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ERRORS, EXAGGERATIONS AND BIAS in the FCMAT Report on CCSF
by Rick Sterling on July 11, 2013
REGARDING:	THE FISCAL CRISIS & MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE TEAM (FCMAT) REPORT ON CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO
One of the major weapons in the attack on CCSF has been the report of the "Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team". Sensational but false information from the report was featured in the SF Chronicle. It was even referenced in a Sacramento hearing on community colleges.
Last Monday July 8, Community College Chancellor Brice Harris included false information from the FCMAT report in his presentation on the need for a "Special Trustee" for CCSF. The following two letters were sent by email and regular mail to the FCMAT officers, Trustee Bob Agrella and CCSF Interim Chancellor in May. After several weeks with no response, they were resent.
As of this date there has been no reply.
Dear FCMAT, California Community College Officials, and anyone concerned about our community colleges:–
I wish to draw your attention to errors, exaggerations and misleading statements in the September 2012 report prepared by the Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team for the City College of San Francisco (CCSF). It would have been better if these errors and questions had been raised earlier, but I believe this is still important considering the situation at CCSF and also for the accuracy of future FCMAT reports.
In this letter I will
1)	List specific errors, exaggerations and misleading statements
2)	Raise several questions and concerns.
1. ERRORS, EXAGGERATIONS and MISLEADING STATEMENTS
Error on Page 5 – The report states "City College of San Francisco ….. has provided salary increases and generous benefits with no discernible means to pay them." This is misleading. As reported elsewhere, since 2007 no employee group at CCSF has received any pay increase. Faculty salaries at CCSF are in fact LOWER than at nearby Foothill-DeAnza College in Cupertino. Furthermore, since 2010 faculty have accepted salary reductions. Far from "salary increases" the salaries have been reduced.
Exaggeration on Page 6 – The report states "CCSF has employed twice as many full-time faculty per 1,000 full-time equivalent students (FTES) and incurred expenses that are $17 to $18 million higher than
comparison districts …." This is an exaggeration. According to the data on page 40 Foothill-DeAnza has 549 full-time faculty compared to 842 at CCSF which would make a 53% difference not 100%. As an aside, it is generally acknowledged that full-time teachers are more dedicated and higher quality than part-time.
Example of "Cherry Picking" on Page 7 – Your report says "CCSF has almost twice the number of tenured faculty as the two largest comparison districts ….. Mt. San Antonio and Santa Monica". As shown on page 40, the largest comparison college is Foothill-DeAnza, not the ones you mention and use for comparison.
Exaggeration on Page 8 – The FCMAT report says, "CCSF shows little evidence of an effective enrollment management plan" That can be contrasted with Evaluation Report of the ACCJC Review Team. For example on page 34 it states "The team determined that City College of San Francisco has a defined process for canceling low-enrolled classes with fewer than 20 students for credit and non-credit courses." The report goes on to describe the process of cutting and managing classes.
Error on Page 9 – Your report says "the costs of employee contracts have increased through a succession of chancellors". Chancellor Griffin assumed that position in 2008 and as elsewhere noted in the report "No employee group received a salary increase since 2007".
Exaggeration/Slander on Page 9 – In the closing paragraphs of the Executive Summary you state "Interviewees consistently indicated that CCSF has for many years operated based on power, influence and political whim rather than reason, logic and fairness. Interviewees indicated that CCSF's focus and purpose, which should be serving students, has been lost and is not the basis for decision making." These are highly sensational and damaging allegations. Who are the "interviewees"? How many and how reliable are they? Are any of the "interviewees" paid lobbyists? These questions are relevant and essential for a fair evaluation because the statements are completely at odds with the Evidence and Findings in the report of the Accreditation Evaluation Team which commends CCSF in the following words: "the college has done a superb job of bringing the community college to the varying communities throughout the City and County of San Francisco (P30) ….. "Based on interviews with employees, the college is clearly student centered. Employees consistently demonstrated their concern for students, and, ultimately, the focus on students' success. The college's strength is definitely seen in its service to its various communities' needs (e.g. the breadth of offerings) and attention to its' students' success." (P31).
The question of whether CCSF has been serving students successfully was probably answered most resoundingly in the election last November when 73% of the electorate voted to raise the city property parcel tax for the next 8 years to help CCSF in the current fiscally troubled time. If the allegations in the FCMAT report were accurate to any significant extent, it is very unlikely there would be so much outpouring of civic support for the college. In short, it appears that minor issues of power abuse have been exaggerated and a misleading picture, verging on slander, was presented in the FCMAT report.
Exaggeration/Hyperbole on Page 9 – The final paragraph of the Executive Summary says, "Under this organizational and cultural model there is no responsibility or accountability because it is often unclear how or by whom decisions have been made. This has resulted in operational dysfunction, which in turn has contributed to fiscal deficiencies."
The above statement is again contradicted by evidence and findings in the Evaluation Report. For example on page 59 it reports "City College of San Francisco has established clearly written policies that delineate the roles and responsibilities of all constituents in the decision-making process."
If CCSF was actually dysfunctional, they would not be consistently serving tens of thousands of students with general satisfaction. It appears the statements in the FCMAT report about dysfunction and lack of accountability are either untrue or severe exaggerations.
Gross Error on P26 – Perhaps the most damaging error in the FCMAT report is on page 26 where it says, "The above table shows that regular faculty salaries have increased 25% during this period, while FTES have decreased and revenues have increased by less than 10%". Presumably the author meant to say that regular faculty COSTS had increased by 25%. Unfortunately that is not what is written and the error had huge ramifications.
The SF Chronicle featured the above exaggerations and false statement prominently in its initial article on the FCMAT report. The error was compounded as that newspaper story based on the FCMAT error was picked up and broadcast by others. The FCMAT error and exaggerations made their way up to Sacramento and the Little Hoover Commission when lobbyist Robert Shireman presented a report copying your characterization of CCSF and with prominent reference to the newspaper article containing the misinformation.
2. QUESTIONS and CONCERNS about BIAS
a) Why does the FCMAT report never use the number of ACTUAL students when making comparisons?
It is reasonable to use the "full time equivalent student" (FTES) as a data point for many comparisons. (Three students each taking one 5 semester unit class = One full time equivalent student.) However isn't it necessary to sometimes look at the number of actual students not just the "full time equivalent"? Page 40 of the FCMAT report shows Foothill-DeAnza College District with 35.5 thousands FTES compared to 35.8 thousand at CCSF. That statistic is useful for many comparisons but not all. For example, counseling and many other student services need to be available to ALL students, not just "full time equivalent". With many thousands more actual students at CCSF in comparison with Foothill-DeAnza, it is clearly not objective or accurate to only consider the FTES when making comparisons in "efficiency" between two colleges.
b) Are the CCSF financial problems exaggerated in the report? It appears so.
On page 51 the FCMAT report states "CCSF is facing potential insolvency, which could end the organization's existence." This statement, following one of the erroneous statements referenced above, is an example of hyperbole. Elsewhere in the report, the statements are more factual. For example the actual financial situation is summarized on page 13: "Fiscal year 2010-11 was not a deficit spending year ….. However fiscal year 2011-12 had an unacceptably high level of deficit spending. It was addressed by using fund balance and one-time spending reductions including wage concessions." (P13) So the financial deficit was only for the last year and was addressed. While it's not good habit to use the reserve funds, isn't that what a reserve fund is for? And if the college administration and faculty were able to adapt to the financial problems in 2011-12 doesn't that suggest an ability to adapt in future?
It is not in the FCMAT report but seems worth pointing out that CCSF was not alone in having financial issues. The Fall 2011 newsletter of the accrediting commission reported that due to fiscal stress on institutions: "18 ACCJC member colleges reported reserves of less than 5% of the annual unrestricted
expenditures, as required by the ACCJC. A comparison of AFR 2009 to FY 2010 revealed that the number of colleges with low ending balances (less than $1.5 million) increased from 67 to 70."
c) Are the claims and fears about "unfunded liability" exaggerated in the report? It appears so.
FCMAT references to "unfunded liability for retiree health benefits" (eg P12) raise concern and worry, partly because many people do not know what an "unfunded liability" is. It is easy to create fear or shock where there is ignorance. In fact concerns and changes regarding pension liability are widespread.
The Contra Costa Sanitary District recently addressed the question in their newsletter:
Question:	What is an Unfunded Liability?
Answer:	"The unfunded liability is the amount of money owed by the District for employee benefits, which include pension costs, retiree medical benefits, and the cost of accrued vacation and sick leave which is paid when an employee leaves the District It's called an unfunded liability because there are not sufficient assets on hand today to meet projected pension and medical benefit payments payments promised for the next 50+ years. This is not at all unusual for a pension system." (underline added)
Less than two years ago University of California made changes to its pension funding because of the UC "unfunded liability". Probably CCSF needs-to address this issue more aggressively as you suggest, but the situation does not seem as unusual or extreme as the FCMAT report implies.
The Financial Crisis Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) provides an important-service for California public schools and colleges in clarifying and helping correct financial problems. However it must be objective and accurate.
Unfortunately, the FCMAT report on CCSF contains several errors, exaggerations and misleading statements as documented above. Following on the heels of the ACCJC sanction, and with mainstream media sensationalism, this has contributed to considerable public misinformation.
I request that you acknowledge this complaint and consider where and how appropriate changes or corrections can be properly made.
I look forward to your response.
PS. I am a member of the concerned public that supports our community colleges As a retiree from University of California I notice that the CCSF benefits which FCMAT -criticizes so harshly are about the same at UC.
TOTAL STUDENT POPULATIONS AT CCSF, FOOTHILL-DEANZA AND -MT. SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY COLLEGES – –
My previous letter criticized the exclusive use of FTES (full tithe equivalent student) population when FCMAT compared college staffing levels, counseling services, etc.. As I pointed out, there are some services which require consideration of the ACTUAL number of real people not just "full time equivalent". – – –
The following data shows the TOTAL STUDENT POPULATION for Academic Year 201 1L2012 at the most significant comparison colleges used in the FCMAT report. –
The data includes part-time, full-time, credit and noncredit students. This data comes from the very useful and user-friendly "Datamart" service at the California Community Colleges Chancellors Office. See for yourself at http://datamart.cccco.edu/Students/Default.aspx
Note that because the noncredit student population is so large at CCSF, that segment is presented separately as "San Francisco Ctrs". At the other colleges there are a relatively small number of noncredit students and classes and those students are included in the numbers presented.
California Community colleges Chancellors Office
Enrollment Status Summary Report:
Annual 2011-2012
Deanza 37,619
Foothill 27,342
Mt. San Antonio 52,954
San Francisco 47,870
San Francisco Ctrs 42,482
Report Run Date As of 5/20/2013 11:06:25 PM
TOTAL STUDENT COUNTS 2011-2012
Foothill-DeAnza ………… 64,961
Mt San Antonio ………….. 52,954
CCSF ……………………….. 90,352
As shown, "San Francisco" (CCSF) in 2011-12 had 39% more total students than Foothill-DeAnza and 70% more than Mt San Antonio.
How can a comparison of staffing, counseling and other college services be fair and objective if it equates colleges with such different total student populations? Yet that is what the FCMAT report did.
Rick Sterling.
If, after reading this critique, you wish to do something positive and easy, here is a suggestion:
* phone Joel Montero, CEO at FCMAT (661) 636-4308 and ask when they are going to issue correction to their errors and exaggerations.
* phone California Community College Chancellor Brice Harris (916) 445-8752 and ask if he is aware of false information and bias in the FCMAT report. Why is he repeating it?


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Romantic Remixes: We Look at Jane Goes Batty and The Raven's Bride
Posted on February 21, 2011 February 20, 2011 by Biblioklept
In the past few years we've seen a spate of books where public domain characters and historical figures feature in supernatural tales, usually written in an ironic, or at least parodic mode. It seems like a heavy percentage of these books are mixed up somehow with Jane Austen, whose legacy has become grist for a literary cottage industry, with a new "re-imagining" of Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility coming out every season. Last year, Michael Thomas Ford offered the public the mix of Jane Austen and vampires we had been so desperately clamoring for, Jane Bites Back. By way of a little more context (and pure laziness), I'll quote Biblioklept's review of Ford's novel–
Jane Bites Back reveres its subject, Jane Austen, even as it blatantly cashes in on the very trend that it satirizes. The book's program shouldn't be confused with the absurdity behind Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters (which we liked) or the wackiness of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (which we didn't like), but it does adhere to the same sense of fun. Ford seems to delight in corny, over the top passages, and we'll take it for granted that his literary tongue is in his cheek . . .
Ford's inevitable sequel Jane Goes Batty arrives this month, and showcases a willingness to take vamp-camp into new directions. Plot: big time Hollywood folks are out to "sex up" Jane's latest manuscript; Jane's editor decides to become an agent and leaves her with Jessica Abernathy (evil nemesis in Batty); Jane has to run constant interference on her wacky/charming friend Lord Byron (also a vampire, of course); etc., etc., etc. The most ridiculous/campiest plot device of all though is that Jane is converting to Judaism to please her boyfriend Walter's judgmental mom. Yes. That's right. We also learn that Jane played Magenta in a traveling production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the seventies, a minor detail to be sure, but one that seems to reinforce Ford's whimsical kitsch. Batty aims for a kind of sassy brevity in its scene constructions, and while its certainly not a book for me, I think that those who want to see Jane Austen as a 21st century vampire will probably enjoy it quite a bit. Jane Goes Batty is new in trade paperback from Ballantine.
Lenore Hart's novel The Raven's Bride tells the story of the marriage of Edgar Allan Poe from the viewpoint of his child-bride/cousin Virginia "Sissy" Clemm. The decidedly tragic arc of their union is set against a supernatural backdrop — and an often morose tone. While The Raven's Bride takes liberties with history, it seems well-researched and faithful enough to its subject. Compared to Ford's campy take on the supernatural, Hart's novel seems a bit too self-serious, but again, I'm hardly the audience for this book. Still, I suppose the tale of an alcoholic horror writer's incestuous/underage marriage might have been easy fodder to exploit, yet Hart focuses a keen sensitivity on her characters, particularly her narrator Sissy, Poe's muse demystified. While Poe buffs will know how the story turns out, those interested in reviewing Poe's marriage through a new perspective may want to check out The Raven's Bride, new in trade paperback from St. Martin's Griffin.
Posted in Books, Reviews, WritersTagged Edgar Allan Poe, Jane Austen, Jane Goes Batty, Lenore Hart, Michael Thomas Ford, Reviews, The Raven's Bride
Published by Biblioklept
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4 thoughts on "Romantic Remixes: We Look at Jane Goes Batty and The Raven's Bride"
Undine February 21, 20117:41 am Reply
A good deal of Hart's "research" for "The Raven's Bride" comes from a 1956 novel about Virginia, "The Very Young Mrs. Poe." There are so many similar scenes in these two novels–even identical dialogue–that I was a bit shocked.
Biblioklept February 21, 20118:19 pm Reply
So . . . literary theft? Plagiarism? Homage? Sampling? Verdict?
Well…Plagiarism is, I suppose, a subjective term. Let me just say that when I read "Raven's Bride," I immediately recognized a number of scenes from this earlier novel. (And I don't mean she copied identical historical sources–she repeated things that had been purely O'Neal's invention.) As I said, I wish others would compare the two books and see if they come to the same conclusion.
Lucy November 18, 20111:31 am Reply
Lenore Hart is a plagiarist but so far she's unwilling to address the situation sensibly or hold her hands up and say 'I'm sorry'. The publisher, St Martin's Press, don't seem particularly keen to discuss the issue either or the possibility of recalling the book. Scandalously cynical behaviour by both. Read Jeremy Dun's blogspot for detailed info.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Stop Spying On Me. Seriously.
Jokes of the day collected furing September 2008. Although jokes of the day are regulary updated, it is possible that some of the jokes can occur more than once, either because of joke sites does not update them regulary, or bacause on site has taken over joke of the day from another.


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Protesters Demand The Resignation Of Bishop Thiagarajah From The Jaffna College Board
A protest was held near Jaffna College, Vaddukoddai yesterday, the 24th of July 2018 demanding the resignation of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Jaffna College Board of Directors. The protest was attended by the alumni of the College, parents, members of the community and well-wishers of Jaffna College. A statement was issued at the end of the protest and submitted to the Principal of Jaffna College. Earlier, on the 19th of July, in a letter addressed to the members of the Jaffna College Board, the Trustees of Jaffna College Funds insisted that the Chair of the Board Bishop Daniel Thiagarajah and Vice Chair Ms. Vijulaa Arulanantham resign from the Board and make way for constitutional amendments. The letter also states that if these conditions are not met, the Trustees will discontinue funding Jaffna College from January 2019 onwards. Mr. Kanagaratnam Sugash (Alumni Representative to the Board), Professor Prince Jeyadevan (Alumnus), Dr. Bahirathi Rasanen (Parent) and Dr. Rajasingam Prsanthan (Alumnus) spoke at the protest highlighting the administrative and other problems that plague Jaffna College.
Watch a segment of the protest here
"Dear Mr President, Do Not Re-Implement Death Penalty" — Human Rights Commission
Irfan Hafiz- The Indefatigable 'Silent Fighter' Whom The Nation Lost!
Ajay / July 26, 2018
Way to go, Vaddukoddai. You made history in 1976. And you're breaking new ground again: You are telling Jaffna society to clean house first, before settling issues with the outside. Thiagarajah should go now for God's sake.
Anonymous / July 26, 2018
Please ask for the resignation of Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith while you are at it.
Can get rid of a huge problem for the poor catholic Christian community too. They deserve a true Christian not this kind of corrupt hypocrites.
Sinhala_Man / July 26, 2018
At this moment this should become Comment no. 3: two others already displayed.
Yes, the normal laws of the land should apply to all clergy (no, to all citizens: this is a genuine change I introduced after beginning to type). The spotlight has been on Buddhist clergy, but there are serious issues with other clergy – and politicians.
Why can't we have people speaking the plain truth all the time? We've discussed politicians for a long time; then there are the Muslim clergy who will not allow women to enjoy Fundamental Rights.
This will be extremely puzzling to almost all readers; Bishop Thiagarajah is the Anglican Bishop of the Church of South India. There are two other Anglican Bishops in the Church of Ceylon (sic). The more important one is in Colombo, and I've been trying to reason with him for about five years. I'm sure that he's not a bad man exactly, but to understand what he has done please Google "Thomian Pharisees". You will hit upon two of the three articles I have written 2 years ago. Some have slung mud at me – you'll be able to assess that fact with no difficulty.
On August 11th 2018 we meet again; check here next week for the minutes of last year's four and a half hour meeting: http://www.stcboba.org/oba/annual-report.php
All because the Priest-Principal wanted to have these powers which we will not grant even our top politician:
"The President shall have power, when he considers, in the highest interest of the OBA so requires, to take any steps necessary, whether in contravention of the rules or otherwise, to ensure the continued existence and proper functioning of the OBA."
Will continue . . .
Continuation:
In 2016, the same priest insisted that he could "elect" the person who would represent the staff on the Board of Governors. The rules say that "The election shall be by secret ballot", but also there is this: "One person elected by an electoral college . . .".
Obviously, you must see this in context – so please go here:
http://www.stcg62group.org/PDF/College/05_Rules_of_STC_Board_of_Governors.pdf
The previously cited website will have the same Rules, but not many readers will want to download it; here you can click and see on line for yourselves.
If you still feel you don't know the context, go to the articles on "Pharisees". Few of you will know the word; never mind: what is at stake is the sense of integrity that we pass on to coming generations.
Let not all the blame be put on the Head of this school: Bishop Dhiloraj Canagasabai and I know each other well; he also knows that I don't tell lies. So he avoids meeting me. Oh, we've shaken hands – but he always finds an excuse to run away. No comment on all this. Why? This impasse helps nobody.
I'm not some anonymous coward saying things. Those articles display name and photographs. Please pose all the questions you want right here; I don't think that they'd be considered off topic.
K.Pillai / July 26, 2018
An aside
The ubiquitous Army is not there. They know that the demonstration will be orderly. Will require effort to call it 'resurgence of terrorism'.
But look just beyond the horizon. The 'Vidhya-case' created lot of genuine grief and anger. Demonstrators were brutally dealt with, some charged in the courts. "Reemergence of the terrorism runt' was sung in full blast.
Francis / July 27, 2018
Mr. Kanagaratnam Sugash,
We are thankful for the time you spent demonstrating being a busy lawyer and politician. You are calling for more transparency at Jaffna College and two directors to step down. Can you kindly explain why you do not provide copies of the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors of Jaffna College for alumni and others who are interested. You are the only independent director in the board and represent not only alumni but in practice also the parents and well wishers.
Dear Francis,
I know neither you, nor Mr. Kanagaratnam Sugash.
If he's on the Board of Directors it is likely that he will excuse himself from full commitment to your cause on the grounds that he has to maintain confidentiality on Board matters, including the contents of Minutes.
Let me think this one out.
So the alumni and the parents are protesting. What about the teachers?
Who are well wishers? Guys like me from the South? Certainly, I wish you well in your struggle against injustice and exploitation.
Gabriel / July 28, 2018
Sinhala Man,
I have read what you posted about the court case. Very interesting but I did find not anything on the post of manager there. Does the Education Ordinance have something that I have missed about an unaided school having to have a manager and her/his powers? I know managers of assisted schools are mentioned. You may be happy to know that Jaffna College Ordinance is from 1894. The school is older than STC. It existed even before the 1894 Ordinance.
Are you certain the pension circulars have correct numbers? The links did not open and I did not find them using the numbers.
"he has to maintain confidentiality on Board matters"
How can an alumni representative be silent and at the same time represent alumni? Catch22?
Jaffna College Board met yesterday but any result is unknown and may continue unknown since minutes are top secret.
Who can stop mal practices at STC and JC? Only God? Mr Salahudeen? Court? The trustees of course can stop Jaffna College by stopping funding.
Gabriel,
Thanks. All that is relevant can be explained in 5 minute phone chat. To get in touch, please start with sending me an email.
S. Thomas' started with one school at Mutwal in 1852. The school moved to Mount Lavinia in 1918. The S. Thomas' Ordinance dates from about 1930. It can only be changed by an Act of Parliament, but is of little significance, unless somebody wants to change the requirement that 80% of Board members should be Anglican.
We can go on saying things like this but they have little relevance to any issue currently faced by us. For the record Royal Academy is older and was an Anglican school run by then government. This is from a mobile device and nothing that I have here stated is of importance to us now.
That's what gets sickening talki
Dear Gabriel,
Let me complete the stub above. I was not able to control that phone. Continuing on lap-top; but after that, I will post, at the bottom, my response to your query about pensions.
I was saying that the self-congratulation of the alumni of "prestigious" Private Schools on their supposed social superiority is sickening. The fact that the justification for the existence of any school is that it prepares children for their lives as responsible adults is too often lost on alumni. Many smugly self-satisfied wisenheimers declare grandly that they are what they are because of their wonderful upbringing.
The explanation for the 1983 Regulations you are likely to find very interesting, although not very relevant! Ranil wickremasinghe did not like one of his earliest teachers at Royal College: Ralph Ignatius Thomas Alles. Alles, a quite able human being, was viewed with favour by then powerful Colombo politician, Ranasinghe Premadasa, and succeeded in founding a new "elite" State School, D.S. Senanayake College, Borella.
When Ranil became Minister of Education, he chucked Alles out. Zahira College, Maradana, appointed him Principal. Ranil got those Regulations passed. Alles was not a "University Graduate". He was a "Handicraft Trained Teacher" – English Medium, of course.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahira_College, Colombo
Gabreil, et al.
I'm making too many of the comments, but since you wanted to know about pensions, let me tell you what the position is in the school here.
The scheme is important to the teachers and is working well. Seventy of the 110 teachers are contributing towards it; the balance forty contribute to the provident fund. When new teachers are interviewed they are told about the pensions as a way of attracting them to the school; some of of the newer entrants, the young people, seem a bit reluctant to trust that they will really get a government pension, but the more sensible opt for it. Those teachers who have retired over the last ever so many years are indeed getting their pensions.
What I have just written, after making inquiries, implies that the use of this as an instrument of manipulation is rather exaggerated. These aspects of the school are working well, and I see no reason why Jaffna College and UGC should not be getting these benefits. Of course it is a contributory pension; ten years' minimum service is required; service cannot be carried over from one school to another. The status in relation to pensions can be checked on line. These benefits began about 1978, with the J.R J. government. Before that, from 1962 onwards, the teachers of these schools were really struggling with these problems.
You will have to ascertain how all this applies to the situation there, and as already indicated, I don't think that all this belongs on this blog.
CSI Roots / August 3, 2018
We are missing the full picture.
The CSI was once run by old families who took all church positions and schols to MCC, WCC and Vellore, and even American Colleges
Then by some accident and the influence of project money, a man who was jailed for abusing KNH orpanage girls was backed by these families. He became the leading candidate for Bishop. A young priest in Council even described how this man hugged his wife after sending her sister to fetch the cool well water he asked for.
The then Bishop, Bishop Jebanesan, backed Thiagarajah. He delayed elections for Thiagarajah to reach the qualifying age of 50. The church split.
The American trustees with their long connections to the old families turned on Thiagarajah. Sinhalese Christians too, listening to the old families isolated him. Trustees show their true colors by copying correspondence to Douglas and now Wigneswaran.
Isolated without people of ability, Thiagarajah has begun breaking rules to run the church. What is unfolding is the sad story of a man without friends.
Asha / August 4, 2018
CSI roots,
He may be isolated, alone, sad and with no competent assistants but that is no excuse. Breaking the rules in his case is widely believed to include putting money into his own pockets in addition to spending money on less important vanity projects. Why have the accounts of the JDCSI and all the institutions (the schools and Green Memorial Hospital etc) administered by Thiagarajah not been presented for any of the stake holders since he became the Bishop in 2007? Even after the 20% cut he has not provided complete access to the trustees as can be read in the latest trustee letter.
Lone Wolf / August 4, 2018
What is KNH?
"The then Bishop, Bishop Jebanesan, backed Thiagarajah."
I have heard that Thiagarajah was sent home from a "priest seminary" in India because of sexual abuse. There may be documentation in India and the Methodists in Jaffna who sent him there might be willing to disclose additional information.


Swedish designer Ann-Sofie Back has been added to the fur-free retailer list of Swedish animal rights organisation Djurens Rätt – her brand BACK has been fur-free ever since its inception. Starting with her next collection, AW15, Back will take her compassionate stance one step further by saying no to leather.
'It's easy to refrain from fur as it's such a niche product. This is why I want to stop using leather as well, which for some reason is completely acceptable. There is a misconception that the skin is taken from animals which are getting eaten anyway and that is rarely the case', says the designer.
Ann-Sofie is, of course, right: leather is so much more than a meat by-product. Animals suffer and die by the thousands every year to fuel the lucrative leather industry, and we're not just talking cows: in China, where there are no regulations regarding labelling (or any animal cruelty, for that matter), a part of all exported fur and leather is estimated to come from dogs and cats. The most sought-after and lucrative leather is that of calves, who are killed at a few months old.
Alternatives to leather have the potential to be less harsh on the planet (raising animals for leather strains our planet, and tanneries operate toxic processes that can be harmful to both the environment and humans) and pack serious staying power: see BAREL Ethical Luxury, Jill Milan and Beyond Skin to name a few.
Vilda applauds Ann-Sofie Back for taking a kind stance and refusing to be part of the cruel leather industry – if a few innovators lead the way, surely more are bound to follow.
All photos courtesy of BACK.


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Q: Get access to the live preview logs of wordpress theme deployed by bitnami on a GCP VM I wanted to deploy this wordpress theme to a GCP VM, using bitnami and the free tier, following this tutorial. I am able to deploy a the default themes but, unfortunately, when I upload my own and click Live preview I get the following message:

There has been a critical error on this website. Please check your
site admin email inbox for instructions.
Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.

The first thing I thought when I searched the Internet was that my machine did not have enough RAM memory as explained in this forum post:
So I tried to open the logs with SSH on the GCP virtual machine but the VM seems to be empty.
officialdataguild@cloudshell:~ (the-data-guild-website)$ gcloud compute ssh wordpress-website-vm --project=the-data-guild-website
Did you mean zone [europe-west1-c] for instance: [wordpress-website-vm] (Y/n)?  n

No zone specified. Using zone [us-east1-b] for instance: [wordpress-website-vm].
Updating project ssh metadata...working.Updated [https://www.googleapis.com/compute/v1/projects/the-data-guild-website].
Updating project ssh metadata...done.
Waiting for SSH key to propagate.
Warning: Permanently added 'compute.2745993064748503787' (ECDSA) to the list of known hosts.
Linux wordpress-website-vm 4.19.0-20-cloud-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.19.235-1 (2022-03-17) x86_64

The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
officialdataguild@wordpress-website-vm:~$ ls
officialdataguild@wordpress-website-vm:~$

Following this tutorial on viewing and examining logs I looked for the right folder but wasn't able to find it:
officialdataguild@wordpress-website-vm:~$ cd ~/logs
-bash: cd: /home/officialdataguild/logs: No such file or directory

So, following this guide to troubleshoot preblems with wordpress deployed with bitnami I went a folder down and did:
officialdataguild@wordpress-website-vm:~$ cd ..
officialdataguild@wordpress-website-vm:/home$ ls
bitnami  officialdataguild
officialdataguild@wordpress-website-vm:/home$ cd bitnami/
officialdataguild@wordpress-website-vm:/home/bitnami$ ls
bitnami_credentials  htdocs  stack

officialdataguild@wordpress-website-vm:/home/bitnami$ test ! -f "/opt/bitnami/common/bin/openssl" && echo "Approach A: Using system packages." || echo "Approach B: Self-contained installation."
Approach A: Using system packages.
officialdataguild@wordpress-website-vm:/home/bitnami$ sudo /opt/bitnami/ctlscript.sh status
apache already running
mariadb already running
php-fpm already running

But I still can't find the theme live preview logs ...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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A.I. Will Boost Business Profitability: Accenture
by Nick Kolakowski June 26, 2017 4 min read
AccentureArtificial IntelligenceBotsDevelopersHardwaremachine learningProgrammersSoftware
Most businesses don't have a handle on how artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning will affect their revenue and profitability over the next several years.
According to new estimates from consulting firm Accenture, however, successful implementation of A.I. could increase a business's profitability by an average of 38 percent by 2035.
"To realize this significant opportunity, it's critical that businesses act now to develop strategies around A.I. that put people at the center," Paul Daugherty, Accenture's chief technology and innovation officer, wrote in a statement accompanying his firm's report on the matter. In addition, he added, those businesses must "commit to develop responsible A.I. systems that are aligned to moral and ethical values that will drive positive outcomes and empower people."
Based on its number-crunching, Accenture believes that three industries in particular—manufacturing, financial services, and communications—will experience the greatest growth thanks to A.I. Other industries such as education will also enjoy an uptick in profitability.
But that improved cash-flow might come at a human cost. Earlier this year, two economists, MIT's Daron Acemoglu and Boston University's Pascual Restrepo, crunched a few datasets and concluded that the rise of robots and automation has a depressive effect on wages. (Granted, that's not the only problem facing human workers in many industries these days, but it's one that's unlikely to disappear anytime soon.)
For businesses interested in adopting A.I. and machine learning, Accenture offers some key tips, including:
Reinventing HR: "The Chief HR Officer's role will not only be about managing human employees, but will evolve to also manage human-machine interaction—or Human AI Resources (HAIR)."
Learn with machines: "To adapt their businesses to the changing nature of learning and employee training, business leaders must focus on the needs of their workforces, particularly in the area of agile skills development."
Appoint a chief data supply chain officer: "This position will be needed to construct an integrated, end-to-end data supply chain."
(Accenture's full list includes other pointers, such as the need for businesses to create "an open A.I. culture." The report is well worth a read.)
At the moment, many tech pros seem focused primarily on what A.I. can actually do. In a few years, however, the spotlight will shift from what they can build to how those creations can materially impact the business. Today, for example, companies seem perfectly happy to let their developers toy with bots and other A.I. tools—but before the decade is out, executives will want those initiatives to earn a profit (or at least help improve margins).
For tech pros, this eventual focus on ROI is a vital thing to keep in mind. Using assets from Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and other companies to build A.I. tools is a lot of fun, but at some point, there's going to be the expectation of some sort of return. Factoring that into the design and implementation of A.I. and machine-learning products may save a lot of grief in the long run.
Can Machine Learning Improve Online Reviews?
Building Your Machine Learning Capabilities
Google Open-Sources Its Machine Learning
What Apple's iPhone Teaches About Building Teams
Apple CEO Talks Manufacturing, Developer Jobs
CyberCoders - Reston, VA
Data Scientist (SME) - TS/SCI w/ Poly Required
Leidos - Reston, VA
Senior Full Stack Java Engineer
Piper Companies - Reston, VA
Nick Kolakowski
Nick Kolakowski has written for The Washington Post, Slashdot, eWeek, McSweeney's, Thrillist, WebMD, Trader Monthly, and other venues. He's also the author of "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" and "Maxine Unleashes Doomsday," a pair of noir thrillers.


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Alexis Bledel is giving the performance of her career in 'The Handmaid's Tale'
By Kevin O'Keeffe
The cast of The Handmaid's Tale reads like a massive multiplayer crossover of different prestige TV series. Elisabeth Moss, the Hulu series' lead, got rave reviews for her performance in AMC's Mad Men; Samira Wiley previously starred on Orange Is the New Black; Joseph Fiennes appeared in American Horror Story: Asylum; and Ann Dowd earned kudos for her work on The Leftovers.
Among such heavyweights, someone like Alexis Bledel could have easily gotten lost. The Gilmore Girls actress, who always stood in the shadow of costar Lauren Graham, was saddled with a divisive character and rarely delivered a performance on the same level as her TV mom. When her casting in The Handmaid's Tale was first announced, the response was a mixture of intrigue and puzzlement.
But as Ofglen, a handmaid who is more than she first appears to be, Bledel is turning out some of the best work of her career. It's the kind of performance that makes you reconsider the actor's previous work — in particular, one episode of TV where we first caught glimpse of this side of Bledel.
(Editor's note: Spoilers for The Handmaid's Tale ahead.)
Alexis Bledel as Rory Gilmore on 'Gilmore Girls' Mic/Netflix
In the fifth season finale of Gilmore Girls, "A House is Not a Home," Bledel's Rory is at her nadir. She's just been arrested for stealing a boat with her boyfriend, Logan Huntzberger, and is feeling unsure about the path she's chosen. Her decision is to take a semester off from Yale — a choice her mother, Lorelai, rejects when the two meet for coffee.
"You leave Yale now, you'll never go back," Lorelai insists to her daughter. "You'll lose momentum." But Rory stands her ground: "Momentum toward what? All my life, I've been working toward being a journalist. I'm not going to be a journalist, so what momentum am I losing?"
It's the best kind of Gilmore Girls fight, in that neither party is totally in the right or wrong. Rory is at sea, and Bledel does a remarkable job making her choice feel appropriately gut-wrenching. That decision goes against everything Rory thought she knew about herself, and thus Bledel's performance conveys both the torture Rory feels underneath and the stubbornness she exudes on the surface.
It also helps, of course, that Graham is brilliant in the scene; the two were never better on Gilmore Girls than they were here, each firmly planted and not giving an inch. It's the equivalent of Sex and the City's renowned Carrie-Miranda fight over the former's move to Paris: a battle late in a series' run where two central characters fiercely and painfully debate one of their life choices not out of hate, but out of sincere love. Just like in that exchange, in which Sarah Jessica Parker delivered her best performance as Carrie Bradshaw, the Gilmore Girls scene revealed new depths to Bledel's talent.
Alexis Bledel as Beth Dawes in 'Mad Men' AMC
Unfortunately, but understandably, that particular scene and episode became something of a distant memory in the last years of Gilmore Girls. The character quickly reverted to her more childish characteristics, never fully blooming into a grown-up version of Rory Gilmore. Her post-Gilmore Girls career didn't bring much more, either: Bledel had a short and critically panned stint on Mad Men, where she met now-husband Vincent Kartheiser but had little chemistry with him on camera. Her only other TV series before The Handmaid's Tale, Us & Them, never made it to air.
In her work on Mad Men — and other projects like Sin City and Jenny's Wedding, it seemed Bledel was reinforcing the idea that the only role should could play was Rory Gilmore. Then 2016's Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life revival came along, and it looked like Bledel herself had even lost her hold of Rory. Where her performance in the series' original run felt, at its best, subtle and complicated, the Rory we saw in A Year in the Life seemed dull, affectless and blind to her own privilege.
So, skepticism about Bledel's turn in the dystopian Handmaid's Tale was valid — making it all the more delightful that she's so compelling in it. Ofglen is one of the most complex characters, first judged by Moss' Offred as pious and judgmental. Near the end of the premiere episode, though, Ofglen shows her cards: She's a resistor of the state, a lesbian and remarkably savvy when it comes to avoiding detection in the theocratic republic of Gilead.
Alexis Bledel in 'The Handmaid's Tale' Hulu
In the third episode, "Late," Gilead forces take Ofglen into custody for being a "gender traitor" — in other words, for being gay and engaging in a relationship with a "Martha." Ofglen doesn't talk at all in the episode; her mouth is covered by a mask in all of her scenes. Because she's still fertile, she's sentenced to "redemption" — in other words, forced genital mutilation — by the court and is unable to speak on her own behalf. She utters a gut-wrenching howl as she watches her lover being hung to death; at the end of the episode, when she realizes she's undergone surgery, she again expresses herself the only way she can — with another loud, anguished scream.
Despite delivering not a single line of dialogue, Bledel is a wonder in "Late." Like in the Gilmore Girls episode "A House Is Not a Home," the actress communicates on multiple emotional layers at once, this time without saying a word. She's become an expressive actor first and foremost, capable of doing with only her eyes what she couldn't for so long with words. In fact, it recalls her final scene in "A House Is Not a Home," when Rory and Lorelai stare at each other after daughter betrays mother and moves away from home. Like in "Late," no words are exchanged, but the emotional weight is heavy.
Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as Lorelai and Rory Gilmore in 'Gilmore Girls' Mic/Netflix
Wednesday's episode of The Handmaid's Tale, "Faithful," further underlines Bledel's performance as stellar. Ofglen returns as Ofsteven — though we now know her true name is Emily — at first defeated and hollow, but it's not long until she's rising up again. She knows her fertility will keep her from death, and since watching her lover die was the worst thing she could imagine, she feels like she has nothing left to lose. So, she steals a car and kills a member of the Gilead forces.
The thrill is not in the action, but in watching a woman Gilead tried to defeat stand against them once again. Bledel plays Emily not as joyous, but exhilarated. She breaks free of her anguish, breathless and determined.
In some way, watching Emily drive that car is like watching Bledel's career as she takes this star turn. After spending so long doing less than her best, she's found what activates her potential. Finally, Rory Gilmore has grown up.
Mic has ongoing coverage of The Handmaid's Tale. Follow our main Handmaid's Tale hub.


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Nolan Lalonde – 2022 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
May 28, 2022 by Mark Scheig
Nolan Lalonde
2021-22 Team: Erie Otters (#79)
Date of Birth: February 14, 2004
Place of Birth: Kingston, ON, Canada
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 186 pounds
Catches: Right
Position: Goalie
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2022 first-year eligible
NHL Central Scouting: 14th (amongst North American Goalies)
The Erie Otters were ready to use the 2021-22 season to finally turn the page on their last few losing seasons. On paper, that appeared to be a likely outcome. Although they were a young team, they were skilled and had an experienced goalie in Aidan Campbell ready to lead them.
Then game one came and it wasn't Campbell who was starting. 17-year old Nolan Lalonde got the call on opening night against the Flint Firebirds. Despite losing 3-0 that night, it was clear why many folks around the Otters and the NHL were excited for the future of this goaltender. He stopped 30/33 on opening night while not allowing a goal until very late in the second period.
Related: THW 2022 NHL Draft Guide
It's difficult enough for any 17-year old to start in the OHL. But for Lalonde to jump in and start on opening night said volumes. All I could think about after that game was "this kid is going to be a good one."
As it turned out, Campbell suffered a hip injury in which surgery was needed. The initial thought was that he would miss the entire season while rehabbing and recovering. This made Lalonde the Otters' number-one starter for the balance of the season. This is where you have to be careful judging his season just based on his numbers.
Nolan Lalonde played his draft season as the Otters' number-one goaltender. (Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)
Lalonde finished the 2021-22 season with a 24-25-3 record with a 3.62 goals-against and an .877 save percentage. On the surface, these numbers look concerning. But then when you consider his workload and the team that played in front of him, it puts these numbers in a different perspective. The Otters went through a mid-season coaching change. They were a very young team with little experience compared to their competition. There was a talent gap. But yet Lalonde still won 24 games despite all these things working against him.
Need evidence of just how hot a commodity Lalonde is? At the Erie Junior Showcase that took place in June 2021, scouts from 30 NHL teams were present at some point. Which player was the most asked about? It was Lalonde. Why? That's because many think he will be one of the best goalies in the OHL over the next couple of seasons. They also think his game will translate at the next level. In addition to being a popular name, he played on Team Canada at the recently completed U-18 tournament. He won his one start and posted a .917 save percentage.
So what stands out about Lalonde? The first thing you'll notice is his demeanor. He is extraordinary collected when circumstances are tough. He brings a level of calmness that resonates with his teammates. He has a good sense of knowing when to keep the play going or when to put a stop to things. For someone who just turned 18 in February, this was impressive to watch.
On the ice, Lalonde is able to cover a lot of ground despite being slightly undersized at 6-foot-1. He uses his athleticism and skating to his advantage. He is able to go post-to-post and is good at challenging shooters and cutting down their angles. His anticipation really shines in these moments.
Nolan LaLonde on being ranked in the NHL Central Scouting Rankings! pic.twitter.com/O6ONDCJU7n
— Erie Otters 🦦 (@ErieOtters) May 5, 2022
As with any young goalie, Lalonde has plenty of room for improvement. In particular, there were times the Otters needed a timely save and weren't able to get it especially if the opposition scored in bunches. While the calmness is there, he is improving in his ability to rebound quickly after a tough stretch. He can also stand to improve on his positional play. He could have prevented some goals had he been more ready for the shot.
Overall, anyone who drafts Lalonde is getting someone who is highly competitive but can also calm things down on the ice when necessary. Although he's somewhat undersized, his athleticism makes up for that and has him in position to be one of the best goalies in the OHL upcoming.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Tyler Brennan
Topias Leinonen
Hugo Havelid
Nolan Lalonde — NHL Draft Projection
There just isn't much in the way of high-end goalies available early in the draft. But savvy and patient teams will use a late-round pick on Lalonde given his potential usage and his upside. Landing an upside goalie with a sixth or seventh rounder is a good piece of business for any NHL team. Given the buzz Lalonde had amongst scouts last June, don't be surprised to hear his name called.
"Nolan has a tremendous work ethic and has committed himself to being a true leader both in the classroom and on the ice. Nolan has adapted to the return to the classroom, his new home in Erie, and the pressures of his first OHL season while being a role model for his teammates." -Jaime Cieszynski, Erie Otters' Director of Administration
"(Lalonde) is a competitive person but he has a calm demeanor about him. In a game where he sees something go behind him, he doesn't show that he's upset. In practices he's really competitive with goals that go in he thought he should have had he gets really upset about them. His demeanor is pretty even keeled especially in a game and especially for a young goaltender. He was put in a situation that wasn't ideal for him to start. We thought he handled it really well." -B.J. Adams, Erie Otters' Head Coach
Calm Demeanor
Athleticism
Under Construction — Improvements to Make
Positional play
Ability to rebound after tough stretches
NHL Potential
Lalonde's potential will depend on the team and situation he lands in. He wouldn't be expected to make an NHL impact for several seasons. But with time, patience and development, he has the tools you like to see for someone hoping to make an NHL impact one day.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk — 2/5, Reward — 3/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense — n/a Defense — n/a
Awards/Achievements
Lalonde played for Team Canada at the last U18 tournament. He was also named OHL Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for November 2021. He was also named OHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of Jan 9, 2022.
Nolan Lalonde Statistics
Mark Scheig
I am a fully credentialed writer who covers the Columbus Blue Jackets, Cleveland Monsters and Erie Otters as well as the Ontario Hockey League and NHL Draft. The 2022-23 season will mark nine seasons with the Hockey Writers. I am also the site's Credentials Manager. Please take note of the updated Twitter handle: @mark_scheig.
Categories NHL Entry Draft, Player Profiles, Prospects Tags 2022 NHL Draft, Nolan Lalonde
Today in Hockey History: May 28
Kings' Defensemen Targets with 19th Pick of 2022 NHL Draft
Oilers' List of Blue Line Trade Targets Includes Surprising Names
Jets & Panthers Could Produce A Blockbuster Trade
Ex-Maple Leafs Frederik "Goat" Gauthier: Where is He Now?
Seattle Kraken 2022-23 Midseason Awards
Blackhawks' Reichel, Domi, & Kurashev's Line Hints at Bright Future
Montreal Canadiens' 2023 Trade Deadline Preview
Lightning's Western Conference Road Trip Will Test Team
Ex-Maple Leaf Ilya Mikheyev & His Season With the Canucks
Devils' Depth Key to 2022-23 Playoff Appearance
Blues' Contract for Schenn Could Impact O'Reilly Re-Signing
Was Lou Lamoriello as Good as Maple Leafs Fans Remember?
7 Cool Things About Connor McDavid
7 Reasons Connor McDavid Is the World's Best Hockey Player
Avalanche Must Fix Attitude and Power Play Problems
NHL Rumors: Blackhawks, Kraken, Bruins, Canucks
3 Devils Who Can Join Jack Hughes at the All-Star Game
Red Wings' Jake Walman Is Proving His Worth


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Wysoczyzna Andomska (ros.: Андомская возвышенность, Andomskaja wozwyszennost' ) – wysoczyzna w europejskiej części Rosji (obwód wołogodzki i Karelia), w północnej części Niziny Wschodnioeuropejskiej, na południe od jeziora Onega. Wznosi się do 293 m n.p.m. Zbudowana głównie z wapieni. Występują zjawiska krasowe, liczne wzniesienia morenowe i jeziora.

Przypisy

Wyżyny Rosji

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Geology is the scientific field that studies the earth, the materials of which is composed and the processes leading to current shape of the earth. Geology also gives an insight into earth materials so as to plan the mines that produce metals, locate and produce oil and gas and ground water. In this section related publications for geology are provided.
Stein C. A. , Stein S.
Motoki A. , Sichel S. E. et al.
Manu E. , Preko K. et al.
Allen J. , Davis C. et al.
Surinaidu L. , Rao V. V. S. G. et al.


TODAY asked me if I liked to play ball, and I confirmed that I do with my best wags. You know I'm all about that base!
I can't wait to tell you what happened next: They sent me on a field trip to not one, not two… but THREE baseball stadiums. I'm not a mathematician, but I do know this: Getting three treats is always better than one treat! I must have been a very good boy.
On this trip, I met the Mets, got wiggly at Wrigley and attended Citizens Bark Park (or was it Citizens Bank Park)?
I was a little worried about knowing whom to cheer for, but my trainer made it really simple: She said to just root, root, root for the home team! And that's what I did!
I was so honored to have a few special missions.
At Citi Field in New York, I delivered the game ball and presented a challenge coin to the veteran of the game, Staff Sgt. Tom Harrington, who has a service dog from America's VetDogs.
It made me feel so proud to stand next to a working service dog and know that someday soon I'm going to be helping others, just like him.
When I visited the Chicago Cubs, I got to help honor U.S. Army Air Corps veteran Max Burton. They showed a special video on the scoreboard about my routine with TODAY and everything I'm learning how to do. I really felt like a hot dog!
In Philly, I greeted fans entering the stadium, and delivered the ball to Sgt. Harry Kaplan. It was a thrill to stand on the field with the team for the national anthem!
Just when I thought I was batting 1,000, the trip got better. I was lucky enough to visit two veterans' facilities, where I got to demonstrate my skills and greet some of the greatest people on earth. Seeing them smile was the best treat I have ever gotten.
Would you believe that one of the veterans I met was Capt. Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13? I was really over the moon about that. I want to say a special thank you to the Lovell Federal Health Care Center and the Delaware Valley Veterans Home for inviting me and sharing two of my greatest days.
I can't wait to step up to the plate as a service dog for a veteran who has served this wonderful country that I call home!


This will be my first FOSDEM. I guess I'll be around the GNOME booth most of the time, not sure. This will be a nice opportunity to meet new FLOSS people and some of my best old friends in GNOME. See you all there!


text:
Posts Tagged 'Blogging'
#WATWB: Kenya Installs First Solar-Powered Plant That Turns Salty Ocean Water Into Fresh Drinking Water
Posted: 2019/11/30 in Blogging
Tags: #HEROES, #PEACE, #WATWB, Blogging, Earth, Environment, Humanity, Inspiration, Love
It is said that up to 71% of our planet is covered with water. We are inhabiting the only planet in a radius of several thousand light years that has consistently enough water to support life. However, this is also the same the planet in which, according to CDC, an estimated 780 million people (almost 11% of the world population) do not have clean drinking water.
It can be argued that most of the earth's water (about 96.5%) are held by the oceans and is therefore too salty and unsafe to drink. Drinkable water has been estimated to make up about 2.5% of all earth's water. Some of this quantity is trapped under glaciers and snowfields, leaving only 1% of earth's freshwater accessible. In essence, [less than] 0.007 percent of the planet's water is available to fuel and feed its [ever growing population].
This is a crisis.
For various reasons, developing countries are affected more by the planet's water scarcity than their industrialised counterparts. According data from water.org, getting clean drinking water can be quite difficult in those countries.
In Kenya, a non-profit organization called Give Power has designed a solar-powered desalination system that can produce 19,800 gallons (75,000 liters) of fresh drinking water every day.
In order to tackle this [water crisis] challenge, a non-profit organization called Give Power designed a desalination system that uses solar energy to pump out fresh drinking water [from] salty ocean water. The water treatment plant that began operating in July 2018 can produce 19,800 gallons (75,000 liters) of fresh drinking water every day which is enough for 25,000 people. This has considerably improved the lives of residents in Kiunga, a small coastal town in Kenya.
The rest of the story can be found here.
Source: Give Power
This is the 30th celebration of the WE ARE THE WORLD BLOGFEST #WATWB which is carried out every last Friday of the month, and which aims to spread love and positiveness in this vulnerable world. A celebration of heroes who can still restore our faith in humanity, especially in this period when our world seems to be full of endless series of horrible happenings.
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Damyanti Biswas, Lizbeth Hartz, Shilpa Garg, Simon Falk and myself.
To sign up for We Are The World Blogfest, please see the guidelines below.
~~~GUIDELINES~~~
Keep your post to below 500 words, as much as possible.
All we ask is you link to a human news story on your blog on the last Friday of each month, one that shows love, humanity, and brotherhood. Something like this news about a man who only fosters terminally ill children.
Join us on the last Friday of each month in sharing news that warms the cockles of our heart. No story is too big or small, as long as it goes beyond religion and politics, into the core of humanity.
Place the WE ARE THE WORLD Badge on your sidebar, and help us spread the word on social media. Tweets, Facebook shares, G+ shares using the #WATWB hashtag through the month most welcome. More Blogfest signups mean more friends, love and light for all of us.
We'll read and comment on each others' posts, get to know each other better, and hopefully, make or renew some friendships with everyone who signs on as participants in the coming months.
To signup, add your link in WE ARE THE WORLD Linky List
#WATWB: The Woman Who Rescued 97 Dogs from Hurricane Dorian
Tags: #HEROES, #PEACE, #WATWB, Animals, Blogging, Earth, Humanity, Love, Positivity
My last #WATWB post was about a Greek man who has devoted his life to saving dogs.
For this month's We Are The World Blogfest (#WATWB), I bring you a similar story albeit from a different part of the world and under different circumstances.
The story of Chella Phillips from Bahamas who rescued 97 dogs from Hurricane Dorian.
In early September, Hurricane Dorian ravaged the Bahamas, reducing thousands of homes to rubble in its wake. Hurricane Dorian was the most intense tropical cyclone on record to strike the Bahamas, and is regarded as the worst natural disaster in the country's history.
Hurricane Dorian hovered over the Bahamas for nearly 48 hours, with torrential rains and wind gusts reaching over 220 mph wreaking havoc on the small island nation. An estimated 13,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, according to the Red Cross.
As residents across the Bahamas prepared for the hurricane, Phillips opened her home to 97 dogs.
A woman in the Bahamas says she has taken in nearly 100 dogs displaced by Hurricane Dorian. Chella Phillips, who runs Voiceless Dogs of Nassau, a small organization aimed at helping stray dogs in the capital city, said she took 97 dogs into her house as the hurricane slammed into the island on Sunday.
Seventy-nine of the dogs were sheltering in her master bedroom, Phillips wrote on Facebook. "It has been insane since last night," she wrote, "poop and piss non stop but at least they are respecting my bed and nobody has dared to jump in."
Phillips said she played music and blasted the air conditioner for the dogs. She also received some donated crates, which were needed for the scared and sick pups.
"The saddest part is that after the hurricane leave the Bahamas, some islands will take a long time to recover," Phillips wrote in the now-viral post. "Each island has abundance of homeless dogs, my heart is so broken for the ones without a place to hide a CAT 5 monster and only God can protect them now."
As rising waters from the storm surge enveloped whole neighborhoods, people — and animals — became displaced or worse. If not for Phillips, the fate of at least 97 dogs in Nassau would be unknown.
The rest of Phillips' story can be found here, here, and here.
Chella Phillips
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Sylvia McGrath, Lizbeth Hartz, Shilpa Garg, Mary Giese, and Belinda Witzenhausen welcome participants and encourage all to join in.
#WATWB: The Man Who Devotes His Life To Saving Dogs
Tags: #HEROES, #PEACE, #WATWB, Animals, Blogging, Humanity, Inspiration, Love
It is said that a dog is man's best friend but I have wondered whether dogs feel the same way about the relationship or whether it is a relationship decided only by the human party. For our best friends with superhuman abilities–faithful, grateful, loyal, protective, understanding, enduring, uncomplaining, undemanding, loving absolutely, and able to live happily on just leftovers and in sketchy shelters–we sure don't treat them as they deserve. So many dogs are homeless in the world, starving, emaciated, sick and scared of their self-declared "best friends". The government of Kenya, for instance, recently allocated the equivalent of one million dollars to get rid of stray dogs in Nairobi. I have felt that the way we treat dogs says more about our society than about the dogs.
For this episode of We Are The World Blogfest (#WATWB), I bring you the story of an exceptional Greek man named Theoklitos Proestakis (Takis for short), who has saved over 300 dogs from neglect, starvation, and certain death. He saves them from the garbage dump where they are abandoned to die.
One day six years ago, Theoklitos Proestakis was curious about his local garbage dump on the Greek island of Crete, where he lives. So, he decided to pay a visit. A dog he met there completely changed his life forever.
Proestakis, or Takis for short, told CBS News he came upon an injured dog among the trash and knew he had a responsibility to help it. He took the pup to the veterinarian and got it the medical care it so desperately needed. Proestakis said he didn't have space in his house at the time to bring the homeless dog with him, so he put the pup back in the rubbish area. But, he came by every day to see the dog and give it medicine.
Then, more dogs began to appear from the trash. "Another dog and another dog and another dog," recounted Proestakis. "I was taking care of 50 dogs. After a few days, I was taking care of 70 dogs. Every single day."
He fed and provided medical care for the dogs for nearly a year, before people living nearby the dump began to complain that the dogs were causing trouble. Proestakis said the neighbors told him they were thinking of poisoning the pups, but he was determined not to let that happen. So, he asked the disgruntled people for 30 days to find a place to take the dogs.
He managed to purchase a piece of land that he now uses as a shelter for the dogs. He now cares for 342 dogs that he has rescued. There are also goats and cats in the shelter. With the help of like-minded donors, Takis is able to keep the place running, even as more dogs are rescued everyday.
The rest of Takis's story can be found here.
Theoklitos Proestakis with rescued puppies. CBS News photo
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Susan Scott, Shilpa Garg, Mary J. Giese, Damyanti Biswas, and myself.
#WATWB: The Elephant Whisperer
Tags: #PEACE, #WATWB, Animals, Blogging, Humanity, Inspiration, Love, Positivity
There is a woman from Thailand named Lek Chailert who has dedicated her life to rescuing tortured elephants. She grew up in a small hillside village north of Chiang Mai where large scale logging was practised. Elephants were used by loggers to transport incredibly heavy loads.
When she was a student, Lek used to see the elephants cut and wounded and sick, and she sought to find out what was happening to them. She could hear elephants screaming in the forest but, being a student, was not allowed to go into the logging camp. One day she was taken into the forest by one of the elephant keepers, and that was when she witnessed the shocking horror of what was happening to them. The horror that would change her life.
There was an elephant hauling a log up the hill with a man riding on its back. Every time the elephant tried to haul the log, the man would step on a hook on its head and wound it, drawing blood. The man was also cutting its back with a knife. It was screaming.
Lek was speechless. It was her first time to see the giant animal tortured so badly by human beings. Shaken, she went back to the village for elephant medicine and came back to treat the wounded animal.
The elephants were used not only for logging but also for entertainment in circuses and tourist parks.
Baby elephants were put in a structure called "crush box", which is a small, rigid trap with no room for turning around. They were then beaten and tortured mercilessly until they learned to obey their human masters. Afterwards, they were taken to the circuses for entertainment, obeying commands, playing with hoops, or being ridden by tourists in tourist parks for a fee, etc.
Lek wondered why humans expected so much from the animals. She made it her mission to rescue them. She went to the media and exposed the loggers. She founded Save Elephant Foundation.
An American actress, Ashley Bell, heard about her work and joined her. They have since worked together on a documentary called Love and Bananas about the rescued elephants and the ordeals they went through.
The animals she has saved are very grateful and when they see her they run to her and cuddle her.
Lek's rich story can be found here.
Lek Chailert, BBC
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Shilpa Garg, Eric Lahti, Inderpreet Uppal, Sylvia Stein and myself..
#WATWB: Dodging Bullets to Deliver a Baby
Tags: #PEACE, #WATWB, Blogging, Encouragement, Humanity, Inspiration, Love, Positivity, Relationships
Sometime in 2015, the Taliban attempted to recapture an Afghan city called Kunduz. War began between the Taliban and the government military. All roads were closed and hospitals became battlefields. People were trapped in hospitals for weeks. Hospitals were running out of medicine, blood, and even food. One hospital was blown up by a mortar.
A gynaecologist named Dr. Marzia Salam Yaftali was working at the last-standing public hospital in the city. She couldn't go to work during the attack and it worried her sick. The situation was getting worse. The injured kept arriving at the hospital despite the diminishing supplies.
I was desperate to go to work but I couldn't because all the roads were closed and the hospital was a battlefield. It was in the crossfire between the Taliban and the government troops. My colleagues were trapped in the hospital for two weeks. No one could leave.
One night when the fighting had worsened uncontrollably, Dr. Marzia was called to help her neighbour deliver twins.
There was heavy fighting one night. The battle was going on from street to street and house to house. It was so bad that no one dared to leave their homes. If you were shot at no one would know if it was from the Taliban or government troops. My family was hiding in the basement.
Around 8 o'clock in the evening, there was banging on our door. We were terrified. But it was a neighbour. They had a lady staying with them called Fatma. She was young and pregnant with twins. But it hadn't been an easy pregnancy. My neighbour said, 'Please come. Fatma is going into labour. We need your help.'
Dr. Marzia was living with her sister, also a doctor. But her sister refused point-blank to go outside. The risk was too great. She had her own children to look after and going outside meant certain death.
Dr. Marzia had to decide what to do. She had met Fatma and seen the scan of her babies.
I knew that if I didn't go, Fatma would die.
When I stepped outside the front door, there was a rain of bullets. It was absolutely terrifying.
I was running. I will never forget that night. There were NATO airplanes above. It was pitch-black but I could see the laser lights coming from the jets looking for the Taliban fighters. I ran like I had never run before. The neighbour's house was ten minutes away but it felt like a whole hour.
Dr. Marzia managed to deliver the first baby. Unfortunately, the second baby was trapped at the shoulder and needed caesarean section to be delivered. She needed a hospital.
I called my government contacts and asked them to send a military tank to take us to the hospital. Then I rang the hospital and my colleagues there said absolutely not. You cannot come here. The hospital is a war zone. Earlier a patient and his father left the hospital and were shot. Their bodies are still outside in the driveway and no one dares to pick them up. The same could happen to you. Don't come.
The rest of Dr. Marzia's story can be found here.
Dr. Marzia Salam Yaftali. Photo by BBC.
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Shilpa Garg, Belinda Witzenhausen, Sylvia McGrath, Simon Falk, and Andrea Michaels.
#WATWB: The Nun Rescuing Sex-Trafficked Women
Some days you come across a horror story about the agonies of sex-trafficked women. Young girls in their teens–children, really–kidnapped or sold, enslaved, abused, tortured, raped, degraded, and dehumanized, their bodies full of cuts and burns and bruises and deformities, their eyes wells of deep-rooted fear and despair, their children sold without their knowledge–they have no hope but to die.
In the Italian town of Caserta, near Naples, a little hope shines there for these women, growing bigger and bigger every day.
Sister Rita Garietta dedicates her life to helping women trafficked for sex. She was initially a nurse and a trade union representative, but when she was 29, she quit her job to follow a calling, becoming a nun. Later on, she left her home city for Caserta where, together with other nuns, opened Casa Ruth, a shelter for victims of sex trafficking in Caserta.
When she first saw the young girls on the streets, she was worried. All of them were about fifteen and sixteen years old. Sister Garietta was with a few other nuns and they stopped the vehicle to talk to the girls, thereby beginning a new journey in her life which would see her become families with the enslaved women.
"When there are stories about loss of dignity, you never get used to them," she says after encountering the young girls and listening to their harrowing stories.
"What happens to your heart is that it grows in tenderness. This is the essence of Casa Ruth . . . of feeling loved with no judgement. It is a process of healing to the girls. They call us 'Mama' and every time we hear this, it sends a shiver down our spines. Being a mother today is about joy, it is about responsibility. It is about the responsibility of being entrusted with the care of other people's lives," she says about her experience with the women.
"My reward is joy . . . and the smiles. When these women arrive, they are desperate, and the pain is etched on their faces. Then the lines relax, joy sets in, hope sets in . . . All I want to do is to bring light into these people's lives."
Sister Garietta's rich story can be found here and also here.
Sister Rita Garietta, BBC
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Shilpa Garg, Damyanti Biswas, Andrea Michaels, Inderpreet Uppal, and myself.
#WATWB: Kenya's Erin Brockovich
Tags: #PEACE, #WATWB, Blogging, Earth, Environment, Humanity, Inspiration, Love, Positivity
We are living in the times when life doesn't seem to hold much meaning. Whether it is the life of an animal, a plant, or a human being. The essence of life has reduced almost to the point of nothingness. It seems that anything else is better than a living thing.
From the arguments due to climate change to those concerning pollution in the cities, to deforestation, poaching, immigration, etc, the outstanding concept is that we no longer care about life. We are inconvenienced by life. We hate life. The pursuit of the nonliving things, money and material resources, is being carried out at the expense of everything else, even ourselves. We are in bondage.
In Kenya, in the impoverished, marginalized regions of Mombasa, a place called Owino Uhuru, a chemical company has been poisoning its workers and the neighbouring community with lead. The company has been producing lead from recycling old car batteries. It has been operating at night to avoid detection, emitting fumes laden with lead into the air and also releasing the untreated wastewater into streams used by the community for washing, cooking, and cleaning.
"Workers at the plant faced the most direct exposure to chemicals. They were provided one pair of flimsy cotton gloves per month, which quickly disintegrated after a few days. Once the gloves were gone, workers continued work with bare hands. In contrast, managers entering the factory did so in full protective gear."
One woman, Phyllis Omido, has been been fighting for the closure of the company.
Phyllis was first hired to manage the plant's community relations. Her first task was to put together an environmental impact report. She found out what they were doing to the community, and, instead of protecting the company as is common in most such instances, she exposed them.
"One of her first tasks was to put together an environmental impact report. Working with a team of experts, she found that the plant's proximity to the local community left residents vulnerable to dangerous chemicals—and that the plant was likely operating under illegally obtained permits. Her report recommended closing the factory and relocating, but management dismissed the recommendations and removed Omido from the project."
About three months later, she found out that she herself had become so poisoned with lead that her own breast milk was in turn making her infant son violently ill.
With a little encouragement, she founded an NGO, the Center for Justice, Governance, and Environmental Action (CJGEA) and convinced the government health department to test local community members for lead. The results confirmed her worst fears. All her three children had very high levels of lead poisoning. Soil tests also showed lead levels increased almost tenfold from 2008 to 2009, when the plant became operational.
Equipped with this data, she began to actively seek the shutdown of the plant. Her efforts were in vain, and the company hit back. She was arrested, attacked by armed men, and forced into hiding.
She never gave up, though. Her bravery eventually paid off.
"the NGO she founded, the Centre for Justice, Governance, and Environmental Action, has already forced the closure of the plant and is now pushing the courts to secure compensation for the victims and a clean-up of the community.
They have gathered thousands of local residents in a class action against the government and two companies – Metal Refinery EPZ Ltd and Penguin Paper and Book Company (no connection with the global publishing company) for 1.6bn Kenyan shillings (£11.5m) compensation and a clean-up of contaminated land.
Two years after the suit was launched, the plaintiffs will be called as witness for the first time on 19 March in the environment and land court."
Her story can be found here and here.
Her website is here
Phyllis Omido, environmental activist
This is the eleventh celebration of the WE ARE THE WORLD BLOGFEST #WATWB which is carried out every last Friday of the month, and which aims to spread love and positiveness in this vulnerable world. A celebration of heroes who can still restore our faith in humanity, especially in this period when our world seems to be full of endless series of horrible happenings.
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Inderpreet Uppal, Shilpa Garg, Eric Lahti, Roshan Radhakrishnan, and myself.
#WATWB: The Man Reuniting Rohingya Families
Tags: #PEACE, Blogging, Humanity, Inspiration, Love, Relationships
When war breaks out in a country, families scatter and sometimes remain separated for years on end. It is traumatizing to lose loved ones without knowing their actual fate. The suspense due to the loss and the subsequent sense of emptiness can be devastating to an individual and can leave them in a constant state of despair.
The recent exodus of the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar into Bangladesh has created such a situation. Fleeing persecution and genocide from home, the Rohingyas have lost not only their livelihoods but also their children.
They are currently in a refugee camp in Bangladesh where one man, KAMAL HUSSEIN, helps them reunite with their lost children.
Kamal himself fled Myanmar into Bangladesh when he was nine years old in the 1990's. He was sheltered by a kind family before his parents found him six months later. His parents had thought he was dead. He had missed them so much, and he had caused them so much pain, that the memory of those days continue to inspire him to help desperate parents find their lost children.
He has so far reunited 700 children with their families. He has a booth and a megaphone which he uses to search for the missing children. He also protects the children from suspicious people who falsely claim them. He has a paying job but he volunteers to search for the children during his free time.
He says: "I want to keep on doing this as long as I can. I mean, I have been through the same experience. Reuniting other families helps me forget the pain that I went through. This work is the most important thing in my life."
Kamal's full story can be found here.
Photo Courtesy of BBC
This is the ninth celebration of the WE ARE THE WORLD BLOGFEST #WATWB which is carried out every last Friday of the month, and which aims to spread love and positiveness in this vulnerable world. A celebration of heroes who can still restore our faith in humanity, especially in this period when our world seems to be full of endless series of horrible happenings.
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Damyanti Biswas, Sylvia Stein, Susan Scott, Inderpreet Uppal, Shilpa Garg, and Andrea Michaels.
#WATWB: Muslim Man Who Saved Christians from ISIS
In May this year, Muslim militants linked to the dreaded (but now defeated) ISIS attacked the Philippine city of Marawi on the island of Mindanao.
As the fighting raged on between the Philippine army and the militants, the latter began hunting down Christians. They would meet random people in the city and ask them to recite the Qur'an, failure to which would lead to merciless executions.
It was in this period that one kind-hearted man, Norodin Alonto Lucman, a prominent Muslim in the area decided to save the persecuted Christians. He started by hiding his Christian workers as soon as he heard the news of the executions. Not long after, however, more and more Christians poured into his compound. They came with their children, the youngest of whom was ten months old.
It was a great risk for him and he was scared. He could have run away and left them to their fate but he stayed in order to save them. He says:
"The first thing that came to my mind was to save these people. I had a chance to leave. I had three cars in the house. I could have left, put my belongings there and then leave but I figured if I left these civilians will die."
Later on, when he had a total of 67 Christians in is home and he was quickly running out of food to give them, he took even a greater risk to lead them to safety outside the city. He disguised the women to look like Muslim women and made the men to carry the babies so that they all looked like couples. Then he taught them how to recite a Muslim prayer and bravely led them out of the city at dawn. On the way, more people from neighbouring homes joined them until they were about 144 in total, excluding him.
Alonto says:
"I saved their lives because I had to save their lives, because they came to my house and asked for help. It is a human thing. It is not something about being a Christian or a Muslim. They are human beings like me."
His home was burnt down by the militants.
Alonto's full story is found here.
Norodine Alonto Lucman, Source: BBC
This is the eighth celebration of the WE ARE THE WORLD BLOGFEST #WATWB which is carried out every last Friday of the month, and which aims to spread love and positiveness in this vulnerable world. A celebration of heroes who can still restore our faith in humanity, especially in this period when our world seems to be full of endless series of horrible happenings.
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Belinda McGrath Witzenhausen, Sylvia McGrath, Mary Giese, Shilpa Garg, and Guilie Castillo.
#WATWB: Mother to 100,000 Children
Tags: #PEACE, #WATWB, Blogging, Encouragement, Hope, Humanity, Inspiration, Love, Positivity, Relationships
In early 90's a devastating civil war broke out in Burundi between the Hutu and the Tutsi people. Violent murders, rapes, displacements, and appalling suffering became the order of the day. Children were not spared, but were subjected to the same unspeakable atrocities their parents were experiencing. Things were dark.
In these bleakest of days, one woman, a teacher named Marguerite Baranktse, emerged an unlikely hero. When she was only twenty-three, she adopted a young Hutu girl aged thirteen. At first, her relatives did not welcome her decision and urged her to reject the girl, because the girl was from the Hutu people (the enemy) while Marguerite was Tutsi. Only her mother encouraged her.
Marguerite's entire family was later slaughtered by the Hutu fighters in October 1993. They spared her because of her work.
Nevertheless, she refused to hate the Hutu people. She went on to adopt more children from both the warring Hutu and the Tutsi sides.
She had to defend them and fend for them. She had to watch people die and had to bribe the killers to save the children.
"She set up Maison Shalom, the House of Peace, in 1993, a shelter providing children displaced by Burundi's civil war with refuge, medical care and education."
It was an undertaking so risky at the time that people started to think of her as insane. They called her "Maggy the Madwoman".
As the war went on, the number of her children grew to over 100,000. Later on, her efforts were recognized such benevolent organizations as the UNICEF, WFP, and ActionAid.
She says the name "Maggy the Madwoman" suits her best because what she did was crazy.
"[It is crazy] to decide sometimes alone in the streets, whether to teach love when the others are killing. I would like everybody to follow this madness, to create hope and to break this cycle of violence. To teach love."
Marguerite's story is found here.
Marguerite Baranktse. Source: BBC
This is the seventh celebration of the WE ARE THE WORLD BLOGFEST #WATWB which is carried out every last Friday of the month, and which aims to spread love and positiveness in this vulnerable world. A celebration of heroes who can still restore our faith in humanity, especially in this period when our world seems to be full of endless series of horrible happenings.
Our generous co-hosts for this month are: Michelle Wallace, Emerald Barnes, Andrea Michaels, Shilpa Garg, and myself.


text:
Airport banking on extending main runway to 9,300 feet
HARLINGEN — When it comes to airport runways, longer is definitely better.
Valley International Airport officials are waiting for their plan to create the longest runway south of Austin to be green-lighted by the Federal Aviation Administration sometime soon.
The $15.5 million project will extend what is already the Valley's longest runway from 8,301 feet to 9,400 feet.
"Longer runways are better for everybody in any aircraft and that is for the margin of safety," said Bryan Wren, assistant director of aviation at VIA. "If they need to cancel a takeoff or abort a takeoff, they have more distance to roll out and slow down and stop. Or if they are coming in and there's bad weather, more pavement is always a better thing."
Cargo benefits
All of the airport's passenger airlines — Southwest, American, United, Frontier, Sun Country and Delta — have contributed letters of support to the FAA in favor of the runway extension to the south of the airport.
But the major beneficiaries will be the cargo planes flying out of Valley International, primarily FedEx and DHL. Extending Runway 17R/35L will help them in long-term planning.
The issue for the two air cargo carriers is reducing wear-and-tear on their investment in their planes.
FedEx is flying Boeing MD-10s and MD-11s, Boeing 757-200s and Boeing 767-300s. FedEx is being supplied two new 767-300s a month under a contract with Boeing, and one of those new planes this month was assigned to Harlingen.
"By extending the length of the runway, their cargo load found in the BCA (benefit-cost analysis) will increase from 44-percent payload factor to 70-percent payload factor, so almost double, which is what they want," Wren said. "By us doing that, FedEx and DHL have both given letters of support stating that this helps them planning for the future for their presence in Harlingen.
"FedEx and DHL corporate are only going to allow those aircraft to carry a certain cargo load based off the runways where they're operating out of," he added. "They will never push those airplanes to the max because they want those planes to last 30 years, 40 years. The MD-10 that they're flying now was built in the 1970s, so it's an older air frame and they baby them. They take very good care of them."
Benefits outweigh costs
The benefit-cost analysis airport officials presented to the FAA appears to be favorable, Wren said.
"Right now the benefit-cost analysis has come back showing that there is a need and a necessity and operational justification, which are the most important factors," Wren said. "The benefit-cost ratio actually came back at 2.9 over 1, and that means the benefits are 2.9 times better than the cost. Tripled. You only need a one to pass the FAA smell test, a 1-1 ratio, and we're almost 3-1."
The proposal sent to the FAA also includes a required environmental assessment which, since no waterways will be involved in extending the runway, should pass FAA muster.
The airport already owns the land where the runway extension would be sited, although there will be a land purchase required to extend the safety zone at the end of the runway.
"We will have to purchase approximately 25 to 30 acres, minimum, just around the area for the Runway Protection Zone," Wren said.
"We don't have a first right to the land, but there's already a navigation easement on all the property including this runway extension which was planned 20 years ago," he added. "Being a navigation easement there are very strict building restrictions on what can be done. So basically the land can only be used for agriculture."
Even then there are restrictions on the crops which can be grown. To minimize the risk of bird strikes on planes taking off and landing, no seed crops can be planted in this zone.
Carrying the freight
Within the past 18 months, the airport has added passenger carriers American Airlines and Frontier Airlines, but the airport's freight business also has been expanding.
Two years ago, FedEx decided to re-route packages from its Laredo airport operation to Harlingen, bringing the freight via truck from Laredo and also from San Antonio and Corpus Christi, in effect turning Harlingen into a cargo hub. To meet the increased shipping demands, FedEx went from one plane to two based at the airport, and those jets are flying twice daily six days a week.
In March, FedEx will begin renovating its package handling operation at VIA to expand the facility.
The $15.5 million investment for the runway extension will be funded through the FAA's Airport Improvement Program and the airport's Passenger Facility Charge.
Airport officials hope the investment will help maintain Valley International Airport's reputation as one of the nation's fastest-growing cargo airports. In 2016, VIA ranked 82nd in the nation in air cargo. By 2017 it had moved up to No. 78, and in 2018 ranked No. 71.
"I believe with our cargo numbers we ended the last fiscal year around 370 million pounds which would put us in the mid-60s, but we just don't have the official numbers yet until the FAA comes out with them next month," Wren said.
"We like to diversify," he added. "We have a good working relationship at the airport, our employees and administration and the airport board, in working with each and every airline, including cargo. But those are sharp increases."
Wren said that once the FAA grants approval for the runway extension, he expects it to be operational sometime in late 2022.
Longest runways
1. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport — 12,250 feet
2. El Paso International Airport — 12,020 feet
3. Valley International Airport — 9,400 feet*
4. Corpus Christi International Airport — 7,510 feet
5. Brownsville-SPI International Airport — 7,399 feet
6. McAllen-Miller International Airport — 7,120 feet
* If approved by FAA. Current runway is 8,301 feet


text:
DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS anyarray_concat(anyarray, anyarray);
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION anyarray_concat(with_array anyarray, concat_array anyarray)
	RETURNS anyarray AS
$BODY$
	DECLARE
		-- The variable used to track iteration over "with_array".
		loop_offset integer;

		-- The array to be returned by this function.
		return_array with_array%TYPE;
	BEGIN
		IF with_array IS NULL THEN
			RETURN concat_array;
		ELSEIF concat_array IS NULL THEN
			RETURN with_array;
		END IF;

		-- Add all items in "with_array" to "return_array".
		return_array = with_array;

		-- Iterate over each element in "concat_array", appending it to "return_array".
		FOR loop_offset IN ARRAY_LOWER(concat_array, 1)..ARRAY_UPPER(concat_array, 1) LOOP
			return_array = ARRAY_APPEND(return_array, concat_array[loop_offset]);
		END LOOP;

		RETURN return_array;
	END;
$BODY$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;

DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS anyarray_concat(anyarray, anynonarray);
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION anyarray_concat(with_array anyarray, concat_element anynonarray)
	RETURNS anyarray AS
$BODY$
	BEGIN
		RETURN ANYARRAY_CONCAT(with_array, ARRAY[concat_element]);
	END;
$BODY$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home / Blog / Living Well / Tapping to reduce stress, increase happiness & more!
Tapping to reduce stress, increase happiness & more!
Published: Thursday, April 12th 2018
by Nick Ortner
While spa retreats and getaways alleviate stress and provide relaxation, how can you tap into those emotions daily when you're home? Tapping is the answer.
Tapping, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), combines the principles of ancient Chinese acupressure with modern psychology. It is proven to effectively resolve a range of issues, including stress, anxiety, chronic pain, addiction, and weight control.
If you've ever had a massage, the therapist probably applied pressure to the skin, muscles, and deep tissues to release certain hormones and chemicals to promote relaxation. Tapping permits you to apply these techniques to yourself!
Why Tapping?
Our bodies' meridian system consists of energy channels that run along specific pathways. At certain points on the skin, these endpoints of meridians come to the surface. Tap on these specific endpoints with your fingertips, voice aloud the stress, worry,or whatever negative emotions. This way, you stimulate your energy system and allow these emotions to release from your mind & body in a very natural way.
The first benefit is an immediate reduction in stress. Tapping on these meridian endpoints calms the parts of the brain responsible for controlling the body's stress response system that releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.
Stress comes in many forms.
Financial worries, a physical ailment, troubles at work and sometimes a spouse or your children create stress.
But when these daily anxieties and worries pop up, treat the stress with tapping. Try it as preventative method or to curtail other emotions as it's self service stress-relief at your fingertips!
Nick Ortner
About the author: Nick Ortner
Nick Ortner is the New York Times bestselling author of "The Tapping Solution", and Executive Producer of both the documentary film "The Tapping Solution" and the annual Tapping World Summit, attended by over 2 million people worldwide. Nick's goal is to empower people to create healthy, abundant, and stress-free lives through his books, films, programs, online events, and speaking engagements attended by participants from all over the world.


Gizmodo reports that Lyft is pulling its recently acquired network of e-bikes form three major cities.
The decision comes after reports of problematic braking, that in some cases resulted in injuries to the rider.
A Citi Bike spokesperson told Gizmodo in a statement; "After a small number of reports and out of an abundance of caution, we are proactively pausing our electric bikes from service".
Lyft's company Citi Bike is making some big changes due to mechanical errors. According to Business Insider, Citi Bike has removed its electric pedal-assisted bikes from circulation after receiving..