text:
Troubled veterans may suffer from something other than PTSD
By Brian Van Reet
Brian Van Reet is a former sergeant in the Army who served in Baghdad from 2004 to 2005.
It has become an all-too-common story: A young person joins the military, deploys to war and later returns home, only to be troubled by the horrors of combat duty. This traumatic past intrudes on the soldier's new life, tormenting him or her up to the point of substance abuse, criminality and even suicide.
This narrative of combat trauma and self-destruction has gained primacy, partly because it is easy to understand — it sounds true — and partly because it sometimes is true. It elegantly explains how acts of violence, directed inwardly and outwardly, resonate through time.
Science, however, is beginning to suggest that the link between war, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and self-harm is not what many expect, given our prevailing cultural narratives.
For instance, a study published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concludes that exposure to combat does not increase the likelihood that a service member will take his or her own life.
These counterintuitive findings demonstrate the need for further examination of war's effects on those who fight it. As we attempt to understand this problem, it might be helpful to distinguish the experience of fighting a war from the experience of serving in the military during wartime.
The looming threat of year-on, year-off deployments places a psychological burden on all service members — regardless of whether one is ever deployed — and may encourage risk-taking behavior or a live-for-the-day mentality that develops in response to a highly uncertain future.
Compounding this phenomenon, young people who seek danger are perhaps more likely to join the military in times of war than in peacetime. People with a genetic predisposition to thrill-seekingmight also be more likely to drink, to use drugs, to suffer financial ruin, to get divorced — in short, to act in ways that have been shown to correlate strongly with suicide.
In thinking about this problem, combat-related trauma should be a factor, but so should the character of military recruits before they see action. Other considerations are the structural character of the military, which is capable of rendering draconian shades of misery at a strength, if not intensity, that rivals the better-documented horrors of the battlefield.
In 2003, I received stop-loss orders. They meant that instead of getting out of the Army after two years, as I had expected, I would instead be deployed to Iraq. Eighteen months later, when the stop-loss order was finally lifted, I had spent almost twice as much time on active duty as I had signed up for.
After I was discharged, I remained a member of the Individual Ready Reserve but thought I was finished with the Army. Then one day, years later, I received a letter ordering me to report for "muster duty" at a mobilization center. There, after considering whether I wanted to chance being called back to active duty, I signed an addendum to my enlistment contract that obligated me to attend weekend drill once a month but that also guaranteed I could not be deployed for the remainder of my time in service.
Combat brings its own long-lasting privations — most notably to the civilians who live in places where wars are fought — but the institution of the Army caused me as much sustained mental hardship as any traumatic thing I saw or did while fighting overseas.
Tom Toles goes global
A collection of cartoons about international news.
A collection of Tom Toles cartoons about international news.
I know I am lucky to be able to make that statement. I am also lucky that even when I went through hard times, I always thought I had something to live for. I never considered suicide as a feasible escape.
But if I had taken my own life, many people would have assumed I did so because something I had seen or done in Baghdad haunted me. In the unlikely event that my death made the news, the media probably would have been quick to mention my tour in Iraq but less ready to speculate on whether I drank too much or suffered from a mental disorder such as manic depression. Yet the latter two factors have been shown, including in the recent JAMA study, to correlate more strongly with military suicide than does a person's status as a combat veteran.
Many are quick to retell the combat trauma narrative as a way to explain why veterans hurt themselves. It is the stuff of Greek tragedy, the sins and wounds of the past revisiting the present, and it makes for a better, more dramatic story. It has the ring of truth, but that does not always — or even commonly — make it true. PTSD is a valuable concept but not if it is used as a catchall for the myriad ways that war, peace, genetics and institutions all shape the behavior of veterans.
Read more on this subject:
Timothy Kudo: I killed people in Afghanistan. Was I right or wrong?
Sebastian Junger: Soldiers need to share the moral burden of war
Rebecca Sinclair: When the strains of war lead to infidelity


text:
Assailant wounds 3 in stabbing in busy Hague shopping area
Posted 12:23 PM, November 29, 2019, by Associated Press, Updated at 05:41PM, November 29, 2019
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — An assailant stabbed three people Friday night in a busy shopping district in the Netherlands, and police were searching for the suspect, authorities said.
The attack came just hours after a man wearing a fake explosive vest stabbed several people in London, killing two, before he was tackled by members of the public and then fatally shot by officers. Police treated it as a terrorist attack.
A Dutch police spokeswoman said it was too early to establish a motive for the attack in The Hague.
The victims, all minors, were released from the hospital late Friday. It was unclear whether they might have been hurt when the crowds of holiday shoppers panicked. Video from the scene showed people running away and shrieking. Calm returned soon after police arrived.
The stabbing happened about 7:45 p.m., when a man attacked several people on the street. Investigators were "keeping every scenario open," police spokeswoman Marije Kuiper said.
The stabbing happened in an area teeming with shoppers. Supermarket chains and luxury shops were lit up with early Christmas decorations.
Police sealed off a wide perimeter behind which onlookers were kept at bay.
The Netherlands was shocked by a similar stabbing in Amsterdam a year ago, when two Americans were wounded in a knife attack that prosecutors say had a "terrorist motive."
Get the top 5 daily headlines and breaking news alerts
Start each day with the 5 most important stories impacting you and your family. Click here to sign up for breaking news and daily headlines from Western Washington's #1 Morning News.
UK police: Bridge attacker had been jailed for terror crimes
1 dead, 3 hurt in stabbings at Oregon shopping center, town
Police: Tacoma officer stabbed in cheek, suspect in custody
National & World News News
5 stabbed at Hanukkah celebration north of NYC
Felon accused of murdering beloved Lakewood convenience store owner
Woman stabbed for wearing fur boots that turned out to be fake, police say
Man invited to Thanksgiving stabs 3 people during dinner, authorities say
Stabbing in Seattle's International District leaves man in critical condition
A 12-year-old boy saved his great-grandparents when his half brother allegedly stabbed them
London extremist attack takes center stage in UK campaign
Second suspect arrested in Lakewood store owner's stabbing death
Suspects accused of attacking immigrant in Bellevue called her a terrorist, told her to 'go back home'
'There must be something wrong with him:' Stabbing victim, detectives hope you can help ID random street attack suspect

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
using GalaSoft.MvvmLight;
using Lunatic.Core;
using Core = Lunatic.Core;
using System;
using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using System.ComponentModel;
using Xceed.Wpf.Toolkit.PropertyGrid.Attributes;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using Lunatic.SyntaController;
using Lunatic.Core.Classes;
using Lunatic.Core.Geometry;
using Newtonsoft.Json;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

namespace ASCOM.Lunatic.Telescope
{
   public class DevelopmentOptions
   {
      public bool ShowAdvancedOptions { get; set; }
      public bool ShowPolarAlign { get; set; }

      public bool Use3PointAlgorithm { get; set; }

      [Description("Maximum Goto Iterations")]
      public int MaximumSlewCount { get; set; }

      public int GotoResolution { get; set; }

      [Description("Goto RA Compensation")]
      public int GotoRACompensation { get; set; }

      public bool ListDisplayMode { get; set; }

      [Description("Goto Slew Limit")]
      public int GotoSlewLimit { get; set; }
   }

   public class CustomMount
   {
      //CUSTOM_TRACKING_OFFSET_DEC=0
      public int TrackingDecOffset { get; set; }
      //CUSTOM_TRACKING_OFFSET_RA=0
      public int TrackingRAOffset { get; set; }
      //CUSTOM_DEC_STEPS_WORM=50133
      public int DecWormSteps { get; set; }
      //CUSTOM_RA_STEPS_WORM=50133
      public int RAWormSteps { get; set; }
      //CUSTOM_DEC_STEPS_360=9024000
      public int DecStepsPer360 { get; set; }
      //CUSTOM_RA_STEPS_360=9024000
      public int RAStepsPer360 { get; set; }
   }

   [TypeConverter(typeof(EnumTypeConverter))]
   public enum MountOptions
   {
      [Description("Auto detect")]
      AutoDetect,
      [Description("Custom")]
      Custom
   }

   public class Settings
   {
      /// <summary>
      /// The encoder timer interval in milliseconds. Controls
      /// how ofen the mount is queried for it's current position.
      /// </summary>
      public int EncoderTimerInterval { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// The pulse timer interval in milliseconds.
      /// </summary>
      public int PulseTimerInterval { get; set; }

      //CUSTOM_MOUNT=0
      public CustomMount CustomMount { get; set; }
      public MountOptions MountOption { get; set; }

      public DevelopmentOptions DevelopmentOptions { get; set; }

      public bool ASCOMCompatibilityStrict { get; set; }
      //FriendlyName=
      //ProcessPrioirty=0

      public RetryOption Retry { get; set; }
      //Timeout=1000
      public TimeOutOption Timeout { get; set; }
      //Baud=9600
      public BaudRate BaudRate { get; set; }

      //Port=COM4
      public string COMPort { get; set; }

      // TRACE_STATE
      public bool IsTracing { get; set; }

      //EQPARKSTATUS=parked
      public ParkStatus ParkStatus { get; set; }

      public AxisPosition AxisUnparkPosition { get; set; }

      [Obsolete("Use AxisUnparkPosition"), JsonIgnore()]
      public int RAEncoderUnparkPosition { get; set; }
      [Obsolete("Use AxisUnparkPosition"), JsonIgnore()]
      public int DECEncoderUnparkPosition { get; set; }

      public AxisPosition AxisParkPosition { get; set; }

      [Obsolete("Use AxisParkPosition"), JsonIgnore()]
      public int RAEncoderParkPosition { get; set; }
      [Obsolete("Use AxisParkPosition"), JsonIgnore()]
      public int DECEncoderParkPosition { get; set; }

      public AutoguiderPortRate RAAutoGuiderPortRate { get; set; }
      public AutoguiderPortRate DECAutoGuiderPortRate { get; set; }

      public bool CheckRASync { get; set; }

      // gAscomCompatibility.AllowPulseGuide
      public PulseGuidingOption PulseGuidingMode { get; set; }

      public AscomCompliance AscomCompliance { get; set; }

      public bool ThreeStarEnable { get; set; }

      public SyncAlignmentModeOptions SyncAlignmentMode { get; set; }

      public bool DisableSyncLimit { get; set; }

      public AxisPosition AxisHomePosition { get; set; }

      public MountCoordinate CurrentMountPosition { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// The RA Axis position in Radians
      /// </summary>
      [Obsolete("Use CurrentMountPosition instead"), JsonIgnore()]
      public double RAAxisPosition { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// The DEC Axis position in Radians
      /// </summary>
      [Obsolete("Use CurrentMountPosition instead"), JsonIgnore()]
      public double DECAxisPosition { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// Initial RA sync adjustment (Radians)
      /// </summary>
      [Obsolete("Use InitialAxisSyncAdjustment instead"), JsonIgnore()]
      public double RASync01 { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// Initial DEC sync adjustment (Radians)
      /// </summary>
      [Obsolete("Use InitialAxisSyncAdjustment instead"), JsonIgnore()]
      public double DECSync01 { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// Initial sync adjustment (Radians)
      /// </summary>
      public AxisPosition InitialAxisSyncAdjustment { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// Initial RA Alignment adjustment (Radians)
      /// </summary>
      [Obsolete("Use InitialAxisAlignmentAdjustment instead"), JsonIgnore()]
      public double RA1Star { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// Initial DEC Alignment adjustment (Radians)
      /// </summary>
      [Obsolete("Use InitialAxisAlignmentAdjustment instead"), JsonIgnore()]
      public double DEC1Star { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// Initial alignment adjustment
      /// </summary>
      public AxisPosition InitialAxisAlignmentAdjustment { get; set; }
      /// <summary>
      /// Max Sync Diff (EQ_MAXSYNC)
      /// </summary>
      public double MaxSync { get; set; }

      /// <summary>
      /// Total Common RA-Encoder Steps
      /// </summary>
      public int Tot_step { get; set; }

      public bool EmulOneShot { get; set; }

      public bool CommsErrorStop { get; set; }

      public AlignmentPointCollection AlignmentPoints { get; set; }

      public bool SaveAlignmentStarsOnAppend { get; set; }

      public PointFilterOption AlignmentPointFilter { get; set; }

      public bool UseAffineTakiAndPolar { get; set; }    // Formally HC.PolarEnable

      /// <summary>
      /// Alignment proximity in degrees
      /// </summary>
      public int AlignmentProximity { get; set; }      // ProximityRA

      public bool TrackUsingPEC { get; set; }            // Track using PEC (HC.CheckPEC.Value)

      public string CustomTrackName { get; set; }

      public Settings()
      {
         this.AscomCompliance = new AscomCompliance();
         this.AlignmentPoints = new AlignmentPointCollection();
         this.DevelopmentOptions = new DevelopmentOptions();
         SetDefaults();
      }

      private void SetDefaults()
      {
         this.SaveAlignmentStarsOnAppend = true;
         this.DevelopmentOptions.MaximumSlewCount = 5;
         this.DevelopmentOptions.GotoResolution = 20;
         this.DevelopmentOptions.GotoRACompensation = 40;
         this.EncoderTimerInterval = 200; // Default to 200 milliseconds.
         this.PulseTimerInterval = 1000;  // Default to 1000 milliseconds.
         // Default the current mount position to NCP from Greenwich Observatory (as good as anywhere).
         this.CurrentMountPosition = new MountCoordinate(new AltAzCoordinate(51.4769, 0.0));
         // Default the axis home position to 0 RA, 90 degrees DEC (but in radians)
         this.AxisHomePosition = new AxisPosition(0, Core.Constants.HALF_PI);
      }
   }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This construction helped the College keep pace with today's expanding teaching and research requirements.
Enhanced the client's ability to meet the educational needs of today's students and faculty.
J.C. Higgins provided the total mechanical package, including commercial HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection services. This included a 1,500-ton chiller plant, laboratory supply/exhaust system with heat recovery, high/low pressure steam distribution, and three hot water distribution systems.
J.C. Higgins performed the work in phases over three years to accommodate school terms. J.C. Higgins also modified existing HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems to maintain the functionality of the renovation areas during partial demolition of the existing building and construction of the addition. Extensive MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) coordination was required to conform to space constraints throughout the project, including the unique challenges associate with an animal care wing.
Massachusetts' Boston College is a coeducational university with an enrollment of 8,900 undergraduate and 4,700 graduate students, representing every state and more than 99 countries. Founded in 1863, it is one of the oldest Jesuit Catholic universities in the United States.
The Higgins Hall project involved an area of 233,000 square feet over six floors with biology and physics labs, classrooms, administrative space, and an animal care facility. Of this,110,000 square feet was new construction, while 123,000 square feet was renovation.


text:
Uptake of M&A insurance increases as businesses face more complex risks
A growing awareness of insurance as a cost-effective hedging tool has led to insurance capital becoming a go-to solution for some transaction risks...
The number of M&A transactions insured via Aon's M&A and Transaction Solutions in the EMEA region has more than tripled since 2014
Additional considerations such as the need for cyber due diligence and the rising value of intangible assets are changing the deal landscape and making risks and transactions more complex
A new report "Leaving nothing on the table: Unlocking off-radar transaction value" released by Aon plc, has found that innovative new approaches to identifying, quantifying and hedging transaction risks are emerging and the uptake of M&A insurance across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) has increased significantly as risks associated with transactions become more complex.
The report, produced in partnership with Longitude, a Financial Times company, finds that the number of M&A transactions insured via Aon in EMEA has more than tripled since 2014, rising from 83 to 316, a trend which is even more exaggerated in the North American market where Aon placed M&A insurance for over 650 transactions in 2018. Deal value of these transactions has also increased, particularly amongst private equity (PE) and corporate buyers, where there has been an increase in EMEA of more than 300% since 2014, with average value now $270 million.
The increase in M&A insurance uptake is linked to disruptive forces such as technology and digitalisation, environmental and political change, and the rise of new business models; these forces are complicating the deal landscape by creating new operational threats and strategic risks. The report also finds that growing awareness of insurance as a cost-effective hedging tool is increasing its appeal to acquirers and use as a solution for certain transaction risks.
Alistair Lester, CEO of Aon's M&A and Transaction Solutions in EMEA said: "Digital disruption has driven a shift in business value from the tangible to the intangible. In a transaction context, this disruption is throwing up major considerations for acquirers when evaluating target companies, including future growth potential and operational risks they will be subject to. Almost all deals will face impact from the pace of technological change and this particularly comes to bear on cyber and intellectual property due diligence."
Edwin Charnaud, Chairman of Aon's M&A and Transaction Solutions in EMEA added: "Businesses are facing more complex risks than ever before, and thus the value of M&A insurance has arguably never been greater. Given that the risk landscape is evolving so quickly, adapting the due diligence process and finding new solutions to mitigate this expanding universe of risks is critical to create a competitive edge, protect against unforeseen pitfalls, and ultimately unlock transaction value. We fully expect the increased uptake of M&A insurance to continue."
The need for a more holistic approach to cyber due diligence
Data breaches continue to be a major threat. The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) identified a 28% increase in the number of customer records breached within EU organisations in Q1 2018 and in Q2 2018, three European countries featured in the top-four source countries for web-based attacks.
Failure to address cyber risk in a holistic and comprehensive way can not only erode deal value but can become a deal-breaker.
Acquirers must now focus not only on cybersecurity in deal-due-diligence but also ensure that businesses have the systems and processes required to comply with regulatory developments, such as GDPR.
Increasing value of intangible assets
The value of intangible assets is quickly outpacing that of tangible assets. In 2018, intangible assets comprised 84% of business value of the five largest companies by market cap in the S&P 500.
As the value of IP increases, inadequate due diligence, including a failure to adequately protect IP or infringing on the IP rights of a third party, has become a major instigator of financial losses through litigation damages, legal costs or indirect costs such as hits to share price.
Losses will only intensify as the number of patent filings increases (patent applications at the European Patent Office increased by 11% between 2008 and 2017) and the number of IP-related lawsuits increases in tandem (non-practising entity [NPE]-related litigation averaged 19% annual growth in Europe between 2007 and 2017).
"There's an increasing view that every deal we do now is a technology deal, regardless of sector," says Shaun Mercer, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group. "There are differing degrees, but most deals face some impact from the pace of technological change – this particularly comes to bear on cyber and intellectual property due diligence."
Insurance as a cost-effective hedging tool
The increased adoption of W&I insurance has generated a significant increase in opportunities for insurance instruments to solve other transaction related risk issues, including for known items and to replace other more traditional financing solutions.
Insurance capital is becoming a go-to solution for solving some transaction risks, particularly those commonly covered under warranty and indemnity (W&I) insurance.
Demand for W&I cover for M&A deals in EMEA is growing. The number of transactions and value of limits placed by Aon in EMEA has increased by more than 300% since 2014.
PE funds value the strategic advantage it can provide in making their approach more attractive to selling companies while for corporates the ability to free up capital on the balance sheet is the primary driver.
Visit Aon


When we were young, the 'tall' ones told us when to slow down. When the demands of the world became too great, their powers of reasoning proved maddeningly accurate. 'I think someone's tired,' they observed. And off for a nap we went. Ten minutes later, our dreaming faces had put us back in good favor with our exasperated parents. When we woke, the world somehow made sense again. What kind of truth might a napping child impart to us?
Now we are the tall ones, living in a complicated world with no one to tell us when to slow down. The slumbering little one knows the value of not having the last word, of accepting a minor defeat. It's so simple. Miss out on something. Put yourself back in your own good favor. The world will wait.
"Easier said than done" springs to mind...but neat quote anyway!
All good things usually are.
Now, if only my children napped. And I weren't a chronic insomniac.
I know. My kids don't nap either, but the sentiment was nice. I got it from the MOMS Club email yesterday!


text:
Q: Change a script to check remaining space of a drive I currently have this VBScript, which checks the size of a folder, then deletes files (oldest first) until a threshold is reached.
Option Explicit
'use next line for production
On Error Resume Next
'use next line for debugging
'On Error GoTo 0

Dim strResult: strResult = Wscript.ScriptName
Dim objFSO, strOldestFile, dtmOldestDate, strFolder, oFolder, intFolderSize

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
dtmOldestDate = Now
strFolder     = "C:\Users\PLEX\Downloads\Torrent\"
strOldestFile = ""
Set oFolder   = objFSO.GetFolder(strFolder)

intFolderSize = Int(((oFolder.Size / 1024) / 1024) / 1024)

Do While intFolderSize >= 110
  strOldestFile = ""
  dtmOldestDate = Now

  FindOldestFile oFolder

  'WScript.Echo strOldestFile
  objFSO.DeleteFile strOldestFile, True
  strResult = strResult & vbNewLine & dtmOldestDate & vbTab & strOldestFile

  intFolderSize = Int(((oFolder.Size / 1024) / 1024) / 1024)
Loop

'WScript.Echo strResult
WScript.Quit

Sub FindOldestFile(objFolder)
  Dim objFile, colFiles, colFolders, strFile, dtmFileDate
  'find oldest file
  Set colFiles = objFolder.Files
  For Each objFile In colFiles
    strFile = objFile.Path
    dtmFileDate = objFile.DateCreated
    If dtmFileDate < dtmOldestDate Then
      dtmOldestDate = dtmFileDate
      strOldestFile = strFile
    End If
  Next
  'recurse subfolders
  Set colFolders = objFolder.SubFolders
  For Each objFile In colFolders
    FindOldestFile objFile
  Next
End Sub

Currently this script will:

*

*Check the capacity of folder A including all subfolders.

*Delete files (oldest first) from folder A and subfolders until a threshold is reached (in this case, 110GB)

I'd like to modify the script to do this:

*

*Check the capacity of folder A including all subfolders.

*Delete files (oldest first) from folder B (which is a subfolder of folder A) and subfolders until a threshold is reached.

For example, is it possible to get this script to check the used capacity of the entire C: drive and delete the oldest files from C:\Users\PLEX\Downloads\Torrent\ when there is less than 5% remaining on C:?

Edit: I already had full access, and fixed the error by changing C:\ to C: . I also changed C:\Users\PLEX\Desktop\New Folder to \Users\PLEX\Desktop\New Folder and am now getting no errors. The only problem is that IntFolderSize still shows the size of my subfolder, not the root. I've confirmed that by using Wscript.Echo intfoldersize. My current script is below. How can I get IntFolderSize to show the used size of the root?
option explicit
'use next line for production
'On Error Resume Next
'use next line for debugging
'On Error GoTo 0

Dim strResult: strResult = Wscript.ScriptName
Dim objFSO, strOldestFile, dtmOldestDate, strFolder, oFolder, intFolderSize
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    dtmOldestDate = Now
    strFolder = "C:"
    strOldestFile = ""
Set oFolder = objFSO.GetFolder( strFolder)

intFolderSize = Int(((oFolder.Size / 1024) / 1024) / 1024)

Wscript.Echo intfoldersize

Do While intFolderSize >= 70
  strOldestFile = ""
  dtmOldestDate = Now

FindOldestFile objFSO.GetFolder(objFSO.BuildPath(strFolder,"\Users\PLEX\Desktop\New Folder\"))

'wscript.echo strOldestFile
  objFSO.DeleteFile strOldestFile, True
  strResult = strResult & vbNewLine & dtmOldestDate & vbTab & strOldestFile

  intFolderSize = Int(((oFolder.Size / 1024) / 1024) / 1024)

Loop

'Wscript.Echo strResult
Wscript.Quit

Sub FindOldestFile( objFolder)
  Dim objFile, colFiles, colFolders, strFile, dtmFileDate
  ' find oldest file
  Set colFiles = objFolder.Files
  For Each objFile in colFiles
    strFile = objFile.Path
    dtmFileDate = objFile.DateCreated
    If dtmFileDate < dtmOldestDate Then
      dtmOldestDate = dtmFileDate
      strOldestFile = strFile
    End If
  Next
  ' recurse subfolders
  Set colFolders = objFolder.SubFolders
  For Each objFile in colFolders
    FindOldestFile objFile
  Next
End Sub

A: Change
FindOldestFile oFolder

into
FindOldestFile objFSO.GetFolder(objFSO.BuildPath(strFolder, "sub\folder"))

where strFolder is your root folder and "sub\folder" the relative path to the subfolder below that root folder.

Edit: Note that the oFolder.Size property will raise an error unless you have access to every single file and folder below oFolder. If you want to check the free diskspace on the volume anyway, you may be better off using WMI for that and using oFolder strictly for the folder you want to delete from:
strFolder   = "C:\Users\PLEX\Desktop\New folder"
Set oFolder = objFSO.GetFolder(strFolder)

threshold = ...    'desired minimum free diskspace in byte

Set wmi = GetObject("winmgmts://./root/cimv2")
qry = "SELECT * FROM Win32_Volume WHERE DriveLetter='C:'"

Do While wmi.ExecQuery(qry).ItemIndex(0).FreeSpace < threshold
  ...
  FindOldestFile oFolder
  ...
Loop

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Cinnamon is a versatile aromatic spice which has many uses. In biblical times, it was an ingredient found in fragrant perfumes and anointing oils. However, cinnamon's most common use is for culinary purposes. You can learn to use cinnamon sticks in cooking many desserts and dishes with these simple tips.
Use cinnamon sticks to flavor milk for custards and flans. Pour cold milk in a saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer and remove from the heat. Let the milk steep with the cinnamon until you are ready to make the custard. Remember to discard the cinnamon sticks before using the milk.
Enhance the flavor of rice pudding by using cinnamon sticks. Add the cinnamon sticks to the pudding mixture and cook. Remove the cinnamon sticks from the pudding when ready to serve.
Prepare and add flavor to wine poaching liquids for fruits (pears or apples) with cinnamon sticks.
Make hot spiced cider, wassail punch or spiced tea with a combination of spices that include cinnamon sticks (see Resources).
Brew a pot of coffee by adding pieces of cinnamon sticks along with ground coffee to the coffee maker. You can also add cinnamon sticks to cocoa for added flavor.
Add flavor to sugar by placing cinnamon sticks in it. You can make cinnamon -flavored sugar by adding 3 to 4 cinnamon sticks to a pound of sugar and storing it for two weeks in a glass jar.
Cook rice pilaf in a cinnamon-flavored broth and add some roasted nuts and chopped dried fruit for a savory dish with a Middle Eastern flair.
Get information here on wassail punch.


There is very little that needs to be told on Kangana Ranaut's impeccable sartorial choices. The Queen actor who is busy with the promotions of her upcoming film Manikarnika, has been making several heads, one appearance at a time.
The actor was recently spotted looking sharp in a grey suit from the label Nikhil Thampi. Styled by Ami Patel, Ranaut looked dapper in the ensemble and the footwear from Zara went well with it. The actor's characteristic unkempt gorgeous curls completed this look.
The actor was also spotted at the airport looking lovely in a grey maxi dress from the label Injiri. We really like how it was paired with a white shirt and teamed with a long cape jacket. The look was rounded out with a cute yellow backpack and a pair of black boots. Keeping the make-up minimal, the actor gave quite a lesson in layering.
For another airport look, Ranaut decided to glam things a bit and stunned in a black woollen high neck coat by Miu Miu. The outfit complemented her frame extremely well. The look was accessorised with a pair of black boots from H&M, a pair of shades from Dior and a matching bag from the same label.
Prior to this, the actor looked gorgeous in a gold and red sari from Madhurya Creations. Styled by Patel, the sari was teamed with matching blouse and completed with jutis from Fizzy Goblet.


The Place Who doesn't know Max Brenner? If you don't, you are truly missing out. The Israeli chocolate bars (as they called it) can be found in various countries and of course in our sunny island, Singapore. All its bars have a similar look – brown walls, wooden furniture, huge chocolate mixer and its signature Bald Man. Always packed with a crowd, do avoid the weekends and after meal hours.
The Food Everything about chocolate, nothing less. Warning: You better a be chocolate fanatic before stepping into the bars.
The Deep Fudge Chocolate Cake was definitely one of the best molten chocolate cake tRP ever had. Done with a chocolate frap and vanilla ice cream to complete this heart-melting dessert. Too sinful, too good.
With many variations of chocolate desserts on Max Brenner's menu, some of the other must-tries also includes the waffles and the delectable fondues!
This 'Drink Me' cup made me laugh. This 'Dark Chocolate' classic made me awe. There's a choice of Dark, Normal or Milk chocolate for their classics, just choose the one you like the most!
Rants Service was bad, or in fact, missing at the Chocolate Bar. But with such tantalizing sweets, you might just be all too forgiving.
Will I return again? For tRP's love of chocolate, yes. Chocolate overdose, no way!


Agriolivado is an organized sandy beach, with relatively warm shallow waters. The view to the little island of Saint Thekla is magic and there is also a nice beach on the island accessible with a canoe from Agriolivado. Moreover, around Agriolivado there are many bights and bays waiting to be explored.


So, Ms. Stiviano was not accepted in Los Angeles, because she was Latina? OK.
Ms. Stiviano goes on to ask Sterling, what is wrong with minorities, as if she has chosen to 'opt-out' of that category. She points out that she is Black and Mexican, but then apologizes for upsetting him. Could this be the first time she has heard these comments from him? Surely not, since they have been involved since 2010.
When he complains about her taking pictures with Black people, is it just rich and powerful Black people like Magic Johnson or is it regular Black people like her 'mama n'em' ? Are the Hispanics he refused to rent to delicate like her or were they of the 'ese/homes' variety?
When he points out that she is supposed to be a delicate White or a delicate Latina girl, she does not even flinch at the absurdity. Is it because she does not know it is a ludicrous notion or is it that he has given us to the key to their relationship?
She pretends he's not a blatant racist and he pretends she's a delicate White woman with a tan, who accepts his racist tendencies.
Most of us are not foolish enough to believe that changing one's name, changes one's parentage. We know that Instagram'ed shots of $5,000 designer bags and expensive champagne, will not change who you truly are. And we know that if Donald Sterling paid for all of the Bentleys in world, the price tag would still not be worth your soul.
Perhaps, she will come to know this truth. Ms. Stiviano, if you don't know … you'd better ask somebody.


Faysal Quraishi began his acting career at the tender age of 6 when he first appeared in PTV's play Emergency Ward.
As smartphones gain in popularity around the world, celebrities are taking advantage of their fans being constantly glued to their phones. It is not only international stars that are doing this,as some of our local celebrities are also getting in on the action. In the coming days, Faysal Quraishi, popular Pakistani television star and host, is about to provide his fans with the opportunity to access any and all information about him at a single touch.
Phone applications and games are widely popular with people who own a smartphone and now one can download apps of ones favourite celebrities as well. Ranging from Pope Benedict XVI to Steve Forbes and even Gordon Ramsay, there is an application available for each one of them, allowing fans to receive various words of advice or recipes from their favourite personality. In a few days' time Faysal Quraishi's fans will be treated to the same opportunity.
Soon they will be able to download their very own Faysal Quraishi application straight onto their phones. Followers will be able to access all information regarding Faysal, ranging from his biography, his program schedules to his latest projects, just at the touch of an app on their phone, at any time of day. Push notifications will allow Faysal's fans to receive messages every time something new is happening with the star.
Faysal Quraishi's application will be available for download on all android phones and tabs as well as iPhones and iPads.


text:
Q: Temp table of numbers that do not exist in another table I have a table called UsedNumbers
UsedNumbers contains number in the range of 1 AND 9999.
The numbers are can be anywhere in this range.
I want to create a temp table #UnUsedNumbers.
So far I found code create a range of numbers from 1 to 9999. But I'm not entirely sure how to INSERT this into a temp table and then extract only the numbers that do not exist in UsedNumbers.
;WITH x AS
(
    SELECT TOP (224) [OBJECT_ID] FROM sys.all_objects
)
SELECT TOP (9999) n = ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY x.[object_id])
FROM x CROSS JOIN x AS y
ORDER BY n;

I would love to understand more about this if someone could help.

A: You could try something like:
;WITH x AS
(
    SELECT TOP (224) [OBJECT_ID] FROM sys.all_objects
)
SELECT TOP (9999) n = ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY x.[object_id])
FROM x CROSS JOIN x AS y
EXCEPT
SELECT num
FROM UsedNumbers
ORDER BY n

A: try this code
;WITH NumberCTE AS
(
    SELECT TOP (224) [OBJECT_ID] FROM sys.all_objects
)
,
AllNumbersCTE AS
(
    SELECT TOP (9999)
        ROW_NUMBER() OVER(order by RS1.[OBJECT_ID]) AS ROWID
    FROM
        NumberCTE AS RS1
    LEFT JOIN NumberCTE AS RS2 ON 1 = 1
)

SELECT ROWID FROM AllNumbersCTE WHERE ROWID NOT IN (SELECT Number FROM UsedNumbers)


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For improved brake pad "bite", the racing style hook-slots from Hawk's renowned DTC racing rotors have been integrated into these new performance street brake rotors using precision CNC machining.
Sold and priced in pairs, an ideal choice for high performance driving, towing and even track days.
Hawk's Talon Cross Drilled and Slotted Disc Brake Rotors are precision engineered, machined, finished in North America for improved brake pad "bite".
The racing style hook-slots from Hawk's renowned DTC racing rotors have been integrated into these new performance street brake rotors using precision CNC machining. Additional cross drilling is unique to this version of the Hawk Talon rotors to help drop the running temperature of the brake rotors further for improved heat dissipation.
Sold and priced in pairs, an ideal choice for improved braking while accentuating a subtle statement of performance behind your wheels.


text:
Q: PHP automatically create variables based on what is in mysql database I dont know if this is possible, but am trying to create a php variable using an entry from a mysql database.
For example, lets say I want to create the following variables, but i want to replace google with whatever the company name is in the database.
$google = $row['companyname'];
$google_ticker = $row['ticker'];
$google_holding = $row['holding'];

So if I had a row in my database with the company name as Yahoo, the following would appear instead:
$yahoo = $row['companyname'];
$yahoo_ticker = $row['ticker'];
$yahoo_holding = $row['holding'];

I have tried different variations of the following however I cant get it to work (I know the code below wont work, its just an example of the sort of thing I have tried):
$query = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($query)){
    $$row['companyname'] = $row['companyname'];
    $$row['companyname']_ticker = $row['ticker'];
    $$row['companyname']_holding = $row['holding'];
}

I can get it to work using something similar to the following, however doing it this way means I have to create each variable manually (as far as i know). I am trying to get it to create my variables automatically depending on what company names I have in my database.
$values = [];
$query = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($query)){
    $values[$row['companyname']] = $row;
}

$google = $values['google']['companyname'];
$google_ticker = $values['google']['ticker'];
$google_holding = $values['google']['holding'];

Any ideas on how I can achieve this?
Many Thanks

A: Use a (multidimensional-)Array with KEYS that function as variable names:
$query = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($query)){
    $data[$row['companyname']]['name'] = $row['companyname'];
    $data[$row['companyname']]['ticker'] = $row['ticker'];
    $data[$row['companyname']]['holding'] = $row['holding'];
}

Now you can access the holding variable like this:
echo $data['google']['holding'];

That should get you started...
Succes!

A: You can use like this:
${$row['companyname']} = $row['companyname'];

doc


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What comes to mind when "body-art" is mentioned in relation to the beautiful city of Miami? Kat Von D and Miami Ink? The famed strip of Washington Ave?
Well, it's time to embrace a new definition of body-art – and that is exercise. All throughout Miami, from South Beach to Wynwood, exercise has grown to become more than just an activity. It is a form of community engagement, personal wellness, and exploration. With locals meeting in various parks, beaches, and streets in the area – now is the time to join in!
If peace and rejuvenation are of interest, then a great way to get started is with yoga in the park!
Every Monday evening at 7pm the One Yoga Foundation provides a professional instructor to hold a by-donation class at Margaret Pace Park. A small group gathers and enjoys a chill vinyasa flow under the palm trees. Each class is filled with beginners and true yogis alike – just remember to bring a mat. The ambiance is welcoming, and the instructor maintains an active, learning environment.
After finding yourself in a harmonious, community-centered group, it is hard not to immediately engage in every movement and breath. The style of yoga is focused on gentle postures and coordinated breathing. It can be considered a form of foundational yoga where focus and unity are key components. At the end of the evening, you will walk away feeling refreshed and relieved.


text:
In the News (#1005)
January 18, 2020 by Maggie McNeill
Poke any "Super Bowl sex trafficking sting"…and all you'll find is a bunch of sex workers and their customers arrested. – Elizabeth Nolan Brown
Finding What Isn't There (#778)
Because the numbers are so low, fetishists want cops trained to manufacture larger ones:
…a state Department of Justice survey…found that human trafficking data is "inconsistent across [Wisconsin]"…and more needs to be done to train [pigs to pretend that sex workers are]…victims…[and] children…[Attorney General Josh] Kaul said…"there's…clearly a need for more training…so…we can make sure that [cop shops define eveything possible as]…human trafficking [so we can get more federal]…money…in Wisconsin…The number of agency heads who believe that human trafficking happens in their jurisdictions has increased"…Milwaukee has be[en fantasized as]…a hub for sex trafficking [absurdly called "the Harvard of sex trafficking"], in part because of a…[masturbatory fantasy about] "pimp roundtables," focused on [learning how to walk through walls and do black magic]…
Comfort Zone (#847)
Sometimes the attempt to hide migration control behind the "sex trafficking" narrative is especially apparent:
Forty-seven people have been arrested in a major operation against a network trafficking people between Gibraltar and Spain…the gang kaked [sic] the documentation necessary for the migrants to obtain a visa to enter Gibraltar and then cross the border into Spain clandestinely, hidden in four-wheel drive vehicles with tinted window. The organisation charged each Moroccan migrant between 7,000 and 8,000 euros for the visa, which increased by between 500 and 700 euros if they needed temporary accommodation…or transfer to another province or country…the traffickers planned the migrants' journeys, preparing a complete file with false documentation…a plane ticket…a hotel reservation in Gibraltar and [instructions on] steps to follow and who to contact…
Does that sound like "victimization" to you? This business is providing a service to people who want it, and the attempt to frame it as a "crime" against anyone but the State is patently absurd.
Something Rotten in Sweden (#908)
The public will believe anything it sees on billboards, no matter how ridiculous:
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley…[is behind] a new public [disinformation] campaign to [perscute sex workers]…that's called, "Take The Pledge"…[which] invites [ignorant conformists] to [jump on the "sex trafficking" bandwagon. Propaganda]…will be presented on Clear Channel billboards and bus shelters throughout Alameda County…[so gullible yahoos] can [fork over their hard-earned money to] support [pogroms against sex workers and their clients and families]…O'Malley said the billboards drive internet traffic to the her office's [propaganda] website, where people can take the pledge [under the pretense of] anonym[it]y and sign up for text and email alerts with [their identifying information stored on the prosecutor's office computers]…
Micromanagement (#927)
They're not only giving cops people's info, but selling it to corporations as well:
DNA testing company 23andMe has sold the rights to a new drug that it has developed using its customers' data…the drug…is…a potential treatment for inflammatory diseases…The drug is likely to be the first of many the company licenses…More than 80 per cent of their customers have agreed to their data being used by the company for research…"In general, I think it's really good that human genetic information is useful for drug discovery," says [molecular geneticist Tim] Frayling. But he questions whether it is fair for the company to financially profit from genetic data that its customers volunteered for medical research…Commentators have already suggested that companies that offer consumer genetic testing pay their customers for the data, rather than charge for it…
Rescued To Death (#977)
Once again Philippine cops "rescue" Chinese women from lucrative employment:
Nearly 300 Chinese sex workers and their clients were [arrested] in raids by…Philippine…Police…in the second half of last year…the managers were…charged with human trafficking…and…the…women…were sent to [jails described by cops as] shelters [pending deportation]…The sudden proliferation of Chinese prostitution is tied to the explosive growth of Philippine offshore gaming operators…that cater to players in China, where gambling is illegal…Teresita Ang-See, chair of the [authoritarian] group Movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order….[claimed] the sex workers were themselves victims…
Stupor Bowl (#989)
Virtually the only people who still profess to believe this nonsense are cops and politicians…and, apparently, the Associated Press:
To [profit from hysteria over] human trafficking during the Super Bowl, [pigs oinked]…that they need hotel workers, ride-hailing service drivers and security personnel to be especially [hysterical]…at the "No Room for Trafficking" conference [cops publicly masturbated while sharing their fantasies of young girls]…enslaved for sex…[at] the…Super Bowl…"We're enlisting people to [build a fascist surveillance state]," said [Florida Attorney General Ashley] Moody…
The public recitation of prohibitionist sexual fantasies about whores and sports fans has become such a pathetic annual ritual, Liz Brown decided to gather a convenient list of articles debunking the tales.
The Widening Gyre (#996)
Amateurs' fantasies about their value to "sex traffickers" are growing ever sillier. This one not only thinks each supposed "trafficking" attempt is worth $100, she also believes in a magic contact poison that incapacitates in seconds and cops as magic angels of safety (note the similarity of their role in this tale to the classic "THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!" instant warrantless phone tracing shtick). The substitution of something of real value for the usual zip tie, scrap paper or the like is like an amplification of the "jar of honey" version we've also seen recently; this one also adds the visible lurking stranger of other versions. It'll be interesting to see if the car-marking ghosts start using white vans soon.
Dutch Threat (#999)
Dutch authorities keep pretending their registration scheme is intended to help sex workers:
A lack of [government] control has turned Leeuwarden's red light district into "the cesspit" of Dutch legal prostitution [in the minds of cops and other busybodies]…prostitutes in the Frisian capital, often from other countries, are largely unregistered and invisible to the authorities making them…able to [avoid police] abuse…[and the] unsafe working conditions [created by the laws using the exuse of] possible human trafficking…[migrant] women can immediately start work in…Leeuwarden…[without jumping through hoops or having their lives snooped in by cops. This de]creases the risk of exploitation [by government actors]…
Loose Cannons (#1002)
Florida prosecutors have apparently realized how desperate they look:
[Prosecutors]…have backed down from a recent claim that…Robert Kraft committed a felony [by having consensual sex with an adult woman] a year ago…[they] revised their position in an appeal concerning video…[obtained with] an unlawful warrant when they recorded Kraft and other people…the state is…contending that…[illegal acts by cops are actually] legal…[because] prostitution…Kraft's attorneys cited two older federal court cases to make the point that "hidden video surveillance" by [cops] "raises the spectre of the Orwellian state"…
Posted in Current Events, Miscellaneous, News, Tyranny | Tagged agency denial, bogus studies, California, Checklist, China, Comfort Zone, consensual crime, cops, drugs, Dutch Threat, fantasy, fascism, Finding What Isn't There, Florida, hysteria, law, Loose Cannons, Micromanagement, Morocco, Netherlands, North Carolina, Philippines, prohibitionist myths, propaganda, rescue industry, Rescued To Death, Signs, Something Rotten In Sweden, Spain, sporting events, Stupor Bowl, surveillance, The Widening Gyre, Twitter, Wisconsin | Leave a Comment »
It Tolls for Thee
Recently, someone asked me why I care about Beijing's campaign to exterminate the Uighurs, stating that he had little symmpathy for them; he appeared to believe the Communist Party's designation of them as "terrorists", a word calculated to shut down cognition in anyone predisposed to believe that governments, even oppressive governments, are generally trustworthy in their statements. Presumably, this person was just intelligent enough to grasp that if he questions the Chinese government's right to oppress a Muslim minority, the right of his own government to do the same is suspect. I quickly dismissed him as an odious clod, but was irresistibly reminded of the words of John Donne:
No man is an island, entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
These words are not merely true in a philosophical and moral sense, but in a practical one as well; for every time we allow tyranny and oppression to go unchallenged, we participate in normalizing and excusing the behavior, and establishing it as international precedent. Then one day soon the victims may not be a strange people in a distant land, but familiar people in our own country. Therefore, send not to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Posted in Philosophy, Tyranny | Tagged China, ethics, Islam, language, Quiet Genocide, racism | 3 Comments »
Raising Ignorance
Moral panics are a natural, if unfortunate, byproduct of the tribal instincts of the great ape called homo sapiens. They tend to last roughly a generation from start to finish (sometimes, mercifully, a little shorter) and can cause tremendous damage to individuals' lives and society in general before they're over. Clever sociopaths have always found ways to profit from these periodic waves of hysteria; for example, evil opportunists would often hurl accusations of witchcraft at widows whose land they wanted to steal. But the first major moral panic of the internet era (the Satanic Panic was already moribund by the time AOL began its first major marketing campaign) has created a market for profiting from hysterical propaganda on a scale never before seen in human history. It's impossible to even guess how large what Laura Agustín dubbed the "rescue industry" has grown, but when its connections to the garment industry are considered, it's probably safe to say that it's comparable in size to its own imaginary claims about "sex trafficking". In 2011 the propagandists declared January "National Human Trafficking Awareness Month", probably due to the increasing popularity of the myth that the Super Bowl, which is held in the first few days of February, is a huge driver of "sex trafficking", with huge cargoes of "sex slaves" trucked into every host city, unimpeded by the usual logistics of transportation and lodging. Cops and other police-state organs have taken advantage of the hype as an excuse to present their pogroms and "stings" as "sex trafficking operations", and as a result every January now produces an avalanche of idiotic propaganda (absurdly referred to as "education" or "raising awareness") that is shockingly stupid even by the very low standards of "sex trafficking" propaganda. Take this incredible mass of lies from KAKE in Wichita, Kansas:
…"Back Page [sic] needed to be shut down," [oinked vice pig] Brent Huhman…"they were exploiting…women"…It was considered a hotbed for human trafficking, which can lead to missing people. The site's creators would defend the user-posted advertisements…they were not responsible for [under section 230 of the CDA]…However, [federal propaganda claimed] it…pushed moderators to approve [questionable]…ads [despite ample evidence to the contrary]…
The rest is the usual hodgepodge of local "news" copsucking, yellow journalism, parent-scaring, bogus math, BDSM sexual fantasies, surveillance cheerleading and more. This article from KDRV in Medford, Oregon is every bit as moronic:
Oregon police report that they encounter 3-5 victims of human trafficking per week; 80% of these victims are women, 50% are children. "People don't realize that sex trafficking with children is a silent epidemic in the United States," said Kirsten Arreguin…of Redemption Ridge…"Portland is the second largest city for forced child prostitution in the United States right after Las Vegas"…Traffickers spend considerable time in areas where children congregate such as parks, malls, youth shelters and on social media in order to carefully lure their victims into sex slavery…
It is a sign of the incredible mathematical illiteracy rampant in the US that nobody questions a "report" which begins with "statistics" that add up to 130% (children cannot be women and vice versa, so the categories cannot overlap). And the prohibitionist sexual fantasy of "pimps" hanging out at every playground is so sick that one has to wonder how anyone higher on the evolutionary scale than a cop could possibly take it seriously, until one considers that these are the same mouth-breathers who claim there are more "sex trafficking" cases in Oregon alone than in the entire United States ("…jail intelligence suggests approximately 595 minors and 1,191 adults are currently victims of sex trafficking currently in the Portland metro area…"); presumably "jail intelligence" is Copese for "tall tales told by prisoners trying to get on cops' good sides", because there aren't even 500 full-service sex workers in Portland, much less "child sex slaves" (this fantasy claims about 1 "sex slave" per 400 adult men in the area). Support for sex worker rights is growing all the time, and even some of the usual suspects are beginning to recognize prohibition for what it is. But cops, politicians and profiteers are going to continue publicly masturbating while riding the gravy train until it finally runs off the rails for good.
Posted in Current Events, Perception, Tyranny | Tagged agency denial, Backpage, cops, fantasy, hysteria, internet, Kansas, King of the Hill, Oregon, politicians, prohibitionist myths, propaganda, psychology, rescue industry, sporting events, The Widening Gyre, witchcraft | 3 Comments »
I didn't feel like she was really there to help me. – sex worker A.G, of a court-ordered "counselor"
After a long slump, "King of the Hill" claims are again increasing:
…Portland…is a hub for sex trafficking….[with] the notorious ranking of coming second for the greatest number of children…in forced prostitution of all U.S. cities…One of the reasons it is a hot spot is…[that] strip clubs, live sex acts and swingers' clubs are legal in Portland. These businesses are often also places where traffickers lure workers into forced prostitution…Portland's location at the intersection of major interstate freeways I-5 and I-84 puts it at the center of trafficking routes between Seattle, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Moreover, the city's proximity to shipping waterways and the Canadian border provides access to domestic and international traffickers. The demand from buyers is unfathomably high…around 300 advertisements are posted online every day for prostitution-related acts…total[ing] $60 million a year…
Most of this is just the usual snake oil intended to shame businesses into paying to subject their employees to bogus "sex trafficking" indoctrination from profiteers like BEST, but I find the "We're the second worst!" pissing contest (with its attendant "causes" and pompous phraseology like "prostitution-related acts") to be much more amusing.
The writer of this article appears to understand very little about politics, or else she'd recognize trolling when she sees it:
…South Carolina [politician]…Mia McLeod pre-filed…a…bill…demand[ing] that anti-choice [politicians]…compensate [women] for acting as…gestational surrogate[s] for the state…which…cannot itself physically conceive or carry a child…The compensation…includes reasonable living, legal, medical, psychological, and psychiatric expenses…claim[ing] the fetus as a…tax…deduction…[guaranteed] public assistance…until the child is 18…all medical expenses associated with [any] disability…all costs associated with health, dental, and vision insurance until the child turns 18…and…a college savings plan…
Logically, McLeod is correct; if the state demands a woman produce subjects against her will, it should be responsible for the upkeep of that human property. But politics is not logical, and politicians who want abortion banned (especially at the absurdly-early stages currently fashionable in these anti-abortion laws) are not acting in good faith. These laws have nothing to do with "protecting children" and everything to do with controlling women, just like laws against sex work, toplessness, etc; therefore logical responses to them are pointless. Furthermore, there's nothing "groundbreaking" about this; similar trolling-bills regulating men's ejaculation, etc have been introduced in other anti-choice states. Nor will it "force a conversation" any more than those other bills, because no conversation is possible between those who believe human rights are inalienable and those who view them as an impediment to state ownership of people. It's a good troll, to be sure, but a troll is all it is, and all it can be until self-ownership is Constitutionally recognized as the foundation of all human rights.
Legal Is as Legal Does (#582)
"Sex work under 'legalisation' is still…conceived of as a crime for which the law makes allowances":
…charges were withdrawn against two women…facing conviction for "a tenant permitting premises to be used as a brothel"…Laura Watson, English Collective of Prostitutes…commented…"Ms O and Ms R were working in a flat together for safety and supporting their families. Both women are migrant and we believe that racism was involved in why they were targeted"…Niki Adams from Legal Action for Women…commented…"We are also disgusted that the [prosecutors] tried to extort money from women offering them a caution on the condition that they "write over the money seized on their arrest." Taking money from sex workers under duress is tantamount to pimping"…
Though better-disguised than usual, this is just the "Facebook pimps" myth again:
…the Roma…are easy pickings for traffickers who post adverts on Facebook promising a bright future for those prepared to travel. Many have succumbed to the temptation. A lot of young people have gone to the UK to work for a better life…the line between economic migration and exploitation is ill-defined: some who travel are aware of the risks but prepared to take a chance, others think they are off to start a better life only to end up in modern slavery…
In the minds of white saviors, all people from economically-distressed countries are childlike naifs incapable of making calculated risks or violating racist laws on their own, so anyone who helps them further their plans is an exploitative "trafficker" and any work they do to survive is "modern slavery". One might ask how the Roma, who have migrated to the British Isles for centuries, managed to do it before anybody ever heard of either Facebook or "human trafficking".
Cooties (#816)
Two years ago, AirBnB said it would "invest in new technology" to discriminate against sex workers:
Airbnb now owns an AI technology that allows them to discriminate against people in certain categories, specifically including sex workers, based on unrelated social media posts and other online data…it stigmatizes sex work and "involvement in pornography" by grouping them with drug use, membership in hate groups…and "narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy"…the stigmatizing language…spelled out in the patent…seems to confirm sex workers' reports that they have been discriminated against by the company not because of their behavior as guests, but merely because of their careers…
A Procrustean Bed (#834)
At last, a little skepticism from "journalists" about the prohibitionist shitshow that is New York's "sex trafficking court":
…as courts [which classify all sex workers as "victims" and sentence them to indoctrination disguised as "counseling"]…proliferate nationwide, New York's…have [been repeatedly]…critici[zed for the past] six years [by actual experts on the subject]…a growing group of people engaged in prostitution…have complained that the counseling sessions amount to little more than unproductive conversations with [busybody] strangers…the idea…is [at last] facing skepticism…[from ignoramuses who refused to consult actual experts years ago]…
Prohibitionists are so dedicated to denying sex workers' agency that they prefer ridiculous multi-word constructions like "people engaged in prostitution" to the simple and honest "sex worker", and keep pretending that any non-prohibitionist ever thought arresting and attempting to brainwash adult women for the "crime" of consensual sex was a good idea in the first place.
Pyrrhic Victory (#841)
Why wasn't it "a step too far" when they started doing it three years ago?
One of the most senior policing figures in Wales has [criticized] the use of facial recognition technology at the country's biggest football derby [last] weekend…Arfon Jones…the North Wales police and crime commissioner…accused the South Wales force of being engaged in a "fishing expedition…When facial recognition…was first used in the Champions League final…there were…thousands…of false positives"…the Football Supporters' Association Wales said…"Fans coming out for…football…will be treated like they're in a police line-up"…Big Brother Watch has called for an immediate ban on facial recognition surveillance in the UK…
Checklist (#953)
The scheme to cut sex workers off from the healthcare system is adding intrusive surveillance measures:
There's a growing push [to force] doctors, paramedics and other health-care professionals to [report sex workers to the cops]…In 2018, Congress passed legislation that created a federally sponsored [indoctrination]…program..[to] tr[ick them into defining sex workers as]…victims…and re[port them by way of new]…diagnostic codes…
The Cop Myth (#996)
41% of cops admit to beating their wives. Some don't stop with mere beating:
A Newark [New Jersey cop who murdered]…his estranged wife…and [attempted to murder] her boyfriend…has [finally] been indicted on murder and attempted murder charges…John Formisano…was indicted…on Dec. 30…[for the murder of] Christie Solaro-Formisano…on July 11…Formisano…was [wearing his magical clown costume and] used his [department-issued] revolver to [murder] his [victim as]…she attempted to flee…The…two children were inside the home…but were uninjured…
Posted in Current Events, Miscellaneous, News, Tyranny | Tagged A Procrustean Bed, abortion, agency denial, asset seizure, bogus studies, Checklist, Cooties, diversion programs, domestic violence, Facebook, Guinea Pigs, hotels, Hungary, King of the Hill, language, Legal Is as Legal Does, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, politicians, pragmatism, pregnancy, prohibitionist myths, Property of the State, Pyrrhic Victory, racism, scams, South Carolina, sporting events, surveillance, The Cop Myth, The Widening Gyre, United Kingdom, Welcome to the Future | 1 Comment »
Diary #498
It's kinda nice when I can keep things moving along for a change. We've got the trim for the bookcases; I'm waiting for the proof of The Essential Maggie McNeill, Volume I; I've made my travel arrangements for this weekend; and I'm starting to figure out my schedule for February (about which I'll say more later). And in addition to all that I managed to read a novel and listen to a rather strange but very entertaining radio serial from 1972 named The Fourth Tower of Inverness, which Chekhov gave me for Christmas (he also gave me the sequel, Moon Over Morocco). Normally it would be difficult for me to sit and listen to such a long series, but I've driven to or from Sunset five times since receiving it, and the car has a CD player, so ta-da! If you've ever heard the series you'll understand when I tell you I kinda wish I had listened to at least some of it stoned, but I'll have a chance with the sequel (which I'm told is not dissimilar). Learning to relax and let go of stuff that stresses me out has been a long, slow, laborious process, but I'm getting there, and it's lovely when people give me gifts that help.
Posted in Diary | Tagged imaginative fiction, Presents, psychology, The Essential Maggie McNeill | 1 Comment »
Almost a year ago I published "In the Club", wherein I explained my two-year plan for reducing stress and making my life easier by spending more energy on the things I'm good at, and less on the things I'm not good at. I've never been good at marketing, and the post-FOSTA advertising landscape is so frustrating I can't even deal with it any more. So as I explained in the aforementioned column,
…by the end of [2019]…I'd like to be off of formal escort advertising sites entirely. This doesn't mean I'm going Under the Radar, which would be impossible anyhow; it just means I want to increase the fraction of my business which does not come from traditional ad malls…to 100%. I am moving toward all of my business being either regulars or people who approach me via my blog, Twitter, other writing, my public speaking, TV interviews, etc. Then…I want to tighten it up even more so that by the end of 2020 I'm no longer taking new clients without a direct recommendation from one of my friends. I have no plans to stop working any time soon; I enjoy my work and I like making people happy. What I don't like is having to constantly deal with advertising, screening and all that jazz. If you've already seen me or plan to soon, you've got nothing to worry about; once you're a proven client you are "in" unless you start acting like a flake or a danger. But if you want to be in that select group, I suggest you not wait much longer…
Well, so far so good; I dropped Eros last summer and though most of the men who've contacted me from my other traditional ads have been cretins and/or time-wasters, I'm in exactly the same position with my budget (two months ahead) as I was last January. What this tells me is that there's no real point in paying for ads any longer, because most of my business is coming via other channels anyhow. I'm not going to delete my ads completely, but neither will I be paying for upgrades or the like; my own escort website and the various media I appear in seem to suffice. That means I'm apparently on course to stop taking new, unrecommended clients by the end of this year. Now, mice and men and all; things may not go as I hope, and I may have to push back the deadline. But I wouldn't count on that if I were you. It's not at all unusual for new clients to tell me that they've wanted to see me for a while, but put it off in order to build up their courage to approach me; after the end of this year, it's very possible that guys who do that may find they've procrastinated for too long. So if you'd like to be in the "club" of people I'll see in the future, I suggest you make a date in the next few months, while I'm still taking applications.
Posted in Miscellaneous, Perception | Tagged advertising, bad customers, escort review sites, psychology | Leave a Comment »
Links #497
Kelso…apprehended the open facial area of her…head. – "Officer" John Wolf
The big news this week was the death of Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist for Rush. It wasn't easy to pick a video to commemorate him, but I decided on this one not only for its unusually wise view of immortality, but also because it displays both Peart's skill as a lyricist (inspired by Coleridge, for goodness' sake), but also his ability as a percussionist. The links above it were contributed by Anarras Ansible, Sydney Brownstone, Amy Alkon, Mike Siegel, Cop Crisis, Walter Olson, and Cop Crisis again, in that order.
But for video.
Translation from the Pigese.
Where dumplings came from.
If you want something done right…
Cops show you what they are all the time.
Restaurants who care about their employees need to ban cops.
What part of "not for any reason whatsoever" is so hard to understand?
Amateurs: a menace to public health who should be licensed & regulated.
I don't think I've ever seen the word "molest" used in this context before.
This will continue until people recognize that "filtering" is just censorship.
How many fakumentaries there will be before "trafficking" hysteria ends?
Scumbag profits from criminalization by basing a game on lies about us.
Please stop these pandering claims that censorship is "well-intentioned".
Tthe media in many countries are increasingly siding with sex workers.
Pompous men taking it upon themselves to "disrupt" women's income.
Massage parlors are now taking the brunt of "sex trafficking" hysteria.
Gentrification is a common motivation for persecution of sex workers.
When will the US abandon "re-education" for sex workers and clients?
Why does Gay, Inc never speak up for sex workers until it's too late?
Is anything narrower and meaner than the mind of a prison official?
It's rare that judges side with sex workers against the government.
The "sex trafficking" myth is rooted in Protestant Christian dogma.
"People who need money do lucrative work to get it!" is not news.
"Safe harbor" laws only protect "perfect victims", not real ones.
Propaganda for the rebranded "Operation Northern Spotlight".
My two previous columns for Epiphany (AKA Little Christmas).
The primary customers for male sex robots will also be male.
I'm sure useful idiots will cheer this expansion of censorship.
Useful idiots are unable to understand how precedent works.
Cops, dates, partisans, childhood, rainbows and much more.
Collapsing empires are obsessed with form over substance.
If only amateurs realized how common this sort of thing is.
Israeli prohibitionists are trying to criminalize all sex work.
Cops, Cthulhu, New Jersey, Florida, feet and much more.
Slowly but surely, public opinion is turning in our favor.
Other underage sex workers who killed abusive clients.
Morality is independent of results or even recognition.
Simply ignoring student sex workers would be fine.
"Targeted harassment" of a government building.
It's so nice to watch them feeding on their own.
"The 9 Most Important Sex Trends Of 2018".
Tit-for-tat non-monogamy can never work.
I'm afraid this might be too little, too late.
Christmas is over and carnival has begun!
Rapist cops of the week, 2018 and 2019.
I meet a pro-decriminalization politician.
I've been waiting for this shoe to drop.
I head for Mexico with Lorelei Rivers.
Amazon sucks up to the police state.
Where US schools are soon headed.
Hypocrisy, thy name is Washington.
"Youth pastors" are as bad as cops.
Smartass replies to dumbass texts.
The end of my annual reviews.
Preparing for FOSTA.
Posted in Current Events, Links, Miscellaneous, Music, Obituary, Tyranny | Tagged Alabama, animals, Canada, cops, imaginative fiction, Kansas, Missouri, Never Call the Cops, New York, restaurants, scams, Texas, video, weaponry | Leave a Comment »


I'm writing an external builder for Ceylon. The ceylon compiler is built on top of javac, so it's able to compile both *.java and *.ceylon files in the same project. Since Java files can reference Ceylon declarations from the same project, I'd like to call the ceylon compiler first, then make the java compiler ignore Java files which were compiled by Ceylon.
To do this, I have a `ModuleLevelBuilder` with category `SOURCE_PROCESSOR`, so it's called before the Java builder. Now, I need to tell the Java builder that it should ignore some dirty Java files, because they were already compiled. How can I do this?
As an alternative, is it possible to avoid calling the Java builder on modules which have a certain facet? In my case, if a module has the Ceylon facet, it will automatically be compiled by the Ceylon builder.
Additional question: is it possible, from within the IDE, to give external builders a custom list of dirty files to compile?
It is very easy for me to determine the dirty files from the IDE, but it's much more difficult to find all the files affected by a change from the external process.


text:
Q: How to know when the last batch job in parallel execution finishes? I have an apex class that is executed in parallel by calling Database.executeBatch() in a loop, where each instance processes a chunk of a dataset.
After all the jobs that were executed finish I need to execute some apex.
My initial thought is to query the AsyncApexJob records in the finish method of each batch instance, then kick off the final apex when no other jobs exist.
I'm worried there's an edge case with the last 2 jobs calling finish at the same time and not calling the final apex action.
Is there a better way to know when all submitted jobs have finished?

A: I'm thinking I can use the Org cache to put how many instances of the job were executed, then in the finish method I can create a platform event that invokes a trigger to update the number of jobs executing.
When that cache value reaches 0 in the trigger, I can execute the apex
Edit: This still isn't a 100% perfect solution because the trigger subscribed to the platform event could run in parallel and the platform cache does not have mutexes for reading/writing.
Instead of using the platform cache I may need to use a concrete object using FOR UPDATE to have a platform level mutex on the record to update the # of parallel jobs in a thread safe manner


A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation (additional info and facts about United States Department of Transportation) for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities.
A scenic byways Corridor Management Plan, prepared in accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Interim Policy for National Scenic Byways (published in the Federal Register on May 18, 1995) must be submitted in order for any road or highway to be considered for the National Scenic Byway designation.
To be designated as a National Scenic Byway, a road must possess at least one of the scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archaeological, and/or natural Intrinsic Qualities.
Further infomation on the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway may be obtained from: Umatilla National Forest, 2517 SW Hailey, Pendleton, OR 97801, or by calling 541-278-3722.
Scenic Byway signs along the way mark special points of interest and road junctions; the entire route is paved.
This portion of the scenic byway closely follows the alignment of the SVRR which ran between Baker City and Prairie City carrying lumber, freight, and passengers.
This guide to the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway help to take you through Iowa's Loess Hills, county by county through the seven counties where the hills are located.
While traveling the Byway and its loops, you may notice some "B" roads, marked with signs warning travelers to use those low-maintenance roads at their own risk--be careful if you venture off the Byway's routes onto those roads, especially if they're wet.
The pages all include county specific maps, detailed Byway spine and loop directions, attractions that can be found both on or near the Byway and those in the surrounding communities.
The Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway is the gateway to a panoramic display of birds and wildlife. It curves around Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge for 76 miles.
Less than 20 miles away from Cheyenne Bottoms (as the bird flies), is the other jewel of the Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway, Quivira National Wildlife Refuge.
Byway communities also provide opportunities to enjoy Kansas natural offerings. Great Bend is home to the Central Kansas Raptor Rehab Education Facility. In addition, the Hoisington High School Environmental Science class is developing a songbird habitat scheduled for completion in fall 2005.
National Scenic Byway Foundation will aid in the successful completion of projects that might not otherwise be accomplished by byways and byway organizations.
The idea of creating a national not-for-profit organization to support Scenic Byway first surfaced at the 2001 National Scenic Byway Conference.
to educate the public, volunteers and byway professionals in matters relating to byways.
The National Scenic Byways Program is a federal government program administered by the U S Department of Transportation (USDOT) and recognizes highways that are outstanding examples of the history, beauty culture and recreational experiences that our nation offers both domestic arid international travelers.
Initially, byway designation win immediately result in statewide, national and international recognition of the Lincoln Highway in Illinois as a tourist destination through the byway marketing efforts of the National Scenic Byways Program.
Byway status will allow Lincoln Highway communities to join together to maximize the economic benefits afforded by historic heritage tourism, which helps support community businesses, promotes travel industry employment and generates additional revenue from state and local sales taxes and fees paid by in-state, out—of-state and international travelers.
The Mohawk Towpath Byway was officially designated a National Scenic Byway in a Sept. 22 ceremony in Washington, D.C. Administrators for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration presented the award to Mark Woods of the state Department of Transportation and Eric Hamilton the chairman of the Mohawk Towpath Byway coalition.
Since 1992 the program has provided almost $300,000,000 funding for 1,665 state and nationally designated byway projects in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.
He described the towpath byway as a diverse collection of town roads, county and state highways between the Village of Waterford and the City of Schenectady.
The National Scenic Byways Program was established in 1992 by the Federal Highway Administration to help recognize and promote the unique intrinsic qualities of selected roadways that reflect the heart and soul of American culture.
Applicants seeking a National Scenic Byway designation must demonstrate the road's natural, scenic, historic, cultural, archaeological and/or recreational significance.
We're proud to have a route worthy of recognition as a National Scenic Byway, and we invite others to discover all that it has to offer."
It skirts the shores of the scenic Georgetown Lake with the magnificent backdrop of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness.
While portions of this scenic route remain open year-round, the higher sections are generally not open until late May or June and close the third Monday in October, unless closed earlier by snowfall.
Whether driving in one of many expansive valleys between the ranges or along rushing mountain streams surrounded by towering cliffs, you are constantly aroused by the endless beauty and magnificence of this state.
Courtesy of eatstayplay.com - This is Route 66 National Scenic Byway as it goes through Williams, AZ.
Reservations: Reservations are not needed or accepted to travel Route 66 National Scenic Byway.
Woodward is Michigan's first roadway to be designated a National Scenic Byway, in the program sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration.
On June 13, 2002 in the nation's capitol, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta designated Metro Detroit's Woodward Avenue a National Scenic Byway.
Scenic Byway designation and the financial assistance from the grant program will assist the Woodward Heritage Team in 'bringing Woodward's story to life' with tours, interpretive markers and physical improvements.
Because of its extraordinary scenic beauty and importance in history, it was designated in 1999 as one of only 53 roads in the United States as a National Scenic Byway.
Welcome to the Top of the Rockies National Scenic and Historic Byway, where the rich history of the West and its wealth of natural resources are showcased in a living working landscape.
The Pend Oreille Scenic Byway follows the shore of Lake Pend Oreille on SH-200 for the majority of the length of the byway, and then winds alongside the Clark River to the Montana state line.
The Northwest Passage Scenic Byway passes through the Clearwater River canyon from the junction of U.S. 95 and U.S. 12 near Spalding, and then leaves the river, climbing south to the Camas Prairie.
Mountains surround the lake and the byway, and mountain landscapes can be seen reflected in the many miles of water along the byway.
National Scenic Byway funds enable states to undertake eligible projects along highways designated as All-American Roads, National Scenic Byways, and state-designated byways.
The Michigan Department of Transportation helped secure nearly $45,000 in National Scenic Byway funding recently from the Federal Highway Administration for future M-22 projects in Leelanau County.
Eligible under this program are planning projects to inventory, preserve and enhance the qualities of the byway, safety improvements, construction of bike and pedestrian facilities, and resource protection such as scenic easements.
Passing by Starvation Point and Pecos National Monument, the trail finally winds its way to Santa Fe, where a granite marker on the Plaza commemorates the end of the trail.
Entering the state just north of Clayton, the byway roughly parallels, and occasionally intersects, the Cimarron Cutoff, passing by Rabbit Ears Mountain, Point of Rocks and Wagon Mound on its way to Watrous.
Farther south, the byway passes through Rayado, a trail campsite that later became the home of Kit Carson.
The National Road Museum is on U.S. Route 40, 10 miles east of Zanesville, in Muskingum County.
In Ohio, the byway extends from the Ohio River at Bridgeport to the Indiana line, a distance of 225 miles.
Joe's US 40 Grille is a new addition to the National Road, but looks and feels as though it was there for travelers in the 50s and 60s.
Beaver Bay is the oldest settlement on the byway.
Even byways that are not plowed often provide excellent winter opportunities on snow mobiles or cross country skis.
Many byways are not plowed in the winter.
America's Byways are a distinctive collection of American roads, their stories and treasured places.
Like similar organizations such as the National Park Foundation, the National Forest Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; the National Scenic Byway Foundation is composed of members who contribute to its support.
It will strive to have the Byway collection of distinctive American roads, their stories and treasured places become as recognized and valued as national parks, forests and wildlife refuges and will assist current and future development, management, preservation and enhancement of byways through cooperation between units of government, the for-profit and the not-for-profit sectors.
Douglas Arnold, Greater Alton/Twin Rivers CVB in Illinois and Bobby Koepplin, Sheyenne River Valley Scenic Byway in North Dakota serve on the Executive Committee.
The northern end of the byway is capped by Crater Lake National Park in Oregon where mysteries of the earth's interior are studied.
While the scenic byways can be accessed many ways by car, there are a few, specific airports that are close to the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byways.
The National Scenic Byways Program, established by Congress in 1991 and administered by the FHWA, was created to preserve and protect the nation's scenic byways and, at the same time, promote tourism and economic development.
To be designated as a National Scenic Byway, a road must possess at least one of these qualities and be regionally significant.
Under the National Scenic Byways Program, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as National Scenic Byways or All-American Roads based on their archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.
Each of these unique Byways is a treasure among the nation's scenic routes.
Each Byway is illustrated in an easy-to-follow map that offers interactive features, including recreational opportunities, cultural or historic sites, information centers and various attractions.
Don't let their proximity fool you: each Byway explores unique ecosystems and lifestyles, with plenty of enjoyable activities and scenery to experience along the way.
This wonderful byway has been officially designated a State Scenic Byway in Oklahoma and Arkansas and efforts are underway to secure a national designation.
The Talimena Scenic Drive is a Scenic Byway offering 54 miles of spectacular views and incredible scenery.
This area of western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma offers scenic beauty, outdoor adventure and enlightening historical and educational experiences that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
The 150-mile stretch of Highways 17 and 155 from Othello to Omak known as the Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway was designated Thursday as a national scenic byway, one of 45 around the United States to get the designation by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta.
For now, CCC supporter Bill Kelley said, the byway can get on the national map along with 124 other scenic byways around the nation.
The national designation, Tuller said, gives the corridor a higher priority for grant money that will allow the consortium to develop and market the byway across the United States.
In April 1997, the state of North Carolina declared it a Scenic Byway and it later became one of only twenty highways deserving the distinction of "National Scenic Byway".
Take a leisurely journey on the Skyway and enjoy the spectacular scenic overlooks some of which offer picnic tables, or hike one of the many trails and view the wildlife of the forests.
Crossing through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests from which it gets it's name - Chero, from Cherokee, and hala, from Nantahala - this ridge route connects Robbinsville in North Carolina to Tellico Plains in Southeast Tennessee.
In 1990, a portion of Highway 149 was given the distinction of becoming a National Forest Service and Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway.
The guidebooks cost $1.00, and have historical, scenic and wildlife information for the traveler of this amazing byway.
Each location that is numbered is a location of either historical or scenic significance, that warrants stopping to take a closer look.
Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has provided almost $300,000,000 funding for 1,665 State and nationally designated byway projects in 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
See http://www.hallowedground.org for a complete list and description.] The National Scenic Byways program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
There are 125 Scenic Byways in the United States.
The National Scenic Byways Program aims to help motorists locate the most scenic and historically significant roads, while increasing tourism, stimulating the local economy and protecting the distinctive assets within these corridors.
In April, Sarbanes announced a federal grant of $42,000 for the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway Interpretive Plan to accumulate and coordinate local stories in Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties about the region's past and illustrate how they fit into a larger national context.
Senator Paul S. Sarbanes applauded today's announcement that "Chesapeake Country," the Maryland highway Routes 213/18 corridor from the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, has been designated a "National Scenic Byway" by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Much of the region is now a National Recreation Area and there are many opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping, and cross- country skiing.


Seeds planted in damp seed starting material shouldn't need more water until they show green and start growing. If you've covered your seed trays with a clear plastic cover, or plastic wrap, they should stay plenty moist, but check your seed trays weekly for moisture after a couple of weeks. A spritz of water from a spray bottle should be enough.
Most seeds need to be in a room with temperatures between 65-80 degrees. The seed packet should tell you what temperature to maintain, but if it doesn't you can look up online the variety you are growing. You can use a heat mat under the seed trays to help keep the soil at the desired temperature, or additional warmth can be supplied by lights close to the soil. Once the seedlings start to grow, they will need light.
When your seeds have germinated and are showing green, it's time to take the plastic covers off and get the babies under lights. It's possible to grow seedlings in a bright sunny south facing window, but make sure they don't get too hot.
The first green leaves to show on your seedlings are called cotyledons (temporary leaves) and don't conduct photosynthesis. Sometimes these will even have the seed still attached like the picture above. True leaves will develop and look different.. Once the true leaves appear, the cotyledons will wither and fall off. After a few more leaves grow, you can transplant the seedling into a bigger pot or into the garden.
While your seedlings are inside, watering is critical. As they grow and form a canopy over the flats, you need to make sure they are getting water at the roots, so you'll need to put water directly on the soil and not on top of the leaves. Overhead watering can lead to disease and do as much damage as too much or too little water.


The backyard photo here shows the user-friendly new sitting deck, with safety handrails on either side of the steps. A new roof provides needed protection from sun and rain, and diamond shaped cut-outs in the new gate provide a window out to the world for the homeowners pet dog.
This kitchen remodel featured new alder cabinets with a granite countertop and tile backsplash and floor. We took out the bifold door by the window and replaced it with a new swinging door and glass panel.
Here we took out the flimsy old metal handrail, and built a solid partial wall with custom wood handrail. New paint and new tile floor.
This house got a much needed makeover, including new stonework in the front, a complete re-paint, and a new rustic wood post to hold up the sagging porch roof.
Hoo-boy was that one ugly mess of a kitchen to begin with! We gutted the kitchen down to the plaster, updated the plumbing and electrical, eliminated the interior window above the old sink, designed and installed a new kitchen with oak cabinets, tile countertops and tile floor.
This nasty "before" shot of the bathroom came from the same house as the cluttered kitchen above. We stripped the bathroom, but saved the tub, which was in good shape. Rebuilt the rotted subfloor, installed a new shower head, new pedestal sink and toilet, new tile floor and tub surround, and eliminated the interior window above the tub.


The Brussels Airport fire service is a large and well established part of the airport. However, age and capacity limits call for renewal and enlargement of the current facilities, which is why the airport builds two new fire stations on the airport tarmac, west and east of the airport terrain. The construction of the new buildings began May 2017 and will accommodate fire service as well as various associated rescue services, including medical service. Both fire stations will provide more space for new fire engines and robots, in which the airport has invested considerably in recent years. NOVENCO Building & Industry will equip each of the fire stations with two jet fans type AUO 500. These jet fans build on the renowned NovAx™ axial flow fans that are characterised by an oval silencer design. All fans are tested and approved to meet the requirements for smoke exhaust.


text:
Why continuous monitoring is gaining popularity
Eric Chabrow, executive editor, GovInfoSecurity
wfedstaff | June 3, 2015 7:55 am
Continuous monitoring is gaining a lot of buzz, but what is it, exactly?
Eric Chabrow is executive editor at GovInfoSecurity.com and blogs about the federal government and privacy.
He says continuous monitoring is becoming a hot topic because, under FISMA, agencies have to report how they protect their information systems. The law, though, isn't very specific, and this is where new concepts come in.
"[It's] using tools to actually measure and observe what the computer systems are doing. Continuous monitoring doesn't mean constant monitoring. It's not being done constantly. The State Department, for example, does it about once a day — checking its servers and PCs through its international networks."
Chabrow explains that it isn't just a buzzword, either, or the latest trend. It's the direction in which the Office of Management and Budget wants to go.
In April, OMB issued guidance regarding FISMA and is now requiring that agencies submit real-time data about the state of their networks.
Federal News Radio has been telling you that several agencies are already working to meet this goal.
"The difference between the traditional way of complying through FISMA — you would check off . . . an area [about doing] patches of IT systems to make sure that they're updated with their security software. Well, with continuous monitoring the agency would be automatically alerted about whether a PC or a server has received the patch. So, it's not as if they're just saying, 'Yes, we're doing it,' [OMB] can actually tell if it's being done."
The goal is to reduce the measurable risks that agencies are facing. When it comes to cybersecurity, many threats are out there that contain unknowns, which is why actions like continuous monitoring are seen as so important.
Why fight battles against known enemies while you are struggling to defend against unknowns, too?
For lessons learned and best practices, Chabrow cites the State Department as a good example of an agency that has really hit the ground running with continuous monitoring.
You can read all about it in his blog, but one thing he does emphasize is the financial aspect.
Read more: Technology
"One number that's been mentioned a lot has been the amount of money that the State Department has spent on compliance under FISMA. They estimate that, over a six year period, they've spent $133 million on what they call the three-ring binders that they submit to show that they're secure. In communicating with [State's CISO], he didn't give me a price tag on what [continuous monitoring] costs, but it's not cheap. In fact, there's a certain disruption that goes on. He said that, under FISMA they had something like 60 writers of these . . . Reports. Now they have a workforce of 4,100-plus technicians."
So, continuous monitoring is more expensive and requires more manpower. Is it worth it?
Chabrow says he's talked to several federal CIOs and CISOs who say, yes, it is a bit disruptive, but it is the job of the CIO to alleviate fears of both agency heads and their employees.
While the concept is still relatively new, Chabrow also notes that continuous monitoring is not a silver bullet, nor is it being regarded as one.
"It's a step in the right direction. Actually seeing what your systems are doing, rather than having a human saying, 'this is what we're supposed to be doing'."
Email the author of this post at dramienski@federalnewsradio.com
This story is part of the Federal News Radio Cybersecurity Update – Tune in weekdays at 30 minutes past the hour for the latest cybersecurity news on The Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morris (6-10 a.m.) and DorobekInsider with Chris Dorobek (3-5 p.m.).
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