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How to care for poinsettias: Your guide to the Christmas flower
What are the do's and don'ts of Christmas decorating safety?
Lifestyle expert Carey Reilly with Christmas decorating tips for the 2020 holiday season.
Poinsettias have been a Christmas staple in the U.S. for nearly 200 years, but that doesn't mean everyone knows how to take care of these tropical flowers.
It's estimated that roughly 35 million potted poinsettias are sold in the U.S. each year. Some folks are content with keeping the iconic red flower for only a few weeks each holiday season while others have mastered keeping the poinsettias alive long enough for it to rebloom the next year.
If you're aspiring to be a poinsettia "plant parent," there are a few things you're going to need to know before you visit your local flower shop or nursery.
"Unlike cut flowers, houseplants don't have an expiration date, which is one of the many reasons we love them," said Erin Marino, editorial lead at The Sill – a direct-to-consumer plant company. "Popular holiday houseplants like vibrant poinsettias and miniature evergreens can survive long after the holiday season is over."
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), also known as the Christmas Star flower, is a vibrant red flower that's native to Mexico and Central America. The plant was popularized in the U.S. by Joel R. Poinsett, an American physician and diplomat who brought the plant stateside in the late 1820s while he was a minister to Mexico.
Marino told Fox News that poinsettia owners mainly need to monitor these holiday flowers for sunlight, temperature, watering and trimming.
"Poinsettias prefer medium to bright indirect light. Keep them on a windowsill to give them the most amount of daylight possible, especially during the winter when the sun sets earlier," Marino said. "If your home lacks natural light, you can try placing your plant directly under a fluorescent lamp or plant grow light during the day."
Since poinsettias are native to Mexico and Central America, the plant thrives in warm climates.
"Be mindful of the temperature indoors and don't place your poinsettia near any hot or cold drafts that could come from heaters or cracked windows. They prefer temperatures in the 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit range," Marino explained. "Unless you live in southern Florida, don't plan to place your plants outside until late spring."
Like other tropical plants, healthy poinsettias grow in soil that's moist to the touch. Soil that's too dry or wet could result in a poinsettia's shortened lifespan.
Poinsettias are tropical flowers that thrive in warm and wet climates. Plant owners should make sure this holiday flower remains in moist, but not overly wet soil.
Marino recommends watering a poinsettia plant about once a week, but she also warns against overwatering because it could lead to root rot. If too much water has been added by accident, Marino advises emptying the planter's saucer to release the excess H20. Poinsettia owners who want to go the extra mile want to consider using a humidifier at home, however, this step is not mandatory.
If your poinsettia survives long enough to make it to spring, it will be ready for "significant pruning," according to Marino.
"Remove all dead leaves and flowers from your holiday plants, especially crispy poinsettias leaves," she said. "If they're in holiday packaging, for example, a paper or foil sleeve, it's time to remove it. Decorative sleeves usually push leaves up and block light, which ultimately shortens a plant's lifespan."
Additional poinsettia considerations
Figuring out how much water a Poinsettia needs is probably one of the most challenging parts of caring for the plant, especially if it's your first time.
Jim Faust, Ph.D., an associate professor of floriculture physiology at Clemson University, told Fox he recommends watering poinsettias with one to two cups of water each week with "smaller amounts for small pots, larger amounts for large pots."
The temperature of the water also matters, according to NatureID – an AI- and botanist-driven plant identification app.
Poinsettia flowers reach their peak coloring in the autumn and winter season. There are more than 100 poinsettia varieties in existence.
A media representative for the app told Fox that cold water is harmful to poinsettias. The optimum water temperature is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
The plant resource also recommends repotting large poinsettias if they have been purchased from a nursery or have simply outgrown their original pot.
Last words of advice
Poinsettia owners who are worried that their green thumb isn't good enough to keep these plants alive might feel comfort in knowing that this tropical flower has been bred to have higher survival odds.
Like other flowers, poinsettias need to be pruned and repotted after they grow a significant amount.
"Modern poinsettias are not your grandmother's plants. Breeding has dramatically improved their consumer performance," said Faust. "Back in the day, growers would place ferns or pine boughs in the pot along with the poinsettia to provide greenery, because the poinsettia leaves would fall off so quickly. Today's poinsettias will last well into January if watered properly and provided enough sunlight."
Ulrika Jonsson, 54, praises Shirley Ballas for age-gap romance after match with toyboy, 18
Megan Fox Rocks Leather & Rhinestone Heels As She Holds Hands With MGK At Kanye West & Drake Concert


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MLB Rumors: Aaron Judge Thought to Have 9-Year Contract Offer Amid Yankees, More Buzz
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTTwitter LogoFeatured Columnist IVDecember 5, 2022
AP Photo/David Dermer
The Aaron Judge market is reportedly heating up.
Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network: "From what I can tell, piecing things together here, Aaron Judge's market is certainly above $300 million now, and potentially from two different teams, the Yankees and Giants. ... There are those in the industry who believe that he already has in hand that nine-year offer we've been talking about for a while, that his market is now over that line of $300 million-plus and nine years."
MLB Network @MLBNetwork
"There are those in the industry who believe that he already has in hand that nine-year offer we've been talking about for a while." 👀@jonmorosi has the latest news on Aaron Judge's market. #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/WcCqJT0gRI
Morosi added that the wait for Judge's signature is likely, at least in part, to see the differences in the offers between the Yankees and Giants.
Although he did not provide any additional details, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Monday, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, that the team has made a "number of offers" to Judge this offseason.
"I do think for the Giants to get Judge, they're going to have to be the clear top bidder," Morosi added. "... Judge is going to have his choice, I believe, between two offers of $300 million-plus. And once you get to that neighborhood, the question really comes to what it is that you want to do."
If the offers are extremely similar, will Judge choose to remain with the team he's played for his entire career, or will he choose to depart for the team he grew up rooting for during his Northern California childhood?
It's the $300 million question, and the most intriguing decision of the MLB offseason.
His decision will have enormous ramifications for both franchises. Judge, 30, is the defending AL MVP after having a historically impactful season, hitting .311 with 62 homers, 131 RBI, 133 runs, 16 stolen bases and a mammoth 1.111 OPS. It was arguably the most impressive offensive season in the post-steroids era.
The four-time All-Star carried the Yankees offense for long stretches of the season, and with many of the top free agents on the market already off the board—Trea Turner to the Philadelphia Phillies, Justin Verlander to the New York Mets and Jacob deGrom to the Texas Rangers—the Yankees would struggle to replace Judge with the same level of splashy free agent they'd be losing.
While the Yankees have a number of intriguing shortstop prospects, ESPN's Buster Olney recently reported that they "would more seriously explore" the top veteran players at the position if Judge signed elsewhere, which now includes Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson.
Giants pitcher Carlos Rodón could be another possibility.
For the Giants, Judge would be the elite slugger the team desperately needs. Joc Pederson led the team last season with 23 homers, while Wilmer Flores paced them with 71 RBI. San Francisco cobbled together a respectable offense but still went a disappointing 81-81 after winning 107 games the season prior.
Judge would be one of the biggest free-agent additions in franchise history. And he would give them the sort of firepower needed to keep pace with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the deep NL West.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Are there #Pixies living in the #Oregon #Mountains?
Fables ready for your reading pleasure.
Written for mid grade readers but a fun read for all ages. If you like pixies, you'll love Fernella.
Too bad she doesn't love her tall, gawky self. It's a good thing she has the village inventor, Freddie, to love her. The trouble is she can't marry him until she finds her true magic. The shape changing pest, Puck, a Puk-Wud-Jie, could tell her but he just leads her deeper into the wilds of the forest where the Imps live.
This tale takes place in the beautiful mountains of Oregon, and tells the story of the feisty young woman who, as the seventh daughter of the Mayor of Fernsville, must find her magic before her father will give his blessings to her marriage with Freddie.
Get to know this Oregon Pixie. She finds herself into more trouble than you can shake a stick at!
Laughter that makes your heart feel free.
And a Pixie you may see.
Hey. What's that rabbit dong in here?
Maybe he'll leave a review? Ms Arvanitis will give him lots of carrots if he does.


ISACA is a global association formed in 1969 with its HQ in the USA. It represents some 140,000 professionals globally and advocates Information Governance, Control, Cyber Security, Audit and Risk. It is represented by more than 200 chapters in 80 countries. The Singapore Chapter setup in 1983 represents about 2400 members locally and is the third largest chapter in Asia. It provides education and networking opportunities for its members through the events it organises. It also collaborates with industry, academia and government entities. It has 4 renown certifications and frameworks such as COBIT 5 and CMMI. ISACA believes in creating and updating its body of knowledge through its engagement of industry, academia and practitioners.
Beside its core four certifications (CISA, CISM, CGEIT and CRISC) it has renowned frameworks such as COBIT5 and CMMI which are used by many organizations worldwide. CSX Nexus was also developed a few years ago to cater for training Cybersecurity Professionals.
ISACA believes the demand for an adaptable, highly skilled workforce has never been greater, and provides support, training, tools, guidance and resource networks to technology professionals at all levels, around the globe. ISACA believes technology provides infinite possibilities and benefits; and together with the other stakeholders will explore, understand and accelerate technology's positive impact in our world.
(ISC)² Singapore Chapter's programs provide our members a forum to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas, development of leadership and professional skills, and advancement of information systems security. We also provide our members with access to a variety of industry resource and educational programs to keep our members informed of the latest advances in technology and techniques.
Our chapter program is focused on sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas among security professionals in Singapore. Ultimately, we want to advance the field of information security by educating practitioners, aspiring security professionals and the public at large on how to protect and defend against security threats.
'Infosec in the City, Singapore' is a premier techno-centric cybersecurity event that brings top cybersecurity leaders and experts from both the East and the West together to share and discuss deep technical topics and insights, and build the next-generation cybersecurity capabilities and capacity around the globe.
• To promote, develop, support and enhance the integrity, technical competence, management expertise, status and interests of information security professionals in Singapore.
• To promote the development, increase and spread of information security knowledge and of any related subject.
BridgingMinds Network Pte Ltd was founded in 2011, is formed with a collaboration with Transitions System Asia (now Exclusive Networks), to bring focus on the learning experience. With a strong belief in enabling individuals and human resources as the next milestone in companies growth.
Fast track to the present, BridgingMinds Network is now an industry leading best practices and IT security certifications provider. It is the only training provider which specialisations not only limited to vendors trainings but also covering various leading cybersecurity best practices accredited by SSG (SkillsFuture Singapore).
Our goal is to bridge knowledge gaps of individuals and organizations through our consulting and development methodologies, to achieve individual's career aspiration and organization's objectives.
Today, we are proud to be one of the leading education and delivery arms for Asia and beyond.
SFA was founded in 2016 Nov and since then, it is improving the collaboration among the FinTech participants/stakeholders, supports access to talent, capital and markets for our members. We currently have 240 members including NTUC, VISA, MasterCard, UOB, UBS, EY, KPMG and huge number of FinTech startups.
Founded in 2015, JustCo is Singapore's largest premium co-working space provider, with the belief that working together, is working better. It continually challenges and redefines collaborative working, connecting vibrant and dynamic communities in open, conducive and creative work spaces.
Through interactions, participation and partnerships, opportunities abound amongst members to bring innovation and developments to greater heights, and achieve even greater successes. JustCo creates a powerful ecosystem where businesses of all sizes can harness the benefits of the network effect at JustCo.
The Project Management Institute Singapore Chapter is the country chapter of Project Management Institute(PMI). The PMI Singapore Chapter was formally established in April 1, 1999 and is registered with the Registrar of Societies Singapore. A Protem Committee led by Dr. Yeo Khim Teck applied and got approval for the Chapter and drafted the Constitution of the Chapter. The first Annual General Meeting of the Chapter was held on March 21, 2001. The AGM adopted the Constitution of the Chapter and formally launched the operation of AGM. Currently there are 2005 members registered with PMI as Singapore Chapter Members.
The Singapore chapter is very active and conducts various activities for its members such as Focus Groups, member's networking and social activities, professional development and training and conferences. For an Introduction to the Project Management Institute (PMI), Please visit PMI Global website.
W.Media is a global B2B technology marketing agency that specializes in PR, Media, and Events. With founders of over 15 years of combined experience in this sector, W.Media uplifts brands through personalized experiences and engagement with the marketplace. W.Media's cloud and data center 2018 conventions across SE Asia will gather over 3,000 enterprise and government end-users, data center and telco operators, hyperscalers, webscalers, facility managers, consultants and engineers.


Company expect users to treat each other respectfully like grown-ups in the comments, blogs, forums, messages, and any other functionality currently on the site or later to be associated. Users explicitly agree not to use Company services to harass, defame, stalk, or otherwise engage in unlawful behavior. Although the expectation is that those in altporn wish to be treated well and treat others well, Company assumes no responsibility whatsoever to police user actions. Company may, at Company's option, choose to assist users running into difficulty with other users, but accepts no liability whatsoever for such interactions. Company assumes you are a grown-up and will act like a grown-up and can take care of yourself.
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Company hopes these Terms of Service are unnecessary and assumes you are a grown-up and will act like a grown-up. Now go look at some cool stuff here.


Archives|Smith-Dorrien Chose To Stand and Fight; Commander of the British Second Corps Tells His Story of the Retreat From Mons MEMORIES OF FORTY-EIGHT YEARS' SERVICE. By General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. Wish maps and illustrations. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co. $8.
Smith-Dorrien Chose To Stand and Fight; Commander of the British Second Corps Tells His Story of the Retreat From Mons MEMORIES OF FORTY-EIGHT YEARS' SERVICE. By General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. Wish maps and illustrations. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co. $8.


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Businesses with links to PDCI find themselves in firing line
Firms seen as close to Henri Konan Bedie's party have suddenly found themselves targeted by the tax authorities. An investigation. [...] (362 words)
Amadou Gon Coulibaly
Charles Providence Gomis
Federation des organisations patronales de l'Afrique de l'Ouest
Henri Konan Bedie
Jean Kacou Diagou
Jean-Louis Billon
Moussa Sanogo
NSIA
Parti Democratique de Cote d'Ivoire
Pierre Billon
Sie Ouattara
Sifca
IVORY COAST 09/10/2019
Alassane Ouattara wages a double campaign
Alassane Ouattara and his protégé Amadou Gon Coulibaly embarked on a series of rallies in late September as the 2020 election looms, but there is another, silent, campaign being waged at the treasury, the tax office and the electoral commission. [...]
Orange chief exec lobbies in Abidjan
On 13 June, Stephane Richard, the CEO of the telephone [...]
Thierry Tanoh still weighing his options
The former minister for oil, energy and the development of renewable energies, Thierry Tanoh, has still not succumbed to the [...]
Taxman goes easy on NSIA
According to our sources, the bank and insurance company NSIA [...]
Stephanie Tchibanda coaches Amadou Gon Coulibaly
The founder of the Abidjan-based firm Se former autrement, 44-year-old [...]
Breaking newsIVORY COAST 12/02/2019
Guillaume Soro to face reprisals ?
Now that he is no longer president of the National Assembly following his resignation on February 8, Guillaume Soro could [...]
Alassane Ouattara to run for a third term against Bedie
After having sworn that he wanted to hand over to the new generation, Alassane Ouattara has changed his mind as [...]
Tensions between Bedie and Ouattara reach breaking point
In open disagreement over the stance to adopt in 2020, Henri Konan Bedie wants nothing more to do with his ex-ally. [...]
The pact between Henri Konan Bedie (right) and Alassane Ouattara is now broken. © Reuters
Will Ouattara manage to shut out his 'friend' Bedie by 2020?
Henri Konan Bedie (aka HKB), a political ally (of convenience) of Alassane Ouattara since 2010, is fuming at the behaviour of the Ivorian president, who is also the leader of the Rassemblement des Republicains (RDR). [...]
Alassane Ouattara forges ahead alone towards 2020
Isolated in his ivory tower, the Ivorian president wants to head off any potential challengers to his continuing rule. Analysis. [...]
Insiders IVORY COAST 18/09/2013
Jean-Louis Billon, a minister-industrialist with a strong family base
Jean-Louis Billon is a case apart in Ivory Coast. He is heir to the leading private sector group, SIFCA, which was founded by his father, Pierre Billon, but is reputed to scorn networking in a country where co-option and the address book culture are generally considered essential. [...]
Logo Africa Intelligence. Insiders. © Africa Intelligence/Indigo Publications


Like most women, I can't help but love tiny versions of usually larger things like babies, kittens, and puppies. They're just too darn cute for being so darn small! I'll blame my feminine wiles on purchasing this fine office supply: a tiny catch-all for my various catch-all tiny things! IT'S A BABY FILING CABINET, GUYS! How cute.
Wandering a thrift store one day, I passed through the office supplies through copious amounts of discarded three-ring binders, calculators from the 1980s, and half-town-out notebooks with bent misused pages. That's when I discovered a filing cabinet hidden behind some Troll-inspired paper weights. The drawers opened with ease, the label clamps with slightly loose, however I had to have it. I always wanted my own filing cabinet even if I didn't have files to put in it. My home office needed something like this!
What's the catch? My particular filing cabinet find must have be shrunk by a mediocre evil genius with an overeager trigger finger on his shrink ray. If rats had rat-sized offices with rat-sized papers to file, I've got what they need. The drawers just barely fit a credit card but are tall enough to hold all kinds of miscellaneous office supplies. I even cleaned out my junk drawer of buttons, batteries, and thumb tacks just to fill up each drawer with as many miniature items as I could. Later on, I got all matchy-matchy by placing wrapper paper squares inside the label clamps to go with my magazine holder and monitor stand.
Is this the best random office supply thrift store find or what?! Now all I need is a mini printer and the hypothetical rats with a hypothetical business to run can get some work done.


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You may think that the best apps have a price, but more of them are actually free. If you pay for the app, the cost is still affordable anyway. Who says the best things for life are not for free? Here is a list of the best apps that you can find in the Android market:
1. The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel is one of the best Android apps that you can download from the Android market. The newly enhanced Weather Channel gives you a much better and richer weather experience. Due to customers' feedback, many improvements were made such as a brand new user interface that includes user-friendly navigation between main weather screens and easier access to maps like animated radar and personalized weather maps. These weather maps are also capable of giving specific weather forecasts, conditions, alerts, notifications and the current temperature.
2. Facebook for Android
Sometimes, accessing Facebook through your browser is too tedious, especially when you know that there is an easier way of connecting with your friends. Facebook is always synonymous to staying in touch with the world. All people have an account; maybe your grandparents do, too. The success of Facebook is so overwhelmingly successful that Android developers created an application for you to access your account anytime and anywhere. Essentially, Facebook is a social network that allows you to do anything like chat with your friends, check news feeds, review events, share links, check messages, upload photos, watch videos and play games. Downloading the free Facebook for Android will allow you to keep in touch with your old friends and meet new people.
One of the greatest social networking sites that have invaded the Android market, Twitter remains to be a top pick among busy people who do not have the time for Facebook. Most celebrities, political figures and other VIPs are quite active in using Twitter. This Android app allows you to access important updates on what's happening around the globe, like business, sports, music, politics, entertainment and travel. You can view many interesting topics on what people are talking about. You can also send private messages to your friends, share photos, videos, view maps and a lot more.
4. Angry Birds
When you feel the need for relaxation, fun and pleasure all you have to do is just to play Angry Birds from your Android device. It is one of the best games in the Android market. This game is for everyone to enjoy. Based on the laws of physics, you would not think that this game will be forgotten just yet. Aside from all the fun-filled launching of the revengeful birds, you get to play this game for free. The best thing is that developers keep on releasing new versions every now and then.
5. Kindle
Probably the best Android app that can widen your knowledge and improve your reading skills is the Kindle. With the Kindle app, you will get the chance to access over 900,000 books in the Kindle library, such as newspapers, magazines and dictionaries. You can also read articles from the Wall Street Journal, as well the best sellers from the New York Times. You will also enjoy many benefits like customizing the page color and font size of your reading material. You can also use links from Google and Wikipedia for more information.
Source by Danny Mitchell Ashton
Android, apple watch, apple watch series 5, Apps, Market, smart watch mi, smart watch price, smart watch review, smartwatch
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DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP: The Successor Trustee & Non-Judicial Mortgage Fraud


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Génesis Rodríguez(Miami, Florida; 29 de julio de 1987)es una actriz estadounidense, conocida por sus papeles en las telenovelas de Telemundo Prisionera, Dame chocolate y Doña Bárbara.

Vida y carrera.
Su madre, Carolina Pérez, es una modelo cubana y su padre es el cantante venezolano José Luis Rodríguez.Ella habla inglés y español con fluidez. Rodríguez tiene dos medio hermanas paternas mayores fruto del primer matrimonio de su padre, las actrices y cantantes venezolanas, Liliana Rodríguez y Lilibeth Morillo. Cuando tenía apenas 2 años y medio de edad, entró en el Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart en Miami, Florida, tomando clases de verano en el Instituto de Teatro y Cine Lee Strasberg cuando fue a Nueva York.

Ha participado en producciones de la escuela dramática y, a temprana edad, decidió seguir la carrera de actriz. Como adolescente, estudió actuación, danza y preparación vocal, a nivel local y nacional. Cuando los padres de Rodríguez observaron su determinación por el arte, la inscribieron en programas de formación más intensos. A su regreso a Miami, continuó la instrucción privada y obtuvo un papel recurrente en la serie estadounidense Days of Our Lives, de noviembre de 2005 hasta enero de 2006. También fue invitada especial en la repetición de la serie de televisión de Bravo Top Chef. Además de la televisión estadounidense, Rodríguez ha explorado los papeles en español e interpretó dos principales como Rosita Amado y Violeta Hurtado en la serie Dame chocolate, que se transmitió por la cadena Telemundo.

Llegó a Hollywood con la película Hours, la última película en la que actuó el actor Paul Walker antes de su muerte.

Filmografía.

Referencias.

Enlaces externos.

Actrices de televisión de Estados Unidos
Actrices de cine de Estados Unidos
Actrices de Florida
Nacidos en Miami

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Some ACA premiums fall, others spike; enrollment keeps surging
By Ariel Hart – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tyrone Jenkins sat in his insurance agent's office on Friday, relieved about his health insurance. After all the upheaval and news over skyrocketing Obamacare premiums, Jenkins will actually see his coverage costs plummet next year. He'll pay less than half in 2018 what he did in 2017 for similar coverage. How can this be?
Jenkins doesn't like the answer. Thanks to decisions made in Washington in recent months, it's possible because a new and costly inequality has opened up between some policyholders. The cancellation of one subsidy brought in another that benefits people in Jenkins' position — while leaving other policyholders to take a bigger hit, some to the point they can no longer afford coverage.
And Jenkins the taxpayer will be subsidizing this situation even more, along with other Americans. "In some stuff it's kind of frustration," Jenkins, a forklift driver who lives in Lee County, said of Washington's management of health care. Jenkins said he "really" likes his plan, but he really doesn't like that other people's premiums are skyrocketing at the same time. And if it adds to government debt, he thinks policymakers should consider the burden on future taxpayers: "It's the younger generation that's coming up."
Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is now three weeks underway. Enrollment is continuing at a ferocious clip, and situations such as Jenkins' may be one reason why. It partly gets back to a controversial decision by President Donald Trump. For months Trump threatened to cancel "cost-sharing reduction" subsidies, and just before enrollment opened he did.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicted that canceling those subsidies — which went to insurers so they in turn could lower costs for lower-income customers — would on average add 20 percent to premiums; that many people would drop coverage; and that companies would pull out of some markets. That did happen and has gotten much publicity.
TIPS FOR ENROLLING: AJC FAQ on Obamacare Open Enrollment
But the CBO did not predict that everyone would suffer. The CBO also predicted that other people would get such great deals that they'd opt for new coverage. People who couldn't afford the best plans before now could afford them. That appears to be happening, too.
For basic health coverage in 2017, Jenkins' plan cost him $102 a month (after cost-sharing reductions made it affordable). In 2018, those subsidies are gone. Now, different subsidies come into play, and because of how the law works, after Trump's executive order, they're bigger. So this year, that same type of coverage will cost Jenkins just $38. It's such a dramatic discount that he's opting to add dental and vision, for a total of $99.
None of that would be a surprise to the CBO's analysts. They predicted that overall, the decision to cancel the cost-sharing reduction subsidies — allowing the other, bigger subsidies to kick in —would add $194 billion to the deficit over 10 years.
Dan McBrayer, an agent several counties away from Jenkins, doesn't think much of these developments. "The people that's getting a tax credit are getting a bigger tax credit," he said. "The people that aren't are getting a bigger bill." McBrayer concluded, "Quite frankly, this thing is such a train wreck." McBrayer has a lot of clients who fall above the subsidy threshold of making about $48,000 for a single person's household, and they are getting clobbered with the full force of massive premium hikes. Many of them feel they have to drop insurance, he said.
On the other end of the spectrum, Kirk Lyman-Barner, Jenkins' agent, has a lot of clients who make less money and qualify for strong subsidies. Even as the insurance companies raised rates this year, the subsidies came in even stronger to make the consumer's cost low. Some are even getting premiums of zero this year, mostly older people. "Every single one of them is better off except for the folks that don't get the benefit," Lyman Barner said. "For those folks it really breaks my heart. Because it was unnecessary." Jenkins' cheaper plan is not a fluke.
An analysis calculated for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution by researchers for the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation showed the phenomenon holds. According to those figures, a 40-year-old ACA policyholder in Atlanta making $24,000 a year would see a dramatic price drop for the lowest-cost "gold" plan. In 2017, that policyholder would be paying about $235 per month. But in 2018, that plan would cost that person just $175.
The plan wouldn't cost less to provide. The insurance company on average hiked the overall price from $380 a month to $465. But the policyholder wouldn't see that increase because taxpayers would take the hit. The formulas are all spelled out in the law.
There is wide agreement that the subsidy set-up is a problem, and some centrist U.S. senators briefly attempted to fix it. That fell apart in the GOP's renewed attempt to repeal the law at the last minute in September.
Trump has said his decision on the subsidies would force Congress' hand. In the meantime, critics of the law say blame it, not the president, for trying to undo what pieces he can.
Bill Custer, a health care finance researcher at Georgia State University, wouldn't say the decision to cancel the cost-sharing reduction subsidies was good or bad. But he did note the results were predicted. "By canceling these CSRs, the Trump administration has increased taxpayer costs for this coverage, increased the deficit and decreased coverage in general," he said.
It's impossible to know whether enrollment this year will surpass last year's. New figures released by the Trump administration for the second week of enrollment show that in the first 11 days, nearly 1.5 million people signed up for plans, compared with just 1 million people in the first 12 days last year. But the enrollment period will be half as long. This year it ends Dec. 15.
Jenkins is one of those as he buys his plan. He wishes other people could do that too, though, because health is unpredictable and he thinks the need for health insurance is something that ties everyone.
"I'd prefer everybody to be equal," he said.
Posted in News, Obamacare


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Previewing The Europa League Draw: Best, Worst, And Intriguing Draws
The Europa League draw is coming up Monday morning. Who could Liverpool be paired with in the first knockout round of Europe's second-tier competition?
By Conor Dowley@c_dowley Dec 14, 2014, 8:00pm GMT
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No Liverpool fan really wants their club to be in the Europa League. The Champions League knockout hurt, really hurt, but now the club and it's fans need to move on and focus on the challenge at hand.
The draw for the first knockout round of the Europa League, the round of 32, is Monday morning. Because Liverpool weren't one of the top four teams that dropped from the Champions League, they're "unseeded" for the draw, meaning that they will be drawn against one of the first-place teams from the Europa League group stage, or possibly one of the aforementioned top four Champions League dropouts. The only other restriction is that they can't be drawn against another English team, keeping them from a matchup against Everton for the time being.
Liverpool can therefore be drawn against one of fifteen teams from all across Europe. Predicting who exactly they'll face is impossible, but we can at least look at the list to find matchups that are more or less ideal for Liverpool. Which team offers Liverpool the best chance to advance? Who's their toughest foe? What other notable matchups are there?
Best Draw - Legia Warsaw
1st in Ekstraklasa (Poland) - 1st in Europa League Group L
Legia Warsaw are a young and interesting club that's been dominating Poland's top division in recent years. They did very well to finish first in a group that included Trabzonspor and under-rated Belgian side Lokeren, but the simple fact is that they are far from the best team left in this competition.
Liverpool could have some few problems facing Legia in Warsaw, as their home stadium is loud and their fans get behind the team in a big, big way. But at Anfield, with a strong Liverpool side on the pitch, the Polish side simply doesn't have the talent to hang with Liverpool. Yes, we've heard that belief before with Basel and Ludogorets, but those two teams would likely wipe the floor with Legia.
Worst Draw - Borussia Monchengladbach
5th in Bundesliga (Germany) - 1st in Europa League Group A
There are teams in the seeded group that Liverpool could be drawn against that are more talented than Gladbach. There are teams in that group that have more history of success than Gladbach. But as far as a direct matchup against Liverpool goes, no team may be better suited to defeat Liverpool than Gladbach.
Gladbach under Lucien Favre play a very organized brand of football that features a number of talented players. They hit fiercely on the counter, but that's far from the only threat they can generate; if you let them build up possession, Max Kruse, Granit Xhaka, Branimir Hrgota, and Patrick Herrmann will find ways to punish you for it. Fans will take other sides like Inter Milan or Ajax or Olympiakos more seriously, but Gladbach should not be discounted as a massive threat.
Historical Draw - Olympiakos
1st in Superleague (Greece) - 3rd in Champions League Group A
It's impossible to mention Olympiakos to Liverpool fans without conjuring memories of that match at Anfield, when in the last matchday of the group stage, Liverpool overcame a 1-0 deficit at halftime to beat the Greek side 3-1 and secure advancement to the knockout rounds en route to their eventual win in the competition.
This year, they dropped down to the Europa League after failing to overcome Juventus or Atletico Madrid to advance in the Champions League. Olympiakos instantly become one of the best teams in the Europa League, though, and their disciplined style is one that's given Liverpool fits this season. As such, this is probably also a draw to avoid for Liverpool.
Days Of Future Past Draw - Napoli
6th in Serie A (Italy) - 1st in Europa League Group I
Not only is this a nightmarish draw for a certain person who covers both teams who shall remain nameless, but it's also a fascinating one to Liverpool fans. That is, of course, because Napoli are managed by Rafa Benitez, a Liverpool fan favorite and the last manager to bring significant success to Anfield, including the 2005 Champions League win. In fact, for many fans, Rafa is the man they want to see brought in should Brendan Rodgers get sacked.
It's also a matchup between two struggling and disappointing sides in their respective leagues, with neither fanbase satisfied with their respective seasons. In a way, the connections and parallels between the two clubs make this an almost too obvious draw to have happen. If it does, we can only hope that things go smoother off the pitch; last time these two teams met, during Europa qualifying in 2010, there were clashes between the fans during both legs of the tie, especially in Naples.
The full list of teams Liverpool can be drawn against is below. Who do you want to see Liverpool face, tough match, easy match, or otherwise?
Club Nation
Club Brugge Belgium
Besiktas Turkey
Red Bull Salzburg Austria
Dynamo Moscow Russia
Inter Milan Italy
Feyenoord Holland
Dynamo Kiev Ukraine
Fiorentina Italy
Legia Warsaw Poland
Olympiakos Greece
Sporting Portugal Portugal
Athletic Bilbao Spain
Zenit Saint Petersburg Russia
Liverpool Legend Issues FSG Warning Over Salah Contract Saga Liverpool's owners cautioned that they "will not be forgiven" if the star forward were to leave Anfield.
Fabinho on Firmino: "He's Still the Same Bobby" Fabinho tips his Brazilian to impress on Sunday against Brentford.


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Q: Broken promise cloud firestore function I am trying to retrieve the document for specific ids in the following cloud function. The loop (see "Block Get Major") for retrieving that information is running, but the logs show that it is executing AFTER the function returns data.
I am certain this is because this creates a new promise, and that I need to tie them together.
I've looked through a lot of the posts on here and elsewhere and am just not getting it.
It looks like I am creating a broken/dropped promise. I get the necessary data, with the exception of menteeMajor, which is undefined until later in the log files).

exports.getAllMatchesMCR = functions.https.onCall((data, context) => {

  var dbRef = db.collection("matches");
  var dbPromise = dbRef.get();
  // return the main promise
  return dbPromise.then(function(querySnapshot) {
      var results = [];
      var idx = 0;
      querySnapshot.forEach(function(doc) {

        // push promise from get into results
        var matchObj = {
          mentorName: "",
          mentorEmployer: "",
          mentees: []
        }

        var mentor = doc.data();
        mentor.mentorID = doc.id;
        matchObj.mentorName = mentor.mentorID;
        matchObj.mentees = mentor.mentees;

        for (var curIDX in matchObj.mentees) {
          matchInfoObj = {};
          matchInfoObj.mentorID = matchObj.mentorID;
          matchInfoObj.mentorName = matchObj.mentorName;
          matchInfoObj.menteeName = matchObj.mentees[curIDX];

          // Block Get Major --->
          var menteeRef = db.collection('users').doc(matchObj.mentees[curIDX]);
        var getDoc = menteeRef.get()
          .then(doc => {
            if (!doc.exists) {
              console.log('No such document!');
            } else {
              var userInfo = {};
              userInfo = doc.data();

              matchInfoObj.menteeMajor = userInfo.major;

              // console.log('user Major:', matchInfoObj.menteeMajor);
              return userInfo.major;
            }
          })
          .catch(err => {
            // console.log('Error getting document', err);
            return ("No Mentee Doc")
          });

          console.log("in menteeInfo: ", getDoc.data());
          matchInfoObj.menteeMajor = getDoc.data();              // Block Get Major <---
          if (typeof something === "undefined") {
            console.log('After BLOCK Major is UNDEFINED:', matchInfoObj.menteeName);
          } else {
            console.log('After BLOCK :', matchInfoObj.menteeMajor);
          }

          results.push(matchInfoObj)
        }
      });
      // dbPromise.then() resolves to  a single promise that resolves
      // once all results have resolved
      return Promise.all(results)
    })
    .catch(function(error) {
      console.log("Error getting documents: ", error);
    });
});

Here are two screen shots for the logs that show the order based on console.log output. Keep in mind that the sort of these log records is NEWEST at the top. Result 1 shows the start, from deployment of function and it's start, Result 2 shows the messages from the broken promise almost two minutes later.
The plain text version of what I'm trying to do is:
1. collection "Users" contains information on Mentees and Mentors
2. collection "Matches" is a doc of Mentees (array) for each Mentor, or One to Many).
3. Display one row for EACH mentor/mentee connection. I have the ids, but I need to get the names and other information for both mentees and mentors.
Plain old Result file shows that I am getting the rows I need with the Mentor ID, and the Mentee ID (labeled Mentees, that will change)
Can someone please show me the way to chain this promise?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Games, games, games! Everybody's got some games! Games, games, games! Games for you and I to play!
As always, there's a lot I didn't play this year, mostly because of games from previous years. One in particular from a very previous year. Like, 2001. But that's okay! Here on Tap we don't let that kind of thing spoil a good list. A good wordy list.


When it came to doing a hat nothing touches the quality of the Yupoong Classic snapbacks.
Front woven cloth badge detail plus woven fold over rear hem tag.
These premium snapbacks are made from 20% wool and 80% acrylic, and come with the classic green underpeak panel.
Comes complete with single 180mm x 35mm 'Can't Quit' sticker.


The first textile manufacturing factories were established in Hungary at the beginning of the 18th century. Given the country's agricultural characteristics they dealt primarily with the processing of cotton, although Hungary was known for the processing of silk as well.
In the early 20th century and again between the two world wars, the Hungarian textile industry underwent major development; this was the period when many factories – later to become famed for their products – were established. The nation's textile industry suffered enormous damage during the Second World War, but recovered relatively quickly after the end of hostilities. Nationalization brought fundamental transformation to the structure of the industry and the management of factories.
The privatized and restructured industry began to consolidate towards the end of the 1990s, and then started to grow, even if this growth started off only from a very low level. However, after just a few years import competition began to intensify enormously.
The situation of companies manufacturing technical textile products can be said to be good in comparison with the position of manufacturers of clothing products. European companies are the primary competitors in this sector, which also means that the competition is not primarily one based on cost but rather on meeting the demands of users. There are relatively larger, but at least medium-size enterprises involved in the manufacture of technical textile products, and these companies generally have planned R&D strategies, which means that they are able to pursue continuous product development. The sector's smaller businesses can similarly be listed among innovators, including ready-to-wear companies, who through a process of constant development of products and technologies are able to meet ever changing demands.
The same can be said of Hungarian uniform and protective clothing manufacturing companies. Demand for these product categories is generally made evident through public procurement tenders. Businesses active in this sub-sector are proving themselves increasingly successful not only on the Hungarian market, but on the wider European market, too.


A few weeks ago I responded on LinkedIn to someone who was looking for someone Arduino savvy. Turned out to be someone looking for help for her daughter that had trouble with a STEM course assignment.
Now I don't usually do these kind of help. Most of the time it's lazy students looking for someone to do their homework for them for free of 10$... I have been burned before.
But this time it was different. First it was the parent asking and after a few exchange I could feel that they were willing to put in the effort.
Next I went on on compiling and uploading the code provided in the Instructable article. It did not work. The code was supposed to wait for you to select a level, but it would instead go straight to the game. Joystick did not work to control the snake… Then when I had that "Oh great, what did I get myself into" moment.
After a 30-40m adding debug print to the serial console and analyzing the code I figured out that the bugs in the code and just fixed it quickly. At least now the code was doing what it was basically designed to do. There are still some bugs in it where the snake jumps sideways, but the plan was never to fix it, just to get it working.
I did adjust the code writing style to match what I use so that it can be somewhat more readable. I did not add any comments or change the code structure.
Now the parent and her daughter got the parts but the male header is not soldered on the LCD and they have yet to find someone to do it. I'll update this post with issues they went through as I help them out.
When doing documentation, adding a shadow to images or screen grab makes the document come aline and helps break text from images.
Just change my_image="pi.png" to reflact the filename of the image to shich you want to add the shadow to. The above command will create a file with _original which is your original unmodified image.
So I attended the the Montreal Advanced Design and Manufacturing Expo at Palais des congrès today.
Was not expecting much, attended out of curiosity. It was really aimed more at the factory automation and packaging business but managed to get to know a couple of sensors manufacturers as well as a Fab (PCB assembly) house that accepts prototype level quantities.
So I went over to one of the VanHoutte but it's wifi was locked and I was sitting down with my laptop so did not feel like going to the counter to ask for the password and leave my stuff unattended.


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Wave TV
The Wave Breaker
Low Country businesses and organizations step in to provide for furloughed workers
Ryan Okpych|January 25, 2019
A sign reads "Free food for Coast Guard" on a menu board during the 2019 government shutdown.
Ryan Okpych
As the government shutdown continues into its 35th day, many Low Country restaurants and stores have begun to provide for workers affected by the shutdown, such as those working at the Charleston International Airport with TSA.
"To the many businesses and individuals in the greater Charleston community who have reached out and asked how they can help, thank you for your kindness. Your gestures of giving and support are appreciated and mean a great deal to the entire airport family," Paul G. Campbell Jr., Executive Director and CEO of Charleston County Aviation Authority, wrote in a press release.
More businesses have continued to provide for those affected by the shutdown as it continues to drag on with no end in sight.
One of the efforts to help locally was put together by Taziki's, Verde, and Rodney Scott's BBQ.
"Taziki's Café has a strong belief in helping those in need," McCall Penny, Director of Catering Sales and Marketing of Taziki's Café, said.
"When we see a need and feel like we can help we do. One of the local Taziki's owners reached out to two other Charleston restaurants, Verde & Rodney Scott BBQ. All three of us jumped in and fed the TSA over several days," Penny added.
The help doesn't stop in the peninsula, though. Places in Summerville have also started to help out, one of those being Low Country Fish Camp.
"It's just a love for our community and country. Here at Low Country Fish Camp, the community is what keeps us going," an employee at the restaurant said.
"As a small business, we have gotten to know our customers and clientele very well. Everyone that walks in the door immediately becomes family, and that's the American dream," they continued.
Not only are places offering free food for people, but their pets as well.
Charleston Animal Society posted on their Facebook page that they have free pet food for those who are in need during the shutdown.
"As a nonprofit that benefits from the generosity of federal workers through the Combined Federal Campaign, we would like to pay it forward by opening our pet food bank shelves to those impacted by the government shutdown," the nonprofit posted on their page.
Impacts of the shutdown have been felt by SHS students, one of them being Candra Workman, a senior whose parents both work in the Coast Guard. They are not receiving paychecks.
"I've never worried about money in my entire life, but now I've started worrying," Workman said.\
"The things that places are doing around town definitely take some weight off our shoulders," Workman added
"Everybody knows somebody affected by this situation, and hopefully it will be resolved very soon, because these are the families and individuals giving their time to protect and support our community," said a spokesperson for Low Country Fish Camp.
Ryan Okpych, Photo Editor, Social Media Director
This is Ryan's second year in the Wave Breaker staff. He really likes photography and music (St. Vincent, in particular). Ryan like to pay attention to...
SHS presents 2019 Sound Wave
Scouts BSA now accepts female members
Band Director Mr. Gilreath wins Band Master's Award
Summerville High School to host Caribbean Night
The Representation of Schools at the Region Band Clinic
Raise for Rasner
"Rally for Education Reform" draws mixed reactions, emotional testimonies
Mrs. Somerville awarded Teacher of the Year 2018-2019
New teen services librarian at the Dorchester County Library
Summerville High School creates signing day for all seniors


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Gwangju 2015: FISU in full readiness for the opening of the Gwangju universiade
July 2, 2015 Davis Harrigan Leave a comment
FISU and Gwangju OC delegates at Thursday's press conference (photo: Davis Harrigan)
"We have a project before, and a legacy after," International University Sport Federation (FISU) president Claude-Louis Gallien said to a large press crowd in the Gwangju Press Centre.
The 28th Universiade gets underway tomorrow with a spectacular opening ceremony, and Louis-Gallien said that Korea is well suited to hosting major events. The 1997 Winter Universiade, in Muju, and the 2003 Summer Universiade, in Daegu, were both highly successful.
Louis-Gallien declared that the FISU "were not only organisers, but project builders. We have to develop a project and idea before we choose a host city.
"This is an opportunity to build a platform for sport in Asia, and it is an ability for students to have a voice for democracy, liberty and creating a better world during the Universiade. In 1980, students in Gwangju wanted to break away from dictation, making Gwangju an ideal platform."
Approximately 8,500 athletes will compete across 21 sports, and Louis-Gallien's statement that it's not just about the games, and about everything that's prepared before and afterwards, exemplifies the spirit of the Games. More than 150 hours of TV coverage, thanks to Eurosport, will be telecast, along with FISU live streaming, giving competitors an important opportunity to show to the world that they have the skills to take it to the Olympic level.
The third edition of the FISU Young Reporters Program continues to rapidly grow the media attention on the games, along with the aforementioned TV networks and live streaming on the FISU website.
CEO Eric Saintrond; "We are very proud of this (Young Reporters Program), but unfortunately we cannot select more than 12." There were 131 applicants pooled around the world for the opportunity.
While the rapid spread of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) sent an initial scare through some camps, FISU Chief Medical Officer Larry Rink says the Gwangju medical team have done a stellar job in ensuring the Universiade can go ahead without concerns.
"This is the fourth straight day without a newly reported case. Our job is to be sure these games are run safely; there are still concerns about MERS, but I can guarantee we will have a games without incident," said Rink.
As the minutes tick by, the full scale of the Universiade project shows its stripes. On the students competing, Louis-Gallien stated that they are not just competing on the field, they are leaders.
"The Universiade is a great way to develop better leaders than those who are currently ruling; we want them to construct their own age, having being built to succeed by older people. Champions today, leaders tomorrow. They write the legacy of the games."
Such is the diversity of the 150 plus nations attending the Universiade, the participation cultures are vastly different, helping to bring Gwangju, "The City of Light", into full colours.
There will be no North Korean team to attend the Universiade, having officially pulled out today. Preparations were put in place to make it possible for athletes to participate, but did not follow through.
The Opening Ceremony will be held on Friday at the Gwangju World Cup Stadium.
#Gwangju#Gwangju2015AsiaFISUjournalistsKoreaLouis-GallienMediaorganiserspress conferenceSummer UniversiadeUniversity GameswritingYoung Reporters Programme
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The Castle on the Hill. The Palace on the Hill. The Haunted Castle. The Witches' Castle. The Kirkbride.
The massive red-brick gothic landmark that stands atop Hathorne Hill has been given many names during the past 129 years. These names stand as evidence of the special place the building, and Danvers State Hospital, holds in the minds and mythology of the people of Danvers, the North Shore and beyond.
Many believe it to be haunted. Others are simply intrigued by its history, its unusual architecture and grand scale, with its fortress-like central "tower" section and eight branching wings.
An internet search of "Danvers State Hospital" quickly yields a long series of web sites. The hospital grounds hold a prominent place in the online pages of New England-area paranormal research groups. It is also a staple in many web sites dedicated to "urban exploration" - a type of subculture dedicated to sneaking into abandoned facilities.
The building has long been a favorite target of area youth, many of whom travel there seeking a good scare in its rotting hallways or in the deserted tunnels running underneath the hospital grounds.
In 1992, when the hospital closed, the National Guard helped by sending 80 ambulances to move the last of the patients to other facilities. Since then, the hospital has been a draw for other people, including dozens who have been arrested for trespassing on the abandoned hill.
A dozen people had been arrested as of mid-October this year.
Today, the Kirkbride stands out like a towering, red-brick beacon, regularly attracting the state's allowed maximum of 20 people to the twice-monthly, two-hour tours of the grounds.
Among the 15 or so people who visited this Tuesday could be found a mix of those people enthralled by the intricate detail of the Kirkbride and those who are drawn to it because they believe it to be haunted.
Frank and Colleen Short had traveled from New York. Frank is an avid horror movie fan and was familiarized with Danvers State through "Session 9," which was filmed at the hospital. His wife, a mental health professional, was interested in the building due to its history.
" I just think it's amazing," Frank Short said as he gazed at the Kirkbride. "It's 10 times bigger than I thought."
Most visitors on Tuesday were architecture enthusiasts, eagerly snapping pictures of the building's many right angles, its gray slate roof, the green copper roof trim, its spires and many gables.
There were also those who came up in search of ghosts, like Rose Peters, a Middleton writer working on a book on haunting.
" I find it fascinating there are so many people who claim to have experienced or seen something up here," Peters said.
Jeralyn Levasseur's family would hear footsteps in the second story hallways of their home when nobody was upstairs. Doors would open and close, lights would flicker on and off.
Levasseur grew on the grounds of Danvers State Hospital, in a house lent to her father, hospital administrator Gerald Richards.
Now 52, Levasseur clearly remembers one day in her youth when her sister and a brother were playing upstairs in the attic and saw an apparition of an older woman angrily scowling at them. They were too scared to move until their mother ordered them to come down, Levassuer said.
Levasseur was in high school when her bedcovers were pulled completely off her bed. Nobody was in the room. She was petrified, but said she always had the feeling no real harm would come to her.
Today, Levasseur works as an assistant to the chief nurse executive at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, a career she said was inspired by her father's teachings about the importance of caring for the mentally ill and sick, as well as to the experiences she had growing up at the mental hospital.
While Levassuer generally had a good experience there, she admitted there were some unsavory practices that took place - most often the result of misguided efforts to treat patients, such as primitive electric shock therapy and hydrotherapy.
" If you think back to the beginnings of medical science and the things done to people, not because they thought they were doing bad, but because they were trying to do right, you have to wonder, did people think they were being tortured?" Levasseur said. She believes it is the tortured spirits that knew Danvers State as their home that linger on the grounds.
Certainly the history of the hospital grounds lends itself to haunting lore. Jonathan Hathorne, who is perhaps the most fanatical judge of the witchcraft delusions that saw 19 innocents killed in the 17th century, is said to have lived in a house built by his father in 1646 on the spot where the Kirkbride was later constructed.
The Kirkbride and Danvers State Hospital started as an enlightened attempt to bring patients out of their delusions through beautiful surroundings, complete with plenty of fresh air and sunshine. By the early 1900s, this enlightened ideal was being subverted by overcrowding and under-funding, a problem that grew steadily worse as the century progressed, according to Michael Ramseur, a technical adviser to "Session 9" and perhaps the foremost expert on the site's history.
A social worker by trade who works currently at Balpate Hospital, Ramseur's interest dates back to a chance visit in 1986, when he delivered a patient from a halfway house in Haverhill. Enthralled with the building's foreboding architecture, Ramseur began a 17-year quest to unravel the history of the place, through careful study of hospital records and interviews with former patients and staff. He shortly expects to publish a 300 page online book on the subject.
The hospital was designed for a maximum of 600 patients, Ramseur said. In November 1945, one evening shift of nine people was expected to care for more than 2,300 patients, he said.
Faced with overcrowding and understaffing, hospital staff depended on the primitive, and often brutal, psychiatric treatments of the day, including early-style shock treatments, hydrotherapy and lobotomies, to control the burgeoning population, Ramseur said.
It was the pain born of these treatments and the decay that accompanied overcrowding and tight budgets that caused the haunting that exists today, agreed all the believers in haunting who were interviewed for this article by The Herald.
There are more than a few stories from people who believe Danvers State Hospital to be haunted, and plenty of anecdotes from those who believe they felt or heard something go bump in the night.
It is "one of the crown jewels in the paranormal history of Massachusetts," said Chris Balzano, of the Massachusetts Paranormal Crossroads, one of the groups that lists Danvers as haunted. Balzano said there isn't much information on spiritual activity on the site because the police and the private security agency hired by the state keep it well locked down.
The site is listed as haunted on the web-pages of several paranormal research groups. One of these, the Rhode Island Paranormal Research group, claims to have done a study of the site in 1997, but refused to share their findings for an article.
The staff of the Massachusetts Department of Capital Asset Management can well attest to the interest of lovers of ghost stories and spirit seekers. In the past year alone the agency has received more than a dozen requests by people wishing to perform séances there, DCAM spokesperson Kevin Flanagan said in a recent interview. The requests were turned down, as DCAM hopes to discourage anything that would fan the interest of people in the place, leading to more trespassers sneaking in and possibly getting hurt in the failing floors of the buildings.
" It has always been a problem," Flanagan said.
Salem resident Bob Murch made one of the dozen requests to conduct a séance at the hospital site. A financial researcher for Fidelity Investments by day, Murch invented and sells a Ouija board, called Cryptique, decorated with artwork from Salem-area grave-sites. He also helped organize the Festival of the Dead, a semi-commercial attempt to promote better understanding of the afterlife as seen by the Salem community of witches, mediums and other paranormal-minded people.
" I think the state has done its own part to create the dark, secret or spooky part of Danvers State by saying it's off limits," Murch said. "They say it's off limits, now everyone wants to go there."
Like a good number of area youth, Murch, now age 29, had visited the hospital grounds to drink alcohol with friends while in high school in Peabody. Even then, the place left an impression.
" It was spooky as hell," Murch said. "The whole thing is creepy really, just the thought of the insane asylum."
Murch is of the opinion that the hospital is haunted, if not in the traditional sense, then by the negative energies given off by thousands of mentally ill who suffered there.
" I believe whether enough good things or bad things happen in a place - I don't know whether the feelings get trapped in the walls or the building - but they just stick there," Murch said. "There have certainly been enough bad things that happened there that it will stick around for awhile."
This emotional energy is felt by visitors, Murch said, and the effects are magnified by the site's imposing architecture.
" It's a very dark place; you feel it," Murch said. "With the huge, tall, buildings and everything being oversized, you feel very insignificant there."
Murch's understanding of the haunting of Danvers State is shared to a degree by practicing Salem witches Sean Poirier and Christian Day, co-hosts of the Festival of the Dead.
" Danvers State is definitely an epicenter of haunting energy, largely due to the confusion of the people who were there when they died, which is why there is such a draw" Day said during a recent interview.
Day claims his talents lay in an innate natural ability to sense and control spirits. To him and Poirier, witchcraft is not a religion, but more of a honed talent.
A decade ago, just before the last hospital building closed, Day visited the grounds with some friends.
" I just felt a very intense foreboding; you could feel there was a lot of pain there," Day said. "You really felt the pain and confusion of the people who had been there."
Poirier said he'd visited friends at the asylum before its closure. During his visits he felt the energy of the place, though whether it was haunted by actual spirits or just an emotional charge of energy, he couldn't say.
While Poirier and Day concentrate on the spiritual and psychic aspects of the paranormal, their friend and fellow Salem businessperson Mollie Stewart concentrates on scientific proof.
Stewart was trained as a para-psychologist and licensed as a "ghost hunter" by the International Ghost Hunters Society. In June she opened a museum of the supernatural in Salem, from which she also leads tours of haunted areas.
Her profession and passion being what it is, Stewart was drawn to Danvers State. In early October Stewart attended one of the regular site visits the state allows. Stewart said she managed to photograph a spirit "orb" by a stand of trees using high speed film during her visit.
Since its closure, the hospital's reputation as a haunting ground has undeniably grown. In the way the state guards it against intruders, the publicity it has achieved and the native draw of the architecture, Danvers State and the Kirkbride have moved beyond the realm of a haunted place and become local legend, Poirier said.
He described it as "deified."
"There is definitely some energy up there," Poirier said. "What people think about, we often make happen."


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8 new and returning shows to watch in August
Verne Gay
August is around the corner, and while the world may seem to slow down — the dog days, and all that — TV marches on. Here are seven shows to look for next month:
"Animals" (HBO, 11:30 p.m.) And just like that, this oddball animated series about the anthropomorphic misdeeds of New York City urban wildlife (from bed bugs to pigeons) is back for a third season. The co-creators are Phil Matarese and Mike Luciano. What to expect in the third? The series visits a "humanless, post-apocalyptic Big Apple" — which naturally means talking cockroaches.
"Better Call Saul" (AMC, 9 p.m.) One of the treasures of the small screen returns with an episode called "Smoke" — quite possibly a reference to the fire that consumed the house of Jimmy's (Bob Odenkirk) brother, Chuck (Michael McKean)? Yes, quite possibly. The logline is as follows: "Jimmy struggles to cope with Chuck's tragic death. Mike (Jonathan Banks) ponders his role at Madrigal. Howard (Patrick Fabian) makes a startling confession."
I can speak for "Saul" fans everywhere when I say: It's about time, Howard.
"Lodge 49" (AMC, 10 p.m.) AMC wouldn't be dropping this newcomer in the wake of "Saul's" highly anticipated return if it didn't think there was a little something to get excited about. "Lodge" is about Long Beach, California, ex-surfer Dud (Wyatt Russell), who ends up at a beaten-down fraternal lodge — the 49 of the title — where he befriends "Luminous Knight" Ernie (Brent Jennings, "Moneyball"). Expect some humor and "alchemical mysteries." Jim Gavin, author of the 2014 story collection, "Middle Men," created.
"Freaky Friday" (Disney Channel, 8 p.m.) A few movies put Lindsay Lohan on the map and 2003's "Freaky" — based on the 1972 Mary Rodgers novel — was most assuredly one of those. She will, alas, not appear in this musical remake. Instead, Cozi Zuehlsdorff ("Dolphin Tale") and Heidi Blickenstaff ("The Little Mermaid," "The Full Monty," "Something Rotten!") will star as daughter Anna and mom Tess, who switch bodies one freaky Friday. Bet you didn't know this was made into a musical (didya?), but it was, premiering in 2016. Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winners (for "Next to Normal," the 2008 rock musical about bipolar disorder) Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey are composer and lyricist, respectively.
"Insecure" (HBO, 10:30 p.m.); "Ballers" (HBO, 10 p.m.) Last we saw Issa (Issa Rae) a year ago in the second season finale, she was seen moving in with Daniel (Y'Lan Noel), telling him, "I'm sleeping on the couch." (Him: "I know.") She and Lawrence (Jay Ellis) remain bitterly apart — and it's not entirely clear he'll be back for this third season (but how could he not?) Meanwhile, of "Ballers," HBO says: financial manager Spencer (Dwayne Johnson) and his sideman Joe (Rob Corddry) are moving to L.A. as they "expand their roster and horizons in the world of action sports."
"Disenchantment" (Netflix). Matt Groening is returning to TV in his new animated series about a hard-drinking princess, Bean ("Broad City's" Abbi Jacobson), and her friends, the elf Elfo (Nat Faxon) and the demon Luci (Eric Andre). "You've seen the future in 'Futurama,' " says the trailer voice-over. "You've seen the present in Springfield. So what's the obvious third move? The past of course."
"Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan" (Amazon Prime) The Jack Ryan film series dates all the way back to 1990's "The Hunt for Red October" — with Jack played by Alec Baldwin. Now "The Office's" (and "A Quiet Place's") John Krasinski gets a crack at Jack, in this eight-parter. Here's the logline: JR "uncovers a pattern in terrorist communication that launches him into the center of a dangerous gambit with a new breed of terrorism that threatens destruction on a global scale." Of course it does and of course JR will save us.


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You are in : All News > Fresh produce: "Ration now" warn food policy experts as UK panic buying exacerbates crisis
Fresh produce: "Ration now" warn food policy experts as UK panic buying exacerbates crisis
24 Mar 2020 --- Leading food policy experts from a UK university are warning Britain's supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables, which predominantly come from Spain and Italy, could be severely disrupted by the coronavirus crisis. They also explain how supermarkets' move to "just-in-time" supply chains has severely dented their resilience to cope during this unprecedented time. The UK Government needs to enact rationing immediately to prevent food shortages exacerbating the crisis, they warn.
Panic buying and stockpiling has been disrupting the food supply in the UK in recent days as shoppers prepare to go into lockdown mode just like many other countries around the world.
Despite the pledge that the coronavirus crisis poses little threat to the integrity of the food supply and a package of measures from UK retailers to ensure and even boost supply, panic-buying has been particularly rife in the UK causing massive disruption. Empty shelves in supermarkets have become a disappointing but common sight.
"Rationing will prevent people from buying more than they need, at least of those foods included in the rationing scheme. It would ensure that what foods are available are equitably distributed, in proportion to need not to affluence or poverty," Professor Erik Millstone, of the University of Sussex Business School, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.
Click to EnlargePanic buying and stockpiling has been disrupting the food supply in the UK. "A rationing scheme should start with fresh produce, because those are the foods that are most dependent on 'just-in-time deliveries' and, therefore, where the supplies are potentially most vulnerable. If necessary it could be extended to other types of foods. Even during the Second World War in the UK, not all foods were rationed," he explains.
Professor Millstone and his colleagues Professors Tim Lang, of the University of London, and Terry Marsden, of Cardiff University, have written to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticizing his government's response to stockpiling as "weak and unconvincing."
The trio warn that most of the UK's fresh fruit, vegetables and salads come from the two European countries with high cases of COVID-19, Spain and Italy, whose supplies could diminish rapidly if there are insufficient numbers available to pick, pack and transport them or if their national governments insist that produce should be kept for their domestic consumers.
"None of us have data or statistics on the future, but given that the epidemic is most severe in Italy and Spain, it is inevitable that if it increasingly affects people who produce harvest, prepare and distribute food in those countries, then the countries that rely on importing food from those countries will have to cope with diminishing supplies," he continues.
Professor Millstone also warns that UK residents are set to buy even more food at supermarkets now that pubs, cafes and restaurants have all closed and highlights the important nutritional role of fresh fruit and vegetables at this time.
"Consequently, far more meals are being eaten in people's homes, which requires more shopping. Another is a concern about getting food if they, or a member of their household, falls ill. No doubt, the sight of other people stocking up increases concerns that there will be nothing left for them. Until the UK Government announces measures for ensuring that everyone will have enough to eat, people will try to protect themselves and those close to them," he continues.
Asked what food rationing might look like, Professor Millstone explains, "The way that rationing can work depends on whether or not supplies are sufficient in aggregate. If foods are scarce, rationing also requires controls on prices, to avoid poor people going hungry. If supplies are adequate in aggregate, and if the distribution system is functioning well, then a voucher scheme would ensure equitable distribution and access at affordable prices."
Ensuring food supply
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) stresses that the British government and industry continue to work closely together to ensure people have the food and supplies they need.
Moreover, UK retailers have already confirmed that in recent days, sales of some foods have increased significantly and manufacturers have produced around 50 percent more food than they usually would. The retailers highlighted that the main challenge they are facing is keeping shelves stocked in the face of increased purchasing behaviors.
The government has temporarily relaxed competition laws so retailers can work together to keep shops open and stocked. This involves sharing data on stock levels, pooling staff to meet demand, or sharing distribution depots and delivery vans.
Click to EnlargeDefra encourages the British government and industry to work closely together to ensure sufficient food supply.Earlier this month, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) emphasized that supermarkets were working round the clock to help customers get the products they need by trying to keep shops well-stocked and deliveries running as smoothly as possible. Many supermarkets have also increased opening hours, particularly so the elderly and key workers can get the food they need.
"Some of the rules the government has relaxed relate to the times at which stores can receive deliveries, and that is entirely sensible. If relaxing competition rules mean that food is more equitably distributed then that may be entirely desirable. But just leaving it to the large retail chains risks depriving smaller independent grocery shops and their customers of their supplies," adds Professor Millstone.
"The retailers are very uncomfortable with the predicament in which they find themselves. The government is content for the retailers to restrict how much people can buy, but the retailers want the government to take responsibility for deciding what restrictions if any should apply. Some senior food industry executives want the government to introduce some form of food rationing, even though they are not yet ready to say that in public."
In their joint warning to Johnson, the food policy experts, recommend the government take immediate action to:
Initiate a health-based food rationing scheme to see the country through this crisis. This should start from Public Health England's Eatwell Plate and draw on expertise from the devolved administrations, and relevant disciplines.
Rapidly review options for ensuring people on low incomes have sufficient money to buy a decent diet. Cash injections for people in receipt of welfare benefit is needed and potentially a national voucher scheme redeemable for nutritionally sound purchases such as fruit and vegetables.
Ensure that nutritionally appropriate food can and will be delivered to all those who self-isolate or are quarantined.
Initiate a new Food Rationing Scheme which is open, equitable and based on health needs, taking account of age, income and vulnerability, to be applied UK-wide.
Amend the Agriculture Bill, currently before Parliament, to include a new clause to ensure that the people of the UK will be fed well, healthily, equitably and sustainably.
By Gaynor Selby
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Fresh Produce Fruit Vegetables Rationing Stockpiling Panic Buying Food Policy Nutrition Coronavirus COVID-19 Health Lockdown Quarantine
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US WANT WINS
February 26, 2014 June 13, 2017 isport
The US national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann says that winning is all that matters when it comes to the World Cup. His team are expected to be one of the dark horses for progression to the latter stages of the competition.
However, they have been given a tough draw at the World Cup after being grouped along with Germany, Portugal, and Ghana. All three teams have the chance to finish in the knockout stages, which makes it difficult for Klinsmann. As a result, he has adopted a 'win at all costs' policy ahead of World Cup.
After going through a difficult period under his regime a few years ago, Klinsmann appears to have found the perfect combination in order to get the results. The US team will be coming into the World Cup after having suffered just one defeat in the last five matches. Their recent friendly match against one of the World Cup qualified teams – South Korea – ended in a 2-0 victory for the Americans. They have two friendlies scheduled between now and the start of the World Cup. It will be against Ukraine and Mexico.
Ghana will be the first opponents at the World Cup and they will be followed by matches against Portugal and Germany.
"We started to work on it as soon as I took the job on and we went into the final phase of qualifying for Brazil 2014 convinced that we'd have to score late goals to get results and away from home too. In football you need to have special players to get special results and if you don't have those players, like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, then you have to look for a way of compensating, by working as a team and having a winning mentality," said Klinsmann to FIFA's official site.


These were the people who I hung out with during the 2009 BFF week here in NY. Great peeps from all over. The Third Coast Fixed crew came from Texas, James Newman was in from SF and the rest are NY'rs. Yes, that's a water bottle being thrown at Wilis, the photographer by James.
I met a ton of awesome people who all became inspired in one way or the other through the bicycle. The films this year set a new standard. I've never been on the edge of my seat more than when Lucas Brunelle played his NYC short films of alleycats and the new Empire trailer was welcomed with cheers.
A longer write up and video pics are on the way, I'm serious!


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Louise Bruton's top tracks of 2022
by Louise Bruton
Nialler9's 30 best Irish albums of 2022
Freelancer journalist, pop culture enthusiast and Pop Dungeon DJ Louise Bruton shares her favourite tracks of the year. Join her at All My Friends on Meath Street on Saturday for Britmas: a festival celebration of Britney Spears.
See all Guestlist of 2022 choices
See Louise's previous choices from 2021, 2020 and 2019.
Here are her 10 tracks of the year.
MUNA – What I Want
I didn't know what I wanted until' What I Want' by MUNA came along. Giving desire a new lease of life, pop songs should always dress up lust as something we have never truly experienced before, turning it into the be-all and end-all of our existence. A queer pop anthem for the ages, this is one to lose all inhibitions to.
Following on the rip-roaring success of 2020's What's Your Pleasure?, Jessie Ware has realised that girls really just wanna have fun. Borrowing 90s house piano riffs and delivering clear cut messages of liberation, Ware leads us successfully into battle with the dance floor.
Tove Lo – No One Dies From Love
I really struggled to pick just one Tove Lo for this list because this year's Dirt Femme album captures an artist in full prowess. A true student of the Max Martin School of Pop, Lo knows how to grab a listener emotionally; hook, line and power chorus. A slow build, it's a glittering therapy session in love and loss.
Beyoncé – Pure/Honey
"Four, three, too fucking busy…" As is par for the course with any Beyoncé song since 2014's self-titled reinvention, no detail is overlooked in 'Pure/Honey'. Lyrically, sonically and spiritually, every bar is a pull quote to define a mood or a movement. Swerving from ballroom power drills to Chicago house to self-indulgent disco, this is a grand slam of serves. Most thrilling of all Bey uses the C-word, something we could never have imagined on 'Dangerously in Love'.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Mars
Let's just dial things back for a second. Almost 20 years since their debut album Fever to Tell, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs watch the world burn on Cool It Down. To balance out the hedonism and animalistic drives of the album, 'Mars' is a spoken word song that acts as a nighttime story. Karen O asks her son what the sun looks like and he says Mars "with a glint in his eye", bringing a new kind of wonder to the band that always thrived in youthful rebellion.
Charli XCX – Used to Know Me
My big hope for 2023 is that we stop prioritising the throwback. But, for now, let's just savour the moment. Again. Like Tove Lo, Charli XCX is a pop connoisseur. She dictates the next taste before we are even sampling the latest. So while 2022's Crash goes heavy on the big club samples of yesteryear, I have no doubt that she's already sitting on an album that is set to change the course of pop all over again.
Rosalia – Chicken Teriyaki
This two-minute ditty of distressed reggaeton is proof that less can almost definitely be more.
SZA – F2F
Fresh offa her sophomore album SOS, SZA will probably save this as a single for next year, but I am grateful that she gave us an album to cry out the rest of Q4 to. Forever the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve, I get inklings of Avril Lavigne here – major props to Lavigne's Love Sux, which just barely missed a chance of being in my top 10 and I would easily write a full essay on – and I am not complaining.
RAYE, 070 Shake – Escapism
In this very same list for 2020, I wrote that I was ready for RAYE to be the biggest pop star on earth. Little did I know that she was in a shitstorm of a recording contract and was trapped to forever be a featured artist because her label had been holding her debut album hostage. Now an independent artist and free to do whatever the fuck she likes (My 21st Century Blues is out in Feb), she went straight to number one with 'Escapism', a paranoid song that throws the traditional pop structure away. We love a good revenge tale.
Shygirl – Poison (Club Shy Mix)
Shygirl is the rapper, songwriter and producer that all of the big pop stars will undoubtedly be handing big envelopes of cash over to in the coming years so that they can remain relevant. Taken from her debut album Nymph, the Club Shy Mix of Poison is heady. Taking Euro dance and underground grime, she gives us something solid to hold onto as we lose grip on sanity.
best of 2022 guestlists-2022
Louise Bruton Thursday, December 15, 2022
Merchy Christmas: Irish band merch & popup performances this weekend at The Grand Social – lineup