For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us (vs11-12).
I have a theory that many parents feel plagued with high doses of guilt. I certainly have been. I have felt guilty about bottle feeding, nappy choices, reading levels, time spent at home, time spent at work, not praying with my children enough and lack of dress-up day creativity. You name it, I have guilt for it.
And along the way, like every parent, I've made some bad mistakes as well as enjoying some wonderful moments. It's funny; today, my youngest daughter has left compulsory full time education for good and she has merrily gone camping while I sit here wondering where the last two decades have gone, with more than a few regrets.
My challenge is to forgive myself as God forgives me when I go to him.
This psalm contains the beautiful verse, "The Lord … who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion." These words are a powerful reminder that there is always a way back with God. No matter how wrong we get it or how ashamed we feel, he can redeem us and put us right with him. He also helps us to build bridges and to love others, forgiving them as he has forgiven us.
I wonder what "pits" you might need to be pulled out of, or what mistakes you might need to bring to God today?
The good news is that God promises to remove our transgressions once and for all. This matters to us as parents, but also to our children. They need to know they can have a fresh start when they get it wrong; learning from their mistakes and knowing God's grace to move on is a real blessing for young life. It is good news for them that they are not disqualified from partnering with God, and neither are we. We all fail sometimes but we are not therefore failures. God is too compassionate to leave us in the pit – he removes our sins forever, because of Jesus' sacrificial love for us.
Where do you need to confess and receive forgiveness today? Do you regularly come before God to ask him to remove your transgressions so that you can live in his grace?
How can we help children to know they have done something wrong without leaving them feeling condemned? Can we model more of God's truth and forgiveness in our home?


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Sanford Research Launches Science Distance-Learning Website
Sanford Research has launched its first science distance-learning website just in time for remote learning. Teachers, parents and families can now bring the Sanford PROMISE (Program for the Midwest Initiative in Science Exploration) Lab into their own classrooms and homes.
More than 9,000 visitors have stepped inside the PROMISE Lab in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where they participate in hands-on science activities and witness Sanford Research scientists in action.
The website was developed to reach students everywhere and inspire them to become future scientists and innovators. PROMISE is free for anyone to use and includes lesson plans, printable resources, educational slideshows and videos.
"When schools stopped visiting us in person because of the pandemic, we were already in development," said Amy Baete, director of Sanford Children's Health Initiative Operations. "Now we can offer out-of-the-classroom experiences virtually until we're ready to welcome visitors again."
Geared for K-12 students, they can explore careers, learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and see what's happening at Sanford Research.
"My students have loved the PROMISE lessons," said Kylie Szwarc, a fourth grade teacher in Sioux Falls. "They come away from them using vocabulary and a deeper understanding of topics than with previous lesson. Also, they are so excited about science after finishing these lessons."
Today, News, Research sanford health sanford research STEM Szwarc Baete lesson plans

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Getting To Know Logan Wheeler, A Washington State Veteran And Alum Who Died A Century Ago
By Katherine Barner November 11, 2018
The official Army portrait of Logan Wheeler that hangs in the American Legion building. The portrait was donated by William A. Hughes whose mother and father were friends of Logan's.
https://www.nwpb.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Logan-Wheeler-Podcast-Final_mixdown.mp3
NOTE: This is a student multi-media project with Northwest Public Broadcasting. It was first aired and published for Veterans Day in November 2017.
BY KATHERINE BARNER & EMRY DINMAN
Sometimes we grieve for people we've never met. Walking through a cemetery, looking at the graves of people who exist to you only as names in stone, it's easy to wonder at the loss. It's a shallow grief, not the long-term grief for a friend lost, but the fleeting interjection of some unknowable person into your periphery.
For some, their jobs are to give life to those stone-wrought names.
FINDING LOGAN
"Well I kinda encountered Logan Wheeler by accident," said Mark O'English, Washington State University Archivist.
Mark was working on a project looking for a photo of the original WSU bookstore. During the search, he came across a 100-year-old leather-bound scrapbookembroidered with the name Logan Wheeler.
Logan Wheeler's scrapbook from the 1910's. The scrapbook is kept in the Manuscripts and Archives in the Holland Terrell Library.
When Mark O'English pulled out Logan's scrapbook he said, "here he is. I don't know when the scrapbook became a he instead of an it."
He did find the original bookstore in the background of one of these photos, but what stood out to him was this kid — a student — Logan Wheeler.
Logan was at WSU in the 1910's. The album contained photos of himself and his friends around campus.
"He had these very informal frat photos. He went to San Francisco with Cadets and spent time at the Panama Pacific exposition in the summer of 1915," Mark said. "There's this odd random photo of someone posed with his chicken, and you kinda have this 'why' reaction."
Since Mark found the photos he was looking for, he had to put the scrapbook away and move on to a new project about WSU Veterans.
While pursuing the new project he happened across a list of WSU casualties from World War One in James Quan's book, "Heroes and Legends."
The plaque that bears Logan's name at the WSU War Memorial.
"I just get caught in the upper right hand corner, Logan Wheeler, it's only like two lines, and it's: Logan Wheeler killed in France 1918," Mark said.
America joined the first World War the year before. As part of the 364th infantry regiment of the 91st Division, Logan Wheeler was among the 126,000 whose story ends in the Argonne Forest during the liberation of France. U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Douglas remembered Logan in his biography, "Of Men and Mountains," as the first of his friends to die in France. Logan's name adorns the WSU Veterans Memorial.
Logan died nearly a century ago, but for Mark, Logan went from a college kid who seemed to have unlimited potential to a dead soldier in all of 24 hours.
"It was one of these moments where the day before this kid came alive for me and the next day, he's been dead for over 100 years," Mark said. "I still choke up about it a little today."
When Logan began this scrapbook he had no idea he would be fighting in France four years later. When Mark found the scrapbook, he didn't know that Logan hadn't lived a long life every bit as radiant as the one in the pictures.
Though his photos feel timeless, Logan's life before the war was not stagnant. His mother, brother, and sister had all died before he left for college. Not long after the death of Logan's mother Elizabeth, his father Thomas remarried and had another son, Gerald Wheeler, who had looked up to his older brother both before and after the war.
Logan married his childhood sweetheart, Taletta, two days before he shipped out to Europe. A few days after news of Logan's death reached Washington, Justice Douglas had walked past Taletta, and described in his biography the pallor of grief that hung across the widow's face.
"It was then I realized, for the first time I think, what it meant when a war became 'our war,'" Douglas wrote.
Sometime after Logan's death, Taletta remarried. She never had children. As Logan had no children, the Elizabeth-Thomas line died with him. Gerald, Thomas' half-brother, is the nearest relative to have descendants alive to this day.
The Wheeler Family Tree.
SCATTERED BY TIME
Logan's obituary from 1918.
Logan's story was scattered by time, essentially lost to the public. Logan's family had largely died before him, his brother of meningitis and his sister of an unknown illness.
Only the half-brother Gerald had children, who are all deceased. The middle child, Thomas Wheeler, is survived by his wife, Dorris Wheeler, three children and four grandchildren.
Dorris said in a phone call that Thomas grew up on his father's stories about Logan. Thomas shared these stories with Dorris and his children, passing on family legends even though Thomas had never met Logan.
Logan's memory also resides at an American Legion building in Yakima that is named after him. The interior is vintage, some mix between a meeting hall and an old time bar where you're as likely to get a malt or a beer.
Though the local veterans meet regularly in a building that bore Logan's name, neither they nor the Wheeler family knew about the 135-page scrapbook that Mark had stumbled upon. All the while, Mark had none of the information that the legion building archived, including a copy of Logan's obituary, written a decade after his death.
Gathering the disparate pieces of one soldier's history and doing honor to that legacy symbolically honors all those unnamed who died alongside Logan, said Matt Steadman, sergeant-at-arms at the American Legion Post 36 in Yakima.
"You can't remember everyone, but through him we can remember the sacrifices that they made back in the big war," Steadman said.
Matt Steadman, Sgt At Arms, and Ron Schmidt, commander, (left to right) hold Logan's portrait.
Logan Wheeler American Legion Post 36 in Yakima on North 34th Avenue in Yakima.
The Legion building had a copy filed of a 1941 report detailing Logan's death.
On September 26, 1918, two days before Logan died, he and another soldier, Wilson, went over a hill to fight Germans in the Argonne forest. Only 17 men from their company survived, including Logan and Wilson. The soldiers attached to another company. The next day, another firefight left only Logan and Wilson alive by nightfall.
On the morning of September 28, 1918, they met survivors of another company, and together the men tried to breach a machine gun nest.
It was during this assault that Logan was shot in the temple. Logan survived roughly 30 minutes. He handed a notebook to Wilson that detailed every ca
sualty in his company and the companies he was attached to over the past couple days.
The last words Logan Wheeler said to another human being, to Wilson, were, "Please give this to my superiors, I want it kept straight."
As with many soldiers who died during the liberation of France, it was unclear where Logan was buried for years. The grave was only identified a decade later after an intensive search led by Daisy, Logan's step-mother. Once he was found, she traveled half-way across the world to the Muesse-Argonne Cemetery in France to put flowers on Logan's grave.
The grave stone where Logan's mother, father, brother, and sister are buried. Pictured: the names of his sister and brother. On the left, Logan's mother and on the right, his father. The fourth side, where Logan's name might have rested, is blank.
The blank side of the Wheeler tombstone where Logan's name might have rested if not killed during the war.
After stumbling across the gregarious and tragic life of Logan Wheeler, Mark said he has been changed forever. Stepping out from the library's underground belly where he works, Mark sees students chatting and laughing with each other a century after Logan's took his photos. He wonders what it would mean to send these students off to war, and what value the sacrifices of a young man 100 years ago holds for them.
Because of Mark O'English discovering Logan Wheeler's scrapbook, the quote on his family tomb stone truly resonates.
Mark also wonders about a grave, one small plot among thousands half a world away.
"At some point in my life I hope I make it out to that cemetery in France and leave some flowers there," Mark said.
Special thanks to Sueann Ramella, Mark O'English, and the folks at the Logan Wheeler American Legion Building. Original music by Jake Kargl.
Tags: Logan Wheeler Veterans Veterans Day Washington State University World War I WSU Yakima


Man Utd defender Phil Jones has admitted that his own mates even troll him over his now infamous facial expressions on the pitch.
The 27-year-old has enjoyed a successful career at Old Trafford, but for all his hard work on and off the pitch, his priceless expressions have undoubtedly gained significant attention over the years.
As seen in the video below, there have been some truly memorable ones during his stint with the Red Devils, and Jones has revealed that his own mates mock him over them in their WhatsApp group to rub more salt into the wounds.
"It's banter, my mates banter me all the time about it," he told Goal.com in an interview.
Jones went on to add that ultimately he's happy with what he's achieved in his career so far and has now signed a contract extension at Man Utd so he doesn't pay much interest in criticism that comes his way.
As long as he continues to do the business with these facial expressions, we'll all be happy to see him continue to play at the highest level for a few more years.
Happy 25th Birthday Phil Jones!


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Life sentence upheld for Gällivare murder
Sweden's appeals court has upheld a sentence of life imprisonment for Toni Alldén, the 51-year-old who has confessed to killing 29-year-old Carolin Stenvall outside Gällivare in northern Sweden.
Published: 18 June 2009 11:03 CEST
Alldén admitted to killing Stenvall last September but claimed it was an accident. The Gällivare District Court sentenced him to life in prison for the crime in March this year.
Stenvall disappeared on September 12th, 2008 on her way to a job interview near Kiruna.
Her abandoned car was found the following day at a roadside rest stop about ten kilometres south of Gällivare.
Alldén was taken in for questioning on October 16th on suspicions of having murdered the missing woman.
Police discovered traces of Stenvall's blood on the floor mat of Alldén's car.
He later admitted to causing the 29-year-old's death, claiming it took place at the rest stop following an argument over Alldén's driving.
He explained that he pushed Stenvall, who then hit her head on the towing apparatus attached to Alldén's trainer and died.
But an autopsy report indicated Stenvall's death had been caused by gunshot fired at her back, rather than the fall.
TT/The Local [email protected] @thelocalsweden
Santa Winter Games draw Christmas lovers to the Arctic
Christmas cheer came early to Sweden's Arctic mining town of Gällivare this weekend, where Santas from around the world gathered to compete in one of the world's most important but little known sporting events: the Santa Winter Games.
Published: 18 November 2012 12:44 CET
"We're getting into shape before delivering all the Christmas presents and we want to make all the children happy today," said the only Mother Christmas taking part in the competition.
She traveled from France and donned her red suit to compete for the second year in a row.
The nine competitors and their elves paraded Saturday through the Lapland town of Gällivare, located 100 kilometres inside the Arctic Circle, to the site of the competition in the town's centre.
Japan's Santa Claus was accompanied by three human reindeer, who, in a gracious display of Christmas spirit, agreed to pull the sleigh of the local Santa also competing in the event.
Along the route, curious onlookers joined the procession.
Agnes, a toddler bundled up in a warm purple snowsuit, was fascinated.
"A Santa! Oh! Another one! I have to kiss them! All of them! I've never seen so many," she exclaimed.
Raissa, a Russian 53-year-old, came to watch the games for the fifth year in a row.
"I like all these Santa Clauses. It's fun and nice. It's an event that
makes me happy," she said with a wide grin.
As spectators watched from the sidelines, elves and reindeer handed out flags, whistles and candy to supporters.
The Father Christmas from Spain had a three-year-old helper named Marco who conscientiously completed his duties before diving face-first into the snow, as he discovered white fluffy snowflakes for the first time.
The competition included a reindeer-riding event, porridge-eating, karaoke and sack races, before the jury crowned a winner.
"Our local Laplander has to win. He rocks!" said Siri, 11, who watched the competition with her friends atop a snowy hill.
"I promised the Dutch participant that I'd root for him. He's so nice," said Ina-Britt, 76, who has watched each Santa Winter Games since the start in 2003.
France's Mother Christmas said she was having fun, even though there's a lot of effort involved.
"It's not that easy," she admitted between two events.
"Ho ho ho, I'm happy, Merry Christmas!" thundered in English the Chinese Father Christmas who came all the way from Hong Kong.
In the end, the Santa from the Netherlands was declared the winner of the 2012 competition.
"I'm thrilled: I'm the first to win two years in a row. I'm going to come back next year to defend my title," he vowed.
After the competition, everyone had a smile on their lips as they drank mulled wine – or hot chocolate for the youngsters – at the town's picturesque Christmas market.
Some 400 people braved the cold in parkas and warm boots to watch this year's competition, a record, according to organizers.
"Next year, we'll do things bigger," said Mathias Svalenström, who
organizes the annual event.
AFP/The Local


The internet allows us to manipulate how we portray ourselves to the rest of the world- and we all do it. Your Instagram page is probably full of filtered pictures of you laughing with your friends, playing with your kids, and selfies when your makeup is on point. Most of us don't post things that paint us in a a negative light. Catfishing takes this idea to the extreme.
The internet allows individuals with insecurities to take on the identity of somebody else, typically somebody else that may be perceived as being more desirable. Creating a fake profile acts as an escape into a fantasy where the person has complete control over the way in which they interact with their "victim". It is very easy to lie on the internet and over text messaging, where body language and voice tone are absent.
This is where we talk about science. When a person begins to develop romantic feelings for another, the brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that influences mood and emotions. Dopamine causes feelings of excitement and happiness. Some may refer to this as the "honeymoon phase" in a relationship. This may cause the victim to overlook seemingly obvious red flags (such as a refusal to video chat, Snapchat, meet in person, etc.) because the person is feeling excited and happy about their relationship.
After dopamine plays its role, two other neurotransmitters called norepinephrine and phenylethylamine have their turn. These neurotransmitters cause the victim to hyper-focus on the catfish and also cause feelings of euphoria. In other words, the victim is feeling very devoted to their catfish. This makes it even easier to ignore potential red flags.
Some counseling professionals view the phenomenon of catfishing as a behavioral addiction. Sometimes, catfish describe their deceptive online behavior as being addictive and have difficulty stopping. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be beneficial for an individual struggling with catfishing. Additionally, addressing potential underlying issues such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem and body image issues can aid the person even further.
Victims of catfish can also benefit from counseling. Learning potential red flags and how to identify them before they become too committed to the catfish can be invaluable. Also, a counselor can help a person recovering from the mental and emotional after effects of being in a relationship with a catfish.


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Inside the Emmys, or How I Won $50 Off Seth MacFarlane at HBO
It's a jungle at the Governor's Ball and the HBO party. TheWrap gets you the dish
Sharon Waxman | September 23, 2013 @ 7:53 AM
If you're going to take on Seth MacFarlane, it's definitely better to do it when he's halfway into a generous glass of bourbon and enjoying a post-Emmy smoke at the HBO party.
That's where I found him on Sunday, loitering at the entrance to the party at the Pacific Design Center, and for some reason obsessing over the size of New York Times movie critic A.O. Scott.
See photos: Emmys Red Carpet Arrivals
I mean the literal, physical size of the critic. MacFarlane insisted that Scott is obese. I insisted that he was wrong and asked for stakes, and a bet. (This was not high risk on my part, I know Tony Scott, having worked at the Times. He is not obese (pictured, left).
Pause here. This is not all that happened on Emmy night, to be sure. It was a rollicking show with several surprises, including Stephen Colbert finally getting his Emmy due over his frival Jon Stewart, Kerry Washington not getting hers and Aaron Paul's upset loss to Bobby Cannavale in drama.
Also read: Emmys: 'Colbert Report' Breaks 'Daily Show's' 10-Year Winning Streak With Variety Show Award
There was plenty in the air at the Governor's Ball, where there were living sculptures of women in powdered white costumes and an all-girl band on the revolving podium.
Zachary Quinto was hanging out, looking mellow. He didn't win but didn't seem to mind. He's on his way to New York for a long run on Broadway in "The Glass Menagerie," slightly heavier fare than "Star Trek."
John Hodgman, with an impressive handlebar moustache, stopped to give a bear hug to Stephen Colbert and his jubilant crew.
Meanwhile, the sprawling HBO do at the Pacific Design Center was a Who's Who of Hollywood and celebrities.
Tony Hale, a surprise winner for "Veep," was running around the party showing a delightful video of his seven-year-old daughter jumping for joy at the news of her Dad's win for best supporting actor in a comedy.
He said Julia Louis-Dreyfus had called him on Sunday morning and suggested that if she won, he hold her purse during her speech and do a bit as her handler, Gary Walsh. "We weren't sure it was going to work," he said. It was probably the funniest moment of the Emmys.
Also read: What You Didn't See on TV — From Amy Poehler Jacking Ryan Seacrest's Mic to an Emmys 'SNL' Stefon Reunion
Jeff Daniels, who won best actor in a drama series for "The Newsroom," had a long line of well wishers. He explained the gum-chewing during his acceptance speech, like — seriously? "I came thinking it would be Brian (Cranston) or Kevin (Spacey). But when Tony Hale won, I thought, 'They're really thinking this year.'"
But he said he didn't listen when his wife suggested a few times that he get rid of the gum, then when the winner was announced, all those thoughts flew out of his head. Oh well.
Daniels said his character, Will McAvoy, is not based on Keith Olbermann, despite any obvious similarities. "I made him up," Daniels said simply.
Also read: Emmys: 'Breaking Bad' Stars Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul Suffer Upsets, Bitch!
I also ran into Aaron Sorkin (who really made up Will McAvoy), and he said he was on his way up north to San Francisco to research the new movie ("the fourth" he groaned) he's writing about Steve Jobs.
So back to MacFarlane, who has just finished shooting "A Million Days to Die in the West," a live-action Western starring Amanda Seyfried and Charlize Theron. I don't really know why he has a thing about A.O. Scott, or Tony Scott, as those who know him call him. But he does. Apparently Tony didn't like "Ted," and according to Seth, just doesn't like movies at all.
This is highly debatable. But what is not debatable is Tony's general size. I insisted Seth pay up, and to his credit, he did. Fifty buckeroos.
So I had something extra-nice to tip the valet. Happy Emmys.
Waxman
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Ten years after a disputed presidential poll brought Kenya to the brink of civil war, the August 2017 general election was won comfortably by President Uhuru Kenyatta. Although reforms introduced in the 2010 constitution have helped avert large-scale fighting, sporadic outbreaks of violence followed claims by opposition leader Raila Odinga that results had been manipulated. Ethnic divisions continue to be a key driver of electoral violence in Kenya and must be addressed by the government through reforms aimed at a more inclusive democracy. By engaging relevant actors and carrying out field-based research, we work at the national and local levels to build sustainable peace and to help advance reforms that can consolidate democratic gains.
The Hidden Cost of Al-Shabaab's Campaign in North-eastern Kenya
Four years after attacking a university, Al-Shabaab has sustained its campaign, forcing many teachers, nurses and officials to flee north-eastern Kenya, one of the country's most neglected regions. Authorities must do more to tackle insecurity, reopen schools and counter the risk of increased militant recruitment.
Al-Shabaab Five Years after Westgate: Still a Menace in East Africa
After Kenya's Leaders Reconcile, a Tough Path Ahead
Briefing / Africa
Kenya: Averting an Avoidable Crisis
Statement / Africa
CrisisWatch Kenya December 2019
Al-Shabaab attacks continued. Al-Shabaab militants 6 Dec attacked bus travelling from Wajir to Mandera in north east, killing at least ten including seven police officers. Authorities 6 Dec arrested Nairobi governor Mike Sonko in Voi in south on at least seven charges including abuse of power, money laundering and fraud; Sonko pleaded non-guilty 9 Dec.
Al-Shabaab remains focused on recapturing power in Somalia, but it continues to plot attacks in Kenya and Tanzania – and perhaps in Uganda as well. To counter the movement, East African states should eschew heavy-handed crackdowns and work instead to reduce its appeal to potential recruits.
The meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga was an important step toward ending the protracted crisis over last year's disputed election. To build on the progress, consensus is required on concrete steps that can help safeguard against future polarisation and violence.
An Election Delay Can Help Avert Kenya's Crisis
The rerun of Kenya's presidential elections scheduled on 26 October risks escalating a political crisis, as the main opposition leader has withdrawn and the risk of violence is high. The election commission should seek from the Supreme Court a 30-45 day delay to the vote. Kenya's political leaders should support such an extension and commit to participate.
How to Ensure a Credible, Peaceful Presidential Vote in Kenya
Following the annulment of August's historic vote, Kenya must hold repeat presidential elections by 1 November. But rising tensions and the threat of an opposition boycott could result in missing the vote's deadline and risk a constitutional crisis. Both political camps must move away from harsh words and find mutually acceptable electoral reforms to allow elections to proceed.
Kenya's Rift Valley: Old Wounds, Devolution's New Anxieties
While the chance is small that August 2017 elections ignite a major conflict, county governorship races could well trigger inter-ethnic clashes in the Rift Valley, Kenya's populous economic heart. The government should train police in non-violent methods that de-escalate crises, and restart grassroots peacebuilding initiatives.
Kenya's Coast: Devolution Disappointed
Six new coastal counties created by Kenya's 2010 constitution have replicated the closely-held patronage politics of the former Coast province, adding to inefficiencies, costs and mutual suspicions. To maximise the potential of devolution – and prevent militants like Al-Shabaab exploiting popular disappointment – Nairobi and the new counties need to become more cooperative, open to dialogue, and inclusive, especially toward marginalised youth.
When [Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga] has a seat at the table, you expect that there will be less inclination to behave irresponsibly and to close down the democratic space. World Politics Review
Murithi Mutiga
Project Director, Horn of Africa
The U.S. is no longer the dominant external actor in Africa, and must compete for influence not only with China, but a host of other, increasingly assertive, states pursuing their own agendas. Reuters
EJ Hogendoorn
Former Deputy Program Director, Africa
It is vital that [Kenya's President Kenyatta and opposition leader Odinga] invest heavily in ensuring that a more lasting settlement emerges from their talks. Reuters
While we were hoping that [Kenya], after a bruising election season, could pull together, that seems a lost hope. The Wall Street Journal
[Kenya's President] Kenyatta, by resisting all attempts at dialogue, has put himself in a position where he will continue to struggle to be seen as the president of all Kenyans. Reuters
[Kenya's] crisis has highlighted the gulf between the elite and the ordinary people. It is a sentiment I recognise every day. The government and opposition are disconnected from the people's reality. AFP
Rashid Abdi
Former Project Director, Horn of Africa
Interactive / Africa 12 October 2018
Al-Shabaab's attacks in East Africa: A timeline
Commentary / Africa 4 December 2017
Three Critical African Elections
Delayed elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the stalled transition risks provoking a major crisis, are one of three critical African polls: the DRC crisis, the recent vote in Kenya and Zimbabwe's election next year all have important implications for democracy and stability on the continent.
Briefing / Africa 23 October 2017
Briefing / Africa 2 October 2017
Statement / Africa 4 September 2017
Kenya: A Historic Decision, A Tough Road Ahead
Kenya's Supreme Court decision to annul the 8 August presidential election is bold and historic, but the path ahead will be fraught. A successful rerun within 60 days will need compromise on a better electoral commission, more accountable policing and more effective management of the high-stakes vote.


Marvel's The Avengers broke virtually every box-office record known to Hollywood over the weekend, becoming the first film to surpass $200 million domestic on an opening weekend and hurtling toward $1 billion worldwide in what should be a matter of days. Consider the superhero gauntlet thrown down before The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises. Your Weekend Receipts (for what they're worth) are here.
Forget the opening-weekend benchmark that will probably never be broken (at least until they find a way to charge extra extra for 3-D) or the $31 million gap between The Avengers and the old record-holder (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 with $169.2 million), and look at it this way: In three days, a movie featuring Marvel's collected comics icons doing battle with Thor's half-brother over a supernatually powered cube drew more Stateside than the gross domestic products of at least two nations — Kiribati ($167 million) and Tuvalu	($35 million). And that's after Tuvalu mounted a comeback in 2011! Anyway, Tuvalu will likely be a Marvel theme park by this time next year, so book your flight now.
Did you read our trenchant comparison between Think Like a Man and the 2001 comedy Two Can Play That Game? I'd recommend it, because otherwise I've really got nothing here.
After nearly two months as the box office story of the year to date, there goes The Hunger Games beneath the cold, dark, long summer shadows of The Avengers and every other comics flick looming in the distance. No pressure for 2013, Francis Lawrence!
Is there some reason why Zac Efron hasn't plugged into the superhero racket yet? Other than Charlie St. Cloud, I guess. Never mind.
Someone had to finish fifth.
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Recreation friendly lodging for all seasons is abundant in Vermont . Our list includes lodges, cabins, campgrounds and campgrounds. Lodges are listed by town and a list of activities that they offer locally. We hope that you find this service helpful.
The broadest selection of Overland packages available on the web, as well as a comprehensive guide to what's involved and how to get the most from your Overland trip.


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Visit Artist At
Website http://www.jamesnewtonhoward.com/
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SONY MUSIC MASTERWORKS ANNOUNCES EXCITING NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH FOREMOST FILM MUSIC COMPOSER, JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
SONY MUSIC MASTERWORKS ANNOUNCES EXCITING NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH FOREMOST FILM MUSIC COMPOSER, JAMES NEWTON HOWARD New York, August 6, 2020 – Sony Music Masterworks, a division of Sony Music Entertainment is delighted to announce a new, multi-album deal with acclaimed Grammy and Emmy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated film music composer, conductor, musician and music producer, James Newton […]
New York, August 6, 2020 – Sony Music Masterworks, a division of Sony Music Entertainment is delighted to announce a new, multi-album deal with acclaimed Grammy and Emmy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated film music composer, conductor, musician and music producer, James Newton Howard.
The new partnership will see Sony Music Masterworks release a number of albums with Howard, including new arrangements of some of Howard's classic, genre-defying scores, a range of new orchestral works and unique arrangements of classical pieces.
Born in Los Angeles in 1951, Howard has composed the scores to more than 150 films, including such blockbuster movies as 'Pretty Woman', 'King Kong', 'The Hunger Games' franchise, 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight' (in collaboration with Hans Zimmer), 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' and many more. He has forged a special partnership with director, M. Night Shyamalan, scoring many of his classic movies including 'The Sixth Sense', 'Signs' and 'The Village'. He has collaborated with some of the leading film directors in the industry, such as Christopher Nolan, Peter Jackson, Lawrence Kasdan and Francis Lawrence. Away from the big screen, he has also scored a huge amount of music for TV, including the smash hit 'ER'. Howard is also noted for his long-standing collaborations with Sir Elton John, both arranging music for and performing live with the legendary rock star as well as for his own rock music career, which includes working with Toto, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Barbra Streisand, Earth, Wind & Fire, Bob Seger and others.
Howard says: "I am thrilled and honoured to be in partnership with Sony Music Masterworks. They are indeed the crème de la crème. This is a dream project for me representing among other things highlights from my 35 years as a composer for film. I look forward to working with Mark Cavell, Liam Toner, and the entire Sony family to make this project a high point of my career."
Sony Music Masterworks President, Mark Cavell noted: "The opportunity to work closely with such a creative and talented film artist and composer as James Newton Howard is a great honour and privilege. The forthcoming albums showcasing his enormous musical talents will be a wonderful addition to the label and I am both thrilled and excited to welcome James Newton Howard to the Sony Music family."


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What do the edges of campus look like?
Still not very happy with thinking about the edges of campus either as abject or as sublime, as I discussed the other day. Took some photographs to examine more closely, again of UConn, just past dawn, the day before Thanksgiving.
A parking lot is this university's border zone. One arrives on campus at the moment when one parks and disembarks from one's car. But the parking lot itself has edges: trees start where the empty parking lot stops.
The day before thanksgiving is beyond the temporal edges of the academic calendar, off in the shadows of time not regimented by bureaucratic schedules, and even the spatial center of campus is empty at such a moment.
The library is closed and ghostly.
This was a more pastoral scene before the university let its provost build that flashy house on its land. The new president, Michael Hogan, now leases the place for $4000 a month. As if the president's house were the point of contact between university pasture and the forest.
The road leaves campus, running out into the suburbanized countryside. A delivery truck trundles along.
The arches of the barn leap beneath the blue knees of a hilly morning.
Angularity of the gables clashes with the brown spray of the brush. Campus is surrounded by forests and covered by trees.
Farm-industrial complex nestled in the landscape. Grass almost frosted.
A vast, desolate, well-kept lawn is a conspicuous, extravagant waste of space and money, and therefore essential to the prestige of any reputable university. But it's also as if it were essential to have non-academic space in the heart of academic space.
Campus boundaries suddenly become concrete. Or rather iron. And spiky.
But on the other side of the street, the campus road is bordered by an empty and humble stretch of woods, the ground covered with leaves.
Campus borders are not homogeneous. They can take shape as an iron fence, a fork in a road, a pasture's edge, an asphalt lot. Sometimes there really is no border at all, just a progression from the campus center to the outskirts to the countryside. Yet the university, or this university at least, thoroughly undoes the usual progression between the city and the wild. All of a sudden, surrounded by trees, practically without outskirts, industrial buildings rise up; apartment towers and and sports stadiums appear in the middle of nowhere; the clutter of fallen leaves is replaced by a grid of brick pathways. The rural university is an anomaly in the landscape, small and insignificant between the hilltops but still sprawling, sucking the local rivers dry and polluting the groundwater.
The spatial and temporal boundaries of campus overlap oddly. That day before Thanksgiving, for example, the center of campus was quite vacant, while the outskirts had a fair number of middle-aged people walking their dogs – or just walking themselves. The center of campus is itself spatially differentiated and bounded in all sorts of ways: organized by landscape architects into walkways and driveways, lawns and fences; carefully labeled and mapped and lit (at night) in orange sodium; vertically stratified, with the library looking down on the computer science building, which in turn looks down on the adjacent business school; in short, aesthetically and functionally differentiated.
Edges within edges, exteriors within interiors within exteriors, illogical leaps between different borders, fences that protect nothing. The landscape of the university's borders is partly a document of the history of the university – that agriculture school, for instance, is a relic in a state with not much agriculture any more. And all those forests around the university, running out to the horizon in blue, have grown back since the decline of agriculture in Connecticut. Once, according to folk history, almost the whole state was bare of trees. So the forests at the edge of the university's fields are a symbol of the disappearance of the farms that that university used to serve.
The social borders of the university are nicely symbolized by its physical arrangements. That parking lot? A good sign that most of the student have cars. That most of them come from families that can afford cars. Those little roads, running over the hills and through the fields? They run off into the countryside where most of the faculty live, in their faux colonials with their children. Marking the meager barrier between town and university. It's radically different to enter campus through a quiet back road than to enter by the state highway, through commercial strips and traffic howls.
The politics of the university are apparent in its borders too: in the fences that keep the unauthorized from entering the playing fields and the horse fields; in the presidential houses at the campus margins that are overpriced and out of place, paid for by taxpayers in the hopes of housing receptions for prospective donors; in the way the university uses its land. There's a good question for a land-grant university: what is its relationship to the land?
Posted on December 3, 2008 Posted in america, photos, spaceTagged academic space, borders
Semantic inflation in campus building names
University and sky


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$18 million coming to Inland Empire schools,…
$18 million coming to Inland Empire schools, libraries for high-speed internet
School districts in Colton, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga and Rialto are among those receiving the federal dollars
By Beau Yarbrough | byarbrough@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
PUBLISHED: March 25, 2022 at 11:04 a.m. | UPDATED: March 25, 2022 at 12:33 p.m.
During the pandemic, California's public school districts largely switched to online education from March 2020 through the end of the 2020-21 school year.
That move exposed how many students and school districts didn't have access to good internet service.
Newly available federal funding aims to change that in San Bernardino County.
Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino, announced March 17 that Inland Empire school districts and libraries will receive $18.1 million to improve high-speed internet access.
"High-speed internet is a necessity, not a luxury," Aguilar said in a news release. "No one should fall behind in school or miss out on learning because they can't connect to the internet."
The money comes from the Federal Communications Commission's $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund Program. That program, in turn, was financed by the 2021 American Rescue Plan, which focused on providing coronavirus relief funding to communities.
In addition to improving on-campus internet infrastructure, like modems and routers, the fund will help cover the costs of laptops and tablets, along with Wi-Fi hotspots and other broadband internet purchases for students, staff and library patrons off campus.
Districts and schools benefiting from the money include:
Central School District: $1.8 million
Colton Joint Unified School District: $1.6 million
Etiwanda Elementary School District: $532,358
Real Journey Academies: $129,300
Rialto Unified School District: $7 million
San Bernardino City Unified School District: $6.9 million
More on online learning
How Southern California families are making distance learning work
New school year starts with some glitches, lots of participation in the Inland Empire
School-issued computers a lifeline for Southern California schoolchildren during pandemic
Cyberbullying victims are more likely to suffer from depression. Here's how to spot it and stop it.
Experts have long warned of the dangers of the "digital divide" between how well the urban and affluent and the rural and poor can access the internet. But when Gov. Gavin Newsom closed campuses in March 2020, what had been a looming threat became an emergency. School districts scrambled to purchase Chromebooks and other devices, train teachers and staff who might lack expertise and confidence in online education and help students trapped at home get internet access that many did not have.
"Students today cannot be competitive in the workforce of tomorrow with part-time access to technology. This ECF funding will help create equity in our community and opportunity for kids to learn at home as well as in school," Harry "Doc" Ervin, superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District, said in the release. "We applaud Congress for lengthening the bridge we are building over the digital divide in our region with this investment in our children and families."
Beau Yarbrough | Reporter
Beau Yarbrough wrote his first newspaper article taking on an authority figure (his middle school principal) when he was in 7th grade. He's been a professional journalist since 1992, working in Virginia, Egypt and California. In that time, he's covered community news, features, politics, local government, education, the comic book industry and more. He's covered the war in Bosnia, interviewed presidential candidates, written theatrical reviews, attended a seance, ridden in a blimp and interviewed both Batman and Wonder Woman (Adam West and Lynda Carter). He also cooks a mean pot of chili.
byarbrough@scng.com
Follow Beau Yarbrough @LBY3
These bricks are mementos of Riverside's 19th century past
Metrolink Arrow offers $1 round-trip fare between Redlands and San Bernardino


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National/ News/ Top Stories
Graham Makes Anti-LGBTQ Comments Hailing 'Traditional Family Structure'
Chris Johnson, Washington Blade November 2, 2020
Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee guided through President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, said Saturday her confirmation demonstrates women in America can achieve anything — provided they follow a "traditional family structure."
"You know what I like about Judge Barrett? She's got everything!" Graham told a crowd in Conway, S.C. "She's just not wicked smart, she's incredibly good. She embraces her faith. I want every young woman to know there's a place for you in America if you are pro-life, if you embrace your religion and you follow traditional family structure. That you can go anywhere, young lady."
In addition to suggesting women who are support abortion rights and have no faith cannot achieve success in the United States, Graham indicated they must follow a "traditional family structure," which has been a longtime dog whistle used by social conservatives to denigrate and exclude single people and LGBTQ families.
Graham, who is himself single, has been dogged by rumors about his sexual orientation and taunts on social media of being "Lady G," although he has consistently denied being gay.
The remarks comes weeks after Graham was widely criticized for saying that Black Americans and immigrants can "go anywhere" in South Carolina, but they "just need to be conservative, not liberal."
Graham is in the middle of a serious political challenge from Democratic candidate Jaime Harrison, who in some polls neck-and-neck — if not ahead — of the Republican incumbent. Harrison has raised a stunning $57 million in the third quarter of 2020 in his effort to oust Graham from the Senate.
Meanwhile, Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court, which solidified a 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court, has raised fears LGBTQ rights, including same-sex marriage, are in jeopardy with her on the bench. Progressive advocates have been calling for expanding the judiciary with Democratic picks if Joe Biden is elected, otherwise known as packing the court.
The Washington Blade has placed a request in Graham's office seeking comment on whether he stands by his comment on the "traditional family structure."
National /
‹ Trans, Gender Fluid Teens 7 times as Likely to use Drugs; Alcohol before Sex than Cisgender Youth, Study Finds › Pro-Equality Voters Across California Energized Ahead of Historic Election


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FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 7, 2013
DEAR JERRY: Your recent piece about Brian Wilson's Gershwin tribute reminded me of a TV special from about 10 years ago.
It was a tribute to Wilson, with a gathering of celebrities on hand to honor him. They all sang Beach Boys songs, but only Elton John dueted with Brian.
Most memorable for me was them doing "Wouldn't It Be Nice." But what I can't recall is what Elton said about Brian before their song.
Can you can dig up his words of admiration?
—Marsha Pullman, Fond du Lac, Wis.
DEAR MARSHA Didn't have to dig deep for this info.
Titled "An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson," the gala event took place March 29, 2001 at Radio City Music Hall in N.Y. On July 4th, TNT aired a somewhat edited version.
Elton first sings "God Only Knows," then returns to the stage for the night's unsurpassed performance.
Before Brian launches into "wouldn't it be nice if we were older and we wouldn't have to wait so long," Sir Elton John (knighted in 1998) says:
"There's been so many words spoken about the brilliance of Brian Wilson.
"For a keyboard player, like myself, he changed the goal posts when it came to writing songs.
"I'm getting very technical here, but he was one of the first people to move the root note on a chord, and play with the third or the fifth on the bass. And that, if you're a songwriter and a keyboard player, was revolutionary.
"I have so many great memories of listening to his music … and when you heard "Pet Sounds," it blew your head off.
"I'm truly humbled to be on stage with a genius, and a dear, dear man, Brian Wilson."
My first reaction to this "very technical" mumbo-jumbo was that those whose keyboard acumen allows them to understand it require no explanation. For those who don't understand it now, there may not be an adequate explanation.
I'm taking the middle ground here, and offering this brief interpretation:
Brian Wilson broke away from the traditional C chord root and bass notes so common in writing and playing rock and roll music. The major chord has a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth (i.e., C, E, and G).
Perhaps inspired by the great classical composers, who tinkered with such harmonic complexities in the 17th century, Brian introduced pop and rock to an avant-garde application of bass notes in harmonies.
Or better yet just listen to "Pet Sounds," especially "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Sloop John B," and "God Only Knows."
DEAR JERRY: Like most families in the late 1940s, we didn't have a TV. For entertainment, dad played his records, all 78s as I recall.
He had one that sticks with me, but I can't find anything about it.
One side is about a grasshopper being in bed with a guy, or something similar.
All I get when I run a search is stuff about "The Grasshopper and the Ant," "Kung-Fu," and a lot about insects.
Oddly enough, on the other side the singer referred to his woman as a bumble bee, but that search brings up Lavern Baker, the Searchers, and canned tuna.
Any ideas about this record I heard 60-some years ago?
—Charles Chambers, Indio, Calif.
DEAR CHARLES: You recall accurately that both sides of the record had an entomological connection.
The singer is folk and blues legend Huddie William Ledbetter, whose records were credited to either Lead Belly or Leadbelly. In your case, it's the latter.
The Leadbelly 78 that's been bugging you since childhood is "Grasshoppers in My Pillow" backed with "Sweet Mary Blues" (Capitol Americana 40038), a 1947 release.
Having been booted out of the house, the poor fellow no longer has a place to sleep. Using the ground for his bed, it was easy for grasshoppers to crawl inside his pillow. The infestation doesn't end there, as he also complains about crickets in his meal.
Leadbelly also recorded three more tunes with an insect connection: "Boll Weevil"; "Yellow Jacket"; and "Blue Tail Fly."
Turning that Capitol record over, "Sweet Mary Blues" reveals that "she ain't no bumble bee, but she can sure make sweet honey for me, and I'll lose my mind if I don't find sweet Mary."
You are right about dad's record collection being 78s only, as 45s didn't become available until 1949 or later, depending on the company.
IZ ZAT SO? The yin and yang of Huddie Ledbetter is first how he was known to have an explosive temper, one that earned him numerous stints in prisons, based on assorted charges including homicides.
Bob Dylan once referred to Lead Belly as possibly the only convicted felon to record a children's album: "Negro Folk Songs for Young People" (Folkways 7533), issued in 1959.
On the flip side, Lead Belly is equally famous for writing and originally recording some true classics. Among those are "Goodnight Irene" (Weavers, Jo Stafford, etc.); "Cotton Fields" (Highwaymen, Beach Boys); "Rock Island Line" (Lonnie Donegan, Bobby Darin); and "Black Betty" (Ram Jam).
PS: With this column, we begin our 27th year in syndication. If there is a currently syndicated music feature (especially Q&A) that has been running longer, we are not aware of it (which doesn't mean there isn't one out there somewhere).


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"Briar Patch" exhibit examines controversial history of Uncle Remus characters
Sam West
Without realizing it, you've probably seen or heard of the works of Joel Chandler Harris. Characters like Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear are common throughout popular culture, featured in children's stories, animated films like "The Song of the South," and theme park rides such as Disney's Splash Mountain.
But these animal friends have a long and sometimes controversial history, one explored in "Breaking Out of the Briar Patch: Joel Chandler Harris in Perspective," a new exhibit at the Hoole Special Collections library.
"We've tried to show how [the characters] are still very much in existence, but are very much changed by what they were originally," said Meagan Morris, a recently graduated student of history who helped put the exhibit together. "It's really trying to show the change over time, and how we want to go back to addressing where [the characters] came from and the controversies."
Harris was a southern author and journalist who gathered the stories he's famous for from slaves on a Georgia plantation. He later published them in collections, alongside the frame tale of a friendly slave named Uncle Remus. Morris said that because of the racially charged origins of the stories, modern adaptations often remove the Uncle Remus character, and in doing so, obscure where the stories came from.
"We are hoping that with this exhibit, we will bring back the conversation about where all of these things come from that we still use to this day… and that we'll be able to talk about why these things have been removed, why it's important to remember where they've come from, and try and just remember how they're part of our own past," Morris said.
The Uncle Remus stories are usually criticized for portraying the antebellum South in a positive light and feature what Morris described as "stock characters" such as the "old time mammy," the "happy go-lucky slave," and the "pitiful freedman," which modern audiences may find offensive. In the 1970s, Disney adapted Harris's stories into "The Song of the South," a film featuring the Remus character, that it later refused to release on home video.
The exhibit came from a large donation of storybooks, comics and toys given to Hoole Special Collections library. Students Morris and Rebecca Theus compiled and created the exhibit under the advisement of history professor John Giggie and Kate Matheny, curator at Hoole.
"Breaking Out of the Briar Patch" shows how Harris' work has changed through the 20th Century and looks at the original books, adaptations from the Civil Rights era and modern interpretations of the characters. The collection features stuffed animals, illustrations and figurines.
Morris said that balance in the exhibit was important to her, as Harris is revered in some literary circles and reviled in others.
"Harris is somebody who is still celebrated by some as being kind of this influential Southern author who started a new Southern literary tradition, and at the same time, he was very much criticized, and rightly so, by other authors like Alice Walker Harris, who are just trying to show he's appropriated African-American culture," she said.
Curator Kate Matheny said that the exhibit's difficult subject matter is all the more reason why it should be studied and talked about.
"I'd rather call it 'challenging' than somehow 'controversial' or 'scandalous,'" she said. "That's precisely the kind of thing that you should be engaging with people. Getting people to think and examine things, and being able to present it in a balanced and academic way."
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Elliott Davis Announces Expansion of Corporate Headquarters
Greenville, S.C. (January 24, 2019) – Elliott Davis, a leading business solutions firm with nine offices across the Southeast and nearly 800 employees, today announced plans to move its corporate headquarters from the current location at 200 East Broad Street in downtown Greenville to a larger, more modern space at 435 South Main Street in the new Falls Tower building within the Camperdown development.
"We're at an exciting point in the evolution of Elliott Davis," said Rick Davis, CEO of Elliott Davis. "Our new headquarters is an extension of that evolution and will support the growth we're experiencing throughout our firm. This space will provide the room and amenities to help us attract and retain the best talent in this very competitive market. Our employees are our most valuable asset, and we believe the design of this office will reinforce a culture that is highly collaborative and innovative."
Located in a strategic setting on Main Street, the new headquarters underscores Elliott Davis' commitment to the city it has called home since its founders opened the Greenville office in 1925. It will occupy 60,000 square feet across three floors, as well as a collaborative street-level space that the community and visitors alike will be able to enjoy. The expansion, which is scheduled to take place in November 2020, will accommodate the company's anticipated future growth and facilitate the cross-practice collaboration that fuels innovation and enables the firm to deliver more value to its clients.
"On behalf of the City of Greenville, I'm absolutely thrilled at the commitment Elliott Davis is making to our great city by serving as the primary tenant of the highly anticipated Camperdown building on Main Street," stated Mayor Knox White. "As one of the Top 40 accounting firms in the U.S., this is a true statement to our thriving economy and the exciting future we have ahead of us."
Elliott Davis' new headquarters will house the firm's growing number of local employees, its executive offices and the Greenville operations team, which includes tax, assurance, and consulting and advisory leadership. A shared-workspace environment, coupled with meeting rooms and common areas on each floor, will provide ample opportunities for employees to forge the cross-discipline relationships that foster creativity and ultimately yield holistic business solutions.
"The Camperdown team is ecstatic to be a part of the new Elliott Davis headquarters in the Falls Tower building," said Brody Glenn, president of Camperdown's developer, Centennial American Properties. "Local companies reinvesting in downtown is one of the reasons Greenville has become one of the best downtowns in the country. Elliott Davis is a great example of this and their commitment to being a corporate leader in Greenville for years to come."
Camperdown is a "live, work, play" development scheduled to open in 2020. In addition to the Falls Tower building where the new Elliott Davis headquarters will be located, Camperdown will feature a 196-room AC Hotel; 80,000 square feet of retail space; a 609-space parking garage; and the largest public plaza in the city's history.
About Elliott Davis, LLC
Elliott Davis, LLC is a leading business solutions firm offering a full spectrum of services in the areas of tax, comprehensive assurance, and consulting services to diverse businesses, organizations and individuals. With a network of nearly 800 forward-thinking professionals in major U.S. markets and alliance resources across the globe, the organization ranks among the Top 40 and fastest-growing accounting firms in the United States. Elliott Davis has been providing innovative solutions since its founding in 1920. Visit elliottdavis.com for more information.
Adrian Grenier, Actor and UN Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador, Joins BarberWind Turbines' Advisory Board
Greenville, SC | December 11, 2018- BarberWind Turbines LLC, a groundbreaking wind technology company, is excited to announce that Adrian Grenier has joined their Advisory Board. In front of the camera, Grenier is best-known for starring as Vincent Chase on Entourage, one of HBO's most popular half-hour series in the network's history.
Adrian Grenier is as passionate about leading a global evolutionary shift as he is about embodying compelling characters. On World Environment Day in June 2017, Grenier was appointed a UN Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador through which he advocates for a collaborative approach to address our environmental issues.
The BarberWind Turbines' executive team met Mr. Grenier in September at the Caribbean Transitional Energy Conference (CTEC). "There was an immediate sense of aligned beliefs and shared goals," says Tammy Barber, Owner and COO of BarberWind Turbines LLC.
"I am always excited about companies that are on the cutting edge of technology, especially when the environment is the main beneficiary," says Adrian Grenier. "When I learned that BarberWind Turbines is making energy more viable and economical for the world's remote locations, I rushed to get involved. BarberWind Turbines is bringing a cleaner form of energy to a whole new market, serving areas that didn't previously have a chance to consider wind as an option. This is truly innovative and important."
"We are so excited to have Adrian on board, his belief in our technology, and the doors he will be able to open for us at the United Nations and other places that are hungry for greener sources of energy," says Debbie O'Hara, CMO and VP Sales & Marketing, of BarberWind Turbines LLC.
ABOUT BARBERWIND TURBINES LLC
Our product is transforming wind power and changing lives. The BarberWind Turbines 800kW wind turbine has been designed for microgrid, stand alone and other distributed generation applications especially those currently dependent on diesel fuel systems like island nations and farms and ranches. It has a built-in lifting system so can be erected without an expensive crane, can be hinged down during the approach of severe weather or a hurricane, and can survive a Cat. 5 (155mph) when lowered. The BWT800kW can be shipped in standard containers and is the most economical renewable energy solution in the world.
HOMES URBAN ANNOUNCES NEW CONSTRUCTION IN ATHENS, GA
New Project will Provide the City of Athens a Non-Student Living Space
Athens, Georgia | December 12, 2018 – Homes Urban, LLC is excited to announce that it will begin construction of a mixed-use project at 100 Prince Avenue in Athens, Georgia. They are working with architecture firm, McMillan Pazdan Smith, civil engineering firm, Smith Planning and general contractors, Trehel Corporation to bring this project to life. The project site was formerly known as St. Joseph's Catholic Church and will be redeveloped to include 110 Class A apartments, a 10,000 square foot grocery and 17,000 square feet of additional retail and commercial space. The original St. Joseph's chapel constructed in 1911 will be preserved and re-purposed as a restaurant.
The company has worked to acquire the 6.7-acre property from St. Joseph's Catholic Church for over 7 years after the church made the decision to relocate. The site is adjacent to downtown Athens and will provide an iconic destination for upscale townhomes and apartments, a walkable neighborhood village and Athens' first urban-scale grocery store.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work on such an iconic project in this special town," said Russ Davis, principal of Homes Urban. "100 Prince will provide a much needed urban grocery to residents living in or near downtown as well as new upscale apartments for permanent urban residents. We look forward to making the idea of this project a reality."
Over the past 10 years, few apartments for permanent households have been developed in metro Athens. Instead, most post-recession supply has been in the form of purpose-built student apartments.
ABOUT HOMES URBAN
Homes Urban, LLC, located in Greenville, South Carolina, was founded in 2013 by J. Russ Davis, Jr. and
E.J. Mondor. Homes Urban acquires and develops high-barrier, primarily in-fill multifamily housing and
mixed-use projects in markets throughout the Southeast.
UST NAMES SCOTT MOORE AS PRESIDENT
Greenville, S.C. – January 15, 2019 – As of December 2018, UST, Greenville S.C.-based logistical solutions company has named Scott Moore, President of UST. Moore has been with UST for 8 years and a Partner in the company since 2015.
Prior to being appointed President, Moore served as Chief Administration Officer for three years as well as VP of Business Relations, and Director of Corporate Administration.
"It is one of my greatest honors to name Scott Moore as President of UST" stated Scott Ramsey, CEO and Founder of UST. "Scott is a walking manifestation of our company's core values. He provides our organization with continual results and our people with an impeccable role model. I cannot envision success in our mission to transform the industry without Scott Moore by our side."
As an active corporate citizen within the Greenville community, Moore works with a variety of non-profits including serving on the Board of The Family Effect where UST was recently awarded Corporate Philanthropist of the Year. This award recognizes a business, corporate, or foundation who demonstrates outstanding commitment to the Upstate community.
"As I embark on this new role, I feel very proud to work for UST" stated Scott Moore, President & Partner of UST. "I consider myself lucky to work among such an incredible team, within such a great community and I look forward to a successful future ahead."
For more information on UST, visit their website at www.uste3.com.
ABOUT UST
UST is a national third-party logistics solutions company that specializes in the "final mile" delivery of furniture and appliances from the retailer's warehouse directly to the customer's home and is based out of Greenville, SC. With 137 employees and over 450 independent contractors across 20 states, UST believes that the home delivery experience is not only a commodity, it is key to the consumer's lasting impression and therefore critical to earning repeat business. UST works with retailers and supply chain providers from all over the country to transform the industry through operations, technology-based systems and creative management solutions.
SPINX CELEBRATES NEW STORE OPENING IN GREENVILLE
Largest Spinx store with new tunnel wash opens on Rutherford Street
Greenville, S.C. – January 10, 2019 – The Spinx Company, the Greenville S.C.-based fuel and convenience retail company with more than 80 locations and 45 car washes statewide, officially marked the opening of its newest store in Greenville with a ribbon cutting today. Located at 619 Rutherford St. on the corner of Rutherford and Shaw Streets in Greenville, the new store will serve as a marquee entry point of the "Poinsett District," a corridor along Poinsett Highway that the Greenville County Redevelopment Authority is focused on revitalizing.
At more than 6,600 sq. ft., this is the largest Spinx store to date and features its new interior layout and décor, which is representative of the company's local, Southern roots. The store offers around-the-clock service with a full-service kitchen, eight multi-product fuel dispenser pumps, a walk-in beer cave featuring local craft as well as national brand beers. The site also has a 72 ft. tunnel car wash with free vacuums as part of its statewide car wash club.
"I'm so excited about opening a store at this location, the very spot where I operated one of my first gas stations," said Stewart Spinks, Spinx Founder and Chairman of the Board. "We look forward to bringing our legendary fried chicken, convenient on-the-go food and beverage options, tunnel car wash and friendly service to our customers heading in and out of Downtown Greenville."
The new location provides another convenient location for the community to fill their gas tanks and enjoy Spinx's legendary fried chicken, breakfast biscuits and chicken sandwiches served fresh all day. Also at this location, Spinx is serving made-to-order milkshakes, smoothies and soft serve ice cream in addition to its wide offering of ice-cold fountain drinks, lemonade, iced tea, slushies and the popular "chewy ice." Hot beverages, including bean-to-cup fresh coffee and Nitro Cold Brew, will also be available for purchase.
Grand opening specials will run through the end of January and Spinx Car Wash Club monthly memberships are available at discounted prices. Learn more at www.SpinxCarWash.com or www.Spinx.com.
ABOUT SPINX
Founded in 1972 in Greenville, S.C., The SPINX Company operates nearly 80 convenience retail stores throughout South Carolina, and with approximately 1,400 employees, it is the largest privately-held retailer headquartered in the state. SPINX is committed to making life easier by fulfilling people's everyday needs with fresh, on-the-go food, beverages and other convenience products delivered in a safe, clean and friendly environment. Through the SPINX Xtras Loyalty program and the SPINX mobile app, the company offers its loyal customers savings on fuel and special promotions.
For more information about SPINX or the SPINX Xtras program, visit the company's website at www.spinx.com.
SPINX OPENS TUNNEL CAR WASH ON PELHAM ROAD IN GREENVILLE
Greenville, S.C. – January 2, 2019 – SPINX, the Greenville S.C.-based fuel and convenience retail company with more than 80 locations and 45 car washes statewide, recently celebrated the opening of its newest tunnel car wash on Saturday, December 22nd. Located at 2601 Pelham Road in Greenville, the new tunnel wash – the company's first free-standing car wash – is part of the new SPINX Car Wash Club, which offers customers unlimited car washes at any SPINX car wash location for a monthly membership fee.
"We're so excited to open our first Ride 'N' Shine tunnel car wash in Greenville and to expand our Car Wash Club offering," stated Stewart Spinks, founder and chairman of The SPINX Company. "Our new tunnel wash and statewide wash club set us apart from the competition, delivering quick, thorough car washes across the Upstate and making it easy and affordable for our customers to keep their vehicles clean."
To celebrate the new car wash, SPINX is offering a grand opening special to customers who sign up for the Car Wash Club at the Pelham Rd. location, where they will receive the first three months for half price. With this special, membership fees range from $9.99/month for the Classic Wash Club to $17.99/month for the Premium Wash Club.
The new tunnel wash system is the second of many that SPINX plans to open in South Carolina. Each wash offers environmentally conscious water reclamation systems and eco-friendly chemicals, as well as advanced technology to give customers the best wash for their budget. The advanced system features a 3D scan of each vehicle to precisely target soap and high-pressure water based on its size and shape for the most accurate clean. The new tunnel wash is also equipped with specially engineered blowers to achieve a drier vehicle while conserving energy. An attendant will be available during operating hours to provide pre-wash prep and to assist customers.
Hours for the SPINX Ride 'N Shine tunnel wash located off Pelham Road are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Free vacuums provided with any car wash purchase. For more information or to join the SPINX Car Wash Club, visit www.SpinxCarWash.com.
Founded in 1972 in Greenville, S.C., The SPINX Company operates nearly 80 convenience retail stores throughout South Carolina, and with approximately 1,400 employees, it is the largest privately-held retailer headquartered in the state. SPINX is committed to making life easier by fulfilling people's everyday needs with fresh, on-the-go food, beverages and other convenience products delivered in a safe, clean and friendly environment. Through the SPINX Xtras Loyalty program and the SPINX mobile app, the company offers its loyal customers savings on fuel and special promotions. For more information about SPINX or the SPINX Xtras program, visit the company's website at www.myspinx.com.


Accusonus has released version 1.7.6 of Regroover, the plugin that allows you to unmix your loops into distinct sound layers.
The update brings improved graphics performance for macOS using OpenGL and it fixes issues of drag 'n drop for small audio clips for the Pro version.
Various other fixes and performance improvements are also included.
Accusonus has also launched a promotion in collaboration with Noiiz, offering an exclusive time-limited deal where Accusonus customers can register at Noiiz.com and get a 3 month free pass plus $100 USD off their unlimited membership until February 16th.
Noiiz is a perfect partner for Regroover! Get instant access to unlimited loops and samples from within your DAW with the Noiiz plugin and instantly remix them using Regroover's innovative beat production capabilities.
You will need a credit card to sign up, but you won't be charged in the first 3 months and you can cancel at any time.
Existing Noiiz subscribers can take advantage of the first in a new series of 'Noiiz + Friends' partnerships and download a free copy of Regroover Essential, a $99 USD value.


Now, Ryan works for Eloise, who has been chosen to head a new special unit, a shadow squad taking on 'assignments deemed too hot to handle'. Their investigation begins after they start receiving videos of blood-soaked scenes, accompanied by a woman's chilling audio narration telling how the victims bled out. Soon they begin finding bodies to match the scenes. They dub the narrator a wannabe Spielberg.
As the plot thickens, Grace, Frank and Caroline are pulled in to the investigation. Readers and the team learn more about Eloise's private life - and she's not happy about it. Investigators work hard to find any link between high-profile victims in three countries, with no forensic evidence, but they get there eventually, despite red herrings. What pulls all the threads together? A documentary about a terrible life-limiting disease.
Though at times the characters don't really ring true, their angst excessive, I do enjoy this series and look forward to more.


Sometime back, I had written about how to override appSettings during development in traditional ASP.NET application.
Recently, we started development of a ASP.NET Core application and had a similar challenge. Our developers work on different operating systems (Windows and Mac). They have different local connection strings and application settings. We had a same problem as earlier: How do we ensure that we do not store developer specific app settings/ connection string in source control.
One of the issue, with the above two approaches is that the settings are stored outside the IDE. Also, since these settings override the appSettings.json file it can cause confusion while debugging as the developer may not realize that settings are being overridden.
For our project we were looking for the simplest possible solution without any additional overhead. The easiest possible solution us for was to use appSettings.Developement.json file to store local settings and exclude it from source control by adding to .gitignore (we use Git).
However, we already have a separate "Dev" environment where we first deploy our application before pushing to Test and Live environments. Using the default Developement environment for the purpose of storing the local settings could have confused the developers.
As a result, we ended up adding a new appSettings.Local.json file to the project. This setting file was then added to .gitignore to exclude this file from source control.
Last but not the least, we updated Startup.json to use developer exception page while doing development.
That's it! This approach helped us to keep all our settings in one place (within our IDE) and it turned out to be a pretty neat solution to our problem.
Hope you find this tip useful. Please share your thoughts in comments section below.


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Q: Office 365 oAuth verify user is member of organization I am building a web application for a client and logging in with Office 365 is a requirement for the client. I am having a difficult time deciphering what exactly I need to do to make it so that only users with an email address belonging to their Office 365 organization can authenticate with my app using oAuth.
Is there a way to do this? Or am I going to have to implement the AD 1.0 endpoints? Being able to pull the users' groups and other enterprise-related data would be great but for simplicity's sake, all I really need to do is verify that they are apart of an organization.
How would I do this using the AD 2.0 endpoints?

A: The tenant id (tid) claim in the identity token would identify which organization (tenant) they belong to. But even easier than just checking the tid for every user would be to use the tenant-specific logon URL. So instead of the /common/oauth2/v2.0/authorize endpoint, use /<tenantid>/oauth2/v2.0/authorize.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Download these FREE Monogram Birthday Printable Cupcake Toppers and decorate any way you like! Includes the whole alphabet!
I made these Monogram Printable Cupcake Toppers for my daughter's 7th Birthday Party and they were a big hit! I took a simple design and made them really fun and colorful with some extra elements. They were super quick to make with the right tools!
First off, I have to thank my friend Laura from Pink Cake Plate for making these cupcakes for me. Isn't that frosting the most beautiful, bright color?
First, download the printables at the bottom of this post, print out the page you need and cut them with the 2″ hole punch.
Next, if you want to gold foil, send them through your Minc Machine (check out a tutorial HERE for the best heat setting and paper to use). NOTE: I created these before I found out about Jennifer's post. You can see specks in the foiling and that's because my paper wasn't smooth enough. Make sure you use really smooth paper like this brand.
After you're done foiling your paper, cut out 3″ circles on your Gold Glitter Card Stock with the Cricut Explore Air™ (I tried a hole punch and glitter paper is really thick so do a practice cut if you plan to use a hole punch).
Glue two feathers on the glitter part of the paper, then glue the monogram printable on top of that.
Cut your Gold Straws in half, then hot glue them to the back of your cupcake toppers, then place in the cupcakes!
These cupcake toppers were my favorite detail for the party! I didn't want to make cupcake wrappers for these (I forgot about it until the day of the party), so I improvised and hot glued small bows to the front of the cupcake. I think it was a really cute touch!


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Beyond the Mainstream
WOMEN IN PEACE POLITICS
By Paula Banerjee
Sage Publications, New Delhi, 2008, pp. 323, Rs. 450.00
VOLUME XXXII NUMBER 10 October 2008
Women by their presence and agency have multiple roles in the various armed conflicts of South Asia. Their roles as combatants and peace makers awaken curiosity amongst onlookers and interest amongst researchers. Yet women and civil society actors remain outside this process to governments of South Asia who are supposedly looking for solutions. This edited collection brings together a set of concerns related to the peace aspect of women's roles in conflict situations, and combines theoretical insights, empirical evidences, stories, pamphlets and poems around this chosen theme. Several of these essays have been published earlier but that does not detract from their relevance especially because as Rannabir Samaddar states at the outset: peace with justice has not been on the agenda of peace making in South Asia. Located in a feminist framework this bouquet for young women researchers brings back relevant theoretical insights of how feminists look at gender issues and the construction of masculinities and femininities during times of war and peace. Cynthia Cockburn's contribution on 'Feminism as a Resource in Opposing Xenophobia' theorizes on how not to think about identity by showing how it is constructed. This she argues calls for a special kind of political imagination, which can be constructed by imaging a political future when identity is provisional and not essential: 'As contingent necessity, not as truth.' Feminism can transcend such identity Cockburn believes and feminism is a critique of the politics of gender identity because 'it perceives that different modes of gender differentiation are possible'. Cockburn thus rejects the essentialist forms of feminism in favour of the collective form with a project for transformative change. She explains the construction of the 'model' or most acceptable identity of a citizen by the state (and by advertisers) that pressurizes us to be a particular 'type' that suits nationalism and the state. Cockburn however states that all wars are about economic power and control. This is a somewhat economic deterministic and essentialist argument in an otherwise brilliant essay and actually contradicts her analysis on identity. The conflict in Kashmir for example is on account of an alienated community rather than economic power. Any amount of economic power and control is not likely to give the Kashmiri people solace after all the human rights abuses. Thus denial of rights is equally important as economic power and control. But aside from this, Cockburn's essay makes for essential ...


Local recurrence and lymphnode (LN) metastasis are the most significant risk factors for morbidity and mortality for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of SCCAg mRNA expression in OSCC patients having histopathologically negative lymphnodes (HNLNs) and pretherapeutic peripheral blood samples (PPBs.). SCCAg mRNA was evaluated in total N=123 samples using nested RT-PCR technique. SPSS statistical software was used and p value <0.05 was considered as significant. The analysis revealed that in HNLNs, the mean ? SE for SCCAg mRNA expression was 1794.98 ? 106.67 with a median of 1488.0 while in PPBS it was 2308.27 ? 196.10 with a median of 1985.0. The frequency of SCCAg mRNA in HNLNs and in PPBs was 27% (15/55) and 29% (8/28), respectively. SCCAg mRNA expression in HNLNs and in PPBs showed a significant positive correlation with tumor size and lymphatic permeation. Multivariate survival analysis for RFS demonstrated that only SCCAg mRNA expression in HNLNs (p=0.001) and PPBs (p=0.001) were the most significant independent prognostic factors. However, for OS, multivariate analysis showed that SCCAg mRNA of HNLNs emerged at step 2 after tumor size and for PPBs it remained as single most significant independent prognostic marker. Thus, SCCAg mRNA may represent a useful tool for more accurate staging, which could improve disease management and help to obtain maximal therapeutic benefit from adjuvant therapies. Hence, SCCAg mRNA transcript could serve as a useful independent predictor of disease relapse, suggesting an increased risk of silent metastasis.


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San Antonio approves e-scooter rules
Josh Baugh, Staff Writer
Oct. 11, 2018 Updated: Oct. 11, 2018 9:56 p.m.
Electric Bird scooters are lined up along Soledad Street in downtown San Antonio on July 1, 2018. Riders can rent any one and return it whenever they please.
Josie Norris /Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less
Marty Lind of Austin crosses Commerce Street in downtown San Antonio on an electric Bird scooter on July 1, 2018.
April Galindo of Austin hops on an electric Bird scooter in Main Plaza in downtown San Antonio on July 1, 2018. There are several thousand in the city now.
Justine Gonzales rides in the parking lot by "the Pearl". City staff presented a set of recommendations Monday to the City Council's Transportation Committee, including a proposal that electric scooters follow the same laws as bicycles. That includes staying off sidwalks. But Chairman Rey Saldana said that's a no-go for him.
Ronald Cortes, Photo CorrespondentShow MoreShow Less
Scooters riders cross Alamo st. City staff presented a set of recommendations Monday to the City Council's Transportation Committee, including a proposal that electric scooters follow the same laws as bicycles. That includes staying off sidwalks. But Chairman Rey Saldana said that's a no-go for him.
An electric Bird scooter sits along Soledad Street in downtown San Antonio July 1, 2018. There are around 150 Bird electric scooters deployed downtown, in Dignowitty Hill, Government Hill and Southtown. Anyone can use them by downloading the Bird app and paying $1 plus $0.15 per minute. The city didn't know about the recent deployment of the devices, which can be left anywhere, but is working quickly to develop regulations.
Josie Norris, Staff / San Antonio Express-NewsShow MoreShow Less
Electric Bird scooters sit along Soledad Street in downtown San Antonio July 1, 2018. There are around 150 Bird electric scooters deployed downtown, in Dignowitty Hill, Government Hill and Southtown. Anyone can use them by downloading the Bird app and paying $1 plus $0.15 per minute. The city didn't know about the recent deployment of the devices, which can be left anywhere, but is working quickly to develop regulations.
Marty Lind of Austin crosses Commerce Street in downtown San Antonio on an electric Bird scooter July 1, 2018. There are around 150 Bird electric scooters deployed downtown, in Dignowitty Hill, Government Hill and Southtown. Anyone can use them by downloading the Bird app and paying $1 plus $0.15 per minute. The city didn't know about the recent deployment of the devices, which can be left anywhere, but is working quickly to develop regulations.
April Galindo of Austin hops on an electric Bird scooter in the Main Plaza in downtown San Antonio July 1, 2018. There are around 150 Bird electric scooters deployed downtown, in Dignowitty Hill, Government Hill and Southtown. Anyone can use them by downloading the Bird app and paying $1 plus $0.15 per minute. The city didn't know about the recent deployment of the devices, which can be left anywhere, but is working quickly to develop regulations.
Marty Lind of Austin turns off an electric Bird scooter by using his phone in downtown San Antonio July 1, 2018. There are around 150 Bird electric scooters deployed downtown, in Dignowitty Hill, Government Hill and Southtown. Anyone can use them by downloading the Bird app and paying $1 plus $0.15 per minute. The city didn't know about the recent deployment of the devices, which can be left anywhere, but is working quickly to develop regulations.
Lex Robinson rides her scooter as DJ Johnson recorders her at the "The Pearl". City staff presented a set of recommendations Monday to the City Council's Transportation Committee, including a proposal that electric scooters follow the same laws as bicycles. That includes staying off sidwalks. But Chairman Rey Saldana said that's a no-go for him.
Bird e-scooters parked along North Main Street as seen Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018. San Antonio City Council is seeking the creation of an ordinance regulating e-scooters.
The Alamo City's Wild West of electric scooters has become civilized — at least on the books.
The City Council unanimously adopted a six-month pilot program Thursday regulating the companies that own the dockless vehicles and the people who use them.
How quickly riders adapt to the rules, which take effect next Friday, remains to be seen.
"There's always going to be that knucklehead out there who drives like a jerk and puts himself or others at risk," Councilman Manny Pelaez said.
But most riders likely will find the rules simple to follow: Always yield to pedestrians. Stay out of parks and plazas. Stay off the River Walk. Use bike lanes when they're available. Riding on a sidewalk is OK if there's no bike lane, but stay 2 feet away from any pedestrian.
Riders must be at least 16 years old, and the use of helmets is encouraged but not required.
City staff and elected leaders purposely used a "soft touch" in writing the ordinance, looking to keep riders and pedestrians safe while giving the new type of business an opportunity to flourish.
New scooter rules
Minimum riding age: 16
Helmets encouraged, not required
Always yield to pedestrians
Use bike lanes when available
May use sidewalk if no bike lane
Stay out of parks, off trails
Source: City of San Antonio
"This is kind of a big deal," Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. "I'm excited about the fact that we demonstrated here in San Antonio that we can accommodate a brand-new technology for which there's really no regulatory scheme."
Several years ago, a different council took a very different tack in dealing with the first wave of transportation-network companies, such as Uber and Lyft.
In that instance, officials crafted a strict set of regulations — driven primarily by the taxi industry, which feared losing market share — that ended with the companies leaving town. They returned only after Councilman Roberto Treviño negotiated a new set of rules that made business sense to the ride-hailing firms and appeased concerns about public safety.
"Rather than trying to fit a round peg into a square hole," Nirenberg said of the motorized scooters, "we sort of watched this develop, (saw) where the pressure points are and responded accordingly."
On the business side, the ordinance requires that dockless-vehicle companies have insurance, employ a local fleet manager, work quickly to correct any violations — such as illegally parked scooters — and pay a $500 vendor fee, in addition to $10 per vehicle in operation.
When they're parked, scooters can't block sidewalks, bus stops or disabled parking zones, impede reasonable pedestrian access to a sidewalk or be too close to building entrances.
If a scooter is parked illegally and the company doesn't respond within one to two hours, the scooter can be impounded by the city and the owner must pay $50 to get it back.
The scooters, which generally are unlocked for $1 with a smart-phone app and cost 15 cents a minute to ride, can't be operated on streets where the speed limit exceeds 35 mph.
Riders who violate the ordinance could be charged with a Class C misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $500.
There currently are about 3,000 scooters on San Antonio's streets from three companies: Bird, Lime and Blue Duck, a local start-up.
John Jacks, director of San Antonio's Center City Development & Operations Department, said several other companies have expressed interest in operating here.
Additionally, he and others expect more innovative transportation solutions are coming to San Antonio, including dockless bicycles.
Pelaez said the electric scooters can help solve the "first mile, last mile" problem, where commuters have to walk a considerable distance to and from the closest mass transit stations. Dockless scooters can make getting to a bus stop, for example, much faster and easier in both directions.
On the other hand, opponents have complained the devices are disruptive, ugly and unsafe.
"That's the nature of disruptive technology — it disrupts," Pelaez said. "I have a feeling that future City Councils will be dealing with the scourge of hover shoes, or whatever, right?"
Nirenberg said he, too, had received complaints about scooters. The city has been asking the companies to take care of the gripes. But with the new ordinance, San Antonio now will have a bit more bite.
"This does allow us to have a safety mechanism for the public that demands it from us," he said. Next Friday, "we stop asking nicely."
Josh Baugh is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jbaugh@express-news.net | Twitter: @jbaugh
Josh Baugh
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After 10 years covering City Hall for the San Antonio Express-News, Baugh moved into the environment beat in February 2019.
A native of the Alamo City, Baugh was hired as a suburban-cities reporter at his hometown newspaper in 2006.
He began his newspaper career at the Denton Record-Chronicle while working on a master's degree in journalism at the University of North Texas and later covered Texas A&M University for The Eagle in College Station. He's covered various facets of government and politics ever since.
Baugh has previously written about public housing, county government and transportation for the Express-News.