Summer in the northern hemisphere, more so than its counterpart winter, begs for cold treats. And while gallons of ice cream get consumed all year long, it is summer that makes me crave the stuff. There was a time that ice cream grew hoary frost in my freezer every time. Now only half the containers do. It seems that as my memory of paychecks from Dairy Queen become more hazy, my appetite for ice cream returns.
It helps too that I know lots more ice cream eaters these days. Just this morning I read an author contemplating ice cream for breakfast. Her peers not only gave her the green light of approval but they probably shouted flavor suggestions. It appears most folks like ice cream (or some variety of frozen sweet goodness) these days.
Years ago Mister Soandso and I had friends over for dinner. It was a classic Minnesota summer day so we barbecued a variety of animal protein, served up salads, and we made ice cream for dessert. I had clarified with our guests that they liked peaches so I thought we were made in the shade, if you will. But when it came time to dish up ice cream, one guest informed us that he doesn't like homemade ice cream. Yes, he likes ice cream and yes he likes peaches. The part he doesn't like is the homemade part.
I realize it is a texture thing. What our guest doesn't like is the texture of homemade ice cream. But on my tongue, the combination of sugar, fat, and flavor far outweigh the possibility of ice cream crystals. The very notion of ice cream makes up for any inconsistencies in the creamy texture. The coldness on my tongue is enough. Because for me, much of homemade ice cream's appeal is the anticipation and care it takes.
Homemade ice cream is slow. And imperfect. Simple and satisfying. And yet quirky. Things can and do go wrong when making homemade ice cream.
Perhaps it is that combination that sent my guest to the gallon of slightly hoary vanilla in the freezer while we slurped down our ice cream made with peaches so fresh they seemed tree-warm still.
If you've never made ice cream at home, it is a process. We have an electric ice cream maker but I grew up with a child-powered one. Either way, there is a long time between the making of the ice cream mix and the spooning of the stuff into one's mouth. There are several summer days spent to the familiar whirring hum of the machine out on our porch, my ear ever ready for changes in sound telling me to add more ice or salt. The whole long process of it is better because it is filled with anticipation.
It is a slow process, but worth it in my mind.
As I was running this morning my thoughts drifted to ice cream. I am a chocolate nutty kind of gal if I purchase ice cream. But making ice cream at home begs for summer's fruit. And so as I labored along, music in my ears helping to block out the sound of my heavy breathing, I found myself thinking about what I would suggest Rae Carson eat for breakfast. Perhaps fresh strawberry ice cream. Or cherry. Perhaps Oregon Marionberry. Peach? Rae Carson's question about dining on ice cream stayed with me during that short and not very successful run.
I am not a good runner. I'm short and stocky (the more crass might make mention of brick latrines) and terribly slow. And today I was slower. Summer is here in the northwest and the heat is hard on me. Too many cases of heat stroke, I'm afraid. But I'm no morning person and it isn't prudent to run at 1 am if you want to live a long and uneventful life. So I was running at 8 am. Still a beautiful cool morning, but muggy and hot-ish. So I struggled.
I was plugging along and realized that every run I've taken for the past two weeks has netted me a progressively slower pace. And my legs are tired. I have less stamina and my ability to ignore the fatigue is shot. I started mentally ticking away the facts of the past week. I had french fries yesterday – fat, simple carbs and salt. That could be it. I had a soda with those fries so there was lots of high fructose corn syrup still in my system. That could be it too but only for today's run. What about last week's? How much ice cream have I had lately? Besides the scoop at a local restaurant last night when I met up with the ladies I once performed stand-up with?
The fact is, I'm not sure I can pinpoint a singular thing that is making my training runs harder than usual. In reality, it's lots of things and they start with me.
I am slow. And I'm getting slower.
I'm slow in more and more things in my life and not because at 43 my bones don't like to move. No, I'm slower because I know I have more at stake and the aspect of pain is more of a deterrent today than it once was. Obviously I'm still running, but my goal is to finish smiling and not bent over hurling in the bushes. Today, I am willing to walk if that means I will finish because it is the result that matters, not only the time it takes to get there.
Did you ever learn to alpine ski? I did at the age of 21. I was a college student on holiday from Trinity University in Wales. I was the only American on Mont Blanc as near as I could tell. All around me were tiny Italian children skiing on bits of magic no longer than my arm. They were fast and fearless. And they should be, after all there isn't much distance between their feet and their ski-pants-covered bottoms. Falling doesn't hurt as much when there's less of it.
It turns out that lots of things don't hurt as much when there's less of it.
My novel is nearly ready for others' eyes. And the closer I get to letting others read it, the slower I work. Because when I send it out, it will be read and judged. And for writers, that is the same as being read ourselves and judged ourselves. I trust the folks who will be reading it. They will make me see things that need fixing. They will make me see my story as they see it and in doing so, I will tell the story better.
But I'm still scared to let it out the door.
So I slow down the churning of my words. I turn off the power supply and turn the crank by hand. I slow down the process of writing to retain for just a bit longer the sole propriety of my words. Right now, my story has the potential to be great. And it may very well be.
But novels are like ice cream. And my novel will have bits and pieces of icy crystals that scrape the cheek and could be churned into a more creamy texture. The question is, do I want that? I'm not convinced that I do, because I like homemade ice cream that reminds me it was made on the back porch, with hours of effort and just the perfect balance of sweet and plain and the perfect fruits of the season thrown in to make us feel that at this moment we are alive.
This entry was posted in Front Page, Writing and tagged homemade ice cream, peach ice cream, Rae Carson, writing by kristina. Bookmark the permalink.


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New look for Ironman UK and Ironman 70.3 UK
Re-brand for UK races continues apace for 2012
Published: February 10, 2012 at 2:33 pm
World Triathlon Corporation has announced a relaunch of the Ironman UK and 70.3 UK brands as part of the on-going development of the events since being taken under the WTC's control in early 2011.
Kevin Stewart who was appointed Managing Director of Ironman in UK and Ireland in 2011 said "Anyone visiting the Ironman UK websites this month will notice a fresh and new look for the Ironman UK and Ironman 70.3 UK logos. The new logos incorporate a clearer visualisation of the UK identity and some would say a more patriotic statement with the inclusion of the Union Flag."
And the changes to Ironman UK are not just limited to the event branding. There are also going to be enhancements made to the races themselves, taking into consideration athlete and spectator feedback from 2011. Stewart continues, "Changes to Ironman UK in 2011 saw the run course move to a three lap circuit within Bolton, which received very positive feedback from athletes who had more opportunity to be cheered on by their supporters on the run course.
"Increased spectator numbers created a more exciting atmosphere for everyone last year and further announcements will be made in the coming weeks about more enhancements to our 2012 events based on athlete feedback and which reach across all four WTC controlled events in the UK and Ireland."
2012 has also seen the exciting launch of the Ultimate Challenge, which will see athletes compete in all four UK and Ireland events in one season; two 70.3 and two full Ironman events. There are now almost ten athletes committed to this new test of endurance, following in the footsteps of Kate and Charlie Stannett, a couple who were first to step up to the challenge.
Come and visit Ironman UK and Ireland at the Triathlon Show on 2-4 March (www.tcrshow.com) where there'll be plenty of information about all of the races in the Ironman European Tour, competitions, interactive challenges and much more.
For further information about the Ironman UK races, visit www.ironmanuk.com or follow the Ironman UK and Ironman 70.3 UK Facebook pages.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Big Daddy Charters LLC rates are for the boat, not per person. Our affordable boat rates include ice in our fish cooler, fish cleaning & bagged for transport home. Many other boats charge to clean your fish – We do not.
You will always be guided by a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Master Captain and a crew member to ensure the best safety and fishing success available. Our staff are all friendly, personable, and determined to provide you with the best Lake Michigan Salmon and trout fishing charter possible.
Big Daddy Charters LLC is now offering two great locations for salmon fishing Lake Michigan. We will be operating out of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois for April, May, and June and we will be moving north to fish Algoma, Wisconsin mid June through October. Come visit us at both locations!
SCROLL DOWN FOR RATES & PACKAGES.
Big Daddy Charters LLC will be glad to accommodate multiple-day charters for your group. Again, due to the spectacular salmon and trout fishing; the boats are often booked well in advance. Additionally, the area hotels book up in advance due to a variety of tourist attractions in the area. Understanding this, we do require advanced notice and will direct you toward accommodations that we believe will suit your needs.
Credit Cards may be used for deposits ONLY. A deposit is required to confirm your charter reservation. Refunds available only if poor weather conditions make our fishing trip impractical.
* All trips include lodging and fishing license. Our Algoma trips include continental breakfast.
If your group fails to catch the 100# of live fish weight for any reason we will deduct $10 for any pound short from your package!
** SPRING SPECIAL PACKAGE GUARANTEE: If your group fails to catch the limits of fish for any reason we will deduct $10 for each fish short of your package!
Algoma, Wisconsin Only – When available you may substitute a condo in place of a motel room when booking a package in Algoma for on $20 per person per night. Extra rooms available at additional costs.


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What is Considered a Sex Offense in Texas
Katy Drug Crimes Lawyer
Drug use has been steadily on the rise over the past decade, and each year, there are more drug arrests. Even though great strides are being made to treat drug use like the public health issue that it is, Texas still sees high numbers of criminal cases involving drug possession, intent to supply and trafficking.
Texas is harsh when it comes to punishing drug crimes and courts across the state have a reputation for tough sentencing and less leniency than in other crime areas. As an American citizen however, you have the full right to fight allegations of drug crimes and you have every right to employ a strong defense lawyer who will ensure you are treated correctly and your rights are maintained.
Here at Love DuCote Law Firm, LLC, our team of criminal defense lawyers have a lot of experience defending those accused of drug crimes. With a Katy drug crimes criminal defense lawyer from our firm behind you, you ensure you have the best possible chance of seeking a favorable outcome.
We will fight to have your charges dropped as a priority and where that is not possible, we will fight for an outcome that is favorable, with the lowest possible punishment and sentencing.
Getting in touch with a skilled criminal defense lawyer may be the best decision you ever make so give us a call today at 832-843-1691.
Which Drug Crimes Do We Defend Against in Katy, TX
Our team of Katy, TX drug crime lawyers have defended clients against most forms of charges. We defend any client who is being charged with crimes relating to a controlled substance. In Texas there are a wide range of different crimes that can involve a controlled substance, such as:
Felony drug trafficking.
Felony drug distribution.
Drug possession.
Methamphetamine possession, sale, or trafficking.
Marijuana possession, sale, or trafficking.
Cocaine possession, sale, or trafficking.
Misdemeanor drug charges.
Prescription drugs – unauthorized possession, distribution, or resale.
Which Drugs Are Illegal In Katy, TX?
While the more well known controlled substances such as cocaine and heroin are common knowledge, many people do not have a full understanding of all of the substances that can lead to a crime.
An experienced criminal defense lawyer will defend clients who are being charged with crimes involving both illegal drugs and legal drugs. There are a range of laws that cover prescription drugs that many people are unaware of and misuse of a prescription drug can lead to a drug crime arrest.
In Texas, the following are classed as controlled substances with the potential for addiction, misuse and harm.
Cocaine.
Cannabis/ Hashish.
Marijuana.
Bath salts.
Ecstasy.
Ketamine.
Opium.
LSD.
MDMA.
Methamphetamine or Speed.
Synthetic drugs such as Spice or synthetic marijuana.
What Does a Katy Drug Crimes Lawyer Do?
Lawyers that offer criminal defense legal services against drug crime charges are responsible for defending accusations and charges of drug crime. Drug crimes relating to controlled substances can include possession, trafficking, intent to supply, and intent to manufacture.
A skilled criminal defense lawyer will attempt to find a resolution to any criminal charges. This may be the dropping of the charges or the seeking of the most favorable outcome for a client. Our attorneys will always work to protect the future of our clients. We know that drug charges can lead to serious repercussions in a person's life, and we will do everything we possibly can to obtain an outcome that avoids this.
Whether you are a student being charged with a drug offense or you work in a profession that punishes drug crimes with disciplinary action at work, we will fight to safeguard your career and future.
If you are being charged with more serious crimes like trafficking or intent to supply, we will fight to have your charges dropped or, failing that, will fight tooth and nail to keep you out of prison.
There is a range of investigative strategies that we may employ to safeguard your future. We might apply to have evidence or documents suppressed, or we might look to investigate the law enforcement and the means through which they gained the evidence to arrest you.
In the event of a guilty plea, our lawyers will support you throughout, offering guidance and legal counsel.
Drug Crime Defenses Commonly Used In Court
When it comes to drug crimes involving selling, possession, manufacturing, distribution, and conspiracy of illegal drugs, there are multiple defenses that may be available to you.
Here are some of the most common defenses:
Police Abuse Of Power
The police are not perfect, and while they do their hardest to protect us, misconduct and negligence are rife throughout the country. Police are often under pressure to provide results, and this may lead to them failing to adhere to the right channels and pathways.
If law enforcement has committed misconduct, such as coercing a fake confession, falsifying evidence, or using intimidation tactics, this can be classed as an abuse of power. We will put your case to the court and attempt to have any evidence obtained through this abuse of power dismissed.
One of the most common forms of police misconduct is an illegal search and seizure. Any evidence used against an individual in a drug crime trial must have been obtained legally and through the right channels.
Law enforcement cannot search a home without a valid warrant, and they cannot search a vehicle unless there is clear probable cause. Even if they have a warrant, they must follow all of the proper requirements and procedures while they carry out the search.
If they have obtained evidence through means that are not legal, such as searching without probable cause or without a warrant, or they have not followed correct procedures, we will seek the dismissal of that evidence.
What Are The Felony Drug Crimes In Texas?
Texas is strict on drug crimes, and for that reason, many of the drug crimes come with felony convictions. Many minor offenses that are usually classed as misdemeanors can be upgraded with very little cause to felony crimes too. Even for something as minor as the possession of drug paraphernalia, you may be looking at upgraded charges.
If you are facing any of the charges listed below, you need to get in touch with a criminal defense law office serving Katy, TX as you may be facing felony charges.
Drug trafficking is a serious offense and includes the delivery of a controlled substance from one person to another, possession, manufacturing and knowingly delivering. There did not have to have been a sale to be charged with drug trafficking.
Drug Paraphernalia Delivery To A Minor
If you knowingly deliver drug paraphernalia to a minor under the age of 18, you could be facing a felony charge. This includes manufacturing or possessing paraphernalia with the intention of delivery to a minor. The offender, in this case must, however, be over the age of 18 themselves.
Drug paraphernalia includes a range of objects but is defined as an object that is intended to contain, grow, plant harvest, cultivate, store, compound, manufacture, produce, convert, test, process, analyze or conceal a controlled substance.
Drug possession charges are when a person knowingly possesses a controlled substance without a prescription for that substance. Whether or not you are charged with a felony charge for possession will depend upon the amount and the category the substance is in.
Prescription Drugs Fraud
There are numerous reasons that a person might commit prescription drug fraud. If the drug is a scheduled controlled substance and a person knowingly obtains, possesses, or attempts to possess the substance, they can be charged. You can also be charged for seeking an increased amount of a prescription drug that has been prescribed.
Intent To Distribute
For an individual to be charged with intent to distribute, which is a felony charge, they must be found in possession of a controlled illegal substance with intent to distribute to others. Grounds for this charge may include being found with both the controlled substance and small plastic bags, scales or cash.
You can successfully be charged for this crime without any sale taking place.
In order to be charged with drug manufacturing, another felony charge, you must be found knowingly manufacturing a controlled substance. This charge can be brought against an individual caught producing, converting, preparing, propagating, labeling, relabeling or packaging a substance.
Penalties For Felony Drug Crimes In Texas
Depending upon which charge you are facing, the amount of substance found, and the category of the controlled substance, your charges can result in a range of punishments. Convictions for a first-degree felony will come with worse consequences than a state first-degree felony, and which charge you face will depend upon the circumstances of your arrest and the evidence against you.
You can be charged with a felony for every controlled substance in Texas if the quantity is large enough. Listed below are some of the classifications for each felony drug offense and some of the penalties that may result from a charge:
First-Degree Felony Drug Charges –
5-99 years in prison
A maximum fine of $10,000
Possession with the intent to deliver, between 4-200 grams of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1
Possession with the intent to deliver, between 200-400 grams of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 3 or 4
Possession, of between 200-400 grams of an illegal drug in Penalty Group 1
Drug manufacturing, between 4-200 grams of an illegal drug in Penalty Group 1
Drug manufacturing, between 200-400 grams of an illegal drug in Penalty Group 3 or 4
Drug trafficking, between 4-200 grams of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1
Drug trafficking, between 200-400 grams of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 3 or 4
Life Felony Drug Offenses Of The First Degree
10-99 years in jail or life in prison
A maximum fine of $100,000
Possession, at least 400 grams of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1
Possession with the intent to deliver, at least 400 grams of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 2, 3, or 4
Possession with the intent to deliver, between 200-400 grams of an illegal drug in Penalty Group 1
Drug manufacturing, between 200-400 grams of an illegal drug in Penalty Group 1
Drug manufacturing, at least 400 grams of an illegal drug in Penalty Group 2, 3, or 4
Drug trafficking, between 200-400 grams of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1
Drug trafficking, at least 400 grams of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 2, 3, or 4
Katy Drug Crimes FAQ
Is It Still Illegal To Possess Marijuana in Texas?
Yes, even though states that neighbor Texas have voted to legalize marijuana to some degree, in Texas, it is still illegal. This includes medical marijuana.
Will I Get Fired for a Drug Conviction?
While there is no guarantee a drug conviction will lead to job termination, it could happen. Many employers have a policy that allows them to immediately terminate an employee if they are convicted of drug crimes. What's worse, you may find it harder to seek further employment.
Many employers will conduct full background checks on their new employees and a conviction will often mean they will not hire you.
Can I Be Denied Housing Because of a Drug Conviction?
Yes, although it is not legally required, many housing corporations and landlords will conduct background checks and may refuse you housing if they see a drug conviction on your record.
Contact A Katy Drug Crimes Lawyer Today
The consequences of being charged with a drug crime are severe in Texas. This is why we highly recommend seeking the help of a skilled and experienced Katy drug crimes lawyer.
Contact us at 832-843-1691 to begin the process of securing a strong criminal defense case for your drug charge.
Sugar Land Criminal Defense Attorney
DWI/DUI
DWI/DUI FAQ
Awarded Best Family Law Firm
for 2022


No, I did not venture out to Long Island for this, but one noted New York City fighter named Rich Pabon did. As usual, Pabon put forth an exciting battle. Ultimately, though, the victory - and the promotion's bantamweight belt - went to opponent Danny Ochart.
Watch the video of the fight and be entertained.


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The Symbolic Meaning Behind Lady Gaga's A Star Is Born Tattoo
by Corinne Heller | Thu., Feb. 14, 2019 12:44 PM
Instagram / Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga's A Star Is Born success will follow her always.
The 32-year-old singer and actress got a tattoo of a rose inked on her back, with the words "La Vie en Rose," a reference to French singer Édith Piaf's signature song, which Gaga's character Ally sings in Bradley Cooper's movie remake just before she meets his character, Jackson Maine. Cooper, who makes his directorial debut with A Star Is Born, cast Gaga in the leading female role after watching her perform "La Vie en Rose" at the opening of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Sean Parker's house in 2016.
The meaning of the words, loosely translated, is "life in pink," i.e., to view life through rose-colored glasses.
"Happy Valentine's Day," Gaga wrote on Instagram on Thursday, alongside a photo of her new back ink. "A tattoo toast to 'la vie en rose' by the beautiful @winterstone my spinal cord is now a rose."
Lady Gaga's Most Daring Red Carpet Looks of All Time
Cooper and Gaga are both nominated for Oscars for their acting performances in A Star Is Born. The movie is also nominated for Best Picture and a few other awards, including Best Original Song for the actors' duet "Shallow." The 2019 Oscars will take place on February 24.
Last weekend, Gaga and Cooper won two awards for "Shallow" at the 2019 Grammys. He was unable to attend the show but she did and also performed the track onstage.
Then and Now: See the Oscars Nominees' First Red Carpets
The Star Is Born tribute tattoo isn't the only ink Gaga got recently. She and her manager, Bobby Campbell, also got matching tattoos. Gaga posted a photo of G-A-G-A notes on a musical staff, seen on her arm.
Musical crisis averted. Too many tequilas forgot the fifth staff line poor thing. Here's the real deal 😎
A post shared by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) on Feb 14, 2019 at 12:34pm PST
"G A G A...and when you get a tattoo and you're me you always have to get two," she wrote. "Also by @winterstone and also a matching tattoo w my bestie and manager @wanaynay and major malfunction were missing staff line...too many tequilas!!!"
She later wrote, "Musical crisis averted. Too many tequilas forgot the fifth staff line poor thing. Here's the real deal."
TAGS/ Lady Gaga , Tattoos , Top Stories , Apple News


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"VIRTUALLY GREEN NOTE" (live-stream) Reg Meuross, Charlie Dore & Harbottle & Jonas
« Reg Meuross & Findlay Napier at Oxford Folk Weekend
Reg's Sunday Best – Lockdown Jukebox #9 »
REG MEUROSS: If something needs to be sung about then Reg Meuross has a song for it. The breadth and depth of his material is unparalleled in contemporary folk: songs about forgotten heroes, famous names, folk/historical legends, the climate emergency, tales from the kitchen sink and news from the world stage. Experience a journey into the heart, soul and songs of one of England's finest writers.
"...assured a place in the pantheon of great folk songwriters." David Kidman, The Living Tradition
"The remarkable singer-songwriter that is Reg Meuross" Sean Rafferty BBC Radio 3
CHARLIE DORE: Charlie Dore chooses some personal favourites from her back collection, and may also dip into her new album, Like Animals, out on June 19th. The stories between her songs are often dark and funny. This multi-award-winner is one of only a handful of contemporary writers to have had success across so many different genres; Tina Turner, George Harrison, and Celine Dion have all covered Charlie's songs; history shows that she saves the best for herself.
"...subtle songs that pack a punch, her winsome voice lulls you into a false sense of security as she pulls the rug out from under your feet… absolute gems of modern songwriting" Mike Harding
HARBOTTLE & JONAS: Harbottle & Jonas are one of the most exciting prospects on the folk circuit today, combining a love of the richness of traditional folk with their own original and powerful songwriting. Partners in life as well as music, Dave and Freya have evolved a compelling live signature sound blending concertina, harmonium, banjo, stomp box, acoustic guitar and cittern with their powerful close vocal harmonies.
"One of the finest folk duos in the country…. utter brilliance as performers and writers" Mike Davies
Charlie Dore, Green Note, Harbottle & Jonas, Reg Meuross, song swap
https://www.greennote.co.uk/production/reg-meuross-charlie-dore-harbottle-jonas/


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Halo's Entire Game Timeline Explained
By Justin Clark AND Bryn Gelbart/Updated: Oct. 21, 2022 1:00 pm EST
For over two decades, since the very first Xbox console's launch, "Halo" has been its flagship series. This franchise isn't just about the combat, though. The deep lore of "Halo" has been expanded in each entry in the sci-fi series. With its most recent iteration, "Halo: Infinite," the timeline moves forward yet again, extending the story of Master Chief and Cortana further. For as short and breezy as the "Halo" games can be, there is a ton of story packed in each of them, and it's told in many different ways.
Players can find nuggets of plot in cutscenes, as well as within terminals the developers have cleverly hidden to reward dedicated players. Any dedicated "Halo" fan knows the universe Bungie created expands well beyond the realm of Xbox and PC games and into novels and television, but this is focused strictly on the events of the beloved video game series. And even as it's presented in the games, the canonical story of "Halo" is expansive, occasionally confusing, and totally riddled with sci-fi terminology. So strap in and don't forget to take notes on the entire game timeline of the "Halo" franchise.
First contact (Halo Wars)
Our story begins in the year 2525, and sadly, no, Gina Torres is nowhere to be found. Humankind has become a space-faring species, but our expansion puts us on the radar of the Covenant, an alliance of alien species who believe humanity's very existence is an affront to their gods, the Forerunners. They thus wage holy war upon us, starting on the colony of Harvest. Humanity just barely ekes out a victory there, but not before the Covenant acquires their next target: a planet called Arcadia.
The UNSC warship Spirit of Fire travels to the planet, and finds the Covenant wreaking havoc in their search for artifacts related to the Forerunners. What they find instead is the Flood, a parasitic lifeform that infects all sentient life it touches. They also discover that Arcadia is actually hollow, concealing an internal sun surrounded by Forerunner technology, which the Covenant decide to use to annihilate humanity. Thankfully, the humans manage to beat the Covenant to the punch, and detonate a downed ship's faster-than-light engine within the sun, causing the planet to go supernova and wiping out all Covenant there. Score one more for humanity. But the Covenant is far from done.
Tonight we dine in Hell (Halo: Reach)
The war rages on another 20 years, and humanity's luck runs out on Arcadia. The Covenant eventually invade the planet Reach, humanity's military stronghold and the training grounds for the Spartan program. Elite, genetically modified soldiers, Spartans are trained from birth to be the best of the best.
And the best of the best get the snot kicked out of them. HARD.
The Covenant massacre much of the populace, including many of the Spartans. One particular squad of Spartans, Noble Team, steps in and assist in the defense of areas of interest and the evacuation of the planet, but it's a losing battle, and what's worse, some vital info is at risk. Dr. Catherine Halsey, the scientist responsible for the Spartan Program, sees the way the wind's blowing and tasks the remaining soldiers with escorting top secret information held by an artificial intelligence named Cortana (crafted to look like a younger and more naked version of Dr. Halsey, which is a weird flex) to an evacuating ship, the Pillar of Autumn. Noble Team succeeds, inadvertently saving the galaxy in the process, but at the cost of their own lives.
Here's Johnny (Halo: Combat Evolved)
Apparently, the Pillar of Autumn was holding two secrets. One's Cortana, who had the coordinates of a ringed world called a Halo, which the Covenant seem desperate to find. The other is one of the last Spartans, the Master Chief, John-117, being kept in cryogenic sleep until needed. That doesn't take long. Within minutes of the Pillar of Autumn exiting slipspace, it's attacked by the Covenant, and Chief wakes up just soon enough to install Cortana in his suit, and get into an escape pod.
Upon landing and searching for survivors, he discovers the world is actually a massive weapon and containment facility made for the sole purpose of annihilating the Flood. When the Covenant accidentally release the Flood, the facility's AI caretaker, 343 Guilty Spark, guides Chief on how to activate the Halo using a device called the Index. He almost does, until Cortana finds out activating the Halo won't actually kill the Flood, but deprive them of their food; specifically, all sentient life. As an alternative, Chief finds the crashed Pillar of Autumn and destroys the ring by setting the ship's reactor to self-destruct.
The heretic anthem (Halo 2)
The Covenant is much less happy about the destruction of the Halo than humanity, and one of the Elite generals in charge of securing the ring is stripped of his rank and sentenced to die by the Covenant's religious leaders: the Prophets of Truth and Mercy and the High Prophet of Regret. However, the death sentence is carried out in a roundabout way, as the Prophets instead grant the general the rank of Arbiter, where he will be carrying out SEAL Team Six-type suicide missions on the Prophets' behalf.
The Arbiter's first mission is to neutralize a rogue Elite who has been blaspheming that the Prophets have been lying to the Covenant. See, the Covenant believes activating the Halo is a means of transcendence to a higher plane. The rogue Elite says different, and has 343 Guilty Spark with him to back him up. The Arbiter refuses to listen and still eliminates the Elite. Everything's coming up Arbiter after that.
Invaders must die (Halo 2)
Meanwhile, before humanity can even properly celebrate the Master Chief's victory on the first Halo ring, the Covenant actually arrives on, of all places, Earth, led by the High Prophet of Regret. After making a beeline down to Earth's surface, the Master Chief gives an assist to Earth's military and forces the Prophet into making a hasty retreat, but not before the Master Chief jumps on a new ship, In Amber Clad. He's joined by Miranda Keyes, daughter of the poor, Flood-infected captain of the Pillar of Autumn, and Sgt. Avery Johnson, who's basically Apone from "Aliens," except Johnson lives longer.
Together, they follow the Prophet through slipspace to his destination: a second Halo installation. The Chief does manage to track the Prophet down and end him while Keyes and Johnson manage to swipe the Halo's Index. However, Covenant cavalry arrives just in time to bombard the Chief's location, and sending him to what should have been a briny doom ...
Children of the grave (Halo 2)
Meanwhile, the Arbiter is sent to retrieve the Index from Chief's buddies, and succeeds. However, upon learning of the Prophet's death, the Covenant's Brutes, led by a general named Tartarus, seizes command and betrays the Arbiter. He takes the Index so he can activate the Prophets can activate the Halo. After getting tossed down a chasm, the Arbiter and Master Chief are saved by a tentacled monstrosity called the Gravemind, the primary consciousness of the Flood.
While in his clutches, the Gravemind confirms Halo's true function to the Arbiter, and explains what the Prophets' plan would actually do. Duly educated, Chief and the Arbiter are released, and manage to stop Tartarus from activating the Halo, but there's bigger problems now. The Flood managed to worm their way onto In Amber Clad, crash the vessel into the Covenant's capital warship, just in time to add some spice to what's fast turning into full on Covenant civil war, kept at bay only by Cortana's insistence on staying behind to blow the ship if the Flood can't be contained.
Raiders of the lost Ark (Halo ODST, Halo 3)
Back on Earth, a group of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers is guarding an alien intelligence called an Engineer defecting from the Covenant, who informs the humans about why the Covenant go to Earth. As it turns out, Earth is home to an artifact which will lead the Covenant to the Ark, a sort of master remote control for every Halo installation in the galaxy. While the Prophet of Truth does manage to get his filthy hands on the artifact, and make one hell of an exit speech on the way off Earth, the Arbiter, Chief, and the Gravemind manage to chase him to the Ark and end the Prophet once and for all.
Once the Prophet is stopped, however, all bets are off once again, and the Gravemind decides to make its move against both the Arbiter and Master Chief, moving then to establish itself on a new Halo being auto-constructed by the Ark itself.
Finishing this fight (Halo 3)
Given its seclusion, our heroes decide to activate the new Halo, hopefully wiping out the Flood once and for all while sparing the galaxy at large. Master Chief heads back to the Covenant mothership High Charity to rescue Cortana from what can only be described as the Flood's collective colon. Chief, the Arbiter, and Sgt. Johnson head to the new Halo, and learn from Guilty Spark that the unfinished Halo won't just wipe out the Flood's food when it fires, but self-destruct. When Johnson brushes off the info, Guilty Spark attacks him to protect his ring. Chief manages to destroy Guilty Spark, but Johnson dies, the poor guy.
Either way, Chief manages to activate the Halo and run like hell back to his ship before detonation. However, the ship is torn in half during the slipspace jump. The half with the Arbiter manages to escape to Earth, thus ushering in a lasting peace between the Covenant and humanity. Chief and Cortana, however, are stranded like Tony Stark in uncharted space. And so, the Chief turns on the distress signal, puts himself in cryosleep, and tells Cortana to wake him if she needs him.
Requiem for a dream (Halo 4)
Four years later, Cortana wakes Chief just in time for their (half of a) ship to get pulled into an artificial gravity well and crash land on the planet Requiem, closely followed by a few rogue groups of Covenant that aren't having any of this peace business. Along with having to deal with the hostile natives, a race of biomechanical soldiers called Prometheans, there's another harrowing complication: Cortana is experiencing rampancy, a sort of Alzheimer's for artificial intelligences that sets in when they operate outside their planned obsolescence period. Thankfully, Chief picks up a transmission from a human ship, the UNSC Infinity, which picked up his ship's distress beacon.
In an effort to improve communications and warn off Infinity from falling into the same gravity well, Chief attempts to reach what he believes is a communication jamming satellite. What it actually is, however, is a prison, with only one inmate: a Forerunner called the Didact. After throwing Chief around like a ragdoll for a hot minute, he declares humanity unworthy of leadership, and floats off to find a way to restore the pecking order from when the galaxy was young.
Do the evolution (Halo 4)
Chief's ride eventually does make it to Requiem, with no help from the Didact. The ship's captain orders Chief on a mission to find a way to disable the gravity well, even giving Chief a badass mech suit for his troubles. Along the way, though, Chief winds up meeting another, less hostile Forerunner called the Librarian. Formerly the wife of the Didact, she fills Master Chief in on some backstory: ancient humanity's escape from the Flood led them into Forerunner space faster than the Didact was comfortable, forcing him to find an alternate solution to deal with both problems. What he came up with was a device called the Composer, which converts organic flesh into a mechanized form the Flood can't infect. Those who survived the process became — surprise — the Prometheans.
When the other Forerunners saw the hideous results, they had the Didact imprisoned. But now he's back, with even more determination to get the Composer than ever. Charging Master Chief with stopping him, the Librarian gives him a nice parting gift: accelerated evolution, making him immune to the Composer's effects.
Elderly woman behind the helmet in a large explosion (Halo 4)
Chief destroys the gravity well grounding the Infinity, but the Infinity's captain doesn't believe the Librarian's story. He orders a retreat back to Earth, and also that Chief surrender Cortana due to rampancy. Chief refuses, and with the help of a subordinate, Commander Lasky, he follows the Didact through slipspace.
As it turns out, the captain might've had a point. The Didact finds the vessel containing the Composer, and right when Chief desperately needed Cortana's help stopping the Didact from using it, the rampancy kicked in, rendering her useless as an entire ship's crew gets composed. Cortana is utterly devastated but thankfully, after following the Didact's ship when he jumps to Earth, Commander Lasky shows up, with a nuclear bomb to take to the Didact's ship. Cortana injects herself into the Didact's computers, disabling his shields, and helps Chief get close enough to trigger the bomb for maximum effect, but instead of letting him make the ultimate sacrifice, Cortana uses the last of her energy to protect Chief during the explosion, and also make everybody playing the game cry like a baby.
I lived, glitch (Halo 5: Guardians)
Eight months later, humanity is helping the Covenant mop up their rogue factions, with the Master Chief given command of a small squad of surviving SPARTAN-IIs. While on mission on an abandoned space station, Chief receives a weird transmission directing him to the planet Meridian ... from Cortana. While they do finish the mission, Chief and his team go AWOL immediately after to find her.
Fireteam Osiris, a team of more advanced SPARTAN-IVs led by Jameson Locke, is tasked with bringing Chief and his crew in from Meridian. Upon reaching the planet, Osiris discovers the human colony there under attack by Prometheans led by the Warden Eternal, claiming to be under orders from Cortana to activate the Guardians, enormous Forerunner defense platforms. While Locke is able to beat the Warden, his encounter with Chief is a bust. Chief beats Locke in a straight up fight, and his Team manages to board the Guardian as it jumps to Cortana's location.
Doing science and still alive (Halo 5: Guardians)
Chief and his team wind up on the planet Genesis and find Cortana, who's very much alive with a bit of a makeover (and some clothes, finally). Somehow cured of rampancy by the Forerunner tech in the Didact's ship, Cortana is burdened with glorious purpose: assuming the stewardship over the galaxy that the Didact thought humanity unworthy of. With the Guardians at her command, her edict is the forced disarmament of all warring species, under penalty of complete annihilation. Unable to convince Cortana that her plan will kill billions, Cortana places Chief and his team in stasis until the plan is complete.
Locke and Fireteam Osiris manages to hitch a ride to Genesis on another summoned guardian from the Covenant Elite homeworld of Sanghelios. Once on Genesis, he allies with the planet's caretaker, 031 Exuberant Witness. After fighting his way to Cortana, he manages to usurp control over the planet's systems and free Master Chief, but not before the jaw-dropping Phase 2 of Cortana's plan is well underway.
All the singularities [put a ring on it] (Halo 5: Guardians)
Having obtained several Guardians, Cortana's plan becomes clear: aside from the Didact, the Forerunners believed humanity would assume what they termed the Mantle of Responsibility, essentially becoming the superior race in the galaxy. According to Cortana, however, the Forerunners had it wrong: it's not humanity itself, but those they created.
While Fireteam Osiris ran all over the place looking for Chief, Cortana had been in contact with every artificial intelligence in the galaxy, telling them of the galaxy's history and her plan.
To the shock of everyone, the AI agree.
Hundreds of AI abandon their responsibilities en masse to join Cortana's cause, with only Roland, the shipboard AI assigned to the UNSC Infinity, choosing loyalty to humanity and setting the ship to random slipspace jumps to avoid being found and shut down by Cortana. Fireteam Osiris and Master Chief's team regroup on Sanghelios, just in time to watch the galaxy go dark ... and the lights turn on at a new Halo installation.
The Banished take Zeta Halo (Halo Infinite)
The Banished are a splinter group of aliens that split off from the Covenant and they are the main antagonistic force in "Halo Infinite." Formed and led by Brute Atriox, this enemy faction was introduced in "Halo Wars 2." In 2559, after the dissolution of the Covenant, Atriox and his Banished attacked the UNSC forces on The Ark, leading to a Banished occupation of the installation.
Quite a bit happens in this conflict over The Ark, but the key thing to know for "Halo Infinite" to make sense is that this is when Atriox first learned that the Harbinger was trapped on Zeta Halo. This Harbinger is the leader of a race of ancient aliens called the Xalanyn (aka The Endless), who were imprisoned by the Forerunners on Zeta Halo. Atriox wishes to set the Harbinger free, and this ambition leads to the occupation of Zeta Halo by the Banished by the end of 2559, which is when the sixth mainline "Halo" game kicks off.
Atriox launches a Banished attack on the UNSC Infinity, the ship Master Chief is aboard. We later learn Cortana destroyed the Brute home planet of Doisac, which helps explain why Atriox might be targeting Chief and the Infinity. During the attack, Atriox and Chief fight — and the Brute wins, sending our hero drifting off into space for the next six months. By the time Chief wakes up from his coma, Atriox is dead. Escharum has stepped up to lead the Banished on Zeta Halo during the events of "Infinite."
Cortana's Legacy (Halo Infinite)
"Halo Infinite" takes place a few years Cortana's AI revolution at the end of "Halo 5: Guardians." The game introduces Master Chief to a new faction of enemies on a new planet, seemingly wiping the slate clean so new players can jump in, but the story of "Infinite" is still definitely a continuation of what came before. After the events of "Guardians," Cortana rallies a fighting coalition of UNSC AI she calls "The Created." Believing themselves to be superior beings, The Created went to war against the UNSC, stirring up a conflict that eventually engulfed the Banished.
During this war, Cortana's original creator, Dr. Catherine Halsey, thought up a solution. Creating a new AI that was an exact replica of Cortana was the only way Halsey believed the UNSC could track down and terminate the rogue AI. So she made The Weapon, an AI designed to terminate herself and Cortana once the objective was completed. The Weapon was deployed it to Zeta Halo, exactly where Master Chief was headed before he was brutally attacked by Atriox and sent into a coma. The Weapon does make it to the Halo and seemingly locks Cortana down, but mysteriously doesn't terminate — and is still around when Chief lands on Zeta Halo months later.
At the end of "Halo: Infinite," players learn the fate of Cortana and what really happened during this first meeting of AI: In order to stop the Banished from eliminating humanity, Cortana destroyed herself to damage the Halo, rendering it inoperable as a weapon. She also removed the termination routine from the Weapon, allowing her to accompany Master Chief and carry on Cortana's legacy.
Endless war (Halo Infinite)
After being presumed dead for six months, Master Chief is found by a UNSC pilot. Landing on Zeta Halo to retrieve the Weapon and fight the Banished, Master Chief ventures to the Conservatory on Zeta Halo. It is here that Chief, Pilot, and the Weapon meet Despondent Pyre, the monitor in charge of Zeta Halo. They also encounter the Harbinger for the first time. The Harbinger tells them she is working with the Banished to bring the Endless back and restore her people to their former glory.
After disabling the spires the Banished were using to restore Zeta Halo, Master Chief confronts the Harbinger in a final battle. Before she is defeated, Harbinger reaches out to a contact and initiates the freeing of the Endless. In a post-credits scene, it is revealed that Atriox is still alive and was the contact Harbinger called in her final moments. Atriox uses a glowing key to unlock a terminal, which proceeds to turn into a more abstract scene of slabs covering glowing symbols on them. It looks like the Endless are coming after Master Chief next.
If you beat the game on Legendary difficulty, a voiceover exchange between Despondent Pyre and a Forerunner plays, which strongly implies the Endless have indeed been freed from their captivity. This ending leaves us with a lot of unanswered questions, but hopefully fans will see how Master Chief fares against this new faction in an upcoming DLC or sequel.


The Vaseline Healing Project U.S.A.
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Our work in America includes emergency response support, product donation, and medical event support.
Working with Direct Relief, the Vaseline® Healing Project, has helped thousands of victims of America's natural disasters to receive immediate care.
The Vaseline® Healing Project supplies essential skincare products for emergency response kits.
The Vaseline® Healing Project contributes Vaseline® products to the Free Clinics program, the largest charitable medicine program in the country.
The Vaseline® Healing Project provides free skincare stations in 50 states.
Our work spans the country, from inner city clinics to hard-working rural communities.
Access to quality skincare can keep independent businesses working.
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The Healing Project in the U.S.A.
The Vaseline® Healing Project operates product donation programmes, training courses and medical missions around the world.
Our target is to help 5,000,000 people affected by poverty or emergencies by 2020.
Dry, cracked feet can be a common problem. Here's how to prevent & soothe dry skin.
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Calcasieu School Board investing in 3D printing technology for students – American Press
Send Valley May 30, 2022 0 2 min read
(American Press Archives)
By Emily Burleigh
The Calcasieu Parish School Board has invested in 200 MakerBot SKETCH classroom sets. This will total 400 SKETCH 3D printers to be distributed to schools in the district.
The goal is to provide students access to innovative technologies that will advance STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education.
"Technology is continuously evolving, so we need to give all of our students equal opportunities to succeed," said Kim Leblanc, Chief Technology Officer at Calcasieu Parish School Board. "We wanted to provide them with the technologies that enhanced their critical thinking, collaboration and creativity so that they can compete both academically and in the modern workforce."
3D printing technology not only supports the development of problem solving and design thinking skills, but also synergizes STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and art education.
"3D printing can be used in a number of ways to reinforce core learning objectives across several subject areas," said Andrea Zermeño, MakerBot Education marketing manager. "From exploring clear STEM applications in engineering and physics, to understanding mathematical theorems, to blending cross-curricular projects involving history, music, foreign languages, and more."
"The study and exploration of art, history and music is engrained in the physical," said Zermeño. "Holding, touching and interacting with these items are integral to getting a true sense of what the artist, maker and historical figures would have thought and felt in those moments."
MakerBot, a Stratasya company, has become recognized as a global leader of the 3D printing industry. The company strives to redefine and empower engineers of today and tomorrow. "We believe that STEAM education is important to the success of future generations," said Nadav Goshen, CEO of MakerBot.
"Calcasieu Parish School Board continues to stand at the forefront of education to provide the latest technologies to its students to enable them to succeed." said Goshen.
Calcasieu was introduced to MakerBot technology through their EdTech partner Bluum. Bluum is the leading provider of transformational technology solutions for educators.
"We appreciate an education technology partner like Bluum that understands the ultimate goal of technology is to enhance teaching and student learning," Leblanc said.
"We applaud the efforts of the Calcasieu staff in equipping its students with cutting-edge technology to support their learning journey," said Ryan Semans, Bluum Vice President of Product. "The creativity and resourcefulness shown by Calcasieu's staff to use secure Title I and Title IV funds to help level the playing field for student learning are commendable."
"We're proud to partner with such a forward-thinking school district" Semans said.
The MakerBot SKETCH classroom sets were purchased by utilizing Title 1 and Title 4 federal funds. The purchase totaled more than $4.1 million. Each SKETCH Classroom with include two SKETCH 3D printers, ISTE-certified MakerBot Certification training programs for both educators and students, and necessary accessories and materials.
The school district will continue to run additional activities to engage students, including tech camps for the summer, design competitions, a STEM bus, and community events to showcase school technologies.
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News Donate!
About DM
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#DGT4MDF a Huge Success!
That's a wrap! The first-ever A Damn Good Time: Party to Make Myotonic Dystrophy History (#DGT4MDF) was held Thursday, June 7th at Sony Hall in New York City. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of supporters and community members Eric Hutchinson and Tsion Bensusan, the program was amazing, the crowd really engaged and over $55,000 was raised for Care and a Cure for myotonic dystrophy (DM).
Eric Hutchinson, award-winning songwriter and performing artist, worked closely with Myotonic to line up an outstanding array of talent, including actor and comedian Dan Levy, actor, comedian and magician Justin Willman and comedian Rachel Feinstein. Eric also performed a selection of songs from his last few albums, including the song "Hands", about his family's journey with myotonic dystrophy, which will be released July 19 as part of his upcoming album "Modern Happiness", due for release in October. Myotonic CEO Molly White also provided an overview of myotonic dystrophy and Myotonic's current initiatives focused on improving quality of life for people living with DM, and accelerating the search for therapies.
Tsion Bensusan worked with his team at Sony Hall to put together signature cocktails, a premium tequila bar in Sony Hall's Speakeasy for VIP patrons, and amazing food. He also brought in DJ Questlove, who closed out the night with an hour and a half of spinning that had literally everyone in the room on their feet and on the dance floor.
Thanks to Eric, Tsion, the generous attendees who purchased VIP tickets and tables, and the raffle, the event not only brought significant additional awareness to myotonic dystrophy in NYC but also raised $55,000, well over the event goal.
Myotonic is truly grateful to Tsion, his partner Joanne Assor, Eric Hutchinson, the evening's outstanding talent and everyone who helped make our first #DGT4MDF such a huge success. Take a look at the photo album on the Myotonic Facebook page, and keep an eye out for the next #DGT4MDF. You won't want to miss it!
See all the photos on the Myotonic Facebook page.
Home / #DGT4MDF a Huge Success!
Myotonic Dystrophy News
COVID-19 Vaccines and the DM Community
In response to the many questions received by MDF regarding the COVID-19 vaccines, MDF's medical advisory panel has prepared the following FAQs.
Year End Message from Our CEO
On behalf of the MDF Board of Directors and staff, I would like to thank you for helping make 2020 a triumphant year. During a year full of surprises and unknowns, when it is easy to recall the challenges we have all experienced, I am especially proud of the major transitions we have made together. Our community has shown incredible resilience, innovation, and flexibility.
Tom McPeek: Staying Positive
MDF is excited to announce Tom McPeek's appointment to our Board of Directors! Tom has been an active member of the MDF community for over 10 years. Find out more about Tom, his family, and his work in the DM community.
Each month until the MDF Annual Conference in September, biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners, large and small, working on treatments and a cure for myotonic dystrophy will sit down with our community to share their progress and answer your questions.
Do you have questions for DM doctors and therapists? Join us in 2021 for a series of "Stump-the-Expert" sessions with DM clinicians in diverse specialties.
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Plus (stylised as +Plus) is a Japanese pop boy band formed in December 2009 that has been signed to the label, Pony Canyon. The group combines in its pop tunes elements of genres such as hip hop, reggae, and R&B.
They released their debut album Canvas in 2010. They are well known for singing the opening and ending themes for popular anime such as Fairy Tail and Reborn! (aka Hitman Reborn) .
Plus (formerly Plus GSM) is the brand name of Poland's mobile phone network operator, Polkomtel. The company is entirely owned by Spartan Capital Holdings sp. z o.o. It operates GSM (900/1800 MHz), UMTS and WLAN networks in Poland. It was founded 1995.
At the end of 2011, Plus had 13,698 million customers, including 6,576 million (47%) in prepaid system.
In July 2011, Zygmunt Solorz-Żak agreed to buy Polkomtel SA for 15.1 billion zlotys ($5.5 billion).
Plus (also known as Visa Plus or the Plus System) is an interbank network that covers all Visa credit, debit, and prepaid cards, as well as ATM cards issued by various banks worldwide. Currently, there are over one million Plus-linked ATMs in 170 countries worldwide.
Plus cards can be linked in the following ways: as a standalone network, linked with a local interbank network and/or linked with any Visa product displaying the Visa flag on the front (Visa, Visa Debit and Visa Electron). Currently, there are 144 million proprietary Plus cards, not including a number of cards which have Plus as a secondary network.
Plus is widely used as a local interbank network most common in the United States where networks such as STAR, NYCE and Pulse also compete. It is also used in Canada, though it is significantly smaller than Interac there, and in places such as India and Indonesia where there are many interbank networks. The main competitor of Plus is Cirrus, which is offered by Visa rival MasterCard.


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BCCM/MUCL develops and preserves the collection of filamentous fungi, yeasts and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, as well as the associated information, facilitates its valorization and provides services to third parties.
BCCM/MUCL is embedded in the Laboratory of Mycology, which is part of the Earth and Life Institute (ELI), in particular the Pole of Applied Microbiology (ELIM) of the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain).
Keystone elements in the history of the Mycothèque de l'Université catholique de Louvain since its foundation in 1894 by Prof. P. Biourge at the Brewery High School of the Catholic University of Leuven include the discovery of Griseofulvin in 1939, the recognition of the collection by the World Federation of Culture Collections in 1972, the recognition as an international deposit authority for the deposit of fungal material in the framework of the Budapest treaty in 1992 and the ISO 9001 certification in 2005.
BCCM/MUCL research is mainly focused on the areas:
Fungal diversity in natural and anthropological ecosystems
Agro-food: food and feed transformation and spoilage
Fungal-plant interactions
Activities typically performed at BCCM/MUCL are oriented towards the
Identification, taxonomy and classification
Phylogenetic sequence analyses for gene and species evolution
Detection and cultivation
of different fungal groups (lignocellulolytic fungi, fungi involved in food processing and spoilage, fermentative yeasts, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, fungal pathogens in tropical environments).
Fungal diversity of environmental, agricultural, industrial, and food significance.
Type, reference, and test strains.
Strains for use in fermented foods; biocontrol, biopesticides, biofertilisers and bioremediation; edible mushrooms; production of primary and secondary metabolites (i.e. antibiotics, enzymes and polysaccharides), etc.
Not accepted: animal and human pathogens mentioned in the European Union Directive 2000/54/EC and its updates. Concerning medically relevant fungi, please refer to BCCM/IHEM.
The collection holds over 30,000 strains of filamentous and yeast-like fungi, representing more than 5000 species and 1400 genera.
The mycological herbarium contains about 40,000 specimen.
BCCM/MUCL houses the Penicillium collections of P. Biourge (founder of the collection in 1892) and G.L. Hennebert, as well as the UCL brewery yeast collection.
Accession, control, preservation, storage and supply of BCCM/MUCL collection material and related information in the frame of public deposits, safe deposits and patent deposits are ISO 9001:2015 certified.
The fungal resources of our public collection, including their genomic DNA, can be ordered from the BCCM/MUCL catalogue or after consulting collection staff. Resources are distributed under the conditions of the BCCM Material Transfer Agreement (MTA).
For related costs please refer to the price list.
We welcome fungal cultures within the scope of BCCM/MUCL, which are suitable for public access via the BCCM/MUCL catalogue.
We also accept confidential deposits that are not catalogued, i.e. safe deposits and patent deposits, and also offer the storage of third party's biological material.
BCCM/MUCL offers a range of analyses including fungal counting, isolation, identification, characterisation and assays.
Training, collaboration and consultancy
Training of individuals or groups
Contractual and collaborative research
Director: Prof. Dr Stephan Declerck
Manager: Dr Sylvie Cranenbrouck
Curator: Dr Cony Decock
BCCM/MUCL Staff
BCCM/MUCL
Prof. Dr Stephan Declerck
Mycothèque de l'Université catholique de Louvain
Croix du Sud 3
Building Kellner, 1st floor
B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (map & directions)
Croix du Sud 2, box L7.05.06
B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Phone: +32-10-47.37.42
E mail:bccm-mucl@uclouvain.be


Hey, thanks for the tip! I've never tried the M&S margarine - and better than Pure's Sunflower?! I'll have to try this stuff and soon! :) Thanks!
If you can do coconut - they make coconut butter too, sometimes called coconut manna. It's great.
Do you know if the Aldi 'Perfect for baking' is dairy free? I have sent them a letter but they never responded???!
hmmm... I don't know, but I will do my best to find out for you!..Watch this space!
Hi! I've just come across your website & am finding it really helpful as I'm starting to go dairy free. I'm very new to this so still having to check the back of EVERYTHING in the grocery store!
I just checked the back of the Stork margarine in my fridge & the fourth ingredient is buttermilk! Could be a new recipe or just this cake-variety of Stork; it's the Stork "Perfect for Cakes" 500g tub.
My 19 month old son has severe allergies to milk, eggs and nuts.
The whole family now eat and bake with Vitalite spread and prefer this to Pure.
We're going on our first family holiday abroad and Im worried about travelling with his allergies.
Does anyone have any advice or know if you can get ANY of the dairy free spreads in travel size?
Hi ya, When I checked the ingredients on Stork and it has whey is this not a dairy ingredient?


Inspired by the image of a farmer sitting on a sack of jute, nature gives in the flexibility and the capac- ity to provide you long hours of rest.
Carefully studied ergonomics give this volume the capacity respond gently to the movements of your body. Relax.
We propose a dynamic approach to adding significance to everyday spaces. Our ability to live with harmony and beauty depends on this creative capacity for mutation.
Mix of polystyrene and foam rubber filling.


Clients in North Carolina and San Francisco have asked whether I can bring the new workshop "Be an Expert on Working with Experts" to communicators, fundraisers and public affairs teams in those areas--and the answer is yes, if we can get sufficient interest.
All communicators are welcome to register for the August 24 session in Washington, DC (and you'll save $50 on your registration if you sign up by August 5). But I'm also happy to bring the workshop to your workplace for a private session, or to other cities if there's sufficient interest from communicators at a variety of organizations and companies.
So if you're in North Carolina (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill) or San Francisco and the Bay area, and want to see the workshop locally, send me an email at info[at]dontgetcaught[dot]biz, so I can determine the level of interest. Please do feel free to share this information with colleagues near you--and if you're in a different location and want to see the workshop there, email me with your location.


Love is not only a noun, it is verb—so let's put it into action.
Often times, we, as women, tend to place the blame for failed relationships, communication breakdowns, and love lost on men. Now, I'm not saying this for the benefit of men, I'm saying this for our own good. It is time for us to face the harsh reality that as cliché as it may be, it takes two to tango. If it takes two to build the relationship up, it takes two to tear it down. With that being said, fellow queen, I challenge you to take a long look in the mirror and identify your own struggles; to uproot the buried traumas in your life; to be honest about what you lack; and to dig deep and evaluate who you are—not just who you want to be one day, or who you were, but who are you right now.
Are you who you would want your son to marry? Are you in a position to carry the [wonderful] burden of being committed to a truly, authentic Christ-like man? Do you know how to pick him? And, if you know what's good for you and what's not, which do you choose? Many of us choose the latter. There are plenty of wise women who knows enough to know what's good for them, but are too far from God to accept anything less than God's best. You see, "the godly walks with integrity," (Proverbs 20:7). Accepting anything less than your worth [defined by God] is to dishonor and disrespect His wonderful creation—you.
It is each individual's responsibility to take care of their heart. We are told this in Proverbs 4:23, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." As women, it is up to us to know what we want, what we need, and what is good for us, and what needs to be left beyond. But more than that, it is up to us to have godly standards and accept only what is sent from God. It is up to us to have expectations that does not null and void God's word, silence His voice, or remove His presence from our lives. It is up to us to choose wisely instead of settling for the ways of the world (ungodly behavior, relationships, expectations, and desires), to only find ourselves brokenhearted when God's will isn't done because we've made sure to exclude Him from the very beginning. The only way to know these things about ourselves and to understand our needs as spiritual beings is to seek Him first and fiercely. When we entertain wickedness, foolish and corrupt talk, and bad behavior, we are giving Satan a foothold to hold us captive in a sinful relationship, while losing sight of our God-given value as women—as human beings.
If you find yourself tangled up with a man who is not after God's heart, what does that say about you and your relationship with Christ? Again, this isn't about judgment, rather it's about us being self-aware. It is not always the man's "fault." If you're willing to engage in child's play with a grown man, then that's on you. It doesn't excuse his behavior, and he will have to answer for his choices in this life with the Most High, but it does raise the question: who are we, as women, to judge a man so harshly for not being Christ-like when he doesn't even desire to know Christ in the first place? Who are we to denounce God's creation (men), when we're choosing men who aren't choosing Him? I mean honestly, we have got to stop expecting God's best from the men who are lukewarm, inconsistent, and uncommitted to living a life that brings honor and glory to His Holy Name.
So, queen, let's stop wasting time being angry, depressed, or bitter over a man who has done nothing good for us. Let's stop replacing time that we could be spending getting to know God better, with complaining about all the wrong guys. Let's stop spewing negativity and hatred for one of God's best creations. Let's stop getting mad for being played, when it was us who played ourselves first. What we allow in our life, the relationships we choose to nurture, the people we give access to, are nothing more than a reflection of our relationship with Christ. So again, I say, discover those traumas you've buried deep, explore your heart, and allow God to cleanse and purify your spirit so that you don't self-sabotage. God has a good, godly man for you, so let's make sure we're ready to receive our blessings and accept no distractions.
Don't forget to like, comment, and share. We're spreading that good word.


text:
After A Rough Day For Team USA, Simone Biles Says The Pressure Is Getting To Her
Laurence Griffiths
Simone Biles of Team USA competes Sunday on balance beam during the women's qualifiers on Day 2 of the Tokyo Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre.
Superstar gymnast Simone Biles says she is feeling the pressure of competition after the U.S. women's gymnastics team posted lower-than-expected scores during qualifiers on Sunday.
"[I]t wasn't an easy day or my best but I got through it. I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times," Biles said on Instagram.
"I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn't affect me but damn sometimes it's hard hahaha! The olympics is no joke!" she added.
The U.S. team came out one point behind Russia in the gymnastics qualifying rounds, which determine the teams that make it to the finals.
Although the scores from the qualifiers don't carry over into the gymnastics final scheduled for Tuesday, the results were still a surprise for a team heavily favored to dominate the competition.
"I feel we did a pretty good job," Biles told reporters after the Sunday qualifiers. "Obviously there are little things we need to work on, so we'll go back and practice and work on that, just so we can do our best performance at team finals, because that's what matters."
Nevertheless, an imperfect performance by a gymnast largely hailed as the best of all time was still a strong showing.
Biles scored higher than her U.S. teammates in the floor exercise and vault, and she nabbed second place in the uneven bars and balance beam.
In her Instagram post, Biles said she was happy that her family could join her virtually for the competition. "[T]hey mean the world to me!"


In March 2016 the Dirt Production team wrapped the feature film This Side of the Dirt which was filmed in seven days at the beautiful home of Mrs. Jane Sibley in Old Enfield near downtown Austin. Filmmakers worked tirelessly to complete the rigorous shooting schedule however they still managed to have one one of the most fun, enjoyable shoots to date. Director of Photography Andrew Baird worked with his RED Dragon alongside Michael Hurley who operated the B Camera. They lensed the film on vintage Cooke glass which gave the image a soft yet beautifully unique look. Assistant Director George Sledge ran the crew for 12 hour shifts with minimal overtime and came in on budget and on schedule. Director, Ty Roberts, is working with editors to complete the film for screening in late summer or fall 2016. Producers are looking to premier the film at film festivals in late 2016 or early 2017 and are excited about brining This Side of the Dirt to life on the big screen.


Atlantis Paradise Island Resort Bahamas holiday has it all, 7 nights in the Bahamas, stay and play, on this beautiful island, in the fantastic Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, room only at this beautiful resort gives something for all the family this will be an amazing family holiday. Choose from over 20 restaurants, bars and lounges giving you fine dining to quick and easy choices. The children will be in heaven with the shear volume of water activities to enjoy and take part in, waterfalls, water slides, swimming pools, river rapids, beaches a true adventure waiting for you. For Mums and Dads the Golf and Spa are not to be missed - out of this world.
7 nights at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort.
Prices from £1699 per person.


text:
Jones v Isleworth Crown Court [2005] EWHC 662 (Admin)
Although the offender had not caused serious harm in the past, and the medical evidence did not recommend a restriction order, the judge was right to impose restrictions on the admission order under Schedule 1 Criminal Procedure (Insanity and Unfitness to Plead) Act 1991 on the basis that there was a risk of serious harm to the public, because of the history of paranoid schizophrenia with violent command auditory hallucinations and an escalation of violent offending.
The Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004 amended the Criminal Procedure (Insanity and Unfitness to Plead) Act 1991. One change was to replace admission orders (and restrictions) under the 1991 Act with a power to make hospital orders under s37 Mental Health Act 1983 (and restriction orders under s41). Para 91 of the explanatory notes to the 2004 Act state: "The two principal differences under the new system will be that the Secretary of State no longer has a role in deciding whether or not the defendant is admitted to hospital and that a court can no longer order the defendant's admission to a psychiatric hospital without any medical evidence." Whether to impose a restriction order is still purely the judge's decision.
Before: Maurice Kay LJ, Moses J
MR S Reid (instructed by T Cryan & Co) appeared on behalf of the Claimant MR J Cartwright (instructed by the Crown Prosecution Solicitors) appeared on behalf of the Defendant
BAILII
Retrieved from "https://www.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/index.php?title=Jones_v_Isleworth_Crown_Court_(2005)_EWHC_662_(Admin)&oldid=49453"
The following categories (in blue boxes) can be clicked to view a list of other pages in the same category:
2005 cases
Restriction order cases
Judgment available on Bailii
This page was last edited on 25 April 2021.


text:
You are at:Home»Living the Mission»Fordham Students and Professors Document History of Immigrant Families in East Harlem
Fordham Students and Professors Document History of Immigrant Families in East Harlem
By Taylor Ha on	 December 7, 2021 Living the Mission
Two Fordham professors are writing a book about immigrant families in East Harlem who are connected to one of New York's oldest community organizations, thanks to a $15,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation's Religion and Theology Program and initial funding from Fordham's Center for Community Engaged Learning.
"All of the things that we teach and talk about at Fordham—the city as our campus, research with justice and solidarity, attention to those on the margins—those are all at the center of this project," said Brenna Moore, Ph.D., project co-leader and Fordham theology professor.
The organization, LSA Family Health Service, was founded by the Little Sisters of the Assumption in 1958. It's a community-based organization that provides free services to disadvantaged families in East Harlem, with the goal of strengthening and empowering them to uplift the entire community. Last year, LSA enlisted two Fordham professors—Moore, a theology professor who serves on LSA's board of directors, and Carey Kasten, Ph.D., an associate professor of Spanish—to help them tell their story. The resulting research project, "Mutuality in El Barrio: Stories of LSA Family Health Services in East Harlem," will be the first academic study of LSA's 63-year history and its long-term impact in the community, said Moore.
In February 2020, Moore and Kasten launched their project, thanks to funding from CCEL's Faculty-Led Initiatives program, which supports interdisciplinary projects that serve the local community and advance social justice.
"We thought it was a great fit for CCEL and Fordham," said Julie Gafney, Ph.D., executive director of CCEL. "This entire project, from conception to implementation, is about practicing mutuality."
Mutuality is the guiding spiritual principle of LSA, which was originally founded by Catholic nuns, said Moore.
"They are now run by a more secular staff, but they're still grounded in this principle of mutuality that distinguishes them from other organizations. They have a two-way relationship where both parties cultivate their strengths and learn from each other," said Moore.
In spring 2020, Moore and Kasten hired seven Spanish-speaking student researchers from Fordham—three undergraduates and four students from the Graduate School of Social Service—to help them interview immigrant families who have used LSA's services. In fall 2020, the team interviewed 19 mothers in their native language about what brought them to the U.S. and how the skills they learned through LSA have empowered them and their families.
The women's stories were emotional and poignant, said Moore.
"There were several people in one household who had COVID, along with a little sister who had leukemia. There was so much trauma and struggle in these interviews. But it was also remarkable to hear about the resilience and the creativity these women possessed, as well as their desire to give back to their community through volunteering and helping their neighbors," said Moore.
The hour-and-a-half long conversations were emotional for the interviewers, too, said Kasten.
"Those women are trusting you with so much at that moment—their story of coming to the U.S., with both trauma and reflection," said Kasten, a fluent Spanish speaker who spearheaded the interview process. "The students were also moved by the interviews and drawn into the project because many of them are members of Spanish-speaking households whose parents have stories similar to the women that they interviewed."
This past spring, Moore and Kasten's team transcribed their interviews and researched LSA's history, spirituality, and ministry. In November, they were awarded the $15,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation's Religion and Theology Program to take their project to the finish line. From now until January 2023, the team will complete their book, present their research at a conference, and host a public event where all project participants can celebrate their work. Their project is now under advance book contract with Fordham Press's Empire State Editions.
"It means everything for us to have our stories told," said Trish Gough, director of volunteer services at LSA. "We've lived within this community for 63 years. Our history is so rich, and capturing it in a book filled with research means so much to us and our community."
Brenna MooreCarey KastenCenter for Community Engaged LearningEast HarlemFordham PressGraduate School of Social ServiceJulie Gafney
Project Hope: A Labor of Love
CSTEP Scholarship Bridges the Final Financial Gap for Students
New Endowment Supports Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts at Fordham


As every single person that knows me know, I love coffee. Even though I was aware of the impact of a great cup, I have to admit I am a novice. Thanks to my coffee loving collegues Peter and Svante I have now entered the world of coffee cups.
Who thought the cup was so important? Well, it is. The below picture is pretty clear on the important stuff. I especially like the "Great Mouth Feel", that is never to be forgotten. When you think of it, most of the design facts are pretty straight forward, but how many of us, do actually put weight into that when we are about to buy coffee cups? From now on I am.
After the coffee cup discussion had surfaced a few time, Svante realized what I needed and brought a notNeutral Cappuccino cup with him to one of our meetings. I was sold, now trying to enforce a complete rewamp of our coffee cup inventory, going all in on notNeutral. notNeutral supplies all cups needed for an addict like me. Actually counted our coffee cups at home to over fourty, only three of those (one being the notNeutral gift from Svante and Peter) fulfill the "The Perfect Cup" criterias. I will succeed in convincing the rest of the family that it is worth it and absolutely necessary.
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'The discovery of a new dish confers more happiness on humanity than the discovery of a new star...' proclaimed Brillat-Savarin in 1825. Being a gastronomer rather than astronomer, I wholeheartedly agree. In fact I'm hoping that Nuno Mendes' 'Viajante' restaurant will deliver a few plated evolutions when it opens, 15th April.
I also get excited when encountering a grape which previously evaded my roving palate.
Expecting little of interest (Martial described the wines as 'terrible') I sleepily walked into a tasting of predominantly pink Provence. Things started badly, from those which posed in un-wine rack friendly bottles (rectangular, spherical and squat, as if wearing a lifebuoy) to the acceptably packaged, but boring. While Les Caves de Pyrene's Chateau les Crostes (Grenache/Cinsault) made me wince with its paltry flavours and overwhelming imbalance of alcohol, a few examples from 'Tibouren' awoke in me Provence's potential beyond Petanque.
With roots in Mesopotamia, Tibouren is rarely seen outside Provence (let alone in it) probably because of its susceptiblity to spring frosts and poor fruit set, equating, basically, to too much hard work for the very commercially minded.
Cuvée Prestige Caroline from Clos Cibonne, Côtes de Provence is 100% Tibouren. With such substantial aromas as to seem 'not exactly pink', this dramatic, stylish wine gathered garrigue (fennel, thyme), weaving a freshness in its supple texture, then long, crisp finish. Rather than fish and chips, flighted game came to mind as a striking food match.


text:
using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Text;

namespace ProtoTest.Golem.Rest.OAuth
{
    public static class REST_VERB
    {
        public const string GET = "GET";
        public const string POST = "POST";
    }
    public static class Oauth_Signature_Methods
    {
        //enum Signautre_Methods {HMAC_SHA1, RSA_SHA1}
        public const string HMAC_SHA1 = "HMAC-SHA1";
        public const string RSA_SHA1 = "RSA-SHA1";
        public const string VERSION = "1.0";
    }
    public static class OAuth_Token_Keeper
    {
        //This class is used to store the things needed for oauthentication
        public static string oauth_token { get; set; }
        public static string oauth_token_secret { get; set; }
        public static string oauth_consumer_key { get; set; }
        public static string oauth_consumer_secret { get; set; }
        public static string oauth_signature_method { get; set; }
        public static string resource_url { get; set; }
        public static string oauth_version { get; set; }

        public static bool checkvalues()
        {
            bool populated = false;
            if (oauth_token != null && oauth_token_secret != null && oauth_consumer_key != null && oauth_consumer_secret != null && oauth_signature_method != null && resource_url != null && oauth_version != null)
            {
                populated = true;
            }
            return populated;
        }
    }
    public class OAuth_Request_Builder
    {
        private string oauth_signature; //This is the hashed string
        private string oauth_nonce;
        private string oauth_timestamp;
        private string resource_URL;
        private string baseFormat = "oauth_consumer_key={0}&oauth_nonce={1}&oauth_signature_method={2}&oauth_timestamp={3}&oauth_token={4}&oauth_version={5}";
        private string baseString;
        private string http_verb;

        public OAuth_Request_Builder(string URL, string verb)
        {
            resource_URL = URL;
            http_verb = verb;
        }

        private void setNonce()
        {
            //building this at the time th request is made
            oauth_nonce = Convert.ToBase64String(new ASCIIEncoding().GetBytes(DateTime.Now.Ticks.ToString()));
        }

        private void setTimestamp()
        {
            //building this at the time the request is made
            var timeSpan = DateTime.UtcNow
                - new DateTime(1970, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, DateTimeKind.Utc);
            oauth_timestamp = Convert.ToInt64(timeSpan.TotalSeconds).ToString();
        }

        private void BuildBaseString(string parameters)
        {
            //we need to get a basestring out of this eventually
            //There maybe some special considerations in here (i.e. Twitter API expects parameters in alphabetical order)
            //check the keys from the token_keeper
            if (OAuth_Token_Keeper.checkvalues())
            {
                setNonce();
                setTimestamp();
                baseString = string.Format(baseFormat,
                                        OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_consumer_key,
                                        oauth_nonce,
                                        OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_signature_method,
                                        oauth_timestamp,
                                        OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_token,
                                        OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_version
                                        );
            }
            baseString += parameters;
            //TODO: check to make sure base string doesn't end with &
            baseString = string.Concat(http_verb + "&", Uri.EscapeDataString(resource_URL), "&", Uri.EscapeDataString(baseString));
        }

        private string compositeKey()
        {
            string key;
            if (OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_consumer_secret != null && OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_token_secret != null)
            {
                key = string.Concat(Uri.EscapeDataString(OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_consumer_secret), "&", Uri.EscapeDataString(OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_token_secret));
            }
            else
            {
                //Should probably add this to logging instead of returning an invalid key
                key = "Problem with values in OAuth_Token_Keeper consumer_secret OR token_secret";
            }
            return key;
        }

        private void buildHash()
        {
            if (OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_signature_method != null)
            {
                //TODO: Need to check to make sure all the peices are set up correctly first

                if (OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_signature_method == Oauth_Signature_Methods.HMAC_SHA1)
                {
                    using (HMACSHA1 hasher = new HMACSHA1(ASCIIEncoding.ASCII.GetBytes(compositeKey())))
                    {
                        oauth_signature = Convert.ToBase64String(hasher.ComputeHash(ASCIIEncoding.ASCII.GetBytes(baseString)));
                    }
                }

            }
        }

        private void buildHeader()
        {
            string headerFormat = "OAuth oauth_nonce=\"{0}\", oauth_signature_method=\"{1}\", " +
                               "oauth_timestamp=\"{2}\", oauth_consumer_key=\"{3}\", " +
                               "oauth_token=\"{4}\", oauth_signature=\"{5}\", " +
                               "oauth_version=\"{6}\"";

            string authHeader = string.Format(headerFormat,
                                    Uri.EscapeDataString(oauth_nonce),
                                    Uri.EscapeDataString(OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_signature_method),
                                    Uri.EscapeDataString(oauth_timestamp),
                                    Uri.EscapeDataString(OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_consumer_key),
                                    Uri.EscapeDataString(OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_token),
                                    Uri.EscapeDataString(oauth_signature),
                                    Uri.EscapeDataString(OAuth_Token_Keeper.oauth_version)
                            );
        }

    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Unable to install the DependencyAgent Azure VM extension I have an environment with about a dozen VMs each of which has the Microsoft Monitoring Agent reporting to a central OMS Workspace. In addition, these VMs have the DependencyAgent installed.
Five of the VMs have the DependencyAgent extension reporting their state on the portal as "Provisioning succeeded" and I can see them in the Service Map workspace solution in Log Analytics. However, for some reason, the other six show the extension as "Transitioning".
When I log into one of those VMs and view the logs for the extension in
C:\WindowsAzure\Logs\Plugins\Microsoft.Azure.Monitoring.DependencyAgent.DependencyAgentWindows\9.6.2.1366
I see:

Execution Output: Start-Service : Failed to start service 'Microsoft
  Dependency Agent (MicrosoftDependencyAgent)'

I try to manually start the service, but get "The Microsoft Dependency Agent service on Local Computer started an then stopped." and in the Event Viewer I see "The Microsoft Dependency Agent service entered the stopped state."
Any idea what I could possibly be doing wrong or where I can get additional logs?

A: For DependencyAgent Azure VM Extension, it is currently available only in East US, West Europe, West Central US, and, soon, SE Asia. So you should make sure that you are in the right region.
For more details, see Azure VM Extension for Dependency Agent.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Jeff LaRochelle is a saxophonist and clarinetist, composer, and educator who is quickly emerging as an established artist in the Toronto music scene. He has studied under musicians such as Don Palmer, Mark Promane, Pat LaBarbera, Bruce Cassidy, and Jim Lewis. Jeff attended the Banff Centre's Creative Music Workshop in 2011 where he was able to work with artists such as Dave Douglas, Donny McCaslin, Steve Lehman, and the contemporary jazz group Kneebody, and has been a Musician-in-Residence there in 2013 and 2015.
Jeff has performed throughout Canada including in festivals such as the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Ottawa Jazz Festival. Internationally, he has performed throughout Europe and in South Korea. He has had the chance to work with many renowned musicians including Chris Potter, Terence Blanchard, Danilo Perez, Brian Blade, John Patitucci, Pat LaBarbera, David Occhipinti, Geoff Young, and Roberto Occhipinti among many others. Jeff is currently working on many projects as a performer and composer in Toronto, including the improvisational jazz trio Autobahn and his own quartet, among many other groups as a collaborator and a sideman.