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Canada, China, Evangelicals, Julia Duin, Politics
Chinese 'evangelical Trumplicanism?' Vancouver Sun floats a totally new buzz word
Sometimes there's an unusual religious group out there that reporters don't have the contacts or the linguistic abilities to crack. One such group are the 100,000 Chinese Christians in Vancouver, B.C. They're too large to ignore but if you don't know Chinese, it's tough to get an entrée.
Actually, Vancouver has 400,000 Chinese total, so the 100,000 estimate may be a bit low. And so Douglas Todd, the religion blogger for the Vancouver Sun, has found a way around this problem by engaging a bilingual scholar who can interpret this people group.
What do you know? Todd discovered -- taking American politics all the way outside our borders -- that these folks are very pro-Trump. The larger question: Why does this matter and how it this linked to larger religion issues?
Here's what he wrote last week:
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is getting support from an unusual source -- Chinese evangelicals in Canada.
Social media in Canada is ablaze with Chinese Christians coming out in support of the bombastic would-be strongman. Trump's Chinese supporters see him as a beacon of authoritarian stability in a world that could be headed towards apocalypse. The Chinese Christians also think Trump could ensure their ongoing prosperity.
"Trump … is (seen as) a dose of strong law-and-order medicine on the world stage," says Assistant Prof Justin Tse, who studied Metro Vancouver's more than 400,000 ethnic Chinese while obtaining his PhD in geography at the University of B.C.
Some Chinese evangelicals in Canada are supporting Trump to "ensure the stability of global markets through authoritarian law-and-order regimes," says Tse, a visiting assistant professor in the Asian American Studies Program of Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University, Chicago.
At my request, Tse wrote up a short analysis of Trump's Chinese-evangelical support, in which he refers to the cohort as "Trumplicans."
What follows is Tse's explanation of why Trump plays well in certain locales overseas.
Apparently, the key word in social-media posts is "stability."
A friend of mine who is a second-generation Chinese Baptist minister shared with me a video from someone to whom he'd ministered. The person has been posting Trump propaganda incessantly on his Facebook for the last four months or so.
In this video, this acquaintance -- a Chinese evangelical woman -- expounds her pro-Trump political philosophy in Cantonese, expanding on the ideology that is embedded in her social media comments.
For her, Trump must be elected because he is chummy with (Russian President) Vladimir Putin and (Communist Chinese President) Xi Jinping, world leaders that in her mind are ensuring the stability of global markets through authoritarian law-and-order regimes.
One wonders here if this is simply because of the way Chinese Christians tend to think or whether their thinking is at all reinforced by a certain view of Scripture.
These leaders must not be questioned, as that would lead to an apocalyptic war among these militaristic entities. Instead, a stable world order with strong states would facilitate global market flows, perhaps even leading to the ability to proclaim the Christian Gospel in a much more efficient, if not propagandistic, way.
The end of the world may be coming, but let's get the word out about it first in a well-managed market where ideas and capital can freely circulate.
There are certain things you can do with blogs that you can't pull off in a regular article and that is to give someone plenty of space for their views.
Justin Tse, the scholar who wrote the above, has made it his life's work to encapsulate the socially conservative Chinese Christians of Canada. Elsewhere, Todd explains in a lengthy post why this group is so socially powerful and why they're also an influential voting bloc. Tse's essay ends thus:
In the same way, Chinese evangelical Trumplicanism in Metro Vancouver may have little to do with either 'Chinese people' or 'evangelical theology,' and everything to do with an ideology of law-and-order stability on the world stage in order to protect whatever material prosperity they've amassed.
What this implies is that the Trump phenomenon is much more than an American one. And perhaps disillusioned Americans thinking that they can simply move to Canada if Trump wins ought to feel more disillusioned still after reading this.
My one question is this: Is the point here that these Chinese are so spiritually bankrupt that all they care about is their money?
The only problem with relying on one person's read of the situation is that no other viewpoints are brought in. The folks at CNBC have whole other take as to how Trump plays in China and India. CNN found that the Donald actually has a growing Chinese fan base.
Reporting on immigrant communities can be rough going, but The Raleigh News & Observer found out that local Chinese-Americans recently rented a plane to fly a banner praising Trump. The Atlantic even found one Trump supporter in Beijing who was willing to comment on the most recent presidential debate. The Los Angeles Times found Chinese Trump supporters in California. There's also Chinese/Trump stories on Quora and Fortune.com.
I think intermediaries are good -- to a point -- when it comes to reporting on immigrant communities. Before concluding that Vancouver's Chinese Christians are more materialistic than their American counterparts, I would have liked to heard one other point of view on whether they are or not. Once again, we are talking about journalism basics.
Tagged: Vancouver Sun, Chinese Christians, Canadian evangelicals, Justin Tse, CNN, Fortune.com, Raleigh News and Observer, The Los Angeles Times, Quora, The Atlantic
Newer PostWho are the Yazidis of Iraq? (And why are they facing such bitter persecution?)
Older PostIn a town called Faith, voters offers clues on who exactly supports Donald Trump

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Elisabeth Maxwald (21 June 1967 -  9 July 2013) was an Austrian Paralympic skier. She represented Austria in Paralympic Alpine skiing at the 1988 Paralympic Winter Games in Innsbruck and 1998 Paralympic Winter Games in Nordic skiing in Nagano. She won four medals, two gold, a silver and a bronze.

Career
She competed at the 1988 Winter Paralympic Games, winning a gold medal in the giant slalom in 4:18.47 (second Cara Dunne who finished the race in 4:59.62 and third Susana Herrera in 5: 30.41). She was disqualified in Women's downhill B1.

She competed at the 1998 Winter Paralympic Games in Nagano. She won gold in Nordic skiing, the 5 km classic technique race, ahead of the German athlete Verena Bentele and the Russian Lioubov Paninykh; she won silver in the 3x2.5 km bracket (together with Gabriele Berghofer and Renata Hoenisch); and she won bronze in the 5 km freestyle race.

References

1967 births
2013 deaths
Paralympic alpine skiers of Austria
Paralympic cross-country skiers of Austria
Austrian female alpine skiers
Austrian female cross-country skiers
Alpine skiers at the 1988 Winter Paralympics
Cross-country skiers at the 1998 Winter Paralympics
Medalists at the 1988 Winter Paralympics
Medalists at the 1998 Winter Paralympics
Paralympic gold medalists for Austria
Paralympic silver medalists for Austria
Paralympic bronze medalists for Austria
20th-century Austrian women

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Pra Away The Ger
Memo to Dennis Prager: IT IS CLEARLY NOT WORKING.
You know what the least convincing argument in the world is? When conservatives go on their blog networks, in front of their national conferences, on the editorial pages of major metropolitan newspapers, or on their own 24-hour-a-day news network to complain that the Left is keeping them from speaking. What they really mean is that they're spouting a brand of retrograde hate and xenophobia that they're getting called on in a way they weren't in the past, but to them it's SPEECH CONTROL.
Latest to climb up on this particular cross? Dennis Prager. You may remember Prager when I controlled his speech over a year ago by making fun of his ludicrous argument that his sexual needs trump his wife's apparent disgust at his Q-Tip head (and possibly, though I do not know this for certain, Q-Tip penis). Well, apparently someone's got some pent up frustration again, because Prager's penned a lengthy screed about how no conservatives get to say anything anymore. ACTUAL THESIS TIME!
"Through the use of public opprobrium, laws and lawsuits, Americans today are less free than at any time since the abolition of slavery (with the obvious exception of blacks under Jim Crow)."
Let's stop here and just point out the awful use of the parenthetical here. It reads like Prager came up with his broad, inflammatory statement about how we're all practically slaves again, then someone pointed out that maybe he ought to remember Jim Crow, so he stuck it in at the end. But even if that's what happened, and I'd be totally willing to bet that it was, you rework the damn sentence. Start it with the exception, or just change it to "since Jim Crow". That's just sloppy, careless polemicizing, Dennis. Have some pride in your damn work.
Anyway, what we have here are three things: getting yelled at for saying something stupid, getting arrested for saying something stupid, and getting sued for saying something stupid. The first is not actually a problem, the second is a clear violation of the First Amendment, and the third is a case-by-case thing. Which means Prager's going to talk a lot about the first, cite something that is not actually the second as the second because the second never happens, and pull an outlier for the third. Let's see how right I am.
"'Merry Christmas' offends leftist views on multiculturalism. So, it's largely gone." - Well, it's largely gone NOW, because it's fucking February, but it'll be back around Halloween, like it always is. Losing five percent of your market share to "Happy Holidays" is not "largely gone".
"Honest discussion of male-female differences is also largely gone." - You mean like the differences in sex drive you used to justify your More Orgasms For Dennis Prager charity outreacharound project, I presume?
"Discussion of disproportionate rates of black violence is not allowed, no matter how well intentioned." - I love that in Prager's mind, there's a "well-intentioned" way to discuss how black people are genetically more violent than white people. If I believed in hell, I'd be wondering which rest stop Prager was on the road there.
"In Europe -- and in all likelihood coming to America -- " I don't even need the rest, which is about criminalizing anti-gay hate speech, because it's not actually happening here. Just as I suspected.
"Thanks to the left, students at colleges get speech codes." - Neither a law nor a lawsuit, but rather a private institution enforcing rules of conduct. I could flip that around on Prager eight different ways, but so could you.
"One may not favorably compare Western or American culture with that of any other." - Demonstrably untrue. This happens constantly, and people rarely even get in trouble about it unless they're egregiously dickish... oh. I see where Prager might have gotten that impression, then.
"Married women are not to be referred to as 'Mrs.' but as 'Ms.' And the words 'lady,' 'feminine' and 'masculine' have largely gone to their graves. High school and college teams with American Indian names must drop those names because by definition, according to the left, they offend American Indians. - I wouldn't have conflated these, since they're completely unrelated, but Prager did! The first half, again, is just a flat-out fucking lie. Thirty seconds in Google News show all those words being used constantly - not just in the general culture, but in actual media. And they don't offend Native Americans by definition, they offend them according to the Native Americans. There are some borderline cases, but since Prager's "must change" is invalidated by all the teams that still haven't changed, I don't feel that compelled to explore the nuance.
I'm stopping the list part there, because every example from this point on is more political correctness stuff. I'm astonished that he didn't even try to use "hate crimes" as an example of criminalizing speech. He cites no American laws controlling speech at all, and when it comes to "lawsuits", all he offers up is this, the creepiest fucking paragraph I've read all year. Of course, it's only fucking February. ACTUAL QUOTE TIME!
"A woman may reveal as much of her body as she wishes. But if a man is perceived by a woman as looking too long at what she reveals, or if he comments on what she reveals, he may be fired from his job and/or sued for 'sexual harassment.' A woman may wear a miniskirt and crop-top, but a man may not have a calendar of women wearing miniskirts and crop-tops on his desk at work. That constitutes sexual harassment and a 'hostile work environment.'
Note that this isn't an actual example, just Prager's vision of the way things are. I would love to know of the actual case law in which a workplace that allowed crop-tops and miniskirts in its dress code was successfully sued over a calendar with women dressed similarly. Also of note, Prager's charming version of "look at the way she's dressed, she deserves it".
Basically, this all boils down to the same thing it boiled down to back in '09. Dennis Prager wants to do whatever gets him off, regardless of whether the person he's doing it to, at, with, or near likes it or not. And if you don't let him, you hate freedom.


A Dynamic AF area option has been added to the FUNC. button + dials (Preview + command dials, AE-L/AF-L + command dials) item for Custom Setting f4 Assign FUNC. Button (f5 Assign preview button, f6 Assign AE-L/AF-L button).
When AF-ON is selected for Custom Setting a9 AF-ON button or a10 Vertical AF-ON button, the monitor now turns off when the AF-ON button is pressed, even when shooting information is displayed.
When AF-ON is selected for Custom Setting f6 Assign AE-L/AF-L button>AE-L/AF-L button press, the monitor now turns off when the AE/AF lock button is pressed, even when shooting information is displayed.
When On is selected for Long exp. NR problems were experienced when shooting at shutter speeds slower than 1 s but faster than or equal to 8 s. This issue has been resolved.
An issue that prevented display of the focus point with playback of images captured with continuous shooting has been resolved.
These firmware versions are not fully compatible with Camera Control Pro 2 Ver. 2.7.0 and earlier versions. Some of the new menu items will not be available after the firmware has been updated.
Any camera control settings data saved prior to the upgrade cannot be loaded once the new firmware has been installed.
When the virtual horizon was displayed with shooting in live view tripod mode and live view was then cancelled, the focus point displayed in the viewfinder could not be moved. This issue has been resolved.
This firmware is not fully compatible with Camera Control Pro 2 Ver. 2.7.0 and earlier versions. Some of the new menu items cannot be selected.
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Little Mix head for Aberdeen in summer tour
Little Mix will appear at Aberdeen's Hazlehead Park on Sunday, July 26.
Published: 14:13 Monday 25 November 2019
Little Mix are taking their live show on the road next year with a 21-date Summer 2020 tour, including a concert in Aberdeen.
The top-selling foursome will play the city's Hazlehead Park on Sunday, July 26.
Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday, November 28, from www.gigsinscotland.com.
The tour will see Little Mix perform some of their greatest hits including 'Woman Like Me', 'Touch', 'Shout Out to My Ex', 'Black Magic' and 'Wings'.
Speaking about the Summer 2020 Tour, the group said: "Performing live is our favourite thing to do as a band, we love it.
"Our last Summer tour in 2018 was one of our favourites ever, so we can't wait for some more brilliant outdoor shows next year. We want everyone to come party with us in the sunshine."
KT Tunstall to visit Aberdeen with 'Lidl Live'
Quintet to perform in Inverurie
Police appeal following break-ins
Former Ellon Times reporter makes it to Westminster
£3k funding boost for After School Club
Exhibition at Heritage Centre
Top trade at Thainstone sale
More from Inverurie Herald


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ART GIVEAWAYS this May 4+5!
Art Up Front Street in Exeter, NH is celebrating!
Enter for art GIVE-AWAYS this May 4+5.....
Founded in 2017, Art Up Front Street is an artist-owned-and-operated collective featuring works by nine Exeter area contemporary artists who are painters, designers, assemblage artists, and creatives.
In addition to making art in their working studio spaces, the artists exhibit and sell their work in our store-front gallery.
To say "thank you" to our friends and supporters, we are giving away 5 art gifts ranging in value from $5 to $250!
Each day during our annual OPEN STUDIOS, from 10am to 4pm, visitors can enter (no purchase necessary).
The drawing will be held at the end of the event. You do not need to be present to win!
Artwork to be given away:
By Ree Katrak, a framed, original mixed media abstract.
By Rose Bryant, a folding art card, a small "flip book" of 25 art images, a pair of figure paintings created during a figure drawing night at the studio.
By Corrine Gilman, a whimsical hand-stitched, hand-painted, fabric doll with a heart.
Our OPEN STUDIOS are May 4+5, Saturday + Sunday from 10-4 each day.
Our store-front street-side gallery with 9 studios consists of 2500 square feet of artspace.
Look for the murals on the sides of the building... free parking is on the street and in the back LEFT side driveway.
See you soon... and good luck :-). We hope you win :-).
A dose of color. Studio progress. Join us this May...
OPEN STUDIOS sneak peek VIDEO by Artist Travels th...
SOLD... Anne Kenny "Industrial Quilt" at Art Up Fr...
Art Up Front Street... We love Laura's Color
SOLD at Art Up Front Street


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Structural Insights Behind Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Inhibitory Activity of Diospyrin
S. Bawazeer, A. Rauf1, A. Shahidullah2, A. P. Mishra3*, I. Faraone4,5*, L. Milella4,5, K. Ullah6, G. Uddin7, I. Khan2, S. Patel and Z. A Shah8
Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego-92182, USA
1Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Anbar-23561, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
2Department of Pharmacy, University of Peshawar, Peshawar-25120, K.P.K, Pakistan
3Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, H. N. B. Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal-246 174, India
4Department of Science, University of Basilicata, V.le dell'Ateneo Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
5Spinoff BioActiPlant s.r.l., University of Basilicata, V.le dell'Ateneo Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
6Department of Zoology, University of Swabi, Anbar-23561, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
7Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Peshawar, Pakistan
8Department of Chemistry, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Peshawar-25120, Pakistan
A. P. Mishra
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, H. N. B. Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal-246 174, India
Date of Submission 14 September 2017
Date of Revision 10 December 2018
Date of Acceptance 03 April 2019
The present study was designed to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of diospyrin isolated from Diospyros lotus, using protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B enzyme as the target. Molecular binding mode of diospyrin to protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B was essential to explore its molecular interactions. Molecular docking, the simulation technique used to model the interaction between two molecules were performed using Open Eye software. This compound exhibited significant protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activity (IC50 value: 27.59±0.03 μM). Molecular docking studies showed significant molecular interactions of the diospyrin with Gly 220, Tyr 46, Val 49 and Asp 48 inside the active site of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B. The in silico result builds prospect that diospyrin can be further developed as a new lead compound targeting protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibition.
Diospyros lotus, Ebenaceae, diospyrin, PTP1B, molecular docking
The genus Diospyros belonging to family Ebenaceae is well distributed in the equatorial and subtropical areas of the world. Around 750 species of the genus are known around the world, of which 24 are native to India [1,2]. Diospyros lotus, also known as date plum, is native to the Himalayan province and grows up to a medium height [3]. Diospyros species are documented for medicinal uses in various traditional healing systems all over the world. All plant parts are used for therapeutic purposes such as treatment of lumbago, pain, fever, inflammation, and microbial infections [4]. In addition, Diospyros species are carminative, astringent, sedative and febrifuge [1,5,6]. Several antiinflammatory triterpenoids belonging to oleanane, lupane and ursane series have been isolated [7-9]. Furthermore, the presence of naphthalene derivatives, naphthoquinones and dimeric naphthoquinones with significant activities has been investigated in several species [10,11].
Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) play a key role in cellular processes like cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. Several recent studies have revealed that PTPs are involved in various metabolic processes, immunological response, cell-cell adhesion and cellmatrix interactions [12-14]. In fact, PTP antagonizes protein tyrosine kinases in multiple signaling pathways. PTP1B is an intracellular non-receptor type PTP, validated as a target for many diseases, including diabetes and cancer [15]. Extensive biochemical and genetic investigations have shown that PTP1B is involved in the negative control of insulin- and leptinreceptor [16]. PTP1B-knockout mice have revealed an increased sensitivity to insulin, enhanced glycemic control, and resistance to diet-induced obesity [17]. Therefore, inhibition of PTP1B provides a novel approach in regulating type 2 diabetes and obesity, and many laboratories worldwide are currently focusing on novel PTP1B inhibitors from natural as well as synthetic sources. In this study, diospyrin, a bisnaphthoquinonoid from D. lotus, was screened for PTP1B inhibitory activity. Diospyrin and its analogs were found to possess antimycobacterial [18] properties. Diospyrin inhibited lipoxygenase [19], urease [20], and hyaluronidase [21], among other enzymes. In this investigation, through molecular docking simulation studies, it was shown, for the first time, the molecular mechanism of PTP1B inhibition by this dimeric naphthoquinone.
Diospyros lotus L. roots were collected from Toormang Razagram, Dir, KPK, Pakistan, in May 2009. The samples were identified in the Department of Botany, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan and a voucher specimen (Bot. 20036) was deposited in the Herbarium of the same department. Shade-dried D. lotus roots (14 kg) were powdered and kept at room temperature in methanol for 6 days, with constant stirring by percolation method. Afterward, the extract was concentrated by evaporating solvent via rotary vacuum evaporator, under reduced pressure at a temperature below 55°. The process was repeated four times until the extraction was completed. Finally, the dark green residue (202 g) was obtained. Diospyrin was isolated from the methanol extract as previously reported [22].
The PTP1B inhibition assay was carried out in 96-well plates using 3,3-dimethyl glutarate buffer (pH 7.0). The reaction mixture contained various concentrations of test compounds and standard compound ursolic acid (Sigma), p-nitrophenol phosphate (pNPP, 1 mM) and PTB1B (10 mM). After incubation at 27° for 40 min, the absorbance of the released pNPP was measured at 405 nm. Assay was carried out in triplicates and IC50 values were calculated.
Open Eye Docking 3.0.0. software was used to dock the OMEGA pre-generated multi-conformer library [23]. Fast Rigid Exhaustive Docking (FRED), a docking program, which docks molecules from a multi-conformer database into a receptor site, using an exhaustive search algorithm, was used, which thoroughly docks/scores all conceivable positions of each ligand in the binding site [24]. The comprehensive search is based on rigid rotations and transformations of each conformer within the binding site well-defined by a box. FRED program filters the poses ensemble, by refusing the ones that clash with PTP1B, or that has not adequate contacts with the protein. Final poses can then be scored or re-scored by using one or more scoring functions. In the current study, the smooth shape-based Gaussian scoring function (shapegauss) was selected to analyze the shape complementarity between individual ligand and the binding pocket [24]. Default FRED protocol was used except for the size of the box defining the binding sites. In an effort to improve the docking-scoring performance, wideranging docking was performed with shapegauss, applying the optimization mode. The latter involves an organized solid body optimization of the top graded poses from the exhaustive docking. Three diverse boxes were explored for PTP1B (PDB: 2BGD) and 3 different imitations were carried out with an added value of 8 Å, around the reference ligand.
In the present study, molecular docking analysis was used to reveal the favorable binding interactions between PTP1B enzyme and diospyrin (fig. 1). The latter showed significant enzyme inhibitory activity (IC50 27.59±0.03 μM). The activity of ursolic acid (positive control) recorded in the present study was IC50 3.21±0.02 μM, which was in agreement with that previously reported for the compound [18,19]. It appears that this is the first report on the identification of potentially antidiabetic phytochemical from D. lotus.
Figure 1: Structure of diospyrin.
Detailed computational and structural insights revealed promising interactions between the PTP1B enzyme and diospyrin. Various moieties of diospyrin showed significant and multiple binding interactions with important amino acid residues of PTP1B (figs. 2 and 3). Interestingly, both phenolic and adjacent carbonyl groups on one side of the quinone dimer revealed simultaneous hydrogen bonding interactions with Tyr 46 at the active site of PTP1B, at the distance of 3.08 and 3.00 Å, respectively. One the same monomer, the second carbonylic oxygen held Gly 220 (3.00 Å) tightly on opposite side with respect to Tyr 46. Such bidirectional interactions indicate that diospyrin might closely and effectively fill the binding pocket, thus blocking the biochemical catalysis of substrate molecules. Asp 48 is the critical and terminal amino acid lining the outer rim of the binding pocket of PTP1B. The phenolic group showed a promising contact with Asp 48 via hydrogen bonding at a distance of 3.00 Å. This favorable interaction of Asp 48 was further reinforced by the simultaneous, but strong and favorable hydrogen bonding interaction of adjacent carbonylic oxygen from the second monomer with Asp 48 (2.85 Å) and Val 49 (3.22 Å). Phe 122 is an amino acid surrounding another side of the outer surface of the active site, which showed favorable steric interactions with diospyrin (fig. 4). The rotatable bond between both quinone monomers afforded effective molecular penetration of diospyrin inside the active site, which was supported by favorable electrostatic and steric interactions. This study indicates the promising potential of diospyrin to be further explored and developed as a new lead compound, targeting PTP1B, for diabetes and cancer alleviation.
Figure 2: Molecular binding mode of diospyrin inside the catalytic site of PTP1B
Hydrogen atoms (except the polar ones) were omitted for clarity
Figure 3: A closer view of diospyrin interacting with the active site of PTP1B
Figure 4: Electrostatic surface of PTP1B
Blue color shows favorable electrostatic surface; red color indicates unfavorable electrostatic surface and white area displays non-polar (hydrophobic) surface of the enzyme
Recently, the enzyme inhibitory activity of diospyrin was reported on DNA gyrase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis [20]. Its derivatives and analogs have demonstrated anticancer and antiparasitic activities [2,21]. In vivo antidiabetic effects of different species belonging to the same genus, namely Diospyros kaki L., Diospyros lotus L. and Diospyros peregrina (Gaertn) Gürke, have been previously demonstrated [22-24]. In conclusion, these results appear to be the first report on the antidiabetic potential of diospyrin and D. lotus. Further studies based on in vivo models are needed to elucidate this relevant biological activity.
Authors thank the Higher Education Commission for financial support. Authors also thank Dr. Abdur Rashid, plant taxonomist, Department of Botany, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan for identifying the plant material collected.
Rauf A, Uddin G, Raza M, Patel S, Bawazeer S, Ben Hadda T, et al. Urease inhibition potential of Di-naphthodiospyrol from Diospyros lotus roots. Nat Prod Res 2017;31:1214-8.
Uddin G, Rauf A, Siddiqui BS, Muhammad N, Khan A, Shah SU. Anti-nociceptive, antiinflammatory and sedative activities of the extracts and chemical constituents of Diospyros lotus L. Phytomedicine. 2014;21:954-59.
Rauf A, Uddin G, Siddiqui BS, Khan H. In vivo sedative and muscle relaxants activity of Diospyros lotus L. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 2015;5:277-80.
Rauf A, Hadda TB, Uddin G, Cerón-Carrasco JP, Peña-García J, Pérez-Sánchez H, et al. Sedative-hypnotic-like effect and molecular docking of di-naphthodiospyrol from Diospyros lotus in an animal model. Biomed Pharmacother 2017;88:109-13.
Ganapaty S, Thomas PS, Karagianis G, Waterman PG, Brun R. Antiprotozoal and cytotoxic naphthalene derivatives from Diospyros assimilis. Phytochemistry 2006;67:1950-56.
Rauf A, Uddin G, Siddiqui BS, Muhammad N, Khan H. Antipyretic and antinociceptive activity of Diospyros lotus L. in animals. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 2014;4:S382-6.
Fazl-i-Sattar, Ullah Z, Rahman A, Rauf A, Tariq M, Tahir AA, et al. Phytochemical, spectroscopic and density functional theory study of Diospyrin, and non-bonding interactions of Diospyrin with atmospheric gases. Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2015;141:71-79.
Ullah Z, Rahman A, Fazl-i-Sattar, Rauf A, Yaseen M, Hassan W, et al. Density functional theory and phytochemical study of 8-hydroxyisodiospyrin. J Mol Struct 2015;1095:69-78.
Rauf A, Uddin G, Khan H, Siddiqui BS, Arfan M. Antihyperalgesic activity of crude extract and 7-methyljuglone of Diospyros lotus roots. Nat Prod Res 2015;29:2226-29.
Rauf A, Uddin G, Siddiqui BS. Isolation and structure elucidation of a new dimeric naphthoquinone from Diospyros lotus. Chem Nat Compd 2015;51:1049-51.
Rauf A, Uddin G, Khan H, Arfan M, Siddiqui BS. Bioassay-guided isolation of antibacterial constituents from Diospyros lotus roots. Nat Prod Res 2016;30:426-28.
Tonks NK. Protein tyrosine phosphatases: from genes, to function, to disease. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2006;7:833-46.
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Hunter T. Protein kinases and phosphatases: The Yin and Yang of protein phosphorylation and signaling. Cell 1995;80:225-36.
Comeau AB, Critton DA, Page R, Seto CT. A focused library of protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors. J Med Chem 2010;53:6768-72.
Liu G, Trevillyan JM. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B as a target for the treatment of impaired glucose tolerance and type II diabetes. Curr Opin Investig Drugs 2002;3:1608-16.
Owen C, Czopek A, Agouni A, Grant L, Judson R, Lees EK, et al. Adipocyte-specific protein tyrosine phosphatase 1b deletion increases lipogenesis, adipocyte cell size and is a minor regulator of glucose homeostasis. PLoS One 2012;7(2):e32700.
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elitevetsurg@gmail.com
ELITE VETERINARY SURGERY
Exceptional People. Exceptional Care.
CRANIAL CRUCIATE LIGAMENT DISEASE
The Normal Cranial Cruciate Ligament
The normal cranial cruciate ligament, or ACL as it is known in humans,
is the primary stabilizer in a dog's knee when he/she walks and runs. The ligament prevents hyperextension, internal rotation, and forward movement of the tibia relative to the femur. The ligament is made up of numerous bands which wrap around each other, much like a rope. The ligament has no significant blood supply, so it cannot heal naturally.
What Causes The Ligament To Tear
In humans, an ACL tear is considered a sport-related injury that occurs with acute trauma. In our pets, however, ligament tears are more complicated. In the majority of cases, they occur due to age-related degenerative change in which the ligament becomes weaker over time, much like fraying of a rope. This leads to tearing with just mild activity. Predisposing factors include breed specifics, obesity, and certain bone confirmations.
Symptoms Of A Torn Cranial Cruciate Ligament
Limping is the most common symptom of a damaged or torn cranial cruciate ligament. Most dogs will not use the leg immediately following the tear, but as inflammation subsides they begin to use the leg with a limp. From that point, the limp can be consistent to intermittent but is usually worse following exercise. Dogs will often improve with anti-inflammatory medication but typically become refractory over time.
How Is A Torn Cranial Cruciate Ligament Diagnosed
The diagnosis of a torn ligament happens during a physical exam. Dogs with a ligament tear have pain, swelling, and instability in the knee which can be palpated. Some dogs may also have muscle loss and loss of range of motion if the tear is more chronic. While the cranial crucial ligament cannot be seen on x-rays, classic changes are seen that support the diagnosis.
What Will Happen If Left Untreated
Since the ligament has no significant blood supply, it cannot heal naturally. Furthermore, almost all partial tears will develop into complete tears. Without surgery, most dogs develop arthritis which leads to chronic limping, decreased activity, weight gain, and reduced quality of life.
What Are The Treatment Options
In any size dog, surgery is the gold standard for treating torn cruciate ligaments. In some small breed dogs, medical therapy can be attempted to allow the knee to "self stabilize" by building scar tissue around the joint. Medical therapy involves strict cage rest for 8 weeks, anti-inflammatory medications, and formal physical therapy.
The most well researched and common surgical procedure performed to stabilize the knee after a torn cruciate ligament is a TPLO or tibial plateau leveling osteotomy. In this procedure, the geometry of the knee is changed to eliminate the instability that occurs with a cranial cruciate ligament tear. In the TPLO surgery, a semi-circular cut is made in the top of the tibia, the bone is rotated, and a stainless steel plate and screws are applied to hold the bone stable while it heals.
Recovery from the procedure is approximately 8-12 weeks. Patients are discharged the day following surgery with anti-inflammatories, pain medications, and instructions on at-home activity restriction and rehabilitation. Most dogs limp on the leg immediately following the procedure but make dramatic improvement over the first 1 to 2 weeks. 95% of dogs, once recovered, return to full pet quality function. This means they can run, jump, and play with no limp or pain.
At Elite Veterinary Surgery, the TPLO surgery is completed by a board certified surgeon who has undergone extensive training in the procedure. Patients receive multi-modal pain control including injectable medications, oral medications, a local nerve block, and topical therapies. Patients recover in our 24-hour care facility and are monitored by a full team
of doctors and technicians. During all times of the recovery process, you and your dog have immediate access to the surgeon who performed the procedure.
©2019 by Elite Veterinary Surgery


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Der Fall Bridey Murphy hat in den 1950er Jahren weltweit großes Aufsehen erregt. Der US-amerikanische Geschäftsmann Morey Bernstein, der sich privat mit Hypnose beschäftigte, führte in Pueblo (Colorado) insgesamt acht Hypnose-Sitzungen mit der (von Indianern abstammenden) Hausfrau Virginia Tighe durch.

Bei der dritten bis achten Sitzung (vom 29. November 1952 bis zum 1. Oktober 1953) beschrieb Tighe ein Vorleben als Bridey (eigentlich Bridget Kathleen) Murphy, Tochter von Duncan und Kathleen Murphy, die am 20. Dezember 1798 in Cork (Irland) geboren worden sei. 1818 habe sie Sean Brian Joseph McCarthy (* 1796) geheiratet und sei sie mit ihm nach Belfast gezogen, wo sie 1864 nach einem Treppensturz gestorben sei. Den hypnotischen Regressionen ließ sich eine große Anzahl von Detailinformationen entnehmen, die (wie spätere Nachforschungen William J. Barkers in Irland ergaben) vielfach bestätigt werden konnten. Hingegen ließen sich Bridey Murphy selbst und die meisten der von ihr genannten Personen nicht explizit nachweisen.

Zusätzlich erinnerte sich Tighe auch noch an eine kurze Inkarnation in Nieuw Amsterdam (der Name New Yorks bis 1664). Sie machte darüber jedoch keine Angaben, die man hätte überprüfen können.

Virginia Tighe (* 27. April 1923 in Madison, Wisconsin, † 12. Juli 1995 nahe Denver, Colorado) erwarb ihren Familiennamen durch ihre zweite Ehe mit Hugh Bryan Tighe. Ihr Geburtsname war Burns, bis sie im Alter von drei Jahren durch Adoption den Namen Grung bekam. Bernstein verwendete in seinem Buch das Pseudonym Ruth Simmons (geb. Mills).

Kritik
Der erste gedruckte Bericht zum Fall Bridey Murphy erschien am 12., 19. und 26. September 1954 im Empire Magazine. Die Publikation des Buchs The Search for Bridey Murphy durch Bernstein im Jahre 1956 löste erstmals weltweite Diskussionen über die Frage der Reinkarnation aus. Eine journalistische Kampagne der Boulevardzeitung Chicago American gegen die (in anderen Blättern viel publizierte) Story bewirkte, dass der Fall bald allgemein als im Sinne der Kryptomnesie-Hypothese aufgeklärt galt. Als Quelle von Vorspiegelungen des Bewusstseins über ein früheres Leben in Irland wird eine ehemalige irische Nachbarin von Virginia Tighe, Mrs. Corkell, genannt, deren Geburtsname Bridie Murphy gewesen sein soll. Ihre Angaben über Kontakte mit Mrs. Tighe in deren Kindheit wurden durch Mrs. Tighe dementiert. Mrs. Corkell verweigerte William J. Barker ein Interview und wurde von diesem schließlich als die Mutter eines Redakteurs des 'Chicago American's identifiziert.

Das Buch
Bernsteins Buch erlebte zahlreiche Auflagen. Seit der Ausgabe von 1965 trägt es den Untertitel With new material by William J. Barker. Die erste deutsche Übersetzung erschien 1957 unter dem Titel Der Fall Bridey Murphy. Dokument einer Wiedergeburt (ein späterer Übersetzungstitel lautet Protokoll einer Wiedergeburt). Außerdem gibt es Übersetzungen ins Dänische, Finnische, Französische, Hebräische, Italienische, Japanische, Koreanische, Niederländische, Portugiesische, Schwedische und Spanische.

Verfilmung
1956 wurde The Search for Bridey Murphy in den USA unter der Regie von Noel Langley verfilmt. Bernstein wird darin von Louis Hayward gespielt, Virginia Tighe (als Ruth Simmons) von Teresa Wright. Zu den Darstellern gehört auch William J. Barker.

Parapsychologie


Reason 7,483 Why I'll Never Allow Alexa in My Home, by Jennifer Van Laar.
"That person was one of her husband's employees, calling from Seattle.
People across the political spectrum vigorously fight for their privacy in the face of laws like the Patriot Act, yet willingly invite a device they know is listening to every word (how else does it know when to turn on?) into their home, sometimes into each room of their home. How gullible are we?
I would advise against anyone having this technology in their home. I'm even thinking of asking each person whose home I visit if they use Alexa or similar devices. There's no way I will have conversations in such an environment.
CIA or CNN? Will the media ever be held accountable for conspiring against America?


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Q: How can I query and sort custom-post type using WP_Query guys, I have a custom post type called "game" and it has some custom fields (get_post_meta) which I access by their keys "_game_date_key", "_game_home_goals_key" and "_game_away_goals_key".
How do I use the WP_Query() to return posts sorted by the "_game_date_key" and ("_game_home_goals_key" and "_game_away_goals_key") are numbers ?

A: You should add arguments to WP_Query to sort by your keys in the order you want. The compare value can be your filter (larger, smaller, etc)
$args = [
    'meta_query' => array(
        'relation' => 'AND',
        'event_start_date_clause' => array(
            'key'     => '_game_date_key',
            'compare' => 'EXISTS',
        ),
        'event_start_time_clause' => array(
            'key'     => '_game_home_goals_key',
            'compare' => 'EXISTS',
        ),
        'event_start_time_clause' => array(
            'key'     => '_game_away_goals_key',
            'compare' => 'EXISTS',
        ),
     ),
    'orderby' => array(
        '_game_date_key' => 'ASC',
        '_game_home_goals_key' => 'ASC',
        '_game_away_goals_key' => 'ASC',
    ),
];

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
'Souvenir' exhibits strong punk sound
Minnesota punk band Banner Pilot released its strongest effort to date with its fourth studio album "Souvenir" through Fat Wreck Chords on April 15.
Banner Pilot said its influences come from bands such as Jawbreaker and Hot Water Music, and this album shows these influences well.
I haven't been a Banner Pilot fan for long.
I first heard of the band about a month ago with its 2011 album "Heart Beats Pacific" release.
From the first time I heard "Spanish Reds" on that album, I was hooked and it piqued my interest to check out more stuff by Banner Pilot.
Luckily, "Souvenir" came out this month and I got to listen to new music that few have heard.
Because I usually have to listen to an album a couple of times to get the full effect, it took time to get to where I felt like "Souvenir" is better than "Heart Beats Pacific."
After listening to the album, it's hard to place a favorite track.
Everything flows so well together on this album that I will have to listen to it more to get a song that definitively sticks out to me.
The album's first single, "Modern Shakes," was released on March 5 and is the perfect introduction song to the album.
"Modern Shakes" is not an overpowering song, but it gives a feel of what "Souvenir" is going to be like.
The album's second single "Effigy," was released April 14, which I found very unusual.
Most bands release singles a month or two in advance of the new album, but Banner Pilot decided to release "Effigy" the day before.
One song I found myself listening to a lot on the first couple of rounds was the album's seventh track, "Shoreline."
The song is not overpowering and not the fastest song from "Souvenir," but it is one of the more catchy songs on the album.
I love the way the guitarist plays the chord progressions throughout the song.
I found this song has a similar chord progression to Jawbreaker's "Ache" until coming into its own, which could be Banner Pilot paying homage to one of its biggest influences.
Like other punk music, Banner Pilot uses broken hearts and relationships themes, but the way lead singer Nick Johnson presents it makes the album unique from other punk bands.
This album is catchy and is reminiscent of punk music from the late 1990s and early 2000s, with bands such as Blink 182 and Sum 41.
Unfortunately, punk music has almost been pushed aside and is not as popular as it once was, so Banner Pilot might not reach the heights Blink 182 and Sum 41 have.
However, the band can and probably will rise within the punk genre.
If one is into punk music or music surrounding that genre, I highly recommend this album.
The way this album flows together is unbelievable.
I wouldn't call it the best album I've heard, but it's one of the stronger albums I've heard this year.
"Souvenir" runs for 38 minutes and 52 seconds and can be purchased in the Google Play Store for $9.49 and on iTunes for $9.99.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Steps Into First Place
Former UCA Student Arrested on Suspicion of Rape
Death March To The Parallel World Rhapsody Season 2
Wotakoi Season 2
Gravity Falls Season 3


A band-reconfigurable LDMOS high power amplifier (PA) with state-of-the-art performance is presented. The frequency reconfigurability is implemented by band-switchable matching networks using PIN diodes. The PA provides power-added efficiencies which are higher than 61% and output power levels exceeding 8 W at 0.9 GHz, 1.5 GHz, and 1.9 GHz. The input return loss in all the three bands is better than 12 dB.


L-carnitine is an amino acid that is produced in the body naturally. Not everyone needs a supplement, but some people can benefit greatly from taking one. The effects of this amino acid have been studied since the 1930's. It can be very beneficial to body builders, whether the goal is fat loss or muscle gain. However, there are many other benefits that you can see with taking this supplement other than to reach these goals.
L-carnitine actually helps increase energy and reduces fatigue, which is a huge benefit for most people both healthy and unhealthy. This also increases our aerobic capacity for exercise. If you are looking to burn fat, it is also good because while it is creating this energy, it is also transferring long chain fatty acids to create that energy, which burns fat. In addition, it acts as an appetite suppressant at the same time. This makes this supplement great for anyone who is dieting.
This amino acid supplement is also an antioxidant, which allows you to boost your immune system. This and the energy gains is one reason why people with certain diseases such as AIDS and other disorders that cause fatigue should take the supplement.
This supplement also has some additional benefits that most people don't know about. For example, it can decrease bone loss and increase bone density, staving off arthritis and other bone diseases in senior citizens. It is also used with heart conditions, particularly angina. If you have kidney problems you probably aren't producing enough carnitine, and need to take the supplement.
It also increases glucose oxidation, storage and uptake, making it a perfect supplement for people with diabetes or sugar problems. If you are even at risk for any of these conditions, l-carnitine can help reduce your risk factors tremendously.


text:
Ashley Benson Posts Selfie with Cara Delevingne After Sparking Dating Rumors
Sidney Poitier's Net Worth Reveals How Much He Made...
Sidney Poitier's Daughter Died 3 Years Before Him—...
Bob Saget's Sudden Death Had No Signs of 'Drug Use...
Sidney Poitier Was Married Twice Before His Death—...
Bob Saget's Net Worth Reveals How Much He Made From...
byJason Pham May 23, 2018 at 9:19 am EDT
Cara Delevingne might be moving on with another woman. Two months after she was photographed kissing model Paris Jackson, the 25-year-old was seen in New York City holding hands with "Pretty Little Liars" actress Ashley Benson. And now, after Benson Instagrammed a selfie of the two, fans are sure more than ever that #Cashley is real.
Delevingne and Benson first sparked dating rumors after they were photographed leaving Lucky Strike, bar and restaurant in New York, holding hands on Friday night. Accompanied by a couple of their friends, the actresses looked close as they made their way to the SoHo Grand Hotel to end their night.
A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀❝Ashley Benson Candids❞ (@ashbenzocandids)
MORE: 10 Times Celebrity Couples Savagely Roasted Each Other on Social Media
Two days after the photographs came out, Benson took to her Instagram to post a photo of her and Delevingne, suggesting that their not-yet-confirmed romance is true. Of course, the picture wasn't exactly your average couple's selfie. Instead of showing off her rumored girlfriend, Benson hid Delevingne behind her body. But that didn't stop fans from noticing Delevingne's tuft of platinum-blonde hair.
Fans also pointed out that Delevingne was wearing the same multi-colored jacket that she wore on her date with Benson a couple days earlier, leading them to believe that the actress was giving a major clue that #Cashley was real deal.
A post shared by Ashley Benson (@ashleybenson)
MORE: 10 Surprising Celebrity Friends Who You Forgot Dated the Same Person
To add more fuel to the flame, Benson and Delevingne's friend, Chloe Caillet, Instagrammed a picture of the on Tuesday. The picture featured the three women posing together, with Delevingne wearing a unicorn headband. 'Found a unicorn," Caillet wrote on the caption.
A post shared by Chloé Caillet (@chloecaillet)
And while most fans are confident that there's a romance brewing between Delevingne and Benson, not everyone is convinced. As many fans acknowledge, it's important to note that a couple selfies and some hand-holding isn't definitive proof that two people are dating.
Friends hold hands all the time, and just because Delevingne has come out as queer doesn't mean that every woman she is close to is her girlfriend. Until the ladies confirm the romance themselves, it's all speculation. But at least Benson and Delevingne are having fun with a new hashtag.


Exclusive: Hoolets and Blantyre Project, Pub Quiz!
The Hoolet's Nest pub is hosting a wonderful Pub Quiz in association with The Blantyre Project.
The event will take place on Thursday 17th September 2015 at 7.30pm and will be FREE entry! What promises to be a fantastic evening, will see amazing prizes and great company too, in the friendly Pub in Bardykes Road. You can express your interest in attending by clicking "going" on this Facebook event listing. See you there!


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Todd Glass vs. Christine O'Donnell: Their 2000 appearance on "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher"
Perhaps you have seen a clip or two of Christine O'Donnell, Delware's GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate, saying a weird thing or two on the TV. Bill Maher has promised to reach into his vaults and release even more blasts from her past until O'Donnell agrees to face Maher on his HBO show.
Well, here's another clip package, courtesy of fans of comedian Todd Glass, who sat beside O'Donnell in a June 23, 2000, episode of Politically Incorrect. Marion Ross and Eric Braeden occupied the two other guest chairs. In these excerpts, O'Donnell gets Glass going by complaining about how men objectify women, claiming:
"I can walk down the street in a burlap sack with a bag over my head, and someone will yell stuff out the window."
Glass immediately replied: "Oh, c'mon! I don't believe that...That's a little self-fulfilling, I think!"
Watch and download the full exchange at this link.
Or, now also on YouTube:
Oct 4, 2010 4:21:11 PM | Bill Maher, Todd Glass
Chris Rock talks shop with George Lopez, Bill Maher; judges SF stand-ups in "Chris Rock Band"
Some comedians are more than eager to work their well-honed routines into interviews when they go on late-night TV. Chris Rock is a piece of work, though, because he hits the clubs for a solid couple of weeks before he hits the promotional circuit to write and develop new material for his appearances. Such has been the case these past few nights as Rock went on Late Show with David Letterman -- sticking it to Letterman repeatedly about his adultery problem, and also Tiger Woods -- then Real Time with Bill Maher, and last night Lopez Tonight.
The conversations always go back to the project Rock is promoting, in this case the movie Death at a Funeral. But I found it interesting that both Maher and George Lopez preferred to talk comedy shop with Rock first. And in last night's case, Lopez also had Rock judge three "audience members" try to impersonate Rock's bits in an ad-hoc game of "Chris Rock Band." When I heard one of the audience members say his name was Sadiki, my radar ears twitched. Today my friends at SF Stand-Up confirmed that the audience members actually were three San Francisco Bay Area comedians: Julian Vance, Keith Jensen & Sadiki Fuller.
Here's their efforts, complete with leather jackets. Lopez: "Have you ever thought of doing stand-up?" Jensen: "Yeah. All the time."
And here is Rock talking shop and then some with Lopez and Maher. In the Maher segment, there's more talk after this clip about Rock's stint on SNL -- he said he's more than OK with having been in the shadows of the other SNL players, not just because he was on a great cast, but also because his career turned out more than OK. He also said he feels closer to David Spade and Adam Sandler than most other comedians, because they went through it together, and Maher talked about how comedians often have a class of people they feel a kinship with because they came up at the same time. If/when I find that part, I'll add it here. Until then, roll it!
Apr 13, 2010 1:31:55 PM | Bill Maher, Chris Rock, George Lopez
What's the buzz on HBO comedies? Peeks at Funny or Die Presents, animated Ricky Gervais & more
HBO has a new look online, and that includes a home page for the upcoming series of sketches from Funny or Die called Funny or Die Presents, and along with it, a fresh "Buzz" video that offers insider looks at FoD Presents (Brett Gelman dancing in 1,000 Cats! Leo Allen with a snake! Will Ferrell in disguise!). That's not all, though. You also get behind-the-scenes with Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington on animated their popular podcasts, a look at the second season of animated series The Life & Times of Tim (with Nick Kroll talking improv!), and previews of Bill Maher's latest stand-up special and season of Real Time. It all debuts Feb. 19.
Jan 22, 2010 6:53:24 PM | Bill Maher, Brett Gelman, Funny or Die, Leo Allen, Nick Kroll, Will Ferrell
Ricky Gervais to headline 2009 New York Comedy Festival; Comedy Central Presents tie-in?
Just when I thought we were starting the Just For Laughs comedy fest in Chicago (we are doing this today), the New York Comedy Festival named its headliners and increased partnership with Comedy Central for its sixth annual week of headliners in the Big Apple, this coming Nov. 4-8, 2009. Tickets won't even go on sale until August, but they've announced that Ricky Gervais will play Carnegie Hall. And in his official statement of such, Gervais said: "Headlining one of the most prestigious comedy festivals in the world is an amazing honor for me. The fact that it's at the beautiful and historic Carnegie Hall makes it all the more wonderful. It's just down the road from my apartment. I can walk to work. (I won't walk obviously. I'll take a limo. But I could walk if I had to)."
Also headlining their own shows at the 2009 NYCF: Bill Maher and Tracy Morgan. More talent will be named later this summer. Produced by Carolines on Broadway and United Entertainment Group, the fest will put on shows at 10 venues around Manhattan with more than 150 comedians. Comedy Central had joined as a partner last year (filming a one-hour special in 2008 at the fest for Jo Koy), and this year appears to be aligning its tapings of the 2010 series of half-hour Comedy Central Presents as part of the fest. Those tapings will happen at John Jay College this year.
Jun 17, 2009 6:25:02 PM | Bill Maher, New York Comedy Festival, Ricky Gervais, Tracy Morgan
Bill Maher's "Religulous" DVD GIVEAWAY!
If you watch Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO (the new season starts this Friday, Feb. 20), then you know that Maher has two issues that really hit close to home: 1) legalizing the personal use of marijuana, and 2) the silliness of religious beliefs. The latter was the subject of Maher's first documentary film, Religulous, which showed up in cinemas during 2008 and came out on DVD on Tuesday. As he says on one of the extra commentaries on his DVD: "As a comedian, religion always interested me, because comedians are looking for what doesn't make sense. The gap between what somebody tells you and what you know to be true, that's where the jokes are."
Maher's personality can come off as abrasive, certainly. But he worked on this documentary with director Larry Charles, who also helmed Borat, and in this work, Charles allows himself to become a part of the process, too, at times. The duo begin with Maher's own upbringing (he was raised Catholic but had a Jewish mother), head off to Vatican City to take on Catholics, and around the world questioning true believers on what they believe to be true. So, naturally, Maher had an even bigger problem with the eight years of President George W. Bush's so-called "born-again" leadership. Does he feel better now that Barack Obama is president? I asked him whether he had any advice for Obama about presidential politics and religion.
"So many times you see Rev. Wright, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, these are the guys who get you in trouble, and they always seem to have reverend in front of their names. Look, Barack Obama is our president. He's a politician in America, a very religious country, so I see why he has to pretend to be a religious person himself. I say 'pretend' because I can only hope that someone as bright as he is, I have to believe he is smart enough to know you cannot walk on water, that god didn't ride in on a winged horse, that it didn't rain frogs, that we cannot change water into wine."
"But I did think it was pretty interesting that, at the inauguration, for the first time ever, he gave a shout out to non-believers. I think it's great that he gave a shout-out to non-believers. It was only two words, but it was a revolutionary two words. I'm surprised that more people didn't take note of it, but he did say, in the inauguration speech, something about Christians and Jews and Hindus and non-believers! I almost fell off my chair. I said: 'Yes! Thank you!' So there we go. That's progress. Baby steps, baby steps."*
I did say this was a DVD giveaway, though, didn't I? Yes, I did. You can buy the DVD now. Or. I have FIVE (5) copies of the DVD, and you could have one of those. What do you need to do? Simply e-mail me at thecomicscomic@gmail.com, put Bill Maher DVD in the subject line, and ask me. I'll "randomly" pick the first five of you and send you a DVD. Like they said growing up, reading is FUN-damental! (UPDATED: Thanks for your emails. Winners will be notified shortly!)
Continue reading "Bill Maher's "Religulous" DVD GIVEAWAY!" »
Feb 18, 2009 12:50:50 PM | Bill Maher
Bill Maher's homecoming
As politically incorrect as he ever was, Bill Maher has gotten a lot of extra airtime, thanks to the 2008 elections, his new mocumentary, Religulous, and his HBO show, Real Time with Bill Maher. Amid all of this, you can see a different side of Maher on the new episode of the Sundance Channel's Iconoclasts, in which Maher talks with record label guru Clive Davis. Here's a clip of Maher showing Davis around his "second home" for many years, the Hollywood Improv. Maher goes back to his actual hometown, Montclair, NJ, tonight for his first show there at the newly refurbished 2,500-seat Wellmont Theatre.
Nov 8, 2008 1:08:52 PM | Bill Maher


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The humiliation of a despicable reformist politician, always the weakest part of Harvey Fierstein's book, still seems clunky. The physical comedy, mostly for drag star Albin (Steve Bryan) and his flighty maid (Matt Kenyon), earns laughs but extends the show.
Yet Delamar draws out the emotional side well. For the first time since seeing "La Cage" in 1983 and in less impressive incarnations, I felt that low-key club owner Georges (Jon Jones) and high-strung Albin had entered late middle age deeply in love. These stout, graying chaps seemed like a married couple who could endure any storms that rocked them, and the actors were evenly matched – not always the case in "La Cage," where Albin often dominates.
If the plot sounds familiar, you may be like the patron I heard saying, "They made this into 'The Birdcage.'" He referred to the tame 1996 film comedy that was adapted – as was this Jerry Herman musical – from the 1978 French film "La Cage Aux Folles." (That, in turn, came from a 1973 French play by Jean Poiret.)
Georges has a son from a brief heterosexual fling. That son (Hank Santos, who almost turned this non-entity of a character into a real person) wants to marry the daughter of that right-wing politician. He fears her family will reject him if they know he was raised by two men, so he asks Albin to step out of his life for a while.
"La Cage" alternates between this moral dilemma and backstage drama involving Albin and the six Cagelles, who have been drilled precisely by choreographer Emily Hunter and add pizzazz to the show. The conclusion of the story never did make much sense, but everyone gets to participate in the broadly happy ending – as they're expected to do in any feelgood, big-hearted musical.
Toppman: 704-358-5232
'La Cage Aux Folles'
WHEN: Through Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Also 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22.
WHERE: Theatre Charlotte, 501 Queens Rd.
RUNNING TIME: 160 minutes.
TICKETS: $12-27.
DETAILS: 704-376-3777; theatrecharlotte.org.
Concerto for Percussion
Bluegrass style demo
10 reasons you must meet the Wyeths at the Mint (No. 1: Those genes!)
By Lawrence Toppman
ltoppman@charlotteobserver.com
On one side: the Ashcan School, social realists, abstract expressionists, surrealists, action painters, color field artists, Op Artists, minimalists and postmodernists.
MORE LAWRENCE TOPPMAN
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A jolt of drama from one of America's great authors
Chekhov may be spinning in his grave over 'Bird' – but with laughter
Monroe teacher makes a national splash
Delightful Dvorak dominates a diffuse concert
A cutting-edge administrator leaves a cutting-edge arts group
What's 'Sensoria'? Your chance to see a dance genius, books you eat and ... Elvis?


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STREAM DISNEY PRESENTS GOOFY IN HOW TO STAY AT HOME NOW ON DISNEY+
Disney Presents Goofy in How to Stay at Home
TV-G
Goofy's back in "Disney Presents Goofy in How to Stay at Home," a trio of all-new, hand-drawn animated shorts from Walt Disney Animation Studios. In these new shorts from acclaimed master animator/director Eric Goldberg ("Aladdin," "Pocahontas," "Fantasia/2000," "Moana") and Emmy Award®-winning producer Dorothy McKim ("Meet the Robinsons," "Prep & Landing," "Get a Horse!"), Goofy – the clumsy, charismatic and lovable Disney "everyman" character who has entertained audiences since his screen debut in 1932 – demonstrates how to make the best of challenging situations. Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy since 1987, provides the familiar vocals for the character, and versatile actor, Corey Burton, is heard as the narrator.
Rated: TV-G
LEARNING TO COOK - It's a recipe for comedy and disaster when Goofy uses his time at home to learn how to cook. Goofy stars in a trio of hilarious new shorts offering tips on "How to Stay at Home." © 2021 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life
The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse
Intertwined
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder


They say that you always remember your first kiss, your first love and your first time. When they all coincide on the eve of a new millenium and with the boy you've been wanting for years that's definitely the case.
Its a hot and steamy summer when Allen is sent to the farm for a long day of sorting out the accounts. The job is made far more interesting by the farmers daughter who turns out to be hotter than the summer.
We all have things that push our buttons, things that turn us on even when we're supposed to be working. For Matt it's shoes. He's been enjoying daydreaming his life away to the clicketty clack of high heels. When fate walks up to him wearing killer heels the only thing he can do is to put the dreams on the pillion and ride in to the sunset.


For sale is a set of 2 used ignition wiring diagrams for 1970 Evinrude and Johnson outboard motors. You will get these exact used 1970 Evinrude outboard wiring diagrams. These are color coded wiring guides.
Users have access to complete engine maintenance and repair information along with quick access buttons to Maintenance Schedules, Wiring Diagrams, Parts, Specification Charts, and a hyper linked index. If you prefer traditional service manuals Seloc also offers a full line of printed engine repair and maintenence guides.
hi resolution diagrams, color wiring diagrams and detailed step by step instructions. Manual download this manual.. preview this manual 1975 Evinrude 2HP Model 2502 Full Factory Service Manual Full Factory Evinrude service manual covers repair and maintenance for 2HP outboard motor model 2502.


An out-of-court settlement has ended one potential forth-coming action. Pop star Sting's company, Steerpike has reached an agreement with Coutts bank over a u5 million claim. As a result, the case has been removed from the Commercial Court list.
Faxcast Broadcast Corporation was advised by Herbert Smith in its merger offer for u93.4m for Media Technology Corporation, advised by Slaughter and May.


consumer demand for organic fruits and vegetables, with notable increases already being seen in a number of product categories, according to the Chilean Fresh Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX).
recognition agreement with the European Union (EU); a factor which ASOEX believes will be a major contributing factor in the increasing importance to the country of organic fresh produce exports.
recognise the equivalence of their organic production rules and control systems. Effectively, this means that all organic products – including fresh produce – certified and produced in Chile can be placed directly in the EU market and vice versa. Organic product logos used by Chile and Europe are also protected under the agreement.
With the signing of the deal, Chile has become one of the first non-European countries to have a mutual recognition accord of this kind with the EU, according to Charif Christian Carvajal, ASOEX marketing director for Europe and Asia. "In practical terms, any Chilean exporter that complies with Chile's organic certification is also able to use the EU organic logo on their packaging – we have become the first country outside the EU to be recognised in this sense," he explained.
According to statistics from ProChile, some 223 grower-exporters are now involved in Chile's organic fruit and vegetable sector. One product that has shown spectacular export growth in recent seasons has been cranberries, which increased by 983% between 2015-16, while organic blueberries and raspberries also recorded significant export rises over the past five years.
One recognition of the increasing importance of Chile's organic fresh produce sector was the decision by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to choose Chile as the site for training its officials in organic production regulations at a Latin American level. "The USDA's decision shows how Chile is becoming a central point of reference for organic production and exports," said Bown.
accounted for by blueberries, apples and kiwifruit, Carvajal added.


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Aadhaar Is Treated As Unique: SC
By Sakal Money | New Delhi | Sep. 26, 2018 | इतर
Aadhaar identification is unparalleled, the Supreme Court said while pronouncing its judgement on the petitions challenging the system on the grounds that it violates privacy. "It is better to be unique than the best. Unique means only one. Aadhaar is treated as unique and cannot be assigned to any other person," said Justice AK Sikri, reading out the Aadhaar judgement. Aadhaar is a unique 12-digit identification number issued to individuals by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDIA) after storing their biometrics data.
The Aadhaar verdict was announced by a five-judge constitution bench comprising Justice A.K. Sikri, Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Ashok Bhushan. The bench had reserved the verdict after hearing the petitions for over 38 days starting January 17 this year.
The fate of Aadhaar, the 12-digit unique identity number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has been dangling ever since privacy concerns were raised. The compulsory linking of the Aadhaar card with bank accounts, PAN card, welfare schemes and a host of other utilities violates the fundamental right to privacy, alleged a spree of petitions challenging its validity.
The petition challenging the Aadhaar scheme -- when it had no statutory backing which eventually came by 2016 Aadhaar Act -- was first moved by the retired judge of Karnataka High Court Justice K.S. Puttaswamy, reported news agency Indo-Asian
The legal battle against Aadhaar from the day one was led by senior counsel Shyam Divan who appeared for Justice Puttaswamy and later represented other petitioners as well.


Discussion and panel talk: Understanding the relevance and importance of strong female voices in publishing and books in 2019. Identifying the girl bosses who have made a difference... and how you can too!
Members' club tailored to the design, literary and theatre worlds.
Workspace, dining, entertainment and eclectic events.
LIBRARY is a true home away from home, offering members a space to meet, work, and play. An environment to relax or socialise. LIBRARY is a getaway to an enchanted house - eclectic, inspirational and thought provoking in its programming. The idea is simple, a venue with library books where people can come and stay, meet for dinner and drinks, host events and build a network of like-minded individuals. LIBRARY is an independent boutique venue with an understated design, personal access and services for members.
During the day: LIBRARY is a quiet natural daylight space to work from with access to wi-fi, a boardroom, and conference facilities. In the evening: LIBRARY is the ideal dinner and drinks place with private dining available.


Haven't found the right listing? There are 26 other Investment Services in Hendersonville. Click here!
Edward Jones - Financial Advisor: Laura H Crago can be found at 1507 Haywood Rd . The following is offered: Investment Services . In Hendersonville there are 26 other Investment Services. An overview can be found here.


Local Ads with Geotargeting - Find Local Prospects with Geotargeting on MND.
Use our consumer traffic to generate leads for our subscribers. Aprox 20,000+ (and growing) consumers visit MND each day for information on interest rates, news, Q&A (over 2000 FAQs) and forums.
We implemented geo-targeted Local Ads to the consumer centric areas of our website. We use IP based detection to determine the location of visitors to MND. We present these visitors with a list of local subcribers from our Consumer Marketplace.
Your ad will be seen on various pages throughout our website.
Consumer-centric areas include or interest rates pages, news pages, all 2000+ pages in our Q&A Library, forum pages, etc.


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Monet haystack painting at Sotheby's sells for record-breaking amount
By Matt Richardson Published May 15, 2019 FOX BUSINESSFOXBusiness
Rembrandt found in an NJ basement
'Strange Inheritance' host Jamie Colby on the discovery of a Rembrandt painting once thought lost and slave rebellion leader Nat Turner's bible.
A Claude Monet painting of haystacks sold for a record-breaking $110.7 million at a New York auction on Tuesday.
The impressionist artist's "Meules" sold at Sotheby's sale of Impressionist & Modern Art – breaking the world auction record for Monet. The sale also marked the first Impressionist artwork to surpass the $100 million mark.
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The previous owners of the painting had bought the painting in 1986 for $2.53 million.
The "Meules" painting, one of Claude Monet's iconic paintings of haystacks, fetched a record $110.7 million at an auction in New York. The 1890 painting sold at Sotheby's sale of Impressionist & Modern Art Tuesday night, May 14, 2019. (Courtesy S
The 1890 painting is one of only four works from Monet's acclaimed "Haystacks" series to come to auction this century, and one of only eight examples remaining in private hands. The 17 others reside at museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago.
The purchasers of the artwork – who competed in an eight-minute auction against five other bidders – have not yet been identified by the auction house.
The Associated Press contributed to this report


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Q: Ubuntu wont launch on dual OS this is the error that pops up when i try to boot into ubuntuI have a hp elitebook 8470p with windows 10 running yesterday i decided to install linux ubuntu as a dual OS i installed it by following this video https://youtu.be/-iSAyiicyQY i also instAlled easyBCD which helps me choose between OS on startup. When i choose windows 10 it opens normally but when i choose ubuntu a screen shows up stating "GRUB4DOS 0.4.5c 2014-01-17 , Mem : 631K/3031M/9184M/, End : 356539
[ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions . Anywhere else TAB lists possible completions of device/filename.]
I have searched the internet for a fix to this problem but didnt auite help i downloaded super grub2 which was successful i launched ubuntu but i still have to keep the USB in everytime i want to launch ubuntu which sucks. Sorry for my bad english btw.

enter image description hereI am afraid none if these options worked for me i went into my BIOS then into my UEFI and Legacy boot order but i didnt knew which one was windows10 or ubuntu as you can see in the picture so i didnt make any changes. As for the second option  i typed "ls" and pressed enter it said "error 14: Filesystem compatibility error. Cannot read whole file" enter image description here
sorry if the image links are all around the place i am new to this site i added 3 picture links hope you can find them
enter image description here

A: try to change boot order from the bios making ubuntu the first choice. This should solve your problem. If the problem persists and you pc moves into grub rescue mode then follow the below steps.
On the grub terminal execute these commands:

*

*ls :It will list all your drives and partitions, like:
(hd0) (hd0,msdos2) (hd0,msdos1)

*If Ubuntu boot partition is not known, check the disks one after another:
ls (hd0,msdos2)/

*After selecting the right partition. For example lets say (hd0,msdos2) is the right partition then execute these command on terminal:
set prefix=(hd0,msdos2)/boot/grub
set root=(hd0,msdos2)
insmod normal
normal
Now you'll be able to boot into Ubuntu. After login into Ubuntu execute the following commands on terminal:
sudo update-grub
sudo grub-install /dev/sda

Boot problem should be fixed after this


Attractive fireplace with open fire, tiled hearth and wood surround. Wood flooring. Spectacular sea views.
Feature stove fireplace with matching hearth. Wood flooring. Spectacular sea views.
Excellent range of high and low level units. Laminate worktops. Freestanding cooker. Single drainer stainless steel sink unit. Plumbed for automatic washing machine and dishwasher. Glazed leaded units. Part tiled walls. Tiled floor.
White suite comprising low flush WC, pedestal wash hand basin, panelled bath and corner shower with electric shower fitting. Tiled walls. Tiled flooring.
Solid wood flooring. Ensuite shower room comprising low flush WC, pedestal wash hand basin and double shower enclosure with 'Redring' electric shower fitting. Tiled walls. Tiled flooring. Stairs to first floor.
Twin under eave storage areas. Wood flooring. Exceptional views overlooking Antrim Plateau.
Neat front gardens laid in lawns and flowerbeds. Bordered by wall and gate. Rear garden in lawn with superb rural open aspect.
Light and power. Presently used as games room.
PVC Double glazing and Oil fired central heating. Wood flooring. Feature wood surround open fireplace. Kitchen with range of units, stainless steel sink unit, plumbed for automatic washing machine, part tiled walls.
Laminate wood flooring. Magnificent sea views.


Here is Klaus. He supervises our gardening activities.
The girls love Klaus. Here of course Bella is posing, but I also sometimes catch the girls just giving him a surprise hug once in a while.
I only meant to get a few things. But you know how that place is. They had pretty hanging baskets, but then I saw the price tag, "$40?! I can make that for $40!!" and then I spend 2 hours picking out $60 worth of plants. So take that.
Here's my iris. So beautiful but lasts about 10 minutes with all the rain.
Columbine. This one is only a couple years old and I've never seen so many flowers on it.
Our peaches and cream peony. Looks mostly like cream, but oh well at least it made flowers this year!
The girls and I planted a potted fairy garden for the porch.
They had a lot of fun deciding where to put each tiny plant, and then adding all the accessories.
See I told you, sneaking a hug.
It turned out so sweet! I just know the fairies will stop by.
How can they resist hazelnut boy in the pumpkin patch?
Or the little hazelnut woman next to the MOSS lawn.
If you look carefully, you can see a mother bird sitting on her nest with two eggs.
Oh look! A fairy did stop by! She left a little rock, a note, and lots of fairy dust. It was very exciting when Bella spotted it this morning!
The Lorax at the Drive-in!
Fairy house is still standing amongst the trillium, daffodils, jack in the pulpit, ferns, hen and chicks, etc etc WHEE! Love this garden.
Mai tai's, chicken wings, and s'mores with friends on Saturday night.
It was so sweet watching Mimi play with the baby. She was so proud to be taking care of her!
Mimi wouldn't eat her teeny eensy weensy little cup of soup. Even though it is Rapunzel's FAVORITE SOUP.
She just ate buns. Lots of buns!
Bella gave dinner a thumbs up.
Mimi reenacted dinner with her doll, "You have to eat two bites! Or no popcorn!"
We had a fun weekend! I hope you did too!
How excited was I to hear the girls were coming to the Bell Museum on the U campus for a field trip? Super excited! I had an HR training just a block away, and as soon as I could get out of there I ran AND I MEAN RAN like a bat out of heck with my platform sandals and ginormous HR training binder beep beep MAMA ON A MISSION!!
I was just in time to spend about 15 minutes with each girls' class. SO CUTE! Bella was so thrilled to have me there, just the sweetest little thing.
Mimi was confused about whether it was time to get picked up or what. But she figured it out. "Mommy lives in a museum," she told her teachers. I guess that's better than the bowling alley, which is where Bella always thought I worked.
Yes, Mimi is wearing pants. At least she was when I dropped her off in the morning. Guess I can't make any promises beyond that.
What a magical memory to have been able to meet the girls on campus for their field trip!!
To all the wonderful, inspiring, untiring mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day!
Today, after a super bouncy and crumbly breakfast in bed, the girls and Brent and his mom took me to Shepherd's Harvest! Yay!
and bunnies. Oh the fluffy bunnies! The girls were so interested in this woman pulling the fur off her bun. They wanted to know if it hurt, why was she doing it, and would she do it if it was a pet shark. Seriously, I about fell over laughing.
Swedish meatball sandwiches! Dee-licious! Oh and notice I'm wearing my beaded shawl. I could hardly make my way around the festival for all the fawning and compliments! I have never received so many compliments on anything in my life. I think it was partially because wearing it outside really let the beads sparkle, and partially because when a knitter sees a project like that, they can size it up for the life's work that it is and dole out the appropriate praise.
The girls were not that interested in listening to the shawl's fangirls and were instead completely obsessed with the giant tubes of Kettle Corn. Luckily Grandma was along to indulge them!
Of course I found some yarn! SURPRISE! This celery kit came with roving and yarn and a pattern to make some super warm roving stuffed (thrummed) mittens. Roving. Stuffed. Mittens. Why did I not know of these before? They are amazing and are going to seriously rock the house when it is 30 below. I almost can't wait!
I got the purple too to make for the girls. Roving stuffed mittens for the whole family! Can I get a Woot Woot!
And here's some pink yarn the girls helped me pick out. It had a picture of a fairy and a bunny on the label, so it was kind of fate that between 1 and 500 skeins had to come home with me. These three are to knit the girls each a Wonderful Wallaby--a hooded sweater that is from a print-only pattern I had been coveting. Well covet no more! Shepherd's Harvest grants all your wildest desires.
After we got home and rested up, the girls put on a Mother's Day puppet show for us in the back yard. SO ADORABLE! There was a lot of accidental puppet dropping and about 50% of the action happened offstage. We love love loved it.
And the icing on the cake, Bella's Mother's Day worksheet/card from school, pretty much the sweetest thing ever.
Mimi made one too but she is in that phase where just one word answers are hilarious. Green! Hippopotamus! UNDERPANTS!
I hope you had a delightful Mother's Day, doing whatever you like best with your little ones!


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Getting the Books Straight: 6 Things You Should Know About Student Loans by Craig McVegas
Getting the Books Straight: 6 Things You Should Know About Student Loans
by Craig McVegas
Student loans are back in the news this week. The BBC is reporting that it's anticipated that 45% of graduates will not be able to pay back their student loans, putting the government out of pocket. This is a gross simplification (or misrepresentation) of what's happening, but the picture is still dire in terms of public finances. Many student-led campaign groups are now trying to organize around student loans, and in particular the ongoing sale of the student loan book. This is a necessary but difficult task: multiple factors are at play simultaneously and sloganeering around a dense set of policy alterations and accountancy jargon is rather more difficult than campaigning against HE cuts. Here are six things we should be clear on:
1. Interest rates are not going up.
Student groups such as the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts and the Student Assembly Against Austerity have been way behind on this one. Last summer there were legitimate fears that once the loan book was sold, interest rates would go up retrospectively. These fears were perfectly warranted at the time. Firstly, there is a clause in student loan contracts which would facilitate such a move. Secondly, it was on the table as one of the options to make the (otherwise frankly unappealing) loan book offer more attractive to potential buyers. However, that was last summer and things have changed. The most recent portion of the loan book to be sold was done so on the provision that interest rates must remain fixed, and there is now no indication that this is the plan for future sales. This is inconvenient for ease of politicking, but we don't do ourselves any favours by propagating unsubstantiated rhetoric. If we want to talk interest rates, let's talk about how we managed to miss the hike in repayment rates that came into effect in time for those taking out £9000 fees. Whoops.
2. Every student activist should know what a 'synthetic hedge' is.
Instead of going down the route of raising interest rates, David Willetts confirmed that the government will create a 'synthetic hedge' to protect the profits of whoever buys up the loan book. Essentially this means the amount privateers might have accrued from raising interest rates retrospectively will instead be covered by the treasury. It's a clever move by Willetts. With the 'interest rates' route looking incendiary, he's been able to make the sale more politically savoury while assuring a sale through synthetically protecting the profit margins of the buyers through the public purse. A sigh of relief for individual students perhaps, but bad news for public finances. For a short-term cash gain, over time public money will be bleeding into private hands.
3. The loan book is a bargain bucket.
The student loan book was massively discounted for a quick sale, in addition to the creation of the synthetic hedge. This was done to make the debt more appealing to buyers. While private debt owners are likely to be less empathetic with their debtors in seeking repayments, they couldn't ignore the fact that many of the debts will simply be wiped off after 30 years, reaping relatively slim profits especially considering the fixing of the interest rates. Therefore both the synthetic hedge and the discount acted (and are acting – the book hasn't been completely sold off yet, remember) to make the deal more attractive. What sort of discount are we talking? Well, at the end of last year £900m worth of debt was sold for just £160m. So why is the government so keen to be rid of its assets? Within the scope of this government, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander has announced his intention to shift around £10bn of public assets. But think bigger: Royal Mail was part of the same plan last year, as was North Sea oil, National Rail and the steel industry in the 80s and 90s. The coalition is trying to flog the very last of the family china to raise cash quick so they can claim to have fixed the deficit. At best this is myopic; at worst, destructive for generations. The crisis is here to stay.
4. The doctor will see you now…
This one's straightforward. The 2008 Sale of Student Loans Act means that future loan book sales can go directly through Business Secretary Dr Vince Cable. No consultation, no democratic oversight, and no need to take it through parliament.
5. Cash flow: 'problem' is an understatement.
So the latest news is that the RAB charge has been estimated at 45%, which is 5% up on six months ago. What the fuck does that mean then? The Reserve Accounting and Budgeting charge is the estimated loss on returns from loans calculated over 30 years, including inflation. So you might lend a tenner today and estimate you'll get £8 back in 30 years, but then you also need to consider that £8 in today's money isn't worth the same in 30 years. In 2044 money it might be worth, say, £6. From £10 initially, you're now expecting what amounts to £6 back. To account for this loss, the RAB charge you would set is 40% (i.e. £4). Basically, this means the government has to admit that increasingly less money given out through student loans is going to be coming back. This isn't straightforwardly about fewer people paying money back, but also about graduates not earning as much later in life as is typically billed. Additionally, remember that after 30 years the debt is written off, and therefore the cash flow stops. Andrew McGettigan is excellent on elucidating this issue, so check out his blog.
6. Student loans come from somewhere.
This is a fairly obvious one but it's easy to forget given all the developments in HE policy over the past four years. When the cap on tuition fees was raised to £9000, the outlay needed to fund the increase in student loans was calculated based upon universities charging an average of £7000 per year. Of course, most universities jumped straight to £9000 both to send signals of prestige to applicants and to try to make up the arts and humanities block grant deficit blown open by funding cuts. This left the average year's tuition fees significantly higher than anticipated, meaning Willetts didn't have the funds for the outlay for his own plan to alleviate the deficit… causing yet more national debt. Someone get that man a calculator.


A view of our growing area.
Snow is a great insulator.
The hoop houses prepped for winter weather.
The quarantine house, post-entry, with imported juniper from Japan.
Yamadori tucked in a protected courtyard.
Over 1000 bonsai moved indoors for winter protection.
Mike, from Winnipeg, at a rare quiet moment.
The lecture & learn session about to begin.
Students from Denver, Chicago, Winnipeg, Norfolk, Maine, Pittsburgh, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Michigan and even Pennsylvania came to this popular study opportunity!
This 3 day study was conducted at Nature's Way Bonsai studio, greenhouses & outdoors in the growing areas.