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Directorate S: the C.I.A. and America's secret wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001-2016 by Steve Coll – Book Review
MHHV > Articles > Book Reviews > Directorate S: the C.I.A. and America's secret wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001-2016 by Steve Coll – Book Review
The title of this book does not do its significant contents justice. Directorate S is the section of the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence agency that is responsible for covert operations. Coll argues that Directorate S is 'the heart of the problem' in Afghanistan.
Penguin Random House: New York; 2018; 768 pp.; ISBN 9780241337356 (paperback); RRP $35.00
This book follows on from Coll's earlier Pulitzer prize-winning book, Ghost Wars (Penguin, 2004), which examined the war in Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion in 1979 and the evolution of al-Qaeda up to 10 September 2001. The current book looks at the war in Afghanistan since the al-Qaeda attacks on the United States on 11 September 2001 ('September 11'). Initially, it focuses on the efforts of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.), but its scope expands as the narrative develops in a roughly chronological fashion.
In the wake of the 'September 11' attacks, the United States government and the C.I.A. scrambled to work out how to destroy Osama Bin Laden and his associates. The C.I.A. was familiar with Afghanistan, had worked closely there with the Mujahideen to defeat the Soviet Union, and in the 1990s, provided support to the Northern Alliance. A tangle of assumptions, old contacts, favours and animosities were now reactivated. Superficially, the invasion was quick and efficient, but the escape of Bin Laden and much of the Taliban leadership, a catastrophic failure to define the limits of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's mission, and a tough, impoverished country, interacted to create a quagmire which lasts to this day.
At the heart of the problem, Coll believes, lay 'Directorate S', a highly secretive arm of the Pakistani state which had its own views on the Taliban and Afghanistan's place in a wider competition for influence between Pakistan, India and China, and which assumed that the United States and its allies would soon be leaving.
Coll has produced a detailed, coherent account of the machinations in and around Afghanistan during the period covered. He knows his subject and has told the story in an insightful and critical way. A reader not already familiar with the war, however, may find the vast array of characters difficult to follow.
The title claims to cover the period up to 2016, but is misleading. The narrative only goes to the end of 2014, although a postscript provides an update on where some key personalities were in 2016. Despite covering a tremendous amount of ground over a 13-year period, sadly the war continues and may well require another volume in the years ahead.
Coll is the author of five books. In addition to winning the Pulitzer Prize for Ghost Wars, he also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1990 for explanatory journalism. He covered Afghanistan as the Washington Post's South Asia bureau chief between 1989 and 1992 and has been the Washington Post's managing editor since 1998.
The book includes a cast of characters, 21 black-and-white portraits of key personalities, four maps, extensive notes, a bibliography, and a comprehensive index.
Directorate S paints a grim picture of a war that has yet to conclude. It is likely to become a seminal reference for future historians seeking to understand the war. While its length might be a little overwhelming, the background and context it provides would be invaluable for anyone who is going to work in Afghanistan or the region.
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Fauzia Anis Khan ( Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Aga Khan University, Karachi. )
Fauzia Minai ( Department of Anaesthesia, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. )
Objective: To explore personality traits considered to be important in selection of trainees by consultant anaesthetists in a developing country.
Methods: A questionnaire listing 28 traits was sent to 125 consultant anaesthetists. The raters were asked to mark each trait on a scale of 1 to 10, with one being least desirable and 10 as most desirable. Listing of five most desirable and one least desirable trait was also required.
Results: The response rate was 79%. The most desirable trait was identified as reliability by 40%, followed by honesty 17%, functionality under stress 9%, punctuality 7%, and discipline 4%. The least desirable trait was considered as resourcefulness (21%), sense of humour (20%), unassuming mannerism (15%), high self esteem (11%), inquisitive (5%) and expedious (5%).
Conclusion: Some traits have been identified as more desirable than others for trainees in our country. We plan to assess these in structured behavioural interviews in our residency programme (JPMA 60:162; 2010).
Certain behavioural competencies are important for effective job performance by trainees during residency programmes.11 These competencies vary from specialty to specialty and are dependent on personality traits. Identification of desirable personality traits in anaesthesia has potential implications in selection of trainees and their coping of strategies in times of stress.2 Significant personality trait variations may be observed in anaesthetists from different cultures and therefore there is a need to study this variation. A computer based literature search rendered very few publications related to anaesthesia on this particular topic.
The aim of this survey was to explore a cluster of traits which were considered important in anaesthesia trainees by consultant anaesthetists working in a developing country in South Asian region. It is hoped that identification of the more desirable traits by faculty consensus would provide the database for developing an appropriate instrument for assessment of the same characteristics at the time of selection and throughout the residency programme.
Subjects and Methods
A questionnaire was designed which listed 28 personality traits (Annexure 1). As there is no existing uptodate national database of practicing consultants available in the country, forms were distributed to consultants attending two major anaesthesia meetings in the country in 2006/2007. These were the annual meetings of the Pakistan Society of Anaesthesia in Lahore and Karachi. In addition, a database of all teaching anaesthesia departments in the country was created and the forms were sent by email or a single mail to anaesthesia consultants/faculty working there. A return self addressed envelope was enclosed. The form was accompanied with a covering letter outlining the purpose of study. Non responders were sent the questionnaire again. The forms were distributed to a total of 125 consultant anaesthetists. The raters were asked to mark the desirability of each trait that they would require in their anaesthesia trainee on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being least desirable and 10 as most desirable. They were also asked to list the five traits that they felt were more important for their anaesthesia trainee to have and rank them in order and also identify the trait that they felt was the least important. Details of postgraduate qualification and the experience in the specialty of each trainer were also documented. Scores 1 or 2 were translated to strongly disagree, 3 and 4 to disagree, 5 to ambivalent, 6 and 7 to agree and 8, 9, 10 to strongly agree.
The answers provided on the returned questionnaires were transcribed onto SPSS (Statistical Package of Social Sciences version 13.0) for analysis.
The ethical issues involved in this survey were those inherent to survey methodology in general. A generic consent was asked for in the covering note. Confidentiality was respected and the respondents were not asked to give personal details. The filled data forms did not identify individuals and were kept in a safe place. The non responders were not contacted if the second communication was not answered.
Statistical Analysis:
Frequencies of background characteristics including current rank, current institution of practice, educational qualification, current involvement, and level of training residents, supervisory role and less important personality traits were obtained. Cross tabulations of ranking of most important personality trait by type of personality traits was generated. Descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation and percentiles (5th, 25th, median, 75th and 95th) of trait scores for different personality traits were also reported. Descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation and percentiles (5th, 25th, median, 75th and 95th) were also generated for experience in anaesthesia and after post graduation. Independent sample t-test was used to compare the difference in average trait scores by experience (<5 years and 5 years & above) for different personality traits. A p-value of <0.05 was treated as significant.
Ninety nine forms were returned out of 125 sent. The overall response rate was 79%. None of the forms were discarded and all were suitable for analysis.
Forty percent of the responders listed reliability the "most desirable trait" followed by honesty which was listed by 17%. Functionality under stress, punctuality and being disciplined was listed by 9, 7 and 4%.
The five most desirable traits which emerged from ranking in this study were reliability (72%), honesty (45%), functionality under stress (34%), punctuality (33%) and admitting errors (30%) (Table-1).
Setting priorities, consistency, meticulousness, resourcefulness, rapport building, inquisitiveness, expediousness, politeness, high self esteem, neatness, candor, sense of humour, and unassuming manner got a response rate of less than 10%.
The least desirable traits marked by the respondents were resourcefulness (21%), sense of humour (20%), unassuming mannerism (15%), and high self esteem (11%). Being inquisitive (5%), and expedious (5%) shared the fifth rank (Table-2).
The complete list with mean scores and dispersion values is given in (Table-3).
The mean teaching experience of the responders was 13.7 ± 9.6 years. No significant difference in the trait scores was seen in a group whose teaching experience was less than 5 years of teaching (n=19) compared to those with teaching experience more than 5 years (n =80).
The group was representative of faculty from 46 institutions in the country. Thirty two percent of the respondents were Fellows of the Anaesthesia Faculty of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan, three percent were fellows of UK and Irish Colleges, one percent was a Diplomat of American Board of Anaesthesia and one percent were Diplomats of Iranian Board of Anaesthesia.
The assessments of non-cognitive traits have been overlooked by medical educators. These traits are known to affect performance during residency training particularly stress tolerance, communication and peer relationship.3 Personality is defined as a byproduct of environmental influences occurring in infancy and adolescence and is layered on temperament.4 Certain elements of personality have also been linked to one\'s ability to cope in specific work environments.4 Personality traits have been used in the aviation industry to separate a group of pilots who were more accident prone than their peers.5 The relationship of personality and stress has also been implicated in anaesthesia incidents but formal appraisal and evaluation is still lacking.2 A widely accepted method for identification of behavioural competencies is job analysis by the critical incident technique.6,7 This method has been used to determine the specific behavioural competencies for several residency programmes including anaesthesia.8,9
Anaesthesia as a specialty is considered to be associated with high level of stress. Time management and organizational factors have been rated higher in causing stress compared to clinical work.10 Provision of clinical anaesthesia was the most satisfying and least stressful part of the job. The changing work environment and increased involvement of anaesthetist in out of operating room activities may contribute further to job stresses.10
The personality makeup of an anaesthetist has been shown to be significantly different from the general population and other physician colleagues.11 In a study by Kluger et al11 the majority of consultant anaesthetists were identified as being mature, strong, responsible, reliable, resourceful, socially tolerant, empathic, helpful, compassionate, constructive, ethical and individuals with principles. The specialist anaesthetists were also more cooperative, harm avoidant and self directed than the community. Anaesthetists in this study were also described as privacy seeking, self effacing, modest and dispassionate.
Psychometric testing has been used in job recruitment outside anaesthesia.12 Anaesthetists who are involved in the recruitment of trainees and specialists consider the inclusion of personality testing as a potentially useful tool to select the most suitable applicant.13 Some personality assessment is possible at a formal structured interview but personality testing on its own has a validity of only 0.38 where one is a perfect match.14 Ideally it should be combined with other methods of assessment.13
Cultural makeup and geographical variability can influence the use of personality characteristics as well. In a study from New Zealand anaesthetists indicated a bias towards orderliness, compassion and independence compared to a Scottish group.13 These differences prompted our investigation into the desirable personality characteristics of anaesthesia trainees in a developing country. In such countries the resource constraints and the challenges of working as an anaesthetist can be quite different from those in more affluent societies.15 We used a simple list of twenty eight adjectives related to personality and asked the responders to mark them on a scale of one to ten. The reason for choosing this methodology was the familiarity of anaesthetists as a group with the scale used for measurements in anaesthesia, e.g. like anxiety and pain. One of the limitations of this survey is that the questionnaire did not undergo any validation which may have addressed concerns of interpreting the different elements by the responders.
According to our survey the traits considered important in trainees by educators in anaesthesia in our country are reliability, honesty, ability to remain calm under stress, punctuality, and discipline. It is possible to explore these characteristics further by personality tests and structured interviews at the time of selection. Temperament can be assessed by various instruments like the Barclay\'s adjective checklist or Strelau Temperament Inventory.16
Two structured interview formats used for assessment of non cognitive skills are currently in use in healthcare. These are the behavioural interviews in USA17 and multiple mini interviews in Canada (MMI).18 The MMI has been shown to possess high reliability, accuracy and predictive validity.19 In accordance with our resources it would be worthwhile to assess the reliability, accuracy and predictive validity of a structured behavioural interview based on the traits identified.
Reliability, honesty and stress handling were the three most desirable personality traits identified for anaesthesia trainees in this survey. In accordance with our resources it would be worthwhile to assess the reliability, accuracy and predictive validity of these traits in a structured behavioural interview.
1.Metro DG, Talarico JF, Pate RM, Wetmore AL. The resident application process and its correlation to future performance as a resident. Anaesth Analg 2005; 100: 502-5.
2.Kluger MT, Laidlaw T, Khursandi DS. Personality profiles of Australian Anaesthetists. Anaesth Intensive Care 1999; 27: 282-6.
3.Schwartz RW, Barclay J, Harrel PL, Murphy AE. Defining a surgical personality a preliminary study. Surgery 1994; 115: 62-8.
4.Gambles M, Wilkinson SM, Dissanayake C. What are you like? A personality profile of cancer and palliative care nurses in the United Kingdom. Cancer Nursing 2003; 26: 97-104.
5.Alkou RA, Borusky MS, Gaynor JIA. Stress coping and the US navy aircrew factor mishap. Aviat Space Environ Med 1982; 52: 1112-5.
6.Edwards JC, Currie ML, Wade TP, Kaminski DL. Eval Health Prof. 1993:73-86. Surgery resident selection and evaluation. A critical incident study Acad Med 1991; 66: 359-61.
7.Altmaier EM, From RP, Pearson KS, Gorbatenko-Roth KG, Ugolini KA. A prospective study to select and evaluate anesthesiology residents: Phase I, the critical incident technique. J Clin Anesth 1997; 9: 629-36.
8.Rhoton MF, Barnes A, Flashburg M, Ronai A, Springman S. Influence of anesthesiology residents\' noncognitive skills on the occurrence of critical incidents and the residents\' overall clinical performances. Acad Med 1991; 66: 359-61.
9.Reich DL, Uysal S, Bodian CA, Gabriele S, Hibbard M, Gordon W, et al. The Relationship of Cognitive, Personality, and Academic Measures to Anaesthesiology Resident Clinical Performance. Anesth Analg 1999; 88: 1092-100.
10.Kluger MT, Townend K, Laidlaw T. Job satisfaction stress and burnout in Australian specialist anaesthetists. Anaesthesia 2003; 58: 339-45.
11.Kluger MT, Laidlaw TM, Kruger N, Harrison MJ. Personality traits of anaesthetists and physicians: an evaluation using the Cloninger temperament and character inventory (TCI-125). Anaesthesia 1999; 54: 926-35.
12.Mabey W. The majority of large companies use occupational tests. Guidance and Assessment Review 1989; 5: 1-4.
13.Kluger MT, Watson D, Laidlaw TM, Fletcher T. Personality testing and profiling for anaesthetic job recruitment: attitudes of anaesthetic specialists/consultants in New Zealand and Scotland. Anaesthesia 2002; 57: 116-22.
14.Selection in organizations. In: Smith M, (Ed). Analyzing Organizational Behavior Aldershot, UK: Macmillan; 1991: pp 28-48.
15.Khan FA. Practical and Philosophical Problems of Anaesthesia in Pakistan. Anaesthesia News (UK) 2004. The Newsletter of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland. No. 203, June 2004: 24-25.
16.Barclay JR. The Strelau Temperament Inventory as a broad classification system. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 1987; 2: 307-27.
17.Easdown JL, Castro PL, Shinkle EP, Small L, Algren J. The behavioural interview, a method to evaluate ACGME competencies in resident selection: a pilot project. JEPM; 2005:1-10.
18.Lemay JF, Lockyer JM, Collin VT, Brownwell AKW. Assessment of non-cognitive traits through the admissions multiple mini-interview Medical Education 2007; 41:573-9.
19.Bandier G, Regher G. Reliability of a structured interview scoring instrument for a Canadian postgraduate emergency medicine training program. Acad Emerg Med 2004; 11: 27-32.

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We at Cricket Mazaa.com provides you with the 360 degrees cricket entertainment from ball to ball live score to each and every latest news updates on your fingertips. It offers a complete package about the whole cricket set up. You can get various cricket match information like the score card latest cricket updates latest cricket news and updates of cricket matches. It also covers an unbeatable coverage of cricket matches to their viewers all over the world. In this site you will have the chance to see match schedules videos of played matches exclusives and opinions. Apart from the above mentioned it serves as a source of information to cricket fans like details of latest news live score card latest update about cricket matches and other valuable cricket information.


We just got back from a week long trip to what felt like a simpler time. We went to Lewiston Lake which is near Lake Shasta. We rented a little cabin for 7 days and just took life easy. There was no TV, computer, microwave and even our cell phones wouldn't work (terrible thing since they were calling me from work to see when I was coming back). The cabin was a real trip back in time. All the furnishings looked like they were from the early 60's and in such great shape. I got to cook on a gas stove again, something I love and miss a lot. We fished and hiked everyday and only ate out once since we were having such a great time cooking and we did eat really well!
Michael wrote all about the fishing on his blog already, it is a really fun read if you are interested in fishing even just a little bit. He puts his sense of humor into his writing and adds a really fun touch to something that could be boring. I enjoyed the fishing, but really enjoyed the hiking and just observing nature. It alway s amazes me how much we miss in our every day lives because we don't take the time to just stop and look at nature and what is going on around us. It is so easy to just keep busy going through our daily routine. It was nice to get away from that.
One of things I just fell in love with at the cabin was these dishes and if I ever find them in a thrift store somewhere I will buy them all! They may even be from the 50's. They had such a nice feel to them and an odd shape that sort of scooped up on the sides keeping all the food on the plate. The coffee cups looked small, but held a lot more coffee than you would expect. If anyone knows any info on these dishes please leave me a comme nt.
There were native roses growing every where. Usually deer would eat them, but for some reason they didn't eat these and they were full of rose hips. I harvested quite a few and brought them home I am going to cook them up with some apples and make an apple rose hip jelly. I found several recipes on the internet for this so am taking it all in and trying my own version if it works out I will let you know. We also found a pear tree that had little tiny pears growing on it. Michael thinks it is a seckel pear. The bears had found it also and had already picked most of the pears in our reach, but we managed to shake down some m ore to bring home. They really had a special flavor to them I don't think I could describe. The apple tree was in the same area and the bears had found that too, but we came away with more than enough for ourselves and some to share.
Well, time to head off to work and back to the real life!
I am really enjoying watching a few plants this fall as they seem to be looking their best at the moment. Most of them are frost tender so I thought I'd better document all this beauty before it's gone. There are 2 begonia baskets I planted in July and mixed with some impatiens and a few other things. I know that when they do go dormant I can just let them rest for a few months then fertilize and water in the Spring and wait for them to give me another show next year. Gotta love those begonias.
Then there is the Glory Bower vine or the Bleeding Hear vine. I love the little red heart at the center of each flower. Nature never ceases to amaze me with how perfect some flowers are formed without any help from the gardener.
This basket I planted with leaves of may colors and not much in the way of flowering plants. There is a beautiful red leafed coleus and a bronze leafed ipomea. My favorite part of this basket though is the trailing vine to the left of the basket I think it is some sort of lamiastrum, but I can't remember the name. Just goes to show that you can get lots of color without flowers if you just think outside the box!
My favorite plant of all this year has been the Porcelain Berry Vine. This one is growing in a pot on a small trellis and has been going gang busters all summer. Recently though the berries started to get some fabulous fall color on them and they are my favorite part of all. Each berry is so unique in its own way. I especially love the iridescent glow they have to them.
We are getting ready to take a little trip to Lewiston Lake and enjoy a little more nature so there are sure to be more pictures to come. Today the weather had a definite feeling of fall in the air so we packed up jeans and sweatshirts in preparation for even colder weather up there, but it won't stop us from going out and taking in fall in all its glory!
Be back soon refreshed, recharged and ready to tackle what ever life has in store for us!
Be on the look out for all the fall color coming your way!
Today is the much anticipated wedding shower for my sister, the bride to be. She has an amazing group of friends who have all pitched in and helped me make this shower special so I can't wait to see how it all turns out. They are all event planners so they know what they are doing. They should teach a class! I really appreciated their help and can't wait to meet them...we planned most of this over the internet, the emails have so many attachments it boggles my mind.
I have been enjoying blogging lately, when don't I? It seems as if getting ready for the holidays along with cooler weather brings out the creative ideas in everyone. I love to get creative and have a little fun with crafts at this time of year. I seem to have a lot going on this year though so I hope I will have time to finish up some things or at least enjoy trying.
I was following Pat Sloan's virtual quilt retreat last week and she was giving ideas for quilt labels. Well, the timing was perfect for me since I had just finished up a runner for Craig and Philina and really wanted to make a special label for it, but didn't know where to begin. I had fun designing this table runner with the special couple in mind. I used two friendship braid panels to represent their relationship. Then I used coffee colored and themed fabrics and added a hint of wine. They met through E-Harmony, but their first date was at a coffee shop. Craig proposed on a surprise weekend trip to Napa, thus the wine color.
The shower theme today is all about coffee and I think they are throwing it into the wedding theme also. Having a theme made it all very fun! So for the label on the table runner I drew a coffee cup, appliqued it and wrote their names and wedding date on it. I tried to embroider the names on it but I really need to work on my embroidery skills and the letters were so small I couldn't get it to look right so I just used a permanent marker. I think it all turned out well and I hope that they will use it for years to come!
Pictures of the shower later. The wedding is in a month and is going to be quite the celebration...more to come on that later, too.
I have also been enjoying checking out Holly's blog where several designers are making a quilt for charity and using the sweetest little paper doll dress pattern. Each designer is making a block in their own style using a really sweet new line of fabric. I am wishing I had a little girl to make this for...I could always make one to have waiting for the day when I do! Or make it just for myself! I need 48 hours in a day just to have time to work and fit in all my projects.


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Goddess and Bishop – Brigid
Thig an nathair as an toll
Là donn Brìde,
Ged robh trì troighean dhen t-sneachd
Air leac an làir. The serpent will come from the hole
On the brown Day of Bríde,
Though there should be three feet of snow
On the flat surface of the ground.
Alexander Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica Vol. 1, 1900
St Brigid is also known as Mary of the Gael or Muire na nGael. She is one of the three Patron Saints of Ireland, along with St Patrick and St Columcille. Her feast day is celebrated on February 1st; which coincides with the festival of Imbolc (Imbolg) and marks the beginning of spring. It is a Cross Quarter Day, midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox on the Celtic Calendar. Brigid has many incarnations and has been celebrated since ancient times. There were many women who bore the title of Brigid, but two Brigid's emerge, the ancient pre Christian goddess one and the modern Christian saint one. Both have been spliced together into one entity, the Brigid we celebrate today.
Brigid is highly regarded as one of the most supreme Irish female deities and the first Irish born saint. She is both Druid and Bishop. Her name translates as 'Exalted One'; and her presence is powerful. She is the great healer and protector and is said to lean over every cradle and cow shed. She is revered by poets and smiths of all kind. So much myth and legend surround Brigid that she traverses history and myth effortlessly and remains fascinating.
The ancient Goddess Brigid is known as "the goddess whom poets adored" along with her two sisters: Brigid the healer and Brigid the smith and thus is considered a triple Goddess. We are told from the Lebor Gabála Érenn that she was a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
The Tuath Dé or "tribe of the gods" were a supernatural race in Irish mythology and from where the main deities of pre Christian Ireland spring. Brigid is said to be a daughter of the Dagda, and half-sister of Cermait honey-mouth, Aengus, Aed and Bodb Derg (all key players in Irish myth.).
Dagda was a giant of a man who wore a hooded cloak and had a God like status. He was given the Cauldron of Inspiration. He controlled the seasons among other things and was capable of making the sun stand still for nine months, causing his son to be conceived and born all on the same day. He was said to dwell in Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange).
"The Coming of Brigid" by John Duncan
Brigid was the wife of the High King Bres, the half-Fomorian ruler of the Tuatha Dé Danann who was without blemish, with whom she had a son named Ruadán who was slain by the great smith Goibhniu at the second battle of Moytura. Brigid was so bereft at the loss of her son that she wept bitterly and her wailing was such that it started the tradition of keening (caoine), used ever since at Irish wakes. We know him as Ruadán of Lorrah. They had two other sons; Luchar and Uar.
This Brigid was also patron of warfare or Briga. Her soldiers who were male and female were called Brigands and are the first peace keeping force in Ireland. Brigand derives from the Gaelic word "bríg" meaning strength or valour. She is said to have invented the night whistle an instrument used to see in the dark.
She was also known as "Mistress of the Mantle" and "Fiery Arrow". She is synonymous with the warrior-maiden, Brigantia and is said to have inspired Merlin. It is said that her visions reach to the end of the solar system. She is considered sacred to livestock, especially cows and could purify water and imbue it with healing qualities. Three rivers are named for her, the Brigit in Ireland, the Braint in Wales and the Brent in England. She holds the status of a Sun Goddess and hangs her cloak upon the rays of the Sun. She is said to radiate fire and light.
It is said that when she was born flames reached from the top of her head to the heavens resulting in her red hair. She is said to have kept an eternal flame lit beneath the oaks of Kildare a Druidic shrine. Nineteen other priestess women presided over this flame. Brigid's sacred number was nineteen, representing the nineteen-year cycle of the Celtic Great Year, or the time it took from one new moon to the next to coincide with the Winter Solstice. These women were known as the Daughters of the Fire. According to the Irish Text "The Book of Dunn Cow," on the twentieth day of each cycle Brigid herself would tend the flame. Brigid is said to have been the owner of oxen, sheep and pigs.
Legend tells us of her two oxen named Fe and Men after whom Magh Femhin in Co Tipperary is named, where upon they grazed. . She also possessed the king of boars, Torc Triath, who appears in Arthurian legend. This boar is said to have had poisonous bristles, and carried a pair of scissors, a comb and a razor on his head between his ears. King Arthur's dog Cavall is said to have pursued this boar to retrieve said implements for the purposes of a hair cutting ritual of the gentle and fragile Olwen, another sun associated goddess and daughter of a giant. Brigid also owned Cirb, a powerful ram who was king of sheep from whom Mag Cirb is named. Cirb was a castrated ram who was king of all the flocks of sheep in Ireland, including the seven famous magical sheep owned by the sea god Manannán. These sheep, it was said, could produce enough wool to clothe every man, woman, and child the world over.
Helena Nelson Reed
The modern Saint Brigid was born around 450 AD in Faughart near Dundalk in Co. Louth and is another powerhouse of a Brigid. . It is believed that she was present at the birth of Jesus anointing his head with three drops of water. She became his foster mother, weaving a mantel to protect him and wearing candles on her head to escape in darkness. Fostering was a common practice among the Celts. She took the baby to save Him from the slaughter of male infants, instigated by Herod.
She was anointed a Bishop and founded a dual monastery for men and for women. She was daughter to a woman called Brocca, a Christian Pict slave who had been baptized by Saint Patrick. Her father is thought to have been Dubhthach, a chieftain of Leinster and a Druid who brought her from Ireland to be raised on the Island of Iona, sometimes called "The Druid's Isle." Brigid's monastery at Kildare (Cill Dara: "church of the oak"), was built on the site of a pagan shrine to the Celtic goddess Brigid, served by a group of young women who tended an eternal flame. The site was under a large oak tree on the ridge of Drum Criadh.
As a child she was very charitable to the lesser well off and it is said that she prayed to be ugly so as no man would wish to marry her. God granted her wish and caused half of her face to be poxed. Her father relented and allowed her to set up a church by allowing her to have as much land as her cloak would cove. She laid her cloak on the ground and caused it to spread and spread until it covered the entire Curragh of Kildare and it is said it is here she founded her church. It is said that her beauty was restored is said as soon as she was consecrated a Bishop. Brigid set up a double monastery, for men and for women and it was renowned throughout the Holy Roman see.
Brigid performed miracles, including healing and feeding the poor. She gave away her mother's store of butter and her father's precious jewels. Everything given was immediately replenished twofold.
Brigid is credited with founding a school of art, including metalwork and illumination, overseen by Conleth. This scriptorium made the Book of Kildare, which drew high praise from Gerald of Wales, who felt it surpassed any works he had ever seen and was in fact "the work of angelic, and not human skill"
Katherine Skaggs
St Brigid sat by the sick bed of a dying Druid, possibly her father, soothing him with stories about her faith. She told him about Christ on the Cross, picking up rushes from the ground to make a cross. Before his death, the chieftain asked to be baptised. People continue to make similar crosses to hang over the door of their homes to ward off evil, fire and hunger and that is how the making of a Brigid's cross began. This cross which takes the form of a swastika is in fact a much older symbol representing the sun.
According to myth, Saint Brigid travelled to Glastonbury and set up a small chapel on a place called Bride's Mound. A papal charter of 1168 CE refers to it as one of the seven islands in the Glastonbury Abbey's estate, these being Avalon, Beckery, Marchey, Godney, Meare, Panborough and Nyland. It dates from the 5th Century and is known as Little Ireland because it was a well-known site to Irish missionaries. St. Brigid visited Glastonbury in 488 CE and spent time at Bride's Mound. Relics of hers, including a spindle and a bell, were displayed in the chapel dedicated to her, which had a special opening in the southern wall that healed those who passed through it.
She is particularly renowned for healing women's ailments. According to historic scriptures, she performed Ireland's first recorded abortion being the first to "help a woman in a difficult situation".
"Brigid, exercising with the most strength of her ineffable faith,
blessed her, caused the feotus to disappear without coming to birth,
and without pain."
She continued her mission until her death in 525 CE, when she was laid to rest in her abbey. In 835 CE, her remains were moved to protect them from Norse invaders and interred in the same grave that holds the remains of St. Patrick and St. Columcille at Downpatrick.
Jonathan Weber
St Brigid is said to have been given the last rites by St Ninnidh when she was dying. Afterwards, he reportedly had his right hand encased in metal so that it would never be defiled, and became known as "Ninnidh of the Clean Hand". Tradition says she died at Kildare on 1 February 525.
There is a whole school of thought that cites "Brigid or Exalted One" as being a title conferred, as opposed to it being the embodiment of one person, or an amalgamation of several women. This would certainly account for so many personalities emerging beneath the Brigid banner. Brigid's successor, a woman called Darlughdach, often cited as Brigid's companion, who was so close to her that they shared the same bed, celebrates her feast day also on February 1st. She is said to have picked up the Baton of Brigid and was present at the founding of a church in Abernethy in Scotland dedicated to Brigid, built by the King of the Picts.
Relics of Brigid can be found all over the world, there are parts of her skull in two sites in Portugal as well as in Co Dublin. There is a portion of her tooth in Sydney and another tooth in Germany. Portions of her renowned cloak or mantle can be found in Bruges Cathedral and her slipper can be found in the National Museum.
The ever living fire of Brigid was the dominion of women and tended by women. It was kept burning in a cell and was surrounded by a circular fence made of twigs, within which no man was permitted to enter. Her flame burned brightly in Kildare for centuries. It was extinguished in 1220 by Henri de Londres, a Norman Archbishop of Dublin. On February 1st, 1993 a flame was relit in the Market Square in the town and is now kept burning at Solas Bhride, by the Brigidine Sisters. Let us hope her flame lives on.
1. Brigid: Goddess, Druidess and Saint by Brian Wright.
2. The patrons of Ireland, or, Some account of St. Patrick and St. Brigid by James Henthorn Todd
3. Life of St. Brigid, Virgin by John O Hanlon
4. St. Brigid, Patroness of Ireland by Joseph A Knowles
5. Brigid's Way: Reflections on the Celtic Divine Feminine by Bee Smith
6. In search of St. Brigid, foundress of Kildare by Mary E Pollard
7. The Serpent and the Goddess: Women, Religion and Power in Celtic Ireland by Mary Condren
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Urbanova Announces Additions to Its Board of Directors
Alison Mallahan2021-08-30T14:53:47-07:00July 26, 2017|News|
Urbanova, a smart city living lab in Spokane, Washington's University District, announced additions to its board of directors to guide Urbanova's vision to design cities for the future.
The board of directors will guide the advancement of Urbanova's collaborations with businesses, researchers and innovators to harness data to gain insights, empower people and solve urban challenges — enabling healthier citizens, safer neighborhoods, smarter infrastructure, a more sustainable environment and a stronger economy.
The board is comprised of a diverse group of experts and leaders in business, utilities, technology and innovation, with a passion for establishing Urbanova as a community of learning for healthy cities. The board of directors includes:
Steve Helmbrecht, board chair – Helmbrecht is chief executive officer of Lakeside Capital Group, a privately held investment company in Spokane. Helmbrecht brings more than 30 years of diverse business and community volunteer experience, all leading to building a strong, compassionate community where entrepreneurs will thrive.
Roger Woodworth, vice chair – Woodworth is principal consultant at Mindset Matters where he brings his considerable expertise to help organizations navigate their most complex challenges and find their most effective strategies. Woodworth is an accomplished systems thinker and has extensive expertise in the utility industry.
Heather Rosentrater, treasurer – Rosentrater, a registered Professional Engineer, is vice president of energy delivery at Avista, where she is responsible for electric and natural gas engineering, operations and shared services such as fleet, facilities and supply chain. Rosentrater is also Avista's champion for innovation.
Gordon Feller, director – A passionate advocate for the benefits of smart and connected cities, Feller has advised on economic and technology issues with leaders of multinational companies, cities, NGOs, foundations and national governments. Feller is the co-founder of Meeting of the Minds, a global thought leadership network and knowledge-sharing platform focused on the future of sustainable cities, innovation and technology. After retiring from his position as director of urban innovation at Cisco Systems, he served as a consultant to Cisco.
Sharelynn Moore, director – Moore is senior vice president of networked solutions at Itron where she is responsible for Itron's networking platforms and smart cities strategy, globally. Moore is also a tireless advocate, preparing students to address the health and resource challenges all communities will face in a more urbanized future.
Kim Zentz, director – Zentz is one of the architects of the Urbanova collaboration and is co-director of Washington State University's (WSU) smart cities initiative. She is also the director of the Engineering and Technology Management graduate program at WSU. A registered professional civil engineer, Zentz's career spans all types of utility services, transportation, economic development and high-tech startup companies.
Peter Moye, counsel/secretary– Moye is a partner at Witherspoon Brajcich McPhee, a Spokane-based law firm, which emphasizes a talented, nimble and connected team that provides exceptional accessibility for clients. Moye's practice is more than a professional pursuit as his guiding hand can be found behind many of Spokane's most recognized arts, culture, social, charitable and educational institutions as well as a long list of scrappy tech-based start-ups.
"Urbanova is rapidly gaining momentum and will greatly benefit from the commitment, energy, vision and expertise of our new directors. The board will be the compass for Urbanova, leading invested partners in the quest to develop solutions to challenges faced by communities that are both scalable and replicable, while improving the economy, environment and well-being of our community," Zentz said.
Click here for a PDF of the press release.
Urbanova Welcomes Mason Burley as Chief Executive Officer December 7, 2021
Energy Equity: In search of a new model for delivering clean energy to everyone, by Gordon Feller October 21, 2021
Parting Thoughts October 21, 2021
Urbanova Launches CEO Search September 29, 2021
Urbanova Announces Executive Leadership Transition August 31, 2021


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Post-Concussive Symptoms: the Effects of a Concussion
HomeConditionsBrain
By Glenda TaylorUpdated: Aug 4, 2021
After a concussion, symptoms tend to develop quickly and usually resolve within a few weeks. However, sometimes they may come on late or persist for months following the incident. These are post-concussive symptoms, and they vary from subtle to severe. Many of the symptoms are treatable through various methods.
Persistent Headache
Headaches that last longer than is typical or occur more frequently are the most common post-concussive symptom. Most people describe them as tension-type headaches, though some experience migraines. Up to 32% of post-concussive patients report that the headaches continue for up to a year after the concussion.
As many as 80% of people with post-concussive symptoms experience extreme dizziness. For around a quarter of individuals, this symptom continues for a year after the concussion. Studies show that older adults have a higher risk for dizziness, which also increases their risk of injury, or worse, from traumatic falls. Research has yet to find a definitive cause for post-concussive dizziness.
Vision and Other Sensory Issues
Several vision issues can also persist after a concussion. Around 14% of people with post-concussive symptoms develop blurry vision. Some experience more specific double vision or diplopia. In many cases, other sensory issues accompany the vision changes, such as tinnitus or sensitivity to light and noise.
Coordination and Balance
Medical experts have identified a range of posture, coordination, and balance issues that may follow a concussion. Other symptoms, primarily dizziness and problems with vision, are often partially responsible for post-concussive balance changes. However, some studies indicate the damage to certain parts of the brain directly inhibits proper balance and posture.
Higher mental function changes are also potential post-concussive symptoms. Among these, the most prevalent affect attention and cognition. These symptoms can be subtle or more pronounced. Projects and tasks that would previously have been simple to complete may feel more difficult, seemingly without cause. While cognitive symptoms tend to improve within six months to a year after the concussion, they can also persist, in some cases.
Memory Issues
Many people have issues with memory, especially short-term memory, after a concussion. These problems are often less noticeable than other symptoms. Typical or everyday situations like forgetting an appointment often become more frequent. Some studies indicate that memory changes are only statistically prominent in cases of repeated concussive impacts, as can affect certain types of athletes.
Sleep Changes
After a concussion, various issues can affect sleep patterns. Extreme fatigue leading to long periods of sleep is common. Alternatively, some people deal with insomnia that prevents or limits sleep. Many people find themselves having fewer or less vivid dreams. Other post-concussive symptoms may trigger sleep disturbances that a person mistakenly attributes to insomnia.
Head injuries that cause a concussion may also damage areas of the head or brain responsible for hearing, including the tympanic membrane, ossicles, or areas of the middle ear. Hearing loss may occur in up to 20% of people after concussive trauma. Most of the hearing loss affects high-frequency hearing, though low-frequency loss is possible. Some may experience ringing in the ears.
Personality Changes
Some people experience psychological and behavioral changes after a concussion. While the individual may not notice these shifts, they are clear to others who are familiar with the person's original personality. Mood swings are typical in post-concussive situations. Some people become more apathetic while others act more aggressively. The most common change in personality is an increase in irritability.
Concussions can also lead to anxiety disorders, which may explain some of the post-concussive personality changes. Recently, experts have recognized that many post-concussive symptoms are similar to those of depression disorders. This has led to research focusing on depression and anxiety as potential triggers for the other symptoms. Some researchers have also made links to post-traumatic stress disorder.


In one of our latest festive cooking classes we featured Red Cabbage. This deep purple vegetable from the cabbage family becomes very popular in the festive season. It is amazingly low in calories and a rich source of vitamins and minerals.
Red cabbage provides the vitamins C, A and E which all help in anti-oxidation and are therefore involved in delaying aging naturally. It is also a good source of calcium which aids in the strengthening of bones and teeth. Researchers have identified 36 different varieties of anti- cancer chemicals in red cabbage. This beneficial property is due to the high content of anthocyanin, a class of flavonoids that has been linked to cancer protection.
300 g spelt flour, 1 egg, 125 ml milk, 10 g butter, 300 g red cabbage, sliced, 1 clove, ½ apple (diced), 1 shallot (diced), 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon agave syrup, 100 ml apple juice, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, Salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons crème fraîche, 20 g butter (melted).
Mix the milk, flour, egg, butter to a semi firm dough, wrap in cling film and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Braise the shallots in olive oil and agave syrup, add the apple dices and the cabbage. Add apple juice and simmer covered for around 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar. Strain the cabbage before filling into the strudel. Roll out the strudel dough very thinly, brush melted butter on it and roll up with red cabbage and a little bit of crème fraîche. Bake in the preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. Serve with mushrooms and baby leeks.


Videos are more engaging than other forms of instruction and are specially helpful for those with limited reading skills. Images help viewers retain information. Audio, including narration, sound effects, and music, is immersive and helps connect emotionally. Text on screen can emphasize important concepts and point out specifics.
According to Nancy Chick, Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching, the term "learning styles" describes how learners gather, sift through, interpret, organize, come to conclusions about, and "store" information for further use. Although there a number of popular ways to categorize learning styles, the fundamental idea is that each person prefers a specific learning style and learns best when information is presented to them in that style. Although there currently is disagreement as to whether tailoring instruction to a preferred learning style actually improves learning, but there is evidence that different subjects are best taught by different methods. So, make your training visual and immersive for best results.
Experienced trainers recommend evaluating the task or skill that needs to be learned and determining what knowledge, physical skills, and attitudes or beliefs are necessary to successfully complete the task. The best instruction design uses videos in short segments to demonstrate and provide guidance, combined with knowledge checks, opportunities to ask questions and discuss, and time between segments to actually practice the skill. Separate, well-defined videos also allows viewers to pick the right refresher sections if they later forget or need additional help.
Video has the advantage of being easily available at the exact time and place where the task needs to be performed. Video can also be paused or rewatched after practicing. Unless the video has a marketing component and needs to look polished, content is king and videos do not necessarily need to look polished. The audio is still very important, however, because it often carries much of the message.
Video is a great way to show processes in motion, which can range from showing off a product to visualizing scenarios. It explains in a way that allows viewers to watch, read and hear instructions at the same time. Demonstration videos can help employees sharpen their expertise and better serve customers. They can also help customers, allowing them to learn how to use a new product and how to solve common problems.
Video is especially helpful for processes which are difficult to communicate suing traditional instruction -- for example, video can condense time and space, zoom in or magnify, and use sketches or animation to simplify complex topics.
The best training videos actually use story as a tool. A story can explain why and how the procedure or skill is needed. Once the listener understands this, they are less likely to forget. The elements of a good story for use in training are a realistic setting, a relatable character, and a simple plot with a beginning, middle and a climax.
There is a lot of advice out there about the importance of story, but most articles don't illustrate story. Story is memorable. Story is unexpected. Rather than going into further extended discussion, we've included a number of different samples as illustrations.
One component of accessibility is physical. Video was once confined to physical VCR tapes and later DVDs. Now, however, training videos can be made available online and accessible anywhere on a variety of devices. Corporations put online training videos on their employee website, allowing employees to learn and work at their own pace, stopping and playing them back as often as necessary to understand important points. Universities use video to teach Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC).
A second component of accessibility is eliminating barriers, such as language and hearing. You can increase accessibility and watchability in your training videos by transcribing the audio and making it available as captions with audio descriptions. This helps hearing impaired viewers and can also be translated for speakers of other languages. Captioning has even been proven to increase literacy in children. Captioning also delivers your message to viewers in noisy environments or who need the sound off for some reason.
Popular online learning sites include Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning, and even YouTube.
Traditional interaction methods, described above, include adding knowledge checks, discussion, and time to practice the skill.
Interactive video technologies are a new tool with much potential in training because they can provide much greater immersive interaction. By letting the viewer point and click around on the page, interactive videos allow viewers to experiment, learn and think critically at their own pace.
If Not Learning Styles, Then What?


Amanda Marie Clemons, born 1992, charged with infraction failure to use vehicle safety restraint by ISP on Jan. 4.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty on Jan. 8 with fines of $10.
Charles E. Cross, born 1964, charged with infraction failure to yield by vehicle entering highway by BFPD on Dec. 17, 2018.
Disposition: Found guilty on Jan. 11 with fines of $33.50 and costs of $58.50.
Charles L. Good, born 1966, charged with misdemeanor violation of the limitations or conditions of a special permit by POE on Dec. 28, 2018.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty on Jan. 11 with fines of $68.50 and costs of $160.50.
Patrick Mark Goodwin, born 1971, charged with infraction exceeding maximum posted speed limit (1-15 MPH) by ISP on Dec. 15, 2018.
Disposition: Found guilty by default on Jan. 7 with fines of $33.50 and costs of $56.50.
Donald Charles Hughes, born 1959, charged with infraction exceeding maximum posted speed limit (1-15 MPH) by BFPD on Dec. 28, 2018.
Disposition: Found guilty by default on Jan. 8 with fines of $33.50 and costs of $59.50.
Cameron H. King, born 1990, charged with infraction motor carrier overweight (1-4000 Lbs.) by POE on Dec. 14, 2018.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty by default on Jan. 7 with fines of $25 and costs of $56.50.
Richard N. Lawson, born 1956, charged with misdemeanor failure to stop for a damage accident or leaving the scene by the county on Sept. 11, 2018. Amended to misdemeanor leaving the scene of an accident on a highway or failing to stop for a damage accident.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty with a withheld judgment on Jan. 8 with fines of $142.50, costs of $157.50, 30 days jail, 30 days suspended jail, and 364 days unsupervised probation.
Michael K. McCollim, born 1963, charged with misdemeanor driving without privileges by BFPD on Dec. 6, 2018.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty after trial on Jan. 7 with fines of $327.50, costs of $172.50, 30 days jail, 28 days suspended jail, and 364 days unsupervised probation.
Sierra Rae Neshkoff, born 1997, charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use by BFPD on June 24, 2018.
Disposition: Pleaded not guilty. Dismissed on motion of prosecutor on Jan. 10.
Stephen J. Pepperdine Jr., born 1988, charged with infraction motor carrier overweight (1-4000 Lbs.) by POE on Dec. 14, 2018.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty by default on Jan. 7 with fines of $15 and costs of $59.50.
Jasbir Singh Sidhu, born 1974, charged with possession or use of alcohol under ISAPA 11.13.01.019 CFR by ISP on Oct. 20, 2018.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty on Jan. 7 with fines of $263.50 and costs of $160.50.
Ray A. Thomson, born 1988, charged with infraction failure to use vehicle safety restraint by ISP on Jan. 4.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty on Jan. 8 with dines of $10.
Marius Tomescu, born 1993, charged with infraction littering upon or alongside any public roadway (second offense) by ISP on Dec. 14, 2018.
Disposition: Found guilty by default on Jan. 7 with fines of $300 and costs of $56.50.
Charged with infraction operating a vehicle without a current or valid class D/operator's license by ISP on Dec. 14, 2018.
Disposition: Found guilty by default on Jan. 7 with fines of $150 and costs of $157.50.
Charged with infraction failure to secure a child six years or younger in vehicle safety restraints by ISP on Dec. 14, 2018.
Disposition: Found guilty by default on Jan. 7 with fines of $27.50 and costs of $56.50.
Justin Tracy, born 1978, charged with infraction exceeding maximum posted speed limit (1-15 MPH) by ISP on Dec. 22, 2018.
Disposition: Found guilty on Jan. 6 with fines of $33.50 and costs of $56.50.
Alyssa M.R. Truppe, born 1996, charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence, second offense, by BFPD on Nov. 16, 2018.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty on Jan. 8 with fines of $547.50, costs of $202.50, 180 days jail, 170 days suspended jail, 1 day credited time, 365 days driver's license suspended, and 364 days supervised probation.
Guido J. Van Veldhuizen, born 1969, charged with infraction exceeding maximum posted speed limit (16 MPH or over) by ISP on Jan. 4.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty on Jan. 8 with fines of $98.50 and costs of $59.50.
Charles V. Wells, born 1949, charged with infraction motor carrier overweight (1-4000 Lbs.) by POE on Jan. 4.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty by default on Jan. 10 with fines of $25 and costs of $56.50.
Timothy M. West, born 1961, charged with misdemeanor trespassing on private property of another to hunt, fish, trap, or retrieve wildlife by IDFG on Nov. 25, 2018.
Disposition: Pleaded guilty. Found guilty on Jan. 7 with fines of $200 and costs of $242.
Charged with misdemeanor unlawful possession of wildlife by IDFG on Nov. 25, 2018.
Disposition: Pleaded not guilty. Dismissed on motion of prosecutor on Jan. 7.


High-temperature stable transition metal carbides are one of the promising classes of materials for next-generation energy applications such as water splitting catalysis and electrodes for energy storage devices. Herein, origami-like molybdenum carbide flakes with interfacially connected structures in various orientations using an easily scalable chemical vapor deposition method are synthesized. Interestingly, each individual flake of similar orientation is interconnected across different planes. The interconnected architectures are found to be highly elastic and behave in a sponge-like manner. In addition, the surface energy of each plane is calculated using the first-principle density functional theory. The molybdenum carbide shows excellent activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction, with the onset over potential occurring around -16 to -25 mV with high stability. The material is used as an electrode for supercapacitors as a second demonstration. The supercapacitor constructed with polypyrrole reaches the specific capacitance of ≈279 F g -1 at a current density of 0.5 A g -1.
Search OSTI.GOV for author "Ozden, Sehmus"
Search OSTI.GOV for ORCID "0000-0002-8073-1633"
Search orcid.org for ORCID "0000-0002-8073-1633"
Ozden, Sehmus, Koizumi, Ryota, Samanat, Atanu, Alves, Ana Paula P., Mishra, Avanish, Ye, Gonglan, Silva, Glaura G., Vajtai, Robert, Singh, Abhishek K., Tiwary, Chandra S., and Ajayan, Pulickel M. Origami inspired Three-Dimensional Interconnected Molybdenum Carbide Nanoflakes. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1002/admi.201701113.
Ozden, Sehmus, Koizumi, Ryota, Samanat, Atanu, Alves, Ana Paula P., Mishra, Avanish, Ye, Gonglan, Silva, Glaura G., Vajtai, Robert, Singh, Abhishek K., Tiwary, Chandra S., & Ajayan, Pulickel M. Origami inspired Three-Dimensional Interconnected Molybdenum Carbide Nanoflakes. United States. doi:10.1002/admi.201701113.
Ozden, Sehmus, Koizumi, Ryota, Samanat, Atanu, Alves, Ana Paula P., Mishra, Avanish, Ye, Gonglan, Silva, Glaura G., Vajtai, Robert, Singh, Abhishek K., Tiwary, Chandra S., and Ajayan, Pulickel M. Fri . "Origami inspired Three-Dimensional Interconnected Molybdenum Carbide Nanoflakes". United States. doi:10.1002/admi.201701113. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1469542.


While in NYC filming the pilot for my fledgling, burger show, the crew and I happened upon Paul's Da Burger Joint. Fortuitously, this place was already on my list of well-reviewed burger shops in the city, and we just happened to drive by it,.The team at Paul's Da Burger Joint was kind enough to let us shoot some footage there. I found it noteworthy that the place was packed with regulars at 3:00 on a Saturday afternoon. Some of those regulars were even sporting shirts emblazoned with the restaurant's logo.
"Paul's "Da Burger Joint" was established in 1989 by its namesake Paul. Originally called "Paul's Palace".
It was a family operation run by Paul and his immediate family. To this day, it is run by the same people in the same manner. We can be described as a 50's eatery with counter service, checkered table cloths and vintage decorations. Many people have described us as "their home away from home" because of the friendly cozy environment created by our hospitality and style. Regulars enjoy sitting at the counter, talking with the cooks that they know by name, while eating their big juicy burger and sipping their cold beer.
We offer a wide variety of toppings available on any burger including mushrooms, jalapenos, chilly, bacon, etc to name a few. We make shakes, frosteds, egg creams and soda floats. We provide a big portion of high quality food at a reasonable price and do our best to satisfy all customers and make everyone feel at home. We look forward to dining with you over and over."
I sat at the counter and ordered a 1/2 pound Cheeseburger for $5.50. I was a little concerned that 1/2 pound of meat for $5.50 was to good to be true. I half expected a bland mess, which was beloved by locals for reasons born more of nostalgia than current quality. I was happily incorrect.
The Beef: The blend in the burgers at Paul's Da Burger Joint was bespoke and prepared off-site by their butcher. That same butcher seasoned the blend. The grind was coarse, and this gave the burger a satisfyingly firm and long-grained mouth feel. The mild funk and iron notes led me to conclude that some dry-aged Sirloin made its way into the burgers. The burger also carried a strong beefy flavor even though it was only cooked to the requested Med Rare. The fat content was a mere 15%, but the burgers were extremely juicy. The beef was somewhere between good and great.
The Seasoning: I noted a mild dusting of salt on the exterior. Mesquite was added by the butcher during the blending process.
The Sear: The sear on the burger patties at Paul's Da Burger Joint was solid. It was even, dark, and crisp. The griddle was hot enough that the sear did not penetrate deeply enough to compromise the Med Rare cooking request.
The Preparation: Did I mention the excellent sear and the perfect cooking temperature? Watching the cooks create the burgers was entertaining. When an order was placed, they grabbed an 8-ounce ball of ground beef and spiked it hard onto the flat top. That was the extent of the shaping, which the patties received. Interestingly, all the burgers that I watched leave the pass were all generally circular. The seared burger patties were finished under metal domes, which served to retain the heat from the gas-fired flat top and cook the thick patties more rapidly than an open cooking method. This was like tenting a turkey to reduce the cooking time.
The Cheese: The choices were Cheddar or American. I went with American. Paul's Da Burger Joint applied 2 slices of cheese to its cheeseburgers, so the savory goodness inherent in the American cheese was pronounced and satisfying. The cheese was nicely melted, and it filled in around the coarse beef.
The Bun: The bun was a standard, seeded, lightly toasted, burger bun. It was mildly sweet and a little yeasty. The toasting lent a pleasing crunch around the edges. This toasting complemented the texture of the sear on the beef.
The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was just right. The chewy, soft bun captured all of the juices from the burger without adding undue breadiness to the bite.
The Fries: The fries were previously frozen, par-cooked, peel-off, steak fries. The fries were crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. I noted a pleasant earthiness in the thick-cut fries. The seasoning was absent, but this was easily remedied.
The Value: I couldn't finish the meal. It was $5.50 for a 1/2 pound of steak-heavy cheeseburger with a gang of fries on the side. The value was excellent at Paul's Da Burger Joint.
After trying the burger art Paul's Da Burger Joint, I was not surprised at the loyal following they had amassed and retained over the years. The burger was tasty and well-priced. The staff was exceptionally friendly and accommodating.
Burger Review : A really, really good burger and an amazing price was enjoyed at Paul's Da Burger Joint.


DJ Boof loves music a lot! He also throws some fire beats so make sure to not miss out. When he is not on the air, he is doing homework. He likes Hip/Hop, R&B, Lofi. His favorite artists are MF Doom, Action Bronson, Brockhampton, and A Tribe called Quest. Tune in to The Boof, on Friday night at 8 o'clock.
Personally I really like any type of music (except for rock and jazz), all depending on the season, mood I'm in, and atmosphere around me. For instance, in the summer I love country and remixes since it's a vibe on a boat or just being in the sun and listening to that music. In the winter though, it's always nice to listen to RnB since it's dark and rainy out and RnB fits the vibe. My interests are volleyball, writing, skiing, music, my faith, and being with friends.
Dj Solo Bowlo aka Abe Epstein. Im a junior at Bellevue highschool and I play lacrosse. Tune into my show Thursdays at 8 to hear the best hip-hop and commentary of current events happening.
Hey y'all DJ Shy Whirlwind here! This is my second year here at the KASB station. You can catch me mainly on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 7:00-7:55 am.
DJ Heat Show: During the Heatwave, DJ Heat plays Hip Hop, Electronic and whatever is hot! DJ Heat enjoys all types of music as long as he can get down with it. Huge hip hop fan that will put you on to the underground. DJ Heat also host "The Morning Bowl" every Monday and Thursday with DJ Jazz and DJ Young.
Otherwise known as: Senior grad party robot, The better Juul Police officer or NickExtraRare; I will be hosting Extremely Rare; a KASB Production, playing all of the 2009 yodeling top 100 bangers. Keep it Rare, Extra Rare.
Comic book genius, movie lover, future power ranger. DJ Unicron radiates pure, unadulterated love of movies from every pore in his body, and still plays with action figures in his free time. If he had his way, KASB 89.9 FM would only play Vanilla Ice songs, but he has no favorite genre. Tune into Speech Bubble every Saturday at 9pm, where he showcases a different artist from any genre, every week.
Name of show: The Garbage Fire DJ name: Lil' Mainly going to play 70's 80's music and some garbage songs Come join DJ Lil' around the Garbage Fire and listen to some old but gold songs from the 70's and 80's.
Hi its DJ wanton destruction my shows will consist of information about various things such as movies, sports, news, and more. I love listening to rap so most of my music will just be rap other than rap you will find relaxing beats to listen to. Hope you tune in later and listen to the best shows in the west.
Hey and welcome to Chilies! DJ Kale in a bowl here. On my show you can hear about many things including news about movies, YouTube, Sports and much more. I play different types of music including classic rock, electronic, and pop so I hope you can dig that. Let's get this bread.
DJ Mouse here and welcome to my show, Chill Vibes Tuesdays! I'm so excited to share pop and tropical house music that will ease the stress away. When I'm not listening to music, I enjoy doing ballet, reading, and traveling. I also love a good workout in the gym so I will be playing good music to get through those grueling workouts!
Hey, I'm DJ Cardboard Box, playing only the most iconic hits from the past, most of which I enjoy more than I'm willing to admit. If you're looking for quality, sophisticated entertainment, you would do well to steer clear away from my show "the cardboard variety hour," Wednesdays at 7:00pm. On the other hand, if you don't hate fun feel free to tune in.
Ay yo, SmugFrigga here and ur listenin to Inhale Deeply. On my show I will be playing chill relaxing music; hopefully my show will expose you to a new style of music. With artists such as Joji, Post Malone, Potsu, Moow and more.
Its Dj shopaholic, When I'm not online shopping I'm listening to all kinds of music anything from pop music to Rock and all between. Come listen to my show on Monday nights !
DJ Chronic Sunshine here, I'm a music lover and an artist. My favorite singers are Childish Gambino and Panic! At the Disco. I play the Ukulele and I love drawing. I also binge watch a lot of shows on Netflix. I also have a podcast, check it out if you want, were on YouTube (odDcast poDcast). I will also be on KASB 89.9 on Monday's at 9 p.m. for my segment "Nine in the Afternoon".
DJ OJ was innocent. Name of show: "the juice" First off I'd like to thank my hero and inspiration Michael Vick for giving me the courage to make this far. I'm primarily gonna be playing whatever I feel like on that day because I'm the radio guy and I can do that now.
DJ Jazz throws down a nice saucy concoction of slaps ranging from R&B to Hip Hop with just an explosion of Rap and some chillin Lo-Fi on his show The Vibe Tribe. The sauce doesn't stop when DJ Jazz is outside the station, he often enjoys elongated walks on the beach and losing himself in a really good, self-written novel.
DJ Coop plays some fire music on the coop hour, I mostly play rap music, because it;s what I'm mostly into. When im not laying down fire tracks, I'm playing papas pizzeria or playing basketball. Make sure to tune into the coop hour on KASB Bellevue 89.9fm every Saturday at 7pm.
My is Cole Young. I play R&B pop and rap. Im 18 years old. Some artist that I play are Ariana Grande, Travis Scott, Cardi B and The Migos. When I'm not Djing, I play football and playing video games!


Ave Maria Press, September 2014, 160 pp.
In this fourth article in our July series on caregiving, Angela Alaimo O'Donnell explores how the mundane tasks of caregiving during her mother's final days—bathing, feeding, taking her for a walk in her wheelchair—became rituals or ordinary sacraments that revealed traces of the divine.
This article is condensed and reprinted from the author's book Mortal Blessings: A Sacramental Farewell, which received first place in the family life category at the 2015 Catholic Press Association Awards.
In late December of 2009 on a sunny Florida afternoon, my 81-year-old mother stepped across my sister's kitchen, caught her foot on the hem of her pink bathrobe, and fell onto the ceramic tile floor. She landed with sufficient force to break her right hip instantly, the hip opposite the one she had broken ten years earlier and that had been successfully repaired.
This second break was much worse than the first. The intervening decade had weakened my mother's body and, truth be told, her mind. A lifelong habit of smoking had led to C.O.P.D. (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and a similarly long habit of excessive drinking had rendered her major organs vulnerable. (Full disclosure: my mother was a functioning alcoholic for forty years.) This accident, as well as the surgery that might have saved a healthier person, would prove catastrophic in her weak condition. So began the steady, inexorable disintegration of my mother's living body which would conclude with her death exactly 48 days later on February 1, 2010.
In the course of those 48 days, my four siblings and I were drawn repeatedly from the far-flung places we lived to my mother's side, iron filings to her magnetic field. Each time our planes landed and we rushed to her bedside, we entered a new stage in what we would eventually understand to be her dying. And each time we arrived, we were newly clueless as to how to deal with the current round of medical complication and the increasingly volatile emotional firestorm we had been placed dead center of.
Looking back on those days, I am struck by the many moment-by-moment decisions we were forced to consider. While I believe that many of the choices we made were preceded by a process of careful thought and reasoning, I am also aware of the fact that many were made by heart, rather than by mind. We were wandering through strange terrain, and while there were occasional signposts suggesting the right direction to take, there were also signposts pointing in precisely the opposite direction.
We knew we were not in control of the large-scale medical events that were befalling our mother, so perhaps it seems natural that we found ourselves trying to exercise control in smaller ways. As the doctors and nurses made their regular rounds, introducing new pieces of alarming information, we went about the business of caring for our mother—activities that ranged from feeding, grooming, and amusing her, to simply sitting by her side—always trying to keep her mind off her pain and her terror. Quite unconsciously, we devised rituals, methods of dealing with disaster that were rooted in the sacramental practice we had learned as children in a working class, Italian-American Catholic family.
As an English professor and long-time admirer of Dubus's writing, I had read and shared these words with my students for years. But during the course of those 48 days, engaged in the work of daily, ritual care for a dependent parent, I was able to feel the truth of what had been an intellectual understanding.
The world in any given moment is, in fact, a sacrament—a revelation of the presence of God—made manifest in the humblest objects. What seems ordinary in our daily-to-day living is not ordinary at all: everything is enchanted. Seen in the light of the sacramental imagination, the stories of our lives become invested with meaning and importance, from our first breath to our last.
The Latin word sacramentum is often translated as a sign of the sacred. In the Church, sacraments are ceremonies that direct our attention toward the sacred by means of the mundane. During the consecration, bread and wine signify (and, through the mystery of transubstantiation, somehow become) the body and blood of Christ. Similarly, in Baptism, the pouring of water over the infant's head signifies a ritual cleansing, bathing the child in the waters of life, and also the drowning of the old self and the emergence of the new, a process further signified by the new name the child receives. The words, the actions, and the material substances are all signs of the invisible gift of grace. In addition, sacraments are communal in nature. They require participants and witnesses, effectively drawing us into communion with one another wherein all are sanctified.
These elements of ritual, mundane matter, and communion were all present in the sacraments we shared with our mother. The rites we devised as we cared for her served a practical function, but they also served a transcendent one. They were, indeed, outward signs of invisible grace, as well as mute testaments to the love we shared with one another—a human, familial love that is, ultimately, an expression of divine love. I was struck by this, even as we were performing these rituals in the ICU, in the hospital, in the nursing home, and, finally, in her hospice room. At the same time, I was touched by the humble nature of the materials we employed—not bread and wine, but pie and milk—not chrism oil, but make-up and nail polish.
A few weeks after her fall, my mother had rallied enough to undergo surgery and was moved to a nursing facility. This was a brief reprieve, days of Kairos rather than chronos time, during which we hoped for her recovery. Each day and hour had its attendant rituals, but the one she enjoyed most was the evening visit. Nightfall occasioned the bringing of an offering, most often in the form of a store-bought Key Lime pie. We would process into the room, announce the flavor of the pie, ceremoniously remove the clear plastic cover, cut a generous slice, and feed it to my mother. She, in turn, would savor each bite, chewing the crust with some difficulty (as her dentures had been removed), uttering small, childish cries of delight, and then pronouncing how "Dee-LISH-ous" it was. She would wash it down with a sip from the pint-sized carton of Ensure, the fortified milk she was given to drink. We would repeat the feeding, receiving exactly the same response from her, and repeat the sip, until the first piece was consumed. Then we would cut another slice.
I was astonished, both then and now, by the force with which it hit me: this ritual was Eucharist by another name. Here I was, a child feeding my mother, our role reversal reminding me of the innumerable meals she had fed me, beginning with my hidden life in utero and continuing into my adulthood. We had come full circle in the round of life we had led, and this ritual served to circumscribe the sacred relationship between mother and child, embracing our shared past even as it unfolded in the present moment. It also pointed to the future as I realized that I would likely be in her position one day, having my own children feed me. This simple meal was rooted in time, but it also transcended time, enabling me to see it—and us—in the context of eternity.
It was all this, and more. This action indicated our common humanity (we all need to eat to live), but it also gestured toward a greater, spiritual hunger that needs filling in the here-and-now. Our ordinary communion seemed a version of the divine communion we celebrate at Mass, food for the body and the soul that originates in the infinite generosity of a God who came to live among us and who continually gives himself to us in order that we might have life.
There is something about the nearness of death that offers unexpected glimpses into the nature of existence. Actions seen as rote, repetitive, and numbingly boring can suddenly become charged with mystery, freighted with history, and full of meaning we feel but lack the language to express. These epiphanies redeem the actions themselves, but, more important, they redeem the often fraught and fractured relationships between the people enacting these ordinary sacraments. Here, through the agency of pie, I was offering my mother everything I had unconsciously withheld from her for years: understanding, compassion, forgiveness, and, yes, even love. In response to my offerings, her mantra of "Delicious" served as her "Amen" and sounded to me like a series of acknowledgments: I know; thank you; I forgive you; and, most moving of all, I've always loved you.
Our spontaneous Eucharist served another sacramental function— an enacting of Confession, bestowing on us both forgiveness and mutual absolution. My forgiveness of my mother (she had not been the best) entailed my forgiveness of myself for my own short-comings as a daughter (I had not been the best). As for my mother, in her new-found simplicity of mind and heart, enjoying pie received at the hands of her child, she was mercifully relieved of guilt, resentment, or anger. In the face of extremity, all was forgiven. As it turned out, these sacramental meals were among the last she would eat—a series of last suppers. And so I've come to think of them as "mortal blessings": "mortal" in the sense that they do not—cannot—last; "blessings" in the sense that they impart benediction on giver and receiver.
As Andre Dubus points out in another essay, "On Charon's Wharf," "we are all terminally ill." All of us are engaged in the inevitable march towards our own mortality. But these sacramental moments enable us to pause in that march, to offer a gesture wherein we give ourselves away and thereby acquiesce to our common fragility and humanity. These are the sacraments of love, not seven in number, but seventy times seven. And each is cause for both sadness and joy.
This excerpt from Mortal Blessings was published by permission of Ave Maria Press. Read previous articles in this series: Caregiving—Why Should the Church Care?, Autumn Sage: A book excerpt from The Fifth Season, and With God's Help: Mary Margaret and Ken's Story.


text:
Gun Nut: I Had No Idea Naval Bases Were Gun Free Zones!
BLACK POWDER LAKE, MINNESOTA — When news broke on his TV about the shooting incident at a San Diego naval hospital, Grant Hubbard was "very confused," he tells us.
"I was under the impression thanks to the fine folks at the NRA that shootings only take place in gun free zones and other places where libtards have libtarded it up beyond all hope of repair," Hubbard, a self-described "right-wing, free market, modern libertarian," told us via phone interview. Hubbard runs several right-wing oriented Facebook pages and is a founding member "so when I found out the shooting in San Diego was at a navy facility, I was shocked to find out navy bases were gun free zones."
Hubbard said that while technically the NMCSD doesn't allow guns to be carried inside its Building 500, that like any other Naval facility, there are armed military police as well as other armed guards at the facility, so he is "baffled" by the fact that a shooting incident took place there. He said after doing some research he found out this wasn't the first shooting at the hospital, not even in the last five years, so that "must mean," he said, that the Navy decided to stop patrolling its facilities with armed guards, and instead turned them into "libtard-enforced gun free zones."
"Clearly the only place shootings take place are where criminals know guns aren't allowed," Hubbard said in a Facebook post, "although you could technically say that the overwhelming majority of multiple-victim shootings take place in private homes without gun restrictions, but that's jut like a technicality. If we are to believe anything the NRA tells us, and we are actually supposed to believe it all according to the Constitution I believe, then we know that people only attack places without armed protection…like banks, you know, so of course the naval hospital has to be a gun free zone."
Hubbard said that clearly "if there had been good guys with guns" in the naval hospital building, that contains a neonatal intensive care unit among other departments, that the shooting would never have happened. "Sure, there are guns literally everywhere now so the very idea of a gun free zone stopping someone from carrying out a horrific act of violence is silly as shit, but I'm a libertarian, if I don't snidely ignore your facts in favor of my feelings while all the while claiming it's you who only thinks emotionally, I'll lose my libertarian card, and we individualists hate not being accepted by the collective like that!"
After a few more minutes telling us why the economy was due to crash because our money isn't tied to the value of gold, Hubbard paused. Then, he asked us with confusion still in his voice, "It doesn't have to be a place totally without guns for it to be a gun free zone, does it?"
No further details of the NMCSD shooting have been released.
gun free zone
naval base
Naval Medical Center San Diego
navy hospital


At no time in human history have we possessed tools more finely-attuned to the art of manipulating the psychology of masses of people. These tools are supremely scalable. The same platforms that can target a demographic of heterogenous millions can individualize their content to reach, perhaps, a niche demographic of dozens. Taken in the context of Mark Zuckerberg's utopian manifesto from earlier this year, the existence of the "boost" document ought to give us serious pause.
Allow me to go one step further. Scientists based in Portland, Oregon, recently succeeded in using the gene-editing program CRISPR/Cas9 to edit the DNA of embryos to eliminate the development of a genetic mutation that would cause hypertrophic cardiomyapathy. This is an incredible victory for medical science. But as I've said before, I've read Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake. You should, too.
We have the tools to shape and reshape the human experience on a very literal level. On the genetic level, CRISPR is but the first feeble step toward technology whose power will enable us to program our own genetic makeup on scales previously imagined only in science fiction. Similarly, the algorithms of social media sites like Facebook have the potential to shape their users' desires, feelings, and perceptions in ways that are simultaneously microscopically managed and macroscopically unpredictable. I strive to make these observations not in a spirit of alarm or histrionics but in the mindset of sober assessment. If, despite my attempts at sobriety, you feel alarmed… well, good.
The mammoth's extinction may have been our original ecological sin. When humans left Africa 70,000 years ago, the elephant family occupied a range that stretched from that continent's southern tip to within 600 miles of the North Pole. Now elephants are holed up in a few final hiding places, such as Asia's dense forests. Even in Africa, our shared ancestral home, their populations are shrinking, as poachers hunt them with helicopters, GPS, and night-vision goggles. If you were an anthropologist specializing in human ecological relationships, you may well conclude that one of our distinguishing features as a species is an inability to coexist peacefully with elephants.
science flies on the wing of another kind of angel — the angel of neoteny — who weaves in and out of enfolded spaces, forever turning a corner or rounding a bend, entering or exiting a crease of the cosmos, such that his expectant, forward-looking gaze sees anew a world it has been seen countless times before, always as if for the first time.
NIH will not fund any use of gene-editing technologies in human embryos. The concept of altering the human germline in embryos for clinical purposes has been debated over many years from many different perspectives, and has been viewed almost universally as a line that should not be crossed. Advances in technology have given us an elegant new way of carrying out genome editing, but the strong arguments against engaging in this activity remain. These include the serious and unquantifiable safety issues, ethical issues presented by altering the germline in a way that affects the next generation without their consent, and a current lack of compelling medical applications justifying the use of CRISPR/Cas9 in embryos.
To me, the biggest likely change in our world from CRISPR-Cas9 and other genomic editing methods won't be in humans but in the non-humans we use the methods to modify. As it gets cheaper and easier to modify genomes, non-human genomes offer freedom from a lot of regulation, liability, and political controversy, while offering plenty of opportunities to improve the world, become famous, or make money – with combinations of all of the above.
Want to end malaria? Come up with a modified version of Aedes aegypti that can't transmit yellow fever, dengue fever, or chikungunya viruses to humans and will outcompete and eventually eliminate the wild type. Want to make a really economical biofuel? Take an algae and modify its genome in thousands of ways to optimize it for producing hydrocarbon fuel. Want to bring back the passenger pigeon? Use CRISPR-Cas9 to modify the genomes of existing band tail pigeons to match, more or less, the genomes sequenced from specimens on the extinct passenger pigeon. What to corner the market in high-end gifts? Start playing around with horse genomes adding in bits and pieces from other species in an effort to produce actual unicorns. What to make a splash as an artist? Use CRISPR-Cas9 to make a warren of truly glow-in-the-dark rabbits.
It is these kinds of uses of genomic engineering that could reshape the biosphere. As the ability to make carefully engineered genomic changes becomes more widely accessible, the possibility of insufficiently controlled or considered experiments increases dramatically. And so, of course, does the chance of more controlled interventions. I would like to see much more focus on this issue, of great practical importance, instead of so much attention on the sexier issue of germline genome modification in humans.
Context and links via Vox.
On a related note, over the holidays I read Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake (2003) for the first time. I suggest you do the same.


text:
import { Blueprint, Schemas } from '@boost/common/optimal';
import { Transport } from '../Transport';
import { TransportOptions, Writable } from '../types';

export interface StreamTransportOptions extends TransportOptions {
	/** The stream to pipe messages to. */
	stream: Writable;
}

export class StreamTransport extends Transport<StreamTransportOptions> {
	protected stream: Writable;

	constructor(options: StreamTransportOptions) {
		super(options);

		this.stream = options.stream;
	}

	override blueprint(schemas: Schemas): Blueprint<StreamTransportOptions> {
		const { func, shape } = schemas;

		return {
			...super.blueprint(schemas),
			stream: shape({
				write: func().required().notNullable(),
			}),
		};
	}

	/**
	 * Write a message to the configured stream.
	 */
	write(message: string) {
		this.stream.write(message);
	}
}


Sprinter Palender Chaudhary committed suicide at the Sports Authority of India run athletics academy on Tuesday. The 18-year-old was found hanging from a ceiling fan inside his hostel room in the athletics academy here at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
"I was told he had an argument on phone with his father yesterday morning. Later, his sister came to talk to him too. Unfortunately, we could not save him despite our best efforts," a SAI official told ANI.


text:
McCain and the Supreme Court
By Steven G. Calabresi and John O. McGinnis
Feb. 4, 2008 12:01 am ET
The conservative movement has made enormous gains over the past three decades in restoring constitutional government. The Roberts Supreme Court shows every sign of building on these gains.
Yet the gulf between Democratic and Republican approaches to constitutional law and the role of the federal courts is greater than at any time since the New Deal. With a Democratic Senate, Democratic presidents would be able to confirm adherents of the theory of the "Living Constitution" -- in essence empowering judges to update the Constitution to advance their own conception of a better world. This would threaten the jurisprudential gains of the past three decades, and provide new impetus to judicial activism of a kind not seen since the 1960s.


text:
Traineeship for Service Sector helps Jessica gain confidence
We have a proven track record of delivering high performing skills and employability contracts for the European Social Fund (ESF) and also deliver other large scale regional training and skills programmes for EU fund managing authorities.
The contracts listed below are delivered on behalf of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency and we work in partnership with local training companies in each region to ensure the programmes are relevant to the local economy.
ESF Contract: Positive Directions – London South
This programme is for jobseekers and inactive people predominantly aged 19-24 living in the London boroughs of Croydon, Richmond Upon Thames, Merton, Sutton and Kingston Upon Thames. Following an initial assessment and understanding of individual needs, learners will receive bespoke skills and vocational training, giving them the direction to progress into further education, traineeships, apprenticeships or employment.
ESF Contract: Positive Directions – SELEP
Targeting 15-18 year olds across East Sussex, Kent and Essex, the programme is planned in conjunction with local authorities to concentrate on identified 'hot spots'. Working with our delivery partners, we are predominantly focussed on supporting school leavers aged 15 and over as well as those aged 16-18. Each learner is supported by a mentor to develop an individual programme of relevant skills and vocational training and is guided to enable progression into further education, employment, traineeships or apprenticeships.
ESF Contract: Positive Directions – Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Enterprise Partnership
Supported by local delivery partners throughout the region, this programme is designed for people aged 15-24 with a specific focus on the particular needs of school leavers aged 15 and over as well as jobseekers and inactive people aged 19-24. Following an initial assessment, each learner will receive bespoke training provision together with guidance towards further education, traineeships, apprenticeships or employment.
ESF Contract: Step Up – Coast to Capital LEP
For people aged 16 and upwards, Step Up is designed for people in employment, people at risk of redundancy and people who have recently been made redundant who are needing to develop basic and/or vocational skills. The training and support are available to people throughout the region. The programme is tailored to match individual needs and is planned to provide guidance towards further education, apprenticeships and, where appropriate, employment.