The question often arises whether a stepparent has any responsibility to pay child support for their stepchildren. The general rule is that a stepparent has no duty to pay child support for their stepchildren. However, practically speaking, if your stepchildren do not reside in your home, i.e., if you and your spouse or partner do not have residential custody of your stepchildren, then income that would otherwise be devoted to your household is being paid out to the parent of primary residence. It should be made clear that the income that is being paid out, and upon which child support is being calculated is solely your spouse's or partner's income. For example, if you make $75,000 a year and your spouse or partner makes $50,000 a year for child support guideline purposes your household income is $50,000 a year. Similarly, if your household is the household with primary custody of your stepchildren your spouses ex is paying child support into your household based solely on their income and your spouse's or partner's income. Your income does not factor into the child-support equation at all. One exception to this rule is if you and your spouse/partner have a child, and your spouse/partner is paying child support to his or her ex. In this case you have a claim to deduct child support that your spouse/partner is "hypothetically" paying you for any child that you and your spouse/partner have together. Sounds confusing? What I've just described is called the other dependent deduction. It is a very useful deduction if your spouse/partner is paying child support and you have a child or children with your spouse/partner.
An example will help illustrate how the other dependent deduction is calculated and applied in a typical child support case. First, it should be pointed out that the other dependent deduction is only applicable in cases where your partner or spouse is paying child support and you and your partner/spouse have a child born or adopted of your relationship. If this is your situation the court allows you to deduct hypothetical child support that your spouse would be paying to you if you did not live together. This hypothetical stream of child support is calculated by using the child support worksheet. On the child support worksheet you are deemed the custodial parent and your spouse is deemed the noncustodial parent. Your incomes are plugged into the worksheet and the worksheet is utilized to come up with a bottom-line weekly hypothetical child support amount that your spouse/partner would be paying to you if you did not live together. This fictional amount that your spouse/partner is paying to you for his or her other dependent (your child together) is deducted from your spouse/partner's weekly income in determining his or her income available for child support purposes for your stepchildren. So if your spouse/partner's weekly income is $1000 and the hypothetical child support that they pay to you is $200 a week their weekly income available for child support to be paid for your stepchildren is $800 per week.
It should be noted that if you have a child from a prior relationship and your spouse/partner has a child from a prior relationship the other dependent deduction doesn't apply. (The applicable deduction in this case is the amount that has been ordered, or agreed to, under a prior child support order or agreement).
The only scenario in which a step-parent can become economically liable for the support of a stepchild is if the step-parent takes the affirmative step of formally adopting their stepchild. The formal adoption process is a court process which requires termination of the natural parent's rights and the creation of a new parent-child relationship between the step-parent and step-child. Without this process taking place there is no grounds for support to be ordered between step-child and step-parent.
If you have any questions about economic support for step-children give me a call at 201-731-3086 (toll-free at 844-431-3380), or email me using the email contact form. I've been practicing family law, and representing clients in child support cases for over 20 years. My client base is drawn primarily from Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson, Union and Middlesex counties. The initial consultation with my office, whether by email or telephone, is free of charge.


Gevrey-Chambertin is one of the great wine names in the historic region of Burgundy. The grapes from our Pinot Noir vines aptly named 'En Songe' (in a dream) produce Partners' superb Gevrey-Chambertin.
Crafted by the talented Jean-Michel Jacob, the wines have lovely perfume and very fresh, distinct flavours of dark black cherry and blackberry fruit, spicy oak and delicious creamy textures.
This historic region known as the Côte d'Or or 'golden slopes' is divided into two; the Côte de Nuits in the northern part and the Côte de Beaune in the southern part. These vines are based in the Côte de Nuits which covers a 20km stretch from Nuits-St-Georges to Dijon. In one of the most famous wine villages of all, called Gevrey-Chambertin, our En Songe vines nestle amongst the many other famous parcels of vines that characterise this wonderful area.
En Songe literally means 'in a dream' which is very apt as these vines are very special. The vine age is quite high which means the yields tend to be low as there are fewer bunches per vine. This also means that the resulting wines have wonderful concentration and depth, however there is a lightness and elegance to Partners' excluisve Gevrey-Chambertin En Songe.
Winemaker, Jean-Michel Jacob, is a big man with huge hands. However, this is somewhat misleading as he has a very delicate touch in the winery. His wines have lovely perfume and very fresh, distinct flavours of dark black cherry and blackberry fruit, spicy oak and delicious creamy textures.


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Every NBA Team's Best and Worst Draft Pick of All-Time
June 17, 2019 by Michael Bellom 7 Comments
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki (BEST)
We all know he wasn't drafted by the Dallas Mavericks, it was the Bucks that did that. But, Dallas did acquire Dirk on draft day. Dirk Nowitzki has almost three times as many win shares as his next closest Mavericks competitor. He has scored over 31,000 points in his career, all of them for Dallas, which ranks him seventh all time and should see him pass Wilt Chamberlain by the end of the season when he presumably heads into retirement.
Nowitzki was the league MVP in 2007, but his playoff run in 2011 cemented his legacy as he led the Mavericks to their only NBA championship, knocking off LeBron James and his vaunted Miami Heat teammates in their first season together. Nowitzki is one of the greatest international players in NBA history.
Dallas Mavericks: Randy White (WORST)
A lot of memorable names were drafted in 1989, including Shawn Kemp, Vlade Divac, Glen Rice, Tim Hardaway, Mookie Blaylock, Clifford Robinson, Nick Anderson, Sean Elliott, and others. One name you won't often see on that list?
The number eight pick, Randy White. Dallas took White out of Louisiana Tech and he barely cleared 40% shooting for his career and never averaged double-digit points in any season.
Clare Delaney says
please. tell someone. that what the celtics really need to do is trade Stevens. and Ange
Boston Blackie says
Boston's worse as determined by production vs expectation: Len Bias
Derek says
Naaaaaaa Sixers worst was Christain Welp !!!
Preston says
Trey Burke should not be on the worst list.
MIckey Nezumi says
Sorry, meant Bobby Fischer, not Bobby Fisher.
John Camp says
You mean the grandmaster chess champion right, not the dorky chauvinistic tennis player.
Larry Bird would never have made this list if he played basketball like Bobby Fisher played tennis.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


JFA–Touchwood has its lineage to one of the oldest furniture manufacturing groups in the country, the erstwhile Jayabharatham Furniture which is now known as JFA.JFA–Touchwood range of furniture is being manufactured in the most sophisticated state of the art manufacturing plant spread over 2.5 lakhs sq.ft near Chennai. The factory conforms to established Global Quality Standards from Sourcing of wood to getting finished products.
Your grandparents had the antique furniture in their homes. Now it's time for you to experience the sleeker and trendier furniture collection from JFA–Touchwood. We have a talented team of designers whose aesthetics in furniture and creativity expands to infinity and beyond. From your dining room to living to the bedroom, your house will have beauty and the most contemporary style in every corner.
With imported machinery from Germany and Italy, we ensure to use the finest quality of wood for our products. Our wood specialists conduct a constructive research and scrutiny to check if wood is seasoned correctly and keep a track on the high quality of products.
Don't you like your food cooked with the best of ingredients, beautifully sliced, marinated with the right spices and well- garnished?
Every client is given the best and ultimate shopping and post-sales experience. So don't worry! We have return and maintenance policies and a warranty period of 1 year. So in the rare chance of something going wrong, you can always come to us.
We sell beautiful, iconic, authentic, future-proof furniture. We don't do fashionable, we don't do this season's look, we do forever fabulous.
Like to be part of our dealer network?
State of the art manufacturing facilities spread over 2.5 Lakh sq.ft area ensure uniformity and consistency in the quality of all the furniture pieces.
With imported machinery from Germany and Italy, the factory conforms to established Global Quality Standards from sourcing of wood to getting finished products.
The factory has created a niche for itself in the furniture industry over a period of seven decades through a quality inescapable from you notice.
Have A Question ?, Get In Touch!


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Prevention and Treatment: Osteoporosis
If you learn that you have osteoporosis and are at high risk for fracture, there are medications available that are very effective at reducing risk.
Until recently, hormone therapy was widely recommended as a means to prevent osteoporosis. But the available alternatives to hormone therapy are equally effective at maintaining bone density and carry less risk. These include:
Bisphosphonates
Drugs called bisphosphonates, such as alendronate (brand name Fosamax), risedronate (brand name Actonel), and ibandronate (brand name Boniva), are one treatment option. These drugs act by binding to the osteoclasts (the cells that resorb bone), preventing them from functioning. This decreases bone loss in postmenopausal women. These drugs decrease bone loss, but that doesn't mean they actually build bone or stimulate the growth of new bone. Rather, these drugs increase bone density by filling in the spaces that have been left empty by the osteoclasts (the resorbers) and not filled in by the osteoblasts (the builders).
We know that the bisphosphonates decrease fractures in the short term, but we don't know what they do in the long term. In 2012, the FDA released a study investigating the effects of bisphosphonates over three to five years. The study, which looked at three long-term extension trials related to bisphosphonates and osteoporosis, found taking bisphosphonates for five or more years results in "maintenance of bone mineral density in the femoral neck and increases in bone mineral density at the lumbar spine." After five years, bone mineral density in the femoral neck decreases modestly for one to two years and then stabilizes, while density in the lumbar spine continues to increase without the medication. The duration of treatment in each of the studies lasted from six to 10 years but no optimal duration of use was determined.
Because they interfere with the balance between resorption and buildup, bisphosphonates may eventually affect the architecture of the skeleton. This does not mean that they aren't good drugs. But it does indicate that they should be saved for women who have osteoporosis or who have had a fracture, rather than being given as prevention.
For women who have osteoporosis and are on aromatase inhibitors, bisphosphonates should help reduce fracture risk
Note to Women with Breast Cancer:
Many women with hormone-sensitive tumors are now taking an aromatase inhibitor as part of their breast cancer treatment. These drugs—anastrozole (brand name Arimidex), letrozole (brand name Femara), and exemestane (brand name Aromasin)—work by blocking aromatase, the enzyme that converts androgens into estrogen. Clinical trials have found that these drugs, unlike the hormone therapy tamoxifen, increase bone fracture risk.
For women who have osteoporosis and are on aromatase inhibitors, bisphosphonates should help reduce fracture risk. For women with osteopenia, though, it still makes more sense to wait until osteopenia has advanced to osteoporosis to begin taking these drugs. The exception would be a woman who is starting on an aromatase inhibitor and is already close to a –2.5 on her dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. In this case, she may want to start on a bisphosphonate while starting on the aromatase inhibitor.
Bisphosphonates are also used to treat bone metastases and hypercalcemia, a condition when the breakdown of bone leads to excessive calcium in the blood, in women with breast cancer. A 2015 meta-analysis by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) found that bisphosphonates have profound effects on bone physiology and can modify the metastasis process, preventing approximately one in six breast cancer deaths in postmenopausal women over the course of a decade.
Raloxifene
A second option is raloxifene (brand name Evista). Raloxifene is a selective estrogen receptor modulator. This means it acts like an estrogen in some organs—such as the bones, to maintain bone density—and blocks it in others, such as the breast and the uterus. It does not increase the risk of heart attacks like estrogen does or increase the risk of uterine cancer, like the breast cancer drug tamoxifen.
Raloxifene is slightly less effective than the bisphosphonates, and because it blocks estrogen one of its common side effects is hot flashes. In May 2006, findings from the STAR trial were released which showed that raloxifene, like tamoxifen, decreases breast cancer risk. This means raloxifene could be a good choice to treat osteoporosis in women who are at high risk for breast cancer.
A third option is calcitonin (brand names Calcimar and Micalcin). Calcitonin is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland that inhibits bone breakdown. By inhibiting bone removal by the osteoclasts and promoting bone formation by the osteoblasts, it can increase bone density in women with osteoporosis.
In two-year studies conducted in women with osteoporosis, calcitonin was found to increase bone density by 5% when taken with calcium; in comparison, women who were given calcium and a placebo had a 2% decrease in bone density. One of the more dramatic effects of calcitonin is the decrease of pain caused by vertebral fractures from osteoporosis. This alone may make it a good choice for certain situations. It comes in an injectable form and as a nasal spray. It is advised that women taking calcitonin also take adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D.
Teriparatide
Teriparatide (brand name Forteo), a form of human parathyroid hormone, which does build new bone in women with osteoporosis, was approved by the FDAM in 2002 for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who are at high risk for fractures. It is administered by injection once a day in the thigh or abdomen. It has been found to increase the risk of osteosarcoma, a rare but serious cancer of the bone in rats, and it's not known if there is a higher risk of bone tumor in humans. A 2011 study found the risk of osteosarcoma is "extremely rare" at approximately 1 in 100,000 people.
Women who have bone cancer, breast cancer that has spread to the bones, or hypocalcemia should not use teriparatide.


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88° Few Clouds
Clear skies. Warm and humid. Low 78F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Long-neglected area of Jeffersonville to get $1 million makeover
JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- The city of Jeffersonville has been getting a major makeover the past few years. Now, a long-neglected part of the city is finally getting some attention.
City officials broke ground Tuesday on a nearly $1 million project to improve Spring Street in the Claysburg neighborhood.
Eddie and Pauline Shanklin have lived in Claysburg for 40 years.
"This neighborhood is great," said Pauline Shanklin. "I love this neighborhood, and I love the people in this neighborhood."
But the Shanklins said the historically African American neighborhood off Spring Street has long been neglected, even as nearby downtown Jeffersonville is transformed.
"We just want our area to come alive, just like the rest of the city is alive, so that we can have some city pride," Pauline told WDRB News.
Jeffersonville City Councilman Dustin White agreed.
"There has been no positive investment from a government perspective for decades," White said.
That began to change when White and Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore broke ground on the Spring Street project.
"I'm proud to say we stopped talking about it, and we're getting it done," said Moore.
The project includes rebuilding crumbling and missing sidewalks, improving lighting, and enhancing bus stops.
The enhancements are important in an area where many walk, bike, and use wheelchairs to get around.
"There's been a disconnect with this neighborhood, and this will make Claysburg be able to connect to the rest of the city," Moore said.
Phase One of the project reconstructs a roughly three-block area from 14th to Riddle Streets. Later, Phase Two will improve Spring Street all the way to the riverfront.
"We've been hearing about it, hearing about it, and now we're going to see the results of it," said Pauline.
Phase One is set to be finished by the end of August.
"It's dignity," said White. "It's becoming part of the Jeffersonville renaissance."
"The downtown area has been changed tremendously," said Eddie Shanklin. "Now, it's going to continue to happen out here, and we're truly blessed."
The city plans to keep Spring Street open during construction to maintain access to businesses and homes.
Meteorologist Marc Weinberg's Thursday evening WDRB forecast
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The 'American Pickers' found and fixed Aerosmith's 1970s tour van


The venue of Kate and Will's wedding, Westminster Abbey, has been the coronation church of choice since the 11th century.
Just a short walk from the Thames, Westminster Abbey is one of the most important structures in British history and a must-see for anyone. This beautiful gothic church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is popular with many visitors to London. The Abbey features rare paintings, stained glass windows and other religious artefacts. The building also hosts the most important collection of monumental sculpture anywhere in Britain.
Boasting a rich history that spans over one thousand years, the site was originally occupied by Benedictine monks in the middle of the tenth century. The current gothic masterpiece has stood there for about 700 years.
So purchase your tickets today and witness a unique piece of history!


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Derek Chauvin Trial: Week Two
Week One of this trial was discussed in a prior post. The focus was jury selection with seven selected: 5 men and 2 women; 4 white and 3 people of color. The prosecution used five of its nine preemptory challenges; the defense, 8 of 15. The stage for Week Two (March 15-19) was set by the March 12th announcement of the $27 million settlement between the City of Minneapolis of the civil case for money damages in federal court brought by the attorneys for the Floyd family [1]
Discussion and Rulings About Impact of City-Floyd Family Settlement [2]
The settlement immediately was raised on Monday by Chauvin's attorney, Erik Nelson, as a basis for a postponement of the trial or for a reconsideration of the denial of his previous motion for change of venue to an other Minnesota state court. He said, "I am gravely concerned with the news that broke on Friday related to the civil settlement. . . . The fact that this came in the exact middle of jury selection is perplexing to me." This timing was "very suspicious" and 'has incredible propensity to taint the jury pool."
Prosecutor Steve Schleicher opposed a continuance, noting that the prosecution did not and could not control the city council.
Judge Cahill said the timing of this announcement was unfortunate. "I wish city officials would stop talking about this case so much" even though "I don't find any evil intent that they were trying to tamper with this case. . . . The timing is not related to this case." Nevertheless, "I think the defense has a legitimate concern, and even the state has a concern." The Judge added that he intends recall the seven jurors chosen so far to question them about the settlement and whether it might affect their ability to serve as an impartial juror. The Judge also said he would consider the defense motion for a continuance and perhaps moving the case to another court in the state.
On Tuesday Erik Nelson read on the record the alleged statement by a city official that Hennepin County Chief District Judge Barnette had "told the city that "it could proceed" with the settlement, as contained in Holly Bailey's March 15th Washington Post article (cited below).
Judge Peter Cahill immediately responded that the Post article was erroneous. He had been told by the Chief Judge that he had told the city official, "We can't tell you what to do. There is no approval by this court." Cahill added that he believes Barnette also told the city official the Chief Judge was concerned about such an announcement in the middle of jury selection.
On Thursday returned to these issues by stating that the city had just claimed that it had to make the announcement of the settlement when it did even though the documentation will not be finalized for another month and thus raises the question of whether that announcement was necessary. The prosecutor retorted that Nelson's comments were based on third-hand information. An annoyed Judge Cahill said we need to "stop talking about it. I've asked Minneapolis to [do so]. They keep talking about it. We keep talking about it. We need to stop talking about it."
On Friday morning Judge Cahill denied these defense motions.He stated, "Unfortunately, the pretrial publicity will continue no matter how long we continue the trial. I don't think there is any place in Minnesota that has not been subject to the extreme amounts of publicity" about this case.
Court's Rulings on Other Pending Motions [3]
On Friday the Judge also granted, in part, the defense motion to allow some evidence of Mr. Floyd's 2019 encounter with the Minneapolis police, limited to his medical condition after having a policeman point a gun at him and taking him into custody; his blood pressure at the scene, policy body camera footage, a suspected illicit drug pill in his car, and his statements to a paramedic for the purpose of her making a diagnosis.
In addition, the Judge granted, in part, the defense motion to limit the testimony of a prosecution witness, Sarah Vinson, a forensic psychiatrist, about Floyd's reactions to police in May 2020 before he became unconscious and died.
Resumed Selection of Jurors [4]
The process of jury selection was complicated on Wednesday by the court's questioning (remotely by audio Zoom) seven of the previously jurors about their knowledge of, and reactions to, the city's settlement. This led to disqualification of two of them: a Hispanic man in his 20's who said the settlement "kind of confirms opinions I already have" and a white man in his 30's who said he was shocked by the size of the settlement.
Nevertheless, by the end of the week, 13 jurors had been selected: six were people of color: a multiracial woman in her 20's; a multiracial woman in her 40's: two black men in their 20's; a black man in his 40's; and a black woman in her 60's. The other seven were white: four women in their 50's; a woman in her 40's; a man in his 20's; and a man in his 30'a.
In addition, at the end of Wednesday's session the Judge granted three additional preemptory challenges for the defense to bring its total to nine while the prosecution got one more such challenge for a new total of six. Although the Judge initially has said there would only be two alternates, by the end of the week he said he might seek for or five alternates.
The StarTribune provided a useful explanation of alternate jurors in criminal trials. During the trial itself, none of the seated jurors will know who are the alternates, and the judge will not reveal their identities until after the attorneys' closing arguments. That is to keep all of them at attention during the trial. Although the last ones chosen usually are alternates, that would not necessarily be true in this important case. But once the jury retires for its deliberations, the identity of the alternates would be revealed and excluded from the jury room
although they could vibe recalled if any of the 12 jury members has to withdraw during their deliberations before they have reached a verdict.
Thus, next week, absent any subsequent exits of the 13 so far selected, the agenda will be selecting one to three more jurors.
[1] Derek Chauvin Trial: Week One, dwkcommentaries.com (Mar. 15, 2021).
[2] Walsh, Timing of $27M settlement in midst of Derek Chauvin trial jury selection called 'unfortunate' by court, 8th juror seated, Star Tribune (Mar. 15, 2021); Bailey, Derek Chauvin's attorney asks for continuance and change of venue in George Floyd case, Wash. Post (Mar. 15, 2021); Barrett, Winter & Ailsworth, Derek Chauvin Lawyer Seeks trial Delay After Settlement With George Floyd Family, W.S.J. (Mar. 15, 2021); Arango & Eligon, Derek Chauvin's lawyer asks for a delay in the trial, N.Y. Times (Mar. 15, 2021); Walsh, $27M Floyd family payment looms over Derek Chauvin trial today, StarTribune (Mar. 16, 2021); Bailey, Derek Chauvin trial: Jury selection resumes as judge weighs defense request for delay, Wash. Post (Mar. 16, 2016); Olson & Walsh, Record-setting $27 million Minneapolis settlement clouds jury selection in Chauvin case, StarTribune (Mar. 17, 2021); Walsh, Two seated jurors dismissed in Derek Chauvin murder trial; $27M settlement early focus today, StarTribune (Mar. 17, 2021); Karnowski & Forliti (Assoc. Press), 2 jurors dropped from Chauvin trial after $27M settlement, Wash. Post (Mar. 17, 2021); Walsh, Jury back at 9 after 2 jurors excused earlier in Chauvin trial over hearing of $27M settlement, StarTribune (Mar. 17, 2021); Olson, Walsh & Staff, Chauvin jury back at nine after two dismissed, two added during rocky day in court, StarTribune (Mar. 18, 2021); Bailey, Derek Chauvin Trial: Judge considers whether to allow mention of Floyd's 2019 arrest, Wash. Post (Mar. 18, 2021); Walsh & Sayle, What happened Thursday in the Derek Chauvin trial, StarTribune (Mar. 18, 2021); Walsh, Day 9 of Derek Chauvin trial: 3 new jurors for a total as judge urges silence on $27M settlement: 'Just stop talking about it,' StarTribune (Mar. 18, 2021); Walsh & Sayle, What Happened Friday in the Derek Chauvin Trial, StarTribune (Mar. 19, 2021); Groves, EXPLAINER: Role of Alternate jurors in ex-officer's trial, Star-Tribune (Mar. 19, 2021).
[3] Xiong & Walsh, Judge rejects delaying or moving Derek Chauvin murder trial, StarTribune (Mar. 19, 2021); Bailey, Derek Chauvin trial judge denies motions for delay and change if venue, Wash. Post (Mar. 19, 2021).
[4] Fn. 2 supra.
Posted on March 21, 2021 Author dwkcommentariesCategories Uncategorized
Previous Previous post: Derek Chauvin Trial: Week One
Next Next post: Derek Chauvin Trial: Week Three


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Health Insurance Startup Sana Benefits Moves Headquarters to Austin
October 12, 2018 by LauraLorek@gmail.com
Nathan Hackley and Will Young, co-founders of Sana Benefits
Health insurance is broken from administration to customer experience and Sana Benefits wants to fix it.
"Health insurance is awful," said Will Young, co-founder of Sana Benefits. "It's expensive. It's opaque. It's backward. We're making something that is easy to use, saves money and still is really good insurance."
The healthcare insurance company recently moved to Austin from San Francisco and has four employees working out of its office at WeWork Barton Springs. It has another five employees working remotely.
"We got to Austin because it was just the best place for this business," Young said. "Texas, from an insurance standpoint, is a great state for innovation. There aren't a lot of constraints."
"Within Texas, Austin is just this Tech talent hub and we thought our message would resonate with them," he said.
Young and Nathan Hackley, who formerly worked together at Justworks, benefits and payroll company in New York, founded Sana Benefits in 2017. The co-founders have complementary skill sets, Young said.
Young led sales, licensing and operations while Hackley did all the product development and engineering.
"While he was working on partnerships with companies I was working on integration with the companies," Hackley said.
"It basically took us a year of behind the scenes setup work," Young said. "It wasn't until the middle of this year that we've had a product that began to resonate with people."
They developed a health insurance platform that allows small to medium-sized business to access benefits and save money. Sana has landed three customers so far including a tech startup with 100 employees and two established businesses with 20 employees each, Young said. And it's open enrollment season so Sana is adding new customers now, he said.
SANA Benefits first customers have gone live, Young said.
"We're a full health insurance solution," he said. "People have health insurance through us. When they go to the doctor, Sana is paying their claims. We are running health plans for people right now."
Sana also recently raised a seed round of investment for a few million dollars, Young said.
"We are pleased to support Will, Nathan, and the growing team at Sana as they apply their expertise in employee benefits, customer experience, and software development to address the needs of an underserved market," Greenlight Re CEO Simon Burton said in a statement. "Sana is one example of a great opportunity to use tech to transform the customer experience, and we're delighted to be partnering with them."
Sana Benefits is competing with other insurance providers like Aetna, Blue Cross, United Health, and is creating an alternative to them, Young said.
"We've got so many ideas on how to improve health plans," Young said. "One of them is transparency. We want all of our customers to see their data which is a big step forward from what you get with current insurance."
Showing companies transparency first is important, Young said. They are spending hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars on health insurance every year and they have no idea what they get, he said.
Sana also offers an innovative network structure called Sana Anywhere that allows people to see any doctor they want, Young said. And they use this transparent reimbursement methodology to let people know in advance what things are going to cost, he said.
Big insurance providers don't have an incentive to provide transparency to consumers, Young said.
"Insurance carriers are not on your side," Young said. "They are playing a game to confuse you and to charge you more money."
Sana Benefits is disrupting the way health insurance is done, Young said.
"The way we are able to do this is we don't have these networks we are trying to manage," Young said. "We don't have these complicated provider relationships that mean our incentives are misaligned with our members. We are just on the side of the members trying to get them a fair price."
Sana Benefits charges a flat fee per employee, per month, rather than making a profit off the difference between the premium and claims paid out, Hackley said.
"Health insurance companies make more money when they charge you more money," Young said. "We are aligned with our incentives to keep costs down."
Businesses are in such pain, Young said.
"Healthcare makes businesses confused and frustrated and they are paying way too much," he said. "We can come in and share our vision. We're trying to change the norms."
Sana's goal is to change the way health insurance is done, Hackley said.
"I would like to set a good example for how to run a properly incentivized health plan," Hackley said.
Editor's note: Sana Benefits is an advertiser with Silicon Hills News
Filed Under: Austin


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via Sally Maxson
MIDWAY SEPTEMBER SPORTS UPDATE
TYSON FLORENCE, STAFF WRITER
With the beginning of sports seasons kicking off, our LP sports teams have some wins under their belts along with some losses.
With an upcoming game against Freedom on Sept. 19 at home, the LP girls' volleyball team is standing at a score of one to five with one win against Beaver Falls.
The LP football team, co-opped with Western Beaver, is standing at a strong three to zero and faces off Neshannock, another undefeated team, this Saturday at Western beaver for the first section game of the season.
Our golf team this year has a record of 1-9, and is heading to Shadow Lakes Golf Course on Sept. 19 to play in the boys sectionals.
In upcoming news for this winter: the boys and girls basketball season will kick off with the boys' first game being at home against Montour on Dec. 12, and the girls' first game being on Jan. 9 at Moon.
There are lots of good games and matches to be played this year with LP-sponsored sports, so come out and show support this year!
TYSON FLORENCE, STAFF MEMBER
Tyson Florence is the writer for the "Sports with Florence" column here on The SIREN. He is a junior from New Brighton, a football player, and has been attending Lincoln Park since seventh grade.


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A step in the right..
A step in the right direction for 9-year-old with autism 'slipping through the cracks'
Ben Fordham
AutismBRAD HAZZARDBronnie Taylor
The confronting story of a nine-year-old girl who was "slipping through the cracks" of the mental health system has taken a positive turn.
In late October, Nine News aired footage of young Makayla, who has autism, being handcuffed and taken out of school by police, after a meltdown at school.
Ben Fordham said it's not unusual for her to be handcuffed, put in a paddy wagon and sedated.
Mental Health Minister Bronnie Taylor and Health Minister Brad Hazzard have since met with Makayla's mum Megan, who was advocating for better support for children with autism and other challenges.
Ms Taylor said it was a "distressing" situation.
"Minister Hazzard and I did meet with Megan and we had a really good meeting, but I must say, harrowing for me and Brad as well to hear her story and hear what she has been through."
Ms Taylor said Megan's strength and advocacy for her daughter was remarkable, and there were some great people looking after them both now.
"I'm pleased to say I spoke with her yesterday, and we've got a treatment plan in place for Makayla, she's undergoing some acute treatment now."
Click PLAY to hear the full interview
Image: Nine News
'It's extremely traumatic': Mother pleads for support for her nine-year-old with autism
AustraliaHealthLocalNewsNSW


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Can I Withhold Medical Care From a Bigot? – The New York Times
Let me note, too, that the freight of words is affected by who's speaking them. Patients — perhaps as a result of sepsis-associated delirium or certain neurological disorders — may not be in control of their speech; people who are subject to Tourette-syndrome-related coprolalia should not be denied medical treatment because their words make clinicians uncomfortable. And your patient? She had a problem with substance use and employed language that is, increasingly, stigmatizing of the user. She had no power over the clinicians who attended to her and to whose decisions she was subject. One indication of her lack of status is that your hospital's risk managers evidently decided that the institution could safely eject her without being held accountable for the consequences. Though they didn't intend to mete out a punishment that might have amounted to a death sentence, the risk managers effectively put the hospital ahead of the patient.
The duties of medical professionals are demanding. In wartime, a medic can have the responsibility of saving the life of a wounded enemy soldier, even if the soldier has just killed one of that medic's friends. The fundamental clinical imperatives — evolved, collectively, over generations — shouldn't be hastily set aside. Clinicians have duties of care to patients, even odious ones. And the more serious the likely consequences of refusing care, the larger the burdens they should be willing to accept.
My elderly mother began talking to a romance scammer on social media a few months ago. He claims to be building a bridge in South America and has asked her for money to support the project. She has given him tens of thousands of dollars — her entire savings. Given the convoluted stories she has told me, I have no doubt this man is scamming her, and she and I have fought about her continuing to talk to him. I love her, and it really upsets me that this man defrauded her of her money! Here is the thing, though. She talks to him via internet chat twice a day, and it genuinely makes her happy! She is the happiest I've seen her in a long time. She has had few friends over her life as well as disappointing romantic partners, and this is someone she actually enjoys talking to. Her savings are gone, and I think she will continue to use her Social Security and pension income to pay her bills. That is, I don't think she will give this man much money in the future. Should I keep trying to persuade my mom to stop talking to this man, given that I think the "relationship" may end once the money flow stops, and she may feel very sad about the ending? Should I be worried about her physical safety if she stops giving this man money? Our arguments are really bad, and she definitely prefers I stop talking about it altogether. Name Withheld
A lot has been published about romance scams, including by law enforcement, and I don't see that, in the usual course of things, its victims are in physical danger — the scammers often live in another hemisphere, for one thing. (You could contact the F.B.I. if you want further guidance.) But the financial and the emotional depredations are very real. Once the money stops, naturally, the scammers move on. There will be heartbreak ahead for your mother.
You've done what you can do. You have repeatedly pointed out the problem; you've warned her that the rewards of her relationship are predicated on a lie, and you no doubt have told her about the proliferation of such scams. She doesn't want to go on talking about it. At this point, I don't see what choice you have other than to let her be. As long as your mother remains competent, it's up to her to manage her dealings with this man. There's the minor solace that, as you indicate, the only ongoing risk is a continuing loss of relatively small sums of money, and she has enough to live on. It's painful to watch someone you love being exploited, but you can't lead her life for her.
To submit a query: Send an email to ethicist@nytimes.com; or send mail to The Ethicist, The New York Times Magazine, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018. (Include a daytime phone number.) Kwame Anthony Appiah teaches philosophy at N.Y.U. His books include "Cosmopolitanism," "The Honor Code" and "The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity."


text:
Q: Gnocanvas.canvas's coordinate on the window in Lablgtk2 I'm using Lablgtk2.
I want to show 500x400 window by using GnoCanvas module, so I write as below.
let window = GWindow.window ~show:true ~width:500 ~height:400 () in
let canvas = GnoCanvas.canvas ~width:500 ~height:400 () in
ignore(GnoCanvas.rect
         ~props:[`FILL_COLOR "#ffffff";`X1 0.;`Y1 0.;`X2 500.;`Y2 400.]
                                                           canvas#root);

window#add (canvas#coerce);
window#show ();
GMain.Main.main ()

I think 500x400 white window is shown, but it is shown that 500x400 window which has 300x250 white rectangle at the lower right.
I think the canvas's coordinates (0,0) are coordinates (200,150) at the window.
I can't understand why it should be so and what is wrong at the code.
Please tell me the collect code.

A: Gnome canvas uses three coordinate systems. Just to be sure that world coordinate system corresponds one-to-one to pixels, consider using this two canvas methods: set_pixels_per_unit and set_scroll_region. I've not tested it, but doing the following can help:
canvas#set_pixels_per_unit 1.0;
canvas#set_scroll_region 0 0 500 400;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Once you've produced your quote and synced your device, you will be able to go into your 'Existing Certificates & Drafts' and then 'Existing Quotes', from which you will be able to see any quotes that have recently been produced on the device.
Quotes that are marked in red, indicate that they are still in draft format, and will not yet be available to be converted into an invoice. They need to be issued.
Quotes that are marked in black, indicates that they have been issued, and the option to convert to an invoice is available.
Once you've tapped on the quote you wish to convert, a dialogue box will appear with a number of options such as 'Open', which will open a copy of the PDF on the device, 'Share', which will allow the user to share a copy of the PDF via either email or another service available on the device, 'Delete', which will delete the quote from both the device and the system, and finally the 'Convert to Invoice' option which will produce an invoice from the quote.
After tapping the 'Convert to Invoice' option on the device, the app will take you to a new screen allowing you to change any details of the new invoice before issuing it. Once completed, reminders will cease for the quote and an invoice will be produced for the same job that the quote exists under.


Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA) aims to monitor the long-term impact of HEFA / ILAFS on attendees' participation in post-16 learning and (ultimately) higher education, in order to ensure that the programme meets its objective of helping participants to fulfil their academic potential and raise their educational aspirations. Therefore, we like to track as many 'graduates' of the programme as possible to monitor their onward destinations.
Please note that HEFA - Higher Education Field Academy has changed it's name to ILAFS- Independent Learning Archaeology Field Schools. They are a similar programme and the names can be used interchangeably.


As a Yoruba adage says 'Oun ti eye ba je l'oma gbe fo' encapsulates the essence of feed and feeding in Animal Production. It roughly means whatever a bird feeds on that it flies with. The importance of feed in Animal production vis-à-vis human existence cannot be overemphasized.


text:
Der Jüdische Friedhof auf dem Parkfriedhof ist ein jüdischer Friedhof in der Stadt Dinslaken (Nordrhein-Westfalen). Er liegt auf dem heutigen Kommunalfriedhof, dem Parkfriedhof an der Bundesstraße 8.

Geschichte
Um 1906/07 entstand der neue und bis 1957 belegte jüdische Begräbnisplatz als Nachfolger des bereits im 18. Jahrhundert angelegten älteren jüdischen Friedhofs auf dem Doelen. Der inmitten des Kommunalfriedhofs liegende Friedhof ist öffentlich zugänglich, eine Hinweistafel an seinem Eingang informiert über die Geschichte der Dinslakener jüdischen Gemeinde und der Judenfriedhöfe.
Auf dem Gräberfeld befinden sich etwa 135 Grabsteine, weitere 60 hier in Reihe aufgestellte Grabsteine sind älter und stammen vom ehemaligen jüdischen Friedhof auf dem Doelen.

Literatur
 Ursula Reuter: Jüdische Gemeinden vom frühen 19. bis zum Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts. Bonn 2007, S. 34 (Geschichtlicher Atlas der Rheinlande, VIII.8), ISBN 978-3-7749-3524-2.
 Sepp Aschenbach: Steine der Erinnerung, der jüdische Friedhof in Dinslaken. Rhiem 2006.

Weblinks

 Dinslaken (Wasserturmstrasse, Kommunalfriedhof). In: Jüdische Friedhöfe in Nordrhein. In: Übersicht über alle Projekte zur Dokumentation jüdischer Grabinschriften auf dem Gebiet der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Nordrhein-Westfalen. Bearbeiterin: Claudia Pohl.

Dinslaken
Erbaut in den 1900er Jahren
Geschlossener Friedhof
Baudenkmal in Dinslaken
Friedhof
Sakralbau in Dinslaken
Dinslaken
Urbaner Freiraum in Dinslaken

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Having experienced the pain of struggling and the joy of healing when those hurts were allowed to surface within an authentic community, Li Ping, owner of Kara Café & Dessert Bar, desires for others to be able to tap into the power of safe spaces too. ⠀ ⠀ "I used to think other Christians didn't have to deal with the deep emotional struggles I faced. But actually, everyone struggles," she observed.⠀ ⠀ Hence when Li Ping had the chance to take over the loft above her cafe, she was moved to bring in God's presence and do something special. That idea culminated in Kara Moments, a multi-purpose space that hosts Christian events as well as regular worship nights called Kara Loft Sessions.⠀ ⠀ "That's the purpose of Kara – it's so important to let everyone know that there are safe spaces out there for them. And hopefully to teach others about safe spaces so that in the future, more of such spaces can be nurtured," she pointed out. ⠀ ⠀ In Hebrew, qarah means "to be at the right place at the right time", while in Latin it translates to "beloved" or "loved". ⠀ ⠀ Li Ping said: "When we did the first worship night (in December 2018), we saw the bonding and the relationships that were forged. Even collaborations and entrepreneurial ideas were birthed. I saw the power of community and safe spaces where people can come in and be themselves. Since then, I started seeing God's vision more strongly."⠀ ⠀ Even before she truly knew God, He was already at work. Despite her brokenness, He had placed in her heart a burden to nurture deep and meaningful connections with others. And in pursuing this, Li Ping ended up walking into her calling.⠀ ⠀ If you're curious about what an authentic community and safe space could look like, you're welcome to pop by Kara Loft Sessions. The next one will be held on July 17, 2019 at 7.30pm. For latest updates, head over to @karaloftsessions.
Although Jiamin's life is generally free from life-threatening dangers and perils, Jiamin still finds much to be afraid of.⠀ ⠀ She's afraid of large dogs. She's afraid of leaving a bad impression. She's afraid that she won't find a meaningful job when she graduates or that she'll make a wrong decision. The list goes on. Call them unnecessary anxieties or irrational fears, but they often feel very real to her.⠀ ⠀ Perhaps the deepest and worst fear of all, is Jiamin's fear of insufficiency — the tiny voice that tells her she's not good enough.⠀ ⠀ The fear of insufficiency often comes from unmet expectations, whether instilled in Jiamin by society or by herself. Jiamin's failure to meet those (often subconscious) expectations can lead to strong waves of anxiety and fear.⠀ ⠀ There are three verses in particular that have helped to frame Jiamin's mindset in fighting against her fear of insufficiency, and she has found them to be helpful whenever she's paralysed by fear.⠀ (Adapted from @ymi_today's original post and republished with their permission)
Ivan was recruited to the army in April. One of the biggest changes he had to adapt to was having to listen to his commanders almost absolutely. It wasn't about his will or pleasure, but his obedience. He just had to push himself to do it. ⠀ ⠀ But when he reflected on the amount of effort he put in to obey his commanders, Ivan realised he hasn't put in half of that effort to obey Christ. The word "Christ" is not the surname of Jesus. It means the anointed one. To the Jews, this would be a figure like David who was an anointed king. It was a title of authority. To call Jesus "Christ" is like saying, King Jesus.⠀ ⠀ In the army, this is the equivalent to the president who has the highest authority. Ivan's National Service (NS) experience thus far has made him reflect on whether he's taken his commands lightly. Does he put in the same effort to obey his King?⠀ ⠀ Brothers and sisters, how much do you care about what the King of the universe has said? What will you do if He gives you a command?⠀ (Contributed by Ivan Feng)⠀ —⠀ Got a story to share about your NS life? Email us at [email protected] – stories should be have a personal/local angle, and be about 500-1,000 words.
You might find yourself possessing strong feelings about topics such as racial discrimination, abortion, same-sex attraction, systemic poverty, modern slavery and sex trafficking – and that's normal. It'd be abnormal to feel nothing about the social issues that plague our world. That's because we were created to be compassionate, to love and to be kind.⠀ ⠀ But we were also created to act and speak. Otherwise, love, compassion and kindness are only ideas. Our apathy, silence and inaction will perpetuate the darkness.⠀ ⠀ There are times when the influential – governments, industry leaders, even spiritual leaders – refuse to broach controversial topics out of a fear that masquerades as "wisdom" or "propriety".⠀ ⠀ Edmund Burke once said: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." If we're not part of the solution, we become part of the problem by our lack of action.⠀ ⠀ "But I'm a nobody. How can my words or action do anything? The most I can do can't even change national policies or cultures in the slightest!"⠀ ⠀ Still, that's a good place to start. Read the story of Moses in Exodus. We all have a voice and a circle of influence – people we may directly or indirectly interact with – and that's all we need. Yes, some of us may be better positioned to make a change, perhaps in the arenas of politics or education, or as heads of households. But all we really need to wield influence is to use our voices.⠀ ⠀ What if each of us decided today to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8)? What if we became a voice for the voiceless, broken and lost?⠀ (Adapted from @theprojectjsg's original post and republished with their permission)
God does not favour a church with a shiny auditorium more than He does a smaller church with humble facilities.⠀ ⠀ The main purpose of church is for worshippers to gather and learn more about God and to encourage one another. Acts 2:42 records that the early church "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42).⠀ ⠀ In light of that verse, Michele reconsidered the small church she had reluctantly been a part of for the previous two years, and she realised that she had been discontented because she was superficially comparing it to larger churches.⠀ ⠀ During Michele's hard times, she didn't need a posh building to find God or His people. Because God is not found in a grand structure – but wherever worshippers gather.⠀ ⠀ She's come to look at a church based on healthier standards. Are the pastors living up to God's Word? Are their teachings biblically sound? Are the sermons in line with Scripture? Importantly, are the sermons more than just a feel-good Sunday message — do they encourage me to grow and develop to be a mature Christian? What are the church's small groups like? How is the church serving their community?⠀ ⠀ It can very easy to judge a church based on its building. For example, a big beautiful church could be seen as a healthy, growing one, and a church worshipping out of a rented community hall could be mistaken as a church that isn't flourishing. But Michele has learned to take a step back and think: If a church is to be stripped of all its furnishings, will their core still shine for God?⠀ ⠀ Focusing on trivial matters such as the auditoriums and the refreshments robbed me of the joy of truly seeking God. It helped Michele realise that she was idolising the lifestyle the church offered when she should be putting God at the centre of it. But thankfully, God has taught Michele to see that no matter the size of a church, what matters most is that a church is focused on Him and His teachings.⠀ ⠀ And that's what church is really all about.⠀ (Adapted from @ymi_today's original post and republished with their permission)


I will be walking/jogging for the Gift of Hope's Run for Hope on Saturday, October 13th. The race starts at 8 am and you can register there right up until the race. If you are in Branson, come to the Branson Landing and join me in this walk/run or just cheer us on. The SIX brothers are competing as a team of 14 strong, so come out and support us!! We need all the support we can get. The charity helps children and families in need in Taney County, Missouri. You can get more information about the event here or about the organization here.
In addition, raffle tickets will be sold for a chance to win $5,000!!!!!!! Only 200 raffle tickets will be sold at $50 and the winner will be announced after the race and need not be present to win!!


text:
import codecs
import json

class SettingsLoadStrategyJson:
    """
    This is the strategy used to read settings from json files
    """
    name = 'json'

    @staticmethod
    def is_valid_file(file_name):
        return file_name.endswith('.json')

    @staticmethod
    def load_settings_file(settings_file):
        with codecs.open(settings_file, 'r') as f:
            return json.loads(f.read())

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Adanac Terrace – Real estate agency in Vancouver, BC – 1850 Adanac Street, Vancouver, British Columbia. Read verified and trustworthy customer reviews for Adanac Terrace or write your own review.
Customer ratings and consumer reports on Adanac Terrace – real estate agency in Vancouver, BC.


text:
Flat Prices, Higher Incentive Spending Signals Headwinds for New-Car Market
November 1, 2017 • by Staff • Bookmark +
Photo of 2017 Jeep Compass by Paul Clinton.
Transaction prices continue to rise at a slower pace, with October's estimated average transaction price expected to rise by $101 from a year ago to $35,263, Kelley Blue Book (KBB) reported on Tuesday. Compared to September, the firm expects the average to increase by $128, or 0.4%.
"Prices in the third quarter were up just 1% after averaging 3% gains in the first half of the year," said KBB analyst Tim Fleming. "While Kelley Blue Book expects solid sales in October 2017 at 17.9 million SAAR, flat transaction prices combined with ever-growing incentive spending signal headwinds for the new-vehicle market as 2017 nears its end."
Expected to register the highest year-over-year increase is Fiat Chrysler, with the automaker's average transaction price on pace to rise 4% from a year ago. The Jeep brand is expected to record a 3% increase in its average, with the redesigned Jeep Compass expected to show a 6% increase in its average.
The firm noted that the wind down of the Jeep Patriot also is helping to drive up average transaction prices for the Jeep brand.
Dodge's average is expected to climb by 10% from a year ago on the strength of the Durango SUV and its new SRT performance trim, KBB noted.
Volkswagen Group's average transaction prices are also expected to be among the best performers on a year-over-year basis, rising 2% for the month. The Volkswagen brand alone is expected to show a 4% increase in its average transaction price, thanks, in part, to the recently introduced Atlas mid-size SUV and redesigned Tiguan (expected to be up 6%).
The firm said it expects Audi to show a 4% increase in its average transaction price, with the redesigned A5 expected to show a 4% increase on the strength of its new Sportback body style.
Read more about Jeep Audi Dodge Kelley Blue Book Volkswagen New Vehicle Sales Incentives


text:
Blackout Bard: What Happened
Posted on April 27, 2018 March 29, 2019 by Maeve McKaig
The majority of the freshman class is unaware of the racial tensions that culminated in an intentionally disruptive demonstration on November 18th, 2015: Blackout Bard. Many of the issues that were addressed at the walkout are still relevant today, including microaggressions on campus towards black and brown students, and a greater need for diverse representation across the institution. Although not a central issue to the Walkout, this piece will explore the continuity of student activism and change on campus that was tackled then.
The walkout was sparked not just by campus tensions, but national racial disparity as well. The national conversation surrounding atrocious police brutality and violence towards black men, like Mike Brown, and walkouts at other campuses like The University of Missouri (Mizzou), prompted a campus conversation between students activists and club heads, especially those concerned with students of color at Bard. Funto Omojola '18, who helped organize the walkout, described those early conversations.
"I was involved with the Blackout Bard process kind of from the beginning," she said. "I remember sophomore year, after the whole Mizzou and Mike Brown incidents, Salim talking to me in the campus center about how we should do something and how we should show solidarity; and we didn't really know what shape that would take."
A group of student organizers came up with a plan to have members of the Bard community leave wherever they were at 12 p.m. and convene at Ludlow Lawn at noon. There were certain established routes from various buildings including Kline, Olin, and RKC, all of which led to Ludlow. Once at Ludlow, the organizers planned to read a list of demands and pre written statements by students of color.
"It was organized as a deliberate disruption, where you would have to walk out of your classes or wherever you were," Omojola said "We had bullhorns, I think we may have had drums; just loud things. We walked. I started from where I was, in RKC, through Kline and right back around to the field in front of Kline [Ludlow lawn]. Then, we had posters ready."
It is clear just how powerful these actions were in creating a general sense of solidarity in regards to such blatant racial tensions all over the country and at Bard. The students' Call to Action, from their "Bard College Student of Color Demands" was this:
We, students at Bard College, recognize that in order for these institutional oppressions to end, everyone needs to get involved. There is no room for inaction. We ask that you leave your classes, your jobs, your meetings, to show that Bard is more than a place to think, that we are doing more than copying and pasting Facebook statuses, that we want to and need to actively dismantle systemic racism so that Black students can go to class without fear.
Included within the same letter was a list of demands, which discussed hiring more faculty of color and expanding curriculums like First Year Seminar and Language and Thinking to include more people and women of color.
"We truly wanted a change in the curriculum, because the FYSEM curriculum was just old white men basically," Omojola said "It didn't represent women's voices or voices of color, so we demanded change in that regard."
For many of the organizers, this was one of the first collective and blatant acts of protest against the institution and daily discrimination. "Before then, there were limited collective events or acts of public outrage about the inequality, underrepresentation, microaggressions that a lot of me and my friends of color felt," Omojola said. The walkout made it impossible for administrators and students alike to ignore the glaringly obvious yet distressing issues at hand. While Bard appeared to be a liberal and diverse institution, there remained much to be improved about the treatment of students of color and the degree of diversity.
Some responses to the walkout were tense. Omojola described the atmosphere in the class she was in just before the walkout. "Some of the white students were saying 'well this is just disrespectful' and 'I want to be learning right now' and that they felt really targeted," she said. The emotionally charged atmosphere on Ludlow Lawn resulted in some minor issues at the event itself, mostly surrounding the disorganization of student speakers. Despite the initial plan to create a space for voices of color, although all members of the Bard community were encouraged to stand and listen in solidarity, the event did not become that space.
"The first half was things that were pre written about why we were doing it, what we wanted to accomplish," Omojola explained. "And then the second half–I know at one point we had a list where you had to sign up if you wanted to speak at it because we really wanted it to only be black and brown voices, but it ended up just being anyone in the audience who wanted to speak. That part was a little disorganized because we had a lot of things said that maybe we didn't want to happen, because it was kind of a free for all. People were just coming up to talk, and we had a lot of voices that we maybe didn't necessarily want to give space to, because the whole point was that it would be only black and brown bodies speaking."
In the aftermath of the walkout, it was clear that a demand for both social and institutional changes was sparked in those moments on Ludlow Lawn. However, whether those changes have truly been realized is debatable. For starters, the walkout symbolized an incredible stance of solidarity within the student of color community at Bard. Funto recalls a newfound sense of political and social agency, as well as new spaces for racially fueled discussions:
"A lot of the black students of color felt really empowered or that [the walkout] was really necessary," she said. "Even the ones that weren't really involved in the processes were really empowered by it. A lot of voices began to emerge in support of those things. A lot of stories from classrooms or times when they felt targeted by professors or things were said around campus started to come to light. I feel like there was more discussion about that."
She also described a heightened sense of "urgency" regarding issues that were previously discounted, like microaggressions and systemic racism, that were highlighted during the walkout.
"A lot of people started organizing and becoming more politically involved because of the walkout specifically, so I think there was a greater sense of urgency," Omojola said "And I think nationally too, there was this greater sense of urgency that transferred to how students of color got involved or saw their role in making change."
These social and cultural changes were substantial for the black and brown community on campus. What persisted, however, were certain tensions between students of color and white students and faculty, specifically white students and faculty who believed that they were not deserving of being called out. Omojola elaborated. "I feel like there is this sense of pseudo liberalism at Bard that has been going on since freshman year in which people think 'I'm not racist, I have one black friend' or 'I go to protests' or 'I'm liberal and I'm a hipster and I go to Bard' and like 'I don't do racist things' but I feel like after those events, people were being called out." Even though subliminal discrimination remained, Omojola said that the walkout gave students of color the power to call out certain individuals on their ignorance, which hid behind the guise of liberalism.
As students of color "felt their needs being heard," faculty and administration responded to address these new levels of activism, tension, and agency on campus. As he was in Mexico at the time, President Leon Botstein released an email to all immediately after the walkout, which highlighted his awareness of the tensions and inequality, as well as his efforts and plans to contact the Council of Inclusive Excellence:
I applaud the initiative of the Bard students concerted with the issues of race both here on the Bard campus in Annandale and in the wider community. The College needs to take steps to improve the campus climate here and push back on intolerance, prejudice, insensitivity, and ignorance. When I return on Monday, I would be happy to meet with students to further the discussion on these issues….The Annandale campus is, and properly so, at the heart of the concerns in the November 23rd document and at the Walkout. Given Bard's extraordinary institutional investment in bringing excellence in higher education to the undeserved and discriminated against in the inner-cities of the United States and in prisons, there is not reason that the campus in Annandale should not be an exemplar of tolerance and mutual respect […] I would like to underscore my willingness to meet with students, individually and in groups to further the necessary dialogue.
Despite his willingness to engage with students, no direct meetings between Botstein and students took place. Jonathan Becker, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the Center for Civic Engagement, served as the administrative representative during post Blackout Bard meetings. Becker also shared Botstein's views on bringing diversity to the Bard Annandale Campus and all affiliated institutions and Early Colleges over the country. The first meeting after the walkout occured on December 1, 2015. According to the minutes of that meeting, other administration and faculty that were present at these meetings included, but was not limited to Rebecca Thomas (Dean of the College), Erin Cannan (Vice President for Student Affairs and co-chair of the Council for Inclusive Excellence), Kathy McManus (Director of Operation and campus visits at Admissions), Jennifer Triplett (Assistant Dean of Studies and Director of Academic Advising), Mary Ann Krisa (Former Assistant Dean of Students), David Shein (Associate VP for Academic Affairs, Dean of Studies), Brian Mateo (Assistant Dean of Civic Engagement)) and Bethany Nohlgren (Dean of Students). Students who were present at the meeting included Abiba Salahou, Salim Chagui, Tayler Butler, Jasper Katz, JaQuan Beachem, Sol Ana Borja, Lexi Parra, Natalie Desrosiers, and other first year students at the time. Some of the topics addressed at the meetings included hiring concerns, specifically in the sciences, Language and Thinking, Social Justice and Diversity Initiatives (introducing new texts, workshops and training for faculty), problems in the classroom, open meetings about FYSEM and Rethinking Difference, and forming a comprehensive list of all the ways students can get involved on campus.
During our interview with Becker, he placed heavy focus on the fact that "faculty governance is slow […] change takes a long time.." He did not demean the anger and emotion expressed at these meetings, but sometimes felt the energy "should be channeled somewhere else" — instead of focusing sentimentality on past injustices, he felt activists should project their energy into constructing joint efforts with administration. These expressions of perspectives demonstrate the historical rift between administration and student activists, who sometimes believe in taking different approaches to policy and practice change across campus. Based on such realities, it is understandable that from an administrator's perspective certain demands and outcries might seem overwhelming, especially considering their significance to the lives of many Bard students. However, both parties agree that change does not happen overnight, and that the first step is awareness of the issue and a consistent wave of activism to keep the pressure for change relevant.
Both Becker and Omojola acknowledged that there is a disconnect between students and administration due to a lack of transparency and communication. Administrators are making behind the scenes efforts to address student demands, but are not always signaling to the Bard community that there are efforts being made. A lack of communication widens gaps between how each party respectively views the institution. For example, Becker highlighted that some change in the right direction has been made with new faculty and administrative hires, like Ariana Stokas as the Dean of Inclusive Excellence, and changes in the First Year Seminar curriculum. It must be clear to students that even if passive change is happening within administrative offices, change is occuring nonetheless, and it is not a one-sided exchange on the parts of relentless activists.
With these prior efforts considered, there is still a gap to be bridged between the administration and students, especially those actively involved in the ongoing issues that Blackout Bard highlighted. Becker noted that an active student newspaper can bridge that gap. Additionally, he said that he is always willing to meet with students. "I always agree to meet with students when they approach me," he said. "I wish [meeting with students] would happen more often. I'm open to going to things like student government meetings, but I don't know if that's something I can invite myself to." It is, however, not expected, least of all by the student activists, that this disconnect between staff and students or the persisting racial tensions will merely disappear. The ongoing efforts of activists and students alike should help prompt the faculty to realize the gravity of the disconnect on campus, and instigate a need for change. The walkout stands for not just a disruptive means of action, but the power that student activist voices have in advocating for the change that they want to see. Bridging the gap between new students and continuous change is another task that both the walkout and this piece are grappling with. Omojola shared her perspective.
"Among the students on campus, I know there is this kind of argument or tug of war in which the younger students were saying they didn't feel like there were enough spaces for communities of color for them, and a lot of the older students or even students who are sophomores are like 'no there are, and we have established them but it's your job to show up to them,'" she said. "So I feel like there is this, I don't know what to call it, but this transformation of the younger group of activists and the shift of change in leadership that's occurring is also spurring a need for a reinvigorating and a reshowing of needs of students of color. "
Although it may seem like change has not taken place, it is often taking place in the background of student life. A shift in leadership, as Omojola put it, that is furthering the demands of the walkout in 2015 is underway. Through collective efforts, we can harvest this energy and passion to drive other students, faculty and administration to realize that progress is coming to Bard College. But we as an institution and community must make Bard an environment that encourages these kinds of urgent and independent protests. Bard student activists are in control of the history they are creating. It is a history which, thanks to their constant efforts, will be one to remember.
Tags: administrators, Bard College Student of Color Demands, Bethany Nohlgren, Blackout Bard, Brian Mateo, campus, change, communication, communities of color, Community, David Shein, disconnect, diverse, diversity, emotion, encouragement, environment, Erin Cannan, First Year Seminar, friends of color, Funto Omojola, FYSEM, get involved, government, inequality, injustices, Kathy McManus, L&T, lack, Language and Thinking, liberal, Maeve Mckaig, Mary Ann Krisa, microaggressions, Mike Brown, Mizzou, national converstaion, national racial disparity, outcries, people of color, POC, police brutality, protests, Rebecca Thomas, solidarity, student activism, students of color, take action, underrepresentation, violence towards black men, voters, walkout, What happenedCategories: Uncategorized
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text:
#import <CoreGraphics/CGImage.h>

#import "CCRenderableNode.h"
#import "CCRendererSharedTypes.h"

@class CCSpriteBatchNode;
@class CCSpriteFrame;
@class CCAnimation;

/// The four CCVertexes of a sprite.
/// Bottom left, bottom right, top right, top left.
typedef struct CCSpriteVertexes {
	CCVertex bl, br, tr, tl;
} CCSpriteVertexes;

/// A set of four texture coordinates corresponding to the four
/// vertices of a sprite.
typedef struct CCSpriteTexCoordSet {
    GLKVector2 bl, br, tr, tl;
} CCSpriteTexCoordSet;

#pragma mark CCSprite

#define CCSpriteIndexNotInitialized 0xffffffff 	/// CCSprite invalid index on the CCSpriteBatchode

/**
 CCSprite draws a CCTexture on the screen. CCSprite can be created with an image, with a sub-rectangle of an (atlas) image.

 The default anchorPoint in CCSprite is (0.5, 0.5).
 */
@interface CCSprite : CCRenderableNode <CCTextureProtocol, CCShaderProtocol, CCBlendProtocol, CCEffectProtocol>

/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
/// @name Creating a Sprite with an Image File or Sprite Frame Name
/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

/**
 *  Creates a sprite with the name of an image. The name can be either a name in a sprite sheet or the name of a file.
 *
 *  @param imageName name of the image to load.
 *
 *  @return The CCSprite Object.
 */
+ (id)spriteWithImageNamed:(NSString*)imageName;

/**
 *  Initializes a sprite with the name of an image. The name can be either a name in a sprite sheet or the name of a file.
 *
 *  @param imageName name of the image to load.
 *
 *  @return A newly initialized CCSprite object.
 */
- (id)initWithImageNamed:(NSString*)imageName;

/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
/// @name Creating a Sprite with a Sprite Frame
/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

/**
 *  Creates a sprite with an existing CCSpriteFrame.
 *
 *  @param spriteFrame Sprite frame to use.
 *
 *  @return The CCSprite Object.
 *  @see CCSpriteFrame
 */
+ (id)spriteWithSpriteFrame:(CCSpriteFrame*)spriteFrame;

/**
 *  Initializes an sprite with an existing CCSpriteFrame.
 *
 *  @param spriteFrame Sprite frame to use.
 *
 *  @return A newly initialized CCSprite object.
 *  @see CCSpriteFrame
 */
- (id)initWithSpriteFrame:(CCSpriteFrame*)spriteFrame;

/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
/// @name Creating a Sprite with a Texture
/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

/**
 *  Creates a sprite with an existing CCTexture.
 *  The rect used will be the size of the texture.
 *  The offset will be (0,0).
 *
 *  @param texture Texture to use.
 *
 *  @return The CCSprite Object.
 *  @see CCTexture
 */
+ (id)spriteWithTexture:(CCTexture*)texture;

/**
 *  Creates a sprite with an existing CCTexture.
 *  The offset will be (0,0).
 *
 *  @param texture Texture to use.
 *  @param rect    Rect to use.
 *
 *  @return The CCSprite Object.
 *  @see CCTexture
 */
+ (id)spriteWithTexture:(CCTexture*)texture rect:(CGRect)rect;

/**
 *  Initializes a sprite with an existing CCTexture.
 *  The rect used will be the size of the texture.
 *  The offset will be (0,0).
 *
 *  @param texture The texture to use.
 *
 *  @return A newly initialized CCSprite object.
 *  @see CCTexture
 */
- (id)initWithTexture:(CCTexture*)texture;

/**
 *  Initializes a sprite with an existing CCTexture and a rect in points (unrotated).
 *  The offset will be (0,0).
 *
 *  @param texture The texture to use.
 *  @param rect    The rect to use.
 *
 *  @return A newly initialized CCSprite object.
 *  @see CCTexture
 */
- (id)initWithTexture:(CCTexture*)texture rect:(CGRect)rect;

/**
 *  Initializes a sprite with an existing CCTexture and a rect in points, optionally rotated.
 *  The offset will be (0,0).
 *  @note This is the designated initializer.
 *
 *  @param texture The texture to use.
 *  @param rect    The rect to use.
 *  @param rotated YES if texture is rotated.
 *
 *  @return A newly initialized CCSprite object.
 *  @see CCTexture
 */
- (id)initWithTexture:(CCTexture *)texture rect:(CGRect)rect rotated:(BOOL)rotated;

/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
/// @name Creating a Sprite with a CGImage
/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

/**
 *  Creates an sprite with a CGImageRef and a key.
 *  The key is used to determine if a texture was already created with this CGImage, this ensures proper caching.
 *  For example, a valid key is: @"_spriteframe_01".
 *
 *  @warning If key is nil, then a new texture will be created each time rather than replacing an existing texture using the same key.
 *  This can waste a lot of memory!
 *
 *  @param image Image ref.
 *  @param key   Key description.
 *
 *  @return The CCSprite Object.
 */
+ (id)spriteWithCGImage: (CGImageRef)image key:(NSString*)key;

/**
 *  Initializes an sprite with a CGImageRef and a key.
 *  The key is used to determine if a texture was already created with this CGImage, this ensures proper caching.
 *  For example, a valid key is: @"_spriteframe_01".
 *
 *  @warning If key is nil, then a new texture will be created each time rather than replacing an existing texture using the same key.
 *  This can waste a lot of memory!
 *
 *  @param image Image ref.
 *  @param key   Key description.
 *
 *  @return A newly initialized CCSprite object.
 */
- (id)initWithCGImage:(CGImageRef)image key:(NSString*)key;

/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
/// @name Creating an empty Sprite
/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

/**
 *  Creates an "empty" (invisible) sprite. The primary use of this type of sprite would be for adding control sprites
 *  for more complex animations.
 *
 *  @return A newly initialized CCSprite object.
 */
+ (id)emptySprite;

/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
/// @name Flipping a Sprite
/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

/** Whether or not the sprite is flipped horizontally.
 @note Flipping does not flip any of the sprite's child sprites nor does it alter the anchorPoint.
 If that is what you want, you should try inversing the CCNode scaleX property: `sprite.scaleX *= -1.0;`.
 */
@property (nonatomic,readwrite) BOOL flipX;

/** Whether or not the sprite is flipped vertically.
 @note Flipping does not flip any of the sprite's child sprites nor does it alter the anchorPoint.
 If that is what you want, you should try inversing the CCNode scaleY property: `sprite.scaleY *= -1.0;`.
 */
@property (nonatomic,readwrite) BOOL flipY;

/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
/// @name Accessing the Sprite Frames
/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

/** The currently displayed spriteFrame.
 @see CCSpriteFrame */
@property (nonatomic,strong) CCSpriteFrame* spriteFrame;

/** The current normal map spriteFrame.
 @see CCSpriteFrame */
@property (nonatomic,strong) CCSpriteFrame* normalMapSpriteFrame;

/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
/// @name Working with the Sprite's Texture
/// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

@property (nonatomic, readonly) const CCSpriteVertexes *vertexes;

/** The offset position in points of the sprite in points. Calculated automatically by sprite sheet editors. */
@property (nonatomic,readonly) CGPoint	offsetPosition;

/** Returns the texture rect of the CCSprite in points. */
@property (nonatomic,readonly) CGRect textureRect;

/** Returns whether or not the texture rectangle is rotated. Sprite sheet editors may rotate sprite frames in a texture to fit more sprites in the same atlas. */
@property (nonatomic,readonly) BOOL textureRectRotated;

/**
 *  Set the texture rect of the CCSprite in points.
 *  It will call setTextureRect:rotated:untrimmedSize with rotated = NO, and utrimmedSize = rect.size.
 *
 *  @param rect Rect to use.
 */
- (void)setTextureRect:(CGRect) rect;

/**
 *  Set the texture rect, rectRotated and untrimmed size of the CCSprite in points.
 *  It will update the texture coordinates and the vertex rectangle.
 *
 *  @param rect    Rect to use.
 *  @param rotated YES if texture is rotated.
 *  @param size    Untrimmed size.
 */
- (void)setTextureRect:(CGRect)rect rotated:(BOOL)rotated untrimmedSize:(CGSize)size;

/** Returns the matrix that transforms the sprite's (local) space coordinates into the sprite's texture space coordinates.
 */
- (GLKMatrix4)nodeToTextureTransform;

@end


text:
Eight years in Agrahara Jail awaiting justice
Aslah Kayyalakkath
Zakaria K, a native of Parappanangadi in Malappuram district, was arrested in Tirur, on February 5, 2009 by the Karnataka police accusing him of "providing technical services" for the Bangalore blast happened in 2008.
19-year old at the time of the arrest, Zakaria is completing eight years in prison on February5, 2017. No judgement yet, and he is waiting for the completion of the trial of the case without still knowing what his role in it is.
The Karnataka Police arrested him while he was on his way to the mobile shop in Tirur, Malappuram where he was working at. The police was literally kidnapping the 19 year old boy as it was only after three days his family was informed about the arrest; that even after Medias broke the story of the incident. The Karnataka police did not take take the permission from the Kerala authorities to arrest Zakaria.
The NIA tapped charges of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against Zakaria , to support the 'story' that the chip used in the bombs was manufactured from the electronics shop at Kondotty, where Zakariya once worked.
The two witnesses, One of them was a person whom the Karnataka police had not even met and the other was a person was forced to sign a statement in Kannada. Both these witnesses came out in public saying that the case was fabricated.
"It was not one Zakaria whom they arrested branding as a terrorist. It was a whole family, relatives and friends who were ostracised after the blatant lies which came out in the mainstream newspapers, fed by the police." Human rights activist KP Sasi said.
Tags: Fabricated Police stories, Justice, kerala, UAPA
Let the girls be [ Video ]
If You are Divided there is No Hope for Us: Radhika Vemula


text:
Backyard Fun & Games
How Badminton Works
Whether it's serious Olympic play or leisurely backyard fun, badminton remains a popular sport. See more sports pictures.
Biddiboo/Taxi/Getty Images
Plenty of records were set during the badminton matches at the August 2012 Olympic games in London. The most-ever nations participated (51) and the highest-ever number of nations won medals (seven). To top it off, scores of spectators clamored for tickets, ensuring each game was a sold-out event. Unfortunately for badminton, however, the sport's female participants racked up another milestone, too, when they became part of the first mass disqualification in Olympic history.
During the 2012 Olympic badminton doubles tournament, officials determined two teams from South Korea, one team from China and one team from Indonesia were purposefully losing early-round games so that they could face less competitive teams as the tournament wore on. As a result, the eight players involved were disqualified [source: Associated Press].
When the games began, few would have imagined badminton, a pastime that evolved from a child's game, would cause such controversy. In fact, badminton has been played for centuries in backyards and schoolyards, with most matches ending with presumably little debate.
One of the earliest sports to resemble badminton closely was recorded in 5th century China, where players used fancy footwork to punt a shuttle back and forth. The popularity of the game, Ti Jian Zi, which loosely translates into "shuttle-kicking," spread. Reports of similar games, some involving hands or primitive racquets instead of feet, have been discovered in ancient Greece, classical Japan and colonial India. In fact, children in India could be considered the first badminton aficionados. They played a badminton-like game known as Poona, which was named for a city near Bombay. British Army officers stationed at Indian outposts during the 1600s quickly adopted the game and introduced it others on their home turf.
In England during the 1800s, the game was called battledore or shuttlecock, named for the shuttle that participants batted over a net. It became a favored pursuit of the country's wealthiest classes. When the Duke of Beaufort organized a game on the lawn at Badminton House in Gloucestershire in 1873, it signaled the beginning of the game's modern era. Enthusiasts adopted the badminton name, and by 1934, the International Badminton Federation had been formed. It now counts more than 140 countries among its members [source: CBC News].
So, what are the rules of badminton? Read on to learn more.
How Croquet Works
How Bocce Ball Works
5 Volleyball Variations to Play in Your Backyard


It is hard to believe that Ben's first full school year has come and gone. It seems like just yesterday, he was heading off for the first day!! The year just flew by!!!
Ben still has two more days, but they are both half days, and filled with fun activities. So for all intensive purposes, today is his last day.
For those of you who have been through this, how did you feel when your first child graduated Kindergarten??


DORDA Corporate M&A Expert Martin Brodey advised the Czech Private Equity and Venture Capital Firm Enern on the Series A Financing of Vienna-based online sport booking service Eversports. The fresh funding was raised together with a consortium of other VC firms and existing backers. The investment will be used for the company's expansion in the Germanic region and for the further development of the software.
Enern is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in early stage and medium sized investments in Fintech sector. The firm typically invests in energy and consumer internet companies. Enern is based in Prague, Czech Republic with an additional office in Warsaw, Poland.
Eversports is a SaaS enabled marketplace that brings sports providers and athletes together.
DORDA advised Czech VC company Enern under the lead of DORDA Managing Partner Martin Brodey. He was supported by associate Florian Karall.


I sat next to Hazelnut, a Black Star chicken, at the Chicken Chat in Kirkwood recently. While most of the people there were chicken owners and lovers who raise chickens in their backyards, I was one of the few chickenless gardeners.
This was no ordinary Chicken Chat. It was a gathering of local urban poultry keepers and P. Allen Smith, whose many gardening books and national television and internet appearances have made him a well respected expert and advocate for home gardening and chicken raising. The guests who had chickens were invited to bring their favorites to join in the festivities. Peggy Hoelting of St. Louis brought Hazelnut with her beautiful brown feathers. Many others brought their favorite feathered friends including Jan Oberkramer and Laura Streett of The Green Center in University City who brought Alberta, a Golden Laced Polish sweet chicken with a big tousled hairdo of dark brown crown feathers.
The chickens contentedly sat in their owner's laps while we talked at the Kirkwood "Chicken Ranch" of Bill and Joan Ruppert who have the local two-story chicken palace of chicken coops. Bill suggests three books to get started with chickens: City Chicks by Patricia Foreman, Chicken Tractor by Andy Lee and The Chicken Health Handbook by Gail Damerow.
This chat gave me lots to consider about the care and feeding of these beautiful birds. The people there obviously loved their chickens, who had names and were treated as pets. They shared the joys of having these animals as part of city life: fresh healthy eggs, pets with personalities, garden fertilizer and weed control.
These urban farmers are raising chickens for their eggs, and the subject of raising them for anything else didn't come up. So the main topics were how to make sure chickens are first of all laying eggs and how to make sure those eggs are nutritionally rich. What if the chicken isn't laying eggs? The fact that a chicken's main instinct is for survival, not laying eggs was emphasized by Dr. Erin Veneble, whose PhD in animal nutrition gives her knowledge of how these animals survive and thrive. She suggested if all other conditions like food, shelter and water are taken care of, there may be other stresses. A home video monitor in the coop can show what may be upsetting the chickens. What if the eggs have thin or rubbery shells? According to Dr. Veneble, diet is the most important factor for both the egg layers and egg eaters. She works for Purina Mills so the products she recommended were that company's, especially the Omega 3 feed. Other feed companies offer organic chicken feed, which locally can only be found at Greene's Country Store in Lake St. Louis. When I asked Randy Greene about feed he had many other suggestions beyond what is in the package, including growing cover crops for protein for chickens. All in all the benefits of raising chickens far outweighed the challenges in these chicken owner's lives.
Parts of the Kirkwood Chicken Chat can be viewed online in July at P. Allen Smith's YouTube Channel. The round table discussion with Hazelnut, Alberta and other chickens and people will be online at a later date. Tune in, and watch these adorable chickens. You may be inspired to have some of your own.
Linda Wiggen Kraft is a mandala artist and garden designer who uses the wisdom of many traditions in her work. Visit her website & blog: www.creativityforthesoul.com/blog or (314) 504-4266.
This entry was posted on Friday, June 1st, 2012 at 12:26 am and is filed under June 2012. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.


It all started on a rather fine day. Eagerly riding their motorbikes on the freeway were the girls from the Motorbike Club: Sakura Hane on the Honda CB400SF, Suzunoki Rin on the Suzuki GSX400S Katana, Amano Onsa on the Yamaha Serow 225W, and Minowa Hijiri (with her butler) on the Ducati 750SS Imola Replica. Even though their journey would be a long one, everybody was in high spirits. In particular Onsa, who had made up a poem enthusiastically. Well, to be honest it was just so-so, as evident in the reactions from the rest. Laughter aside, Hane resonated with Onsa's feelings. She had been looking forward to the ride as well. A little too much it seemed.
Anyway, an unexpected downpour in the middle of their ride had them stop by a service centre eventually. Totally drenched, the girls decided to dry out their vehicles and such. They headed into the convenience store for something hot to drink. To their surprise and delight (mostly Hane's), a particular brand of canned coffee had miniature motorbikes packaged together with its drinks. However, the most excited had to be Rin, who spotted quite a range of Suzuki miniature motorbikes. A playful Onsa then teased that it was because Suzuki hadn't been popular with the consumers, hence the large number of cans remaining.
While resting outside with their motorbikes, a thirsty Hane was about to open her can of coffee when a frustrated Onsa reminded her the purpose of their long trip. Onsa's father had recommended a not so wonderful yet still worth visiting coffee shop which would take a hundred miles to get there. Onsa was skeptical at first, but her father then said: Patience is romance. Well, whatever that was supposed to mean! Anyway, the Hundred Mile Blend could be found at the coffee shop called Blind Alley. The response had been lukewarm, but a determined Onsa decided that they would all conquer the long journey just to have a taste.
The next leg of their ride was briefly interrupted by the malfunctioning of their motorbikes. It was pretty hilarious to see their vehicles failing on them one after the other. But the delay hadn't been long, as Raimu-senpai had caught up with the gang on her Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R with the necessary tools. Everybody soon resumed the steep ride up the meandering slope.
Quite unfortunately, they were shocked to see a closed shop upon reaching their destination. The most disappointed was no doubt Onsa, who had actually cried. The rest of the girls then realised that Onsa had been in fact the most excited person among them. A quick-thinking Hane remembered that their canned coffee was still untouched. She handed a can to Onsa, who gratefully drank it. Delicious, she said.
Despite the disappointment, they were still able to find back some enjoyment towards the end. They visited a hot spring bath to relax and rejuvenate. Once again, Rin became the target of everybody else's teasing. Honestly, it wasn't all that bad.
No Comment to " Bakuon!! OVA "


text:
Thejensens's Profile
thejensens Free
Comics I Follow
By Mike Curtis and Shelley Pleger
over 10 years ago on [Deleted]
Well, I worked for a grocery chain, a major chain. Back in the60's, 70's, 80's and into the 90's, we were the only store that was large and had the most variety of items. Our customers came from as far away as 100 miles to shop. At Christmas and Easter, it would not be uncommon to have a day with sales over $100,000 – We used to have $70,000 days or more on the paper mill's payday. My wife works for the city as head cashier. The paper mill.is our city's major employer and when the business property tax was due each year, the paper mill would come into the office and would personally hand my wife a check for over one million dollars.
over 10 years ago on Dick Tracy
Comment on Jim's Crimestoppers of the week – Bank Deposits.
We have all seen those stories in the news when bank deposits being hidden in camouflage bags were given away accidentally to customers. I remember one story about a deposit being given to a customer via the drive-thru window of a fast food restaurant.
Check out this story.
http://voices.yahoo.com/taco-bell-employee-gives-customer-bank-deposit-instead-6028670.html?cat=3
I myself have taken over $100,000 to the bank's night depository in the days when customers paid in stores in hard cold cash and checks. Being in a smaller community we were able to have a police escort.
almost 11 years ago on Dick Tracy
Good Morning Vista Bill and everyone else. Been away – a little under the weather but nice to be back and getting caught up in the action.
about 11 years ago on Dick Tracy
Nice touch from Dad – but I think Spike Jr. is already into too deep!!!
In 1972, a friend of mine was touring a band for Columbia Records of Canda.
I travelled with them over the summer of '72 before I went to College in the fall.
Back then, radio stations in Canada were supposed to program 33.3% of air time during the day to Canadian Talent.
It was felt that American and British Bands were squeezing out talent from Canada from being played on radio.
Our bus had crossed over the prairies & we were entering the mountains of British Columbia.
The band was travelling in an old bus converted into band storage, sleeping quarters and a common area.
One thing I noticed, even though it was summer, the temperature was dropping as we climbed up the mountains.
It was about 3:00 a.m. when there was police lights flashing behind us.
There was a small quanity of "Weed" on the bus which one the "roadies" consumed.
He did what he could, so no one would get in trouble.
The sacrifice that man made was beyond the call of duty.
Expecting the RCMP, were we surprised it was the British Columbia Provincial Fruit Board checking for illegal fresh fruit being smuggled into British Columbia.
It is the same as trying to bring fruit into California.
We had a good laugh and our "Roadie" slept the rest of the trip.
Good Morning everyone!!!
I believe this autograph request is going to lead Honeymoom into some deep trouble.
The New Karate Kid!!!
Good Sunday Morning everyone!!!!
I thought Dudley DoRight was the greatest Mountie!!!!
One thing about Canada that is forgotten is how the Canadian Embassy smuggled American Diplomats out of Iran.
The "Canadian Caper" was the popular name given to the covert rescue by the Government of Canada of six American diplomats who evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran and taking of embassy personnel as hostages by the Iranians on November 4, 1979
For more info go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Caper
Good Morning Vista Bill!!!!
Happy New Year to you!!
How times have changed.
I remember during the Locher Years that we would have had about 10 to 15 comments by the time of the morning. It is 1:37 central time.
I still don't understand why the band was let go at the Canadian Border when drugs were found. First, they would be arrested and then released on Bond. But since they were from another country, they would be considered a flight risk.
This team has done great work but I question them on this part of the story.
As I said in my remarks yestereday what happened to me in 1975 at a U.S. port of entry when U.S. Customs Agents stated they found two marijuana seeds in our vehicle.
Marijuana was taken more seriously in those days.
They stripped searched the three of us, who are all males. We were 21 to 22 years of age. The vehicle was brand new. The owner the vehicle had it for only 3 days.
When doing paperwork after the strip search, when they found out I was working for the news department of a radio station in the area, the U.S. Customs agents suddenly asked us to leave.
I wish they had asked us those question before the search.
Later, I found out that same situation happened to other people in the area.