For the past 10 years, I have been spending a chunk of my Sunday afternoons at a sports community centre in north London. Here, for two hours every week, a group of men from around the area go at it on the basketball court, sometimes as if their lives depend on it.
When we play, the atmosphere in this old, rusty gym is almost as electrifying as the neighbourhood itself. We are in Tottenham, in the borough of Haringey, a place as vibrant and multicultural as it is deprived. I lived just up the road, in Edmonton, after I first arrived in London in 2004. With the typical naivety of a newly arrived immigrant, I never saw Tottenham as deprived, just different.
But four years ago, something happened here that served to inform those who didn't know, or perhaps chose to ignore, the daily struggles faced by a portion of the population. On 4 August 2011, on a road a few minutes' drive from where we play ball, Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old black man, was shot dead by specialist firearms officers on the suspicion that he was in possession of an illegal firearm. A search of Duggan's body, motionless in Ferry Lane on that infamous Thursday afternoon, determined that there was no gun on him at the time of his death.
Later that night, accompanied by community leaders and local residents, Duggan's family marched to Tottenham police station to demand answers. They had called the station beforehand to inform the police of their coming. Still, they were left standing outside for hours, waiting for the commander to come out. The officer who finally agreed to meet them was not deemed to be senior enough to give an official explanation, according to one community leader I spoke to. What followed were violent clashes between local youths and the police, resulting in the destruction of a double-decker bus and many private homes and businesses.
For almost a week, disorder reigned in the capital and other cities around the country. By the time the rage subsided, five people had been reported dead, damage to private and public property ran into the millions of pounds, and thousands had been charged with criminal offences.
Left: The burning Carpetright store on Tottenham High Road on 6 August 2011. Right: Firemen douse the smouldering building. Below: The store in 2015, now a Sports Direct shop.
For the guys I play ball with, though, the riots were not about Mark Duggan. Most of them are first-generation African and Caribbean immigrants born and raised in England in the '80s and '90s. For them, much of the unrest experienced in the summer of 2011 was about a community that had reached boiling point.
For a long time I didn't feel like I belonged on that court, either. Basketball is a passionate sport, and emotions run high in our sessions. It's five-on-five full court, winner stays on. No one wants to lose and wait 20 minutes on the sidelines to get back on the hardwood. When things get really heated, fistfights and ugly shouting matches aren't unusual. For a 19-year-old kid like me who grew up in Portugal and later in the American midwest, it all sounded and looked a bit surreal.
"We grew up around each other," Akin Akintola, a 45-year-old youth worker, says at his workplace in Tottenham.
He's not tall, but Akintola's toughness and basketball IQ have earned him the respect of all, and he's not the kind of guy to be toyed with on or off the court. "When things get out of hand on the basketball court we understand each other's behaviour," he said. He has been organising the Sunday basketball sessions at the Tottenham Community Sports Centre for almost 20 years now. Any newbie who joins us soon realises this is way more than just a workout.
James, the only white guy who's been regularly coming to our sessions for years, is a reliable three-point shooter, even if he's not terribly athletic. He comes in, tries to help his team win by scoring as many three-pointers as possible, pays his money, and goes home. It seems for James, there's nothing more to basketball than just a way to shed extra pounds.
While talking to the others about racial dynamics in this country one Sunday afternoon after we finish playing, I bring up James and how comfortable he seems around us, but they aren't buying it.
"I wouldn't say he's comfortable with us, he's just accustomed to us," one of the men, who chose to remain anonymous, tells me.
Smith is a big character. At 6'4" and around 18 stone, his personality is as dominant off the court as his physical presence is on it. Prior to writing this, I knew nothing of what he or any of these men thought about what happened in their neighbourhood four years ago. Smith knew of Mark Duggan growing up, as did most of those I spoke to.
None of them remembered Duggan as a criminal. For them, he was just a kid from the neighbourhood who did what he had to to survive. It is now widely recognised by both Duggan's family and local community leaders that while he was not in possession of a firearm at the time of his death, he was on his way to get a gun from someone else. Still, for the locals, it was the manner in which the young father of three was killed – and the Met's behaviour afterwards – that really stood out.
A year before Duggan's death, a study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission showed that black people in England and Wales were at least six times as likely to be stopped and searched by the police than their white British counterparts – in the West Midlands that number goes up to 28 times as likely. These are the stats men like Smith, born and raised in Wood Green, in north London, have become all too familiar with over the years.
"I got out and they said, 'Put your hands behind your back. I said no. Then they grabbed my arm and put one handcuff on my hand. I said, 'What are you doing?' They said, 'Put your hands behind your back.' I said, 'Not until you tell me why you're doing this, you're not going to put the other handcuff on me.' At that point they started kicking my legs, trying to kick me to the floor."
Since 1990, a total of 1,516 people have died while in Metropolitan police custody, according to Inquest, a charity that provides legal advice to the public on contentious deaths in police custody and in the course of their investigations. Of those, 152 were from black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. In the US, the country to which the UK is most often compared, a black person dies every 28 hours at the hands of law enforcement figures, according to one report. But for those who have had to deal with British police, and still do on an almost daily basis, those statistics are of little consolation.
"The police here are not much better," Akintola says. "I think if they had guns they would be the same [as in the US]." He was born in Nigeria, and has been living in the UK since his early teens. He openly admits that as a young man, he did things he shouldn't have.
But he also spoke about a police force that seemed to be constantly harassing him and his friends for reasons he perceived could not be anything other than the colour of his skin.
Accounts of being stopped and searched, of being pulled over by the police and asked questions that no white person in the same situation would be asked, were abundant among the men I spoke to on and off the record. Far more alarming, though, was the general feeling that they all could be the next Mark Duggan.
"It's intimidating," Johnny says after we finish playing one Sunday. "It makes you wonder if one day it's going to be your turn. You second-guess yourself – you're a free man but sometimes you think, 'What am I guilty of?'" A 35-year-old electrician from Montserrat who's been living here since he was 18 years old, Johnny didn't want to give me his last name.
London is constantly lauded as one of the most multicultural cities in the world, but anyone who comes to our sessions will immediately notice how homogenous the group is. We're made up of mostly black men, and are all local or previously local residents (I now live in east London).
In March 2013, Victor Olisa was brought in as the police commander for Haringey. Nigerian-born Olisa has a reputation for being an enforcer. In 2003 he was temporarily transferred to work in the Home Office's Stop and Search programme, where he was part of a small team in the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. According to Olisa's profile on the Met's website, "during two and a half years at the Home Office the team's work was influential in developing models for improving the effectiveness of Stop and Search".
"In some quarters it is advantageous. As a black police officer I will be accepted more easily in some quarters without having to go through all that scene-setting. Some people think, 'Because you are the same colour as us, you will have experienced some of the same challenges that we have experienced.' "
But having more black officers in the streets is not necessarily the best way to achieve better relations between police and the black community.
Four years after Duggan's killing, the relationship between the police and Tottenham's black community remains fragile. Last year, a public inquest concluded by an 8-2 majority that Duggan's death was lawful. That outcome left both campaigners and local residents incensed.
The IPCC vehemently denied Scott's claim, calling it "irrational" and "without foundation", adding: "Four out of five of our investigators are not former police officers and all our investigators are subject to a rigorous recruitment process and bespoke IPCC training, regardless of their background."
Scott is no stranger to confrontations with the police. In 1985 he was on the frontline of Tottenham's Broadwater Farm riots, sparked by the death of 49-year-old Cynthia Jarrett – a black woman who suffered heart failure when police entered her home to search for allegedly stolen goods. As in the Duggan case, no police officer was charged with Jarrett's death.
It's a sentiment echoed by the guys I play ball with. Thirty years after the Broadwater Farm and Brixton riots, and 182 years after the abolition of slavery in Britain, there's still the knowledge, and, sadly, the acceptance, among all the men I speak to, and thousands of black people besides, that this is still a country run by fundamentally racist institutions. And that the machinery of these institutions is set up in such a way as to oppress and sometimes violate the rights of people of colour.
"I'm going on a limb here," Smith says. "But if Mark Duggan was a white guy, they wouldn't have shot him down in cold blood just like that, in the middle of the street.


a door opens to us inviting the eye with lush color and form in a swirl of a spring gust..
I like this one a lot Gary and strange thing is I have just finished a painting with a door too, will post it late.
Beware all who dare enter.... Very nice work Gary.
Katie, Pat and BB thanks for your kind comments.. so glad you like this one.
more delicious colors! I enjoy looking at your work very much.
Albert,, so glad you like the colors in this they were a bit of a departure for me..
Caesar..ROFL!!.... you are so funny... Locked door ....oops... once I got in I wanted it all for myself ....sorry I will unlock and let you come on in.. there is a delicous apple pie just waiting.. I sure you could depict a beautiful Eve for my garden??..


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Now it's time to get to the fun part. Let's start aquascaping!· I will use this article to show you the startup of my 60cm tank.· I started planning for it in early spring 2008 and began to collect materials for the ADA stand and the equipment for the tank itself.
My intention for this aquascape, was to create a simple design, that is easy to maintain with lots of open space. I didn't want an Iwagumi style aquascape, since I enjoy using driftwood, ferns and moss in the aquascape.· From the start, I knew this 60 cm would be a driftwood based setup.
I built my ADA stand to measure 70x60x30cm which would provide an ideal fit for my·· 60x30x36cm Optiwhite tank.··· In a planted aquarium it's a good idea to use more filtration power than what's recommend on the box, so an Eheim 2222 filter fit the bill nicely.
For lighting, I used a SunSun 3 x 24W T5 pendant with Grolux, LifeGlo II, 10.000K).· I felt that this was the perfect light for a medium light setup and more than adequate for the plant species I intend to use.
I'm a strong believer that an aquarium is more than a fixture inside a home.· An aquarium, especially a planted one, offers the chance to bring a slice of nature into the confines of a home.· A rimless tank and its associate glassware helps provide a clean look to the home and aquarium.·For this reason, I decided to use the Flo brand of Glass intake/outetake pipes, a nanopollen glass diffuser, and· a Rhinox glass beetle counter.·A· Ferplast professional CO2 pressure reducer, automatic fertilizer system, and a glass CO2 Dropchecker would round out the technical equipment to begin my aquarium.
An old trick to get the bacterial colonies started in a new setup is to add a handful of old substrate and mulm from a running tank to your new substrate.· I applied this "live bacteria" to substrate and hardscape which consists of· ADA Power Sand Special, ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia II, ADA Bright Sand, Mini Landscape Rocks, Mangrove roots, and Lava rocks (Fuji stones).· Throughout the scape, I will use Rexolin micronutients powder to fertilize the aquatic plants.
The plant selection for this tank will be kept simple with mainly mosses: Taxiphyllum barbieri, Taxiphyllum sp. "Peacock", Microsorum pteropus "Narrow", Echinodorus tenellus, Didiplis diandra.
There are many ways to setup a tank.· With these slow growing species, I am able to adjust my tank as I work on it.· I prefer this method since it gives me a lot of time to work on the hardscape, sit back and consider the placement again and again.
You start by placing a piece of cardboard as a protective measure between the rock and the glass.· As you decide where to place your stones, the cardboard will protect the tank from scratches when you move them around.· Remember to take out the cardboard before you fill up the tank. As you are designing, remember to also leave space for the plants in the back.· Take a step back and don't overuse the rocks.
When you have achieved the "right" visual placement of rocks, it's time to cut a piece of cardboard, to use as a border between the sand and the substrate.· This will help keep the two separated. Based on the placement of the rocks, you can decide where the sand/substrate border should be.
Next, you place the driftwood. This is the trickiest part and you may have to cut some parts of your driftwood so that they can fit the right place.·Again, remember to leave space for the plants.
For both rocks and driftwood – it is important to have sufficient amounts, so that you have a lot to decide from.
Now here's a trick: take a photograph of your hardscape arrangement before you take them out.· Remember to take the rocks and driftwood up and place then on a table as they were placed in the tank.· Be structured. Empty the tank.
Now place the cardboard in the tank, and attach it with some tape on the sides of the tank.· This will help keep the cardboard in a curved shape, while you set the stage for the substrate.
Sprinkle micronutrients on the bottom along with some used substrate and mulm from another tank.· This will give your substrate a lot of bacteria, so it will evolve faster, and provide enough nutrients for the plants to use.
On top of that, add a layer of Power Sand special and a thick layer of Aqua Soil.· Finally add the bright sand in the front and use a substrate flattener to level out the Aqua Soil and the sand so that they give a nice slope and a little convex shape.
Remove the cardboard and carefully level out the difference between the sand and the Aqua Soil.
Now we place the rocks back in the tank.· Press them down a little so the rocks look like they stick out of the sand.
Cover the driftwood with Taxiphyllum barbieri, and wrap some cotton string around the fronds very tightly.· The tied down moss will be held directly in place· by the string as it grows out from the wood.· Over time, the string will be hidden by the new moss fronds or dissolve into the water. Remember to leave areas on the driftwood without moss because· you want the viewer to see some of the wood too.· Use the tiny cracks on your driftwood and stick bits of moss in those holes. The moss will grow out and creep along the driftwood very slowly and naturally.· The effect is very nice, but it does require a lot of time for the moss to develop completely over the wood.
I used Taxiphyllum sp. "Peacock" wrapped around small lava rocks (Fuji rocks), placed it in the holes and on the sides of the driftwood. This moss is more branchy than other Taxiphyllum sp. and grows moderately fast. As the scape develops, I hope a contrast will develop between the moss on the rocks and the moss on the driftwood.· I trim and shape the mosses so that this contrast will develop.
When the moss grows too large, you can simply take out the stones, remove the moss and reattach it again.· I have not seen this moss attach itself to the surface on these rocks as T. barbieri does, but maybe it just needs another trimming technique.
Attach the ferns to the driftwood – you can use the cotton strings used for the moss, or a plastic wrapped wire (like ADA Wood Tight).· I use the ferns as primary focal points, so when they grow bigger, they should be trimmed to fit perfectly into these spots.· For now, I just attach them where I find it easy for them to grow.
Fill the tank a little so that the substrate gets wet, but not under water.· Now, it's time to plant the E. tenellus along the sides, and the Didiplis in the middle.
The E. tenellus and Didiplis will support the convex design and give color to the layout.· They will be easy to trim into rounded shapes.· After many trimmings, the Didiplis will hopefully make a nice reddish bush, in contrast to the light green ferns.
Finally, I fill the tank carefully with water and connect the filter and CO2.
For the next three weeks, I will do 50% water changes every other day to remove the ammonia from the substrate. I will also begin dosing both macro and micro fertilizer after water change.· I will monitor CO2 with the CO2 drop checker, and add 2mL Easy Carbo (Excel) every day, to keep algae from appearing (I hope).
As the Didiplis reaches the surface, I will trim them down to half length.· I will also trim the moss by hand.· Remember to remove all loose moss from the aquarium after a trim or it will get into your equipment, plants and other parts of your aquarium. When I think of this tank's future development, one of the goals with this tank is to make sure each plant complements each other as the overall aquascape develops. I will carefully observe the slow growth of the ferns, and the faster growth of the stems of Didiplis and trim each as need.· The moss will spread evenly and at a moderate speed.· In the end, these three plants will form a cohesive and balanced aquascape.


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Criminal Defense/
Ryan Ferguson's Murder Conviction Vacated
By Betty Wang, JD on November 05, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019
Ryan Ferguson may be a free man sooner than expected. An appeals court has overturned Ferguson's conviction in the murder of a Missouri sports writer, CBS News reports.
Ferguson, 29, was convicted in 2005 of robbing and killing Kent Heitholt, largely because of the testimony of Ferguson's friend Charles Erickson. Ferguson has always maintained his innocence.
Now, eight years later, Ferguson's murder conviction is being vacated. But why?
Case Questioned
Ferguson was 19 at the time of Heitholt's killing in 2001. It wasn't until early 2004 when his childhood friend Erickson came forward to confess that he and Ferguson were responsible.
Since his conviction, however, the case has been called into question.
Ferguson's attorney insists there is no physical evidence connecting Ferguson to the crime, Columbia's KMIZ-TV reports. Ferguson's legal team filed a writ of habeas corpus, which stated that he was being locked up based on insufficient evidence.
The only evidence actually linking Ferguson to the murder were testimonies from Erickson and a janitor, who has since recanted. According to KMIZ-TV, the janitor claims he was pressured to implicate Ferguson.
15 Days Until Freedom?
But the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals cited another reason that Ferguson did not receive a fair trial: Prosecutors withheld evidence from Ferguson's defense team that could have helped his case, KMIZ-TV reports.
The evidence in question was an interview with the janitor's wife. The undisclosed evidence "would have permitted Ferguson to discover other evidence that could have impacted" either the janitor's credibility, or the admissibility of his testimony, the court wrote in its opinion.
The court granted Ferguson's request for habeas relief and vacated Ferguson's conviction Tuesday.
According to the ruling, prosecutors have 15 days to decide whether to retry Ferguson. If no decision has been made by then, Ferguson will be freed.
What happens to his accuser Erickson, though? Much like Ferguson, the evidence does not match Erickson either, according to CBS News. It's possible that upon a motion, a court will eventually reassess Erickson's conviction as well.
Ryan Ferguson conviction vacated by Mo. Appeal (The Associated Press)
Ryan Ferguson vs. State of Missouri (FindLaw)
How Do You Get a Conviction Vacated? (FindLaw's Blotter)
Facebook Post Helps Overturn Detroit Brothers' Murder Convictions (FindLaw's Decided)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I'm lucky to have some very lovely blogging buddies who are helping me out this week during our relocation. The delightful Steph of Steph's Joy is bringing us all a lot of joy today with her Strawberry Sour Cream Cake. One word…YUM and also a couple more "thank you", so much Steph.
I hate wasting food and often try to use up the ingredients in the fridge with a short life span, i.e. an expiry date. Well this past week the sour cream was to get ditched so I set myself a challenge to use it. As strawberries are currently in abundance, and oh so cheap, I thought I'd use these two ingredients to make a cake. Introducing Steph's Joy Strawberry Sour Cream Cake. It's a little denser than normal cakes but so delicious.
Spoon 1/3 C cake mix into the prepared tin, layer with cut up strawberries and repeat with the remaining mixture.
Best enjoyed with a cuppa!
Steph's Joy is the personal blog of a Sydney Mama & design student. She loves telling stories, capturing moments, making things & chocolate; lots of it!
Do you create things from your fridge that are about to expire? Do you like to use seasonal produce?
Yum, love strawberries and this looks like a delicious cake. I'm pretty confident that is how 99.9% of my recipes are created! When the food looks a little sad I will feel inspired to make it into something delicious.
Thanks Krissy! Love your inspiration!
My pleasure thank you for your lovely cake! We will sleep in the new house for the first time on Monday – it's a bit of a construction site at the moment but we are looking forward to being in.
Oh I do this all of the time, I absolutely HATE throwing food away! What a fab looking cake, I've got a big stash of strawberries in the freezer that I can use to make this too.
Such a yummy cake isn't it.


text:
YA Featuring Characters with a Visual Impairment
Description: Check out this collection of young adult novels featuring characters with visual impairments. (These books are suitable for readers ages 13 and up or in grades 8 and up.) #teens #disability
Showing 1 through 25 of 30 results
Sort: By titleBy date added to Reading ListBy author
Results per page: 2550100
Blind Sighted
by Peter Moore
Kirk, a creative misfit who is in trouble at high school because he is bored with his classes, learns to deal with his alcoholic mother, new friends, and life with the help of a blind young woman who hires him to read to her.
The Young Unicorns
The young unicorns is a novel of suspense set in New York City's Upper West Side near a great cathedral, where much of the action takes place. The large cast of characters includes the Austin family and Canon Tallis (already well known to L'Engle fans), but the most important are Emily Gregory and Josiah (Dave) Davidson.
Emily is a brilliant girl musician of twelve who has been blinded in an accident that occurred in her home under peculiar circumstances. Emily has learned Braille and manages to continue with her music and school studies with the help of seventeen-year-old Dave, who acts as her reader. Dave is a gifted, intelligent boy from a broken family and had at one time been a member of a tough gang known as the Alphabats. These young hoodlums have a bad influence on the life of their section of the city.
When the story opens, Dave has broken with the Alphabats and is finding, through his work with Emily and his acquaintanceship with the Austins, who live upstairs in Emily's house, a new and more satisfactory life. When the Alphabats try to force Dave back into their orbit, he resists them.
But gradually we learn that something more sinister than the mere gang rituals of adolescent goons is taking place: that an evil intelligence is operating on a far more dangerous level and that not only Emily and Dave, but the Austin children too, and even their father, are targets for corruption or destruction. How they are saved is the climax of a highly original story that mirrors much of the violent disturbance of life in our cities today."
by Priscilla Cummings
In many ways, Natalie O'Reilly is a typical fourteen year old girl. But a routine visit to the eye doctor produces devastating news: Natalie will lose her sight within a few short months. Suddenly her world is turned upside down. Natalie is sent to a school for the blind to learn skills such as Braille and how to use a cane. Outwardly, she does as she's told; inwardly, she hopes for a miracle that will free her from a dreaded life of blindness. But the miracle does not come, and Natalie ultimately must confront every blind person's dilemma. Will she go home to live scared? Or will she embrace the skills she needs to make it in a world without sight?
by Sarah Miller
Annie Sullivan was little more than a half-blind orphan with a fiery tongue when she arrived at Ivy Green in 1887. Desperate for work, she'd taken on a seemingly impossible job—teaching a child who was deaf, blind, and as ferocious as any wild animal. But if anyone was a match for Helen Keller, it was the girl who'd been nicknamed Miss Spitfire. In her efforts to reach Helen's mind, Annie lost teeth to the girl's raging blows, but she never lost faith in her ability to triumph. Told in first person, Annie Sullivan's past, her brazen determination, and her connection to the girl who would call her Teacher are vividly depicted in this powerful novel.
Ghost Boy
by Iain Lawrence
Harold Kline is an albino--an outcast. Folks stare and taunt, calling him Ghost Boy. It's been that way all of his 14 years. So when the circus comes to town, Harold runs off to join it. Full of colorful performers, the circus seems like the answer to Harold's loneliness. He's eager to meet the Cannibal King, a sideshow attraction who's an albino too. He's touched that Princess Minikin and the Fossil Man, two other sideshow curiosities, embrace him like a son. He's in love with Flip, the beguiling horse trainer, and awed by the all-knowing Gypsy Magda. Most of all, Harold is proud of training the elephants, and of earning respect and a sense of normality. Even at the circus, though, two groups exist--the freaks, and everyone else. Harold straddles both groups. But fitting in with those who are "normal" comes at a price, and sometimes it's recognizing the truth beneath what's apparent that ultimately leads to happiness . . . and turns a boy into a man.
Secondhand World
by Katherine Min
Isadora Myung Hee Sohn--Isa--has just spent ninety-five days in a pediatric burn unit in Albany, New York, recovering from the fire that burned her house and killed her parents. Moving back in time, Secondhand World casts a devastating spell, revealing the circumstances that led to the fire. Growing up the daughter of Korean-born parents, Isa is bullied by American classmates and barely noticed at home. Seeking the company of another outsider, Isa falls in love with Hero, an albino boy. But what starts out as a small teenage rebellion sets in motion a series of events and revelations Isa never could have foreseen.
Girl, Stolen
Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen--with her inside! Griffin hadn't meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne's father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes now there's a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn't know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?
by Jeanette Ingold
A girl, blinded by the auto accident that killed her mother, comes to terms with her disability--and her new life.
Light a Single Candle
by Beverly Butler
After fourteen-year-old Cathy Wheeler loses her sight, she learns to cope through the help fo her supportive family, the effective but Spartan School for the Blind, and ultimately her new guide-dog, Trudy.
Do You Dream in Color?
by Laurie Rubin
Colors, Rubin tells us, affect everyone through sound, smell, taste, and a vast array of emotions and atmospheres. She explains that although she has been blind since birth, she has experienced color all her life. In her memoir Do You Dream in Color?, Laurie Rubin looks back on her life as an international opera singer who happens to be blind. From her loneliness and isolation as a middle school student to her experiences skiing, Rubin offers her young readers a life-story rich in detail and inspiration drawn from everyday challenges. Beginning with her childhood in California, Rubin tells the story of her life and the amazing experiences that led her to a career as an internationally celebrated mezzo-soprano. Rubin describes her past as a "journey towards identity," one she hopes will resonate with young people struggling with two fundamental questions: "Who am I?" and "Where do I fit in?" Although most of us aren't blind, Rubin believes that many of us have traits that make us something other than "normal." These differences, like blindness, may seem like barriers, but for the strong and the persistent, dreams can overcome barriers, no matter how large they may seem. This is what makes her story so unique yet universal and so important for young readers.
The Tragedy Paper
by Elizabeth Laban
Perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why and Looking for Alaska, Jennifer Weiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author, calls Elizabeth LaBan's The Tragedy Paper "a beguiling and beautifully written tale of first love and heartbreak." It follows the story of Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is "Enter here to be and find a friend." A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants--he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential "It" girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving's most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving's version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school's least forgiving teacher. Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their secrets.
by Tara Sullivan
Thirteen-year-old Habo has always been different--light eyes, yellow hair and white skin. Not the good brown skin his family has and not the white skin of tourists. Habo is strange and alone. His father, unable to accept Habo, abandons the family; his mother can scarcely look at him. His brothers are cruel and the other children never invite him to play. Only his sister Asu loves him well. But even Asu can't take the sting away when the family is forced from their small Tanzanian village, and Habo knows he is to blame. Seeking refuge in Mwanza, Habo and his family journey across the Serengeti. His aunt is glad to open her home until she sees Habo for the first time, and then she is only afraid. Suddenly, Habo has a new word for himself: Albino. But they hunt Albinos in Mwanza because Albino body parts are thought to bring good luck. And soon Habo is being hunted by a fearsome man with a machete. To survive, Habo must not only run, but find a way to love and accept himself. Note: Glossary and Resources are included at the end of the book.
The Heart Of Applebutter Hill
by Donna Hill
Imagine you're 14 and in a strange country with your camera, your best friend, her guitar and her dog. You uncover a secret and are instantly in danger.
Join Baggy, Abigail and Curly Connor as they explore Elfin Pond, sneak around Bar Gundoom Castle and row across an underground lake. The powerful Heartstone of Arden-Goth is hidden nearby, and corporate giants unleash a spy to seize it. Compelled to unmask the spy and find the Heartstone, they can't trust anyone.
As summer heats up, their troubled friend Christopher is viciously bullied and an armed stranger terrorizes Abigail and Baggy. The friends disagree about the spy's identity, but are convinced it's a teacher.
When a desperate Christopher shows up one night with a terrified cat, the truth is revealed. Soon, police are involved.
Things That Are
by Andrew Clements
Alicia may be blind, but that doesn't mean she can't see what's happening right in front of her eyes. Like how her parents try to give her freedom. Or how Bobby, now Robert, has returned to figure out their relationship. Or even the invisible man, William, and just how dangerous he is to Alicia, to Robert, to their whole family, or so the police say. Or is Alicia wrong this time? If her normally sharp instincts are wrong, the results could be disastrous.
From award-winning author Andrew Clements, here is a novel full of adventure, romance, and mystery, which at its heart is about trusting even things we know but cannot see. .
Akata Witch
by Nnedi Okorafor
Read Nnedi Okorafor's blogs and other content on the Penguin Community. Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria, but she was born American. Her features are African, but she's albino. She's a terrific athlete, but can't go out into the sun to play soccer. There seems to be no place where she fits. And then she discovers something amazing-she is a "free agent," with latent magical power. Soon she's part of a quartet of magic students, studying the visible and invisible, learning to change reality. But will it be enough to help them when they are asked to catch a career criminal who knows magic too?
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.
Young Readers Choice Award Winner, 2015
The Schwa was Here
They say his clothes blend into the background, no matter where he stands. They say a lot of things about the Schwa, but one thing's for sure: no one ever noticed him. Except me.
My name is Antsy Bonano, and I was the one who realized the Schwa was "functionally invisible" and used him to make some big bucks. But I was also the one who caused him more grief than a friend should.
So if you all just shut up and listen, I'll tell you everything there is to know about the Schwa, from how he got his name, to what really happened with his mom. I'll spill everything. Unless, of course, "the Schwa Effect" wipes him out of my brain before I'm done....
by Anthony Doerr
From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the beautiful, stunningly ambitious instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure's reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum's most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure's converge.
Pulitzer Prize Winner
by Rachel Dewoskin
When Emma Sasha Silver loses her eyesight in a nightmare accident, she must relearn everything from walking across the street to recognizing her own sisters to imagining colors. One of seven children, Emma used to be the invisible kid, but now it seems everyone is watching her. And just as she's about to start high school and try to recover her friendships and former life, one of her classmates is found dead in an apparent suicide.
Fifteen and blind, Emma has to untangle what happened and why, in order to see for herself what makes life worth living. Unflinching in its portrayal of Emma's darkest days, yet full of hope and humor, Rachel DeWoskin's brilliant Blind is one of those rare books that utterly absorbs the reader into the life and experience of another.
by Rebecca Alexander and Sascha Alper
Even a darkening world can be brilliantly lit from within.
Born with a rare genetic mutation called Usher Syndrome type III, Rebecca Alexander has been simultaneously losing both her sight and hearing since she was a child, and was told that she would likely be completely blind and deaf by age 30. Then, at 18, a fall from a window left her athletic body completely shattered.
None of us know what we would do in the face of such devastation. What Rebecca did was rise to every challenge she faced. She was losing her vision and hearing and her body was broken, but she refused to lose her drive, her zest for life and - maybe most importantly - her sense of humor. Now, at 35, with only a sliver of sight and significantly deteriorated hearing, she is a psychotherapist with two masters' degrees from Columbia University, and an athlete who teaches spin classes and regularly competes in extreme endurance races. She greets every day as if it were a gift, with boundless energy, innate curiosity, and a strength of spirit that have led her to places we can't imagine.
In Not Fade Away, Rebecca tells her extraordinary story, by turns harrowing, funny and inspiring. She meditates on what she's lost--from the sound of a whisper to seeing a sky full of stars, and what she's found in return--an exquisite sense of intimacy with those she is closest to, a love of silence, a profound gratitude for everything she still has, and a joy in simple pleasures that most of us forget to notice.
Not Fade Away is both a memoir of the senses and a unique look at the obstacles we all face--physical, psychological, and philosophical--exploring the extraordinary powers of memory, love, and perseverance. It is a gripping story, an offering of hope and motivation, and an exquisite reminder to live each day to its fullest.
She is Not Invisible
by Marcus Sedgwick
Laureth Peak's father is a writer. For years he's been trying, and failing, to write a novel about coincidence. His wife thinks he's obsessed, Laureth thinks he's on the verge of a breakdown. He's supposed to be doing research in Austria, so when his notebook shows up in New York, Laureth knows something is wrong.
On impulse she steals her mother's credit card and heads for the States, taking her strange little brother Benjamin with her. Reunited with the notebook, they begin to follow clues inside, trying to find their wayward father.
Ahead lie challenges and threats, all of which are that much tougher for Laureth than they would be for any other 16-year old. Because Laureth Peak is blind.
Not If I See You First
by Eric Lindstrom
Parker Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently just because she's blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.
When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there's only one way to react-shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that's right, her eyes don't work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago.
But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened--both with Scott, and her dad--the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.
Combining a fiercely engaging voice with true heart, debut author Eric Lindstrom's Not If I See You First illuminates those blind spots that we all have in life, whether visually impaired or not.
Brother Ray
by Ray Charles and David Ritz
Ray Charles (1930-2004) led one of the most extraordinary lives of any popular musician. In Brother Ray, he tells his story in an inimitable and unsparing voice, from the chronicle of his musical development to his heroin addiction to his tangled romantic life.
Overcoming poverty, blindness, the loss of his parents, and the pervasive racism of the era, Ray Charles was acclaimed worldwide as a genius by the age of thirty-two. By combining the influences of gospel, jazz, blues, and country music, he invented, almost single-handedly, what became known as soul. And throughout a career spanning more than a half century, Ray Charles remained in complete control of his life and his music, allowing nobody to tell him what he could and couldn't do.
As the Chicago Sun-Times put it,Brother Ray is "candid, explicit, sometimes embarrassing, often hilarious, always warm, touching and deeply human-just like his music. "
Things Not Seen
Bobby Phillips is your average fifteen-year-old boy. That is, until he wakes up one morning and can't see himself in the mirror. Not blind, not dreaming-Bobby is just plain invisible. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for Bobby's new condition and even his dad the physicist can't figure it out. For Bobby, that means no school, no friends, no life. He's a missing person.
Then he meets Alicia. She's blind, and Bobby can't resist talking to her, trusting her. But people are starting to wonder where Bobby is, and if he's even still alive. Bobby knows that his invisibility could have dangerous consequences for his family and that time is running out. He has to find out how to be seen again-before it's too late.
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award
Love Blind
by C. Desir and Jolene Perry
Shy high schooler Kyle Jamieson and Hailey Bosler, a musician with degenerative blindness, team up to tackle a bucket list of greatest fears in this compelling novel that explores what it means to take risks.
It starts with a list of fears. Stupid things really. Things that Hailey shouldn't worry about, wouldn't worry about if she didn't wake up every morning with the world a little more blurry. Unable to see her two moms clearly. Unable to read the music for her guitar. One step closer to losing the things she cares about the most. For a while, the only thing that keeps Hailey moving forward is the feeling she gets when she crosses something off the list. Then she meets Kyle. He mumbles--when he talks at all--and listens to music to drown out his thoughts. He's loaded down with fears, too. So Hailey talks him into making his own list. Together, they stumble into an odd friendship, helping each other tackle one after another of their biggest fears. But fate and timing can change everything. And sometimes facing your worst fear makes you realize you had nothing to lose after all.
Copy Reading List


Kshitij Jawa has been appointed as the new General Manager of Radisson Noida Sector 55. A hotelier with 13 years of hospitality experience, Kshitij will be responsible for spearheading all the operations at the property. Leading a dynamic team of 300+ associates, Kshitij will focus on parameters that drive revenue and profitability and ensure smooth functioning of the business. The new appointment highlights the hotel's plans to further boost its growth and evolution.


Ghost Watch: Where Do Things Stand After Episode 2?
Because your gaming rig deserves the very best.
Monitors have been going through somewhat of a renaissance lately thanks to advancements in GPU technology. Instead of the boring 24" 60Hz LCDs that have been around since forever, we now have monitors with higher refresh rates, adaptive refresh rate technology, quantum dot panels, eye tracking, and of course, more choices when it comes to larger size panels too. Back when GPUs were somewhat weak, there was no point in releasing a 144Hz 2560x1440 panel, or a 4k panel, for that matter, since GPU technology wasn't up to the task. Times have changed though, and now even midrange GPUs can drive a 2560x1440 panel at 60fps, so it's time to reassess what is the best monitor for gaming.
In our humble opinion, the new sweet spot is at 27" at 2560x1440 since it strikes the perfect balance between panel size, desktop real estate, price, and features. Sure you could go for a 4k monitor, but most GPUs can't run games at that resolution with all settings maxed, and on the other end of the spectrum 1080p is just too low-res for our tastes, though it is certainly good for high frame rates. Like the "three bears and three beds" scenario, the sweet spot is right in the middle between the older 1080 technology and newer 4k panels, meaning a 2560x1440 27" monitor. Throw in a 144Hz refresh rate and adaptive refresh rate technology, and you have yourself quite the sweet setup for high-res, fluid gaming.
The Asus ROG Swift PG278QR (read our review) 144Hz G-Sync monitor sports a fast TN panel and sits near the top of the Asus Republic of Gamer's (ROG) line of monitors. The only one higher up is a considerably more expensive 34-inch curved display. The ROG is a fantastic choice for gaming thanks to its 1ms response time, refresh rate overclockable to 165Hz, and a reall attractive design with razor-thin bezels on the sides.
Finding a great monitor with 4K resolution, an IPS panel, and AMD FreeSync is a tall order. But finding one with all those features plus impressive color accuracy, deep black tones, and a bevy of customization features is truly something special. The ViewSonic XG2700-4K (read our review) may not look like much, but it delivers beautiful details in games and has FreeSync too for all you Radeon rebels.
If you're on a budget, or running an AMD GPU, the Acer XG270HU (read our review) is worth a look at it delivers 2560x1440 gaming with a blistering 144Hz refresh rate, and also has AMD's FreeSync technology. You don't get all the bells and whistles though, as it lacks any height or pivot adjustment, and there's also no USB ports. Still, it's an awesome monitor for the money and you can always just put a phone book under it.
Acer could have changed this monitor's name from The Predator to The Precious, as it is indeed amazing and has specs that are as high as its price tag. The Acer Predator XB271HK (read our review) is the monitor to covet if you want glorious 4k gaming with G-Sync, but sadly its high resolution IPS panel has a lowly refresh rate of 60Hz. That's not a big deal since most GPUs can't run games at 100fps at 4K anyway. The only drawbacks to the XB271HK are its clumsy OSD and hefty retail price, and the fact that you need at least a GTX 1070 to run games at this resolution. However, if you've got the GPU and some cash tucked away, it provides a captivating gaming experience. Pair it with a great headset and you'll be in gaming nirvana.
The Viewsonic VX2778 (read our review) isn't going to win any spec sheet battles but it gets you into the world of 1440p gaming for cheap. You'll still need a potent GPU to run games at 60fps at that resolution, but you probably just upgraded your GPU and now are looking to do the same for your monitor. Though this monitor doesn't have racing stripes or RGB lights, for a lot of people that's a good thing, as its design is subtle and really nothing fancy. Its "IPS-type" panel is great for movies and photo editing too, so it's good for more than just gaming too.


text:
Q: Anagram test using C++ having compile time error Please help me to find out the reason for given compilation errors. If you think there is something wrong then please suggest it to me, as I'm new to programming.
Compilation error:
[Error] request for member 'size' in 'a', which is of non-class type 'char [10]'
[Error] request for member 'size' in 'b', which is of non-class type 'char [10]'

my code is:
#include<iostream>
#include<string>

using namespace std;

int m,n;

void swap(int* p,int* q)//swap
{
    int temp = *p;
    *p=*q;
    *q=temp;
}

int partition(char a[],int l,int h)//partition
{
    int pivot=a[h];
    int index=l;
    for(int i=l;i++;i<h)
    {
        if(a[i]<pivot)
        {
            swap(a[i],a[index]);
            index++;
        }
    }
    swap(a[h],a[index]);
    return(index);
}

void quick_sort(char a[],int l,int h)//sorting
{
    while(l<h)
    {
      int p_index;
      p_index=partition(a,l,h);
      quick_sort(a,p_index + 1,h);
      quick_sort(a,l,p_index - 1);
   }
}

void anargram(char a[],char b[])
{

    quick_sort(a,0,m);
    quick_sort(b,0,n);

    if(m==n)
    {
        for(int k=0;k<m;k++)
        {
            if(a[k]!=b[k])
            {
                cout<<"NO\n";
            }

        }
        cout<<"YES\n";
    }
    else
    {
        cout<<"NO\n";;
    }
}

int main()
{
    cout<<"enter the strings";
    char a[10],b[10];

        cin>>a;
        cin>>b;

    m = strlen(a);
    n= strlen(b);
    anargram(a,b);

    return 0;
}

A: C-style arrays don't provide any member functions, as these are primitive types (hence the compiler error).
For such an array you can use sizeof(a) to determine it's actual size within the same scope of it's declaration though.
As soon it's decayed to a pointer, you cannot determine the actual size from it.

As yours are most probably used to represent C-style NUL terminated strings, and you  probably want to use their actual size from the input, you can also use
char a[10],b[10];

cin>>a;
cin>>b;

m = strlen(a);
n= strlen(b);

I'd recommend rather to use
std::string a(10,0),b(10,0);

instead.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Best Turntables for Vinyl Newcomers
Your hunt is over: Best Stuff is GQ's destination for finding the perfect version of whatever you need. Everything we endorse has been heavily researched and thoroughly tested. You can thank us later.
By Kevin Nguyen
Photography by Matt Martin
GQ's Favorite: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC
> $399, available at Amazon
Okay, let's be honest: buying a record player is impractical. (If you want practical, buy a Sonos and call it a day.) But there's a bespoke magic to owning a turntable and building a library of vinyl LPs. Especially in a world of unlimited digital streaming, find comfort in imposing a little constraint. Think of it as a reprieve from skipping around your endless Spotify library like some kind of constantly distracted lunatic.
While there are any number of very cheap options out there, if you're setting the foundation for a killer vinyl collection, do it justice and invest in a turntable that's going to make those records sound great. (Also necessary: a decent phono preamp, a receiver, and speakers—no one said this would be cheap.) It should be simple to set up. But unlike the other electronic appliances in your home—your Blu-ray player, your neglected Wii—a record player should also be beautiful. You're not going to be able to hide it deep inside some Ikea console.
In short, the best record player sounds great, stands out in your living room, and isn't fussy to set up. And you'd be hard pressed to do better than the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. No sub-$1000 turntable sounds better. As a brand, Pro-Ject is a beloved turntable manufacturer among audiophiles—but also, just look at the thing. The Debut Carbon is the Eames chair of turntables. It's as soothing to the eyes as a Coltrane LP is to the ears.
4 Reasons We Love It:
1. Even bad music will sound brilliant: With the high-quality Ortofen 2M Red cartridge (which, by itself, would cost $100), all the records we tested on the Debut Carbon sounded vibrant but distinct, with a wide range of dynamics that made everything from Coltrane to the Clash to Carly Rae Jepsen (Emotion bangs) come through in all the clean, warm tones that vinyl geeks incessantly wax rhapsodic about.
2. It'll look good forever: Blessedly, we're moving into an era where home technology doesn't look like, well, technology. So why should the most old school thing in your stereo setup be any different? The Debut Carbon has the sleek simplicity of all those fetishized '60s Braun products with the contemporary high-art touches that would be at home in the MoMA. Sure, Apple would never make a turntable, but if they did, it would look like this.
3. It's the Skittles of turntables: The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon comes in a rainbow of colors. Black and white finishes are there for you, but for a bolder approach, there are several brightly colored options that really stand out.
4. Easy out of the box: Thanks to the simplicity of its belt-drive design, the Debut Carbon will only take you a few minutes to set up and a few more to tweak the counterweight. The cartridge even comes pre-installed. The only tricky bit might be the anti-skate weight, which has to be carefully hooked onto the tone arm. But if you have any issues, there are plenty of YouTube videos that'll show you exactly how.
Two More Turntables We Like:
The Budget Turntable: U-Turn Audio Orbit Basic
The Orbit Basic is a good starter turntable for anyone who isn't sure about committing. It's easy to set up, has a flat-but-even sound, and comes in five solid colors. If nothing else, it sounds a 1000x better than a comparably priced Crosley record player you might find at an Urban Outfitters. (You can also get the Orbit Plus, which upgrades the platter and the cartridge, but at $309, we'd recommend you just pay a little more and go for the Pro-ject Carbon Debut.)
> $179, available at U-Turn Audio
The Splurge: Pro-Ject Classic
If you want to go high-end, go with Pro-Ject's throwback to the '50s and '60s. With a dual platter and low-friction tone arm, the Classic brings the Pro-Ject craftsmanship we love with a beautiful retro look. It also comes in three stunning wood finishes named after the most popular baby names in Park Slope, Brooklyn—Eucalyptus, Rosenut, and Walnut.
> $1099, available at Amazon
Related Stories for GQBest Stuff


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"Natural" and "pure" don't mean you can't get a good gloss, and this organic formula is proof. It goes on with a hint of color and high shine, and leaves lips looking and feeling nourished.
No gummy formula: this is a smooth high shine gloss. Like all glosses, not much staying power. Be forewarned birthday suit is exactly that: your birthday suit, not lip-lightening at all. The tube looks like it will have a light tint but it really just comes out as clear. The tiny, tiny "shimmer" doesn't show up as shimmer to the naked eye at all but just gives more glowiness. Has natural taste and feel, not stinky chemically. It reminded me of the smell of mountains and natural springs and plants. I believe the actual smells you are smelling is the argan oil and echinacea: earthy herbal. Not much of a taste at all in fact, so that's good. A good product if this is what you are looking for. I'm not sure I will enjoy it enough to say I got my $8 worth.
It was ok, felt nice going on but I can't remember it too well which makes it just ok.
This was definitely too sticky for my liking. When the wind blew my hair was stuck to my lips, ew.
I loved this product. I wold definitely recommend it to anyone.
I love everything about this gloss! The hint of color and the consistency are prefect. It is also surprisingly moisturizing.
I am a lip gloss guru, I love any lip products. I feel like the color will move with the gloss. The coverage is extremely sheer which is okay if you want a hint of color. Its pretty sticky though. I got a different color then shown, maybe I would have liked this color better.


Who doesn't love Mary Berry! I was a huge fan of her on GBBO and admittedly have a few too many of her cooking books.
Over the Easter weekend I was in Bank Holiday bliss and fancied making a few desserts. This one caught my eye in her 'Fool Proof Cooking' book. It was so delicious I just had to share it.
Whip the double cream until just done and the add 1/2 lime juice and lemon curd. Continue to mix together.
Layer the two into a glass starting with the mango and then finishing with the cream. Place some Mango chunks on top and grate some lime and voila.
Happy eating, I'm going to get on back to sugar-free now!


– Most cars are designed to carry several occupants, generally with 4 or five seats. Automobiles with 5 seats typically seat two passengers from the entrance and three during the rear. Complete-dimensions vehicles and large sport utility cars can often carry six, 7, or maybe more occupants with regards to the arrangement in the seats. On the flip side, sports vehicles are most often made with only two seats. The differing wants for passenger capability and their luggage or cargo space has resulted in the availability of a big number of human body variations to meet unique purchaser needs that include, amongst Other people, the sedan/saloon, hatchback, station wagon/estate, and minivan.
Based on study carried out by Julian Allwood with the University of Cambridge, world-wide Power use could possibly be heavily lessened through the use of lighter automobiles, and a mean pounds of 500 kg (1,one hundred lb) has been stated for being very well achievable. In some competitions including the Shell Eco Marathon, normal car weights of forty five kg (ninety nine lb) have also been realized. These vehicles are only single-seaters (nevertheless slipping throughout the definition of an auto, Whilst four-seater automobiles are more typical), Nevertheless they Even so reveal the amount by which motor vehicle weights could nevertheless be diminished, and the subsequent decreased fuel use (i.e. around a gas usage of 2560 km/l).
The automotive market designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells the earth's motor vehicles. In 2008, much more than 70 million motor autos, like automobiles and industrial motor vehicles have been made around the globe.
, In 2007, a complete of seventy one.nine million new cars and trucks were being marketed throughout the world: 22.nine million in Europe, 21.four million within the Asia-Pacific Area, 19.4 million in the United states and Canada, 4.four million in Latin The us, two.4 million in the center East and one.4 million in Africa. The marketplaces in North The united states and Japan were stagnant, while All those in South America and also other portions of Asia grew strongly. Of the most important marketplaces, China, Russia, Brazil and India noticed probably the most immediate advancement.
. About 250 million vehicles are in use in The us. Around the globe, there were about 806 million cars and trucks and light-weight vehicles over the street in 2007; they burn up in excess of 260 billion US gallons (980,000,000 m3) of gasoline and diesel gasoline annually. The figures are raising swiftly, specifically in China and India. Inside the feeling of some, urban transportation techniques centered throughout the motor vehicle have proved unsustainable, consuming abnormal Strength, impacting the well being of populations, and providing a declining degree of provider Inspite of rising investments. A lot of of those unfavorable impacts tumble disproportionately on All those social teams who may also be the very least more likely to own and generate vehicles. The sustainable transportation motion focuses on remedies to these problems.
In 2008, with swiftly mounting oil rates, industries like the automotive market, are encountering a combination of pricing pressures from Uncooked materials expenses and alterations in consumer shopping for patterns. The marketplace can be experiencing escalating exterior competition from the general public transportation sector, as people re-Assess their private motor vehicle usage. About 50 percent from the US's fifty-one particular light-weight vehicle plants are projected to permanently close in the approaching a long time, With all the lack of One more 200,000 Positions in the sector, along with the 560,000 Positions lost this 10 years. Combined with sturdy growth in China, in 2009, this resulted in China turning into the largest car producer and sector on the planet. China 2009 income experienced elevated to thirteen.six million, a big enhance from a million of domestic automobile product sales in 2000. Since then even so, even in China along with other BRIC international locations, the automotive manufacturing is all over again slipping.
. Cars and trucks are usually equipped with many different types of lights. These involve headlights, which might be made use of to illuminate how forward and make the car seen to other end users, so the car can be utilized during the night time; in some jurisdictions, daytime operating lights; purple brake lights to indicate in the event the brakes are used; amber flip signal lights to point the convert intentions of the motive force; white-colored reverse lights to light up the realm behind the car (and point out that the driver will be or is reversing); and on some autos, extra lights (e.g., facet marker lights) to improve the visibility of the car. Inside lights within the ceiling of the vehicle tend to be equipped for the motive force and passengers. Some automobiles also have a trunk mild and, extra rarely, an engine compartment mild.


In enterprises/corporate environments, more often than not, connection to external servers/resources is via a proxy server. While developing applications for such environments, developers need to make sure that their code connects to external sites/resources via the proxy.
In this post, I restrict myself to the HTTP protocol.
The Java development platform provides multiple methods to make HTTP connections via a proxy server. However, prior to Java 1.5, there was just one way available: by setting System properties.
2. Connect to the remote server. The properties set above would be automatically picked up by the JVM.
Although, this approach is very simple, there are some obvious drawbacks.
1. This is a all or none approach. Once the properties are set, till the time the properties are removed, all connections would happen via the same proxy server.
2. The properties are set VM-wide. This might causing site effects to other parts of the application that might not need the use of the proxy server.
3. If the corporate environment has the restriction that internal systems need to be accessed directly, whereas the external systems need to be accessed via the proxy, then this approach will fail.
With Java 1.5, the developer is provided with a more powerful and flexible approach via the Proxy class.
Now, we need to use the above defined proxy while opening a URL Connection. For this, the URL class provides a new overloaded method openConnection(Proxy proxy) that accepts a Proxy instance.
That's all. No system-wide settings are required.
The Proxy.NO_PROXY static member forces the connection to retrieve the defined URL directly bypassing all proxy settings.
The proxy class also allows you to define a SOCKS proxy by using the type Proxy.Type.SOCKS.
Thus, as you can see, with Java 1.5 and above, the developer has more control while connecting via proxies.
Java 1.5 provides another class called the Proxy Selector which gives even more control by allowing dynamic selection of proxies. I will cover that in another post.
This entry was posted in Java and tagged Java 1.5, java.net Enum Proxy.Type, java.net.Proxy, java.net.Proxy.NO_PROXY, Proxy class, URL Connection via proxy. Bookmark the permalink.
How can I make the http proxy to use the credentials passed by me rather than using the user credentials from the system ?


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About the 945th
WWII Organizations
Time On Target – Chapter 6
Introduction | Chapter 6 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10
Chapter 6 – Utah Beach and the European Theater
"UTAH BEACH – 12 AUGUST 1944"
FINAL PREPARATIONS – ENGLAND
The 945th did not stay in Scotland for long, heading by train from Glasgow to Nuneaton, England. The howitzers and equipment were shipped separately, and were picked up at Liverpool during the month that the 945th spent at Nuneaton (I20). Nuneaton was near Coventry, the English city that had a forty square block area destroyed by a Luftwaffe attack earlier in the war (I36). The advance party with Major Gray and T/5 Charles Schwarz had arrived earlier on the Queen Elizabeth, sailing from New York to Greenoch, Scotland (I14). The first entry in the War Diary of the 945th FAB in the ETO is from 1 to 4 August:
"Battalion was located 1 mile W. of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, (vk 7909 British Cassini). Troops were quartered in Nissen huts in Arbury Park, estate of the Fitzroy-Newdigates. Equipment was being drawn and prepared for overseas move- ment which curtailed training activities drastically."
The howitzers were calibrated to ensure accuracy once the real action started (I36). The calibration took place in England. The calibration identified which howitzers fired approximately the same distance, and those with similar characteristics were grouped together in each firing battery (I36). There were 12 howitzers that for the three batteries. A medium artillery battalion (155mm M1) in World War II had the following allocation (1):
12 – 155mm M1 howitzers
29 officers
500 enlisted men
2 warrant officers
21 – .50 cal. machine guns
454 – .30 cal. machine guns
40 – 2.36 inch anti-tank rockets
16 – M5 tractors
17 – 1/4 ton trucks
19 – 3/4 ton weapons carriers
8 – 3/4 ton command and recon truck
1 – wrecker, heavy
By June 1944 the Army authorized over 530 tractor and 500 truck drawn medium artillery battalions (1). Other training took place, including a demonstration of how the German uniforms blended into the background foliage (I47). The cosmolene, a protective coating put onto the tractors, howitzers and everything else mechanical to resist corrosion, had to be removed by the men – a messy job.
While in England the men had a chance to visit and become acquainted with English customs. Ed Hinkel did not learn quite fast enough as he was slapped by an English girl for making an innocent comment that she was "nice" (I22). Unfortunately for Lawrence Literal, he discovered the "right" side of the road at little late to avoid disaster. Literal's First Sergeant had purchased a bicycle so he could "ride down the main street of Berlin", and Literal borrowed it one evening to go into town on a pass. Another fellow in the 945th had a bike, and they were "splitting the wind" – on the wrong side of the road! Nearing the bottom of a hill they met an Englishman on a bike. The Englishman, recognizing that the foolish Americans were on the wrong side of the road switched sides. Unfortunately so did Literal and they collided head-on. Literal sailed 10 feet through the air and broke his shoulder. A nurse who lived nearby revived him with a "slug of whiskey", and the MPs that arrived assumed he had been drinking. They finally convinced the MPs that he was not under the influence. While recuperating he was able to visit his brother who was an MP with the Army Air Corps. Literal rejoined the 945th in Luxembourg.
Walter Kline was also able to visit a brother who was near Birmingham with the 82nd Airborne Division. The 82nd dropped behind Utah Beach in the early hours of June 6 to secure the inland routes to the beaches. The majority of the time in England consisted of equipment preparation and howitzer calibration. On 6 August the howitzers were calibrated and service practice was conducted to ensure that the batteries could remain in supply during active combat operations. The use of aircraft was also practiced to conduct fire missions. The pilots would proceed to France from a separate marshalling airfield. And of course, many administrative and organizational aspects of being ready to enter the war continued through 8 August.
On 9 August the battalion left bivouac at 0400 and arrived at the marshalling area near Piddlehinton. The trip was conducted at night to conceal movement, and the weather was drizzly and foggy. The cobblestone streets were very slick and one tractor slid into a building. No time to stop, they just backed out and kept going (I36). The batteries were divided up into teams for transport to Utah Beach. Larry Horning said the equipment was backed onto the transport ships so they could roll right off upon landing at Utah Beach (I17). The years of training, anticipation, and planning finally came to an end on 11 August 1944 when the 945th FAB departed Portland Harbor for Utah Beach.
THE STRATEGIC SITUATION IN THE ETO
When the 945th arrived at Utah Beach on 12 August 1994 it was almost D+70 from the Normandy Invasion, and the fighting was well inland as the American, British and Canadian armies were beginning to close on the Argentan-Falaise gap (2). The US Third Army under General George Patton, which had been formed on August 1, was pushing hard within a week pursuing Germans following the Operation COBRA breakout at St. Lo. General Ira T. Wyche, former commander of the 74th Field Artillery Brigade at Camp Blanding, was now in charge of the 79th Infantry Division, a key division in the Third Army at Falaise (2).
The XII Corps was activated under the Third Army by mid-August, although the advance units for the Corps had arrived on 27 July, three days after the official end of the Normandy Campaign (thus no fifth battle star for the XII Corps). Major General Gilbert R. Cook was in command of the XII Corps and had been since they geared up at Fort Jackson near Columbia, South Carolina. He was replaced due to health reasons on 19 August by General Manton Eddy from the 9th Infantry Division.
The 945th FAB was assigned to the 182nd Field Artillery Group, a unit that originated as a Michigan National Guard regiment in the Detroit, Michigan area prior to World War II (3). The 182nd FAR trained initially at Fort Knox, then Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. The 177th Field Artillery Group, which included the 177th FAB and the 943rd FAB, was the sister unit to the 182nd back in Michigan. The 945th FAB was under the control of both of these Field Artillery Groups during the war, but the 182nd Field Artillery Group was the permanently assigned organization (3). The XII Corps History – Spearhead of Patton's Army, mentions the 182nd as being one of the "combat charter members" of corps, with assignment taking place immediately after arrival on 12 August (4).
DEPARTURE FOR UTAH BEACH
Two LSTs (Landing Ship Tank) and two LCTs (Landing Craft Tanks) were used. They were LSTs B1220 and B1221, and LCTs B178 and B179. It should be noted that LSTs were large ships, 328 feet in length and displacing over 4,000 tons and capable of carrying 20 medium tanks on the tank deck (2). The LSTs and LCTs were boarded by the 945th late in the afternoon of 11 August, and the ships spent the night at anchorage near Portland Harbor. The following day the ships headed for Utah Beach.
When the XII Corps headquarters was in transit to Utah Beach on 24-26 July, two weeks before the 945th joined them, they saw the aircraft headed for the St. Lo area, the site of the "Normandy Breakout" during Operation Cobra. Unfortunately, many of the aircraft dropped their bombs short of the targets near St. Lo, killing many Americans including General Lesley J. McNair, who was forward to observe the kick-off of Operation Cobra. His death was concealed for several weeks in an effort to confuse the Germans over where Patton was to be assigned (2).
On the way to Utah Beach Cruser observed a US destroyer firing in rapid succession at some inland target. That's when he "first began to get the distinct impression that things could get hot as hell around here pretty soon" (I36). The trip over was such that Roy McMahan was afraid that some of the equipment might be lost overboard (I26), although Gino Ricci remembered the seas being "like glass" (I20). The thought of landing on a potentially hostile beach was a concern, and Steve Giacovelli said that thinking about the landing was scary, as were most days of the war – a very understandable thought given the capability of the Germans to inflict casualties on Americans.
ARRIVAL: UTAH BEACH
"The biggest event was Utah Beach for the real thing, the rest is history" said Richard Bish (I3). The LSTs and LCTs disembarked the battalion between 2000 (eight pm) and 2300 (eleven pm). The LSTs and LCTs were run right up onto the beach with anchors deployed behind the ships. There was less than one foot of water as the men and equipment unloaded (I36). Two white tapes had been laid down to indicate the area that had been cleared of mines (I4). When the men and equipment were unloaded the ships waited until high tide and then using the anchors they pulled themselves back out to the depth were t hey could maneuver and turn around for the trip back. The LST crews even shared some food, a bit of a drink with the men on Wallace Bolton's ship, a nice gesture from men that were in a much safer occupation (I17). DeWitt Scarborough remembered fondly the cherry pies that the crew of the LST shared with the 945th men (I34). They enjoyed the pies they provided during the entire trip over, a nice touch of home before entering the shooting war.
In late July when the XII Corps HQ reached Utah Beach they observed many barrage balloons that prevented strafing aircraft from attacking the beach, hulks of ships destroyed near the beach (possibly the USS Corry, the only American ship lost during the landings), and they heard the periodic rumble of distant artillery fire (4). The 945th men saw a similar scene two weeks later when they came across. The beach had blimps, planes, and search lights (I20). Dale Curfman remembered he buildings that were still burning near Utah Beach (I40). Fred Mackey said that the front when they landed was 150 miles from the beaches (it wasn't that far), and that was "just the right distance for me, if I could keep it like that" (I43)!
However, Utah Beach was much safer than the morning of 6 June when the 29th Infantry Division landed. Although not as heavily contested as Omaha Beach, the 29th suffered great losses as they pushed inland towards St. Mere Eglise where the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions were opening routes of advance for the Americans and shutting off routes to the Germans (2). When Bob Frey (HQ) came ashore after a rough trip from England in early October. Frey was a replacement from the 97th Infantry Division he found a similar situation at Utah Beach, lots of mud and dysentery (I6). Frey was assigned to the 945th from the Replacement Depot near Utah even though he had no field artillery training, but as he said, "you don't ask questions". The battalion was east of Nancy when he joined them as a radio operator.
On 14August General Patton offered a speech to his Third Army staff that after only two weeks in combat they had "advanced further and faster than any Army in the history of war" (2). Patton and his army were at their best when pursuing the Germans relentlessly, and Patton's style was perfectly matched to the pursuit of the German Army after the Normandy breakout. It was under Patton that the XII Corps would strike deep and hard against the Germans remaining in northern France. The race across France would not slow down until reduced fuel stocks, unusually wet fall weather, and increased German resistance near the border slowed the advance.
Chapter 6 Notes
1.	Stanton, Shelby L., World War II Order of Battle, Galahad Books, New York, New York, 1984.
2.	Weigley, Russell F., Eisenhowers Lieutenants, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana, 1981.
3.	History of the 182nd Field Artillery Group, US Army Military History Institute, 204-182FA 1945, Carlisle Barracks, PA.
4.	Dyer, George LTC, XII Corps: Spearhead of Patton's Army, XII Corps History Association, 1947.
Time On Target
"Time on Target: The 945th Field Artillery Battalion in World War II", authored by William M. Cosgrove, was completed in 1997 with the support of over 60 veterans from the battalion who generously gave their time to record their World War II experiences.
Publisher: William M Cosgrove (February 1997)
Download the Book
Part 1 (11.4MB PDF)
Part 2 (3.3MB PDF)
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For 15 years, every three to six months my anxiety rose before a checkup and then subsided when my oncologist said those magic words, "the cancer is still controlled." I am sure the feeling of reprieve created by the phrase is similar to what those waiting execution experience when they hear their sentence will be delayed pending an appeal.
The emotion occurs if someone just finished chemotherapy, had their cancer controlled for fifteen years or shows no evidence of cancer for twenty years. Although we experience euphoria when hearing the good news, our joy has a flipside—complacency.
The more we hear the "good news," the more complacent we become. Why review the difficult, painful, or embarrassing things we did when we can put them off for later? Where's the urgency? The adage "if it's not broke, don't fix it" applies not only to physical objects but also to attitudes. The "good news," is a wonderful reprieve but also one that delays self-reflection.
If you read my articles or books on living with cancer, you know I never use the phrase, "cancer survivor." I prefer "a person living with cancer." I do not have an aversion towards being hopeful, but if one cancer cell remains, it will try to divide uncontrollably, if not today, then tomorrow or next year.
Since my PSA (Protein Specific Antigen)—a measure of prostate cancer—remained low for fifteen years, I almost unperceptively reverted back to my unexamined pre-cancer life. I am the nonsectarian equivalent to a religious "backslider." As long as my testosterone level was low (regular hormone injections bring it down) so was the PSA. Small PSA numbers are a sign circulating cancer cells remain microscopic—too small to develop tumors.
Despite a perfect statistical relationship between low PSA and low testosterone levels, a new disturbing finding became apparent. My PSA is taking longer to go lower and the levels are not approaching past reductions. These are indications some cells are no longer dependent upon testosterone for food; they are learning how to get nourishment from other sources.
These cells are not concerned how little testosterone is in my body; they will keep growing unless something either kills them or keeps them perpetually hungry. A phenomenon of most cancers is their ability to outsmart drugs and medical procedures designed to destroy them. I have been lucky until now my cancer is a slow learner.
Complacency is a translucent curtain many people living with cancer create when results are negative over a long period. It is so much easier to assume nothing will change, and there is no need to plan for a difficult treatment protocol or a shortened life. Complacency in some cases prevents us from dealing with death.
So what's the next step? My oncologist was never complacent about my treatment and is preparing if the assault materializes. Although I was complacent, I radically changed my diet—something I should have done years ago. No more complacency about what I can do physically to combat my cancer. That is the easy part. So what am I doing with my mind?
I do not intend to go back to bed and spend my time watching reruns of Law and Order as I did when I first learned I had cancer. Instead, I hope to regain those emotions and thoughts I had following the first years of hearing the "good news." It is not a depressing choice, but an enlightening one taught to me by hospice patients.
I served hospice patients for eight years and learned from them how to die and therefore how to live. One of the greatest lessons was the importance of preparing for death every day. Tibetans have a saying, "Tomorrow or Eternity. We never know what will come first." The message is clear: live every day as if it is your last—the lesson I forgot after hearing the "good news" at least forty-five times over a fifteen-year-period. Maybe I am the slow learner.
I am no longer so delusional to believe I will outlive my cancer's ability to form tumors. Unless I am hit by a bus, my cancer will eventually take my life—not in the immediate future, but probably before Superbowl LVIII. And if the cells do not; if advances in immunology and lifestyle hold them in check? The worst thing that will happen is my disease will become a distant memory, and I re-examined my life making it more meaningful.
Few people wake up in the morning and with gusto contemplate their death. Yet, maybe that is what everyone should do—especially anyone who lives with cancer. Of course, I wish to die of "old age," (whatever that is) rather than from prostate cancer, but I already had a fifteen-year reprieve. And with luck, I will be around long enough to teach my three-year-old granddaughter how to flyfish and tell her stories about my life she most likely will not believe.
Never took you for a 'Law and Order' kind of guy. Miss you. Can't remember the last time I was in SF. Soon—-you, me and Greg!
Thank you both for your kind words. I can imagine how difficult it has recently been given yours and Allan's loss.
Thank you Stan for the beautiful words and the truth of the importance to stay in the moment no matter cancer or no cancer. My sister has been dealing with lung cancer (Mesothelioma) for a year and a half now, and has been an inspiration to us all as to how positive she has stayed. Pat and my thoughts are with you in your journey.
Thanks for your kind words Maryann. I'm glad the article resonated for you. It's so easy to become complacent when things are going well. When we receive that "wake-up" call, we can choose to ignore it, pretend it's meaning isn't foreboding, or thankful for the additional time we were given and make the rest of what's left as meaningful as possible. I choose door number 3, Monte!
A lovely, thoughtful article on the fragility of life – I try to remember, everyday, that it might be my last, and to appreciate the beauty of nature and our relationships. You are a natural writer!
Thank you, Kimberley for your kind words.
Another great article, Stan. You're such a wonderful writer! And I love the picture! I'm excited to hear the article about the fly fishing lesson she gets from you, even if I have to wait 15 years.
Stan, I love you. I stand with you. I appreciate all you have done for me and all you have taught me on my cancer journey. I'm grateful for your 15 years plus each additional day as it comes.
Your words humble me. I hope to increase our 15 years by many more.
About 15 years ago, you wrote a blog page that all but said "Goodbye" to everyone. I wrote you that was so simply wrong — and you have been taking now at least one supplement we send you all this time. Here is more "data" on another one: "Melatonin increased the rate of complete or partial remission by nearly 50%. An Italian researcher, found that patients suffering from glioblastoma, a lethal type of brain cancer, and receiving conventional radiotherapy plus 10 mg of melatonin reaped the benefit of a 43% one-year survival rate, compared to a survival rate of less than 1% for the placebo (supportive care only) group. Metastatic breast cancer patients who took 20 mg of melatonin alongside Tamoxifen had a one-year survival rate of 63%, in contrast with a mere 24% survival rate for the placebo group. " Those are astounding results. And that is just for melatonin [super safe and trivial and cheap]. For those not so married to the presumption that the world of oncology has all the options, there are a few more of these with equally surprising benefits. So I will email you [yet again] about a few of them. All your fans will be so appreciative if you would review these and consider adding a few. We'll all chip in and pay for it. So far my average client is 19 years into their Mayo Clinic "prognosis" that they have about 6 more weeks to get things in order. Don't make me have to come there and beat sense into your head. Advice from a friend and GREAT admirer.
Thank you Steve. I will add melatonin to my daily regime (food, supplements, meditation, exercise, etc.). You won't have to come to SF to beat sense into my head–although I visit to relive our days at Pitt is always welcome.
Forgetfulness, complacency, seems to be our common condition. Living with full awareness and appreciation, as you describe, really takes effort. But even a little goes a long way!
I hope you see that Super Bowl, and we continue to have the benefit of your wisdom.
Thank you Michael for your good thoughts. Wouldn't it nice if we could learn the most fundamental truths about life over a vintage Bourbon rather than a deadly illness? But alas, I guess our mind needs to be shocked out of its complacency. If the 49er's will be in the Super Bowl, I'll be around to cheer them on.
I learned so much from my oncology and Hospice patients! I do not fear death but I love my life! For me, this is huge opportunity to experience Life, birth of my grandsons, heartache and unbridled joy. I'm going to squeeze every bit out of this gift I can and yet… I long for the day to return Home!!
Blessings to you and yours🙏🙏.
Thanks Becki for your kind words. We are on the same page.