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Fr Frank's Homily – 11 October 2020
By Fr Frank Brennan SJ, 10 October 2020
2020 CYP Youth Ministry Masterclass. Image: Diocese of Parramatta.
Homily for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Isaiah 25:6-10; Philippians 4:12-14,19-20; Matthew 22:1-14
In today's gospel, we hear the last of Jesus' parables in Matthew's gospel about the kingdom. Once again it is directed to the chief priests and the elders – those who pride, or at least content, themselves on being the religious leaders and exemplars for the people. Once again the parable transforms into allegory with dollops of what the modern day film censor would call gratuitous and excessive violence. This time it's a wedding feast. The groom is the king's son. As was customary, invitations had already been sent to the special guests. The king's servants were then despatched to remind the invitees that the wedding was imminent. From the very beginning the story runs off the parable rails and into the thickets of violent allegory. The guests refuse to come. The king despatches another set of servants to implore them to come. But they just weren't interested. Everyone had a better offer. Then, as in the previous violent kingdom parables, the servants are seized, maltreated and killed. Before the bride and groom can exchange vows at the sumptuous wedding feast, the king despatches his troops both to murder the special guests who would not come and to destroy their town. The town having been destroyed, presumably everyone from the richest to the poorest has been rendered homeless. Having destroyed their homes and livelihoods, the king was still keen to invite the townsfolk to his son's elaborate wedding. The servants 'collected together everyone they could find, bad and good alike'. The wedding hall was then filled with guests and the celebrations got underway.
Listen at https://soundcloud.com/frank-brennan-6/homily-111020
You'd think the king could take a break at this stage and just enjoy the night, making the best of a bad lot. But he spots one of the late invitees without a wedding garment, so orders that this badly attired gentleman be bound hand and foot and thrown into the darkness 'where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth'. It's one hell of a wedding. Being a priest, I know that wedding receptions have many depths and eddies of emotion at play. I have often observed that one of the blessings and burdens of being a priest at a wedding reception is that you usually get to talk both to the happiest and saddest people in the room, including the newly weds and those who have gone through the most bitter divorces.
Last week's parable ended with the declaration to the chief priests and elders: 'The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.' This week's ends with the chief priests and elders being told, 'For many are called, but few are chosen.' Scripture scholars tell us that this is a well attested Semitic idiom meaning that all are called to the banquet of the kingdom but not all are chosen. Everyone is invited to the table of the banquet, but to remain at the table of the Lord, something is expected of us. There are no reserved places for those like chief priests and elders, or those who received the first round of invitations. One scripture scholar notes:
In extreme cases, the impression is given that one's oppressive socio-economic, political and physical circumstances merit right status before God. Surely, this is the opposite error theologically of maintaining that health, status and wealth are the sure signs of God's favour. Being an outsider will not of itself make one an insider. While God's grace invites all to the table, appropriate response keeps one there.
During this past week, Pope Francis issued his new encyclical Fratelli Tutti, literally translated as 'all brothers'. In his previous encyclical Laudato Si', Francis wanted us to see how everything is connected. He reflected on his choice of the name Francis, following in the footsteps of Francis of Assisi who 'shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace'.
His focus in both encyclicals is on the poor:
"Indeed, when all is said and done, [the poor] frequently remain at the bottom of the pile. This is due partly to the fact that many professionals, opinion makers, communications media and centres of power, being located in affluent urban areas, are far removed from the poor, with little direct contact with their problems. They live and reason from the comfortable position of a high level of development and a quality of life well beyond the reach of the majority of the world's population. This lack of physical contact and encounter, encouraged at times by the disintegration of our cities, can lead to a numbing of conscience and to tendentious analyses which neglect parts of reality."(#49)
In Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis wants to demonstrate how everyone is connected, particularly those who lead the Church and those who are poor or marginalised, those like the disabled, the unborn and the elderly; the unemployed, the migrant and the refugee. He wants us to be able to see everyone as brothers and sisters.
He reminds us: "Some parts of our human family… can be readily sacrificed for the sake of others considered worthy of a carefree existence. Ultimately, persons are no longer seen as a paramount value to be cared for and respected, especially when they are poor and disabled, 'not yet useful' – like the unborn, or 'no longer needed' – like the elderly." (#18)
In Fratelli Tutti, Francis gives us a splendid reflection on the parable of the Good Samaritan. As Cardinal Czerny SJ explains, this second chapter of the encyclical is a pastoral lesson for us as to how we should see, grasp, understand and respond to the one who is other, the one who is poor.
Francis challenges us:
"Every brother or sister in need, when abandoned or ignored by the society in which I live, becomes an existential foreigner, even though born in the same country. They may be citizens with full rights, yet they are treated like foreigners in their own country.'"(#97)
Should we not be first attentive to those who feel that they are treated like foreigners in their own Church? Francis's universal vision and invitation in this encyclical, echoing today's parable in which all are invited to the wedding feast, is clouded by the continuing incapacity of our Church and its leaders to fully and equally include women at the table, demonstrated by their exclusion even from the title of the document, 'Fratelli Tutti'.
Pope Francis writes:
"(T)he organization of societies worldwide is still far from reflecting clearly that women possess the same dignity and identical rights as men. We say one thing with words, but our decisions and reality tell another story." (#23)
Reading these words this week, I reflected that on the morning after the federal budget, the coverage on ABC Radio National was led by a leading journalist Fran Kelly, interviewing a panel of three: Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive of the Business Council of Australia, Michele O'Neill, the President of the ACTU, and Cassandra Goldie, the CEO of ACOSS. All women! All there on merit! We as a Church are just so far behind, with our decisions and reality telling another story. It's as if we are not even listening. We have lost the right to preach to others about according women the same dignity and rights as men. Many reputable Catholic women wrote to the Holy Father before the publication of the encyclical pleading with him to change the title of the document to something more inclusive, something which could be heard as being less sexist in the twenty-first century. Their cry went unheard. They wrote:
"[T]his issue presents a problem for many who would otherwise be fully engaged with the encyclical and committed to working with you for lasting social, spiritual and environmental transformation. At best it is a distraction, and at worst it is a serious stumbling block. This unfortunate situation can be very easily rectified by the inclusion of 'sorelle' as well as 'fratelli' in the title. This would ensure that translations must include sisters as well as brothers in all languages, and it would prevent any misunderstanding as to your intended audience. We know that such a minor modification would be in keeping with the spirit of Saint Francis, and with your own intentions. We urge you to show that you are indeed open to dialogue and are listening to the voices of women. It would be a powerful message that you have heard us, if you were to make this one small change to the title."
No change was made. Whatever the considerable virtues of the document, it stands with the exclusively gendered title Fratelli Tutti. We have cause to rejoice that Pope Francis tells us in the encyclical that the Church "works for the advancement of humanity and of universal fraternity. She does not claim to compete with earthly powers, but to offer herself as a family among families, this is the Church, open to bearing witness in today's world, open to faith hope and love for the Lord and for those whom he loves with a preferential love. A home with open doors. The Church is a home with open doors, because she is a mother." (#276)
We need to ensure that all brothers and sisters have a place at the table. And those of us who think we belong at the table need to dress ourselves and address others appropriately. Putting the violence, the regrets and no-shows, and the destruction of the town behind us, let's enjoy the wedding banquet, and pray together the prayer Pope Francis composed at the end of Fratelli Tutti:
"Lord, Father of our human family, you created all human beings equal in dignity: pour forth into our hearts a fraternal spirit and inspire in us a dream of renewed encounter, dialogue, justice and peace.
Move us to create healthier societies and a more dignified world, a world without hunger, poverty, violence and war. May our hearts be open to all the peoples and nations of the earth.
May we recognize the goodness and beauty that you have sown in each of us, and thus forge bonds of unity, common projects, and shared dreams. Amen."
Fr Frank Brennan SJ is the Rector of Newman College, Melbourne and the former CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA).


HR669 and some unintentional effects on US science?
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How the teachings of Islam could help us prevent more sexual abuse scandals.
November 13, 2017 sierraleoneislamicweb International News, News Leave a comment
Harvey Weinstein is just another case of a powerful man abusing women because we live in a society that lets him get away with it, but we can change that
If the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse revelations shocked you, then you're dangerously ignorant to reality. According to RAINN, an American is assaulted every 98 seconds, one out of every six women will deal with rape or attempted rape in her lifetime, and 90 per cent of rape victims are women.
I'm a Muslim, and a civil rights lawyer with a special interest in advocating for women's rights. My advocacy is informed not just by the law, but by strategies detailed in Islamic teachings and Prophet Muhammad's example to pre-empt sexual abuse. Yes, the cancer of sexual abuse against women that we see in Christian majority America is just as prevalent in Muslim majority Pakistan, but also in Hindu majority India and state atheist China. This proves that men worldwide are failing in our responsibility to end sexual abuse and gender based violence.
Let's start by understanding two facts. First, a woman's attire, alcohol intake, marital status, and education level do not contribute to sexual abuse – abusive men do. Second, sexual abuse doesn't happen in a vacuum. Every level of society – social norms, media, and Government – is complicit in promoting the rape culture that perpetuates sexual abuse.
Social norms demonise a woman for speaking out, victim-blaming her by asking what she was wearing, whether she gave signals inviting abuse, or asking why she didn't speak up sooner.
The media also advances rape culture by disregarding women and their voices. Why didn't the allegations against Weinstein gain clout when Rose McGowan screamed them from the top of her lungs years ago? Why has society advanced people like Harvey Weinstein, Roger Aisles, Bill Cosby, Bill O'Reilly, and even our Commander in Chief to the pinnacle of success, despite the decades long testimony of sexual abuse and rape from dozens of women?
How can we rely on government when 97 per cent of rapists never see a day in prison, judges punish rape of an unconscious college woman with a measly three months in jail, award rapists with equal custody of the child born from a woman they raped, and the US Department of Education rolls back rules that protect women in college from sexual assault?
The fact is that states are not moral actors – people are. But when people let bad behavior go unchallenged we inch closer to societal anarchy. In truth, any expectation that we can simply pass a law to stop sexual abuse is foolish.
Despite laws in France that criminalise sexual harassment, an astounding 100 per cent of French Parisian women on public transit report sexual harassment. France's proposed response is legislation to ban cat-calling. Such legislation, if passed, will also fail because state laws only punish the actor once the act is completed, they don't prevent the act in the first place. This scenario plays out repeatedly worldwide, whether we're discussing "revenge porn", gender based violence, or sexual harassment in the workplace.
This is where Islamic teachings and Prophet Muhammad's example provide a solution that no state truly can. And while there are people who don't believe that sexual abuse is even a problem, some on the left will disagree that accountability to a higher power is a solution.
This is a reasonable argument, in part, due to the hypocrisy of allegedly religious men like Congressman Tim Murphy, who condemns abortion and infidelity, yet was caught encouraging his mistress to have one, or former Indiana GOP chair Rick Halvorsen who was convicted of incest. Yes, Islam implores accountability to the creator, but rather than preach empty dogmatic theories, Islam instead prescribes a proven secular model.
In a recent internationally broadcast lecture given live before roughly 6,000 Muslim women, the Khalifa of Islam said, "Chapter four, verse two of the Holy Quran…clarifies that women were not created out of the body of a man or from his rib. Rather, the Quran testifies to the fact that men and women were created from a single soul and are of the same kind and species."
Thus, the Quran 4:2 first establishes men and women as equal beings. Chapter 4:20 then forbids men from forcing a woman to act against her will, thereby ensuring women maintain autonomy and self-determination.
This verse also commands men to consort with women in kindness, forbidding men from so much as thinking ill of their wives. This preempts emotional and mental abuse. Chapter 4:35 furthermore prevents violence against women by forcing men to control themselves and never resort to physically harming women– preempting physical abuse.
The Quran further obliges men to provide for a woman's every financial need, while holding that anything a woman earns is hers alone – preempting financial abuse. And when it comes to the Islamic concept of Hijab, it is men who are first commanded to never gawk at women, and instead guard their private parts and chastity, regardless of how women choose to dress – pre-empting sexual abuse.
Prophet Muhammad himself illustrated this point. In a famous incident, a woman described as strikingly beautiful approached the Prophet to seek his guidance on some religious matters. The Prophet's companion, Al Fadl, began to stare at her because of her beauty. Noting this, the Prophet Muhammad did not scold the woman for her attire, but instead, he "reached his hand backwards, catching Al Fadl's chin, and turned his face to the other side so that he would not gaze at her".
Accordingly, the Prophet Muhammad by example demonstrated that the burden of modesty, respect, and combating abuse of women rests on men. Indeed, men must take the lead in stopping such sexual abuse. After all, while the Quran obliges women to dress modestly as a covenant with God, Islam prescribes no punishment whatsoever for women who choose to dress otherwise.
On the contrary, on numerous occasions Prophet Muhammad punished an accused rapist on the testimony of the rape survivor alone. In this environment of gender equity, women in Islam riseto the rank of legal scholars, warriors, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists while lovingly embracing identities as mothers and housewives.
Weinstein is a symptom of the greater disease of arrogance, unaccountability, societal apathy, and from men who knew of the abuse but did nothing. Islam and Prophet Muhammad provide a practical solution.
Sexual abuse of women will markedly decrease when men stop abusing women and when men stop thinking that just because they haven't personally abused women, they have no further obligations. According to Islam, every man is accountable to stop abuse of women—by their word and by their acts. Many abusers like Weinstein walk our streets, terrorizing our neighbors. Together, we can employ a proven Islamic model that will stop this madness, and re-invoke gender equity today in America, and the world.
Qasim Rashid is an attorney, author, and national spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. Follow him at @MuslimIQ
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/harvey-weinstein-islam-sexual-assault-rape-womens-rights-a8001521.html
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1. The book opens with an epigraph which includes the line: "When the wolves of hate are loosed on one people, then no one is safe." What does this phrase mean in relation to the novel? What other epigraph might work for the story?
2. The phrase "in the neighborhood of true" appears throughout the novel. What is the difference between something close enough to the truth and a lie? When is it okay to not tell the whole truth?
3. Ruth doesn't tell her new friends or Davis that she's Jewish, but no one questions her about it either. Does she have an obligation to announce her identity? Can you actually be close to someone who doesn't know everything about you?
4. Why does becoming a debutante appeals to Ruth? What is she hoping for through this process?
5. Ruth's mother and grandfather both write for the local newspaper. What role does reporting play in the novel? What does Ruth learn from their work?
6. Rabbi Selwick and Max both feel called to advocate for equal civil rights. What might have led them to this? In what ways do they protest or try to change society? Do you believe they are making any progress?
7. Ruth loves fashion, carefully preparing her outfits and taking note of what everyone around her is wearing. What do these details add to the story and to your reading experience?
8. Mr. Hank tells Ruth, "Don't think the South has a monopoly on racism." How does Ruth describe the similarities and differences in racial relations in New York and the South in the 1950's?
9. There are a lot of different rules and guides for societal behavior in the novel – from the pink book to Jim Crow segregation. What purpose do those rules serve in the Atlanta of the novel? In what ways do the characters follow those rules and in what ways do they break them? What rules in the 21st century, written or unwritten, work the same way for us?
10. Davis insists that his brother isn't a bad person. Why does he defend him? Is it possible for Davis to stand by his family and still love Ruth?
11. Ruth's family tells her that she did the right thing by speaking up, but she's unsure if she made a difference in the end. Do you think she did? Is there value in standing up for what you believe in even if it doesn't seem to change anything?
12. The temple bombing was based on a real event and the author's note discusses some of the ways this event echoes into the current day. In your view, how has society progressed or stayed the same since the 1958 Atlanta Temple bombing? What can we learn now from the characters in the novel and their stories?
I thought of Davis and his single dimple and how his hand had hovered at the small of my back, making me feel its phantom weight even when he wasn't touching me. I thought of a different day and a different dress, this one with sunburst pleats—how he'd unzipped it and fanned it out on the grass that night at the club, how the air was sweet as taffy, and how when we rejoined his family I'd wondered if every pleat was back in place.
"Coming," I said, but I did the opposite of not-dallying.
I put the navy dress on over my slip and sat, right there on the closet floor, not giving a fig about wrinkles. It was as if my nerves had pitched the world ten degrees to the left and I had to plunk down to find my balance. It was cool at the back of the closet—in what I'd come to think of as my New York section, the land of navies and blacks and grays—where the floor was concrete, smooth and solid beneath me.
The dress reminded me of Leslie Caron in An American in Paris, except I was an American in Atlanta, and in the six months I'd been here, my taste and I had gone from simple to posh to simple again. If the girls in the pastel posse were in the courtroom today, I bet they'd be in shades of sherbet, rays of sunshine against the February sky.


Can you spot why the whole internet is talking about this Christmas Grinch cake?
It's the super easy Christmas cake the whole internet is talking about - for a very interesting reason!
While the Grinch cake - created by Delish in the US - might look like a baking masterpiece which has taken hours to create, it seems the icing hides a very big secret.
Closer inspection reveals that the base of the cake is made using cupcakes placed in formation to create the face of the Grinch. They then just pipe icing in various colours over the top to complete the finished product - and guests can just take a cupcake from the side to eat, instead of cutting a slice of cake.
And while Delish have made their own cupcakes in their recipes, we don't see why you can't just use store-bought cupcakes from Woolies or Coles and decorate it as shown - making it a very fast and easy creation.
This definitely isn't the first time that we've seen pull-apart cupcake cakes take over the internet, but they're usually done in the formations of numbers or fruits such as pineapples or watermelons - so it's no surprise that seeing something as intricate as the Christmas Grinch has caused such a stir.
Head over to Delish to get all the details!


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Ojok Okello
Starting a Co-op Journey to Build a Shea Movement in Okere
Cooperative societies have traditionally been used as vehicle for facilitating rural reforms and agrarian transformations world over. In Uganda, cooperative movements brought together different stakeholders to pursue their own interest and work together as a collective force to be responsible for shaping their own destinies. However, with coming into force of the Washington Consensus' Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) of the World Bank in the 1980s, Cooperatives were weakened and to date, they remain a relic of the past economic glories - albeit some initiatives by the government to resuscitate them.
One of the most significant role played by cooperative societies is value-chain development of various agricultural enterprises. In Uganda, for instance, Kibinge Coffee Cooperative has played a key role in improving coffee farm productivity, cleaning and processing the coffee beans and turning them into high end commercial products. It is on this basis, that the farmers in Okere village in Northern Uganda have come together to cooperate to build a shea movement through Okere Shea Cooperative Society.
Okere Shea Cooperative Society aims to bring together 500 community members (80% of whom will be women) as a collective effort to build a movement around the protection of shea trees and enabling the rural community in Okere to harness the socio-economic benefits of the natural resource. The Coop will thus incentivize and empower the people of Okere, especially the women to not only become better custodians of shea trees be also be strategically positioned to tap into the multiple benefits of shea butter.
The inaugural meeting to start-up Okere Shea Cooeprative Society was held on Friday 11th Sept 2020 at Okere Community Centre and 120 community members were in attendance. The objective of the meeting was to introduce members to the concept of a cooperative society and enable them to appreciate it. The meeting also acted as a unique opportunity for the members to register to join the coop and also elect the interim leadership team to steer the coop into the right direction.
The inaugural meeting was facilitated by Charles Opio who heads the Commercial Department of Otuke District Local Government. Mr. Opio commended the community members for not only attending the meeting but also for expressing their interest to work together to harness the full potential of shea trees which is a natural resource in Okere. He took participants to the cooperative values which among others include honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.
Charles Opio, Otuke District Commercial Officer
Whilst members have shown much enthusiasm to join the cooperative from the start, Mr. Opio also warned the farmers that managing a cooperative society is a complex affair which requires a leadership team which is accountable to the members and innovative enough to adopt leadership and management styles which work for greater good of the members.
"I have supported many Cooperatives to start-up their work but there is almost no cooperative society to be proud of in Otuke" Opio regrettably said. "But, I am willing and happy to do whatever it takes to make sure that Okere Shea Cooperative lives to see a brighter sun soon" he concluded on a promissory note.
During the meeting, a new interim team led by the Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and two advisors. Mary Ochen, one of the strong women in Okere and a fierce campaigner against the cutting down of shea trees was elected as the in interim Chairperson of the cooperative; Mary Achen another renowned shea butter local producer was voted as the treasurer whilst Aker Patrick who is the Chairperson of the local VSLA group was elected to serve as the interim secretary. Akello Rose and Awoyi Moses were nominated as members to serve in committee of the interim leadership.
Elected leaders having a reflection shortly after the meeting
Mr. Ojok Okello, the CEO of Okere City and patron/interim Chair of the Okere Shea Coop board applauded the members for coming together as a collective to tap into the Shea natural resource for "our collective betterment". "In fact, the Coop should be a unique opportunity to enable us conserve our environment and serve our community at the same time". "Therefore, the cooperative will enable us to sustainably thrive if we embrace it and be relentless in our pursuits to make it work" Ojok further noted. Conclusively, he emphasised that Okere Shea Cooperative Society will give the community the opportunity to collect more shea nuts and add more value to it bringing it better economic benefits to the members and the community at large.
To conclude the meeting, it was imperative that members understood and have a fervent appreciation of some of the cooperative principles. Thus, through a participatory process, members reflected on some of aspects discussed below;
i. Membership to Okere Shea Coop will be voluntary and open to all people of Okere and neighbouring village regardless of gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination as long as they are willing to accept the responsibilities of membership.
ii. Okere Shea Cooperative shall strive to be a democratic and member controlled organization by having its members actively participate in setting its policies and making decisions. At the Coop, the leaders serving as elected representatives are will be mandated to be accountable to the membership. Similarly, Okere Shea Coop members shall have equal voting rights (one member, one vote).
iii. The economic participation of each of all members of Okere Shea Cooperative Society shall be supreme. Members of the cooperative shall contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital will usually be the common property of the cooperative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing Okere Shea Coop, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the cooperative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership.
iv. Okere Shea Cooperative shall remain autonomous and continuously remain a self-help organisation controlled by their members. If coop enters into agreements with other organisations, including governments, NGOs, venture capitalists or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.
v. Okere Shea Cooperative shall prioritise Education and Training while at the same addressing Information needs of the members. The Cooperative shall provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operatives. They inform the general public - particularly young people and opinion leaders - about the nature and benefits of co-operation. The training and educational needs shall cover crucial aspects such as nature conservation and environmental protection, gender, human and women's right's among others.
vi. The ultimate aim of Okere Shea Cooperative shall be to work towards ensuring sustainable community development in Okere and beyond.


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Entertainment, News and Relationships
Home » Sports » Michael Oher Married Life Found! Wife Picture, Controversy, Real Parents
Michael Oher Married Life Found! Wife Picture, Controversy, Real Parents
Date: 05 Jun, 2019
Ethnicity/Race
Michael Jerome Williams Sr.
Denise Oher
Sister/s
Collins Tuohy, Tara Oher, Denise Oher
Brother/s
Andre Oher, Rico Oher, Carlos Oher, Sean Tuohy Jr., Marcus Oher, Deljuan Oher, John Oher
Briarcrest Christian School
Height/ How Tall?
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
It's a dream for many players to play at NFL, the highest professional level of American football in the world. Among few, NFL star Michael Oher, who is one time Super Bowl winner, has lived up to his dreams because of his hard work and dedication.
The Memphis native grew to become a professional NFL American football offensive tackle just after completing his studies at the University of Mississippi. He was first drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On March 14, 2014, Oher signed four years with $20 million contracts with Tennessee Titans and later on March 14, 2014, Oher recieved a 2-year contract with Carolina Panthers worth $7 million.
Learning What Happened To Michael Oher Parents Will Shock You
He was born to Michael Jerome Williams Sr. and Denise Oher on 28 May 1986. He and his 11 brothers and sisters received little to no support from their parents and lived in foster homes because their father was frequently in prison due to the involvement in criminal activities and mother was a chronic cocaine addict and an excessive consumer of alcohol. They were deprived of parental care, love, and affection while growing up.
Interesting: Is Greg Amsinger Married And Has Family To Show? His Personal Life
Michael got a turning point in his life after he was adopted by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy when he was 16. The Tuohys became Oher's legal guardians when he was 17. They provided him with proper care and attention.
Michael started getting success in his life because of his second parents who helped him transform from a nomadic lost teen into a force in the football field.
With the love and support, Michael, recieved from his new family, he started to excel in football; he quickly became a top football prospect in the state of Tennessee. He got multiple scholarships offers from Division 1 schools.
Second Family: Oher and his second parents celebrates his success (Photo: Micheal Oher's Instagram)
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In life, there is not always a success but more difficulties and challenges. On July 20, 2017, Michael was released by the Panthers after a failed physical. He is not known as a man who quits but the man who struggles and gets success. As of today, he works as a free agent and is trying to piece back his broken life.
Everyone Thought This Was Michael Oher Wife Picture, Married Or Girlfriend?
If we type "Micheal Oher's wife" into Google, it will prompt us to autofill with Michael Oher wife, Tabitha Soren. However, Tabitha is not Michael Oher's wife. The search engine giant extracted the false result because of its SEO metrics that are based on relevancy.
Actually, former MTV host Tabitha is the wife of American financial journalist, Michael Lewis, who is the author of the 2006 book, The Blind Side, which is about the evolution of American football. The book has covered about Michael Oher's rise to fame during his final year of high school. The film by the same name, focused on the story of Micheal Oher, was also released in 2009. The film went on to win an Academy Award in the same year.
Husband & WIfe: The Blind SIde author Micheal Lewis poses with wife Tabitha Soren (Photo: Huffingtonpost.com)
Don't Miss:CBS' Vladimir Duthiers A Married Man? Insight On Personal Life
Talking about Micheal Oher actual relationship status, he likes to keep his personal life private. However, because of one infamous incident in 2018, his relationship status might have been revealed.
In July 2017, Micheal allegedly attacked a uber driver while he was drunk. According to the driver named Girma Berkessa, Micheal had asked him to follow the car in which his wife was seated and later attacked him when he told Micheal that the car they were following was missing its direction. Michael reportedly believed that the driver was trying to scam him to charge more money and confronted him.
#NFL #Baltimore Ravens #Tabitha Soren #The Blind Side #Girma Berkessa #Michael Lewis
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One of the major successes of Wind of Change's work in Nepal is that the scope of the program has broadened beyond its initial aims providing assistance to hundreds of beneficiaries during the years.
Help us to continue to make a difference in Nepal.
Wind of Change International (WoC) is a not-for-profit organisation with the vision of providing opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and groups to enhance their quality of life to improve their chances of providing a better future for themselves and their communities.


text:
Current Grantees
Join/Renew/Donate
How Give. Receive. Learn. Works
Support TPC Programming
Young Philanthropists
TPC for Women ages 18 to 35
Fellowship Application
2016 Young Philanthropist Conference
Key Dates 2019-2020
by Philanthropy Connection
Clients Shimelis (left) and Hewan (right) with their daughter (Grantee Compass Working Capital)
How do you define "home?" It starts with a physical place – a city, a country, an apartment, or a house. But it's more than that. Home is a place we feel a sense of belonging, a refuge, a place where we feel safe. In Boston there are 900 children in foster care. Over 1.5 million children are homeless in the US. As the holiday season approaches, we ask you to pause for a moment and reflect on what it means for a child to grow up without a sense of belonging, without a refuge, without a place he or she feels safe. Without a home.
In this issue we salute two TPC Grantees who work tirelessly to bring a sense of home to children and families, regardless of where they may live.
Children, Families, and … the Nutcracker!
Boston CASA with child in foster care
Spotlight on TPC Grantee:
Boston CASA
Boston Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) promotes the best interests of children involved in abuse and neglect cases in the Suffolk County juvenile court system. Community volunteers serve as advocates who work to ensure that these children have safe and permanent homes. CASA's Executive Director, Charles Lerner, a former foster youth, talks about the organization's commitment to serving these children so that they can find permanent homes and improve their lives. Interview by TPC member Sandra Fisher (READ MORE…)
At a Families First workshop in Roxbury, Juliane builds her network of support while she learns new ways to encourage the healthy development of her young son.
TPC Grantee Families First provides parenting workshops, reaching their clients where they live – in neighborhoods, in public housing developments, in family shelters, and in transitional housing.
Many Families First clients are managing stressful situations such as trauma or substance abuse in addition to homelessness. Executive Director Sue Covitz explains more about the programs, and what TPC's grant is funding. Interview by TPC member Anne Cowie (READ MORE…)
TPC Member Sarah Wroth
Spotlight on TPC Member:
Sarah Wroth
Nothing says holidays like The Nutcracker, so how could we resist spotlighting new member Sarah Wroth for this newsletter? Sarah has been dancing with the Boston Ballet for 14 years and has had the privilege of dancing in Nutcracker productions for 25 years. We had to learn more. Interview by TPC member Anne Manning
Q: Sarah, what's it like to dance in The Nutcracker?
I've done over 560 performances of The Nutcracker with the Boston Ballet alone and played so many parts. I've been Clara's mom, her dance teacher, a snowflake, a Spanish dancer, Chinese, Pastoral, and a flower. Every time I dance to Tchaikovsky's music, it brings me a feeling of magic. It makes me remember that kids want to grow up and be dancers. I believe that what we as dancers do is very special. Dance is transformative and needs to take a greater role in society. (READ MORE…)
Lead Corporate Partner:
Copyright © 2016 The Philanthropy Connection. All rights reserved.
Philanthropy Connection November 22, 2016
The Philanthropy Connection
Email: connect@thephilanthropyconnection.org
TPC qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) for US tax purposes. Our EIN is #46-0665444.
The Philanthropy Connection's mission is to inspire, teach, and enable all generations of women to engage in collective philanthropy in order to provide grants to charitable organizations that improve the quality of life for low-resource individuals and families living in Massachusetts.
Corporate Sponsor of Philanthropy Dialogues
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Copyright &copy2019 The Philanthropy Connection. All rights reserved. | Site by KLSutton Design


M. Weller says that in last 5 to 10 years angiogenesis has dominated the research agenda in glioblastoma with bevacizumab being the most prominent agent studied. When there is no success with single agents, clinical trials consider combinations; he describes the safety data of pembrolizumab in combination with bevacizumab in recurrent glioblastoma as presented at the ASCO 2016 Annual Meeting. Furthermore, he discusses biomarkers in glioma, in particular IDH.
Abstract 2010: Safety of pembrolizumab in combination with bevacizumab in recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM).
Abstract 2009: Predicting isocitrate dehydrogenase genotype in malignant glioma with multimodality imaging markers.


The EOS value today surged by more than 21 percent as a result of its decision to launch a voting system, totaling the token's 7-day gains to almost 55 percent.
The EOS/USD was trading near 5.3727-fiat at the beginning of the Asian trading session. Helped by the prevailing bullish sentiment in its own – and across – cryptocurrency market, the pair continued to trend upwards as the session matured. The European session further witnessed a favorable buying sentiment, and EOS/USD managed to establish higher high towards 6.5035-fiat.
Speculators seem to have driven the latest EOS rally after taking cues from the blockchain project's decision to launch their long-planned referendum system. The EOS blockchain currently has an account which has $35 million worth of tokens in it. The rulebook says that these funds can only be allocated for the development of EOS blockchain project. But so far, the team had not built a system that can decide how to allocate the sum. On the top of that, the wallet funds expect to grow to as much as $200 million in the next 12 months thanks to a pre-built system that increase the total EOS token supply every year by 5 percent.
The EOS referendum system is a step forward in the direction of building a democratic decision-making process. While not everybody is happy with the proposal, fearing one-toke-one-vote system would get centralized by people with higher amount of tokens, the announcement itself has proven strongly bullish to the EOS token value.
The EOS/USD so far was trading inside an ascending parallel channel, but the latest rally is now pushing the pair above the resistance line. We can see price forming higher highs towards 6.5025-fiat while eyeing a breakout towards the 50% Fibonacci retracement level at 6.5952-fiat of the last leg from 8.9827-high to 4.2076-low. In medium-term, a potential upside is near around the 61.8% Fibonacci of the same leg, also because it would form a reverse Head & Shoulder pattern on shoulder support near 6.0317-fiat and head near 4.2076-fiat, the EOS bottom.
The sentiment in the market is, of course, bullish, with the price now trading above its 200H and 100H MA. At the same time, the RSI and Stochastic indicators both have entered their overbought areas, which means a potential correction could be underway. The price, in that case, would be well-supported by the 200H MA, with a sight towards 6.0317 as the next potential support level.


The framing of this story has Owen sitting on the ledge at the top of a tall building with a suicidal woman, telling her about his day. It's not much of a surprise that, in the end, she decides not to jump. Also, by the end the rehabilitation of Owen is pretty much complete. Turns out that all that was needed to reform him from being a total douche was to turn him into a zombie. Who know?
The main plot involves a rich old dude who has apparently been harmlessly collecting alien artifacts for his whole life. He's on Torchwood's watch list, sure, but he has never done anything nefarious so they have left him alone. When a huge surge of alien energy starts happening at his estate, it's up to ZombieOwen to infiltrate the compound (what with him being ambient temperature and not likely to trip any heat sensors) to find out what's up. Turns out the rich old dude is dying, and the power surge is coming from an alien WhateverDevice that he thinks is keeping him alive. So he and Owen have a heart-to-heart, Owen finally becomes a decent human being, and the rich old dude dies from heart failure.
Oh, and the suicidal lady sees some hope and decides not to jump.
Also, Martha is there for some reason, but she never actually does anything interesting or useful.
It's not a bad episode per se, and the character arc for Own is nice and all, it's just not especially thrilling or memorable.
The next one, though? Hoo, boy.


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TACET, Joseph (fl.1751-1780) Six Solos For a German-Flute or Violin, With a Thorough Bass for the Harpsichord of Violoncello, Dedicated to Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain. Compos'd by Joseph Tacet. [Score]. Printed & Sold by Mr. Tacet [1767] £250.00 details
TALBOT, Howard (1865-1928), DANCE, George A Chinese Honeymoon. Waltz on Melodies from George Dance and Howard Talbot's Musical Comedy, Arranged by Ernest Vousden. [For piano]. Hopwood & Crew 1901 £15.00 details
TALBOT, Michael Vivaldi. J.M. Dent 1993 £3.00 details
TALBOT, Michael The Vivaldi Companion. The Boydell Press [2011] £30.00 details
TALBOT, Michael The Chamber Cantatas of Antonio Vivaldi. The Boydell Press [2006] £42.00 details
TALEXY, Adrien Dinorah. Polka Mazurka sur des Motifs du Pardon de Ploermel de M. Meyerbeer. [For piano]. Boosey & Sons [1859] £5.00 details
TALEXY, Adrien (1821-1881) Diane. Polka Mazurka, pour le Piano. Joseph Williams [1858] £10.00 details
TALEXY, Adrien (1821-1881) Mazurka Brillante. Etude pour le Piano Forte, Op.19. Brewer & Co. [ca 1855] £12.50 details
TALLIS, Thomas (ca 1505-1585) Missa sine Nomine, TTBB. Verzorgd door drs J.A. Bank. Uitgave Annie Bank 1950] £4.00 details
TALLIS, Thomas (ca 1505-1585), DAVIES, Peter Maxwell (1934-2016) arranger Four Voluntaries (1, Veni Redemptor Gentium I; 2, Ex More Docti Mistico; 3, Ecce Tempus Idoneum; 4, Veni Redemptor Gentium II), arranged for brass quintet by Peter Maxwell Davies. [Score]. Chester Music [1984] £10.00 details


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Supply of crane equipment for MMPK Bronka start-up complex to commence in July 2015
2014 September 30 13:20
The Marine Multipurpose Complex Bronka (MMPK Bronka, Big Port St. Petersburg) has signed a contract for manufacture and supply of new crane equipment in July-September 2015, says the project investor Fenix LLC.
The first start-up complex of MMPK Bronka will be equipped with four 65-tonne container cranes Post-Panamax Liebherr P 167 (WS) – Super with twin-lift spreader; one mobile harbour crane Liebherr LHM 800 with lifting capacity of 302 t in hook operation and 65 t in spreader operation under twin-lift, as well as ten Konecranes RTGs with lifting capacity of 50 t and max. lifting height 1 over 5.
Container cranes ordered for MMPK Bronka are can handle Post-Panamax Plus ships carrying up to 8,100 TEUs in 18 rows.
Mobile harbour crane ordered by Fenix LLC is reportedly a unique one in terms of its lifting capacity. MMPK Bronka will be the first to use it.
The start-up complex of MMPK Bronka is to be put into operation in the second half of 2015.
The Marine Multipurpose Complex Bronka (MMPK Bronka) is being built on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, in the place where the dam and the ring road border the territory of Lomonosov. The Bronka Complex will comprise three specialized facilities: a container terminal encompassing 107 hectares, Ro-Ro terminal of 57 ha and logistics center of 42 ha. Container terminal will feature the 1.176 m-long waterfront (including 5 berths). The waterfront of rolling cargo terminal will be 630 meters (3 berths). The Bronka Phase 1 capacity is projected to be 1.45 million TEUs and 260,000 units of Ro-Ro cargoes. The facility's container throughput is planned to be increased to 1.9 million TEUs. The Bronka Multipurpose Complex will be able to handle Panamax containerships and the ferries of Finnstar class.
Private investors are expected to inject nearly RUB 43.7 billion in the project with the Russian Government investment at some RUB 15.2 billion.
Implementation of the Bronka project will bring 2,300 work places at sea terminals alone. Upon completion of the outer harbor facilities annual direct tax payments to the budget of St. Petersburg will be at RUB 1.7 billion (plus indirect tax due to a multiplier effect – RUB 5.1 bn), the federal budget will get RUB 2.0 billion a year (RUB 5.9bn).
Другие новости по темам: cranes, St. Petersburg, port Bronka, port service, портовый сервис


Ian Kumekawa is a Ph.D. candidate in the History Department at Harvard. His work focuses on the history of economic thinking in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He obtained his MPhil from Cambridge in 2013 and his A.B. from Harvard College in 2012. His recent book, The First Serious Optimist, examines the intellectual origins of welfare economics, focusing specifically on its founder, Cambridge economist A.C. Pigou (1877-1959). Ian's dissertation will examine the implications of government planning during World War I for the subsequent shape of the economy and for economic thought.


August, reputedly home of the year's diēs caniculārēs (a concept that may not apply to Vancouver this remarkably cloudy 2012) and the natural time for tremendous lassitude or flat out laziness, also means prep for the new semester. I just finished Alissa York's Fauna for a fall CanLit class, and am happy to have encountered a terrific novel I missed when it was first published a couple years back.
As a result, blog activity will be pretty stagnant here for the next few weeks. Between prep, my own writing (ha!), and weekend trips of camping and recreation, coming up with material for here seems about as appealing as repainting my living room.
And for September I have a short stack of new publications I'll be reviewing: Zadie Smith's NW, Candace Savage's A Geography of Blood, John Vigna's Bull Head, Tamas Dobozy's Siege 13, and Cordelia Strube's Milosz.


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Q: Custom Navigation Bar (html/css) for a website I am making a website and though of a cool navigation bar that is suppose to look like this:
Edit - accidentaly erased the all the css code, only had the nav fixed at the bottom  - Edit
I managed to make it look like this: http://pokemasters.freeiz.com/bare.html
I just ran out of ideas.... i got the images that i made seperatly, a navbar:
& buttons:
I'm looking for a full width navbar that adjusts itself to different screens, is located at the bottom of the screen, red buttons while active or hovered and white buttons while normal, with that pokeball line right on top of it and overlaying the buttons
Can someone point me in the right direction please??

A: what you want to do? it is not clear. you doesn't need to use image in  #navigation li a.profile  instead of it you can use background colour.
#navigation li a.profile {
    width: 240px;
    background-color:#ffffff;
    text-decoration: none;
    }
    #navigation li a.profile:hover {
    background-color:red;
    background-position: -240px;
    text-decoration: none;
    }
    #navigation li a.profile:current {
    background-color:#cccccc;
    background-position: -240px;
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    text-decoration: none;
    }

or if you want to full width navigation bar.
#navigation ul {
    list-style: none;
    text-align: center;
    width:100%;
    }

    #navigation li {
    display: inline;
    width:16.6%;
    border-right:1px solid #ccc;
    }
    #navigation li:last-child{
    border-right:none;
    }

if you want the 'ball' image above the navigation bar. please use a <span> just above of the #navigation 'div' and set its background image 'ball' image.
property of <span class=ball_Img>
.ball_Img{
  background:url('whatever');
  position:relative;
  z-index:5;
}

#navigation{
 .......//property previous define please write here.
position:relative;
top:-50px;  // you can change according to your situation.
}

A: So you want to have a full width nav bar? with elements stretching auto? or? And why are you using images to have a color? you can just use background: red; on hover or active, and background: white on normal states

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Hire a party band in Dumfries and galloway for your wedding, party, or event. Playing the best pop and rock covers, these groups specialise in high-energy, uplifting performances and are guaranteed to get your guests dancing. Choose from 262 of the best party bands here.


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UN Experts Call on Israel to End Campaign Targeting Palestinian HRDs in the oPt and within Its Borders
On 19 August 2021, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defender Mary Lawlor issued a statement concerning Israel's escalating crackdown against human rights defenders across the occupied Palestinian territory.[1] The statement addressed multiple prominent cases of arbitrary arrests, harassment, criminalization, and threats against human rights defenders in the oPt, and followed recent submissions to the working group by Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association and the Palestinian Human Rights Council, on behalf of Salah Hammouri and Shatha Odeh.
Salah Hammouri, a Palestinian-French human rights defender and lawyer at Addameer, risks the revocation of his permanent residency in Jerusalem following Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked's announcement to move forth with such recommendations based on a "breach of allegiance." The proposed revocation, cited by Mary Lawlor, comes amid continued Israeli harassment against Mr. Hammouri and his family, including previous arbitrary arrests, a travel ban from entering the West Bank, and the deportation of his wife, Elsa Lefort, a French national.
Ms. Lawlor further denounced the arbitrary detention of Shatha Odeh, General Director of the Health Work Committee (HWC), Juana Ruiz Sánchez, and Tayseer Abu Sharbak, "I am shocked that members of the Health Work Committee, who provide health services to Palestinians living in remote areas of the West Bank, were arrested, interrogated and may be criminalized because of their human rights work." In the statement, she called for the "release of all three human rights defenders immediately," as well as an investigation into allegations of ill-treatment.
Shatha Odeh's health is extremely compromised, wherein she suffers from numerous chronic illnesses, has been subjected to ill-treatment, and denied access to many of her medications. Juana Ruiz Sánchez has been detained since 13 April 2021 and was placed in solitary confinement. The most recent detention of Shatha Odeh serves as the latest escalation of attacks by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against the HWC, and more broadly, Palestinian civil society and human rights defenders.
In outlining the increasingly perilous conditions for human rights defenders, the statement further cites the arbitrary arrest and detention of Farid Al-Atrash, a human rights defender and lawyer at the Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), along with the arrest and interrogation of human rights defenders Muna Al-Kurd, Mohammed Al-Kurd and Zuhair Al Rajabi, who continue to protest the forced expulsion of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods of Jerusalem.
Addameer reaffirms the UN experts' call against the harassment, targeting, and arrests of Palestinian human rights defenders by the Israeli occupation regime, including the call for the immediate release of detained human rights defenders Shatha Odeh, Juana Ruiz Sánchez, and Tayseer Abu Sharbak.
Addameer further calls for the cessation of all practices and policies intended to intimidate and silence human rights defenders, in violation of their right to freedom of expression, including through arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, institutionalized hate speech and incitement, residency revocation, deportations, and other coercive or punitive measures.
Read the full statement on the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner website here.
[1] The call was further endorsed by UN Human Rights experts including Michael Lynk, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967; Melissa Upreti, Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, Elizabeth Broderick, Ivana Radačić, Meskerem Geset from the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls; Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences; Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; and Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.


Hope you guys are having a good weekend so far and that you're spending it on the beach!
For me -it was always all about the ocean and about the beach; Since I can remember I always wanted to live by the ocean and be able to look at it everyday. It was always all about the view, how gorgeous it was, how it made me feel and also about all the activities one could do at the beach. Therefore I was inspired to write this post after visiting few ocean view apartments within last few days.
There's nothing better than waking up and looking at the shimmering horizon.
Sometimes you're lucky enough to live by the water and enjoy the view everyday.
If not- there's always a nautical decor that you can count on. You can incorporate it into your home and make it feel like you're by the water.
I'm attaching few inspirational photos that may I hope you like.
Striped tee (or shorts) are always a go- to staple. This pattern is perfect to mix and match (you'll see the way I style it in the upcoming post). I love pairing different prints and colors all together. Especially now that Summer is in full swing, stripes are perfect to wear on the beach, boat or out to dinner.
I know it's been a while since the last post, sorry about that. I've been traveling a lot and had to focus on a few things upon my return.
Here's a post about the work space. For me, it's a very important part of the house; this is where I edit the photos, paint, write this blog and pay my bills. I find it very relaxing and inspiring to have this room just for me. I have my mood board here, my photo set up, my easel, and other inspirational things that I love.
All of us pay bills, do research, study, check the news, and so many other things, on our computers. Some of you have your businesses or studios at home. Why not have our own personal space and design it in a way that inspires us. The more pleasant the space is, the more productive you'll be. That's a fact.
I hope this post inspires you to make your space more -You-.


text:
import { ContentChildren, Directive, Input, forwardRef, QueryList } from '@angular/core'
import { BoundingBoxService } from './services/bounding-box.service'
import { SpriteService } from './services/sprite.service'
import { AnimationService } from './services/animation.service'
import { dirname, basename } from 'path'

import * as THREE from 'three'
import 'three/examples/js/loaders/MTLLoader.js'
import 'three/examples/js/loaders/OBJLoader.js'
import 'three/examples/js/loaders/ColladaLoader.js'
import 'three/examples/js/loaders/collada/Animation.js'
import 'three/examples/js/loaders/collada/KeyFrameAnimation.js'
import 'three/examples/js/loaders/collada/AnimationHandler.js'
import 'three/examples/js/loaders/FBXLoader2.js'
import 'three/examples/js/loaders/GLTFLoader.js'
import './loaders/terrain-loader.js'
import './loaders/JDLoader.min.js'

export abstract class ObjectComponent {
    @Input() file: string
    @Input() debug: boolean
    manager: THREE.LoadingManager
    // The base loader class called THREE.Loader does not have setPath and Load,
    // so for now set the loader type as any here
    loader: any
    abstract attachScene(scene: THREE.Scene): void
}

@Directive({selector: 'three-mtl'})
export class MtlComponent {
    @Input() file = null
}

@Directive({
    selector: 'three-obj',
    providers: [{provide: ObjectComponent, useExisting: forwardRef(() => ObjComponent) }]
})
export class ObjComponent extends ObjectComponent {
    @ContentChildren(MtlComponent) mtlComps: QueryList<MtlComponent>
    @Input() addBBox: boolean = false
    @Input() addSprites: boolean = false
    @Input() scale: number = 1
    mixers: THREE.AnimationMixer[] = []
    materials: THREE.Material[] = []
    objects: THREE.Object3D[] = []
    sprites: THREE.Sprite[] = []
    bbox: THREE.Box3
    bboxMesh: THREE.Mesh
    // Can't use the dynamic THREE['OBJLoader'] type here
    objLoader: any

    constructor(
        public bboxService: BoundingBoxService,
        public spriteService: SpriteService
    ) {
        super()
        this.manager = new THREE.LoadingManager()
        this.loader = new THREE['MTLLoader'](this.manager)
        this.objLoader = new THREE['OBJLoader']()
    }

    ngAfterViewInit() {
        let self = this
        if (this.mtlComps) {
            this.mtlComps.forEach((mtl) => {
                if (mtl.file === null) return
                this.loader.setPath(dirname(mtl.file) + '/')
                this.loader.load(basename(mtl.file), function ( materials ) {
                    materials.preload()
                    self.materials = materials
                })
            })
        }

        this.manager.onProgress = (item, loaded, total) => {
            if (self.debug) {
                console.log('Item being loaded:')
                console.log(item)
                console.log('Loaded:')
                console.log(loaded)
                console.log('Total:')
                console.log(total)
            }
        }
    }

    attachScene(scene: THREE.Scene): void {
        let self = this
        if (this.file === null) return
        self.manager.onLoad = () => {
            self.objLoader.setMaterials(self.materials)
            self.objLoader.setPath(dirname(self.file) + '/')
            self.objLoader.load(basename(self.file), function (object) {
                // After the object has been loaded make a cube around it so we can write information
                object.scale.set(self.scale, self.scale, self.scale)
                self.objects.push(object)
                if (self.addBBox) {
                    self.bboxMesh = self.bboxService.addBBoxToObject(object)
                    self.objects.push(self.bboxMesh)

                    if (self.addSprites) {
                        self.sprites = self.spriteService.addSpritesToFaces(self.bboxMesh.geometry, "center", ['Test'])
                    }
                }

                // After loading the .obj
                self.objects.forEach((o) => {
                    scene.add(o)
                })
                if (self.addBBox) {
                    scene.add(self.bboxMesh)

                    // Only add the sprite if we have a bounding box
                    if (self.addSprites) {
                        self.sprites.forEach((s) => {
                            scene.add(s)
                        })
                    }
                }
            })
        }
    }
}

@Directive({
    selector: 'three-sobj',
    providers: [{provide: ObjectComponent, useExisting: forwardRef(() => SceneObjComponent) }]
})
export class SceneObjComponent extends ObjectComponent {
    @Input() scale: number = 1
    mixers: THREE.AnimationMixer[] = []
    objects: THREE.Object3D[] = []
    objLoader: THREE.ObjectLoader

    constructor(
        private animService: AnimationService
    ) {
        super()
        this.manager = new THREE.LoadingManager()
        this.objLoader = new THREE.ObjectLoader(this.manager)
    }

    ngAfterViewInit() {
        let self = this

        this.manager.onProgress = (item, loaded, total) => {
            if (self.debug) {
                console.log('Item being loaded:')
                console.log(item)
                console.log('Loaded:')
                console.log(loaded)
                console.log('Total:')
                console.log(total)
            }
        }
    }

    attachScene(scene: THREE.Scene): void {
        if (this.file === null) return
        let self = this
        //this.objLoader.setTexturePath(dirname(this.file) + '/')
        this.objLoader.load(this.file, function (object) {
            object.scale.set(self.scale, self.scale, self.scale)
            //TODO: make this an input, test for scale also
            self.animService.rotateAroundWorldAxis(object, new THREE.Vector3(1,0,0), Math.PI/2)

            // Create a mixer for this object
            object['mixer'] = new THREE.AnimationMixer(object)
            self.mixers.push(object['mixer'])

            // Create an action for the animation to play
            let action = object['mixer'].clipAction(object['animations'][0])
            action.play()

            scene.add(object)
        })
    }
}

@Directive({
    selector: 'three-dae',
    providers: [{provide: ObjectComponent, useExisting: forwardRef(() => ColladaComponent) }]
})
export class ColladaComponent extends ObjectComponent {
    @Input() scale: number = 1
    // Not using the dynamic type THREE.Animation here
    animations: any[] = []

    constructor() {
        super()
        // This loader does not accept a manager as a parameter
        this.loader = new THREE['ColladaLoader']()
    }

    attachScene(scene: THREE.Scene): void {
        if (this.file === null) return
        let self = this
        this.loader.load(this.file, function (object) {
            let dae = object.scene
            dae.scale.set(self.scale, self.scale, self.scale)
            dae.traverse( function ( child ) {
                if (child instanceof THREE.SkinnedMesh) {
                    self.animations.push(new THREE['Animation'](child, child.geometry['animation']))
                    self.animations[self.animations.length-1].play()
                }
            })
            dae.scale.x = dae.scale.y = dae.scale.z = self.scale
            dae.updateMatrix()

            scene.add(dae)
        })
    }
}

@Directive({
    selector: 'three-fbx',
    providers: [{provide: ObjectComponent, useExisting: forwardRef(() => FBXComponent) }]
})
export class FBXComponent extends ObjectComponent {
    @Input() scale: number = 1
    mixers: THREE.AnimationMixer[] = []

    constructor() {
        super()
        this.manager = new THREE.LoadingManager()
        this.loader = new THREE['FBXLoader'](this.manager)
    }

    attachScene(scene: THREE.Scene): void {
        if (this.file === null) return
        let self = this
        this.loader.load(this.file, function (object) {
            // Create a mixer for this object
            object['mixer'] = new THREE.AnimationMixer(object)
            self.mixers.push(object['mixer'])

            // Create an action for the animation to play
            let action = object['mixer'].clipAction(object['animations'][0])
            action.play()

            scene.add(object)
        })
    }
}

@Directive({
    selector: 'three-json',
    providers: [{provide: ObjectComponent, useExisting: forwardRef(() => JSONComponent) }]
})
export class JSONComponent extends ObjectComponent {
    @Input() scale: number = 1
    mixers: THREE.AnimationMixer[] = []

    constructor(
        private animService: AnimationService
    ) {
        super()
        this.manager = new THREE.LoadingManager()
        this.loader = new THREE['JDLoader'](this.manager)
    }

    attachScene(scene: THREE.Scene): void {
        if (this.file === null) return
        let self = this
        this.loader.load(this.file, function (data) {
            // The loader creates a MeshPhongMaterial array by default,
            // If a ShaderMaterial is needed, use data.jd_materials
            let multiMaterial = new THREE.MultiMaterial(data.materials)

            data.geometries.forEach((g, i) => {
                let mesh = new THREE.SkinnedMesh(g, multiMaterial)
                self.animService.rotateAroundWorldAxis(mesh, new THREE.Vector3(1,0,0), Math.PI/2)
                self.animService.rotateAroundObjectAxis(mesh, new THREE.Vector3(0,1,0), Math.PI)
                mesh.scale.set(self.scale, self.scale, self.scale)
                scene.add(mesh)

                if (mesh.geometry['animations'])
                {
                    let mixer = new THREE.AnimationMixer(mesh)
                    self.mixers.push(mixer)
                    mixer.clipAction(mesh.geometry['animations'][0]).play()
                }
            })
        })
    }
}

@Directive({
    selector: 'three-gltf',
    providers: [{provide: ObjectComponent, useExisting: forwardRef(() => GLTFComponent) }]
 })
 export class GLTFComponent extends ObjectComponent {
    constructor() {
        super()
        this.loader = new THREE['GLTFLoader']()
    }

    attachScene(scene: THREE.Scene): void {
        if (this.file === null) return
        this.loader.load(this.file, function (gltf) {
            let object = gltf.scene !== undefined ? gltf.scene : gltf.scenes[0]
            let animations = gltf.animations
            if (animations && animations.length) {
                let mixer = new THREE.AnimationMixer(object)
                animations.forEach((a) => {
                    mixer.clipAction(a).play()
                })
            }
            scene.add(object)
         })
    }
}

@Directive({
    selector: 'three-terrain',
    providers: [{provide: ObjectComponent, useExisting: forwardRef(() => TerrainComponent) }]
})
export class TerrainComponent extends ObjectComponent {
    @Input() textureUrl: string
    @Input() width: number = 60
    @Input() height: number = 60
    @Input() wPoints: number = 1
    @Input() hPoints: number = 1
    @Input() addSprites: boolean = false
    sprites: THREE.Sprite[] = []
    data = []

    constructor(
        private bboxService: BoundingBoxService,
        private spriteService: SpriteService
    ) {
        super()
        this.manager = new THREE.LoadingManager()
        this.loader = new THREE['TerrainLoader'](this.manager)
    }

    ngOnInit() {
        let self = this

        if (this.file === null) return
        this.loader.load(this.file, function(data) {
            self.data = data
        })

        this.manager.onProgress = (item, loaded, total) => {
            if (self.debug) {
                console.log('Item being loaded:')
                console.log(item)
                console.log('Loaded:')
                console.log(loaded)
                console.log('Total:')
                console.log(total)
            }
        }
    }

    attachScene(scene: THREE.Scene): void {
        let self = this
        this.manager.onLoad = () => {
            let geometry = new THREE.PlaneGeometry(this.width, this.height, this.wPoints-1, this.hPoints-1)
            geometry.name = "Plane"

            for (let i = 0, l = geometry.vertices.length; i < l; i++) {
                geometry.vertices[i].z = self.data[i] / 65535 * 2
            }

            let material = new THREE.MeshPhongMaterial(
                this.textureUrl ?
                    {map: new THREE.TextureLoader().load(this.textureUrl), shininess: 5} :
                    {color: 0xdddddd, wireframe: true})

            let plane = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, material)
            scene.add(plane)

            if (self.addSprites) {
                // Add sprites to the plane geometry
                self.sprites = self.spriteService.addSpritesToGeometry(geometry, [
                    { msg: 'Test', mpos: new THREE.Vector3(-1500, 1500, 0) },
                    { msg: 'Test 2', mpos: new THREE.Vector3(1500, -1500, 0) }
                ])

                self.sprites.forEach((s) => {
                    s.scale.set(s.scale.x * 10, s.scale.y * 10, 1)
                    s.position.set(s.position.x, s.position.y, s.position.z + 50)
                    scene.add(s)
                })
            }
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Aspergers Syndrome Genetic Testing Genetic Consultation
Genetic testing is a type of medical test that identifies changes in chromosomes, genes, or proteins. Most of the time, testing is used to find changes that are associated with inherited disorders. The results of a genetic test can confirm or rule out a suspected genetic condition or help determine a person's chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder. Several hundred genetic tests are currently in use, and more are being developed.
Genetic testing is voluntary. Because testing has both benefits and limitations, the decision about whether to be tested is a personal and complex one. A genetic counselor can help by providing information about the pros and cons of the test and discussing the social and emotional aspects of testing.
What are the types of Genetic Tests?
Genetic testing can provide information about a person's genes and chromosomes. Available types of testing include:
Newborn screening is used just after birth to identify genetic disorders that can be treated early in life. Millions of babies are tested each year in the United States. All states currently test infants for phenylketonuria (a genetic disorder that causes mental retardation if left untreated) and congenital hypothyroidism (a disorder of the thyroid gland). Most states also test for other genetic disorders.
Diagnostic testing is used to identify or rule out a specific genetic or chromosomal condition. In many cases, genetic testing is used to confirm a diagnosis when a particular condition is suspected based on physical signs and symptoms. Diagnostic testing can be performed before birth or at any time during a person's life, but is not available for all genes or all genetic conditions. The results of a diagnostic test can influence a person's choices about health care and the management of the disorder.
Carrier testing
Carrier testing is used to identify people who carry one copy of a gene mutation that, when present in two copies, causes a genetic disorder. This type of testing is offered to individuals who have a family history of a genetic disorder and to people in certain ethnic groups with an increased risk of specific genetic conditions. If both parents are tested, the test can provide information about a couple's risk of having a child with a genetic condition.
Prenatal testing is used to detect changes in a fetus's genes or chromosomes before birth. This type of testing is offered during pregnancy if there is an increased risk that the baby will have a genetic or chromosomal disorder. In some cases, prenatal testing can lessen a couple's uncertainty or help them make decisions about a pregnancy. It cannot identify all possible inherited disorders and birth defects, however.
Preimplantation testing
Preimplantation testing, also called preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), is a specialized technique that can reduce the risk of having a child with a particular genetic or chromosomal disorder. It is used to detect genetic changes in embryos that were created using assisted reproductive techniques such as in-vitro fertilization. In-vitro fertilization involves removing egg cells from a woman's ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm cells outside the body. To perform preimplantation testing, a small number of cells are taken from these embryos and tested for certain genetic changes. Only embryos without these changes are implanted in the uterus to initiate a pregnancy.
Predictive and presymptomatic testing
Predictive and presymptomatic types of testing are used to detect gene mutations associated with disorders that appear after birth, often later in life. These tests can be helpful to people who have a family member with a genetic disorder, but who have no features of the disorder themselves at the time of testing. Predictive testing can identify mutations that increase a person's risk of developing disorders with a genetic basis, such as certain types of cancer. Presymptomatic testing can determine whether a person will develop a genetic disorder, such as hemochromatosis (an iron overload disorder), before any signs or symptoms appear. The results of predictive and presymptomatic testing can provide information about a person's risk of developing a specific disorder and help with making decisions about medical care.
Forensic testing uses DNA sequences to identify an individual for legal purposes. Unlike the tests described above, forensic testing is not used to detect gene mutations associated with disease. This type of testing can identify crime or catastrophe victims, rule out or implicate a crime suspect, or establish biological relationships between people (for example, paternity).
How is Genetic Testing done?
Once a person decides to proceed with genetic testing, a medical geneticist, primary care doctor, specialist, or nurse practitioner can order the test. Genetic testing is often done as part of a genetic consultation.
Genetic tests are performed on a sample of blood, hair, skin, amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds a fetus during pregnancy), or other tissue. For example, a procedure called a buccal smear uses a small brush or cotton swab to collect a sample of cells from the inside surface of the cheek. The sample is sent to a laboratory where technicians look for specific changes in chromosomes, DNA, or proteins, depending on the suspected disorder. The laboratory reports the test results in writing to a person's doctor or genetic counselor.
Newborn screening tests are done on a small blood sample, which is taken by pricking the baby's heel. Unlike other types of genetic testing, a parent will usually only receive the result if it is positive. If the test result is positive, additional testing is needed to determine whether the baby has a genetic disorder.
Before a person has a genetic test, it is important that he or she understands the testing procedure, the benefits and limitations of the test, and the possible consequences of the test results. The process of educating a person about the test and obtaining permission is called informed consent.
For more information about genetic testing procedures:
GeneTests explains the testing process and informed consent.
Scientific Testimony, an online journal, provides an introduction to DNA testing techniques written for the general public.
What is direct-to-consumer genetic testing?
Traditionally, genetic tests have been available only through healthcare providers such as physicians, nurse practitioners, and genetic counselors. Healthcare providers order the appropriate test from a laboratory, collect and send the samples, and interpret the test results. Direct-to-consumer genetic testing refers to genetic tests that are marketed directly to consumers via television, print advertisements, or the Internet. This form of testing, which is also known as at-home genetic testing, provides access to a person's genetic information without necessarily involving a doctor or insurance company in the process.
If a consumer chooses to purchase a genetic test directly, the test kit is mailed to the consumer instead of being ordered through a doctor's office. The test typically involves collecting a DNA sample at home, often by swabbing the inside of the cheek, and mailing the sample back to the laboratory. In some cases, the person must visit a health clinic to have blood drawn. Consumers are notified of their results by mail or over the telephone, or the results are posted online. In some cases, a genetic counselor or other healthcare provider is available to explain the results and answer questions. The price for this type of at-home genetic testing ranges from several hundred dollars to more than a thousand dollars.
The growing market for direct-to-consumer genetic testing may promote awareness of genetic diseases, allow consumers to take a more proactive role in their health care, and offer a means for people to learn about their ancestral origins. At-home genetic tests, however, have significant risks and limitations. Consumers are vulnerable to being misled by the results of unproven or invalid tests. Without guidance from a healthcare provider, they may make important decisions about treatment or prevention based on inaccurate, incomplete, or misunderstood information about their health. Consumers may also experience an invasion of genetic privacy if testing companies use their genetic information in an unauthorized way.
Genetic testing provides only one piece of information about a person's health—other genetic and environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and family medical history also affect a person's risk of developing many disorders. These factors are discussed during a consultation with a doctor or genetic counselor, but in many cases are not addressed by at-home genetic tests. More research is needed to fully understand the benefits and limitations of direct-to-consumer genetic testing.
How can consumers be sure a genetic test is valid and useful?
Before undergoing genetic testing, it is important to be sure that the test is valid and useful. A genetic test is valid if it provides an accurate result. Two main measures of accuracy apply to genetic tests: analytical validity and clinical validity. Another measure of the quality of a genetic test is its usefulness, or clinical utility.
Analytical validity refers to how well the test predicts the presence or absence of a particular gene or genetic change. In other words, can the test accurately detect whether a specific genetic variant is present or absent?
Clinical validity refers to how well the genetic variant being analyzed is related to the presence, absence, or risk of a specific disease.
Clinical utility refers to whether the test can provide information about diagnosis, treatment, management, or prevention of a disease that will be helpful to a consumer.
All laboratories that perform health-related testing, including genetic testing, are subject to federal regulatory standards called the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) or even stricter state requirements. CLIA standards cover how tests are performed, the qualifications of laboratory personnel, and quality control and testing procedures for each laboratory. By controlling the quality of laboratory practices, CLIA standards are designed to ensure the analytical validity of genetic tests.
CLIA standards do not address the clinical validity or clinical utility of genetic tests. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires information about clinical validity for some genetic tests. Additionally, the state of New York requires information on clinical validity for all laboratory tests performed for people living in that state. Consumers, health providers, and health insurance companies are often the ones who determine the clinical utility of a genetic test.
It can be difficult to determine the quality of a genetic test sold directly to the public. Some providers of direct-to-consumer genetic tests are not CLIA-certified, so it can be difficult to tell whether their tests are valid. If providers of direct-to-consumer genetic tests offer easy-to-understand information about the scientific basis of their tests, it can help consumers make more informed decisions. It may also be helpful to discuss any concerns with a health professional before ordering a direct-to-consumer genetic test.
What do the results of genetic tests mean?
The results of genetic tests are not always straightforward, which often makes them challenging to interpret and explain. Therefore, it is important for patients and their families to ask questions about the potential meaning of genetic test results both before and after the test is performed. When interpreting test results, healthcare professionals consider a person's medical history, family history, and the type of genetic test that was done.
A positive test result means that the laboratory found a change in a particular gene, chromosome, or protein of interest. Depending on the purpose of the test, this result may confirm a diagnosis, indicate that a person is a carrier of a particular genetic mutation, identify an increased risk of developing a disease (such as cancer) in the future, or suggest a need for further testing. Because family members have some genetic material in common, a positive test result may also have implications for certain blood relatives of the person undergoing testing. It is important to note that a positive result of a predictive or presymptomatic genetic test usually cannot establish the exact risk of developing a disorder. Also, health professionals typically cannot use a positive test result to predict the course or severity of a condition.
A negative test result means that the laboratory did not find a change in the gene, chromosome, or protein under consideration. This result can indicate that a person is not affected by a particular disorder, is not a carrier of a specific genetic mutation, or does not have an increased risk of developing a certain disease. It is possible, however, that the test missed a disease-causing genetic alteration because many tests cannot detect all genetic changes that can cause a particular disorder. Further testing may be required to confirm a negative result.
In some cases, a negative result might not give any useful information. This type of result is called uninformative, indeterminate, inconclusive, or ambiguous. Uninformative test results sometimes occur because everyone has common, natural variations in their DNA, called polymorphisms, that do not affect health. If a genetic test finds a change in DNA that has not been associated with a disorder in other people, it can be difficult to tell whether it is a natural polymorphism or a disease-causing mutation. An uninformative result cannot confirm or rule out a specific diagnosis, and it cannot indicate whether a person has an increased risk of developing a disorder. In some cases, testing other affected and unaffected family members can help clarify this type of result.
What is the cost of genetic testing, and how long does it take to get the results?
The cost of genetic testing can range from under $100 to more than $2,000, depending on the nature and complexity of the test. The cost increases if more than one test is necessary or if multiple family members must be tested to obtain a meaningful result. For newborn screening, costs vary by state. Some states cover part of the total cost, but most charge a fee of $15 to $60 per infant.
From the date that a sample is taken, it may take a few weeks to several months to receive the test results. Results for prenatal testing are usually available more quickly because time is an important consideration in making decisions about a pregnancy. The doctor or genetic counselor who orders a particular test can provide specific information about the cost and time frame associated with that test.
Will health insurance cover the costs of genetic testing?
In many cases, health insurance plans will cover the costs of genetic testing when it is recommended by a person's doctor. Health insurance providers have different policies about which tests are covered, however. A person interested in submitting the costs of testing may wish to contact his or her insurance company beforehand to ask about coverage.
Some people may choose not to use their insurance to pay for testing because the results of a genetic test can affect a person's health insurance coverage. Instead, they may opt to pay out-of-pocket for the test. People considering genetic testing may want to find out more about their state's privacy protection laws before they ask their insurance company to cover the costs.
What are the benefits of genetic testing?
Genetic testing has potential benefits whether the results are positive or negative for a gene mutation. Test results can provide a sense of relief from uncertainty and help people make informed decisions about managing their health care. For example, a negative result can eliminate the need for unnecessary checkups and screening tests in some cases. A positive result can direct a person toward available prevention, monitoring, and treatment options. Some test results can also help people make decisions about having children. Newborn screening can identify genetic disorders early in life so treatment can be started as early as possible.
What are the risks and limitations of genetic testing?
The physical risks associated with most genetic tests are very small, particularly for those tests that require only a blood sample or buccal smear (a procedure that samples cells from the inside surface of the cheek). The procedures used for prenatal testing carry a small but real risk of losing the pregnancy (miscarriage) because they require a sample of amniotic fluid or tissue from around the fetus.
Many of the risks associated with genetic testing involve the emotional, social, or financial consequences of the test results. People may feel angry, depressed, anxious, or guilty about their results. In some cases, genetic testing creates tension within a family because the results can reveal information about other family members in addition to the person who is tested. The possibility of genetic discrimination in employment or insurance is also a concern.
Genetic testing can provide only limited information about an inherited condition. The test often can't determine if a person will show symptoms of a disorder, how severe the symptoms will be, or whether the disorder will progress over time. Another major limitation is the lack of treatment strategies for many genetic disorders once they are diagnosed.
A genetics professional can explain in detail the benefits, risks, and limitations of a particular test. It is important that any person who is considering genetic testing understand and weigh these factors before making a decision.
What is genetic discrimination?
Genetic discrimination occurs when people are treated differently by their employer or insurance company because they have a gene mutation that causes or increases the risk of an inherited disorder. People who undergo genetic testing may be at risk for genetic discrimination.
The results of a genetic test are normally included in a person's medical records. When a person applies for life, disability, or health insurance, the insurance company may ask to look at these records before making a decision about coverage. An employer may also have the right to look at an employee's medical records. As a result, genetic test results could affect a person's insurance coverage or employment. People making decisions about genetic testing should be aware that when test results are placed in their medical records, the results might not be kept private.
Fear of discrimination is a common concern among people considering genetic testing. Several laws at the federal and state levels help protect people against genetic discrimination; however, genetic testing is a fast-growing field and these laws don't cover every situation.
For more information about privacy and genetic discrimination:
The National Human Genome Research Institute provides a detailed discussion of genetic discrimination and current laws that address this issue:
How does genetic testing in a research setting differ from clinical genetic testing?
The main differences between clinical genetic testing and research testing are the purpose of the test and who receives the results. The goals of research testing include finding unknown genes, learning how genes work, and advancing our understanding of genetic conditions. The results of testing done as part of a research study are usually not available to patients or their healthcare providers. Clinical testing, on the other hand, is done to find out about an inherited disorder in an individual patient or family. People receive the results of a clinical test and can use them to help them make decisions about medical care or reproductive issues.
It is important for people considering genetic testing to know whether the test is available on a clinical or research basis. Clinical and research testing both involve a process of informed consent in which patients learn about the testing procedure, the risks and benefits of the test, and the potential consequences of testing.


text:
Adventures in Paradise
Three New Domestic Airlines Get Ready to Start Operations in Costa Rica
The market of domestic flights in Costa Rica had been for years dominated by Sansa Airlines, even when the operations of Nature Air where growing, Sansa always kept the leading position, statistics by Civil Aviation from 2016 showed that at that time, Nature Air was absorbing close to 30% of the market, while Sansa had almost 55% and the rest of the travelers used charter flights or smaller companies, this year however, as a result of all the problems faced by Nature Air, Sansa has strengthen its operations. As it is expected, this situation also opens the doors to new participants; four companies are currently in the process of getting their Aerial Operator Certification (COA) through the General Directorate of Civil Aviation with the purpose of offering flights to the main tourist sites in the country.
Costa Rica Green Airways, backed by CarmonAir which offers charter flights, is in the last stage of the process and hopes to receive approval to begin operations in September 2018.
This company will offer daily flights to Nosara, Tambor and Quepos from the domestic terminal of the Juan Santamaria Airport. Their expectation is to add four destinations (Puerto Jimenez, Golfito, Liberia and Tamarindo) by the time the high season arrives. Green Airways expects to enter the market with competitive prices, faster planes and more capacity for luggage.
TAC Guatemala, a company with over 50 years offering domestic flights in that country, turned its sight towards the Costa Rican market, TAC Airlines Costa Rica is halfway through its approval process and hope to initiate operations in November this year. They will offer flights to Liberia, Tambor, Quepos and Puerto Jimenez from the Tobias Bolaños Airport in Pavas; if things go as planned, they will add three destinations in 2019.
Finally, Skyway, an airline that currently offers charter flights, is also working on being part of the domestic flights market starting in mid-November from the Juan Santamaría Airport and with flights to Puerto Jimenez, Drake Bay, Bocas del Toro, Liberia and Quepos.
Arturo & Nereyda
Costa Rica Travel Experts


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