Volunteers work together with our occupational therapists, clients and their carers, to make or modify equipment that promotes independence and improves quality of life. Solve volunteers give their time freely and are reimbursed for out of pocket expenses such as materials, travel, telephone calls etc. New volunteers are required to participate in a half day Induction Training course and all volunteers are encouraged to attend branch meetings/days that are held during the year.
There are opportunities to volunteer for Solve Disability Solutions throughout Victoria in a range of different ways.
Technical Volunteers use their trade, engineering, textiles, upholstery and technical skills and experience to build equipment related solutions.
Freedom Wheels Volunteers assist in the Freedom Wheels Cycling Program at bike clinics and assembling customised bikes.
Non-Technical Volunteers undertake various roles including administration, public relations and fundraising.
Enquire about becoming a volunteer or download an application form and send it in to Solve Disability Solutions.
Solve Disability Solution's Technical volunteers use their own workshop (or a workshop they have access to) and tools to design, make or modify equipment for people with disabilities when there is no commercial option available. Initially, the volunteer attends an appointment with the client and the Solve Disability Solutions Occupational Therapist at the place where the equipment is to be used, and together they identify a solution that will be practical, safe and appropriate to the client's needs and medical condition. The volunteer then makes/modifies the equipment/aid in their own time.
Bike Assessment Clinics. Children's specific needs are assessed by Solve Disability Solutions Occupational Therapists at bike clinics held in Melbourne and selected regional centres in Victoria. Volunteers assist by taking off and adding on specific parts of the bike e.g. pedals, back supports etc. until the bike is customised to meet the individual needs of the client.
Bike Customisation (Assembly). Once the needs of the client have been assessed, a separate bike build day is arranged to assemble the bikes. Each bike is customised to the specific needs of the client, this work is undertaken by a team of volunteers at Solve Disability Solutions' Central Office- Kew, using specially designed support equipment.
Roles are limited in administration, however skills in filing, general office work, various computer software packages and customer service are all valuable.
Corporations interested in providing volunteering experiences for their staff are asked to contact our Volunteer Coordinator on 9853 8655.


text:
BJP reverses in 3 Lok Sabha By-elections in UP and Bihar can alter political landscape
Chennai: Three by-election results two Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh and one from Bihar – have the potential to alter the political landscape of the country in the 2019 general elections.
Results of the by pols, whether it is UP, Rajasthan, Bihar, or elsewhere are an indication of the anger of the people against the BJP government at the centre. In the words of Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the people are holding this government as anti-farmer, anti-worker, anti-youth and anti-middle class and the by election results are an indication of the way the mood of the nation is changing, he said.
For the first time in 30 years, in Uttar Pradesh its chief minister Yogi Adityanath was poised to lose his own bastion of Gorakhpur and the BJP lost the seat previously held by deputy chief minister in Phulpur by whopping margin to SP candidate.
Interestingly, the SP and BSP of Mayawati came to an election-eve understanding, something that was no expected by the BJP or factored in and lost the game at that stage itself.
Coupled with strategy on the ground, a social engineering worked out by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati, is the voter anger against the BJP and its leaders and their behaviour. Otherwise, it is not possible for a party to get defeated within just a year of sweeping the state with such a huge mandate in assembly elections in 2017.
The final margin in Phulphur is over 50,000, which is considered huge in a bypoll to the parliament seat. Similarly in Gorakhpur, the margin is close to 30,000 votes and more important here the SP has beaten Yogi from where he won five consecutive times.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that the BJP was foxed by the "opportunistic alliance between SP and BSP" and for the 2019 general elections this factor would be considered before finalising strategy for the general elections.
Already, the victory in just two by polls in Uttar Pradesh has energised the opposition, whose leaders are sending in congratulatory messages to Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati. Similarly, in Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav's son Tejaswi Yadav, led the party in winning one assembly and one parliament seats described it as a slap of the people against Nitish Kumar for stabbing RJD and Lalu Prasad Yadav.
The RJD won Jehanabad assembly seat and Araria Lok Sabha seat in Bihar and the ruling JDU-BJP combine could just win Bhabua assembly seat.
"Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the BJP has formed the government in Bihar through the backdoor," Tejaswi Yadav charged congratulated Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati.
He said that all opposition parties, including the Congress must come together to beat the BJP in the general elections.
But he expressed the apprehension that from today, all the governmental agencies will work overtime to target opposition leaders and implicate them in cases. "But we will untie and fight," he told a private television channel.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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{

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- (void)cursorDidStopDragging:(HLSCursor *)cursor
{

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Nice Condition Has flour bin and cutting board. The item "Antique Hoosier Cabinet" is in sale since Monday, July 25, 2016.
This item is in the category "Antiques\Furniture\Cabinets & Cupboards\1900-1950". The seller is "kheidelberger832" and is located in Woodstock, Maryland. This item can't be shipped, the buyer must pick up the item.


Wow, you got a lot done at that quilt retreat. I have always wanted to go to a retreat. I can't believe your cheap gas prices! Holy cow! We're still paying 2.19 in Madison. Lucky you!
Whoo hoo, Munchkin a step closer to being home bound!
Wow!! What a great Monday for you! Seriously just amazing! the little guy gets to come home!
Definitely a lot to smile about. That little one is so precious.Looks like you had a wonderful retreat with all those completed projects. It must feel so good.Our gas just dropped to $2.60 and I thought that was good!!!!!


Tastefully decorated Gulf Front condo in Bristol tower with stunning Gulf views! Priced to sell! Quality furnishings & well maintained. Plank Tile throughout, carpet in bedrooms, granite countertops. Currently non-rental with income potential of up to $40k per year. 2017: NEW HVAC. 2014: NEW WASHER & DRYER. Resort Amenities: 5 beachfront pools & hot tubs, tennis, basketball, water sports; Clubhouse with spa/salon, indoor pool, fitness, restaurant, lounge; more food & shopping outlets on property. Club membership fees are separate from monthly condo dues.


text:
Stoltenberg: Albania is playing important role in NATO
by EWB Archives 23. 06. 2017. 05. 07. 2017.
Press Conference NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg; Photo: NATO
TIRANA – NATO decided in July last year at the Warsaw summit to increase the presence of the Alliance troops in the Baltic countries. To date, less than one year later NATO has deployed four multinational battalion-size groups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, which are presided over namely by UK, Canada, Germany and the US, ATA reports.
Participating in this operation are also the Armed Forces of Albania which provide the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) capacity for the battalion-group stationed in Latvia, which is seen as a very important support capacity. EOD is the special structure for elimination of hazardous materials, the Engineering Battalion of Support Command.
Albania is part of the battalion group in Latvia presided over by Canada, contributing alongside states like Italy, Poland and Slovenia.
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, during his visit on June 19-20 in the military bases in Adazi, Latvia and Stasenai, Lithuania, gave an interview to the Albanian Telegraphic Agency which has closely followed the military parade in Latvia and military exercise "Iron Wolf 2017" in Lithuania.
In his interview with ATA, Stoltenberg spoke about the role of Albanian troops in the operations conducted in the Baltic countries and the contribution of Albania in the Alliance. Furthermore, Stoltenberg touched upon the potential threats from Russia and other countries for the Balkan region.
ATA: What do you think about the role of Albanian military troops in the operations that are taking place in the Baltic countries and the contribution of Albania in the NATO Alliance?
Jens Stoltenberg: We very much appreciate the contributions of Albania and I met the Albanian troops yesterday in Latvia. And I have seen them here again. Albania is really playing an important role in the Alliance. And I commend Albania for contribution in different ways to the NATO. The increased NATO presence in Europe is a response to an assertive Russia and the aggressive actions of Russia in Ukraine. Of course, it is important for all our allies, including Albania, that any action against us will trigger a response from all the Alliance.
ATA: Do you foresee any threat from Russia or any other country in the Balkan region?
JS: We don't see any imminent threat. But, we see assertive Russia which has also been active in Western Balkans. Therefore, we welcome that recently we were able to welcome Montenegro as the 29-th member of the Alliance. I also welcome the fact that Albania and other Western Balkan countries already are members of the NATO. It underlines that we have to be vigilant; we have to strengthen our situation of awareness, including our intelligence services to be able to closely monitor also how Russia is also present in Western Balkans.
InterviewJens StoltenbergNATOWestern Balkans
New Serbian gov't to have ministries of environment, EU integration
New Kosovo parliament to ratify demarcation agreement with Montenegro?
Ivanov has annulled all pardons
Germany ready to commit itself to the Western Balkans
EWB Archives 17. 04. 2017. 17. 06. 2017.
Mogherini, Hahn welcome vote for new Macedonian government


Electronics giant Texas Instruments (TI) and specialty retailer Brookstone have announced the Pocket Projector for iPhone 4, a case for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S that incorporates TI's Pico projector technology to offer on-the-go video projection.
The $230 Pocket Projector is similar in design to many iPhone battery cases—your phone slides into the case, which hosts a USB-chargeable 2100mAh battery—except that the top of the case doesn't wrap around your iPhone. This means less protection, but it also makes it easy to quickly slip your phone into or out of the bulky case.
Near the iPhone's headphone jack at the top of the Pocket Projector is the projector's lens, powered by a 15-lumen-LED projection lamp and TI's DLP Pico projector technology. On the back of the case is a small, 0.5-Watt speaker. The companies claim the projector can produce an image of up to 50 inches (measured diagonally) with a 640- by 360-pixel native display resolution; a small dial lets you adjust the projector's focus. The Pocket Projector works with any app that supports dock-connector video out, including the stock Videos, Photos, and YouTube apps, along with third-party apps that specifically offer this feature.
Over the weekend, I spent some hands-on time with the Pocket Projector, and I found it to be easy to use. As with Apple's video-output cables and adapters for the iPhone, once you place your iPhone in the Pocket Projector, so that the latter makes a good connection with the phone's dock-connector port, any app that supports video-out automatically sends video to the projector—you don't have to change settings or otherwise activate the feature. I was able to achieve the claimed 50-inch image from a distance of about eight feet.
Once focused, the Pocket Projector's image is pretty clear, although a dark room is required for the best image quality, and small or thin-font text in Keynote presentations can be difficult to read thanks to the projector's low resolution. I found the Pocket Projector to be most effective for watching video and for displaying photo slideshows to a group.The internal speaker doesn't play very loud, but you can use external speakers by connecting a standard 3.5mm audio cable to your iPhone's headphone jack—because of the placement of the projector's lens, you just need to be careful that the cable doesn't block the lens. You can also use the Pocket Projector as a backup battery, much like the aforementioned battery cases.
The Pocket Projector is currently available for pre-order on the Brookstone website. The company expects the product to start shipping next week.


For those of you who have contemplated being a volunteer, the two basic requirements to be a good volunteer is a spirit of adventure and a little time. You don't have to posses any special talent, just love Siberian Huskies, have a little common sense and be willing to take a chance on doing something new.
Our most urgent need is usually for folks to answer our call-in line, return the calls and as part of that, manage the match ups for dogs needing homes and applicants applying to adopt.
Do you enjoy speaking to people and interacting with them?
Do you have between a 1/2 and 1 hour a day, Monday through Friday, for two months to volunteer?
Do you have use of a computer and the internet?
Would you like to experience a great feeling of satisfaction when you have facilitated finding a new home for a dog that desperately needs one?
If you are like most Siberian lovers, you would probably want to adopt all of the ones in need. But we know that is just not practical. So when you can directly help one, you get a great feeling of satisfaction. As the individual matches are made, a wonderful sense of accomplishment is reward in itself. Not to mention the fantastic group of folks that Patriot has to work with.
If you would like more information, please e-mail us or leave a message on our phone line. We will call you back to discuss it.
Foster homes, provided by people who know and understand the breed, are also needed as well. To volunteer or apply to become a foster home, please contact us.


text:
Why Jason Aldean Is Extra Nervous About Presenting at the ACM Awards
Carena Liptak Published: March 6, 2022
Bryan Steffy, Getty Images
Jason Aldean is a three-time nominee at Monday night's (March 7) ACM Awards ceremony, and he's performing during the show, too. But his most nerve-wracking gig of the night might actually be his role as a presenter, Aldean told Taste of Country Nights ahead of the big show.
"I don't know if you'd necessarily call it presenting -- I'm setting an artist up to sing. I think it's the first time I've ever done that, actually," the singer says. While he's been nominated at the ACMs 31 times, and won 14 of those trophies -- including Entertainer of the Year on three occasions -- the presenting gig is new territory.
Plus, Aldean continues, he's a little nervous about the logistics.
"I know you have to read a teleprompter," he says. "If you see me up there squinting, it's because I can't see. I'm that guy on my phone with the largest font you can get, because I can't see it anymore. I need Lasik."
Squinting or not, you can catch Aldean during Monday night's show, where he's up for Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Video of the Year. In all three categories, the nominated song is "If I Didn't Love You," Aldean's hit duet with Carrie Underwood.
The 2022 ACMs will take place Monday night at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium at 8 PM ET. The show will stream on Amazon Prime Video, marking the first time the awards show has aired over a streaming platform instead of a major broadcast network. The two-hour program will air with no commercial breaks.
Dolly Parton will host the show with the 2021 New Male and Female Artists of the Year, Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett.
Remember: The best way to watch the 2022 ACMs is on TV, with ToC on your phone!
2021 ACM Red Carpet Pictures
The best dressed on the 2021 ACM Awards red carpet brought color — lots of color — for an awards show that promises to be a celebration. Photos show stars like Carly Pearce, Kelsea Ballerini, Chris Young, Kane Brown and more wearing the hottest and often most expensive designer outfits, or suits they designed themselves, in the case of Jimmie Allen.
Check out a full gallery of country music's hottest stars on the ACM Awards red carpet. Who do you think is best dressed and worst dressed?
The 2021 ACM Awards took place at the Bluebird Cafe, Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Sunday (April 18).
Source: Why Jason Aldean Is Extra Nervous About Presenting at the ACM Awards
Filed Under: ACM Awards, Jason Aldean
More From K99
Death of Fan at a 2014 Jason Aldean Concert Ruled a Homicide
Jason Aldean Looking for First CMA Awards Win Since 2011
Boo! See Country Stars in Their 2022 Halloween Costumes [Pictures]
Jason Aldean Goes Off Script, Brings Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert on Stage in Nashville


text:
As If We Didn't Know Rita Wilson Was a True M.O.M..... Jillian Michaels Shares Her Exclusive Interview with Rita On Everyday Health
As an Everyday Health expert, Jillian Michaels will be contributing regularly to the #1 online health destination--everydayhealth.com--and we thought we would share Jillian's exclusive interview on health, family, and career with Huffington Post's newest editor-at-large: actress, producer, and writer.. aka M.O.M, Rita Wilson.
photo courtesy of EverydayHealth.com
"Rita Wilson is a beloved gem of a woman who has managed a healthy, celebrated marriage for over 20 years in a town that loves to attack happiness. She's a mom of four beautiful kids who all adore her. She's a revered producer, celebrated actress on Broadway and the silver screen, dedicated philanthropist, accomplished writer who contributes to such power publications as Harper's Bazaar and the Huffington Post, where she's an editor-at-large. She wears so many hats it's staggering, but the fact that she wears them all so well is what truly bowls me over. For all those reasons I have found her to be deeply impassioned, influential, and motivating, which is why I set my sights on interviewing her.
What annoys the hell out of me about articles, as the writer and the subject, is that there is no way to interpret tone. So much of Rita's charisma and warmth is in her tone and I hate that you're missing that, so let me set it for you. Throughout this interview I could feel her smiling through the phone. There's a steady unwavering in her tone of speech that conveys patience and strength. The rhythms of her sentences are rife with self-deprecating chuckles as well as long introspective pauses, which allow her to craft her thoughts into potent, impactful messages.
And on that note, let's begin." (read Jillian's Interview HERE)
FOLLOW SOCIALLY
Everyday Health Twitter
Everyday Health Facebook
Jillian > www.twitter.com/JillianMichaels
Rita Wilson > www.twitter.com/RitaWilson


text:
'use strict';

var base64 = require('./base64');
var crypto = require('crypto');
var Md5 = require('spark-md5');
var setImmediateShim = global.setImmediate || global.setTimeout;
var MD5_CHUNK_SIZE = 32768;

// convert a 64-bit int to a binary string
function intToString(int) {
  var bytes = [
    (int & 0xff),
    ((int >>> 8) & 0xff),
    ((int >>> 16) & 0xff),
    ((int >>> 24) & 0xff)
  ];
  return bytes.map(function (byte) {
    return String.fromCharCode(byte);
  }).join('');
}

// convert an array of 64-bit ints into
// a base64-encoded string
function rawToBase64(raw) {
  var res = '';
  for (var i = 0; i < raw.length; i++) {
    res += intToString(raw[i]);
  }
  return base64.btoa(res);
}

function appendBuffer(buffer, data, start, end) {
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}

function appendString(buffer, data, start, end) {
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    // only create a substring if we really need to
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  buffer.appendBinary(data);
}

module.exports = function (data, callback) {
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RS Electrical Supplies have a large selection of electrical accessories for domestic, commercial and industrial use. We all have general electrical needs so that's why we make a point of supplying everything you may need.
Our selection includes, Cable Connectors, Coaxial Accessories, Earthings, Electrical Test Equipment, Extension Leads, Fluorescent Starter Cans, Gripit Fixings, Plug Tops, PVC Sleeving, Screws and Plugs, and Weatherproof Boxes. Whatever your general electrical needs are, we're sure to solve it right here for you. And with brands like BG Electrical, Di-LOG, GriptIt, ILME, Knightsbridge, Lynteck, SMJ, Schneider and Unicrimp, you know you are getting an excellent product that will do the job. Browse our extensive range today to get your general electrical supplies.


text:
Q: Trace.WriteLine() with TextWriterTraceListener eventually stops working on a published ASP.NET site I'm adding logging using Trace to a new ASP.NET site.  When I run the project locally, the logging works as expected.  When I publish the project (via a file system publish through Visual Studio), the site will successfully log for a little while (anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes), but then eventually stop writing to the output file.
Here's how I'm initializing my TraceListener in my Global.asax.cs:
protected void Application_Start()
{
    textWriterTL = new TextWriterTraceListener(logFilePath);
    Trace.Listeners.Add(textWriterTL);
    Trace.AutoFlush = true;

    ...
}

Later, in a Web API controller method, I write to Trace like so:
Trace.WriteLine("An error occurred").

I don't feel like I'm doing anything unconventional.  Why does my site stop logging after a period of time?

A: It happens because in the Application_Start method you souldn't instance any class, according to MSDN docs:

You should set only static data during application start. Do not set
  any instance data because it will be available only to the first
  instance of the HttpApplication class that is created.

I recommend set the TraceListener in Web.config, just like this sample:
<system.diagnostics>
    <trace autoflush="true">
      <listeners>
        <add type="System.Diagnostics.TextWriterTraceListener" name="FileListener" initializeData="MyLog.log" />
        <remove name="Default" />
      </listeners>
    </trace>
  </system.diagnostics>

Reference: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms178473.aspx

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Learn How To Select The Richgt Measure For Your Costume.
• You can select the costume measure (S/M/L/XL) that best matches your current clothing size, or you can buy a few sizes bigger.
• We recommend buying bigger sizes, since purchasing something that is too small cannot be altered later on.
• You are responsible for picking up your costume on March 01st or 04th March 2019 at Copacabana or Ipanema. We are only available to distribute costumes between 9 AM and 4PM on those two days.


text:
Q: c# get shape in selected group set on a slide Intro: I'm new in C# coding, just searching code and trying to get it together.
Question: Can you tell me how to get programmatically one shape from two grouped shapes? Or give me the link with explanation? I've been searching this for two days already and it's drive me a crazy :(.
Situation: I'm writing PowerPoint Add-In that insert 2 shapes on slide, group them and the next button modifes one of shape from those selected group set. And I've got stuck with how to get selected one shape from the group set.
I found and modifyed this code, but it works for any shape on the slide, even if it's not a group set:
var AppPPT = Globals.ThisAddIn.Application;
if (AppPPT.ActiveWindow.Selection.Type == PowerPoint.PpSelectionType.ppSelectionShapes)
{
    PowerPoint.Shape shape = AppPPT.ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange[1];
    shape.Fill.ForeColor.ObjectThemeColor = Office.MsoThemeColorIndex.msoThemeColorAccent2;
}

I have this add-in in VBA and it works fine, but I wanted to re-write this in C#.
Sub Change()
Dim sld As Slide
Dim shpG As ShapeRange
Dim oShp As Shape
    Set oShp = ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange(1)
    oShp.GroupItems(2).Visible = msoTrue
    oShp.GroupItems(2).Select msoTrue

    With oShp.GroupItems(2)
    //changes with the shape
    End With
End Sub

Thanks,
Elena


Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was documented as 46,478 in the 2010 census. The city borders Lacey to the east and Tumwater to the south. Olympia is a major cultural center of the Puget Sound region. Olympia is located 60 miles (100 km) southwest of Seattle, the largest city in the state of Washington, and falls within the borders of the Seattle CSA.
The site of Olympia has been home to Lushootseed-speaking peoples for thousands of years, including Squaxin, Nisqually, Puyallup, Chehalis, Suquamish, and Duwamish.
The first recorded visit by Europeans was in 1792 when Peter Puget and a crew from the British Vancouver Expedition charted the site. In 1846, Edmund Sylvester and Levi Smith jointly claimed the land that now comprises downtown Olympia. In 1851, the U.S. Congress established the Customs District of Puget Sound for Washington Territory and Olympia became the home of the customs house. Its population steadily expanded from Oregon Trail immigrants. In 1850, the town settled on the name Olympia, at the suggestion of local resident Colonel Isaac N. Ebey, due to its view of the Olympic Mountains to the Northwest. The area began to be served by a small fleet of steamboats known as the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet.
In 1967, the state legislature approved the creation of The Evergreen State College in Olympia. Since 1984, Olympia has also been home to the South Puget Sound Community College. Olympia has become a hub for artists and musicians, and has been named one of the best college towns in the nation for its vibrant downtown and access to outdoor activities.


text:
May Quick Picks and Pans
Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991) It would be a huge understatement to say that this movie, with its creative gore effects, won't be everyone's cup of tea. Simply stating that Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky is over the top doesn't begin to do it justice – it goes over the top and keeps on going. So, what's it about? The story (such as it is) takes place in the far-off future date of 2001, when prisons are privatized and run by thugs. Riki-Oh Saiga (Siu-Wong Fan) is sent away to prison for killing one of the men responsible for his girlfriend's death. Every day, thanks to the sadistic assistant warden (Mei Sheng Fan), there's a new fight and a new opportunity to die, but Riki-Oh is more than up to the challenge. He continually finds new and increasingly disgusting ways to finish off his opponents, but might have just found his match when he faces off against the Gang of Four, the deadliest killers in the prison. The non-stop violence and bloodshed might turn some away, but it's so completely beyond the realm of believability that it enters a whole new surreal universe (think Dead Alive). Those looking for an inventively warped film experience might find just find their Nirvana here (I had a blast). Everyone else might want to steer clear.
Rating: *** ½. Available on DVD
Melancholia (2011) This film starts as a relatively pedestrian family drama, focusing on two sisters Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), on the eve of the former sister's wedding celebration. Oh yeah… and it's the last few days before the recently discovered planet Melancholia will collide with the Earth, ending all life. Writer/director Lars von Trier's nihilistic farce is simultaneously pretentious and compelling. The film is divided into two parts, with the first section focusing on Justine as she drifts through her elaborate wedding ceremony. Everyone is happy (or at least putting on appearances of being happy), blissfully ignoring the bad omens that loom on the horizon. Justine, however, is just going through the motions, making plans with her freshly minted husband that will never come to fruition. Amidst these opening scenes of inner torment, there's a fun little comic turn by Udo Kier as the self-absorbed wedding planner. The world is ending, but all he cares about is that she's making a mockery of his perfect reception. In the second part, as the planet Melancholia gets closer to Earth, the more "rational" Claire starts to fall apart at the seams and Justine becomes resigned to her fate. Depending on your point of view, it's either the darkest of dark comedies or a grim drama with no respite. With von Trier, either perspective is probably valid. The end isn't all that shocking or tragic when we realize that it's not about the inevitable, but the moments in between.
Rating: *** ½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Netflix Streaming
Tales From Earthsea (2006) Hayao Miyazaki's son Goro proves that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree with his debut feature directorial effort. While he never quite hits the high notes of the elder Miyazaki's work, it's still a quality effort. The film was a critical disappointment at the time, perhaps due to unrealistic expectations about the Miyazaki name, and reports that Tales From Earthsea author Ursula K. Le Guin was unimpressed with the results. I can't comment on the original source material, except that the story seems to be condensed, feeling a bit like The Black Cauldron (which itself was an abbreviated version of the novel). The character designs also look derivative, compared to other Studio Ghibli films. Faults aside, Tales From Earthsea works as a moderately enjoyable, if largely forgettable fantasy. Goro might not exactly be a chip off the old block, but that's a good and bad thing. There are hints from this film that he might, in time, establish his own unique style. Worth a look.
Rating: ***. Available on Blue-Ray and DVD
Lust for a Vampire (1971) This movie ranks as second-rate Hammer, which still makes it more interesting than a lot of the other stuff out there. Director Jimmy Sangster's follow-up to the superior The Vampire Lovers stands as a lesser entry in the Karnstein trilogy. Yutte Stensgaard is pretty enough in the lead role as the seductive Mircalla (aka: Carmilla Karnstein), but her character is rather dull. Ralph Bates turns in an amusing performance as the obsequious schoolmaster Giles Barton, who vows his undying allegiance to Mircalla. The film seems to ignore most of the conventions about vampires (with Mircalla walking around in the daytime), and remembers other rules when it's convenient to the plot (such as a cross necklace that appears around an intended victim's neck just in the nick of time). While it's not terrible, it isn't very good either. Lust for a Vampire is diverting enough, but thoroughly disposable. There's not quite enough to make this a must-see, but I suppose you could do worse with your time.
Rating: ** ½. Available on DVD
Posted by Barry P. at 6:06 PM No comments:
Labels: Action, Animation, Anime, Drama, Fantasy, Hammer, Horror, Japan, Kung Fu, Movies, Reviews, Sci-Fi, Weirdness
The Once Over Twice: Sleepy Hollow
(1999) Directed by Tim Burton; Written by Andrew Kevin Walker; Based on the story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving; Starring: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson and Christopher Walken; Available on DVD and Blu-ray.
Rating: ****
When I learned that Page at the wonderfully nostalgic blog MyLove of Old Hollywood was hosting this first-ever Horseathon, I jumped at the chance to participate (Many thanks to Page for graciously allowing me to join the festivities!). It didn't take long for me to decide that my only choice would be Tim Burton's retelling of Washington Irving's classic tale about the Headless Horseman.
Tim Burton has received a bad rap lately. It's almost become fashionable to bash Burton for his predictable casting decisions, and recycling the same tired themes and visuals over and over (case in point, the abysmal Alice in Wonderland). Dwelling on his most recent efforts, however, has made it easy to forget that he created some of the most consistently distinctive and deliciously idiosyncratic mainstream Hollywood films of the 80s and 90s (Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood). By now, it's become something of a cliché to expect Johnny Depp to appear in a Tim Burton movie, but when Sleepy Hollow was released in 1999, it had only been their third collaboration.
Sleepy Hollow was based very loosely on Washington Irving's 1820 short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." It's clear that Burton and screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker intended to utilize the source material as a springboard rather than a template. Johnny Depp hardly matches Irving's original description of Ichabod Crane as a tall, gangly schoolmaster (refer to the Disney animated version for a more faithful interpretation). Likewise, Crane's profession has been revised from teacher to an eccentric police inspector who's afraid of his own shadow. Irving's simple ghost story of dubious veracity (according to the original tale's narrator) has been transformed to a full-blown mystery with supernatural overtones. In Burton's insightful DVD commentary he described his movie as a "Scooby Doo mystery."
Depp strikes the right notes as consummate skeptic Crane. He's tasked by an imposing New York burgomaster (in a cameo by the incomparable Christopher Lee*) to investigate a series of strange murders in the rural town of Sleepy Hollow. He tries to solve the mystery with dispassionate objectivity and a scientific eye, although his timid nature keeps getting the better of him. Depp adds some amusing comic flourishes, including an unfortunate tendency to faint and awkwardness on his trusty steed Gunpowder**, to the otherwise somber proceedings. As he gets closer to the answers, he's forced to reassess his strict adherence to reason, and accept that rumors of a spectral horseman are more than just delusions.
* Fun fact: Although Christopher Lee and Michael Gough (as Notary Hardenbrook) never shared any screen time in Sleepy Hollow, it served as a reunion of sorts for the two actors, who worked together on Hammer's The Horror of Dracula 41 years earlier.
** Fun fact number two: In an interesting side story, the real-life horse that portrayed Crane's horse Gunpowder (real name Goldeneye) was supposed to be euthanized, but Depp decidedto adopt it.
Christopher Walken has a commanding presence as the Headless Horseman, a Hessian soldier who met a nasty demise but refuses to stay dead. Except for a few well-placed shouts, Walken never utters a word but communicates through facial expressions and movement. His maniacal appearance, augmented by pasty complexion, wild hair and sharp teeth, completes the portrait of a horseman straight out of hell. Burton likened Walken's performance to a silent film star, which seems to be a fair comparison. The Horseman's face does bear at least a passing resemblance to Lon Chaney in the famous lost silent flick London After Midnight. It's a testament to Walken's acting ability that he manages to pull off the illusion of confidence on horseback, despite being completely inexperienced with riding prior to this film. He brings some nice touches to what could have been a one-note performance by less talented performers. When he's not mercilessly chopping off heads, he has a surprisingly soft spot for his trusty horse (proving, perhaps, that he couldn't be all bad).
Sleepy Hollow proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. Burton consciously created a loving homage to the classic horror films of yesteryear, from the casting of Christopher Lee to the many touches that have become synonymous with Hammer films: splashes of blood, gothic melodrama and heaving bosoms. Burton also acknowledged how he was influenced by other classic horror films, such as the 1931 Frankenstein (note the climactic showdown in the windmill), Mario Bava's Black Sunday, and Roger Corman's The Pit and the Pendulum. Danny Elfman's dramatic score, a throwback to decades past, complements the darkly romantic atmosphere of the film. The cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki sets the gothic tone perfectly, with mostly muted grays and browns, contrasted by vivid splashes of blood red.
Speaking of blood, the top notch practical effects work by Kevin Yagher deserve special mention. I can't recall another movie where severed heads looked so lifelike (take that as you will). Reportedly, the fake heads looked so good that they disturbed several of the actors whose characters fell victim to the Horseman, except for Michael Gambon (as Baltus Van Tassel), who once commented that he wanted to keep his head and send it off on auditions.
Sleepy Hollow is a moody, atmospheric take on a classic Halloween tale that's also an ideal match for Tim Burton's gothic sensibilities. If you can get past the fact that it's not an accurate retelling of Irving's original story you'll have a good time. It achieves a rare balance between horrifying and fun, and pays respect to its numerous influences while never losing sight of its own identity.
Posted by Barry P. at 12:52 AM 17 comments:
Labels: Horror, Movies, Reviews
The Skin I Live In (aka: La piel que habito)
(2011) Directed by Pedro Almodóvar; Written by Pedro Almodóvar and Agustín Almodóvar; Based on the novel Tarantula by Thierry Jonquet; Starring: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Jan Cornet and Marisa Paredes; Available on Blu-ray and DVD
Horror is most effective when it burrows beneath the surface, to prey on our primal fears and insecurities. The Skin I Live In is such a horror film, more interested in exploring the psychological effects of body modification rather than dwelling on sordid details or jarring imagery. Director and co-writer Pedro Almodóvar is known for endowing his films with commentary about sexual roles through strong female characters, and this is no exception. In this film Almodóvar explores skin as a literal concept, but delves into an extended metaphor that examines not only what skin reveals but what it hides.
We are first introduced to Vera Cruz (Elena Anaya) as a patient/prisoner of famed surgeon Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas). We're aware that she's part of some experiment, but can only surmise about the purpose. Superficially, she appears normal, but we're left to speculate about what sort of horrible accident led her to this present fate. Clad in a tan body stocking that looks like a cross between a bandage and leotard, her appearance evokes images of Elsa Lanchester as the Bride of Frankenstein. Similar to Dr. Frankenstein's creation, Vera is forcibly kept against her will, and her current predicament is out of her realm of control. She roams her locked room like a caged wild animal and writes on the walls to pass the hours. When she puts on the dresses that Dr. Ledgard provides, she proceeds to shred them into strips of cloth. Anaya's measured, enigmatic performance as Vera is pitch perfect, as she outwardly presents a visage of innocence that belies rage about her captivity and manipulation.
Banderas is compelling as Dr. Ledgard, a brilliant researcher who has developed a new form of synthetic skin. Prompted by the death of his wife in a fiery automobile accident, his new skin is impervious to flame and disease. When he presents his findings at a medical conference, he conveniently conceals the fact that his research has progressed from mice to humans. Based on the treatment of his current subject, it's evident that his intentions are not as altruistic as he would lead everyone else to believe. Ledgard's housekeeper (who's more than just a housekeeper) reminds him how closely Vera resembles his deceased wife, implying that shaping Vera into her specific, current form was purely intentional. He watches Vera intently, through a giant television screen, fascinated but frightened by his handiwork. Now that he's taken his artificial skin project to the next level, he's not quite sure what to do with her. Ledgard is totally consumed by his obsessions. As someone who recently lost everything that he loved, he has nothing left to do but carry on with his grand experiment.
The title The Skin I Live In works on a host of different levels. In Vera's case, if her new skin is resistant to different types of potentially damaging agents, how much can she really feel? The title is also a reference to the inner demons that the film's characters are forced to live with. Once we choose to follow a certain path, we must accept the consequences of our decisions. Dr. Ledgard was unable to save his wife, but devoted his research to alleviate the suffering she endured. His research, however, came at the expense of ethics or concern for Vera's well-being. And what about Vera's secrets? Underneath Vera's exterior lies a tormented individual with a shadowy past. Gradually, through flashback, her past comes to light, and we are able to see her complicity in all of this. I don't want to give away too much, since learning the various characters' secrets is one of the most intriguing aspects of the film. It's probably best to see this with as little foreknowledge as possible. Suffice it to say that nothing is quite as simple as it appears on the surface.
No one in The Skin I Live In is entirely unsympathetic, even though each of the main characters has done terrible things. Almodóvar doesn't afford us the comfort of providing a distinct divide between good and evil. We are forced to see both points of view, of victim and monster, and decide for ourselves where we draw the moral/ethical line. No one leaves this film completely unscathed. Dr. Ledgard is more than just a modern version of the archetypal mad scientist. Anyone who has ever experienced a devastating loss could understand his point of view, up to a point (there is certainly more to Ledgard's story than the loss of his wife). And while Vera does not ultimately deserve her fate, it is she who has inadvertently brought it upon herself. The Skin I Live In is an unconventional horror film that will likely provoke debate and discussion long after its secrets are revealed.
Labels: Horror, Movies, Psychological Thrillers, Reviews
(1927) Directed by Tod Browning; Written by Waldemar Young; Starring: Lon Chaney, Norman Kerry and Joan Crawford; Available on DVD
Rating: **** ½
How far would you go to win over the love of your life? The Unknown takes this premise to its logical, awful extreme, thanks to the collaborative efforts of director Tod Browning and star Lon Chaney. While Browning and Chaney worked together on eight fascinating films, this one is generally regarded as their best.
The Unknown (its working title was Alonzo the Armless) was thought to be lost until a print was discovered in France in the early 1970s. Its original 63-minute running time has been trimmed over the years, with the surviving version clocking in at a spare 49 minutes. While The Unknown is barely feature length, it packs a lot into that short span. Nothing essential seems to be missing from the deleted footage, and any perceived omissions do little to diminish the impact of this singularly unconventional drama.
Browning returned to his favorite motif, the circus, to tell his lurid tale of obsession. The story is set in a traveling gypsy circus in Spain, and focuses on a love triangle between three performers: Alonzo (Chaney), an armless knife thrower/marksman, Malabar (Norman Kerry), the strongman, and Nanon (Joan Crawford, in an early role), the object of their affections. In the world of the circus (as in life), things are not entirely as they seem. We learn that Alonzo is not actually armless, but wears a straightjacket to simulate this apparent affliction. Alonzo, however, possesses another physical anomaly, two thumbs on his left hand. Only his sidekick Cojo (John George) knows his secret, and is sworn to silence partially out of loyalty and partially out of fear for his life.
Chaney, born to deaf-mute parents, was the consummate actor for silent films, possessing the ability to convey every emotion through body language coupled with a formidable array of facial expressions. Although Alonzo does awful things throughout The Unknown, Chaney never fails to generate pathos for his character. Instead of loathing him, we only feel sorry for his predicament. With the assistance of Cojo, Alonzo must hide his arms and double thumb from the world, especially Nanon, who is disgusted by the prospect of being held by men. Hoping to get closer to the woman that he loves, Alonzo makes the fateful decision to have his arms amputated. In a career that was distinguished by many memorable roles, the portrayal as Alonzo the Armless is among Chaney's greatest (eclipsed only by his work in The Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of Notre Dame).
One widely believed misconception (undoubtedly perpetuated by Browning himself) about The Unknown is that Chaney did all of his own stunts to appear armless, such as smoking and knife throwing, with his own feet. These stunts were in fact performed by his double, Peter Dismuki, an armless circus performer. To the untrained eye, the illusion is fairly seamless. In most of the scenes where Dismuki appears, his back is to the camera, or Chaney's upper half is integrated with the Dismuki's lower half.
Joan Crawford is effective as the alluring Nanon, daughter of circus owner Antonio Zanzi (Nick De Ruiz). She exhibits a raw energy that has an irresistible effect on the men around her, namely Alonzo and Malabar. Alonzo misconstrues her compassion and sisterly affection as sexual attraction, leading him to arrive at an erroneous conclusion. Meanwhile, she views Malabar with ambivalence, thwarting his advances but fascinated nonetheless. Crawford does a nice job of conveying Nanon as a walking contradiction, conveying a licentious persona but fearing male relationships on a physical level (In one early scene she exclaims, "Hands! Men's hands! How I hate them!").
The music that accompanies many silent films, at least as they've been presented on home video, could charitably be described as generic, full of tinkling piano keys or a repetitive organ. This is not the case with the DVD for The Unknown, which included musical accompaniment by the three-man musical ensemble Alloy Orchestra. Their musical choices might seem to be a bit of an anachronism, but it works. Their choice of traditional and non-traditional instruments brings a decidedly contemporary edge, but not distractingly so. Their ominous, vaguely industrial sound compliments Browning's unusual story.
The Unknown's grotesque overtones with a circus backdrop have influenced many other filmmakers' visions over the ensuing 85 years. It's not too hard to spot Tod Browning's inspiration for the horrific love triangle depicted in Álex de la Iglesia's satirical The Last Circus (2010). The Psychotronic Video Guide also cited The Unknown as an influence for Jodorowsky's beautifully deranged Santa Sangre (1989). While there have been many fantastic and bizarre imitations over the years, nothing compares to the original film, which stands as Browning's masterpiece.
Posted by Barry P. at 10:36 PM 4 comments:
Labels: Classics, Horror, Movies, Psychological Thrillers, Reviews, Silents, Suspense
Cinematic Dregs: The Car
(1977) Directed by Elliot Silverstein; Written by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack and Lane Slate; Starring: James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Marley and Ronny Cox; Available on DVD and Netflix Streaming.
Rating: ** ½
April showers bring May flowers and… another semi-regular feature! Enter Cinematic Dregs, an ongoing exploration of questionable films from decades past. What will I find when I subject myself to this continuing barrage of box office bombs and movie misfires? Will I discover that history has been unkind, or suitably just? Will these misunderstood films take on a new level of profundity? Today, let's take a closer look at a rusty artifact from the glorious 70s…
The Car was reviled by critics upon its initial 1977 release. Released the same year as Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Annie Hall, there was little love from the film-going public for this bizarre little supernatural flick, and it sank, seemingly without a trace. Despite its less than stellar reputation, The Car steadily gained a cult following over the years, likely due to its inherently goofy plot. The small Utah town of Santa Ynez is terrorized by a mysterious black, hulking sedan, controlled by an unseen driver. No explanation is provided about its origin, but it's clearly implied that The Car is an embodiment of evil. Why did it choose this particular town? What does it want? Who sent it? The Car is conspicuously short on answers. Maybe the best answer comes from the movie Rubber, which is simply, "No reason." A little ambiguity can heighten the mood and increase the tension. If a film can deliver on the terror and suspense without an explanation (consider another errant vehicle flick, Duel), so be it. Does The Car ultimately deliver as a horror film? Nope, not really.
Borrowing its cues from Jaws, The Car takes the mindless killing machine motif and transplants it from the ocean to the desert. Sheriff Parent (James Brolin) stands in as the poor man's Sheriff Brody, trading in Amity Island for Santa Ynez. Instead of chasing Independence Day revelers off the beach, however, he's canceling a junior high marching band rehearsal (maybe they should have practiced in the school's gymnasium instead). No one stops to think that it might be a good idea to get out of the road, and move to higher ground. I suppose if the menace had been a demonic helicopter, you'd have fewer options.
The Car itself is easily the most interesting character. George Barris, responsible for a number of iconic vehicles (including the original 1960s Batmobile), created the title machine, which was based on a 1971 Lincoln Mark III. Four of the cars were constructed for the film. The Car's appearance is the epitome of American automotive design from the 1970s, as an exaggeration of the bloated land yachts that roamed the highways of the day. A low roofline, oversized chrome bumpers, and menacing eyelike headlamps help define its sinister visage. Unlike many of the humans featured in the movie, The Car has a distinct personality, revving its engine and honking as it closes in on the kill. It's an unstoppable force that yields to no one, and never seems to run out of gas. Neither bullets nor roadblocks can stop The Car. In one especially logic-bending scene, The Car spontaneously flips over, wrecking two police cruisers that are in hot pursuit. While the movie it originated from is less than memorable, The Car left a lasting impression on subsequent generations of filmgoers and filmmakers. In fact, the titular vehicle inspired writer/director Guillermo Del Toro enough to have a replica of The Car built for his personal transportation.
Perhaps realizing that their idea was pretty thin for a feature-length film, screenwriters Butler, Shryack and Slate padded out the film with unnecessary subplots. While we're counting off the minutes before another unprovoked car attack, we're treated to pointless scenes involving an alcoholic cop (Ronny Cox), abusive Amos (R.G. Armstrong) and his battered wife, and recently divorced Sheriff Wade and his family. Will his daughters accept his new girlfriend Lauren (Kathleen Lloyd)? Does anyone care? It's not surprising that The Car never resolves most of these loose threads. The most frustrating subplot concerns Amos, who becomes a reluctant hero by the end of the film. Everything seems to lead up to some sort of karmic retribution for his character, but he sadly never gets the comeuppance he so richly deserves.
It's hard to imagine that the filmmakers were unaware of how silly the material was. The performances are completely deadpan, without a trace of irony. If it had been released today, it would probably be viewed as a "meta" film, a brilliant deconstruction of the horror genre. Those looking for such self-awareness should probably look elsewhere, however. So, is The Car worth your time? It depends on your tolerance for ridiculous stories and unintentional comedy. It's a horror film that's never truly scary, but its whacked-out premise and unbelievable situations demonstrate how general ineptitude can also be entertaining.
Labels: Action, Box Office Bombs, Guilty Pleasures, Horror, Movies, Reviews, Weirdness
7x7 Link Award


The $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational is America's richest race, and the Ron Flatter Racing Pod is on the road at Gulfstream Park, Florida, to cover it. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas talks about his colt Bravazo and his chances to win the race. Jason Blewitt of Gulfstream Park TV and XBTV has a preview of the big race and the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf. The Racehorses by the Letters feature looks at the best horse ever starting with the letter "L." There is also a wrap-up of Thursday's Eclipse Awards at Gulfstream Park. The Ron Flatter Racing Pod is available at Apple, Google Play, Stitcher and VSiN.com/podcasts. The RFRP is sponsored by Xpressbet.


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News: CJ Exclusives
Midwives could reduce pregnancy complications with more leeway to practice, advocates say
Advocates cite research linking access to midwives as a help in low-income, rural counties where traditional medical services are scarce
Image courtesy Wiki Commons
Lindsay Marchello
in CJ Exclusives
The deaths of several newborns at a Cary birth center may complicate efforts to integrate midwives further into North Carolina's health-care system. An investigation is underway into Baby + Co., a natural birthing center, where four newborns have died since the center opened in 2014.
As WRAL reports, Baby + Co. has directed all expectant mothers to WakeMed Cary while an investigation is conducted. The decision to send clients to the hospital came after a newborn went into distress and was taken to Duke Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.
"Clustering of cases in health care is difficult, but it happens in a lot of different settings. It happens in hospitals. It can happen in birth centers," Margaret Buxton, a certified nurse midwife and clinical director for Baby+Co., told WRAL. "When it happens, it's an opportunity for any health care agency — and we include ourselves in that — to take a step back."
All midwives with Baby + Co. are certified to practice and have full privileges at WakeMed Cary, an investor in the company.
Anayah Sangodele-Ayoka, a midwife and consultant with MomsRising, a left-leaning grass-roots organization, says allowing midwives to practice with fewer restrictions could improve outcomes for pregnant women.
A focus on "midwife integration" — incorporating midwives of every training and certification level more completely in the prenatal health-care system — could be especially helpful to pregnant women and their children in low-income and rural counties. Specialized prenatal care there is harder to find, and obstetricians can be hours away.
"We look at women as whole people," Sangodele-Ayoka said. "We tend to focus a lot more on psycho-social needs. We care for low-risk women, so we do a lot of screenings and things to make sure a woman is remaining low-risk, which is within the scope of our care."
North Carolina has the lowest level of midwife integration in health care across the country. At the same time the state struggles with high infant and neonatal mortality rates. Maternal mortality rates — while lower than most U.S. states — are among the highest among developed countries.
Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United Health Foundations determined North Carolina's maternal mortality rate is 12.1 deaths per 100,000 births. The U.S. average is 19.9 per 100,000 births.
In 2016, North Carolina reported 7.2 deaths per 1,000 live births, ranking it seventh from the bottom among states. In 2015, the most recent data available, the U.S. averaged 5.9 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Sangodele-Ayoka said midwives could help address this problem.
"We really have to take a step back away from the way our health-care model has been structured to before and put the emphasis back on the people who are in need of our care," Sangodele-Ayoka said. "We don't have to reinvent the wheel."
A February 2018 report published in the Public Library of Science — a nonprofit open access science, technology, and medicine publisher — mapped the integration of midwives across the country.
Researchers looked at the differences in scope of practice, autonomy, governance, perspective authority, and any restrictions that could affect patient safety, quality, and access to maternity providers. Each state was graded on a 100-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater integration of midwives.
North Carolina had the lowest score at 17 — compared to Washington, which earned the highest score, 61.
"In our study, lower MISS scores were associated with significantly higher rates of neonatal mortality among Hispanic, black, and white babies when examining race-specific outcomes," the report reads.
States with higher MISS scores, such as Washington and New Mexico, saw higher rates of spontaneous vaginal delivery and breastfeeding, while also seeing significantly lower rates of cesarean procedures, preterm births, low birth-weight infants, and neonatal death.
"The more integrated midwives are in the state, the fewer restrictions there are to midwives practicing according to their training, the better the outcomes are," Sangodele-Ayoka said.
Most midwives train as nurses first, Sangodele-Ayoka said, and then go on to advanced training in midwifery. They approach pregnancy differently than obstetricians and don't treat going into labor as a medical emergency.
In North Carolina, midwives must pass a national board exam to become credentialed and then seek approval from a physician to practice. Sangodele-Ayoka said this requirement could be a conflict of interest.
"It is like having someone who is in your same industry supervising you or deciding whether or not you get to practice," Sangodele-Ayoka said. "North Carolina and a handful of other states are the only ones that still require this archaic practice where you would require someone who is direct competition to be able to say whether or not you can practice."
Midwives are unable to practice in 31 counties because those counties have no obstetrical care providers to take on the supervisory role.
"It's not magic. As midwives, we tend to be more focused on the whole person," Sangodele-Ayoka said. "Our care is really about getting to know the person, so that when you do get to know them you reduce some of those barriers and create more trust."
categories: Business and Regulations, CJ Exclusives, Health Care & Human Services, Law & Regulation, North Carolina, State Government
tags: midwifery
Tillis helps push U.S. defense bill for N.C. bases, yet lawmakers manage to sneak in unrelated provisions
Computer generated maps do little to provide fairness in redistricting


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Quote of the Day August 4, 2021
Ex-Deloitte Australia Partner Says The Olds Still Got Game
by Jason Bramwell
"I think the whole industry should simply do away with any age-based retirement policy. I don't think older partners perform any differently. These days people still have got a lot to offer as they get older. They've got a lot of experience, they've got a lot of know-how. They can be up with trends in […]
Quote of the Day March 8, 2021
Guy Suing Deloitte Australia Can't Believe Everyone At the Firm Is Giving Him the Cold Shoulder
"[This is] in circumstances where my client is finding it very difficult to remain in the partnership and has lost the trust of his partners." — Paul Moorhouse, the lawyer representing Deloitte Australia partner Colin Brown, said in federal court on March 5. Brown, an audit partner, is accusing Deloitte of age discrimination by unfairly […]
PwC January 28, 2021
The Olds vs. PwC: Federal Judge Seems Fine with Age Discrimination Lawsuit Settlement (UPDATE)
The $11.6 million settlement reached last March between PwC and two accountants who claimed they weren't hired for associate positions with the firm because of their older age is a done deal. All that's left is getting attorney fees figured out. Law360 reported on Jan. 27: A California federal judge said Wednesday he'll approve PricewaterhouseCoopers […]
Friendly Reminder, Millennials Are Officially Old Enough to Sue You For Age Discrimination
Depending on who you ask, the oldest Millennials are turning 40 this year. Having just turned 40 two weeks ago myself, I've already gone through the various stages of denial, acceptance, and general indifference to the fact that I now have four decades under my belt. But now it seems the old guard who have […]
Big 4 November 19, 2020
Big 4 Lawsuits: Ex-PwC Director vs. PwC, Billionaire vs. Deloitte, Floridians vs. Deloitte
On the docket: age and gender discrimination, tax break gone bad, and the latest on the Deloitte drama in Florida. Axed PwC Director Alleges Age, Gender Bias [Law360] Another week, another age and gender discrimination lawsuit filed against a Big 4 firm. And once again PwC is named as the defendant: A former PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP […]
Big 4 September 24, 2020
Big 4 Lawsuits: Ex-PwC Partner vs. PwC, Deloitte Partner vs. Deloitte Australia, EnviroNet vs. EY
Plus, two Deloitte partners implicated in U.K. insolvency lawsuit, and KPMG gets out of $1.1 billion suit in Oceanografia scandal. A former PwC partner who sued the firm for $15 million just had a major setback in his case, pushing the pay spat behind closed doors [Business Insider] Big 4 firms salivate when a lawsuit […]
Big 4 Lawsuits: Ex-PwC Partner vs. PwC, Deloitte Partner vs. Deloitte Australia, Watchstone vs. PwC U.K.
On the docket: wrongful termination, age discrimination, and conspiracy! Former PwC partner sues company, claims he's owed $15 million [Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal] This lawsuit filed by a former Minneapolis-based PwC partner who claims he was wrongly terminated and is owed millions of dollars should keep the firm's lawyers busy for a while. John Cahill […]
PwC March 4, 2020
The Olds vs. PwC: $11.625 Million Settlement Reached In Age Discrimination Case
A lawsuit filed almost four years ago by two accountants who claimed that the hiring policies at PwC discriminate against applicants over the age of 40 from landing entry-level positions at the firm is finally coming to an end. And the Olds got PwC to settle. Law.com reported today: PricewaterhouseCoopers has agreed to pay $11.625 […]
PwC April 8, 2019
The Olds vs. PwC: Age Discrimination Case Can Proceed as a Collective Action
It's been a while since we've had an update on Rabin v. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the age discrimination lawsuit accusing PwC of favoring younger workers over individuals over the age of 40 for entry-level positions within the firm. Well, we're happy to tell you we have a little bit of news, courtesy of Law.com: U.S. District […]
Deloitte August 23, 2018
Deloitte Australia Is Going to Allow Partners to Work There Until They Become Old Geezers
We're just chock full of news about Deloitte Australia today. Earlier on, Adrienne poked fun at the firm's ridiculous career break program. Then we come to find out that Deloitte is going to allow its partners to work there until they are frail and barely breathing—as long as they are making a meaningful contribution to […]
PwC July 30, 2018
Older Job Seekers Denied Class-Action Status in Age Discrimination Lawsuit Against PwC
A federal judge in San Francisco rejected class-action status to a group of up to 14,000 older job applicants on July 26 who are accusing PwC of favoring younger workers over individuals over the age of 40 for entry-level positions within the firm. The age discrimination lawsuit, which was filed in April 2016 by CPA […]


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Q: A simple scenario in Java where replacing a single character with a back slash requires four back slashes Let's consider the following code snippet in Java.
package escape;

final public class Main
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
         String s = "abc/xyz";
         System.out.println(s.replaceAll("/", "\\\\"));
    }
}

I just want to replace "/" with "\" in the above String abc/xyz and which is done and displays abc\xyz as expected but I couldn't get why it requires back slashes four times. It looks like two back slashes are sufficient. Why such is not a case?

A: The reason is that String.replaceAll uses regular expressions (and actually calls Matcher.replaceAll which does document this). In regular expressions you have to escape the '\' also in string literals you have to escape the '\'. Your 4 slashes are two slashes in the java string. And thereby an escaped slash in the regular expression.

A: You need to escape back slash once\\ for java String and one more time\\ for regex replacement string.
From the JavaDoc:

Note that backslashes (\) and dollar signs ($) in the replacement
  string may cause the results to be different than if it were being
  treated as a literal replacement string; see Matcher.replaceAll. Use
  Matcher.quoteReplacement(java.lang.String) to suppress the special
  meaning of these characters, if desired

    System.out.println(s.replaceAll("/", Matcher.quoteReplacement("\\")));

A:
I just want to replace "/" with "\"

Then you should not be using a regular expression, which is overkill, and requires backslashes to be escaped (twice). Instead do
string.replace('/', '\\');

(Still need to escape it once)

A: Referring to the Java documentation, if you use replaceAll, Java will treat the first parameter as a RegEx, and will assess special meaning for backslashes in the replacement string. Basically, \1 would refer to the first matching glob in the regex... In this case you need to escape the backslashes so they're "litteral" backslashes for the String, and then you need to escape these a second time so that replaceAll doesn't try to treat them with a special meaning.


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Finding a Way to Win
Floor leader Alissa Hirsh '16 closes out an impressive career
Denton Ketels
When Dana Harrold became head coach for Grinnell women's basketball in 2013, she told her players she wanted to go from being a basketball team to a basketball program. The difference, she said, is a year-round commitment.
The payoff became apparent this season as the Pioneers earned a trip to the Midwest Conference Tournament for the first time since 2004.
Harrold knows that citing her team's "never-quit mentality" sounds like a sports cliché. But it does take a certain something to go from only three wins in her first season to 10 wins in 2014–15, to a 15-9 record and legitimate respect this year.
"They were working just as hard on the last day of practice as they were on the first," Harrold says.
Four-year starters Anne Boldt '16 and Alissa Hirsh '16 were this year's captains and floor leaders. "They were the building blocks," Harrold says. "Anne was our vocal, positive leader, and Alissa our gritty, hard-nosed competitor."
Point guard Hirsh earned first team all-Midwest Conference honors for the second year in a row. She had a field goal percentage of .491 and led the team in minutes played, points, scoring average, assists, and steals. Hirsch ends her career third in all-time Pioneer scoring, first in assists, and fifth in steals.
"She'll go down as one of the best players in program history," Harrold says. "She has been a lot of fun to coach. The tough part of my job is finding another Alissa Hirsh."
Harrold bids farewell to three seniors – Boldt, Hirsh, and guard Jordan Matosky '16. Always on the lookout for high-academic basketball prospects, the coach can now add Grinnell's winning trajectory to her recruiting pitch.
"My biggest goal for kids who play in our program," Harrold adds, "is that they graduate and have a plan after four years."
An economics major, Hirsh played most of this season secure in the knowledge that she had a job after graduation — she'll be doing investment research for an asset management firm in San Francisco. She says the team's success this year was partly due to the chemistry it developed during the tough times.
"When we were going through that 3-20 season, I sometimes didn't even realize that we were losing so many games because there were so many positive moments," Hirsh says. "We just kept chugging no matter what and let our love for each other and the game really fuel us. So it wasn't as hard for us as I think it would have been for other teams to climb out of that."
Indeed, they started producing wins through court awareness, play-making, energy, and team chemistry — things that don't necessarily show up on stat sheets. Hence the team motto, "Find a Way."
"We had talked so much about being process-oriented, not worrying too much with the product or specific goals," Hirsh says. "After my third year when we were around .500, we could feel ourselves getting over the hump — and we were like, process isn't enough. We need to start turning in product, getting wins. Every game we need to find a way to do that, no excuses. I think that got us through a lot of close games this season."
For Hirsh, starting a new career in an international city doesn't completely take the sting out of hanging up her uniform in Darby Gymnasium for the last time.
"It's definitely a loss in the sense that it was a source of so many positive and emotional and intense things for four years," Hirsh says. "I am sad about this part of it being over because it was so special, but I think I'm still going to grab a ball after work and go to the park. I'm going to try to find adult leagues. I'm going to teach my kids the game. I think this is just the start of a new relationship with basketball."


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Natural gut viruses join bacterial cousins in maintaining health and fighting infections
Study in mice suggests 'virome,' as helpful as 'microbiome' in people, too
NYU Langone Medical Center / New York University School of Medicine
Microbiologists at NYU Langone Medical Center say they have what may be the first strong evidence that the natural presence of viruses in the gut -- or what they call the 'virome' -- plays a health-maintenance and infection-fighting role similar to that of the intestinal bacteria that dwell there and make up the "microbiome."
In a series of experiments in mice that took two years to complete, the NYU Langone team found that infection with the common murine norovirus, or MNV, helped mice repair intestinal tissue damaged by inflammation and helped restore the gut's immune defenses after its microbiome had been wiped out by antibiotic therapy.
In a report on their work to be published in the journal Nature online Nov. 19, researchers say they also found that MNV bolstered the immune system in fighting off tissue damage.
"Our research offers compelling data about the mutually supportive relationship between viruses and bacteria in the mouse gut and lays the groundwork for further research on precisely how the virome supports the immune system, which likely applies to humans, as well," says senior study investigator Ken Cadwell, PhD, an assistant professor at NYU Langone.
"We have known for a long time that people get infected all the time with viruses and bacteria, and they don't get sick," says Cadwell. "Now we have scientific evidence that not every viral infection is bad, but may actually be beneficial to health, just as we know that many bacterial infections are good for maintaining health."
According to Cadwell, until now, scientists have had mostly trace genetic evidence of a virome's existence, but none to confirm its normal presence in the gut or to clarify whether it plays a harmful, neutral, or helpful role.
For their research, the team relied on their previous studies in mice genetically bred to develop inflammatory bowel disease, a condition believed to be caused by microbiome bacteria. The research showed that chronic MNV infection in these susceptible mice could produce the same inflammatory damage to intestinal tissue as chronic bacterial exposure, suggesting a similar, immune-triggering role.
In the new study, Cadwell and his colleagues fed MNV to mice bred without normal gut bacteria and whose immune systems and intestines were underdeveloped from the lack of bacterial stimuli and nutrients. Immune system T cells and B cells were lacking, and nutrient-absorbing gut projections, called villi, were shrunken and thinner than in normal mice, with smaller-than-normal surrounding tissue in the crypts between villi.
After two weeks of MNV infection, the mice, which were kept strictly isolated from exposure to any other germs, showed nearly full restoration of their immune systems and almost complete reversal of intestinal lesions.
Restorative results were similarly achieved in normal mice given MNV, whose gut microbiome had recently been wiped out by antibiotic treatment. The T cell levels in their blood doubled, and B cell antibodies were detectable in both samples of gut tissue and in the blood.
Additional tests confirmed that the MNV-mediated healing relied on increased immune system signaling by antiviral type 1 interferon proteins, confirming the virus' key role in driving the immune response.
In another series of tests designed to mimic the impact of antibiotic overuse in people and gauge any protective effects from MNV infection, researchers fed normal mice a chemical damaging to gut tissue. All mice had been previously treated with antibiotics and depleted of bacteria. Mice pretreated and infected with MNV lived longer, had longer villi and less gut tissue damage than those not infected. The MNV-infected mice also had significantly less water lost through diarrhea and less tissue overgrowth from ulcers and fluid buildup, all signs of reduced damage in the gut.
Cadwell says the team next plans to sort and characterize the health harms and benefits of other gut viruses and how each interacts or behaves differently with the microbiome. He also plans to investigate whether certain viruses are harmful or beneficial only to specific groups of people.
Cadwell also cautions that the research does not suggest that people should consider infecting themselves with any virus. As with bacteria, he says, too many of them can be hazardous to health.
Funding support for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health grants R01 DK093668, and P30 CA016087. Additional support was provided by the Ralph S. French Charitable Foundation, the NYU Whitehead Fellowship, Vilcek Fellowship, and the Erwin Schrodinger Fellowship from the Austrian Science Foundation.
Besides Cadwell, other NYU Langone researchers involved in these experiments were lead study investigators Elisabeth Kernbauer, PhD, and Yi Ding, MD, PhD.
For more information, go to:
http://www.med.nyu.edu/biosketch/cadwek01
http://cadwelllab.med.nyu.edu/
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nature13605.html
David March
212.404.3528│david.march@nyumc.org
david.march@nyumc.org
@NYULMC
http://nyulangone.org/
DIET/BODY WEIGHT
INFECTIOUS/EMERGING DISEASES


Try this DELICIOUS and CREAMY Matcha Panna Cotta that's VEGAN! It's made with soy milk, kanten powder, sugar and matcha. Served on beautiful glass ramekins, they will look smashing on your holiday table.
Hello matcha lovers! I know how excited you are to see a matcha recipe and I'm happy that you clicked through to see this post. Panna cotta is Mr. JOC's all-time favorite dessert. Okay, let me say he does have a lot of "all-time favorite" desserts, but in all seriousness, I know it will be your favorite too.
To make a healthy and lighter version of the dessert, I decided to make Matcha Vegan Panna Cotta (ヴィーガン抹茶パンナコッタ). Don't let the fancy name fools you though. It's actually very easy to pull off, so make this dessert today!
First of all, panna cotta is a chilled cream pudding made of cream, sugar, and gelatin. As you see, there is milk (and heavy cream) and gelatin made by prolonged boiling of skin, cartilage, and bones from animals.
To make panna cotta vegan-friendly, I used Kikkoman® Pearl Organic Soymilk (unsweetened) and Japanese kanten powder.
For this recipe, I'm partnering up with Kikkoman® by using their Pearl Organic Soymilk, which is vegan, cholesterol-free, preservative-free, lactose-free and lower in fat and calories than regular milk. The soymilk comes in rich, creamy 6 flavors!
My kids like the "Chocolate" flavor, but I almost always buy the "Unsweetened" version so I can use it to make savory dishes like Vegetarian Ramen and Soy Milk Hot Pot.
Usually, panna cotta uses gelatin to get that silky, creamy, wobbly texture. To make this dessert vegan-friendly, we use Japanese kanten (agar agar).
Kanten (寒天), or sometimes called agar agar or agar, is a white and semi-translucent gelatinous substance obtained from algae. It is a great alternative to animal or chemical-based gelatin. Once it's chilled the texture is on the firmer side, so we use less kanten and more liquid to re-create that gelatin-like creamy, wobbly texture.
To learn more about Kanten, I have a pantry page dedicated for Kanten (agar agar) where you can read more about.
You can serve this dessert as it is, because the green matcha color is so beautiful already. However, I'm sharing 3 version so you can dress up the dessert a little.
Have you used gold flake (gold leaf) for your food?
Gold leaf is gold that has been hammered into thin sheets by gold beating and is often used for gilding. This edible genuine gold leaf flakes by Barnabas Blattgold (150 mg, made in the USA) can be purchased for $35 on Amazon.
Besides placing it on top of Matcha Vegan Panna Cotta, you can use it to decorate cupcakes, cocktails, entrees, chocolate, sweets, candies, confectionery, desserts, pastries, wedding cakes and more! There are lots of flakes in it and if you enjoy hosting parties or making desserts often, I think it's fun to keep it around in the kitchen.
For an extra Japanese touch, top your Matcha Vegan Panna Cotta with Shiratama Dango, Anko (red bean paste) and chestnut (in syrup). It's quick to put together once you prepare the toppings ahead of time.
Buy a jar of chestnut in syrup from Japanese grocery stores or Amazon (Turkey or French brands).
No time to buy gold leaf flakes or make it fancy with Japanese ingredients? Adorn it with fresh fruits and chocolate. Over here, I topped the panna cotta with an assortment of strawberry slices and blackberries. If you like, I think some chocolate curls or shavings will be nice too.
I hope you enjoy this creamy and delicious Matcha Vegan Panna Cotta recipe. For more matcha treats, you want to check out these Must-Try Matcha Recipes at home.
Try this DELICIOUS and CREAMY Matcha Panna Cotta that's VEGAN! It's made with soy milk, kanten powder, sugar and matcha. Served on beautiful glass ramekins, they will look smashing on your holiday table.
In a small saucepan, heat soy milk over medium heat until warm to the touch. Keep a close eye on the pot and DO NOT BOIL. Turn off the heat.
In a bowl with matcha green tea powder, add a little bit of soy milk. Now using a whisk or chasen (bamboo whisk), combine the soy milk and matcha together. Tip 1: Matcha dissolves easier when liquid is warm. Tip 2: Gradually add in the soy milk. DO NOT pour too much soy milk at once. Superfine matcha powder can easily turn into lumps and it will be harder to combine.
Add more soy milk as you needed, until the mixture becomes a smooth paste and there are no more lumps of matcha.
Add the matcha paste back into the soy milk in the pot. Whisk it well to combine.
In a new pot, add water and powdered kanten (agar agar).
Whisk together and bring it to a boil on medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes until the powder is completely dissolved.
Add the sugar and whisk to combine with the mixture.
Then add the matcha soymilk into the pot. Give it another whisk until well combined, and turn off the heat.
Prepare the glass ramekins or containers on a tray. Place the strainer over the ramekin and strain the matcha soy milk mixture. Divide the mixture evenly.
Using a spoon, collect the small bubbles into one corner of the ramekins and scoop it all up. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set.
To Serve, sprinkle extra matcha on top using a fine mesh strainer. For these ramekins, I placed gold flakes on top (You can buy these gold flakes on Amazon).
For this ramekin, I sprinkled matcha and decorated with the berries.
For the last ramekin, I placed anko (red bean paste), mochi (Shiratama Dango), and chestnut.
Read more about agar/kanten powder and measurement here.
This looks great, but I can't have soy milk – wondering if a nut or oat milk can be substituted? Thanks!
Do you have a regular (non-vegan) version of this? Would it just be 1 Tbsp matcha to about 3 cups liquid in whatever my preferred regular panna cotta recipe is?
Which exact brand of matcha powder would you recommend? I have tried a few that I bought from Asian markets but the color turned grayish green after cooking. I need something that stays bright green like yours. I also live in the Bay Area. Please advise. Thank you!
Hi Michelle! I usually get my matcha from a Japanese grocery store (Nijiya).
1. Can you pour the mixture into those clear plastic cups that you see in dessert buffets? Will the mixture be too hot? 2. Can I triple the recipe?
Thank you for your reply about cooling the mixture (and the tip to keep stirring) before pouring into plastic cups. I just love your recipes! Thank you again.
You're very welcome, Sharon! Hope you enjoy!
I'm going to be making this sometime this week.
But, there's something I'm confused about. What kind of anko paste did you use for this? Tsubuan or Koshian?
Hello there, great recipe thank you. I have one question please as in the measurements page it is written 1 tsp of agar powder for 250 ml of water…Your recipe requires about 3 cups of liquid and only 1 tsp of agar…Is that correct?
Hi Monica! I explained in the blog post but I wanted to make this dessert more Panna Cotta texture. If you follow the measurement from the box, you will get very firm texture of panna cotta because of agar/kanten use vs. gelatin use. Gelatin is easier to create wobbly texture, but kanten can't. So I tested my recipes many times by reducing the amount of kanten to make it similar to panna cotta texture. Hope that helps!


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In Seattle, car ownership is down and bus ridership is up. But technology didn't drive this shift: more transit funding and better service did. Elaine Thompson/AP
There's No App for Getting People Out of Their Cars
"Mobility as a Service" boosters say that technology can nudge drivers to adopt transit and micromobility. But big mode shifts will take more than a cool app.
David Zipper
Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School
Fewer concepts are trendier in urban mobility circles right now than the idea of "Mobility as a Service" (MaaS). Boosters of the concept hail it as a means of weaning commuters off privately owned automobiles via technology platforms that allow them to easily book and plan trips across an array of urban transportation services—including transit, bikeshare, ride hail, e-scooters, and more. If you can make MaaS platforms painless to use, the story goes, people will happily ditch private cars, leaving our cities cleaner and safer.
That's a laudable goal. But is technology alone capable of achieving it? Without the support of a mix of policy carrots and sticks, it's hard to see how.
To understand why, please join me in a quick thought experiment. Think of a friend who drives herself to and from work every day (this shouldn't be difficult; more than three of every four Americans do) but who could feasibly switch to another mode if she chose to.
Got someone in mind? Good.
Now, which of these four options would be most likely to compel your friend to stop driving to work? 1) Doubling the frequency of public transit in her city; 2) creating new protected bike lanes for the length of her commute; 3) doubling the cost of parking permits at home and work; or 4) launching a new app that lets her plan and pay for trips across all available transportation services (other than driving).
I've asked this question to many of my own friends. Their choices vary, but I have yet to meet anyone who picks the fourth option.
It's not that MaaS apps like Transit App, Whim, or Berlin's Jelbi aren't helpful in nudging people away from driving—they are. It's annoying to have to flip between apps to find the cheapest or most convenient way to get between two places; by removing that hassle, MaaS platforms lower one barrier to living a car-free lifestyle.
The problem is that this particular barrier isn't the highest one. After all, seamlessly choosing across transit, e-scooter, and bikeshare isn't that helpful if the bus only runs once an hour, or you have to ride that scooter or bike on a street shared with cars and trucks zooming by at 45 miles per hour.
"You can't create the mode shift cities are looking for without repurposing infrastructure," says Jeff Marootian, director of the District of Columbia's Department of Transportation, which has been adding dedicated bike lanes and micromobiltiy corrals in the nation's capital. He supports the MaaS goal of reduced car dependence—but "technology alone won't get us to [the vision of] MaaS."
Still, most MaaS discussions to date revolve around the technology, not the asphalt and rails that these mobility services rest upon. One framework attempts to define levels of MaaS sophistication, culminating in Level 6, where "inputs and outputs of any journey will help feed and derive other dynamic interfaces." The model makes no mention of transit service levels or street infrastructure. Neither does the description of MaaS offered by the MaaS Alliance, an industry-supported advocacy group, though it does note the "new business models" MaaS could launch. Indeed, it's understandable why software and logistics companies might see more market potential in integrated mobility platforms than in new bike lanes or expanded transit service. Such incentives may explain some of MaaS's technocentrism.
Politics also nudges MaaS conversations toward technical solutions. After all, no one "loses" when it becomes easier to travel across urban transport services; drivers' commutes are unaffected. That wouldn't be the case if public officials took a step like the third choice above: removing subsidies for workplace parking. Such a move would be a powerful MaaS enabler—making car trips more expensive implicitly makes other modes relatively cheaper—but it would likely be a tough sell for an elected official.
The first option, increasing transit frequency, has a different but comparable problem: It requires new taxpayer funding. But the experience of Seattle suggests how powerful an effect transit expansion can have on vehicle ownership, a key MaaS goal.
In 2008, Seattle voters approved $17.8 billion in transit funding, followed by an additional $53 billion in 2016. That allowed the city to make huge upgrades in transit service. The share of households living within a 10-minute walk of 10-minute transit service rose from 25 percent in 2015 to 67 percent in 2018. Transit ridership has swelled since, and the newest census data shows that Seattle posted the single biggest drop in the share of households owning a car among the 50 largest American cities this decade, from 84.3 percent in 2010 to 81.2 percent in 2018. While acknowledging that causation is hard to prove, Benjamin de la Pena, chief of strategy and innovation at the Seattle Department of Transportation, says he "certainly believe[s] there's a strong correlation between the increased provision of transit and the decline in car ownership."
'Walled Gardens' vs. Open Mobility: The Battle Begins
Lyft's New App Features Real-Time Public Transit Info
Uber Wants to Be Your One-Stop Transit Stop
Few metro areas can marshal the billions of dollars Seattle invested over the past decade. But there are plenty of cheaper policy options that can nudge people away from cars. Cities can construct the kinds of protected bike lanes and dedicated micromobility parking that D.C.'s Marootian referenced, and they can follow the lead of New York and San Francisco by closing central thoroughfares to personal vehicles while leaving them open to other modes. Transit agencies can remove policies that prevent riders from bringing bikes on board trains and subways, and they can build micromobility parking at their stations. Cities could even raise revenue through their MaaS strategy: Suddenly doubling parking costs may be politically infeasible, but a gentle upward drift in the price of resident parking permits might not be.
And, of course, cities can support the MaaS technology platforms that bring together all the various modes and services. Indeed, these services could entice people on the margins to leave their car parked in the driveway, and one day they might accommodate fleets of autonomous shuttles and taxis that futurists anticipate. But we should be realistic: Without supportive policies and investment decisions, the smartest MaaS technology in the world won't be able to liberate cities from our reliance on automobility.
@DavidZipper
David Zipper is a Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Taubman Center for State and Local Government. He writes frequently about the future of urban mobility and technology.


While the UK considers banning 8,500,000,000 plastic straws a year, many feel that we should also stop asking for referendums 8,500,000,000 times a year. It seems that every time British voters are consulted in an ad-hoc manner, it has does serious damage to the environment, our credibility and the nation's ability to keep a straight face.
Thanks to our haphazard voting patterns, we could be facing an uncertain future – a post-apocalyptic dystopian wilderness or worse, a hard Brexit without Ant Mcpartlin. This is the very same electorate, who voted for Steve Brookstein and Magna Carta – neither of whom got a second album.
Now with Michael 'trust me, I'm not an expert' Gove as Environment Secretary, there is a growing unease that the UK may become a barren desert ruled over by cockroaches and chlorinated chickens. After all Mr. Gove, despite repeatedly being fired, is someone who has endorsed press intrusion and gas exploration – his moto being 'hack, sack and frack'.
Said one citizen: 'We're just clutching at straw polls. Chancers, like Jacob Rees Moggs, would invest in Panda-baiting if there was a profit in it. It's all very well Nigel Farage dropping fish into the Thames, but the only way he'll save the environment, is if he jumps in afterwards'.
This entry was posted on April 18, 2018 by Wrenfoe in UK Environment and tagged Brexit, EU, Farage, Fish, Flib News, Flibbertigibbet, Rees-Mogg, Satire.


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hindi film in 2017
In Bollywood Films in 2018 , Akshay Kumar , Bollywood Films in 2017 , Bollywood News , Hindi Movies , Latest film News , Salman Khan
Akshay Kumar Starrer will be produced by Salman Khan and Karan Johar
The Bollywood Khiladi Akshay Kumar is all set to star in the joint production venture of Salman Khan and Karan Johar.Akshay Kumar shared an image on his…
In Bollywood Films in 2017 , Latest film News , MOVIE POSTERS
Bollywood releases list : January to March 2017
Here is the list of Bollywood movies slated to release from January - March 2017. Find out the film of your favorite star releasing in the first…
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Watch Aamir Khan's cameo in Secret Superstar
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Raabta release date declared
Sushant Singh Rajput & Kriti Sanon are all set for their upcoming romantic film Raabta.The film will mark the directorial debut of producer Dinesh Vijan. The film…


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Q: How to make local storage key value default to a local JSON file in React? Playing around with localStorage in React by making a very simple to-do app. I've found examples of localStorage hooks like this one:

function getStorageValue(key, defaultValue) {
  // getting stored value
  const saved = localStorage.getItem(key);
  const initial = JSON.parse(saved);
  return initial || defaultValue;
}

export const useLocalStorage = (key, defaultValue) => {
  const [value, setValue] = useState(() => {
    return getStorageValue(key, defaultValue);
  });

  useEffect(() => {
    // storing input name
    localStorage.setItem(key, JSON.stringify(value));
  }, [key, value]);

  return [value, setValue];
};

I understand this but I'm trying to figure out how to set the defaultvalue to be a key value fetched and parsed from a local file.
Like this:
const [name, setName] = useLocalStorage("name", JSON file data);


The "Father of Artificial Intelligence" Says Singularity Is 30 Years Away.
"You've probably been told that the singularity is coming. It is that long-awaited point in time — likely, a point in our very near future — when advances in artificial intelligence lead to the creation of a machine (a technological form of life?) smarter than humans.