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Tag Archives: Memorial to Politicians who Opposed Hitler
The Reichstag and other Monuments Diary
September 22, 2018 by Tracy's Travels
The Brandenburg Gate
On my way to the Reichstag, I stopped to admire the Brandenburg Gate. I noticed the Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks on the Unter der Linden near the monument in what had once been East Berlin. I remembered passing through the Brandenburg Gate on the way to East Berlin in July of 1991. The moment I walked through the gate, I felt as if I had entered a different world – a grey, stagnant, suffocating and gloomy one. However, I remember West Berlin as vibrant and bustling during that visit.
I took a few moments to reflect on the historical moments associated with the neoclassical gate in front of me. It was built in the 18th century for Prussian King Frederick William II to symbolize peace, but what turbulent times it has witnessed! I counted the 12 Doric columns and took a good look at the Quadriga, the goddess Victoria on a horse-drawn chariot, perched on top of the monument. Napoleon's troops had marched through it triumphantly and then soon after the Prussians had done the same. For the Nazis, the gate made a political statement. The monument suffered damage during World War II.
When the Berlin Wall was erected in August of 1961, it functioned as a border crossing that was closed off. West Berliners often took part in demonstrations calling for freedom near the gate. During that magic date of November 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall no longer was a barrier between East and West, Germans celebrated their newly found freedom there. The wall was torn down in that area during 1990. U.S. Presidents had made speeches there. It was the site of President Ronald Reagan's famous words, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." Presidents Kennedy, Clinton and Obama had spoken there as well.
After some minutes of reflection, I went to the Reichstag entrance and presented my booking confirmation in front of a tent. I booked a tour of the glazed dome at least three weeks in advance. I had heard it was an architectural gem, and it was not possible to visit it without making a reservation. I was too early, so I decided to take a look at some monuments nearby, such as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
Memorial to Politicans who Opposed Hitler
First, I noticed a small monument of crooked slabs next to the entrance tent of the Reichstag. I had read that there were 96 slabs, symbolizing the 96 members of Parliament who had opposed Hitler and had paid the ultimate price for their bravery. The sharpness of the slabs made me think of the harsh times in which the politicians had lived and how it was a time when they had to pay with their lives to stand up for what they believed in. The monument had a harshness about it – the harshness of history, the harshness of their punishment. The slabs resembled gravestones.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Then I walked across from the American Embassy and found the 2,711 concrete pillars that made up the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. All the blocks were the same size, but their heights varied. It was possible to stand on the pillars or walk between them. I was very moved by this abstract memorial. Walking through the pillars, I felt claustrophobic and trapped, feelings I would associate with the plight of the Jews commemorated by this monument. The shadows around the pillars made me think of danger lurking around every corner, Jews not knowing who would give them up if they were in hiding, not knowing when they would be gassed in the concentration camps – for them, danger had lurked around every corner. I stood on one block and looked at the others. I thought they resembled caskets. In my opinion, this monument was ingenious. I would have never guessed that a memorial made up of concrete blocks could make such a strong impression on me.
In a park near the Reichstag, I walked through a rusty gate and noticed a small, tranquil circular pond. In the middle of the pond was a triangular stone with one flower on top. This was the Monument to the Murdered Sinti and Roma (commonly called gypsies) of Europe. On the pavement around the monument, the names of concentration camps had been inscribed. With my head down, I looked at the word Dachau on one paving stone and Auschwitz on another. Just seeing those names was poignant and powerful, heart wrenching even. It astonished me that something so simple as the names of the camps could move me so strongly. In fact, the entire monument moved me precisely because of its simplicity. The single flower on the stone slab symbolized reverence and respect for the lives lost, making me think that now the 500,000 Roma and Sinti who had died during World War II were no longer forgotten, no longer buried in history.
Monument to the Murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe
Then it was time to return to the Reichstag for my tour. First, I was ushered in a tent with many others and underwent a security check there. Then a large group crowded near the exit of the tent, waiting for the signal that we could walk up to the historical building.
Finally, we got the go ahead, and I stopped in front of the façade of the building, above which the words proclaimed "Dem Deutschen Volke" or "To the German People," an ironic phrase considering the edifice's turbulent history. The outer shape of the elegantly columned Reichstag had been preserved.
I thought back to the history of the building that was inaugurated in 1894. Back then, the Imperial Diet of the German Empire discussed and debated politics there. The Reichstag continued to serve this purpose until 1933. I tried to imagine standing in the crowd below as, during 1918, politician and head of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Philipp Scheidemann, announced the formation of the German Republic from one of the Reichstag's windows. When democracy came to an end in Germany and Hitler asserted more power in 1933, the Reichstag was set on fire and severely damaged. Who did the evil deed is still a mystery.
When the Russians set foot in Berlin during 1945, they placed a Soviet flag above the Reichstag. I could almost see the red flag with the hammer and sickle flapping in the breeze. The Berlin Wall, constructed in 1961, stood very near the Reichstag, which was situated in the West. During 1973, the Reichstag became home to a permanent exhibition on German history, and sometimes political meetings were held there.
During 1990, the reunification ceremony of Germany took place in the building by which I was so entranced. In 1995 British architect Norman Foster began reconstructing the building, leaving the exterior as a sort of outer shell in its old style while redoing the interior in a modern way. During 1999 the German Parliament made its home in the Reichstag after moving from Bonn.
The moment I walked inside the Reichstag, I got a taste of the modern interior. It was a different world from the majestic exterior. The modern design was sleek, impressive. After taking an audio guide, I took an elevator and then made my way up the dome. For 20 minutes, I listened to interesting information about the Reichstag and the historic buildings that dotted the panorama as seen from the dome. I also learned about Berlin Cathedral and the three new parliamentary buildings surrounding the Reichstag, for instance. The modern cupola had replaced the original one that burned down in 1933. The modern architectural creation had a transparent quality that I found enlightening.
During this visit to Berlin, I felt as if the city was being transparent about its past, particularly about the horrors of World War II. The official names of the Holocaust Memorial and Monument to the Sinti and Roma have the word "murdered" in them, epitomizing harsh reality and a good, long look in the mirror of history, an acceptance of the past and a determination never to repeat it. With the right lighting, from the top of the dome there was a view of the plenary chamber. I felt as if nothing was hidden from the dome. Everything was there for everyone to see, judge and criticize as they pleased. There was a sense of fluidity and freedom in the architecture. During my visit in 1991, however, I had felt as if Berlin was trying to hide the horrific part of its past, which, of course, was impossible to do.
I also spent time taking photos from the extensive roof terrace, which also offered stunning views of the city. Unfortunately, I did not see the graffiti the Soviets left on the roof when they occupied the Reichstag at the end of World War II. The café on the terrace was closed during my visit.
I was very impressed with the preservation of the outer form of the building and the daring fresh look of the interior and dome. It was as if the Germans were not forgetting the past but were also moving forward.
Posted in Germany, Towns. Tagged Berlin, Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Germany, Memorial to Politicians who Opposed Hitler, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Monument to the Murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe, Norman Foster, Reichstag, World War II


With the cost of a three-day civil trial estimated at $60,738 – more than a year's income for most households – Canadians are being driven to financial and emotional ruin by a justice system that's priced itself solidly out of reach.
Some have gone bankrupt pursuing their legal rights. Others end up in court without a lawyer, where they are quickly overwhelmed. One Ontario man was jailed for contempt of court in 2005 after clumsily arguing his own case. An underfunded legal aid system limps along – and even the poor are often considered too rich to qualify.
One measure of the system is to consider its winners. Nycole Landry is one of them. Unfairly fired from her $28,000 job as an airline pilot, she ultimately won her case and was awarded damages, but "victory" took more than a decade and left her career in tatters.
The principle of justice for all, embodied by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is in danger of becoming a cliché.
"It's only the relatively affluent in society, for the most part, who can afford to go through a trial," says Ontario Chief Justice Roy McMurtry.
Access to justice, McMurtry says, is the most important issue facing the legal system.
Justice Ian Binnie of the Supreme Court of Canada offered a blunt analysis. Writing in the recent case of Little Sisters, the Vancouver bookshop fighting Canada Customs over the seizure of four books, Binnie observed that the profit on the sale of those books would not pay for half an hour of a lawyer's time.
Even when one's constitutional rights are at stake, no rational businessperson could justify a protracted court battle.
Even judges and lawyers doubt they could afford to go to court. After losing a recent battle over their compensation, an association of provincial court judges decided not to appeal, citing the financial burden.
"Legal fees have become exorbitant," says Toronto civil litigator Mark Arnold. "I doubt I could afford to hire myself at a modest $400 an hour."
Fees run as high as $800 an hour. But Linda Rothstein, a former president of the Advocates' Society, an association of litigation lawyers, believes a bigger issue is a "collective neurosis" swallowing up the profession.
Fear of failing to do the utmost for their clients, not greed, is what motivates most lawyers, she said. They file too many documents, call unnecessary witnesses and bring needless motions – even when they're acting for free in a pro bono case.
The result is cases that seem to go on forever. One trial in Montreal, involving the bankruptcy of an investment company, is now in its ninth year.
The problem is attracting some political attention. Last year, Ontario Attorney-General Michael Bryant asked former associate chief justice Coulter Osborne to study the civil justice system's problems. Measures have been introduced to reduce costs and speed up the process, including permitting class action lawsuits, contingency fees and mediation.
But there are trade-offs. Procedural safeguards are often sacrificed. Some forms of simplified trials, for example, require giving up the right to cross-examination. The latest concept is the "unbundling" of legal services, which allows people to hire lawyers for part of their cases and do the rest themselves.
To Associate Chief Justice Dennis Schmidt of the British Columbia provincial court, it's "absurd," not unlike allowing a medical patient to administer their own anesthetic.
"Why don't we fix the system?"
Had Nycole Landry known the personal and financial cost of pursuing justice, she would never have bothered. "It's not worth it," she said.
Landry arrived on Baffin Island 20 years ago, the newest employee of Bradley Air Services. She had long dreamed of being a pilot and did well at flight school, but graduated during a recession, when jobs were scarce. She started in Iqaluit as a dispatcher, but soon qualified to pilot a 12-passenger Twin Otter.
Seen as hardworking, conscientious and friendly, she was promoted to second officer on a Boeing 727 the next year. By the fall of 1989, Landry started training on the Hawker Siddeley 748, a passenger and cargo carrier considered challenging to handle. She struggled to land the plane in crosswinds, a constant challenge in the north. Landry failed a flight test, but tried again after returning from maternity leave. It did not go well.
On a flight between Iqaluit and Broughton Island, the captain tested her for a simulated engine failure. Landry was out of practice, nervous and caused the plane to roll. She failed and rescheduled another test. In the meantime, she learned the company planned to get rid of her. Told she wasn't cut out to be a pilot, she was fired in 1993.
Two federal labour arbitrators did not agree, saying that, while the company was entitled to remove Landry from the Hawker Siddeley, it was unjustified in firing her outright.
Arbitrator Paul-Emile Chiasson ordered Landry reinstated, criticizing the company for its "overly aggressive" approach. Four years later, at a second hearing, after a series of appeals, arbitrator Serge Brault blasted the company for its "cavalier" treatment of Landry and the "reckless" way it fired her.
Although Landry was ultimately vindicated, it's hard to say which was more traumatic: Her treatment on the job or her legal battle to reclaim it.
Landry and her husband, of L'Orignal, near Ottawa, met Michel Charbonneau at his law office in nearby Hawkesbury. A lawyer for 17 years, Charbonneau charged $200 an hour, average for Ontario at the time.
Charbonneau estimated his fees in the case would be between $2,000 and $3,000, plus expenses and GST. He asked for a $2,000 deposit. Charbonneau charged $95 for his first meeting with Landry and another $95 to review her documents. His law partner, Robert Smith, handled much of the work and the firm saved Landry money by assigning smaller tasks to a $60-an-hour articling student.
As her arbitration hearing drew closer, the case grew unexpectedly complicated.
The company planned to call nine witnesses, all experienced pilots. Landry's lawyers would have to cross-examine each one. Preparing and arguing the case would take more time and that meant more money. Landry took a part-time job in a bank.
The hearing before arbitrator Chiasson continued for 10 days. Landry called only one expert, Duane Stewart, a former Royal Canadian Air Force flight-training specialist who worked with her husband at another airline.
The company's lawyers argued Stewart was not credible because of his close ties to Landry and his willingness to testify at no cost. But Chiasson disagreed, saying it shows how the cost of an expert witness is "out of reach" for most people.
Landry's legal fees for the hearing totalled $31,965.47.
While he ruled that Landry had been wrongly dismissed, Chiasson held off awarding damages until her reinstatement could be worked out. It never got that far.
The company appealed Chiasson's decision to the Federal Court of Canada.
Landry paid her lawyers $9,000 in the early stages, then ran out of money. She says they told her not to worry – they would straighten it out later.
"They said it wasn't about money, it was about justice," says her husband, Steven.
Charbonneau and Smith, now both Superior Court judges, declined to discuss the case. Landry's bills show their firm spent 107 1/2 hours on the appeal, including preparation and two days in court, which translated into $15,052.
The Federal Court overturned the arbitrator's decision and ordered a new hearing, saying Chiasson had applied the wrong standard of proof.
Landry went to the Federal Court of Appeal, which added $18,441 to her bill. A panel ruled against her, upholding the decision to send the case back to arbitration. Landry's lawyers decided it was time to talk. Smith handed her a detailed account. She was shocked to see a bill of nearly $75,000.
Landry's lawyers approached the company about a settlement. The airline offered $90,000, plus a letter of recommendation. Her lawyers offered to reduce their bill to $55,000, which would have left Landry with about $35,000. She rejected the offer. At that point, the fall of 1996, she had been fighting for three years to reclaim her job, had not been able to find work as a pilot and was seeing a therapist.
In January 1997, Smith explained the firm needed its account paid or he would ask to have the upcoming arbitration adjourned. Landry's brother-in-law, Sylvain Dufresne, agreed to take over her case. Meanwhile, the Superior Court of Justice reviewed Smith's firm's bill and concluded Landry owed the full amount, $76,401.67. Landry declared bankruptcy.
Brault ruled in Landry's favour in December 1998. But a court-appointed trustee handling Landry's bankruptcy wanted a piece of her settlement to cover the fees owed to Smith's firm.
Smith himself was acting for the trustee in the case, which took six years to resolve.
Landry hired a new lawyer, Matthew Halpin. The battle worked its way up to the Ontario Court of Appeal and was finally resolved with Landry paying the law firm $35,000.
It wasn't until February 2002 that Brault was finally able to award damages. He ordered the company to pay Landry $80,000 for lost wages, $100,000 for pain and suffering, and $50,000 in punitive damages. Brault also awarded her $47,000 for job retraining. Landry's pilot's wings had lapsed and she had little chance of again flying professionally.
Dufresne was awarded $165,000 for legal fees and expenses. Total award: $442,000.
Last year, Landry finished paying taxes. After 13 years, four lawyers, $250,000 in legal bills and incalculable stress and frustration, she was left with about $100,000. "If I knew then what I know now, I would have never gone through this."


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Q: Cannot add the specified assembly to the global assembly cache: log4net.dll. I have a project that reference log4net. In the package I have specified that the assembly should be deployed to the GAC. When I try to deploy the application from VS2010 I get the following error:
Error   23  Error occurred in deployment step 'Add Solution': Error: Cannot add the specified assembly to the global assembly cache: log4net.dll.   SLV.Samh.Case.MT.SP

A: At the risk of answering a question with a question, why use Log4Net? Why not use SharePoint's Unified Logging Service? It isn't that hard to use, though it does have a few kinks. And it would mean all your administration and logs are in the one place.

A: I ended up writing a powershell script that deploys the dll to the GAC.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


All contracts are for ensuite rooms on the third floor of our Sandby residence. These contracts will be available to full-time fully enrolled NTU students on non-standard courses (such as part-year exchange courses, students studying for one semester, Pre-sessional English for Academic Purpose courses and Masters courses starting in January).
To book one of our 10 week PEAP contracts, use our online booking system.
If you would like to book one of these contracts, then please email us with your NTU student ID number and stating which contract you would like. We will respond with availability and booking instructions.
We have limited number of rooms of each type. Room allocation will be done on a first-come, first-serve basis. If these contracts are not suitable, or if our allocation becomes full, then we will offer you support and guidance in finding alternative accommodation – either in NTU Homestay or in the private sector.
For any contracts that are one term or longer you will need to pay a non-refundable £200 booking fee and depending on the length of the contract you will need to pay some / all of your residence fees in advance. Once you move in your non-refundable booking fee will become your damage deposit that is refunded at the end of the contract.
You can cancel your booking as long as you do so at least 21 days before the start date on your contract, or up to 28 days after your acceptance of your agreement, whichever is the soonest. You need to do this by emailing accommodation@ntu.ac.uk. If you cancel by the deadline you will get a refund of any residence fees you paid in advance, but you will not get a refund of the £200 booking fee.
at least 21 days before the start of the Licence Period.
After the specified deadline this "no-penalty cancellation" option won't be available, and you'll be legally bound by the terms and conditions of your accommodation agreement.


Novomatic company, that is internationally known for its high-quality software for online casinos, offers players the opportunity to play just for fun or for money a video slot Hot Chance. It has 3 reels, 5 lines and 3 rows of images. It is allowed to play on 1-5 active lines. The minimum bet is 4 coins per line, the maximum – 200 coins per line. You can bet up to 1000 coins per spin. You can play it for free with no download required.
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Hot Chance is a Novomatic free slot that will not leave you without a prize. That's why it definitely deserves to be among best free slots in the Internet. Play Hot Chance slot online and don't lose your chance to become a millionaire.


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The Maldens & Coombe Heritage Society (MACHS), a non-funded body comprised of volunteers, was formed in 2012 to research the local history of the area. Originally conceived by Mary Clark and founded by a number of like-minded volunteers who came together at Chicco's under the C.I. Tower one Saturday afternoon, it catalogues and archives documents, photographs, and records resident's recollections of events which happened in and around New Malden particularly during 'the blitz' in World War II. Buildings of significant historical interest are documented, especially those of town merit, such as the original town hall in which Waitrose now resides. The facade remains as it once was.
The Society is working towards archiving photos and documents producing booklets for the community and also giving walks, talks and workshops on local history to the local schools.
Come to a meeting
Find out more about our Recollections Booklet
Our Christmas Cards

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home News St. Margaret's House has been awarded a grant from "Inspiring Communities" Fund
St. Margaret's House has been awarded a grant of £4222 from Tower Hamlets Homes "Inspiring Communities" Fund to deliver a celebratory community play with Teesdale and Hollybush Residents.
"Our Place, Our Story" is a community play that will be devised, written and performed by residents of all ages from the Teesdale and Hollybush estate with the support of St. Margaret's House. The play will focus on the lives of residents on the estate celebrating the estate's diverse cultural backgrounds, community cohesion and hopes for their future.
The idea came from the Teesdale and Hollybush TRA who wanted to have more fun and creative activities in their hall and do something that brings the whole community together. TRA Chair Margaret Cox said:
"We have a rich diverse community of which we are grateful. Our Place, Our Story will bring it together in a fun interactive way, it will build friendships and enable understanding of others giving a sense of togetherness."
Jessica Amery, a theatre professional from St. Margaret's House, will deliver free weekly rehearsals for the local community to talk part in at the Kedleston Walk Community Centre on the estate. Rehearsals will lead to two special performances at the community centre and at St. Margaret's House. George Paris, Events Manager at St. Margaret's House said:
"St. Margaret's House has always hosted an eclectic array of events, but what makes this partnership so special for us is that we are helping to create a project in direct response to residents within our immediate community. One of our key artistic goals is to create a platform for people for both creative expression with a high level of artistry. This event does just that and more, and I can't wait for the rehearsals to begin."
Rehearsals start on 24 April, and then will happen every Wednesday 4.30-6.30pm. The performances are scheduled for the end of August 2019. For residents of Tower Hamlets Homes who want to get involved (whether that's acting, or helping out with sets and costumes), they can email community@stmargaretshouse.org.uk to enquire about taking part.
This project is supported by the Tower Hamlets Homes Inspiring Communities Fund which offers grants of between £100 – £5000 to Tower Hamlets Homes residents and local community groups who have great ideas to improve their local neighbourhoods. Nikki Motohashi, Community Partnerships Officer said:
"It is wonderful to see a local organisation working closely with Tower Hamlets Homes residents. We hope to see "Our Place, Our Story" bring local people together to celebrate and learn, building new connections and new memories..''
St. Margaret's House is a community charity that's been active in Tower Hamlets since 1889. Based at 21 Old Ford Road, their mission is to promote positive social change by creating opportunities for people to come together and play a more active part in their East London community. Their projects anchor them in the community, providing spaces for residents to eat, shop, learn, create, and enjoy a diverse cultural program. They also host more than 25 organisations and charities and many others that hire rooms. All the profits go back into the community, enabling them to run volunteer programmes and support local individuals and organisations.
For further details about this project or St. Margaret's House please get in touch with comms@stmargaretshouse.org.uk/ 020 8980 2092.
Hackney Community
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The benefits of opting for synthetic turf.
To install an artificial grass surface will have several positive impacts for you and the environment. Not to be confused with the rubber pellet turf technology, the products installed by Terrasse Deville are ecological, recyclable and safe for children and animals.
With our turf, you will be able to reduce your ecological footprint by reducing the consumption of fertilizers, pesticides, water due to watering and greenhouse gas emissions caused by gas lawnmowers. The artificial turf mats are perforated, so the water will be evacuated quickly in case of rain or snow. With Terrasse Deville, you will opt for a durable, ecological, resistant and above all safe for all.
Traditional turf also brings a lot of problems over time and you have to maintain it or pay a company to do it. With the installation of a synthetic lawn, you will never have to mow your lawn or do regular maintenance by watering it. Artificial turf requires no maintenance or watering and is green all year round.
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The installation of synthetic grass is a long-term investment. Guaranteed 10 years, our products will make your life easier. No more maintenance, weed treatments, reseeding, fertilization, etc. Enjoy your free time and your money!


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NS_INLINE Tangram::EaseType TGConvertTGEaseTypeToCoreEaseType(TGEaseType easeType) {
    switch (easeType) {
        case TGEaseTypeLinear:
            return Tangram::EaseType::linear;
        case TGEaseTypeSine:
            return Tangram::EaseType::sine;
        case TGEaseTypeQuint:
            return Tangram::EaseType::quint;
        case TGEaseTypeCubic:
            return Tangram::EaseType::cubic;
        default:
            return Tangram::EaseType::cubic;
    }
}

NS_INLINE TGError TGConvertCoreErrorToTGError(Tangram::Error error) {
    switch (error) {
        case Tangram::Error::scene_update_path_yaml_syntax_error:
            return TGErrorSceneUpdatePathYAMLSyntaxError;
        case Tangram::Error::scene_update_path_not_found:
            return TGErrorSceneUpdatePathNotFound;
        case Tangram::Error::scene_update_value_yaml_syntax_error:
            return TGErrorSceneUpdateValueYAMLSyntaxError;
        case Tangram::Error::no_valid_scene:
            return TGErrorNoValidScene;
        case Tangram::Error::none:
            return TGErrorNone;
    }
}

NS_INLINE CLLocationCoordinate2D TGConvertCoreLngLatToCLLocationCoordinate2D(Tangram::LngLat lngLat) {
    return CLLocationCoordinate2DMake(lngLat.latitude, lngLat.longitude);
}

NS_INLINE Tangram::LngLat TGConvertCLLocationCoordinate2DToCoreLngLat(CLLocationCoordinate2D coordinate) {
    return Tangram::LngLat(coordinate.longitude, coordinate.latitude);
}

NS_INLINE Tangram::EdgePadding TGConvertUIEdgeInsetsToCoreEdgePadding(UIEdgeInsets insets, float pixelScale) {
    // Core library expects padding values in pixels, but UIEdgeInsets conventionally uses points.
    // Convert to pixels using pixelScale. Note that the converted values are truncated to integers.
    return Tangram::EdgePadding(insets.left * pixelScale, insets.top * pixelScale, insets.right * pixelScale, insets.bottom * pixelScale);
}

NS_INLINE UIEdgeInsets TGConvertCoreEdgePaddingToUIEdgeInsets(Tangram::EdgePadding padding, float pixelScale) {
    float pointScale = 1.f / pixelScale;
    return UIEdgeInsetsMake(padding.top * pointScale, padding.left * pointScale, padding.bottom * pointScale, padding.right * pointScale);
}

NSError* TGConvertCoreSceneErrorToNSError(const Tangram::SceneError *sceneError);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Guided by the principles of choice, empowerment and self-determination, the National Mental Health Consumers' Association (NMHCA) is a human rights organization that advocates for employment, housing, benefits, service choice and the end of discrimination and abuse in the lives of persons who use, have used or have been used by the mental health systems.
We support the full implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Services Act. We must be given every opportunity to be gainfully employed in occupations where we, with reasonable accommodation, can contribute. We call upon the mental health system to practice affirmative action in training and employing mental health consumers in professional careers in the mental health system.
All persons, particularly those identified as mentally ill, are entitled to adequate, permanent homes of their choice.
All psychiatrically disabled persons must be entitled to sufficient income, social supports, and comprehensive health care to enjoy an adequate quality of life.
Recovery and healing, not social control, must be the goal and outcome of the mental health system; therefore, the mental health system must be client-driven.
We support the full and sustained funding and development of user-run alternatives and additions to the traditional mental health system, self-determined and governed by and for members, in every community.
Examination of the above statements reveals that the NMHCA priorities, by and large, are dissimilar from the EBP initiatives. While the latter focus heavily on the use of medications and on other services, the NMHCA priorities primarily stress factors that should better enable recovering persons to more easily integrate into society. Indeed, the six NMHCA agenda items overlap very little with stated targets of the EBP core interventions. The NMHCA Benefits Section calls for entitlement to comprehensive health care. This may or may not include various sorts of mental health care; such care is only explicitly mentioned in the Mental Health Systems and Self-Help Sections. And the major focus of these latter sections is on more consumer-oriented priorities in overall structure of the mental health system, not on increased availability of psychiatric services.
The statement of NMHCA priorities, in essence, is calling for a reexamination of the philosophy and focus of the mental health establishment. It endorses the primary purpose of the development and implementation of mental health services to be for "recovery and healing", and not for "social control". Those constructing and supporting the NMHCA statement are apparently reasonably far along in their own recovery. Indeed they would appear to be sufficiently recovered to focus primarily on how they can improve environmental barriers to recovery rather than examining which treatments they should be receiving. The mostly recovered NMHCA advocates clearly argue for more internal locus of control.
This heavy stress on increased autonomy and other recovery priorities by mostly recovered consumer advocates fits well with an approach that increases consumer autonomy as recovery progresses. But a serious question remains respecting the degree to which views of NMHCA activists reflect the concerns of less recovered, non-activist, and perhaps less articulate, consumers. Similarly, some advocates of the recovery model may not reflect the concerns or needs of these less recovered consumers.
To our knowledge there has been no national attempt to systematically capture the sentiment of more seriously disabled consumers. There have been attempts in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and other states to survey such consumers regarding their views on services.
For about five years now one of the more active of these efforts has been underway in Ohio.
Beginning in 1996, the Consumer Quality Review Teams (CQRT's) were established by the Ohio Department of Mental Health for the purpose of determining consumers' views of the mental health delivery system in 22 of Ohio's 88 counties. Although a few family members and professionals participated as employees in the CQRT projects, the overwhelming majority of workers were persons in recovery from serious mental illness. The primary method for collecting data concerning consumers' perceived needs in this CQRT effort was through consumer-conducted, structured individual interviews, each of which lasted for as long as two hours.
During a recent three-year period (July, 1996 – March, 1999) some 890 adult consumers were individually interviewed about their views of mental health services. Consumers volunteered for participation in the project. Their names were drawn in a quasi-randomized, stratified manner from both rural and urban areas of the state.
One final finding of note was that a significant proportion of consumers was unsure or unaware of which services were, in fact, being provided in their areas.
The consumers who were the subjects of interviews by the CQRT interviewers were all clients of the public mental health system in Ohio. As attempts were made to ensure a maximally random selection of subjects, one could conclude that this sample of opinions was more representative of the "typical" person with serious mental illness than those who structured the NMHCA priorities.
Nevertheless, several of the NMHCA priorities are stressed by the CQRT consumers. These include housing, consumer-run activities, increased consumer influence, benefits such as financial and social support, and access to treatment/health-care services. Unlike the more recovered NMHCA advocates, however, CQRT consumers expressed a desire for services resembling EBP interventions. These include the explicit mention of medication (presumably in appropriate dosages), education/information (similar to training in illness self-management and family psychoeducation), retraining and job placement opportunities, which could include supported employment, and more and better understanding staff, both of which are, or should be, components of assertive community treatment.
The CQRT findings, then, suggest that consumers who are not as far along on their road to recovery may be more receptive of the types of services making up the EBP core interventions.
Over the past three decades, increasingly influential consumer voices have emerged and advocate for improvements in the treatment of persons with mentally illness. Two philosophical forces have recently been developing that are competing for the support of these newly enfranchised consumers. One of these forces is based on science, premised on the identification and implementation of modalities that have been demonstrated by scientific evidence to be effective. The other entrant is the recovery model, which emphasizes the personal nature of the recovery journeys and insists that the final arbiter of how one should recover should be the person who is recovering.
This article reviewed the viewpoints of three groups of consumers. While there are numerous similarities, such as a unanimous call for adequate housing, consumer advocate positions, in large part, reflect the degree of disability of those for whom they are advocating. Those representing the most disabled, such as family members who feel they are advocating for those who are not capable speaking rationally for themselves, tend to be very supportive of EBP initiatives. Consumers who have themselves come back to being fairly well recovered, tend to stress the importance of taking control of their own lives. Such persons value their own ability to make choices, and even value their ability to risk failure. For them the improvements in treatment that accompany EBP may be important, but not as important as the rights of consumers to make their own decisions regarding what services are best for them. As they see it, they, and not more detached scientific researchers, must be the final arbiters how they will go about proceeding with their recovery.
Examining the views of consumers who tend to be sufficiently recovered to be able to rationally discuss their opinions, but not so recovered as to have become "advocates", we find the desire for a little of both worlds. They want better treatments but they also desire more influence and autonomy.
These observations have the following implications for those interested in garnering maximal support for EBP initiatives.
NAMI members and other advocates who sometimes speak for "those who cannot speak for themselves", are likely to be very receptive to EBP initiatives. Indeed, the NAMI leadership already has indicated a willingness to help support and implement EBP interventions. Those interested in encouraging consumer advocacy support for EBP should find significant assistance here.
Advocates who speak for more recovered consumers are often such consumers themselves. They tend to be more focused on regaining personal control, placing a higher priority on rights and opportunities to improve quality of life. They also desire more interaction and influence with the mental health decision-making groups that affect their lives. To better gain support from these consumer-advocates the following are a few actions that might be considered.
First, more consumers can be invited to become participating members of groups responsible for conducting, overseeing, and implementing EBP activities. As treatments are being considered for change, having consumers "at the table", goes a long way toward letting them feel their contributions are valued, and that the decision making process is fair.
Second, because participating in discussions of scientific matters usually requires familiarity with scientific methods and principles. Better efforts should be made to encourage graduate and professional schools that train and credential mental health providers to recruit consumers in recovery. Such efforts could help increase the number of consumers who are able to contribute to the development and implementation of EBP interventions. Some academic entities, such as the Nova Southeastern University Center for Psychological Studies and the Program in Psychiatric Rehabilitation of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, have made good starts in this direction, but the number of such efforts is woefully small.
Third, there is a small, but growing number of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals in recovery from mental illness who have decided to openly identify themselves as such. Psychiatrists, Carol North (25), Dan Fisher (26), and Suzanne Vogel-Scibilia (27), have all publicly declared that they have experienced serious mental illness. Psychologists Ronald Bassman (28), Al Siebert (29), Kay Jamison (30), and Wendy Walker Davis (31) and the social workers, Donna Orrin (32) and David Granger (33) have also made similar disclosures. There are, in all probability, many other such professionals who are also persons in recovery.
If these professionals could begin to be more open about their experiences, and those of their family members, consumer advocates could better realize that mental health policy and research decisions are not being made as much in isolation from consumer influence as it may appear.
Most consumers fall in the middle, between the two ends of the cognitive impairment spectrum. These individuals, when asked, appear to desire more control and influence, but also seem to realize they need more and better treatment. In that this is the group that probably constitutes the majority of those served by public facilities, advocates for EBP would probably be well advised to meet often and frequently with public sector mental health professionals and administrators. In this regard, it would probably also be judicious to include recovering persons during such discussions.
While we all should embrace maximizing choice and the rights of consumers to make mistakes, we also need to ensure that enthusiasm for the recovery model does not become so sweeping as to deny the benefits of scientific progress to those in our care.
In summary, the main thesis of this article is that consumers who are more severely disabled, particularly in decision making capacity, can best be treated with EBP approaches with diminished attention to recovery model considerations. However, for those of us whose mental illnesses become less disabling, the principles of the recovery model become increasingly applicable.
20.	Csernansky JG, Bardgett ME: Limbic-cortical neuronal damage and the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 24(2):231-247, 1998.
22.	Lehman AF, Steinwachs DM, survey coinvestigators of the PORT project: Translating research into practice: the Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) treatment recommendations. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 24:1-10, 1998.
25.	North CS: Welcome Silence: My Triumph Over Schizophrenia. New York, Simon & Schuster, 1987.
30.	Jamison KR: An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1995.
This article originally appeared in Psychiatric Services, November 2001, vol. 52, no. 11, pp. 1462-1468.


text:
from __future__ import unicode_literals

import re

from .common import InfoExtractor
from ..compat import compat_str
from ..utils import (
    fix_xml_ampersands,
    float_or_none,
    int_or_none,
    parse_duration,
    str_to_int,
    unescapeHTML,
    xpath_text,
)

class TNAFlixNetworkBaseIE(InfoExtractor):
    # May be overridden in descendants if necessary
    _CONFIG_REGEX = [
        r'flashvars\.config\s*=\s*escape\("(?P<url>[^"]+)"',
        r'<input[^>]+name="config\d?" value="(?P<url>[^"]+)"',
        r'config\s*=\s*(["\'])(?P<url>(?:https?:)?//(?:(?!\1).)+)\1',
    ]
    _HOST = 'tna'
    _VKEY_SUFFIX = ''
    _TITLE_REGEX = r'<input[^>]+name="title" value="([^"]+)"'
    _DESCRIPTION_REGEX = r'<input[^>]+name="description" value="([^"]+)"'
    _UPLOADER_REGEX = r'<input[^>]+name="username" value="([^"]+)"'
    _VIEW_COUNT_REGEX = None
    _COMMENT_COUNT_REGEX = None
    _AVERAGE_RATING_REGEX = None
    _CATEGORIES_REGEX = r'
]*>\s*]+class="infoTitle"[^>]*>Categories:\s*]+class="listView"[^>]*>(.+?)\s*
'

    def _extract_thumbnails(self, flix_xml):

        def get_child(elem, names):
            for name in names:
                child = elem.find(name)
                if child is not None:
                    return child

        timeline = get_child(flix_xml, ['timeline', 'rolloverBarImage'])
        if timeline is None:
            return

        pattern_el = get_child(timeline, ['imagePattern', 'pattern'])
        if pattern_el is None or not pattern_el.text:
            return

        first_el = get_child(timeline, ['imageFirst', 'first'])
        last_el = get_child(timeline, ['imageLast', 'last'])
        if first_el is None or last_el is None:
            return

        first_text = first_el.text
        last_text = last_el.text
        if not first_text.isdigit() or not last_text.isdigit():
            return

        first = int(first_text)
        last = int(last_text)
        if first > last:
            return

        width = int_or_none(xpath_text(timeline, './imageWidth', 'thumbnail width'))
        height = int_or_none(xpath_text(timeline, './imageHeight', 'thumbnail height'))

        return [{
            'url': self._proto_relative_url(pattern_el.text.replace('#', compat_str(i)), 'http:'),
            'width': width,
            'height': height,
        } for i in range(first, last + 1)]

    def _real_extract(self, url):
        mobj = re.match(self._VALID_URL, url)
        video_id = mobj.group('id')
        for display_id_key in ('display_id', 'display_id_2'):
            if display_id_key in mobj.groupdict():
                display_id = mobj.group(display_id_key)
                if display_id:
                    break
        else:
            display_id = video_id

        webpage = self._download_webpage(url, display_id)

        cfg_url = self._proto_relative_url(self._html_search_regex(
            self._CONFIG_REGEX, webpage, 'flashvars.config', default=None,
            group='url'), 'http:')

        if not cfg_url:
            inputs = self._hidden_inputs(webpage)
            cfg_url = ('https://cdn-fck.%sflix.com/%sflix/%s%s.fid?key=%s&VID=%s&premium=1&vip=1&alpha'
                       % (self._HOST, self._HOST, inputs['vkey'], self._VKEY_SUFFIX, inputs['nkey'], video_id))

        cfg_xml = self._download_xml(
            cfg_url, display_id, 'Downloading metadata',
            transform_source=fix_xml_ampersands, headers={'Referer': url})

        formats = []

        def extract_video_url(vl):
            # Any URL modification now results in HTTP Error 403: Forbidden
            return unescapeHTML(vl.text)

        video_link = cfg_xml.find('./videoLink')
        if video_link is not None:
            formats.append({
                'url': extract_video_url(video_link),
                'ext': xpath_text(cfg_xml, './videoConfig/type', 'type', default='flv'),
            })

        for item in cfg_xml.findall('./quality/item'):
            video_link = item.find('./videoLink')
            if video_link is None:
                continue
            res = item.find('res')
            format_id = None if res is None else res.text
            height = int_or_none(self._search_regex(
                r'^(\d+)[pP]', format_id, 'height', default=None))
            formats.append({
                'url': self._proto_relative_url(extract_video_url(video_link), 'http:'),
                'format_id': format_id,
                'height': height,
            })

        self._sort_formats(formats)

        thumbnail = self._proto_relative_url(
            xpath_text(cfg_xml, './startThumb', 'thumbnail'), 'http:')
        thumbnails = self._extract_thumbnails(cfg_xml)

        title = None
        if self._TITLE_REGEX:
            title = self._html_search_regex(
                self._TITLE_REGEX, webpage, 'title', default=None)
        if not title:
            title = self._og_search_title(webpage)

        age_limit = self._rta_search(webpage) or 18

        duration = parse_duration(self._html_search_meta(
            'duration', webpage, 'duration', default=None))

        def extract_field(pattern, name):
            return self._html_search_regex(pattern, webpage, name, default=None) if pattern else None

        description = extract_field(self._DESCRIPTION_REGEX, 'description')
        uploader = extract_field(self._UPLOADER_REGEX, 'uploader')
        view_count = str_to_int(extract_field(self._VIEW_COUNT_REGEX, 'view count'))
        comment_count = str_to_int(extract_field(self._COMMENT_COUNT_REGEX, 'comment count'))
        average_rating = float_or_none(extract_field(self._AVERAGE_RATING_REGEX, 'average rating'))

        categories_str = extract_field(self._CATEGORIES_REGEX, 'categories')
        categories = [c.strip() for c in categories_str.split(',')] if categories_str is not None else []

        return {
            'id': video_id,
            'display_id': display_id,
            'title': title,
            'description': description,
            'thumbnail': thumbnail,
            'thumbnails': thumbnails,
            'duration': duration,
            'age_limit': age_limit,
            'uploader': uploader,
            'view_count': view_count,
            'comment_count': comment_count,
            'average_rating': average_rating,
            'categories': categories,
            'formats': formats,
        }

class TNAFlixNetworkEmbedIE(TNAFlixNetworkBaseIE):
    _VALID_URL = r'https?://player\.(?:tna|emp)flix\.com/video/(?P<id>\d+)'

    _TITLE_REGEX = r'<title>([^<]+)</title>'

    _TESTS = [{
        'url': 'https://player.tnaflix.com/video/6538',
        'info_dict': {
            'id': '6538',
            'display_id': '6538',
            'ext': 'mp4',
            'title': 'Educational xxx video',
            'thumbnail': r're:https?://.*\.jpg$',
            'age_limit': 18,
        },
        'params': {
            'skip_download': True,
        },
    }, {
        'url': 'https://player.empflix.com/video/33051',
        'only_matching': True,
    }]

    @staticmethod
    def _extract_urls(webpage):
        return [url for _, url in re.findall(
            r']+?src=(["\'])(?P<url>(?:https?:)?//player\.(?:tna|emp)flix\.com/video/\d+)\1',
            webpage)]

class TNAEMPFlixBaseIE(TNAFlixNetworkBaseIE):
    _DESCRIPTION_REGEX = r'(?s)>Description:</[^>]+>(.+?)<'
    _UPLOADER_REGEX = r'by\s*]+\bhref=["\']/profile/[^>]+>([^<]+)<'
    _CATEGORIES_REGEX = r'(?s)]*>Categories:(.+?)
'

class TNAFlixIE(TNAEMPFlixBaseIE):
    _VALID_URL = r'https?://(?:www\.)?tnaflix\.com/[^/]+/(?P<display_id>[^/]+)/video(?P<id>\d+)'

    _TITLE_REGEX = r'<title>(.+?) - (?:TNAFlix Porn Videos|TNAFlix\.com)</title>'

    _TESTS = [{
        # anonymous uploader, no categories
        'url': 'http://www.tnaflix.com/porn-stars/Carmella-Decesare-striptease/video553878',
        'md5': '7e569419fe6d69543d01e6be22f5f7c4',
        'info_dict': {
            'id': '553878',
            'display_id': 'Carmella-Decesare-striptease',
            'ext': 'mp4',
            'title': 'Carmella Decesare - striptease',
            'thumbnail': r're:https?://.*\.jpg$',
            'duration': 91,
            'age_limit': 18,
            'categories': ['Porn Stars'],
        }
    }, {
        # non-anonymous uploader, categories
        'url': 'https://www.tnaflix.com/teen-porn/Educational-xxx-video/video6538',
        'md5': '0f5d4d490dbfd117b8607054248a07c0',
        'info_dict': {
            'id': '6538',
            'display_id': 'Educational-xxx-video',
            'ext': 'mp4',
            'title': 'Educational xxx video',
            'description': 'md5:b4fab8f88a8621c8fabd361a173fe5b8',
            'thumbnail': r're:https?://.*\.jpg$',
            'duration': 164,
            'age_limit': 18,
            'uploader': 'bobwhite39',
            'categories': list,
        }
    }, {
        'url': 'https://www.tnaflix.com/amateur-porn/bunzHD-Ms.Donk/video358632',
        'only_matching': True,
    }]

class EMPFlixIE(TNAEMPFlixBaseIE):
    _VALID_URL = r'https?://(?:www\.)?empflix\.com/(?:videos/(?P<display_id>.+?)-|[^/]+/(?P<display_id_2>[^/]+)/video)(?P<id>[0-9]+)'

    _HOST = 'emp'
    _VKEY_SUFFIX = '-1'

    _TESTS = [{
        'url': 'http://www.empflix.com/videos/Amateur-Finger-Fuck-33051.html',
        'md5': 'bc30d48b91a7179448a0bda465114676',
        'info_dict': {
            'id': '33051',
            'display_id': 'Amateur-Finger-Fuck',
            'ext': 'mp4',
            'title': 'Amateur Finger Fuck',
            'description': 'Amateur solo finger fucking.',
            'thumbnail': r're:https?://.*\.jpg$',
            'duration': 83,
            'age_limit': 18,
            'uploader': 'cwbike',
            'categories': ['Amateur', 'Anal', 'Fisting', 'Home made', 'Solo'],
        }
    }, {
        'url': 'http://www.empflix.com/videos/[AROMA][ARMD-718]-Aoi-Yoshino-Sawa-25826.html',
        'only_matching': True,
    }, {
        'url': 'https://www.empflix.com/amateur-porn/Amateur-Finger-Fuck/video33051',
        'only_matching': True,
    }]

class MovieFapIE(TNAFlixNetworkBaseIE):
    _VALID_URL = r'https?://(?:www\.)?moviefap\.com/videos/(?P<id>[0-9a-f]+)/(?P<display_id>[^/]+)\.html'

    _VIEW_COUNT_REGEX = r'
Views\s*([\d,.]+)'
    _COMMENT_COUNT_REGEX = r']+id="comCount"[^>]*>([\d,.]+)'
    _AVERAGE_RATING_REGEX = r'Current Rating\s*
\s*([\d.]+)'
    _CATEGORIES_REGEX = r'(?s)
]+id="vid_info"[^>]*>\s*
]*>.+?
(.*?)
'

    _TESTS = [{
        # normal, multi-format video
        'url': 'http://www.moviefap.com/videos/be9867c9416c19f54a4a/experienced-milf-amazing-handjob.html',
        'md5': '26624b4e2523051b550067d547615906',
        'info_dict': {
            'id': 'be9867c9416c19f54a4a',
            'display_id': 'experienced-milf-amazing-handjob',
            'ext': 'mp4',
            'title': 'Experienced MILF Amazing Handjob',
            'description': 'Experienced MILF giving an Amazing Handjob',
            'thumbnail': r're:https?://.*\.jpg$',
            'age_limit': 18,
            'uploader': 'darvinfred06',
            'view_count': int,
            'comment_count': int,
            'average_rating': float,
            'categories': ['Amateur', 'Masturbation', 'Mature', 'Flashing'],
        }
    }, {
        # quirky single-format case where the extension is given as fid, but the video is really an flv
        'url': 'http://www.moviefap.com/videos/e5da0d3edce5404418f5/jeune-couple-russe.html',
        'md5': 'fa56683e291fc80635907168a743c9ad',
        'info_dict': {
            'id': 'e5da0d3edce5404418f5',
            'display_id': 'jeune-couple-russe',
            'ext': 'flv',
            'title': 'Jeune Couple Russe',
            'description': 'Amateur',
            'thumbnail': r're:https?://.*\.jpg$',
            'age_limit': 18,
            'uploader': 'whiskeyjar',
            'view_count': int,
            'comment_count': int,
            'average_rating': float,
            'categories': ['Amateur', 'Teen'],
        }
    }]


Math testing will be on April 16, 17, and 18. Three 60 minute sessions. Students need pencils, scratch paper, and a 4 function calculator.
All tests begin at 8:35. Please see attached testing schedule for April 16, 17, and 18.
To support Manhattan Jr. High's ASSET for the month of April 2019, SERVICE TO OTHERS, we will be accepting nominations from students, staff, parents, and residents of Manhattan to recognize a MJH student that "sticks his/her neck out" by volunteering time to help others in their community/school. Service must be able to be verified. Please see attached nomination and information.
Manhattan Junior High School was built in 1994 and currently has 430 students enrolled. Currently, there are 42 certified teachers plus support staff at the facility. Students receive instruction in art, music, foreign language, computers, band, orchestra, and chorus in addition to core subject areas. A wide range of extra curricular activities including sports, band, chorus, orchestra, drama, journalism, cheer-leading, and student council provides opportunities for enrichment. Special student assistance is available through speech and language therapy, a psychologist, social worker, and LDR and SI staff. Community volunteers assist the school.


text:
Nens Bolilan
'Final Fantasy VIII' Sound Track Samples Released
Soundtrack remixes of the "Final Fantasy VIII" are out now.
'The Revenant' Takes Home Most Wins at 2016 BAFTA Awards
The drama film "The Revenant" took home the most wins at this year's British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards night which happened on Sunday.
Pope Francis Meets His Valentine at a Mexico Hospital
On the celebration of Hearts' Day, Pope Francis met his Valentine in a hospital in Mexico City on Sunday.
'The Walking Dead's' Michonne Arriving on PC & Xbox This Month
A mini-series of "The Walking Dead" is slated to be available for gaming consoles and mobile platforms by the end of the month.
How to Spend Valentine's Day with the Whole Family
The day for romance and love is here once again. Valentine's Day is a much-anticipated celebration for this weekend.
Iran Threatens to Floods Oil Market Even Further
The oil glut crisis has gotten worse as Iran is trying to flood the market even more with its plan to export big amounts of oil to other countries after the United States lifted restrictions on its crude last year.
Lives of Transgenders in Latin America Shown at The Palm Springs Film Festival
For the Palm Springs Film Festival this year, two documentary films depicting the lives of transponders and gays in Latin America were featured.
North Korea's Army Chief of Staff Ri Yong-gil Executed for Corruption
The army chief of staff in North Korea has reportedly been executed due to corruption allegations.
Beyonce's New Single 'Formation Helps Boost Red Lobster Sales
American casual dining restaurant chain Red Lobster became a big gainer, thanks to Beyonce's new single "Formation."
How to Play 'Final Fantasy IX' on Your Android, iOS Device
"Final Fantasy IX" is finally on mobile, giving iOS and Android users the opportunity to play Square Enix's science fiction game.
Casa Verde Empire Still Hails Champion at São Paulo Carnival Despite Theme Confusion
Imperio de Case Verde (Casa Verde Empire) was hailed as champions for the Sao Paulo Carnival despite confusion in the scoring of the judges.
Peru the New Narco State in Latin America?
It seems like Latin America has a new narcotics state with Peru reported to produce more and more cocaine.
Tech in Latin America
Latin America has seen changes and trends in technology over the past years and it has learned to adapt since then, but exciting developments continue to pile up in the region.


and Budget Nivedita Travel funding Confirm with Angela/LF the timeframe for potential travel funding (keynote speaker, other invitees). Can we meet Jun 30th as a deadline for author/invitee confirmation?
Mar 9 Content Nivedita Start thread on keynote speaker.
Mar 15 Schedule Sri Ensure Program Committee approves schedule.
Mar 15 CFP Sri Ensure CFP content readiness (decide on proposed microconf themes, identify key players to target).
Mar 15 Brandon/Paul Discuss shortening abstract processing duration. Brandon suggested this in the 2009-03-06 meeting.
Jun 15 Bug key players to submit papers.
Jun 15 Announce keynote speaker and send reminder that abstracts are due June 30th.
ack from SarahW Due date flexible.
Aug 15 Wiki Sarah Sharp Revamp visitor wiki, add BOF scheduling page, add event/evening/tour scheduling page, and add link to conference schedule. Ping Deepak - Bike ride (+ rentals/loaners for out-of-towners) after conference?
owners and follow up on work started in MC's.


10 years in the planning!!!!! Finally increased the pond from 350 to 1200 gallons. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out... worth all the hard work.
Sometimes the best of plans are conceived gradually over years of thought, sketches and dreams! Thanks for the great photos. A wonderful transformation of your original pond, using new railway sleepers.


Does this patient have intradialytic hypertension?
Intradialytic hypertension is defined as an intradialytic increase in the systolic blood pressure by greater or equal than 10 mmHg or the mean arterial pressure by greater or equal than 15 mmHg.
The hypertension usually develops during the second or third hour of hemodialysis after significant ultrafiltration has taken place; the increase in the blood pressure is characterized as being resistant to ultrafiltration.
This is a clinical diagnosis that relies on the review of the blood pressure values and the patient's symptoms (target organ damage).
How should patients with intradialytic hypertension be managed?
Percent removed of commonly prescribed antihypertensive drugs during hemolysis.
What happens to patients with intradialytic hypertension?
Pharmacist – Review timing, dosing, and dialyzability of anti-hypertensive medications, adherence to drug therapy, and monitor for drug-related side effects.
2007 Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension (Published by European Society of Cardiology, ESC).
Limitations – paucity of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses on this topic.
"K/DOQI clinical practice guidelines on hypertension and antihypertensive agents in chronic kidney disease". Am J Kidney Dis.. vol. 43. 2004. pp. S1-S290.
"K/DOQI clinical practice guidelines for cardiovascular disease in dialysis patients". Am J Kidney Dis.. vol. 45. 2005. pp. S1-153 .
Chen, J, Gul, A, Sarnak, MJ. "Management of intradialytic hypertension: the ongoing challenge". Semin Dial. vol. 19. 2006. pp. 141-5.
"2007 Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension: The Task Force for the Management of Arterial Hypertension of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)". Eur Heart J.. vol. 28. 2007. pp. 1462-1536.
Locatelli, F, Cavalli, A, Tucci, B. "The growing problem of intradialytic hypertension". Nat Rev Nephrol. vol. 6. 2010. pp. 41-48.
Peixoto, AJ, Santos, SF. "Blood pressure management in hemodialysis: what have we learned?". Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens.. vol. 19. 2010. pp. 561-566.
Inrig, JK. "Intradialytic hypertension: a less-recognized cardiovascular complication of hemodialysis". Am J Kidney Dis. vol. 55. 2010. pp. 580-589.


The demographic transition will result in rapid development of the geriatric care services market in the Asean countries.
South-east Asia's major economies are facing an unprecedented rise in healthcare cost in the coming decade that will pose a major challenge to strained public health budgets. But this challenge also offers prospects for plugging gaps in the healthcare sector, according to a report by corporate strategy consulting firm Solidiance.
In nearly all Asean nations the cost of healthcare per capita has been rising faster than GDP per capita, meaning the healthcare burden is growing faster than economies' ability to sustain these expenditures.
Asean is also undergoing major demographic shifts. Nearly all Asean-6 nations - Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam - show either negative or close-to-zero growth for the youngest part of their population (age 0-14). While the working-age population (age 15-64) in all nations except Singapore is still growing, growth in the retirement age population (age 65 and above) is outpacing them rapidly, with relative growth rates three to 10 times higher than the working age population.
At current growth rates, the Asean-6's estimated 2017 total healthcare spending of about US$420 billion will reach US$740 billion in 2025, an added burden of US$320 billion.
The changing healthcare landscape in Asean will create valuable opportunities for the private sector - especially for health services, medicine and care equipment, age care services and products, as well as fitness and health programmes.
Private hospitals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices manufacturers. The massive increase in health demand in the Asean-6 nations presents valuable opportunities for players such as private hospitals, pharmaceuticals, and medical device companies.
Consulting. Companies can help policymakers by advising on the most effective use of their equipment and services and also consult, where possible, on best practices.
Geriatric care services. The demographic transition will result in rapid development of the geriatric care services market in the Asean countries.
Digitalisation. The most significant opportunity of all is imminent digitalisation of healthcare, which will raise demand for hospital information systems, cloud solutions for medical data, digital tracking of patients and treatments, automation of health monitoring, etc.


text:
Battle brews for airline market leadership in Austin as American adds 14 new flights
The Texas-based airline has made significant investments in Austin so far this year, adding two dozen new flights.
Author: Bryce Newberry (KVUE)
Published: 12:31 PM CDT June 11, 2021
Updated: 12:31 PM CDT June 11, 2021
AUSTIN, Texas — Fort Worth-based American Airlines is expanding in the Capital City at a fast rate, brewing a big battle between three of the busiest air carriers in Central Texas.
On Thursday, the airline announced 14 new nonstop destinations from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Those new routes are in addition to the 10 new routes the airline announced in March.
That means by this fall, Austin's second-busiest carrier will fly to a total of 32 nonstop destinations from what was, in 2019, America's second fastest-growing mid-sized airport. American also has four nonstop flights with codeshare partner Alaska Airlines to West Coast destinations and two with JetBlue to East Coast destinations.
For comparison, the airport's busiest carrier – Dallas-based Southwest Airlines – currently has 78 daily departures to 42 different nonstop destinations.
RELATED: American Airlines announces 14 new flights from Austin's airport
"There is a battle brewing for leadership in the Austin airline market, and it's a three-way battle between American, Delta and Southwest," said Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst for Atmosphere Research Group. "Austin is a thriving market. It has strong business and leisure travel demand. And it's a market where people pay above-average fares."
In 2020, American had 1,336,450 passengers from AUS, down nearly 57% compared to 2019, according to data from the airport. Southwest carried 2,174,559 passengers, a nearly 63% drop compared to 2019.
Delta Air Lines was the fourth busiest at AUS in 2020 with 807,055 flyers, according to airport data. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Delta was the fastest-growing of the three airlines, with more than 2.3 million flyers from AUS in 2019, up more than 12% compared to 2018. Delta currently has nine nonstop flights from AUS.
In March, the president of Delta Air Lines said Austin is one of two focus cities for the airline, according to Airline Weekly.
While American won't go as far as to call Austin a "focus city" for the company, a spokesperson for the airline said it is considered a growth market. It is increasing the competition on some routes already offered by other airlines while also offering brand-new destinations for Austin travelers.
The airline's newest destinations include 10 domestic routes and four international routes. Five of the domestic and four of the new international nonstop destinations from AUS will be exclusively offered by American:
Jacksonville, Florida (starting Sept. 8)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (starting Oct. 7)
Reno, Nevada (starting Sept. 8)
San Juan, Puerto Rico (starting Oct. 7)
Tulsa, Oklahoma (starting Nov. 2)
Liberia, Costa Rica (international, starting Nov. 2)
Nassau, Bahamas (international, was a seasonal route, now being extended to year-round starting Nov. 2)
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (international, starting Nov. 2)
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (international, starting Nov. 2)
"American realizes that they need to move and move aggressively in order to potentially beat other airlines at adding some of these routes, because there's definitely a first-mover advantage to airlines that add nonstop service in a market," Harteveldt said. "There is a lot of money at stake, and American, which has had a historically strong presence in Austin … wants to make sure that it doesn't lose any market share to any of its competitors."
Harteveldt said the new routes could be the beginning of a "golden age" for Austin travelers. While there's a "healthy dog fight" between the airlines battling to be the biggest and best, travelers stand to benefit from the added routes. The more competition on a route increases competition on ticket prices, he said.
In addition to the new routes, American will increase the frequency to existing routes – Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and New Orleans – this fall.
It all points to a strong recovery from the pandemic at AUS.
"AUS is excited to welcome even more ways to fly AUS and to fly American Airlines. These destinations, especially new international nonstops, are better connecting Central Texas travelers to the world. This announcement also underscores the strength of the Austin economy and the positive recovery signs our airport is beginning to see following COVID-19," the airport said in a statement.
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Don't let all of your New Year's resolutions get kicked to the curb – develop these 10 professional habits in 2016 and make this the best year yet!
You can significantly improve relationships with fellow colleagues just by walking over to their desk and having a face-to-face conversation rather than relying on impersonal emails.
Each time you think of a new idea, find inspiration, or meet a really great individual-write it down. The next time you need inspiration you'll know exactly where to look.
It's the only way we learn to grow both personally and professionally.
Active listening is a valuable skill that can take you far.
It will change the way you think about work, your career, and your life.
Surround yourself with confidence, inspiration, and a professional support system.
Make a habit of finding value in every detail. Every small action is one step closer to your larger goals.
Be as honest as you can with yourself and others about what you want and why you do what you do.
Use every opportunity to learn something new. Get involved, ask questions, read, and engage in conversation.
Choosing to be positive makes life enjoyable. Positivity encourages others, promotes a good reputation, and ultimately sets you up for success.


Violation explanation  Publishers may not implement Google ads in a manner that disguises the ads in any way. In order to maintain a good user experience, it is important for publishers to clearly distinguish Google ads from site content. This includes, but is not limited to: site layouts in which the ads push content below the fold on mobile devices; placing 300x250 or larger ad units above the fold on a mobile optimized site.
In order to remain fully compliant please ensure that your site and ad layout remain compliant across all devices. More information about this policy can be found in our help center and on this short video.
Now what's awkward about this is that I haven't made any coding updates to my website in a very long time. The only updates made to the site were made by the photographer, but all he does is adds pictures and sets titles. That alone isn't enough to change the layout to the point where the ads shift drastically.
Once I received this letter, I instantly removed the ad from the mobile homepage (at http://new.clubcatcher.com/m).
The only reasoning I could come across from all this would be that (sorry if I'm doing bold but google needs to hear this...) I believe google decided to increase their viewport window when scanning mobile pages for compliance thereby making it more difficult for publishers to monetize ads from all devices both new and old. I believe this is because google believes only new technology should be used and that old should be disregarded. This is further proven by their help pages not loading correctly in older web browsers.
And If I'm right about the viewport issue from google's end, then is there something I can get from google (like a script or something) that I can apply to my site that allows it to know exactly the viewport google uses so that everytime google updates adsense bot with a bigger viewport, my site always ends up in compliance instead of me getting new warning letters to manually push the big ads below the fold?
And if google didn't do anything to the viewport, then did someone hack adsense? or did google add an extra policy recently that I need to be aware of?
Just remember, I have not made changes to the layout of the website in months and I suddenly received this email now.
and also, I'm curious. Why wouldn't google provide a snapshot of the violation and attach it to my email for me to see?
Google also states that content and elements of the page content can not be formatted the same or similarly to ads in any manner that disguises the ads. If I use the ad still located on the desktop version of your site as an example then I don't think this would be an issue for you as it does appear as though the ad is distinct in this regard from the formatting of the other elements of your site.
Based on a check of your desktop site I suspect the issue is content being pushed below the fold due to the ad unit. The best thing to do here would be to move the ad block to the end of the page so it is already below the fold and the content remains above the fold where it belongs.
As for the reason why this has happened recently with no site changes due the sheer number of sites with Google Ads on them Google doesn't scan all the sites constantly, instead scanning random sites over time which is why some adsense offenders can keep offending for a while before Google detects it and takes the appropriate action.
If you move the ad block to the bottom of the page, and mark it similar to the desktop version of your site with the word "Advertisement" you should no longer have an issue with compliance.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged google-adsense advertising google-adsense-policies screen-size screenshot or ask your own question.
How can I get Google AdSense to approve my Web App?
Is it official that I can't have any ad unit above the fold on my mobile site?


text:
52.21 & Part 80 edTPA
AMENDMENT TO THE REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Pursuant to sections 14, 101, 207, 208, 305, 308, 3001, 3004 and 3009 of the Education Law.
1. Subparagraph (xviii) through (xxi) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of section 52.21 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education are renumbered subparagraphs (xix) through (xxii) and a new subparagraph (xviii) is added to read as follows:
(xviii) Teacher performance assessment means a multi-measure assessment where candidates demonstrate the pedagogical knowledge and skills identified in the New York State Teaching Standards, which align with the four principles of the New York State Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework, and their content knowledge and skill in teaching to the State learning standards in the grade band and subject area of a certificate sought. The New York State Teaching Standards were adopted by the Board of Regents and published by the State Education Department on September 12, 2011, and are available at the Office of Counsel, State Education Department, State Education Building, Room 148, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234. The four principles of the New York State Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework are: welcoming and affirming environment, high expectations and rigorous instruction, inclusive curriculum and assessment, and ongoing professional learning.
2. Item (iii) of subclause (2) of clause (c) of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of section 52.21 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education shall be amended to read as follows:
(iii) The field experiences, student teaching and practica shall:
(A) …
(B) …
(C) provide candidates with experiences in a variety of communities and across the range of student developmental levels of the certificate, experiences practicing skills for interacting with parents or caregivers, experiences in high need schools, and experiences with each of the following student populations: socioeconomically disadvantaged students, students who are English language learners, and students with disabilities; [and]
(D) for programs preparing candidates for more than one certificate, ensure that candidates have field experiences and/or student-teaching or practica experiences related to each certificate, as prescribed in paragraph (3) of this subdivision[.]; and
(E) effective September 1, 2023, include a teacher performance assessment for candidates seeking their first initial teaching certificate that shall be integrated into the candidates' student teaching, practicum, or similar clinical experience and designed to promote candidates' professional growth.
3. Section 80-1.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education shall be amended to read as follows:
Section 80-1.5. Examinations for certification
(a) All candidates for a certificate in the classroom teaching service shall submit evidence of having achieved satisfactory levels of performance on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations.
(b) [A school or school system shall not prohibit an individual who is a current or prospective applicant for certification from videotaping a classroom for the purpose of meeting the requirements of the teacher performance assessment for certification as a teacher in the classroom teaching service or the performance assessment of teaching skills requirement for permanent certification, transmitting such videotape to the department, or otherwise fulfilling this classroom presentation requirement. A videotape made for this purpose shall be a confidential record of the department, and as such, is not subject to viewing or disclosure to any individual or entity other than the applicant for certification, appropriate departmental personnel, and others engaged by the department to evaluate the videotape for purposes of determining the candidate's eligibility for certification.
(c)]Except as otherwise prescribed in this subdivision, notwithstanding any applicable provisions of Subparts 80-1, 80-3, 80-4 and 80-5 of this Part or any other provision of rule or regulation to the contrary, a candidate who applies for and meets all the requirements for a certificate, except that such candidate does not achieve a satisfactory level of performance on one or more of the [new certification examinations the teacher performance assessment or the revised content specialty] examination(s), as prescribed by the commissioner, that is/are required for the certificate title sought, may instead use one or more of the following safety net options, in lieu of taking, retaking one or more of such [new and/or revised] certification examinations:
(1) [Teacher performance assessment.
(i) Except as otherwise provided in clause (c) of this subparagraph, a candidate who takes and fails to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on the teacher performance assessment (after completing and submitting for scoring the teacher performance assessment), may, in lieu of retaking the teacher performance assessment:
(a) receive a satisfactory score on the written assessment of teaching skills after receipt of his/her score on the teacher performance assessment and prior to June 30, 2018; or
(b) pass the written assessment of teaching skills on or before April 30, 2014 (before the new certification examination requirements became effective), provided the candidate has taken and failed the teacher performance assessment prior to June 30, 2018;
(c) a candidate who takes and fails to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on the library specialist teacher performance assessment (after completing and submitting for scoring the library specialist teacher performance assessment), may, in lieu of retaking the library specialist teacher performance assessment:
(1) receive a satisfactory score on the written assessment of teaching skills after receipt of his/her score on the library specialist teacher performance assessment and prior to December 31, 2021; or
(2) pass the written assessment of teaching skills on or before April 30, 2014 (before the new certification examination requirements became effective), provided the candidate has taken and failed the library specialist teacher performance assessment prior to December 31, 2021.
(ii) A candidate who:
(a) completes a student teaching or similar clinical experience during the Spring 2020 or Summer 2020 terms while enrolled in a program registered pursuant to section 52.21 of this Title and could not complete their teacher performance assessment as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, as determined by the dean or his/her designee overseeing the candidate's program;
(b) completes a student teaching or similar clinical experience during the 2020-2021 academic year while enrolled in a program registered pursuant to section 52.21 of this Title;
(c) completes a student teaching experience during the 2020-2021 academic year while enrolled in a substantially equivalent teacher education program at a regionally accredited institution of higher education, or a higher education institution that the commissioner deems substantially equivalent, from another state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia that leads to certification in the title and type of certificate sought in the jurisdiction where the higher education institution is located; or
(d) completes the teaching experience requirement for certification through the individual evaluation pathway during the 2020-2021 academic year, may either:
(1) take and receive a satisfactory level of performance on the teacher performance assessment;
(2) take the written assessment of teaching skills by September 1, 2023 and receive a satisfactory score on such assessment; or
(3) for a candidate who takes and fails to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on the teacher performance assessment, may, in lieu of retaking such assessment:
(i) take the written assessment of teaching skills by September 1, 2023 and receive a satisfactory score on the written assessment of teaching skills after receipt of his/her score on the teacher performance assessment; or
(ii) apply for a waiver of the edTPA requirement through the multiple-measures review process pursuant to subdivision (d) of this section, if he/she meets the eligibility requirements.
(2)] Content specialty test.
(i) Except as otherwise provided in subparagraphs (ii), (iii) and (iv) of this paragraph, a candidate who takes and fails to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on any of the revised content specialty examinations from May 1, 2015 through October 17, 2016, may, in lieu of retaking such revised content specialty test:
(a) receive a satisfactory score on the predecessor content specialty examination after receipt of his/her failing score on the revised content specialty test; or
(b) pass the predecessor content specialty examination on or before the new certification examination requirements become operational.
(ii) A candidate who applies for certification on or after October 18, 2016 and/or who has a pending application for certification on file with the Office of Teaching Initiatives on October 18, 2016, as determined by the department, may receive a satisfactory passing score on either the revised content specialty test or the predecessor content specialty exam (even if the candidate took and passed the predecessor examination on or before October 18, 2016) until June 30, 2017.
(iii) For revised content specialty tests that became operational on or after October 18, 2016 or for the revised educational technology specialist content specialty test, a candidate may take and receive a satisfactory passing score on either the revised content specialty test or the predecessor content specialty test until six months after the revised educational technology specialist content specialty test is redeveloped and operational.
(iv) A candidate who takes and fails to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on part two of the new multi-subject: secondary teachers grade 7 - grade 12 content specialty test, if required for the certificate area sought and he/she received a satisfactory level of performance on parts one and three of such test on or after September 1, 2014 until the date a revised part two is operational, may, in lieu of retaking part two of such examination:
(a) present the department with sufficient evidence of satisfactory completion of the mathematics tutorial approved by the department until the date a revised part two is operational; and
(b) submit an attestation on or before the date a revised part two is operational, on a form prescribed by the commissioner, attesting that the candidate has:
(1) demonstrated comparable mathematical skills to what is required by part two of the multi-subject (7-12) content specialty examination through course completion by completing a minimum of three semester hours in mathematics coursework satisfactory to the commissioner; and
(2) received a cumulative grade of a 3.0 or higher, or the substantial equivalent, in such coursework.
(v) When the revised content specialty examination(s) in biology, chemistry, earth science and physics become available, a candidate may take either the applicable revised content specialty examination or the applicable predecessor content specialty examination in biology, chemistry, earth science or physics, for one year after the applicable revised content specialty examination(s) become operational.
[(d) Multiple measures review process for the edTPA.
(1) A candidate may apply for a waiver of the edTPA requirement on or after the effective date of this section through a multiple-measures review process. Provided however, that this process will only apply if and when a new standard setting panel has been convened and makes a recommendation to the commissioner for a new passing score for the edTPA and such score has been approved by the commissioner for use with the edTPA. and the candidate meets the requirements set forth in paragraph (2) of this subdivision.
(2) To be eligible for a waiver of the requirement for the edTPA through the multiple-measures review process, a candidate shall:
(i) receive a score within two points below the new passing score set by the standard setting panel, as determined by the commissioner;
(ii) have a cumulative grade point average of a 3.0 in his/her program area or its equivalent. as determined by the commissioner;
(iii) receive a satisfactory passing score on all other examinations (or available safety nets) required for the teaching certificate sought; and
(iv) provide recommendations from faculty and cooperating teachers or other qualified individuals, as determined by the department, that the teacher has the minimum knowledge, skills and abilities in pedagogy to enter the classroom.
(3) The department will convene a multiple measures review panel to review waiver applications submitted pursuant to this section. Such panel shall be comprised of two P-12 teachers, two principals, two superintendents, two higher education faculty and one staff member from the department. The decision of the majority of the members shall determine whether a candidate will receive a waiver under this subdivision and such decision shall be final.]
4. Item (iii) of subclause (2) of clause (c) of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of section 80-3.3 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education shall be amended to read as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, for candidates applying for certification on or after May 1, 2014 or candidates who applied for certification on or before April 30, 2014 but did not meet all the requirements for an initial certificate on or before April 30, 2014, such candidates shall submit evidence of having achieved a satisfactory level of performance on the New York State Teacher Certification Examination [teacher performance assessment, the ]educating all students test[,] and the content specialty test(s) in the area of the certificate, when available, except that a candidate seeking an initial certificate in the title of Speech and Language Disabilities (all grades) shall not be required to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on the content [speciality]specialty test [or the teacher performance assessment and a candidate seeking an initial certificate in the title of Educational Technology Specialist (all grades) shall not be required to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on the teacher performance assessment].
5. Subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of section 80-3.3 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education shall be amended to read as follows:
(iv) Examination. The candidate shall pass the New York State Teacher Certification Examination educating all students test[,] and the content specialty test when available[, and the teacher performance assessment, when available] in the computer science area.
6. Paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of section 80-3.4 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education shall be amended to read as follows:
(3) Examination.
[(i)
(a) Candidates who hold a transitional C certificate for career changers and others holding a graduate academic or graduate professional degree, pursuant to the requirements of section 80-5.14 of this Part, and who apply for certification on or after May 1, 2014 or candidates who apply for professional certification on or before April 30, 2014 but do not meet all the requirements for a professional certificate on or before April 30, 2014 shall submit evidence of having achieved a satisfactory level of performance on the New York State Teacher Certification Examination teacher performance assessment.
(ii)] Candidates who seek a professional certificate in Speech and Language Disabilities (all grades) shall submit evidence of having achieved a satisfactory level of performance on the New York State Teacher Certification Examination content specialty test in the area of the certificate.
7. Subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of section 80-5.8 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education shall be amended to read as follows:
(iv) The candidate shall [either]:
[(1) have completed a teacher education program from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or a higher education institution that the commissioner deems substantially equivalent, provided that such program leads to an initial certificate, or a similar certificate title and type, in the jurisdiction in which the higher education institution is located; and
(2) meet the examination requirements for the title and type of certificate sought in this State; except if a candidate meets all the examination requirements except the teacher performance assessment, if required for the certificate type and title sought, the candidate shall be issued a one-year nonrenewable conditional initial certificate, provided that the candidate meets the requirements of section 80-5.17 of this Subpart; or
(1)] have at least three years of satisfactory experience in a public school (grades birth-12) in other state(s) or territory(ies) of the United States or the District of Columbia in a position that would have required the equivalent of an initial or professional certificate in the certificate title sought as a teacher in the classroom teaching service for employment in New York State and while under a certificate issued by such other state authorizing such service, such experience must have been completed within seven years immediately preceding the application for endorsement of the out-of-state certificate; or the candidate shall have equivalent experience as determined by the commissioner; and
[(2)](b) submit satisfactory evidence that the candidate received evaluation ratings of effective or highly effective, or the substantial equivalent of such ratings, in at least three years of experience in a public school in other state(s) or territory(ies) of the United States or the District of Columbia in the certificate title sought as a teacher in the classroom teaching service for employment in New York State.
8. Section 80-5.17 of the Commissioner's regulations of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education shall be amended to read as follows:
Section 80-5.17. Conditional initial certificate
[(a) Conditional initial certificate in the classroom teaching service.
For out-of-state candidates applying for initial certification (in a certificate title in the classroom teaching service for which this Part requires completion of a teacher performance assessment), the commissioner may issue to a candidate who has received a satisfactory passing score on all other required examination requirements, as required for the title and type of certificate sought in this State, a one-year nonrenewable conditional initial certificate, notwithstanding that the candidate has not received a satisfactory passing score on the teacher performance assessment, and deem that all other requirements for the initial certificate in the certificate title sought have been met, provided that the candidate holds a valid regular teacher's certificate or an authorization to practice that the commissioner deems equivalent in the same or an equivalent title by another state or territory of the United States and otherwise meets the requirements for endorsement as set forth in section 80-5.8(a) of this Title, except the teacher performance assessment, if required, and the candidate has not already taken and received an unsatisfactory score on the teacher performance assessment.
(b)] Conditional initial certificate in the title school building leader.
The commissioner may issue a two-year nonrenewable conditional initial certificate in the title school building leader to a candidate who applies for the certificate after September 1, 2006 and meets the following requirements:


As many of you are already aware, Gavin has been on a necessary but crazy amount of medications for a long time (See: My interview on CNN). Gavin was taking almost 9 different medications per day. This was necessary in order to help manage some of his health and mental health issues. As much as we hated to have him take these medication, they improved the quality of his life and the results were tough to argue.
With that said, my wife and I feel very strongly about constantly reviewing the need for medications. Meaning that, if they are needed, we don't want him to take them. Our doctors are very good and reevaluating the need for medications and are by no means overzealous about prescribing them. While it may seem excessive, It's important to note that Gavin is very, very complex and breaks the mold in many areas. So, for most children this may have been excessive, however, with Gavin is really wasn't.
Anyway, on with the update.
I'm very excited to be able to say that currently, Gavin is down down to 4 medications. He's on Clozapine to manage the Schizoaffective Disorder, Lithium to manage the Bipolar side of the Schizoaffective Disorder, reflux and asthma meds. Oh..and a multivitamin.
This is a major accomplishment for Gavin. He will need the Clozapine and Lithium long term and well as the asthma and reflux medications but this marks a significant decrease in the amount of medication he needs to essentially survive everyday life.
Whether or not this stays this way is yet to be determined. Gavin is constantly changing and the need for more medications may present itself at some point. We will however, cross that bridge when we get to it.