eThink Education – a US based eLearning solutions provider with branches in Nigeria and the Caribbean – today announced the expansion of their partnership with Moodle to deliver powerful online learning solutions in Canada.
With continued and increasing demand for advanced solutions worldwide, Moodle's open source, cost-effective, and flexible software is proving to be the learning platform of choice for many schools, higher education institutions, and workplaces.
This is reflected in the rapid growth of eThink's international client base and their partnership with Moodle to deliver services in the Caribbean, Nigeria, and now Canada.
Brian Carlson, Co-Founder and CEO of eThink Education, explained the company's move to provide Moodle eLearning services to the Canadian market as a natural progression, considering the popular use of the learning platform.
"Canada's eLearning market is quite mature, with Moodle being a top learning management software choice in the region," said Brian.
Founded in 2008, eThink became a Certified Moodle Partner in 2016. eThink works with Moodle's open source learning platform to provide high quality Moodle solutions in the US, Caribbean and Nigeria. Now, eThink's wide range of Moodle support services, from hosting through to custom design of any organisation's eLearning needs, will also be available throughout Canada.
eThink's commitment to providing high-quality eLearning solutions and support is evident through their list of Moodle clients in the education, healthcare, not-for-profit, government and corporate sectors. New Jersey Department of Education, Cochise College, and Carbon Black are just some of the organisations working with eThink.
Moodle, the world's open source learning platform, allows educators to create a private space online filled with tools for collaborative learning. First released in 2001 by Martin Dougiamas, Moodle is now used in every country in the world. Moodle is a key part of operations for leading education institutions such as Open University UK, Monash and Columbia, as well as big organisations such as the United Nations, UK Government and US Defence force.
To join Moodle's mission to empower educators to improve our world and for more information, visit http://moodle.com.
eThink Education is a Certified Moodle Partner providing implementation, cloud hosting, integration, and management services for the world's open source Learning Management System.
Open-source Moodle is the most widely used Learning Management System in the world. When implemented and managed by experts, Moodle is an extremely dynamic platform capable of surpassing the functionality of competing systems. eThink's Moodle cloud hosting services offer unrivalled performance and exceptional value.


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African hair is naturally dry. This therefore means that for one to retain length and keep their hair healthy, one has to keep their natural hair moisturized. Moisturizing is key and is the only secret to retaining length. Remember dry hair breaks!
If your hair is dry, you will need to use moisturizing treatments on a daily basis in order to keep your hair healthy. These include moisturizers and leave in conditioners.
If your hair is extremely dry, you will need to do hot oil treatment. You can also do this at home, by heating up your oils and applying onto your hair from root to tips.
If your hair is damaged, then you will need deep penetrating protein treatments. A good product in the market now is the Hair mayonnaise by organics- Africa's best.
Understand where the category your hair falls. If you apply oils and after a few hours/ or at the end of the day your hair feels dry then you need to daily give moisture to your hair. If you feel like your hair is dehydrated. Try wetting and conditioning your hair EVERYDAY until your hydration level is achieved.
One can retain moisture in the hair by the following ways.
5. Drink lots of water too.


In my last post, I wrote a little about the reason behind swaddling and how my husband and I were finding our way through the swaddles and chaos of life with a newborn. I purposely left off at the six-week mark because that was when we were introduced to the Miracle Blanket and our frustrations with swaddling became a thing of the past!
The Miracle Blanket is a ready-made swaddle with individual arm flaps and a "bucket" to contain baby's legs. For those of you who are familiar with all things baby, the fabric of the swaddle is similar to the Moby Wrap but thinner – the cloth stretches a tiny bit while you pull and swaddle baby. Also, because it is a ready-made swaddle, there is not an abundance of additional material, making it much easier to create a nice snug fit. From what I've seen in terms of swaddles, these features are what make this one unique.
From about 6-11 weeks, life was great – the baby was sleeping from 7:30-8:00pm to 7:00-7:30am with one feed between 3:00-4:30am. I was waking up refreshed and overall felt really confident that we had figured it out – put on that badge – we've mastered another parental milestone. Those, of course, were famous last words. Around 11 weeks was when Alexa began fighting the swaddle more aggressively – she successfully figured out how to remove one leg from the "bucket", but thankfully, she still remained safely swaddled throughout the night.
Once we reached week 12, all bets were off – our champion sleeper had vanished and we did not have a "miracle" waiting in the wings. My next post will bring you fully up to date as we retire the swaddle for good.


There have been repeated calls from the National Bus and Rail Union for additional security on certain routes, including calls for a dedicated Garda Public Transport Policing Division.
Students who rely on Irish rail and DART to get to University will find themselves struggling to get to college throughout November and December due to the Irish Rail strikes.
Irish Rail had to take a train out of service after it was left in a "horrific state" from a DCU Engineering Society event on Monday, they have claimed.


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Home » Tech Watch » Perovskite creates exciting research challenge
Perovskite creates exciting research challenge
Article By : Julia Shabunina
Category : Tech Watch
A promising material for the solar power industry, perovskite's efficiency levels have already reached 22.1% and continue to increase.
As the demand for power continues to grow and natural resources become depleted, the world is turning to alternative energy for help. Various solar panels based on silicon, or thin film cadmium telluride and cadmium sulfide (CdTe/CdS) account for about 85% of all solar batteries being manufactured worldwide.
These solar batteries are quite large, are not very effective under diffused light and also cost quite a lot, although prices dropped significantly recently. Scientists all over the world who are actively searching for alternative solar-cell materials noticed the rather promising perovskites not so long ago.
Professor Anvar A. Zakhidov, deputy director of the UT Dallas Nano-Tech Institute, a leading expert on alternative energy and head of initiative research project on "High-Capacity Polymer Tandem Photovoltaics on the Basis of Hybrid Perovskites" at the National University of Science and Technology MISIS (NUST MISIS), Moscow, Russia, has discussed the amazing properties of perovskites and various possibilities they open up for humankind.
Mr. Zakhidov, could you say a few words about perovskites and their discovery?
Classic perovskite crystals with the same type of crystal structure as calcium titanate (CaTiO3), known as the perovskite ABX3 structure, were first discovered in 1839 in the Ural region. The mineral was named after Count Leo Perovsky, a Russian collector of minerals.
Scientists later discovered other types of perovskites, including barium titanate, lithium niobate and lanthanides. All perovskites have a similar structure with the ABX3 pattern. This complicated structure features crystal atoms that are intricately bound by ion bonds, but each of the three elements can be replaced. If we take a new hybrid perovskite on which we are currently working, then one of its elements should be organic molecular ion and this element should consist of carbon and hydrogen. For example, A denotes the so-called methylamine (CH3NH3), B denotes lead (Pb) and X denotes iodine (I). It is not easy to make a three-element combination because their sizes should be of a certain value, fitting the so called tolerance factor.
How many types of perovskites are there: dozens, hundreds or thousands?
There are very many types of perovskites, and their total number probably exceeds several hundred. One can single out superconducting, ferroelectric and non-linear/optical perovskites. I have a large chunk of perovskite crystal called lithium niobate, beautiful as a diamond, at my laboratory. However we are now particularly interested in representatives of a new special class, that is, organic-inorganic perovskites which are also called organometal halide perovskites (OHPs), with iodine, bromide and chlorine acting as halides. Scientists continue to synthesise new types of these organic-inorganic perovskites, trying to get rid of potentially hazardous lead, Pb.
Why did you start working with perovskites?
I have been dealing with photovoltaics most of my life, and I have been studying current-generation processes inside various materials under the influence of light. At the beginning of my research, I worked with a team of physics theorists at the Institute of Spectroscopy at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Troitsk. Members of that team dealt with excitons originating inside molecular semiconductors and organic crystals during light absorption. I have studied virtually all light-absorbing materials, including molecular crystals, silicon, gallium arsenide, conducting polymers and the so-called charge transfer complexes. Of course, I started working actively with perovskites when they appeared because perovskites have very exciting physical properties, not found in other classes of materials, and particularly interesting excitons with substantial binding energy and strong interaction with light.
I learned about the existence of perovskites by sheer coincidence. In 2013, world-famous scientist Michael Grätzel, an expert on photo-chemistry, delivered a report about perovskites at the Solar Energy for World Peace International scientific congress in Istanbul. Grätzel announced that members of his research team had managed to boost the efficiency of perovskite-based photovoltaic elements to 15.5%. At the same time, surprisingly, he was unable to explain how exactly the perovskite crystals functioned inside photo cells. My colleagues and I started actively discussing the unusual hybrid material's possible principle of operation. I took up perovskite research right after returning to my laboratory in Dallas, simply because of this puzzle: they were too good to be a truth, and it was not clear why.
Next: Perovskite to catch up with gallium arsenide 'soon' »
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INDONESIA - The Beautiful People, Culture and Cuisine.">INDONESIA - The Beautiful People, Culture and Cuisine.
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What are Chinese Chopsticks?
Chinese Chopsticks
Chinese Menu
Chinese Chop Sticks
Buy Chopsticks
How To Use Chopsticks
Lacquered Chopsticks
Chopsticks Rests
Mary McMahon
Chopsticks have been the traditional eating utensils of many Asian countries for hundreds of years.
Some Westerners are surprised to learn that different Asian nations have different styles of chopsticks. Chinese chopsticks are chopsticks made in the Chinese style, and they are the primary type of chopstick used in China. This style is also commonly found around the world, with many people using Chinese chopsticks for all sorts of Asian cuisine, rather than differentiating between the different styles of chopstick. Chinese markets carry Chinese chopsticks, and stores which carry more general Asian cooking supplies often have an array of chopstick styles to choose from, including Chinese designs.
Chopsticks are widely used throughout China.
The Chinese appear to have invented the chopstick, with the concept spreading outwards from China to places like Korea, Thailand, and Japan. The business end of Chinese chopsticks is rounded and blunted, while the end held in the hand is squared off. This distinctive design is unique to Chinese chopsticks. Chinese chopsticks are also classically rather long, with a length of around 10 inches (25 centimeters) on average.
In China, distinctions are made between chopsticks used for cooking, and chopsticks used for eating. Cooking chopsticks are quite long, so that they can be used to stir dishes in deep pots and pans. These extra-long chopsticks can also be used for deep frying, with the cook manipulating deep fried foods with the chopsticks. They are classically made from unfinished wood or metal so that they do not react with the food, and they may be used singly or in pairs.
Eating chopsticks are shorter than cooking chopsticks, and they may be decorated to make them more aesthetically interesting. Unfinished wood is a traditional material for Chinese chopsticks, but they can also be made from porcelain, jade, stainless steel, and other materials. In some regions, people differentiate between longer "banquet-style" chopsticks which can be used to pluck food from shared bowls in the middle of a table, and shorter personal chopsticks, which tend to be a little easier to handle.
Some Chinese chopsticks are quite ornate, with lacquer, inlay, or carved figures at the top of the chopsticks for formal dining. Special materials like jade may be used for formal occasions or given as gifts, with people reserving plain wooden chopsticks for every day use. As in many other cultures which use chopsticks, a chopstick rest is usually provided for the purpose of setting chopsticks down neatly on the table. Chopstick rests can be made from a variety of materials including wood, stone, and porcelain.
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.
What Is Chinese Lacquer?
What is a Szechuan Cuisine?
What does a Banquet Server do?
What is a Cheongsam?
What are Stainless Steel Chopsticks?
What are Some Different Types of Wood Chopsticks?
What Should I Know About Chinese Etiquette?
The Chinese were using chopsticks long before forks or spoons had ever been invented. The Chinese were a lot more civilized thousands of years before westerners.
We were still using our hands to eat with & just had knives on the table to cut of meat from whole roasted animals.
The Chinese were very clever and realized that by cutting up food into small mouth size chunks that you could cook it much quicker and use less wood on the fire. Also, eating very hot food with your hands was not easy, but by getting some bamboo (which in China they have plenty of) they could easily make their own eating utensils and not burn their hands. They were free, easy, could be replaced when they wore out and most important, they didn't conduct heat.
I am English and am married to a Chinese girl. I use chopsticks all the time. When you are used to them and you don't have to cut up food anyway, then it is very easy to use them and there is no need to have a knife and fork.
gravois
OK, here is a question that I have always wanted to ask but have been too embarrassed to say out loud. I'm using this forum to get it off of my chest.
Why do the Chinese use chopsticks? Aren't forks so much better, even when you are eating Chinese dishes? I understand that culture runs deep but I don't know how you could keep on using those clumsy chopsticks where there is an easier way.
ZsaZsa56
For years I never used chopsticks. I would go to Asian restaurants and get Chinese take out but the chopsticks always went unused.
Then I began dating a girl who had grown up in China and she taught me to use them properly. Once you get the technique down there are really pretty easy to use and not nearly as cumbersome and unwieldy as they seem to a novice.
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By: pavalena


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Much ado about school bake sales: Why critiques of the new Child Nutrition Act fall flat
By Susan Enfield Esrey December 8, 2010
The new Child Nutrition Act may affect bake sales and other sugary fundraisers that happen during school hours. So what?
When Congress passed the Child Nutrition Act earlier this month—raising funding for school lunches for the first time in more than 30 years, banning some junk food in schools, and paving the way for new nutrition guidelines—conservative pundits were quick to carp that time-honored fundraisers, including bake sales and chocolate bar drives, would fall prey to the heavy hand of government. Controlling what kids eat at school doesn't work, they claim.
As the mother of two elementary age kids, I'll be the first to admit that getting children to eat healthy foods can be challenging. My local school district is now making a huge effort to overhaul and improve its menu offerings—and many of the kids are balking at the healthier offerings. Still, it's a change we can't afford not to make.
Current estimates of obesity-related medical costs in the U.S. are $168 billion a year… and rising. Esteemed pediatricians like Alan Greene, MD, point to a growing body of research about how tastes developed early affect eating habits for life. At many public schools today, young, at-risk children are eating both breakfast and lunch at school—two-thirds of their total nutrition.
The new Act's funding boost shakes out to just an additional six cents per meal, not enough, but a "good first step," according to Marion Nestle. What's more, there's a hidden provision that could raise about five more cents per lunch by kaboshing some traditional school-lunch voodoo economics, which now allow some federal funds togo toward subsidizing the cost of lunch for students who can afford to pay.
To answer the pundits: No, school isn't the ideal place to teach kids about nutrition, but better there than not at all. And when kids help plant gardens and harvest vegetables—a growing national movement—they tend to eat them!
Our school now formally encourages parents to send healthy treats for birthday celebrations and snacks, which can feel a bit like a wet blanket to a 6-year-old. So yes, there are still cupcakes, cookies, and even candy in the building. But as a parent, I'm grateful that our schools, as centers of our young-family community, are taking a leadership role about the importance of good nutrition.
Susan Enfield Esrey
How the health movement began, and what's next
7 nutrition tips to make your skin glow
Natural immunity
How to sleep off cancer
10 Warning Signs Of Good Health
Four Habits For Lifelong Health
USDA school food guidelines: overdue but welcome
Sun care, inside and out
Are wine and other alcohols gluten free?
Skin soothers


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Work Wellness
Workplace Inspiration
Gaming Setup
HotRemote Working
Return to Work with Anxiety: Why Does It Happen?
Autonomous|Jul 22, 2021
Anxiety about going back to work is common, especially for the nervous crowd who isn't a fan of socializing. However, returning to work with anxiety can have many serious impacts on the productivity and wellness of employees. Therefore, it is important to address work anxiety, and research in many studies emphasize the importance of overcoming work anxiety.
Work anxiety can have many serious short-term and long-term health effects and, if left untreated, can develop into serious depression and other mental issues. The whole focus of hybrid work arrangements is to facilitate employees in a way that they can manage their life around. But one aspect of a hybrid work schedule demands employees be in the office for a few days a week or a few hours, depending on the type of hybrid office you have chosen.
This could be a concern, especially when we have been so out of the practice of going to the office and start to get nervous about going back to office.
What is Back to Work Anxiety?
Back to work anxiety might seem like a tiny issue, same as returning to school after a long break, but it is pretty serious in some cases. Back to work can cause some serious mental health issues to employees, especially those who suffer from neurological disorders.
And if your job is difficult and demands too much from you, then getting stressed increases even tenfold. Workplace bullying, difficult relationships with higher management, poor work-life balance, and long commutes can all add up to return to work anxiety. People with already clinical anxiety tend to face more symptoms and have a hard time making this adjustment; they are also the ones who can reap the most benefit of a hybrid workplace or work-from-home regime.
How to Overcome Anxiety about Going Back to Work
If you feel like the time to go back to the office is coming closer, you are facing many return-to-work with anxiety symptoms and having a hard time dealing with issues, you must focus on handling anxiety. Handling anxiety the right way can sort out many issues for you and positively impact efficiency. Here are some ways to overcome return to work with anxiety.
When you return to work with anxiety, try to communicate and talk to your colleagues. Acknowledging your worries is step one, while communicating them is step two. If you are not open about what makes you stressed at work, there is no solution. It is also true that a toxic work environment cannot agree to your issues, but if your workplace isn't toxic, then you must speak to address the source of stress openly.
If your workload is the issue, it's worth respectfully bringing it up with your boss to figure out a solution. If your commute is a problem, ask about flexible working options, even if it's only working from home for a day or two a week or beginning and ending at alternative times to avoid rush hour.
Sometimes the stress is all about doing so much in so little time, and this could cause everyone to lose balance. However, accepting the return to work gradually and preparing for it will bring a lot of positive change in your mind.
Preparing is a good way for you to remove all the fear of returning to work with anxiety. Most of us are anxious about returning to work after a vacation, but planning may make the process easier. This may be pre-planning lunches and dinners, or double-checking that you've completed all of your duties before leaving, so you don't return to a mountain of work. Or you could also start connecting with colleagues to discuss how they are feeling about the return to work.
This just doesn't fit the workplace only but being kind to yourself during every aspect of life is the key to addressing stress. Many of us will have a hard time adjusting to the new normal, just as we did when there was an upsurge in Covid in the first place. Don't think you have to learn it or accept it all in the first second. Make sure to give yourself some time to adjust and get back to routine to avoid return to work anxiety.
Also, on your first day back at work, don't try to go from 1 to 100. You'll need to go back into a new schedule, which might take some time to adjust. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, keep things basic at the start. Change is tough for us as humans, so you aren't alone in feeling anxious about returning to work after the lockdown.
A Good Routine
Sticking to a routine can help the human brain stay in peace. Our bodies are fond of habits, and uncertainty can cause stress. If the work aspect of your life is constantly under change, then make sure to have some assurance in other aspects of life.
Maintaining a healthy routine in your hybrid office and a positive framework for your day is a smart idea. Scheduling happy moments and appreciating the wonderful things in life may be both a mental health boost and a diversion from our worries. So, when you're not at work or in the days leading up to your return to work, spend time doing things you like, and make sure you do them regularly.
It is okay to get help for mental issues and return to work anxiety, just like it is normal to get any other part of the body treated. However, if you feel that none of the factors help overcome anxiety and the problem are your thoughts, seeking professional help is a good idea.
As your HR to understand your mental health and submit some notes from the doctor will help the organization adjust your mental health around the workload. Make sure you don't feel guilty about feeling out of place. Rather accept it and deal with it for a better future.
Developing Solutions for a Hybrid Workplace
A hybrid workplace is a mix of work from home and working from the office. Some people love the flexibility it offers, while some are not happy with how a hybrid work environment affects their ability to remain on one particular routine.
Using a hybrid work policy template is a good way to get your workplace smoothly on this track, and thanks to the vast choices, you can choose any policy or hybrid work model to begin your journey. However, it is important to start with something basic model, which will later be modified as per your organization's needs and employees' satisfaction.
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A while back Steve Sweeney got himself in a little bit of hot water for a statement — for which he apologized as soon as the words were out of his mouth — that Governor Chris Christie prayed for Hurricane Sandy to come and bring cleanup jobs.
Turns out, based on the no-bid contract Christie gave to AshBritt, Sweeney was quite wrong. Christie didn't see this as a jobs creator, but a wealth creator.
For weeks, leaders of the Florida-based AshBritt Inc. and Christie have vowed that 70 percent of the subcontractors the firm hired would be based in New Jersey.
… The figures show that New Jersey subcontractors used by AshBritt had received $26.3 million out of $46.1 million in payouts, according to numbers provided by the company to congressional staffers.
The remaining money – about $19.8 million, or 43 percent – went to companies in other states.
If Christie were really seeing this as a way to bring jobs to NJ — something he's exhibited little interest in since canceling the tunnel to New York — then he'd be ensuring that the companies coordinating and performing the cleanup are from NJ rather than close to half of the cash going out. Instead he appears to be happy to help others create wealth instead of New Jerseyans finding jobs.
Anyone who cares about reducing unemployment in New Jersey should go off the rails at this. Bringing in subcontractors from out of state means transferring that money out of state — and the jobs. There are tens of thousands of New Jerseyans who would be pleased to take a Sandy cleanup job, even if it were temporary. They'd use that money to shop in local stores, expanding our economy and protecting existing jobs while potentially adding new ones.
Some of the contracting needs to come from out of state for the same reason the resources needed to come from out of state — we don't have everything that's needed in NJ. Much of the heavy equipment, materials, etc. need to come from out of state.
But there's no reason that out of state companies should be doing the purchasing, coordinating, hiring and other things needed to restore New Jersey.


text:
Q: java.lang.ClassCastException: [Ljava.lang.Object; error in drawing path from Double[]name? i am having this error java.lang.ClassCastException: [Ljava.lang.Object;  in drawing a route from list of point
here is my drawing code
public class MyOverlay extends Overlay{
List<Double> location;
List<Double> lt;
List<Double> ln;
MapView mapView ;

Double[]lat;
Double[]lon;

public MyOverlay(List<Double> location, List<Double> lt, List<Double> ln, MapView mapView) {
    // TODO Auto-generated constructor stub
    this.location = location;
    this.mapView = mapView;
    this.ln =ln;
    this.lt = lt;
}

@Override
public void draw(android.graphics.Canvas canvas, MapView mapView, boolean shadow) {
    super.draw(canvas, mapView, false);

    lat = (Double[])lt.toArray();

    lon = (Double[]) ln.toArray();
    Path path1 = new Path();
    Point p1 = new Point();
    Path path2 = new Path();
    Point p2 = new Point();
    Point p3 = new Point();
    Point p4 = new Point();

    Projection projection = mapView.getProjection();
    int a = lat.length;
    int b = lon.length;
    int sum = a+b;

     Paint paint = new Paint();
     paint.setAntiAlias(true);
     paint.setColor(Color.RED);
     paint.setStyle(Paint.Style.STROKE);
     paint.setStrokeWidth(5);
     paint.setAlpha(90);

        Path p = new Path();
        Point from = new Point();
        Point to = new Point();
        for (int i = 1; i < sum; i++)
        {
            if (i == sum - 1)
            {
                break;
            }

        GeoPoint point1 =  new GeoPoint((int)(lat[i]*1E6) , (int)(lon[i]*1E6));
     (int)(Double.valueOf(lon[i+1])*1E6));
        projection.toPixels( point1, from);
        //projection.toPixels(point2, to);
        if(i ==1)
        {
        p.moveTo(from.x, from.y);
        }
        else
        {
             p.lineTo(to.x, to.y);
        }

        canvas.drawPath(p, paint);

}

}
tell me what i am doing wrong?

A: List.toArray() returns an array of Objects: Object[]. And an Object[] can't be cast to a Double[].
You should use
lat = lt.toArray(new Double[lt.size()]);

which returns a Double[]. See the javadoc.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
module Tray
  module Calculator
    module Discounters
      class Subscriptions < Discounter
        def call
          return unless @cart.customer
          @cart.customer.subscriptions.each do |subscription|
            next unless subscription.is_available?
            next unless subscription.discount? || subscription.fixed?

            _applicable_registers = applicable_registers(subscription)
            next unless _applicable_registers.count > 0

            if subscription.discount?
              apply_discount_subscription_registers(subscription, _applicable_registers)
            elsif subscription.fixed?
              apply_fixed_subscription_registers(subscription, _applicable_registers)
            end
          end
        end

        def applicable_registers(subscription)
          @registers.select do |register|
            next false if register.package.present?
            next true if subscription.organization_id == register.event.organization_id && register.event.memberships_apply
          end
        end

        def apply_discount_subscription_registers(subscription, registers)
          amount = subscription.membership.amount.to_f # * 100.0
          registers.each {|reg|
            register_discount = 0
            # give the percent discount to each line item
            reg.line_items.each do |item|
              discount = (item.entity.price_for_level_in_cents_without_fee(item.options[:price_level]) * amount).round(0).to_i
              item.applied_discount_amounts.push({source: "Membership Discount", amount: discount})
              register_discount += discount
            end
            # inform the register of the total discount
            reg.applied_subscriptions.push({subscription: subscription, amount: register_discount, description: "#{(amount * 100.0)}%", type: :percentage})
          }
        end

        def apply_fixed_subscription_registers(subscription, registers)
          amount = subscription.membership.amount.to_i
          registers.each {|reg|
            # apply the discount across the items in proportion (same way backend does it)
            item_price_array = reg.line_items.map{|item| item.entity.price_for_level_in_cents_without_fee(item.options[:price_level])}
            discount_array = weighted_results(amount, item_price_array)
            reg.line_items.each_with_index do |item, index|
              item.applied_discount_amounts.push({source: "Membership Discount", amount: discount_array[index]})
            end

            reg.applied_subscriptions.push({subscription: subscription, amount: amount, description: amount, type: :fixed})
          }
        end

        private
        def weighted_results(total, weighted_array)
          weighted_sum = weighted_array.sum
          amounts = weighted_array.map do |item|
            weighted_sum == 0 ? 0 : (total * item.to_f/weighted_sum).to_i
          end
          amounts[-1] += total - amounts.sum if amounts[-1]
          amounts
        end
      end
    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I've been rocking this chili recipe for years but have yet to share it on this blog … until now! If you like a spicier chili, swap out the cheddar for more pepper jack.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine onion, garlic and ground turkey, stirring occasionally and sautéeing for roughly 10 minutes, or until the turkey is brown. Add the chiles, cumin, oregano and cinnamon and sauté for five more minutes.
Puree two cans of the beans with three cups of the chicken broth in a food processor. Pour the puree in the pot along with the remaining beans and broth. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese and simmer for another five minutes before serving. Possible garnishes include green onions, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, sour cream and tortilla chips.


text:
JSMA University of Oregon
JSMA Portland State University
JSMA Washington State University
Black Lives Matter Artist Grant Program
Judy Chicago's Forever de Young
Jordan Schnitzer Jewish Book Awards
Jordan Schnitzer Printmaking Residency at Sitka Center
IFPDA Artist Lecture Series
IFPDA Jordan Schnitzer Award for Excellence in Printmaking
IPCNY Annual Spring Benefit
Dieu Donné Annual Benefit
PNCA Jordan D. Schnitzer Exhibition & Visiting Artist Series
Converge 45
Leonardo Drew: CyclesDeann Orr2022-05-09T23:04:20+00:00
February 20 – May 7, 2022
Leonardo Drew: Cycles
Zuckerman Museum of Art at Kennesaw State University
1000 Chastain Road • Kennesaw, GA 30144
February 19 - May 7, 2022
Leonardo Drew's prints, at once powerfully large yet fragile, test the versatility of the medium, transforming cotton paper pulp and pigment into what suggests densely populated cities, a forest, or an urban wasteland.
They sometimes look like maps of geographical landscapes viewed from above, while others are reminiscent of the night sky and distant galaxies. Evocative of fire, soil, sky, and water, there are strong perceptions in both microcosmic and macrocosmic scale.
Organic forms within the composition undulate with various textures and luminosities, pushing the boundaries of its materiality. Much like his sculptural installations in wood, Drew starts with a raw material, transforming and reconstructing its essence until it resembles debris. Through this process, the artist articulates diverse histories of chaos, and cycles of birth and death.
Several examples of the artist's sculptures will also be on view. Using a variety of off-the-shelf materials (wood, cardboard, paint, paper, plastic, rope, and string) combined with natural materials such as branches or tree trunks, Drew subjects these elements to processes of oxidation, burning, and weathering. These labor-intense manipulations mimic natural processes and transforms these objects into sculptures that address both formal and social concerns, as well as the cyclical nature of existence.
Leonardo Drew, Number 134D, 2012. Wood, paint chips, acrylic and graphite on paper in Plexiglas box. 37 3/4 in. x 37 3/4 in. x 21 1/2 in. Collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer.
UMass Amherst
151 Presidents Drive • Amherst, MA 01003
September 19 - December 8, 2019
Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
1133 E 7th St • Bloomington, IN 47405
August 24 - May 9, 2021
Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum
10975 SW 17th St • Miami, FL 33199
JSMA at University of Oregon
1430 Johnson Lane, Eugene, OR 97403
Web: jsma.uoregon.edu
JSMA at Washington State University
1535 Wilson Rd #7301, Pullman, WA 99164
Web: museum.wsu.edu
JSMA at Portland State University
1855 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201
Web: pdx.edu/museum-of-art
Catherine Malone, Director of Collections
William Morrow, Director of Exhibitions
Shannon Carlson, Director of Marketing
© Copyright - Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation - Terms of Use


text:
HomeSport
Southampton Thrash Rivals Portsmouth In Emphatic Win
By Luke Ebbs on	 September 27, 2019 Sport
Southampton has earned the bragging rights of the South Coast Derby in fine style as they thrashed rivals Portsmouth 0-4 to progress to the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.
This was the first South Coast Derby since 2012, palpable in the fast tempo in the early stages of the game. The hosts started brighter, and were unfortunate not to take the lead as John Marquis fired a shot wide, whilst Brett Pitman's effort was smartly saved by stand-in goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. But the Saints showed their Premier League quality in the final third, as Danny Ings struck on the midpoint of the first half to open the scoring. He was then denied by a double save from Portsmouth goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray, before completing his brace on the stroke of half-time by dinking the ball over MacGillivray after a clever pass from Michael Obafemi.
A Danny Ings double appeared to knock the stuffing out of their regional rivals, as the Saints dominated the second-half. The Saints added a few more goals through Cedric Soares' close-range effort, and Nathan Redmond's curling effort to give the Saints a record win. Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl remarked that the victory is one he will never forget:
'This is more than only reaching the next round. This is about reaching the hearts of the fans. I am very happy for them.'
Similarly, local lad Danny Ings was euphoric after netting a brace to set the Saints up for victory:
'It means the world to the fans. To me being from Southampton, it's a huge moment. When the draw was made I couldn't believe my luck to be playing in another derby, in my hometown derby. It was massive. We knew this was going to be an occasion, we knew it was going to be tough coming here with the atmosphere and how well supported Pompey are… Our fans were terrific and they sung from start to finish and they really helped us get over the line to get the win.'
The victory for the Saints comes off the back of their defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League last Friday. Hasenhuttl will be hoping that his side can kick on from this derby victory, as they travel to out-of-form Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Luke Ebbs
Wolves Stage Stunning Comeback to Sink Saints
Forget 7 Meals: Tyson Fury Shuffles 7 Times a Day
Getting Our House in Order: Racism in British Football
January 22, 2020 University of Southampton Lecturers Reject Airport Expansion
January 21, 2020 Waking the Ghost of SARS: Emergence of a New Virus in China
January 21, 2020 MPs Respond To Southampton Pride's #PREPNOW Campaign
January 21, 2020 My Relationship With… My Hair


When a home is overpriced at the start, it misses what can be the most critical time period in selling a home -the first weeks after it's listed. Once this period has passed and little traffic is generated at the initial price level, it becomes necessary to seek a lower listing price. Depending on market conditions this cycle may repeat several times before a sale is made, resulting in an eventual sale price that is well below the initial listing price, and possibly lower than the market value for your home.
Once the value of your home has been determined, you can decide on an offering price that will achieve your goals. Generally, the price should not exceed the value by more than 5% or potential buyers may not even make offers.
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of selling a home is listing it at the correct price. It's one of several areas where the assistance of a skilled real estate agent can more than pay for itself.
If the listing price is too high, you'll miss out on a percentage of buyers looking in the price range where your home should be. This is the flaw in thinking that you'll always have the opportunity to accept a lower offer. Chances are the offers won't even come in, because the buyers who would be most interested in your home have been scared off by the price and aren't even taking the time to look. By the time the price is corrected, you've already lost exposure to a large group of potential buyers.
The listing price becomes even trickier to set when prices are quickly rising or falling. It's critical to be aware of where and how fast the market is moving - both when setting the price and when negotiating an offer. Again, an experienced, well-trained agent is always in touch with market trends - often even to a greater extent than appraisers, who typically focus on what a property is worth if sold as-is, right now.
When working with a real estate agent, it's critical that you have full confidence in that agent's experience and education. A skilled, knowledgeable agent should be able to explain to you exactly why your home needs to be priced at a certain level - compared to recent listings and sales of homes similar to yours.
Experienced agents also know exactly what the current pool of buyers are looking for in relation to particular styles and price ranges of properties. A skilled agent can recommend changes that will enhance the salability of your home, thus increasing the price - and/or decreasing the length of time before a sale.
It's critical to keep all these aspects of pricing in mind, and our experienced, well-educated RE/MAX Realty Affiliates agents can help guide you to make the right decisions.


text:
Stage wagons are light horse-drawn or mule-drawn public passenger vehicles often referred to as stagecoaches. Like stagecoaches they made long scheduled trips using stage stations or posts where the horses would be replaced by fresh horses. Stage wagons were intended for use in particularly difficult conditions where standard stagecoaches would be too big and too heavy.

This style of vehicle was often called a mud-coach or mud-wagon. More like wagons than coaches, the sides of the vehicle gave passengers little protection from the dirt of the road. Abbot, Downing named theirs an overland wagon. A brand-name, Celerity, later became popular in place of mud (wagon).

Use
They were employed wherever the poor state of the roads and or demand for services did not warrant the expense of a stagecoach. Most stagecoach routes in the United States' West were opened with them and often operators continued to use these vehicles as stagecoaches.

Structure

They were not unlike a freight wagon with a high driver's seat, bench seats on the tray, and posts holding up canvas to shelter passengers from the weather.

Those stage wagons with throroughbraces had an undercarriage like those used by a Concord coach but the thoroughbraces were much shorter and mounted to make sure there was much less motion of the body. The thoroughbraces were brought over a bar at each end and attached to another bar above the outer side of each axle.

Stage wagon wheels and their iron tires were as much as fifty per cent wider than those of conventional stagecoaches

Development

Wagons carrying freight had been taking passengers in Europe since 1500. This particular stage wagon type was first recorded near the end of the 18th century in use in eastern North America, US and Upper and Lower Canada. It was an unsprung wagon with the driver's bench seat providing room for two more passengers beside him. It might also carry more passenger seats on the tray behind. These extra seats were reached by climbing over the driver's seat. About this time, the Postmaster General Joseph Habersham required the driver's seat to be moved from the tray onto a front wall to improve the driver's vision and by dropping the tray improve the wagon's stability. This created the characteristic stagecoach-like profile of the stage wagon.

Their relatively simple design and construction allowed them to be sold by Abbot, Downing at around half the price of full-size Concord coaches. Their suspension employed thoroughbraces that were much shorter than those used on Concord stagecoaches.

Some manufacturers

 Abbot, Downing, Concord, New Hampshire
 Milton P Henderson of Stockton California made stage wagons of the same style as Abbot, Downing. The firm began in 1869 as a partnership with E G Clark. They can be identified by the finish of the sides of the bodies and the method of attachment of iron stays back and front.
 P O LeMay and Livy Swan at Yreka, California
 Weisenhorn Carriage in Helena, Montana built a vehicle very like an Abbot, Downing Australian wagon
 Celerity was a brand of Stage wagon made in Troy, New York.

Notes

References

Wagons
Coaches (carriage)
Animal-powered vehicles
History of road transport
Horse transportation

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Жиздринская операция 22 февраля — 23 марта 1943 года — наступательная операция советской 16-й армии Западного фронта против немецкой 2-й танковой армии группы армий «Центр», часть зимне-весеннего наступления Красной Армии на центральном участке советско-германского фронта в Великой Отечественной войне.

План операции и положение сторон
В феврале 1943 года Ставкой Верховного Главнокомандования было решено провести серию наступательных операций на центральном участке советско-германского фронта с целью развить успех, достигнутый на южном стратегическом направлении и не допустить переброски туда немецких сил с центрального участка фронта. Этими операциями стали Малоархангельская операция, Севская операция, Ржевско-Вяземская операция и Старорусская операция. Одной из таких операций стала операция в районе города Жиздра Калужской области. 6 февраля 1943 года была подписана соответствующая директива Верховного Главнокомандующего, 9 февраля командующий войсками Западного фронта генерал-полковник И. С. Конев поставил командующему 16-й армии генерал-лейтенанту И. Х. Баграмяну задачу на подготовку наступления. Армия должна была наступать в 18-километровой полосе из района Запрудное — Высокая (юго-западнее города Сухиничи) в направлении Жиздры, а затем в район Брянска и совместно с войсками Брянского фронта окружить и захватить Брянск.

Армия имела в своем составе шесть стрелковых дивизий, одну стрелковую бригаду, для развития успеха в её полосу прибыли 9-й танковый корпус и четыре танковые бригады (в состав армии включены не были). Изначально заложенным в план операции недостатком было выполнение глубоких наступательных задач силами одной армии, то есть на изолированном участке с необеспеченными флангами (только севернее её должна была поддержать соседняя 10-я армия генерал-майора В. С. Попова силами одной дивизии). Также нереальным оказался срок на подготовку операции — 10 февраля, по просьбе командующего армией он был продлён. Армия была существенно усилена, но переброска большого количества войск оказалась плохо организованной командованием фронта и была вскрыта противником.

Командование противостоявшей 2-й танковой армии группы армий «Центр» (командующий генерал-фельдмаршал Ханс Гюнтер фон Клюге) спешно усилило свои войска в районе Жиздры двумя пехотными дивизиями, а также перебросило противотанковую артиллерию и до 100 танков и штурмовых орудий. Уже достаточно мощная полоса обороны была дополнительно усилена.

Начало операции
22 февраля 1943 года советские войска перешли в наступление. Противник оказывал упорное сопротивление, при этом непрерывно контратакуя везде, где советские войска достигали успеха. Активно действовала гитлеровская авиация. К 24 февраля удалось только выдавить немецкие войска из главной оборонительной полосы. Однако следующая за ней тыловая оборонительная полоса была уже полностью занята немецкими войсками, изготовившимися к бою.

С 26 февраля начались упорные бои на ней. Советские войска добились захвата ряда сёл, превращенных в укреплённые опорные пункты обороны, и к 28 февраля местами вклинились в эту полосу обороны до 5 — 6 километров. По существу, она была почти прорвана. Однако командование армии к тому времени уже ввело в бой все свои стрелковые дивизии, и потому для превращения вклинения в прорыв средств уже не было. Командующий фронтом И. С. Конев посчитал достигнутый успех незначительным и отказался вводить в бой 9-й танковый корпус. Немецкое командование ввело там в бой свою 5-ю танковую дивизию и две пехотные дивизии, выведенные из Ржевско-Вяземского выступа. Этими мерами ему удалось остановить советское наступление. Наступление 16-й армии было приостановлено для приведения войск в порядок. Её состав был пополнен до 11 дивизий, трёх стрелковых бригад и отдельного лыжного полка.

Попытки развития наступления
7 марта 16-я армия возобновила наступление. Командующий армией получил право самостоятельно распоряжаться действиями танковых бригад и в первый день ввёл в бой все четыре танковые бригады (всего 110 танков). За сутки боя был завершен прорыв тылового оборонительного рубежа, армия продвинулась на 5 километров, освободив пять сёл. Создались условия для выполнения ближайшей задачи — освобождения Жиздры. Однако к тому времени уже было получено решение Ставки о переброске на другой фронт 9-го танкового корпуса и развивать успех оказалось нечем. Немецкое командование спешно приняло меры для локализации прорыва и ввело в бой ещё 3 пехотные дивизии. Советское наступление вновь было остановлено.

После оперативной паузы третья попытка наступления была предпринята 19 марта 1943 года. Боевые действия вновь отличались крайним ожесточением. По сообщению советской стороны с 19 по 23 марта в районе Жиздры немецкие потери составили 140 танков, 72 орудия, 203 пулемета, 137 минометов и 8 тысяч солдат и офицеров убитыми. Но советское наступление было отражено, противнику удалось отбить обратно два из потерянных в феврале своих опорных пунктов. В конце марта стало окончательно ясно, что на центральном направлении противнику в целом удалось отразить советское наступление: все советские наступления были остановлены. Новый командующий фронтом приказал перейти к обороне.

Итоги операции
В результате длительной и кровопролитной операции советские войска достигли продвижения всего на 10—13 километров. Была освобождена от фашистов территория Высокского, Пыренского и Широковского сельсоветов Думиничского района (сейчас это Калужская область).

Задачи наступательной операции выполнены не были. Причинами неудачи стали ошибки на всех уровнях, начиная от стратегического (разбросанные по времени действия различных советских фронтов на локальных и значительно отдаленных друг от друга участках), до фронтового (был упущен момент ввода в бой ударной танковой группировки, действия 16-й армии не были поддержаны действиями других армий) и армейского (слабая работа разведки, плохая авиационная поддержка войск, недостатки взаимодействия артиллерии, танков и пехоты).

Сталин положительно оценил действия командующего армией И. Х. Баграмяна в этой операции (сама армия 16 апреля 1943 года получила гвардейское звание и стала именоваться 11-й гвардейской армией), возложив вину за неудачу на командующего фронтом. 27 февраля И. С. Конев был снят с должности с формулировкой «как не справившийся с управлением войсками фронта» и отозван в Москву (после чего возглавил на тот момент менее важный в стратегическом плане Северо-западный фронт); командующим Западным фронтом был назначен В. Д. Соколовский.

В советской исторической науке указывается на ряд положительных итогов операции, которые представляются весьма спорными: были облегчены действия войск на других направлениях (фактически ни в одной из операций центрального участка фронта советские войска победы не добились), противник понёс значительные потери (потери советских войск оказались значительно большими).

Потери сторон в этой операции неизвестны. С советской стороны они были очень значительны, особенно с учетом крайне скромных результатов наступления. Так, в почти месячных боях у одного из основных центров боёв — у села Кретовая гора — погибли и похоронены 1955 советских солдат, у села Ослинского — 2032 солдата, в братской могиле деревни Высокое Думиничского района — более 5 тысяч красноармейцев. Также погибшие в боях Жиздринской операции похоронены в братской могиле деревни Буда.

Немецкие потери также были значительны. В сводке Совинформбюро от 29 мая 1943 года были опубликованы показания пленного ефрейтора 3 роты 309 пехотного полка 208 немецкой пехотной дивизии Вильгельма Бурмейстера: «В мартовских боях под Жиздрой наша дивизия была разбита и обескровлена. В 309 полку осталось всего около 200 человек, а 337 и 338 полки насчитывали по 70—90 солдат каждый».

Мнение И. Х. Баграмяна об операции
«Должен признаться, что уже в то время я видел, что причина невыполнения армией поставленной задачи сводилась не только к нашим упущениям. Почти все наступательные действия на западном направлении весной 1943 года носили отпечаток торопливости, спешки. Тогда у всех нас были ещё свежи достигнутые под Сталинградом блестящие победы Красной Армии, положившие начало массовому изгнанию фашистских оккупантов с советской земли. В той обстановке многим казалось, что моральный дух врага надломлен и если не дать ему опомниться, непрерывно наносить удары на все новых и новых направлениях, то он вскоре будет окончательно сокрушен. К сожалению, даже у некоторых командующих войсками фронтов появилось такое ошибочное убеждение и настойчивое желание поскорее добиться успехов, подобных сталинградскому триумфу.

Литература
 Баграмян И. Х. Так шли мы к Победе. — М.: Воениздат, 1977. Глава 3: «На Западном фронте».
 Лопатин С. В. Живая память. — Записки фронтовика. — Свердловск: Сред.-Урал. кн. изд-во, 1988. Глава «Правое плечо», «Зима 1942/1943».
 Русский архив. Великая Отечественная война 1941—1945 гг. Сборник документов. Под общей редакцией В. А. Золотарева. М.:Изд. центр «Терра». Т. 5(3). 1999. — Стр.72.
 Ивашкин И. З. На жиздринском направлении. — Жиздра, 2000. — Глава 1: «Бои на рубежах дальних и близких».

Примечания

Операции в Великой Отечественной войне
Сражения Германии
Сражения в России
Февраль 1943 года
1943 год в России
Март 1943 года
Конфликты 1943 года


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Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow, pictured during a ceremony inside the Ghee Kung Tong, faces charges of trafficking, murder for hire, racketeering and money laundering. (Courtesy photo)
Undercover FBI agent questioned by defense in 'Shrimp Boy' trial
Jonah Owen Lamb
The first time the FBI lead undercover agent in the Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow investigation gave his target a red envelope — one of many envelopes full of cash — was in 2010, according to testimony Monday.
From then on, the agent, who played an East Coast mobster in his undercover role, gave Chow numerous envelopes full of cash, but never once caught Chow on tape saying what the money was for.
The federal racketeering and murder case against Chow, the alleged dragon head of a Chinatown fraternal organization, Ghee Kung Tong, rests on linking disparate pieces of evidence that put Chow at the center of the enterprise. That evidence includes everything from the testimony of former associates to wiretaps and the word of FBI agents on the case.
But the framing of the case in court Monday was attacked by defense lawyer Curtis Briggs in an attempt to cast the investigation's illicit activity as something Chow didn't know about and that, in many cases, was created by the FBI.
Known as David Jordan, the undercover agent at the center of the investigation withstood a testy cross-examination, which attempted to poke holes in the FBI's investigative techniques, conclusions about Chow's actions and cultural knowledge of the very people they were investigating.
"Can you point to me in that dialogue where you told him what that money was for?" Briggs asked after playing a recording of the first time Chow was given money by the agent.
"Did they tell you it would be disrespectful if he refused it?" asked Briggs, in regards to whether Jordan had been trained in or studied Chinese cultural practices.
Jordan said that he had not, but added that Chow could have stopped taking the money at any time but never did, despite always saying, "No, no, no" repeatedly on the wire recording of the interactions.
"[Chow] probably could have given it back to me. He probably could have stopped calling me. He probably could have called the police," Jordan said. "He did none of that, Mr.
Briggs."
When asked why he chose to play an Italian-American mobster and how he prepared for his role, the agent said he grew up around such people, so playing the part wasn't much of a leap.
Jordan said he read "The Godfather," watched A&E and the History Channel as part of his preparation to play an East Coast mobster. He also said he'd never taken part in an operation against Asian organized crime and did not speak Cantonese.
"You didn't bother to learn a little Cantonese for the role?" Briggs asked.
"I didn't take an active interest in learning Cantonese," Jordan said.
Why Jordan and his bosses didn't instead use an Asian agent and create a false identity for him was unclear.
Jordan, whose real name is unknown, testified in a closed courtroom so his identity was not revealed. He is expected to continue his testimony Tuesday morning in U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer's courtroom.
Read more criminal justice news on the Crime Ink page in print. Follow us on Twitter: @sfcrimeink
ChinatownCrimeGhee Kung TongLeland YeeOrganized CrimeRaymond Shrimp Boy ChowTong
'Shrimp Boy' trial continues with more undercover FBI testimony
Chow trial breaks for two weeks


Theses days, in the digital era there are a large amount of messaging apps available. It is not surprising since more people are using mobile as a primary method of communication and for staying online wherever they are. It only makes sense that there is a growing number of instant messaging apps available. Are any of these instant messaging apps better than others? We look at the few popular ones to decide.
Used for business and not for business, this is the most popular instant messaging app that has ultimately replaced SMS messaging. This app allows you to instantly message your contacts, create groups and phone. This app allows you to see if your message has delivered, been read or if your contact is online or not. It relies on data to function, thus it can often result in hefty charges, but since there is WIFI everywhere, this instant messaging app is perfect for anyone that is in a WIFI zone majority of the time.
Google hangouts is a popular messaging app for people that already use Googles suite of products such as gmail. It allows you to make calls, create groups and allows for video calling. It works well in a business environment for users who have a gmail account and are familiar with Google.
Another product by Google, it differs from Hangouts in a number of ways. Firstly, Allo doesn't have voice call capabilities, it is strictly used for text messaging. Plus it only works on one device at a time. However, it does posses some of the same capabilities in that it does not require a cellular connection and it is free to use over WIFI. Allo's biggest attribute is it's integration with Google Assistant.
During a major event, managers and planners might have to get hold of each other immediately, which as crazy as it sounds sending a text message might take too long. In situations like these, emergencies require immediacy, something similar to a walkie talkie. That is why apps like Zello allow you to page someone immediately, like you would with video communication, no phone calls and SMS's needed.
Slack is real time messaging and brings all your communication together in one place. This instant messaging app allows you to chat in real-time, archiving and search for modern teams. Slack is a cloud based team collaboration tool, it began as a tool for an internal team in a company so it's roots are in business. It allows you to create channels of communication, upload documents and images and video call. Install the app on your mobile device and you can receive message notifications.
Facebook has always had the option to send a direct message, however, with the new and improved Facebook messenger application you can use Facebook messenger as an instant messaging tool. Connecting and contacting any of your Facebook friends, therefore you do not even need to know their number. Facebook messenger also allows you to conduct a phone call and send images.
Skype is well known for assisting with free international calls and video calling. It is also used for instant messaging. Skype is used widely for business and for personal communication.
There are a large amount of instant messaging applications available, however reviewing the features and offerings of each app will allow you to determine which one is applicable to what you would use it for, for instance business purposes will be different for if you will only use it personally.


Having spent the night in the northern West Bank city of Nablus (the Biblical city of Shechem), I was afforded the opportunity to meet my friend's Sunday school class and join them as they toured the Mount of Olives. It may only be 39 miles between the two cities however, our journey there took nearly three hours. Crossing "state" borders is a very different proposition over here. I was thankful for the opportunity to experience it with them.
For me, and the five Israeli citizens on our bus, crossing the border between Palestinian and Israeli regions was very similar to my experience in Kurdistan…long traffic lines which result in (at minimum) being asked to show our passports or (at maximum) having our vehicle searched and being questioned. This morning, it was merely a "stop and go" with barely a mention of passports…at least for the six of us and our driver.
For the remainder of the group, Palestinian born Christians, they had to get off the bus and walk through a checkpoint where they had to show their passports and (for the youth) permission slips and (adults) their permits. One gentleman in our group showed me the "wallet" that he keeps specifically for his documentation. In it is his identification, his "permit", and his "specialty permit." His permit enables him to request a specialty permit to visit Jerusalem. However, as a Palestinian Christian, he can only make a request to visit Jerusalem during the Christmas and Easter "seasons." I wish I would've thought to ask if Christmas season includes Advent (since it clearly included Epiphany) and if Easter includes Lent (though I am doubtful). My friend shepherded his students through the checkpoint while we waited for them in a nearby parking area and watched for their appearance much later. Back in the US, we don't think twice about crossing borders between states other than to take the occasional photo or pay the demanded toll.
I will save sharing my own experience at the Mount of Olives for another day. For me, today was about experiencing life from a local perspective and to see my dear friend doing what he was called to do. While we are at seminary, it is sometimes hard to imagine what life will really look like once we are finished. "Here is my servant, whom I have chosen…" (Matthew 12:18) It brings me joy to see the fruit of seminary in my friend's life!
I, on the other hand, am still a pilgrim on a journey without details of where it will lead. For today, it led first to where I could, as Jesus did, look over the city of Jerusalem to see where the Temple Mount had been and where today stands the Dome of the Rock (gold dome over my left shoulder) and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (gold domes over my right shoulder)…(hmmm, that's a lot of gold over my head and shoulders – pun could not be resisted).
Today, my day began with a journey to Jerusalem that placed me with ten of my classmates at St. George's College to take our January term class for seminary.
Each room is numbered and named. The irony of the naming for my room, in light of this past Sunday's scripture, is not lost on me.
The view from my room is as enjoyable as my first "on campus" meal.
Tuesday, January 9th will be our first full day of class. I'd say tomorrow, but the seven hour diference between local time and my usual Eastern Standard Time is messing with how and when my posts will appear Stateside. Yesterday and today (for me) may appear as a double up of postings (for you). Hopefully, that'll work itself in the "wash" soon….hmmm, going to need to do laundry while here…but now I'm just getting ahead of myself. Stay tuned.


Richard Rutt, in his book "Zhouyi, the Book of Changes" summarizes his view: "The literary content of ZHOUYI is to be found in the line statements, which are notoriously obscure. The interpretation underlying my translation of them depends heavily on Richard Kunst's suggestions, many of which derive from Chinese scholars. If they are correct, ZHOUYI is a royal book of oracles mainly related to warfare, especially warfare as a means of obtaining captives to be killed in sacrifices.
Gao Heng draws attention to the inscription on a Western Zhou bronze vessel called Xiaoyu 'Ding' (probably cast in the first quarter of the 10th century BC, but known only from rubbings) that eerily confirms the impressions from the line statements. It describes the ceremony after a general called Yu returns from a campaign in the Gui territory mentioned in Hexagrams 63 and 64. He has captured 3 chieftains, 5049 severed heads and left ears, 13,081 men, more than 104 horses, more than 130 vehicles, 355 cattle, and 38 sheep - there is some doubt about the actual numbers, but the scale is clear enough.
The king congratulates Yu, who brings forward the three captive chiefs. The king has them interrogated about their motives in resisting Zhou, and when the interrogation is over they are decapitated. All the ears or heads are offered in a great burnt sacrifice.
Personally I have been very fascinated to discover this ancient Zhou world, so different form the Confucian moral reading of the text. The Yijing covers the whole span of Chinese history, from its civilized yet barbaric Shang and Zhou beginnings around 1000 BCE to the refined Song dynasty Neo-confucians like Cheng Yi around 1000 CE.
On the same subject I found this from Plutschow's article: http://www.anthropoetics.ucla.edu/ap0102/china.htm "As we can observe in other (e.g. the Aztecs) cultures as well, the most common Shang source of human sacrifice was war prisoners and, or, slaves, many of whom were natives of the sheep-raising Ch'iang tribe, the preferred source of human sacrifice for the Shang. A community tends to choose its sacrificial victims outside itself, as René Girard pointed out; prisoners of war, slaves, beggars, cripples, and other people at the fringe of society, being the favorite supplies.
Sociologically, such selection not only reflected the social order, but created it. The Tso-chuan reports that in the years 663 BC, 532 and 488, in Lu, a backward state continuing the Shang sacrificial system, war prisoners from a recent campaign were sacrificed. Sacrificed war prisoners were sometimes mutilated (beheaded), although the meaning of such mutilation is still being disputed. Slaves must be understood not only as war prisoners, but useful laborers until sacrificed, but included people accused of crime, desertion, murder, etc.
Other than the surrogate bride of the river deity, the way war prisoners were sacrificed at the ancestral shrine, does not seem to reflect Girard's understanding that such victims must first be totally integrated into the community before sacrificing them. Integrating a relatively large number of war prisoners into the community would surely have been dangerous and uneconomical. It is more likely they were killed without delay."
"Human sacrifice was practiced by the Shang as indicated by the character for sacrifice which shows a person's head being chopped off. The numbers sacrificed do not seem to be large except in the case of the Giang, who were killed in greater numbers because they appear to have been sheepherders interfering with Shang cattle grazing. The practice of human sacrifice naturally decreased in the Zhou era. Nevertheless it was clear that in Shang society, a king or lord had the power of life or death over those under him. Slavery, usually from those captured in war, was also common."
I also found this reference in "La Chine Ancienne", by Klaussel Flessel, University of Erlangen: (I translate from French) "The Shang brought prisoners back from their military expeditions that became slaves or were killed by the dozens during sacrifices that were ritual ceremonies, organized mostly in the honor of nature deities, or they were killed by the hundreds during royal funerals."
The most precise description in the I Ching of the executions of captive chiefs prior to the sacrifices is in the top line of hexagram 30. Wilhelm has: " The king used him to march forth and chastise. Then it is best to kill the leaders (ZHE SHOU) And take captive the followers. No blame." ZHE SHOU, remove the head, is translated literally by Richard Rutt in its 800 BCE meaning 'to decapitate' : "Using this the king goes on campaign. A triumph for beheading the foe, when all the captured chieftains are on show. No misfortune."
This term ZHE SHOU (beheading) has also been found on a bronze ritual cauldron dating from the reign of the Zhou king Xuan (827-787): this is the only occurrence of that term in bronze and is, according to Ed Shaughnessy, an argument for dating the I Ching to that period.
The term does not occur on Shang oracle-bones, which probably means the I Ching is no older than 800 BCE. It does not occur in later materials either. It looks like the practice after a victorious battle was to decapitate all enemy corpses on the battlefield or remove their left ears, bring all that back to the capital with the captives; then ceremonially decapitate the captured enemy officers; then burn all the heads and ears in a sacrifice to the spirits; the ordinary soldiers were most likely simply made to be slaves.
This is rather spine-chilling, but when I use the I Ching for consultation, I do it in the more innocent spirit of the later Confucians like the authors of the Ten Wings or Wang Bi, who knew little or nothing about those ancient human sacrifices.


OREGON — The Carefree 4-H Club is now seeking new members.
The club holds meetings at 6:30 p.m. on second Mondays at the Ogle County Farm Bureau, Suite 8, 421 W. Pines Road.
The club is currently making tie blankets for the Ronald McDonald House. The club will participate in a 4-H camp set for June 11-15 at Rock River Christian Camp.


Many parents will testify that there is nothing as distressing as having a sick child, and when a fever strikes, informed parents want to ensure they have all the necessary medical supplies at hand to take care of their little ones. A must-have item in any medical or first aid kit is the digital thermometer.
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James Cavanaugh was an ATF agent and supervisor for 33 years before retiring in 2010.
Dingdong the witch is dead.
Yet the Al Qeada organization remains active and no doubt bent on revenge to show the world it is viable and deadly.
Law-enforcement leaders now have a special challenge: To learn the lessons of history that can help formulate a forward-looking strategy. Don't count al Qaeda out. Like a wounded cobra, it still may be able to strike out and kill, with the wound only fueling its determination.
Yes, we all remember the attacks on 9/11, and the attacks on the trains of London, Madrid and Moscow. Yes, these were deadly and theatrical attacks we will never forget.
But Al Qaeda has another long-standing tactic of death rarely talked about in law-enforcement command circles: A long history of assassinating leaders. We must be conscious of this and respond if we want to stay ahead of the curve.
One of the seminal events of the modern terrorist era was the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat at the hands of the Muslim brotherhood.
One radical member of the Muslim brotherhood rounded up in the aftermath of Sadat's assassination was the Egyptian doctor, now the top Al Qaeda official, Ayman Al Zawahiri.
Zawahiri headed the Egyptian Islamic jihad, which later merged with bin Laden's Al Qaeda to form, "The International Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders".
While in the Sudan in 1995, Bin Laden's gang of thugs attempted to kill the Egypt President Hosni Mubarak. Bin Laden was expelled from the Sudan. He went to Afghanistan.
We should all remember that on September 9, 2001 two days before 9/11, Bin Laden carried out a diabolical political assassination on the General of the Northern Alliance, Ahmad Shah Massoud.
Massoud was fighting against the Taliban. Suicide bombers, disguised as a news camera crew, had placed a bomb in a video camera and infiltrated Massouds camp on the premise of an interview. They finally got it. It was the general's last.
There were at least six attempts to assassinate the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
No doubt Al Qaeda and the Taliban had key roles in most if not all of those attempts. In December 2007, The Pakistani Taliban, a close affiliate and ally of Al Qaeda, assassinated Prime Minister Banazir Bhutto in a brazen gun and bomb attack during a political rally.
The diabolical plot to murder our six CIA heroes in an outpost on the Pakistan- Afghanistan border was a long-standing and planned assassination. Much forgotten is the assassination attempt led by Al Qaeda members in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), who spawned both the Detroit underwear bomber and the bombs in the printers on Cargo planes.
AQAP used a suicide bomber to attempt to assassinate the Chief Of Saudi Arabia's Intelligence Agency. It was the prototype for the Detroit bomb, in the bombers underwear.
The Intelligence Chief survived, but was wounded.
Bin Laden leaves this legacy, Dr. Zawahiri lived this legacy and Al Qaeda and its affiliates have practiced this legacy of targeted assassination against the enemies of Al Qaeda.
Law enforcement worldwide and law-enforcement leaders in particular have to understand this deep history and how Al Qaeda reacts when it's back is against the wall.
This is not only a concern for the Secret Service or for the security services of allied states, who protect heads of government. It is a concern for law-enforcement agencies that have the duty to protect leaders across the spectrum that could be targeted by Al Qaeda.
The Capitol Police who protect lawmakers, the Diplomatic Security Service who protect our diplomats, the police forces of the Department of Defense and special operations units who protect generals and admirals around the world. They all must be aware of this history.
The same could be said for state troopers who protect their governors and police departments of all sizes and shapes that protect mayors and city leaders all must learn or remember the history.
A new vigilance is required, a new look needs to be taken, strategies and plans need to be refined and updated.
We can't be blinded by the sands that Al Qaeda wants to throw in our eyes, that we may only be attacked in one obvious fashion or another.
Let's make sure that we understand Al Qaeda's history and let's make sure that we make plans to defeat it.
Posted: 5/16/11 at 5:16 PM under News Story.