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Letters to the President, Corporate Charters,
Indiana Election, Testing.
There are only two more days. Please consider contributing your thoughts about NCLB and Race to the Top in the form of a letter to the President. Instructions can be found at the end of this blog entry.
A Powerful, Important Letter to President Obama
This was posted on Diane Ravitch's blog. It's a portion of a letter to the President from Nancy Carlsson-Paige. Click the link above to read the entire, excellent letter.
...Children of the wealthy and privileged such as your daughters attend elite private or public schools. Children of less affluent families who are relatively able students with better informed parents increasingly find their way to charter schools, many of which have access to private funding and greater resources. But the third tier is left for the majority of poor or working-class children who must attend underfunded, under resourced, mostly inner-city public schools.
...Please look closely at how your education policies are impacting children, especially our youngest and poorest children. Your focus on competition and market-driven reforms is resulting in greater inequities in our education system and an undermining of our public schools. A vibrant, flourishing public education system is the cornerstone of our democracy. Please be willing to re-examine and reverse the direction of your approach to education. Please don't be the President who abandoned our nation's children and our public education system.
Other teachers have posted their letters on Dr. Ravitch's blog as well. Many clearly express the frustration and anger felt by teachers at the destruction of public schools. The love these teachers have for their profession, and for their students comes through in their words. Their disappointment in the President's policies is vividly described. The frustration they feel as they have to sit by and watch public education being sold to the highest bidder is powerful and tragic. Some of them, with mixed feelings like I had, have left teaching behind. They've been defeated by the "reformers" who have used their billions to buy public education and America's children.
Here are some selections from Dr. Ravitch's blog...
Your Race to the Top program is misguided and destructive. You have said that you do not believe in "teaching to the test." Yet your Race to the Top program has had the effect of forcing schools and teachers to spend an inordinate amount of time doing just that, much to the detriment of student learning and motivation. Schools should be collegial communities of learning, where principals support teachers, teachers support each other, and all support students' understanding, motivation and personal growth. Instead, they have become anxiety-ridden places where principals and teachers exhaust themselves in an effort to produce the data that will prevent their schools from being labeled "failing." And authentic educational experts assert that the data being pursued is flawed at best. Yet it is driving the educational process all across the nation. Race to the Top has become an abusive program that undermines the efforts of educators to do their real jobs of fostering critical thinking and creativity in their students.
gailrichmond
When I listen to you speak it is clear to me that you have no clue about what it's like to be a teacher, nor do you care. I believe "education" to politicians is one of those terms that is used to either fuel the anti-union fire or to appease the parents across the US who care about their child's education. If you truly respected teachers and wanted the best for public school children, you would have actual teachers with many years of experience in the field advise you or work with you to develop policy...
I want you to know, that due to your policies and those of Andrew Cuomo, I have switched my party affiliation to Independent, after being a lifelong Democrat. I did NOT contribute to your campaign, nor will I. I have WITHDRAWN my PAC money from VOTE COPE and have urged my colleagues to do the same. NYSUT and AFT (my parent unions) might be supporting you, but the average teacher is NOT. I have called on Mr. Iannuzzi to represent MY feelings. I'm sure I'm one of thousands of NYSUT members calling for the same. I am an education activist and will continue to rally teachers across the US. Your silence has been deafening but perhaps it is what we needed to wake us up. To shake us into action and to fight for this thing that we all love-public education.
One year ago I moved 4,382 miles so I could teach. This December I will move back 4,382 miles and not be returning to the teaching profession. I cannot bring myself to return to a system that is so utterly broken and using our students as fodder in political games. Continuing Bush era policies couched under a new name (Race To The Top) hasn't made them work better or improved learning conditions for millions of American students. By failing to offer a truly new vision of education policy, your administration has failed to grow hope where it has been sorely eroding; public schools...
Making mistakes, I tell my students, is how we learn. I also teach them, Mr. President, that it takes courage and vulnerability to admit our mistakes and as long as we don't keep making them we're doing pretty well.
Creating Race To The Top was a mistake and continues to leach the public out of public schools. It is time to take responsibility and own the mistake.
It takes intuition, compassion, willingness to go the extra mile for a kid and a geeky personality that gets a tremendous amount of satisfaction out of helping someone learn. This job is hard, has always been hard, no matter how smart you are. This is a job in which you could always do better. There is no upper limit, just daily reflection on how you could improve next time. Satisfaction comes in small doses, and sometimes in big ones when you see the success of your former students. We do not need to beat up teachers. Nothing at all good will come of it, but several very bad things will.
CORPORATE CHARTERS*
Today's lesson: charters do not outperform unionized schools
"Reformers" claim that charter schools perform higher than regular public schools. Some "reformers" blame teachers unions...other just blame teachers. Studies show that charters, as a whole, do not perform better than regular public schools.
Besides, the chief barometers for measuring good versus bad are standardized tests that bear little relation to anything of value that anyone would eventually do in a real profession, or in life. Plus, students can improve their scores by taking special classes, should their parents be able to afford them. Which is another way of saying that higher scores can be bought—like just about everything else in Chicago.
The Great Charter Charade
Charter schools, public schools, and private schools all have essentially indistinguishable ranges of student outcomes. Research shows there is nothing about the way school is packaged among the three that produces uniquely superior outcomes.
Charter schools do, however, appear to have a powerful segregating effect that is detrimental to the goals of universal public education.
Charter schools are allowed autonomy simultaneously with public schools losing autonomy; and the outcomes remain about the same.
Charter school advocacy exposes the failure of promoting solutions without identifying problems.
No compelling or substantial evidence exists showing that any form of competition creates better educational outcomes for the choices offered (such as charter schools) or the traditional schools. Isolated positive and negative data exist regarding the impact of competition.
Charter school outliers receive disproportionate media coverage, almost no media scrutiny, and nearly no follow up that confirms we simply do not have evidence of "miracle" schools. Comparisons of apples to apples, scalability, and long-term data are almost never included in media support of charter schools.
INDIANA ELECTION
Indiana is a red state. It went for Obama in 2008, the first time in over 40 years a Democrat carried the state in a presidential race. The state legislature is dominated by Republicans, both the House and the Senate. The US Congressional delegation is as well. There is a slight chance that the Democrat will win former Senator Richard Lugar's Senate seat, however most polls indicate that it's too close to call at this time. The new Governor will likely be a Republican in 2012.
Tony Bennett is the Republican State Superintendent of Public Instruction. His challenger, Glenda Ritz, is counting on a "grass-roots" movement to unseat the powerful, pro-privatization, big-money backed Bennett.
Tony Bennett Selling the Big Lie about Need for Hoosier Teacher Accountability
In sum, much of the turmoil surrounding the need for greater teacher accountability is because Bennett has said teachers need improvement and endorsed his own statement saying so...
...Indiana, it is time for a change. How can Bennett think he is putting students first by continually putting teachers last? A teacher's working conditions are the student's learning conditions. Bennett's denigration of the Hoosier teacher results in the denigration of all public education students.
It will take years to fix the damage Bennett has wreaked on Hoosier schools. Four more years of Tony Bennett's policies and the damage may well be irreversible.
Time to halt Bennett's ambitions
While enthusiastically promoting vouchers and charter schools, Bennett has expanded state control of local schools and exercised authority to hand them over to for-profit operators. Through the rule-making process, he has weakened the licensing requirements for teachers and administrators and now champions the national Common Core academic standards – less rigorous than Indiana's highly acclaimed standards – and a new test to replace ISTEP+.
Also troubling are his ties with out-of-state donors and corporate interests. He spent much of 2011 traveling the country, often at the expense of groups looking to privatize schools. His campaign donors include wealthy school-choice proponents. Wal-Mart heir Alice Walton gave him $200,000, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg contributed $40,000. Some of the largest have come from groups backed by hedge-fund managers. Bennett's campaign chest is nearing $1.5 million. Compare that to the $39,000 Reed had raised at the end of her 2004 re-election contest. Ritz has raised about $100,000 to compete against Bennett.
Schooling Beyond Measure
Alfie Kohn reminds us that assessment hasn't always been limited to standardized tests. Measurement does not equal assessment. Assessment does not equal measurement. Teachers who are experienced and well trained "child watchers" are also necessary. Qualitative, rather than quantitative, assessment is what's needed in today's classrooms.
The reason that standardized test results tend to be so uninformative and misleading is closely related to the reason that these tests are so popular in the first place. That, in turn, is connected to our attraction to -- and the trouble with -- grades, rubrics, and various practices commended to us as "data-based."
...In education, the question "How do we assess (kids, teachers, schools)?" has morphed over the years into "How do we measure…?" We've forgotten that assessment doesn't require measurement -- and, moreover, that the most valuable forms of assessment are often qualitative (say, a narrative account of a child's progress by an observant teacher who knows the child well) rather than quantitative (a standardized test score). Yet the former may well be brushed aside in favor of the latter -- by people who don't even bother to ask what was on the test. It's a number, so we sit up and pay attention. Over time, the more data we accumulate, the less we really know.
*References to charters generally imply corporate, for-profit charter schools. Quotes from other writers reflect their opinions only. See It's Important to Look in a Mirror Now and Then
ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT!
Diane Ravitch and Anthony Cody, have teamed up with a plan to flood the White House email with letters in support of -- and against the privatization of -- public education. While President Obama's reelection is in no way guaranteed, he is, of the two main party candidates, the one who is most likely to listen. Sample letters and suggestions are on Diane Ravitch's blog.
There is no guarantee that the President will listen, but it can't hurt to let him know that there are many people who are unhappy with the corporate privatization of America's public education system.
For more information about participating, see Instructions for the October 17 Campaign for Our Public Schools.
Labels: Charters, Indiana DOE, Obama, Testing
How very sad. And how incredibly accurate.
Insanity is...
Public School State of Mind
Teachers Who Quit
A Baseball Interlude: Three Hits for a Double
Reflections on Anger and Frustration
2012 Video Medley #1
Ravitch in Chicago
Not everything that can be counted counts...
October 17 Campaign for Our Public Schools
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - October 2012...
Resistance is Necessary, not Futile
"Turnaround" Brings Upheaval, Not Help
America's Priorities -- Children Last


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Ryan Marsh Named Athlete of the Month for January
Post date: Mar 26, 2015 1:14:48 PM
In March, Wells High School selected senior Ryan Marsh Athlete of Month for January 2015. This award is in recognition of Marsh's academic abilities, sportsmanship, on and off the field, and athletic skills as displayed on the combined Noble High School/Wells High School hockey team, the Noble Knights.
During his four year career with the Knights, Marsh scored 126 points, a combination of goals and assists. This year there were eight WHS students playing on the Noble Knights which practices and plays home games at the Rochester Ice Arena in Rochester, New Hampshire.
Presenting Marsh with a plaque on March 16th was WHS Activities Director Jack Molloy, John C. Kreie and Pamela Moody-Maxon. The Athlete of the Month award at WHS is sponsored by Cole Harrison Insurance Agency and Moody Maxon Real Estate.
"It is an honor to be recognized as athlete of the month from a community so full of talented athletes," commented Marsh later. "Without the support of my teammates, coaches, and family it would be impossible to have become the athlete and person that I am today. I hope that this recognition will inspire my teammates to strive to be the best they can be at everything they do."
WHS student athletes picked to receive this honor are selected by WHS's Activities Director Jack Molloy and Principal Jim Daly.
In the photo from left to right are John Kreie, Ryan Marsh, Pamela Moody-Maxon and Jack Molloy.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The NWSL is an eight-team Division-I women's professional rb88th featuring players from Canada, Mexico and Ough.S. The founding clubs end up being Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Kansas City, Portland Thorns FC, Seattle Reign FC, Sky Blue FC, united states television Spirit along with the Western Long island Flash.
The Crown and Anchor isn't actually Irish even so it fits the mold with the other popular pubs to ensure that earned it's way onto this collection. The Crown and Anchor is the one place most English and Irish locals check out first especially if it is worldcup soccer available free time. At five in the morning on World Cup day you can't walk involving place, may be packed towards the rafters with Brits, Irishmen,Scots and the lot. The variety of beer on tap is the best and the wait staff is pretty personable. The Pub is frequented by Ricky Hatton who even shows up for his press conferences and the fights from a limo from Crown and Anchor.
The Royal Bafokeng Stadium, home to rugby, football, and other athletic events, was created in 1999, costing $48,000,000 in U.S. dollars for changes. The upgrades included a cantilever roof, floodlights, an enlarged main stand, new seats, and most important – an electronic scoreboard.
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Nate Jaqua's two goals and one assist all of the 3-0 victory over Colorado on Sunday earned him MLS Player of the week. Jaqua becomes 3rd workout Sounders FC player to earn the award the actual club's inaugural season. Fredy Montero managed it in Week 1 and Kasey Keller followed in Week three. It was Jaqua's fifth career multi-goal game as well as his first to be a Seattle gambler. His first goal against the Rapids additionally a nominee for MLS Goal of each week. Jaqua fended off two defenders before working a give-and-go with Montero to set-up an 8-yard strike in the 48th unit.
The second thing get note and practise is self-education. Charles had only 4 years schooling, but he embarked on self-study. It is self-study that made Charles great. Herbert Spencer said: "The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action." In life, the certificates, degrees, or knowledge a person possesses doesn't guarantee those great good. What guarantees great results in va . action. Is actually very what you need to with your data or skill you have that determine your height of success.
Now then, some devices like the iPad make it easier to take your e-books make them onto another device, but many of the other devices don't allowed you to take them off and put them on your iPad, although I assume in the long run someone will break the code presently there will be an app you get to make it happen. Nevertheless, you can see earning with the technologies.
Of Seattle's 24 goals in the number one 16 games, 16 have come in initial half and 19 a first 60 minutes. Only three have might possibly set pieces, all from corner kicks by Freddie Ljungberg. From the eight games in which Sounders FC has scored multiple goals, six to be able to at your own home.


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Facts about Suicide
Reparative Therapy
Blog: KYLP News
Kentucky Youth Law Project, Inc.
"Kids are looking for hopefulness, and there's no limit to what we can do if we're hopeful. Injustice prevails where hopelessness persists."
-- Human Rights Attorney Bryan Stevenson, addressing a Juvenile Justice Conference in Columbus, OH
Kentucky's School Climate
You may wonder why the quote from human rights attorney Bryan Stevenson (above) speaks of hopefulness when the statistics below indicate that there are so many issues that still need to be addressed in the public schools. The Kentucky Youth Law Project believes that there is reason to be hopeful that our public schools, on the whole, are striving to make the school experience better for LGBTQ students in Kentucky. Consider the wonderful example of Atherton High School in Louisville: their decision-making council recently implemented new non-discrimination policies that protect the rights of transgender students, as well as all other students in the school. We believe that could serve as a model for all of Kentucky's schools, and that's only one reason we are hopeful.
Still, there is significant injustice in the public schools in Kentucky, and LGBTQ youth are among the groups of students who are most likely to experience that injustice. One of our goals, at KYLP, is to work to turn the hopelessness some students have felt into hopefulness that they can make a difference. We hope to empower them, through Gay Straight Alliances, community activism and public policy advocacy to work in their schools for the changes they need to be successful -- in school, and in life.
According to a 2011 National School Climate Survey from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educators Network (GLSEN), Kentucky's schools are currently NOT safe for most LGBTQ secondary school students (middle school and high school students).
Many LGBT students in Kentucky do not have access to important school resources like Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) or similar student clubs.
Only 18% of Kentucky's LGBT students attend a school with a GSA.
Less than 1 in 10 Kentucky LGBT students are taught positive representations of LGBT people, history or events.
Many Kentucky LGBT students are not protected by comprehensive anti-bullying/harassment school policies, and only 3% of Kentucky LGBT students attended a school with a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that included specific protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.
Many Kentucky LGBT students hear biased language from school staff: 36% report regularly hearing staff make homophobic remarks, and 28% regularly heard school staff make negative remarks about someone's gender expression.
Most LGBT students in Kentucky had been victimized in school. Most of these incidents were not reported to adult authorities. The majority experienced verbal harassment; 9 out of 10 for their sexual orientation and 6 out of 10 for their gender expression.
Many experience physical harassment and assault: 6 out of 10 for their sexual orientation and 3 out of 10 for their gender expression.
Half of students harassed or assaulted in school NEVER reported it to school staff and 57% NEVER told a family member about the incident.
Seventy-one percent (71%) experienced cyber-bullying.
Nearly all Kentucky LGBT students can identify at least one LGBT supportive school staff member, but only 41% can identify 6 or more supportive school staff members.
Nationally, nearly one third of students missed classes or entire days of school in the past month because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable.
Fewer than 20% of guidance counselors have received any training on serving gay and lesbian students.
LGBT students reported most commonly avoiding school bathrooms and locker rooms because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable.
One third of LGBT students avoid physical education (P.E.) classes
An overwhelming majority -- 92.3% -- reported being verbally harassed in the past year.
Only one third of students who reported incidents of victimization to school personnel said that staff effectively addressed the problem. In fact, when asked to describe how staff responded to reported incidents of victimization, students most commonly said that staff did nothing. Of those who did not report incidents of victimization, 28.7% cited "fear of making the situation worse" as their reason.
LGBT students who experience high levels of in-school victimization based on sexual orientation or gender identity have lower grade point averages; are less likely than other students to plan or pursue any post-secondary education; are about three times more likely to have missed school in the past month for safety concerns; are less likely to feel a sense of belonging in their school community; and have lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of depression.
LGBT students who were out to their peers and school staff reported higher levels of victimization based on their sexual orientation and gender expression, but also higher levels of belonging and self-esteem.


Not to be confused with William H. Macy or Bill Marcy.
Bill Macy (born Wolf Martin Garber; May 18, 1922) is an American actor.
Born in Revere, Massachusetts to Mollie (née Friedopfer) and Michael Garber, a manufacturer, he was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and worked as a cab driver before pursuing an acting career.
Macy played Walter Findlay, the long-suffering husband of the title character on the 1970s television situation comedy Maude, starring Beatrice Arthur.
He has made more than 70 appearances on film and television. He appeared as the Jury Foreman in The Producers in 1967. Other memorable roles include the co-inventor of the 'Opti-grab' in the 1979 Steve Martin comedy The Jerk, and as the head television writer in My Favorite Year (1982).
His other film credits include roles in Death at Love House (1976), The Late Show (1976), Serial (1980), Movers & Shakers (1985), Bad Medicine (1985), Tales from the Darkside (1986), Sibling Rivalry (1990), The Doctor (1991), Me, Myself and I (1992), Analyze This (1999), Surviving Christmas (2004), The Holiday (2006), and Mr. Woodcock (2007).
In 1986, Macy was a guest on the fourth episode of L.A. Law, playing an older man whose young wife wants a music career. Macy appeared in the popular television movie Perry Mason and The Case Of The Murdered Madame (1987) as banker Richard Wilson.
He appeared occasionally on Seinfeld as one of the residents of the Florida retirement community where Jerry Seinfeld's parents lived. He also appeared on the short-lived Fox sitcom Back to You. Macy portrayed a demon in a guest appearance on Millennium. Macy made a guest appearance as a patient on Chicago Hope, and as an aging gambler on the series Las Vegas.
Macy was an original cast member of the long-running theatrical revue Oh! Calcutta!.
^ "Bill Macy Biography (1922-)". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
^ "Bill Macy". IMDb. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
^ "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me". IMDb. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
This article about a United States film and television actor or actress born in the 1920s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


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package com.june.quartz;

import org.quartz.DisallowConcurrentExecution;
import org.quartz.JobExecutionContext;
import org.quartz.JobExecutionException;
import org.quartz.PersistJobDataAfterExecution;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
import org.springframework.scheduling.quartz.QuartzJobBean;

@PersistJobDataAfterExecution
@DisallowConcurrentExecution// 不允许并发执行
public class MyQuartzJobBean1 extends QuartzJobBean {

    private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(MyQuartzJobBean1.class);

    @Autowired
    SimpleService simpleService;
    @Override
    protected void executeInternal(JobExecutionContext jobexecutioncontext) throws JobExecutionException {
    	logger.debug("executeInternal");
        simpleService.testMethod1();
    }

}


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Home»World News»Pew Research: not all users use Twitter in the same way
Pew Research: not all users use Twitter in the same way
According to recent research by the American institute Pew Research, which specializes in surveys and polls, not all users use Twitter in the same way.
How users use Twitter according to Pew Research
Just 25% of users, according to the study, produce around 97% of all posts, with an average of 65 tweets per month. However, on average, these receive only 37 likes and 1 retweet per month. Meanwhile, most users, called "lurkers" in the report, post only five tweets a month and prefer to read what is posted by others.
"Although the most prolific 25% of users produced the vast majority of tweets during the study period, original tweets made up only 14% of their posts. In contrast, around 80% of the tweets from this group were direct retweets (49%) or replies to other tweets (33%). Replies and retweets also make up the majority of posts by less active tweeters".
This is stated in a note from the survey institute.
Pew Research analyzed a portion of the approximately 60 million American adult users of the famous social network founded by Jack Dorsey, who recently left the helm to devote himself to blockchain projects. The survey method was based on the analysis of a subset of respondents, who agreed to share their Twitter profiles with the researchers, allowing them to match their survey answers to their activity on the social network.
Some results were certainly surprising and in some ways unexpected. Just to mention a few figures, 46% said that the site had improved their understanding of the events that had taken place in the last year, demonstrating how social networking has increasingly become a means of gathering information and keeping informed. On the other hand, 30% said that on the social site they were able to get actively involved again in discussions about politics and thus feel more involved in the topic.
A small share of Twitter users produce the vast majority of content
Few prolific users
In terms of usage patterns, the analysis revealed that a relatively small proportion of users are highly active and produce the vast majority of content. The most active 25% of US adults on Twitter produced 97% of all tweets by these users. These most prolific users are quite different from other profiles, visiting social every day and 1 in 5 confess to not even remembering how many times they do it in a single day.
Furthermore, despite producing the vast majority of content, their tweets are largely unoriginal and receive little engagement from Twitter's wider audience.
From 12 June to 12 September 2021, original posts comprised only 14% of the tweets of the top quarter of US adults on Twitter by tweet volume. The vast majority of posts produced by this group were retweets (49% of the total) or replies to other users (33%).
Political affiliations
Also interesting is the aspect closely linked to behaviour on the basis of the different political beliefs of the users surveyed. Republican Twitter users are more convinced than their Democratic "rivals" in defining the site as a negative example for American democracy (60% vs. 28%). In contrast, about half of Democrats who use the site say it is good for American democracy, while only 17% of Republicans think the same.
The majority of the sample of users surveyed have a public account, although they say it is set to private or in any case they are not sure or more likely do not even know the difference in the two profile settings (around 89% of users).
About 45% of users also consider the possibility of others attacking or annoying them very much for 19% very much, or partly for 25%. About one in five Twitter users (21%) have posted something on the site that they later regretted sharing.
The post Pew Research: not all users use Twitter in the same way appeared first on cryptodailynews24.com.


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New Zealand lawmakers pass initial vote for new gun controls
Armed attack on a mosque in Christchurch New Zealand, Photo Date: 3/14/19 / Photo: Nine News Australia / YouTube / (MGN)
By NICK PERRY Associated Press |
Updated: Tue 2:49 PM, Apr 02, 2019
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand lawmakers on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of new gun restrictions during the first stage of a bill they hope to rush into law by the end of next week.
The bill would ban the types of weapons a gunman used to kill 50 people at two mosques last month.
The bill was backed by both liberals and conservatives, with only a single lawmaker from the 120 that sit in Parliament voting against it. The vote was the first of three that lawmakers must pass before the bill becomes law.
Police Minister Stuart Nash said far too many people have access to dangerous guns and lawmakers were driven by the need to ensure public safety.
"We are also driven by the memory of 50 men, women and children who were taken from their loved ones on the 15th of March," Nash said. "Their memory is our responsibility. We don't ever want to see an attack like this in our country again. We are compelled to act quickly."
Seemingly drawing a distinction with the U.S., where gun possession is constitutionally protected, Nash said that in New Zealand, gun ownership remains a privilege and not a right.
Conservative lawmaker David Seymour voted against the bill, saying it was too rushed.
"Doing it in nine days before politicians go on their Easter break is starting to look more like political theater than public safety," he said.
But Seymour was so busy explaining to reporters his reasons for opposing the bill that he missed a procedural vote in which he could have tried to slow its passage.
Many New Zealanders were shocked at the firepower the gunman was able to legally obtain and favor the legislative changes.
Some are opposed. More than 14,000 have signed a petition filed in Parliament which says the law changes are "unjust" for law-abiding citizens and are being driven by emotions.
The bill would ban "military-style" semi-automatic guns and high-capacity magazines. It would also ban semi-automatic shotguns that could be fitted with detachable magazines and pump-action shotguns that can hold more than five rounds.
The bill wouldn't ban guns often used by farmers and hunters, including semi-automatic .22-caliber or smaller guns that hold up to 10 rounds, or shotguns that hold up to five rounds.
Police stop 4 kids who drove SUV 600 miles down Australian coast
Driver accused of using 30-can beer pack as booster seat for 2-year-old
Kohl's starts taking returns for Amazon today
Coco Gauff's captivating Wimbledon ends against former No. 1
Rouhani: Iran will enrich uranium to 'any amount we want'


text:
<?php

namespace Oro\Bundle\ImportExportBundle\Tests\Unit\Form\Type;

use Symfony\Component\Form\ChoiceList\View\ChoiceView;
use Symfony\Component\Form\Test\FormIntegrationTestCase;

use Oro\Bundle\ImportExportBundle\Processor\ProcessorRegistry;
use Oro\Bundle\ImportExportBundle\Form\Type\ExportTemplateType;
use Oro\Bundle\ImportExportBundle\Form\Model\ExportData;

class ExportTemplateTypeTest extends FormIntegrationTestCase
{
    /**
     * @var ProcessorRegistry|\PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_MockObject
     */
    protected $processorRegistry;

    /**
     * @var ExportTemplateType
     */
    protected $exportTemplateType;

    protected function setUp()
    {
        parent::setUp();

        $this->processorRegistry = $this->getMockBuilder(ProcessorRegistry::class)->getMock();
        $this->exportTemplateType = new ExportTemplateType($this->processorRegistry);
    }

    public function testSubmit()
    {
        $entityName = 'TestEntity';
        $processorAliases = [
            'first_alias',
            'second_alias'
        ];
        $expectedChoices = [
            new ChoiceView('first_alias', 'first_alias', 'oro.importexport.export_template.first_alias'),
            new ChoiceView('second_alias', 'second_alias', 'oro.importexport.export_template.second_alias')
        ];
        $usedAlias = 'second_alias';

        $this->processorRegistry->expects($this->any())
            ->method('getProcessorAliasesByEntity')
            ->with(ProcessorRegistry::TYPE_EXPORT_TEMPLATE, $entityName)
            ->willReturn($processorAliases);

        $form = $this->factory->create($this->exportTemplateType, null, ['entityName' => $entityName]);

        $processorAliasConfig = $form->get('processorAlias')->getConfig();
        $this->assertEquals('oro.importexport.export.processor', $processorAliasConfig->getOption('label'));

        $this->assertEquals(
            $expectedChoices,
            $form->get('processorAlias')->createView()->vars['choices']
        );

        $this->assertTrue($processorAliasConfig->getOption('required'));
        $this->assertNull($processorAliasConfig->getOption('placeholder'));

        $form->submit(['processorAlias' => $usedAlias]);
        $this->assertTrue($form->isValid());

        /** @var ExportData $data */
        $data = $form->getData();
        $this->assertInstanceOf(ExportData::class, $data);
        $this->assertEquals($usedAlias, $data->getProcessorAlias());
    }
}


We joined Alice and Sam on the 21st July at Cuckfield Church and were delighted to be part of such a special day. This video shows some of the many highlights from the morning preperations through to the fun on the dance floor in the evening with perhaps a little horse play in between.
Alice & Sam at North Lodge Farm from shortfilm company on Vimeo.


text:
Hermann Ottomar Herzog (15 November 1831 – 6 February 1932) was a prominent nineteenth- and early twentieth-century European and American artist, primarily known for his landscapes. He is associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting. He almost always signed his work "H. Herzog"; as a result, his first name is spelled both "Herman" and "Hermann" in various sources.

Life and work
He was born in Bremen, Germany and entered the Düsseldorf Academy at age seventeen.   Herzog achieved early commercial success, allowing him to travel widely and continue his training. His patrons included royalty and nobility throughout Europe.

In the late 1860s, after an extensive trip to Norway, Herzog settled permanently near Philadelphia in the United States. Thereafter, he traveled throughout the U.S. and Mexico. He painted his way across the western states, arriving in California in 1873. His works from this trip included a series of Yosemite Valley paintings.  In 1876, he received an award at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition for his painting of Sentinel Rock in Yosemite. Herzog also made extensive trips to Maine and Florida to paint.

Because he was a prudent investor, Herzog did not have to depend on the sale of his artwork to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. Following his death, his family retained a large group of his paintings, most of which were released to the art market in the 1970s. A number of prominent American and European museums now include Herzog's work as part of their collections.

Herzog's work is sometimes considered to be part of the Hudson River School, although it is more realistic and less dramatic than works by peers Frederic Edwin Church or Albert Bierstadt.

The Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania held a major exhibition of Herzog's work in 1992 and published a catalog of his work, with an essay by art historian Donald S. Lewis, Jr.

In his long life, Herzog created more than 1,000 paintings, including "Women in a Tropical Setting" and "Landscape with a Bear and her Cub". He died in Philadelphia, aged one-hundred. His son, Lewis Edward, also became a landscape painter of some note.

See also
List of Hudson River School artists

Sources

 "Herzog, Hermann", In: Hans Vollmer (Ed.): Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart, Vol.16: Hansen–Heubach. E. A. Seemann, Leipzig 1923, pg.570
 Peter Hastings Falk: Who was Who in American Art. Sound View, Madison 1985, , pg.279
 "Herzog, Hermann". In: Kunstmuseum Düsseldorf, Galerie Paffrath: Lexikon der Düsseldorfer Malerschule 1819–1918. Vol.2: Haach–Murtfeldt, F. Bruckmann, Munich 1998, , pg.97 f.

External links

 More works by Herzog @ ArtNet
 Artwork by Hermann Ottomar Herzog

1831 births
1932 deaths
19th-century American painters
American male painters
20th-century American painters
American landscape painters
Hudson River School painters
19th-century German painters
19th-century American male artists
German male painters
20th-century American male artists
Kunstakademie Düsseldorf alumni
Düsseldorf school of painting

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Join us for our Winter "Ruach" Convention at BB Camp. Ruach convention will be a 3-day event filled with chapter competitions, Jewish identity exploration, and meaningful experiences.
Ruach Convention is for every Jewish teen involved with BBYO and any teen interested in becoming more involved in BBYO. Chapter leaders, chapter members, new members, eighth graders, freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are all invited. No leadership role or prior program participation is required to participate. Teens must be registered members of BBYO to attend convention.
What are the important dates we need to know?
Friday, November 23rd: Scholarship applications open (apply here). Portland teens apply here.
Tuesday, December 11th: Scholarship applications due by 11:59pm for all teens.
Your most recent tax information must be uploaded if you're requesting more than 25% of the convention cost (more than $TBD for Regional Convention).
Note that we do not typically award more than 50% of the convention cost.
On Thursday, December 13th: Each family will be contacted via email with scholarship allocation information and next steps.
By Monday, December 17th: Accept/deny your scholarship award- directions will be provided via email on how to accept/deny. If you do not accept/deny your scholarship award by this time, your scholarship will be released.
Between November 30th and December 19th at 11:59pm: Register for convention.
IMPORTANT: By applying for scholarship you are NOT guaranteed a spot at convention. You must register as detailed above using the same email address you use for the scholarship application. When you register for convention the website will automatically deduct your scholarship award from the total cost. If convention fills and you are placed on the waitlist your scholarship will be put on hold until if/when space becomes available.
Your scholarship will be deducted based on the cost of convention at the time you register. This is different than in the past, so PLEASE be sure to register before Early Bird ends on December 19th to maximize your scholarship opportunity.
All convention fees must be paid by the final registration deadline unless the family has had a conversation with the Regional Director.
Can I register after the registration deadline? No. Registration closes at 11:59pm on Wednesday, January 9th. If a teen wishes to register after this date he/she should not expect to be able to attend convention. We do our best to accommodate but it can't always work. Once registration closes, we send our numbers to camps and hotels for food and rooming, and it can be difficult to make changes.
What is the cancellation/refund policy? The deadline to cancel with a full program refund is the final registration deadline for this program. Until that date, full refunds will be granted for cancellations in writing (e-mail is acceptable), for any reason. After the registration deadline, partial refunds may be available based on convention expenses already paid (hotel, transportation, etc..). Within ten days of convention we've already confirmed final counts with our vendors, and no refunds will be given. "No shows" will not receive a refund.
Are there an unlimited number of convention spots? No. Our space at camp is limited based on program, rooming, and bus space. We have a limited number of spots and will move to a waitlist once we have reached our maximum. We encourage all participants to register as early as possible.
Who is convention for? Ruach is for every Jewish teen involved with BBYO and any teen interested in becoming more involved in BBYO. Chapter leaders, chapter members, new members, eighth graders, freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are all invited. No leadership role or prior program participation is required to participate. Teens must be registered members of BBYO to attend convention.
Why should I attend convention? BBYO conventions are one of the things that teens look most forward to during the school year. Conventions are planned and led by teens, and they are an opportunity for our region to come together as a community. Conventions provide teens with meaningful Jewish experiences and friendships that they will remember for years to come.
Where will I be? Will I be leaving camp? Teens will be staying at BB Camp in Lincoln City, OR and will remain on-site for the duration of Ruach Convention. Teens should not leave the camp under any circumstances unless parents have been in communication with the Regional staff.
What medical form does BBYO need? Within a week of registering for convention you'll receive an email from CampDoc.com and will be able to fill out the form electronically. Please note that if you have attended another BBYO convention or will be attending International Convention you will use the same login and only need to update your information. You do not need a physical for this convention.
What if I take medication? Teens will be responsible for keeping and taking their own medications. These medications should be noted on your Campdoc medical form. We will not have a professional nurse on staff. We will have over the counter medicines if need be (Tylenol, Tums, Advil, etc.) and we do keep track of when teens are taking these meds from us.
What is the recommended dress? Stay tuned for a complete packing list. You'll want to check in with your teen's chapter for their planned spirit items. Teens will be at camp, so pack accordingly. Teens are not permitted to wear clothing that is revealing, such as short skirts, cut off tank-tops, see-through tops, and may be asked to change clothes if necessary. Clothing that is profane or references to drugs or alcohol is also not permitted. We do not permit any spirit wear that is potentially offensive to any race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, etc. More specific information on acceptable clothing choices will be sent in the Ruach spirit guide.
Shabbat appropriate attire- Friday evening Shabbat attire should be nicer than typical casual clothes. Slacks and khakis with a polo shirt or button-down shirt are appropriate for Alephs, and slacks, khakis, skirts, blouses or dresses are appropriate for BBGs. Revealing short skirts or low cut tops are not permitted.
*BBYO is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please leave all unnecessary valuables at home.
Will I need spending money? Teens are advised to bring a small amount of spending money to Ruach. During free time, teens may be given the option to purchase snacks with cash in addition to the snacks provided to them by BBYO. Also, teens may choose to purchase items at the Shuk (marketplace), showcasing BBYO 'swag' and apparel from chapters across the region. Items at the Ruach Shuk typically cost between $1 and $30. BBYO is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please leave all unnecessary valuables at home.
Need Extra Care? Conventions and overnights have their challenges for teens, especially our younger members. If your teen needs extra care during the Convention, either socially, physically or otherwise (anxiety, shyness, etc.), please reach out to EGR Regional Director, Cady Phillips, at [email protected]. For the safety and well-being of all our members, only our professional staff is able to arrange and/or provide extra care.
How do I get to convention?
Seattle and Portland: Bus transportation to convention is provided. Bus drop-off is typically between 9am and 10am on Friday for Seattle teens and 1pm and 2pm for Portland teens. Pick-up is generally between 3pm and 4pm on Monday for Seattle teens and 11am and 12pm for Portland teens. Bus timing and locations will be sent after registration.
Eugene and Bend teens will be taking the bus from Portland to convention, or will be responsible for getting themselves to convention. BBYO will reimburse up to $50 towards bus/train tickets between a teen's home city and Portland for convention travel. For more information on reimbursement, please email Cady.
Please direct any travel questions to Cady at [email protected].
Teens may NOT drive themselves to/from convention. There are no exceptions to this policy. If a teen drives to convention, they will not be allowed to participate in the program. Their parent/guardian will be called to come pick up them and the vehicle immediately.
What if I have to come late or leave early? No problem! If you have other commitments throughout the event that you're unable to miss- don't worry! We will work with you so can attend. Late arrivals and early departures are typically no problem as long as we know in advance. Teens may not drive themselves to/from convention. Prorated convention costs are not available. Please email Cady by January 9th at 11:59pm if you have late arrival or early departure needs.
How does rooming work? Teens are roomed randomly in cabins. We do our best to room teens with 1 other teen from their chapter although odd numbers and late registrations may cause this to not be possible. We also do our best to room teens with teens that are within 1-2 school years of one another. BBGs and Alephs will be roomed in separate areas of camp. While we do not allow for room requests or room changes, any serious rooming issues should be brought to the staff's attention immediately upon registration.
What are the meals like? What if I have a dietary restriction? BB Camp serves a kosher menu, and all meat meals will have vegetarian and/or vegan options for teens who specify this need on their medical forms. We ask for allergy information and food needs on the online medical form and we appreciate you sharing information as soon as possible so that we can accommodate specific food needs and limitations. All BBYO conventions are peanut and tree nut-free.
Can we store spare spirit items somewhere? - Teens will not be allowed to go to their cabins outside of designated morning, chofesh, and evening times. Chapters planning multiple outfits within time slots should bring down their change of clothes in backpacks. For safety and security purposes teens will be responsible for keeping their backpacks throughout convention. There will not be a storage space available for boxes, bags, etc. Teens are responsible for their own belongings. We do not recommend bringing valuables.
What is BBYO's supervision policy? BBYO has a minimum supervision ratio of 15 teens to every adult. All of BBYO's professional staff have had background checks and are trained to work with your teens and keep them safe. The staff and advisors help to supervise teens before, during, and after programming. Teen safety is our #1 priority.
What is BBYO's discipline policy? As a reminder, when you registered for membership you signed BBYO's Code of Conduct, which outlines our policies for substance abuse, property damage, and behavior guidelines with the full understanding of our behavioral expectations as a member of BBYO. Rules and guidelines will be made clear to all participants upon their arrival at convention opening. Should one of our teens choose to act outside of our Code of Conduct, the incident will be addressed by the appropriate staff members. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any violation of the Code of Conduct and any discipline matter that comes to the attention of staff. If you are (or your teen is) dismissed from Ruach for disciplinary reasons or Code of Conduct violations, BBYO staff will arrange for travel home immediately, at your family's expense and without a refund.


text:
Winners and losers from the Bengals Wild Card win vs Ravens
By Leigh Oleszczak
AFC Wild Card Playoffs - Baltimore Ravens v Cincinnati Bengals / Rob Carr/GettyImages
The Cincinnati Bengals won yet another game and this time, it came in the playoffs. Not only did the good guys advance in the playoffs, but they ended the Baltimore Ravens' season with a 24-17 final score at Paycor Stadium.
With the playoff victory in the books, let's take a look at the winners and losers from the game. Per tradition, since the Bengals won, we'll start with the losers.
Dax Hill
I won't sugarcoat it -- This was not a good game for the first-round rookie. Hill was flagged three times with a key one coming on a third-down stop in a goal-to-go situation. The Ravens went on to score a touchdown from there.
A rough day for Dax Hill with three penalties tonight
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) January 16, 2023
Eli Apple
Apple gets a bad rap sometimes but he didn't play well on Sunday night, getting straight-up cooked by Tyler Huntley and Demarcus Robinson of all people for a 41-yard touchdown that tied things up in Paycor Stadium at 17 all.
The story of Eli Apple's season had been how he allowed explosive plays early on, made big adjustments and became incredibly consistent.
That's the type of play that got Apple benched in October. The Ravens tie it at 17.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) January 16, 2023
Run Game
Another game, another lackluster performance from the run game, which totaled just 51 yards on the ground against the Ravens. This is a worry by this point. The Bengals need to be able to bleed the clock in the key moments and not lean on their defense for everything but they can't run the clock down if their run game doesn't get going.
Hayden Hurst
Hurst was responsible for a bad fumble in the first half that allowed the Ravens to take a 10-9 lead at the half. He had four catches for 45 yards in the game, proving to be a valuable weapon for Joe Burrow but you can't make those mistakes in these games. It'll cost you big time.
Sam Hubbard
I mean... duh.
Without Hubbard's 98-yard touchdown return in the second half. we might be singing a different tune this morning. The Bengals needed a game-changing play in that moment and Hubbard delivered.
Sam Hubbard re-wrote the NFL record book with one play. That 98-yard score was:
• Longest fumble return TD in NFL playoff history
• Longest TD in Bengals playoff history
• Longest go-ahead TD in 4th quarter in playoff history
• T-4th-longest defensive TD in playoff history
— John Breech (@johnbreech) January 16, 2023
Logan Wilson
Speaking of Hubbard's play, it wouldn't have been made possible without Wilson getting his mitt in there and prying the ball out. Wilson also led the team with 10 tackles and had a key tackle on Huntley that left the Ravens short of the first-down marker in the second half.
What a play by Logan Wilson to force the fumble 👏 @ljw21
📺: #BALvsCIN on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/hNJJJGqxGF pic.twitter.com/YYeDOrkjzO
Ja'Marr Chase
The former first-round pick finished with nine catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. He continues to be Joe Burrow's right-hand man and it needs to stay that way if this team wants to go back to the Super Bowl again.
This is the first game of Ja'Marr Chase's career in which he's had 6 catches in the first half.
There's still 14:56 left in the second quarter.
He's at 6 for 52 and a TD
— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) January 16, 2023
4 Players Bengals Need to Keep in Free Agency. dark. Next
Akeem Davis-Gaither
We talked about one turnover that the Bengals defense forced already but how about the other one? On the Ravens' first offensive series, Tyler Huntley threw a bad pass right into the arms of Davis-Gaither, who has been quieter this season but still proved that he's a good player.


text:
Q: What's the meaning of "cracking"?
"You have no one co-signing your fantasy,'' Damon says. "It is kind of
like when you were a kid making a game up in your room. It's entirely
dependent on not cracking. It was the challenge of the movie and kind
of why I wanted to do it.''
(source:
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/9fab0264d1f0481984b1380e6bc613c7/damon-scott-book-return-space-martian)

I don't have a grasp of the phrase "It's entirely dependent on not cracking"
I looked up the meaning of cracking in the dictionary but I couldn't find the relevant one.

A: I believe that here "cracking" has the meaning of giving up under pressure (or not giving up in this context). It's about being constant and not abandoning what you've started.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
June 28, 2013 / 9:47 AM / 6 years ago
Missing nuclear material may pose attack threat: IAEA
Fredrik Dahl
VIENNA (Reuters) - Nuclear and radioactive materials are still going missing and the information the United Nations atomic agency receives about such incidents may be the tip of the iceberg, said a senior U.N. official.
Any loss or theft of highly enriched uranium, plutonium or different types of radioactive sources is potentially serious as al Qaeda-style militants could try to use them to make a crude nuclear device or a so-called dirty bomb, experts say.
Khammar Mrabit, a director of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said there had been progress in recent years to prevent that from happening. But he said more still needed to be done to enhance nuclear security.
"You have to improve continuously because also on the other side, the bad guys, they are trying to find ways how to evade such detection," Mrabit said in an interview.
"The threat is global because these people operate without borders," he said on Thursday before an IAEA-hosted meeting of more than 100 states in Vienna next week on how to ensure nuclear materials do not fall into the wrong hands.
The U.N. agency is helping states combat smuggling of uranium, plutonium or other items that could be used for a nuclear weapon or a dirty bomb, which uses conventional explosives to scatter radioactive material across a wide area posing health risks and massive cleanup costs.
About 150-200 cases are reported annually to the IAEA's Incident and Trafficking Database. More than 120 countries take part in this information exchange project, covering theft, sabotage, unauthorized access and illegal transfers.
While making clear that most were not major from a nuclear security point of view, Mrabit said some were serious incidents involving nuclear material such as uranium or plutonium.
These incidents mean that "material is still out of regulatory control", said Mrabit, who heads the nuclear security office of the IAEA. "Maybe this is the tip of the iceberg, we don't know, this is what countries report to us."
DIRTY BOMB DANGER
In one reported case, police in former Soviet Moldova two years ago seized highly enriched uranium carried by smugglers in a shielded container to prevent it from being detected, a sign of increased sophistication of such gangs.
But unlike in the 1990s - after the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union weakened control over its nuclear arsenal - the few cases that are reported involve grams of enriched uranium or plutonium, not kilograms.
"A lot has been improved," Mrabit said.
Analysts say radical groups could theoretically build a crude but deadly nuclear device if they have the money, technical know-how and the amount of fissile material needed.
Obtaining weapons-grade fissile material - highly enriched uranium or plutonium - poses their biggest challenge, so keeping it secure is vital, both at civilian and military facilities.
An apple-sized amount of plutonium in a nuclear device and detonated in a highly populated area could instantly kill or wound hundreds of thousands of people, according to the Nuclear Security Governance Experts Group (NSGEG), a lobby group.
Because radioactive material is seen as less hard to find and the device easier to manufacture, experts say a "dirty bomb" is a more likely threat than a nuclear bomb.
In dirty bombs, conventional explosives are used to disperse radiation from a radioactive source, which can be found in hospitals, factories or other places not very well protected.
George M. Moore, a former senior IAEA analyst, said in an article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists last month that "many experts believe it's only a matter of time before a dirty bomb or another type of radioactive dispersal device" is used.
Mrabit said: "Statistically speaking no reasonable person will say that this will never happen. The probability is there."
editing by Elizabeth Piper


Introduction: David Vickers ("DV") spoke to David Bowles ("DB") - formerly Nicholas McGegan's regular continuo cellist and now his recording producer - about making Handel opera recordings at the Göttingen Handel Festival, recording Alessandro Scarlatti's cantatas with The Arcadian Academy, and the dangers of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
DV: You commenced your music career as a Cellist. What are some memorable projects you've been involved with as a continuo player?
DB: All of the Arcadian Academy CDs, the Göttingen Handel opera CDs, the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (PBO) CDs where I sat principal cello, and Chanticleer's "Mexican Baroque" (Teldec Das Alte Werk 96353).
DV: How long have you been collaborating with Nicholas McGegan?
DB: Nic and I have been collaborating on musical projects since I joined Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in the summer of 1988. In addition I worked with both Capella Savaria in Hungary (1988-1991) and the Freibruger Barocksolisten (1992-93) at Göttingen. I was continuo cellist on recordings of Vivaldi's Juditha Triumphans, Telemann's Brockes Passion, and Handel's Floridante, Terpsichore, Agrippina, Ottone and Radamisto. With Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra I was continuo cellist on the second volume of Corelli's concerti grossi, Vivaldi's recorder concerti (with Marion Verbruggen), Handel's Arias for Durastanti (with Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson), La Resurezzione and Judas Maccabaeus.
DV: But you had to give up regular cello duties with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra due to RSI?
DB: I don't know if the nerve damage in my left pinkie was due to playing or from carrying cello cases, suitcases, grocery bags and heavy boxes for many years. In any case, it crept up on me very slowly; at first I thought my solo repertoire was simply out of shape from doing so much freelancing. However, it soon became apparent that there was something else when even "simple" continuo playing started to become difficult. I am a Juilliard graduate and have high standards for myself and realised that I needed to move on before things deteriorated to the point that I started to lose work. It was an extremely difficult choice to make after playing for 26 years of my life but at that point I was seeing specialists at the UCSF Performing Arts Medicine Centre. They all had musical training and knew the mechanics involved in playing an instrument so I did not have to explain everything; in addition everyone's case was supervised by a psychologist (the late Peter F. Oswald, who wrote a book about Schumann's problems with RSI!: Schumann - The Inner Voices of a Musical Genius (paperback Northeastern Univ Press; ISBN: 155553014).
DV: Do you still play cello at all at home?
DB: No, I have not touched the cello since the last concert I played in April 1994 (as it happens, it was with the Arcadian Academy on tour!). I gave up "cold turkey" while I was still playing well; all my instruments and bows have been sold (except one, which is at my dealer). Now that I'm producing I listen to a wide range of music but still enjoy cello LPs newly transferred to CD.
DV: How did you go about transferring careers from Cellist to Producer? Were you already particularly interested in the recording process?
DB: I had always been interested in audio from when I was a young child: one of my earliest memories was of my father placing me by the big Jensen loudspeaker, telling me to listen to my mother on the air (she was a classical music programmer at that time). Much later I collected LPs and started to question why certain recordings were much better than others, both in terms of engineering and musical feeling. I've always been involved in organising and other behind-the-scenes work, this extended to Arcadian Academy concerts and recordings as well. All of this helped when I changed careers almost eight years ago: I wanted to maintain continuity with music and make use of all the musical knowledge I've accumulated over the years.
DV: But you've also done a fair amount of smaller scale music with the Arcadian Academy.
DB: In 1990 Nic and I co-founded the Arcadian Academy in order to explore the repertoire of Handel's Italian period. It was immediately apparent that there were huge amounts of vocal works to sift through, most of which were still in manuscript. The recording company Nic was contracted to (Harmonia Mundi USA) agreed to record the Arcadian Academy in instrumental repertoire, and we looked beyond Handel and the (original) Arcadian Academy to Nicola Matteis, Marco Uccellini, Salamone Rossi and Biagio Marini. The result was two CDs of Matteis' Ayres for the Violin and one from Uccellini's books of sonatas and dances. I entered all of this in the computer as all of the sources were in part books; sometimes the bass figures disagreed with the melodies and we had to make quick editorial decisions!
DV: You mentioned putting Matteis and Uccellini into the computer to prepare performing editions. Did you use Finale or Sibelius to prepare the parts, and had you edited much 17th or/ 18th century music before?
DB: Not only have I used Finale, but I'm one of their beta testers as well! I hope one of these days that they will add a genuine figured bass feature; in recent years the software has got much more reliable and easier to use as well. I had never edited music before but had read a lot of manuscripts over the years; Nicholas McGegan and David Tayler were the real musicological brains behind all the Arcadian Company editions. If I was really obsessive I probably would have listed every change made and every instance of a bass figure conflicting with a melody, but for music this obscure it would have been a thankless task. Part of the challenge of making a more or less permanent edition is that so many of these decisions would have been made on the fly by the performers, and would have probably changed from time to time. In a recording session with an open schedule one has the luxury of trying out different alternatives and sewing it all together in the editing studio - this is the ultimate mating of musicology and technology!
DV: Yet the latter day Arcadian Academy is best known for its recordings of Alessandro Scarlatti.
DB: The first of Nic's CDs I produced was of Alessandro Scarlatti's soprano cantatas (with Christine Brandes and the Arcadian Academy). This was originally supposed to be released on Harmonia Mundi USA but Nic's contract had expired. And at my urging we recorded it on good faith and as it happens it was taken on by BMG Classics and turned into a series of four CDs (featuring David Daniels, Dominique Labelle and Brian Asawa). I produced these as well as two CDs with Philharmonia Baroque (Arne's Alfred and Rameau suites from Platée and Dardanus).
DV: What else have you produced other than The Arcadian Academy?
DB: I've also produced several 20th Century projects for BMG Classics, Centaur and Americus; all of these are for voice and piano. I've edited and mastered the Göttingen festival CDs for 2000 and 2001; as of next month will take over all the concert recordings for Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. I've also started to produce Dan Laurin's CDs - he's a fantastically talented recorder player from Sweden. Look out for Italian recorder sonatas on BIS next June.
DV: You make live recordings of all the PBO concerts? Are any of these likely to be made into CDs or are they for some sort of archive?
DB: They are for possible radio broadcast and fund raising as well as the orchestra's growing archive. I now own a multi-unit CD burner and now make CD-R copies for PBO musicians, chorus members and soloists as well; listening to one's own performances really helps one grow as an artist.
DV: What concert or opera projects by the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (and others) do you wish you could have recorded? Nic must have done quite a few things that deserved to be issued on CD over the years.
DB: Speaking for myself, I wish that Nic and PBO could have recorded Arne's Comus (as a companion to Alfred), Rossini's short operas (La Cambiale di Matrimonio, Il Signor Bruschino, etc.), Berlioz songs, even Johann Strauss.
DV: From a Handelian point of view, there were very popular productions of Tolomeo (1995) and Riccardo Primo (1996) at Göttingen. These were between Ariodante - the last Harmonia Mundi recording - and the BMG recording of Serse. It is a shame that neither of Nic's interpretations of these little known lovely operas made it to CD.
DB: By the time Riccardo Primo was being cast Nic's contract with Harmonia Mundi USA had expired, and to my knowledge it was not renewed. Nic's contract with BMG Classics began after Tolomeo had been contracted so in any case the singers might not have been available for a recording.
DV: I noticed that the 1997 Göttingen production of Serse was recorded for BMG in the unlikely venue of Watford Town Hall, in Hertfordshire, England.
DB: Both Watford and Walthamstow Town Halls were built by the same architect in the 1930's and are huge open spaces well suited for recording. My intent was to create a simplified version of the staging in order to reflect the dramatic action in the libretto. Therefore the arias would have a solo singer front and centre but singers would make actual entrances and exits for the recitatives. For instance, this worked particularly well for the long scene after "Ombra mai fù", where Arsamene and Elviro sneak in slowly and Romilda first appears on a balcony in the distance.
DV: Since then Handelians have wondered why no new recordings of operas by Nic have hit the CD shops. So maybe they will be delighted to discover that Göttingen have set up their own independent label, and in the last few years first class live recordings of Arianna and Rodelinda have been sold to members of the Gottingen Händel Gesellschaft at a very reasonable price. The latest Göttingen CD is Partenope, recorded during the 2001 Festival. How was this recorded?
DB: The engineering was done by the North German Radio digitally with each microphone on separate tracks. I took only the tracks I considered important: the main pair over the orchestra, support mikes for the continuo and stage mikes to capture the voices. I recorded to a Genex 8500 multi-track hard disc digital recorder so I would be able to change the mix later.
DV: Could you tell us a bit about the collaboration with North German Radio - these CDs were mixed from recordings made for Radio, weren't they? How was the final CD mix prepared?
DB: The CD release and the radio broadcast were prepared independently of each other; aside from taking selected tracks from NDR on my Genex. I was solely responsible for the editing, mixing and mastering of the CD. I have not heard the broadcast tapes and would be curious to see how our productions compare.
DV: What are the pros and cons of making live recordings at the Göttingen Festival? The Stadthalle and the Deutches Theater must be challenging venues.
DB: Any recording on location involves an unobtrusive mike setup which often means that mike placement is less than optimal. In addition, listening in ad hoc control rooms or mobile recording trucks is not ideal - there is lots of extraneous noise form traffic and rain which masks what is actually being recorded on disc. In addition, the mikes had to be taken down after all the performances at both the Deutsches Theater and the Stadthalle as there were other shows going on; inevitably a support mike or two would be placed differently from night to night.
DB: Stay tuned... it's always a question of funding. However, in the case of Alcina, be forewarned that there will be cuts, otherwise the audience would have to endure a show of five hours length!
DV: What singers have you worked with - both as a performer and as a producer - who have been exceptionally good to work with and why?
DB: Frederica von Stade is the ultimate "pro" who gave me everything I asked for which was a lot ("The Faces of Love" - songs of Jake Heggie on BMG Red Seal 09026 62484 2 ). The same goes for Bentia Valente (song cycles of William Bolcom on Centaur CRC-2464). I've also enjoyed working with Dominique Labelle, David Daniels, Christine Brandes, Jennifer Smith and David Thomas for various projects: each of them have unique voices and convey emotion and character even without the visual element. (Yes, I would love to produce video of Göttingen productions as well as audio CDs!).
DV: What are your future plans?
DB: I would like to break out of classical music recording from time to time, as long as it's "live" and in "real time"! It's bad enough that so much popular music is contrived after the fact and often lacks spontaneity; I'm horrified to hear of certain classical artists overdubbing or using "click tracks"as well. Music must convey an emotional message and transport the listener; people need it now more than ever.


text:
Mick Foley: If I Was In My Prime, I'd Have An Audience In Tears And Fearing For Darby Allin's Life
Wrestling WWE Ric Flair Jon Moxley
Robert DeFelice Dec 31, 2021 2:33PM
Mick Foley believes he could have reduced an audience to tears if he would've faced Darby Allin in his prime.
Mick Foley is easily one of the premier wrestlers who focused on character work in storytelling throughout his career. He did this because of a lack of superb athletic ability that was replaced by his ability to craft a believable story and willingness to inflict punishment on himself.
Speaking with Thunder Rosa while eating tacos, Mick Foley named a handful of superstars that he believes he could have told a good story with inside the squared circle.
Outside of the obvious names like Jon Moxley and Bray Wyatt, Mick Foley named the surprising choice of Ricochet as somebody he would have liked to wrestle because he believes he could have worked around the athleticism of Ricochet to really portray him as a babyface in peril.
"Assuming I was near the top of the game, I'd love to wrestle Moxley. Bray Wyatt, in whatever incarnation he comes back as, but I also loved wrestling the smaller guys that did the flying. Because although I could not work every style, I could adapt to just about any style. I could incorporate aspects of what anyone else did. Then put my own personal stamp on it. So coming out of the gate, when Ricochet came into WWE, he needed a great opening a feud. I thought if I was that guy, in my prime, [he] was someone who can do anything and was also small enough for me to come across as a power wrestler, which wasn't easy. We really could have made an impression."
Furthermore, Mick Foley would go into the idea of what he believes is missing and wrestling and that is a genuine feeling That the babyface is fighting for their life.
Foley would reveal that it's actually a Vince McMahon pet peeve if wrestlers don't constantly go for the victory but to The Hardcore Legend, not everyone is always going for the victory, sometimes it is about inflicting damage.
Foley would further say that he believes he could easily manipulate an audience's emotions if he was able to wrestle Darby Allin in his prime.
"There'll be other guys, like Darby Allin, if I could have gotten my hands on Darby — The one thing I say, sometimes it's missing, and I guess, a knock on Mr. McMahon. He wants every heel to look like they're trying to win at every moment. He's real big on covers after everything. That's great for some people. But Abdullah The Butcher didn't go for covers. He looked like he was there to end your life. So, sometimes what's missing is that aspect that the babyface is not fighting for a win, he's literally fighting for his life.
"I think that's one of the things that's missing there. It's another one, you can't overdo it. You can't have five matches like that. But if you had one certifiable madman, you know, I'd like to think that in my prime you know, if I had a guy like Darby Allin, I'd be looking out, and then there'd be tears falling, you know, as people fear for his life. Then, you know, you try to put that person in a world of hurt and hate, and then have them fight their way out of it."
Darby is currently paired with Sting. 30 years ago, Mick Foley, as Cactus Jack, was able to elevate his career and give Sting a credible opposition during a wild feud they had in 1992 which culminated in a Falls Count Anywhere Match at WCW Beach Blast.
Mick Foley and Sting would go full circle in their rivalry as Mick Foley won his last World Championship from Sting at TNA Lockdown in 2009.
Today, Sting is still wrestling and was recently credited by Ric Flair as a major ratings draw for AEW but Sting was too modest to accept the credit. Learn more here.
Should you use any portion of the quotes above, transcription credit should go to Fightful with a H/T linking back to this article.


The resolutions adopted in this process have legal significance as they can advance criminal, civil, and political-administrative responsibilities, which may lead to Maduro's impeachment.
An Ecuadorean judge has accepted a demand Tuesday for the National Assembly to start a corruption probe on President Lenin Moreno and high ranking officials who prevented the creation of an investigatory commission for the "Ina Papers" corruption case.
The protection order was requested by activist Felipe Ogaz on March 7, after a conversation leaked between National Assembly President Elizabeth Cabezas and Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo, in which Cabezas pressured Romo into helping to prevent the creation of an investigatory commission to probe corruption allegations against Moreno in regard to the "INA Papers" accusations.
The case was exposed on February 19 by the digital platform "La Fuente" (The Source), owned by Fernando Villavicencio, an outspoken critic of ex-president Rafael Correa. The investigation presented a presumed link between Moreno and the company INA Investment Corp, a Panama tax haven, from which a series of payments, gifts, and purchases of furniture, and even an apartment in Spain were bought for the family of President Moreno.
Due to the National Assembly's faltering to pursue the investigation, Ogaz argues the Ecuadorean people's constitutional rights have been violated, consequently demanding integral reparation by requesting: the National Assembly to initiate the investigation for Moreno and the aforementioned audio, and for the sentence to be public.
The appeal was assigned to the Judicial Unit for Family, Women, Children, and Adolescents, based in Quito, whose judge, Raquel Herrera, accepted it and issued a ruling on March 19, 2019, to process it and by law hold a public hearing on April 1, 2019.
For this, 153 public officials, authorities and other defendants have been summoned. The defendants are President Moreno, all 137 National Assembly lawmakers, including its president, Elizabeth Cabezas, Interior Minister Romo, all the members of the Transparency and Social Control Function. And due to the gravity of the accusation also the Attorney General, Superintendent of Banks, Companies, Market Power Control, and Territorial Ordinance will be compelled to appear on court.
The resolutions adopted in this process have legal significance as they can advance criminal, civil and political-administrative responsibilities, which may lead to an impeachment against Moreno.


text:
Enhancing Vivax Malaria Research in Thailand
Cui, Liwang, (PI)
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The prevalence of Plasmodium vivax has been increasing lately, and the -70-80 million cases currently recorded annually are of growing global public health importance. However, research aimed at understanding this parasite species has lagged by comparison to that carried out for P. falciparum. This training program aims to enhance research on P. vivax malaria in Thailand, where P. vivax malaria has been on the rise and has become equally prevalent as P. falciparum. The overall training goal is to support Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows in P. vivax research and to transfer the state-of-the-art technologies to Thai scientists. The scientific objectives of the training plan address four areas of P. vivax malaria: 1) in vitro culture and cryopreservation techniques, 2) interactions between P. vivax and P. falciparum in natural infections, 3) parasite population diversity and molecular evolution, and 4) molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics. The training will be conducted in Thailand through a double-track mechanism: 1) long-term training of Thai Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows, and 2) short-term training of Thai scientists through courses and workshops. Each trainee will be responsible for developing a research project in one of the four areas of P. vivax research by working closely with Thai and U.S. mentors. Mentors will provide continual guidance for their research and valuable training opportunities to promote career development of the trainees. A series of short training courses and workshops will be given in Thailand to provide the trainees with hands-on experience in P. vivax malaria research. The training program will also support trainees to come to the U.S. for short-term, research-oriented training in technologies needed for their research. To build a cadre of young scientists with long-term commitment and motivation in malaria research will be essential for sustaining strong interests in malaria research and, ultimately, for control of this disease in Thailand. Establishing this training mechanism in Thailand will have a significant impact on future training of malariologists in Asia.
National Institutes of Health: $50,000.00
Vivax Malaria
Plasmodium vivax
Culture Techniques
Neglected Diseases


2013 Topps Strata Football is the followup to one of last year's most popular debuts. The box-hit acetate autographed rookie relics return, offering a variety of layered options. The challenge for this year's set is to show a little more variety. That said, the format remains largely unchanged. Each 2013 Topps Strata hobby box has three hits: one autographed relic, an autograph and a relic.
The base set consists of 150 cards, 100 veterans and 50 rookie cards. Like last year, rookies have different photos in hobby and retail packs. Rookies have six different parallels, all of which are numbered: Bronze (#/150), Gold (#/99), Sapphire (#/50), Emerald (#/10), Ruby (1/1) and hobby-exclusive Printing Plates.
The line's signature Clear Cut Autographed Relic Rookie cards return, falling one per box. The cards take a layered approach that has a large jersey piece one the bottom. These material pieces measure nearly 3" by 2". Over top of that is a clear front that has both the player's image and autograph. A window is left so the jersey swatch can be touched. Numbered parallels include Bronze (#/150), Gold (#/99), Sapphire (#/60), Emerald (#/30) and Ruby (#/15). Sapphire, Emerald and Ruby cards come with patch pieces and are only in hobby packs. Every hobby case has three patch parallels. Four different one-of-one Quartz parallels each offer different types of relics: Gloves, Pigskin, Swoosh and Patch.
Strata Signature Relics return, once again as a hobby-exclusive case hit. These take the layered feel a step further, offering another massive relic piece and three total layers, one of which is signed. Rookies and veterans are included on the checklist. Parallels include Ruby Patch (#/15), Rivet Patch, which can be opened up to its various layers, and Rivet Swoosh (1/1). The product also has a handful of Clear Cut Dual Autograph Rookie Patch Book Cards that are numbered 1/1.
Strata Autographs are inserted one per box. The cards use stickers but the checklist is primarily rookie-focused. Parallels come in six numbered levels, none higher than 150. Strata Relics also fall one per box. They also have six parallels, although all are only found in hobby packs. Each case has three patch parallels.
2013 Topps Strata Football has one basic insert set. Rookie Die-Cut cards are inserted one per box. The large checklist of more than 40 players makes it something of a challenge to build.
Collectors can also look for special redemption cards good for uncut sheets of base cards, rookies, retail rookies and Rookie Die-Cut inserts.
150 cards, including 100 veterans and 50 rookies. Shop for base sets on eBay.
Hobby and retail rookie cards use different photos. Click here to see them all.
Good: Affordable product. Clear Cut Autographed Rookie Relics look great. Three hits per box.
Bad: Thicker cards are very condition sensitive. Many were damaged in the box. Few inserts available.
The Bottom Line: The Clear Cut Autographed Rookie Relics are the big draw of this product and it is hard to beat the price for three hits per box. While the card design has improved over last year, there are still some improvements that can be made in the packaging to reduce card damage.
The updated base card design in 2013 Topps Strata Football is a great improvement over last year's product. The cards are more colorful and you get the illusion that the player is actually coming through a portal. It really makes the player stand out more on the card. The Topaz Orange parallels are a nice addition. I like that Rookie Die-Cut cards feature a black border, with the team colors behind their nameplates. The downside to the intricate die-cut is that the cut appears to be off-center on many of them.
The player worn memorabilia cards are hit and miss. I have seen some sweet multi-colored patches and some not so exciting single-jersey swatches. I would like to see more of the multi-color patches. On the plus side, when I pulled the base autograph, I actually thought it was an on-card auto because the sticker is well-placed and doesn't take away from the design.
The main appeal of 2013 Topps Strata Football is the Clear Cut Autographed Rookie Relics. First of all, they are on-card autographs, and are actually signed on acetate. Add in a player-worn memorabilia swatch and that makes the card even more desirable. The parallel patch versions look amazing with the jumbo swatch attached. This has been one of my favorite new innovations in jersey autograph cards that have been developed in recent years.
The base card set is comprised of 150 cards, which includes 50 rookies. While there are some veteran sticker autographs, this is definitely a rookie product. The Clear Cut Autographed Rookie Relics feature mostly players who attended the Rookie Premiere, but there are some additional players.
I didn't really like that some packs would have no rookies at all, and others would have three or four. I would rather see at least one rookie card in every pack. This is also a very simple product, as the only base insert is the Rookie Die-Cut set. The only other true inserts are the various colored parallels.
The box had a lot of duplicates and was missing many of the main rookies. It would probably take at least three boxes to build a set.
2013 Topps Strata Football boxes cost around $70, which makes it a very affordable product. The downside of this is that unless you pull an autograph of one of the top rookies, it will be hard to break even. The fact that the thicker card stock is prone to damage during packing will definitely hinder many collectors.
This is a fun product to open. While this box lacked some of the top rookies, the chance to pull a Clear Cut Autographed Rookie Relics makes it worth the time. Also, unlike last year, it was not obvious which pack had the Clear Cut Autographed Rookie Relics, so collectors wont have to worry as much about pack searchers.
It's looking really good this year!
Good mix. and photos Should be ok to build a set. Ripped one box and pulled Christine Michael signature relic Rivet card /5!!!!
Great set overall. Purchased two cases after being out of the card world for over 10 years. If you're looking for hits then this product is what you want. The only reason this product could be considered average is because they put a lot of the below average rookies. Out of two cases we pulled four Mike Gillislie autographed relics as well as four Knile Davis autographed relics. The cards are essentially worthless. I understand that not every box is going to yield an epic hit, but I can't even come close to breaking even with stuff like that. But overall the cards are awesome and I really liked the product!
pulled 2 printing plates out of 2 value boxes and they are hobby box exclusive…am i missing something?
Inexpensive buy but terrible quality of hits IMO. Watching box breaks it is the SAME GUYS OVER AND OVER. I have bought two boxes, hit Lacy #d/99 auto and should have called it quits then.
Great price point for auto and auto relics.
I hit a Geno Smith Rivet in a break and have been chasing others with terrible luck. I've done 3 strata breaks and have seen boxes with the same guy/team auto in the box. i.e a Kenny Stills patch auto and base auto in the same box 2x. Then 2 49ers in the same box.. Then 2 Terrance Williams auto's.
Great for buying boxes but terrible for team breaks.
Have a question. Have you heard about I would believe are ERROR cards? I just got a box and I have something here I don't know what? Like card #30 has Giovani Bernard on the front and Aaron rodgers stats on the back. That's just ONE I have a stack like that, one player on the front and different player and stats on the back?? Let me know please. Thanks.
Sounds like a printing mistake. Sometimes you can find player collectors who will pay a little for the novelty aspect but others send them back for replacements.
Printing Plates are NOT hobby exclusive. Just picked up a 7 pack retail blaster that Walmart marked down to 11.99. Monster, Lattimore RC auto, and the last pack delivered some LOB Mojo. Richard Sherman yellow printing plate 1/1, right there in retail. Siiiick 12$ blaster lol. Love the hobby end too.
I love Strata this year. In the last month I've bought 1 retail blaster, and 1 hobby box. Retail had Lattimore RC auto, and Richard Sherman PP Yellow. Hobby I just opened had Andre Ellington SSR shadowbox auto /35, and a Josh Boyce RC Black PP. Sick!