text:
Students sit on a school bus at the end of their school day in Beirut, Lebanon on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. Lebanese students return to school, many for the first time since late 2019, but the economic crisis crippling of the country threatens to derail the first school year in the classroom after the pandemic. School buses are looking for fuel. With wages plummeting, teachers in private schools are resigning en masse and leaving the country. (AP Photo / Bilal Hussein)
Bilal Hussein
This fall, the academic year in Lebanon is plagued by the same chaos that has engulfed the rest of the country in its financial and economic crisis.
Thousands of teachers are on strike, demanding salary adjustments to cope with hyperinflation and the free fall of the currency. A month's salary is now barely enough to fill a vehicle's gas tank twice.
With severe fuel shortages, it is not even certain that they will be able to refuel. School buses are no longer a matter of course, and classroom heating during the cold winter months is far from guaranteed.
The start of the school year has been repeatedly postponed as the cash-strapped government negotiates with the teachers' union an adjustment plan estimated at around $ 500 million.
As a result, while some private schools have started classes, most of the 1.2 million Lebanese students still do not know when they will return to school. Meanwhile, teachers have resigned en masse, looking for better opportunities abroad.
Many fear not only a missed academic year, but a lost generation in a country that prides itself on competing on a global scale with the numbers of scientists and engineers graduating.
Schools have already been disrupted over the past two years by a series of events – protests starting in late 2019 that have interrupted the school year, the switch to largely online classes in 2020 due to the pandemic and rising poverty. Some 400,000 children were out of school in 2020, according to UNICEF.
Parents in difficulty have transferred their children from private schools, usually presented as first-class education, to public schools. More than 50,000 students transferred last year, and the number is likely to be much higher this year, said Alaa Hmaid of Save the Children.
This puts pressure on the underfunded public sector, possibly to the detriment of the enlistment of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, who depend on the Lebanese public system.
"We don't want to create a potential divide in the future where an entire generation is without education," Hmaid said, calling for more resources for education.
According to UN figures, 55% of the Lebanese population now live in poverty, up from 28% in 2018, effectively wiping out the once large middle class. Wages fell as the currency lost 90% of its value against the dollar.
As many as 15% of the 53,000 teachers in Lebanese private schools have left the country, creating a serious shortage, said Rodolph Abboud, head of the Teachers' Union.
Adding to the woes, the explosion at the port of Beirut last year, which devastated the capital, damaged more than 180 educational institutions.
In the midst of hardship, parents are resolutely looking for ways to keep their children in school.
Lara Nassar, 38, manages her family's slow descent into poverty.
She was once an Arab kindergarten teacher, her husband ran a thriving food business, and their three children went to private school. But over the past three years, to keep costs down, she has been forced to move her two boys, now 18 and 15, from a high-end private school, first to a cheaper school. , then in a public school.
It was a tough decision, but she wanted to make sure she could afford to keep her youngest, now in grade 5, in a private school until she finished elementary school.
"I keep her in the picture. She knows that in two years I will have to move her to a public school. We cannot continue like this, "Nassar said.
Nassar was fired last year due to reduced face-to-face classes during the pandemic. Due to the financial crisis, her husband had to lay off his staff and drastically downsize his business. Instead of preparing homemade meals, he runs a small, basic grocery store with no fuel and unreliable refrigeration.
Nassar is now his only employee. Amidst the teachers' strikes, Nassar Kindergarten offered him his job. But she refused so that she could help her husband.
"We are living drop by drop," she said.
She was able to get financial aid from her daughter's school – a 50% reduction in school fees. A week before class starts, she is still looking for used books from local charities.
She burst into tears as she spoke of her sons' love for basketball. They used to save their allowance to buy new shoes every year. Now she can barely buy them shoes for school – the cost is worth almost a month's salary at the national minimum wage.
"Do you see what kind of things we have to worry about? " she said.
Naima Sadaka said she watched the economic crisis unfold on the Facebook page she set up three years ago to help determine which schools to enroll her children in, after returning from Saudi Arabia with her family.
Over the past few months, the membership of the Schools in Lebanon page has increased by 50% to 12,000. Queries and comments have shifted from parents looking for recommendations for private schools to publications making advertising second-hand books or organizing carpools in the context of a shortage of school buses.
Many have contacted Sadaka in private messages asking for second-hand school uniforms, too embarrassed to post on the page, Sadaka said.
A parent should be worried about their children's development and skills, but "here we are just concerned about getting them to school," said Sadaka, who lives in the southern city of Sidon.
There is hardly any public transport, school transport costs have tripled, and government officials are not helping; then Sadaka had to find the trips to school for her three children on her own.
For her 9 and 10 year old children, she organized walks with a neighbor who works near the school they attend, which is funded by an Islamic charity. For her daughter, a first year student in a public school, Sadaka accepted a position as a French teacher, which mainly pays for gasoline. Her husband drops her and his daughter there every morning.
Formerly a teacher in Saudi Arabia, Sadaka said she regretted coming back. "It's like going back 15 years," accepting a meager salary, she said.
After Lebanon's banks and hospitals, once a source of national pride and money, were crippled by the economic crisis, she said, "If they don't save the education sector, then we will have nothing ".
Maya, a mother of two, took no chances. She decided to leave in August after fuel shortages became so severe and no return to school date was set.
She and her husband moved to Cyprus, where she enrolled her children aged 6 and 8-6 in an English language school. The island's only French school has been overwhelmed by recently arrived Lebanese students. Speaking by phone from Cyprus, she asked that her last name not be used to preserve her privacy as she adjusts to the new community,
At her children's private school in Lebanon, at least 50 teachers and half of the students in her daughter's class have left, she said.
"Who will teach our children? What friends will they have left? This is what worried me. It is no longer the same standard.
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text:
Astrology Central
Full Moon December Astrology
When people ask if there is a connection between the stars and the earth's movements, the answer is usually yes. According to some theories, the planets have lines of sight and can converse with each other. These lines of sight dictate how they interact with each other's energies. In the same way, standing across the room from another person will produce very different energetics than standing next to that person. Astrologers are not to be blamed for making mistakes.
These days, the news is filled with a variety of stressful events that can impact anyone's health. In times like these, astrology provides a sense of distance from these circumstances and can help people cope with life's ups and downs. For instance, astrology teaches us that the world doesn't move linearly and that it moves in cycles, and that the actors in history are archetypes.
Astrology has a long history in Britain, the United States and elsewhere, despite widespread doubts and doubts about its benefits. R.H. Naylor was a well-known astrologer who worked with the high-society neoshaman Cheiro in the early 20th century. He was routinely tapped to read the palms of famous people, including Mark Twain, Grover Cleveland, and Winston Churchill. Likewise, he was hired by newspapers to predict the lives of famous people, including the prime ministers, and other celebrities.
By 1500 BC, the Babylonians were dividing the zodiac into 12 equal signs. They also used familiar constellation names and incorporated them into Greek divination. This work led to the creation of the Tetrabiblos, the foundational book of Western astrology. As the ancients adapted the principles of astrology, the practice spread across the globe and was eventually expanded into other countries. The most famous of these forms are Tibetan, Vedic, and Chinese.
The Moon, meanwhile, represents our emotions, and the Sun, our self-confidence. These two planets influence our sense of safety and security. Mercury, for example, is our planet of information and communication. Venus, on the other hand, shapes relationships, art, and money. Mars, on the contrary, influences energy, sexual expression, courage, and energy. These differences are minor but there are common threads among the different zodiac signs.
While there is no definitive reason to believe in astrology, it does not have a bad reputation. Millennials may be more inclined to be skeptical than previous generations. Their tendency to turn to astrology may simply be a reflection of the way their lives have evolved. While we can't prove the answers we get from these stars, we can take comfort in knowing that they are real, not just a projection of our hopes and fears.
Astrology is a vital tool in modern society. It can explain things like the earthquakes and the rise of social media. Social media's rise has been linked to the sun of the tenth place, which governs prestige as well as reputation. Psychological astrology, which is influenced by Carl Jung's work, uses the birth charts as a mirror of the soul. People can use their natal chart to make predictions or give advice.
The roots of astrology are found in the ancient world. The ancient world believed that the constellations and signs of the stars correlated with the lives of their inhabitants. But later, astronomy, which involves the study of the stars and planets, became a separate field of study. This science was established in the late 17th century. It is possible to predict future events by studying the stars and planets. It can even help people make vital decisions about their health.
Although the Sun is the most important star in the sky, the other celestial bodies also play an important role. Mercury, Venus, Mars, and the Moon are each related to a particular house in the birth chart. These bodies move in different rates, depending on their location and time of birth. The moon, for example, can spend almost two-and-a-half days in a sign, while Mercury can spend between fifteen and sixty days.
Astrology can be a powerful tool to understand yourself and others. Basic astrology, the sun and moon, as well as the twelve houses of horoscope, is required. Then you can begin to interpret the signs and their characteristics. You'll begin to understand the world around you and your fellow humans. Understanding your signs and the symbols they represent is key to understanding others.
Maitreya Astrology Software
10/9/1990 Astrology
April 27 2019 Astrology
Ruby Astrology
Varus Astrology
Astronomy/Astrology
October 16, 2020 Astrology
© 2023 Astrology Central • Built with GeneratePress

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Round six of the 2019 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship series, and round one of the Eastern Regional 250SX Championship and the Minneapolis SX continued to deliver some of the best racing we have seen in years.
In the 450SX class, Cooper Webb once again rode like the last two years are permanently erased from his memory bank, as he patiently made his way to the lead on lap fifteen and rode away from the field for his third win of 2019. Finishing on the box with Cooper was HRC / Honda's Ken Roczen in 2nd and Red Bull / KTM's Marvin Musquin with his fourth consecutive podium in 3rd. Leaving Minneapolis Roczen once again has the red plate with Webb, Musquin and Monster Energy / Kawasaki's Eli Tomac all within just two points of one another.
In the 250SX class, Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki's Austin Forkner scored the first Eastern Regional 250SX main event win of 2019 by dominating every aspect of the Minneapolis SX. The #24 qualified first, led every of his heat and every lap of the main event. Picking up the other two spots on the opening round podium was Troy Lee Designs / KTM's Jordon Smith in 2nd and Monster Energy / Star Racing / Yamaha's Justin Cooper in 3rd.
After the sixth round was in the books, we gathered quotes from the riders to find out how their 2019 Minneapolis SX went for them.
Joey Savatgy: (4th in 450) "Man today was just awesome. Of course I would have liked to win the main event, but we learned so much. You have to start somewhere with getting the experience of leading laps and tonight we accomplished that. My KX450 was a rocket ship all day long and helped me get the day started properly as we qualified first and then got third in the heat race. In the main event, I got a great jump out the gate and was able to make a quick pass into first. I need to clean up a few mistakes but tonight was a big step in the right direction.


FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH Young blood spurs the growth of blood vessels (green) in the brains of old mice, as shown in a 3-D reconstruction of microscope images.
Vampires knew it all along, but now scientists have discovered that young blood can keep an old brain sharp. Plasma or blood from a young mouse — or even a single protein from plasma — rejuvenates sluggish bodies and minds in a host of ways, three new studies find.
Throughout the ages, people have searched far and wide for an elixir that replenishes the body. "Maybe they were just looking too far," says Tony Wyss-Coray of Stanford University School of Medicine, coauthor of a May 4 study in Nature Medicine.
Young blood recharges old neurons, improving mice's ability to learn and remember things, Wyss-Coray and colleagues found. Two other papers, appearing May 4 in Science, identified a particular ingredient in young blood that improves both brain and muscles.
Scientists had already found benefits of young plasma on other tissues, such as the heart, liver and pancreas. Finding that the brain can be refreshed too may point out ways to counter age-related declines, either with plasma from young people or drugs made to mimic important parts of it, scientists say.
The premise of the experiments was deceptively simple: Scientists surgically linked the circulatory system of an old mouse to that of a young one, allowing their blood to mingle. In earlier experiments, Wyss-Coray and colleagues had found that this surgery to make mouse Siamese twins is bad for the young mouse. Ingredients in old blood harm the young mouse's brain, the researchers reported in 2011.
This time around, he and his colleagues looked for benefits that young blood might confer on older mice.
In the experiment, 18-month-old mice — the rodent equivalent of about a 55- to 70-year-old person – were tethered to 3-month-old mice, the equivalent of about a 20- to 30-year-old. The infusion of young blood kicked off a cascade of changes in the behavior of genes important for neuron behavior, the team found. And the neurons themselves appeared to sprout more docking places for other neurons to connect, a property of healthy neurons in young brains. These changes weren't present in old mice that had been surgically connected to other old mice.
Directly injecting old mice with plasma from young mice created benefits too — no surgery required. After receiving intravenous injections of young plasma eight times over 24 days, old mice were better at remembering the location of a hidden platform and responded more strongly to a scary environment, compared with old mice that had received injections of plasma from other old mice. No improvements occurred when the plasma was heated before it was injected, a process that can destroy sensitive proteins.
In a different experiment that connected mouse circulatory systems, Rubin and colleagues found that young blood increases the rate of cell birth in a brain region of the mouse called the subventricular zone. This region gives birth to cells that help a mouse smell. Old mice surgically linked to a young mouse were better able to discriminate odors, the team found.
The benefits weren't restricted to the smell system. Rubin and colleagues found that new blood remodels blood vessels in a way that boosts flow. "The increase in blood vessels and blood flow is all over the brain, so we think that there will be other benefits to the older brain," he says.
Of course, there would be no need to drain blood from young donors (or victims) if the key ingredients could be isolated. The Science studies identify one such contender: a protein called GDF11, which normally declines with age. Delivering this molecule partially mimicked some of the gains in the brain, Rubin and colleagues found, and in skeletal muscle, as described in a paper by Amy Wagers of Harvard Medical School and colleagues.
In the brain, GDF11 alone remodeled brain blood vessels and enhanced the birthrate of new cells in the subventricular zone, Rubin and colleagues found. But it's unlikely that GDF11 acts alone. Perhaps the benefits come from both a boost in positive ingredients in the young blood and a reduction of harmful ingredients in old blood, Rubin says.
"All of these studies concentrate on what's being enhanced," says immunotherapy expert Dobri Kiprov of California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. "What they address to a much lesser extent is what's being removed." Inflammatory molecules that rise with age may be important to consider, he says.
The results suggest that one day, designed molecules may stave off decline in the entire body. But much more work needs to be done to reach that point. Moving the research into human experiments will be difficult, but Wyss-Coray has started a biotechnology company, Alkahest, and plans to test the effects of plasma from young donors on people with Alzheimer's disease. He hopes to start in a few months.
M. Sinha et al. Restoring systemic GDF11 levels reverses age-related dysfunction in mouse skeletal muscle. Science. Published online May 4, 2014. doi: 10.1126/science.1251152.
L. Sanders. Brain chemicals help worms live long and prosper. Science News. Vol. 185, April 19, 2014, p. 10.
S. Villeda et al. The aging system milieu negatively regulates neurogenesis and cognitive function. Nature, Vol. 477, September 1, 2011. doi:10.1038/nature10357.


Join us to hear updates on the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project and other regional initiatives from GoTriangle.
We encourage transit, but valet, street, and deck parking are available nearby. We provide coffee and light breakfast.


You Wouldn't Make Guests Wait on Your Doorstep – Would You?
Imagine that a friend invited you over to their house. You arrive and ring the bell -- but instead of a warm greeting and an invitation to take off your shoes and come inside for a cup of tea and lovely conversation -- you were left standing there, listening to a series of strange commands and forced to make a choice before you've ever granted access inside.
If you would like to come in out of the cold, say "May I come in".
Once you have removed your shoes, say "shoes off".
You've indicated you'd like a cup of tea.
Say "iced" for iced tea.
It would be a little….strange, yes?
Unwelcoming, off-putting, and the opposite of graciousness.
Yet, this is what Interactive Voice Response (IVR) , or phone menu trees as they are commonly called, do every day.
The caller is faced with a gate which ominously crashes down in front of them. Then, in an almost Monty Python-style line of questioning ("What is the airspeed of an un-laden swallow?"), callers are expected to maneuver through untold levels of confusing (and sometimes contradictory) questions; only to be rewarded with personalized service at the end of it all… if they're lucky.
How did IVRs get so unwelcoming?
In the desire to sort callers, which is the basic function and utility of an IVR, we've gotten to thinking of the IVR as almost like a test. It has become a maze which the caller must successfully navigate in order to get to the level of service they need.
Not very welcoming or hospitable!
The IVR is meant to "organize" callers and send them on to your staff who are best equipped to deal with the caller's specific issue or problem. But it's so much more than that. A good phone tree should establish what it will feel like to be a customer and will enlist the caller's help in arriving at a solution together. The experience should leave the caller empowered, instead of frustrating them and making them feel like they're being shuffled off to Robotland.
IVR is the virtual "front door"; the imaginary "lobby" of your company. Your guests should be treated like guests not intruders, or an interruption to your business.
I have been attempting to get clients to try a more accessible, open, and human way of greeting callers. No barking of instructions, no series of complicated roadblocks, and you're never again allowed to make the caller feel like they're standing on the porch; confused, cold, and unsure if they should stay or head back home.
So *greet* that caller enthusiastically; even give them that subtle virtual hug. Make them as comfortable as possible. And leave them with the feeling that the IVR is not a puzzle they have to solve or challenge they have to win; it's a method for you to make them feel at ease…and served.
Improvement is never-ending (if you're doing it right!), so where do you start making improvements to your IVR?
Does the greeting sound friendly and professional?
Do you feel like you want to stay on the line?
Is the menu you're offering short and to the point?
Do you have more than 3-4 options to choose from?
Time how long it takes to work your way through your current choices. Can you delete or combine any of the choices?
Who did the recording? If it was someone that works in the office and answers calls, it can create an awkward situation for the caller. When they finally get through to a live voice, and are not sure if it is still a recording!
Allison Smith – The Voice of Asterisk and Free PBX -- is an internationally-recognized professional voice talent, and one of the top telephone voices working today. Allison has voiced platforms for Vonage, Bell Canada, Sprint, Cingular, Verizon, Qwest . Clients include Marriot Hotels, 3M, Pfizer, Toyota, Victoria's Secret, Bank of America and EBay among many others.


text:
Михайловка — упразднённая в 2015 году деревня в Земетчинском районе Пензенской области России. На момент упразднения входила в состав Морсовского сельсовета.

География
Урочище находится в северо-западной части Пензенской области, в пределах западных отрогов Приволжской возвышенности, в лесостепной зоне, на правом берегу реки Кермись, на расстоянии примерно 34 километров (по прямой) к северо-западу от Земетчина, административного центра района.

История
В 1880-е годы являлась волостным центром Моршанского уезда Тамбовской губернии. По состоянию на 1911 год в Михайловке имелись: волостное правление, земская школа, амбулатория, экономии братьев Тихоновых (417 десятин земли), В. Г. Ягницкого (140 десятин), Е. В. Акулиной (518 десятин). Население села того периода составляло 834 человека. В период коллективизации был образован колхоз имени Перекопа. По данным 1955 года в деревне действовал колхоз имени Куйбышева.

Упразднена в декабре 2015 года.

Примечания

Упразднённые населённые пункты Земетчинского района

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Little Boy (disambiguation)
Little Boy was the codename of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Look up Little Boy or little boy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Little Boy may also refer to:
Little Boy: The Arts of Japan's Exploding Subculture, a 2005 book about Japanese postwar culture
Little Boy (film), a 2015 American film
Little Boy (album), an album by Janno Gibbs
"Little Boy" (Captain Jack song)
"Little Boy" (The Crystals song)
"Little Boy", a song by KSI (2017)
"Little Boy", a song by Miriam Makeba from The World of Miriam Makeba
"Little Boy", a song by Vance Joy from Nation of Two
"Little Boys", a 2007 episode of the television series How I Met Your Mother
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Little Boy (disambiguation), and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.


text:
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Dapper;
using Relisten.Api.Models;

namespace Relisten.Data
{
    public class TourService : RelistenDataServiceBase
    {
        public TourService(DbService db, ShowService showService) : base(db)
        {
            _showService = showService;
        }

        private ShowService _showService { get; }

        public async Task<Tour> ForUpstreamIdentifier(Artist artist, string upstreamId)
        {
            return await db.WithConnection(con => con.QueryFirstOrDefaultAsync<Tour>(@"
                SELECT
                    *
                FROM
                    tours
                WHERE
                    artist_id = @artistId
                    AND upstream_identifier = @upstreamId
            ", new {artistId = artist.id, upstreamId}));
        }

        public async Task<IEnumerable<Tour>> AllForArtist(Artist artist)
        {
            return await db.WithConnection(con => con.QueryAsync<Tour>(@"
                SELECT
                    *
                FROM
                    tours
                WHERE
                    artist_id = @id
            ", new {artist.id}));
        }

        public async Task<TourWithShows> ForIdWithShows(Artist artist, int id)
        {
            var tour = await db.WithConnection(con => con.QuerySingleAsync<TourWithShows>(@"
                SELECT
                    *
                FROM
                    tours
                WHERE
                    id = @id
            ", new {id}));

            if (tour == null)
            {
                return null;
            }

            tour.shows = await _showService.ShowsForCriteria(artist,
                "s.artist_id = @artistId AND s.tour_id = @tourId",
                new {artistId = artist.id, tourId = id}
            );

            return tour;
        }

        public async Task<IEnumerable<TourWithShowCount>> AllForArtistWithShowCount(Artist artist)
        {
            return await db.WithConnection(con => con.QueryAsync<TourWithShowCount>(@"
                    SELECT
                        t.*
                        , a.uuid as artist_uuid
                        , s.shows_on_tour
                    FROM
                        tours t
                        LEFT JOIN (
                            SELECT s.tour_id, count(*) as shows_on_tour FROM setlist_shows s GROUP BY s.tour_id
                        ) s ON s.tour_id = t.id
                        LEFT JOIN artists a ON a.id = t.artist_id
                    WHERE
                        t.artist_id = @id
                    ORDER BY t.start_date
            ", new {artist.id}));
        }

        public async Task<Tour> Save(Tour tour)
        {
            var p = new
            {
                tour.id,
                tour.artist_id,
                tour.start_date,
                tour.end_date,
                tour.name,
                tour.slug,
                tour.upstream_identifier,
                tour.updated_at
            };

            if (tour.id != 0)
            {
                return await db.WithConnection(con => con.QuerySingleAsync<Tour>(@"
                    UPDATE
                        tours
                    SET
                        artist_id = @artist_id,
                        start_date = @start_date,
                        end_date = @end_date,
                        name = @name,
                        slug = @slug,
                        upstream_identifier = @upstream_identifier,
                        updated_at = @updated_at,
                        uuid = md5(@artist_id || '::tour::' || @upstream_identifier)::uuid
                    WHERE
                        id = @id
                    RETURNING *
                ", p));
            }

            return await db.WithConnection(con => con.QuerySingleAsync<Tour>(@"
                    INSERT INTO
                        tours

                        (
                            artist_id,
                            start_date,
                            end_date,
                            name,
                            slug,
                            upstream_identifier,
                            updated_at,
                            uuid
                        )
                    VALUES
                        (
                            @artist_id,
                            @start_date,
                            @end_date,
                            @name,
                            @slug,
                            @upstream_identifier,
                            @updated_at,
                            md5(@artist_id || '::tour::' || @upstream_identifier)::uuid
                        )
                    RETURNING *
                ", p));
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


[FFmpeg-devel] [PATCH] Do not set non_interleaved for	DV-in-AVI.
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> use the priv_data of streams created by the DV demuxer.


Who am I now? I ask that question often of my clients. They are doing such good work in healing their wounds, creating new skills and resources, hoping, praying that they will find an answer that they 'like' to that question: who am I now? Because if you reflect over your lifespan you will come to realize that you have been changing all along! Maybe without being aware of it - like the person in the paper bag!
So what? you may think. Why is it important for me to know or to understand consciously that I am changed, I have changed...and I will continue to change and grow until I die? And even then, at the last moments of life there might be thoughts of: oh I wish I could have more time, have done this or created that. Hopefully you will not have regrets or things left undone, but apologies made, love and connection really felt..in your heart and in your body, and a sense of a life well-lived.
- Allowing myself to have needs and be seen. My prenatal experience was fraught with uncertainty. With that uncertainty I began to believe/know that in this life my needs would be secondary to other's needs. And that the very best way I could survive - quite literally - would be to be invisible. To disappear like I noted above. So...allowing myself to have and claim my needs has been a huge leap and often scary. And to allow myself to be seen, to be heard...in a very different way than I had for years, was a new, unique and scary experience. As my healing journey has progressed I have met my needs for expression, within and without my healing tribe, by moving. No words. No sounds. Just me moving, sometimes drumming...just being me.
And so dear readers, I imagine that for most of you the above information might be surprising as today I feel free to move, dance, make sounds...be a little crazy. Be seen. And, with great joy I can claim who I am now. I can be who I am now. AND, and...it has been a journey!
Much love. If you have been wondering who you are now, feel free to contact me: 360-432-1236.


Drug addiction is one of the most difficult things to overcome, especially if you try to do it alone. You will be successful if you enter a program for drug rehab in Ventura County. There are a number of things that a rehab facility will provide for you that make recovery easier and less stressful. The first step is a comprehensive assessment and examination. A professional team of experts will review your background and evaluate your physical health and psychological and psychiatric exams will be performed.
Everyone's rehab needs are different and that's why you will get an individualized plan that will be the best for your particular situation. Some of our treatments include group and individual therapy, educational lectures, 12-step process, aerobic activities and creative therapies. In addition, your family will be able to participate in therapy and educational programs that will enhance your support after you leave the facility.
The first step in drug rehab in Ventura County is to detoxify the body. The body has come to rely on drugs and there is a period of withdrawal during detoxification. Withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the type of drug that you used, how much you used and how long you've been using the substance.
Professional support during the detoxification process may include medical detox in some cases. It may be helpful to provide medications to control the withdrawal symptoms, depending on the specific drug that was being abused.
Your treatment will be guided by professionals with years of experience working with drug addiction recovery. The approach addresses both the psychological and emotional aspects of drug abuse. Individual therapy sessions are personal and confidential so you can rest assured that your situation will not be discussed outside of the session.
Therapy will focus on many aspects including such things as working through anger and other emotions, interpersonal relationships and learning the things that triggered your addictive behaviors. Treatment builds on compassionate cognitive therapy through the use of various techniques that will start the deep healing process.
Various additional therapies are utilized to promote self-awareness and teach healthy lifestyle changes that can facilitate a lasting recovery. In addition to providing support for drug rehab in Ventura County we also offer discharge planning and aftercare. Once you complete the main portion of rehab you will need to continue your treatment with ongoing support. Your family will be instrumental in providing support after you leave the facility.
Our facility for drug rehab in Ventura County is a private and secluded retreat where you can relax and focus on the issues that brought you here. The beautiful location accommodates just six patients at a time so you are assured of receiving high quality individual support. We offer wonderful accommodations in a tranquil environment. Your insurance may cover all or a portion of your treatment and we also offer financing options. You can overcome your addiction and live life to the fullest. Your treatment starts today at Wildwood Recovery.


Focusing on its recently established relationship with Lamborghini, Roger Dubuis released the Excalibur Aventador S. Codeveloped by Roger Dubuis's designers and Lamborghini's engineers, this exceptional timepiece is no ordinary auto-inspired watch. It has five high-performance features, each of which is patented. Most notably, its anti-gravity RD103SQ movement references the V10 or V12 engines of the Aventador S car and has a double 45-degree V-shaped angled balance wheel. Other new technology includes an autonomous stability program, which uses twin nonresonant doublesprung balance wheels; a weight-reduced mechanism, which replaces the entire gear train; and G-force anti-ejection reinforcement. The Excalibur Aventador S watch is crafted of C-SMC carbon and is 100 percent skeletonized, from case to movement, so you can marvel at these innovations. It is finished with a black and neptune-blue strap.


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UK must halt defence cuts and lead the way for Europe in NATO, says Labour's shadow defence secretary | UK News
Home/Sports/DA reaches decision in Matt Araiza sexual assault case
DA reaches decision in Matt Araiza sexual assault case
Matt Araiza is cut by buffalo bill over the summer after he faces sexual assault charges, but the bettor will not face criminal charges.
The San Diego County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that there will be no criminal charges against Araiza or two other members of the 2021 San Diego State soccer team who are named in a civil lawsuit. .
Ultimately, prosecutors determined that the evidence clearly did not support a criminal charge and was unlikely to lead to a criminal conviction. "Prosecutors can only file charges when they believe they can morally be proven beyond a reasonable doubt."
Araiza and two of his former San Diego State teammates were named in a lawsuit filed Aug. 25. In the lawsuit, one woman said three men gang-raped her. at an off-campus party in October 2021. She was 17 years old at the time. The charges against Araiza and two other former SDSU players are graphics and trouble.
Araiza, who won last year's Ray Guy Award as best pitcher in college football, was selected by the Bills in the sixth round. Invoices reported knew about the allegations for weeks before they cut him.
Sister of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blasts his 'despotic' rule
Shooting at Marietta, Georgia, Walmart
UAAP: Tab Baldwin unhappy after Ateneo win against UP
Pledge Analysis: Tennessee Lands WR Nathan Leacock
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Kinnane, Britt, Herman
Statistics show that Stafford's role is responsible for Rams .'s woes
RB Durell Robinson may soon complete the commitment


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National Energy Policy for Barbados 2019 - 2030
This Barbados National Energy Policy (BNEP) 2019-2030 document is designed to ensure:
"Energy security and affordability through diversity and collaboration: Establishing and maintaining a sustainable energy sector for Barbados."
This Barbados National Energy Policy (BNEP) 2019-2030 document is designed to achieve the 100% renewable energy and carbon neutral island- state transformational goals by 2030.
Provision of reliable, safe, affordable, sustainable, modern and climate friendly energy services to all residents and visitors.
Zero domestic consumption of fossil fuels economy wide.
Export of all hydrocarbons produced both on land and offshore.
Maximising local participation (individual and corporate) in distributed renewable energy (RE) generation and storage (democratisation of energy).
Minimise the outflow of foreign exchange.
Creating a regional centre of excellence in RE research and development.
The BNEP builds on efforts of previous projects and activities to establish a comprehensive policy for Barbados in areas relating to the supply and consumption of energy across all associated sectors. It was developed using a collaborative approach, which included several rounds of interviews and consultations throughout Barbados' energy sector in 2016 and 2017, as well stakeholder meetings in 2018. The policy also benefitted from the consideration of research and documented accounts of regional and international jurisdictions that have experienced both challenges and opportunities.
The key approach used in developing the BNEP was a Multi-Criteria Approach (MCA), where the impacts of the policies chosen were taken from as wide-ranging a perspective as possible. This meant that the cross-cutting nature of the sector was highlighted and issues related to finance, economics, the natural environment, technology and social development were considered in a consolidated manner.
The BNEP spans all aspects of the energy sector, and provides a framework for moving the island from a fossil fuel based economy to one completely based on renewable energy sources. The policy provides direction for managing this revolutionary transformation and ensuring viability from all points of view along the way.
There is reason for optimism in Barbados' bold embrace of renewable energy technology, as it builds on its reputation of being a leader in the Caribbean and the western hemisphere. Indeed, the success of the solar water heating industry is a source of pride for the country, the recent development of the local solar photovoltaic (PV) industry and the burgeoning electric vehicle market in Barbados are also encouraging. The BNEP provides a basis for building on these successes while seeking to expand the use of these and other renewable energy technologies such as wind and biofuels.
However, even as Barbados promotes the development of renewable energy, there are ongoing plans to explore for fossil fuel resources offshore. This patrimony will be pursued aggressively with the view to maximise foreign exchange gains from the export of any exploited hydrocarbons.
Recognising the importance of the prudent use of energy resources as a way to ensuring sustainability and a thriving economy, the BNEP also highlights the importance of energy efficiency throughout the various sectors and subsectors in the industry.
Major sectors of the energy economy that were identified inter alia in completing the BNEP were the following:
Oil and Gas Supply
Renewable Energy Supply
Governance and Regulation
Other Cross-Cutting Sectors.
This MCA deviated to some extent from previous approaches where the least cost approach was more dominant. It was thought that in considering these sometimes conflicting elements of development, a number of core values for energy development in Barbados had to be identified. While these core values were not ranked, they clarified some of the priorities to be considered in making the decisions. The values formed the basis of the Vision Statement and Visionary Goals discussed later.
Download the full Policy Document here: National Energy Policy 2019 2030 (7.34 MB)
Download the Implementation Plan for the Barbados National Energy Policy here: Implementation Plan- Barbados National Energy Policy (7.86 MB)
Barbados Integrated Government Portal
Barbados Telecommunications Service Directory
Barbados National Terminal Company Ltd.


The world-famous Benjafield's Racing Club held the eagerly anticipated 2017 Benjafield's 500 event at the formidable Ascari Race Circuit in Spain, with a grid of 27 vintage cars.
The Benjafield's 500 is a 500-mile race that draws inspiration from the Brooklands 500 events that took place from 1929 to 1937. In period it was a handicap event that allowed all manner of cars to enter with lesser cars facing up to the mighty Bentleys of the time. The Benjafield's 500 of today follows the same format and thus attracts a diverse grid, including a Talbot team car that actually competed in the original Brooklands 500 in 1931.
In 1928 Dr. J. Dudley Benjafield founded the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) as a social club for British racing drivers to welcome racing drivers from overseas, the first event was a 500-mile race at Brooklands taking place in October 1929. Slower cars set off first, faster cars last, but all had to aim to complete 500 miles quicker than any of the other competitors hence it was dubbed 'the fastest race of its kind the world has ever seen'.
The Benjafields's Racing Club takes its name from the founding member of the BRDC and accepts a maximum of 100 members from around the world, all of whom share a passion for vintage Bentleys, racing and for following in the footsteps of the Bentley Boys. The club exists to preserve the ethos and spirit of vintage racing and, to keep a mystique around the club, there is no known way of becoming a member.
Back at Brooklands, the goal was to break the 500-mile barrier faster than any other car, and that's once again the main premise of the modern race. This year's event represents 80 years since the final 500-mile race at Brooklands, and, as you might expect from a club whose sole ethos is to emulate the spirit of the famous Bentley Boys, the majority of cars taking part are vintage Bentleys (21 of 27) including Jonathan Turner's 1925 3-litre 'Number 10' factory team car originally driven by Dr. Benjafield in period.
While the spirit of the Benjafield's Racing Club is deeply rooted in fun and friendship, the racing shows that no love is lost when a chequered flag is there for the taking. Eight hours of racing in the Spanish sun saw victory going to Robert Abrey and Julian Riley in the 6 ½ liter Bentley with second place going to Martin Overington and Eddie McGuire in the 1929 Bentley Blower and third to Matthew Abrey and Robert Fellowes in the 1925 Bentley 3 4 ½.
Also worthy of mention is Jonathan Turner and Bert Degenaar in the Bentley 3 liter team car that convincingly led the race until lunchtime.


We work on a contingent fee. That means you don't pay us anything until we win; either through settlement or through a verdict at trial. We'll front all the case costs, we finance all the expert and everything else associated with your case until we win.


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Clémence Boulouque (born 25 June 1977, Paris) is a French scholar of political science and international relations specializing in Jewish and Israel studies, professor, journalist, and literary critic. She currently serves as the Carl and Bernice Witten Associate Professor of Jewish and Israel Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University in the City of New York.

Early life and education
The daughter of magistrate , her life was upended when her father was appointed an anti-terrorism judge in the aftermath of the wave of attacks of 1986, implicating Iran. Clémence Boulouque was only thirteen when her father, confronted with terrible political-media pressure, committed suicide on 13 December 1990. It is from this painful experience, revived by her presence in New York on 11 September 2001, that Boulouque's vocation for literature and novel was born. A graduate from the Paris Institute of Political Studies and the ESSEC, Boulouque spent some time in a recruiting firm before moving to New York for the first time in order to do a master's degree in international relations at Columbia University in 2001–2002.

Career
Back in France after New York, she devoted herself to writing, journalism, and literary criticism from 2002 to 2007.

In 2003, she wrote her first story, Mort d'un silence, in which she tells the long ordeal that she and her family lived when her father committed suicide.

She wrote in particular in Le Figaro littéraire, Transfuge and also in Lire. She regularly intervened as a chronicler in the program  by Arnaud Laporte on France Culture. She was the producer of the series of programs such as À voix nue with Toni Morrison or Amos Oz, as well as a summer series about Marguerite Yourcenar.

In 2005, William Karel made the film adaptation: La Fille du juge. This documentary mixed:
 Archive footage of programs and newscasts ;
 Photos and family movies shot in Super 8 by judge Boulouque ;
 Scenes shot in New York City and featuring the young novelist in person (at 28). The voice-over which "expresses" the words of Clemence, is that of the actress Elsa Zylberstein whom Karel met on the shooting of Van Gogh by Maurice Pialat.

She returned to the United States in 2008 and was awarded a PhD in Jewish Studies and History from New York University in 2014. Boulouque completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania's Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, and she currently teaches in the Department of Religion at Columbia University as Carl and Bernice Witten Assistant Professor of Jewish and Israel Studies. Her courses of instruction include Religion and the Movies as well as Masterpieces of Western Literature and Philosophy.

Main works
2003: Mort d'un silence, narrative, Éditions Gallimard, Crowned by the prix Fénéon ; Adaptation in documentary film in 2005 by director William Karel under the title La Fille du juge, which was nominated for the 2007 César Award in the documentaries category
2004: Sujets libres, novel
2004: Le Goût de Tanger, Mercure de France,
2005: Chasse à courre, novel, Gallimard,
2005: Juives d'Afrique du Nord, with Nicole Serfaty,
2005: Au pays des macarons, Mercure de France,
2007: [http://www.babelio.com/livres/Boulouque-Nuit-ouverte/40642 Nuit ouverte'], novel, Flammarion,
2008: Survivre et vivre : entretiens avec Clémence Boulouque : la fille d'Irène Némirovsky témoigne, Denoël,  ;
2011: L'Amour et des poussières, novel, Gallimard,
2013: Je n'emporte rien du monde, Gallimard,

References

 External links
 Clémence Boulouque on Babelio
 Clémence Boulouque ou la désolation féconde on Le Point (18 January 2013)
 "La Fille du juge" : la petite musique douloureuse de Clémence Boulouque on Le Monde (3 March 2006)
 Clémence Boulouque, romancière française on RFI
 Clémence Boulouque, écrivain en quête du sens de nos existences on La Croix (7 August 2015)
 Clémence Boulouque on ELLE''
 Le voyage initiatique de Jacob on
 Columbia University page

1977 births
20th-century French journalists
20th-century French women writers
21st-century French journalists
21st-century French women writers
Academics from Paris
Columbia University faculty
ESSEC Business School alumni
French expatriates in the United States
French international relations scholars
French literary critics
French political scientists
French religion academics
French women academics
French women journalists
French women literary critics
French women writers
Fulbright alumni
Historians of Israel
Historians of Jews and Judaism
Judaic scholars
Living people
New York University alumni
Prix Fénéon winners
School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University alumni
Sciences Po alumni
University of Pennsylvania alumni
Writers from Paris


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text:
Meher Mansi
Explained: The Political Crisis in Nepal
Libertatem News Network - January 27, 2021
On December 20th, K P Sharma Oli, the Prime Minister of Nepal dissolved the Lower House Parliament of the country in an unprecedented move. This led to huge protests all over the country. The government has two years left...
The Transition Tradition in USA
Trump is still involved in legal challenges regarding elections after Biden is formally elected President by the electoral college on December 14th. Introduction The world has been reviving from the pandemic. Among other things, US elections have been one of the...
Is Offering Free COVID-19 Vaccine a Violation of the Poll Code?
On October 31st the Election Commission (EC) gave a clean chit to BJP in Bihar. The EC said that declaring free COVID-19 vaccine to the state of Bihar as part of election promises is not in violation of the...
Can There be an Alternative for Stubble Burning?
The only alternative as of now for stubble burning is the straw management machines. The government should make them affordable to curb stubble burning. On October 26th the centre told the Supreme Court that there would be a separate...
Targeting the Supreme Court Judges
Libertatem News Network - November 3, 2020
A letter was written by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to the Chief Justice of India on October 6 targeting one of the top Supreme Court Judges in the country with some serious allegations. Introduction The judiciary has been witnessing some of the...
The Right to Information and its Working of 15 years
Libertatem News Network - October 26, 2020
On 12th October 2020, RTI finished fifteen years since its commencement. The question remains whether the legislation stands up to its promises. Introduction India, one of the biggest democracies in the world, has lost its democratic thread in the recent past. Transparency...
Is India Truly Following the Footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi?
On October 2, 2020, it was the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. India couldn't celebrate it due to many reasons. The reasons which might upset the Father of the Nation, as India was not what he dreamed it...
What Are the Effects of the 2020 Farmers Bills?
Libertatem News Network - October 2, 2020
Farmers have been protesting since mid-September against the three farm bills. The bills aim at giving freedom to the farmers on one hand and might even grab their livelihood through another. The protests are spreading throughout the country from...
Abandoned Refugees: Do Governments and Countries Actually Work for them?
Libertatem News Network - September 29, 2020
Thousands of refugees have been abandoned at sea by the Greek officials in the past few months. Many were left at the coast for rescue. Greece denies all the accusations of illegal pushback of the refugees. Introduction: Refugee problems never seem to die...
Explained: Events That Led To the 2020 Rajasthan Political Crisis
The government has been toppled in the state of Rajasthan, following which petitions have been filed in the High Court and the Supreme Court. The petitions challenged the status of the speaker and also challenged the majority of the...


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Title: Star of Eastbourne
Music: Tipper - Jibber Jabber
rigelkitty pointed me towards this clip from Presto, the short that'll apparently accompany Wall-E. Bunneh!
Should be worth checking out the transcript when it appears: transhumanist sci-fi author Charles Stross was the guest at Sophrosyne's Special Salon in Extropia Core on Saturday. "Charlie will discuss the Singluarity in fiction, cutting-edge technologies, his Hugo-Award finalist novel Halting State, about virtual worlds and augmented reality, and his upcoming novel Saturn's Children."
On that note, if you're in the mood for an unconventional anime centered on the themes of memory preservation, body swapping, being able to explore other people's memories, and so forth, check out Kaiba. Six episodes in, it's certainly not disappointing. (Be prepared for an artwork style that's somewhat sketchier than you might be used to. ^_^) It's a Madhouse production - they've been responsible for quite a few innovative anime in their time, including the recent Paprika.
A set of freebies not to be missed! The Garden of NPIRL Delights is closing on the 23rd, and "several of the very gifted content creators have decided that their work should not disappear. Hurry hurry!" Follow the link to see some of the best that people are coming up with in SL visual art; visit to bring back copies to place on your own land. Maybe you also have ideas that could be brought to virtual life? (Being a wintry sort, four Yip's Elevator Angels is an installation that particularly appeals to me)
Dashed good: Sporto Kantes. Awkward to describe, going by just the two tracks presented - it's sort of electronica, inasmuch as The Pinker Tones are, but with quite a large natural input as well.
Scientific American reports on researchers at the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center in Seattle: "Cassian Yee, an immunologist, says that he and his team removed so-called CD4+ T cells (a type of infection-fighting white blood cell) from a 52-year-old man with stage IV (the most advanced) melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer; it had spread to a lung and a groin lymph node. The researchers grew T cells (that target a specific protein, or antigen, on the tumor cells) in the lab until they had a population they believed was large enough to destroy the cancer. They infused five billion of the cloned cells into the patient. Two months later, PET (positron emission tomography) and CT (computed tomography) scans did not reveal any tumors—and the patient has remained disease-free for two years, Yee says." They do caution this is only a single result so far, with the next step to try the process with ten to twenty more people; if that works out, they hope it "could be a viable treatment option within five years".
Apparently, the long-delayed Whovian spinoff show starring K-9 is underway, having finally entered pre-production. The writing pedigree looks good, with his co-creator, Bob Baker, also having been a writer for Bergerac and Shoestring, and responsible for the screenplay for Curse of the Were-Rabbit.
There's an MST3K group that meets for weekly in-world viewings, 7pm Fridays. ^_^
Of course, it was only a matter of time until someone (probably many someones) had to create a certain dragon in Spore..
Well, we survived the trade show. ^_^ Apparently, quite a lot better than that, though there's still a packed month or two ahead to get the project completely wrapped up, with the next week or two dedicated to getting the first batch committed to manufacturing, which, amongst other things, relies on my bootloader being absolutely solid - so there's some tough testing in the works; I certainly wouldn't want to sign off on code that isn't perfectly reliable. (More people would help, but, even if we could find the right people, it'd take time to bring anyone up to speed with the code and hardware, so it's basically up to the coworker and myself, at this point)
So, maybe I'll be able to actually reply to everyone's replies again. If not, I do apologise - it's not out of ignoring anyone.
Nice to hear about the progress on the cancer front. :) Of course, it does make you wonder - just generally speaking - what the implications will be if humans live longer and longer; cancer, so far, seems to be one of the leading causes of death, so with that (mostly) removed (which I think WILL happen eventually), the ages we reach will just continue to rise. At the same time, though, people will likely not be willing to work longer (quite the opposite) - if they'd even be able to, which isn't a given even with a longer life, either.
Ah well.
Hmmm, which dragon is that?
I tend to think people would want to stick around for much longer, assuming they remained fully cogent and physically able, for as long as we're talking purely organic, essentially natural bodies. Assuming a lack of actual disease, it seems we're already at the point where it's more a matter of gradual deterioration in DNA, and the telomeres having been "used up", leading to increasingly impaired cell division and lowered organ function. Remove that, and I could easily see "retirement" being just the early phase of life - gaining enough to be able to enjoy some real freedom for the remaining centuries.
Would people want to continue to work? Absolutely. A life of leisure sounds a whole lot more appealing than it is, as anyone who's been unemployed will know, even if that does add the grim facet of a lack of money to actually do very much.
Ultimately, I imagine people might become bored, but how long would that take? I know I'd love to see every part of the world, and preferably enjoy all that interstellar travel would have to offer - that'd take quite some time. What for the end? Given how far ahead we're looking, perhaps one could sign off on one's body, and let someone else take it over; perhaps it'd be common to be able to merge personalities, creating something new in the process.
That's Trogdor. ^_^
Ah, OK. ^^
Mmm, and I'm not convinced that people would want to continue to work. Of course, you're right insofar as that they wouldn't want to just sit home alone and wait for the phone to ring, but they also wouldn't want to work nine to five with the boss man giving them hell. :P
I'm also not sure that getting rid of diseases and allowing people to live (much) longer will actually allow them to still maintain a decent quality of life. Even today, it seems that many people waste away many years in nursing homes etc. before they finally die - we know enough to cure them when they get sick, but we aren't able to keep their bodies from deteriorating to the point of uselessness.
And of course, there's the problem of how you'd actually pay your bills if you really lived for a long time. Right now, our system (in Germany, anyway) is built on the assumption that there's (many) more people working than there's pensioners and that therefore, those who work can pay for those who're already retired. The fact that people get older and older has proven to be a very real and very big problem there, and I don't see how it could be solved except for by (financially) requiring people to work longer to compensate for this.
The only alternative would appear to be a different form of society, one where money and work do not play the same role as they do now anymore, but short of managing to build robots or so that will take care of all menial tasks and allow us a life of leisure (not one where we wouldn't do anything, but where we'd do the things we want to do because we WANT to rather than because we HAVE to), I don't see that happening.
And of course, I also am not sure that it'd all just work out even then - I'm cynical enough to believe that those in power would not be interested in giving up their power, wealth and influence for the greater good, for example.