text:
NCI Press Release
New treatment option for young women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer
NCI Press Office
A drug used for treating breast cancer, known as exemestane, is more effective than a common breast cancer prevention drug, tamoxifen, in preventing breast cancer recurrence in young women who also receive post-surgical treatment to suppress ovarian function. The findings from this trial were in women who had a form of early breast cancer that was sensitive to hormonal treatment.
Exemestane molecule
The study was conducted by the International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBSCG), in partnership with the Breast International Group (BIG) and the North American Breast Cancer Group, and funded by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), IBSCG, and the pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Ipsen. The combined results of the TEXT (Tamoxifen and Exemestane Trial) and SOFT (Suppression of Ovarian Function Trial) were presented today at the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago (late breaking abstract #1) and published online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Treatment with exemestane plus ovarian function suppression reduced the risk of any invasive cancer by 28 percent, and reduced the risk of invasive breast cancer recurrence by 34 percent, compared to treatment with tamoxifen plus ovarian function suppression. At five years from study entry, 92.8 percent of women remained free from breast cancer after treatment with exemestane plus ovarian function suppression; 88.8 percent were breast cancer-free after receiving tamoxifen plus ovarian function suppression.
Treatment with an aromatase inhibitor, such as exemestane, has previously been demonstrated to benefit postmenopausal breast cancer patients compared to treatment with tamoxifen. Aromatase inhibitors prevent the formation of estradiol, a female hormone, by interfering with an aromatase enzyme. Both trials were conducted to determine whether this benefit could be extended to premenopausal women by combining exemestane with ovarian function suppression. Hormone-sensitive breast cancer, defined as estrogen and/or progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer, represents 79 percent of breast cancers diagnosed in women under age 50 in the United States.
The TEXT and SOFT trials were phase III, randomized clinical trials that enrolled 2,672 and 3,066 premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer, respectively, between November 2003 and April 2011. Over 500 medical institutions from 27 countries enrolled women in the trials. In the two trials, 4,690 women were randomly assigned to 5 years of adjuvant, or post-surgical, treatment with exemestane plus ovarian function suppression or assigned to tamoxifen plus ovarian function suppression. SOFT included a third treatment assignment, tamoxifen alone, which will be analyzed in late 2014. The women may also have received chemotherapy as part of adjuvant treatment.
The two trials were designed to be complementary. They were conducted over the same time period, in the same general population, and have the two treatments in common. Combining them brought the results to doctors and patients sooner than if they were presented separately.
Ovarian function suppression has been used for decades as a breast cancer treatment for premenopausal women, though whether it adds benefit when combined with other treatments was still uncertain. In these trials ovarian function suppression was combined with either tamoxifen or exemestane. In premenopausal women use of an aromatase inhibitor such as exemestane requires suppression of estrogen produced by the ovaries. In TEXT and SOFT, ovarian function suppression was achieved by use of monthly injections of the GnRH agonist triptorelin, surgical removal of both ovaries, or radiation therapy to the ovaries.
"These results provide a new treatment option for young women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer. The trials demonstrate that an aromatase inhibitor, previously recommended only for postmenopausal women, is also effective for premenopausal women when combined with ovarian function suppression," said study co-chair Olivia Pagani, M.D., Breast Unit Clinical Director at the Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland in Bellinzona, Switzerland. "As a physician who routinely recommends ovarian function suppression as adjuvant therapy for some young patients, these results will change my practice. I will combine ovarian function suppression with an aromatase inhibitor rather than with tamoxifen."
Support from NCI enabled American and Canadian participation in the TEXT and SOFT trials through the North American Breast Cancer Group (NABCG). NABCG contributed one-third of all patient enrollments in the TEXT and SOFT trials, whereas two-thirds enrolled from cooperative oncology groups affiliated with the Breast International Group (BIG) network. Led by Alliance (formerly CALGB), North American involvement accelerated trial recruitment, permitting earlier reporting of findings and faster access to these practice-changing results.
In addition to assessing the effectiveness of the treatments at reducing recurrence, patient-reported quality of life assessments were collected throughout the five years as well as physician-reported side effects. "As clinicians we should be reassured that, in the two treatments studied, the patient-reported quality of life results were similar overall, as was the frequency of severe side effects," said study co-chair Barbara Walley, M.D., Medical Oncologist at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, Canada and executive member of the Breast Disease Site Committee, National Cancer Institute of Canada-Clinical Trials Group. "The side effects reported in this premenopausal population are similar to those in postmenopausal women in which tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors are widely prescribed." Follow-up of the young women participating in the trials continues to assess long-term prognosis, tolerability, and side effects.
"These results underscore the importance of international research collaboration in improving patient outcomes in North America and beyond, such as for the young women in this study," said Richard Gelber, Ph.D., professor, Harvard Medical School and director, IBCSG Statistical Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston. "This partnership between NCI and IBCSG represents a successful model for future clinical research advances."
Reference: Pagani O, et al. Adjuvant exemestane with ovarian suppression in premenopausal breast cancer. NEJM early online. June 1, 2014. ASCO late breaking abstract #1. TEXT: Clinicaltrials.govNCT00066703. SOFT: Clinicaltrials.govNCT00066690.
NCI leads the National Cancer Program and the NIH effort to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI Web site at http://www.cancer.gov or call NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
The International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) is a Swiss nonprofit cooperative breast cancer research organization that has conducted clinical research in adjuvant endocrine therapy and chemotherapy, timing and duration of adjuvant therapies, and quality of life for over 35 years.


I wonder what the Knights of Rhodes are doing.
He's going after the Knights of Columbus.
أنّه سيسعى خلف فرسان "كولومبوس"
There's a situation concerning the Knights of West Altadenia.
Magical relics collected by the Knights of the Round Table.
That's why the Knights of Saint John live a good life there.
So, recapping... the Knights of the Golden Circle was a Southern extremist group, operating in the North to subvert Union forces.
With King Arthur missing, the Knights of the Round Table will look to you to lead them.
بفقدان الملك (آرثر)، فإن فرسان الطاولة المستديرة سيتطلعون إليك لتقوديهم.
you must join the Knights of the Blood.
No army can fight on two fronts, not even the Knights of Camelot.
'You must steal a sword from the Knights of Medhir.
Because they are the Knights of summer and winter is coming.
The demon said the archangels used a weapon that could kill the Knights of Hell.
We'd never heard of anything like the Knights of Hell or a First Blade.
We're looking for the weapon the archangels used to kill the Knights of Hell.
If your friend here could talk, he would tell you that I trained the Knights of Hell.
If war comes to Westeros, will the Knights of the Vale fight for their king?
I guess you are in charge of the Knights of the Blood Oath attack teams.
He's a grand knight in the Knights of Columbus... and he only goes out to play faro.
النتائج: 97. المطابقة: 97. الزمن المنقضي: 163 ميلّي ثانية.


NCAA Basketball Tournament (6 p.m., Chs. 4 and 12) Kentucky vs. Louisville in a Final Four game in New Orleans.
"Bridesmaids" (8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., HBO) A devoted maid of honor (Kristen Wiig) struggles to put her financial and romantic woes aside as she attempts to plan the perfect wedding for her best friend (Maya Rudolph).
"Escape Routes" (8 p.m. on Chs. 7, 10 and 22) Teams rev up for battle in a road-trip odyssey in the premiere of this interactive reality-competition series. Prizes include $100,000 and two Ford Escapes. Rossi Morreale hosts.
"Hornet's Nest" (8 p.m. and 10 p.m., TNT) A police chief and her deputy try to end a serial killer's murderous reign in Charlotte, but investigative complications arise when the deputy must team up with a determined journalist who's writing about the police department. Based on the novel by Patricia Cornwell.
"Kids' Choice Awards" (8 p.m. and 10 p.m., NICK) Will Smith hosts the 25th annual celebration honoring kids' favorites in film, television, music and sports. Scheduled performers include Katy Perry and One Direction. Among the presenters: Chris Rock; Emma Stone; Andrew Garfield; Zac Efron; Heidi Klum; Victoria Justice; Miranda Cosgrove; Big Time Rush; Chris Colfer; and Cee Lo Green.
"Must Love Cats" (8 p.m. and 1 a.m., APL) A trip to New York's Hamptons to meet a personal chef for cats. Also: a fashion designer for cats in New Jersey; a cat that needed a kidney transplant.
"Midnight in Paris" (9 p.m., STARZ) A screenwriter (Owen Wilson) goes to France with his obnoxious fianc�e (Rachel McAdams), and every night he travels back in time to 1920s Paris, where he mingles with such legendary artists as Salvador Dali, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Written and directed by Woody Allen.
"Seattle Superstorm" (9 p.m. and 1 a.m., SYFY) A scientist and a soldier must save the world from deadly storms triggered by a UFO that crashed in Seattle's Puget Sound.
"Beverly's Full House" (10 p.m. and 1 a.m., OWN) Series premiere: Beverly Johnson opens her Palm Springs, Calif., home to her daughter, plus-size model Anansa Sims, son-in-law David Patterson (an NFL alum) and baby granddaughter. On the opener, Beverly prepares to welcome them with both excitement and trepidation, but when they arrive her turbulent past with Anansa quickly resurfaces.


text:
Neal Drinnan is an Australian writer. He won the Lambda Literary Award in the Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror category, and was a nominee in the Gay Fiction category, for his 2006 novel Izzy and Eve at the 19th Lambda Literary Awards.

Originally from Melbourne, Victoria, Drinnan has been primarily based in Sydney and regional Victoria.

He has published six novels and non-fiction travel guides for LGBT tourism in Australia. He was also the editor of Fruit Salad: A Compote of Contemporary Gay & Lesbian Writing, an anthology of Australian LGBT writing published by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras committee in 1997, and has had several short stories published in anthologies.

Works

Fiction
Glove Puppet (1998, )
Pussy's Bow (1999, )
Quill (2000, )
Izzy and Eve (2006, )
Rare Bird of Truth (2010, )
Rural Liberties (2017, )

Non-fiction
Out in Sydney (1998, )
The Rough Guide to Gay and Lesbian Australia (2001, )
The Devil's Grip (2019, )

References

External links

20th-century Australian novelists
20th-century Australian male writers
21st-century Australian novelists
Australian male short story writers
Australian non-fiction writers
Australian gay writers
Australian LGBT novelists
Writers from Melbourne
Living people
Lambda Literary Award winners
1964 births
Australian male novelists
20th-century Australian short story writers
21st-century Australian short story writers
21st-century Australian male writers
Male non-fiction writers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Light, durable, and sustainable, cork makes an excellent choice of material for all manner of consumer products. Even better is when the cork itself is recycled, as is the case with Besta Cork, a Scranton, PA.-based startup which partners with Cork Reharvest to create products from recycled wine corks. Among Besta's early offerings is Corkit, a cheap, non-toxic alternative to traditional flower pots. Not only is it sturdy and reuseable, the cork construction is antibacterial and allows plants to breathe, making Corkit a healthy home for small plants such as herbs, spices, and flowers. Each Corkit ships with seeds and coir soil, so you'll be all set to start growing right away.


Dálava is an ambitious - and it seems - very personal project by husband and wife team guitarist Aram Bajakian and vocalist Julia Ulehla. It's a song cycle set to fragments and stanzas of poetry and verse recorded by Ulehla's great-grandfather Vladimir Úlehla in eastern Europe at the start of the 20th century. While the poems are set to music inspired by Moravian folk songs, they are performed with a free jazz ethos that straddles a line between folk and avant-garde.
Lyrics aside, the tunes are further brought to life by the group. Joining Bajakian and Uleha is Tom Swafford on violin, Skye Steeke on violin and Shanir Blumenkranz on bass and gimibri. You may recognize some of these names from some of Bajakian's other recordings on the blog - most particularly Kef and Axbraxas. Be rest assured their downtown ethos is fully intact and they interject the right amount of support and irreverence into the already evocative arragements.
Be sure to check out this album, it is a refreshing take folk music, comprised of time tinted memories and remembered sounds set in a modern context. Just enjoy.
Now that we're at it, another fantastic albums with Moravian folk songs is "Morava" by bassists George Mraz and sung by Zuzana Lapčíková. Worth checking out.


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text:
Israel/Palestine Conflict - Facts & Figures
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the world's major sources of instability. Americans are directly connected to this conflict, and increasingly imperiled by its devastation.
It is the goal of If Americans Knew to provide full and accurate information on this critical issue, and on our power – and duty – to bring a resolution.
Please click on any statistic for the source and more information.
Statistics Last Updated: April 25, 2012
The Impact of the Conflict
on Children
Israeli and Palestinian Children Killed
September 29, 2000 - Present
126 Israeli children have been killed by Palestinians and 1,476 Palestinian children have been killed by Israelis since September 29, 2000. (View Sources & More Information)
1,477 Palestinian children have been killed by Israelis and129 Israeli children have been killed by Palestinians since September 29, 2000.
Hover over each bar for exact numbers.
Number of Children Killed Per YearIsraelisPalestinia...2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012075150225300Year
"The majority of these [Palestinian] children were killed and injured while going about normal daily activities, such as going to school, playing, shopping, or simply being in their homes. Sixty-four percent of children killed during the first six months of 2003 died as a result of Israeli air and ground attacks, or from indiscriminate fire from Israeli soldiers."
- Catherine Cook
Source: Remember These Children, a coalition of groups calling for an end to the killing of children and a fair resolution of the conflict. (View the complete list of the victims, which was last updated on October 2, 2012.)
It appears that Remember These Children has not yet documented a number of the Palestinian children killed during Israel's Dec 27, 2008 - Jan 18, 2009 assault on Gaza. They report only 269 of the Palestinian children killed during that time (and an additional 9 who later died from wounds inflicted during that time period). B'Tselem has documented that Israel killed 318 Palestinian children in Gaza during this time. We do not doubt the validity of this higher number as they are extremely careful in their documentation.
Israelis and Palestinians Killed in the Current Violence
Israelis and Palestinians Killed
1,096 Israelis and at least 6,568 Palestinians have been killed since September 29, 2000. (View Sources & More Information)
At least 6,617 Palestinians and 1,097 Israelis
have been killed since September 29, 2000.
Number of People Killed Per YearIsraelisPalestinia...200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201203006009001,200Year
American news reports repeatedly describe Israeli military attacks against the Palestinian population as "retaliation." However, when one looks into the chronology of death in this conflict, the reality turns out to be quite different.
Source: B'Tselem, The Israeli Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. (Visit their statistics page, last updated August 31, 2012.)
The numbers cited above include civilians and combatants killed by members of the opposing nationality (and therefore, do not include Palestinians killed by an explosive device that they set or was on their person, Israelis killed in 'friendly fire' incidents, etc.). The numbers also do not include the sizable number of Palestinians who died as a result of inability to reach medical care due to Israeli road closures, curfews, the Israeli closure of border crossing from Gaza, etc.
The figure for Palestinian deaths is extremely conservative, since it is difficult for B'Tselem to report on deaths in the Palestinian territories. The Palestine Red Crescent Society, internationally respected for its statistical rigor, reports significantly higher numbers of Palestinian deaths. We do not doubt the reliability of their data, and only use B'Tselem's more conservative numbers because they collect data on both populations.
In the past we used the statistics provided by Israel's military for the number of Israelis killed, but they have not updated their statistics page since early in 2006. In addition, there is reason to believe that their numbers may have been somewhat inflated.
Breakdown of Deaths
Children Killed
(More on the impact on children.) 124
Remember These Children 1,452
Civilians* Killed 731
B'Tselem 3,535 - 4,226
People killed in the course of a targeted killing 1 408 or more
People who were the object of a targeted killing 1 238
People killed on own land 586 (54.1%)
B'Tselem 6,359 (98.9%)
People killed on others' land 498 (45.9%)
B'Tselem 71 (1.1%)
* The Palestinian people do not have a military, so the usual classification of civilian is not being used. Instead B'Tselem provides data on the number of Palestinians who did not participate in hostilities, a significantly more stringent qualification than the one used to identify Israeli civilians. We do not know how many of the Israelis listed as civilians participated in the hostilities. Many settlers who illegally have taken over parts of the West Bank (and used to live in parts of the Gaza Strip) are heavily armed and there have been numerous reports of their brutal attacks on their Palestinian neighbors.
Causes of Deaths of Israeli Soldiers
Committed Suicide 30
Illness 14
Accidents 26
Terror Incidents 6
Source: Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv, Oct. 10, 2005, p. 6.
Note: The paper also reported that since 1992, 459 Israeli soldiers have committed suicide.
Israelis and Palestinians Injured in the Current Violence
Israelis and Palestinians Injured
10,792 Israelis and 59,575 Palestinians have been injured since September 29, 2000. (View Sources & More Information.)
At least 48,944 Palestinians and 9,053 Israelis
have been injured since September 29, 2000.
Number of People Injured Per YearIsraelisPalestinia...200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201203,0006,0009,00012,000Year
"With no shooting from the Palestinian side, and often little or no use of tear gas to disperse the protests, Israeli soldiers have repeatedly fired live ammunition into unarmed crowds."
- Shoot to Maim
Source: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)has collected data on both Israeli and Palestinian injuries since 2005. Their Protection of Civilians: Casualties Database provides careful and detailed documentation for each recorded injury, including location, gender, age, type of weapon used, context and incident type, and nationality of both the offender and the injured.
The database does not include injuries for either population during Israel's "Cast Lead" assault on Gaza from December 27, 2008 to January 18, 2009, possibly because the organization did not have access to the Gaza Strip. However, in a separate reportconcerning the humanitarian situation in Gaza, OCHA reports that 5,380 Palestinians were injured and 523 Israelis were injured during the offensive. Because the exact date of each of these injuries is unknown to us, they were added to our 2009 column, although a portion of these injuries actually occurred in the last four days of 2008. (See the list of all of OCHA's reports on the Gaza Crisis.)
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reports that 28,372 Palestinians were injured between 2000 and 2004. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that 7,247 Israelis were injured during the same time period.
The exact number of Palestinians injured during the current uprising is very difficult to ascertain. This is caused in part by the chaos that ensued following the re-invasion of the West Bank during March and April 2002, the brutal attack on Gaza in the 2008-09 winter, and also by the fact that many Palestinian injuries go unreported and untreated (The PRCS numbers only include people who sought medical attention for their injuries.). It is believed that more than 10,000 Palestinian children had already been injured in the first several years of this violence.
It is also possible that the statistics from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs are not completely accurate. They may include non-Israelis injured in the conflict as well as Israelis who were injured in other places or by people who are not Palestinian.
We have been unable to find details about the breakdown of injury types suffered by Israelis, so the chart below only applies to the Palestinians injured.
(If you know a reliable source for such information, please contact us. Thanks!)
Palestinian Injuries
Sep 30, 2000 - Dec 31, 2008
Percentage of those injured that are minors
West Bank: 35.7%; Gaza: 20%
Injured by Live Ammunition
PRCS
Injured by Rubber-/Plastic-Coated Bullets
Injured by Tear Gas
Injured by Misc. Causes
Number of Permanent Disabilities
Israeli Injuries
(Source: Israeli Foreign Ministry)
Severely Injured
Moderately Injured
Lightly Injured
U.S. Military Aid and the Israel/Palestine Conflict
Daily U.S. Military Aid to Israel and the Palestinians
Fiscal Year 2011
During Fiscal Year 2011, the U.S. is providing Israel with at least $8.2 million per day in military aid and $0 in military aid to the Palestinians. (View Sources & More Information)
The U.S. is providing Israel with at least $8.5 million each day*in military aid and is giving the Palestinians $0** in military aid during Fiscal Year 2012.
"Since the October War in 1973, Washington has provided Israel with a level of support dwarfing the amounts provided to any other state. It has been the largest annual recipient of direct U.S. economic and military assistance since 1976 and the largest total recipient since World War ll. Total direct U.S. aid to Israel amounts to well over $140 billion in 2003 dollars. Israel receives about $3 billion in direct foreign assistance each year, which is roughly one-fifth of America's entire foreign aid budget. In per capita terms, the United States gives each Israeli a direct subsidy worth about $500 per year. This largesse is especially striking when one realizes that Israel is now a wealthy industrial state with a per capita income roughly equal to South Korea or Spain."
- John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt
"The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy"
* The source for US military aid to Israel during Fiscal Year 2012 is the Congressional Research Service's "U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel," written by Jeremy M. Sharp, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs, updated March 12, 2012. According to this report, the Obama Administration requested $3.1 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Israel for the fiscal year 2013.
Over the last 20 years, the U.S. has been slowly phasing out economic aid to Israel and gradually replacing it with increased military aid. Beginning in 2007, the U.S. has increased military aid by $150 million each year. Beginning 2012, we will be sending Israel $3.1 billion a year (or an average of $8.5 million a day) and will continue to provide military aid at that level through 2018. U.S. tax dollars are subsidizing one of the most powerful foreign militaries. According to the CRS report, "[current U.S. military aid] grants to Israel represent 18.2% of the overall Israeli defense budget."
Contrary to ordinary U.S. policy, Israel has been and continues to be allowed to use approximately 25% of this military aid to purchase equipment from Israeli manufacturers. According to CRS, "no other recipient of U.S. military assistance has been granted this benefit." Thanks in part to this indirect U.S. subsidy, Israel's arms industry has become one of the strongest in the world. "Between 2001 an 2008, it was the 7th largest arms supplier to the world with sales worth a total of 9.9 billion."
In addition, the United States contributes funds for a joint U.S.-Israeli Missile Defense Program designed to thwart short-range missiles and rockets fired by non-state actors (such as Hamas and Hezbollah) as well as mid- and longer-range ballistic missiles (this refers to Iran and/or Syria's asenals). The U.S. spent $106.1 million on this program in 2012 and plans to spend $99.8 million in 2013.
By all accounts the United States has given more money to Israel than to any other country. The Congressional Research Service's conservative estimate of total cumulative US aid to Israel (not adjusted for inflation) from 1949 through 2013 is $115 billion.
A November 2008 Washington Report article "A Conservative Estimate of Total Direct U.S. Aid to Israel: $114 Billion," by Shirl McArthur, puts the cumulative total even higher.
According to McArthur, "[T]he indirect or consequential costs to the American taxpayer as a result of Washington's blind support for Israel exceed by many times the amount of direct U.S. aid to Israel. Some of these 'indirect or consequential' costs would include the costs to U.S. manufacturers of the Arab boycott, the costs to U.S. companies and consumers of the Arab oil embargo and consequent soaring oil prices as a result of U.S. support for Israel in the 1973 war, and the costs of U.S. unilateral economic sanctions on Iran, Iraq, Libya and Syria. (For a discussion of these larger costs, see 'The Costs to American Taxpayers of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: $3 Trillion,' by the late Thomas R. Stauffer, June 2003 Washington Report, p. 20.)"
** The source for US aid to the Palestinians during Fiscal Year 2009 is the Congressional Research Service's Report "U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians", written by Jim Zanotti, Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs, updated August 12, 2010. According to the report the U.S. has never provided Palestinians with military aid (although we have provided Palestinians with aid for policing their own people as well as with humanitarian and development assistance).
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided the Palestinian people with some indirect economic assistance through funds distributed to U.S.-based NGOs operating in the West Bank and Gaza. According to the CRS report, "Funds are allocated in this program for projects in sectors such as humanitarian assistance, economic development, democratic reform, improving water access and other infrastructure, health care, education, and vocational training." The program is subject to a vetting process and to yearly audits...
In addition, some funding has occasionally been provided directly to the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA) in an attempt to strengthen it against competing political parties (particularly Hamas) and for use in policing the Palestinian people. Such funds are usually only authorized once Congress has received proof that they will be used for "non-lethal assistance."
The United States also provides funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), "which provides food, shelter, medical care, and education for many of the original refugees from the 1947-1949 Arab-Israeli war and their families—now comprising approximately 4.8 million Palestinians in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza." (Learn more about Palestinian refugees.)
$400.4 million have been appropriated for economic aid to the Palestinians and $100 million for support of PA police training, etc. for FY2010. The U.S. also provided just over $61.5 million (as of February 13, 2009) in emergency humanitarian aid through USAID, UNRWA, and the International Committee of the Red Cross following Israel's assault on Gaza.
Political Prisoners in Israel/Palestine
Current Number of Political Prisoners and Detainees
0 Israelis are being held prisoner by Palestinians, while5,604 Palestinians are currently imprisoned by Israel. (View Sources & More Information)
"Since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in 1967, over 650,000 Palestinians have been detained by Israel. This forms approximately 20% of the total Palestinian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT)."
– Palestine Monitor
Source: Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, Addameer Monthly Detention Report: "As of 1 September 2012, there were 4,606 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centers, including 212 administrative detainees, 7 women and 194 children." (September 1, 2012)
Breakdown of Palestinian Prisoners
Type of Prisoner Number of Prisoners
Total number of political prisoners 4,606
Administrative detainees 212 (7 PLC members)
Female prisoners 7
Child prisoners 194 (30 under age 16)
Palestinian Legislative Council members 13
East Jerusalem prisoners 151
1948 Territories prisoners 197
Gaza prisoners 445
Prisoners serving life sentences 530
Prisoners serving a sentence above 20 years 452
Prisoners having served for more than 25 years 22
Prisoners detained before Oslo Agreements 111
Homes Demolished in Israel and Palestine
Demolitions of Israeli and Palestinian Homes
0 Israeli homes have been demolished by Palestinians and 24,813 Palestinian homes have been demolished by Israel since 1967. (View Sources & More Information)
"Any humanitarian looking at the sheer number of innocent civilians who have lost their homes can only condemn Israel's house demolition policy as a hugely disproportionate military response by an occupation army... It is a policy that creates only hardship and bitterness, and in the end can only undermine hope for future reconciliation and peace."
– Peter Hansen, Commissioner General of UNRWA
Statistics Source: The Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions estimates that over 27,000 houses have been demolished in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza since 1967 (as of July 28, 2012). According to ICAHD:
"Since 1967, about 27,000 Palestinian homes and other structures (livestock pens and fencing for example) crucial for a family's livelihood, have been demolished in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), including East Jerusalem. It is impossible to know how many homes exactly because the Israeli authorities only report on the demolition of "structures," which may be homes or may be other structures. When a seven-story apartment building is demolished containing more than 20 housing units, that is considered only one demolition."
In addition to the homes demolished by Israel, thousands of Palestinian homes have been destroyed or significantly damaged by Israeli bombing and shelling. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that during Israel's Operation 'Cast Lead' assault on Gaza from Decemeber 27, 2008 to January 18, 2009,
"3,540 homes were destroyed in the course of the hostilities, 2,870 homes were severely damaged and 52,900 homes sustained minor damage. Some 2,618 homes destroyed or damaged beyond repair during 'Cast Lead' await rebuilding, primarily due to the blockade and restrictions on the entry of construction materials through the Kerem Shalom crossing. "
While Palestinians have not demolished any Israeli homes, there is one known case of a Palestinian destroying an Israeli home in an explosion.
Summary of Israel's Home Demolition Policy
B'Tselem
Excerpts from "Through No Fault of Their Own,"
Nov 15, 2004.
(Read the Synopsis and Full Report.)
Watch B'Tselem Video on Home Demolitions
"During the course of the al-Aqsa intifada, which began in September 2000, Israel has implemented a policy of mass demolition of Palestinian houses in the Occupied Territories. In that period, Israel has destroyed some 4,170 Palestinian homes.
"The IDF carries out three types of house demolitions. Most are carried out in the framework of what Israel calls 'clearing operations,' which are intended to meet what Israel defines as 'military needs.' These operations take place primarily in the Gaza Strip: along the Egyptian border, which passes through Rafah and its refugee camps; around settlements and army posts; alongside roads used by settlers and IDF forces; and in the northern part of the Gaza Strip [...]
"The second type of demolition are administrative demolitions of houses built without a permit. These demolitions take place in Area C in the West Bank, where Israel retains authority over planning and building even after the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, and in East Jerusalem. [...]
"The third kind of house demolitions are those intended to punish the relatives and neighbors of Palestinians who carried out or are suspected of involvement in attacks against Israeli civilians or soldiers. These punitive demolitions are intended for the homes in which these suspects lived. However, in many cases, adjacent homes are also destroyed."
The Economic Impact of the Conflict on Israelis and Palestinians
Israeli and Palestinian Unemployment Rates
The Israeli unemployment rate is 6.4%, while the Palestinian unemployment in the West Bank is 16.5% and40% in Gaza. (View Sources & More Information)
The Israeli unemployment rate is 5.6%, while the Palestinian unemployment rate in the West Bank is 23.5% and 40% in Gaza.
"[A] recent World Bank study predicts that, if the current situation continues throughout 2006, this may be the worst year in the Palestinian economic history. The average Palestinian's personal income will fall by 40%, and 67% of the population will fall into poverty."
- A. David Craig, World Bank
Source: The source of these unemployment numbers is the CIA World Factbook on Israel, the CIA World Factbook on the West Bank, and the CIA World Factbook on Gaza. All 3 are the estimates for 2010.
The sharp rise in Palestinian unemployment is universally viewed as resulting from Israeli policies of closure and movement restrictions. The economic situation in Gaza has been devastated by an air, sea, and land blockade that Israeli officials say was designed to keep Gaza indefinitely on "the brink of collapse."
Israeli Settlements
on Palestinian Land
Current Illegal Settlements on the Other's Land
Israel currently has 236 Jewish-only settlements and 'outposts' built on confiscated Palestinian land. Palestinians do not have any settlements on Israeli land. (View Sources & More Information)
Israel currently has 170 Jewish-only settlements and 99 "outposts" built on confiscated Palestinian land.
Palestinians do not have any
settlements on Israeli land.
Source: According to Americans for Peace Now's "Facts on the Ground" Map Project, there are 170 official Israeli settlements and 99 informal outposts on Palestinian land, including 24 neighborhoods in East Jerusalem de facto annexed to Israel. APN's interactive settlement map shows the name, location, and population for each settlement and outpost on Palestinian territory, all of which are considered illegal under international law.
"Land Grab:
Israel's Settlement Policy in the West Bank"
Published in May 2002.
B'Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, endeavors to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, combat the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help create a human rights culture in Israel.
Since 1967, each Israeli government has invested significant resources in establishing and expanding settlements in the Occupied Territories. As a result of this policy, approximately 500,000 Israeli citizens now live on the settlements on the West Bank, including those established in East Jerusalem.
The [peace] process between Israel and the Palestinians did not impede settlement activities, which continued under the Labor government of Yitzhak Rabin (1992-1996) and all subsequent governments. These governments built thousands of new housing units, claiming that this was necessary to meet the "natural growth" of the existing population. As a result, between 1993 and 2000 the number of settlers on the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) increased by almost 100 percent.
International humanitarian law prohibits [an] occupying power [from transferring] citizens from its own territory to the occupied territory (Fourth Geneva Convention, article 49). The Hague Regulations prohibit the occupying power [from undertaking] permanent changes in the occupied area, unless these are due to military needs in the narrow sense of the term, or unless they are undertaken for the benefit of the local population.
The establishment of the settlements leads to the violation of the rights of the Palestinians as enshrined in international human rights law. Among other violations, the settlements infringe on the rights to self-determination, equality, property, an adequate standard of living, and freedom of movement.
Taking Control of the Land
Israel has used a complex legal and bureaucratic mechanism to take control of more than fifty percent of the land in the West Bank. This land has been used mainly to establish settlements and create reserves of land for the future expansion of the settlements.
Israel uses the seized lands to benefit the settlements, while prohibiting the Palestinian public from using them in any way. This use is forbidden and illegal in itself. As the occupier in the Occupied Territories, Israel is not permitted to ignore the needs of an entire population and to use land intended for public needs solely to benefit the settlers.
The Policy of Annexation and Local Government
The Israeli administration has applied most aspects of Israeli law to the settlers and the settlements, thus effectively annexing them to the State of Israel…This annexation has resulted in a regime of legalized separation and discrimination. This regime is based on the existence of two separate legal systems in the same territory, with the rights of individuals being determined by their nationality.
The areas of jurisdiction of the Jewish local authorities, most of which extend far beyond the built-up area, are defined as "closed military zones" in the military orders. Palestinians are forbidden to enter these areas without authorization from the Israeli military commander. Israeli citizens, Jews from throughout the world and tourists are all permitted to enter these areas without the need for special permits.
Encouragement of Migration to Settlements
The Israeli governments have implemented a consistent and systematic policy intended to encourage Jewish citizens to migrate to the West Bank…settlers and other Israeli citizens working or investing in the settlements are entitled to significant financial benefits.
The Planning System
The planning system on the West Bank, implemented by the Civil Administration, is one of the most powerful mechanisms of the Israeli occupation. As with the other bureaucratic systems, the planning system operates on two distinct tracks: one for Jews and the other for Palestinians.
This system is responsible for transforming the map of the West Bank because it is the planning system that approves the outline plans for the settlements and issues building permits for the establishment and expansion of settlements and for the construction of by-pass roads. Israel changed the composition of the planning institutions on the West Bank and transferred numerous planning powers to the Jewish local authorities, while expropriating these powers from Palestinian planning institutions.
While facilitating Jewish settlement, the planning system works vigorously to restrict the development of Palestinian communities. The main tool used to this end is to reject requests for building permits filed by Palestinians. In most cases, the requests are rejected on the grounds that the regional outline plans – approved in the 1940s during the British Mandate – prohibit construction in the relevant area of land. These plans do not reflect the development needs of the Palestinian population, and the planning system deliberately refrains from preparing revised plans. Houses built by Palestinians without building permits are demolished by the Civil Administration, even in cases when the construction took place on private land.
Israel has created in the Occupied Territories a regime of separation based on discrimination, applying two separate systems of law in the same area and basing the rights of individuals on their nationality. This regime is the only one of its kind in the world, and is reminiscent of distasteful regimes from the past, such as the Apartheid regime in South Africa.
Under this regime, Israel has stolen hundreds of thousands of dunam of land from the Palestinians. Israel has used this land to establish dozens of settlements in the West Bank and to populate them with hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens. Israel prohibits the Palestinians as a group from entering and using these lands, and uses the settlements to justify numerous violations of the Palestinians' human rights, such as the right to housing, to earn a livelihood, and the right to freedom of movement. The drastic change that Israel has made in the map of the West Bank prevents any real possibility for the establishment of an independent, viable Palestinian state as part of the Palestinians' right to self-determination.
The settlers, on the contrary, benefit from all the rights available to Israeli citizens living within the Green Line [Israel proper], and in some cases are even granted additional rights. The great effort that Israel has invested in the settlement enterprise – in financial, legal and bureaucratic terms – has turned the settlements into civilian enclaves in an area under military rule, with the settlers being given priority status. To perpetuate this situation, which is a priori illegal, Israel has continuously breached the rights of the Palestinians.
Particularly evident is Israel's manipulative use of legal tools in order to give the settlement enterprise an impression of legality. In so doing, Israel trampled on numerous restrictions and prohibitions established in the international conventions to which it is party, and which were intended to limit infringement of human rights and to protect populations under occupation.
Why Obama should bust Netanyahu for 9/11
ആരാധനകളുടെയും ആഘോഷങ്ങളുടെയും ആത്മാവു തേടുമ്പോള്
UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination (I)
So Obama Wins the Election. What Does It All Mean?...
Islamic Finance as a Solution to the Modern Capita...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Since February of 2011, Corpus Christi Unitarian Universalist Church has offered a two-hour Sunday afternoon program for English as a Second Language (ESL), Citizenship Test Preparation…and hopefully will include basic computer training this year.
Marilyn Bremser, congregation member, had been teaching these classes at the local library since 2006 but felt that the program could be expanded as an outreach program at our church. Friends with a local Hispanic community activist, Marilyn was invited to attend a "Fuerza Comunitaria" where a collection of local groups, (OSHA, Catholic Charities, insurance companies, etc.) offer free information and guidance to the immigrant community. At that February Sunday afternoon gathering 23 people signed up to come to our church classes, most speaking no English at all. With this large number to enroll, the pastor, the Rev. Phil Douglas, enlisted the assistance of the Literary Council whose director is also a church member.
Finding teachers and organizing classrooms in our small church was a challenge but as the year progressed we have settled into five classes: beginning, intermediate and fluency language; citizenship prep and the fifth class is taught by a bi-lingual teacher who kindly assists the more insecure.
We registered about 60 students in 2011. In December we were able to give certificates to 20 students who studied more than 16 hours with us. Students have been predominantlyfrom Mexico, but others are from Venezuela, Turkey, India, Columbia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Korea, and Taiwan.
Clearly, this program offers an excellent opportunity for the Corpus Christi UU Church to be of service and extend their ministry in their wider community, which is made up of sixty-two percent Hispanic people. This is a congregation committed to ministering to the needs in their local community and transforming lives, one person at a time.
This entry was posted in Faith Communities, Generosity & Giving, Giving, Religious Life, Stewardship Resources, Unitarian Universalism and tagged congregation, Economic justice, Generosity & Giving, Hospitality, multicultural education, Religion and Spirituality, Social justice, Standing on the Side of Love by Giving Speaks. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
When could schools reopen after coronavirus outbreak?
Published: 4:17 PM April 23, 2020 Updated: 6:46 PM October 11, 2020
June 1 has been suggested as a possible date schools could return - but teaching unions have expressed caution. Picture: Chris Radburn/PA Wire - Credit: PA
June 1 is the earliest realistic date schools could open following the coronavirus crisis, a former Suffolk principal and headteachers' union leader has said.
Geoff Barton, former headteacherl in Bury St Edmunds and general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders. Picture: Phil Morley - Credit: Phil Morley
However Geoff Barton said that while it is "absolutely reasonable that we are starting to think about what it will look like when the day comes and we do start reintegrating children", he added: "We need to be very cautious."
MORE: Join our Facebook group for updates on coronavirus
Schools and colleges across the UK closed their doors to the majority of pupils, apart from the children of key workers and vulnerable youngsters, from March 23. The government put the Covid-19 lockdown in place later that day.
GCSEs and A-level exams have been cancelled.
MORE: 5 ways teenagers can take care of their mental health during extended lockdown
There has been no official guidance on when schools and colleges will reopen, but children are now returning to nurseries and schools in some other European countries.
The National Education Union (NEU) warned that an early return could result in an "increased risk" to school staff and children, while some fear about not only enforcing social distancing in classrooms but also in corridors and playgrouds.
MORE: Sign up for all the latest coronavirus news in Suffolk here
Mr Barton former headteacher of King Edward VI Upper School in Bury St Edmunds, and currently the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, suggested staggering the return of pupils could be a possible solution.
9 More than 1,500 homes left without power
10 Warning after distraction thefts at supermarkets
"I think across the teaching profession there is a level of anxiety about people running away with themselves in terms of when schools can open because it will be good for the economy," he said.
"We need to be very cautious about it. But I think it is absolutely reasonable that we are starting to think about what it will look like when the day comes and we do start reintegrating children."
MORE: All of the coronavirus news in Suffolk
Copleston High School principal Andy Green has warnd that schools may need to find innovative ways of teaching students at home for the foreseeable future in case of prolonged coronavirus restrictions, or further lockdowns in the future to cope with future waves of the illness.
"If your online learning programme is not of high quality, when you're in a lockdown of four, five or six weeks at a time then students are going to really suffer and miss out," he said.


text:
Migrant Voice survey finds a significant number of people experience problems applying to the EU Settlement Scheme
Report finds concerns over difficulty of applying and negative impact it has on health and wellbeing
Migrant Voice released an interesting new report last week looking at the experiences of people applying to the EU Settlement Scheme.
The 43-page report is available here.
For the report, Migrant Voice conducted an online survey which received 229 valid responses. Migrant Voice acknowledges that its survey represents only a limited snapshot of experiences and says it is clear that a much larger survey of the Settlement Scheme is also needed.
While Migrant Voice welcomed the fact that the majority of survey respondents had a fairly positive experience of the EU Settlement Scheme application process, it was concerned to find that a significant minority did not.
In addition, a third of respondents said they had not yet applied to the scheme, with many of those citing fears that they would be rejected as they were aware of problems that other applicants had faced.
According to the report, 49% of respondents rated the application process "difficult" (from "slightly" to "very") and 35% said they faced complications in the application process.
38% of respondents said they were asked to provide additional evidence, with a significant number of those saying this should not have been necessary as their tax and National Insurance records should have been sufficient. Some said they found it impossible to provide the necessary evidence and thus felt forced to accept the temporary pre-settled status as they did not have the documents to prove that they were eligible for permanent settled status.
Dozens of respondents said they had experienced technical glitches, communication problems, delays or Home Office mistakes during the application process.
As well as technical problems, Migrant Voice found that the EU Settlement Scheme has a significant negative impact on the health and wellbeing of many applicants and prospective applicants.
"Dozens of people told us they felt ashamed, scapegoated or humiliated by the scheme and the process of applying … Many told us the experience had caused significant stress and anxiety … Others said they were too worried about the process and the outcome to even apply," the report noted.
Migrant Voice said the report's findings were deeply concerning, especially given the consequences for those whose applications are refused or who do not apply before the deadline.
"There is an urgent need for a more efficient and accurate application processing system, for an end to the policy that will turn unknown numbers of UK residents into undocumented migrants, and for an expansion of support networks where these are needed most," the report stated.
Nazek Ramadan, Director of Migrant Voice, said:
"While we welcome the fact that many people are finding the process a smooth one, it is troubling that so many people are facing significant technical problems, poor guidance, delays and a lack of communication. The severe impact on the health and wellbeing of so many of those applying or facing the prospect of it is equally concerning.
"We call on all UK politicians and all who have a role to play in the continued development and implementation of the EU Settlement Scheme to read this report and act swiftly on its recommendations.
"The message, repeated so often by our politicians, that EEA nationals and their families are welcome here must be made a reality through legislation that guarantees their rights, regardless of the outcome of Brexit, and through a declaratory or registration scheme that works for all."
Law Commission report recommends a complete overhaul of overly complex and unworkable Immigration Rules
The Best Practice Guide to Asylum and Human Rights Appeals is now newly updated for 2020
New report by Amnesty UK, Refugee Council and Save the Children finds UK policy on refugee family reunion is damaging the lives of children
Rights group calls for British and French governments to fully respect the rights of asylum seekers as 2019 sees large increase in Channel crossings
House of Commons Library publishes updated briefing paper on the deportation of foreign national offenders
The Independent: Women Against Rape finds many asylum seekers do not report rape due to Home Office culture of disbelief
Confederation of British Industry finds uncertainty about the new immigration system is causing big concerns for businesses
Queen's Speech sets out government's proposed legislative programme and heralds major changes for immigration
High Court finds fee in excess of £1,000 for children to register as British citizens is unlawful
Conservative majority means Brexit, a new "Australian-style points-based system", and possibly a new government department for borders and immigration


Abstract Mirror-touch synaesthesia (MTS) is a conscious tactile sensation in the observer when watching somebody else being touched. Two disparate theories have been suggested to explain MTS. The threshold theory links MIS to hyper-activity in the parietal-frontal mirror neuron system, while the self-other theory attributes MIS to impaired self-other representations in temporal parietal junction (TPJ) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Here, I propose that these two theories can be synthesized under a unified social motor cognition theory which states that action observation engages two complementary levels of cognitive processing: a lower-level, physical process regarding basic sensory-motor aspects of the action, which supports motor imitation and goal understanding, and an abstract mental level concerning attribution of mental states, which supports interring others' minds and self-other distinctions. While the physical process preferentially recruits the mirror neuron system, the mental process depends critically on the mentalizing network comprised of TPJ and mPFC. Importantly, despite of these anatomical and functional dissimilarities, the mirroring and mentalizing processes involve shared predictive coding, which is a general computational principle for a wide range of prominent concepts in motor cognition.
GB/T 7714 Kuang, Shenbing. Toward a Unified Social Motor Cognition Theory of Understanding Mirror-Touch Synaesthesia[J]. FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE,2016,10.
APA Kuang, Shenbing.(2016).Toward a Unified Social Motor Cognition Theory of Understanding Mirror-Touch Synaesthesia.FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE,10.
MLA Kuang, Shenbing."Toward a Unified Social Motor Cognition Theory of Understanding Mirror-Touch Synaesthesia".FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE 10(2016).


We've organized a comprehensive list of North Carolina nursing schools. Below you'll find information on specific nursing programs such as LPN certificates and ADN, BSN, and MSN degrees. You'll also find a profile of nursing education and careers in each major North Carolina city.
Several distinct nursing career options are available in North Carolina. Each nursing role carries a unique set of educational training and licensure requirements.
Students interested in becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA) can enroll in a short qualification course, which typically lasts just a few weeks. CNAs must possess good communication abilities in addition to manual dexterity. There are many different programs available, so it is important for an aspiring CNA to choose the right one.
Students wishing to qualify as licensed practical nurses (LPNs) may enroll in a certificate program at one of North Carolina's community colleges. These programs are fairly brief, typically 12 to 18 months in length. There are over 40 LPN certificate programs available throughout the state, so students have a broad menu of options from which to choose.
Registered nurses (RNs) play a fundamental role in the North Carolina healthcare system. They make critical decisions regarding patient care, supervise more junior nurses, and train other healthcare professionals. Students wishing to qualify as RNs typically pursue either an associate's degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). Prospective RNs must also pass the NCLEX-RN national licensure examination before practicing in North Carolina.
Charlotte's aspiring nurses can achieve licensure through a variety of education pathways. Each pathway is specific to one of the four major nursing roles.
The Hickory, North Carolina, metropolitan area – locally dubbed the "Unifour" – is home to more than 7,000 nursing professionals. Some of the most common roles are registered nurse (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), and certified nursing assistant (CNA). Most nurses in Hickory earned their degree or diploma at a local college or university. The region is flush with top nursing schools, including Lenoir-Rhyne University, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, Catawba Valley Community College, and Western Piedmont Community College.
Several large healthcare providers, including Novant Health and the UnitedHealth Group, are looking to expand their nursing teams in Winston-Salem. They promise competitive salary packages to their employees, so aspiring nurses may want to learn more about the area's nursing sector.
Winston-Salem's nursing workforce may be broadly categorized into four roles. Each one requires a different set of skills and qualifications, and each role carries distinct compensation.
Students can attain a variety of nursing qualifications at accredited schools in Wilmington. Each type of qualification prepares students for a particular nursing role. Some nursing roles also require successfully passing a national standardized exam. The time and financial investment required varies widely by nursing role.
Raleigh has four distinct nursing roles, each of which requires a unique set of qualifications. We've briefly profiled each role and its education pathways below.
The nursing profession in the Greensboro / High Point area can be broadly divided into three distinct roles. Each nursing role carries a unique mix of work duties, educational requirements, and compensation.
Many of Fayetteville's major healthcare providers, such as PruittHealth and Amedisys, are looking to employ new nurses. The area has four primary nursing roles, each of which requires a particular set of skills and qualifications. Fayetteville's prospective nurses should learn more about the area's work and education opportunities.
The Durham / Chapel Hill area of North Carolina is home to over 13,000 nursing professionals. Aspiring nurses can pursue several distinct nursing roles, each of which carries unique qualification requirements.
A number of community colleges offer certificate programs which allow students to qualify as certified nursing assistants. These courses are cost-effective and time-efficient, typically requiring only a few months to complete. Hence, many students begin their nursing careers by qualifying as CNAs.
North Carolina's nurses typically fall into one of three major nursing roles. Each role requires a different education pathway to achieve qualification, and each role carries unique duties. In addition, compensation varies greatly by nursing role.


text:
The Official Blog of Crucial
Broadcast | Crucial
Design and Dev
Making App Development Simpler: The Language Server Protocol
Chris De Santis
.	 Published on June 29, 2016 . 0
Microsoft, Codenvy, and Red Hat recently announced the adoption of a joint project focusing on making app development simpler. The Language Server Protocol, announced at DevNation 2016, aims to create a more understandable way to integrate programming languages across code editors and integrated development environments (IDEs).
Tyler Jewell, Codenvy CEO and Eclipse Che project lead, stated, "historically, most programming languages have only been optimized for a single tool. This has prevented developers from using the editors they know and love, and has limited opportunities for language developers to reach a wide audience."
"With a common protocol supported by Microsoft, Red Hat, and Codenvy, developers can gain access to intelligence or any language within their favourite tools."
The Language Server Protocol is an open-source project that defines a JSON-based data exchange language server protocol. It is hosted on GitHub and licensed under the creative commons and MIT licenses. The protocol is used between a tool (the client) and a language smartness provider (the server) to integrate specific features into the tool, such as auto-complete, goto definition, find all references, and others. Here's a diagram to illustrate the communication between a tool and the language server:
Who are involved?
Microsoft, one of the world's largest tech giants, mostly known for their computer software, consumer electronics, and personal computers and services.
Codenvy, the company behind the same-name on-demand developers workspaces, that make software development continuous. They also lead the Eclipse Che Project.
Red Hat, the world's leading provider of open-source software solutions for the enterprise community, that use a community-powered approach to provide reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage, and virtualisation technologies.
Developer flexibility and choice — developers can now access rich editing experiences across new programming languages, while continuing to use their preferred tools.
Multiple operating systems — programming language providers can support multiple tools across a range of operating systems, which maximises their reach and relevance
Editor support — support has been added to the protocol with Microsoft Visual Studio Code and Eclipse Che (the next-generation Eclipse IDE).
Many programming languages — there is a multitude of programming languages servers that are planned to support the protocol later this year, such as C# by OmniSharp, xText, R by Typefox, JavaFx by Ensime, and CSS by Microsoft. A number of programming language servers are available today, including JSON, C++, and Powershell.
Open collaboration — the three collaborators are committed to developing the protocol in collaboration with the open source community. As it's hosted on a public repository, any individual can submit feedback or contribute pull requests to enhance and refine the project.
Language server registry — to make languages servers discoverable for any tool, language servers are published as part of a global registry, built by Codenvy as an Eclipse project, and hosted by the Eclipse Foundation.
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text:
Колхети — топоним.

 Колхети — грузинское название Колхиды.
 «Колхети» (или «Колхети-1913») — футбольный клуб из города Поти.
  — футбольный клуб из города Хоби.
 Колхети — национальный парк.
 Колхети — заповедник.

См. также
 Колхи


text:
Le peryton est une créature magique et maléfique de type bête dans l'univers de Donjons et Dragons, dont la figure est inspirée péritio de Jorge Luis Borges.

Historique des publications
Dans le bestiaire de Donjons et Dragons, le peryton figure depuis la première édition du Manuel des monstres. Il a été développé dans le numéro 82 de Dragon, en . On les retrouve dans la seconde édition des Royaumes oubliés dans le Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix II en 1991 et dans la nouvelle édition du  Monstrous Manual en 1993, puis dans la troisième édition des Royaumes Oubliés,  Monsters of Faerûn, en 2001.

Description
Il s'agit d'une créature maléfique géante de type bête, possédant la partie antérieure d'un cerf avec une tête de chien féroce aux oreilles dressées et la partie postérieure d'un aigle surmontée de cornes d'obsidienne brillantes, un plumage vert foncé, une tête bleu-noir aux yeux orange pâle et des serres jaunes, il est donc différent en apparence du péritio de Borges. Les perytons sont habituellement d'alignement chaotique mauvais et, tout comme dans la description originale de Borges, insensibles aux armes non magiques. Ils projettent des ombres de forme humaine et ont la même odeur qu'un homme.

Les perytons sont des créatures maléfiques qui se reposent au sommet de hautes falaises dans les forêts denses. Ils créent des nids de 4 individus ou complètement indépendants, ces nids ne sont jamais proches les uns des autres, sauf dans des circonstances particulières, comme en cas de terrain de chasse fertile. Les perytons ont besoin de manger de l'homme ou des cœurs humanoïdes pour survivre, et les femelles de se reproduire, aussi chassent-ils des êtres en conséquence. Ils communiquent par une série de cris et de rugissements. Ils ne peuvent pas parler mais comprennent le langage commun. Les perytons se soucient de leur chasse afin d'obtenir le cœur d'un humanoïde. Chaque jour, ils essaient de faire au moins un mort. Ils commencent par la recherche d'un homme afin de le capturer avec leur ombre, puis volent très haut et redescendent en plongeant à la vitesse de l'éclair. Ils saisissent la victime dans leurs serres, la transportent dans le ciel, puis lui arrachent le cœur. S'ils ont mangé récemment, ils portent l'homme à leur nid et le conservent comme un esclave jusqu'à ce que son cœur soit nécessaire. Ils prennent tout trésor que la victime pourrait avoir, et le stockent à la manière d'un dragon.

Notes

Références

Annexes

Articles connexes
 Péritio

Liens externes
Vision d'artiste d'un Péryton

Bibliographie

Créature des Royaumes oubliés
Créature de Donjons et Dragons
Chimère (créature imaginaire)
Créature ailée
Créature maléfique


Plush and Play is a social enterprise that offers educational stuffed toys and felt items, all hand-stitched and sewed in partnership with women living in Gawad Kalinga communities.
With a first line of veggie-themed stuffed toys with names like Manny Pakwan, Jessica Saging or Pan Talong, Plush and Play is delighting and educating little ones and older, as well as providing a sustainable livelihood that allows their fellow kids in Bulacan to eat and go to school every day.
All Plush and Play toys are hypoallergenic and made from non-toxic and environmentally friendly materials.
Plush and Play aims to become the first global toy company offering safe, environmentally-friendly and educational toys for Filipinos and the world, manufactured by community partners in traditionally underprivileged and low-income areas to generate secured sources of income.
The organization emerged out of Gawad Kalinga's Enchanted Farm, which serves as a village university, social tourism destination, and incubator of social enterprises. By supporting Plush and Play, you will support Gawad Kalinga - an organization committed to achieving its 2024 goal of ending poverty by providing housing, creating sustainable livelihoods, and developing uniquely Filipino social enterprises that will transform rural villages into strong and lasting communities.


The Swim Rankings cover a one year period, starting on September 1 and ending on August 31.
The Swim Rankings are updated on a regular basis. Typically, we will update the Swim Rankings within 48 hours of the results being posted.


text:
Library Grants, UK
The Charter School Library
Recent research proves that the most powerful place for a young person's reading journey to take off is at home! We want all Charter School students and their families to understand the benefits and joys of reading for pleasure in our busy and often stressful lives. We know students' home reading culture is the key factor in whether they enjoy reading or not, so we aim to bring whole families – often those who are harder to reach in the community – into our School Library.
By inviting small groups of our lower-literacy and often EAL students and their families to fun half-termly parties in the School Library, we create a sense of belonging and understanding between the family and books. To improve families' access to books, we provide the exact books the students and adults have requested for them to borrow, and we give away free books at every meeting. To build interest in books, we invite a popular author to speak during every project, and we give free signed copies of his or her books to all the group.
To build confidence in reading and using the Library, we set exciting challenges and competitions, and we give prizes and awards to all participants. To generate an ethos of fun and wellbeing within the Library, we provide party food and drink and we create a buzz around the project, making it something students are proud to participate in.
To encourage positive family relationships at the start of secondary school when many young people are becoming more independent, we ask students and their parents/carers to work together and share ideas, while remaining unassessed in a supportive group setting.
Project Name: Generation Read!
Grant Awarded: £1,000.00
Mission: To facilitate under-served and sometimes EAL local families' engagement with the School Library to improve reading cultures at home.
Website: http://www.charter.southwark.sch.uk/
Library Grants
Union County Carnegie Library
The Better World Books Literacy Grant will help make our Early Literacy Learning Lab a… Read more »
Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization
People with Down syndrome can't read. The Learning Program demolishes that myth by giving children… Read more »
Omacan
The OMACAN Mobile Libraries for Street Kids project will create 3 mobile libraries to give access… Read more »


Thanks to groundbreaking stem cell treatment, professional hockey player Gordie Howe is recovering from a serious stroke that robbed him of his mobility and can now do most things he could do before, like throwing a football. Even pushing a shopping cart around the grocery store is a tremendous improvement for Gordie, who just months ago had very poor health. Now, Gordie can attend the Kinsmen Club of Saskatoon event where it was announced that a local rink, the Kinsmen Arena, will henceforth be known as the Gordie Howe Kinsmen Arena.


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Kiosk Technology
Print & Label
Retail Supply Chain
It's complicated: 55% of organisations struggle to keep up with new tech
Jul 11, 2018 Critical Issues, Retail Supply Chain Comments (0)
In this world we can often say we have too much choice and not enough time. B2B decision-makers are finding much the same is true for them, with the influx of new technologies available to their businesses proving too much to keep up with.
Technology is changing rapidly. Keeping up with the latest innovations, challenges, opportunities and threats is a big task. How many IT decision-makers feel fully equipped?
A new study by Cogeco Peer 1, a global provider of enterprise IT products and services, found that 55% of organisations are struggling to keep up with the pace of new technology. Shockingly, 28% of IT leaders felt they personally can't keep up with all the changes and choices available to them.
The study, which questioned 150 IT decision-makers across several different industries including financial services, retail, higher education, business services and media, looked into the real value of service and found that over a quarter (28%) of respondents admitted that their organisation has actually fallen behind the rate of change in technology and the vast majority (84%) of respondents stated that their organisation is not currently running the optimum IT system.
When an organisation adopts new technology, it is clear it doesn't always go to plan. 81% of respondents had been let down by IT they've adopted in the past, when it has not lived up to expectations and almost half (48%) stated this has happened on multiple occasions. The most common impacts of this have been reliability issues (65%), not getting the service required (57%) and higher costs (52%), suggesting that the cost implications of a wrong turn can be incredibly detrimental to a business and the legacy of systems that don't work as anticipated can lead to problems for a long time to come.
Susan Bowen, VP and General Manager EMEA at Cogeco Peer 1 said: "This study gives us fascinating insight into where the priorities of IT decision-makers lie and where vendors can really be making an impact.
"It is important for an IT partner to step up when it comes to digesting the features, benefits, threats and drawbacks of introducing new products and routes a business could buy into and debrief their recommendations to the business accordingly. Only by becoming a trusted business partner can an IT vendor ingratiate themselves with a business and really add that extra level of invaluable service.
"This is something Cogeco Peer 1 is well known for and it's that which sets us apart. With new technology, IT decision makers are requiring a deeper level of technical expertise to accompany it. That can only come from dedicated technical account managers and a partner on hand 24/7."
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Jesus publicly and definitively announced to that synagogue audience that he was the Messiah of Isaiah's prophecy. The audience gathered there bore witness to his testimony that he was the Christ; they witnessed the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. He is the Messiah of God, the king of Israel, the one chosen by God to proclaim Good News to the poor, to liberate the captive and the blind. He continues this ministry still to all those who today believe in his name.
Eternal God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for Jesus's testimony that he is in fact the Messiah of God, the anointed one of Isaiah's prophecy. Indeed, we know him to be the Messiah, our liberator, the proclaimer of freedom and liberty, and the only one who can set the captives free. Let the Nazarene's testimony resonate today, in our hearts and lives, as we follow him. In Jesus's name, amen.
Truly, dear Savior and Lord, it must have been a shock to your friends and neighbors to hear your testimony that the words of Isaiah were fulfilled in their hearing that morning. Let us cling to your testimony, affirming in our hearts that you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God, come to liberate, heal, and transform us all. Make it so in our lives today, amen.
God provides spiritual sight to those who are blind through the life and salvation of the Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, we affirm today that you are the Messiah, the center of Isaiah's prophecy, the anointed one chosen by God to bring deliverance to the broken of the world.


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Šetnja po kotorskim zidinama

Jedan sunčan decembarski dan 2006. godine - savršen za pentranje po brdu u zaleđu starog grada

                                                                  Posted on december 10, 2007  8:54 AM

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Unmatched customer service – We have never received a complaint with the Georgia Public Service Commission in all our years of service, and we have zero unresolved complaints with the Better Business Bureau. Our customers in Acworth and beyond trust us as their moving company for all their moving and storage needs.
A professional team – All our uniformed movers in Acworth, Georgia are licensed and employed by us. We don't use day laborers, and all our movers in Atlanta are insured above what the state requires. We take care of our employees so that they can take care of you.
Guaranteed delivery – If we do not pick up and deliver your things to your Acworth home on the day we say we will, we will pay you $100 for every day that we are delayed.
At Georgia Pack and Load, we put our customers first. We pride ourselves on the relationships we have built with our customers in Acworth, all over the state of Georgia, and even all over the country and world. We will be happy to assist you with your move to or from Acworth, and we are confident that you will be happy when you choose us as your moving company as well.
Contact us today at 770-409-8890 for a free estimate and to learn how our Acworth movers can make your move a positive and safe experience.


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Apple Rehires Newton Developer Michael Tchao
Monday September 28, 2009 6:12 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
The New York Times reports that Apple has rehired Michael Tchao, one of the developers of the Newton, Apple's personal digital assistant platform that launched in 1993. Tchao, who returned to Apple today after a 15-year absence, serves as vice president of product marketing and reports directly to senior vice president Phil Schiller.
It is not clear what his new duties at Apple will entail; Apple would not comment further on the matter, and Mr. Tchao did not immediately respond to a phone message. But identifying a market for the much-rumored Apple tablet could certainly be among them. Mr. Tchao gets the credit (or perhaps the blame) for convincing John Sculley, Apple's former chief executive, to integrate the company's handwriting-recognition technology into a consumer device.
Tchao worked at Apple from 1986 until 1994, holding three different positions during that time and eventually advancing to Group Manager for Product Planning and Strategy in the company's Personal Interactive Electronics division. He then spent several years in consulting and product development before taking the position of General Manager of the Nike Techlab in 2002, where he has overseen the development of a number of Nike+iPod products and technologies.
Apple Testing In-Display Fingerprint Sensor for iPhone 13, Foldable iPhone Also in the Works
Friday January 15, 2021 1:46 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple has started "early work" on an iPhone that has a foldable display, according to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Though testing of a foldable iPhone has begun, Apple has not committed to releasing a device that has a foldable display. Development has not yet expanded beyond a display and Apple does not have full foldable iPhone prototypes in its labs. Like foldable...
Kuo: New MacBook Pro Models to Feature Flat-Edged Design, MagSafe, No Touch Bar and More Ports
Thursday January 14, 2021 9:32 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple is working on two new MacBook Pro models that will feature significant design changes, well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a note to investors that was obtained by MacRumors. According to Kuo, Apple is developing two models in 14 and 16-inch size options. The new MacBook Pro machines will feature a flat-edged design, which Kuo describes as "similar to the iPhone 12" ...
iOS 14.4 Will Introduce Warning on iPhones With Non-Genuine Cameras
Thursday January 14, 2021 8:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol and Steve Moser
In the second beta of iOS 14.4 seeded to developers and public testers this week, MacRumors contributor Steve Moser has discovered code indicating that Apple will be introducing a new warning on iPhones that have had their camera repaired or replaced with aftermarket components rather than genuine Apple components. "Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple camera," the message will...
Fitness+ Subscribers Now Have Nearly 300 Workouts to Choose From
Apple on Monday added over two dozen new video workout sessions to Fitness+, continuing a recent trend of building out the catalog of its fledgling subscription service on a weekly basis. Fitness+ launched December 14, 2020, and is designed to help Apple Watch owners keep fit through a series of guided workouts that are available across multiple workout categories. As you follow along with...
There's Still No Sign of Privacy Labels for Most Google iOS Apps
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SwitchArcade Round-Up: Mini-Views With 'Writhe' and More, 'Spinny's Journey' and Today's Other Releases, and the Latest Sales


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I'm now on tumblr, check out my random, v4nt0m.tumblr.com.
I rented Legendary recently and managed to play it all the way through, whilst I enjoyed the game, there were many glaring problems with it, most notably the untapped potential. It seems like a trend lately, developers seem to do some things right but other things so terribly wrong. So I'll start off with the good rather than the bad…
The graphics in Legendary whilst not ground-breaking are what you would expect from this generation of games and they do the imaginative world justice. The weapons are varied and pack the right amount of punch. Most of the enemies are a little different from your run of the mill run and shoot enemies, you'll be fighting flying enemies which levitate items at you, werewolves that regenerate unless you chop off their heads and giant Minotaurs hell bent on bashing your skull in.
The story too is great, Pandora's box has been found and opened and it has unleashed an army of mythical beasts that are completely tearing the world to pieces. And your character is linked to the box with the signet on his hand. Read more…
360, Gaming, Legendary, xbox
Field Runners PSP (Minis)
Also available on Youtube.
field runners, fieldrunners, Playstation Portable, psp, PSP Minis
Dimensions of Tetris
After playing Tetris on the PSP for hours I've become addicted to it and have been playing every version I can get my hands on. Mainly I have been playing on Tetris Friends which has some great online versions of Tetris including a remake of GB Tetris. I wrote an article some ago on Tetris for another website which has long since deceased, I discovered many forms of tetris ranging through 3D, 4D and beyond. I figured since this year it's Tetris' 25th anniversary I'd write another. Read on for more. Read more…
11/10/2009 3,595
Retro, Tetris
PSP Tetris (Minis)
Tetris get!
Finally the PSP gets a version of the classic Tetris, it has been a long time coming but by god it's actually worth it. Tetris is available via PSN only (for a measly £3.99) and is labelled as one of the new PSP "minis". From the moment I clapped eyes on it I was in love, the graphics are sharp and colourful, the music is great too, kind of techno remixes of the old Tetris songs. and of course the original mode will still gives you enjoyment but with this version the "variants" are where it's at.
Each variant is a twist on the original formula, some that I've played before (like gravity where dissociated blocks drop down in the spaces below) and some variants I've never played, some are more challenging than others but the game will make you play them in order to unlock more. In every variant game you have only to score 40 lines and after that it's over, but you get more points for finishing quickly and more points for the more "Tetrises" you get. So play your cards right and you can get some nice times and/or scores. My favourite variant is "Treadmill". every time you drop a piece the whole screen moves to the right by one block and pops onto the left hand side, it's confusing but fun. The hardest I think is "Split" where the playing field is split down the middle and each side is independent except for when scoring lines.
There are a few extras in the game too like the master replays, which will show you some fantastic times and scores and lets you watch their entire game as they played it. There's also a glossary if you're a nub or like me didn't have a clue what a "T-Spin" was. That's about it really, I would have to say that personally I think it's the best Tetris game I've ever played 😀
Oh and here's a quick video (music is not from the actual game):
Also available on Youtube
5/10/2009 1,337
Playstation Portable, psp, PSP Go, PSP Minis, Sony, Tetris
Mmmm killpocalypse
This is probably the biggest release of the month and the most awaited release for Halo fans. Personally I was very excited about the launch, the trailers were fantastic, the hype (as usual) was great.
To quickly summarise how I felt about the game I would have to say that the campaign portion was short, boring and annoying. But firefight is extremely enjoyable. I guess the campaign felt more like a training exercise than an actual part of the main game. Especially since campaign will probably take you 4 or 5 hours to complete from start to finish, your average firefight games will be over an hour each. Spent over two hours playing a single game last night, the only problem with this model is that I'm less likely to play consecutive games that last two hours as it is a major investment. I go more in depth after the break.
Bungie, Halo, Microsoft, ODST
Grooveshark 2.0 Preview
I'm a big fan of free legal music online, or at least non copyrighted music. Spotify is great but to be honest has a much more limited music library than Grooveshark. I'm always there when I can't find what I'm looking for on Spotify and it's ok as a music playing tool but lacks a lot of features.
Thankfully they have been hard at work behind the scenes at Grooveshark to build "Grooveshark 2.0" or a new version which should hit the mainstream soon. At the moment it is only available to paying "vip" members and I figured it was worth £2 to see what it's like and from what I've seen I am pretty impressed, but take a look for yourself (more after the break):
free, Grooveshark, mp3, music
I've been thinking lately, how much different technology has made our lives in the past decade. In particular the mobile phone. Mobile phones not only allow us to communicate verbally with other people they allow a whole plethora of possibilities from taking photos to querying Wikipedia.
Gadgets, Miniaturization, mobile phones, Technology
Noby Noby Boy
This is Noby Noby Boy, a quirky little game released on PSN. It was created by the same mind behind Katamari. However it is a lot more relaxed and much more random. Firstly there is no real challenge in Noby Noby Boy and conceivably all levels will be unlocked without you lifting a finger.
Firstly I'll point out that "Nobi" means "stretch" in Japanese. The basic premise of Noby Noby Boy is to stretch yourself (you are the "Boy" i think) as long as you can and then submit this score to the "Girl". Then your score is added to the total score for everyone who has played the game and over time the length you have added will allow the Girl to reach other planets or levels. Each level is a small floating square with buildings, people and random objects scattered around.
You can also eat the people and objects that appear on levels though I'm not sure what this accomplishes except for the comical screams of the inhabitants and the pretty amusing speed at which people fly from your poophole.
Your "Boy" is controlled by using the analog sticks, the left analog stick moves the front end of your wormy, stretchy thing and the right analog stick controls the arse end. You can also fly the respective ends by pressing L2 and R2.
So in short the aim of the game is to stretch your "Boy" until you think he's long enough and then present your length to the "Girl" where you score…. !!! I can only assume that this was somehow intentional, nobody could be that suggestive accidentally could they? Either way it's a novelty to play and can be relaxing too.
games, Katamari, Noby Noby Boy, Playstation 3, PSN
Facebook profile pic faux pas
This is a compilation of the worst crimes against the facebook world. People should keep their profile pictures relevant on most of all the picture should be of you! Full image after the fold.
27/7/2009 72,948
facebook, humor, pictures, profile
Transparency Thinger
Got bored again and as usual coded some completely random an useless piece of php. This one basically lets you input the url of any image on the net and then outputs the image on 4 different shades of background from black to that lovely chequered "transparency" image.
It took a little while to perfect everything, and as usual I kept adding bits when I thought I had finished it already, not to mention the ballache I had trying to get it to look exactly the same in IE as it does in FF. Probably completely fails in other browsers but FF and IE are basically everyone. The other issue it took a while to get around was the transparent background as usually it makes what's in the cell transparent too I used transparent PNGs to get the effect of transparency without coding it in HTML.
I also added the ability to look at a sprite on any background colour of your choice, thise outputs a different page with just the transparent image and the image on top of the HEX colour of your choice 🙂
http://chaoti.csignal.org/transparency_thinger/
Dev, gif, PHP, sprites, Web