text:
James Bay top Premier League power rankings
Vancouver, BC: The 2012 BC Rugby club season may still be ten days away in British Columba but the cries of "Huddy Huddy Bays!" can already be heard across the Georgia Straight and throughout the Lower Island region. The perennial contenders James Bay Athletic Association are the number one men's club side in British Columbia according to a coaches poll. The Bays currently sit tied for second with a 2-0 record in the Canadian Direct Insurance Premier League standings but their opponents have identified them as the league's strongest squad.
The James Bay Athletic Associtation Bays celebrate after winning their 53rd Barnard Cup in late November.
Glenn Ivens photo (www.javalon.smugmug.com)
Coaches Poll – Power Rankings:
Ranking/ Club (League record)
1. James Bay AA (2-0)
2. Castaway Wanderers RFC (1-1)
3. Capilano RFC (2-0)
4. UVic Vikes (1-1)
5. Burnaby Lake Rugby Club (2-0)
6. UBCOB Ravens (1-2)
7. Meraloma Rugby Club (0-3)
8. Abbotsford RFC (0-2)
Balanced with a blend of veteran experience and national team prospects, the Bays have lost just once during the 2011-2012 season and this past November clinched their third straight Barnard Cup (Island championship) with a convincing 22-13 win over the University of Victoria Vikes. All eight Premier League head coaches ranked their opposition from strongest to weakest for the poll and the Bays were touted as the province's best with five top votes.
Reigning provincial champions Castaway Wanderers received two first place votes while 2011 Lower Mainland champions Capilano RFC also received a single top vote. All three Vancouver Island teams were ranked in the top half of the power rankings with Premier League coaches indicating the trio were bolstered by national team prospects heading West for their winter rugby.
Three out-of-province players helped James Bay to their most recent Island championship including Newfoundland product Zac Coughlan and Ontario provincial players Connor McCann and JT Rowbotham. Oak Bay grad Connor Braid led JBAA in scoring during the Fall season with a haul of 69 points and will certainly be at the forefront of the Bays attack along with World Cup scrum half Sean White.
The Vikes will enter the new year without several of their national team sevens players representing Canada on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit including Nathan Hirayama and Sean Duke. The students will also be without the services of scrum half Phil Mack who is sidelined with a knee injury.
Many on the Lower Mainland will be waiting to see if Burnaby Lake can build on their 2-0 record and their 2012 opener against Capilano will be a crucial indicator to see if they are capable of making a run for one of four playoff spots available in April.
After strong postseason runs in 2011, Vancouver clubs UBCOB Ravens and Meralomas struggled during the 2012 Fall season but it can't be long before the perennial contenders find their footing in the province's top flight. The Meralomas last lifted the Rounsefell Cup in 2009 and are the only club to make an appearance in the last four championship finals.
Ranked at the bottom of the coaches poll is Abbotsford RFC, a side still yet to register a win against Premier League competition since qualifying for the top tier in 2011. Abbotsford are in for a tough opening weekend as they head to MacDonald Park to face James Bay at home.
CDI Premier League – Sat. January 28th, 2012
Abbotsford RFC at James Bay AA (MacDonald Park) 2:45pm
UVic Vikes at Castaway Wanderers RFC (Windsor Park) 2:45pm
Burnaby Lake RC at Capilano RFC (Klahanie Park) 2:45pm
ISN Webmaster
2021 Dragon Boat Festivals on Vancouver Island
Speed Mechanics Sports Science and Training Facility Opens October 1
Canada Soccer cancels upcoming home international matches in British Columbia
BC Rugby Club Finals Return to Vancouver Island to Coincide with HSBC Canada Women's Sevens
Congrats to Mixed teams that qualified for the 2020 AMJ Campbell BC Mixed Curling Championships
Vancouver Island law enforcement members take on chilly challenge in support of SOBC


text:
Society for In Vitro Biology Home
2019 Scientific Program
Sunday, June 9
2019 Poster Sessions
2019 Abstracts
2019 Meeting Committees
Disabilities Act
Students and Post Doc Opportunities
Things to Do in Tampa
International Travel and Visas
Exhibitors and Sponsors
2019 Exhibitor Fees
Who Should Exhibit?
Exhibition Schedule
Event Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities
Meeting Sponsorship Opportunities
SIVB Student Award Program
SIVB Student and Post Doc Presentation Competitions
Free Student Meeting Registration and Membership Initiative
2014 World Forum on Biology
For your viewing convenience, the 2015 In Vitro Biology Meeting Final Program has been broken down by day.
Technology and Ecology Aspects of Genome Resource Banking
Pierre Comizzoli, Research Scientist, Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Pierre Comizzoli has worked as a veterinarian in French Guyana to study the seasonal reproduction of different mammalian species living in the rain forest. He has been in charge of reproductive and health monitoring programs (sheep, goat and cattle) in the African Sahelo-Saharan region. These professional experiences, involving wildlife and tropical veterinary medicine, allowed him to study different aspects of reproductive biology in various animal species. Dr. Comizzoli then decided to do Master and a Ph.D. on reproductive biotechnologies (artificial insemination, embryo transfer, in vitro fertilization, gamete and embryo cryopreservation) in bovine and deer species (red deer and Japanese sika deer). He described an original effect of the paternal component on early embryo development in both species, and produced in vitro the first transferable embryos in red deer and Japanese sika deer. After completing his Ph.D., he has worked on the implementation of assisted reproductive techniques and genome resource banking for the conservation of ungulate species at the National Museum of Natural History of Paris. In 2002, Dr. Comizzoli joined the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute at the National Zoological Park in Washington DC as a staff scientist to develop new projects on gamete and gonadal tissue cryo-banking for rare and endangered species. His comparative research on fertility preservation in various wild and domestic animal species creates interesting bridges with human reproductive medicine. In addition to basic research activities, Dr. Comizzoli is coordinating a Smithsonian-wide initiative to improve the management and use of biomaterial and environmental repositories within the Institution. He also is in charge of conservation projects on wild carnivores and ungulates in Northern Africa (Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Sahara Conservation Fund) as well as in South-East Asia (Member of the IUCN/SSC Saola Working Group). Dr. Comizzoli has received several professional awards including the Smithsonian Secretary's Research Prize (2008 and 2012) and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2011) for his innovative work on fertility preservation. More recently, he has received the Innovation Award from the National Research Council of Thailand (2012) for the first Eld's deer fawn born after in vitro fertilization.
The maintenance of sustainable populations in the wild and the preservation of the whole planet's biodiversity highly depend on the protection of natural habitats and the advanced knowledge of animal and plant biology. Conservation biology is a multidisciplinary science that includes the creation of organized and accessible collections of biomaterials (Genome Resource Banks, GRB). For several decades, research institutions and zoos have been collecting and storing frozen samples, including raw DNA, somatic cells, tissues, blood products, germplasm (sperm and eggs) and embryos as well as other animal, plant and even soil products. These large cryo-collections are invaluable tools for understanding, cataloging, and protecting the genetic diversity of the world's unique animals and plants. Frozen biorepositories significantly contribute to scientific research and production of new scholarly knowledge in areas such as biodiversity genomics, taxonomy, phylogenetics, physiology, cellular and molecular biology, toxicology, and pathology. Biobanks also are actively used for endangered species management and propagation (including for species reintroduction). Importantly, the science of cryobiology offers the possibility to preserve the integrity of valuable samples for extended periods of time. Similar to the highly diverse biological traits observed across species, there is a huge species-specificity in cryobiology, especially for living biomaterials such as germplasms, cells, and tissues. It therefore is important to study and compare the intricacies and specificities associated with the successful cryopreservation, storage, and thawing of different biomaterials among different species. This knowledge also is essential to the successful use of these valuable bioresources for assisted reproduction and new biotechnologies (genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics) that provide enormous amount of information. Biobanking can be considered as a science because collecting and preserving any possible samples from any species is now necessary for successful conservation biology. For instance, it will be soon possible to use any cell source to derive germ cells and produce embryos. Also, biomaterials may contain information that we are not able to extract and interpret yet. Thus, large amounts of samples have to be (1) systematically collected and preserved in optimal conditions and then (2) easily accessible to scientists. In addition, GRB efforts have to be financially sustainable and ensure that all existing specimens are acquired, safeguarded, exchanged and used in accordance with the policies and current best scientific and curatorial practices (which involves biosecurity, database harmonization, and easy access). There are good examples of GRB efforts fully integrated to conservation efforts (preservation and restoration of black-footed ferret populations for instance). Unfortunately, cryobiology, cryo-banking, and the appending technologies to use and analyze the samples are sometimes considered having relatively few impacts on conservation actions. It therefore is fundamental to continue building more bridges with other conservation biology disciplines. The priorities are to (1) increase the profile and demonstrate the value of frozen biorepositories to the broad conservationist community as well as the public, (2) establish a mechanism for effective communication/collaboration among disparate stakeholders using or interested in frozen biomaterials, (3) train more students and professionals in cryobiology and biobanking, (4) improve the financial sustainability for collection maintenance and growth, and (5) explore new preservation strategies to collect, process, store, and even use biomaterials in field conditions and at a lower cost.
Abstracts & Posters
Keynote Speaker Keynote Symposia Plant Contributed Papers
Saturday,May 31 Plenary Symposia Animal Posters
Sunday, June 1 Animal Symposia & Workshops Education Posters
Monday, June 2 Plant Symposia & Workshops Plant Posters
Tuesday, June 3 Animal Contributed Papers Cryobiology Symposia
Wednesday, June 4 Cryobiology Contributed Papers Cryobiology Posters
Late Animal Posters
Late Plant Posters
Did you miss registering in advance? Don't worry, onsite registration will be available beginning at 7:00 am on Saturday, June 8 at the SIVB Registration Desk in Grand Salons A-D Foyer of the Marriott.
Onsite Registration Opens: June 8, 2019 at 7:00 am
Welcome Reception: June 8, 2019 at 7:00 pm
Opening Ceremony & Keynote Symposium: June 9, 2019 at 3:15 pm
Follow the Conversation #SIVBiology2019
#SIVBiology2019
Tweet #SIVBiology2019
Fredy Altpeter, Program Chair, University of Florida-IFAS
Mae Ciancio, IVACS Program Chair, Midwestern Universityy
Pierluigi Barone, PBS Program Chair, Corteva AgriscienceTM, Agriculture Division of DowDuPontTM
Raj Deepika Chauhan, PBS Sr. Co-Chair, Pairwise
Angela Labrum, PBS Jr. Co-Chair, Carlton Plants Nursery
Albert Kausch, Education Chair, University of Rhode Island
Adrianne Brown, PBS Student Co-Chair, Tuskegee University
Sepideh Mohammadhosseinpour, IVACS Student Co-Chair, Arkansas State University
Marietta Wheaton Saunders, Meeting Secretariat, Society for In Vitro Biology
Fredy Altpeter, Chair, University of Florida-IFAS
Thomas Colquhoun, University of Florida
Zhanao Deng, University of Florida
Manjul Dutt, University of Florida
Else-Marie Ulrika Egertsdotter, Georgia Institute of Technology
Marceline Egnin, Tuskegee University
John L. Griffis, Jr., Florida Gulf Coast
Alfred Huo, University of Florida
Elio Jimenez, Florida Crystals Corporation
Michael E. Kane, University of Florida
David Lawson, Agri-Starts, Inc.
Jonathan Meuser, Chi Botanic Inc
Randall P. Niedz, USDA
Ahmad Omar, University of Florida
Vladimir Orbovic, University of Florida
Peggy Ozias-Akins, University of Georgia
Saroj Parajuli, University of Florida
Bhuvan Pathak, Arkansas State University
Cheryl Peterson, Bok Tower Gardens
Mahipal Singh, Fort Valley State University
Kankshita Swaminathan, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
Joyce Van Eck, Cornell University
Wagner Vendrame, University of Florida
Nian Wang, University of Florida
Zhifen Zhang, University of Georgia
Visit SIVB
Contact the Society for In Vitro Biology
© Copyright 2014-2019 Society for In Vitro Biology. All rights reserved
Site created and maintained by Satori Digital Marketing. Site theme customized from Frontier Theme.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
SEC charges cryptocurrency company Longfin with accounting fraud
June 07, 2019, 4:23 p.m. EDT
The Securities and Exchange Commission has added fraud charges to its previous charges against Longfin Corp., a defunct company that used to promote cryptocurrency and went public under dubious circumstances.
The SEC filed a fraud action Wednesday against both Longfin and its CEO, Venkata Meenavalli, who it alleged conducted a fraudulent public offering of shares in the company. According to the complaint, Meenavalli had falsely represented in SEC filings that his company was mostly managed and operated in the U.S. when, in reality, Longfin's operations, assets and management were all located offshore. He and other officials at the company allegedly distributed over 400,000 shares of Longfin to insiders and affiliates to meet some of Nasdaq's criteria for listing a company, without getting paid for any of the shares. He and a Longfin consultant were accused by the SEC of misrepresenting to Nasdaq the number of qualifying shareholders and shares sold during the IPO.
The SEC complaint alleged that Longfin and Meenavalli engaged in accounting fraud, recording more than $66 million in sham revenue, representing close to 90 percent of the company's total reported revenue for 2017. Longfin voluntarily delisted from the Nasdaq in May 2018 and shut down last November.
In parallel with the SEC charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey also filed related criminal charges against Meenavalli. Meenavalli and Longfin did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
"In our complaint against Longfin and Meenavalli and our amended complaint against Altahawi, we allege a multi-pronged fraud involving fake revenue, misrepresentations to the SEC, and false statements to Nasdaq," said Anita Bandy, associate director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement, in a statement. "Today's filings reflect the work of a dedicated SEC staff who, after moving swiftly on behalf of investors to freeze assets last year, continued investigating to uncover the alleged fraud."
The SEC had filed previous charges against Meenavalli, the company and several other officials accusing them of illegally distributing and selling more than $33 million of Longfin stock in unregistered transactions. Three of them have agreed to settlements to resolve the SEC charges, and those are now subject to court approval.
Accounting fraud CryptocurrenciesIPOsSEC


I saw not one, but two International XTs on the way back from Michigan. These are without doubt the most obscene vehicles on the road. Of course, neither were towing anything.
At least the Scion only offends the eyes briefly.
A Scooma folding bike seen on the Danforth.
There was an ice storm today.
There was an ice storm today. More photos are here.
Work has just moved to a sweet suite on the 13th floor of 200 University Avenue. I have a lake view from my office window!
Author scrussPosted on 02006-11-27 02006-11-27 Categories GeneralTags 2006, ice, office, sweet, toronto, wind, wordpress, xt1 Comment on dig the digs, eh?
Shaira & Azim next door gave us some wonderful Eid sweets, plus a teatowel with an appropriate motif. Yay, thanks!
Philip Gosse's The Pirates' Who's Who, from Project Gutenberg.
Got yet more mercury alloy trowelled into my head tonight by Dr Choi. I have to say, the best bit about going to the dentist is the squidgy noise the filling paste makes as it compresses into the cavity. It means it's nearly over, and the burring slow drill is banished until next time.
Ubuntu mounted an HFS+external drive from our Macs without complaint. This is good.


text:
we would have to say this is pretty good news -- although, we would strongly encourage the successful purchaser to bring in all new management. thats if they ever want to be taken seriously.
UPDATE 1-Media General says TV station sale in second round
Tue Dec 4, 2007 4:48pm ET144
Adds earnings forecast, details about SP Newsprint)
NEW YORK, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. newspaper and broadcast company Media General Inc (MEG.N: Quote, Profile , Research) said on Tuesday it was in the second round of bids for the five television stations it put up for sale in October.
The stations are in the southeastern United States at Jacksonville, Florida; Lexington, Kentucky; Panama City, Florida; Alexandria, Louisiana; and Toccoa, Georgia.
Media General had received good first round bids and has gone into the second round of bidding, one of the company's executives said at a UBS media conference, which was broadcast over the Internet.
The company also reiterated that its SP Newsprint division was up for sale. SP Newsprint, owned by itself, Cox Enterprises, Inc. and The McClatchy Company, said in May it hired TD Securities to explore strategic alternatives including the sale of itself and its recycling subsidiary.
SP is the second-largest producer of 100 percent recycled newsprint and the fifth-largest newsprint producer in North America, with 2006 consolidated sales of $638 million, the company said in the May release.
Media General also gave an update on its outlook for the coming year. It said it expects a much stronger year in 2008, with its broadcast division set to benefit from revenues tied to political elections and the Olympics.
The company's shares fell 5.6 percent to $22.02. (Reporting by Megan Davies, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)
kalb parent company reports revenue loss
media general might want to unload kalb


text:
Q: No module named pip - Python 3.9 I normally do not use python, but needed it now. So I installed python 3.9 (on Ubuntu/WSL2 subsystem on Windows 10).
I need pip to. I thought it should be there by default (but it was not there):

Starting with Python 3.4, it is included by default with the Python binary installers.
(https://docs.python.org/3/installing/index.html)

So I went on to the next page (https://packaging.python.org/tutorials/installing-packages/). It told me to do
python -m ensurepip --default-pip

This did not work either. So I tested next instructions:
sudo wget https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py
sudo python get-pip.py

This failed with

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'distutils.command'

Am I doing something wrong? Or is there a bug somewhere?

A: It looks like a documentation error. I followed the instructions here and that worked:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1239829/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-distutils-util

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


And I have to admit I have some mixed feelings afterwards. Don't get me wrong, I had a really good time. The race was well run, the obstacles gave an amazing array of challenges with 'normal' and 'fast' lane options, with the fast lanes being a more advanced take on whatever was being presented, if you completed that on your first go you had a free run ahead of you. But if you failed your first attempt on the fast lane you had to do a penalty run, sometimes with a carry as well! And if you opted for the easier normal lane, even if you completed that you were still penalized but with a crawling obstacle or a series of barriers or similar.
And I think this worked amazingly well. It was a totally fresh and workable way to stop the usual mess that happens at obstacle races. There was still some queuing, but considering there was 4,000 racers over an 8km course going in 5 minute gaps for the starting waves I think this system was absolutely brilliant.
The obstacles themselves were good and challenging, I failed quite a few of the fast lane options so had a lot of penalty runs haha! Some of the failures were to the usual nemesis of slimy muddy hands, I had even brought some chalk to try and combat this but I found that as I was going up for the obstacle I didn't have the time to get the stuff out without causing a queue myself! So I need to think about my strategy on this one!
But I think there is a bit of disappointment in here, as we were expecting truly spectacular (well I was anyway, thanks to falling for the hype machine!) obstacles, which didn't really materialize. I was expecting 40 swing rings in a row, I think there was about 10-15 (although these were the BEST swing rings I have ever done in a race, others races take note! THIS is how you do them!), just little things like that. So while it was a really good race, and it should hopefully give some other race designers some good ideas and kicks up the backside, they may have fell pray to their own promotional abilities, which is a shame as people will focus on what they didn't deliver rather than what they did. Because what they did do, they did very, very well.
As for my own race, I have mixed feelings there as well. I started feeling great, felt like running like Forrest Gump at the start, then hit a queue really early on that was the worst I encountered for the whole race, then fought my way across a pretty challenging obstacle that was part climbing wall, part bar shimmy, then a really horrible rope hold sideways traverse thing, only to have my feet slide out from under me at the last foot or so and touch the floor, meaning I had to do the penalty run as well. Well that narked me right off haha!
It took me two attempts just to run up the damn thing to get to the top of the first platform, and then I just froze… I couldn't get myself to jump. Umm. I was watching people just stream ahead of me, and I knew I could easily make the jump, but that stupid inner doubt was pounding away in my head. I nearly climbed down the ladder and took the penalty, I was absolutely petrified of that first jump. I don't know how long I stood there but it was in the multiple minutes realm. At times like this I have to weigh up the fears. I have a fear of the jump ahead of me, but I had to materialize a bigger fear and solidify it in my mind, and it wasn't a fear of failure. It was a fear of not trying. A fear of not actually knowing what I was capable of. And that fear spurred me on to finally make that first leap. Which when I finally did, was a piece of cake. I then did the next five or six jumps in a row as easy as pie, and got on with my life! Afterwards I found out Kerry landed the first jump on her bloody chin (with a beautiful bruise to show for it), and she just kept on going regardless!
There was such a variety of obstacles I can't remember them all, swing bars, monkey bars (I didn't end up going for the flying monkey bars, I had no confidence in my slimy hands at that point of the race), rope climbs, farmers walk with pretty heavy jerry cans (loved that haha!), walls, some beams, there was a sternum checker (a beam you have to jump on to with your belly and over) that was really nice. While I was waiting to go on the sternum checker the girl in front of me in a red t-shirt got stuck, no wonder because she was tiny, but she still gave it a really good go, so I clean and pressed her over it for my act of chivalry for the day. She then promptly overtook me on one of the downward hill sprints (which were wicked! Why the hell would you WALK down these?! You lazy unfit people! It's a downward hill! Gravity puts in more effort than you do!) which I complained about the unfairness of her weighing about 50kg! Haha, win some, loss some!
The running terrain was really quite awesome. The hills went on for absolutely aaaaaaages, but it made me a bit mad that I would get to the bottom of a hill, look up it and see nothing but racers walking up it. All of them! For crying out loud we're not tourists! I admit I didn't run up the hills very fast but I was too determined not to be beat by a bloody hill! I clearly have anti-hill-walking rage issues.
Alas one of the other swing ring type obstacles I really wanted to have a go at I didn't fair so well, which was the spinning wheels, just like the ones on Ninja Warrior. They looked awesome but were greasy as all hell so I hit the deck halfway, and on the ninja rings that you have to move the rings over pegs I got cramp in my hamstrings halfway across and had to bail, and that happened on the bloody peg board too! They were right at the very end of the race but I hadn't felt any issues in my legs until I was suspended in mid-air!
One thing I really surprised myself with and was very pleased with was the running up of ramps. There was quite a few ramps, and apart from the start of the Dragon's Back I managed to do all the ramps first time, included the what looked enormous one at the very end before the finish line. I don't like ramps because I'm a bit slow, and my shoes are slimy, but the last ramp was wicked… And it even finished with a fireman's pole which I went down no problems! Ha!


Here is a weekly recap for gold and silver prices for the week of January 16th to January 20th that includes a description of the recent developments of gold and silver prices via chart analysis and highlights of the main news that may have affected gold and silver prices to further increase during the week. The recent announcement of S&P to downgrade France and Austria's credit rating didn't seem to bother traders as the recent auction of France and Spain seem to have gone well during the week. The Euro and other "risk" currencies such as CAD and AUD rose against the U.S. dollar during last week. This, in turn may have been among the factors responsible for the rally of gold and silver prices during last week. The recent American reports that were published last week including the U.S. housing starts and the U.S. Producer Price Index may have also contributed to the rally precious metals prices during the week.
The video link above also includes a quick forecast for gold and silver prices for the week of January 23rd to January 27th including the main reports, events, decisions and news items that may affect gold and silver prices during next week. Some of these reports include: U.S. GDP growth rate in fourth quarter of 2011, U.S. new home sales report, Euro Area monetary development report (M1, M3), FOMC meeting, BOJ's rate decision, ECB president's speech and the U.S. unemployment claims weekly update (just to name a few).
Where are Gold and Silver Headed in 2012?


text:
Three people arrested in connection with video of assault on Baltimore police officer
Judge overturns $38M verdict in lawsuit over Baltimore County police killing of Korryn Gaines
Digest (March 15): Bayhawks add three assistant coaches to staff
Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse added three assistants — Bob Shillinglaw (Severna Park), Mark Goers (Towson) and Jack Bernhardt — to head coach Dave Cottle's staff. Shillinglaw retired last spring after 42 years as a college coach, including 39 at Delaware. Goers was one of the top faceoff specialists in Division I history and holds the NCAA record for single-season winning percentage after capturing 78.8 percent of draws as a junior at Towson. Bernhardt brings a diverse coaching background to the Bayhawks, having spent four decades in a variety of roles in football and lacrosse. He most recently spent four years working with the Houston Texans of the NFL. Bernhardt's three sons — Jesse, Jake and Jared — were standout players at Maryland with the older two currently playing in MLL. Bernhardt played Division I lacrosse at Towson, then Hofstra and initially began coaching the stick sport, restarting the varsity program at Long Beach High in New York in 1980.
Men's college: Salisbury goalkeeper Brandon Warren (Calvert Hall) was named ECAC Division III South Defensive Player of the Week.
Boys lacrosse: Cornell-bound Billy Coyle scored the game-winner with 3:07 left in overtime as visiting Hill Academy (Ontario) earned a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over Calvert Hall (3-1). The Cardinals scored all their goals in the first half. The Pride (2-1) sent the game to overtime by scoring with 2:30 left in regulation.
Five stakes races highlightSt. Patrick's Day Laurel card
Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Terp Racing's Still Having Fun, a winner of back-to-back stakes to open his sophomore campaign, will attempt to extend his streak to three straight making his two-turn debut in Saturday's $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel Park. The 29th running of the Private Terms for 3-year-olds, run at about 11/16 miles, highlights five stakes worth $450,000 in purses on the 11-race St. Patrick's Day program. First race post time is 1:10 p.m.
College baseball: AJ Wright hit a two-run single in the ninth inning as UMBC took advantage of three errors in the inning to defeat host Towson, 6-4. ... Despite a season high in runs, Coppin State dropped a 16-9 decision to Georgetown.
Major Arena Soccer League: Blast midfielder Tony Donatelli was named second-team All-MASL and defender Adriano Dos Santos was named to the third team. Blast goalkeeper William Vanzela was named honorable mention. The Blast host the Milwaukee Wave for the Eastern Conference title Friday at 7:30 p.m.
College basketball: ... Mount St. Mary's senior guard Junior Robinson was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 18 first team. ... Morgan State seniors Tiwian Kendley and Phillip Carr were named NABC All-District 15 first team.
Latest College Lacrosse
Kelly Amonte Hiller and Dave Pietramala to receiver Tewaaraton lacrosse legends honors
From home-schooling to Division I lacrosse: Harford County's Moriah Yousefi overcomes 'hiccups' along the way
James F. 'Ace' Adams IV, who coached lacrosse at St. Paul's School, West Point, Penn and Virginia, dies
— From Sun staff and news services
Hofstra Pride
Battling brain cancer, Dwayne Osgood out to win Marine Corps Marathon with former Navy lacrosse teammates
Former McDonogh and Terps star Taylor Cummings tests skills against best in Fall Classic at US Lacrosse
Most Read • College Lacrosse
From home-schooling to Division I lacrosse: Harford County's Moriah Yousefi overcomes 'hiccups' along the...


This is excellent news! I was thinking that I would finish my GH collection by picking up Perelandra, On to Evermore and Song of the Dunedain, but perhaps I'll visit the iTunes music store.
I'm really happy for the band. You are a wonderfully unique prog band and deserving of much recognition.
There's also the Italian prog band PFM. Most of their lyrics are in Italian.
For Lent I'm re-reading the Narnia books and enjoying them as much as I did many years ago. Perhaps more so now.


text:
Harare 14°
× Your browser does not support the audio element.
Audit exposes Chitungwiza corruption
Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Correspondent
An audit has exposed the rot and penchant for luxury at the cash-strapped Chitungwiza Municipality where "undeserving" managers got two annual holiday trips to a regional destination of choice at the expense of ratepayers.
The audit covering the period 2013 to October 2019 and instituted by council reveals that managers were entitled to a residential stand measuring thousands of square metres in a suburb of choice in Harare, as well as a commercial and an industrial stand in Chitungwiza at half price.
Besides top notch vehicles, the bosses also paid full school fees for at least six children of their relatives while they were enjoying the same benefit for their own minor dependents.
In clear disregard of good corporate governance, Chitungwiza has been operating without a payroll since February last year, with employees not receiving payslips.
Recruitment procedures were flouted, nepotism was the order of the day while ghost workers appeared on the payroll.
At some point, two employees were appointed to act on one post, but their salaries were graded differently.
At the centre of the storm is suspended town clerk Dr George Makunde, who was allegedly receiving monthly rental allowances despite staying in a council-owned house in Hatfield, Harare.
The chief accounting officer's utility bills were also footed by council, contrary to his signed contract.
Human resources manager Mrs Mary Rashamira Mukonyora also allegedly falsified her official status and awarded herself lucrative benefits, including acting allowance for a non-existent post.
The audit noted that Mrs Mukonyora, who was in grade 13, was paid acting allowance for the post of head human resources (grade 14) which was not on the organogram at the time.
As a result of the anomalies, Mrs Mukonyora was entitled to benefits which directors senior to her were not entitled to.
"She allocated herself a basic salary of $7 500 and this was for a grade 14 salary. She was entitled to a 2 500 square metre residential stand in a suburb of her choice in Harare, entitled to buy one commercial stand and industrial stand from Chitungwiza at 50 percent value of the stand, entitled to be allocated top-of-the-range vehicles — Amarok, Prado, Fortuner, Navara or a 4×4 Toyota Hilux.
"She was entitled to two holiday trips yearly to a regional destination and council would pay a return business class air ticket. Other directors with a grade above her did not have such benefits and this was against the good corporate governance of public institutions," the report by audit manager Mr Admire Chipunza reads.
Chamber secretary Ms Priscilla Vengesai reportedly received a full salary while on maternity leave within the first two months of employment, contrary to the Labour Act.
Section 18 (1) of the Act provides that employees only start enjoying full salary while on maternity leave after serving at least one year of employment.
The auditor also noticed that on May 31, 2013 there was a cash withdrawal of $23 472.87 which was done from management salary account number 61700419069 (FBC), but no one could be identified to have made that withdrawal.
"The payroll system is down since February 2019 and no payroll is being run since then. The salaries officer said they pay using a previous payroll that was yet to be paid and make manual adjustments to it.
"This system will open floodgates for corruption and fraud and figures may be manipulated for personal gain at the expense of council," Mr Chipunza wrote.
"A former council employee A Makanda was still actively appearing on the payroll in 2014 yet he last reported for duty on July 4, 2008 and council lost around $20 000 in form of undue salaries to him. No proof of recovery of that amount could be seen despite audit recommendation in 2014 to recover that amount."
Other employees who continued on payroll in 2014 include Davison Madziwana (EC number 31107) whose contract was terminated on July 18, 2013 and John Sisimayi (EC number 30046) whose contract was terminated on January 30, 2012.
"Two employees were appointed to act as a secretary to the HR at same time; that is S Maswata and R Murungu. Murungu was appointed to act on May 9, 2017 yet Maswata was already acting in the post. While the two secretaries were being paid acting allowances, Maswata was getting a grade 11 allowance and Murungu a grade 10 allowance," the report reads.
July 24Winky-D at Glamis
August 1Jah-Prayazah at HICC
December 25Ammara at Divas
StarFM
Tel: (04) 662689 | 663663
Mobile: +263772162650 | +263772162645
102 Simon Mazorodze Road,
Southerton, Harare, Zimbabwe
Other Stations
CapitalkFM
DiamondFM
NyaminyamiFM
Paper Subscription
Site By Zimpapers Digital


What Will My Life Insurance Cost?
Life insurance helps protect the things that depend on you.
Tell us about yourself and we'll find great term life insurance options for you.
You must select a state to continue or enter your ZIP code to continue.
You must select a gender to continue.
You must select a smoking status to continue.
You're almost done! The final step is to talk with one of our licensed specialists to complete the quick application process.
You must enter all 3 required fields.
What Impacts Life Insurance Pricing?
Investment and insurance products and services are offered through INFINEX INVESTMENTS, INC. Member FINRA/SIPC. Infinex and the bank / credit union are not affiliated.Products and services made available through Infinex are not insured by the FDIC / NCUA or any other agency of the United States and are not deposits or obligations of nor guaranteed or insured by any bank, credit union, bank affiliate or credit union affiliate. These products are subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of value.
Getting life insurance can sometimes be a complicated process. However, we are here to make it as simple and easy as possible.
You'll start by telling us a little about yourself. This includes some details about what you are trying to protect most, your family. We will use details regarding your income, number of kids, and mortgage amount to help give you an idea of how much coverage you might need. Don't worry though, we have trained life insurance agents available to help give you a more customized and in-depth look if you prefer.
We will give you a price range based on the coverage you select and the health information that has been entered. By providing more accurate information about yourself, we can provide a more accurate quote on how much life insurance will cost you. It's important to disclose the most accurate health information you have available.
We will take the information needed for your application through a short telephone interview. This means that you won't have to be concerned with completing lengthy and complex paper forms. Once we have all the information needed for the application, we will send the application back to you for electronic review and signature.
Once you have signed the application, we will begin reviewing your information to determine if a policy can be offered that meets your desired coverage amount and term length. Depending on your coverage amount, a decision can be made in as little as 20 minutes. However, some applications may take longer for review.
After your application has been reviewed, you will be sent an offer for coverage. Simply sign the policy and make your first premium payment for the policy to go into effect.
Life insurance is designed to help those that you care about the most. If you have a spouse, kids or aging parents who depend on you, life insurance is essential to help cover their needs.
When you consider all of the reasons you need life insurance (college funding, funeral expenses, money for daily living needs, etc.) you start to understand your true need is much larger than you might have considered.
Most experts recommend coverage that is at least 10 times your annual income. Our tool is designed to help you calculate that need. However, we have experts standing by that can help you make the right decision.
There are several life events that can change your life insurance needs.
It's important to reevaluate your life insurance coverage after any of these events.
41% of life insurance shoppers said these events are what caused them to shop.
The cost of life insurance can be impacted by many factors. Here are the top factors that impact pricing the most.
Age – Your age is the number one factor used to calculate the length of time you are expected to live. But don't worry, there are policies that are right for many different ages.
Tobacco use – The use of tobacco or nicotine products can have an adverse effect on your health. Because of this, the use of these products will cause you to have a higher premium payment.
Build – Your build is a combination of both your height and weight. The healthier your build, the less you will pay for coverage.
Health Conditions – Although most of us are relatively healthy, there may be some conditions that cause your rates to be different than a person without the same medical condition. A history of certain conditions in your family may also have an impact on your rate.
Risky Occupation – This covers hazards that may occur in your work environment.
Dangerous hobbies – Is your idea of fun a bit more daring? Certain hobbies do pose a higher risk to your safety.
Type of policy – There are many different types of insurance policies, including both Term and Permanent. Both the type of policy and the coverage length will directly impact the cost.


Visual appearance: Mirror finish full length of primaries, ripple free, full bore bends, no visual welding at ports, manifold flange port welds 'Fully Stress Relieved''. Technical features: 304 x 1.2mm W.T. stainless steel, machine flared ports for optimal gas flow, CNC full mandrel bent tubing, fits with no modification to standard, link pipes supplied to suit standard or 2″ big bore silencer, replaces existing system between head and middle silencer.
Supplied complete with gaskets, fixings and clamps. XK systems includes alternator heat shields.


text:
Chicago-Based Water Resources Engineer Dies at 70
Peter Alastair Dickson, an international geologist and water resources engineer who worked for more than 40 years for an employee-owned consulting company based in Chicago, has died. He was 70.
With a worldly intellect and an aptitude for languages, his overseas work came naturally. Dickson, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE, was born in Grootfontein, Namibia, to a nurse and a mining engineer. He followed a lifelong interest in geology and the life-sciences to Leeds University, in the UK, where he met his wife. The two moved to Pittsburgh in January 1975 so that Peter could complete his doctorate in geology and conduct postdoctorate research and teaching.
In 1978 he joined Harza Engineering, where he specialized in water resources engineering that took him into service around the world. He spent the next 40-plus years working on projects mainly in various remote and mountainous regions, where water scarcity and value is of extreme significance. Sometimes his wife and two children would join him.
Dickson was proud of his career working on world-class dam and hydro projects around the globe. Many will miss the stories he was known for. He would tell of his efforts on the Panama Canal expansion, his participation on the world's largest hydro-pumped storage projects, and of serving on prestigious panels of experts, among them an independent forensic team which investigated the Oroville Dam Spillway incident in California.
Outside of his professional life, he was an enthusiastic outdoorsman, artist, writer and devoted family man. Drawing on his travels internationally, he could always bring to an evening's gathering an extra culinary flair. He also coached in a local soccer league.
1986 ASCE President Bay dies at 94
Robert D. "Bob" Bay, former principal of Black and Veatch and ASCE president in 1986, has died. He was 94.
Former Army Corps of Engineers chief Temple dies at 67
Retired Maj. Gen. Merdith Wyndham Bolling "Bo" Temple, a consummate team leader during a career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that saw him rise to become acting chief of engineers, has died. He was 67.
Earthquake expert whose research enhanced public safety dies at 85
Wilfred D. "Bill" Iwan, an ASCE Distinguished Member who was an innovator in engineering seismology and professor emeritus of civil engineering at California Institute of Technology, has died. He was 85.
Army Corps of Engineers' cold regions expert dies at 81
Wayne Nils Tobiasson, a noted cold regions engineer and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' 1992 Engineer of the Year, has died.


Pre heat the oven to 180°C. Grease a giant muffin tin (that serves 6) with non-stick cooking spray.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the bacon on both sides for 2-3 minutes on each side until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and chop finely.
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the spinach, cook for 20 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon. Keep the water boiling for the eggs. Refresh the spinach in cold water, drain and squeeze out all of excess water with your hands. Drain on a clean kitchen towel. Gently add the 6 eggs to the warm water and bring it up to a simmer. Boil for 7 minutes and refresh under cold water. Peel the eggs.
Toss the chopped bacon and spinach together. Stir in the cheese, flour, salt and pepper. Whisk the buttermilk, 2 eggs and oil together until smooth. Gently stir it in with the rest of the mixture without over-mixing it.
Place a big tablespoonful of the mixture into each of the 6 holes of the muffin tin. Make an indent in each and position the egg in the middle so that it can stand up straight. Divide the rest of the mixture between the muffins. Make sure the eggs are fully covered with the muffin mixture. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden and cooked through. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Refrigerate in an airtight container until needed. Serve with the tomato sauce and side salad, if you prefer.
The muffins can be made the day before. Simply store them in the fridge and pack or serve the following day.
Boiled eggs are the easiest to peel when done under cold running water.


text:
Q: How to deal with slashes in xml node values? I'm using libxml2 to parse XML files. My problem is that when slashes"/" are present in a node value like :
<Chunk>
    <Path>ef09cf15-f3d2-4f23-a281-32757d6b0be6/Bigfoot_Trl_A_France_FLAT.xml</Path>
    <VolumeIndex>1</VolumeIndex>
    <Length>5056</Length>
</Chunk>

adn if I perform :
if (!xmlStrcmp(item_leaf->name, (const xmlChar *)"Path"))
{
   path =  (char *) item_leaf->xmlChildrenNode->content;
}

That only gives me the substing before the "/" so : ef09cf15-f3d2-4f23-a281-32757d6b0be6
How can I solve the problem.
Thanks in advance.


At 70.5cm tall the Light Up Flashing Mega Sword is big on size and even bigger on effects! Lit by multi coloured LED's in three super funky effects, this impressive holographic sword also features a groovy crystal disco ball on the base that projects colourful light patterns.
Mega Sword Super impressive and mega fun, the Light Up Flashing Mega Sword is a large and colourful laser sword with three mega effects that are great for parties and themed events!


Search.searchwmo.com is an undesirable utility, which looks necessary; but honestly, it is just an unsafe application that can provide you problems. Search.searchwmo.com will never do what it pretended to do. Unexpectedly, it even complicates everything and increases a number of current OS issues. Truly, Search.searchwmo.com may solely harm your system.
Besides the global decrease of system's efficiency, this software either calls the drop of computer's security degree. Following the setup, Search.searchwmo.com will fastly infest your PC with various advertisements. The operation of Search.searchwmo.com will provoke the appearance of other unwanted programs on user's OS, and the amount of unwanted software will enlarge exponentially, until the computer merely won't run.
As user clicks on any sort of ad, he practically calls the dozens of harmful programs to enter the computer. It takes place, because virus changes the options of man's browser, to aid the foreign malware to infect the system nice and prompt. Later on, it presents user a bunch of links to the infected websites, and the man will click though at one of them. But this is not even all of Search.searchwmo.com's options! Moreover, this virus restlessly records all data about customer's actions, and transmits it to Search.searchwmo.com developers. It can be not really significant info, like the catalogue of favourite movies, but if you'll enter any account, using the infected laptop, it will, likely be stolen. All passwords, which were entered on the computer, with operating Search.searchwmo.com, must be shifted immediately. Now you understand, that Search.searchwmo.com is not only an vexing utility - it is an extreme risk to cause the real troubles!
There's the last choice: will man truly let these troubles to appear, or not? Operator must not to await and rely, that the malware will have mercy and won't destroy the PC. The regular, and the single reasonable method is to remove Search.searchwmo.com for ever!
SpyHunter is a software offering some superb abilities intended to support user to eliminate a risky software similar to Search.searchwmo.com. SpyHunter could shield your system from viral attack and in the mean time locate and eliminate malware. If you require an anti-malware which will help you remove Search.searchwmo.com or other threatening application, you're heading in the right direction.
SpyHunter is an exceptional software due to its genuine shield against almost any high risk adware that will do significant harm to your PC. This tool may simply be used together with anti-malware. Using a simplistic program interface, this anti-virus software is easy to run and to execute. It absolutely will guard user's system against any sort of dubious malware attacks and dangerous tools. Be sure you frequently update SpyHunter's virus definitions and you will enjoy a full protection from unwanted applications. Just about all antivirus presently instantly kick off by themselves and do scan for the programs before they run, download or install. This helps reduce the risk of any virus will get into operator's device.
Choose Search.searchwmo.com and press button "Remove from Opera"
Although, that Search.searchwmo.com is very hazardous, and can induce a lot of issues to the user, its spreading is legal. This is so, for the reason, that Search.searchwmo.com is not installed by itself, it is necessarily to allow the installation. Most often, the box to confirm the installation is putted among lots of different windows that emerge, when you install various software. People hate to read the license agreement, and they try to fastly close all these menus by placing all "ok", without a sight. Such tactic permit viruses infect thousands of computers every month. When operator wants to refine the system's protection, he has to be more thoughtful.
Search.searchwmo.com may possibly seem helpful and invaluable, but unfortunately, it's harmful because pretending to be valuable is considered one of its duties. You must never believe for its lies and don't get misguided by any of its advertisements for the reason that this malicious program is highly intruding and dangerous. This software will swiftly begin damaging user's system, and if he will not take appropriate actions this harmful program will carry on to present him with complications. So, do a little favor to yourself, and remove the Search.searchwmo.com as soon as possible. You will not be sorry for doing this, because forthwith the deletion, the general status will momentarily grow. Thereby, shield yourself and your system!
You can't make use of tools from unfamiliar file-sharings. Most often, these coders silently attach virus or adware to their applications. In the event you still have to use this kind of application - look out watch closely on the installation process.
It is unwanted to review the web sites with inappropriate information. Usually, the adwares attack a PC from web sites, that present sexually graphic material, items "for adults", or sites which you could download an free programs.
Torrents and other free file sharing services are very risky, because if you are downloading a file, you may have no assurance of its reliability. Whatsoever you are wishing to download, you will get various unwelcome files, or a risk of infection by a several kinds of viruses. You are going to understand it only once you'll unpack or install the program.
Please do not click on email messages from unknown online users. Many of these messages can consist of the large array of viruses, ranging from adware and hijackers, with the more severe forms of malevolent software.
And above all, really do not neglect the anti-virus software program. Your antivirus will defend your computer from many hazards, and will see the trojan that you'll miss.


text:
@interface OJSProfile ()

@end

@implementation OJSProfile

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Excellent method for adding refrigerant oil or large amounts of UV leak detection dye to the A/C system.
To inject the oil or dye, simply connect the injector to the low side of the A/C system and twist the handle until you reach the desired amount. The injector hose comes complete with a 13mm-M x 13mm-F Low-Side Coupler (R134a) and auto shut-off valve adapter for 1/4" FL systems. Includes 2oz/25 applications AC universal dye.


Lasagne has always been an important part of our family's culinary tradition. But these days making your own lasagne may seem rather quaint. Why bother? You can microwave a 'ready meal' version in minutes.
But don't give up on the idea making your own lasagne. A homemade lasagne will always be special and reward both cook and diners alike.
Lasagne has the wonderful ability to impress with elegance and formality, yet also comfort and assure with casual accessibility. This means it will suit most social gatherings; whether a celebratory event, special occasion or just a weekend family meal. Vegetarian versions are straightforward and satisfying and it's easy to accessorise, requiring only a big green salad, plenty of fresh crusty bread – and perhaps a good bottle of red wine.
This will lend a traditional and authentic note to the dish, conjuring impressions of Italian bakers' ovens stacked high with locals' lasagne. Al forno also hints at other prestigious oven-cooked pasta creations, such as the timbale, which are proudly and ceremoniously paraded at the table.
Much of lasagne's appeal is in the recognition of the sustained effort invested in its preparation. Indeed, lasagne is a classic example of the benefits of slow food. If you decide to make lasagne you will need to adapt to its demands. It will need large amounts of time and energy; all the surfaces in your kitchen and most of your cooking equipment and utensils. Further, left in its wake will appear a long trail of dirty pots and pans, tea towels and soiled sundry items.
But don't we love it for this very reason? Something this special deserves our time and attention – and when we are so well gratified, who cares about a bit of washing up?
Quantity: It's a good idea to double the quantities for this lasagne and make two – one can be frozen.
Pasta: I use DeCecco dried egg pasta. Marcella Hazan in 'The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' says the only suitable pasta is paper-thin dough made at home. I can vouch for this, but there is enough work here already; so just use a good brand of dried lasagne.
Cooking the pasta: I 'parboil' my lasagne sheets of pasta before assembling the lasagne. You can use dried sheets during the assembly, but this will require a wetter ragu. You can also 'parboil' until almost cooked, but risks a soggy lasagne. Use a rule of thumb: not too under-cooked and not too over-cooked – the results will be fine.
Cooking bechamel: The rule is to either put cool milk into a cool roux or hot milk into a heated roux. In the recipe below I add heated milk to a heated roux. The initial mixing is done off the heat. Then it is cooked slowly for ten minutes to 'cook-out' the flour.
My trick: Don't lay out the pasta on tea towels after cooking. Keep it in a bowl of cold water and dry each sheet individually.
First chop the carrot, celery and onion into a fine dice. Fry these in a large heavy pan (with a lid) on a medium high heat in 1tbs butter 2tbs olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to fry for 5 minutes stirring all the time. Turn the heat down and continue and fry for another 5-10 minutes until soft. Put the vegetables into a bowl and set aside.
Heat the pan on a higher heat and add 1 tbs olive oil. Add the meat in two stages. Ensure the meat fries and does not stew in liquid. Keep the heat high and stir. Add a little more oil if necessary.
When the second batch is browned, add the cooked meat and vegetables. Add the tomato puree and stir. Add the wine (or vinegar if using) and let it bubble and reduce by half. Add the stock and tomato passata (or tinned tomatoes).
Finally, add the bay leaves and simmer gently at a very low heat (ideally using a heat diffuser). Let this cook with the lid ajar for at least 1 hour or preferably 3 or more. Toward the end of cooking add the oregano and stir. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If necessary skim any excess fat on the surface of the ragu. The ragu can be made a day in advance – its flavour will improve while resting.
Pour the milk into a pan and add the bay leaf and nutmeg. Heat gently to a simmer and take off the heat.
Put the butter and the flour in a large sauce pan on a medium heat. Stir the mixture and mix into a roux. Continue to stir for 5 minutes without burning the flour. Turn off the heat and continue to stir for a minute.
Make a white sauce by adding milk into the flour mixture using a small amount at a time. Beat in the milk until the paste is smooth after each stage. Heat the sauce on a medium heat stirring all the time until the sauce reaches simmering point and thickens. Continue cooking on a very low simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Fill a large pan with water (5lt – 6lt). Add a large pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Add 4 sheets of pasta and cook partially. (I cook egg lasagne for 6 minutes, one quarter of the recommended cooking time.) Add the pasta to a large bowl of cold water. Boil the remaining sheets in the same way and keep in the cold water. Have a couple of tea towels to hand.
Use approximately 750ml of ragu and 800ml of béchamel. Spread 1tbs butter over the bottom of the baking dish. Take a sheet of pasta from the water and put on a tea towel. Run your hand over the sheet to remove excess water. Place 2 sheets of lasagna over the base of the dish, cutting the sheets to fit. Spoon one third of the ragu evenly over the pasta. Spoon one quarter of the béchamel evenly over the ragu. Then sprinkle about 30g of Parmesan over the ragu.
Place 2 more sheets of lasagne over the ragu mix, and as before add ragu and bechamel. Continue to build like this until all the pasta and ragu are used. This will create 4 layers of pasta with 3 layers of ragu and béchamel between each layer. Add the remaining béchamel onto the top layer of pasta and sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan. If the ragu was made on the same day, the lasagne can be stored in the refrigerator overnight – the flavour will improve and mellow.
Heat in a pre-heated oven at 180C, Gas 4 for 30 – 45 minutes.


text:
Meet Bitfury
Life at Bitfury
Exonum
Crystal Analytics
LightningPeach
Lightning Network Use Case: Peer-to-Peer Exchange
Lightning Peach
May 23 · 4 min read
One of the most important aspects of the cryptocurrency ecosystem is the use of digital currency exchanges — platforms that enable users to buy, sell and trade digital currencies — whether through traditional fiat currencies or through cryptocurrencies. Today, there are more than 200 exchanges in the world, each of which falls into one of two categories: centralized or peer-to-peer (P2P) exchanges.
These two categories of exchanges currently dominate the cryptocurrency ecosystem, but the Lightning Network (LN) is poised to be an interesting newcomer to the space by offering instant transactions between network participants.
Centralized Exchanges
Centralized exchanges, such as Coinbase, Coinsquare, and Binance, are trusted middlemen who handle user funds and facilitate cryptocurrency trades. Rather than directly trading with other cryptocurrency holders, users first need to deposit their funds into the exchange, which then aggregates orders from buyers and sellers. These platforms work by matching you with a trade partner and executing the trade on their own end with an order book.
Centralized platforms tend to be popular due to their ease of use and convenience, but they come with certain requirements, including:
Traders need to trust the exchange. However, some exchanges may end up being fraudulent, while others may fail to properly secure traders' funds. A few notable exchange hacks include Mt Gox and Bitfinex; and
Centralized exchanges come with fees, such as miners' fees, as well as an exchange's own fees for deposits and withdrawals.
There is limited depth to the market. At present, arbitraging between different exchanges has its limitations due to bitcoin transaction confirmation times.
Some centralized exchanges, however, have adopted Lightning Network technology to bring faster, lower-cost payments to their users. Bitfury's Lightning Peach team helped the BTCBIT exchange (at BTCBIT.NET), a fully regulated cryptocurrency exchange, enable Lightning Network payments.
P2P Exchanges
P2P exchanges allow people to share data, information, or digital assets in a trustless manner. More specifically, P2P exchanges permit traders to buy and sell cryptocurrencies directly between one another without requiring a central intermediary. Unlike centralized exchanges, P2P exchanges do not require users to deposit their funds into an exchange. They also do not require documentation regarding a person's identity, instead of providing a reputation system to track users' trading histories.
Transactions are undertaken when buyers or sellers post a bid searching for trading partners. If the terms are agreeable between the parties involved, the offer is selected whereupon the buyer and seller enter into the agreement. Once a bid has been selected, the digital assets are locked in cold storage inaccessible to both parties, and once the buyer sends their payment, the crypto is released to the buyer.
Unlike centralized exchanges, P2P exchanges are completely run by software. In this design, not only is there is no overhead to worry about, but also low transaction fees. In most cases, transaction fees are anywhere from zero percent to 0.7 percent.
A P2P Exchange on the Lightning Network
While current crypto trading is mainly limited to these two types of exchanges, the Lightning Network is quickly becoming a promising option as an add-on to decentralized exchanges.
The Lightning Network is a decentralized second-layer protocol built on top of the Bitcoin Blockchain that seeks to solve Bitcoin's scalability issues by enabling instant transactions between network participants. By having transactions take place off-chain, the Lightning Network minimizes congestion on the blockchain. Only when a channel has been closed is the payment broadcast on the blockchain.
The Lightning Network was primarily built for bitcoin, but it can also be extended to other cryptocurrencies and blockchains. Adoption of the Lightning Network across blockchains could solve the arbitrage issue that centralized exchanges suffer from by using "atomic swaps." Atomic swaps are a feature that enables the exchange of one cryptocurrency for another without using central intermediaries by connecting two blockchains directly, allowing users to trade with one another without a centralized exchange.
Just as atomic swaps connect blockchains, the Lightning Network connects payment channels. Combining the Lightning Network with atomic swap technology could allow LN users to essentially act as cryptocurrency exchanges or payment processors by opening payment channels on multiple blockchains.
Back in July, Charlie Lee, creator of Litecoin, endorsed this idea, tweeting that the "Lightning Network will be the ultimate decentralized currency. Users who are running LN on both BTC and LTC can advertise an exchange price and act as a maker earning a spread. Other users can act as a taker and automatically swap LTC/BTC with the maker node via lightning."
The technology of the Lightning Network is highly useful for building a P2P settlement layer for decentralized exchanges. With the right implementation, the trading process will be faster than existing exchanges, more secure, trustless, and, importantly, affordable. Some of the main advantages include:
The absence of a single point of failure. For example, if an exchange platform goes offline, a trader can switch to another platform, as he/she won't be storing their funds on a specific platform; and
Traders control their funds and don't have to give up control of their funds to third parties, unlike centralized exchanges. This eliminates the risk of a hacker targeting an exchange and stealing a person's money.
While the Lightning Network is still in the beta stage of development, you can start using it now by installing the PeachTM Wallet. It's an open-source, non-custodial and user-friendly bitcoin wallet built for the Lightning Network, designed by Bitfury's leading Lightning Network engineering team, Lightning Peach.
About LightningPeach:
LightningPeach is Bitfury's team of engineers dedicated to advancing the Lightning Network.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lightning_peach
GitHub: https://github.com/LightningPeach
Telegram: https://t.me/lightningpeach
Slack: https://bit.ly/2nFPccK
Learn more about Bitfury, the leading full-service blockchain technology company.
LightningPeach is Bitfury's engineering team for the Lightning Network.


text:
(Bowerbank, 1862)
Clathria (Microciona) atrasanguinea (Bowerbank, 1862) is one of several reddish thinly encrusting sponges, showing venal patterns and slightly raised oscules. The identity can only be reliably determined from the study of the spicules. The present species is so thin that the structure of the substrate is visible through the sponge body. The venal pattern consists of darker lines. The surface is velvety and the consistency is soft. It is common on boulders and rocks all along the coasts of Europe.
Colour: Red, blood red, or brown. The photo is typical of the form found in deeper water.
Shape, size, surface and consistency: Thin sheet covering extensive areas, typically 3 mm thick by up to 30 cm diameter. It has been reported as a cushion, but this may be the result of the sponge growing over a saddle oyster. Typically looks like a patch of red paint. Surface with little structure—conforms closely to the underlying substrate. Excurrent channels are clearly visible as dark branching lines converging on the oscules. Slightly velvety appearance; minutely porous. Tuberculate, hispid, often creviced according to Lévi (1960). Oscules have slightly raised transparent rims, apparent mainly because of converging excurrent channels. These oscules are numerous and regularly spaced over the surface. No noticeable contraction. Consistency difficult to determine because of thinness of sheet but fairly soft; difficult to scrape off—it crumbles and tears.
Spicules: (Clathria atrasanguinea V) Megascleres: Slender ectosomal subtylostyles: ca. 225-355 µm. Principal spicules of the main skeleton are styles (occasionally subtylostyles, rarely sparingly spined at the base): 220-470 µm x 10 µm (average ca. 300 µm long). Lévi (1960) gives a size range of 110-375 µm. Auxiliary megascleres are entirely spined acanthostyles: ca. 80-135 µm. Microscleres: Palmate isochelae: ca. 8-12 µm; smooth tipped toxa, which may be numerous, in two size categories: ca. 100-125 µm and 18-40 µm.
Skeleton: In the juvenile form the skeleton is hymedesmoid, with both the principal spicules of the main skeleton and also the auxiliary spicules (acanthostyles) standing up from a basal sheet of spongin, the bases of the spicules being implanted in the spongin and the points directed towards the surface. Slender accessory spicules (subtylostyles) are scattered throughout. In the adult form as the sponge thickens the skeleton becomes plumose. The main skeleton then consists of plumose columns of spicules incorporating spongin rising up from the basal layer of the juvenile form. These are in turn echinated by smaller spicules (acanthostyles). Slender ectosomal subtylostyles are present in the form of brushes at the surface.
Reproduction: September; larvae have a bare posterior pole (Lévi, 1956; Wapstra and Van Soest, 1987).
Ecology: Vertical surfaces of rocks or wrecks. Also encrusting pebbles in areas of strong current (e.g. Menai Straits). Occurs in brackish water.
Distribution: Atlantic coasts of Europe from Shetlands southwards; Mediterranean.
Etymology: atrasanguinea (Latin) = dark blood-red, referring to the life colour.
Type specimen information: The type is in the Natural History Museum, London, BMNH 1930.7.3.225. MCS voucher: BELUM Mc821.
Littoral or shallow sublittoral Clathria (Microciona) species and other microcionids often form thin reddish sheets. The dendritic branching of the excurrent channels of this species (photo) may be characteristic but the spicules should always be checked for a positive identification. Superficially it may be confused with Ophlitaspongia papilla, but note the regular arrangement of oscules in the latter species which is not so apparent in C. atrasanguinea.
Sources: Lévi, 1960; Ackers et al., 1985 (B.E. Picton, S.M. Stone), 1992.
Species Clathria atrasanguinea
Synonym of Clathria (Microciona) atrasanguinea (Bowerbank, 1862)
Microciona atrasanguinea n.sp. Bowerbank, 1862: 824; 1866: 132; 1874: 61, pl. XXIV figs. 14-19; Topsent, 1891a: 528; Topsent, 1894: 8; Pruvot, 1897: 586; Prenant, 1927: 42; Arndt, 1935: 78; Lévi, 1950b: 20; Lilly et al., 1953; Lévi, 1956; Burton, 1957: 35; Lévi, 1960: 72; Bruce et al., 1963: 47; Borojevic et al., 1968: 24; Descatoire, 1969a: 197; Cabioch, 1973: 5; Frith, 1976; Van Soest and Weinberg, 1980: 10; Van Soest et al., 1981: 43; Hiscock et al., 1983: 27; Ackers et al., 1985: 163, photo 72; 1992: 142, photo 72; Breton et al., 1996: 10.
Plumohalichondria atrasanguinea: Hanitsch, 1890: 207.
Ackers, R.G., D. Moss, B.E. Picton and S.M.K. Stone, 1985. Sponges of the British Isles ("Sponge IV"). II. Marine Conservation Soc., Ross on Wye, U.K.: 108-197.
Ackers, R.G.A., D. Moss and B.E. Picton, 1992. Sponges of the British Isles ("Sponge V"), a colour guide and working document. Marine Conservation Society, 175 pp.
Arndt, W., 1935. Porifera. Tierwelt Nord.-Ostsee, IIIa: 1-140, figs. 1-239.
Borojevic, R., L. Cabioch and C. Lévi, 1968. Spongiaires. Inventaire Faune Marine de Roscoff. 44 pp.
Bowerbank, J.S., 1862. On the anatomy and physiology of the Spongiadae. Phil. Trans. roy. Soc. London, 152: 747-829, 1087-1135, pls. XXVII-XXXV, LXXII-LXXIV.
Bowerbank, J.S., 1864. A monograph of the British Spongiadae.I. Ray Soc., London: i-xx, 1-290, 37 pls.
Bowerbank, J.S., 1866. A monograph of the British Spongiadae, II. Ray Society, London: i-xx, 1-388.
Bowerbank, J.S., 1874. A monograph of the British Spongiadae, III. Ray Society, London: i-xvii, 1-367, pls. I-XCII.
Breton, G., A. Girard and J.P. Lagardère, 1996. Espèces animales benthiques des bassins du port du Havre (Normandie, France) rares, peu connues ou nouvelles pour la région. Bull. trim. Soc. Géol. Normandie et Amis Muséum du Havre, 82 (3): 7-28
Bruce, J.R., J.S. Colman and N.S. Jones, 1963. Marine fauna of the Isle of Man and its surrounding seas. L.M.B.C. Memoirs, 36. 307 pp. (sponges: 42-47).
Burton, M., 1957. Plymouth Marine Fauna. 3rd ed. Porifera. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K.: 26-36.
Descatoire, A., 1969a. Peuplements sessiles de l' Archipel de Glénan. I. Inventaire: Spongiaires. Vie Milieu, (B) 20(1,B): 177-210.
Frith, D.W., 1976. Animals associated with sponges at North Hayling, Hampshire. Zool. J. Linnaean Soc., 58: 353-362.
Hiscock, K., S.M.K. Stone and J.D. George, 1983 (1984). The marine fauna of Lundy. Porifera (Sponges). Rep. Lundy Fld. Soc., 34: 16-35.
Lévi, C., 1950b. Inventaire de la faune de Roscoff. Spongiaires. Trav. Stat. biol. Roscoff, n.s. 1 (suppl. 2): 1-28.
Lévi, C., 1956. Étude des Halisarca de Roscoff. Embryologie et systématique des Démosponges. Arch. Zool. expér. gén., 93: 1-181.
Lévi, C., 1960. Les démosponges des côtes de France. I. Les Clathriidae. Cah. Biol. mar., 1: 47-87.
Lilly, S.J., F. Sloane, R. Basindale, F.J. Ebling and J.A. Kitching, 1953. The ecology of the Lough Ine rapids with special reference to water currents. IV. The sedentary fauna of sublittoral boulders. J. anim. Ecol., 22: 87-122.
Prenant, M., 1927. Notes éthologiques sur la faune marine sessile des environs de Roscoff. II. Spongiaires, Tuniciers, Anthozoaires. Associations de la faune fixée. Trav. Stat. biol. Roscoff, 6: 1-58.
Pruvot, G., 1897. Essai sur les fonds et les faunes de la Manche occidentale (Côtes de Bretagne), comparés à ceux du Golfe du Lion. Arch. Zool. expér. gén., (3) 5: 511-617.
Soest, R.W.M. van, and S. Weinberg, 1980. A note on the sponges and octocorals from Sherkin Island and Lough Ine, Co. Cork. Irish Nat. J., 20: 1-15.
Soest, R.W.M. van, J.D. Guiterman and M. Sayer, 1981. Sponges from Roaringwater Bay and Lough Ine. J. Sherkin Isl., 1 (2): 35-49.
Topsent, E., 1891a. Essai sur la faune de spongiaires de Roscoff. Arch. Zool. expér. gén., (2) 9: 523-554.
Topsent, E., 1894b. Étude sur la faune des spongiaires du Pas-de-Calais, suivie d'une application de la nomenclature actuelle à la monographie de Bowerbank. Rev. Biol. Nord France, 7: 6-29.
Wapstra, M. and R.W.M. van Soest, 1987. Sexual reproduction, larval morphology and behaviour in Demosponges from the southwest of the Netherlands: 281-307. In: J. Vacelet and N. Boury-Esnault, eds. Taxonomy of Porifera. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg. NATO-ASI Series, G13: 1-332.
Clathria atrasanguinea (photo B. Picton)
Clathria atrasanguinea V (spicule complement, from MCS Sponge V, C. Morrow)
Clathria atrasanguinea SEM (photo B. Picton)
You can continue searching for Clathria atrasanguinea on one of these Web sites:
Clathria atrasanguinea


text:
Over 285 kg of heroin seized in eastern Turkey
6 suspects also arrested in operation conducted in Van province
15 Nisan 2019 Pazartesi 12:36
Turkish security forces on Monday seized some 285.6 kilograms (629.5 pounds) of heroin in the eastern Van province, local police said.
Acting on a tip off, anti-narcotic police teams carried out an operation at a cargo company in Tusba district and found 269 kg of heroin (593 pounds) in 515 packages hidden in toy boxes.
Later, special police force carried out another operation in order to catch the suspects.
Six suspect were arrested during the operation in a house in Akkopru neighborhood, where police teams also seized 16.6 kg of heroin (36.5 pounds) stuffed in 32 packages hidden in nutmeat.
After the operation, two suspects were released under judicial control, while the remaining were remanded in custody.
HeroinHeroin Turkey


Mitsubishi MAC-2310FT-E Air Cleaning Filter (anti-allergy enzyme filter) charged with static electricity, enabling it to attract and capture dust particles. This filter has enzymes to combat allergens; with the power to decompose harmful microbes such as bacteria, dust mites and pollen.
The Mitsubishi MAC-2310FT-E should be cleaned every 3 months, and for best performance replace it every 12 months.


text:
Variety Read Next: The Haunting Images From the Attack on the Capitol Will Never Fade Away
zz/STRF/STAR MAX/IPx/AP Images
Kate Aurthur, Ramin Setoodeh
The election of Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Harris was already one for the history books, even before they were set to take office after the attempted coup on Jan. 6 orchestrated by their predecessor, Donald J. Trump. Biden and Harris received 81 million votes, more than any previous presidential ticket, and the California senator will be the first woman and the first woman of color to be elected to the White House. Now that Stacey Abrams' heroic voter registration work in Georgia has delivered the Senate to the Democrats, Biden and Harris stand a chance of actually being able to govern for the next two years, something the country so desperately needs — as last week's domestic terrorist attacks on Capitol Hill demonstrated.
They will be contending with historic and emergent problems: first and foremost, how to rescue the country from the coronavirus, and Trump's incompetent and deadly response to the pandemic, which has killed more than 380,000 people in the United States. They will also have to contend with — and try to mend — a brutally divided country, one in which more than 74 million Americans voted for Trump, with many establishment Republicans enabling his efforts to upend the election. The racial reckoning of the late spring and summer put vital issues like police brutality and racism at the top of voters' minds. Biden and Harris need to bolster the economy and save the small businesses that have been decimated during the pandemic. These are extraordinary times, and the pair will face an urgent first 100 days.
Biden and Harris ran an understated campaign. But now the stakes are life and death — literally. Their supporters in Hollywood are yearning for change and traumatized by the hatred, chaos and suffering precipitated by the Trump era. "Our next president has to clean up the mess from the past four years," says director Lee Daniels, who lists the myriad issues that need to be addressed: "the pandemic, our economy, criminal justice, the Dreamers, care for the kids still at our borders, protections for LGBTQ, signing the Emmett Till anti-lynching bill into law, climate control, calming the hate, affordable health care …
"I could go on and on, but you got my point," Daniels says. "Biden and Harris certainly have their hands full. I pray for them and the country every single day."
Hollywood has traditionally enjoyed a cozy relationship with Democratic presidents. The last two — Bill Clinton and Barack Obama — invited big movie stars to state dinners and rubbed shoulders with them in public and in private. But the Biden White House's relationship with the entertainment community will undoubtedly be a shift, with much less glitz and glamour due to the perilous times and the ways in which the administration might enlist the industry to help reel the nation back from the apocalypse.
Tina Tchen, the president and CEO of Time's Up Now and the Time's Up Foundation, who held several jobs in Obama's White House, compares the disastrous state of the country Biden and Harris are inheriting with what the 2009 Obama administration faced: the Great Recession. "This pandemic and this crisis is multiples of what we experienced in '09," Tchen says. "And '09 was bad."
Many in Hollywood are hopeful that the new administration will be able to draw much needed attention to some vital issues.
Michael Lombardo, the president of global television at Entertainment One, has known Biden for years, and supported his 2020 candidacy when few in the industry did. Under Trump, Lombardo says, "it's been an assault every day on that critical foundation for who we are as a people." But he thinks Biden could be the antidote for that. "I think his morality, humanity and authenticity are rare," Lombardo says. "After four years of what we've seen in Washington, all of those qualities are what we desperately need right now."
Even though the work to be done is significant, Hollywood is rooting for Biden's success — and applauding the expulsion of Trump from the White House. "The inauguration of Joe Biden restores my sense of hope for a better 2021," Barbra Streisand tells Variety. "He and his team will work to halt the pandemic and rebuild the economy. He will also restore a sense of decency and dignity to the White House."
Biden won't be alone in the fight. Chrisette Hudlin, who along with Reginald Hudlin, her husband, are the Hollywood power couple who count Vice President-elect Harris as a best friend, tells Variety: "Kamala broke a glass ceiling by making history, not just now but several times in her career. We've seen powerful women like this in movies and TV shows, but Kamala is the real-life thing."
Tracee Ellis Ross moderates the second night of the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 18. Democratic National Convention/AP Images
In prior generations, stars and filmmakers could be counted on to help unite the country after tragedy, whether by making movies that celebrated workers during the Great Depression or fundraising in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. But the mood of the country has dramatically altered. There are few singular figures — not an Oprah Winfrey or even a Tom Hanks — who can speak to both Republicans and Democrats, a result of the bitter partisan divide that exists.
Those in the Biden White House will need to walk a fine line. If they deploy Hollywood in overt ways, they will be criticized for being out of touch. But on the 2020 trail, the campaign seemed to thread the needle perfectly. There was plenty of star wattage at last summer's Democratic National Convention, which was hosted by Kerry Washington, Tracee Ellis Ross, Eva Longoria and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (not to mention virtual fundraisers with the casts of "Hamilton" and "The Avengers"). But these partnerships with movie stars didn't become a predominant narrative, as was the case in 2016, when Clinton surrogates such as Katy Perry or Lena Dunham may have alienated some swing-state voters.
Biden could be more inclined to tap Hollywood's "soft power" while steering clear of any ostentatious displays of wealth or celebrity. Look for Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden to sit on "The View's" couch or read "mean tweets" with Jimmy Kimmel, something that Trump has avoided in favor of ridiculous call-ins or sit-downs with Fox News hosts. The Biden camp will likely see this kind of pop culture outreach as an opportunity to humanize the president and his wife, while also allowing them to push pet projects involving veterans or education. At the same time, the White House may be more selective in, say, attending glitzy premieres or vacationing on the Vineyard with Carly Simon and Ted Danson, as Bill Clinton and Obama were wont to do. Like a good lunch bucket populist, Biden keeps his summer home in Delaware's tiny coastal town of Rehoboth Beach.
Many Beltway experts and insiders believe there will be a place for the entertainment industry to help push forward Biden and Harris' agenda. "Times have changed, and the definition and importance of celebrities has evolved over the past four years, and they are better at raising awareness of underrepresented people," says Matthew Hiltzik, the former Miramax executive who runs the New York consulting firm Hiltzik Strategies (and represented a pre-White House Ivanka Trump). "It's a real opportunity."
Biden and Harris were already planning a scaled-down inauguration due to the coronavirus. But after the insurrection last week, which led to multiple deaths, they'll be sworn in on Jan. 20 in what's expected to be a smaller ceremony. Lady Gaga will perform the national anthem, as Variety exclusively reported, and Jennifer Lopez is also set to sing. That night, there will be a primetime TV special, "Celebrating America," hosted by Hanks with performances from Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, Bon Jovi and Ant Clemons. The administration could similarly enlist celebrities to help get the word out about the rollout of the COVID vaccines, which has been hampered by Trump spending all his remaining time in office spreading conspiracy theories about nonexistent voter fraud rather than instituting federal vaccination guidelines.
"There's a level of competence that's been lost in government," says Broderick Johnson, the co-CEO of Alcon Entertainment. "It can't be underestimated how impactful that is. Fundamentally, it's problematic to put people in charge of agencies that don't believe in the mission of the agency."
Obama and Clinton were so telegenic they might have been television stars — and Trump literally was one. But Biden has his own direct line to Hollywood. In 2016, at the end of his second term as vice president, he received a standing ovation at the 88th Academy Awards, where he appeared onstage, asked viewers to help end sexual assault on campus and introduced Lady Gaga's performance of the nominated song "Til It Happens to You." Reginald Hudlin, who produced that telecast, remembers getting the request from Biden and how it ended up being a "great moment in the show."
It was a unique pairing of Hollywood with an administration project, Hudlin continues. "I spoke to President-elect Biden the night of his election victory speech, and he remembered the specific statistics of how successful that initiative was."
Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the Capitol on Jan. 6. Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Chris Dodd, the retired Connecticut senator and former chairman of the Motion Picture Assn. of America, says that when it comes to the entertainment industry, Biden will look out for the blue-collar crew who make up the backbone of the 2.1 million workers in film and TV. "A lot of those jobs are middle-income jobs," says Dodd, who has been friends with Biden for 40 years. "The overwhelming work in the industry is behind the camera. Joe understands that. He'll be an ally for the industry."
Jim Gianopulos, the chairman of Paramount Pictures, recalls a conversation he had with Biden about how films are made. "He expressed his love of movies," Gianopulos says, "and mentioned that when he watched the credits at the end he was impressed by the range of jobs and the many people it took to achieve the result on the screen."
During the 2020 campaign, the list of bundlers — those who raised more than $100,000 — for the Biden-Harris ticket included many studio chiefs, among them Gianopulos, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chief Donna Langley, Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman, Netflix head of original films Scott Stuber and former Quibi honcho Jeffrey Katzenberg. Biden has formed relationships with many of these executives because of his decades-long work on Capitol Hill helping studios distribute their movies in China and fighting piracy.
There even have been rumors that Katzenberg or Walt Disney Co. executive chairman Bob Iger could receive an ambassadorship, although insiders insist that Katzenberg isn't interested, nor was he ever asked. A representative for Iger declined to comment.
Walt Disney Studios chief creative officer Alan Horn, who along with his wife, Cindy, have been devoted backers of Democratic candidates and causes, says: "It's no secret that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have garnered wide support in Hollywood, and personally, my support comes from their positions on issues I care about, such as climate change. They are well aware of the backing they have in the entertainment industry, and I think that affection is mutual, so without a doubt the relationship will be a much better one than the past few years."
For the new administration, Hollywood can play a valuable role in terms of messaging, as Tchen witnessed during her tenure as Michelle Obama's chief of staff. Citing the celebrity involvement in the then-first lady's Let's Move! campaign, as well as her appearances on "Parks and Recreation" and "NCIS," Tchen says, "You want celebrities and creative folks to be involved because they know how to tell stories."
"President Obama, Mrs. Obama and I believe the Biden-Harris team also understands this — you have to reach people where they're at. They're not all watching cable news," Tchen continues. "They're watching Netflix; they are watching YouTube; they are watching HGTV or 'Ellen' or the 'Red Table.' You've got to go where people are watching and get your message across."
The Biden-Harris agenda also squarely converges with that of Time's Up when it comes to caregiving, one of the nonprofit's top priorities. A cornerstone of Biden's Build Back Better plan, which he hopes to implement in his first 100 days, involves supporting caregivers and building an infrastructure that will pay them more and bring them into the formal economy. Tchen says she first heard about the caregiving crisis from Time's Up members who wanted to prioritize the issue. "That's why it's a priority for Time's Up — it's what keeps women out of the workplace and from succeeding in the workplace," she says. "And I think that's going to be a real intersection of support."
Tanya Somanader, Crooked Media's chief content officer and another Obama White House alum, says that Hollywood activists learned from 2016's mistakes. With the help of organizations such as Crooked's Vote Save America, Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight and Michelle Obama's When We All Vote, the industry shifted from gimmicky endorsements and being a cash register to promoting capacity building — helping local communities get the resources they need to help themselves. "If you're talking about Georgia and your entire audience is in California, who cares?" Somanader says. "You just look like a celebrity who's being unhelpful."
The New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles in March. Michael Buckner/Variety
Instead, working with celebrities like Ariana Grande and Kerry Washington on messaging in targeted and specific ways — as Vote Save America did — appears to have worked. "People would use their brands to make sure that information lived on their platform," Somanader adds. "That was a real shift, and a good one."
Of course, if Biden and Harris can set the country back on the right path, their first term could lead to a new era of economic prosperity. "By and large, and for all the right reasons, we rejected the Trump administration, its cruelties and its policies," says veteran producer Sean Daniel. "The country is in crisis. We want our dreams returned and we are the dream factory, so we must show up for this act."
Once people can gather in public again, the White House Correspondents' Dinner — or #nerdprom, as it's affectionately called — could be back in full force. The annual gala has become far less starry, and practically obsolete, because no celebrities wanted to be seen dining in the same room as Trump (who refused to attend anyway).
Four years ago, the comedian Chelsea Handler led the protests at the Women's March at the Sundance Film Festival as one of the voices of the resistance. On a recent phone call, she explains how she feels now. "I don't think 'excited' is the right word," Handler says. "I'm confident. I'm optimistic." When asked about Harris becoming the first woman vice president, Handler says: "It means that every single little girl in the nation can wake up and see that's a possibility."
Harris will no doubt be offered countless appearances on talk shows, magazine covers and other viral cameos. She's already followed former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama in appearing on the cover of Vogue. (Twitter torched the magazine for the cover image. "The selected photo is determinedly unfancy," wrote Vanessa Friedman, The New York Times' chief fashion critic. "Kind of messy. The lighting is unflattering.") Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, the first "second dude," is an entertainment lawyer, now on leave, with his own connections to the industry. As for the first family, look for the profiles of some of the seven Biden grandchildren — including Naomi, Finnegan, Maisy and Natalie, who all appeared at the Democratic National Convention — to continue to rise beyond their Instagram accounts.
CAA agent Craig Gering, who represents Chris Pine, Denis Villeneuve and many other creatives, says that for the past four years "there has not been as much traffic" between the entertainment industry and the White House "as I think we were all used to." Gering represented both Bidens from January 2016 — "when there was no intention of his running for president," Gering says — until April 2019, when Biden threw his hat in the ring.
The ice has started to thaw. Biden and Harris have yet to take office, but Gering — who has also represented Harris and Susan Rice — is already hearing from his Hollywood clientele, who want to help with "whatever initiatives or agendas the administration may want to highlight, promote, megaphone or what have you," he says. "And we are standing ready to make matches."
The industry will be waiting to see what roles it can play. "The Obama administration had an open mind about aligning with artists," says Chrisette Hudlin. "Between Biden having been there to experience that and Kamala being a fan of the arts, if they want to expand on those relationships, they would be welcomed."
Jazz Tangcay, Brent Lang and Clayton Davis contributed to this story.


This was one of a large number of child care cases heard by the District Court in that city that day.
A social worker told the court that a forensic psychological risk assessment was taking place and there was also an on-going Garda investigation in the case and that a file was being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The court heard that the parents were co-operating and that the mother was visiting the children three times a week.
The solicitor for the father told the court that there had been no disclosures by the children in relation to the accusations made against the parents and the parents were seeking to have their children returned to them, as they felt they had done nothing wrong.
The judge said that the court would have to decide on the basis on Dr X's report whether he could make a decision prior to the criminal investigation.
The judge said that there were very serious allegations against the father and although there were no such allegations against the mother the judge said there was a question as to her knowledge of the allegations. The judge noted the children had been placed in a relative foster placement and he said that he was happy to see that it was working out well.
A Supervision Order that had been granted for six children for six months was renewed amidst concerns over the father's drinking and the children's school poor school attendance.
The court heard that one of the children had said that she found it difficult to sleep at night and she said that the past traumas in her life were affecting her and she was thinking over things. The court was told that the child had been referred for support.
The court heard a review of a Care Order for a nine year old child who was described as having a suspected mild intellectual disability. The court was told that the child was going to be reassessed by CAMHS and that the assessment would be for foetal alcohol syndrome. It was hoped that there would be a further professional meeting after that assessment.
A social worker said that the boy had significant emotional and behavioural problems and had difficulty in gaining insight into the consequences of his actions. The court was told that the boy's foster carers were "wholly committed and wanted to support him through [to] independence".
The GAL told the court that she felt that the boy was not benefitting from a coordinated approach and that he was showing significant difficulties and his foster carers were struggling at times with his behaviour.
A psychologist had said that there was a discrepancy between his IQ and his performance, saying it was unlikely that he had an intellectual disability. The GAL said that "such a view indicated that there was something either organic or something like ADHD which was interfering with his ability to learn".
The GAL said that he would benefit from a further referral (to psychological services). "If we allow the time for Dr X to see him we will be a better position. I think we need to let that happen," she said.
Re-entry of case where supervision order in place.
A case in which a Supervision Order had been granted in respect of three children was re-entered. The court heard that a barring order was in place in respect of the father and he was barred from the family home.
A social worker told the court that the father had not agreed to give his consent to the referral of one of his children to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) nor was he agreeing to sign a passport application for one of the children to go on a trip. She said that the father had eventually agreed to sign the relevant consents but had acted very aggressively while doing so. The judge adjourned the matter for one month to ascertain whether the father would become more co-operative.