Every day brings more gruesome news of the actions perpetrated by the so-called 'Islamic State' (IS): beheadings, crucifixions, enslavement of women and massacres of minorities and of virtually everybody who stands against their utterly sectarian agenda.
A few miles from the Turkish border, the northern Syrian city of Kobanê (Ayn al-Arab in Arabic) and its predominantly Kurdish population constitutes one of the three Kurdish enclaves in north and north-east Syria. For more than two years, these have been under the control of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). These three Kurdish cantons in the north of Syria are also called Western Kurdistan or 'Rojava' in Kurdish.
Two weeks ago, IS launched a major coordinated offensive on Kobanê, besieging it from the east, west and south. The jihadists have modern and heavy weapons and armour, including tanks, much of it looted from the Iraqi army last June. The Kurdish militias of the YPG (People's Protection Units, the armed units affiliated to the PYD) are mainly armed with elderly soviet guns and automatic rifles.
The Kurdish villages around Kobanê, taken over by IS's advance in the last days, have been the scenes of new atrocities perpetrated by IS, such as summary executions of villagers. Reports indicate that over 150,000 refugees, mostly Kurds, fled to Turkey. This is the largest and fastest exodus of civilians since the Syrian conflict began.
Many accuse the Turkish regime, ruled by the AKP (Justice and Development Party), of collusion with IS. The convergence of timing between the major IS offensive on Kobanê and the recent liberation of 49 Turkish hostages has raised new suspicions of collusion between IS and the Turkish state. Whatever the details of the deal concluded between the Turkish authorities and IS, it is clear that the Turkish ruling class does not want an emboldened and politically radicalised Kurdish population on its doorstep.
A de-facto economic embargo has been imposed by Turkey over Rojava. The German magazine Spiegel reported that Turkish security officials were involved in sponsoring the 2012 attacks on Syrian Kurds by the Qaeda-linked Nursa Front and the Free Syrian Army.
Kurdish protesters trying to cross the border to assist in the defence of Kobanê have faced fierce repression from the Turkish police. "I want to go to Kobane and fight the IS, which is right now butchering my people, but I can't", complained a 30-year-old Turkish-Kurd interviewed by journalists. However, hundreds of unarmed protesters have managed to cross the border fences and rushed towards the besieged city.
In recent years, the AKP regime encouraged the flow of radical Islamic fighters onto the Syrian battlefield. They have been used as proxy forces against Bashar al Assad's regime and also to undermine the Kurdish resistance in the north. The Turkish state now faces a Frankenstein's monster, as the growth of IS in Syria and Iraq is increasingly seen by the Turkish state as a potential threat to its internal stability. The Turkish rulers are even less keen to tolerate a PKK-controlled area in the north of Syria, which is seen by many as a symbol of resistance for the Kurds of the whole region -especially for the restive Kurdish population within Turkey's borders.
The PKK and the Turkish government have been in a "state of non-conflict" within Turkey since March of last year. This is part of a negotiated "peace process". The uncertain outcome of developments in the wider region is potentially threatening this unstable process. This was highlighted by recent declarations by PKK leaders admitting they are having trouble "restraining" their own fighters. They even threatened to nullify the settlement process.
While a package of democratic reforms have been granted to the Kurds in Turkey in the last couple of years, the economic and social marginalisation of the Kurdish population continues. Many are growing sceptical about the limits of the reforms. For example, one of these new reforms was the offer of providing Kurdish language education. Yet this "reform" only applies to private schools and not public schools. The recent opening of three private schools offering young Kurds education in their mother tongue led to the police deploying armoured vehicles and water cannon to stop what was described as an "unpermitted educational institution".
Within such a charged situation, clashes between police and activists in the Kurdish south east of Turkey are becoming increasingly frequent. An atmosphere of looming unrest predominates. While a return to open armed conflict between the PKK and the Turkish army remains unlikely, at this stage, as none of the parties would gain from such a development, events can take on logic of their own. Illustrating growing tensions, last Friday, three Turkish policemen were killed in an ambush between the South eastern cities of Diyarbakir and Bitlis,.
There is no doubt that in both northern Iraq, and in and around Rojava, the self-sacrifice and guerrilla experience of many fighters from the PKK and PYD have played an important role in keeping IS in check. The determination of many of the PKK-linked fighters to deal with IS is also motivated by the comparatively better situation the Kurdish population enjoys in Rojava since the forces of the Syrian regime were driven out of this area.
Numbering more than 25 million, the Kurds remain the largest stateless nation in the world, divided up between four different national territories. They have been systematically denied their national and cultural identity and basic democratic rights, and been subjected to brutal repression. Within that context, surrounded by an ocean of reaction, made up of dictatorial regimes and jihadist violence, the experience of the so-called "liberated zones" of Rojava, in which the Kurds can exercise their cultural and linguistic rights, has been looked at by many Kurds in the region with pride and inspiration.
The units of the PKK have gained further sympathy after they secured a corridor to help the Yazidi minority escaping the danger of an imminent genocide by the reactionary IS gangs on the Sinjar mountains, in northern Iraq, last August. Despite the better weaponry in the hands of the 'peshmerga' (the Kurdish military forces linked to the PKD and PUD, the corrupt, neo-liberal parties ruling the Kurdish autonomous region in the north of Iraq, or Southern Kurdistan), the latter retreated without a fight. The PKK forces stepped in, providing the bulk of the fight against IS in that area.
These developments have put the Turkish state in an increasingly uncomfortable position and a growing dilemma. The PKK and PYD are being seen, including by a layer of Turkish workers and youth, as playing an active role in the fight against IS. At the same time, the ruling AKP has been exposed as having encouraged the rise of IS in different ways. This is putting, once again, the credibility of the regime's foreign policy under serious strain. On the other hand, as a member of NATO, the Turkish ruling class has been under increasing pressure from US imperialism to take a more active involvement in the coalition against IS. At the UN General Assembly in New York, the Turkish president Erdoğan showed a shift in approach. Previously Turkey was reluctant to back the US. But at the UN, Erdogan offered "both military and political contributions" to the US-led actions. Such a move might cover an attempt by the Turkey to use the anti-IS coalition to strike a blow at the Kurdish resistance by other means.
On 2 October, the Turkish Parliament is voting on a motion regarding Turkey's role in the coalition, which includes a possible deployment of troops into Syria and Iraq in the case of a "threat to national security", as well as the authorization for foreign troops to transit through Turkey. One of Erdoğan's projects is also the establishment of a "buffer zone" inside Syria along the Turkish border. This would help the regime to limit the massive flow of Syrian refugees into Turkey. It would also seek to isolate and strangle further the Kurdish enclaves.
A more concrete engagement from the Turkish army in the fight against IS, such as allowing the use of its military bases for the US-backed airstrikes, or the entering of Turkish ground forces within Syria or Iraq, would expose Turkey to possible terrorist retaliations by IS in its mainland. Turkish people would again pay the price for the foreign adventures of their ruling elites.
In the looming confrontation between the people of Kobanê and Rojava and Islamic State, socialists do not look from the side-lines and take a neutral position, as if the outcome of such a battle was of no significance to the fate of the masses of the region.
Geographically surrounded and vulnerable to attacks, the threatened city of Kobanê is also very strategically located. The capture of that area by IS raises the dangerous possibility of wide-scale massacres of Kurds, which Islamic State views as secularists that need to be physically eliminated. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds could be driven out from lands where they have lived for thousands of years while giving IS easier access to the Turkish border and to north-west Iraq.
The CWI stands for the right of the Kurdish people to armed resistance to defend themselves, their villages, neighbourhoods and families against the onslaught of Islamic State, – as well as against any sectarian force or state terror. Faced with the threat of savage reaction, a mass organised and democratically-controlled armed mobilisation of Kurdish workers and poor peasants to resist IS's advance is a vital necessity.
For that purpose, socialists should recognise the right of the Kurdish people to acquire the weapons they need to defend themselves. However, to win the right of self-determination of the Kurds on a genuine and meaningful way, it is important to warn against any attempts by imperialism and by the local ruling elites to exploit the fate of the Kurds for their own purposes. It is no secret that the Western imperialist powers supplied arms to religious sectarian forces in the past to advance their interests. When the guns are turned against them, they seek to arm the opposition. They do this not to strengthen the forces that are fighting against repression, but to gain their control back of the resources in the region. No illusions should be created in the role of Western imperialism, whose actions will only further religious sectarian divisions.
The supposed 'humanitarian' motivation of the West to intervene military in the region is an old and well-known excuse to cover up for imperialism's sinister calculations. In that sense, the plight of the Kurds has offered a new cynical argument for Western powers to justify their military escalation in the Middle East. The threat to the people of Benghazi was also used three years ago to justify NATO's bombing of Libya. The reality is that jihadists have been perpetrating massacres in Syria for the last two years, at least, without Western governments and media expressing the global outrage that we hear now.
The history of the Kurdish people has shown many times that the imperialist powers and capitalist elites are no friends of the Kurdish peoples' long-standing struggle for national liberation. When Saddam Husseins' regime was killing the Iraqi Kurds on a mass scale, including the deadly gassing of 5,000 people in the village of Halabja, in 1988, the so-called "international community" did not lift a little finger to help.
The more weapons are being flown into the region by Western governments, the bigger the influence of these capitalist powers is likely to be to impose their political agenda and try to prevent any serious challenge to their system or interests in the process. In this power struggle, the more left-leaning elements are all the more likely to be ultimately side lined or even crushed by those factions acting as proxy to the capitalist-orientated goals of US imperialism and its allies.
That is why the decision of the Danish supporters of the United Secretariat of the Fourth International (USFI) to vote in the Danish parliament in favour of sending a Hercules airplane full of weapons and ammunition to the Kurdish Regional Government of Iraq -a right wing government largely pliant to the interests of imperialism – is a dangerous and mistaken policy.
It also appears that while the leaders of the PKK and the PYD regularly criticise the agenda of imperialism in the region, they are also attempting to build better ties with the Western powers. Some reports even mention representatives of the PYD (which, contrary to the PKK, is not banned by the EU and the US) travelling to London to meet with the British Foreign Office. In the same vein, some capitalist politicians and commentators are discussing the possibility of the PKK being removed from the European and American lists of terrorist organisations. This is an expression of how much the PKK's struggle against the jihadists has contributed to its popularity, especially, but not only, amongst the Kurdish community. At the same time, these developments and others also indicate that some sections of the Western ruling class are flirting with the idea of at least temporarily normalising their relation with the PKK, for their own cynical ends.
The history of the Kurdish people is a history of resistance. But it is also a history of sell-outs and betrayals by various Kurdish leaders, some of which have struck deals with imperialism for the sake of their own personal benefits. This is shown by the examples of the likes of Masoud Barzani, the famously corrupt president of the Kurdish Regional Government, in Southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). His project for Kurdish "self-rule" is no more than the building of a client-state largely dependent on regional and imperialist powers. Its economy is aimed at enriching a small Kurdish elite, Turkish big business and multinational corporations.
Any solution for the Kurdish struggle relying on the political backing of western imperialism should be rejected, and delivery of weapons can be accepted only on the basis of a rejection of "conditions" imposed by outside powers that run against the interests of the mass of the Kurdish people. Furthermore, the leaders who speak on behalf of the Kurdish community should be held accountable for their words and actions, with no secret behind the scenes deals with imperialist and capitalist leaders.
The forming of democratically-elected, non sectarian defence committees in all Kurdish areas, neighbourhoods, cities, towns and villages is essential. This would allow the mass of ordinary people to take an active role in the resistance against IS, but also to democratically decide the course of action, including decisions regarding the supply, use and distribution of weapons, and to be able to challenge any behind-the-door deal that could put the gains of their struggle into jeopardy.
In a situation of increasing desperation and fears on the ground, repeated calls for the West to 'intervene' are understandable, but nevertheless threaten to choke off the very struggle for liberation that so many Kurds want to see carried through to victorious conclusion.
The US-led military strikes launched on IS targets, for example, rather than assisting the Kurdish population under the threat of IS have only made matters worse. Dozens of civilians in Arab Sunni-dominated zones have been killed, and this only drives new recruits into the arms of IS. Kobanê's inhabitants complain that these bombings, by driving some IS fighters away from their strongholds, push them towards the Kurdish areas.
That is why while uncompromisingly recognising the legitimacy of the armed resistance against IS, it is vital that all aspects of this resistance is democratically controlled from below.
It is reported that steps towards a more democratic decision-making process are encouraged in Rojava. This is particularly true when it comes to organising women fighting for their rights and playing a bigger role in society, including on the military front. A third of the YPG militias are made up of women. This stands out in the region, especially in comparison with the ultra-reactionary agenda of women's subjugation defended by IS and other right-wing religious forces in the region.
Unfortunately, reports from some human rights' organisations also highlight certain trends in the PYD's methods of rule in the area that socialists need to subject to unambiguous criticism. This includes, for example, the kidnapping and abduction of journalists critical of that party's views. The PYD insists that all political organizations have to recognize its leading role. The leaders of this organisation consider it should be taken for granted that they play the leading role rather than allow a process of full democratic debate and discussion, controlled from below. Notwithstanding their current popular support, this illustrates administrative, top-down, bureaucratic methods by the PYD and PKK leaders, which socialists should oppose.
The project of the PKK and PYD leadership is based on what they refer to as "Democratic Confederalism", based on self-administered councils and assemblies. Such councils can potentially play a pivotal role in encouraging the active and democratic involvement of the mass of the population, workers, poor peasants, women and young people, not only in the immediate tasks of defending the area from IS' reaction, but also in the revolutionary transformation of society. However, such councils and assemblies need to have decision-making powers and to be linked together on a local, regional and wider level. It is essential that all councils are formed on the basis of the systematic election of delegates, subject to recall, at all levels, and the right of all political parties to democratically defend their views and programmes. They need a system of democratic workers' control and management and not simply to be transition belts for the implementation of the decisions of the PYD leadership in a top-down fashion. As, for example, was the case in the Cuban revolution and recently under Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.
The "Constitution of the Rojava Canton", aims at establishing a "social contract" to run the autonomous areas, the right to work, social security, health, adequate housing etc. However the economic basis upon which such demands are supposed to be realised and guaranteed remains very evasive. While some occasional references are made to 'socialism', in reality, this is seen as something for the future and meanwhile the political organisations running the region plan to work within capitalism.
That is why – while it is important to defend Kobanê, and Rojava, as a whole, against IS rampage, state repression and imperialist meddling, and to preserve the positive gains established in those areas – struggle needs to be linked to a broader and viable political strategy that can ensure a long term and genuine solution to the oppression and marginalisation of Kurdish people, in Rojava and all parts of Kurdistan.
The PKK and the PYD claim they are among the only political forces involved in the military conflict not basing themselves on religious sectarian politics. That this gains an echo, shows how a class appeal across sectarian and national lines could be a powerful lever to appeal to workers, poor and oppressed people of all communities and religions in the wider region. Indeed, not only Kurdish but also millions of Iraqi, Syrian, Iranian and Turkish workers, peasants and unemployed are denied the right to a dignified existence, free from poverty and violence.
Similarly, guarantees of equal rights must be consistently provided for all minorities who live in all the Kurdish zones: Assyrians, Arabs, Turkmens, etc. The strength and viability of the Kurdish resistance in Rojava will depend on the wider mobilisation and support it can win from workers, the poor and youth internationally, and on the geographical extension and strengthening of its most progressive features.
The protest action organised in Istanbul by the KESK (Confederation of Public Workers' Union) and TMMOB (Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects) in solidarity with the struggle in Kobanê, and against the complicity of the AKP government in IS's actions, is a small example of what can be done by the left and the trade union movement on a wider scale; to build the international solidarity and unity of the working class in favour of the Kurds' struggle for self-determination.
The AKPs' increasing agenda of backdoor war against the Syrian Kurds is partially motivated by its attempt at diverting the attention away from its growing domestic problems. This is why such welcomed mobilisations in support of the Kurdish resistance should be linked up to the building of a mass struggle of all workers', the poor and those exploited by capitalism; Turkish and Kurdish alike, within Turkey, against the neo-liberal and authoritarian agenda of the Turkish ruling class. This would also offer a powerful alternative road to those Kurdish activists in Turkey who might be tempted by a return to the dead-end of individualistic bombings and shootings to make their grievances heard.
If done consistently, and fought for by workers', the left and Kurdish organisations in the region and internationally, a class-based approach would help in starting to rebuild a mass and united movement of all workers and poor not only in Turkey but in the wider region. This would provide a platform to begin to reverse the dominant menacing trend of sectarian bloodshed and war.
Such a struggle should be armed with a revolutionary socialist programme aimed at bringing under public ownership and working class control the rich resources of the region, providing the material basis to start solving the multi-dimensional crisis at play, by planning the economy democratically to provide decent infrastructure, jobs and living standards for all.
An international workers' response to the crisis in Kobanê and Rojava is all the more essential as the Kurdish enclaves, while with some oilfields, have no factories and a numerically-weak working class. This makes it impossible to remain in isolation for a lengthy period of time and certainly not to be able to build a fully developed socialist society.
Only a revolutionary and internationalist programme, which would couple the fight against capitalism, landlordism and religious sectarianism with the struggle for equal democratic, cultural and religious rights for all communities and minorities, could alter the deep sense of alienation gripping millions in the region, and transform it into a common, positive outlook aimed at transforming society, for the benefit of all. Such a programme, assisted by the building of mass multi-ethnic and cross-religious forces based on the working classes and the oppressed, would cut across the breeding ground of religious fundamentalist groups, such as IS, much more effectively than any quantity of imperialist bombs will ever be able to do.
The CWI stands for a voluntary socialist and democratic confederation of the Middle East, based on the planning of the resources by working people and on the right of self-determination for all nationalities, and the guaranteeing of the rights of all minorities, within every state. In such a framework, all Kurds, in each part of Kurdistan, would be able to determine freely and democratically their own future and the character of the state they want to live in. This could start building a road out of the nightmarish situation created by capitalism and imperialism in the region.


We would like to show you a description here but the site won' t allow us. Newsong same god mp3 download. If you' ve never heard of the band Downhere before, this is the best place to start! Music Chart I am looking for a particular song, how can I find it?
It' s a fantastic collection of their best songs all together.
The music and ministry of Grammy( tm) nominated and Dove Award( tm) winning artist NewSong continues to impact hundreds of thousands of people. Their annual Winter Jam Tour draws half a million people each year and gives NewSong the largest live touring platform in Christian music.


text:
Jordi Llompart i Mallorquès (Barcelona, 11 d'octubre de 1962) és un periodista, cineasta i escriptor català que ha dirigit i presentat programes de ràdio i televisió. També ha produït i dirigit pel·lícules i sèries documentals per al cinema i la televisió i altres projectes innovadors de cinema IMAX i 3D.

Entre els anys 1988 i 2000 va ser l'editor i presentador de diverses edicions dels Telenotícies de la Televisió de Catalunya, va treballar en altres programes informatius no diaris com Versió Directa o Fem Empresa i va idear i dirigir la sèrie documental L'oblit del passat.

Com a cineasta ha escrit, produït i dirigit El Misteri del Nil (2005), la primera pel·lícula a l'estat espanyol per a cinemes IMAX, i també ha escrit, dirigit i produït Viatge Màgic a Àfrica (2010), el primer llargmetratge europeu de ficció rodat íntegrament en 3D estereoscòpic.

L'octubre de 2009 va ser guardonat amb el Premi Maria Honorífica de la 42a edició del Festival Internacional de Cinema de Sitges.

Trajectòria
Va iniciar la seva carrera professional l'any 1983 com a director de l'emissora municipal Ràdio Cubelles i com a editor i presentador dels serveis informatius de Ràdio Avui de la Cadena 13.

El 1987 es va incorporar a Catalunya Ràdio i, el gener de 1988, va començar a presentar els Telenotícies de la Televisió de Catalunya. Entre els anys 1988 i 2000 va alternar l'edició i presentació dels Telenotícies vespre i dels Telenotícies cap de setmana. També va dirigir i presentar el programa d'entrevistes i debats Versió Directa i el programa d'economia Fem Empresa. Entre 1994 i 1996, va idear, produir i dirigir per al Canal 33 L'oblit del passat, sèrie documental de tretze episodis sobre la conservació del Patrimoni Cultural de la Humanitat. El 1999, va publicar el llibre amb el mateix títol fent una adaptació dels seus guions originals. Entre els anys 2000 i 2001 va dirigir i presentar el programa Economia i Empresa a Catalunya Ràdio.

L'any 2000, va deixar Televisió de Catalunya per a crear, juntament amb la societat de capital risc Barcelona Emprèn i la posterior participació de la societat d'inversió Invercartera, la productora audiovisual Orbita Max amb la qual va produir i dirigir diverses pel·lícules, sèries documentals i altres projectes innovadors de cinema IMAX i 3D.

Entre 2002 i 2004, va produir i dirigir Nòmades de la condició humana, una sèrie documental de tretze capítols que explora l'aspecte humà de la globalització a través dels ulls i les experiències dels nòmades moderns, i els documentals Aventura al Nil, que narra el viatge de quatre mesos de dos aventurers pel riu més llarg del món, i Asha, la filla del Ganges, basat en l'experiència de l'escriptora Asha Miró quan és adoptada per una família catalana i es desplaça fins a l'Índia en un viatge iniciàtic a la recerca dels seus orígens.

El 2005, va produir i dirigir El Misteri del Nil, la primera producció a l'estat espanyol per a cinemes IMAX. La pel·lícula, que narra la primera expedició que completa amb èxit el descens pel riu Nil Blau va obtenir, entre altres premis i reconeixements, els GSCA Awards (2005) a la millor fotografia, millor banda sonora i millor producció. Va ser la pel·lícula de gran format més vista i amb més ingressos de l'any 2005 i l'any següent va ser guardonada al festival de cinema de gran format de La Geode (París) amb els premis del jurat, del públic i dels joves.

L'octubre de 2006, el Grup RBA va entrar a l'accionariat d'Orbita Max amb el 50% del capital després d'adquirir les participacions dels socis financers de la productora un cop finalitzat el seu cicle inversor.

El 2007, la productora Orbita Max va rebre el Premi Sant Jordi de Cinematografia a l'empresa més innovadora del sector audiovisual i l'any 2008 va ser guardonada amb el Premi FICOD 2008 per haver produït el primer llargmetratge en gran format per a sales de projecció 3D estereoscòpic.

El 2009, va produir i dirigir Aràbia, una sèrie de quatre capítols que narra l'expedició de dos aventurers que es proposen creuar la península aràbiga i travessar el desert més inhòspit del món com a fil argumental per explicar les arrels comunes d'una civilització que neix dels costums nòmades ancestrals.

El 2010, va produir i dirigir Viatge Màgic a Àfrica, la primera pel·lícula rodada a l'estat espanyol íntegrament en 3D estereoscòpic per a cinemes de gran format, cinemes digitals i televisió. La pel·lícula està basada en el conte El cor damunt la sorra que ell mateix havia escrit en memòria de la seva filla Jana, a qui va perdre a l'edat de set anys en un tràgic accident a Namíbia l'abril de 2005. La pel·lícula, que va ser rodada a Namíbia, Sud-àfrica i Barcelona, està protagonitzada pels nens Eva Gerretsen, Michael Van Wyk i Raymon Mvula i la participació especial de Leonor Watling, Verónica Blume i Adrià Collado. Una pel·lícula que Llompart defineix com "una pel·lícula de nens per a nens" on reivindica la ingenuïtat i convida a l'espectador a viatjar per Àfrica a través d'aquest "compte màgic amb un rerefons filosòfic sobre la vida i la mort". La pel·lícula va ser guardonada amb el Premi Gaudí 2011 als millors efectes especials i Jordi Llompart va ser guardonat amb el Premi Maria Honorífica de la 42a edició del Festival Internacional de Cinema de Sitges.

Entre els anys 2010 i 2011 va presentar el programa d'actualitat, El Debat de 8TV, a Barcelona Televisió.

El 2012, va produir i dirigir La fi dels grans felins, una sèrie documental de televisió de quatre episodis sobre els perills que amenacen la conservació dels lleons, lleopards i guepards. Aquesta sèrie va ser la darrera producció de Llompart amb Orbita Max. La productora, afectada per la crisi econòmica del sector audiovisual, va presentar concurs de creditors a primers de 2016. A primers de 2018, amb el concurs acabat i l'extinció de la companyia, finalitzava la vinculació de Jordi Llompart amb la productora.

De 2012 a 2015 va treballar com a productor executiu, director i guionista del projecte documental Barça Dreams, llargmetratge documental que explica la història del Futbol Club Barcelona des dels seus orígens fins a la darrera etapa triomfal del club amb Lionel Messi de jugador i Pep Guardiola, Tito Vilanova i Luis Enrique d'entrenadors.

Entre 2012 i 2016 va publicar regularment articles d'opinió als diaris digitals Nació Digital i El Món.

El 2017 va realitzar The Last Wild, un llargmetratge documental on reivindica la recuperació dels vincles dels éssers humans amb la naturalesa.

Entre 2018 i 2019 va dirigir pel·lícules documentals per a l'Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) com The World of the Fatimids, basada en la dinastia fatimita, i Restoring Dignity, que explora els esforços a Kabul, Lahore i Delhi, per restaurar la dignitat de les persones mitjançant el desenvolupament cultural.

El 2021, Jordi Llompart va ser elegit president de l'Associació Societat Geogràfica de Catalunya. Aquesta associació, també coneguda com a Societat Nova Geogràfica, va ser fundada l'any 2019 pel mateix Llompart i altres reconeguts professionals de diversos àmbits de la societat catalana amb l'objectiu de promoure el coneixement de la geografia humana, cultural i mediambiental.

Llibres publicats
 L'oblit del passat (Folio Ediciones,1999)
 Seres y Estrellas, conjuntament amb Jorge Wagensberg, Eudald Carbonell i Eduard Salvador (Plaza & Janés Editores, 2000)
 El cor damunt la sorra (Editorial La Galera, 2006)
 Viatge màgic a l'Àfrica (Ara Llibres, 2009)

Filmografia

Referències

Periodistes barcelonins
Directors de cinema barcelonins
Presentadors de televisió barcelonins
Escriptors barcelonins contemporanis
Guionistes barcelonins
Alumnes barcelonins de la UAB
Productors de cinema barcelonins

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
The Longest-Serving Congressman On The 41st Obamacare Repeal: 'Reject This Nonsense'
"Well, here we go again," Rep. John Dingell said on Thursday morning.
"This is the 41st time Republicans have tried to gut the Affordable Care Act. They don't understand that you are supposed to respect the will of the people and to carry forward the business of the nation. What a shame that we've had that kind of behavior on the other side of the aisle."
For the 87-year-old Dingell, implementation of health care reform is both the culmination of a lifetime of work in office and a continuation of a family legacy of championing the creation of America's social safety net. The Democrat from Michigan holds the distinction of being the longest-serving congressperson in American history. He was presiding over the House on the day Medicare passed the lower chamber of Congress and his father — Rep. John D. Dingell, Sr. — helped write Social Security.
The congressman called the Republicans' latest reasoning for trying to repeal the law — income verification of those who will receive Obamacare subsidies — "obfuscation and deceit." He noted that both the IRS and Social Security Adminstration will be verifying incomes, with additional verification required if there is a discrepancy.
"This is a lot of witchcraft and baloney," Dingell said.
What's great about the GOP's Ahab-like obsession with destroying Obamacare is that the gist of their argument has become, "We're afraid too many Americans are going to get tax credits."
John Dingell is old enough to remember when Republicans used to like tax credits, as are most people who were paying attention before 2009.
"This is the 41st time we've engaged in this nonsense, wasting about a million and half dollars each hour we're doing this," he said.
"I urge my colleagues to reject this nonsense."
The bill passed and will never be considered in the Senate, but instead will become the subject line for dozens of Republican fundraising emails.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: centering nested div not working within bootstrap I have this markup:

BLOG POST TITLE

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod

I'm expectiong that the content within col-md-6 to be centered inside the col-md-12 but this is not happening. I've tried also with margin:0 auto; but the same result.
Here is a fiddle.
How can I center the content of col-md-6 within col-md-12 ?

A: Use an offset for the inner element, in Bootstrap, by default, all rows have 12 cols.

          ...

Further details in official doc: http://getbootstrap.com/css/#grid-offsetting

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Practice limited to family law since 1976 • Collaborative divorce attorney, arbitrator, mediator, and litigator • Emphasis on financially complex divorce cases • Certified Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (1985-present) •... Read More.
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Trusts and Estates, Non-Profit / Charities Law, Business Organizations (Including LLCs and Partnerships)... See More.
Joanne Grimes is a Partner in the firm's Honolulu Office and is licensed to practice law in Hawaii and Guam. She has over two decades of experience in... Read More.
Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Federal, State, State and Federal, Criminal Investigations, Drug Offenses, Grand Jury... See More.
Prior to entering private practice, Brook Hart was the Chief Public Defender for the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii from 1970 to 1972. In 1971, he was honored to... Read More.
Steve Egesdal is a Partner in the firm's Honolulu office and is a member of the Transactional practice group. He concentrates his practice on business structure and operations. Steve has assisted a wide variety of business entities in the formation, acquisition,... Read More.
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Health Care Law, Trusts and Estates, Non-Profit / Charities Law, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law... See More.
James Starshak is a partner in the firm's Honolulu office and is a member of the Tax, Estate Planning & Wealth Management practice group. He concentrates... Read More.


Singing is the Best Way to Learn to Rhyme!
This school year, I have the pleasure of teaching music to 120 kindergarten students at the newly-opened KIPP elementary school in Lynn, MA. Our school will add a grade each year, so for now, we are all K! It's great fun.
One of the first literacy skills kindergarteners need to master is rhyming. Distinguishing rhyming words helps emergent readers hear distinct vowel sounds as well as ending consonants, which are the same in each rhyme, and beginning consonants, which change from word to word.
Children with great preparation in preschool or at home already may know about rhymes, but some children still struggle with the concept in kindergarten, especially English Language Learners. Everyone benefits from a review.
One of the best ways to learn about rhymes is – music! I've already posted about these rhyming songs, but here is a reminder of some of my favorites.
My version of Dr. Knickerbocker (the lyrics are in this link, to my Songs for Teaching page) is a terrific wiggle break and provides work on counting down as well as rhyming. Below are the rhyming pairs of words as you count down in the song. You can review them before the activity, or just have the children call out the rhyme at the appropriate time in the song. You can also do this as a chant if you don't want to sing.
Hey, Dr. Knickerbocker, number nine, it's a great day and I'm feeling fine.
Oh, let's feel the rhythm in our hips, our hips, let's feel the rhythm in our hips.
This link will give you the rest of the lyrics.
Animal Rhyming Words (especially great paired with the book, A Hunting We Will Go, adapted by John Langstaff).
Songs & Stories from the Natural World!
Antelope Dance | Powered by Mantra & WordPress.


text:
The Resurgence of Harry Potter & The Fall of J.K. Rowling
Klaudia Gajewicz and Francine Velasco|December 21, 2020
J. Bravo
J.K Rowling's Harry Potter series used to be one of the most top selling novels in the world with a total of 500 million copies sold worldwide. The last three books from the Harry Potter franchise were known to have been the most popular and emotional books from the entire series.
Harry Potter has been one of the most popular book series in the world. J.K Rowling's series may not be as favored as it was 20 years ago, but she has influenced children who normally don't like reading, to read. Not only did J.K Rowling manage to have a successful book franchise, but she also assisted in the production of one of the most lucrative movie franchises, with a network of over $7.7 billion. However, Rowling's personal views have put her back in the spotlight, this time as a recipient of backlash. If the fandom remains dedicated, remains to be seen.
On June 26, 1997, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J.K Rowling's first novel, was globally released to bookstores around the world. Her first novel sold over 120 million copies and eventually got named as one of the best top-selling books of the century. Even though the series has been out for nearly 20 years, it's still relevant to some viewers.
"One of the many reasons why Harry Potter suddenly became relevant could be due to an app called TikTok, in which many videos have been made including Harry Potter characters and their POV. Other 15-second videos mentioned the Harry Potter series, as well as Tom Felton, who is better known as Draco Malfoy, in the film adaptations of Harry Potter. He also joined TikTok and many fans since then have been talking more and more about the franchise." explained a Becton Sophomore who completed our anonymous survey. According to our poll, 76.6% of students enjoy Harry Potter. When asked about the date on which they joined, most students were old-time fans from before it re-rose to fame, early this year.
The American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey holds a Harry Potter convention with merchandise, food, and art. (F. Velasco)
Although some fans don't consider J.K Rowling and her series relevant anymore, her recent scandals on social media brought her back into the forefront of the conversation.
Another Becton student who completed our poll shared, "J.K Rowling currently has a horrible reputation, and I feel like that is impacting her current and past works."
On June 6, 2020, J.K Rowling posted an article ventilating her "support" towards the transphobic community. Throughout the day, she constantly posted essays and detailed paragraphs about this topic despite the backlash she was receiving. She went as far as to write an open letter about "cancel culture" and why "we're on the brink of a medical scandal". Most famously, she started getting acknowledged for her uncomfortable comments when she compared hormone therapy with gay conversion therapy. Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint spoke out about this incident.
Harry Potter fans around the world conveyed their thoughts on J.K Rowling's unacceptable and inaccurate posts on Twitter. "It's like she doesn't know her characters at all like she stole all the ideas and published them as her own," expressed @allouette.
In response to the hate she was receiving, J.K Rowling tweeted, "The idea that women like me, who've been empathetic to trans people for decades…have to live through life's consequences is nonsense." Not surprisingly, this 'defense' recieved additional backlash from the fans. The majority of her audience is children and adult-readers, who grew up with the franchise. Many of them were quick to point out that her viewpoint did not express their own, however, for many, it was difficult to separate the art from the artist. Twitter user @amber stated, "I don't agree with J.K Rowling's views, to put it lightly…it has kind of ruined the series for me."
Today, the J.K Rowling's controversy has started to dissolve as it is replaced by more relevant news stories, but the impact of her words has a lingering effect. Fans are still trending hashtags under her name and calling her out for her problematic responses.
"I personally hold to a "death of the author" mindset but with some exceptions. If they come out with something new and good, I'm all for it but if they start acting…human, then I divorce them from all the good times I had with their series," explained @obdobuk.
Klaudia Gajewicz, Staff: Arts & Culture
Klaudia likes to read books and watch movies in her free time. In addition, you will find her listening to music and talking to friends whenever she...
Francine Velasco, Staff: Arts & Culture
This is Francine's 1st year joining the Cat's Eye View. She is dedicated to her classes and work. Others would describe her as very outgoing, open-minded,...
School Spirit Is Not the Only Thing 'Haunting' Becton's 'Nightmare on Wildcat Way!'
A Boo-tiful Night for the Becton Community!
The Hauntingly Amazing, Addams Family Musical!
Despite Covid-19 Restrictions, the Show Must Go On.
Dream: The Faceless Gamer taking over YouTube


text:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
              android:layout_width="match_parent"
              android:layout_height="match_parent"
              android:orientation="vertical">

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:id="@+id/username"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:singleLine="true"
        android:hint="@string/username"
        android:layout_marginLeft="24dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="24dp"
        >

        <requestFocus/>

    </EditText>

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:inputType="textPassword"
        android:ems="10"
        android:id="@+id/password"
        android:hint="@string/password"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:layout_marginLeft="24dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="24dp"
        />
</LinearLayout>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Cheung, C., Jing, Z., Tang, J., Weston, D. A., & Richards, M. P. (2017). Diets, social roles, and geographical origins of sacrificial victims at the royal cemetery at Yinxu, Shang China: New evidence from stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope analysis. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 48, 28-45.


text:
Now Open! New Braunfels at Creekside Plaza & Down Town San Antonio in the Metropolitan Methodist Plaza.
Knee Injections
Viscosupplementation
Facet Joint Blocks and Injections
SAM-e Supplements for Osteoarthritis: Are They Safe?
By	Josh Davis
Arthritis can be extremely painful and debilitating. It's true no matter which of the 100+ different versions of the condition you have. Yes, you can take NSAIDs, but what if there was another way to relieve pain without exposing yourself to those side effects?
That's why researchers are studying the effects of various supplements, including turmeric/curcumin, fish oil, and SAM-e. Not only does SAM-e, a relatively new supplement, show promising results in reducing reliance on NSAIDs, but it could also assist in the regrowth and restoration of lost cartilage caused by osteoarthritis.
It's important that you take any supplement's proposed health benefits with a degree of skepticism. Anything labeled as a supplement may show promising results in scientific studies, but, until the FDA approves (or denies) it, a supplement cannot claim to treat any illness, condition, or disease.
Let's talk about what makes SAM-E so special and why scientists are interested in investigating its helpful properties.
What is SAM-e?
S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM-e) is a compound naturally found in your body. It's involved in many important functions, from regulating hormones like serotonin in your brain to maintaining cell membranes. In terms of arthritis pain, SAM-e is currently being studied for its anti-inflammatory properties, mainly in patients with osteoarthritis.
SAM-e has also been investigated for its anti-depressive properties, if it can improve liver health, and whether it can help our furry friends. Currently, SAM-e is available as a dietary supplement for humans, as well as cats and dogs, in the U.S. In other countries, including those in the European Union, it is classified as a prescription drug.
How May SAM-e Improve Joint Pain?
In a study published in 2004, researchers found that, although SAM-e didn't work as fast as the prescription NSAID, celecoxib (Celebrex), the supplement provided the same amount of pain relief. That said, the study was relatively short and concluded that further, longer investigations were needed to pinpoint the optimal dose and long-term effectiveness.
Since then, research has suggested that SAM-e may have a role in the regeneration of cartilage. This would be a huge improvement in the treatment and potential cure for arthritis.
Additionally, several animal studies have shown that SAM-e can stimulate the production of cartilage, which shows promising results and will help all manner of arthritis patients. However, evidence for both its cartilage regenerating properties and NSAID replacement remain inconclusive until further, more long-term research can be conducted.
Is SAM-e Safe to Take?
It depends on several factors, including your personal medical history. Like any supplement or medication, you must consider the side effects and consult with your doctor or arthritis specialist before, during, and after taking SAM-e.
Those include:
Digestive issues, such as nausea and diarrhea
Worsening of conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder
While you don't need a prescription (in the U.S.) to purchase SAM-e, it's always best to talk to your doctor before trying a new supplement — even if they're considered generally safe to take.
You Have Other Options for Your Arthritis Pain
Whether or not you choose to take SAM-e, you can improve your arthritis symptoms, both medically and lifestyle-wise in other ways. You can change your diet to reduce joint inflammation, engage in low-impact exercise, or make the decision to receive pain-relieving injections in your joints.
The specialists at Arthritis Relief Centers can help you find the pain relief you need. Contact us to schedule a risk-free consultation today! We are committed to making your arthritis pain a thing of the past.
SAM-e Supplements for Osteoarthritis: Are They Safe?2021-02-222021-02-22https://arthritisrelieftx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/arc-logo.jpgArthritis Relief Centershttps://arthritisrelieftx.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pills-pink-background-1.jpg200px200px
Copyright All Rights Reserved © 2018 | Privacy Policy
Select Office Location*
Houston – Bellaire
Houston – Clear Lake
Do Turmeric and Curcumin Really Work for Arthritis?Arthritis, Treatments
How Smoking Affects Your ArthritisArthritis


Technology Services Insurance - Charleston SC & Mt Pleasant SC - McKenna Agency, Inc.
McKenna Agency, Inc. provides insurance to technology service businesses in Charleston, Mt Pleasant, Summerville, North Charleston, West Ashley, Goose Creek, and surrounding areas.
With such a wide range of potential protection plans, it's important that you contact an insurance specialist at McKenna Agency, Inc. to go over all of your options. We will help you find a plan that's right for your business.


"...Today is the day to start everything fresh! It's the perfect day for new beginnings... the slate has been wiped clean and a whole new year stretches out before us!
I'm actually considering trying out some recipes for keto "treats" so I don't feel totally deprived but I'll deal with those later. For the upcoming week, since I'm re-detoxing all over again, I want to keep it simple. Simple meals, simple foods and focusing in making it through the week. Then, when I have my keto feet under me again and feel like I'm really back into the low carb thing, I can start looking at new recipes and ideas..."
This is what I'm trying again, only a month after the first time. I actually went almost three weeks without cheating that time and I think I could have kept going had I not given in.
I also want to shift focus more to healthy food (more veggies, some fruit and berries) and a sustainable diet. And, despite what I said when I was venting yesterday, low carb is sustainable to me. It's just not "fun" lol.
The hardest part for me is not giving in to the junk but the more I do low carb, the easier it gets to stick to and to avoid temptation.
One of these days it'll stick!


text:
Japanese author Ayako Sono interviewed by Judit Kawaguchi in 2006.
Prominent on Japan's literary scene for over half a century, Ayako Sono is one of this country's best-known writers of fiction and essays. Sono rose to prominence with the publication of "Enrai no Kyakutachi" ("Guests from Afar"), the story of a young girl's perception of the U.S. Occupation forces, which was short-listed for the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 1954. With that, Sono established herself as a member of the first wave of talented women writers to appear in the wake of the Second World War. Highly regarded for her informed, eloquent style, Sono has written extensively on social issues of the day from the perspective of a Catholic woman. With over 40 novels and essays to her credit, she has seen her work translated into six languages. As well, Sono has made a name for herself as a tireless advocate of human rights and is the energetic chairperson of the Japan Overseas Missionary Assistance Society (JOMAS), a charity she founded in 1972. The author and social commentator talks to Judit Kawaguchi.
Journalist Judit Kawaguchi with Japanese author Ayako Sono
Judit Kawaguchi: When did you get involved with charity work?
Ayako Sono: About 34 years ago, I collected money for a South Korean leprosy village, whose director, the Reverend Lee Kyun Che, was an acquaintance of mine. Also around that time, I went to Madagascar to do some research for a book. I stayed at a Franciscan missionary post and learned about three nuns who worked as midwives there. Seeing their daily struggle, I became convinced that I had to help. One way was by writing about them, and the series The Babies for Whom Time Stopped, published by the Mainichi Newspapers, turned the spotlight on their amazing contribution, and the donations started to pour in.
JK: Who are the main sponsors of JOMAS?
AS: Ordinary people. I believe in reaching out to individuals, and although we also now have the support of two or three company presidents, the rest of our members are average citizens who send us amounts they feel comfortable with. Every year, somebody might wire us the few hundred yen they saved over New Year's by not having bought a second soft drink or something. Such people never quit helping us, though large corporate donations can dry up the moment business turns bad.
JK:Collecting money must be a very time-consuming and difficult process.
AS:It is, but we have over 2,300 members who are firmly behind us and they entrust us with over a hundred million yen a year. I often joke that my God is not in a chapel but in the casino. It was in Madagascar, on my last day there, that I went to the Hilton's casino in Antananarivo to try to win money to give to the Franciscan nuns. I sat down, prayed and promised that I would give all the money to them. I won at roulette twice in a row. I won a few hundred thousand yen and donated it to the three nuns.
JK:It sounds like your prayers were answered.
AS:Yes. And interestingly enough, my luck continued even after I returned to Japan. At that time, everyone thought that only large, tax-free donations were a viable option for a charity, but I disagreed and collected from individuals little by little. I've never changed my tactics, and time has proved me right.
JK:What distinguishes JOMAS from other NGOs?
AS:We have a very strict checking mechanism. We never send money to groups or foreign government organizations – only to Japanese Catholic missionaries living abroad. They are completely responsible for investigating thoroughly every request, and they continue revisiting the recipient to make sure that some item we purchased is used and maintained. Let's say, some village would like solar panels to generate electricity installed on a building, and the price tag is ¥1.5 million. Our member – a priest or a nun in that area – will be involved at every step of the process from purchase through to running and maintenance. He or she makes rounds in the area and listens to what the locals need, and we try to accommodate their wishes.
JK:How are you involved in the day-to-day management of the group?
AS:Oh, very much. I oversee the finances and regularly visit our members abroad. I've been to about 85 percent of the places where our members reside. I must have visited about 115 countries, and most of those are in the developing world.
Another feature of our organization is that our running costs are zero. I pay for all my transportation out of my own pocket, and our meetings abroad are simple affairs. We eat whatever the locals eat. Food in itself is a treasure, although living in Japan or any other advanced nation one might forget how many people have nothing at all to eat.
JK:You must have had such experiences during the Second World War.
AS:Yes, we were so poor, and I do remember those years. Now, Japan is a sort of heaven. In a way, our wealth is the reason why even younger people who do not work are able to live off their parents. If you call for an ambulance here, it comes within minutes and takes you to a well-equipped hospital. In many countries, they don't have such hospitals, and unless you pay, the ambulance won't even take you. Most Japanese don't know how much hardship some people in the rest of the world have to endure. As a result, they don't realize how special Japan is.
JK:What do you find most different abroad?
AS: I think the gap between the rich and poor might the smallest in Japan. For example, Sony's co-founder, Mr. Morita was of course considered a rich man but his lifestyle was not so different from the average Japanese. His wealth was nothing compared to the fortunes of Bill Gates or Michael Jackson. No matter what position or job, all Japanese live in fairly similar, reasonable houses, and have just what they need. Even presidents eat simple food, such as mezashi, a kind of small dried fish and hijiki, a type of seaweed. I find that in Japan it is easy to take everything for granted, such as clean running water, comfortable toilets and cities where everything works perfectly on a precise schedule. When I'm abroad, whether it's New York or Bangalore, I frequently experience blackouts, yet we never have those in Japan. The more one travels around the world, the more it becomes obvious what an amazingly well-run country Japan really is.
JK:Many of the female characters in your book No Reason for Murder seem rather trusting individuals and one by one they become victimized.
AS:Yes. One has difficulty understanding why such people are like that. I actually find the immaturity, the childishness of the Japanese, slightly annoying. Most parents do not teach their children that humans have faults and that there are some scary people around. I guess I'm very outspoken and selfish, in a way, so I always wonder why others don't think more seriously about their actions and what the consequences of those actions might be. It's said that the children of wealthy people are often not so sharp, and since Japan is a developed nation that might be a little true for most of its citizens.
JK:What do you learn abroad, and how do you incorporate those experiences into your writings?
AS:I learn from every country and group I visit. I can see both the beauty and the shortcomings of Japan when abroad. I love the Arabs and have visited many countries where they live. Arabs normally don't use water from others people's wells without permission. But in an emergency, they share food and water even with their enemies. They understand that suffering is universal and shared.
JK:Many Japanese go abroad but few venture to places you do.
AS: Yes. Many Japanese fly to South Africa to take the Blue Train and enjoy a luxurious safari. But when I go there, I go to the Aids Hospice run by Nicolas Nemoto, a Catholic priest we support. So far, we've sent him about ¥40 million so that he could build a mortuary and hospital wards. He's been able to purchase a bus to transport orphans and SUVs for traveling on rough roads. We also paid for a treatment center he runs for recovering alcoholics.
JK: Have you thought about helping Japan in some way?
AS: No, not really because Japan is rich so it doesn't need my help. When South Korea was less developed, we supported people there but not anymore since South Korea is doing very well economically.
JK:How would you describe yourself?
AS:I think I spent my whole life passively following the road that was somehow marked out for me. I could say I followed my destiny, with a kind of "let it be" attitude. As a child, I was bad at sports. I was very shortsighted; I couldn't paint; I wasn't good at arithmetic. All I could do was write. I was raised at a convent school and usually stayed in, reading books. By the time I was 12, I was writing stories. I've always done what I felt like doing and what I think others would not want to do. In 1995, I accepted the position of chairperson of the Japan Foundation because I recognized that nobody else would want to do all that work for nothing . So I said yes to the challenge and worked hard there for almost 10 years.
JK:You're fluent in English. What do you think about the English education in Japan?
AS:Basically I agree with English tuition from a young age because I also began in kindergarten. I went to a mission school, where the nuns told us that in order to be international, we first had to be national. In other words, we had to learn Japanese customs and culture too. Among children today, I don't think mobile phones and TVs should be used for more than an hour or so a day. The rest of the time, children should play together or read books and write reports. Morals have to be taught, too, along with common sense, such as not buying something unless one has money.
JK:In many Japanese schools, literature is taught by reading just a few pages from novels, without finishing the whole book.
AS:Yes. That's terrible. When I was a child, we read a lot: the only fun we had was the radio, and even that wasn't so great. So we either read or went outside to play. We had to prepare book reports, too. I think schools should make kids tougher. I disagree with the use of too many conveniences for children from such a young age. Children should use air-conditioning less, and there's no need to ride on a school bus for a short 1- or 2-kilometer walk. Children need to bring lunch boxes from home, made by their mothers. I think children must learn endurance more.
JK:What has been your philosophy?
AS:I walk my own way, but I try to do so with consideration for others. I see the good in people, but I know that not all humans are wonderful creatures. The bad is also human. And the dark and the bright exist together.
JK: What are you working on now?
AS: I am writing short stories and am also researching about Jesus for a book. No, not The Da Vinci Code type of book, though.
JK:Unfortunately many of your books have not been translated yet.
AS:Yes, I know but I guess the foreign market must be very small for Japanese literature. I don't really care either way, actually. Of course, I would be happy if some of our literature was more known but as far as my own books go, I do not care. I guess I am living in my own world, which is rather small, but still has great depth and wide horizons. If I were not happy here, maybe I would have chosen to be a politician, not a writer.
JK:You once suffered from depression, but recovered. Do you have advice to those who are currently feeling down?
AS:People shouldn't believe that they should stay in a particular job no matter what the cost. If the work they do makes them miserable, they should be brave and move on. Changing jobs could be one way to recovery. Or finding one's talent is another.
I was helped by a doctor who asked me why I felt so much pressure about producing books. I realized that I could just write when I wanted to, and that thought pretty much cured me.
JK:You and your husband, writer Shumon Miura, are famous for your happy marriage. What's your secret?
AS:We have similar hobbies and dislikes. Also, we both hate being busy and being rushed.
JK: If you were not writing, what profession would you like to try your hands at?
AS:I admire craft-working, and if I could, I would like to be a furniture-maker. More specifically I would like to work with sashimono, which are boxes and chests created with highly precise joints that keep the parts in place, without the use of nails. I respect the accuracy and precision of Japanese crafts. I think we could develop the computer chip because of the background of our craftspeople who spent a long time improving details that nobody can even see. That is the depth and beauty of Japan.
A version of this interview appeared in Skyward Magazine in 2006.
I think the gap between the rich and poor might the smallest in Japan. — Ayako Sono


text:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <string name="auth_activity_title">المصادقة</string>

    <string name="auth_hint_password">كلمة المرور</string>
    <string name="auth_hint_pin">رمز PIN</string>

    <string name="auth_msg_authenticate">الرجاء المصادقة لبدء andOTP!</string>
    <string name="auth_msg_confirm_encryption">يرجى تأكيد المصادقة لتوليد
        مفتاح تشفيرك!</string>

    <string name="auth_button_unlock">فتح القفل</string>

    <string name="auth_toast_password_missing">الرجاء تعيين كلمة مرور في الإعدادات!</string>
    <string name="auth_toast_pin_missing">الرجاء تعيين PIN في الإعدادات!</string>
    <string name="auth_toast_password_again">كلمة المرور خاطئة، الرجاء المحاولة مُجددًا!</string>
    <string name="auth_toast_pin_again">رمز PIN خاطئ، الرجاء المحاولة مُجددًا!</string>
</resources>


text:
SteelEye checks the LAMPs are on
Builder: A new version of LifeKeeper will monitor the health of applications bulit on the Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP stack
By Matt Loney | October 8, 2004 -- 10:00 GMT (03:00 PDT) | Topic: Developer
Application monitoring company SteelEye this week launched a version of its software for companies running a combination of the Linux operating system, the Apache Web server, MySQL database and Perl or PHP scripting -- the software stack collectively referred to as LAMP.
Steeleye, which focuses on business continuity and disaster recovery for Windows and Linux environments on x86 platforms, already supports applications such as SAP, Exchange and the Oracle database. The decision to add LAMP to the list was taken because of the growing number of business relying on this software stack, said the company.
The software, LifeKeeper, monitors hardware and software and supports the movement of LAMP components among servers. European director John Banfield said a typical installation would cost about $5,000.
Responding to the suggestion that companies using freely available open-source software might balk at paying such licence fees, Banfield said that for many companies the choice of the LAMP stack is more about quality of engineering than low (or no) cost licences. "They reason they buy this to protect their applications because that is important to them," said Banfield. "If it wasn't important they wouldn't bother. Each customer is different; for some it will be transactional servers, for others it will be providing content, but in all cases the business are those who will be able to put some value on their uptime, either in terms of lost business or in terms of customer perception."
The LifeKeeper LAMP solution has two components: a clustering solution that helps users manage up to 32 nodes, protect IP connections and monitor the network environment; and application recovery kits, which monitor the alert states of the applications and take appropriate action when needed.
More from Matt Loney
Symbian Foundation launch: What members said
Firefox 3 reaches six percent market share
O2 releases iPhone 3G pricing for UK
Steve Jobs unveils the $199 iPhone 3G


Welcome to Tom Kuhlmann from Articulate, who adds The Rapid e-Learning Blog into the mix.
Tom is the author of 5 Myths About Rapid e-Learning which made the rounds a while back. Up until recently, Tom was guest blogging for the Articulate Customer Support Blog (Gabe Anderson), but now he's gone solo.
Tom provides "practical real-world tips for rapid e-Learning success" with enticing blog entry titles such as How Can Baking Cookies Improve Your E-learning Course?
Sounds good enough to eat.
Cammy, you seem to have taken on the role of gateway to the edublogosphere! A useful service indeed.


First Look At The Map.
Tomorrow's the big day as we navigate ourselves to the Disneyland Resort for a press event celebrating the world premiere of Mickey and the Magical Map in Fantasyland Theater and the kickoff to the Monstrous Summer All-Nighter at the Disneyland Resort!
Tomorrow is really all about the Magical Map and as we inch closer to the public debut on Saturday, May 25, Disneyland has begun showing us details on what the new will be like! Take a look at the images above. What do you see?
A lot more than just a map.
We see live action characters interacting with screen animations, immerse technology, and a lot of Disney characters. Have Sorcerer Mickey combine all these things together and we're sure that tomorrow's premiere will be quite magical.
AND it'll all be held inside the newly renovated Fantasyland Theater! Check out this video that shows all the fantastic shows that have made their way in and out of the famous Disneyland landmark.
Remember to join us for LIVE updates from Disneyland including the world premiere of "Mickey and the Magical Map" as well as the other special things that'll be happening at the Resort including the Monstrous Summer All-Nighter.
We've setup a COVERAGE PAGE so you can follow along our journey. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and YouTube for updates too!
Next story You've Reached Your Destination.


Renzo Real Estate Agents tackle the Calgary real estate market for the month of July 2018.
The Calgary real estate market continues to feel the pinch of the downturn and July was a more significant blow than in previous months. This month, we will take a look at absorption rate and what this means for buyers and sellers in Calgary. Absorption rate (or the inverse per month, "months of supply") is the percentage of homes that are selling over a time period. To be in a seller's market, you will have a high absorption rate indicating that more properties are selling than are sitting on the market. For example, imagine there are 10 homes on the market and 8 sold, this would be an absorption rate of 80%. If only 2 homes sold then your absorption rate would be 20%.
Why does all of this matter and what does it mean to those buying and selling homes in Calgary? Effectively, this statistic is a gauge of your chances of selling. Of course, many factors will impact your chances of selling, but when looking at this statistic, we like to explain to the seller (or buyer) that not all properties are selling.
For Calgary, we will look at detached homes, attached homes, and condos.
In the detached market, the absorption rate is 21% with an average of 48 days on market. The most sales occurred in the $300,000 - $600,000 range.
In the attached market, the absorption rate is 15% with an average of 53 days on market. The most sales occurred in the $300,000 - $400,000 range.
In the condo market, the absorption rate is 14% with an average of 62 days on market. The most sales occurred in the $100,000 - $300,000 range.
Although it is a simplification, this means you have a 14%-21% chance of selling your home in our city.
Your real estate agent or top REALTOR® should be able to explain these values and provide you with an explanation for your individual community. In Calgary, these numbers can change drastically if you are looking in say Renfrew vs Auburn Bay vs the Beltline.
Looking at your individual community is very important. Furthermore, knowing your product type is important as well. You can see that your numbers vary between detached, attached and condos. Your numbers will also vary between communities.
If we observe the market as a whole, there are some other important statistics to pull.
Last month, there were 1,547 sales. It's hard to look at a number like this without comparing it to something else. For reference, this is a 5% decrease from this time last year. It's critical to look at the same months, year-over-year because sales in January will be very different from May.
How has this all impacted prices? Year-over-year, there has been a decrease in prices by 1.89% and a 0.6% decrease since last month. We are always cautious when looking at average prices because a few large sales in Calgary could skew this statatiscis on a month-over-month basis. That said, a decrease in prices by 1.89% coupled with a 5% decrease in sales is a clear indicator that the market is struggling.
Potential reasons for this are the recent increase in mortgage rates. Even small bumps in the mortgage rates impact buying power. If you were looking in the $400,000 range and the rate change forces you to adjust to a new normal of $375,000, you will likely be let down.
Furthermore, Calgary hasn't overcome the economic downturn. There were more layoffs announced last month and we have yet to see this turnaround.
Interestingly enough, there are signs of another year of positive net migration, so this is great to see, but, although positive, it is minor compared to our boom years.
If you are selling a home with a great real estate agent in Calgary, make sure you discuss a pricing strategy and marketing plan. There is not any room in this market for mistakes or over pricing. Based on the absorption rate, pricing above market value almost guarantees that you will be in the percentage of properties that sit on the market. If your home is not properly marketed by your REALTOR®, then you will have fewer eyes on your property and this could have deleterious effects.
If you are buying a home, make sure you understand the statistics and absorption rate. If you are trying to "time the bottom", this could be a real challenge with the uncertainty in the market. That said, the increase in inventory should help put you in a great position with options.


This allowed us to extrapolate how many of the unspecified overdose deaths were likely opioid-related. By our calculations, potentially 70,000 opioid-related overdose deaths were not included in national opioid-related mortality estimates since 1999 because coroners and medical examiners did not specify the drug that contributed to the cause of death when completing the death certificates.
Response: The variability among states not reporting specific drugs during this time period was tremendous – ranging from a few dozen unspecified overdose deaths to thousands. States with a decentralized county coroner system or with a hybrid system that involved county coroners and state medical examiners, were likely to have a higher proportion of overdose deaths with unspecified drug codes.
Proper allocation of resources for the opioid epidemic depends on understanding the magnitude of the problem. Incomplete death certificate reporting hampers the efforts of lawmakers, treatment specialists and public health officials. And the large differences we found between states in the completeness of opioid-related overdose mortality reporting makes it more difficult to identify geographic regions most at risk.
Response: Multiple organizations have advocated for more accurate drug reporting on death certificates. But coroners are less likely to be physicians and do not necessarily have medical training useful for completing drug information for death certificates based on toxicology reports. And states with a decentralized or hybrid system are likely to have less standardization, leading to greater variation in reporting accuracy.
Several states have made extensive efforts to improve reporting. In Kentucky, for example, opioid-related drug codes increased 43 percent from 1999 through 2015, and unspecified drug reporting decreased 28 percent. This suggests that state-based efforts can be instrumental in improving the accuracy of drug-specific reporting for overdose deaths.
Also, several assumptions – primarily that the proportion of known opioid-related deaths would be the same for those that were unspecified by state by year – were made in performing this analysis. Future research should more fully evaluate these assumptions and also examine other factors, such as potential biases, that could lead coroners and medical examiners to use an unspecified versus specific drug code on death certificates.
Response: Donald S. Burke, M.D., dean of Pitt Public Health, was senior author on this research. Co-authors are Lauran C. Balmert, Ph.D., who was at Pitt at the time of the research and is now an assistant professor at Northwestern University, and Karl E. Williams, M.D., M.P.H., chief medical examiner of Allegheny County.
This research was funded by a Pitt Public Health opioid research pilot grant.
Buchanich JM, Balmert LC, Williams KE, Burke DS. The effect of incomplete death certificates on estimates of unintentional opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States, 1999-2015 [published online June 27, 2018]. Public Health Rep. doi: 10.1177/0033354918774330.
This entry was posted in Author Interviews, Opiods, University of Pittsburgh and tagged addiction, coroners, medical research, opioids, overdose by Marie Benz MD FAAD. Bookmark the permalink.


40 East Burton Place is the historic home of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago. Recognized throughout the nation and located in the heart of Gold Coast, neighboring Downtown Chicago, the Metropolis Offices and St Anthony's Chapel are located within it's walls.
The third floor is home to St Anthony's Chapel. Opened to the public each year for services for St Anthony name day, the intimate facilities are adorned with traditional iconography. A prominent feature of the chapel is the back wall which features portraits of the previous Hierarchy of the Metropolis (Diocese) of Chicago.
In addition to Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago and Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Deacon Chris Avramopoulos, William Kallas, Lynn Dallas and John Ackerman are blessed to have office space within the building.
Parish Profile is a new column that will be placed each Thursday on our Metropolis of Chicago Website (www.Chicago.GOArch.org) and Metropolis of Chicago Facebook Page, highlighting each of the rich and diverse parishes that make up our Metropolis.
Each Parish Profile column will contain a description and history of parish, as well as showcasing with up-to-date photographs the outside of the parish, Iconostasis, prominent iconography and features, and a current photo of the Parish Priest, Parish Council and leadership. It is our hope this new weekly column will not only display each of our wonderful parishes but also bring our parishioners closer together, along members of one community to learn and view members of another.
The Metropolis Staff photo is provided thanks to Bill Melonides of MVP Studios.
Our Spiritual Father and Hierarch: May His Memory Be Eternal!


text:
Finding a Cure for MND in a Pool of Ice!
There are many charities that we support. Some are well known, and some are not that well known, either due to the lack of publicity they get, their campaigns, funding, or because they affect fewer people.
But thanks to Neil Daniher, research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is on the mind of every AFL football fan in Australia at this time of year through his great work with the FightMND Campaign.
MND is a progressive, terminal neurological disease which can strike anyone. It affects the nerve cells which control the body's muscles enabling movement, speech, breathing and swallowing, and sadly, there is no known cure or any effective treatment for MND (MND is also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Lou Gehrig's disease in other parts of the world).
From MND Australia:
There are over 420,000 people in the world living with MND
There are approximately 140,000 cases diagnosed worldwide each year. That is 384 new cases every day
In Australia, two people die from MND every day, and two people are diagnosed with MND every day
The average life expectancy is 2.5 years
There are currently more than 2,000 people in Australia with MND, including Neil Daniher. Neil is a former player for the Essendon football club, former coach of the Melbourne football club, and a FightMND Patron …..and as a passionate Melbourne Football Club supporter I have admired what Neil has achieved in the past as the coach of Melbourne from 1998 to 2007, and now with the FightMND campaign.
Neil was diagnosed with MND in 2013 and since then has been campaigning for MND medical research, not for himself as the research is expected take many years to find a cure, but for others that will be affected by this terrible disease in the future.
In 2015, Neil started the "Big Freeze" events, and I attended Big Freeze 1 before the Melbourne vs Collingwood AFL game on June 8, 2015. Unfortunately, Melbourne lost that game by 25 points…… but the Big Freeze at the start of the game was a huge success. In 2016, Big Freeze 2 was bigger and better, and Melbourne won the football game by 46 points, so the ledger is even.
If your not a local, the Big Freeze is an annual event on the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June, and involves a number of celebrities sliding into a pool of freezing ice water, always prior to the Melbourne vs Collingwood AFL football game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). It is the main fundraising event for the FightMND campaign and money is raised through sponsorship, donations and the sale of FightMND Beanies.
This year it's on again at 2.00pm on June 12, 2017, and the theme this year is Green and Gold, Australians who have achieved success at the top level of their sport. They are:
Lleyton Hewitt (Former No. 1 Tennis Champion)
Steve Hooker (Olympic Gold Medallist in Pole Vault)
Alisa Camplin (Olympic Gold Medallist in Aerial Skiing)
Steven Bradbury (Olympic Gold Medallist in Speed Skating)
Steve Moneghetti (Commonwealth Gold Medallist in Long-distance Running)
Andrew Gaze (Former Australian Basketball Team and current Sydney Kings Coach)
Sharelle McMahon (Australian Netball Team)
Adam Gilchrist (Former Australian Cricket Team)
Good luck to the sports celebrities on Monday.
If you are not sure what I'm talking about, check out videos of the two previous Big Freeze events:
Big Freeze 1 – 2015:
WARNING – Sam Newman in a Mankini in the Big Freeze 1 video!
So whether you're a football fan or not, buy a FightMND beanie, donate now for MND research at https://fightmnd.org.au and tune into Big Freeze 3 on Monday June 12, 2017.
Let's make Big Freeze 3 successful to assist in finding a cure for MND.
Cheers Neil .…all the best for Monday
Big Freeze, FightMND, MND, Neil Daniher, Research
Big Data in Cancer Research
The AFL JLT series. An indication of form or not?


text:
Q: Does DocuSign Connect Log include PDF Bytes? While debugging my Connect listener (REST, Java), I am trying to create a PDF document based on xml in the Connect log for Demo. (I have to emulate Docusign POST request while security issues are being resolved.)
I have DocuSign Connect Service activated with "Include Documents" and "Include Certificate of Completion" checked.
I can see Attachment element in the log's xml but not DocumentPDF element. When saving  content as a byte array into PDF file and then trying to open it, it cannot be opened in Acrobat.
Is Attachment element in the Connect Log supposed to be a PDF document?
Here is my code to convert  to pdf file:
String documentName = parseXMLDoc(xmlDoc, "DocumentStatus[1]/Name");

SimpleDateFormat fmt = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyyMMdd HHmmsss");
String nowTime = fmt.format(new Date());
OutputStream out = new FileOutputStream("c:\\temp\\"+documentName.replaceAll(".pdf","_"+nowTime+".pdf"));

BASE64Decoder decoder = new BASE64Decoder();
String encodedBytes = parseXMLDoc(xmlDoc, "Attachment/Data");
byte[] decodedBytes = decoder.decodeBuffer(encodedBytes);
out.write(decodedBytes);
out.close();

where parseXMLDoc is
public static String parseXMLDoc(Document xmlDoc, String searchToken) {
    String xPathExpression;
    try {
        XPath xPath = XPathFactory.newInstance().newXPath();
        xPathExpression = "//" + searchToken;
        return (xPath.evaluate(xPathExpression, xmlDoc));
    } catch (Exception e) {
            throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
}

A: No the Connect log does NOT contain the actual document bytes... the documents are only included in the actual Connect pushes to your external listener.  The log files simply contain metadata around the transaction, not the actual content.

A: You can possibly get a full response from DocuSign by using https://Webhook.site where you will be given a temporary URL for listening.  Plug the temporary URL into the DocuSign Connection (create a new connection for testing), and open the XML packet from the dashboard on the webhook site dashboard when it arrives from DocuSign.


text:
Connecticut's Paid Sick Leave Law: Why Amusement & Tourism Employers Can't Figure Out Who Is Covered.
The Connecticut Department of Labor recently issued its official guidance and interpretation of the newly enacted Connecticut Paid Sick Leave Act, which officially takes effect January 1, 2012. I've previously written about this act, and being from Connecticut, I have been eagerly awaiting this official interpretation. On the upside, the DoL's interpretation did help to clarify certain issues that were woefully unclear in the statutory text. On the downside, the interpretation confirms for me that this new act is going to be a nightmare for Connecticut seasonal employers in the amusement and tourism industry. The new law imposes several new obligations on all employers, but, with respect to seasonal employers, particularly those in the amusement and tourism industry, this new law is going to pose some unique legal issues that could make compliance daunting.
Connecticut is the only state in the country to have such a law right now, and thus the legislature, the Department of Labor, and (eventually) the courts will be working from a blank slate when it comes to enforcement and interpretation. Moreover, this legislation is being watched by sister states as a potential model for similar legislation elsewhere. Given the absence of any history with this kind of legislation, it is virtually certain that Connecticut employers and regulators will face a number uncertainties over the next year as everyone works to "get the bugs out" of this new law. This week, I'll be doing a few pieces on some of the more troubling and controversial aspects of this new legislation, particularly with respect to the seasonal amusement and tourism industry in our state.
We start with a really basic question, Who Gets Paid Sick Leave Under The Act?
For such a fundamental question, this is one of the most problematic parts of this new legislation with respect to the amusement and tourism industry. The answer sounds simple on the surface: Under the new law, only "service workers" are entitled to paid sick leave. But who exactly is a "service worker"? This is where it gets really sticky.
The statute defines "service worker" by reference to "the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics Standard Occupational Classification system or any successor system." Realizing that most employers do not keep a copy of the BLS Standard Occupational Classification system in their back pocket, the Department of Labor was kind enough to include a handy reference chart in the official guidance that, for most employers, will undoubtedly make it easier to determine whether an employee is a "service worker" or not. At the top of this chart, the Department of Labor states that a service worker is an employee "engaged in an occupation with one of the following occupation code numbers and titles." The DoL then lists seventy-two different job categories that fall within the definition of "service worker" and are thus entitled to paid sick leave. So ... easy to figure out right?
Wrong - at least if you are in the amusement and tourism industry. For most of the types of businesses the Legislature had in mind when it drafted the bill the Department of Labor's chart is probably adequate. It covers obvious service jobs, i.e. wait staff at a restaurant, hotel desk clerks, retail workers, ushers and ticket takers at theaters, cooks, etc. But what about an amusement ride operator or games attendant at Quassy? How about a ride mechanic or landscaper at Lake Compounce? Are the actors and artisans employed at Mystic Seaport who engage the public on a daily basis considered "service workers?" What about the exhibit attendants at the Connecticut Science Center? Unfortunately, for these people and many others in our industry the answer is tough to discern.
The chart attached to the guidance says that a "service worker" is an employee "engaged in an occupation with one of the following occupation code numbers and titles." This will undoubtedly suggest to many employers that these seventy-two job titles comprise the universe of "service workers." Since jobs like ride and game attendants, maintenance personnel, tour guides and museum attendants are not listed, I expect that we will see some employers conclude that these are not service worker positions under the new law and thus are not entitled to paid sick leave. But watch out, that might not be the case...
The text of the DoL's official guidance itself, as opposed to the illustrative chart, significantly complicates matters. The guidance says, that
"If a job title is not listed specifically, it does not mean that the job is not included in one of the prescribed classifications. The employer must read the broad and detailed occupations and descriptions provided on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website."
So, maybe those ride operators and maintenance people are considered service workers? Maybe an exhibit attendant at a museum is entitled to paid sick leave after all? How do you find out? Well, the DoL suggests that this determination is a simple matter of looking at the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Go ahead ... try it out at this link ... I'll wait while you do.
Well, whudja find out? It's not nearly as simple as the DoL suggests is it? The Bureau of Labor Statistics website allows an employer to search for any number of job titles and provides an occupational code number and title for most. But then what? How does an employer armed with that knowledge know whether that occupational code number and title is a "service worker." The guidance does not tell an employer, for example, whether all code numbers that begin with a "39" ("Personal Care and Service Occupations") fall within the statutory definition of a "service worker." True, the chart lists many that do, but what about the others? An embalmer is listed as code number 39-4011 - is an embalmer a "service worker?" That's not a job that immediately springs to mind when I think about "service workers," but it is listed as a "Personal Care and Service Occupation" by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What about the code numbers that begin with "11," defined as "Managment Occupations?" The chart includes a few of these as well, but surely not all management occupations qualify as "service workers." Right?
So the chart is nice, but not anywhere near adequate - particularly in the amusement and tourism industry where, let's be honest, a lot of jobs exist that don't exist anywhere else. While I'm not all that surprised that the Connecticut Department of Labor didn't include ride operators or museum hosts on its chart, I am surprised that the Department didn't provide any guidance at all on how an employer is supposed to figure out the classification for jobs that are not on the list.
For now, if you are employer with questions about your employees' status under the new law, the State's guidance is not going to be of much help. There are three ways to approach this:
Take your best shot at figuring out the law, running the risk that you will be wrong and eventually found to be out of compliance and subject to fines and civil penalties,
Adopt the approach that any job that is even arguably a "service worker" job is entitled to paid sick leave, running the risk that you will ultimately pay sick leave to employees that were not entitled to it under the law, or;
Consult with legal counsel now to get advice on your specific situation and the best options for an effective and compliant paid sick leave policy.
I probably don't have to say which one I recommend, but the unfortunate bottom line is that regardless of which approach Connecticut's amusement and tourism industry employers adopt, the uncertainty inherent in this new law is going to cost some money to sort out. And unfortunately, that's not the only part of this new law that going to cost our industry some money...
Coming next ... Why Seasonal Employers Need To Be Concerned About 2013 More Than 2012.
Labels: Connecticut, employment, legislation, paid sick leave, regulation, seasonal
Connecticut's Paid Sick Leave Act (Pt. 3): Of Doc...
Connecticut's Paid Sick Leave Act (Part 2): The M...
Connecticut's Paid Sick Leave Law: Why Amusement ...


If you're an SME owner looking to connect your business with its customers, then digital PR could be perfect for you. After all, digital PR can be great for sharing any important news from your company, raising brand awareness for your company or even getting your product in front of the eyes of your target audience.
However, before your business lunges into starting a digital PR campaign, you need to take a more considered approach. In this post, we take a look at what digital PR is, how it can be effective and why it's so important to SMEs.
You're not alone in not knowing what digital PR is. It's an industry buzzword used by many within digital marketing, but very few actually know what it means and can articulate exactly why it's different to traditional PR.
Many 'Digital PRs' act almost like publicists, writing their own press releases, working the phones and continually pitching to their clients. Although many of them focus offline and on print coverage, they do also work with social influencers and websites.
Other 'Digital PRs' work within SEO, preaching the 'content is king' mantra while also assessing up to 200 ranking factors. From backlinks to brand reputations, 'SEOers' have a great number of ways of measuring content and its successes.
In digital PR, these two roles merge, providing optimised content strategies that work both offline and online. Traditional PR and SEO merge to create a well-rounded strategy that has the best chance of success. With that in mind, let's take a look at how it can be so effective.
High quality content is at the heart of effective PR strategies. Not only does each piece of content have to be unique, but so does the angle behind it. From here, good PRs can take a good piece of content and distribute it effectively, ensuring that the brand message is communicated both locally and nationally. Due to the fact that contacts can often be the key to success during distribution, it can be wise to use experts, such as WMG.
It's also important to know that digital PR shouldn't be seen as a standalone campaign. The best campaigns incorporate a number of other factors, such as branding, SEO, outreach and content marketing to ensure every angle is covered. Be sure to mix your platforms.
So, we know what digital PR is and how it can be effective, but why is it important for SMEs?
Well, one great way of getting more customers is reaching out to your target audience, letting them not only know who you are, but also what you have to offer. Digital PR can achieve this, targeting key influencers who can draw attention to your brand in the right target demographics.
- Improve your search engine visibility, as well as leading to more clicks to your site, improved rankings and brand searches.
- Create some much deserved attention for your company, both in print and online. Sometimes, even in the UK's biggest publications.
- Help make sure that your latest news ad releases reach the right people.
- Boost your online presence and improve your brand awareness in the streets.
- Help to improve the positive references for your company, potentially getting rid of any negative reviews.
- Improve your company's SEO, providing powerful backlinks from authoritative sites and increasing brand citations.
- Help give you the edge over your rivals, establishing you as an industry leader in your market.
So, with this in mind, why not get your SME started with a digital PR campaign? Although they can be expensive, they're a great way of reaching your target audience and could even help to take your SME to a global audience.


Once you're happy with the picture, you can enhance it by applying a filter or other effects that are available. Below are a few examples of the number of filters to choose from.
Pick a filter for your photo. You can adjust the filter by tapping it once and using the slider control to change the intensity.
Click the "Edit" button to use the editing tools and adjust brightness, contrast, saturation and more.
4. Share with the world!
Once you have your photo looking the way you'd like, click next to go to the 'Share' page. Here, you can select which social network to share the photo on, tag people, and even add a location to the photo. Hit the check mark button in the upper right hand corner and you're all set.
Pro Tip: Use relevant hashtags with your photos to connect with more users around a similar topic. Check out these great tips to learn how to get started.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram, so we can follow you too! You can find more interesting accounts by touching the search button, which resembles a magnifying glass, on your home screen.
Questions? Let us know in the comments section below or on Facebook or Twitter.


text:
Q: Deleting rows based on multiple values in another table This statement is returning error 00920- invalid relational operator.
I am sure it is my syntax, but I am not seeing it.  If anycode could look it over and point me to getting it right, I would appreciate it.
Thank you
DELETE FROM TABLE15 p

  WHERE (p.item_id, p.product_id) IN

           (SELECT S.item_id, S.product_id )

              FROM TABLE14 S);

A: Your brackets are dodgy...
DELETE FROM TABLE15 p
  WHERE (p.item_id, p.product_id) IN
           (SELECT S.item_id, S.product_id
              FROM TABLE14 S
                   );

You need to remove the additional one. The error is caused by in not being parsed correctly due to the extra bracket.

A: Try this:
DELETE FROM table15 p
WHERE  ( p.item_id IN (SELECT S.item_id
                       FROM   table14 S) )
        OR (( p.product_id IN (SELECT S.product_id
                               FROM   table14 S) ));


Cook bacon and eggs; set aside. Remove biscuits from package and cut each into six pieces. Place biscuit pieces in a gallon size ziplock bag and toss with 4 T. melted butter. Add scrambled eggs, bacon,shredded cheese, and fresh chives to the bag and shake to distribute.Pour mixture into a greased 6-cup bundt pan. Bake at 350° degreesfor 30 min. While bread is baking, combine sauce ingredients in asmall saucepan and heat, stirring, over medium heat until smooth.Cool in pan 5-10 min, then use a knife or spatula to loosen edges.Invert bread onto a plate and drizzle with sauce before serving.