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For families of ALS patients, providing home care can be an infinite challenge
By Felice J. FreyerJanuary 11, 2020, 4:59 p.m.
Kristina Mey, left, and caretaker Jenny Gauvin helped Karen Mey out of her bed in Milford. Karen Mey was diagnosed with ALS in 2016 and has been quadriplegic since November 2017.Nic Antaya for The Boston Globe
MILFORD — Karen Mey lies motionless beneath a tan electric blanket pulled up to her chin. Next to her recliner, a machine the size of a toaster oven huffs rhythmically like a person in deep sleep, pumping air through a corrugated tube into a plastic valve in her neck.
Even though her body is immobile, Mey's eyes are animated, filling with mirth or tears as she participates in the living room conversation among her husband, daughter, and a personal care attendant. Mey smiles often, and she voices affirmation ("Uh-huh! Uh-huh!"), disagreement ("Uh-uh"), dismay ("Awwww"), and words that only those who know her well can understand.
At age 54, seven years after amyotrophic lateral sclerosis started destroying the connections between brain and muscle, Mey remains a vibrant presence in her family's life. But as her husband and children piece together the resources to keep her home, they are confronting a new worry.
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Mey, who needs constant care, can stay home in large part because her family was lucky enough to find Jenny Gauvin, the 33-year-old personal care attendant who tends to her 40 hours a week. Personal care attendants — known as PCAs — typically help with such tasks as dressing, toileting, walking, and light housework. Few are willing or able to do what Gauvin does: take on the complex life-or-death job of managing a patient who relies on a ventilator to live.
But Gauvin, who has been studying nursing, expects to start her clinical training in a few months, and then she will no longer be able to care for Mey every day. When that happens, Mey's husband, Steven, is not sure how he will manage. "When Jenny's gone, it's all going to come down on me," he said.
The Meys face a quandary shared by hundreds of other Massachusetts families whose loved ones suffer from ALS, a fatal disease that gradually destroys the nerve cells that control muscles: It's hard to find workers able and willing to care for ALS patients at home, and it's even harder to find a facility willing to take them, especially if they need devices to help them breathe.
A proposal that might have helped was on the table in recent negotiations with the PCAs' union, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. The plan would have created a new category of PCAs, who would undergo training and receive higher pay to care for complex patients, such as those who use ventilators.
PCAs won a raise to $15.40 an hour, but the PCAs' contract with MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program, which took effect July 1, did not include the plan for training and enhanced pay. PCAs skilled at managing breathing equipment often demand $30 an hour or more from their clients, who pay the difference out of pocket.
Although ALS is a relatively rare disease, the struggles of ALS families reveal systemic failures that affect the elderly and anyone with a disabling illness, says E. Spencer Ghazey-Bates, a Northampton elder-care lawyer who has represented ALS patients fighting for adequate home care.
"We've been too focused on institutionalizing people. Community-based resources are not there," Ghazey-Bates said. "The system is just broken."
About 5,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with ALS each year, and an estimated 16,000 are living with it at any given time, according to the ALS Association.
The illness starts slowly, perhaps with occasional tripping or difficulty grasping a cup. Gradually all the muscles weaken, until the person is completely paralyzed and, eventually, can no longer breathe. People typically die three to five years after an ALS diagnosis, but there is great variety in the illness's trajectory.
Through it all, the mind usually stays sharp. Because the disease tends to strike at middle age, patients often have children whom they want to see grow up. So the desire to remain home is strong.
Racing to plug gaps in care
Private health insurance does not cover long-term care in the home. By law, Medicare covers up to 35 hours a week of home health services for an indefinite period of time, but advocates say Medicare's payment policies discourage home health agencies from providing aides to chronically ill people.
As a result, in practice, people pay out of pocket for home care or rely on the state-run Medicaid programs. In Massachusetts, the MassHealth program offers several avenues to qualify for coverage and several types of in-home services.
But gaps remain, forcing some patients to deplete their savings with out-of-pocket payments. And the system can be clunky: ALS often progresses rapidly, but it can take weeks or months to win approval for equipment or caregiving that is needed right away.
"When I talk to families that are dealing with this, they are running back-to-back triathlons trying to support their family member," said Jean Z. Batty, government affairs liaison with Compassionate Care ALS, a charity that supplies ALS patients with equipment not covered by insurance and advocates for their care.
These triathletes of love and care can be found around the state.
In Northborough, Mounia Mrissy waited two months to get MassHealth approval for in-home help for her husband. She was forced to leave 50-year-old Noureddine Haddad, at home alone, even though ALS has left him unable to use his hands and barely able to walk, because she needed her job as a pharmacy technician to support the couple and their 9-year-old twins. He fell several times, waiting for help for hours alone. Mrissy said she still doesn't have as many hours of help as she needs.
In Northbridge, 60-year-old Scott Murphy was ultimately forced to leave his home. He'd lived there for 15 years after his ALS diagnosis in 2004, dependent on a ventilator since 2016. Although he qualified for in-home nurses through MassHealth, too few nurses were available to fill the necessary shifts and earlier this year his wife, Kathleen, had to give up on home care.
But the only place in the area that could take him was a hospital, New England Sinai, an hour's drive away in Stoughton. The hospital determined it wasn't safe for Scott to go home for Christmas, even though Kathleen is an ICU nurse. So Kathleen, their three children, and four grandchildren spent this past Christmas Day in the hospital. Scott, Kathleen said, was very quiet. "He seemed sad."
In Billerica, Karen Hayes, 60, worries about growing old without money. Her 62-year-old husband, Franny, struggling with ALS since 2016, uses a BiPAP, which forces air through his nose to make up for the weakness in his diaphragm. Franny occasionally chokes on his phlegm and needs suctioning, and relies on a personal care attendant with experience providing respiratory care.
For his extra skills, the attendant expects — and the Hayeses believe he richly deserves — more pay than the MassHealth rate. So Karen, who works as an executive assistant for the pharmaceutical company Takeda, kicks in an additional $15 an hour of her own money.
"We have to use our life savings to supplement our caretaker's pay," she said. "I'm afraid I'll go bankrupt."
And in Milford, Steven Mey, 57, lost his job as a Xerox repairman; he says it was because he needed so much time off to care for Karen.
Kristina, their 23-year-old daughter, postponed her education for two years to help her parents. Stevie, their 21-year-old son, attends Worcester Polytechnic Institute but comes home almost every week.
But the family still needs help. They hired a PCA, but she was comfortable only doing laundry and housekeeping, and feared going near the ventilator.
Karen needs much more than clean laundry, however. At any moment her heart rate can spike and oxygen levels plummet if she has trouble breathing, usually because mucus is clogging her throat.
Through Compassionate Care ALS, the Meys connected with Jenny Gauvin, who had learned how to manage ventilator care while assisting a previous patient. Gauvin got involved with ALS care after a close friend died of the illness in 2013. Because she loves the work, she's not demanding $30 an hour; Steven said he tries to supplement her income somewhat but declined to provide details.
When she looks at Karen, Gauvin said in an interview, she doesn't even see the equipment or the disability. "She's always smiling. That's what makes it worth it."
Gauvin said she "falls in love" with her clients. "They're like family to you," she said. But the work can be also emotionally draining; eight of her patients have died. Seeking a change, Gauvin decided to pursue a career in nursing.
"This line of work has changed my life forever," she wrote in a recent text message to the Globe, explaining that taking care of ALS patients has taught her "to live every day to the fullest, to only live positively. . . . I have all of my patients to thank for that."
It takes about an hour, and two or three people, to get Karen up for the day.
On a recent morning, Steven handles the initial tasks. He disconnects the ventilator — Karen can breathe on her own for a few moments — and attaches a tube that infuses steam and medication into her lungs for about 15 minutes. Then he attaches the Cough Assist, which expands and contracts her diaphragm to induce a cough. Karen grimaces as Steve inserts a long thin tube all the way into the lungs to pull up secretions.
Then Gauvin and the Meys' daughter, Kristina, employ a mechanical lift to bring Karen into the living room, where she settles in the recliner. Gauvin goes into the kitchen to prepare breakfast: the coffee-colored brew that she will infuse into Karen's feeding tube.
How will the family cope when Gauvin curtails her hours for nursing training? Gauvin is trying to convince Steve that he'll need to find someone else.
"He's going to reach a crashing point; I've seen it," she said.
Steve said they'll keep managing one day at a time, as they've done since Karen was diagnosed in 2016.
The first signs came when Karen found her hands no longer had the strength to tie up Kristina's hair for her cheerleading practice. She thought she had carpal tunnel syndrome, but as her other limbs weakened, the diagnosis of ALS finally emerged.
From the beginning, Karen insisted that she wanted to keep living, no matter what, and in late 2018, her resolve was put to the test when she ended up in the hospital with trouble breathing.
Karen faced a stark choice: have a hole surgically cut in her neck and a plastic valve inserted, and remain tethered to a machine the rest of her life; or accept that death would come within about a month.
She chose the ventilator. It's an unusual decision in the United States, where only about 5 percent to 10 percent of ALS patients opt for a ventilator, according to Karen's doctor, Sabrina Paganoni of Massachusetts General Hospital. But among those who do, Paganoni said, studies have found that "their quality of life is maintained and they are happy," provided they have good support.
The number of people who choose a ventilator may be increasing, as new technologies enable continuing communication with family and friends.
Karen uses a Tobii, a device that responds to eye motion, enabling her to call for help, type letters, browse Facebook, answer e-mails — and to speak. The computer reads each word she types and then each sentence out loud.
Asked how she's feeling, Karen says, in the computer's voice: "Most days are good and I'm happy, but there are days when I get sad. I don't like the winter because I don't get out very much."
She expresses no regrets about going on the ventilator.
"I always wanted to do whatever it would take to keep going. The only time I doubt my decision is when I see how it affects my family."
Kristina blurts out: "We'd rather do this than not have you!"
Tears form in Karen's eyes.
Steve, now also crying, says: "As difficult as it is, I love her to death."
Steve and Karen met as students at Watertown High School, where Steve, a football player, broke the unwritten rule that players date cheerleaders and instead chose a girl he found more beautiful.
These days, Steve says he misses the romance of their previous life, but otherwise, "We cry and talk and we do everything we used to. We watch TV shows. She wants to see my daughter and my son both graduate, and she wants to live."
Correction: An earlier version of this story gave incorrect information about Medicare coverage of home health care services.
Felice J. Freyer can be reached at felice.freyer@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @felicejfreyer


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package morebridgemethods;

import static com.google.j2cl.integration.testing.Asserts.assertTrue;

import jsinterop.annotations.JsType;

public class TestCase9366 {
  @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
  static class B<B1 extends Comparable> {
    @SuppressWarnings("unused")
    public String get(String value) {
      return "B get String";
    }
  }

  @JsType
  static class C<C1 extends String> extends B<C1> {
    @Override
    public String get(String value) {
      return "C get String";
    }
  }

  @SuppressWarnings({"unchecked", "rawtypes"})
  public static void test() {
    C c = new C();
    assertTrue(((B) c).get("").equals("C get String"));
    assertTrue(c.get("").equals("C get String"));
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Home » Research » How people buy
An investigation into the consumer decision journey
Newsworks' research, conducted by Flamingo and Tapestry along with behavioural economics expert Dr Nick Southgate, examines the consumer decision journey, with a focus on the roles of different media channels along the path to purchase. The findings have been developed into an interactive planning tool, to help you choose the right channels to move people along the purchase journey and ultimately to drive sales.
The way people buy brands and products these days is complex. We also know that decision-making is often irrational, with device-laden consumers having access to information 24/7, and that peer influence is increasingly important.
It is in this context that people are reframing how they represent and discuss the consumer decision journey. One particularly useful description is that of a pinball machine – there is a trigger that causes people to enter the decision-making process, but once in, they bounce from one touchpoint to another, often moving backwards as well as forwards, before eventually making a decision.
Against this background, Newsworks partnered with Flamingo, Tapestry and Dr Nick Southgate to explore the types of purchase journeys people make, the stages in those journeys and the roles of media in influencing those journeys.
Consumer journeys are more about eliminating risk and making a "good enough" decision than they are about making the perfect choice
People are always on a journey to buying something, gathering ideas about brands and things to possibly buy one day. Passive absorption of brand associations before a decision journey is a powerful method of influencing purchases
The journey is about reducing worry. At the start of a buying journey, people are anxious about making a mistake and confidence only rises towards the end of the decision-making process
Most journeys consist of an assumed front-runner, which will be cross examined through various touchpoints to ensure its purchase won't be regretted
Brand preference provides more confidence: for example, people who have one brand in mind before they start the journey towards a car purchase are less worried at the start (39% compared with 54% for people who have no brand in mind) and ultimately more confident they have made the right choice (63% vs 41% for people who started with no brand in mind)
Newsbrands act as a lens on the world, reinforcing values and helping people determine what matters and what to spend time thinking about – whether that's a purchase decision or politics and culture
85% of people say that seeing a brand or product in their newsbrand "gives me more confidence that it's right for me"
Different channels work together to produce a 'double whammy' that disrupts purchasing habits – newsbrands' role is often to provide the detail that confirms brand and product relevance
The research project consisted of four stages:
Explore: A nine day experiment among eight newsbrand readers using wearable glasses to capture touch points at different stages of the consumer journey
Deep Dive: 11 filmed depths using a decision journey game-board to understand detailed interactions at all stages of a recent purchase
Consolidate: applying a Behavioural Economics filter to inform the quantitative stage
Expand: An online survey among 2,000 adults aged 18-65 who ever read newsbrands (90% of the total number for that audience), to quantify the role of media touchpoints along the stages of the journeys
Four journey types
We explored four types of journey – short new: everyday purchase such as grocery retail; short normal: everyday purchase; medium: where the purchase cycle is likely to be every one to two years e.g. mobile phone handset; and long: where the purchase cycle is measured in years, likely to be five or more e.g. car (although 38% nevertheless say their choice was an "impulse purchase".)
For bigger purchases/longer purchase journeys, two-thirds of people are choosing between two brands. Of those who have just one brand in mind, seven in 10 of them do not even try another brand. Those ongoing seeding of brand ideas are so important. Byron Sharp calls it the mental availability of brands.
There is not necessarily a strong correlation between size of purchase and the level of planning that goes into it. Even bigger purchases, where thousands of pounds change hands can be impulsive.
Seven key stages
We identified seven key stages in the consumer purchase journey. The path to purchase is no longer a simple funnel, where the consumer moves in a linear fashion from initial interest, to selecting a shortlist, to buying a product. But there are clearly defined needs along the way – and media can help satisfy those needs.
Everyday life, before they even began thinking about buying the brand
The very start, beginning to think about buying a brand/product and how to do it
Getting a sense of the different options and seeing what's out there
Choosing the exact brand/product they want
Try out the brand/product in person to make the final decision
Finding and buying the brand/product they have chosen
Experiencing the brand/product after purchase
10 key roles for media (paid, owned and earned)
One of the most important roles for media is to Frame, which happens before a purchase journey even starts, at the Being stage. People are semi-consciously absorbing information on the products, brands and retailers that are out there and worth paying attention to. Media's role is to prime people to notice brands when out and about (mainly short journeys), define the assumed category consideration set (longer journeys) and create a strong sense of excitement and anticipation.
During the journey itself, there are seven roles that media brands play to help people making the buying decision.
And the influence of media doesn't stop at purchase, there are two further roles that media play post purchase, Share and Enjoy. Given the fact that a significant number of people are still worried once they have made the purchase, the role of media in generating satisfaction and confidence is vital.
Finally we constructed a consumer journey planning tool to help planners navigate the complexities of different journey types, the stages of those journeys and the influence of different paid, owned and earned touchpoints on the decision-making process. You can find the tool here.
How People Buy Media Week Awards
Download PDF report
The Bottom Line – Methodology & FAQs
IPA Databank Study 2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Umbilical hernia repair
How much does an umbilical hernia repair cost?
Umbilical herniae smaller than one centimetre can simply be repaired with a few stitches, but larger hernias are best reinforced using a mesh (prosthesis). This prosthesis may be placed through open surgery or keyhole surgery.
# Types of treatment
Laparoscopic repair of umbilical herniae
For larger umbilical herniae, incisional herniae after a laparoscopy or recurrent umbilical herniae, we generally opt for laparoscopic hernia repair at the Maria Middelares Hernia Centre in Ghent. However, sometimes there are good reasons to perform the surgery in the classical way and in that case, the surgeon will discuss this with you in the pre-operative consultation.
Keyhole surgery for umbilical hernia repair allows for the placement of a large prosthesis. It is important for the prosthesis to be properly fastened to the abdominal wall with staples. These staples will secure the prosthesis to the abdominal muscles. This may be quite painful during the initial post-operative period, especially when sneezing or coughing (as this causes the muscles to contract). Good pain relief therefore is important during the first few days after a laparoscopic repair of an umbilical hernia.
For a laparoscopic hernia repair, a prosthesis is used that is soft on one side to prevent fusion with the bowel. If you wish, your surgeon can show you the mesh during the pre-operative consultation.
Robot-assisted laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair
In September 2016, the Maria Middelares Hernia Centre in Ghent was the first European centre to offer robot-assisted laparoscopic hernia repair. Our surgeons began using this method after undergoing extensive training in the United States, where 5% of all umbilical hernia repair procedures in adults are robot-assisted.
The procedure is essentially the same as the traditional laparoscopy, but the instruments and the camera are operated by the surgeon from a console.
At the Maria Middelares Hernia Centre in Ghent, we use the latest generation of the Intuitive DaVinci Xi robot. Dr Muysoms now trains European surgeons in this latest innovation in abdominal wall surgery. Together with other surgeons performing robot-assisted umbilical hernia repair, an innovative technique was developed at the Maria Middelares Hernia Centre in Ghent, where the prosthesis is not placed in the abdomen but rather between the different muscle layers. This new technique, termed TARUP (transabdominal retromuscular umbilical prosthesis), retains the advantages of keyhole surgery but avoids placing the prosthesis so that it comes into contact with the bowels and avoids the painful fastening with staples.
At the Maria Middelares Hernia Centre in Ghent, we mainly opt for open surgery directly through the navel for herniae whose diameter measure under two centimetres. A laparoscopic procedure will be proposed for larger herniae. For an open umbilical hernia repair procedure, we generally use a round umbilical hernia prosthesis that is placed beneath the abdominal muscles through the navel. For this procedure, the maximum size of the mesh is 8.4 cm in diameter. As most meshes will shrink a little over time, such a Ventral Patch is not recommended for herniae of more than two centimetres.
Umbilical hernia surgery generally is a safe procedure and serious complications are rare. Possible complications are listed below. The list is not exhaustive but contains the most frequent complications:
Bruises, wound infection and wounds opening up
Bleeding of the abdominal wall or navel; this sometimes requires another operation.
Infection of the prosthesis.
Accidental injury of the bowel or other abdominal organ.
Change from keyhole surgery to an open procedure.
Complications that are not directly caused by the surgery: pneumonia, bladder infection, heart rhythm disorders, etcetera
Complications associated with general or epidural anaesthesia
Over the long term, the surgical site will remain painful for some patients
Some side effects occur very frequently and are no reason for concern:
Fluid accumulation
After the operation, a swelling often remains for a few weeks where the umbilical hernia was located. This is fluid accumulation (also termed seroma) that usually is not painful but often causes patients concern. This swelling is a normal side effect of the operation. It will slowly disappear of its own accord. If, in exceptional cases, the fluid accumulation causes pain, the surgeon may decide to drain it.
Another common side effect is bruising around the wound. This is no cause for concern either, and it will spontaneously disappear in the weeks following the operation. In case of doubt or concern, feel free to contact your GP or our department.
Can an umbilical hernia recur?
A mesh placement reduces the risk of a recurrent umbilical hernia, but it cannot be entirely ruled out. This is because the mesh we use may shrink a little, causing the weakened area in the abdominal wall to expand. This means that approximately 10% of patients will develop a new umbilical hernia in the area around the navel. These are often small and do not require a second procedure. However, if a new umbilical hernia becomes bigger and/or is painful, a new repair is required with a bigger prosthesis. About 1 in 20 patients (5%) will need to undergo a second procedure within the ten-year period after the umbilical hernia repair.
# Aftercare
Umbilical hernia operations can be performed in the day clinic for most patients. If necessary, admission for one night will be arranged. It is important that you are active and move around lot as soon as possible after the operation. For three weeks after the procedure, we do recommend that you avoid lifting heavy loads and intense exercise. You will also be given a belt that you may wear in the first weeks for support.
After the check-up with the surgeon, three weeks after the operation, you will be able to resume all activities again including lifting and sports.
When you are discharged from the hospital, we will ask you to visit your GP ten days after the procedure to have your wound checked and your sutures removed. In case of problems, you (or your GP) can of course always contact our department.
# How much does an umbilical hernia repair cost?
The Maria Middelares Hernia Centre in Ghent charges the official RIZIV prices. The invoice will be sent to you by post after a period of approximately three months. In addition to the surgeon's and anaesthesiologist's fee, this will display the general charges for hospital admission and the use of materials such as the mesh.
As is the case in almost any hospital, there is an additional charge for the use of a single room. At the Maria Middelares Hernia Centre in Ghent, this additional charge is a maximum of 150% of the official price. No additional charges are added to the fee if a multiple-occupancy room is chosen.
Abdominal wall hernia


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Knoxville Habitat for Humanity
We build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter
Women Build 2021
Double your impact by making a gift for #GivingTuesday.
Now more than ever, it's important for our seniors to remain independent at home. Unfortunately, the dream of homeownership can be more difficult for aging seniors on a fixed income. Especially when it comes to large, costly home repairs. That's where our Critical Home Repair program comes in!
By making a gift in the next 1,440 minutes, you will double your impact this #GivingTuesday and help local low-income seniors have the peace of mind in knowing that home will still be home for years to come.
A special friend of Knoxville Habitat for Humanity is generously matching all donations up to $15,000 to reach our $30,000 goal. By reaching this goal, we'll raise enough money in a single day to help fund our Critical Home Repair program. With you're help, we'll continue helping local seniors in their homes longer, whether that's with a new roof or new HVAC system. They have a lifetime of memories in their home – now, all they need is you to help them stay there longer.
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$50 = $100
$100 = $200
Author: Knoxville Habitat For Humanity
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Snapper shortlisted in final of 'fiercely-contested' national competition
Restaurant and takeaway rejected over noise threat
Plans to transform a street-corner cafe into a restaurant and takeaway have been rejected by Wakefield Council.
By Nick Frame
Updated Friday, 9th August 2019, 12:32 pm
The cafe sits on the corner of Leeds Road and Annie Street in Outwood. (Google Maps)
The cafe sits on the corner of Leeds Road and Annie Street in Outwood.
And there had been hopes to alter the opening times to cater for the evening trade.
The applicant, a Mr M Tofayel, predicted that the takeaway service would cover up to 30 per cent of their takings.
With the cafe currently operating through daytime hours, planners said it could create problems on an evening.
They said: "By virtue of the increased noise, disturbance and activity as a result of the evening opening hours the proposal will cause significant harm to the living conditions and quality of life of occupiers of residential properties."
Seven letters of objections were also sent to the council from residents, concerned about parking, noise and even the threat of vermin from takeaway food and wrappers.


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Factory of devastation
After confinement for nearly two years, Gabriel Macotela exorcises death by uttering the survivor's prayer: the song of those who risk knowing their own darkness and invite the lights of their existence. The factory of devastation contemplates the landscapes after the battle, still smudged with ash and mortuary frost, fragments reality into still lifes that […]
After confinement for nearly two years, Gabriel Macotela exorcises death by uttering the survivor's prayer: the song of those who risk knowing their own darkness and invite the lights of their existence. The factory of devastation contemplates the landscapes after the battle, still smudged with ash and mortuary frost, fragments reality into still lifes that had never before conquered such a name so hard, mercilessly portrays the looks and features of those who mocked the stalking of the black heralds, the attacks of the executioners, the omens of the heavenly messengers… presided over by the archangel Jophiel studded with ambers and quartz.
Drawings, models, paintings, and engravings, weave the chronicle of these sorrows that refuse to disappear. They do it, the territories of their always memorable compositions and of an endearing depth, through vigorous gestures, and impetuous strokes. Vitalistic creations that are waves of indignation and beauty, cries for justice, wrapped in the flight of an aesthetic harmony that transcends calamities, defying the apocalypse. And although he assumes the mean maxima culpa of the Confiteor, expressing the fatigue that we have provoked in nature and the unease that we spread among ourselves, aimless atoms, he retains an ember of hope, a minimum detachment from Elpis, the only deity that refused to abandon Pandora when she opened and emptied of evils and fears the container synonymous with temptation and curiosity…
Gabriel Macotela fights the silence, he does it without saying a word. His images are eloquent, they are dressed in ideas. They are soliloquies in search of dialogue, they pursue the feelings of others, they meet the thoughts of others, and they share the imagination of others. Against the evidence of reality, those tragic residues that smear us with the ointment of pessimism, the maker of subversive, perhaps disturbing, fictions, challenges ignorance, good consciences to a duel, denounces the violence of the powerful, the bad milk of the faint-hearted, and makes him aware that the enemy continues to win. That does not frighten him, perhaps even motivates him to a kind of heroic immolation.
LUIS INGANCIO SAINZ


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SPK Battery boasts systems for applying products, testing chargers, and evaluating system integration. We have retained a friendly partnership with globally leading vendors of chargers and control circuits and shared test data. We also provide quality certification tests for battery sets.


YoungBoy Never Broke Again has been real busy today.
Earlier today, YoungBoy Never Broke Again dropped his "4Freedom" mixtape, and on it, you were treated to four brand new tracks full of pure emotion and soulful harmonizing. In "No Mention," NBA's fifth release today, he gives us something that is a bit more light-hearted than what you heard from him earlier. It is a short gem with a nice little bop to it, some positive vibes and lots of motivational words. I f**k with the melody NBA was able to utilize on it, and find solace in his cocky words throughout (You should've heard him on "Change" from 4 Freedom, he was going through it bad. I'm glad to hear his mental is in tact). As a whole, the song serves as sort-of a victory celebration for his recent successes.
No one wants to mention it (Cause he might shoot you if you do), but YoungBoy Never Broke Again should be categorized as a R&B singer.


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Home»News»Time out with dogs, children
Time out with dogs, children
By MP News Group December 21, 2015 Updated: December 22, 2015 No Comments2 Mins Read
Diva jumping through arms
THERE is an old adage in television about not working with kids or animals, but that is exactly what Mt Eliza Rotary Club plans to do next year for its two main fundraising events.
On Sunday 6 March the club will hold its Dogs in the Park expo, with plenty of family fun and many "not too serious" competitions for dogs and their owners.
There will be food and coffee stalls, face painting for children and an animal farm 11am-2.30pm at the John Butler Reserve, Mt Eliza. Entry is free and there will be a small fee for participation in the various events.
On Sunday 17 April, 10am-1pm the Rotary club, in conjunction with the Mornington Railway Preservation Society, is conducting its inaugural Kids Fun Run With K163.
Up to 300 children aged up to 12 years will race the historic steam engine K163 alongside a small section of track now being prepared at Moorooduc station.
Mt Eliza Rotary president Bernie Edwards says the two fundraising events are designed to provide fun and entertainment for the children, families and friends.
"Their presence will help to support Rotary's ongoing community efforts so everyone is a winner," he said.
First published in the Mornington News – 22 December 2015


text:
Trochidrobia inflata es una especie de molusco gasterópodo de la familia Hydrobiidae en el orden de los Mesogastropoda.

Distribución geográfica
Es  endémica de Australia.

Referencias

 (en Inglés) Ponder, W.F. 1996.  Trochidrobia inflata.   2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Hydrobiidae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
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from .boolean import Boolean, boolean  # noqa: F401
from .big_endian_int import BigEndianInt, big_endian_int  # noqa: F401
from .lists import CountableList, List  # noqa: F401
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from .text import Text, text  # noqa: #401


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Professional and courteous, I would recommend them to anyone.
"I write this at the insistence of my wife and I am in full agreement with her assessment. We both thank you for your expertise and wisdom in the matters that were discovered at our home during the course of your work.
The hidden structural damage was a shock to us and we were very relieved when you outlined the required repairs needed and the proper course of action was implemented, to correct and restore our home's structural integrity. Thank-you for your outstanding workmanship and your genuine concern for the problems that we had. We wish you all the best with your business and please use us, if you ever need a reference".


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The Perfect Roofer Replacement Company In Navasota Texas?


text:
Q: Image gallery system with search engine using php I am trying to make an image gallery system with keywords.
Each image has a .php file with a few variables:
    $keywords = 'Keywords that describe the image';
    $src = 'directory path leading to the image';
    $other = 'any specific remarks about the image';

the files of each image are stored in a directory called imageinfo.
How can I get all the images listed in the files in the directory imageinfo to display in one .phpfile? They all have the same variable names. Can I make a search engine system to search the files?
This is very hard to explain, and I understand if you don't understand - feel free to grab a diet coke and come and write your problems in the comments!

A: Try this:
(you have to fille the right imageinfo folder in)
<?php

// Folder with all the Info PHP files
$infodir = __DIR__ .'/imageinfo/';
// read Folder contens
$files = scandir( $infodir );
// Array to store all image infos
$allimages = array();
// loop, file for file
foreach ($files  as $file) {
    // . and .. are in the array of files, but we don't need them
    if( $file != '..' && $file != '.' ){

        //path to actual Image Info file
        $thisfile = $infodir.'/'.$file;
        //Check if file exists
        if( is_file( $thisfile ) ){
            //parse file
            include( $thisfile );

            //add vars to Array
            $allimages[] = array(
                'keywords' => $keywords,
                'src' => $src,
                'other '=> $other
            );
        }

    }
}

//Output Data of all files
echo '
';
print_r( $allimages );
echo '
';

//show images in browser
foreach ($allimages as $image ) {
    echo '
';
    echo '';
    echo '
';
    echo $image['keywords'];
    echo '
';
    echo $image['other'];
    echo '
';
}
?>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


2 sheet mini kit with 3d step by step decoupage. Topper is approximately 7.5 inch or can be reduced in size for smaller cards. Suitable for birthdays or Fathers Day, particularly men or motor racing, Formula One fans or racing car drivers. Features contemporary painting of motor racing car in a frame, with motor racing embellishments to add 3d depth.
All Revved Up On Your Birthday or Fathers Day.


ASICS Greenville Track Club-ELITE athletes Alison Parris and Mark Leininger both placed among the top three at the 11th Annual Jail Break 5K in Lexington, SC on Saturday morning. Parris ran 17:22 to place second behind winner Zipporah Chebet's 17:05. For her performance she earned $350 ($300 for her place and $50 for running under 18:00).
Leininger's time of 14:38 placed third behind Kenyan's Francis Kamir (14:22) and Geoffrey Ngetich (14:24). That earned Mark $200, with $150 for second and $50 for breaking 15:00.
GTC-ELITE produced four qualifiers for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Los Angeles and is sponsored by ASICS, the 45-year-old Greenville Track Club, Greenville Health System, ScanSource, Joy Real Estate, the Bare Minimum Track Club, generous individual contributors and partnerships with Performance Therapy, Carolina Spine and Rehab, Soleus Running Watches, Boston Bill Sunglasses, Roll Recovery, FinalSurge, The ATI Running Academy, ElliptiGO, NormaTec Recovery Boots and Cocoa Elite recovery products.
I'm so proud! Way to go!


Have you ever wondered about applying different Spreadsheet Formats or Styles to reports which you may be send to different people and so the styling may be different for each recipient?
I haven't, but in this post I will show how you can add it to your worksheets.
Learn some Excel Tips, Tricks, Cheats & Hacks from some Notable [Non-MVP] Excel Websites.


text:
The two Babylons; or, The papal worship proved to be the worship ..., Svazek 27
Od autorů: rev. Alexander Hislop
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS
IN REGARD TO FORMER EDITIONS OF THE WORK.
"The volume before us on the subject of Romanism is able and interesting. The Author is a full man.' His scholarship is ripe, and his historical research deep and accurate. Classical and Oriental literature, and the records of antiquity, he employs with the skill and readiness of a master, to make good his positions. Rarely indeed, within the same space, have we seen such a rich variety of learned and curious information arrayed in evidence against the assumptions, usages, doctrines, and pretended apostolical origin of Romanism. The tinsel garments of pretended sanctity he strips off, and the charm of sacred association he scatters to the winds."—Evangelical Magazine.
"One of the most valuable contributions towards the settlement of the great controversy which we hold with Antichrist that has appeared for years. The relation which mythology bears to mythology, and which all bear to Christian Theism, is beautifully, though apparently unconsciously, developed in Mr Hislop's 'Two Babylons."" —Stanyan Bigg ia Downshire Protestant.
"Mr. Hislop's work entitles him to a place in the first ranks of those who have been honoured, by their discoveries, to throw intensely interesting light, in different ways, on some of the darkest pages of the world's history."Original Secession Magazine.
"Mr. Hislop has displayed no small amount of historical and philological lore, which stamp him as a scholar of no mean rank. His felicity in tracing analogies is very remarkable."-Scottish Press.
"Mr. Hislop has collected a large mass of materials (many of them new and very striking) in proof of his position; and has arranged and stated his argument with a calmness, precision, and force, that greatly impress the reader."—Chris. tian Treasury.
"These papers (on the Moral Identity of Babylon and Rome) produced at the time a powerful impression; and their learned author has since prosecuted his inquiries more fully, and in a most interesting volume, just published, has set forth in ample detail the whole proofs and illustrations of his interesting and striking theory.
It gives one a strange and vivid idea of the inspiration of Scripture to read these remarkable pages."—Dr. Begg in Bulwark.
"This is a work of no commonplace character. It clearly proves that the religion of the Church of Rome is the religion of ancient Babylon, tinted and varnished with the name of Christianity." ----Achill Herald.
"This work is of no common erudition. . We have not for a considerable time met with any volume that presents the subject in lights so striking and original. The author has performed a noble service to our common Protestantism, and is entitled to the thanks of every section of the true Church."— Dr Campbell of London in British Standard.
"We venture to say, no reader will rise from its perusal without a loftier reverence for God's truth, and a deeper conviction of the indelible brand that truth has stamped upon the Papal system. There is a touch of the sublime in finding the predictions of the Seer of Patmos unloosed from their enigmatic mystery, when we bring together the early idolatrous worship of Chaldea, and the latest dogmas of Rome. The simple narrative of the two developments completes the circle-a luminous ring, which lights up the dark page of prophecy until it reads like a history written but yesterday."
."_ Northern Warder. "The vast amount of learning, and the philological research and comparison so fascinating to many minds, coupled with the striking analogies every now and then made apparent, render the book as attractive as a novel, and the reader is drawn on irresistibly to the end. Its pages form a mine of historical wealth, or rather a depository of ores and fossils dug from a vast number of sources, and labelled, classified, and arranged until, like specimens from the various strata of the earth's crust similarly laid out in a museum, and pieced together by the hands of a master in geology, the oneness of the source whence sprung the many systems of religion of ancient times is made manifest, as are the corruptions which in later ages have crept into the Church of the primitive Christians."-Arbroath Guide.
N.B.-Should any further Errata, in addition to the List already appended, be discovered after the issue of the work, they will be furnished to purchasers on application to the Publisher, on receipt of postage stamps to pay for their transmission.
THE PAPAL WORSHIP
PROVED TO BE THE
WORSHIP OF NIMROD AND HIS WIFE.
With Sixty-one Woodcut Yllustrations from
NINEVEH, BABYLON, EGYPT, POMPEII, &c.
JAMES WOOD, 130, GEORGE STREET.
LONDON : HOULSTON AND WRIGHT.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LORD JOHN SCOTT,
AS A TESTIMONY OF RESPECT
FOR HIS TALENTS, AND THE DEEP AND ENLIGHTENED INTEREST
TAKEN BY HIM IN THE SUBJECT OF
PRIMEVAL ANTIQUITY ;
AS WELL AS AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE FOR
MANY MARKS OF COURTESY AND KINDNESS
RECEIVED AT HIS HANDS;
This Work
IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED
BY HIS OBLIGED AND FAITHFUL SERVANT,
THE AUTHOR.


I saw EnhancedAthlete was sentenced for selling their 'plant food' a few years ago.
My son got a stress fracture and is LOOKING into what to do. I on the other hand, I'm lazy, so I'm tapping on to the collective for advice.
The RP App tells you when to eat, and what to eat, though it gives you the ability to choose your macro sources. Meal --> Choose PRO source --> MSG "Eat 120g of Top Round steak" I think it's a great setup for people who need the push. I'm not sure I can delve into your psychology here, Mike, though I see what you are getting at...less ventured is less rewarded.


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MapReduceis emerging as an important programming model for large scale parallel application. Meanwhile, Hadoop is an open source implementation of MapReduce enjoying wide popularity for developing data intensive applications in the cloud. As, in the cloud, the computing unit is virtual machine (VM) based; it is feasible to demonstrate the applicability of MapReduce on virtualized data center. Although the potential for poor performance and heavy load no doubt exists, virtual machines can instead be used to fully utilize the system resources, ease the management of such systems, improve the reliability, and save the power. In this paper, a series of experiments are conducted to measure and analyze the performance of Hadoop on VMs. Our experiments are used as a basis for outlining several issues that will need to be considered when implementing MapReduce to fit completely in the cloud.
This work is supported by National 973 Key Basic Research Program under grant No.2007CB310900, Information Technology Foundation of MOE and Intel under grant MOE-INTEL-09-03, and National High-Tech 863 R&D Plan of China under grant 2006AA01A115.


text:
By Elizabeth Hammond, Carlsbad, CA
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Memoirs of a Geisha is a coming of age story, absolutely chock full of teenage angst, and star- crossed lovers. This book follows the life a young girl from a small village, who is sold to be a geisha at a young age. The main character is forced to endure painful hardships, as well as commit unspeakable acts, just to survive.
In Memoirs of a Geisha, the theme "some people will do anything for love," is shown prominently throughout the book. The main character spends almost her entire life working to win the man of her dreams. She even gives herself to another man so that her path to her true love could become unobscured at last.
Though this book is well- written and is devoid of plot holes, the lack of historical accuracy subtracts greatly from it. Also, the main character never actually achieves true love, happy to settle for being her true love's mistress, a development which is very anticlimactic.
I recommend this book to more mature readers, because of the sexual content. However, I do recommend that you read up on geisha before reading this book, because it is important to know the truth.
Image Credit: Amazon.com
Stay With Me by Freymann-Weyr
By Ren-P. PLATINUM
Ren-P. PLATINUM, Tulsa, Oklahoma
"You must give up a life you'd planned in order to have the life that's waiting for you." ~ Joseph Campbell
By Katarina Mangieri
Galesburg, IL
By Lauren Taylor
By Rachael Kaspar
Beach House by R.L. Stine
By Jasmine Sk
By Caity Nagel


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The researchers found that the cumulative proportional probabilities for AF events were greater in the highest quartile of sodium consumption than in the lower quartiles.
HealthDay News — Sodium intake is associated with the long-term risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study recently published in the Annals of Medicine.
Tero Juho Wilhelm Pääkkö, from the University of Oulu in Finland, and colleagues used hospital discharge records and seven-day food diaries from 716 participants in the Oulu Project Elucidating Risk of Atherosclerosis cohort to evaluate the association between dietary sodium intake and the incidence of new-onset AF during a 19-year period.
The researchers found that the cumulative proportional probabilities for AF events were greater in the highest quartile of sodium consumption (16.8 percent) than in the lower quartiles (first quartile, 6.7 percent; second quartile, 7.3 percent; third quartile, 10.6 percent).
As a continuous variable, sodium consumption (g/1,000 kcal) was independently associated with AF events (hazard ratio, 2.1) when age, body mass index, smoking (pack-years), office systolic blood pressure, left atrium diameter, left ventricular mass index, and the use of any antihypertensive therapy were added as covariates.
"Although further confirmatory studies are needed, our results suggest that people who are at an increased risk of atrial fibrillation may benefit from restricting salt in their diet," Pääkkö said in a statement.
Study authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies.


text:
Irish Company is France's Number One in Rooftop Solar
Amarenco, the independent renewable energy power company that develops, builds and operates renewable energy power plants, has been announced as the number one company in the highly competitive 100kW-8MW rooftop solar segment in France, after winning 32MW in the latest French Regulatory buildings tender. Amarenco has approximately 400MW of large solar rooftop in development in France and French Territories and will enter these developments into auctions.
Amarenco's rooftop projects are distributed across two development platforms, one of which was established in partnership with Total Solar. The company will unlock more than €120 million of investment to undertake these projects.
John Mullins, CEO of Amarenco Solar, said: "We are very pleased to be announced as the number one operator in rooftop solar in the French market. This reaffirms our international footprint in Europe and clearly the work we have undertaken in France, where we are recognised as a credible and significant contributor to that nation's demand for renewable energy. The team based in France has been working in close partnership with agricultural landowners, local authorities and businesses. We strive to undertake innovative, collaborative and participative approaches that meet environmental requirements, which also appealed to local farmers and businesses."
He continued: "We lead the way for tenders in this category. Amarenco has been awarded a total capacity of more than 100MW across the five consecutive calls, far ahead of Urbasolar (81MW) and Technique Solaire (68MW)."
The company has over 80 employees divided between France and Ireland, and a French asset fleet of 1,300 PV plants managed from its regional headquarters in south-west France. Amarenco currently has a development portfolio close to 1GW, which are comprised of projects located across Ireland and France. Earlier in 2018, Amarenco Solar was awarded the Best Irish Company in France, at the annual France Ireland Business Awards.
Amarenco intends to commence construction in Ireland in late 2019.
Ornua Delivers Record Revenue
Over 120 Communities Nationwide Working on Long-term Energy Plans With SEAI
ABP Acquires Third Anaerobic Digestion Facility


text:
← Common core and fractions
"If you're so smart, why aren't you rich?" →
Who's your daddy? Myths of merit and elite education scholarships
Posted by Jane Kenway, Professorial Fellow: Australian Research Council at Monash University | December 28, 2014 | 0 responses
This is a republish of this article
Please answer all questions. 1. Who's your daddy? _______ Thank you for your application. We will take a cursory glance at your folio and inform you of our decision.
This is from a fake application form for admission to the Whitehouse Institute of Design circulating on Facebook. The scholarship awarded to the Prime Minister's daughter by this institute and his claim that she won it on merit have met much scepticism.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne has claimed that access for disadvantaged students will be improved through new merit-based scholarships. But how fair are Mr Pyne's scholarships and how fair is "merit" for that matter?
Reforms will perpetuate inequality
Many observers predict an increasing gap between the "best" universities and "the rest" now that caps have been removed on what they can charge. "The rest" will predictably flounder, as public and new private providers compete on price.
"The rest" is where most pre-degree qualifications are located, so these will suffer too. So what's the problem if scholarships are also offered in this less wealthy and esteemed part of the sector? Existing patterns of access won't change. The vast bulk of students from poor families will continue to attend poorly funded institutions and acquire qualifications that pay far fewer dividends.
What of the "best"? With the freedom to charge whatever fees the market will bear, Australia's elite universities will become ever more expensive and exclusive. Students from elite schools are already over-represented at these universities. Will the new needs-based scholarships challenge this situation? And anyway, why are students from elite schools over-represented? Is it because of merit?
Elite schools and merit
Elite schools claim merit as their signature. But merit is a slippery term with a lot of social subtext.
There are two types of elite schools in this country. There are academically selective schools in the government school sector. "Merit" here is problematic, because of private tutoring. It is widely known, although not verified through research, that tutoring is commonplace. It has helped many students to get in and helps many to get through with the top grades required for direct progress to the top of the education ladder. But the proportion of such schools in the overall schooling sector is small.
The biggest proportion of elite schools is in the private sector with most in the independent sector. Wealth is their main entry criterion, although they usually have merit entry tests. Such schools provide small numbers of scholarships, usually for merit in fields the school wants to enhance such as music, sport and academia. A merit/need formula may apply, but their scholarships are seldom just need-based.
More broadly, these elite schools claim merit mainly on the basis of their elevated exit results. As economic, cultural and social capital abound, the table is always set for educational and career success.
Elite schools take no chances with their reputations for merit. Their students are carefully groomed for success — which is primarily understood as gaining entry to the most prestigious universities and faculties. This constrains curriculum engagement and students' plans for their future.
Students are hot-housed, which involves inculcating a hyper-competitive, hyper-ambitious mindset. Hot-housing produces a school climate in which there is pressure on students to be merit trophies for the school, their families and each other. In the case of elite private schools, hot-housing also means having access to the best learning opportunities and resources money can buy — in academic studies, the arts and sport. Everything is available to help students "be the best they can be".
As David Gonski stressed in his report on school funding, the differences between highly and poorly resourced schools are painfully stark. The consequences for students in poor schools are dire, as they are for the nation in terms of national educational achievement and equity.
The elite school-elite university nexus
The cards are heavily stacked in favour of students from elite schools. This is why they are over-represented in elite universities and why such students will often win "merit" scholarships. Further, the best-funded merit/needs scholarships in elite universities usually require very high end-of-school results. Even the cleverest students from poor backgrounds and from poorly resourced schools are unlikely to achieve the necessary results.
These students may, however, be "let in" under other access programs with less financial support. The system is heavily stacked against such students. So too is the typical mindset of many elite universities.
After a cursory nod to the links between educational success and poverty, this mindset assumes that an individual's end-of-school results are the best gauge of merit and potential. It thus fails to understand the depth and scale of systemic educational disadvantage.
It is not valid or fair to compare the end-of-school results of advantaged students with the results of disadvantaged students. Hence the logic of allocating elite university places and scholarships on the basis of-end-of school results alone is being questioned by some of the more open-minded.
Further, because of the links between elite schools, socio-economic advantage, private tutoring and hot-housing, their students' final results are inflated. Their results are thus not a good predictor of university success. Research evidence shows that, once left to their own devices, elite school students perform no better and often less well than their comparable government schools peers.
But what will happen when elite university fees skyrocket under Mr Pyne's plans? Who but the rich will be able to afford the fees or the subsequent debt? Unless there is a major mind shift, the nexus between elite schools and elite universities will predictably tighten.
Predictably too elite public universities will become more like elite private schools: citadels of privilege in an overall system where "the rest" are under-resourced. And who will win the "equity" scholarships that increase as a direct result of these universities\' fee rises?
It is improbable that these universities will alter their scholarship requirement for exceptionally high entry scores. So most students from poor families and schools won't even come close to claiming such scholarships.
Unless elite universities are more intelligent about merit, access and their grounds for awarding all scholarships, money will continue to be the main path to merit. And, ultimately, "Who's your daddy?" will still matter a great deal.
Tags: scholarships


22 min. and 39 sec.
PODCAST| Chiara Nicoletti interviews Florian Weghorn, programme manager of Berlinale Talents 2018.
If last year's theme was "Courage Against All Odds", Berlinale Talents celebrates its sweet 16 years of life by deciding to focus on the mysteries of cinema and developing the new theme: Secrets. Florian Weghorn, programme manager of the Talents is once again on FRED to describe how this theme has been developed and shaped into the various talents'projects, activities and panels. "Sharing and participation are true secrets for success", Weghorn remarks while proudly quoting a new talents' record which received 3,191 applications from 133 countries this year. 250 filmmakers from 81 countries have finally been chosen, 128 women and 122 men. As in the previous years, the Berlinale Talents is proud to announce that the only two debut films in Competition, Touch Me Not and Las herederas are both by alumni directors, Adina Pintilie and Marcelo Martinessi besides David Zellner who co-directed with his brother Nathan and is in competition with Damsel. Even if it's by chance that there's a majority of women among the Talents selected, the Berlinale Talents doesn't fail to keep on track with the recent happenings and discussions in the cinema world and not only, about equal treatment and gender equality and takes this opportunity to organize debates on how to achieve a better gender and power balance. As a tradition, many important guests are going to hold workshops and panels. To mention only a few: Gus Van Sant (Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot), Christian Petzold and Barbara Auer (Transit), Jury President Tom Tykwer, director of the fortunate TV series Babylon Berlin, Lav Diaz, the makers of the new German Netflix series Dark and composer and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto. The new key visual for Berlinale Talents 2018 lends a visual dimension to the theme of "Secrets": by not revealing everything, Talents, guests and the Berlin public are invited to complete the various statements with their own interpretations.


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Nahi är en gewog i Bhutan.   Den ligger i distriktet Wangdue Phodrang, i den centrala delen av landet,  km öster om huvudstaden Thimphu.

I omgivningarna runt Nahi växer i huvudsak blandskog. Runt Nahi är det ganska glesbefolkat, med  invånare per kvadratkilometer.  Trakten ingår i den boreala klimatzonen. Årsmedeltemperaturen i trakten är  °C. Den varmaste månaden är maj, då medeltemperaturen är  °C, och den kallaste är januari, med  °C. Genomsnittlig årsnederbörd är  millimeter. Den regnigaste månaden är juni, med i genomsnitt  mm nederbörd, och den torraste är november, med  mm nederbörd.

Källor

Indelningar i Wangdue Phodrang (distrikt)


When you are attempting to settle a fire claim with a large insurance company, it can be difficult and frustrating to get the compensation you deserve. If you find yourself dealing with losses after a fire or other catastrophic event and want to protect your rights when working with insurance companies, we can help.
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Safe, reliable drinking water is our highe st priority.
It governs every decision we make at the St. Cloud Drinking Water Utility.
In 2019, St. Cloud adopted a new rate structures to ensure the reliability and affordability of water, while addressing the increased number of State and Federal water regulation requirements for both drinking water and stormwater utilities.
The new rate structure will include an inclining block rate structure, to comply with DNR water conservation requirements.
What do the Water Rates Accomplish?
St. Cloud's main focus is safe, reliable drinking water.
The new rate structure is being implemented to ensure the reliability and affordability of water, while addressing the increased number of State and Federal water regulations that the drinking water and stormwater utilities must meet.
St. Cloud is the northern-most drinking water facility on the Mississippi River, which means we are the first facility responsible for treating the drinking water that comes from the River.
St. Cloud's water has been voted among the best in Minnesota, and the new rate increase will help us continue to make technological improvements that will make it even better.
Property taxes do not fund the Drinking Water or Stormwater Utilities.
The costs of producing clean, safe drinking water is recovered through utility fees.
The St. Cloud Drinking Water Facility treats up to 14 million gallons of water a day in the summer - well over 3 billion gallons a year.
We use this water for everything from filling our water bottles, to taking showers, to doing our laundry, to making our coffee in the morning. The water isn't just used at home, either - every business, hospital, clinic, bar, and restaurant in St. Cloud also requires water.
In addition to treating the drinking water, the Drinking Water Utility is responsible for maintaining the over 300 miles of buried pipes that convey clean water throughout the city to your home. We are also responsible for maintaining fire hydrants and water meters.
For the average family in St. Cloud, the Drinking Water charges will increase by only $3.50/month, or $7.00/billing cycle.
The stormwater fee will increase by $2.40/month per household.
Do customers all pay the same rate?
How do St. Cloud's rates compare regionally?
Drinking Water charges will vary based on use - but all customers pay the same rate. The bi-monthly bill begins with a $15.00 fixed charge, from there, your bill will vary based on your usage.
St. Cloud has one of the lowest drinking water rates in the area.
St. Cloud is committed to providing delicious, healthy drinking water at an affordable rate for our residents.
Within the St. Cloud metro area, St. Cloud has the second lowest water rates and the lowest stormwater utility rates.


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Full Text for CTM Miscellanea 18-8 (Text)
<; /-t0U "in My Father's house." It can mean only "in the affairs of My Father," or "things of My Father." Exactly parallel is Luke 20: 25: "Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's." Luke 12:25. This Version has: "And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his span of life?" If Jesus said this, it is the only foolish thing He ever said, for millions have pro- longed their lives by taking anxious thought, and thus the race has almost banished smallpox, hydrophobia, and rapidly is con- quering tuberculosis. Everyone knows of people who, recog- nizing that they are killing themselves by certain methods of life, have changed and greatly prolonged their days. The Greek word lJf..udu means "stature" as well as "length of days." There are many examples of this in later Greek, but here is one compelling example found in a scholium to Odyssey XI, 588. The Odyssey here tells how fruit hung over the head of Tantalus and how as he tried to reach it the fruit eluded his grasp. Here the scholium says: "It is necessary to suppose that the trunks of the trees were higher than the stature, lJf..L'II.La., of Tantalus, so that the branches could hang over his head." Here the word N .. I.'II.LU can refer only to height and has nothing to do with age or years. This scholium must have originated not far from the place of origin of the Gospels and at about the same time. Lucian, also, a late-Greek writer, abounds in this word with the sense of "stature." This makes sense, and frees Jesus from the absurd statement that men cannot prolong their lives by taking care. The Greek and the sense combine in making this mean: "Add a cubit to his stature." Luke 23:47. The words of the Roman officer at the Cross after the Crucifixion. This Version has him say: "Certainly this man was innocent"; but that is not what he said. He said: "This man was IlLleIY.LO<;, 'just.''' Being "just" gives the presump- tion that he was innocent, but that is an inference, an interpre- tation, not a translation. John 1:5. This Version has: "The light shines in the dark- ness, and the darkness has not put it out." The word here is MISCELLANEA 619 X(lLw..UIlf3UvOl, a word frequently used by Greek philosophers in the sense of "to grasp," "to comprehend," or "to understand." John here, by this very reasoning about the "word," is adulging in Greek philosophy and would naturally use the Greek philo- sophic vocabulary, hence the probable translation: "The dark- ness did not comprehend." Professor David M. Robinson, who has lived much in Greece, has written me that "The word XU'tUAullf3uvOl, still is the word in Modern Greek for 'comprehend' or 'understand.''' John 1:42. Here are the first words spoken by Jesus to Peter. This Version has: "So you are Simon, son of John?" There is in the original no "so," no interregative word, and n,p mark of interrogation. This is not translation, it is trifling with the original. Acts 17:22. This Version has: "I perceive that you are very religious." The word thus translated, aEl.(JtaatIlOVEo"teQou~ is not a superlative, but a comparative adjective; hence cannot mean "very," but "too." This word, then, means "too much afraid of demons"; and that is just what "superstitious" means. This disgust with Athenian superstition agrees with Paul's feel- ings as revealed just six verses earlier in the same chapter. "Now while Paul waited for them at Atilens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry." This Version ignores the fact that the word is an adjective in the comparative degree, the evident implicatiOlils of the word, and Paul's feelings toward idolatry in Athens. This "too superstitious" voices his sentiments of six verses earlier. Paul was no hypocrite. Rom. 12: 1. Paul urged the Roman Christians: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." This Version has "Spiritual worship" for "reasonable service." The word which it renders "spiritual" is 1..o'YLX,]v, a word from the same root from which we get the words "logic" and "logical." To translate this as "spiritual" is to ignore the plain meaning of the original and to put in its place a word of most dissimilar meaning, while the word translated "worship" is the usual word for "service." This seems to me the ultimate in mistranslation. 1 Cor. 10:26. This Version has: "For the earth is the Lord's and everything in it." The Greek has the superb word n1..,]QOlllu., "fulness," and to cast it out and then put in its place "everything in it" is to show shocking disregard for clear and beautiful language. 1 Tim. 5:23. This Version makes Paul write: "No longer drink only water." This is rather rapping Paul over the knuckles and giving a hint of what he should have said. There is no "only" in the Greek, and Paul said: "No longer drink water." Paul, in his letter to Titus 1: 6, describes the men who are to be chosen as elders. This Version makes him say: "Elders 620 MISCELLANEA who are blameless, married only once." This would exclude from eldership a man who had become a widower and had later re- married; but Paul said nothing of the sort; he said: "a husband of one wife," thus excluding bigamists and polygamists, but not remarried widowers. The same error is found in 1 Tim. 3: 2, where a like rule is given for bishops. Rev. 10: 6. The thrilling and poetic: "Time shall be no more," XQovo<; OUK!ht E(nm, becomes in this Version the flat and prosaic: "There shall be no more delay." In some places this Version is superior to the King James Version. Matt. 16: 25: "Who do men say that I am?" is better than "Whom do men say that I am?" Phil. 2:3: "Count others better than themselves," is better than: "Let each esteem other better than themselves." Luke 7: 25: "What did you go out to see?" is better than: "What went ye out for to see?" Luke 5:38: "New wine must be put into fresh wine skins," is more easily understood than: "New wine must be put into new bottles." Luke 2: 3: "A decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled," explains itself, while: "that all the world should be taxed," does not. In 1 Cor. 9:27, this Version correctly has "disqualified," while the authors of the King James Version, with all their acute knowledge of the Greek language, knew little of athletics, and thus ignorantly used "castaway." Then, most important of all, this Version has the huge advantage of access to older and better manuscripts than any known until the last one hundred years. These improvements are real, and they are very welcome; yet the King James Version is immeas- urably superior in the knowledge of Greek, in the mastery of English, and, above all, in the honest and docile fidelity to the Greek text. The thing in this Version which distresses me most is the irreverent disregard for the simple meaning of the original, and while reading it I feel as Hamlet felt, when he chanced upon the jovial grave-digger: "Has this fellow no feeling of his busi- ness, that he sings at grave-making?"