text:
French Open 2016: Day 11 Review
Sportz Cosmos / June 2, 2016
On a busy day following the first complete washout on Monday, the first since May 30, 2000, and a curtailed Tuesday, six matches were completed and all the fancied players advanced on Wednesday. While Novak Djokovic, Dominic Thiem, Tomas Berdych and David Goffin reached the last eight, defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka and Andy Murray booked a semi-final showdown to be played on Friday.
Top seeded Novak Djokovic completed his rain interrupted match against the 14th seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-5. The Serb stays on course to complete a career slam and non-calendar grand slam next faces the dangerous but under achieving Tomas Berdych in the last eight.
The 7th seeded Czech defeated the 11th seeded Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 7-5, 6-3. The 2013 finalist Ferrer (loss to Nadal) had a 7-6 edge in career meetings against Berdych who has now reached the last eight at Roland Garros for the third time in his career. Berdych, who is, an unenviable 2-23, against Djokovic will be hoping he can repeat the result he had at Wimbledon 6 years ago. Djokovic, needless to say, will be hoping to continue to extend his domination of the Czech No.1
The promising Austrian, Dominic Thiem, dropped the second set in a tie-break to the Spaniard Marcel Granollers. The right handed Granollers had a walkover from the nine time champion Rafael Nadal in the third round. Thiem won 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-4 and will now play the Belgian David Goffin in the last eight tomorrow.
The 12th seeded Goffin beat the Latvian Ernests Gulbis who too had advanced after Tsonga had conceded his third round match after injuring his groin. The 2014 semi-finalist Gulbis took the first set 6-4, but could make little impression in the next three as Goffin prevailed 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
Andy Murray has ended the hopes of a first French winner since Yannick Noah won the title in 1983, as he rallied after dropping the first set against the ninth seeded Gasquet. Murray was up 5-3 in the first set but lost the next four as Gasquet fought back and clinched the first set 7-5.
Murray then took the next set in a tie-break and then won 12 out of 14 games as he won 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-0, 6-2 to record his tenth straight win on clay which includes a maiden Italian Open on his birthday on May 15 (beat Djokovic).
The defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka powered to a 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(7) win over the unseeded Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Wawrinka saved two break points in the first game and then took a 3-0 lead before he got another break in the eighth game to seal the set 6-2. The third seeded Swiss looked set for a straight sets win but squandered a service break as the 55th ranked Spaniard who had upset Milos Raonic in the fourth round fought back to force a tie-break.
Wawrinka saved a set point at 6-7, but then closed out the match taking the next three points. It will be Wawrinka's fourth semi-final appearance in a grand slam since the Australian Open last year. Murray has a 7-6 edge in career meetings against the 31 year old Wawrinka.
The following is the remaining quarter-final line up with my pick mentioned first:-
Novak Djokovic (1) v. Tomas Berdych (7)
Dominic Thiem (13) v. David Goffin (12)
On an equally busy day for the Women, the defending champion Serena Williams overpowered the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-1 and next faces the unheralded Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan who upset the 12th seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in a keenly contested two setter, 7-5, 7-5.
The other William sibling Venus was beaten by last year's semi finalist Timea Bacsinszky in straight sets while Kiki Bertens of Netherlands beat the promising American Madison Keys also in straight sets. Serena plays Putintseva, while Bacsinszky faces Kiki Bertens in the last eight.
Later in the day last year's Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza, the fourth seed had a 7-5,6-3 win over the American Shelby Rogers to enter the semi-final. She will next play the 2010 finalist Samantha Stosur of Australia who beat the Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4,7-6(7) in the final match of the day.
June 2, 2016 in 2016 French Open, Rasesh Mehta, Tennis Galaxy. Tags: Andy Murray, Clay court, David Goffin, Dominic Thiem, French Open, Grand Slam, ITF, Major, Novak Djokovic, Paris, Quarterfinals, Roland Garros, Stan Wawrinka, Tomáš Berdych
ATP ROME MASTERS 1000: Preview Of The Quarterfinals
ATP MIAMI OPEN 2015: Day 7 Preview
← French Open 2016: A Rivalry That Cuts Deep
French Open 2016: The Countdown Begins →

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Next Reunion in 2005. Got news? Tap out a note to magazine@bates.edu! Andrea Eschen is the regional director for Latin America for EngenderHealth, an international agency working in 30 countries throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. "The agency's mission is to improve the access to clinic-based family planning and reproductive health services in resource poor areas. We also address HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, improving the quality of reproductive health services, infection prevention in health facilities, and post-abortion care for women who have induced abortions."… Old First Church in Springfield, Mass., has installed the Rev. J. Thomas Gough as its senior pastor. He sees as his mission to reconnect the 365-year-old church with the 366-year-old city. He also teaches world religion at Springfield College…. After spending six years practicing law in New York and Boston, Lucinda Lohman-Oota is back in Kyoto, Japan, and working in nearby Osaka for a large Japanese law firm. She's also finishing up a master's program through Harvard Extension online…. David Reinhart has been appointed president of the MeadWestvaco Specialty Paper Division, which manufactures decorative and overlay papers for laminate flooring, furniture, and countertops, and papers used in automotive and industrial applications…. The third edition of the award-winning book, Hacker's Guide to Visual FoxPro 7.0, has been released. Ted Roche is one of the co-authors. Ted has his own firm in Contoocook, N.H., specializing in development of Web, client-server, and networked database applications.


text:
Home » Sports » Madrid want 75m euros for Rodriguez
Madrid want 75m euros for Rodriguez
Speculation is growing over the future of James Rodriguez and Real Madrid have named their price as the Colombian pushes for a way out of Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
From the early days of being a guaranteed starter under coach Carlo Ancelotti, the attacking midfielder has since fallen out with Rafa Benitez and been merely a rotation option for current boss Zinedine Zidane Cast aside during the Club World Cup in December, James instinctively headed towards the exit but was persuaded by the Frenchman to stay put and work harder, rejecting an offer from Chelsea at the last minute.
However, Rodriguez has only become an integral member of Zidane's LaLiga squad in 2017, an XI infamously made out of fringe players while Isco & Co. get their chance in the huge Champions League games and derbies that James so desperately seeks
With the 25-year-old now set on leaving, Real have slapped a 75 million euro price tag on his head as the Premier League champions continue to circle, along with rivals Manchester United.
Abbey Mortgage Bank gets double investment rating January 29, 2023


text:
Great Ocean Road All Destinations
Things to do in Victoria
Things to do in Great Ocean Road
How to Spend 3 Days on the Great Ocean Road
How to Spend 1 Day on the Great Ocean Road
Three days on the Great Ocean Road allows you to take your time and explore beyond the highlights. For the best value, make the most of Super Saver and combo deals or choose a multi-day tour that includes little-known viewpoints and off-the-beaten-track attractions. Here are some ideas.
Day 1: Surfing and Sightseeing
The surf town of Torquay, the gateway to the Great Ocean Road, is popular with lovers of the outdoors. Learn to surf on one of Australia's best beaches during a surf class or join a mountain bike excursion to see the Great Ocean Road from a different angle. For the ultimate thrill, opt for a skydive over the coast.
Continue along the coast to Anglesea, where beachfront restaurants serve excellent seafood. Spend the afternoon stopping at sights along the road to Apollo Bay, such as the Split Point Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet—book tickets to avoid lining up—and the Memorial Arch. Lorne boasts a lively beachfront and Teddy's Lookout, while the bushwalking trails along Kennet River are a great place to spot wild koalas.
Time your arrival in Apollo Bay to watch the sunset from Marriners Lookout, then spend the evening hours relaxing at a bar overlooking the marina.
Day 2: Hike the Great Ocean Walk
The Great Ocean Walk, hailed as one of the Great Walks of Australia, runs for 62 miles (100 kilometers) from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles but you don't have to trek the whole route. Instead, enjoy a half-day hike along a section in the Great Otway National Park, and add on a detour to either Triplet Falls, the Redwoods, or the Red Rock Lookout.
In the afternoon, visit Cape Otway, home to the historic Cape Otway Lightstation. Nearby, the Twelve Apostles—named for the dozen limestone towers that peek out from the ocean—is one of the most photographed viewpoints on the Great Ocean Road and a staple of most sightseeing tours. Make a final stop at Loch Ard Gorge for sunset.
Day 3: Discover the Shipwreck Coast
Most day-trippers only follow the Great Ocean Road as far as Port Campbell but with three days, you'll have time to drive along the Shipwreck Coast all the way to Port Fairy. Jump out to visit coastal landmarks such as The Grotto and the London Arch, and relish a lack of crowds.
Next up is the coastal town of Warrnambool, where winter visitors can spot Southern Right whales. Other highlights include the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, which offers an insight into the history of the notorious Shipwreck Coast—book your tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line.
End your Great Ocean Road adventure in Port Fairy, where you can follow the coastal trails down to the beachside and dive in for a final swim in the ocean.
6 Tours and Activities | All Great Ocean Road Tours
Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles Day Trip from Melbourne
Discover some of Australia's most photographed landscapes on this full-day tour of the famous Great Ocean Road from Melbourne. Stop for morning tea in Anglesea, spot wild koalas along the way, and tuck into lunch overlooking the dramatic Apollo Bay. After lunch, enjoy a hike through Great Otway National Park, learn how the notorious Shipwreck Coast earned its name, and marvel over natural landmarks like the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and the Gibson Steps.
2 Day Great Ocean Road Tour from Melbourne
Venture beyond the tourist trail on this comprehensive 2-day tour of the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne. Follow the iconic coastal route past windswept beaches, beautiful bays and dramatic natural landmarks. Visit the surf beach of Torquay; see the Erksine Falls; spot wild kangaroos, koalas and parrots on a bushwalk; and enjoy glorious views over Apollo Bay. After an overnight stop (own expense), continue along the Shipwreck Coast, and marvel over natural wonders like the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge.
2-Day Great Ocean Road and Grampians Tour from Melbourne
Discover some of Victoria's most spectacular landscapes on this 2-day tour of the Great Ocean Road and Grampians National Park. See world-famous surfing beaches, charming seaside towns and the dramatic limestone cliffs of the Twelve Apostles and Australia's 'Shipwreck Coast.' Hike and bushwalk through the majestic Grampians for panoramic lookouts, wildlife sightings, and an exploration of indigenous culture. Accommodation, breakfast on day two, all park fees and guided transport from Melbourne are included.
2-Day Camping and Surfing Great Ocean Road Trip from Melbourne
Tick off the highlights of Australia's world-famous Great Ocean Road and learn to surf on this action-packed 2-day road trip from Melbourne. Hit the beach for a 2-hour surf class, spot wild koalas and kangaroos, and soak up the scenery of Apollo Bay, the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge. Best of all: spend a night in a Native American-style teepee by the beach, where you'll tuck into a hearty Aussie BBQ around the campfire. This small-group tour is limited to 15 people and includes accommodation, meals and round-trip transport.
Full-Day Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles Sunset Tour from Melbourne
Experience the spectacular scenery of Australia's Great Ocean Road on this full-day guided tour from Melbourne. Admire postcard-worthy vistas around every turn of the coastal road, and pass through charming port towns along the way. Learn the fascinating and tragic history of Australia's jagged 'Shipwreck Coast' when you visit the Loch Ard Gorge, site of a famous wreck. Your journey comes to a dramatic climax when you arrive at the Twelve Apostles geologic wonder just as the sun sets (seasonal and weather dependent).
Split Point Lighthouse Tours
Visit the Split Point Lighthouse during this quick and worthwhile stop along the Great Ocean Road. Choose your preferred time—tours leave between 11 am and 2 pm—and enjoy a guided tour of "The White Queen," a spectacular lighthouse built in 1891. Learn about the keepers who once operated its lanterns, catch panoramic views of Eagle Rock Marine Sanctuary, and check out a collection of historic photos.
20 to 30 minutes
More Tours in Great Ocean Road
Recommended for Great Ocean Road


text:
Q: Magento 2: How to get product collection by category? We are trying to get product collection by category id.
Block:
protected $_categoryFactory;

public function __construct(
    \Magento\Backend\Block\Template\Context $context,
    \Magento\Catalog\Model\CategoryFactory $categoryFactory,
    array $data = []
)
{
    $this->_categoryFactory = $categoryFactory;
    parent::__construct($context, $data);
}

public function getCategory($categoryId)
{
    $category = $this->_categoryFactory->create();
    $category->load($categoryId);
    return $category;
}

public function getCategoryProducts($categoryId)
{
    $products = $this->getCategory($categoryId)->getProductCollection();
    $products->addAttributeToSelect('*');
    return $products;
}

and in html:
$categoryId = 6; // fetching products in category id 6
$categoryProducts = $block->getCategoryProducts($categoryId);
foreach ($categoryProducts as $product) {
    echo $product->getName() . ' - ' . $product->getProductUrl() . '<br />';
}

it works fine only if $categoryId = the highest level in the category tree. But if I change $categoryId to 2 (or 3... or etc but not last in category tree) it doesn't work.
How can I get it work?

A: I did this task in this way:
In block:
protected $_objectManager = null;
protected $_categoryFactory;
protected $_category;
protected $_productCollectionFactory;

public function __construct(
    \Magento\Catalog\Model\ResourceModel\Product\CollectionFactory $productCollectionFactory,
    \Magento\Framework\View\Element\Template\Context $context,
    \Magento\Framework\ObjectManagerInterface $objectManager,
    \Magento\Catalog\Model\CategoryFactory $categoryFactory
) {
    $this->_productCollectionFactory = $productCollectionFactory;
    $this->_objectManager = $objectManager;
    $this->_categoryFactory = $categoryFactory;
    parent::__construct($context);
}

public function getCurrentCategory()
{
    $category = $this->_objectManager->get('Magento\Framework\Registry')->registry('current_category');
    return $category;
}

/**
 * Get category object
 *
 * @return \Magento\Catalog\Model\Category
 */
public function getCategory($categoryId)
{
    $this->_category = $this->_categoryFactory->create();
    $this->_category->load($categoryId);
    return $this->_category;
}

/**
 * Get all children categories IDs
 *
 * @param boolean $asArray return result as array instead of comma-separated list of IDs
 * @return array|string
 */
public function getAllChildren($asArray = false, $categoryId = false)
{
    if ($this->_category) {
        return $this->_category->getAllChildren($asArray);
    } else {
        return $this->getCategory($categoryId)->getAllChildren($asArray);
    }
}

public function getProductCollection($category_id_array)
{
    $collection = $this->_productCollectionFactory->create();
    $collection->addAttributeToSelect('*');
    $collection->addCategoriesFilter(['in' => $category_id_array]);
    $collection->addAttributeToFilter('visibility', \Magento\Catalog\Model\Product\Visibility::VISIBILITY_BOTH);
    $collection->addAttributeToFilter('status',\Magento\Catalog\Model\Product\Attribute\Source\Status::STATUS_ENABLED);
    $collection->setPageSize(9); // fetching only 9 products
    return $collection;
}

In phtml:
<?php
    $category_id_array = $this->getAllChildren(true,$this->getCurrentCategory()->getEntity_id());
    foreach ($block->getProductCollection($category_id_array) as $product) {
        var_dump($product->getData());
    }
?>

and it works in any category.

A: You can try the following code to resolve your query:
$objectManager = \Magento\Framework\App\ObjectManager::getInstance();
$cateinstance = $objectManager->create('Magento\Catalog\Model\CategoryFactory');
$cateid = '14';
$allcategoryproduct = $cateinstance->create()->load($cateid)->getProductCollection()->addAttributeToSelect('*');

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Vail Aerotropolis
Suburban Empire (think Jim Kunstler with less rage and more coherence) has posted an interesting jeremiad against the "Edwards Mircopolitan Statistical Area (EMSA)," better known as Vail and the towns in its economic orbit along I-70. The author rails against the typical suburban sprawl that has sprung up along the highway to service the middlebrow skiers:
"Wal-Mart, Costco, Burger King, Comfort Inn, Wendy's, Starbucks, Outback Steak House… and of course the "resorts" like Christie Lodge ("you have been selected to receive a free trip, just attend our short ownership advantage meeting"), Arrowhead, Vail, Streamside, Beaver Creek, any number of big name hotels…. and the exclusive subdivisions like Cordillera…. all jammed into the narrow and otherwise pretty valley, it takes just short of an hour to drive through it all, and on some days there is even a brown cloud floating above."
As someone who grew up a flat-earther in Illinois, skiing is foreign to me (maybe my kids will learn at Stowe), and so I had no idea about the traits of the various ski towns in the Rockies, which the author describes at length:
The "Vail Valley" is one of the more milquetoast resort areas on the planet, and it is quite challenging to put a personality on it…. because it lacks so much. Aspen is about glamor, hard drugs, and the local sheriff running interference against the DEA on behalf of the drug industry… Hunter S. Thompson ran for sheriff there, and there were the stars who followed John Denver, kings, and rich Arabs with big jets into town. Telluride was (and still is) a hideout for people on the run from the law, a nasty divorce, etc….. Steamboat is serious Western "Ca-Boy" town, spurs, boots, and shit…. Even Park City has "Sundance", and Olympic glory…. but Vail is just big (and no longer the biggest) and very, very, burby. In this I am not comparing the ski mountain, but rather the towns that support the mountain… after all you can't ski all the time.
The reason for this is that Vail, unlike the others, is a recent creation:
Aspen, Telluride, Crested Butte, Breckenridge and Steamboat all had existing, old mining towns that were falling apart before the ski industry arrived. Most are cute and very Victorian. Vail wasn't born until 1965 and started pretty much from scratch. While it was supposed to convey the feel of a Swiss ski town, somehow Vail comes across as if architect "Mike Brady" from the Brady Bunch had a hand in the design of everything in town. So many of the buildings come off as what the future was, instead of what the future will be… even the new ones. All and all the areas off I-70 between mm 140 and 180 come off as very suburban, and a little depressing.
How do you build a ski town from scratch in 1965, in the middle of the Colorado Rockies no less? Well, the advent of cross-country jet service just six years before helps:
If you were to go back in time to 1960 and tell a resident of the town of Gypsum that by 1995 their town would have nonstop, wide-body, jet service to Chicago, Atlanta, Newark, Dallas, and Los Angeles they would have laughed you right down to the bar and bought you a drink so they could sit down and explain the realities of the Western Colorado economy, and ranching. Then you could explain the realities of cheap oil and skiing to them and point out that not only would Gypsum have a powerhouse regional airport, but nearby Avon would open and close a private STOL-port owned by Rocky Mountain Airways in the interim; and a major four lane highway would be coming, and ultimately push West, right through Glenwood Canyon…... and you would have been laughed out of the bar and right out of town.
A quick check of Wikipedia lists additional non-stop service (some seasonal) to New York, Houston, Miami, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Minneapolis. Vail would seem to fit one definition of an aerotropolis—a place that would otherwise not exist without air service. But add non-stops to the equation and this is what you get. Whether the results are worth it depends on where you stand (and, evidently, on when you sold out):
Within the next four decades any of the people who laughed you out of the bar (and who also owned land in or near the town) would be laughing all the way to the bank. Environmentalists would spend that same era weeping for the "scars upon the land" caused by people like John Denver promoting the "Colorado Mountain Lifestyle" simply by building mansions, skiing, and snorting coke by the ton.


text:
By admin	| July 9, 1994
Given his formidable presence and equal talent, it was only a matter of time before New Zealand-born, Australian-raised Russell Crowe made the mainstream American breakthrough he enjoyed with Gladiator. Few stateside fans of that film–or his other notable U.S. work, such as "L.A. Confidential" or The Insider–have seen the film that led to his transition from Down Under, "Romper Stomper." His work in this gritty 1992 Aussie production caught the eye of Sharon Stone, who then fought for his casting in her 1995 Sam Raimi-directed Western, "The Quick and the Dead." The rest, as they say, is history.
In "Romper Stomper," freshly released on DVD in the States by Fox, Crowe's enormous ability is very much in evidence as Hando, the charismatic leader of a neo-Nazi skinhead gang. His performance is just one of three that anchor writer-director Geoffrey Wright's film; the other two come courtesy of Daniel Pollock as Davey, a gang member who has increasing doubts about his affiliation; and Jacqueline McKenzie as Gabe, the troubled young woman whose entry into the fold speeds up the group's inevitable destruction. Their work elevates Wright's fairly thin and standard story, whose unadorned slice-of-life realism is undercut by its dismaying progression into a tale of a triangle.
But when Romper is firing on all cylinders, it is potent indeed; the unflinching violence–the primary contributing factor to the film's NC-17 rating (though Fox has opted to release the disc sans rating)–gives the film a raw, sometimes discomfiting immediacy, particularly in the case of the film's centerpiece sequence, in which the gang is chased down by an angry mob of Vietnamese immigrants. The cast, extending far beyond the core three, attacks their roles with matching intensity.
Given the film's general obscurity in the States (it was, however, a big success–and even bigger lightning rod for controversy–in its native country), it's surprising that Fox has given it a two-disc treatment. Disc one features a not-entirely-pristine (but still much improved) new transfer of the film plus newly recorded running commentary by Wright. Not surprisingly, a lot of what he has to say concerns the now-internationally famous Crowe, but his most memorable comments are his heartfelt ones about the talented Pollock, who tragically committed suicide during post production.
Disc two shows that Fox was stretching a bit to make this a double-disc set. The usual cast biographies/filmographies and theatrical trailer are here, as is a stills gallery that incorporates various factoids about the production. There is also a set of recently-shot interview segments with Wright covering, among other things, the film's authenticity in depicting Australian skinheads. Naturally, some of this material is also covered in his commentary, but deeper details are found here. Appearing alongside these segments are interview bites culled from the film's circa-'92 electronic press kit; featured are Wright, Crowe, McKenzie, and co-star Tony Lee (who plays a Vietnamese club owner). Of course, the main attraction of these is Crowe, looking very youthful and appearing genuinely excited about his work–and the rest of his career.
Specifications: 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen; English DTS; English 5.1 Surround; English Dolby Surround; English subtitles; English closed captioning.
SXSW GETS POLITICAL
Given the current national climate, it is no surprise that South by Southwest Film Festival, which has grown in importance and impact over the last half...
"Shadowboxer" is a feature film trapped in the parameters of a short film. As a result, there is a great deal of action and emotion unattractively...
What's the point of survival, if we can't live? For many people, the grind of surviving day-to-day takes away the hope and joy of living life to its...


text:
A Master of Major Forms. On the centenary of Alexander Kibalnikov's birth
Valeriya Minina
Alexander Kibalnikov's name occupies one of the most prominent and significant places in the brilliant cohort of Soviet artists. When we recall his works — monumental sculptures, portraits, memorial and monumental compositions — it becomes clear that Kibalnikov's art has a consistent creative direction. It is characterized by its loyalty to the principles of civic consciousness and humanity, high integrity, strong inherent bond to the fate of his native country and its people. It is among the people that the artist found subjects for his art, individuals of strong will and courage, resolute, beautiful and wholesome in their thoughts and aspirations — people who embody a certain social ideal.
Alexander Kibalnikov's name occupies one of the most prominent and significant places in the brilliant cohort of Soviet artists. When we recall his works — monumental sculptures, portraits, memorial and monumental compositions — it becomes clear that Kibalnikov's art has a consistent creative direction. It is characterized by its loyalty to the principles of civic consciousness and humanity, high integrity, strong inherent bond to the fate of his native country and its people.


If you have care needs, or are a carer, we can help. We offer a choice of services for all age groups, disabilities and health conditions. These can be tailored to your particular needs, and provided at any time of the day and night, as little or as often as you need them. To do this, we provide a trained carer to replace the regular carer (often a family member) for an hour, a day, or longer.
If you think that we may be able to help you, a friend or a family member, please contact us for a free informal chat. We will be happy to discuss your requirements and to provide a list of our service charges. We can also visit you at home and, together with the person you care for, design a programme that best meets your needs.
If you are a carer, please contact us directly. We also accept introductions, referrals and recommendations from professionals such as doctors, nurses, social workers and care managers, as well as statutory and voluntary organisations.
I have no worries when I leave my husband now so I think they give me peace of mind as well.
I honestly don't know how I could have carried on without your help.
I now have a little 'me time' knowing that John is being well looked after.


text:
IRS bumps up owner-operators' per-diem allowance
Owner-operators are now allowed to claim a meal per diem of $66 per day they're away from home, according to a new per diem structure announced this week by the IRS. The change, a $3 increase, took effect Oct. 1.
Owner-operators, using their Schedule C business expense form, will now be able to deduct $52.80 off of their income for every day they're on the road and away from home. Though the allotted per diem is $66, the IRS only allows a deduction of 80 percent of that to be deducted from operators' income, which equals $52.80. For all days on the road and away from home before Oct. 1, operators' per diem is $63 — a deduction of $50.40 per day.
To qualify for the per diem, IRS rules state your work must be away from "your tax home substantially longer" than a normal work day and you must sleep away from your home on the days the per diem is being used, ATBS says.
If you have questions about use of a per diem, call ATBS at 866-920-2827.
Company drivers can no longer deduct meal per diem from their income. The Taxs Cut and Jobs Act of 2017, the tax reform cleared last year by Congress, removed per diem deductions for company drivers starting for the 2018 filing year.
Tax reform means annual savings of $2,000 or more for owner-operators
Trucking raises $80k for Wreaths Across America
Jim Kenson presents 'Seventy Seconds in A Trucker's Life'
Bully Dog parent company to pay $6.5M to settle alleged emissions-defeating violations in light-duty trucks


text: There are some android wear watchface demos!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


For travelers seeking for a dream vacation that is based on sunshine, swimming, water-sports and relaxation, look no further than The Reef Eilat Hotel, the Red Sea resort town's first and only boutique hotel located on the beach near the Coral Reef Reserve. The Reef Eilat Hotel boasts 79 rooms and suites, ranging from luxurious Deluxe rooms, Deluxe rooms with private pools, Deluxe Rooms with direct pool access or prestigious suites with a private pool. With unparalleled location, furnishings, service and amenities, travelers to Israel looking for a luxury beachside hotel will find the new Orchid Reef Hotel in Eilat to be amongst the best hotels in Israel.
* Twin or King-size bed.
* Balcony with sea views.
* Spacious and elegant bathtub or shower.
The hotel grounds includes a swimming pool, sunbathing beds, a modern aerobic gym and Red Sea beach access.
The hotel allows guests to relax in Eilat's tranquil Red Sea paradise, and is just 4-km from the city center that boasts vibrant nightlife spots, parties, pubs and bars, restaurants and clubs and of course VAT free shopping.
*Please note that pets of any kind are forbidden in the hotel, other than guide dogs for guests who are registered disabled.


text:
Working Hard!
Jackson Pond was awarded the coveted Team Award by Aquascape Designs. This award acknowledges the effort put in by all Jackson Pond Employees in forming the best pond, waterfall and water feature building team in Canada.
A Jackson Pond pond and waterfall won the Gold Award from the Pool and Hot Tub Council of Canada for the best Residential Water Feature in Canada.
Phil Jackson, President of Jackson Pond, was selected to participate in the building of a display pond and waterfall for the International Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot Centre in Florida.
In 2017, Jackson Pond constructed an Award Winning Pondless Waterfall at Canada Blooms, Canada's Largest Garden Show. The following year, Jackson Pond won the Perry Molema Award For Outstanding Use Of Water. It was an absolute honour to win this award as Perry Molema was an inspiration to many of us working at Jackson Pond. Furthermore, in 2019 Jackson Pond again won the Perry Molema Award For Outstanding Use Of Water! Again, what an honour.
Jackson Pond would like to thank our clients for making us the #1 CAC Retailer in Canada and #6 in the World for 2017 as recognized by Aquascape, the World's Leading Manufacturer of water feature products.


The Second Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin was an offensive by the Syrian Army to capture the town of Al-Shaykh Maskin in the Daraa Governorate and secure the Daraa–Damascus highway.
Early on 27 December, the 15th Brigade of the 5th Armoured Division of the Syrian Army launched the operation to capture Al-Shaykh Maskin, attacking its northern and eastern flanks. Over the following two days, the Russian air force conducted over 80 air-strikes on the town.
On 29 December, the Army captured the Brigade 82 military base, on the outskirts of Al-Shaykh Maskin, as well as the northern part of the town itself. Government forces then temporarily lost the base due to bad weather, but retook it again overnight. The following day, government forces continued with their attempts to take full control of Al-Shaykh Maskin and captured the eastern part of the town. This left them in control of half of Al-Shaykh Maskin. They reached the town's main square, as well as the Al-'Umari Mosque (north of the city center), while the rebels issued a distress call for reinforcements. The Army's advances were supported by another 15 Russian air-strikes.
Further attempts by the Army to advance were made between 2 and 4 January, as 43 more Russian air-strikes hit the town.
On 5 January, the rebels launched a counter-attack towards the Brigade 82 base. At the same time, the 15th Brigade, supported by NDF units, continued making attempts to advance to Tal Hamad hill, west of the town, but were unsuccessful. By this point, the military was in control of 55–60% of Al-Shaykh Maskin. By the evening, the rebel counter-attack stalled. The next day, the rebels renewed their counter-assault and stormed the southern perimeter of the Brigade 82 headquarters. However, eventually, this second assault failed as well. The Russian Air Force conducted 12 air-strikes throughout the day.
A third unsuccessful rebel assault was launched on the morning of 8 January, against the walls of the Brigade 82 Housing Facility. Rebel fighters were hampered by poor weather, fierce resistance and Russian air-strikes. Opposition sources confirmed that since the start of the battle for Al-Shaykh Maskin the rebels had suffered "major material and human losses", but reported they were still preparing to make new attempts to regain the base.
Between 9 and 10 January, 33 air-strikes were conducted against Al-Shaykh Maskin.
On 11 January, government forces captured a total of 17 buildings in the southern part of the city and two days later, another 35 buildings, thus seizing the southern part of the town, and leaving them in control of 80 percent of Al-Shaykh Maskin.
Between 23 and 24 January, the military captured Al-Zaheriyah school and its surrounding area, as well as the town of Al-Burj on the outskirts of Al-Shaykh Maskin, after more than 40 air-strikes were conducted. However, the rebels were able to recapture the school. Still, Army advances continued as they took control of more positions in the town, which included the Al-Bassam Mosque, parts of the Al-Diri neighborhood and large sections of the Saydaliyat road.
During the night before 25 January, when the final Army assault was supposed to commence, a military detachment was sent to capture a height overlooking the town, from which the rebels could detect the military's planned attack from the north of the town. The fighting was heavy, but a heavy rain helped the Army unit climb up the height without being detected. The unit was then attacked from three sides, during which its commander, Mohammed Fares, was wounded. The detachment managed to hold the height until reinforcements arrived.
The next morning, the military launched its operation from the north side of the town and rapidly advanced, linking up with troops coming in from the east. The fighting started 08:30 am, and shortly thereafter the SAA's 15th Brigade captured the Al-'Umari Mosque. The military made gains in the northwestern neighborhood of Al-Shaykh Maskin, as well as other parts of the town, while they were covered by 25 air-strikes. The heaviest fighting of the day took place in the Al-Diri District. However, after seizing Al-Diri, the rebels were left with only two building blocks under their control. The Army's advances also enabled them to monitor all roads leading from the town to other nearby areas. Many rebels started withdrawing from the town, mainly towards Ibta' and Nawa. By 10:30 pm, the military had cleared Al-Shaykh Maskin of all rebel resistance. By the end of the battle, 70% of the city had been rendered uninhabitable.
On 27 January, the Army captured the strategic hilltops of Tal Hamad and Tal Koum.
↑ Paul Khalifeh, Syrie: de nouveaux rapports de force favorables au régime Assad, RFI, 30 January 2016.
This page was last modified on 18 March 2016, at 00:34.


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Noticing Warning Signs, Getting Help
Jan. 23, 2023 – Tomer Shaked, an 18-year-old high school senior in Florida, started gaming around age 9. "I began spending more and more time playing video games in what I now know was a gaming addiction," he says in an interview.
"At first, I didn't play all that much, and still put school and homework first. And when I turned 10, I was still playing only during the weekends," he reports. "But the screen time increased. My parents set some limits, but I eventually learned to get around my parents' rules to get my 'fix' of gaming."
By the age of 12, gaming consumed every free moment and was the only thing he thought about. He began lying to his parents about how much time he was gaming, which damaged his relationship with them. "All I wanted to do was game, game, game."
Soon, "gaming wasn't just one activity I enjoyed. It had become the only activity I enjoyed."
Most youngsters who play video games do so "as a form of entertainment, which is what it's supposed to be, but approximately 5% to 6% of video game users do so to the point where it interferes with their lives and use it as an addiction," says David Greenfield, PhD, founder and clinical director of the Connecticut-based Center for Internet and Technology Addiction.
Considering that there are about 2.7 billion gamers worldwide, with 75% of U.S. households having at least one gamer, even 5% to 6% is a staggering number of people.
Shaked has written a memoir, Game Over, which he hopes will "highlight important topics associated with gaming addiction that can speak to both teens and their parents who are experiencing this conflict in their own lives."
He hopes other teens "can realize they can also live a full and productive life away from a video screen."
A Problem of Staggering Dimensions
Video gaming has been around since the mid- to late 1970s, but not at the level it is now.
"When video gaming met the internet, it was like mixing peanut butter and chocolate together. As the internet's popularity blossomed in the late 1980s and 1990s, that's when it got out of hand," Greenfield says. His clinic treats people who have addiction to internet content, and "by far the most common area we see is video gaming."
What Makes Video Gaming So Addictive?
Greenfield says brain mechanisms involved in video game addiction are similar to the brain mechanisms involved in other addictions.
"The brain doesn't know the difference between a drug and a video game because gaming activates the same receptors responsible for all other addictions, including substances and gambling."
The key brain chemical involved is dopamine – a neurotransmitter involved in pleasure and reward, Greenfield says. From an evolutionary point of view, dopamine is what made mating and eating – the two most important survival activities – pleasurable and "increased the likelihood that we would continue to engage in them."
In addiction, "you're piggy-backing onto these ancient neural pathways and hijacking the reward mechanism that dopamine is responsible for," he says. "On some weird level, your brain acts as if the activity is survival-enhancing when in fact it's the opposite."
Soon, people with this type of addiction feel there is no other source of pleasure in their lives because they've allowed other parts of their lives to fall by the wayside in their almost exclusive focus on gaming.
That's what happened to Shaked.
"I think the appeal of gaming is the constant reward system in place," he says. "These are virtual worlds that allow you to win battles that can't be fought in the 'real world' in real time, allowing you to win soccer and basketball games and making you very popular in the 'virtual' world."
You get to the point "where you know the games and how to play them, you get attention and admiration online, which have no value in the real world but are very addictive in the virtual world."
And time goes by seamlessly. "Anyone who has ever played a video game – even someone without an addiction – can attest to the fact that time simply gets lost," says Shaked.
Red Flags for Parents
What might start out as a break for parents – the kids are busy playing their video games and the parents have a few minutes to themselves – expands into something much bigger. But the progression doesn't happen overnight, and parents might miss the clues.
Things like:
Not wanting to leave the house unless required
Not wanting to go on vacation without gaming equipment
Refusing to go outside
Rushing through normal activities, like meals, to get back to the games
Greenfield says parents should look for changes in patterns of daily living – fewer social interactions, changes in patterns of hygiene, less physical activity, eating less, and worse academic performance.
"The majority of people who come to treatment in our center are brought in by parents or other family members. Many have stopped showering and taking care of themselves, they've become more isolative, their friendships are related only to gaming or through apps they can use to communicate while gaming," says Greenfield, who is the author of the book Overcoming Internet Addiction for Dummies.
Addictive video gaming can take a toll on the body, even leading (in extreme cases) to blood clots from sitting for so long, electrolyte imbalances from going without food for days, and other problems (like obesity) associated with sedentary living. Being in front of a computer can contribute to neck and back problems, headaches, and visual problems, among others.
Kicking the Gaming Habit
Shaked's journey was unusual: at the age of 17, he had an epiphany while driving home from school. "I looked at myself and asked how I had been spending my childhood. I had been in front of the computer screen more than in front of my parents. You never want to say you've been in front of a computer screen more than in front of people, because that's pretty sad."
He realized that he had "lost" himself. "I had been so lost in a fake video game world that I had lost my identity and had become a video game character, not a real person." He decided to completely stop playing video games.
But most people don't have these types of epiphanies and need family intervention or even professional help to give up gaming, Shaked notes. He doesn't advise others to "go cold turkey," although that's what he did. Doing so creates a tremendous void because the person does not yet have an activity to fill that time.
Greenfield, who's also author of the book Virtual Addiction, agrees. His center helps parents gradually reduce screen time by helping them install software that limits how much time the teen can spend on the screen. "Kids have to get used to real-time living because the brain gets used to the level of dopamine that comes from gaming. They need to relearn how to experience normal pleasure in other areas of life."
Some parents and kids might simply need education about gaming addiction, although others also need therapy. Some might even need residential treatment. "The needs of gaming addicts run the entire gamut."
It's important to find a therapist familiar with video gaming addiction, Greenfield warns. Because videos are so pervasive, less knowledgeable therapists might dismiss a gaming addiction as harmless fun. But gaming addiction should be taken as seriously as any other addiction.
Today, Shaked leads a full and meaningful life. He's involved in rowing and has received a varsity award. He completed a law fellowship for high school juniors, joined a beach cleanup crew, and received first prize in a state Spanish competition. He also has volunteered at the Jack and Jill Foundation of America and plans to donate the proceeds of sales of his book to the foundation, which helps children from underprivileged communities get access to educational programs.
"The organization really touched my heart, and that's why I dedicated this book to them," he says.
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Donald trump wins the US election. Stocks fall hard……and then the DOW rallies to near all time highs.
Wild moves that no one anticipated. It's a great time to be a trader IF you can keep your risk managed effectively.
The analysts got it wrong, the consensus was wrong and that seemed to fuel the fire in both directions. The markets reacted wildly, proving that anything can happen in this game, you've got to stay flexible and risk management is so important.
What a great time to be a trader.


Add 2 to 3 pumps of Huile Originale into a a teaspoon-sized amount of Masque Elixir Ultime and mix until you achieve a smooth silky texture.
Take a strand of hair and apply a bit of the mixture applying it to ends and lengths working your way up from the tips.
Follow the lead of your hairdresser to make your hair soft and quenched with nourishing shine.


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"Reach79" iPhone 6 case claims to boost signal strength and improve Battery life
by iPhoneHeat on Jan 7, 2015
A new case, dubbed as Reach79, claims to boost signal strength up to two times and improve battery life for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Reach79 case for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus has been launched by Antenna79 during CES 2015.
Antenna79 claims that their case will improve the battery life of your iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus, because with stronger network signals, the smartphone will not have to work harder to find signals resulting in lesser power consumption. Reach79 users will experience reduced number of dropped calls and enjoy faster download speed over HSPA+/LTE, the company claims. However, the company does mention that the user experience greatly depends on the device, carrier and location.
The case is said to come with an embedded "micro-thin, gold-plated antenna" to boost signal strength and provide military grade drop protection. The patented antenna technology used in the making of this case, by means of passive coupling, pairs with the antennas within a smartphone. Based on the tests conducted at CETECOM, a CTIA accredited facility, the company claims that the case showed a 1.6 times improvement in signal strength topping at 2x the original signal strength.
Reach79 case for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is already available for purchase at company's website. The case is currently available in black color only, with additional covers hitting shelves in the next couple of months. Reach79 for iPhone 6 is priced at $59.99, and while the iPhone 6 Plus version costs $69.99.
Apple Watch reportedly set to launch in March Apple reportedly switching to OLED displays for future iPhones


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Atech Highlights Naval Tactical Data Management System
Naval Tactical Data Management System (N-TDMS)
Atech, an Embraer Group company, will be focusing attention on its Naval Tactical Data Management System (N-TDMS) during the show.
Developed as a tactical mission system for the H225M/H-XBR SUPER COUGAR for the Brazilian Navy, N-TDMS manages the information gathered by the aircraft's various sensors and compiles a tactical framework to assist the crew decision-making process. It also integrates sensor data with the AM39 EXOCET missile carried by the aircraft. The system forms part of the ARKHE Mission & Combat family of systems, designed by Atech in a modular, scalable fashion in order to provide an effective solution for onboard systems of Embraer's defence platforms.
The H-XBR N-TDMS programme began in 2012 in a partnership between Airbus Defense and Space and Atech, in which the Brazilian company was co-responsible for development of the N-TDMS software, as well as development of the simulation models of sensors and weapons and for conducting system evaluation tests. The company also designed, developed and assembled the tactical console installed on the aircraft. Programme compliance required Atech to create a dedicated laboratory for the serial production phase.
Atech Will continue to provide technical support and maintenance for the N-TDMS after delivery of the Brazilian Navy's aircraft has been completed. "With the completed N-TDMS, Atech consolidates its position as an experienced supplier in the development of tactical systems shipped to the Brazilian Armed Forces," commented Atech's Business Director, Giacomo Staniscia.


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It is a competition, not a gentlemanly ride around France
11th July, 2017
Chris Froome.(Source: Team Sky)
It has taken exactly one Grand Tour for cycling's so-called 'unwritten rules' to be thrust back into the headlines.
It seems that some riders of the peloton have learnt nothing from the Giro d'Italia that finished only months before.
The controversy this time involved an attack by Fabio Aru during Stage 9 at the same time Chris Froome had a mechanical and required a bike change. The attack was short-lived as it was quickly shut down by Richie Porte and others. In fact, it appeared that when Porte caught up to Aru, he told him to show some respect for the yellow jersey.
An admirable act at the time by Porte, given that Froome was his main rival.
Again the unwritten rules came into focus at a Grand Tour. According to these rules, riders must wait for the rider wearing the yellow jersey if they have a mechanical, crash or some other misfortune.
Porte and other riders enforced the rule to nullify Aru's attack.
Aru naturally told waiting journalists that he did not see Froome put up his hand to indicate he had a mechanical. It did not stop the finger pointing. Froome later told journalists "we will have to see what Aru has to say about it".
He also said "I'll certainly ask him about it when I see him."
While Froome was said to be downplaying the incident, other riders were not impressed with the unsportsmanship behaviour shown by Aru. Porte commented that, "this isn't the moment to attack the yellow jersey when he's changing his bike". Simon Yates also told journalists after the stage "I think it's a dirty move. I don't like what he did but it's a bike race and he can do what he wants."
As the media storm brewed after Stage 9, I started to think that the riders forgot what happened to Tom Dumoulin at the Giro d'Italia. Riders attacked him when he had a violent attack of diarrhoea and stopped for a nature break while he was wearing the pink jersey.
Vincenzo Nibali summed it up well after the Dumoulin incident when he said, "I'm very straightforward. I never expect anybody to wait for me when I stop. Many times, I've fallen or punctured and just set off again."
There are countless other examples where riders have attacked the leader when they had a mechanical fault, such as Alberto Contador's attack on Andy Schleck during the 2010 Tour.
So why did Aru have to defend his tactics or actions? It is a competitive bike race.
These unwritten rules came into effect at a time when cycling races were amateur or the prize money was almost non-existent. The sport has changed significantly since then.
Now the prize money is substantial for the rider that finishes at the top of the podium (€500,000 winners purse in 2017). Winning sets up the rider financially for the rest of their career. In addition, some of the prize money is also distributed to the rest of the team, including riders and team personnel.
(Source: Team Sky)
To win a Grand Tour requires a superhuman effort. A rider must withstand significant mental pain and physical stress on their bodies. Their cycling equipment needs to endure all types of conditions.
They need to prove they are the best rider, the fastest rider and also the rider with the best equipment. But that is not all, they have to stay healthy for three weeks and keep their bike upright in different conditions.
The final descent into Chambéry on Stage 9 illustrated the importance of having good bike handling skills, after several riders came down in treacherous conditions.
Secondly, cycling seems to be the only sport that requires participants to wait for the race leader when they have a mechanical or a crash. Have you ever seen a Formula One or a Supercars race where competitors circle the course slowly while the leader returns to the pits to get a new car after a mechanical fault or crash?
The answer is no because to win the race you need the perfect car setup as well as being a very good driver. In fact, race teams employ the best engineers to help get an advantage over other teams regarding car step up.
So if it does not happen in motor racing, why does it continue to persist in cycling? Also, why do only some riders enforce this rule?
It is time to banish this unwritten rule to the rubbish bin once and for all. Cycling's governing body need to interject and outlaw the behaviour to provide certainty to riders when this situation arises in future races.
There is clear evidence that not all riders follow the rule and they will attack the leader. Just like Aru did. And before him Nibali, Nairo Quintana and Ilnur Zakarin at the Giro. Riders should not be placed at a disadvantage all because the race leader has some type of mishap.
Others will think that this practice is unsportsmanlike. But team leaders are not protected like this in one-day races. So why should Grand Tours be any different?
The team leader does, after all, have eight other riders in their team to support them in their quest to return to the peloton.


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The New Online Journalists #10: Deborah Bonello
As part of an ongoing series, Deborah Bonello talks about a career that has taken her from business journalism in London to video journalism in South America, and a current role producing video at the FT.
What education and professional experience led to your current job?
After I graduated from Bristol University in 1998 (I wrote for my student newspaper Epigram for most of my time there), I moved up to London and started working for Newsline, an online news service run as part of the media database product Mediatel.
A year later I was taken on by New Media Age as a reporter, where I got to watch the dot com boom become the dot com crash and work with the then-editor, Mike Butcher, now the editor of TechCrunch Europe.
From there I moved to Campaign to edit their Campaign-i section, and when that got cut because of budgets after a year I spent the next few years freelancing on media business magazines (Campaign, Media Week, NMA, FT Creative Business) and watching how the traditional publishing industry took on the internet.
By then, I was fed up of London and business journalism, so I headed off to Latin America. After a year in Argentina as a print only journo, I moved to Mexico to launch NewCorrespondent.com, an experiment in digital journalism, with help from Mike Butcher.
The idea was to use free online tools – YouTube, WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, BlipTv and more – to publish multimedia journalistic content. NewCorrespondent.com became MexicoReporter.com and three months became three years. After my first six months of running the site in Mexico, I got taken on by the Mexico bureau of the Los Angeles Times, started shooting video and got trained in it by some of the best in the business (Scott Anger and Tim French). I contributed daily written and video dispatches to their Latin America blog, La Plaza, as well as latimes.com and the newspaper.
MexicoReporter.com became a go-to for English-speakers living in Mexico, as well as people around the world, and it was through the site that I also got commissioned to produce video pieces for the Guardian and Al Jazeera, amongst others, as well as for radio comment on breaking news such as the swine flu epidemic, violence against journalists and escalating drug-related violence in the country. The video caught the attention of the FT, and as the Los Angeles Times took their foot of the video pedal, it seemed like a good moment to move. I am currently working as a video producer and journalist in the FT's London office.
What does your job involve?
I film, produce and edit video news, features and interviews for the Financial Times website, sometimes working as a one-man-band shooting operation, sometimes working with in-house camera operators and our correspondents around the UK and abroad.
Where do you see your career/job developing in future?
That all depends on how video journalism develops, but I am very excited about the potential of online journalism and video. TV and video are converging, which means new program formats and genres are emerging all the time, and everyone is experimenting with different styles of telling stories in video and multimedia.
I am especially interested in how the costs of technology have come down so dramatically that we should see a new generation of visual and text storytellers base themselves abroad at a fraction of the cost, tapping into the need for reduced costs in foreign reporting that the traditional media so desperately needs to survive to keep that content strand going.
Right now, if you're a journalist that isn't using new technologies to tell stories, you're edging yourself out of the job market. Rather than the end of journalism as we know it, I think multimedia signifies a brave new world where our old disciplines still count but can manifest themselves across so many different platforms and media that your work is as creative and innovative as you want it to be. We just have to make sure we keep our eyes on the journalistic disciplines, and use technology as a means to an end rather than just for the sake of it.
In the long-term, I see myself based out in the Spanish-speaking world as a multimedia foreign correspondent.
Tags: newspapers argentina campaign Deborah Bonello FT LA times mexico mexicoreporter.com mike butcher multimedia New Online Journalists newcorrespondent.com scott anger south america tim french
New MediaStorm Advanced Multimedia Workshop Projects Launched, Additional Workshop Dates Added
From March 6-12, 2010, we held our sixth MediaStorm Advanced Multimedia Reporting Workshop. Three teams of talented professionals, along with MediaStorm Producer Eric Maierson and guest producers Scott Anger and Rick Gershon, conceived, reported, and produced the following projects:
Take Care by Gillian Laub, Henrik Björnsson, Elena Ghanotakis, and Laura Varma
Virginia Gandee's brilliant red hair and dozen tattoos belie the reality of this 22-year-old's life. Inside her family's Staten Island trailer her caregiving goes far beyond the love she has for her daughter.
Close to Home by Mary Beth Meehan, Michele Asselin and Maria Finitzo
Roxanne Pickering is a Brooklyn resident bound by family and economics to live near the Gowanus Canal, a polluted waterway recently declared an EPA superfund site.
Johnnie Footman: New York City's 90-year-old Cabbie by Jan Johannessen and Charlotte Oestervang
Johnnie Footman, 90, may be the oldest cabbie in New York City. His age limits his time in the cab, but he remains young at heart carrying a cigar in his mouth, a fake spider around his neck, and a cap reading: "Old Dude made of Achey Breaky Parts."
The MediaStorm Advanced Multimedia Reporting Workshops in New York City are intensive, hands-on educational experiences in advanced multimedia storytelling.
Over the course of a week, participants work in three-person teams, reporting and editing in collaboration with a seasoned multimedia professional to produce a multimedia project for distribution across multiple platforms.
We will be holding two more Advanced Multimedia Reporting Workshops in 2010:
Workshop Seven: July 17-23, 2010 – Application Deadline: Monday May 3, 2010
Workshop Eight: November 6-12, 2010 – Application Deadline: Monday September 13, 2010
Go here for additional information on the workshops, and to apply.
Tags: MediaStorm Announcements MediaStorm Projects Brian Storm cab driver Charlotte Oestervang Elena Ghanotakis Eric Maierson Gillian Laub Gowanus Canal Henrik Björnsson Jan Johannesson Johnnie Footman Laura Varma Maria Finitzo Mary Beth Meehan Mediastorm Michele Asselin multimedia multimedia workshop New York City Rick Gershon Roxanne Pickering Scott Anger Storytelling superfund taxi Virginia Gandee


Most people want to lose weight. There are Countries where this is not true but in a large part of the world, we are too heavy. While body fat percentage is the true measure of how fat we are, we love to see that number on the scale go down.
Go to the Calorie Counter Pro on the Home Page of this blog and enter your information and you will be given the number of calories that you should eat to lose either 1 or 2 pounds per week or to maintain your weight or to gain. Once you have this information, use it. If that was easy for everyone, few would be overweight. Overeating is associated with cravings and most, or all, cravings are caused by eating sugar. If you have trouble believing that, stop eating it for a week and watch your cravings begin to disappear.
Once you have decided to commit to your calorie budget, look ahead and plan your meals. If you know that there are saboteurs at work, go prepared with good food that you like and plenty of healthy snacks. Don't allow yourself to be hungry for more than a few minutes. If you do, you will feel justified to eat whatever you find.
Don't take sugar or any other "trigger foods" into your periphery. Don't lie to yourself and say that those cookies are "for the kids". They don't need them either. Instead, make sure that you have food that you really enjoy, maybe something that you won't always buy for yourself. Go ahead, if it's a healthy food, buy it. No matter what it costs, it's cheaper than health care to "fix" problems caused by a bad diet. I spring for watermelon in the Winter sometimes to fulfill my carbohydrate requirement. It's expensive and I love it. I feel good when I eat it, in no way deprived. It's sweet but doesn't cause cravings like cookies and other sugar laden desserts.
I prefer David's Way of eating because it works and I have plenty to eat. I have absolutely no cravings and never feel deprived. I am at a good body fat percentage and have energy to spare. I work a high stress, full time job and have domestic responsibilities that most people my age don't have. I am 62 and I am a power lifter. A year ago, I could only squat 35#, to my dismay. Now I can squat 125#. I can deadlift 145#. Yes, I know, it's not cool to tell your numbers, but I really don't care. The truth is that David's Way is making me strong and healthy and I want to tell the world. My goal is to squat 210#.
With your doctor's permission, get active. Find an activity that you enjoy and do it religiously. You can never out-exercise a bad diet, but exercise will tone your body and give you a more positive mental state. A good mental state is beneficial to weight loss. You won't be trying to self medicate your depression with food if you don't feel depressed. There are circumstances where exercise is simply not enough to alleviate depression but talk to your doctor and you will most likely discover that even in those cases, exercise will most likely help the medication do it's job if you need medicine.
Search for ways to decrease the stress in your life. If you have less stress, you will have more energy to devote to being healthy. Don't waste precious time and energy focusing on negative things that you have the ability to remove from your life.
The most important part of weight management is perseverance. Don't quit. You will have good days and bad days. You will do your program perfectly sometimes and go way off track others. Over time, if you don't quit, your program will become your normal and then you have a new, healthy lifestyle. Lifestyle is your victory. Once it becomes a lifestyle, the anxiety and pressure to see that scale plummet lessens because you know that you will reach your goal.
Weight loss truly comes easy once one quite consuming refined sugar and processed foods. Nice job Brenda Sue.
Thank you Brenda Sue. I did the calorie counter it was good to know what my intake will be. I also agree with you on the sugar intake, I did a 40 day fast and you are right I did not crave it. One of the areas I do have to work on is my emotional eating. Exercise has been helping me out with that right now.
You're welcome, Kathy❣ I have been an emotional eater most of my life and not eating sugar helps that but stress reduction helps that a LOT.
Hi Kathy, good for you using the calorie calculator. It gives you what you require to lose weight. If per chance you do not, you may need to adjust your caloric intake a little. As long as your activity level is accurate, the calories will be spot on.
Know that you are not alone in emotional eating. That has been a past problem of mine as a result of Post Traumatic Stress. By not eating sugar, it is no longer an issue. Vigorous exercise helps immensely too as it keeps stress levels minimized. Even a good brisk walk works wonders not only on the waist line, but it helps our stress as well. Walking is one of the best restorative exercises there is. In fact, once the weather gets better I will be hiking at least once or twice a week in addition to weight training.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting. We truly appreciate you.
Thankfully not a problem for me. Probably all the exercise.


Our close proximity to the North Platte River and several parks also offers you man opportunities for hiking, rafting, camping and sightseeing. In addition you are within walking distance to a number of restaurants and the Eastridge Mall.
Guest rooms at the Comfort Inn offer relaxing accomodations with 40-inch televisions, hair dryers, microwaves and refrigerators. Computing needs can be taken care of at our business center, and our exercise room and indoor heated pool provide places to work and play.
Whether you're stopping by for a business trip or here on vacation, the services and amenities provided at the Comfort Inn Casper/Evansville will make your stay memorable and enjoyable. Our friendly and professional staff looks forward to your visit.
Bobbie Jo is The Best!


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Q: SetTimeout is not calling when tab is inactive OR API fails in angular 4 I have scheduled SetTimeout to refresh the token in angular. My application will support multiple tabs. So there is a possibility of multiple refresh token API calls will be initiated at the same time while using multiple browser. On that case the one who is hitting the server first is getting success others are getting failed with

401 ERROR INVALID TOKEN.

So i did like if it is failed then  scheduled SetTimeout with 1 min delay. Since it is already token refreshed by another tab, after 1 min that it won't initiate one more API call.
Now the problem is, this process is stopping when tab is inactive OR when API returns 401 ERROR.
I want this process means interval check for token refresh should continue even if tab is inactive or if API fails.


Why do you do what you do? What is your motivation? Why do you get up in the mornings? What is it that is fueling you?
This morning, I want us to consider what really is your fuel.
Looking at this scripture, we see that there are opposing sides – two parts that are going in different directions. There are differing ideas that lead us in different directions. I propose that these differing sides also reflect two different ways that we 'fuel the fire' within us.
Bitter envy, selfish ambition, boastful, falsehood – these lead to disorder and wickedness.
These don't sound appealing to us at all as Christians. But just because it doesn't sound appealing or like something we would do, doesn't mean that we don't do these things. We will look at this more in a moment.
Pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, no partiality or hypocrisy – leads to harvest of righteousness, sown in peace.
These sound great! This is the obvious choice. I can hear us now thinking that we know the answer to this question on the test.
The problem is that this world is part of the first side. It is all about getting what we can for ourselves. It is about conflicts and disputes. It is about our inward cravings. It is about going after your desires no matter what is in the way. We are taught to achieve our goals no matter what it takes.
So, if the world is part of the first side and that is what we know…what happens? We end up doing what verse 2 in chapter 4 says…we commit horrible sins (murder specifically mentioned here), we covet (see what someone else has and really want it bad). Since we can't have what we want, then we cause conflict – do what it takes so we feel better about ourselves and/or get what we want.
We also end up asking for things we don't need or things that are not in our best interest. We do this because we are led by the world. We do this because we covet and we ask God to give us what someone else has. This verse shows us that we don't get because we ask in our own desires.
If we are led by the world in too many cases, what can we do? Verse 7 and the beginning of 8 help us bring it back into focus. We are to submit ourselves to God. We are to give ourselves over to Him and along with all of our selfish ambitions. We draw closer to Him and in doing so, we cleanse ourselves of where we have gone wrong and repent…getting back on the right track with God. Only submitting to Him will get us there.
For a moment, let's look at what fuel's your fire. What gets you up in the morning? It isn't just your alarm clock. You get up because you have things to do. You know you have to get up in order to go to work or you have to get the kids to school or you have to go to an appointment or you have to get ready for something. You get up because you have a reason. Many of those reasons are earthly. We have to make money to support our families. The kids have to get to school for an education. We have to go to the appointments for our health or whatever. We have good reasons for doing that.
But, if that is what fuels our fire, our fire will be put out really, really quickly. We will grow weary and tired. We will not want to continue to do those things because they are driving us crazy. We will dread Monday mornings because they are the start to the madness.
What would happen if instead of that fueling our fire, our fire was fueled by a desire to follow God? What if we got up, not to go to work, but to grow in our relationship with Him? What would happen if we got up with a desire to know Him more and serve Him and give Him our best? That doesn't mean we don't go to work…no because we look at work differently. It is then our avenue of service. We don't dread taking the kids to school because that helps them with their avenue of service. We don't get up because of the load of work we have that day but because we have a desire to follow God and see just what He has for us. We look at people differently…we look at the world differently…we look at life differently.
It doesn't mean that everything goes great…but even in adversity, God is there! It is an opportunity to learn and grow and become a little more like Him each day.
So, to wrap it up…what fuels your fire? What will get you up in the morning? May we submit to Him and draw closer to Him beginning now. He might just fuel your fire within!
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TOP NEWS: Fishing is generally very good all along the Colorado River. There is still a good bite for the big redears and bluegill in Lake Havasu and up into Topoc Gorge and even up into Lake Mohave. Lots of fish to three pounds showing on baby nightcrawlers, red worms, crickets, and small jigs. The striper bite in Lake Havasu and Lake Mohave is very good, especially in Mojave, where there is a very good volumne of fish in the 4 to 8-pound class and fish to 12 pounds common. In Mohave, the bite is still the best near the dam, powerlines, and points around Katherine's Landing, but that is also where most of the fishing pressure is concentrated. In Havasu, the stripers are showing throughout the lake, chasing shad. There is topwater action early in the mornings. Gerry Ward, Bullhead City, had an 8.78-pound striper fishing an anchovy from shore in the Power Lines stretch of Mohave. The largemouth and smallmouth bass action has been fair to good throughout the river system with a topwater bite most mornings and evening now with the heat, especially in the lower river backwaters and Topoc Marsh. The smallmouth bass in the lower river has been best along the rip-rap from Parker Dam to Palo Verde. This bite is wide open with most of the fish showing on crawdad-like jigs or crank baits, but also white tube baits. Since Memorial Day weekend, at least 50 flathead catfish topping 20 pounds have been caught in the Palo Verde-Walter's Camp region, most on live bluegill.
The channel catfish bite is also fair to good throughout the system, mostly on cut baits or smaller live baits like nightcrawlers, marshmallow-meal worm combos, or dip baits. Trout action has slowed in the Davis Camp and Rotary Park areas, but a few fish are still being landed. Small spinners or spoons have been the best baits. While getting little pressure of publicity, the carp fishing is very good all along the river with a lot of fish to 15 pounds reported. A final note: It's mosquito season. The bugs are out in full force, and repellent is highly recommended, especially on the lower river which has more backwaters.


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Kvasir, the wisest man who ever lived and Óðrerir, the Mead of Poetry
Kvasir was the wisest human that had ever lived. He was born when the Gods made peace after the Aesir-Vanir war, and was created when the Gods spat on a caldron, symbolizing their union. Kvasir wisdom was legendary, none was able to present him with a question for which he didn't have a satisfying answer. He became famous and traveled throughout the world giving counsel.
Kvasir's fame spread far and wide, and everyone desired his knowledge. One day he was invited to the home of two dwarves, Fjalar ("Deceiver") and Galar ("Screamer"). Despite Kvasir wisdom, he was surprised by the greedy dwarves, who wished his knowledge for themselves. The dwarves betray and slew Kvasir, pouring all his blood into vats and brewing mead with Kvasir blood.
This mead contained Kvasir's ability to dispense wisdom, and was appropriately named Óðrerir ("Stirrer of Inspiration"). Any who drank of it would become a poet or a scholar. When the Gods questioned them about Kvasir's disappearance, Fjalar and Galar told them that Kvasir had choked on his wisdom. The Gods hadn't drink that mead yet to know better…
The two dwarves found out that they could get away with murder even from the Gods, which only worsened their delight in murder. Soon after slaying Kvasir, they took the giant Gilling out to sea and drowned him for sport. The sounds of Gilling's weeping wife irritated them, so they killed her as well, this time by dropping a millstone on her head as she passed under the doorway of her house.
But this last mischief got the dwarves into trouble. When Gilling's son, Suttungr ("Heavy with Drink"), learned of his father's murder, he seized the dwarves and, at low tide, carried them out to a reef that would soon be covered by the waves. The dwarves pleaded for their lives, and Suttungr granted their request only when they agreed to give him the mead they had brewed with Kvasir's blood.
Suttungr hid the vats of mead in a chamber beneath the mountain Hnitbjorg ("Pulsing Rock"), where he appointed his daughter Grunlöd ("Invitation to Battle") to watch over them.
Odin eventually found out about the fate of Kvasir and the Mead of Poetry made with his blood, and became displeased with the precious mead's being hoarded away beneath a mountain. Odin was always relentless and unstoppable in his pursuit of wisdom, and He bent his will toward acquiring the Óðrerir mead for himself and those he deemed worthy of its powers.
Disguised as a wandering farmhand, Odin went to the farm of Suttungr's brother, Baugi. There he found nine servants mowing hay. He approached them, took out a whetstone from under his cloak, and offered to sharpen their scythes. They eagerly agreed, and afterwards marveled at how well their scythes cut the hay. They all declared this to be the finest whetstone they had ever seen, and each asked to purchase it. Odin consented to sell it, "but," he warned them, "you must pay a high price." He then threw the stone into the air and, in their scramble to catch it, the nine killed each other with their scythes.
Odin then went to Baugi's door and introduced himself as "Bölverkr" ("Worker of Misfortune"). He offered to do the work of the nine servants who had, as he told it, so basely killed each other in a dispute in the field earlier that day. As his reward, he demanded a sip of Óðrerir, Suttungr's mead.
Baugi responded that he had no control of the mead and that Suttungr guarded it jealously, but that if Bölverkr could truly perform the work of nine men, he would help the apparent farmhand to obtain his desire.
At the end of the growing season, Odin had fulfilled his promise to the giant, who agreed to accompany him to Suttungr to inquire about the mead. The giant, however, angrily refused.
Odin then resorted to subterfuge and, by reminding Baugi of their bargain, convinced the giant to aid him in gaining access to Suttungr's dwelling.
The two went to a part of the mountain that Baugi knew to be nearest to the underground chamber. Odin took an auger out from his cloak and handed it to Baugi for hill to drill through the rock. The giant did so, and after much work announced that the hole was finished. Odin blew into the hole to verify Baugi's claim, and when the rock-dust blew back into his face, he knew that his companion had lied to him. The wise and suspicious God then bade the giant to finish what he had started. When Baugi proclaimed the hole to be complete for a second time, Odin once again blew into the hole. This time the debris were blown through the hole.
Odin thanked Baugi for his help, shifted his shape into that of a snake, and crawled into the hole. Baugi stabbed after him with the auger, but Odin made it through just in time.
Once inside, Odin assumed the form of a charming young man and made his way to where the giantess Suttungr's daughter Grunlöd guarded the mead. The giantess Grunlöd was lonely and Odin managed to win her favor and secured a promise from her that, if he would sleep with her for three nights, she would grant him three sips of the mead. After the third night, Odin went to the mead, which was in three vats to have his three sips. To the giant dismay, each sip Odin took consumed the whole contents of a vat, and so the Allfather drank all of Kvasir's mead.
Odin then changed his shape yet again, this time into that of an eagle, and flew off toward Asgard, the Gods' celestial stronghold, with his prize in his throat. Suttungr soon discovered this trickery, took on the form of another eagle, and flew off in pursuit of Odin.
When the Gods spied their leader approaching with Suttungr close behind him, they set out several vessels at the rim of their fortress. Odin reached the abode of his fellow Gods before Suttungr could catch him, and the giant retreated in anguish. As Odin came to the containers, he regurgitated the mead into them. As he did so, his bladder demanded to be emptied, and he also relieved himself of a few drops that fell to Midgard, below.
It is said that all bad and mediocre poets and scholars gained their pitiful abilities because of the mead urinated by Odin, while the true poets and scholars are those to whom Odin dispenses his mead personally and with care.
Up to this day, the Triskele, or Triple horn of Odin, represents Odin's quest for knowledge and poetry, a gift that the Allfather choses to freely dispense to humanity.
This story survives both in fragmentary form in Hávamál, and in a more complete form in Snorri Sturluson's Skáldskaparmál. The story is old and picture stones illustrating the story existed more than four centuries before Snorri Sturluson wrote the story down.
Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Angela Hall.
Jesse Byock (2005) Snorri Sturluson, The Prose Edda. 1st. edition. London, England: Penguin Books Ltd. ISBN-13 978-0-140-44755-2
Anthony Faulkes (1995) Snorri Sturluson, Edda. 3rd. edition. London, England: Everyman J. M. Dent. ISBN-13 978-0-4608-7616-2 - The Poetic Edda. Hávamál, stanzas 104-110
Tags: mead norse gods Norse legends Norse Mythology Odin Óðrerir poetry triple horn of Odin triskele
Jeremy johnson December 5, 2022
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Secrets of the world's longest-living women.
The islands at the southern end of Japan have historically been known for longevity, once called the land of immortals. Okinawans have less cancer, heart disease and dementia than Americans, and women there live longer than any women on the planet.
Despite years of hardship, Okinawans have established a lifestyle and environment to live long, healthy lives. Follow these common centenarian practices to promote your own longevity.
Rely on a plant-based diet.
Older Okinawans have eaten a plant-based diet most of their lives. Their meals of stir-fried vegetables, sweet potatoes, and tofu are high in nutrients and low in calories.
Goya, with its antioxidants and compounds that lower blood sugar, is of particular interest. While centenarian Okinawans do eat some pork, it is traditionally reserved only for infrequent ceremonial occasions and taken only in small amounts.
The Okinawan diet is rich in foods made with soy, like tofu and miso soup. Flavonoids in tofu may help protect the hearts and guard against breast cancer. Fermented soy foods contribute to a healthy intestinal ecology and offer even better nutritional benefits.


Independence For Autoimmune Disease Sufferers – Filter Me, Please!
You have about two months left to decide if you want to join my team and walk for a cure. You can also donate if you prefer or come here me speak to walkers on the main stage at Hudson River Park (Pier 95, West 55th Street in Manhattan) on September 10 @ noon.
Or, you can do nothing at all. Your time, friendship and support is all someone with an autoimmune disease, like me, really wants. We want to continue to live independent lives and better treatment options are essential.


Is it ok to be really sad that Halloween is over for another year? To me, it's not just a day, it's a season! Incase you didn't guess, I always get really into October and always have a tonne of Halloween festivities planned for the month!
Every year, I am lucky enough to be invited to Makeup Revolution's Halloween party and I think this year may have been the best yet!
Their events are always held at a top class venue in London and this one was like nothing I'd ever seen before! The party was at One Marylebone which was an absolutely stunning venue inside and out, which was decked out perfectly for Halloween!
I went to the event with 2 of my faves, Orla and Megan and saw so many other familiar faces whilst we were there too! Towards the latter half of the night, I bumped into Alice and Lauren, so it was nice to be able to hang out with them too!
The dress code for the evening was 'frighteningly glamourous' and after multiple searches for looks on Pinterest, I decided I didn't want to risk messing up a full face of scariness. Instead, I opted for a dark smokey eye with a pop of red (which you can't really see from the photos) and an ombré lip.
For my outfit, I wore the Boohoo dress I originally planned on wearing for last years party (which didn't turn up in time!), black tights, a velvet choker and my red across-the-body circle bag* for a pop of colour!
When we arrived, we were greeted with mini bottles of prosecco and fake blood cocktails in wonky martini glasses - both of which tasted amazing!
There was a huge space where there was a chance to mingle with other bloggers, the chance to get your photos taken in the photobooth, as well as makeup cabinets either side of the room where you could check out newly released products. There were even sneak peeks of things that haven't come out yet!
Upstairs led you to the creepy covent - a scary walk through with live actors (and blue cocktails, obvs!). I thought this was SUCH a cool touch to the evening! There were loads of jump scares and spooky things throughout - basically any horror lovers dream!
I love things like that anyway so it was a lot of fun! Four for you, Makeup Revolution!
After breaking a sweat upstairs and straining the vocal chords screaming, we noticed that the food had made an appearance downstairs! There was lots to choose from including burgers and chips and the rest I can't remember for the life of me (the alcohol had already set in by this time!!!).
All I know is that we ate a lot and made the most of it while it lasted haha! Food = Life.
After the founder of Makeup Revolution, Adam, got up to do his always super grateful speech, there was another surprise in store for us. The dancers from the previous years party had a spooky routine in store for us to get the party started!
We had a bit of a dance and by the time we knew it, it was time for a long journey home! It's always a pleasure spending the night with these girls and we always know how to have a good time!
Thank you so much to Makeup Revolution for having us, I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such fun events and it's always a blast!


Every month, over on Twitter I help run and join in a monthly online book chat called @KidLitReaders We read a book, and then on a named Sunday get together at 8pm on #KidLitReaders and chat away about it. It's great fun and a great way to explore the best of recent children's lit.
For June 2016 we chose the book Sweet Pizza, written by G. R. Gemin, published by Nosy Crow Books.
Sweet Pizza focuses on an Italian cafe in a small village in South Wales. Young Joe, loves his Italian heritage the music, the language and most of all the food! Joe's Mum is tired of running their failing cafe, but Joe is not prepared to let this family business close. So, inspired by the story of his family during the war, he works to save the cafe. Along the way Joe manages to inject a little Italian joy into the lives of all in the village.
This book is, in one word, a joy. Packed full of wonderful and varied characters. One of the many things I absolutely loved about this book was the fact that every character had good in them. Yes there are bullies in the story, and people who maybe don't make the best of choices, but each and every one is redeemed. We see that despite wrong decisions, or bad behaviour there can be good in everyone and the lovely young Joe is the boy to recognise this with the help of his Granddad, Nonno. It's such a bright and uplifting message.
Joe is not your ordinary hero. Last month I wrote on Twitter that I wanted to see more overweight children represented in a positive light in books. So many children's books I have read recently have overweight children as either the "bad guys" or they are poked fun at. It's rare they are the hero. Well, in response to my plea Mr Gemin replied and pointed me in the direction of Joe from Sweet Pizza. Although, coincidentally we had already selected Sweet Pizza as our book group read, I hadn't yet started it.
Well, I have to just applaud G. R. Gemin for his creation of Joe. He's intelligent, lively, enthusiastic, kind and talented. All of the wonderful! He is also overweight. This isn't a huge focus of the book, it is gently and sensitively referred to so that you are made aware of his size, but it in NO way defines Joe! It's wonderfully done, and I thank the author for this. I love that Joe is not a typical young boy. He enjoys opera, cooking and his Italian heritage. He's an absolute joy.
Sweet Pizza is an incredibly quick read. Don't think that it's light and lacking depth though, it most certainly isn't. The bulk of the text is dialogue which makes it fast to read through. I loved this. It made the story feel intimate. I felt like I was sat in the corner of the room watching this wonderful family live their life. I understood and grew to love every character in the story. This has been perfectly done.
At the end of the book are a couple of little additions. Some information about the World War 2 references, explaining the true story behind the book, a wonderful section on appreciating opera, and finally a couple of recipes. Lovely stuff!
This book could not have really come at a better time. As we break away from the EU and so many europeans are now feeling isolated and vulnerable, this book embraces immigration, embraces the mix of nationalities within the United Kingdom. Something which makes our continent such a diverse and wonderful place to live. Sweet Pizza is a glorious and heartfelt celebration of that.
I honestly can't find fault with this gorgeous book. It will make you smile, it will make you laugh, it will also make you cry. It's an emotional roller coaster which has clearly been incredibly well researched and is full of all the joys of Wales and Italy, communities, family and friendship.
Thanks very much, Ally. Glad you mentioned Joe's weight "problem". It would have been all too easy to have Joe go on a diet (apart from the imposed one) and attempt to change his appearance. It was never about that. Joe will always be tempted by a can of coke and chicken and chips – aren't we all?


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Juliadele Male, a high School student in Colorado writes sequel of her summer voluntary work at FKL in Addis Abeba
Home > Track > REPORTS FROM THE FIELD > Juliadele Male, a high School student in Colorado writes sequel of her summer voluntary work at FKL in Addis Abeba
In 7th grade I wrote a research report on Ethiopia. I'm not entirely sure why I had such an interest. Maybe because it is one of the poorest countries in the world. Or maybe because of the short life expectancy. Or maybe because there are so many strange and unusual untreated diseases in this East African country. Or maybe because Ethiopia's heritage is strongly linked to that of the Jews. But I honestly have no good reason for why Ethiopia struck me more than other African countries which are in bad shape with similar conditions. But strangely, my interest persisted. I finally decided to pursue this curiosity and venture to Ethiopia. I was going to go to East Africa and volunteer at a school and through that, witness the Ethiopian life. So I left Denver at the end of June of 2011 for three incredible weeks.
When I landed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, my friend, Jared and I were greeted at the airport by our hostess. There is no other word than crazy to describe the car ride home from the airport to the guesthouse. My eyes were accosted with jarring sights of filth and ramshackle structures, shacks and stands where people lived and worked. Donkeys competed with people in a free for all; people wrapped in rags, or less than rags, some barefoot; some dressed nicely and wearing shoes. People herding donkeys and carrying babies on their back; kids shoveling piles of dirt; young boys shining shoes. Literally, people piled on top of each other sleeping on the side walk. And a lot of cars driving very carefully in order to avoid accidents because there are no traffic signals what so ever. People walk in the middle of the street and go and come as they please. In the midst of this seeming chaos there were many restaurants and stores that looked very functional and well maintained. I found all this to be very shocking because I had never seen anything like it. But little did I know, I was in for a lot more.
After a couple days in Ethiopia, I started acclimating to life there. Suddenly, walking on the dirt roads and climbing on rocks barefoot was normal. Seeing donkeys and sheep in the middle of the street was nothing unusual. A young child roaming the streets unattended by an adult felt ordinary. Even though I became accustomed to this very different culture, there were some things I witnessed, that I will never forget. One afternoon, a friend we made in Ethiopia took Jared and me to the Merkato, the largest market in Africa. As we were leaving, we saw a man. At first glance, his face just looked unusually large and a little deformed, but nothing that I hadn't seen before. As I got closer, it looked as if he had a second head under his face with a huge opening from which his innards were emanating. I squinted my eyes as hard as I possible could so as not to stare and walked away; not out of disgust, but out of confusion and sorrow.
My primary goal on this trip was to acquire a new perspective and immerse myself in Ethiopian life. I accomplished this by volunteering at The Fregenet Foundation. The Fregenet Foundation is a nonprofit designed for kids Kindergarten through 4th grade who come from families with little or no income. Many of the kids come from scarred backgrounds and receive most of their necessities from the Fregenet School. I predicted that these would be very troubled and depressed kids. How could one live in these conditions and be happy? We opened the gate to the school and within minutes I was surrounded with kids extending their hands, wearing smiles that stretched across their faces, and looking at us with glowing eyes. There were no official classes or schedules while we were there because they were on their winter break, so Jared and I could do whatever we wanted with the students. I was instructed to expose them to as much English as possible, so I taught them vocabulary, songs, and games. We played soccer basketball, volleyball, experimented with crayons, markers, finger paint, and watercolors, danced, climbed on the jungle gym, went up and down the slide numerous times, pretended to wear really fancy clothing and put on a fashion show, and mostly exchanged a lot of affection. The students would literally fight over holding my hand, hanging on to my arms and legs, sitting next to me, and standing by me when we were singing, dancing, and playing games. Towards the end of the day when they were sent home, I was again, smothered with handshakes, hugs, and kisses. These kids were literally the sweetest people I have ever met and I could not believe how quickly and deeply I bonded with them without a common language. Spending time with the students at the Fregenet Foundation open my eyes to a whole different way of life, play, and happiness.
Looking back at my trip, I can know understand all of my inquires of Ethiopia I had back in 7th grade: why it is such a poor country with so many untreated illnesses, and how Jewish heritage is so strongly connected with Ethiopia. While I now have a more in depth understanding of not only Ethiopia but also world poverty in general, I have made life long connections with the people of Ethiopia and the students of the Fregenet Foundation. Those connections are more precious that words can describe and will forever keep me dedicated to Ethiopia.
Also by Juliadele:
http://fregenetfoundation.org/pages/viva-a-high-school-volunteers-visit-to-the-fregenet-school


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Sean Biggerstaff (Glasgow; 15 de marzo de 1983) es un actor británico.

Biografía
Hijo de un bombero y una educadora, Biggerstaff tiene una hermana menor, Jenny, nacida en el año 2000.

Su gran debut profesional fue con la compañía "Scottish Youth Theatre" a la edad de diez años en la aclamada producción de Michael Boyd Macbeth en el Teatro Tron de Glasgow.

Además, fue guitarrista del grupo de música Crambo.

Es más conocido por su aparición en las películas Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal y Harry Potter y la cámara secreta como Oliver Wood. Su primera película fue dirigida por Alan Rickman (al que dedicó una carta en Twitter el día de su fallecimiento), llamada The Winter Guest, donde hace el papel de un niño llamado Tom.
Además, trabajó en Cashback, un cortometraje del año 2004 que fue nominado al Premio Óscar al mejor cortometraje. Biggerstaff interpreta a Ben, el personaje principal, un joven estudiante de Bellas Artes con mucho talento que padece de insomnio y que trabaja en el turno de noche de un supermercado. El cortometraje tuvo tanto éxito que se volvió a rodar, esta vez como largometraje, en 2006, bajo el mismo título.

Biggerstaff también participó en las series de televisión The Crow Road y Charles II, de la BBC, y en la obra de teatro de Sharman Macdonald Girl With Red Hair.

Volvió a interpretar a Oliver Wood en Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte: parte 2 en 2011.

Biggerstaff conoció a su novia, Gaia Weiss, durante el rodaje de la película de 2013 Mary, Queen of Scots.

Filmografía

Cine y televisión
 1996 - The Crow Road (serie. BBC.- Joven Darren)
 1997 - The Winter Guest (Largometraje.- Tom)
 2001 - Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal (Largometraje.- Oliver Wood)
 2002 - Harry Potter y la cámara secreta (Largometraje.- Oliver Wood)
 2003 - Charles II: The Power & the Passion (Serie TV.- Henry, Duque de Gloucester)
 2004 - Cashback (Corto.- Ben Willis)
 2006 - Cashback (Largometraje.- Ben Willis)
 2007 - Consenting Adults (Serie TV.- Jeremy Wolfenden)
 2008 - Marple: Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (Serie de TV.- Bobby Attfield
 2008 - Hippie Hippie Shake (Largometraje)
 2011 - Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte: parte 2  (como Oliver Wood)
 2013 - Mary, Queen of Scots (como James Hepburn, Conde de Bothwell)
 2016 - ''Whisky Galore! - Sargento Odd

Referencias

Enlaces externos
 Twitter oficial de Sean Biggerstaff

Actores de cine de Escocia
Actores de televisión de Escocia
Actores de teatro de Escocia
Actores infantiles de Escocia
Nacidos en Glasgow

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia