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Russia moves ahead with rules targeting foreign media
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Russia is moving ahead with legislation that threatens U.S. media outlets operating in the country.
The lower house of Russia's parliament approved an amendment Wednesday that clears the way for media outlets that receive funding from abroad to be designated as foreign agents.
The measure must go to the upper house of parliament before being signed by President Vladimir Putin.
It's the first tangible response to a move by the U.S. Department of Justice to require the firm that produces the U.S. branch of Russian television network RT to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
For weeks Russian government officials, including Putin, have promised a tit for tat response targeting American outlets operating in the country.
Related: Russian foreign ministry says retaliation against U.S. media could begin next week
The measure approved Wednesday does not specify which media outlets would be designated as foreign agents, or how the process would work.
According to the draft legislation, media outlets designated as foreign agents would be subject to the same rules that currently apply to foreign-funded non-governmental organizations. Those groups are required to report on their funding, include a "foreign agent" disclaimer in content they publish and are subject to inspections by authorities.
In the U.S., outlets designated as foreign agents must file reports with the Justice Department regarding their funding and organization, as well as regular updates on their activities.
U.S. investigators are reportedly looking into whether Russian government-funded outlets such as RT and Sputnik were part of Russia's influence campaign aimed at the 2016 presidential election. Yahoo News has reported that the FBI has interviewed a former Sputnik correspondent about his work at the website.
RT was singled out by the U.S. intelligence community in a January report for the impact it may have had on the 2016 election.
The report said that RT "conducts strategic messaging for [the] Russian government" and "seeks to influence politics, [and] fuel discontent in the U.S." It also labeled a separate Russian-government-controlled website, Sputnik, as "another government-funded outlet producing pro-Kremlin radio and online content."
RT has said it is only a media organization which presents news from a Russian point of view.
— Antonia Mortensen and Fred Pleitgen contributed reporting from Moscow.
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Journalists investigating the deaths of Russian soldiers that news reports claimed were killed during Russia's alleged involvement in Ukraine's conflict have been targeted in a series of attacks since late August, according to a press freedom group. Russia has denied that its soldiers were involved in the conflict, but journalists who spoke to the Committee to Protect Journalists said the attacks, mostly by unknown assailants, began after they tried to investigate the mysterious deaths of Russian soldiers.
According to Glasnost Defense Foundation (GDF), the Moscow-based press freedom group, attacks on local and international journalists covering the story have spiked. In at least five cases in August, GDF documented threats, arbitrary detentions, denial of access to public information, use of violence, and physical assaults. Many attacks took place in Pskov region, home to Russia's famous 76th Guards Air Assault Division (paratroopers).
In the most recent case, journalists from BBC's Moscow bureau were physically assaulted, and had equipment damaged, and files tampered with in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan on Thursday, the broadcaster said in a statement. The crew, including reporter Steve Rosenberg, were reporting on the funeral of a Russian soldier who, local media reported, had been killed in eastern Ukraine under unclear circumstances. After finishing their assignment the crew were followed by three men who beat the cameraman, and smashed and stole the camera, the BBC said.
In a statement the BBC, which has lodged a formal complaint with Russian authorities, said: "The team was then taken to a police station for four hours of questioning after which they discovered that recording equipment -- which was in their vehicle, at the police station -- had been electronically wiped." The BBC has asked Russian authorities to investigate the attack, which it said was "clearly part of a coordinated attempt to stop accredited news journalists reporting a legitimate news story." News reports said that regional police opened an inquiry into the incident, but classified it as robbery - not an obstruction to journalism.
The attacks started after the independent newspaper Pskovskaya Guberniya, published a series of reports claiming members of 76th Division had been deployed secretly to eastern Ukraine, and had been actively involved in the conflict with pro-Russia separatists. Russia denies the claims. On August 29, the newspaper's publisher, Lev Shlosberg, who is also a politician with the opposition party Yabloko, was the victim of a vicious attack that he said was in retaliation for his paper's investigation into the deaths of Russian paratroopers in Ukraine. In a series of reports, the newspaper alleged that up to 100 soldiers from Pskov were killed in eastern Ukraine in August. It cited paratroopers from 76th Division who had asked the paper not to name them. Authorities denied the allegations.
Speaking to CPJ from his hospital bed, where he was recovering from head injuries, Shlosberg said that a few days after the reports were published, unidentified assailants approached him from behind, knocked him to the ground with a blow to his head, and pummeled him. He lost consciousness. News reports said Shlosberg was attacked on his way to a late-night meeting with his reporter, Aleksei Semyonov, whom he was supposed to give sensitive information about his findings on the deaths.
Semyonov found Shlosberg after the assault, and published his account of the events, including the paper's investigation into Russian soldiers' deaths. According to Semyonov's account, before the assault Shlosberg had attended the funeral in Pskov of Leonid Kichatkin, a paratrooper believed to be killed in eastern Ukraine. At the funeral several men in uniform had scuffled with the publisher, according to Semyonov.
Although Shlosberg did not want to comment on the inquiry authorities started into his attack, or speculate about dangers his paper may face over its reporting, he told CPJ there was "no doubt that the motive of the attack was his reporting [on the paratroopers' illegal deployment to Ukraine] and not his work in the regional parliament."
Despite the attack, Pskovskaya Guberniya has continued to report on the mysterious deaths of Russian soldiers. Other news outlets have written similar reports, naming Russian soldiers and army officers wounded or killed during what Moscow described as "military exercises" near the Ukraine border. On Tuesday, Shlosberg filed a formal request asking the office of the Russian general prosecutor to investigate the deaths of 12 soldiers who served in Pskov region, the Moscow-based independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported.
After he filed the request, the state-owned news channel Vesti released a lengthy report on Shlosberg's case. But instead of following up on his inquiry, the broadcaster portrayed him as a traitor and recipient of foreign grants, including from the U.S. government-funded National Endowment for Democracy. And, as in the case of the BBC crew, regional police told Vesti that because Shlosberg lost his cell phone during the attack, it is being investigated as a robbery, not obstruction to journalism.
Requests from the leadership of Shlosberg's party to have the case classified under the Russian criminal code as "obstruction to journalism" and "assault against a public official" have not been granted, news reports said.
The attacks against the BBC crew and Shlosberg were not the first. In just two days, August 26 and 27, seven journalists from independent news outlets who visited the region to cover the same story were targeted with attacks, threats, and other forms of obstruction to their work, they told CPJ. Among them were Nina Petlyanova from the Moscow-based newspaper Novaya Gazeta; Irina Borukovich of the St. Petersburg-based newspaper Fontanka; Sergey Kovalchenko and Sergey Gorin of the St. Petersburg-based news website Telegraf; Vladimir Romensky with the online broadcaster Dozhd; Ilya Vasyunin of the Moscow-based newspaper Russkaya Planeta; and Denis Pinchuk of Reuters.
"In August alone our foundation received alarming news [on obstruction to journalism] from Rostov, Kaluga, Ryazan, Pskov, and other regions," Aleksei Simonov, GDF's chairman, told CPJ. "I believe that these cases of obstruction to reporters' work stem from journalistic investigations into the classified by top authorities information on the level of Russia's involvement into the conflict in Ukraine." Simonov said that, in his opinion, Russia's Investigative Committee -- a federal agency tasked with investigating serious crimes -- should open an investigation under article 144 of the Criminal Code, obstruction to journalists' professional activities.
Petlyanova told CPJ that while attending the funeral of paratrooper Aleksei Karpenko, two men threatened her and Borukovich. The men, who Petlyanova said were either friends of relatives of Karpenko, pushed the two journalists in Borukovich's car, then threatened them, urged them to stop investigating soldiers' deaths, and told them to leave the region immediately. The attackers forced the journalists to show their passports, which they photographed. They also deleted pictures from Petlyanova's camera.
The journalist told CPJ she believed her assailants were scared and looked nervous at the thought of Karpenko's funeral being leaked to the media. The official cause of death for the soldier was listed as stroke, a cause listed on at least two other death certificates, relatives of dead soldiers told Petlyanova. Other journalists who spoke to CPJ after investigating the deaths also said that the soldiers' relatives appeared to be scared or under pressure, and that they had negative feelings towards reporters.
Vasyunin and Romensky told CPJ they were threatened on August 26 when they met relatives of a deceased soldier in Pskov. Two muscular men approached them near the family's house, and insisted the journalists leave. When the reporters later accompanied Petlyanova and Borukovich to the Novoye cemetery in Kresty district of Pskov, two unidentified men tried to break their car's windows, and slit its tires, before demanding that they leave. Journalists filmed the attack and shared the video with news outlets.
During that attack, Petlyanova said, she called the police but authorities started investigating only after Novaya Gazeta's chief editor Dmitry Muratov -- acting on her request -- personally appealed to Russia's interior minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev.
The journalists who spoke to CPJ said cemeteries in the region appear to be guarded by unknown men, who obstruct journalists' access to the grave sites or the families of killed soldiers.
On August 28, members of Council for Civil Society and Human Rights, under the president of Russia, officially asked the committee's leadership to order an inquiry into the attacks, and take measures to bring those responsible to justice. "We firmly believe that inevitability of punishment is the primary requirement in the fight against crime," said the letter, signed by Mikhail Fedotov, chairman of the council.
In addition to the appeal, the human rights council and several members of Russia's parliament proposed to amend Russian media law to ensure greater security for journalists in conflict zones, local press reported. The officials suggested that media law should require news outlets to provide security training and offer insurance to journalists in conflict areas and hot spots.
Boris Reznik, a member of the Russian parliament and supporter of the bill, told CPJ: "We understand that these amendments are just a drop in the ocean, but we have to do something to ensure any protection for Russian journalists. [The] situation is so bad nowadays that media workers with state-owned news outlets or their families do not receive any help or insurance compensation if they get wounded or even killed while carrying [out] their professional activities in conflict zones."
After the killing of at least five Russian journalists or media workers in Ukraine, according to CPJ research, the bill might get official support and be adopted.
However, this is hardly a solution. If Russian authorities want to "ensure protection for Russian journalists"--as Reznik put it--they should not stop their efforts at legal amendments. They must thoroughly investigate and bring to justice those responsible for the attacks against journalists who investigate crimes committed by Russian officials -- from human rights abuses and corruption, to allegations of the secret deployment of Russian soldiers to Ukraine. As practice elsewhere shows, attacks on the press have a tendency to diminish when authorities act swiftly to reduce the level of impunity in attacks against reporters.


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package org.springframework.osgi.service.importer.support;

import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
import org.osgi.framework.BundleContext;
import org.osgi.framework.Filter;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanClassLoaderAware;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanNameAware;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.DisposableBean;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.FactoryBean;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
import org.springframework.osgi.context.BundleContextAware;
import org.springframework.osgi.service.exporter.OsgiServicePropertiesResolver;
import org.springframework.osgi.service.importer.OsgiServiceLifecycleListener;
import org.springframework.osgi.util.OsgiFilterUtils;
import org.springframework.osgi.util.internal.ClassUtils;
import org.springframework.util.Assert;
import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;

/**
 * Base class for importing OSGi services. Provides the common properties and
 * contracts between importers.
 *
 * @author Costin Leau
 * @author Adrian Colyer
 * @author Hal Hildebrand
 */
public abstract class AbstractOsgiServiceImportFactoryBean implements FactoryBean, InitializingBean, DisposableBean,
		BundleContextAware, BeanClassLoaderAware, BeanNameAware {

	private static final Log log = LogFactory.getLog(AbstractOsgiServiceImportFactoryBean.class);

	/** context classloader */
	private ClassLoader classLoader;

	private BundleContext bundleContext;

	private ImportContextClassLoader contextClassLoader = ImportContextClassLoader.CLIENT;

	// not required to be an interface, but usually should be...
	private Class[] interfaces;

	// filter used to narrow service matches, may be null
	private String filter;

	// Cumulated filter string between the specified classes/interfaces and the
	// given filter
	private Filter unifiedFilter;

	// service lifecycle listener
	private OsgiServiceLifecycleListener[] listeners;

	/** Service Bean property of the OSGi service * */
	private String serviceBeanName;

	private Cardinality cardinality;

	/** bean name */
	private String beanName = "";

	public void afterPropertiesSet() {
		Assert.notNull(this.bundleContext, "Required 'bundleContext' property was not set.");
		Assert.notNull(classLoader, "Required 'classLoader' property was not set.");
		Assert.notEmpty(interfaces, "Required 'interfaces' property was not set.");
		Assert.noNullElements(interfaces, "Null 'interfaces' entries not allowed.");

		// validate specified classes
		Assert.isTrue(!ClassUtils.containsUnrelatedClasses(interfaces),
			"more then one concrete class specified; cannot create proxy.");

		this.listeners = (listeners == null ? new OsgiServiceLifecycleListener[0] : listeners);

		getUnifiedFilter(); // eager initialization of the cache to catch filter errors
	}

	/**
	 * Assembles the configuration properties into one unified OSGi filter. Note
	 * that this implementation creates the filter on the first call and caches
	 * it afterwards.
	 *
	 * @return unified filter based on this factory bean configuration
	 */
	public Filter getUnifiedFilter() {
		if (unifiedFilter != null) {
			return unifiedFilter;
		}

		String filterWithClasses = OsgiFilterUtils.unifyFilter(interfaces, filter);

		boolean trace = log.isTraceEnabled();
		if (trace)
			log.trace("Unified classes=" + ObjectUtils.nullSafeToString(interfaces) + " and filter=[" + filter
					+ "]  in=[" + filterWithClasses + "]");

		// add the serviceBeanName constraint
		String filterWithServiceBeanName = OsgiFilterUtils.unifyFilter(
			OsgiServicePropertiesResolver.BEAN_NAME_PROPERTY_KEY, new String[] { serviceBeanName }, filterWithClasses);

		if (trace)
			log.trace("Unified serviceBeanName [" + ObjectUtils.nullSafeToString(serviceBeanName) + "] and filter=["
					+ filterWithClasses + "]  in=[" + filterWithServiceBeanName + "]");

		// create (which implies validation) the actual filter
		unifiedFilter = OsgiFilterUtils.createFilter(filterWithServiceBeanName);

		return unifiedFilter;
	}

	/**
	 * Sets the classes that the imported service advertises.
	 *
	 * @param interfaces array of advertised classes.
	 */
	public void setInterfaces(Class[] interfaces) {
		this.interfaces = interfaces;
	}

	/**
	 * Sets the thread context class loader management strategy to use for
	 * services imported by this service. By default
	 * {@link ImportContextClassLoader#CLIENT} is used.
	 *
	 * @param contextClassLoader import context class loader management strategy
	 * @see ImportContextClassLoader
	 */
	public void setContextClassLoader(ImportContextClassLoader contextClassLoader) {
		Assert.notNull(contextClassLoader);
		this.contextClassLoader = contextClassLoader;
	}

	public void setBundleContext(BundleContext context) {
		this.bundleContext = context;
	}

	/**
	 * Sets the OSGi service filter. The filter will be concatenated with the
	 * rest of the configuration properties specified (such as interfaces) so
	 * there is no need to include them in the filter.
	 *
	 * @param filter OSGi filter describing the importing OSGi service
	 */
	public void setFilter(String filter) {
		this.filter = filter;
	}

	/**
	 * Sets the lifecycle listeners interested in receiving events for this
	 * importer.
	 *
	 * @param listeners importer listeners
	 */
	public void setListeners(OsgiServiceLifecycleListener[] listeners) {
		this.listeners = listeners;
	}

	/**
	 * Sets the OSGi service bean name. This setting should be normally used
	 * when the imported service has been exported by Spring DM exporter. You
	 * may specify additional filtering criteria if needed (using the filter
	 * property) but this is not required.
	 *
	 * @param serviceBeanName importer service bean name
	 */
	public void setServiceBeanName(String serviceBeanName) {
		this.serviceBeanName = serviceBeanName;
	}

	/**
	 * {@inheritDoc}
	 *
	 * This method is called automatically by the container.
	 */
	public void setBeanClassLoader(ClassLoader classLoader) {
		this.classLoader = classLoader;
	}

	/**
	 * Returns the class loader used by this FactoryBean.
	 *
	 * @return factory bean class loader
	 */
	public ClassLoader getBeanClassLoader() {
		return classLoader;
	}

	/**
	 * Returns the bundleContext used by this FactoryBean.
	 *
	 * @return factory bean class loader
	 */
	public BundleContext getBundleContext() {
		return bundleContext;
	}

	/**
	 * Returns the interfaces used for discovering the imported service(s).
	 *
	 * @return interfaces advertised by services in the OSGi space
	 */
	public Class[] getInterfaces() {
		return interfaces;
	}

	/**
	 * Returns the filter describing the imported service(s).
	 *
	 * @return filter describing the imported service(s)
	 */
	public String getFilter() {
		return filter;
	}

	/**
	 * Returns the listeners interested in receiving events for this importer.
	 *
	 * @return lifecycle listeners used by this importer
	 */
	public OsgiServiceLifecycleListener[] getListeners() {
		return listeners;
	}

	/**
	 * Returns the context class loader management strategy.
	 *
	 * @return the context class loader management strategy
	 */
	public ImportContextClassLoader getContextClassLoader() {
		return contextClassLoader;
	}

	/**
	 * Returns the cardinality used by this importer.
	 *
	 * @return importer cardinality
	 */
	public Cardinality getCardinality() {
		return cardinality;
	}

	/**
	 * Sets the importer cardinality (0..1, 1..1, 0..N, or 1..N). Default is
	 * 1..X.
	 *
	 * @param cardinality importer cardinality.
	 */
	public void setCardinality(Cardinality cardinality) {
		Assert.notNull(cardinality);
		this.cardinality = cardinality;
	}

	/**
	 * Returns the bean name associated with the instance of this class (when
	 * running inside the Spring container).
	 *
	 * @return component bean name
	 */
	public String getBeanName() {
		return beanName;
	}

	public void setBeanName(String name) {
		beanName = name;
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Nûby™Safari Chimes™are interactive toys that blend both fun and function. They feature bright colors, playful sounds, a variety of textures and fun characters that are sure to captivate your baby's imagination. Additionally, they hang from a clip that easily attaches to stroller, high chair, car seat, etc.
I always like to have some toys on hand when I'm out and about with Baby Boy. I was excited to see if he would like the Nûby Safari Chimes. I was sent the alligator chime which is perfect because we LOVE alligators in this house. It's the theme of Baby Boy's nursery and the boys here are HUGE Gator fans!
I hung this on Baby Boy's car seat and he immediately starting reaching for it. He continued to play with it while I was driving for quite a bit. (I obviously don't have any pictures of that- you'll have to take my word for it ;) The Safari Chime hangs at the perfect height for little hands to reach for it, plus it's bright and colorful to grab their attention. Additionally, it sounds like a little bell- not too loud at all. This will be a new fixture on his car seat for entertainment.
Follow & Connect: You can connect with Nûby on Facebook or Twitter.
Cute! It's nice the bell isn't really loud. When my son squeezes squeak toys it drives me nuts- ack!
Oh! What a great toy! Looks like he's having fun!
Oh I have some baby showers coming up, I need to keep this in mind! Very cute!


Any window which is built in wood can be built in bamboo, including any shape, form or size, from arched to swing-door windows. Accordingly, all existing sizes and construction depths can be offered as an alternative to wood. Correspondingly, all standard isolating glass types can be applied within the window casement. Due to very high shape stability and thus low heat (and cold!) loss, bamboo windows are also ideal for low-energy houses.
Bamboo represents a sensible alternative to conventional tropical, but also to endemic woods: It comes with unique qualities and advantages, which we adopted in the development of the bamboo-window.
The window has a typical, timeless texture and can be varnished in almost all glazes and RAL colour tones.


Beaverdale is the UKs leading brand of wine kit, premium grape concentrate with no sugar to add.
Fantastic value for money for a top quality wine kit, ready to be consumed after 28 days, ageing uncovers this products full potential.
Fantastic value for money for a top quality wine kit, ready to be consumed after 28 days.
A stunning unique blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard and Muscat varieties sourced from Australia's Riverland region on the Murray River.
Steely, grassy, herbaceous- the classic traits of palate-cleansing Sauvignon Blanc are here in this version – sourced directly from France.
Though dry in character and with a pleasant zip of acidity, this pinot Grigio shows off a pleasant floral fragrance and tremendous fruit flavours.
The world's first 15 litre premium winemaking kit, and still setting the standard, designed for the serious and patient winemaker.


"It's Okay to Be Bored from Point A to Point B--Just Don't Stop"
As you go after the goals you've set out for yourself, there will come a time when the excitement has worn off and it feels like you're not getting anywhere. That's okay. The key is to push through that.
From now on, I want you to begin viewing boredom not as a sign of stagnation, but as a sign of consistent, steady progress. Success is inevitable, as long as you're doing the little things that you need to do every single day to succeed. It's okay to be bored from Point A to Point B. Just don't stop.
A train starts its journey with a lurch forward as the wheels begin to turn and it's exciting. Over time, the repetitive motion of the train loses its appeal, but that doesn't mean it's not heading where it needs to go. In a way, it's good to be bored with your goal. Just be sure you recognize what it really means, and don't stop because of it.


Brighten up your work week with these savory-sweet salad recipes, all packed with summer's finest—fresh berries, juicy melon and ripe peaches. A host of vibrant, refreshing combinations to see you through the entire season.
Incredibly simple, this salad is a meal unto itself.
Juicy watermelon and salty cheese make for a lovely marriage of savory and sweet.
Another savory-sweet powerhouse, juicy peaches and salty prosciutto are delightful served atop crisp greens.
Incorporate all the flavors of summer in this delicious side salad starring an entire garden-fresh haul.
Crisp red onion provides a spicy bite to contrast fresh tomatoes, nectarines and herbs.
Light, fresh and crisp, this salad could easily double as side dish and dessert.
Sweet, sour, savory and spicy—this Asian-inspired combo hits all those flavor notes.
Slices of mango, avocado and red onion star in this salad, while pine nuts lend a rich, buttery finish.
Peak-season blueberries give this flavorful dish an extra little burst of sweetness to balance its cumin and coriander-spiced base.
Grilled peaches and onions, bacon and goat cheese come together to form an incredibly flavor-packed main dish salad.
Ripe berries and tangy, creamy goat cheese—a match made in heaven.
Nutty, chewy wheatberries (also known as farro) make a terrific base for a summer grain salad, this one featuring three farmstand favorites.


In a nation with some 200 nationalities, coming from vastly different backgrounds, cultures and religions, the childhood experiences of UAE residents cover a broad spectrum.
But if there is one common denominator that unites the millions who were either born here or choose to make the UAE their home, it is the impact our mothers have on many of our lives.
That was poignantly evident in much of the footage from the Special Olympics World Games, in which, alongside the athletes competing in arenas, their proud parents could be seen rallying them from the sidelines.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, paid tribute to those women to mark Mothers' Day, traditionally celebrated on March 21 in the UAE, praising the unsung heroines who battle to give their children every opportunity in life and watch them thrive.
"We would like to dedicate this day in the Emirates to mothers whose children have special needs," he tweeted. In an uplifting video accompanying his message could be seen the mothers of athletes cheering them on during the competition.
Mothers' Day is celebrated on different days in different countries – in the UK, it is usually the last Sunday in March; in other parts of the world, it falls in May – but for all, it is a reminder to honour those who rear us, nurture us and encourage us, without expecting thanks or reward.
Often, they know us better than we know ourselves. Take Clara Lehmkuhl, a tennis player with Down syndrome who competed for the UAE national team at the Games. Miss Lehmkuhl's mother had to teach her how to read and write before a mainstream school would accept her.
Nor did she let her daughter's condition isolate her from her peers or hold her back; indeed, it was with her constant support that Miss Lehmkuhl rose to her current star status.
The Special Olympics World Games were filled with similar stories of parental love and encouragement in the face of adversity.
As the closing ceremony for these Games takes place tonight, we should all take a moment to remember the mothers standing behind the proud winning athletes – and our own.
They might not always be as visible but their impact is felt throughout all our lives.


text:
Disneyland Resort, Geeks Corner, Magic Key, Parks
Introducing the Magic Key – GEEKS CORNER – Episode 1144 (#567)
Welcome to GEEKS CORNER! This week is a very targeted show with just two main topics. First off, the GEEKS take a look at the newly announced Magic Key pass program at the Disneyland Resort. This includes a cost comparison between Disneyland Annual Passes and the Magic Key pass and also a break-even analysis. The GEEKS also share their opinions about this new program that arrives at the Disneyland Resort on August 25th. The GEEKS also share what they thought of Disney's Jungle Cruise. This movie arrived in theaters and Disney+ with Premier Access this last weekend.
What do you think of the new Magic Key pass program? What did you think of Disney's Jungle Cruise? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
THE WEEK IN GEEK
Magic Key Pass for Disneyland Resort to Go On Sale on August 25 https://dapsmagic.com/2021/08/magic-key-pass-for-disneyland-resort-to-go-on-sale-august-25/
Disneyland Resort Reveals Benefits for Magic Key Holders https://dapsmagic.com/2021/08/disneyland-resort-reveals-additional-benefits-for-magic-key-pass-program/
Disneyland Resort to Offer Additional Benefits for Charter Members of Magic Key Program https://dapsmagic.com/2021/08/disneyland-resort-to-offer-additional-benefits-for-charter-magic-key-members/
A Look at the Metrics of the Magic Key Pass Program https://dapsmagic.com/2021/08/a-look-at-the-metrics-of-the-magic-key-pass-program/
Disneyland Resort to Say Goodbye to Legacy Passholder Program https://dapsmagic.com/2021/08/disneyland-resort-is-saying-goodbye-to-legacy-passholder-program/
Disney's Jungle Cruise Sails Into Theaters and Disney+ With Premiere Access https://dapsmagic.com/2021/07/disneys-jungle-cruise-mr-daps-review/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Fauxtography
Is This a Flyer for an 'End the Lockdown Rally'?
Even though a Staten Island rally didn't come to fruition, similar anti-social distancing protests took place across the U.S.
A photograph shows a flyer posted for an "End the Lockdown Rally" in Staten Island.
Snopes is still fighting an "infodemic" of rumors and misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and you can help. Find out what we've learned and how to inoculate yourself against COVID-19 misinformation. Read the latest fact checks about the vaccines. Submit any questionable rumors and "advice" you encounter. Become a Founding Member to help us hire more fact-checkers. And, please, follow the CDC or WHO for guidance on protecting your community from the disease.
Over the weekend of April 17-19, 2020, protesters across the U.S. turned out for rallies urging a loosening of social distancing restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 coronavirus disease pandemic. At that time, social media users shared a photograph of a flyer for an "End the Lockdown" rally that seemed aimed at achieving the worst possible outcome in encouraging that participants need not wear masks, should bring their children along, and attend even if they were already sick:
The cropping of the image seen above cut off the top portion of the poster, which identified it as referring to a "Liberate Staten Island" rally. We don't know at this time whether the flyer was on the level or whether it was intended as a spoof of the reckless attitudes of some protesters, but we can verify that at least a few such flyers were posted around Tottenville, a neighborhood on the South Shore of Staten Island, as reported by the Staten Island Advance:
Fliers promoting an "End the Lockdown Rally" were spotted at the CVS on Page Avenue, and on the corner of Main Street and Amboy Road.
The promotional material said the rally would take place Sunday morning at 11 a.m. on the Conference House lawn in Tottenville.
"No mask needed. Bring your children. Non-essential workers. If you're sick still come, it's your right!" stated the fliers.
The instructions were followed by the phrase "Keep America Great!" and "#MAGA," which stands for President Donald Trump's original campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again."
NYPD has been tasked by Mayor Bill de Blasio to issue fines for people who are not social distancing.
In the event, if the posters weren't a joke, then apparently poor planning, cold feet, or apathy kept attendees away, as according to the Advance no one but police turned out for the rally:
According to fliers posted around Tottenville, some non-essential workers planned an "End the Lockdown Rally" for Sunday at Conference House Park, in hopes of protesting the current "New York on PAUSE" mandates under Gov. Andrew Cuomo in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
But no one showed up for Sunday's rally — except the police.
Around the time the rally was supposed to begin, police officers were seen canvassing the empty Conference House Park lawn. Police confirmed they were at the site in anticipation of the rally.
Humbrecht, Rebeka. "End the Lockdown Rally? No One Shows Up — Except NYPD."
Staten Island Advance. 19 April 2020.


text:
Innsbrook-based real estate firm seals $70M NoVa acquisition
Michael Schwartz February 26, 2019 0
Bellemeade Farms Apartments in Leesburg. (Courtesy PR Newswire/Walker & Dunlop, Inc.)
Marking its priciest purchase yet, a Henrico real estate investment firm just dropped eight figures for a property in Northern Virginia.
Capital Square 1031, which purchases commercial and multifamily real estate, and sells ownership shares in each property to pools of investors through 1031 exchanges, this month acquired the Bellemeade Farms Apartments in Leesburg for approximately $70 million.
While that's the highest price the firm has paid in any of its 74 deals since its founding in 2012, the 316-unit complex also marks another milestone: It put the company over the $1 billion threshold in total real estate acquired.
Founder and CEO Louis Rogers said he's been looking forward to topping $1 billion.
"That's when you're real in the real estate world," he said.
The Bellemeade Farms deal follows other recent purchases for Capital Square, including dropping $39 million for the Axis 147 apartments in Chesterfield County last fall and Woodshire Apartments in Virginia Beach, for which it paid $42.8 million last month.
Axis 147 is located between Huguenot Village Shopping Center and Chesterfield Towne Center. (BizSense file photo courtesy of Colliers)
The 33-person company also has begun to dispose of some of its properties to allow investors to cash out from earlier deals.
Its first disposition came last summer, when it sold an apartment complex in Tampa, Florida, for $43 million, after having paid $31 million in 2013. Sales of an apartment complex in Phoenix and three trailer parks in Indiana and Ohio followed in the fall.
Rogers said he expects the deal flow to continue, as investors have a growing appetite for reinvesting money through 1031 exchanges to avoid taxes on the proceeds of previous real estate deals.
He said the firm will continue to target apartment complexes, medical offices, industrial properties and other so-called triple-net commercial properties.
Up next for Capital Square is the purchase of a 151,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility occupied by Carolina Beverage Group in Mooresville, North Carolina, near Charlotte. Capital Square already has pooled the necessary investor funds for that pending deal.
POSTED IN Commercial Real Estate, News, Residential Real Estate, Top News
About the Author: Michael Schwartz
Michael Schwartz is the editor of Richmond BizSense, and covers banking, lawsuits, finance, M&A and golf. He can be reached at [email protected] or 804-855-1037.


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Hey, new day, new discussion (lol)…Let's get started. As you may or may not know by now, that relationship building is most critical when it comes to your business, or profitable skills. Why? Because relationships is the bridge that connects you with your niche or audience of interest.
Set out to help the people in your market by showing them, just how much you care.
You build a relationship by demonstrating value and establishing trust.
From my experience, many people may not be interested in a relationship with a stranger, however, guess what…most people are interested in value! And the value given may ignite a deeper interest when it comes to developing a new and sound relationship. Put yourself in the place of others, wouldn't you too want to start a relationship with someone who provided tons of value in the things you want or need?
Just saying, value helps and remember to do things to keep the relationship going.
First of all I wanna say thank you for the post that's really useful. I wanna ask a question about that, it's true to develop your relations based on the trust and most of us know the ways to do that and gain trust in the relationship but when we talk about our business things may become different, How can we gain that trust in our business relations?
You are welcome- I'm not sure I quite understand your question, however are you asking..How to gain trust while you are presenting your business as you're talking with some one? Or are you wanting to know a list of ways to gain trust in business relations? Just wanting to be clear on your question, also I plan to address more of this in my business building tips. Also, feel free to get back in touch, and hope I'm able to touch basis on your concerns.
I agree with you, build a relationship by demonstrating value and establishing trust.I think that if you have a good product and you treat the customer with respect the rest will come in time.
Yes, the word "respect" is a major factor and should be given to everyone, regardless. Thanks for your feedback and hope to see you back, Harry.
What an amazing post this was! Very well written and great information shared! This is something everyone should read and especially people in business. Building strong relationships is difficult and requires hard work, dedication and honesty.
You must earn people's trust and that is not the easiest thing to do.
Thank you so much for sharing this great info with us!
Relationship building is a great way to gain more trust for your business growth. If more people trust you, they will also recommend you to their friends, relatives, neighbors and colleagues. I think relationship building and having others recommend your services leads to a great word-of-mouth for your business and many times that word-of-mouth can generate more customers than any other median. Not everyone is able to be professional in person but if you can master those skills, you will be better off for it.
Remember to look people in the eye, shake their hand, smile at them and listen to their needs and wants. Let them know you care about what you can do to help meet their needs.
Wow, really great tips Sephanie…my point exactly…Do all the right things it takes to build great relationships and the rest is history. Thanks for your wonderful feedback.
I really enjoyed this article its short, simple and straight to the point! I really believe that you have captured the heart of business and i am very impressed that you are using this a platform in your business ethics! Great job in writing this article and I wish you all the success in the future!
Hi Shane, glad you enjoyed and found this tip useful, hope to see you back, take care and thanks.
This is a great tip. If you do not connect with your audience… then they will not connect with you and will most definitely come back to your website. You should make things sound like your talking to a human, not a wallet =P Thanks for the advice and I look forward to more tips!
Welcome…Any time Bryan, thanks for your great feedback and would love to have you back.
I think your right when it comes to building business relationships because at the end of the day it's what relationships with people you have that matters most- not really how many you have or who you know. It all comes down to quality! I think these are some great tips, I'd love to hear more from you in the future!
Yes, I agree with your point, that quality is more valuable than a meaningless quantity. Glad you enjoyed the tips and would certainly love to have you back, thanks for your feedback and take care.
Good informative site. I read a part on your website that got me thinking. You said people don't like to deal with strangers, I believe that's why the more comments you have on a site lets visitors know that people are willing to talk to you and may want to engage.
Hey Brandon, you're right about the character build through comments, however, when someone doesn't know much about the character of a content provider, lots can be achieved through value, interest and caring for others. It is certainly a show of goodwill when one tries to help by providing useful information. Helping through content or interest is a great "ice breaker" and making for the beginning of a more solid relationship that may blossom into great buddies. One thing, for sure is generally people are super wise by nature, and can sense what's genuine or not, it's like a God given instinct. Thanks for your "on point" feedback and would love to have you back.
Great advice on building relationship. You were spot on when you said that people value "value" and by providing value to your customers you show that you care and that helps strengthen relationship.
To give you a personal experience I travel 5 miles to get a haircut when there are many options close to my home, simply because they make me feel that they care.
Hi Josh, you too…LoL! Thought I was the only one who drove miles out the neighborhood to taste genuine friendliness and value, glad you mentioned that one. Thanks for your feedback.
Great post and website, yeah you are right establishing relationship with value help will comes to you in return, I am new at affiliate marketing and I found a lot of people helping me a lot and give me a hand when I need it, so I started to play the same role to everyone stuck in any issue in his online business thanks for sharing.
Thanks… I hear ya, Ehab and all the best on your journey!
Strong advice, by putting yourself in the shoes of your client you come to understand what they really need and what is of most value to them.
As you point out a successful business relationship has to start from a point of mutual trust and respect.
Thanks and glad you found value, Luke.
Thanks for the post. Could not agree more. Relationship building i have found from experience is really important. I Always used the spin selling technique when face to face selling. You need to have strong person to person communication skills. It is no different on-line. people don't know who you are, so if you write naturally and get the message across in a way that can help the other person, you are past the half way line.
Welcome, glad you found value from this post. Yes, I agree, it totally helps to write as natural and "down to earth" as possible.
Relationship building – something i've been paying less attention to after my life turned upside down. But you're definitely right that they are important for business, relationship is important and clients will keep coming to you because they trust you.
There's a silly question I've been meaning to ask though – Is dating your colleague or business partner a wise idea? Many people are against the idea as it will disrupt work but there are still others who thrive in it.
Hi Riaz, good you stop by, yes people do generally trust those they know or referrals, oppose to a total stranger. And just know that, no question is a silly question, the way I see it. Now, as far as whether business partners should date or not…I think it will strongly depend on how disclipine the pair is when it comes to keeping business, business…simple as that. Hey, more tips coming soon, hope to catch you later.
I agree that the key to building a good business is building relationships and trust. If you establish yourself as an expert and an authority, people will trust you and will be more likely to buy the information you provide. You will even get some followers that will buy everything you do, because you resonate with them on many levels and they just want more! Love reading your tips, thanks!
Hi Molly, glad you found this tip valuable, thanks and don't forget to bookmark for more tips.
This tip is short but right to the point. I like that. No messing around. You hit the nail on the head when you mention "value". If you think about it, most relationships of any kind are dependent on some value being added to one's life by knowing the other person. That's especially true when building business relationships where you ultimately hope someone will part with their money and make a purchase.
What do you think is the best way to build trust in your business relationships? Do you thinking offering value is the most important way to build trust?
Darren, how's it going? You've asked some really great questions. Now, the way I see it, there's actually more to it than providing value. However, providing value is great but there are other traits that helps to structure a great relationship as well. Such as, building and maintaining trust, respect,dependability, being genuine,helpful and supportive all works together as peice of the whole puzzle; So they all are most important when it comes to relationship building.
I keep reminding myself every day that business is about helping people. I guess that falls in line with relationship building. Build trust by offering something of value (e.g. advice). Help someone with their problem(s). What are your favorite strategies for building relationships in an online business environment?
Great work. I have learnt much by going through your website. You have made your information simple and relevant to online business.. I particularly like your WA blog. I promise to visit your site several times in future because i wish to learn from your content. It is indeed a pleasure having the opportunity to comment on your work which is very mature,with well selected images, informative, and with elaborate details about your experience online.
I believe for ones you have found something worth doing at WA. Me too, am liking everything here and just hanging in for the long while.
Hi Lucy, hope you were able to check out the first tip on relationship building as I've more tips. I'm glad you're finding value here and would love to have you stayed tuned for more.


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The Possibility Of Russians Using Tactical Nukes and the Strategic Importance Of The Arctic
As US-Russian relations unwind, we're seeing the possibility of new threats and new battlefields, as "60 Minutes" reported.
By Tyler Rogoway October 4, 2016
CBS's iconic news magazine seems to be launching a major investigation into America's changing strategic place in the world. A few weeks ago, 60 Minutes offered a fascinating look inside Strategic Command and some of its most shy assets. Two weeks ago, the second part of that series explored America's nuclear posture and how Russia may not see the use of nuclear weapons in the same light as the US. Then this week, Leslie Stall ventured up to Arctic to report on ICEX 2016, where she talked the changing geopolitical winds blowing in the far north, the looming specter of climate change, and took a ride on nuclear fast attack sub.
"60 Minutes" Goes Inside Strategic Command and Sees that the Cold War Never Ended By Tyler Rogoway Posted in The War Zone
Leaving Nuclear Weapons In Turkey Is Just Poor Strategy By Tyler Rogoway Posted in The War Zone
China and Russia Are Executing Island-Seizing Drills in the South China Sea By Tyler Rogoway Posted in The War Zone
North Korea Celebrates Its Founding With Nuclear Fireworks By Tyler Rogoway Posted in The War Zone
China Will Send Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarines Into The Pacific: Report By Tyler Rogoway Posted in The War Zone
The second part of David Martin's New Cold War expose (see the first part here) highlights something that I have long posited—the reality that limited peer state warfare, and even the selective use of tactical nuclear weapons during such a conflict, is not unthinkable. In fact, "escalating to deescalate" is a very real tactic, one that seems to fit (albeit in an extreme manner) with Russia's strategic playbook lately.
Even a tactical nuclear weapon used in an unpopulated area, or on an isolated military target, draws a high stakes line in the sand. This is a point of departure towards either deescalation or armageddon. It tosses the metaphorical ball into the other guy's court, at which point he will have to decide whether the risk of a major nuclear exchange is worth trying to retake the limited territory the enemy has already seized.
Watch this second part of David Martin's New Cold War expose here.
In the segment, Martin sat down with Philip Breedlove, former Commander, U.S. European Command, as well as the 17th Supreme Allied Commander of NATO until last May. The discussion was characteristically frank:
Breedlove: They see nuclear weapons as a normal extension of a conventional conflict.
Martin: So to them nuclear war is not unthinkable?
Breedlove: I think to them the use of nuclear weapons is not unthinkable.
Later, Martin talks with Admiral Steve Parode, the director of intelligence for US Strategic Command:
Parode: I think that they feel that fundamentally the West is sociologically weaker, and if they were to use a nuclear weapon in the course of a conflict between, say, NATO and Russia, they might be able to shock the Western powers into de-escalating, freezing the conflict, into calling a cease-fire.
Martin: So they have a belief that they're just tougher than us?
Parode: Oh, that's definitely true.
Martin: And if they have to use nuclear weapons, we can't, we can't take it?
Parode: I think that some people might think that.
Martin: So, how would they shock us into surrender?
Parode: They could strike a European target with a nuclear weapon, maybe an airfield they thought was vital to conflict between NATO and Russia.
Boevaya Mashina/wikicommons
Iskander short-range ballistic missiles, like those based in Kaliningrad.
The reality is that massive retaliation is not America's nuclear policy. Flexible (or scaled) response is really the policy that is in place today and has been for decades. Under such a policy the President can chose to respond to the use of nuclear weapons in a tit-for-tat manner, including the use of non-nuclear means for retaliation. Or the President has the ability to execute an overwhelming response, where one nuclear weapon used by the enemy could see many more used against them in a rapidly escalating conflict model. It is all up to the Commander In Chief, and they would likely have very little time to make such a decision.
Underlying this strategy is America's second-strike deterrent and the idea of mutually assured destruction, which could be the end game in any nuclear exchange between Russia and the US. So it is not as if say Russia were to use a tactical nuclear weapon to plug a gap on the battlefield, and in doing so attempt to freeze a limited conflict by calling America's bluff when it comes to nuclear escalation, that the US would have to retaliate with all or even a sizable amount of its nuclear stockpile. Although such a strong response remains an option, it has limited utility unless it is put in place as a clear policy by the Commander In Chief before such a conflict were to even begin.
Under this type of "massive retaliation" policy the stakes are immediately much higher for both the adversary and the US, as there are less options on the table for dealing with small-scale use of nuclear weapons by the enemy. Yet at the same time the deterrence factor is considerably higher, which could keep an enemy from trying to use a nuke at all.
Massive retaliation was America's nuclear policy through Eisenhower's term in office. JFK changed to the less absolute flexible response model, and although this has kept the mankind from extinction for half a century, there are calls to change this policy in an attempt to adapt to the strategic realities of the new millennium.
In some ways, Russia has already tested NATO's threshold for military response by invading Crimea. Although Ukraine is not a NATO country, much can be gauged by how the military action was perceived and what measures NATO has put in place following the territorial grab. Although there has been a large increase in US-NATO military drills, especially in eastern European NATO countries, and some assets have been shuffled into the region, they would have a very hard time actually staying off an onslaught from the reawoken Russian bear.
When it comes to the Baltic States, which are NATO members, estimates regarding how long it would take Russia to fully seize Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are not promising, with most numbering just a matter of a few days. If such an event were to occur, Russia could very well threaten nuclear war if NATO attempted to respond conventionally in a major way. They could even initiate a first use of a tactical nuclear weapon in an attempt to freeze the conflict and maintain their territorial gains, just as Admiral Parode described. In fact, Russia has tactical ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons placed in the heart of Europe already.
All this nuclear weapons talk is especially relevant during a Presidential election year, one where the candidates have had some interesting things to say on the issue. Trump in particular has talked a lot about nuclear weapons, and raised a lot of eyebrows in the process. From not knowing what the nuclear triad is to his first debate with Hillary Clinton where he said that he is against first use while at the same time saying that he won't take anything off the table.
US Army M1 Abrams tanks execute drills in Lithuania.
The hard truth is that the next President of the United States will have to decide how to move forward with modernizing America's rapidly aging nuclear arsenal, a highly complex initiative that will cost hundreds of billions of dollars. Hillary already has some opinions about this, including being against a new nuclear-tipped cruise missile, while trump has mentioned how old the arsenal is (and has slammed the B-52 incorrectly in the process) but has not offered any details as to how he would modernize it.
Meanwhile, Russia is modernizing its nuclear delivery systems and has shown signs that it wants to retain the ability to expand its arsenal quickly in the future by withdrawing from a key nuclear material disposal pact just yesterday. Putin's reasoning for doing so? "The emergence of a threat to strategic stability and as a result of unfriendly actions by the United States of America towards the Russian Federation." The agreement, which was executed in 2000 and renewed in 2009, dealt with disposing of enough nuclear material to create 17,000 nuclear weapons.
In another segment that aired just this week, Leslie Stahl ventured to the arctic during ICEX 2016. The Navy-led exercise dealt with a whole host of issues, from testing new ways to detect submarines under ice-caps to climate change, but it was really set against a looming possibility that the arctic may be a future battleground.
Watch Leslie Stahl's segment on ICEX 2016 here.
Russia has been preparing to fight in the far north for years now, and the US is just catching up. As the ice melts new strategic waterways will emerge, ones that can cut down shipping times dramatically compared to some key existing routes.
Stahl also talked with ex-NATO commander Philip Breedlove about the strategic significance of these routes:
Breedlove: I have heard as much as 28 days decrease in some of the transit from the northern European markets to the Asian markets. That is an incredible economic opportunity. And it could be a very boon— big boon to business around the world.
Stahl: What would it mean if the Russians did gain control over the Northern Sea route?
Breedlove: If the Russians had the ability to militarily hold that at ransom, that is a big lever over the world economy.
Stahl: So tell us in a nutshell what's happening.
Breedlove: Along that route what we see is Russia upgrading over 50 airfields and ports, 14 of them to be done this year, increasing the number of ground troops, putting in surface-to-air missiles, putting in sensors. That could be used to guide weapons. That could be used to deny access… I think it's important to understand what the deputy prime minister said, that the Arctic is a part of Russia, that they will provide the defense for the Arctic and that they will make money in the Arctic and that the Western world may, therefore, bring sanctions on them, but that's OK because tanks don't need visas. I think it sends a pretty clear message.
USS Hampton (SSN 757) and secretary of Navy Ray Mabus in the arctic.
Large energy reserves could also place new importance on the region. Yet operating up there is not easy, cheap or predictable, as you will see at the end of the segment. Yet the Navy will find itself in ever more demand in this inhospitable region, something that Secretary of Navy Ray Mabus, who also ventured to the ICEX 2016, knows all too well:
"Our responsibilities are increasing as the Arctic ice melts, as the climate changes. And so the Navy has got to be here, we've got to provide that presence and I hope that my presence emphasizes what we do."
"60 Minutes" Goes Inside Strategic Command and Sees that the Cold War Never Ended
Nuclear armageddon is still just a phone call away.
Leaving Nuclear Weapons In Turkey Is Just Poor Strategy
Better safe than sorry when it comes to America's nuclear arsenal.
China and Russia Are Executing Island-Seizing Drills in the South China Sea
The South China Sea may be about to get a lot more volatile and complicated than it already is.
North Korea Celebrates Its Founding With Nuclear Fireworks
Pyongyang tests its most powerful nuke yet, and says it was a miniaturized warhead.
China Will Send Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarines Into The Pacific: Report
We expected a big strategic escalation; this surely fits the bill.


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AAR Team Assessment - Part 06: We Tried to Quit
by Alicia Tomlinson October 08, 2020
Down to the River
Our next evolution was a five mile ruck alternating coupons - sandbag and five gallon bucket of river water. Female teams started with the water bucket and Open started with their 60# sandbag.
Since I don't mind the water and Shannon was better at lifting the buckets over the edge of the bank, I volunteered to get back in the river. Getting the full bucket out without spilling it was harder than carrying it. There was a lot of poison ivy around and Shannon would discover some on her arm when we got back home.
There were lines in the bucket several inches from the top. We had to carry it around the field without letting the water spill below that line. We both had experience with bucket carries from Heavy Drop Training so we knew carrying it down by our side was the best way to make it without sloshing out too much. Some teams had other (faster) methods like carrying it together but we used our count steps and switch method because that was our preference.
On the even number laps, we carried a 40# sandbag. Shannon and I have a lot of experience trading sandbags on the go from all the events we've done together. So we rocked around the field and would do our sandbag spin whenever we needed to switch. I think we only got through 4 laps before time ran out and we were called in. The sun went down as we were finishing the 5 mile loops and the temperature was dropping. It wasn't supposed to get to freezing but upper 30s by the river is still pretty chilly.
We Got This...Or Do We?
As they gathered us for the next evolution, Shannon and I were doing a buddy check. They announced the 12 Miler and we thought "Okay, we've got this." There was some momentary confusion (elation) when they said "Slick Ruck". Then we were reminded that in GORUCKLANDIA "slick" means "ruck only". Most of us are used to "slick" meaning "no ruck". But no big deal. Shannon and I can knock out a 12 Miler in under 3.5 hours (the usual standard) at any point during an event. It is something we are comfortable with through training and multiple Heavies.
But then...it was announced that we would have to climb The #$%^ Hill at the end of each lap to check in. The wind went out of our sails a bit. We looked at each other and said "We can do this. Even with The Ever-Loving Hill." It would be a tight time hack but we felt we could give it a good go.
The first two laps went great. We were on pace and enjoying a break from carrying stuff. But eventually our glutes started cramping and we had to slow the pace. The Hill was sucking the life out of us and taking a ton of time. It wasn't just the climb up The Hill but also picking our way down. Shannon adopted a ski trail zig zag pattern and I side stepped along with her.
This was our lowest point. So five laps into the 12 Miler we had The Discussion. I've never been more smoked by a Welcome Party than I was at this event. 6 hours in and our legs were done. I've had muscle fatigue before but I've never felt like my quads were going to shred right off the bone or that my glutes were going to lock up the next time I did a squat or lunge. (And lunges kept coming up in evolutions!) In our minds, we were on the verge of injury and just didn't see how we could finish the event. I remember that I kept thinking we had 24 hrs to go but we really only had just over 12 (it was almost midnight on Friday). We definitely got in our own heads.
At our lap check in we told Cadre Hand that we were done. I am so grateful that instead of marking us down as a Voluntary Withdraw and directing us to the Quitters Fire, he called Mocha Mike and Jason over. The cadre were confused. We went from smiling and doing the work, never complaining to casually saying we wanted to quit. For them it just didn't compute. We weren't in last place. In fact we were still 4th or 5th consistently. After expressing confusion and hearing us out, all three had words for us. What happened next is still mind blowing to me.
Mocha said "We know that you aren't here to win, and that's fine. We know that you want to be middle of the pack, which you are. We know that you just want to finish, which you can. We know that you want to inspire people by showing that middle age moms can do an extreme event like this, and you're doing that. So what's the problem?"
This was crazy. Those were the EXACT words that Shannon and I had used when discussing our goals and motivations for showing up and completing Team Assessment. Those. Exact. Words. But we'd never said them to anyone else at all. Ever.
When I said "Yeah, but we are sucking at everything. We are missing time hacks and struggling to finish evolutions." Jason replied "Well that's just ego."
That struck home. I realized that we wanted to quit because we weren't as good at this as we thought we ought be. Shannon and I are used to being some of the more capable GRTs at events through sheer experience. And here we were: wanting to quit because we were struggling like a new guy at a Tough. Dang. That was an eye-opening, slap-in-the-face moment.
So we headed back out and the rest of the event when things got dark and seemed impossible, we'd say to each other "Just do the work. We've come this far, let's keep going". And we did every evolution bit by bit. Counting steps and switching holds and just moving forward. I thank God that Hand, Mocha, and Jason basically said "Nah." when we tried to quit. They told us what we knew but needed to hear from someone else.
We only made it 7 miles before time was called. It was a little gut wrenching to see Cleve mark that second line on our roster patch. But we'd decided something on the rest of that 12 Miler. If we got another strike and were performance dropped, then that meant this event wasn't for us. But until that time arrived, we would take it one evolution at a time.
Scaring Our Followers
Jon Cichelli was shadowing and running live feeds to the Tough page constantly for the whole 48 hours. When we had our weak moment, he was interviewing the cadre and turned the camera to us. Mocha felt it was too personal of a moment and told him to shut it off.
Apparently all our family and friends who were about to tune out and get some rest, lost it. None of them ever doubted we could finish and now all the sudden we were quitting. Several people ended up hung over from not knowing what was going on for the next 45 minutes. Luckily Jon was in contact with our family and posted that we were back in.
We didn't know all this until later of course but it just showed us that this event wasn't just about us. There were a lot of people pulling for us, glued to their screens, not getting work done...it's pretty crazy to think about it. I doubt we were extremely riveting viewing but Jon's commentary made up for it I heard.
Back to Rucking for Donuts


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Q: convex function bounded I'm trying to prove or disprove the next affirmation
Let $f:X\to [0,\infty)$ be a convex function such that $f^{-1}(\{0\})$ is nonempty and bounded set, then the level sets of $f$ are bounded. ($(X,\| \ \|)$ is a reflexive space).
I could prove the affirmation when $X$ is a finite dimensional space (it's true), in the other case I haven't got any result, but I think that its false. I will be grateful if you can help me.

A: $X=l_2$ and $f(x) = \sum_{n=1}^\infty {1 \over n} x_n^2$. Note that $f$ is convex, $f^{-1}(\{0\}) = \{0\}$.
However, $f^{-1}(\{1\})$ includes $\sqrt{n}e_n$ for all $n$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Since returning to Melbourne, I have established a private practice at Cabrini hospital, Malvern. My scope of practice includes skin cancer, breast surgery (reconstruction, reduction, mastopexy, asymmetry), elective and emergency hand surgery as well as a broad range of cosmetic procedures. I also have public hospital appointments at both the Royal Melbourne hospital as well as the Monash Health network of hospitals. I have written numerous articles that have been published in peer reviewed medical journals and I have written four text books that have been published by the Royal Society of Medicine press. Outside of work, I enjoy running, traveling and spending time with my family.


text:
Revenge porn rising among young Aussies
The number of young Australians falling victim to revenge porn has risen significantly in the past year, with reports of image-based abuse nearly doubling.
The eSafety Commissioner fielded more than 1000 reports of image-based abuse in the first quarter of 2022, up by about 400 on the same period the previous year.
Of the new reports, more than 60 per cent, or nearly 670, came from people aged 13 to 24. That was compared with fewer than 370 in the same age group during the corresponding period in 2021.
The rise in abuse has prompted authorities to look at new ways to engage gen Z, who might be hesitant to report revenge porn due to shame or embarrassment.
The eSafety Commissioner is working with six gen Z "creatives" to roll out a new campaign, dubbed "SCROLL", to let young people know what they can do when things go wrong online.
The campaign will run across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and it's hoped having young people lead it will mean they are more receptive to the message.
"At its heart, it's about empowering teenagers to get the help they need to stay safe online, so they can keep doing all the things they love and reduce their risk of being abused, harassed or groomed for the purpose of sexual exploitation or extortion," eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.
Along with revenge porn, the campaign will deal with issues like cyberbullying and online consent.
A survey of 3500 young people in 2021 found more than 70 per cent of 14- to 17-year-olds saw sexual images in the past year, and nearly half had received sexual messages from someone.
Nearly half of children aged eight to 17 were treated in a hurtful or nasty way online in the past year.
Cassandra Morgan


text:
By Ernie Cowan
Borrego Hawkwatch 2021
Last updated 2/23/2021 at 9:47am
Borrego Hawkwatch, the annual citizen-science census of migrating Swainson's hawks will launch its 19th season on Feb. 21.
Despite the impacts of COVID-19 that has prevented some key participants from traveling to Borrego Springs for the season, organizer Hal Cohen said the count will proceed as it has for the past 18 years.
He's also looking for help.
Anyone interested in participating in the morning count or afternoon observation of birds coming into roost can contact Cohen at raptorhal3@gmail.com.
Volunteers gather daily through the end of March to count the number of migrating hawks seen as they lift off from overnight roosting locations.
Additionally, a smaller group of observers are out in the evenings to see where arriving birds are landing for the night. This gives counters a better idea of where to look the next morning.
The annual hawk count began after it was recognized that Borrego Springs was on the path of the Swainson's hawks as they make a 6,000-mile journey from South America to the northern reaches of North America.
The availability of food for the hawks makes this an important way station where they can feed and recharge before continuing their northerly migration.
One of the hawk's favorite food sources are the large, green caterpillars that arrive along with the annual wildflower show. Hawk numbers have always been higher in years with a strong wildflower bloom, because that means more caterpillars.
Hawk numbers could be lower this year.
"I don't expect much of a bloom this season so migration numbers will be on the low side. Hope I am wrong of course, Cohen said.
The annual Hawkwatch is not just birdwatching.
Huge numbers of nature lovers also flock to the valley for the chance to see as many as 500 or more birds launching and forming into flocks known as kettles before catching a wind current that will carry then north.
The kettles have been described as "bird tornados," because the gathering hawks are circling as they gain elevation.
This unique behavior is an energy saving technique adopted by the birds to help them survive their rigorous journey.
Birds launch from their roosts by spreading their wings and waiting for warming air rising for the desert to lift them into the sky as they circle and climb. It's a spectacular sight.
Annual count numbers have ranged from a high of 11,690 in 2017 during a wildflower Super Bloom to a low of 1,086. The annual average has been around 4,700 birds.
That low count number happened in 2019, but it's not the whole story.
"We were hoping for a bumper count in 2019, but it didn't happen on schedule," Cohen said.
Large numbers of migrating hawks showed up after the 2019 count had officially ended. Several hundred showed up in early April along with an additional 8,000 during the month. Those numbers were not reflected in the official count.
It was all a timing issue.
However, the hawks know, their migration was delayed by the timing of the 2019 flower bloom that also produced millions of caterpillars throughout Southern California and Mexico.
Volunteers will be out between 8 and 11 a.m. each morning during the count period. The official count site is located 2.8 miles north of Palm Canyon Drive on Di Giorgio Road. Guests are welcome, but social distancing will be observed.
Additional information about the count, along with photos can be found at Borregohawkwatch.blogspot.com. Information on other North American watches is available at Hawkcount.org.


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The 'This is Not a Best of List' Film List of 2012
I have a confession to make. Actually, I have two confessions to make. First of all, I hate these 'Best of 2012' lists that have been popping up everywhere since mid November. I find, for me, that they get very tiresome very quickly; especially if they are published before the end of the year; Christmas isn't the only thing that happens in December, lest we forget.
My second confession is about the films themselves. The truth is, when I sat down to write this list, I realised that while I had seen lots of films in 2012, they were either new, and as yet, unreleased films shown at festivals, or they were one-off screenings of classic films that I hadn't seen before, so they weren't exactly 'new releases'.
So after much thought, here is my 'not a list, don't call it a list' of my three favourite films of last year.
Ok, I know that Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film adaptation Stephen King's most famous novel, The Shining, isn't a brand new piece of cinema, but the release of the extended US cut of the film in the UK in November brought a new dimension to Kubrick's cult horror. While the US cut, which features an extra 24 minutes of footage, which were omitted from the European release, wasn't Kubrick's favourite version of the film, this cut brings something else to the familiar plot. Initially ignored and misunderstood upon its release for its 'Art House' style, and also due to Kubrick's many changes to King's story – which King didn't approve of – The Shining has now become a right of passage for almost every film fanatic.
Featuring Jack Nicholson's infamous turn as the out-of-luck writer with a dark past, this film showcases both Nicholson's performance and Kubrick's ability to create real, lasting tension and unease. In part, King's tale of a haunted hotel and the evil of the spirits contained within, The Shining is also a piece that explores a family at breaking point, and analyses the effects of isolation whilst delving into the more extreme aspects of mental illness. Intriguing, masterful and still chilling more than 30 years after its original release, the extended version of the film is an unforgettable piece of late 20th century horror cinema.
You can read my review of the film on TVBomb.
Ridley Scott's long-awaited addition to his Alien franchise, Prometheus was released to great fanfare in June, and quickly split the critics and the viewing public. Featuring an all-star cast, the film was initially marketed as a prequel to Scott's highly influential 1979 sci-fi horror, however, Prometheus, while featuring terrifying creatures like ones featured in the original film, was designed to be a companion film, and not a prequel.
Although the film came under some harsh criticism for its somewhat unexpected back story, and a few other plot points – Guy Pearce's make up, anyone? – Prometheus is, at its heart, a film that's less about sci-fi and more about horror. Exploring Alien's existing themes of body horror, gender, and perhaps, most importantly, of violence, rape and unwanted pregnancy, Prometheus is concerned with humanity, and our fears. It taps into our most basic terrors; the fear that we are not alone, that our bodies are not our own, and that we are powerless and important when compared to the vastness of the universe.
Best viewed as a companion film to Alien, rather than a direct relation, the thing to remember about Prometheus is that while it can't emulate the shock created by or be the game changer that Alien was, it doesn't have to, it's concerned with deeper things.
When I saw Killer Joe at the 2012 Edinburgh International Film Festival, I couldn't speak properly for a few minutes. I hate writing in clichés, but William Friedkin's film adaptation of Tracy Letts' 1993 play of the same name does everything film is meant to do. It entertains, it unnerves, it terrifies, it shocks and, most importantly, it gets into your head and stays there. A tale of a dysfunctional family hiring a contract killer that they can't afford – the 'Killer Joe' of the title, expertly realised by Matthew McConaughey – to kill their mother for her life insurance takes the viewer on a number of twists and turns throughout. But the real power of the film lies in its overarching theme of exploitation, and of course, the film's final scenes, which culminate in an explosion of violence so unexpected and so frightening, that they really has to be seen to be believed.
A true return to form after Friedkin's last few films, Killer Joe was not only one of the highlights of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, but also one of the strongest new releases of the year. For me, this tale of contract killings, exploitation, selfishness and greed is perfectly realised and completely and utterly disturbing. A must see.
You can read my review of the film here.
Tags: 2012, Alien, Best of 2012, EdFilmFest, Edinburgh International Film Festival, EIFF, Film. Film Festival, Killer Joe, Prometheus, Ridley Scott, Stanley Kubrick, The Shining, William Friedkin
Categories Film, Journalism, Opinion
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Group CEO of Ghana's popular gold hub MenzGold and fast-growing entertainment outfit Zylofon Media, Nana Appiah Mensah led a delegation of some executives and staff of both outfits to honour an invitation by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to grace this month's Akwasidae last Sunday April 8, 2018 at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
Among the delegation were most of the Zylofon Media signees namely gospel diva Joyce Blessing, burgeoning hiplife star Obibini, current highlife kingpin Kumi Guitar, popular dancehall acts Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy, and top afro-pop diva Becca.
Popular actor Too Sweet Annan, actress B.B Bright and Zylofon fashion icon Sima Brew were also some of the notable names among the delegation to Kumasi.
The eventful trip saw the delegation being flown to Kumasi in trenches aboard a chartered air force flight.
The first batch included some executive directors namely Mr. Elisha Owusu, Mr. Offei and some staff of MenzGold, together with Joyce Blessing, Kumi Guitar, Obibini, Too Sweet Annan and Sima Brew left Burma Camp at 9:20 am and touched down at 9:57am.
The second batch had Shatta Wale, Stonebwoy and Becca together with some staff and management members of the artistes on board the flight.
The CEO Nana Appiah Mensah flew to Kumasi on his private jet. On board his jet were Mrs. Rose Appiah Mensah, wife of the CEO who is also a business person. His father and mother together with his sister Abigail Mensah(Mrs) and, some business partners of the CEO were also on board the private jet.
At the end of the Akwasidae celebrations, Nana Appiah Mensah again led each of the acts for a formal and personal introduction to Otumfuo where they had closed door meetings.
The delegation also returned in trenches with Shatta Wale being on the first trench, as he surprised everyone posing as the flight announcer. Stonebwoy and some of the other acts were part of the second batch.
Nana Appiah Mensah and his entourage presented a good number of items and a substantial amount of money to Otumfuo, and information from the grapevine indicates that the kind gesture is a prelude to the many sumptuous plans Zylofon Media have in the pipeline for subsequent Akwasidae celebrations and some cultural activities in the Ashanti region.


You are tough. Your competitors know you're tough. Your staff know you're tough. That is why you are top of the list. King of the hill. Lord of the strings.
Keep going, your organization is the coolest of them all!
If you have any doubt, though, if you feel that the Organizational Culture gives signs of fatigue and illness, do something BEFORE the castle falls into ruin.
You're a badass. So you can easily skin your bad habits. Not your rabbits, white fluffy rabbits who know you're the perfect manager, who will follow to the hollow.
Change Management isn't Crise Management. It's like preventive financial control which avoids accounting trouble. Change, smartly managed, avoids organizational trouble.
So, are you ready to skin something this Easter?


It's not what you might call obvious fairy tale territory. Somers Town has a reputation as a rough, tough corner of North London. But look closely at some of the 1930s mansion blocks, often regarded as among the more successful examples of inter-war social housing, and you are in for a treat. Flashes of ceramic magic adorn the facades, and sailing ships make their way across the drying yards. All the work of one of Britain's leading twentieth century artists.
Somers Town is generally defined as the area bounded by the Euston and Pancras Roads and Eversholt Street - and has been perpetually knocked around by rail projects, latterly the development of St Pancras International.
It's one of those city centre enclaves that are not too well known. It's sizeable enough - the council ward (which takes in some adjoining areas) has more than 13,000 residents - and prestige developments such as the new Francis Crick Institute for biomedical research are starting to intrude. But there's no main road cutting through the area. And while there are pockets of elegant nineteenth century terraced housing, the bulk of the locality consists of sturdy blocks of between-the-wars flats .
The first social housing in and around Somers Town dates back well over a century. But the rebirth of the area is largely credited to one man - an Anglo-Catholic clergyman, Father Basil Jellicoe. He came from an elite family (the First World War's Admiral Jellicoe was a relative), was a student at Oxford, and then decided to follow his father into holy orders and was sent as a missioner to Somers Town.
He was appalled by the poor housing and overcrowding in damp and verminous buildings. It was not simply a social outrage, he argued, but 'an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual disgrace'. In 1924, he helped establish the St Pancras House Improvement Society - later St Pancras Housing Association and now part of the Origin group which is still based in the area - and used his social standing to gain the attention and support of Queen Mary, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) and the Archbishop of Canterbury, all of whom came to Somers Town to see what Jellicoe was up to. The Prince of Wales even turned up in the local pub - Jellicoe took over management of The Anchor in Chalton Street, simply to ensure that locals had somewhere to drink which was orderly and well-run.
Father Jellicoe - often dressed in biretta and cassock - didn't want simply to pull down the old slums, but to build a new neighbourhood for those displaced which was uplifting as well as functional. 'Housing is not enough' was his refrain, a phrase still on display in Somers Town. Jellicoe resolved - said an obituary in The Times - 'that he would not rest until his people had homes fit to live in, and the rehousing schemes started by his society have already provided many excellent flats, with gardens, tress, ponds, swings for the children and other amenities.' And all at a rent no more than tenants were paying for the old, insanitary, housing.
The land cleared became the site of the Sidney Street estate - the street itself disappeared altogether in the course of the development. Two months after the initial demolition, Jellicoe blessed the first bricks of flats in the 'Garden Estate', as the Sidney Street development was described.
Father Jellicoe's personal involvement with Somers Town did not last much longer. His health began to fail and he died, still in his mid-thirties, in 1935. But his dream was realised. And the Sidney Street estate in particular - 250 flats in blocks all named after saints which were finally completed in 1938 - was a trailblazer. Trees, play areas and communal spaces were provided, and the first block to open, St George's, received nationwide attention as 'the first block of all electric flats in the United Kingdom'.
As part of the endeavour to provide fine design, the eminent sculptor Gilbert Bayes was commissioned to provide decorative ceramics. They are there still. Walk around this development - along Chalton, Aldenham, Bridgeway and Werrington Streets - and you can see many of them still, bursts of colour and fantasy amid solid and rather dour facades.
Bayes believes that art was for the people and not just the elite and he sought out themes which he believed would have popular appeal. Above the balconied French windows on the second floor of flats, he designed Doulton stoneware lunettes, largely based on the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the brothers Grimm. You can see scenes from Sleeping Beauty, the Princess and the Swineherd, the Little Mermaid and The Tinderbox. In this same estate, Bayes also designed a marvellous clock depicting the seasons and a statuette of St Anthony on horseback.
But this fairy tale doesn't have the happiest of endings. Among the Bayes ceramics on the estate was a beautiful virgin and child for a rooftop nursery school. Shamefully, while these rooms were being converted into flats recently, this exceptional piece of art, so rooted in the history of the buildings, was destroyed and disposed of. Sacrilege! The Somers Town history society has expressed its outrage to Origin, who must bear culpability for failing to safeguard these ceramics.
There was another wonderful and whimsical aspect of Gilbert Bayes's commission - he was asked to design stoneware finials for the top of the washing line posts in the drying areas of the flats. Once again, he turned to fairy tales, and also to saints' lives and Christmas carols, for inspiration. The poles were variously decorated with sailing ships, blackbirds, tailors, demons, roses, ducks, doves and snails. These were placed not simply on the Sidney Street estate, but on two other Somers Town estates run by the same housing association - and on their estates elsewhere in North London, in Kentish Town and Tufnell Park.
Bayes also sold some of these finials at exhibitions and as garden ornaments for between six and eight guineas each. They now attract a price of about a thousand times that amount. Over the years, all the original finals have been removed - some for safekeeping but it seems most are missing presumed stolen. The current value of the items unaccounted for could easily top half-a-million pounds. Once again, the casual attitude of Origin has horrified conservationists and local residents. A handful of the original ceramics are now on public display nearby at the British Library (at the back of the lower floor). The rest seem to have simply slipped from view, in some cases turning up in auction rooms.
On a more positive note, the housing association has provided replicas to replace a few of the lost ceramics - and so if you venture along Aldenham Street and keep your eyes out, you will see a fleet of sailing ships on top of otherwise naked washing posts, and a central finial of a decorated Christmas tree. There's a similar, smaller, batch of finials visible from Werrington Street.
On another of the association's Somers Town estates and rather more hidden away - behind the Basil Jellicoe Hall on Drummond Crescent, in the courtyard between St Joseph's and St Anne's flats - doves sit on top of posts, the tallest of which bears a carpenter's bag of tools (Joseph was of course a carpenter).
But all these posts are otherwise unadorned - no washing lines, no shirts or sheets drying in the breeze. A resident explained that no one pegs up their washing in the communal area anymore ... because, a bit like the Bayes finials, it gets nicked.


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text:
using CMS.DataEngine;
using CMS.DocumentEngine;

namespace DancingGoat.Infrastructure
{
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text:
Nick Garrie - Nightmare of J.B. Stanislas
Pre-order - Street Date 7/5/2019
Double LP version. Tapete present a reissue of Nick Garrie's The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas, originally released in 1968. The Englishman recorded his folk-pop masterpiece in France at the tender age of nineteen. The year was 1968 and Garrie felt ill at ease with the lavish arrangements accompanying his songs. Worse still, the label owner committed suicide and the record virtually disappeared without trace - until it resurfaced in 2005. Tapete's release includes numerous bonus tracks, rare photograph, and extensive liner notes."... The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas feels unmistakably English, and yet never ventures near the childlike tropes of British psychedelia, never hints at prog or flirts with the pastoral folk stylings coming out of the UK in the late 1960s. One very good reason for this oddness is that this album in fact came out of Paris as the result of one heroic act of cross-Channel cultural misunderstanding... The story of his debut LP sounds eerily poignant in today's age of European turmoil. It is the tale of a boy who grew up on both sides of the Channel, forever too French for Britain and too British for France, with roots that went back a lot farther still... His father's idée fixe meant that come his 18th birthday young Nick found himself in line for two years' service in the French army. Ten years prior to that, the British side of his upbringing had condemned him to the trauma of a Norwich boarding school... In his youth, Garrie's 'gods' were Jacques Brel, Georges Brassens and Georges Moustaki. No wonder The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas sounds and feels a lot more like the Tuileries than Hyde Park, more French Riviéra than Brighton pier. In fact the beaches of Saint Tropez were the place where these songs first found an audience when a still teenage Nick Garrie lived precariously on the run from the French army. Having produced some demos in Brussels (included in this collection, alongside a non-album single and one later demo) and renounced his French citizenship, Garrie passed an audition with Lucien Morisse, boss at the then predominant Parisian record label Disc'AZ... None other than the eminent Eddie Vartan was employed to give the young Englishman's songs a full orchestral makeover. Having finished his recordings with some 50-odd grumpy French studio hacks in just two weeks, Garrie eagerly awaited the album's release. But on the day before Stanislas was due to appear the news broke that Lucien Morisse had committed suicide. The unexpected death of the man who had signed him also meant the death knell for Garrie's record..." -Robert Rotifer


Moisture problems in crawlspaces are tightly connected to the simplest natural cycle on planet earth: the hydrologic (water) cycle. The hydrologic cycle refers to the continuous movement of water in nature. The principle is very simple and can be described in a few words like: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff and subsurface flow. What does this actually mean? Heat from the sun makes water evaporate from the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and soil which forms vapor. As vapor, millions of gallons of water rise into the atmosphere, meets cold air and condenses, or cools down to become water again. This usually happens when water droplets gather and form into clouds. Traveling high in the atmosphere, clouds become colder and force the water droplets to join together and fall to Earth; this is known as precipitation. Rain falls into the rivers, lakes, seas and oceans, but can also infiltrate soil which forms subsurface flow which helps lakes, rivers, and streams stay full.
The simple phenomenon of the water cycle also effects what happens in the crawlspace of a house. Evaporation and condensation are the two parts of the cycle that represent the biggest problems to homeowners. The difference in the temperature of the crawlspace and that of the outside air (the crawlspace is always warmer) causes the soil under the house to become humid, meaning the more humid the soil, the bigger the problem. When water vapor from the soil meets the cool air from outside, the cool surfaces of the crawlspace walls and beneath the flooring, condenses which opens the door for excessive moisture to form. High percentages of moisture in the crawlspace can cause the walls of the foundation to move, drywall to crack and eventually cause structural damage to the house.
High percentages of moisture within the crawlspace can encourage molds to grow. Molds cannot destroy the structure of the house but are an indicator of much bigger problems. Molds only occur when the percentage of moisture is higher than 70%. Molds are microscopic fungi that live on the surfaces of moist wood. Although they cannot affect the wood directly they increase the capacity of wood to absorb moisture. High moisture levels are ideal for wood decay fungi to grow and can attract insects. Carpenter ants are the most common insect that are attracted to moist wood. They do not eat wood but they do use it to create nests by burrowing within the wood thus weakening the wooden structure of the house. When weakened, the wooden structure is prone to cracks which can seriously damage the building. Another group of insects who love moisture and attack wooden structures of houses are termites. Termites feed directly on the wood consequently weakening the wooden structure of the home. Like carpenter ants, termites can also seriously damage the building causing a genuine nightmare for the homeowner.
For solutions to moisture problems and the insects they attract check out our other blogs. If you find that you have major problems and don't know what to do, Pestout can help you find the answer. Always remember to routinely check your foundation, basement, and crawlspace to ensure they are dry and in good repair.