text:
SCOTUS issues ruling on redistricting
Who knows what will come next
As you've undoubtedly heard by now, the Supreme Court has officially thrown out the interim maps that were drawn by the San Antonio court, in a unanimous decision handed down this morning. What does this mean? I'm going to start with Adam B at Daily Kos:
Let's take a step back: Texas' legislature drew a new map to account for the decennial census, population growth, etc. Because Texas is a covered jurisdiction under Section 5 the Voting Rights Act of 1965, it had to submit its map to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or the Department of Justice for "preclearance"—i.e., to ensure that minorities weren't screwed over. They chose the Court. That's still ongoing.
In the meantime, plaintiffs sued Texas in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas alleging that the map, in fact, discriminated against Latinos and African-Americans and diluted their voting strength, notwithstanding the fact that Latinos and African-Americans accounted for three-quarters of Texas' population growth since 2000. Sensing some merit in the plaintiffs' claims and fearing that the DC court wouldn't complete its process in time, the Texas court drew its own map—since Texas has an early primary and wants to have something firmly in place by February 1. And that, writes the Court today in a per curiam (i.e., unsigned) opinion), is where it screwed up:
[H]ere the scale of Texas' population growth appears to require sweeping changes to the State's current districts. In areas where population shifts are so large that no semblance of the existing plan's district lines can be used, that plan offers little guidance to a court drawing an interim map. The problem is perhaps most obvious in adding new congressional districts: The old plan gives no suggestion as to where those new districts should be placed. In addition, experience has shown the difficulty of defining neutral legal principles in this area, for redistricting ordinarily involves criteria and standards that have been weighed and evaluated by the elected branches in the exercise of their political judgment. Thus, if the old state districts were the only source to which a district court could look, it would be forced to make the sort of policy judgments for which courts are, at best, ill suited.
To avoid being compelled to make such otherwise standardless decisions, a district court should take guidance from the State's recently enacted plan in drafting an interim plan. That plan reflects the State's policy judgments on where to place new districts and how to shift existing ones in response to massive population growth. This Court has observed before that "faced with the necessity of drawing district lines by judicial order, a court, as a general rule, should be guided by the legislative policies underlying" a state plan—even one that was itself unenforceable—"to the extent those policies do not lead to violations of the Constitution or the Voting Rights Act."
So fix it if you must, but don't start from scratch:
[T]he state plan serves as a starting point for the district court. It provides important guidance that helps ensure that the district court appropriately confines itself to drawing interim maps that comply with the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act, without displacing legitimate state policy judgments with the court's own preferences.
The Supremes thus sent the judges to the drawing board—literally!—to try again, a compromise advanced by Justice Kagan during oral argument.
Rick Hasen agrees that this is basically the Kagan compromise and sees this as a win for the state:
Speaking non-technically, the Supreme Court held that the three-judge court erred in starting its redistricting plan from scratch. It should have started with the state's plan, and then adjusted to the extent the plan violated the Voting Rights Act or the Constitution.
More technically, the Court held that as to the Voting Rights Act section 2 standards, the three-judge court is not to defer on those districts where it appears more likely than not that Texas is in violation of the section 2 standards. (Burden appears to be on the VRA section 2 plaintiffs.)
As to section 5, however, because only the Washington DC court can decide on preclearance, the Court is not to take the section 5 preclearance question into account unless those plans have a reasonable probability of failing section 5 review (a tough standard for challengers to the law to meet).
So this is a big win for Texas, and will require the drawing of districts much more likely to favor Texas's interim plan (and therefore favor Republicans over Democrats favored by the three-judge court's original map).
One caveat: at most these lines will last for one election, as the preclearance issue being decided by the Washington court will dictate the preclearance going forward, and as the section 2 issue finally gets resolved by the three judge court in Texas.
Michael Li sees it a little differently:
1. The opinion has hallmarks of a tough fought compromise. It is not entirely clear, for example, what 'reasonable probability' means or how it differs from the traditional injunction standard of 'substantial likelihood of success,' except that the court went on to say that it meant 'not insubstantial.' Some commentators and observers have suggested that is a high standard; other observers think the standard could be somewhat less demanding. Others have no idea what the opinion means. As one prominent civil practitioner said in an email, "The definition of 'reasonable probability' being 'not insubstantial' is not really clearing things up for me."
1a. Because redistricting cases come up only every ten years or so, unfortunately it may be another decade or more before we get Supreme Court clarification on what it meant by 'reasonable probability.' That's one of the challenges of practicing in this area.
1b. As far as 'reasonable probability,' some are already pointing to this email.
1c. Lloyd Doggett and 'reasonable probability.' My initial reaction is that Lloyd Doggett still comes out pretty good from all this. The D.C. court has already rejected the state's contention that crossover districts are not protected under section 5. That's a critical legal hurdle. The Travis County intervenors still need to show that the existing CD-25 is a crossover district on the facts, but given that is an argument based largely on the performance of Austin, they would seem to have a good shot at doing so.
2. Overall, the opinion favors the state's maps, but so would any permanent remedial map drawn after a decision in the section 5 case being tried in Washington this week and next. In other words, the opinion in that sense just requires that the result look something like the ultimate outcome. It's hard to complain too much about that. It's a defeat for the interim maps, but not necessarily for redistricting plaintiffs.
There's already a ton more analysis and interpretation out there for your perusal. SCOTUSBlog has an in depth look at the opinion. Hasen revisits his original take and considers Li's suggestion of a "political compromise" in the opinion; he also provides a nice roundup of other coverage. The Texas Democratic Party notes that "what is clear is that the state's original maps have been found to be discriminatory in some way by every court which has examined them", while plaintiff Sen. Wendy Davis is "encouraged" by the ruling. The Lion Star insists this is "not a loss for the redistricting plaintiffs". PoliTex has some other Democratic reactions.
On the other side, PoliTex also notes some glee from Republicans, including man without a district Michael Williams and the maybe-not-retired Aaron Pena. I will simply point out that just before New Year's Day the DC Court issued an opinion on preclearance standards that took Texas to task for its methodology and strongly suggested that preclearance was not in the cards. As Pena's district was one that the plaintiffs and the Justice Department had focused on, I wouldn't be surprised at all if his district remains substantially changed from what the Lege drew. My own non-lawyerly take on this is that if the San Antonio court waits for the DC court, or if it just relies on that opinion while completing the do-over, there's still a lot of potential for significant alterations to the Lege's maps. Clearly, bad things can happen from a Democratic perspective – the Lege combined HDs 137 and 149, for example, while the court restored those and instead combined HDs 133 and 136, while turning HD144 into a Latino-majority Democrat-favoring district – but overreach is still overreach, and there's nothing to suggest it can't or won't be dialed back. It's a question of where and how much.
As for the primaries, who knows when they'll be? It's not out of the question that either the San Antonio court does its rework in the next week or so, or that the DC court issues a quick ruling followed by some quick mapmaking, and we can keep the April date with some compression of the absentee ballot mailing period. More likely, I think, is a later primary, but whether May or June is anyone's guess. At least we're not waiting for SCOTUS any more. What I know for sure is that I have some more map-studying and number-crunching in my future. I'm sure you're as eager for me to get to that as I am.
UPDATE: Greg weighs in.
Federal court denies preclearance on all redistricting maps
The numbers in the "deal"
DC preclearance trial, Day One
Posted in: Legal matters.
Tagged: Congress · DC Circuit Court of Appeals · Election 2012 · Justice Department · lawsuit · redistricting · SCOTUS · Senate · Texas · The Lege · Voting Rights Act
← January finance reports: Harris County Friday random ten: What was that lyric again? →
Eye on Williamson » Texas redistricting ping-pong, SCOTUS sends maps back to lower court says:
[…] Further Reading: Anyone wanting to delve into the legal minutia on today's ruling should read this, Splitting Hairs and Ducking Issues: The Supreme Court's Texas Case, Likelihood of Success, and Reasonable Probability. TDP Statement on SCOTUS Decision. Some initial thoughts about the SCOTUS ruling. Statement from Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. Kuff, SCOTUS issues ruling on redistricting. […]
Mainstream says:
This analysis glosses over a couple of points which to my mind are significant: The validity of Section 5 of the VRA is still in question, both from the unanimous opinion and from Justice Thomas' concurrence. The unanimous opinion makes clear that the VRA does not require the creation of districts in which no single minority group predominates, but collectively blacks, Hispanics, or Asians could make a majority. This seems to me to invalidate the court-drawn map protecting Hubert Vo's seat and savaging Ken Legler's seat. And since I do not believe the legislatively drawn version of the Hochberg district is retrogressive, or that either blacks, Asians, or Hispanics can show entitlement under Section 2 to a new state house district in Harris County, I read the Supreme Court ruling to mean that in Harris County, the San Antonio court will reinstate the legislative map for state house districts.
Of course, if the DC court refuses preclearance and cites a specific state house district or two in Harris in which it determines that minority voters of a single, dominant minority group in 2012 have less of a chance to elect their preferred candidates than they did in 2010, then the San Antonio court would have to make adjustments focused only on those particular districts.
Lampson on the DCCC's list – Off the Kuff says:
[…] commodity and a proven fundraiser in a district that is unlikely to change much if at all by the SCOTUS-ordered do-over – the CD14 drawn by the Lege and the CD14 drawn by the San Antonio court are very similar […]
Eye on Williamson » TPA Blog Round Up (January 23, 2012) says:
[…] big story last week was the SCOTUS ruling on interim redistricting maps. Off the Kuff has an initial […]
Texas Progressive Alliance January 23, 2012 « TruthHugger says:
TPA Roundup 1/23/2012 | BlueBloggin says:


text:
FactoryGirl.define do
  factory :banner do
    name 'name'
    association :user
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: App crashes trying to login to a webpage I'm trying to login to a webpage and see if login was successful but my app crashes. Here's my code:
package com.shortey.logtoweb;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import org.apache.http.HttpResponse;
import org.apache.http.NameValuePair;
import org.apache.http.client.ClientProtocolException;
import org.apache.http.client.entity.UrlEncodedFormEntity;
import org.apache.http.client.methods.HttpPost;
import org.apache.http.impl.client.DefaultHttpClient;
import org.apache.http.message.BasicNameValuePair;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.TextView;

public class MainActivity extends Activity {

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
}

public void login (View view) {
    try {
        final String LOGIN_LINK = "https://www.manodienynas.lt/";
        final String MY_EMAIL = "********"; //here should be my username
        final String MY_PW = "********"; //here should be my password

        DefaultHttpClient httpClient = new DefaultHttpClient();
        HttpPost httpPost = new HttpPost(LOGIN_LINK);

        List<NameValuePair> nameValuePairs = new ArrayList<NameValuePair>(3);
        nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("username", MY_EMAIL));
        nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("password", MY_PW));
        nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("submit_login", "Prisijungti"));

        httpPost.setEntity(new UrlEncodedFormEntity(nameValuePairs));

        HttpResponse response = httpClient.execute(httpPost);

        TextView TV1 = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.textView1);

        if (response.getStatusLine().getStatusCode() < 400) {
            TV1.setText("Success");
        } else {
            TV1.setText("Failed");
        }
    } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {

    } catch (ClientProtocolException e) {

    } catch (IOException e) {

    }
}

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
    getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
    return true;
}

}

I'm calling the method login() by pressing a button. Please help me to fix mistakes in my code that makes my app crash. I know i didn't handle exceptions properly but I guess this doesn't cause my app to crash but maybe would help to find the problem. How to handle them properly in my case? Thanks in advance!

A: You are running a network related operation on the ui thread. Use Thread or AsycTask.
HttpResponse response = httpClient.execute(httpPost); // must be executed in a thread

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Levi Roberts
On 1815 February 26 (Born)
On 1894 January 22 (Died)
Levi, his wife Harriet, children Henry and Caroline sailed to America in 1841 on the ship Echo.
He made his first trip to the Valley in 1847, coming east from California with a number of other Mormon Battalion veterans. At some point, he continued east to Winter Quarters because he seen crossing the plains again in 1850 with the Snow/Young Company, accompanied by his family.
Traveled in Levi W. Hancock/Jefferson Hunt/James Pace/Andrew Lytle Company
1847 August 25 – October 16 (Age 32) Pioneers in Company
Between 1847 August 25 – 26
Between 1847 October 11 – 16
Phoebe Ann Roberts (Age 8)
Marinda Roberts (Age 5)
Harriet Ann Efford (Age 31)
Henry Roberts (Age 14)
Caroline Roberts (Age 11)
Harriet Ann Roberts (Age 1)
1894 January 22 (Age 78)
Levi Roberts (1815 - 1894) Profile
1850 Utah Census, Davis County
1850 Utah Census, Davis County.
"Obituary Notes," Deseret Evening News
"Obituary Notes," Deseret Evening News, 30 January 1894.
"Levi Roberts. ID: 67457", Saints By Sea - BYU.
Norma Baldwin Ricketts, The Mormon Battalion: U.S. Army of the West, 1846-1848 (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1996), 180
Norma Baldwin Ricketts, The Mormon Battalion: U.S. Army of the West, 1846-1848 (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1996), 180.
Norma Baldwin Ricketts, The Mormon Battalion: U.S. Army of the West, 1846-1848 (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1996), 23
Norma Baldwin Ricketts, The Mormon Battalion: U.S. Army of the West, 1846-1848 (Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1996), 23.
Utah State History Cemeteries and Burials Database
Utah State History Cemeteries and Burials Database.
William Snow journal, 1832-1833 and 1850, 3-8
William Snow journal, 1832-1833 and 1850, 3-8. Transcript for William Snow journal, 1832-1833 and 1850, 3-8

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
How Intermax Experiences Speed, Efficiency, and Visibility with Flexport
days faster to receive payments from customers, thanks to Flexport's platform with real-time data and information
At least 20 fewer emails than normal because of the company's instant updates and platform communications
Teaming Up With Flexport to Better Serve Its US Customers
Intermax was established in 1995 in Seoul, South Korea. With offices and factories across Vietnam, the company manufactures and exports technical outerwear for customers around the world, especially in the US and Italy.
Getting products to its customers quickly is one of Intermax's top priorities. To do this, Intermax imports materials from many different countries before production can begin. In the process, the company looks for ways to gain efficiencies and shorten logistical lead-times.
Like other manufacturers in Asia, Intermax relies on its customers to find and decide which freight forwarder to use for shipping. Manufacturers are often skeptical about partnering with new freight forwarders because of concerns related to new processes and uncertainty — in particular, the potential impact on time and cost.
As a freight forwarder nominated by Intermax's customers, Flexport offers Intermax a platform to place bookings, manage documents, communicate with all shipping parties, and track shipments. Partnering with Flexport's dedicated team at origin, Intermax has found efficiency and transparency, plus a peace of mind in managing its supply chain.
In the process, Flexport has become Intermax's trusted and reliable partner, working to provide the best experience to their customers.
"I was impressed by the team. It is easy to communicate with them. They are very responsive and don't have a lot of bureaucracy, which makes them different from other freight forwarders. It is a painless experience working with Flexport."
David Tang
Chief Operating Officer, Intermax
Partnership Has Never Been This Smooth
In 2016, one of Intermax's customers had shipping issues with a production line. In addressing the issue, the customer asked Intermax to use Flexport services instead.
David Tang, Chief Operating Officer of Intermax, recalls being skeptical about working with a new freight forwarder. "It meant that we had to go through a whole new learning curve," he says. However, he was quickly convinced once he started shipping with Flexport. "I was impressed by the team. It is easy to communicate with them. They are very responsive and don't have a lot of bureaucracy, which makes them different from other freight forwarders. It is a painless experience working with Flexport."
Visibility and Speed, Powered by Technology
Intermax has worked with many freight forwarders, but Flexport's technology platform stands out in helping to speed up operations. "The platform is a big advantage for us. My team places bookings and manages documents online now, so it's efficient and so easy to use. It saves us a lot of time from making phone calls, sending emails, and making corrections," says Tang.
The best part about the platform is that the same information is accessible by everyone in real-time. "Getting documents from freight forwarders has always been a pain. However, with Flexport, all shipping information is on a single platform. So, we no longer have to wait to print out documents and send them to our customers," notes Tang.
Apart from operations, Flexport also helps Intermax from a financial standpoint. "All manufacturers want to get paid once they have shipped the goods, but for that to happen they need the bill of lading after the boat has sailed," explains Tang. What would normally take 3 to 4 days for freight forwarders to provide can now be instantly available thanks to Flexport's platform. "It helps Intermax greatly in terms of cash flow," adds Tang.
An Extension of Your Logistics Team
Many manufacturers encounter challenges when dealing with US or European forwarders' local contacts in Asia. According to Tang, however, Flexport was different and it became clear this was going to be a long-lasting relationship. "It could be the language barrier, the culture, or the way we communicate, but it didn't take us long to get ramped up with the dedicated team at Flexport," recalls Tang. "Flexport truly understands what customer service is, and they make things easier and less stressful for us," he says. As proof of the partnership's success, Intermax has introduced Flexport to many of its customers. "Flexport truly cares about our supply chain. It is not just a freight forwarder—it has become an important business partner to help us reach our customers quickly," says Tang.
注册 Flexport 飞协博帐号或观看我们的平台演示。
由此开始


Successfully Added Pen Camera with Wireless DVR/MP4 Player (3.5 Inch Screen, 2GB, 30FPS) to your Shopping Cart.
Hidden surveillance pinhole camera disguised as a pen with a portable wireless DVR in one complete kit for you to inconspicuously record videos.
This high tech little camcorder allows you to record directly onto a wireless video recorder which has a crystal clear 3.5 inch TFT screen so you can setup your shot and see what results to expect before you do your in-the-field recordings. It allows you to record both color video and audio in AVI format with a stunning 30 FPS quality. The pen camera can be easily installed on any shirt or jacket while the compact DVR recorder is easily concealed in a pocket.
What's better, the wireless DVR itself is a high quality standalone MP4 player with a 3.5 inch screen that displays at a whopping 640 x 480 resolution. Supporting almost all of the popular media formats including RM, RMVB, AVI, MP4, FLV, WMA and more, you can watch movies, listen to music, and read ebooks with it. With its innocent look as a portable media player, nobody will ever suspect that it's the wireless DVR of your pen.
It is time for action. Move that mouse over to the "Add to Cart" button and click it right now to order one of these great video cameras for your own work or fun and then order some more as stock for your online shop. Order today and it will get shipped within a day! Brought to you by the leader in online direct from China wholesale electronics - Chinavasion.
Wireless DVR is itself a high quality standalone MP4 player that supports multiple media files for watching videos, movies, listening to music, reading ebook, etc.
Hide the pen camera in your pocket and covertly record videos.
Suitable for citizen journalists, private investigators, or anyone who would like to have some fun with a gadget.
Seriously, why would I buy this product?
Because it's worth your every buck. This kit is in fact three products, a pen camera, a DVR receiver, and a MP4 player combined in one product. Just think how much each will cost you if sold separately. Even if you don't every day, you can still use it as a MP4 player to enjoy your favorite movie and music collections!


text:
Public Toilets in Hailsham Town Centre: Opening Hours
The Town Council wishes to assure local residents that the public conveniences located in the former Cortlandt Stable building adjacent to the Asda car park in North Street, remain open during the pandemic.
An outside contractor is currently responsible for the opening, closing and cleaning of the toilet block on a daily basis and, to allow more frequent cleaning of toilets, the facility operates six days a week (Monday to Saturday), with new opening hours of 10am-2.30pm each day.
The facilities have reduced capacity to ensure social distancing can be managed and there are signs on display outside and inside the premises offering guidance on social distancing and hand hygiene.
"The Town Council is grateful to residents for their continued observance of social distancing and strict hygiene," said Town Mayor Cllr Paul Holbrook. "We appreciate the closure of the public toilet facility throughout the spring and early summer was inconvenient, which is why we would like to thank everyone for their understanding and patience during this challenging time and we are pleased to be in a position to keep the toilets open during the pandemic."
"I would like to take this opportunity to ask all users to follow the social distancing and hand hygiene guidance provided at the facilities, and to treat the facilities with respect."
Town Clerk John Harrison said: "Our main concern is to protect the health and well-being of those who use our public toilet facilities. Therefore, we ask residents and visitors to please ensure that you do your best to abide by the government's guidelines on social distancing when using the toilets."
"Limiting the number of individuals within the toilet blocks will help with this and there will be guidance posters at the facilities to request this, along with guidance relating to hand hygiene."
Mr Harrison added: "We urge everyone to be aware that COVID-19 is still in circulation and sharing toilet facilities is less safe than using your own toilet at home. Therefore, it is important that people only use the public toilets if they have too, and to prepare and plan their journey before they leave home."
Whilst the Town Council will be following Government guidance on the cleaning of public places and will do all we they can to reduce the risk of exposing both the public and the cleaners to COVID-19, the public need to be aware that the use of these facilities is at the individuals' own risk.
Work on Play Area Rebuild to Commence Next Year
Children in Hailsham can look forward to new improved facilities as plans are underway to rebuild the play area in Western Road, which are set to…
March 14 2018 — Council News & Services, Youth Services
More Friday Night Project Activities for Young People
Hailsham Town Council's youth services continue to benefit young people aged 12 to 17, providing them with access to a wide range of opportunities and activities…
September 15 2020 — Community, Council News & Services
Community Hall Bookings Unavailable Until Further Notice
Due to the social distancing measures in place, Hailsham Town Council's community hall facilities will remain closed until further notice. The announcement is in line with…
September 3 2019 — Council News & Services, Mayor's Press Releases
Council to Launch 'Tea with the Mayor' Surgery for Residents
Residents in Hailsham will soon be able to drop into the Town Council offices and meet the Mayor at one of his monthly surgeries, commencing in…


text:
"Trump's Covid World Tour."
Pod Save America - December 7, 2021 - 1:02:36
Democrats and journalists still haven't figured out how to handle the threat of another Trump presidency, Senator Chris Murphy joins to talk about Congressional action on gun violence and whether Joe Biden's economic agenda can pass by Christmas, and the White House announces a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
Offline: Charlie Warzel on Facebook's Original Sin
Charlie Warzel has covered the internet and culture at BuzzFeed News, The New York Times, and his newsletter Galaxy Brain. He joins Jon...
"The War on Christmas Trees."
Democrats outsmart Mitch McConnell on the debt limit but are still trying to solve their Joe Manchin problem, former Obama pollster...


text:
Great Lakes Ships and Stories
in History, New Release
The gigantic, awe-inspiring Great Lakes ships are a big reason why people are drawn to visit the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world. There's something magical about watching a freighter steam by. It fills spectators, young and old, with a sense of wonder. Where has the ship been? What's its cargo? What adventures has it seen? In his new book Sea Stories, retired freighter captain Richard Metz answers these questions. He shares the triumphs, struggles, and secrets of a captain's life in an autobiography that's divided into 26 short stories.
From the Duluth port in Lake Superior all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and beyond, Richard captained a variety of Great Lakes ships for 20 years. He experienced wild weather, close calls, near misses, and events that can only be described as "unimaginable." He has incredible stories to tell about life as a crewmate and captain. Here he shares the best of them. This entertaining book recounts everything from getting his first job aboard a ship to his final, emotional walk down the gangplank. In between, readers are told stories of a nearly fatal collision, an overzealous former captain who nearly sank his ship in a terrible storm, Richard's first run as captain—with the dents in the hull to prove it—and more.
One of Richard's most captivating Great Lakes ships stories focuses on November 10, 1975, the night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior. He recounts his own memories of the weather, the Coast Guard's unanswered calls to the Fitzgerald, the gut-wrenching moment the ship was declared missing, and the powerfully emotional day that followed.
In case the stories weren't enough, the book offers plenty of extras. It is sprinkled with full-color photographs, including snapshots of the ships that Richard sailed, along with a complete listing of the ships' specifications and their ultimate fates. Plus, there is a fascinating "question & answer" section in which the writer is interviewed by Brett Ortler, author of the popular A Beginner's Guide to Ship Watching on the Great Lakes.
Anyone with an interest in Great Lakes ships, whether you live near Lake Superior or are visiting from another country, will appreciate this entertaining look at life aboard a freighter. It's also a perfect gift for history buffs, ship watchers, and any fans of a good yarn. With the autobiography chunked in short, easily digestible tales, Sea Stories is great for reading aloud or for retelling to friends and family.
Captain Richard MetzGreat Lakesshort stories
contributor@adventurewithkeen.com
The Travel Team
Thank you for this great travelling story, Nice blog.
You are very welcome. I am thrilled that you enjoyed the story.


text:
Zayn steht für:

 Zayn (* 1993), britischer Popsänger
 Zajin, hebräischer Buchstabe
 Zāy, arabischer Buchstabe

Zayn ist der Familienname folgender Personen:
 Farīd al-Zayn ad-Dīn (1907–1973), syrischer Diplomat, siehe Farid Zeineddine
 Sami Zayn (* 1984), kanadischer Wrestler

Siehe auch:
 Zain (Begriffsklärung)
 Zein
 Zeyn

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Holden Stach, sophomore at Hill City High School, after choir class on March 5.
At an early age Holden Stach liked music and singing. His love for it developed more as time went on and now as a sophomore in high school it has become a large part of who he is. Last year he was selected for the the 2018 High School Honors Performance Series at Sydney Opera House.
This is reserved for the highest-rated high school performers from across the world.
Stach found out about the program and created a recorded audition last September. For his audition he recorded a song from an Italian songbook. He had about three weeks to prepare his recording. He and his teacher Jaime Kessler did as much as they could in the timeframe that they had.
He found out that he was selected for the Honors Performance Series on Halloween last year.
"It was amazing because I had confidence in myself but there are just so many people in the world that are very talented and can sing very well," Stach said.
He was happy when he knew that he was selected.
The music for the performance will be sent in April. He will be preparing for the performance until he leaves in July.
"I will be working with Ms. Kessler and probably by myself a little bit at the house," Stach said.
Hill City High School choir director Jaime Kessler said that she is super happy for him and he is very deserving of this honor.
The repertoire has been received but the musical arrangement hasn't been received yet. The majority of the music is written by the director of the choir, Gregg Gilpin.
One of the songs performed at a Hill City concert last year was created by him.
Stach had the option to apply for a high school Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall or Sydney Opera House.
"Between the two options I kind of wanted to go big and go to another country," Stach said.
He said there is some good family history there too with Australia and he has some relatives to stay with there.
The day that he will be performing at the Sydney Opera House is also his great grandma's 100th birthday.
This year and last year Stach performed in the All-State chorus. He hopes he can be in the All-state chorus again for the next two years. He was invited to audition for the Honors Performance Series through being chosen for the All-State Chorus.
Two-hundred and fifty people will be performing at the Sydney Opera House in July. Stach will be performing a bass vocal part with the honors chorus. The performers are coming from 43 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Qatar, and South Korea.
Stach has performed at Open Stage before too. Currently, he does the sound mixing for the event.
Last summer he also helped with the sound at Movies in the Loft.
Stach said music helps him deal with stress. He has had an interest in making music for a long time which grew out of listening to music that he liked. He wants to do something in his life that is going to be fun for him. He doesn't want to do something that he is going to dread later on and is not going to use in the future.
His plans are to either perform or produce music in a professional way after he graduates. In addition to singing, Stach can also play piano and percussion.
Stach also has an interest in videography.
"I'm always interested in cool videos, I guess," Stach said.
He is hoping to incorporate that with his music going forward, but his main focus is music.
He will be departing for Sydney on July 16. The program lasts six days and his family will be staying in Australia for up to a week after that.
Stach said there will be a lot of time to go and see Sydney in addition to rehearsing.
In his package for the trip is the celebration cruise, multiple tours and a hotel room. The only thing that he still needs to pay for is the flights.
His mom and sister are going on the trip, too, through a family package the Honors Performance Series has. For three people the cost is between $3,600-$3,800.
A Gofundme page has raised about $840. Through other donations, Stach said around $4,500 has been raised.
Donations are appreciated as they still need to book their flights. Stach's grandparents and older sister can also go if enough funds are raised.
He said donations are still appreciated as flights to Australia can cost around $1,400 since it is so far away.
"I'm thanking a lot of people and will be sending out thank yous shortly because there have been a lot of donations," Stach said.
Stach said fundraising is a little bit stressful but it is still fun.


text:
Q: Delete or Stop Scheduled State machines of Step Function We created step function (WAIT State) to execute schedule task based up on user input time.
We are calling this step up function from PHP code so it will create entry in that state machine and step function (WAIT State) will trigger lambda service automatically when it meets countdown timer.
My requirement is to user to have the option to update the time or cancel event from PHP application. at this scenario i have to update existing scheduled step function event/task time to new time or delete the existing scheduled event and create new scheduled event with latest time.
How can i do with this from PHP application?
The below is my PHP code to create event in AWS step function.
$inputData = '{'.'"invocationTime"'. " : " .'"'.'2022-10-28\T13:15:16\Z.'"'.','.'"userid"'. " : " .'"1233345"'.'}';
$data = array(
    //This is the schedule in UTC time.
    'input' => $inputData,
    'name' => 'Test Charan",
    //STATIC
    'stateMachineArn' => $awsDataarn //AWS stateMachineArn
);

$inputdataaws = array(
    'http' => array(
        'method'  => 'POST',
        'content' => json_encode($data),
        'header'  => "x-api-key: ".$awsDataapiKey."\r\n".
        "Content-Type: application/json\r\n"
    )
);

$url = 'https://testcharan.execute-api.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/myapplication/scheduletask'; //AWS endpoint URL
$request  = stream_context_create($inputdataaws); // TO create data in AWS statemachine
$result = file_get_contents($url, false, $request); //read the data
$response = json_decode($result); //decode the result

The above code will create the event in AWS step function.

How i can update or delete  or abort events/execution those or on Running status?

A: you can't modify a state machine directly on runtime (on my experiece).
I suggest to

*

*manage the scheduling of the execution by eventbridge (https://docs.aws.amazon.com/step-functions/latest/dg/tutorial-cloudwatch-events-target.html)

*create another Lambda that act as "trigger"

*manage state machine execution by cli
How to stop all running Step Functions of a specific state machine?

A: It is likely that your use-case could benefit from the callback pattern which will cause your state machine execution to wait for an event for the $$.Task.Token to be received. You can set a timeout by providing a HeartbeatSeconds which will cause the task to fail with States.Timeout.


Preview wheels on your car!
It is finally here. The all new Wheel Visualizer will change the way you shop for wheels.
I'm sure you all have seen wheel visualizers in the market, but not like this one. With abilities such as sharing your cars with your friends, direct linking to our shopping cart, and saved sessions that can be edited by your friends or family, its no wonder we have over 3000 users on day 1. Come preview some wheels on your car today and enjoy our cutting edge technology.
1 – Upload your vehicle side image. Use a side angle view.
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For the past 7 years, rimsdealer has received many complaints, reviews, and feedback on purchases with us. We have setup many new customer service strategies and processes to improve our service to the customer. None of this would be possible if customers just purchased from us and ran. Our new services means a lot too us and we consider this a great achievement thanks to all of our dedicated customers.
We could not have succeeded in these achievements if it was not for those rimsdealer complaints, reviews, and feedbacks sent to us over the years.
We will be open our normal business ours for 4th of July weekend.
Online orders will get processed online as usual.
If you have any questions concerns, or complaints, do not hesitate to call us.
Evan needed something to spice up his GMC Pickup truck. He came to us for help on selecting custom wheels and tires.
Here is the finished product. So far he has not received any complaints, and is very happy with his purchase.
Keep up the good work Evan, the truck looks great.
Lets review this Enkei Grab6 wheel. It comes in 18″ or 20″. This is part of Enkei's truck line series. Pretty nice if you ask me. Anyways, I will let you all determine how good or bad of a review this wheel gets. Feel free to comment.
Check out this celebrities way of showing who's boss.
Hot Pink Porsche Cayenne on 22″ Dropstars DM-10.
This is actually a gift from Nick cannon that was made to Mariah. She cant complaint. Let rimsdealer be your source for Dropstars rims. We have a quick turn around time and hold a great relationship with the manufacture.
30 year old Corolla looking fresh.
This customers Corolla is looking very clean. He is running staggered XXR 513's in Hyper-Silver, 16X7 – front, 16×8 in the rear.
Here at rims dealer, our experts can get your application into a set of wheels regardless of the year it was manufactured.
So far Hector has not received any complaints as of yet.
Shopping all the way from Canada, check out this customers TSX.
She is running 20×8.5 Ruff Racing R281's in black gloss. The wheels are wrapped in Achilles ATR Sport summer tires.
Follow up with us if you decide to lower your suspension, we would like to see updated pictures.
Check out this returning customer's new wheels!
He is running Axis OG Sans 15×8 with a 25 offset. He went with gunmetal gloss as his color of choice with a Polished Lip. His lowered suspension definitely compliments these wheels on his clean vehicle.
The (JDM) Japanese Domestic Market look is becoming well known Nationwide. Let rims dealer be your direct source!


text:
Creating a Network of Refugee Women Leaders in the Pandemic
Posted on November 19, 2020 November 30, 2020 by WRMC in Feature
This article was written by Mary Giles for the Carleton University Faculty of Public Affairs' Another Take: A Researcher's Perspective on the News article.
The Government of Canada recently announced a plan to welcome 59,500 refugees and protected persons and 5,500 more immigrants on humanitarian and compassionate grounds in the next three years.
Today, 79.5 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to violence, persecution, conflict, climate change and human rights violations. According to the United Nations (UN) Refugee Agency, 51 percent of displaced persons are women and 40 percent are children.
The majority of the world's 26 million refugees are women and girls. In the current pandemic, humanitarian aid organizations and health workers have been forced to suspend services for their own safety, leaving refugees to rely even more on their own resources.
The World Refugee & Migration Council (WRMC) has partnered with Global Independent Refugee Women Leaders (GIRWL), to address the unmet needs of refugee women and girls during COVID-19. Fen Hampson, chancellor's professor in the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA), is the president of the WRMC.
Hampson says, "The plight of women and girls, who are disproportionately displaced — often in vulnerable situations — has become even more dire during the pandemic. The WRMC is collaborating with GIRWL to help develop a network through consultations with women in refugee camps and communities around the world. This bootstrap initiative has helped those with internet access to form better means of communication with each other to mobilize shared resources."
In June, the WRMC and GIRWL hosted a virtual conference, Refugee Women: Responding to COVID-19. The project involves helping partners to develop global women's refugee networks through online platforms that will allow the group to broaden its reach beyond local networks. It aims to support local women leaders and promote networks between women at local, national and global levels to encourage information and knowledge sharing.
Ghazal Zazai, a NPSIA graduate student, recently wrote a literature review published by the WRMC on the impact of COVID-19 on displaced populations. The review explores the social and gender inequalities revealed by the pandemic which are disproportionately affecting women and girls. Her work was supervised by Professor Val Percival who is also engaged in the work of the Council on COVID-19 as it affects refugee women's health.
An International Call to Action
After serving for 10 years as director of NPSIA, Hampson joined the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) as director of the global security and politics program in 2012. Through this program, the World Refugee Council was established through discussions with fellows at CIGI, Carleton University, Amnesty International and the UN.
In January 2019, the Council (now WRMC) presented a report with 55 calls to action and recommendations to improve the lives of refugees. A Call to Action: Transforming the Global Refugee System is grounded in peer-reviewed research papers and reports on issues impacting displaced people and migrants. Hampson stressed the important role played by Carleton colleague Professor James Milner in supporting the research work of the Council.
Hampson says, "Although the report has garnered a lot of international attention, a major problem is that the fanfare when reports are produced eventually dies down and they often end up on the shelf, never to be heard from again."
To keep the momentum going, the WRMC narrowed its focus to a few of the recommendations to create projects involving real-world action to ensure their implementation. The projects include strategies for refugees displaced by climate change, affordable housing for the displaced in Columbia, corporate social responsibility for refugee and migrant workers, repurposing the frozen assets of corrupt foreign officials to help refugees directly and resettling refugee survivors of torture in Canada.
As WRMC president, Hampson holds primary responsibility for keeping the projects moving forward. With a Council of 29 prominent leaders, each having different ideas and priorities with complex policy challenges, it can sometimes be difficult to keep the focus narrowed to achievable goals.
Hampson says the WRMC is not just an armchair exercise — Council members have met with national and local governments, civil society and most importantly, refugees in camps and communities around the world — in Jordan, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Uganda, Ethiopia, Colombia and Germany. He says, "The Council seeks to engage the voices of refugees themselves and to see not only the big picture, but the situation on the ground, to create recommendations that strengthen the international regime and come up with innovative solutions for chronically underfunded NGOs."
African Youth Action Network (AYAN) food and non-food distribution in Kyaka II refugee settlement. Photo courtesy of Global Independent Refugee Women Leaders (GIRWL).
Social Media and Technology
On a personal level, as a result of the work Hampson did on international governance at CIGI as director of the Global Commission on Internet Governance, he is especially interested in the uses and abuses of new technology and social media in producing toxic narratives, but also its creative uses to help refugees.
Working in cooperation with Facebook, WRMC is developing a series of online, secure communication and engagement platforms for refugees. Refugees' involvement ensures online tools meet local language requirements and social, economic and health needs. WhatsApp, for example, is an app that refugees can use to communicate securely with each other.
"Facebook is developing better ways to use its platforms to allow refugee women to set up chat sites to exchange secure information about best practices with COVID-19 and chronic diseases that are prevalent in their circumstances," says Hampson. "They are also hosting webinars with refugee women. WRMC is trying to create concrete ways for platforms to enhance their capacity to strengthen existing social networks while empowering refugee women and girls."
Hampson went to San Francisco to meet with various digital platform representatives such as Facebook, Techfugees, Uber and Airbnb, who are helping refugees with travel and housing.
He says, "The workshop focused on technology to support refugees. Perhaps the most significant technological barrier for refugees is the absence of an environment in which they can actually access the available technology in a secure way to ensure their privacy and security. Using various platforms as a trusted tool to build internal networks in refugee communities provides a way to give agency to displaced women."
A Call to Action draws attention to the crucial need for secure platforms for communication and data. Information infiltrated by intelligence agencies from authoritarian regimes puts already-vulnerable refugees in more danger. This data protection needs to come from technology companies, but also from NGOs, international organizations and governments.
Turning Ideas into Action
Based on the recommendation to establish a global network for refugees in A Call to Action, the German government is partnering with the WRMC to set up a global women's network to raise the visibility and voices of displaced women.
The Action Network on Forced Displacement – Women as Agents of Change held its launch on October 27. At the online event, Fen Hampson discussed the importance of the network to empower displaced women and girls and to provide them with the means to play a key role in rebuilding their own lives and the lives of those in their communities.
"When it comes to refugees, some countries are sharing an unequal load," Hampson says. "Germany has accepted a million refugees in recent years, but many countries have been shirking their duties under the 1951 Refugee Convention. We need to find better ways to share the responsibility."
Hampson is committed to turning ideas in action. He says, "It is vital that researchers continue to come up with innovative ideas founded on evidence-based research. Academics tend to offer suggestions, but we also need to follow through on those recommendations by creating supportive action-based networks. Combining research with advocacy ultimately helps to move the dial on concerted global action."
WRMC
Tagged GIRWL
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Next Post Refugee Women: Unpacking Gender-based Violence


SHE is the ultimate wedding singer having serenaded Prince William and Kate Middleton after they tied the knot.
Now, after years of heartache and failed romances, including one with Prince Harry, Ellie Goulding is the one tapping into her star-studded contacts book to find a performer for her own nuptials.
Is Ellie Goulding getting married?
In yesterday's Times the 31-year-old announced her engagement to former Team GB rower and art dealer Caspar Jopling, using her real name Elena to put fans off the scent.
The engagement, which comes after an 18-month romance, is a fitting reward for Ellie who, for the first time in her career, has put work on hold to focus on her relationship.
Gushing about his new fiancee in an Instagram post yesterday, Caspar described Ellie as an "extraordinary, beautiful person".
Over the past two years she has seen ex-boyfriends including Harry, Radio 1 DJ Greg James and fellow singer Ed Sheeran either get married or engaged, while she was left pondering what might had been.
Given nothing came of her relationships to McFly's Dougie Poynter, producer Skrillex, actor Jeremy Irvine or One Direction's Niall Horan, you can understand why drastic action was necessary.
A few months before she started dating Caspar, Ellie told how she had been put off marriage because all men were "s**t" but admitted her anger was beginning to thaw.
Asked if she would ever tie the knot, she said: "God, yes! I'm nearly 30. I once had a pretty warped view of marriage because so many people around me had divorced parents.
Ellie, who has two Brit Awards and two No1 singles and albums, introduced Caspar, 26, to her pals in March last year at a karaoke bar in Mayfair, West London.
She had only just cooled things off with celebrity fitness trainer Bobby Rich, so her friends were surprised when she brought along the Eton and Harvard-educated toff, who is the nephew of renowned art dealer Jay Jopling and the son of rich landowners from North Yorkshire.
The pair's relationship grew stronger and Ellie began dividing her time between her London home and Caspar's base in New York, where he works for auction house Sotheby's.
She has been making her fourth album in the Big Apple to make sure she remains close to him.
In April she spoke glowingly about her new man, saying: "The time I spend somewhere is always so fleeting.
"That can stir up emotions. You're constantly re-evaluating and changing your life plans.
"I thought for a long time that I could never really take the time to nurture a relationship, because I'm never around.
Ellie's difficulty in sustaining long-term relationships could be attributed to her upbringing, in which she fell out with her father and stepfather.
In 1991, aged five, dad Arthur walked out on her family, leaving mum Tracey to bring up Ellie, big sister Izzy and baby brother Alex in their three-bedroom council house in Lyonshall, Hereford.
Tracey, 54, took jobs in supermarkets to make ends meet. She later married lorry driver Andrew Williams, a man whose relationship with Ellie grew so toxic that she once claimed she would "punch him in the face" if they ever met again.
Their troubles resulted in therapy sessions and her admittance that it had become a "constant area of confusion and fascination", and inspired her lyrics, including those in 2012's I Know You Care.
She later said the song was "denial, really, because I don't think he does care".
Her first high-profile relationship was with DJ Greg, who takes over the Radio 1 Breakfast Show next month. Their break-up provided most of the material for her first No1 album, Halcyon, in 2012. Poor Greg was even forced to play some of tracks on his show as they featured on the Radio 1 official playlist.
Ellie, who in 2010 claimed the Brits Critics' Choice award previously won by Adele, then had a six-month fling with DJ and producer Skrillex — real name Sonny Moore — after they worked together in LA. Dates with Niall, Ed and War Horse actor Jeremy all followed but fizzled out.
McFly bassist Dougie seemed to soothe her frustration with men.
In 2016 she said: "Before him, I was having a single period and hating all men, saying 'never again' after a series of things happened.
But contrasting schedules took their toll after more than 18 months and they split in early 2016.
That summer Ellie caught the eye of Prince Harry, then living in full international bachelor mode.
The pair had been pals for years but it was at the Audi Polo Challenge event at Coworth Park, Berks, where their friendship developed into something more.
An onlooker told The Sun they were "all over each other" and spent time "sitting under blankets" before "having a kiss". The relationship failed to blossom, as a certain Meghan Markle came on to the scene, although Ellie was invited to the Royal Wedding in May.
She chose to spend the weekend in Cannes rather than Windsor, perhaps keen to avoid seeing another ex tie the knot — and this time in person.
Now it is her turn to be the bride, she can finally watch someone else belt out the songs while she steps up for the first dance.
The Radio 1 presenter was Ellie's first high-profile boyfriend and they appeared on many red carpets together and also shared an apartment.
Their split was tough on both of them, especially Greg, who had to play tracks from Ellie's break-up album on his afternoon show in 2012.
Ellie sought comfort in the dubstep DJ following her split from Greg.
Their relationship started online but the singer felt an increasing urge to spend more time with the producer while in the US recording with him.
Ellie once described the pair as "very similar". They collaborated on his 2011 track Summit.
The singer, who added the 2014 Best Female Solo Artist Brit to her 2010 Critics' Choice award, went public with Jeremy at an after-party in 2013.
She was seen kissing the actor – who plays the young Sam in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again – on the dancefloor during a boozy night.
They regularly attended events as a couple.
The pair were spotted holding hands at the MTV VMAs in New York.
Their relationship was kept under wraps but Ed later wrote Don't about Ellie moving on with 1D's Niall while they were still seeing each other.
They always spoke of how they were strong as friends but Ellie and Niall did get closer, as Ed knows all too well. But there was never any danger of this getting too serious.
Ellie took her love of working out to new levels by briefly dating fitness instructor Sam.
They were spotted frolicking in the sea and on a yacht owned by Justin Bieber during one particularly sun-drenched break in Florida.
He was a member of fitness company Barry's Bootcamp, based in Miami Beach.
These two were so in love that they even got matching skull and crossbones tattoos on their middle fingers.
Ellie joined Dougie in Australia when he was on tour but later used her own tour as a vehicle to get over their split.
The Beckhams' personal trainer briefly moved into Ellie's six-bedroom pad in South London after only two months of dating.
The pair were inseparable for a time but that was probably down to their joint love of keeping fit than anything else.
Their romance had "started cooling off" after Christmas 2016.


Here's a card I made with some Lawn Fawn Stamps. Lawn Fawn is a stamp company owned by my friend Kelly Marie Alvarez. They are amazing quality and they have adorably cute designs.
This set uses the Critters in the Burbs set. I love love love the little animals! I paired them here with some My Mind's Eye Quite Contrary. This is a slightly smaller than A2 card. I paper pieced everything and added some pink rhinestones (Kaisercraft) to the center of the flowers.
Ok, for my self imposed challenge I'm going to make 200 cards before I can buy any new supplies. Eeek! Is that crazy? Probably but I have so much amazing stuff that I never use and then I go buy new stuff. It's insane. I've made 4/200 so far. I will update you all everyday so people can keep me accountable.
Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope your day is wonderful!
Ewwww, I love how you paper pieced everything! SO cute!!!!
Darling card, Ashley! That is a great challenge. We all should probably do that but then all of the stamp and paper companies would go bust! LOL!


text:
Actor and comedian Niall Tóibín dies, aged 89
Updated / Wednesday, 13 Nov 2019 19:34
Niall Tóibín
The death has been announced of the actor and comedian Niall Tóibín who died in Dublin early today after a long illness.
The actor was working up until last year when he appeared in a Irish short film Remains. His film career saw him play an array of memorable characters including Tom Cruise's father in Far & Away, Judge Ballaugh in Veronica Guerin; a poteen-maker in Poitín and as islander Seán alongside Pierce Brosnan in The Nephew.
Television appearances included RTÉ's The Clinic; with his screen credits including; Ballykissangel, RAT, The Ballroom of Romance, King of the Castle, Brideshead Revisited and Frankie Starlight amongst others.
President Michael D Higgins paid tribute to Tóibín and praised his "unforgettable performances in all of the Irish theatres".
"It is with great sadness that I have learned of the death of Niall Tóibín," President Higgins said.
"His contribution to Irish theatre was a unique one, in both Irish and English. The depth of interpretation that he brought to a wide variety of characters showed a very deep intellectual understanding and, above all, sensitivity to the nuance of Irish life.
"The range of his work was vast and included unforgettable performances in all of the Irish theatres and some of the most important theatres in London and New York.
"While a huge audience will have adored his comic genius, his work included all the genres stage, television, film and radio. To the latter he brought a distinctive voice which made him a much-loved interpreter of Irish life and its challenges.
"Sabina and I send our deepest condolences to his children Sighle, Aisling, Fiana, Sean and Muireann and the other members of his family, and to all those who so loved his work."
RTÉ previously announced a new documentary on Niall Tóibín, which is due to air as part of the forthcoming Christmas schedule.
With exclusive access to rare family archive and countless excerpts from his TV shows, movies and stand-up performances, the documentary will offer a rare insight into one of Ireland's greatest comical minds. It will feature interviews with all of Niall's children, as well as Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne and Jim Sheridan.
Dee Forbes, Director-General, RTÉ, said: "Niall Tóibín started acting in the 1950s and spent fourteen great years with the Radio Éireann Players. He became, ultimately, a familiar face on RTÉ to generations of Irish people. A proud Corkman, he was as at home in film as on the stage, and an especially entertaining guest on many Late Late Shows over the years. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam."
On-stage highlights included when he played Behan in Borstal Boy both in the Abbey Theatre and on Broadway, he was in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot by at the National Theatre, London. He also played Andy in Brian Friel's Lovers at The Gate Theatre.
In 2011 he was awarded an IFTA, with actor Stephen Rea paying tribute to Tóibín calling him a "dream to work with" adding "he is one of the great figures in our business, in our art, I have an immense fondness for him, he has a very sweet nature as well."
The late Irish writer Ulick O'Connor on the same occasion said that Tóibín was a "major actor" who, alongside Donal McCann, "manifested the Abbey style, they kept it alive."
He is predeceased by his wife, Judy, and is survived by his children Sean, Muireann, Aisling, Sighle and Fiana and his seven grandchildren.
ballykissangel
Borstal Boy
Brideshead Revisited
Niall Tóibín - a gallery of a great entertainer niall tobin


text:
10th International Conference on Cosmetic Dermatology and Plastic Surgery December 07-08, 2020 Tokyo, Japan
NANOMED CONGRESS 2023, USA
Dental Marketing 2023, USA
Radiation Oncology-2023, USA
SKIN BODY 2023, UK
ALLERGIC DISEASES 2023, UK
METABOLIC DISEASES 2023 , UAE
Global Pediatric summit 2023, South Korea
Digital Health 2023, Singapore
Asian Nursing Care 2023, Singapore
DENTAL SCIENCE CONGRESS 2023, Singapore
Come Let's Bring a Transformation in the Scientific Society
The Young Researchers Forum offers young researchers the possibility to meet and discuss research topics and methodologies, share and develop ideas, learn from each other and gain knowledge from senior researchers.
Young Researcher Sessions are organized at the CDPS 2020, to provide a unique platform for Young Researchers/Investigators for presenting latest research projects with an in-depth analysis. OMICS International cordially invites Young Researchers from Universities/Institutes/Industries to present a short oral presentation during the forum. These oral presentations should be of 10 minutes duration in related scientific track followed by 5 minutes question hour. Therefore, presenters are encouraged to give comprehensive and dynamic talks. Applications will be selected based on past research productivity and future promise.
Guidelines for Young Researchers Forum
Showcase your research through oral presentations.
Learn about career development and the latest research tools and technologies in your field.
This forum will give pertinent and timely information to those who conduct research and those who use and benefit from research.
Develop a foundation for collaboration among young researchers.
The forum will provide an opportunity for collegial interaction with other young investigators and established senior investigators across the globe.
Interact and share ideas with both peers and mentors.
Actively distribute information and promote the benefits of education and career matters.
Young Investigators (e.g. Post-Graduate students, Post-doctoral fellows, Trainees, Junior faculty) are the focus of this event.
The topic must fit into scientific sessions of the conference.
Each individual participant is allowed to submit only one paper (as first author or co-author).
None of the authors should have senior position or faculty position.
Participants should be below the age of 33 years.
All submissions must be in English.
The prize winning papers will be considered for publication in the OMICS Publishing Group journals once the paper is subjected to standard review procedures.
Candidates applying for the Young Researcher Award should send their resume, and a letter of recommendation (from a research adviser for students or a senior faculty member) to [email protected] along with the online application form below.


Car manufacturers are required under law to report death and injury claims to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Those figures allow the regulatory agency to identify potentially fatal and dangerous defects. In the last year, the federal agency has investigated reporting inaccuracies related to Honda and Fiat Chrysler. Now, a new report shows that Volkswagen – in the midst of an emissions scandal – may have underreported deaths and injuries relate to its vehicles.
Bloomberg, citing an analysis of government data, reports that over the last decade VW has consistently reported death and injury claims at a rate of nine times lower than the average rate for the 11 biggest automakers.
In fact, the company's reporting rate even fell below that of both Honda and Fiat Chrysler's underreported claims.
Financial advisory firm Stout Risius Ross Inc. analyzed the government data and created a ratio of death and injury reports per million vehicles on the road for each automaker.
According to that analysis, the average incident reporting rate among all 11 manufacturers came out to about 301 deaths and injuries per million vehicles.
On the far low end was VW, which reported just 34 incidents per million vehicles. In contrast, General Motors reported 524 incidents per million vehicles.
The underreported rate for Honda and Fiat Chrysler had rates of 101 and 78 incidents per million vehicles on the road, respectively.
As a result of its underreporting, Honda was fined $70 million by NHTSA, while regulators have yet to determine if Fiat Chrysler will face additional fines on top of its recent $105 million penalty related to a failure to address recalls.
While it's possible that the reporting rate for VW just means the company's cars are the safest on the market, consumer advocacy groups say that likely isn't the case.
Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Washington-based watchdog Center for Auto Safety, tells Bloomberg that Volkswagen's numbers are so low that he questions how they were compiled.


Yes, that is correct. If you search this forum, you will find several threads about the rather frustrating, but worthwhile process. I posted one myself, with all the details, a couple of months ago.
Basically, go to the Vatican website (HolySee.com, I think), find the fax number for Vatican Museums tour (it takes some looking to find it), and fax to them a request including number of people, names, dates wanted.
You will need the Vatican's faxed confirmation, along with IDs, in order to get into the tour group.
It is the least expensive way to tour the Vatican Museums/Sistene Chapel, I believe, and also the only way I've heard to get a reserved entrance time.
My daughter and I did it last May. We had a reservation at 2:00 on a Monday, we went right in, joined a small group of about 8 others, got our headsets, met our guide, and were on our way to a very nice 2 hour tour.
Try to get in by 2:00 at the latest, so you will be in the Chapel by 4:00. Because from the chapel you can go directly into St. Peter's Basilica, without going outside to get in line again, which saves a lot of time. But the door from the Chapel closes at 4:30, so plan accordingly.
"Yes, that is correct. If you search this forum, you will find several threads about the rather frustrating, but worthwhile process. I posted one myself, with all the details, a couple of months ago. "
This site is so depressing. People keep asking the same questions over and over because they are too lazy to do a simple search.
You are free to investigate the Vatican museum at your leisure, once the tour has ended.
ooops! fax line very busy. We will keep trying.


text:
Q: How to deduce the viewPath for getSelectedModel From an action in a view that is made of multiple borders, splits, and so on, I would like to reach data that are situated in different tables of the view.
To do that, I try to deduce the viewPath parameter for the getSelectedModel, getModel methods.
What is the structure of the view, how to navigate between the different tables and deduce the viewPath in order to call the getSelectedModel / getModel... ?

A: The view path is an array of indexes that allows to navigate from a view to another one in the containment hierarchy. It is used in several methods of the AbstractActionContextAware class that is extended by all actions, but that you can also extend from any application class that would need utility methods to explore the action context.
The rationale behind this view path is to start from the view from which the action was triggered and to follow the view path to reach the target view and, for instance, get its selected index.
The navigation rules are the following :

*

*a negative step index (-n) in the path means navigate up to the n'th parent

*a positive step index (+n) in the path means navigate down to the n'th child

The index of the child view when a positive step is found depends on the type of container you're on. Here are the rules :

*

*children indexes are zero-based.

*the children of a border container are indexed following this fixed order : north, west, center, east, south. I one child is missing then it is not taken into account, e.g. in a border with only a north and center children views, the center child will have index 1.

*the children of a grid container (either even or constrained), tab container are indexed following their order of declaration.

*the children of a split container are indexed from top to bottom or left to right depending of its orientation.

For instance, given the following UI :

split_horizontal {
  left {
    tabs {
      form
      table('A')
    }
  }
  right {
    border {
      top {
        form
      }
      center {
        table('B')
      }
    }
  }
}

the view path from table `A` to table `B` will be :
[-1, -1, 1, 1]


text:
U-86 under Walter Schug patrolled off New England for 9 days August 1942, sank no ships there, sank Wawaloam offshore
Patrol 50, U-86 under Walter Schug, 9 days, August 10-25, 1942.
Walter Schug who patrolled off New England for 9 days in August 1942. Photo courtesy of: http://uboat.net/men/commanders/1147.html
KapitänleutnantWalter Schug patrolled New England waters for nine cumulative days in August 1942. Originally his command U-86 entered about 250 miles south of Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, heading west between the 10th and 11th of August. Then the boat turned south, then southwest, exiting the region well south of Block Island (about 350 miles) on the 13th.
U-86 returned to the region about 300 nautical miles southeast of Nantucket on the 21st of August, headed west for three days to a point about 200 miles south of Nantucket, then southwest to a point well south of Montauk, and southeast to exit the area a second time on the 25th of August. The submarine sank no Allied ships whilst in the region, and indeed on its first Operation Paukenschlag patrol from 25 March to 26 May it sank no ships either.
The only vessel sunk on this patrol was the schooner Wawaloam under Capt. Louis Kenedy on 6 August 460 miles south of Cape Race, Newfoundland. The sailing vessel was 342 tons (see the book "The Last Schoonerman" for more details of this extraordinary skipper).
This patrol lasted 79 days between leaving Brest on 2 July 1942 and returning there on the 18thof September. During that time U-86 originally joined a wolfpack named, appropriately, Wolf towards the Newfoundland Bank. They missed one convoy but trailed ON 113 from the 23rd of July (two ships were sunk for the loss of one boat, U-90 – Wynn, Vol. 1, p.65).
U-89 and other Wolf boats dispersed and were refueled by U-461 on the 29th and 30thof July near the Azores. On her final approach to France it is believed (Wynn, Ibid.) that the boat was attacked by an airplane of 58 Squadron. Wynn says that Schug was cautious and wary of approaching the American coastline because at "some time during the patrol she had sustained some damage."
Walter Schug was a member of the Crew of 1934. Born in October 1910 he perished at age 33 in the North Atlantic east of the Azores when U-86 was sunk by depth charges from HMS Rocket and HMS Tumult on the 29th of November 1943. Schug and his 49 crewmates were lost (UBoat.net, Niestle).
Before joining U-boats in February 1940 he served in Reserve Naval Artillery and was a commanding officer of a Naval Assault Troop Division. He then served as 1st Watch Officer of U-74 from October 1940 to April 1941. He took command of U-86 after its commissioning, in July 1941 (Busch & Röll) Schug's total was three ships sunk for 9,614 tons and one ship damaged for 8,627 tons. He received no decorations.
Busch, Rainer and Röll, Hans-Joachim, "German U-Boat Commanders of World War II, A Biographical Dictionary," Greenhill Books, London and Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 1999
Helgasson, Guðmundur and Kolbicz, Rainer, www.uboat.net, 2015
Högel, Georg, "U-Boat Emblems of World War II 1939 – 1945," Schiffer Military History, Atglen, PA, US, 1999
Kurowski, Franz, Knights of the Wehrmacht, Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service," Schiffer Military/Aviation History, Atglen, PA, US, 1995
Mason, Jerry, www.uboatarchive.net – for the KTB or war diary of this patrol, 2015
Niestlé,Axel, "German U-Boat Losses During World War II – Details of Destruction," Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 1998
HMS Rocket HMS Tumult RAF 58th Squardon schooner Wawaloam SV Wawaloam The Last Schoonerman U-461 U-74 U-86 Wolf Wolfpack
U-132 under Ernst Vogelsang patrolled New England 3 days in July/August 1942
U-455 under Hans-Heinrich Geissler patrolled New England 4 days in September 1942, sank no ships there, mined Charlestson


text:
class PrefService;

namespace extensions {

// An ExtensionsBrowserClient that supports a single content::BrowserContent
// with no related incognito context.
class ShellExtensionsBrowserClient : public ExtensionsBrowserClient {
 public:
  // |context| is the single BrowserContext used for IsValidContext() below.
  explicit ShellExtensionsBrowserClient(content::BrowserContext* context);
  virtual ~ShellExtensionsBrowserClient();

  // ExtensionsBrowserClient overrides:
  virtual bool IsShuttingDown() OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool AreExtensionsDisabled(const CommandLine& command_line,
                                     content::BrowserContext* context) OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool IsValidContext(content::BrowserContext* context) OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool IsSameContext(content::BrowserContext* first,
                             content::BrowserContext* second) OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool HasOffTheRecordContext(content::BrowserContext* context)
      OVERRIDE;
  virtual content::BrowserContext* GetOffTheRecordContext(
      content::BrowserContext* context) OVERRIDE;
  virtual content::BrowserContext* GetOriginalContext(
      content::BrowserContext* context) OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool IsGuestSession(content::BrowserContext* context) OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool IsExtensionIncognitoEnabled(
      const std::string& extension_id,
      content::BrowserContext* context) const OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool CanExtensionCrossIncognito(
      const extensions::Extension* extension,
      content::BrowserContext* context) const OVERRIDE;
  virtual PrefService* GetPrefServiceForContext(
      content::BrowserContext* context) OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool DeferLoadingBackgroundHosts(content::BrowserContext* context)
      const OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool IsBackgroundPageAllowed(content::BrowserContext* context)
      const OVERRIDE;
  virtual void OnExtensionHostCreated(content::WebContents* web_contents)
      OVERRIDE;
  virtual void OnRenderViewCreatedForBackgroundPage(ExtensionHost* host)
      OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool DidVersionUpdate(content::BrowserContext* context) OVERRIDE;
  virtual scoped_ptr<AppSorting> CreateAppSorting() OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool IsRunningInForcedAppMode() OVERRIDE;
  virtual content::JavaScriptDialogManager* GetJavaScriptDialogManager()
      OVERRIDE;
  virtual ApiActivityMonitor* GetApiActivityMonitor(
      content::BrowserContext* context) OVERRIDE;
  virtual ExtensionSystemProvider* GetExtensionSystemFactory() OVERRIDE;

 private:
  // The single BrowserContext for app_shell. Not owned.
  content::BrowserContext* browser_context_;

  // The PrefService for |browser_context_|.
  scoped_ptr<PrefService> prefs_;

  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(ShellExtensionsBrowserClient);
};

}  // namespace extensions

#endif  // APPS_SHELL_BROWSER_SHELL_EXTENSIONS_BROWSER_CLIENT_H_


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I've been blessed over the years.
I don't mean in some mystical new-age Meme sense you may find posted on Facebook that is typically full of schmaltz.
I mean in the "Damn, I'm lucky" sense.
Somehow I stumbled into a career that if I was never passionate about, it provided a livelihood and gave me a skill set in demand. And is funding my current jaunt.
I am currently typing at my friends' home when they are on vacation. They gave me their house key a long time ago and trust me implicitly. Their sons are my adopted nephews.
When car problems happened recently, I had a place to stay and they made sure everything was OK. Other friends have let me stay in their home in Golden anytime when I pop back into Colorado.
Too many people to mention who have been such an important part of my community here in Colorado.
And then there are the many experiences I have had since leaving Rhode Island. Mountains climbed, canyons explored, and new skill sets learned.
And part of that luck? Somehow I learned to ski. And made a community where we enjoy each other's company on the holidays.
And how do we enjoying these holidays? By skiing into Colorado's hut system into the Rocky Mountains during winter.
We drove up to Leadville, CO and we visited the well-known Leadville Hostel. A place with many good memories for me and loved by many thru-hikers, backcountry skiers, and ultra-runners. The hostel will always be special to me.
Judy, Mark, and I walked around Leadville before dinner. The town was festive and frankly felt like winter. And that is a good thing! The air was cold, there was a bit of snow on the ground, and the town was decorated in exceptional holiday style.
Rather than follow the single track winter route, we all went up the summer route following the jeep road. About the same elevation gain and mileage as the single track, but much easier for using a sled. Good food, adult libations, and gear are much easily brought up!
With the Jet Sled variation to the 10th Mtn Division Hut. December 2017. PCO Anton S.
The day was quite blustery! Upon reaching the hut, fires were started, water boiled, and a cozy home for the weekend was made.
Once everyone safely arrived, we all settled in for the evening.
I do enjoy telling a story a smidge. And perhaps talk with my hands a bit. And may have had a glass of wine or two. 🙂 PCO Joe W.
The day, if not entirely blue bird stunning, did hold the promise of better weather that morning.
The day was still windy, but in the trees and the cusp of treeline was tolerable. And the views stunning.
We were able to ski up to Slide Lake. A place where the legendary 10th Mtn Division trained nearly eighty years ago.
The Christmas Eve sunset later that evening proved to be memorable.
The weather moved in that night. Nearly white-out conditions greeted us. Perhaps perfect for Christmas Day.
A good day to be lazy in the hut!
A feast and another fantastic Christmas evening was enjoyed.
A cozy place to spend a holiday.
We skied out the following day.
Group photo. PCO of Will R.
Blue skies and no wind greeted us for the final miles back to the car.
Another excellent weekend spent with friends. And another reminder of just how wonderful life is overall.
What a Great Way to spend a Holiday with friends in an environment only a few get to experience. Paul, you have had a Bountiful 2017 that has surely rewarded yourself & your subscribers. Keep us informed throughout 2018. A sincere – Thank You!


Here are reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for the contest period of January 18 - February 1.
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text:
UK Corbynites' Zero Covid campaign: "Zero" in name only
On Monday, the Zero Covid Coalition held an online meeting, "The virus is not going away. So, neither can we."
The meeting demonstrated that the campaign exists solely to provide a cynical apologia for the refusal of the Labour Party and trade unions to do anything that genuinely opposes the Conservative government's policy of allowing the virus to rip through workplaces and schools, to deadly effect.
Led by the dwindling group of Corbynite MPs, any commitment to a supposed policy of eliminating COVID is purely for show.
The Zero Covid Coalition describes itself as "a broad campaign jointly convened by Diane Abbott MP [formerly Jeremy Corbyn's shadow home secretary] and the Morning Star [newspaper of the Stalinist Communist Party] to oppose this government's reckless policies and fight for a Zero Covid strategy."
However, in opening the meeting Abbott said, "Some of our speakers tonight don't agree with the demand for Zero Covid, yet I am delighted that they have nevertheless agreed to speak.
Screenshot of Diane Abbott speaking at the Zero Covid Coalition online meeting
"It's always been the case that some people that support our organisation don't necessarily believe in absolutely Zero Covid. But we have never put a barrier up to prevent people who perhaps only want to speak about improving the situation, or who want to speak about a specific section of society, or who represent a certain body of people. As far as we're concerned. They are all very welcome."
What does this mean in practice? Abbott added, "All around the world there are pressures against campaigners, but also against medical and scientific communities or even pressures on elected governments, to adopt the disastrous policies which are currently in place in the United States and in Britain and which have led to a public health catastrophe. These pressures must be resisted. We cannot and should not learn to live with the virus. This has only led to big death tolls."
But far from resisting these pressures to adapt to a herd immunity agenda, Abbott introduced speakers from the Labour Party and the trade unions dedicated to the proposition that we must indeed learn to live with the virus, while portraying them as allies of those genuinely wanting to fight.
Top billing on the platform was given to Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales's devolved Labour government. He was accompanied by Abbott, Richard Burgon and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, all members of Labour's Corbynite Socialist Campaign Group.
Screenshot of Mark Drakeford speaking at the Zero Covid Coalition online meeting
Alongside them were Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) and Vicky Blake, president of the University and College Union (UCU).
Drakeford was presented as the leader of a sane holdout throughout the pandemic against the maniacal policies of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government. However, while the Welsh government, like the devolved Scottish National Party-led government at Holyrood, imposed a few more mitigation policies than Westminster, such as a two-week firebreak at one point as cases shot up, both fell in line behind Johnson on ending mitigation measures in July.
Drakeford and Welsh Labour's limited measures have changed nothing fundamentally in terms of infections and lives lost. On October 1, over eight weeks after the July 19 Freedom Day in which the economy was reopened, Wales Online reported, "Wales continues to have an infection rate far above any other part of the UK." It noted, "Despite a slight dip early in September, cases in Wales have continued to rise as we head towards October with the rates of Covid in Wales now more than double that of England." In Scotland, cases were also substantially above England's.
On October 5, Wales announced its first death due to COVID of a child under 14. Another child's death has since been recorded in the country. A Welsh teenager over the age of 14 died earlier in the pandemic.
Last week, speaking at a press conference, Drakeford reported on the consequences of his government's policies: "One in 40 people in Wales could have coronavirus [up from one in 45 the previous week]. More than 820 hospital beds across Wales are occupied today by COVID patients".
With cases in Wales then at 656 per 100,000, "Over the past three weeks, coronavirus cases have risen sharply to the highest rates we have seen since the pandemic began and more people are falling so seriously ill that they need hospital treatment." In addition, "We have identified over 2,000 cases of a new and possibly more transmissible form of the Delta variant already here in Wales."
And his response?
Wales would remain at COVID alert level zero. Only isolation guidance would change, with fully vaccinated adults and children aged five to 17 now asked to isolate themselves until they get a negative PCR test if someone in their household has symptoms of the virus or tests positive.
The Welsh government also "intends" to extend the use of the COVID pass proving vaccination to theatres, cinemas and concert halls from November 15.
"If rates continue to rise rather than fall the Cabinet will have to consider introducing further restrictions at the next review," Drakeford added, but "None of us want to see that happen."
To underscore this message, Drakeford ended his press conference by telling everyone he would see them at the Wales-New Zealand rugby match, just two days later, that he would be attending with 70,000 other people.
On schools, Drakeford, like Johnson, insisted they could be opened safely last January. He declared, in opposition to teachers who demanded that face-to-face teaching be suspended, "We reached an agreement with our local education colleagues that in Wales we will have a phased and flexible return to school."
Drakeford played down the severity of the disease and its impact on children at the time declaring, "There is no evidence that young people get the illness more severely as a result of the [Delta] variant." It was only because many teachers refused to work that Wales, like England, was forced to announce that schools and colleges would remain closed to students until after the February half-term.
The other prominent "allies" of the Corbynite and Stalinist Zero Covid campaign came from education unions that have spent the entire course of the pandemic opposing action by their members and who now insist that schools, colleges and universities must be kept open.
Kevin Courtney of the NEU never bothered to utter the words "Zero Covid" in his remarks. He has rather assumed the position of High Priest of schools staying open at all costs on behalf of the Johnson government.
Screenshot of Kevin Courtney speaking at the Zero Covid Coalition online meeting
Courtney presented a revised version of history, claiming that it was his union which led the charge to ensure schools were not reopened at the height of the pandemic in January. "We knew it wasn't safe and we had an online meeting of 40,000 of our members. We know that 400,000 people watched it over Facebook and we advised our members to send in Section 44 letters and as a result of that most schools didn't open the next day."
The action taken by rank-and-file teachers was what forced Johnson to cave in. It was only when it was clear that opposition was becoming overwhelming among educators and parents to the horrifying COVID-19 death rates—which had taken the lives of at least 570 education workers—that the NEU asked its members to refuse to return to work in January by citing Section 44 of the workplace Health and Safety Act. Courtney et al were only attempting to corral popular anger behind a policy of individual protest, while stifling demands for strikes and other forms of collective action.
Within a few weeks, the NEU was insisting that members no longer use Section 44 letters without their strict approval, backing up government preparations for a full reopening in July.
Courtney's speech at the Zero Covid event could best be described as an extended rant against "education disruption":
"Cases were going up really fast in schools and that is actually really disrupting education as children stay off because they're positive and we're not doing enough to control the cases. Or their staff, their teachers, stay off because they're positive. And some of them and have very little symptoms or no symptoms, but they still have to stay off because they're positive and that's still disrupting education and it's also disrupting the education of the children who have symptoms which go on longer." [emphasis added]
Courtney made no reference to the nearly 600 known deaths of UK educators from COVID, or the more than 100 children who have died through being knowingly exposed to a deadly disease.
In a particularly brutal comment, Courtney declared, "Whatever the consequences of Long COVID that we don't know about… one of the consequences is you're often off school and your education is being disrupted. And it's not just those in-school disruptions. We can see from the data that if secondary schools are the group that are going up fastest, then the age group that are 30 years older than them, their parents, they are then starting to pick up as well."
Courtney's answer to all this was to assert that the virus could be largely checked if only the Westminster government followed the guidance in Scotland, where "there is still a mask mandate in secondary schools."
He added, "There's another difference in Scotland. If your brother or sister test positive you have to stay at home for three days, then get a PCR test. You can only go back to school if you're negative."
"That sounds in Scotland like they're disrupting children's education, that children who have close contacts have to stay off. But actually the net effect is less children off school in Scotland than in England, despite the fact that those very close contacts are being held off."
Courtney also called for investing in ventilation and filtration and the return of bubbles in schools, adding that this was "not necessarily to send bubbles home, but to stop the virus spreading from one group to another."
He reassured all concerned that "Most of those steps are no disruption whatsoever to people's everyday lives or to their education. They reduce disruption to education as well as reducing the total amount of virus."
These limited mitigations did nothing to stop the spread of the virus in Scottish schools or anywhere else.
Scotland's reopening of schools from August 11 resulted in the virus ripping through classrooms. Figures revealed as a result of Freedom of Information requests to Public Health Scotland (PHS) found that more than half of schools (1,455 or 58 percent) had at least one coronavirus case in the first two weeks of term. The Scotsman reported, "PHS data also shows nearly 15% of cases [8,113 positive cases] during the same time period could be linked to an educational setting, a nursery, school, college or university…"
Courtney concluded with the humble suggestion to the Tories: "Vaccination is the way out, but vaccination needs a helping hand and the sorts of measures we're talking about on this call are that helping hand and our government should be implementing them."
Behind the occasional rhetoric, the Labour and trade union bureaucracy has no fundamental differences with the Johnson government. They are allied with it in enforcing the insistence of the corporations that there must be no more lockdowns and that, as stated by their own party's leader Sir Keir Starmer, schools must remain open, "no ifs, no buts".
Eliminating the virus and stopping the pandemic can only be achieved through the independent struggle of the working class, opposed to the pro-capitalist agenda outlined in the "Zero Covid" event.
Speaking at the global online webinar hosted by the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) and the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC), WSWS International Editorial Board chairperson David North outlined the basis for a successful fight to end the pandemic:
"The policies pursued by virtually all governments since the outbreak of the pandemic must be repudiated. The subordination of that which should be the unquestioned priority of social policy—the protection of human life—to the interests of corporate profit and private wealth accumulation cannot be allowed to continue.
"The initiative to bring about a decisive turn to a strategy directed toward global elimination must come from a socially conscious movement of millions of people."
Leaked documents expose UK Labour's fraudulent "concern" for COVID safety in schools
Corbyn, Covid and school reopenings: A record of silence and political betrayal
UK: National Education Union leader opposes school strikes in Twitter exchange with parents and teachers
UK passes 9 million COVID infections as children return to school
The coronavirus pandemicThe Politics of the Pseudo-LeftBritainEurope