It's Christmas time in the forest, and both the fox and the wolf families are celebrating. The rather large fox family consists of two parents as well as N (1 ≤ N ≤ 1,000,000,000) little foxlings. The parents have decided to give their children a special treat this year - crackers! After all, it's a well-known fact that foxen love crackers.
With such a big family, the parents can't afford that many crackers. As such, they wish to minimize how many they give out, but still ensuring that each foxling gets at least a bit. The parents can only give out entire crackers, which can then be divided and passed around.
With this many children, not all of them know one another all that well. The foxlings have names, of course, but their parents are computer scientists, so they have also conveniently numbered them from 1 to N. There are M (1 ≤ M ≤ 100,000) unique two-way friendships among the foxlings, where relationship i is described by the distinct integers Ai and Bi (1 ≤ Ai, Bi ≤ N), indicating that foxling Ai is friends with foxling Bi, and vice versa. When a foxling is given a cracker, he can use his tail to precisely split it into as many pieces as he wants (the tails of foxen have many fascinating uses). He can then pass these pieces around to his friends, who can repeat this process themselves.
The minimum number of crackers that must be given out so that each fox ends up with at least a bit of a cracker.
The parents can give one cracker to foxling 6, who will then split it into three and give pieces to his friends (foxlings 1 and 7). Foxling 7 can then give half of his piece to his other friend, foxling 2.
They can give another cracker to foxling 8, who will split it with foxling 9.
This leaves foxlings 4 and 5, who have no friends (don't worry, foxen have long since outgrown the need for friends), and who must be given one cracker each. This brings the total up to 4 crackers.
Daniel on May 03, 2009 - 4:32:31 pm UTC help?
[s]Is there anyway to speed up the compression of the nodes in my algorithm?
Edit 2: Heap sort seems to work... Thanks for the help!
Is there anyway to speed up the compression of the nodes in my algorithm?
hansonw1 on May 03, 2009 - 5:03:05 pm UTC Re: help?
Do a quick time analysis of your code.
1. Your get() code takes log(M) time for the binary search, and on average M/2 time for the insertion. (The binary search is kinda useless, since you insert anyway) Since you'll eventually run get() for every vertex, this takes about M*M/2 steps.
2. In the find procedure, you go through all the edges for every vertex - this takes about M*M steps.
Overall, you can see that it takes some multiple of M*M time.
Since M <= 100,000, this is far too slow. A modern computer will only run approximately 20-50 million operations per second.
To compress the nodes in a smarter way, try reading all the nodes in, and then sorting them with something like quick/merge sort. (which takes N*log(N) time on average). Then you can find the indices pretty easily, with a binary search.
In the find() loop, you can use something similar. Unfortunately, Pascal doesn't have any library functions for this sort of thing, so you'll have to do a lot of extra coding.
The new algorithm should take roughly M*log(M) time, which is ~2 million - more than fast enough to run in time.
Think of this as an undirected graph - the foxlings are nodes, and the friendships are edges. This problem is just asking for the number of separate "connected component" (a component is a group of nodes that can all be reached from one another). This can be done with floodfill in linear time.
However, N is far too large for this to run in time. The key observation is that with M edges, only up to 2M nodes can be connected to others, leaving many nodes with no neighbours (hence forming their own connect components).
shouldn't the output for the sample input be three? because u give one cracker to 6 which will be divided among 6,1,7,3,2. that leaves 4,5,8,9. you give one to 5 and that cracker will be divided among 5,8,9 and you give one more cracker to the friendless 4. so you have 3 crackers...or am i reading this problem wrong?
Foxling 5 has no friends, so if you give a cracker to him, why would it be divided among 5,8,9???
Keep in mind that the first line of input is NOT a friendship, it's N and M.
oh crap! i forgot about that. k that makes sense...thanks!


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'Bad boys of Brexit' campaigners and NZ First
People involved in the Brexit campaign in the UK, and to Nigel Farage, have been linked to Winston peters and to the NZ First campaign this election. Peters has reacted oddly to this becoming public.
Last week from The Spinoff: The curious case of Winston Peters and 'Brexit bad boy' Arron Banks
One of the fathers of Brexit has spent much of the past five months in Auckland, where he enjoyed the sea breeze, watched the UK's mishandling of Covid-19 from afar and became a vocal online supporter of Winston Peters.
Arron Banks, a brash British entrepreneur who amassed a fortune before throwing himself into the leave campaign, financed and directed one of the most aggressive groups pushing for Brexit. Unexpectedly, Banks and the Leave.EU campaign have over recent months become champions of a small political party more than 10,000 miles away: New Zealand First.
Despite New Zealand's distance and near irrelevance to Brexit, a group that rose to prominence and power during the leave campaign has now chosen to promote the New Zealand deputy prime minister and his party.
Leave.EU has also created several posts about New Zealand's wins against coronavirus and thanked Peters for his leadership in the crisis – no mention is made of the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern.
On Tuesday morning, the Spinoff reached out to NZ First for comment on the connection with Banks and the group.
A party spokesperson directed The Spinoff to Darroch Ball, a list MP based in Palmerston North. The spokesperson said Ball was now responsible for the party's communications and would field the questions for Peters. Ball did not respond to seven phone calls and text messages over the following six hours. The spokesperson did not respond to four additional phone calls, but in a text message directed the Spinoff to a second spokesperson. As of last night that second spokesperson had not responded to any of four phone calls and text messages.
Yesterday: Brexit campaigners pledge to bring 'mischief, mayhem and guerrilla warfare' to NZ election
New Zealand First has hired a crew of political operators from one of the most aggressive groups in the Brexit campaign to cause "mischief, mayhem and guerrilla warfare" before the September election, according to The Daily Telegraph, the Conservative-leaning British broadsheet newspaper.
According to The Telegraph's chief political correspondent, Christopher Hope, a six-person team from Banks' Leave.EU has been "dispatched to Auckland" to work on New Zealand First's campaign. They've reportedly been instructed to double the party's count of MPs to 20.
Andy Wigmore, one of Banks' main lieutenants, told the newspaper: "I'm going to be on ground in New Zealand causing trouble – mischief, mayhem and guerrilla warfare in the New Zealand election – the bad boys are back."
It is uncertain on what basis Wigmore intends to be "on the ground" in New Zealand. There is no known exemption to the strict border controls for political strategists or self-styled "bad boys of Brexit".
Following the publication of the Spinoff's story, which followed 15 attempts to contact New Zealand First, Peters tweeted: "For the benefit of the woke leftist spinoff, had they asked me, which they didn't, I came across Arron Banks in 2016 in the UK. We have been happily sharing thoughts and ideas on international matters ever since. He's a top bloke and we both believe that freedom matters!"
Following the tweet, New Zealand First was again contacted for comment. They did not respond.
Banks and Peters appeal to a similar demographic, said University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis, but that doesn't mean Banks should be invited into New Zealand's political system.
"The form of politics that led to the Brexit vote, which Arron Banks was involved with, was typified by rampant misinformation and appealing to naked prejudice in the electorate. My view is that importing that type of politics into New Zealand would be detrimental to our democracy," said Geddis.
The Spinoff is again seeking comment from the parties involved, and will update over the day should any response be forthcoming.
Banks and Wigmore promoted the Spinoff article:
"Mischief and mayhem" for NZF? Or is it mischief-making against them?
So, who's telling lies and who's working for whom in this strange pre-election grab-bag of dirty tricks? This Tweet is from the tricksters themselves. Winston denies it all. #nzpol #dirtypoliticsNZ pic.twitter.com/u67PzW3QN9
— Brian Dixon (@BrianBoruNZ) July 7, 2020
Later yesterday Peters decided to go straight to the public via a media release – The Spinoff posted on this: Winston Peters takes exception to UK media report by issuing an angry diatribe – against The Spinoff
The Daily Telegraph, newspaper of choice for the British Conservative establishment, reported overnight that the New Zealand First Party had hired a crew of political operators from one of the most aggressive and controversial groups in the Brexit campaign to create "mischief, mayhem and guerrilla warfare" in the leadup to the September election.
The Spinoff in turn reported the developments from the UK this morning. Both Banks and Wigmore retweeted The Spinoff's story.
Peters, who is New Zealand's deputy prime minister, then chose to respond. In a statement he snubbed the venerable British broadsheet the Daily Telegraph (established 1855), however, choosing instead to focus on the New Zealand site The Spinoff (established 2014) in a statement issued this afternoon.
In his idiosyncratic statement today, Peters said that the original story from The Spinoff had left "a very disappointed NZF staffer" who felt that their statement had been attributed to Banks' influence when they "wrote that press release, all on their own".
It was never The Spinoff's intention to attribute that writer's work to Banks, not least because the now disappointed writer manifestly wanted their work attributed to Peters.
Peters sounds a tad agitated by all of this exposure.
Tagged Brexit, NZ First, The Spinoff, Winston Peters
https://yournz.org/2020/07/08/bad-boys-of-brexit-campaigners-and-nz-first/
There is still a problem with how the health information was available
So how the hell can 6 " bovver boys " enter NZ to create mayhem?
Are they NZ citizens or have a special dispensation from government ministers?
Check the story…they arent here. Online campaigning can be done from anywhere.
You must be the most mis informed person commenting here, and that has a lot of competition
He may have checked the first story, as quoted above:
Duker, thank you for the compliment.
I did read the story – unlike you.
It clearly states that " a six person team has been dispatched to Auckland. "
So please tell us all how and when they enter the country.
And one said that he'd be on (the) ground.
Arron's parents must have thought that that was how Aaron was pronounced, so spelt it thus.
People can spell their childrens names any way…they want.
Are they coming here or not ? The story changes according to who's telling it.
I missed WP saying that they couldn't get in, anyway.
'According to The Telegraph's chief political correspondent, Christopher Hope, a six-person team from Banks' Leave.EU has been "dispatched to Auckland" to work on New Zealand First's campaign. They've reportedly been instructed to double the party's count of MPs to 20.'
Such a reliable source…..quite a modest mission for the Super 6…. 🙂
"You must be the most mis informed person commenting here"
Dr Duker AAE
If Peters says NO it can be taken for a YES.
artcroft
Not at all. As Peters will explain, if he had been asked on a Thursday, he would of course agreed that he hired these guys, but as the reporter had the effrontery to ask on a Tuesday, Peters had no choice but to mislead. It's all in the timing you see.
Peters cut his teeth with the Nats.
Nothing new at all in utilising outside help with political campaigns.
The Nats paid millions for Crosby Textor….and they are not based in NZ…believe it or…not.
Yawn. You are obsessed with National.
Not at all….crimes and misdemeanours are my one of my …interests.
I always look for 'gold' where it's been found before.
A rather rich vein ,compliments of the..Nats.
Brian Johnston
Peters is a charlatan, ask anyone, people are sick of Peters.
The gaudy double breasted pinstripe suits do not help and say a lot. Narcissism.
He claims to oppose privatisation and foreign ownership and to support referenda and a whole lot of other stuff when wanting to be elected and when elected does nothing.
When asked, Peters did nothing to assist in preventing the 'theft' and privatisation of the electricity now up in price 300% or more.
Peters took the guns from owners who could be trusted.
He is unelected and should not be deputy PM.
Is NZ First currently under investigation?
Here's hoping Peters, NZ First misses the threshold at the next election.
this statement 'The gaudy double breasted pinstripe suits do not help and say a lot.'
basically sums up whether to take your comments…seriously=says…alot.
I think that they may be chalk-striped, and look like what US gangsters wore.
US gangsters still favour the same look….no Wall St banker worth his salt would be seen dead in anything but Armani…' dressed in dark chalk-stripe, double-breasted suit with sizable lapels and a striped blue shirt complemented with a red patterned power tie.'
All parties in parliament voted for the gun laws except 'Shotgun' Seymour
Wrong again.
semi automatics are still available , but only in low power .22 rimfire versions for shooting rabbits and possums, not people
Peters does not need a team of advisors.
All he has to do is listen to the people and tell the truth.
He then has to stick with it.
I hope he is gone at this election.
Outdoors or Social Credit, take your pick. Maybe they should team up.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Ceres might have tilted over onto its side
Enlarge / An enhanced color view of Ceres, which highlights different terrain on its surface. (credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA)
Prior to our visit to the dwarf planet Ceres, we knew that it had a density about twice that of water. Considering it likely has a rocky core, that means much of its outer crust is likely to be water. Since water is pretty malleable at the temperatures we'd expect to prevail on Ceres, there were some expectations that any features on the planet had long since flattened out as the ice they were made of flowed downwards as it does in glaciers.
This turned out to be anything but the case, as Ceres is covered in craters, ridges, and the remains of what appear to be ice volcanoes. All of which suggests that the crust is far more rigid than we thought and has a composition that's more complex than simply water with some dust mixed in.
Now, a researcher named Pasquale Tricarico has analyzed the distribution of material on Ceres and found that it is consistent with the densest material having caused the relocation of the planet's equator. He suggests that a series of ridges that ring the dwarf planet represent the former equator, which would mean that Ceres tipped over on its side at some point early in its history.
Read 7 remaining paragraphs
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What Can Be Done To Prevent Mass Extinctions →
There's a new insecticide on the block, and it's also bad news for bees
Elon Musk has an idea for saving boys stranded in a Thailand cave
How Russia (yes, Russia) plans to land cosmonauts on the Moon by 2030


Baptism is an expression of the Christian faith that follows Jesus' example and instruction. It's an important part of every disciple's story, a way to demonstrate outwardly the inward trust and belief in Jesus. On April 17, we will celebrate baptism during our Sunday morning services. It will be an encouraging time to celebrate what Jesus is doing in the lives of brothers and sisters at Rivertree. We are having another baptism service on June 12. If you or a loved one are interested in getting baptized, we would love to talk with you about preparations to participate in this upcoming service. Please click the age appropriate button below depending on if the person interested in baptism is a child, student or adult.
Please tell us a little about your child and their interest in getting baptized.
Tell us a little about yourself and your interest in getting baptized.


I can honestly say, I'm not afraid of being old.
BUT the process of BECOMING old is annoying.
Lately my biggest symptom is forgetfulness. Repeating every story at least 5 times to the same unfortunate people. The glassy looks that cross their faces as they try to be patient signal it's time to be quiet and move on to new material.
My doctor at my well exam this year said, "Get used to it - it's an actual characteristic of mid-life for women especially." Great!
So for now I'll try to begin each story with, "Have I already told you this..." and pray the patience of my closest friends and relatives can tolerate my forgetfulness.
I have to wonder why as a woman begins to change later in life - that God designed this to be something we experience? Interesting to consider. I wonder what good can possibly come of it? Maybe it keeps me humble? More considerate of others struggles? Maybe it just makes me think twice before I speak!
Whatever the reason is, God designed me as I am so I accept that I'm aging - and I'll give my best shot to do so gracefully!


Thank you to xoMemebox for sending me this lovely gift! The moment I opened this package I was so stoked because I've been dying to try one of their skincare products. I couldn't wait to try it so I tried it that night before going to sleep. This is my first time trying one of their skincare products and I'm loving it!
Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick is a facial cleanser that was specifically made in the form of a stick to help get rid of the dirt and impurities stuck deep within the skin. It has a twist-up style applicator, which makes it very easy to use. It also contains rose petals and fermented botanical herbs. When applied, it supplies nutrients into the skin to improve its texture and complexion. Recommended for those with oily and sensitive skin!
The packaging for this product is sleek and simple, yet still very cute. I love the light peachy-pink color of the twist-up tube and gold lettering on the side. The actual product is a light pink/lavender color with little bits of rose petals infused in the product.
The application is very easy. You can use this cleansing stick as your first and/or second cleanser. It contains rich oils that easily removes your makeup. Personally, I like to use this cleanser after I have already removed my makeup because I don't like all my makeup to get on the stick and I feel that it works better on my skin when my face is already clean. It leaves your skin feeling clean, soft, and hydrated. Once applied, it is very creamy and soothing for the skin. It does not have a stripping or drying effect on your skin.
After using this product, I have not had any breakouts or irritation, which is always a plus. I've also noticed that my acne scars have been going away much faster after using this product. It has a delightful scent and every time I use it it leaves my face feeling so clean and smooth. I have not experienced any dryness or greasiness as a result of using this product. Overall, I would recommend this product to those who are looking for an easy, effective, gentle, non-greasy, non-irritating, soothing cleanser that does the job! Even though I got this as a gift from Memebox, I am really considering purchasing this to use as my every day cleanser. It has done nothing but great things to my skin.
Click here for more info about the product!


On this date, the botanist Frederick Orpen Bower was born in Ripon, England. His study of primitive land plants, especially the ferns, contributed greatly to a modern emphasis on the study of the origins and evolutionary development of these plants. A man who did not shy away from theorizing, one of his most productive "working hypotheses" was his application of the alternation of generations model to explaining the way the land was colonized by early plants. This subject was explored most completely in his book entitled The Origin of a Land Flora: A Theory Based upon the Facts of Alternation, published in 1908.
From his many years studying liverworts, mosses, and ferns, Bower concluded that they had evolved from algal ancestors. Bower's hypothesis states, in essence, that the sporophyte generation (the conspicuous vegetative stage in familiar vascular plants) developed de novo from a haploid alga that lacked a diploid sporophyte generation but instead had merely a diploid zygote (a cell formed by the fusion of two gametes, such as sperm and egg). Before the evolution of embryos, this zygote would have immediately undergone meiosis (to relieve the diploid condition) and produced spores, the propagules of the next haploid generation. Growth of such a spore into a gametophyte is analogous to growth of an isolated human sperm or egg cell into a hypothetical haploid generation. Thus, the sporophyte generation first appeared as an added generation that came into existence as a result of delayed zygotic meiosis – sort of a delayed plant puberty. In other words, what might otherwise have become the new haploid cells of the next generation by chromosome reduction instead retained its diploid character and thus added, aà la Bower, a new generation to the life cycle. The final step of spore production still eventually occurred, but not until after the diploid cells had grown and developed into a new sporophyte generation, in essence an overgrown zygote.
Under Brower's hypothesis, we suppose that, from the point of view of the gametophyte, the sporophyte generation is like a giant multicellular spore factory. For example, in Coleochaete pulvinata, a modern freshwater green alga, the surface of the mature zygote is covered by a layer of haploid cells, which form ingrowths that penetrate the zygote to provide nutrition. The protected diploid zygote in Coleochaete gives the aquatic alga advantages because many more spores can be produced from a single fertilization event than would be the case if the zygote hurried straight to meiosis and the formation of one of those four spore tetrads so common in the fossil record. Bower's hypothesis remains to be tested, but if it is correct, the sporophyte generation (diploid cells) came to develop inside (and be protected by) the gametophyte generation (haploid cells) precisely because the arrangement ultimately benefited both generations.
An older, competing hypothesis dating back to 1874 held that the algal ancestor of embryophytes already had had alternation of two generations for a long time and was thus diplobiontic, as opposed to haplobiontic. Haplobiontic organisms, such as humans, have the gametes as the only haploid cells; diplobiontic organisms develop those haploid cells into a multicellular life stage. The diplobiontic hypothesis of 1874 is less favored now because it fails to explain how the sporophytes and gametophytes, which in modern diplobiontic green algae have no long-term physical connection, could have evolved the intimate physical connection, in both nutritional and developmental respects, shared by the haploid and diploid components of all embryophytes.
This entry was posted in Botany, Evolution, Genetics and Development, History and tagged Botany, Evolution, Genetics and Development, History. Bookmark the permalink.


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Q: Get date when a xml was created NSXMLParser I am having a pretty big xml file (17 MB) on a webserver, which is constantly updated (once or twice a month). I take the XML and parse it to Core data, when the user triggers an update. Now I want to check during my Apps wake/start up if the locally parsed database is up to date or if there is a newer xml on the server.
The xml is created by a non-IT-company via MS Office, so I can't really expect them to do many changes to the xml. right now i only have the
<dataroot xmlns:od="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:officedata" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"  xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="someXML.xsd" generated="2012-06-28T12:53:12">

generated Attribute of dataroot.
Any tips on how to get the date the file was created in a fast and neat way?

A: I have am giving you the important code. I am taking a string variable in .h file and initializing the string in parse didstartelement method of parsing. Check the below code.
 @interface TestViewController: UIViewController <NSXMLParserDelegate>  {
        NSString *generatedDate;
    }
    @end

#import "TestViewController.h"

@implementation TestViewController

- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser didStartElement:(NSString *)elementName namespaceURI:(NSString *)namespaceURI qualifiedName:(NSString *)qName attributes:(NSDictionary *)attributeDict {
    if ( [elementName isEqualToString:@"dataroot"] ) {
        generatedDate = [[NSString alloc]initWithFormat:@"%@",[[attributeDict objectForKey:@"generated"] retain]];
        }
   }
@end

A: Can you not just store and check the created or modified date on the server and compare it to a value you have stored? That way if it is the same you don't even need to bother to read the XML.
You could get a false positive (date changed but data hasn't), but you wouldn't get a false negative (data changed but date hasn't), so it would cut down a lot of processing.
Once you have decided it has changed you can either pass the XML to check for the date, of if it is in a specific place of the file (ie, the beginning), just read that much of the file and search for the string

A: you can get your generated time using NSXMPParser. use following
NSXMLParser *parser  = [[NSXMLParser alloc] initWithData:yourXMLData];

[parser setDelegate:self];

[parser parse];

This will call your delegate methods. You need to handle following delegate method to get your date
- (void)parser:(NSXMLParser *)parser didStartElement:(NSString *)elementName namespaceURI:(NSString *)namespaceURI qualifiedName:(NSString *)qualifiedName attributes:(NSDictionary *)attributeDict {
     NSString *generatedDate = [attributeDict objectForKey:@"generated"];
}

Hope this helps

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This Roasted Potato Salad is simple, tasty and you can pretty much add whatever you have hanging out in your kitchen and pantry! Today's version is full of my favorite Southwestern flavors… chipotle, lime, cilantro, black beans and corn! And, if you like…try cooking the veggies on the grill while you still can!
Yes, I know I just posted a Southwestern flavored recipe last week with my Southwestern Breakfast Stack (OMG soooooo good – be sure to check it out). Sorry for another one, but I just can't get enough of that flavor profile. I actually made this recipe earlier this summer and thought I better post it before summer is officially over! Although, here in Florida I don't think summer really ever ends.
Sometimes the best recipes are born when trying to use up random food around the kitchen. This roasted potato salad is all about that. I bought a small bag of little yellow potatoes that I never got around to cooking for one reason or another. That happens a lot to me. I'll plan to cook something, then a better offer comes up and all plans fly out the window! I'm frequently left with random veggies or something that needs to be eaten. Like the two ears of corn which didn't get cooked either.
I went the roasting route this time but you could easily cook the potatoes and corn on the grill for even better flavor (and pretty grill marks). After the potatoes and corn are cooked, chop up the veggies, open a can of beans and toss it all together. With a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, agave syrup, lime juice and some chipotle powder, you'll have a delicious Roasted Potato Salad!
Toss potatoes with olive oil, paprika, cumin, chipotle powder, salt & pepper and place on baking sheet. Roast potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes or so, depending on the size you cut them into. Remove from oven and set aside.
On baking sheet, place corn kernels, drizzle a bit more olive oil, a little salt & pepper and roast in oven just slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
In large bowl combine potatoes, corn, and remaining salad ingredients. Toss to combine.
In small bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk well. Add to potato salad and toss to combine. Serve room temperature.
*Use your favorite baby/fingerling potato. I cut the potatoes in half but think they were a bit too big and next time will cut them smaller. The measurements for the paprika, cumin, chipotle, salt & pepper are estimates...I didn't really measure them, just used a few shakes of each spice over the potatoes prior to roasting them. Adjust amounts to your liking.
This sounds amazing, I love how colorful this potato salad is!
I love to eat a roasted potato salad. Your addition of corn is perfect.
What a perfect combination of flavors. I love the addition of black beans and corn. Yum.
So colorful! I adore just about any potato salad!
I love the spices in this recipe, Judy. This is my kind of salad!
I love salads like this! I think potato salads are so much better when the potatoes are roasted.


Lana Wachowski , Chichi Seii and Andy Wachowski at Sense8 set .
I'm seated here in my office –a converted corner in my TV-less living room – drinking freshly blended mango juice, mixed with cinnamon and ginger and thinking loudly about what I'm looking forward to this year. I find that making resolutions at the end of January is usually more effective once the New Year euphoria is over, which makes the set objectives more attainable.
I look forward to Season 2 of Sense 8. Yes, I finally got round to watching it (did I know it was available with movie-vendors?) and I have to say it is easily one of my favorite shows from 2015. There was a bit of an uproar among actors about 'foreign' themes and I must admit this view influenced me to put it at the end of my to-watch-list. Shame on me since I went for those auditions and some of my friends had roles in it! Kumbe this 'foreign' theme my fellow actors were talking about was purely homophobic sentiments. I will only point out that latest studies confirm that 95% of homophobic people are actually biologically homosexual which suggests that homophobia could be a defense mechanism. But please stay and don't kasirika in case you are homophobic – you are in the remaining 5% bracket.
The most interesting theme according to me in this series was that of unquestioned social values verses individual lifestyle. It propagates the age-old argument in modern political history: Who is more important in the society … the people or the person? I think that this is what makes the otherwise ordinary plotting of Sense 8 unique. For those who haven't watched Sense 8 yet, it is a Netflix sci-fi series -produced and directed by the Wachowskis! – Partly shot in Nairobi, about eight strangers from different parts of the world who suddenly become mentally and emotionally linked.
It was interesting to watch our Kenyan cast against the other cast in India, America, South Korea and Germany. Peter King definitely had the best performance and I would not be surprised if he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Award. The kind of depth this dude is able to emit from his body language always amazes me. (Peter King si you teach us this thing bana!) Another Kenyan actor who pulled an interesting stunt was Chichi Seii. Our local casting directors/agents frequently typecast based on the real life personality of the actor. Due to her pristine looks, eloquent English and enthralling demeanor, she has always played upper middle class characters.
In Sense 8 she plays the H.I.V-AIDS infected mother of Capheus who lives in Kibera and grew up in the village. And woii… didn't the make-up transform her usually mellow face. She delivered the role as intensely as she delivered baby Capheus (sorry about the spoiler). I'm sure fellow actors who haven't met her in person before watching the series will be unable to tell her real age.
More than this, we could promote actors' forums. This is simply transforming our WhatsApp group-conversations into an oral space. It is high time actors engaged in meaningful discourse on the current issues and future of our craft. The more experienced should mingle with the upcoming and everyone should be willing to share and learn something new. At the end of last year we had a very successful actors' workshop at the PAWA 254. It was facilited by Gilbert Lukalia, Joseph Wairimu and I. This time we shall have an even more intense event. A discussion forum made up of an elite panel of actors and film/theatre stake holders. The topic will be in question form: '(Why) have acting standards gone down?' . We will then have a one on one interview with a legendary actor who will –for sure – inspire you, then we shall have a two day workshop on character development. Please note that this workshop will actually be about exchanging ideas, experiences and allowing your current or previous work to be criticized. Its intention will not be to educate. Therefore it is more suitable for experienced actors even though new actors are invited to observe and get inspired. All this will happen at the Kenya National Theatre main auditorium from the 22nd to 24th of February, 2016. Space is limited so apply early .Let's call it, 'An Actor Develops Studio'.
Lastly I look forward to acquiring a TV set. I have always disliked those things as anti-social tools and culture-stealing media. Yet I still pop into my friends' houses to enjoy a local TV show so that I can praise or critique its actors on this blog.
For anyone wishing to get me a gift for my birthday on 25th September, I hope I have made your life a lot easier.


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Title - 'Maps to the Stars' (Howe Records)
Artist - Howard Shore
For those not in the know, 'Maps to the Stars' is a brand new Canadian-American satirical crime drama film directed by David Cronenberg and starring Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Robert Pattinson, Olivia Williams, Sarah Gadon, and Evan Bird. Indeed, this is the second consecutive collaboration between Cronenberg and Robert Pattinson (after 'Cosmopolis') and marks the third collaboration between Cronenberg and Prospero Pictures, who previously collaborated on 'A Dangerous Method' and 'Cosmopolis.' If you want a tad bit more, this is also the third Cronenberg film made with Canadian actress Sarah Gadon. And yet, with all that said, this is still the first Cronenberg film has ever shot in the United States!
'Maps to the Stars' concerns the plight of two former child-stars, while commenting on the entertainment industry's relationship with western civilization as a whole. Scored by the always-reliable, Howard Shore - 'The Lord of The Rings,' 'Hugo,' 'The Departed', etc. - Shore himself has also collaborated musically with Cronenberg on more than one occasion in the past.
Indeed, he began with Cronenberg's 1979 'The Brood' and has since scored 15 of the director's films. For this new composition, Shore brings us with each and every track a deeply menacing undertow that picks up on some of the ethnic, New Age sounds of the word it depicts. From the moment the opening tracks 'Greyhound,' 'Set Me Free' and 'Stolen Eaters' have ebbed out, you are suddenly aware that you must continue this musically cinematic journey.
As mesmerizing as ever. Shore's tracks such as 'Fire and Water,' 'Secrets Kill,' and both 'I'm Sorry' and 'I Write Your Name' all engage you; as a listener. So much so if you close your eyes, after having seen the film, you can immediately picture every single scene just by Shore's incredible work.
www.HoweRecords.com
...Archives


The Hackers, or Hacker nation, is one of the civilisations included in the standard distribution of the free open source game Freeciv.
Like the Martians (in copies of Freeciv disseminated on the planet known as Earth) and (even in much of the Galactic Milieu) the Antarcticans, the Hackers are usually found in the "fictional civilisations" category of civilisations.
If one were to believe all the myths and legends about the Hackers, one would have to believe their powers and abilities and technologies are way up there alongside those of the equally mythical Ancients aka Antarcticans.
The Martians, however, not only promulgate the idea that the Hackers actually exist, but actually attribute to them the invention of the blockchain technology upon which the Martians' own currency, Martian Botcoin, is based. According to this claim, the Hackers have a blockchain currency themselves, known as Bitcoin, which they use as their own national currency.


What is the Hockers Inc Synchrony HOME Credit Card?
How do I apply for a Hockers Inc Synchrony HOME Credit Card?
You can apply for a Hockers Inc Synchrony HOME Credit Card by applying online or at any of our participating retailer locations. Click here to find your nearest participating store location.
How can I make a payment on my Hockers Inc Synchrony HOME Credit Card?


text:
Houston County voters choose Trump, Clinton
Houston County voters overwhelmingly chose Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hilary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential primary race.
Trump garnered 523 votes, 51.22 percent of the votes on the Republican side, while Clinton gained 320 votes, 67.09 percent of the votes on the Democratic side.
No voting problems were reported Tuesday as voters in Houston County cast their ballots.
"Everything seems to be going smoothly," said Gay Robinson, administrator of elections. "A few people have called about where their polling place is, but we've gotten them there."
At Erin City Hall, one of the precincts in Houston County, workers said they had received just more than 60 voters .
At that time, they received their first "line" of the day — Malinda and Todd Campbell came to vote, with two others coming in right behind them. There were two machines at the precinct, so the other two had to wait a few moments to vote.
Malinda said she and Todd, her husband, rushed backed from a doctor's appointment in Clarksville to vote.
"I kept trying to hurry," Malinda Campbell said. "I thought we were going to be late."
She said she voted for Dr. Ben Carson because "he's a good Christian man, and that's what I think our country needs right now."
She joked about when she met Todd, and he asked if she was a Democrat or a Republican.
"I said, 'Hey, that's the same thing the lady at the polling place always asks me,' " she said, laughing.
Todd declined to comment on whom he voted for.
Closely behind them was Jordan Trainer, who brought his 8-year-old daughter, Andrea, to watch him vote.
"I thought it would be good for her to see the process," he said, also declining to say whom he voted for. "I'd rather not have to explain it to anyone."
Melissa Barker said she was sixth in line to vote at the National Guard Armory in Tennessee Ridge at 4:45 p.m.
"I was the 112th to vote for the day," she said. "I saw about 15 people in all voting while I was there."
There were no Houston County races on the ballot. Robinson said a higher turnout occurs with local elections.
In other numbers:
Republican candidates:
Ted Cruz, 231 votes, 22.62 percent
Marco Rubio, 159, votes 15.57 percent
Ben Carson, 67 votes, 6.56 percent
John R. Kasich, 26 votes, 2.55 perent
Jeb Bush, 6 votes, 0.59 percent
Carly Fiorina, 3 votes, 0.29 percent
Chris Christie, 2 votes, 0.20 percent
George Pataki 1 vote, 0.10 percent
Rand Paul,1 vote,0.10 percent
Rick Santorum, 1 vote, 0.10 percent
Democratic candidates:
Bernie Sanders, 141 votes, 29.56 percent
Martin O'Malley, 10, votes, 2.10 percent


text:
Stronger together – This husband-wife duo achieved their greatest milestone as Flipkart sellers!
Embracing e-commerce with Flipkart Samarth, India's traditional artisans welcome a brighter future
Sophia Stephen
India's artisans have long toiled to keep traditional crafts alive. But for decades, they've struggled to make a sustainable living. With Flipkart Samarth and its NGO partners, they now hope for access to a pan-India market, preservation of their art and a permanent flow of income. From Telangana to Kashmir, Tamil Nadu to Madhya Pradesh – read these remarkable stories of courage, hard work and conviction.
Flipkart Samarth is an initiative dedicated to empowering India's traditional artisans.
Until recently, Thirunagari Radhika spent most of her days at home, looking after the needs of her two kids and husband. Originally from Karimnagar in Telangana, she moved to the outskirts of Hyderabad 17 years ago after getting married and has been living there since.
Thirunagari Radhika, an artist trained by Craftizen, can now showcase her craft to 150 million people who shop on Flipkart
"I've always loved fabric painting and used to do a little bit of it at home whenever I found the time," she says of her foray into handicraft. Radhika discontinued her studies by class 10, but always dreamed of pursuing her love for the arts. And she thinks it's more than just fate that, about two years ago, a craft center run by the NGO Craftizen opened up right outside her house.
With Craftizen, she broadened her art by learning to paint on paper, wood and metal. "I then started selling my craft to a small market," Radhika adds.
Recently, Craftizen joined hands with Flipkart Samarth to showcase and sell handicrafts made by artisans across India. Now, Radhika's small customer base, which consisted mostly of her neighbors, friends and family, has expanded to include the entire country — her craft showcased and made available to 150 million people who shop on Flipkart.
"My art has taught me discipline and now, it's going to ensure an extra income for me and my family," she says.
After agriculture, the handicrafts sector forms the second-largest source of employment in India. Estimates suggest that by 2022, 17.79 million Indians will be engaged in craft production. Craft has long been the main income generation avenue for non-farming rural communities. However, with the presence of middlemen and little access to to a pan-India customer base, only a small percentage gets converted into usable income for the Indian artisan.
Flipkart Samarth aims to empower these very artisans across India, helping them attain financial independence and e-commerce know-how so that they can run their businesses and derive maximum value for their work. Further, being part of the Flipkart marketplace will enable access to a larger Indian market.
Artisans without borders
"People keep saying crafts are niche, I don't think crafts are niche. I think our reach is not big enough," says Mayura Balasubramanian, founder of Craftizen, which works with women in marginalized communities and persons with intellectual disabilities. "I think a platform like Flipkart is amazing to broaden that reach," she adds.
Headquartered in Bengaluru, Craftizen has 17 centers across Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Kolkata, supporting communities for whom craft is the main avenue for income generation. The organization, like many others that have partnered with Flipkart Samarth, works with women who are unskilled or unschooled and need flexibility to earn an income. Craftizen also helps to rehabilitate victims of human trafficking, ensuring that they don't stop at just skilling them in different crafts but also aid their path to a sustainable livelihood.
For many of the non-profit organizations, partnering with Flipkart Samarth also helped boost one of their fundamental tenets — that artisans across India are able to work and earn their livelihood without having to leave their homes for menial jobs in bigger cities.
"A number of the women we work with can only spend 3-4 hours a day on the craft as they have other responsibilities. We also want them to be able to earn and support their families without having to travel away from their communities and loved ones," explains Mayura.
Nabet, another NGO that has joined hands with Flipkart Samarth, trains artists in their hometowns and has 24,000 artisans working on Madhubani art-inspired products. "Not all of them can travel or open up stores to display their wares in different places," says Usha Mishra, Managing Trustee, Nabet. "With Flipkart, there are no boundaries. These artisans will now get to produce everything in their own homes and get access to the market. Without the market, their whole art will die."
A country of artisans
Manzar Hussain Shah was just 18 when he registered his cooperative society that trains women in traditional handicraft in Kashmir, a region that depends heavily on tourism and handicraft.
"I was born in Srinagar into a family of artisans. Our main craft is papier mache," he says. Now 42, Manzar, through his organization and in partnership with NGO Anuna, works with over 5,000 artisans, mostly women, in the volatile region of Shopian and remote areas of Ladakh.
Anuna is among the NGOs partnered with Flipkart to help showcase and market handicrafts from different regions in India. "We've already spread awareness about e-commerce to the artisans," Manzar adds. "The best thing about this is that there will no longer be middlemen. Artists can directly sell their work to a wide audience."
"Our art has been dying day by day and will soon become a languishing art. Support from Flipkart to market our products will help us keep our art from obscurity," he emphasizes.
For Nishat Begum, whose organization has also teamed up with Anuna, the benefits of e-commerce for her community of artisans are multifold. "Sales will go up, income will go up, standard of life will improve for the women and their families," she insists.
Nishat Begum, whose organization is associated with Flipkart Samarth partner Anuna, works with women in areas affected by the Bhopal gas tragedy
Active since 1990, her organization operates mainly in Bhopal and helps skill and support women in areas affected by the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984. "With this, many women in Bhopal will be able to fulfil their dreams," she smiles.
So far, 120 women in her organization who work with crafts like zari, zardosi and macramé have undergone e-commerce training that teaches them the nitty gritty of running an online business. "The women have the training, but to operate and execute their business is a big deal and now they'll be able to do that," she adds with pride.
The art and soul of India
For many of India's small towns and villages, art holds special pride of place. This is especially the case in Madhubani, where the town's namesake artform is a way of life for many of its residents. "It's in the blood of Madhubani and goes back ages," says Sumant Kumar Jha, a Madhubani native who works with Nabet to promote the work of Bihar's artisans. "When people had kutcha houses, they would paint on the walls to mark special occasions. Even now, in villages, mitti houses are adorned with Madhubani art."
Bindu Jha hopes that with e-commerce, artists will gradually begin to get paid fairly for their effort
Bindu Jha, also from Madhubani, has been practising her art for over 12 years. A sociology graduate, Bindu learned the artform from friends and family at a young age. "I didn't really want to study so I decided later on to do this full time," she says. "This is my permanent income, but so far work has not been so permanent — there's no guarantee that my work will sell. I'm hoping that with Flipkart, our work is showcased to everyone across the country. If I get orders, it'll be great!" she beams.
The artisans here too are banking on the Flipkart marketplace for exposure.
"Madhubani is world famous but so far we have not been able to access the market. With Flipkart Samarth, we want that the Indian public should also get access to our beloved art," insists Sumant, adding, "Once our market increases, the artists' income and daily lives will get better."
Sustainable change
When Julie Route, a former public health worker, started working with underprivileged families, she found that a number of kids were suffering from thalassemia, a genetic disorder where the body makes an abnormal form of haemoglobin. Most of these families had little or no income for treatment.
With Ecostripes, Julie Route and her husband Gavin are working towards sustainable social change. "We will grow together," says Julie of their partnership with Flipkart Samarth
Today, Julie and her husband Gavin run Ecostripes, an enterprise that works with artisans to create household products using jute and other fabric. Every quarter, 10% of the earnings goes towards the treatment of children with thalassemia. Over a hundred children suffering from thalassemia benefit from the proceeds.
"The thing with donations is that you can't get a contract or a commitment from donors to contribute. That's why we decided to start something that would sustain the cause in the long run," she explains.
Ecostripes procures products from artisans across Tamil Nadu and also trains the wives of Indian Army soldiers to make items like aprons and jute bags.
"They can create these products but now, with Flipkart Samarth, we have a channel to market these products to a wide audience," Julie says, adding, "This is one of the best initiatives so far."
The art of going green
Like Ecostripes, most of the Flipkart Samarth partners produce crafts that are eco-friendly.
Indha's products are created by local artists across India using 100% recycled material
Indha, which works with traditional artisans sourcing the best of local skills from across India, produces goods that are 100% recycled. "We use recycled material to make a variety of products. Our patchwork blankets are all made using discarded material," says Sarita Sharma, an artisan associated with Indha.
Craftizen too turns to upcycling for many of its products. "There's nothing more eco-friendly than craft. It's a sector that uses very less energy, our products are made from natural material and sourced locally, ensuring that the carbon footprint is minimal," says Craftizen founder Mayura, who herself wears a neck-piece made using discarded silk threads which would otherwise be burned.
Savita, Manzar, Bindu, Nishat, Radhika and hundreds and thousands of artisans like them have long toiled to keep India's traditional arts alive. And each of them draws hope from e-commerce — from recognition for their work, to preservation, and to access and sustainable income. But they all trust, emphatically, that the move will only make their lives better.
"There will be harmony at home, our lives will be better," says Savita.
"I feel good about this. My family is also excited. I'm proud to be standing on my own two feet," adds Radhika.
Photographs: Sophia Stephen
Read inspiring stories about guts and entrepreneurship
tags: artisans buy handicraft on flipkart buy indian art on flipkart craftsmen eco-friendly handicraft ecofriendly flipkart flipkart artisan partners flipkart partner NGOs Flipkart Samarth India art indian artisans indian artists indian handicraft Indian traditional art madhubani painting NGOs samarth traditional handicraft Weavers
previous #AFriendInFlipkart is a friend indeed - Tell us about your Flipkart friend
next Flipkart introduces 'Flipkart Ideas'
Sophia is Associate Editor, Flipkart Stories. A 'deskie' at heart, she lives for deeply researched stories told well. She is a former journalist at the Times of India & the International Business Times.


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Joe Girardi is confident that Ichiro Suzuki's slump will end soon
Ichiro Suzuki bats during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. (April 24, 2013) Credit: Getty
By ERIK BOLAND erik.boland@newsday.com April 24, 2013 10:17 PM
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- No one is declaring Ichiro out of his early-season slump based on his two-hit night Tuesday, but it backed up Joe Girardi's belief that the 39-year-old outfielder has plenty left.
"I saw what he did for us last year and it's not like from October to April he aged a lot," Girardi said. "I saw what he did last year, I saw what he did in the spring [he hit .286]. I think his at-bats have been better and you just believe he's going to come out of it."
Ichiro entered Tuesday hitting .200 with a .250 OBP but went 2-for-4, including a two-out, two-run single off Fernando Rodney in the ninth inning to snap a 2-2 tie and lead the Yankees to a 4-3 victory.
Ichiro, who is 6-for-21 on the road trip, batted second Wednesday night against Rays righthander Alex Cobb and went 1-for-4.
"Ichiro's been swinging OK so we moved him up," Girardi said.
As for the logjam that will be created when Curtis Granderson (broken right forearm) returns, Girardi wasn't ready to speculate on who among Ichiro, Brett Gardner and Vernon Wells will most be affected in terms of playing time.
"There's a lot that can happen," Girardi said. "Worry about it then. Let's just get him back. It'll be a good problem to have."
No Youk, again
Kevin Youkilis missed a fourth straight game with tightness in his lower back, but Girardi said the third baseman could be back Thursday night when the Yankees start a four-game series against the Blue Jays at the Stadium.
"That's our hope," Girardi said.
Youkilis took swings inside but did not taking batting practice outside with the team.
Ballots beware
On the All-Star Game ballots released Wednesday by MLB, Derek Jeter was a choice at shortstop, and Kevin Youkilis -- and not Alex Rodriguez -- was an option at third. A reasonable explanation is that, all along since Jeter's ankle surgery last October, the given timetable for his return was by Opening Day and the timetable for A-Rod always was post-All-Star break.
Cashman denies it
General manager Brian Cashman offered a colorful response in denying the claim by Jose Valverde, recently signed by the Tigers, that he had been offered major-league deals this offseason from several clubs, including the Yankees.
"Somebody lied on that one," Cashman said via text.
By ERIK BOLAND erik.boland@newsday.com
Lennon: Quick firing of Porter a refreshing change for Mets


Mallorca, which lies in the Mediterranean and comprises the principal island of the Spanish Balearics, illustrates well the dilemma that faces a growing number of tourist destinations in warm or hot climates. On the one hand, their climatic regimes are a primary attraction to mass tourists who – in the case of Mallorca – originate largely in northern European countries such as the UK and Germany, yet, on the other hand, the general absence of rainfall during the summer months renders the task of meeting tourist demand for water increasingly problematic. With current visitor levels running consistently above 10 million per annum, the tourists create a level of demand for water that far exceeds that of the 700,000 people who comprise the resident population.
As the authors of this study note, 'the environmental conditions on Mallorca make the island predisposed towards water shortages' (Essex et al., 2004: 10). Geologically, large areas of the island comprise highly permeable limestone, so such rainfall as does occur (which is mostly between October and December) produces very little surface water. Consequently, aquifers supply most of the island's requirements. Furthermore, there are significant spatial variations, with much higher levels of rainfall (circa 1,000–1,200mm per annum) falling over the more sparsely populated northern mountain zone of the Serra de Tramuntana, whilst urban resort areas on the southern coast receive as little as 350mm per annum. Spatial problems of supply are compounded by the seasonality of demand, as peak levels of tourist (and resident) demands generally coincide with the irrigation requirements of the island's farmers.
The problems of balancing demands against supply have, however, been exacerbated by recent trends in tourism development which have had the effect of increasing the already high demand for water from tourism. In particular, a conscious effort to enhance the image of Mallorca and attract a more up-market clientele has seen a major expansion in provision for golf and a more concerted effort to smarten resort areas (and especially new developments) with green open spaces and gardens. Tourist demand for local fruit and vegetables has increased too, placing added pressures on Mallorca's irrigated agricultural systems.
artificial recharge of aquifers that have been over-exploited by transfer of water from new sources or perhaps through piping of water from areas that are presently in surplus.
However, despite the confidence of the regional government that issues of water management can be resolved, the authors of the study are rather less sanguine, noting that 'a technical approach to water management in order to sustain the tourist industry may simply be postponing the inevitable outcome' and that 'the reality may be that a new balance will have to be achieved between environmental capacities, in this case available water supplies, and the provision for tourism' (Essex et al., 2004: 24).
Source: Essex, S., Kent, M. and Newnham, R. (2004) 'Tourism development in Mallorca: is water supply a constraint?', Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Vol. 12 (1): 4–28.


Welcome New UIC Liautaud Students!
As the start of the school year is rapidly approaching, I am excited to welcome our incoming UIC Liautaud students. To help our new students prepare for success at UIC Liautaud, I would like to share some helpful tips. If you are an incoming student for Fall 2012 in the MBA, MSA, MRE, or MIS programs, please read the list below and keep these things in mind as you get ready to start classes in a few weeks!
1. Come in for advising! All new students are required to have an academic advising appointment prior to starting in our programs. You can contact UIC Liautaud Student Services to schedule and sign up for advising by emailing us at askLGSB@uic.edu or calling us at 312-996-4573.
2. NETWORK. As you prepare to start your graduate degree program, know that the professional network you form while you are a student will be just as important as the diploma you receive once you graduate. UIC Liautaud will offer several opportunities throughout the year for you to engage and network with other students, alumni, and business professionals from Chicago and beyond.
3. Join a Student Organization. This goes hand-in-hand with networking; student organizations are a great way to enhance your Liautaud experience. Students involved in our organizations have more opportunities to network, meet leaders in the business world, and prepare for life after graduation. To learn more about our student organizations, make sure to attend the Organization Fair at UIC Liautaud Orientation on Saturday, August 25. Student organizations will also take turns hosting our Coffee and Conversation events during the first two weeks of the semester, so stop by to get some free coffee and learn more about these amazing groups!
4. Join us at our final New Student Networking event of the summer! This event will take place on Monday, August 13, and is a great opportunity for you to meet and interact with current Liautaud students, faculty, and staff. Attending this event will allow you to develop your academic and professional network even before you start classes.
5. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The UIC Liautaud Student Services team is here to help you as you transition into your graduate program. We expect that most new students will have questions, and we encourage you to let us know if there is something you need! Please do not hesitate to contact us: askLGSB@uic.edu or 312-996-4573. You can also drop in to the Liautaud Office. Our hours are 8:30am-5:00pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30am-4:30pm Friday. Once classes start on August 27, we will be open until 6:00pm Monday through Thursday.
I look forward to meeting all of you as the school year starts, and I hope to see you all at our upcoming events!


The Super Air Nautique GS22 comes standard with the proven power of the PCM ZR4 engine. Upgrade to the groundbreaking PCM and GM Marine Engine Technology 5.3L H5 direct-injection engine and experience industry-leading precision, power, and torque. If that isn't enough, opt for the H6DI version and bump up from 5.3L to 6.2L with even more power, torque and precision.
The Super Air Nautique GS22 is boasting the JL Audio® MM100s head unit that delivers crystal clear sound into the JL Audio speakers. This boat comes standard with the MX Series package, which includes 4 JL Audio speakers throughout the boat and a 2-channel JL Audio amplifier. Move up to the MX Series Studio Premier package that adds 2 additional speakers, a 10" subwoofer and steps up to a 6-channel JL Audio amplifier.
The Nautique Surf System (NSS) with WAVEPLATE® technology is seamlessly integrated into the hull of the GS22. Engaging on either side of the transom at surf speeds, the WAVEPLATE extends outward and down from the transom to redirect the flow of water forming the perfect wave. NSS allows surfers to switch sides instantly without the need to change up ballast or shift people in the boat, and it also incorporates variable settings that can adjust the steepness and shape of your wave. To be in full control while you're surfing, opt for the Nautique Surf Switch so you can change which side the wave is on whenever you'd like.
Bow: Stretch out and relax in the extremely spacious bow of the Super Air Nautique GS22 that includes flip-up arm rests, under seating storage, courtesy lighting and its own dedicated stereo zone.
Dash: The GS22 dash was configured with functionality and style in mind, featuring an asymmetrical design that keeps your eyes on the water. Open storage keeps everything within reach. A phone pocket keeps your phone protected and charged; it also doubles as a great place to keep your boat's drain plug while stored out of the water.
Gs-Series Flight Control Tower®: The GS22 tower provides the perfect tow point for wakeboarding and wakesurfing, and easily folds for cruising under low bridges. It also allows for easy on-trailer storage through a 7' garage door.
Improved Flip-Up Seat: New hardware on the flip-up passenger seat makes it even easier to use. This robust hardware improves the user-experience and improves the aesthetics as well.
JL Audio® Head Unit: Enjoy crisp and clear sound with the JL Audio MM100s head unit aboard the GS22. Bluetooth connectivity and superior audio quality make this comprehensive JL Audio system the gold standard.
LINC PANORAY: The 12.4 inch touchscreen provides all the information you need, right at your fingertips. Custom configurations in the switchboard feature puts information right where you want it, giving you complete control in a beautiful, intuitive display. Never take your eyes off the action with the Nautique Awareness camera adding another view of your vessel right on your screen.
Pro Ballast: Our GS22 is now available with the optional Pro Wake/Surf ballast system. This 700-pound option offers you 350-pound sacks in each rear compartment that are plumbed into the ballast system, and will automatically fill and empty - which you control via the LINC Panoray Touchscreen.
Pop-Up Pylon: Ski like the best without having to compromise cockpit seating with this pop-up pylon option that provides a tow point for skiing. This pylon can be easily retracted right back into the deck when not in use to keep your walk-through free and clear.
Transom Seating: These comfortable seats allow you to relax while watching family and friends hanging out and enjoying the large swim platform while moored.
Wrap-Around Lounge: Spending time on the water is a social affair and the well-appointed lounge on the GS22 was designed with that in mind. The open layout allows for friends and family to easily interact when the boat is at the dock or taking a sunset cruise.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


One of the difficult things of trying to share ideas, or teach a concept to large group of people is the different levels everyone is at. What some people consider advanced others consider intermediate. The second problem is the larger and more diverse the audience, the more general and ambiguous the examples have to be.
The problem is that a definition like that has so many loosely defined concepts it's borderline irrelevant to someone who doesn't have some level of experience. The most ambiguously defined part of that statement is "trusted and authoritative website", because there's no real publicly available/agreed upon metric for trust and authority.
Enter the page rank conundrum. If I were to tell you I need you to work on getting me at least a dozen links from trusted websites in the next 30 days, how can you be sure you met my definition for trust? If I was to tell you get me a dozen links from websites with a page rank 4 or higher, it's a much more clearly defined goal.
However page rank is no longer an accurate measurement of anything. Since google has admitted that they will adjust/manipulate page rank of sites they believe are selling links, and those adjustments will trickle down/out, page rank is really just for entertainment purposes.
We're back to the problem of not being able to give a quick and easy metric to teach/show people what's a trusted/authoritative website, and there's no way for them to asses accurately. Lots of experts, myself included, use the NY Times or the Wall Street Journal as an example of trusted websites. While it's true they are trusted, it's a cop out answer. Since the only way you are going to get into those papers is do something newsworthy (like run over your neighbor with your parakeet behind the wheel of your hummer), or have a high paid PR person on your payroll, they are relatively unattainable.
The only real answer is research and gaining experience. Use lots of other metrics, alexa, compete, technorati, quantcast, hitwise, feed burner and page rank. Look for numbers/statistics that line up and correlate. Look at the blogs in that space, see who is getting the most citations/links. Getting a good grasp of the space is not something you can do accurately just by looking at the little green pixels in your tool bar, but until one comes up people will continue to use it as crutch, because it's quick and easy, and nature abhors a vacuum.


text:
Matélé peut désigner :
 Matélé, une chaîne de télévision belge ;
 Matélé, une chaîne de télévision française, depuis renommée viàMATÉLÉ.

Homonymie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Magnet & Nursing Excellence Program Director
Location: Washington, D.C.
The George Washington University Hospital (GW Hospital) is a 395-bed tertiary care, academic medical center located in downtown Washington, DC, next to the Foggy Bottom metro. GW Hospital serves a diverse group of patients -- from local residents to our nation's leaders. As an academic medical center, GW Hospital has the resources and clinical expertise necessary to provide specialized, complex care. This expertise includes cardiac, cancer, neurosciences, women's health, trauma, and advanced surgery including robotic and minimally invasive surgery.
GW Hospital is jointly owned and operated by George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS), one of the nation's largest healthcare management companies. The GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS), adjacent to the hospital, is the 11th oldest medical center in the country and the first in the nation's capital.
The mission of GW Hospital is to provide the highest quality healthcare, advanced medical technology, and world-class service to its patients in an academic medical center dedicated to education and research.
The Nursing Excellence/Magnet(r) Program Director is a transformational leader.
This position has accountability for developing, and sustaining a culture of excellence and the components of the Magnet Recognition Program(r) in all areas where nursing is practiced within the George Washington University Hospital.
This position will help develop and write the application for the Magnet Recognition Progrm(r), while considering all the standards and outcomes that have to be met.
MSN or MBA, or Master's degree in related field required.
BS in nursing.
Active RN license
Minimum 5 years of professional experience that demonstrates a progressive leadership background/preferred Magnet(r) or educational experience.
Certification required
This opportunity offers the following:
Challenging and rewarding work environment
Growth and Development Opportunities within UHS and its Subsidiaries
Excellent Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Plan
401k plan with company match
One of the nation's largest and most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services, Universal Health Services, Inc. has built an impressive record of achievement and performance. Growing steadily since its inception into an esteemed Fortune 500 corporation, annual revenues were $11.6 billion in 2020. In 2021, UHS was again recognized as one of the World's Most Admired Companies by Fortune; in 2020, ranked #281 on the Fortune 500; and listed #330 in Forbes ranking of U.S.' Largest Public Companies. Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, UHS has 89,000 employees and through its subsidiaries operates 26 acute care hospitals, 334 behavioral health facilities, 39 outpatient facilities and ambulatory care access points, an insurance offering, a physician network and various related services located in 38 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom.
All UHS subsidiaries are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates. UHS subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers and as such, openly support and fully commit to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of individuals without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success.
At UHS and all our subsidiaries, our Human Resources departments and recruiters are here to help prospective candidates by matching skillset and experience with the best possible career path at UHS and our subsidiaries. We take pride in creating a highly efficient and best in class candidate experience. During the recruitment process, no recruiter or employee will request financial or personal information (Social Security Number, credit card or bank information, etc.) from you via email. The recruiters will not email you from a public webmail client like Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, etc. If you are suspicious of a job posting or job-related email mentioning UHS or its subsidiaries, let us know by contacting us at: https://uhs.alertline.com or 1-800-852- 3449.
About The George Washington University Hospital
Employees at the George Washington University Hospital are Defining Medicine through their capacity to think, study, research, discover, evaluate, teach, learn, refine and innovate. How will you define medicine? GW Hospital is looking for dedicated professionals living in DC, Maryland, northern Virginia and the surrounding region who share our vision and values. We give our employees with the tools to achieve these goals by providing advanced technological systems, processes and practice; performance improvement and patient safety standards to foster positive patient outcomes; a collaborative practice model; evidence-based nursing practice; and education and development programs to support recruitment and retention. GW Hospital is owned and operated by a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS). UHS is one of the largest and most innovative healthcare management companies in the nation.
Connections working at The George Washington University Hospital
https://jobsearch.physicianleaders.org/jobs/16049910/magnet-nursing-excellence-program-director


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The Global Threat of Plastic Pollution
>> The Problem With Plastics
>> Eco-Cycle's Reduce Your Plastic Use Challenge
>> Wildlife Over Waste: Banning Food-Grade Polystyrene
>> Sign The Letter To Ban Food-Grade Polystyrene In Colorado!
The Problem With Plastics
The ever-increasing production of plastics is creating serious problems for land, water, and wildlife. While plastics have led to many advancements in medicine, technology, and transportation, it has also led to a sharp increase in disposable plastic packaging and products. The reality is that recycling will never be able to keep pace with the increase of plastics production.
Some facts:
Since the 1950s, plastic production worldwide has exploded from about 2 million tons annually to a whopping 440 million tons in 2015.
Plastics production is expected to double in the next 20 years and nearly quadruple by 2050.
Only 9% of plastics ever created has been recycled. Every piece of plastic ever made still exists.
Nearly one-third of all plastics produced in the world end up oceans, in soils, or as litter. By 2050, if this trend continues, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.
The vast majority of plastics are made from natural gas, oil, or coal. These plastics are not biodegradable, meaning they do not decompose. When plastic objects end up as litter, they break down into tiny pieces when exposed to sunlight and other elements. These tiny particles are called microplastics, and they've been found in marine animals, soils and water.
The global scale of plastic pollution may feel overwhelming, but there's a lot YOU can do. Collectively, engaged, educated, and responsible individuals can transform entire communities.
Here's how you can start:
Avoid single-use plastic disposables, including plastic cups, bottles, utensils, bags, and take-out containers. Create a Zero Waste to-go kit containing reusable alternatives and keep it in your car or bike basket.
Reduce your consumption of plastic packaging. About 40% of plastic produced is packaging, used just once and then discarded. Avoid plastic packaging by shopping in bulk or at farmer's markets, where plastic packaging isn't the norm.
Move towards natural fiber clothing, such as cotton, linen, and silk. Laundering clothes release fibers that are so small they get past treatment systems and enter rivers, lakes, and oceans. Natural fibers will biodegrade over time, but synthetic fibers (which contain plastic) do not.
Check out Eco-Cycle's Reduce Your Plastic Use Challenge! During the month of May, Eco-Cycle ran a challenge that focused on breaking up with the plastic in our lives! See below for our weekly challenges! You can click on each week's pictures for the challenges, and try them out for yourself!
Reduce Your Plastic Use Challenge
Striving to reduce waste is one of the fastest, most affordable, and effective ways we all can live more in balance with our one planet. Before we recycle or compost, reducing our waste overall is key.
One of the most harmful waste products we generate is plastic. Our use and production of plastics is growing so fast; it's projected that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in oceans.
Eco-Cycle's Reduce Your Plastic Use Challenge will empower YOU to be a part of what has become a global movement to reduce our plastics. We focus on one topic each week, and give you individual challenges to carry out.
The important thing is that you are committed to learning more about the issue and are taking action. Focus on what you CAN do, because our collective efforts can make a meaningful difference.
Week 1:
Inspiration for change, Week One
Inspiration for Change, Week Two
DIY Zero Waste Recipes
DIY Plastic-Free Granola Bars and Energy Bites
Inspiration for Change, Week Three
DIY Zero Waste Body Products
Inspiration for Change, Week Four
Inspiration for Change, Week Five
Wildlife Over Waste: Banning Food-Grade Polystyrene
Eco-Cycle is supporting the campaign to ban food-grade polystyrene foam in Colorado. Here's why we think this is such an important step toward protecting human health and the environment by reducing the astronomical amount of plastic waste that humans have created:
Polystyrene foam never fully degrades, but breaks down into tiny particles that become another form of microplastics pollution. Something we use for just a few minutes can pollute waterways and threaten wildlife for centuries.
Polystyrene foam (often mistakenly referred to as Styrofoam) can't be recycled or composted.
Polystyrene foam products often end up as litter; in fact, they were among the top 20 plastic items collected at beach cleanups according to a coalition of nonprofits called Better Alternatives Now.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the benzene and styrene used to make polystyrene foam are known and likely carcinogens.
Because of the detriment to human health and the environment posed by polystyrene foam products, many places have already put bans in place, including New York City, dozens of communities in California and Massachusetts, and the City of Baltimore.
Several communities in Colorado have considered bans but have not followed through because state law prohibits municipalities from banning plastics.
We've known for decades that food-grade polystyrene foam containers are unnecessary and dangerous. What is Colorado waiting for?
Sign The Letter To Ban Food-Grade Polystyrene In Colorado!


TuBro manufactures a broad range of specialty products. For example, this clear polycarbonate insert allows beakers to stay in the correct space within an immersion bath. Using our CNC router, we can fabricate holes of multiple diameters for the insert. Holes can be placed wherever needed on the insert.
Click on product titles or pictures to take you to the individual page that you want.
© 2019 TuBro Company All rights reserved.


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Public's right to know triumphs
OpinionEditorials
By Editorial |
March 14, 2020 at 1:10 a.m.
In some situations, no one's above the law, even those who enforce and adjudicate it.
That's the message the state's highest court delivered this week, when it ruled that law-enforcement agencies cannot deny public records requests for booking photos and arrest reports from incidents involving police officers or judges that do not result in arraignments.
And though criminal offender record information, or CORI, includes several privacy protections on cases that do not go to court, the SJC determined in a unanimous ruling that they don't outweigh the public interest in alleged misconduct by public employees charged with upholding the law.
Under those circumstances, the SJC clearly stated that privacy laws aren't intended to create a legal double standard that shield certain public officials from scrutiny not afforded average citizens.
SJC Chief Justice Ralph Gants wrote that "where police officers and judges allegedly engage in criminal conduct that does not result in an arraignment … the public has a substantial interest in ascertaining whether the case was not prosecuted because it lacked merit or because these public officials received favorable treatment arising from their position or relationships.''
The case dates back to a lawsuit the Boston Globe filed in May 2015 against the Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police Department and the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services after the paper's request for information about police officers arrested for operating under the influence was denied.
While police and judges deserve our support, we all should be subject to the same laws.
And the public, through a watchdog press, has the right to know that's happening.
Carl P. Leubsdorf: 2024 might not be your grandfather's presidential race
Editorial: Mass. bets on repatriating lost gaming revenue
Editorial: School project overages are the state's responsibility
Stephen L. Carter: Body camera footage couldn't save Tyre Nichols


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Home › International Affairs › Just Resolution Of Kashmir Conflict Guarantees Peace In South Asia
Just Resolution Of Kashmir Conflict Guarantees Peace In South Asia
By Online Editor on 15th August 2022 • ( 0 )
By Our Special Correspondent
Washington, D.C. August 15, 2022 – "The people of Jammu & Kashmir on both sides of the Cease-fire line and worldwide observe the 75th anniversary of India's Independence Day as a black day because of India's failure to honor its pledges that it has given to the people of Jammu & Kashmir at the United Nations," this was stated by Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman, World Forum for Peace & Justice.
Fai added that India has defied United Nations Security Council resolutions for more than 75 years because she knows that Kashmiris will never vote in her favor. The irony of the fate is that even the United States would like India to be the member of the Security Council whose resolutions have been blatantly violated by India right from 1948.
Dr Fai reminded that it happened 75 years ago when Indian troops invaded Kashmir under the auspices of a fraudulent Instrument of Accession. British Scholar & historian, Alistair Lamb has convincingly demonstrated that the Instrument was as bogus document. An original has never been found, and there is no plausible explanation for a disappearance if an original had ever existed.
India persists in allying itself with a position that has no legal, moral or constitutional authority to celebrate this auspicious Day in Indian occupied Kashmir which is not an integral part of its territory. In fact, under the international law, today, Kashmir does not belong to any member country of the United Nations. It is recognized by the United Nations as a disputed territory who future is yet to be decided by its people.
Speaking on the occasion, Fai underscored that it was evident that maintaining the status quo is not conducive to a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Tensions on both sides continue to spiral upward and the introduction of nuclear weapons into the equation has raised the stakes considerably. For addressing the human rights violations in Kashmir and bringing India to the negotiating table, the international community lacks neither the carrot nor the stick. The stick is nothing but the reverse side of the coin that signifies the carrot. And India badly needs the carrot. The International community might consider alternatives whose mere mention can send signals to India that it is not necessarily a sacred cow, in the world's eye.
Dr Fai hoped that the consistent application of human rights standards would allow a just and peaceful resolution of the seventy-five-year-old issue. It would directly help India to extricate itself from the quagmire of international conflicts and accumulation of weaponry, to realize its economic and technological potential and truly rise to the stature of a great power. It would also release Pakistan from a crippling burden. It would thus bring the lasting credit of United States foreign policy. The refusal of omission to take a well-considered initiative neither responds to a long-term peace strategy nor answers the demand of the human conscience.
‹ سلمان رُشدی کون ہے؟
Kiev Tacitly Admitted To Waging Nuclear Terrorism Against Europe And The West Just Shrugged ›
Categories: International Affairs, Kashmir
Tags: India, Indian Occupied Kashmir, Kashmir
The Possibility Of Genocide In Kashmir Is Real
Kashmir Diaspora Coalition Condemns Indian Restriction Of Freedom Of Speech Under Draconian Law
23 Million Kashmiris Observe January 5 As Right To Self-Determination Day Across The World


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Current Thoughts on Florida Art
Florida Art Gallery
Free Download of Book
Articles on Florida Art
Previous 12 Artists
Next 12 Artists
of 105 Artists
Panos Booziotes, Miami
Panos Booziotes came to the United States in 1914 from Greece to join his family living in Chicago. After several years at the Art Institute of Chicago, Booziotes began…
Alfred Bowman, Tampa
Alfred Bowman was an infant when, in 1893, his family immigrated to the United States from France. In 1925, after study and work in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago…
Myrtle Taylor Bradford, Miami
Myrtle Bradford taught art at Butler College of the University of Indiana, in Indianapolis, for 10 years, and at the State College for Girls in Columbus, Mississippi. For years…
Carl Brandien, Fort Lauderdale
Carl Brandien, and his wife Kathleen, first came to Ft. Lauderdale from New York City in 1941. They loved the area and moved there permanently two weeks before Pearl…
Everett Currier Brown, Daytona Beach
Everett Brown worked as a commercial artist in New York City for twenty-five years before moving to Daytona Beach in 1937. Brown lived on the beach for years, later…
J. McGibbon Brown, Miami
Architect James McGibbon Brown came to Miami in the early 1920's, to work with the Federal Housing Commission. After retirement Brown devoted full time to painting. He was widely…
Emmaline Buchholz, Gainesville
Emmaline Buchholz was instrumental in founding the Gainesville Association of Fine Arts in 1923, and in 1927, the Florida Federation of Art. She was the Federation's first president and…
Charles Bullet, Fort Myers
Charles Bullet arrived in Fort Myers for the winter season of 1918. Born in Cincinnati, Bullet lived most of his life across the Ohio River in Campbell County, Kentucky.…
Victor Cassenelli, St. Augustine
Victor Cassenelli was a painter of the American Indian. and a noted landscape and marine artist. He spent his early life in Cincinnati, moving later to Muskegon, Michigan. He often…
Asa Cassidy, Sarasota, Tampa
Asa Cassidy was a New York City lithographer who sold his lithography interests and moved to Sarasota in 1934, to devote his life to painting. Cassidy loved the beauty of…
Olive Holbert Chaffee, St. Petersburg, Clearwater
Olive Chaffee was a St. Louis artist who made St. Petersburg, her home and studio for the winters of 1932 and 1933. Chaffee, the…
Christopher Clark, Tampa, Key West
Christopher Clark a native Floridian, born in Quincy, just west of Tallahassee, spent years working in Key West and Tampa. In Key West Clark ran the Island City School of Art with…
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For those who find meditation difficult, kirtan, which has varying effects for different people, offers the possibility for the same stillness of mind, without the struggle or striving to concentrate. This practice is one way to focus the mind. By simply repeating mantras or words, you can release your mind from its daily chatter. For some, the practice has a powerful heart-opening effect as well.


Whether you spend most of your days sitting inside and working from home or walking around the streets of your city, you can download a few apps to your phone that will make you feel much safer. These apps allow you to seek help when you spot a possible threat and let you escape from dangerous and scary situations. Once you take a look at some of these apps, you'll want to download a few and tell your friends to download the same ones.
One of the best personal security apps that is available for both Android and Apple devices is bSafe. This app needs permission to access your GPS settings, which it will use to keep track of your location. You can use this app when traveling to let your friends and loved ones know where you are at any point in time. If someone kidnaps or hurts you, your phone will keep track of your last known location and let others access that information. This can help the police find you during an emergency.
While WithU might sound like something Dracula would say, it's actually the name of a handy app that both men and women will love. When you find yourself in an emergency situation, you may not have the time or the energy to unlock or open your phone, find a number and make a call. This app lets you create an emergency contact list from the contacts that you already have on your phone. When you hold down the power button on your phone for at least one second two times in a row, it will send out an alert to everyone on your list. It lets those contacts know where you are and keeps sending out alerts every few minutes.
A chain link fence made on a wire weaving machine can keep you safe at home, but you don't have the luxury of fence protection while on the street. Watch Over Me is a handy app that lets you input where you want to go and how long it will take you to get there. You can check in when you arrive to let the app know you are safe. If you do not check in, the app will contact others on your behalf.
Using Watch Over Me or any of the other apps can help you feel much safer.


These six Munchkin pawns are identical to those found in Munchkin Quest: the four colors found in the initial set, plus the Purple and Orange that you'll see in the first expansion. The obvious thing to do would be to keep this set around for the day one is lost.
Any time you are entitled to go up a level—or when you do something that WOULD earn you a level if you weren't already Level 9—you may, instead, place a munchkin pawn in front of you. In any combat, you may discard it for a 1d6 bonus. You may only have one in front of you at a time. Unless, of course, you "lose" these rules and tell the other players that you're allowed to have more. Six is a good number.
In Other Games: Because you're a munchkin, you may claim a munchkin advantage for using these pawns in ANY game.
• In any roll-and-move game, if you use the munchkin as your pawn rather than one that came with the game, then once per game you may add or subtract 1 space to the move you roll.
• In any game in which you start with money, then if you use the munchkin as your pawn, you start with 10% extra. Round up, of course.
• In chess, a munchkin pawn can move forward two spaces at any time.


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Hematite Cube by Tiny Rituals
There's no better match when it comes to shape and stone than the solid delight of the Hematite Cube. With its four-sided structure, its potent protection, and its endless earthly energy, the Hematite Cube provides safety in every single way. Hematite is known for being a stone of the mind, it helps to keep you stable even when the world is shaking and the sacred geometry of the cube shape only backs that up.
"With this cube, I stand solid and connected to the earth knowing that in my body, I am safe"
Natural Hematite is all about embodiment, emotional balance, and standing in complete alignment with our soul. Its silver shades, iron-rich makeup, and four-sided support mean that everything is geared towards covering your bases so that you can stand true in your power. Hematite isn't just about physical strength - it's about building up your emotional reserves and getting your yin and yang energy in check so that you know when it's time to take action and when it's time to honor rest.
Hematite is a gemstone that connects and clears the root chakra. The root chakra is one of our most important energy points as it's the foundation that supports our sense of safety and self. When our root chakra is out, we may feel lost, afraid, indecisive, and out of whack. Our nervous systems may be activated and we are quick to anxious thoughts and inner tension. By cleansing the root chakra, we can welcome safety in our body, mind, and soul.
The cube is a special shape in sacred geometry. Ever ready to support, all sides work in alignment with each other to create a solid structure. It holds themes of earthliness, dependability, and complete safety and balance as you know that nothing will topple and fall.
Unique and genuine Hematite gemstone
Approx. 1 inch x 1 inch
Color, shape, size, and markings will vary