One can very well understand the problem of pollution and Delhi turning into a gas chamber. Since it is the national capital, it cannot avoid the attention of the whole country as well of the national media. Last night, I was on a national TV channel and I objected to only the Delhi government being subjected to criticism or media trial. I have no issues if the AAP government is torn apart by the citizens and media when an issue arises, as that is the beauty of democracy, or the price that any government and a political party has to pay if it commits a mistake, but I have an issue when only the AAP government is treated in such a manner. The truth is that today, along with Delhi, the whole of north India is suffering from this crisis of pollution. NASA pictures clearly show that it is not a Delhi-specific problem but a national crisis, it needs a national solution. Unfortunately, the central environment minister and MP from Delhi, Dr Harsh Vardhan, is holidaying in Goa and says there is no need to panic. This statement is ridiculous. It shows the callous attitude of the BJP government.
Today, the situation is alarming. It needs a cogent, coherent inter-state effort with the help of the central government to tide over this crisis. I agree that Delhi is the worst affected city. But if one looks at the data of air quality index available for November 8, 2017 at 4 pm, it establishes the fact that along with Delhi, three other cities of Haryana - Bhiwadi, Faridabad and Gurgaon, are also in the "severe" zone, with Agra and Ghaziabad not lagging far behind. This means that pollution is equally hurting the health of these cities too, but Delhi remains in focus, and other state governments escape the wrath of the media and pressure groups. It can't be argued that the health of citizens of Delhi is more important than the well-being of the other cities mentioned above. My argument is that this approach is faulty, discriminatory and one-sided. Either we are all victims of short-sightedness or have become slaves of media-driven perception.
In this context, I would like to mention that Delhi has taken remedial measures like banning the entry of trucks, stopping construction activities and closing down all its schools. The odd-even scheme is once again being put into exercise from Monday to Friday next week. May I ask what about Haryana, Punjab and UP? What steps have been taken by their governments? Is Haryana's BJP government also trying out Odd-Even in Bhiwadi, Faridabad and Gurgaon on the lines of Delhi? If yes, then since when? If not, why not? Agra and Ghaziabad are equally bad. Will UP's BJP government act or wait for the pollution to fall into the "severe" category? What about Punjab? If crop-burning is the major reason for smog all across, then what steps is Punjab taking to deal with it? Or will Captain Amarinder Singh stick to indulging in politicking? Crop burning is an old problem and he should explain to the nation what action he has taken so that farmers can stop burning the farm stubble in the open. I hope he understands that election time is over and so is the time for the rhetoric. The AAP MLA Sukhpal Khaira was also seen burning stubble. Party is of the opinion that it was not needed. Politics now should take the back seat.
Punjab is a full state and Captain Amarinder Singh has far more power than the Delhi Chief Minister to initiate action for the welfare of Punjab farmers and also for the sake of the health of entire north India. But most unfortunately, when the Delhi Chief Minister tried to contact him to request a meeting with him and the Chief Minister of Haryana to find some solution, the Captain did not have the courtesy to pick up phone, he preferred to respond on Twitter in a condescending tone. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's office also stopped taking his calls. I can understand their antipathy to AAP and its government but they should not forget that they have been chosen by the same constitution which has enabled AAP to form the government in Delhi. They are answerable to the people of India and to the constitution, and even if they hate AAP, they are bound by oath to serve the people. For that, if they have to speak, act and cooperate with their enemies or rivals, they are duty-bound to do that. The conduct of these two Chief Ministers is unbecoming of the constitutional post they hold.
AAP understands the plight of Punjab farmers. The state is going through an agrarian crisis due to the sins of earlier governments and farmers, who were the flag-bearers of the green revolution, are today forced to commit suicide. They neither have the money nor the technology to remove the paddy straw from their fields. By a rough estimate, a farmer requires Rs 5,000 per acre to get rid of the stubble. They have been demanding a subsidy from the state government. But Punjab is a bankrupt state due to the loot of the Akali government for ten years. It has debt of one lakh crore. Punjab has been asking for financial support from the BJP government at the centre. The AAP government has requested Captain Amarinder Singh if he can tell us the estimate of the expenses then AAP government can go along with the him to pursued the Prime Minister to release the fund. Being the main opposition party in Punjab, it is AAP's duty also to fight for the cause of Punjab farmers. But I am sorry to say his response is not encouraging.
The ideal solution would be the meeting of representatives of respective state governments along with the central government in the true spirit of cooperative federalism. But such is the polity in the country that it looks impossible in the near future. Till then, people will suffer and die. AAP has decided to implement "odd-even" in Delhi. No doubt it looks extreme. But let's not forget that it is only an emergency provision. It is not a permanent solution. It's a temporary remedy. The world over, it is used in the same fashion. This trick has been tried by many cities across the globe like China, Paris, Bogota, London, Singapore, and Athens, etc but only when pollution levels cross the emergency mark. To find a lasting solution, other measures have to be taken over the year.
A city like Delhi should encourage people to increase its use of the public transport system. It is for the larger public good. But here also, the DMRC or Delhi Metro has become the villain. It has doubled its fares despite repeated protests by the AAP government. It has also quadrupled the cost in metro parking earlier this week. Both these measures will certainly discourage commuters from using the metro. Ridership has already declined. I can understand that there are viability issues with the metro but raising the price is not an option, it has to find other creative solutions.
The biggest problem in our democracy is an obsession with politics, envy, unhealthy competition and archaic thinking. Environment and pollution as issues have to still capture the mind-space of the political leaders and bureaucrats. Till pollution and public health become a priority, citizens will continue to suffer. Let us work towards change.


text:
Hamas must rebrand and take the wind out of Israel's and America's sails
In the five years since I became interested in the Palestinians, only two things of positive note have happened in the occupied territories.
Thursday, August 19,2010 14:14
by By Stuart Littlewood redress.cc
The Palestinians held full and fair elections in 2006 to establish themselves as a democracy – and much good it did them.
And in Gaza these amazing people have resolutely survived a vicious land and sea blockade imposed by Israel and aided and abetted by the Western powers as soon as those elections put Hamas into government. They have resisted almost daily air strikes and armed intrusions for four years and courageously withstood the cowardly Israeli blitzkrieg of 20 months ago.
And during all that time they have endured unending barbarity and betrayal, which would have brought a lesser nation to its knees. They have come through.
I often wonder if the British could have clung on through the London blitz, which my family lived under, if they'd had nothing to fight with and nowhere to run and, in addition, they'd had to contend with Nazi tanks in the streets, thousands of checkpoints, Nazi rifle butts smashing down their front doors, and the foul stench of Nazi stormtroopers in their jackboots ransacking their homes and dragging off family members.
Palestinians have been put through that sort of mangle for decades. Death and misery still stalk their daily lives thanks to piss-poor Palestinian leadership and the international community's moral bankruptcy.
When Palestinians elected Hamas, sore losers Fatah set out to cause maximum trouble. The relentless pressures of occupation and bribery succeed in causing internal divisions and self-destruction. When an attempted coup was beaten off there were claims that Hamas "seized control" when it simply acted to enforce its legitimate authority.
With Palestine's internal squabbles continuing – even now - Yasser Arafat would be spinning under his mausoleum slab if he could see the depths to which his party has sunk.
Meanwhile, Israel's propaganda machine, unchallenged, churns out the lies that Western politicians and Western media feed on and broadcast in order to sustain the racist entity.
"Impossible to reach agreement with Israel"
Khalid Amayreh, writing in Desert Peace, describes how the Palestinian Authority's President Mahmoud Abbas is being pressed yet again by Washington to resume "seemingly futile" peace talks, while two of Fatah's veteran heavyweights speak out against any more concessions to the Obama administration.
Ahmed Qurei, a one-time aide to Arafat and a former prime minister of the PA, argued that, in view of Israel's refusal to give up the spoils of the 1967 war, it was pointless to keep talking just for the sake of it. Nineteen years of talks had achieved nothing. "It seems utterly impossible to reach an agreement with Israel. Therefore, the Palestinian people must seek alternatives... Israel is not willing to end its occupation and allow for the creation of a viable Palestinian state."
He didn't say what the "alternatives" might be, which is a little unhelpful.
At the same time Nabil Amr, former Palestine Liberation Organization ambassador in Cairo, condemned the Abbas leadership as "vacillating, inconsistent, and unable to withstand external pressure". He also had harsh words for "the mantra of American pressure", which was designed to push the Palestinian people into submission or capitulation. "There are those among us who are trying to portray American pressure as if it were expedient to our interests," said Amr. Actually, Obama is no friend. He has become a coercer, even a bully, while Netanyahu is given a free hand to dictate the rules of the game.
OK, so not all Fatah people are useless.
But there's a gaping hole at the heart of the Palestinian Authority's battered credibility – quite apart from a sickening lack of integrity. It's their failure to understand that the war of words, if conducted effectively, is more important than the war of bullets. Israeli spin doctor Mark Regev and his team of lie-mongers would be easy meat for a Palestinian media outfit that was properly trained, alert and reasonably well resourced.
Alas, the Palestinian Authority refuses to gear up to meet the challenge. So the Israelis run rings round their victim – though not as much as they used to. The Zionist regime's "crapaganda" effort has been significantly blunted not by the Palestinian Authority, which remains paralytic, but the actions of student groups and other pro-Palestinian activists around the world, who are beginning to put the Israelis in their place.
It is hugely disappointing to friends and supporters that Ramallah's hot-shots have failed to put a coherent message across, supposing they actually had one. When I was writing my book (in 2006) I tried several times through London and Ramallah to arrange a meeting with Fatah bosses. They wouldn't even give me the time of day. They simply didn't care about communicating with the outside world. So I joined the growing multitude who wrote them off as a waste of space. Their antics since then have confirmed my assessment.
It is vitally important for Palestinian embassies in London and other key capitals to become a ready source of newsworthy material, and to proactively set the news agenda with spokespeople speaking clear and faultless English. Until this happens it will not be possible to engage the interest of mainstream media, and Palestinians will continue to lose the propaganda battle even though truth and justice are on their side.
Yes, we all know the British media are biased. But editors say they receive press releases from the London embassy "once in a blue moon", while the Israelis take the initiative on the news front and fall over backwards to make a reporter's life easy.
"We are not trained like the Israelis," I heard one senior PA man say. Exactly. That's the problem. The PA was offered media skills training some four years ago and turned it down. There may be murky reasons. It has been suggested that the PA, in its game of "footsie" with the US, was made to promise not to embarrass Israel publicly. This has given rise to suspicions that Palestinian ambassadors around the world are gagged by the regime in Ramallah and prevented from crossing swords with their blood-thirsty opponents. Why else would headquarters have left its London office, in particular, so woefully lacking in the skills and resources needed to make a proper impact at this important time?
I don't believe they are batting for Palestine at all. But that's just a personal opinion.
The wreckage of Gaza, the great suffering and the day-to-day air-strikes against its civilians – these ongoing crimes are allowed to be lost in the smoke and mirrors of Netanyahu's scheme to divert attention towards Iran.
Netanyahu briefs Western journalists on his outrageous programme of conquest, implying that Palestinians must accept settlements declared illegal under international law and insisting that Israeli "sovereignty" over Jerusalem cannot be questioned. The PA's media experts – if they had any – could make mincemeat of Israel's preposterous claims and reframe the occupation in a way that told the world the truth.
"A house divided cannot stand"
Ordinary working people from countries far away, who put their hands in their own pockets and bravely drove with Free-Gaza convoys or sailed with mercy-mission ships, have done far more for the Palestinian cause than the internationally-funded, natty-suited poseurs who have no democratic mandate but strut the international stage achieving – well, achieving what?
Fatah have done themselves (and others) irreparable damage. They have shot their bolt. How will they command respect in the foreseeable future?
Meanwhile, it is four-and-a-half years since the fateful day Hamas was elected to power. They may have been surprised and unprepared then, but there is no excuse for squandering such a heaven-sent opportunity now. If, as the Islamic resistance movement has said before, it is prepared to accept the reality of Israel behind the internationally-recognized pre-1967 borders, its much criticized Charter no longer has a place in Hamas diplomacy. Why hasn't it been consigned to the wastepaper basket of Palestinian history and replaced with something more constructive?
Hamas must do (within chosen limits, of course) whatever it takes to abolish its sinister image and make the rest of the world feel comfortable. It must erase its 'terrorist' reputation, whether justified or not.
It must remove obstacles to cooperation. It must take the wind out of Israel's and America's sails. In short, it must reinvent itself as a matter of urgency.
It must re-brand, open the door and make itself more approachable.
This wouldn't be difficult. Hamas's government team are well educated and competent. They have been tested like no other. Some are described as hardliners but they are not generally seen as Islamic extremists, and I heard no serious complaints from the Christian community when I was there. There is every reason to believe that the tradition of getting along together is still cherished despite the best efforts of "Christian" warmongers of the West to drive a wedge between Muslim and Christian.
It seems to me that if Western politicians can enthusiastically hobnob with rabid Zionists, ignore their war crimes and persistent lawlessness, and even wave the Israeli flag for them back in London and Washington, they should find it perfectly agreeable to sit down with not-so-rabid Islamists.
But how do we get to that point?
Two years ago a Palestine strategy group produced a report called "Regaining the Initiative – Palestinian Strategic Options to End Israeli Occupation". Besides reminding Palestinians what their strategic objectives should be, it urged them "to seize their destiny in their own hands" by refusing to enter into peace negotiations unless the international community dealt first with issues relating to national self-determination, liberation from occupation, individual and collective rights, and enforcement of international law.
Only when these priorities were met could peacemaking and state-building begin.
First things first, right?
Secondly it spelled out the need for national unity. "A house divided against itself
cannot stand... Palestinian strategic action is impossible if the Palestinian nation is unable to speak with one voice or to act with one will."
Right again. Well-wishers like me shake their heads in disbelief at the ongoing disunity.
The report, which was funded by the EU, concluded by saying:
What Palestinians must be prepared to undertake is nothing less than a final and conclusive strategic battle with Israel... The main conclusion of the strategic review conducted by the Palestine Strategy Study Group is that Palestinians have more strategic cards than they think – and Israel has fewer.
If that's the case, the authors might consider turning their report into a fully-fledged action plan taking into account what has happened in the last two years and what might happen next if the paralysis continues, and making it a working document for the international community as well as the PA and Hamas to study.
Perhaps they have already done so.
But whoever rules in Palestine will never win any battles with Israel or the US without a proper media set-up and an effective communications strategy.
Source: Redress Information & Analysis (http://www.redress.cc). Material published on Redress may be republished with full attribution to Redress Information & Analysis (http://www.redress.cc)
tags: Hamas / Palestinians / Occupied Territories / Blockade / Fatah / Abbas
Khudari: Facts on the ground belie occupation claims that the blockade was eased
Preparations for the first international book fair in the blockaded Gaza Strip
German Parliament calls for an end to the blockade on the Gaza Strip
"Let them eat coriander!" Blockade "eased" as Gaza starves more slowly
Mahmoud Abbas and Egypt want Israel's Gaza blockade to stay
Amr Mousa: Israeli blockade must be lifted
Arab leaders unite calling to end Israeli blockade
Mubarak and Biden meet to solve Gaza blockade
Sea blockade of Gaza was "temporary" – 15 years ago
Holmes calls for ending blockade on Gaza
UN report: Israel's blockade obstructs reconstruction efforts in Gaza
Medvedev, Assad, Mishaal call for easing blockade on Gaza
Kuhdari launches "enough one thousand days of blockade" events
Electronic Day against IOF's blockade of Gaza March 9
Blockade causes threats on Gazans lives
European campaign against Gaza blockade visits presidential palace in Warsaw
Members of U.S. Congress Ask President Obama to End the Blockade of Gaza
Former US Sergeant: Major countries help Israel, Egypt in Gaza blockade
Kurd appeals for taking practical steps to lift blockade
The MB bloc calls on Europe's delegation to expose the blockade
THE CONDITIONS OF PALESTINIANS IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES IN 1948
BOOK REVIEW: Lords of the Land - The War Over Israel's Settlements in the Occupied Territories
Bottom-up peacebuilding in the Occupied Territories
Hamas and al-Qaida: The Prospects for Radicalization in the Palestinian Occupied Territories

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


To commemorate LGBT History month, LGBT Student Services, Asian Pacific Student Services, the Center for Asian Business, and Campus Recreation present a screening of Call Her Ganda.
Call Her Ganda follows the brutal murder case of Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude by a U.S. Marine, and the obstacles faced in the pursuit of justice by three women intimately invested in the case. An activist attorney (Virgie Suarez), a transgender journalist (Meredith Talusan) and Jennifer's mother (Julita "Nanay" Laude) galvanize a political uprising, seeking justice and taking on hardened histories of U.S. imperialism in the Philippines.


On May 9th Les Sagas organised the second edition of the open house event in Brussels. A unique event in a modernist house from 1967. Les Sagas partners presented their products throughout the house.
For centuries, flax has been grown and transformed into linen fabrics throughout Flanders, the westernmost region of Belgium.
In 1900, barely 22, Marius Fabre founded his soap company in Salon-de-Provence, France.
In 1709 Farina establishes what is today the world's oldest fragrance company.
«A famous little store» – could have been the description of the store opened by the Countess de Presle, in 1905.
The story begins just before 1790 at No. 11 St. James's Street where Harris's Apothecary set up shop.
Since the 1920s Falcon Enamelware, founded in the Black Country area in the north of England, has been an icon of British home life.
Ardennes Coticules is one of those companies that's a living example of a renaissance: being born and re-born once again only to take on a slightly different, better form of itself.
Mr Frédéric Pfirter created the company Famaco in 1931. He had always thought of leather as a natural and living material, and consequently launched his first range of leather care products « Made in France ».
Kazeto , the traditional Czech cardboard and cardboard goods manufacturer, was found in 1926.
"For children, only the best is good enough" This is motto of an extraordinary woman and a unique company.
The Savonneries Bruxelloises has been founded at the beginning of the 20th century, more specifically 1926.
The history of Papier d'Arménie starts in the 19th century when, on a trip to Armenia, Auguste Ponsot noticed the local people scented and disinfected their homes by burning benzoin.
The saga begins in Milau in 1924. Master glover Etienne Fabre establishes the gloves business in his own house. In 1928, the craftsman is specialized in making white goat leather gloves. Eighteen years later, his son Denis and his wife Rose join the family business.
'Le gant seconde peau' ... yours?
Last weekend for our 1 year celebration, we were the happy hosts of the live atelier of Maison Fabre. During the whole weekend Olivier, glover at Maison Fabre in Millau, came to give live demonstrations of his day-to-day works of precision.
The Creative Platform Bortier has been an achievement of many. Therefore we would like to thank a few people.


The non-traditional paddle construction method described in this section relies heavily on a band saw to remove most of the wood from a cedar or redwood 2 X 4 ( 1.5″ X 3.5″), and follows-up with a palm sander to perform all final shaping and sanding. A block plane or other shaping tools can also be used .
The numbered collage above illustrates the basic elements in this simplified paddle construction method.
1. A bandsaw is used to cut out the paddle blank.
2. The remnants of the 2 X 4 after the bandsaw has done it's job.
3. The completed paddle blank.
4. A palm sander is used to shape and sand the paddle blank.
5. The completed paddle is finished with Danish oil.
In the following pages, construction of a Greenland paddle, a modified Aleut take-apart paddle, and an ABS travel case will be discussed.


Hire the best MATLAB developers near NYC.
Toptal is a marketplace for top remote MATLAB developers, engineers, programmers, coders, architects, and consultants. Top companies and start-ups in NYC choose Toptal MATLAB freelancers for their mission-critical initiatives.


This paper discusses the generation of a scan mirror -- a critical component in a novel Fourier transform spectrometer that is being developed at the Naval Weapons Center. The instrument is a double-beam interferometer that uses rotational motion to change path length. The major component in this interferometer is a scan mirror that is locally spherical but has a continually changing (spiraling) radius. When the mirror is rotated around the axis of the spiral, the path length of one of the interferometer beams is changed. Since this interferometer uses rotational instead of linear motion to change the path difference, very accurate alignment during scanning is possible as well as higher scan speeds. The major drawback is that the scan mirror cannot be made by conventional optics fabrication techniques. The theory and design of the interferometer and scan mirror are discussed. The design details of the machine producing the scan mirror, the actual mirror fabrication, and the preliminary surface evaluation and test of a scan mirror are also discussed.


Due to continued success, our client, a leading organisation within the professional services recruitment market in Scotland, is looking to add a Managing Consultant to their business to head up their Practice Division based in Edinburgh. This is the ideal role for an experienced Recruiter looking to progress their career into a management role with a forward-thinking company that has experienced significant growth in recent years.
You will be working in a flexible, successful environment with the support of a credible and fun management team who are well known in the Scottish marketplace. We are keen to speak to any experienced Recruiters either from a Practice background or those from other professional markets who are interested in a change of market.
The company is part of a wider group operates across various markets within Scotland and has growth plans across a number of these markets and expansion across the UK, making it a very exciting time to join this growing business. Our client has established relationships with businesses across a wide range of industries and offers a competitive earning and benefits package, therefore this is a great opportunity for you to join a reputable business, gain experience managing a successful team and earn real money.
If this sounds like an opportunity you would be interested in, or to find out more information, please get in touch with Inga at inga@gillespieps.com.


text:
{- Copyright 2014 David Farrell <shokku.ra@gmail.com>

 - Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 - you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 - You may obtain a copy of the License at

 - http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

 - Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 - distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 - WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 - See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 - limitations under the License.
 -}

module Core.Register (plugin) where

import Data.Maybe (isJust)
import IRCD.Types
import IRCD.Helper
import Hoist

plugin :: Plugin
plugin = defaultPlugin {transformers=[Transformer register 200]}

register :: TransformerSpec
register action@(NickChangeAction src@(ClientSrc client) _ new _)
    | canRegister client {nick=Just new} = return (True, [RegisterAction src io])
    | otherwise = return (True, [])
  where io = hoistState $ updateClientRegistered True (uid client)
register action@(UserChangeAction src@(ClientSrc client) _ new _)
    | canRegister client {user=Just new} = return (True, [RegisterAction src io])
    | otherwise = return (True, [])
  where io = hoistState $ updateClientRegistered True (uid client)
register action@(RealNameChangeAction src@(ClientSrc client) _ new _)
    | canRegister client {realName=Just new} = return (True, [RegisterAction src io])
    | otherwise = return (True, [])
  where io = hoistState $ updateClientRegistered True (uid client)
register _ = return (True, [])

canRegister :: Client -> Bool
canRegister client
    | registered client = False
    | isJust (nick client) && isJust (user client) && isJust (realName client) = True
    | otherwise = False

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Solution Converted from Visual Studio 2008 Fails Gacutil Post-Build Steps in Visual Studio 2010 I have converted a .NET 2.0 solution containing multiple projects from Visual Studio 2008 (where everything build correctly) to Visual Studio 2010. I loaded the solution in Visual Studio 2010 running in Admistrator mode and selected "Build Solution". The build failed on some post-build steps in some of the projects:
Microsoft (R) .NET Global Assembly Cache Utility.  Version 3.5.30729.1
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

Failure adding assembly to the cache: Access denied. You might not have administrative credentials to perform this task. Contact your system administrator for assistance.
36>C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Microsoft.Common.Targets(3717,9): error MSB3073: The command ""C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0A\bin\gacutil.exe" /i MyAssembly.dll" exited with code 1.

If I select these same projects, and build just the individual project, rather than the entire solution, then the gacutil command is successful.
The error message makes it sound as if permissions are the problem ("Access denied") but I have verified that Visual Studio 2010 is running in Administrator mode -- I see it in the title bar ("MySolution - Microsoft Visual Studio (Administrator)").
Why would gacutil fail when building the entire solution but succeed when just a single project in the solution is built?

A: I recently encountered the exact same problem after converting one of our solutions to Visual Studio 2010.
Analysis has demonstrated that if two consecutively compiled projects invoke gacutil in their post-build steps, and the second project is small enough, and the build machine is fast enough, then the second invocation of gacutil would systematically fail with an "Access denied" error.
That looked like a race condition of some sort, but we could not determine the exact root cause. Blocking the post-build steps with a busy loop while there was an instance of gacutil running did not change the situation.
In the end, we were able to solve the issue by using version 4.0 of gacutil instead of version 3.5. We changed all calls in our post-build steps from:
"$(FrameworkSDKDir)Bin\gacutil.exe" /if "$(TargetPath)" /nologo

To:
"$(FrameworkSDKDir)Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\gacutil.exe" /if "$(TargetPath)" /nologo

After applying these changes, gacutil did not fail again during builds.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Global functions and ambiguous arguments NULL vs. char* between vs 2013 and GCC I am trying to understand what the currenct C++14 standard says about resolving an ambiguous function call, mostly because I am seeing a difference between GCC 4.9.1, and Visual Studio 2013 update 3
Here's the code (exactly the same for both MS and GCC):
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

void f(char *str, int chars) { cout << "f(char*, int)"; }
void f(char *first, char *second) { cout << "f(char*, char*)"; }

int main()
{
    char *hello = "Hello, World";
    f(hello, NULL); //which f gets called?

    char c; cin.get(c);
    return 0;
}

Visual Studio calls f(char*, int) using default vs flags
GCC gives me a compiler error: call of overloaded 'f(char*&, NULL)' is ambiguous. gcc using only the -std=c++11 flag.

A: It depends on what NULL is defined to be.
MSVC defines it as 0, so the int overload is an exact match and is preferred.
GCC defines it as the compiler internal __null, causing an ambiguity on 64-bit because __null's type there is long. (It appears that __null's type is int on 32-bit, so it picks the int overload when compiling for 32-bit.)
The standard permits NULL to be defined as any C++ null pointer constant, including nullptr, in which case it would unambigously pick the two pointer overload, or 0L, which would be once again ambiguous (as going from a long to both int and char * involves a conversion).
The moral: Don't use NULL for a null pointer. Use nullptr.


text:
LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER III alloy wheel fitment guide
Selection and search of tire size by model Range Rover Iii. Table of standard, factory tire sizes Land Rover
What size of tires can I put on the LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER III.
Maximum and minimum tire sizes for LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER III.
The release of the LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER III model was carried out from 2002 to 2012.
Table of factory and suitable tire sizes for LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER III.
Choose appropriate trim of Land Rover Range Rover Iii:
Land Rover Range Rover III 2012 3.0 D 4x4
255/55 R19|255/50 R20|265/50 R20|275/45 R20
8 x 18 ET53|8,5 x 18 ET45
8 x 19 ET57|9 x 19 ET45|8,5 x 20 ET50|9,5 x 20 ET50|10 x 20 ET45
Land Rover Range Rover III 2012 4.2 4x4
8 x 18 ET53
8 x 19 ET57|9 x 19 ET45|8,5 x 20 ET45|8,5 x 20 ET58|9,5 x 20 ET50|10 x 20 ET45
To celebrate Land Rover's 70th anniversary, the exclusive Range Rover SV Coupe debuted at the Spring Geneva International Motor Show in March 2018. The car is based on the fourth generation platform and is a kind of reference to the very first model, which also had three doors. The novelty received technical equipment as in its five-door brother, acquired a more luxurious interior and slightly retouched design. I would like to note the small rectangular headlights with exquisite sections of LED daytime running lights and several angular blocks of fog lights. The radiator grill also has a rather uncomplicated shape. It sports a small nameplate and is made up of many silvery hexagonal honeycombs. Under it, on the front bumper, there is a narrow, elongated air intake, trimmed with an elegant black insert. All in all, the model has received a monumental and luxurious design in the best traditions of the British manufacturer. Range Rover SV is positioned by the manufacturer as a full-size coupe, although, in fact, it is a three-door premium SUV. Its overall dimensions are: length 5013 mm, width 2073 mm, height 1794 mm, and the wheelbase is 2922 mm. The ground clearance is quite impressive - as much as 263 millimeters. Thanks to this ground clearance and the proprietary all-wheel drive system, the car can easily overcome a small ford, drive on a high curb and maintain excellent smoothness even on a bumpy paved road. As far as the interior is concerned, the front end completely repeats the five-door design - the highest level of fit, noble materials and excellent ergonomics. The main differences lie in the rear. There, instead of a one-piece sofa, there are two more comfortable separate captain's chairs with a full range of electrical adjustments, massage function, heating and ventilation. The Range Rover SV Coupe is powered by a single engine. This is a real five-liter V8 with 4999 cubic centimeters. Thanks to the solid displacement and advanced mechanical supercharger, the engineers managed to squeeze out 565 horsepower at 6000-6500 rpm and 700 Nm of torque in the range from 2500 to 5500 crankshaft revolutions per minute. All traction is digested by an eight-speed automatic transmission and a transfer case with a range-change and lock. As a result, an SUV weighing 2,497 kilograms takes off from zero to a hundred in 5.3 seconds and reaches a maximum of 266 kilometers per hour. With such an engine, you should not rely on efficiency. Fuel consumption will be about 14.7 liters of gasoline per hundred kilometers in the combined cycle. The SV Coupe is quite an extraordinary model. She has a luxurious and memorable design, which perfectly emphasizes the individuality and status of its owner in society. Such a car will look advantageous both in dense city traffic and off-road. The salon is a realm of luxury, verified ergonomics, practicality and unsurpassed comfort. Even a trip during rush hour or a long road will not be able to deliver the slightest inconvenience to the owner. The manufacturer is well aware that cars of this class, first of all, should give driving pleasure. That is why, under the hood of the SUV there is a powerful and advanced power unit, which is a fusion of modern technologies and many years of experience of engineers in the field of engine building. The Range Rover SV Coupe is an exclusive and powerful SUV with the highest levels of comfort.


The western end of this beautiful hilly ridge around 55 Kilometres north of Newman ~ a magnificent page in the Geological book of the inland Pilbara.
Although this image is temporary and the message clear, great changes are already underway to the Pilbara landscape due to present day mining practices.
This prominent land mark falls within the boundaries of Rio Tinto/Hope Downs mining leases, the ridge is already scared with drill pads and access tracks, these are sadly the precursor to mining and the possible demise of this beautiful ridge.


Three Pirouette™ necklaces, 2 in Plat/18KYG, 1 in18KRG all set with ideal cut round diamonds, 1 necklace with invizels between the diamond sections.
These necklaces illustrate how we use a combination of white, yellow and rose gold in our Pirouette™ pieces. All necklaces are set with ideal cut round diamonds.


If you need parking lot sealcoating or asphalt paving in Morris County NJ, there isn't any better choice than Greik Bros Paving. Our expert pavers are going to make sure the job is done completely and correctly the first time, regardless of what type of sealcoating or paving work you require. You're capable of trusting that any sealcoating job, big or small, is going to be completed the way you expect thanks to the fact that we own all our own equipment and an owner will always be on site. What we promise is exactly what we deliver, unlike a lot of other paving contractors. When you work with Greik Bros Paving as your sealcoating and paving contractor in Hanover Township NJ you aren't ever going to find an unexpected charge or service on your bill.
Are you in need of a top rated asphalt paving contractor in Morris County NJ for your business or home? Don't forget to get in touch with Greik Bros Paving. We have a lot of different choices for you to select from for your driveway, parking lot, walkway, or other surface, and we are ready to help you bring your vision to life. It doesn't matter if you are looking for asphalt paving or high quality stone driveways. Every member of our team is always going to give your project the attention it deserves so that it will be up to the standards you're expecting. Make Greik Bros Paving your first pick if you are trying to find an asphalt paving company in Morris County NJ that is up to the job.
In need of top quality asphalt paving in Morris County NJ from a contractor you can trust? Greik Bros Paving is frequently the top choice of businesses, homeowners, and even city officials. For commercial and residential customers we provide a full range of services. This way you simply work with one, trustworthy company throughout the whole job whenever you need a new driveway or parking lot put in. Once the job has begun on your site, one of the Greik Bros Paving owners is going to be on-site, managing the entire procedure. We take every client and each project seriously, so we ensure everything runs smoothly by being there in person each time. Should anything go differently than you'd planned, simply let one of the owners of Greik Bros Paving know, and we're going to make the needed adjustments right away. You can rest assured that everything is going to be done correctly from start to finish if you work with Greik Bros Paving. It doesn't matter if you require asphalt paving in Morris County NJ or flawless parking lot sealing. Greik Bros Paving is the company that companies and homeowners can depend on regardless of what kind of surface you need installed or redone.
If you are searching for the best company to do parking lot asphalt paving in Morris County NJ, Greik Bros Paving is just what you've been trying to find. Our team has both experience with the most effective techniques and the latest equipment. When visiting your business, typically the first thing customers and clients see is your parking lot. This is why you should always be sure it is welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. As a customer you're incredibly important to us. This is how we know how important your customers are to you. That's the reason when it comes to parking lots and driveway asphalt paving in Morris County NJ, the best is all that we offer.


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has completely altered Manchester United's fortunes since taking over the Old Trafford hot-seat in an interim managerial role.
The Red Devils seem to have gone back to playing impressive attacking football, with the team successfully grinding out positive results against most of their opponents so far.
In spite of the improvement the Norwegian has brought about at the Theatre of Dreams, a former United manager remains sceptical about the 45-year-old tactician.
Decorated Dutch gaffer Louis van Gaal has spoken out about Solskjaer, questioning the latter's so-called attacking philosophy that has so heavily impressed the Manchester United faithful.
Speaking to the BBC, LVG stated: "The coach after me [Mourinho] changed to park-the-bus tactics and played on the counter. Now there is another coach who parks the bus and plays on the counter. The main difference between Mourinho and Solskjaer is that Solskjaer is winning.
Then speaking about the Mancunian giants' chances in the Champions League this term, Van Gaal opined: "Solskjaer has just lost twice and he has to manage that. It is very important that Manchester United qualifies for the Champions League, as it was when I was manager.


Well, another day, another update. We've been re-organizing the way we handle fanfiction here at ZNN, and while we do have a bit of a backlog of fanfics to read (which is a really great problem to have, keep them coming!) everything about the whole featuring process is now far simpler and more streamlined. So, get your fix of fanfic down below!
Links to individual stories after the break!


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Porsche Certified Pre-Owned means you not only get the reassurance of up to a 6yr/unlimited mile warranty, but also a 100+point inspection/reconditioning, 24/7 roadside assistance, trip-interruption services, and a vehicle history report. Odometer is 1504 miles below market average! Porsche North Scottsdale is a Premier Porsche Dealer and will ship vehicles to most destinations.


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Q: Sometimes WatchConnectivity session on paired watch simulator is not reachable I have an iOS app that communicates with the paired watch using WatchConnectivity. In most cases, it works without problems, on the simulators and on the devices.
The problem:
During development on the simulators, I get now and then the following communication error when I try to send a direct message from iOS to watchOS using WCSession.default.sendMessage(_:replyHandler:errorHandler:):
Error Domain=WCErrorDomain Code=7007
"WatchConnectivity session on paired device is not reachable."

I have read this related post, but it does not apply to my case, because my app does work normally.
My questions:
How can it be that the watch simulator becomes not reachable while the app is running on the iOS simulator?
Does it make sense just to retry sendMessage after a while?
Is there any workaround?

A: As a workaround, I modified the sendMessage function so that in case of this error the transfer is retried a number of times. Since then, all sendMessage transfers are executed successfully.
func sendMessage(_ message: [String: AnyObject],
                                 replyHandler: (([String: Any]) -> Void)?,
                                 errorHandler: ((Error) -> Void)?) {
    guard let communicationReadySession = communicationReadySession else {
        // watchOS: A session is always valid, so it will never come here.
        print("Cannot send direct message: No reachable session")
        let error = NSError.init(domain: kErrorDomainWatch,
                                 code: kErrorCodeNoValidAndReachableSession,
                                 userInfo: nil)
        errorHandler?(error)
        return
    }

    /* The following trySendingMessageToWatch sometimews fails with
    Error Domain=WCErrorDomain Code=7007 "WatchConnectivity session on paired device is not reachable."
    In this case, the transfer is retried a number of times.
    */
    let maxNrRetries = 5
    var availableRetries = maxNrRetries

    func trySendingMessageToWatch(_ message: [String: AnyObject]) {
        communicationReadySession.sendMessage(message,
                                              replyHandler: replyHandler,
                                              errorHandler: { error in
                                                              print("sending message to watch failed: error: \(error)")
                                                              let nsError = error as NSError
                                                              if nsError.domain == "WCErrorDomain" && nsError.code == 7007 && availableRetries > 0 {
                                                                 availableRetries = availableRetries - 1
                                                                 let randomDelay = Double.random(min: 0.3, max: 1.0)
                                                                 DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + randomDelay, execute: {
                                                                    trySendingMessageToWatch(message)
                                                                 })
                                                               } else {
                                                                 errorHandler?(error)
                                                               }
        })
    } // trySendingMessageToWatch

    trySendingMessageToWatch(message)
} // sendMessage


Burnella swivel rocker lounge chair's graceful profile and lasting cast aluminum construction make the outdoor gathering more enjoyable. High-performing Nuvella™ cushions secure to the lounge chair frames and reverse for twice the wear. Easy-care cushion fabric remains bright looking through seasons of use. o have a complete fire chat set, order 1 of P456-776B, 1 of P456-776T and 2 of P456-821 OR 2 of P456-822.
BURNELLA ALUMINUM FIRE PIT CHAT SET FEATURES: Rust free cast aluminum with Nuvella™ solution dyed polyester fabric, Swivel rocker lounge chairs, 40,000 BTU burner is CSA approved, Can be converted to natural gas, Fire pit includes burner cover, lava rocks and protective weather cover, Battery operated adjustable flame control igniter, Fiberglass/resin base with easy access door.
About us: from design, through fulfillment, Ashley continuously strives to provide you, our customer, with the best values, selection and service in the furniture industry. Our story: established in 1945, Ashley offers one of the industry's broadest product assortments to retail partners in 123 countries. In less than 10 years, Ashley furniture has become the no. 1 selling furniture store brand in the world and the no. 1 retailer of furniture and bedding in the United States. Our furniture: furniture is our passion. Ashley does it all; we design, build, ship and deliver it to pass savings on to you. Our production teams carefully build each piece, ensuring quality construction and workmanship.
Be the first to review "Ashley Furniture Signature Design – Burnella Swivel Rocker Lounge Chair with Cushion -Set of 2 – Outdoor – Rust Free Cast Aluminum – Orange & Brown" Click here to cancel reply.


PreFab Player™ (for MacOS 9.x and below) is a faceless background application (similar to a system extension) that lets your scripts query and control otherwise non-scriptable applications, desk accessories and control panels. Player adds verbs to Frontier and AppleScript that directly manipulate the Macintosh user interface, choosing from menus & pop-ups, selecting radio buttons, typing text, etc. Scripts can call Player's query verbs to determine the name of the frontmost window, the state of a checkbox, or even the text of an error message. Player includes special balloon help to identify user interface objects, complete documentation for the script writer, free technical support by e-mail and FAX, and a 60-day MBG. Player retails for $139, and includes a single license for Player Runtime.
Player Runtime™ is an inexpensive utility for running scripts created with Player: $25 for one, $20 each for 10 or more.


Just like our favorite macramé skirts and tops, this handwoven Macrame Wool Rug brings a bit of bohemian flair to the mix. Made with the softest wool from New Zealand with a pretty popcorn stitch that adds fabulous texture. $295-$1,495. Buy here.


text:
Homepage > Joss Whedon's Tv Series > Angel > News > FCC Rejects 'Angel' Indecency Complaint
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From Yahoo.com
FCC Rejects 'Angel' Indecency Complaint
Saturday 26 February 2005, by Webmaster
WASHINGTON - A love scene from the canceled TV show "Angel" that showed a female character turning into a vampire and biting her partner's neck did not overstep federal indecency rules, the Federal Communications Commission ruled Friday.
It was one of two scenes from a November 2003 episode of "Angel" that were not "sufficiently graphic or explicit to render the program patently offensive" by contemporary standards, the FCC said in denying an indecency complaint from the Parents Television Council.
"Angel," which was canceled by the WB last year after five seasons, starred David Boreanaz in the title role of an 18th-century vampire who tried to atone for past evil deeds in present day Los Angeles.
One scene involved Angel in an intimate moment with a female character in which Angel's hips are seen "moving back and forth," the Parents Television Council said in its complaint.
In the scene depicting the female vampire biting the neck of her partner, also a vampire, both characters had clothes on and "their breathing is heavy," the complaint said.
The episode aired at 9 p.m. EST on Nov. 19, 2003. The indecency law bars nonsatellite radio and noncable television stations from airing between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. indecent material such as references to sexual and excretory functions. Those are the hours when children are more likely to be watching TV.
But not all sexual and excretory references or scenes are considered indecent. The FCC must consider context and its decisions are subjective interpretations of the law.
The FCC said the "Angel" scenes were not patently offensive "as defined by commission precedent" and therefore were not indecent.
The complaint was officially filed against WBDC-TV in Washington, though the program aired on WB stations across the country. The FCC asks that indecency complaints include the call letters of a television or radio station.
> FCC Rejects 'Angel' Indecency Complaint
26 February 2005 10:02, by Wolverine68
This is the problem with society. People don't stop to look at the context, only the content.
Glad to see truth & justice won out.
Ironic though, that it took 5 (8 if yuo count from the start of Buffy) years for a complaint to be made. I mean people have been vamping & having sex on the show all this time.
26 February 2005 17:38, by Anonymous
"We" need to dig up some dirt on the head sickos running this so called "Parents Television Council" so they will crawl back into the slime pit they came out of. They must be stopped. Eight sick people, (that's how many complained and wanted NBC and the country of Greece fined for airing the "pornographic" Olympic games opening ceremonys) shouldn't be allowed to dictate and edit the media for millions of others. The PTC has the only dirty minds!
to be honest, makes me wana know which episodes they are taling about! So i can wathc them...
27 February 2005 21:46, by Nikkole
This is the same council of parents that said we should ban "The Little Mermaid" and "Pocahontis" from tv and movie channels because they are encouraging our young girls to become sluts. COME ON! I just don't think I would let my 6 year old go out on a date where seashells for a bra and a tailfin! LOL! They need to get REAL jobs and lives of thier own. OR, make sure that THEY are being parents to thier own children, and stop worrying about everyone elses'.


text:
Mathias Marcher, seltener auch Matthias Marcher (* 21. September 1853 in Oberdrauburg, Kaisertum Österreich; † 31. Dezember 1926 in Lienz, Österreich), war ein österreichischer Bergführer. Im Brotberuf Schuhmachermeister, wurde er der erfolgreichste Bergführer vor der Jahrhundertwende in den Lienzer Dolomiten. Zudem war er einer der Gründer der sozialdemokratischen Bewegung in Lienz.

Leben
Mathias Marcher wurde am 21. September 1853 in der Gemeinde Oberdrauburg am Fuße der Lienzer Dolomiten und damit an der Grenze zu Osttirol geboren. Bereits in jungen Jahren bestieg er die Berge in seiner unmittelbaren Heimatnähe, wobei er vor allem ab den 1880er Jahren als Bergführer in Erscheinung trat und ab dieser Zeit vermehrt Erstbesteigungen, aber auch Erstbegehungen tätigte. Zu seinen Erstbesteigungen zählen unter anderem die Kleine Sandspitze (1885), der Laserzer Seekofel, sowie die beiden Leitmeritzer Spitzen (alle 1889), der Hohe Perschitzkopf (26. Juli 1890), der Große Hornkopf (28. Juli 1890), die Große Grubenspitze (1895), der Östliche Wildsender (1897), die Kerschbaumertörlspitze (1898), sowie der Südliche und Nördliche Spitzkofelturm (1899), allesamt in den Lienzer Dolomiten. Einige seiner Erstbegehungen waren ein neuer Anstieg im obersten Gipfelaufbau und die erste Überschreitung nach Süden auf der Großen Sandspitze (1888), die erste touristische Durchquerung der Wilden Badstube (1899), ein neuer Anstieg auf der Großen Keilspitze (1902) sowie die Kühbodenspitze aus der Wilden Badstube und der erste Übergang zum Spitzkofel (1905), allesamt in den Lienzer Dolomiten. Zu seinen Begleitern zählen unter anderem Gustav Baldermann, M. Deegen, Franz Fistil, Gaßler, Graf, A. Gunolt, Hochegger, Jaroschek, A. Kolp, C. Landmann, Thomas Oberwalder, Lothar Patéra, J. Rohracher, Steindl oder Stoll.

Im Jahre 1893 begleitete er auf dem damaligen Jagdsteig Peter Paul Steidl bei der Besteigung der Gamswiesenspitze, womit Steidl der erste Tourist war, der auf diesem Weg den Gipfel erreichte. Am 17. Dezember 1897 wurde in der Jahresversammlung der Alpenvereinssektion Lienz, einer Sektion des Österreichischen Alpenvereins, beschlossen, dass Marcher für seine damals bereits zehn Jahre andauernde Tätigkeit als Bergführer ein Anerkennungsdiplom verliehen bekommen soll. Dabei wurde er vor allem für seine in dieser Zeit durchgeführten Erstbesteigungen und -begehungen, sowohl in der Schobergruppe als auch in den Lienzer Dolomiten, die er teils mit Touristen, teils aber auch alleine durchgeführt hatte, gelobt. Verdient gemacht hatte er sich unter anderem auch als Begleiter Ludwig Purtschellers bei dessen Erschließungstouren in der Hochschobergruppe. Nicht nur als Bergsteiger war Marcher erfolgreich, auch in seinem Brotberuf als Schuhmacher war er viele Jahre Obmann der Fachgenossenschaft, die im Jahre 1905 gegründet wurde. Ebenso war er in der Lokalpolitik aktiv, wobei er dem Gemeinderat von Lienz angehörte, aber dann zurücktrat, um Jüngeren Platz zu machen. Des Weiteren hatte er einen Platz im Ausschuss der Alpenvereinssektion inne und leistete wertvolle Arbeit bei deren Hüttenbauten und Markierungen. Für diese Verdienste wurde er auch zum Ehrenmitglied seiner Sektion ernannt.

Am 31. Dezember 1926 verstarb Marcher 74-jährig nach einem längeren Asthmaleiden in Lienz. Seine Beerdigung am 2. Jänner 1927 wurde zu einer großen Trauerkundgebung, bei der zahlreiche Gäste zugegen waren.

Weblinks

 Mathias Marcher in der AlpinWiki

Einzelnachweise

Bergsteiger (Österreich-Ungarn)
Bergsteiger (Österreich)
Person (Kaisertum Österreich)
Person (Cisleithanien)
Österreicher
Geboren 1853
Gestorben 1926
Mann
Bergführer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Asia Pop Insider magazine on Michael Andrew Law
Posted by Michael Andrew Law 羅卓睿 on July 21, 2013 November 16, 2016
Michael Andrew Law was born in the 80s of Hong Kong.
After attending the Classical-realism private school of Daniel Anderson ,a New York Artist himself.
To this multimedia experience Michael Andrew Law will owe the independence of his style.
While he recognizes the influence of the great masters Caravaggio, Rembrandt and William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Michael Andrew Law is also inspired by music and lyricism which is always present in the best of his painting from cityscapes to figurative portraits.
Michael Andrew Law's talent was soon recognized and in 1998 he received hi first award from the national youth artist prize, which enables him to study the Fine Art painting in Canton.
In 2002, hardly 20 years old, Michael Andrew Law had his first individual exhibition at the church in Hong Kong.
But the real starting point of his career dates from 2005 when Michael Andrew Law was bought under the wing of Daniel Anderson (1928 -2007).
Michael Andrew Law is an nationally acclaimed artist celebrated for his figurative portraits compositions.
His works are harmonious with a brilliant palette of vibrant colors that seem to be overlaid with silk giving a soft and subtle result.
Michael Andrew Law's art has been described by many critics and fellow artists as "Symphonic" orchestrating the elements to create perfectly balanced compositions that are withdrawn from reality yet not quite abstract offering a sense of mystery rather than a clear definition.
His works capture the beauty and innocence of young girls and the calligraphy as a form he paints with his brush.Michael Andrew Law has created a style all his own that is immediately identifiable and enjoyable.
Nature Art Workshop, Inc. is to represent 3 of the original paintings, and limited editions of this internationally acclaimed contemporary painter.
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littleBIGBELL Pancakes for a happy and positive breakfast with NESCAFÉ Azera.
A happy and positive breakfast with pancakes and NESCAFÉ Azera.
Being a full time doctor, mother and blogger, means that I'm often in a rush.
Mornings tend to be the most difficult time of day, as I'm having to multitask with the school runs, and then get to work at the hospital. Weekends are no better, as I'm having to focus full time on my styling and photography work for the blog. Most mornings, I don't even have time to sit down for coffee.
Even though I believe that a positive start to the morning can improve the rest of my day, I've not had time to act on it, until now.
I decided that in order to bring more positivity to my morning, I would start by making small changes. My first change being, allocating time in the weekend to sit together as a family for breakfast.
I now realise that a well thought of, and beautifully presented breakfast can have a better impact on my family's mood, than the usual scenario of cereal eaten in a hurry. Having time for breakfast together, has made us bond even closer as a family unit.
I enlisted the help of my husband, the pancake making supremo, to make his famous buttermilk pancakes.
I then topped the pile of pancakes with some fresh organic yoghurt, fruits and edible flowers. I've used the new NESCAFÉ Azera limited edition tins, that have been designed to evoke positivity by art students, as the inspiration for my breakfast table styling.
If you are unsure on how to inject positivity to your breakfast table, you could try using fresh colourful flowers, as a first step. A happy and colourful table evokes positivity.
I think the design of the tins have been so effective, because their vibrant use of colours.
The fresh citrus tones come across as energising, and the bold use of patterns evoke a renewed sense of confidence. What would you do if you could wake up to something wonderful, new or exciting? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Love the bright table and the jazzy designs on the coffee containers. These would jolly up a rainy morning !
I love having a special family breakfast. During the week I just about have time to feed the girls and get them out the door so I can get to work in time. I never have time to eat with them. So we always have something special on Fridays when I don't work and then we have a special breakfast again on Sunday when my husband can join us. My table never looks anywhere near as good as yours though. Beautiful styling! Must try that coffee, those tins are beautiful!


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The London Prosecco Company can provide a unique pop-up bar for any occasion. Converted with added sparkle, our custom-built prosecco van is thoughtfully designed and branded so we can blend into any theme or event.
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text:
African refugee serves as U.S. soldier
Hyattsville Life and Times, 10 years ago
BY SUSIE CURRIE — When Alfred Kollie walked into the U.S. Army recruiting office on Belcrest Center Drive in 2010, he knew more than most what the future might bring.
At the time, he was managing a store in the nearby mall and attending Prince George's Community College part-time. But just three years earlier, he and his family had been living in a refugee camp in Ghana while civil wars ravaged his native Liberia.
"When I told the recruiter where I was from, he asked whether I was willing to go back to war, because that's where I was headed," said Kollie, now 27 and serving in Afghanistan. "I told him as long as I got paid and had money for school, I'd go."
Kollie spent eight years — most of his childhood — in the camp with his family.
Spc. Alfred Kollie at his fuel truck. As a U.S. Army petroleum-supply
specialist, he provides aviation support to ground forces in Afghanistan. Photo courtesy Eric Pahon.
"Over there, being 10, you're not really young anymore," he recalled recently, sitting at a picnic table in a small, wooden hut on a hot summer night. "They had 6-year-old rebels walking around with AK-47s, killing innocent people. [The rebels would] kill their families and take the boys and compel them to join."
The future in Liberia, to put it mildly, looked bleak.
"All we prayed for was to come to America," Kollie said. When his father became ill, the family of 12 feared for more than his life.
"If he died while we were in the refugee camps, we were never going to come to the United States," he said. "If the head of the family dies in the process [of relocating], the entire family stays back. You're done. It happened to a lot of families over there."
But on June 14, 2007, the news came that they'd be leaving for the United States within weeks as part of a resettlement program.
"I ran to the church, and all I could do was praise God," said Kollie. "Everybody in the family couldn't believe it. It was like a miracle."
That July, the family arrived in Louisiana, where they stayed with a relative. Kollie, then 22, got a factory job packaging chicken spices.
In 2008, he and his sister Saba decided to strike out on their own. They came to Hyattsville and found an apartment on Queens Chapel Road, where Saba still lives.
Kollie landed a job at Jimmy Jazz in the Mall at Prince Georges, eventually becoming a manager. But what he really wanted was a college degree, and community college, even part time, was putting too much of a strain on his budget.
Then he heard about the G.I. Bill, and thought it might be the answer. Since childhood, Kollie had been fascinated with the military lifestyle — although not that of the rebel armies he grew up avoiding in his own country.
"They're not an organized fighting force. There's a lot of abuse, and I didn't want … that situation," he said. "Once I found myself in a country where the military is widely respected, and the military would provide shelter and food, pay me to do what I enjoy and pay me to go to school, I decided to join. It was a win-win situation for me."
He joined the Army in September 2010 and went to Afghanistan a year later with the 82nd Airborne Division. As a petroleum-supply specialist, he provides aviation support to ground forces. His office is, essentially, a full-service gas station for aircraft: His team receives, stores, filters and pumps hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel. They work in 12-hour shifts, day and night, hot or cold, keeping the "birds" in the air.
Kollie has gained a reputation in his unit for his work ethic, attention to detail, and, according to others in his unit, for his one-man crusade against "wastefulness."
"Where I'm from, you just can't waste stuff," he explained. "Like I was telling my sergeant today, someone said 'That food's been sitting over there for a while, [so] it's not good anymore,' and I told him I was going to eat it [anyway]. There were days in the camps when you knew the food wasn't good, but … you had to eat it, or you weren't going to eat at all."
Stationed in Fort Bragg, N.C., Kollie hopes "to attend any good college in North Carolina" when his 12-month tour is finished.
"I wish we were home, but the mission comes first," he said.
Eventually, he says, "I want to establish a family in the United States, and my dream is to give my family what I didn't have. My entire youth was taken away."
And yes, that means he intends to come back here.
"I would love to settle down in Hyattsville," he said, "the day I am done with the military. "
With reporting by Sgt. 1st Class Eric Pahon, a U.S. Army public affairs officer who travels across eastern Afghanistan covering aviation Soldiers and missions.
Tags #Africa #Army #soldier
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Have a look around you and notice the way things are written. Look through a magazine or newspaper, the covers of books, CD's, or the many products in your kitchen. See how the letters on the newspaper's front page look quite serious, but those on a children's cereal box convey fun and are usually accompanied by a little character who beckons you to bring it home. Nothing is random about the design of the words on these products. Their shape, colour, size, spacing have been deliberately thought out to convey information and emotion. This is the world of typography in the field of graphic design. Why not try your hand at designing your name to convey a bit of information about you, like your favorite colours, music, whether you're more playful or serious…you get the picture.


text:
A 52-Year-Old Man With Atherosclerosis
Jun 27, 2014 | Parag Joshi, MD, FACC; Joseph I. Miller, MD; Sarah Rinehart, MD, FACC
A 52-year-old executive was referred to our clinic for risk factor management after undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) as part of an Executive Physical. He has no history of coronary artery disease and exercises regularly without experiencing anginal symptoms.
His family history is notable for a myocardial infarction (MI) in his father at the age of 52 years. He is a lifelong non-smoker. He does not take medications.
His blood pressure was 110/75. His exam was notable for being overweight with a BMI of 27, but was otherwise unremarkable.
His total cholesterol is 206 mg/dL, HDL-C is 46 mg/dL, triglycerides are 178 mg/dL, calculated LDL-C is 124 mg/dL, and non HDL-C is 160 mg/dL. His fasting glucose is 86 mg/dL. His Hgb A1c is 5.6%.
His 10-year risk based on the 2013 ACC/AHA pooled ASCVD risk estimator is 3.7%.
His coronary artery calcium (CAC) score is 120, which places him in the 87th percentile for his age, gender, and ethnicity.
His coronary CTA shows the following in the proximal LAD:
In addition to maximizing therapeutic lifestyle changes (exercise, weight loss), what is the next step in this patient's management?
A. There is nothing more to do since his estimated 10-year risk is low.
B. Maximize risk factor modification by starting a low-dose aspirin and statin therapy.
C. Pursue stress testing.
D. Pursue coronary catheterization.
E. B and C.
The correct answer is: B. Maximize risk factor modification by starting a low-dose aspirin and statin therapy.
Atherosclerosis is necessary for nearly all coronary events. The development of atherosclerosis is multifactorial. There is significant heterogeneity in the contribution of common traditional modifiable risk factors including apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and sedentary lifestyle to atherogenesis.1 In participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) without atherosclerosis as measured by coronary artery calcium (CAC), even the presence of multiple modifiable risk factors was associated with low event rates (3.1%). In contrast, in those with elevated CAC and no modifiable risk factors, the event rates were significantly higher at nearly 11%.1
While risk estimators are improving in accuracy,2,3 the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis (primarily by CAC) has consistently been an additive predictor of coronary events in individuals and further discriminates between those at higher and lower risk for events.4-6 The case patient is at elevated risk because of the burden of subclinical atherosclerosis and, therefore, answer choice A is incorrect.
The recent 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines on cholesterol treatment take a risk-based approach to recommendations for statin therapy.7 The patient in this case has a low estimated 10-year risk at 3.7%. The current guidelines suggest a risk discussion in this case based on the patient's family history of premature coronary heart disease (CHD). Subclinical atherosclerosis imaging by CAC scanning can help with this discussion.8
Recently, eight-year follow-up from the Dallas Heart Study showed that among participants with a family history of MI, those without CAC experienced a significantly lower CHD event rate of 1.9% compared to 8.8% in those with any CAC.9 The case patient has a CAC score >100 that places him above the 75th percentile for his age, gender, and ethnicity. We would recommend moderate- or high-intensity statin therapy during a risk discussion based on an estimated 10-year event rate that exceeds 7.5%. Furthermore, recent data support the use of aspirin in those with CAC >100. Therefore, answer choice B is the correct answer.
Subclinical atherosclerosis imaging with CAC scanning has been endorsed by several committees to assist with risk assessment. The 2010 ACC/AHA risk assessment guidelines gave CAC scanning a IIA recommendation in those deemed to be at intermediate risk for CHD events.11 In the 2010 appropriate use criteria for cardiac CT endorsed by multiple societies, CAC scanning was deemed appropriate among low-risk asymptomatic patients with a family history of premature CHD in addition to those at intermediate risk.12 Most recently, the 2013 ACC/AHA risk assessment guidelines gave CAC scoring a IIB recommendation. Specifically, the committee suggests that if there is uncertainty about whether to start pharmacotherapy after risk estimation, then CAC scoring could be considered.2
An important consideration in this case is the use of CTA to identify subclinical atherosclerosis. While coronary CTA is a more specific and sensitive test for atherosclerosis, there is no evidence that CTA adds significantly to CAC scanning in an asymptomatic population. However, CTA may identify vulnerable features of plaque that are not picked up by CAC scanning, such as those present in the case example.13 Motoyama et al. identified high-risk features for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in asymptomatic subjects on CTA including positive remodeling and low-attenuation plaque, in addition to spotty calcification in those presenting with ACS.14,15 A small preliminary study suggested a benefit of statin therapy on plaque volume and the amount of low-attenuation plaque.16 The role of CTA in asymptomatic, primary prevention patients is actively under investigation.17 The benefits of CTA should be weighed against exposure to contrast, expense, and the need to train readers. With rapidly advancing technology, CTAs can now be performed with the equivalent radiation exposure of two mammograms.18
Currently, the use of CTA is useful in appropriate symptomatic patients, particularly in chest pain protocols in the emergency department.19 Many of these patients have mild or moderate, non-obstructive atherosclerosis that is unlikely to be the cause of their presenting symptoms, but should be managed with aggressive preventive therapies. In symptomatic patients from the CONFIRM registry, there is an increased hazard of mortality in those with non-obstructive atherosclerosis on CTA compared to those without atherosclerosis on CTA.20
Some have advocated for stress testing in those with CAC scores > 400; however, the patient in this case does not meet this criteria.21,22 Therefore, answer choices C and D are incorrect as the patient is asymptomatic.
Silverman MG, Blaha MJ, Krumholz HM, et al. Impact of coronary artery calcium on coronary heart disease events in individuals at the extremes of traditional risk factor burden: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Eur Heart J. 2013 Dec 13 [Epub ahead of print].
Goff DC, Jr., Lloyd-Jones DM, Bennett G, et al. 2013 ACC/AHA guideline on the assessment of cardiovascular risk: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol 2014;63:2935-59.
Muntner P, Colantonio LD, Cushman M, et al. Validation of the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease Pooled Cohort risk equations. JAMA 2014;311:1406-15.
Polonsky TS, McClelland RL, Jorgensen NW, et al. Coronary artery calcium score and risk classification for coronary heart disease prediction. JAMA 2010;303:1610-6.
Erbel R, Möhlenkamp S, Moebus S, et al. Coronary risk stratification, discrimination, and reclassification improvement based on quantification of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis: the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2010;56:1397-406.
Yeboah J, McClelland RL, Polonsky TS, et al. Comparison of novel risk markers for improvement in cardiovascular risk assessment in intermediate-risk individuals. JAMA 2012;308:788-95.
Stone NJ, Robinson J, Lichtenstein AH, et al. 2013 ACC/AHA guideline on the treatment of blood cholesterol to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol 2014;63:2889–934.
Nasir K, Budoff MJ, Wong ND, et al. Family history of premature coronary heart disease and coronary artery calcification: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Circulation 2007;116:619-26.
Paixao AR, Berry JD, Neeland IJ, et al. Coronary artery calcification and family history of myocardial infarction in the Dallas Heart Study. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2014 June [Epub ahead of print].
Miedema MD, Duprez DA, Misialek JR, et al. Use of coronary artery calcium testing to guide aspirin utilization for primary prevention: estimates from the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2014;7:453-60.
Greenland P, Alpert JS, Beller GA, et al. 2010 ACCF/AHA guideline for assessment of cardiovascular risk in asymptomatic adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol 2010;56:e50-103.
Taylor AJ, Cerqueira M, Hodgson JM, et al. ACCF/SCCT/ACR/AHA/ASE/ASNC/NASCI/SCAI/SCMR 2010 appropriate use criteria for cardiac computed tomography. a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force, the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, the American College of Radiology, the American Heart Association, the American Society of Echocardiography, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, the North American Society for Cardiovascular Imaging, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, and the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. J Am Coll Cardiol 2010;56:1864-94.
Voros S, Rinehart S, Qian Z, et al. Coronary atherosclerosis imaging by coronary CT angiography: current status, correlation with intravascular interrogation and meta-analysis. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2011;4:537-48.
Motoyama S, Sarai M, Harigaya H, et al. Computed tomographic angiography characteristics of atherosclerotic plaques subsequently resulting in acute coronary syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol 2009;54:49-57.
Motoyama S, Kondo T, Sarai M et al. Multislice computed tomographic characteristics of coronary lesions in acute coronary syndromes. J Am Coll Cardiol 2007;50:319-26.
Inoue K, Motoyama S, Sarai M, et al. Serial coronary CT angiography-verified changes in plaque characteristics as an end point: evaluation of effect of statin intervention. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2010;3:691-8.
U.S. National Institutes of Health.Detection of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Asymptomatic Individuals (Decide CTA). (ClinicalTrials.gov website). 2009-2014. Available at: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00862056?term=DECIDE-CTA. Accessed June 22, 2014.
Achenbach S, Marwan M, Ropers, D et al. Coronary computed tomography angiography with a consistent dose below 1 mSv using prospectively electrocardiogram-triggered high-pitch spiral acquisition. Eur Heart J 2010;31:340-6.
Hoffmann U, Truong QA, Schoenfeld DA, et al. Coronary CT angiography versus standard evaluation in acute chest pain. N Engl J Med 2012;367:299-308.
Min JK, Dunning A, Lin FY, et al. Age- and sex-related differences in all-cause mortality risk based on coronary computed tomography angiography findings results from the International Multicenter CONFIRM (Coronary CT Angiography Evaluation for Clinical Outcomes: An International Multicenter Registry) of 23,854 patients without known coronary artery disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 2011;58:849-60.
Hendel RC, Berman DS, Di Carli MF, et al. ACCF/ASNC/ACR/AHA/ASE/SCCT/SCMR/SNM 2009 appropriate use criteria for cardiac radionuclide imaging: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, the American College of Radiology, the American Heart Association, the American Society of Echocardiography, the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and the Society of Nuclear Medicine. J Am Coll Cardiol 2009;53:2201-29.
Berman DS, Hachamovitch R, Shaw LJ, et al. Roles of nuclear cardiology, cardiac computed tomography, and cardiac magnetic resonance: Noninvasive risk stratification and a conceptual framework for the selection of noninvasive imaging tests in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. J Nucl Med 2006;47:1107-18.
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text:
Innumeracy at the Department of Education and the Congressional Committees Overseeing It
On July 21, 2017, preparatory to a July 24 Federalist Society teleforum titled "Are Existing Civil Rights Policies Based on a Statistical Understanding That Is the Opposite of Reality?," I posted an item here titled "The Government's Uncertain Path to Numeracy." The item discussed my July 17, 2017 letter to the heads of the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice. Among other things, the letter urged the agencies to explain to school administrators, that, contrary to what the agencies have previously led school administrators and the public to believe, relaxing public school discipline standards will tend to increase, not decrease, (a) relative (percentage) racial and other demographic differences in discipline rates and (b) the proportions racial minorities and other more susceptible groups make up of disciplined students.
[Because of the length of this post, a PDF version is available here.]
That pattern is the simple consequence of the fact that groups that are disproportionately represented among persons who are susceptible to some outcome are generally even more disproportionately represented among persons who are very susceptible to the outcome. I illustrated the matter, both in the letter and in materials used in the teleforum, with data from a Department of Education report showing that giving students reprimands instead of their first suspension would increase the proportions more susceptible groups made up of persons with one or more suspensions.
School discipline was one a number of areas discussed in the teleforum where the government's understanding of the effects of generally reducing some adverse outcome on standard measures of racial and other demographic differences is not simply incorrect, but is the opposite of reality. The question left unanswered in the teleforum was whether any branch of the government is ever going to figure this out.
On July 26, 2017, two days after the teleforum, 15 Senators and 45 Members of the House of Representatives, including the ranking members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos about racial disparities in public school discipline. The letter, however, was not aimed at correcting the Department of Education's misunderstanding of the effects of generally reducing discipline rates on measures of racial and other disparities that the agency commonly employs. Rather, the letter was premised on that very misunderstanding. The opening paragraphs read (emphasis added):
We are writing to request information about how the Department of Education ("Department") will work with states to reduce exclusionary and aversive discipline in public schools around the country. We are pleased to see the Department open investigations in districts such as Richmond, VA; however, we believe these investigations are limited in scope and do not adequately address the systemic issue of discipline disparities in our nation's schools.
In the 2013-14 school year, approximately 2.8 million students received one or more out of school suspensions from public schools according to the biennial Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). The CRDC also showed that black students and students with disabilities were more likely to be subjected to exclusionary discipline measures than their same age peers. Under the previous administration, a growing reversal of the "zero-tolerance" or "no excuses" disciplinary approach helped decrease national rates of exclusionary discipline practices that included out-of-school suspension and expulsions. Despite these national trends, many public schools continue to suspend and expel minority students and students with disabilities at alarmingly disproportionate rates.
In fact, rather than simply continuing, disproportionality in discipline rates has been increasing, and that tends to occur "because of," not "despite," general reductions in discipline rates.
While I did not check the party affiliation of each signer of the letter to Secretary DeVos, I assume that each was a Democrat. But if there is one area where Congress is bipartisan, it is innumeracy, at least regarding analyses of demographic differences. It is doubtful that any member of Congress regardless of party is aware that generally reducing adverse outcomes tends to increase, rather than decrease, the principal measures of racial disparity employed by agencies enforcing a variety of civil rights laws.
The reason that is possible for such a prodigious failure of understanding of fundamental statistical patterns to persist in Congress, as well as within the executive and judicial branches, is that the failure is just as pervasive in the social and medical science research communities as it is in the government. See my "Race and Mortality Revisited," Society (July/Aug. 2014), and my comments of November 14, and November 28, 2016, for the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking (CEBP) regarding the way that the aforementioned and related failures of understanding undermine essentially all analyses of demographic differences in adverse or favorable outcomes.
The last item discusses two illustrative issues fairly succinctly. Pages 1-3 address the way that studies of racial disparities in cancer outcomes commonly refer to relative differences in survival and relative differences in mortality interchangeably, often stating that they are measuring the former when in fact they are measuring the latter. Invariably, such studies do so without understanding that improvements in cancer care, while tending to reduce relative differences in surviving cancer, tend to increase relative differences in failing to survive cancer, or that more survivable cancers tend to show smaller relative differences in survival, but larger relative differences in mortality, than less survivable cancers. If you ever read that a study has found that racial differences in cancer survival are greater among a younger group than an older group, you can be virtually certain that the study in fact examined relative differences in mortality rather than survival. You can also be virtually certain that the study actually shows smaller relative differences in survival among the younger group than the older group.
Pages 3-4 of the item discuss a $1 million grant from the Department of Education to the Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) that, like the recent letter from members of Congress to Secretary DeVos, is premised on the mistaken belief that programs like PBIS will tend to reduce, rather than increase, the measures of discipline disparities that the agency has commonly employed. The grant is focused on preschool discipline, which has been an area of special concern because relative racial differences in suspensions are higher in preschool than they are in K-12. No one exhibiting that concern has recognized the connection between the size of the relative racial difference in preschool suspensions and the fact that suspensions are fairly rare in preschool (with some districts' having no preschool suspensions at all). See Table 8 of "Race and Mortality Revisited." Nor does anyone understand that PBIS and like approaches to discipline are likely to make those differences even larger.
That particular $1 million grant, however, represents a minor expenditure compared with the funds the Department of Education devotes to the study of group differences in educational outcomes. Such studies so far have yielded little of value because neither the agency nor its contractors and grantees know how to analyze such differences.
In addition to the illustrations mentioned above, the July 17 letter, using the same table I used here in a February 8, 2017 post titled "Compliance Nightmare Looms for Baltimore Police Department," showed how lowering a test cutoff, while tending to reduce relative differences in pass rates, tends to increase relative differences in failure rates. I have occasionally noted that the situation is not one where federal agencies enforcing civil rights laws understand this pattern with respect to test score data but believe that, for some reason, the patterns will not be reflected in other contexts. Rather, despite decades of dealing with issues about demographic differences in test outcomes, the Department of Education has yet to show an understanding of these patterns even in the testing context.
The failure to understand the patterns in the testing context undermines a range of the agency's activities. Substantial Department of Education and state funds are devoted to the monitoring of relative racial differences in assignment to special education programs. But neither the Department and the experts assisting it, nor the states endeavoring to follow Department guidelines, have yet shown an understanding that the lower are the test score cutoffs used for such assignment (or the greater the circumspection otherwise exercised in such assignment), the greater will tend to be relative differences between rates at which different groups are assigned to special education programs.
Nor has the agency or the experts assisting it yet shown any recognition that general improvements in education, while tending to reduce relative differences in rates of achieving subject proficiency, promotion from grade to grade, and graduation, will tend to increase relative differences in rates of failing to achieve proficiency, retention in grade, and failure to graduate.
Demographic differences in subject proficiency are often analyzed in terms of absolute (percentage point) differences between rates of different groups. The absolute difference is the same whether one examines the favorable outcome or the corresponding adverse outcome. But this measure, too, tends to change solely because the frequency of an outcome changes, as explained in "Race and Mortality Revisited" and the November 14, 2016 CEBP comments. Roughly, as an outcome goes from being rare to being fairly common, absolute differences tend to increase; as the outcome goes from being fairly common to being even more common, absolute differences tend to decrease. See Figure 2 (at 31) of the CEBP comments for an illustration of the effects on the absolute difference between pass (or fail) rates of lowering a test cutoff from a point where almost every fails to a point where almost everyone passes.
Thus, for example, general improvements in education tend to increase absolute differences between rates of advanced proficiency (where rates are commonly very low), while decreasing absolute differences of basic proficiency (where rates are often fairly high). But here, too, neither the Department of Education nor the expert entities assisting it understand these issues at all, much less understand them sufficiently to make an informed appraisal as to whether any observed pattern of changes in the absolute difference is other than the consequence of a general change in the frequency of the outcome.
For extensive examples of the way failure to understand the ways measures tend to be affected by the frequency has led to misleading research and misguided activities regarding matters within the purview of the Department of Education, see the subpages to the Discipline Disparities and Educational Disparities pages of jpscanlan.com and my letters to Pyramid Equity Project (Nov. 28, 2016), Boston Lawyers' Committee (Nov. 12, 2015), Univ. of Oregon Inst. on Violence and Destructive Behavior (July 3, 2016), New York City Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence(June 6, 2016), Texas Appleseed (Apr. 7, 2015, Education Law Center (Aug. 14, 2014), IDEA Data Center (Aug. 11, 2014), Annie E. Casey Foundation (May 13, 2014), and Education Trust (April 30, 2014).
For an example of the nightmare potentially facing the Richmond, Virginia schools as a result of the recently-initiated Department of Education investigation mentioned in the July 26 letter from members of Congress to Secretary DeVos, in conjunction with the agency's failure to understand that policy changes it commonly requires tend to increase the measures it monitors, see my letter to Oklahoma City School District(Sept. 20, 2016).
The congressional committees overseeing the Department of Education have no better an understanding of these issues than the agency itself. But that holds as well for the committees overseeing every agency that has functions involving analyses of demographic differences. It also holds for every piece of legislation so far passed imposing some burden on a covered entity pertaining to demographic differences. See page 342 of "Race and Mortality Revisited" regarding Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and my May 6, 2016 post here titled "Is the Disparate Impact Doctrine Unconstitutionally Vague?."
A second area of congressional bipartisanship involves the belief in the importance of the use of data to promote evidence-based policy. Thus, both parties supported the legislation creating the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking. And the Commission is comprised of members appointed by the leadership of both parties. The Commission's report to the legislative and executive branches is due very shortly.
Were the Commission to follow the recommendations at pages 45-46 in my November 14, 2016 comments, the government's path to numeracy would suddenly be a much less uncertain one. But my hopes are not high that the Commission will even address the matters where current policies are based on an understanding that is the precise opposite of reality.
A better hope rests in the Department of Education itself. For, while the agency may not have a single employee who understands the issues discussed above, it has hundreds of employees who are capable of understanding the issues if they examine them carefully enough. Possibly the July 26, 2017 letter from members of Congress to Secretary DeVos will assist in prompting such an examination.
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