text:
namespace NHibernate.Query.Generator.Tests.WithEagerFetch
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Defines a domain object with an Id key (using a type defined by <typeparamref name="TId"/>) and
    /// a version for optimistic locking.
    /// </summary>
    /// <remarks>
    /// </remarks>
    /// <typeparam name="TId">The type of the key. Typically an int, but can be a complex struct or class
    /// (e.g. to have compound key).</typeparam>
    public abstract class KeyedDomainObject<TId>
    {
        private TId _id;
        private long _version;

        /// <summary>
        /// The key for the entity.
        /// </summary>
        public virtual TId Id
        {
            get { return _id; }
            protected set { _id = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// The version of the entity, used for optimistic locking strategies.
        /// </summary>
        public virtual long Version
        {
            get { return _version; }
            protected set { _version = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Equality is tested against the key value for this instances.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="obj"></param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        public override bool Equals(object obj)
        {
            KeyedDomainObject<TId> other = obj as KeyedDomainObject<TId>;

            if(((object)other) == null)
            {
                return false;
            }

            return other.Id.Equals(this.Id);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// The returned hashcode is based on the key value.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns></returns>
        public override int GetHashCode()
        {
            return this.Id.GetHashCode();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Compares KeyedDomainObjects for equality.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="lhs"></param>
        /// <param name="rhs"></param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        public static bool operator ==(KeyedDomainObject<TId> lhs, KeyedDomainObject<TId> rhs)
        {
            if (System.Object.ReferenceEquals(lhs, rhs))
            {
                return true;
            }

            if ((object)lhs == null ^ (object)rhs == null)
            {
                return false;
            }

            return lhs.Equals(rhs);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Compares KeyedDomainObjects for inequality.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="lhs"></param>
        /// <param name="rhs"></param>
        public static bool operator !=(KeyedDomainObject<TId> lhs, KeyedDomainObject<TId> rhs)
        {
            return !(lhs == rhs);
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


of Londoners are aged over 85 years. 13% are aged over 65 in Outer London and 9% in Inner London.
of London's pensioners live below the poverty line - down from 21% a decade ago, but still higher than the rest of England (14%).
of pensioners in Inner London live below the poverty line.
Although retirement age varies (and is rising), this data covers people who are aged 65 or older.
19% of pensioners live in poverty in London which is higher than in the Rest of England, where 14% of pensioners are in poverty. Pensioners are under-represented in the poorest 20% of people, with less than 15% of pensioners making up this group. They are also under-represented in the top 20% though, and are concentrated in the middle of the range. The number of pensioners in households in poverty has reduced slightly over the last decade, but there was no repeat of the dramatic reduction in pensioner poverty which we saw in the previous decade.
There are fewer people in all age groups over 45 in London than there are in the Rest of England. Less than 2% of Londoners are over 85.


The race for postseason positioning ratchets up this weekend as each Kentucky team faces important conference matchups. Of particular note: UK faces a must-win series against Tennessee in the race for the eighth and final spot in the Southeastern Conference tournament, and Murray St. squares off with Ohio Valley Conference leader Southeast Missouri.
Eastern Kentucky University vs. Tennessee Tech.
Michael Grant of the Courier-Journal recaps No. 12 University of Louisville's thrilling back-and-forth win over the University of Kentucky.
UofL also has a recap of the game.
UK has a recap of the game.
Mike Fields of the Herald-Leader profiles Trinity High School ace and UK signee Corey Littrell.
UK alum Joe Blanton says he's ready to return to the Phillies after his rehab assignment.
No. 12 University of Louisville withstood a late University of Kentucky rally and scored four runs of its own in the bottom of the ninth to record a 10-9 walkoff win over the Cats. The Cards jumped out to a 5-3 lead after six innings and led 6-4 entering the ninth inning, but closer Neil Holland suffered a rare blown save after giving up five runs in the ninth. The Cats couldn't hold the lead as freshman Zak Wasserman singled home sophomore Ryan Wright in the bottom of the ninth to cap the UofL rally.
Senior first baseman Phil Wunderlich was 4-4 with a home run, two runs scored and one RBI. Senior catcher Jeff Arnold and Wright both tallied three hits in the game for the Cards. Wright drove in two runs and scored twice. Holland recorded his seventh win of the season despite surrendering five runs in just one inning of work.
BluGrass Baseball POG: 3B Phil Wunderlich (UofL) — In a game that seemed at times like no one wanted to win, Wunderlich's performance stood above the rest. The senior third baseman was 4-4 with a home run, one RBI and two runs scored. His ninth-inning single moved the eventual winning run into scoring position and all but put the Cats away with just one out in the inning.
In the second weekly statistics leaderboard update, we'll look at the pitching categories. To qualify for the ERA and batting average against, pitchers must have a minimum of 1.0 IP per team game, which just makes Murray St. reliever Matt McGaha eligible, but excludes new UofL weekend starting pitcher Gabriel Shaw and Cards closer Neil Holland. Stats are current through Sunday. The college leaderboard is now permanently accessible on its own page on the left sidebar here.
The midweek schedule lost two teams Monday when Western Kentucky University canceled its in-state rivalry game with Eastern Kentucky University. While the Hilltoppers and Colonels won't be squaring off this week, there is one other in-state matchup, and one of the OVC squads will visit a top-15 foe.
Check out the hitting BluGrass Baseball leaderboard updated through Sunday's games. To be eligible for the percentage categories (batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage) a player must have at least 2.5 at-bats per team game, which means UofL senior first baseman Andrew Clark is still not eligible in those categories after missing three weeks due to injury. The college leaderboard is now permanently accessible on its own page on the left sidebar here.


text:
Q: How to add different color border in column highchart Toggle method - on Click of bars show border and hide border. But Background should not change. Please refer my code, Do we have any toggle kind of method?.

A: Your code is not reproducible using previous code from  this  post
Updated It as follows
  plotOptions: {
    series: {
      events: {
        click: function(e) {
          var chart = e.point.series.chart;
          e.point.select(true, false); //at any time only one column is selected
          /*logic for toggle*/
          if (currSel !== e.point.index) {
            chart.series[0].data[e.point.index].graphic.attr({
              'stroke': colors[e.point.index],
              'stroke-width': width[e.point.index],
              'fill': Highcharts.defaultOptions.colors[e.point.index],
            });
            currSel = e.point.index;
          } else {
            chart.series[0].data[e.point.index].graphic.attr({
              'stroke': "",
              'stroke-width': 0,
              'fill': Highcharts.defaultOptions.colors[e.point.index],
            });
            currSel = "";
          }
        }
      },
    }
  },

var colors = ['#4572A7', '#AA4643', '#89A54E', '#80699B', '#3D96AE',
  '#DB843D', '#92A8CD', '#A47D7C', '#B5CA92'
];
var width = [2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 3, 4];
var currSel;
Highcharts.chart('container', {
  chart: {
    type: 'column'
  },
  title: {
    text: 'Stacked bar chart'
  },
  xAxis: {
    categories: ['Apples', 'Oranges', 'Pears', 'Grapes', 'Bananas']
  },
  yAxis: {
    min: 0,
    title: {
      text: 'Total fruit consumption'
    }
  },
  legend: {
    reversed: true
  },
  plotOptions: {
    series: {
      events: {
        click: function(e) {
          var chart = e.point.series.chart;
          e.point.select(true, false);
          if (currSel !== e.point.index) {
            chart.series[0].data[e.point.index].graphic.attr({
              'stroke': colors[e.point.index],
              'stroke-width': width[e.point.index],
              'fill': Highcharts.defaultOptions.colors[e.point.index],
            });
            currSel = e.point.index;
          } else {
            chart.series[0].data[e.point.index].graphic.attr({
              'stroke': "",
              'stroke-width': 0,
              'fill': Highcharts.defaultOptions.colors[e.point.index],
            });
            currSel = "";
          }
        }
      },
    }
  },
  series: [{
    name: 'John',
    data: [3, 4, 4, 2, 5],
    showInLegend: false,
    name: 'Twitter Trending',
    colorByPoint: true,
  }]
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Research ArticlePractice
Polyethylene glycol 3350 without electrolytes for treatment of childhood constipation
Seen Chung, Adam Cheng and Ran D. Goldman
Canadian Family Physician May 2009, 55 (5) 481-482;
Seen Chung
Adam Cheng
Ran D. Goldman
For correspondence: rgoldman@cw.bc.ca
QUESTION I have come across many pediatric patients with functional constipation. Is polyethylene glycol 3350 without electrolytes a safe and effective long-term treatment option for these patients?
ANSWER Functional constipation is a common and often difficult problem for parents and families to deal with. Polyethylene glycol 3350 is a safe and effective long-term laxative in pediatric populations, but there are limited studies for its use in children younger than 2 years of age.
Constipation is the most common cause of abdominal pain in the pediatric population.1 It is the cause of an estimated 3% to 5% of pediatric visits to physicians, with up to one-third of children between 6 and 12 years of age reporting constipation at least once a year.2 Up to 95% of children referred for evaluation of constipation have no underlying pathologic condition and receive a diagnosis of functional constipation.2 Despite the scope of this problem, many of the conventional treatments for functional constipation are variably effective and have potential adverse effects, leading to repeat visits to the doctor's office.3 Lactulose, one of the more commonly used osmotic laxatives, can produce a large amount of gas as a result of bacterial fermentation, which can cause bloating and abdominal pain. Mineral oil, usually given as a lubricant to help passage of hard stool, is associated with aspiration and lipoid pneumonia.3 Enemas using phosphate, mineral oil, or normal saline are effective in relieving rectal disimpaction, but carry the risk of mechanical trauma upon administration and are not recommended for repeated use in the pediatric population.
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3350 solution without added electrolytes is an odourless osmotic laxative, which, unlike other colonic lavage solutions, carries no risk of salt absorption and hence no risk of electrolyte imbalance.4 Provided in powder form, this chemically inert substance has very little grit when mixed with juice or water and is absorbed only in trace amounts from the gastrointestinal tract.5
Disimpaction
In a prospective, double-blind, parallel study, Youssef et al4 randomized 40 children between 3 and 18 years of age into 4 groups; each group used different doses of PEG 3350 daily (0.25 g/kg/d, 0.5 g/kg/d, 1.0 g/kg/d, or 1.5 g/kg/d) for 3 days to a maximum of 100 g per day. This study showed that after 3 days of treatment with PEG 3350, 95% of children who used the higher doses (1.0 to 1.5 g/kg/d) became disimpacted, while only 55% of those who used the lower doses (0.25 to 0.5 g/kg/d) became disimpacted. Plasma electrolytes were unchanged in the children of the 2 groups receiving the higher doses of PEG. Although adverse events included flatulence or bloating (18%), loose stools (13%), nausea (5%), vomiting (5%), and pain or cramping (5%), all the children in the study said they would take another 3-day course of PEG 3350 to treat any future fecal impaction.
Maintenance and treatment
There is a growing body of literature to support the efficacy and safety of PEG 3350 in the treatment of children with a diagnosis of functional constipation. Most studies start with 2 years of age as the lower age limit,6–8 but some use 4 years of age as the lower age limit.9,10 Multiple studies have shown that PEG is effective at increasing the number of bowel movements per week, decreasing the straining associated with bowel movements, as well as softening the consistency of the stool.6,7,9–11 The effects of PEG have been shown to start within the first week of treatment9 and can still be seen for up to 30 months after treatment has started, with no change in the effectiveness of PEG.6 The starting dose for the use of PEG as a long-term laxative seems to be between 0.4 and 0.8 g/kg/d, as either a single or twice daily dose.6,9–11 This dose can be tailored to effect for each patient during treatment, with a range of concentrations being used: one study stated a range of 0.27 to 1.4 g/kg/d,11 and another showed a similarly wide range of 0.3 to 1.8 g/kg/d.6 By altering the doses during treatment, parents, with the advice of physicians, were also able to decrease the minor adverse effects of diarrhea, bloating, cramping, and gas, all of which were associated with the use of PEG.8,9,11 The maximum daily dose recorded in these studies was 51 g/d, although the length of treatment at this dose was not described.8
The safety profile of PEG as a laxative has been reported in various journals12,13; 2 long-term studies included blood-work.8,10 In a prospective observational study of 83 children receiving PEG for 3 to 30 months,8 the test results for hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum electrolyte, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and albumin levels and osmolality were normal in all patients who had bloodwork done. Although there were slightly elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels at first, they resolved by 8 weeks in all but 1 of the patients. Three patients had slightly elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (all < 1.5 times normal); however, their AST levels returned to normal while still receiving PEG. In another study,10 30 of the 39 children randomized to receive PEG had bloodwork results; these revealed very mildly elevated platelet counts in 4 children and mildly elevated AST and ALT levels in 2 children. Follow-up plasma electrolyte levels were normal for all. Repeat bloodwork results while taking PEG showed that all AST and ALT values became normal and only 1 of the 4 children continued to have a mildly elevated platelet count. One child was allergic to PEG (ie, skin rash), but all children continued to grow in height and weight over the 12-month course of the study.
Recent retrospective chart reviews have shown that PEG can be effective, safe, and well tolerated in children younger than 2 years of age.5,14,15 The length of treatment was variable (3 weeks to 21 months15 and 1 to 37 months5), but all outcomes showed that PEG was safe and effective as a long-term laxative. The long-term doses of PEG varied (0.3 to 2.1 g/kg/d,5 0.4 to 1.9 g/kg/d,14 or 0.26 to 1.26 g/kg/d15); however, the mean effective dose of 0.8 to 1.0 g/kg/d was similar in all these studies. The minor adverse effects of increased gas and diarrhea could be decreased with a decrease in the dose of PEG.5,15 No child refused PEG.5,14 All bloodwork results, including complete blood count, electrolyte level, renal function, and liver function, were within normal limits for those children tested.5 One of the limitations of these studies is the small sample size for children younger than 1 year old.
Polyethylene glycol 3350 without electrolytes is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated option for treatment of constipation in children. A 3-day course of PEG 3350 at a dose of 1.0 to 1.5 g/kg/d can be used for fecal disimpaction. For maintenance therapy, a starting dose of 0.4 to 0.8 g/kg/d can be initiated then titrated to maximum, depending on effectiveness of therapy and severity of side effects. Parents should be educated about potential rare side effects, including flatulence, loose stool, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping.
PRETx
Child Health Update is produced by the Pediatric Research in Emergency Therapeutics (PRETx) program at the BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver, BC. Dr Chung and Dr Cheng are members and Dr Goldman is Director of the PRETx program. The mission of the PRETx program is to promote child health through evidence-based research in therapeutics in pediatric emergency medicine.
Do you have questions about the effects of drugs, chemicals, radiation, or infections in children? We invite you to submit them to the PRETx program by fax at 604 875-2414; they will be addressed in future Child Health Updates. Published Child Health Updates are available on the Canadian Family Physician website (www.cfp.ca).
BakerSSLiptakGSCollettiRBCroffieJMDi LorenzoCEctorWConstipation in infants and children: evaluation and treatment. A medical position statement of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and NutritionJ Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr199929561226
FeltBBrownPCoranAKochharPOpipari-ArriganLFunctional constipation and soiling in childrenAnn Arbor, MIRegents of the University of Michigan2003Available from: http://cme.med.umich.edu/pdf/guideline/peds03.pdfAccessed 2009 Jan 24
BiggsWSDeryWHEvaluation and treatment of constipation in infants and childrenAm Fam Physician200673346977
YoussefNNPetersJMHendersonWShultz-PetersSLockhartDKDi LorenzoCDose response of PEG 3350 for the treatment of childhood fecal impactionJ Pediatr200214134104
Loening-BauckeVKrishnaRPashankarDSPolyethylene glycol 3350 without electrolytes for the treatment of functional constipation in infants and toddlersJ Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr20043955369
PashankarDSBishopWPLoening-BauckeVLong-term efficacy of polyethylene glycol 3350 for the treatment of chronic constipation in children with and without encopresisClin Pediatr (Phila)20034298159
GremseDAHixonJCrutchfieldAComparison of polyethylene glycol 3350 and lactulose for treatment of chronic constipation in childrenClin Pediatr (Phila)20024142259
PashankarDSLoening-BauckeVBishopWPSafety of polyethylene glycol 3350 for the treatment of chronic constipation in childrenArch Pediatr Adolesc Med200315776614
NurkoSYoussefNNSabriMLangsederAMcGowanJClevelandMPEG3350 in the treatment of childhood constipation: a multicenter, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trialJ Pediatr2008153225461261.e1Epub 2008 Mar 19
Loening-BauckeVPashankarDSA randomized, prospective, comparison study of polyethylene glycol 3350 without electrolytes and milk of magnesia for children with constipation and fecal incontinencePediatrics2006118252835
PashankarDSBishopWPEfficacy and optimal dosing of daily polyethylene glycol 3350 for treatment of constipation and encopresis in childrenJ Pediatr2001139342832
BellEAWallGCPediatric constipation therapy using guidelines and polyethylene glycol 3350Ann Pharmacother200438468693Epub 2004 Feb 27
AroraRSrinivasanRIs polyethylene glycol safe and effective for chronic constipation in children?Arch Dis Child20059066436
Loening-BauckeVPrevalence, symptoms and outcome of constipation in infants and toddlersJ Pediatr2005146335963
MichailSGendyEPreud'HommeDMezoffAPolyethylene glycol for constipation in children younger than eighteen months oldJ Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr20043921979
You are going to email the following Polyethylene glycol 3350 without electrolytes for treatment of childhood constipation
Seen Chung, Adam Cheng, Ran D. Goldman
Child Health Update
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Important information to prepare for designations.
CFI has worked hard to create these user guides to help you understand your options and choose the best path for you in a corporate finance career. These guides to financial designation were created without prejudice and are meant to give you a fair picture of what will be most helpful for your career.
Research is an important first step in determining what type of designation will be most helpful for your career. By browsing these guides and comparisons you'll quickly be able to determine what a fit and what's not. You'll notice that some designations focus more on theory and memorization, rather than practical applications. Some take years to complete, while others are much faster. Some focus on skills like financial modeling and valuation, while other more on accounting and financial math.


There is a board. It is covered 6 deep in tiles.
The first move is taken.
Our champion, John Doe sees the word 'frog' on the board. He removes those letters, counts them, and adds them to his score.
His opponent, George Smith, looks at the board and quickly spies the word 'lemonade' freed up from beneath 'frog'. He removes those tiles, putting him in the lead.
Sort of like taepei with words.
More like playing "Upwords" backwards.
This should be annotated onto "Reverse Scrabble", above.


text:
The painted schinia moth (Schinia volupia) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America, including Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

The wingspan is 20–22 mm.

The larvae feed on Gaillardia pulchella.

External links
Images
Bug Guide
Butterflies and Moths of North America

Schinia
Moths of North America
Moths described in 1868

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Bring authentic Indian Street Food to your table and see just how much more there is to Indian cuisine, than poppadoms and pickles, bhajis and samosas or curries and rice. You can enjoy a vast array of mouthwatering delicacies from various regions of India that draw upon world food and add that Indian spice to it!
Trademark vegan kebabs, loaded hot dogs and fries with awesome melty vegan cheese. Available for some outside catering events.
We serve a variety of authentically cooked vegan Indian curries and street food. Available for parties and private catering events.
Natural locally sourced and organic vegetarian ingredients are essential to the food we make. We offer a range of vegetarian buffets, with much that is suitable for vegans, and fixed menus and cakes for outside events such as weddings and meetings. As with our cafe menu, all the food will be organic. Can also cater for gluten-free diets where possible.
We are a vegan food business based in Brighton. We love to cook. We love to eat delicious food too. And we don't think eating plant-based food should be boring. We provide cookery classes (perfect for groups), run pop-up dining experiences and can also cater for your event. We work across East Sussex and West Sussex, so if you want to know more, get in touch with us.
The iydea is great value quality food fast! All our food is freshly made from natural raw ingredients and served in the most environmentally friendly packaging available. Catering available for festivals and private events.
Plant-based catering at its best!
We are a health conscious and 100% plant based catering business located on the beautiful south coast. Our events range from small private parties to large outdoor catering functions. We like to speak to our customers before writing a menu. If you have something in mind then we can adapt a menu around that, alternatively, if you don't want to get involved we can go ahead and create something special that you are sure to enjoy. We are certain you will have an easy and enjoyable dining experience.
I am dedicated to providing healthy, nutritious and fulfilling raw food. Based in Brighton, I offer catering for private functions, parties, weddings, retreats, commercial events, corporate hospitality and more. I run raw food training courses to teach the amazing benefits of preparing healthy raw food at home and also offer a weekly raw food delivery service for people in the Brighton and Hove area.
Our food is based exclusively on plants, providing maximum nutritional value and minimal environmental impact. We make a range of stonebaked-pizzas, salads and ice cream. Contact us for details of private catering.
Planted was founded in 2016 as a pop up restaurant to inspire people to eat more plants. Our approach to cooking is all about naturally healthy, seasonal, plant based ingredients that make you feel amazing. We also throw in a good treat every once and a while, because sometimes you just need a big slab of cake.
We cater for private events, weddings and photoshoots. The wholesale side to Planted supplies numerous Brightonian coffee shops and restaurants with cakes and pastries.
We love collaborating on events so please get in touch.
We produce a diverse range of sweet and savoury pastries, speciality breads, full meals and meze dishes. Our aim is to provide a food range with no additives of preservatives, and with better natural food flavours. Our products are mostly of Mediterranean Cuisine, mainly recipes from all regions of Greece. We attend many events all throughout England, Scotland and Northern Island so that people have the opportunities to try and taste our food.
Old Tree is a social enterprise that produces drinks to fund the planting of trees for solutions to human monocultures. We envision Old Tree drinks to become inseparable from a land regenerating, earth repairing culture, and to function as an educational tool to re-educate people about the qualities and uses of the plants used in food-forestry. Our space can be booked for private events. As well as the cafe menu, Old Tree can provide extra equipment, staff and bespoke catering services, including the serving of alcohol (brewed on-site) - prices on application. Capacity is approximately 40 people seated. We look forward to bringing you together!
Titbits specialises in gourmet vegan and raw living cuisine. We invite you to try something a little different and enter into our world of culinary delights. All our food is prepared with love and passion. Our mission is to provide healthy, creative and delicious plant based foods with high quality, ethically sourced ingredients. We cater for all occasions - or why not invite us into your home to cook a gourmet feast for you and your friends. Private tuition and cookery parties also catered for.
with you to create the food you want to wow your guests and always within budget.
food or a complete sit down meal.
A stunning converted vintage Romany caravanserving freshly made creative vegetarian and vegan street food, inspired from around the world. The emphasis is on exciting creative food using wholesome, fresh, nutritious ingredients. Where possible all ingredients will be sourced locally, organically and as fairly traded as possible. Also available to hire for private events.
Mama Ghanoushe is here to promote well-being and fulfilment with plant-centric, nutritious food. Our vegetarian food is made with love and served in a relaxed environment, in today's environment this sort of food is absolutely necessary. We aim to satiate your hunger and nourish your whole being with delicious and nutritious food. All of our meals are served with armfuls of love and a warm smile. Lots of vegan dishes are available. Mama Ghanoushe is available for private hire.
Worthing's only vegetarian and vegan bakehouse cafe!
Quality food is everything to us and we feel that only the finest ingredients bring about great taste – all our cakes and scones are made with vegan butter, no eggs and HALF the sugar recommended (only your waist would know!). Everything is baked fresh in our on-site kitchen – so don't be surprised when you visit if you get a waft of delicious baking smells as you come through the door! As well as catering to vegetarian/vegan requirements, we can also cater to customers with more specific dietary requirements. We can bake vegan celebration cakes for collection and you can also hire our premises.
Bhajias and pakoras par excellence! All those flavours, the goodness, the love, the healthy bits wrapped up in the crispy bits, the fun, sustainability and the quality. Wham Bam takes bookings for a wide range of events including local fairs, regional festivals and private parties. At pubic events we provide for an increasingly important niche market, the meat/wheat and dairy-free diets. Everyone can eat them. As well as this we also use high quality ingredients which are not processed in any way before we purchase them. We also have strong environmental ethics, including grinding our own flour and spices. It is not your usual fast food. We also love doing private parties so please don't hesitate to contact us.
A passion for nutrition, creative expression and love for life all combine to result in refreshing, vibrant vegan, vegetarian and raw food catering at its best. Vegan catering, vegan weddings, vegetarian catering, vegetarian weddings and raw foods, plus raw food classes, vegan and vegetarian cookery courses in London, Sussex, Brighton, Kent, the South East of England and occasionally further afield.
Vegelution is a mother-daughter team determined to bring vegan food to Horsham and the surrounding areas in our vintage van. We provide 100% vegan plant-based catering and street food, with plenty of gluten free options and the ability to cater to further dietary requirements for private bookings.
Big pans and big taste!
We are a family business who have been cooking at festivals, street markets, weddings and parties for over 15 years. We can cater vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, meals consisting of potato stir-frys (sometimes rice & quinoa, sometimes wheat noodles) with a rich spicy bean sauce and a banana curry on top with a variety of toppings including a wild garlic sauce to go with it. For parties & weddings we can serve from 75-500 people with a variety of extras available. The veggies are all chopped by hand and cooked on site in big paella pans with lots of spices and herbs to give the freshest, tastiest, wholesome-est meal possible.
Loved trying this food at The Green Gathering. Great flavours, lots happening on the plate and plenty food for your money.
Weddings, parties, private and business lunches and functions, Christmas and other seasonal events, dinner parties, barbecues – in fact, any time you need high quality vegetarian or vegan food without having to prepare it yourself. The skill and knowledge of our Chef Proprietor Diane has been recognised by The Vegetarian Society, which has awarded her the prestigious Cordon Vert Diploma, and the Vegan Society has approved the use of their trademark on our vegan dishes.
A vegetarian cafeteria selling fresh, whole, healthy food, proper good value food cooked from scratch using natural ingredients. Miss Walls Back Garden is an amazing light filled space where you can sit, relax and enjoy good food at great prices. The cafe is open in the evenings for private parties from 6:30pm 'til 11pm. We cater for a minimum number of 15 up to a maximum of 30. We can also do all kinds of outside catering, just ask!
Our Loving Hut Express travels around numerous places in the South East of England including the Greater London area, stopping at popular spots to delight all-comers with healthy vegan food. Its unique versatility and mobility enable bringing healthy and planet-friendly lifestyle alternatives to a wide range of people over a very large area. We also offer an extensive catering service, so please contact us and we will come to you!
Make a really convincing vegan version of fish and chips! Great comfort food served by a friendly lady.


A stop motion animated trailer by Maggie Stiefvater for the October 2011 novel, THE SCORPIO RACES. Done with several hundred frames, some cool paper, and a very manky paintbrush. Music composed by Maggie Stiefvater, performed by Maggie Stiefvater & Kate Hummel. Find out more on the website: http://www.maggiestiefvater.com.
I should make a mental note to look for Mary Norton's 'The Borrowers' in the children's section of bookstores next time 🙂 Can't wait for this! Next year is too far away!
Why is the current crop of dystopian fiction is so popular with teenage readers?
Vampires, fallen angels and their brooding kin still crowd the young-adult shelves of your local bookstore. But they are having to make room for a new wave of dystopian fiction, kicked off by the jaw-dropping success of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy, set in a post-apocalyptic North American totalitarian state.
Books for young people set in a post-apocalyptic or dystopian worlds are not new. Three notable early examples are Madeleine L'Engle's science fantasy A Wrinkle in Time (1962), William Sleator's suspense novel House of Stairs (1974) and the politically intriguing The Giver (1993) by Lois Lowry. Some of the big names of the new wave, along with Collins, are British-based American author Patrick Ness, Mortal Engines writer Philip Reeve, and young adult science-fiction novelist Scott Westerfeld. But what is it that attracts teenage readers to dystopian fiction?
There are a number of opinions, but the main drift seems to be that books set in either chaotic or strictly controlled societies mirror a teenager's life; at school, at home, with their peers and in the wider world. Let's call it the "my own private dystopia" theory.
I'm going to offer a much simpler explanation. Teenagers like to read dystopian fiction because it's exciting. It all comes down to the story. The story comes first, and the setting – extraordinary though it may be – is of secondary importance.
For the most part, dystopian fiction owes more to myth and fairytale than science fiction. These are essentially heroes' journeys – they just happen to be set in an imagined future world. The hero, reluctant or willing, is just as likely to be female as male. Something happens – an event, or a messenger arrives bearing news – and the teenage protagonist is catapulted out of their normal existence into the unknown. They cross the threshold into a world of darkness and danger, of allies and enemies, and begin a journey towards their own destiny that will change their world. They will be tested, often to the very edge of death. The stakes are high. The adults are the oppressors. The children are the liberators. It's heady stuff, far removed from the routine of everyday life.
A new wave of dystopian fiction at this particular time shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. It's the zeitgeist. Adults write books for teenagers. So anxious adults – worried about the planet, the degradation of civil society and the bitter inheritance we're leaving for the young – write dystopian books.
We create harsh, violent worlds. These are dark, sometimes bleak stories, but that doesn't mean they are hopeless. Those of us who write for young people are reluctant to leave our readers without hope. It wouldn't be right. We always leave a candle burning in the darkness.
And we write good stories. That's why teenagers read them.


There's a theory that like feelings and outcomes are attracted to one another. That is to say that positive thought supersedes positive outcomes and inversely negative thoughts precipitate negative outcomes. While this may not be applicable to all situations, it certainly plays a factor in martial arts success.
I can remember being a blue belt in the Hudson Valley and doing jiu-jitsu with higher belts and getting demolished. I felt like there was nothing I could do to stop their attacks or start my own. When I would look down at the color across their waist I felt like tapping rapidly was the only thing I would be accomplishing. However, one day I was visiting a different academy on a no-gi night. This particular night things were going well for me and I felt like I was going to tap anyone who got on the mat with me. I had a great roll with a guy I'd never seen before. He was technical, but I was able to catch him in a few triangles setups I had been working on. At the end of the class I had to leave, but my partner decided to stick around for the next class. I was shocked when I saw him pull out a tattered purple belt and strap it around his waist. I couldn't believe that I actually pulled off submissions against a higher belt. I was the most shocked jiu-jitsu student in the Hudson Valley. I later saw that this purple belt was actually getting the better of many guys who I thought to be unstoppable. I realized then that the difference was largely mental. With the other high ranks I saw their belt color and assumed defeat before I even began. However, when I grappled confidently and without concern for my partners rank I was able to be successful. Although this realization helped me in practice, I still had mental hurdles that hindered my performance in competition.
As a brown belt I entered the Abu Dhabi North American Qualifier one of the toughest no-gi jiu-jitsu tournaments in the nation. Abu Dhabi is the most prestigious grappling tournament in the world and only a handful of people get the honor of competing there. No one from the Hudson Valley had ever made the grade. In order to earn my spot I had to win this qualifier. When I looked at my bracket there were about 30 people entered, but I was only concerned with one name – Enrico Cocco. Enrico was something of a grappling phenom who had beaten some really big names and earned a rock solid reputation – he had also earned a victory over me a few years back at a local tournament in Florida. I was relieved when I saw that he was on the opposite end of the bracket, we would only potentially meet in the semi-finals. I had a great day of grappling, easily winning my first three matches without getting a single point scored on me. I was one step away from the finals when I saw that I would indeed be facing Enrico. At that moment I felt completely defeated. I had convinced myself that there was no way I could top him. He looked so dominating in his prior matches that I just assumed I'd be another notch on his belt. I stepped on the mat and shot into a guillotine choke, tapping out in less than 1 minute. Enrico then went on to win the tournament and earn a spot at Abu Dhabi.
On my way back to the Hudson Valley, I was so upset that I gave the jiu-jitsu match away mentally before even getting on the mat. A few weeks after Enrico beat me we found ourselves competing against each other once again. This time though, I convinced myself I would win. I pictured myself getting my hand raised and grappled confident that I not only "could" win, but that I WOULD win. Sure enough, after a back and forth match, I had my hand raised. There was no technical improvements from the last match, no greater physical preparation. Indeed the only difference was my mentality. I believed in my success and I reaped the benefits. Having faith in your personal potential for success, is often times the biggest determinant between the possible and the impossible.
For centuries it was thought that no person could run a mile in under 4 minutes. However, once Roger Bannister achieved it for the first time everyone re-worked their understanding of possible. The result? Runners began hitting sub 4 minute miles everywhere, today even high schoolers can do it. The "Bannister Effect" was simply the Law of Attraction applied. Belief in success caused a new level of achievement. Even against seemingly impossible opposition, a focused belief can overcome.
A common pitfall people fall for Hudson Valley Jiu-jitsu students is when confronted with a challenge they tell themselves they cannot overcome it. They go forth assuming defeat and arrive at their failure as if it was complete inevitability. Muhammad Ali once said, "It's lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believe in myself". Think about your goals in martial arts and in your everyday life. If these goals are worthwhile to you then chase after them with a steadfast conviction that you will be successful and watch your limitations be redefined.
Overcome your limitations at Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY train Hudson Valley Jiu-Jitsu for 30 Days FREE call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiebrazilianjiu-jitsu.com and get started today!


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Dept. of Ed removed LGBTQ resources from website; Nikki Fried fills info gap
Nikki Fried is calling for cannabis equity. Image via Colin Hackley.
Florida PhoenixDecember 23, 20219min
Equality Florida
Nadine Smith
Nikki Fried
'It's so important that LGBTQ Floridians know that they matter.'
Following the removal of anti-bullying resources from the Florida Department of Education website, including information regarding LGBTQ students, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is providing that information instead.
In a Tuesday press release, Fried announced a set of LGBTQ resources hosted on the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website.
"Improving the health, safety, and prosperity of all Floridians, including the hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ Floridians, is my top priority as a member of the Cabinet," Fried said in a written statement.
"It's so important that LGBTQ Floridians know that they matter, there are resources to help, and that we will continue to advocate for them," Fried continued. "That's why I believe it's imperative that we make these resources available."
Advocates complain that removing resources for LGBTQ students is the latest attack on LGBTQ Floridians by the Ron DeSantis administration. Earlier this month, the department scrubbed dozens of informational links from its webpage on "Bullying Prevention."
Some links offered educators, parents, and students general anti-bullying information, such as how to identify victims and how schools can develop anti-bullying policies.
The state education website also provided resources for targeted groups, including students with disabilities, LGBTQ students, and discrimination based on race or ethnicity.
The deleted resources can be viewed on the Wayback Machine's website, an internet archive that saves earlier versions of websites even if edits are made.
Commissioner Fried's anti-bullying resources include general information on bullying and LGBTQ-focused information. There are materials for students with disabilities and special health needs, but not explicitly for discrimination based on race.
Equality Florida, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group, applauded Fried for providing those resources.
"While the DeSantis administration puts an exclamation point on their bigotry by removing LGBTQ-specific resources, we can't lose sight of whose lives are at stake: LGBTQ youth. And do everything we can to protect them," Equality Florida tweeted Tuesday.
Thank you, Commissioner. While the DeSantis administration puts an exclamation point on their bigotry by removing LGBTQ-specific resources, we can't lose sight of whose lives are at stake: LGBTQ youth. And do everything we can to protect them. https://t.co/w4WUGGL3JU
— Equality Florida (@equalityfl) December 21, 2021
The advocacy group called the removal of the LGBTQ resources from the state education department site a "staggering escalation" of the DeSantis administration's "anti-LGBTQ agenda."
"Attacks on LGBTQ students from Tallahassee are fueling a toxic, dangerous environment on the ground," Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida, said in a written statement on Dec. 6, when news broke that the LGBTQ resources had been removed by the FL DOE.
Smith continued: "We protect the lives of our youth by equipping administrators, educators, and parents with the tools necessary to affirm and create safe learning environments for them. These resources are a critical component of creating truly safe schools."
During the 2021 legislative session, Republican lawmakers successfully pushed legislation that barred transgender girls in high school from participating on women's and girls' sports teams.
Instead, these students are required to play on teams that match the gender they were assigned at birth — meaning, transgender women and girls would play on the boy's team — regardless of any bullying or discomfort to the student. Transgender boys and men can play on either boys' or girls' teams.
Republican lawmakers have provided parents with a tool to direct the education of their students and the Florida education system. It's known as the 'Parents' Bill of Rights,' signed by DeSantis earlier this year, and had been on the radar of LGBTQ activists during the 2022 Legislative Session, the Phoenix previously reported.
Among other things, the Parents' Bill of Rights includes:
— The right to "direct the education" of their minor child and to "direct the upbringing and moral or religious training."
— The right to inspect instructional materials, including regarding sex education, to decide if the material is appropriate for their child.
— The right to object to instructional materials "based on beliefs regarding morality, sex, and religion or the belief that such materials are harmful."
— The right to access and review all school records relating to his or her minor child.
Advocates worry that the Parents' Bill of Rights will lead to LGBTQ students getting "outed," meaning that their gender or sexuality would be nonconsensually exposed. That could bring harm to students whose parents are not supportive.
Meanwhile, issues surrounding LGBTQ Floridians may be a factor Floridians take into account as they determine who should be the next Florida Governor.
Fried is campaigning to be the Democratic candidate in the 2022 gubernatorial election. DeSantis is running for reelection as the Republican candidate.
In the past, Fried has come in behind DeSantis when she thinks he's dropped the ball, particularly in his response to COVID-19.
The Florida Department of Education has been a tool for DeSantis to accomplish some of his political goals that score points with his conservative base, such as banning critical race theory from Florida classrooms and punishing school boards for implementing mask mandates in schools instead of letting parents decide for their children.
Danielle Brown reporting via Florida Phoenix.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: [email protected] Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
Florida Phoenix
Florida Phoenix is a news and opinion outlet focused on government and political news coverage within the state of Florida.
previousAfter critical race theory dissertation, DJJ Secretary Eric Hall explains pivot
nextSunburn — The morning read of what's jolly in Florida politics — 12.23.21
Ron Ogden
It is not the job of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to deal the LGBTQ community and education. She is merely using this issue to try to build her candidacy for governor. What will she do next, start up a corporation filing page like the Secretary of State on the grounds that LGBTQ startups are getting favorable treatment in filings? Will she begin appointing judges on the grounds she is an advocate for LGBTQ bias in court? Fried, always incoherent, is descending into chaos in search of a formula to win the primary in August, and she is taking her department with her.
DeDumbasses people aren't doing their job, in fact they're telegraphing "we don't care about you freaks"
Good for Nikki to do what SHOULD be done.
(….waiting for your proof school kids are being taught to hate white people)
Since you asked, Alex, here you go just to get ya up to speed on the world around you:
"Pinellas County Schools (PCS) supports student achievement of all students through several key district initiatives. As it relates to Equity and topics related to RACE. . ." (emphasis mine).
"as they strive to create more equitable outcomes for scholars through creating an inclusive classroom culture, using CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY and adopting equity as a habit of mind to ensure 100% student success."
Lacaysha Howell, a biracial mother from Sarasota, said that left-wing teachers tried to persuade her daughter that the white side of their family was oppressive. Another speaker, Eulalia Jimenez, a Cuban-American mother from the Miami area, said that left-wing indoctrination in schools reminded her of her father's warnings about Communism in his native Cuba. Both believed that critical race theory was poison to the American Dream.
". . .Arizona claiming that babies are racist; Santa Clara County denouncing the United States as a "parasitic system"; Philadelphia teaching students to celebrate "Black communism"; San Diego telling teachers "you are racist"; Bank of America teaching that the United States is a "system of white supremacy"; Verizon teaching that America is fundamentally racist; and Google teaching that all Americans are "raised to be racist."
". . ."fiction, projects or theory masquerading as fact."
I'll admit there are few or no lessons officially labeled "Critical Race Theory", but "Culturally Relevant Teaching" is central to modern American public schools, which are state sponsored, and it is merely a rehash of the Critical Race Theory that students of education and social sciences are taught in universities.
Most of this came about after the New York Times laid an intellectual egg called "The 1619 Project," which I believe even it has backed away from, and it awakened in parents and understand of, as the one parent said, that was we call critical race theory is "poison to the American dream".
Looks like a bunch of stuff you stuck together, for instance searching the text string;
Comes up with nothing.
Otherwise you gave two names.
Lacaysha Howell and Eulalia Jimenez who both only appear at Ron DeRacist events as far as I can tell.
Two. Not credible, or sufficient
"Most" of this came about" blah blah blah new york times…
If you think this is evidence of something, you don't know what evidence is.
You could've just said you only have two women who spoke at a DeSantis anti-CRT event, and about the one person who claimed the NYTimes "backed away" from the 1619 Project tour de force.
The rest of it is stuff you like/copied, but bear no resemblance to evidence.
Oh, and moving the goalpost from CRT to Culturally Relevant Teaching (a successful method of teaching that has nothing to do with CRT) didn't make any sense at all.
Culturally Relevant Training is a rubric for centering education on inherent characteristics rather than learned information. Simply put, it is all about telling students that the way they were matters more than the way they will be. And that is no education at all: it is political posturing in the classroom, in the name of spurious social science. If you were an educator, you'd know.
I asked you for proof CRT is taught to school children as you claimed.
You tried to move the goalposts, and failed at that.
You sir, are a liar.
Change of subject denied.
Nice dodge from the fact you have zero proof that CRT in any form is being taught to children in classrooms.
It is _nonsense_ invented to keep the cultural rift in place because Republicans benefit from having a tiered society of haves and have nots, powerful and powerless.
You're the one who changed the subject:
YOU went from the Department of Agriculture's role in LGBTQ politics to Critical Race Theory. Look backs a few posts.
And, yes, I know it is changing the subject to say so, but I worry about you, Alex. Weakness in short-term memory is indicative of bubbles in the belfry.
Sorry for the typo; meant:
t is not the job of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to deal the LGBTQ community and education. She is merely using this issue to try to build her candidacy for governor. What will she do next, start up a corporation filing page like the Secretary of State on the grounds that LGBTQ startups AREN'T getting favorable treatment in filings? Will she begin appointing judges on the grounds she is an advocate for LGBTQ bias in court? Fried, always incoherent, is descending into chaos in search of a formula to win the primary in August, and she is taking her department with her.
The Younger Claude Kirk
Sorry Nikki the Flip Flop Christ/Gillum ticket already has the LGBTQ vote.


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Weather in Sankt Polten
Weather archive at the airport ( 39 km, +5 °C+41 °F )
49 minutes ago at the weather station it was +3.6 °C+38 °F, high air pressure, high humidity (71%), moderate breeze (7 m/s) (25 km/h) (16 miles/hour) (14 knots) (4 Bft) blowing from the south-west with gusts up to 16 m/s with gusts up to 58 km/h with gusts up to 36 miles/hour with gusts up to 31 knot with gusts up to 7 Bft. Weather archive at the weather station
Today we expect +3..0 °C°F, +37..+32 °C°F, moderate snow with rain, fog, fresh breeze. Tomorrow: -6..0 °C°F, +21..+32 °C°F, without precipitation, fresh breeze.
direction W W W NW W W W W NW NW NW W W W W W SW SW SW SW W W W W
88 73 79 95 80 74 79 97 89 91 84 100 96 92 91 97 93 93 89 96 89 84 84 86
direction W W W W W W W W W W NW NW NW W W W W W W NW NW NW NW NW W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W NW NW NW NW NW NW W W W W W W W W W W SW SW SW SW SW SW SW W W W W W W SW W direction
88 88 87 90 89 88 81 73 75 79 93 80 79 79 75 77 81 79 83 95 75 82 76 78 80 80 80 81 78 76 74 74 74 72 77 74 73 79 83 89 89 91 93 97 99 89 84 91 78 84 94 100 98 96 94 92 92 91 94 97 95 93 93 93 91 89 93 96 93 89 87 84 84 84 85 86 Humidity,
10:38 00:03 10:57 01:21 Moon:
49 minutes ago, a strong breeze ( 12 m/s 43 km/h 27 miles/hour 23 knots 6 Bft) with gusts up to 18 m/s65 km/h40 miles/hour35 knots8 Bft was observed in Korneuburg in Leiser Berge.
2 hours ago, the minimum air temperature ( -5 oC +23 oF ) was observed in Wiener Neustadt-Land in Krumbach.
4 hours ago, the maximum air temperature ( +6 oC +43 oF ) was observed in Modling in Gumpoldskirchen.
Modling


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MODERN MONARCHS
Harper's Bazaar Beauty
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All hail the new breed of blue bloods to obsess over.
byAdriel Chiun
Trending in
The Breast Cancer Fight
TRULY, CLEANLY, DEEPLY
The Highlighter: Newbie vs Icon
Matte, Not Dry
Talita von Fürstenberg as the face of Diane von Furstenberg's fall/ winter 2018 campaign
Shakespeare once wrote, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." In today's age of modernity and constitutional monarchy, the idea of sovereign responsibilities has taken on a very different incarnation. Whereas past kings and queens ruled with iron fists from high atop their ivory towers, this young group of monarchs-in-waiting, royal progenies and aristocrats have captured the attention of the public well beyond their borders through an intriguing mix of style, presence and savviness.
From taking part in conversations surrounding the empowerment of women, to highlighting the importance of protecting the environment, and with ties that run deep within the realms of pop culture and fashion, the members of this new generation of royalty also manage the feat of looking good while championing causes that matter to them.
The digital revolution has only added to their mystique and allure. When it comes to the royals of today, every incident, event or appearance is shared across every corner of the globe in a matter of seconds, then carefully studied and analysed by the citizens of the world with equals parts fervour and devotion.
Talita von Fürstenberg
When it comes to this royal, the apple certainly doesn't fall far from the tree. Her grandmother was the queen of Studio 54, and immortalised by Andy Warhol in one of his paintings. It's no wonder then that Talita von Fürstenberg, granddaughter of Diane and her ex-husband Prince Egon von Fürstenberg (of the German aristocratic Fürstenberg family), is a fashion muse. She was recently revealed as the face of her grandmother's namesake label under the new direction of Nathan Jenden, and a TVF x DVF collaboration is said to be in the works.
Princess Tunku Tun Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Ibrahim with husband Dennis Muhammad Abdullah
Princess Tunku Tun Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Ibrahim of Johor
The only daughter of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Ismail of Johor, Princess Tunku Tun Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Ibrahim is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Her lavish wedding to Dutchman Dennis Muhammad Abdullah is a testament to her loving personality. Along with dignitaries, the Princess also invited all the palace staff—from stable boys who taught her how to ride, to soldiers and bodyguards who protected her family during her formative years as a child—because she wanted the people she grew up with to partake in her happiness. Her Highness, who went to school in Singapore, is also a patron of the Johor Bahru Classical Music Festival and is a natural when it comes to rocking out with the conga.
Princess Iman bint Abdullah of Jordan
The eldest daughter of Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan, Her Highness Princess Iman bint Abdullah of Jordan is the spitting image of her beautiful and eloquent mother, and one of the most captivating princesses in the royal circle. Her Highness is a decorated equestrian who started training at the age of 12, and she supports her father's initiative of encouraging the youth to be more physically active. The Princess has accompanied her parents on royal tours to Europe and Asia, and currently attends Georgetown University in Washington D.C. with her elder brother, His Highness Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan.
Lady Amelia Windsor
Described by the English broadsheets as "the most beautiful member of the royal family", Lady Amelia Windsor, daughter of George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, is 36th in line to the British throne. A spokesperson for the now defunct D&G as a teen and constant front-row darling, she is signed with Storm Models and most recently appeared on the fall/winter 2017 catwalk of Dolce&Gabbana alongside Lady Kitty Spencer and Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark.
Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster
The Duke of Westminster is the dictionary definition of a modern English blue blood—incredibly handsome, with a stellar academic pedigree, and a literal billionaire. His Grace owns the Grosvenor Estate, which includes over 1,500 properties in 60 countries, and acres of the exclusive Mayfair and Belgravia neighbourhoods in London. And, he is only 27 to boot.
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan with Queen Jetsun Pema and Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel
Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema became the youngest queen in history in 2011, when the then-21- year-old married Bhutan's "Dragon King", His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. A modern woman of the world, Her Majesty was raised in Bhutan, studied in India and read International Relations and Art History at Regent's College in London. This impossibly striking Queen is also a loving mother to the heir apparent to the Dragon Throne, and dedicates her life to the public servitude of the Bhutanese people, spending most of her time touring the country on foot to reach the remotest regions with His Majesty.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge with Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
Third and fourth in line to the British throne respectively, Their Royal Highnesses Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge are the children of His Royal Highness Prince William and Her Royal Highness Princess Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the most adorable of English royal babies. Natural internet meme generators, be it getting reprimanded by the Duchess of Cambridge at the wedding of Pippa Middleton or waving proudly on the first day of school, these inquisitive young royals are already stealing the hearts of the world.
As the eldest daughter of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, and niece of the late Princess Diana, Lady Kitty Spencer has possibly the strongest ties with fashion for any blue blood. With an aunt who so famously wore Versace to much aplomb, Lady Kitty Spencer also holds her own in the rarefied world of high fashion: In addition to walking Dolce&Gabbana's runway, she's also the face of the brand's #DGVenezia campaigns for spring/summer 2018.
Charlotte Casiraghi
While a private citizen, there is nothing common about Charlotte Casiraghi. The daughter of Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline of Hanover and the granddaughter of Her Serene Highness the late Princess Grace of Monaco, Casiraghi is every bit a princess and a style star in her own right. Often topping best dressed lists, this front-row fixture is also the equestrian ambassador for the House of Gucci and a highly decorated jumper. But her sartorial cred does not end there: Casiraghi also added publisher to her already impressive resume by creating a magazine to promote the importance of sustainability in fashion.
Prince Constantine-Alexios of Greece and Denmark
The eldest son of His Highness Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and Denmark, and the godson of Prince William, His Highness Prince Constantine-Alexios of Greece and Denmark is the latest male European royal to leave fangirls screaming. Currently a sophomore in Georgetown University in Washington D.C., His Highness, or "Tino" as he likes to be known, is also the cousin of Talita von Fürstenberg.
Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei
The 10th son of His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Mateen is a total heartbreaker. Be it in a sharp three-piece Savile Row suit, or riding boots when he saddles up for polo, or even topless when casually tanning on his yacht in the Mediterranean, His Highness' loyal legion of 776,000 fans on Instagram constantly wait for updates with bated breath, and live vicariously through his posts on social media. Athletic good looks aside, His Royal Highness is also a loving and filial brother who considers his elder sister, Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzillah Lubabul Bolkiah, as the "real captain of the ship".
Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana of Thailand
The youngest daughter of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun of Thailand, Her Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana of Thailand is a complete renaissance woman who is a humanitarian, decorated equestrian and esteemed fashion designer. A front-row staple during couture week in Paris, Her Highness' close ties with the French capital is the stuff of dreams: In 2007, the storied French House of Balmain invited her to show her debut collection to a standing ovation at Paris Fashion Week. Since then, she has continued to present her nuanced take on one of the greatest exports from the Land of a Thousand Smiles, Thai silk, in Bangkok.
Prince Fahad bin Faisal Al Saud of Saudi Arabia
His Highness Prince Fahad bin Faisal Al Saud of Saudi Arabia is the ruggedly-handsome and hirsute tech entrepreneur stealing hearts while fighting for human rights on social media. A firm believer of female empowerment, His Highness is the most visible on Instagram (@yolofahad has 117k and counting followers) and the most progressive of the Arab royals—his company, NA3AM, launched the Saudi Girls Revolution comic and gaming series, and created the Middle East's first superheroine.
Princess Mako of Japan
The eldest daughter of His Imperial Highness Prince Akishino of Japan and granddaughter of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Akihito of Japan, Her Imperial Highness Princess Mako of Akishino is a gifted multi-linguist who is fluent in Japanese Sign Language and is often seen acting as a voice for the deaf community—much like her mother Her Imperial Highness Princess Akishino of Japan. The dedicated humanitarian visited the victims of the 2011 Tōhuku earthquake and tsunami. Her Imperial Highness is expected to give up her title upon her marriage to Kei Komuro, a commoner, in 2020, but it's clear the Japanese people will never give her up in their hearts.
Princess Larissa Maria of Windisch- Graetz with her cavalier at le Bal des Débutantes 2014
Princess Larissa Maria of Windisch-Graetz
The youngest and only daughter of Their Serene Highnesses, Prince Mariano Hugo and Princess Sophie of Windisch-Graetz, Her Serene Highness Princess Larissa Maria of Windisch-Graetz is a staple at the couture shows. Her Serene Highness made her debut in Paris at the 22nd annual le Bal des Débutantes in 2014, wearing the dreamiest of Valentino haute couture gowns, and has expressed a desire to be part of the fashion industry like her mother, who was a model and fashion journalist.
PHOTOGRAPHY: INSTAGRAM; SHOWBIT; TPGVIP/CLICK PHOTOS
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text:
Zero Moment
The DARPA Robotics Challenge Was A Bust
Why DARPA Needs To Stage Another Bot Contest, With Even More Pratfalls
By Erik Sofge
Your Second Place Winner
Moments after finishing its prize-winning run at the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals, Team IHMC's Atlas humanoid stopped showboating, and took an unexpected spill.Erik Sofge
It's been close to a month since the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) wrapped up. That's time enough to face facts. The biggest and most well-funded international robotics competition in years was a failure.
That doesn't feel good to write. The DRC was a huge undertaking, spanning years and costing millions. The competition had a noble goal—the development of robots that can better respond to disasters—and it attracted many of the world's smartest and most accomplished roboticists.
And I know I'm not speaking truth to power, by pointing out the disappointments of the DRC. Despite an increase in acquisitions, investments and recruiting in the last few years, robotics is a field comprised mostly of underdogs. If anything, I'm kicking sand in the faces of researchers who've spent nearly three years losing sleep, neglecting loved ones, and generally pouring their lives into building and programming machines that wound up looking almost universally unimpressive. Of the 24 robots that showed up to compete in last week's DRC Finals in Pomona, California, only a few made it through the challenge course on their feet. As a result, the biggest news out of the DRC seems to be a parade of GIFs of robots falling. One bot fell so hard, its head popped off.
But don't pity these bumbling robots. If the DRC hadn't been so rife with slapstick, it would have put everyone to sleep. After all, the robot that racked up the most points, in the least amount of time, took nearly 45 minutes to complete a series of eight tasks that my kindergarten-age daughter could probably accomplish in 10 minutes.
The biggest and most well-funded international robotics competition in years was a failure.
And, all due to respect to my human offspring, that's not a compliment. DRC-Hubo, the triumphant, 5-foot 9-inch humanoid robot fielded by South Korea's Team KAIST, spent most of its time on the open-air challenge course—a long stretch of dirt leading to a mock facility about the size of a single-bedroom apartment—doing nothing, in one place or another. It started its competition-winning run strong, by driving about as well as a person might, and getting out of its modified Polaris utility vehicle more quickly, and with fewer awkward starts and stops, than any other robot at the event. Then DRC-Hubo dropped down onto its wheeled knees, rolled slowly up to the closed door that represented the entrance to the simulated facility, and froze. For long minutes the most capable robot in the DRC prepared for the daunting task of turning a handle, and pushing a door.
Eventually, it did both of those things, and the crowd in the stands at the Fairplex erupted in cheers. Anyone just arriving at the event—making their way up the escalator, or grabbing a hot dog before heading out to the seats—might have heard that roar and imagined robots vaulting over rubble, or bashing through a concrete wall. But the DRC's threshold for cheer-worthy feats was considerably lower. Some robots never made it to that door. One humanoid model collapsed in the opening seconds of the competition, and kept falling until its team pulled it off the course. Another humanoid tipped over while exiting the Polaris, and damaged itself so grievously that it literally bled, leaving behind a pool of oil for DARPA staffers and team members to scrub away. And those machines who conquered the door had to contend with such hazards as a floor with a two-to-three degree slope, and a path obstructed by precisely eight pieces of debris. This was a contest whose entries were so incompetent, at least compared to humans, that simply opening that door counted as a legitimate victory.
This wasn't the DRC that DARPA originally pitched. In April 2012, when the agency first outlined the scope and parameters of the competition, it seemed impossible. DARPA appears to have taken down its original news release, but this is how Virginia Tech described the event's tasks, when it announced its own participating team. Pay special attention to the last of the eight proposed tasks:
1. Get into a standard human vehicle and drive it to a specified location.
2. Get out of the vehicle and travel across rubble.
3. Clear obstacles from a doorway.
4. Open the door, and enter the building.
5. Find a leaking pipe and close the associated valve.
6. Reconnect a hose or cable.
7. Climb a ladder.
8. Grab a tool from the site, break through a concrete wall and exit.
If the DRC had included robots breaking through concrete walls, forget about cheering crowds. The Fairplex would have exploded, and the competition would have had television ratings that rivaled the Olympics. But the DRC Finals were a study in compromise, and while DARPA always warned that the competition's rules would remain secret and mutable right up to the end, only one of those eight, proposed tasks remained intact. Here's a task-by-task breakdown:
Getting into the vehicles was not part of the final event—teams could carefully load and position their robot before the clock started. And those vehicles weren't "standard," since all of the Polaris utility vehicles used in the DRC featured improved suspensions to support heavier loads, and all but one of those vehicles was modified to allow robots to drive and/or exit the vehicle.
The robots were required to egress, but there was no rubble between them and the door.
Never happened. Instead, for the seventh of the eight total tasks, robots had to reach the mock facility's exit by either dealing with a stretch of floor obstructed by eight pieces of debris, or by traversing a path comprised of cinder blocks.
This is the only task that wasn't explicitly or implicitly downgraded.
Though one of the tasks did involve rotating a circular valve a full 360 degrees, it was the only valve in the course. The notion that robots would be locating one valve out of many didn't apply.
Reconnecting a hose sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? Imagine the fine motor skills required to pull that off, and with little to no direct control from remote human operators, since DARPA also promised to degrade communication signals, and therefore demand more autonomy of its robot participants. Instead, there was a surprise task. On the first day, it was a big switch that had to pulled down. On the second day, it was a cable plugged into the wall, that had to be removed and plugged into another socket. But these were props, essentially, with no prongs to contend with. They were held in place with magnets, like an industrial-size version of a MacBook's MagSafe power adapter.
Though not the most promising visual in the DRC, as originally described (that's coming up next), robots climbing ladders would have been stunning. And the actual task of ascending a ladder would have been maybe the most technically challenging aspect of the competition, requiring a tremendous amount of strength in various components, and an unprecedented combination of manipulation (to grasp the rungs) and limbed mobility.
Instead, the DRC's final task was to climb a total of four stairs.
Try to picture this happening. A humanoid robot picks up a tool—teams initially assumed it would be a Sawzall—buzzes through a wall, and leaves the course through a hole made with its own autonomous brains and mechanical might. This was going to be the showstopper. Humans would have run in terror, wept with joy, or at least paid attention to the biggest robotic competition that the world has seen since DARPA's last, historic robot contest, the Urban Challenge, a driverless car race held in 2007.
But in the DRC that we actually got, the minority of robots who survived long enough to reach the power tools, which were screwdrivers, not saws, had to carve a small hole in a wall (as indicated by a circle) and then move on. The resulting holes would have been big enough for a frightened cat to scramble through, or for a trapped human to stick his or her head out, and yell at the robot that's slowly—ever so slowly—inching towards the exit.
There were signs along the way that DARPA's experiment had fizzled. At the DRC Trials, held in Miami in 2013, robots were given up to 30 minutes for each of their eight tasks. Most used at least of half of that alotted time, making for runs that felt endless, and were only possible because of their attached power cords. More worrying still, some robots simply skipped the trickier tasks, such as driving. And during a telephone briefing this past March, DRC program director Gill Pratt stated that, during the finals, robots would not have to get into vehicles on their own. He also mentioned that, as in the trials, some teams might opt to forfeit the points associated with driving.
But Pratt spoke at length during that call about the issue of falling. "If they do fall down, they're going to have to get up on their own," he said. In the DRC Trials, robots had safety belays that prevented them from hitting the ground. But those cords were being cut for the finals. "We're trying to make this contest more authentic, to what a real disaster would be like, where of course human beings couldn't suddenly go in to rescue the robot in a disaster zone," Pratt said.
When pressed further about how falling would be handled in the competition's final stage, Pratt went on:
DARPA tries hard things. This is actually the part of the contest that I think is the most difficult, and has not been done before. And so we'll see what happens. It will be very exciting. What still remains to be seen is how they will recover from falls. So if I were to give advice to the teams, I would say fall down now. And get up now. And let's sort of see how that works. And don't be afraid to break your robot because it fell. Because that's almost certain to happen during the challenge, if your robot is of the type of design that it can fall.
Pratt cited CMU's CHIMP as an example of a robot that, by design, essentially could not fall. The 443-pound machine is statically stable, meaning that, unlike the systems that used bipedal walking to get around, it doesn't have to actively maintain balance. Even if CHIMP were to unexpectedly power down, it wouldn't topple. "And for those teams who don't have to worry about that, well, maybe you made the right choice," Pratt added.
The more Pratt talked about falling, however, the less punitive it sounded. Despite initially saying that the robots would have to get up on their own, he later conceded that teams might be able to put it back on its feet, and simply take a time penalty. This would roughly simulate a situation where disaster responders have more than one robot to work with, and would be able to deploy a backup system should the first one go down.
There were signs along the way that DARPA's experiment had fizzled.
Still, Pratt was enthusiastic about the prospect of seeing robots rise from the ground from falls, noting that, for the bots that advanced to the finals without competing in the 2013 trials, it was almost mandatory. "Having a machine get up from prone was one of the qualification tasks that all of the new teams have done. That said, we did not push the teams too far, to have to demonstrate that they can also survive a fall. It's not just the fact that you can get up from lying down, you also have to be able to not get hurt when you fall down," Pratt said. "I haven't seen very much of that yet. It will be neat to see which teams can pull that off and which can't."
Pratt was right: For the majority of the robots in the DRC Finals, falling was a certainty. But his prescient advice, to practice falling and recovering before the competition, was blatantly ignored. None of the teams rehearsed that scenario in full, without a safety tether, prior to showing up in Pomona. And though the media was invited, and then disinvited to attend the pre-event test runs, where DARPA could assess the overall capability of the robots, whatever the organizers saw there convinced them to hobble the competition yet again.
Robots were not forced to get up on their own. Nearly every team whose machine tumbled simply ate the 10 minute time penalty. Some did so multiple times, implying a scenario where responders bring an entire squad of identical, blundering bots to a disaster, knowing full well that they're liable to faceplant while facing such harrowing obstacles as a door handle, or a handful of stairs. As for the late-addition teams for whom getting up from prone was a mandatory requirement, that capability was MIA at the competition. When robots hit the ground at the DRC, which was constantly, they didn't get up. They either lay there like corpses, or continued whatever movement they were engaged in before the seemingly inevitable loss of balance. As the falls kept coming, the state of humanoid robotics was exposed, in all its disappointing fragility. The already unfortunate impression that we were watching cybernetic hybrids of ungainly toddlers and disoriented seniors became, against all odds, even worse, when these would-be disaster responders waited for a bunch of humans to hoist them upright. Time and again, the spectators watched team members and DARPA officials struggling with cables and gantries, and putting their backs into this effort—remember, most of the these bots weighed between 200 and 400 pounds—while the powered-down robots did nothing.
The sole exception was CHIMP, one of the robots that was supposedly incapable of falling. To everyone's surprise, it did, having left its arms extended forward after opening the door, and encountering that two-to-three-degree disparity between the ground outside and inside of the mock facility. The robot's center of gravity was momentarily non-optimal. Down went CHIMP.
What followed were the most suspenseful minutes in the entire competition, as the bot—already a fan-favorite, thanks to its striking, primate-inspired design, and attention from media outlets (ours included) in the run-up to the finals—struggled to get up. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't fast. A reset, and corresponding time penalty, would have scuttled the promising robot's chances of completing a prize-winning run. And with each failed, and undignified bout of writhing, it seemed more likely that CMU would join that sad DRC tradition, of treating its robot like a mechanical invalid. So when CHIMP finally got itself onto all fours, and rolled back into the competition, it was a triumph.
Or it seemed like it, at the time. There's no denying that CHIMP's eventual third-place finish was due to world-class engineering, the deep bench of robotics talent that CMU has developed, and some unquantifiable amount of grit and gumption on the part of the team members. They didn't surrender to gravity. They did what no other team at the DRC even attempted. They got up! But it's possible to succeed at a competition that itself is a failure.
The DRC was a bust not because its participants were lazy, or unequal to the task. That wasn't the case for any of the teams that made it to the finals, or even to the trials in Miami. It was a failure on its own terms, which shifted over the course of the competition. The DRC that was presented in 2012 was an astonishing vision of what robots might be capable of, in just a few years. The DRC that wrapped up in 2015 was a reality check. Worst of all, it failed to catch or at least hold the attention of the general public. The event was webcast, but not televised. News outlets with a focus on tech and science covered the finals, but not enough to pique the interest of more mainstream media. Years of work and tens of millions of funding culminated in an event that no one appeared to care about, despite the fact that it featured walking, driving, tool-grabbing humanoid robots.
This is a shamelessly unscientific survey, but no one among my family or friends knew that the DRC Finals were happening. That includes my brother, who works at NASA, and my 11-year-old nephew, who's in an engineering program sponsored by defense contractor Lockheed Martin, the defense firm that had a team in the DRC. When the competition was over, the only person in my social circle—which is rife with nerds—who had read or seen anything about it was my father-in-law. His sole takeaway: the Pentagon held a contest where a bunch of robots fell down.
Sadly, he nailed it. The DRC was a high-stakes, and extremely well-funded robotics competition that turned out really silly. Its optics are those of feeble robots face-planting for no discernible reason, rather than heroic (or hellish) machines smashing through concrete walls. Even in their severely diminished states, the tasks were too much for all but a handful of bots to accomplished. When DARPA's Urban Challenge wrapped up in 2007, and driverless cars suddenly seemed like an inevitability, the world was watching. Cars bad driven through a mock city with no one behind the wheel or controlling them remotely, and only a couple had managed to crash. It was a worldwide revelation. This time, the best DARPA could hope for was that someone paid enough attention to the DRC to ridicule it.
But DARPA has been here before. Before the axis-tilting success of the Urban Challenge, there was the agency's first Grand Challenge. In 2004, twenty-five autonomous vehicles took on a 150-mile-long course in the Mojave desert. "Every car failed, and the closest was CMU, which got seven and a half miles in and then hit a boulder," says Boris Sofman, CEO of Anki, a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence startup that makes autonomous toy cars. Sofman, who earned his PhD at CMU's Robotics Institute, made the connection that I wish I could take credit for: the DRC was unimpressive compared to the Urban Challenge, but the better comparison is that first Grand Challenge. "But just three years later, they had autonomous cars driving in an urban setting, with moving vehicles, following traffic laws," says Sofman. "And less than 10 years later we have truly autonomous cars that are already at a functionality that's better than humans, in a lot of the roads they're being tested in."
DARPA's response to the 2004 Grand Challenge was bold. With the first event's prize money (including $1M for first place) unclaimed, the agency scheduled another desert race for 2005. But the second Grand Challenge was more than a simple do-over. It was, in some respects, harder than the first event, featuring more obstacles, and various tunnels, which are a potential stumbling block for sensors. The competitors rose to the challenge. Five vehicles finished the course, prizes were awarded, and DARPA followed it up relatively quickly, with the yet more difficult Urban Challenge.
It's painful to consider that the DRC might be the spiritual successor to that first Grand Challenge. But that initial dud in the Mojave desert was the foundation for the robot car competitions that came later, and for the rapid, and stunning pace of innovation in driverless vehicles within the commercial sector. If DARPA is serious about pushing the development of robots that could respond to disasters, or at least navigate and function within human environments without making dangerous fools of themselves, the first step is to recognize failure. The DRC was a bust. Now what?
My proposal isn't humble, but it's simple: Hold another competition, and make falling mandatory. Gill Pratt knew that falls would be the rule, not the exception, and no one listened to him. It's no coincidence that Team KAIST, the South Korean team that won the DRC's top prize of $2M, was one of the few in the finals whose bot stayed upright. That's fortunate, since, according to team leader JunHo Oh, KAIST never bothered coming up with a strategy for getting up from a fall. Instead, they simply proceeded with an abundance of caution. The result was a performance that was good enough to win the finals, but if you applied the robot's timid, halting, 45-minute slog to a real-life disaster, it's hard to imagine it accomplishing anything useful. And shouldn't a machine that's designed to charge into an emergency be both capable of moving with some measure of speed, and capable of surviving the sort of stumble that any human responder would easily recover from?
In a follow-up to the DRC where robots are required to fall, durability would be a priority, just as it would be in a deployed system. Roboticists would have to keep impact and redundancy in mind when they bought or built actuators. Despite Pratt's best intentions, the DRC wound up incentivizing fragile designs. Shouldn't disaster bots be among the sturdiest? And the DRC's most indelible and embarrassing visual, of robot after robot tipping over, ramrod straight, like a felled tree, could be supplanted by the more inspirational optics of machines getting back up.
New tasks, or even ones that are closer in difficulty to the original versions presented by DARPA, would also be exciting. But those are details for people much smarter than me to work out. If there's a single lesson from the DRC, it's that humanoid robots are falling robots. Also, that the road to humanoids that aren't so clumsy will be long, and strewn with shattered components. If DARPA doesn't hold another version of the DRC, then the first one will have been little more than a grim status update, and a self-contained failure, for the few of us that realized it happened. But if the next challenge is tougher, and more realistic, this past competition will be as history-making as so many of us wanted it to be.
More Zero Moment


In no particular order, here are a few links that may interest you.
American Gem Trade Association (AGTA).
Gemmological Association of Great Britain.
Institut National de Gemmologie (I.N.G.).
Asian Institute of Gemmological Sciences.
Canadian Institute of Gemmology .
European Gemological Laboratory in North America.
Jewelry Artist Magazine (formerly Lapidary Journal).
North Carolina Society of Goldsmiths.
Gemval.com -- online price guide.
Vernon Lapidary & Mineral Club (Canada).
Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia.