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Bernardine Dohrn and Bill Ayers : Chicago's Growing Resistance to NATO Summit
Posted on March 21, 2012 by Thorne Dreyer
Protest against NATO in Strasbourg on April 4, 2009. Photo by Jos van Zetten / Flickr / Wikimedia Commons.
Resistance builds:
NATO coming to Chicago
Organizers and supporters will use humor and music, art and play, civil disobedience and imagination to voice their rejection of permanent imperial wars and the many forms of violence that arise from the same paradigm.
By Bernardine Dohrn and Bill Ayers / Truthout | March 20, 2012
The leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the gently named but dangerous behemoth dominated by the United States — and history's largest global military cohort — plan to meet in Chicago on May 20 and 21.
The tiny fraternity of concentrated wealth and power that calls itself the Group of Eight (G8) was to have met in Chicago in mid-May as well, overlapping with NATO. Fearing massive protests, the G8 cancelled, retreating to Camp David, Maryland, chased out of town by a coalition of dissidents, activists and agitators.
Isolated and inaccessible, Camp David is where the "leaders" of the planet's eight wealthiest countries belong — sequestered and remote, barricaded and cut off in every imaginable way. The Camp David move illuminates the elite's isolation from the people they pretend to represent.
By the same token, NATO — a military alliance of 28 countries — is the only major intergovernmental body without a basic information disclosure policy. It's a closed cabal with an active PR front and zero engagement with the public it claims to protect.
From their separate berths, NATO and the G-8's heads of state, intelligence personnel, foreign ministers and generals, cabinet members and secret operatives, advisors and bureaucrats — the 1 percent of the 1 percent — will conspire to extend and defend their obscene wealth, to exploit the remaining fossil fuels, natural resources, human labor, and the living planet to the last drop, and to dominate the people of the global majority.
A People's Primer on NATO
On NATO's official web site, a white dove flutters across an elegant page, but soon enough, it moves to images of helicopters and fighter planes menacing the world under the facade of peace.
"NATO forces" are referenced constantly, and yet the reality of NATO is obscure and enigmatic.
U.S. military spending alone accounts for nearly half of the world's military spending; add NATO countries, and the figure jumps to three quarters.Under cover of NATO, 9,000 British troops were deployed to fight a U.S. war in Afghanistan, offering a fig leaf presented as "coalition forces" to U.S. military aggression.
Purportedly set up as a defensive organization, in 1999 NATO's mission statement was rewritten to allow for offensive action across the Eurasian landmass. Since 1999, NATO has waged war in four countries on three continents, none of which are near the North Atlantic region: in Southeast Europe's Yugoslavia, North Africa's Libya, and Central and South Asia's Afghanistan and Iraq.
NATO retains hundreds of nuclear weapons in military facilities across Europe, an end-run around the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which forbids the transfer of nuclear weapons to non-nuclear countries. England is required by the NPT to work toward nuclear disarmament; instead, its nuclear weapons system has been hidden under NATO since the 1960s, a set-up that means its nuclear weapons could be used against any country attacking, or threatening to attack, any of NATO's member states.
Between 150 and 240 U.S. nuclear weapons are sited in five European countries. These are B61 gravity bombs — tactical nuclear weapons — which are more flexible and easier to use in a battlefield and have a variable explosive power exceeding, at their upper limits, the power of the Hiroshima atomic bomb by more than a factor of 10.
NATO's preemptive "first strike" doctrine is a menacing presence across the planet; its Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defense (ALTBMD) is the latest successor to Reagan's Star Wars plan. Russia recently signed on and will be on the U.S. side of the space shield, erected against some other states — perhaps Iran, perhaps China — promoted to the status of "enemy."
Anti-war rally in Chicago, Oct. 8, 2011. Photo by misterbuckwheattree / Chicagoist.
Municipal militarism protects global militarism
A 1984-style national security dragnet is set to descend on Chicago in an attempt to lock the city down during the NATO summit. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has made it clear that he will happily act as the host of NATO — and that the 99 percent are not welcome. Emanuel is concocting a culture of fear, suggesting that it is the growing human resistance to NATO that represents danger, outside agitators, violence, and invasion.
Universities and schools are being urged to close early in May; communities of color are told that NATO's work is not their concern; merchants are preparing for assault from the dissenting masses. But NATO, and their G8 friends in hiding, are the real masters of war; it is they who are the greatest purveyors of violence on this earth.
It is unsurprising, then, that Emanuel has funding to further arm and mobilize the police and militarize the city. The Mayor has announced plans to contain and suppress demonstrators. He has pushed through legislation that restricts and criminalizes free speech and assembly and requires costly insurance for public demonstrations. He is issuing a steady stream of pronouncements about a fabricated Chicago, which he says is under siege from ominous and dangerous outside forces.
The mayor, not the popular resistance, is creating conditions — once again — for a police riot in Chicago against people exercising their right to peaceful dissent. Emanuel can still change course, and he should; so far, he has chosen to frame the coming convergence of protesters and the powerful solely in military and security terms.
Join the Coalition/Come to Chicago
Chicago is big enough for all — it is after all a nuclear-free and cease-fire city, cradle of the Haymarket martyrs and the eight-hour day, labor and peace actions, vast civil rights and immigration rights manifestations, home of Ida B. Wells Barnett, Jane Addams, Richard Wright, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Studs Terkel.
Chicago is a vast public space with historic parks, monuments, neighborhoods and streets for popular mobilzations — Chicago belongs to all of us. We underline the right — the moral duty — to dissent and demonstrate, to resist and to be heard, to participatory (not billionaire paid-for) democracy.
The festival of NATO counter-summits, protests, and family-friendly permitted marches planned for May are the next chapter. Organizers and supporters will use humor and music, art and play, civil disobedience and imagination to voice their rejection of permanent imperial wars and the many forms of violence that arise from the same paradigm: discrimination and hate based on race, gender, and ethnicity; epic income disparity; mass incarceration; inadequate resources for education, health care, and opportunities for meaningful work.
Music, dance, teach-ins, and peoples' tribunals will overflow the parks and theatres. The protests are in the spirit of the Arab Spring, Occupy, and the Madison labor struggle, drawing equal inspiration from the work of many others: the Pelican Bay hunger strikers, teachers and nurses, the undocumented DREAMers, returning veterans against the wars, women insisting on reproductive dignity, people resisting foreclosures/take-back-the-landers,, those working for LGBTQ equality and more.
People from everywhere will bring their spirits and their creativity, pitch their tents and stake their claims. Join us!
Friday, May 18: National Nurses United Rally, Daley Center Plaza.
Sunday, May 20 (morning): Iraq Veterans Against the War Rally and March.
Sunday, May 20 (afternoon): Coalition Against NATO-G8 Poverty Agenda (CANG8) Rally and March, Downtown Chicago.
[William Ayers is Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Bernardine Dohrn is Clinical Associate Professor of Law and Director and founder of the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University. Both Ayers and Dohrn were leaders in SDS and the New Left, and were founders of Weatherman and the Weather Underground. This article was published at Truthout and was posted to The Rag Blog by its authors. Find more articles by and about Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn on The Rag Blog.]
This entry was posted in Rag Bloggers and tagged Anti-War Demonstration, Bernardine Dohrn, Bill Ayers, Chicago, NATO Summit, Rahm Emanuel, Social Action. Bookmark the permalink.


So the FTSE100 Index is down 5.60% this year (I'm writing at 7pm on Sunday 3 June), whilst European woe has taken the Eurostoxx50 Index* down a more miserable 10.70%. If anybody out there knows this to be the full and final extent of the downward slide in equity markets in 2012, then do please let me know … but my Google search for "is the European debt crisis over?" showing results submitted to the world wide web in the last 24 hours - and this on a Sunday night, remember - has yielded plenty of pages of opinion that suggests otherwise... 'I'm just sayin'.
...although the gold market did appear to have a moment of clarity on Friday: by my maths (horribly bad for a man with my CV) this represents, nearly, a 4.25% intra-day rally.
To be honest, I cannot quite believe our luck.
We have been working to bring Guernsey Mint Refined to you since the new year. My greatest fear during this time was that world equity markets would sell off aggressively, that fiat currencies, most obviously the euro, would become unsustainable as investment opportunities and that precious metals would be bought up by all and sundry.
* The EURO STOXX 50 (Price) Index is a free-float market capitalization-weighted index of 50 European blue-chip stocks from those countries participating in the EMU. Each component's weight is capped at 10% of the index's total free float market capitalization. The index was developed with a base value of 1000 as of December 31, 1991.


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The TV series was created based on a feature film in 2003 with Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson in the lead roles. The hero of the series Charlie Goodson for a long time holding back his anger. But one day he could not restrain himself, and was sentenced to attend anger management courses. The guy will have to learn self-control. Do not think it's that simple. But most of all knows about it, probably, Charlie Sheen, after all he was given a major role in the new TV show.
hi when will the rest of the episodes of this series be loaded?
Please reload as they are deleted.
Please Upload ASfile. All are removed.


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Please tell me a little about you and your life, work, family, etc. I love every card that has been sent to me and will be happy with whatever you have to send me. Thank you for sending a card to me!


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Samir, a child not yet seven years old, was completely astounded at the behavior of his father, the famous writer. His father was sitting at his desk writing in a yellow notebook, the marks of annoyance written plainly on his face. Every now and again he would tear the pages angrily and throw them into the wastepaper basket. This gesture was repeated many times until, unable to take it any longer, he threw the notebook far away and went off to sleep, muttering unintelligibly. Samir immediately tiptoed from the living room to the office where the wastepaper basket was. He pulled from it a piece of paper and uncrumpled it. He saw lines of barbed wire and massacred words from which blood flowed like rivers. The survivors writhed about letting forth terrible, nightmarish cries of anguish. The child stood shocked. He threw the paper to the ground and ran to his room. He hid beneath the blanket trembling at the terrible volcano that had erupted in his face.
Since that day he feels great compassion for words and only inscribes them on paper completely free of barbed wire.
He returned from work late at night carrying bags full of fruits and vegetables and weaving from exhaustion and fatigue. When he opened the door to the bedroom he was shocked to find his wife making love with insane ardor to a friend of her son. She looked up at him with scorn and derision. He rubbed his eyes well and opened them to find her humbly performing her prayers. He rubbed his eyes again, this time with furious intensity, and opened them to see her dancing completely naked before a window that faced the house of their young neighbor. He closed his eyes in horror, rubbing them with two hands like tornadoes. When he opened them, his wife was there, inviting him to share breakfast in bed, her eyes brimming with love and tenderness.
He knew then that his eyes' allotted time had expired. He went to the most famous eye doctor in the country to have two new ones, special-ordered fresh from the factory, implanted. Since that day he sees his wife just the way he wants to.
Sa'id walked out of the public garden with a newspaper under his arm to use as protection from the scorching rays of the sun. His face was a battlefield of hundreds of contradictory emotions and electrifying questions … caught between the present and the future. He hung his head as if to hide the events of the crushing battle.
On the sidewalk outside the garden a homeless person passed before him with torn clothes, a terrible smell emanating from him. All of a sudden Sa'id became a big-bellied capitalist smoking a cigar, striding haughtily, and thinking about the profits from his last deal. He couldn't see the homeless person who stretched out his hand, wishing him success and long life.
A little later a luxury automobile passed in front of him driven by a high functionary. Sa'id became a shorn sheep in a polar storm that threatened to kill him. And when he arrived in one of the fanciest hotels of the city he became an ant born without legs, about to be crushed.
A few meters from his dilapidated house he returned to his natural state: a low-level civil servant in a government agency; but as soon as he was face to face with his wife and children he became all of them.
The number seven looked at zero standing to his left and said to him "O Nothing! O Nobody, you are like the beggars and the bums among the humans. Nothing good or profitable can come from you!" But zero went along calmly until he came to the right side of seven. Seven was struck with surprise and looked at zero with great respect.
The group sat at a rectangular table. The child sat facing the moment. The adolescent faced the minute. The young man faced the hour. The man faced the day. The middle-aged man faced the month. The old man faced the year.
"I'm tired of this. I want to get up!" the child said to the moment with agitation.
The two of them leaped up from their chairs joyfully.
The minute agreed with him and the two of them jumped up laughing from their chairs.
When the hour had passed, the two of them took off.
After the day had finished its twenty-fourth hour, the two of them got up and left.
In a month's time the two of them left.
He wrapped him in a white sheet and went with him quietly through a halo of fog to a land of magical purity.
I kept my head held high with pride before the locked door of life. Because of that I didn't see the thread of light creeping beneath the door until old age had bent my back.
"That's a flag to show that those who raised it want to stop the war and establish peace," said the grandfather, sighing sadly.
The two interrogators had left their prisoner curled in a corner of the room, bleeding profusely and shaking in terror. Soon the corner itself administered a kick that sent him tumbling across the room. In this way the four corners went on kicking him back and forth until the roof collapsed on him and finished the job.
From the invisible world the child who has not yet been born looks at this life with burning desire. He contemplates the children playing in the public garden. Among the shouts and laughter of their families they swing on the swing set and slide down the slide until they are covered in dust. He wishes that he could be one of those children chided by their families so that they won't hurt themselves, finally held in big warm hands pulsing with love and compassion, rocked late in the night by a gentle voice flooding him with spring, speaking to his age, no older than the age of flowers, reading a fairy tale so he will sleep a little later like an angel.
The father got up from the shredded couch and got dressed very slowly. He headed for the door of the narrow room that for long years had contained him and the mountains of his sadness. He opened it with a trembling hand and went out into the street steered by a brain filled with thick black smoke. The son followed him begging and imploring, tears pouring from his eyes … in vain. He stopped wounded in the middle of the road, looking at his father who with a look of farewell had refused to have him . He began to circle the earth, a shining idea looking for a father and a mother to be his gate to cross into this world.
Syrian writer Osama Alomar is a prominent practitioner of the Arabic "very short story" (al-qisa al-qasira jiddan). Previous English translations of his work have appeared in NOON, and he has published three fiction collections in Arabic: Ayuha al-insaan (O Man), Rabtat Lisaan (Tongue Tie) , and Jami' al-huquq ghayr mahfuza (All Rights Not Reserved) , as well as one volume of poetry, Qaala insaan al' asir al hadith (Man Said the Modern World). The 2007 winner of Egypt's Najlaa Muharam Short Story Contest, his work is regularly heard on the BBC Arabic Service and he is a regular contributor to various newspapers and journals in Syria and the Arab community, including Tishrin, an-Nur, Spot Light, al-Halil, Adab wa Naqd, and al-Ghad.


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Olivia's Killer Revealed, Hit the Floor "Winner Takes All"
Tina Charles, August 12, 2014
Photo Credit: VH1 Networks
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE HIT THE FLOOR S2 FINALE
Ok, the Hit the Floor finale is over. Olivia's killer has been outed…at least to the audience.
The person who killed Olivia is…German.
While I think German may be one of the most expendable characters of the series, I also think that making him the murderer is a great move. It makes sense. He intercepted Olivia's envelope that was meant for Ahsha. And whatever was in it, didn't need to come out as far as he was concerned. He is super protective of his on-again off-again on-again girlfriend. And now that we know he is a murderer his relationship with Ahsha gets that much more interesting. That she could be with a person and not know what he's truly capable of…and not know what he did in order to protect her…is scary. I'm totally on board with this development. I can't wait to see how it all plays out next season. And I'm excited to see how Jonathan McDaniel is going to play it as well.
What did you guys think of the killer's identity?
Now let's go over the rest of the episode starting with two of my most favorite moments of "Winner Takes All." I'm going to call it…
The Evolution of Derek and Jude
Is it just me or did these guys show some maturity and growth? And I loved every bit of it.
After Terrence clinched overtime for the Devil's, Derek stepped up and helped his team win the championship. He's the MVP. And he's not looking to sabotage anything right now. In fact, he realizes he let Ahsha go too easily and he makes the decision to fight for her. He also makes another decision: to get rid of the excess baggage his mom really seems to be. When they're supposed to be celebrating his win together, she wants to introduce her son to some greedy SOBs who are looking to capitalize on Derek's end-of-the-game heroics.
Derek: I Â just had the moment of my life and all you care about is how you can make money off of it. Not money for me, money for you. That's all– that's all I am to you is dollar signs.
Derek's Mom: That is not true.
Derek: And all I do is kept giving it to you. More and more, just to keep you coming back. More…more…more money, more things. You don't love me. You never have. You never will.
Derek's Mom: Derek, you are hurting my feelings.
Derek: You don't have feelings. Someone did. A great girl who loved me. And I screwed it up. I screwed it up because I didn't think I deserved her. But I know now that I do. I might be messed up in the head, I might make a million mistakes but I deserve her. Who I don't deserve is you. Goodbye.
That's what I call an Oprah Aha Moment right there. Derek has become a better man throughout these two seasons. Jude has an Aha Moment of his own when it comes to Zero, who's pretty much down and out since he isn't the one to be the Game 7 hero. That entire locker scene was riveting TV. And I'm so proud of Jude. He's showing he has depth. I wasn't sure he had that in him. But he does. He calls Zero on his crap. Basically tells him he has these walls up because he doesn't want anyone to see the real him. That he doesn't even know himself. Brent Antonello did an amazing job. Here's a little bit of what is probably my Rewind and Repeat Moment of the finale, meaning once I finished the episode, I immediately hit rewind to rewatch that scene.
Jude: I'm mad. Mad at myself, mad at this situation. Mad that I need something from you. Mad that I can't get it. Most of all, I'm mad that there's nothing I can do about any of it.
Zero: Where are you going? You're my agent.
Jude: I'm done setting for percentages. Percentages of my father. Percentages of you. I want it all and I can't stick around waiting for it.
Zero: Gideon.
Jude: What?
Zero: That's my name. Gideon.
Jude: I would love to take Gideon on a date. To a public place. And listen to him tell me exactly who he is. If you want that, give me a call sometime.
What a thoroughly satisfying moment. And I think that Zero aka Gideon is starting to show he has a bit of depth to him too. At least I hope he is. Although I want him to keep his edge. I love that he's the bad boy. But I also feel he and Jude could be good together. I hope they're able to withstand whatever obstacles come their way next season.
A Rundown of the Rest…
Thanks to Sloane getting back some of the evidence that was stolen from her, Oscar's behind bars for the death of Mia. Of course, Lionel and Jelena engineered Sloane getting it back. So now Lionel's in charge of the Devils. Jelena got Sloane to fire Ahsha. And the police are investigating whether Oscar had a role in Olivia's death.
Sloane and Pete
The whole Raquel asking Pete to marry her to save her from being deported was a non-issue for Sloane and Pete. And I'm so thankful for that. How cute were the two working together at the wedding? I'm glad these two ended the season together. Although Sloane is really going to have to watch her back. She's made some enemies.
Poor Terrence. He makes it to the championship game. And he's integral to the success of the team. But he also pays the price. He's down for the count and off to the hospital where Jelena shows up by his side. I love that she supports him. I love even more that she didn't get in his way after she found out his secret. She knows he had to continue playing despite the threat of a career-ending injury. I have to say whatever happens with Terrence, at least he knows he put it all out there on the court. And at least he and Jelena are together.
The Kyle/Raquel marriage proposal scene was fun but I want to see what they're going to do with that in season three. Loved that Joe Lando from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Higher Ground was playing the dirty detective. Also, was that Ray Wise that married Lionel and Oscar? What did you guys think of the season two finale of VH1's Hit the Floor?
Tags #Adam Senn #Brent Antonello #Dean Cain #Don Stark #finale recap #Hit the Floor #Jodi Lyn O'Keefe #Joe Lando #Jonathan McDaniel #Jude and Zero #Katherine Bailess #Kimberly Elise #Logan Browning #McKinley Freeman #Olivia's Killer Revealed #Ray Wise #Taylour Paige #Tina Charles #Valery Ortiz #Winner Takes All
Covert Affairs Preview: "Grounded" [VIDEO and PHOTOS]
Teen Wolf "Time of Death"
Tina Charles
Moment of Goodness: Adam Shows His Belief in Max, Parenthood "The Scale of Affection is Fluid"
Ashley Bissette Sumerel, October 25, 2014
True Blood Series Finale Preview: "Thank You" [VIDEO and PHOTOS]
TV Goodness, August 21, 2014
Moment of Goodness: Kiera Tells Carlos the Truth, Continuum "Second Truths"
Heather M, July 13, 2013
Moments of Goodness: Cate and Lux, Life Unexpected
Tina Charles, January 19, 2011
Three Moments of Goodness: Catherine's Truths Revealed, Reign "Inquisition"
Heather M, February 6, 2014
Moment of Goodness: Ray Gets Revenge on Damien Fontleroy, Breakout Kings Season 2 Finale "Freakshow/"Served Cold"
U got ur episodes all mixed up!!
Yes – German is the killer, the rest is old news.
Also what about being Captain Obvious here that Raquel is dying at the same time Jelena is all preped up to take her baby. Cliche much. You skipped that part entirely. You are writing random bs on here.
This is an old article. This is a recap of the Season 2 finale. This doesn't have anything to do with the third season.
This is just unbelievable Hit the floor is the best tv show ever. i never expected German to be a murderer.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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News Center ›
Oil & Gas CEO to deliver Marietta College's commencement address
March 7, 2018 | Tom Perry
It would seem that someone as accomplished as Don Ritter '81 couldn't be flabbergasted.
However, that's exactly what happened when Marietta College President William N. Ruud asked Ritter to deliver the commencement address to nearly 250 graduates on May 6th in the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center.
"I was absolutely speechless when I was asked by Dr. Ruud, and those who know me know that does not happen," said Ritter, CEO of Endurance Resources — an oil exploration and production enterprise focused on the Delaware Basin in West Texas and Southern New Mexico. "It is by far the greatest honor I have received. It also comes with a great responsibility to impart some wisdom on the graduating class. I'm not sure I have much of that myself, but I have been blessed to pick some up along the way from others — so I'll try to pass on what has worked for me."
The Emeritus Trustee helped found Endurance Resources in 2008 following a successful career with Mobil Oil and then GeoMechanics International. Ritter, along with his wife, Leslie Straub Ritter '85, made an initial $1 million donation to Marietta College in December 2016 to start a Music Therapy program. The new major was approved by the faculty in January 2018 and will begin this fall.
"We are excited and honored that Don Ritter has agreed to address our graduates this spring," Ruud said. "Don is not only a successful businessman, but also a true renaissance man who cares deeply about the arts. His message will resonate with our graduates, as well as everyone who attends the graduation ceremony."
Ruud said the College will present both Don and Leslie with an honorary Doctor in Humane Letters during the ceremony.
While Don has a long and distinguished career in oil and gas, he is also a director with Blue Star Connection — a charity that provides musical instruments for medically challenged children and young adults. Approximately 500 individuals and 54 hospitals have received support from Blue Star over the last 10 years.
Leslie is a principal and vice president of business solutions with Square Knot, LLC, which is a consulting firm that specializes in executive coaching, merger integration and execution, and human resource strategy. She is a two-time chair of the Marietta College Alumni Association Board, a current member of the Board of Trustees and a winner of the Young Alumna Award.
The Ritters also founded Category 5 Amplification, a custom guitar amplifier company. They started the company in January 2006 and the company's endorsing artists include musicians Brad Paisley, Joe Bonamassa, The Kenny Chesney Band, Warren Haynes and many more. Category 5 was specifically formed to support charities and to provide musicians an avenue for giving back.
"What you give in life seems to return in blessings 10-fold. That is surely my experience at Marietta," Don said. "It has returned to me more than I could ever give back — my family, my friends and a special place to share my gifts."
Ritter said he hopes to share with the graduates the importance of turning their strengths into a personal vision for success and enlisting others in the journey.
"They are unique, they have a great foundation of knowledge from Marietta, but now they need a plan, a destination and a partner," he said. "Marietta is where I learned I could do anything I set my mind to do. It is the place that opened up the world to someone who grew up in a small town with very modest means, but left me equipped as well as anyone I have met since. I learned a lot about people, how to get along with a diverse group, and the importance of connection at a deep level to an institution that gave so much opportunity to me."
Commencement weekend begins with the traditional Strawberries & Créme from noon-1:30 p.m., Saturday, May 5th, in the DBRC, followed by the Baccalaureate Service at 2:00 p.m. in the Alma McDonough Auditorium. The graduation ceremony begins at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, May 6th.
Leslie Straub Ritter's Board of Trustee bio
http://www.marietta.edu/person/leslie-straub-ritter
Academic Affairs Alumni & Friends Commencement 2018 Don Ritter Leslie Ritter news2018
Commencement 2018 information
Music Therapy program opens following generous gift from the Ritters
College to celebrate 181st Commencement ceremony Sunday
May 1, 2018 | Alumni & Friends
Petroleum Engineering student earns Robert Evans Internship Award
May 7, 2018 | Academic Affairs Alumni & Friends STEM
College honors 16 students during December Graduation Celebration
December 10, 2018 | Academic Affairs Alumni & Friends


I have been studying and practicing Reiki for the past fifteen years. It has become to me not only a tool of healing but also, and most of all, a way of life. I try to live by Reiki principles every day and I teach their importance to all my students. There are 5 Reiki principles, and each of them start with the same words; words that are setting the intention and the time frame – JUST FOR TODAY.
Why are those words so important? Because they show us how in todays' world we can become calm, relaxed and truly happy. To comprehend today we have to place it in a time frame. And what is time? Following a definition of time – "it is the indefinite continued progress of existence and events that occur in apparently irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future". Today is the present, and present is the only thing that truly exists in the frame dictated by time. If time can be understood as an illusion created by the human mind … the only time that truly exists is The Now – the present moment. In this moment I'm sitting in front of my computer writing these words, and you are sitting on the other side of now, which right now is in my future, but is also already in my past, reading them. And in that great illusion, is there anything else that should count? No, because if we would begin to worry about it, according to the time definition, we would worry indefinitely and continuously; and I wouldn't really recommend that. So let us be present in our own lives. Let us inhabit them fully and truly. Just for today, since only Now and only Today truly exist.
You are probably wondering what triggered my sudden outburst of thoughts about Reiki and time. It was this beautiful and wise poem that I'm going to share with you now. And if you think that "Just for today" concept is a modern one – you couldn't be more wrong. This poem is proof of that. It is a Sanskrit poem written by Kalidasa, an Indian playwright and poet who was active during the 4th and 5th century AD. Please let me share one more thought with you before the poem. "Just for today" seems a concept easy enough. It is one of the most difficult in my life, but so much worth remembering and trying to live by – just one day at a time – JUST FOR TODAY.


text:
\section{Introduction}

There has been a revival of interest in cosmic strings since it was
realised that many fundamental string theory models predict
so-called {\it cosmic superstrings}.
The leap from string scale to cosmic dimensions is highly non-trivial.
At first sight there are many severe problems related to the formation
and growth of superstrings to macrosopic scales, such as too high string
tension and instability towards breaking up, as pointed
out already in~\cite{Witten:1985fp}.
Subsequent advances in fundamental string theory have
changed this picture.
All these issues can be circumvented and are naturally evaded in many models
that possess otherwise desirable aspects from the point of view of providing
successful phenomenology.
For instance, in the scenarios based on warped compactifications
the warp-factor can reduce the string tension. Furthermore, in models of brane
inflation not only are cosmic strings produced at the end of
the inflationary epoch~\cite{Sarangi:2002yt,Majumdar:2002hy},
but it has been argued in great abundance too~\cite{Barnaby:2004dz}.

Considerations inspired by superstring theory suggest
a particular kind of cosmic string network
that consists of fundamental F-strings, Dirichlet D-strings
(or more precisely D1-branes) and {\it bound states} of these two,
known as $(p,q)$-strings as an abbreviation for $p$~F-strings
and $q$~D-strings~\cite{Copeland:2003bj}.
The presence of $(p,q)$-strings brings an additional feature to these
networks compared to those made of only one type of solitonic strings.
Namely, where two different types of string meet at a point and form a bound
state leading away from that point, there is a {\it junction} in the network.
Another property of cosmic superstrings is that their reconnection
probability $P$ can be small, $P \ll 1$
(for a review see~\cite{Polchinski:2004ia} and references therein).

A substantial body of work has dealt with modelling of cosmic string networks,
which is a challenging task due to the combination of several scales involved
and the non-linear nature of the problem.
For instance, properties of networks at small scales are still not
entirely understood and have been under intense analytic study
recently~\cite{Polchinski:2006ee,Polchinski:2007rg,Dubath:2007mf}.
However, it is well-established that string networks lose energy efficiently.
A scaling string network contributes only a fixed, tiny fraction
of the total energy budget of the Universe, a
property that has made cosmic strings viable,
in contrast to some other defect models, and generated the appeal of
cosmic strings from the very start~\cite{Kibble:1976sj}.

For the above mentioned reason the effect of junctions and bound states
on the evolution of the networks is of
profound interest: instead of reaching a scaling regime
the network could end in a frozen-out state and start to dominate the energy
density of the Universe, which cannot be tolerated in the standard
cosmologies.
To date, the evolution of networks with junctions has already
been studied in several models.
Good evidence for scaling was reported in~\cite{Hindmarsh:2006qn} with an
SU(2)/${\mathbb Z}_{3}$ model of global strings, the junctions being
global monopoles. Another field theory study~\cite{Rajantie:2007hp}
used a model involving two sets of U(1) gauge fields
(see also~\cite{Saffin:2005cs}). There bound states are reported to have a
significant effect on the network in the absence of long-range interactions,
whereas in the case of global strings junctions play a minor r\^ole.
Other studies
include~\cite{Copeland:2005cy,Leblond:2007tf,Avgoustidis:2007aa},
which concluded that, even being conservative, the networks can scale
also in the presence of junctions.

If the bound states and junctions are of major importance, then
a natural question to pose is under which conditions they form.
This was examined analytically based on the Nambu-Goto action
in~\cite{Copeland:2006eh,Copeland:2006if}. It was shown that
strong kinematic constraints apply to the formation of the bound state.
The purpose of this study is to test these constraints in a
field theory set-up.
We work within the Abelian-Higgs model in the type-I regime,
investigating when
the intersection of strings results in the formation of a bound state
(also called a {\it zipper}).
This topic has been addressed already before both
analytically~\cite{Bettencourt:1994kc} and with numerical
experiments~\cite{Bettencourt:1996qe}. Here we revisit it due to
the renewed interest in more complicated networks
with a spectrum of string tensions
and with improved computational resources available.
Before presenting the results, we briefly review the outcome
from the Nambu-Goto
approximation and introduce the model together with the
numerical approach.

\section{String Junctions}

Consider a straight string making an angle $\alpha$ with the
positive $x$-axis and another one with an angle $-\alpha$
(the total angle between the strings being thus $2 \alpha$).
Both strings are on the $xy$-plane and have a velocity $v$ along the $z$-axis
with opposite directions
and have string tensions $\mu_1$ and $\mu_2$, respectively.
Once they intersect, these can potentially form a third string,
an ``$x$-link'' which has tension $\mu_3$
(we follow here the notation introduced in~\cite{Copeland:2006if};
if $\mu_1=\mu_2$ then the $x$-link is indeed positioned along the $x$-axis).

The approach in~\cite{Copeland:2006eh,Copeland:2006if} is based on
studying the action at a junction where three strings meet.
The kinematic constraints follow from the requirement that the
total length of the progeny string must increase.
The allowed parameter region for the link formation can be determined
at least numerically for any combination of string
tensions~\cite{Copeland:2006if}.
However, when the colliding strings have the same tension,
denoted hereafter by $\mu_1$, it is possible to express
this requirement in a simple closed form
\begin{equation}
\alpha < \arccos\big(\frac{\gamma \mu_3 }{2 \mu_1}\big) \, ,
\label{inequality}
\end{equation}
where $\gamma = 1/\sqrt{1-v^2}$ and
necessarily $\mu_3 < 2 \mu_1$.

Here we want to test this result numerically
in a field theory where strings are solitonic objects
with a {\it non-zero~width} and see if bound state formation is
the dynamically preferred process.

\section{Model and Numerical Implementation}

The Abelian-Higgs model is governed by the Lagrangean
\begin{equation}
{\mathcal{L}} =
({\partial}_{\mu} + i q A_{\mu} ) \, \phi \,
({\partial}^{\mu} - i q A^{\mu} ) \, \phi^{\dagger}
- \frac{1}{4} F_{\mu \nu} F^{\mu \nu}   -
\frac{\lambda}{4} (|\phi|^2-\eta^2)^2 \, .
\nonumber
\label{abelianhiggs}
\end{equation}
The model has vortex solutions~\cite{Nielsen:1973cs}, in which
the scalar field can be expressed, with the help of a function $f$
of the radial distance $r$ only, as follows:
\begin{equation}
\phi = f(r) \, e^{i n \theta},
\nonumber
\label{nielsen-olesen}
\end{equation}
where $n$ is the winding number.
For $n=1$ the vortex solutions are topologically stable
for any value of the scaled
coupling, $\beta = \lambda/2q^2 = m_{\rm scalar}^2 / m_{\rm gauge}^2$,
where $q$ is the gauge coupling, $m_{\rm scalar} = \sqrt{\lambda}\eta$
and $m_{\rm gauge} = \sqrt{2} g \eta$.
The domain $\beta < 1$ is known as the type-I regime.
There a string with winding number $n$ has lower energy
than $n$ strings with winding number $n=1$ together.
In particular, two $n=1$ strings can merge to form
an $n=2$ string~\cite{Jacobs:1978ch}.
In other words, using the previous notation, $\mu_3 < 2 \mu_1$, and
thus this regime provides a testing ground for the formation of links.

The numerical code used to evolve two boosted strings on a lattice
has been reported in~\cite{Achucarro:2006es}.
The boundary condition employed here was introduced in~\cite{Matzner:1988}:
the fields on the boundaries are updated as though the strings moved
undisturbed at constant, initial velocities.
Of course, this means that the simulations cannot be trusted much
beyond the time when the kinks on the strings generated by their
interaction reach the boundary.
The majority of the simulations were carried out in a computational
grid of size $400^3$, setting the lattice spacing $dx$ to be $0.2$
(the physical size of the lattice in linear dimension being therefore $80$)
and the time step $dt=0.065$
($dx$ and $dt$ here in units of $(q \,\eta\,)^{-1}$).
The robustness of the results has been
tested by varying the size of the simulation box, lattice spacing and
the initial separation of strings. All the snapshots
presented in the following section are from simulations performed
on a $600^3$ grid, setting $dx=0.15$.

\section{Results}

\begin{figure*}
\begin{center}

\includegraphics*[width=.4\textwidth]{figure_1a}
\includegraphics*[width=.4\textwidth]{figure_1b}
\includegraphics*[width=.4\textwidth]{figure_1c}
\includegraphics*[width=.4\textwidth]{figure_1d}

\vspace{1.0cm}

\caption{\label{f:merge} Snapshots (from left to right and top to bottom)
showing constant energy
density isosurfaces in a simulation of two strings with $n=1$
at $\beta=0.125$ colliding with velocity $v=0.1$
(top one moving downwards and vice versa), at
an angle $\alpha=15^{\, \circ}$, and forming an $x$-link as
indicated by the $\circ$ in Fig.~\ref{f:constraints}.}

\end{center}
\end{figure*}

\begin{figure*}
\centering

\includegraphics[width=.45\textwidth]{figure_2a}
\includegraphics[width=.45\textwidth]{figure_2b}

\vspace{1.0cm}

\caption{\label{f:constraints} Kinematic constraints in the $(\alpha,v)$-plane
for $\beta=0.36$ (left) and $\beta=0.125$ (right).
The solid line shows the curve of equality in~(\ref{inequality}),
+ marks the events of single intercommutation, whereas $\circ$ indicates
strings merging together to form an $x$-link, a string with
winding number $n=2$. Events where strings pass through each other by
intercommuting twice are shown by $\vartriangle$.}

\end{figure*}

\begin{figure*}
\centering

\includegraphics*[width=.4\textwidth]{figure_3a}
\includegraphics*[width=.4\textwidth]{figure_3b}
\includegraphics*[width=.4\textwidth]{figure_3c}
\includegraphics*[width=.4\textwidth]{figure_3d}

\vspace{1.0cm}

\caption{\label{f:doubleintercommutation} Snapshots
(from left to right and top to bottom) showing constant energy
density isosurfaces in a simulation of two strings with
winding $n=1$ at $\beta=0.125$
colliding with velocity $v=0.5$, at an angle $\alpha=10\,^{\circ}$,
and undergoing double intercommutation, as indicated by
the $\vartriangle$ in right hand Fig.~\ref{f:constraints}.}

\vspace{1.0cm}

\end{figure*}

\begin{figure*}
\centering

\includegraphics*[width=0.4\textwidth]{figure_4a}
\includegraphics*[width=0.4\textwidth]{figure_4b}

\vspace{1.0cm}

\caption{\label{f:merge2} Snapshots (from left to right) showing
constant energy density isosurfaces in a simulation of strings with winding
$n=1$ (initially above) and $n=2$ at $\beta=0.125$
colliding with velocity $v=0.1$ and at an angle $\alpha=10 \,^{\circ}$.}

\end{figure*}

Local cosmic strings with an equal winding number, here $n=1$,
always {\it intercommute} when intersecting.
However, after intercommutation, strings can come together and merge to
form a string of winding number $n=2$.
This occurs when strings meet at relatively small
velocity and angle (see~\cite{Bettencourt:1994kc,Bettencourt:1996qe}).
Alternatively strings only intercommute and never meet again.
In Figure~\ref{f:merge} four snapshots are presented that show the
isosurfaces of constant energy density (set to be $0.2$ in dimensionless
units, roughly 30\% of the maximum value in the core for a string with $n=1$,
a value chosen so that strings with winding $n=1,2$ and $3$ can
all be readily identified) when two strings with $n=1$
collide at velocity $v=0.1$ and angle $\alpha=15 \,^{\circ}$
and the coupling constant is $\beta=0.125$.

The formation of the bound state in the Abelian-Higgs model is not entirely a
straightforward, instantaneous process, as already reported
in~\cite{Bettencourt:1996qe}.
The link forms and unforms, the two strings becoming separately visible again.
This is not surprising; the process is essentially right-angle scattering
which is well-established by numerical experiments with
vortices~\cite{Shellard:1988zx,Myers:1991yh}.
Analytically, right-angle scattering after a head-on collision
is understood at critical coupling ($\beta=1$)~\cite{Ruback:1988ba},
in terms of geodesic motion in the moduli space approximation.
This approach was introduced for the first time in the context of monopole
scattering~\cite{Manton:1981mp} but has been recently
re-employed in studies of strings in more complicated
models~\cite{Hanany:2005bc,Eto:2006db}.
After intercommutation, here the string segments align almost parallel
before coming together. Therefore locally the second collision takes place
head-on with effectively zero impact parameter and strings scatter
perpendicularly with respect to the incoming direction.
Repeated right-angle scatterings are clearly visible in the snapshots;
the time-scale of attenuation is comparable to the time the simulations can
be evolved.

The main result of this study is presented in Figure~\ref{f:constraints},
where the results from the simulations, standard intercommutation versus
link-formation, are shown together with the prediction of~(\ref{inequality})
for the allowed parameter region in the $(\alpha,v)$-plane.
A decrease in the scalar coupling $\lambda$ reduces
the tension of a string
with winding number $n=2$ relatively more than that of a string with $n=1$.
This allows one to vary the ratio $\mu_3 / \mu_1$ to a certain extent
by reducing the parameter $\beta$;
at $\beta=0.36$ we obtain $\mu_3 / \mu_1 \simeq 1.88$, whereas
$\beta = 0.125$ yields $\mu_3 / \mu_1 \simeq 1.77$. This already
leads to a considerable difference when the limiting curve
of the equality in~(\ref{inequality}) is plotted for $\beta=0.36$ (left)
and $\beta=0.125$ (right) in Figure~\ref{f:constraints}.
Standard intercommutation events are indicated by crosses
and the formation of links by circles.
At $\beta=0.36$ the agreement between the simulations and
the analytical prediction is perfect
within the precision of the grid used in the $(\alpha,v)$-parameter space.
There is a discrepancy at the largest angles when $\beta=0.125$;
while the formation of an $x$-link should be allowed, this is not
observed in the simulations.

This behaviour is to be expected from considerations of energy conservation.
In the Nambu-Goto model, all the energy released by shortening of the
colliding strings goes into the formation of the linking string.
In the field-theory model, by contrast, some energy is radiated away.
We therefore expect that it should be slightly harder to form a link,
and so there should be a small band where link formation
is possible for Nambu-Goto strings, but not for field-theory strings.

In addition, at $\beta=0.125$ there is a band just above the highest
velocity allowing $x$-links to form suggested by~(\ref{inequality})
where a link does not form, but strings come together again
and intercommute for a second time, events denoted by triangles
in Figure~\ref{f:constraints}.
Snapshots of this process are presented in
Figure~\ref{f:doubleintercommutation}.
The end result is thus two strings consisting of the same segments as
initially and indistinguishable from the situation where strings had
passed through each other apart from some deformation around
the interaction point.
A similar type of effective non-intercommutation has been reported
when strings collide at very high
velocities~\cite{Matzner:1988,Achucarro:2006es}.
There is no sign of this kind of phenomenon at $\beta=0.36$.
This may be because less energy is radiated away in the field
when the scalar mass is larger.

The general case, where all three strings have different tensions can be
investigated in the Abelian-Higgs model by colliding strings with different
winding numbers. This was done for two strings with windings $n=2$ and $n=1$
at $\beta=0.125$.
Though the explicit analytic formula for the asymmetric
case~\cite{Copeland:2007nv} is not presented here,
the kinematically allowed area is almost degenerate with the one
presented in Figure~\ref{f:constraints} for the coupling $\beta=0.125$.
A complication in the Abelian-Higgs model is that due to unequal
winding numbers,
the intercommutation leads to a formation of a bridge between the strings
(see also~\cite{Laguna:1989hn}), whose influence on bound-state
formation at the very least cannot be entirely
neglected.
No systematic study in the kinematic parameter space was carried out, but
Figure~\ref{f:merge2} shows snapshots of a simulation that provides evidence
for a bound state formation now in the form of a string with winding
number $n=3$.

\section{Discussion}

We have reported on numerical simulations of string collisions in the
Abelian-Higgs model. The objective was to monitor the kinematic
parameter space $(\alpha,v)$ and compare the outcome to the analytical
prediction.
We do not observe $x$-links outside the area where they are not
expected to be kinematically allowed.
On the other hand, bound states generically form whenever allowed to appear.
This is interesting because such links do not have to form dynamically;
there could have been simple intercommutation events instead, but
almost the whole region appears to prefer to form $x$-links.

It is not surprising that the observed discrepancy occurs when strings
intersect at large angles - the Nambu-Goto action does not include the
effects of intercommutation. As strings in the Abelian-Higgs model always
intercommute, effectively the original strings break up, and when the new
strings straighten after this reconnection, they do not come together
and merge at large angles.
This could be different for strings that do not intercommute and
exchange partners and it would be interesting to see what a study
with strings in two separate gauge fields would yield.

Secondly, we have demonstrated once more
that the `effective' reconnection probability
of strings even in the Abelian-Higgs model is not strictly
unity. This is well-documented by numerical
experiments at high collision speeds where a second
intercommutation even takes
place (see e.g.~\cite{Matzner:1988,Achucarro:2006es})
but as shown here can occur at moderate velocities too
(it would be interesting to see if a modification of the
moduli space approximation
could capture the second
intercommutation event).
It was argued in~\cite{Bettencourt:1996qe} that when the
bound state with winding $n=2$ dissolves
(which inevitably happens eventually with the boundary conditions introduced
in~\cite{Matzner:1988}), the original strings re-emerge.
This is effectively like no intercommutation taking place.
However, the process reported here does not proceed via bound state formation
and dissolution, but rather by repeated intercommutation, and seems
therefore to be of a different nature.
This is further confirmed by the inequality~(\ref{inequality})
according to which the bound state is forbidden at velocities where the double
intercommutation is observed.

Obviously the use of the Abelian-Higgs model has restricted us in this study
to very limited values of the ratio of string tensions $ \mu_3 / \mu_1$,
whereas models inspired by superstring theory would allow a much wider
range of values.  We have shown that strings in the Abelian-Higgs model can
have the same principal features as expected from cosmic superstrings, namely
formation of junctions and effective reconnection probability
not strictly unity even at moderately {\it low velocities}.
While network simulations very deep in the Type-I regime are hardly
feasible to
perform, these results may have implications for theories relying on a
very low value of the scalar coupling~$\lambda$.
Such a network can arise e.g. upon breaking a gauge symmetry along a
flat direction in supersymmetric theories
as has been pointed out recently in~\cite{Cui:2007js}.
To summarize, as anticipated already in~\cite{Bettencourt:1994kc}, this study
demonstrates the richness of strings even in the simple Abelian-Higgs model.

\begin{acknowledgments}

P.~S. acknowledges Serena Bertone for the help in visualisation.
A.~A., R.~P. and P.~S. were supported by
the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (N.W.O.)
under the VICI programme
and A.~A. also partially by
Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology project FPA2005-04823
and Basque Government project IT-357-07.
The simulations have been performed at the Lisa cluster,
its use permitted by an NCF grant.

\end{acknowledgments}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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Jan 1 01:00:08 kernel: sdb : READ CAPACITY failed.
Jan 1 01:00:08 kernel: sdb : block size assumed to be 512 bytes, disk size 1GB.
Jan 1 01:00:18 kernel: VFS: Can't find ext3 filesystem on dev sd(8,1).
Jan 1 01:00:19 kernel: FAT: Did not find valid FSINFO signature.
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Jan 1 01:00:19 kernel: sdb : READ CAPACITY failed.
Jan 1 01:00:19 kernel: sdb : block size assumed to be 512 bytes, disk size 1GB.
I don't know but you can format disk as Ext3 partition.


Stuck at Work on the Holidays? Your Survival Guide.
If you're stuck working on a holiday, hopefully your tasks are cheerier than not. Still, being in the office when everyone else is celebrating isn't ideal, so we've rounded up a few tips to soften the blow.


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A Florida man has died after eating a raw oyster contaminated with a highly infectious strain of bacteria.
The Florida Department of Health confirmed one person died after consuming a raw oyster that carried Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which is often called "flesh-eating" for its ability to cause serious skin and wound infections. The bacteria is found naturally in salty or brackish water, particularly during the warmer months. The department could not confirm further details of the ongoing investigation, and the provenance of the oyster is unclear.
"Infections are rare but exposures occur more commonly during the summer months from May to October, when the water is warmer," Florida health officials told the Tampa Bay Times reports in a statement. There have been 16 cases and three deaths across the state from Vibrio vulnificus, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Most people who contract Vibrio vulnificus infections either entered water with an open wound, allowing the bacteria to enter the body, or ate raw or undercooked shellfish, namely oysters, carrying the pathogen. Health officials recommend covering and wrapping any open wounds before entering the water, and eating only properly cooked oysters.
Most oyster-related infections caused by the Vibrio family of bacteria (also called vibriosis) result only in gastrointestinal illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but serious cases can lead to bloodstream infections and skin lesions. Vibrio vulnificus infections tend to be more severe than other types of vibriosis; roughly 15 to 30% of cases are fatal.
Vibrio vulnificus infections have also made headlines outside of Florida lately. As of earlier this month, a man in New Jersey was fighting for his limbs after contracting the infection while crabbing in a local river.
The CDC has also warned consumers about a current multi-state outbreak of related Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections likely tied to crab meat imported from Venezuela. Twelve people have so far been sickened in that outbreak, but no deaths have been reported.


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text:
DRIVEN: 2018 Mazda3 5-door Grand Touring 2.5
Mazda has always done the "sportwagen" thing well and to an enthusiastic degree. We first saw signs of it in the sporty and damn fun to drive Protege5 of a couple vehicle generations back; that car has since grown into today's Mazda3 lineup of sedans and sportwagens; they've almost always been fun and sporty, and built on solid underpinnings. Mazda has kept the current generation car very fresh in terms of technology, and most recently a solid round of interior remodeling.
Skyactiv is really just Mazda's marketing buzzterm for a suite of optimization technologies that save weight and get the most out of every system — it's a good engineering and production philosophy the company employs and coined, although it has little to do with the Sky nor is it notably Activ.
My tester looked reservedly sporty in Machine Gray Metallic with the full black interior. Being the Grand Touring model, it came with all the luxury and sporty goodies, including aggressive 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped by performance minded all season tires, leather trimmed sport seats inside, dual exhausts, and the 184-horse 2.5-liter engine. So many cars this size run 2.0-liters, which is a naturally and mechanically efficient layout, but the slightly larger 2.5 serves up more low end torque than the two-liters, this one rated at 185 pounds feet of twisty grunt. The engine is backed by a 6-speed automatic transmission, that offers manumatic paddle shifting control when you really want to take charge. On a base price of $24,995 you get most everything you'd really want or need, and this car packed on another five grand worth of ups and extras; some you'll want and others you can live without, for a total as delivered sticker of $29,785 — and a damn lot of car for that.
Cockipit is decidedly driver focussed and built of quality stuff
It's the interior that really strikes you; great layout, super comfortable, with high quality leather, plastics and other materials used throughout. Nice big tach front and center as you'd want in any driver's car. The seats are spectacular, beautifully trimmed in nice quality leather, with lots of adjustment in any direction plus lumbar support function. All of the front exterior lighting is high tech LED now, bright and clear in all conditions. All of the connectivity is first rate, with an easy to see and operate nav and all the other Bluetooth and Satellite stuff. The only thing this car didn't feature in that department is the wireless, induction cellphone charging function that's now showing up on a lot of models.
In fact my biggest complaint with this entire car has to do with a small aspect of the instrumentation; the speedo and some other ancillary readouts are shown on a small, power flip up heads up display, and when the seat was adjusted for my comfort and average setting, about a third of the HED was cut off. On some cars these little flip-up display screens are adjustable for angle and rake, which would have helped. I looked for an adjustment function for this one, and if it was there, I never found it. If it was adjustable, and I couldn't figure out how, then I take it all back.
The engine idles with a burbbly thrum, thankfully not the blarey snort you hear from so many "tuner" exhaust systems on small four cylinder engines. The reasons here is that this, of course, is an OEM engineered system, it's dual instead of a small diameter single pipe, and also because the larger 2.5-liter engine just sounds a little huskier than most smaller 1.8- and 2.0-liter I-4s. And as the revs climb it only sounds better; never anything close to loud, just a powerful sounding tenor sound track that revs up and down with the tach. The engine is a jewel, with meaningful low end grunt, plenty of mid range, and it'll rev to the moon if you ask it to. The transmission is an excellent dance partner for the engine, snapping off relatively crisp, responsive shifts when asked. Even though many smaller engined cars have gone to 7-, 8-, 9-, and 10-speed automatics now, 6 is enough for this package. It doesn't shift quite like a Ferrari or a Porsche PDK transmission, but will respond to your commands of the paddles or the manual side of the console shift gate. Mazda's suite of safety technology is also right up to snuff.
Dunlop 215/45 R18 tires are an all weather blend, and not speed rated per se, but give crisp steering and suspension response, and these wheel and tires sizes appear to suit the car well. 17s would ride better over time, but these are a good fit it you enjoy the crisp response
Great looking from any angle, the Mazda3 5-door is particularly handy from this one
The suspension tuning is excellent; sporty and firm enough to be engaging, but never so harsh as to punish. The electric power steering system is also very responsive, although somewhat lacking in road feel, is also nicely weighted. The low profile 18-inch rolling stock also aides quick suspension response, and the rest of the shocks and springs keep body motions well controlled. All in all it's a ball to drive, and being that its a 5-door semi-wagon hatch, there's a ton of cargo space in back, especially when you flatten the second row seatbacks.
All in, this is an excellent machine; so typical of a Mazda, it's more expressive than some other more boring models of similar size and price that accomplish the same transportational goals, but aren't as much fun doing so. Remember, Mazda was the "Zoom Zoom" brand, before reminding us that "Driving Matters" and now encouraging us to "Feel Alive." As opposed to….?
Meaningnful to be sure, but hardly as catchy as Zoom Zoom
If this size, style and class of car suits you, I recommend you shop the Mazda3; it'll do all the same stuff as a more boring car, and for those of us who really enjoy cars and driving, adds on the fun factor that makes the difference between something engaging and, well, not so much. Plus its great looking, beautifully built, and reasonable value.


The social media boom has drastically changed the face of media. Whether you are working in print, TV, digital or social, "content is the king" philosophy works everywhere. Because of the advent of social media it has now become a mandate to focus on the content and you can't leave any stone untouched. One negative feedback can go viral and your years of reputation can be in danger.
Media is no more just talking about your products or services, it is about sharing what audience would like to see on their TV screens or what they would like to share on their Facebook timeline. It is about connecting meaningfully with people and their emotions.
It has become very important to understand your audience, their likes and dislikes, understanding the kind of communication they get involved in every day and meaningfully be a part of it. If you are doing a TV commercial or a Print Ad or building a social media presence for your business, you need to understand that the content strategy should be unparalleled, unmatched and totally out of the box. With the changed mindset of people and cut-throat competition you can either be a hero or a zero, there is no mid-way. According to some insights people see more than 500 marketing messages every day on their timelines, they have become smarter, you need to be very careful while crafting a strategy for your communications.
YOUR CONTENT helps you in enormous ways to make you stand out, to bring you close to your audience and to build a better presence in the eyes of your audience.
A good content perfectly speaks about your business and gets the attention of your audience, it helps you touch the hearts of millions of people watching you on Youtube or following you on Instagram, it makes you stand out of the crowd.
Educating your customers about your products and services, about the industry you are dealing with helps you build a connection and a strong relationship with your audience. Your content should be talking in and out about your product and philosophy behind your product. Rightly crafted strategy can make your consumers your ambassadors. They will speak on your behalf, they will pass on the message be it one to one or broadcasting through social media.
From your audience to Google, everyone is there to consume the good content they like. As their TV screen and Social timelines are cluttered with irrelevant ads, they crave for something they can watch, see, listen and relate to.
From the videos you create, or blog posts you update, or tweets you craft, if it connects rightly to your audience, you own their hearts. In return you get likes, shares, online and offline media coverage. Your websites, blogs, newsletters, white papers, presentations and social media accounts sing the same song that reflects your brand, your identity and it all revolves around one strategy that you are following for your content.
[Content Marketing] is all the marketing that's left.
That's not what happens when you want to make a hit TV show or a website that people care about. You need editors, not brand managers, who will push the envelope to make the thing go forward.


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Nov 25 (Reuters) - Under a new pension accounting method, New Jersey's retirement system for public employees is far more poorly funded than previously measured, the state said in a bond document on Tuesday.
New rules issued by the Government Accounting Standards Board put the system's funding at 44 percent for fiscal 2014, not the 63 percent previously determined by standard actuarial methods. Eighty percent or more is generally considered healthy.
New Jersey is the second-lowest rated U.S. state, behind only Illinois, which is also struggling with massive pension liabilities.
"Regardless of how the liability is measured, the state's record of underfunding its annual contributions to the pension system is at the root of its deterioration," S&P said in statement. "The new pension accounting standards shed further light on what we already understood as a problematic feature of New Jersey's credit profile."
In the face of a budget crisis in May, Governor Chris Christie, a potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate, slashed two years of state pension contributions by about $2.5 billion altogether, prompting lawsuits by organized labor.
Under his watch, the state has been downgraded eight times by Wall Street credit rating agencies.
A spokesman for the Treasury department did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
Only a few pension systems across the country have begun to roll out financial reports that use the new rules from the GASB.
The new measurements are not exactly apples-to-apples comparisons to old standards. Instead of the usual funded ratio that uses smoothing and other actuarial methods, the new GASB rule measures a plan's net position as a percentage of total pension liability.
The net position uses market asset values instead of actuarial ones. In the case of more poorly funded systems such as New Jersey's, it also uses lower discount rates that make the liabilities appear much higher.
This article appeared on Reuters authored by Hilary Russ and edited by Chris Reese.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/25/usa-new-jersey-pensions-idUSL2N0TF23620141125


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What will workouts look like when NBA facilities re-open? Temperature checks, rebounders with gloves, more
By Kurt HelinApr 28, 2020, 9:00 AM EDT
Just like society as a whole, when the NBA starts to re-open facilities to players things are not instantly going to go back to normal.
While some local jurisdictions are moving faster, the NBA has said facilities have to remain closed until at least May 8 as the NBA works to keep some competitive balance. When team training facilities do open, at first it will only be for individual workouts, not team practices or scrimmages. Only four players at a time will be allowed in the facilities, and no coaches (head or assistant) can be present. There are other restrictions as well.
What will those workouts even look like? A Laker team conference call with players gave some hints, as reported by Dave McMenamin at ESPN.
Some of the Lakers' planned precautionary measures include players having their temperatures taken while they are in their cars when they arrive at the facility and answering questions to a designated medical professional before being granted access to the building…
Anyone the Lakers players will encounter at the practice facility will be required to wear a mask and gloves, and the designated rebounder for each player will wear gloves and sterilized sneakers, sources said…
Hand-washing stations will be put in place. The weight room will be rearranged to allow for more space between equipment. Food service in the players' lounge will be revamped to provide meals in individual containers, rather than through a buffet presentation.
And that is just part of the list. Of course, everyone in the facility will be wearing a mask and gloves, save for the players while working out.
Does that seem extreme? Maybe, but teams are smart to error on the side of caution — bring in one player with the disease who gets up some shots, hits the weight room, then things aren't properly sterilized and soon other players are fighting the disease.
Not mentioned in that scenario is testing, which the Lakers will not require to workout, according to the report.
However, if the NBA is going to restart the season — or, more likely, just the playoffs — in a bubble in Las Vegas or Orlando or wherever, extensive testing of players, coaches, trainers, and everyone around the team will be required. The ability to have that kind of testing — and not be taking tests or medical personnel away from where they are needed — will be one of the core criteria for restarting play, even without fans.


Since I'm a web developer I'm sitting still many hours during a day. As a new years resolution, I'm going to take 100 push-ups every day.
Sitting still too many hours during a day doesn't do any good for my health. I'm trying to do regular exercises, but I can always do more to improve my health. So one of this year's resolutions is to take at least 100 push-ups every day. So a total of 36500 push-ups in one year.
I always like to challenge my self, so I'm going to increase the number of push-ups with one every day too. So when December 31st is coming up, I should be taking 465 push-ups in one day. If I do this, the total number of push-ups will be far more than 36500.
Today it's January 25 and I have taken a total of 3141 push-ups so far this year. I'm ahead of schedule and that feels great. The goal was to increase with push-up every day, but so far I have pushed it even further. It's always good to be ahead like this.
How to use Vue and Django together?
I'm a 30 years old programmer from Norway. I've been programming for as long as I remember and I want to help other people to become programmers.
At A Hacker's Day we interview developers and entrepreneurs. We also create some tutorials and blog about the daily life as a computer nerd. If you want to contact us, you can send an email to hello@ahackersday.com or your can find us on twitter @ahackersday.


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Scott Walker drops out—who wins?
Mark Macias	| @markmacias
Published 11:25 AM ET Tue, 22 Sept 2015 Updated 11:40 AM ET Tue, 22 Sept 2015 CNBC.com
Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio are surely smiling with news that Scott Walker is suspending his presidential campaign.
Yes, Sen. Ted Cruz and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee are more likely to appeal to Walker's more conservative base when it comes to voters, but from a publicity perspective, Fiorina and Rubio are best positioned to capitalize with additional media exposure.
Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Republican presidential candidates Carly Fiorina, former chairman and chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard Co., and Scott Walker, governor of Wisconsin, walk on stage during the Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
When the next presidential dominoes fall — likely George Pataki, Bobby Jindal and Lindsey Graham — the media coverage for Fiorina and Rubio will only get better.
Donald Trump won't get additional coverage as additional candidates drop out because his campaign is already fully staffed with reporters and producers assigned to him. Likewise, the other early front-runner, Jeb Bush, had journalists assigned to him months ago.
Can Carly Fiorina go all the way?
But where was Fiorina months ago? It's unlikely she had any full-time journalists assigned to her campaign.
Here's how it works with the media: Every morning, news producers, reporters and assignment managers gather in a conference room to discuss potential stories for the day. The reporters and producers assigned to a campaign, such as Trump, are expected to pitch their best ideas. Trump already has a machine pushing his stories inside those news conference rooms.
But before the Fox News debate, there were probably few reporters pitching stories on Fiorina.
Republicans must change to win
As Fiorina begins to rise in the polls and as more candidates drop out, news resources for photographers, field producers, researchers, desk assistants and even unassigned reporters will be reassigned. And more of those resources will go to Fiorina.
Likewise, Rubio should begin to see more reporters following him on the campaign trail, especially as the field dwindles down to six or seven candidates. The media covered Rubio's campaign earlier in the summer, but after Trump stepped in, those coveted newsroom resources — where every body is counted — were thrown at Trump.
So why the attraction with Rubio?
Max Whittaker | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida and 2016 presidential candidate, participates in the Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
There is still a lot of chatter following Rubio among the political pundits. Sure, voters outside the Beltway have a right to say pundits don't know how they feel in the Midwest, the South, etc. Regardless, the pundits have a tremendous amount of influence with the media and here's why.
The political pundits provide journalists with a fresh perspective on campaign money, campaign chatter even the direction of campaigns. Dig a little deeper into the political publications and you will hear pundits raving about Rubio, his debate performance and his foreign-policy credentials. Like it or not, the media will follow as new resources become available, and as more candidates drop out, those pundit ideas will make their way to TV.
Fiorina and Rubio better be ready for more scrutiny because as Walker found out, the unscripted part of television is the hardest part of a campaign. Lucky for Trump, he mastered it over a decade ago with "The Apprentice."
The beginning of the end of Donald Trump?
Commentary by Mark Macias, head of Macias PR, a global public-relations firm, that has run media and branding campaigns for politicians, tech start-ups, financial firms, nonprofits and companies. He's also author of the book, "Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media." Follow him on Twitter @markmacias.
Mark MaciasMedia Consultant


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Community Initiative Support
Valuing Diverse Cultures
Our Capacities
Our staff's collective knowledge, skills, experiences, and backgrounds enable us to use a wide range of strategies and methods in our work. For further information about the capacities of Community Science staff, see Our Community.
Community Science is committed to making research and evaluation a participatory learning process that enhances the capacity of institutions to meet the needs and aspirations of community members. With our greatest strength the study of community and systems change, we also are committed to developing knowledge of how to address social problems in a way that will benefit all communities. Our methods for answering research and evaluation questions in various community contexts are state-of-the-art; to gather outcome and process data, we take both qualitative and quantitative approaches, including advanced statistical methods, case studies, surveys (by telephone, mail, Internet, or in-person), and ethnographic methods. Additionally, we employ the latest computer technology, as well as participatory research methods, and our staff members analyze archival data sets, including crime, census, and health data. Community Science is committed to the highest scientific standards and to making collected information both useful and accessible for various audiences.
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Information, if shared and used, has the power to effect social and community change, making the ability to collect, share, and use data a critical capacity for all organizations. Community Science therefore focuses on helping organizations and participants learn to use data to plan, reflect, and take action in their communities, while also helping to establish new organizational norms and procedures for learning. We have helped local and national organizations and individuals (including program staff, evaluators, etc.) improve their capacity to collect and use information effectively through developing monitoring and learning systems, planning workshops, providing technical assistance, designing information systems, and establishing learning networks. Current examples of these services include:
Organizing and facilitating learning networks that enable participants, both locally and nationally, to support each other through peer learning and sharing resources; and
Convening or establishing neighborhood learning clusters for members of organizations working on common issues, national training and networking conferences, conference calls, listservs, and discussion boards—all with the purpose of creating the relationships needed to foster progressive change.
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Through extensive research, many principles for effective community development strategies and programs have emerged. Research findings, however, are not always accessible to or easily adaptable by organizations, community leaders, funders, or practitioners. A key aspect of community development work is deriving the essential principles from prior research and guiding organizations to adapt models that other communities have used successfully. At Community Science, therefore, we develop materials and tools appropriate to the language and perspective of end-users. See our publications for examples of our ability to translate research into practice.
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Comprehensive community initiatives must develop an infrastructure that enables community institutions to support initiative goals. To engage a community at the level needed for comprehensive change, organizations must have the capacity to address community needs and promote well-being. Community leaders, agency staff, and others need the knowledge, skills, resources, and relations to implement activities. National and local intermediary organizations are essential elements of the infrastructure needed to develop these local capacities to foster change. Intermediary organizations, in turn, must be mobilized and coordinated to provide multifaceted capacity-building supports such as workshops, technical assistance, peer learning/support networks, educational materials, resource development, and public information. Community Science facilitates the assessment, planning, and management of these support systems to help ensure that long-term capacity to make change is embedded in local communities. Community Science also provides foundation and government agencies with technical assistance, evaluation, and program management assistance to support national and local community initiatives.
Because of our cultural competence, Community Science staff members have been able to work effectively with communities and organizations throughout Latin America, Africa, Canada, Italy, Russia, and Southeast Asia, in addition to different ethnic communities throughout the United States.
Community Science staff is fluent in several languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Malay, Italian, and French. Language proficiency, however, is not the most important element of our capacity to work across cultures. We spend a great deal of time learning about the social organization, customs, norms, and history of the groups with whom we work, enabling us to build upon the strengths of different cultures; for example, we currently support several national and regional initiatives that engage with immigrant communities to increase their participation in civic activities and their relations with other groups. Community Science also leads a national effort to increase the number of evaluators of color and their participation in evaluation opportunities. Our staff's own ethnic diversity is among our greatest capacities, providing us the opportunity to learn about, struggle with, and value our differences (and similarities).
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Can satellite broadband solve rural internet inequality? | Commentary
By Geoffrey Starks
Guest Columnist |
The Federal Communications Commission building. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)
As we celebrate the golden anniversary of Apollo 11 and America's first trip to the moon, many are calling today the new golden age for space exploration. And it should be. Innovative companies dotting our sky with new constellations of small satellites may help answer one of our toughest problems — improving rural America's internet access.
Geoffrey Starks (Steve Balderson / Courtesy photo)
As we enter the future of communications technology with self-driving cars, virtual reality and artificial intelligence, millions of Americans still lack broadband. At least 21 million Americans lack access to home broadband, a necessity in today's world. Our persistent digital divide is hardening into an "internet inequality," and millions of Americans risk falling further behind without equal opportunities to compete for jobs, learn with online tools, and engage in civic discourse. We must address this problem now.
As a Commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission, one of my major responsibilities is to ensure that all Americans have affordable access to communications. There are challenges to bringing service to the most remote areas of the U.S. where there is low population density and large amounts of land to cover. Fiber optic cable provides the fastest connection and is easy to upgrade, but like any technology involving digging trenches and attaching equipment to utility poles, is expensive. Wireless service doesn't require the same type of infrastructure and could reach more remote populations with high-speed broadband. But it still requires significant investment and may not be the right choice for everyone because of pricing, coverage or data caps. The FCC and other federal and state agencies spend billions of dollars each year to subsidize rural broadband. But still, the problem of rural internet inequality persists.
Companies already offer internet services through satellites operating in geostationary orbits thousands of miles above the Earth. While traditional broadband providers start their networks in urban centers and expand outwards, satellite providers can serve everyone, regardless of geography, once their satellites are operational. These services are often the only connection available in remote areas. And because they do not depend on infrastructure that can be damaged in storms, they play an important role after natural disasters. While technology has improved, current satellite broadband offerings struggle as a mass-market broadband solution for several reasons, including pricing, slower speeds and latency – the delay between when a signal is transmitted and when it is received – which makes real-time communications difficult.
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New developments are revitalizing satellite broadband. First, greater launch access has made it easier and less expensive to put satellites in orbit. In 2011, the year the space shuttle was retired, there were zero commercial satellite launches from the U.S. Last year, a single American company had 20 commercial launches. Second, companies like SpaceX, Amazon, and OneWeb promise to offer high-speed internet service via fleets of thousands of small satellites in low-Earth orbit. By operating large numbers of satellites at lower orbits, these new providers promise widespread, high-speed coverage while reducing latency to milliseconds. All without needing to navigate tricky terrain or lay countless miles of wire back on Earth.
The FCC's stewardship of the public airwaves is one tool the agency can use to promote the delivery of communications services to all Americans. The coming satellite broadband surge challenges us to rethink our policies. In August, the Commission will consider streamlining the process for applications involving small satellites in low-Earth orbit. We should take a similar look at our processes for innovative satellite broadband operations to determine how they promote service to rural America. We must adopt policies that encourage investment in new networks and leave room for new competitive players and new services.
Rural Americans should demand new solutions to addressing internet inequality. In August, I'll visit the Kennedy Space Center's famous Launch Complex 39A, launch site for Apollo 11, where new launches are breathing life into this historic location. I am eager to see how the next generation of broadband satellites launched from the U.S. will help deliver internet access to rural areas. Companies are quickly moving to offer this service to customers—as soon as next year—and we will then learn more about the market for these services, and their speeds, pricing and availability. The Commission should do its part to fulfill the promise of this new space age and ensure that its policies are even-handed and generate solutions, not problems.
Geoffrey Starks is a Commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission. You can follow him on Twitter @GeoffreyStarks.
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Overlay district would be Winter Park's biggest mistake | Commentary


Move right into this 4 Bedroom Colonial. Many updates have been completed. Spacious Kitchen with dishwasher, Formal dining room and Natural woodwork. Large front entry hall and rear mud room entrance. Updates include New kitchen flooring, Tear off roof, Newer forced air furnace, 150 amp electric service, Glass block windows and freshly painted interior. New front porch. Very convenient location. Call me today to view your New Home.


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Checks being conducted at Abbey Stadium
Fans should be able to show proof of being double vaccinated or a negative LFT/PCR test (with the result registered through the NHS) taken no more than 72 hours prior to kick-off.
Supporters are advised to download their Covid Pass through the NHS app and be ready to show this before going through the turnstiles.
An electronic copy of your Covid Pass can be downloaded to your smartphone or you can print off a paper version and bring this with you to the ground.
Checks will be carried out periodically as supporters enter the stadium and anyone who cannot show their Covid certification will be denied entry.
Please note that only supporters aged 18 or over will be asked to show Covid certification.
Fans are advised to arrive earlier than usual if possible, as these checks are likely to increase entry time into the ground.
Click here for more information on Covid certification from the Cambridge website.
You can also click here to read some general travel information to the Abbey Stadium.
Cambridge United vs Portsmouth on 11 Jan 22
EFL Statement: League Schedule To Continue
The EFL can confirm that its programme of games in the League and Carabao Cup will continue, with fixtures to be played where it is safe to do so and the set squad criteria can be fulfilled by clubs.
Cowley: We Should Be Scoring More
Much has been made of Pompey's contrasting fortunes at each end of the pitch this season.
Thompson: One Hell Of A Game
It is a mouth-watering contest between two of the biggest clubs in League One.
Highlights: AFC Wimbledon 0 Pompey 0
Pompey had to settle for a point after being held by a stubborn AFC Wimbledon side at Plough Lane.


Fortunately, the Milk - Audiobook | Listen Instantly!
Neil Gaiman is the author of several #1 New York Times bestsellers, including Norse Mythogy, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and Anansi Boys, and others, as well as the Sandman series of graphic novels. His fiction has received Newbery, Carnegie, Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner awards. His novel American Gods aired as a TV series in 2017. Originally from England, he lives in the United States, where he is a professor at Bard College.


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Q: Generate POST request for storing images in WordPress I am working with WordPress to save images to its media library. Images are sent in base64 form so I want to know how we can make POST data requests for that base64 image after decoding it, as WordPress's wp_handle_upload function does not accept image via url.
Here is my code
$image = $_REQUEST['image'];  // requested image
include('../wp-load.php');  // Load wordpress engine
include_once('config.php');
$data = base64_decode($image);   // decode image
$filename = "IMG_".time().".png";  // filename
//$fileurl = "../wp-content/uploads".$directory.$filename;
//file_put_contents($fileurl, $data);
// wordpress wp_handle_upload not accept image via url
if ( ! function_exists( 'wp_handle_upload' ) ) require_once( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/file.php' );
$uploadedfile = $data;
$upload_overrides = array( 'test_form' => false );
$movefile = wp_handle_upload( $uploadedfile, $upload_overrides );
if ( $movefile ) {
    // echo "file loaded";
}
if ( $movefile ) {
    $wp_filetype = $movefile['type'];
    $filename = $movefile['file'];
    $wp_upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
    $attachment = array(
        'guid' => $wp_upload_dir['url'] . '/' . basename( $filename ),
        'post_mime_type' => $wp_filetype,
        'post_title' => preg_replace('/\.[^.]+$/', '', basename($filename)),
        'post_content' => '',
        'post_status' => 'inherit'
    );
    $attach_id = wp_insert_attachment( $attachment, $filename);
}

A: i did with another way , i write that decoded base64 image to uploads folder and then insert it as attachement
$postId = $_REQUEST['postId'];
$image = $_REQUEST['image'];
$directory = "/".date(Y)."/".date(m)."/";
$wp_upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$data = base64_decode($image);
$filename = "IMG_".time().".png";
//$fileurl = $wp_upload_dir['url'] . '/' . basename( $filename );
$fileurl = "../wp-content/uploads".$directory.$filename;

$filetype = wp_check_filetype( basename( $fileurl), null );

file_put_contents($fileurl, $data);

    $attachment = array(
        'guid' => $wp_upload_dir['url'] . '/' . basename( $fileurl ),
        'post_mime_type' => $filetype['type'],
        'post_title' => preg_replace('/\.[^.]+$/', '', basename($fileurl)),
        'post_content' => '',
        'post_status' => 'inherit'
    );
//  print_r($attachment);
//echo "<br>file name :  $fileurl";
    $attach_id = wp_insert_attachment( $attachment, $fileurl ,$postId);
require_once('../wp-admin/includes/image.php' );

// Generate the metadata for the attachment, and update the database record.
$attach_data = wp_generate_attachment_metadata( $attach_id, $fileurl );
wp_update_attachment_metadata( $attach_id, $attach_data );

hope it will help someone :)

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