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Tag: black superheroes
Black Superheroes, comic books, Firestorm
A Firestorm Problem?
I've made it clear several times that my all time favorite superhero is Firestorm. This stems from my days as a early comic book collector in the early 1980's. Over the years I've come to look at this character, that resides in the DC universe, as the runt of the litter. The most powerful character to always get the worst hand in the deck. Please bare with me as I kidnap take you on a journey. (Warning: Spoilers lay ahead)
Firestorm was created in 1978 by Al Milgrom and Gerry Conway as the answer to the Marvel problem DC was having. They wanted a superhero that was young and flashy. Something that was eye catching and had a science fiction feel to it. So, this duo came up with Firestorm: The Nuclear Man. Back then, the cold war was real and there always seemed to be some terrorist looking to get there hands on a nuclear weapon. Firestorm was created by a nuclear accident that fused two people into one, Ronald Raymond (High School Jock) and Dr. Martin Stein (Physicist).
While the first volume ended after 5 issues in 1978, the second volume began again in 1982 and lasted 100 issues. Firestorm's popularity grew as he became a member of the Justice League of America which also lead to a animated role in the Super Powers cartoon. I remember getting the toy and thinking it wouldn't get any better than that. After he played a critical role in Crisis on Infinite Earths, the readership for DC in general began to decline and multi book crossover became the norm. Firestorm was losing steam after Conway left the book in 1986.
This lead to a different writer (Ostrander) and different people who controlled the Firestorm matrix. This is where everything becomes dicey. Stein "dies" and Ronald shares the matrix with Mikhail Arkadin. Then after a few years of that crap, Stein comes back and takes over as the true "Elemental" Firestorm and the series ends at 100. From here, in different books, we find out the Ronald has leukemia and is cured by Stein (who has been living in space) which allows him to be the original Firestorm again without Stein.
Years later Ronald's Firestorm dies in action and his power is somehow absorbed by Jason Rusch, a young brilliant African American student, who takes over the the matrix alone. This starts volume 3 of Firestorm which does not last long. Before the New 52 starts we find out the Jason and Stein end up merging to become a stable version of Firestorm.
Then everything is reset during the new 52 where Ronald and Jason are separate Firestorms created by Stein and his God Particle. They can also merge to become an ultimate form. This book also didn't last.
Again, runt of the litter consumed with bad ideas and bad concepts. He had a tendency to shine in books that were not his own. I liked Jason Rusch because he was so smart that there was no need for Stein in his version of Firestorm.
Why am I saying all this? Well, this brings me to current times. DC's highly anticipated, Legends of Tomorrow debut last night with considerable hype. One of the main characters is Firestorm whom we saw in The Flash television series.
So let's play some catch up with that. Firestorm in The Flash was Ronald Raymond (scientist) and Dr. Martin Stein (Physicist). In season one, we spend most of the season figuring out who and what Firestorm is. There is a real clever mystery about it too and we even see Jason Rush (Stein's student) for like an episode. At this point I'm thinking, I know what's going to happen, if they kill off Raymond, then Jason will be the next person in line just like the comics. Let me be clear, the writing on this show has been superb.
So what happens? (Spoilers from here on out)
They kill off Raymond and the next person in line is Jefferson Jackson in Season two. Who? Jefferson was a character in the early run of Firestorm as Ronald's best friend. A fellow High School basketball player (with an afro too). In The Flash, Jefferson is a star quarterback that gets injured by the particle accelerator explosion and somehow becomes a viable option to merge with Stein in the matrix. The problem with this, for me, was that they used a typical black story trope of an athlete kid that lost all his options and cant go to college now instead of using the genius black kid in Jason Rush that we rarely ever see in any television show (outside of Urkel in Family Matters).
Jax (what they call him) is a stereotypical black kid, much like the new Wally West in The Flash. So when we talk about how people of color are portrayed in Television, Film, and books, you can see why this is a little disconcerting.
Ok, last night. In Legends of Tomorrow we see that Time Master, Rip Hunter selects eight people to hunt down Vandal Savage and he awaits for their answer. Stein is down to go and Jax isn't. Understand that Firestorm doesn't exist if both of them are not involved. Dr. Martin Stein drugs Jax (via roofie in his drink) and kidnaps him in order to make the quest. First of all, this is uncharacteristic of Stein. Secondly, the white man – black man dynamic of the former kidnapping the latter to go on a voyage is NOT GOOD WRITING.
It further proves my point that Firestorm is the runt of the litter and with writing like this, the character will never get any respect. Also, this move reduces Jax to sidekick status to Stein. The power dynamic is now reversed even though Jax ultimately controls the matrix they share. Have I confused you? Good. Because this shit is confusing.
I should've changed the title of this entry to, How to Destroy a Perfectly Good Character in Less Than a Thousand Words.
January 22, 2016 January 22, 2016 black superheroes, Legends of Tomorrow, nerds, The Flash5 Comments
Black Superheroes, comic books, Comic Con, New York City
Visibility & the Black Superhero at #NYCC
After all the lights have been powered down, the boxes packed and shipped, the curtains folded, the pipe and drapes put away, and the carpets have been rolled up, I thought it was a good time for me to reflect on my day at The New York City Comic Con.
In the beginning, I debated about going. I was only able to get a ticket for one day and after the debacle with the ticket fiasco, I was convinced that no one at the NYCC really cared about us and our need to share our love of comic books and nerdom in general. Perhaps it's the New Yorker in me that sees that the real motivation behind everything is the all mighty dollar. The commercialization of childhoods gets played out on a grand scale at these events.
I almost didn't go.
But something funny happened along the way to the NY Comic Con. I began to feel the pull of representation. Last year, I made it my business to visit comic book creators and artists of color because I know how hard it is to create something that you want people to see or read. I know how hard the hustle is to push a book that no one knows about onto the masses. So I met people from Vexed Comics and I met the creator of A Reason To Smile and I realized that this comic con may not be just solely about the big companies trying to get rich off of our imaginations. All this to say, I knew that I should give this year's NYCC a shot.
That is when I heard about Afrofuturefest.
Let's pause here for some context. There has been a growing number of Facebook groups, hashtags, podcasts, and twitter accounts that have been exploring the growing visibility of "blerds." You can call it either black nerds or nerds of color but one thing that's for sure, this is a movement. The thing about this movement is that its goes far beyond Miles Morales, Black Panther, and Cyborg. This movement is about characters we've never hear of like The Mantamaji, Luca, or T.A.S.K. (to name a few) because these are the stories created for us by us. Podcasts like Black Comics Chat and Facebook groups like CNOC (Comic Nerds of Color) always seem to remind me that the "Big 2" are simply pandering to us.
So if you follow twitter accounts like @BlackGirlNerds and @theblerdgurl you would know that this movement isn't a new thing. However, there's a feeling that all of this is just starting to explode. Just knowing that these ladies who (dedicate their time to promote everything black superhero and beyond) would be at NYCC made me realize that I had to show support. I knew that I had to visit the Women in Comics table, I knew I had to visit every table @theblerdgurl posted on Tumblr, and I knew I had to meet Jamie Broadnax (Black Girl Nerds).
Which brings me to Afrofuturefest.
I've already went on record saying that the best part of NYCC this past weekend was the Afrofuturefest booth. It was a very large set up of tables solely comprised of creators of color with a huge banner and feeling of welcomed arrival. To explain what this is all about is simply pulling their description from the website:
A group of African-American Artists, Gamers, Filmmakers, Animators and Writers will be coming together on the MAIN FLOOR of the Jacob Javitz Center to showcase their work, meet fans, conduct interviews and celebrate all of those who love fantasy, sci-fi, horror, superheroes and pop culture.
As a writer I felt at home chatting it up. I met people. I bought books. I got signatures. I became a fan of the con again and all because I saw myself. I finally saw what it's like to actually be visible in a industry that panders to us.
The beautiful thing about this is that this is just the beginning.
By the way, I should get a press pass huh?
October 14, 2015 October 14, 2015 Afrofuturefest, Black Girl Nerds, black superheroes, blerds, comic books, New York Comic Con, NYCC, writing2 Comments
Black Superheroes, comic books, writing
The Crisis of Comic Book Nerds
It must be hard to be a nerd these days. Look what's happening in the not real world! Captain America is now Black, Thor is now a woman, Wally West is Black (one of the many version of the Flash), there are two Black Supermen flying around, a Muslim Green Lantern, and the crux of this whole thing is that damn Miles Morales, the Ultimate Spider-Man. Who said it was OK to have all this diversity in comic books?
Wait. Let me fix the first sentence. It must be hard to be a white nerd these days.
The socially awkward have a problem with the broad brush stroke of diversity that also includes feminism. These are big words that get thrown around in the comic book worlds because (surprise, surprise!) current comic book audience includes women and men of all races. So it would only make sense that Marvel and DC would make books (or at least characters) to address their changing readership.
Before I even go any further. I need to point out that I'm not addressing how well or poorly these companies actually represent people of color. I'm not going to address how horribly these companies portray women in their porn like renditions of variant covers or how they contribute to overall debate on standards of beauty when in reality most these fans boys just want to fantasize and masturbate to some form of super heroine.
This is more about the nerds who are used to the norm. They are used to the role playing games in which they imagine a world of trolls and elves in which everyone is white (thank you Peter Jackson for the reinforcement). Do you know how hard it is to find a picture of a Black woman, Ranger class? If it exists then I wouldn't know about it. These fan boys are used to a world where the the only diverse version of the Justice League of America is when Martian Manhunter was on the team.
So why are they up in arms? Their world is crashing in around them. The "minorities" are taking over their space. They are used to the one Black friend. Do you know what I'm talking about? Let me list the one Black friend in comics and beyond: James Rhodes (Iron Man), The Falcon (Captain America), Lando Calrissian (Star Wars), Cyborg (Teen Titans/Justice League), and John Stewart (Justice League/Green Lantern). Those just from the top of my head. Please notice that Cyborg and John Stewart are rarely on the same team at the same time.
But now, we have books like Multiversity that depicts worlds of black superheros (I will not mention the plethora of independent books that have entire worlds dedicated black superheros…or maybe I will) and we have Marvel that is pushing the envelope in their cinematic universe as well as comic books. People are losing their minds in comment sections all over the internet that is reserved for them. Donald Glover is the voice of Miles Morales in the 3rd season of Ultimate Spider-Man. Just one episode and the fans boys have lost their 20 sided dice.
Why is this important to them? It is that impossible to see a diverse face in a comic? Neither comic book company has really scratched the surface. Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans are barely represented. Women are still portrayed with huge boobs and impossible outfits to fight crime. But you dare put pants on Wonder Woman? You dare make Green Lantern gay? You have the nerve to have Michael B Jordan play the Human Torch? You've just ruined comics forever.
I call it progress. Although real progress has already occurred.
Title image by John Jennings
August 26, 2014 August 26, 2014 black superheroes, comic books, DC Comics, Marvel9 Comments
Black History Month, Black Superheroes, comic books
Diversity Isn't Pandering: Notes For the Next Era in Media
When I think about having a discussion about comic books, I know that I just don't stop at the books themselves. The conversation can easily turn into a debate about animation as well. Often times comic books are the inspiration for animation. In either case, diversity is always an issue. Next up on the guest blogger list: Carrie Tupper.
"You've got a pretty colorful crowd here. Did you check off a list or something?"
"Where are all the white people?"
This is a pretty normal response we get when people see our pitch for Kamikaze, a TV show concept that my husband, Alan and I created. See, the majority of our characters aren't white. In fact, our core cast only has one white person in it, who also happens to be female (but that's another discussion entirely). Because of this lack of white people we sometimes get 'The Rainbow Coalition' question. Did we really create our entire cast and world to simply pander to non-white audiences?
Now I do have a few confessions to make before I go any further, especially when I'm given the privilege of taking the podium here at Volume 2. You see, Alan and I are a little different from the other creators who've blogged this month by a few factors.
We're animators, and fairly new to the comic world
We're a husband and wife team
We're 'sun-reflecting-off-our-skin-will-blind-you' white
The only PoC on our team is the lovely Havana, who is amazingly talented and adored by all.
In the 1980's and 1990's the Rainbow Coalition of Diversity took a forefront to the TV animated world. It was like suddenly there was this checklist that had to be filled out before anything could get the green light. The one I remember most vividly was the gang ofPlaneteers from Captain Planet, and that's probably for good reason – they were the ones that got people talking. Every representation you could want for a racially diverse cast was there. And yet I remember being a kid and hearing adults talk so much smack about the show. "This PC crap has got to go!" Or the best one, "Real life isn't like that!"
The kneejerk reactions against Rainbow Coalitions are founded on two perspectives. Themost often complaint is in the vein of "Political Correctness Sucks." People who say this are simply reacting against the idea of change, acting on bigotry so deeply ingrained they don't realize (usually) what they're saying is harmful. The other side of this coin is the reaction that these characters are frankly mere shadows of what they could be. There's reason to be frustrated with the concept of Rainbow Coalitions. They're often used as shorthand vocabulary for stand ins of true diversity in any kind of media looking for an effortless way to expand their audience base and brand. Basically it's lazy.
There's a fine line between the Rainbow Coalition Diversity and genuine diversity. Rainbow Coalitions bring us characters who look like the part, but can't act like it; they're cardboard cutouts of tired tropes and stereotypes in a world of 3D white characters who get to think, have feelings and emote them. Meanwhile genuine diversity allows for characters who are diverse in a myriad of ways while still being thinking feeling and emoting beings. Genuine diversity also stems from the world your characters inhabit.
When we created the world of Kamikaze, we created a world still rebuilding itself in the aftermath of a global catastrophe. Our world is a diverse world because it can't afford not to be. There's a reason behind our world being populated with a diverse amount of people, which is why our cast has to reflect that.
Does that mean that we pandered for the sake of diversity?
We don't think so.
According to the Miriam Webster Online dictionary Pandering is defined as such: "To do or provide what someone wants or demands even though it is not proper, good or reasonable," OR "to provide gratification for others' desires." Demanding the world be represented as diverse as we know it to be isn't an unreasonable request. Demanding it remain a space devoid of diversity is unreasonable. If the team behind Kamikaze has been providing for anyone's gratification, it's been our own. With very few exceptions Kamikaze's characters came out of the box as diverse as they are. The end goal has always been telling a compelling story with a cast of complex and vivid characters. No checklists needed.
The thing is genuine diversity isn't something limited just to race. It encompasses sexuality, gender or lack thereof, ability, body type and a host of other constantly evolving considerations. True diversity means embracing all the complexities of the world, not just the cliff notes.
Yes, there are people who do pander using the Rainbow Coalition model, but we shouldn't let that distract us from the fact that genuine diversity isn't pandering – it's the path to better storytelling.
To find out more about Kamikaze:
Our Website: http://kamikazeanimated.com/
Our Tumblr: http://kamikazeanimated.tumblr.com/
Our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KamikazeAnimated
February 13, 2014 February 13, 2014 animation, Black History Month, black superheroes, comic books, diversity, Kamikaze4 Comments
The Unlikey Muse: Bigotry in Comic Books
"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet,
then you must write it." ―Toni Morrison
The one thing that I'm personally learning this month is that there are a plethora of people who feel the need to create work because there is absence of something or because there is a void that needs to be filled. With that being said, here is today's guest blogger, Denny Upkins:
They say necessity is the mother of all invention and by extension, creativity. As a storyteller I've certainly found that to be true for the narratives I penned.
As a queer geek of color, I've learned early on that geek culture is for white people for a number of reasons, and to be a PoC or an LGBTQ means to be treated like a pariah.
More than that, countless marginalized characters are endlessly undercut and buried due to the rampant bigotry that pervades the media. Extraordinary characters such as Storm (the First Lady of Marvel), Renee Montoya, Regina Mills, Freedom Ring, Midnighter, Cassandra Cain and countless others who have been lightning rods for racism, misogyny, and/or homophobia by fandom and the industry alike.
But as any artist will tell you, inspiration can often come in the unlikeliest of forms.
My online better half and partner in crime, playwright Shawn Harris and I were having a discussion one day about how bigotry can often be the best muse. We're often empowered to tell the tales that white supremacy, homophobia, and patriarchy refuses to acknowledge. For example, if the comic book world is hellbent on not giving the proper shine to Cassandra Cain and Midnighter, then I would simply have to pen an original adventure honoring the spirit of these heroes and hopefully in the process educate, entertain, and empower neglected and marginalized audiences.
Make no mistake, this is about power. It always has been. Not only is there power in the narrative but power in controlling the narrative. Why do you think so many whites work tirelessly to block us out of spec fiction or the media in general? Power. Case in point, there's a reason why even though the m/m slash romance genre for and about queer males, it is dominated and run by cis-gendered white women. It's difficult to be heterosexist, homophobic and fetishistic about queer males in a genre where we're empowered to share our truths. This is why harassment, stalking and death threats of queer males is the norm with these sociopaths in that genre. See how it intersects?
Ask yourself this. Even though X-Men is based on the Civil Rights struggle of blacks (ie OUR STORY), how many black writers have actually written for Marvel's flagship title? For that matter, how many writers of color? Again, power.
And while their bigotry has paid off for a season, it will ultimately prove to be media's undoing. Insiders can't understand why Hollywood continues to hemorrhage money while Kickstarters, web series and other online media initiatives continue to gain ground. To quote Jack Harkness, it's the 21st century, everything changes. The internet allows us to exchange ideas, information, and other resources to circumvent a crumbling and corrupt industry. We get to share our stories our way and connect with our audiences on our terms. In other words, we take our power back and excel in the face of adversity as people of color tend to do.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have another epic adventure to write.
And they say there's no new tale to tell.
February 10, 2014 Black History Month, black superheroes, comic books, Homosexuality, LGBTQ, racism11 Comments
Black Independent Comics: Ultra Supreme
Continuing where we last left off, I've noticed that there is a lot of buzz this month about Black Superheroes, which is awesome. I think that many of us have had the same ideas at the same time. It's time to show this industry that the lack of diversity in comics is unacceptable and it time to create our own. Now, here is today's guest blogger…
I'm Derek Mason, creator, writer, cartoonist and Publisher at Mason D Entertainment. I've been a life-long comics fan, mostly of Independents, but just recently got into (and out of) comic books from the big 2.
Growing up, my favorite comic book was Eastman & Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I didn't get into superheroes, particularly BLACK super heroes until after seeing Robert Townsend's Meteor Man and buying Milestone and ANIA comics, which all seemed to debut at the same time. Those comic books came and went so I got into reading Marvel and DC. Due to the lack of credible minorities and the lack of black female super heroes,(tired of Storm only getting recognized) I decided to create my own team: Ultra Supreme.
Based in Atlanta, Ultra Supreme consists of Keyo Keyz (warrior angel), Panther Huey (mutant revolutionary), Mecha-X (Japanese student with alien armor/robot), and 3 BLACK FEMALE Heroes; E.G (immortal goddess), Mz. Unstoppable (super strong/fast alien ), and Lady Gunz ( soldier/sharp shooter).
My goal is to hopefully inspire other black creators like Mr. Townsend and Mr. McDuffie inspired me to create their own Independent comics and to add more black female superheroes to the pop culture super hero mythos.
Ultra Supreme will be the first of 3 titles to be released from Mason D Entertainment. A "Mason D Universe" source-book is also in the works and should be released by April. The first issue of Ultra Supreme will drop by mid September with art done by character designers O.C. Taylor and Oliver Banks. I don't have a website as of yet, but you can follow Mason D Entertainment on Facebook.
February 7, 2014 February 7, 2014 Black History Month, black superheroes, comic books, Mason D Entertainment, Ultra SupremeLeave a comment
Black Independent Comics: The Horsemen
As promised, this month I will have several guest bloggers that will promote their work in the independent comic book industry. It is imperative to understand that there are great writers of color out there doing good work by creating characters that are appealing to everyone. With no further ado..
My name is Jiba Molei Anderson, owner of Griot Enterprises and I will be your guest blogger today. I am also the creator its flagship title, The Horsemen.
What is The Horsemen, you ask? Well, The Horsemen is the story of seven ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances, as the gods of ancient Africa possess them. They have been chosen to protect humanity from themselves…whether humanity wants them to or not. They have been chosen to combat those who control the fate of the planet. Through their actions, the world would never be the same.
Since 2002, there have been three Horsemen series… Let me break it down for you…
The Horsemen: Divine Intervention
The Orisha emerged from a deep slumber. Seeing that their mission had been perverted, they had set about to free us…whether we wanted them to or not. The Horsemen returned. And their presence will change the world.
The Horsemen: The Book of Olorun
The Orisha emerged from a deep slumber. Seeing that their mission had been perverted, they had set about to free us. But, what if there were others not Orisha, not Deitis, not Human, but something more, a new Race? What side would they choose in the coming war?
And, who truly controls the Eight Immortals but the number seven?
The Horsemen: Mark of the Cloven
Africa is now the new frontier and a beacon of hope for the rest of the world…
However, controlling the world is a family business… And the bastard children of the Deitis want in.
The entire Horsemen series is available in print and download through IndyPlanet, Drive Thru Comics and Amazon. Become a part of the New Mythology… Cheers!
February 5, 2014 Black History Month, black superheroes, comic books, The Horsemen1 Comment


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Team17 announces Broken Roads, an isometric, turn-based role-playing game coming in 2022
Tuesday, 24th August 2021 – Team17 and Drop Bear Bytes have today confirmed the development of Broken Roads, an original and narrative-rich, isometric, turn-based role-playing game set in an unforgiving, post-apocalyptic Western Australia. Scheduled to launch on Steam and console platforms in 2022, Broken Roads presents a post-apocalypse with real-world locations and landmarks serving as the backdrop for the complex stories of Australia's survivors.
At the heart of Broken Roads' thoughtful and mature storylines is a deep and meaningful morality system – the Moral Compass – that influences quests, dialogue, and character development. The system is shaped along four different philosophical paths: Humanist, Utilitarian, Machiavellian, and Nihilist, each with their own unique traits. As the journey begins, players will be asked a series of questions – moral quandries – that determine their starting position on the compass. Decisions made throughout the game will then shift their philosophical leaning and affect future choices, quests, and reactions from the people they meet.
Broken Roads key features
Deep and compelling: Broken Roads builds on classic single-player role-playing games, blending traditional gameplay with original mechanics and experiences
Moral Compass: A unique system that influences both story and gameplay as the plot unfolds
Authentic setting: Explore real-world locations across a post-apocalyptic Western Australia filled with intriguing and emotional stories
Unique visual and musical styles: Hand-drawn visuals and a soundtrack composed with instruments constructed from everyday objects help make the world of Broken Roads vibrant and alive.
Broken Roads is now available to Wishlist on Steam. To keep up to date with all the information on Broken Roads please like us on Facebook, follow Team17 and the official Broken Roads Twitter, and join us on the official Discord server.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We have categories set up with (sometimes numerous) subcategories in our forum. When someone subscribes to receive notifications in a parent category, they do not get notified of changes or entries in subcategories. They receive notifications for a subcategory only if they sign up directly in that subcategory. Can I set it so that someone gets notifications for the category and all subcategories? I have searched the web and this forum, but have not found this problem answered.
We are using Joomla 3.4.8 Stable, with Apache 2.2.31 and PHP 5.6.19. The Kunena version is 4.0.10.
Can I set it so that someone gets notifications for the category and all subcategories?
Unfortunately, no. If someone want subscribe a subcategory, he must select this category directly.


Martin O'Malley spoke at the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame Dinner. Read his full remarks and watch the speech.
Governor Martin O'Malley delivered the keynote address at the 2015 National Council of La Raza annual conference.
Governor Martin O'Malley Delivered Remarks on Foreign Policy at the Truman National Security Project.


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A Pussy Riot in Asbury Park
Published on February 16, 2016 February 16, 2016 by Tommy De Seno
By Tom DeSeno
A friend once told me that he snot-chuckles like a 14 year old boy whenever he hears the name of the Russian female protest collective Pussy Riot. That's culturally understandable.
Don't mistake though the seriousness of these women and the issues that surround them. They are making a fascinating imprint on modern politics, power and protest.
On February 24 the House of Independents, Asbury Park's new venue that is giving that City the artistic aesthetic it always pretended to have, is presenting "A Conversation with Pussy Riot: Hosted by John Cameron Mitchell."
To get a proper perspective of Pussy Riot, you have to realign your point of view from American to Russian when dealing with political terms. It also helps to look at what they aren't as much as what they are.
They aren't a band, at least not in the traditional sense. There's music, but it's not their focus. It's not even good music, probably by their own intention. The music is beside the point of their varied socio-political messages.
They are a protest collective of no one really knows how many women, somewhere around a dozen, aged in their 20s. They remain personally anonymous, so they wear on their heads colorful balaclavas, which appear like homemade Mexican wrestling masks.
So very "institution averse" was Pussy Riot at its inception in 2011, they would never actually book shows, sell tickets, sell music or offer swag. Instead, they were guerilla performers. They would take over Russian public spaces and hope it was illegal where they did. They would spontaneously start to play, interrupting whatever is normally going on with their lyrical protest, then leave when run off or arrested.
They've claimed varied issues, but the one they've mainly focused their rage upon is Russian President Vladimir Putin.
For a moment, shed your American, 1st Amendment protected, oft taken for granted right of free speech, and consider the unreserved bravery of these women, throwing public beat-downs of Putin in Russia; in Russia, where Putin's enemies are killed in public; in Russia, where journalists adverse to Putin suddenly die; in Russia, where beatings by the law are common with arrest.
There are things I don't like about Pussy Riot, but I praise them in their political opposition to Putin, and I honor them, even envy them, in their bravery by taunting Putin in the Russian public square. In this, they are Homeric.
But we come now to our first problem with Pussy Riot. They don't want to push Putin to a classically liberal place to join western civilization. The women of Pussy Riot are proclaimed Trotskyites. They hope to pull Putin back toward the Communist teachings of Lenin. Good grief.
This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their unlearned political philosophy, which perhaps can be ascribed to their lack of experience, age or education. Here are their political positions, according to co-founder Nadia Tolokonnikova:
Pussy Riot is "part of the global anti-capitalist movement, which consists of anarchists, Trotskyites, feminists and autonomists."
Ha! That's the alpha and omega of the human political noosphere, revealing Pussy Riot's lack of sophistication. The German rooted trot and the Italian influenced autonomist would immediately go to war while the anarchist would kill them both. The feminist wouldn't fare well standing with any of them.
Yet this naivety I can excuse to support Pussy Riot versus Putin. No mortal messenger has been unflawed. Agreements can be made with the enemy of my enemy: Churchill praised Mussolini for opposing the Communists, Roosevelt stood with the Communists to defeat the Fascist Hitler.
Pussy Riot gained worldwide attention when they entered the Cathedral of Christ the Savior Church and invaded the alter to sing, "Mother of God, Drive Putin Away," complete with dirty words that shocked the believers. Members Nadia Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were charged with "hooliganism." After Putin spoke out against them, the world was shocked by their 2 year sentences to a penal colony.
When you do that in a Church you risk interpretations of sacrilege and blasphemy, but on closer inspection they didn't seem to be protesting religion. They were protesting a too cozy relationship between the Church and Putin.
On the one hand I can get with a protest of the Church if they are bowing to Putin. However, that church did get the holy wine kicked out of them under the Commies for decades, with more than a thousand priests put to death. Since Putin is a vestigial appendage of the Soviets with apparent powers of regeneration to those old brutal forms, could it be that the Church feels safety in being nice to him? Almost like a dog that's been beat too much yet still licks his master's face?
On the other hand, I hate disruptive protests. Hate them. I don't mind so much when they set up in public spaces, but stay out of the church with your potty mouths. Yet I would have preferred a warning or a fine for trespass at most; not two years of forced labor.
There is always an issue surrounding a "Pussy Riot" appearance, about whether it is really Pussy Riot. When the 3 women were arrested, their balaclavas were removed and anonymity destroyed. A few weird things then happened. First, Nadia's husband tried to trademark the name Pussy Riot. The anti-establishment, anti-capitalist collective were incensed at the nod to conformity, and they hate ticket sales. When released from prison, Nadia and Maria turned their attention to prison abuses to the exclusion of other issues.
Pussy Riot then issued a missive that said to Nadia and Maria, "We love you, but you're out of the band!" Nadia and Maria have responded with, "Nyet comrades, we are the band!"
In a twist of legal irony, Nadia and Maria may be right because the other women so vigorously objected to any trademark protection. Live by the anarchist sword, die by the anarchist sword. Anyone with a ski-mask, a complaint and a three-chord ignorant guitar riff can claim to be Pussy Riot.
In Asbury Park will be Maria Alyokhina, one of the once jailed members, and she is the real deal. She will likely give a strong dose of prison abuse complaints, and that's worth hearing so I strongly encourage attendance. It's not just a Russian thing. In America, we have the dirty little secret of privately owned prisons, which of course led to a Judge taking bribes to send 2000 children to jail for tiny, nothing offenses so the jail owners could get more government money. Angry? Me too. I wish some American women would don wrestling masks and blast a protest song on the White House lawn. They won't risk 2 years of forced labor like Maria.
I leave you with the latest song from Pussy Riot called Chaika, which beats up on Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika (damn these women are brave).
And I won't hold back my ingrained, knuckle-dragging male privilege, even at the risk of angering the radical feminist, ant-authoritarian, tear down the male-dominated world of Pussy Riot, by noting that front-woman Nadia Tolokonnikova is one luscious shot of vodka:
Tommy De Seno is an attorney, a journalist and a contributor to the website Ricochet.com
Transcript of lyrics:
Be humble, learn to obey, don't worry about material stuff
Be loyal to those in power, cause power is a gift from God, son
I love Russia I'm a patriot
Live like a saint with holy simplicity
Don't eat too much, be humble when you shop
And soon you'll be all set,
First a deputy, then a district attorney,
Joined the communist party,
Made friends with the oligarchs
I'm a patriot
Straight out of Khabarovsk
And I choose to do business here, not in Europe, where they got gay people,
But in mother Russia, where I live. [CAPTION] Russia isn't Europe
Sure it's nice to vacation in Greece or in Nice
Won't go to Crimea, though, too many power cuts and problems
But if you ask me what I want —
To do business here or over the border? —
I'll tell you that I'm devoted to our old Russian business traditions:
First, the cops will pull you in for questioning
Then it'll look like an accident, you'll be fed to the fish,
We'll bury alive anyone you wish,
We'll find nice jobs in prison for anyone who's too smart
We look out for our own homies, you know —
Friendship, brother, is sacred here
No problem, brother, we'll get those criminal charges off your butt
Anyone who talks too much will be buried alive
Anyone who fucks around will enjoy time in jail.
I don't think Navalny or Pavlensky will bother you any more, Vladimir.
Take for instance the boss of the Irkutsk shipyards
He wasn't in line with our interests
That boss didn't want to sell or pay
But the Good Lord always finds a way
A garage, a stool, a rope, late at night
We can gently show the director the light
Our boys get official congratulations
While the poor fellow gets a cut from strangulation
My son wanted a salt mine for Christmas, not a tree
The priest said family values are sacred, oh Lord
The priest said family values are sacred, oh Lord [CAPTION] Lenin's work lives on and prevails
Don't worry, son
We'll shut up all our competitors, son
You'll have your bricks, your ships, and your salt mine
I'm a man of my word.
I told you I'd take care of everything.
Be humble, learn to obey, take care of your material stuff
You wanna get away with murder? — be loyal to your boss
I love Russia
I'm a patriot [CAPTION] Vladimir Lenin among Gorki villagers, January 9, 1921
But if you ask me —
Is it really time for Russia to expand and invade?
You better believe it is – the more we got of Russia, the more we can milk it.
I'm a patriot.
And I choose to do business here, not in Europe where they got gay people,
But here in mother Russia, where I live.
And If we're going to kill and steal
I'll always choose my motherland and I'll do all that here at home
We'll get help from DA's in Kaluga and Khabarovsk
Our sweet killers Tsapok and Tsepovyaz have our backs in Krasnodar down south
What we have here is nothing like what they got in Switzerland.
I run the war on corruption here, or, to be precise, I run the corruption here.
I love Russia, I'm a patriot
But I could live in Switzerland as well.
And son, if you do worry about material things in life,
Then be loyal to Putin forever, son.
[CAPTION] Russia isn't Europe
Published in Foreign Policy, Jersey Shore, Monmouth CountyTagged asbury park, house of independents, pussy riot, Putin, Russia
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1 thought on "A Pussy Riot in Asbury Park"
Gene Hoyas says:
Way, WAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY too much time and space devoted to a group of stupid Russkie twats.
Tommy De Seno is an attorney and commentator residing in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Read Full


text:
FIFA Forward
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FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™
7 June - 7 July
Li Ying, Steel Roses' unsung heroine
Li Ying has struck five times from three matches in this Asian Cup
She and China PR are aiming to win their ninth Asian title
The in-form striker expects to break her World Cup duck
Li Ying has caught the eye at the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Jordan with her powerful shots, goalscoring prowess and, not to mention, her striking, highlighted hair.
The China PR No10 did in a sense set the continental stage alight through her goalscoring form as her side sealed smooth qualification to the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™.
She has scored five goals in their first three matches, figures that show her emergence as a promising goal-getter not only for China but in all of Asia. While her performances have earned recognition by media and fans alike, Ying opted to downplay her prolific form.
"I just did my job," the 25-year-old told FIFA.com after their qualifying mission was done. "My goals should first be attributed to our good team work. Besides, our group opponents are not so strong and we were expected to win."
"The next game should be a real test for me," she went on, citing the semi-final clash against none other than reigning champions Japan. "You can only prove yourself when you play against strong opposition. We have come here aiming not only to book a ticket to the Women's World cup but also to win the championship."
Training with boys
Ying's goals have showcased her powerful shot, which has proven to be unstoppable to the goalkeepers she has faced in Jordan so far. A standout moment came in the opening match against Thailand when Ying found space in the penalty area before unleashing a lightning-quick shot past the keeper, setting China on their way to a 4-0 victory.
"Ying is spectacular," her former club coach Li Huajun once commented on her goal-scoring techniques. "She is always thirsty for scoring goals and she can score through either a diving header or a bicycle-kick."
He was proved right. Born in Chongqing, Ying was spotted by a football coach from her middle school. But with no girls teams to join, she had to train and play with a boys team. The early experiences made her stand out when she was signed by Hangzhou Club to start her professional career.
"Football is a game of competition and perhaps because of playing and training with boys for some years, I am not afraid of tough opposition. I never give up and I push myself to the limit to score and win," she said.
Ying's talents didn't go unnoticed as she was recruited by the national youth team, and she made her FIFA tournament debut at the 2012 U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan. An expected national senior call-up followed shortly after with Ying appearing in her first FIFA Women's World Cup at Canada 2015.
Goals for France 2019
Just as she was making consistent progress and developing her game, she suffered a series of critical injuries. "I always gave my all on the pitch. So my style of play made me injury-prone. I was indeed very sad each time I was sidelined due to injury. But that is part of the game. I tried my best to come back and to maintain my form."
"The competition in our team is big. In fact, we have several very good forwards and everyone has her own strengths and attributes. I may not be the best striker of my team but I must be the one who works the hardest."
Having experienced so many ups and downs, Ying has come of age with her newly-rediscovered form. Boosted by their successful qualification for France 2019, she is naturally hoping to break her Women's World Cup duck. "As a player, you need to set a new goal for each tournament you are in. I failed to find the back of the net at the last Women's World Cup so now my goals for France 2019 are to score my first Women's World Cup goals and help my team to a satisfying result."
Explore this topic
China PR (women)
FIFA Women's World Cup on Facebook
FIFA Women's World Cup on Twitter
Steel Roses ready to blossom on global stage
FIFA Women's World Cup 2019™
China PR book ticket to France 2019
Australia and Japan qualify for France 2019
Thailand qualify for second successive Women's World Cup


How much does a General Helper make in the United States?
Assists workers engaged in fabricating, assembling, installing, and processing materials, parts, and assemblies. Sorts and counts parts and materials. Examines parts and materials for defects. Feeds, loads, or removes parts from machines.
The average general helper salary in United States is $32,166 or an equivalent hourly rate of $15. In addition, they earn an average bonus of $389. Salary estimates based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and anonymous employees in United States.
An entry level general helper (1-3 years of experience) earns an average salary of $24,804. On the other end, a senior level general helper (8+ years of experience) earns an average salary of $38,155.
General Helper, the majority at 100% with high schools.
Based on our compensation data, the estimated salary potential for General Helper will increase 16 % over 5 years.


text:
---
layout: post
title: 53 - Maximum Subarray
date: 2015-10-21 12:50:20.000000000 -04:00
tags:
- Leetcode
categories:
- Dynamic Programming
author: Jason
---
**Given an array of integers, find a contiguous subarray which has the largest sum.**

``` java
public class Solution {
    /**
     * @param nums: A list of integers
     * @return: A integer indicate the sum of max subarray
     */
    public int maxSubArray(ArrayList<Integer> nums) {
        if (nums == null || nums.size() == 0) return 0;

        int local = 0, max = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
        for (int num : nums) {
            local = Math.max(local + num, num);//num must be the last number in local
            max = Math.max(max, local);
        }
        return max;
    }
}
```

``` python
class Solution(object):
    def maxSubArray(self, nums):
        """
        :type nums: List[int]
        :rtype: int
        """

        if not nums:
            return 0

        global_max, local_max = - 2 ** 31, 0
        for num in nums:
            local_max = max(num, num + local_max)
            global_max = max(global_max, local_max)
        return global_max
```

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Supermarkets, plastic, and John F. Kennedy
July 22, 2020 July 30, 2020 Josh PotterRosemary's Corner
We forget that there was once a time without the widespread and incessant use of plastic, a time before we had to worry about not using too much plastic, a time before the recycling logo. Of course, plastic itself has been around since the eighteen-hundreds, but Rosemary remembers very distinctly when she first started to see it used in daily life.
It was during her time in Iran. All of a sudden, this strange plastic tableware was becoming available. It wasn't like china or metal. It didn't break when dropped and it was easy to wash. It was fantastic.
"[It was] such a novelty to have something that didn't break. I bought three bowls with lids and I still have two of the bowls."
It was the first plastic tupperware container Rosemary ever used. How many of us remember the first plastic tupperware container we ever used?
Around the same time as plastic was becoming widely available in Iran, the supermarket was also taking hold. In the middle of Tehran, during their last couple of years in the country, a big supermarket opened. It wasn't big by today's standards, but it was big for the time.
Before then, Rosemary would have to visit several different shops before she found everything she needed. She would have to walk in and point to what she wanted. The shopkeeper would then gather the goods and ring them up on the cash machine. First the grocer, then the butcher, then… you get the picture.
But now she could jump into a taxi, journey into downtown Tehran, and walk into the supermarket. She could browse the aisles and grab what she needed, including whatever plastic plates and bowls she needed. Then she could take it to the counter and pay for it all. For someone who didn't speak the language, this was a dream.
While Rosemary loved the supermarket and the simplicity it gifted to her, Bill was less enthusiastic. It wasn't so much that he didn't like the concept or the building itself – though Rosemary says he did find it oddly claustrophobic –, it was that Bill looked an awful lot like John F. Kennedy.
The time Rosemary and Bill spent in Iran coincided with the rise – and assassination – of John F. Kennedy. So as Bill walked down the streets of Downtown Tehran and as he strolled the aisles of that supermarket, people would call out 'Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy'. After all, the man was all over the newspapers and with the articles came the pictures.
So Bill wasn't as fond of the supermarket as Rosemary was.
Part of Rosemary's fondness towards the supermarket was that it created a certain ease to the struggle that Rosemary had in Iran. It allowed for a level of independence. She didn't have to rely so much on breaking the language barrier, on whether or not she was understood. At the butcher shop she was never 100% sure that she got the meat she wanted because she was never sure if she was communicating correctly. At the grocery store it would take a while to point to whatever she wanted and clarify whenever the shopkeeper misunderstood. It was humiliating.
Now she could stroll the aisles at will and take what she wanted. It was a small freedom, but one that helped alleviate some of the stress and anxiety in a difficult time.
That was, until events changed again and Rosemary and Bill found themselves leaving Iran and heading – via England – to Australia. But the events leading up to that change and the journey itself are another story. We can cover that next week.
AustraliaDowntown TehranIranJFKJohn F KennedyplasticRosemary's cornersupermarketstehran
First Christmas in Iran
Iran to Australia: unexpectedly


Boasting accommodation with a terrace, Holiday Home Sandskærvej IV is situated in Aabenraa. The holiday home provides an outdoor pool and free WiFi. The holiday home is equipped with 4 bedrooms, a TV and a fully equipped kitchen that provides guests with a dishwasher, a microwave, a washing machine and a fridge. Holiday Home Sandskærvej IV offers a barbecue. Haderslev is 24 km from the accommodation. The nearest airport is Sønderborg Airport, 51 km from Holiday Home Sandskærvej IV.
Please notice that there are possible extra charges regarding Gas, Electricity and Heating. There are some facilities on the property that might require extra costs. Please print DanCenter voucher ticket and bring it with you on the day of arrival. Please note that the full amount of the reservation is due before arrival. Dancenter will send a confirmation with detailed payment information. After full payment is taken, the property's details, including the address and where to collect keys, will be emailed to you. Please inform Holiday Home Sandskærvej IV in advance of your expected arrival time. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly with the contact details provided in your confirmation.
the hotel Holiday Home Sandskærvej IV so we can give you detailed rates for the rooms in the desired period.


text:
« Back to Our Authors and Illustrators
Susan Phalen
Susan Phalen is a grown-up Air Force daughter and a senior US Congressional aide. She wrote "Our Roots: Not Deep but Far and Wide" in Stories Around the Table: Laughter, Wisdom, and Strength in Military Life.
She sends this message to milkids everywhere: "All you military brats out there, I want you to know that while moving around a lot as a kid has some immediate disadvantages in your current lives, those become minor bumps compared to the long term advantages and appreciation in your future lives. Trust me."
Susan believes life throws amazing adventures and curveballs at everyone. The trick is to know which adventures to grab on to, and how to bob and weave from the curveballs. There is no greater foundation for learning this flexibility than growing up in a military family. A few adventures not mentioned in her story: "I ran with the bulls in Pamplona, had tea with tribal elders in Afghanistan, and climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro. I have also stood in the eye of a hurricane (typhoon), experienced a massive earthquake (8.1 on the Richter scale), and lost my car in a flash flood. If you learn early how to bob and weave, it turns some of the curveballs into adventures."
Susan has spent the last decade guiding senior US government officials through complex communications strategies for rapidly unfolding events critical to national security. She served in the Bush Administration as a senior advisor at the State Department and is currently a senior Congressional aide on Capitol Hill. No matter how grown up she is, Susan will always be a brat at heart. Oh, and she can play "Oh! Susanna" on the harmonica.
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A collection of personal stories from more than 40 military family members based on their military life experience. From poignant to practical, tragic to humorous, these candid conversations from friends old and new shed heartfelt insight on many aspects of military life.


Julie and I have been blessed in that many of our False Claims Act relators have great expertise in their fields. It is wonderful to have "expert witnesses" be able to explain the fraud to us and the government with their years of experience and knowledge supporting their claim.
But sometimes this blessing can also be a bit of a curse, as the smarter you are as a relator, the more discerning you may be as to what you tell us and what you give us. This can result in you being too smart for your own good. On the one hand, it is great for you to take your thousands of emails and files and whittle them down to just what you think is important. Please do that, and please identify those important documents for us. On the other hand, it is imperative that you give us all the documents, whether you think they are important or relevant or not. To quote one of Julie's favorite lines, "If you have a cocktail napkin with the defendant's name on it, we want it." When I ask you to give me everything, I mean that I want you to give me EVERYTHING.
There are many reasons for this. First, you lack the legal training to know what may be important to your case. There are elements of a False Claims Act case that you likely would not consider and that vary from state to state, including scienter, materiality, and damages. Emails unrelated to your claims may provide exposure to a defendant's knowledge, character, and job responsibilities. On the most basic level, a random email to your entire office asking about lunch plans may be valuable simply by providing the names and email addresses of all the employees working there on a certain date. You never know what might be helpful to the government's investigation!
Second, you may bring us a narrow False Claims Act claim, and from that, and from the evidence, we are able to discover more or better fraud claims, and sometimes even personal claims that we can bring on your behalf. In fact, this happens frequently, because we have the qui tam and employment law experience to know what to look for.
Third, there is no quicker way to put your case at risk than to fail to provide evidence to the government. In fact, the False Claims Act statute mandates that you provide "written disclosure of substantially all material evidence and information the [relator] possesses." To be blunt, you just do not know what they think is relevant. They may already have an ongoing investigation of your defendant for a different claim. After investigating your claims, they may bring more, different claims. If you provided documentation that clues the government in to these additional claims, you may be entitled to a relator's share of a claim that you didn't even know you had. But if you fail to provide that documentation because it didn't seem relevant, and the government discovers the claim on its own, it may shut you out of the recovery completely.
Fourth, it is imperative that you are forthcoming about your level of involvement in the fraud. Once your case is unsealed, the defendant will likely accuse you of having been a participant, and maybe even the mastermind, of the fraud. It is always better to be open and honest with the government about what you know and did, and what documents you have, even if they are incriminating, rather than for the government to discover them later and put you on the defensive.
Fifth, your provision of a document may lead us to follow-up questions resulting in the discovery of even more documents that you had forgotten about. A seemingly innocuous email may mention an attachment that you didn't provide, and when we ask you to go find that attachment, you discover a treasure trove of documents you'd forgotten about. It happens more than you'd imagine!
These are just some of the reasons that providing too much information is better than providing too little. Your relator's share will be determined in part by your willing cooperation and the value you provide; you don't want to be viewed as having withheld documents. You definitely don't want to be "caught" having withheld a document; even if it is a mistake, you may be viewed as having not been completely forthcoming, and the government will be wondering what else you might have withheld.
I get a painful feeling in my gut whenever I find out (usually in front of the government) that we did not produce a document and I hear the client say "oh, I didn't think you wanted that!" And that is when my inner Gary Oldman comes out. If action movies aren't your thing, then Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation (another Bracker & Marcus favorite) sums it up nicely. Give me all the documents and evidence you have.
Older PostWho Makes a Good Whistleblower?


text:
Several GOP governors voice doubt about health-care bill just released by Senate
Ohio Gov. John Kasich is among several GOP governors criticizing the Senate Republicans' health-care legislation. (Ron Schwane/AP)
By Sandhya Somashekhar
Email Bio Follow
Several moderate Republican governors are expressing reservations about the health-care bill unveiled in the Senate Thursday, further complicating efforts by GOP congressional leaders to make good on their promise to end the Affordable Care Act.
John Kasich of Ohio, Brian Sandoval of Nevada, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts and Larry Hogan of Maryland issued separate statements criticizing aspects of the legislation, including the secrecy under which it was written as well as the impact it would have on state budgets and low-income residents.
All four hail from states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA and have received billions of federal dollars to help them cover more low-income Americans. The Medicaid program, which traditionally encompassed poor children and their parents, pregnant women, people with disabilities and the elderly, is administered jointly by the state and federal governments.
Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia opted into the expansion, leading more than 11 million able-bodied adults to gain health coverage. These states have the most to lose under the Senate bill, which would end federal support for the expansion in 2024 and force states to either come up with another way to pay for the newly eligible or else dramatically shrink their program.
"I have deep concerns with details in the U.S. Senate's plan to fix America's healthcare system and the resources needed to help our most vulnerable, including those who are dealing with drug addiction, mental illness and chronic health problems and have nowhere else to turn," said Kasich, who has been a vocal critic of Republican efforts to repeal and replace the ACA.
(Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)
The consequences of the new legislation would be dramatic in Ohio, where more than 600,000 of those on Medicaid last year gained access to care as a result of that state's decision to broaden the program, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Sandoval took a sharper tone in a statement issued Thursday in which he criticized Senate leaders for crafting their bill behind closed doors.
"I am disappointed that Congress did not include us in the consideration of this bill and we have not seen it until today," he said. "While the current healthcare system needs improvement, it remains my priority to protect Nevada's expansion population to ensure our most vulnerable, especially individuals with mental illness, the drug addicted, chronically ill, and our children, will always have access to healthcare."
More than 200,000 Medicaid recipients in Nevada last year — more than a third of its entire Medicaid population — were eligible for coverage because of the expansion. Sandoval reiterated his objections Friday during a joint news conference with Sen. Dean Heller (R), a key swing vote on the bill, who announced that he could not support it as written.
Hogan also focused on how GOP leaders on Capitol Hill had operated in drafting their measures. "Congress should go back to the drawing board in an open, transparent and bipartisan fashion to craft a bill that works for all Americans," he said through a spokeswoman.
But at least one Republican governor of an expansion state signaled that he felt the bill was a step in the right direction. Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas said in a statement that more time was needed to gauge the measure's potential impact but that "there are significant positive changes in the Senate bill, including increased flexibility for the states."
The expansion population in Arkansas topped 300,000 last year, according to Kaiser. Hutchinson is seeking permission from the Trump administration to make conservative adjustments to the program there, including instituting a work requirement for many enrollees.
Other GOP governors of expansion states were silent or issued statements saying they needed time to study the legislation's specifics.
Earlier this month, Kasich, Sandoval and Baker joined several Democratic governors to pen a letter to congressional leaders urging them to scrap the health-care bill the House passed last month in favor of something that would garner bipartisan support. No Democrats are expected to support either the House or Senate versions.
This week, that trio noted their particular concern about the Senate bill's impact on their efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. Ohio is among the states hardest hit by the crisis. In 2016, the expansion accounted for 43 percent of Ohio's Medicaid spending on behavioral health, a category that includes substance abuse treatment, according to the Associated Press.
Nationwide, nearly 1.3 million people receive services for mental-health and substance abuse disorders under the Medicaid expansion, according to an estimate by economists Richard G. Frank of the Harvard Medical School and Sherry Glied of New York University.
In recognition of the challenges states face on this issue, the Senate bill would create a $2 billion fund to provide grants to states for substance abuse and mental health treatment.
The House and Senate bills would make radical, longer-term changes to Medicaid. Since its inception more than 50 years ago, the program has been funded as an entitlement for anyone who qualifies. Under both congressional measures, states would instead receive a per capita amount or block grant from the federal government.
Sandhya Somashekhar Sandhya Somashekhar is a national correspondent for The Washington Post. She has covered social issues and politics, and was part of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team that documented the thousands of people shot and killed by police every year. Follow


text:
Q: Computers: what is the difference between load and loading? Please, tell me if a noun load and a noun loading are interchangeable? Can I say "fast document load" or "slow image loading"? Are these two words synonyms?

A: The noun version of loading can be the abstract as commented above, but because it tends to refer to a process rather than an event, it is also natural and common to use it in referring to things that take some time.  "Document loading" implies it is(was/will be) ongoing.  That is not due to your slow/fast although the effects of those adjectives in your examples reinforce the effect of the verbs.
Load can be a noun or active verb.  Noun: "Waiting for the document load to finish"  Verb: "Waiting for the document to load"
Loading can be noun or passive verb.  Noun: "Document loading in progress"  Verb "The document is loading"
I know you only asked about the noun usage, but the verb usages have the same difference.  Event vs process.

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text:
Flash Global Hires Mark Eisenberg as VP of Client Services
March 26, 2019 | Posted: by Dan Dunn
MOUNTAIN LAKES, N.J. — Flash Global, a leading provider of after-sales supply chain solutions to technology companies of all sizes, has hired Mark Eisenberg as its new Vice President of Client Services. In this role, will provide strategic guidance to the company's team of Directors of Client Services and serve as a liaison for the Customer Care organization with cross-functional business units throughout Flash to drive maturation of process and teams from a business perspective. Eisenberg reports to Chief Customer Officer Dan Silva.
Eisenberg has extensive experience in high-tech service parts/distribution and customer-facing account management. He comes to Flash after 18 years with UPS, where he was a Region Director of Customer Solutions in both the retail and high-tech sectors. Prior to that, Eisenberg worked as Director of Logistics Services Marketing for North American Van Lines and as Senior Operations Manager for Choice Logistics.
"I've always been a problem-solver. My charter is not to tell anyone how to do something, but rather to work with them in a collaborative fashion to help them be more effective, help them communicate more clearly — both internally among colleagues and externally with customers," Eisenberg said.
ABOUT FLASH GLOBAL
Headquartered in New Jersey, Flash Global designs and implements end-to-end service supply chain strategies for rapidly expanding companies, including many of the world's top high-tech original equipment manufacturers. Through its unique Simplicity of One approach — one comprehensive suite of integrated services, a single point of contact and one contract — Flash creates global solutions are locally fueled, which enables companies to efficiently scale in countries all around the world. Companies leverage in-region and in-country expertise throughout Flash's worldwide infrastructure of global service centers, regional command centers, distribution centers and forward stocking locations to seamlessly move products across international borders and serve their customer bases. Learn more about the industry verticals Flash Global serves.
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The faculty and staff members at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh University College of Business are committed to the following principles that guide their conduct of behavior.
Through scholarly inquiry, we seek to pursue knowledge and truth. Through instruction and classroom discussion, we seek to encourage a passion of learning, to correct misconceptions, to foster the rigorous examination of ideas and to transmit knowledge.
We nurture a climate of professional care, concern, fairness, transparency and civility towards others, while recognizing and embracing each individual's dignity, freedom and diversity even in the face of disagreement.
We act and communicate truthfully and candidly. We uphold the University College's values and make decisions based on the greater good, conducting ourselves in a manner which is free of personal conflicts or apparent impropriety and self-dealing.
We openly share relevant information with stakeholders regarding the processes used in developing policies and making decisions for TAG-UCB.
We use University College resources in a wise and prudent manner in order to achieve our educational mission and strategic objectives. We do not use its resources for personal benefit or gain.


text:
Cleveland Cavaliers Transform Quicken Loans Arena Jumbotron Into Virtual Pop-A-Shot
By Mark J. Burns / April 20, 2017
Mark J. Burns, 2 years ago 3 min read
(Courtesy of YinzCam)
Instead of Cleveland Cavaliers fans just watching the video board at Quicken Loans Arena, they can now interact with it throughout the NBA Playoffs via a virtual pop-a-shot feature.
As part of a pre-existing relationship with Pittsburgh-based mobile app and software developer YinzCam, which has built and hosts 23 of the league's team apps, the Cavaliers decided to create a first-of-its-kind augmented reality app so fans could shoot virtual buckets on the HUMONGOTRON in The Q.
"I really wanted a communal moment inside the venue," Priya Narasimhan, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of YinzCam said as she began to discussions with the team's digital staff.
"Let's look at the video board, it's visible from every seat in the house, and what if we could turn the video board into a virtual hoop?"
Cavaliers fans 21+ can now download the "Deep in the Q" app via the iOS or Android app stores. They'll be encouraged by in-arena hosts to point their smartphones at the team's main scoreboard during timeouts and swipe their screens to shoot virtually at an augmented reality hoop.
Mike Conley, Cavaliers Vice President of Digital, explained that the game, which is sponsored by Bud Light, works on image triggers (pictured right).
Fans are split into different sections to compete against each other to win prizes depending on their scores and shooting streaks. The Cavaliers then capture the images in real time and display them on the jumbotron for everyone to see.
If a fan nets 10 shots in a row, he or she automatically qualifies for a prize to redeem in the arena's Social Zone for unlocking a specific achievement.
"As we were testing it, I was literally way up in the corner of the arena, in the nosebleeds, literally flicking shots at our scoreboard, making baskets off of my phone. So that part was really neat," Conley said in a statement.
Want to be famous #AmongFriends?
Stop by our @BudLight Zone by section 123 & shoot your shot with our new #DeepInTheQ app!#DefendTheLand pic.twitter.com/KEoezrhBld
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) April 17, 2017
Inside the Social Zone, fans will also have a chance to play one-on-one as they leverage the new AR feature. Additionally, throughout the Cleveland market as part of the Bud Light partnership, fans can point the dedicated AR app at Cavaliers-Bud Light co-branded signage or at Bud Light cans and bottles to play and also check out how they compare against others.
Get The Latest NBA Tech News In Your Inbox!
Previously, both organizations have collaborated on other innovative endeavors like a virtual NBA championship ring last October that actually proved to be faulty for a few fans. To correct the malfunction, though, the Cavaliers released printable paper rings, launching an augmented reality championship ring-wearing experience.
"Working with Mike Conley and the Cavaliers is a source of inspiration to us because they push the envelope in technology, and are constantly thinking about the next new mobile and digital experience to delight their fans," Narasimhan said in a statement.
.@cavs digital zone augmented reality pop-a-shot in partnership with our friends @budlight pic.twitter.com/qulxIfYbT2
— Sumers (@JDSumers) April 17, 2017
, Virtual and Augmented Reality


text:
El Jardín Botánico de la Universidad de Oxford es el más antiguo del Reino Unido y uno de los jardines científicos más antiguos del mundo.

Se fundó en 1621 como un jardín de simples para su uso en investigaciones médicas. En sus cuatro siglos de existencia ha reunido una de las colecciones de plantas más diversas y a su vez compactas del mundo, con más de 300 familias taxonómicas y un total de más de 5000 especies, en 1.8 hectáreas (4½ acres) de extensión.

Historia
En 1621, sir Henry Danvers, 1º conde de Danby, contribuyó con 5,000 libras (equivalente a 744,000 libras  en 2005) para establecer un jardín de plantas medicinales para la "glorificación de los trabajos de Dios y el fomento del aprendizaje".
Eligió un terreno en la ribera del río Cherwell en el rincón nordeste del Christ Church College -que depende del Magdalen College. Parte de la tierra había sido un cementerio judío hasta su expulsión de Oxford y del resto de Inglaterra, en 1290. Se necesitaron cuatro mil carretas de "desechos y estiércol" para superar el nivel de terreno inundable del río.

Diseño
El jardín está formado por tres partes:
 El jardín amurallado, la parte más antigua (data del periodo de su fundación en 1621) está rodeado por el muro de cantería original del siglo XVII
 Los invernaderos, que permiten el cultivo de las plantas que necesitan protección contra las inclemencias climáticas del país
El jardín inferior (Lower Garden), zona adyacente entre el prado de Christ Church y el río Cherwell, donde se cultivan las ornamentales.

Existe un arboreto satélite, el Arboretum de Harcourt, que se encuentra ubicado a unas 6 millas (10 km) al sur de Oxford.

Jardín amurallado

Los arriates de familias taxonómicas
La colección principal de plantas se encuentra agrupada en lechos de cultivo ordenados por familias según el Sistema de clasificación APG III. Es uno de los primeros jardines que adoptó el sistema con fines didácticos, tanto para los estudiantes de la universidad como para todos los visitantes. Algunas de las familias representadas son: Acanthaceae, Amaranthaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Apocynaceae, Araceae, Aristolochiaceae, Berberidaceae, Boraginaceae, Campanulaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Cistaceae, Commelinaceae, Compositae, Convolvulaceae, Crassulaceae, Cruciferae, Cyperaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Dipsacaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Gentianaceae, Geraniaceae, Gramineae, Hypericaceae, Iridaceae, Juncaceae, Labiatae, Leguminosae, Liliaceae, Linaceae, Loasaceae, Lythraceae, Malvaceae, Onagraceae, Paeoniaceae, Papaveraceae, Phytolaccaceae, Plantaginaceae, Plumbaginaceae, Polemoniaceae, Polygonaceae, Portulacaceae, Primulaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae, Saxifragaceae, Solanaceae, Umbelliferae, Urticaceae, Verbenaceae, Violaceae.

En 1983, el Consejo Nacional para la Conservación de Plantas y de Jardines (NCCPG) eligió este jardín para cultivar la colección nacional del género Euphorbia, con más de 2000 especies cultivadas por distintas zonas del recinto, a excepción de las no resistentes que se mantienen en invernadero. Euphorbia stygiana es una de las especies en peligro crítico de extinción que forma parte de la  colección, con solo alrededor de diez plantas en su hábitat natural. El jardín lleva más de diez años reproduciéndola para evitar su posible extinción.
La colección medicinal
se encuentra en el rincón sudoeste y se compone de ocho lechos de cultivo, en los que se agrupan las plantas según sus efectos terapéuticos, para usos en diferentes patologías de cardiología, oncología, enfermedades infecciosas, gastroenteritis, dermatología, hematología, neurología y pulmonología.

Colección de 1648
arriate situado en el rincón suroeste, se compone de especies recogidas en la obra Catologus plantarum Horti medici Oxoniensis (Catálogo de las plantas del jardín medicinal de Oxford), publicada en 1648 por el primer director del jardín, Jacob Bobart el Viejo. Aunque en sus inicios fue un jardín de simples, también se cultivaban otras especies no medicinales, nativas y exóticas. La más exótica, enviada desde América en 1648 por el botánico y coleccionista John Tradescant, Tradescantia virginiana, se sigue cultivando en el jardín actual.

El paseo del bosque y la senda literaria
es donde habitan las especies arbóreas -una de ellas es el árbol más viejo, un tejo plantado en este rincón en 1645- y grandes arbustos que dan cobijo a bulbos y herbáceas perennes típicas del sotobosque.

Los arriates geográficos
son seis arriates situados junto a los antiguos muros del jardín. En cada uno se cultivan plantas características de una región biogeográfica diferente, que constituye un punto caliente por la cantidad de endemismos amenazados en esos hábitats. El microclima creado al abrigo del muro propicia el cultivo de especies semi-resistentes de:
La cuenca mediterránea
Sudáfrica
Sudamérica
Nueva Zelanda y
Japón

Invernaderos
El jardín consta de siete invernaderos en los que se recrean diferentes condiciones climáticas para albergar todo tipo de plantas que no resistirían la intemperie en el clima inglés:

Conservatorio (Conservatory)
Fue el primer invernadero del jardín, construido hace más 300 años.  Se concibió para albergar cítricos y plantas estacionales, como primulas, abutilon, fucsias, y achimenes. Las varias exposiciones que cambian a través del año se exhiben en la zona central. También se utiliza como lugar de eventos, reuniones y cursos.

Invernadero de alpinas (Alpinum)
Alberga especies que requieren las condiciones frías de su hábitat natural en la alta montaña. Junto a ellas también se exhiben diferentes especies, como arbustos, herbáceas perennes, bulbos y cormos.

Invernadero del bosque nuboso
Este invernadero reproduce las condiciones de un bosque nuboso. Contiene una colección de diferentes especies de helechos, tanto epifitas como terrestres, entra las que se encuentran los géneros Platycerium y Stenochlaena. Junto con otra de plantas carnívoras del género Nepenthes.

Invernadero de plantas carnívoras
Está dedicado exclusivamente a este tipo de plantas. Muchas de las especies que alberga se encuentran amenazadas de extinción en su hábitat natural.

Invernadero de lirios de agua
El más emblemático de los invernaderos. Se construyó en 1851 para albergar la gigante Victoria amazonica, que posteriormente se sustituyó por Victoria cruziana, de características similares aunque menor tamaño. Junto a ella se exhiben lotos y el híbrido reproducido por primera vez en el jardín en 1874 Nymphaea x daubenyana, nombrado en honor a Charles Daubeny, director del jardín entre 1834 a 1867.

Alrededor del estanque se cultivan ejemplares de bananas, caña de azúcar, y arroz .

Invernadero de palmeras
es el mayor invernadero del jardín. En un ambiente totalmente tropical se cultiva una colección de palmeras, cycas, epifitas. Además de un gran número de plantas de interés económico, como café, jengibre, coco, cacao...

Invernadero árido
está dedicado a cactus y suculentas.

Jardín inferior
Esta parte se sitúa fuera del jardín amurallado; junto al prado de Christ Church y bordeando el río Cherwell. La zona se divide en seis secciones.

La rocalla
se construyó en 1926 y rediseñó entre 1997 a 1999. En la sección oriental de la rocalla se cultivan especies europeas, mientras que la zona occidental se dedica a las del resto del mundo. También se cultivan aquí las especies mediterráneas de la colección de Euphorbia, así como bulbos de floración invernal y primaveral, junto con especies perennes que requieren las condiciones específicas de esta zona.

El jardín húmedo
se sitúa en la parte más baja del jardín, donde se ha recreado un humedal con una charca en la que crecen plantas características de este ambiente, como Menyanthes trifoliata, Gunnera, Iris sibirica, Darmera peltata, Caltha palustris, Rodgersia... Este ecosistema también ha propiciado el desarrollo de su propia fauna.

Los arriates de Merton
diseñados por el profesor James Hitchmough del departamento de arquitectura paisajista de la universidad de Sheffield, ocupan 955 m² y fueron concebidos con el objetivo de desarrollar un modelo hortícola ecológico y autosuficiente.
El 85% de las plantas fueron sembradas directamente de semilla y seleccionadas entre las más adaptadas a la sequía de tres regiones del mundo:
Las grandes planicies del centro y sudeste de Estados Unidos
El sudeste de África a altitudes superiores a 1000
El sudeste de Europa a Turquía, pasando por Asia a Siberia

Esta selección de tan diversas especies ha formado un pequeño ecosistema automantenido, sin necesidad de riego ni fertilizantes, y en flor de primavera a otoño. Cuando se seca en invierno, da cobijo a pájaros y pequeños mamíferos.

Plantas que cambiaron el mundo
Lo que fuera un pequeño huerto de verduras, se convirtió en 2015 en una escogida colección de las especies utilizadas a lo largo de la historia de la humanidad para su desarrollo, tanto médico, alimenticio, textil, como otros usos. Una sección adyacente se dedica a las plantas que aromatizan las bebidas alcohólicas.

El huerto
creado en el invierno de 2011 a 2012, alberga cuarenta y tres especies de árboles frutales: manzanos, perales y membrilleros cuyas variedades se eligieron entre las más resistentes a plagas y enfermedades, además de adaptarse a las condiciones locales.

El arriate de herbáceas
creada en 1946, esta colección exhibe las herbáceas perennes que se cultivan tradicionalmente en el país. La diversidad de especies logra que el arriate se mantenga en floración de primavera a otoño.

El arriate de otoño
se ubica a todo lo largo del borde del jardín, junto al prado de Christ Church. Las plantas elegidas para esta zona son especies de arbustos, herbáceas anuales y perennes que muestran un fuerte colorido, tanto de follaje como de flores, entre septiembre y octubre.

Investigación
En el jardín botánico se llevan a cabo diversas investigaciones, entre otras, en evolución y reproducción de especies empleando la genética y la genómica, conservación ex situ y mutualismo. Trabaja en conjunto con diferentes universidades, como la Universidad de Bristol, la Linnean Society of London, el Departamento de Ciencias  de la Universidad de Oxford -administradora del jardín-, el Botanic Gardens Conservation International del cual es miembro -con código de identificación 'OXF'-  y en el que presenta trabajos para la Agenda Internacional para la Conservación en los Jardines Botánicos.

Actividades públicas
Para el público visitante se desarrollan actividades, algunas dirigidas especialmente a los niños, en familia o en grupos escolares. En la zona del invernadero principal, el conservatory, se desarrollan eventos estacionales, cursos temáticos, talleres, picnis veraniegos, ferias navideñas.
Existen visitas guiadas, tanto por el Botánico como por el arboreto, a diez minutos del jardín en coche.

En la literatura

Durante la década de 1860, el jardín era frecuentemente visitado por el profesor de matemáticas en la universidad de Oxford Lewis Carroll y las hijas del matrimonio Liddell, Alice y sus hermanas. El jardín, así como muchos de los lugares y gentes de Oxford, fueron fuente de inspiración para su cuento Las aventuras de Alicia en el país de las maravillas. En una de las ilustraciones de John Tenniel, el Croquet de la reina, aparece el invernadero de los lirios de agua, y agazapado en uno de los árboles del paseo del bosque se puede ver al gato de Cheshire.

Otro profesor y autor de Oxford, J. R. R. Tolkien, pasaba a menudo su tiempo en el jardín descansando bajo su árbol preferido, un Pinus nigra. El enorme pino austríaco es muy parecido a la descripción que de los Ents hace en su historia El señor de los anillos, el árbol-gente capaz de caminar y hablar, habitante de la Tierra Media.

En la novela Retorno a Brideshead de Evelyn Waugh, Lord Sebastian Flyte lleva a Charles Ryder "a ver la hiedra" en su primer encuentro. Cuando dice, "Oh, Charles, what a lot you have to learn! There's a beautiful arch there and more different kinds of ivy than I knew existed. I don't know where I should be without the Botanical gardens" (¡Oh, Charles, cuanto tiene usted que aprender! Allí hay un hermoso arco y las más diversas clases de hiedra que no hubiera sabido nunca que existieran. No se donde estaría sin los jardines botánicos)(Primer capítulo).

El banco en un lejano rincón del jardín inferior se menciona en la trilogía de novelas de Philip Pullman La materia oscura. Es una de las localizaciones u objetos que se colocan paralelos en los dos mundos donde viven los protagonistas, Lyra Silvertongue y Will Parry. En el último capítulo de la trilogía, ambos prometen sentarse en él durante una hora al mediodía cada solsticio de verano, de modo que quizás puedan sentir la presencia del otro desde sus respectivos mundos.

Referencias

Bibliografía
 Colvin, Howard, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840 3rd ed. (Yale University Press) 1995, s.v. "Stone, Nicholas"
 Jennifer Sherwood, Nikolaus Pevsner (1974). The Buildings of England, Oxfordshire. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-09639-9.
 Leonard, Bill, The Oxford of Inspector Morse Location Guides, Oxford (2004) p.198. ISBN 0-9547671-1-X.

Enlaces externos

 Official website
 Virtual tour
 The Friends of Oxford Botanic Garden
 Página del botánico en el BGCI
 Oxford Botanic Garden — a Gardens Guide review
 Oxfordshire: History of Oxford Botanic Garden

Oxford Botanic Garden
Oxford Botanic Garden

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


On Saturday, May 19, 2018, at 4:00 pm at St. John's Congregational Church in Springfield, the Theta Iota Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and its Lee B. Revels Scholarship & Mentoring Foundation will host the Tenth Annual Senator Edward W. Brooke III Oratorical Competition.  The competition is open to young men of African or Latino descent currently attending high school in Western Massachusetts and interested in attending college. The event is free and open to the public.
Participation in the program provides the young men the opportunity to experience the art of public speaking while learning about a topic relevant to their lives. This year's topic is: Turned On, Tuned In, and Checked Out: What Effect Is Social Media Having on Today's Youth? This theme raises an important question in a technologically-advanced age and presents an opportunity for our youth to understand the developmental benefits and/or risks of having self-controlled access to social media. Participants have group workshops and one-on-one mentoring sessions to help prepare them for the competition. The top three orators are awarded scholarships that they will receive upon enrollment in college.
For the past ten years, Theta Iota Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity has gained the support of the Western Massachusetts community to identify young men to compete for these scholarships. This year is no different, so we ask for your help in identifying Black and Latino men in Western Massachusetts who would like to participate in this year's competition.
Students may register by completing our online registration form, which is attached to this letter, along with a copy of the rules, entry requirements and judging criteria. The entry deadline is Monday, April 2, 2018. Online registration is on our web site at http://oratorical.springfieldalphas.com. After completing the online application, the registrant will be contacted with confirmation of his registration and provided with additional details regarding times, dates and locations of the mandatory workshops.


MONDAY, 6/18, NOON DISMISSAL - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!
October 1 "substantial completion" date.
We met this week to finalize plans, give feedback on the schedule for when bids and contracts would be awarded, and detail checkpoints for updating the school community.
their leadership on the Task Force.
I am very pleased to announce that 7th/8th-grade math teacher Dawn Galolo will serve as our upper grade representative on the PTO Board. Dawn is completing her sixth year at Pierce.
The PTO Board wishes to thank Chuck Silverston for his three years as PTO co-chair. Chuck's 'can do' attitude and overachieving outlook helped us to reach beyond our goals and exceed our fundraising expectations. In particular, we would like to thank him for helping us reach our highest participation rate in the Annual Appeal ever this year and for introducing a very successful new event, Trivia Night, to our community. We wish him all the best and look forward to his continued volunteerism with the PTO. Please thank him if you see him!
We are happy to announce a new Leadership Team for the PTO next year!
Based on your feedback, our experiences and all of the volunteers who generously give their time, we are trying a new model for PTO leadership next year that aims to spread the workload among more volunteers and build a robust leadership pipeline.
Instead of three co-chairs the PTO will initiate a Leadership Team comprised of chairs who will each oversee a committee dedicated to a particular area, such as Budget. The Leadership Team will be led by Stacey Irwin Downey and Gioia Perugini. They will continue to be part of the PTO Board with Dr. Smith-Mumford, the Pierce teacher representatives, and Treasurer Daria Cohen.
We welcome Bobby Zuker (Budget and Finance), Toby Raybould (Fundraising), Hilary Janowski (Volunteerism) and Kim Girard (Communications). We will continue to develop these roles and strategies over the summer, so look for more details in the fall.
The goal of this change is to get more people involved at a level that is compatible with the time parents and others have available. In doing so, we also hope to clarify what the PTO does and encourage more people to help their PTO reflect the strong Pierce community.
This model is based on the thought that our community can engage future PTO leaders if the time commitment required is more manageable. Anyone who has thoughts about greater involvement, get ready! Lots of opportunity is coming your way!
We look forward to seeing you all in September. In the meantime, if you are interested in getting more involved please email us at pierce.pto@gmail.com.
In 7th and 8th grade, students will have a weekly Conservatory class.
Conservatory begins in September and we would like students (if possible) to come prepared with instruments the first week.
free to contact me at anne_sheridan@brookline.k12.ma.us.
Brookline High School Peer Educators and B-PEN (Brookline Parent Education Network) have put together a list of suggestions for keeping teens safe during the summer, ranging from job/volunteer ideas for older kids to lists of healthy activities.
tutor. I have worked at Pierce and am familiar with the curriculum, teachers and community. I will work with your child to improve his/her skills in reading, writing or math. References available upon request. Please contact Olivia at ohewett@gmail.com for more information.
September 2012, Registration is open for students age 6-19!
For more info log onto:www.koltunballetacademy.com (617) 901-3792.
suite in private home would be perfect. Will sign one-year lease. Please email Eli at elicorno@aol.com or call 216.407.2549 between 9 and 9. Thanks!


Lao culture is predominately defined by Theravada Buddhism. Along with it's focus on maintaining traditions it also emphasizes the cooling of human passions. In other words, strong emotions are rather a taboo in traditional Laos culture, believing that karma is more of a determinate of the future than devotion, prayer and hard work. For this reason, Lao people tend not to get too worked up over the future and have a rather relaxed attitude towards situations.
Traditionally Lao people believe that 'too much work is bad for your brain' and often feel sorry for those who 'think too much'. From a typical Lao perspective, unless an activity, whether work or play, contains an element of fun, it will probably lead to stress. Laos is gradually become more and more westernized since becoming open to tourism in the mid-90s, resulting in these traditional views gradually being challenged with many seeking further education and higher paying jobs.
Despite such a large proportion of the population classified as Buddhists this does not mean that each individual becomes a Novice Monk or a Nun. Nevertheless, it is widely expected that the male of the family enters the temple for a certain amount of time, this, however, can be for numerous reason. The majority of those who enter the temple are generally from the rural areas of Laos and enter the temple to seek education and a better life. This can be through personal choice or through the decision of their parents. Others, become ordained upon the death of a close relative. Many families send a male into the temple to gain merit for the recently deceased and the family. This can be for any amount of time between a few days to a couple of weeks.
It would be a simplification to state that Lao culture is solely defined by Theravada Buddhism as there are many nuances to Laos' culture. Laos is split into three main ethnic groups, Lao Loum, Lao Theung and Lao Sung, put simply Lowland society, Midland society and Highland society, respectively. Volunteers often have culture talks, delivered by various locals from these three groups, giving them the opportunity to learn more about these different cultures and their differing traditions during their stay.


With this project which is momentarily under construction already exits one luxurious villa situated in a privileged residential area above Cala Llamp. The villa will be situated on a plot of 1.038 m² with fantastic sea and mountain views. The property will be built with the best quality building materials and in an open plan concept. The main floor will feature of a light flooded living room with fireplace as well as a large window façade and an adjacent fully equipped open plan kitchen as well as a bedroom with bathroom en suite. The upper level will comprise of a spacious master suite with dressing room as well as two further bedrooms, both of which are going to be with bathrooms en suite. The lower level will comprise of a fitness room which will be able to be used as a TV room and a storage room. There will also be the possibility to construct additional bedrooms. The basement level will comprise of two parking spaces, a technical room as well as a spacious entrance area with access to an elevator that takes you to all four levels. The impressive outdoor area will boast of open and covered terraces, a swimming pool, as well as a summer kitchen and a roof terrace where you can enjoy the fantastic views overlooking the bay of Cala Llamp.


Hello there everyone, I am pretty new to this forum, but not to new to Mirror Moon's works. Love you guys. Anyways, enough for the short introduction, DOWN TO BUSINESS.
I've been getting extremely bored lately in Act Cadenza, and facing the computers even with the max handicaps can only get so fun after facing them for the billionth time. I've been avoiding netplay for a very long time now, but I think it's time to try it out. So, with that said, if you're interested in facing me online, just post!
P.S. I'm looking for good players, that will also play for fun. I'm tired of facing the type of people who only try to win over the net, sorry ^^;.
I idle in #mirrormoon awaiting challenges.
It's this forum's IRC channel. If you got mIRC then click [url=irc://irc.highway.net/mirrormoon]here[/url].
Oh, thanks alot, I'll make sure to get it!
And It seems like i was wrong about avoiding netplay, it seems you guys are alright, really. Haha, dumb me.
Well, I'll get on the irc channel soon, then.
It could be your port to use IRC is behind a firewall. Might have to open ports or turn them off if you want to connect.
Oh, I see. I totally forgot the fact that I'm behind a router.
*Sigh* These routers sometimes are really not worth it, eh? I'll make sure to open the port up later. Thanks.
Other option is to use mibbit.com - webIRC.


text:
© 2019 Cycle Technologies • Washington, D.C. | Global
cycle TECHNOLOGIES
Brilliantly Simple™ Health Solutions
Leslie Heyer
Leslie is both our champion chief and cheerleader. Prior to her life as a social entrepreneur, Leslie worked in advertising helping brands ranging from software start-ups to blue chip consumer product companies develop marketing and business development strategies. In the office we call her "Higher" because she constantly inspires us to raise the bar and do everything better. She holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, and a B.A. from Georgetown University.
50 Most Talented Innovators,
2015 CSR World Congress
Business Action on Health Award, 2014 Global Business Council & Global Health Council
More about Leslie on LinkedIn
Ann Mullen
Ann develops and oversees client relations, customer management, and health education. She is an unflappable, cool-headed professional, who has heard it all in her 17+ years at Cycle Technologies. Prior to her work with us, Ann worked in human resources at Deutsche Bank, where she gleaned her skills in crisis management and general fire extinguishing. If she weren't working here, you would most likely find her managing an E.R. She received her B.A. degree from Iowa State University and is our resident grammarian.
More about Ann on LinkedIn
Alev Sezer-Jacobs
Alev joined the team in 2014 to lead our business and strategy efforts. She brings an open mind and fresh ideas to every conversation. She dreams big and makes sure that everyone in the room does the same. Even better, she sees the specific steps required to get there. Prior to working with us, Alev founded a successful creative & technology agency where she learned to work with every personality imaginable. A native Washingtonian, she is always inexplicably drawn towards the most interesting person in the room. She holds a B.A. in communications with a concentration in cross-cultural psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park and a PhD from the School of Life.
More about Alev on LinkedIn