text:
The Roseburg High School Interact Club (Roseburg, Oregon) brings students together to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self through all of the club's service opportunities. Rotary club sponsors mentor and guide Interactors as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills. Interact Clubs organize at least two projects every year, one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. For this year's international project, Roseburg High School Interact Club has chosen to partner with Oregon-based 501c3 Africa Heartwood Project in their efforts to provide sustainable fresh water to communities throughout West Africa.
We chose Africa Heartwood Project because of the massive impact their wells have on communities and their focus on long-term sustainability. Our goal is to fully fund the construction of one well, which is a small price to pay for the benefits hundreds will receive as a result. – Zach Traul, Interact Club President 2018-19
At the request of club member Sierra Ricks, Africa Heartwood Project founder and director Andy Jones met with students and mentors at two of their early-morning club meetings where he presented basic information about the NGO and their work in Liberia. The students seemed eager to learn about the global water crisis and how they could get involved be part of the solution.
I was impressed at the willingness of this group of students to go to work to help Liberian people they will likely never meet to get safe drinking water. The get up early to meet before school and plan their service work. They are enthusiastic and bright and concerned. It is wonderful that AHP can be the means by which a group of globally-minded high school students can reach out and make a difference by bringing a new clean water bore hole to a village in need. – Andy Jones, Director, Africa Heartwood Project
The community that will benefit from their service is in Liberia, at a school in New City in the Johnsonville township near Mt. Barclay, Montserrado County. The school serves as a center for activity within the community, where hundreds of students spend all day without having water to drink because there is no clean water on campus. Hundreds of low-income residents in the New City area will have access to the well in the morning before school starts, and after school, and the hand pump will be regulated by school officials. This water project will improve the health of students and families immediately, and will have a significant impact on the learning environment at the school. This map shows the general area where the new well will be installed, but the exact location is TBD.
To make a donation to this project please contact a member of the Interact Club for details, or send a check to Africa Heartwood Project and include a note that the donation is to be allocated to the RHS Interact Club Water Project.
Orphan Home
Adarkrom Alantaso Village Amy Moon Angelic Connections Change Change the World clean water project Clean Water Projects education employment Fawomanye Fundraising Ghana Good Bird Design Kofi Tabrikrom Krobidasiwakyi Krobidasiwakyi Village Kwanyaku district private donor Seth Okai training vocational Water Project water projects West Africa West Africa water Wildcat Water Project work


text:
White House tried to identify the families of all fallen troops this year after Trump's false claims, email shows
By John M. Donnelly
ROLL CALL |
President Donald Trump falsely claimed on an Oct. 17 radio broadcast that he had contacted "virtually everybody" who had lost a family member in military service this year. (JONATHAN ERNST/REUTERS)
WASHINGTON - In the hours after President Donald Trump said on an Oct. 17 radio broadcast that he had contacted "virtually everybody" who had lost a family member in military service this year, the White House was hustling to learn from the Pentagon the identities and contact information for those families, according to an internal Defense Department email.
The email exchange, which has not been previously reported, shows that senior White House aides were aware on the day the President made the statement that it was not accurate – but that they should try to make it accurate as soon as possible, given the gathering controversy.
The coffin of U.S. Army Sergeant La David Johnson, who was among four special forces soldiers killed in Niger, is taken from Christ The Rock Church in Cooper City, Fla.on Oct. 20, 2017. (JOE SKIPPER/REUTERS)
The exchange between the White House and the Defense secretary's office occurred about 5 p.m. on Oct. 17. The White House asked the Pentagon for information about surviving family members of all service members killed after Trump's inauguration so that the President could be sure to contact all of them.
Capt. Hallock Mohler, the executive secretary to Defense Secretary James Mattis, provided the White House with information in the 5 p.m. email about how each service member had died and the identity of his or her survivors, including phone numbers.
The email's subject line was, "Condolence Letters Since 20 January 2017."
Mohler indicated in the email that he was responding to a request from the President's staff for information through Ylber Bajraktari, an aide on the National Security Council. The objective was to figure out who among so-called Gold Star families of the fallen Trump had yet to call. Mohler's email said that the President's aides "reached out to Ylber looking for the following ASAP from DOD."
Donald Trump in the White House
Trump had said in a Fox News Radio interview earlier that day that he had contacted the families of "virtually everybody" in the military who had been killed since he was inaugurated.
"I have called, I believe, everybody – but certainly I'll use the word virtually everybody," Trump said.
Since then, The Associated Press contacted 20 families and found that half had not heard from Trump. It is not clear how many of the families that have heard from the President received the calls this week, since the controversy over his contacts with military families erupted. It is not clear when the White House first asked for data on Gold Star families, but it is clear that the answers had not been provided before Tuesday.
The Pentagon email indicates that 21 military personnel had been killed in action during Trump's tenure, and an additional 44 had been killed by means other than enemy fire, such as ship collisions that took 17 sailors' lives in the Pacific this summer.
Sharon Wright (c.) is aided by family at the viewing of U.S. Army Sergeant La David Johnson, who was among four special forces soldiers killed in Niger, at Christ The Rock Church in Cooper City, Fla., on Friday. (JOE SKIPPER/REUTERS)
Trump has clearly been active in reaching out to military families who have suffered the ultimate loss, as the AP reports show.
NYPD cops stripped of guns, shields after they're caught having sex in department bathroom: sources
Dead homeless man covered in bed bugs found on Manhattan subway, sources say
SEE IT: Surveillance video shows Bronx dad celebrating his birthday fatally shot by stranger after club brawl
But the White House-Pentagon email scramble on Tuesday undermines the veracity of Trump's statement about his record of contacting all Gold Star families. The internal document also sheds light on how the White House staff, on this and other occasions, has had to go into damage-control mode when the President makes inaccurate statements.
On Oct. 18, the day after the President's aides had sought and received the Gold Star family data from the Pentagon, a reporter at a White House news conference asked press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders whether Trump had in fact contacted all the families.
"The President's made contact with all of the families that have been presented to him through the White House Military Office," she replied. "All of the individuals that the President has been presented with through the proper protocol have been contacted through that process."
Capt. Hallock Mohler, the executive secretary to James Mattis (pictured arriving for a meeting about Niger on Friday), provided the White House with information in the 5 p.m. email. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
That language is hedged. "Made contact" does not mean a phone call necessarily, and "through that process" could mean letters of condolence or other forms.
At publication time, Sanders had not replied to a request for comment about the Tuesday email exchange.
White House officials prepared to freeze Ukraine aid night before Trump's infamous Zelensky call, emails...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Techland is presenting new skills from parkour and combat in Dying Light 2 Stay Human
Two different skill trees to explore in Dying Light 2 Stay Human will be full of new abilities
Wrocław, Poland — January 6, 2022 — Techland prepared some new information for Dying Light 2 Stay Human fans and presented skill trees available for the main protagonist of their upcoming title. Together with new approaches in character's progression, they presented parkour and combat skills to explore in the game.
Every player, while performing specific actions, will earn experience points in two different areas - parkour and combat. Taking traversal action like climbing, jumping or vaulting will be rewarded with a progressing parkour-experience bar. The more complicated and skillful movements players perform, the more experience will be able to gain. To earn combat related experience points, players should fight their enemies and perform combined attacks that will be rewarded with a bigger amount of points.
Completing quests is also a fast way to fill the experience bars - both parkour and combat related. To unlock new skills and abilities, it's worth spending some time and unlocking new options of traversal and fighting methods in the game. For example, there is the Combat Skills called Grapple that allows you (if you have the right timing!) to throw enemies on the side by using the momentum of their attack. You can combine this Skill with Stomp that gives you the opportunity to headstomp enemies that lay on the ground to kill them instantly! There are a lot of combinations possible between all the Skills, players will pick them up depending on their playstyle.
Of course there are also a lot of combinations possible with Parkour Skills, Dart is a skill that temporarily increases your running speed, if you combine it with Double Jump a Skill that helps you to jump higher while vaulting obstacles you will be able to reach places that were unreachable before!
Dying Light 2 Stay Human world premiere is really close, so make sure that you didn't miss any episode of Dying 2 Know series (all episodes available here) or if you are really Dying 2 Know More about the game, make sure to visit this link for more episodes of exclusive interviews.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human, published by Techland, launches on February 4, 2022 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch (Cloud Version).
Pre-orders are available via dyinglightgame.com/preorder. All pre-orders will come with the exclusive digital Reload Pack and Reach for the Sky Pack, featuring unique outfits, weapons, backpack and paraglider skins. Reach for the Sky Pack, was created in collaboration with Rosario Dawson (The Mandalorian, Sin City), who plays Lawan, a key character whose fate connects with main protagonist Aiden during his journey.
Band together with fellow survivors on Discord, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Media and content creators are invited to join the Dying Light 2 Stay Human press center at dl2.dyinglightgame.com/press-center/.
About Dying Light 2 Stay Human
Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a story-driven open-world action role-playing game, a sequel to the critically acclaimed Dying Light published in 2015, which has been played by over twenty million people all over the world. This time players are visiting the City – mankind's last stronghold in the fight against the virus. Developed parkour mechanics enable players to explore the vast open world and master tactical combat. This lost civilization, a world set in the modern dark ages, requires creative approaches to finding items and crafting gear. Gameplay shifts during a day and night cycle, so players can dare to plunder abandoned lairs of infected at night and discover the dark secrets of those in power by day. Players must choose which side they want to take and write their own story.
About Techland
Founded in 1991 in Poland, Techland is a renowned independent game developer and distributor for all leading platforms, including PC, Sony PlayStation, and the Xbox family of devices. Techland is best known for the original Dead Island games, the Call of Juarez series, and the Dying Light franchise, a global phenomenon played by over 20 million unique players to date. To top that, Techland's experienced teams allow the developer to work on two of its own AAA titles at the same time. Comprising over 400 professionals across three offices in Poland, the company is committed to delivering unforgettable experiences and using the latest technology for innovative entertainment, which includes the proprietary C-Engine. For more information about the company itself, visit the official website at: www.techland.net.
All product titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork, and associated imagery are trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or copyright material of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
pr@techland.pl
FromTechland
Katie Farquhar
Senior Publicist
Katie.Farquhar@premiercomms.com
Chris Warr
chris.warr@premiercomms.com
Add set to downloads
Skill trees
Dying Light 2 Stay Human video


the dignity, office, or period of office of a viceroy.
a country or province ruled by a viceroy.
On May 22, 1810, a great meeting was held at which it was resolved that the authority of the Viceroyalty had expired.
He accumulated great wealth during his Viceroyalty and built himself the fine palace which stands close to the convent.
The Viceroyalty of Buenos Aires was divided into several provinces and "intendencias," which later on became provinces.
Powis was therefore suggested as the man best qualified for the viceroyalty.


text:
require 'rails_helper'

RSpec.describe Portfolio::ContactController, type: :controller do
  specify '#index' do
    get :index

    expect(response).to render_template 'index'
  end

end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


PREVAGE® Anti-Aging Foundation Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 is rated 4.2 out of 5 by 48.
This super fluid liquid foundation creates a naturally luminous complexion with all-day wear.
Introducing a breakthrough in anti-aging makeup. Infused with Idebenone, this exclusive anti-aging complex continuously repairs skin's appearance day after day for the ultimate in youth renewal. Instantly, skin looks perfected - smooth, firm and naturally radiant. Vitamin C and key anti-aging ingredients correct skin's appearance for a firmer, clearer look. Moisture-rich hydra-pigments flawlessly even skin tone for luminous skin perfection that lasts all day. Oil free.
The super fluid liquid foundation creates a naturally luminous complexion with all-day wear. The lightweight formula provides medium coverage, creating a beautiful flawless look.
PREVAGE® Foundation is so good for your skin that women who slept with it on overnight experienced amazing results: The foundation lasts 24 hours and upon waking up skin was clear and felt fresh, hydrated and comfortable with a healthy glow.
Our exclusive antioxidant helps protect skin from oxidative stress and environmental assaults to help minimize the visible signs of aging.
Encapsulated, moisture-rich pigments meld with the skin creating a shield to help skin retain moisture while delivering precise long-wear color, and blurring imperfections.
A potent blend of highly effective antioxidants including Idebenone, Thiotane, Ferulic Acid, L-Carnosine and Green Tea Extract that help protect skin from environmental assaults to help minimize visible signs of aging, and keep skin looking healthy and luminous.
Prep and Prime: Apply SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster, serum, and moisturizer all over face to prepare and hydrate. Apply Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer to blur imperfections, minimize pores, and create a perfect canvas to improve the length of foundation.
Apply Foundation: Use Elizabeth Arden Dual End Foundation Brush to apply PREVAGE® Anti-Aging Foundation Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 for a flawless application and airbrush effect. Use the smaller end of the brush to perfect areas around the nose, eyes, and mouth.
Conceal: Use Flawless Finish Maximum Coverage Concealer to correct imperfections and dark circles.
Highlight: Sweep Flawless Finish Correcting and Highlighting Perfector where the light hits your face to highlight and add dimensions. Blend product into skin for natural luminosity.
Powder: Apply Flawless Finish Ultra Smooth Pressed Powder as a last step to set foundation and make it last longer. Use a foundation brush to dust lightly all over the face.
Rated 5 out of 5 by JennaG from Awesome product This makeup is awesome, it gives the amount of coverage giving a natural look. It lasts for hours and occasionally when I forgot to remove it and fell asleep it looked just as good in the morning.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Graces from Great stuff! It's very light but covers. Does not crease in lines. Leaves skin feeling great. I love this product. I keep dabbling with other foundations but always come back to this one. It is good to use something to set it.
Rated 5 out of 5 by kristy1015 from Love It! This foundation is great, it covers evenly, It is not thick, it feels like you are not wearing it. It also stays on all day.
Rated 1 out of 5 by Euro Chic from Absolutely awful. I have been a loyal EA customer for years and I greatly admire EA skincare products, especially its Prevage line. The Prevage foundation, however, is a complete and utter disappointment. It spreads easily, yet it takes forever to absorb, as it has a very oily texture. (Note that I prefer more moisturizing skincare, as I have a dry skin.) What is worse, both the color and the texture of the foundation kept changing during the day - so much so that, by the end of the day, my skin looked dark yellow (and I am a fair-skinned person) and extremely greasy. I must have used oil-blotting tissues every hour that day. Were I not an Elizabeth Arden loyalist, I would give it t zero stars.
Hi, Meghann! Our Prevage Foundation has titanium dioxide as the active SPF ingredient.
Is this makeup non comedogenic? thank you!
Hi, Christina S! Our PREVAGE® Anti-Aging Foundation Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 is non-comedogenic.
Which one is a cold tone? Shade 1 or 2?
Hi, Gigi5! The shade 1 in our PREVAGE® Anti-Aging Foundation Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 is neutral with cool tones, while shade 2 has neutral golden tones.
1Based on a US consumer study of 110 women ages 30–55 after 15 minutes and 24 hours of wear.


ZIP Code software is being used by website ZocDoc.com to help people find doctors and dentists in the Washington area, reports the Washington Post.
Users type in their ZIP Code details, the specific medical attention they are looking for and details of their insurance plans and the website provides address data of suitable individuals and services nearby.
Around 14,000 appointments will be available in the Washington area on the website's launch and patients will also be able to post reviews of the standard of care they received to act as a guide to other people using the service.
The site has been operating in New York for two years and could be particularly useful for people who have found difficulties in registering with a local doctor or dentist.
In other news, details of how federal stimulus money is being spent throughout the US are available on a new section of Recovery.gov and the site users ZIP Code software to help people identify projects in their area, reports Nextgov.com.


It is finally here, created with many, many personal tears of love shed over the past few months.
Since losing my own baby at 16 weeks gestation, my dream has been to create a place of support and understanding for those who have experienced the loss of a baby, through pregnancy or shortly thereafter. Here you will find the stories of those who have shared their grief in the hope that they can provide comfort to others, information for family and friends for supporting mothers and fathers who are grieving, and links to other online support services.
Pregnancy loss is not spoken openly about in our society. Oftentimes, this grief is left unacknowledged as we are awkward and do not know how to comfort each other when we are grieving the loss of someone we never really had the opportunity to get to know. And yet mothers, fathers, children, grandparents, extended family, friends - all are left changed by the loss of a baby, the dream of a life together which is shattered when that life is taken too soon.
In the days following the loss of my own baby, I had absolutely no idea how to feel or what to expect. I searched the internet for stories of other mothers who had stood where I was. I ached for a sense of connection within my loneliness. I needed to know that there were others out there who understood, that I was not alone in what I was feeling, and I needed to find hope that I would come out of the other side. And although each person's story is different, reading about the experiences of others helped me. My dream is that With Tears of Love will also help others.
The loss of any baby is tragic, whatever the circumstances. Please respect that this is not a place to debate personal beliefs or values, instead this is a place to honour those babies lost and to reach out and uphold those experiencing personal grief.
Today I invite you to read these stories and be open with your support, you might also like to subscribe so that you stay updated when new stories are added. I also invite you to light a candle at 7pm this evening as October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. If everyone lights a candle tonight and keeps it burning for at least one hour, the whole world will be lit in a continuous wave of light burning bright in memory of our angels. I cannot tell you how much the picture in my mind of this wave of light which acknowledges the life of my baby boy comforts me, especially as I have so little to remember him by.
I don't have a story to Share but have posted your link for my friends who will have things to share and support to gain through this site.
I think this site is a wonderful idea. A friend of mine lost her baby just a few weeks ago, and has a blog in his memory http://harrisonsfightforlife.blogspot.com/ . I will definately be telling her about this special place.
For anyone who needs to talk to someone.. or who needs support through tragedy http://whitebutterflyproject.org is there for you.
They also run a reflection service and a retreat.
Christie, Thankyou for starting such a nurturing and beuatiful place for us to share our stories. I still think about what my first child may have grown up to become if things had turned out differently. Knowing there is a place like this will hopefully make it easier for those who will have a story to tell in the future.
I know you will touch a lot of lives Christie with this blog.
I also think that having this site is a wonderful, healthy idea. I'll be coming back to read up your updates. Hang in there, we're all here for you.
What a beatiful site, and what a beautiful place to talk about all those babies we never got to know. I'm so glad that there is such a supportive place when parents need it most.


Make it easier for people who walk and bike to get to the Oxford Trail from nearby neighborhoods with nice and easy bikeways, such as protected bike lanes/cycle tracks, pathways and signed bike routes on local roads.
Place mile markers along the trail using pavement markings or signs.
Orientation kiosk provide important wayfinding information and maps to help someone navigate around the trails. Orientation kiosks should be provided at entry points and intersections.
Interpretive plaques could be used along the trail to describe the prairie landscape and history of the site.
Trailheads located at the main entrances to the pathway, could provide wayfinding information, bike parking, water, bench, trash receptacle and bike maintenance stations.
Trail users should able allowed to access the central trail segment from both ends – access should be provided around the existing gate, near Wealthy Ave.
To improve safety and security, emergency call boxes with security cameras could be located around the park. The boxes are activated by pushing a call button and then the caller is connected directly to the police radio network.
Priority Neighborhood Connector Routes would provide connections between Oxford Trails and the surrounding neighborhoods in southeast Grand Rapids, and create a 12-mile loop system.


text:
December 19, 2017 Kerry Patterson
Our Red Rock Christmas
By Kerry Patterson
https://static.vitalsmartscdn.com/kerryingon/KerryingOn_20171215.mp3
I suppose that the Christmas traditions we cling to the most as an adult are the ones we enjoyed the most as children. This means that, for some people, pine trees covered with lead-foil tinsel are a must. For others, if the family wassail doesn't contain fresh pineapple juice, why, it's simply unacceptable. And, of course, if somebody doesn't sing about the time their Grandmother got run over by a reindeer—what kind of holiday season is that?
This being the case, you can imagine what it was like for my wife and me when my parents invited us to spend our 1972 holiday season with them in their new home. This meant that the celebration wouldn't be held in Northwestern Washington where I had been raised (and where Christmas was done correctly), but in the red rock town of Peach Springs, Arizona, where Dad had taken a job managing the local trading post—a place, I surmised, that would not be the least bit in sync with our family's time-honored traditions.
"I suppose joyfully sliding down the snow-covered foothills of Mt. Baker atop an inverted car hood is out of the question," I mumbled to my wife as I envisioned the scratchy, dry, red sandstone celebration Dad was promising us. "Plus," I continued, "you can bet that I won't be stuffing myself with the Hoag's (our Washington neighbors) delicious smoked salmon. You can get excommunicated for less than that," I mumbled in Louise's direction. "I'm pretty sure that not eating smoked salmon during the holidays is a vegan sin."
"Venial sin," Louise corrected me.
"Either way," I responded, "I'll miss the sockeye."
This whole "let's expand our horizons" holiday was about to take place because earlier that year, Dad had accepted a job offer to run the Hualapai tribe's retail businesses located forty-two miles northeast of Kingman, Arizona, just off Route 66. And now, after living almost a year in Peach Springs, he and Mom couldn't wait for us to come celebrate the holidays with them.
"We also have," Dad shouted over the phone, "a magnificent gift for you. I swear it's going to knock your . . . " but then Mom cut him off: "Hang up the phone before you ruin the big surprise!" Click.
What surprise?
When my parents first arrived at the trading post, Mom immediately fell in love with the Native American artwork that the store proudly displayed. Clay pottery, fancy leather work, turquoise squash blossoms, and other art pieces, all caught her attention. But it was the locally produced basketry that most impressed Mom. Unfortunately, the beautifully woven baskets were expensive. But then again, maybe if she cut back a little here and a tad there she could buy a basket for Louise and me. She'd have to wait and see. A hundred dollars was a lot of money.
And then, as if she had been reading Mom's mind, Lucy (one of the local basket makers), asked Mom for a favor.
"You own a van," Lucy observed. "I was wondering if you'd drive me a few miles north to an area where the shoots I use to make my baskets are now the right size to be harvested. I'll cut them and load them into your van. You just need to haul me and the shoots."
Of course she would haul the shoots, Mom thought to herself. Better still, she'd help cut them as well.
Two days later, with visions of baskets dancing in her head, Mom and her new friend Lucy climbed into Mom's Volkswagen van and merrily headed off in pursuit of northern Arizona tree shoots of some sort. It was a miserably hot day, the work would be difficult, and Mom's heart was soon to be tested (cue ominous music).
After working arduously for eight hours in the heat-cutting enough basket material to nearly fill the Van, Mom signaled to Lucy that she felt sick. Then, to prove her point, she passed out. Lucy thought Mom was dead. (She wasn't, of course, but she did suffer some sort of episode.) Notwithstanding the frightening setback, a few minutes later when Mom eventually came to, she insisted on finishing the job.
"Plus," she told Lucy, "I want to buy all the baskets these shoots will make. I almost died for them. I want to purchase every single one of them."
"Why, Mrs. Patterson!" Lucy responded. "The shoots we've gathered today are barely enough to make one basket." And thus, Mom was introduced to the harsh economics of making handcrafted baskets. Lucy not only gathered an entire van full of shoots, she also dried them, split them, died them, and wove them—until one day, after several weeks of taxing labor, she presented Mom with her finished one-hundred-dollar basket. This was the present Mom couldn't wait to give us. This was the gift that had almost stopped her heart.
You can imagine the scene that unfolded that Christmas Eve as we sat cheek-to-jowl in the cramped space behind the Hualapai trading post. At the first stroke of gift-giving time, Mom reached under the tree, gathered up a beautifully wrapped box, and placed it at our feet. I had no idea what was inside.
"It's a handmade Hualapai basket!" Mom explained as she helped Louise tear through the tissue paper. "My friend Lucy made it! Isn't it gorgeous?" Then Mom went on to explain the meaning contained in the basket's design and the story of how she had collapsed—all the while staring intently into our faces—taking pleasure from knowing that her gift had brought us joy. That's right, she wasn't looking for praise for having given us such a special gift (as is often the case) she was simply reveling in our delight.
It was on this day I realized that all gifts, thoughtfully and lovingly given, are similar to Russian nesting dolls. I know this sounds silly, but it's true. The basket Mom gave us wasn't covered with hand-painted babushkas, but it was a nested gift all the same. The external component was the Hualapai basket itself—perfectly shaped and gorgeously designed. Nested inside lay the fascinating Native American history captured in the basket's intricate pattern. Nested within this lay the story of Mom's harrowing sacrifice. And finally, if you continued for long enough, you'd come to the centerpiece—the hardest to get to and, in some ways, the loveliest addition. It was the radiant look on Mom's face.
This concept of nesting several elements into a single gift was made even clearer to me five years later—in a rather odd way. Someone stole our beloved basket. I couldn't believe that somebody had actually taken our precious art piece. Fortunately, I was now mature enough to realize that only the basket itself was gone. We still had the lion's share of the gift.
"What's that supposed to mean?" my nine-year-old granddaughter asked as I told her about my red-rock epiphany.
"Nested, one piece inside the next," I explained, "we had the appreciation for native history and art, the tender story behind Mom's sacrifice, and the glorious look on her face as her love washed across the trading post."
"But the basket's gone," my granddaughter exclaimed.
"Not to me," I answered. "Not to me."
From the Authors of
Get thought-provoking answers to your tough, real-life questions from the authors of Crucial Conversations, Crucial Accountability, Influencer, and Change Anything.
Want to receive our award winning content in your inbox each week?
Emily on 3 Tips to Organize Your Life
Jessica Graf on How to End a Relationship Stand-Off
Michelle Stockwell on Is "Love" Too Grand a Word?
Laura on Is It Ever Okay to End a Relationship with a Family Member?
AnotherMother on Changing Behavior in Adult Children
Categories Select Category Author Bookshelf BS Guys Case Study Change Anything Community Q&A Crucial Accountability Crucial Applications Crucial Conversations From the Road Getting Things Done Giveaway Guest Post In The News Influencer Influencer Institute Kerrying On Q&A Special Announcement Success Story The Power of Habit Trainer Q&A Uncategorized What Happened
Read Our Other Blogs
Business 2 Community
Read Our E-books
How to Talk About the Loss of a Loved One: Dos and Don'ts of Comforting Others
Kerrying On Christmas: A Compilation of Holiday Stories
When Crucial Conversations Go Social: How to Handle Heated Discussions via Social Media
Crucial Accountability
Influencer Training
GTD Training
Speaking Opportunities: Book an Author
Want to recieve our award winning content in your inbox each week?
©2020 VitalSmarts Privacy Policy Top
©2020 VitalSmarts Top


Once upon a time, Jake Lassiter was a Miami Dolphins fullback (or whatever, he played: football, okay?), then his knee was destroyed and he became a lawyer. He took his gutsy style of playing on field into the courtroom, and has become the industry poster-boy for how not to try a case. This volume in the series takes Lassiter into the past, when he was a beer-swilling, womanizing jock…and the consequences of what he did in those rumbustious days. Not quite up to Levine's usual standards, but still a good read, particularly Jake's relationship with his teenaged nephew, and the climactic scenes. A 3.


text:
/*******************************************************************************
    DESCRIPTION
*******************************************************************************/
/**
@brief  VSCP class 1 alarm types
@file   vscp_type_alarm.h
@author Andreas Merkle, http://www.blue-andi.de

@section desc Description
This header contains all level 1 alarm class defined types.

*******************************************************************************/
/** @defgroup vscp_type_alarm Alarm class types
 * Level 1 alarm class types
 * @{
 * @ingroup vscp_l1
 */

/*
 * Don't forget to set JAVADOC_AUTOBRIEF to YES in the doxygen file to generate
 * a correct module description.
 */

#ifndef __VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_H__
#define __VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_H__

/*******************************************************************************
    INCLUDES
*******************************************************************************/

#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C"
{
#endif

/*******************************************************************************
    COMPILER SWITCHES
*******************************************************************************/

/*******************************************************************************
    CONSTANTS
*******************************************************************************/

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Undefined */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_UNDEFINED           0

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Warning */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_WARNING             1

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Alarm occurred */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_ALARM_OCCURRED      2

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Alarm sound on/off */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_ALARM_SOUND_ON_OFF  3

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Alarm light on/off */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_ALARM_LIGHT_ON_OFF  4

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Power on/off */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_POWER_ON_OFF        5

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Emergency Stop */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_EMERGENCY_STOP      6

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Emergency Pause */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_EMERGENCY_PAUSE     7

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Emergency Reset */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_EMERGENCY_RESET     8

/** VSCP class 1 alarm type: Emergency Resume */
#define VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_EMERGENCY_RESUME    9

/*******************************************************************************
    MACROS
*******************************************************************************/

/*******************************************************************************
    TYPES AND STRUCTURES
*******************************************************************************/

/*******************************************************************************
    VARIABLES
*******************************************************************************/

/*******************************************************************************
    FUNCTIONS
*******************************************************************************/

#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif

#endif  /* __VSCP_TYPE_ALARM_H__ */

/** @} */


text:
Spen Fame Trail
Welcome to Spen Valley Civic Society
We're an independent voluntary society formed over 40 years ago, dedicated to promoting high standards, public interest and pride in Spen Valley's townscapes and countryside. We're local people with a wide variety of interests including architecture, urban planning, history, nature conservation, walking & cycling. We belong to the Yorkshire & Humber Association of Civic Societies and to Civic Voice, giving us both regional and national connections.
STOP PRESS NEWS! We need volunteers to help plant trees at our project, the Jo Cox Community Wood. Tree planting sessions in January 2020 are from 10.30am-12.30pm & 1.30-3.30pm on the following weekends: Saturday 11th & Sunday 14th; Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th; Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th. See details under the Projects section, and contact us via this page! And if you'd like to celebrate a birth, marriage, anniversary or a life, why not use our new TREES FOR LIFE scheme? It costs £50. We'll plant, stake and maintain a half-standard native tree in the wood and give you a certificate showing its location. Phone 01274 875262 or email us via the "contact us" section on this page!
Where are we? And what's "Cleckheckmondsedge"?
We're in the heart of West Yorkshire, near the M62 and M1, at the centre of a circle joining Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Halifax (all less than 10 miles away). The River Spen rises near Bradford and flows south into the River Calder near Dewsbury. Our Spen Valley is about 7 miles long, containing the small townships and hamlets of Gomersal, Drub, Hunsworth, Scholes, Roberttown, Hightown, Littletown, Cleckheaton, Heckmondwike and Liversedge. The last three gave rise to the fun name of "Cleckheckmondsedge"! These settlements are surrounded by countryside, criss-crossed by footpaths and bridleways. The famous Spen Valley Greenway (part of Sustrans National Cycle Route 66) runs through our valley, a boon for walkers, horseriders, joggers and cyclists of all ages and abilities. Our historical gems include over 100 listed buildings, many Bronte and Luddite connections, and sites where spirited free-thinking local people like Quakers, Chartists and Non-Conformists stood up to oppression and intolerance.
Your Name Your Email Address Your Phone Number Your Message
© 2020 Spen Valley Civic Society.
Web Design & Development by Statement


text:
layout: post
title:  "Life"
date:   2015-04-12
tags:   mstred post life
---

> ...that's what all the people say. You're ridin' high in April, shot down in May.
>
> But I know I'm gonna change that tune, when I'm back on top, back on top in June.

As the great Sinatra sang in these wise verses, [that's life][1].

A confusing cycle between moments of joy and sadness. Sometimes it's a sunny
day and with a blink of the eye, it goes to a dark and stormy weather.

It's quite obvious that there's good and bad days, but who ever knows what will come for tomorrow?
It's a matter of being hopeful and keep doing the best to make it brighter, even
if the struggle it's hard as it seems to be.

Keep it strong and carry on.

--

[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avU2aarQUiU


Of course you can enjoy semlor even if you're gluten intolerant! These are perfect for a festive occasion or any other day you want. Yield about 15 pcs.
Melt the margarine and add in the milk. Bring the mix to luke warm (37°C).
Dissolve the yeast in the mix and add in Finax Psyllium, then leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Mix together with the remaining ingredients by machine for about 5 minutes (leave aside about 30 g/ 0,5 dl mjölmix).
Spread the remaining flour over your table surface and pour out the dough. Divide the dough into 15 pieces which are shaped into round buns with smooth surfaces.
Place the buns on a tray with baking sheet and leave to rise for 30 minutes under a cloth.
Apply beat egg to the buns with a brush.
Bake in the middle of the oven at 250°C for 7-10 minutes. The buns will develop a golden color quickly so be attentive during baking!
take out the baked buns and leave to cool on a grill for airflow.
When the buns have cooled, cut off the top and place marzipan at the bottom inside, then add in a good amount of whipped cream before placing the top back on. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar for a beautiful finish.
Try adding 1,5-2 tsp. cardamom to the flour mix for an extra delicious and refined touch.


text:
NJSIAA looking to shake up regional championship football games
Regional championship game, formerly known as bowl games, could get a location change.
NJSIAA looking to shake up regional championship football games Regional championship game, formerly known as bowl games, could get a location change. Check out this story on courierpostonline.com: https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/darren-cooper/2019/04/03/nj-football-njsiaa-looking-shake-up-regional-championship-games/3337987002/
Darren Cooper, Local Sports Columnist, North Jersey Record Published 3:17 p.m. ET April 3, 2019 | Updated 6:25 p.m. ET April 3, 2019
North Jersey football: Our best photos of the 2018 season
Ramapo's Max Baker (27) celebrates a touchdown in the first half. Ramapo faces Summit in the North Group 3 Bowl Game on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in East Rutherford. Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com
Ramapo's Max Baker (27) celebrates his interception in the first half. Ramapo faces Summit in the North Group 3 Bowl Game on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in East Rutherford. Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com
The Ramapo student section cheers on the players as they enter the field at MetLife Stadium to face Summit in the North Group 3 Bowl Game on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in East Rutherford. Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com
Amin Vanover of St.Joseph celebrates a first half sack. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network
Hasbrouck Heights' Jasiah Purdie (3) stiff-arms Butler defender Matt Wolowitz in the second half. Hasbrouck Heights defeats Butler 41-7 in the NJSIAA high school football North Group 1 final on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, in East Rutherford. Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com
Hasbrouck Heights' Michael Robertson (26) is lifted by a teammate in the endzone after scoring the first touchdown of the game. Heights defeats Butler 41-7 for the North Group 1 title on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, in East Rutherford. Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com
Hasbrouck Heights' Matt Gwiszcz (84) and Zai'heer Jenkins (2) celebrate their 41-7 win over Butler for the North Group 1 title on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, in East Rutherford. Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com
Lawson Fisher, Matteo Sullivan, Kyle Russell and Sebastian Gaeta of Rutherford show off the championship trophy to their Rutherford fans. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network
Rutherford head coach Andrew Howell gets the Gatorade shower towards the end of the game as his team won the North Group 2 Championship. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network
A snow squall hit just before the start of the game as the officiating crew lines up for the national anthem. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network
Rutherford's Regan Landrigan runs the ball in the North 2, Group 2 football championship game against Lyndhurst in Rutherford. Chris Monroe/ Special to NorthJersey.com
Lyndhurst's Brian Podolski throws a pass in the North 2, Group 2 football championship game against Rutherford in Rutherford. Chris Monroe/ Special to NorthJersey.com
Javon Cruz of Bergen Catholic after sacking the Don Bosco quarterback in the first half. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network
Isaiah Alston from Mater Dei High blocks Jogn Amodeo from DePaul Catholic High during a game at DePaul Catholic High School in Wanye, NJ on Nov. 10, 2018. Sarah Yenesel/Special to NorthJersey.com
Glen Rock football at Westwood on Friday, November, 2, 2018. WW #24 Christian Maiz on his way to making a catch in the fourth quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Glen Rock football at Westwood on Friday, November 2, 2018. WW #10 Anthony Corrubia celebrates after making an interception in the fourth quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Glen Rock football at Westwood on Friday, November, 2, 2018. WW #2 Nick Baez breaks up a pass intended for GR #22 Anthony Dalesso in the first quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Stephen Prado of Paramus runs the ball after a catch in the first half. Chris Pedota, Chris Pedota/NorthJersey.com
Seton Hall Prep quarterback, Aidan Gilman is upended by Jamari Thomas of Paramus Catholic in the first half. Chris Pedota, Chris Pedota/NorthJersey.com
Hasbrouck Heights' Jasiah Purdie throws a pass against Rutherford. Chris Monroe/Special to NorthJersey.com
The Rutherford Bulldogs get pumped before their game against Hasbrouck Heights. Chris Monroe/Special to NorthJersey.com
Hasbrouck Heights fans celebrate the win over Rutherford. Chris Monroe/Special to NorthJersey.com
St. Peter's Prep football at St. Joe's on Saturday, October 27, 2018. SP #21 Zyeiar Miller reaches for a pass in the first quarter as SJ #47 Matthew Gibney defends. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
St. Peter's Prep football at St. Joe's on Saturday, October 27, 2018. SJ #15 Audric Estime fights off a tackle in the first quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Bergen Catholic football at DePaul on Friday, October 26, 2018. BC #81 Tyler Devera on his way to scoring a touchdown in the second quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
New Milford at Rutherford in North Jersey Interscholastic Conference playoff semifinal on Friday, October 19, 2018. R #1 Abellany Mendez avoids a tackle in the first quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Referees assess the muddy field prior to the start of the football game between Butler and Hasbrouck Heights in Butler on Friday September 28, 2018. Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com
Football game between Butler and Hasbrouck Heights in Butler on Friday September 28, 2018. Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com
New Milford's Elian Valdivia (6) reaches up and knocks the ball away for an incomplete on Lyndhurst's last possession, giving New Milford the win in double overtime at Lyndhurst on Saturday, September 29 2018. Jim Anness/Special to NorthJersey.com
DePaul at St. Peter's Prep on Saturday, September 29, 2018. DP #14 Ronnie Hickman brakes up a pass intended for SP #11 Byron Shipman in the fourth quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
DePaul at St. Peter's Prep on Saturday, September 29, 2018. SP #9 Maasai Maynor in the second quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
River Dell at Ramapo on Friday, September 28, 2018. R #9 Isaiah Savitt makes a catch for a touchdown in OT. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
River Dell at Ramapo on Friday, September 28, 2018. R #9 Isaiah Savitt jumps to make a catch for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Don Bosco at Bergen Catholic on Saturday, September 22, 2018. DB #2 Kyle Monangai scores a touchdown in the second quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
West Milford at Lakeland on Friday, September 21, 2018. WM #8 Adam Rust and #14 Dan DiMinno celebrate defeating Lakeland. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Referee, Larry Winer holds the ball to signal the end of the game between Waldwick and Manchester won by Waldwick 35-33. This is Winer's 50th season as a football official. Chris Pedota, Chris Pedota/NorthJersey.com
Bergen Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood at Rutgers' High Point Solutions Stadium on Saturday, September 8, 2018. Fans cheer as Bergen Catholic takes the field before the start of the game. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Bergen Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood at Rutgers' High Point Solutions Stadium on Saturday, September 8, 2018. BC #4 Andrew Boel celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Westwood at River Dell on Friday, August 31, 2018. RD #7 Dave Fletcher on his way to scoring his first touchdown of the game in the second quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Westwood at River Dell on Friday, August 31, 2018. RD #6 Jack Racine reaches for a pass as WW #2 Nick Baez defends. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Marquis Morris, of Bergen Catholic, gives a Grayson player a big hug after he came over to congratulate the Crusaders. Friday, August 31, 2018 Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com
Bergenfield at Ramapo on Friday, September 7, 2018. R #27 Max Baker in the first quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
NV/Old Tappan's Drew Dippolito (2) runs through Northern Highlands defenders during their game on the opening day of high school football Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Viorel Florescu/Northjersey.com
Patrick McMurtrie, of St. Joseph Regional, tries unsuccessfully to block an extra kick. Saturday, September 1, 2018 Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com
St. Joe's at DePaul on Saturday, September 15, 2018. SJ #4 Connor Grieco tackles DP #28 Sean Kelly in the second quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Bergen Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood at Rutgers' High Point Solutions Stadium on Saturday, September 8, 2018. BC #1 Pierson Tobia celebrates after scoring a two-point conversion in the second quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
Bergen Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood at Rutgers' High Point Solutions Stadium on Saturday, September 8, 2018. BC #17 Amar Gist fights off a tackle in the first quarter. Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com
New Milford senior quarterback Brian Mackey looking for yardage against Pompton Lakes in an NJIC North Liberty Division game on opening day of high school football on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Thomas Salus/Special to NorthJersey.com
James Jun runs for Wayne Valley against rival Wayne Hills. Tom Salus/Special to NorthJersey.com
High school football game between Park Ridge and St. Mary at Tamblyn Field in Rutherford on Saturday September 15, 2018. PR#1 Brendan Hughes and PR#25 Nicholas Shappell celebrate. Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com
High school football game between Park Ridge and St. Mary at Tamblyn Field in Rutherford on Saturday September 15, 2018. (From left) PR#24 Raman Marcus, PR#4 Vincent Pinto and SM#66 Christopher Buchta. Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey
Amar Gist, of Bergen Catholic, celebrates on the sideline as the final seconds click off the clock in the fourth quarter in Buford, GA. Friday, August 31, 2018 Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com
Bergen Catholic gets pumped up for their game against Grayson (Ga.) in Buford, Ga. Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com
ROBBINSVILLE – Interest in New Jersey's high school football bowl games was tepid.
The NJSIAA is hoping that a rebrand and a location shift might spark more interest.
After Wednesday's monthly Executive Committee meeting, NJSIAA assistant director Jack Dubois said the location for the 10 public school matchups of sectional champs – now being called "regional championship" games – and the three non-public state finals was still being negotiated.
"There are lots of viable candidates," Dubois said. "Rutgers being one of them."
The Ramapo student section cheers on the players as they enter the field at MetLife Stadium to face Summit in the North Group 3 Bowl Game on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in East Rutherford. (Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com)
Last fall, the NJSIAA rolled out a new playoff format for high school football with teams that won sectional titles playing one another after Thanksgiving. The North 1 champ played the North 2 sectional champ, while the South played the Central.
MetLife Stadium hosted all 10 of the "Bowl Games" plus the three non-public state finals. Attendance averaged just under 3,000 for the games. A torrential rainstorm the night of the much-anticipated Bergen Catholic/St. Joseph game did not help.
READ MORE: High school sports attendance decline has administrators worried
READ MORE: Rutgers would 'love' to host NJSIAA regional football championships
While MetLife Stadium remains an attractive venue for North Jersey teams, it is a long drive for teams in South Jersey, which could have hampered attendance. New Jersey is one of just two states that doesn't play down to one group state champion in football (New York is the other). Until last year, the season ended for teams with sectional finals.
Piscataway head coach Daniel Higgins celebrates with his coaches at the end of the game. (Photo: Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network)
Another big factor is the dates for the regional championship games. Last year, the NJSIAA scheduled some games the weekend of Thanksgiving at MetLife, and more the following weekend to accommodate teams that played on Thanksgiving. The NJSIAA is reluctant to step on the tradition of teams playing on Thanksgiving, although that notion has started to wane in North Jersey.
"Thanksgiving is the dilemma," Dubois said.
And when it comes down to it, the NJSIAA can only ask MetLife Stadium for so much. It can't ask for multiple dates on multiple weekends when it almost certainly comes at a deficit for the facility.
The NJSIAA and Rutgers have seemingly always been uncomfortable partners, but it makes tremendous sense for the state's flagship institution to host one of the biggest high school events.
The Rutgers Athletic Center has been a great venue for high school basketball and has hosted regular season high school football games in years past. While it may also be a revenue loss for Rutgers, one would think there is a long-term benefit to opening the facility for top New Jersey athletes.
Bergen Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood at Rutgers' High Point Solutions Stadium on Saturday, September 8, 2018. BC #4 Andrew Boel celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter. (Photo: Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com)
It is likely that the regional championship games involving North Jersey teams would remain at MetLife the weekend right after Thanksgiving, while Rutgers would host games the following weekend.
During the meeting, NJSIAA Assistant Director Colleen Maguire also referenced the fact that the organization's classification committee is looking at shifting from a format of four public school groups and two non-public school groups to five and one for the major sports outside of football. This could happen as soon as the 2020-2021 school year.
Maguire said the non-public schools have expressed that their classifications shouldn't be judged largely on enrollment and geography. Maguire said that non-public schools feel program strength and geography should be leading factors.
This would be very interesting in a lot of sports because it would mean, for example, five public school programs make the Tournament of Champions in basketball and one non-public team. A public school program hasn't won the Boys TOC since Camden in 2000.
The Livingston campus in Piscataway is home to the Rutgers basketball teams, who will get to use the new court at the Rutgers Athletic Center when they practice this fall. (Photo: Rutgers University)
When it comes to football, expect the NJSIAA to consider reducing its non-public groups from three to two (originally it was called Parochial A and Parochial B) as soon as the 2020 season. The NJSIAA has grown concerned at the number of small non-public schools that opt out of the football playoffs, largely because of the belief that they can't compete at the same level.
Maguire also helps lead the NJSIAA's new co-op committee, and she said Wednesday that there were no new applications for co-ops for fall 2019. The only schools that applied to stay co-ops were ones that previously existed.
There had been some speculation in North Jersey that Teaneck might be seeking a co-op partner for football next season, and possibly even Eastside and Kennedy. Any co-op between those schools would have to wait now. The application deadline for a new co-op program for fall 2020 is Jan. 15.
Download our app and get alerts for breaking news, football scores and more.
Be in the know:Sign up for the newsletter
Get the app:iPhone app | Android app
Find us on social media:Twitter | Facebook


text:
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) must serve an underserved area or population, offer a sliding fee scale, provide comprehensive services, have an ongoing quality assurance program, and have a governing board of directors. Certain FQHC Look-Alikes (an organization that meets PHS Section 330 eligibility requirements, but does not receive Health Center Program grant funding) also may receive special Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has created a toolkit for Federally Qualified Health Centers. If your facility does not already have a plan in place, this would be a good place to start. This toolkit offers an overview of the requirements for FQHCs, as well as some sample templates that can be used in their planning efforts. In topic areas where there was not a tool or template readily available, the toolkit offers planning worksheets that feature a list of example questions to help facilities think through relevant issues that can help them draft their plans and policies.
fqhc.pdf
FQHCs must develop and maintain an emergency preparedness plan that must be reviewed, and updated at least annually. The plan must:
Be based on and include a documented, facility-based and community-based risk assessment, utilizing an all-hazards approach.
Include strategies for addressing emergency events identified by the risk assessment.
Address patient population, including, but not limited to, the type of services the RHC/FQHC has the ability to provide in an emergency; and continuity of operations, including delegations of authority and succession plans.
Include a process for cooperation and collaboration with local, regional, state, and federal emergency preparedness officials' efforts to maintain an integrated response during a disaster or emergency situation, including documentation of the FQHC's efforts to contact such officials and its participation in collaborative and cooperative planning efforts.
The FQHC must develop and implement emergency preparedness policies and procedures, based on the emergency plan, risk assessment, and the communication plan (see below). The policies and procedures must be reviewed and updated at least annually. At a minimum, the policies and procedures must address the following:
Safe evacuation from the FQHC, (including appropriate placement of exit signs; staff responsibilities and needs of the patients).
A means to shelter in place for patients, staff, and volunteers who remain in the facility.
A system of medical documentation that preserves patient information, protects confidentiality of patient information, and secures and maintains the availability of records.
The use of volunteers in an emergency or other emergency staffing strategies, including the process and role for integration of State and Federally designated health care professionals to address surge needs during an emergency.
Facilities are also required to develop and maintain an emergency preparedness communication plan that complies with federal, state, and local laws that is reviewed and updated at least annually.
Communications plans must include all of the following:
Names and contact information for the following: staff, entities providing services under arrangement, patients' physicians, other FQHCs, and volunteers.
Contact information for the following:
Federal, State, regional, and local emergency preparedness staff.
Other sources of assistance.
Primary and alternate means of communicating with FQHC's staff and federal, state, regional, and local emergency management agencies.
A means of providing information about the general condition and location of patients under the facility's care.
A means of providing information about the FQHC's needs, and its ability to provide assistance, to the authority having jurisdiction or the Incident Command Center.
There are two sections that apply to the Training and Testing component of the Emergency Preparedness Program. One section covers internal training, and the other external or community exercises and drills.
Annually, all facilities must provide training in emergency preparedness policies and procedures to all new and existing staff, individuals providing on-site services under arrangement, and volunteers. The training must demonstrate staff knowledge of emergency procedures, and the training must be documented.
The facility is required to conduct testing of the emergency plan at least twice, annually. An analysis of the emergency plan should be conducted after all exercises and events and must be documented. Revisions to the emergency operations plan should be made based on findings from the annual exercises and emergency events.
One of the exercises can be a functional exercise that is community-based (involves more than just the facility), or an individual, facility-based exercise if a community-based exercise opportunity is not available. If the facility experiences an actual emergency that requires the activation of the emergency plan, the facility is exempt from engaging in a community-based or facility-based functional exercise for one year following the event.
The second exercise could include a second functional exercise that is community-based or facility based. However, it can also be a tabletop exercise that includes group discussion led by a facilitator using a narrated, clinically-relevant emergency scenario, a set of problem statements, direct messages, or prepared questions that are designed to challenge an emergency plan.


text:
\section{Introduction}
    Relativistic hydrodynamics is a very popular approach to describe high--energy nuclear collisions.
    Especially useful is its sensitivity to the equation of state (EoS)
    of strongly interacting matter and, in particular, to its phase transitions.
	In fact, extracting this EoS is
    the main goal of heavy--ion experiments.
    Some signatures of a deconfined quark-gluon plasma (QGP)
    have been already found in RHIC experiments with c.m. bombarding
    energies \mbox{$\sqrt{s_{NN}}=60-200$ GeV}.
    Presumably, this plasma can be also created at lower (SPS, AGS) energies.
	A more detailed data should be
    obtained in the low--energy runs at RHIC and future FAIR and NICA experiments.

    A large amount of experimental data on nuclear collisions at AGS, SPS and RHIC energies
    have been successfully described by different versions of the hydrodynamic model.
    The first model of this kind has been proposed by Landau~\cite{Lan53}.
    One can roughly divide the existing versions of
    ideal hydrodynamics into two classes. The first class includes the models which apply fluid
    dynamical simulations from the very beginning, i.e. starting from cold equilibrium nuclei.
    The models of the second class introduce an~excited
    and compressed initial state -- a locally equilibrated ''fireball'' formed at an early
	non-equilibrium stage of the collision. Up to now many versions of
    the fireball--based hydrodynamic model were developed ranging from simplified
    (1+1)-- and
    \mbox{(2+1)--dimensional} models to more sophisticated
    (3+1)--dimensional ones (see ~\cite{Sat07} and references therein).

    Historically, early 3D hydrodynamic models of relativistic nuclear collisions~\cite{Ams75,Sto79}
    used cold Lorentz-contracted nuclei in the initial state.
	However, such models become less justified at high bombarding energy
	due to the nuclear transparency effects.

    One should have in mind that the hydrodynamical approach can not be directly applied to late
    stages of a heavy--ion reaction when binary collisions of particles become too rare to maintain
    the local thermodynamic equilibrium. A usual way~\cite{Coo74} to circumvent this difficulty
	to introduce a so called ''freeze--out'' criterium to stop the hydrodynamic description at late times.
    A more consistent procedure has been
    proposed in Refs.~\mbox{\cite{Bas00,Pet08}} within a hybrid ''hydro--cascade'' model.

    In this paper we formulate a version of the ideal (3+1)--dimensional hydrodynamics suitable
    for the domain of NICA--FAIR energies. This model belongs to the first class
    and uses a new EoS~\cite{Sat09} with the deconfinement and liquid--gas phase transitions.
    By performing simulations with and without the deconfinement phase transition we try to find
	the observables
    which are sensitive to creation of the QGP.
    A more detailed description of the results will be given in Ref.~\cite{Mer10}.

\section{Formulation of the model}
    Below we study the evolution of highly excited, and possibly deconfined, strongly--interacting
    matter produced in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. It is assumed that this evolution can
    be described by the equations of ideal relativistic hydrodynamics~\cite{Lan87}:
\begin{eqnarray}
            &&\partial_\nu T^{\mu\nu}=0\hspace*{1pt},
        \label{emcon}\\
            &&\partial_\mu (nu^\mu)=0\hspace*{1pt}.
        \label{chcon}
\end{eqnarray}
    Here~$T^{\mu\nu}$ is energy-momentum tensor ($\hbar=c=1$)
        \bel{emten}
            T^{\mu\nu}=(\varepsilon+P)\hspace*{1pt} u^\mu u^\nu -P\hspace*{1pt} g^{\hspace*{1pt}\mu\nu},
        \end{equation}
    $\varepsilon, n$ and $P$ are the rest--frame energy density, the net baryon density and
    pressure of the fluid,
    $u^\mu = (\gamma, \gamma\hspace*{1pt}\bm{v})^{\hspace*{1pt}\mu}$ is its collective 4--velocity,
	$\gamma = (1 - \bm{v}^2)^{-1/2}$,
    $\bm{v}$ is the fluid 3--velocity, $g^{\hspace*{1pt}\mu\nu}$ is the metric tensor.
    To solve Eqs. (1)--(3) it is necessary to specify the
    EoS $P=P(n,\varepsilon)$ of the fluid and initial conditions.

    In our calculations we use the EoS of strongly interacting matter
    with the first order deconfinement phase transition (EoS--PT)~\cite{Sat09}.
    The hadronic phase is described as the hadron resonance gas
    including known hadrons with masses up to 2 GeV.
    Finite size effects are taken into account by introducing the excluded volume
    corrections. The same excluded volume parameter \mbox{$v_e=1$ fm$^3$} is used
    for all hadronic species. A Skyrme--like mean field \mbox{$U=U(n)$}
    is added to guarantee that the hadronic matter has correct saturation point and the
    liquid-gas phase transition.
    The quark--gluon phase is described by the bag model with lowest-order perturbative
    corrections. The phase transition boundaries and characteristics of the mixed phase (MP) are found
    by using the Gibbs conditions with the strangeness neutrality constraint.

    To probe sensitivity to the EoS, we have also performed calculations with the EoS of ideal hadron gas
    (EoS--HG). In this case we disregard the excluded volume effects assuming that \mbox{$v_e=0$}.
    To provide stability of initial nuclei we also introduce the Skyrme-like mean field. The parameters of
    EoS--PT and EoS--HG are given in Ref.~\cite{Sat09}.
    Our analysis shows that although generally the EoS with the phase transition is softer than
    the EoS of pure hadron gas, in some regions of thermodynamic parameters the EoS-PT has sound
    velocities of the same order or even larger than those in the EoS--HG.

    Below we consider collisions of gold nuclei. The hydrodynamic simulation is started at the stage
    when two cold Lorentz-contracted nuclei approach each other.
    The initial baryon and energy density profiles of each nucleus
    in its rest frame are described by the Woods-Saxon distribution.
    Due to the stabilizing effect of the Skyrme-like mean field, the initial nuclei may stay
    in equilibrium with vacuum at $P=0$\,. They propagate without distortion until their density
    distributions essentially overlap.

    Below the beam axis is denoted by $z$ and the $x$--axis is chosen along
    the impact parameter vector $\bm{b}$.
    In our simulations we use linear interpolation of tables $P(n,\varepsilon)$
    prepared with fixed steps in $\varepsilon$ and $n$.
    Analogous tables for temperature~($T$), baryon~($\mu$) and strange~($\mu_S$)
    chemical potentials are used for calculating hadronic spectra.
    The numerical solution of fluid--dynamical equations is obtained by using the
    relativistic version of the flux-corrected transport algorithm~\cite{Bor73}.

    To calculate hadronic momentum distributions we apply the approximation
    of instantaneous freeze-out: it is assumed that a sudden transition
    from the local equilibrium to collisionless propagation of particles
    takes place at some isochronous hypersurface (\mbox{$t=t_{\rm fr}={\rm const}$}).
    Within this approximation one can use the following formula~\cite{Coo74}
    for the invariant momentum distribution of the hadronic species $i$
    \bel{spec}
    E\hspace*{1pt}\frac{d^{\hspace*{1pt} 3}N_i}{\hspace*{-4pt}d^{\hspace*{1pt} 3}p}=\frac{d^{\hspace*{1pt} 3}N_i}{dy\hspace*{1pt} d^{\hspace*{1pt} 2}p_{\hspace*{1pt} T}}=
    \frac{g_iE}{(2\pi)^{\hspace*{1pt} 3}}
    \int dV\left\{\exp\left(\frac{p_\nu u^\nu-\mu_i}
    {T}\right)\pm 1\right\}^{-1},
    \end{equation}
    where \mbox{$p^{\hspace*{1pt}\mu}=(E,\bm{p})^{\mu}$} is the 4--momentum of the particle,
    $y$ and $\bm{p}_{\hspace*{1pt} T}$ are, respectively, its longitudinal rapidity and
    transverse momentum, $g_i$ is the statistical weight of i-th hadrons.
    Plus and minus in \re{spec} correspond, respectively, to fermions and bosons.
    Using conditions of chemical equilibrium one can express the particle's
    chemical potential~$\mu_i$ through the baryon and strange
    chemical potentials as follows
    \bel{cceq}
    \mu_i=B_i\mu+S_i\mu_S\,,
    \end{equation}
    where $B_i$ and $S_i$ are, respectively, the baryon and strangeness number
    of species $i$\,.

    In addition to contributions of ''thermal'' nucleons and pions, which are calculated
    directly by using Eqs.~(4)--(5), we also take into account resonance decays, e.g.
    \mbox{$\Delta\to N\pi$}, \mbox{$\rho\to 2\pi$},\ldots
    We use the standard formulae for two-body decays of resonances in the zero width approximation
    (the decays into more than two hadrons are treated approximately~\cite{Sat07}).
    All known resonances with masses up to 2 GeV are taken into account.

    The transverse collective flows of matter created in heavy--ion collisions,
    are rather sensitive to the EoS. Especially useful is the elliptic flow
    characterized by the parameter $v_2$~\cite{Oll92}.
    To discuss qualitatively possible differences between
    the EoS--PT and EoS--HG, below we calculate the so--called momentum anisotropy parameter $\epsilon_p$
    which characterizes the flow asymmetry in the azimuthal plane. Following Ref.~\cite{Boz09}
    we define this quantity as
    \bel{anism}
    \epsilon_p=\frac{\displaystyle\int dx\hspace*{1pt} dy\left(T^{\hspace*{1pt} xx}-T^{\hspace*{1pt} yy}\right)}
    {\displaystyle\int dx\hspace*{1pt} dy\left(T^{\hspace*{1pt} xx}+T^{\hspace*{1pt} yy}\right)}\,,
    \end{equation}
    where $T^{\hspace*{1pt} xx}, T^{\hspace*{1pt} yy}$ are the components of the energy-momentum tensor
    in the azimuthal plane \mbox{$z=0$}.
    The approximate relation \mbox{$\epsilon_p\simeq 2\hspace*{1pt} v_2$} has been obtained in Ref.~\cite{Kol00}
    from (2+1)--hydrodynamical simulations of Pb+Pb collisions at SPS and RHIC energies.

\section{Results}
    First, let us discuss thermodynamic characteristics of matter created in relativistic Au+Au collisions.
    Our goal is to find differences between the results obtained with \mbox{EoS--HG} and EoS--PT.
    Figures 1--2 represent dynamical
    trajectories of matter in the central box \mbox{({$|x|,\,|y|,\,|z|/\gamma_0\,<\,1\,{\rm fm}$})}
    produced in central (b=0) Au+Au collisions at
    different bombarding energies $E_{\rm\hsp lab}$.
    Shown are the results for $n-\varepsilon$ and $\mu-T$ planes.
    At \mbox{$E_{\rm\hsp lab}\gtrsim 5$ AGeV} the calculation with EoS--PT predicts
    larger values of
    $\varepsilon$ and $n$ as compared to EoS--HG.
    In this case one can also see longer life-times of states
    with maximal compression and delay in transition to expansion stages.
    Note that calculations with EoS--PT predict a zigzag-like behavior of the
	trajectories in the $\mu-T$ plane
    with slightly raising temperature in the MP as a function of time.
	It is important to note that the final states of hadronic matter in the central cell
	are very similar for two EoS used in the calculations. In other words, all
	differences in the early dynamics are practically washed out in the final stage.

    According to our analysis, especially interesting is the region of
	bombarding energies around \mbox{$E_{\rm\hsp lab}\sim 10$ AGeV}.
    At such energies we find an enhanced sensitivity of collective flows
    and particle spectra to the phase transition.
    Figure~\ref{fig3} represents the time evolution of the momentum anisotropy $\epsilon_p$
    in semicentral Au+Au collisions at different $E_{\rm\hsp lab}$\,. One can see that
    the momentum anisotropy is rather sensitive to
    EoS at $E_{\rm\hsp lab}\lesssim 20$ AGeV. The asymptotic values of $\epsilon_p$
    at $E_{\rm\hsp lab}\gtrsim 10$ AGeV are larger in calculations with the deconfinement phase transition.
    This agrees with the similar conclusion of Ref.~\cite{Pet10}.

    To estimate sensitivity of these results to the choice of the freeze-out time, we
    determine the time moment when the energy density
    in a central box becomes smaller than a certain freeze-out value $\varepsilon_{\rm fr}$.
    In Fig.~\ref{fig3}
    we mark the values of $\epsilon_p$ corresponding to different values
    of $\varepsilon_{\rm fr}$. Figure 4 shows our results for the excitation function $\epsilon_p (E_{\rm\hsp lab})$.
    The lines connect the values~$\epsilon_p$ taken at
    freeze-out times corresponding to \mbox{$\varepsilon_{\rm fr}=0.4$ GeV/fm$^3$}.
    In the case of EoS--PT we predict a non-monotonic dependence of
    $\epsilon_p (E_{\rm\hsp lab})$ with maximum at \mbox{$E_{\rm\hsp lab}\simeq 10$ AGeV}. On the other hand, the existing
    experimental data on the elliptic flow in Au+Au and Pb+Pb collisions at AGS and low SPS energies
    do not show a non-monotonic behavior.
    This may imply that elliptic flows are strongly suppressed by viscosity effects in the considered
    energy domain.

    In Figs. 5--6 we present our results for proton and pion rapidity distributions
    in central Au+Au collisions at $E_{\rm\hsp lab}\sim 10$ A GeV.
    The proton and $\pi^-$  distributions
    are obtained from nucleon and pion spectra by introducing the additional factors 1/2 and
    1/3 respectively. The hadronic spectra were calculated by using Eqs. (4)--(5).
    The parameter  $t_{\rm fr}$ is chosen
    to achieve the best fit of experimental data.
    To take into account the mean-field
    potential, we shift the chemical potentials of baryons by $-U(n)$.
    In the case of EoS--PT we also introduce the excluded volume corrections. This is done
    by replacing $\mu_i \rightarrow \mu_i - v_{e}P_K$, where $P_K$ is the kinetic part of pressure~\cite{Sat09}.
    According to our calculations, these corrections are more important for pion spectra.

    Figure~\ref{fig5} shows the rapidity distributions
    of protons in central Au+Au collision at \mbox{$E_{\rm\hsp lab}=10.7$ AGeV}.
    The calculation with the phase transition predicts
    noticeably broader rapidity distributions.
    In this case the agreement with experimental data is better as compared
    with the EoS--HG.

    The $\pi^-$ rapidity distribution for the same reaction is shown in Fig.~\ref{fig6}.
    Again, calculations with the EoS--PT give broader distributions than those with the EoS--HG,
    however this difference is not so large as for protons.
    In the case of EoS-PT the observed pion spectra may be reproduced only if one
    takes a smaller freeze-out time as compared to protons. We expect that this differences
	would decrease if we would take smaller values of the excluded volume for pions.

\section{Conclusions}
    We have studied the sensitivity of the elliptic flow and particle spectra to the deconfinement
    phase transition in heavy-ion collisions.
    Our analysis shows that at FAIR energies maximal values of energy- and baryon densities
    in the central box of the colliding system are significantly larger
    if the QGP is formed at some intermediate stage of a heavy-ion collision.
    It it shown that the collective flow parameters are especially sensitive to the
	EoS around $E_{\rm\hsp lab} \simeq 10$ AGeV.
    At such energies the calculations with the deconfinement phase transition predict enhanced
    elliptic flows and broader proton rapidity distributions as compared with the purely hadronic scenario.

\begin{acknowledgments}
    The authors thank D.H.~Risch\-ke for providing us the one--fluid 3D code,
    M.I.~Gorenstein, P.~Huovinen, Yu.B.~Ivanov, H.~Niemi, D.Yu.~Peressounko,
    and V.D.~Toneev for useful discussions. The computational resources were
    provided by the Center for Scientific Computing (Frankfurt am Main) and by
    the Grid Computing Center (the Kurchatov Institute, Moscow).
    This work was supported in part by the DFG \mbox{grant 436 RUS 113/957/0--1},
    the Helmholtz International Center for FAIR~(Germany) and
    the grants RFBR 09--02--91331 and NSH--7235.2010.2 (Russia).
\end{acknowledgments}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


New York Fashion Week 2018 continues with some creative designs.
Highlights from the runway include bright colors from Jeremy Scott and Prabal Gurung, special anniversary collections from Ralph Lauren (50 years) and Longchamp (70), and a mix of classics from Carolina Herrera, Tom Ford and Kate Spade. Rodarte returned to NYFW with fairy tale looks, while The Blonds teamed up with Disney for villainous inspiration from Ursula, Maleficent and Cruella De Vil.
Big names attending the festivities include a mix of models, singers and actors: Christina Aguilera, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Rosario Dawson, Hailey Baldwin, Kendall Jenner, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, LaLa Anthony, Olivia Culpo, Christie Brinkley, Katie Holmes, Nicole Scherzinger, and Cindy Crawford's daughter Kaia Gerber.
Nicki Minaj and Cardi B nearly stole the show over the weekend when a fight nearly broke out between the two rappers. ABC reports Cardi B allegedly threw a shoe at her hip-hop rival, accusing Minaj of talking about her baby.
"I want to say that I would never discuss anyone's child," Minaj said on her Beats 1 radio show Monday. "It's so sad that for someone to pin that on me because I'm the bad guy and they know people would believe them so let me go on record having said I would never talk about anyone's child or parenting."
According to People magazine, Minaj was not hurt in the incident and does not plan to press charges. Cardi B appeared to have a huge bump on her head as she was escorted out of a NYFW event Friday barefoot with her dress ripped.
New York Fashion Week continues through Sept. 14.


These little guys are small, compact and comfy. They have a simple yet timeless design and look great in fabric or leather. Footstool cubes make ideal extra seating for when you have guests and come in three main sizes 14, 16 or 18 inches square. Just like our drum stools, cube footstools are very versatile and can be used in any room. In a kitchen a drum stool can be an extra seat at the dining table, in the bathroom to sit on whilst your bathing children, in a conservatory or near a window as a window seat, or in a bedroom to sit and pull your socks on. Our cube footstools are very strong but light enough to move around the home and are built using a rigid wooden frame, and are glued & stapled. We then wrap them with soft foam and and your chosen fabric or leather, all fire retardant & upholstered to perfection.
If you like the look of our storage cube and fancy some added storage then this is for you. A very versatile and compact piece of furniture, ideal for a smaller home or apartment where extra storage is needed. Our storage cubes are also very handy next to a sofa to keep magazines, books, a laptop, remotes, stationery and more. If you have children, extra space for toys is always a bonus and we can use some fantastic children's fabrics.
If you like the style of the cube, with its clean simple lines you might fancy a double or even triple cube. These longer versions are great as a comfortable seat, footstool or table for books, magazines or a laptop. Again, these are also available with storage, which can free up space in a living room, bedroom, play room or conservatory.
We are pretty proud of our leathers, and the leather footstool cube is a classic, and a very popular choice. Leather cubes can compliment plain, floral or patterned fabric and it's a great way to get some leather into your life! A leather footstool or pouffe is also very hard wearing and wipeable - ideal for parties, families with children or pets. Don't forget if you'd like to see some samples before you buy a leather footstool cube then see our swatches section for more information or if you have any questions please contact us.


From special holiday offerings to signature events and unique community partnerships, there is always something going on at Forthright. Check out our upcoming events below. Be the first to learn about events by signing up for our email list.
Don't miss our Texas Rosé dinner. We'll be hosting three of our favorite Texas winemakers, Dandy Rosé, The Grower Project, and Lost Draw Cellars. Each winemaker will be in attendance to bring you sips and stories straight from the vine. You'll enjoy four wines paired with a seasonally inspired supper.
Reserve your seat here for $20, which will be applied to the total ticket price of $59.
Reserve your seat here for $20, which will be applied to the total ticket price of $55.
Mark your calendar -- Forthright has partnered with Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co., makers of TX Whiskey to develop an exclusive whiskey dinner and tasting.
Chef has prepared four courses for the evening, each of which will be paired with an original whiskey cocktail.
Click here for details, menu, or to reserve your seat for $20, which will be applied to the total price of $65.
Dulce Vida Spirits and Siete Foods value and celebrate many of the things we love about life: bold flavors, authenticity, community, and social responsibility. That's why we're excited to bring them together. Come sample the depth and breadth of what Dulce Vida, Siete, and Forthright have to offer.
Click here for details, menu, or to reserve your seat for $20, which will be applied to the total price of $55.
Don't miss our Texas Rosé dinner. We'll be hosting four of our favorite Texas wineries, Lost Draw Cellars, Lewis Wines, William Chris Wines and Tatum Cellars. Each wine maker will be in attendance to bring you sips and stories straight from the vine. You'll enjoy four delicious wines paired with a seasonally inspired supper.
Tickets are $49 and can be purchased here.


text:
Category: Subway Accidents
A Train Accident and an Unbelievable Story
Leonard L. Finz | December 7, 2020 | Finz True Tales
The True Tale: One of the inspirational songs of the iconic Broadway musical "Fiddler on the Roof" starts off with a classic first line: "Wonders of wonders, miracles of miracles." With attribution to "Fiddler's" extraordinarily gifted song-writers, Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, I introduce this incredible and inspirational story… A
Types of Public Transportation Accidents in New York
Finz & Finz, P.C. | December 3, 2020 | Bus Accidents
Unfortunately, in New York City, public transportation accidents happen frequently. Some are minor, while others cause severe injuries that require long-term medical care. For decades, Finz & Finz, P.C. has represented victims of public transportation accidents, providing guidance and advice as they navigate the complicated legal system. If you were
Five Most Dangerous Injuries on Public Transit in New York City
Finz & Finz, P.C. | August 20, 2020 | Slip & Fall Accidents
Public transportation systems require ongoing maintenance and improvements to ensure that they are safe for public use. However, far too often, negligence and mismanagement allow these systems to fall into disrepair, putting you and your loved ones at risk. Unfortunately, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City is
Causes of Subway Accidents
Finz & Finz, P.C. | October 3, 2019 | Subway Accidents
People across New York depend on the subway system to get to and from their destinations safely. Unfortunately, serious injury or fatal accidents can and do occur, and happen more frequently than most people realize. As recently as September 13, 2019, AM New York reported that Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
Subway Accidents Caused by Various Factors
Finz & Finz, P.C. | December 13, 2017 | Subway Accidents
A near-miss at the New York Port Authority is drawing attention to the vulnerability of the New York City subway system to terrorist attacks. In the December 11th, 2017 incident, a 27-year-old man attempted to use a homemade pipe bomb, but faulty construction limited the scope of the devastation. As
Subway Tracks Should Be Taken Seriously
Finz & Finz, P.C. | June 17, 2016 | Subway Accidents
New Yorkers were left shaking their heads earlier this month when a Brooklyn teenager was hit by a subway train after she jumped onto the tracks to retrieve her cell phone. Remarkably the 17-year-old only suffered minor injuries and was even seen using the phone as she was being carried
Subway Accidents: Not Always Answers
Finz & Finz, P.C. | February 26, 2015 | Subway Accidents
When one person is dead and eighty are injured, there should be answers. When an electrical malfunction in a subway train puts hundreds at risk, there should be answers. When public funds pay for the installation and maintenance of public transportation, there should be answers. And yet, there still aren't
Subway Accidents: Insanity Is…
Finz & Finz, P.C. | October 17, 2014 | Subway Accidents
Albert Einstein is quoted as saying that insanity was "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." If this is true, then some of those in charge of the subway system in bigger cities should be investigated. Five years after a terrible crash on the Red
Train Pedestrian Accidents: More Common Than You Think
Finz & Finz, P.C. | September 11, 2013 | Subway Accidents
Nationwide, train vs. pedestrian accidents have increased 26 percent during the first part of 2013 with deaths close to 200 in number. Considering all the warnings and remote areas where trains run, it may seem surprising to some that the number of deaths and injuries is so high. After all,


text:
July 02, 2019 / Derek Newton
Jojje/shutterstock
Closing opportunity gaps from early childhood through employment feels like a tall order—"cradle to career" is how one fund leader described it. Even focusing locally in a single small state, with multiple funders at the table, such a broad, interconnected mission sounds overwhelming. Trying to quarterback it from a community foundation with a comparatively modest budget of $1.6 million in initial grants must feel next door to impossible.
But that's exactly what the newly christened Collective Impact Opportunity Fund at Fairfield County's Community Foundation (FCCF) is trying to do. The mission of the fund is "to close educational, workforce and other opportunity gaps among children, youth and their families in Connecticut."
We've profiled FCCF before. It hosts more than 500 funds with net assets of $212 million as of January 2019, including what IP called "the biggest women's fund in New England." FCCF's territory covers a gilded swath of Connecticut's coast that's home to many finance firms; its donors include the billionaire hedge fund manager Stephen Mandel.
What makes the Collective Impact Opportunity Fund interesting, though, is not its home—or its mission. Many funds and donors have similar gap-closing priorities. And many have also mounted collective impact efforts, as we've often reported, as well as focused on interconnected system change, as the Collective Impact fund is doing. This piece gives a great overview of system-targeted engagement and the smaller, connected investments of the "portfolio approach" being deployed by FCCF.
It is noteworthy that Dalio Philanthropies is a founding funder of the new initiative, tapping one of the nation's largest hedge fund fortunes and underscoring the family's growing role in addressing inequities in Connecticut. "Barbara Dalio could become one of the most prolific education philanthropists in the United States," we reported last summer.
But that's not the reason the new fund is intriguing, either.
Engaging Funders at a Deep Level
The Collective Impact Opportunity Fund stands out for its approach to its donors and investors—taking the view that collective impact, done correctly, should deeply engage funders in addition to the range of community stakeholders who are typically at the table in these efforts.
While the new fund looks to engage local leaders in developing solutions that can be funded, scaled and lead to system-wide change, it also has a keen eye on building the capacity of funders to achieve deeper impact through collaboration with each other and key stakeholders. "We have a group of funders that have coalesced around common strategies and goals around closing opportunity gaps, but also to align that philanthropy to—not come up with solutions—but to work with collectively with families, groups and others to be active participants in co-developing solutions in a community-minded approach," said Richard Wenning, executive director of the BeFoundation, a founding backer of the new fund.
In a press release, FCCF said that "funders will align their financial resources, expertise and networks to work together with nonprofit, business and government leaders in making grants that will help realize the tremendous potential of Connecticut residents from cradle to career. In partnership with local stakeholders and other experts, participating funders will collaborate with grantees to develop common performance measures and an annual cycle of analysis and reporting."
But even as the Collective Impact Opportunity Fund envisions a central role for funders, its founders say they're mindful of unequal power dynamics. "We don't want to do top-down," said Juanita James, president and CEO of FCCF. "That's an insight this fund has, working with the community. It's about diversity, equity and inclusion, and how not having that, the fabric of the community is broken. We know that if we want impact, we have got to create solutions that tap existing community talent and capability."
That echoes the bottom-up view of funder Barbara Dalio, who told Inside Philanthropy, "[Grantees] know. You sit with them and they know what their challenges are. They know what they need, what they don't need. They live it. It would be counter-productive to really tell them what to do." And it echoes the thinking behind a $300 million public-private push to tackle equity challenges in Connecticut that Dalio Philanthropies launched earlier this year, which places a big emphasis on including community voices in the design of the program.
Another pillar of the new fund's approach is that better outcomes can emerge from focused, sustained internal development of the investors. A seemingly simple, yet important example is building a shared donor language.
"Together," Wenning said, "we can create common expectations of what success looks like, speak common language in a way that is shared, agree on what impact we want collectively so we can know when it's happening."
Donors and investors, James said, are often good at analyzing the capacity of grantees, recognizing how a recipient would be able to leverage support into impact. But they examine and invest in their own infrastructure less well and less often. "Our objective is to understand what those capacity needs are, but also to be willing to invest to build that capacity—invest in marketing, research, infrastructure, in the business. The reality is, there is a dearth of resources of investment in infrastructure to deliver more effectively in ways we can learn from each other so solutions aren't just reaching one group."
That matters to the bottom line of grantmaking organizations, Wenning said. "We reflected as a group on number of studies we funded to explore how a grantee was doing, for example." That kind of outsourcing is less effective, he said, than being part of a process where we discover together and produce formative research to produce learning, as well as an answer."
Finally, the early funders and leaders of the new Collective Impact Opportunity Fund are deeply invested in seeing and solving systemic challenges—not discrete shortfalls —and they are committed to dragging others along philosophically.
Thinking Systemically
"With 27 years in this community, what we learned is that point solutions don't work. You cannot address education as an isolated incident. If you don't address food insecurity, housing, mental health—if you just do the academic support portion—it doesn't create a systemic solution. We have to look at the whole person —all of the influences," James said.
"After 35 years of this kind of work," Wenning said, "I don't want to live through Groundhog Day again." In Connecticut, he said, "we do a good job investing in early childhood education. However, once a child reaches elementary school, we can continue to blow wind into their sails or not. And we want funders to look at the whole view. Even if funders want to focus on a specific thing, we want to draw their attention to next steps."
That's textbook portfolio investing aimed at long-term system change, wrapped in collaborative giving. Boosted by internal capacity building and goal setting, it's an approach the new fund is confident will blossom. "It's like the African proverb," James said. "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Considering the distance involved in closing birth-to-career opportunity gaps, going together seems smart.
Related: In a State with Deep Inequities, a Billionaire Couple is Catalyzing Action on K-12 and Jobs
Stand Together: The Koch-Backed Anti-Poverty Group Starting off 2019 with a Bang
Venture for America: What Donors See in a Nonprofit That Backs Young Entrepreneurs
Against Long Odds, a Corporate Funder Doubles Down on a Troubled City
Boots on the Ground: How Corporate Foundations Are Supporting Veterans
To Crack the Poverty Code, a Big Bet on Data-Driven Interventions to Fuel Upward Mobility
Up Against Wall Street: How This Little-Known Hedge Funder Backs Financial Reform
My Nonprofit Did So Much Right, But We Still Couldn't Raise Enough Money to Survive
PayPal Gives: What a Silicon Valley Firm is Doing to Help Close the "Opportunity Divide"
Inside the New Billionaire War on Poverty
He Became a Billionaire Selling Tools. Now He's Boosting Skilled Trade Education in High Schools
To Get More Young People Into Good Jobs, a New Focus on Apprenticeships
Who's Helping Push the Idea of a Basic Income into the Political Mainstream?
Behind a $180 Million Corporate Pledge to Connect Youth with Opportunity Worldwide
How a Major California Foundation is Going All-In on Empowering Low-Wage Workers
As Wealthy Donors Fuel Campus Growth, What About Low-Wage Workers and Local Residents?
In a State with Deep Inequities, a Billionaire Couple is Catalyzing Action on K-12 and Jobs
When Men Are Advocates: An Energy Giant Funds Training in Gender Equity
A Major Bank Doubles Down on Helping Workers, But With Strategies That Only Go So Far
How a Project in Boston is Mixing Philanthropy and Investments to Reimagine Capitalism
Out of the Shadows: What Philanthropy is Doing to Support Sex Worker Movements Around the World
In Solidarity: Here Are the Top Funders Supporting Labor and Workers' Rights
A Foundation Looks to Human Service Organizations to Boost Social and Economic Mobility
Unusual Suspects: Two Big Funders Move Off the Beaten Path to Boost Community Development
"We Really Should Do Something." How a Tech Giver Emerged as a Top Champion of Veterans
The Richest Americans Are Sitting on $4 Trillion. How Can They Be Spurred to Give More of it Away?
Heavy Lift: What a Top Funder Is Doing to Help America's Poorest Big City
Red State, Blue Causes: The Local Foundation Pursuing an Equity Agenda in Ohio
Never Too Late: A Foundation's Latest Investment in Adult Education
July 02, 2019 / Derek Newton/
Work & Opportunity, Economy, Children & Youth, Early Childhood Education, New York, FrontPageMore, Front Page Most Recent, Editor's Picks, Front Page - More Article
Dalio Philanthropies, Connecticut, Fairfield County Community Foundation, Collective Impact
Boots on the Ground: How Corporate ...
The Personal Journey That Moved the ...


Mark Oshiro is the Hugo-nominated writer of the online Mark Does Stuff universe (Mark Reads and Mark Watches), where they analyze book and TV series. They were the nonfiction editor of Queers Destroy Science Fiction! and the co-editor of Speculative Fiction 2015, and are the President of the Con or Bust Board of Directors. When not writing/recording reviews or editing, Oshiro engages in social activism online and offline. Anger is a Gift is their debut YA contemporary fiction novel.
"This debut novel provides a riveting, devastatingly realistic portrayal of the criminalization of marginalized groups and an unwavering examination of the lasting impact of bigotry. His teenage characters have authentic intersectional depth and are developed beyond the various ways society labels them: black, Latinx, disabled, Muslim, asexual, nonbinary, gay, lesbian…the narrative is compelling, providing a new and noteworthy account that continues the conversation and depiction of society's opposition to otherness. This is not to be missed and should be placed in a prominent position in every library serving teens."— Voya, Jewel Davis.