Fitch Ratings has assigned an 'A-' rating to the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's $179.69 million general obligation (GO) refunding bonds, series 2019A. The bonds are expected to sell through a negotiated sale on or about April 30, 2019. Proceeds will refund certain outstanding GO bonds of the city.
Fitch will host a webinar to discuss how ports have performed over the past decade, how this may change in the coming decade, and what challenges the sector faces going forward. This discussion will focus on trends in the Americas as well as globally.
Fitch hosted a webinar to discuss our response to the March 26, 2019 ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit regarding the bondholder protections provided by special revenue status under Chapter 9 of the U.S. bankruptcy code.
The Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) received congressional approval on Monday, April 8 after several years of negotiations and despite technically missing various deadlines set by the US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). The finalization of the DCP comes after years of negotiations between states in the Colorado River Basin hoping to stabilize water levels in Lake Mead following years of drought and over allocation.
In response to the March 26, 2019 ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit regarding the bondholder protections provided by special revenue status under Chapter 9 of the U.S. bankruptcy code, Fitch Ratings has developed rating sensitivities corresponding to the likelihood and severity of potential rating changes resulting from a final court ruling upholding the decision.
Fitch Ratings has published the final, revised version of its sector-specific criteria report titled "U.S. Public Power Rating Criteria". These criteria, and the adopted revisions, will facilitate a more forward-looking, predictable approach to ratings and better highlight differences among credits in the same category.
Precedents of similar lawsuits indicate that the $6 billion lawsuit filed by commercial truckers is unlikely to have a material adverse effect on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The practise of transferring a portion of tolls for the benefit of transit and other transportation-related purposes is both widespread and long-standing.
Though not over yet, U.S. not-for-profit hospitals appear to have weathered the worst of their operational challenges with more performance stability not far off, according to Fitch Ratings in a new report.
This week's charges of fraudulent admissions brought on by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) are not likely to lead to near-term negative rating actions for U.S. colleges and universities. Over the longer term, credit risks may arise from related legal costs, as well as from reputational damage contributing to any weakened demand and/or philanthropic efforts.
The governor's executive budget for fiscal 2020 largely continues current fiscal initiatives, including the gradual pension contribution ramp up, apart from a proposal to raise the top income tax rate on taxpayers earning between $1 million and $5 million. Updates to current fiscal 2019 are included in the executive budget and point to an anticipated budgetary surplus despite reported revenue weakness year-to-date through January.
California's Supreme Court ruling last week leaves the status quo intact on the legal protection of pension benefits in place in the state for decades. However, as the first of several pending legal challenges to public pension reforms since the Great Recession, the court may yet provide further clarity on the extent of protections provided by the "California rule."
Recent US state tax revenue data affirms Fitch Ratings' view that the passage of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in December 2017 would contribute to abnormal state revenue volatility and uncertainty. We expect volatility to continue in 2019, but lessen over the next several years as taxpayers and states adjust to the changes, particularly the cap on State and Local Tax deductions.
Fitch Ratings has assigned 'AAA' ratings to the following Indianapolis Local Public Improvement Bond Bank, Indiana bonds: --$610.5 million Indianapolis-Marion County Building Authority (the Building Authority) Community Justice Campus lease rental revenue bonds, Series 2019A ; --$12.6 million Indianapolis-Marion County Building Authority (the Building Authority) Community Justice Campus lease rental revenue bonds, Series 2019B. Fitch has also affirmed the City of Indianapolis' $60 million unlimited tax general obligation (ULTGO) bonds at 'AAA'.
California credits, specifically the state, counties and cities and school districts, are all better prepared to manage through the next economic downturn; however, some school districts throughout the state may feel its effects more acutely. Please join us as we discuss how prepared California credits are for the next recession.
The fiscal 2020 executive budget plan recently introduced by Illinois' governor would not materially address the state's structural budget issues in the current fiscal year or the next, says Fitch Ratings.
The district and DCTA are scheduled to resume negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) today. It appears that the impasse relates to district policy in how it allocates voter-approved property tax levies for a portion of teacher compensation. Such teacher compensation policies are not a focus of Fitch's analysis; however, Fitch would be concerned if these changes impinged upon the district's expenditure flexibility.
Stable economic growth led to another solid year for U.S. public finance with annual upgrades exceeding downgrades for the year. Both upgrades and downgrades in total were down for the year. Fitch reports 89 muni downgrades in 2018 versus 166 downgrades in 2017.
Fitch Ratings does not expect to take rating action on the Oakland Unified School District's 'BBB+' Issuer Default Rating (IDR) based solely on the Oakland Education Association's (OEA) vote to authorize a strike as early as Feb. 15.
Bills recently filed in both chambers of the Texas legislature propose to significantly lower the rollback property tax rate for local Texas taxing entities with a certain amount of annual tax revenue and require ratification elections if rollback rates are exceeded. This legislation if enacted could negatively impact Fitch's assessment of certain local governments' independent revenue raising ability.
Potential amendments to Alaska's constitution proposed by the governor last week would constrain the state's ability to proactively manage its financial operations and could result in negative pressure on the state's Long-Term 'AA' Issuer Default Rating (IDR)/Stable Outlook, according to Fitch Ratings.
Public school funding proposals from both the Texas House of Representatives and Senate for the 2020-21 biennium include sizable increases, which if realized would boost near-term revenue growth expectations for Texas school districts, according to Fitch Ratings.
California credits, specifically the state, counties and cities and school districts, are all better prepared to manage through the next economic downturn; however, some school districts throughout the state may feel its effects more acutely, according to a new Fitch Ratings report.
PG&E Corporation's planned bankruptcy filing is not likely to adversely affect the credit quality of the state of California, its local governments or publicly owned utilities (POUs), according to Fitch Ratings.
California's school district oversight procedures remain fundamentally strong even after recent changes, and Fitch Ratings' school bond ratings are unlikely to be affected by the changes.
No further rating action on the Los Angeles Unified School District's issuer rating based on the teacher union's decision to strike on Jan. 14th. The strike was postponed from Jan. 10th due to disputes about the notification period and concern about a possible court injunction.
As a new legislative session begins in Kentucky with pension changes likely up for debate, the commitment to address rising expenditure demands, particularly for pensions, remains a key determinant in the trajectory of the commonwealth's 'AA-'/Stable Outlook Issuer Default Rating (IDR), according to Fitch Ratings.
The ongoing federal government shutdown should not have significant effects on U.S. public finance credits. The partial shutdown is only affecting around 20%-25% of the federal government, and funding critical to rated sectors remains in place. However, there are risks of localized economic effects in areas with large concentrations of federal employees and the potential for credit risks will grow the longer the shutdown continues.
The recently reported data breach at San Diego Unified School District, affecting the personal data of as many as 500,000 students, underscores the heightened threat of cyberattacks that educational, governmental and healthcare organizations face due to the sizable amount of personal data housed on their networks. Cyber risk is not a driver of credit risk or rating actions. However, our ratings reflect issuers' overall resilience to manage and respond to changes in its operating environment, including risks associated with cyberattacks.
Any reduction in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), either through repeal, piecemeal legislative efforts or legal challenges to its constitutionality, is detrimental for the U.S. not-for-profit healthcare sector, particularly in those states that have or are expanding Medicaid.
Various industry challenges are increasingly pressuring U.S. colleges and universities, widening the credit gap in the sector and prompting Fitch Ratings to revise its higher education sector outlook for 2019 to negative, as detailed in the rating agency's outlook report.
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Who We Are - designRoom is building healthy, sustainable brands.
We are down to earth and down to business. We are designers, writers, and project leaders building healthy brands for organizations that help people. And we love the clients we serve.
dR started in the nineties when a young designer, Kelly Farrell, became dissatisfied with the ad agency status quo. She knew she could offer clients better service with more integrity. So, on her own, she built a firm that outlasted her former employer's.
Today designRoom is an award-winning, national branding and design firm, known for helping clients build and promote healthy, sustainable brands. And we are super proud of that.
To build, market, and maintain healthy, sustainable brands for organizations that help people.


text:
Eumaeus hagmanni är en fjärilsart som beskrevs av Johannes Karl Max Röber 1923. Eumaeus hagmanni ingår i släktet Eumaeus och familjen juvelvingar. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Juvelvingar
hagmanni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Xestoleberis setouchiensis is een mosselkreeftjessoort uit de familie van de Xestoleberididae. De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1979 door Okobu.

Xestoleberididae


text:
Q: how to get user id on facebook request dialog What i want to do is get the request ID and insert to my database. My request dialog is run well, but the problem is I cannot get 'TO' user id http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/dialogs/requests/ , but I still cannot get the request user ID.
here is my coding:
         function newInvite(){
            //var user_ids = document.getElementsByName("user_ids")[0].value;
           FB.ui({
                    method : 'apprequests',
                    title: 'X-MATCH',
                    message: 'Come join US now, having fun here',
            },
            function getMultipleRequests(requestIds) {
              FB.api('', {"ids": requestIds }, function(response) {
                console.log(response);
              });
            }
            );
        }

any solution on this?
million thanks for help

A: Have you enable request 2.0 efficient?
If you have enabled, you can get the user id easily as the response like this
{
    request: 'request_id'
    to:[array of user_ids]
}

In your callback function, you can use
response.request to get the request ID
response.to to get the array of user ids
And notice that if you use request 2.0, the request ID format will like this
<request_object_id>_<user_id>

If you doesn't enable it, then you can only get the array of request ids and you need to make another api call to get the user id
Edited:
FB.ui({
        method : "apprequests",
        title : "your title",
        message : "your msg"
      },
      function(response)  {
          var receiverIDs;
          if (response.request)  {
              var receiverIDs = response.to;  // receiverIDs is an array holding all user ids
          }
      }
);

Then you can use the array "receiverIDs" for further process
For example I sent a request to user id with id "1234", "5678"
The response will like this:
{
    request: '1234567890'   // example,
    to:['1234', '5678']
}

In request 2.0, the full request id will look like this
1234567890_1234
1234567890_5678

Caution: FB doc tell you to manage and delete the request yourself, if you using request 2.0,
remember to delete the id like the above, if you directly delete the request '123456789', all the full request ID  with this prefix will be deleted.
==================================================================
If you haven't enable request 2.0, follow the code on the doc page to see how to get the user id by making a api call
function getMultipleRequests(requestIds) {
  FB.api('', {"ids": requestIds }, function(response) {
    console.log(response);
  });
}

The response format for these methods is as follows:
{
   "id": "[request_id]",
   "application": {
      "name": "[Application Name]",
      "id": "[Application ID]"
   },
   "to": {
      "name": "[Recipient User Name]",
      "id": "[Recipient User ID]"
   },
   "from": {
      "name": "[Sender User ID]",
      "id": "[Sender User Name]"
   },
   "message": "[Request Message]",
   "created_time": "2011-09-12T23:08:47+0000"
}

you can implement the callback of api call and getting who is the receiver by response.to.id

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
White Pearl - pure and powerful as the Full Moon can only be!
White Pearl – Advanced Charm Necklace made of Swarovski pearls, Moon Stones and Silver
Swarovski pearls, Moon Stone and Silver-plated closure (Charm spells for Enhanced protection!)
(in cm): ca 48
Supernova Line 1
Moon Stone Guide
A high class, advanced charm Necklace that is created by combining Swarovski pearls, pure Moon Stones and a Silver closure.
Standing out from the rest with its purity, the White Pearl charm necklace has been designed for the individual that only seeks for the best quality out of everything.
White Pearl is designed to vibrate calm and soothing energies to its surroundings making it an ideal energy infused item for individuals that find themselves in positions of: leadership, education or when have to neutralize tough circumstances.
White and Silver, pure and powerful as the Full Moon can only be.
Advanced Protection and Energy Infusion:
The necklace has been infused with highly advanced energies to ward off the Devil's Eye as well as protective charms in order to protect the user, of the necklace, against negativity from others.
Moreover, advanced spelling methods have been utilized, which were rooted on sacred geometry and the 3 seals, so as to activate the faculties of chakra healing and to provide the wearer with the soothing effects that will calm the mind and the heart.
Necklace Dimensions (in cm):
Silver and White
This design is Copyright by DeMar © 2019
energy infused
As ancient as the moon itself, Moonstone holds the power of mystery. Its secrets are locked beneath a pearly veil, and with them, our own hidden truths. Only within its reflected light can we begin to understand what it has to teach us. Moonstone is foremost a talisman of the inward journey, taking one deep into the self to retrieve what is missing, the parts of the soul left behind or forgotten, then brought to light.
Since earliest times, Moonstone has been a tangible connection to the magic of the moon - an amulet of protection for travelers, a gift of lovers for passion, a channel for prophecy, and a path to wisdom. Our ties to the moon are strong. As it waxes and wanes in cyclic perfection, it creates the tides and rhythms of our mother, Earth, and influences our behaviors, emotions and spiritual growth. Moonstone calms and encourages, teaching us the natural rhythms of life.
Moonstone has been used in Roman jewelry for nearly two thousand years, even longer in the Orient. It has always been a sacred stone in India with a special significance for lovers, and is a traditional wedding gift there. It was a popular choice for jewelers in the Art Nouveau period, and in Europe was believed to reconcile estranged lovers and to cure sleeplessness. Moonstone is known as the Traveler's Stone for the protection it affords, especially at night, and because of its uplifting quality of hope, has long been worn as a talisman to enhance the personality.
Named for its moon-like sheen, Moonstone is a Feldspar mineral exhibiting a soft, watery opaqueness and a silvery-white reflection called chatoyancy that moves as a line across the surface as light varies. Moonstone occurs in delicate shades of peach, blue, gray, white and a prismatic variety known as Rainbow Moonstone. In addition to the general properties of all Moonstones outlined in this article, the following crystals have additional focuses.
Blue, or Cat's Eye Moonstone, promotes clarity of the mind and inner vision, keeping one focused while in a meditative or altered state of awareness. It is particularly helpful in seeing emotional patterns and life lessons, and in balancing yin and yang energies.
Gray Moonstone is a stone of perceiving beyond the veil - useful to the clairvoyant and shaman, and in moving one into unseen realms. It is called the "New Moon Stone" and carries the mysteries and powers of the new moon, where all things exist as potential.
White Moonstone carries the energy of the new moon at the height of its power, stimulating psychic perception, vision and dream work. It can magnify one's emotions, activating the kundalini energy in women and emotional balance in men, and is supportive in children to drive away nightmares or insomnia.
Peach or Yellow Moonstone supports the heart as it stimulates the mind, soothing worry or anxiety, and bringing out the best in people. Its loving energy promotes the Divine in all situations, and is an emotional support for intuitive or sensitive children.
Rainbow Moonstone acts as a prism, diffusing energy throughout the aura. It provides psychic protection, clearing the mind and senses, and aids in lucid dreaming and calm sleep. It deflects negativity and eases emotional trauma. Aligned with the Goddess, Rainbow Moonstones connect with the energies and spirits of Nature, from plant devas to galactic consciousness.
What Moon Stone Does:
Moonstone opens the heart to nurturing qualities as well as assisting in the acceptance of love. It is an excellent crystal for first or new love, and is a comforting talisman if love must be kept a secret. It was also believed to be able to reunite loved ones who had parted in anger.
Moonstone is also the stone of love and eroticism, stimulating the kundalini energy and carnal desires. It is the ultimate fertility crystal. A Moonstone necklace worn during lovemaking at full moon harmonizes the body into the natural lunar cycle. Or, for fidelity or fertility, make a grid of thirteen Moonstone crystals with a circle of the twelve months around a bedroom, and one centered under the bed.
As a professional support stone, Moonstone aids dancers and artists in their self-expression, inspires the heart and feeling in executives, and helps educators in sharing activities. It enhances self-acceptance in waiters and waitresses, and promotes sensitivity in psychologists and secretaries.
Physical Healing Energy:
Moonstone is a traditional stone for attuning to the ebb and flow of the moon's energy. For this reason it can be helpful in stabilising female cycles and can help males be-come attuned to the subtle hormonal shifts they experience during the moon phases. It can also be used to help balance water retention.
Moonstone helps the digestive and reproductive systems, assimilates nutrients, eliminates toxins and fluid retention. It eases degenerative conditions of skin, hair, eyes and fleshy organs such as the liver and pancreas. It is excellent for PMS, conception, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
Moonstone crystal water has been traditionally used for insomnia and the stone can prevent sleepwalking.
It is linked to the pineal gland and balances the hormonal system, stabilises fluid imbalances, and attunes to the biorhythm clock. It is helpful in cases of shock and can be used to calm hyperactive children.
Moonstone is the stone most associated with female fertility, and the associated menses, premenstrual syndrome and menopause. The Divine Feminine works through this stone to help assist women in all the joys of womanhood - maid, mother and wise woman. This stone helps you embrace the constant ebb and flow of female hormones.
Emotional Healing Energy:
Moonstone can help to sort through your emotions and gain a higher perspective on their meaning and purpose. It can aid in releasing frustration and surrendering to the natural progress of the cycles of life. It enhances patience and helps you remain objective when receiving empathic information from others.
Moonstone calms over reactions to situations and to emotional triggers. Moonstone is filled with receptive, passive, feminine energy.
It balances male-female energies and helps men who want to get in touch with their feminine side. It is the perfect antidote for the excessively macho man or overly aggressive female.
Moonstone helps restore emotional balance This is a good stone for cleansing negative energy from your energy centres or chakras.
This is also a stone of reflection, helping you to look within using the powerful tool of self observation for self improvement and spiritual growth. With this stone in hand, watch your actions and reactions to others without judgement.
Chakra Healing and Balancing Energy:
The white crystal energies present in all Moonstones have an association with the Crown Chakra and our spiritual center. They represent personal identification with the Infinite, and oneness with God, peace and wisdom.
The Crown Chakra is located at the top of the head, and is our gateway to the expanded universe beyond our bodies. It controls how we think, and how we respond to the world around us. It is the fountainhead of our beliefs and the source of our spirituality. It connects us to the higher planes of existence and is the source of universal energy and truth. When the Crown is in balance, our energies are in balance. We know our place in the universe and see things as they are. We are unruffled by setbacks, knowing they are an essential part of life.
Moonstone cleanses and dispels negativity from all the chakras, and provides supplemental energy and support in balancing the physical, emotional, and intellectual bodies. It provides spiritual nourishment and sustenance to assist one through all changes. It is also a useful tool in radionic analysis and treatment to help pinpoint problem areas.
Spiritual Energy:
Always sacred in India, Moonstone was the stone of the gods and goddesses, of hope and spiritual purity through denial of the ego. It combats materialism and strengthens the faith of religious people in all cultures. Hermits, monks and other contemplatives withdrawn from society for spiritual reasons, find a special affinity for Moonstone.
Moonstone opens the mind to hoping and wishing, inspiration and impulse, serendipity and synchronicity. It brings flashes of insight, keeping one from negatively banishing possibilities. Yet it grants intuitive recognition and allows one to absorb that which is needed from the universe and not necessarily what is wanted.
Color Energy:
Moonstones carry White color energy, the embodiment of cleanliness, purity, unity and innocence. The timeless, natural powers of the white rays are those of the moon, the color we see when the moon reflects the sun's light to us.
It is the color of natural cycles, birth, and regeneration - the feminine gender, manifested as the Goddess in many cultures. Just as the moon is our only illumination in the dark world of night, white talismans are of the spiritual world that is sensed but not seen, the guides to understanding and knowledge we don't even know exists.
Meditation:
Meditating with Moonstone takes one deep into the self. Often it reveals the missing piece or pieces of the puzzle of one's life, parts of the soul that have been left behind or forgotten. It is also ideal for past-life regression.
Moonstone Goddess Crystals:
Moonstone honors Cerridwen, the Welsh Goddess of Inspiration and Knowledge. She rules the gifts of prophecy and magic, and powers death and rebirth. She is the guardian of spiritual transformation.
Moonstone honors Hanwi, The Sioux Moon Goddess. Her name means "Night Sun" and she guards her people during the night, protecting them from harm and from evil spirits.
Moonstone honors Nyx, the Greek Goddess of the Night. She is usually seen riding in a chariot, trailing stars and painting the night sky.
Moonstone honors Selene, the Greek Moon Goddess, depicted wearing a crown of the crescent moon, long robes, and carrying a torch. She travels the sky to guide and protect those in the dark. Women in particular associate with Selene, seeing in her the mystery and romance of the evening.
Moonstone also honors Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Moon, and Protector of Animals.
Whereas gold is the metal of the sun, silver is the metal of the moon. Like the moon and water, silver is reflective and used to mirror the soul bringing people calm and balance. Silver is used to 'draw down the moon' during lunar ceremonies, giving the wearer use of the moons energy and protecting them from negativity.
Silver's connection to the spiritual life is mostly seen in traditional cultures where people live in union and deep respect for the earth. For example, the Tibetans spiritual silver jewelry is often combined with gemstones and crystals which then resonate their healing vibrations more strongly. Another aspect of the silver natural healing belief is that wearing this jewelry brings the wearer more in tune with the vibrations and flow of the universe. It is the metal of emotions, love and healing. Silver's properties are strongest during the new and full moon.
Silver Metaphysical Properties and Silver Mystical Properties
manifestation of wealth, riches, and health
improves quality of speech and brings eloquence to conversations
calming and balancing
reflects away negativity and evil intentions
brings the wearer more in tune with the flow of the universe
like the moon and water, a mirror to the soul
increases strength of perception
awakens and increases psychic and intuitive capacities
provides strong connection between physical and astral bodies
increases the strength of gemstones and crystals, particularly Moonstone, Amethyst, Quartz, and Turquoise
high malleability (ability to be shaped), enables the user/wearer to bend energies, creating vital energy centers
placed on your forehead, activates and opens your Third Eye Chakra
astrologically associated with Cancer and Aquarius, the element Water, and direction West
increased Perception, increased intuition and increased Recovery.
Silver in Healing
Wearing silver jewelry is said to help heal and calm the mind, to help clear the lungs and throat, to increase circulation and purify the blood, to balance hormones and to slow the progression of degenerative brain diseases. Just wearing silver is said to help draw negative energy from the body to make way for positive energy.
Any stone used for healing will benefit from being set into silver.
Silver is a great conductor of energy, including magic. Any stone set in silver will be amplified and its energy more easily directed.
The Influencer – Vast and calming as the seven seas
The Pearl Moon Necklace (silver ver)
Enlil (Control the Wind Element) - Zweite Seele
The Pearl Moon Necklace (gold ver)
Baphomet Seele (The path in-between) - Zweite Seele
The Pure White Anglican Rosary (Ver. 2)
The Hematite good Luck Bracelet
The White Pearl Choker Rosary
Hades Breath (Dark Soul) - Zweite Seele
The Black Crow Catholic Rosary
Nirvana – Balance both aspects of Light and Darkness
Electra and Thaumas - Zweite Seele
The Ivory Cross Silver Pearl Earrings
The Water Element Pearl Earrings
Hercules Might (The Power of Absolute) - Zweite Seele
The Talisman of Love - Zweite Seele

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It will continue working on the world's largest aircraft, though.
Stratolaunch is axing several projects in an effort to scale back its operations a few months after founder Paul Allen, who's more recognized for being Microsoft's co-founder, passed away. According to GeekWire, the company will continue developing the world's largest aircraft, which is its main project in the first place. However, it will no longer push through with its plans to create a new type of rocket engine and a family of launch vehicles that include a space plane.
Those launch vehicles are still in their "design study" phase, and the first one was supposed to debut in 2022. The company already tested a core component of its hydrogen-and-oxygen-fuelled rocket engine named after its founder -- it's called PGA for Paul G. Allen -- but it looks like the project won't be completed anymore.
"Stratolaunch is ending the development of their family of launch vehicles and rocket engine. We are streamlining operations, focusing on the aircraft and our ability to support a demonstration launch of the Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL air-launch vehicle. We are immensely proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to first flight in 2019."
Stratolaunch is reportedly letting 50 employees go and retaining only 20 to keep working on its giant plane and prepare it for first test flight sometime this year. The massive twin-fuselage aircraft, which weighs 500,000 pounds and has a wingspan measuring 385 feet, was designed to carry smaller launch vehicles and their payloads like satellites strapped to its belly. It's meant to be a reusable launch vehicle, flying its payload high enough and then releasing it mid-flight.
Unfortunately, the spokesperson didn't elaborate on why the company is scaling back its operations, but the costs of keeping the company running might have something to do with it. As GeekWire noted, the founders of other aerospace corporations have been using their own money to fund their space dreams. Both Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, for instance, have each invested around $1 billion into Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, respectively.


text:
MSC Cruise Ship Cancels Baltic Season in Favor of the Norwegian Fjords
MSC Cruise ship pulls out of Baltic season in favor of sailings in the Norwegian Fjords for the entire summer 2022 season.
Modified Date: Mar 16, 2022
Photo Courtesy: MSC Cruises
MSC Grandiosa will not be sailing in the Baltic this summer. Instead, the cruise ship will be fully dedicated to cruising the Norwegian Fjords this summer. The change in the itinerary has been announced due to the cruise line dropping calls to St. Petersburg, Russia, this summer.
Several cruise lines have been shuffling their ships around due to sanctions against Russia. The resulting drop in interest in Baltic cruises has made cruise companies position their ships elsewhere. Not all vessels for the Swiss-based cruise line have seen their Baltic season canceled; MSC Poesia and MSC Preziosa will still be sailing in the region.
MSC Grandiosa Will be Fully Dedicated to the Norwegian Fjords
This summer, MSC Grandiosa will be fully committed to sailing in the Norwegian Fjords. The cruise ship was scheduled to alternate 7-day sailings in the Baltic Sea with 7-day sailings to the Norwegian Fjords.
The Baltic Sea sailings have now been removed entirely as a result of the situation in Eastern Europe and the resulting sanctions against Russia. MSC Cruises announced earlier this month it would be canceling all calls to St. Petersburg.
As the Russian port is a highlight for many people and often the reason to book a Baltic cruise, demand for Baltic cruises has dropped significantly, as we've seen with Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line earlier this week. Instead of the Baltic, MSC Grandiosa will now spend her summer amongst the stunning Norwegian Fjords:
MSC Cruises announced: "MSC Grandiosa will now be fully dedicated to the Norwegian Fjords for the entire summer 2022 season. This sees one of MSC Cruises' most modern and environmentally advanced ships offering stand-out seven-night itineraries in one of the most stunning regions in Northern Europe."
MSC Grandiosa's seven-night itineraries will sail from Kiel, Germany, calling at the capital city of Denmark, Copenhagen. The ship then heads north to Norway, calling at the village of Hellesylt, sailing through Sunnylvsfjord and Aurlandsfjord on the way to the port city of Alesund and stunning Flam village.
MSC Cruises Dedicates Five Ships To Northern Europe
MSC Cruises is not canceling all cruises to the Baltic Sea this summer. Although MSC Grandiosa has been re-assigned, MSC Poesia and MSC Preziosa will be in the area from May through September 21, 2022, with St. Petersburg replaced by other ports in the Baltic region.
Read Also: MSC Grandiosa Cruise Ship – Overview & Must-Know Things
Guests booked on one of MSC Grandiosa cruises in the Baltic that still wish to experience a cruise there can choose to sail on one of the alternative vessels still sailing there this summer.
Photo Credit: Ronald Rampsch / Shutterstock
MSC Poesia will sail from Warnemunde, Germany, on seven- and 11-night itineraries with calls to Riga, Latvia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Kristiansand and Oslo, in Norway.
MSC Preziosa sails from Kiel, Germany, on seven- to 12-night voyages with calls to Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Bergen, Kristiansand, and Stavanger, Norway.
Also sailing in Northern Europe are MSC Magnifica and MSC Virtuosa. MSC Magnifica is sailing 10 to 14-night itineraries from Hamburg, Germany, with calls to various destinations in Norway. This includes a call to Longyearbyen in Svalbard, the most Northern city in the world.
MSC Virtuosa will split her cruises between Southern Europe and the Norwegian Fjords. The seven- and 12-night itineraries include calls to Haugesund, Flaam, Olden, Maloy, Nordfjordeid, and Molde Fjord in Norway.


Making homemade broth always feels like a ton of work. There's just no way around it. But the good news is that it also freezes incredibly well so if you have a day where you're feeling extra motivated you can store some of this up for a chilly day. I love calling this hearty because to me broth is full of heart. It's all the essential goodness of these vegetables simmered down into a steaming mug of healing liquid. It's delicious on its own but this broth is also the perfect base for this tortilla soup recipe: https://heyashfoster.com/tortilla-soup/. If you freeze it, just allow about an inch at the top of your container for expansion. I like to use these pyrex bowls— they go straight into the oven for reheating!


text:
Home Features Features On The Jewish World Caruso's Favorite Chazzan
Features On The Jewish World
Caruso's Favorite Chazzan
Saul Jay Singer
Photo Credit: Saul Jay Singer
He was often called "the Jewish Caruso," but it may be more accurate to refer to Enrico Caruso as "the gentile Yossele Rosenblatt." In fact, Caruso claimed that the cantor's voice was among the best he had ever heard.
Josef "Yossele" Rosenblatt, as "the King of Chazzanim" and as the leader of the "Golden Age of Cantorial Music," was renowned for his almost unbelievable two-and-a-half octave range, his amazing cantillation technique, his rich and elaborate coloratura, his flair for improvisation, and his extraordinary ability to move seamlessly between a warm baritone, a sweet tenor, and the purest high-range falsetto. He famously initiated the use of several techniques that have become cantorial standards, including his trademark krekhz (sobbing crack in his voice), which evoked a conversation with G-d, the essence of true tefillah, and exhibited the depth of the emotion of his prayers. He was also a tremendous talmid chacham celebrated for his lifetime commitment to halacha in the face of enormous temptation.
Portrait of Yossele Rosenblatt. In a June 22, 1918, article in Musical America, he was described as "[while] only 36 years old, resembling a patriarch of the Biblical type. His square full-blown beard, calm blue eyes, high forehead, black skull cap, the traditional gabardine, give him a picturesque appearance."
Drawing on the Chasidic musical tradition of his family and community, Rosenblatt was also a prolific composer; by his early twenties, he had published Shirei Yosef ("the Songs of Yossele"), which featured some 150 choral pieces. He made his first record at age 23, and almost 200 of his recordings have been preserved. (As an interesting side note, Shir Hama'alot, as sung by Yossele, was a serious candidate to serve as the Zionist National Anthem.)
By the time he commenced an extensive tour across the United States in 1927, he had become a musical and cantorial superstar renowned by both Jewish and gentile opera aficionados. He was, of course, particularly beloved by Jews, most of whom had come to the United States as refugees in the early 20th century, who experienced culture in the context of the synagogue and considered listening to a cantor perform akin to their fellow Americans going to an opera house.
Even while becoming a shining star in the entertainment firmament, the diminutive 5-foot-tall cantor always remained true to his Orthodox Jewish faith and always performed in his long black beard and wearing his traditional large black yarmulke and frock coat. He famously turned down many lucrative engagements because his faith prohibited his playing fictional characters and singing onstage with women. Manifesting his passionate Jewish pride, he always made a point to be characterized as a "Jewish tenor," rather than as a Russian tenor or any other title relating to the land of his ancestors.
Born in Bila Tserkva, a Ukrainian shtetl 50 miles from Kiev with a long history of pogroms, the son of a Ruzhiner Chasid and the descendant of a long line of cantors, Rosenblatt (1882-1933) began as a singer in the local synagogue choir because his strict Orthodox observance prevented him attending any musical academy. Quickly recognized as a musical child prodigy, he traveled through the Pale of Settlement at age eight as an itinerant boy cantor, and he gained even greater fame through a tour across the Austro-Hungarian empire at age 17. He accepted a full-time position as a cantor for the Chasidic community of Munkacs, Hungary, which was followed in quick succession with shtellas (full-time positions) in Pressburg (1901) and cosmopolitan Hamburg (1906), where he first heard Caruso – a seminal event in his life and career that broadened his concept of the vocal possibilities of chazzanut.
The era of the "celebrity cantor" in America began at the end of the 19th century and continued into the first decades of the 20th century, when some 2.5 million Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe arrived in the United States and competition for the greatest cantors became fierce. Yossele was lured to the United States in 1911 with his wife and children to accept a position with Congregation Ohev Tzedek on 116th Street in Harlem (it later relocated to the West Side), one of New York's leading synagogues, which paid him an astronomical and then-inconceivable salary of $2,400 (almost $700,000 in today's dollars).
In New York, he became the "go to" chazzan for the Jewish community's philanthropic events, but his most legendary performance may have been his May 1917 appearance at the Hippodrome Theater to raise funds for Jews suffering in Europe during World War I. The event, which drew a record 6,000 attendees – then the largest ever gathering of Jews in the United States – raised an astonishing $250,000 (over $50 million in today's dollars).
The concert at the Hippodrome launched Yossele on a 30-city tour across the United States. Attending the final stop of the tour in Chicago was Cleofonte Campanini, the general director of the Chicago Opera, who offered him $1,000 a night – and later $2,000 (about $36,000 in today's dollars) – to sing the leading role of Eleazar in Fromenthal Halevy's grand opera, La Juive ("The Jewess"), which tells the tale of the impossible love between a Christian man and a Jewish woman in Constance in 1414.
Cartoon depicting Rosenblatt's loyalty to his religious tradition and refusal to accept money to perform with an opera company.
Aware of Yossele's religious observance and limitations, but nonetheless determined to have him perform for the opera, Campanini offered a contract which would not require him to rehearse or perform on Shabbat or on the Jewish holidays; would provide kosher food in accordance with his high standards; and would permit him to keep his beard throughout the engagement. Moreover, believing that Yossele's objection to singing with females was limited to performing with gentile women, Yossele was assured that his co-star would be the Jewish Rosa Raisa.
Pulling out all stops, the great Arturo Toscanini personally entreated Yossele to accept the engagement, but he ultimately declined it on the grounds that he would only use his G-d-given talent to sing in prayer or otherwise to promote Hashem's glory: "I have no desire to obtain glory for myself at the hands of aristocratic non-Jews who might come to the opera to see for themselves how a Jew forsakes his G-d and forswears his religion and his people on account of money." However, he deeply appreciated the offer and, not wishing to offend Campanini, he used the president of his synagogue to provide cover for him by writing to Campanini that "the Rev. Rosenblatt's sacred position in the synagogue does not permit him to enter the operatic stage."
Two striking ironies resulted in the wake of Yossele's declining to play Eleazar. First, Caruso accepted the role, his final role at the Metropolitan Opera (his last performance was on December 24, 1920), where La Juive continued as a repertory staple of the Opera for well over a decade.
Second, Yossele's stance only increased his appeal because people wanted to experience for themselves the performing sensation who was so firm in his beliefs that he could turn down such a lucrative offer. Having become even more popular – if that were even possible – he continued his work on behalf of the War Savings Campaign to even larger audiences, including a notable al fresco performance on the steps of The New York Public Library to raise money for war bonds. At that concert, he sang the Star-Spangled Banner, Zelner fun Tzion ("Soldiers of Zion"), and one of his most beloved standards, Keili, Keili, after which the great Caruso ascended the library stairs and kissed him.
Flyer for "Od Yosef Chai," a collection of Yiddish songs by Rosenblatt.
After mastering a selection of operatic arias and a repertoire of other ethnic songs to supplement his cantorial selections, Yossele gave his first of many recitals at Carnegie Hall on May 19, 1918, which met with broad acclaim, drew the attention of the major media, and launched him into super-stardom. He also performed a recital at the Metropolitan Opera after World War I, which was attended by 10,000 Jewish refugees, and benefit concerts at many other venues, including a concert at Sing Sing for the inmates. Reviewers were particularly impressed by the expansion of his repertoire to include extraordinary renditions of non-cantorial works, but his "bread and butter" pieces remained chazzanut and Yiddish songs.
To fight off offers from other congregations, Ohev Tzedek was now paying Yossele a record salary of $10,000 a year and he was also earning huge concert fees and royalties from his records. However, even with a substantial income, Yossele had huge expenses, including not only supporting his own wife and eight children, but also assuming financial responsibility for his entire extended family. Moreover, he was a tremendous baal tzedakah, and the many Jewish organizations that asked for his help were not only treated to a benefit concert, but often also received a donation out of his own pocket. In addition, he never turned charity-seekers away from his door empty-handed; Yossele's son characterized the Rosenblatt home as "a paradise of schnorrers" (beggars).
Photo of Yossele with Charlie Chaplin.
In the early 1920s, Yossele invested in Dos Yiddishe Licht ("The Jewish Light"), a novel Jewish periodical published in English, Yiddish, and Hebrew, for two reasons: first, because he deeply believed in the importance of presenting an authentic Torah alternative to American secular Jews, who were being informed by non-religious "cultural" papers such as The Forward, and second, because he believed that the success of the publication would assure his financial freedom. However, the paper, which was ahead of its time, went under, and the financially unsophisticated cantor had been tricked into signing on as the paper's guarantor; as such, when the venture failed, he was liable for $200,000 and was forced to file for bankruptcy protection.
The Depression came soon after, and he was dismissed by his shul (for financial reasons), and concert bookings became almost nonexistent, the result of which was that Yossele was left penniless.
Though his debts had been dismissed in bankruptcy and he was under no legal obligation to do so, Yossele was determined to make each of his creditors whole. The former superstar was thus reduced to performing on the traveling vaudeville circuit as "The Man with the $50,000 Beard," an undignified, but necessary, experience. Nonetheless, he became the biggest star of vaudeville, appearing on stage with the likes of Will Rogers, Sophie Tucker, and Douglas Fairbanks, and he was invited to meet with President Calvin Coolidge and Charlie Chaplin.
Photo of Al Jolson singing Kol Nidre from The Jazz Singer (1927). Remarkably, two Jews – Rosenblatt and Jolson – played leading roles in the very first "talkie."
A few years later, Rosenblatt was offered $100,000 (over $1.5 million in today's dollars) to sing Kol Nidre as the protagonist's father in the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer (1927), a play based upon the life of Asa Yoelson – stage name, Al Jolson. The protagonist, Jackie Rabinovich, who was played by Jolson himself, is the son of a cantor who came to New York as a refugee from Eastern Europe and who pleads with his son to follow in his footsteps, but Jackie leaves home and becomes a jazz singer. On the evening of his big show, which is the evening of Yom Kippur, he receives a call from his mother that his estranged father is dying and, after an emotional internal struggle, he ditches his showcase and appears at the synagogue in time to sing Kol Nidre in place of his ill father.
Yossele turned down the offer for his usual religious reasons and, in particular, because he considered it a sacrilege to sing Kol Nidre in a secular setting. Desperate to find some way to have him perform in the film, however, Warner Bros. wrote in a cameo scene where Rabinovich/Jolson attends a concert in Chicago, where he hears Yossele (playing himself) singing a non-religious Yiddish song. After hearing Yossele, Jolson is moved to his deepest soul and considers whether he might be making a serious error in forsaking his father's traditions for modernity and stardom.
One of the last photos ever taken of Yossele (Eretz Yisrael, 1933).
In 1933, Kol Ohr, an American film company, offered Yossele an opportunity to come to Eretz Yisrael to make a Zionist film for the purpose of increasing American Jewish support for a Jewish state, where he would perform songs at various biblical sites related to that site. Although his fee was to be contingent upon the financial success of the film, he agreed to perform for two reasons: first, to gain temporary reprieve from his creditors and, second, to be able to see and experience the beloved Holy Land for the first time. He became a close friend of Rav Kook and was so enamored by the holy spirit of the land that he decided to make aliyah.
Yossele was standing in a rowboat in the Jordan River singing Betzeit Yisrael Mi'Mitzrayim ("when the Jews left the Egyptian enslavement") when he became very ill and, sadly, died of a heart attack at the all-too young age of 51. There were 5,000 attendees at his funeral in Jerusalem, and 2,500 people attended a special ceremony held in his memory at Carnegie Hall.
Ticket to Rosenblatt concert that never was.
Exhibited here is a remarkable rarity: a ticket for a benefit concert by Yossele at the Edison Theatre in Jerusalem for the Committee for the Aid of Russian Jews scheduled for June 21, 1933 – two days after his untimely death. The Edison Theatre, opened only a year earlier, was a movie theatre and concert venue that served as home for the Palestine Philharmonic Orchestra.
In Yossele's obituary, the New York Times noted, "He was so well known in this country that letters from Europe addressed to `Yossele Rosenblatt, America,' reached him promptly." Almost eight decades after his death, his impact on the cantorial arts endures; his liturgical compositions are still standards of the Ashkenazic musical repertoire; his recordings remain very popular among chazzanut aficionados; and he remains the standard against which all cantors are measured.
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Saul Jay Singer serves as senior legal ethics counsel with the District of Columbia Bar and is a collector of extraordinary original Judaica documents and letters. He welcomes comments at at sauljsing@gmail.com.
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Printed from: https://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/features-on-jewish-world/carusos-favorite-chazzan/2021/12/01/


The burger. It's one of those foods we love, and one of those foods we love to love. Made ubiquitous by a bevy of fast food joints, the cheeseburger has long been a staple of cookouts, lunchtime, and bar food. This versatile, meaty sandwich is capable of going gourmet too, and has been outfitted with the fanciest ingredients and paired with the classiest sides.
With all this variety, what makes one cheeseburger better than another? Are backyard burgers hot off a flaming grill better than those from a five star kitchen? Is a bar burger more "authentic" than a gourmet concoction? What about sides? Is a burger and fries really the perfect combination?
Even if you've assembled the best ingredients, they won't get you very far unless you prepare them properly. Microwaves, heat lamps, and freezers are no way to treat a burger. Cooking the burger over flame is the best way to awaken the juices of the meat that give it that irresistible flavor. At Winghart's, this is the only way we treat our meat – ground fresh daily and fire-cooked.
After it's cooked, it should be eaten – don't let it get cold. Whether you do grill or flat top, the burger's next destination should be your mouth. It's a good thing we value service as much as we do flavor.
A burger can only be as good as the stuff it's made out of. Whether you're making a gourmet boeuf patty or some tasty street meat, using fresh ingredients is a must. Locally sourced veggies are only a farmer's market away, and most towns have a bakery, but finding some fresh sirloin is a challenge that's worth the effort.
As I said, we love to love cheeseburgers. With that in mind, one of the best ways to enjoy this meaty treat is with friends and loved one. If you're cooking burgers, you can't just make one, right? And isn't a night out always better with others? To make your burger the best it can be, the most important thing is to share it with those that matter most.
No matter which end of the burger spectrum you lean towards, there are certain techniques you can use to make your burger rise to the top.
So how do you make the best burger? Do it the Winghart's way. Get the freshest ingredients. Cook them over an open flame. Serve with love and the enjoy with the ones you love.


Continuing on from my previous post I present you with another 'traditional marketing' gem : Porter's 5 forces. It wasn't until my final year at university that Mr Porter and I made peace and I decided that it was time I tried to understand his theory. Up until that point in my life I had ignored the existence of this 30 year old marketing model in the hope that I would never need it, but here I am – voluntarily writing about it!
Disclaimer: This is not the real Mr Porter; I don't know what he looks like!
What are these forces you speak of?
Porter's five forces model is great for analysing the market attractiveness and very useful for understanding where the power lies. Whether you're thinking of getting into a new market or you want to understand the strength of your current position, the 5 forces will come in handy.
The 5 forces model is particularly helpful in the planning process and for strategists. A common mistake that managers or business owners make is to underestimate their competitors or count their 'direct competitors' as their 'only competitor'. However, that narrowed look could be very threatening – by analysing the: customers, suppliers, potential new-comers, and substitute products you'll be looking in every corner to identify your competitors.
Would you agree for example that a restaurant's only competitors are other restaurants?
The answer is obviously no. Any business that could be a substitute could be a competitor. Takeaways would be another direct competitor but even diets would be a substitute because they will make the customer substitute the restaurant for the diet. Saving up for a house, car, and holiday could also be a substitute, as well as places in the entertainment industry that offer food e.g. bowling alleys and cinemas.
All of these areas need to be analysed in order for that restaurant to ensure they're planning adequately and to avoid them becoming a threat. This could be through various promotional activities and special offers.
Bargaining power of Suppliers: In this force you're assessing the power the supplier has over your business. If there are many suppliers, the power of the supplier would be low but if there aren't enough suppliers the power of the supplier would be high. If the supplier has a lot of power over you they'll have high bargaining power over their prices and you would have to agree on them but if you have alternatives suppliers, you'll have the option of finding a better deal.
Bargaining power of Buyers: This will be assessing how important every single customer is to you and your business. If you have few customers, you'll be more dependent on them – often they'll be able to dictate the terms of the business. If you have a lot of customers you would be more in control and they won't be able to dictate the terms. You also need to consider how easy or difficult it is for the customers to switch from your products and services to that of the competitors.
Switching in the mobile phone industry is very easy which is why providers are increasing the terms of the contracts. Initially began as a 12 month mobile phone contract increased to 18, and now to 24 so that customers won't be able to switch as easily.
Competitive Rivalry: How fierce is the competition in the industry and how competitive are you? Do you lead or follow? Are there leaders in your industry? What do the competitors offer? If they don't offer a good deal, can you offer one to have a stronger place?
Threat of Substitution: This is the factor that'll enable you to look at your competitors from a different angle. Who out there can be a substitute for what you're doing? Going back to the restaurant example – avoid just looking at your direct competitors. You need to be as broad as you can and analyse industries that aren't directly related to you but could still be a substitute for what you're offering.
Threat of New Entry: Your power in the industry will be directly affected by how easy it is for other people to enter your market too. Is it expensive or cheap to enter your market? Can you do anything to make it harder for potential competition to enter e.g. patents, licenses? The stronger and more durable the barriers are to entry, the longer you can maintain your position in the market. The same goes if you're researching a potential market to enter into – if there are strong barriers to entry it might not be worth it!
Porter's 5 forces is a simple yet effective tool that will definitely help you when planning and implementing strategies. My next post will be about another traditional marketing gem. I hope you've found this useful but if you haven't here is something that'll definitely be of some use!


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Liam Neeson says he's planning to retire from action movies soon
'The Marksman' star cited his age as main reason
By Jessica Napoli | Fox News
Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for January 14
Liam Neeson has made dozens of action movies over the course of his career, but the actor revealed it might soon be time to retire from the genre.
The 68-year-old entertainer admitted that age had a lot to do with his decision.
"I'm 68 and a half. 69 this year. There's a couple more I'm going to do this year -- hopefully, COVID allowing us -- there's a couple in the pipeline and, then I think that will probably be it. Well, unless I'm on a Zimmer frame or something," Neeson told Entertainment Tonight.
What keeps him going is starring opposite young stars, Neeson admitted.
"I love doing 'em. I love beating up guys half my age," he said.
LIAM NEESON WISHES STUNT WORK WAS RECOGNIZED BY BIG AWARDS SHOWS
"The Marksman" star said during a recent movie shoot he filmed in Australia that his co-star was as young as one of his sons.
"I've just finished one in Australia and I had a fight scene with a kid -- lovely, sweet actor called Taylor -- and halfway through the fight I looked up, I was breathless and it didn't cost him a cent, and I said, 'Taylor, what age are you?' He said, '25.'" Neeson laughed, "I said, 'That's the age of my eldest son!'"
LIAM NEESON: 'THERE'S ALWAYS' A CHANCE I'LL DO 'TAKEN 4'
In October, Neeson told Fox News he wished stunt work was recognized by big awards shows.
"[Stunt people] are brilliant," Neeson said. "The guy I work with, [stunt coordinator] Mark Vanselow, [we've] done 24 movies together.
"He's done some amazing stunts for me and for other actors too.... yes they should, they should be acknowledged. They should. But the people in the industry know," he added.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
"The Marksman" hits theaters on Jan. 15.
Inauguration1 hour ago


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Charlize. hi there, and thank you for reading my profile, i wont say much about me cause i dont see the use, we better meet and you say what do you think about me and how good i am at giving you the time of your life . non voglio dire tanto qui per che non vedo il uso di fare questa cosa, e piu bene di dire tu come sono dopo che spendi tempo con me e ti ofro il piu bello tempo de la tua vita.
Another thing I did which makes it easier to update the names is to use the name definition in the data values.


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Home National News Bishops say order on LBGTQ equality has implications for religious liberty
Bishops say order on LBGTQ equality has implications for religious liberty
Julie Asher, Catholic News Service
Activists and supporters block the street outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington Oct. 8, 2019, as it hears arguments in three major employment discrimination cases on whether federal civil rights law prohibiting workplace discrimination on the "basis of sex" covers gay and transgender employees. (CNS photo/Jonathan Ernst, Reuters)
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden's wide-ranging executive order to extend existing federal nondiscrimination protections to LGBTQ people exceeds the U.S. Supreme Court's June 2020 ruling on the issue in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, said the chairmen of five U.S. bishops' committees.
In so doing, they said, the Jan. 20 order has implications for religious freedom.
"Every person has a right to gainful employment, education and basic human services free of unjust discrimination. That right should be protected," the committee heads said in a joint statement released late Jan. 22 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
However, Biden's order on "'sex' discrimination exceeds the court's decision," they said. "It threatens to infringe the rights of people who recognize the truth of sexual difference or who uphold the institution of lifelong marriage between one man and one woman."
The statement was issued by: Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, Committee for Religious Liberty; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Bishop Michael C. Barber of Oakland, California, Committee on Catholic Education; Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism; and Bishop David A. Konderla of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage.
Biden's order "may manifest in mandates that, for example, erode health care conscience rights or needed and time-honored sex-specific spaces and activities," the prelates said, pointing out the high court took care "to note that Bostock did not address its clear implications for religious freedom. (Biden's) executive order exercises no such caution."
The Bostock v. Clayton County decision, handed down June 15, 2020, addressed two consolidated cases about fired gay employees and a separate case concerning a transgender worker who sued for employment discrimination after being fired.
At issue was the wording in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prevents employment discrimination based on race, religion, national origin and sex. The court had to determine if this applied to sexual orientation as well as gender identity, and in its 6-3 ruling the court said LGBTQ people are indeed protected from job discrimination by Title VII.
"An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex," said Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion.
When Congress enacted Title VII, he said, it might not have expected "this particular result." But he also said Congress likely didn't see many interpretations of the federal law coming, including its prohibition against discrimination on the basis of motherhood or its ban on the sexual harassment of male employees.
But the Bostock ruling had a narrow application. "We do not purport to address bathrooms, locker rooms or anything else of the kind," Gorsuch wrote.
In a statement after the ruling was issued, Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez, USCCB president, said the court "effectively redefined the legal meaning of 'sex' in our nation's civil rights law."
"This is an injustice that will have implications in many areas of life," he said.
In friend-of-the-court briefs filed Aug. 23, 2019, in the cases before the court, the USCCB said that "by forbidding workplace discrimination based on sex, Congress intended to level the playing field between men and women. Differential treatment based on 'sexual orientation,' however, does not expose women to disadvantageous terms or conditions to which men are not exposed (or vice versa). Therefore, it is not sex discrimination."
They added: "Construing the term 'sex' to include 'sexual orientation' will create conflicts with many religious believers and with their institutions. Such an interpretation will affect the ability of churches and faith-based schools and charities to hire and retain employees who, by word and conduct, accept or at least do not contradict the organization's religious message."
In their Jan. 22 statement, the five USCCB committee chairmen criticized the court's Bostock decision for "needlessly" ignoring "the integrity of God's creation of the two complementary sexes, male and female, with reasoning that treated them as devoid of meaning.
In his executive order, Biden said Bostock held "that Title VII's prohibition on discrimination 'because of … sex' covers discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation."
He said U.S. laws that currently prohibit sex discrimination, such as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Fair Housing Act, the Immigration and Nationality Act — and their respective amendments over the years and the regulations implementing these laws — will now "prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation, so long as the laws do not contain sufficient indications to the contrary."
"Every person should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear, no matter who they are or whom they love," stated Biden, whose order included protection for equal access not just to employment and health care but to restrooms, locker rooms and school sports.
In their statement, the USCCB committee chairmen said they were "very grateful for new administration's actions on immigration and the climate," referring to immigration-related executive orders Biden issued hours after his inauguration.
These orders included bolstering the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, instituting a 100-day pause in deportations and rescinding a policy that required those seeking asylum in the United States to stay in Mexico until their case came up for review.
They also said Biden's executive order titled "On Advancing Racial Equity" is "nobly aimed at identifying and remedying racism and its impact on society and in government." But they raised concerns about it as well.
The order defines equity as:
"The consistent and systematic fair, just and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality."
The bishops said: "It is unfortunate that the goal of racial equality is partially conflated with the imposition of new attitudes and false theories on human sexuality which can produce social harms."
President Joe Biden
Racial equality
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Home › News › News Releases › FFRF protests Pence's appeal for church contributions
FFRF protests Pence's appeal for church contributions
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is condemning Vice President Mike Pence's call to the American people to shower churches with their generosity.
At a Coronavirus Task Force press briefing on Saturday, March 21, the vice president told Americans that if they don't attend a church service due to the global pandemic, they should still "go ahead and make that donation." He said that this plea was something "the president and I promised" to make and explained that "all ministries are continuing to play a vital role in our communities and we encourage your continued support."
No American government official — especially the president and vice president — should lend the power and prestige of their office to a particular church or to religion in general, FFRF emphasizes. Leveraging a global pandemic to drum up church donations is an egregious betrayal of the country's founding principles in order to benefit religion.
"The Founders recognized the danger of aligning government with religion, which is why our founding documents specifically separate the two," FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor write to Pence. "In modern times, the Supreme Court has expressed this principle by stating that the government must not appear to 'endorse' religion. There is scarcely a clearer endorsement than a direct solicitation for donations."
Such an appeal is increasingly out of step with American society, FFRF points out. Currently, more than one-fourth of Americans are religiously unaffiliated. In his personal capacity, Pence is welcome to donate to the church of his choice, but as vice president, his official recommendation to promote religion alienates this vast group of nonreligious Americans.
Americans are fiercely struggling with the effects of the coronavirus, from falling dangerously ill to losing jobs and being stuck at home to care for family members. Fortunately, we live in a time when such a severe virus is usually not lethal due to medical progress. FFRF stresses that this is because of science and reason, not religion. Nowhere in the bible, or any other "holy book," will a person find instructions for developing vaccines, building ventilators, or creating an online delivery service for food and other essentials.
That's why the vice president should not further encourage Americans to give their money to those who least deserve it. Instead, Pence should exhort Americans to help where help is needed, since there are myriad secular charities well positioned to alleviate the suffering of Americans. Money donated to churches is deflected from the organizations that can make a real difference.
When the vice president was named as the head of the Coronavirus Task Force, the choice was roundly ridiculed because of his history of religious zealotry and science denial. True to form, he immediately held a prayer session that did nothing to stop the spread of the virus. FFRF is urging the president to learn from his mistakes and work to provide real-world relief rather than perpetuating useless support for religion.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 31,000 members across the country. It protects the constitutional separation between state and church and educates about nontheism.
Photo via Shuttestock by Mark Reinstein


Note: be sure and read the story and look at the pictures of the neatest little mule deer I have ever seen! Click on "Mule Deer" above.
My wife Barbara and I spent our second summer at the M-Lazy-C and had an even better time than the previous summer. This trip resulted in our producing a 23 minute DVD of our summer, titled, "Gary and Barb at the M-Lazy-C ranch".. The DVD may be purchased and is presented on the home page of this website.
What an incredible afternoon!! Randy and Brenda, the owners of the M-Lazy-C, invited Barb and I to attend the "Best Buy Rodeo", but of course, they put us to work!! We were the professional gate tending team.
The M-Lazy-C Ranch hosted the rodeo for almost 200 Best Buy employees. They were all winners in a state wide contest that Best Buy promoted. The Best Buy guests had every imaginable combination of cameras, lenses and video cameras and included a professional video crew!! The events included the Introduction, Cowboy Mounted Shooting, Barrel Racing, Bull Riding which included a buffalo, Team Roping and of all things, Cowboy Surfing!! The rodeo climaxed with a Grand Finale and exit from the arena. I got a lot of nice pictures of all the events with the exception of the Bull Riding. There were so many cameras and video cameras poked through the rails and over the rails that it was virtually impossible to get a shot. But I did manage one picture shown below. From what I saw the guests had a really great time and wouldn't it be nice to have a buck for every picture and video frame that was taken!! You may see pictures of the events by clicking "Photo Gallery" above and then scroll down to bottom of page. All in all this was a wonderful time and in my estimation, a huge success. Kudos to Randy and Brenda Myers for a great show and rodeo!!
I am absolutely mesmerized by the beauty and tranquility of this area. The ease of navigating, the wide open spaces, the incredible scenery, huge rock outcroppings and the glorious panoramic views, all contribute to a horseback riding paradise!! Now, a bit of info about the M-Lazy-C Ranch.
Barb and I arrived here on June 30th and were met by a most helpful and hospitable staff. We quickly settled in and started our journey of discovery. As in most horse camps there is a certain camaraderie that exists and all are eager to share their experiences, their knowledge of the area and in general, are just a bunch of plain 'ol good folks. And that is exactly what he have experienced here thus far.
As regards horseback riding, the trails and roads are well marked, navigation is aided by the almost ever present views of Badger Mountain and Pike's Peak. Unlike any other place I've been, you can ride right through the forests as there is very little brush or ground cover to impede traveling and the trees are well separated. Numerous old mine diggings and primitive cabin sites are prevalent throughout the area and conjure up visions of old-timers grubbing for the gold strike that would make their fortune. It is hard to imagine, over the course of the next month or so that we will be here, that we could even begin to see all that exists in the areas that are available to us .
Of interest is that Barb brought one hummingbird feeder with her. We immediately attracted hummers so picked up another feeder on our first trip to town. There are three kinds of hummers here at our feeders, the Ruby Throated, the Broadtail and the Rufus. The Rufus is a mean little booger and reigns supreme over the feeders but all seem to find a way to partake of the nectar. Bluebirds are in abundance as well and the first day here a little fledgling lit right at my horses' feet and then made it's way to a bush.
We have a lot of laughs as I sit here in the passenger seat on my computer and Barb at the dinette table. She doesn't have a photo program on her laptop, which is wirelessly networked to my 'puter, so I just holler back at her and say, "Here comes a couple of pics, I'm e-mailing them now!!" She can then send them to whoever she wants to.
I am anxious to break out my metal detector and see what treasures are to be found around all the old sites here. Of course I will first obtain permission and check on existing laws, etc., prior to doing any detecting. Perhaps I can find a flake or so of gold. My friends just returned from their two weeks at Ganes Creek in Alaska and they had a very successful trip. They found over 42 ounces of gold!! One find was a 10+ ounce specimen that has approximately 4-5 ounces of gold mixed in the quartz. I will going there again next summer for three weeks.
Barb and I attended the weekly Friday night Chuck Wagon dinner. We enjoyed a hayride, some incredible cowboy cooking, and some great western musical entertainment. This was truly a nice evening and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves, especially us!! The steaks were done to perfection and cowboy beans, corn on the cob, home made rolls and baked potato complimented the steaks. And for dessert we had some fabulous cherry cobbler. I managed to help myself to seconds! See pics of the activities at the "Photo gallery" above.
During the next few weeks I will be updating the web site with any new pics or exciting happenings.


Newcastle University - UK's leading university!
Newcastle University - is a state university, located in the city of Newcastle in the north east of England. Located in a historic building of the Victorian era, the university combines a long history and advanced technology.
Newcastle University - 50 % discaunt for tuition for 2 years!
All faculties have more than 175 bachelor specialties, as well as more than 300 graduate and doctoral programs. The University spends 457 million pounds (!) Annually on research, making it one of the most powerful research universities in the UK.
Newcastle is rightly called the "City of bridges", because there are many 7 picturesque bridges in this small town! And the city is not really so big, you can get around it literally in 1 hour, while here there is everything that a big city offers: rich cultural life, active nightlife, lush green parks and large shopping centers. NE1's Newcastle Fashion Week, open-air cinemas, Gourmet Weeks and much more will come to your attention if you become a student at Newcastle University!
Navigating the city is very easy and safe using a bike or subway. Just 30 minutes away by subway, you can reach the sea, enjoy the sandy beaches and breathtaking views. Students are never bored here: you can always sit in some cozy cafe with a laptop and work out, on weekends cheer with British fans for the local football team at St James Park Stadium, or get away from the city rush closer to the sea.
For students who apply after 11 grade, the Foundation program is provided - a program of 9 or 12 months, in which students study introductory subjects in their specialty, and also additionally take aademic English. The program was designed to bridge the difference between schooling in other countries and the UK, as British schoolchildren study for 12-13 years.
At the end of the program, you are guaranteed to go to the 1st bachelor's course (in the UK, the bachelor lasts 3 years), provided that you maintain a consistently high level of grades and attendance.
Now the long-awaited information about the discount! Those students who apply for the Foundation can apply for a 50% discount on the Foundation and 50% for the first year of a bachelor's degree! Since the discaunt is issued on a competitive basis, you need to carefully try: you must have high school peformance, as well as prepare a portfolio of your work (when applying to the Foundation for Architecture). Here you can find out what the requirements for the portfolio are from the university. Accepting applications is already actively gaining momentum, so you need to submit as soon as possible! Each year, only 10 scholarships are awarded to all international students.
Perfect for students, who want to concentrate their attention on learning. There is a common living room for 7 students.
Separate room with bathroom and small kitchen.
Two separate rooms with shared kitchen and bathroom.


In your letter dated April 18, 2007, you requested a tariff classification ruling, on behalf of your client, K.B. Toys of Massachusetts, Inc.
You are requesting the tariff classification on four products as follows: Pumpkin Pal Lighted Stake, item 440, Halloween Everlasting Light Stick, item 626, Pumpkin Light, item 101, and Halloween Everlasting Safety Candle, item 558. The Pumpkin Pal Lighted Stake is a battery operated hand-held light, with an attached textile loop, that may also be inserted into a pumpkin. The Halloween Everlasting Light Stick is a hand-held battery operated light with a textile loop attached to one end. These two products produce lighting effects that entertain and amuse.
The Pumpkin Light consists of a round-shaped plastic housing, measuring approximately 4 inches in diameter and 1 inch high. It features a clear plastic lens over three light emitting diodes in the center of a reflector, push-button switch and AC adapter socket. The pumpkin light is powered by three AAA batteries, or an optional AC adapter. This light is designed to be incorporated into a pumpkin, Jack-O'-Lantern, or similar articles. The Halloween Everlasting Safety Candle is a battery operated plastic candle that flickers like a real candle.
The four samples will be returned, as requested by your office.
The applicable subheading for the Pumpkin Pal Lighted Stake and the Halloween Everlasting Light Stick will be 9503.00.0080, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for "Tricycles, scootersand similar wheeled toysdolls, other toysparts and accessories thereofOther." The rate of duty will be free.
The applicable subheading for the Pumpkin Light will be 9405.40.8000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for "Lamps and lighting fittingsnot elsewhere specified or includedOther electric lamps and lighting fittingsOther." The general rate of duty will be 3.9 percent ad valorem.
In regard to the Safety Candle, item 558, this office is precluded from ruling on battery powered candle lights which are currently being reviewed by U. S. Customs and Border Protection at Headquarters, OR&R.


Unfortunately, the world can be a harsh task master, not all our hopes and dreams come to pass. So, when the expectations of one party or the other as to the lifestyle the parties were to live changes, often dramatically, it puts great stress on a marriage. Sometimes, the parties come together to weather a financial storm, for others, the storm breaks them apart, irreparably. Part of any relationship at core may be love and respect, one or both may be tested and lost through significant financial hardship. If the parties were having other difficulties unrelated to finances and then finances also become a problem, that can easily tip the parties in the direction of divorce. Unfortunately, the economy since 2008 has been so difficult for so long that the strongest of marriages have been tested.
Generally, in New Jersey, child support is calculated based on guidelines, although the parties may agree to pay outside the guidelines. Child support is based on income and overnights. For example, when looking at a two week period of time, 14 overnights in total, each party will have its share of the 14 overnights, in a case of shared physical custody, each party would have 7 overnights. Generally, the gross income is used for calculating child support. Child support is generally recalculated every three years or if there is a substantial change in circumstance, such as the termination of alimony. If you have further questions regarding child support and its calculation, please call Green & Associates at 732-390-0480 in our East Brunswick office or at 201-242-1119 in our Fort Lee office.


text:
Estimating temporal variation in transmission of COVID-19 and adherence to social distancing measures in Australia
A number of data streams provide information on mobility before and in response to COVID-19 across Australian states/territories. Each of these data streams represents a different aspect of population mobility, but they show some common trends — reflecting underlying changes in behaviour. We use a latent variable statistical model to simultaneously analyse these data streams and quantify these underlying behavioural variables.
Nick Golding, Freya M. Shearer, Robert Moss, Peter Dawson, Lisa Gibbs, Eva Alisic, Jodie McVernon, David J. Price, James M. McCaw
Technical report posted online 15 May 2020. Access here.
Assessment of adherence to social distancing measures
An analysis of trends in population mobility data streams up to 11 May was performed to assess adherence to social distancing policy.
This analysis suggests that adherence to social distancing measures may have decreased in the past four weeks (Figure 2).
Two waves of a national survey were conducted to assess how Australians are thinking, feeling and behaving in response to social distancing measures (Figures 3 and 4).
We used a statistical model to analyse the survey data and estimate a 37% increase (from 2.78 to 3.80) in reported daily non-household contacts between 3 April and 6 May.
Estimates of current epidemic activity
Due to very low case incidence, estimates of the effective reproduction number (Reff) using existing methodologies are becoming increasingly unstable, i.e., based primarily on model assumptions rather than actual case data.
To overcome this limitation, we report preliminary estimates of local transmission potential (Figure 7) from a new method which estimates components of the effective reproduction number. This method uses both daily incident case counts and outputs from an analysis of population mobility (Figure 1).
Forecasts of the daily number of new confirmed cases
Estimates of local transmission potential were input into a mathematical model of disease dynamics which was projected forward to forecast the daily number of new confirmed cases.
We report Australia-wide (Figure 8) and state-level (Figure 10) forecasts of the daily number of new confirmed cases up to 1 July, assuming that local transmission potential remains at its current estimated level.
Forecasts of the daily number of new confirmed cases under alternative future transmission scenarios
A scenario analysis was performed to assess the potential impact of increased transmission following the relaxation of social distancing measures from 11 May.
We project the daily number of new confirmed cases in Australia up to 1 July for three future scenarios: one where local transmission potential increases from 11 May to 1.1, one where it increases to 1.2, and another where it increases to 1.5 (Figures 9, S8, S9, and S10).
Technical reports and summaries


Color Wheel is an organization that connects community and environment by exploring the history, science, and art of natural color making.
We currently have a dye garden located at POST in Detroit. We are growing Japanese Indigo, Woad, Dyer's Chamomile, Cosmos, Red Foliated Cotton and several types of sunflowers.
Stay tuned for more information on the newly founded Great Lakes Fibershed!
Select an image for more information.
Michelle McCoskey is a freelance illustrator and textile designer who also runs her own knit accessory business, The Alligator Factory. Shortly after graduating from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2005, she apprenticed on an organic farm in Maine where she was first introduced to natural dyes. Intrigued by the ability to marry her passions for art and environmental conservation, she continues to research and experiment with locally foraged dye plants for use in her knit designs.
Color wheel is partnering with U-SNAP-BAC for our third annual dye garden located in Detroit's east side. The organization is teaming up with several local growers to transform blighted, vacant lots into productive, green spaces. Creating these spaces in the neighborhood will provide economic, environmental and social benefits to the surrounding community.
Check our facebook or send us a message to get involved.
Natural Dye Artisan Marketplace & Garden Supply on Etsy is now open!
Nov 3rd join us at Pot + Box for a Natural Pigment Pounding Workshop.


Scroll down for the #UKEdChat conversation report for February 25th, 2019 EST.
When it comes to participants, we ranked 14th among 506 conversations.
In terms of the number of posts, we ranked 14th out of 506 conversations that took place.
This conversation ranked 9th out of 506 in terms of the amplification of ideas & content.
There were 174 reshares, 52% of posts, during the course of the conversation.
70% of participants in this conversation shared a total of 30 unique pieces of content.


text:
Winifred Kao
Winifred Kao is Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus' Litigation Director. She also leads our workers' rights program. Before coming to Advancing Justice – ALC, Winnie worked at a union-side labor and employment law firm where she primarily represented hotel, restaurant and food and commercial workers and unions in a wide variety of labor, employment, constitutional, and class-action cases. Winnie was previously a trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division where she litigated housing and public accommodation discrimination cases. She also served on detail as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, DC, and was an extern for the Honorable Gladys Kessler in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Winnie has worked as a community organizer for labor and civil rights groups. She is a graduate of Yale College and the University of Michigan Law School where she was a member of the Michigan Law Review.
She has won commendations and awards for her work from numerous organizations including the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the University of Michigan Law School.


The Bradleys are having a baby!
Photographed this beautiful couple in Columbus, Ohio just in time before Ember, their new baby girl, decided to come early. She was born one week and two days after this photo shoot happened. Pfew! That was a close one.


Set in a dystopian future where a far-right government have outlawed all immigration, 'Home is where…' tells the story of a small band of misfits who form a Resistance to unite the people and overthrow the Establishment.
Born in Devoted & Disgruntled and developed by the creative team of Hyphenated, 'Home is where…' had it's world premiere in early 2016 at the Camden People's Theatre during the 'Who's London is it Anyway?' festival.
It was then presented to a scratch night audience at the Cockpit Theatre where it received further appraise. The project then caught the eye of the influential Rich Mix, where it was offered one performance night in September 2016.
Since February 2016, the story has underwent a transformation from a light-hearted exploration of identity to a darker post-Brexit future.
The renewed version was written by Guleraana Mir after a summer 2016 devising process. Directed by Amy Clare Tasker, with movement by Paula Paz, music by Yaiza Verona and produced by Clarissa Widya, 'Home is Where…' opened to a sold-out audience on September 2nd, 2016 at Rich Mix.
Future plans for the show include a potential UK tour. Watch this space.


David is the owner and founder of the Golf Channel Academy with David Impastato, with one indoor location (Studio 59 Golf Learning Center) just outside of Chicago in Batavia, IL., and two outdoor South Florida locations—Gateway Country Club in Fort Myers, and Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs.
"David's experience and teaching knowledge would be a great benefit for golfers of all skill levels. Highly recommend for juniors wanting to elevate their game."
David is the owner and founder of the Golf Channel Academy with David Impastato, with one indoor location (Studio 59 Golf Learning Center) just outside of Chicago in Batavia, IL, and two outdoor South Florida locations—Gateway Country Club in Fort Myers, and Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs.
Ranked among the 10 "Best Teachers" in the state of Illinois by Golf Digest magazine, David has been a Class A PGA member since 1995. Most recently, David was the Director of Golf Operations at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, serving Cog Hill in various merchandising, tournament operations and corporate event planning capacities. Prior to that, he owned his own golf facility, Piper Glen Golf Club in Springfield, and also served as the Head Golf Professional at St. Charles CC.
For many years, David's focus has been on developing competitive junior golfers. In 2008 he started a very successful Piper Glen Junior Golf Tour that sponsored more than 100 tournaments throughout Illinois with nearly 800 junior players competing. Throughout his career David has had the opportunity to work with some of the game's top instructors, including Stan Utley, Hank Haney, Jimmy Ballard and Jim Hardy. He is currently a member of the Nike Elite Advisory Staff and is a former Titleist advisory staff member and Ping Regional Fitter of the Year.
The Ron Garl-designed "Golf Improvement Center" is one of the top practice facilities in all of Southwest Florida. It features a double-sided range, multiple short-game areas, a putting green and two practice holes—a par 3 and par 4. The "Bermuda Triangle" short-game practice area allows you to hit balls to three different greens, each set off in a triangular pattern and surrounded by bunkers or mounds. There's also a separate wedge-game area where students can practice wedge shots from 50 to 100 yards.
The formerly named TPC at Heron Bay opened in 1996 and hosted the PGA Tour's Honda Classic for six years (1997-2002). The Mark McCumber design is now the permanent home to the prestigious Dixie Amateur, one of the top-ranked amateur tournaments in the world. Former champions have included Hal Sutton, Brandt Snedeker, Lanny Wadkins and Jesper Parnevik. The practice facility features a double-sided, targeted grass range with multiple teeing areas, several practice greens and a short-game area for chipping and bunker play.
Located in the Campana Building near Fabyan Parkway, Studio 59 is a climate-controlled indoor golf training and course simulator facility. It boasts seven hitting bays for teaching and practice, two golf course simulators for virtual play (of Pebble Beach and other courses), plus a large putting studio and putting practice area.
Bill is a coach with the Golf Channel Academy with David Impastato at Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs, Fla. A highly decorated PGA Professional, Bill is a three-time Central Illinois PGA Teacher of the Year (2004, '05, '17) and former Illinois PGA Professional of the Year (2015). In addition, he won the prestigious 2010 Illinois PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award for his outstanding character and contributions to the Section.
Tim is a coach with the Golf Channel Academy with David Impastato at Gateway CC in Ft. Myers, Fla. A Class A PGA member, Tim has spent numerous hours observing and learning from the game's best coaches, including Todd Sones, Mike Bender, Mike Adams and Todd Anderson. A finalist for Golf Digest's "Best Young Teachers in America" list, Tim has helped many junior golfers realize their dream of playing Division I college golf.