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Peacekeepers in a changing world
January 14, 2019 September 4, 2014 by Randy David
For many Filipinos, peacekeeping work for the United Nations may be just another form of overseas employment. But, for the Philippine government that deploys its nationals to serve as peacekeepers in many conflict zones across the world, it is a noble mission, a fulfillment of an obligation, and a fundamental expression of commitment to the idea of a unified world society. Danger, as we know, has never deterred the Filipino from working abroad. But no government in its right mind will knowingly put its people in harm's way without giving them the capability to protect themselves.
Mind-boggling changes in the world system are putting in question our basic assumptions about the nature and scope of UN peacekeeping. The Philippine decision to withdraw its forces from the Golan Heights after they came under siege by rebel groups—telling them to defend themselves or leave their post at the first opportunity rather than heed the order of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (Undof) commander to surrender—only reflects the complex conditions that have arisen in the region since the advent of the Syrian civil war.
UN peacekeeping forces were first sent to the Golan Heights in 1974 to monitor ceasefire violations and maintain the buffer zone separating Israel from Syria. The ceasefire ended the 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel and the Arab states. Apart from supervising the buffer zone and reporting ceasefire violations, the UN contingent marks minefields in the disputed territories, and conducts regular inspections of the Israeli and Syrian military forces in the area. Similar provisions for a UN observer force also exist on the Egyptian side.
No major problems were encountered for most of the last 40 years that the ceasefire agreement had been in place. But things began to rapidly change when the Syrian Uprising against the dictatorial regime of President Bashar al-Assad exploded in the spring of 2011. Much of the democratic world supported the uprising, which began in the form of mass protests echoing the libertarian voices of the Arab Spring that was then sweeping across the entire Arab world. But, unlike Egypt's Mubarak and Libya's Gadhafi, who were overthrown, Syria's Assad has resisted powerful pressures for him to step down.
The United States lent support to the Free Syrian Army that spearheaded the armed uprising. Russia took the side of Assad, and so did Iran and the Shia-Islamist Hezbollah in nearby Lebanon. Turkey joined the other Sunni-dominated countries in the effort to bring down the Assad regime that is identified with the ruling minority, the Alawite sect, a largely secularist group with close links to Shiite Muslims. This complex tapestry of religious and ethnic loyalties became even more intractable with the entry of militant jihadists from all over the world. Their objective is not just to bring down Assad but to establish an Islamic caliphate in the whole region, beginning with Iraq and Syria.
These Islamic fighters, originally part of the al-Qaida network, have virtually taken over the war against the Syrian regime. Notorious for the brutal beheadings it carries out on its enemies, one group calls itself the Islamic State (IS). Alongside them is the al-Nusra, which also sprang from al-Qaida, but, unlike the IS, it has kept its affinity with al-Qaida. In the struggle for supremacy, these two groups have pointed their weapons at each other. The Nusra militants hit the news recently after they claimed responsibility for the abduction of UN peacekeepers from Fiji, and demanded the surrender of the Filipino peacekeepers as a condition for the release of the Fijians.
Unlike the Syrian Army they are fighting, the jihadists are not components of any state; they exist beyond the reach of the UN. They are fighting Assad, but they are also fighting their long-term enemy, Israel. They are not bound by the ceasefire agreement between Syria and Israel. Assad himself feels no responsibility for any incursions these rebel forces may commit against Israel. Indeed, the complications created by the foreign jihadists who have turned his country into a vast battlefield and training ground for global terrorists suggest that overthrowing Assad at this time may have become the least of the world's concerns.
The map of the Middle East is clearly being redrawn. The old boundaries established by Europe's colonial powers are being erased. The secular regimes that came to power in the post-colonial era by drawing on nationalist impulses are coming down one-by-one. With globalization, nation-states gradually lose their ability to steer their societies. Finding nationality increasingly irrelevant and unresponsive to their needs, their citizens seek other sources of identity, and it is to this quest that religious fundamentalism has effectively responded. This is how al-Qaida and the Islamic State recruit adherents across national borders—by offering them an entirely new vision of life in a world that has shed off its familiar coherence.
It is this new reality that the United Nations seems unable to grasp. The world has sprung new players without nation-state affiliations, who cannot be made accountable by merely calling on the governments of the countries from which they may happen to be operating. Their presence on the world stage, plus their ability to play off nation-states against one another, has undermined the unity that has been the basis of the United Nations' authority to take legitimate action on behalf of humanity. The erosion of that unity can only be experienced as a loss of order.
Humanizing the bureaucracy
The Frankenstein of Metro Manila traffic


EAST CHAIN – Ruby's Pantry will have a food distribution on Saturday, March 22nd from 10-11:30 AM at the East Chain Evangelical Free Church in East Chain. Bring two large boxes or laundry basket for food. Call 507-236-4653 for more information.


Operator Name: Hopper Oil Co., Inc.
Map of Wells Associated with Hopper Oil Co., Inc.
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The NTX team has worked successfully together in the commercial finishes industry for more than 14 years. We are confident in producing high quality finishes on schedule. We are committed to our customers and to one another.


2014-06 Exposing and Assessing Learners' Epistemic Thinking Renken, Maggie; Chinn, Clark A.; Vargas, Penelope; Sandoval, William A.
2014-06 The Interplay of Domain-Specific and Domain-General Factors in Scientific Reasoning and Argumentation Fischer, Frank; Wecker, Christof; Hetmanek, Andreas; Osborne, Jonathan; Chinn, Clark A.; Duncan, Ravit Golan; Rinhart, Ronald W.; Siler, Stephanie A.; Klahr, David; Sandoval, William A.
2014-06 Students' Use of Evidence and Epistemic Criteria in Model Generation and Model Evaluation Duncan, Ravit Golan; Tate, Carol; Chinn, Clark A.


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Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent AMD processor.
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Download Uniblue Powersuite 2015 Serial + Setup from the given links.
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If there are any problems regarding the activation and download of Uniblue Powersuite 2015 Key. Comment in the comment section to let us know.


My name is Andrew Coleman and I have been working and learning in the fitness and Nutrition industry for over 8 years now. I grew up an athlete and always want to know more on what could help my athletic performance. I started to grow a passion for Nutrition and the roll it place in overall health and performance. I quickly realized that the information being shared was not always the truth and more so to sell a product or a quick fix. With my passion for nutrition and helping other and wanted to build a system to give people the knowledge and help to those that are seeking it. PUSH for me is a system of learning, and gaining knowledge that will help someone not just in a short amount of time but for a lifetime.


The Garage Door Shop are a 100% Australian owned and operated company trusted by households all over Melbourne. With a clear focus on client service and dependability, we provide on the spot service, repair work and setup of all major brands of garage door openers and remote controls.
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The most common issues that occur with garage doors consist of: roller door ballooning, jamming, stuck closed or open, opens by hand not automatically, emergency situation release stuck, lock/key damaged, door heavy to raise, door dropping and not staying in open position, remote control not working, motor running but door not moving, roller door loud or squeaking, undesirable sound, light not working, damaged springs, hinges damaged, wheels bent.
If you have a garage door that has to be opened by hand, you will understand all too well how inconvenient it is. When it's dark and cold, it's raining or you're just simply tired from a long day at work, an automated garage door is both useful and convenient in all situations. An automated garage door likewise supplies you with added security in addition to convenience at the push a button, allowing you to open the door, go into the premises and close the door without leaving your car.
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Garage door remotes have actually come a long way. Exactly what was once| the size of a cigarette pack now has the convenience of a little remote attached to your key rings. Remote control security has actually stepped up with rolling code and tri code technology which cant be duplicated, copied or cloned. If you are utilizing separate remote controls for you garages and gates we can have your garage doors and gate remotes function all from the one push-button control. Remote controls have four buttons, and each button can trigger a gadget separately offering you that convenience of carrying that a person remote which does it all.
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Q: PyQt program starting to crash for no reason I developped a program in PyQt for Windows a few months ago that I turned into an executable with py2exe, and it's suddenly starting to crash for no obvious reason.
By crashing I mean that the program closes without any explanation. I can't reproduce the problem on demand because it never crashes at the same action.
Do someone has an idea of where I could look for an explanation ? How to debug something like this ?

A: The best thing to do is run your program in a debugger like gdb and get a stack trace. Sometimes this doesn't lead to an obvious solution, though.
Here's a collection of things to look out for that cause crashes with pyqt:
What are good practices for avoiding crashes / hangs in PyQt?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


When you're working with spray pumps, you know that you're actually working with a lot more than just the spray pump. At our online store, we have all the accessories you need to keep your job easy and efficient. We have pressure regulators and gauges for ATV sprayers, as well as quick attach pressure regulators and gauges for TMDP7800 spray pumps. Why not grab a 12V wire harness kit that comes with a fuse, 2 pin connectors, and light adaptor for vehicles? Whatever your sprayer need, we have the matching spray pump accessory.
It's not just shopping that's easy with us, but delivery too. We'll ship to any address in Australia from the manufacturing facility that's closest to you, so you get your products quickly and cheaply. We're all about keeping costs low for our customers, so we'll also beat any quote you get on any product in our stock. Shop now and see how we can help you today.


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Tatiana Guimaraes Weston-Webb dos Santos (born May 9, 1996) is a Brazilian–American surfer based in Kauai, Hawaii.  She was the only rookie on the WCT (professional surfing) (World Championship Tour) in 2015. Weston-Webb wears jersey number 9, and  her 2016 'CT rank is number 4.  She was a competitor in the 2020 Summer Olympics, competing for Brazil.

Personal life
Weston-Webb's father, Douglas Weston-Webb, was born in England, a descendant of a family engaged in the textile business. The Weston-Webb name is a heritable double-barrelled surname, created through the marriage of two children of significant families in that industry. He was moved at an early age to the U.S. state of Florida, where he was raised. He learned to surf at age eight and later became a "surf bum" and relocated to Kauai in his 20s.

Weston-Webb's mother, Tanira Weston-Webb (), was a Brazilian professional body boarder, under sponsorship by two industry companies. Tanira's sister, Andrea Guimaraes, was also a bodyboarder.

Douglas and Tanira met while she was in Hawaii. They moved to Brazil, where Tatiana was born in 1996, in Porto Alegre. Because of her father's birth in the United Kingdom, Tatiana also automatically acquired British citizenship by descent at birth. However, she has not applied for a British passport, and her father has not renewed his in many years.

Within two months of her birth in Brazil, Weston-Webb and her parents moved to Hawaii. At age 8, while watching her older brother Troy surf, Tatiana decided to take up the sport as well. Surfing became a competition between the children, and Tatiana received her first surfboard soon afterward.

In 2020, she married longtime boyfriend Jesse Mendes dos Santos, a Brazilian fellow professional surfer from Guarujá, São Paulo, who competes under the name Jesse Mendes, in an intimate beachfront ceremony held at the Princeville Resort, a Kauai hotel her father had worked at for many years after the security guard allowed them to use the otherwise expensive site at no cost during the property's renovation.

Competition background
In 2015 Weston-Webb secured a spot in the World Championship Tour.

On April 29, 2018, she announced her switch to Brazil representation for the remainder of the 2018 WSL Championship Tour season, aiming to compete representing her native country in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, one of her dreams since surfing was announced as an official Olympic sport.

Victories

Media coverage
 2016 Surfer Magazine Hot 100 #1 Women
 2015 Free Surf Magazine Cover
 2015 Surfing Magazine Body Glove ad
 2014 Surfing Magazine online
 2014 Featured on ASP website
 2014 Surfline editorial
 2014 Surfing magazine April issue

Competitive highlights
 2016 4th place WSL Championship Tour Final Ratings
 2016 3rd place WSL/ CT Roxy Pro France
 2016 1st place Vans US Open of Surfing
 2016 3rd place WSL/ CT Drug Aware Margaret River Pro
 2016 3rd place WSL/ CT Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach
 2015 WSL/ Championship Tour Rookie of the Year
 2015 7th place WSL Championship Tour Final Ratings
 2015 5th place WSL/ CT Target Maui Pro HI
 2015 2nd place WSL/ CT Roxy Pro France
 2015 3rd place WSL/ CT Cascais Women's Pro
 2015 1st in the overall rating for the WSL Qualifying Series
 2015 5th place WSL/ CT Women's Drug Aware Margaret River Pro
 2015 5th place WSL/ CT Fiji Women's Pro
 2015 1st place WSL/ QS Paul Mitchell Super Girl Pro
 2015 3rd place WSL/ CT Snapper Pro
 2015 3rd place WSL/ QS Hurley Australian Open
 2015 3rd place WSL/ QS Samsung Galaxy Hainan Pro
 2014 Qualified to the WSL Championship Tour
 2014 3rd place ASP/ QS Swatch Girls Pro
 2014 GoPro winner at the CT Fiji event
 2014 3rd place ASP/ QS Port Taranaki Pro
 2014 2nd place ASP/ QS Super Girl Pro
 2014 1st place ISA World Junior Champs
 2013 1st place ISA World Junior Champs
 2013 1st place Surfing America Championships
 2013 3rd place ASP US Open Pro Juniors
 2013 3rd place ASP/ QS Pantin Classic
 2013 2nd place ASP World Junior Champs
 12th overall on the ASP Women's World ranking (*one spot from qualification to the ASP WCT)

References

External links
Tatiana Weston-Webb professional facebook
Surfer Magazine

Living people
1996 births
American surfers
Brazilian surfers
Olympic surfers of Brazil
Surfers at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Brazilian people of English descent
Brazilian emigrants to the United States
American people of Brazilian descent
American people of English descent
Sportspeople from Porto Alegre
American female surfers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Reema Zaman is an award-winning author, speaker, and actress. She was born in Bangladesh, raised in Hawaii and Thailand, and presently lives in Oregon. She is Oregon Literary Arts' Writer of Color Fellow, 2018. Her essays have been published in The Guardian, The Rumpus, Narratively, SHAPE, VIDA, and elsewhere. She proudly partners with various organizations, like Girls Inc. and Literary Arts, to help empower diverse voices across ages, cultures, and backgrounds. She travels widely to speak and perform. Her body of work and events schedule can be found at www.reemazaman.com.


Bahco has a comprehensive range of loppers for use by professionals across the horticultural and agricultural industries. When you choose a Bahco lopper you can be certain of getting one the highest quality loppers available on the market today.
Loppers are generally used for applications where the tree, plant or vine that is being pruned is too large for a hand shear but too small for a pruning saw. Due to the extreme lever action of the long handles on a lopper, some tasks can be accomplished in less time than using a pruning saw.
The benefits of pruning a plant with a lopper, where a one handed pruning shear would be to small, are that you will get a clean cut, eliminating some of the risk of disease getting into a bad wound. You will also extend the life of your pruning shears and possibly save yourself from injuries to your hand or wrist.
In most instances where a lopper is used for pruning work, a bypass lopper is used.
The bypass lopper is designed for cutting live wood.
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A heavy-duty bypass lopper for cutting very thick and strong branches on old and mature trees.
Has a long reach,for overhead cutting.
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This is a big, powerful lopper that can handle some of the largest cuts you will need to make !
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The shape of the cutting head makes it easy to get into "hard-to-reach" places and it is recommended for cuts up to 30mmm.
The blade and and counter blade, easily replaced if necessary, fit into the handle tubes for extra strength.
Soft buffers for comfort and less fatigue, and the long thin handles make the tool easy too hold.
The P160 range of loppers from Bahco has been specially designed for use in apple and pear orchards but it has proven itself to be one of the most popular models that we sell.
The P160-60, with a length of 60cm is being used in apple, pear, citrus and nut orchards, and also in vineyards and landscaping activities.
Recommended for making cuts up to 45mm in diameter, the blade and counterblade are larger than the those found on the P16 and PSL loppers.
The light aluminium handles ensure that the user is more productive throughout the day, and the rubber buffers in the handles eliminate shock being transferred to the wrists and forearms for more comfort.
The P160 range is available in 3 lengths, ranging from 60 - 90cm but we recommend the 60 and 75cm variants.
Click Here for a detailed parts diagram of the P160 Lopper.
The P16-60 lopper from Bahco is lightweight and robust. Probably the most popular bypass lopper in South Africa for use in vineyards.
The blade has the "double radii" design feature also found on the P19-80 lopper, giving quick and powerful cuts.
A robust counterblade also helps to finish the cut smoothly and easily while the rubber buffers between the handles help to prevent fatigue, reduce injuries to the elbow, and enhance the comfort of the user.
As with all high quality tools, the Bahco range of loppers has a full spare parts program, enabling you to extend the life of the tool by replacing worn and broken parts such as blades, counterblades, buffers and all bolts and nuts.


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Go there to listen: How music based on nature might not need natural sounds
Rothenberg, D., 2012, The Farthest Place: The Music of John Luther Adams. Northeastern University Press, p. 107-115 9 p.
Granular Impact: A Grain-Scale Approach
Clark, A. H., Petersen, A., Kondic, L., O'Hern, C. & Behringer, R. P., Jul 31 2015, Rapid Penetration into Granular Media: Visualizing the Fundamental Physics of Rapid Earth Penetration. Elsevier Inc., p. 319-351 33 p.
Green Broadband Access Networks
Han, T., Zhang, J. & Ansari, N., 2013, Handbook of Green Information and Communication Systems. Elsevier Inc., p. 441-465 25 p.
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Zhang, Y. & Ansari, N., 2013, Handbook of Green Information and Communication Systems. Elsevier Inc., p. 331-352 22 p.
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Eichhorn, S. J., Hearle, J. W. S., Jaffe, M. & Kikutani, T., Oct 26 2009, Natural, Regenerated, Inorganic and Specialist Fibres. Elsevier Inc., Vol. 2. p. 1-516 516 p.
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Eichhorn, S. J., Hearle, J. W. S., Jaffe, M. & Kikutani, T., Oct 19 2009, Fundamentals and Manufactured Polymer Fibres. Elsevier Ltd, Vol. 1. p. 1-502 502 p.
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Headspace Analysis - Purge and Trap
Kou, D. & Mitra, S., Jan 1 2004, Encyclopedia of Analytical Science: Second Edition. Elsevier Inc., p. 236-242 7 p.
Hearing in cavefishes
Soares, D., Niemiller, M. L. & Higgs, D. M., Jan 1 2016, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. Springer New York LLC, p. 187-195 9 p. (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology; vol. 877).
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Wei, Z., Jan 2 2012, Next Generation Microarray Bioinformatics: Methods and Protocols. Wang, J., Tian, T. & Tan, A. C. (eds.). p. 337-344 8 p. (Methods in Molecular Biology; vol. 802).
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High order Nyström methods for transmission problems for Helmholtz equation
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Homeomorphisms and Fredholm theory for perturbations of nonlinear fredholm maps of index zero and of A-proper maps with applications
Milojević, P. S., Jan 1 2011, Springer Optimization and Its Applications. Springer International Publishing, p. 339-363 25 p. (Springer Optimization and Its Applications; vol. 42).
How to Design Peptides
Dodd-o, J., Acevedo-Jake, A. M., Azizogli, A. R., Mulligan, V. K. & Kumar, V. A., 2023, Methods in Molecular Biology. Humana Press Inc., p. 187-216 30 p. (Methods in Molecular Biology; vol. 2597).
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Lo, C. H. & Ansari, N., 2013, Handbook of Green Information and Communication Systems. Elsevier Inc., p. 91-114 24 p.
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Image steganalysis
Huang, F., Li, B., Shi, Y. Q., Huang, J. & Xuan, G., 2010, Intelligent Multimedia Analysis for Security Applications. Sencar, H. T., Velastin, S., Nikolaidis, N. & Lian, S. (eds.). p. 275-303 29 p. (Studies in Computational Intelligence; vol. 282).
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Katz, E., Jan 2 2014, The Ecological Community: Environmental Challenges for Philosophy, Politics and Morality. Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 163-174 12 p.
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Leung, J. Y. T., Jan 1 2007, Handbook of Real-Time and Embedded Systems. CRC Press, p. 7-1-7-14
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Shih, F. Y. & Sheppard, A., Jan 1 2017, Multimedia Security: Watermarking, Steganography, and Forensics. CRC Press, p. 51-64 14 p.
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Liu, Q. & Liu, C., 2017, Intelligent Systems Reference Library. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, p. 45-63 19 p. (Intelligent Systems Reference Library; vol. 121).
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Improving the performance of color spaces for face recognition by color space normalization and rotation
Yang, J., Liu, C. & Yang, J. Y., Jan 1 2010, Biometrics: Methods, Applications and Analysis. Nova Science Publishers, Inc., p. 109-129 21 p.
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Information Creation through Analytics
Kudyba, S., Jan 1 2014, Big Data, Mining, and Analytics: Components of Strategic Decision Making. CRC Press, p. 17-47 31 p.
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Shih, F. Y. & Wu, Y. T., 2009, Information Hiding and Applications. Pan, J-S., Huang, H-C. & Jain, L. (eds.). p. 205-223 19 p. (Studies in Computational Intelligence; vol. 227).
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Fjermestad, J. & Romano, N. C., Dec 1 2009, Social Implications of Data Mining and Information Privacy: Interdisciplinary Frameworks and Solutions. IGI Global, p. 48-70 23 p.
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Herbert, K. G., Wang, J. T. L. & Liu, J., Jan 1 2004, Computer Science Handbook, Second Edition. CRC Press, p. 75-1-75-16
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Infrared observations from the new solar telescope at big bear
Goode, P. R. & Cao, W., Jan 1 2014, Solar Dynamics and Magnetism from the Interior to the Atmosphere. Springer New York, p. 315-322 8 p.
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polarimetry 17%
Inheritable color space (InCS) and generalized InCS framework with applications to kinship verification
Liu, Q. & Liu, C., Jan 1 2017, Intelligent Systems Reference Library. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, p. 65-89 25 p. (Intelligent Systems Reference Library; vol. 121).
kinship 100%
Kinship 98%
Robustness 30%
Inheritance Operations in Massively Parallel Knowledge Representation
Geller, J., Jan 1 1994, Machine Intelligence and Pattern Recognition. C ed. p. 95-113 19 p. (Machine Intelligence and Pattern Recognition; vol. 14, no. C).
Knowledge representation 100%
Trees (mathematics) 52%
Injectable Hydrogels for Vascular Tissue Engineering
Li, F., Ho, W. & Xu, X., 2022, Methods in Molecular Biology. Humana Press Inc., p. 165-176 12 p. (Methods in Molecular Biology; vol. 2375).
Hydrogels 100%
Tissue Engineering 90%
Citric Acid 84%
Blood Vessels 54%
Injections 53%
Instabilities in the flow of thin liquid films
Kondic, L. & Diez, J. A., Dec 1 2001, IUTAM SYMPOSIUM ON FREE SURFACE FLOWS. KING, A. C. & SHIKHMURZAEV, YD. (eds.). p. 161-168 8 p. (Fluid Mechanics and its Applications; vol. 62).
Liquid films 100%
Lubrication 90%
Thin films 75%
Integrity Assurance for Data Outsourcing
Outsourcing 100%
Servers 40%
Metadata 27%
Interactive multimedia for educating computer integrated manufacturing and product design
Ranky, P. G., Dec 1 1996, Technical Paper -Society of Manufacturing Engineers. ER. SME
Computer integrated manufacturing 100%
Animation 74%
Acoustic waves 58%
Ravindra, N. M., Jariwala, B., Bañobre, A. & Maske, A., 2019, SpringerBriefs in Materials. Springer, p. 1-5 5 p. (SpringerBriefs in Materials).
Seebeck Effect 100%
Seebeck effect 92%
Peltier Effect 79%
Thermoelectric Effect 75%
Introduction and notation
Leung, J., Jan 1 2004, Handbook of Scheduling: Algorithms, Models, and Performance Analysis. CRC Press, p. 1-1-1-10
Repair 100%
Automobile 76%
Airports 67%
Automobiles 62%
Introduction and overview
Lee, I., Leung, J. Y. T. & Son, S. H., Jan 1 2007, Handbook of Real-Time and Embedded Systems. CRC Press, p. 1-1-1-8
Flight paths 24%
Telecommunication systems 24%
Blood pressure 23%
Takeoff 21%
Introduction to medical imaging and image analysis: A multidisciplinary paradigm
Dhawan, A. P., Huang, H. K. & Kim, D. S., Jan 1 2008, Principles and Advanced Methods in Medical Imaging and Image Analysis. World Scientific Publishing Co., p. 1-8 8 p.
Computer-Assisted Diagnosis 80%
Atlases 51%
Physiological Phenomena 50%
Introduction to the Big Data Era
Kudyba, S. & Kwatinetz, M., Jan 1 2014, Big Data, Mining, and Analytics: Components of Strategic Decision Making. CRC Press, p. 1-15 15 p.
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering
Schussler, S., Guiro, K. & Arinzeh, T. L., Jan 1 2016, Handbook of Bioceramics and Biocomposites. Springer International Publishing, p. 615-636 22 p.
Bioceramic 100%
Bioceramics 90%
Isn't all public space Terrain vague?
Franck, K. A., Jan 1 2013, Terrain Vague: Interstices at the Edge of the Pale. Taylor and Francis, p. 153-170 18 p.
Iterative deadlock control for Petri net models of automated manufacturing systems: Algorithms and case studies
Wang, A. & Zhou, M. C., May 31 2013, Formal Methods in Manufacturing Systems: Recent Advances. IGI Global, p. 296-321 26 p.
Flexible manufacturing systems 41%
Katz, E., Dec 13 2007, A Companion to Environmental Philosophy. Blackwell Publishing Inc., p. 81-95 15 p.
Key Developments in Research and Patents
Ravindra, N. M., Jariwala, B., Bañobre, A. & Maske, A., 2019, SpringerBriefs in Materials. Springer, p. 113-119 7 p. (SpringerBriefs in Materials).
Industry 100%

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Kala Matai would love your feedback! Got a few minutes to write a review?
When Cherry Blossoms Bloom
Kala Matai 6 stories
Growing Flames
Ruth sat alone on her couch. She felt the warmth touch her cheeks as she thought about Hirozaki. So gentlemen do still exist. She felt like a true lady when she was with him. His every word and then touch set her body on fire. Old fashioned she may be, but God her body was screaming for her to be a harlot. She rolled her eyes. Good grief. They had only just met. And she knew better than anyone that love at first sight was bullshit. She had thought differently when she was younger and look how that turned out. Is it possible for a man to be able to balance being a gentleman and having the urge to ravage the woman he chooses? Hirozaki seemed to have the latter part down to a science. As she lay there, she imagined for a moment, his hair must be so soft. She would consider it an honor if he allowed her to touch it, least of all running it through her fingers. His eyes seemed to smile, even when he was being serious. Like her, he seemed lost in time. The best parts of history had passed them by without so much as a sideways glance. He had told her he was a history professor back home. She adored history, and listening to him speak was so calming to her. Her nervousness now had nothing to do with being around him after this. She enjoyed his company and found herself missing him already. Ruth sighed and decided to get ready for bed. She always slept naked. Especially now that she no longer had to worry about her children crawling into bed with her anymore. She lay down and covered herself. But could not sleep. She sighed again. "Damn it body." She says out loud. She tried to relax, closing her eyes. What would it be like to lay with someone like him? Would he be shy? Or would he know exactly what to do to pleasure a woman? Ruth began to touch herself. Imagining Hirozaki kissing her gently first before beginning to explore her body. Her imperfect body. Ruth grimaced then. And stopped for a moment. Her self consciousness threatening to cure her of her body's prior demands for attention. She roll over then. A tear falling. She was certainly not worthy of such a man. Why would he show interest in her? She fell asleep not too long after holding a tear soaked pillow.
Hirozaki had only just fallen asleep when he felt his chest tighten. Only just enough that he noticed. He closed his eyes again, unsure of what had wakened him. He dreamed. He saw Ruth sitting alone in the dark. He could hear voices whispering. As he concentrated on what they were saying, he heard. "You are such a fucking whore." He looked around trying to locate the source, "How dare they?" He thought. "You are a terrible mother." The same voice. When he tried to walk towards Ruth, she seemed to slip away. "No man is ever going to want you." A different voice this time. A man's voice. Hirozaki clenched his fists. What was this? "Stop this!" He yelled. The voices seemed to laugh then. But he found that he had gained some distance in reaching where Ruth sat. He noticed, she was bound in chains. Her head bowed, he could see the tears falling. "What is this?" He yells. He then heard Ruth's voice, faint. "So gentlemen do exist." A faint light appeared above her subdued form. A flicker like a star. But then a hand seemed to appear out of nowhere, as well as the first voice from before. "She's damaged goods, what do you want with her?" The hand then extinguished the light as quickly as it came. He heard Ruth's voice again. "I could never be worthy of such a man." The other voice seemed to gloat as it laughed. Hirozaki closed his eyes and breathed. "I'll show you." He yelled at the voice. "I'll not allow you to keep her." The voice just laughed. "She's been mine for a long time, boy." For only a moment, Ruth turned her head and looked at him. Her eyes pleading. The chain that bound her jerked her forward again. Hirozaki woke suddenly. Covered in sweat. He found his palms bleeding, having dug his nails into them. He grabbed a Kleenex from the box beside his bed and held them in his hands. He dressed and found his way to the bathroom. After washing his hands, he cleaned and dressed them. As he looked in the mirror, he could see the bags under his eyes. He had not dreamt like that since he was a child. Having dreamt of the demise of his parents before it occurred. He had awoken much as he had now. But as a child, he had screamed and his parents had both come to him. Comforting his fears with assurances that it was all a bad dream. Until it wasn't. But why would he dream of a woman he had only just met? He could sense her sadness at their first meeting. Saw the fear and anxiety as she fled from him, so overwhelmed that she forgot her purse. His presence alone seemed to have an impact on her. And he found that her presence was doing the same. He was calmer as well. No wonder Iruko had looked at him so strangely. He was acting out of character when he was around her.
Iruko woke and found his friend in the kitchen drinking a cup of green tea. He was staring off. "Hiro, what happened?" Iruko asked when he saw his friends wrapped hands. "It's nothing." Iruko sighed. "It's clearly not nothing, your hands are bandaged." Hirozaki looked down and flexed his bandaged hands again. "Do you still believe in fate?" Hirozaki then asked his friend. Iruko looked at him and shook his head. "Haven't in a long time." His friend nodded. "I dreamt about Ruth last night." Iruko raised an eyebrow. "Like when we were kids?" He nodded. Iruko sighed. "It was a dark dream. She was trapped." Iruko simply nodded. It was easier to do that than to say anything. Just to show that he had heard him.
5. Growing Flames
1 The Things We Do For Friends
2 Chance Meeting
3 Unknown Territory
4 Getting To Know Each Other
5 Growing Flames
6 Connections
7 It Begins Apace
8 Cultures Coalesce
9 20 Questions
10 Activities Abound
11 Write To Impress
12 Enter The Darkness
13 Surprise Me
14 Patience Is It's Own Reward
15 Enter The Dragon
16 Scorched Earth
17 A Light In The Dark
18 Her Knight
19 Honeymoon Reprieve
20 As You Wish Professor
21 Shadows
22 Lonely Struggle
23 Realization
24 Chains of Pain
25 One's Own Worst Enemy
26 Safe Harbor
27 Cherry Blossoms
Books About Vikings
Books Similar to George R.R. Martin's
Books About Heroes
Books Similar to Sarah J. Maas'
Books About Fairies
Books Similar to 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'
Books Similar to 'Star Trek'


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ETM International is hosting a video competition to compile footage for the official music video of "I'm Your Hope" — a video dedicated to and by the youth. Looking forward to recieving your entries! Extended deadline: March 4th 2011. Click here for more detailed instructions.
ATTENTION TO ALL PRO & SEMI-PRO VIDEO CREATORS – An opportunity to work on an international Music Video with Sami Yusuf.
We are making a Music Video for the following song "I'm Your Hope" (Unofficial Video) by Sami Yusuf. The song is about the trials and challenges faced by the youth and how we, collectively, are either indirectly or directly 'harming' and 'killing' our youth. It's a global initiative and we would love for everyone to be a part of it.
We are putting together the brilliant snippets we've received from the competition for the official I'm Your Hope video. But it's going to take a while. We thought we should have more of your entries meanwhile. So, here's another chance for you to pick up your cameras, film and send your videos over by 4th March!
We're accepting all good quality videos so don't shy away from using your mobile phones! Follow the guidelines given below.
Waiting for you all. Good luck!
Use your own creativity to judge the scenes. Someone could write a word on a wall. Another could write with a pen on paper. Other can write with chalk on the pavement. Think about your scene as a small sequence in the video. And remember to build up the tension, or build up the understanding of the scene. Also, it would be good to see the actors walking or moving. N.B. The scenes should not be more than 5-6 seconds.


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Kikuyu People and the Traditional Ceremony of the Second Birth
Emmanuel Kariuki
Emmanuel Kariuki is a native Kikuyu speaker and has written extensively about the Kikuyu community and the language on Hubpages
The woman sat in a birthing position with the child (not shown) between her knees in a dark hut. Traditional birth attendance were present to applaud when the child was re-born
Updated 12 April 2012
Kikuyu people: Ceremony of the second birth
Routledge, writing in the early 1900's noted that all the Kikuyu clans in his locality took their male children through a ceremony that re-enacted a birth. He termed it appropriately 'second birth' and was perplexed by it. He noted that "the symbolical second birth is perhaps the most mysterious of the Kikuyu rites…" Routledge tried to get to the bottom of the rite, but much as he tried, the Kikuyu would not let him in on it. He even offered to be taken through the rite himself while his wife offered to be one of the birth attendants. Routledge records that, "no amount of bribery or use of personal influence prevailed to permit either of us to witness it." The European couple was however fortunate to have among their servants "natives who have freed themselves from tradition," who described the procedure, having gone through the ceremony themselves.
For those who have read my writings about the Kikuyu having come from Ancient Egypt, this right is not as mysterious as Routledge would have us believe. Before we look at the significance of this ancient rite, let us discuss it in some detail.
Detail of the Ceremony
Routledge's infomant, being a man, give the impression that only boys were taken through this rite. The rite was performed when the boy could be trusted with herding goats, which by today's reckoning would be about 10 years of age.According to Cagnolo, even girls were taken through the rite. It seem he too was perplexed by the objectives of the rite, which it seems were to legitimize the original birth, "for reasons only known to the mother."
A day was appointed by the boy's father for the rite. It could be any day, as long the goat for the rite could be availed and the presence of the participants guaranteed. If the boy's father was not alive, another man represented him. The same case applied to the child's mother. Any non biological couple that acted in this way was accorded the same respect as the real parents of the boy in future.
On the appointed day, the hut for the rite was swept clean, with everybody attending to their duties as usual. The animal was killed late in the afternoon by someone other than the boys would be father. The gut and intestines were kept aside. Later in the evening, the boy, his would be mother and her birth attendants entered the hut. No man was allowed in, just like in the case of a real birth. All the boy's ornaments were removed. The woman sat on a piece of hide in a birthing position and the boy sat in front of her, but between her knew. A piece of the skin from the slaughtered goat was passed over one should and under the other arm of the boy. The woman then pretended to be in labour and made the necessary sounds. At this point the guts and intestines were passed round the woman and to the front of the boy. One of the women in attendance cut the gut, soiling the boy in the process. Perhaps that was the signal for the boy to utter a cry like a newborn, sending the attendants into ululation, exactly the way they would have sounded when celebrating the birth of a real baby. The birth attendant and the 'mother' of the 'baby' bathed the boy who spent the night in that hut with his 'mother,' all through to the third day.
On the third day, visitors came to see the 'new born' with presents and there was much feasting. That night, the father also spent the night in the hut, marking the end of the ceremony. The boy was now a full member of the community.
If a child died before going through this ceremony, the community was not involved in his burial. His mother disposed off the body without help before being cleansed for handling a dead body.
This rite was probably invented by women, so that as a man grows, he will forever hold a woman in awe. Indeed, the respect accorded to Kikuyu women was great, and such a ceremony would only have served to increase it. This ceremony cannot have served the interests of men in any perceivable way.
The Kikuyu came from Egypt
I have state elsewhere in my writing on the Kikuyu that when they came from Egypt, the retinue had many women from the Pharaoh's harem. Having come from Egypt, these women would only marry someone who was 'a son of the sun,' since they were 'daughters of the sun.' But when they arrived in the Mount Kenya area, such men were in short supply. Many of them would already have wives from Egypt. The women had no recourse than to marry the local men. But here was the catch. The locals were 'inferior' so to speak, and the only way to bring them culturally to the level of the women from Egypt was to take them through a ceremony of 'second birth,' where they would be adopted by 'a son and daughter of the sun.' This would be followed closely by the circumcision rite.
How this rite is connected with migration from Egypt
Of course I should supply some evidence, otherwise all this would be pure conjecture. Here we go:
· All Kikuyu clans are headed by women and according the myth of origin, Gikuyu and Mumbi had only daughters and Gikuyu had to sacrifice to God Ngai in order to get men to marry his daughters.
· When a Kikuyu child was old enough to receive religious instructions, the cartilage of his ears was pierced and three sticks called Ndugira were inserted. The sticks faced upwards, perhaps to direct knowledge from or about the sun to enter. Note Ndugi-RA is suffixed with RA, the sun God. The Mother's brother would then impart the necessary 'Kiri-RA' – religious instruction. Note again the RA suffix. Kirira in this case means 'it has RA.'
It makes sense that when Gikuyu identified men to marry his daughters, he had to incorporate them first into the 'sun culture' by taking them through rituals that would make them 'belong.' A group of men who have just gone through the rite of circumsion are called 'mumo' – they have come out (of what? An outside culture?). Each young circumcised man is now a 'Mwanake' – which to me is from the morphemes 'Mwana (child) and 'Wake' (his) – his child. Only after going through these rites of 'second birth' and 'circumcision' did they belong.
Kikuyu Girls were 'Daughters of the Sun'
In a story collected by Cagnolo around 1933, entitled 'Daughters of the sun,' we find that young men actually craved to marry the daughters of the sun in order to belong:
Sixty youths of a certain village heard one day that no girl in the world was as beautiful as the daughter of the sun. – If we do not obtain her for our own, they said, we shall always be degenerate sons of the stock of ichagatae.
Note the strong words used if they do not marry the daughter of the sun! They would be degenerate sons of the stock of ichagatae. I have inquired about this stock but no living Kikuyu remembers what stock it was. But in the eyes of the stock itself, they felt hopless and despicable, and would only be cleansed by marrying the daughter of the sun. Since 60 youth cannot all mary the same girl, it is my submission that just like Solomons harem, there were enough 'daughters of the sun' for every man who was willing to be born again and cleansed from his original stock. Even today, I am to understand that Kikuyu women who marry into cultures that do not circumcise their men insist that the man first undergoes the surgical procedure as a precondition. The House of Mumbi still rules.
The second birth is no longer practiced today. With the coming of Christianity, the priests had a very easy time teaching the Kikuyu about being born again in Christ. It was a concept that they already understood under different circumstances and easily dropped their ancient rite for baptism later confirmation.
There you have it. The ceremony of the second birth was perplexing to anyone who did not know where the Kikuyu had come from, and the power of the woman in Kikuyu traditions.
1. Cagnolo, C.,1933, The Akikuyu, Their customs, Traditions and Folklore, Mission Printing school, Nyeri.
2. Leakey, L.S.B., 1977, The Southern Kikuyu before 1903, Vol I,II & III, Academic Press, London.
3. Routledge, W. S., and Routledge K., 1910, With a Prehistoric People, the Akikuyu of British East Africa, Edward Anorld, London.
© 2012 Emmanuel Kariuki
Karen Kiki Meria on April 21, 2017:
Hello...a very interesting piece once again...may I ask before the arrival of gikuyu/arkhenaten...what was the origin of the kikuyu before the Gikuyu and Mumbi was crafted??
Emmanuel Kariuki (author) from Nairobi, Kenya on August 05, 2014:
Gilbert you can buy online atEbay, you can refrence copies at museum and national archives libraries. Never heard that castle.
GILBERT MWANGI from NAIROBI,KENYA on August 05, 2014:
Once again,an interesting piece.If my memorys serves me right,Jomo wrote about second birth in his eponymus book-Facing Mt Kenya.
Now,some unrelated question here:Someone once told me that the Agikuyu had their own way of immunization long before the colonialists came along.I think this is mentioned in Leakeys book-The Southern Kikuyu before 1903.Two,where can I get a copy of that book? Someone told me there is a copy in a hotel called Royal Castle up in Kirinyaga.Gday
Emmanuel Kariuki (author) from Nairobi, Kenya on April 16, 2012:
Not yet Prossylink, but rest assured I will be stopping there soon. I am sure to find something interesting.
Proscovia Mudanyi from Nairobi on April 16, 2012:
Thanks Emmanuel. Have you seen my hubs.
Old folks yes. I prefer those aged over 80, because they at least came into contact with aged people who died without accepting the western culture among my people. Those early old folk said or did things that can still be remembered by our living 80 + year olds. If you know such people, start visiting them and you will be surprised at how much they love sharing what they know. In fact, they are even more surprised that people younger than themselves hardly ask questions regarding the past. Now when you add what they tell you to what you can read from written accounts, you have superb material for us to read.
Hallo Emmanuel,
Thanks for the tips, and about walking museums that's even more interesting, are they the old folks.
Hello Prossylink, Good to hear from you.
I read a book once in which the author said that 'most of what I know, I read from a book.' Same with me. Most of it is referenced from books and I mention them where appropriate. I also talk to knowledgeable old people - walking museums. This museums are dissappearing fast, so it's a race against time. Then lastly, I make up my own conclusions and come up with a story of my own, sometimes quite different from my sources, and that is the part I enjoy most.
Welcome to the hubpages community. I will be visiting your pages soon.
I have been reading your hubs and they really interesting.Where do you get all that info! Just joined hubs and hope to learn more from you.
voted interesting.
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Browse > Home / Vatican / Imam Agrees That Catholics Shouldn't Breed Like Rabbits
Imam Agrees That Catholics Shouldn't Breed Like Rabbits
Just a day after Pope Francis told Catholics that they should not feel like they have to breed "like rabbits" because of the Church's ban on contraception, an American Imam today echoed the Pope's words, urging Catholics to listen to their spiritual leader.
"Yes, that sounds like an excellent idea," the Imam reportedly said this morning. "Having many Catholic children is such a burden, and the Catholic world is so overpopulated already. One Catholic child, maybe two, is plenty to bring into the world. Maybe none at all is best."
The Imam, who has a meager 8 children himself, praised the progressive culture of Europe, where both marriage and child-bearing have reached an all-time low in most countries. "When it comes down to it, a Catholic is really being selfish when bringing more people to suffer in this world. Contraception, even abortion, is really the best option for Catholics." The Imam concluded, "On the other hand, in a generation or so none of this will matter anyway."


WORCESTER – A 31-year-old Worcester man was arrested on Saturday after robbing Dollar General on Main St.
According to the Worcester Police Department [WPD], officers were dispatched on Saturday evening around 6:30 PM for an armed robbery at the store. The officers were told that the suspect — later identified as Vencenzo Brancaccio of Worcester — grabbed two phones and then pointed a knife at a store employee before running out of the store with the phones.
The employee told the officers that Brancaccio had been previously known to employees at Dollar General and was banned from the store.
In just ten minutes, officers were able to locate Brancaccio at the corner of Main and Beaver St. The employee identified him immediately. Brancaccio also had an oustanding warrant and was placed under arrest for Armed Robbery and the warrant. The knife was found on him. He will be arraigned in Worcester District Court.


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Congrats, #RedBull #RedBullStratos and @BaumgartnFelix!
Congratulations to RedBull and Felix Baumgartner for an amazing, remarkable, historic... (insert your "wow" adjective here) jump!
Here's the Yahoo article on the space jump.


This entry was posted on July 23, 2012 at 7:33 am and is filed under News with tags Deep House, Electronic, EMN Promo, Freerange Records, Got To Pray, House, Ibadan Records, Mike Monday, Moodymanc, Nikola Gala, Pezzner, Plastic City, Promo, Rekids, Scope, Shur-I-Kan, Tech House, The Timewriter.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


The mommy makeover refers to combined cosmetic surgery procedures for breast and body rejuvenation following pregnancy and child birth. Among the greatest gifts that we experience in life is the gift of children. For mothers however, pregnancy, childbirth and breast feeding can take a toll on their bodies. The physiologic effects of child bearing impact many organ systems and anatomical parts, particularly the breasts and abdomen. Even following a single pregnancy and especially following multiple pregnancies, changes in the appearance and aesthetics of these body parts may be significant and irreversible. To restore their pre-pregnancy figure, the first goal for mothers following childbirth should be to resume a healthy diet and exercise regimen to help lose the "baby weight". The direction of their OB/GYN or primary care physician will help mothers to return to their pre-pregnancy state of health. Even after returning to an ideal weight and regular exercise regimen, some of the aesthetic changes in the breasts and abdomen remain unimproved or may even have worsened. At this point, cosmetic surgery may be the answer for many women, to help further restore the aesthetic appearance of their breasts and abdominal region.
Getting a mommy makeover in Miami FL.
Dr. Polo has been recognized in his field by peers and by corporate industry through election to several positions of leadership. He is a past president of the Miami Society of Plastic Surgeons and served on its executive committee for four years. He is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Florida Society of Plastic Surgeons. He is a current member of the Breast Program Leadership Committee for Baptist Health South Florida Outpatient Services. He is a member of the Breast Cancer Tumor Site Team for the Miami Cancer Institute of Baptist Health South Florida.
Dr. Polo lectures regularly to community groups on breast cancer reconstruction and he provides pro-bono services to breast cancer patients through the Baptist Health pastoral care program and La Liga Contra el Cancer.
Dr. Polo was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. He is of Cuban and Italian descent and is bilingual in English and Spanish.


Is this the Most Immersive Social Media Advertising Yet?
Facebook just took social media advertising to a level every other channel can only aspire to.
You know, for a social media platform whose demographic is only getting older, Facebook still leads the way in innovations eventually adopted by competing platforms. Especially when it comes to advertising.
With every company upping their investment in social media advertising, channels like Facebook are devising new ways to give people the advertising experience they so desperately try to avoid on TV and radio.
We're straying further and further away from traditional, organic ads with a sales-y message and an eye-grabbing image. Social media ads are becoming more sophisticated, more complex, and more expensive, for both the advertisers taking time to create the ads and for the audience getting more exposed to these types of ads.
Canvas ads are similar to the slideshow ads that were wheeled out by Facebook. They allow you to say far more than those boring traditional ads we just alluded to.
The days of a 25-character headline, 150-character post copy, and 150-character description are a thing of the past now. Now, Facebook has elected to not only provide more room in the ad for copy and images, but for more interaction with users, as well.
Unlike slideshow ads, however, Canvas ads take up your whole screen when clicked upon. You are fully immersed in the branding experience; a HUGE plus for any advertiser.
From there, you can scroll through several different screens. Each screen is unique, featuring a different offer or product and call-to-action. It's easy to see why this is one of the most interactive ad experiences you've ever encountered online.
Just like a commercial advertisement, Canvas ads are a form of visual storytelling. The experience isn't solely in the copy, but more importantly in the visual component. Unlike commercials, however, Canvas is far more welcoming to its intended audience.
Already, large corporations such as Target, Wendy's, and Carnival, have told their story through Canvas. While they may have far more funds for reach and targeting than the average business, any company can create a Canvas ad as well done as theirs.
That's another big advantage of Canvas ads: It's not biased against smaller companies, which has occurred recently with a shift towards video-based advertising. When in-house marketing departments of companies like Samsung can produce commercial-quality videos to promote their product, it's tough for a smaller business to compete.
The video will likely get far more attention than the traditional image that any social media account could produce.
Canvas levels the playing field. Maybe not all the way (Bigger companies still have the money and notoriety to get their ad seen by millions), but enough that the production value is almost even.
Before it becomes wildly popular and every brand starts producing their own Canvas ad, I highly suggest getting on over to Facebook Power Editor now and playing around with the features to create one of your own.


If you could assign music to the major races of the Stargate universe. What genre or song would you assign? What would be the sound of each one?
If you can think of any other races, please do so.
Indeed. Classical for the Ancients. That would be cool. For example, Beethoven's Symphony no. 9 could be a preparation for war piece.
The Nox - some kind of new-agey, ethereal music. Like Enya, except even less structural.
Or like Zhaan's singing from Farscape, if anyone watches that.


Oak Harbor's Katie Bishop placed third in the national semifinals of the Pitch, Hit and Run contest Sunday, July 1, at Safeco Field in Seattle.
Bishop, competing in the 13/14 softball division, won the local and sectional competitions to qualify for semifinals.
Semifinals were held at every Major League Baseball park, and the best scores from each were compared and the top three from across the country were invited to the finals. The championship round will be during the MLB All-Star activities July 17 in Washington, D.C.
The semifinals at Safeco Field were held after the Mariners' game with Kansas City.
Bishop trailed Madison Williams of Anchorage and Skyler Teixeira of Portland in her division.
Bishop said the event was "good" and "fun," but she was disappointed in her performance.
"I did pretty good in running, but I only hit the target twice in throwing and didn't adjust the tee right in the hitting," she said.


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Security increased after threatened attack on LA rail stop
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the threat authorities say they have received that an attack is to be launched Tuesday at Los Angeles' Universal City commuter rail stop (all times local):
Authorities say they have stepped up security on Los Angeles County's commuter rail system after receiving a report that an attack on the Universal City subway stop is planned for Tuesday.
The assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles office told reporters Monday night the threat was passed on to her agency's Joint Terrorism Task Force from the force's international partners.
Assistant Director Deirdre Fike says although the threat's credibility hasn't been confirmed, authorities are taking no chances.
Numerous sheriff's deputies with police dogs could be seen patrolling the Universal City station on Monday night.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti urged people to carry on with their normal activities Tuesday, but expect to see increased security. That will include uniformed officers with dogs as well as plainclothes officers.
Garcetti says he himself will ride the subway line on Tuesday.
The FBI and local law enforcement agencies called a news conference Monday to discuss what the FBI calls a "non-corroborated" threat involving the Los Angeles area.
The FBI did not elaborate on the nature of the threat except to say authorities haven't determined yet whether it is credible.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Sheriff's Department is stepping up security at transit stations across the area after a threat to blow up the commuter rail station in Universal City.
The station is adjacent to Universal CityWalk, an area filled with restaurants, nightclubs and other entertainment activities and often crowded.
Sheriff's Department Chief Scott Edson tells the Times (http://lat.ms/1gkt1hp) authorities have decided to step up security at Universal City and other stations based on recent information.


Some people want to make sure that they have the right cleaning lady for their particular needs, but are unsure how to narrow down their options. The best thing to do is ask questions that help you find out more about the cleaning lady. Because we understand that it may be difficult to come up with your own questions, we have narrowed down a few important questions divided by grouping.
What is a clean house to you? – You can learn more about what she believes is a 'job well done'. Does this include washing the windows, making sure everything is dust free underneath the couch etc?
What are your long-term goals? – It is a good idea to know whether this person believes that being a cleaning lady is something she does as a transitional phase or because she has a passion for it.
What would your references say about you? – Not only does this give you something to expect when calling references, but if it somewhat matches with what her references say, you know that this person knows herself.
How many years of experience do you have? – More experience often means better results, but also means that you are going to have to pay your cleaning lady more.
What do you do and don't you do? – Make sure that you answer questions about windows, doing laundry etc. Anything that you would like your cleaning lady to do around the house that is not considered 'standard'.
Do you have any allergies? – Can your cleaning lady handle being around your pet? (If applicable) Are there certain things she is unable to do because she is allergic?
When do you work? – Some cleaning ladies prefer to work while the homeowner is away while others prefer to work when the homeowner is around. Make sure that you have a specific idea what her preferences are so you can be sure that you are compatible.
Any physical limitations? – Are there any physical limitations that would determine whether this person is able to do certain jobs? Perhaps she is unable to stand on a ladder or physically unable to move heavier couches around. These are important factors to determine before hiring someone.
Do you know surfaces? – There are certain surfaces that would not do well with specific types of harsh chemicals. It is important that any possible cleaning lady understands the intricacies of cleaning your home.
If you have enough information and know that you are honestly going to consider the cleaning lady you are interviewing, it is important to find out a bit more about the possible employment details. ?
When could you start – Are there other factors that go into the availability of this cleaning lady? Does she have other cleaning lady jobs that you need to be aware of?
How often can you work – If you need someone every week, but this particular cleaning lady only has once a month availability, chances are that it is not a good fit.
Can we discuss a trial period? – You want to make sure the quality is what you expect.
Of course, there might be other housekeeper interview questions that you think are important to ask. However, these should help you get started with your cleaning lady interview.


Like everyone else, my wife, Amanda, and I are limiting our expenses these days. But withholding money for certain things is not an option. Things like a working toilet.
We've known since we bought our house 2 ½ years ago that the pink porcelain perch in our bathroom would have to go. Aesthetics aside, the commode was prone to overflowing, and recently it had developed a slow leak around the base. A plumber's snake, a new wax ring, and, most importantly, a professional-grade plunger had failed to remediate these problems. Reluctantly, we decided it was necessary to flush some money down a new toilet.
The total cost, including installation, was $400. But this was an investment in our home, and the model we picked had some appealing improvements. With consumption of just 1.28 gallons per flush, it is 20 percent more efficient than even the current, low-flow standard of 1.6 gallons. The height of the bowl is several inches taller than our previous water closet, making it easier to spend long, leisurely afternoons reading Entertainment Weekly. Plus, the new toity is white, rather than a sickening shade of Pepto-Bismol. Only the brand name of the toilet gave me some pause. The word "Jacuzzi" brings to mind a very different piece of plumbing. So I was relieved to learn that there were no French attachments to blur the line between the two.
Just a few hours after the plumbers installed the toilet, I noticed a problem. The water softener in our basement was now draining constantly, gushing water into our utility sink. I had to shut off the water completely to avoid drying up the Susquehanna River. When one of the plumbers returned the next day, I told him it seemed freakishly coincidental that the water softener would break down immediately after the new toilet was put in. He offered a probable explanation that didn't make me feel better, but at least made some sense. They had to shut off our house's water supply before they installed the new toilet. Sometimes when the water gets turned back on, sediment or rust in the pipes can come loose and damage hardware further down the line. In our case, there was an ancient, Sears water softener just waiting for our plumbing to throw a clot so it could shuffle off this Kenmore-tal coil.
As a temporary fix, the plumber bypassed the water softener so we could have running water without the huge drainage. But Johnson City has very hard water, so unless we want dry skin, damaged hair, and spotty silverware, we need to buy a new water softener. My preliminary research online and in the home improvement section of a bookstore indicates that choosing one will be a complicated matter. One tank or two? Ion exchange or reverse osmosis? No groceries for six months or a second mortgage?
What began as a $400 investment will now likely explode to more than $2,000. And when we finally get the water softener installed, I wouldn't be surprised if our chimney collapsed.
Is Duck Dynasty's Goose Finally Cooked?


There are just very couple of people on the planet who've perfect skin. For many people, we're left to deal with a number of skin problems varying from acne to dried-out skin and sensitive skin. More often than not, however, skin troubles are caused by these products we experience the skin we have. Sensitive skincare goods are in the marketplace today, and most of them are very good at helping most sensitive skin problems.
Would you frequently have skin break outs? Before you purchase the very first sensitive skin anti wrinkle cream the thing is, consider the skincare products you're already using. Should you frequently use makeup, remember that the less costly ones can frequently cause sensitive skincare problems because they generally have dangerous chemicals and harsh ingredients. The greater costly and branded makeups tend to be gentler and therefore are frequently non-allergenic. Also look into the skincare lotions and creams in addition to shampoos you utilize and make certain that they don't have harsh ingredients.
The colour of the epidermis also determines your skin's sensitivity. For those who have fair skin, the skin is much more responsive to allergens when compared with more dark skin. This really is one more reason that you should consider using sensitive skincare products.
There are a variety of sensitive skincare products available. You need to carefully choose the one which is suitable for your skin rather of grabbing the very first sensitive skin anti wrinkle cream that you simply see. However, take time to have your skin correctly evaluated so that you can pick the appropriate sensitive skin anti wrinkle cream for you personally.
When you're selecting a sensitive skin anti wrinkle cream, avoid those that list perfume among the ingredients. Narrow your decision to sensitive skincare items that are natural and contain no harsh chemicals. Sensitive skincare products with real natural aloe-vera make the perfect choice because aloe has healing qualities. For moisturizers, lotions and cleansers, opt for individuals which are hypo-allergenic.
You retain your pores unclogged by making use of facial moisturizer before wearing makeup. The moisturizer functions like a barrier involving the skin and also the makeup. Remember that oil-based makeups have a tendency to clog the pores of the epidermis with time, so it's better if you are using a water-based makeup rather of the oil-based one. You will find makeups available which are particularly created for sensitive skin check these out.
Next The Skin Care Results In Beauty And Charisma!


A Las Palmas woman who is waiting to be re-housed so she can care for her handicapped adult son properly appears to have come up with her own solution, much to the embarrassment of the authorities.
22.06.2015 - Pensioner Leonor Pérez has spent years carrying her son Manolo, a cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy sufferer, on her back, up and down the stairs to her third-floor flat in the city's Lomo del Chinche district. Her selfless devotion has received prominent coverage in the regional media, prompting a personal visit from the regional social services minister Inés Rojas recently.
However, despite promises of a remedy, Pérez is still forced to perform the daily routine of carrying Manolo up and down the flight of stairs to allow him to leave the flat and attend his care centre. According to the Canarias 7 newspaper, she has come up with her own solution after learning that a flat in a nearby block with a lift is empty and a swap deal may be feasible. "The other place is much better as it only has five steps at the entrance to the building. I would be happy to exchange and would continue to pay off my house while living across there" said Leonor, who was promised an accessible home and, in the meantime, adaptations to her current one to make her life easier. According to the paper, one month after the visit by Rojas neither solution had materialised and the long-suffering mother has decided to take the matter in hand herself.
Produced with news.CMS in 0,0826 seconds.


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Top Trends in Canadian Sport for Youth
By admin on March 25, 2020 No Comment
Hockey has been Canada's most beloved sport for over a century. In U Sports, ice hockey is the major trend. However, due to the changing demographics of the country, we're seeing a change in the sport trends among the country's youth.
The main national sport still holds its value. For better or for worse, ice hockey is here to stay. However, young Canadians have opportunities to play other sports as well. We're happy to see more funding going into basketball, soccer, and other sports that attract players of different ages.
Let's look at the most important sport trends among Canada's youth.
5 Trends in Canadian Sports for Youth
Canada Is Investing More in the Olympic Games
Due to the situation with COVID-19, we're not sure whether the 2020 Olympic Games will be postponed. The one thing we know for sure is that Canadian athletes will not compete if the games are not postponed. The risk is too big.
That being said, Canada has invested more than ever in young people training for the Olympics this time. Ever since the 2010 Games in Vancouver, when the competitors won 14 gold medals, we've become one of the most successful nations to participate in the Games.
RBC Training Ground is a special program that identifies and funds young athletes, who have beginner Olympic potential. Amateur athletes have a chance to get noticed and receive financial and other support, so they can reach the Games.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 prevented this year's plans from getting realized. RBC Training Ground has suspended the remaining qualifying events. However, we cannot neglect the fact that our country has been investing in the youth. Currently, we're going through a difficult situation with effects on a global level. When we recover from it, this program will be as strong as ever.
Canadian Basketball Is Rising
It's a great time to be interested in basketball. This is not the beginning of basketball in Canada. It's been present for decades. However, we still haven't done anything impressive on the international stage. Kelly Olynyk, Shai-Gigeous Alexander, Brandon Clarke and other Canadian players got noticed when they played for U.S. college team. That's slowly starting to change.
During the 2019-2020 season of U Sports, 48 out of 56 universities that participate in the league have basketball teams for both men and women.
Canada's official women's basketball team is currently ranked fourth on a global level. If the Olympics weren't cancelled, our team would've been one of the greatest contenders for a medal.
We're looking at a massive trend, which is slowly leading to a cultural shift in the country. Our attention is slowly shifting from the ice to the hardwood. Basketball has great potential to overtake hockey as the most popular sport in the country.
Football Is Evolving, Too
Have you ever wondered why Canadians loved American football so much? Think about it: it's a brutal game that puts its players in vulnerable positions. It's a tough game for those who aren't afraid to get a few bruises here and there. Does it remind you of something? It's almost as brutal as hockey, so it's no wonder why Canadians enjoy it so much.
U.S. teams still hold priority over this sport. Players get massive scholarships to play for their college teams. They are so consumed by the game that they tend to neglect the remaining aspects of their education. But hey; since EduBirdie can write an essay online, there's no reason for a student to skip practice and commit to homework. Fortunately, young Canadians haven't gone that far. They love football, but they tend to be more committed to their studies when compared to their U.S. counterparts.
Only 27 member schools sent their teams to compete during the 2019 U Sports football season. But it's easy to see a rising trend when the audience is so excited supporting the teams.
We're Getting More Interested in Soccer
When compared to hockey, soccer has a major advantage: it's not as expensive. There's another important factor that increases the popularity of this sport: immigrant Canadians from Europe, South America, and Africa love it!
In terms of youth participation, soccer is among the top sports in Canada. Toronto FC is a leader in this progress. Although the women's program is not supported that well by the government, the Canadian women's youth team finished fourth at Uruguay 2018; a FIFA youth competition.
There's nothing strange with soccer getting more popular in Canada. After all, it's the most beloved sport on the planet.
Tennis Is Getting More Popular, Too
Milos Raonic and Eugenie Bouchard changed the way Canadians see tennis. It's no longer a sport for the privileged. It became interesting to everyone. Young Canadians were holding their breath throughout 2019, cheering for their new favorite tennis players.
Genie Bouchard turned pro before she was 20 years old. She was lucky to have supportive parents. Her entire family moved to Florida when she was 12. Why did they do this? Genie's parents wanted her to pursue her passion with good coaches, and the U.S. offered far better training conditions than Canada at that time. But when she was 15, Genie came back to Montreal to continue her training.
She set a great example for young Canadians: they can play tennis, too! But she also taught Canada a lesson: the country must invest in this sport.
Canada becoming a tennis superpower – that was something we couldn't imagine a few years ago. Now, the country has several rising young stars, who successfully compete in international tournaments.
It's Great to Witness Some Versatility in Canadian Youth Sports
Truth be told, we've never been obsessed with a single sport. However, it's great to see schools and organizations investing more in sports other than hockey. Ice hockey still holds the pedestal, since it's where we're most successful as a nation.
Basketball, soccer, football, and tennis are attracting the attention of Canadian youth more than ever. It's a shame that we won't be participating in the next Olympic Games, unless they get postponed. But that doesn't stop young people from training and making progress in the sports they love.
BIO: Elizabeth Skinner is a lover of hockey, fencing, and basketball. She's been exploring Canadian sports in the recent years, and she realized that young people aren't getting as many opportunities as they should. Through her blog posts, Elizabeth is motivating teenagers to train harder and pursue their dreams.
olympics, opinion, soccer, sports
Top Trends in Canadian Sport for Youth added by admin on March 25, 2020


Watch a preview of the photos we have in our photo albums. Please click on a photo to enlarge the photo and open it in a light-box. Click anywhere on the screen to get back the normal view. Enjoy the photos from Imaging and Arts – photography and web design!
We like to share our tips and tricks regarding photography and web design with you. You can find articles in our blog which explains aspects of photography. You may also find useful tips on how to make the best pictures and what to take into account. You can also find articles regarding web design so that you can maintain a site and even construct one. We will also publish reviews with respect to the quality and ease of photography products and web design products such that you can make a right choice.
Imaging and Arts is a Dutch based company that offers services in photography and web design. We primarily offer our services in The Hague, The Netherlands. We are registered in the Chamber of Commerce in The Hague under the number 65301056 and out VAT number is NL144817925B01. Our site is bilingual in Dutch and English, that is done as we are based in The Netherlands and we want that our photos and photo albums can be viewed and read by everyone in the world.
Do you wish to hire us a photographer or to design your website? Or do you want more information regarding our services? Please so not hesitate to contact us. You can contact us by sending an email or to fill in the contact form. You may also contact us if you feel that information in the description of the photos are wrong and what should be improved.
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The 47 Most Diabolical Video-Game Villains of All ...
The 47 Most Diabolical Video-Game Villains of All Time
GamePro staff (GamePro (online)) on 02 April, 2008 14:09
10. Phoenix (Phoenix)
Sure, Phoenix looked a lot like its black and white predecessor, Space Invaders, and didn't seem to stand apart very much from its more widely-known peer, Galaxian. But then Round 5 came along and your starship faced off against just one lone opponent-the mothership. Not only was that encounter a quarter-munching exercise in tension, it was also the first time a player ever encountered a video game boss!
9. Bowser (Super Mario Bros. series)
You'd probably expect Bowser to be higher in this list, but the truth of the matter is that he's like Keanu Reeves-an uncharismatic lump who lucked into major roles in a number of very important titles. This giant turtle, who employs mushrooms and turtles in his quest to kidnap Princess Peach, bungles things so often that he admires the batting average of Dr. Claw.
8. Kerrigan and the Zerg Overmind (StarCraft)
As spiritual successors to the cinema's Aliens and predecessors to Halo's The Flood, the Zerg were videogames' perfect representation of a sudden, relentless and tactless rush of force. In fact, their importance in video game history has been firmly established by the community itself, since the early rush strategy has been dubbed "zerging" in almost every applicable genre.
Like the Borg, the Zerg simply infect their enemies as they consume them whole. In a fantastic plot twist, Kerrigan, one of the beloved heros of the human forces, is infected by the Zerg and serves as their strategist and spokesman in their battle against humanity and the technologically superior Protoss. In one of the most grueling grand finales in videogame history, the Protoss and Humans must join forces to assault the brutally relentless Zerg. Now that is an enemy.
And...oh...my...God... break out the Kleenex, baby, they just said StarCraft II!
7. Darth Vader (Eleven Thousand Star Wars Games)
The Dark Lord of the Sith, probably the most fearsome villain in pop culture history (at least, before he became a Stewie-wannabe in the prequels), has dominated our video gaming hearts from almost the very beginning of the medium. Old school gamers first faced the mouthbreather in his TIE Advanced starfighter (before you even knew that was its proper name) in the vector graphics Star Wars Arcade game in 1983.
Darth Vader became the go-to villain in a zillion Star Wars titles, and you could even play as the big guy in titles like Masters of Teras Kasi and Battlefront II, or in unlockable missions in the Rogue Leader games. The best representation of what it's like to fight the Dark Lord, however, is probably 1993's Super Empire Strikes Back for SNES, a side-scroller where you control Luke Skywalker in a ferocious recreation of Empire's climactic lightsaber duel.
6. Mother Brain (Metroid series)
Mother Brain, the final boss of the sprawling, epic Metroid (not to mention several of its sequels), offers an exhausting battle at the conclusion of one of the most notorious and epic final assaults in any video game. She's the brains ('natch) behind the evil Space Pirate, and apparently the head honcho Metroid.
By the time you even reach Mother Brain, you'll have battled your way through a huge laboratory with cobra-quick Metroids and other various bad guys attacking from all angles, while desperately conserving life and missiles because literally every last bit counts in this final confrontation. And then even your victory can't be enjoyed, because it leads to a breakneck race back through the entire game.
5. The Ghosts (Pac-Man series)
At the sunrise of video game history, you weren't human unless Pac-Man fever was driving you crazy. And it didn't matter if you were a carpenter, a politician or a kid with dreams of a virtual future, your life's goal was to escape those wascally ghosts-Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde-long enough to get a new high score.
They never rested, never slowed, and just got faster and faster. Even kids crafty enough to learn the fabled patterns (many of which could be found on the inside record sheath of Buckner & Garcia's Pac-Man Fever album) realized there was a point at which the ghosts became impervious to Pac's power pellets. The things that really got eaten in this game? Your quarters.
4. Ganon (The Legend of Zelda series)
Like teenyboppers returning to the mall as their ritual Mecca, gamers flock back to the land of Hyrule every few years to experience a new epic adventure as Link, the young hero who must save a world freshly corrupted by the evil Ganon. Almost every Legend of Zelda game pits you against Ganon, or Ganondorf in some cases, a vicious tyrant who has corrupted the magical powers of the legendary Triforce of Power and unleashed darkness upon the land.
Usually depicted as a humanoid powermonger who also takes a boar form, Ganon is given different backstories in every Zelda game. As the wielder of the Triforce of Power, Ganon has caused mayhem in his mad thirst for power, and the young hero Link must follow his footsteps and uncover his path while collecting the remaining two Triforces (Courage and Wisdom), and then confront Ganon in a battle for the fate of the land. The series' consistently strong writing keeps Ganon fresh in each tale, while introducing new mythologies and plot devices, including time travel in titles like A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time.
3. Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear Solid)
This brilliantly-designed villain was crafted to be so powerful that he could break the fourth wall and reach out to the player, transcending the barrier between player and game avatar. This is the kind of out-of-the-box game design that propels titles like Metal Gear Solid to become classics.
In an eerie twist, Psycho Mantis, a shady telekinetic and telepath with roots in both the FBI and KGB, seems to take over your game console during your confrontation. He reads your memory card, analyzing which games you've been playing and how many times you've saved, and then even makes your screen go blank in a way that feels like your VCR has gone awry. This chilling effect makes it feel like Psycho Mantis is watching you, the gamer, and the battle takes on a far more personal gravity. If only more game designers gave thought to breaking the fourth wall or challenging our standards for interfacing with games-then those inebriated college kids would really have something to ponder.
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