text:
In Top Story
PM Chairs Cabinet Meeting
Federal Cabinet has endorsed the measures being taken by the government on Kashmir cause in the wake of steps taken by India to change the status quo in Kashmir.
Briefing newsmen in Islamabad, Special Assistant to Prime minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said Prime Minister Imran Khan took the cabinet into confidence on regional situation emerging after revocation of independent status of Kashmir by India. She said focal groups have been formed on Kashmir in the context of parliamentary resolution that will work under their mandate and give concrete recommendations to the government.
The cabinet appreciated the statement of UN Secretary General on Kashmir in which he expressed concern on the situation and also recalled that under Simla Agreement the final status of Jammu and Kashmir is to be settled by peaceful means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
The cabinet reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment that it will not budge from its principled stand on Kashmir. It emphasized not to show any flexibility on this position and national interests of the country.
The cabinet paid tribute to vision and wisdom of Prime minister and expressed full confidence on the steps taken by him. Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said welfare, security and defense of the country is priority of incumbent government.
Referring to other decisions of the cabinet, she said a briefing was given by Frontier Works Organization to the meeting regarding development projects in Karachi.
She said ten initiatives were put before cabinet under Ehsaas program. The Prime Minister told the cabinet that our country is rich with resources, capital and talent and challenges are due to inequitable distribution of resources.
The Ehsaas initiatives will help reduce unemployment, besides provision of quality food and employment to marginalized segments of society. Under the program, women will be given preference in order to empower them.
Cabinet also approved lungar program to provide free meals to destitute and poor people in major cities of the country. Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said 155 offices of Pakistan Baitul Maal and more than 380 offices of Benazir Income Support Program across the country will work collectively to provide this service.
The cabinet also accorded approval to restructuring of Pakistan Cricket Board in order to promote regional cricket and groom new talent.
It also gave approval to decisions of ECC taken in its last meeting.
Cabinet also approved measures to facilitate construction of high rise buildings in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Multan. Prime Minster directed Civil Aviation Davison to give its suggestions in order to facilitate the construction of high rise buildings and to attract foreign investment into the housing sector.
Cabinet also directed the relevant authorities to make adequate arrangements for coping with the flood situation in various parts of the country during rainy season.
It also accorded approval to bill of University of Engineering and Emerging Technology.
Cabinet also approved a mechanism for provision of gas facility under gas development schemes.
Cabinet re-endorsed current charge of MD of Tourism Board.
Whole Nation Is Proud Of Salman Khan: PM ...
Washington: Qureshi Addresses News Conference ...
Govt. Is Committed To Make Education Accessible To Every Youth: PM ...
PM Chairs Meeting On IOK Situation ...
FM Holds Meeting With U.N Chief ...
PM Chairs Meeting On Construction Industry ...


We offer this ZooMed ReptiTherm® Under Tank Heater (Large) because we have tested and used it ourselves successfully. Please feel free to contact us for set up/ instructions and help.
ReptiTherm® U.T.H. Under Tank Heaters are an ideal 24 hour primary or secondary heat source for tropical or temperate reptilian species. All of Zoo Meds Under Tank Heaters are UL/cUL approved (GS/TuV/CE in Europe) and contain a solid state nichrome heating element. These under tank heaters permanently adhere to your terrarium, forming a solid bond for optimum heat transfer.
- Inexpensive, low wattage heaters.
- Excellent secondary heat source.
10. Pricing: 1 or more: $44.95/ea.


text:
#pragma once
#include <aws/gamelift/GameLift_EXPORTS.h>
#include <aws/gamelift/GameLiftRequest.h>
#include <aws/core/utils/memory/stl/AWSString.h>
#include <utility>

namespace Aws
{
namespace GameLift
{
namespace Model
{

  /**
   *
Represents the input for a request action.

See Also:
   AWS
   * API Reference

   */
  class AWS_GAMELIFT_API UpdateBuildRequest : public GameLiftRequest
  {
  public:
    UpdateBuildRequest();

    // Service request name is the Operation name which will send this request out,
    // each operation should has unique request name, so that we can get operation's name from this request.
    // Note: this is not true for response, multiple operations may have the same response name,
    // so we can not get operation's name from response.
    inline virtual const char* GetServiceRequestName() const override { return "UpdateBuild"; }

    Aws::String SerializePayload() const override;

    Aws::Http::HeaderValueCollection GetRequestSpecificHeaders() const override;

    /**
     *
Unique identifier for a build to update.

     */
    inline const Aws::String& GetBuildId() const{ return m_buildId; }

    /**
     *
Unique identifier for a build to update.

     */
    inline void SetBuildId(const Aws::String& value) { m_buildIdHasBeenSet = true; m_buildId = value; }

    /**
     *
Unique identifier for a build to update.

     */
    inline void SetBuildId(Aws::String&& value) { m_buildIdHasBeenSet = true; m_buildId = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
Unique identifier for a build to update.

     */
    inline void SetBuildId(const char* value) { m_buildIdHasBeenSet = true; m_buildId.assign(value); }

    /**
     *
Unique identifier for a build to update.

     */
    inline UpdateBuildRequest& WithBuildId(const Aws::String& value) { SetBuildId(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
Unique identifier for a build to update.

     */
    inline UpdateBuildRequest& WithBuildId(Aws::String&& value) { SetBuildId(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
Unique identifier for a build to update.

     */
    inline UpdateBuildRequest& WithBuildId(const char* value) { SetBuildId(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
Descriptive label that is associated with a build. Build names do not need to
     * be unique.

     */
    inline const Aws::String& GetName() const{ return m_name; }

    /**
     *
Descriptive label that is associated with a build. Build names do not need to
     * be unique.

     */
    inline void SetName(const Aws::String& value) { m_nameHasBeenSet = true; m_name = value; }

    /**
     *
Descriptive label that is associated with a build. Build names do not need to
     * be unique.

     */
    inline void SetName(Aws::String&& value) { m_nameHasBeenSet = true; m_name = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
Descriptive label that is associated with a build. Build names do not need to
     * be unique.

     */
    inline void SetName(const char* value) { m_nameHasBeenSet = true; m_name.assign(value); }

    /**
     *
Descriptive label that is associated with a build. Build names do not need to
     * be unique.

     */
    inline UpdateBuildRequest& WithName(const Aws::String& value) { SetName(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
Descriptive label that is associated with a build. Build names do not need to
     * be unique.

     */
    inline UpdateBuildRequest& WithName(Aws::String&& value) { SetName(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
Descriptive label that is associated with a build. Build names do not need to
     * be unique.

     */
    inline UpdateBuildRequest& WithName(const char* value) { SetName(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
Version that is associated with this build. Version strings do not need to be
     * unique.

     */
    inline const Aws::String& GetVersion() const{ return m_version; }

    /**
     *
Version that is associated with this build. Version strings do not need to be
     * unique.

     */
    inline void SetVersion(const Aws::String& value) { m_versionHasBeenSet = true; m_version = value; }

    /**
     *
Version that is associated with this build. Version strings do not need to be
     * unique.

     */
    inline void SetVersion(Aws::String&& value) { m_versionHasBeenSet = true; m_version = std::move(value); }

    /**
     *
Version that is associated with this build. Version strings do not need to be
     * unique.

     */
    inline void SetVersion(const char* value) { m_versionHasBeenSet = true; m_version.assign(value); }

    /**
     *
Version that is associated with this build. Version strings do not need to be
     * unique.

     */
    inline UpdateBuildRequest& WithVersion(const Aws::String& value) { SetVersion(value); return *this;}

    /**
     *
Version that is associated with this build. Version strings do not need to be
     * unique.

     */
    inline UpdateBuildRequest& WithVersion(Aws::String&& value) { SetVersion(std::move(value)); return *this;}

    /**
     *
Version that is associated with this build. Version strings do not need to be
     * unique.

     */
    inline UpdateBuildRequest& WithVersion(const char* value) { SetVersion(value); return *this;}

  private:

    Aws::String m_buildId;
    bool m_buildIdHasBeenSet;

    Aws::String m_name;
    bool m_nameHasBeenSet;

    Aws::String m_version;
    bool m_versionHasBeenSet;
  };

} // namespace Model
} // namespace GameLift
} // namespace Aws

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


When you come home, you deserve to feel at home – and at The Vineyard Luxury Apartments, we make that easy. Perfectly located halfway between bustling San Francisco and the gorgeous Napa Valley wine country, The Vineyard features luxury apartments with resort-style amenities designed to provide a luxury lifestyle. We are proud to offer a variety of floor plans and benefits, making it easy to find your dream apartment complex in Petaluma, CA.  Call us today to schedule a tour!
To find out more about the luxury community and apartment units, view a full list of our amenities!
The Vineyard Luxury Apartments offer the perfect location for people wanting the best of both worlds. With Petaluma situated at the halfway mark between San Francisco and Napa Valley, a trip into the city or a day in the wine country is never more than a short drive away. Our convenient location means you're just minutes away from vibrant shopping, dining, and entertainment centers. View our location to see what else is nearby!
Why settle for less than what you truly deserve? Contact The Vineyard Luxury Apartments to find the perfect apartment for a luxury lifestyle at an affordable price. Call us at (855) 253-5258 to learn more about the available apartments or to schedule a viewing. We can't wait to welcome you into your brand new, beautiful Petaluma apartment. Apply online today!


text:
Emergent Japan
Surge of Economy and National Esteem
Prosperity and Problems of Japanese
Japan's Future Leadership Role in Asia
Expo 70 as Symbol of Japanese New Self-Pride
One hundred years ago Japan was still emerging from feudalism. Twenty-five years ago it was a nation in ruins after defeat in war. Today Japan on the eve of the opening of Expo 70 is an economic superpower, outranked only by the United States and Russia. What lies ahead is of great concern, and hope, on both sides of the Pacific. Premier Eisaku Sato told the Diet (parliament) on Feb. 14 the 1970s would be "an era in which Japan's national power will carry unprecedented weight in world affairs."
Pushed back onto their barren islands after the allied victory in 1945, demoralized and in international disgrace, the Japanese people have made an astounding recovery. But their prosperity has spawned a host of social problems, incurred the envy and sometimes the anxiety of other Asian nations and led to a renascent nationalism in Japan. Japan's decision to hold the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo was an early sign of the nation's awakening self-confidence. President Nixon's pledge last November to return Okinawa to Japanese rule by 1972 was, for Japan, an important step into world prominence. Foreign Minister Kiichi Aichi said the reversion of Okinawa "will lift the last excuse in our public mind for clinging to our inward-lookingness…our strength will have been made whole again, and we will be ready for our responsibilities." More recently, Japan's successful launching of an unmanned satellite on Feb. 11 boosted national morale.
The most obvious indication that Japan has "arrived," however, is Expo 70, the first world's fair ever held in Asia. Expo 70 opens March 15 for a six-month run on an 815-aere site outside Osaka, Japan's second largest city. Some 80 countries are taking part in the $2 billion fair, which is expected to attract 67 million visitors from Japan and abroad, including 500,000 from America. Expo 70 is especially significant for the Japanese because they failed in three previous attempts to hold a world's fair. Construction was well under way for a fair in Tokyo in 1940 when the outbreak of World War II in Europe cancelled the event. "Progress and Harmony for Mankind" and "The Beginning of a New Century of Progress for the Far East" are the twin themes of Expo 70. The slogans reflect the duality of Japanese thinking at present, as their country casts about for a proper leadership role to match its economic strength. Despite some nagging-doubts, there is a pervasive optimism, arising from economic strength.
Jul. 26, 2002 Japan in Crisis
May 31, 1991 The U.S. And Japan
Apr. 09, 1982 Tensions in U.S.-Japanese Relations
Jul. 01, 1977 Japanese Elections
Mar. 04, 1970 Emergent Japan
Jun. 25, 1969 Okinawa Question
Jan. 05, 1966 Rising Japanese Nationalism
Jun. 02, 1960 Japan: Disturbed Ally
Nov. 18, 1959 Japanese Competition in International Trade
May 11, 1955 Relations With Japan
Nov. 03, 1954 Japan's Economy
Jan. 09, 1952 Trade with Japan
Feb. 28, 1951 Japan and Pacific Security
Sep. 19, 1947 Peace with Japan
Aug. 14, 1945 Emperor of Japan
Nov. 03, 1944 Russo-Japanese Relations
Dec. 09, 1939 The United States and Japan's New Order in Asia
Dec. 05, 1938 Japan and the Open Door Policy
Apr. 29, 1935 Japanese Foreign Trade Expansion
May 11, 1934 Japanese Policy in Asia
Oct. 12, 1932 Japanese-American Relations
Mar. 17, 1932 Boycotts and Embargoes
Feb. 10, 1932 Militarism Vs. Liberalism in Japan

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
KLEIN GETS LEAD ROLE
By CHARLES STANNARD; Courant Staff Writer
KILLINGWORTH -- — The Democratic town committee has endorsed Martin Klein for first selectman and two candidates for selectmen.
Klein, a 77-year-old retired farmer, was recommended by the Democratic nominating committee and unanimously endorsed by the full town committee at a meeting Sunday. Klein lost to Republican First Selectman David Denvir by 227 votes in 2003 after waging an active door-to-door campaign. Denvir is not seeking re-election this year.
In an unusual move, the committee endorsed two candidates for the board of selectmen, though only one could be seated if Klein should win the contest for the top spot. Nominated for board of selectmen are Edward Sipples, a board of finance member who was the party's unsuccessful nominee for first selectman against Denvir in 2001, and Steve Hollander, chairman of the board and recreation commission and president of the Killingworth Youth League.
Sipples said local Democrats, who have not elected a first selectman since 1987, this year had more candidates than openings at the top of the ticket. Because of a 1990 charter revision that specifies the losing candidate for first selectman is not seated on the board regardless of vote totals, both Sipples and Hollander could be elected if Klein were defeated in the race for first selectman.
Sipples, who presided over the nominating committee, said the decision to nominate two candidates to run for the board is an effort to "give the people a choice that has not been available for many years." Republicans are expected to nominate John Amport, a board of finance member, for first selectman, and appointed incumbent Selectman Fred Dudek, who is remaining an unaffiliated voter, for board of selectmen.
Klein said Monday that he is planning another door-to-door campaign that would offer alternatives to nearly two decades of Republican control of town hall. He declined comment on the plan to run two candidates for board of selectmen.
Democrats are nominating a candidate for the special election for judge of probate that has been scheduled for Nov. 8 after the mandatory retirement next month of 16-year incumbent Republican Judge of Probate Judith Lentz. The town committee has endorsed Jamie Young, a committee member who is working for her law degree, for the judgeship. Republicans are expected to nominate Holly Darin, an attorney who practices with a New Haven firm, for the seat to set up the first contest for judge of probate since Lentz's first election in 1988.
The committee endorsed Linda Dudek, the assistant town clerk and the elected town treasurer, for town clerk. Dudek has also been endorsed by town Republicans to replace Town Clerk Susan Adinolfo, a Republican who is retiring this year after nearly two decades in the job.
The committee endorsed Claudette Lagasse to replace Dudek in the part-time treasurer position. Lagasse works in the administrative offices of Region 4 schools in Deep River.
The committee endorsed three candidates for three openings on the board of finance. The candidates are Arlene Tunney, a local architect who serves on the zoning board of appeals, Gwenne Lally, the secretary of the town committee who also serves on the town office building study committee, and Tim Withington, who works in the pharmaceutical industry.
The committee endorsed Louis Annino Sr. for board of assessment appeals. Annino is retiring from the board of selectmen this year after serving as the town's Democratic selectman since 1993.
They endorsed incumbent James O'Brien, Jere Adametz, and Edward Hayash for seats on the planning and zoning commission. Adametz and Hayash currently serve as commission alternates.
The committee endorsed incumbent Pamela Ahearn and Carol Pleines for zoning board of appeals. Ahearn is the last Democrat to serve as first selectman, holding the job from 1985-89. Pleines is the co-owner of the Acorn Bed and Breakfast on Route 148. Kathy Amoia was endorsed for zoning board of appeals alternate.
The committee endorsed Jason Cabral, Mary Withington, and Barbara Klein for Region 17 Board of Education.
The slate endorsed by the town committee will be presented for formal nomination at the Democratic Caucus on July 24. Republicans will nominate Amport, Dudek, and other candidates for town office at a caucus Thursday.


text:
Stereo View of 'Mount Remarkable' and Surrounding Outcrops at Mars Rover's Waypoint
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used its Navigation Camera (Navcam) to record this stereo scene of a butte called "Mount Remarkable" and surrounding outcrops at a waypoint called "the Kimberley" inside Gale Crater. The image appears three-dimensional when viewed through red-blue glasses with the red lens on the left.
The butte stands about 16 feet (5 meters) high. Its informal name comes from a mountain and national park in Australia. The rover team plans to drive Curiosity to the flatter outcrop at the base of the Martian Mount Remarkable for a close-up inspection that might include drilling into the rock.
This mosaic view combines multiple images taken during the 597th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (April 11, 2014). That same day, the rover had driven 90.2 feet (27.5 meters) and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter observed Curiosity at the location from which the rover captured this panorama. The resulting image from the orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera is online at PIA18081. A map showing Curiosity's route from the August 2012 landing site to the Kimberley is online at https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/6153/curiositys-traverse-map-through-sol-597/.
Curiosity's science team chose the Kimberley in 2013 as a waypoint for science investigations along the route to the mission's long-term destinations on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp, in the middle of Gale Crater. This waypoint offers set of outcrops of different types of rock layers exposed close together, so that their relationship to each other can be studied. The team refers to the rock layer surrounding the base of Mount Remarkable as the "middle unit" because it is intermediate in location between rocks that form buttes in the area and lower-lying rocks that show a pattern of striations.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover and the rover's Navcam.
For more information about Curiosity, visit https://www.nasa.gov/msl and https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/.
Image source: https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA18084
NASA/JPL-Caltech
[51, 175, 176, 178, 190]
During pre-flight testing in March 2011, the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity took this image of the MAHLI calibration target under illumination from MAHLI's two ...
MAHLI Calibration Target in Ultraviolet Light
Satellite news trucks crowd the parking lots at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., on Aug. 5, 2012, in preparation for the Curiosity rover's landing on Mars.
Media Trucks Descend on JPL
This photograph of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, was taken during testing on June 3, 2011. The location is inside the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Labo...
Mars Rover Curiosity's Arm Held High
This view of layered rocks on the floor of McLaughlin Crater shows sedimentary rocks that contain spectroscopic evidence for minerals formed through interaction with water.
Layers with Carbonate Content Inside McLaughlin Crater on Mars (Annotated Figure 1)
The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on the arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity took this image of a rock called "Et-Then" during the mission's 82nd sol, or Martian day (Oct. 29, 2012.)
Rock 'Et-Then' Near Curiosity, Sol 82
Side-by-side images depict NASA's Curiosity rover (left) and a moon buggy driven during the Apollo 16 mission.
A Mars Buggy and a Moon Buggy
The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft separates from the upper stage of its Atlas V launch vehicle and heads on its way to Mars.
Curiosity Heads to Mars
The dual sections of the Atlas V payload fairing for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission await further processing in the airlock of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kenne...
Payload Fairing Side-by-Side
With NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft sealed inside its payload fairing, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket rides smoke and flames as it rises from the launch pad at Space Lau...
Launching The Atlas V Rocket
This simulation shows planned movements of the arm on NASA's Curiosity rover for round one of its robotic arm checkouts, expected to run on Sol 33 (Sept. 8, 2012). This so-called "teach point" che...
Curiosity Working Its Arm
From one side of the country to the other, through a snowstorm and other delays, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter made its way to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for final processing and rehearsals ...
Challenges of Getting to Mars: Getting to the Launch Pad
This side-by-side comparison shows the X-ray diffraction patterns of two different samples collected from rocks on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover.
Signature of Hematite in 'Confidence Hills' Martian Rock
The two donut-shaped tracks make an infinity symbol, and mark the first two drives of NASA's Curiosity rover.
From Infinity and Beyond
The Mars 2020 rover undergoes an "eye" exam after several cameras were installed. The rover carries everything from wide-angle landscape cameras to narrow-angle high-resolution zoom lens cameras. T...
A Clean Room With a View
Mercury passed in front of the sun on June 3, 2014, as viewed from Mars. The Mast Camera on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover recorded the event. (No audio)
Mercury in Front of the Sun, Seen From Mars
Light-toned nodules and veins are visible in this image from NASA's Mars rover Curiosity of a patch of sedimentary rock called "Knorr."
Veins and Nodules at 'Knorr' Target in 'Yellowknife Bay' of Gale Crater
MAVEN selfie composite, annotated
This video clip shows the first Martian material collected by the scoop on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars Curiosity rover, being vibrated inside the scoop after it was lifted from the ground on Oct...
Curiosity's First Scoop of Mars, in Vibration Movie
This close-up view of a stone found in San Diego was taken by a testing twin -- the "life test unit" -- of the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory.
Test Close-Up of Earth Cobble by Mars Camera
Details of hilly terrain within a large Martian canyon are shown on a geological map based on observations from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and produced by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Geological Mapping of Hills in Martian Canyon
The 16 frames in this time-lapse movie show how repeated laser shots from the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity cause a pit to form at the target point in Mar...
Pitting in Martian Soil During Repeated Laser Shots From Mars Rover
In this photo, two engineers from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Alliance Spacesystems are standing in a white room on either side of the Mars Science Laboratory rover's robotic arm. They are d...
The Rover Gets Strong-Armed
The area in and near the landing site selected for landing of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory offers a diversity of possible targets for examination by the mission's rover, Curiosity.
Attractions for Study in and near Curiosity's Selected Landing Site


For elite team coaches, the logic seems straightforward - stack your roster with the most skilled individual players for the best chances at a championship run. Surely, according to Aristotle, if "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts," then starting with the most talented parts will yield team synergy. However, some notable recent examples, like Spain's national team in this year's World Cup or the Houston Texans, who paid a league worst $61 million of player salary per win in 2013, require some explanation. Researchers from INSEAD and Columbia University just released their extensive data analysis of World Cup, NBA and MLB teams trying to find out if there is such a thing as a team with too much talent.
For sports that require interdependence, player egos need to take a back seat to team chemistry. Unfortunately, ego is a common trait for superstars and their individual glory often trumps teamwork.
Of course, all teams require some talent to succeed, but Professor Swaab was curious about the break-even point when an abundance of star players begins to have a negative return on team performance. He and his team looked at three sports: soccer, basketball and baseball. The first two require a high degree of synergy and in-game cooperation, while baseball is often considered ''an individual sport masquerading as a team sport." Swaab hypothesized that performance on interdependent teams in soccer and basketball would suffer from a saturation of talent, while an individual sport could not only handle, but thrive on a roster of All-Stars.
First, they tested the basic premise that most people agree that "more is better" when it comes to talent. They asked 37 volunteers to play soccer coach of an All-Star national team and pick their starting 11 team from a pool of both top players (top players were noted by two stars next to their names) and regular players, as defined by whether they played for an elite club (according to the Deloitte Football Money League rankings). Then they were asked how well they thought their team would perform. On average, the volunteers picked elite players for 10 out of 11 roster spots and the more talented their team, the better they thought the team would do.
"Most people believe that the relationship between talent and team performance is linear -- the more their team i s packed with talent, the better they will do," explains Swaab.
Next, using the same definition of top talent, they looked at over 200 national soccer teams who went through the qualification process for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. They calculated the percentage of each team that consisted of top players and compared that to the team's success as defined by the FIFA team rankings during each qualification period.
Certainly, those teams with more talent ranked higher, but only to a certain level. Once the roster had more than 60% top players, the performance and ranking began to decrease.
To verify this finding, the researchers used ten years of NBA statistics from 2002 to 2012. Elite players were defined by using the Estimated Wins Added (EWA) stat, which captures a player's overall contribution to the team as it gives the estimated number of wins a player adds to a team's season total above what a 'replacement player' would produce. Those players in the top third of all players in EWA were deemed to be top talent.
Again, comparing the percentage of each team's roster that was elite with the overall team performance, in this case defined by the season win percentage, the researchers found a point of diminishing return as talent increased. Once elite players accounted for more than 55% of the team, win percentage began to decline.
"Our latest research documenting a 'too-much-talent effect,' reveals that for teams requiring high levels of interdependence, like football and basketball, talent facilitates team performance… but only up to a point," said Swaab. "Beyond this point, the benefits of adding more top talent will decrease and eventually hurt the team performance because they fail to coordinate their actions."
Finally, to check their interdependency theory, they did a similar analysis for Major League Baseball players. Similar to the NBA data, a player's performance was tracked for ten seasons, 2002-2012, and measured with the Wins Above Replacement statistic. Players in the top third of that stat were deemed elite.
Again, team win percentage was used to measure success as a club. However, for baseball, a sport that relies less on team interaction, there was no decline in win percentage as the percentage of great players increased. For baseball and individual sports, the more skill, the better.
These findings are to be published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
So far, so good for the Dutch! While Spain, the most expensive team in terms of player value at this year's tournament, have already been eliminated. Time will tell which team is the most talented whole, rather than a collection of elite parts.


text:
Algeria's legendary spy master gets the boot
Markaz
Bruce Riedel Monday, September 14, 2015
The longest-serving intelligence chief in the world, Mohammad Mediene (also known as Tewfiq), was fired today by Algeria's president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The dismissal suggests the hidden power structure in Algiers, called 'le pouvoir' by Algerians, is in some murky turmoil.
Mediene was trained in the Soviet Union by the KGB. He grew to power in the dark days of the late 1980s, as Algeria experienced an Islamic election victory followed by an army coup and then a bloody civil war. In 1990, Mediene became head of the Department of Intelligence and Security (DRS), and waged a violent and ugly war against Algeria's Islamists. The struggle consumed the country in horrific violence, but Mediene prevailed. He was rarely photographed and never appeared in public, but he was called 'the Lord of Algeria.'
Algeria is Africa's largest country and has the largest military in the continent. The generals run the country behind a facade of elected government. Tewfiq was their enforcer, the man who knew everything about everybody.
Bouteflika has been maneuvering to oust the spy chief for the last few years. Athmane Tartag, the former number two in the DRS and a Bouteflika man, was brought back to replace the man also called 'the butcher of Algiers.' Of course Bouteflika, at age 78 and in his fourth term as president, is no radical reformer. He is a product of Algeria's stultified politics. Mediene's removal is not a sign of change — only a sign the regime faces tough problems.
Algeria largely escaped the Arab Spring due to bitter memories of the 1990s civil war and high oil prices that kept its welfare state operating. It has a huge underemployment problem, youth bulge, and all the other ingredients for revolution. As memories of the brutality of the 90s fade among its youth, it is a candidate for unrest. With oil prices low and likely to go lower still, Algeria will face tough challenges.
Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and its spin-off group headed by Mohktar Belmohktar have fought a low-energy war against the generals for a decade. The jihadists don't pose a threat to the regime, but they are waiting in the wings for the economy to produce a riper context for them to work in. Their nemesis will not be there now.
Kings and Presidents
By Bruce Riedel
A Glass Half Full?
By Michael E. O'Hanlon and James Steinberg
By Khaled Elgindy
Bruce Riedel
Senior Fellow - Foreign Policy, Center for Middle East Policy, Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology
Director - The Intelligence Project
Check out our other foreign policy blog, Order from Chaos—a how-to guide for managing the end of the post-Cold War era.
Terrorism & Extremism
Order from Chaos
Syria's dissolving line between state and nonstate actors
Steven Heydemann
Libya's hybrid armed groups dilemma
Stephanie T. Williams
Hezbollah's dilemmas
Daniel L. Byman
Get daily updates from Brookings


text:
The Comedy Loser
It's not even funny
How to Write for Newsjack
How to Get an Agent
Jerry Seinfeld on Joke Writing
Craig Bartlett Hey Arnold! Interview
Advice from Adam Reed (Creator of Archer)
My Agent
Contact Stuff
Script / Joke Reading
Buy me a coffee (please)
Writers in Various Stages of Development
Luke Beddows
Joanne Lau
Nat Saunders
Sophie Dutton
Alex MJ Smith
Emily Reader
Jeffrey Aidoo
Amber Phillips
Jeff Trammell
Kat Butterfield
Emma Boucher
Andrew Dawson
Series Two
Lucy Dwyer
Salim Allybokus
Amy Xander
Christopher Stanners
Nathalie Antonia
Sean Fee
Nadia Fenty
Rebecca Bain & Alex Garrick-Wright
Conor O'Grady
Jen Ives
Phil Davies
Atlanta Green
Henrik Persson
Kate Scott
Kevin Cecil
Series Three
Tasha Dhanraj
Matt Baker
Caitlin Magnall-Kearns
Tom Worsley
Anna Costello
Thara Popoola
Oliver Selby
Connie Kucani
Cameron Loxdale
Clare Plested
Ben Ellis
Lorna Woolfson
Omari McCarthy
Althea Aseoche
Adam Redfern
Dilpreet Kaur Walia
Dom Carter
Christmas Card Banksy: An interview with the man who drew Christmas
December 12, 2020 December 13, 2020 by The Comedy Loser
For years, Christmas cards were synonymous with cartoon images of a cake-loving Santa, snowball-throwing snowmen, revenge-seeking robins, IT-literate monks, and custard-lovin' Christmas puddings. If you're of a certain age, cartoons like these will instantly trigger feelings of intense festive nostalgia.
Whilst the cards themselves were extremely popular, very little was known about the artist behind the distinctive designs, a man known simply as "Rich". After years of searching, I finally managed to track down the elusive Christmas Card Banksy.
… And it turned out he isn't living in the shadows, shunning the spotlight and purposely trying to disguise his true identity. He's British cartoonist, Richard Skipworth and not only has he gathered a loyal fan base, but he's also an incredibly friendly bloke. I had the pleasure of interviewing Rich about his life and career as the most iconic artist in the history of greetings cards.
Back in the 90's; your Christmas cards were stuffed in trays, backpacks and cardboard postboxes in primary schools across the country.
We're you aware of the popularity of your cards or were you too busy doing the work?
I had absolutely no idea how popular my cards were, other than that they sold well, and the company I was working for at the time kept asking me to do more of them. It wasn't until years later that I learned that I had a fan base!
Your identity has always seemed to be somewhat of a mystery. Was this intentional?
No, my mysterious shadowy identity was never intentional!
It just wasn't common practice back then to give artists a credit on their work. I used to sign them and I was eventually credited with my name printed on the card backs. I also got promoted a little by the card company in their Christmas catalogue with my cards being referred to as "By the renowned Richard Skipworth" Alas, this didn't result in hordes of adoring fans and an army of paparazzi at my door.
Let's go right back – Were you always interested in illustration and cartoons?
Yes. Always. As a kid I was always drawing stuff
Who were the cartoonists who inspired you. Are there elements of your work which you've borrowed from other artists? I'm not going to lie, growing up, I flat-out, unashamedly stole your style of drawing.
Leo Baxendale, the creator of the Bash Street Kids in the Beano was one.
He moved from the Beano to work for a number of comics published by Odhams Press back in the 60s, namely "WHAM!" "SMASH!" and "POW!' That's where I came across his work and loved it. Those comics started out as purely funny cartoon publications but later went on to feature reprints of Marvel Comics stories such as The Fantastic Four, Spiderman, The Hulk etc. The Marvel artists working on those stories were a big influence on me at the time, most notably the brilliant Jack Kirby. His work was a real inspiration to me (though you'd never tell that from my work now) I would spend hours tracing his stuff, and scaling it up to make my own posters for my bedroom walls.
DC THOMSON & CO LTD
Have you had any formal education in art or are you self-taught?
Purely self-taught. My Dad used to be commercial artist in the years before the War, so I must have had some arty genes passed on. He used to show me how to draw stuff when I pestered him, but mainly I worked it all out myself because I just liked the whole process of drawing.
I never actually went to Art college. The school I attended didn't really encourage you into any kind of artistic path. They preferred you to do the sciences. Art was something you did when you were crap at sports, or if it was raining too hard to go out and kick a ball around. Generally speaking, you were encouraged to go to University to do something science-y, with a view to ultimately getting a proper job. My Dad also told me that art as a way of making a living was not the best career choice. "It's a rat race" he informed me. I took the hint. Science it was then.
University loomed in 1973 and I was accepted into the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology where I studied for a degree in Physics. After a year of Thermodynamics, Quantum theory, Astrophysics and numerous other branches of rocket science, the Art in my DNA began to make itself known. I was interested in Physics (I still am) but it was not my real passion. Dammit, deep down, I realised I wanted to be a professional artist. Always had.
So I decided I'd try changing courses from Physics to Art. The Physics department heads thought I was insane. The Art course heads at the places I applied to regarded me as some kind of weirdo, an alien scientist in their midst. It didn't work out…the Art course gods decreed that with me having no official experience with things arty,I would only be allowed to join their course proper after I had completed a two year "Foundation Course". This was a course designed to teach complete beginners and utter numpties which end of a pencil to draw with, how to sharpen a pencil to get a pointy end, and other very basic skills. There were no Student Loans in those days, there were Student Grants from your local authority. And I wasn't eligible for one for a Foundation Course, so I would have had to fund myself. Sigh.
So, back to the Physics course then. Two years later I had a Physics degree had been assessed by the University computerised career matching system, which informed me that "no career paths match this applicant". I probably shouldn't have entered "comics and cartoons" as my primary area of interest on the form.
I left the halls of academia with a rough knowledge of Quantum Mechanics and a portfolio of pretty amateurish cartoons and drawings that I'd worked on for the previous three years.
Before you pursued your dream of becoming a cartoonist, you were working as a graphic designer for advertising and newspapers. What was that experience like and what finally pushed you to really go for it?
Working as a Graphic Designer for our local newspaper group was a brilliant, life changing experience.
After I left University I knew I had to get a decent portfolio of work together to show to potential employers or publishers if I wanted to get a job in commercial art. I didn't have any money, so I set about taking on loads of temporary jobs doing pretty much anything to make enough money to keep me going while I worked on my portfolio. I'd work for a month, then take a month off and just do drawing, then go back to work again and so on. This was in the late 70s, early 80s. Temporary work was fairly easy to come by via work agencies if you weren't too fussy what you did.
I took on all kinds of work… like shovelling piles of scrap metal in a recycling yard, driving a van delivering boxes of bolts and screws, defrosting freezers used to freeze tons of mackerel. Ah, the glamour of it all!
Then one day I received a letter asking me to attend an interview for a job I'd applied for, that of a Graphic Designer in the advertising department of the aforementioned newspaper group. To my surprise, I was offered the job! I took to the job like a duck to water. The other two blokes in the art department taught me everything I needed to know to be a professional Graphic Artist. I just soaked up everything like a sponge, I loved the work. It was fascinating to me. In a short time I was deemed good enough to no longer be the office junior and was let loose on designing ads for the papers for real. At last, I was earning a living from commercial art, which was good as I was down to my last £90 in the bank.
After a number of years, having moved on to work for advertising agencies, then back to the under-new-management newspaper group, and being taken on by an art agency, and designing pub signs, I was kept very busy all the time. The art agency and pub sign stuff was done on a freelance basis, separate from my advertising job so I was working late nights and weekends to fit everything in.
Eventually, I was working on artwork so much that I realised one of the jobs had to go. I had a large number of contacts from my advertising and graphics work who agreed to supply me with work if I went freelance, and I reckoned I'd earn more money that way than being employed, and I'd get time to sleep, so I took the plunge.
How did you get started designing greetings cards?
Pure luck. One day, freelance graphic work was a bit thin on the ground, (well, actually non-existent at the time!) and my Girlfriend (later my Wife) spotted an advert in the paper from a company called Webb Ivory for a Graphic Designer to design their mail order catalogue. Webb Ivory did all kinds of Christmas gift stuff, including Christmas cards.
I arranged an interview and off we went to Burton-on-Trent, home of Webb Ivory HQ. I showed the Art Director my (now extensive) portfolio. He liked everything in there and then informed me that they'd decided to fill the post internally after all, but thanks for coming all this way and er, sorry it was a waste of time.
As I got up to leave he said "I see you have some cartoons in your portfolio. We produce Christmas cards with cartoons on, maybe you could send us some Christmassy cartoons and we might be able to use them…"
A few days later, having nothing better to do, I sat down and thought up some cartoon Christmas cards…
What was the first Christmas card you designed?
It was the one with my animated Christmas pud, pouring custard over itself. It was part of a set of four featuring those puds. I sent 'em off in the post, not expecting to get much of a reaction, but…next day, the phone went and it was the Art Director from Webb Ivory. He loved the designs! Even better, he was offering me money! And he wanted to know if I could do a few more along the same lines. And that was the start of things in a big way.
The puds became their best sellers, followed by some other cards featuring animated mince pies. Webb Ivory asked for more, and more. I soon dropped all the graphic design and advertising work to concentrate on cartooning for Webb Ivory. My name got passed around several other divisions of the company in other parts of the country and my cartooning output began to take off like a rocket. My stuff began to appear on the shelves of Marks & Spencer, Woolworths, and loads of other stores. If I remember correctly, Webb Ivory was taken over by a huge greeting card conglomerate called Britannia Greetings and I wound up working for them at an incredible pace. 7 day weeks became a regular thing.
At the time when you started out, what was the Christmas card market like? I imagine your designs must have been very ground-breaking. I certainly can't remember any other cards from the era…
The Christmas card market when I first set foot in it was very buoyant and a very big industry. In fact the Greeting card industry as a whole was a huge thriving multi-million pound affair, constantly looking for fresh ideas and new artists. There were plenty of humorous artists working in the Christmas market, but my sense of humour and my style of artwork seemed to catch on and became very popular. Fortunately.
What's it like working as a cartoonist for greetings card companies, did you get many notes on your designs or were you free to create?
It depends on the companies you work for, how they like to operate. For Webb Ivory and Britannia, there was no interference. I was left completely alone to create whatever I could think up. I'd sketch the ideas out loosely, send them in (by fax!) and they'd choose the ones they liked.
Other companies would send a written brief of what they wanted, often with a gag and punchline written by a copy writer. All I had to do was illustrate the joke. How I did that would be entirely up to me. Sometimes an Art director would describe what they wanted, which I really didn't like much as all the creativity was taken away and I was left as a remote controlled art machine. I did my best to avoid those gigs. Often I'd rework their ideas. I functioned best when I was left to my own devices.
Sometimes though, you'd find yourself working for a particularly nit-picking Art Director, or indeed a committee of 'em. That was a complete pain in the bum.
Does it pay well?
It can. Depends on the company, and on how successful your work is. Some companies offer a royalty on each card they sell, and if it's a good seller, this arrangement can be very lucrative.
One of my most successful cards featured a fairly simple illustration of a Foreign Legion/Beau Geste fort in the desert. The caption read "Ok, this may not be the best Birthday card you've ever had… but it's the fort that counts!" That earned me several thousand pounds in royalties over the years. Amazing.
How many cards have you designed in your career?
Blimey. A lot. must run into the thousands.
Where did your inspiration come from for recurring characters and themes such as The Monks and festive food?
The animated food thing originated from an idle doodle. I was working on some ideas for the advertising for a large DIY store and was thinking of a cartoon angle to sell their hardware and building goods. I drew an animated brick, which looked a bit like a square headed thug. Brick for a head and body, with skinny little legs and arms. Looked a bit too aggressive to use but I filed it away for future use. This eventually became an animated Christmas pud.
The Monks? Well, while at Webb Ivory I was sent some "merry monks" cards showing a bunch of slightly inebriated porky monks singing carols. All very conventional looking really. It seems these had been popular and I was asked if I could do something in the same vein because the original artist had retired.
The card samples I was sent were nothing like my style, so I set about doing my own version. It was the dawn of the digital age, with computers just being taken up and used commercially, so I thought it might work if I combined Monks in their medieval setting with modern day computers. I had one Monk labouring over an Illustrated manuscript that read "Merry Christmas" with another Monk producing the same thing a hundred times faster on a computer with a graphics package and a printer.
This proved really popular, and was used by loads of businesses for their corporate Christmas cards. It became another best seller and I was immediately commissioned for loads more Monks designs.
Who is your favourite Christmas character to draw?
Any of the Monks I think. I've grown quite fond of the little bald blokes over the years. I don't draw them any more though, I finally grew tired of thinking up endless monk gags.
Are any of your human characters based on real people?
Nah. They are all the products of my imagination. This avoids lawsuits and public outrage.
Were there ever any designs which were deemed to be too risqué?
Well, for a a number of years I was commissioned to do a series of cards known as "Slim Humour" cards, which were popular in the eighties. These were tall, slim cards (hence the name) and were based around dodgy double entendres. Nothing obscene of course, just er, suggestive in a humorous way.
They were mainly text-based gags with an accompanying fairly simple illustration. They would commission 12 in a batch and they were quick to do once you'd thought up the gag. My record was 11 in one day!
In my mind, your Christmas cards suddenly vanished. What happened and where did all the funny cards go?
I started working on a lot of non-Christmas stuff. I switched companies to UK Greetings when Webb Ivory got re-organised by their parent company Britannia. For UK Greetings I was producing mainly Birthday, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and all manner of stuff. My Christmas output dropped off a lot then.
Do you see your influence in modern day greetings cards? Do you ever get a card through the post and think, "Hey, they stole my idea!"
Sometimes I see layouts and styles that look similar to the way I do things, and I've seen several Monks designs that appear to be a rip-off of my work.
What kind of fan base have you developed over the years?
The Monks cards developed a devoted fan base over the years. One year my usual publisher, Collisons, decided "We'll give the Monks a rest this year Rich… maybe you could concentrate on something else like, er, penguins" This created a stir in the fanbase, and I was inundated with emails wanting to know where the Monks cards were for that year. Sensing an instant business opportunity, I set about printing and selling my own Monks cards online, with great success I'm pleased to say. I got to know a lot of Monks fans, and they were all lovely people. Some of them used to put their collections of Monks cards up every year as decorations!
Do you still have all the old designs? I'd love to see them published in a book someday. If you want a partner to kickstart it with, I'm definitely available.
I have a lot of printed copies of old designs, but none of the original artwork. That was never returned from the publishers. Later, I went totally digital, and so everything resides on my hard drives these days.
What are you up to these days?
I'm retired, sort of. I no longer work for other companies, I just do my own stuff and sell it online. After 40 years of deadlines I finally decided to just do my own work.
I started putting some Greyhound cartoons up on Facebook a couple of years ago ( I've got a Greyhound, and they're lovely creatures) and was surprised at the amount of interest they generated. Lots of other Greyhound fans wanted to know where they could buy the cartoons as prints, on mugs etc. So I uploaded some artwork to a print-on-demand company called Redbubble who print your stuff onto all kinds of merchandise. The stuff was an immediate hit, and I began to accumulate a small army of Greyhound fans. I'm up to about 34,000 followers on Facebook now, have published two books and numerous calendars of Greyhound cartoons, with another book in the works. Amazing how busy you can be when you retire.
What makes greyhounds so fun to draw?
They're beautiful elegant beasts with lovely graceful lines. And they're funny, quirky, and surprisingly lazy (they don't need a lot of exercise, they prefer just lolling about and snoozing. I love 'em.)
What advice do you have for budding cartoonists?
If you want to be a cartoonist, you can. Draw stuff all the time, build a portfolio of work (digital or real) and practice. Your portfolio is what proves you can do the work. You can't talk your way into it. It's not easy, but if you really want to do it, then the desire to do it is your greatest asset. That's the bit of your psyche that makes you get good. Going freelance as a cartoonist was the best career move I ever made.
What are your career goals?
Well, I don't really have any now…I did what I dreamed of doing: making a living drawing cartoons. Did it for years, and even became sort of famous. Job done!
What was Christmas like for you growing up?
Lovely. Mum, Dad, the dog, presents, selection boxes of sweets. I had a good childhood. Don't remember any funny Christmas cards though.
You can visit Richard Skipworth's website, follow him on Facebook / Twitter and buy his stuff from RedBubble (And yes, I now feel ridiculous not knowing who "Rich" was despite his large internet presence. I'm a terrible detective).
If you enjoyed this interview, please check out my series Writers in Various Stages of Development for discussions with my favourite comedy writers.
If you REALLY enjoyed this interview, please consider buying me a coffee.
Tags: 1990 Christmas 90s Christmas cards artist cartoonist Christmas cards Christmas pudding Christmas puddings with faces greetings cards mince pie monks monks computers monks it retro Christmas cards rich Christmas cards Rich Skipworth Richard Skipworth snowman Webb Ivory Woolworths
Previous Post Writers in Various Stages of Christmas Shopping
Next Post #014 Lucy Dwyer


The engines in many of the vehicles on the road today are smaller than they used to be, as well as being far more efficient. But they also produce a great deal of heat. The cooling system is responsible for maintaining the engine at an acceptable operating temperature.
When does the Cooling System need service?
What is included in the Cooling System Service?
The pressure conditions and coolant volume are checked.
The radiator cap is checked to ensure it functions and fits correctly.
Radiator hoses are checked to ensure they are not worn, cracked or disintegrating.
Auto Repair Specialties is a Certified DEQ repair facility, Our ASE Certified Technicians service cooling systems in an environmentally safe way. We pump out the existing coolant and Recycle and re-user it. Coolant that can not be recycled we dispose of according to EPA standards.


text:
Eco-tents in Flamingo: Glamping in Everglades National Park
Last updated on October 1st, 2021 at 09:54 pm
I love Flamingo, that end-of-the-road place surrounded by Everglades National Park wilderness, where the Florida peninsula ends and Florida Bay with all its abundance of wildlife begins.
That's why I was thrilled to learn about the addition of eco-tents in Flamingo, the only accommodations other than camping. Flamingo is so far from everything else that it is hard to experience it without an overnight stay, but not everybody is equipped to camp or desires to. Motel rooms and cabins were once located here, but were destroyed in Hurricane Wilma in 2005.
Beginning November 2019, the first new accommodations in decades came to Everglades National Park — 20 new eco-tents in Flamingo, operated by a concessionaire. These 186-square-foot structures are canvas houses built on platforms with comfortable beds and linens and a small covered porch. They provide a dry, mosquito-free overnight stay with electric lights, a fan and outlets.
I was anxious to try them out and reserved an eco-tent for two nights over Thanksgiving.
The boardwalk, which is lit with small solar lights at night, links the eco-tents in Flamingo and the restroom at Everglades National Park. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
Eco-tents in Flamingo: Right for some, but expensive
My review? You can't beat the location and exceptional views. The tents are comfortable and novel places to sleep and hang out. But there are enough flaws in the arrangement that, without some changes, they will mostly appeal to international visitors and others for whom the novelty is enough, price be damned.
Let me start with the things I loved about the eco-tents.
A comfy bed with linen is one of the great things about the eco-tents in Flamingo at Everglades National Park. By unzipping the canvas, the opening behind the bed (and on three of the walls) can become floor-to-ceiling screen windows. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
First, what a location! Our tent was about 50 feet from Florida Bay and we enjoyed watching the changing sky and clouds. We marveled at the bird life – vultures perching on a waterfront tree, hawks and ospreys hunting overhead and, early one morning, six bright pink roseate spoonbills flying directly over our eco-tent.
I loved the design of the eco-tents. These clever structures look like the sort of place you saw in old movies about rich people on African safaris. They feel more like portable cabins than tents.
Three sides of the structure have large canvas flaps that unzip to reveal mesh screening. With three walls essentially screens, you are open to the breeze off Florida Bay and the screens are like picture windows on three sides. We left the canvas flaps down the first night and awoke to the sherbet colors of sunrise wrapped around us in the sky as we sat in our bed.
Each eco-tent is stylishly furnished. There are director's chairs that can be used on the porch, a fan, end tables, a dresser and some storage shelves. You can choose eco-tents with queen beds or two double beds. The interior has an upscale glamping vs. camping feel.
In the morning, we woke up to this view without getting out of bed. It was one of the best things about eco-tents in Flamingo at Everglades National Park. (Photo: David Blasco)
The tents are connected via a boardwalk with embedded solar lights, which is important, because you'll probably be finding your way to the restroom – a central bath house – after dark.
What I don't love about the eco-tents
So what's wrong with them?
In its initial season, eco-tents were priced as high as $150 a night. In 2021-2022, however, furnished tents are $90 a day and unfurnished are $50 a night. Most would say this is expensive for a tent, but given its location in a lnational park, price is no longer on my list of issues.
Sunset from the porch of our eco-tent in Flamingo at Everglades National Park. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
I still have an issue with how close the tents are built together with a buffer of trees ore vegetation. Those expansive screened windows mean that you are in close communion with everyone staying in nearby tents. Our first night, we were the only visitors to the eco-tents and we soaked up the solitude and views; we felt like explorers who had discovered the place.
The next night, however, half the eco-tents were booked and the atmosphere changed dramatically. When a large group of friends and family celebrated together on Thanksgiving, our eco-tent was so close that we directly overlooked their outdoor party while we sat on our porch enjoying sunset. It's strange having front-row seats to somebody else's Thanksgiving dinner.
Also, the restroom facilities are campground-standard, not really in keeping with the $90/night glamping concept.
Carts helped us haul our gear to your eco-tent in Flamingo at Everglades National Park, as parking is some distance away. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
Eco-tents need to offer better ways to prepare meals
But the biggest issue is that in the planning of the eco-tents, little consideration appears to have been given to how people staying in them in are going to eat. You would think each tent would have a picnic table and a grill, but they do not. Instead there are few communal tables and fire rings, and not necessarily near your tent. Most are positioned some distance from the tents – several unappealingly, along the road near the rest rooms.
One group of tables and a single fire ring is centrally located, and that's the one the group used during our visit, leaving all the other patrons to go to more distant tables near the road. There wasn't enough capacity, even with half the tents empty.
Rules forbid cooking on your platform or in your tent, so what is a visitor do? I see three options, none great: 1. Use the inconvenient communal tables and fire rings (and hope it doesn't rain, because they are not sheltered in any way). 2. Travel 1.2 miles to the marina and buy prepared fast food at the marina store or food truck (when it opens this winter). 3. Bring cold prepared food that you can eat at your tent. Subway sandwiches anyone? And none of these solutions makes it easy to fix that essential coffee in the morning.
One of the pleasures of camping is the experience of preparing and enjoying food with your partner or group, and that needs to be addressed for the eco-tents to be appealing to visitors seeking more than novelty.
Sunset over the eco-tents in Flamingo at Everglades National Park. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
Even with these flaws, we think the eco-tents are a good choice for many, given the lack of alternatives.
International visitors flock to Everglades National Park and many want to both stay more than one day and avoid driving more than an hour to Homestead at night. A staff member in the camping office told me that it was not uncommon for international visitors to buy a cheap tent and sleeping bags in Homestead, camp at Flamingo and then abandon the gear rather than pack it home.
So it's possible the eco-tents in Flamingo will be successful enough in the peak season just as they are.
But it would be disappointing for these long-awaited accommodations to fail to meet their great potential to serve a broader audience.
I want to love these eco-tents, but right now, I can only sort of like them.
Sunrise from our eco-tent in Flamingo at Everglades National Park was spectacular, and we could admire it from our bed. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)
Planning your visit to the Everglades:
Florida Rambler's guide to visiting Flamingo
Florida Ramber insider tips for visiting Everglades National Park.
Camping in the Everglades
Camping and eco-tent reservations in the Everglades. It appears Flamingo Adventures continues to experiment with pricing. For 2021-2022, visitors can opt for unfurnished tents for $50 or furnished ones for $95. Only unfurnished tents are available in the summer.
Admission has been increased at Everglades National Park and is now $35 per car with a pass good for seven days. As soon as you turn 62, get a senior pass. For $80, it offers lifetime admission to all national parks. Also: Take advantage of these free days in national parks. In 2020, they are Jan. 20, April 18, Aug. 25, Sept. 26 and Nov. 11.
Do not rely on cell phones for critical communication while visiting the park. This is a large wilderness area and most cell phones won't have service, even along the main roads. AT&T has a tower at Flamingo and park workers say service is good.
The Everglades National Park website
Everglades National Park map
Flamingo kayak-camping trip: Paddle to Cape Sable.
The Anhinga Trail
Shark Valley entrance, with its 15 mile trail and trams ride
Categories Everglades
Everglades National ParkFlamingoHomestead
Egmont Key: 5 things I love about it
One of Florida's best beaches with camping (if you can book it) at Henderson Beach State Park
V. Wideman
Wednesday 26th of February 2020
Can one bring their own grill and portable table and chairs? May hidden lake would be a better option with a visit to Flamingo.
You can bring a grill, table and chairs, but the way the complex is laid out, it might not be easy to position it close to your eco-tent. (Incidentally, the eco-tents do offer a bit of a price break at the end of the season. so take a look at the end of March through April dates.)
Pixiesnake
Wednesday 4th of December 2019
Thank you for this! I've been looking for info on the eco tents so I could have an idea of what to expect. I greatly appreciate all the info on Florida Rambler for planning this trip to the Everglades and other outdoor trips. Keep up the great writing!
Laura S Friedland
Tuesday 3rd of December 2019
I love your description and careful assessment of the pros and cons of the tents, and your appreciation of the wildlife.
Thanks for this. I hadn't heard of this new development. I did read that many of the hiking trails in the flamingo area were not being maintained (as of fall 2019.) so I ask are there activities to pursue in the area without the need of a boat?
On a side note am I the only person who feels that $35 is too much to charge for admission to the park?
Vertigo: You're right. Several trails aren't being maintained. We hiked Snake Bight, which isn't being maintained and it had acceptable conditions as a hiking trail. (Incidentally, one long trail that we hiked and enjoyed inthe past, which follows the Old Ingraham Highway and had two primitive campsites, is no longer maintained or listed on the list of trails. It started near Royal Palm.) A ranger with whom we spoke talked about efforts under discussion to address the trail maintenance question.
Is there enough to do in Flamingo? I guess I'd say no, unless you take a boat tour or rent kayaks. A shorter visit would probably still be rewarding. The visitor who is willing to do one long day could make a few stops along the park highway, spend an hour or so in Flamingo and head back out.
As for the price of admission, it breaks my heart that national parks are pricing out many Americans. I want everyone to visit national parks not for them to be playgrounds for the rich.
One good development, though, is the collaboration that brings FREE admission to Everglades National Park on weekends in winter via a FREE environment-friendly trolley. https://www.floridarambler.com/southeast-florida-getaways/take-trolley-for-free-entrance-to-everglades-national-park-on-winter-weekends/
Lisette Baker
Thank you for this review. I wonder if the eco-tents are also a part of the concessionaire business? I worry about the increase in prices when the NPS privatizes public facilities and activities.
The eco-tents ARE operated by a concessionaire. The National Park Service signed a contract with a large national company that operates in many parks, Guest Services, to construct both cottages and eco-tents. The contract authorized a total of 40 cottages and 40 eco-tents.
Guest Services became the concessionaire in Flamingo about a year ago and the increase in activity at the marina with rentals, houseboats and boat tours has been remarkable.
Where to see manatees in Florida waters: Try these 15 spots


The success of any Project depends up on the effectiveness of the communication between its various stakeholders. It is significant for the Project Manager to understand and to be understood. Communication needs to be clear and correct to avoid any misunderstandings and to be productive. A Project Manager is the key to the cycle of Project Communication and it can be said that about 80% of Project Management is all about communication. Therefore in order to ensure a smooth and successful project execution it is mandatory for the Project Manager to be a good communicator.
Communication is not a one way process. It is bidirectional and not limited to meetings, calls, letters, chats or mails. Messages can be communicated or understood even without any of these means through the body language and attitude. A Project Manager needs to understand this and should be smart enough to gather the information or deliver the message by choosing the most appropriate means of communication based on the project scenario.
Listen: To actively listen to others patiently and with empathy is one of the very essential skills to be mastered by a manager. Listening may be followed with the analysis of the information received. Common sense and logic is to be applied to decide the manner in which the information received by listening is to be utilized. It should be kept in mind that whatever a team member or stakeholder do not say is as important as whatever they say. Therefore as a Project Manager one has to be capable to listen and understand both of these.
Communication Plan: It is the responsibility of the Project Manager to prepare a Communication Plan in order to facilitate efficient and effective Project Communication. A communication Plan should be prepared with the inputs from the Project Team and other key stakeholders and shall explain how communication will occur between various stakeholders of the project. The communication plan will comprise information on the objective of communication, the various channels and tools to be used, the target audience for each type of communication and the periodicity for communicating. A good communication plan would ensure that the information requirement of all the stakeholders are met and the project information is shared with all to an appropriate level in accordance with the contractual requirements on a timely basis.
Body Language: A good amount of communications during meetings and interviews pass through nonverbal cues like gestures and body postures which are in most cases subconscious. Nonverbal communication can convey just as much as written and verbal communication, and therefore a Project Manager should be able to read and react to the information received in this manner. The body language of the Project Manager too conveys a lot of information about his management capabilities and personality. For example a firm handshake and steady eye contact speaks volume about your confidence level and leadership qualities.
Tone, Clarity and Content: Care should be exercised to ensure that the tone of the communication befits the professional standards and should never be offensive. While criticism is acceptable while reviewing and analyzing the project, it should be done in a constructive manner without making it too personal. Project communication should always be clear, focusing on the key point to be communicated and should not sound too casual at any point of time.
Spelling & Grammar: All project communications are expected to be free of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. This does not mean that all stakeholders should exhibit the proficiency to the level of language and communication experts while handling the day-to-day communications of the project. But it is necessary for the Project Manager to be a good communicator with reasonably good language skills in order to manage the project in an efficient manner. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors would suggest poor communication skills, poor attention to the details and lack of seriousness towards the project. A poorly drafted message with many grammatical errors would be misleading and shall result in creating confusion among the stakeholders.
Transparency: Maintaining the level of transparency permitted with in the boundaries of the contract and the organizational policies, in all project related matters ,will help a Project Manager to build a strong and stable relationship with the stakeholders and to gain their trust and support. A Project Manager who lies to the stakeholders, conceals vital information which are required to be conveyed to them, involves in the organizational politics and carries out the project activities in a shady manner is bound to fail in the long run and end up as a loser in his profession.
Restate & Re-confirm: Ensuring that the message communicated is well understood is as important as communicating the message. It is always advisable to restate and confirm the communication made in case of any ambiguity. Communications shall not be based on assumptions to the best possible extend. However if assumptions are unavoidable, it shall be supported with logical and analytical explanations.
An efficient Project Manager is one who understands the role of effective communication for the success of the project. It should be remembered that communication is not just talking to each other. It is about sharing ideas, transferring knowledge, solving problems and team building. Project Communication Management is an area where efforts should be made to constantly improve and implement forums and facilities for better communication among the stakeholders. By doing so, a Project manager can ensure productive project communication which is a key to the success of the Project.


Bob Burdette Center $62,274 (West Side Initiative) Bob Burdette Center and the East End Family Resource Center will be offering full day programming to students from Mary C. Snow Elementary during school intercession breaks on the West Side of Charleston. The intercession programing will focus on STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education. At the end of each STREAM Break, the sites will host a STREAM Family Night. Funding will support salaries for teachers and staff and supplies for STREAM activities.


The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged.  Access to this email by anyone other than the intended addressee is unauthorized.  If you are not the intended recipient of this message, any review, disclosure, copying, distribution, retention, or any action taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful.  If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender by reply and delete it from your computer.


is Mesh and Moon sign associated with the name Aamirah is Aries.
The name Aamirah has Fire element. Mars is the Ruling Planet for the name Aamirah . The name Aamirah having moon sign as Aries is represented by The Ram and considered as Cardinal .
Normally, people with the name Aamirah are energetic, courageous and determined.
Please suggest meaning of name Aamirah in other country, history of name and famous personality with name Aamirah or you like to put your any comment/suggestion on this name for other visitors.
We have received lots of suggestion from our website users on baby names. We are thankful for all the contribution on meaning of girl name Aamirah. What does the name Aamirah mean in other origin if you know then please suggest. Further suggestion or detail on what is the meaning of name Aamirah. History of name and famous personality with Aamirah will help to update our database and other website users.


text:
Letter to the Editor: Feedback for MTC
MTC Five (Summer Edition): Top Reads for Your Journeys
Reinventing High School: Measuring What Matters Most
Published by Tony Wagner at June 23, 2019
Journey to Mastery Learning
School Reform
Science of Learning
competency based education
Mastery Transcript
reinventing crediting
" Too many students … experience high school as a cutthroat competition for admission to a selective college," writes Tony Wagner, an MTC Board member and globally recognized voice in education. "There is a better way."
This month, approximately 3.5 million high school seniors will be granted diplomas. The rest of us will (and should) applaud their achievements, but we must also stop and consider: What did these students have to do to earn their diplomas, and what, exactly, has their schoolwork prepared them for? In 1892, The Committee of Ten, led by Harvard President Charles Eliot, created a standardized framework for the high school curriculum that, in turn, dictated essential prerequisites for college admissions. This system requires that students earn between 18 and 24 "Carnegie Units" in order to graduate. A Carnegie Unit is a standardized measure of "seat time served" in a given class — roughly 120 hours of a class over the course of a year. Students' grades in a particular class are supposed to represent how well they served that time, and students' grade point average and class rank are taken as measures of how well individuals have performed compared to peers. And these numbers still make up the typical high school transcript, which is required by virtually every college and university in America in order to be considered for admission.
But these measures are more than a century old, and hopelessly obsolete. In this era of innovation, all students need essential skills and dispositions for work, learning, and citizenship—habits of mind and heart that cannot be measured by Carnegie Units. Students who can take initiative, learn through trial and error, collaborate, persist, understand and solve problems through interdisciplinary approaches, and who have strong moral foundations are set up to thrive in the future. The students who are merely good at the "game of school"—those with high grades but without those skills—are not.
If school is a game, then "losing" comes with stark emotional consequences. Too many students in our "best" suburban and independent schools increasingly experience high school as a cutthroat competition for admission to a selective college. Bright and resilient students who receive poor grades or don't get into the "right" college often see themselves as losers for life. And, as we have seen recently, the college admissions process is even more problematic than we might have imagined. Some parents are going to extreme measures that are harmful to their children and unfair to others.
There is a better way. The Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC)™ is working with a growing network of nearly 300 public and private member schools to codesign the Mastery Transcript, which takes the high school transcript from a flat, two-dimensional accounting of student time spent on single subjects to an easy-to-read, interactive, digital transcript. It is an effort to change the game by creating an entirely new way to report the quality of student work and their readiness for postsecondary learning—one that is based on real evidence of mastery, rather than a grade or time spent in a particular class.
The new reporting will indicate the skills and knowledge that students have mastered. But it can also include qualities of character that make their humanity visible and help admissions officers make better decisions when it comes to an applicant's "fit." The design will help colleges better understand students' skill sets and potential to succeed on campus, and allows students to present themselves more authentically to admissions officers. The MTC is still in development; it will be built, refined and tested over the next several years. But the goal is to finally see students' educational record in clearer focus, and in three dimensions.
MTC has made a lot of progress in a very short time. During the past year, MTC has worked with member schools and others to design and prototype a working version of the front-end transcript reader and back-end school administration software. This spring MTC kicked off work with a group of close to 50 schools who are testing out the platform—with about 10 of those testing schools planning to issue a small number of the official Mastery Transcripts in 2019-2020. Membership has grown substantially, with increasing numbers of public school members joining in network, alongside numerous new and continuing independent school member. Together MTC's membership represents a diverse range of high school environments—from urban to rural, small to large, and affluent to economically stressed. MTC has also launched its Higher-Ed Working Group, consisting of a range of admissions professionals from diverse colleges and universities.
How many of us studied a foreign language for four years in high school, but graduated unable to carry on an extended conversation in that language? How many of us did well enough in high school geometry and algebra, yet struggle to use math to solve real-world problems? In the 21st century, academic content knowledge still matters, but essential skills and dispositions matter more. The Mastery Transcript Consortium is developing ways to record what students can do with what they know.
"Rather than reducing four years of a student's work to a single number, the Mastery Transcript focuses on the higher order skills necessary for success today. It reflects learning that is student driven, based in authentic engagement, and designed to educate the 'whole student," Stacy Caldwell, CEO of MTC, told me in a recent interview. "The great news is our transcript is not only better for students and high schools, but it is also better for colleges and universities. As we share the prototype of the Mastery Transcript with higher-education professionals, we are hearing lots of enthusiasm. Admissions offices are looking for a greater understanding of the student, including actual evidence of that student's work. Many have told us the Mastery Transcript will help them to see a broader range of high schools and students within their context—giving them a better sense of who schools are, what students are learning, and whether a student can be successful on campus."
There are many ways to acquire and demonstrate mastery. Some students may choose internships to gain mastery of a particular competency, take college courses or work in another country. The genius of the Mastery Transcript Consortium is that it will register and reward individual students' achievements and choices while still providing a common framework for assessment.
After 125 years, it's time to reimagine the high school curriculum for the 21st century and to encourage teaching and assessment of the skills and dispositions that matter most. Our students deserve a more accurate measure, and they shouldn't have to wait another century for their transcripts to better reflect their accomplishments.
Tony Wagner
A globally recognized voice in education, Tony Wagner is a member of MTC's Board of Directors. He is also a senior research fellow at the Learning Policy Institute, founded by Linda Darling-Hammond in 2015. Prior to this appointment, Wagner held a variety of positions at Harvard University for more than twenty years, including four years as an expert in residence at the Harvard Innovation Lab and the founder and co-director, for more than a decade, of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His previous work experience includes twelve years as a high school teacher, K-8 principal, university professor in teacher education, and founding executive director of Educators for Social Responsibility. Wagner is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and a widely published author. His work includes numerous articles and six books. His latest, Most Likely To Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for The Innovation Era, co-authored by Ted Dintersmith, was published by Scribner in 2015. Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change The World, was published in 2012 to rave reviews and has been translated into 17 languages. His 2008 book, The Global Achievement Gap continues to be an international best seller, with more than 140,000 copies in print. Wagner served as the Strategic Education Advisor for a major new education documentary, "Most Likely to Succeed," which had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. He also collaborated with noted filmmaker Robert Compton to create a 60 minute documentary, "The Finland Phenomenon: Inside The World's Most Surprising School System" in 2010.
Demystifying Mastery Learning: A Conversation with Utah Educators
Learning from Student Work: Implications for Mastery Learning at Phillips Academy
Mastery Transcript and the Evolving College Admissions Process


Just west of Tampa is an amazing gem of a community that some people may gloss over when searching for a new investment property. Clearwater real estate has an abundance of prime locations that only the local specialists at the Delgado Home Team are privy to, but they're more than happy to pass on their secrets to you! Contact them today to start taking a closer look at Clearwater homes for sale.
Clearwater is the smallest of the three big and popular cities in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. Because of this ease of accessibility, Clearwater homes for sale are some of the best kept secrets within all of Florida.
The first road connecting Clearwater real estate to Tampa was laid down in 1849, and the rapid expansion hasn't slowed down since. New businesses taking advantage of growing industries, tourism, and regional commuting have turned Clearwater into a nirvana for investors.
Popular annual events include the Imagine International Film Festival, where you can see amazing pieces of cinema that you can't find anywhere else. The Fun N Sun Festival running every April and May brings families together and establishes a strong sense of community. The Clearwater Jazz Holiday in October will having you dancing down the streets!
The mix of art, culture, history, and friendliness make Clearwater homes for sale the perfect places to establish a life for yourself and your family. Contact the Delgado Home Team today to ensure that you find the right place for the right price, and take advantage of their local connections!


This guide is filled to the brim with procedures, checklists, and information templates to help you create and grow productive and profitable customer relationships!
Richard Rodgers' DIRECTIONS2: Strategic Management & Marketing for A/E/C Business Development is an enriched and expanded Second Edition of his highly regarded 2004 version.
Whether new to sales and marketing, or an experienced practitioner in professional services, DIRECTIONS2 offers the first professional and usable platform for executing an effective business development program.
Whether you're an architect, engineer, or contractor, this guide is filled to the brim with step-by-step procedures, checklists, and information templates to help you create and grow productive and profitable customer relationships to help you thrive and prosper!


text:
'No Equal Justice' shares George Crockett Jr.'s civil rights legacy
ABA Journal: Modern Law Library
Peter Hammer
Professor Peter J. Hammer is the co-author of No Equal Justice: The Legacy of Civil Rights Icon...
Lee Rawles
Lee Rawles joined the ABA Journal in 2010 as a web producer. She has also worked for...
Detroit has been the site of many civil rights and labor rights battles, and many notable Black attorneys have called the city home. The first Black president of the ABA, Dennis Archer, came from the Detroit legal community, as does the current ABA president, Reginald Turner. But the full story of one of the city's pioneering legal figures has not been told–until now.
In No Equal Justice: The Legacy of Civil Rights Icon George W. Crockett Jr., co-authors Edward J. Littlejohn and Peter J. Hammer have filled in this blank with an absorbing history of Crockett's Floridian childhood, his law school years at the University of Michigan, his defense of Communist activists at the height of the Red Scare, his harrowing search for the murdered Freedom Riders in 1964, his time as a judge on Detroit's Recorder Court, and his election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
For this episode of the Modern Law Library, Hammer joined the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles to discuss the research that went into the book, some of Crockett's most high-profile cases, how Crockett ended up serving four months in prison for contempt of court, and to explain why Crockett was one of the Detroit police department's most-hated public figures.
Special thanks to our sponsor, Posh Virtual Receptionists.
Mentioned in This Episode
No Equal Justice: The Legacy of Civil Rights Icon George W. Crockett Jr.
Podcast: ABA Journal: Modern Law Library
Category: Legal Entertainment , News & Current Events
ABA Journal: Modern Law Library features top legal authors and their works.
From Amanda Knox to Kyle Rittenhouse, lawyer discusses justice and due process in the digital age
Lawyer digs into big data for new legal thriller 'Code 6'
This lawyer tackled lifelong anxiety to free herself from 'The Box'
Our favorite pop culture picks in 2022
Can change really come from within the system? These 13 prosecutors think so
'By Hands Now Known' shines light on cold cases of lynchings and racial violence


Search for one (default) or a few high-identity hits to a database using the USEARCH algorithm. Alignments are local. To get more than one hit, increase -maxaccepts. The USEARCH algorithm is generally best suited for global alignments, but local searches may sometimes be appropriate and effective. This is the case when the local alignments cover a large enough fraction of both the query and target sequence that the common word count between the full-length sequences correlates with similarity in the region. Increasing ‑maxrejects may improve sensitivity when this assumption holds less well.
An identity threshold must be specified using the ‑id option. An E-value threshold may also be specified.


You'd think that when a powerhouse of Latinos decide to record a song together in the name of solidarity against anti-Mexico rhetoric, the record would prove to be historical. But nah. Instead, the Emilio Estefan-backed effort, which features Pitbull, Carlos Santana, Gloria Estefan, Wyclef and more, produced the most underwhelming tribute song ever and cobbled-together a music video that looks like something out of iMovie.
"There's a message being sent out to the world where people are giving opinions that are plain wrong," the Cuban-American Estefan, who has won 19 Grammy awards, told Billboard earlier this month. "We need to lift up our pride and show the world what we're doing."
Unfortunately, the most you'll get out of this is that Mexico gave us the best frijoles and lip-smacking guacamole in all the land. Oh, and dancing chihuahuas. All jokes aside, was this the best that some of the greatest Latino musicians ever could come up with? Perhaps asking for something that actually challenged Trump's anti-immigrant views is too much.
But you be the judge. Hit 'play' below.
The title of the song, "We're all Mexican" is intended as a metaphor symbolizing that we can all become the victims of racism and bigotry at any moment as Mexicans are experiencing in recent times. Mexicans are being vilified in the United States by some of the media and political leaders and in some of the public's sentiment because they comprise 67% of the Latino population and because their native country shares a direct border with the United States and are the majority of the "Latinos" crossing that particular border. But around the world, different immigrant groups are harassed and made to be scapegoats for the ills of their respective countries of residence. the song, "We're All Mexicans", celebrates the positive contributions of immigrants in the United States as a balance to the negativity being expressed publicly.


There's joy in the Juve camp tonight after a big win over fellow title challengers Napoli, but Massimiliano Allegri was keen to remain grounded at such an early stage of the season.
"It was an important win tonight but it's not decisive," the coach explained following the Bianconeri's 2-1 triumph at Juventus Stadium.
Allegri then credited Napoli for making a game of it but insisted Juve were good for the win after stepping up the pace in the second period.
As usual it was a team win but the boss nonetheless singled out a few players for particular praise, starting with his front pairing.
"Gonzalo [Higuain] was relaxed about playing and he did well. He's got a lot to offer: he stretches the opposition and works hard for the team.
Allegri had words of praise for his midfielders as well.
"It's a shame some of the fans decided to boo Hernanes when he came off – he didn't deserve that. He organised our play and helped out defensively too.