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Creating In/Abilities for Eating
By Dikaios Sakellariou
This article is part of the series: Inhabitable Worlds
I am lying in bed. It is 4 am. The TV is flickering. I am listening for it, I am waiting for it. Next to me a gentle tossing. Time for suctioning? I go over to the other side of the bed so we can have eye contact and ask my mother if it is time for suctioning. She closes her eyes for a second, indicating that yes, that's what she wants. I help her place the suctioning tube in her mouth and I switch on the machine. Whirrrr. We maintain eye contact. Whirrrr. Five minutes later she nods with her eyes that it's enough. I switch off the machine and we prepare to go to sleep again. (Personal diary, Autumn 2010)
My mother, Vagelio, was diagnosed with a fast progressing subtype of motor neuron disease (MND), also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in the fall of 2008. She showed the first signs of dysarthria in early 2008. Soon after, the rest of her body became weaker and her movements slower. The first function to be affected was her speech and then her arms became weaker, followed by her breathing muscles and legs. Dysphagia, caused by increasing weakness in the muscles involved in chewing and swallowing, made eating difficult. Saliva and food would pool in the mouth, necessitating regular suctioning. She could hold a pen and type on a mobile phone to communicate until a couple of months before she died in late 2010. I have saved thousands of text messages that we exchanged in the years of silence. It happened so gradually, yet so fast, that I cannot remember the last time I heard her voice. Perhaps it was in a phone call when, unable to understand what she was saying, I had asked her to repeat a word a couple of times. Or perhaps it was when she last visited me in the United Kingdom and I was translating back and forth between her and my then partner.
With my mother's speech gone and her arms getting weaker, soon to be followed by most of her facial muscles, and then her breathing muscles and leg musculature, we (my father, brother, and I) were all at a loss. Family and friends were there to help, each in their own way, but we were all struggling with one big question, particularly my mother and the immediate family: "What now? What can be done now to make life better?" As my mother's condition progressed, we had to constantly adjust and know how much help she needed: giving any more would take away the physical independence she still had; giving less would not be adequate. We each had our own understanding of the situation and our own ways of dealing with it and constant negotiations were necessary.
Living with an illness often conjures discourses of a losing battle and suffering. What is less evident in the literature is how people can live with an illness, rather than despite it. In this article I discuss certain practices that my mother and people around her mobilised in order to lead to what I have previously referred to as the good, or better, life (Sakellariou, 2015a). Practices of care involve the enabling of processes through which the person survives, both physically and metaphysically; in other words, they enable the creation of an inhabitable world. In Vagelio's inhabitable word, ideas about pathology and desire interacted to form what Jackson (2012) calls a home in the world. "A home in the world is a place where one can experience intersubjective life and feel recognized as a person" (Sakellariou, 2015b:7), rather than as a representative of a category, such as illness. Vagelio's home in the world was a place that would allow her to enact her desires about how she wanted to live her life.
Here I tell a story about trying to create a way of eating by remaking what the meaning of eating and food are in acts of caretaking. I see this remaking as a form of creating an inhabitable world. By focusing on concrete practices of care, and describing, however incompletely, what an inhabitable world can look like, especially in relation to food, I aim to raise the importance of practices of care of the self and care of the other for medical anthropologists. I also aim to draw attention to the notions of function and ability, and discuss what it means to can or to cannot eat.
Examining concrete acts of care and how these can lead to the creation of an inhabitable world touches upon questions of central importance in anthropology: What kind of an experience is illness? How do people live with illness? And how can this experience be explored when there is no voice left to tell the story? The narrative presented in this article was told through gestures, notes, gazes, and text messages and was performed through swerving, tossing, coughing, breathing, looking, pointing, and blinking. It was shared during long suctioning sessions in the evening, and while trying to find the best (quicker, so as not to remain without artificial ventilation for too long; not causing too much pressure on the neck; attentive to the weakened swallowing musculature) way of eating.
Creating a Way of Eating
The weakening of the muscles involved in chewing and swallowing made eating an increasingly laborious activity for Vagelio. Dysphagia started with difficulty drinking thin liquids such as water, leading to occasional choking episodes. It soon progressed to the point that food had to be of a uniformly smooth, soft, and relatively thick (but not too thick) consistency; i.e. blended or mashed. When dysphagia affects quality of life and nutritional intake, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is often recommended. A PEG is an opening through the abdominal wall and into the stomach through which people can receive food, water, and medication. It is standard practice in MND and can lead to improved nutrition. Vagelio's desire was to keep her body intact, which meant no PEG, although PEG was recommended soon after diagnosis. This was a desire that could lead to malnutrition and perhaps to starvation.
As my mother's condition progressed, my father, brother, and I had to help to create a way of eating. Eating can be a way to enact care and reconfigure human interactions (see for example Appadurai, 1981, and Mol, 2014), through practices that involve the preparation and consumption of food. By eating I refer both to eating as an activity and to food as a substance.
First, it was enough to help Vagelio cut her food in bite-size pieces. Then somebody had to carry her plate to the dining room. Later on, somebody had to always be there with her because of the fear of choking (I twice had to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre). When Vagelio could no longer eat solid food, initially she drank a high-energy food supplement into which she mixed other supplements. Later on somebody else had to do the mixing. Then, as the muscles in her forearms and her hands became weaker, the help needed was about positioning the mug in her hands. When her arm and shoulder musculature were too weak to help her lift her arms so that she could reach her mouth, we would first help Vagelio flex her forearms and slightly elevate her arms and then place the mug in her hands. Weakened neck musculature later on meant that two people were needed during meal times; one to help with the mug and positioning of her arms and forearms and another to protect her head by holding one hand behind it to prevent it from suddenly falling backwards (collars and chairs with neck support were not comfortable or suitable).
Vagelio constructed hope not through the medical imaginary, but through the ritualisation of technologies of self-care which seek to locate illness and direct healing accordingly. Despite the diagnosis, Vagelio often attributed dysphagia to stress, to give just one example. MND might be incurable, but stress is not. Locating the problem not in the degeneration of neurons, which cannot after all be easily observed, but in lips and a tongue that trembled due to fasciculations, and positioning these fasciculations as a psychosomatic reaction to stress, meant that healing became a question of addressing stress. Vitamins and other supplements became important elements in her increasingly shrinking daily repertoire of activities. Using these supplements entailed selecting them, and preparing them for consumption, by, for example, mixing them in fruit juice or crushing them. The first supplement was vitamin C, to avoid catching a cold. Then, it was vitamin E when we were told it might have some positive effect. Co-enzyme Q-10, pholic acid, and B-complex were added to the mix later on, as were various oils, such as linseed oil.
The process of supplement selection entailed two separate parts. One part was rooted in Vagelio's experience of MND, her day-to-day life with it. Vagelio directed this part of the selection. When she noticed a new symptom, a new weakness, she would try to address that through the addition of a supplement to her diet. Vagelio sought a cure by visiting health food and supplement stores, and consulting with nutritionists and practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine. The other part was rooted in her emerging knowledge about the mechanisms of the disease and was guided by the medical team who observed Vagelio, as well as by my brother and I. Pre-clinical trials of the co-enzyme Q-10, for example, show potentially positive effects in slowing down the process of neural degeneration and this clinical knowledge then translated into recommendations from the medical team.
In order to retain adequate nutritional intake, Vagelio started receiving high-energy liquid meal supplements. These came in different flavours: vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry among others, all of them sweet, resembling a milkshake both in colour and consistency. However, the supplements did not taste good, and we had to find ways to make this mixture more palatable; after all, food is supposed to taste good (Mol, 2014). We tried to do this by adding fruit juice or cheese to give it a different taste, for example. We had to mix all the different capsules, pills, oils, and nutrition supplements in a cup full of a liquid meal substitute to produce a thick drink of brown or yellow colour. The drink had a strong smell, because of the co-enzyme Q-10. The capsules had to be pierced so that the liquid contained within them would come out; the pills had to be crushed and the oils had to be measured. Vagelio performed all this piercing, crushing, and measuring while her dexterity allowed her to do so, and then the family would carry it out, each of us in our own way — by using a hand blender, by mixing everything manually, or by using a combination of spoons and forks to crush in a little bit of water first before adding more liquid.
To some extent, all these supplements addressed the need to create hope that things did not need to change, that everything would be all right in the end. Their use was not "about addressing the effects of illness on the physical body [but] about addressing its effects on the lifeworld of the people affected by that illness" (Sakellariou, 2015c:7). In other words, I do not think Vagelio chose those supplements in order to get better, but in order to take care of herself. In the face of an incurable illness, where the only known medication (Riluzole, which Vagelio was receiving) cannot stop or even considerably slow down the disease progression, how can people maintain hope? What practices do they engage in as part of this process and what effects do these practices have? Similarly, the practices guided by the emerging biomedical knowledge (the use of vitamin E for example, which according to pre-clinical trials might protect neurons from degeneration), were perhaps used in order to construct care. If, for biomedicine, the main site of intervention is a disease, then acts of care need to target that entity. Of course, this was an expensive way to create hope, costing an average of 200-300 euros a month (215-320 USD).
Questions kept surfacing: Is this what a good life is about? Is this a world one can live in? For Willems (2010:270)
the migration of advanced technology from the hospital to the home implies the migration of a (dreaded) form of dying to the home. In this form the body has lost all its capabilities and needs support for the most basic functions, but the mind lives on — synchronicity is lost.
The PEG can be seen as one of these technologies; it is a solution to the consequences of dysphagia, but also a reminder that the body is not functioning the same way it used to. The way the PEG is perceived is likely to lead to different decisions. DelVecchio Good (2007) notes that it is hard to not use procedures and processes deemed to be life enhancing once these become widely known and available. People, however, choose those technologies they can picture themselves using; they construct an imaginary future and choose those technologies that seem compatible with that anticipated and desired future. Some procedures can be associated with a dreaded rather than a desired future, especially when desire seeks more than survival. A good life can sometimes be about denying those processes that might attend to clinical symptoms of a disease.
What kind of future is PEG associated with? For my mother it was a dreaded future that had to be avoided. It represented a process that "signifies a radical change of what bodies are supposed to look like, and can make people feel subjected to medical technology" (Sakellariou, 2015c:5); an aberration of what the body should look like, and an affirmation that disease is winning over the body. Research suggests that she was not alone in deciding against having a PEG (Albert et al., 2001). Was there a way that PEG could have been introduced differently that would have made her decide to have it? Would a PEG have made a difference that she would have welcomed? If the process was carried out without complications and she survived it, having a PEG would have led to increased and more effortless nutritional intake. Would it however have led to the construction of a better life, to a future approximating more closely that desired future and a more inhabitable world, albeit perhaps one of a very different nature?
Jackson's reflections on the "tension between life as thought and life as lived" (2014: 43) are relevant here. Vagelio's choices seemed to be guided by an unending tug of war between trying to avoid a dreaded future and trying to construct a desired one. Most choices had a desired and a dreaded effect and it was a fine process deciding what to do, based on which effect was stronger. And here lies the paradox of this tension: in the construction of an inhabitable world, people choose those practices or ways of living that seem better than others. When something like a PEG is chosen, it cannot be undone. So, the border between practices as thought and practices as lived sometimes cannot be crossed and some practices will remain forever separated. Selecting a PEG, as an act of care that can lead to a certain kind of inhabitable world, means that in that inhabitable world receiving adequate nutrition in a comfortable way is more desired over a body-without-gastrostomy.
The creation of an inhabitable world, one that a person can call home, is not an abstract process but one grounded in concrete acts of care. Das (2014) highlights the importance of acts that might often appear to be mundane for the creation of a way of living. What acts are important depends on the context. Vagelio and the people around her remade what eating as an activity and food as a substance were about, how they were constituted, and how they were practiced. We created an inhabitable world by experimenting with the notions of what Vagelio could and could no longer do. This inhabitable world was made and remade daily. It involved flavours (sometimes strawberry, sometimes vanilla, sometimes blue cheese) and sounds (the whirr of the suctioning machine after meals or the motor of the hand blender).
A focus on how people negotiate the creation of inhabitable worlds can enrich anthropological understandings of the enactment of subjectivity and the ways people create a place of care and belonging to build a home in the world. Such focus can also help illuminate the different worldviews that people enact. Whether having a PEG, for example, is a good or a bad decision is ultimately a decision about what one's inhabitable world should look like. For Jackson different worldviews can be viewed "not as theories about the world but as existential means of achieving viable ways of living in and with the world" (2012:123), or as different and complementing ways of constructing a life one is satisfied with. This leads to two questions of central importance to anthropology: How can different worldviews best inform each other to construct a good life? And how can we be sensitive to what remains unspoken and what cannot physically be spoken? The creation of an inhabitable world depends on people collaborating and negotiating joint action into a future, which can be both known and unpredictable.
Albert, S., Murphy, P., Del Bene, M., Rowland, L., & and Mitsumoto, H. (2001). "Incidence and predictors of PEG placement in ALS/MND." Journal of the Neurological Sciences 191 (1-2):115-119.
Appadurai, A. (1981). "Gastro-politics in Hindu South Asia." American Ethnologist, 8 (3), 494-511.
Das, V. (2014). Action, expression, and everyday life; Recounting household events. In V. Das, M. Jackson, A. Kleinman, and B. Singh (eds.) The Ground Between; Anthropologists Engage Philosophy (pp. 279-306). Durham: Duke University Press.
DelVecchio Good, M. (2007). "The medical imaginary and the biotechnical embrace; Subjective experiences of clinical scientists and patients." In J. Biehl, B. Good, and A. Kleinman (eds.) Subjectivity; Ethnographic Investigations (pp. 362-380). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Jackson, M. (2012). Between One and One Another. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Jackson, M. (2014). "Ajàlá's heads; Reflections on anthropology and philosophy in a West African setting." In V. Das, M. Jackson, A. Kleinman, and B. Singh (eds.) The Ground Between; Anthropologists Engage Philosophy (pp. 27-49). Durham: Duke University Press.
Mol, A. (2014). "Language trails: 'Lekker' and its pleasures." Theory, Culture & Society, 31 (2/3), 93-119.
Sakellariou, D. (2015a). "Towards the construction of a nicer life; Subjectivity and the logic of choice." Anthropology in Action 22 (1), 46-53.
Sakellariou, D. (2015b). "Home modifications and ways of living well." Medical Anthropology: Cross-Cultural Studies in Health and Illness. In press. doi: 10.1080/01459740.2015.1012614
Sakellariou, D. (2015c). "Enacting varieties of subjectivity through practices of care; A story of living with motor neuron disease." Qualitative Health Research. In press. doi: 10.1177/1049732315584744
Willems, D. (2010). "Varieties of goodness in high-tech home care." In A.
Mol, I. Moser, and J. Pols (eds.) Care in Practice; On Tinkering in Clinics, Homes and Farms. New Brunswick: Transaction, pp. 257-276.
Dikaios Sakellariou is a lecturer at the School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University, United Kingdom. He has co-authored and co-edited A Political Practice of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapies without Borders (with Nick Pollard and Frank Kronenberg), and Politics of Occupation-centred Practice (with Nick Pollard), on the enactment and enablement of daily life and the experiences of disability and disablement.
Inhabitable Worlds is a series that examines the theoretical tools and approaches that scholars bring to the study of disability in the social sciences and humanities. It is edited by Michele Friedner (Stony Brook University) and Emily Cohen (New York University).
Book Forum––Sameena Mulla's "The Violence of Care"
The Neuroanthropology of Embodiment, Absorption, and Dissociation
The broad clinical gaze in paediatric deep brain stimulation
On dialogue: disability studies and science & technology studies
Ethics (etc) in a box: How a disinfectant spray became my friend and ally
Sakellariou D. Creating In/Abilities for Eating. Somatosphere. 2015. Available at: http://somatosphere.net/2015/creating-inabilities-for-eating.html/. Accessed January 23, 2020.
Sakellariou, Dikaios. (2015). Creating In/Abilities for Eating. Retrieved January 23, 2020, from Somatosphere Web site: http://somatosphere.net/2015/creating-inabilities-for-eating.html/
Sakellariou, Dikaios. 2015. Creating In/Abilities for Eating. Somatosphere. http://somatosphere.net/2015/creating-inabilities-for-eating.html/ (accessed January 23, 2020).
Sakellariou, D 2015, Creating In/Abilities for Eating, Somatosphere. Retrieved January 23, 2020, from <http://somatosphere.net/2015/creating-inabilities-for-eating.html/>
Sakellariou, Dikaios. "Creating In/Abilities for Eating." 15 Jun. 2015. Somatosphere. Accessed 23 Jan. 2020. <http://somatosphere.net/2015/creating-inabilities-for-eating.html/>
1 Comment Body/embodiment, Care/caregiving, Technology
One Response to Creating In/Abilities for Eating
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Power and Energy generation, especially anything to do with 'Green Power' are of particular interest to our funders and funding programmes. Minimum deal size is AUD $100 Million with no upper limit.
We have a number of funders as well as funding programmes that are particularly interested in power and energy generation projects. Of particular high demand is waste to energy projects involving local governments, Green Power, and New Technologies. The project funding requirement must be at least AUD$100 Million with no upper limit.


The first image is a recreation of the original below, which was drawn and colored in the early 1980s on poster board cut to card size. The recreation must have been done in the 1990s, but I don't remember it (like much of that decade). I still have the pack of hand drawn cards, though it is largely incomplete.


Having recently read a very good book by John M. Newman, JFK and Vietnam: Deception, Intrigue, and the Struggle for Power," I have found some illumination on the workings of such a paradigm. Toward the end of his book, Newman points out the similarities – as well as the differences – between JFK and LBJ as follows: "The key to understanding how this campaign problem differed for these two men is this: Kennedy had to disguise a withdrawal; Johnson had to disguise intervention."  That is, both Kennedy and Johnson engaged in deception, Kennedy to keep combat troops out of Vietnam while Johnson did so to get combat troops into Vietnam.
And they both did it for the same reason. Kennedy disguised withdrawal because he was fearful that if he went public with his policy, he would lose the election of 1964, being defeated as an "appeaser" of communism, as the one who "lost" Vietnam. Johnson shared the same fears. "I am not going to lose Vietnam. I am not going to be the President who saw Southeast Asia go the way that China went."  But Johnson didn't make these views public during the '64 campaign because he, like JFK, was fearful if he did so he would lose the election. So, neither man went public with his views, Kennedy disguising his withdrawal and Johnson disguising his intervention. Neither man was willing to give the American people the choice to withdraw or intervene. And both men were willing to and did engage in deception and intrigue in order to have their way.
It is important to see that this behavior is part and parcel of a policy-making or problem-solving politics. In such a politics, Vietnam was a "problem" needing a "solution" and our politicians, our officials were expected to have such a solution, which then they would "sell" to the American people. The solution thus takes precedence over "the consent of the governed" and if that consent is not forthcoming, then politicians should work around, should manipulate, should even deceive the people to implement the solution. A policy-making or problem-solving politics is a way of short-circuiting popular rule or "people power." The politicians choose both the problems and the solutions, not the people.
Hence, the chant, common during the war, "One, two, three, four, we don't want your bloody war!" was "radical" in that it rejected the policy-making paradigm. It meant, among other things, that Vietnam was not a problem, not our problem, and so we Americans had no business being there. It is only a short step from this to the idea that our intervention in Vietnam was indefensible, even immoral. A policy-making paradigm cannot deal with such an argument and, hence, has to marginalize such assertions of the popular will as thoughtless, as ignorant, as illegitimate, or as simply unworthy.


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Home > News > Park And Ride Service To Help Visitors Enjoy Kearsney Parks Over Summer Holidays
Park And Ride Service To Help Visitors Enjoy Kearsney Parks Over Summer Holidays
Dover District Council is running a free park and ride bus service to Kearsney Abbey from Kearsney Campsite during the school summer holiday weekends, and on August Bank Holiday Monday.
Free buses will run from Kearsney Campsite on Kearsney Avenue (CT16 3BU) every quarter of an hour from 10am–5pm. There will be free parking on site and last entry to the campsite for the park and ride service will be at 4.45pm.
Buses will return from Kearsney Abbey to the campsite every quarter of an hour. Buses will run from the park just after 10am and the last bus back to the campsite will leave the park at 5.52pm.
The bus will be accessible for wheelchairs and buggies. Dogs will be allowed at the driver's discretion. Please note that Kearsney Campsite car park will be locked at 6pm.
The service will run on the following days:
Sat 27 July, Sun 28 July
Sat 3 August, Sun 4 August
Sat 10 August, Sun 11 August
Sat 24 August, Sun 25 August, Mon 26 August
Sat 31 August, Sun 1 September.
Jenny Coller, Kearsney Parks Project Manager said: "Following the trial of a park and ride scheme earlier this year, we are delighted to offer this new service for these school summer holidays. Parking spaces at the parks are limited, especially with part of the car park opposite Russell Gardens closed for work on extending the car park, and the café car park closed for construction works. We continue to encourage visitors to walk or cycle, or to try out the new park and ride."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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All Access VIPs
Tiffany Haddish Cries After Meeting Oprah Winfrey on 'Ellen'
The Ellen Show via YouTube
Tiffany Haddish was brought to tears Thursday on The Ellen DeGeneres Show after she was surprised by Oprah Winfrey.
The media mogul surprised Haddish after the comedian explained how she met Winfrey earlier in her career when she was an extra on Their Eyes Were Watching God, a film Winfrey produced.
"She had walked by and I was making all the other extras laugh. ... She said, 'You're a very funny young lady.' I was like [eeeee!] and she said, 'What's your name?' I said, 'My name is Tiffany Haddish, and I'm a stand-up comedian,'" Haddish said of her encounter, which ended with Winfrey offering the 38-year-old to write letters to her.
"She never wrote back," Haddish continued, before DeGeneres brought Winfrey out to explain her reasoning. As the pair greeted each other, Haddish got emotional and began crying. "I love you," Haddish said to Winfrey with tears in her eyes.
"You're so good," Winfrey said, to which Haddish replied, "You told me that before in a dream." Haddish was then invited to show off her culinary skills to Winfrey and DeGeneres by making her recipe for collard greens.
Haddish, on Instagram, posted a photo she took with Winfrey backstage three times. "So just so yall know I posted it three times because I am that damn happy! Yes! Yes! Yes! I cried and yes I asked her to be my auntie! So all thanks to god for always coming thru you hear my prayers and answer accordingly amen!" she said.
Haddish was recently named as one of the lead voice actors for an upcoming, 10-episode Netflix animated comedy titled Tuca and Bertie. The series comes from the team behind Bojack Horseman and centers around a toucan and a songbird who live together in the same apartment building.
By Wade Sheridan, UPI.com
Copyright © 2018 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Source: Tiffany Haddish Cries After Meeting Oprah Winfrey on 'Ellen'
Filed Under: oprah winfrey
Categories: Entertainment, Television, Videos
Navy SEAL Pleads Guilty for Role in Death of Lubbock Green Beret
2021 News/Talk 1470 KYYW, Townsquare Media, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Mesure de l'innovation technologique : tirer parti de l'analyse sémantique des brevets
Le département Observatoire des Sciences et Techniques (OST) lance un projet de développement de nouveaux indicateurs pour mesurer l'innovation technologique grâce à l'analyse sémantique des brevets. Plus...
Posté par pcassuto à 21:13 - Brevets - Permalien [#]
What'S Wrong with the Patent System? Fuzzy Boundaries and the Patent Tax
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. What'S Wrong with the Patent System? Fuzzy Boundaries and the Patent Tax
Article that highlights the issues caused by the current patent system. The core of the article identifies four areas of fuzziness: patent claims are hard to interpret, the can be hidden, can be issued without an actual invention, and are flooding the marketplace. It's virtually impossible to avoid infringing on a patent these days - or at least, to be accused of an infringement - and so the cost of patent litigation is essentially a tax that has been imposed by lawyers on innovators. More...
Local Search... Patented! Again!
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Local Search... Patented! Again!
Another case of patenting the obvious. They have to fix this system - meanwhile, though, I was reading in University Business that some universities are opposing patent reforms. Left hand, shoot right foot. Also from TechDirt, see this item on how patents make innovation more difficult and more expensive. More...
Software Patents: Why Should We Care?
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Software Patents: Why Should We Care?
"Imagine a world," writes Alfred Essa, "in which Socrates not only originated the dialogue form of inquiry but also filed a patent claiming "intellectual property" rights for his invention and then vigorously enforced his patent against the Sophists to ensure the 'purity' of his learning method." This situation gets at the heart of the problem with software patents - they allow people to claim the ridiculous as 'intellectual property'. But we also need a strategy for what to do in an environemnt (such as the U.S.) where software patents are legal, which Essa provides. More...
Digging Patents
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Digging Patents
This is actually a good idea. The U.S. Patent Office is setting up a system to post new patent applications online and to invite comments from the web, using "a Digg-style rating system to allow readers to push the most relevant postings to the top where they will be reviewed by patent examiners". More...
US Patent and Trade Office Grants Re-Examination Request to Desire2Learn
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. US Patent and Trade Office Grants Re-Examination Request to Desire2Learn
This is the second re-examination request the Patent office has considered; the previous was on behalf of the open source learning management systems. In the wacky world of U.S. patents, though, Desire2Learn could end up paying even if the patent is overturned, as the East Texas kangaroo court where the case is being held has refused to stay the proceedings pending the results of the re-examination. More...
EduPatent Alerts
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. EduPatent Alerts
Michael Feldstein has performed a service by creating 'Edupatent Alerts' - essentially an RSS aggregator that will flag any post that tags or uses the word 'edupatent' (including, I guess, this one). The idea is to help educators keep each other informed as these damaging patents come down that dysfunctional pipe known as the U.S. Patent Office. "If we all make use of this system, then you won't have to rely on just a couple of bloggers (e.g., me) to be able to see everything that's relevant and post about it". More...
Ohio State Denied Trademark of the Word "THE"
By Greta Anderson. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected Ohio State University's attempt to trademark the word "THE" for its university clothing and merchandise. More...
Software Patent Ignites Firestorm in Higher Education
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. John Cox[Edit][Delete]: Software Patent Ignites Firestorm in Higher Education, Network World [Edit][Delete] November 15, 2006
Network World covers the Blackboard patent lawsuit. "It's a case in which the level of vitriol and vilification is making the long-running and now-settled patent battle between Research in Motion and NTP look like high tea at the Ritz. There are claims, counterclaims, a civil suit, an extraordinary demand from a higher education IT group and a mounting torrent of blog postings. More...
Sakai - Blackboard Patent
By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. Various authors[Edit][Delete]: Sakai - Blackboard Patent, Sakai [Edit][Delete] October 20, 2006
Sakai has commented about the Blackboard patent in its most recent newsletter. "We feel this patent is a hindrance to the free flow of innovation and communication in higher education technology." As well, Sakai Board Chair Joseph Hardin wrote to me in an email October 18, "It is important to note that we are working with the Software Freedom Law Center, along with Moodle and ATutor, and the SFLC is rather well known for upholding the interests of open source and free software developers, supporters and users. More...
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package org.zenframework.easyservices.js;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStream;

import javax.servlet.ServletException;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;

import org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Request;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Server;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.AbstractHandler;
import org.zenframework.easyservices.resource.ClasspathResourceFactory;
import org.zenframework.easyservices.resource.Resource;
import org.zenframework.easyservices.resource.ResourceFactory;

public class HttpServer {

    private final int port = 10000;
    private final ResourceFactory resourceFactory = new ClasspathResourceFactory();

    private Server server;

    public void start() throws Exception {
        server = new Server(port);
        server.setHandler(new AbstractHandler() {

            @Override
            public void handle(String target, Request baseRequest, HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)
                    throws IOException, ServletException {
                Resource resource = resourceFactory.getResource(baseRequest.getRequestURI());
                response.setCharacterEncoding("UTF-8");
                if (resource.exists()) {
                    response.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_OK);
                    InputStream in = resource.openStream();
                    try {
                        response.getWriter().write(IOUtils.toString(in, "UTF-8"));
                    } finally {
                        in.close();
                    }
                } else {
                    response.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_NOT_FOUND);
                }
                baseRequest.setHandled(true);
            }

        });
        server.start();
    }

    public void stop() throws Exception {
        server.stop();
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Travelers and locals stopped by the Pre-Emption House hotel and tavern.
Naperville's Pre-Emption House was one of the earliest hotels built west of Chicago. It was named after a federal law that allowed settlers to reserve up to 160 acres. A steady stream of easterners and immigrants journeyed west to claim land sold for just $1.25 an acre. Settlers passing through town on the north-south or east-west stagecoach routes kept business brisk. The Pre-Emption House offered a traveler a shot of whiskey, a bed for the night and breakfast, plus feed and stabling for their horse all for 35 cents.
The Pre-Emption House was not a stopover but a destination for Naperville residents. In the tavern, locals conducted business deals and celebrated with dances. They ate meals in the dining room. The Pre-Emption House hosted official government business before the construction of the first DuPage County courthouse in Naperville in 1839. Monthly Horse Market Days in front of the hotel drew farmers and dealers from all over to haggle and show off their horses.
The Pre-Emption House was built in 1834 on Main Street and Chicago Avenue. It was torn down in 1946. This re-created structure now serves as Naper Settlement's visitor center.


The Texas Longhorns added yet another victory on the recruiting trail on Monday. Frisco Wakeland offensive lineman Rafiti Ghirmai announced his commitment to Texas via a video posted on his Twitter account.
The four-star lineman chose the Longhorns over UCLA as well as offers from Alabama, Michigan and LSU among others.
The senior is the second offensive line commitment for Tom Herman and the Longhorns in the Class of 2018, joining Reese Moore from Seminole as the other commit in the trenches. He is commit No. 18 in the recruiting class and moves Texas just behind Ohio State for the best recruiting class in the country according to the 247 Sports Composite Rankings.
At 6'4″ and 290 pounds, Ghirmai is a prospect that has a lot of room to grow and has a chance to make an immediate impact on the field when he arrives in Austin.
After earning a second-team all-district selection in his first year of playing football, the senior lineman will look to anchor a Wolverine offensive line and team looking for even bigger things in 2017 after advancing to the regional semifinals in the Class 5A Division I playoffs.
Frisco Wakeland opens their season at home on September 1 against Frisco Liberty.
What is the Future of Satellite Camps?


text:
Patrick Mahomes Gets His Early NFL Regrets Off His Chest
by Bob Garcia IV twitter linkedin on November 4, 2020
Patrick Mahomes has firmly established himself as one of the game's best players through his first few seasons. The Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback's impressive start to his career has seen much growth along the way. However, there is an area to Mahomes' game that he wishes could have conducted differently.
Patrick Mahomes' quick rise to stardom
According to @EliasSports Patrick Mahomes became the 1st player in NFL history with at least 20 Pass TD (21) and 1 or fewer Int in his first 8 games of the season.
He is the 1st Chiefs player with 400 Pass yards, 5 Pass TD and 0 Int in a game pic.twitter.com/yQs9tUhnW3
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 1, 2020
RELATED: Patrick Mahomes Dodged a Bullet By Not Getting Drafted Where He Thought
Since becoming the Chiefs' starting quarterback in the 2018 season, Patrick Mahomes has experienced a meteoric rise to stardom.
Mahomes is the driving force to Kansas City's explosive offense that has seen the franchise achieve tremendous success in the last two campaigns. The Chiefs are coming off back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances and their first Super Bowl win in five decades.
The 25-year-old achieved historic individual success in the process by becoming the youngest player to win both the regular-season MVP award and Super Bowl MVP honors. Mahomes also continues to produce at a historic rate, such as becoming the fastest to reach 10,000 career passing yards and 90 career touchdown passes.
However, looking back to earlier in his brief NFL career, the star quarterback holds a regret about what one aspect he wishes he could have approached differently.
Patrick Mahomes' regrets from his early NFL career
Patrick Mahomes with a STRIKE to Hill 🎯
pic.twitter.com/SPBb4rj8YA
— PFF (@PFF) November 1, 2020
RELATED: Lamar Jackson Makes Surprising Admission About the Chiefs
Throughout his first three-plus seasons, Patrick Mahomes has continued to take strides forward in his development.
One of the areas he continues to see improvement in is his decision-making, resulting in a progressive decrease in the interception ratio. According to Adam Teicher of ESPN, Mahomes recently voiced that he would tell his younger self not to be as aggressive with his throws to avoid unnecessary mistakes.
"Earlier in my career there are some throws I wouldn't have made [this season] because they were dumb decisions at the time," Mahomes said. "There were some throws I hope I still do make. It's kind of playing with that fine line of being as aggressive as you possibly can but not being overly aggressive. I try to look back on every experience and learn from it. I think there's a lot of positives along with some negatives that I can learn from."
Mahomes has experienced some marked improvement in that area this season as he has 21 touchdown passes to one interception through the first eight games played. He has continued to decrease in that area with just five interceptions last year compared to 12 in his first full season as a starting quarterback.
The 25-year-old may be on the mountaintop as arguably the game's best quarterback, but he has found ways to improve at his craft.
Bright future ahead in Kansas City
MAHOMES WENT UNDERHAND. @patrickmahomes @tkelce
📺: #NYJvsKC on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/J6oAb5WnGm pic.twitter.com/AN5fFmz5gC
— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2020
RELATED: Super Bowls and $500 Million Aren't the Only Reasons Patrick Mahomes Signed With the Chiefs
With Patrick Mahomes showing progressive improvement in his decision-making, it has put an even brighter future ahead with the Chiefs.
Mahomes's historic $503 million extension has secured his long-term NFL home in Kansas City as the franchise's centerpiece. He has already established himself as arguably the game's best player, who is still a few years away from his physical prime.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs continue to stabilize the core group around him with long-term deals. Mahomes has an opportunity ahead to put together a career that not only could make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer but potentially the greatest quarterback in league history.
Kansas City has the structure in place to continue to put forth a highly talented roster around him. The pressure is on Mahomes to make the most of the situation that could see him guide the franchise to many years of sustained success.
Tags:Patrick Mahomes


text:
Home » Calif. Hospital Faces $50,000 Fine After Infant Abduction
Calif. Hospital Faces $50,000 Fine After Infant Abduction
KEYWORDS hospital security / kidnapping
The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital is facing a $50,000 fine after a state oversight agency reviewed the circumstances surrounding an infant kidnapping from the hospital's Mother Infant Unit in 2009.
Police arrested Leanna Patricia Arzate in February 2009 after she took an infant from the mother's room while dressed as a nurse. The baby boy was unharmed and returned to his family several hours after being taken from the hospital, says a Noozhawk.com report.
At the time of the kidnapping, there were no dedicated security guards on the floor, and nurses were responsible for screening and monitoring visitors to the unit, the report says. Since then, a security greeter was permanently posted to the hospital's Mother Infant Unit, and the hospital has implemented a badge process for individuals entering the MIU, the report said.
Access to the hospital was also limited to visitors with two entrances, and security greeters were placed in the front lobby to identify each visitor and find out the reason for his or her visit.
Both mother and child had been wearing a security bracelet that would sound if the baby left the MIU, the report said, but the child's bracelet had been removed from his ankle and not triggered, leaving Arzate able to smuggle the baby out in a large purse.
After the incident, Cottage Hospital implemented a series of security improvements, including mandatory badges for everyone who enters its hospitals in Santa Barbara, Goleta and Santa Ynez.
Increasing Infant Abductions Forces Hospitals to Stop Releasing Birth Notices
Complexities Arise in Preventing Infant Abductions
Hospitality Security: Managing Security in Today's Hotel, Lodging, Entertainment, and Tourism Environment
The Handbook for School Safety and Security


text:
A Fundação de Economia e Estatística Siegfried Emanuel Heuser (FEE) foi um órgão do Governo do Rio Grande do Sul, vinculado à Secretaria do Planejamento e Gestão, que produzia dados estatísticos e indicadores sobre o estado. Sua sede era a Casa Parreira Machado, um prédio histórico tombado pela Secretaria da Cultura do município de Porto Alegre. Foi declarada encerrada em abril de 2018.

Instituída em 1973, sua origem remonta ao antigo Departamento Estadual de Estatística (DEE), criado na década de 1930. A FEE tem como atribuição elaborar informações estatísticas e análises sobre a realidade socioeconômica gaúcha, além de subsidiar o sistema de planejamento econômico e social do Estado.

Atualmente, a FEE conta com uma equipe técnica interdisciplinar, formada por mais de 90 técnicos de nível superior, que realizam estudos, pesquisas e análises sobre a realidade gaúcha, respondendo igualmente pela organização e elaboração das estatísticas do Estado, como o cálculo do PIB estadual e municipal e das estimativas populacionais.

As pesquisas realizadas pela FEE são desenvolvidas com recursos próprios e de instituições financiadoras. A FEE busca também estabelecer convênios de cooperação técnica e parcerias com outras instituições de pesquisa e acadêmicas.

Ligações externas
 Site oficial da  Fundação de Economia e Estatística Siegfried Emanuel Heuser (FEE)
  Indicadores Econômicos FEE. Publicação trimestral da FEE que divulga análises socioeconômicas de caráter conjuntural, no âmbito das economias gaúcha, nacional e internacional.

Instituições governamentais estaduais do Rio Grande do Sul
Economia do Rio Grande do Sul
Economia e Estatística
Instituições de pesquisa do Brasil
Institutos de estatística
Instituições governamentais do Brasil

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Dunkin' Brands Updates its Executive Leadership
The Editors December 20, 2018
Dunkin' Brands Group named Jonathan Biggs vice president, operations for Baskin-Robbins U.S. & Canada and Rick Gestring, vice president, operating system and restaurant experience for its Dunkin chain. In a related announcement, the company also named Tom Manchester, senior vice president, integrated marketing for Dunkin' U.S.
Jonathan BiggsIn his new role, Biggs assumes operational responsibility for more than 2,600 Baskin-Robbins shops in the U.S. and Canada. Biggs joined Dunkin' Brands in 2008 and has assumed increasing responsibility on the Dunkin' U.S. operations team. Over the past 10 years, his roles have included field operations and new market entry for western expansion, and leading brand initiatives across technology, product and equipment platforms. Prior to Dunkin' Brands, Biggs worked at Southern Company as a project engineer, managing teams and large-scale projects within the energy sector.
Rick GestringAs VP of operating systems and restaurant experience for Dunkin', Gestring will have responsibility for developing, implementing, managing and continuously improving the restaurant management systems, equipment, procedures and tools. Gestring joins Dunkin' after nearly a decade in multiple roles at Arby's Restaurant Group, most recently as vice president, restaurant experience. His background also includes leadership positions at Peet's Coffee, Aramark, Starbucks, Don Pablo's and Taco Bell.
Tom ManchesterIn his new role, Manchester will have responsibility for culinary innovation, among other areas.


My husband has just had a tumor removed from his spinal canal.
Consultant - fantastic, he was proffesional but had a very reassuring calming manner. He ensured we both were aware as to what the operation involved and answered any questions, concerns with compasion.
The team on D9 HDSU all were fantasatic, one could not have wished for better care. I have to mention the nurse who was amazing and treated my husband with such compassion and maturity.
Finally the D8 team, from the nurses, dinner lady and cleaners, all polite, efficient and friendly.


RL and I met in at the Bicycle Tree in Anaheim, CA. The Bicycle Tree is a non profit group that accept bikes as donations, they fix the bicycles and re-sell them at very reasonable prices. They also have a full set of tools for people to work on their bikes for free. They also started an 'Earn-a-Bike' program on Thursday nights. Basically, a volunteer puts 15 hours of helping at the shop and they take home whatever bike they want.
As I arrived, Paul was teaching a young victim of a puncture how to seal it using patches. He took the time to carefully explain the procedure as the young kid watched. Once the flat was fixed, the kid took off with a big smile on his face.
I took a couple of donor bikes that were taking space in my garage. One of the bicycles needed a few adjustments that RL took care using the Bicycle Tree's tools. RL had the bicycle in riding condition and ready for sale in no time.
I've been looking for a frame for a bike project, I found a vintage Fuji Tourer frame in one of the many bikes that The Bicycle Tree has to offer.
We want to thank Paul from The Bicycle Tree for letting us hang out, for the frame and for helping out the bike community.
If you have a few unwanted bikes or parts taking space in your garage or yard take them to The Bicycle Tree, you'll be helping out a great cause and it's tax deductible.


History Essay' (m, October 2018) p?vref1 accessed Reference Copied to Clipboard. The Trouble with Nigeria, Enugu: Fourth Dimension Publishing. This means that Nigerian leaders in all sectors of life have failed to learn from history that corruptive practices retard the development of a nation and the excessive gap between the rich and poor can make the poor people to start a revolt against the. For instance, we definitely know how tragic the result of the war is from the cases of World War and Civil war in the history. Cite does lonestar require sat essays weblastEssays firstUK urlp? 4.0 history teaches US that history teaches nothing: using nigeria aase study. History begins with the handing down of tradition; and tradition means the carrying of the habits and lessons of the past into the future. But apart from the impressive plot, I paid attention to the background- it happened in the period of Civil War. Many people use historical recourses to find and form their identity, and find their ethnicity. Carr draws on sources from Nietzsche to Herodotus to argue for a more subtle definition of history as an unending dialogue between the present and the past.4 No wonder, Whitney says that history is facilitated by the formation of a true discourse of past5 through. Summary sentence here put the point to bed, mention the point and the topic, lead into the next point if you want to, and include a transition word in the sentence.
New York: The Century Co, 1889. Available from: p?vref1 Accessed Reference Copied to Clipboard. Remember, the premise of my argument is that history teaches us that history teaches nothing, put in another way; we learn from history that we do not learn from history. What happens in the present, and what will happen in the future, is very much governed by what happened in the past. Now, has Nigeria learnt anything from these? Why has the government being unable to address these nagging issues? They like a kind of personality. The most suitable answer to these interrogatives is that the government has failed to learn from history. P.108 2 Evans, Richard. Those who like history may take it because they experience various types of people and societies also how we came about, moral understanding that provides personal individuality, also to understand history and the world of work. From my own personal observation, it does occur to me that people explore the field of history for myriads of reasons which are: History is a means to understand the past and present.
Many historians put in many hard efforts to create theories about human behavior and interaction in their environment (Stearns, 2008). Since the 20th century, the study of prehistory is considered essential to avoid historys implicit exclusion of certain civilizations, such as those of Sub-Saharan Africa and pre-Columbian America. Being aware of the various types of cultures, could help the process of gaining facts from the past.


Look, new quince jelly labels!
I've been looking forward to using my new quince jelly labels on these cute little jars, and here they are. I made 5 jars (keen students of arithmetic may notice that there are only 4 jars in the photograph above, but that's because we're already eating one). The 5 jars came from 6 quinces, whereas last time I got only 2 jars from about 15 quinces…but the latter were home grown and smaller and I had to cut out some rotten parts. For the current recipe the quinces came from Abel & Cole rather than from our tree.
Pour into jars and leave to cool.
The ingredients are: quince, honey, water, lemon juice, citric acid.
The recipe that I followed called for quinces, sugar and water. I made several changes, especially substituting honey for refined sugar, and I wondered whether this led to its slowness in setting. But from some hasty internet reading, that wasn't the problem. Apparently any kind of sugar will work, provided you stir the sugar and the pectin together in an acidic environment. So I added a squeeze of lemon juice, and then some citric acid, and lo and behold it did reach setting point. Maybe it would have set eventually anyway, but the acid probably accelerated the process, and it also gives the quince jelly a nice tang.
Further investigation into the magic of pectin has told me the following, which I'll record here since I'll probably have forgotten it again by next quince season.
Pectin is a polysaccharide found in fruit - it's part of the plant cell wall and is released when the fruit is boiled in water. Different fruits have different levels of pectin. Quinces are high in pectin, as are some other sour fruits like unripe apples and citrus peel.
The way I picture it, you have your long pectin chains dissolved in the boiling water, and the pectins have branches which need to join up to hold neighbouring pectin chains together and form the 3D molecular network which makes the gel. But the branches attract water molecules, which stop them bonding together, and they are also slightly negatively charged so they repel each other. Sugar addresses the first problem, by drawing the water molecules away from the pectin. And acid fixes the second problem, by protonating the negatively charged groups so that the strands of pectin no longer repel each other, allowing them to bind together as a springy web. Spaces between the pectin strands hold pockets of dissolved honey and quince molecules, which give you a sweet aromatic hit when you eat the jelly.
And so the flavours of summer (the flowers found by the bees) and autumn (ripe quinces) are captured together in these little jars of glowing red.


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text:
Home Business 2 Easy Ways To Play Facebook's Metaverse Spending Spree
2 Easy Ways To Play Facebook's Metaverse Spending Spree
Mauldin Economics
You probably heard the news by now…
Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) is changing its name to Meta (NASDAQ:MVRS) on December 1.
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Q3 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more
1. Facebook's Shift To Metaverse
2. What Is Metaverse?
3. The Next Big Thing
4. Breaking The Internet
5. Profiting From Facebook's Spending Spree
Facebook's Shift To Metaverse
The shift comes after CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook is now a "metaverse company."
This shocked many folks, but not RiskHedge readers. I introduced you to the metaverse in February—and showed you why it will be the new internet.
Today, I'll show you two surefire ways to profit from Facebook's historic shift.
But first, you're likely wondering what this means for the 2.9 billion people who use Facebook every day?
Facebook isn't going away…
Facebook will still work like it does today.
You won't have to log in differently. You'll still be able to connect with friends and family.
Facebook is simply restructuring, just like Google did a few years ago. In 2015, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) became Google's parent company. Alphabet holds Google, YouTube, smart-thermostat maker Nest, robocar leader Waymo, and others.
Meta will become Facebook's parent company. It will own the social network and its other businesses including Instagram and WhatsApp.
But Facebook is changing in one major way. CEO Mark Zuckerberg just bet the company on the metaverse.
During a recent interview Zuckerberg said Facebook is "transitioning from people seeing us as a social media company to being a metaverse company."
Facebook is going on a hiring spree to fulfill its ambitions. It plans to hire 10,000 employees for its metaverse division. And it will plow $10 billion into its metaverse business this year… and "expects this investment to grow even further for each of the next several years."
What Is Metaverse?
Stephen… remind me what the metaverse is again?
It's the next version of the internet.
Today, we go online and look at Facebook, YouTube, and Google. These are static webpages. We see through our computer screens or phone screens. We use our mouse and touchpads to access them.
The metaverse will thrust you into an immersive world where you can work, learn, create art, shop, watch concerts, hang out with friends, and do dozens of other real-life activities.
The key is, the metaverse isn't one specific virtual world. It's the infrastructure that will bind all these different places together.
It's similar to how the internet isn't just Facebook or just Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN). It's the underlying technology that makes connecting with friends and shopping online possible.
Investors should follow the money trail…
The metaverse is THE next big thing. As investors, we simply cannot ignore it.
But that doesn't mean you should rush out and buy Facebook stock. There's a much smarter way to make money from this disruption.
Remember what Zuckerberg told us…
Facebook will plow $10 billion into its metaverse business this year… and even more in the following years.
In other words, Facebook will spend $100 billion+ over the next decade building out the new internet. This is by far the biggest investment by a US tech company in recent memory.
Where is the money going? Facebook told us most of the money will be spent on data centers, servers, and network equipment.
Although the metaverse is virtual, it will rely on physical real-world infrastructure… just like today's internet.
The web runs on networks of fiber optic cables that move data around at lightning-fast speeds. AT&T (NYSE:T) and Verizon (NYSE:VZ) own over two million miles of cables in the US.
Internet giants like Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) also have hundreds of data centers dotted across the world. Facebook alone has spent $20 billion building server farms over the past decade.
When you watch a video on Facebook, it's not streamed directly from Facebook's HQ in California. That would take way too long. Instead, it's sent to you from the nearest Facebook data center.
Breaking The Internet
The metaverse would break today's internet.
We already got a glimpse of this…
Last April, 12 million people watched hip-hop artist Travis Scott's concert live in the hit game Fortnite. But they didn't all watch it together.
Due to network constraints, Fortnite capped each showing at 100 people. It then ran 100,000+ separate showings of the concert.
Today's internet can't support the metaverse. It's far too slow for an immersive 3D world that works more like a video game than an Amazon webpage.
In other words, we need a ton of new physical real-world infrastructure to bring the metaverse to life.
Profiting From Facebook's Spending Spree
Here are two smart ways to profit from Facebook's spending spree.
Last week, chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) soared 15% after it announced Facebook is adopting its Epyc processors in Facebook data centers. AMD should benefit from years to come as it acts a key supplier to Facebook's metaverse.
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) also stands to make billions of dollars from the metaverse buildout.
Do you remember the blocky graphics on video games like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog from the '90s? If you have kids who are gamers, you'll know graphics have gotten far more realistic since then.
This incredible improvement is due to chips called graphics processing units (GPUs). Nvidia pioneered these chips, which help create these movie-like graphics.
Nvidia still makes the best GPUs on the market. Truckloads of them will be needed in order to build out a metaverse with life-like graphics. Keep in mind… Facebook is just the first company to embark on a metaverse spending spree. Microsoft, the world's most valuable company, just announced it's getting involved too.
Just like every company has an e-commerce strategy, many will have a game plan for the metaverse in the not-so-distant future.
That means tens of billions of dollars will flow toward the companies breathing life into the new internet.
The Great Disruptors: 3 Breakthrough Stocks Set to Double Your Money"
Get my latest report where I reveal my three favorite stocks that will hand you 100% gains as they disrupt whole industries. Get your free copy here.
Article By Stephen McBride, Mauldin Economics
Updated on Nov 19, 2021, 4:32 pm
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Thanks to the government of President Hassan Rouhani, as of Feb. 4, Jewish students officially no longer have to attend school on the Sabbath. This is an important step by the Rouhani administration to welcome Iranian Jews.
CIA carried out terrorist bombing in Syria's capital; why are they claiming it now?
The news that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency carried out a meticulously planned terrorist car bombing in Damascus, Syria, in February 2008 appeared on the front page of the Jan. 31, 2015, Washington Post. It was an outrageous action in the capital of a sovereign state. By all definitions, a state-sponsored car bombing in the capital city of another nation is defined as terrorism.
It doesn't take much imagination to picture what the U.S. response would be if the scenario were reversed and such an attack took place in Washington, D.C. At the very least, bombs and missiles would fall like rain on Syria.


Grand Stretch will feature as part of the Arts & Culture roster at BODY & SOUL, which continually welcomes festival guests into a stimulating programme of events featuring inspirational talks, impromptu spoken-word performances, immersive theatre experiences and unexpected installations.
They say the devil's in the details, so you can keep those to yourself. We seek to capture the essence of you, and your companions, in a word - inspiring truthful relationships, meaningful stories, and memorable (albeit fleeting) moments of theatre.
Open your heart to sharing the bare minimum, and open your mind to exploring the essence of us, in depth, in improvised Short Plays.
Two teams of improvisers are pitched against each other in a cut-throat, no- holds-barred show-down for audience votes. This high-action short form improv show is overseen by a referee, who has the power to penalize or reward teams as he/she sees fit – but, ultimately, our audiences decide the winners and losers based on the quality of scenes, the sharpness of wit.
Happy THEATRESPORTS™! And may the audience be ever in your favour.
Keep 'er lit, keep schtum, and meet us after hours with your deepest, darkest and deadliest. We're calling on your best-kept secrets and worst confessions to inspire our late night laughs.


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Posted by Eric Haun December 7, 2017
Wreckage of USS Ward Found in the Philippines
Wheelhouse of the USS Ward (Photo courtesy of Paul G. Allen)
Machine gun on the USS Ward (Photo courtesy of Paul G. Allen)
Bow of the USS Ward (Photo courtesy of Paul G. Allen)
Broken china from the USS Ward (Photo courtesy of Paul G. Allen)
Image of multibeam sonar while diving on the USS Ward (Photo courtesy of Paul G. Allen)
USS Ward running speed trials off the California coast in September 1918 (Photo courtesy U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command)
The U.S. Navy warship that famously fired the first American shot in World War II has been found resting on the seabed in Ormoc Bay near Ponson Island in the Philippines.
The historic vessel USS Ward was discovered and documented by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen's expedition crew aboard Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel, who has now released video images just prior to the anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
At 6:45 a.m. on Sunday, December 7, 1941, the Wickes-class destroyer fired America's first shot in World War II when its crew sighted and sank a Japanese midget submarine just outside of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii about an hour before the air attack began.
Three years later to the day, on December 7, 1944, the vessel (since converted to a high-speed transport ship and redesignated APD-16) was lost after coming under attack by several kamikazes while patrolling Ormoc Bay off the island of Leyte. Unable to extinguish a fire resulting from a kamikaze hit, the crew was ordered to abandon ship, and USS Ward was soon scuttled by the accompanying USS O'Brien. Only one USS Ward crew member was injured throughout the day's events.
"The USS Ward found herself in the crucible of American history – at the intersection of a peacetime Navy and war footing. She took decisive, effective and unflinching action despite the uncertain waters. Now 76 years on, her example informs our naval posture," said Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The high-tech vessel used to find USS Ward, R/V Petrel, is a 250-foot research and exploration vessel purchased by Mr. Allen in 2016. Petrel's advanced underwater equipment and technology makes it one of the few ships on the planet capable of exploring to 6,000 meters deep (more than 3.5 miles). Following a 2017 retrofit, Petrel and its crew use state-of-the-art underwater technology for deep-sea search and exploration expeditions.
"The Petrel and its capabilities, the technology it has and the research we've done, are the culmination of years of dedication and hard work," said Robert Kraft, director of subsea operations for Mr. Allen. "We've assembled and integrated this technology, assets and unique capability into an operating platform which is now one among very few on the planet."
In order to ensure USS Ward's location was accurate, wreckage was identified and cross-referenced with historic drawings and schematics. The survey of the USS Ward was part of a combined mission to document the Imperial Japanese Warships that were lost during the Battle of Surigao Strait in the Philippines. During the November expedition, the R/V Petrel was able to capture video of IJN Yamashiro (FUSO class dreadnought battleship), IJN Fuso (FUSO class dreadnought battleship), Yamagumo (Asashio class destroyer), Asagumo (Asashio class destroyer) and Michishio (Asashio class destroyer). These ships and more than 4,000 men were lost during the October 25, 1944 battle, considered the largest naval battle in history.
Previous Allen-led expeditions have resulted in the discovery of the USS Indianapolis (August 2017), Japanese battleship Musashi (March 2015) and the Italian World War II destroyer Artigliere (March 2017). His team was also responsible for retrieving and restoring the ship's bell from the HMS Hood for presentation to the British Navy in honor of its heroic service.
• Microsoft • Pearl Harbor • Philippines
#OI2020: FLIP(ped)
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Assistant Storekeeper
Deck Engineer Machinist
Marine Electronics Companies


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Q: no uimenucontroller with uitextview showing, universal app xcode 4 On the simulator I see the UIMenucontroller without a problem but it won't appear testing on device running iOs 4+ .  It is a standard uitextview added using IB.
I have added these methods to the viewcontroller which is the delegate but I don't think they are necessary since I want the standard menucontroller, select, copy, etc.  Not to mention they are not being called.
thanks for the help
- (BOOL)canPerformAction:(SEL)action withSender:(id)sender {

    NSLog(@"Can perform action called");

    BOOL answer = NO;

    if (action == @selector(copy:))
    {
        answer = YES;
    }
    if (action == @selector(cut:))
    {
        answer = YES;
    }
    if (action == @selector(paste:))
    {
        answer = YES;
    }
    if (action == @selector(select:))
    {
        answer = YES;
    }
   if (action == @selector(selectAll:))
    {
        answer = YES;
    }

    return answer;
}

- (BOOL) canBecomeFirstResponder {
    NSLog(@"can become first called");
    return YES;
}

A: You need to add a gesture recognizer, or override the touchesEnded:withEvent: method, and display the menu controller:
//Assumes you assigned a CGRect for where the menu should appear to theRect
UIMenuController *mc = [UIMenuController sharedMenuController];
[mc setTargetRect:theRect inView:self];
[mc setMenuVisible:YES animated:YES];

You also should override the methods -copy,-cut,-paste, etc.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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For DJ bookings and release information please send an email to peterannmusic@gmail.com. Please give a brief description of the event and music policy.
Pete is also a freelance writer and is available to do reviews, interviews and features. He has interviewed a variety of producers and DJs from the dance music community including Arthur Baker, Alice Russell, Norman Jay, DJ Krush, Plaid, Jimpster, K'Alexi Shelby, Chase & Status, Rodney P and many more. Please visit www.ranntowrite.com to view his full portfolio and send an email to peterannwords@gmail.com
© Pete Rann Music 2015. All rights reserved


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2020 MLB Power Rankings: 19. Toronto Blue Jays
Photo via Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons license
Brendan Murphy
The Toronto Blue Jays are a team that I am very high on. They have much talent, but it's going to take a little more time for them to reach their full potential. Until then, they come in at number 19 in my rankings.
The Jays have three sons of former Major League Baseball (MLB) players on their team who each made big contributions last season. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was one of the most hyped up prospects ever. He struggled a bit when he first came up to the big leagues last season, but came on strong in the second half of the season. Bo Bichette was outstanding for the Jays after he came up, with a .311 average and hitting 11 home runs in just 46 games. Cavan Biggio struggled a bit with his average at just .234, but his on base percentage was .364 while also adding 16 home runs and 14 stolen bases, which is still really good. These three players will continue to carry this team for years to come.
The Blue Jays addressed their biggest issue this offseason, which was starting pitching. They brought in National League Cy Young Runner-Up Hyun-Jin Ryu, who had a career year and finally pitched a full season after dealing with injuries for the first few years of his major league career. The Jays also signed Tanner Roark and traded for Chase Anderson. Both are solid options that could be effective for the team.
Since most of their top prospects have graduated to the big leagues, the Blue Jays no longer have one of the best farm systems in baseball. They're currently ranked near the middle of the pack at number 14 by Bleacher Report. Nate Pearson is the team's top prospect and one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. Since the Blue Jays aren't quite ready to be contenders, they shouldn't rush MLB Pipeline's number eight prospect and his electric fastball.
The Blue Jays are one of the most interesting teams in baseball. There is so much young talent on this team and in their farm system that they could dominate the AL East once they reach their full potential. For now however, they should continue to scout well and draft good players to add to that good future core.
Top Acquisition – Hyun-Jin Ryu
Biggest loss – Justin Smoak
MVP – Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Projected Finish – 3rd in AL East
Projected Lineup:
Bo Bichette, SS
Cavan Biggio, 2B
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., LF
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B
Travis Shaw, 1B
Randal Grichuk, RF
Teoscar Hernandez, CF
Danny Jansen, C
Rowdy Tellez, DH
Projected Rotation:
Chase Anderson
Twitter: @B_Murphy_MU
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 13. Washington Nationals
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 14. Cincinnati Reds
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 15. Arizona Diamondbacks
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 16. San Diego Padres
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 17. Cleveland Indians
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 18. Chicago Cubs
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 20. Milwaukee Brewers
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 21. Boston Red Sox
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 22. Texas Rangers
2020 MLB Power Rankings: 23. Colorado Rockies


In the heart of Paris, near the Louvre, the Opera, Place Vendome, Champs Elysees and the prestigious Saint Honoré street, you have the Hotel Lumen Paris Louvre. This boutique hotel neo-baroque style offers a warm and personalized service with a concierge (Golden Keys) and Hermès welcome products. Opposite the church of Saint-Roch, large windows offers an exceptional view of this magical area full of history. The philosophy of our establishment is based on a refined cuisine, which combines Italian and Japanese cuisine in an elegant and casual style.


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Oliver Shepard (born 1946) is a British explorer. He participated in the Transglobe Expedition, the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe from pole to pole.

Shepard was educated at Heatherdown School, near Ascot in Berkshire, followed by Eton College (also in Berkshire). In 1964, he was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards, after which he joined 21 Regiment Special Air Service (Artists). His civilian career started at the Charrington Brewery in the East End of London in 1968. In 1975 he joined Sir Ranulph Fiennes and his wife Ginny at the Duke of York Barracks, Chelsea. Between 1975 and 1979, he worked on preparations for the Transglobe Expedition. He went with members of the group to Scotland in 1975, followed by Exercise Greenland in 1976, and the British North Pole Expedition in 1977. On the Transglobe Expedition he travelled with Fiennes and Charlie Burton on the 67-day Antarctic crossing, and acted as doctor, dentist, scientist and mechanic. Because of family problems, he returned to the UK after the South Pole crossing, and worked in the office in London.

See also
 Charlie Burton
 Ginny Fiennes

References

External links
 Transglobe Expedition

1946 births
Coldstream Guards officers
English explorers
Explorers of Antarctica
Living people
People educated at Eton College
People educated at Heatherdown School
Special Air Service officers


Choosing between Phuket or Koh Samui has always been a debate for many people visiting Thailand. Both islands are beautiful in their own way, so there is no definite answer to that. It really depends on what exactly is your dream vacation style. To help you decide which destination to choose, I decided to come up with some information that I hope you will find useful. Think about your ideal place to stay and relax when you're not busy enjoying some cool activities. Both islands have plenty of amazing traditional style Thai homes, places to suit your budget, from futuristic to barefoot luxury. To the point that you might stop worrying which island to stay on, and rather which cool place to stay in. Again, to make your life easier, I have prepared a checklist for you to have a taste of what each place has to offer.
How many person(s) with you?
Knowing how many person will be with you will help you a lot on which villa is perfect for your group.
How many bedroom do you need?
Since, you already know how many person with you, you will be able to decide easily how many bedroom your group needed.
How many bathroom or comfort room do you need?
Bathroom or comfort room is very essential to any type of group, whether for small or large group. But, if you have fewer persons in your group, less bathroom or comfort room would not be a problem.
What about amenities do you need them?
Amenities are very important as well, if you plan to do many things and stay a little longer. Also, for each villa they provide different amenities. Also, it will give you more freedom to many things without worrying to bring things for your luxury vacation to any villa in palm springs.
Whether you own it or you have rented it, car park is important as well. Especially for the large group, because most villas has limited car park or no garage at all.
When are you going to check in and check out?
The date when you check in and check out can have a big difference on how much the villa will cost you. You must plan ahead the time of your check in and check out to avoid any other charges or fees.
Budget, is very much important in decision making on which villa you will be staying. Remember, lesser budget does not mean less fun, it depends how you will spend your time in the villa. But, it does not mean as well the expensive villa is less better, because the expensive villa are more luxury than the less expensive one. Therefore, if your aim is to have a blasting exprience to a luxury villa, your must choose a villa that has a worth higher than $1,000, but not more than $2,000 per night. But if your budget is unlimited, then I strongly suggest go to the most expensive villa.
Below are the ideal place in Phuket and things to do.
Leelawadee Villa is a stunning vacation spot on a hilltop of Phuket's eastern coast in Thalang. It is very much secluded in local community, but surprisingly close to the gateways for the rest of the island. Plus it has a perfect private escape and best views in all of the Phuket. It is very ideal for weddings and other special events, also has a maximum capacity of 40 guest.
It has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen, juicer, formal dining area with seating for 10, wi-fi, air conditioning, ceiling fans, 3d television, bar, game room, safes in bedrooms, baby equipment, and ping pong table. While on outside, villa has saltwater infinity swimming pool, barbeque, terrace, balcony, parking, view of ocean, sun loungers & sun beds, and basketball court.
For more information about the villa, visit Leewaladee Villa.
Shanti at Jivana Villa is known as a heavenly retreat. Here, you can lie back on a lounger in the sun untroubled by the outside world. You can slip gracefully in to your exquisite pool and let the cool water soothe you. Or you can simply leave a trail of footprints on your own idyllic strip of beach. Shanti is build in Thai Style villa. The pool view and beach view from bedroom are very outstanding, you will be amaze while gazing upon the horizon of the beach in conjucntion of the pool in front of your bedroom. Plus you will be able to have a great time while relaxing and watching over your little ones playing in the pool or beaches. All bedroom have airconditioned, and private garden. This villa is very popular for wedding proposal and event, or to any wonderful special family event. Plus, the travel from the airport is less than 30 minutes.
Villa inside has 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, air conditioning, fully equipped kitchen, alarm system, dvd player, free wireless internet access, ipod docking system, satellite tv, stereo system, games, and library. While on outside, it has alfresco dining, bbq, private veranda, children's pool, and infinity pool.
For more information about the villa, visit Shanti at Jivana Villa page.
For Koh Samui, below are the ideal place to stay and things to do.
Baan Lucia Villa is a stunning beach front place, and at the heart of the action for every tourist desired. It in Bang Rak Beach, very close to restaurants, attractions and nightlife. Perfect for an active getaway with friends, or a family relaxed sun-kissed holiday. The villa is laid out over three pavilions: two with bedrooms and one with living and entertainment areas, all connected by a landscaped walkway. In the living area, traditional paneled walls and plump sofas create a comfortable atmosphere for reading or watching TV, and there's an adjacent fully equipped kitchen. Villa has a private swimming pool and beach.
Villa inside has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, ariconditioned rooms, fully equipped kitchen, coffee machine, dishwasher, ice maker, i-fi, television, dvd player, dvd library, lounge area, surround sound system, safes in bedrooms, air conditioning, washer/dryer, and ceiling fans. While on outside, villa has private beachfront, infinity swimming pool, sun loungers & sun beds, outdoor dining area, outdoor living area, barbeque, balcony, terrace, and parking.
For more information about the villa, visit Baan Lucia page.
Villa Beige is a beautiful private white sand beach that is accessible by a path. This luxury modern escape sits in the south-west of the island in the middle of lush tropical foliage overlooking the coastline. Close to many moments of tranquility as well as opportunities for adventure, Villa Beige is a top-of-the-line sun-kissed destination. Also, perfect for family that has baby, toddlers, or childrens.
beach chairs, beach towels, umbrellas, snorkeling equipment, beach club facility, outdoor dining, barbeque, private restaurant, tennis equipment, golf clubs, and motorcycle.
For more information about the villa, visit Villa Beige page.
If you still haven't decided, which one to choose. I strongly suggest visit Koh Samui, then on next vacation visit Phuket.


Dealing with paperwork. It's probably one of the most frustrating things in the world. We've all got to do it and over time, it builds up in drawers, files and cabinets all over the home or office. Insurance papers, personal documents, invoices, bank statements… it all adds up.
But we're not the only ones who've got to deal with paperwork. Even our favourite TV and film characters have to pass their MOTs, carry out risk assessments and make sure their insurance is up to date. And we've got the evidence of this below….
But, after all the explosions, car chases, murders and galactic wars, nobody ever really thinks about the red tape! We, however, know that these documents are important, and, after all, you never know when the next or dinosaur rampage is going to occur, so don't be like Thanos or Darth Vader, invest in some secure document storage to keep your important papers safe!
To be fair, after the Red Wedding, Robb and Talisa Stark probably weren't thinking too much about keeping their wedding certificate safe, or indeed anything really, being as they were dead and all.
This highly classified document was found in the wreckage of the Hawkins National Laboratory following the incident with the Mind Flayer and the Demodogs. Who knows what other secrets they're hiding?
All we can really say is: RIP, Bob.
Ever wondered how much the Death Star would have cost to build? Well here you go. Those ion drive arrays and dolovite shielding definitely don't come cheap.
Keep your documents safe from rampaging dinosaurs and mind-flaying monsters, and store them in secure offsite document storage. Westeros facility coming soon. Watch this space.


I got the keys to my temporary space at Art Central, courtesy of the Calgary Allied Arts Foundation just this last Sunday. Today being my day off, this morning I moved in some stuff to work with (what I could carry on the train), and spent the afternoon getting accustomed to the space and working. It was a bit of a strange experience for me, telling myself, "Ok, here you go. You're going to stay in this space until 5:00, and work with what you've got here." Lately, I've been working on a lot of different things at once, it seems… a little here, a little there, ok, switch gears into soemthing else. Today, though, I had my computer, and what I had brought with me.
So I organized what I had, and put stuff where I thought it should go. Including postcards in the door and tools in the toolbox.
There's a bit of a contrast between this and the space I have at home, isn't there! As much as I love my space at home, it isn't great for some things, including animation, which I intend to use some of the time I have in this space for. It is also not good for doing larger projects- drawings, building things, etc. I am hoping to do some drawing here, and, if I get that far, making some "innards" to use for a dissection later on.
So today I worked with what I had. I couldn't bring in everything in one go, because I was taking the train, and I also need to get a few things before I can do much in terms of the animation. In the studio today, I did a bit of surgery on one of the Morphoids, Foraminifera, poor guy. I sliced open one of his legs, to insert some armature wire into three of his legs, so I will have more control over them when I animate. I had forgotten that I had stuffed him with polyester scraps from other Morphoids, and was surprised when I kept pulling colourful fabric out of him!
I also did the plan for the animation, or, what do they call it? Storyline? Anyway, I know what I'm wanting, just need to get a few things and go!
Today was a productive day. Besides working at Art Central, I 1) got the photos I needed for the New Alberta Contemporaries exhibition, drew a diagram for the set up of that, packed it all up, including microscope, so it's ready to deliver, and 2) scanned, photocopied, emailed and packaged the submission for the cover of Hanna's Centennial history book, 3) worked on my plan and content for another show, coming up in February, 4) brainstormed content ideas for the IMR website, and 5) brainstormed ideas for my dissection/ what's inside a Morphoid.
I have the space for the rest of November and all of December, and intend to be there Tuesday and Friday afternoons, 1-5 PM at minimum. I'm hoping to also be there most Monday and Wednesday evenings, and the odd Saturday. I will be having an opening on December 1st, in conjunction with Art Central's First Thursday.


In a previous post, 5 Tips to Build Confidence in Yourself As a Project Manager, we looked at how to build confidence in ourselves. In this post, we change the focus and look at how to build confidence in others.
1. Help people learn and develop. Confidence and competence are closely related. If team members feel that they're not developing professionally and that their skills are being under-utilized, they'll quickly begin to doubt their abilities. To increase your team members' confidence, you have to help them improve and learn new skills so they can play a stronger role in contributing to the project.
One way of doing this is to give your team access to courses, training and conferences. Another way is to give them time to study or to run a pet project they're passionate about. You can also set up knowledge-sharing sessions to benefit the entire team, or even the department.
2. Delegate step-by-step. A great way to build up your team members' competence—and thereby their confidence—is to delegate specific tasks that will help them grow in an area they're interested in. Just be careful that you don't delegate too soon or too quickly; and don't leave people to their own devices when they're in new territory. When someone lacks confidence and competence it's far better to gradually give them more responsibility and to stick close by them until they no longer need you. Your job is to help your team members set reachable goals and to break difficult tasks into smaller steps. In that way people slowly but surely gain confidence as they start to master each step of the assignment.
3. Focus on people's strengths. As a project manager or team leader you're likely to have a fair bit of influence over who does what. You can use that to actively build up someone's confidence by giving them work that they're genuinely good at and interested in. People's confidence (and motivation) will generally grow when they're given the chance to put their skills into practice and show mastery. The question you need to ask is: How well do you know each of your team member's strengths? To learn more, check out Tom Rath's best-selling book, Strengths Finder.
4. Be supportive. One of the most fundamental ways to boost people's confidence is to actively support them and build them up emotionally. And one of the best ways to create a strong supportive foundation is to connect with individuals one-on-one. When you do, make space to sincerely listen to their concerns and help them realize how much they have to contribute. When you get to know the members of your team at a more personal level (e.g., what motivates them; what really matters to them) you'll intuitively know how to best support them.
5. Embrace failure. Another great way to build people up is to let them know that it's OK to make mistakes—as long as they don't keep making the same ones. When you remove the fear of failure you make people feel safe. As a result, team members open up and are more willing to contribute and experiment. Knowing that they have the space to learn from their mistakes rather than being penalized for them builds their confidence and takes away an enormous chunk of negative energy and worry. Essentially, you free people up to pursue that which is truly important: The successful delivery of the project.
Can you add a No. 6 tip? Drop yours into Comments, we want to hear from you!


The Comfort Cattery Canberra is a boutique cattery, located within the Inner South Veterinary Centre, in Narrabundah. The Comfort Cattery is centrally located in Canberra, 10 minutes from the Airport and GPO and close to the town centres of Kingston, Griffith, Manuka and Red Hill.
Provides luxurious accommodation for cats.
Is staffed by qualified veterinary nurses and is supervised by our veterinarians.
Feeds Hill's Science diet premium foods or any special diets supplied by you.
Older cats and cats on medication well catered for.
Twice daily exercise and playtime and use of a play gym.
All cats are fully vaccinated, wormed and flea treated.
Your cat stays in a spacious walk-in enclosure with multiple levels.
The floor has plenty of space for food bowls and litter trays. The second level has a comfy bed. The third level has a viewing platform with a window and day bed. Two cats (from the same household) can easily share an enclosure. Please discuss sleeping arrangements with our staff if you have more than two cats, or are not sure how well your two cats will get on together. For some shorter stays or in peak times, some of the enclosures may be only single level.
Some of our older guests may have trouble jumping up and they can be provided with easy to use steps or single level accommodation if needed. The cattery is climate controlled to keep it cool in summer and toasty warm in winter. All cats have play time twice daily but there is no direct contact with other cats. Please enquire at reception to have a tour of the cattery.
Diet – You can supply your own food if required. We supply Hill Science Diet as standard and Premium tinned foods. We have a full range of Hills Science and prescription diets available for purchase if your cat has special needs.
Cats must be 5 months or older.
A current F3 or F1/F2 vaccination is required.
All cats must be desexed.
Flea prevention must be current. Frontline or Revolution must have been applied within the last four weeks. We can apply it for you if this hasn't been done.
Worming must be current. We can worm the cat for you if they are not up to date.
Please discuss any special circumstances with our vets. Our veterinary staff can provide care for any of these concerns.
We regularly board cats with a variety of health problems such as diabetes, arthritis, renal failure and hyperthyroidism. Be assured that your cat will not be in contact with any cats with infectious or contagious diseases. All our cats are closely monitored during their stay. They are weighed when they come in and their feeding and toileting is monitored twice a day. Our staff are veterinary nurses and onsite veterinary care is always available.
If your cat becomes unwell during its stay, we will contact you whenever possible before commencing treatment. If we can't contact you we will still provide the appropriate care and treatment needed until we can make contact.
Before your pet's stay at the cattery you will need to complete a CATTERY PASSPORT.
To save time on the day, fill it out now and post or email it back, or bring it with you on the day.


Diane is a good student and always is prepared for school. She loves to learn and works hard to excel in all subjects. Her hard work will pay off and the teacher is encouraged by her work ethic. She enjoys playing at recess and has many friends. She enjoys running with her friends. Diane can now read 125 words. She is a hard worker and is doing well in school.


Andrew Helms and his wife Catherine.
1758 from Catherine's father John Mounson.
Robert and Frances Walker who were the children of Catherine Helms Walker the widow of Michael Walker.
"Golden Irish". Many years it took an investment of $30,000 annually to handle this business. The thread was sold to fisherman from Maine to Georgia.
Hook, polluted the river so that the shad almost disappeared from the river. This applies right at the present time also.
Avenue. Here was a natural sandy shore which at high tide.