We are chatting with Leah Bell, from WA who will be competing for the 2018 title of Miss Universe Australia.
Hello! My name is Leah Bell. I am a qualified Enrolled Nurse, Artist, and a massive cat lover! I am currently back studying towards my goal of becoming a doctor. Art is something that I hold very dear to me, and I have been lucky enough to paint murals and showed my work. In my spare time, you would find me spinning on the ice rink, or dancing in the waves on my surfboard!
Wow! Where do I even start? The amazing views, food, company….it was a life-changing experience! Of course, Allia Hotels rolled out the red carpet for us and helped make memories that I will never forget.
I especially loved meeting the children from Sari Hati, which is a special school for children with disabilities. It was great fun getting to know the other national finalists too, and they are a terrific group of girls.
I've been so super busy with my final uni assignments and exam prep that I've hardly had time to think! But I am feeling excited for the final. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit nervous, it's such a talented group of girls this year. I'm still in awe to be included with them! But I'm ready to go out there and just have fun. In preparation I have been going to pilates, eating well, and keeping a positive mindset!
We are all so unique, and that is what puts everyone apart; that is our superpower! Seeing all the gorgeous girls together makes it obvious that we're all so very different. Personally, I'm a very caring person, and am committed to being the best 'me' I can be. I think my career choices and aspirations reflect that. I believe Miss Universe Australia will need to be a caring, well-adjusted person, who has a fantastic work ethic. I think that could be me!
I love my music. I always have headphones on… And I love my art. It always makes me feel inspired! Together they make me happy, and a good attitude is very motivating. But my passion? I love medicine; the potential to make a difference in peoples lives would be incredible.
Well, a weird a fun fact about me is that I do at least two sudoku puzzles a day! It gets my brain working!
If I can get to a surf beach with my board or the ice rink with my skates, All my worries disappear in those places!
The program has gifted me with opportunities to grow that I would never have had otherwise. I am so much more comfortable in my own skin now and have conquered some personal demons around anxiety and public speaking.
I was late for Uni and reversed out of the driveway in a hurry, totally forgetting the rubbish bins that were there. I ran into them, knocking all the rubbish onto the road! So I had to spend the next 10 minutes very embarrassingly picking up the rubbish while cars stopped to watch!
1) My cat 2) Sketchbook 3) Phone 4) Skateboard 5) Pizza!
Always smiling, laughing a lot. Caring. I end up being a nurse to all my friends!
What is your hidden talent that should remain hidden?
I love playing the ukulele and singing ridiculous songs with it that I make up on the spot!


Each week I will select up to three bloggers the Gold Star Award. To find out who was awarded the Gold Star Award this period, please see CCY Gold Star Award Winners #22 Guide the Viewer and Flipping Photos.
I have decided to breakdown the topic of black and white into two different lessons. This first essay will concentrate on what type of compositional things to look for when you are considering using black and white. These includes photos you have already in your archives as well as future photos you will take.
Next month's essay will cover post-processing techniques will be help you make your blacks and whites look more dramatic.
The biggest thing benefit of black and white is that your viewer will actually see more of the details of your photography. The viewer doesn't get caught up in the color. Here are some things to consider looking for when you take a photo to turn into black and white.
To make the details of your photos really stand out, look for texture. Make sure that texture is not directly in the sun or you will lose details. Look at the lines and determine if they are a contrast in color to the rest of your photo. Same with shadows and shapes.
With this rose photo, you see the darker lines and hardness of the metal chainlink fence. Notice you see quickly through the fence to find the familiar shape of a rose. The hardness and regularity of the fence is in contrast to the curving lines of the flower.
The lines in the railroad tracks have a lot of texture. The rails themselves stand out because they are so bright and breaks up the texture of the gravel beside the tracks.
I tried converting this tree trunk into a black and white because it had lots of texture. As you can see, it doesn't work. Why? Because there is no distinct lines, shadows or shapes that guide your eye.
Another things that works real well in black and white photo is contrast. Contrast can be demonstrated by a specific area of smooth and a specific area of roughness, by light and dark. These clouds were so beautiful and show the contrast wonderfully well.
The contrast in this photo is in the tones of gray and black. You have some real dark and some real light gray. With the light background, the shadow really stands out. Can't you imagine what that old camera would feel like in your hands? What about the porcelain face of the clown? Can't you just feel how smooth that is?
In the next pair of photos, a lot of color and light contrasts make this photo much better in black and white than its color counterpart. Once again, the details really pop because of the sharper contrast between black and white. The color photo has too many different colors and it can be distracting to the viewer.
This pair of irises illustrate when a photo doesn't do well in black and white. In this case, using a photo with lots of color contrasts doesn't work. You lose definition in black and white.
Here is a quick demonstration of the differences between taking photo in RAW and JPEG.
In the pansy photos to the right, the top photo is RAW and the bottom is JPEG as it came out of my camera. I used to have my camera download both JPEG and RAW formats. If you just look at the two photos it appears if RAW doesn't have the same color qualities of JPEG. When in fact it is exactly the opposite.
When taking photos as a JPEG your camera actually makes a lot of calculations as to what colors it thinks it is seeing. Then your camera throws out all the other data. That is also why JPEG photos take up about half the space as RAW. RAW gives you much greater range when you are using any post processing software because it retains all the data that your camera gathered. You have a lot more to play with, so if you use any type of post-processing software, RAW is the best choice of photo format.
Next, time I will show you some post-processing techniques for black and white photos.
Don't forget that this challenge is open from now until July 28th. So you have a plenty of time to do a second post. Actually photography is all about telling the story of what you see. I'm off to look at your entry now. Happy snapping.
Thanks so much Susi, glad you liked this lesson.
There is a little technique, but if you just practice is becomes easy.
Hi Laura, those clouds were fun to capture. Glad you like my post.
Another fun and educational challenge. Keep them coming.
I'll definitely try. Thanks Gayle. Loved your entry.
Your photos were beautiful. I know I started my Black & White challenge because I needed to practice. I'm glad you enjoy that challenge as well.
I really do. Thanks for all your tips and your encouragement.
Great lesson, Cee. I appreciate you included some photos that don't work in B&W. I think it's those that really help me to understand the details. Thanks.
Thank you for sharing your black and white photo knowledge! I'm always amazed that you take so many photos that work so well in black and white. I hope to start getting out for some photo walks again so I can participate.
Thank you for having all these challenges. It is opening my world as a hobbyist photographer!


The INDEX Design prize splits $ 800,000 among five categories: Body, Home, Work, Play and Community. The Home category has been given to the ELEMENTAL Monterrey, a clever social housing project in Mexico. The units are what Avi Friedman called Grow Homes- one builds the hard and expensive stuff like kitchens and bathrooms and the absolute minimum of living space, but leave room for the occupants to build out the rest as their needs and their wallets expand. That's what those gaps between the units are for.
Providing the basic utilities and infrastructure allows the user to customize non-technical aspects of the home, which provides a sense of ownership and the possibility of expansion and flexibility - allowing your home to grow with your needs and resources. Finally, the fact that the design is replicable to other major cities, while at the same time being an example of great architecture with an interesting form, is something very unique.
There is a lot more surface area in this design, so I am not certain that it could be replicated economically in parts of the world where walls need insulation. But it is a very clever way of dealing with change. More at INDEX and ELEMENTAL's website.


Public relations is both an art as well as science. And mastering it is no easy task. But, Bharatiya Janata Party's Tamil Nadu media in-charge Prasad is an exception.
For, he is so successful in spreading news about the BJP government's welfare schemes, programmes of the party's leaders and their election campaigns. Despite his hectic schedule with elections just around the corner, he does his work with a smile.
He has attracted the admiration and goodwill of media personnel, for he is easily approachable 24×7 and clarifies all their queries. And, the moment a happening takes place in the BJP, he makes sure that the information reaches media houses.
"We are not bothered about negative propaganda. In the last five years, the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done a lot of good things to the country. Our achievements are enough to fetch votes for us," he says.


text:
Decentering Anzac: Gallipoli and Britishness, 1916-39
Macleod, Jenny
Dr Jenny Macleod J.Macleod@hull.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in 20th Century History
Kate Ariotti
James E. Bennett
The First World War set in train the development of ideas and traditions that had profound implications for nations and for national identity. Whilst the British Empire grew in size at war's end, revolution and war beset the United Kingdom, the very heart of that empire, resulting in the establishment of what ultimately became the Republic of Ireland. This was a violent rejection of Britishness. Elsewhere within the empire, a shared British identity was simultaneously reaffirmed and undermined by the war. One of the ways in which this manifested itself was through commemoration. This chapter uses the early years of the commemoration of the Gallipoli campaign as a means to observe both continuities within Britishness and the seeds of its decline.
Macleod, J. (2017). Decentering Anzac: Gallipoli and Britishness, 1916-39. In K. Ariotti, & J. E. Bennett (Eds.), Australians and the First World War : Local-Global Connections and Contexts (185-201). Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (part of Springer Nature). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51520-5_11
Palgrave Macmillan (part of Springer Nature)
Australians and the First World War : Local-Global Connections and Contexts
Gallipoli Campaign; Carl Bridge; Soldiers Return; Zealanders; Charles Bean
Public URL
https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3609108
Publisher URL
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-51520-5_11
Defeat and memory: Cultural histories of military defeat in the modern era (2008)
Gallipoli: making history (2004)
Uncovered fields : Perspectives in First World War Studies (2003)
Britain and Ireland (2016)
"By Scottish hands, with Scottish money, on Scottish soil": The Scottish National War Memorial and national identity (2010)
Downloadable Citations

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The release isn't too bad. You just need to put in some time getting used to it.
Give him back that 2k11 release.
Please tell me they changed his release like they did for PD Oscar. If anyone deserves a quick, base 11 style release it's Ray.
Do I sell Vince for Ray Ray???
hell no, Ray Allen's jumper is actually really bad in my honest opinion, I'd say get the ruby and use it a bit and see if you like his release or not.
Wait why does he have gold pick and popper?
Why doesn't he have HOF posterizer??


Auto Level Control. The booster performs signal amplification at a maximum gain without any additional adjustment.
MCU control. Brain center of the booster which signals errors and reboots the system.
Full Kit. You'll get the booster with indoor and outdoor antennas and 2 cables, no extra expenses are required.
Get always easy access to your 4G network with Nikrans MA700 H 4g wireless phone booster!
4G wireless phone extender Nikrans MA700 H doesn't do harm to human health, as it has extremely low index of electromagnetic emissions. It will also reduce emissions from your mobile phone(s) which are almost 60 times higher in out of coverage zones than in zones provided with stable signal. The device has FCC and RoHS certification of quality and harmless content.
Installation of the booster for 4G signal is easy even for those who are not engineers. You only need to mount the booster and connect it with cables from antennas. You will spend only 15-20 minutes on everything. As soon as amplifier starts working it will cover the whole area with perfect connections.
This LTE booster is the best signal solution for your area to get maximum bars!
Our Technical Expert Team are always ready to provide you with any necessary information about boosters.
Now we have amazing internet connection without Digicel signal problems!
For many people in Papua New Guinea 4G mobile internet is still a dream. But not for us. Thanks to our mobile signal booster that we have ordered on MyAmplifiers web site, we can enjoy amazing 4G internet despite the fact that a lot of our neighbors are still suffering from Digicel poor coverage.
MA-700LTE-H is an amazing tool for Spark signal problems.
I had never had any Spark mobile signal problems but then I decided to try to use 4G mobile internet. I have always been an active mobile internet services user, that's why I don't think that it sounds surprising that I decided to change my tariff plan for a new one that included 4G services as soon as this network became available in my region. But at that time I didn't even know that though the signal was available, it was impossible to use it.
We located the booster box approximately in the central room of the office, and it makes the 4G signal stronger in every other room, from the top floor to the bottom one. Movistar signal issues don't bother us and we all can work in peace, loading every bit of the information we need and receiving everything very quickly. Everyone in the office is very much satisfied with their purchase and they say they will definitely recommend the store to other people.
It's stable on its wireless band, I haven't had any dropouts. To be fair that depends upon a lot of factors in the surrounding environment as no one lives in a vacuum. Setup was easy, usage is even easier. So far, so good!


text:
OHI U.S.: NYSE
Omega Healthcare Investors Inc.
Watchlist CreateOHIAlert
OHIUS
After Hours Volume: 23.17K
Volume: 1.69M 65 Day Avg: 1.73M
97% vs Avg
13.33 52 Week Range 45.22
OHI Overview
52 Week Range 13.33 - 45.22
Shares Outstanding 227M
Public Float 225.97M
Rev. per Employee $18.850M
Ex-Dividend Date Oct 30, 2020
Average Volume 1.73M
Omega Healthcare Investors downgraded to neutral from buy at Mizuho
Jan. 13, 2021 at 6:41 a.m. ET by Tomi Kilgore
Omega Healthcare Investors downgraded to outperform from strong buy at Raymond James
Omega Healthcare maintained as hold with $32 price target at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey
Jul. 2, 2020 at 7:05 a.m. ET by Ciara Linnane
Omega Healthcare Investors upgraded to strong buy from outperform at Raymond James
May. 15, 2020 at 7:26 a.m. ET by Tomi Kilgore
Omega Healthcare Investors upgraded to outperform from market perform at Raymond James
Omega Healthcare Investors stock price target raised to $40 vs. $38 at Raymond James
May. 24, 2019 at 7:46 a.m. ET by Ciara Linnane
Omega Healthcare Investors downgraded to hold from buy at Stifel Nicolaus
Feb. 7, 2019 at 9:39 a.m. ET by Tomi Kilgore
MedEquities's stock soars 43% premarket after buyout deal with Omega Healthcare
Jan. 2, 2019 at 7:24 a.m. ET by Tomi Kilgore
Omega Healthcare to buy MedEquities Realty in a deal valued at $600 million
Omega to pay equivalent of $10.26 for each MedEquities stock, a 50% premium
Omega Healthcare to buy MedEquities Realty in a deal valued at $600 mln
Omega Healthcare Investors stock price target raised to $39 from $34 at Stifel Nicolaus
Nov. 29, 2018 at 7:06 a.m. ET by Tomi Kilgore
Omega Healthcare Investors upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus
REIT prices push higher despite the Federal Reserve's interest-rate increases
Aug. 25, 2018 at 9:04 a.m. ET by Philip van Doorn
Omega Healthcare Investors stock price target cut to $29 from $35 at Stifel Nicolaus
Ignore the Obamacare fight in Congress and buy these 5 health-care stocks
Jul. 29, 2017 at 8:08 a.m. ET by Jeff Reeves
5 stocks to boost your portfolio's resilience this summer
Jun. 5, 2017 at 7:58 a.m. ET by Jeff Reeves
The CFO of Omega Healthcare (OHI) is Selling Shares
Dec. 28, 2020 at 11:01 p.m. ET on SmarterAnalyst
3 'Strong Buy' Stocks with Over 7% Dividend Yield
Dec. 11, 2020 at 10:54 a.m. ET on TipRanks.com
Analysts Have Conflicting Sentiments on These Financial Companies: Omega Healthcare (OHI), UniCredit SpA (OtherUNCFF) and Monroe Capital (MRCC)
Nov. 5, 2020 at 7:46 a.m. ET on SmarterAnalyst
Four Corners on Buyout Spree, Acquires 2 Seritage Properties
Sep. 7, 2020 at 11:07 a.m. ET on Zacks.com
Lamar (LAMR) to Raise 146.9M With Private Placement of Notes
Aug. 18, 2020 at 9:46 a.m. ET on Zacks.com
Pebblebrook (PEB) Provides Operating Trend Update for Q3
Is it Wise to Hold On to PS Business Parks (PSB) Stock Now?
Lexington Realty Prices $400M of Senior Notes at 99.233%
LGI Homes (LGIH) Soars to 52-Week High, Time to Cash Out?
Jul. 14, 2020 at 9:15 a.m. ET on Zacks.com
Top Ranked Income Stocks to Buy for June 30th
Jun. 30, 2020 at 10:48 a.m. ET on Zacks.com
Raymond James Makes Huge June Changes to Top Picks Health Care List
Jun. 2, 2020 at 7:14 a.m. ET on 247WallSt.com
Omega Healthcare Investors (OHI) Q1 FFO and Revenues Top Estimates
May. 4, 2020 at 7:05 p.m. ET on Zacks.com
SITE Centers (SITC) Beat Q1 OFFO Estimates, Scraps Dividend
May. 1, 2020 at 9:55 a.m. ET on Zacks.com
Cousins Properties (CUZ) Beats on Q1 FFO, Scraps '20 View
Public Storage (PSA) Q1 FFO Meets Estimates, Revenues Beat
Duke Realty (DRE) Q1 FFO Misses Estimates, Revenues Beat
Apr. 30, 2020 at 12:04 p.m. ET on Zacks.com
AGNC Investment (AGNC) Q1 Earnings Top Estimates, NII Down Y/Y
Rayonier (RYN) Misses on Q1 Earnings & Revenues, Trims View
Apr. 30, 2020 at 10:37 a.m. ET on Zacks.com
Annaly (NLY) Earnings Meet Estimates in Q1, NII Declines
PS Business Parks (PSB) Q1 FFO Up Y/Y on Rental Rate Growth
Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. engages in the provision of financing and capital to the long-term healthcare industry with a particular focus on skilled nursing facilities. Its portfolio consists of long-term leases and mortgage agreements. The company was founded on March 31, 1992 and is headquartered in Hunt Valley, MD.
Medical Properties Trust Inc. 0.90% $12.15B
Ensign Group Inc. -0.02% $4.59B
Physicians Realty Trust 1.59% $3.74B
LTC Properties Inc. 1.15% $1.62B
Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. 0.42% $24.33B
Universal Health Realty Income Trust 0.24% $965.31M
Sabra Healthcare REIT Inc. 0.78% $3.62B
Healthcare Realty Trust Inc. 1.17% $4.11B
National Health Investors Inc. 0.86% $3.03B
Tiptree Inc. -0.60% $167.5M


We get our fair share of jaw-dropping weather in Minnesota, but flash floods, blizzards & even tornadoes pale in comparison with the most fearsome storms on Earth, hurricanes.
The word "hurricane" derives from the Mayan god "Hurakan", who 'blew his breath across the chaotic water and brought forth dry land and later destroyed the men of wood with a great storm and floods', according to NOAA.
Hurricane Lane is steaming toward the Hawaiian Islands. It was an extreme Category 5 storm with 160 mph sustained winds, but some weakening is likely today. Even so, Lane may buffet Maui and Oahu with 100 mph wind gusts and a storm surge of 3-6 feet by Friday.
Sneak out to the State Fair today (if you won't get caught) because heavy showers and T-storms may dump nearly 1 inch of rain late tonight into Friday; probably the wettest day in sight.
Saturday looks drier, sunnier and warmer, but a stalled front sets of multiple rounds of T-storms next week. It may look and feel more like late June than late August, but we need the rain.
The timing is unfortunate but let's roll with the punches. It can always be worse.
Photo credit of Hurricane Lane: NASA International Space Station.
84-Hour Rainfall Prediction. NOAA's 12km NAM model prints out some half inch amounts for much of the state (much of that coming Friday). Some 1"+ amounts can't be ruled out as bands of showers and T-storms ripple across the Upper Midwest. Some drying is likely over the weekend as storms become much more widely scattered. Map: pivotalweather.com.
Fall in No Particular Hurry. September is one of my favorite months - still plenty of warmth, but lower humidity levels and far fewer nasty thunderstorms to track on Doppler. GFS guidance hints at temperatures running well above average through the second week of September for most of the USA.
September Outlook. NOAA NCEP's CFSv2 climate model shows a mild bias for much of the nation next month, with the possible exception of the East Coast.
Sigh of Relief? Old Farmer's Almanac Predicts Milder Winter for Minnesota. Here's an excerpt from Star Tribune: "...The almanac says the coldest periods will be in much of December and from late January into February. The snowiest periods will be from mid-November until mid-December, and early and late March. "If this is a typical El Niño winter, odds are most towns will see less snow," Douglas said. "I love snow, and a lot of people do, so my advice is when it does snow this winter, take advantage and don't assume it will stick around indefinitely." Last year, Old Farmer's Almanac said most of the state would be mild and dry, with the southern part being mild and snowy. "It got some parts right and some parts wrong … but even a milder winter can be character building," Douglas said."
Stop the Presses - New Winter Outlook from Old Farmer's Almanac Is Out. Bring Me The News has a few highlights: "...According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, most of Minnesota is in for a warm and dry winter, although a sliver of southern Minnesota and all of Iowa are looking at a warm and wet winter pattern. "Our milder-than-normal forecast is due to a decrease in solar activity and the expected arrival of a weak El Niño, which will prevent cold air masses from lingering in the North," the Almanac says. Other climate experts agree. In July, climatatologists from NOAA released data suggesting that there is at least a 50 percent chance Minnesota experiences a warmer-than-normal start to winter in December, January and February..."
IRI Enso Forecast. The prediction of a milder-than-average winter is consistent with a brewing El Nino warm phase in the Pacific Ocean in the coming months with water temperatures a few degrees (F) warmer than average into the winter months. El Nino correlates with milder winters for most of the USA, although it's worth noting that every El Nino is different. Details via IRI, The International Research Institute for Climate and Society: "The following graph and table show forecasts made by dynamical and statistical models for SST in the Nino 3.4 region for nine overlapping 3-month periods. Note that the expected skills of the models, based on historical performance, are not equal to one another. The skills also generally decrease as the lead time increases. Thirdly, forecasts made at some times of the year generally have higher skill than forecasts made at other times of the year--namely, they are better when made between June and December than when they are made between February and May. Differences among the forecasts of the models reflect both differences in model design, and actual uncertainty in the forecast of the possible future SST scenario."
Overnight (mainland U.S. time) Lane strengthened into a Category 5 Hurricane with sustained winds of 160 mph.
Lane is moving to the west-northwest, which will bring the system dangerously close to the Hawaii Islands later this week and into the weekend. While some weakening is expected, it is likely to remain a hurricane through at least the end of the week.
Lane will bring a multitude of threats to Hawaii, including dangerous winds that could top hurricane force, excessive rain that could lead to flash flooding, and large surf along the coast.
Hurricane Warnings are now in effect for Hawaii County and Hurricane Watches are in effect for Maui County and Oahu.
Preparations ahead of Lane should be rushed to completion over the next several days, especially across the Big Island where tropical storm force winds that could hamper preparations will be possible by late Wednesday or early Thursday.
The Governor of Hawaii issued an emergency proclamation ahead of Hurricane Lane on Tuesday.
We are also tracking two typhoons in the western Pacific - Soulik and Cimaron. Soulik will impact the Korean Peninsula over the next couple days, and Cimaron will impact the southern Japan mainland (mainly west of Tokyo).
Lane On Satellite. In a special statement at around 6:30 PM HST Tuesday Night, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said that Lane had strengthened into a Category 5 Hurricane with winds of 160 mph. As of the 2 AM HST update, sustained winds were still at 160 mph as Lane was moving to the west-northwest at 9 mph. According to NWS Honolulu, this is only the second Category 5 storm to pass within 350 miles of the state within the record books.
Forecast Track. Lane will start to move more toward the northwest as we head into Wednesday, with a slight turn to the north-northwest by Thursday. This motion will bring Lane very close to the Hawaiian Islands from Thursday into the first half of the weekend, and there is still the potential that Lane could move over the islands as well. It is important to not directly focus on the exact path of the system, as dangerous weather conditions from Lane will extend further out from the center of the storm. Impacts of some sort will likely be felt on all of the main Hawaiian Islands. While we do expect to see some slow weakening of Lane over the next five days, Lane will continue to be a dangerous hurricane as it moves near Hawaii.
Hurricane Watches and Warnings. Due to the threat of hurricane force winds from Lane, Hurricane Warnings are now in effect for Hawaii County (the Big Island), and Hurricane Watches are in effect for Maui County and Oahu. Hurricane Warnings (meaning hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the alerted area) are typically issued 36 hours before the expected first occurrence of tropical storm force winds. Meanwhile, Hurricane Watches (meaning hurricane conditions are possible somewhere within the alerted area) are issued 48 hours in advance.
Most Likely Arrival Of Tropical Storm Force Winds. Tropical storm force winds of 39+ mph will start to reach the Big Island of Hawaii late Wednesday into early Thursday, spreading across the island throughout the morning. By Thursday evening, tropical storm force winds will be possible across most of Maui County, expanding to include Oahu Thursday night. Tropical storm force winds will reach Kauai County on Friday.
Wind Threat. Right now the greatest threat of hurricane-force wind gusts will be across parts of Maui County and Oahu, starting as early as Thursday Night. Some hurricane-force wind gusts can't be ruled out across Hawaii County as well, especially across eastern parts of the island. You can view an interactive map of these threats by clicking here.
Heavy Rain Threat. Lane will also bring the potential of very heavy rain to the Hawaiian Islands, with the heaviest through Friday evening expected across the Big Island and Maui County. Some areas, especially on the Big Island, could receive 20" or more of rain. This heavy rain could lead to flash flooding.
Image credit: Praedictix and AerisWeather.
Flash Flood Watches. Due to the threat of heavy rain with Lane, Flash Flood Watches have been issued for all of Hawaii from Wednesday morning through Friday afternoon.
Storm Surge Threat. We will also be watching the threat of storm surge flooding, especially along the eastern coast of the Big Island and the southern/eastern coasts of Maui County and Oahu. Across these areas in Hawaii and Maui County, storm surge flooding of at least three feet above normally dry ground will be possible. In Oahu, storm surge flooding of at least a foot is possible.
Two Typhoons In The West Pacific. Over in the western Pacific, we are tracking two typhoons – Soulik, which has already impacted Japan, and Cimaron, which will do so in the next few days. As of Wednesday morning U.S. time, Typhoon Soulik the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 105 mph. Soulik was moving to the northwest at 12 mph. Typhoon Cimaron had winds of 125 mph and was moving to the northwest at 21 mph.
Soulik is moving away from far southern Japan and will now have the greatest impacts on Jeju Island and South Korea over the next day or two with damaging winds and heavy rain. Rapid weakening is expected as Soulik starts to interact with the mountainous terrain of the Korean Peninsula.
Cimaron will continue to move toward southern mainland Japan, making landfall Thursday local time with equivalent winds of a Category 2 or 3 hurricane, though it will be weaker than the storm currently is. Cimaron will bring the potential of strong winds, heavy rain, and storm surge along with it, but the highest impacts from this system will be west of Tokyo.
Forecast Rainfall. Heavy rain will be a threat with these two typhoons, with areas along the path of the systems potentially picking up 3-12"+ of rain. This could lead to flash flooding and mudslides.
State of Emergency in Dane County, Wisconsin. Severe flooding is causing problems around the Madison area. Star Tribune has details.
In 1968, Scientists Tried Taming Hurricanes. The experiment didn't yield any significant (positive) results, but an attempt was made to weaken the intensity of these storms, which get their energy from warm ocean water. Here's an excerpt from Science News: "...The goal of the U.S. government's Project Stormfury, which began in the 1960s, was to knock the wind out of tropical cyclones. By injecting clouds with particles of ice-forming silver iodide, researchers hoped they could disrupt the destructive eye wall of such storms. Meteorologists tested only a few hurricanes with this cloud-seeding approach because of strict rules and fickle hurricane seasons. The project shut down in 1983. Although it failed to meet its goal, Stormfury helped scientists improve hurricane forecasting (SN Online: 9/21/17). Researchers have proposed other hurricane-busting methods, such as dispersing sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere to try to cool the planet and reduce the number of hurricanes..."
Photo credit: "Seeding Storms. Although scientists weren't successful in stopping hurricanes through cloud seeding, their research during Project Stormfury proved useful for future hurricane forecasting." Lt. David Cowan/NOAA.
Scientists Want to Fly an Armored Warplane Into Hailstorms. Come again? Not sure I'd want to be (beta) pilot for this mission, as reported at Scientific American: "...His remarks came at the start of a three-day conference hosted by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to explore ways to reduce hail damage and to make better forecasts. Methods such as cloud-seeding that could prevent larger storms from forming were also discussed. Andrew Heymsfield, an NCAR senior scientist, said the lab has been in talks with the Navy to procure a surplus Navy A-10 for research missions. Known as the Warthog, the titanium-armored aircraft was used to attack tanks during the Gulf War with a nose-mounted gatling gun. The plane would be fitted with instruments and flown into large forming hailstorms to learn more about the internal workings of the most damaging storms..."
File image: Stars and Stripes.
WILDFIRES: Headlines and links via Climate Nexus: "2018 Colorado wildfires part of worst year in history, five make top 20 biggest blazes (Newsweek), Colorado wildfire update: Bull Draw fire pushes above 30,000 acres (Denver Post), fireproof homes could be the answer to massive wildfires across the West." (USA Today).
Wednesday visible Geo-Color image: NOAA and AerisWeather.
Red Hot Planet: This Summer's Punishing and Historic Heat in 7 Maps and Charts. Capital Weather Gang has a good summary; here's a clip: "The headlines of record-crushing heat in the Northern Hemisphere began in June and haven't stopped midway through August. Scores of locations on every continent north of the equator have witnessed their hottest weather in recorded history. The swelter has intensified raging wildfires in western North America, Scandinavia and Siberia, while leading to heat-related deaths in Japan and eastern Canada. Even with the peak of summer having passed, several locations in western North America notched their highest temperatures on record last week. They included Calgary in western Canada and Glacier National Park in Montana, where the temperature touched the century mark for the first time in 70 years of records..."
Image credit: Robert Rohde/Berkeley Earth.
Hard to See, Hard to Breathe. U.S. West Struggles with Smoke. Here's a clip from Star Tribune: "Smoke from wildfires clogged the sky across the U.S. West, blotting out mountains and city skylines from Oregon to Colorado, delaying flights and forcing authorities to tell even healthy adults in the Seattle area to stay indoors. As large cities dealt with unhealthy air for a second summer in a row, experts warned that it could become more common as the American West faces larger and more destructive wildfires because of heat and drought blamed on climate change. Officials also must prioritize resources during the longer firefighting season, so some blazes may be allowed to burn in unpopulated areas. Seattle's Space Needle was swathed in haze, and it was impossible to see nearby mountains..."
F5 Tornado Hit Rochester on August 21, 1883. Wikipedia has details: "...The tornado was one in a series of tornadoes that hit Southeast Minnesota on that day, causing at least 37 deaths and over 200 injuries, The city of Rochester did not have a place to treat the injured from this tornado, as there were only 3 hospitals in the state of Minnesota outside of the Twin Cities at that time; none were near Rochester. After the tornado struck, a dance hall (Rommel Hall) was transformed into a temporary emergency room. Doctors William Mayo and his two sons, William and Charles, took charge of caring for the patients. Mother Mary Alfred Moes of the Sisters of St. Francis helped care for the patients as well. After this disaster, the Mayo family and the Sisters of St. Francis realized the need of a hospital in Rochester. They banded together to form St. Mary's Hospital, which ultimately led to the creation of the Mayo Clinic and the Tornado Guild, a group dedicated to protecting all Minnesotans from the ravages of the swirling winds..."
Beer, Drinking Water and Fish: Tiny Plastic is Everywhere. NPR explains: "Plastic trash is littering the land and fouling rivers and oceans. But what we can see is only a small fraction of what's out there. Since modern plastic was first mass-produced, 8 billion tons have been manufactured. And when it's thrown away, it doesn't just disappear. Much of it crumbles into small pieces. Scientists call the tiny pieces "microplastics" and define them as objects smaller than 5 millimeters — about the size of one of the letters on a computer keyboard. Researchers started to pay serious attention to microplastics in the environment about 15 years ago. They're in oceans, rivers and lakes. They're also in soil. Recent research in Germany found that fertilizer made from composted household waste contains microplastics..."
Photo credit: "Ecologist Chelsea Rochman (left) and researcher Kennedy Bucci dig through washed-up debris along Lake Ontario. They're looking for small particles of plastic that make their way into oceans, rivers and lakes." Chris Joyce/NPR.
U.S. Students Lag Far Behind Rest of the World in Learning a Second Language. Here's Why That Matters. Big Think offers food for thought: "...Americans spend so much time focused on bringing jobs "back," yet we actually have no clue where they "go." It's impossible to compete in a global workforce if you refuse to educate yourself on anywhere beyond your neighborhood. Eight in ten Americans believe outsourcing is a serious problem and seven in ten claims that responsibility is on the individual, yet just over one-third consider that preparation should include learning another language..."
Jeff Bezos Banned PowerPoint in Meetings. His Replacement is Brilliant. Back to basics with story-telling, as reported at Inc.com: "...Anthropologists say when humans gained control of fire, it marked a major milestone in human development. Our ancestors were able to cook food, which was a big plus. But it also had a second benefit. People sat around campfires swapping stories. Stories served as instruction, warning, and inspiration. Recently, I've talked to prominent neuroscientists whose experiments confirm what we've known for centuries: The human brain is wired for story. We process our world in narrative, we talk in narrative and--most important for leadership--people recall and retain information more effectively when it's presented in the form of a story, not bullet points..."
"Humans Are a Post-Truth Species". The Guardian has a thought-provoking post; here's an excerpt: "...Whichever side you support, it seems that we are indeed living in a terrifying era of post-truth, when not just particular military incidents, but entire histories and nations might be faked. But if this is the era of post-truth, when, exactly, was the halcyon age of truth? In the 1980s? The 1950s? The 1930s? And what triggered our transition to the post-truth era – the internet? Social media? The rise of Putin and Trump? A cursory look at history reveals that propaganda and disinformation are nothing new, and even the habit of denying entire nations and creating fake countries has a long pedigree. In 1931 the Japanese army staged mock attacks on itself to justify its invasion of China, and then created the fake country of Manchukuo to legitimise its conquests. China itself has long denied that Tibet ever existed as an independent country..."
Image credit: "Power, nation and storytelling (clockwise from left)… troops in Ukraine, the story of Christianity, Donald Trump, the atomic bomb, protests against Vladimir Putin."
84 F. maximum temperature yesterday in the Twin Cities.
80 F. average high on August 22.
76 F. high on August 22, 2017.
August 23, 1955: Hail in Houston County results in drifts up to a foot deep at Rushmore.
Arctic's Strongest Sea Breaks Up for First Time on Record. The Guardian and MSN.com have the latest: "The oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic has started to break up, opening waters north of Greenland that are normally frozen, even in summer. This phenomenon – which has never been recorded before – has occurred twice this year due to warm winds and a climate-change driven heatwave in the northern hemisphere. One meteorologist described the loss of ice as "scary". Others said it could force scientists to revise their theories about which part of the Arctic will withstand warming the longest. The sea off the north coast of Greenland is normally so frozen that it was referred to, until recently, as "the last ice area" because it was assumed that this would be the final northern holdout against the melting effects of a hotter planet..."
Photo credit: Reuters. "A giant iceberg that has drifted towards an Innaarsuit settlement in west Greenland."
"This is About What We Breathe". Doctors Warn About Health Implications of Climate Change. Here's an excerpt from CBC: "...For the longest time, we were talking about the polar bears and asking people to change their behaviours on behalf of the polar bears," Howard said. "But really, we are seeing very clearly that this is about our children. This is about what we breathe." Some scientists have warned climate change is contributing to the intensity of forest fires with hotter, drier summers creating more extreme fire conditions. "The fires have been getting so much worse recently that the evidence based around smoke is really developing, but there are still some questions that we don't have answers to," Howard told Renee Filippone, guest host of CBC's The Early Edition..."
Photo credit: CBC. "A fire burns at the Pondosy Bay Wilderness Resort near Tweedsmuir, B.C." (Pondosy Bay Wilderness Resort).
Most Economic Forecasts Have Blind Spot: Climate Change. A story at Click Orlando caught my eye; here's a clip: "...Climate change is having a real impact, not just on the environment but on the economy too. And a growing body of research by economists and climate scientists shows that extreme weather will weigh on economic growth even more so in the future. But almost no mainstream economic forecasting model takes that into account, in an omission that some economists say could affect the accuracy of economic predictions going forward. The most recent study to quantify the economic impact of the carbon emissions that spur climate change was featured last week in a brief by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. By evaluating the performance of state economies in previous years, the report found that every one-degree increase in average summer temperatures decreases annual state-level output growth by between 0.15 and 0.25 percentage points..."
Exclusive: Some Arctic Ground No Longer Freezing - Even in Winter. National Geographic has the story; here's a clip: "...Every winter across the Arctic, the top few inches or feet of soil and rich plant matter freezes up before thawing again in summer. Beneath this active layer of ground extending hundreds of feet deeper sits continuously frozen earth called permafrost, which, in places, has stayed frozen for millennia. But in a region where temperatures can dip to 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, the Zimovs say unusually high snowfall this year worked like a blanket, trapping excess heat in the ground. They found sections 30 inches deep—soils that typically freeze before Christmas—that had stayed damp and mushy all winter. For the first time in memory, ground that insulates deep Arctic permafrost simply did not freeze in winter..."
Photo credit: "Ground collapses at Duvanny Yar, a permafrost megaslump along the Kolyma River in northern Siberia. New research suggests that some land in Arctic Alaska and Russia may no longer freeze at all. This constantly moving landslide, driven by erosion and sped up by warming temperatures, is an important research site for scientists, who use it to track what happens as carbon-rich land that has been frozen for centuries begins to thaw." Photograph by Katie Orlinsky, National Geographic.
Florida Can't Afford For Its Leaders to Keep Ignoring Climate Change. Here's an excerpt from Sun Sentinel: "...If the national politics on climate change is ever to shift from denial to action — in time to stop the disgorging of carbon dioxide beyond the point of no return — Florida, he says, is the key. Why? Because no other state is under greater immediate threat from the warming planet and rise in sea levels. And no other swing state has so many electoral votes. As Pomerance puts it: "The impacts are extreme and the politics are critical." "This is the largest purple state in the country," says Pomerance, currently a consultant for the nonprofit Rethink Energy Florida. If the state takes a new attitude on climate change, the "national impact can be very powerful." This assessment comes from the original climate-change warrior. Almost nobody had heard of global warming when Pomerance first stumbled upon the concept in 1979..."
The Modern Automobile Must Die. So says an Op-Ed at The New Republic; here's an excerpt: "...In 2010, a NASA study declared that automobiles were officially the largest net contributor of climate change pollution in the world. "Cars, buses, and trucks release pollutants and greenhouse gases that promote warming, while emitting few aerosols that counteract it," the study read. "In contrast, the industrial and power sectors release many of the same gases—with a larger contribution to [warming]—but they also emit sulfates and other aerosols that cause cooling by reflecting light and altering clouds." In other words, the power generation sector may have emitted the most greenhouse gases in total. But it also released so many sulfates and cooling aerosols that the net impact was less than the automobile industry, according to NASA..."
File photo: Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune.
China, World's Biggest Polluter, Hits Carbon Goals - 12 Years Early. Daily Beast has the story: "In a year when climate change is moving from abstract theory to grimly tangible reality, a faint dot of hope may be on the horizon. China, the world's largest source of planet-warming carbon emissions, may have hit the peak it promised in the Paris climate accord well before its 2030 timetable. That's the conclusion reached by scientists who looked at the country's estimated carbon output between 2007 and 2016, as the country's rapid industrialization slowed and its consumption of coal declined. The research is published in the journal Nature Geoscience..."
Halfway to Boiling: the City at 50C. A ridiculous premise? It's already happening across much of the planet, according to The Guardian: "...Not long ago, 50C was considered an anomaly, but it is increasingly widespread. Earlier this year, the 1.1 million residents of Nawabshah, Pakistan, endured the hottest April ever recorded on Earth, as temperatures hit 50.2C. In neighbouring India two years earlier, the town of Phalodi sweltered in 51C – the country's hottest ever day. Dev Niyogi, professor at Purdue University, Indiana, and chair of the Urban Environment department at the American Meteorological Society, witnessed how cities were affected by extreme heat on a research trip to New Delhi and Pune during that 2015 heatwave in India, which killed more than 2,000 people. "You could see the physical change. Road surfaces started to melt..."
Photo credit: "Melting asphalt cause road markings to distort in New Delhi."
After a flawless weekend, Monday was a good day to focus on work or school or errands. No atmospheric distractions outside your window. Today looks beautiful with 60s and blue sky; a shot at low 70s tomorrow before we cool off late in the week - setting the stage for a few weekend showers.


text:
Published on Points de Vue | International Review of Ophthalmic Optics ()
Home > Musicians and visual impairment: the INJA, Braille and music teaching in the 19th century (Part. 1)
Musicians and visual impairment: the INJA, Braille and music teaching in the 19th century (Part. 1)
Michel ALEXANDRE
Director of Formoptic (Training and advice for opticians), France
Refer this article as: Alexandre, M., Musicians and visual impairment: the INJA, Braille and music teaching in the 19th century (Part. 1), Points de Vue, International Review of Ophthalmic Optics, N66, Spring 2012
Publication date :
Valentin Haüy and the founding of the INJA (Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles).
The first idea of systematic teaching for blind people was born in France. The first school was established in France and the method was then exported throughout Europe and America.
It is reported that when, in 1771, ten blind people kitted out in grotesque robes were paraded on a stage playing a tune on a variety of instruments, a young employee of the foreign office, Valentin Haüy, was so outraged that he decided to instruct blind people and get them to read properly. In 1784, after thirteen years of study and research, he tested his method on a young blind man named Lesueur. Initially Lesueur read by moving his fingers over mobile characters in relief which he arranged on a plank with horizontal slots. The same method was used when writing to dictation.
Fig. 1: Valentin Haüy (1745-1822) founder of the INJA in 1784 (Valentin Haüy Museum).
One day Lesueur found an invitation on which certain characters were indicated in relief and he showed Valentin Haüy that he could decipher several letters on this paper. Haüy immediately traced a few signs on the same paper using a penknife handle, and Lesueur recognised them without hesitation. Relief printing had been discovered! Haüy had a few books printed with relief characters; two sheets of paper were stuck together to enable reading on both sides of the pages.
This teaching method was seen as remarkably innovative by the institutions of the time, and other professionals wanted to witness the exercises carried out by Lesueur. The report published by the Science Academy, called on to judge this new method, was full of praise.
In 1784 the Philanthropic Society founded at its own expense a hospice for 24 blind people, where Haüy was appointed as teacher. The Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles (INJA) (National Institute for Young Blind People) was born. Later, a decree issued by the Assemblée Constituante (31st July 1791) created an educational establishment for young blind students which received, from Quinze-Vingts funding, an annual income of 13,900 pounds.
After moving many times, the Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles was finally installed in premises built by the architect Philippon on Boulevard des Invalides in Paris, and was officially inaugurated in 1844, 60 years after the creation of the INJA by Valentin Haüy and 22 years after his death.
Fig. 2: INJA, Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles - Boulevard des Invalides - Paris.
After Valentin Haüy's retirement, new regulations (30th October 1815) assigned to the INJA the task of 'instructing blind children and giving them a useful craft'; ninety free places were created, a third of which were for girls. Scholars to whom grants were given had to be aged between ten and fourteen and the course of studies lasted eight years. The regulations allowed almost equally for intellectual studies, music and learning a craft. The music teaching prospered well and gained a real reputation. Piano studies made great progress and organ-playing was introduced.
Louis Braille's wonderful invention
In the years following Haüy's death (1822), an event of enormous importance took place in the Institution - the writing system using raised points was invented. The first idea for this form of writing was developed by a person from outside the Institution, a military man named Charles Barbier de la Serre. He tried to perfect for the visually impaired a machine invented for writing quickly and secretly, intended for use by army officers. Unfortunately there were many disadvantages to this machine, such as simplifying spelling, removing punctuation and the inability to reproduce figures.
A piano student then teacher at the Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles Louis Braille (1809-1852), who lost his vision at the age of three after an accident, modified and perfected the Barbier code before publishing his own method in 1829. He made writing much quicker by simplifying the characters considerably and also made it more rational by representing not the sounds of the spoken language but the letters of the written language. He also generalised it, introducing punctuation marks, figures and music notes.
His system was based on the formation of small points that could be read by running the index finger over the paper; writing was done by perforating the paper using a pointed instrument. This system has not been supplanted since being created by Braille.
Fig. 3: Louis Braille (1809-1852).
In 2009 the French Post Office commemorated the bicentenary of Braille's birth with the issue of the stamp shown below, which includes Louis Braille's initials in the writing system he invented. The bicentenary was commemorated by blind people the world over.
Fig. 4: International Committee for the commemoration of the bicentenary of Louis Braille's birth.
The Braille alphabet
In the Braille alphabet, the first letter, a, is represented by one point, b by two points placed vertically, c by two points placed horizontally, d by three points in a triangle, etc. The first ten letters, through to j do not go beyond the first two lines and use a maximum of four points. The three other series use up to five points and are placed on three lines one on top of the other. Any letter marked with an accent is indicated by a special group of points; thus a is represented by one point, but à (with a grave accent) by five points: c is repre-sented by two points, but ç (with a cedilla) by five points, etc. The fifth and sixth series are used for punctuation. Two points placed vertically in front of another letter indicate that it is a capital letter.
The points are also used for calculations, by stenographers and for writing music.
Fig. 5: The braille alphabet (Source: Marly-le-Roi Institute website, www.musicologie.org).
Musical Braille
- Notes
Musical notes are written following the alphabet, with the following equivalence, d = do, then e = ré, f = mi… Note that this equivalence is different from the one used by the Anglo-Saxons and the French to name notes: a = la, b = si, c = do…
Fig. 6: Musical braille (Source: Marly-le-Roi Institute website www.musicologie.org).
- Rhythms
When no specific rhythm sign is indicated, notes are considered to be quavers. If one wants to write a crochet (lasting for two quavers) the point 6 must be added to the note.
To indicate a minim (four quavers), the point 3 is added.
For semibreves (eight quavers), the points 3 and 6 are added.
The many other rhythms require a specific and more difficult notation; this is also the case for octave and clef notation.
Do you recognize the following tune written in braille? (the key used is very close to the original, to avoid any alteration and make reading easier …). Here's a clue: the composer of this tune himself suffered from impairment to his senses. The answer is given at the end of this article.
Fig. 7: Do you recognize the following tune written in Braille ?
Music teaching at the INJA
Although blindness is not a factor in itself which gives blind people greater artistic abilities, they can indeed become good musicians, developing more acute hearing and, above all, a stronger power of concentration. They can also have sophisticated interpretation skills, almost as if their visual deficit is compensated for by keener hearing.
Music theory, as taught at the INJA, is not the same for blind people as it is in music schools for sighted people. There is more reasoning and less exercises, but the exercises that are done are analysed further and studied in greater depth. The teacher plays more complicated phrases on an instrument and the student has to analyse all the details. In these same classes, every day the students perform singing exercises with several singing parts.
- Playing an instrument
The piano is the instrument most frequently studied (using music written in braille). The student reads with his left hand every phrase to be played with the right hand and then reads, with his right hand, the part to be played by his left hand. The two parts that he has memorised are then played together. Students then play the piece for the teacher and gradually learn longer and more difficult pieces.
The organ is also studied; it is very important that good organists are trained which is why music theory and practical teaching are given on the organ located in the establishment's chapel. Lots of organists trained at the INJA have achieved a worldwide reputation; they will be the subject of a forthcoming article.
In practice, a blind musician cannot read music and play at the same time: it is impossible for him to 'sight read', and difficult for him to play in a chamber orchestra or full orchestra. A blind musician has to play from memory, with the exception of opera singers who, except when an opera is being staged, can read their music written in braille; sighted singers use their hearing, visual and tactile memory. Blind musicians compensate for their disability by memory of body position, which is essential, in piano playing for example. They do not have the visual example of their colleagues to help them learn, by studying their movements, the way in which to overcome a particular difficulty. Simple gestures must therefore be used, as they train alongside the others.
- The piano tuning-repair class
Another major objective of the professional musical teaching given is piano tuning. In 1836 a tuning-manufacturing class was started at the initiative of the industrialist Claude Montal, who went blind himself at the age of 5, and was a former student at this school. Montal taught maths at the INJA and was also a skilled craftsman, having studied in particular the mechanism and building of pianos. He even opened his own piano workshop and acquired a certain degree of popularity as an instrument maker. Thanks to the opening of this new class, lots of young blind people have been able to work in piano tuning-repair.
- Music teaching still holds a privileged position at the INJA
All students up to the age of 12 take 3 hours of music (theory) and 1 hour of piano playing every week. Specialist music classes are available for middle school students. Courses in instrument playing prepare students for entrance into national academies in organ and piano classes and 'music' options at baccalaureate level enable certain student to continue musicology studies at university.
The INJA also has a choir and a jazz band and the school year is punctuated with concerts attended by students and teachers alike.
Many people with visual impairment (often with albinism) or blind people still go successfully into work as piano tuners-repairers after taking a specific three-year course at the INJA.
Solution: the beginning of Ludwig van Beethoven's 5th symphony.


text:
How do you answer tell me about yourself as a student?
"I'm still in college." As a current student or recent graduate, it's perfectly acceptable to focus on what you learned in college in your "Tell me about yourself" answer. Just don't lose sight of the fact that a company wants to know what you can do for them.
Why should we hire you with no experience?
Why should we hire you? Make your lack of experience work in your favour. Use this as a strength and tell the panel you are fresh, enthusiastic, hungry and ready to get started! You want the panel to hire you because of your passion for this job and how much you are attracted to their company.
How do you choose your goals in life?
Time Bound.
Set Specific Goals. Your goal must be clear and well defined.
Set Measurable Goals. Include precise amounts, dates, and so on in your goals so you can measure your degree of success.
Set Attainable Goals. Make sure that it's possible to achieve the goals you set.
Set Relevant Goals.
Set Time-Bound Goals.
What are students weaknesses?
Academic weaknesses are disadvantages an individual faces in a learning environment. These can relate to skills, abilities, experience, knowledge and character traits. Academic weaknesses may be identified as part of an admissions process or analysis of a student's learning goals and progress.
What are some good goals for 2020?
Top 20 goals for 2020
Get finances in order.
Get out of debt.
Learn something new.
Get more organized.
Buy a new home.
Exercise more.
Spend more time with friends and family.
Travel more.
What are your top 3 goals in life?
With this in mind, here are 10 primary goals to accomplish as you plan for life in the next 10 years.
Marriage and Family Harmony.
Proper Mindset and Balance.
Commitment to Improved Physical Health.
Career Passion and Personal Satisfaction.
Develop Empathy and Gentleness.
Financial Stability.
Service and Social Responsibility.
How do you tell about yourself at school?
How to Introduce Yourself in a School Interview
Start with Your Background.
Tell Them More About Your Traits.
Tell Them About Your Experiences.
Try To Tell Them A Little Bit About Your Hobbies.
Avoid Bias Political, Ethnical or Religious Views.
Avoid Grammatical Error.
Don't Make Your Introduction Long.
How would you describe yourself as a student examples?
How to answer, "How would you describe yourself?"
I am passionate about my work.
I am ambitious and driven.
I am highly organized.
I'm a people-person.
I'm a natural leader.
I am results-oriented.
I am an excellent communicator.
Words to describe your work style:
What are some good goals for high school students?
Successful High School Students Do These 10 Things
Set Short-Term and Long-Term Goals. Goal setting is a skill that develops over time.
Master Time Management.
Select a Balanced Course Load.
Be Active Outside the Classroom.
Participate in Class.
Take Good Care of Yourself.
Find Your Passions.
Learn to Say No.
What are some good goals for a teenager?
What are some good goals for teens?
Learn a skill, like playing an instrument or sewing.
Getting good/better grades toward the end of the school year.
Get better at planning projects and tasks.
Improve on your hobby or talents.
Start journaling.
Learning to drive and get your driver's license.
Save up for a car.
What are goals for students?
"Goals" are anything a student aspires to and "personal" refers to anything that is specific to you. Teachers and parents play a big role in helping students create and achieve these goals that shape the student's future.
How to Answer: Tell Me About Yourself
Talk about your background. Answering this question well is about more than just mentioning your skills or professional experience.
Describe your interests.
Mention your past experience.
Explain why you're excited about the opportunity.
Where can I use for example?
You use for example to introduce and emphasize something which shows that something is true.
Take, for example, the simple sentence: 'The man climbed up the hill'.
A few simple precautions can be taken, for example ensuring that desks are the right height.
What is for example in grammar?
Grammarly. · Grammar. I.e. and e.g. are both Latin abbreviations. E.g. stands for exempli gratia and means "for example." I.e. is the abbreviation for id est and means "in other words." Remember that E is for example (e.g.) and that I and E are the first letters of in essence, an alternative English translation of i.e.
How can I start a sentence?
Creative Sentence Structures
Begin with a verb ending with -ing.
Begin with a verb ending with -ed.
Begin with a prepositional phrase.
Begin with an adverb.
Begin with an adjective.
Begin with a phrase that tells when.
Begin with a phrase that tells where.
Begin with a sound word.
How do you write a good transition sentence?
What are the components of good transition sentences? They make an explicit connection between ideas, sentences, and paragraphs. Good transitions use specific words. Try to avoid using pronouns like "this" to refer to an entire idea because it is not always clear who or what "this" refers to.
How do you write a example sentence?
Using the abbreviation e.g. is a way to introduce examples in the sentences you write. E.g is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia which means "for example. " Even if you don't speak Latin, it's easy to remember what e.g stands for: just think of "example given.
How do you introduce yourself as a student?
Self-Introduction for a student must include the following –
Start with a smile on face and greet the audience or a particular person.
Give details about Name, Place after greeting the audience.
If necessary, only add family details too in the introduction.
Speak about educational details briefly.
Share area of interests.
What comes after for example?
Use a semicolon before such words and terms as namely, however, therefore, that is, i.e., for example, e.g., for instance, etc., when they introduce a complete sentence. It is also preferable to use a comma after these words and terms.
How do I abbreviate for example?
e.g. is the abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia, meaning "for example." This abbreviation is typically used to introduce one or more examples of something mentioned previously in the sentence and can be used interchangeably with "for example" or "such as." The use of e.g. implies that there are other …
Can you start a paragraph with for example?
The answer is simple: the words after such as are necessary and essential to the meaning of the sentence. Usually only for example and for instance can begin new sentences. Each can begin a new sentence when the phrase is followed by a complete idea or sentence (not a list of items).
Previous Post: How do you say 9 in Spanish?
Next Post: How do you write 11 in numerals?


I am concerned that my current level of exhausted-and-loopy is making my comments on that thing I'm reading for you sort of... inappropriately amused at times. Please don't think I'm a psychopath when all is said and done? :)?
Disclaimer noted. I may have done that style of beta commenting a time or two myself.
I keep laughing at people's lines and then remembering that there is Srs Bzns going on. Whoops.
I don't expect any of us to have time soon, but I'd love to see you guys. I hope stuff is progressing smoothly!
Yes, ditto--would love to see you, will look out for a free evening.


Besides regular health checks, there are many ways of monitoring and safeguarding your pet.
Microchipping will enable your pet's details to be added to a database and therefore accessible to any vet in the UK. This is invaluable in case of an emergency.
Why not talk to one of our team about pet insurance? In the event of your pet falling dangerously ill, set your mind at rest in the knowledge that they will receive the best possible medical care.


I've officially been asked enough times about photographs that it seems high time I put down my thoughts on the subject so I can answer the question once and for all. In short, yes, I'll be happy to take your picture, but there are a few provisos.
The first question people ask is, "how much do you charge?" The surprising answer to this is, simply, that I do not charge. I have a job already so the last thing I need is a side business to worry about. I enjoy photographing just about everything so if you want your picture taken, then just tell me and we'll make arrangements. Quite honestly, to me, photography is *almost* art and I have a fundamental problem with being paid for the creative process. One might as well ask me to accept money for writing something or painting a picture. The mere thought of it makes my skin crawl. When you introduce financial considerations into artistic endeavor then they cease to be art but instead become mechanical and rote. So to be succinct, I'd love to take photos of whatever you might want photographed, but don't try to pay me.
Now that that unpleasantness is out of the way, let's move on to the second proviso. As I said, I'll happily take your picture or a picture of whatever it is that you find important whether it be your house or your dogs or your family. I'm infinitely flexible in that regard. However, one thing I do demand is that you DO NOT POSE. Photography should be about things and events that actually happened and existed. Having your picture taken sitting on a plastic log in a photography studio is a travesty against all that is right and good in the world. In fact, it's a bit self-insulting. Is real life so drab and dull that the most interesting and attractive situation you could think to put yourself in was posing in front of a painting of a beach? We can do much better than that. Real photos that mean something and that you remember will be about real things that you really DO. I'd much rather spend 4 hours trying to get a few good shots of someone doing something real than get a thousand shots of someone staring into the camera. Real life is good. Let's capture that.
Alright, ready for the next thing? Typically when a photographer takes your picture those photos are the property of the photographer. You can get all the copies printed up that you want but you have to pay them $20 each for the right to do so. If I take your picture, however, those photos become part of the public domain for all the world, including you, to see, download, make copies of, send to people, whatever you want. All I ask is that if you get something back that you really like, just tell me about it. I'm not naturally a people-photographer so I appreciate the feedback. Aside from that, you can do whatever you like with them. Also, in the interest of your privacy, I don't post any identifying information with your photos. You'll get a link and they'll go into my Picasa albums but it's not like I'm going to post your name and address or anything. Your anonymity is safe as long as you don't break it yourself by uploading photos to Facebook or something of the sort.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I don't actually guarantee any results. You might absolutely hate everything I take. I don't tend to expect that you will, but it's a distinct possibility. My view on most things is a bit skewed when compared with the average person so it is likely that in some cases you will look at least a few of the results and say, simply and politely, "huh?" I accept that completely and appreciate it if you'll tell me if you see a "huh?" I can often explain them in one way or another. One thing I can tell you is that if you do ask me to take photos for you that you'll have my utmost and undivided attention and determination to get you a result that you like. Don't let the price point fool you. Despite the fact that I don't charge for my services I take this VERY seriously and have no desire to waste either your time or my own. If you peruse my gallery and like the general sense for what you see then drop me a line.
Postscript: Readers of this blog post should also reference Can't Even Give it Away. To date I've had no takers on this offer and this post attempts to explore why that's the case.
You are the only person that doesn't want money. :)) This is what a devoted photographer should be…:D I'm glad to hear that.
I thought my views on art and money were kind of 'out there' but you've staked out a claim about 10 times further out, along the same direction. Personally, each painting I do is a unique creation and just don't want to be in a situation where I would be unable to see any of them in detail again. I like money as much as anyone, but selling would separate me from my paintings. My wife thinks I should sell them on ebay. Obviously I can't do that. I did think of painting something specifically with selling it in mind, and I think I could do that and sell it, but you're right, that would render it not art, to me.
As for the overall view on art… yeah well, I dare say that if you can rely in anyone to be "10 times further out" on any topic it would be me. I often wonder what profanities professional photographers spout when they read a post like this. It's funny because I was actually asked to shoot someone's wedding in a few months and my first response was, "I'd be happy to, but you'll need to hire someone to do all the cliche wedding shots" to which they said, "yes, we have someone for that but we trust your artistic vision much more". I was… well, flattered to no end. Point is though that I'm not putting anyone out of business.
As for selling art…. yes, you're in a bit of a quandary since you just can't copy yours ad inifinitum as I can. The few times I've delved into the non-computational arts, I've given them away. I just took good photos and then gave them to interested people with the admonishment that, "If you EVER decide you don't like this, then for the love of GOD give it back to me." As far as I know, they all still exist. And, like any children, I occasionally think about them and what they're doing.
Probably the easiest way to do that would be to send you a zip. A zip of your own photos. Seems a little ironic.
I went to a friends wedding, very nice wedding, nice function room at a very good restaurant a professional wedding photographer attending.
I had brought my gear and asked the couple if they wanted or minded my shooting some pictures, OK. Had fun, skipped the "cliche" shots and I think I documented the difference between "smile for the photographer" and smile for a friend.
The best fun was working on the computer all night so that I could get my photos into their hands the next morning before they left on the honeymoon. Which beat the pro by two months.
Wow…. two months?!?!?! That makes me think there may JUST be room for photographers who still really care about what they're taking a photo of. Thx for sharing that.
The few times I'm nudged in the direction of portraits it is always excrutiating to charge — or to get folks to pay what your time and energy are worth. I have started just going the flat fee/here's the disk route.
Yeah, I guess for me part of the joy is just getting to take pictures of someone. I rather enjoy doing it so it seems a bit of a cheat to ask them to pay for it too! I'd say too that with the improvements in equipment, the photography industry is undergoing some change. Camera's are just so blasted smart that you don't need a professional to get great shots. It will be interesting to see where things move over the next 10 years.
Some colleagues and I work at an urban high school and were commenting that senior portraits are so expensive that most of our kiddos don't get to have them. We talked about doing free ones for them next year, as several of us are amateur photographers. You've just convinced me to make it happen!
Great attitude and philosophy on your art. Very refreshing.


text:
package commands;

import objects.*;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.List;

/*
// check for invalid argument - at the start of "view" function (sub command)
        if (!checkArguments(acceptedArguments.get("view")))
            return Parameters.ErrorCommandInvalidArguments;
 */

public abstract class BaseCommand {
    // public variables
    public CommandContext context;
    public String mainName;
    public HashMap<String, Argument> args;

    /**
     * constructor
     * @param context the context in which to run
     */
    public BaseCommand(CommandContext context, String mainName) {
        this.context = context;
        this.mainName = mainName;
    }

    /**
     * creates an instance of the class , will be overridden in the appropriate class
     * @param context the context of the new instance
     * @return a new instance of the appropriate implementation
     */
    public abstract BaseCommand createInstance(CommandContext context);

    /**
     * the main command to run
     * @return a response
     */
    public String main(Command mainCommand) {
        return getHelp(mainCommand);
    }

    /**
     * calling the appropriate function, defined by {@code subCommand}
     * @param subCommand the function to call
     * @return the command result
     */
    public String call(String subCommand) {
        if (subCommand == null || subCommand.equals(mainName))
            subCommand = "main";

        try {
            // TODO : generalize checkArguments
            return (String) getClass().getDeclaredMethod(subCommand).invoke(this);
        }
        catch (Exception e) {
            return e.getMessage();
        }
    }

    /**
     * executes the {@code subCommand} in the given context
     * @param context the context in which to run the command
     * @param subCommand the sub command to run (or the name of the class to run the main function)
     * @param args arguments for the command
     * @return the command result
     */
    public String execute(CommandContext context, String subCommand, List<Argument> args) {
        BaseCommand instance = createInstance(context);
        instance.parseArguments(args);
        return instance.call(subCommand);
    }

    /**
     * gets a list of all the sub commands formatted in a string
     * @return a list of sub commands formatted in a string
     */
    public String getSubCommands(Command mainCommand) {
        if (mainCommand == null)
            return "";

        String output = "";
        for (String sub :
                mainCommand.subCommands.keySet())
            output += mainCommand.name + "." + sub + "\n";

        return output;
    }

    /**
     * adds the supplied {@code arguments} to the {@code args} {@link HashMap}
     * @param arguments the argument list to parse
     */
    public void parseArguments(List<Argument> arguments) {
        args = new HashMap<>();
        arguments.forEach((a) -> args.put(a.name.trim(), a));
    }

    /**
     * default help method
     * @param mainCommand the main command
     * @return a default help response
     */
    public String getHelp(Command mainCommand) {
        return getSubCommands(mainCommand);
    }

    /**
     * checks arguments names and types are as expected
     * @return whether the arguments are as expected
     */
    public boolean checkArguments(HashMap<String, Argument> acceptedCommandArgs) {
        for (String arg :
                args.keySet()) {
            if (!acceptedCommandArgs.containsKey(arg) || !acceptedCommandArgs.get(arg).type.equals(args.get(arg).type))
                return false;
        }

        return true;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
BlinkNow: Nepal
5 Myths of Korean Adoption
Mnogo Blagodaria!
Education Child Sponsorship Orphanage Support Family and Community Support Ways to Help Safety Nepal
Written by Julie Barclay on 08 Jun 2015
You may have heard of Maggie Doyne. A few years ago a video, A 23 Year Old Mother of 30, produced by The Do Lectures and featuring Maggie circulated around the Internet. Since that video a lot has changed in Maggie's life. Most notably BlinkNow, the Nepal based organization she founded when she was just 19 years old has grown into a blue print that is being recognized across the globe as a standard for community empowerment that in turn builds sustainable futures for children.
BlinkNow's mission is to provide an education and a loving, caring home for orphaned, impoverished, and at risk children. They also provide community outreach to reduce poverty, empower women, improve health, and encourage sustainability and social justice.
So, how does a 28-year-old woman from New Jersey end up changing the course for, at last count, 50 Nepali children who call her mom and the community in which they live? It started with a gap year right after high school and ended with a trek through the Himalayas and walking along the dirt roads of Nepal's most poverty-stricken villages. It was on these desolate roads in these remote villages that Maggie's world changed forever. Her gap year ceased to exist at that moment and her life truly began.
Recently RainbowKids had a chance to chat with Maggie and she has graciously offered to share some of her story with us.
Describe that moment when you first realized Nepal was where you were meant to be.
There was a dry river bed in a town in the foothills of the Himalayas I was travelling through where hundreds of children were breaking rocks for a living instead of going to school. It was overwhelming for me, just so wrong on so many levels. There was this one adorable little girl in a raggedy orange dress picking through the garbage. Her name was Hima and she looked up at me with her big brown eyes, smiled, and she said "Namaste Didi" (Hello big sister) I remember thinking "I can't go back knowing what I know now and leave this little girl like this. She and I are no different and I'm going to do something about this." It was in a rickety old phone booth with a connection going in and out but I knew it was the right decision. I called my parents and asked them to send me $5,000 (my life savings of babysitting money so I could buy a piece of land) which would be the future site of our children's home. My poor parents but lucky for me they really listened and in the end said "yes."
Fast forward ten years later and there's not a single kid breaking stone on that river bed. Hima is one of 350 kids thriving in our school, her mom works in our women's center, and I'm the mom to 50 beautiful children. I've learned so much, and grown so much but I often reflect back on that day and that one quick decision that changed my life forever. We can all create the world we want to live in, a world we're proud of.
What has been your most rewarding moment?
For me it's the mundane every day things that make me the proudest. Watching the kids form bonds with each other, take care of each other, and seeing the family we've created grow and blossom is extremely rewarding. I love to watch them all sitting and laughing around the breakfast table or singing a song, or divvying up popcorn on movie night and lay on the floor together cuddled under blankets. I love watching them on the soccer field, or up on stage at school performing in a dance competition or coming out of their shell and gaining confidence in the classroom. There's this transformation that happens from the time they come in unhealthy, feeling scared, alone and not sure of who to trust, and then a moment where they really come into their own. It's almost like magic.
What has been your most frustrating moment?
Recently suicide has surpassed childbirth and emerged as the number one killer of girls and women. There's definitely an epidemic going on and I really struggle with the way women and girls are treated here and the cultural stigmas working against them. It's so incredibly sad that a woman or girl could feel so hopeless that taking her own life seems like the easiest way out. We're working on a plan with the local police and community leaders and devising a plan to keep women and girls safe and make sure they feel supported. We've created two counseling centers where women can report abuse or talk with a counselor about their struggles. We also started a women's center where women can come together, receive skills training, human rights training, literacy, business 101, and parenting skills, and confidence building workshops.
What motivates you to keep going?
There's so many problems and at times it can feel overwhelming but I also feel like the solutions can be quite simple. Like enrolling a child into school and teaching them how to read and write can change the trajectory of their life forever! That's so incredibly hopeful to me and definitely makes me want to keep going.
Describe your support network. Family? Co-workers? Volunteers?
I have an amazing circle of people around me. Wonderful family and friends and an incredible team of staff, both in the U.S. in Nepal. All in all we're a team of 100 people! We have a Nepali based board and a U.S. board, and I have an amazing co-director on the ground in Nepal along with 75 employees and the Kopila Fellows program brings in people from around the world to volunteer and help us on the ground. We've grown so much and it's been incredible to watch us all unite for this cause and work together.
What can our RainbowKids family do to help you and your organization?
If you feel inspired to help our children, you can make a donation or start your own fundraiser on our website blinknow.org. There are lots of ways to get involved. You can also follow along on social media to share our story and raise awareness. I have a blog where I write about day to day life here and our social media pages have regular updates about life on the ground. Follow our website and BlinkNow on Instagram, facebook, twitter to learn more ways that you can help!
As a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a little girl the thought of growing up scared me. I remember wanting to stay a kid forever. I worked really hard in school, was a good student and was involved in sports, student council, but I feel had no idea what I wanted to be and feeling like I should have an answer always made me nervous. Part of the reason why I took a gap year to travel was to see the world and also go inwards to learn more about myself and what I wanted to do with my life. I feel really lucky to have gotten that time. It helped me find my path a lot younger than I would have otherwise.
Where do you see BlinkNow ten years from now?
We're working on building a new permanent school and expanding capacity. This work is incredibly addicting and especially after watching the transformation of the children, we want to increase enrollment. We have anywhere from 600-800 applicants a year for just 25 spots. We recently bought a big piece of property where we're currently under construction to build a high school, vocational center, as well as a permanent site for our middle school, elementary, and preschool. There's also a huge cafeteria and lots of outdoor space for the kids to run around and play. We're trying to build a long lasting, enduring, green school that serves as a model for others to learn from and hopefully help spread our work. Ten years from now I'd like our organization to be self-sustaining. Kids grow up so fast and as far as personal goals, I really just want to be the best mom I can be and raise my children to be confident, independent, and good future leaders.
If you could have one wish, what would it be?
I believe that cycles of poverty and violence will end when we make it more of a priority to care for our world's children. My wish is that every child has their most basic needs and rights met; a safe home, loving family, clean water, warm clothing and enough food is what every child in the world deserves and I think as a human family we can all do better.
The Kopila Valley Children's Home is solely funded by BlinkNow. Maggie and her 50 children live within the walls of this home. With the help of a team of loving aunties and uncles the children are being raised in an environment that wraps cozy, warm, bright, and cheerful arms around the most vulnerable of the valley and makes them feel loved. They are a family living under a roof of respect, love and community.
Over 350 children attend Kopila Valley School. Many are the first of their family to receive an education and most come from poor socioeconomic backgrounds. The school, however, is more than just a place to learn. The school is a day program where students enjoy a warm nutritious meal, basic medical and dental care, and after school activities like sports, music, crafts, and cooking classes.
In 2013, Blink Now opened the Kopila Valley Women's Center. On a daily basis the center is alive with activity as girls from around the region take part in daily classes, gaining the skills and tools to become economically self-sufficient and in turn improving the lives of their families.
It goes without saying that over the course of the past 10 years and with unwavering dedication from Maggie and her team this small part of the world has flourished with community pride. BlinkNow has set a standard for the renewel of lives that trickles down to even the tiniest of Kopila Valley's citizens.
Want to learn more about how you can host a fundraiser or donate to BlinkNow? Visit their website, follow them of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Change the life of a child in Nepal today!
If you know of a non-profit organization doing great work with orphans, let us know! We would love to feature them in our RainbowKids Orphan Care Alliance.
Author bio: Julie Barclay's life has been dedicated to children. A former public school teacher and summer camp counselor-in-training director from the Pacific Northwest, Julie has worked with varied populations of children, always advocating for those most vulnerable. After having a biological daughter and son, Julie and her husband welcomed home an infant son from Korea in 2002.
Just over a year later, the Barclay's family grew again. After seeing the photolisting of a 6-year-old boy with a heart condition in China, the family welcomed home their third son. In 2008 the Barclay clan welcomed their 5th child and 4th son, a 6-year-old from Ethiopia.
In 2013 Julie's life was touched by adoption one more time. Through a genetic testing service, a cousin had found her and reached out with a Facebook message, "I believe we are cousins, would you like to connect via email?" The sender? Martha Osborne, founder of RainbowKids.com
Since that day, Martha (adoptee and mom to 5 through Intercountry adoption) and Julie have created a seamless blend between their families. Together, they have joined their passion to advocate for vulnerable children and have expanded RainbowKids from an adoption advocacy website, to a dedicated child and family welfare website.
When Families Say "Help, I Need Somebody"
Take Chances, Get Messy!: Adopting an Older Child
BlinkNow: A Beauty in the Commotion
Benjamin's Turn
Family-Based Care Keeps Families Together
To Be Frank: Nepal Adoption
A Place Where No Child Should Ever Be
Help Save the Adoption Tax Credit!


Still morbidly curious about the bloody twelve-year-long pileup that was Duke Nukem Forever? Then the Jace Hall Show has you covered with new gameplay footage of the indefinitely on-hold 3D Realms game.
If screen shots, artwork, rough video and legal shenanigans weren't enough to satisfy you, perhaps off-screen footage—no direct feed here—of the unbelievably delayed game will do the trick. It shows that Duke Nukem Forever was more than likely a technically capable first-person shooter, full of things to shoot at, guns to fire and an ego-boosting mechanic that we'd love to hear more about.
Unfortunately, this video is hosted at Sony Pictures' Crackle, so it may not be available to view in the country of your choice. And the Duke Nukem Footage starts about halfway in, so you will have to suffer through some extra material. The audio is also NSFW, but probably hilarious if you're close personal friends with Jason Hall.
Update: Unfortunately, we can't embed the video. Sorry about that! You'll have to head elsewhere until we address the issue.


Amazon is high on Margaret Cho.
The streaming service has struck a deal with Cho to develop Highland, a comedy starring Cho as a woman who must undergo court-ordered rehab. As part of her agreement, she has a chance to start over–but must move in with her dysfunctional family.
Here's the catch: Her family now runs a pot dispensary.
Liz Sarnoff (Deadwood, Lost) has signed on to write and executive produce the project. Cho will also executive produce with Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements.
Tomorrow Studios (a partnership between ITV Studios and Adelstein) and Amazon Studios are behind the show.
Highland hasn't been ordered to pilot yet, but could eventually be a part of Amazon Prime's ongoing frequent practice of showcasing pilots to viewers.


text:
Shock! Jerry more sensible than Meg on Prop. 23/AB 32
John Seiler:
One of the weird things about the last gubernatorial debate is that Jerry Brown was more sensible on Prop. 23 than Meg Whitman.
Meg's position doesn't make any sense at all. As she explained, she opposes Prop. 23, which would suspend AB 32 until unemployment dropped to 5.5% for a year. AB 32 is, of course, the Jobs-Killing Act of 2006, and is supposed to reduce global warming, which is a hoax.
She insists that, as governor, she would suspend AB 32 for a year and "fix" it. But what if she doesn't become governor? And even if she becomes governor, there's no way she's going to get any change at all past the jobs-killing obsessives who run the Democratic Party that has almost a two-thirds majority in the Legislature, and will next year too.
Jerry, at the debate, pointed out that "suspending" AB 32 for just a year would only create uncertainty. As Meg the businesswoman should know, a year is nothing to a business. Unlike governments, which only think about how much they can steal before the next election, businesses plan for the long term. All her program – defeat Prop. 23 and suspend AB 32 for a year — would do is create more uncertainty.
If Prop. 23 loses and Jerry becomes governor, at least businesses will know how they stand. Many will leave. But those that stay will have made the decision to stick it out, and will try to survive.
As I've said before, Meg should have embraced Prop. 23 and used it as a battering ram to smash Jerry and win the election. Instead, she listened to her puddin-headed advisers, whom she paid millions, and got only bad advice.
After she loses, she should ask her advisers for her money back.
Montana 13 October, 2010, 20:04
Griff Harsh, the husband of California gubernatorial candidate Nutmeg Whitman, acknowledged in a statement on Thursday that "it is possible" he received and wrote notes on a letter from the Social Security Administration back in 2003, regarding the former Housekeeper/Maid. The Harsh/ Whitman household then fired their housekeeper in June 2009 (after nine years of service), when Nutmeg handlers decided that she was an election liability.
And now the Jill Armstrong, a former full-time nanny of the Harsh/ Whitman dungeon, came to the defense of the Housekeeper/Maid and told the San Francisco Chronicle that she believes Diaz's claim because she "know[s] the family" and "what it was like."
Meg, Meg, Meg, where do I start, you have reportedly spent $140 million of your own money to get elected Governor but you couldn't use some of it to get your housekeeper (after nine years of service) some legal help to get her papers, and worse you lied about it. Wow, what a WITCH, of course I meant it with a "B".
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#39450925
But your comments on holding employers accountable for hiring undocumented workers real takes the cake, I assume you exempt yourself and your husband, or will you be turning yourself in.
Meg on holding employers accountable:
Meg you think you can buy the election, but what puzzles many is if you real cared and loved California then why not do your civic duty and vote, seems more rhetoric than anything else.
In good times we might give you a try but not in our disaster mode that we find ourselves in after that so-called outsider Independent Republican, named Arnold Schwarzenegger (sold to us by radio personalities John and Ken), ruined our state, yah we will trust another one of you liars, think not. And another thing nine years this maid was in your house, in your house and you failed to learned this major thing about her, come on this sounds like a huge lie that no one can believe in.
Ebay paid out $200,000 because Nutmeg assaulted an employee, so it's not the first time she has mistreated an employee. Good luck winning Nutmeg, money will buy you admiration from the majority just from the Gay Old Party (GOP), but not from all of California.
Paul Taylor Examiner 14 October, 2010, 07:59
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has belatedly disclosed that its scientists have overestimated state diesel engine emissions by 340%. CARB is the powerful state agency charged with researching and regulating air quality standards. These diesel pollution estimates were the basis for costly 2007 regulations forcing businesses to cut diesel emissions by replacing or upgrading heavy-duty, diesel-fueled off-road vehicles used in construction and other industries.
CARB said the overestimate was due to diesel pollution calculated during the economic recession, when 150,000 diesel-exhaust-spewing vehicles in California were shuttered. Independent researchers, however, found that gross overestimates in the CARB diesel emissions were attributable to chronically-flawed computer modeling systems.
These flawed diesel pollution research regulations come from the same eco-obsessed CARD regulators that contrived the controversial 2006 California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32). California voters can delay the California Global Warming Solutions Act by voting for Prop. 23 on November 2nd. Prop. 23 would prudently suspend implementation of AB 32 greenhouse gas controls until the state's unemployment rate is reduced to below an unemployment rate benchmark of 5.5%.
Worse, last year members of the CARB learned that the author of critical studies on diesel engine pollution, Hien Tran, had falsified his academic credentials. Tran admitted his deception, and accepted a CARB demotion. However, Tran's analyses remained the basis for the aforementioned pollution regulations imposed upon operators of trucks, buses and other diesel-powered machinery. The Tran study concluded that diesel "particulate matter" (soot) was responsible for about 1,000 additional California deaths each year. Tens of millions of dollars in engine upgrades where required of California diesel operators under the new regulations.
Jerry Brown, the California Attorney General and Democrat gubernatorial candidate in the November 2nd election, should immediately order an investigation of CARB. Clearly, CARB's radical and costly air pollution regulations have been corrupted by partisan, militant eco-group lobbying and green bureaucrats.
What is clear from continuing climategate eruptions is that partisan ideologies and cultish environmentalism have replaced prudent science and rational environmental policy decisions. Militant environmentalism and green-obsessed bureaucrats have become an "axis of antagonism" that we can no longer afford.
Prop. 23AB 32CaliforniaJerry BrownJohn SeilerMeg Whitman
2 Inside Government 10 years ago
AB 32 has predicted effect on state manufacturing jobs
Jan. 19, 2013 By Chris Reed Trying to preserve and help create manufacturing jobs should be a primary goal of
37 Blog 11 years ago
Recall Gov. Jerry Brown!
John Seiler: I've had enough. Four and a half months of Gov. Jerry Brown, Part Deux, is four and a
Bills make it easier for agencies to penalize biz
April 4, 2013 By Katy Grimes Wednesday the Senate Environmental Quality Committee passed three bills, despite all three bills receiving credible
Placer Judge Busted! Again!