was someone else's fault. We can tell you if you have a case and what damages you may be entitled to claim.
Motorcycle Accident Verdicts and Settlements
$1,000,000 - Motorcycle rider hurt while on vacation
$401,980 - Cyclist was side-swiped
$125,000 - Motorcycle rider strikes left turning car
Click here for more case results.
The Dangers of Hip Injuries After a Motorcycle Crash
What If a Motorcycle Accident Aggravates a Pre-existing Condition?
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Costa Mesa Bicycle Accident
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Costa Mesa Motorcycle Accidents
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Costa Mesa Motorcycle Crash Attorney Disclaimer: The information on this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should formally consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Please be advised, however, contacting us, submitting a case to us, and/or discussing your case with us does NOT create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.


bright and visually appealing color is here with this heavy designer lehenga choli in royal blue colored blouse paired with light blue colored lehenga and dupatta. its blouse and lehenga are fabricated on satin silk paired with net fabricated dupatta. (Slight variation in actual color vs. images as well as design is possible).


DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today acquired center David Legwand from the Nashville Predators in exchange for right wing Patrick Eaves, center Calle Jarnkrok and a conditional third-round selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
A native of Grosse Pointe, Mich., Legwand has spent his entire NHL career with the Predators, totaling 566 points (210-356-566) in 956 games. This season, the 6-foot-2, 205-lb., forward is tied for the team lead with 40 points (10-30-40) in 62 contests. A 15-year veteran, Legwand has posted at least 40 points in eight seasons, including a career-high 63 points (27-36-63) in 78 games in 2006-07. He also has 28 points (13-15-28) in 47 postseason games. Originally drafted second overall by Nashville in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Legwand played 114 games with the OHL's Plymouth Whalers prior to turning pro, recording 185 points (85-100-185) over two seasons.
Eaves, 29, has appeared in 439 NHL games with Ottawa, Carolina and Detroit, registering 146 points (74-72-146). In five seasons with the Red Wings, he picked up 56 points (29-27-56) in 197 games. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Eaves has spent time with both Detroit and Grand Rapids this season, recording five points (2-3-5) in 25 games with the Red Wings and six points (4-2-6) in nine contests with the Griffins.
Jarnkrok, 22, has skated in 57 games with the Griffins this season, recording 35 points (13-22-35). Originally selected by Detroit in the second round (51st overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Gavle, Sweden, native spent the past four seasons with Brynas of the Swedish Hockey League, totaling 118 points (44-74-118) in 185 games. He helped the team to an SHL championship in 2012 and helped his country to a gold medal at the World Championships in 2013.


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Етнонім
 Ва — група народів у М'янмі;
 Ва — стародавня назва японців у китайських історичних документах.

Топонім
 Ва — невизнана держава на сході М'янми;
 Ва — місто в Гані.

Абревіатура
 ВА — вольт-ампер;
 Ва — скорочення хімічного елементу барія.

Інше
 Ва (わ) — склад кани;
 Ва (和) — японський ієрогліф кандзі;
 Ва — самоврядна зона в штаті Шан (М'янма).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Is offering bribes to bloggers any different from old-style PR sweeteners for journalists?
Sky recycles four-year-old press release for latest Royal Wedding story
Wednesday, April 27, 2011...5:41 pm
Andrew Marr and Helen Mirren – the affair that never was…
Discovered while idly Googling the latest tabloid media exposé – a Daily Mail profile of Dame Helen Mirren from a couple of years ago.
Not only does it feature the Mail's trademark obsession with mature female celebrities in swimsuits, it also has an ironic Andrew Marr super-injunction connection:
Despite being happily married, the veteran of stage and screen has admitted a liking for BBC presenter Andrew Marr.
Documentary maker and author, Marr can now add the title of unlikely ladies' man after attracting the lustful admiration of the spirited Mirren.
Asked with which man she would like to have a night of passion, Dame Helen named Andy.
She told Glamour magazine: 'Aren't those ears great?
'I just wanted to grab them… He's like some fabulous animal. And so incredibly smart.'
Mrs Marr, alias journalist Jackie Ashley, may have something to say about that, Helen.
Well, she might have given it the thumbs up, in the light of subsequent revelations.
I know the whole affair ended before the Mail story was published, or it would have been nice to speculate that Andrew Marr read this article and got some ideas.
Of course, you can't help but wonder if the whole thing was known to the Mail writer by then anyway…
With luck, Freelance Unbound may have lifted itself out of the gutter by the time of the next post…
You love it!
Personally I can't get through the day without my Mail Online fix. It's guaranteed to raise the blood pressure in one way or another.


Ruixin Zhang, Ph.D.; Lixing Lao, Ph.D; Ke Ren, Ph.D.; Brian M. Berman, M.D.
We thank Dr. Silva for his comments on the relative effects of electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture.1 We agree that, while there is no conclusive evidence to show that electroacupuncture is superior to manual in pain management, scattered evidence suggests that the former might be superior to the latter. In a study2 with 20 patients, electroacupuncture was superior to manual acupuncture in relieving pain in patients with tennis elbow. In Dr. Manheimer's3 meta-analysis of 16 trials of acupuncture for osteoarthritis, sensitivity analysis suggested that electroacupuncture might be associated with better outcomes. Furthermore, indirect comparison between electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture also indicates the same tendency. For example, in a study by Dr. Berman et al.,4 both electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture significantly relieved knee osteoarthritis pain between weeks 14 and 26 compared to needle insertion at sham points and nonpenetrating mock electrical stimulation, whereas in a study by Dr. Witt et al.5 manual acupuncture significantly improved pain at 8 weeks but not 26 weeks compared to superficial needling at nonacupuncture points. Although these data are preliminary, they suggest that electroacupuncture might be more effective than manual acupuncture for managing pain. However, more studies that directly compare the effects of these types of acupuncture on pain, and take into consideration pain severity, acupuncture point location (local vs. distant), treatment "dosage," and follow-up period, are necessary.
This work was supported by grant nos. P01AT002605 and R21AT005474 from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
Ruixin Zhang, Lixing Lao, Ke Ren, Brian M. Berman; In Reply. Anesthesiology 2014;121(3):662-663. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000000342.


PARTY WITH A PURPOSE at the Windjammer on May 3rd!! Join us for the sixth annual Hope Jam. The amazing music line-up includes Weird Science, Crazy K & the Cosmic Cowboys,The Muddy Kings, with more to be announced. Josh Marthers will be on hand to help keep things rolling along! There will be live music, auction items, fun raffles and free door prizes. It's going to be a fun filled night and the best part is - you can have a great time, party with a purpose, and help children that are fighting big battles. 100% of proceeds go to their families.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Advance ticket purchases are automatically entered into drawings for awesome prizes.
Follow us on our Facebook pages for more information: Team Ethen Hope Jam; Ethen Richardson Foundation; Ethen Richardson Updates.


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Campus Rock Home
US House panel slams former NSA contractor Snowden
A U.S congressional intelligence committee on Thursday issued a scathing report accusing former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden of leaking information that "caused tremendous damage" to U.S. national security, lying about his background and feuding with co-workers.
In a report endorsed by both its Republican and Democratic leaders, the House intelligence committee said Snowden was "not a whistleblower" as he has claimed.
Most of the material he stole from the NSA was not about invasions of privacy, but revealed intelligence and defence programs of great interest to America's foreign adversaries, it said.
The committee said that while the "full scope" of damage caused by Snowden's disclosures remains unknown, a review of materials he allegedly compromised "makes clear that he handed over secrets that protect American troops overseas and secrets that provide vital defences against terrorists and nation-states."
The committee released only a four-page summary of what it said was a 36-page investigative report that remains Top Secret, but the summary contained strong words about Snowden's actions and background.
The report contains previously unreported allegations about Snowden and his possible motives for taking government secrets. It alleges that Snowden, who took refuge in Moscow after fleeing to Hong Kong, "was and remains a serial exaggerator and fabricator."
It says his official employment records show that while he claimed to have left U.S. Army basic training because of broken legs, in fact he "washed out because of shin splits." The report says Snowden claimed to have obtained a high-school graduation equivalent, but in fact never did.
It also says he claimed to have worked as a "senior advisor" for the CIA when in fact he was an entry-level computer technician.
While the report says Snowden "stole 1.5 million sensitive documents," other sources who have examined materials he turned over to media outlets say that the total is between 200,000 and 300,000 documents.
Some U.S. officials involved in Snowden-related investigations acknowledge that the U.S. government does not know how many documents Snowden downloaded, and that the 1.5 million figure is an estimate.
The report also disputes Snowden's motives for taking and leaking classified information, saying he got into a "workplace spat" with NSA managers in June 2012 over how to manage computer updates. It says a contracting officer reprimanded him for failing to follow proper grievance procedures, and he began downloading classified information two weeks later.
However, in 2013, Reuters quoted U.S. officials and other sources familiar with the matter as saying that Snowden began downloading such data in April 2012, almost a year earlier than had previously been reported at the time.
The issuance of the House committee report coincided with the release of "Snowden", a movie directed by Oliver Stone that portrays him as a whistleblower and hero. On Wednesday, prominent human rights advocates urged President Barack Obama to pardon Snowden before leaving office in January.
U.S. officials have said Obama is not considering a pardon for Snowden, who is facing U.S. criminal charges for providing classified information to unauthorized persons.
Ben Wizner, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who represents Snowden, dismissed the House committee report as lacking substance.
Wizner said the report's release a day before the Snowden film opens "is evidence that people in the intelligence community are taking us seriously, that they are concerned that Oliver Stone's movie will help solidify Snowden's image as a true patriot, which he is."
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