Simon Cowell scraps captive dolphin scenes on X-Factor after public outrage.
Donna Ilife-Pollard was cozy relaxing in her slippers and wine watching TV when her world shifted into overdrive.
She was watching one of her favorite shows X-Factor UK and as it was nearing the end of the episode the teaser for next week came on the screen.
What she saw next prompted her to a knee-jerk reaction to act. XTra Factor, X-Factor's behind-the-scenes after-show, was promoting captive dolphins doing cheap stunts glorifying the swim-with programs and dolphin shows.
So she started a petition.
"I haven't slept most of the night worrying about the impact this actual episode will have on the younger generations when they watch it in their millions next week. They'll all be begging their parents to visit the likes of Seaworld..." - Says Pollard in her petition to stop the segment from airing, "All the love and hard work we put in to send the right messages out about captivity and the Taiji connection will just be blown out of the water when the kids see that Simon Cowell thinks it's ok."
So thanks to the quick actions of a handful of core activists the petition counts went up to 5,000 in under 24 hours. It's currently at 7100 and counting.
It also caused this: Warnings from activists overnight pushed the subject to a global viral level.
Simon Cowell has always been outspoken against animal abuse of any kind so I was shocked at the latest news of XTra Factor shooting a segment with captive dolphins that were captured from questionable or unknown sources.
An informal Twitterstorm was the reaction from the activists who joined in the fire Donna had started.
It prompted this a few hours later.
On Digital Spy: Posted on September 30, 2014 Simon Cowell has responded to an online petition which called on scenes involving The X Factor contestants with dolphins to be scrapped.
A preview for next weekend's Xtra Factor episodes, filmed at Judges' Houses, showed the final six boys attending a dolphin show, as well as swimming with the animals.
The final six boys at the judges houses stage on The X Factor 2014 © ITV / Thames TV/Syco An online petition was signed over 7,000 times, as fans called on Cowell to take action, with its creator Donna Iliffe-Pollard explaining that she hoped "to appeal to Simon Cowell's animal loving nature, encouraging him into reconsidering putting this segment in next weekends show (sic)."
Having become aware of the petition, the Syco boss tonight (September 30) tweeted: "Reading your tweets. I had no idea Xtra Factor producers filmed with dolphins. This will NOT be showed on Saturday. I think you all know my view on cruelty to animals so thank you all for your concern."
Iliffe-Pollard had expressed fear about the "impact this actual episode will have on the younger generations when they watch it in their millions next week".
The X Factor will air over three nights this weekend as hopefuls compete at Judges' Houses.
One person can change the world, but sometime it takes a village.


text:
Ginwala probe: more questions
It only warranted a small item in the Citizen newspaper. No mention of it in the Fishing Village rag, the Cape Times. Although ETV made a meal of it and called the Minister of Justices' explanation extraordinary. I would have called it troubling and bizarre.
It all started when Freedom Front Plus MP, Willie Spies, recalled that he had seen Justice Minister Brigit Mabandla and ex-Speaker, Frene Ginwala in business class on the same plane on 20 September this year. Ginwala was of course appointed by President Thabo Mbeki to head the commission of inquiry into the fitness for office of the National Prosecuting Authority's suspended head, Vusi Pikoli.
As it happens, Pikoli was suspsended on 24 September, five days after Mabandla and Ginwala was seen together on the plane. Spies posed a written parliamentary question about this and bizarrely Mabandla said she "did not recall" whether she and Ginwala had shared a South African Airways flight on September 20.
Spies also enquired whether Mabandla and Ginwala had attended any meetings together between September 19 and Pikoli's suspension on September 24 this year but the Minister has so far declined to answer. GInwala's office has also declined to comment on the matter.
As Spies remarked, a simple yes or no from either office would have sufficed to clear the issue. The fact that Mabandla now claims not to remember whether she was on the same plane and has declined to say whether she attended a meeting with Ginwala suggests either that Mabandla has been spending far too much time with the Minister of Health and is destined for an emergency liver transplant any day, or that she is lying through her teeth and that her memory lapse is a political rather than mental one.
It would, of course, be rather inconvenient if it would to transpire that the Minister of Justice – who is the official complainant in the Pikoli matter – and the head of the commission appointed to investigate whether Pikoli was fit to hold office – had a meeting shortly before the President had suspended Mr Pikoli. It would suggest that the Ginwala inquiry was a set-up with a pre-determined outcome and that the Minister, the President and Ginwala had acted in a disgraceful manner.
It would also further compromise not only the legitimacy of the inquiry but its legality. Even if Ginwala and Mabandla claimed to have attended a meeting to discuss flower arrangement or the form of the Springbok rugby team, noreasonable person would not feel a very strong apprehension that the head of the commission was biased against the head of the NPA.
Surely, if Ginwala is unwise enough to recommend to the President that Mr Pikoli should be removed from office, this would give Pikoli's legal team another very strong line of attack against the legality of the process.
Politically, it also creates (or perhaps one should say further perpetuates) the perception that President Thabo Mbeki plays lip-service at obeying the Rule of Law and following the letter of the law, but that behind the scenes he is prepared to subvert the law to protect those close to him and to "fix" those who cross him.
Unless the protagonists come up with a better excuse that a memory lapse, most of us will expect the worst and will assume that once again Mbeki and his Minister is abusing their power to get rid of someone who did not follow the line. The fact that Ginwala is also implicated in this sorry mess seems sad, but after reading the part in Andrew Feinstein's book in which he describes how the former Speaker subverted her office to protect the party and do President Mbeki's bidding for him, it is not coming as a surprise.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


More Information ina hk1212 bearing in Seychelles are widely used in industrial drive, agriculture, compressors, motors and generators, construction, industrial fan, industrial transmission and other fields. More Information ina hk1212 bearing in Seychelles can ensure high quality for more than 80% raw material of More Information ina hk1212 bearing in Seychelles provided by the steel plant.
Explorer series bearing of More Information ina hk1212 bearing in Seychelles are better than any brand bearings currently in bearing performance , lifetime, design, and the use of performance. Explorer series bearings of More Information ina hk1212 bearing in Seychelles have more advantages ,such as higher meet rated , lower noise, reducing warranty costs greatly, increasing running time of the machine.
We guarantee to provide you with the best INA HK1212 Bearings,At the same time to provide you with the INA HK1212 types,price,size chart,cross reference,CAD.
HK1212 INA Part for Needle Roller Bearing. 1212K C3 Steyr Self Aligning Ball Bearing Row. 1212K TG C3 Steyr Double 1212K FAG Self Aligning Ball Bearing Row.
Find great deals for INA HK1212 Needle Roller Bearing. Shop with confidence on eBay!
Searching for INA Needle Roller Bearings? Grainger's got your back. Easy ordering & convenient delivery. Log-in or register for your pricing.


Planning a wedding can be a frustrating affair given all the work and time that goes into it. For this reason, you need to be well prepared. If you are handling part of the planning, there are certain things you need to remember. For instance, hiring out your party items should be done early enough to ensure you do not leave anything out. A simple search for 'party rentals near me' will give you a wide selection of party rental companies to choose from. You need to work with a reliable company like Party Rental GTA to ensure that what you hire will be delivered promptly on the wedding day. Here are some of the party rental items you should plan for.
When planning a wedding, especially an open space garden wedding, it is important to have a plan B. You need to plan for unexpected weather changes that can ruin your perfect day. A tent can provide shelter from the rain or sun while still giving the event a sense of elegance and poise. There are a ton of stylish tents that you can pick depending on your taste and budget. You don't want to risk not having a tent for your big day.
A wedding ceremony requires that guests be seated. Apart from your guests, you need to remember that even service providers will need to use seats and tables. Make sure to hire enough for everyone. Do not forget that the cake and gifts also require tables to be set up on.
Apart from hiring the traditional tables and chairs, a good way to make your reception look fancy is by including lounge furniture in the setup. Add these to your wedding rentals list. Creating a casual setting for your guests can create a perfect atmosphere and contribute to the overall appeal of the wedding. Lounge seating areas also make excellent backdrops for your photographs.
A wedding is a time to make merry, dance, and be happy. All this can only be made possible if the guests have an open space to dance. The last thing you want is to force your guests to dance from their seating spaces because you forgot to hire a dance floor. Aldo, you will want to have your first dance on a special spacious floor.
Depending on the time of the year your wedding is scheduled for, there is some equipment you can hire to make the event even more enjoyable. For instance, hiring a slushies machine on a hot summer wedding day can be a great idea. Also, having a popcorn machine is a good idea or even a chocolate fountain.
The worst thing is having your power cut off in the middle of a dance or at any time during your special day. Make sure the 'party rental near me' service provider you go for can provide a qualified electrician as part of the package. This ensures that the power connections are done properly and that everything runs smoothly throughout the day.


text:
College Football Live Returns Monday; Highlights Multi-Platform Conference Media Days Coverage
Mike Humes Follow on Twitter July 9, 2015
Orlando, FL - December 11, 2014 - Disney Dance Hall: The set of College Football Live
ESPN's extensive coverage of the 2015 college football season will begin Monday, July 13, with the return of daily College Football Live shows and extensive media day programming from 11 conferences across multiple platforms.
College Football Live
College Football Live – a weekday studio show with analysis and discussion on the sport's biggest news – will kick off its season from the SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala., Monday, July 13, through Thursday, July 16 at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN (Thursday will be on ESPN2). Joe Tessitore will host the four episodes with analysts Joey Galloway and David Pollack. The 30-minute program will be aired each weekday during the regular-season generally at 2 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2. Beginning with Monday's show, an audio version of College Football Live will now be available as an ESPN Podcast.
ESPNU will televise eight three-hour shows from the Charlotte studios around the SEC (July 13-16), ACC (July 20-21), Big 12 (July 20-21), Big Ten (July 30-31) and Pac-12 (July 20-31) media days, including live reports and interviews from each.
Date Time (ET) Conference
Mon, July 13 3 – 6 p.m. SEC
Tue, July 14 1 – 4 p.m. SEC
Wed, July 15 1 – 4 p.m. SEC
Thu, July 16 1 – 4 p.m. SEC
Mon, July 20 1 – 4 p.m. ACC and Big 12
Tue, July 21 1 – 4 p.m. ACC and Big 12
Thu, July 30 1 – 4 p.m. Big Ten and Pac-12
Fri, July 31 1 – 4 p.m. Big Ten and Pac-12
ESPNU's telecasts during the SEC media days will supplement an extensive schedule of programming on SEC Network, the event's most robust television coverage to date (release with full details). Matt Schick and Brendan Fitzgerald will alternate hosting duties for shows during the SEC media days with Kevin Carter providing analysis Monday, July 13, to Wednesday, July 15. Tom Luginbill will be the analyst on Thursday, July 16.
Schick will host programs around the ACC and Big 12 media days on July 20 and July 21 with analyst Jason Sehorn in studio and Anish Shroff providing coach and player interviews from the ACC media days.
Charles Arbuckle will provide analysis on the July 30 and July 31 shows around the Big Ten and Pac-12 media days with Fitzgerald and Shroff hosting one day each.
ESPN3 will offer an extensive schedule of exclusive media day coverage from six conferences:
Mon, July 20 2 – 4 p.m. Sun Belt
Tue, July 28 TBD Mountain West
Wed, July 29 Noon – 3 p.m. Mid-American
TBD Mountain West
4 – 7 p.m. Big South
8 – 10 p.m. Southland
Tue, Aug. 4 TBD American
SportsCenter will carry news and interviews from the media days of multiple conferences. ESPN's Jay Crawford and Jaymee Sire will anchor four days of "SportsCenter On The Road" shows from the SEC media days. Reporters Joe Schad and Brett McMurphy will provide coverage from a variety of media days.
ESPN.com will preview each media day, provide daily news and analysis, produce team specific text and video content around the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and blogs, and wrap up each day with a best-of feature. ESPN Now will feature photos, video, quotes and comments each day from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC. Reporters at each site include:
Conference Reporters
ACC Andrea Adelson, Matt Fortuna, David Hale and Jared Shanker
Big 12 Brandon Chatmon and Max Olson
Big Ten Adam Rittenberg, Brian Bennett, Josh Moyer, Dan Murphy, Mitch Sherman and Austin Ward
Pac-12 Ted Miller, Kevin Gemmell, Chantel Jennings and David Lombardi
SEC Mark Schlabach, Edward Aschoff, Alex Scarborough and Greg Ostendorf
College Football College Sports
Mike Humes


text:
Kractivist.org
Bridge the Gap! Bring the Change!
Don't Tell Me….
Mera Sayaa
Dohari Zindagi
प्रेम या हिंसा ?
बम्बई की बारिश और चार चिटकनियाँ
Kractivism
You have the right to remain silent
Ban on Rohinton Mistry's " Such a Long Journey"
Draconian Laws
Soni Sori
Sudhir Dhawale
Threat to Democracy through the Draconian Laws
#India – Death penalty is not justice
USA – States without Death Penalty Have Lower Murder Rates
Faking Happiness- Competition
Faking Happiness- Nakul Sawhney
Faking Happiness- Print Ad Coca-Cola – Mohammad Zafar
Faking Happiness Animations- Surya Shankar Dash
Faking Happiness Animations- Kamayani Bali Mahabal
Clean Chit Campaign
A leaf from the illustrious life of the CM designate , #YogiAdityanath of Uttar Pradesh
BY APOORVANAND
Account of a ten year old story : Helps you understand the CM designate of UP
What happened in the eastern Uttar Pradesh town was not a conflict but violence unleashed by MP Yogi Adityanath and his henchmen
If one tries to understand the developments in Gorakhpur and its neighbouring areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh (Poorvanchal) from January 26 to 31, 2007 through the eyes of the print and electronic media, one moves further away from the truth. It is a sordid story of a highly communalised media conjuring up a riot, collaborating with BJP MP Yogi Adityanath, a Bal Thackeray clone and heir to the Gorakhnath Peeth operating from the Gorakhnath temple. Adityanath is a BJP MP for 'technical' reasons and cares a damn for the niceties of party discipline because he knows that the party cannot dissociate itself from him. Though he mocked the party by holding a Vishwa Hindu Maha Sammelan at the same time as the BJP's National Council meet in Lucknow, the party did not mind. It had earlier swallowed the defeat of its candidate in the Assembly election by Adityanath's candidate. One should know that he is a Thakur; and a Thakur heads the BJP now . The Thakur spread across party lines ensures that Adityanath is allowed to have his own way in his fiefdom, i.e. Poorvanchal. He makes it a point to give calls for a Gorakhpur bandh whenever the chief minister visits the town.
Poorvanchal mein rahan hai to Yogi-Yogi kahan hoga (You have to chant Yogi's name if you want to live in Poorvanchal) is a slogan popularised by his gang. But how true is the claim of his hold on Gorakhpur, leave alone Poorvanchal? He has lost all local elections held recently in and around Gorakhpur, and could only manage to lure the relatively respected Samajwadi Party (SP) member and mayoral candidate Anju Chaudhary to his side.
Apparently, Chaudhary fell a victim to the myth spun around him during the last 15 years. Adityanath has been called the Yuvak Hindu Samrat, Narendra Modi of Poorvanchal, the premier of the Hindu Rashtra of Poorvanchal. He has used the wealth of the Gorakhnath Temple to sustain his army of lumpen youth. Adityanath has followed the rss methodology in creating organisations with different names that he calls cultural bodies. Among these are Hindu Yuva Vahini, Sri Ram Shakti Prakoshtha, Gorakhnath Purvanchal Vikas Manch, Hindu Mahasabha and Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh. Adityanath himself is the main functionary of these unregistered outfits. He also controls much of the functioning of the Bajrang Dal and the Hindu Jagran Manch. He holds his durbar in his temple that is attended by local police and officials.
Adityanath has perfected his technique of manufacturing riots. An insignificant incident like a Hindu's clothes getting stained accidentally by the paan spat by a Muslim is turned into an act of humiliation of Hindus. A rape in which the victim is dalit and the perpetrator Muslim is used to substantiate the allegation that "Muslims rape our women" and all hell is let loose on the Muslims. The last 11 years are witness to several such acts. No criminal case has been registered against him except once in 1999 when a case was registered against him in Maharajganj after the killing of the official gunman accompanying sp leader Talat Aziz. The police and administration have remained mute spectators with the political leadership looking the other way. All this has given him an air of invincibility. Muslims have been given to understand that neither the Bahujan Samaj Party, nor the sp is willing to rein him in. Perhaps the SP is seeking to counter Mayawati's Brahmin card with its own Thakur card by indulging him. The Congress is nowhere and also lacks a will to take him on. All this leaves the Muslims here with no option but to resign themselves to their fate.
This time, however, his plans went awry. On the night of January 26-27, Pankaj Rai, a history-sheeter, and his gang chased a dance party performing at a marriage. They mingled with a Muharram procession and the processionists thought that they were being attacked. Suddenly a gunshot was heard, which the then administration thinks was Rai's act. As panic set in, more people — both Hindu and Muslim — were beaten up and a young man, Raj Kumar Agrahari, was badly injured and hospitalised. The District Magistrate (DM) was informed at 1.30am and he told officials to brief Adityanath that he should not visit the site. Initially, the MP agreed. But as Agrahari died, Adityanath declared that now he would go to the spot and seek revenge for the killing of a Hindu by Muslims. He reached the spot with his lumpen who destroyed a mazhar. He declared his resolve to ensure justice for the Hindus, swords were flashed before the dm and senior police officers. Short of policemen, the administration tried to persuade the MP to vacate the place but he didn't budge.
When the now-determined dm took the dagger away from a goon, they charged towards him and demanded the dagger back. Upon this, the dm ordered the police to disperse them by force. Suddenly the MP found himself facing a situation that was not in the script. Afraid that the lathis might find Adityanath, his well-wishers cried out for compromise. The MP demanded that curfew be imposed and withdrew. Though the dm didn't think a curfew was required as the violence was designed to disrupt Muharram, he agreed to the MP's demand.
Later, however, Adityanath announced a torchlight procession. The administration succeeded in preventing it from moving but it was captured on camera and a non-procession was turned into one by the willing media. Emboldened, he announced a Shraddhanjali Sabha the next day at the town's busiest crossroad. By this time, the dm had resolved not to allow it any further as the police reinforcements were in. He issued orders that no meeting was to be allowed and that any violator was to be arrested. With unambiguous orders, the police moved. Adityanath dismissed the warning as a hollow threat but landed in an unforeseen situation. He and his 'followers' were taken to the police line. Soon, a police van arrived and the detained people were asked to board the jail-bound vehicle. Adityanath jumped into the bus, declaring that he cannot leave his followers. To their surprise, the bus started moving and they realised that they were in trouble. The three-km journey to the jail took more than 90 minutes as his goons pelted stones and every other means to block the van but to no avail. For the first time in his life, Adityanath is jailed under Section 151A of the crpc only to find later that he has also been booked under Sections 146, 147, 279, 506 of the Indian Penal Code for leading the attack on the mazhar. On the strength of this fir, Adityanath is remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
On January 29, his followers assembled at Gorakhnath Temple that falls in an area where more than 50 percent of the population is Muslim. They start hrowing stones and burning tyres in the direction of the Muslim locality and on the road. But there is no retaliation from the other side.
Dr Hari Om, the then dm in-charge, wishes to put it on record that not a single incident of slogan-shouting or stone-pelting was resorted to by Muslims. He wants the world to know that although much grieved by the decision to impose curfew as it hampered Muharram, the Muslims, led by the venerable Miyan saheb, assured the administration of all cooperation as peace was more important and kept their word. Meanwhile, the media kept screaming that Gorakhpur was burning, the walls of the Gorakhnath Temple were demolished. Which, of course, was a naked lie.
And all of a sudden, the dm was informed that he's been shunted along with the superintendent of police. As he moved away, Rashid, a Muslim youth, was killed. It is a matter of discussion in Gorakhpur that it was done by a Hindu Yuva Vahini man who injured himself to use it as a cover. Newspapers flashed the pictures of the Yuva Vahini man's bandaged leg, obliterating the killing of Rashid altogether.
So where was the riot, as imagined by the interested media, asks Hari Om. From January 27 to 29, Adityanath and his goons laid siege to Gorakhpur without any provocation from Muslims. A mazhar was gutted, masjids and shops of Muslims destroyed, government properties damaged by the gangs, stone pelting on the police by his goons: do these make a perfect riot? A riot involves some degree of involvement of two warring groups. How is it that areas with substantial Muslim population did not experience any untoward incident barring the planned attacks of Adityanath's gangs? Why did cm Mulayam Singh Yadav remove the officers who jailed the BJP MP who was hell-bent on destroying peace? Why did the officers' successors go straight to Adityanath for forgiveness? Why did the media fail to report the facts as facts?
Hari Om has one regret — that he had assured Muslims that by giving a reprieve of 7-8 hours in the curfew on January 29, he would ensure that the Muharram tradition was not disturbed. However, the moment he was removed, Rashid was killed to celebrate it as Adityanath's victory and the curfew was extended. Tazias remained where they were. The Muslims kept their word, he did not. This young officer has just one question for his country: can a community feel at home where it is prevented from even mourning by all kinds of machination? Can a community celebrate its existence in a country where law-keepers look over their shoulders when it is attacked? Such is the sad story of Uttar Pradesh, the truth of one of the many riots that were not.
First published in Tehelka.com, Feb 17, 2007
https://communalism.blogspot.in/2007/02/riot-manufactured-in-gorakhpur.html
Kamayani Bali – Mahabal – A Kractivist with Multiple Personality Disorder ( MPD) which encompasses a clinical psychologist, journalist, lawyer and activist.
Advocacy, Human Rights, Justice, Kractivism, Law, Minority Rights, Politics, Religion
Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, yogi adityanath
K SHESHU BABU
The result is expected and BJP intentions are ominous. The promotion of RSS backed politician clearly reflects the future of the state. Secular forces must come out unitedly to protect the people of marginalised communities from being harassed.
Riot manufacured in Gorakhpur – अपूर्वानंद Apoorvanand : अप्रासंगिक Aprasangik
SC seeks Centre's reply on PIL against abortion laws
Bigg Boss Telugu: Hyderabad journalist accuses the makers of the show for asking sexual favours
"Narmada, Our Lifeline: Can't be deadline"
Rajasthan -Rhetoric Galore, Nothing New to Offer in the State Health Budget 2019-20
Farmers Against The Bullet Train Record Their Protest Through 'Bullet', A Documentary
Uttar Pradesh- Muslim Cleric 'assaulted' for not chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'
Uttarakhand's suspended Gun-toting MLA has own army called 'Champion Force'
Uttarakhand- Man held for objectionable post against CM
Rajasthan-FIR against six cops for raping woman inside jail
Statutory warning: Newsprint duty is injurious to the health of our democracy
Women's March- Punjabi Anthem
Categories Select Category aadhaar Advocacy Announcements Caste Discrminination Censorship Cinema Disability environment Health Care Human Rights humour Justice Kractivism Law media Minority Rights Poetry Political Prisoners Politics Press Release Prison Religion Technology Tribals UID Uncategorized Violence against Women Women Rights
© 2019 Kractivist.org — Powered by WordPress


text:
Alice and the Warden – 2
February 17, 2020 March 7, 2020 Autumn
Doctor Westley tended to the women of the prison with a small rotation of nurses, and while Alice knew full well that she wasn't the only pregnant inmate, she was the only one who was personally accompanied to each appointment by the warden – and that made her stand out. He was amiable towards her, in that stiff sort of way that hinted at being unfamiliar with friendliness on the job. The only exposure Alice had to the female population of the prison was a long and miserable walk down the corridor of cells as Hackett escorted her from his office to the infirmary, for a physical examination to confirm the pregnancy that she had claimed on her admissions paperwork. By the time she had reached the end of the corridor, she was terrified at what she had gotten herself into. A few minutes later when Westley pricked her vein to collect blood, the sight of it squirting into a tube had sent her into a dead faint.
Alice had come to with Hackett holding an oxygen mask over her face, and a nurse placing pillows under her feet. That night, Hackett took her up to her room in the tower, apologized for the dust but assured her that the sheets were clean, then locked her inside. She never saw the other inmates or the prison cells again, for which she was grateful.
When she entered the infirmary for her appointment, Dr. Westley smiled at her. "Would you like to find out the baby's sex today?" he asked.
Alice's heart thumped. "Yes," she answered quickly, her hands moving to cradle her stomach. "I want to know right away."
"Go on with the nurse – you know the routine – then we'll get set up to find out." He patted her shoulder. "Don't be nervous."
Alice nodded then followed the nurse towards the bathroom. After they finished up with the routine prenatal tests, she returned to the main examination room to find Hackett and Dr. Westley laughing together, though her presence meant their conversation was over. She had seen enough to know that they were good friends behind the scenes, but around her they always maintained the professional distance of coworkers. In a strange way it made her feel left out, even though she had no business trying to be chummy with either of them.
"All right, lets get started, shall we?" Dr. Westley motioned for her to sit in the exam chair. "Don't be so nervous; ultrasounds don't hurt at all. We're just going to take a quick peak inside to see how the baby is doing."
"And find out the gender," Alice said, forcing a smile. She didn't know why her heart was pounding so hard, and she silently reminded herself that practically every pregnant woman found out beforehand, now that the technology existed. But she was scared that she would be disappointed with the revelation, and only have herself for consolation once she was locked in her room once again. Despite the trappings of comfort, she was still a prisoner who had confessed to murder.
Hackett came to stand beside her, and brushed her hand with his fingers. He was watching Dr. Westley, so Alice wondered if the touch had been accidental. She shifted away, but his fingers gently touched her again, and she realized that he was trying to reassure her while maintaining subtlety.
I wish that he was the real father, she thought, then felt her cheeks grow hot with the realization of what had crossed her mind. No, she corrected herself, she wished that the baby's real father was there, instead of the warden.
Dr. Westley had dimmed the lights, so no one saw her blush. She winced when the doctor squirted cold jelly onto her stomach, then placed the wand against her skin. The screen came alive with movement and strange shapes, and it wasn't until Dr. Westley stopped the picture that Alice realized she was looking at a leg and a foot.
"Oh my god," she blurted. "Is that my baby?"
"Sure is," Dr. Westley murmured in reply, staring at the screen as he began to shift the wand around again. "Looks good. Looks good," he mused quietly to himself, then finally turned Alice and smiled. "The baby is developing normally, so let's get to the important part." He shifted the wand around to the top of Alice's stomach, and she held her breath as she stared at the screen, knowing that she wouldn't be able to interpret the image herself but still searching for any tell-tale signs. Her fingers weakly grabbed onto Hackett's as Dr. Westley said, "Let's see … the baby is a … girl."
"A girl …" Alice repeated quietly. "I'm going to have a girl." Then she broke into a grin as she looked up at Hackett and joked, "Hopefully she won't turn out like me, huh?"
He moved away, pulling his hand out of hers. "You're still turning out," he answered, but Alice didn't understand what he meant by it.
After she was cleaned up, she said goodbye to Westley and the nurse, then followed Hackett through the winding path back to her room. She knew that he was deliberately leading her through the hidden passages that had been utilized during the prison's former days as a castle, and it amazed her that he never got lost. If she ever tried to escape, she wouldn't make it out of that maze.
"Hey," she said slowly after a minute. "If people really can climb the trees and peek in at me, I'd like to put up some curtains."
"What color?" he asked.
"Pink, for my baby." She smiled as she cradled her stomach in her arms. "You'll fight for me, won't you? My baby is all I have to live for, and I'll do everything I can to be a good mother for her. I'll get an honest job, and I won't ever have sex again, I swear."
Hackett laughed. "I'll do what I can, but ultimately it will be up to you on whether or not you keep her. I can get you enrolled in the education program in the meantime, since that will certainly help you find your feet. You can't stay here forever, you know, especially with a baby."
"I know." Alice couldn't help but sigh. "I kind of wish I could though. You're my only company, but I don't feel as lonely as I used to. I used to always feel like I was … pretending."
They were quiet for a time, as Alice tried to understand what was going through her heart. Thinking about Damon, and the life that she had shared with him, hurt her in a way that she hadn't expected. She regretted it, and wished that she could undo every part of it.
"I read a new book," Hackett said. "I thought that you would enjoy it too."
"Oh!" Alice exclaimed, surprised by the break in silence. "Good! It's been a week since the last one, and I missed talking about books with you."
Hackett patted her shoulder as he smiled. "You have more free time than I do. You should be recommending new books to me."
"I can't leave my room to find them." Alice grinned back at him. "Go ahead and do that education thingy too. It's not too late for me to get a GED, right? It might help me stop being so stupid."
"You aren't stupid."
"Sure I am." Alice looked down at the floor. "You don't know what I was like before I came here."
"I know that you have good taste in literature," Hackett replied. He stopped and turned to face her, putting his hand under her chin to look her in the eyes. "I know that underneath everything, you have a good heart."
He kept walking then, stopping a few feet away to motion for Alice to hurry up and follow.
Tagged About Writing, Books, family, fiction, ideas, journal, life, novelette, romance, story
Previous postReal Love
Next postPregnancy Brain


text:
PopUps: Is Lady Gaga Dating 'Avengers' Star Jeremy Renner?
Thursday Mar 21, 2019
Lady Gaga (Source:Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Not long after her split up from fiancé Christian Carino, Lady Gaga is getting close to actor Jeremy Renner, This text will be the linkaccording to a report from Us Weekly.
A source told the magazine that the "Bad Romance" singer has been "hanging out" with the "Avengers" star but that they don't "believe it's romantic at this point." Nevertheless, the source adds that Gaga, 32, has "been spending a lot of time" with Renner, 48, and his 6-year-old daughter Ava.
After Gaga called off her engagement with Carino, who was also her manager, fans began speculating that the singer was getting close with "A Star is Born" costar/director Bradley Cooper — especially after their steamy Oscars performance of their song "Shallow." Gaga, however, quickly put those rumors to rest when she appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
"First of all... social media, quite frankly, is the toilet of the internet and what it's done to pop culture is abysmal," the Oscar winner said. "People saw love and, guess what, that's what we wanted to you to see. This is a love song."
Last week, Gaga also made fun of rumors that she is pregnant, taking to Twitter to say she's pregnant with #LG6 — fan code name for her upcoming sixth album.
This story is part of our special report titled "PopUps." Want to read more? Here's the full list.
"Yo" on CD from INNA!


text:
Q: Is there a concise expression for 'as it exists today'? Especially in the context of a situation that is anticipated to change in the near future.
As in:

An analysis of the subway system capacity, both as it exists today and after upcoming expansions.

Or:

This document surveys the ethnic makeup of Manhattan, both historically and as it exists today.

A: As it exists today
The most obvious choice to substitute "as it exists today" is contemporary (sense 2) or present-day, but those are not very elegant as adverbs. I would probably rephrase it a bit:

This document surveys the ethnic making of Manhattan, both historical and contemporary.
  This document surveys the ethnic making of (both) historical and contemporary Manhattan.
  This document surveys the ethnic making of (both) historical and present-day Manhattan.

— or just do what @ErikKowal suggests and use today, which is perfectly valid, even if it is less prolix.

After upcoming expansions
Obviously, contemporary or present-day will not work to describe a situation that has not yet arisen but is expected to after upcoming expansions.
This situation is really just describing a future situation, but it is also quite specific in that it mentions a specific set of expansions to be carried out. There is no way of simplifying that to a single word or expression—just use what you already have.
If you are looking for something to describe all three points in time (historical, now, and in the future) and don't care too much about the details of the expansions, you could say:

An analysis of the subway system capacity, (both) past, present, and future.

(Note that some people consider both in such a sentence to be ungrammatical, claiming that both must be followed by exactly two options, not three. If you are writing a formal text, it is probably best to leave it out; but to me at least, leaving it in yields a much more natural sentence.)

A: Wouldn't it just be current(ly).

A: "... both historically and today".

A: Consider:

This document surveys the ethnic makeup of Manhattan, both historically and contemporarily.

contemporary: happening or beginning now or in recent times; existing or happening in the same time period: from the same time period.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


> as best I understood them.
> that.  There were changes for the error handling that I then included.
> it say "or any receiving SOAP node(s)"?
Next message: David Hull: "Re: Checked in soap 1.2 part 3"
Previous message: David Orchard: "Checked in soap 1.2 part 3"
In reply to: David Orchard: "Checked in soap 1.2 part 3"
Next in thread: David Orchard: "RE: Checked in soap 1.2 part 3"
Reply: David Orchard: "RE: Checked in soap 1.2 part 3"


9 Dec 2010 11:47 U027??04 Oil Forex Trading Co. Really Payout. Thanks. Date: 2010-08-12 10:40:33 Batch: 50882067 From Account: u4563654 Amount: $2700.00 Memo: Withdraw to comsins from OiL Forex Trading Co. Thank you.
1 Dec 2010 3:04 U027??04 Zeus Funds Date: 11/30/2010 9:48 PM Batch: 50375341 From Account: U8346848 (Zeusfunds) Amount: $12.58 Memo: Withdraw to gorall from www.zeusfunds.com Thank you.
28 Nov 2010 13:12 U640??09 Glo Trade UK Ltd Next payment Received on time as usual, Date: 2010-11-27 12:44 Batch: 50156838 From Account: U3064004 (Glo Trade UK Ltd) Amount: $110.00 Memo: 110% after 5days Thank you, admin!
26 Nov 2010 14:03 U904??50 Compax Trade i got payment: 11/25/2010 09:09 50001006 U9393530 (Compax Trade...) $0.82 Got paid instantly!
23 Nov 2010 12:27 U624??04 Glo Trade UK Ltd Excellent program! i am making my money from this site.
23 Nov 2010 12:22 U624??04 Compax Trade Daily payments received adain,paid me on time form the beginning with punctuality, thx Admin!
11 Nov 2010 10:03 U500??35 Asset Management Date: 2010-11-11 08:56:51 Batch: 48941643 From Account: U9475066 Amount: $2.49 Memo: Withdrawal #2188 amount $2.49 fee $0 Thank you.
2 Nov 2010 9:11 U741??79 Glo Trade UK Ltd Date: 2010-31-10 21:39:42 Batch: 48105458 From Account: U3064004 Amount: $2.50 Memo: referral commision Glad joined it.
12 Oct 2010 5:24 U889??41 AVFinance I received another payment today,admin paid me very fast ,thank you!
9 Oct 2010 12:21 U484??55 RFT Date: 10/8/2010 17:07 Batch: 46402565 From Account: U6225468 Amount: $16.79 Memo: Withdraw to gold800 from RFT Thank you.
9 Oct 2010 12:10 U255??33 Mutual Trust Finance Date: 10/8/2010 20:51 Batch: 46418139 From Account: U8267074 Amount: $7.20 Memo: Withdraw to risa800 from Mutual Trust Finance Thank you.
9 Oct 2010 10:01 U248??70 Oil Forex Trading Co. 10/8/2010 17:15 46403201 U4563654 (O.F.T.) + $37.70 ......paid. thx.
8 Oct 2010 17:37 U404??15 Glo Trade UK Ltd I got paid again just! this site still paid to me no problem.
30 Sep 2010 17:41 U821??61 Glo Trade UK Ltd 9/30/2010 14:22 45808274 U3064004 (Glo Trade UK Ltd) + $110.00 i want to say that it is real nice site.
28 Sep 2010 17:38 U551??65 Glo Trade UK Ltd Received another payment today.paid very fast!best program for me.
16 Sep 2010 6:59 U080??84 Compax Trade You have received a payment to your account U5366061: Date: 2010-15-09 17:38:27 Batch: 44848567 From Account: U9393530 Amount: $1.00 Memo: Thank you.
10 Sep 2010 14:50 U873??85 Oilstructure Just verify this program, payment received again!
10 Sep 2010 9:34 U640??09 Glo Trade UK Ltd This site with good support and fast withdrawal every time.
7 Sep 2010 12:09 U904??50 Glo Trade UK Ltd Still paid me! very good looking program, i am sure i will put more money into it after some time.
5 Sep 2010 13:50 U098??45 Glo Trade UK Ltd Just verify this program, payment received again! very good site with stable plan!
23 Aug 2010 8:11 U889??41 PerfectMoney paid Date: 2010-23-08 00:18:21 Batch: 43425980 From Account: U4933475 Amount: $36.00 Memo: Withdraw to themoneymonitor from PerfectMoney.us Thank you.
9 Aug 2010 8:37 U610??68 PerfectMoney I am very satisfied with this investment,payments fast to my liberty account everytime!
7 Aug 2010 8:37 U402??02 PerfectMoney Very good Program! great admin! just paid me again.
4 Aug 2010 15:45 U889??41 PerfectMoney Very good program, i like it because they fast withdraw to me every time and keep good support.
2 Aug 2010 15:03 U451??89 PerfectMoney Always paid on time to me! i think this is a good site.
9 Jul 2010 5:12 U496??45 Osvinc Got paid again today 7/8/2010 15:26 40971881 U1914024 (OSV) + $0.48 thank admin!
8 Jun 2010 12:02 U149??94 Buk Invest Paing me!Thanks admin!!!Very very Good!!!Always paing!!!I'll reinvest!Great program!
2 May 2010 12:41 U445??38 Ance Finance I received my payment 10 mins after i did my withdrawal.thanks admin.
15 Apr 2010 7:49 U995??71 Umba Fund Next payment direct to my LR account,always on time,admin so honest!
31 Mar 2010 5:58 U381??30 Sot Invest Sotinvest never missed a payment.got paid again, so glad to be with site.
31 Mar 2010 5:14 U890??26 ForexNetClub Ltd. 3/30/2010 12:34 34168267 U3984568 (Forex Net Club Payment Account) + $654.00 thanks admin!
4 Mar 2010 3:08 U963??40 Umaxfunds, inc. Good days. I have realized five very good investments.


text:
Infanata » DAEDALUS BOOKS
« DAEDALUS BOOKS »
Автор: sanek123
Название: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Автор: Austen Jane
Издательство: Daedalus Books
Жанр: Daedalus Books
Illustrated edition of the complete text captures the spirit of the Regency era.
DIRTY ROTTEN VIKINGS
Автор: didjeymax
Название: DIRTY ROTTEN VIKINGS
Автор: Clements Jonathan
Who was vicious, who was vile and who was just very, very bad — or just mad? Discover what the Vikings were really like and what they were up to, and learn whether they really were that rotten. These colorful books are packed with the fun and grossness kids love, and also the real historical facts that parents and teachers want them reading. A half-illustrated, half-photographic approach creates a feeling of real depth, and fuses the twin strands of imagination and historical reality.
Автор: poberushka
Название: SNOW WOLF
Автор: Meade Glenn
In the heart of the Cold War, they sent him to plot the ultimate assassination. Now they want him dead... It is 1953. Joseph Stalin, the world's most tyrannical dictator, is teetering on the edge of insanity, and about to plunge the world into nuclear chaos. Only one man and one woman can penetrate the Iron Curtain and stop this madman, before it's too late. But someone inside the Kremlin knows. And as the KGB's deadliest manhunter pursues these two CIA-hired assassins, another duel unfolds, between secret warriors of the West and East, with a U.S. agent caught in between. Now that agent must do the unthinkable: find his way to the heart of the Soviet Union and stop the mission he himself set in motion-before it ignites World War III.
Название: WATER FOR ELEPHANTS
Автор: Gruen Sara
Orphaned and penniless at the height of the Depression, Jacob Jankowski escapes everything he knows by jumping on a passing train-and inadvertently runs away with the circus. So begins Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen's darkly beautiful tale about the characters who inhabit the less-than-greatest show on earth. Jacob finds a place tending the circus animals, including a seemingly untrainable elephant named Rosie. He also comes to know Marlena, the star of the equestrian act-and wife of August, a charismatic but cruel animal trainer. Caught between his love for Marlena and his need to belong in the crazy family of travelling performers, Jacob is freed only by a murderous secret that will bring the big top down. Water for Elephants is an enchanting page-turner, the kind of book that creates a world that engulfs you from the first page to the last.
PAYCHECK AND OTHER CLASSIC STORIES BY PHILIP K: DICK
Название: PAYCHECK AND OTHER CLASSIC STORIES BY PHILIP K: DICK
Автор: Dick Philip
The earliest short and medium-length fiction by Philip K. Dick (including several previously unpublished stories) during the years 1952-1955 is contained in this collection of science fiction stories. In addition to the title story, the volume includes Beyond Lies the Wub, The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford, The Variable Man, and many others.
STALIN'S FOLLY: THE TRAGIC FIRST TEN DAYS OF WORLD WAR TWO ON THE EASTERN FRONT
Название: STALIN'S FOLLY: THE TRAGIC FIRST TEN DAYS OF WORLD WAR TWO ON THE EASTERN FRONT
Автор: Constantine Pleshakov
On June 22, 1941, Hitler launched a massive three-pronged attack on the Soviet Union, and in days his troops were within reach of Moscow. The attack was stunning, but Stalin's response was even more astonishing. During the invasion, the mighty Soviet military stood in place while its soldiers were slaughtered by the hundreds of thousands. Drawing on a wealth of newly available documents, from classified Politburo papers and diaries of key generals to diplomatic cables and secret police memos, the Russian historian Constantine Pleshakov paints a startling portrait of Stalin, one of history's most feared despots, as a vulnerable and paralyzed leader. Refusing to believe that the Germans would strike first, despite repeated warnings, he continued to supply them with war materials in the days before the attack, then tied his generals' hands in the crucial first hours of the invasion. For more than a week, while Hitler rolled over Soviet territory, Stalin cowered in his dacha, leaving the country rudderless and — as Pleshakov reveals here — nearly losing power. The Red Army's effort to regain the territory lost in those first ten days cost more than 10 million Soviet lives. Stalin's Folly is a dramatic hour-by-hour account that sheds light on an enigmatic and ruthless figure while providing a new and far deeper understanding of Russian history.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (+ AUDIO CD)
Автор: medved
Название: THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (+ AUDIO CD)
Автор: Clement C. Moore
America's most-loved holiday poem is now presented by one of the world's favorite musical groups, and illustrated by the artist of the best-selling Puff, the Magic Dragon. Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without a reading of Clement C. Moore's classic verse, which has brightened the season ever since it was first published in 1823. And now this heartwarming poem is more dazzling than ever before. Acclaimed painter Eric Puybaret enchantingly captures the story's magic and wide-eyed wonder: a cozy home with stockings hung by a mantel; visions of sugarplums dancing in the dreams of sleeping children; a miniature sleigh pulled by eight prancing reindeer; and of course, jolly Santa, with his merry dimples and twinkling eyes, coming down the chimney with a bagful of toys. Along with the beautiful book comes a specially created three-track musical and narrative CD, including Moore's tale stunningly set to music by Noel Paul Stookey, an enchanting reading by Mary Travers over a special score composed by Peter Yarrow with Peter and Noel joining Mary one last time in her final performance, plus the classic Peter, Paul and Mary holiday favorite, A' Soalin. Families will gather together to read and listen and experience Moore's wondrous world as never before.
12 YEARS A SLAVE: A TRUE STORY
Название: 12 YEARS A SLAVE: A TRUE STORY
Автор: Northup Solomon
The shocking first-hand account of one man's remarkable fight for freedom; now an award-winning motion picture. 'Why had I not died in my young years — before God had given me children to love and live for? What unhappiness and suffering and sorrow it would have prevented. I sighed for liberty; but the bondsman's chain was round me, and could not be shaken off.' 1841: Solomon Northup is a successful violinist when he is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Taken from his family in New York State — with no hope of ever seeing them again — and forced to work on the cotton plantations in the Deep South, he spends the next twelve years in captivity until his eventual escape in 1853. First published in 1853, this extraordinary true story proved to be a powerful voice in the debate over slavery in the years leading up to the Civil War. It is a true-life testament of one man's courage and conviction in the face of unfathomable injustice and brutality: its influence on the course of American history cannot be overstated.
THEODORE BOONE: THE ACTIVIST
Автор: elxunta
Название: THEODORE BOONE: THE ACTIVIST
Автор: Grisham John
Though he's only thirteen, Theodore Boone has spent more time in the courtroom than almost anywhere else, and there's always a new adventure waiting. After having been falsely accused of vandalism and theft, Theo is happy to finally be out of the hot seat, once more dispensing legal advice to friends and community members, when an exciting new case demands his urgent attention.
COOL COLORING BOOK
Автор: beta7772
Название: COOL COLORING BOOK
The Ripley's Believe It or Not! Cool Coloring Book is full of amazing and extraordinary pictures to color. This unique children's coloring book is loaded with unbelievable facts, amazing stories, and incredible animals. It is sure to keep kids entertained and make learning fun. Ripley's Believe It or Not! Cool Coloring Book is imaginative and entertaining. The pictures and coloring opportunities inside feature incredible animals, amazing scenes and bizarre facts straight from the Ripley's Believe It or Not! archives. Designed for children ages 6-9, this unique activity book is packed with a range of coloring opportunities and guides that are certain to keep kids laughing and learning for hours! Be sure to check out the other great titles in the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Activity Book series.
CAN'T YOU SLEEP, LITTLE BEAR? (+ DVD)
Название: CAN'T YOU SLEEP, LITTLE BEAR? (+ DVD)
Автор: Waddell Martin
At bedtime, Big Bear patiently reassures Little Bear that he needn't fear the dark, in this tale for readers and listeners up to 5 by the author of Farmer Duck and Owl Babies. When all the lanterns in the cave aren't enough to comfort Little Bear, his father takes him outside to show him that the dark is lit up by the bright yellow moon and the twinkling stars. Barbara Firth's very cozy watercolor, ink, and pencil illustrations could almost make you forget that this adorable duo are actually bears. A DVD comes with the book, featuring a short film of the story with narration by actor Kevin Whately.
LITTLE RABBIT FOO FOO (+ DVD)
Название: LITTLE RABBIT FOO FOO (+ DVD)
Автор: Rosen Michael
The surprisingly aggressive Little Rabbit Foo Foo rides though the forest on his motorbike, picking up the field mice, wriggly worms, tigers, and goblins — and bopping them on the head with his red mallet. Again and again, the Good Fairy warns the mischievous bunny that if he doesn't stop, she will turn him into a goonie. What's a goonie? You'll just have to see. Arthur Robins's expressive cartoons skillfully add riotous humor to the familiar text for prereaders. A DVD comes with the book, featuring a short film of the story, narrated by actor Kevin Whately.
MURDER BEING ONCE DONE
Автор: smirnow-valia
Название: MURDER BEING ONCE DONE
Автор: Rendell Ruth
The seventh book to feature the classic crime-solving detective, Chief Inspector Wexford. It seems fitting that the final resting place of a girl's body should be in a graveyard. But this is no peaceful burial. This is a brutal murder scene. Under strict orders from his doctor to indulge in no criminal investigation, Wexford is sent to London for a break away from the pressures of the Kingsmarkham police force. But then he discovers that his nephew Howard is heading the investigation into the macabre murder of Loveday Morgan, whose body was found abandoned in Kenbourne Cemetery. Despite opposition from Howard and his team, Wexford is drawn to the case. And when he unearths Loveday's connection to a religious cult whose leader was imprisoned for sexual absue, he relentlessly pursues this sinister new lead...
OWL BABIES (+ DVD)
Название: OWL BABIES (+ DVD)
On a tree in the woods, three baby owls, Sarah and Percy and Bill, sit and think and wait for their Owl Mother to come home. Offering a whole new storytelling experience, this picture book and DVD edition features a charming story animation narrated by Emilia Fox.
SOME DOGS DO (+ DVD)
Название: SOME DOGS DO (+ DVD)
Автор: Alborough Jez
«One day, when Sid the dog is walking to school, he suddenly gets a happy feeling and he floats right up to the sky, in this gentle tale for prereaders by the author of Duck in the Truck and My Friend Bear. Sid can't wait to tell his friends at school, but everyone reminds him, «You're a dog, and dogs don't fly.» When Sid starts feeling down, though, his Dad tells him an exciting secret that changes everything. Jez Alborough's painted illustrations show great attentiveness to facial expressions, and his bright palette makes the dogs seem to pop off the page. A DVD comes with the book, featuring a short film of the story, narrated by actor Kevin Whately.»
UNDERWORLD LONDON: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN THE CAPITAL CITY
Название: UNDERWORLD LONDON: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN THE CAPITAL CITY
Автор: Arnold Catharine
Beginning with an atmospheric account of Tyburn — a village synonymous with capital punishment in Britain — the author of Bedlam and Necropolis leads a grisly excursion through London as a city of ne'er-do-wells, taking in beheadings and brutality at the Tower, Elizabethan street crime, highway robbers, the 18th-century Gordon Riots, and the Victorian era of incarceration. Catharine Arnold also surveys the grotesque punishments meted out to those who transgressed the law, and investigates the influence of London's criminal classes on the literature of the 19th and 20th centuries.
ZA-ZA'S BABY BROTHER (+ DVD)
Название: ZA-ZA'S BABY BROTHER (+ DVD)
Автор: Cousins Lucy
«Za-Za Zebra can't help feeling left out when Mum comes home with a new baby, in this book for prereaders by the creator of Maisy the mouse. After delayed meals, curtailed fun, and lots of «Later, Za-Za, « the young zebra finally fusses «I want a hug now!» «Why don't you hug the baby?» asks Mum, and soon Za-Za begins to understand what's wonderful about having a little brother. A DVD comes with the book, featuring a short film of the story, narrated by actress Adjoa Andoh.»
THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES: BEING THE TRUE AND SURPRISING STORY OF THE CARIBBEAN PIRATES AND THE MAN WHO BROUGHT THEM DOWN
Автор: magictune
Название: THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES: BEING THE TRUE AND SURPRISING STORY OF THE CARIBBEAN PIRATES AND THE MAN WHO BROUGHT THEM DOWN
Автор: Woodward Colin
This is the book that inspired 'Crossbones' the new NBC television series written and produced by Neil 'Luther' Cross and starring John Malkovich. In the early eighteenth century a number of the great pirate captains, including Edward Blackbeard Teach and Black Sam Bellamy, joined forces. This infamous Flying Gang was more than simply a thieving band of brothers. Many of its members had come to piracy as a revolt against conditions in the merchant fleet and in the cities and plantations in the Old and New Worlds. Inspired by notions of self-government, they established a crude but distinctive form of democracy in the Bahamas, carving out their own zone of freedom in which indentured servants were released and leaders chosen or deposed by a vote. They were ultimately overcome by their archnemesis, Captain Woodes Rogers — a merchant fleet owner and former privateer — and the brief though glorious moment of the Republic of Pirates came to an end. In this unique and fascinating book, Colin Woodard brings to life this virtually unexplored chapter in the Golden Age of Piracy.
JUST SO STORIES
Название: JUST SO STORIES
Автор: Kipling Rudyard
Have you ever wondered how the Leopard got his spots, how the Rhinosaurus got his skin, or how the Alphabet was made? This witty and wonderful collection embarks upon a fanciful voyage to unearth the answers to these very questions, and more. The Just So Stories have long been regarded as a true classic of children's literature. This Heritage edition is published with Rudyard Kipling's original 1902 drawings, and color illustrations by Chris Riddell.
Название: THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Автор: Browning Tom
For decades families have gathered together to read Clement C. Moore's enchanting holiday poem. Featuring beautiful original illustrations by award-winning artist Tom Browning, this stunning edition stands apart from the rest. Browning has created a classic Saint Nick—the quintessential round, jolly, white-bearded figure that everyone imagines. The look is timeless, filled with warmth and sentiment: exactly what Christmas should be. The story's enduring charm and Browning's memorable art make The Night Before Christmas a must-have for any child who is just discovering the tale—and every adult who has loved it forever.


Cancer is driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations that allow cells to overproliferate and escape mechanisms that normally control their survival and migration. Many of these alterations map to signaling pathways that control cell growth and division, cell death, cell fate, and cell motility, and can be placed in the context of distortions of wider signaling networks that fuel cancer progression, such as changes in the tumor microenvironment, angiogenesis, and inflammation. Mutations that convert cellular proto-oncogenes to oncogenes can cause hyperactivation of these signaling pathways, whereas inactivation of tumor suppressors eliminates critical negative regulators of signaling. An examination of the PI3K-Akt and Ras-ERK pathways illustrates how such alterations dysregulate signaling in cancer and produce many of the characteristic features of tumor cells.


My baby is 7 months old today!!
The days just don't seem to get any longer do they??
but that's besides the point!
Don't worry, she was strapped in people!
She's getting all kinds of mobile y'all!!
I hope you guys have a great week!!
We're off to Disneyland for vacation with my family!
It was our Christmas present from my parents!!
Here are our excited faces!
I'm not sure, but I think she's definitely my kid no??


Todays billionaires need to decide how to transfer their wealth and create their legacies since almost two-thirds of them are over 60 years old.
The global economy is experiencing a second Gilded Age of wealth creation that is substantially different from the one in the early days of the twentieth century. According to the UBS/PwC 2015 Billionaires Report released Tuesday, a majority of today's billionaires made their money in finance, technology or consumer goods rather than heavy industry, which dominated at the turn of the last century, and an increasing number of them are from Asia, primarily China, though the U.S. still leads.
The UBS/PwC report analyzed the wealth of more than 1,300 billionaires worldwide worth $5.4 trillion. They account for account for three-quarters of the world's billionaires but less than 4 percent of the world's wealth. Two-thirds of these billionaires are self-made, compared with 43 percent in 1995, and almost half of those entrepreneurial billionaires reside in the U.S., followed by Asia (36 percent) and Europe (17 percent). In the first quarter of this year, a new billionaire was created every week in China.
The sources of these billionaires' wealth differ by region. Finance and technology, in that order, are the drivers of their wealth in the U.S. while consumer infrastructure and real estate are the drivers in Asia. In Europe, family dynasties accounted for much of billionaires' wealth, and consumer goods are the primary business source.
Looking ahead, the report expects continued growth in self-made billionaires, peaking at about 70 percent of the billionaire population compared with 66 percent today. Asia will lead in the creation of new billionaires, in part because the population's relative youth, while the global growth of billionaires overall will decelerate. "The response to rising inequality, increasing taxes and asset price deflation may all play a part in slowing the current cycle," the report states.
In the meantime, today's billionaires need to decide how to transfer their wealth and create and sustain their legacies since almost two-thirds of them are over 60 years old and inherited wealth is diluted with each successive generation if it doesn't grow. Using this "generational algebra," the report illustrates how $1 billion of a billionaire family becomes $333 million for each heir in the second generation and eventually $12 million per heir in the fifth generation. "This calculation shows the importance of strategic planning and long-term structuring … to protect lifetime achievements and preserve their values into the future," the report states. Driving that point home, it notes that only 40 percent of the billionaire class of 1995 are among the same elite bracket today, and only 9 percent of the billionaire class of 2014 were there 19 years earlier.
In deciding the future preservation and growth of their wealth, billionaires have to choose between keeping their businesses, cashing out, engaging in philanthropy or some combination of two or three of those options. Currently, 60 percent of self-made billionaires in the U.S. and Europe choose to keep their businesses and about a third choose a hybrid strategy, selling just part of their business through a trade sale or IPO, according to the report. Only 10 percent cash out completely.
In Asia, where the billionaires tend to be younger, many haven't yet made that decision about the future, but the report expects that more than half of Asian and European billionaires will set up business dynasties for their families.
Those billionaires who choose to cash out have three options: set up a new business, becoming a "serial entrepreneur," retreat from daily operations and become a principal investor — the report calls this "portfolio investor" — or completely withdraw from the business and preserve wealth through investments, becoming a "financial investor." The report expects that 60 percent will choose the financial investor role; 23 percent will opt to be portfolio investors, and only 17 percent will start a new business.
The report also expects that "as the aging generation of billionaires look to their legacies, they're increasingly likely to embrace philanthropy" through donations to endowments, socially focused investing and contributions to the arts and education. More than 100 billionaires have joined Bill Gates' "Giving Pledge", promising to give away more than 50 percent of their wealth, and the report expects that number will grow, especially among self-made billionaires with more than $20 billion in assets.


text:
Эльмира Фёдоровна Скрипченко (; род. 17 февраля 1976, Кишинёв, Молдавская ССР) — французская, ранее молдавская, шахматистка, чемпионка Европы (2001),  многократная чемпионка Молдавии и Франции, международный мастер (1998), гроссмейстер среди женщин (1995).

Спортивная карьера
Эльмира Скрипченко родилась в Кишинёве в семье шахматистов — арбитра Фёдора Фёдоровича Скрипченко и восьмикратной чемпионки и заслуженного тренера Молдавии Наиры Дилановны Агабабян. Начала учиться играть в шахматы в раннем детстве под руководством матери. В 1992 году она стала чемпионкой мира среди девушек до 16 лет. С этого же года член сборной Молдавии по шахматам. С 1996 года живёт в Париже. В 2000 году Эльмира Скрипченко дошла до четвертьфинала чемпионата мира. В 2001 году она повторила этот успех, выиграла индивидуальный чемпионат Европы и стала серебряным призёром командного чемпионата Европы в составе сборной Молдавии. С 2002 года Эльмира Скрипченко выступает за Францию. В 2004 году стала победительницей турниров в Биле и Краснотурьинске.

Личная жизнь
В 1997 году Эльмира Скрипченко вышла замуж за известного французского гроссмейстера Жоэля Лотье, но в 2002 году развелась с ним. В 1997—2002 годах она носила двойную фамилию Скрипченко-Лотье. В 2006 году вышла замуж за другого французского шахматиста Лорана Фрессине. В 2007 году них родилась дочь.

Сёги
Кроме западных шахмат Эльмира, как и Лотье, играет в сёги. В 1999 году была представительницей Молдавии в 1-м Международном форуме сёги.

В 2011 году, в рамках 5-го Международного форума сёги, Эльмира победила на форе в 2 фигуры 18-го пожизненного мэйдзина Тосиюки Мориути, дававшего сеанс одновременной игры.

Изменения рейтинга

Примечание

Ссылки

 Интервью Эльмиры Скрипченко
 Интервью Наиры Агабабян (история семьи Скрипченко-Агабабян)

Шахматисты Молдавии
Шахматисты Франции
Сёгисты Франции
Чемпионы Европы по шахматам
Персоналии по алфавиту
Сёгисты по алфавиту
Шахматные гроссмейстеры среди женщин
Чемпионы Молдавии по шахматам
Сёгистки

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Frank Lampard confirms he will hold talks with Derby owner amid Chelsea speculation
Lampard insists he is 'not interested' in reports linking him with replacing Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge
Frank Lampard insists Derby's defeat by Aston Villa in the Championship playoff final does not make a move to Chelsea more likely.
Lampard continues to be linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge with Maurizio Sarri's future far from certain in west London.
The Italian has come in for constant criticism throughout the campaign, despite leading the Blues to a third-placed finish and to the Europa League final against Arsenal which will take place on Wednesday night in Baku.
But even victory might not be enough to save Sarri's job, with Chelsea legend and record goal scorer Lampard the favourite to take over should he get the axe.
"I'm not interested in the speculation," Lampard told Sky Sports after the Wembley defeat. "It's not more likely.
Lampard saw his side lose 2-1 at Wembley (Image: Getty Images)
"What is likely is that I will sit down with Mel Morris the owner in the next few days when the dust settles because he has been brilliant and the fans have been brilliant.
"We'll see how it goes. I have a two-year contract and I love working here. We'll see."
Lampard was bidding for promotion to the Premier League in his maiden season as a manager having been appointed by the Rams last summer.
His side produced a stirring comeback to beat Leeds in the semi-finals but fell at the last hurdle against Villa.
Villa are back in the Premier League (Image: Action Images via Reuters)
Anwar El Ghazi put Dean Smith's side in front just before half-time from Ahmed Elmohamady's pinpoint cross.
John McGinn doubled Villa's lead after a nightmare moment for Derby goalkeeper Kelle Roos as he failed to gather a simple catch.
Jack Marriott's strike took the slightest of touches from teammate Martyn Waghorn to halve the Rams' arrears, but Villa held on to return to the Premier League after three years in the second tier.
Leinster Senior Football ChampionshipLeinster Council CEO blasts critics of province despite Dublin's football dominationProvincial boss backs GAA's finish on the day policy for knock-out games and says it must continue


text:
Al Christman (1)
(-) Anthony S Pitch (1)
Brent G Filbert and Alan G Kaufman (1)
Charles T Williamson (1)
Clark G Reynolds (1)
(-) Darrell D Whitcomb (1)
Edited by ET Wooldridge (1)
Edited by Jack Sweetman (1)
Elizabeth P McIntosh (1)
Gerhard Koop and KlausPeter Schmolke (1)
G J Michaels (1)
Thomas Wildenberg (1)
Thomas Wildenburg (1)
Burning of Washington
The British Invasion of 1814
By Anthony S. Pitch
With all the immediacy of an eyewitness account, Anthony Pitch tells the dramatic story of the British invasion of Washington in the summer of 1814, an episode many call a defining moment in the coming-of-age of the United States. The British torched the Capitol, the White House, and many other public buildings, setting off an inferno that illuminated the countryside ...
The Rescue of Bat 21
By Darrell D. Whitcomb
When his electronic warfare plane--call sign Bat 21--was shot down on 2 April 1972, fifty-three-year-old Air Force navigator Iceal "Gene" Hambleton parachuted into the middle of a North Vietnamese invasion force and set off the biggest and most controversial air rescue effort of the Vietnam War. Now, after twenty-five years of official secrecy, the story of that dangerous and costly ...


text:
Ancient DNA Reveals Complex Story of Human Migration Between Siberia and North America
Two studies greatly increase the amount of information we have about the peoples who first populated North America—from the Arctic to the Southwest U.S.
Science Correspondent
An ancient population of Arctic hunter-gatherers, known as Paleo-Eskimos, made a significant genetic contribution to populations living in Arctic North America today.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that humans migrated to the North American continent via Beringia, a land mass that once bridged the sea between what is now Siberia and Alaska. But exactly who crossed, or recrossed, and who survived as ancestors of today's Native Americans has been a matter of long debate.
Two new DNA studies sourced from rare fossils on both sides of the Bering Strait help write new chapters in the stories of these prehistoric peoples.
The first study delves into the genetics of North American peoples, the Paleo-Eskimos (some of the earliest people to populate the Arctic) and their descendants. "[The research] focuses on the populations living in the past and today in northern North America, and it shows interesting links between Na-Dene speakers with both the first peoples to migrate into the Americas and Paleo-Eskimo peoples," Anne Stone, an anthropological geneticist at Arizona State University who assessed both studies for Nature, says via email.
Beringia had formed by about 34,000 years ago, and the first mammoth-hunting humans crossed it more than 15,000 years ago and perhaps far earlier. A later, major migration some 5,000 years ago by people known as Paleo-Eskimos spread out across many regions of the American Arctic and Greenland. But whether they are direct ancestors of today's Eskimo-Aleut and Na-Dene speaking peoples, or if they were displaced by a later migration of the Neo-Eskimos, or Thule people, about 800 years ago, has remained something of a mystery.
Map of what was once the Beringia connection between present-day Siberia and Alaska.
An international team studied the remains of 48 ancient humans from the region, as well as 93 living Alaskan Iñupiat and West Siberian peoples. Their work not only added to the relatively small number of ancient genomes from the region, but it also attempted to fit all the data together into a single population model.
The findings reveal that both ancient and modern peoples in the American Arctic and Siberia inherited many of their genes from Paleo-Eskimos. Descendants of this ancient population include the Yup'ik, Inuit, Aleuts and Na-Dene language speakers from Alaska and Northern Canada all the way to the Southwest United States. The findings stand in contrast to other genetic studies that had suggested the Paleo-Eskimos were an isolated people who vanished after some 4,000 years.
"For the last seven years, there has been a debate about whether Paleo-Eskimos contributed genetically to people living in North America today; our study resolves this debate and furthermore supports the theory that Paleo-Eskimos spread Na-Dene languages," co-author David Reich of Harvard Medical School and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute says in a press release.
The second study focused on Asian lineages, Stone notes. "The study is exciting because it gives us insight into the population dynamics, over 30-plus thousand years, that have occurred in northeastern Siberia. And these insights, of course, also provide information about the people who migrated to the Americas."
Researchers retrieved genetic samples for 34 individuals' remains in Siberia, dating from 600 to 31,600 years old. The latter are the oldest human remains known in the region, and they revealed a previously unknown group of Siberians. The DNA of one Siberian individual, about 10,000 years old, shows more genetic resemblance to Native Americans than any other remains found outside of the Americas.
Fifteen years ago scientists unearthed a 31,000-year-old site along Russia's Yana River, well north of the Arctic Circle, with ancient animal bones, ivory and stone tools. But two tiny, children's milk teeth are the only human remains recovered from the Ice Age site—and they yielded the only human genome yet known from people who lived in northeastern Siberia during the period before the Last Glacial Maximum. They represent a previously unrecognized population that the study's international team of authors have dubbed "Ancient North Siberians."
The two 31,000-year-old milk teeth found at the Yana Rhinoceros Horn Site in Russia which led to the discovery of a new group of ancient Siberians.
The authors suggest that during the Last Glacial Maximum (26,500 to 19,000 years ago) some of these 500 or so Siberians sought more habitable climes in southern Beringia. Stone says the migration illustrates the ways that shifting climate impacted ancient population dynamics. "I do think that the refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum were important," she says. "As populations moved to refugia, likely following the animals they hunted and to take advantage of the plants they gathered as those distributions shifted south, this resulted in population interactions and changes. These populations then expanded out of the refugia as the climate warmed and these climate dynamics likely affected population around the world."
In this case, the Ancient North Siberians arrived in Beringia and likely mixed with migrating peoples from East Asia. Their population eventually gave rise to both the First Peoples of North America and other lineages that dispersed through Siberia.
David Meltzer, an anthropologist at Southern Methodist University and coauthor of the new study, says when the Yana River site was discovered, the artifacts were said to look like the distinctive stone tools (specifically projectile "points") of the Clovis culture—an early Native American population that lived in present-day New Mexico about 13,000 years ago. But the observation was greeted with skepticism because Yana was separated from America's Clovis sites by 18,000 years, many hundreds of miles, and even the glaciers of the last Ice Age.
It seemed more likely that different populations simply made similar stone points in different places and times. "The odd thing is, now as it turns out, they were related," Meltzer says. "It's kind of cool. It doesn't change the fact that there's no direct historical descent in terms of the artifacts, but it does tell us that there was this population floating around in far northern Russia 31,000 years ago whose descendants contributed a bit of DNA to Native Americans."
The finding isn't particularly surprising given that at least some Native American ancestors have long been thought to hail from the Siberian region. But details that seemed unknowable are now coming to light after thousands of years. For example, the Ancient North Siberian peoples also appear to be ancestral to the Mal'ta individual (dated to 24,000 years ago) from the Lake Baikal region of southern Russia, a population that showed a slice of European roots—and from whom Native Americans, in turn, derived some 40 percent of their ancestry.
Alla Mashezerskaya maps the artifacts in the area where two 31,000-year-old milk teeth were found.
"It's making its way to Native Americans," Meltzer says of the ancient Yana genome, "but it's doing so through various other populations that come and go on the Siberian landscape over the course of the Ice Age. Every genome that we get right now is telling us a lot of things that we didn't know because ancient genomes in America and in Siberia from the Ice Age are rare."
A more modern genome from 10,000-year-old remains found near Siberia's Kolyma River evidences a DNA mix of East Asian and Ancient North Siberian lineages similar to that seen in Native American populations—a much closer match than any others found outside of North America. This finding, and others from both studies, serve as reminders that the tale of human admixture and migration in the Arctic wasn't a one-way street.
"There's absolutely nothing about the Bering land bridge that says you can't go both ways," Meltzer says. "It was open, relatively flat, no glaciers—it wasn't like you wander through and the door closes behind you and you're trapped in America. So there's no reason to doubt that the Bering land bridge was trafficking humans in both directions during the Pleistocene. The idea of going back to Asia is a big deal for us, but they had no clue. They didn't think they were going between continents. They were just moving around a large land mass."
Brian Handwerk | READ MORE
Brian Handwerk is a science correspondent based in Amherst, New Hampshire.
Ancient Civilizations DNA Genetics Human Evolution Migration Native American History Native Americans


A major attack on the public's right to information is likely following the government's announcement today of a new Commission to review the Freedom of Information Act, according to the Campaign for Freedom of Information. The Commission has been asked to consider whether new measures are needed to protect the government's internal discussions from disclosure and to reduce the 'burden' of the FOI Act.
The Campaign has published this briefing explaining how the Information Commissioner and Tribunal have protected the 'safe space' and genuinely frank discussions from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
The Campaign has welcomed the Justice Committee's report on post-legislative scrutiny of the FOI Act, which rejects charging for FOI requests or new restrictions on access to policy discussions in Whitehall. The Campaign made two written submissions to the Committee and gave oral evidence at the Committee's first hearing on 21 February 2012. You can watch a recording of the session or read an uncorrected transcript of it.
Our initial submission described some areas where the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations are not working as well as they should and suggested a number of improvements such as the introduction of statutory time limits for public interest extensions and internal reviews and the lifting of some absolute exemptions. It also addressed the contracting out of public authority functions to bodies which are not subject to the Act. Recent measures to encourage this process are likely to substantially undermine the public's rights to information. Finally, it responded to suggestions that changes to the right of access may be introduced to protect cabinet papers, introduce fees for making requests or to make it easier for public authorities to refuse requests on costs grounds. The Campaign made a supplementary submission to the Committee addressing some of the points about the Act's exemption for policy advice made by Lord O'Donnell and Jack Straw in their evidence to the Committee. This supplementary submission also provided examples of excessive or wasteful spending revealed by FOI, which suggest the Act is likely to play an important role in exposing and deterring excessive spending, which is generally not taken into account when assessing the 'costs' of FOI.
This letter by the Campaign was published by The Guardian on 18 July 2012, in response to an article by the commentator Simon Jenkins.
Simon Jenkins takes a hefty swing at the Freedom of Information Act on the grounds that its "total disclosure" damages good government. (For the digital revolution, this is the Robespierre moment, 10 July). But there is no "total disclosure" under FOI as anyone who has grappled with the act's 13 pages of exemptions knows.
Letter to The Times responding to comments made by Sir Gus O'Donnell, the outgoing Cabinet Secretary, that the Freedom of Information Act should be amended to provide greater protection for cabinet papers.
The Campaign held a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool on 18 September 2010. The meeting was addressed by Lord McNally, the Ministry of Justice minister responsible for freedom of information, and Sir Alan Beith MP, the chair of the House of Commons Justice Committee.
The government's announcement that it has dropped its proposal to exempt cabinet papers from the Freedom of Information Act, and that it will reduce the 30 year rule to 20 years, was welcomed by the Campaign for Freedom of Information today.
The government has issued a second veto, preventing the disclosure of information under the FOI Act. This follows the veto in February 2009 of cabinet minutes relating to the war in Iraq. The present case involves a request to see the minutes of the 1997 meetings of the cabinet subcommittee on devolution in Scotland, Wales and the English regions. The committee had been chaired by Lord Irvine, the then Lord Chancellor.
The Campaign for Freedom of Information welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement today that the Freedom of Information Act would be extended to additional bodies and that the 30 year period before old official papers are made public would be reduced to 20 years. This was a substantial step, the Campaign said, even if it did not go as far as the 15 year period recommended by the Dacre Review earlier this year.
However it expressed serious concern at Mr Brown's announcement that new exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act would be introduced for Cabinet Papers and for information relating to the Royal Family.
The government's decision today to veto the release of the Iraq cabinet minutes was "an extremely retrograde step" according to the Campaign for Freedom of Information.


text:
Q: What is the spectral radius of the operator $T_k:C[0,1]\to C[0,1]$ defined as $T_k x (t)= \int_0^1 k(t,s) x(s) ds$? I would like to know the spectral radius of the operator $T_k$ from $C[0,1] \to C[0,1]$ :
   $$T_k x (t)= \int_0^1 k(t,s) x(s) ds$$
where  $k(x,y)\colon [0,1]^2 \to \mathbb C$ is continuous.
And also although I know that $Tf(x)=\int_0^1f(x)dx$ is compact, I am not able to follow that $T_k$ is compact. Any hints and ideas ?
Thanks!

A: To show compactness, we can use Arzela-Ascoli's theorem. Let $B$ the set of continuous functions on $[0,1]$ of norm $\leqslant 1$. We have to show equi-continuity of $T_k(B)$. It follows from the fact that $k$ is uniformly continuous on $[0,1]^2$.
For the spectral radius, show by induction that
$$\lVert T_k^p\rVert\leqslant\frac{\lVert k\rVert_\infty^p}{p!},$$
the spectral radius formula and this thread.


Carolyn Sue Lynde passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 28, 2018. She was born in Dewey, Oklahoma on October 28, 1933, youngest child of Melvin & Eula Lemmons. She has one remaining sister, JoAnne, living in Dallas.
She was a wonderful wife to Tom for over 50 years until his passing in 2007. A loving mother to her 2 sons Craig and Ken and a fantastic grandmother for Jessica and Lindsey. She was able to spend quality time with her great-grandchildren William, Jayden and Jacob.
She moved around a lot, living in Oklahoma, Minnesota, Kansas, North Dakota, Arizona, Oklahoma (again) Texas and back to Arizona. She was very outgoing and made many friends wherever she was.
Services will be held on Friday, December 7, 12:30 at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery where she will be laid to rest with her beloved husband Tom.


While flying through one of the cusps in Earth's magnetic field, the four spacecraft of ESA's Cluster mission have sampled the population of highly energetic particles that often fill these 'cavities'. A study of the data shows that particles are accelerated locally, within the cusps, as they cross regions characterised by different electric potential - a configuration that results from magnetic reconnection events. This is an important contribution to the long-standing debate concerning how and where these particles are accelerated.
The magnetosphere of the Earth arises from the interaction between the solar wind – a stream of electrically charged particles released by the Sun – and our planet's internal magnetic field. In fact, the magnetosphere acts as a shield that prevents most of the solar wind particles from infiltrating Earth's atmosphere. The only sites where this shielding effect is not fully efficient are the polar cusps, two regions above the planet's magnetic poles where the magnetic field is extremely weak. Through the cusps, particles from the solar wind can access the upper layer of Earth's atmosphere – the ionosphere – and thus can have an impact on activities such as telecommunication networks.
Artist's impression of the Cluster spacecraft crossing the northern cusp of Earth's magnetosphere.
As the solar wind's direct gateway to Earth's atmosphere, the cusps are a key element in our planet's magnetic environment and have been the target of investigation for decades. In-situ measurements have shown that they are often densely populated with highly energetic particles, including electrons with energies above 40 keV and protons and oxygen ions with energies above 28 keV.
These observations have triggered an intense debate regarding the nature of such particles: exactly where and how are they being accelerated to such high energies? Several acceleration sites have been suggested in the literature: the magnetosphere, the bow shock – a standing shock wave formed in the solar wind flow as it impacts the magnetosphere – and the cusps themselves, but the issue had thus far remained open. A solid answer to these questions has now been proposed by a new study based on data from ESA's Cluster mission.
"Our analysis of the Cluster data and comparison with simulations provide the first robust evidence in favour of a local acceleration mechanism: particles are being energised within the cusps," explains Katariina Nykyri from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (USA). Nykyri has led a study based on data gathered by the four Cluster spacecraft as they flew from the magnetosphere into the cusps on 14 February 2003. The results of the study are reported in a special issue of the Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, dedicated to studies of the cusps.
"We searched through the first five years of data in the Cluster archive, looking for an event during which the spacecraft moved from the magnetosphere into the cusps in a way that best enabled us to study how the cusp's properties vary in space and time," Nykyri explains. The event that Nykyri and her collaborators identified was particularly favourable in this context because, while the four spacecraft of the Cluster mission entered the northern cusp on 14 February 2003, their separation was very large, about 5000 km. "In the meantime, the interplanetary magnetic field changed direction from northward to southward, thus shifting the site where magnetic reconnection events occur from one side of the cusp to the opposite side," she adds.
The various components of Earth's magnetic environment.
A magnetic reconnection event is a variation in the magnetic field line configuration, which also results in the release of energy. A shift in the reconnection site changes the location, size and shape of the region of weak magnetic field in the cusp – the so-called diamagnetic cavity. As they crossed the cusp on 14 February 2003, the four Cluster spacecraft encountered a cavity whose structure was varying in space and time due to magnetic reconnection. Hence, they repeatedly entered and exited regions of weaker and stronger magnetic field; at times, three spacecraft were in the cavity and one outside of it, or vice versa.
During these crossings, the Cluster spacecraft probed the distribution of electrons, protons and oxygen ions. The data revealed that these particles have substantially higher energy within the cavity, where the magnetic field is low, whereas their energy declines farther away from it. Furthermore, the data indicated that most electrons were moving almost perpendicularly to the magnetic field's direction.
High-energy electron density and magnetic field intensity in the cusp of Earth's magnetosphere, as recorded by instruments on board the four Cluster spacecraft on 14 February 2003.
"The fact that we observe large amounts of high-energy particles in the cavity and hardly any in the magnetosheath – where the magnetic field is stronger – already suggests that the particles are being energised locally," notes Nykyry. "Nevertheless, our smoking-gun argument is the direction of motion of the electrons in the cavity," she adds. Acceleration taking place at the bow shock or in the magnetosphere would result in electrons moving mainly parallel to the magnetic field in the diamagnetic cavity. Since they appear to be moving perpendicularly to it, they must be accelerated within the cusps.
Having narrowed down the site where particles gain their energy, Nykyri and her collaborators investigated possible acceleration mechanisms. Since the data suggested that a correlation exists between changes in the cavity's structure and the occurrence of magnetic reconnection, they checked whether this mechanism could be responsible for accelerating the particles.
"We used simulations to study the dynamics of the cusp region during magnetic reconnection," explains co-author Eric Adamson from the Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (Germany). "Our simulations revealed that magnetic reconnection events contribute significantly to modifying the structure of the electric potential within the cusp region," he adds. This is particularly interesting in this context since particles gain energy as they cross regions with potential differences. The simulations also showed that the cavity's geometrical configuration can efficiently trap particles for significant periods of time within the cusp.
Further simulations were run by Antonius Otto from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (USA), also a co-author of the paper, in order to investigate how much energy can be gained by particles via this mechanism. "When trapped long enough in the cavities, particles with energies of a few tens or hundreds of eV can easily be accelerated up to the observed values of 40 keV or more," explains Otto. "In particular, changes to the structure of the electric potential induced by magnetic reconnection events can boost the particles' energy gain," he adds.
This new analysis of Cluster data might not only have solved the long standing debate about the origin of high-energy particles in the cusps of Earth's magnetosphere, it also has interesting implications for other environments where magnetic reconnection takes place in a similar magnetic field line geometry. An example is the surface of the Sun, where this phenomenon is known to give rise to solar flares. "Scaling up our improved understanding of magnetic reconnection in the cusps of the Earth to the much stronger magnetic field of the Sun, we have shown that particles there can easily reach energies of the order of MeV and even GeV," notes Nykyri. This simple argument supports the hypothesis that magnetic reconnection might indeed be an important player in the heating of the Sun's corona, an issue that is still unclear in the field of solar physics.
"Understanding the physics of the cusps in Earth's magnetosphere has been one of Cluster's main science goals, and this result addresses one of the hottest topics that concerns these intriguing regions," comments Philippe Escoubet, Cluster Mission Manager at ESA. "Once more, Cluster's ability to probe Earth's magnetic field in-situ with four spacecraft has brought us a fresh view on a phenomenon, such as magnetic reconnection, that is relevant to a wide range of other physical and astrophysical environments," he concludes.
The study presented here is based on data gathered by the four Cluster spacecraft on 14 February 2003 as they were moving across the northern cusp of Earth's magnetosphere. During this event, the separation between the four spacecraft was large enough (about 5000 km) that spacecraft within and outside the cusp could take simultaneous measurements. The spacecraft measured the density and energy of high-energy electrons, protons and oxygen ions, the strength of the magnetic field and the pitch angle of the particles (the inclination of the direction of motion of a particle with respect to the magnetic field).
The data collected by the four spacecraft, together with high-resolution, three-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamic simulations, suggest that the high-energy particles observed in the cusps are accelerated locally as they drift along the potential gradients created by magnetic reconnection. Not all reconnection events are able to accelerate particles up to such high energies. The particles need to remain trapped for a sufficiently long time in a region with weak magnetic field, such as the diamagnetic cavity in the cusp, in order to gain large amounts of energy.
Cluster is a constellation of four spacecraft flying in formation around Earth. It is the first space mission able to study, in three dimensions, the natural physical processes occurring within and in the near vicinity of the Earth's magnetosphere. Launched in 2000, it is composed of four identical spacecraft orbiting the Earth in a pyramidal configuration, along a nominal polar orbit of 4 × 19.6 Earth radii (1 Earth radius = 6380 km). Cluster's payload consists of state-of-the-art plasma instrumentation to measure electric and magnetic fields over a wide frequency range, and key physical parameters characterizing electrons and ions from energies of nearly 0 eV to a few MeV. The science operations are coordinated by the Joint Science Operations Centre (JSOC), at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, United Kingdom, and implemented by ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), in Darmstadt, Germany.