These courses are designed to start from an absolute beginners and will teach learners to communicate with deaf people on a range of general topics. You will be taught by a professional Deaf Tutor in a friendly and supportive environment.
Courses lead to a qualification* that is divided into three units for the Level 1 and four units for the Level 2, each of which can be achieved separately. The Entry units (no previous knowledge required) are as follows: Institute of British Sign Language (iBSL) Level 1 Award in British Sign Language Studies.
The Level 1 qualification aims to enable learners to develop suitable and sufficient skills to communicate with Deaf people in British Sign Language (BSL) on everyday topics in accordance with the National Language Standards at Level 1.
Sign Language (BSL) with Deaf people on everyday topics involving social life and at work, school or college.
requiring a wider grasp of grammar to cope with some non-routine language exchanges.
*This qualification is optional and can be achieved by undertaking iBSL's (the awarding body) assessment (the exam fee for each of all Level 1 and 2 units is £32).
Please notice that we advise students to undertake the examination of the Level 2 (only) after having completed the learning activities of all four Units (2A2, 2A3, 2A4 & 2A1) taught over three courses (each 10 weeks long) for better results.
For this course Languages@Leicester is working in partnership with BSL.net. The lead Tutor for these courses is Frank Sly. He has been teaching BSL and deaf awareness for over 25 years and has been an assessor and moderator for CACDP/Signature for the best part of two decades. Frank has a special interest in maintaining excellence in teaching standards in BSL and holds the PTLLS and CAVA qualifications.
You have little or no prior knowledge of British Sign Language and you would like to achieve the Full Level 1 in two weeks.
You have little or no prior knowledge of British Sign Language.
You have completed the 'Level 1 Award - Part 1' and you would like to continue learning British Sign Language.
You have completed the 'Level 1 Award - Part 2' and you would like to continue learning British Sign Language.
You have completed the full 'Level 1 Award' and you would like to continue learning British Sign Language.
Not sure which level you want? Please contact us.


Did you know that 80% of small business owners don't keep track of their business goals? Similarly, 40% of people who write their goals down don't check whether they've achieved them. By now, the new momentum propelled by the new year has started to wane, and it's important to keep your annual goals top-of-mind to stay on track to reach them. Read on to learn more about small ways to integrate your business goals into your monthly, weekly and daily to-do list.
If you haven't set your 2019 business goals yet, there is still time. Start by evaluating if you met your business goals in 2018, or if you missed the mark. Next, determine what you want to focus on in 2019, and what Key Performance Indicators will help you to measure success. Lastly, understand where your business pain points were in 2018, and make a plan for a better 2019.
If you haven't done so already, break your annual goals down into quarterly, 90-day increments and evaluate if they are realistic for yourself and your company. From there, identify monthly and weekly milestones that you need to reach to stay on track. These milestones will help you move toward your goals without losing focus on your annual and long-term goals. Milestones are a great way to help you "eat the elephant," turning your lofty goals into bite-sized, manageable goals.
Make each day count towards achieving your goals. What are you doing today to reach your weekly and monthly milestones? While you may currently have a CRM in place to help track sales/leads and create a daily task list, we've found that utilizing your default Google or Outlook calendar, where you schedule all your phone calls and meetings, is a great place to also schedule the time to specifically work towards certain goals.
Busy business owners know that if the allocated time is not planned, we won't get to it! On your calendar, block off some time each day to work ON your business, not IN your business. Color code your calendar to visually see how much time you've blocked off to work towards your goal. Hold yourself accountable for honoring your goal-time, don't put it off or forgo it.
Hold yourself and your team accountable for reaching their monthly milestones by keeping them a topic of discussion during your weekly meetings. Knowing that you'll have to give a progress update in front of your team will help you curb the urge to procrastinate and stay fully committed to your goals. It's also a way to check in on your team and make sure they are also working towards success. Turn to each other for guidance and support, and help one another with tips on how to better reach your goal.
While tracking and analyzing the progress you're making towards your goals, you may find that the action steps you're taking to reach your goals aren't as effective as you planned. This is no reason to give up on your goals, instead, it is a sign to switch up your strategy. The good news is that you were able to realize this early on. Revisit your weekly and monthly milestones to accommodate for any progress you need to make up for, and try a different way to meet your goals.
Being a business owner can be a lonely job. As your own boss, it is beneficial to have someone outside your organization to provide you with guidance, support, accountability and encouragement. A business coach acts as a sounding board, a business mentor, a friend to talk with you and provide expert opinions, helping you to solve your problems and turn them into opportunities.
To schedule an annual planning day at your business, or to learn more about Accelerate ActionCOACH's programs, contact us today!
What's Your Plan for a Better 2019?
Where do you Fall on the Progression of a Business?


text:
Die Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien ist die Standesvertretung der in der Wien niedergelassenen Rechtsanwälte und Rechtsanwaltsanwärter. Ihren Sitz hat die Rechtsanwaltskammer in der Bundeshauptstadt Wien, wo sich mit dem Verfassungsgerichtshof, dem Verwaltungsgerichtshof und dem Obersten Gerichtshof auch die höchsten Organe der Rechtsprechung Österreichs befinden. Präsident der Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien ist derzeit Michael Enzinger.

Geschichte
1841 wird eine Vereinigung für eine Bibliothek für alle Juristen mit unentgeltlichem Zugang zu Lese- und Klubräumen geschaffen (1938 aufgelöst, 1954/55 neu gegründet).

Eugen Megerle von Mühlfeld, unter anderem Dekan der juristischen Fakultät an der Universität Wien sowie Vorstand des Advokatenkollegiums, initiiert bei Justizminister Anton von Schmerling 1850 die Gründung der Advokatenkammer in Wien. Schon vor der offiziellen staatlichen Genehmigung wurde Mühlfeld zum Präsidenten gewählt, ein Statut und eine Geschäftsordnung ausgearbeitet sowie ein Kammersitz und Personal ausgewählt. 1851 treten die Advokaten der Kreisgerichtsstädte Niederösterreichs der Wiener Advokatenkammer bei. 1861 auch alle anderen Advokaten Niederösterreichs. Die Rechtsanwaltskammer erhält die Bezeichnung "Niederösterreichische Advokatenkammer".

Die am 6. Juli 1868 geschaffene Advokatenordnung (RGBO 96) enthielt die wichtigsten Kernbereiche der anwaltlichen Berufsregeln. Unter anderem wurde
 der Wirkungsbereich des Ausschusses der Kammern um das Recht zur Listenführung über die im Kammersprengel wohnhaften Advokaten erweitert (Advokatenbuch, Matrikel) und
 durfte der Ausschuss Gutachten über die Angemessenheit von Rechtsanwaltshonoraren abgeben und
 bei Streitigkeiten zwischen Kammermitgliedern versuchen, eine gütliche Einigung zu erzielen.
Zudem wurde die Advokatur freigegeben. Mit Gesetz vom 1. April 1872 wurde den Rechtsanwaltskammern die Aufsicht und Disziplinargewalt über die in die Advokatenliste eingetragenen Advokaten überantwortete. Das damals begründete System besteht weitgehend bis heute.

Nach 1887 wird der Pensionsverein für Advokaten und Advokaturskandidaten gegründet. 1893 folgt ein Statut der Krankenkasse für Advokatursbeamte und 1894 die niederösterreichische Advokatenhilfskasse. 1900 beginnt die Wiener RAK Mitteilungen an die Mitglieder zu versenden. Ab 1901 werden Fortbildungsseminare für Advokaturanwärter angeboten. Per Gesetz wurde 1919 die Bezeichnung "Advokat" in "Rechtsanwalt", "Advokaturkandidat" in "Rechtsanwaltsanwärter", die "Advokatenkammer" in "Rechtsanwaltskammer" umbenannt (wie dies in Deutschland seit der Rechtsanwaltsordnung 1878 üblich war).

Durch die Auflösung der Donaumonarchie 1918 haben sich im Rumpfstaat Deutsch-Österreich viele Advokaten aus den deutschsprachigen Ländern der ehemaligen Monarchie niedergelassen und die Zahl der Anwälte des verhältnismäßig kleinen Staates beträchtlich gesteigert. Es wurde die Einführung eines Numerus clausus für Anwälte bzw. Rechtsanwaltsanwärter diskutiert und teilweise von den Kammern befürwortet. Es wurde eine gesamtösterreichische schriftliche Befragung beschlossen, zu deren Durchführung sich die Wiener Kammer bereit erklärte. Diese Befragung unterblieb jedoch, da sich die Wirtschaftliche Organisation in Wien bei ihrer Tagung im Frühjahr 1927 in überragender Stimmenmehrheit für eine Beibehaltung geltender gesetzlicher Grundlagen und keine Einführung gesetzlicher Sperrmaßnahmen aussprach.

Durch den Vertrag von Trianon (1920) war das damalige "Deutsch-Westungarn" an die neue Republik Österreich abzutreten. 1921 kam die Landnahme des Burgenlandes zu einem Abschluss; das neu hinzugekommene Land wurde danach in Burgenland umbenannt. Die burgenländischen Advokaten wurden bis 1924 in die "Rechtsanwaltskammer in Wien" eingegliedert. Die Kammer umfasste somit alle zugelassenen Rechtsanwälte aus dem Burgenland, Niederösterreich und Wien.

1928 wird der anwaltliche Versorgungsfonds gegründet. Am 19. Juni 1950 wird die Errichtung eines neuen Vorsorgefonds festgelegt.

Durch die Einführung des Ständestaats in Österreich (beginnend mit März 1933) und Maßnahmen auf der Basis des KWEG sind eine Reihe von Verordnungen erlassen worden, wodurch "besondere Maßnahmen zur Hintanhaltung der mit einer Störung der öffentlichen Ruhe, Ordnung und Sicherheit verbundenen Schädigung des wirtschaftlichen Lebens" getroffen worden waren. Elf dieser Verordnungen haben auch den Stand der Rechtsanwälte betroffen und waren geeignet, dem bisher weitgehend unabhängigen Rechtsanwaltsberuf Schranken aufzuerlegen. Die Selbstverwaltung der Kammer wurde auch durch die Verordnung vom 31. März 1934 erheblich eingeschränkt, da die Mandate der Ausschüsse der Rechtsanwaltskammern für erloschen erklärt wurden, wenn der Inhaber zur Zeit seiner Wahl der sozialdemokratischen Partei oder einer von dieser beeinflussten Organisationen angehört hatte. Neu- und Ersatzwahlen wurden zudem verboten. Mit 1. Jänner 1936 wurden an die Stelle der gewählten Ausschüsse der Kammern und ihrer Präsidien vom Bundesministerium für Justiz des Ständestaats bestellte Funktionäre eingesetzt.

Die "Ständige Vertreterversammlung der Rechtsanwaltskammer Österreichs" (StVV) hätte in weiterer Folge durch eine "Bundeskammer der Rechtsanwälte" ersetzt werden sollen.
Durch den Anschluss Österreichs an das Deutsche Reich (siehe: Österreich in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus) wurde die Autonomie (Selbstverwaltung) der österreichischen Rechtsanwaltskammern ebenfalls bald ganz beseitigt. Zahlreiche in Wien eingetragene Rechtsanwälte wurden aus der Liste gestrichen. Ursachen waren Kriegdienstleistungen und die Verordnung vom 31. März 1938, wodurch jüdischen Anwälten die Ausübung ihres Berufes untersagt wurde. Durch die Verordnung vom 27. September 1938 mussten auch "jüdische Mischlinge" bis zum Jahresende 1938 aus der Liste der Rechtsanwälte gelöscht werden (am 13. März 1938 waren noch 2541 Rechtsanwälte eingetragen, am 31. Dezember 1938 nur mehr 771).

Nach dem Krieg wurde mit Gesetz vom 31. Juli 1945 die Rechtsanwaltsordnung und das Disziplinarstatut in der Fassung vom 13. März 1938 wieder in Kraft gesetzt. Aufgrund der Besetzung Österreichs war jedoch eine Selbstverwaltung der Kammern, wie vor 1933 gegeben, noch nicht möglich. Die in Wien anwesenden Rechtsanwälte beschließen am 16. April 1945 dennoch den Wiederaufbau der Kammer. Emerich Hunna wird zum Kammerpräsidenten bestellt.

1957 wird die "Rechtsanwaltskammer in Wien" in "Rechtsanwaltskammer für Wien, Niederösterreich und Burgenland" umbenannt.

1969 wird Walter Schuppich zum Präsidenten gewählt und bleibt das für 24 Jahre. Man spricht deshalb von der "Ära Schuppich".

1970 wird eine "Erste anwaltliche Auskunft" der Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien für die rechtsuchende Bevölkerung als Serviceeinrichtung geschaffen.

1988 entsteht aus der "Rechtsanwaltskammer für Wien, Niederösterreich und Burgenland" die Niederösterreichische Rechtsanwaltskammer, die Burgenländische Rechtsanwaltskammer und die "Wiener Rechtsanwaltskammer".

Organisation
Die Standesvertretung ist Mitglied des Österreichischen Rechtsanwaltskammertags, eines Zusammenschlusses der Rechtsanwaltskammern aller österreichischen Bundesländer. Organisatorisch ist die Rechtsanwaltskammer eine Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts, die mit dem Recht auf autonome Selbstverwaltung sowie begrenzten hoheitlichen Befugnissen ausgestattet ist.

Die Aufgabengebiete der Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien reichen von der Vertretung der Rechtsanwälte über die Begutachtung von Gesetzen und das Erstellen von Gutachten bis zur Überwachung der Einhaltung der Berufspflichten im Wege des Disziplinarrechts. Ebenso werden von den Prüfungskommissären der Rechtsanwaltskammer die Prüfungen der Rechtsanwaltsanwärter und der Richteramtsanwärter durchgeführt.

Oberstes Entscheidungsgremium der Rechtsanwaltskammer ist der Ausschuss, der durch die Vollversammlung der Wiener Rechtsanwälte gewählt wird und dem ein Präsident/Präsidentin sowie drei Vizepräsidenten vorstehen. Diesem beigegeben sind der Disziplinarrat und die Prüfungskommissäre, die ebenfalls durch die Vollversammlung bestellt werden.

Mitgliedschaft
Die Mitgliedschaft in der Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien besteht für die eingetragenen Rechtsanwälte (RA) und die Rechtsanwaltsanwärter (RAA). Die Stimmrechte in der Mitgliederversammlung sind zwischen Rechtsanwälten und Rechtsanwaltsanwärtern ungleich verteilt (etwa 1:2 – RA:RAA). Mit der Mitgliedschaft verbunden ist die Verpflichtung zur Bezahlung der Kammerumlage. Zum 1. November 2013 waren in Wien 2.743 Rechtsanwälte eingetragen (zum Vergleich: bereits 1926 waren in der Kammer Wien, Niederösterreich und Burgenland etwa 2.600 Rechtsanwälte eingetragen. Das Verhältnis der eingetragenen Mitglieder der Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien, Niederösterreich und Burgenland zum restlichen Österreich betrug daher etwa 2.600:700 (3,7:1). Im Jahr 2013 (1. November) beträgt das Verhältnis der Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien (ohne Niederösterreich und Burgenland) 1:1,15 bzw. RAK Wien-Niederösterreich-Burgenland zum Rest von Österreich 1,2:1).

Literatur

Siehe auch
 Rechtsanwaltskammer (Österreich) (allgemeine Übersicht)

Weblinks
 Webauftritt der Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien.
 Verein zur Erforschung der anwaltlichen Berufsgeschichte der zwischen 1938 und 1945 diskreditierten Mitglieder der österreichischen Rechtsanwaltskammern.

Einzelnachweise

Rechtsanwaltskammer
Wien
Berufsverband (Österreich)
Anwaltschaft in Österreich
Recht (Wien)
Gegründet 1841

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Who doesn't know that Tasmania also known as The Apple Isle is big on betting? TAS -Tasmania players are spoilt for choice when it comes to local casinos. Players can play real money games at any time they wish to. Tasmania players can choose to play any game that suits their liking such as blackjack, roulette, poker and pokies not forgetting tournaments. The legal age for players in TAS is 18 and above.
If you are looking for great fun, then you are at the right place. We have compiled a list of the sites that offer great gaming experience in Tasmania.
Tasmania, located in the south of the Australian landmass, is home to areas of beautiful nature. The capital Hobart is where half of the population of Tasmania resides.
The TAS Country Club Casino can be found in Launceston, few hours' drive to the north. This extravagant complex consists of 300-acres of parkland, championship golf course with the finest dining and entertainment. The club hosts 16 table games and over 500 pokies.
The Apple Isle allows bingo and lottery games. Sports betting is allowed and betting on both greyhound racing, and horse racing is also popular. Check out other AU territories such as Victoria and Western Australia.
Where Can I Find Casinos Near Me?
Many Tasmanians opt to play their games online as the years go by. To find the best local casino in Tasmania, we at Jackpots Casino have got you covered. We feature online casino that will suit you best. We feature online casinos that are rated best and obviously licensed and regulated to ensure players safety and security. Not only do we feature casinos that are good but casinos that offer players the best gaming experience with top quality graphics and sound effects.
Tasmania, like any province in Australia, is allowed to control gambling activities within the province. This is done by the TAS Gaming Commission, an independent body recognized in 1993 by the Gaming Control Act. TAS has a clear policy concerning the licensing of online casinos.
casinos online Australia are prohibited, but that does not mean gamers cannot play online games from the sites that have an Australian license.
With access to pokies, baccarat, roulette, and blackjack, you can now experience the best games when you join a recommended local casino near you. Tasmanians deserve only the best out of their gaming. When you make a deposit, you can easily get extra money that you can use to gamble. There are also promotions that players can watch out for from time to time.
Are casinos legal in TAS?
Yes, they are, real money gambling at casinos online is legal in TAS. Tasmanian players can wager real money on online slots and other casino games without having to worry about breaking the law.
Is gambling regulated in Tasmania?
Yes, like other provinces in Australia, gambling in Tasmania is controlled by the state and the state laws.
What is the legal age to play?
The minimum age to gamble at casinos in TAS is 18 and above.
How is Tasmania different from other Australian states?
For Players that love and enjoy beautiful natural landscape and stylish casinos at night, Tasmania is the province to be at.
TAS is known to be the perfect gaming getaway for gamblers who want to enjoy stunning landscapes by day and stylish casinos by night. Tasmania hosts the modern Wrest Point Riviera Hotel that has been offering entertainment and hospitality to TAS casino players since 1939.


text:
Donnie Wahlberg Left A Generous $2020 Tip For An IHOP Waitress Making Her New Year Special
"I'm a single mother—by myself with my son. So I struggle every day to make ends meet. And now I can buy furniture and put some money in the bank, and make sure my son is good," the waitress said.
A waitress from IHOP indeed had a New Year's Day worth remembering when she received a tip of $2,020 on a $75.45 bill from Donnie Wahlberg, the star of Blue Bloods and brother of Mark Wahlberg, reported National Post. The actor made a stop to have lunch at the IHOP near his St. Charles, Ill. home along with his wife Jenny McCarthy. Later on, McCarthy shared the receipt of the night on Twitter along with the caption that read, "@donniewahlberg starting 2020 off like the amazing man he is. #ihop #2020tipchallenge."
. @DonnieWahlberg starting 2020 off like the amazing man he is. #ihop #2020tipchallenge
🥰 pic.twitter.com/AjAEN0hqL6
— Jenny McC-Wahlberg (@JennyMcCarthy) January 1, 2020
Going by the report on PEOPLE, the "2020 Tip Challenge" seems to have become a trend which started when a server at Thunder Bay River Restaurant in Michigan received a $2,020 tip on a $23 bill and it is definitely one of the trends that we are ready to get behind and support. The credit card receipt also contained notes from Wahlberg to the waitress Bethany Provencher. He wrote, "Thanks Bethany," "2020 Tip Challenge" and "Happy new year." Bethany is a single mom and after seeing the receipt, she couldn't believe her luck.
He's Friggen amazing!!! I wish I had money to do this. But I pay it forward at Dunkin' and buy coffees when I can
— Paola (@Donnielover6) January 1, 2020
She said, "I've loved Donnie my whole life—I was a very big New Kids on the Block fan when I was a kid. I didn't want to freak out at the table, so I went into the bathroom and freaked out a little. I was like, 'oh my god!' I served them the best I could do. He folded up the receipt and he gave it to me and told me not to open it until he left. I said 'okay, thank you, guys, come again. I'll take care of you again.' Then I open it, and I almost fell to the floor."
Don't just say #HappyNewYear
Don't wait for someone else to make it a #HappyNewYear
You have the power to make it a #HappyNewYear
Make the choice, and the commitment, to make #2020 the best year possible! #happynewyear2020
— Donnie Wahlberg (@DonnieWahlberg) January 1, 2020
There is no doubt that the 37-year-old waitress was extremely grateful for the generous act. She added, "I just started crying. I couldn't believe it. I mean, who does that? It was a blessing. I just moved into an apartment, I'm a single mother—by myself with my son. So I struggle every day to make ends meet. And now I can buy furniture and put some money in the bank, and make sure my son is good." But the good news didn't end there for Bethany.
Donnie Wahlberg Leaves $2,020 Tip at IHOP to Celebrate 2020: 'I Just Started Crying,' Says Server https://t.co/v2VaF5PQy2
— People (@people) January 2, 2020
Later on, she received a call from Donnie himself. She revealed, "Donnie called me at the restaurant and I spoke to him. I really wanted to thank him and Jenny because they don't even understand what they did for me. God put him there for a reason for me, and I know that." She said, "It's the greatest thing to ever happen in my life."
This isn't the first time Wahlberg has made someone's day by giving a generous tip. Prior to this, Wahlberg left $500 for Waffle House employees working the night shift in Maryland in 2017, and also gave a $2,000 tip to Charlotte, a server at a Waffle House outlet in North Carolina. He shared the photo on Instagram with the caption, "My mom waited tables, and my dad tended bars-- for years! So, when I walk into a #WaffleHouse, and the staff treats me like a king, you better believe I treat them like queens! Thanks to the team at @wafflehouseofficial Charlotte, NC!"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


ORA's all new Optiwave™ technology takes intraoperative wavefront aberrometry to a new level of precision providing surgeons a higher level of confidence. The use of the ORA intraoperative aberrometer enables accurate, real-time intraocular lens (IOL) calculations, creation, and enhancements, of Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRIs). ORA measurements are easily incorporated into the surgical routine, adding minimal time.
Patient selection is determined by the surgeon and in today's modern refractive cataract surgery, most patients are candidates for this technology.
The ORA System™ is clinically proven to increase accuracy and improve outcomes. It provides intraoperative refractive information and enables real-time surgical course correction. The ORA system is compatible with and attaches directly to existing surgical microscopes, and connects live to WaveTec servers to capture every procedure and push software upgrades.


Over the past few months I have had lots of ideas, thoughts & comments swirling around in my head about gluten-free food & companies. I think back to where the gluten-free food market was when I first went gluten-free in January 2006 and cringe. There are so many more options now and those options are much easier to get your hands on than they used to be. I can do all of my grocery shopping in a mainstream grocery store, including specialty items like bread, pasta & flours, for the most part. Yes, I still frequent the health food store, Trader Joe's & Whole foods, but mainly because I like options and I have an addiction to those stores & can't help myself! LOL! My point is that I don't have to if I don't want to.
There are also many services out there that do a lot of the legwork for you. There is Clan Thompson, with lists available for purchase. There is also Zeer, an online database that has over 30,000 food products (and 500 new ones added every week! The cost for Zeer Select is $15/month. I had the opportunity to try out Zeer Select, the upgraded version of Zeer, and it is amazing! Even if there isn't a clear cut answer, the ingredients are still listed on the site, as well as the manufacturer's contact info.
From now until August 15th when buying Pure Bars from the Pure Bar website enter the Promotional code "PURESUMMER" and receive 30% off your order AND free shipping on any variety and any size order. Yes, I was sucked in. I couldn't help myself. I ordered a variety pack, because as I mentioned yesterday, I need to try the other flavors. The total for 12 bars was $20.29 with free shipping!
Also, speaking of the lovely Pure Bar, don't forget to check out Kristin's giveaway. You have until midnight tomorrow night (the 5th) to enter.


text:
← Be remarkably honest
Newsletter #1016: The "4 Fun Lessons from Photojojo" Issue →
Jessica Gioglio on how Dunkin' Brands puts the spotlight on their fans in social
This is a post from my company, SocialMedia.org's blog. Check it out for more profiles and stories about the people running social at really big brands.
This story features tips and advice from Dunkin' Brands Social Media Manager Jessica Gioglio. You can check out her full presentation at SocialMedia.org's Member Meeting in Boston here.
"I like to joke that Dunkin' is a brand made for social," says Jessica Gioglio, the Social Media Manager for Dunkin' Brands, in her presentation at our Member Meeting in Boston.
She explained how Dunkin' will receive tons of photos on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook from their fans every day.
After all, photos of coffee and delicious donuts are no strangers to social media. What might be surprising though, is Dunkin's ability to stay engaged with their fans throughout the day — not just during the breakfast rush.
They celebrate their fans to keep people coming back for more.
"You spend a lot of time getting to know your fans, you might as well put the spotlight on them," Jessica says.
A big part of their content strategy is repurposing the love they get from their customers. For example, they feature a photo of the "Fan of the Week" on their Facebook page.
"We got the inspiration from a girl with a Dunkin' tattoo. If someone's going to tattoo your brand, you should figure out a way to celebrate that," she says.
This customer-centric approach is also a part of their team's mantra: "We don't own our social media channels — our fans do."
They find ways to stoke that fire with surprise and delight.
Instead of just sharing all of the great feedback they get from fans internally, Dunkin's team says "thank you" back. They send handwritten thank-you notes and swag to people every day — and Jessica says it's worth the effort.
"Nine times out of ten, without being asked, people will take a picture of our letters and share that with their social graph," Jessica says.
She suggests taking a lot of care into how you package surprise and delight gifts and how you write these handwritten notes. People will take a photo of them, and you want it to look nice.
Dunkin's cross-functional approach helps them keep content fresh and interesting.
Jessica explains that four cross-functional teams support their approach to social: interactive marketing, digital media, public relations, and legal. These teams handle content, promotions, mobile, community management, advertising, and strategic partnerships.
That approach helped Dunkin' become the first brand to debut a TV commercial made entirely of Vine videos. They've also featured tweets and other social fan submissions in their traditional ads.
Jessica says, "Part of being a brand that caters to its fans is figuring out new channels to engage with them that are fun, but also a good fit."
Dunkin' also "goes local" with their social strategy to build fan relationships.
With independent franchises across the country, they allow stores to share their story on a local level with geo-targeting and local Twitter accounts.
"It's a great way to increase your connection to the brand because we're showing that we care about you locally, not just from a national content perspective," Jessica explains.
For example, each year they ask social media fans to dress up their coffee cups for Halloween and send in their photos.
"There's often a kind of tactical and insensitive approach to contests when you're trying to promote a product or get it out there. But we always try to say, 'What would be fun for the fans?'"
She says that while these higher-level contests may get fewer submissions, they bring out the best user-generated content you can repurpose over and over again.
"At the end of the day, if it's not fun for your community, they're not going to be inspired to participate," Jessica says.
Follow Jessica on Twitter and ask about her co-authored book, "The Power of Visual Storytelling."


Simmons Associate Housemaster Steven Hall introduces slime.
Biological engineering assistant professor says mucus is cooler than you think.
The word slime doesn't exactly bring to mind the idea of fun. It's pretty safe to say that most of us would go out of our way to avoid any situation where we might get slimed — except maybe if it got us on a nationally broadcasted Nickelodeon show.
But, for Katharina Ribbeck — the Eugene Bell Career Development Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Engineering — slime is not only fun, it's educational. Ribbeck, a visiting scholar living in Simmons Hall, runs a lab that exclusively researches slime — or mucus, as it might be more scientifically known. Aside from her research responsibilities, Ribbeck, along with Assistant Housemaster Steve Hall, organizes the weekly residential scholar events for Simmons Hall. She has organized a student event based around a group discussion about the movie "The Departed" with MIT Chief of Police and former State Police Superintendent John DiFava; a swing-dancing lesson with the MIT Ballroom Dance Team; a yoga class; and many other student-focused activities. That's how Ribbeck found herself hosting an event this past fall, that was near and dear to her — a celebration of slime.
Ribbeck brought along three graduate students from her lab to help her execute a comical and educational presentation that involved a puppet show about the protective functions of mucus in the body, a pool noodle demonstration of mucus-coated cilia trapping particles in the lungs, and an interpretation of the way mucus helps us relieve ourselves by using a PVC tube and a broom handle.
Ribbeck emphasized how mucus is not only vital to humans, but to other animals as well. One of the biggest gross-out highlight of the presentation was when she showed a video of a hagfish — a fish that secretes a giant wave of mucus to make it harder to grasp when it's under attack.
She concluded her presentation with a bang — dumping a bucket of actual slime on the head of one of her graduate students while playing a slimy sequence from "Ghostbusters" in the background. With slime still dripping off of his head, Ribbeck's graduate student joined his lab mates to take questions from the audience. The researchers explained how their work relates to everyday problems and that one of their areas of focus is the role mucus plays in cystic fibrosis — a genetic disease that causes an excess production of mucus in the lungs and digestive track and usually leads to early death.


Protagonizada por: Scott Adsit	, Bob Balaban	, Lance (I) Barber	, Ed Begley Jr.	, Craig Bierko	, Curt Bisquera	, Jordan (I) Black	, David Blasucci	, Hart Bochner	, Shawn Christian	, Kevin Christy	, Curt Clendenin	, Paul Dooley	, Ricky Gervais	, Rick (I) Gonzalez	, Christopher (I) Guest	, Mark Harelik	, Simon Helberg	, John Michael Higgins	, Michael (I) Hitchcock	, Oneida James	, Richard Kind	, John Krasinski	, Don Lake	, Eugene Levy	, Christian Ojore Mayfield	, Michael (I) McKean	, Larry (I) Miller	, Christopher Moynihan	, Jim Piddock	, Steven M. Porter	, Stephen Rannazzisi	, Joe Satriani	, Harry Shearer	, Skyler Stone	, Kevin Sussman	, Jeffrey C.J. Vanston	, Loudon Wainwright III	, Derek (I) Waters	, Fred Willard	, Scott (I) Williamson	, Casey Rose Wilson	, Carrie Aizley	, Holly Bonelli	, Pamela Clay	, Nina Conti	, Jennifer Coolidge	, Stephanie Courtney	, Claire Forlani	, Shiela Gonzalez	, Ari Graynor	, Rachael (I) Harris	, Lauri Johnson	, Anne (I) King	, Jane Lynch	, Mary McCormack	, Jane (I) Morris	, Suzy Nakamura	, Catherine (I) O'Hara	, Sandra Oh	, Parker Posey	, Sarah Shahi	, Jessica St. Clair	, Deborah Theaker	.
Producida por: Karen (I) Murphy	.


text:
HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL | CALL NOW (877) 375-8188
Fraud Crimes
Immigration Consequences
Bail Schedules
Courts A-G
Airport / LAX
Beverly Hills Courthouse
Central Arraignment Court
Chatsworth Courthouse
Clara Shortridge Foltz
Inglewood Juvenile Courthouse
Lancaster Courthouse
Long Beach Courthouse
Los Padrinos Juvenile Courthouse
Already Convicted?
LiveScan Technology
California Penal Code 288 Lewd Acts With A ChildFranchesca David2018-08-09T15:59:05-08:00
Have You Been Charged with Lewd Conduct with a Minor or Penal Code (PC) 288?
California Child Molestation Defense
Types of Lewd Acts with a Minor
288 (a):
If the child was under 14 years old, the offense will be charged under Penal Code § 288(a):
The prosecutor must prove the following elements:
Willful and lewd touching of a child, or willfully causing the child to touch himself, the defendant, or another
The child was under 14 years of age
The touching was for the purpose of sexual arousal of the defendant or the victim
Penalties:
The offense is a felony, and is punished by three, six, or eight years in state prison. Punishment can also include a fine of up to $10,000. The offense can also be punished by felony probation and up to one year in county jail.
Penal Code § 288(a) is a strike, and is considered a serious and violent felony.
If the child was injured by the defendant, the offense is punishable by seven year to life in prison.
288 (b)(1):
If force was involved, the offense will be charged under Penal Code § 288(b)(1):
In addition to the elements for § 288(a), the prosecutor must also prove:
The touching was accomplished through the use of force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of injury to the child or another person
The offense involved separate victims or one victim on separate occasions
The offense is a felony, and is punished five, eight, or ten years in state prison. Felony probation can be granted with up to one year in county jail.
Penal Code § 288(b)(1) is a strike, and is considered a serious and violent felony.
288 (c):
If the child was 14-15 years old, the offense will be charged under Penal Code § 288(c):
The child was either 14 or 15 years old
The defendant was 10 or more years older than the child
The offense is a "wobbler," which means it can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor. If charged as a felony, the offense is punished by one, two, or three years in prison, or by felony probation with up to a year in county jail. Penal Code § 288(c) is not a strike, and is not considered a serious or violent felony.
If charged as a misdemeanor, the offense is punished with probation and up to one year in county jail.
You Need The Best Sex Crime Defense Lawyer!
Moaddel Law Firm
Senaida M.
I have so many good things to say about Moaddel Law firm, I won't go into details about the situation publicly but Daniel & his team truly went above &...
Daniel MoaddelReviewsout of 115 reviews
Elements of Lewd Acts with a Minor
Willfully: An act is done willfully when it is done intentionally, rather than accidentally. You do not need to have intended to break the law or hurt the victim in order to have acted willfully.
For example, if an adult touched a child with the intent to touch the child, the act was done willfully, even if the person did not intend or know the touching would break the law. However, if the touching was the result of an accident, such as a gymnastics coach accidentally touching a student's breast while helping the student perform a flip, the touching was not done willfully.
Lewd and lascivious acts: Lewd and lascivious acts are touching a child for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal or causing the child to touch himself or herself, the defendant, or someone else for a sexual purpose. Any act that constitutes a sexual assault crime is a lewd and lascivious act.
Using the example above, if the gymnastics coach was instead touching the student because it sexually aroused the coach, the touching would be a lewd act.
However, if a child complains of a rash on his genitals and his babysitter touches him for the purposes of examining the rash, the touching was not for the purpose of sexual gratification and would not be a lewd act.
Touching: Touching includes touching any part of the child's body, including through clothing.
Force: An act is accomplished by force when the force used is substantially different or substantially greater than the force needed to accomplish the act itself.
For example, if a defendant grabs a child's genitals, while forceful, the grabbing is part of the act itself. However, if the defendant slaps the child in order to make the child undress, the force is separate from the act itself.
Duress: An act is accomplished by duress when there is a direct or implied threat of force, violence, or danger such that a reasonable person would do something he or she would not otherwise do.
Fear: An act is accomplished by fear if the child is either actually and reasonably afraid or actually and unreasonably afraid, and the defendant knows of the fear and takes advantage of it.
Additional Consequences of a Conviction for Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a Child
A conviction for a lewd act with a minor has additional consequences beyond incarceration:
Immigration Consequences: under federal immigration law, Penal Code 288 is a crime involving moral turpitude and a crime involving domestic violence, as well as an aggravated felony, which can result in deportation and inadmissibility.
Sex Offender Registration: mandatory registration as a sex offender under Penal Code § 290.
Restitution to the victim for medical or psychological treatment required as a result of the offense.
Potential loss of professional license for certain professions.
Defenses to Child Molestation Charges
Intent: A key element in these cases is that the contact was made for the purpose of sexual arousal of the defendant or victim. If there was no intent, you cannot be found guilty. Intent can be inferred from the circumstances of the case, the relationship between the victim and the defendant, and the presence or absence of an innocent explanation for the touching.
Witness credibility: Most cases involving child molestation hinge on the testimony of the minor victim. Like all witnesses, some may have a motive for fabrication. However, children are also more susceptible to manipulation and pressure to please adults than adult victims. Children also may have more difficulty in accurately describing what happened or the identity of the perpetrator.
Violation of rights: Police and prosecutors take child molestation cases very seriously. In their efforts to apprehend perpetrators, they often take shortcuts that violate defendants' rights, such as illegal searches, coerced confessions, and entrapment.
What is not a defense? The minor's consent is never a defense. A mistaken belief about the minor's age is also never a defense to Penal Code § 288 charges.
Child molestation charges carry lengthy prison sentences, as well as lifelong penalties, such as sex offender registration. Fortunately, a skilled criminal defense attorney can use defenses above, and others, to keep a sex offender conviction off your record. Call our criminal defense firm at 877-375-8188 for a FREE consultation with the top sex crime defense attorneys in Los Angeles.
Next Steps if You Have Been Charged with Lewd Acts with a Child
Do not speak to the police. If police try to question you, politely but firmly tell them that you do not wish to speak to them and that you are invoking your constitutional rights to remain silent and to have an attorney present during any questioning.
Do not consent to any searches of your home or belongings, even if the police say they will "just get a warrant." Politely but firmly tell them that you do not consent to a search but will not interfere with their search if they return with a warrant.
Do not contact any potential witnesses. This is especially important in cases with minor victims, as the district attorney or judge could view the contact as an attempt to pressure the victim and you could be charged with obstruction of justice or witness tampering.
Contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to represent you in your child molestation case. Call our criminal attorneys at 877-375-8188 for a FREE case evaluation.
Penal Code § 288 reads:
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (i), any person who willfully and lewdly commits any lewd or lascivious act, including any of the acts constituting other crimes provided for in Part 1, upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child who is under the age of 14 years, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person or the child, is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for three, six, or eight years.
(b) (1) Any person who commits an act described in subdivision (a) by use of force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person, is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for 5, 8, or 10 years.
(2) Any person who is a caretaker and commits an act described in subdivision (a) upon a dependent person by use of force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person, with the intent described in subdivision (a), is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for 5, 8, or 10 years.
(c) (1) Any person who commits an act described in subdivision (a) with the intent described in that subdivision, and the victim is a child of 14 or 15 years, and that person is at least 10 years older than the child, is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for one, two, or three years, or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year. In determining whether the person is at least 10 years older than the child, the difference in age shall be measured from the birth date of the person to the birth date of the child.
(2) Any person who is a caretaker and commits an act described in subdivision (a) upon a dependent person, with the intent described in subdivision (a), is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for one, two, or three years, or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year.
(d) In any arrest or prosecution under this section or Section 288.5, the peace officer, district attorney, and the court shall consider the needs of the child victim or dependent person and shall do whatever is necessary, within existing budgetary resources, and constitutionally permissible to prevent psychological harm to the child victim or to prevent psychological harm to the dependent person victim resulting from participation in the court process.
(e) Upon the conviction of any person for a violation of subdivision (a) or (b), the court may, in addition to any other penalty or fine imposed, order the defendant to pay an additional fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000). In setting the amount of the fine, the court shall consider any relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the seriousness and gravity of the offense, the circumstances of its commission, whether the defendant derived any economic gain as a result of the crime, and the extent to which the victim suffered economic losses as a result of the crime. Every fine imposed and collected under this section shall be deposited in the Victim-Witness Assistance Fund to be available for appropriation to fund child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse victim counseling centers and prevention programs pursuant to Section 13837.
If the court orders a fine imposed pursuant to this subdivision, the actual administrative cost of collecting that fine, not to exceed 2 percent of the total amount paid, may be paid into the general fund of the county treasury for the use and benefit of the county.
(f) For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c), the following definitions apply:
(1) "Caretaker" means an owner, operator, administrator, employee, independent contractor, agent, or volunteer of any of the following public or private facilities when the facilities provide care for elder or dependent persons:
(A) Twenty-four hour health facilities, as defined in Sections 1250, 1250.2, and 1250.3 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B) Clinics.
(C) Home health agencies.
(D) Adult day health care centers.
(E) Secondary schools that serve dependent persons and postsecondary educational institutions that serve dependent persons or elders.
(F) Sheltered workshops.
(G) Camps.
(H) Community care facilities, as defined by Section 1402 of the Health and Safety Code, and residential care facilities for the elderly, as defined in Section 1569.2 of the Health and Safety Code.
(I) Respite care facilities.
(J) Foster homes.
(K) Regional centers for persons with developmental disabilities.
(L) A home health agency licensed in accordance with Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 1725) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.
(M) An agency that supplies in-home supportive services.
(N) Board and care facilities.
(O) Any other protective or public assistance agency that provides health services or social services to elder or dependent persons, including, but not limited to, in-home supportive services, as defined in Section 14005.14 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(P) Private residences.
(2) "Board and care facilities" means licensed or unlicensed facilities that provide assistance with one or more of the following activities:
(A) Bathing.
(B) Dressing.
(C) Grooming.
(D) Medication storage.
(E) Medical dispensation.
(F) Money management.
(3) "Dependent person" means any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially restricts his or her ability to carry out normal activities or to protect his or her rights, including, but not limited to, persons who have physical or developmental disabilities or whose physical or mental abilities have significantly diminished because of age. "Dependent person" includes any person who is admitted as an inpatient to a 24-hour health facility, as defined in Sections 1250, 1250.2, and 1250.3 of the Health and Safety Code.
(g) Paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) apply to the owners, operators, administrators, employees, independent contractors, agents, or volunteers working at these public or private facilities and only to the extent that the individuals personally commit, conspire, aid, abet, or facilitate any act prohibited by paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).
(h) Paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) do not apply to a caretaker who is a spouse of, or who is in an equivalent domestic relationship with, the dependent person under care.
(i) (1) Any person convicted of a violation of subdivision (a) shall be imprisoned in the state prison for life with the possibility of parole if the defendant personally inflicted bodily harm upon the victim.
(2) The penalty provided in this subdivision shall only apply if the fact that the defendant personally inflicted bodily harm upon the victim is pled and proved.
(3) As used in this subdivision, "bodily harm" means any substantial physical injury resulting from the use of force that is more than the force necessary to commit the offense.
(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 219, Sec. 7. (AB 1844) Effective September 9, 2010.)
3435 Wilshire Blvd #2430, Los Angeles, CA 90010
9701 Wilshire Blvd #1000, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
© Copyright Moaddel Law Firm | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | All Rights Reserved


Hundreds of people turned up to join in the spirit of the German beer festivals and raise funds for worthy charities at this year's Sleaford Oktoberfest.
The beer and music festival was back in town for a seventh year, organised by Sleaford and District Round Table.
The group's 14 members have been planning all year, this time spreading it across four days on Boston Road Recreation Ground for ease of access from the town centre.
It featured 40 real ales, 19 ciders, four continental beers and a standard bar, as well as live music and fun fair rides entertaining up to 3,500 people over the course of the whole event.
A first time experiment saw over 40 people joining in a bingo night on Thursday, sponsored by local business Ringrose Law, raising £200.
On Friday evening the beer festival kicked off properly, despite the rain, with visitors invited to turn up in traditional German beer festival outfits with a prize for the best one, with a number joining in.
There was music from Ultra Violet, Reinst80'd and Ultra 90s as the crowds grew.
Saturday saw fine weather for a family fun day with arts and craft tent, circus skills workshops, climbing wall, bouncy castles and traditional oompah band to keep revellers in the beer festival mood.
There were performances by Sleaford Gymnastics Club and the GO Dance studios and more groups played into the evening concluding with local band AfterLife.
The Round Table now regularly raise over £10,000 each year from this one event for local good causes including the SHOCK Sleaford defibrillator campaign and the Sleaford Community Minibus.
Each year the chairman of the group nominates a charity for part of the annual proceeds. This year, chairman Steve Dawson nominated ACT for SMA, The Ally Cadence Trust which is a UK Registered Charity committed to supporting families affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy.


text:
Q: Sending data from Arduino to Blender in python: the data is never received I am currently playing with Arduino and I am trying to get simple data to be continuously sent from Arduino to Blender. The problem is in my Blender program, the data is never received.
This is my code in Arduino
void setup()
{
    Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop()
{
    Serial.println("Hello World!");
    delay(1000);
}

This is my code in Blender
import sys
sys.path.append("C:\Python34\Lib\site-packages")
import serial
import time

print (" About to initialize ... ")

# open serial port that Arduino is using
s = serial.Serial("COM3", 9600, timeout=1)

time.sleep(2)
print ("initialize complete")

while True:
    print (s.readline())

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Virtual karyotype is the digital information reflecting a karyotype, resulting from the analysis of short sequences of DNA from specific loci all over the genome, which are isolated and enumerated. It detects genomic copy number variations at a higher resolution for level than conventional karyotyping or chromosome-based comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). The main methods used for creating virtual karyotypes are array-comparative genomic hybridization and SNP arrays.

Background
A karyotype (Fig 1) is the characteristic chromosome complement of a eukaryote species. A karyotype is typically presented as an image of the chromosomes from a single cell arranged from largest (chromosome 1) to smallest (chromosome 22), with the sex chromosomes (X and Y) shown last. Historically, karyotypes have been obtained by staining cells after they have been chemically arrested during cell division. Karyotypes have been used for several decades to identify chromosomal abnormalities in both germline and cancer cells. Conventional karyotypes can assess the entire genome for changes in chromosome structure and number, but the resolution is relatively coarse, with a detection limit of 5-10Mb.

Method
Recently, platforms for generating high-resolution karyotypes in silico from disrupted DNA have emerged, such as array comparative genomic hybridization (arrayCGH) and SNP arrays. Conceptually, the arrays are composed of hundreds to millions of probes which are complementary to a region of interest in the genome. The disrupted DNA from the test sample is fragmented, labeled, and hybridized to the array. The hybridization signal intensities for each probe are used by specialized software to generate a log2ratio of test/normal for each probe on the array.

Knowing the address of each probe on the array and the address of each probe in the genome, the software lines up the probes in chromosomal order and reconstructs the genome in silico (Fig 2 and 3).

Virtual karyotypes have dramatically higher resolution than conventional cytogenetics. The actual resolution will depend on the density of probes on the array. Currently, the Affymetrix SNP6.0 is the highest density commercially available array for virtual karyotyping applications. It contains 1.8 million polymorphic and non-polymorphic markers for a practical resolution of 10-20kb—about the size of a gene. This is approximately 1000-fold greater resolution than karyotypes obtained from conventional cytogenetics.

Virtual karyotypes can be performed on germline samples for constitutional disorders, and clinical testing is available from dozens of CLIA certified laboratories (genetests.org). Virtual karyotyping can also be done on fresh or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumors. CLIA-certified laboratories offering testing on tumors include Creighton Medical Laboratories (fresh and paraffin embedded tumor samples) and CombiMatrix Molecular Diagnostics (fresh tumor samples).

Different platforms for virtual karyotyping
Array-based karyotyping can be done with several different platforms, both laboratory-developed and commercial. The arrays themselves can be genome-wide (probes distributed over the entire genome) or targeted (probes for genomic regions known to be involved in a specific disease) or a combination of both. Further, arrays used for karyotyping may use non-polymorphic probes, polymorphic probes (i.e., SNP-containing), or a combination of both. Non-polymorphic probes can provide only copy number information, while SNP arrays can provide both copy number and loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) status in one assay. The probe types used for non-polymorphic arrays include cDNA, BAC clones (e.g., BlueGnome), and oligonucleotides (e.g., Agilent, Santa Clara, CA, USA or Nimblegen, Madison, WI, USA). Commercially available oligonucleotide SNP arrays can be solid phase (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA, USA) or bead-based (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). Despite the diversity of platforms, ultimately they all use genomic DNA from disrupted cells to recreate a high resolution karyotype in silico. The end product does not yet have a consistent name, and has been called virtual karyotyping, digital karyotyping, molecular allelokaryotyping, and molecular karyotyping. Other terms used to describe the arrays used for karyotyping include SOMA (SNP oligonucleotide microarrays) and CMA (chromosome microarray). Some consider all platforms to be a type of array comparative genomic hybridization (arrayCGH), while others reserve that term for two-dye methods, and still others segregate SNP arrays because they generate more and different information than two-dye arrayCGH methods.

Applications

Detecting copy-number changes
Copy number changes can be seen in both germline and tumor samples. Copy number changes can be detected by arrays with non-polymorphic probes, such as arrayCGH, and by SNP-based arrays. Human beings are diploid, so a normal copy number is always two for the non-sex chromosomes.
Deletions: A deletion is the loss of genetic material. The deletion can be heterozygous (copy number of 1) or homozygous (copy number of 0, nullisomy). Microdeletion syndromes are examples of constitutional disorders due to small deletions in germline DNA. Deletions in tumor cells may represent the inactivation of a tumor suppressor gene, and may have diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic implications.
Gains: A copy number gain represents the gain of genetic material. If the gain is of just one additional copy of a segment of DNA, it may be called a duplication (Fig 4). If there is one extra copy of an entire chromosome, it may be called a trisomy. Copy number gains in germline samples may be disease-associated or may be a benign copy number variant. When seen in tumor cells, they may have diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic implications.

Amplifications: Technically, an amplification is a type of copy number gain in which there is a copy number >10. In the context of cancer biology, amplifications are often seen in oncogenes. This could indicate a worse prognosis, help categorize the tumor, or indicate drug eligibility. An example of drug eligibility is Her2Neu amplification and Herceptin, and an image of Her2Neu amplification detected by SNP array virtual karyotyping is provided (Fig 5).

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH), autozygous segments, and uniparental disomy
Autozygous segments and uniparental disomy (UPD) are diploid/'copy neutral' genetic findings and therefore are only detectable by SNP-based arrays. Both autozygous segments and UPD will show loss of heterozygosity (LOH) with a copy number of two by SNP array karyotyping. The term Runs of Homozgygosity (ROH), is a generic term that can be used for either autozygous segments or UPD.
Autozygous segment: An autozygous segment is bi-parental and seen only in the germline. They are extended runs of homozygous markers in the genome, and they occur when an identical haplotype block is inherited from both parents. They are also called "identical by descent" (IBD) segments, and they can be used for homozygosity mapping.
Uniparental Disomy: UPD occurs when both copies of a gene or genomic region are inherited from the same parent. This is uniparental, in contrast to autozygous segments which are bi-parental. When present in the germline, they can be harmless or associated with disease, such as Prader-Willi or Angelman syndromes. Also in contrast to autozygosity, UPD can develop in tumor cells, and this is referred to as acquired UPD or copy neutral LOH in the literature (Fig 6). Acquired UPD is quite common in both hematologic and solid tumors, and is reported to constitute 20 to 80% of the LOH seen in human tumors. Acquired UPD can serve as the 2nd hit in the Knudson Two Hit Hypothesis of Tumorigenesis, and thus can be the biological equivalent of a deletion. Because this type of lesion cannot be detected by arrayCGH, FISH, or conventional cytogenetics, SNP-based arrays are preferred for virtual karyotyping of tumors.
Figure 7 is a SNP array virtual karyotype from a colorectal carcinoma demonstrating deletions, gains, amplifications, and acquired UPD (copy neutral LOH).

Examples of clinical cancer applications
A virtual karyotype can be generated from nearly any tumor, but the clinical meaning of the genomic aberrations identified are different for each tumor type. Clinical utility varies and appropriateness is best determined by an oncologist or pathologist in consultation with the laboratory director of the lab performing the virtual karyotype. Below are examples of types of cancers where the clinical implications of specific genomic aberrations are well established. This list is representative, not exhaustive. The web site for the Cytogenetics Laboratory at Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene has additional examples of clinically relevant genetic changes that are readily detectable by virtual karyotyping.

Neuroblastoma
Based on a series of 493 neuroblastoma samples, it has been reported that overall genomic pattern, as tested by array-based karyotyping, is a predictor of outcome in neuroblastoma:
 Tumors presenting exclusively with whole chromosome copy number changes were associated with excellent survival.
 Tumors presenting with any kind of segmental chromosome copy number changes were associated with a high risk of relapse.
 Within tumors showing segmental alterations, additional independent predictors of decreased overall survival were MYCN amplification, 1p and 11q deletions, and 1q gain.

Earlier publications categorized neuroblastomas into three major subtypes based on cytogenetic profiles:
 Subtype 1: favorable neuroblastoma with near triploidy and a predominance of numerical gains and losses, mostly representing non-metastatic NB stages 1, 2 and 4S.
 Subtypes 2A and 2B: found in unfavorable widespread neuroblastoma, stages 3 and 4, with 11q loss and 17q gain without MYCN amplification (subtype 2A) or with MYCN amplification often together with 1p deletions and 17q gain (subtype 2B).

Wilms' tumor
Tumor-specific loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) for chromosomes 1p and 16q identifies a subset of Wilms' tumor patients who have a significantly increased risk of relapse and death. LOH for these chromosomal regions can now be used as an independent prognostic factor together with disease stage to target intensity of treatment to risk of treatment failure.

Renal-cell carcinoma
Renal epithelial neoplasms have characteristic cytogenetic aberrations that can aid in classification. See also Atlas of Genetics and Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology.
 Clear cell carcinoma: loss of 3p
 Papillary carcinoma: trisomy 7 and 17
 Chromophobe carcinoma: hypodiploid with loss of chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 10, 13, 17, 21

Array-based karyotyping can be used to identify characteristic chromosomal aberrations in renal tumors with challenging morphology. Array-based karyotyping performs well on paraffin embedded tumors and is amenable to routine clinical use.

In addition, recent literature indicates that certain chromosomal aberrations are associated with outcome in specific subtypes of renal epithelial tumors.Clear cell renal carcinoma: del 9p and del 14q are poor prognostic indicators.Papillary renal cell carcinoma: duplication of 1q marks fatal progression.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Array-based karyotyping is a cost-effective alternative to FISH for detecting chromosomal abnormalities in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Several clinical validation studies have shown >95% concordance with the standard CLL FISH panel. In addition, many studies using array-based karyotyping have identified 'atypical deletions' missed by the standard FISH probes and acquired uniparental disomy at key loci for prognostic risk in CLL.

Four main genetic aberrations are recognized in CLL cells that have a major impact on disease behavior.
 Deletions of part of the short arm of chromosome 17 (del 17p) which target p53 are particularly deleterious. Patients with this abnormality have significantly short interval before they require therapy and a shorter survival. This abnormality is found in 5–10% of patients with CLL.
 Deletions of the long arm on chromosome 11 (del 11q) are also unfavorable although not to the degree seen with del 17p. The abnormality targets the ATM gene and occurs infrequently in CLL (5–10%).
 Trisomy 12, an additional chromosome 12, is a relatively frequent finding occurring in 20–25% of patients and imparts an intermediate prognosis.
 Deletion of 13q14 (del 13q14) is the most common abnormality in CLL with roughly 50% of patients with cells containing this defect. When del 13q14 is seen in isolation, patients have the best prognosis and most will live many years, even decades, without the need for therapy.

Multiple myeloma
Avet-Loiseau, et al. in Journal of Clinical Oncology, used SNP array karyotyping of 192 multiple myeloma (MM) samples to identify genetic lesions associated with prognosis, which were then validated in a separate cohort (n = 273). In MM, lack of a proliferative clone makes conventional cytogenetics informative in only ~30% of cases. FISH panels are useful in MM, but standard panels would not detect several key genetic abnormalities reported in this study.
 Virtual karyotyping identified chromosomal abnormalities in 98% of MM cases
 del(12p13.31)is an independent adverse marker
 amp(5q31.1) is a favorable marker
 The prognostic impact of amp(5q31.1) over-rides that of hyperdiploidy and also identifies patients who greatly benefit from high-dose therapy.

Array-based karyotyping cannot detect balanced translocations, such as t(4;14) seen in ~15% of MM. Therefore, FISH for this translocation should also be performed if using SNP arrays to detect genome-wide copy number alterations of prognostic significance in MM.

Medulloblastoma
Array-based karyotyping of 260 medulloblastomas by Pfister S, et al. resulted in the following clinical subgroups based on cytogenetic profiles:
 Poor prognosis: gain of 6q or amplification of MYC or MYCN
 Intermediate: gain of 17q or an i(17q) without gain of 6q or amplification of MYC or MYCN
 Excellent prognosis: 6q and 17q balanced or 6q deletion

Oligodendroglioma
The 1p/19q co-deletion is considered a "genetic signature" of oligodendroglioma. Allelic losses on 1p and 19q, either separately or combined, are more common in classic oligodendrogliomas than in either astrocytomas or oligoastrocytomas. In one study, classic oligodendrogliomas showed 1p loss in 35 of 42 (83%) cases, 19q loss in 28 of 39 (72%), and these were combined in 27 of 39 (69%) cases; there was no significant difference in 1p/19q loss of heterozygosity status between low-grade and anaplastic oligodendrogliomas. 1p/19q co-deletion has been correlated with both chemosensitivity and improved prognosis in oligodendrogliomas. Most larger cancer treatment centers routinely check for the deletion of 1p/19q as part of the pathology report for oligodendrogliomas. The status of the 1p/19q loci can be detected by FISH or virtual karyotyping. Virtual karyotyping has the advantage of assessing the entire genome in one assay, as well as the 1p/19q loci. This allows assessment of other key loci in glial tumors, such as EGFR and TP53 copy number status.

Whereas the prognostic relevance of 1p and 19q deletions is well established for anaplastic oligodendrogliomas and mixed oligoastrocytomas, the prognostic relevance of the deletions for low-grade gliomas is more controversial. In terms of low-grade gliomas, a recent study also suggests that 1p/19q co-deletion may be associated with a (1;19)(q10;p10) translocation which, like the combined 1p/19q deletion, is associated with superior overall survival and progression-free survival in low-grade glioma patients. Oligodendrogliomas show only rarely mutations in the p53 gene, which is in contrast to other gliomas. Epidermal growth factor receptor amplification and whole 1p/19q codeletion are mutually exclusive and predictive of completely different outcomes, with EGFR amplification predicting poor prognosis.

Glioblastoma
Yin et al. studied 55 glioblastoma and 6 GBM cell lines using SNP array karyotyping. Acquired UPD was identified at 17p in 13/61 cases. A significantly shortened survival time was found in patients with 13q14 (RB) deletion or 17p13.1 (p53) deletion/acquired UPD. Taken together, these results suggest that this technique is a rapid, robust, and inexpensive method to profile genome-wide abnormalities in GBM. Because SNP array karyotyping can be performed on paraffin embedded tumors, it is an attractive option when tumor cells fail to grow in culture for metaphase cytogenetics or when the desire for karyotyping arises after the specimen has been formalin fixed.

The importance of detecting acquired UPD (copy neutral LOH) in glioblastoma:
 Of patients with 17p abnormality, ~50% were deletions and ~50% were aUPD
 Both 17p del and 17p UPD were associated with worse outcome.
 9/13 had homozygous TP53 mutations underlying the 17p UPD.

In addition, in cases with uncertain grade by morphology, genomic profiling can assist in diagnosis.
 Concomitant gain of 7 and loss of 10 is essentially pathognomonic for GBM
 EGFR amplification, loss of PTEN (on 10q), and loss of p16 (on 9p) occur almost exclusively in glioblastoma and can provide means to distinguish anaplastic astrocytoma from glioblastoma.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Cytogenetics, the study of characteristic large changes in the chromosomes of cancer cells, has been increasingly recognized as an important predictor of outcome in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).NB: Balanced translocations cannot be detected by array-based karyotyping (see Limitations below).

Some cytogenetic subtypes have a worse prognosis than others. These include:
 A translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22, known as the Philadelphia chromosome, occurs in about 20% of adult and 5% in pediatric cases of ALL.
 A translocation between chromosomes 4 and 11 occurs in about 4% of cases and is most common in infants under 12 months.
 Not all translocations of chromosomes carry a poorer prognosis. Some translocations are relatively favorable. For example, Hyperdiploidy (>50 chromosomes) is a good prognostic factor.
 Genome-wide assessment of copy number changes can be done by conventional cytogenetics or virtual karyotyping. SNP array virtual karyotyping can detect copy number changes and LOH status, while arrayCGH can detect only copy number changes. Copy neutral LOH (acquired uniparental disomy) has been reported at key loci in ALL, such as CDKN2A gene at 9p, which have prognostic significance. SNP array virtual karyotyping can readily detect copy neutral LOH. Array CGH, FISH, and conventional cytogenetics cannot detect copy neutral LOH.

Correlation of prognosis with bone marrow cytogenetic finding in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Unclassified ALL is considered to have an intermediate prognosis.

Myelodysplastic syndrome
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) has remarkable clinical, morphological, and genetic heterogeneity. Cytogenetics play a decisive role in the World Health Organization's classification-based International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) for MDS.
 Good Prognosis: normal karyotype, isolated del(5q), isolated del(20q), -Y
 Poor Prognosis: complex abnormalities (i.e., >=3 abnormalities), −7 or del(7q)
 Intermediate Prognosis: all other abnormalities, including trisomy 8 and del(11q)

In a comparison of metaphase cytogenetics, FISH panel, and SNP array karyotyping for MDS, it was found that each technique provided a similar diagnostic yield. No single method detected all defects, and detection rates improved by ~5% when all three methods were used.

Acquired UPD, which is not detectable by FISH or cytogenetics, has been reported at several key loci in MDS using SNP array karyotyping, including deletion of 7/7q.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms/myeloproliferative disorders
Philadelphia chromosome–negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) including polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, and primary myelofibrosis show an inherent tendency for transformation into leukemia (MPN-blast phase), which is accompanied by acquisition of additional genomic lesions.
In a study of 159 cases, SNP-array analysis was able to capture practically all cytogenetic abnormalities and to uncover additional lesions with potentially important clinical implications.
 The number of genomic alterations was more than 2 to 3 times greater in the blast phase as in the chronic phase of the disease.
 Deletion of 17p (TP53) was significantly associated with prior exposure to hydroxyurea as well as a complex karyotype in samples with MPN-blast crisis. Both deletion and 17p copy neutral LOH, were associated with a complex karyotype, a poor prognostic marker in myeloid malignancies. Copy neutral LOH (acquired UPD)is readily detectably by SNP array karyotype, but not by cytogenetics, FISH, or array CGH.
 Blast phase patients with loss of chromosomal material on 7q showed poor survival. Loss of 7q is known to be predictive for rapid progression and poor response in AML therapy. MPN-blast phase patients with cytogenetically undetectable 7q copy neutral-LOH had comparable survival rates to those with 7/7q in their leukemic cells.
 9p copy neutral-LOH with homozygous JAK2 mutation was also linked to an inferior outcome in MPN-blast crisis in comparison with patients with either heterozygous JAK2V617F or wild-type JAK2. In contrast to LOH on 17p, the prognostic impact of 9pCNN-LOH was independent of established risk factors such as 7/7q, 5q, or complex karyotype.

Colorectal cancer
Identification of biomarkers in colorectal cancer is particularly important for patients with stage II disease, where less than 20% have tumor recurrence. 18q LOH is an established biomarker associated with high risk of tumor recurrence in stage II colon cancer. Figure 7 shows a SNP array karyotype of a colorectal carcinoma (whole genome view).

Colorectal cancers are classified into specific tumor phenotypes based on molecular profiles which can be integrated with the results of other ancillary tests, such as microsatellite instability testing, IHC, and KRAS mutation status:
 Chromosomal instability (CIN) which have allelic imbalance at a number of chromosomal loci, including 5q, 8p, 17p, and 18q (Fig 7).
 Microsatellite instability (MSI) which tend to have diploid karyotypes.

Malignant rhabdoid tumors
Malignant rhabdoid tumors are rare, highly aggressive neoplasms found most commonly in infants and young children. Due to their heterogenous histologic features, diagnosis can often be difficult and misclassifications can occur. In these tumors, the INI1 gene (SMARCB1)on chromosome 22q functions as a classic tumor suppressor gene. Inactivation of INI1 can occur via deletion, mutation, or acquired UPD.

In a recent study, SNP array karyotyping identified deletions or LOH of 22q in 49/51 rhabdoid tumors. Of these, 14 were copy neutral LOH (or acquired UPD), which is detectable by SNP array karyotyping, but not by FISH, cytogenetics, or arrayCGH. MLPA detected a single exon homozygous deletion in one sample that was below the resolution of the SNP array.

SNP array karyotyping can be used to distinguish, for example, a medulloblastoma with an isochromosome 17q from a primary rhabdoid tumor with loss of 22q11.2. When indicated, molecular analysis of INI1 using MLPA and direct sequencing may then be employed. Once the tumor-associated changes are found, an analysis of germline DNA from the patient and the parents can be done to rule out an inherited or de novo germline mutation or deletion of INI1, so that appropriate recurrence risk assessments can be made.

Uveal melanoma
The most important genetic alteration associated with poor prognosis in uveal melanoma is loss of an entire copy of Chromosome 3 (Monosomy 3), which is strongly correlated with metastatic spread. Gains on chromosomes 6 and 8 are often used to refine the predictive value of the Monosomy 3 screen, with gain of 6p indicating a better prognosis and gain of 8q indicating a worse prognosis in disomy 3 tumors. In rare instances, monosomy 3 tumors may duplicate the remaining copy of the chromosome to return to a disomic state referred to as isodisomy. Isodisomy 3 is prognostically equivalent to monosomy 3, and both can be detected by tests for chromosome 3 loss of heterozygosity.

Limitations
Unlike karyotypes obtained from conventional cytogenetics, virtual karyotypes are reconstructed by computer programs using signals obtained from disrupted DNA. In essence, the computer program will correct translocations when it lines up the signals in chromosomal order. Therefore, virtual karyotypes cannot detect balanced translocations and inversions. They also can only detect genetic aberrations in regions of the genome that are represented by probes on the array. In addition, virtual karyotypes generate a relative copy number normalized against a diploid genome, so tetraploid genomes will be condensed into a diploid space unless renormalization is performed. Renormalization requires an ancillary cell-based assay, such as FISH, if one is using arrayCGH. For karyotypes obtained from SNP-based arrays, tetraploidy can often be inferred from the maintenance of heterozygosity within a region of apparent copy number loss. Low-level mosaicism or small subclones may not be detected by virtual karyotypes because the presence of normal cells in the sample will dampen the signal from the abnormal clone. The exact point of failure, in terms of the minimal percentage of neoplastic cells, will depend on the particular platform and algorithms used. Many copy number analysis software programs used to generate array-based karyotypes will falter with less than 25–30% tumor/abnormal cells in the sample. However, in oncology applications this limitation can be minimized by tumor enrichment strategies and software optimized for use with oncology samples. The analysis algorithms are evolving rapidly, and some are even designed to thrive on 'normal clone contamination', so it is anticipated that this limitation will continue to dissipate.

See also
 DECIPHER, a Database of Chromosomal Imbalance and Phenotype in Humans using Ensembl Resources

References

Genetics
Microarrays
Oncology


Japan is known for its ground breaking technology, and yet the utilisation of that technology in the country's classrooms lags behind most developed countries. In tertiary education, the ICT and technological facilities on university and college campuses may rank highly amongst developed nations however despite this, the traditional lecture style of education is prevalent. The majority of Japanese students entering university generally have also had far less access to computers than their contemporaries in other developed countries, but are quick to embrace, adapt and master computers at an impressive speed.
In its foreign language education, Japan faces many challenges, and while compulsory English language acquisition is identified as a national priority by the Japanese Ministry of Education countless cultural, geographical, and logistical hurdles exist. Thus by the time they reach higher education, students show little interest in studying the language, nor do they have confidence in their skills.
In this paper, we investigate the use of the online e-learning website, English Central (a unique website using speech recognition software to enable students to work on their speaking and pronunciation as well as listening and vocabulary), in mandatory first-year university English classes as means to invigorate students' language learning. Students were surveyed on their enjoyment of using the website, its ease, and their feelings of increased improvement and motivation.
keywords: e-learning, motivation, technology, tesol, passive learners, blended learning.
A. Brasier, S. Cother (2015) USING ONLINE E-LEARNING TO INVIGORATE UNIVERSITY ENGLISH CLASSES, INTED2015 Proceedings, pp. 148-154.


text:
Iran General NewsIran-US brinkmanship over oil strait worsens
Iran-US brinkmanship over oil strait worsens
AFP: A showdown between Iran and the United States over Tehran's threats to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers worsened with warships from each side giving weight to an increasingly bellicose exchange of words.
By Marc Burleigh
TEHRAN (AFP) — A showdown between Iran and the United States over Tehran's threats to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers worsened with warships from each side giving weight to an increasingly bellicose exchange of words.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards rejected a warning that the US military would "not tolerate" such a closure, saying they would act decisively "to protect our vital interests."
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Thursday that Iran had exhibited "irrational behavior" by threatening to close the strait.
"One can only guess that the international sanctions are beginning to feel the pinch, and that the ratcheting up of pressure, particularly on their oil sector, is pinching in a way that is causing them to lash out."
The tough language came as two US warships entered a zone where the Iranian navy's ships and aircraft were in the middle of 10 days of war games designed as a show of military might.
But a US navy spokeswoman said later that the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay had transited without incident on Tuesday, in pre-planned, routine operation.
"Our interaction with the regular Iranian Navy continues to be within the standards of maritime practice, well-known, routine and professional," Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Lieutenant Rebecca Rebarich said on Thursday.
The transit area was in waters east of the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point at the entrance to the Gulf through which more than a third of the world's tanker-borne oil passes.
Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi warned this week that "not a drop of oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz" if the West followed through with planned additional sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme.
The navy commander, Admiral Habibollah Sayari, backed that up by saying it would be "really easy" to close the strait.
A US Defence Department spokesman riposted Wednesday that "interference with the transit… of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will not be tolerated."
But Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards, told Fars news agency on Thursday that "our response to threats is threats."
"We have no doubt about our being able to carry out defensive strategies to protect our vital interests — we will act more decisively than ever," he was quoted as saying.
"The Americans are not qualified to give us permission" to carry out military strategy, he said.
Admiral Sayari said the US aircraft carrier was monitored by Iranian forces as it passed from the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman, state television reported.
It broadcast footage of an aircraft carrier being shadowed by an Iranian plane.
An Iranian navy spokesman, Commodore Mahmoud Mousavi, told the official IRNA news agency the US carrier went "inside the manoeuvre zone" where Iranian ships were conducting their exercises.
He added that the Iranian navy was "prepared, in accordance with international law, to confront offenders who do not respect our security perimeters during the manoeuvres."
US officials had said on Wednesday that the Stennis and its carrier strike group were moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
Pentagon press secretary George Little said this was "a pre-planned, routine transit" to the Arabian Sea to provide air power for the war in Afghanistan.
The United States maintains a navy presence in the Gulf in large part to ensure oil traffic there is unhindered. Its Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain.
Iran, which is already subject to several rounds of sanctions over its nuclear programme, has repeatedly said it could target the Strait of Hormuz if attacked or its economy is strangled.
Such a move could cause havoc on world oil markets, disrupting the fragile global economy, although analysts say the Islamic republic is unlikely to take such drastic steps as it relies on the route for its own oil exports.
Iran's naval manoeuvres included the laying of mines and the use of aerial drones, according to Iranian media. Missiles and torpedoes were to be test-fired in the coming days.
Earlier this month, Iranian officials said a Revolutionary Guards cyber-warfare unit had hacked the controls of a US bat-winged RQ-170 Sentinel reconnaissance drone and brought it down safely.
Analysts and oil market traders are watching the developing situation in and around the Strait of Hormuz carefully, fearing that a spark could ignite open confrontation between the long-time foes.
The United States had proposed a military hotline between Tehran and Washington to defuse any "miscalculations" between their navies, but Iran in September rejected that offer.
Previous articleU.S. Saudi fighter jet sale to help offset Iran
Next articleItaly backs Iran sanctions if Eni oil imports excluded
Iran General News May 19, 2005
Rice: Iran out of step with Mideast change
AP: As political change takes hold in several Middle...
Iran Nuclear News May 27, 2010
Merkel urges Iran to consider nuclear deal
AFP: German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday called on...


text:
About the Scottish Government
Who runs government
Cabinet and ministers
Kevin Stewart MSP
@KevinStewartSNP
Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
St. Andrew's House
Regent Road
EH1 3DG
Kevin Stewart was appointed Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning in June 2018.
Before his election to the Scottish Parliament, he was previously the Depute Leader of Aberdeen City Council and served as a local councillor for more than eleven years. As a councillor, he chaired the Finance and Resources Committee and the North East of Scotland's Regional Transport Partnership, NESTRANS.
Kevin has served in the Scottish Parliament as the member for Aberdeen Central since 2011. He was the Convener of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee in the last Parliament and sat on the Welfare Reform and Justice Sub-Committee on Policing.


text:
Mormone Prize
Login live area digital area
FIRST EDITION THE 3 FINALISTS RULES THE PRIZES ANTONIO MORMONE JURY/AMBASSADORS SUPPORT THE PIAM
ANTONIO MORMONE INTERNATIONAL PRIZE
(updated after COVID-19 pandemic)
1. Following the spirit and ideals of its Founder, the Foundation La Societa' dei Concerti organises the Antonio Mormone International Prize to discover, promote and develop young artists able to pursue an international concert career. The 2019/2021 edition of the Prize is dedicated to the piano.
The first selection round will take place between July and September 2019, the second round between October 2019 and June 2021. The final rounds will be set in Milan at the "G. Verdi" Conservatory and the Teatro alla Scala from the 7th to the 11th of July 2021.
2. The registered office of the Prize is in Milan, at the Foundation La Societa' dei Concerti – 20122 – Corso di Porta Vittoria 18.
2. Pianists between 18 and 28 years of age, born between the 1st of January 1992 and the 31st of December 2001 are eligible for participation.
3. Submission of applications is exclusively on-line on the Prize website www.antoniomormone.org, by completing the required form no later than the 4th of July 2019, at 23.59 GMT+1.
The on-line application must be filled in each part and applicants need to submit:
Applicant biography (in Italian or English, max. 1500 characters, spaces included),
A pdf of a valid identity document with proof of nationality and age,
One recent colour photograph suitable for publication, in jpg format,
Two letters of recommendation, in pdf format. One letter by the applicant's most recent teacher, the other by an eminent personality from the music scene,
Any school or international award diplomas, in pdf format,
Links to videos (up to 5) previously uploaded by the applicant in his/her account in unlisted mode on the digital platforms YouTube or Vimeo. Only recent videos will be admitted (recorded in the two years preceding the application submission), with an excellent audio quality, with the face and hands of the applicant always visible, without transitions or editing. Both studio recordings and public live performances may be submitted, provided they contain only piano solo repertoires (in case of a piece with more than one movement, the piece must be complete and performed in one take). The minimum overall duration of the submitted videos is 40 minutes and the maximum 60 minutes. It is mandatory to submit a complete Sonata by one the following composers: Haydn/Mozart/Beethoven/Schubert,
In addition, every candidate will have to present:
Two recital program proposals, lasting 40 minutes each, for the second round of public selection in Milan,
For the final round, the applicant needs to indicate three preferences among the following Piano Quintets:
Schumann, Piano Quintet in E flat major op. 44
Dvorak, Piano Quintet in A major op. 81
Brahms, Piano Quintet in F minor op. 34
Shostakovich, Piano Quintet in G minor op. 57
Franck, Piano Quintet in F minor
Martucci, Piano Quintet in C major op. 45
For the final round, the applicant needs to indicate five preferences among the following Piano Concertos:
W.A. Mozart K 466; K 467; K 488; K 491; K 595
Beethoven, all
Chopin op. 11 e op. 21
Schumann op. 54
Liszt nr 2
Brahms op. 15 e op. 83
Saint-Saens nr 2
Rachmaninov nr 1; nr 2; nr 3; nr 4
Tchaikowsky nr 1; nr 2
Prokofiev nr 2; nr 3
Sgambati op.15
Bartòk nr 3
4. The applicant will receive an email with confirmation and approval of application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
5. In the event of any technical issues during the on-line submission process, the applicant needs to contact the Administrative Office of the Prize at least 48 hours prior to the submissions deadline by sending an email to: premiomormone@soconcerti.it
6. The application fee for the Prize is €150, payable by credit card upon registration and with the form provided.
7. Decisions taken by the jury are incontestable. All rights to each performance, audio or/and video recording of the Prize belong to the Foundation La Societa' dei Concerti. Recordings, streaming, radio or television broadcastings of the performances do not, by any means, give eligibility to any kind of remuneration for the performer or performers. The registration to participate in the Antonio Mormone International Prize entails the implicit acceptance of all the rules in the current Regulation. In the event of claims or complaints only the Italian language version of the rules will be applicable. The Court of Milan will be competent for any dispute.
9. The Prize is one and indivisible It is composed as follows:
€ 30.000 (euro thirty thousand) before any tax deductions by law,
One year representation by Baldrighi Agency,
A recording on Universal,
Performances for: Foundation La Società dei Concerti, Milan; Accademia Filarmonica Romana; Musica Insieme, Bologna; Amici della Musica, Florence; Festival Pianistico Internazionale, Brescia and Bergamo: Camerata Ducale, Vercelli; Teatro Comunale, Carpi; Festival Le Classiche Forme; Stuttgarter Philharmoniker; Nürnberger Symphoniker; StaatsPhilharmonie Rheinland Pfalz; Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen; NWD Philharmonie; Festival Sant Pere de Rodes; Hammerklavier International Piano Series; Besalù Festival; Buffalo Philharmonic; Virginia Symphony Orchestra; Tongyeong International Music Festival; Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Katowice; Konzerthaus Berlin Bechstein Series.
10. Other prizes for finalists:
Prize of € 5.000 (euro five thousand) before any tax deductions by law for each one of the two finalists not awarded the Antonio Mormone International Prize.
Prize of the Friends of the Prize Club: € 1.000 (euro one thousand) offered by the Friends of the Antonio Mormone International Prize to the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes from the Club.
Selection rounds of the Antonio Mormone International Prize
The Antonio Mormone International Prize comprises three rounds of selection.
First round: video and dossier 1. In the months of July, August and September 2019 the jury of the fist selection round will evaluate the videos and dossiers submitted by candidates with their application.
2. On the 4th of October 2019, the names of the 10 (ten) candidates selected to advance to the second round of selection will be announced.
Second round: travelling jury and public concerts in Milan
The second round of selection takes place between the 15th of October 2019 and the June 2021. The ten candidates advancing to the second round will be granted a € 500, 00 scholarship offered by Yamaha Music Europe.
Travelling jury
1. Each candidate will inform the Administrative Office of the Prize no later than the 11th of October 2019, about the dates of his/her public performances (three at least) between the 15th of October 2019 and the June 2021. A public performance is defined as solo recitals, concerts with orchestra, chamber concerts promoted by public theatre bodies, festivals, series of concerts, universities and/or academies and music schools all over the world At least one member of the second jury will listen incognito to at least two public performances of the candidates.
Milano round recital and the candidates tell their stories to the city
2. Additionally, each candidate selected for the second round will perform in two public concerts in Milan, organised by the Foundation La Società dei Concerti Those performances, with a program chosen by the candidate when applying, will be structured as follows:
A 25-minute recital and an interview when the candidate introduces him/herself to the public during the event called "The candidates tell their stories to the City",
A 40-minute solo recital for the series named "Incontri Musicali" (Musical Encounters).
3. The dates of the performances in Milan for each candidate selected for the second round will be decided at the sole discretion of the organiser of the Prize and communicated by the 15th of October 2019.
Failure to participate in the recitals in Milan in the second round of selection will result in the disqualification of the candidate from the Antonio Mormone International Prize.
The organization will provide for travel expenses and lodging in Milan for each candidate.
4. On Wednesday 16th of June 2021, the names of the 3 (three) pianists advancing to the final will be announced during a press conference.
Third round: Solo recital, chamber music performance and concert with orchestra in Milan
The final round comprises three public performances in Milan from the 7th to the 11th of July 2021 for all three final candidates.
Solo recital and chamber music performance
1. Solo recital and chamber music performance with the following dates:
Wednesday, 7th of July 2021 6:00 p.m. – Sala Verdi in the Conservatory of Milan
Thursday, 8th of July 2021 6:00 p.m. – Sala Verdi in the Conservatory of Milan
Friday, 9th of July 2021 6:00 p.m. – Sala Verdi in the Conservatory of Milan
The solo recital with a free program to be communicated to the artistic direction of the Prize by the 20th of June 2021 must not exceed 60 minutes. It must include a Sonata by Beethoven and the contemporary composition by Ivan Fedele specifically commissioned for the Prize. The score of the contemporary piece (lasting about 8 minutes) will be provided by the 16th of June 2021 after the press conference for the announcement of the three finalists. All the pieces that will be performed must be of public domain.
The solo program of the final round must be completely different from the one presented during the public performances in Milan for the second round. Playing by heart is mandatory, except for both chamber and contemporary repertoires. The candidates will provide the jury with two copies of the scores of their program, in the version of their performance.
The chamber music performance, with the participation of the Quartetto Adorno, requires the candidate to play a Piano Quintet. The piece that the candidate will perform will be assigned by the artistic direction of the Prize by the 16th of June 2021 after the press conference for the announcement of the three finalists, taking into consideration the preferences expressed by the candidate in the application form.
The candidates will provide the jury with two copies of the scores of their program, in the version of their performance.
2. Piano Concertos will take place on:
Sunday the 11th of July 2021 8:00 p.m. – Teatro alla Scala in Milan
The candidate will perform a piano concerto with the Orchestra of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala. The piano concerto that the candidate will perform will be communicated by the artistic direction of the Prize by the the 16th of June 2021 after the press conference for the announcement of the three finalists, taking into consideration the preferences expressed by the candidate in the application form.
The organization will provide for travel expenses and lodging in Milan for the finalists for the entire period of the third round.
At the end of the final evening at the Teatro alla Scala the name of the winner of the Antonio Mormone International Prize will be announced.
The Juries
12. The jury of each rounds will be different. Each member of the jury should express his/her opinion on different subjects submitted by the artistic direction; all those aspects will contribute to the final decision, under the responsibility of the artistic direction of the Prize.
13. Decisions taken by the jury are incontestable. The registration to participate in the Antonio Mormone International Prize entails the implicit acceptance of all the Jury decision in every round.
Rights to each performance
14. All rights to each performance, audio or/and video recording of the Prize belong to the Foundation La Società dei Concerti. Recordings, streaming, radio or television broadcastings of the performances do not, by any means, give eligibility to any kind of remuneration for the performer or performers.
Acceptance of rules
15. The registration to participate in the Antonio Mormone International Prize entails the implicit acceptance of all the rules in the current Regulation. In the event of claims or complaints only the Italian language version of the rules will be applicable.
16. The Court of Milan will be competent for any dispute.
Premio Internazionale Antonio Mormone
C.so di Porta Vittoria, 18 - 20122 Milano - Tel.: +390266984134
Email: premiomormone@soconcerti.it
The Prize is member of