The previously scheduled SSCF jump race assessment & jump race clinic in PA on Sun, March 4th has been RESCHEDULED to a jump race assessment ONLY on Sun, March 11th, due to ground conditions and the forecast for more rain this week. We are still finalizing the location, but it will be in either Unionville/Radnor-area in PA or northern MD. It will start at 10AM and last approximately 3/4-1 hour. The registration form is on the "forms" page of the SSCF website: https://www.sidesaddlechase.com/forms.
Second, we will have another race assessment *and* race clinic in Virginia on Sat, April 7th. Remember, all riders MUST attend at least one race clinic per year in order to maintain their eligibility. April 7th is also the date of our black-tie BENEFIT GALA -- So come for the clinic in the morning and then dance the evening away! You can find more information on the gala and buy tickets on the website: https://www.sidesaddlechase.com/gala/. Also, we are having a gala sponsor appreciation happy hour on Fri, March 23rd, from 4:30-6:30 PM at the King Street Oyster Bar in Middleburg, VA. Not only has this event been graciously sponsored by Visit Loudoun, but the Oyster Bar is donating 10% of their total sales from happy hour to the SSCF! So please come out to thank our gala sponsors and directly support the SSCF! I have attached the "invites" for the gala and the gala sponsor happy hour -- please feel free to forward them and share with your friends!
Third, all 2018 race invites have been emailed to those horse/rider pairs who are current SSCF members and assessed in VA in January, or are grandfathered in from racing last year. Please remember, you and your horse need to be a current 2018 SSCF member in order to be invited to race, so join today if you want to race in 2018! Please see the 2018 Condition Book on the website for information on racing sideways through the SSCF.
We hope to see you at the races and the SSCF's spring events -- it's going to be an exciting year!
SSCF Hunting Weekend & Awards Reception!
SSCF Race Assessment & Hunting Clinic in the Middleburg Countryside. 12:00-2:00pm. Become familiar with the countryside that you will be hunting on the weekend. Jumping and non-jumping options. Horse/Rider pairs who attend may request to be assessed for SSCF flat races. Open at no cost to all current SSCF members.
Member meeting & cocktail party at Cherry Blossom Farm. 6:30-9pm. All SSCF members are invited.
Hunting with Middleburg Hunt. Drinks & nibbles to follow. The MFHs have graciously offered all 2018 SSCF members hunting aside to be their guests. Jumping and non-jumping fields. Time TBA.
2017 SSCF Awards Ceremony & Reception at the National Sporting Library & Museum. 4:00-6:00pm. Enjoy food from the Side Saddle Café and celebrate the accomplishments of the SSCF members! All 2017 & 2018 members and a guest are invited to attend. Additional tickets are available for $25/pp.
Hunting with Snickersville Hounds from Sunnybank Farm. Tailgate following kindly hosted by Maggie & Rob Johnston. Jumping and non-jumping fields. $100 cap fee. Time TBA.
Entries are in for Willowdale! Amazing new Jumps! And WOW, the prizes!! Thanks to all the sponsors!
The entries are in for Willowdale!
Here are some pictures from the course! We forgot to take a picture of fence 2 but it is identical to the other post and rail jumps. All measure 3' and the post and rails will be brushed prior to the race. It's a beautiful piece of land and an equally beautiful course. Many thanks to the Willowdale committee for including us on their card, and for building us these new beautiful jumps!
All riders will be eligible for a raffle prize to be drawn and presented at the prize ceremony, this is the popular Thinline half pad donated by Thinline, Inc.
Best conditioned TB and non TB will win a bridle each donated by Lund Saddlery.
Best turned out will win a gorgeous hand-made in Italy necklace and a cosmetic collection. These donated by no 109 Shop and Houppette respectively .
The winning rider will take home a keeper trophy from Willowdale, a decanter given and presented by the National Steeplecase Foundation AND a portrait of the winning horse to be painted by local amazing artist Mark Rowland, WOW!! Be sure to checkout his website for work samples, his work is absolutely fantastic!!
Gorgeous ribbons for all riders donated by Lund Saddlery.
We are so excited and so appreciative of all the generous prizes, please be sure to look all these people up on social media, give them a like and a thank you!!
Can't wait to see you all on May 14th! For more info and tickets, see Willowdale Steeplechase.
Loudoun Point to Point Races - What a Day!
The first SSCF race of the season is over, and what a day for riders, horses, and spectators! We had a great turnout in both races. Everyone was at Oatlands early for the 9:15 AM course walk, and we so appreciate the attention that everyone gave. The weather quickly became summer-like, so jackets were deemed optional. The SSCF, race spectators and Loudoun race officials could not have been more pleased with the way the races ran! All horses and riders had been properly prepped, and while the riders rode safely they were still very much racing -- based upon all of the video, there is no doubt that the crowed was fully engaged!
Tilly - Andrew J. Camp - Russell E. Shifflett, Jr. - Russell E. Shifflett, Jr.
Reddington and King of Hearts made most of the running. With a quarter mile to run Reddington pulled away to an easy victory. Winning Margin: 7 Winning Time: 1:48 3/5 Turf: firm. Reddington (reg. Turn Red), ch. g. 2008, by Turn West out of Violet Ransom, by Red Ransom.
Middleburg Photo, the SSCF's official photographer, again was on par for the day, and took some amazing shots of everyone before, during, and after the races. You can view their galleries here. There is also helmet cam video from the jump race, which can be viewed here.
A special thanks goes out to Greenhill Winery, Tri-County Feeds, Fashion, Finds, and Side Saddle Café/Fields of Athenry for allowing us to hold our awards ceremony in their tent on the race course and providing everyone with food and libations.
The New SSCF Hunter Pace Award Series!
The SSCF is very excited to announce the creation of a new Hunter Pace Award, which is open to all rider and horse members of the SSCF who complete a hunter pace or team chase in a side saddle. The awards, including a trophy and ribbons to 8th place, will be presented to riders/horses in both the jumping and flat sections at the SSCF's annual end-of-year awards ceremony.
For more information on the Hunter Pace Award, or if you are interested in sponsoring this or another SSCF award, please contact SSCF VP, Maggie Johnston.
Check out the incredible menu we have planned from local Middleburg restaurant -- and huge SSCF supporter -- Side Saddle Cafe for the Wine Tasting Event on April 9th! Less than 100 tickets are available. This event has sold out in the past, so Get your tickets now before they are gone!
All of the above will be paired with a variety of Greenhill Winery's award-winning wines.
And of course, don't forget to bring your checkbook for the amazing array of silent auction and raffle items that will be offered! All proceeds directly benefit the SSCF, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
The next opportunity for riders and horses to be approved to enter SSCF races for the 2017 season will be at the Loudoun assessment on April 8, 2017.
SSCF Wine Tasting Benefit tickets are now available! Sun., Apr. 9th, 3-6 pm. Greenhill Vineyards' award-winning wine, Side Saddle Cafe's delicious food, plus a silent auction & raffle!
Join us on Sunday April 9th from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm at Greenhill Winery & Vineyards at the 3rd annual wine tasting event!
The event will be held at Greenhill Winery's fabulous Manor House at their vineyard in Middleburg, VA, and feature award-winning wines by Greenhill. While you sip, enjoy delicious catering by Middleburg's Side Saddle Cafe - Middleburg, VA, including the finest pasture raised meats straight from their farm, Fields of Athenry, and a wide assortment of cheeses, vegetables and desserts. Roast seasoned lamb and salmon with cucumber salad are just two of the several wonderful menu items that will be offered at the event.
If you are interested in donating an item, please contact event chairs Robin Somers-Strom at rsomersstrom@gmail.com or Anne D'Ignazio at dignazioa@gmail.com.
Time is flying! Race Clinic, Cheshire Assessment, and SSCF benefit Wine Tasting Event!
Wow, time has really been moving quickly, and the SSCF's race clinic & Cheshire race assessment is now only 30 days away! We have been incredibly fortunate to have had a rather mild winter (compared to the last 3 years), and most of our riders have been able to keep riding, hunting, and prepping their horses for the spring race season.
At the Feb. 26, 2017 clinic, participants and auditors will learn from steeplechasing trainers and jockeys on how to properly and safely race your horse in a group at speed over fences while following all race rules. Whether you have previously raced aside or are interested in racing for the first time, this clinic is not to be missed!
As part of the clinic, all riders and horses who wish to ride in the Cheshire race will be assessed. All riders and horses must demonstrate that they are capable of safely riding in and completing the race at the specified distance and pace, and specified height and number of fences. All must meet the horse and rider requirements listed in the Condition Book. This will really help you on race day, as you will be racing over the same course and terrain that you will practice on at the assessment.
All riders and auditors (including trainers or helpers who are watching) must be members of the SSCF prior the start of the clinic/assessment. Membership forms may be found on the SSCF website on the Forms page. All horses must have a current negative Coggins, and participants must sign all required waivers.
Please contact organizer Kirstie Grabosky at kirstiegrabosky@hotmail.com for additional information. All clinic/assessment registration forms must be received no later than Feb. 21, 2017.
Also, please save the date for the SSCF's 3rd annual Wine Tasting Benefit! It will be held in Greenhill Winery's fabulous Manor House at their vineyard in Middleburg, VA, and feature wines by Greenhill, and food by the amazing Fields of Athenry Farm & Side Saddle Cafe. We will again feature an incredible array of items available through a silent auction, with all proceeds benefiting the Side Saddle Chase Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization.
If you are interested in donating an item, please contact event chairs Robin Somers-Strom at rsomersstrom@gmail.com or Anne D'Ignazio at dignazioa@gmail.com. A donation form can be found here.
See you in 30 days, if not sooner!
Chronicle of the Horse Article "Riding Aside for a Cause"
Middleburg, VA – The Side Saddle Chase Foundation announces the release of their web site and Condition Book.
Side Saddle Chase Foundation co-founders Devon Zebrovious and Maggie Johnston, who organized the first all side saddle race in the United States in 2015, have launched www.sidesaddlechase.com which includes the Foundation's race listings, related training and hunting educational events, membership forms, awards including the OVS Perpetual Trophy, partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, and a racing Condition Book.
Devon Zebrovious, president of the Side Saddle Chase Foundation, describes the side saddle races as combining the elegance of riding aside with thrilling and challenging sporting competition. Ms. Zebrovious and her husband George Kuk are owners of Cherry Blossom Farm in Middleburg, Virginia. Together they have over 60 years combined experience riding in the hunter/jumper rings and hunt field. Ms. Zebrovious, a three-time national side saddle champion, has ridden side saddle for more than 15 years in the show ring and hunt field, and has taught many riders who currently show, hunt, and/or race aside.
The Side Saddle Chase Foundation's mission as a 501(c)(3) organization is to provide education on riding aside, as well as to promote point to point racing and fox chasing and the need to preserve open spaces where those pursuits are enjoyed. The addition of Side Saddle Chase Foundation-affiliated races have proven to produce increased race-day attendance and media coverage. The current spring calendar features races at Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhound in PA, Loudoun in VA, and Potomac in MD.
The new Side Saddle Chase Foundation web site includes a Condition Book, which serves as the rules and requirements for current races and any future races interested in including a side saddle race. Horse and rider safety, race requirements, tack and attire guidelines as well as race and year-end awards and scoring are all included.
Welcome to the brand new website of the SSCF! Our goal with this site is provide a repository of information on the SSCF, to include upcoming educational events, races, award point totals, and information on past events. We will continue to keep this information up to date in order to provide our members information when they need it.
The SSCF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, and as such we are able to accept donations to benefit the foundation. Those donations are tax-deductible for the donor. If you are interested in providing a donation, please get in touch with me or Maggie to discuss it.
Thank you, and welcome to the SSCF!


text:
Conus pulcher est une espèce de gastéropodes de la famille des Conidae.

Description
 Il a été décrit par John Lightfoot en 1786.
 Coquille lourde parfois très grande à spire basse en épaulement arrondi. Les côtés peuvent être droits ou légèrement convexes. La base du labre est carrée. L'apex des coquillages âgés est toujours érodé. La couleur et les motifs sont variables, mais c'est en général un coquillage blanc crème avec des bandes orange.
 Taille = . mais peut atteindre . (c'est le plus grand cône au monde).

Répartition
Afrique occidentale.

Habitat
Eaux peu profondes.

Synonymie
 Conus archithalassius, Link (1807)
 Conus bicolor, Sowerby II (1833)
 Conus breviculus, Sowerby II (1833)
 Conus fluctifer, Dillwyn (1817)
 Conus grandis, Sowerby I (1823)
 Conus leoninus, Gmelin (1791)
 Conus nicolii, Wilson (1831)
 Conus papilionaceus, Hwass in Bruguière (1792), appellation encore utilisée aujourd'hui
 Conus paulina, Kiener (1850)
 Conus prometheus, Hwass in Bruguière (1792)
 Cucullus achatinus, Röding (1798)
 Cucullus indiae, Röding (1798)

Philatélie
Ce coquillage figure sur une émission de l'Angola de 1974 (valeur faciale : ).

Notes et références

 Guide des coquillages marins, Gert Linder, Delachaux & Niestlé - Paris (2000), ,
 Les coquillages, S. Peter Dance, Bordas - Paris (1993), ,
 350 coquillages du monde entier, Ariana Fulvo et Roberto Nistri, Delachaux & Niestlé - Paris (2006), ,

Liens externes

  http://huitresandco.over-blog.com/article-6158078.html Article sur le blog « Huitres and co ! »

Espèce de gastéropodes (nom scientifique)
Conidae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Directors: Sofia Coppola
starring Bill Murray, Rashida Jones, Marlon Wayans
written and directed by Sofia Coppola
by Walter Chaw Of all the people making them, Sofia Coppola makes Sofia Coppola movies better than anyone else. Her body of work is remarkable for its consistency--such as that of a Japanese master like Ozu or Mizoguchi, frankly. So the chief complaint of nepotism levied against her strikes me as something of a mixed blessing. I don't know that many creators have ever had the cachet to make exactly the films they want to make. Every single time. And the ones I can think of for which this is also true, it either wasn't always true, hasn't resulted in the level of visibility that Coppola's films earn, or tend to be the province of men exclusively. I wonder about the resentment of some critics towards Coppola for somehow not being representative enough, as though any one artist can or should be expected to check every box. Best, often, not to try. I think of another woman and filmmaker with a similar amount of creative single-mindedness, Claire Denis, scoffing in an interview with Jonathan Romney of THE GUARDIAN when asked about the Hollywood #MeToo movement: "That's a discussion that's only being had in rich countries. The world is not just the United States and Europe. It's a debate of spoiled children. I couldn't care less about the Weinstein affair." Where Denis is indicated mostly by how little she cares what you think, Coppola is branded as a figure mortally wounded by her time in the public view. That vulnerability, real or only perceived, inextricably infuses every frame of her movies with just a little extra trembling pathos.
Continue reading "On the Rocks (2020)" »
Posted in ****/****, 2020, Authors: Walter Chaw, Comedy, Directors: Sofia Coppola, Drama, Romance | Permalink
starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning
written for the screen and directed by Sofia Coppola
by Walter Chaw Sofia Coppola tells Romanticist versions of one transitional moment in her life. She turns it in her hand to see where the light catches it. Her films are examinations of the liminal field between girlhood and womanhood, littered with casualties and trenches, the one left behind and the other ahead, maybe eternally out of reach. Her moment is immortalized one way in father Francis Ford Coppola's decision to cast her as the main love interest in The Godfather Part III, a late replacement for Winona Ryder. Sofia's failure, and her father's betrayal of her by failing to protect her from it, is traumatic, though perhaps not much more than any adolescence--just public, cast into the collective, as it were, for the wolves to worry. It is one of a select company of misfires that is almost universally known. Sofia immortalizes the devastation of her experience in movies that speak, lyrically, to the tragedy of coming-of-age for a young woman. Hers is as coherent and important a body of work as any contemporary filmmaker's, made more so, perhaps, by her status as the only woman director in the United States permitted to explore an elliptical, unpopular theme across several projects.
Continue reading "The Beguiled (2017)" »
Posted in ****/****, 2017, Authors: Walter Chaw, Directors: Sofia Coppola, Drama, Theatrical | Permalink
Marie Antoinette (2006) + Tideland (2006)
**½/****
starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, Rip Torn
screenplay by Sofia Coppola, based on the novel Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser
directed by Sofia Coppola
TIDELAND
***½/****
starring Jodelle Ferland, Jeff Bridges, Brendan Fletcher, Jennifer Tilly
screenplay by Terry Gilliam & Tony Grisoni, based on the novel by Mitch Cullin
directed by Terry Gilliam
by Walter Chaw In going from The Virgin Suicides to Lost in Translation to Marie Antoinette, Sofia Coppola appears to be charting the arc of her own soft, unstructured dive into the morass of melancholia and regret, discovering her voice along the way in the bell tones of Kirsten Dunst, who plays a fourteen-year-old in The Virgin Suicides and, at the start of Coppola's latest film, a fourteen-year-old again, the Austrian Archduchess Marie Antoinette. Coppola's "Fast Times at Palais Versailles" opens with Marie loping through her Austrian palace, just another sleepy, stupid girl with a tiny dog, one poised to have the fate of two countries riding on her ability to produce a male offspring. Betrothed to nebbish French King Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman), she's put into a French court ruled by gossip and bloodline (in one of the film's few literal moments, Marie offers that her waking ritual attended by what seems the entire family plot is "ridiculous") and, while crowned with the mantle of governance, thrust into the role of most popular girl in school, sprung fully-grown as the captain of the football team's best girl. It's impossible for me to not see something of Coppola's own premature coronation as the emotional centre of her father's own royal court, the third Godfather film--and to see in the intense media scrutiny afforded her in the wake of that fiasco the source of all these films about lost youth and the pain of hard choices made on her behalf. Marie Antoinette isn't a historical film so much as it's a dress-up picture; and like most any work of honesty, it's autobiographical (as indicated by its selection of '80s punk-influenced pop) and intensely vulnerable--at least for most of its first hour.
Continue reading "Marie Antoinette (2006) + Tideland (2006)" »
Posted in 2000s, Authors: Walter Chaw, Biopic, Canada, Coming of Age, Directors: Sofia Coppola, Directors: Terry Gilliam, Drama, France, Horror, Japan, Theatrical, UK | Permalink | Comments (0)
starring Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Chris Pontius, Michelle Monaghan
by Walter Chaw Sofia Coppola's Somewhere is another of her little tales of listlessness and the lost, of the beauty in the longueurs of existential crises. The summation of her riffs on loneliness and temporariness and the brief interludes of light that merely serve as punctuations for the dark, it's her best film. Funny how one of the great, near-universally-accepted cinema fiascos could net a filmmaker damaged enough to make delicate, ambiguous pictures about the fear of growing up. It's there at those crossroads that Coppola's work locates itself with characters in situations larger than them, buffeted into ideological corners and forced to answer Prufrock-ian questions, cloistered in hotels and Versailles that substitute for chambers of the sea, indeed, among some talk of you and me. Somewhere feels deeply, intensely personal, though the only secrets it divulges are the obvious ones (the life of reluctant celebrity played out in anonymous rooms before invisible audiences), so that its intimacy is a product of a conversation between its impossible signs and the nostalgia for an experience of loss that we provide it. It's gorgeous, and gorgeously broken--a movie about lifelines by a person who's drowned.
Continue reading "Somewhere (2010)" »
Posted in ****/****, 2000s, Authors: Walter Chaw, Directors: Sofia Coppola, Drama, Theatrical | Permalink | Comments (0)
The Bling Ring (2013) - Blu-ray Disc
***/**** Image A Sound A Extras D+
starring Israel Broussard, Katie Chang, Taissa Farmiga, Leslie Mann
screenplay by Sofia Coppola, based on the VANITY FAIR article by Nancy Jo Sales
by Walter Chaw Doomed to be compared--unfavorably, I think--to Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers, Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring is better seen as another document of ennui and privilege and the different ways the same old dissatisfaction and yearning manifest in endlessly evolving, endlessly confounding ways, generation by generation. Appearing as they both do in the middle of a ceaseless recession with our leaders arguing, as they did in the late-1930s, about social programs that one side believed indispensable and the other recklessly overpriced, neither film is terribly different in structure and execution from The Wizard of Oz. Coppola, upon reflection, is the perfect artist for an updating of Dorothy's trip to the Emerald City--she is, after all, Dorothy. If you were to freeze-frame the film during its opening titles (scored brilliantly, discordantly, by the Sleigh Bells' "Crown on the Ground"), you'd note, as my editor Bill did on Twitter, that Coppola's own credit reads "Written and Directed by Rich Bitch Sofia Coppola." Self-awareness, self-deprecation, it's all of those things, but what it is most, I think, is a kind of acceptance: her own peace with her relationship with the two "acts" of her public life, the first indicated perhaps by her father not protecting her well enough as an actress, the second by her move to behind the camera as a director of quiet, trance-like pictures about little girls lost. If The Bling Ring is ultimately the least of Coppola's films, it gathers weight, develops context, taken as a whole with the others. Say what you will and count me deep in her camp, Coppola is every bit the auteur her father is--and it's his fault.
Continue reading "The Bling Ring (2013) - Blu-ray Disc" »
Posted in 2013, Authors: Walter Chaw, Blu-ray Disc, Crime, Directors: Sofia Coppola, Docudrama, Drama | Permalink | Comments (0)
Lost in Translation (2003) - Blu-ray Disc + Anything Else (2003) - DVD
***½/**** Image B- Sound A- Extras B
starring Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Faris
ZERO STARS/**** Image A- Sound B+
starring Woody Allen, Jason Biggs, Christina Ricci, Danny DeVito
written and directed by Woody Allen
by Walter Chaw It feels a lot like life is an endless succession of heartsickness and anticipation of heartsickness. After a while, taking a line from Tender Mercies, it's hard to trust happiness anymore when happiness feels so ephemeral compared to the weight of grief. Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation is about the wear of time and the unbearable burden of experience--it's about how even what's new and fresh is darkened by the ghosts of regret and time. When Bill Murray's fading star Bob Harris arrives in Tokyo to lend his image to a top-shelf whiskey, he is suffused with so much of the sadness of living that the surprise of life has become something to be viewed with suspicion. Newness fades and that familiar malaise, weary and grey, inevitably takes its place, sometimes even before the exhilaration of newness can reinvigorate. Bob meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) in the hotel bar; she's in town with her photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi), and together Bob and Charlotte paint the town blue.
Continue reading "Lost in Translation (2003) - Blu-ray Disc + Anything Else (2003) - DVD" »
Posted in 2000s, Authors: Bill Chambers, Authors: Walter Chaw, Blu-ray Disc, Comedy, Directors: Sofia Coppola, Drama, DVD, Romance, Scarlett Johansson | Permalink | Comments (0)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The forum is going to come into effect from February 1, 2018 and the trials before the benches are likely to start from the first week of March, 2018.
MahaRERA has formally proclaimed the launch of its reconciliation platform, which will comprise members of builders as well consumer group. The forum will come into live from February 1 and the trials before the conciliation benches are anticipated to start from the first week of March.
A website has been formed and it has also been connected to the MahaRERA website. The conciliation bench is estimated to arrive at the settlement within 45 days from the date on which it was referred to the bench.
Mumbai Metropolitan Region will set up ten conciliation benches (MMR) and Pune region will have 5 benches. The conciliation committee consists of 23 members on behalf of builders from Council of Real Estate Development Association of India (CREDAI), National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO), Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI) and 15 associates on behalf of consumers from Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP).
To get more insight about the new forum and what are its strategies to help homebuyers Mr. Vasant Prabhu who is the MahaRERA secretary was interviewed.
In RERA, Section 32(g) gives provisions for an Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR). Consumer forums representatives were also demanding to implement this provision. Then it was decided to formulate this forum in which consumers' and developers' bodies both will come together. The complainant's will have to spend only Rs. 1,000 to approach the Conciliation Forum on the other hand while registering a complaint with MahaRERA Rs 5,000 is charged. The conciliation benches will be situated in different areas and consumers can register their complaints online. It will be accessible for people and help them save money as well as time.
Nearly 1,634 complaints have been registered under MahaRERA. 46 percent orders have been delivered up till now. And at least 30-40 percent disputes are resolved through a friendly settlement amidst the consumers and developers. That is the reason that it was thought that if there were a conciliatory forum it would be settled there itself. This would result in reduced pressure on MahaRERA and it would be able to concentrate on the critical cases.
In the list of conciliators, there are 23 representing the builders that include CREDAI, MCHI and NAREDCO contrary to this, there were only 15 representatives of consumers from Mumbai Grahak Panchayat.
It is imperative to understand that this consolatory forum is under a control of a core committee. Each main committee has got two individuals from each of these organizations. There are 10 conciliation benches in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and the Pune region has 5 benches. There are more members from the developers' associations as many times person may not be available for the hearing.
The bench will comprise of one person representing the builders' association and one from the consumers' association. These will be the two conciliators and they will be the benches for the hearing. MahaRERA has got its monitoring committee, which will decide the venue of conciliation, and also evaluate the progress among other things quarterly.
From the starting, MGP has been engaged with MahaRERA. It's a very huge organization with numerous members. And as far as the basis for selection is concerned, the guidelines of Arbitration and Conciliation Act, which came out in 1996, are followed. But it's important to note that all the conciliators have been given special training in mediation procedure. Also, we are going to assess their performance.
Conclusively, without any ambiguity it is made abundantly clear that the complainants have got right to approach MahaRERA directly without approaching the conciliation forum. But if they desire they can approach conciliation forum through their website by paying Rs. 1,000. And if they get better results, it will be helpful to them. Otherwise, the second option is always available.


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The Department of Veterans Affairs published a revised rule Tuesday that allows payment of hundreds of thousands of pending claims for private-sector emergency care that veterans' other health insurance covered in part but not in full.
The revised rule says it won't allow retroactive reimbursements for non-VA emergency care claim decisions that became final before April 8, 2016, the day VA lost a landmark federal court fight with Air Force veteran Richard W. Staab.
A New York federal judge on Thursday put the federal government on the hook for approximately $1.4 million after ruling that a Veterans Affairs hospital failed to make a timely diagnosis of a man's lung cancer, which contributed to his death.


According to an earlier report from The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the plans, the Cupertino, California-based tech behemoth is expected to create a subscription offering that includes access to its new original programming, alongside iCloud storage and potentially other services like magazine subscriptions.
While smartphones still comprise roughly two thirds of Apple's total revenue, longer iPhone replacement cycles, weakening global demand and heightened competition from lower-cost rivals such as China's Huawei Technologies have driven the firm to lean on its services like its App Store and Apple Music for new growth. Apple is aiming for $50 billion in sales from its service segment by 2020, compared to $29 billion generated from the unit in fiscal year 2017.
Content has proven to be key in the race to gain subscription revenues and capitalize on a broad shift to direct-to-consumer streaming, causing deep-pocketed tech titans to shell out billions on in-house content production and to poach top talent from Hollywood. In 2018, Apple reportedly plans to spend $1 billion on content acquisition and programming, compared to Netflix Inc.'s (NFLX) over $8 billion and Amazon's $5 billion.
As noted by The Verge, Apple is likely in the process of sorting out how to package, price and sell all of its services, whether together or apart. The ambitious offering would look similar to Amazon Prime, which offers video, music and news, yet will be less narrowly focused on a particular area of entertainment like many popular media services. By differentiating itself against competitors like Amazon and Netflix in this sense, the company could more than double its Apple Music subscriber count to over 100 million over three years, as estimated by analysts at RBC Capital.


text:
Learn how to use the tools available through your student email and Office 365
Logging into Office 365
SettingsToggle Dropdown
Other tips and tricks
Microsoft Office suite
Access Office 365 on computer
Microsoft apps on iPhone/iPad
Microsoft apps on Android
Office 365 access instructions
Directions to access Office 365, where students can either edit files in the web-based programs, or install the Office programs to their computer. Excerpt from the CPC Survival Guide, available from the Student Success and Advising Center at Central Penn College.
Microsoft Word for iPhone/iPad
Information about the Microsoft Word app for iPhone/iPad. The app allows you to type and format documents, just like a computer would.
Microsoft Excel for iPhone/iPad
Information about the Microsoft Excel app for iPhone/iPad. The app allows you to enter, analyze, and format data, just like a computer would.
Microsoft PowerPoint for iPhone/iPad
Information about the Microsoft PowerPoint app for iPhone/iPad. The app allows you to create and edit slides, just like a computer would.
Microsoft Word for Android
Information about the Microsoft Word app for Android. The app allows you to type and format documents, just like a computer would.
Microsoft Excel for Android
Information about the Microsoft Excel app for Android. The app allows you to enter, analyze, and format data, just like a computer would.
Microsoft PowerPoint for Android
Information about the Microsoft PowerPoint app for Android. The app allows you to create and edit slides, just like a computer would.
<< Previous: Setting up Mobile
Next: Settings >>
URL: https://guides.centralpenn.edu/Office365


I write about music a lot because that is my life's breath. And I know you who read my blog have come to expect that from me. I honestly could write about music every day, forever.
I did want to take a brief intermission, however, to tell you that I actually write. Novels, that is.
My last novel was completed and published two years ago. Sometimes one just needs a break. I needed time to gather my wits and to pursue other things, and for me, writing is hard. I wasn't sure I wanted to spend every waking moment thinking about a new story. Writers are strange people.They get too involved. It's easier and more fun to write about music and about hit singles and about artists because it's not about me. Well, it's sorta about me, but in context. I sort of became the protagonist of my last novel, which was unhealthy. I imbued too much of me in it and I became overly protective.
So I needed some distance.
Now, two years later, I think I'm ready to start again.
I tonight re-read the start of my new novel, and I rather like it. Perhaps I'm ready. I've determined, though, that I'm not going to "become" this protagonist. I will keep a steely distance.
In between blogging about music and "years in music" and all those good things; savory things; I will update you on my novel's progress.


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Calix, Inc. has announced Nemont Telephone Cooperative (Nemont) has been using Calix Marketing Cloud to focus and streamline its marketing campaign segmentation to generate new service revenues. A leading local exchange carrier (LEC), Nemont delivers broadband to over 14,000 square miles across the Northeastern part of Montana and into North Dakota, serving varied residential and business subscribers from many small rural communities to growing oil boom cities like Williston, ND.
As Calix Marketing Cloud highlights the subscriber behaviors that are primed for specific service packages, Nemont is seeing impressive take rates of up to 59 percent on new campaigns, while driving 50 percent increases in subscriber sign-ups on existing offers.
"When serving a rural and vast service area like we do at Nemont, it is important to be as efficient as possible while ensuring our subscribers receive broadband services that are on par with those available in urban areas," said Scott Paul, Director of Wireline Operations at Nemont. "With Calix Marketing Cloud, we have made significant progress on both of those goals as we can now target the right subscribers at the right time, and in the right way, to raise the quality of their experience.
The Broadband "Speed Bump" Campaign – Over the course of a four-week period, Nemont leveraged Calix Marketing Cloud behavioral analytics to create the ideal subscriber profiles to target, driving a whopping 59 percent take rate for increased Internet speeds. These subscriber profiles had high usage of gaming and/or streaming applications but were on lower service tiers. With the speed increase, subscribers instantly received better application performance, while Nemont realized a return on investment (ROI) of 262 percent with a single campaign.
Whole Home Wi-Fi Service Campaign – Nemont introduced its managed Wi-Fi service, named "Advanced WiFi." With the help of Calix Marketing Cloud, the take rate nearly doubled from earlier Advanced WiFi campaigns and dramatically improved their subscribers' broadband experience.
"Nemont has a long history of leading the broadband pack, as it was the first to enable a gigabit community in Montana in 2015, and that tradition continues today," said Skip Hirvela, vice president of sales at Calix.


I love my memoir book club. We are a small but mighty group of women who love being together! (hey…why am I the shortest one in the picture?).
This past month we read Diane Keaton's book about her life and we all agreed that the writing wasn't the greatest and even though we all loved Diane Keaton, if she wasn't famous her book would not be read.
The beauty of reading memoir in particular is that you get to see how others have written their life and see what it is that you like. Our first book that we read as a group was called Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell, now that is great writing!
I am blessed to be surrounded by beautiful, smart and funny women!
If you don't belong to a book group, start one…it is great fun!


text:
Q: ActionController::RoutingError (No route matches [GET] "/assets/@rails/actiontext"): I upgraded my app from 6.1 to rails 7. I removed webpack from the project.
actiontext/trix isn't working locally or in production. all I get is a white box that i can't even insert text into. pretty sure i followed all the instructions correctly but i'm not sure where i went wrong. Any guidance on this would be highly appreciated! this app is running on rate.photos
rails server errors:
ActionController::RoutingError (No route matches [GET] "/assets/@rails/activestorage"):

ActionController::RoutingError (No route matches [GET] "/assets/@rails/actiontext"):

ActionController::RoutingError (No route matches [GET] "/assets/@rails/ujs"):

similarly in Heroku logs, a whole bunch of these:
Started GET "/blog/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml"
FATAL -- ActionController::RoutingError (No route matches [GET] "/blog/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml"):

support.rb
class Support < ApplicationRecord

    has_rich_text :content
    belongs_to :user
    validates :name, presence: true
    validates :content, presence: true
end

importmap.rb
pin "application", preload: true
pin "@rails/activestorage", to: "activestorage.esm.js"
pin "local-time" # @2.1.0
pin "trix"
pin "@rails/actiontext", to: "actiontext.js"
pin "sortablejs", to: "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/sortablejs@1.14.0/modular/sortable.esm.js"
pin "@hotwired/turbo-rails", to: "turbo.min.js", preload: true
pin "@hotwired/stimulus", to: "stimulus.min.js", preload: true
pin "@hotwired/stimulus-loading", to: "stimulus-loading-js", preload: true
# pin "@rails/actioncable", to: "actioncable.esm.js"
pin_all_from "app/javascript/channels", under: "channels"
pin_all_from "app/javascript/controllers", under: "controllers"

application.scss
@import 'trix/dist/trix.css';
@import 'actiontext';

 .img {
    width: 300px; /* You can set the dimensions to whatever you want */
    height: 300px;
    object-fit: cover;
}

application.html.erb
<!doctype html>

    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
    <%= csrf_meta_tags %>
    <%= csp_meta_tag %>

    <link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/bootstrap@5.1.3/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet" integrity="sha384-1BmE4kWBq78iYhFldvKuhfTAU6auU8tT94WrHftjDbrCEXSU1oBoqyl2QvZ6jIW3" crossorigin="anonymous">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/bootstrap-icons@1.7.2/font/bootstrap-icons.css">
    <%= stylesheet_link_tag 'application', media: 'all', 'data-turbolinks-track': 'reload' %>
    <%= javascript_importmap_tags %>

    <title>Rate Photos</title>
    <%= favicon_link_tag asset_path('favicon.ico') %>

    <%= render 'home/header' %>

    <%= render 'layouts/messages' %>
      <%= yield %>

added the following in my config/environment/poduction.rb
 config.serve_static_files = false

app/javascript/application.js
// import "./@rails/actionable"
import "@rails/activestorage"

import "./trix"
import "@rails/actiontext"

import Rails from "./@rails/ujs"
import Turbolinks from "./turbolinks"
import * as ActiveStorage from "./@rails/activestorage"
import "./channels"
import LocalTime from "./local-time"

LocalTime.start()
Rails.start()
Turbolinks.start()
ActiveStorage.start()
import "trix"
import "@rails/actiontext"

app/views/supports/_form.html.erb
<%= form_with(model: support) do |form| %>
  <% if support.errors.any? %>

<%= pluralize(support.errors.count, "error") %> prohibited this support from being saved:

        <% support.errors.each do |error| %>

<%= error.full_message %>

        <% end %>

  <% end %>

    <%= form.label "Support Type: ", class:"form-label" %>
    <%= form.select :name, options_for_select([["Bug", ""], "Question", "Feedback", "Review", "Other"]), class: "form-select", id:"exampleFormControlInput1" %>

    <%= form.rich_text_area :content, class:"form-control", id:"exampleFormControlTextarea1", rows:"3", placeholder:"Please provide as much details as possible"  %>

    <%= form.number_field :user_id, id: :support_user_id, class:"form-control", value:current_user.id, type: :hidden%>

    <%= form.submit class:"btn btn-primary" %>

<% end %>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Just a quick question: I have some Amazon purchases to do, and I'd like to go through WIX's sponsored link to access Amazon so WIX can benefit from it. However, I can't for the life of me find the link I need to use.
I just realized that I'm using AdBlock so I deactivated it for the entire site, but even then, I can't see any Amazon link although I can see some of the other ads. Can you help me with this?
On some of my websites, I use a plugin that detects visitors using AdBlock and invites them to deactivate it if they agree. Would something similar would be possible here?
I find AdBlock is almost a necessity because there are so many websites that open too many popups, but I hate the fact that it also prevents me from supporting sites such as WIX, unless I remember to deactivate it for these. I guess once again, it's a case of the "good guys" paying for the "bad guys'" poor behavior.
I finally found the link, so please disregard my previous question, except for the AdBlock part. Maybe it will remind others to deactivate AdBlock for WIX as well.
Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to support the site.
Do you remember the name of the plug in?
I'll have to look into this concept.


text:
2021 IPL guide and preview: Everything you need to know
2021 IPL Guide and preview
Ahead of the 2021 Indian Premier League, here is your complete guide to the 14th edition of the tournament.
Where is it taking place?
The IPL will be held in India in 2021. The tournament returns home after being held in the UAE in 2020 due to coronavirus restrictions.
Despite the fact that the IPL has returned to India, the 2021 edition will be somewhat different from previous editions.
Matches will be held at six different venues – Bangalore, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. Hyderabad has also been earmarked as a backup location.
With not all home stadiums being used, no team is scheduled to play at their home venue. This is to avoid unfair home advantage.
When is it taking place?
The 2021 IPL is scheduled to take place from 9 April to 30 May.
The group stage will end on May 23 and the playoffs will begin on May 25. The final will take place in Ahmedabad on May 30.
Who is taking part?
The tournament will feature eight franchises: Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, with no changes to the teams since the 2020 edition.
The only slight change to note is that Kings XI Punjab have changed their name to Punjab Kings from 2021 onwards.
The IPL starts with a round-robin league process, in which each team plays every other team twice.
When the league stage is concluded, the top four teams enter the playoffs.
In Qualifier 1, the first and second-placed teams compete, with the winner advancing to the final and the loser receiving a second chance in Qualifier 2.
The third and fourth-placed sides then face off in the Eliminator match. The Eliminator loser is eliminated, while the winner advances to Qualifier 2.
The winner of the Eliminator and the loser of Qualifier 1 compete in Qualifier 2 to decide the other finalist.
The two remaining sides then face off in the final, with the winner declared IPL champions.
Will spectators be allowed?
The IPL will start behind closed doors in 2021.
The BCCI can decide to allow spectators at a later stage of the tournament, depending on how the situation evolves during the tournament.
Team-by-team guide:
IPL 13: 7th
Coach: Stephen Fleming
Captain: MS Dhoni
Star players: Ravi Jadeja, Suresh Raina, Sam Curran
Three-time champions Chennai is one of the IPL's powerhouses but endured a tough 2020 campaign as they finished seventh.
Since then, they've had a minor makeover, with IPL regulars Kedar Jadhav, Piyush Chawla, Murali Vijay, and Shane Watson all being released.
IPL 13: Runners-up
Coach: Ricky Ponting
Captain: Rishabh Pant
Star players: Kagiso Rabada, Steve Smith, Ravi Ashwin
In 2020, Delhi had their best season yet, reaching their first-ever final in the franchise's history. Despite falling short against Mumbai, expectations in the capital are high that they will improve this time.
The Capitals were dealt a major blow ahead of the tournament when captain Shreyas Iyer went down with a season-ending injury while on international duty, but stand-in captain Rishabh Pant is a promising replacement.
Coach: Brendon McCullum
Captain: Eoin Morgan
Star players: Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Shubman Gill
Kolkata was denied a place in the playoffs last year on net run rate but will be confident of making it out of the group stage after an active offseason.
After taking over from Dinesh Karthik during the 2020 tournament, Eoin Morgan will have a full season as captain, and the Knight Riders will be hoping he will convert his performance as England captain to the IPL.
IPL 13: Winners
Coach: Mahela Jayawardene
Captain: Rohit Sharma
Star players: Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Quinton de Kock
Mumbai underlined their status as the greatest team in IPL history with their fifth title last year – all coming under Rohit Sharma.
Since then, they've lost all-time IPL wicket leader Lasith Malinga, but a slew of smart additions, including Kiwi duo Adam Milne and Jimmy Neesham, have made Mumbai clear favourites to retain their title in 2021.
Coach: Anil Kumble
Captain: KL Rahul
Star players: Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Jhye Richardson
Punjab failed to reach the playoffs for the 11th time in 13 seasons after another disappointing campaign last year.
Coach: Andrew McDonald
Captain: Sanju Samson
Star players: Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler
Winners of the inaugural IPL Rajasthan struggled to live up to expectations last season, finishing in last place despite having a star-studded lineup.
Their decision to release captain Steve Smith ahead of the auction, as well as their record-breaking signing of Chris Morris for 14.25 crore, made headlines.
Coach: Simon Katich
Captain: Virat Kohli
Star players: AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Yuzvendra Chahal
Bangalore had a good tournament in 2020, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2016, but they lived up to their status as underachievers by losing in the Eliminator.
Some big names were released in the offseason, including Aaron Finch, Moeen Ali and Dale Steyn, with the purchases of Glenn Maxwell and Kyle Jamieson adding some serious firepower to their lineup.
IPL 13: 3rd
Coach: Trevor Bayliss
Captain: David Warner
Star players: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jonny Bairstow, Rashid Khan
The Sunrisers have reached the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, making them one of the most consistent teams in the IPL.
They've also made the fewest changes since the previous tournament, with just five players released and three signed, including Kedar Jhadav and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Categorized as Blog Tagged 2021 IPL guide, 2021 IPL guide and preview, IPL 2021, IPL guide
View all of admin's posts.
CSK vs DC Match 2: IPL 2021 | Predictions


text:
FIND YOUR OWN FAIRY TALE
Cruise to Riga, Latvia
Latvia's historical capital is an architecture buff's dream come true. The Gothic structures in the Old Town and the Art Nouveau buildings scattered around the city meld together to create a modern-day fairy tale. Wander the narrow cobblestoned streets, and step back into the 14th century. Stroll into the bustling Riga Central Market and sample the bright, colourful produce and local products like hemp butter and amber jewellery. Or wander through the street stalls to taste some traditional Latvian cuisine – fried lampreys, a prehistoric jawless fish whose flavour is less scary than it looks. Cruise to Riga and don't miss the city's iconic site, the House of the Blackheads, the former home of a merchant's guild and expression of Riga's medieval roots.
National Language Latvian
Get Charmed
Step into a real-life fairy tale when you visit the Old Town. Climb to the top of the tower at St Peter's Church for views that stretch to the River Daugava and the Moscow District. Explore the House of Blackheads, a 14th-century building, before wandering down the enchanting cobblestoned streets.
Expand Your Architectural Palette
With over 800 existing Art Nouveau buildings in Riga, you could spend the whole day admiring the intricate architecture. Instead, take a leisurely stroll down Elizabetes street to marvel at the ornately decorated buildings.
Savour the Magic
If you need to rest your feet after a few hours spent wandering the Old Town, find a bench in one of the many parks and squares around Riga and relax. Watch as the locals and tourists walk by. Grab a local burger and a cold beer from a street stall, and bask in the ambience of this magical town.
There's no shortage of street food stalls around Riga. Expect them to be serving up speka piragi, small bacon-and-onion rolls. You can also take an afternoon to browse the Central Market and snack on sauerkraut, pickles and the local smoked fish called sprats. Or satisfy your sweet tooth with rye bread pudding topped with cinnamon, raisins, apples, plums, cranberries and whipped cream.
Head to the Old Town to find boutiques offering up handmade traditional Latvian wooden and glass souvenirs, including the distinctive decorative lanterns. Jump onboard a Riga cruise and head to the Central Market for local, organic produce and wines made from apples, chokeberries and sea buckthorn. There, you can also find handmade knitwear, wickerwork and amber jewellery.
1 The quickest way to get around Riga is by Tram. Purchase a 24-hour ticket for EUR 5 so you can use the same ticket all day.
2 Old Town is where most of Riga's hot spots are located, so try to plan most of your day in this area.
Best Deals to Riga, Latvia
CHECK SHORE EXCURSIONS IN Riga, Latvia
Similar to Riga, Latvia
Bordeaux (La Rochelle), France
Waterford (Dunmore East), Ireland
Sicily (Messina), Italy


Over the past year, we have seen some great games such as Horizon Zero Dawn, Resident Evil 7 and Cuphead. Yet amongst these titles has been gems that looked and played really well, but were ruined by corporate greed. Personally, I prefer my gambling to be in designated gambling apps, whether I am playing poker on my PC or bingo on mobile, I prefer to keep my online gaming and gaming online separate. As such, I wanted to highlight five fantastic games that were sadly ruined by loot boxes, trading cards or in-game purchases.
The new Star Wars Battlefront game had all the fixes fans asked for; a deep single-player campaign, more maps and more characters, however, it chose to lock key characters behind loot crates and offer players 'pay-to-win' options if they were willing to part with their hard-earned cash. After a public uproar and an investigation by a gambling commission, they soon changed many of the internal systems to silence the maddening crowds.
The first Destiny game enjoyed a thoroughly satisfying game loop that saw players blast enemies after enemies across an entire solar system of planets. With each headshot, gamers would receive an array of goodies including various colour changing shaders amongst other things. However, when Destiny 2 arrived with its fleshed out storyline and upgraded system, many free features such as coloured shaders were suddenly locked behind a paywall annoying a large portion of their player base.
The amazing Nemesis system made Shadow of Mordor move beyond the standard hack-n-slash and introduce a fun new concept that allowed particular enemies to remember you and strive for revenge. Sadly, this was 'overhauled' in the sequel and Orcs became virtual loot drops, that could be purchased with real-world currency and players could simply avoid playing the game at all. A great game with a unique concept ruined by corporate greed.
Need For Speed: Payback is a totally decent arcade racer undermined at every turn by rampant and predatory monetization. The perfectly normal system of racing cars, earning money and upgrading your car was scraped replacing it instead with a totally incomprehensible "Speed Card" system. The random 'speed-card' drop after each race can be used to upgrade your car and you can, of course, buy certain cards with real-world money.
Like Destiny 2, Forza suffered from paywalling previously free content. Back when Forza 4 came out gamers rejoiced at a whopping 500 cars to choose from. However, when Forza 5 only had 200, they had some explaining to do. Eventually Forza 6 bumped it up to 460 and now Forza 7 celebrates 667 different cars, however, you may have to pay for them at $3.99 each, or by a pack of 48 for $29.99. The addition of a new loot system also meant that some high-performance cars were locked behind a loot box system. Disgraceful.
It's not that the games above are technically bad games, far from it, only that they ooze greed after each session and make gamers feel taken advantage of. My only hope is that all the lessons learned in the past twelve months resonate with developers and publishers and we can look forward to a year of more traditional games.


Originally from Lexington, KY, Gus Tate has performed at Gilda's LaughFest, the Hoboken Comedy Festival, the DC Comedy Festival, and the Rogue Island Comedy Festival. In New York, you can catch him at New York Comedy Club where he hosts a monthly travel storytelling showcase called "Comedy Road Trip!". His debut stand-up album, "Nose Whistles," is now available on Gumroad.


The Command Group serves a diverse array of law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and around the world. We leverage a team of law enforcement veterans spanning the federal, state, and local levels who bring extensive experience in not only enhancing the operations, management structures, and capabilities of existing law enforcement organizations, but also building new ones from scratch. We help law enforcement organizations assess current capabilities, improve management and organizational structures, develop robust training programs, and deploy cutting-edge technologies.
Command Federal Services provides an array of services to support the missions of U.S. federal law enforcement agencies.
Command Consulting works with state and local governments throughout the U.S. to assess and enhance capabilities and organizational structures.
Command Consulting provides organizational development and capacity building solutions to law enforcement organizations around the world.


text:
Hadley Arkes, Ph.D.
Patrick Lee, Ph.D.
Kevin Theriot
John Brehany
Edward Greim
Tom Brejcha
Noel Sterett
Jeremiah Morgan
Rebecca Messall
Joshua McCaig
SPONSOR A SUMMIT
Purpose of the Religious Liberty Summit
Religious liberty in this country is under attack and on a daily basis we see the assaults on this most important of rights under our Constitution. From the forcing of religious citizens and organizations opposed to contraception to participate in unethical insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, to the Internal Revenue Service specifically targeting religious organizations and even to attacks on the right of citizens to speak freely of religion and worship in public, the battle lines have been drawn. Those attempting to destroy religious liberty for the sake of their secular beliefs are organized, determined and will succeed unless we stand together and fight.
The Religious Liberty Summit is a direct response to this assault. For many years organizations and individuals have participated in this fight for religious liberty, working tirelessly and expending resources one battle at a time. As noble as these battles are, as important as these fights may be, unless we join together as a single body, united under this common cause, we stand little chance of turning the cultural shift that is so influenced by the media, academia and liberal politics.
This Summit is the first step in uniting the organizations committed to protecting religious freedom. The ultimate goal of this Summit is to create a coalition committed to working together for the foreseeable future in this fight for religious liberty. On September 21, 2013, the leadership of over 50 organizations gathered in Kansas City. After hearing from speakers on a broad range of religious liberty issues, the delegates at the Summit debated the issues impacting religious liberty and what we need to do as a coalition. The delegates joined in a united declaration and agreed to create a coalition devote to this cause. This coalition, based on input from the delegates at the Summit, will act to educate, lobby and advocate for the religious liberty rights of its members.
The Summit has now expanded beyond Kansas City and is prepared to go to any location that desires to hold an event and bring more organizations into this coalition. The time to join together and fight for freedom is now.
In NM, Same-Sex Marriage Trumps Religious Liberty
Churches Changing Bylaws After Gay Marriage Ruling
Religious Freedom Applies to Businesses: Opposing View
Countdown To Victory
Join together. Fight for freedom.
Copyright © 2013 religiouslibertysummit.com. All Rights Reserved


Barnes & Noble has today announced Nook for Web, a new e-reader platform that the company says removes the need for a Nook account, device, software or downloads of any kind.
Nook for Web will work from all the standard modern browsers – Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome – on Windows and Mac computers. It won't work on your iPad though. Support for tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices is coming later this year.
To read the sample, you simply hit the back and forward arrows to browse the book, or skip to the relevant page using the contents page. You can then download the entire book for free on any browser from today through to July 26.
Though the announcement suggest that no account is needed to access the book through your browser, I was in fact prompted to sign in when I indicated I wanted to read the whole book. It transpires that the 'no account required' gambit actually refers only to the sample piece.
An interesting (and necessary) feature here is the seamless integration of your Nook account between devices. So, you can read any book from your library and synchronize your progress across all platforms and pick up where you last left off.
Amazon launched its own Kindle Cloud Reader Web app last year, while Kobo announced Instant Reader for browsers earlier this year. So it's perhaps not surprising to see Barnes & Noble follow suit into the online, platform-agnostic e-reader space.
It may not be enough to tempt new users on board, but if you're already a Nook addict, then this new Web experience could well be good news for you.


Rajinikanth gives nod for Robo 2?
Director Shankar's Robo was a big hit in Rajinikanth career and it created stunning collections in Tamil Nadu and AP at that time.
Shankar has been looking at a sequel for the movie and he has even prepared a script for it, according to media reports.
Now the latest buzz being heard is that Rajinikanth has given the final nod for the movie. Earlier Aamir Khan's name was also heard in connection with the film.
Shankar will officially announce the project after the release of his film 'I', with Vikram in the lead role.


text:
#include "xorg-server.h"
#include "xf86.h"
#include "xf86_OSproc.h"

#include "xorg_tracker.h"
#include "xorg_exa.h"

#include "dri2.h"

#include "pipe/p_state.h"
#include "util/u_inlines.h"

#include "util/u_format.h"

#include "state_tracker/drm_driver.h"

/* Make all the #if cases in the code esier to read */
#ifndef DRI2INFOREC_VERSION
#define DRI2INFOREC_VERSION 1
#endif

#if DRI2INFOREC_VERSION == 2
static Bool set_format_in_do_create_buffer;
#endif

typedef struct {
    PixmapPtr pPixmap;
    struct pipe_resource *tex;
    struct pipe_fence_handle *fence;
} *BufferPrivatePtr;

static Bool
dri2_do_create_buffer(DrawablePtr pDraw, DRI2BufferPtr buffer, unsigned int format)
{
    struct pipe_resource *tex = NULL;
    ScreenPtr pScreen = pDraw->pScreen;
    ScrnInfoPtr pScrn = xf86Screens[pScreen->myNum];
    modesettingPtr ms = modesettingPTR(pScrn);
    struct exa_pixmap_priv *exa_priv;
    BufferPrivatePtr private = buffer->driverPrivate;
    PixmapPtr pPixmap;
    struct winsys_handle whandle;

    if (pDraw->type == DRAWABLE_PIXMAP)
	pPixmap = (PixmapPtr) pDraw;
    else
	pPixmap = (*pScreen->GetWindowPixmap)((WindowPtr) pDraw);
    exa_priv = exaGetPixmapDriverPrivate(pPixmap);

    switch (buffer->attachment) {
    default:
	if (buffer->attachment != DRI2BufferFakeFrontLeft ||
	    pDraw->type != DRAWABLE_PIXMAP) {
	    private->pPixmap = (*pScreen->CreatePixmap)(pScreen, pDraw->width,
							pDraw->height,
							pDraw->depth,
							0);
	}
	break;
    case DRI2BufferFrontLeft:
	break;
    case DRI2BufferStencil:
#if DRI2INFOREC_VERSION >= 3
    case DRI2BufferDepthStencil:
#else
    /* Works on old X servers because sanity checking is for the weak */
    case 9:
#endif
	if (exa_priv->depth_stencil_tex &&
	    !util_format_is_depth_or_stencil(exa_priv->depth_stencil_tex->format))
	    exa_priv->depth_stencil_tex = NULL;
        /* Fall through */
    case DRI2BufferDepth:
	if (exa_priv->depth_stencil_tex)
	    pipe_resource_reference(&tex, exa_priv->depth_stencil_tex);
        else {
	    struct pipe_resource template;
            unsigned depthBits = (format != 0) ? format : pDraw->depth;
	    memset(&template, 0, sizeof(template));
	    template.target = PIPE_TEXTURE_2D;
	    if (buffer->attachment == DRI2BufferDepth) {
               switch(depthBits) {
               case 16:
                  template.format = PIPE_FORMAT_Z16_UNORM;
                  break;
               case 32:
                  template.format = PIPE_FORMAT_Z32_UNORM;
                  break;
               default:
                  template.format = ms->ds_depth_bits_last ?
                                    PIPE_FORMAT_Z24X8_UNORM : PIPE_FORMAT_X8Z24_UNORM;
                  break;
               }
            } else {
               template.format = ms->ds_depth_bits_last ?
                                 PIPE_FORMAT_Z24_UNORM_S8_USCALED : PIPE_FORMAT_S8_USCALED_Z24_UNORM;
            }
	    template.width0 = pDraw->width;
	    template.height0 = pDraw->height;
	    template.depth0 = 1;
	    template.array_size = 1;
	    template.last_level = 0;
	    template.bind = PIPE_BIND_DEPTH_STENCIL |
		PIPE_BIND_SHARED;
	    tex = ms->screen->resource_create(ms->screen, &template);
	    pipe_resource_reference(&exa_priv->depth_stencil_tex, tex);
	}
	break;
    }

    if (!private->pPixmap) {
	private->pPixmap = pPixmap;
	pPixmap->refcnt++;
    }

    if (!tex) {
	/* First call to make sure we have a pixmap private */
	exaMoveInPixmap(private->pPixmap);
	xorg_exa_set_shared_usage(private->pPixmap);
	pScreen->ModifyPixmapHeader(private->pPixmap, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL);
	/* Second call to make sure texture has valid contents */
	exaMoveInPixmap(private->pPixmap);
	tex = xorg_exa_get_texture(private->pPixmap);
    }

    if (!tex)
	FatalError("NO TEXTURE IN DRI2\n");

    memset(&whandle, 0, sizeof(whandle));
    whandle.type = DRM_API_HANDLE_TYPE_SHARED;

    ms->screen->resource_get_handle(ms->screen, tex, &whandle);

    buffer->name = whandle.handle;
    buffer->pitch = whandle.stride;
    buffer->cpp = 4;
    buffer->driverPrivate = private;
    buffer->flags = 0; /* not tiled */
#if DRI2INFOREC_VERSION == 2
    /* ABI forwards/backwards compatibility */
    if (set_format_in_do_create_buffer)
	((DRI2Buffer2Ptr)buffer)->format = 0;
#elif DRI2INFOREC_VERSION >= 3
    buffer->format = 0;
#endif
    private->tex = tex;

    return TRUE;
}

static void
dri2_do_destroy_buffer(DrawablePtr pDraw, DRI2BufferPtr buffer)
{
    ScreenPtr pScreen = pDraw->pScreen;
    ScrnInfoPtr pScrn = xf86Screens[pScreen->myNum];
    modesettingPtr ms = modesettingPTR(pScrn);
    BufferPrivatePtr private = buffer->driverPrivate;
    struct exa_pixmap_priv *exa_priv = exaGetPixmapDriverPrivate(private->pPixmap);

    pipe_resource_reference(&private->tex, NULL);
    ms->screen->fence_reference(ms->screen, &private->fence, NULL);
    pipe_resource_reference(&exa_priv->depth_stencil_tex, NULL);
    (*pScreen->DestroyPixmap)(private->pPixmap);
}

#if DRI2INFOREC_VERSION >= 2

static DRI2Buffer2Ptr
dri2_create_buffer(DrawablePtr pDraw, unsigned int attachment, unsigned int format)
{
    DRI2Buffer2Ptr buffer;
    BufferPrivatePtr private;

    buffer = calloc(1, sizeof *buffer);
    if (!buffer)
	return NULL;

    private = calloc(1, sizeof *private);
    if (!private) {
	goto fail;
    }

    buffer->attachment = attachment;
    buffer->driverPrivate = private;

    /* So far it is safe to downcast a DRI2Buffer2Ptr to DRI2BufferPtr */
    if (dri2_do_create_buffer(pDraw, (DRI2BufferPtr)buffer, format))
	return buffer;

    free(private);
fail:
    free(buffer);
    return NULL;
}

static void
dri2_destroy_buffer(DrawablePtr pDraw, DRI2Buffer2Ptr buffer)
{
    /* So far it is safe to downcast a DRI2Buffer2Ptr to DRI2BufferPtr */
    dri2_do_destroy_buffer(pDraw, (DRI2BufferPtr)buffer);

    free(buffer->driverPrivate);
    free(buffer);
}

#endif /* DRI2INFOREC_VERSION >= 2 */

#if DRI2INFOREC_VERSION <= 2

static DRI2BufferPtr
dri2_create_buffers(DrawablePtr pDraw, unsigned int *attachments, int count)
{
    BufferPrivatePtr privates;
    DRI2BufferPtr buffers;
    int i;

    buffers = calloc(count, sizeof *buffers);
    if (!buffers)
	goto fail_buffers;

    privates = calloc(count, sizeof *privates);
    if (!privates)
	goto fail_privates;

    for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
	buffers[i].attachment = attachments[i];
	buffers[i].driverPrivate = &privates[i];

	if (!dri2_do_create_buffer(pDraw, &buffers[i], 0))
	    goto fail;
    }

    return buffers;

fail:
    free(privates);
fail_privates:
    free(buffers);
fail_buffers:
    return NULL;
}

static void
dri2_destroy_buffers(DrawablePtr pDraw, DRI2BufferPtr buffers, int count)
{
    int i;

    for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
	dri2_do_destroy_buffer(pDraw, &buffers[i]);
    }

    if (buffers) {
	free(buffers[0].driverPrivate);
	free(buffers);
    }
}

#endif /* DRI2INFOREC_VERSION <= 2 */

static void
dri2_copy_region(DrawablePtr pDraw, RegionPtr pRegion,
                 DRI2BufferPtr pDestBuffer, DRI2BufferPtr pSrcBuffer)
{
    ScreenPtr pScreen = pDraw->pScreen;
    ScrnInfoPtr pScrn = xf86Screens[pScreen->myNum];
    modesettingPtr ms = modesettingPTR(pScrn);
    BufferPrivatePtr dst_priv = pDestBuffer->driverPrivate;
    BufferPrivatePtr src_priv = pSrcBuffer->driverPrivate;
    DrawablePtr src_draw;
    DrawablePtr dst_draw;
    GCPtr gc;
    RegionPtr copy_clip;
    Bool save_accel;
    CustomizerPtr cust = ms->cust;

    /*
     * In driCreateBuffers we dewrap windows into the
     * backing pixmaps in order to get to the texture.
     * We need to use the real drawable in CopyArea
     * so that cliprects and offsets are correct.
     */
    src_draw = (pSrcBuffer->attachment == DRI2BufferFrontLeft) ? pDraw :
       &src_priv->pPixmap->drawable;
    dst_draw = (pDestBuffer->attachment == DRI2BufferFrontLeft) ? pDraw :
       &dst_priv->pPixmap->drawable;

    /*
     * The clients implements glXWaitX with a copy front to fake and then
     * waiting on the server to signal its completion of it. While
     * glXWaitGL is a client side flush and a copy from fake to front.
     * This is how it is done in the DRI2 protocol, how ever depending
     * which type of drawables the server does things a bit differently
     * then what the protocol says as the fake and front are the same.
     *
     * for pixmaps glXWaitX is a server flush.
     * for pixmaps glXWaitGL is a client flush.
     * for windows glXWaitX is a copy from front to fake then a server flush.
     * for windows glXWaitGL is a client flush then a copy from fake to front.
     *
     * XXX in the windows case this code always flushes but that isn't a
     * must in the glXWaitGL case but we don't know if this is a glXWaitGL
     * or a glFlush/glFinish call.
     */
    if (dst_priv->pPixmap == src_priv->pPixmap) {
	/* pixmap glXWaitX */
	if (pSrcBuffer->attachment == DRI2BufferFrontLeft &&
	    pDestBuffer->attachment == DRI2BufferFakeFrontLeft) {
	    ms->ctx->flush(ms->ctx, NULL);
	    return;
	}
	/* pixmap glXWaitGL */
	if (pDestBuffer->attachment == DRI2BufferFrontLeft &&
	    pSrcBuffer->attachment == DRI2BufferFakeFrontLeft) {
	    return;
	} else {
	    xf86DrvMsg(pScrn->scrnIndex, X_WARNING,
		"copying between the same pixmap\n");
	}
    }

    gc = GetScratchGC(pDraw->depth, pScreen);
    copy_clip = REGION_CREATE(pScreen, NULL, 0);
    REGION_COPY(pScreen, copy_clip, pRegion);
    (*gc->funcs->ChangeClip) (gc, CT_REGION, copy_clip, 0);
    ValidateGC(dst_draw, gc);

    /* If this is a full buffer swap, throttle on the previous one */
    if (ms->swapThrottling &&
	dst_priv->fence && REGION_NUM_RECTS(pRegion) == 1) {
	BoxPtr extents = REGION_EXTENTS(pScreen, pRegion);

	if (extents->x1 == 0 && extents->y1 == 0 &&
	    extents->x2 == pDraw->width && extents->y2 == pDraw->height) {
            ms->screen->fence_finish(ms->screen, dst_priv->fence,
                                     PIPE_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
	    ms->screen->fence_reference(ms->screen, &dst_priv->fence, NULL);
	}
    }

    /* Try to make sure the blit will be accelerated */
    save_accel = ms->exa->accel;
    ms->exa->accel = TRUE;

    /* In case it won't be though, make sure the GPU copy contents of the
     * source pixmap will be used for the software fallback - presumably the
     * client modified them before calling in here.
     */
    exaMoveInPixmap(src_priv->pPixmap);
    DamageRegionAppend(src_draw, pRegion);
    DamageRegionProcessPending(src_draw);

   if (cust && cust->winsys_context_throttle)
       cust->winsys_context_throttle(cust, ms->ctx, THROTTLE_SWAP);

    (*gc->ops->CopyArea)(src_draw, dst_draw, gc,
			 0, 0, pDraw->width, pDraw->height, 0, 0);
    ms->exa->accel = save_accel;

    FreeScratchGC(gc);

    ms->ctx->flush(ms->ctx,
		   (pDestBuffer->attachment == DRI2BufferFrontLeft
		    && ms->swapThrottling) ?
		   &dst_priv->fence : NULL);

   if (cust && cust->winsys_context_throttle)
       cust->winsys_context_throttle(cust, ms->ctx, THROTTLE_RENDER);

}

Bool
xorg_dri2_init(ScreenPtr pScreen)
{
    ScrnInfoPtr pScrn = xf86Screens[pScreen->myNum];
    modesettingPtr ms = modesettingPTR(pScrn);
    DRI2InfoRec dri2info;
#if DRI2INFOREC_VERSION >= 2
    int major, minor;

    if (xf86LoaderCheckSymbol("DRI2Version")) {
	DRI2Version(&major, &minor);
    } else {
	/* Assume version 1.0 */
	major = 1;
	minor = 0;
    }
#endif

    dri2info.version = min(DRI2INFOREC_VERSION, 3);
    dri2info.fd = ms->fd;

    dri2info.driverName = pScrn->driverName;
    dri2info.deviceName = "/dev/dri/card0"; /* FIXME */

#if DRI2INFOREC_VERSION >= 2
    dri2info.CreateBuffer = dri2_create_buffer;
    dri2info.DestroyBuffer = dri2_destroy_buffer;
#endif

    /* For X servers in the 1.6.x series there where two DRI2 version.
     * This allows us to build one binary that works on both servers.
     */
#if DRI2INFOREC_VERSION == 2
    if (minor == 0) {
	set_format_in_do_create_buffer = FALSE;
	dri2info.CreateBuffers = dri2_create_buffers;
	dri2info.DestroyBuffers = dri2_destroy_buffers;
    } else
	set_format_in_do_create_buffer = FALSE;
#endif

    /* For version 1 set these unconditionaly. */
#if DRI2INFOREC_VERSION == 1
    dri2info.CreateBuffers = dri2_create_buffers;
    dri2info.DestroyBuffers = dri2_destroy_buffers;
#endif
    dri2info.CopyRegion = dri2_copy_region;
    dri2info.Wait = NULL;

    ms->d_depth_bits_last =
	 ms->screen->is_format_supported(ms->screen, PIPE_FORMAT_Z24X8_UNORM,
					 PIPE_TEXTURE_2D,
					 0,
                                         PIPE_BIND_DEPTH_STENCIL);
    ms->ds_depth_bits_last =
	 ms->screen->is_format_supported(ms->screen, PIPE_FORMAT_Z24_UNORM_S8_USCALED,
					 PIPE_TEXTURE_2D,
					 0,
                                         PIPE_BIND_DEPTH_STENCIL);

    return DRI2ScreenInit(pScreen, &dri2info);
}

void
xorg_dri2_close(ScreenPtr pScreen)
{
    DRI2CloseScreen(pScreen);
}

/* vim: set sw=4 ts=8 sts=4: */


Life is not without a sense of irony, as we just got word about an illegal alien who broke both of his legs as he was trying to enter the land of the free, home of the brave by jumping over a brand-new (and beautiful) thirty foot high wall. Who said that border walls don't work?
The illegal alien was transported to a Palm Springs hospital, after paramedics arrived at the scene, presumably "summoned" by those Border Patrol Nazis who hate illegal aliens, and determined that the culprit broke both legs and may have also injured his spine. Wow, he was taken to a Palm Springs hospital? Next time I need medical attention, I should go and lay next to the fence! Also, while in Palm Springs, the illegal alien is separated from his family!!! May we expect to hear from the usual suspects about how immoral that is?
The Border Patrol released an official statement via spokesman Carlos Pitones, who told the press that usually speaking, the Federal Government takes care of the medical expenses for the people injured while crossing the border illegally. No, they don't. The American taxpayer pays those expenses.
Has he filed a lawsuit yet? Where's the ACLU? Remember how the failing NYT keeps claiming that border walls don't work and they're a waste of money? The same type of fake news is parroted by the LA Times. Now, if you ask me, if a big beautiful border wall is good for defending Israel, than it's certainly good enough for us too. And it also pays itself, via less illegal aliens entering our welfare paradise, less drug trafficking and so on and so forth.
The best way to finance the full border wall is to make it part of the military budget. After getting approval, allow the C-BEES to start and finish construction. It they run into any Bolshevik-sparked trouble, remember they are also armed, besides being excellent builders who could probably finish the entire wall in under a year. Also remember that the US government has TOTAL jurisdiction 200 miles inland on the border, hence Brown and his ilk could not stop it, even if they went to court.
Moreover, studies have shown that 38 ft is typically a terminal height, and this guy missed it by that much. Let's redesign the border wall to 40 ft and allow the Darwin effect take its course. Simple applied physics.
Most people who jump from the border wall get broken legs. Since they are injured on the U.S. side, they are taken to the nearest U.S. trauma center, in the custody of Border Patrol. All those picked up in the desert with any medical needs come to U.S. hospitals with B.P. The American taxpayers pick up the bills anyway.


text:
In May 2017, early tracking had Wonder Woman opening with $65–75 million, and possibly as high as $105 million.[177][178][179][180][174] The film opened Friday, June 2, 2017, across 4,165 theaters and made $38.7 million on its opening day, including $3.7 million in IMAX. It was the biggest single-day gross for a woman-directed film, ahead of the $35.9 million opening Friday of Catherine Hardwicke's Twilight in 2008 and the biggest opening day for a woman-led comic book superhero film, ahead of Ghost in the Shell ($7 million).[181] This included $11 million it made from Thursday previews, also the best start for a film directed by a woman, surpassing Fifty Shades of Grey's $8.6 million which was directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, and the third-biggest of the year, behind Beauty and the Beast and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Of that, $1.5 million came from IMAX screenings.[182][183]
Voiced by Vanessa Marshall. A movie where an alternate version of Lex Luthor travels to the mainstream universe to ask the JLA for help regarding the alternate version of Lex's universe. The Crime Syndicate of America runs their world through intimidation and blackmailing the USA's president (Slade Wilson). Wonder Woman's counterpart is Superwoman, and she equals Wonder Woman in every way.
As Hippolyta was still a clay statue, Diana was forced to take the Amazon throne, at least until she could find a way to turn her mother back to normal. At the same time, the Justice League had discovered strange environmental events that had destroyed small villages around the world, leaving only vegetation behind. Furious, Wonder Woman attacked Swamp Thing, accusing him of causing such devastation, while Swamp Thing claimed innocence. Aquaman defused the situation before it could escalate any further. Later, Wonder Woman returned to Themyscira, only to discover Hippolyta's statue had crumbled.[50] On a training session, Clark asked Diana if she wanted to talk about her recent experiences, but Diana replied that, as queen, grief is not a luxury she could afford. Later, Diana was called for a meeting by the Amazon council, which forced a choice on her: become permanent Queen or abdicate the throne. Before the discussion could continue, the island was attacked by Stymphalian Birds, Ares' pets who were now drawn to Diana as the God of War. Accepting her new responsibilities, Diana successfully defended Themyscira.[51]
In 1911, when Marston was a freshman at Harvard, the British suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst, who'd chained herself to the gates outside 10 Downing Street, came to speak on campus. When Sanger faced charges of obscenity for explaining birth control in a magazine she founded called the Woman Rebel, a petition sent to President Woodrow Wilson on her behalf read, "While men stand proudly and face the sun, boasting that they have quenched the wickedness of slavery, what chains of slavery are, have been or ever could be so intimate a horror as the shackles on every limb—on every thought—on the very soul of an unwilling pregnant woman?" American suffragists threatened to chain themselves to the gates outside the White House. In 1916, in Chicago, women representing the states where women had still not gained the right to vote marched in chains.
Until DC's New 52 relaunch, there were a few other aspects of the origin story that remained consistent. Her mother, Hippolyta, created her out of clay, and the Greek gods bestowed her with life. She grew up among the Amazons who taught her the skills of a warrior as well as the lessons of peace and love. When Steve Trevor, an American pilot, crash landed on Paradise Island, the Amazons had a contest to determine who should receive the honor and responsibility to take him back to Man's World and serve as the champion emissary of all the Amazons represent.
With a new decade arriving, DC president Jenette Kahn ordered a revamp in Wonder Woman's appearance. Artist Milton Glaser, who also designed the "bullet" logo adopted by DC in 1977, created a stylized "WW" emblem that evoked and replaced the eagle in her bodice and debuted in 1982.[39] The emblem in turn was incorporated by studio letterer Todd Klein onto the monthly title's logo, which lasted for a year and a half before being replaced by a version from Glaser's studio.[40] With sales of the title continuing to decline in 1985 (despite an unpublished revamp that was solicited), the series was canceled and ended in issue #329 (February 1986) written by Gerry Conway, depicting Steve Trevor's marriage to Wonder Woman.
Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, granted Diana great wisdom, intelligence, and military prowess. Athena's gift has enabled Diana to master over a dozen languages (including those of alien origin), multiple complex crafts, sciences and philosophies, as well as leadership, military strategy, and armed and unarmed combat. More recently, Athena bound her own eyesight to Diana's, granting her increased empathy.[182]
Orion brings them to New Genesis where Diana has learned she has been in a coma for three days.Angered by this, she goes to talk to Highfather but realizes that in doing so, he saved her life. He informs her Orion is meditating in order to control his anger. After a heart to heart talk among each other, Diana finds out that Highfather will allow them to escape, on the condition that they surrender the baby. Diana, disappointed tries to remind Orion what she's done for him. Orion apologizes to Highfather and follows them through the boomtube with Zeke in tow, although Highfather says that their is no need.
Although the Amazons were back to normal, Hippolyta was still a statue, and Hera could not restore her back to life. Zola wanted to leave the island, but Diana told her she and her child were safer with the Amazons. Diana addressed the Amazons and declared her intentions to end the Amazons' isolation and that every Amazon must protect Zeke, a male child.[43]
In 1972, just months after the groundbreaking US Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, science fiction author Samuel R. Delany had planned a story for Ms. that culminated in a plainsclothes Wonder Woman protecting an abortion clinic. However, Steinem disapproved of Wonder Woman being out of costume, and the controversial story line never happened.[222]
^ Cronin, Brian (April 1, 2010). "Comic Book Legends Revealed #254". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on November 13, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2011. Gerber and Frank Miller pitched DC on revamps of the "Trinity." The three titles would be called by the "line name" of METROPOLIS, with each character being defined by one word/phrase… AMAZON (written by Gerber); DARK KNIGHT (written by Miller); and Something for Superman – I believe either MAN OF STEEL or THE MAN OF STEEL, but I'm not sure about that (written by both men).
Wonder Woman and Hermes briefly returned to Themyscira so that Diana could pay her respects to her petrified mother. When they got back to her apartment, they found Hera crying and mourning the days when she used to be a goddess. As Diana comforted her, she realized she would need help in finding Zola and Zeke. Wonder Woman went to the Taiga, Siberia, where she asked Artemis for her help. Artemis agreed, on the condition that she and Diana have a rematch. Knowing they are in Artemis' realm, Diana threw the fight in Artemis' favor.[40]
Mikos delivers Ventouras's dead son to him, presumably killed by the rebel faction. This causes him to seek revenge against the Rebels and Diana. They turn into monsters and attack Diana. Diana fights the witch's forces but is overpowered by the witch herself, but only after retrieving the scroll from Stavros who was already attacked and severely wounded. The scrolls ends up in Julia's hands, and she immediately goes to work decoding it in an effort to save Diana and discover the witch's weakness. Diana is taken to the witch's stronghold, where she is revealed to be Circe, a sorceress possessing the soul of Hecate, the moon god after they had entered into a pact to drive the world into chaos. She tells Diana what became of her aunt Antiope, who was killed by Circe herself after manipulating Antiope's husband Theseus's former wife. Circe explains to Diana that her existence is a threat to her mission, due to Diana's goal of promoting peace and equality among mankind, and therefore she must be eliminated. Circe is about to kill Diana when she is interrupted by Julia and the rebels. Julia had decoded the scroll and knew how to stave off the witch's attacks. But they are beaten by Circe and almost killed when Circe herself is suspiciously summoned off from the island by an unknown force, later revealed to be the god Hermes.
Though Diana was able to admit honestly that she did love Hades, she escaped her bonds anyway, explaining that she could still love him and refuse his proposal. Angrily, Hades sent all of the forces of Hell to kill her, but she and her friends were rescued by Strife. Confronted by her fiancé again, Diana explained that she had not lied. Wonder Woman has the capacity to love everyone - a concept that could never be understood by one incapable of love, such as he. The realization that he was loved unconditionally disgusted Hades so much that he sent them all away. Before leaving, Hephaestus gifted Hades with a mirror, and shot him with Eros' pistols, allowing, at least, for Hades to love himself.[23]
Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter, and has a lengthy publication history. This history has sometimes included a sidekick Wonder Girl and many villains. Since her debut she has become one of the most popular and recognizable DC Comics characters, along with Batman and Superman. She first appeared in All-Star Comics #8. (1941)
An iron-fisted general of the German Army during World War I.[29] Huston described Ludendorff as a "pragmatist, realist, patriotic, fighting for his country", further explaining, "he lost his son on the German front lines and was just quite tortured, diabolical, stubborn and believes that what he's doing is for the betterment of mankind."[30] On his character, Huston said, "Ludendorff is a believer that war is a natural habitat for humans." Huston stated the film as an anti-war film and "somebody like Ludendorff would probably think that the idea that love conquers all is quite a naive concept. But finally it's true and sometimes the best way to examine mankind is from another perspective." On the genre of the film, Huston said, "It's Greek mythology. It's the origin of story and sometimes we need demigods to look at us to understand what our weaknesses are. It serves the mythological world."[31]
GenresuperheroCharactersWonder Woman [Diana of Themyscira]; Star Sapphire [Miri]; Star Sapphire [Miss Bloss]; Jason; The Dark Gods [Mob God; The God with No Name; Savage Fire; King Best]; unidentified civilians; Supergirl [Kara Zor-El]; Steve Trevor; unnamed A.R.G.U.S. staff; Justice League [Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Aquaman [Arthur Curry]; The Flash [Barry Allen]; Hawkgirl [Kendra Saunders]; Cyborg [Victor Stone]; Martian Manhunter [J'onn J'onzz]]SynopsisWhile Diana is away with the Star Sapphires on Zamaron, Jason is left to fend for himself as The Dark Gods launch their attack on Earth. He soon gets help from Supergirl and the Justice League, but the situation gets worse when King Best absorbs the powers of the League and Supergirl making him even more powerful than before.Reprints
^ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The daughter of Batman and Catwoman from Earth-2 found a new home away from home in the pages of Wonder Woman's monthly title...a regular gig as the back-up feature to the Amazing Amazon's lead story. Handled by writer Paul Levitz and artist Joe Staton, the Huntress faced the villainy of the swamp creature Solomon Grundy.
^ "Superhero Makeovers: Wonder Woman, part two". The Screamsheet. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2011. Desperate to save her daughter, she claimed that Diana had failed in her role as an ambassador to Man's World and called for a do-over on the contest that had determined Diana fit to carry the Wonder Woman mantle in the first place.
In the Gods' absence, the Amazons began to revert to clay. To justify the Olympians' return to Earth, Zeus summoned Diana and several of her friends to testify before him. It was Hippolyta who tipped the scales, however. She played a secret card which greatly swayed them. In truth, she simply reminded Ares that before her reincarnation, Hippolyta had been Ares' daughter, and thus Zeus' granddaughter. At this time, Zeus also granted strength and flight to Cassie Sandsmark.[18] Soon, Highfather of the New Gods summoned Zeus and Heracles to once gain battle Darkseid. To this end, Zeus, Odin, Ares, Jove and Highfather merged into one being and entered the Source. When cast out, Zeus was gravely injured and remained bonded to Jove. Heracles returned with him to Olympus.[19][20]
Later, in London, Diana talked with Hessia about what being Queen really meant. Hessia told her the changes she was trying to impose were hard, and it might take a long time for the Amazons to accept them. Wonder Woman was called by the Justice League to look for the survivors of another missing village. As part of the operation, Superman explored the interior of a volcano until he was attacked by insects and lost contact with the League.[52] Wonder Woman and Batman were next to enter the volcano and found Superman safe and sound. Exploring the volcano further, the heroes found the missing villagers dead and their remains encased in cocoons by one of the volcano's insectoid denizens. Wonder Woman almost killed one of these creatures, until the League intervened and took the creature to the Watchtower for medical attention. Upon returning to Paradise Island, Diana spoke to the spirit of Hippolyta. Comforting her daughter, Hippolyta motivated Diana into accepting her duty as God of War. Diana also learnt that relations between Amazons and the Sons of Themyscira had gone sour and the Amazons had created Donna Troy from magical clay, an Amazon who sought to replace Diana as Queen.[53]
"Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, and power. Not wanting to be girls, they don't want to be tender, submissive, peace-loving as good women are. Women' s strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman."
Hermes	Action Comics #267 (August 1960)	Hermes is the Messenger of the Gods, and the God of Thievery, Speed, Travel, and Commerce who is based on the god of the same name. Post-Crisis, Hermes was one of Wonder Woman's earliest allies. He was eventually killed by Circe during the War of the Gods, but Wonder Woman freed him much later from Tartarus. In the New 52, the bird-like Hermes was a close ally to Wonder Woman and aided in protecting Zeke, the reincarnation of Zeus. Post-Rebirth, Hermes took the form of a tortoise and aided Wonder Woman alongside several other gods.
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I really enjoyed this piece on one of Walt Disney's early animators Wilford Jaxon over at Hans Perk's blog.
I hope this isn't some form of method acting, but High School Musical star Zac Efron was hospitalized yesterday to have his appendix removed. Get well soon Zac. Disney can't make the third film without you. No really.
Never start a land war in Asia, never challenge a Sicilian when death is on the line, and now… don't try and build a condo in the Anaheim Resort District after the housing bubble has burst. Yep, the condo complex that a developer wanted to build on the old Toys'R'Us site has withdrawn his proposal.
4th quarter injury reports have been released for Florida's theme parks. This is getting to be as bad as Orange Juice futures.
Disney is getting back into sports. This time they're buying a stake in the NBA's China league. Disney has a great history with sports teams. They struggle while Disney owns them and then a few years after they're sold (sometimes as soon as the next year), the teams win a championship.
Disney is pledging nearly $2 million toward the Great Ormond Street Children's hospital made famous when Peter Pan's author gave them the rights to his work. The hospital is trying to raise nearly $20 million for redevelopment.
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Has America Become More Racist Than Ever?
I have no doubt that this article will certainly spark more than a few argumentative comments, but it's a serious matter and a very serious question, just how many racists are there in the U.S.A?
Personally, I wouldn't have a clue. My guess would be just as good as yours, but a writer at Vice sought a definitive answer to the question, and asked a political scientist if he had any idea.
This November the world will be borne onto change – whether for good or for bad – when Trump or Clinton becomes the next President of the United States.
In the endless campaign for presidency a lot of pretty radical statements have been made, however one which caused a Herculean shitstorm was made by Hillary when she said that half of all Trump supports should be in 'a basket of deplorables' before adding, 'The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic—you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up'.
Now think what you want about Hillary or Trump, it's not my job to convince you who to support, but that's a pretty provocative statement… However, is it true?
Well according to Jason McDaniel, a political scientist at San Francisco State University, Hillary wasn't all that far wrong.
I do think that based on the analysis I've done and based on some analysis more recently, there's no doubt that Trump supporters are more motivated by racially resentful views and negative racial views than Hillary Clinton supporters or [supporters of] previous Republican candidates.
The people that supported Donald Trump, their views on negative racial stereotypes towards blacks, and negative views of Muslims, and negative views of immigrants was just off the charts. That's a new thing this election cycle.
And you'll be pleased to hear that Jason isn't just making preposterous estimates – as he's recently finished a study into the correlation between racism and support for Trump.
He went onto explain that it's relatively hard to find a racist – not many people in the world are willing to just come out of their shell and say 'yep, I'm a racist. That's me', so to define a racist is quite a 'science and an art'.
But by using carefully worded questions, Jason thinks he knows the perfect formula.
By asking things such as: 'How much discrimination is there in the United States today against blacks? A great deal, a lot, a moderate amount, a little, or none at all?', Jason believes he can emit the perfect response from an interviewee and determine their 'racist level'.
All in all, Jason concluded the interview by saying that although there is no definitive figure, he believes that there are just as many racists in America right now, as there where prior to the civil rights movement – however, Jason warned that America is on the 'emergence of something that's scary and that we should be worried about'.


David Ishaya Osu was born in Nigeria in 1991. His poetry has appeared in Poetry Wales, Transition, Vinyl, Pittsburgh Poetry Review, New Coin Poetry, and The Bombay Review, among others. He is a board member of Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation, and he has received a Pushcart Prize nomination. David is currently the poetry editor of Panorama: The Journal of Intelligent Travel, and is at work on his debut poetry book.