The motto for Alaska's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is, 'Neighbor Helping Neighbor' and in the past several weeks, I've been able to witness communities walking the walk, not just talking the talk.
Recently, a child was murdered in the village of Kake. Responding to the call for help, the Kake EMS and the community responded to one of the most dreadful scenes imaginable. In the wake of the event, resources flooded into Kake to help with the psychological and physical trauma surrounding it. Mental health professionals, counselors and clergy all stepped in to help but the volunteer responders in Kake needed time to grieve and begin healing.
It didn't take long for the word to get out that the Kake EMS needed some support in the aftermath. All it took was a couple of phone calls and the region responded! In less than 4 hours after the request, both the Petersburg Fire Department and the Wrangell Fire Department had mobilized into 4 teams of 2 volunteers each to provide EMS coverage in Kake. Thanks to SEARHC EMS, we were able to fund the travel expenses incurred.
Their rapid ability to mobilize, deploy resources and network with each other and Kake EMS was astonishing to watch unfold. Their compassion, along with the blessings of their community governments, touched many and I can't express just how moving it was to witness. It was also stunning to receive the multitude of calls from Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka offering to facilitate with volunteers from those communities willing to donate money, transportation and manpower to help their fellow responders. I was truly humbled.
The community of Kake has a long recovery process ahead and it is hoped that by helping to shoulder the burden, however briefly, we've given them strength for the time ahead.
Thanks to the collaboration of SE Alaska fire departments/City governments, volunteer EMS squads and all the links in the chain, we have demonstrated just what our system is capable of.


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Friday Ethics Round-Up, 8/21/2020: Democratic National Convention Hangover Edition
August 21, 2020 August 21, 2020 / Jack Marshall
No, John Wayne doesn't speak Spanish in "Red River," but this was the only clip I could find of its iconic "Yahoo!" sequence. This may be the best Western ever; I don't know, I go back and forth on it. Amazingly, Howard Hawks never won an Oscar…but then neither did Orson Wells, Alfred Hitchcock, or Cecil B. De Mille.
1. Now this is uncivil and unethical political speech (Pointer: Tim Levier):
No, it's not justified by "tit for tat," but the ugly, ad hominem abuse heaped on President Trump by the Democrats this week was hardly better.
2. Oh, it's Friday; why not check in with Paige Spiranac? You remember Paige, right? I posted about her here. She's not much of a professional golfer, but she is now a "social influencer." She has power and influence because, let's be frank, she looks like this, and makes sure everyone knows it:
Now she has a viral ethics tweet about slow golfers:
That's slowLY, Paige. Mustn't enable those "dumb blonde" jokes.
This has actually sparked a controversy in social media, though there shouldn't be any question that excessively pokey golfers are being rude and inconsiderate. The rationalizations being offered by defenders of slow play are, sadly, illustrative of the ethics skills of too much of the public. For example:
"That's a dumb comment. Golf is a leisure sport. You are meant to enjoy the sport with friends and family and take time while doing it. Especially if you're not playing for millions."
3. More fun from the Hypocrisy and Hate Convention! You know, if "Trump lies" is really going to be a campaign theme for a party, i t really is dumb to do things like this….
During the DNC celebration of Kamala Harris's nomination as Biden's running mate, the multi-screen live stream featured several duplicated faces.
I'm sure the Democrats assumed nobody would notice, since there is so much voters aren't supposed to notice. It does not bode well for the presence of such essential ethical traits as trustworthiness, honesty, competence, and diligence, however.
4. Oh-oh. I may be in trouble.The South Carolina Court of Appeals has ruled that a motorist with an open fly may justify traffic police conducting a vehicle search. I have had trouble remembering to zip up all my life. At least once a year, I complete a three hour seminar only to discover that my fly was down the whole time.
In 2013, Cheryl Jones drove to the bus station in North Charleston to pick up her common law husband, Michael N. Frasier Jr. As the car containing the couple was pulling away, an officer ordered them to stop, claiming the car's brake light was out. In reality, the policeman had observed that Frasier "looked left, cleared right… at the whole parking lot, left and right" before getting into the car, and that seemed suspicious to his trained eye. During the stop, the officer noticed the zipper on Jones's jeans was down. The officer told the trial court that in his experience, people sometimes try to hide narcotics in "their pants or crotch area." Jones explained she was in a hurry and had jumped out of the shower before driving to the bus station and dressed quickly. Becoming more suspicious still, the officer asked to search the vehicle. Eventually, cocaine was found in Frasier's possession.
The question before the three-judge appellate panel was whether the officer had any legitimate reason to extend the traffic stop and search the vehicle.
"Because we must evaluate the trial court's findings for clear error, we reluctantly conclude evidence supported the trial court's finding the officer had reasonable suspicion to extend the stop," Judge James E. Lockemy wrote for the court. "Although we acknowledge that several of these factors would likely be insufficient standing alone to support a finding of reasonable suspicion, they must be viewed under the totality of the circumstances."
Among those factors was Jones' unzipped pants.
This is called "confirmation bias."
5. Again we must ask, "Just how stupid and apathetic is the American public?" Twitter mogul Jack Dorsey has donated $10 million through his charitable foundation to Boston University's Center for Antiracist Research, founded by Ibram Kendi last month. The gift has "no strings attached," says BU, and shows Dorsey's "unqualified support of Kendi's vision of putting academic researchers at the forefront of the movement to dismantle policies that underlie racial inequity and injustice." Kendi, director of the center and a professor of history, now has "endless discretion about how the income from the gift will be used over time to advance the center," President Robert Brown said.
BU hired Kendi away from D.C.'s American University, where he created the Anti-Racist Research and Policy Center and wrote his best-selling book, "How to Be an Antiracist." Kendi now holds the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities endowed chair, previously occupied by Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel.
Ah, anti-racism!
Here is what Kendri has said is his idea of "anti-racism":
The only remedy to racist discrimination is antiracist discrimination. The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination.
Arts & Entertainment, Education, Etiquette and manners, Gender and Sex, Government & Politics, Law & Law Enforcement, Popular Culture, Race, Rights, Social Media
"Red River", 2020 Democratic National Convention, 2020 election, Boston University, civility, golf, hypocrisy, Ibram X. Kendi, Jack Dorsey, Paige Spiranac, police, racism, search and seizure, Zoom
← Now THIS Is A Useless Poll Result: "19% Say A Convention Has Changed Their Vote"
Reality: New Jersey Election Results Invalidated Because of Voter Fraud. Democrats, The New York Times And Your Facebook Friends: "Stop Trying To Confuse Us With Facts!" →
16 thoughts on "Friday Ethics Round-Up, 8/21/2020: Democratic National Convention Hangover Edition"
Rick McNair
5. AOC and now this! My BU Graduate Degree is worthless.
Well, both of my schools have their diplomas turned to the wall!
5. War is peace, Freedom is slavery. It isn't what it is.
4. I must admit that I'm confused about the concept of confirmation bias in this incident.
The police officer was going off her experience that people with open flys sometimes use them to hide drugs. Drugs were found during the search, albeit it doesn't seem they were found inside the pants containing the open fly.
If a police officer performs a search based upon his or her training or experience, where does confirmation bias fit in? I keep seeing articles about airline crew being trained to spot human trafficking. If a stewardess uses that training to correctly identify a child in the company of an adult exploiting the child, would that be confirmation bias?
Is my understanding of confirmation bias limited or flawed?
Simply this: The cop had suspicion based on, essentially, nothing. The guy was looking around? Then, seeking further confirmation, he noticed a detail that could have, and usually does have, innocent implications, but because he wanted more proof to justify a search, he interpreted it as suspicious. Thus he approached the evidence without objectivity….the opposite, in fact.
Ah, so the confirmation bias was that the officer was sure there was something wrong and found a reason that would ordinarily mean nothing to justify the search. I think my understanding of the concept was, indeed, incomplete. Thanks.
Other Bill
3. It wasn't a mistake. They get to vote at least twice, so why can't they have their pictures up at least that often?
Glenn Logan
1. Unethical sign
What struck me was you don't expect to see "Salisbury, MA" on a sign like that. I think they get a pass from me, though — the generational liberal oppression has probably driven a lot of people in Massachusetts mad.
2. As a 50-year golfer, I can state with conviction that slow play is evil. Anyone who defends it has never turned into stone waiting for the foursome in front of them to finish while refusing to let you play through, or played behind the geriatric foursome known as "The Snails" in the club of my youth.
Paige may or may not be a dumb blonde, but she's right about that sentiment.
4. Well, I was going to move there eventually, but I think I'm ruling that out now…
5. Again we must ask, "Just how stupid and apathetic is the American public?"
Limited only by your imagination. I can imagine quite a bit, and they never fail to exceed it.
Kendri wrote:
Translation: The only remedy for racist discrimination past, present and future is revenge discrimination.
I guess being 40 makes me really, really old, because I remember when liberals used to say things like, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." I mean they had bumper stickers and everything. It was stupid a a refutation of the "eye for an eye" passage in the Bible (which was a perfectly useful and fair prescription for capital punishment) but as a general sentiment it was correct.
Now they'd probably say, "The only remedy for present eye-gouging is future eye-gouging."
"The only remedy for past atrocities is present atrocities."
"The only remedy for you having a Bitsy Big-Boy Boomeroo, is for me to get one, and use it, too."
valkygrrl
https://ethicsalarms.com/2020/08/19/goodyears-no-tolerance-policy-is-cowardly-unethical-and-wrong-and-the-presidents-response-was-worse/comment-page-1/
Read the comments.
Who's suggesting what now?
I think if we omit the "they," his point is still valid. What Kendri is demanding is revenge, pure and simple, couched in intersectional authentic frontier gibberish.
It is normal for humans to want revenge — the left and right are both equally susceptible to this ethical pitfall, and even the holy texts many of us look to for moral and ethical guidance often sanction revenge as a remedy. But we have learned in the wisdom of the ages passed since then, those who look to revenge should start by digging two graves. This is especially true for an ethical standpoint, and revenge is equally destructive to the laudable goals of peace and cooperation, promoting only an in-kind response.
Your point is not invalid — there was revenge-seeking where you referenced. But that's the problem, not the solution.
Joel Mundt
2. Ms. Spiranac will need to give extra thought to how she bends over to pick up a golf ball in that outfit.
Can we have more Page Spiranac photos on the site? She's monumental.
luckyesteeyoreman
Yeah, photos like that inspire me to top-pull monuments, too.
I suspect the reverse. An outfit like that would show the rest of her charms with a strong breath of wind, and so the old saying, "throw caution to the winds" would seem to be doubly apropos. And I suspect that's the idea.
3. Jack wrote, "It does not bode well for the presence of such essential ethical traits as trustworthiness, honesty, competence, and diligence, however."
Very appropriate words, and it brings to mind a story I read in "The American Spectator" years ago during President Clinton's time in office – well before Monica Lewinsky, as I recall. Believe it or not, I think the story was written by David Brock and it involved the President's golf game. The premise of the piece was that someone had played a round of golf with the President, who, on-and-off throughout the day, gave himself little taps to safety, free drops, mulligans, and three-inch pushes of the ball with his club for a slightly better lie on the course.
The writer concluded that if the President would be so unethical as to cheat in a round of golf – a game in which adherence to rules has special weight among its players – when essentially no one was watching, what would the President do or say in the spotlight of the camera when things got tough?
The obvious application relates to the "wall of supporters" from the nomination speech of Senator Harris. If Democrats will pad the wall with duplicates, essentially giving their ball that three-inch tap with the club in a low-pressure, no-one-cares moment, what will they do – or what will they endorse or what will they turn a blind eye to – when "padding the wall" with duplicates really matters…say, when tallying election ballots in November?
Of course, this isn't just a Democrat problem. We've seen the President – the current one – tell lies of varying degree when the truth would have been just as effective. Why does he see that as beneficial or even necessary? I understand the need for the President to mislead, deflect, or even lie when issues of national security, the lives of soldiers, or the safety of sources are at stake. But in the vast majority of cases, President Trump could have simply told the truth and been beaten up to the same degree by the Left as he was for telling the lie. It's just stupid.
And it isn't just a problem with politics. I have to constantly examine myself, and I consistently find times where I will tell little lies – embellishing an incident with a bit of additional narrative, offering an excuse that leaves out some bit of salient information to improve my case, or telling a "white" lie because "it won't possibly hurt anything." If I will do that when the chips aren't down, what will I do when they are? It's a tragic admission of my own guilt.
Maybe that's the reason this site has become a favorite of mine since I found it again. Ethics aren't the only thing in life, but they drive a really big percentage of it.
Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have been so introspective on a Saturday morning…
I have always told employees and clients never to lie. There is no defense if the truth comes out. More importantly, do not deceive people. I have always maintained deception is worse than lying. Lying involves the deliberate issuing of a false statement to mislead people or avoid negative consequences. Deceiving also involves the issuing of a false statement, but it incorporates trickery and guile in the delivery. Essentially, making a fool of the recipient of the deception and proclaiming you think the target of your falsehood is also an idiot.
The one exception to the no lying rule sometimes comes into play in the response to the question, does this ______ make me look fat?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A recent Environment Performance Index (2016) by Yale University has categorised Nepal as the fourth worst performing country in terms of air quality after India, China and Bangladesh. Kathmandu Valley, in particular, is very vulnerable to air pollution. Studies have shown that the concentration of particulate matter, minute airborne solid particles and liquid droplets that cause pollution, in urban and heavy trafficked areas are several times higher than the World Health Organisation's safe upper limit. Air quality becomes even worse during winter as the cold air from the nearby mountains is trapped on the Valley floor by a warmer layer of air above, preventing pollutants from dispersing.
The main source of air pollution in Kathmandu Valley is vehicular exhausts and re-suspended road dust from unpaved and poorly maintained roads. Wearing a mask while going out of the house has become a daily ritual in Kathmandu.
I am currently in Hong Kong as an exchange researcher to learn more about the city's initiatives on the management of air quality and transportation. Two cities, Hong Kong and Kathmandu, are not very different in terms of air flow. Kathmandu Valley is naturally surrounded by hills forming a bowl-shaped topography, which restricts wind movement and retains the pollutants in the atmosphere, whereas high-rise buildings obstruct air movement and trap pollutants in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong has also been facing air pollution issues. Motor vehicles, especially diesel vehicles, are the main sources of local air pollutants. The Government has implemented a host of measures to cut vehicular emissions such as replacing diesel vehicles and adopting higher fuel and vehicle emission standards. It is phasing out some older diesel commercial vehicles.
The Environment Bureau of Hong Kong released "A Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong" in 2013. According to the report, roadside concentrations of some major air pollutants have dropped by around 50 percent and the number of smoky vehicles by nearly 90 percent in 2014, compared with 1999. The Clean Air Plan includes reduction of roadside emission by replacing pre euro 4 Diesel Commercial Vehicles (DCV) by Euro 5 model or better by 2020. In addition, the future plan is to strengthen emission control for petrol and LPG vehicles and form low emission zones for franchised buses. Furthermore the plan is to review the air quality objective at least every five years.
Hong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated public transport network which makes travel efficient, affordable and accessible; no wonder nearly 90 percent of travel is by public transport. This leads to less congestion and pollution. Kathmandu is in need of an efficient public transport system to meet the existing demand. Until and unless the public transport system is improved, the city can not get rid of traffic congestion and mobility woes. Though Sajha bus has been initiated in Kathmandu, large urban buses should be operated to reduce the number of private vehicles.
The public transport system has to be supplemented with a good walking system in order for it to be effective. In Hong Kong, most people walk only to reach the public transportation stations, whereas walking is the major mode for daily mobility in Kathmandu Valley. If only proper pedestrian infrastructures were provided, Kathmandu would be more walkable like Hong Kong.
Awareness at both the public and policy levels is much needed to address air pollution. Air quality monitoring stations must be installed to provide timely and useful information to the public. The air quality monitoring network in Hong Kong operated by the Environmental Protection Department comprises 15 fixed monitoring stations. In Nepal, The Department of Environment is planning to reinstall eleven air quality monitoring stations in major cities by the end of this fiscal year, which is a good initiative. Good management and maintenance system need to be in place for the stations to be sustainable.
The government of Nepal does have funding mechanism such as Environment Protection Fund, Pollution Tax from petrol and diesel, and recently a provision for Environment Friendly Vehicle and Transport Fund but they are yet to come into operation. Air pollution has become a serious environmental problem and health risk. It is high time that we implemented our policies and learned some lessons from other countries to make Kathmandu a breathable city.


If you're having problems setting up your computer for the college network, it seems unlikely that you'll be able to access this page. However, lacking any more suitable medium, here is a list of links to help get you connected.
To start with, you'll need an Oxford username (referred to in St Hugh's as a 'shug number', as it takes the form shug####). If you haven't been given one, please contact someone in IT services [it-services@st-hughs.ox.ac.uk].
If you're living in college, connecting to the network should be straightforward. Simply connect an ethernet cable from the network port in your room to your computer, open a web browser, and follow the instructions on screen. Once you're connected, you'll need to activate your account here:https://webauth.ox.ac.uk/activate. Since early 2015 there has also been wi-fi access across the college.
Finally, the answers to most Oxford IT-related questions can usually be found on the OUCS website (http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/), but if you get stuck, don't hesitate to contact the MCR IT Representative or IT services.
DO install antivirus software (this is required to connect to the college network) – I suggest AVG.
DO install a firewall – I suggest ZoneAlarm.
DO NOT use a downloaded TV applications such as BBC iPlayer, 4od, or Sky-By-Broadband.
More information on St Hugh's IT policies can be found here. If you're in any doubt, don't hesitate to ask the IT Services Office; apparently there's "no such thing as a stupid question"!
In the MCR computer room (get in using your fob), you can print using your account credits and scan. The MCR supplies a limited amount of paper for this printer, but it is safer to bring your own in case it has run out.


When it comes to the success and growth of any business, we know that location is important. Our Zones are strategically located throughout the Emirate of Abu Dhabi offering a combination of close proximity to transport links, residential areas, essential services and logistic facilities.
Being based in Abu Dhabi, you will discover that your customers are much closer than you thought possible. Abu Dhabi is within easy reach of many of the world's population centres, with the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region alone constituting 400 million potential customers. This in turns brings our transportation infrastructure even closer to consumers.
There are four ports within an hour's drive: The Mussaffah port; a 10 minute drive from our industrial cities in Abu, Zayed Port; on Abu Dhabi island is 20 minute drive, 40 minutes away is the region's first semi-automated Khalifa Port; and the award winning Jebel Ali Port with weekly services to 140 ports is just one hour away.
Our zones also have access to two world class international airports in Abu Dhabi and another two in Dubai.
UAE's 1200 km Etihad rail will link our industrial zones to ports, airports and other regional markets like Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Our excellent road network can easily connect you to the other regions of the Emirate, the Northern Emirates and most other Middle Eastern countries.


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"Power Rangers" Brings the Grit and Humor
A Potential Beginning for the Power Rangers Cinematic Universe
By: Kenny Velez
Saban's "Power Rangers" has a lot to offer for a future franchise, but as a start it could have been much more fulfilling
Five teenagers: Jason (Dacre Montgomery), Zack (Ludi Lin), Billy (RJ Cyler), Trini (Becky G), and Kimberly (Naomi Scott), find rainbow colored rocks known as the Power Coins in a mine after Billy blows it up.
The Coins lead them to a spaceship buried underneath their hometown of Angel Grove, where an alien named Zordon (Bryan Cranston) and a robot named Alpha (Bill Hader) await them.
Zordon tells them that they are the Power Rangers, a group of superheroes who must defend the Earth from Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks), a former Ranger who betrayed former Ranger Zordon and wants to destroy the Earth.
In the first half of the movie, the scenes either took place in a colorless day reminiscent of "Man of Steel" or in pitch black night. The movie is too dark, so dark that it was hard to tell what was going on in some scenes. The only exception being the scene where they go underwater for the first time, this is the only place where some color is seen.
In the second part, after all the Rangers morph for the first time, the movie becomes much more colorful similar to "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" did.
The cinematography is a mixed case. Sometimes it does unique things: such as in the beginning of the movie where the camera spins around inside Jason's car as he is chased by the police before crashing. Other times, it becomes the typical shaky cam movie.
The action scenes also leave a lot to be desired, considering that Power Rangers has had a history of having real-life martial artists play the main characters.
Adding to the movie's dark atmosphere, the Rangers have more angst than their show counterparts. For example, Jason Scott is a former football player who sabotages his own career, Zack Taylor takes care of his dying mother while living in a mobile home, Trini Kwan is a loner who struggles with being gay, etc.
Also, Billy Cranston is on the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Speaking as a fellow man on the spectrum, it's nice to see the first big budget superhero on the spectrum. I may not be an expert on the all things spectrum, but I will say this: when he did his "Die Hard" reference, he censors himself in a way that seemed realistic.
Zordon is more of a jerk in this version. In the beginning, he only wanted the Rangers to morph so he can come back to life and defeat Rita himself, deciding that the Rangers are incompetent due to their inability to morph. Eventually, he proves himself to be noble after giving up his second chance at life in order to save Billy.
Rita Repulsa is the main villain in this movie, and the only villain who speaks. She spends most of the movie as a creepy looking old woman murdering civilians and stealing their gold. Elizabeth Banks does a fine job of bringing this villain to life, making her creepy and hammy.
Goldar is wasted in this movie. He only exists here so he can be revived by Rita and fight the Rangers. He should have been voiced by an actor so Rita can have someone else to interact with and give both characters some depth.
Overall, this movie is evoking the imagery of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For example, Jason David Frank and Amy Jo Johnson from the original Power Rangers make cameo appearances, similar to what Stan Lee does in Marvel films. Power Rangers wants to be the start of a Power Rangers Cinematic Universe, and it has more than enough material to do so.
Tagged as: Autism, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Banks, LGBTQ, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, MMPR, Power Rangers, Rita, Zordon
Lions and Tigers and Bears: NO MORE!
An Obscure, Yet Empowering Play
Here is your 2020 Oscar ballot – the full list. nyti.ms/2Thcy9D 16 minutes ago


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Michael Perricone
Michael Perricone started out playing guitar and bass at age ten. He played in rock bands and acoustic combos in high school. While in high school, he formed a sound company that afforded him the chance to record one of the local bands in a commercial recording studio. This opened his eyes to recording and producing, and opened them wide.
At age 19, Michael moved to Hollywood, took an assisting job in a 24-track studio and within a year became a mixer for major film and television music and records. Since then he's mixed for everybody from Joe Walsh and Alice Cooper to Johnny Mathis and Public Enemy, to Lionel Richie and No Doubt.
Never giving up his dream to write and produce, he continued playing guitar and producing music, teaching himself piano and keyboards along the way and doing session work as a percussionist.
In order to have a base for producing, in 1985 Michael co-founded Interlock Studios in Hollywood, which he ran successfully for 17 years until he sold the company in 2002.
He's produced records in every genre, some of them charting in such diverse areas as a number four single on the dance charts, a top 100 single on the country charts and a number four single on the classical charts.
Michael took a break from mixing and producing in the mid-nineties to pursue screenwriting. He wrote produced episodes of Paramount's "Star Trek:Voyager," Disney's "In a Heartbeat," and Spelling's "Savannah" and "Charmed."
Missing music, he returned to the recording world and started Airetight Records. He produced the crossover record "In the Balance" by Jahna, which is currently getting worldwide airplay and is number two in southern Japan. He followed that with the classical duo, DivAria and their CD "Fresh" which was number four on the mp3.com classical charts with over 2500 downloads.
Now, Michael combines an affinity for yoga with his eclectic musical abilities to create the first CD featuring his own music: "Journey of Seven Bowls." Released in 2004, "Journey" is gathering endorsements from yoga instructors, massage therapists and even non-yogis from rockers to senior citizens. It looks like Michael is helping to create a new genre: Yogi Crossover. "Journey of Seven Bowls" is about become the first yoga CD released in surround for DVD Audio. His most recent release is "Sacred Bowls," a collection of Tibetan bowl recordings.
Savasana Bowls Live
Journey of Seven Bowls
Michael Perricone's Albums


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How one state is tracing 'vaccine breakthrough' cases: fully vaccinated people who test positive for COVID-19
Updated: 10:25 AM EDT Apr 2, 2021
Michelle Bandur
OLDER THAN 18 STARTING MONDAY, IF THEY'RE ABLE TO. ROB: DESPITE MORE PEOPLE BEING VACCINATED, NEW COVID-19 CASES ARE ON THE RISE. JULIE: STATE HEALTH LEADERS SAY SOME OF THOSE NEW CASES, INCLUDE -- SAY SOME OF THOSE NEW CASES INCLUDE PEOPLE ALREADY VACCINATED. KETV NEWSWATCH 7'S MICHELLE BANDUR HAS MORE ON WHAT DOCTORS ARE SAYING TONIGHT. MICHELLE: I JUST DID A CHECK OF THE STATE COVID-19 VACCINE DASHBOARD BEFORE WE WENT ON THE AIR, AND AS OF TODAY, MORE THAN 300,000 NEBRASKANS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR SECOND DOSE. THE STATE SAYS OF THOSE VACCINATED A VERY SMALL NUMBER HAVE CONTRACTED COVID-19 AFTER GETTING THE VACCINE. BUT EXPERTS WARN, DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM GETTING THE SHOT. THE TERM IS CALLED VACCINE BREAKTHROUGH. THAT'S WHEN SOMEONE FULLY VACCINATED STILL TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 AFTER THEIR LAST SHOT. >> THEY EITHER RECEIVED THE TWO DOSES OF MODERNER OR PFIZER AND HAVE WAITED 14 DAYS AFTER THAT, OR THE ONE DOSE OF JOHNSON JOHNSON AND 14 DAYS AFTER THAT, THEN TEST POSITIVE. MICHELLE: SO FAR, THE NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BELIEVES THERE ARE ABOUT 15 CASES IN THE STATE. NEBRASKA'S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER IS NOT SURPRISED. >> IT'S TO BE EXPECTED. I MEAN, THE VACCINES ARE NOT 100% EFFECTIVE AGAINST, YOU KNOW, GETTING INFECTED BY THE VIRUS. MICHELLE: -- >> WITH COVID VACCINES, GETTING AN INFECTION AFTER VACCINATION IS PRETTY RARE. MICHELLE: CHI HEALTH INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIANS SAY VACCINE STUDIES SHOW IF YOU CONTRACT COVID AFTER BOTH DOSES, YOU WON'T BE AS SICK, AND YOU'RE LESS LIKELY TO DIE THAN IF YOU DIDN'T GET VACCINATED. >> IF I GET A LITTLE BIT OF RUNNY NOSE, COUGH, AND GET BETTER AT HOME, THAT'S OK, I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND HAVE A WORSE OUTCOME. MICHELLE: THE DOCTORS SAY SIMILAR TO THE FLU SHOT SOME PEOPLE STILL GET IT, BUT IT'S JUST NOT AS SEVERE. AND WITH THESE 15 VACCINE BREAKTHROUGH CASES, THE DOCTORS SAY THIS IS A SIGN THE PANDEMIC IS NOT OVER. >> IF YOU GET A MILD ILLNESS AND ARE NOT DISTANCING AND NOT WEARING A MASK, YOU COULD EXPOSE MANY, MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE VACCINATED, AND THEN THE PANDEMIC WILL START RAMPING UP AGAIN LOCALLY. MICHELLE: THAT'S WHY THE DOCTORS SAY IT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO WEAR A MASK AND PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING SO WE CAN GET TO THAT HERD IMM
The term is called vaccine breakthrough.It's defined as someone fully vaccinated who still tests positive for COVID-19 after their last shot."They've either received the two doses of Moderna or Pfizer and have waited 14 days after that, or the one dose of Johnson & Johnson and 14 days after that, then they test positive," said Nebraska Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gary Anthone.The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services believes there are about 15 cases in the state.Anthone is not surprised. "It's to be expected. The vaccines are not 100% effective against, you know, getting infected by the virus," he said. "With COVID vaccines, getting an infection after vaccination is pretty rare," said Dr. David Quimby, an infectious disease physician with CHI Health. Infectious disease experts point to vaccine studies, which show when someone contracts COVID-19 after receiving both doses, they won't be as sick and are less likely to die than if they didn't get vaccinated."If I get a little bit of runny nose and cough and get better at home, that's OK. I just don't want to get admitted to the hospital and have a worse outcome," said Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan, an infectious disease physician with CHI Health. The doctors said similar to the flu shot, some people still get sick but it's just not as severe.Nebraska's 15 vaccine breakthrough cases prove the pandemic is not over, the doctors said. "If you get a mild illness and are not distancing and not wearing a mask, you could expose many many people who have not been lucky enough to be vaccinated and then the pandemic will start ramping up again locally," Quimby said.
The term is called vaccine breakthrough.
It's defined as someone fully vaccinated who still tests positive for COVID-19 after their last shot.
"They've either received the two doses of Moderna or Pfizer and have waited 14 days after that, or the one dose of Johnson & Johnson and 14 days after that, then they test positive," said Nebraska Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gary Anthone.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services believes there are about 15 cases in the state.
Anthone is not surprised.
"It's to be expected. The vaccines are not 100% effective against, you know, getting infected by the virus," he said.
"With COVID vaccines, getting an infection after vaccination is pretty rare," said Dr. David Quimby, an infectious disease physician with CHI Health.
Infectious disease experts point to vaccine studies, which show when someone contracts COVID-19 after receiving both doses, they won't be as sick and are less likely to die than if they didn't get vaccinated.
"If I get a little bit of runny nose and cough and get better at home, that's OK. I just don't want to get admitted to the hospital and have a worse outcome," said Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan, an infectious disease physician with CHI Health.
The doctors said similar to the flu shot, some people still get sick but it's just not as severe.
Nebraska's 15 vaccine breakthrough cases prove the pandemic is not over, the doctors said.
"If you get a mild illness and are not distancing and not wearing a mask, you could expose many many people who have not been lucky enough to be vaccinated and then the pandemic will start ramping up again locally," Quimby said.
While some get COVID-19 after vaccination, experts say vaccine still provides protection


Gerry O'Brien is one of Ireland's leading actors. In a career that now spans three decades he has worked for all the major Irish theatre companies, in productions ranging from Shakespeare to J. B. Keane as well as the works of major international authors. He is also well known to listeners of radio drama having recorded over 100 one-off dramas and been a leading cast member of one of RTÉ's hugely successful daily serials. He has also appeared in several films and Father Ted.


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History of Shagang Group - China.
You are here: www.steelonthenet.com > kb > history-shagang.html
History of Shagang Group
Shagang Group, a Chinese national industrial enterprise, is headquartered in Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu Province, China. In 2018, Shagang Group produced ~41 million tonnes of liquid steel, ranking it the 6th largest steelmaker in the world.
1975: Jiangsu Shagang Group Co incorporated in 1975.
2001: Acquisition of Thyssen Dortmund works for Euro 30m.
2006: Buys 90.5% of Jiangsu Huai Steel for 2 bn yuan.
2007: Shagang acquires 80% of Yongxing Steel Company Ltd.
2007: Shagang purchases 25% of Jiangsu Yonggang Group Co.
2007: Shagang takes control of Xinrui Special Steel Co Ltd.
2007: Acquires 90% stake in Australian Bulk Minerals (ABM).
2008: Shagang fails in bid to acquire Namisa iron ore stake in Brazil.
2009: Talk of Shagang's desire for overseas listing/strategic partner.
2012: Shagang ranks first in China's list of top non-state 500 firms.
2012: Talk of link-up with Baosteel to create 80 mt/yr giant.
2012: Signs agreement for merger with scrap supplier Fengli Group.
2013: Shagang sets up new international headquarters in Singapore.
2014: Plans issue of short term financing bond worth CNY 2 billion.
2015: Sell 55% stake in Shenzhen-listed Jiangsu Shagang Group Co.
2016: Shagang commissions first Castrip® production facility in China.
2018: Jiangsu Shagang ordered to review environmental performance.
2019: Increases ownership stake in Global Switch.
2001: Upon acquisition of the Westfalenhütten Works from ThyssenKrupp, Shagang shipped the main plant and equipment to China where it was reassembled and resumed steelmaking operations in 2004. The main plant and equipment shipped from Germany to China included a sinter plant, blast furnaces, steelmaking facilities, continuous casting machines and a hot strip mill.
2007: ABM is thought to have proven reserves of ~283 million tons or iron ore. The plan is for ABM to produce 2 million tons of ore annually for Shagang. [China's iron ore reserves are extremely limited, and generally not high iron content - making this a strategic acquisition].
2008: Trading firm Itochu of Japan in consortium with five Japanese steel producers [JFE Steel, Nippon Steel, Sumitomo Metal Industries, Kobe Steel and Nisshin Steel] and POSCO from Korea acquired the 40% stake share in Brazilian iron ore miner Nacional Minerios S.A. (NAMISA).
2009: Chinese government controls on private enterprises' fund-raising activities considered by many observers to limit Shagang's growth potential.
2012: Jiangsu-based Fengli Group is a leading Chinese scrap and iron ore trader.
2013: New Singapore HQ is intended to help internationalize the business and increase Shagang's steel exports to 20 percent of the company's total output, in response to the 2012 market slowdown.
2014: Bond to be issued on May 2014 by China Citic Bank.
2015: Analysts at the time suggested that the sale of Shagang's stake in the Jiangsu Shagang Group was to raise funds for the company's diversification away from steel.
Castrip LLC announced in August 2016 that it had signed a licensing agreement for Shagang Group to use the Castrip® process in conjunction with existing steelmaking furnaces to displace less energy-efficient casting and rolling mill facilities.
In 2017, Shagang was found to have dumped millions of tonnes of untreated waste, including slag from steel production, in landfills near the banks of the Yangtze river, contaminating nearby soil and water.
2018: This order from the Chinese authorities to review environmental performance was not just confined to Shagang. 16 other companies including production plants at the China Baowu Group and at HBIS Group were also given a set time to address substandard environmental and health & safety performance.
2019: Chinese steel maker Jiangsu Shagang Group Co Ltd in August 2019 bought a further 24% stake in Global Switch Holdings for 1.8 billion pounds ($2.21 billion), making it the largest shareholder with a 49% stake. Founded in 1998, Global Switch operates 12 data centers across Europe and Asia, including in Hong Kong and Singapore. [The strategic logic of this move is somewhat unclear to the analysts at Steelonthenet.com.
Hunan Valin Steel
History of Ansteel
Baowu | Hyundai | Shandong | Ansteel
To contact us about the history of Shagang Group please email


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SoulTracks 3 Minute Update: The Ohio Players
Photo courtesy of the Ohio Players
Three Minute Update is the newest SoulTracks feature. It is designed to give classic soul fans to catch up with what's going on with their favorite soul music artists of the 60s, 70s and 80s. All in three minutes. Our latest in this series is an update on The Ohio Players.
One of the funkiest groups in the funkiest decade, the Ohio Players became the template for a generation of Midwest jamming groups. And they're still pleasing audiences today.
Formed in music hotbed of Dayton in 1959 as the Ohio Untouchables, the group initially included members Robert Ward (vocals/guitar), Marshall "Rock" Jones (bass), Clarence "Satch" Satchell (saxophone/guitar), Cornelius Johnson (drums), and Ralph "Pee Wee" Middlebrooks (trumpet/trombone). When Ward, the group leader, broke the act up in the early 60s, the remaining members reformed with additions Gary Webster (drums) and the auspicious young guitarist, Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, and later added trumpeter Bruce Napier, trombonist Marvin Pierce, and keyboardist Walter "Junie" Morrison.
The Ohio Players signed with the Detroit-based Westbound label in 1971 and began a string of three successful albums, each punctuated by a loose, funky sound and erotic album covers that brought added attention. They hit with the single "Pain," and became an R&B staple. However, upon their signing with with Mercury Records in 1974 and the addition of keyboardist Billy Beck and drummer James "Diamond" Williams, they reached new heights.
This lineup created a series of memorable songs and albums over the remainder of the decade, including "Funky Worm," "Fire," "Skin Tight," "Who'd She Coo," and their biggest hit, "Love Rollercoaster." The Ohio Players were perhaps the biggest R&B band in the world by 1976; but their fall was quick. Drug usage among the group members gutted the creativity and work ethic of the members, and charges of tax evasion robbed them of the wealth they had created over the decade -- and they never fully recovered.
The group fired leader Satchell (who ended up spending time in prison for his role in the tax case) and signed with Boardwalk Records for the minor 1980 hit "Try a Little Tenderness" (a cover of the Otis Redding classic), but they never again achieved the heights of their earlier years. The group split in the 80s and reunited several times in various forms., and both Satchell and Middleton died in the mid-90s. Williams and Bonner led a revised version of the group, but after Bonner suffered illness in the late 90s, his spot in band was no longer available. He went on to form an alternate version of the Ohio Players.
Williams' Ohio Players released the album Trespassin' early in the new century, their last full studio album. For several years after, two versions of the Ohio Players tour the nation, one led by Bonner and one by Williams, always playing the basketful of memorable hits from the group's heyday.
Death has taken members of the group over the years. Satchell and Middlebrooks died in the 90s, Sugarfoot Bonner passed of cancer in 2013, and Jones, the last of the original Ohio Untouchables, died in 2016.
The current version of the Ohio Players, led by James Diamond Williams, returned in 2017 with the excellent single, "Reset," sounding great and going strong well into the 21st Century. In April of this year, the Ohio Players were honored in their hometown of Dayton with the the renaming of a street as "Ohio Players Way," a testament to the light that the group has shined on that city for more than a half century. The group was touring regularly around the world right up through the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and they will surely be jamming again soon.
By Chris Rizik


We just got our first roll of film from our new Fujica processed with 'The Darkroom'. They scanned the 6×9 negatives and zipped them to us. We couldn't be any more pleased with the results.
As a refresher – this is the 1978 version of Fuji Photo Film's GW690 medium format film camera. It is the last model to to be called 'Fujica'. It looks great in this image and it is in very nice condition, but well worn from the thousands of rolls and exposures taken. It will settle in to a more quiet life with us as we can't afford to buy and have processed 120 film and only get 8 exposures per roll. But we are super happy with it. Super sharp Fujinon 90mm lens transfers the image nicely to the 6×9 negative.
By the way… all of the images presented are direct scans from the negatives. No post production on our part – no crops or other messing with the images. Some I missed the correct exposure by a stop or two with my guesses. I was mostly shooting at 1/250 with 100 film at around f8 to f11. Neopan Acros is very forgiving.
As you can see, we've presented 6 exposures vice 8… 1 other was a duplicate and exposure 8 wasn't on the roll! I think I may have wound past the first frame. We believe the level of detail and contrast of the Fujinon lens is superb. Did we mention that we're big fans of Fuji's Acros? We also love the 6×9 format too. I would say that I was surprised at the shallow depth-of-field in the truck image – I focused on the 'GMC' logo and as you may be able to see, I missed spot on focus.
I really like the GMC photo! Have you ever considered developing at home? So much cheaper than having your film developed by a lab, not to mention more fun :).
You know I really should get back into processing film myself. I did it at college many (many) years ago (full lab processing plus wet printing). I've read so many conflicting commentaries about developing at home – traditional processing using many chemicals and constant agitation vice simple, one step no agitation processing. Do you develop your own film? I would be interested to hear what method you use.
Yes, I develop my own film and do wet printing also, although I'm relatively new to it – have done it for a little less than a year now. My standard process is invert 10 times and tap the tank on the counter a few times right after putting the developer in, and then invert 5-10 times and tap the tank a few times each minute depending on how much contrast I want in the negative. I find "the massive developing chart" (you can Google it) to be really good for a guideline on developing times for different film/developer combinations, and it also gives you a guide on developing times if you need to push your film and different temperatures. I get my chemicals mostly from Adorama, but Freestyle photo is also a good source, and some are even available on Amazon.
Sounds like something I should get into again. Thanks for sharing your methods. Are the chemicals 'one and done' or can they be reused? How do you regulate the temperature of the water? Wet printing at home – good on you!
The ones I use are one and done. I think you could actually potentially re-use the fixer (but don't quote me on this) but I don't. Considering that you can make 5 gallons of D-76 developer of a packet of powder that costs about $7.00, the cost is really negligible. I usually use distilled water and keep everything at room temperature in the house. It's worked out well for me. Wet printing is so much fun, even though I still have a lot to learn before I make that perfect print. And enlarger can be had for a song these days. I got my full darkroom set-up (including adjustable enlarging table, 6-foot developing sink, and the enlarger) for $200.00 on Craigslist.
I'm glad I could motivate you. It really does get super expensive in the long haul to have a lab develop and scan medium format film. I've had so much more fun (and freedom) shooting with my medium format cameras ever since I took the step to home developing and wet printing. And I actually get more photographs on paper that way, rather than keeping them indefinitely somewhere on some hard drive or cloud storage.
That's the part I like – the freedom to shoot film like it's digital – I know the Fujica and Yashicas will see some action soon! Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh I love this!!! I have a Holga and a Nikon FG I shoot with along with my Fuji film. I have negatives I am trying to get into my computer. That camera looks fabulous!
Thanks Nora for your comments! We feel in love with the Fujica the moment we first touched it! lol It's a great medium format camera but a tad expensive to use as it only gets 8 exposures on one roll of 120 film. We're looking into processing and scanning at home to bring the cost down. We've heard a bunch about the Holga but have never used one. Another great medium format camera that no one ever thinks about is the Fuji Photo Film Fujipet! Produces interesting images especially on Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros B&W film.


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Jennifer Lopez Best Friends' With Marc Anthony For The Kids
By Adam Silvers
At the moment, Jennifer Lopez is apparently gallivanting around the globe with former Major League Baseball cheater player Alex Rodriguez.
JLo and A-Rod have reportedly only been dating for a few months, but the pair appear very much in love with each other.
Recently, though, Jennifer Lopez joined the set of "Live With Kelly," and she spoke more about her kids and former husband, Marc Anthony, than her current relationship.
LIVEKellyandRyan on YouTube
Speaking on the talents of her 9-year-old daughter, Emme Maribel, the 47-year-old Lopez said,
She sews. My grandmother was a seamstress, my mom's mom, that's what she did for a living. Emme seems to have her spirit … and she's taken to sewing, she's been doing it for a couple years. She did her Halloween costume. She made me a dress.
Awww!
Speaking about the dress her daughter made for her, JLo said,
It's short in the front, long in the back — my favorite color, which is emerald green. And she gave it to me for Christmas. And, by the way, it fits beautiful. Honestly, I'm not saying it 'cause she's my daughter. It fit me perfect.
Hey, Jen, does Emme do blazers? I'm only asking for a friend.
Jennifer Lopez also opened up about her relationship with her ex, Marc Anthony.
She said the pair are "like best friends" when it comes to raising their children.
She added,
At first I was like, 'We're good with the kids and everything, but if we start working together, are we gonna start going at each other again?' And it's been awesome. Honestly, I think it's even helped our relationship. We're just in a really great place, and the kids get to spend time with the two of us more together and see us working together. It's just good for the whole family.
Lopez also revealed she and Anthony are currently working together on a Spanish album.
When Lopez was asked about possibly rekindling the romantic flames with Marc Anthony, she said,
No! No no, I think we're really good the way we are. Honestly, we're always gonna be great friends. I'm always gonna be there for him, he's always gonna be there for me. We share something very special in the kids, and we know that. We're there for them, and that's the main thing.
Never say never, though, right?
Citations: Jennifer Lopez Says She Would Never Rekindle Romance with Marc Anthony: Being 'Best Friends' Is Good for Our Kids (People)


We often get asked by Edinburgh customers, "Where are the personal training courses near me?". Whether you are in EH1, EH2 or further afield in Midlothian, the NRPT.co.uk can put you in touch with some of the UK's leading training providers. Why not compare the personal training courses on offer in Edinburgh - whether that be part-time or full time, distance learning or classroom based courses. Edinburgh city centre provides a number of venues that can help you train to become a personal trainer. Changing jobs can be daunting (or getting your first job!) so finding the right personal training course is vital when your starting out in the fitness and leisure industry.
When you compare personal trainer courses in Edinburgh, you'll see there are a number of ways in which the course can differ. From the price to the modules themselves, no two courses are exactly alike. We recommend that you make ocntact with at least two providers to discuss your needs and get any questions answered. Most venues are in the EH1, EH2 or EH3 postcode area, but there are other places in the wider Midlothian area. Time to get fit and change your career.


In their English lessons, Foundation Year have been studying the art of rhetoric, how to write for an audience and public speaking. The girls have learned about Aristotle's rhetorical triangle; how to establish strong ethos and powerful logos; and how to evoke pathos in their audience. The students were encourage to choose topical issues from a range of global perspectives and to write a persuasive speech.
Following on from Safer Internet Day on February 5th, and already concerned about the many dangers that lurk online for unwary teenagers, Lupita, Mexico, wrote her speech persuading her audience to stay safe online.
We are looking forward to publishing more of FY's speeches over the next few months.


Coracle in association with Alphabetti Theatre are seeking plays for Suffragette: Short plays from today and 100 years ago.
The evening will present ew short plays celebrating the victory for women's votes alongside readings of original Suffrage Plays written by members of the Actresses' Franchise League.
Eligibility: This call is open to writers of any age or experience, whether you're a published playwright or have never written before.
What to submit: They are looking for short plays taking inspiration from the stories of the Suffragette movement.
Fee: Successful playwrights will receive a fee of at least £100 (subject to funding) in addition to having their play performed at Alphabetti Theatre.
How to apply: Please be sure to read the full terms and conditions before sending your script.
Please send your scripts or questions to coracletheatre@gmail.com.