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467424 Susy Arianna Di Stadio ariannadistadio@hotmail.com 2020-12-15 10:54:13 2020-12-15 10:54:13
77820 ariannadistadio@hotmail.com Arianna Di Stadio Yes 2020-12-15 09:44:23 2020-12-15 10:28:34
77821 claudio.costantini@unipg.it Claudio Costantini No 2020-12-15 09:44:23 2020-12-15 09:44:23
77822 giorgia.renga@unipg.it Giorgia Renga No 2020-12-15 09:44:23 2020-12-15 09:44:23
77823 marilena.pariano@collaboratori.unipg.it No 2020-12-15 09:44:23 2020-12-15 09:44:23
77824 giampietro.ricci@unipg.it No 2020-12-15 09:44:23 2020-12-15 09:44:23
77825 luigina.romani@unipg.it Luigina Romani No 2020-12-15 09:44:23 2020-12-15 09:44:23
32445 ariannadistadio@hotmail.com Arianna Di Stadio 1 2020-12-15 09:44:23 2020-12-15 10:54:13
32626 rita.xu@mdpi.com Rita Xu 2 2020-12-16 05:29:50 2020-12-16 07:19:07
Host Immune System Interaction
Subjects: Others | Pathology
Arianna Di Stadio
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and is characterized by variable clinical presentation that ranges from asymptomatic to fatal multi-organ damage. The site of entry and the response of the host to the infection aect the outcomes. The role of the upper airways and the nasal barrier in the prevention of infection is increasingly being recognized. Besides the epithelial lining and the local immune system, the upper airways harbor a community of microorganisms, or microbiota, that takes an active part in mucosal homeostasis and in resistance to infection. However, the role of the upper airway microbiota in COVID-19 is not yet completely understood and likely goes beyond protection from viral entry to include the regulation of the immune response to the infection. Herein, we discuss the hypothesis that restoring endogenous barriers and anti-inflammatory pathways that are defective in COVID-19 patients might represent a valid strategy to reduce infectivity and ameliorate clinical symptomatology.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), similarly to the flu virus, is transmitted through micro drops produced by sneezing, coughing, or simply speaking. The virus penetrates in the host through the upper airways, and the nasal barrier is the first defensive line to avoid infection [1]. Once the virus has entered target cells in the respiratory tract, the replication, maturation, and release of the virus occur while the host cell undergoes pyroptosis with the release of inflammatory molecules [2]. These initial events initiate an immune response that may lead to the resolution of the infection or, if dysfunctional, trigger a cytokine storm that exacerbates lung inflammation and increases the susceptibility to secondary bacterial or fungal infections [2]. In addition, the cytokine storm may cause potentially fatal multi-organ damage [2].
Host characteristics can influence the infectivity, severity, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection [3], and the local and systemic immune activities play a key role in the response to the virus aggression. Age ([4] and references therein) and gender [5][6] both impact on local and systemic immunity, but while the modulation of systemic immune responses can be quite easy and rapid to obtain, improving the local upper respiratory tract (URT) immune competence is slightly complex. In fact, age and gender determine substantial variation in the URT. Aging reduces the immune response capacity in the nasal mucosa and decreases muco-nasal clearance, a fundamental process to prevent virus infection. Furthermore, Di Stadio et al. [5] have shown that estrogen stimulation (hormone/gender effect) on the URT mucosa could reduce virus virulence thanks to the improvement of both nasal clearance and the local immune response. The authors speculated that this phenomenon could explain why women, despite affected as well as men, present less severe forms of infection with relative better outcomes (i.e., lower mortality).
Gender and age also affect the constituents of gut [7][8] and skin [9] microbiota, and we speculate that they can similarly affect the normal nasal flora [10]. Normal and healthy nasal flora is important to maintain a good balance in the upper airway tract [10][11] and can be helpful to contain and contrast viral infection [12]. Thus, therapies that affect the URT immune reactivity and microbiome composition and diversity may show promise in the treatment of a variety of human diseases, including respiratory infections. Up to date, despite the benefit shown on URT infection [13][14], the fine mechanisms through which local therapies with corticosteroids, antibiotics, and a variety of immunomodulators and nutraceuticals affect the local immune reactivity and microbial composition are largely unknown.
While alterations of the gut microbiota [15][16] and the lower respiratory tract [17] have been reported in COVID-19 patients, with potential diagnostic and therapeutic implications [18][19][20][21], the relationship between COVID-19 and the nasal microbiota has received little attention. Based on a previous hypothesis that emphasized the importance of the nasal barrier to fight COVID-19 [22].
2. The Nose Ecosystem at Work: The Microbiota
The nose likely represents the major site of entry and infection by SARS-CoV-2. Indeed, most of inhaled air enters the body through the nose, and the nasal epithelium show the highest expression of the ACE2 coronavirus receptor [23][24]. The nose might also regulate the subsequent immune response and disease severity. For instance, stimulation of the nasal innate immune response by low doses of mouse hepatitis virus type 1 was able to prime lung immunity for protection against subsequent lethal SARS-CoV or influenza A virus infection [25]. The barrier function of the nasal mucosa as well as the regulation of the local and distal immune response are likely modulated by the microbiota, i.e., the communities of microorganisms that colonize all of the surfaces of the human body exposed to the external environment. The microbiota may act either locally or distally to modulate host physiological and pathological processes. For instance, in the so-called gut-lung axis, the microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract can cross-talk with the lung microbiota and both can influence the immune system to gauge the susceptibility of the host to respiratory infections [25]. Similar to other mucosal sites of the body, the nasal cavity also harbors a community of commensal microorganisms that likely represent an important player in mucosal homeostasis and protection against infection.
Several studies have analyzed the composition of the nasal microbiome in healthy adult subjects. The major phyla belong to Actinobacteria and Firmicutes, followed by Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes [11][26][27][28][29][30][31]. At the genus level, the nares are mainly colonized by lipophilic bacteria, such as Corynebacterium, Propionibacterium (Cutibacterium), and Staphylococcus, followed by other genera such as Moraxella, Streptococcus, and Dolosigranulum [28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. It is believed that commensal bacteria in the nasal cavity protect from opportunistic pathogens by competing for space and nutrients, and also by producing toxic molecules [35]. In addition, it has been recently shown that Staphylococcus epidermidis, which increases during nasal microbiome maturation in humans, stimulates the production of antimicrobial peptides by the nasal epithelium, which efficiently reduce pathogen colonization [36]. Moreover, S. epidermidis can also promote the production of interferon λ-dependent innate immunity by normal nasal epithelial cells to protect against the influenza virus [12], although interferon λ can in turn change the composition of the nasal microbiome and favor Staphylococcus aureus superinfection [37]. Although the interactions between the host, pathogens, and commensal bacteria are complex and still hard to decipher, it is becoming increasingly clear that dysbiosis in the nasal cavity, i.e., changes in the composition of the microbial communities, modulates the susceptibility of the host to pathological conditions, including, among others, acute respiratory tract infections [35].
Different microorganisms causing respiratory tract infections have been associated with changes in the nasal microbiome and include nonviral and viral pathogens. The former includes not only bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, where it has been shown that IL-17 modulates the composition of the nasal microbiome to influence pneumococcal colonization [38], but also fungi. Indeed, we have recently characterized the microbiome of the URT of a large population of hematological patients and identified microbial signatures associated with invasive fungal infections (manuscript submitted), a major threat in this category of patients [39]. The associations between the nasal microbiome and viral infections have received more attention, although a causal relationship could not always be established. A recent study has evaluated the nasal and throat microbiomes in patients with influenza A and B infection and household contacts, and identified microbial signatures that could predict the risk of infection [40]. Similarly, it was shown that the nasal and throat microbiomes influenced the susceptibility to influenza infection [41] and were associated with influenza symptoms and duration of shedding in a household transmission study [42]. Importantly, the nasal microbiome cannot only influence the susceptibility to infection, but may also affect the efficacy of a live attenuated influenza vaccine [43], thus modulating its therapeutic efficacy. Similar associations with the nasal microbiome have been also demonstrated for respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis, with changes in the bacterial composition, alone [44] or in combination with host immune response [45], associated with the severity of symptoms, and the presence of specific taxa with the risk of recurrent wheezing after severe bronchiolitis [46]. Therefore, there may be shifts in the composition of the nasal microbiota that may result in pro- or anti-inflammatory patterns with effects on the susceptibility and course of infection. This paradigm has been elegantly demonstrated for the lung microbiome, in which the acellular bronchoalveolar lavage sample was distinguished in two patterns or pneumotypes, supraglottic predominant taxa (SPT) and background predominant taxa (BPT), based on the enrichment with taxa from the upper respiratory tract or the environment, respectively [47]. Notably, the pneumotype SPT was associated with increased lung inflammation and Th17 activation, and a blunted TLR4 response [47]. The presence of microbial patterns associated with distinct inflammatory responses has been also observed in the nasal microbiota. Healthy young adults were evaluated for their nasal microbiota before and at different times upon challenge with rhinovirus type 39 [48]. Upon grouping of the nasal microbiota into six clusters based on the predominant genera, it was demonstrated that the baseline nasal microbiota was associated with distinct nasal inflammatory responses, viral load, and symptom severity upon infection [48].
While we are just beginning to understand the role of the nasal microbiota in bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, its involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection has remained largely unexplored and may reveal peculiar properties that reflect the specific etiopathogenesis of COVID-19. A study comparing the nasopharyngeal microbiota of patients positive or negative for COVID-19 was recently published [49]. No differences were revealed in diversity or composition [49], although the small number of samples and the presence of potential confounders may have hindered the identification of distinct signatures. Nevertheless, accumulating evidence points to a role of dysbiosis in barrier impairment with increased susceptibility to infection and dysregulated immune response. In this regard, potential approaches aimed at restoring the mucosal homeostasis with direct activity on microbiome composition and/or modulation of the immune response may represent valuable options for the prevention of COVID-19, and the use of treatments not associated with side effects would be desirable to increase the efficacy/safety profile (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Schematic overview of the role of the nasal mucosa in COVID-19. The panel depicts the epithelial lining of the nasal mucosa expressing the entry receptors for SARS-CoV-2, and the associated microbiota and immune cells. In the presence of a healthy mucosa, the response to the virus is protective. On the contrary, in the presence of an impaired mucosa, the homeostasis is lost and alterations in microbiota, barrier integrity, and immune response turn the viral infection into overt disease. Details are described in the text.
This entry is adapted from 10.3390/life10120345
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COVID-19 microbiota upper respiratory tract


text:
Dit is een lijst van militaire oefenterreinen van de Waffen-SS. Hieronder volgen de militaire oefenterreinen.

 SS-militaire oefenterrein Bohemen
 SS-militaire oefenterrein Heidelager
 SS-militaire oefenterrein Kurmark
 SS-militaire oefenterrein Moorlager
 SS-militaire oefenterrein Seelager (Letland)
 SS-militaire oefenterrein West-Pruisen

Zie ook
 Lijst van militaire oefenterreinen van de Wehrmacht tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog

Militair oefenterrein
Waffen-SS
Militaire oefenterreinen
Militaire

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


PELHAM, Alabama -- Pelham City Council members tonight listened to strong opposition consisting of concerns with traffic and other issues related to plans for an apartment complex adjacent to the Publix shopping center off County Road 52.
After conducting first reading on the proposed rezoning, council members during their roughly 80-minute hearing received the plan's few positive comments mainly from the developers of the 228-unit luxury apartment complex known as The Grand Reserve at Pelham.
Many in attendance expressed concerns about traffic that would result from the gated apartment complex adding cars to the already clogged roads during morning and evening rush hour.
Pelham resident Susan Bond told the council about traveling last week on Huntley Parkway at 6:45 a.m. and waiting for several cycles of the traffic lights before she could turn.
"I had to wait probably through three or four traffic lights to be able to turn into CVS. Then once I finished at CVS, coming out trying to come toward the city, if it wasn't for a sweet person who let me in, I'd probably still be there," Bond said.
Birmingham's C&A Enterprises, managed by Eugene Cole and Al Awtrey, is requesting the zoning change on two parcels located next to The Huntley apartment complex and just south of the shopping center anchored by the Publix grocery store.
They own the property that developers Steven Corbett and Juston Trimback are proposing for their apartment complex that would have 72 one-bedroom units, 48 two-bedroom units and 108 three-bedroom units.
The apartment complex would go onto a 14.83-acre parcel located on a barren hilltop directly south of the Publix shopping center near Shelby County Road 52. The developers are also seeking a rezoning of a 4.64-acre parcel next to The Huntley for commercial activity such as restaurants or shops.
The council will have to hold a second reading to approve the rezoning. If successful, the developers would need a variance concerning the apartment complex's density from the city's Board of Adjustment.
Birmingham attorney Charlie Beavers, who represents the developers, told the council the property has been on the market for a decade. "This is not going to have a negative impact on anything. It's a positive. It takes what is a nasty looking hill and makes a positive there," he said.
The project will bring residents with good jobs who can afford rents approaching $1,000 a month for a one-bedroom unit and drive economic growth, he said.
"What it will do for that immediate area, retail-wise, is it will bring housetops there and those housetops will patronize Publix and other retail developments in that area," he said, noting the proposal would boost growth in Pelham.
The developers would spend about $23 million on the project and the construction would general between $600,000 and $800,000 in sales tax for the city, he said. The residents would generate about $100,000 to $125,000 in Pelham sales taxes, he added.
The financial arguments did not work on the public members attending tonight's hearing.
Pelham resident Greg Vincent questioned how neighboring cities feel about their apartment developments. "It's a short-term fix. You won't have permanent residents of Pelham," he said.
"You're going to get some money right up front. Is that worth it in the long run? What if these apartments don't rent for $850?" he asked, wondering if they would remain empty or see rental rates drop. "You sell your soul when you start renting things out."
Jill Wallace, who teaches in Hoover, pointed to the council's actions to start a municipal school board earlier in the evening. "I feel like adding apartments when you just start a new school system, that is not the right move for our city. That if we are really looking for improving our schools, this goes against what we just did," she said.
"I feel like as an educator, I want Pelham to be great," Wallace said. "I want to encourage my friends to come to Pelham and come to Pelham city schools, and I feel like that would be a step backwards."
Richard Mulroy, who lives in the nearby Weatherly neighborhood, asked for people in the audience to raise their hands if they were opposed. He got a couple dozen hands to go up, compared to when he asked for anyone in support of the proposal and one hand raised.
"We can't be adding these new vehicles when we don't have the road infrastructure," Mulroy said about his traffic concerns.
Engineer Darrell Skipper of Birmingham reported that vehicle numbers increased 7 percent on a traffic study he conducted in September on Huntley Parkway compared to figures in July when school was not in session.
"We do have a little bit of congestion in the morning," he said, causing the audience to chuckle. He proposed changing the timing of the traffic lights as a solution to relieve congestion after the apartment's construction.
Cole with C&A Enterprises said he and his partner invested $4.6 million into developing the Huntley Parkway roadway many years ago. He said he built Pelham's first apartment homes and has been doing business in the community for 30 years.
"If we didn't develop it, without the road there wouldn't be any traffic," Cole said. "This is the best, highest use for this property. It's a good thing for the city. That's all we've ever done for the city."
Pelham Mayor Gary Waters pointed to the city's six apartment complexes. "We don't have one high-crime apartment complex," he said.
Waters noted the city hiring a marketing consultant to fill vacant storefronts. No one complained about new lots going into Ballantrae subdivision or the new ServPro headquarters relocating to Huntley Parkway, he said.
He also questioned whether people would show up to voice concerns about 52 new lots proposed for the Gray Oaks subdivision in the area. "You have to ask yourselves all these questions because they're all relevant," he said.


text:
Fraternal Order of Police president: 'Confident' he can work with Sessions to 'make our communities safer,' protect citizens' due-process rights
Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury in a recent column says he is optimistic Attorney General Nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) will work with members of law-enforcement organizations to support meaningful programs that better equip officials to protect their communities while also balancing citizens' due-process rights.
The Daily Caller has the commentary:
The FOP does not disagree that there is a need for civil asset forfeiture reform. In fact, we worked very closely with Senator Jeff Sessions on this issue going back to the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act (CAFRA) of 2000.
The law enforcement community came together to make the necessary changes to the program to ensure due process protections while preserving equitable sharing as a critical law enforcement tool. In fact, the FOP was an early supporter of administrative changes made to the program by then Attorney General Holder in January 2015.
It is our hope that the next Congress and the next Administration will work with law enforcement, as Senator Sessions did in 2000, instead of against us. Not a single major law enforcement organization supported legislation ending the equitable sharing program – and that's no way to begin.
Sen. Sessions will work with members of the law-enforcement community to implement programs that offer tangible returns on taxpayer investment – returns that serve to create safer communities while also balancing citizens' due-process rights.
Click here to help Tea Party Patriots urge members of the Senate to confirm Sen. Jeff Sessions as our next attorney general!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
geographical ignorance
Geographical Illiteracy and the U.S. Foreign Policy Establishment
Editorial, Geopolitics, World / By Martin W. Lewis
The pedagogical consensus seems to be that world geography is unworthy of focused instruction. All that most students learn is that the globe is divided into fundamental units called either countries or nation-states, few of which have much significance. Beyond that, geographical knowledge is considered worthwhile mostly for game shows or trivia nights at local pubs. – Read More
American Geographical Illiteracy and (Perhaps) the World's Worst Atlas
Cartography, Geographical Education, Geographical Thought, North America / By Martin W. Lewis
GeoCurrents has long been concerned with geographical illiteracy. The depth of ignorance continues to be revealed, most recently in a Washington Post piece that indicates that only 16 percent of Americans can locate Ukraine on a world map. Most distressingly, a significant number of respondents placed Ukraine in central Greenland. Other reports indicate that geographical ignorance is widespread even at the highest levels of political leadership in the United States. Both president Barack Obama and former president George W. Bush have made a number of particularly… – Read More
103 Errors in Mapping Indo-European Languages in Bouckaert et al., Part I
Cultural Geography, Indo-European Origins, Linguistic Geography, Myth of the Nation-State / By Martin W. Lewis
As our criticisms of Bouckaert et al. have been extremely harsh, we must justify them in some detail. I have accused the authors of erring "at every turn," a charge that reeks of hyperbole. But even if that claim is exaggerated, it is still not too far from the mark. To demonstrate the extraordinary density of error in the Science article, the next few posts will dissect the authors' base map of Indo-European languages (Figure S6 in their Supplementary Materials). This map, depicting the distribution of both… – Read More
Misleading Language Maps on the Internet
Cartography, Linguistic Geography, World / By Martin W. Lewis
Although the internet allows easy access to manifold cartographic treasures, it provides even more rapid access to misleading, poorly constructed, and laughably inaccurate maps. Consider, for example, language maps at the global scale. A simple Google image search of "world language map" yields over 600 million results, although only the top hits, and by no means all of them, actually show linguistic maps of the world. Those that do can in general be divided into two categories: maps that depict language families, and maps focused on the most widely spoken individual languages. Today's post considers the latter category, analyzing Google's eight most highly ranked "world language maps" that portray the distribution of specific languages – Read More
Global Economic Convergence? The Economist's Unfortunate GDP Map
Cartography, Economic Geography, Geography in the Media, World / By Martin W. Lewis
Last week's (Sept. 24, 2011) issue of The Economist magazine featured a special report on the world economy, the central thesis of which is that the globe is currently undergoing a "great convergence in living standards," pushed forward as "poorer countries speedily adopt the technology, know-how, and policies that made the West rich" (page 3) – Read More
Beyond Economic Development: The So-Called Happy Planet Index
Economic Geography, Physical Geography, World / By Martin W. Lewis
Most measurements of development rely heavily on per capita economic output. While the U.N.'s Human Development Index (HDI) considers education and longevity as well, Gross National Income remains an essential component. The use of such economic data as a proxy for overall development is controversial. Some find it unduly materialistic, focusing on the raw production – Read More


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Ann Summa
Darby Crash: Ann Summa Exhibition Poster
Los Angeles: Photographs by Ann Summa
Curated by Kristine McKenna
Track 16 Gallery
Exhibition Poster/Mailer, double sided, folded in four. Published on the occasion of the exhibition: A graduate of Beloit College, Ann Summa was returning from five years in Sierra Leone, Africa, and Tokyo, Japan when she landed in the midst of L.A.s newly-born punk scene in 1978. She immediately recognized that she had stumbled onto something extraordinary and began documenting the people around her. Summa captured some of the best known bands to emerge from L.A. while they were still in their infancyX and Black Flag, among othersand bands who went on to achieve legendary status despite the brevity of their existence, including the Germs and the Screamers. Also on view are images of the Bags, the Alleycats, the Cramps, and the Suburban Lawns. Summa captured the many out-of-towners who passed through L.A.s first generation punk community; the Bush Tetras and Lydia Lunch from New York; U.K. punk royalty Joe Strummer and John Lydon; and, two of punks unofficial godfathers, Iggy Pop and William Burroughs. All but four of the photographs in the exhibition are previously unpublished. Taken between the years 1978 and 1984, and drawn from a recently published limited edition portfolio of 35 images, the photographs showcase the first chapter of whats been a long and varied career for Summa. Shes worked extensively in Mexico, where she maintains a second home, and has photographed hundreds of musicians, from metal-heads to country stars, over the past 25 years. Her work has been seen in dozens of magazines, both domestic and international, such as Rolling Stone, Travel and Leisure, to name a few. Summa is currently collaborating with her husband, journalist Jeff Spurrier, on Sacred Faces, a book celebrating various spiritual traditions around the world. A book of Summas punk photographs will be published by Greybull Press in 2008.
Designed by Laurie Steelink
Overall: 24 x 30 inches
Folded: 12 x 15 inches
Exhibition Link


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Erin Burnett Calls Out Warren for Trying to Shut Down Report on Sanders: 'Clearly Leaked by Her Team to CNN…Why Is She Pumping the Brakes Now?'
By Reed RichardsonJan 14th, 2020, 8:52 pm
Erin Burnett called out candidate Elizabeth Warren for trying to shut down media coverage of the story that Bernie Sanders told her a woman couldn't beat President Donald Trump in 2020, even though "it was clearly leaked by her team to CNN."
On her Tuesday evening show, just hours before the last Democratic primary debate before the Iowa caucuses, Burnett highlighted what she saw as hypocrisy on the part of Warren campaign for pushing a damaging story about a 2020 rival to her network and then conveniently backing away from it.
"Just 24 hours ago, she owned the story saying I thought a women could win, he disagreed. Pretty black and white and clear," Burnett noted. "Warren had no problem with this story yesterday. It was clearly leaked by her team to CNN. It was — it came out more than a year after the meeting. It came out on the eve of a debate. Pretty clear she knew about this, she sanctioned everything around it. Why is she pumping the brakes now indicates don't want to talk about this anymore? We're all cool."
"Because this is probably the last thing she wants to talk about Iowans about before they vote," explained former Clinton campaign adviser Karen Dunn. "She wants to talk about the same things she talks about in every debate which is the issues and the policy differences between herself and her opponents."
"This story came out yesterday, didn't come out by accident yesterday, with four sources who know Elizabeth Warren and were familiar with the meeting," Burnett reiterated. "At some point she thought that was a good strategy. Bernie Sanders denied it and immediately accused her staff of lying and making the whole thing up. Now everyone is trying to act like they don't want to talk about it. How can Sanders address this story tonight that isn't saying 'I didn't say it' when he said yesterday he didn't say it."
"I think it's unclear whether or not this was a smart move from the Warren campaign," noted analyst Nia-Malika Henderson. "It certainly brings up some of the bad blood some folks have toward Bernie Sanders because of what happened in 2016 with Hillary Clinton. But it seems like those people are already with Elizabeth Warren so I don't know how this moves the dial with Elizabeth Warren other than giving headlines in dinging Bernie Sanders."
Watch the video above, via CNN.
2020 Democratic PrimaryBernie SandersElizabeth WarrenErin Burnett
CNN: Bernie Sanders' Plans Could Cost $60 Trillion or More in Extra Federal Spending
By Tommy ChristopherJan 18th, 2020, 10:08 am


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Q: Bulk edit for large number of files not working? I'm on Sharepoint Online, and I have a document library of about 1600 files. I have about 1000 files that are Unassigned in a certain column that I want to change from Unassigned to some other category. I tried selecting all the files with Ctrl-A and using the bulk edit properties tool to change the Project column, and then I click Save, but the saving never finishes (I waited overnight for this, just in case), and when I check on the document library with a new tab, nothing seems to have actually changed. Is there a reason why bulk edit properties isn't working, and is there a better way to do it?

A: Per my test in my SharePoint online, in the modern document library, I select bulk files and use the bulk edit properties to edit the properties of the files.
And it can work.
I suppose you select too many files to edit the properties.
I suggest you could select about 100 files to edit the properties of the bulk files.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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GMT+8, 2019-4-25 06:08, Processed in 0.022794 second(s), 6 queries.


Due to the amounts of rainfall that the Anderson area has already gotten and with the future forecast, we feel that it is in the best interest of our racers and fans that we cancel the race event scheduled for Saturday, April 20th. With the condition that the track and in-field are already in and with more rain still coming, it will be impossible to get the facility cleaned and dried up in enough adequate time without keeping both the racers and fans there until late hours. We do not want to inconvenience our racing family with wet, cool and late hours on the eve of Easter Sunday. Again, we never want to cancel an event, because we are racers and we want to race anytime we can. But we feel that this decision is in the best interest for all of our racing families. We will re-schedule this event at a later date. We hope that each of you have a Happy Easter!
Race Results from this past weekend's season opener are now posted. You can view the full results here.
4/6 HUDSON, NC - The 2019 season finally kicked off this past Saturday night at Tri-County Motor Speedway. There was several new faces around the garage area, and on track. Your past Champion Kenneth Headen returned to fight off the tough competition. As the staff and teams arrived in the foothills of North Carolina, the adrenaline kicked in. Fifteen of the best short track drivers showed up to knock each other off and out of the way. From a few new rookies Jack Galunke, Brett Suggs, and Clark Houston to the Veterans of the series. This race shaped up to be a barn burner. Ralph Carnes claimed the Renegade Race Fuel & Oils Pole Award, he went on to roll a five on the invert dice.
4/6 HUDSON, NC - The SEST Limited Late Models (formerly known as the Gripp Energy Limited Late Models) began their second year running with the Southeast Super Truck Series. The Season Opener at Tri-County Motor Speedway on March 30th. TCMS is a special place to several drivers as it their home track Josh Goble (who won the Late Model Track Championship there), Jason Cochran (who has several wins there from trucks, to limiteds and late models), Chris Phipps (who won one of the biggest Limited Late Model races ever at TCMS), Dan Moore who has always ran well there, and Mark Goin who has been racing there for several years there.


In Hitchcock's droll thriller, a struggling actress tries to clear a friend being framed for murder by becoming the maid of a flamboyant stage star.
Jane Austen's timeless 1813 novel of unlikely romance is richly adapted in this lavish 1940 Academy Award winner. Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier star.
The inspiring true story of Harold Abrahams, Eric Liddell and the running team that brought Britain one of its greatest sports victories at the 1924 Olympics.
In this 1928 comedy, Buster Keaton plays a peripatetic newsreel cameraman whose quest for good footage predictably lands him in hot water.
Suburban kids (Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton) battle frighteningly funny bad guys for the claim to an ancient pirate treasure.
In this delightful dramatic comedy, seven interconnecting stories are set in and around the lost & found office of a train station in a small Irish town.


text:
Q: Using Jest to test React Route I am totally new in testing. Now I'm trying to test react routre.
How to test it correctly?
Register.js
import React from "react";
import { Redirect, Route, Switch } from "react-router-dom";

import user from "./user";
import employee from "./employee";

const Registers = ({ match }) => (

    <Switch>
      <Redirect exact from={`${match.url}/`} to={`${match.url}/user`} />
      <Route path={`${match.url}/user`} component={user} />
      <Route path={`${match.url}/employee`} component={employee} />
      <Redirect to="/error" />
    </Switch>

);
export default Registers;

Tryed to test in this way.
   Enzyme.configure({ adapter: new Adapter() });
    test('invalid path should redirect to 404', () => {
    const wrapper = mount(
     <MemoryRouter initialEntries={[ '/user' ]}>
       <Registers/>
     </MemoryRouter>
   );
  expect(wrapper.find(user)).toHaveLength(0);
  expect(wrapper.find(employee)).toHaveLength(1);
});

A: *

*First you need to wrap your Switch statement with Browser Router

*Second You need To mock Browser Router.

Mock Browser Router at path
" __mocks__/react-router-dom.js "

import React from 'react';
const rrd = require('react-router-dom');
// Just render plain div with its children
rrd.BrowserRouter = ({children}) =>
{children}

module.exports = rrd;

Test like
test('invalid path should redirect to 404', () => {
  const wrapper = mount(
    <MemoryRouter initialEntries={[ '/user' ]}>
      <App/>
    </MemoryRouter>
  );
  expect(wrapper.find(user)).toHaveLength(0);
  expect(wrapper.find(employee)).toHaveLength(1);
});


text:
AP[Tuesday, March 11, 2008 14:24]
The head of China's regional government in Tibet confirmed Tuesday that about 300 Tibetan monks staged a protest march this week in the capital of Lhasa but said authorities diffused the incident without arrests.
The march Monday was one of the boldest public challenges to China's rule in nearly two decades, but Champa Phuntsok, chairman of the Tibetan government, said it was resolved without incident.
The monks from Drepung monastery outside Lhasa set off on their march to the city on the anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising against Beijing rule in 1959.
Phunstok also confirmed a smaller protest at which nine monks shouted slogans near a main temple. The U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia and an overseas Tibetan Web site, phayul.com, had earlier reported the demonstrations.
Phunstok said an unspecified number of marchers were brought in for questioning and were released shortly after.
"It's really nothing," he told The Associated Press on the sidelines of National People's Congress, China's annual legislative session.
There was no way of independently confirming Phunstok's comments.
Drepung was sealed off Tuesday and increased numbers of armed police guarded temples in and around Lhasa, according to Radio Free Asia and phayul.com Web site, which is run by Tibetan exiles.
Up to 71 people, mostly monks, were detained following the protests, they said.
Always edgy about protests in frequently restive Tibet, China is particularly nervous in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics in August. Tibetan exiles and their supporters have tried to draw the Olympic spotlight to China's often harsh 57-year rule over the Himalayan region.
Meanwhile, several hundred Tibetan exiles tried to march to Tibet from Dharmsala, India, where their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has presided over a government-in-exile since the abortive 1959 uprising.
The activists started their march Monday, but police told them they were banned from leaving the area. However, they resumed their march on Tuesday.
Monday's Lhasa protests are believed to be the largest demonstrations in the city since Beijing crushed a wave of pro-independence demonstrations in 1989. Since then, China has pumped investment into the region, vilified the Dalai Lama and tried to weed out his supporters among the influential Buddhist clergy _ moves that have alienated some Tibetans.
Champa Phuntsok (garuda)
China clamps down on freedoms in Tibet (wds1)
Declaration of Rights of All Tibetans (snowfire55)


The GoToTags Store accepts PayPal as a payment method for consumer accounts. PayPal is most often used for orders less than $1,000 USD.
PayPal is not recommended for corporate accounts.
GoToTags can send an invoice via email to collect payment by credit card or PayPal for an offline order. The customer should first obtain an order number by putting the desired item(s) in the cart and choosing Offline Payment at the checkout page. After the order number is created, contact us to have the invoice sent by email.


text:
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/Cartel-ex-boss-La-Tuta-sentenced-to-55-years-in-14006845.php
Cartel ex-boss 'La Tuta' sentenced to 55 years in Mexico
Updated 4:31 pm PDT, Monday, June 17, 2019
FILE - In this Feb. 27, 2015, file photo, Mexican federal police escort who they identify as Servando "La Tuta" Gómez," leader of the Knights Templar cartel, as he sits inside helicopter at a Federal hanger in Mexico City. Mexican authorities said Monday, June 17, 2019 that the former Knights Templar cartel boss has been sentenced to 55 years in prison after he was found responsible for the 2011 kidnapping of a businessman in the city of Uruapan. less
FILE - In this Feb. 27, 2015, file photo, Mexican federal police escort who they identify as Servando "La Tuta" Gómez," leader of the Knights Templar cartel, as he sits inside helicopter at a Federal ... more
Photo: Eduardo Verdugo, AP
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican authorities say former Knights Templar cartel boss Servando Gómez has been sentenced to 55 years in prison.
Prosecutors in the western state of Michoacan announced the sentence Monday in a brief statement and said Gómez was found responsible for the 2011 kidnapping of a businessman in the city of Uruapan.
Gómez is a former grade school teacher known by the alias "La Tuta."
He led the Knights Templar for years as it terrorized Michoacan.
The cartel became notorious for using extortions, kidnappings and killings to dominate social and political life in the state.
The Knights Templar lost control after thousands of civilians responded by taking up arms and forming self-defense groups.
Gómez was captured by security forces in 2015.


Dr. John P. Gearhart is a professor of pediatrics and urology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and serves as Director of Pediatric Urology at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. His clinical and surgical interests focus on the evaluation and treatment of children born with major congenital birth defects, bladder exstrophy, disorders of sexual development and childhood urinary cancers.
Dr. Gearhart received his M.D. from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1975. After an internship in surgery and residencies in surgery and urology at the Medical College of Georgia, he completed a fellowship in pediatric urology at Alder Hey Children's Hospital of the University of Liverpool School of Medicine in 1981.
Following two years as a urologist at St. Mary's Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia, he completed a second fellowship in pediatric urology at Johns Hopkins in 1985 and joined the Johns Hopkins faculty thereafter as an associate professor of pediatric urology.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Dr. Gearhart has been lauded as a pioneer in pediatric urology and reconstructive genitourinary surgery. He has published extensively and has received numerous awards and guest lectureships. He is a member of several national and international professional organizations and is a founding member of the Society of Reconstructive Genitourinary Surgeons.
Dr. Gearhart's clinical and surgical research interests focus largely on the evaluation and treatment of the bladder muscle, nerve supply, and collagen content of the extrophied bladder. He also oversees long-term follow up studies of patients with disorders of sexual development. Additionally, he studies and implements new techniques to evaluate and treat children with childhood kidney tumors, and to reconstruct the bladders of children who have undergone previous failed bladder exstrophy closures.


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More links for "**B Grade** K8U-X ULI M1689 (Socket 754) Motherboard"


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25/01/2017 · Did you know you can download a Windows 10 disc image free from Microsoft? This is seemingly little known, but yes you can download a complete legitimate Windows 10 ISO without registering or even having a product key, and you can install and run the entirety of Windows 10 …... Microsoft will let you download the official Windows 10 ISO file if your system doesn't support the media creation tool. Herein lies the little loophole we can use to our advantage.
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Note: this article assumes that you are using Windows on your computer. Direct Download Windows 10 ISO. Whenever you try to download Windows 10 ISO, the Microsoft server automatically detects your browser and the OS you are on.
MS Windows 10 Gamer Edition Free ISO Full Review: Microsoft has released its new version of Windows 10 for Gamers. All the basic requirements and features which are necessary for providing a better gaming experience are included in the gamer edition of windows ten.


text:
Category - Any -Corporate NewsCustomer NewsIndustry Innovation
Prologis Research: Environmental Benefits of E-Commerce
A new report by Prologis Research reveals that e-commerce is better for the environment than individual trips to traditional brick-and-mortar stores.
Prologis Research Releases Second Installment of Automation Special Report
In the second installment of its two-part special report on automation and logistics real estate, Prologis Research delved deeper into how automation can unlock potential competitive advantages for customers.
Prologis Recognized as Global Sustainability Leader in Newly Released ESG Rankings
Prologis received high scores from both the 2020 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) and the 2020 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) for outstanding performance in environmental stewardship, social responsibility and governance (ESG).
"As the global leader in logistics real estate, we understand the important role we play in taking decisive action to support social responsibility and environmental sustainability," said Prologis chief legal officer and ESG head Edward S. Nekritz. "The recognition by DJSI and GRESB is a testament to our leadership in this area and to the meaningful results we continue to deliver, including our science-based target and our Community Workforce Initiative."
DJSI Highlights:
For the second consecutive year, Prologis was named to the prestigious DJSI World Index, which recognizes the most sustainable corporations across industries. Nippon Prologis REIT (NPR) was named to the list for the first time. Corporations named to this index represent the top 10% of the largest 2,500 companies in the S&P Global BMI, based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria. Prologis and its listed entities in Japan and Mexico were again included in the DJSI indices: Prologis is on the North America DJSI Index for the 13th consecutive year; FIBRA Prologis is on the MILA Pacific Index for the 4th consecutive year; and NPR is on the Asia Pacific Index for the 6th consecutive year.
GRESB Highlights:
In addition to Green Star recognition for all 10 of the company's co-investment ventures, Prologis' listed entity, NPR, was recognized as a publicly listed Industrial Sector Leader among global and Asian respondents, while Prologis took the top-two rankings for industrial funds in the Americas: FIBRA Prologis and Prologis (PLD). The company's UK Logistics Venture fund ranked #1 among private industrial funds in the UK. In Brazil, its Prologis Brazil Logistics Venture fund took the top ranking on its first-ever response in its peer group, as did the company's Prologis China Core Logistics Fund.
Prologis Research Special Report: Automation and Logistics Real Estate
Prologis Research today released the first of a two-part special report on automation in logistics real estate.
Automation and Logistics Real Estate #1: The State of Automation in Supply Chains highlights the fact that automation has the power to revolutionize logistics operations. As logistics customers work to ensure their operations are efficient and robust over the long term, automation is increasingly front of mind.
Prologis Leaders Named to All-America Executive Team
Earlier this week, Institutional Investor announced its 2021 All-America Executive Team.
Prologis Looks to Give Customers More Than Space
Prologis chief operating officer Gary Anderson was recently interviewed by FreightWaves.com to discuss how Prologis Essentials is going beyond the building to help solve customer pain points.
Prologis' Response and Community Support During COVID-19
As we focus on public health needs during the COVID-19 outbreak, it is important that we address the long-term societal and economic ramifications of the global pandemic.
2019 SEIA Solar Rankings: Prologis Again in Top 10
In the latest report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), released today, Prologis again ranked #8 in overall commercial solar capacity and is first among real estate companies.
Prologis Research Special Report: The Reality of Retail-to-Logistics Conversions
A new special report from Prologis Research examines how COVID-19 has compressed the evolution of the retail landscape and what that trend could look like for the logistics industry.
Prologis Announces New Head of its China Business, Thomas Liu
Thomas' extensive leadership experience will be an invaluable resource as Prologis expands its portfolio in China.


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I noticed that Kartik has an an original-of page at https://kartikprabhu.com/original-of which may have inspired the original-of URL functionality for use in Syndication Links.
For improved UI, is there a code snippet that could be created (or which already exists?) that could be added to a custom page to allow the creation for a simple search for such things the way Kartik has done? I'm thinking of something along the lines of <?php get_search_form(); ?> which can be added to 404 page templates to allow the addition of a search box on such a page to get the user moving in the right direction.
Completed in latest version. Text should be added in the theme or in the widget.


text:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Japan and the Netherlands have agreed to a deal with the U.S. to restrict China's access to materials used to make advanced computer chips, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press on Sunday. The person declined to be identified because the...
TOKYO (AP) — China announced it was resuming issuing visas for Japanese travelers beginning Sunday, ending its nearly three-week suspension in an apparent protest of Tokyo's tougher COVID-19 entry requirements for tourists from China. The decision was announced in a statement...
Today in History Today is Saturday, Jan. 28, the 28th day of 2023. There are 337 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Jan. 28, 1973, a cease-fire officially went into effect in the Vietnam War, a day after the signing of the Paris...
House GOP seeks new restrictions on use of US oil stockpile
WASHINGTON (AP) — For the second time this month, House Republicans have advanced a measure to restrict presidential use of the nation's emergency oil stockpile — a proposal that has already drawn a White House veto threat. A GOP bill approved Friday would require the...
Hong Kong protests Biden extension of deportation protection
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong has protested President Joe Biden's two-year extension of a program that protects residents of the semi-autonomous Chinese city living in the U.S. from deportation, accusing Washington of "demonstrating sinister intentions and hegemonic bullying." ...
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says it will continue to restrict the entry of short-term travelers from China through the end of February over concerns that the spread of COVID-19 in that country may worsen following the Lunar New Year's holidays. South Korea in early...
Biden extends deportation protection for Hong Kong residents
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday signed off on a two-year extension of a program that protects Hong Kong residents in the U.S. from deportation, renewing the protection until January 2025. Biden first authorized the program, the Deferred Enforced Departure for...
Suspect in Half Moon Bay farm killings faces 7 murder counts
HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — A farmworker accused of killing seven people in back-to-back shootings at two Northern California mushroom farms was charged Wednesday with seven counts of murder and one of attempted murder. Chunli Zhao, 66, was set to make his first court appearance...
Shallow 5.5 quake sets off rockslides in southwest China
BEIJING (AP) — Rescuers were headed to the site of a magnitude 5.5 earthquake Thursday in a region of southwestern China at the base of the Tibetan plateau that is prone to deadly quakes. Roads into the area have been blocked by rockslides, although there have been no reported...
UN forecasts fall in global economic growth to 1.9% in 2023
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations forecast Wednesday that global economic growth will fall significantly to 1.9% this year as a result of the food and energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, persistently high inflation and the climate emergency. ...
Wilkes-Barre News


She had captured the moment perfectly. The instant was frozen with thin strands of coloured paper still hanging in the air amidst the faint smoke clouds created by tiny amounts of gunpowder. Below, sitting cross-legged on the wooden decking, her three-year-old nephew had his hands tightly clasped to his ears and his eyes screwed shut. His second cousins were leaping and grasping at the air above his head, trying to catch the raining confetti. Slightly apart, in her pretty yellow party dress, her niece stood with her arms outstretched, holding a large box decorated with patterned paper and a large bow. Bright, shiny banners and clusters of colourful balloons were strung overhead from the verandah roofing. Off to the right of the frame, a small huddle of people were gathered at the edge of the deck. They were viewed from the side but she could still clearly identify her older brother and heavily-pregnant sister-in-law, and her cousin in a loose-fitting singlet, proudly showing off his hard-earned muscles with his wife looking tiny next to him. Behind them, a silver flash of hair marked the imposing presence of her uncle. They all had champagne flutes or spent plastic party-poppers raised before them. Opposite, at the extreme left of the shot, her mother could be seen through the open ranch-sliders, still inside the dining room, her hand outstretched. She had just given her husband a gentle, reassuring nudge forwards and he now stood on the threshold between the house and the deck. The initial look of surprise and slight concern on his face had subsided. His wide eyes had narrowed and his gaping mouth had metamorphosed into one of his trademark grins: a web of wrinkles circling his eyes and a flash of perfectly aligned whitened teeth. In that fraction of a second, from her position in the yard, she had caught her smiling father facing the loving welcome of his family.
Satisfied, Elle turned off the camera and walked back across the yard towards the house amidst the hubbub of excited chatter. She skirted the line of relatives waiting to pass on their congratulations and gifts to her father. Her Uncle Bill hung back at the far end of the deck and Elle went to join him, picking up a glass of champagne from the table on her way.
"Thanks for coming over Uncle Bill. It's really good to have you here." She gently clinked her glass against the one in her uncle's hand.
"Well, your little brother only turns sixty once, doesn't he?" her uncle replied with a thin smile. Elle didn't really know Uncle Bill that well. He had moved to Australia before she was born and this was only his second trip back home in all those years. The last had been almost twenty years ago for his mother's funeral, when Elle was only a little girl. She had visited him and her cousins a few times in Perth, mainly for family occasions like weddings, her aunt's funeral and, a couple of years ago, to celebrate Uncle Bill's retirement from the force. When she was a child, she'd found him intimidating, carrying a natural air of authority that was enough to keep the cousins all in line. Elle's brother knew him better. He had gone over and joined his cousin working at the mines for a few years. His kids and their cousin's children were similar ages and had spent a lot of time together too, and it was Elle who sometimes felt like a stranger in the family. She knew her uncle and father had had some falling out years ago that had never really been resolved and, despite repeated pleading, her father had never been to Perth. When she started organising the party, she had hoped that she could initiate a reconciliation between the two men. Her brother had called her an idealistic idiot; had told her she was just like dad. Her mother had been slightly more encouraging, quietly musing that, "perhaps the old bugger's softening with age." Elle wasn't sure which of the men her mother was referring to, but assumed it was Uncle Bill. She'd always thought of her father as easy-going and quick to laughter, and couldn't imagine him being capable of holding a grudge. But Elle had had to make a lot of assumptions. As the youngest, she always felt that certain things were obscured from her, no doubt on some pretext of protecting her, but she was sick of being treated like a child. She'd decided she was going to invite Uncle Bill and show them that whatever had happened could be left in the past.
The crowd of well-wishers surrounding her father subsided as the children went off to play and the adults to top up empty glasses.
"We should say 'Happy Birthday'," Elle said, glancing at her uncle before crossing the deck to where her father stood. As she approached him, he stepped forwards and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders, looking at her sternly.
"Well, I hear this was all your doing," her father said gruffly but with a smile emerging in his eyes. He pulled Elle in and kissed her on the cheek before wrapping her in his arms for a vice-like hug. Her father had always been a strong man, playing for the first fifteen at high school, kept fit by his years working as a landscape gardener and still active with fishing and golf. She could barely believe that he was actually turning sixty. "And I see you managed to persuade your Uncle Bill to cross the ditch," he whispered to her as her head rested on his shoulder.
"You're not angry, are you dad?" she asked without breaking their embrace.
The afternoon was filled with the squeals of the children around the paddling pool in the yard, the hum of conversation broken by regular peels of laughter, the clatter as another empty bottle was dropped into the recycling crate. Sausages and steaks sizzled on the barbecue, regularly turned by either her brother or her cousin, while the kitchen was crammed with women filling bowls with pasta salad, potato salad and Greek salad, or slicing loaves of bread, warm from the oven.
"Do you think we've got enough food?" Elle's mother asked anxiously, as she balanced serving tongs on each of the overflowing bowls. Elle just smiled at her. Her mother always over-catered and they both knew that they would spend the next two days trying to make inroads into leftovers. And sure enough, less than an hour later, everyone was moaning and complaining of having over-eaten.
"Not too full for cake I hope," Elle's mother announced brightly as she emerged onto the deck, proudly carrying the cake she had baked and decorated, the air around it hazy from the glow of candles. The family erupted into a discordant version of 'Happy Birthday' as she placed it on the table in front of her husband. Elle snapped off some shots as her father took a large gulp of air and extinguished all the tiny flames, his eyes clenched closed in a secret wish.
"I'm not one for big speeches," he started, accompanied by the groans of those who knew this to be not exactly true, before going on at length to thank Elle and his wife for organising the surprise and everyone else for attending. "It's lovely to have the family together." He paused. "It's even nice to have Bill here," he finished, smiling wryly and raising his beer bottle in a toast towards his brother.
The sky darkened and the air filled with the scent of citrus candles. Voices grew louder, drowning out the sound of the television emanating from the lounge, where the children had decamped after their afternoon exertions and were slumped on a collection of cushions. In the usual manner, which still surprised and jarred with Elle, the women had gravitated towards one end of the table and were sharing recipe ideas, while at the other end the men were speculating on which rugby teams would be successful this season. Listening in, Elle was surprised that her father was contributing very little to the discussion, a subject on which he was usually voluble. He was seated pensively at the head of the table, allowing all the talk to wash over him, taking regular sips from a large glass of his favourite single malt. All conversation was then momentarily disturbed by the rumbling avalanche of bottles onto the wooden decking when her brother tried to balance another on top of the precarious mound already in the crate.
Eventually, the chilly evening air of the end of summer started to bite and forced everyone to retreat indoors to the open-plan kitchen-living-dining space. The children were all now asleep on their mound of cushions, oblivious to the chatter all around them. Elle was in the kitchen, helping her mother load plates, dripping with salad-dressing and meaty juice, into the dishwasher. Raised voices over the steady buzz of conversation made both the women look up from their task. Her father had pushed himself up from his armchair and was standing, swaying slightly, glaring at Uncle Bill.
"You were just a government lackey, helping them support a fascist, racist regime. Where were your principles?" Her father was yelling at him, his face flushed, drops of spittle projected in front of him. Uncle Bill remained seated.
"I was doing my job, George. You've never understood that" he said calmly.
Her father launched the half-full beer bottle in his hand across the room. It smashed into fragments as it impacted on the wall just above Uncle Bill's head, knocking the framed photograph of Elle's brother's wedding to the floor. Nobody moved. There was a moment of absolute silence before her nephew began to wail, frightened out of his slumber. Then her uncle wiped the splashes of sticky liquid from his face before concentratedly standing up and striding to the hall. Still no-one spoke and they all started slightly as the front door slammed behind him. Elle turned to the window and watched her uncle climb into the front passenger seat of the hire car parked in the driveway. He stared straight ahead of himself, motionless. She turned back again just in time to see her father take the opposite direction down the hallway, the slam of the bedroom door behind him marking his exit. Frozen, she watched as her mother crossed the lounge and retrieved the fallen photograph, carefully repositioning it on the wall. Then she stooped to pick up the pieces of broken bottle from the carpet. Elle's cousin's wife was the first to speak.
"Here, let me do that," she offered.
"No, no, that's okay. You should go and see if Bill's alright," Elle's mother said, only the slightest of a quiver in her voice.
"Well then," she hesitated and looked over at her husband who was already corralling their two boys towards the door, "Thanks so much for the meal. It was really nice to see you all." The front door opened again and from the window Elle watched as the children were manoeuvred into their car seats while her cousin got into the driver's seat. He said something to his father but the older man showed no sign of having heard, his face still stone.
"I think we'd best be getting off too mum." Elle's brother was the next to flee the scene. His mother was still hunched over the puddle of beer, trying to soak it up with a cloth, as he kissed her on the top of her head. "See you next week." He walked past Elle on the way to the hall where his wife and children had hastily assembled. "See you soon sis. Thanks for a great party," he sneered.
Elle put down the dirty plate she was still holding in her hands and started to sob. Her mother tipped the pieces of green glass into a newspaper that was lying next to the woodburner, wrapped it up and came over and placed it on the kitchen bench before putting her arm around Elle's shoulders.
"Why do they hate each other so much?" Elle sniffled through her tears.
Without speaking, her mother went out into the hallway and Elle heard her rummaging around in the cupboard. She came back with an old spiral-bound scrapbook, its paper pages curled at the edges and its cover stained with what looked like a circle of coffee. She placed it on the kitchen bench before them. As her mother flicked through the pages, gently prying apart those that had become stuck together, Elle saw the yellowing news cuttings that her mother had labouriously collected and preserved. There were flashes of headlines from before she was born, over thirty years earlier. 'Smoke Bombs, Mass Arrests', 'Epic Battles Off-field', 'It was as if the sun had come out'. Pages held hand-drawn flyers: 'Mobilise', 'Rally against the tour', 'Boycott the Blood of Apartheid'. She saw blurry photographs: a light plane flying low over a stadium; barbed-wire surrounding a sports ground; a group of civilians sitting on a rugby pitch encircled by police, separating them from an angry, jeering crowd. And then her mother stopped at another, larger black and white photograph, given a page of its own at the back of the scrapbook. The right hand side of the shot was dominated by police officers in shiny black helmets, their vizors reflecting the light and obscuring their faces. On a wintry September day, they stood in a regimented line of replicas, their black greatcoats covering all distinguishing marks and features. The front row of men were poised, batons held in hand at their hips. Facing them, on the left of the shot, was a more ramshackle group of men dressed in sweaters, jeans and their own protective headgear. These were a miscellany of cycling helmets, motorbike headwear and hard hats, with faces hidden behind vizors, hockey masks, goggles and bandanas. Makeshift shields made out of plywood panels were the only thing separating the two antagonistic sides of this face-off.
"That's your father," her mother said, pointing towards one of the foremost men in a motorcycle helmet, holding the thin wooden protection before him. "And that's your Uncle Bill," indicating the police officer directly opposite her father.
Elle stared, trying to peer through the reflective glass to gain a hint of recognition of either of the men, sensing the electric tension in the distance between them.


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text:
thats where it goes
"Are you telling me," Archie wondered why he asked. He could see it on Emily's face. "You want to move back?"
True they'd had a bit to drink. They'd danced at the little club and it had been good times with Charlotte and Rosco. They didn't have friends like this back in Omaha. They were all alone there. Their neighbors were old. He didn't know anyone their own age to go out with. They were far from this friendly atmosphere. No Gordy and Floyd to watch sing to their hearts content.
"I dunno." Emily seemed full of a sad emotion of some kind. Obviously, he was not enough. Yet, she hung on to him as if she wouldn't survive the night without him. "I want to stay close, you know. I want to have friends."
"I know." It sounded like a shouting match now as they were near the bathrooms at the bar, but the music was loud and pumping the walls. She kissed him as if he was important to her. He couldn't forget that. Finally, they made it back to the others and Charlotte thought they should end the night at the all night dinner.
"I'm hungry for pie." Her toothy grin was endearing. Archie couldn't say no to that. Next thing he knew they were in the late night lights of the diner, a few blocks from the club.
"Maybe Rosco and I can come up to see your place." Charlotte suggested over hot coffee and a piece of cherry pie she shared with Rosco. Archie and Emily split a piece of chocolate silk pie.
"Yeah, that would be great." Archie sighed. He wanted to think what the four might do, not getting through this night back at Emily's parents. He gritted then looking at the Motel 6 across the way. He'd so much rather be with Emily there than her old room even if they had lived their for months..not so long ago. He took another bite of the creamy pie.
"We'd invite you over, but the place is so tiny." Charlotte admitted then. She looked at Rosco as if they were just too pathetic.
"Maybe you guys need to move to Omaha. You could stay with us, if that would help...until you found something." Archie offered.
Rosco just smiled and ate a cherry then. Yeah, Archie got the impression they were in their on little stale mate too. It was hard to figure out progress, sometimes.
Posted by Cait at 4:22 PM 5 comments:
"We should do something...since you're here." Charlotte knew it was a last minute thing, but Emily was in town. And how long could they long over a sleeping baby at Emily's parents. Charlotte had found Emily in the nursery.
"God, yes, lets get out of here." Emily physically took Charlotte's hand. This was strange. Obviously, they weren't exactly close. After all, Charlotte lived with Emily's ex-boyfriend. "What do you have in mind?"
"Well," Charlotte knew she had to be pleasant and full of surprises. "You want to go to a club?"
"What club?" Emily almost laughed.They met the guys downstairs.
"I hear Floyd's got a band." Charlotte told her.
"Floyd?"
"Yeah, he and Gordy have been playing together. Just the two of them. Its not really a club, but kind of. Its dark. People play pool there." She smiled then with a shrug.
"Gordy's in a band?" Emily looked as if she didn't believe her.
"They get together ever so often. Its not a paying gig, but no one boos them, off the stage." Charlotte couldn't stop smiling about it.
"What about Rosco, when is he going to play for us?" Emily looked at Rosco then who had been talking to Archie downstair. He looked at her with his eyes wide shut.
"What are you two talking about?" He squinted then as he reached for his keys.
"Just about you, babe." Charlotte grinned more as she leaned into him. "Wondering when you'll play with Gordy and Floyd."
"As soon as I can find that guitar in that mess of ours." He peered at her.
"He's just not a scruffy as I remember." Emily laughed as she put her arm around Charlotte.
"Ha, ha..very funny, Em." Rosco pursed his lips.
"Come on, lets go." Charlotte was trying her best to have a good-time here. No need to bring up how Rosco used to be.
Posted by Cait at 7:42 PM 11 comments:
Emily couldn't quite calm down even with her mother around and her baby brother too. He was sleeping like a little angel. Emily couldn't help but want to touch his tiny fingers. Really, it tugged at her heart that maybe..she'd want one of her own. But she wanted to shake that feeling. Not now.
"Maybe, I shouldn't have come." She felt breathless in fact. She'd only seen her father for a moment, and she could hardly take it. A panic attack was brewing. Emily pulled and her hands, but hugged herself then as she sat on her mother's bed.
"Don't say that, its good to see you. You, just missed your sister." Her Mom put her arm around her.
"Are, you, all right?" Emily looked up at her Mom. She had to be the strongest woman Emily ever knew, but it was hard to tell her this. Even now.
"Of course, everything is fine." She seemed OK that her father was back.
"You don't love him, or anything, do you?" Emily had to know. Her mom couldn't. She wouldn't. Not now. But her mother didn't say anything. Her arm dropped from Emily and a bit of emotion went from confident to sad. Her mother looked away as if Emily needed to guess.
"There will always be a part of me that loves him." Her mother winced. "I have you two to thank him."
"Mom!" Emily felt a bit shattered. "No, no..no..no...don't do this now." Emily felt her voice falter. "You can't. You won't. You don't need him. You never have." Emily gritted. She stood up as soon as she'd made the baby flinch.
"Well, maybe...he needs me." Her mother's words were barely there.
Emily felt herself sink into tears. God, if her mother remarried her father....Emily couldn't bare to think it possible.
Posted by Cait at 11:39 AM 7 comments:
just a visit
Archie drove Emily down to her Mom's for the weekend. It looked less of winter here. Just bits of ice and snow on the ground, not like the ice tundra they'd came from. Just a real vacation, he supposed. But not by much. It was cold. Oh, so cold.
Maybe it was more than the weather he felt. It seemed Emily was changing. More quiet. Possibly, even evil.
"Just don't do anything you'll regret." He looked at her and held on to the steering wheel, white knuckled.
"I won't." But she didn't promise anything. She looked simple in her gray T and his slouchy cardigan. She was in her black converses and skinny jeans. Not a bit of makeup on. How would anyone know who she was?
They pulled up in the driveway and got out. She looked at the suburban house as if she hadn't been in it for years. When they got to the door, her father opened it. His smile was irritating, but Archie did his best not to think on it. After all, they'd never met.
Instantly, her dad went through the duties of shaking her hand. He hugged both of them as if all was forgotten. It was as if Emily might be his favorite.
"How's the weather up there?" He made it sound they'd just came from Alaska instead of Nebraska.
"A good bit more snow on the ground." Archie nodded.
Of course, Emily didn't stay to talk, she ran upstairs to see her baby brother.
"Well, she hasn't changed much." Her dad just said as he motioned Archie to come to the kitchen. There were cold cuts out. Chips and dips too. Someone was trying to make an effort. Could it be her Dad?
"Oh, Em's going through some changes." Archie grinned. "You know, its not easy being a newlywed."
"Right." Bart nodded. "Does she cook?"
"Some." Usually, it was the frozen meals that came in a bag, but Archie wasn't complaining. "We cook together, a lot. Mostly weekends."
"She never cooked here. She'd cut some boy's hair, constantly, it seemed. I can just bet they were messing around. She tell you about him?" Bart winced.
"I believe she did." Archie would prefer to make his sandwich than speak of Emily's old boyfriends.
"She was a weird little girl." Bart sighed.
"Well, then, she thought of you as a weird old Dad." Archie bit into a slice of pepperoni and smiled. There was no need to charm him. After all, Archie knew who's side he was on.
Posted by Cait at 1:11 AM 7 comments:
strange thoughts
Kal wished Whitney hadn't brought up the cold meds. Of course, it was she who had found them. Wondered, if something was up. OK, he was there when it happened. A minute, was all it would have taken to dispose of the evidence. He was meaning to.
He couldn't dare tell her that he still had these tendencies..to experiment.
He wondered if Whitney knew. The real him. She was bound too. But she'd thought it was Rosco who had done such a needy thing, crunch the over the counter meds in a little glass cup that she used for cooking.
Kal had forgot about it..until now. Why did he even bring it up. No. She did. Didn't she?
He didn't want to think what he was, what he could become. Everyone had their own little regrets..now didn't they? He was happy that both of his kids had turned out perfectly. Now that was over, why couldn't he have some fun..again. Experimenting.
Whitney had scared him that one time about the story on the news with the 'bath salts' how maybe it was some sort of cocaine that did bad things to the brain. Some college student had slit his throat in front of his parents. It disgusted Kal so. He was not like that. He wasn't.
He kissed Whitney then. Hoped he'd never think about such stupid shit, again. He hadn't bought any drugs in a long time. He wasn't going too. Especially, with the baby in the house. He loved his wife. He cherished this life. And yet an ugliness prevailed inside him. Sometimes, he just had to get away from the humdrum of life.
Rosoc's girlfriend.
Q&A with Ivy
Ivy: so who inspires you?
Cait: friends & family. past acquaintences. my significant other.
Ivy: have you ever thought, oh, why did i let that happen to this character?
Cait: occasionally, but i figure, well, thats life, i'll just have to write myself out of this one.
Ivy: when do you find time to write?
Cait: not as much time as I want but a few minutes a day when I can.
Ivy: How has dc;dk changed?
Cait: Thanks to readers and comments I've found myself just exploring new family situations that I hope they can relate too. Less plot and more character study.
The Old Sweater
Sparkle and Fade
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another ellie
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degrassi fan fic
ivy's closet
ivyoaks
just another fairytale
maxxie n tony
sid n violet
simon & josh
tyler and jeremy
18.in.a.relationship.simply me.


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