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Home > Mixed Bag of Nuts > Doggone Trade Secret Issues
Doggone Trade Secret Issues
By Duets Guest Blogger on September 28, 2011
Posted in Mixed Bag of Nuts
–Susan Perera, Attorney
If you have a pup accustomed to gourmet dog treats from the Mall of America you might have an unhappy canine on your hands. Megamall kiosk owner, Chewzy Dogs, has filed suit after its franchisor and maker of its dog treats abruptly ended its agreement to supply Chewzy Dogs with its trade secret recipe treats. While Chewzy Dogs alleges its franchisor had agreed to transfer the secret recipe to Chewzy Dogs in exchange for early termination of the agreement, the franchisor has failed to deliver. (For more discussion of this case see Jim Hammerand, who first reported on it over at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal – thanks Jim!)
This story highlights one method of protecting valuable IP assets – through trade secrets. A method that may be growing after last week's changes to the U.S. patent laws.
This is because businesses often have the option of protecting their IP assets in multiple ways. For example, an invention can be protected as a trade secret or through the use of a patent. (Ok, so a dog treat recipe might not be patentable… but lets overlook that for the moment). While a patent's protection is limited to 20 years from the date of filing the patent, a trade secret (that remains secret) can be protected and profited from indefinitely. Thus, the license of a trade secret could elicit royalty payments for a longer period of time than a patent.
Interestingly, the recently passed America Invents Act is changing U.S. law to further support the use of trade secrets. Under the current law a party that chose to protect an invention through a trade secret (rather than through a patent) could later be precluded from using the invention if a third party independently developed the same technology and patented it. The justification for this legal outcome was that it incentivized the disclosure of inventions through the patent system, and eventually put the invention into the public domain when the patent expired. Under the new law, trade secret owners are given a "prior use defense" and will not be precluded from using their trade secret if it is developed by a third party.
Does this change substantially impact the cost-benefit analysis of the patent system? Only time will tell if this change in the law will impact our inventors' decisions to patent inventions.
Tags: America Invents Act, Chewzy Dogs, Jim Hammerand, Mall of America, Minnesota, Minnesota Business Journal, Patents, Susan Perera, trade secret, Trade Secrets
Public shaming is not a solution to trademark bullying. Let's build one.
Opinions on Opinions on Opinions
This Is How You Do It
Will Daenerys or Sansa Sit on The Iron Throne?
Targets of Opportunity


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shipmaster
ship·mas·ter ˈship-ˌma-stər
: the master or commander of a ship other than a warship
Recent Examples on the Web The elderly victim was a decidedly unsympathetic figure, a onetime shipmaster and merchant who'd built his fortune in part by transporting enslaved people from the Ivory Coast to the Caribbean. — Barbara Spindel, WSJ, 8 Dec. 2021 The shipmaster quickly realized what had happened and that the vessel had crossed over the pipeline, the records indicate. — Adam Elmahrek, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2021 Valleys for topographers and whaling ships, a glacier for a shipmaster's wife, and a fjord for a Dutch whaling skipper. — Juliana Hanle, Scientific American, 18 Nov. 2019 The building replaces the iconic Italianate-style Lincoln Building, which was built by shipmaster James B. Lincoln in 1859. — Johanna Seltz, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Aug. 2019
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shipmaster.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
14th century, in the meaning defined above
The first known use of shipmaster was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century
Dictionary Entries Near shipmaster
shipman's card
shipmast locust
"Shipmaster." Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shipmaster. Accessed 27 Jan. 2023.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Trump nominates two to the Fifth Circuit
This is why Republicans put aside their doubts to vote for Trump, and it's why they stick with him. This is the prize they kept their eyes on, and it's paying off for them bigtime.
Don Willett
President Donald Trump on Thursday said he is nominating two Texans to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals: Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett and Dallas attorney James Ho.
"Both of these gentlemen, I think, will do an outstanding job," U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said during a conference call with reporters.
They would need to be confirmed by the Senate.
Willett, a well-known Twitter user, has served on the state Supreme Court since 2005. During the 2016 presidential race, Trump had named Willett as a potential choice for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ho is the former solicitor general of Texas. He has also served as chief counsel for Cornyn.
Even after Thursday's announcements, Trump has a host of vacancies left to fill in Texas. He has yet to fill two U.S. attorney positions, including the post in the Southern District, which is the busiest in the country. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's son Ryan Patrick is rumored to be the president's choice for that post.
Trump also has six federal district court seats to fill, several of which have been classified as judicial emergencies. One of those seats has been open since 2011.
Neil Gorsuch gets all the attention as a tainted selection that resulted from extreme partisan obstruction, but don't overlook all those district court and appellate court positions that have been open for years, with our two Senators refusing to allow any Obama nominations to be considered, let alone voted on. Willett and Ho are the beneficiaries of this from a professional standpoint, but one young and reliably conservative guy in a robe is as good as any other. This isn't about qualifications – Willett and Ho are perfectly credible choices – it's about opportunity, and about partisan cohesion. Don Willett and James Ho will be affecting public policy way longer than Donald Trump will. The Chron has more.
As I said, Willett and Ho are qualified to be judges – they're not who I'd pick, but they fall within accepted norms for the job. Some nominees do not, but it's going to take recognition of that in the right places to keep them out.
Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn raised fresh doubts Thursday about the White House nomination of assistant state Attorney General Jeff Mateer to be a federal judge in Texas.
Mateer, in a pair of speeches in 2015, reportedly referred to the rights of transgender children as part of "Satan's plan" and defended the controversial practice of "conversion therapy" for gays.
Cornyn, commenting publicly for the first time since Mateer's speeches were unearthed this month by CNN, said the speeches apparently were not disclosed to him as they should have been under a screening process set up by him and Sen. Ted Cruz.
"We requested that sort of information about speeches and the like on his application," said Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. "And to my knowledge there was no information given about those, so it's fair to say I was surprised."
Cornyn said Thursday that he is reevaluating Mateer's nomination in light of the undisclosed speeches as well as other public utterances.
"I am evaluating that information, and I understand there may be even addition information other than that which has previously been disclosed," he said in a conference call with Texas reporters.
Cornyn, formerly a Texas Supreme Court Justice, said there should be no "religious test" for judges. "But it is important," he added, "that all of our judges be people who can administer equal justice under the law and can separate their personal views from their duties as a judge."
He added: "Because the information had not been previously disclosed, we were not able to have that kind of conversation with Mr. Mateer, so we've got some work to do."
Ted Cruz, of course, has no such qualms, because he's Ted Cruz. Note that Cornyn has left himself a lot of wiggle room here. His primary concern here is that Mateer may have more such, let's say "intemperate", remarks in his past that he hasn't told the likes of Cornyn about. Big John can handle a little gay-bashing, but he doesn't like to be surprised. As long as Mateer makes a few perfunctory statements about how of course he believes in equal justice for all and would never ever ever treat anyone unfairly in his courtroom, and as long as no more embarrassing video turns up, Cornyn will be happy to support him. Eyes on the prize, you know.
How Texas Republicans did not make their case to women this session
Beto O'Rourke talking about the Senate
"Grab her by the p—-"
Posted in: Show Business for Ugly People.
Tagged: Don Willett · Donald Trump · Election 2016 · Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals · James Ho · Jeff Mateer · John Cornyn · judicial nominations · President · Ted Cruz · Texas
← DA's office ends trace case prosecutions Interview with Holly Flynn Vilaseca →
neither here nor there says:
Wonder how all those Sanders and Stein supporters who stayed home or voted for Trump feel about it?


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North Texas valedictorian reveals she's an undocumented immigrant
McKINNEY, Texas - Larissa Martinez worked hard to earn top honors at McKinney Boyd High School. When it came time to write her valedictorian speech, she decided to share a secret she's been living with for years -- she's an undocumented immigrant.
The teen announced her family is in the United States illegally and blamed a broken immigration system for her status.
"After all of these years I have finally mustered up the courage to stand here before you and share a struggle I've had to deal with each and every day ... I am one of the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the shadows of the United States. I decided to stand before you today and reveal these unexpected realities because this might be my own chance to convey the truth to all of you that undocumented immigrants are people too," she said.
Martinez explained that she moved to McKinney from Mexico City in 2010 with her mother and sister. They escaped a life where she had an abusive and alcoholic father and adjusted to fit in to a new culture.
She said her mother did apply for citizenship almost immediately after they arrived on a tourist visa, but the application is still processing.
"We are here without official documentation because the U.S. immigration system is broken and it has forced many families to live in fear," she said. "I myself have been waiting 7 years for my application to even be processed."
Martinez's speech was met with cheers and a standing ovation from the crowd. She hopes it will help people look at the immigration debate in a new light.
"The most important part of the debate and is often overlooked is the fact that immigrants, undocumented or otherwise, are people too. People with dreams, aspirations, hopes and loved ones. People like me. People who have become a part of the American society and way of life and who yearn to help make America great again without the construction of a wall built on hatred and prejudice," she said.
Martinez took 17 AP classes in high school and graduated with a 4.95 GPA. She is now looking forward to a full scholarship to Yale and hopes to one day become a neurosurgeon.
Martinez told FOX 4 on Thursday she had no idea her speech would have such a profound effect on Texans.
"I just realized that not being documented meant I had to work harder, that as a Latino, I wasn't representing just myself and my family but the whole community, and I was ready to take that weight," Martinez said. "I never saw it as a bad thing. I always saw it as a blessing."
Martinez said the weight on her shoulders that she felt has been lifted by revealing her immigration status.
"It just seemed like it was meant to be," Martinez explained. "Like I was meant to share that in order to let others know that nothing can stop them."
Martinez says she is in the middle of her application process to become a citizen. In the meantime, she cannot go back to Mexico to visit. If she does, the process would start over and she may not be allowed to re-enter the United States.
Watch her full speech below (mobile users can click here to see the video). Martinez starts speaking at 21:50 mark.
FOX 4 News is on YouTube: WATCH HERE


Practitioners of Six Sigma and its basement "lean thinking" principles are already masters of bulk streaming, the action of mapping out an absolute action aeon of a artefact or annual to analyze bulk abacus activities and atrociously annihilate waste. The ultimate goal is what's accepted in lean circles as kaizen –- a accompaniment of connected anatomic advance and aught decay production.
This column takes a adamantine attending at an about overlooked, but added analytical basic of the acknowledged casework bulk stream: bulk intake.
This abstracts shows that attorneys are actively disturbing with inefficient bulk assimilation processes — the time and action it takes to analyze and clarify new leads, chase up, and eventually catechumen those leads into advantageous clients. Cerebration about and advance in a analytical bulk assimilation arrangement — conceivably one that is chip with your website or CRM and again aggrandized by automation and bogus intelligence — is one way to advance these statistics and accession your bulk abacus time capacity.
One adjustment of converting muda into bulk was accustomed to me during this contempo and highly recommended Lawline presentation on convalescent applicant admiration and assimilation through abstruse innovation. The abstraction is to anticipate added creatively about all leads actuality ingested into your bulk assimilation arrangement (not aloof the acceptable ones, but additionally the "bad" ones), and how new acquirement streams ability be accessed through a analytical and automatic barometer process.
Having a analytical barometer process, whether it's automatic or not, is additionally a abundant way to arrangement with added acknowledged professionals, access your knowledge, and advance applicant relationships beyond the board. The accepted idea, explored added acutely here, is to anticipate added aboveboard about how bulk assimilation ability be acclimated as apparatus to convert what ability commonly be advised decay in the anatomy of "bad" leads into new opportunities.
As lawyers work endlessly to absolute our bulk assimilation systems, eliminating or converting muda in following of the glorious, angular accompaniment of kaizen, it's analytical we accumulate in apperception that the added "why" abaft abstruse addition is additionally to add bulk to ourselves.


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namespace platforms {
namespace darwinn {
namespace driver {

// Monitors events generated through eventfd. The eventfd file
// descriptor passed through the constructor must already be open
// and associated with an event source. Monitoring starts
// on instance creation and stops on destroy.
class KernelEventLinux : public KernelEvent {
 public:
  KernelEventLinux(FileDescriptor event_fd, Handler handler);
  ~KernelEventLinux() override;

  // This class is neither copyable nor movable.
  KernelEventLinux(const KernelEvent&) = delete;
  KernelEventLinux& operator=(const KernelEvent&) = delete;

 private:
  // Monitors eventfd_. Runs on thread_.
  void Monitor(const Handler& handler);

  // Convenience function to read |enabled_| with locks held.
  bool IsEnabled() const LOCKS_EXCLUDED(mutex_);

  // Event fd.
  const FileDescriptor event_fd_;

  // Mutex that guards enabled_;
  mutable std::mutex mutex_;

  // Enabled if true.
  bool enabled_ GUARDED_BY(mutex_){true};

  // Thread for monitoring interrupts.
  std::thread thread_;
};

}  // namespace driver
}  // namespace darwinn
}  // namespace platforms

#endif  // DARWINN_DRIVER_KERNEL_LINUX_KERNEL_EVENT_LINUX_H_

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Beyond the North Wind
The Fall and Rise of the Mystic North
By: Christopher McIntosh, Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson - foreword
Narrated by: Simon Vance
Exclusive member-only deals.
By: Christopher McIntosh,Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson - foreword
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.
"The North" is simultaneously a location, a direction, and a mystical concept. Although this concept has ancient roots in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales, it continues to resonate today within modern culture. McIntosh leads listeners, chapter by chapter, through the magical and spiritual history of the North, as well as its modern manifestations, as documented through physical records, such as runestones and megaliths, but also through mythology and lore.
This mythic conception of a unique, powerful, and mysterious Northern civilization was known to the Greeks as "Hyberborea" - the "Land Beyond the North Wind" - which they considered to be the true origin place of their god, Apollo, bringer of civilization. Through the Greeks, this concept of the mythic North would spread throughout Western civilization.
In addition, McIntosh discusses Russian Hyperboreanism, which he describes as among "the most influential of the new religions and quasi-religious movements that have sprung up in Russia since the fall of Communism" and which is currently almost unknown in the West.
©2019 Christopher McIntosh (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Scandinavia Occult Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts Spirituality
What listeners say about Beyond the North Wind
"lagerstrom78"
Esoteric nonsense.
Esoteric nonsense. Avoid this bogus made up stuff and read some real Nordic literature instead.
Tom83UK
Esoteric/New Age nonsense
A bunch of pseudo-scientific theories built on other pseudo-scientific theories. Some of the ideas presented here defy basic common sense.
it seems to be a justification of a north sea Atlantis with eye wateringly bad logic. though to be honest I didn't make it all the way through.
An absolute mess
If you want to listen to a collage of "theories" about a poorly-defined "mystic north", this is the book for you. If you enjoy learning about facts, literature, mythology, or anthropology, you will find reading the back of a cereal box more informative than this mess of a thing.
The narrator does a valiant effort, but the content is so poor that nothing can fix it.
History thought the lens of Confirmation Bias
I don't know why I put myself thorough this.
Firstly I must commend the narrator Simon Vance on managing to make some seriously dubious material sound believable. The material itself is a hodgepodge of sources, many that should not be included in a serious book, and fundamentally this is the problem with books of this ilk.
The author(s) begin by boasting of their reading pedigree which includes Alistair Crowley. This sets the tone for much of the book: lists of authors and works cherry picked to support the authors claims.
Where the book is strongest is in its historic overview of the evolution the various cult/religious societies. Where it is weakest is in its drinking the Kool Aid of what they preach.
As with other books of this type, you know you are on rocky grounds when they start using comic books, internet blogs, and the existence of video games to support their over reaching theory. Claims that doing an internet search in some way supports your theory is pure folly. The internet is full of nonsense and lies. The existence of a web page in no way proves anything beyond the fact that someone wrote something and published it on a web page. And fundamentally that is the problem here. Just because someone wrote something and published it, does not make it true.
Citing lists of sources and saying 'if we disregard some of the authors more outlandish claims, can we not argue that X is true?'is like saying 'if we disregard the fact that Harry Potter is a work of fiction, can we not use him to support the existence of wizards?'. And throughout this book the author(s) do just that. The same fuzzy logic that Intelligent Design uses to support their creationist theories are used here. At one point the author even suggests that a Proto Indo European people MAY have been founded by alien visitors to this planet. This is pure fantasy land, of the L. Ron Hubbard variety.
A further problem is that many of the authors views (and those cited) use etymology to support their claims, and it becomes abundantly clear from the outset that the authors really do not understand what they are taking about. Proto Indo European is not a language or people. It is a reconstruction of a theorised prehistoric language by the process of cross analysis of existing language sources. The end result is an 'imagined' language (there are no existing documents in PIE) and the people who spoke it are a mystery to us (there is no PIE civilization to speak of). The authors of this book continually refer to this prehistoric culture as if it is one homogeneous group, which we know it was not. And claims that ancient cultures were in some amazing way more advanced than we are now because they were good at maths and star gazing (keep in mind that these supposed mathematically advanced civilzations had no number zero, no way to calculate fractions, and often used outlandishly huge base systems for calculating because they could handle anything but a whole number), we see a rosy tinted view of the ancients as Atlantans from the pages of a comic book. It's this type of lazy armchair sleuthing that makes it impossible to take any other claims seriously.
Finally, an entire chapter is dedicated to talking about Vikings in popular fiction and music, as if this in some way supports the premise of the book. Marvel's depiction of Thor or the music of Sigur Ros as much supports the author's claims as the Muppets support the work of Attenborough. I kept wanting to shout 'just grow up' every time a pop reference such as the Matrix reared its head.
So, to conclude, I don't know why I put myself through this, but if you want to meander through the Wonderland of fuzzy logic and Viking cults, this is the book for you.
Kirsty R.
Well researched, well written and well narrated. So fascinating and intriguing. I'm listening to it all over again! A real gem.
Bibliophilia Barry
the book provides a general and fairly detailed overview of the Nordic heritage. Good source material for anyone interested in comparative mythology.
I'm glad I didn't pay for this
Agree with other reviewers who have given this a poor rating. Also has the audacity in places to criticize other authors for being unscientific or unsubstantiated.
Marty Wild
This is my favorite Norse men audio book. This give you everything that you need to know about the above.
Micheál Scott
Not so esoteric
I suppose you do have to have a passing interest in the overall subjects covered here & as it's a freebie I thought this would be, well, you know, crap. How wrong I was! An excellent listen just as long you know a wee bit about Norse history & are open-minded, this is an added bonus to the usual murder rape plunder & pillage of what you would normally find on your bookshelf. Again, this is subjective so don't blame me if it isn't for you. Could have done without the Marvel comic epic though 5*
Mostly fringe
I was expecting a more scientific and edifying exploration of concepts of "the north" in culture, literature, and music. Instead, this was a slog through fringe theories of lost civilizations, mysterious structures and neopagan beliefs. (Though I appreciated the fairly even handed review of how these threads link up to creepy neonazi, nationalist, and white supremacist groups in many nations today). Not recommended for the serious scholar or serious hobbyist of Norse and boreal cultures.
The Masked Reviewer
Textual Scholarship on Aryan Legend & Religion
Important, fascinating, useful. Pagan rituals and deities, masked holidays, Atlantis, Shambala, Hyperborea. What's left? Not much.
The authors do a wonderful job of leaving no stone unturned as they rifle through the existing scholarship, including both hot and lukewarm trails, spinoff cultures, and the connections that make a book like this tantalizing. Moreover, Odin's characteristics are not neglected, which turns out to be the rug that ties the room together.
Siman Vance does an outstanding job as narrator for this book, having somehow the perfect voice, tone and accent to pull it off without ever seeming to be mechanical or dry.
Here there be some serious crackpot ideas
In the first few chapters "collective" human memory and Atlantian myths are front and center. of you're a fan of Bigfoot, Area 51 stories, and legends of the Lochness Monster, this is probably right up your ally. If you're more into actual history, avoid this book.
ShadowMoon
Will be listening again
This book was an overview that wandered far and near. As a condensation of, and introduction to, Nordic mysticism and Nordic mythology (not a run down of the gods that we all pretty much know, but how they have ebbed and flowed in followers) a lot of ground was covered.
I found myself wishing I had taken notes of all of the various sources mentioned so that I could review them, thus my need to relisten to this book. Some sources seemed credible, others seemed to come out of fringe history. That said there wasn't a lot of value judgement placed on the sources, leaving it up to the listener to do their own research and form their own opinion.
What I really loved was the last chapter that covered the Nordic and "neoNordic" music and their influences starting with Led Zeppelin. Happily my very favorite band, Sigur Rós was mentioned. Other bands from the Faroe Islands, Germany, Scandinavia, and elsewhere have given me some new music to checkout.
Simon Vance is an excellent narrator. I pretty much always enjoy his reading.
Weak theories of the north
Flimsy theories for north being the origin place of many advanced cultures. Evidence for these theories are presented with similar sounding names in mythologies or with names of places, that sound similar to some mythology. Even a north star was used as reasoning for multiple cultures to be originating from one place. I could not finish the book, there was too much of these types of theories in it. I could not trust which were actual proven facts and which were just fantasy. I got only the feeling that some right-wing people might get excited about the ideas in the book. I do not recommend this if you are looking for proven history of the north.
The research he's presenting doesn't seem that great
Especially in terms of Greek myths, it seems like he needs more sources. It doesn't seem very credible to me.
Soon Parted
first i was unsure if I would like the subject matter. but this author commanded organization and put something ethereal into perspective. We covered geographic, ethnic, time sequences, and science. chapters were defined in ecopy and title (unlike other books 'title 1, chapter 2')
it's like a professor or instructor...they can make or break the student in presentation. ive got a new realm of interest in folklore and origin stories.
Ana Nelson
Intricate, beautifully written, scholarly
Not at all what I was expecting from the cover, but fascinating and thoroughly researched. Beautifully read by Simon Vance. Would recommend for those who like deep dives. Can't wait to listen again as soon as I finish. And glad to have the whole Easter bunny/Easter egg thing cleared up.
Isn't it time humans learned to …? I have no idea now; so confused. Mr. Vance is an amazing listen.
Purchased the written version as well; had to see the words that I could not pronounce. Thank you.
(Now, to push replay)
C.Carter
heathens, history, occult, and...pop culture?
McIntosh does a killer job exploring "The Mystic North!"
Folklore, myths, legends, facts, geography, culture, spiritualilty, from past to present day- he does a really great job summing up the birth, death and revival of all things "viking"


text:
BEST CHEAP, FRESH ROSES: La Vie en Rose
Photo by ERIC SNIDER
BEST CHEAP, FRESH ROSES: Nga and Nick Phan of La Vie en Rose.
It's located inconspicuously in a cramped strip mall across from a Publix. The space is plain: no gaudy flower arrangements, no luscious floral scent. A friendly young woman, owner Nga Phan, greets you and shows you to a room in the rear that's refrigerated. Row after row of tightly wound packages of roses — a dozen per — cover the floor and several benches. Myriad colors. Different sizes. The bunches start at $5.98 (sometimes $3.98 on sale) and go up to $12.98. La Vie's roses are the perfect start for a guy looking to get back in his woman's good graces — on the cheap.
BEST ARBORIST: Dependable Dan, Treedom Tree Service
A reserved but amiable arborist, Treedom Tree Service owner Daniel Alloncius (aka Dependable Dan) handles the residential and commercial tree and landscaping needs of the greater Bay area public with integrity, skill and without losing his respect for the green world. He's licensed and insured, his estimates are free, his rates are reasonable, and he can manage any greenery issues you may have, whether it's as simple as pruning hedges, planting a sapling or removing a branch that's strayed too close to a power line — or as complicated as evaluating the condition of an unhealthy tree and, if necessary, removing said tree and clearing the site of its remains. 727-798-2570.
BEST AUTO SERVICE TOUCH: Free Windshield Wiper Installation at Advance Auto Parts
Installing windshield wiper blades should be easy, right? And it just might be for some of you, but to most of us it's like solving a Rubik's Cube in a clothes dryer. Those clips, ugh. The sliding of the rubber strip, aaagghh. But hey, our troubles are over. Merely buy your wiper blades at Advance Auto Parts, and one of their dexterous staffers will come outside and slap 'em on for ya. You might be embarrassed when you see how easily they do it, but at least you won't have to drive home and waste a Saturday afternoon trying to wrestle the things on yourself. Several Bay area locations, advanceautoparts.com.
BEST BOUTIQUE LIQUOR STORE: American Spirits
Photo by ALEX PICKETT
BEST BOUTIQUE LIQUOR STORE: Richard Roy of American Spirits.
cheapest in the city, nor does it carry much more than the popular liquors. But you certainly can't find a more relaxed and knowledgeable staff. Co-owner Richard Roy, a former barkeep, opened the upscale beer, wine and liquor store three years ago, fed up with the watering-hole business. So far, he's carved out an impressive niche in the fast-growing downtown area, serving condo residents and USF students alike. Oh, and don't miss the monthly wine tastings. They're free.
BEST CHIMNEY SWEEP: Robert Westerfield Jr.
Florida may seem like an unlikely place to make a living cleaning chimneys, but between the fireplaces in restored 1920s bungalows and the ones in newer suburban homes, there's plenty of business for Chimney Sweep of Florida's Robert Westerfield Jr. Unlike other chimney sweeps in the area, who wear overalls or a corporate uniform, Westerfield comes to your door in the traditional 19th-century chimney sweep outfit: a wool pea coat and 8-inch top hat. But he's not just there for show; typically, Westerfield can spiff up a chimney, educate you on proper lighting techniques and clean up his mess within 10 minutes. But ask about his passion for crafting metal armor and it might take a little longer.
BEST DISCOUNTS: Catalogue Outlet Store
This outlet store for Thompson Cigar Company, Casual Living and The Linen Source — three national (but locally owned) catalogs based in Tampa — is situated in a warehouse space that's been converted into a retail storefront for a variety of exceptionally marked-down merchandise, some of it overstock, some of it discontinued or returned for one reason or another. The tall rows of shelves are jam-packed with everything from random cigar accessories like humidors and cigar cutters to unique kitschy gifts and ladies' clothing to quality household wares (300-thread-count sheets, faux-suede couch covers, palm-tree-covered rugs). Definitely worth a visit. Open every other week; hours vary.
BEST DOG TRAINER: Lisa Lombardo of Bark & Browse
Her husky voice has a touch of Harvey Fierstein in it; she's more dog rasper than dog whisperer. But when she leads her Canine Connection obedience classes, Lisa Lombardo's distinctive timbre carries instant authority. She's tough but empathetic, training owners along with their dogs and dealing effectively with all behaviors, from rowdy to reserved. She also possesses a wealth of information about collars, nutrition, treats and toys — which is no surprise, since she's co-owner of Gulfport's Mecca for pet owners, the well-stocked Bark and Browse.
BEST HOMAGE: My City Fashions
Two years ago, Eric Atwater (son of the original Atwater's Cafeteria owners) opened My City Fashions in an empty storefront attached to the popular soul-food restaurant, selling jeans and shorts by Dickies and MFG. But after a series of shootings in south St. Pete last year, Atwater began to sell T-shirts emblazoned with airbrushed likenesses of people who'd been murdered. They quickly became keepsakes for friends and families of the slain. He calls them R.I.P. shirts, and if you take a stroll through Midtown, you'll no doubt see a few. Prices vary, and sometimes Atwater donates shirts for funerals. Though the shirts may seem a little morbid, Atwater says they help with the grieving process — and also keep the senseless killings in the public consciousness.
BEST IDEA FOR YOUR NEXT PARTY: Noah's Ark on Wheels
Photo by DAWN MORGAN
BEST IDEA FOR YOUR NEXT PARTY: Noahs Ark On Wheels.
Long a favorite of the elementary-school party set, petting zoos fell out of favor in recent years after the industry was beset by bad press (a 2005 e-Coli outbreak was linked to a zoo at the Strawberry Festival) and skyrocketing insurance premiums. That's a shame. When done right, as is the case with Noah's Ark on Wheels, the petting zoo is still a classic. In March, Odessa-based Noah's Ark brought a petting zoo to the Loaf offices, where we found that hanging out with billy goats, a turtle, bunny rabbits and one aggressive swan is as much fun for adults as it is for kids. Just be sure to hit up the hand sanitizer on the way out of the pen. noahsarkonwheels.com.


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"They had to lie like corpses in the car"
Date and time: April 2, 2021 03:30
Location: Near Bihać, Bosnia
Coordinates: 44.783868492866, 15.754893785955
Pushback from: Croatia
Demographics: 13 person(s), age: 30, rest unknown , from: Afghanistan
Minors involved? Unknown
Violence used: beating (with batons/hands/other), theft of personal belongings
Police involved: 8 Croatian officers in green uniforms and an unknown number of officers in blue uniforms.
Taken to a police station?: no
Treatment at police station or other place of detention:
Was the intention to ask for asylum expressed?: No
On April 4th, a group of 13 men from Afghanistan was pushed back from Croatia to Bosnia near the town Bihać. The respondent was 30 years old and spoke fluent German, having lived there for many years.
He set off with a group of 35 people. Croatian officers were described as waiting at the D1 road, which the group reached around 3 am. The officers had lights and told everyone to stop. 13 members of the group were apprehended.
The officers involved in the pushback wore a mix of green (in line with the special police) and blue (in line with the border guards) uniforms. There were eight officers in green and 10 to 18 in blue uniforms, these ones would come and go, the respondent said.
After they stopped the group, the officers in blue reportedly ordered them to remove their valuables and turn them over (phones and money). The respondent described that the officers searched people, and when they found something that had not been turned over, they struck that person with their weapon. According to the respondent, they also took everyone's coats. At that time, it was cold and snowing.
The group was then put in what was described as a small car, so they had to "lie like corpses". The respondent described that it was difficult to breathe because of a lack of air. They were driven to the border at Bihac and pushed back there.
The arm of one beaten man.


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The Singapura cat is physically one of the smallest of the domestic cats. But they more than make up for their size with their playful and affectionate ways, as well as their strong will.
Out of the many cat breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association, the Singapura cat is probably the breed with the strongest will to survive. These tough little cats have endured almost impossible conditions in order to grow and thrive.
This breed is also called the drain cat because the cats originally lived in the water culverts of Singapore. Luckily, several cats were imported to the United States before Singapore's officials decided to control their feral cat population and cleaned out the drains, or these great little cats would no longer exist.
The Singapura cat is one of the smallest cat breeds, weighing only four to nine pounds. Many cat fanciers think that the Singapura is such a small breed because it is easier for a cat to escape from predators when he can squeeze into tiny spaces to hide.
Also, larger cats were probably unable to hide their kittens as easily, and the cats that were able to successfully raise kittens became smaller and smaller with each generation.
Although the diminutive Singapura now often lives in much less dangerous surroundings, it still is a very quiet cat. More than one cat lover has fallen for this sweet little cat's quiet disposition and soft voice.
But don't let this little breed's demure appearance fool you. These cats are quite adept at wrapping their owners around their paws. They can easily become so used to getting exactly what they want that they become quiet, but loving little tyrants. After all, it is very hard to be firm with such a tiny cat, especially when she looks up at you with enormous, soft eyes.
This breed has a slightly rounded head, a short Ticked Tabby or Agouti colored coat, and slightly almond shaped hazel, green, or gold eyes. The Singapura's tail is medium length and gracefully tapers to a point.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of the breed is the markings that extend from the inner corner of the eyes to the whiskers. These markings are called 'cheetah lines'.
The Singapura cat has a reputation for being quite playful. While most cats become much less playful as they mature, these little cats continue to romp and pounce about as if they are still kittens, even into old age.
Of course, part of their reputation as perpetual kittens could could be because this breed can take up to four years to become mature. They are still kittens long after other cats have moved on to adulthood. These cats are the Peter Pans of the cat world.
While they are known for being intelligent and very interactive, they are also said to be non-destructive. Of course, even a non-destructive overly interactive may not be for you, so choose wisely.
With its playful nature, it is no surprise that the Singapura breed is a good choice for a multiple cat household. For this breed, it truly seems to be a case of 'The more, the merrier'.
Even un-neutered tomcats will get along with each other, which is rather unusual. If you have several Singapuras, don't be surprised if you find your cats all piled into the same cat bed. Of course, given this breed's affectionate nature, it is more likely that you will find them all snuggled under your covers with you when you awaken each morning.
The Singapura cat is the ideal cat breed for anyone who wants a kitten that never really grows up.


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MORE sports pitches could be created in Wargrave.
The village football and cricket clubs have suggested using King's Field and the recreation ground off Recreation Road.
The two areas already contain pitches used by Wargrave Cricket Club, Wargrave Football Club and the Wargrave Girls FC and Wargrave Wolves youth teams.
The clubs suggested having several football pitches for teams ranging from five-a-side to 11-a-side and a second cricket square in Kings Field.
The existing football pitches could be realigned to create more room.
The suggested layout also includes a parking area and dog walking zone.
The Wargrave Lido fund, which is raising money for a new swimming pool, has asked the council for land.
More investigations will be carried out before the councillors make a decision.


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darren d. beyer
Darren D. Beyer was born in Washington, D.C., but quickly became a child of the world. His family moved overseas when he was age two and together they traveled extensively throughout his childhood. Darren draws on these experiences to add an element of realism and depth to his writing. At the age of six, he was awakened in the middle of the night by his mother to watch live pictures being broadcast from the surface of the moon during the Apollo 17 mission. At that moment, even at so young an age, he decided to pursue a career related to the space program. In high school, he took classes in math and science. In college at Virginia Tech, he enrolled in the engineering school and received a degree in aerospace engineering in 1989. Following graduation, he was hired by NASA at Kennedy Space Center, where for nearly ten years he worked as a Space Shuttle experiment engineer. While there, he worked on the Hubble launch, as well as numerous Space Lab and other scientific missions. Experiments he was responsible for ranged from telescopes to frog life support. He conducted astronaut training, performed installations onboard the Shuttle just prior to launch, and was part of the recovery crew following landing. Darren has had the honor of working onboard every Space Shuttle orbiter except Challenger. In late 1998, Darren left NASA to become an entrepreneur, and, after more than seventeen years, an author. He is a student of science and technology and is an instrument-rated private pilot. Darren lives in California near San Francisco with his wife, dogs, cats, and fish.
Casimir Bridge
by Darren D. Beyer


Pheasant's Tears was established in the Khaketi region of Georgia in 2005 by John Wurdeman and Gela Patalishvili. As the Georgian wine industry was in the midst of modernisation, preservation of traditional Georgian grape varieties and the traditional way of making wine in qvevri were in grave danger of being lost. John and Gela wanted to ensure that these traditions were not lost.
With limited resources the two set about buying their first vineyard and later building a cellar on the vineyard and production at Pheasant's Tears commenced in 2007.
Today they have small holdings vineyard in several regions, preferring to have the native varieties in their traditional regions where they are naturally suited, rather than one site. That said they have an ambitious project underway to plant a library vineyard housing all 520 known Georgian varieties and to make a single vineyard wine from it. At last count they had planted around 400 varieties and a wine is already being produced.
All vineyards are managed organically, the vines tended by hand and the grapes hand-picked in the cool of the morning. The desire here is to express site through the chosen variety.
All the wines are fermented and aged in qvevri, the traditional Georgian earthenware vessel whose name in Georgian means simply "beneath the earth". Shaped like amphorae (but pre-dating them), the qvevris are coated on the inside with beeswax, but not sealed, and on the outside with a mix of lime and rock, which works as a natural antiseptic when the vessels are buried in the ground. Unlike amphora used today, all qvevris are buried in the ground and fermentation and aging in the earth is crucial to the success of these wines because the constant cool temperature of the surrounding earth promotes a long steady fermentation and evolution. Qvevri making is a dying art and Pheasant's Tears work predominantly with used vessels as they are no longer built to the same quality. Some of their qvevri are over 200 years old.
Grapes, white and red, are crushed by food in a wooden bath shaped vat made from a hollowed out log and fed directly into the qvevri. Varying degrees of stems are added back according to the variety, vintage and time on skins. The amber (orange) wines are aged for up to 6 months or more on skins and stems, while the reds take a more modern line of around 2 - 3 weeks on skins. The wines are fermented using natural yeast and once the fermentation is completed and the cap has fallen, the opening of the qvevri is sealed with a slate lid and clay, and buried with sand. During extended skin contact with the amber wines the grapes and seeds will collect in the pointed bottom, keeping the seeds with harsh tannins away from the wine. After the desired period of skin contact the qvevri is opened and the wine is drawn off its skins and seeds to another qvevri for further aging or prepared for bottling. Aging is exclusively in qvevri and no oak, fining or filtration is employed. Minimal or no sulphur is added.
In Georgia the aging of wine with skins, seeds and stems is traditionally referred to as leaving the wine with its 'mother' as the chacha (pomace) 'feeds' the wine. Conversely wines fermented without their skins are said to have no 'mother'.
Typical old Georgian homes would all have a qvevri room where smaller sized vessels would be buried awaiting a feast when they would be ceremoniously opened and served to guests, and any remaining wine would be consumed in the weeks following.
These amber wines are some of the most profound wines in the world today. Intensely savoury they have shed primary fruits for secondary and tertiary characters and typically carry more complexity than most red wines, and often as much tannin. These are soulful natural wines that possess an umami quality that pairs with an amazingly wide range of food. These are the original 'orange' wines made with the ancient Georgian knowledge that have inspired many of today's iconoclastic producers such as Gravner.


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One of the really fun booths at the Martha Stewart Weddings Bridal Market Celebration this year was the PicFlips flip books display. The line for that was huge! Remember those flip books you would draw as a child? This mobile photo studio provides props for you to star in your own flip book. Old fashioned photo booths are fun, but this takes it to a whole new level. The pages are printed, cut and bound on the spot to create a flip book. I think this is such a fun gift for your guests to take home with them. They will have a blast creating them at the wedding too.


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Als Universalobjektiv bezeichnet man in der Fotografie ein fest eingebautes oder Wechselobjektiv, das für möglichst viele Aufnahmebedingungen genutzt werden kann und nicht für einen speziellen Einsatzzweck konstruiert wurde; der Begriff steht damit im Gegensatz zu den diversen Spezialobjektiven.

Typische Universalobjektive sind das so genannte Standard- oder Normalobjektiv und leichte Weitwinkelobjektive mit Brennweiten von 35 mm bis 55 mm beim Kleinbildformat als universelle Festbrennweiten sowie Zoomobjektive, die den Bereich vom leichten Weitwinkel bis zum leichten Tele abdecken.

Universalobjektive werden häufig im Paket zusammen mit einem Kameragehäuse verkauft; diese Objektive sind wegen der sehr hohen Stückzahlen relativ preiswert, was aber nicht zwangsläufig mit einer schlechten Bildqualität einhergehen muss. Während die typischen mitgelieferten Zoomobjektive für Kleinbildkameras meist eine relativ geringe Lichtstärke aufweisen (typischerweise um 1:3,5 bis 1:5,6) und oft eine nur einfachen Ansprüchen genügende Bildqualität aufweisen, findet man bei den Festbrennweiten sehr lichtstarke Modelle mit meist ganz ausgezeichneten Abbildungseigenschaften.
Erheblich kostspieliger sind hochwertige Universalzooms, die eine höhere und oft über den Brennweitenbereich konstante Lichtstärke aufweisen (typischerweise um 1:2,8) und eine bessere Verarbeitung und Bildqualität bieten.

Um den Anwendungsbereich noch zu erweitern, besitzen viele Universal-Zoomobjektive Einstellmöglichkeiten für Nah- oder Makroaufnahmen. Insbesondere bei kompakten Digitalkameras ist dabei aber mit allerlei gravierenden Bildfehlern zu rechnen, so dass diese Makrofunktionen beispielsweise schon für einfache Reproduktionen völlig ungeeignet sind und spezielle Makroobjektive nicht ersetzen können.

Eine eigene Kategorie unter den Universalobjektiven sind die sogenannten Superzooms (auch Reisezoom), die einen sehr großen Brennweitenbereich, bei Kleinbildkameras beispielsweise von 28 mm bis über 200 mm überdecken. Die kleinen Sensoren von Digitalkameras erlauben dabei zehnfache und größere Zoomfaktoren. Auch hier sind Makro-Funktionen Standard. Bei Superzooms müssen die Konstrukteure erhebliche Kompromisse eingehen, woraus sich gegenüber Festbrennweiten oder hochwertigen Zooms mit kleinerem Verstellbereich oft eine nur mäßige Bildqualität ergibt. Insbesondere findet man oft starke Verzeichnungen und Vignettierungen im Weitwinkelbereich und flaue Kontraste sowie mittelmäßige Schärfe im Telebereich, was dieser Objektivgattung die scherzhafte Bezeichnung Suppen-Zoom eingetragen hat.

Objektivtyp (Fotografie)
Fotopraxis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Volume 4, Issue 2 (April- may- june 2017) JNMS 2017, 4(2): 42-48 | Back to browse issues page
Shayan A, Ahmadinia H, Marzieh Hassanian Z. Nurses' perceptions of the ethical climate existing in educational and medical centers. JNMS 2017; 4 (2) :42-48
URL: http://jnms.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-281-en.html
Nurses' perceptions of the ethical climate existing in educational and medical centers
Arezoo Shayan, Hassan Ahmadinia, Zahra Marzieh Hassanian
Chronic Disease Home Care Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
Background and Purpose: Organizational ethical climate (EC) refers to the shared perceptions of the ethical issues and the way of
practicing these issues in the organization. Ethical values play an important role in the nurses' behavior; moreover, the performance
of the nurses may be affected by the EC of the nursing sectors. Regarding this, the present study was conducted with the aim of
investigating the nurses' perceptions of the EC in the training and medical centers of Hamedan University of Medical Sciences,
Hamedan, Iran, in 2016.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 259 nurses, working at the training and medical centers of Hamedan
University of Medical Sciences in 2016. The research instruments included a demographic form and the standard Ethical Climate
Questionnaire.
Results: According to the results, the age range of the nurses was 24-60 years. The highest and lowest dimensions of the EC perceived
by the nurses were the individual self-interest and global benevolence, rendering the mean values of 2.33±0.52 and 2.00±0.61,
respectively. Additionally, the mean total EC was 2.10±0.27.
Conclusion: As the findings of the present study indicated, it is essential to strengthen the benevolence and ethical principles at the
global level in the nursing organizations. This can be achieved through the codification of the relevant strategies in nursing. The role of
middle nurse managers is very important in the promotion of the benevolence and ethical principles at the global level.
Keywords: Ethical Climate, Nurses, Perception
Full-Text [PDF 276 kb] (1731 Downloads)
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2017/08/8 | Accepted: 2017/08/8 | Published: 2017/08/8
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Australia commits AUD$7m for Tonga health support
Saturday, March 6, 2010 - 17:02. Updated on Sunday, May 25, 2014 - 21:50.
Saturday, March 6, 2010 - 17:02
The Australian Government has committed AUD$7 million dollars for three years funding of a new Health Systems Support Program with Tonga's Ministry of Health, focussing on key priority health areas such as reducing the prevalence of non communicable diseases in the country and will help to improve community health care.
Please subscribe to access premium content.
Read more about Australia commits AUD$7m for Tonga health support


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Home headline Vote out Buhari for national unity, Saraki to Nigerians
Vote out Buhari for national unity, Saraki to Nigerians
Saraki and Buhari
It is imperative to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari for Nigerians to enjoy national unity and security, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said.
Saraki explained the need for Nigeria to have a president who will unite all parts of the country, respect national character, grow local businesses and support entrepreneurial skills.
Speaking in Owerri, the Imo State capital, while meeting with the stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the October 6 presidential primaries of the PDP, Saraki said Nigeria had never been so divided in ethnicity, politics and religion.
Describing himself as the right person to lead Nigeria in the next political dispensation, the former governor of Kwara State said that poverty, loss of job opportunities and hardship were currently on the increase in the country.
Saraki said, "By the grace of God, I will emerge the PDP presidential candidate. My desire is not just an ambition. Nigeria has never been this divided. People are afraid to be called Nigerians. Ethnicity and religion have taken over. There is no inclusion anymore, no fairness, no federal character, no job and businesses are dying. Survival of businesses is survival of the country. Poverty is everywhere."
He said that if not for God and the masses, Buhari would have ensured his removal as the president of the senate three years ago.
Saraki said, "I will continue to fight for the masses. We have to change the leadership. We need a leadership that would ensure justice and fair distribution of national appointments. As a president, I will ensure everybody has food on the table. I will restore global reputation. Countries are built by hard work and vision."
"The South-East people are hardworking and their entrepreneurial spirit is wonderful. As a president, I will partner South-East to emerge the next tiger of business in Africa. You don't build what you don't have. I therefore appeal to the delegates to vote wisely.
"We must change Buhari with a man that has capacity, integrity and vision in order to realise our potential. I believe in restructuring that would give states opportunities to realise their potentials. I promoted made-in-Aba products. As a President, I will support local businesses. We need to have a president that will ensure prosperity; nobody wants a handout."
He, however, called on the people of the state to support Senator Samuel Anyanwu to emerge as the governor of the state, in order to ensure infrastructure development in the state.
"I'm committed to the development of the South-East because it is in the best interest of Nigeria. You need the president that has the youthfulness, the energy to deliver."
A political associate of Saraki and member of the Senate, Senator Dino Melaye, urged the crowd to replace Buhari with Saraki, saying, "APC is dead in Imo State and in Nigeria."
The Chairman of the PDP in Imo State, Charles Ezekwem, said the Igbo were interested in a presidential candidate that would restructure the country and create an additional state in the South-East.
Ezekwem said, "I have seen everything positive in Saraki. His defection gave the PDP the chances of clinching the position of the president in the next election.
"Igbo want restructuring and fairness. Saraki has the capacity, strength, pedigree and academic background to move Nigeria forward."
Bukola Saraki
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Considering that Whitby is one of the busiest tourist hotspots all year round, helped by the hard working private enterprises in all areas, you would think that the service offered by our leaders and the cabinet in Scarborough Borough Council would bend over backwards to keep the constant taxpayers of Whitby sweet.
Whitby is seriously lacking in investment in all areas, the most obvious is the essential work needed urgently to the harbour and especially the piers.
Whereas in Scarborough the Scarborough Borough Council seem to have money to burn, namely the Futurist theatre taking up millions of taxpayers' hard-earned cash in favour of private enterprise.
Next Monday, at 9.30am in the council chambers, the leaders and cabinet of Scarborough Borough Council will be meeting and the public gallery will be open.
There will be a vote of No confidence in the Scarborough Borough Council leadership.
A strong public attendance from us Whitby taxpayers might galvanise the meeting.


Selena Gomez is ready for you to come and get a peek at her upcoming album, "Stars Dance."
Gomez hosted a live chat on her YouTube channel Monday, where she described all of the album's tracks and answered fan questions. She also revealed a first look at the sultry cover art for the new album. Selena later debuted a brand new song from the album, called "Slow Down." Take a listen below.
Gomez said of the album's cover image, "I wanted it to be strong. I wanted it to be confident. I wanted it to be a new side of me."
"Stars Dance" will be released on July 23rd but you can pre-order the album at midnight EST tonight.


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Home » Firefighters ask homeowners not to dispose of homes damaged by flooding by burning them
Firefighters ask homeowners not to dispose of homes damaged by flooding by burning them
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S T. COUNTY OF CHARLES, MO – Lifeguards in St. Charles County are begging homeowners for damaged flooded homes not to burn them. Investigators believe that a fire they worked this week was set to get rid of flood debris.
More than 20 firefighters and six fire trucks spent more than two hours extinguishing a fire that overcame an empty and flood-damaged house on the first block of Grove Avenue, along Highway B in St. Charles County.
When fire and rescue teams from Central County arrived on the scene just before midnight, they found a small single-family house completely engulfed in fire. They determined that the structure had recently been damaged by flooding and was empty. There were also no residents in the building and all public services had been disconnected.
After a flood authority says that it is not uncommon for homeowners to try to dispose of damaged property by setting fire to these houses.
"This is not the appropriate method to remove damaged buildings or debris, and these fires create a dangerous situation for neighbors and first responders. We would prefer that property owners work through the process of proper mitigation of cleanup after a flood, "said CCFR Assistant Chief Steve Brown.
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Due to a large amount of fire and damage to the building, firefighters made a defensive attack to extinguish the fire. The CCFR firefighters were assisted by the City of St. Charles Fire Department, the Orchard Farm Fire Protection District, the St. Charles County Ambulance District and the St. Charles County Police.
Investigators believe the fire was not accidental, "what makes it suspicious is that we eliminate all accidental causes, there are no public services, no gas or electricity in the building and empty buildings and buildings like that don't catch fire," he said. Brown
An assistant to the chief says that after the flood of & # 39; 93, some owners tried to get rid of the rubble by setting fire to the houses: "What we learn in the history of the flooding of 93 houses was abandoned or beyond the repair, some people considered it better to set the structure on fire to get rid of the debris or to reduce the cost of tearing it down or dragging it in. The problem is that for the fire district we dedicate 6 personal fire trucks 24 and tied them for two hours to half night for a building that had no value for that, there is a proper way to eliminate these structures and this is not the way, "Brown said.
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Due to the extreme damage to the structure, fire investigators were unable to enter to determine the origin of the fire.
Source: https://fox2now.com/2019/08/21/firefighters-plead-for-homeowners-not-to-get-rid-of-flood-damaged-homes-by-setting-them-on-fire/


text:
import ast
from jaspyx.visitor import BaseVisitor

class Lambda(BaseVisitor):
    def visit_Lambda(self, node):
        self.visit(ast.FunctionDef(
            '',
            node.args,
            [ast.Return(node.body)],
            []
        ))


text:
Beach, Village & Urban Living in Oaxaca
2012, March 2012
Fábrica Mexicana
March 1, 2012 The Eye	Leave a comment
By Jan and Marcia Chaiken
Fábrica Mexicana, an exhibition presented in the Modern Art Museum (MAM) in Mexico City, made clear that Mexico must be placed high on the list of countries creating the most imaginative and environmentally friendly industrial designs. Featuring displays of industrial design and modern architecture in Mexico, the exhibition focused on the influence of Mexican art on shaping commercial products, buildings and whole neighborhoods.
Historically, while other industrialized countries were designing and mass-producing eye-catching consumer products, Mexico production either involved custom-made goods incorporating traditional designs laboriously executed by hand in relatively small shops or newer mass-produced goods that emphasized functionality and low cost. While vistors from other countries have long admired Mexican artwork, traditional architecture and custom-made products, until very recently almost no foreigners hankered after massed-produced Mexican goods.
In the 20th century, industrial designers everywhere focused on making products that were esthetically pleasing to potential customers, identifiable as belonging to the particular trademark of their company, easy to use, durable, and made of materials that were inexpensive and reliably available.
The exhibition at the Modern Art Museum emphasized the radical change in focus and orientation of industrial designers, especially as typified by the latest generation in Mexico. One major change is an expansion of interest from individual products to the larger environment, such as design of usable public spaces or even transportation corridors. A second major change is a concern with social, ecological, and political impacts of products, including sensitivity to cultural diversity, issues of privacy, and the welfare of workers who make the products.
On display was a bicycle made of bamboo and recycled truck tires — lightweight but functional. The furniture on display was primarily made of wood, but on closer inspection you could see that the interior of the wood, while appearing to be plywood, was actually made of various recycled or biodegradable materials. A featured living-room table included an attached birdcage, with a result both striking and philosophically stimulating. Some modern chairs blatantly displayed their interior content, so you could observe the ecological concerns of the designer.
An area of the exhibition called "Objects of desire" was intended to illustrate the tensions between beauty and luxury on the one hand and function and sustainability on the other. It featured a massage chair whose erotic contours and surfaces stimulated the viewer to fantasize about the ways it could be used. (But the museum's signs in English and Spanish did not encourage the visitor to do so).
To get close to the exhibit displaying a full-size prototype of a lightweight, small vehicle, you had to push your way past the small boys who were examining every gadget and staring into the interior. Brilliant orange in color, the car was made of strong but lightweight plastic and had a racing-car aspect that gives the impression of movement at 150 kmh, although it has a limited range and speed. Wheels, tires, handles, air vents, and other parts were made of recycled materials. It spoke to the observer of the tradeoffs involved in designing a vehicle that does not consume a lot of gasoline and yet is practical for everyday use.
A display less appealing to young boys, but definitely a favorite of one of your writers, was an exhibit of planters that had been made from old tires. One's eyes first are drawn to the beautiful plants. Only after a few minutes, the viewer recognizes that the containers are not an integral part of the plants but parts of tires shaped to resemble the root system and natural terrain of the plant.
Also featured were "before and after" photos of restaurants that had been transformed from unsanitary hovels into clean, modern, attractive and inviting spaces. On a larger scale, the exhibit presented architectural designs intended to transform areas of urban blight into neighborhoods incorporating residential space, commercial areas and mass transit (bus or train) stations. Some of these transformations were graphically presented. Others had never been realized. A separate exhibit in the museum provided insights into why some of these projects had failed to materialize.
As a whole, the exhibit sensitized those who attended to take note of the remarkable modern architecture and designs on display in Mexico City neighborhoods. From Mexican designed-clothes that are elegantly simple and sophisticated yet incorporate traditional designs and colors, to the enormous National Auditorium that has perfect acoustics and excellent sight-lines for an audience of 10,000, the visitor can be immersed in wonderful modern architecture and design. Although the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) exhibit described above ended in February, the current special exhibit at MAM expands on the theme of modern architecture in Mexico.
Jan and Marcia Chaiken live in Huatulco's Bahia Chahué and in Ashland, Oregon.
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A six-week road closure to allow the replacement of gas pipes could cause problems for hospital patients, says a councillor.
Wales and West Utilities will start 12 weeks of work to replace gas pipes near Abergele town centre on February 23.
Conwy county councillor Tim Rowlands is worried that the six-week road closure on Chapel Street will cause disruption to those using Abergele Hospital.
He said: "I am very concerned at proposals to close Chapel Street for up to six weeks.
"Not only will this cause immense inconvenience for local residents but, as a main route to Abergele Hospital, the disruption will be felt further afield.
The company says the work will ensure the area continues to have a "safe and reliable gas supply for at least the next 80 years".
A spokesman said: "To keep local people, road users and our workforce safe, there will be a temporary road closure on Chapel Street for six weeks from February 23.
Wales and West Utilities say a drop-in information event was held in January.
The company said: "Due to an error, Cllr Rowlands was not invited to the information event, for which we are very sorry.
"We are contacting Cllr Rowlands personally to run through our plans. We are in the process of reviewing our future community engagement and consultation processes.
The company says the work is part of its 30-year mains replacement programme across Wales and the south west of England, which began in 2002.
Old metal pipes within 30 metres of buildings are being replaced with new long-lasting plastic pipes with a lifespan of more than 80 years.


text:
Home/Featured/Iraq War report delayed until after UK election
Iraq War report delayed until after UK election
London: Thursday, 22 January 2015, 12:17 PM
Iraq inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot was expected to confirm in a letter to David Cameron that it would be delayed until after the election on 7 May.
The inquiry began its work in 2009 and held its last public hearing in 2011.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the delay was "incomprehensible".
The Liberal Democrat leader said that the public would assume the delay was caused by those criticised in the report attempting to "sex it down".
The prime minister is to write a letter to the inquiry to "restate his frustration" at delay in publication and to say the report should have been published before the election, sources have told the BBC.
The inquiry has been looking into the reasons for the UK's involvement in the 2003 US-led invasion which toppled Saddam Hussein and the aftermath of the conflict, which saw UK troops remain in Iraq until 2009.
London: Sunday, 09 May 2021, 12:43 AM


As Figure 2 illustrates, the disparity between the economies of China and Vietnam is accentuated by an imbalance between imports and exports.
sustain its industrial growth in the future.
Fig. 4 Example MS images of a blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, PO.


text:
< Back to 2017-2018 Executive Summary
As Bloomberg has reported, City of St. Louis courts are known for "fast trials, favorable rulings, and big awards." But by virtue of a change in gubernatorial leadership, a good start by state lawmakers on an agenda of much needed statutory reforms and a powerful U.S. Supreme Court decision curbing forum shopping in 2017, the City of St. Louis can no longer fairly be ranked as the nation's worst Judicial Hellhole, as it was a year ago.
In November 2016 Missouri voters elected a new reform-minded governor, Eric Greitens. When he delivered his first State of the State Address to a joint session of the legislature in Jefferson City the following January, he was just minutes into his speech when he cited this report's sharp criticism of St. Louis, particularly its hosting of "junk science" mass torts. The governor committed to enacting critical civil justice reforms as a means to improving both the state's civil justice system and its economic prospects. Lawmakers have followed his lead, and a timely decision from the highest court in the land, limiting state courts' jurisdiction over out-of-state defendants, should boost their efforts to curb litigation tourism and otherwise reduce lawsuit abuse in the "Show Me Your Lawsuits State."
DAUBERT REFORM
Among several reform measures on the first-year governor's legislative to-do list was the urgent need for Missouri to adopt the more exacting Daubert standard for the admission of expert evidence — the standard used by all federal courts and an overwhelming majority of other state court systems — in order to stem the flood of "junk science" lawsuits that are scaring job-creating businesses away from the state. And as reported by KMOV-TV, the new Speaker of the Missouri House, Todd Richardson, also listed Daubert reform among his "top legislative" priorities.
Promptly then, led by Rep. Kevin Corlew and Sen. Doug Libla, Missouri lawmakers went to work and in fairly short order produced a bill Gov. Greitens signed into law in late-March 2017 at a small business site. "When crooked trial lawyers bring in shady witnesses who act as experts while peddling junk science, it makes it harder for justice to be done. That scares away businesses," the governor said at the ceremony.
Lipsen
So the next time a mouthpiece for multimillionaire plaintiffs' lawyers, such as American Association for Justice CEO Linda Lipsen, badmouths the Judicial Hellholes report as a meaningless "publicity stunt," you'll know she really means that it's a well-respected driver of reforms aimed at some of her profession's particularly parasitic shenanigans, including the scientifically groundless mass tort that has invaded St. Louis, blaming talcum powder use for ovarian cancer.
TALC TRIALS
Speaking of which, as St. Louis television viewers know, personal injury lawyers from across the country have spent many millions of dollars during the past few years, saturating the market with misleading ads about talcum powder use. Those lawyers knew Missouri was among a dwindling minority of holdout states with an outdated standard for expert testimony that allowed juries to hear speculative testimony that is disallowed elsewhere. So they brought more than a thousand junk-science claims by out-of-state plaintiffs against out-of-state talc makers in St. Louis courts. And they enjoyed early success, presumably beyond their wildest dreams.
Four of the first five talc trials conducted in the City of St. Louis Circuit Court resulted in multimillion-dollar plaintiffs' verdicts to the cumulative tune of more than $300 million. The largest single verdict was $110.5 million. The respective plaintiffs had lived, purchased and used talc products not in Missouri but in Alabama, California, South Dakota, Tennessee and Virginia. And thanks to a January 2017 decision by the Missouri Supreme Court, doubling down on a similarly bad 2016 decision, the out-of-state talc defendants could not have some 1,350 claims by out-of-state plaintiffs sent back to courts in the plaintiffs' home states or a federal MDL in New Jersey.
U.S. SUPREME COURT TO THE RESCUE
In addition to Missouri's new expert testimony statute noted above, civil justice reformers hope a June 2017 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. v. Superior Court of California for San Francisco County will be far-reaching and finally make clear to state courts, including those in Missouri, that they generally cannot exercise jurisdiction over out-of-state defendants being sued by out-of-state plaintiffs over alleged out-of-state injuries without violating defendants' Fourteenth Amendment right to due process. (See more about the U.S. Supreme Court's jurisdictional decision in Closer Looks, p. 64.)
Judge Burlison
Responding to a defense motion that cited the Supreme Court's 8-1 decision announced earlier that day, St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Rex Burlison declared a mistrial in Swann v. Johnson & Johnson, the sixth talcum powder trial to begin there. He signaled the end of most of the talc claims pending in St. Louis, saying, "the mere fact that nonresident plaintiffs have joined their claims with those of a handful of Missouri residents does not suffice to give" Missouri courts jurisdiction over the defendants.
Missouri's Eastern District appeals court gave further hope that the end of St. Louis's talc lawsuit surge had arrived in October 2017 when it reversed and vacated the $72 million talc verdict that was the first of four such controversial, multimillion-dollar verdicts rendered in the City of St. Louis Circuit Court, also on the basis of the Bristol-Myers decision.
But optimism resulting from those rulings was dashed as this report went to press. Only six months after his earlier ruling, plaintiffs' lawyers convinced Judge Burlison to preserve the largest of St. Louis's talc verdicts—the $110 million award to a Virginia resident who bought and used talc products there. Rather than throw out the out-of-state claim, Judge Burlison gave the plaintiffs' lawyers an opportunity to "make a record" connecting the case to Missouri. So months after the trial, the plaintiffs' lawyers came back claiming Johnson & Johnson had done business with an instate company that made its talc products. That was enough for Judge Burlison, who found Bristol-Myers "stringent standard" for personal jurisdiction had been met. Plaintiffs' lawyer Ted Meadows is thrilled, declaring that this "limited evidence" connecting the cases to Missouri will help keep the St. Louis talc cases going, including those with verdicts now on appeal.
STATE HIGH COURT GETS ONE RIGHT
To be fair to Missouri's high court, it did render a sound jurisdictional decision in February 2017, two months before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a similar case on appeal from Montana's Supreme Court (see more on the Montana appeal in Closer Looks, p.64). In the Missouri case, brought under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), which governs compensation for injured railroad workers, the state high court unanimously hewed closer to longstanding tradition and appropriately ruled that out-of-state plaintiffs alleging out-of-state injuries against out-of-state defendants doing little business there should bring their cases elsewhere.
Virginia-based Norfolk Southern Railway Company had been sued in Missouri by an Indiana plaintiff over injuries that allegedly occurred in Indiana, even though the railroad only does about 2% of its business in Missouri. Based on these facts, the Missouri Supreme Court concluded that the trial court lacked personal jurisdiction over the railroad, leaving the plaintiff to bring his claim in Indiana or Virginia.
While this decision is encouraging and certainly brings clarity to FELA case filings in Missouri, lawmakers are not off the hook. Venue and joinder reform legislation is still very much needed to keep plaintiffs' lawyers from forum-shopping within the state and otherwise arguing that defendants' "nationwide marketing" campaigns make them "at home" in Missouri.
ST. LOUIS ASBESTOS DOCKET STILL GROWING
Just a Huck Finn stone skip across the river from Madison County, Illinois – a perennial Judicial Hellhole and the nation's epicenter for asbestos litigation – St. Louis has been building its own reputation as a jurisdiction hospitable to asbestos claims. Plaintiffs' lawyers filed just 67 asbestos-related lawsuits there in 2010. That annual number has since nearly quintupled.
In 2016 St. Louis nudged past Philadelphia (yet another Judicial Hellhole) into fourth place among jurisdictions drawing the most new asbestos lawsuit filings, according to consulting firm KCIC's yearly asbestos litigation trends report. And St. Louis was second only to Madison County in both new mesothelioma claims and non-meso lung cancer claims.
KCIC attributes St. Louis's rising number of asbestos filings to two plaintiffs' law firms that also have been big players in Madison County: Napoli Shkolnik and Gori Julian & Associates.
In particular, the "significant increase in [non-meso] lung cancer filings in St. Louis is due to the filings by Gori," KCIC explains. "In 2014, Gori only led 29 of the 168 cases [there]." Such filings by Gori increased to 77 filings in 2015 and, in 2016, "accounted for 60% of all St. Louis lung cancer filings — 111 of the jurisdiction's 185 lung cancer cases."
Though it no longer offers a lax expert testimony standard, St. Louis is increasingly attractive to asbestos claimants for many of the same reasons it attracts other products liability litigation – plaintiff-friendly venue and joinder rules, relatively inexpensive television advertising, and the potential for excessive awards, thanks in part to a 2014 state high court decision striking down a reform statute that reasonably limited punitive damages. So not surprisingly, St. Louis has hosted several multimillion-dollar asbestos verdicts and thus will likely attract still more cases.
PREPOSTEROUS CONSUMER CLASS ACTIONS
As Joanna Shepherd of Emory University Law School has reported, the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act (MMPA), the state's consumer protection law, actively "invites potential abuses through socially valueless lawsuits and unnecessary consumer litigation."
Prof. Shepherd finds that local lawyers repeatedly use the MMPA to file meritless class actions in state court, typically in St. Louis, hoping to avoid potentially less sympathetic federal courts by seeking less than $5 million in damages – the amount triggering federal jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act. These are not serious cases, she says. They are a money-making enterprise for plaintiffs' lawyers like those at the Armstrong Law Firm LLC. It has filed class action lawsuits in St. Louis alleging various products, including peppermint candies, donuts, "Toastees," and bread, biscuit, cupcake and coffee cake mixes are misleadingly labeled. As though reasonable consumers buy candy, donuts or cupcake mix thinking such sweet treats are wholesome additions to their diets.
And even though, as Prof. Shepherd and others note, state courts are generally much less likely than federal courts to dismiss these often preposterous consumer claims, two recent rulings in the federal Western District of Missouri may signal more trouble, particularly when it comes to a rising tide of so-called slack-fill law suits, wherein plaintiffs allege that over-sized packaging misled them to believe they were getting more for their money than they actually got.
Writing in late-August 2017 Martha Charepoo of Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice in St. Louis detailed the two consecutive, nearly identical opinions by the Western District in slack-fill claims brought under the MMPA. In both Bratton v. The Hershey Company and White v. Just Born, Inc., the federal court "refused to dismiss claims against candy manufacturers for selling [purportedly] under filled boxes of Reese's Pieces and Whoppers (Hershey) and Hot Tamales and Mike and Ike's (Just Born), thereby allowing both class actions to proceed to the discovery stage."
In both cases defendants argued that the plaintiffs failed to show an "ascertainable loss," as required by the MMPA. Among other things, the candy-makers also argued that consumers are not misled because information about the net weight of the contents, the number of pieces of candy per serving, and the number of servings in the box are all clearly listed on the box.
Judge Laughrey
But these arguments did not persuade District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey. Citing a Missouri appellate court's late-2016 decision in Murphy v. Stonewall Kitchen, LLC, an "all-natural" labeling case, the judge said that whether a reasonable consumer would be misled by a large box is a question of fact that cannot be resolved before there has been fact discovery. In other words, both state and federal courts now seem to believe the MMPA limits their decisions about what constitutes reasonableness rather than allow commonsense objectivity at the start. is means plaintiffs' lawyers seeking quick, easy-money settlements will have more leverage over defendants wishing to avoid the expense of lengthy litigation.
LAWMAKERS MUST KEEP UP REFORM MOMENTUM IN 2018
In addition to expert-testimony reform aimed at limiting junk science, Missouri lawmakers in 2017 enacted another solid statute allowing defendants at trial to introduce evidence of both the actual costs of plaintiffs' medical care and payments already made by defendants or their insurers as a means to keep plaintiffs' lawyers from unduly inflating demands for damages. So this was a good start.
But as analysis of the slack-fill cases above suggests, one of the top priorities for Missouri legislators and Gov. Greitens in 2018 ought to be overdue amendments to the MMPA which, as currently written and interpreted by the courts, does far more to enrich class-action lawyers than it does to protect consumers. In fact, as litigation costs are invariably passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices, Missourians should be demanding action on this from their elected representatives in Jefferson City.
And while lawmakers are at it, they should heed the governor's call for legislation reforming the state's lenient and easily gamed venue and joinder rules so as to limit personal injury lawyers' brazen efforts to shop their cases to the state's more plaintiff-friendly courts in St. Louis.
Furthermore, legislators should follow through in passing a law that would allow jurors in auto accident cases to hear evidence about whether plaintiffs were wearing seat belts so liability for damages can be more fairly apportioned.
Some lawmakers also are reportedly fine-tuning language in a proposal that would bring transparency and accountability to the hiring of private-sector personal injury lawyers by the state's attorney general or other officials to run lawsuits on behalf of the government. If such contracts are to be entered into, both lawmakers and taxpayers should have ready access to contract details. And strict accountings of and limits on lawyers' fees, including a ban on contingency-fees, would better serve the public's interest in evenhanded civil justice.
Sooner than later Missouri's litigation climate would also benefit from judgment interest reform and restoring reasonable limits on punitive damages. But urging these future reforms is by no means to suggest that 2017 wasn't quite positive. Because it was. That's why St. Louis has dropped from the #1 Judicial Hellhole to the #3 spot. And with a governor and legislative majorities further determined to improve their state's economy by making their state decidedly less hospitable to out-of-state plaintiffs and meritless lawsuits, reform momentum can be maintained and more progress can be made.