The In Print professional writing group is having our second annual Book Fair at Barnes and Noble at the Cherry Valley Mall, Cherry Valley IL, on Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 11am until 5pm.
Featured will be guest authors, signings, readings, panel discussions, and children events. I have it on good authority that there could be some people in costume, seeing as it's so close to Halloween!
If you mention In Print when you check out, Barnes & Noble will donate a percentage of Saturday's purchases to our group. Our Bookfair ID number is 10803369.
Come out and support our group, browse the bookstore, and have a warm coffee drink! If you can't make the Book Fair, visit BN.com/bookfairs online to support us from 10/20/12 until 10/25/12, and use our ID number, 10803369 at checkout.
The Book Fair is being held in lieu of our monthly meeting. The next monthly meeting will be at the Cherry Valley Library, November 10, 2012, from 1-4 pm.


BIO: My name is Sarah, I'm 42, born in Madison, WI and I was adopted as an infant. I grew up in Missouri. I have 4 kids (19, 15, 14 and 6). 2 girls and 2 boys.
Instead of stories being told of when I was born….my stories were about when I was adopted. So "Adopted" was a term I grew up with until I was able to ask what that meant.
I was adopted by a white (birth mom's request) Jewish couple. I didn't know much about my adoption except that my birth mom was white. My father was black. That my father passed before I was born. That I was born in Madison, Wisconsin at Madison General Hospital. And that I was a secret.
My dad's (adoptive dad) family lives in Wisconsin, so when we drove to visit, if I saw a black person I always wondered if I was related to them.
Looking back now and understanding my feelings better, I've realized that I have always had anger towards my birth mom. I never wanted a relationship with her. I just never understood how one could leave a child and never look back or speak about it.
I tested my parents as a teenager, seeing if they'll leave me too. They've gotten upset with me but they never left. But still, I always think they will.
My childhood was fine. Great. No complaints. My parents took very good care of my 2 brothers and I. (One who is also adopted a year after me). I played basketball. I had my friends, but me being adopted was never a topic I'd bring up. Never something I wanted to explain to new people. But, it was something that was always on my mind.
The older I got with meeting new people, the more comments and questions I got.
There were always comments or questions that reminded me and made me feel like I had a big arrow with flashing lights pointing at me like "hey! She's different!!" To this day…..no matter how much I try and "forget" I'm adopted, it's never possible. There's always going to be a trigger.
I attempted suicide a year after high school. Couldn't explain what I was feeling then, but now I can say is that, triggers of abandonment took a toll on me. I was just tired of thinking I was unwanted.
In 2003 I finally decided I'd give it a try and do the whole "contact" thing. So at the beginning of January 2003 I mailed off my first contact attempt. It took a few months but I finally received the phone call from Wisconsin's Department of Health and Family Services. The lady told me that at this time my birth mother wanted no contact or the release of her identity. There I was, left broken hearted. I was rejected all over again. All I could do was cry….in secret. I kept my emotions and feelings to myself. I knew no one would understand.
Through social media (MySpace, had an adoptee group) I learned about "non-identification". Which is basically your adoption file with "identifying" information blanked out. So when when I was able to do my search request again, I requested my non-identification as well. This time around, I get a letter in the mail. A letter explaining to me that the birth mom still didn't want her identity known. But that she would write a letter to explain everything. (Still waiting for that letter). The letter continues to explain that I couldn't have my father's name because a father was never established. (buuuutttt……they needed his death certificate at the termination of parental rights hearing. Ok. Whatever!). I then started to look over the non-identification paperwork. It was an unexplainable weird yet exciting feeling. Here in front of me were the papers my birth mother filled out. Here was a letter to her case worker IN HER HANDWRITING!!!! Here it was, the timeline of her pregnancy. Her pregnancy with ME!!!! And then came the reality of it all. She never wanted me. There was never a time where she thought "maybe I can do it". All I seen was how quick it all went down.
January 1974, she finds out she's pregnant. Spotted for 7 months. January 1974, she starts the adoption paperwork. Agency tells her she needs the father's consent. February 1974, she's told by canning company that he moved to Florida. March 1974, receives notice from the canning company in Florida that he had an accident and passed away. March 1974, decides to be induced. March 4th I'm born. March 7th, she walks away. March 8th, I'm placed in foster care. April, she terminates her rights. Next to that, the caseworker notes "(blanked out name) happy to get it over with". April/May I'm placed with my adoptive family.
I couldn't try contacting again for another 5 years. Honestly, I was OK with that. I truly needed to process what I just read.
In 2008 I attempted suicide again.
The thought of her never wanting me had been haunting me more and more, causing me to feel more unworthy than usual. There was nothing my mom, my dad or anybody could have said to have made things any better. What I needed was answers. The only one with those answers didn't want to explain what happened. My birthmom.
In 2012 through Facebook I started connecting with people like me. Adoptees who knew what I was saying without really having to say much. Adoptees who were going through all the struggles I was going through. Adoptees who were feeling EXACTLY what I was feeling. And for once, I started to feel like I was understood. Because for the longest, I always felt alone because no one could relate.
There were many things I learned from the community. Found books by adoptees and read comments in groups on ways they healed from the feeling of rejection. How they coped. How to let my voice be heard. I also learned in the adoption community was to "never believe your non identifying paperwork". I heard that a lot. That their paperwork was all lies. But I kept thinking that my paperwork was correct. That it couldn't happen to me.
In 2012 I attempted to find a therapist that specialized in adoptees. I was still struggling and now I felt like I knew how to express what I was feeling in hopes to get that help. No such luck. Not in my area or even close to me. Only found therapists who specialized in adoption (big difference I found out) but I decided to try it. Biggest mistake ever.
First guy hears my story and my feelings. His response "you need to keep telling yourself that she didn't want you". I just sat there with a blank face, tears started rolling and I then ask "are we done?" (We still had 40 minutes left). He said "yup".
Second attempt was with a female. I thought maybe a female would be more sensitive about the topic. Again. I tell my story and express my feelings. Her response "find something of hers and burn it." I understood where she was going with that, but uuummm, I didn't know who my birth mom was and definitely didn't have anything of hers……except for what she left behind.
March 2013, I do a 23andme DNA test. The most exciting yet terrifying feeling ever, because I will be getting to see names of people I'm actually blood related to. Longest 6 weeks ever waiting for those results. I get my results. I see people I'm related to. 2nd cousins, 5th cousins, segments and other "gene" terminology I knew nothing about. I see the breakdown of what makes me. Yay! But I still had no clue as to what my next step was to be.
Luckily, through the adoption community I'm contacted by my search angel.
Two and a half years pass. August 2015, I'm about to park at Walmart when I get a message in the group messaging from my angels. They found her. They found my birth mom. Name. Picture. Location. Her sibling's names. Their location. Her parent's name. All I could do was stare at the message. Stare at the picture. No tears. I'm just in shock. And now the hard work for me was about to begin. I needed to make the contact.
This was going to be an extremely hard thing to do.
2. I do not want to disrupt anyone's life. It's a lose lose situation, for she or I or both.
Do I go on with not knowing the answer to my biggest question I had (who is my father?) or do I take that chance of exposing her secrecy and either getting the answer or being told to go away?
I knew I wasn't going to get to know anything.
A few minutes passed and I started to receive texts from the daughter asking questions and wanting to know more, somewhat. But she did say she passed on my request to her mother and that her mother said "she'd look into it". I never heard from her again and never heard from her mother.
The more time that passed the more upset I got.
I just wanted to know his name!!!
Why is this so hard to answer!!!???
Why can't I just get my birth father's name!!!??
I then decided to reach out to my birth mom's mother, because I knew she knew about me. I made the call, talked for about 30 minutes and she confirmed it all. Her daughter did have a child and put her up for adoption. I then asked if maybe she knew who my father was. She said she was unsure. She too said she'd pass on my contact information. It was always a dead end.
In January 2016 I messaged a relative on her side stating the same thing as I had with others. I just wanted to know who my father was. My question was finally answered.
The gentleman was so kind to me. He said he would look into it and let me know. I began to think he blew me off because I didn't hear from him for like 2 days. (Yes. 2 days that seemed like an eternity!) I was thinking that maybe he thought I was a scam.
Saturday January 23rd, 2016. The gentleman tries to call me on Facebook messenger but I was taking a nap. (emotionally drained from all the excitement) When I wake, I seen the missed call and a message from him.
Right. It happened to me!!
So, my father never knew about me. Never knew about my birth mom's pregnancy. But they met at a bar and began to date. She even lived with my father and his mother. But one day she just up and left and never spoke to him again. She knew exactly where he was (Milwaukee). Knew his family and how to get ahold of them. But because she didn't want HIS consent to place me, she decides to name some deceased person.
I did however, through all this, I found out the reasoning of why I was put up for adoption.
I know "but you have to consider the time. It was 1974." Yea yea yea. I get all that, but that still doesn't take the pain away. That because of my skin color, I was a dirty secret, I was unwanted, I was left and I was forgotten about.
Adoption is confusing, emotionally draining, filled with lies, dead ends, multiple rejections, against fathers who want to keep their child and unanswered questions.
Through my journey, I have gained and met a cousin who I love and adore and talk to daily, her parents (my uncle and his wife. birth mom's brother) and her kids (my little cousins). I've gained my father, I have a little sister (always wanted a sister), aunts, uncles and cousins. I've learned that "my people" came from the south, Mississippi.
My search has definitely filled in some missing pieces for me. I've accepted not being accepted by my birth mom and some of her family. But at the same time, it's a loss that I don't know how to heal from.
My search may have ended and I have new relationships to build, but my fear still remains.
Can you relate to Sarah's Story?
Sarah! Thank you so much for sharing your story. Congrats on sifting through the mire and finding your truth, no matter how murky it is.
That's a very sad story Sarah. Makes me so angry how these things happen. I was adopted in 1971 and the pain is very real eh. Affects your life in such an intense way.
Congratulations on persevering and gaining some of yourself back!
Wow, Sarah!! I've been following your story on fb, but didn't know the depth of the details. Your story itself, proves no one knows what's going on behind closed doors. I would of never thought you were going through all of this, even though we were on the same basketball team in college. I am so happy for you and proud of you for not giving up!! You are the Real Rock Star and kudos to your father and the rest of your family for doing what they should do, be your family!!!
← How Does It Feel To Be Adopted? – David S.


Sights & Scents of Tangier "with private transportation included"
Aziz was a delightful and informative guide to a fascinating city. Clearly a rock star among guides, I think he knows everyone in Tangier, and everyone knows him. I wouldn't wander the narrow pathways of the Old City alone, we couldn't have had a better guide than Aziz.
Excellent tour by the best guide you can wish for. This is the way to see the tourist sites before the cruise busses arrive and then sites those bus passengers don't see.
My husband and I just returned from our trip to Spain. One of my highlights was our day trip to Tangier, Morocco. Aziz ensured that everything went smoothly. He began communicating with us weeks before the trip to ensure to give us tips, lend us a hand to book the ferry etc. Once we arrived he received us with a sign and everything was well planned and organized. He was full of knowledge and was able to incorporate things to the itinerary according to our likes. I can't recommend Aziz enough! Great job.
Azizz was an excellent guide. He met us at the ferry took us to our hotel to check in and drop off our bags. He gave us a great explanatory tour of the city of Tangier. The walking tour was great and very interesting with some great sights. He took us to a Restaurant visited by only the locals that was superb. The driving tour of the city was also very informative and greatly enjoyed. Azizz dropped us off at our hotel shook our hands gave us his card and told us to call him personally if we had problems.
Aziz (or Aziz No. 1 as he likes to be called) was very knowledgeable, especially about the history of Tangier, but he has an annoying tendency to repeat every 30 minutes or so that he is the best tour guide in Tangier and we were getting 5 times more info than on any other tour. We could have used less horn blowing. His driver (Ahmed) was excellent, and in fact, the last hour of the tour was spent just with Ahmed (without Aziz).
TOUR GUIDE RESPONSE: Thank you for your comments and feedback - it was nice to meet you and I am happy that you enjoyed my commentary about the history of Tangier; however, I am sorry that my attempts at humour took away from your overall experience."
all I can say this was the worst experience of our trip using tours by locals. not knowable at all and unable to communicate anything. must avoid.
Booking a tour is definitely the way to go. Aziz, as well as our driver, are extremely knowledgeable & friendly. We did what he suggested & he ensured our one day was packed with interesting sights we never would have seen if on our own. He booked our ferry from Tarifa, chose a superb restaurant for lunch & arranged a camel ride. We particularly loved going through the Kasbah that is a feast for the eyes. I treasure the souvenirs we bought. We highly recommend Aziz! Thank you for a most memorable day!
I booked a tour of Tanger for myself and my grandson with Aziz. Aziz was very helpful before during and after Are Tour. He helped arrange for Ferry transportation to Tangiers from Tarifa and once we arrived he had a car waiting for us. He picked us up from the hotel in the morning in a Mercedes with a driver Mohammad. He gave us a short tour of the important sites around Tangiers and then took us into the Casbah for a fabulous tour. Aziz is extremely knowledgeable and I highly recommend this tour.
We were MOST fortunate to have AZIZ as our guide. We had a wonderful time and experience. This was mainly due to the wonderful organisation done by AZIZ. He knew everyone and everyone knew him. He got us into places that we would not have otherwise visited. We arrived 2 hours early (unknown to Aziz). When we mentioned his name to those trying to 'sell' us tours, one rang Aziz and a taxi appeared instantly to take us to a local Cafe where Aziz met us shortly thereafter. Amazing. A fantastic tour followed.
Absolutely the best way to get to know Tangiers in a single day. Aziz and his driver Ahmed were at our beck and calling. We felt like notorieties. Aziz met us at the ferry landing and dropped us off to return, and catered to us all in between for the whole day. Personalized service, fluent English, courteous and personalized attention, knowledgeable history and local attractions.... all at a very reasonable price. We came over for the day from Spain, and adding Morocco with Aziz to our trip was special!
We would give Aziz 5 stars. He is a fount of knowledge, and a delightful person, funny, personable, and a great listener. He tailors the day to your wishes: want to shop for leather? He knows the quality craftsmen. Interested in spices? He will take you to the best vendors. If history is your thing, he can wax poetically on Moorish conquests or Roman influence. If you are happy to just to follow his lead, you will have a great day.
We had a magical time with Aziz in Tangier! He refers to himself as "Aziz #1", a designation with which my wife and I would heartily agree. Initially we drove around the city, with interesting commentary, with a stop at a local coffee shop/bakery, Aziz's treat! The highlight was our walks, first through the residental Casbah and then the markets of the Medina. A unique experience! Finally, a memorable meal at a "locals" restaurant that was spectacular. Huge prawns, Moroccan style fish, sides and more!
Abdelaziz (a/k/a Aziz #1) provided my wife and I not only with a wonderful tour of Tangiers, but also with a wealth of historical and cultural backgroud and context. We have hired private guides for many the places we've visited in recent years and we would count Aziz among the best and most enjoyable we've toured with.
Aziz made the whole process simple and easy. He was quick to respond via email and he was waiting for us at the dock. He is very engaging. We immediately stopped for coffee and spent a few minutes getting to know one another. We loved going through the old city and its markets. Having Aziz kept overbearing street vendors at bay and allowed us to enjoy the sights without being bothered. We shared a wonderful meal and at the end, he took us all the way to the customs line. We highly recommend him.
One of the most memorable days we have ever had! Our kids loved it.
What a fabulous day with Aziz! If your looking for a true tour by a local, this is your tour! We felt like we were spending a day with our good-old "uncle Aziz", who was showing us all the best parts of his hometown! Being guided through all the small winding streets of the Kasbah and the bustling neighborhoods of Tangier would not have been possible for us in only one day without Aziz! 5-star tour!
Aziz was a knowledgeable and entertaining guy! He met us promptly at the ferry and off we went! He had his driver Speedy at the ready to whisk us away into the city. He walked us through some interesting locations, including a locals food market that was amazing, the medina and kasbah, a huge marketplace full of handcrafted items and rugs. Be prepared to be firm if you don't want to buy! We enjoyed a delicious, traditional moroccan lunch. We were delivered back to the ferry, the end to a great day!
Today we were fortunate to have chosen another fabulous tour guide! Addelaziz was a quite a character, he was warm, funny and very very knowledgeable! Walking through the old town with him was quite an experience, since every five minutes, someone stopped to shake his hand or give him a hug! He quickly tailored the tour to fit our interests, such as taking us to a very old synagogue. We went to fabulous store to shop and were able to ship home our purchases. And lunch was AMAZING! We had such good time!
My advice: Aziz is the only Tour Guide to use in Tangier. From the moment our Ferry arrived from Tarifa (the only ferry to consider), Aziz made us feel welcome, comfortable, and confident that we would experience all the highlights of Tangier. From the newer part of the city, to the Casbah, the market place, Old Town & a close up of a dozen paintings by Henri Matisse . A fantastic lunch at a great local restaurant was followed by a trip to Cap Spartel and Hercules cave. Aziz arranged the perfect day!
While definitely on the pricey side, Aziz and our driver, Omar, did deliver a jam-packed, fascinating introduction to Tagiers. Aziz answered all my pre-tour questions promptly and thoroughly, met us at the port with a placard with our name, and provided a very comfortable, roomy vehicle. His English is excellent, as is his knowledge of the city. We visited many spots not typically available and our elaborate fish and seafood lunch was amazing.
Fantastic, knowledgeable and professional guide. He loves the work he does and the city he shares. His attention to detail and his full attention made us feel excited about being in Tangier. He honoured every requests we had as to sights in addition to the planned tour. His flexibility allowed us to enjoy and experience Tangier thoroughly in a short stay. Highly recommend this guide and his driver--five stars plus!
Aziz is by far the number one tour guide! I took my two sons 16 and 23 to Tangier for the day. We told him that we did not want to do touristy things and we wanted to see special sites. He and his driver Omar were wonderful and he even took us to lunch at his favorite restaurant for the experience of a local. We walked all over the city and he showed a special places that he normally doesn't take tourists. It was a very special day and a very special experience!
Mr. Aziz did exactly as he promised; he took me down the side streets in the Medina where no other tourists were located. It was so peaceful and beautiful walking along these narrow alleyways when the call to prayer came over the sound systems from the Minarets. One word of caution to my fellow travelers: Do your homework before you consider buying anything. Know your limits and what you are willing to pay. Mr. Aziz did not lead me astray, but I should have known how to haggle for a rug I bought.
Aziz and his drivers were very good. We really enjoyed the camel ride! Those men were great! We enjoyed Morocco very much.
Aziz tells us he is Aziz #1 and we can confirm that he truly is. Aziz and Omar were outstanding tour guides. They showed us a Tangier that could not be imagined as we found the city to be friendly, interesting and so much fun to explore - all because of Aziz and Omar. We didn't want to leave! Everyone in Tangier knows Aziz and that is what makes this tour a personal experience. Aziz, you are the best and Omar - you are excellent driver and you both took care of us. Thank you!
I cannot overstate the pleasure my wife and I enjoyed from meeting and touring with Abdelaziz. He is rightfully greeted frequently on the pathways of Tangier as "Number 1." He is warm, cheerful, extremely knowledgeable of local history and customs, and careful to stay in frequent contact prior to the tour to ensure your comfort in understanding the tour's possibilities. He even uses the camera you brought to take pictures of and for you during the tour. Abdelaziz is a delight and I recommend him totally.
TOURSBYLOCALS RESPONSE: ToursByLocals are committed to quality customer experiences and are always happy to receive your feedback; so please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any comments about your tour.
We received an excellent tour, personalized and tailored to our needs. It was educational, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable. We highly recommend tours by locals. Abdelaziz ensured we had a great experience.
We arrived via ferry from Spain & Abdelaziz was quite helpful in getting us through customs coming & going (it was slightly tricky & his help was welcome). The tour included a stop at a craft coop - good crafts/merchandise, not tourist schlock - but we did not appreciate the coop clerk's pleasant but persistent pressure to buy a rug (good stuff, though). Without the craft coop, the tour would have rated 5 stars.
Mysterious Tangier was brought to vivid life for us by our guide Aziz Number One (as he refers to himself!). It must be a challenge to try and distill this large, exceptional and multicultural city into an 8 hour tour, yet somehow Aziz managed to do it in a way that did not feel rushed. I believe he was trying to have us experience the city at a "Tangierian" pace. Highlights were the food market in the old city and the Casbah. The former, intensely olfactory; the latter hauntingly beautiful. Recommended.
Had a great day in Tangier with Aziz. We had an excellent overview tour of the city and neighbouring coastline.
This was a great tour. Our guide Aziz and driver, Speedy were excellent. They were very informative and knowledgeable. On the croded streets and pathways, we always felt safe with them.I loved the help Aziz was in obtaining our ferry tickets and arranging camel rides.
Aziz provided an overview for the day after asking me about my interests. The gentlemen were polite, professional and friendly. As a solo traveler and female, I felt safe in their presence. Aziz was funny and steered me to places not normally found by tourists. All in all, a wonderful day!
What a terrific day we spent with Aziz!! His knowledge of Tangier was amazing and he did a terrific job of showing us all of the important sights of this beautiful city! We felt completely at ease with Aziz as he led us through the narrow alleys of the Kasbah and the Grand Socco markets. He made sure we had a safe and enjoyable experience which included a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. His English was excellent so he could communicate all of the important history and culture of Tangier.
Mr. Abdelaziz arranged a customized tour for us with an associate, Abdul, as we were booking at the last minute. It was the best money that we have ever spent on a tour as he was extremely knowledgeable; it was self-paced and we saw things that we'd have never hit on a group tour, however small. Mr. Abdelaziz even met us at the ferry for our trip back to Tarifa, to ensure that we were completely satisfied -- everything was way above and beyond expectations.
Aziz is fantastic. Very caring and knowledgeable. He is just a person that will make the difference in your trip . Having a good guide will change your total perspective on the country it will offer a total different view for you at what is really there in front of you . When you're on vacation you want to have a happy guide that makes your day worthwhile and create new memories for you that are worth remembering . I recommend this company and I recommend Aziz to anyone that wants to all.
Would thoroughly recommend Aziz who has been providing tours for thirty years and he is a font of information and knowledge. We had a wonderful time touring both the new and old cities by car and on foot. Keep up the good work we really appreciated your efforts and answers to the many questions you fielded.
I would highly recommend Aziz to anyone wanting a comprehensive look at the peoples and cultures of Tangier. We had a delightful day with him.
Aziz is the most amazing tour guide!! We saw a bit of the Kasbah area and then took us to the food and fish market. Wow!!! Amazing food, such beautifully arranged produce, olives, spices, meats and then the fresh fish market! Aziz picked out some beautifully fresh shrimp, swordfish and John Dory fish. We took a cab to a local restaurant where the very capable chef cooked our seafood right there with us in the kitchen watching. Then our meal was served to us in the dining room. What a great experience!
Aziz organized the excursion. We had a driver (very good) to Tetouan and then another guide in the medina. The medina was interesting, very primitive, and quite a contrast from the much more modern Tangiers. The English of all the men involved in the tour was adequate, but heavily accented.
TOURSBYLOCALS RESPONSE: Aziz was ill on the day of the tour, and arranged for a driver and guide to conduct the tour, staying in contact with the group by phone throughout the day.
There wasn't enough interaction between guide and us. He said around 150 words in the 4 hours that weren't directives or commands. He took us to great places, but that isn't enough for a $350 tour. We wanted to know about the government, education system, women's lives, children's lives and we asked him questions about all of this and received one or two word responses. He showed us two places where Matisse painted and yet didn't bother to bring a photo of the painting. That would have been easy, but no.
TOUR GUIDE RESPONSE: Thank you for your feed back! I am sorry you did not enjoy your experience with me. In fact, the day of your visit was the first day of Ramadan, the holy month. We fast from the sunrise to the sunset. Also, I was ill and did not wanted to cancel at the last minute or send a substitution guide. So, I was really tired. I am really sorry for what happened and hope you can accept my apologies.
TOURSBYLOCALS RESPONSE: The guide and his guide support manager were made aware of the comments above and as per the guide's request appropriate compensation was issued to the customer.
Aziz was great! He covered all the sites that we were interested in and we came away with more of a "beginner's knowledge" on Tangier than we would have expected. We recommend him without hesitation!
The tour provided was just as advertised. I was especially pleased with the promptness and courteousness of the communication with Aziz. He immeidately answered my email questions and even sent me a text on my phone the night before the tour to confirm that I was still scheduled to arrive in Tangier on the ferry the following morning. He coordinated well in having other drivers transport us during the tour and then met back up with us afterward. He was very organized, and I highly recommend him.


Fishing Area: Tampa Bay, Manatee and Sarasota Counties, Venice.
Home port is Snead Island in Palmetto, FL.
Boat: 2007 22′ Bayrider powered by 150 E-Tec Evinrude.
Boat Capacity: Up to 6 passengers.
to wade or enjoy the water.
There is also an additional $50 fee for Saturday, Sundays, and Holidays.
Since 2005, I have been guiding boat and eco tours in Sarasota and Palmetto, Florida. My goal is to provide great tour experiences for families, children and individuals who love to fish. We take care of all of your basic fishing necessities; all you need to do is come and enjoy a day on the water. With so much to see in the area, tours include the viewing of migratory birds, manatees, dolphins, marine life, pristine scenery, sunsets, and sunrises.
Eco tours are a way to reconnect with family and friends by sitting back and enjoying the scenery, or running up on a local beach for an adventurous stroll. While I prefer taking adventurers to the beautiful Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, I will guide any tour through Tampa Bay, Manatee and Sarasota Counties, and Venice.


text:
Denver rape victim furious after attacker gets 45-day sentence
Posted 6:42 pm, July 18, 2019, by Rob Low, Updated at 08:32PM, July 18, 2019
DENVER -- A plea deal has left a Denver rape victim feeling victimized twice, first by her attacker, then by the judge.
Denver District Court Judge John Madden sentenced Jared Bates to 45 days in jail last Friday after the 29-year old man agreed to plead guilty to attempted sexual assault.
But since Bates had already served 47 days after his initial arrest, the judge released him for time served.
"I want women to know his face, I want them to know his (Bates') name. I want them to know the judge's name, I want them to know that he (Madden) decided how this was going to go," said Maria Crow.
The 31-year-old was drinking with Bates in her apartment on June 23, 2018 when she blacked out. Her brother Michael Crow walked in and said he saw his sister lying unconscious with Bates standing over her with a knife.
"I saw my best friend Jared Bates standing over my sister and he was putting his private parts back into his pants, zipping up his pants," Michael Crow said.
Michael Crow said he realized immediately his sister had been raped while she was passed out.
"She wasn't breathing. That really freaked me out and so I called the police," he said.
Denver police arrested Bates within minutes and the district attorney charged him with six counts, including sexual assault of a helpless victim.
Maria Crow felt her case was as strong as they get.
"I had DNA on my clothes. I had DNA on my face. I had residue all over my body. My pants were down.... And my brother walking in and he was the witness to the crime," she said.
But just before the trial, prosecutors struck a plea deal. Bates would plead guilty to attempted sexual assault and register as a sex offender.
In an email to the FOX31 Problem Solvers, a spokeswoman for the Denver District Attorney's Office wrote, "Our office negotiated a plea agreement - that the victim approved - and which called for Jared Bates to serve up to three years in prison. At sentencing, we requested a three-year prison sentence."
Instead, Madden gave Bates 45 days and 5 years probation.
Investigative reporter Rob Low spoke to Bates at the front door of his apartment. Bates refused to answer as to whether he thought the sentence was too lenient and initially said he couldn't offer Maria Crow an apology but eventually did.
"If she were to listen to this, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for anything and everything," said Bates, who said he was trying to move on with his life.
Maria Crow's family says it hasn't been easy for them to move on, especially because of the judge's sentence.
"He shouldn't be a judge no more if he's going to give out sentences like this," said Michael Crow.
Maria Crow, referring to Judge Madden said, "An explanation would be nice."
She doesn't blame prosecutors but in hindsight wishes she had taken her chances with a jury at trial, where Bates would've faced more serious felonies.
"After hearing all the details of this case, I cannot see 12 people looking at me [and saying] I deserve something like this," Maria Crow said.
On Thursday evening, Colorado Judicial Department spokesman Rob McCallum said that under the Judicial Code of Conduct, Madden is prohibited from discussing cases and rulings.
Maria Crow's father tells the Problem Solvers he intends to start a recall effort against the judge.
Filed in: Problem Solvers
Topics: 45 day Sentence, 45 days, Denver District Attorney, Jared Bates, John Madden, Maria Crow, Michael Crow, rape, Rob Low, sex assault
National/World News News
Michigan woman tells daughter's murderer in court: 'I hate you. I want to rip you limb from limb'
Colorado family members of man accused of killing hotel worker in the Caribbean say he was defending himself
North Carolina man raped teen, then used translator app to tell victim she's pretty, warrants say
DPD officer suspended for failing to find gun during search
JeffCo inmate attacks deputy with metal padlock: Problem Solvers Investigation
Local On Channel 2 On FOX31 On-Air Problem Solvers
$5 million settlement reached in Adams 14 school district sex abuse case
Decision to try accused STEM shooter as adult or juvenile now in hands of judge
Victim of deadly hit-and-run on West Colfax identified; family urges driver to turn himself in
Local On FOX31 On-Air Problem Solvers
How body cameras could change internal investigations at the Denver Sheriff Department
No charges will be filed in shooting death of woman at Douglas County apartment complex
Judge sentences man for killing US Army officer in Colorado Springs for 'fun'
Truck driver accused in deadly I-70 crash pleads not guilty; trial set for May

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Organizations don't use the full potential of innovation because they fixate fully on the IT department. But, things have changed. We are Betty Blocks, the leading Citizen Development platform on a mission to democratize software development by breaking down technology as a barrier for business innovation. By empowering Citizen Developers, organizations unlock the full potential of their people. This way Enterprise innovation becomes as easy (and fun) as riding a bike.
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El meteorito de Ensisheim es el producto de la caída de un meteorito más antigua atestiguada en Europa, del cual aun se conserva material.

Alrededor del mediodía del 7 de noviembre de 1492 la caída se observó como una bola de fuego cruzando el cielo con un gran estruendo, que llegó a oírse a más de cien km, impactando en un trigal entre Ensisheim y Battenheim, Alsacia, Francia. El evento fue observado por numerosos testigos y causó gran revuelo. El cráter de impacto tenía aproximadamente un metro de profundidad. Residentes de la ciudad, granjas y aldeas cercanas se congregaron y empezaron a rasparle trozos a la condrita de forma triangular y unos 127 kg de peso, para llevárselos como amuleto, hasta que un magistrado local les prohibió hacerlo. Justamente ese día el emperador Maximiliano I de Habsburgo se encontraba en Ensisheim, la capital de Austria Anterior y quería preservar el objeto para el soberano. El emperador se llevó dos piezas del meteorito como souvenir. Se dirigía a una campaña contra Francia y él y sus asesores consideraron que era una señal de buen augurio, ordenando que se conservara en una iglesia local. Un trozo fue enviado al cardenal Piccolomini (más tarde, papa Pío III) en el Vaticano, junto con unos versos descriptivos del poeta Sebastian Brandt (1458-1521).

Alberto Durero se encontraba en Basilea, a 40 km, ese día. Unos años más tarde, entre 1495 y 1497, pintó un cuerpo celeste explotando en el reverso de su tabla San Jerónimo penitente. También lo representó en su grabado Melancolía I de 1514. Sin embargo, es poco probable que hubiera llegado a ver la caída personalmente, debido a la distancia y la luz del mediodía.

La noticia se propagó por toda Europa, ya que se empleó como propaganda contra Francia en la literatura de cordel.

Sebastian Brant escribió en una octavilla con gran tirada, un precursor del periódico, sobre la Donnerstein von Ensisheim (Piedra de trueno de Ensisheim):

Con el tiempo, los trozos se fueron desperdigando por colecciones y museos, como el Museo de Historia Natural de París y el Museo de Historia Natural de Berlín. Goethe poseyó uno. La pieza original se conserva en el Museo de la Regencia de Ensisheim.

Referencias

Meteoritos

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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trending Market Intelligence /marketintelligence/en/news-insights/trending/SxTrwNvnaYv7LptPj0M8lA2 content esgSubNav
Minority stake sales prop up investment management dealmaking activity
Online Brokerage Space Should Remain Rich Source Of M&A
Author Joe Mantone
Theme BankingFintech
The number of asset and wealth management M&A deals fell in the second quarter, but companies in the space still found demand from suitors wanting to make minority investments.
Second-quarter deal announcements among asset and wealth managers fell to 28, a 32% drop from the first quarter, according to a report released Aug. 1 from PricewaterhouseCoopers. The total disclosed deal value dropped 38% during the same period to $2.0 billion.
There were 19 transactions in the wealth management space in the second quarter, down from 24 deals a quarter earlier, according to the report. Deal activity in the second quarter among alternative asset managers also slowed with just one transaction announced in each of the hedge fund and private equity industries.
But demand was strong for strategic minority investments in the alternative asset management space. Minority investments of less than 20% of a company's equity or $500 million are excluded from the M&A tally, but at least six such transactions involving hedge or private equity fund managers were announced in the second quarter, PwC found.
Samiye Yildirim, PwC's U.S. asset and wealth management M&A leader, said she expects to see more minority-stake transactions, especially in areas that have produced good investment performance, such as private equity and real estate. Other types of companies, including wealth managers, have also been attracting minority investments, Yildirim said.
These transactions can benefit both targets and investors because they align interests. "Growth and the future of the firm is shared, rather than the management team in a majority deal losing their equity stake in the company and becoming an employee," Yildirim said.
Dyal Capital Partners, a division of the investment manager Neuberger Berman Group LLC, sees an opportunity to invest in the space. In February, Dyal announced that it raised $5.3 billion for a fund that will seek to make minority investments in private equity firms.
A number of funds and other strategic players are interested in taking minority stakes in investment management companies, said Gilbert Dychiao, a managing director for financial services-focused investment bank Freeman & Co. "There's been more of that happening in the sector," he said in an interview.
He noted that minority deals can provide some liquidity to sellers' shareholders. The transactions can also provide growth capital to help managers take such steps as seeding new products or making additional hires, Dychiao said.
Investors like the deals because they can provide exposure to businesses with steady revenue streams, said Seward & Kissel LLP Partner James Abbott, who works on deals in the investment management space. He noted that some minority investments are structured to give investors a portion of the topline revenue, as opposed to bottom-line profit equity.
One challenge for investors is finding enough appropriate targets. Abbott said investors have plenty of dry powder to use to take minority stakes, but there are a limited number of good-sized managers.
"There's a lot of money looking to go somewhere," he said.
Aside from merely providing financial backing, some investors also try to help targets strategically grow their business. For example, fixed-income asset manager Dolan McEniry Capital Management LLC sold a minority stake to iM Square, an investment company that includes European asset manager Amundi SA as one of its founding shareholders. As part of the deal, iM Square agreed to support Dolan McEniry's global marketing efforts and provide the company with greater access to institutional investors, according to a November 2016 news release.
In some stake deals, sellers can gain access to additional resources that can help them deal with regulation such as the Department of Labor's fiduciary standard rule, PwC's Yildirim said.
"There are so many independent wealth managers where they are more open to giving out a stake in order to inherit a platform to allow them to service their clients and stay within the regulatory requirements," Yildirim said.
Joe Mantone
BankingFintech


LPGA star Mountain toursan Pressel demonstrates how to put yourself in a straightjacket to help keep your arms and body connected when you swing.
Tourists ask, where to stay in Tokyo? Or what are the best hotels in Tokyo. If you are visiting Sensoji in AsaFace Where to goelda then the Gate Hotel AsaFace Where to goelda is a great option.
WEIGHT LOSS MOTIVATION: How to stay MOTIVATED to LOSE WEIGHT!!


Doing things that allow us to get away from the digital devices and mingle with other people has achieved major importance in digital times. That´s why we love so much spaces like Harvest. Allowing personal interaction and learning things together, made by hand, becomes a fantastic way of get in touch with the creative side of oneself and have a wonderful time.
Harvest Workroom is a professional screen printing studio run by Harvest Textiles, a Melbourne based textile design trio.
The Workroom is a versatile venue catering for textile and screen printing classes, design markets, pop up shops, exhibitions, parties and events.
Guest artists/makers from all over the world are also invited to teach workshops in their area of expertise at Harvest Workroom to engage the Melbourne community in making and creating in unique face-to-face situations with talented people from diverse fields.
The Workroom also provides a unique studio access program for artists-in-residence.
Situated in the established textiles precinct of Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia the Harvest Workroom offers a venue for the wider community to learn, practice and promote screen printing, textiles and design.
Harvest Workroom was established to offer the wider community a chance to learn in a professional screen printing studio with workshops that are designed to inspire. The workshops focus on developing people's design sense and technical skills. The classes are suitable for all levels of expertise – from the absolute beginner to designers who wish to have a more hands on experience.
An ever-changing calendar of inspiring guest teachers is also on offer at the Workroom – artists and makers from around the world who are happy to share their skills and talents with the Melbourne community by hosting intimate and unique workshops in all facets of design.


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Q: Customize AdColony V4VC Popup Menu in Swift I'm adding V4VC ads from AdColony into my game and trying to change the default popup window.
Right now, it says:
 "Watch a sponsored video to earn 1 Coin?"
I need it to say:
 "Watch a sponsored video to earn 25 Diamonds?"
I looked on their support page and followed their instructions for setting up the app and currency on my account. However, the required code was in Objective-C. I need to convert this or find the correct code for V4VC ads in Swift:
NSString*currencyName=[AdColonygetVirtualCurrencyNameForZone:/*zoneID*/]; intcurrencyAmount=[AdColonygetVirtualCurrencyRewardAmountForZone:/*zoneID*/]; intremaining=[AdColonyPublicgetVideosPerReward:currencyName]‐[AdColonyPublicgetVideoCreditBalance:currencyName];

I am also using Sprite Kit. Help is greatly appreciated!

A: When you log into our dashboard at https://clients.adcolony.com/ you can update the settings for your zone to show the name of your in game currency and the proper amount to award.
If you do have questions on this set up, email support@adcolony.com for more help on this process.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Regulatory Issues: New Dosage Form or Existing Delivery System?
What Makes Dendrimers Different in Comparison With Other Nanoparticles?
In 2004, Dr Prow earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas in the field of Nanomedicine. He then completed his T32 funded post-doc at the Wilmer Eye Institute at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and was faculty there until he relocated to the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia in 2007. In 2011 Dr Prow became the Deputy Director of the Dermatology Research Centre. In 2015, Dr Prow was promoted to Associate Professor within the University of Queensland's School of Medicine. He leads a NHMRC and ARC funded team that focuses on drug delivery, diagnostics and imaging in the context of dermatology.


Tongs, poker, brush and shovel.
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Companion Sets consist of all the tools you will need to tend to your fire. A fireplace poker or often known as a stoker is used to adjust coals, wood and solid fuel burning in a fire place. Fireplace tongs which grip and are used for lifting and moving the coals or logs around the fire place. A dustpan or shovel is a tool for lifting and moving loose material from around the fire place assisted by the brush which is used to sweep the loose materials onto the shovel. A tool stand has the tools hanging on it so it not only looks good but it keeps the companion set tidy and at easy reach to the fire place.
The measurements displayed for Manor Traditional Companion Sets are provided by the manufacturer of the product and are approximate. The finishes displayed refer to the colour of the product and not the material it is made from. The actual finish of a product may vary slightly from that pictured.


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Category Archives: South Iceland Seismic Zone
Seismic activity along the SISZ
Large region of transform faulting, linking the Western Volcanic Zone and Eastern Volcanic Zone.
Iceland, South Iceland Seismic Zone
Update on the Ongoing Earthquake Swarm on the Reykjanes Peninsula
March 9, 2021 Keren_F
14.03.2021: The magma intrusion on the Reykjanes Peninsula appears to be edging further southward. The longer this continues, the more likely an eruption. New plots added (Figs 13 – 15).
We have moved updates to the beginning of this post. The original post from 9 March 2021 and the earlier update are below.
We have updated our plots to 14.03.2021 17:46 for the area between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W . Here are the results; the magma intrusion appears to be edging slowly further southwards, if we use the Department of Civil Protection's line that the earthquake locations are the best indicator at the moment of where the magma is.
Fig 13: Geodensity plot by the author of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 24.02.21 to 14.03.21. Earthquakes over 5M are shown. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
Fig 14: Geoscatter plot by the author of the of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 24.02.21 to 14.03.21. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021
Fig 15: Depth v Latitude scatter plot by the author of the of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 24.02.21 to 14.03.21. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021
For the current status and advice, please consult IMO.
Since we wrote [our original post], the earthquake swarm continues unabated with several thousand more earthquakes and some more tremor pulses.
The Department of Civil Protection report today includes the following:
"Earthquake activity now reaches up to the Nátthagi valley south of Fagradalsfjall, which suggests that the southernmost end of the magma path lies there.
The magma path continues to expand although there is some uncertainty regarding the pace of the magma flow. Data has indicated that the magma path has been moving towards the south coast in the last few days, but latest surveys do not indicate that the path has moved notably in the last 24 hours.
With view of the eruption history and geological research, a volcanic fissure opening south of Fagradalsfjall and reaching the ocean is unlikely. Given the current circumstances, an undersea eruption with associated ash eruption is therefore unlikely.
As has been stated earlier in the Science Board's notifications, while the magma path continues to expand it must be assumed that an eruption may occur in the area. The longer the current situation lasts, the more likely an eruption becomes. "
They also note that gas measurements are being taken in the area.
Our updated plots show the seismic activity moving further southward, notably the geodensity plot in Fig 12. There is also some parallel activity further west on a much smaller scale.
Fig 9: Geoscatter plot by the author of earthquake occurring on the Reykjanes Peninsula between 22.02.21 to 12.03.21. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
Fig 10: Geoscatter plot by the author of the of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 22.02.21 to 12.03.21. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
Fig 11: Depth v Longitude & Latitude scatter plot by the author of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 22.02.21 to 12.03.21. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
Fig 12: Geodensity plot by the author of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 22.02.21 to 12.03.21. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
An eruption considered likely; magma c. 1km below the surface.
Despite the earlier tremor pulses, the Krýsuvík Volcanic System has not yet erupted. However, as seismicity continues to be intense, with well over 34,000 earthquakes recorded by Iceland's SIL system now since 24 February 2021, it is thought that an eruption is likely.
The latest report from Iceland's Civil Protection Service Council on March 8, 2021, states that if an eruption occurs, the most likely scenario is still a fissure eruption between Fagradalsfjall and Keilir. A magma intrusion (they use the term tunnel) is forming in the region, with most recent activity at its southern end. Magma has now reached an upper depth of c. 1 km. GPS and satellite readings indicate that the magma flow has decreased in the past week. If the intrusion continues to grow, further surges in seismic activity can be expected.
The earthquakes trending westward from the vicinity of the magma intrusion are thought to be the result of the crust accommodating the intrusion. No other magma movement has been detected during this swarm.
So where are Fagradalsfjall and Keilir? Here is a map (with directions on how to drive from one to the other, not that we would recommend that at the moment).
Fig 1: Extract from Google Maps showing the location of Fagradalsfjall and Keilir.
We have plotted the confirmed earthquakes for week 8 and week 9 2021, plus a few hours of yesterday, between 63.7°N, 21.0°W to 64.4°N, 23.0°W download from IMO's site. Here are the latest plots for the Reykjanes Peninsula, 63.7°N, 21.0°W to 64.4°N, 23.0°W:
Fig 2: Geodensity plot by the author of earthquake occurring on the Reykjanes Peninsula between 22.02.21 to 08.03.21 16:00. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
Fig 3: Geoscatter plot by the author of earthquake occurring on the Reykjanes Peninsula between 22.02.21 to 08.03.21 16:00. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
If we zoom in on the area between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W we can take a closer look at the intrusion, itself, (or the earthquakes magma movement is causing). The area was selected to take in Svartsengi, Fagradalsfjall, Keilir and Krýsuvík.
Fig 4: Geoscatter plot by the author of the of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 22.02.21 to 08.03.21 16:00. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
Fig 5: Depth v Longitude scatter plot by the author of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 22.02.21 to 08.03.21 16:00. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
Fig 6: Depth v Longitude & Latitude scatter plot by the author of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 22.02.21 to 08.03.21 16:00. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
Fig 7: Geodensity plot by the author of earthquakes occurring between 63.83314°N, 22.55148°W to 63.96605°N, 21.8566°W from 22.02.21 to 08.03.21 16:00. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2021.
Since we downloaded the data for the above plots, IMO have reported another short-lived burst in seismic activity at 05:20 this morning with a seismic tremor Mt. Fagradalsfjall, south of the intrusion.
IMO have produced a map of the dike intrusion and the areas of seismic activity that are arising due to the increased tension in the crust caused by the intrusion.
Fig 8: Map by the Icelandic Met Office showing the dike intrusion and the areas of stress.
Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO): https://en.vedur.is/
Map in Fig 8: https://en.vedur.is/about-imo/news/earthquake-swarm-in-reykjanes-peninsula
Department of Civil Protection: Vísbendingar að kvikugangurinn liggi suður af Fagradalsfjalli (Scroll down the page for the English version).
FagradalsfjallKeilirKrýsuvík Volcanic SystemMagma IntrusionReykjanes PeninsulaSvartsengi
Eastern Volcanic Zone, Iceland, Mýrdalsjökull Region, South Iceland Seismic Zone
The Katla Volcanic System, Mýrdalsjökull – the not so cuddly Katla
June 9, 2020 Keren_F 1 Comment
Continuing our theme of seismicity in Iceland, we have now reached the Mýrdalsjökull Region and are heading towards the Fire Districts in the Eastern Volcanic Zone.
We took a slight detour to set up a Glossary to explain some of the terms used here to help out. You can find it on the Menu bar.
Mýrdalsjökull lies at the southern end of the Eastern Volcanic Zone, near its junction with the South Iceland Seismic Zone. The South Iceland Seismic Zone is a transform fault system that links the West and East Volcanic Zones. The Eastern Volcanic Zone accommodates 40 to 100% of the spreading between the North American and the Eurasian Plates; the Western Volcanic Zone takes up the remainder. Active rifting on the Eastern Volcanic Zone terminates at Torfajökull volcano at the rift's southern end. Katla, Eyjafjallajökull and more southerly volcanoes are on the Eurasian Plate.
Fig 1: Katla 1918 eruption. Image by RicHard-59 Public Domain
We updated our earthquake dataset so we are now looking at the period from 1 January 2016 to 31 May 2020. Apart from the continued swarm on the Reykjanes Peninsula, there has not been any unusual activity (to the untrained eye, at least). We used IMO's latest earthquake map for Mýrdalsjökull as an indicator for the coordinates to extract the data for the region. This picked up five seismically active volcanic systems (Eyjafjallajökull, Hekla, Katla, Torfajökull and Vatnafjöll) and three inactive areas (Krakatindur, Þórólfsfell and Tindfjallajökull).
Fig 2: Earthquake activity in Mýrdalsjökull plotted by the author for 01/01/2016 to 31/05/2020. Red dots denote epicentres for earthquakes with magnitude under 3.0; black stars denote earthquake over 3.0; blue triangles are volcanic centres. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2020.
Let's start by taking a closer look at Katla; the other volcanic centres will be covered in later posts.
The Katla Volcanic System
Katla is one of Iceland's most active volcanoes. The volcanic system is 80 km long, made up of a 30 km wide central volcano and fissure systems. The central volcano has a 10km by 14km wide, 600m to 750m deep caldera with a 5km wide magma reservoir at a depth of 1.5 km. The Katla fissure, Kötlugjá, is located in the caldera. At the north west of the system is the Hólmsá fissure and to the north east, the Eldgjá fissure. There are also inactive fissures to the south. The Mýrdalsjökull ice cap covers most of the central volcano.
Fig 3: Images of the Katla Volcanic System retrieved from the Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes (see Sources below) showing the caldera rim, the outline of the central volcano and the north east fissure system. EYJ, TIN, HEK and TOR are other volcanic centres which may be covered in later posts.
Katla's lavas are basalt/picro basalt, rhyolite and dacite, with a few intermediate hybrids, andesite and basaltic andesite. The basaltic eruptions are the most voluminous , sourced from the mantle via a spreading rift. She has also had many dacite eruptions. Lavas from the Eldgjá fissure are basaltic.
Volcanism at Mýrdalsjökull began over 800,000 years ago and at Katla, 200,000 years ago. Studies of tephra have identified 200 basaltic and 14 silicic eruptions in the last 8,500 years; unfortunately, no more is known about what happened before the end of the last ice age.
Katla's largest known eruption was a rhyolitic VEI 6 in 10600 BC which produced more than 10 km3 of rhyolite in pyroclastic flows and airborne tephra that reached 1,300 km from the volcano. The Sólheimar ignimbrite formed from the pyroclastic flows; and the tephra is referred to as the Skógar tephra (Iceland) or Vedde Ash (Norway, after the place where it was discovered).
GVP notes 132 Holocene eruptions for Katla, which range from VEI 3 to VEI 5. All Holocene eruptions occurred in the caldera, except for the 934 AD to 940 AD eruption of the Eldgjá fissure to the north east and the Hólmsá Fires in 6600 BC. Her recent eruptive style tends to be explosive basaltic eruptions from the caldera with tephra volumes up to 2km3, accompanied by jökulhlaups (glacial outburst floods). Water from melting ice cap contributes to the explosivity of the eruptions.
The last eruption to break the ice-cap was a VEI 4 in 1918 which produced an ash column up to 14 km in height, 0.7 km3 of airborne tephra, 1 km3 of debris from jökulhlaups and a small volcanic fissure; no lava emission was reported. The 1625 and 1755 eruptions, both VEI 5s, produced more tephra which reached further than 1,000 km from the central volcano.
The average time between eruptions has been cited as between 40 and 80 years on average. On that basis, Katla is expected to be gearing up for another eruption in the near future.
A period of unrest started in 1999 with a jökulhlaup, seismic tremors, geothermal activity and cauldron formation. There have been more recent subglacial eruptions: a jökulhlaup occurred in 2011, accompanied by a harmonic tremor and the formation of several ice-cauldrons, was thought to be indicative of a sub-glacial eruption; and the most recent jökulhlaup was in 2017, it is not clear if this was accompanied by a harmonic tremor.
Recent Seismicity
We extracted the earthquakes for Katla from the above data set using the coordinates 63.785°N, 19.4987°W to 63.4547°N,18.6608°W. This produced 6,505 earthquakes for the period 1 January 2016 to 31 May 2020.
Our plots show most activity in the caldera, some at the Goðabunga cryptodome and a low level of activity to the south and east of the caldera. Activity in the caldera is fed from a depth of 32km.
Fig 4: Earthquake activity in Katla plotted by the author. Green dots denote epicentres for earthquakes with magnitude under 2.0M; orange circles denote earthquakes between 2.0M and 3.0M; yellow stars denote earthquake over 3.0M; blue triangles are volcanic centres; black triangles are local GPS stations. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2020.
Fig 5: Geodensity plot of earthquake activity in Katla plotted by the author. Black triangles are GPS stations. Orange triangle is the volcanic centre. ENTC and AUST are on the caldera rim. GOLA is near the Goðabunga cryptodome. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2020.
So what is causing the hot spots? We looked for earthquake swarms to see whether they are the cause of the hot spots in the geodensity plot. We used the criterion of 30 or more earthquakes in one day or in two consecutive days, which is a higher level of activity than Mýrdalsjökull's "normal" activity. This showed 16 swarms (ref Appendix), of which five had more than 100 earthquakes; four of the five swarms were clustered (Swarms 4, 6, 7 and 12, shown below) and one was more spread out. Note: our analysis of swarms is not intended to pick up any small magma intrusions that have fewer than 30 earthquakes attached to them.
Fig 6: Swarms 6 and 7 plotted by the author; dots denote earthquakes less than 3.0M, black stars denote earthquakes of 3.0M or more, black triangles are GPS stations. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2020.
Fig 7: Swarms 4 and 12 plotted by the author; dots denote earthquakes less than 3.0M, black stars denote earthquakes of 3.0M or more, black triangles are GPS stations. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2020.
We see that Swarm 4 and Swarm 12 contributed to the hotter spots in the geodensity plots; the remaining hot spots seem to be caused by an accumulation of activity over four plus years in the data set. Without a clear map of the fissures within the caldera (Googling around did not find one), we cannot tell if the swarms coincide with known fissures. However, swarm 12 coincides with the 2017 jökulhlaup. Most of the swarms in the set appear to be part of the run up to a potential subglacial eruption. It is interesting to note that there do not appear to be any larger swarms after July 2017.
Earthquake swarms are precursors to eruptive activity. Unfortunately, as the last eruption to break through the ice-cap preceded any modern volcano monitoring, there is less certainty over what would precede another subaerial eruption, notably in respect of the intensity of swarms, magnitude of the earthquakes, jökulhlaups, and the time-frames.
It has been a while since Katla produced a large eruption. Let's hope she sleeps for a bit longer; the world has enough to contend with at the moment.
8 June 2020.
Fig 8: Summary of swarms identified by the author; Swarm 0 is all earthquakes not associated with a particular swarm. © Copyright remains with the author; all rights reserved, 2020.
Raw earthquake data: Icelandic Meteorology Office: IMO https://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes
Smithsonian Institution Natural History Museum Global Volcanism Program (GVP): https://volcano.si.edu/
"Iceland", Thor Thordarson & Armann Hoskuldsson, Classic Geology in Europe 3, Terra Publishing, Third Impression, 2009
"Katla", Guðrún Larsen and Magnús T. Guðmundsson (2016 March 7). In: Oladottir, B., Larsen, G. & Guðmundsson, M.T., Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes. IMO, UI and CPD-NCIP. Retrieved from Icelandic Volcanoes: http://icelandicvolcanos.is/?volcano=KAT
Fig 3: Map: After Jóhanneson and Saemundsson (1998a), Björnsson et al (2000) and Larsen (2000), Base data, Iceland Geo Survey, IMO, NLSI | Base map: IMO. In: Oladottir, B., Larsen, G. & Guðmundsson, M.T., Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes. IMO, UI and CPD-NCIP. Retrieved from Icelandic Volcanoes: http://icelandicvolcanos.is/?volcano=KAT
"Katla and Eyjafjallajökull Volcanoes", Erik Sturkell, Páll Einarsson, Freysteinn Sigmundsson, Andy Hooper, Benedikt G. Ófeigsson, Halldór Geirsson and Halldór Olafsson, Developments in Quaternary Sciences, Volume 13, ISSN 1571-0866
earthquakeearthquake swarmEastern Volcanic ZoneEldgjáGoðabungaHólmsáIcelandjökulhlaupKötlugjáMýrdalsjökullSouth Iceland Seismic Zonevolcano


text:
"""Tests for protocall.runtime.runtime."""

import unittest

from google.protobuf import text_format

from protocall.proto import protocall_pb2
from protocall.runtime.vm import Protocall
from protocall.runtime import dump

from protocall.runtime.truth import true, false, literal_true, literal_false
from protocall.runtime.symbols import Symbols
from protocall.interpreter import grammar, parser_converter

def test_basic_code_test():
    s = """
{
  x=5;
  x=x+1;
  print_(x=x);
  return x;
}"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    return result

def test_basic_code_test():
    s = """
{
  x=5;
  x=x+1;
  print_(x=x);
  return x;
}"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    return result

def test_while_code_test():
    s = """
{
  x=5;
  print_(x=x);
  while (x > 0) {
    print_(x=x);
    x = x - 1;
  };
  print_(x=x);
  if (x>5) {
    print_(x=0);
  }
  elif (x<0) {
    print_(x=1);
  }
  else {
    print_(x=2);
  };
  return x;
}"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    return result

def test_function_code_test():
    s = """
{
  define f {
    print_(x=x);
    print_(y=y);
    return 0;
  };
  y=f(x=5,y=6);
  return 0;
}
"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    return result

def test_fibonacci_code_test():
    s = """
{
  define f {
    if (x == 0) {
      return 0;
    }
    elif (x == 1) {
      return 1;
    }
    else {
      a = f(x=x-2);
      b = f(x=x-1);
      return a+b;
    };
  };
  return f(x=5);
}
"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    return result

def test_factorial_code_test():
    s = """
{
  define factorial {
    if (x==0)
    {
      return 1;
    }
    else
    {
      return x * factorial(x=x-1);
    };
  };
  return factorial(x=12);
}

"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    print "Result=", result
    return result

def test_define_code_test():
    s = """
{
  define f {
    x = x - 1;
    print_(x=x);
    return x;
  };
  x = 5;
  print_(x=x);
  f(x=x);
  while (x>0) {
    print_(x=x);
    x = x - 1;
  };
  return x;
}
"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    print "Result=", result
    return result

def test_array_code_test():
    s = """
{
  x = 2;
  a = {5,6,x+5};
  print_symbols();
  print_(a=a);
  b=a[0];
  print_(b=b);
  b=a[1];
  print_(b=b);
  b=a[2];
  print_(b=b);
  return a[0];
}
"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    print "Result=", result
    return result

def test_array_append_code_test():
    # want to return a[3] at end but that causes exception
    s = """
{
  x = 2;
  a = {5, 6, 7};
  print_(a=a);
  a[0] = 6;
  print_(a=a);
  append(a=a, v=5);
  print_(a=a);
  return x;
}
"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    print "Result=", result
    return result

def test_proto_code_test():
    # want to return a[3] at end but that causes exception
    s = """
{
  x = Person<id: 7 name: "Bar" email: "bar@foo.com">;
  print_(id=x.id);
  return x.id;
}
"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    print "Result=", result
    return result

def test_proto_assignment_code_test():
    # want to return x.person.id at end but that causes exception
    s = """
{
  x = Person<id: 7 name: "Bar" email: "bar@foo.com">;
  x.id = 6;
  x.name = "Foo";
  x.person = Person<id: 17 name: "Bar" email: "bar@foo.com">;
  return 0;
}
"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    print "Result=", result
    return result

def test_proto_while_code_test():
    s = """
{
  x = Integer<value: 0>;
  print_(x=x);
  x.value = x.value + 1;
  print_(x=x);

  x = Integer<value: 5>;
  print_(value=x.value);
  while (x.value > 0) {
    print_(value=x.value);
    x.value = x.value - 1;
  };
  print_(value=x.value);
  if (x.value>5) {
    s = String<value: "0">;
    print_(s=s);
  }
  elif (x<0) {
    s = String<value: "1">;
    print_(s=s);
  }
  else {
    s = String<value: "2">;
    print_(s=s);
  };
  return x;

}
"""

def test_factorial_code_test():
    s = """
{
  define factorial {

    if (x.value==0)
    {
      return 1;
    }
    else
    {
      y= x.value * factorial(x=x.value-1);
      return y;
    };
  };
  x = Integer<value: 12>;
  y = factorial(x=x);
  return y;
}

"""
    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    print "Result=", result
    return result

    pr = Protocall()
    result = grammar.scope.parseString(s)
    sc = parser_converter.convert_scope(result[0].scope)
    result = pr.execute(sc.block)
    print "Result=", result
    return result

class InterpreterTest(unittest.TestCase):
  # def testBasicCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_basic_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 6
  # def testWhileCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_while_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 0
  # def testFunctionCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_function_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 0
  # def testFibonacciCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_fibonacci_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 5
  # def testFactorialCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_factorial_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 479001600
  # def testDefineCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_define_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 0
  # def testArrayCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_array_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 5
  # def testArrayAppendCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_array_append_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 2
  # def testProtoCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_proto_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 7
  # def testProtoAssignmentCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_proto_assignment_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 0
  # def testProtoOperatorCodeTest(self):
  #   assert test_proto_while_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 0
  def testProtoOperatorCodeTest(self):
    assert test_factorial_code_test().atom.literal.integer.value == 479001600

if __name__ == '__main__':
  unittest.main()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Samsung Galaxy S7 64GB is a phone that runs Android v6.0 (Marshmallow).
The smartphone has a 12 MP, Auto focus rear camera and a 5 MP front camera.
It is powered by a Quad core, 2.3 GHz, Cortex A53 + Quad core, 1.6 GHz, Cortex A53, Chipset: Exynos 8 Octa 8890 and Mali-T880 MP12 GPU.


"Stellula Calliope" is a giclée print on archival paper by artist, Pamela Jaeger. The print is on paper that is 8" x 10". It has a 1/2" white border around the outside. The print is signed by the artist. The print is a standard size so it can be framed easily. The inks and paper are both archival ensuring the print will not fade for years to come. It is printed on 10 pt. 192 gsm Epson paper. The print will be mailed in a flat mailer and has a protective backing and is placed in a plastic sleeve. The original is painted with acrylic on wood. Please let me know if you have any questions.


The Tambour cupboard allows for easy Storage of your files and documents. The easy to open shutter doors are fully lockable, ensuring the security of your files/items.
For more information on Tambour Cupboards please call Rainbow Zebra on 0800 092 1985.


text:
LEONARD COHEN: An Illustrated Record
An Illustrated Record
For almost fifty years, Leonard Cohen's mournful ballads of desire, heartbreak and lost faith have captivated audiences the world over. Continuing to make music until weeks before his death in November 2016, the award-winning Canadian songwriter, novelist and poet is revered as a cultural icon and master of his craft.
Mike Evans chronicles Leonard Cohen's extraordinary career in detail, placing his literary and musical achievements within the context of his life. From his beginnings as a writer and poet, through his classic albums of the sixties and seventies, up to his hugely successful tours of the late 2000s and early 2010s, every stage of Cohen's remarkable life is explored.
This is the first complete guide to his studio and live albums from writing and recording through to release and legacy Leonard Cohen: An Illustrated Record is a richly illustrated tribute to the body of recorded work that has made Cohen a legend in his own lifetime, and beyond. Lavishly illustrated with over 100 full colour and b&w photographs, along with memorable quotes from Cohen and those who knew him best, this is essential reading for anyone interested in the work of one of the most gifted songwriters of all time.
206 pages / 100 colour photos
ISBN 978 0 85965 519 4


text:
News Travel
Male' guesthouses to reopen in December
By Fathmath Zunaam
November 23, 2020 , 16:30
Guesthouse in Maldives | photo: PSM
Male', Maldives – The Tourism Minister of Maldives, Abdullah Mausoom has revealed that the guesthouses in Male' area are expected to reopen on the upcoming month for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Minister Mausoom revealed that although they have not set an exact date for the reopening of the guesthouses in Male' area, the authorities are currently working on reopening guesthouses as soon as they can on December.
On November 21, Minister Mausoom took into twitter to advise the residents of Male' to follow the guidelines given by the Health Protection Agency.
He said that the guesthouses in Male' area are suffering great losses as they are not able to reopen due to the the Covid-19 situation in the area, and requested the residents to follow the guidelines set forth by the HPA, in order to decrease the number of confirmed cases in the city.
Let's adhere to the rules and regulations given by HPA to decrease the covid figure in Male' area
Minister Mausoom tweeted
While such establishments have only been denied to operate in Male', there are currently 349 tourist facilities operational and serving guests in the remaining atolls of Maldives.
The International borders of Maldives were reopened on July 15 as an attempt recover from the economic losses the country has faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While Maldives welcomed over 18,700 tourists in November so far, the country has recorded over 51,000 tourists arrivals since the border reopening.
The number of confirmed cases has decreasing by a great extent in Maldives as the peak appears to have tipped for the better. The country has been recording two digit cases instead of three digits for over the past months.
In addition to this, the number of recoveries in Maldives has also increased by a great extent. In fact, the recovery rate has increased rapidly from less than 60% to 92% over the past months.
Maldives currently has a total of 12,578 confirmed Covid-19 cases, however, out of these, there are only 967 active cases present in the country. While 11,559 people have completely recovered from the virus in Maldives, 45 people have passed away from Covid-19.
Guesthouses in Male' to reopen on December 14th
Benefits from guesthouses would be achieved only if we work together: Minister Mausoom
Government hopes to reopen guesthouses in Male' region by November
15 guesthouses reopened in Male' region


If you had the entire day off, paid and you could do anything what would you do? You know for fun, just for you?
…and how connecting with the emotional reason they want your product can make the entire sales process much easier!
Whenever I think about hot buttons I think of that Big Red EASY button you may have seen in some ads on TV. I think of that because hot buttons make the sales process much easier.
Hot Buttons are the emotional reasons customers want your product and believe it or not, they are WAY more important than the logical reasons they want it. In fact, we did an entire episode on that called Why Mr Spock Was Wrong about Why People Buy.
Don't get me wrong, getting a hot button doesn't guarantee a sale and you can certainly make sales without them but when you get one the entire sales process gets much easier. The reason? Because you're able to connect your product to what's most important in your customer's life!
Needs and Hot Buttons What's the Difference?
When you first think about how hot buttons relate to sales it's easy to get confused between needs and hot buttons. I mean just about every sales course out there talks about finding out what your customer needs. That is important but needs are just the tip of the iceberg.
Way below the surface are the hot buttons and just like an iceberg those hot buttons under the surface over-shadow the needs on top of the water when it comes to building value in your product.
Let's say you're talking with Nancy and she tells you she's interested in your product because she's having a hard time sleeping at night. So you know why she needs your product, she has trouble sleeping.
The question is; what's her hot button? It's not trouble sleeping, there really isn't anything emotional about that. But let's say through the course of your conversation you find out that this lack of sleep has changed her personality, she's become short tempered, and it's affecting the relationship she has with her husband.
and she's really concerned that they're drifting apart.
Now, that is emotional, now you're product isn't about getting a better night's sleep, it's about getting close with her husband again and having the kind of relationship she wants.
Let's go back to your paid day off. What did you decide to do? Whatever that thing is, that's your hot button. It's what you would do because you love it so much.
playing golf or any number of things.
Now ask yourself; why do you love that so much? Maybe, you love spending time with your kids because it reminds you of times you spent with your parents. Perhaps you love reading because it let's you escape the stresses in your life and dream.
Now, imagine for a second that something happened that prevented you from ever doing the thing you love ever again. How would you feel?
And if there was a product that could help you get back to doing it again, how much would you pay? When I'm training and I ask this question most people say "I would pay anything".
That's how a hot button increases the value of your product. When you learn your customer's hot button and why it's so important to them (emotionally) you help them see the big picture. It's not about the knee pain, it's about being able to take those long walks on the beach with their daughter again. That's really what they're buying.
1 Rapport – you have to establish rapport so your customer likes and trusts you.
2 Empathy – when you communicate with sincere empathy it helps your customer feel understood and strengthens your connection.
3 Open ended questions – so you're customer is involved and encouraged to share.
When I asked how you would feel if you were unable to do the thing you love chances are you responded with an emotion like frustrated. Because you can imagine how you would feel you can empathize with how your customer is feeling.
Once you have a good understanding of their hot button and why it's so important it becomes much easier to build value in your product. For example, after you share information about your product and how it can help her sleep, you can build tremendous value by aligning your product to what's most important to Nancy.
When you align your product with what's most important to your customer the price becomes insignificant. Remember, they would pay anything to reclaim that part of their life.
Getting good at uncovering and understanding Hot Buttons is the very best way for you to help people and increase your sales at the same time.


United take on Premier League strugglers QPR this weekend in a game between the table toppers and the side sitting bottom. We're here to give you a few tips on the big game, and you can even try your hand at betting on other sports, including betting on the Cheltenham Festival which takes place next month.
As expected, United are odds on to come away from Loftus Road with all three points, we are a best price of 3/5 on with Bet Victor as opposed to 1/2 with most leading bookmakers.
United should come away with the victory although I think the game will be tighter than most people think, the pitch at QPR is a tight one and their aim will be to rush us on the ball and try to get in our faces early on.
United are best priced at 15/2 with Ladbrokes to come away with a 1-0 win, and with Bet Victor at 8/1 to come away with a 2-0 win. The game at Old Trafford earlier on in the season ended 3-1 to United, and if you fancy the same scoreline again bookies will offer you odds of around 14/1 for that.
Our top scorer in the league this season is Robin van Persie with 19 goals, and he's favourite to net first tomorrow, odds of 11/4 are offered if you fancy him to carry on his good scoring form.
Nani might be worth a punt for first goal after his fine display against Reading on Monday night. He fetches in odds of 10/1 to bag the first goal which certainly represents decent value.
United have been scoring a lot of goals from set pieces recently, and both Evra and Jonny Evans are having their best seasons in terms of goals, they both come in at a best price of 33/1 so it might be worth splitting your money amongst the two.
We fancy United to win but we also expect QPR to score, we recommend going for either a 2-1 or a 3-1 United win, both come in at odds of 17/2 and 14/1 respectively.
Although the odds aren't big, Van Persie to find the net at anytime is priced at 8/13, the Dutchman was rested for the FA Cup tie last weekend so more than likely he'll be starting.


text:
This article was published in It's Local News on April 12, 2016.
by Iain Graydon
This week is World Autism Awareness Week. Autism is a lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them. According to the National Autistic Society, at least 1 in 100 people are on the autism spectrum. The Society describes autism like this: 'Autistic people have difficulties with interpreting both verbal and non-verbal language like gestures or tone of voice. Many have a very literal understanding of language, and think people always mean exactly what they say'.
Kilwinning mum, Gemma Stewart has a 12-year-old son with the condition. Gemma was named North Ayrshire Citizen of the Year at last month's Provost's Civic Pride Awards in recognition of her work with autistic children and also with North Ayrshire Foodbanks. I caught up with her at the food bank in Ardrossan to ask her how she balances the demands of a full-time job with her work in the community, and the challenges of bringing up an autistic child.
Every parent will remember their child's first day at school. We all feel anxious about handing over responsibility for our child's well-being to another person regardless of how qualified they may be. For the parent of an autistic child there is an additional level of anxiety due to the lack of autism awareness among the general public and right across public services.
Before Ben started school, arrangements were put in place with North Ayrshire Council's Educational Psychology Services and his teachers to provide one-to-one support for him during school hours. However, it soon became clear to Gemma that these arrangements were not being adequately delivered and she was forced to take the difficult decision to remove Ben from the school.
This meant giving up her career in hotel management and finding other work with more flexible hours that would allow her to home-school her son until an 'autism friendly' school could be found. Fortunately, Ben wasn't out of the education system for too long as the council was able to place him in another primary school where the special needs of autistic children were better understood.
"The education system has been a massive nightmare," says Gemma. "But despite the setbacks, Ben has made good progress in his new school and he now looks set to go forward to secondary education."
Image ©2016, Iain Graydon.
Gemma Stewart displays her Provost's 2016 Citizen of the Year award.
While the challenges Gemma and Ben have faced over the years have not gone away completely, there has been an improvement in how support funding for people with special needs is delivered.
In April 2014 the Scottish Government passed The Social Care (Self-directed Support) Act which places a duty on local authority social work departments to offer people who are eligible for social care a range of choices over how they receive their social care and support. It allows people with special needs, their carers and their families to make informed choices on what their support looks like and how it is delivered. It gives them as much ongoing control as they want over their individual budget.
For Gemma, this means that she can now manage Ben's personal support budget herself and use it to obtain the type of care she feels is most appropriate for him. Gemma said: "Having control over Ben's support arrangements means that I can plan where Ben goes with his support workers to obtain socialisation opportunities, for example. It also means that I have more say in who provides that additional support and I'm pleased with the people who now work with him. In fact, I now see Ben's support workers as part of the family."
'Here am I… I work full time, I'm a carer, I'm a single parent, but I still manage to find eight hours a week to volunteer'
But the education system is just one part of any child's development—children also need social activities to help them develop as individuals. Gemma found that there were virtually no activity centres that could properly cater for the needs of autistic children. She said: "Autistic kids struggle when it comes to joining in. I felt that local kids' groups had virtually no understanding of autism and so were unable to engage with the children and encourage them to become involved. I decided to form a parent-led support group for the autistic kids in my area.
"It's called Get Set Go and we meet on Tuesday nights at Whitlees Community Centre in Ardrossan. We provide a range of activities and the kids pay £1 to attend which helps cover the cost of hiring the venue. Anything else we need to pay for is raised through fundraising events.
"Some other source of funding would obviously be a great help, but just having enough experienced volunteers to lend a hand would make an enormous difference to how much we can do for the kids. I did have someone helping out until recently but she's got other commitments now, so at the moment I'm running it by myself."
Gemma explains that the project is as much about raising autism awareness in the community as it is about creating engaging activities for the kids. By way of an example she describes how one of the kids who attends the club recently had a bad experience on a bus when he witnessed a fight break out. The boy was traumatised by the incident and became fearful of travelling on public transport.
She said: "When the boy's parents told me what had happened, I contacted the bus operator to explain the situation and asked if they would assist in helping the child overcome his fear.
"They were fantastic! They were more than willing to help and offered to arrange for the boy and his parents to be taken on a bus trip with them as the only passengers in the hope that it will restore his confidence by turning his bad experience into a good one."
Gemma was full of praise for the company's response, and added that: "In most cases, the companies I approach on similar matters are very willing to help when the needs of autistic children are explained to them."
You would think that between managing Ben's support needs, her day job, and running Get Set Go, there would be little time left for much else. But Gemma has also been helping out at North Ayrshire Foodbanks since the beginning of last year. Her work there includes responding to enquiries made through their website and Facebook page which she can do from home. Her Friday evenings are spent helping clients at the main food bank distribution point in Ardrosssan.
Gemma estimates that she gives up around eight hours of her time spread across the week to do voluntary work. She laughs as she remembers that on her first volunteering shift she spent seven hours manning the collection point at Sainsbury's in Saltcoats.
When asked why she had decided to become involved with the food bank she said: "I wanted to do something that didn't revolve around the world of disability. The food bank gave me the opportunity to help people from the wider community.
"The people who use the food bank are a more varied group from the those I'm normally involved with, but their support needs are just as important.
"People can find themselves in food crisis for all sorts of reasons… It could be the person who has just been made redundant and their benefits haven't kicked in yet. It could be the family whose kids qualify for free school meals, but come the summer holidays they have to find the means to feed three extra mouths. It could be the single mum on minimum wage whose washing machine breaks down and then needs to spend what little money she has on a new one. It could be anyone.
"For many people it can be a daunting prospect to come in and say 'look, I'm in crisis and I've got no food, and I really need your help'. But that's what we're here for, so I try to make their visit as nice an experience as possible. I just chat to them and hope they feel welcome."
Now that much of the worry around Ben's longer term education requirements has been lifted, Gemma has been able to start thinking about returning to her former career but there is no sign that she's likely to give up her voluntary work any time soon.
"Volunteering makes me feel fulfilled," says Gemma. "The world needs people who are prepared to give up their time. And sadly, with ever-increasing cuts in funding, public services are closing down—not starting up. People who find themselves facing any sort of crisis now will have much more difficulty getting help from government agencies—they'll have to go out and look for it themselves, and the voluntary sector is where they'll find it."
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