text:
Q: Play & Deadbolt error I get the following stack trace (bont not on the loaded page!) whenever I set any of my methods with the
@SubjectRequired or @SubjectNotRequired annotations:
play.api.http.HttpErrorHandlerExceptions$$anon$1: Execution exception[[CompletionException: java.lang.NullPointerException]]
    at play.api.http.HttpErrorHandlerExceptions$.throwableToUsefulException(HttpErrorHandler.scala:293)
    at play.api.http.DefaultHttpErrorHandler.onServerError(HttpErrorHandler.scala:220)
    at play.api.GlobalSettings$class.onError(GlobalSettings.scala:160)
    at play.api.DefaultGlobal$.onError(GlobalSettings.scala:188)
    at play.api.http.GlobalSettingsHttpErrorHandler.onServerError(HttpErrorHandler.scala:100)
    at play.core.server.netty.PlayRequestHandler$$anonfun$2$$anonfun$apply$1.applyOrElse(PlayRequestHandler.scala:100)
    at play.core.server.netty.PlayRequestHandler$$anonfun$2$$anonfun$apply$1.applyOrElse(PlayRequestHandler.scala:99)
    at scala.concurrent.Future$$anonfun$recoverWith$1.apply(Future.scala:344)
    at scala.concurrent.Future$$anonfun$recoverWith$1.apply(Future.scala:343)
    at scala.concurrent.impl.CallbackRunnable.run(Promise.scala:32)
Caused by: java.util.concurrent.CompletionException: java.lang.NullPointerException
    at java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture.encodeThrowable(CompletableFuture.java:273)
    at java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture.completeThrowable(CompletableFuture.java:280)
    at java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture.uniCompose(CompletableFuture.java:961)
    at java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture$UniCompose.tryFire(CompletableFuture.java:926)
    at java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture$Completion.run(CompletableFuture.java:442)
    at play.core.j.HttpExecutionContext$$anon$2.run(HttpExecutionContext.scala:56)
    at play.core.j.HttpExecutionContext$$anon$2.run(HttpExecutionContext.scala:56)
    at akka.dispatch.TaskInvocation.run(AbstractDispatcher.scala:39)
    at akka.dispatch.ForkJoinExecutorConfigurator$AkkaForkJoinTask.exec(AbstractDispatcher.scala:415)
    at scala.concurrent.forkjoin.ForkJoinTask.doExec(ForkJoinTask.java:260)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: null
    at be.objectify.deadbolt.java.cache.DefaultSubjectCache.apply(DefaultSubjectCache.java:80)
    at be.objectify.deadbolt.java.cache.DefaultSubjectCache.apply(DefaultSubjectCache.java:38)
    at be.objectify.deadbolt.java.ConstraintLogic.getSubject(ConstraintLogic.java:348)
    at be.objectify.deadbolt.java.ConstraintLogic.subjectTest(ConstraintLogic.java:116)
    at be.objectify.deadbolt.java.ConstraintLogic.subjectPresent(ConstraintLogic.java:72)
    at be.objectify.deadbolt.java.actions.SubjectPresentAction.lambda$testSubject$129(SubjectPresentAction.java:91)
    at java.util.Optional.orElseGet(Optional.java:267)
    at be.objectify.deadbolt.java.actions.AbstractSubjectAction.lambda$execute$118(AbstractSubjectAction.java:76)
    at java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture.uniCompose(CompletableFuture.java:952)
    at java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture$UniCompose.tryFire(CompletableFuture.java:926)

My code looks like this:
In class implementing DeadboltHandler
@Override
public CompletionStage<Optional<? extends Subject>> getSubject(Context elContext) {
    return CompletableFuture.supplyAsync(
        () -> {
            try {
                return Optional.ofNullable(da.getUser(Integer.parseInt( elContext.session().get("userId"))));
            } catch (Exception e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
                return null;
            }
        });
}

where is has a constructor:
DataAccess da;

DeadboltSecureHandler(Database db){
    da = new DataAccess(db);
}

And in class implementing HandlerCache
@Inject
public DeadboltHandlerCache(Database db){
    DeadboltHandler defaultHandler = new DeadboltSecureHandler(db);
    handlers.put(HandlerKeys.DEFAULT.key, defaultHandler);
}

@Override
public DeadboltHandler apply(final String key){
    return handlers.get(key);
}

@Override
public DeadboltHandler get(){
    return defaultHandler;
}

Any ideas what I've messed up?

A: A few things...
The deadboltHandler you're using is null, and the most likely explanation for this is HandlerKeys.DEFAULT.key is not the same as be.objectify.deadbolt.java.ConfigKeys.DEFAULT_HANDLER_KEY.
If you check the documentation, you'll find the following bit (which leads me to guess you're using a version of Deadbolt older than 2.5.3):

Note the use of ConfigKeys.DEFAULT_HANDLER_KEY - this is the default handler key specified by all annotations. In previous versions of Deadbolt, annotation-driven constraints would use HandlerCache#apply(DEFAULT_HANDLER_KEY) to obtain the handler and so the default handler had to be associated with DEFAULT_HANDLER_KEY. As of Deadbolt 2.5.3, this has been improved and any annotation-driven constraint using the default handler key will instead use HandlerCache#get.

The next issue you're going to hit with your current code is:
When you return null, you're breaking the contract of the getSubject method.  Whenever something returns CompletionStage<Optional<? extends Subject>>, the CompletionStage must contain an Optional.  Instead of returning null, return Optional.empty().


text:
Can Greg Schneider steer the Claims Conference past a $57m fraud?
By Uriel Heilman, JTA • Published July 9, 2012
BEYOND FRAUD: A JTA SPECIAL REPORT PART I: FROM FARM TO (NEGOTIATING) TABLE NEW YORK (JTA) — The first sign that something was amiss at the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany happened to fall on an auspicious date on the Jewish calendar:...
Journalists apologize to Claims Conference
JTA • Published March 19, 2012
JERUSALEM -- Two Israeli journalists apologized to the Claims Conference over a film they made about the organization as part of the settlement of a libel lawsuit. Orly Vilnai and Guy Meroz, and their Shamayim Productions Ltd. company, issued the written...
Holocaust Museum seeks local Holocaust victims entitled to 'Claims Conference' funds
The St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center is putting out the word that new funds are available for those who survived or fled the Holocaust. The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) (www.claimscon.org) announced...
Shoah insurance bill reignites controversy
Ron Kampeas • Published June 22, 2011
WASHINGTON — It's becoming a D.C. perennial: Every two years, a new Congress is ushered in and lawmakers from Florida herald a bill that once and for all will bring insurance companies to account for swindling Holocaust survivors.And every two years,...
Israel taking Holocaust restitution into its own hands
By Uriel Heilman, JTA • Published May 2, 2011
NEW YORK — The Israeli government is firing a new salvo in the turf war over Holocaust restitution. Following years of complaints by survivors about opacity and unjust allocation decisions by the Claims Conference, and after two decades of what critics...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A while ago, [Paul Stoffregen], the creator of the Teensy family of microcontrollers dug into the most popular Arduino library for driving TFT LCDs. The Teensy isn't an Arduino – it's much faster – but [Paul]'s library does everything more efficiently.
Even when using a standard Arduino, there are still speed and efficiency gains to be made when driving a TFT. [Xark] recently released his re-mix of the Adafruit GFX library and LCD drivers. It's several times faster than the Adafruit library, so just in case you haven't moved on the Teensy platform yet, this is the way to use one of these repurposed cell phone displays.
After reading about [Paul]'s experience with improving the TFT library for the Teensy, [Xark] grabbed an Arduino, an LCD, and an Open Workbench Logic Sniffer to see where the inefficiencies in the Adafruit library were. These displays are driven via SPI, where the clock signal goes low for every byte shifted out over the data line. With the Adafruit library, there was a lot of wasted time in between each clock signal, and with the right code the performance could be improved dramatically.
The writeup on how [Xark] improved the code for these displays is fantastic, and the results are impressive; he can fill a screen with pixels at about 13FPS, making games that don't redraw too much of the screen at any one time a real possibility.
What is the relevance of or benefit of this over http://ugfx.org/? How many different raw display boards and output boards can this package support?
Adafruit's GFX is far simpler, supporting only basic drawing primitives – points, lines, rectangles, circles, text. Smaller. Easier to get working on the intended hardware. Easier to port. Better for someone just starting out and wanting to push some pixels to their new LCD.
This is due to the fact that we don't / didn't work on the port for the Teensy ourself. It is a userwh is / was working on that.
When we're provided with hardware we port our library to any system.
Many companies, manufacturers and DIY people send us boards to get a proper port. If adequate we add the ports to the library in order to list them as officially supported.
if fast spi is needed why not just choose a microcontroller that supports dma?
Where is the fun in optimizing that? :-) I already had a Teensy 3.1 if I just wanted faster LCD use. The purpose was to see just how fast an 8-bit AVR could run this code as an optimization "exercise" (and also provide a "drop-in" software library that can speed up existing user's sketches on the same hardware).
Did you see the assembly "game" + somewhat optimized LCD screen software written the other day?
Yes! I have seen that project. Very impressive. I especially love the way he got color on 16MHz AVR.
I have done a some work with "bit-banged" video on AVR (with a "re-mixed" TVout that uses tiled characters), but so far it has all been black and white (and mostly tech-demo, no real playable game yet). https://imgur.com/IgsmEY3 https://i.imgur.com/gNyTb6u.jpg and a sprite test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imk5ony8JHI .
Andre Lamothe added colour to one of his consoles, I think the smallest PIC-based one, by using a selectable delay line chip. He feeds the colour burst into the input, then just by selecting how far along the delay line you want to use as the output, he can give the necessary phases for colour on composite video. Seems a quick and easy way of doing it. Same sort of colour Atari used for their 8-bit computers, and the 2600 console.
Of course it only works with composite displays, NTSC or PAL needing some software tweaks. But it works! The info's all on the web to look up, and I think in the free downloadable part of his E-book.
While the hardware supports DMA, Paul's library didn't use it. (at least when I looked at it last year.) Freescale had a brain dead design in their DMA that required interleaving each *single* transfer with SPI setup making it a moot point for block transfer. Paul's Arduino is pretty fast as it tries to keep the FIFO filled. Yes, someone did made a DMA SPI driver by using software chip select.
I was involved in porting DMA SPI over to ChibiOS for the K22 (mostly testing/tweaking). It was difficult to use DMA to block fill the FIFO, so ended up using single DMA transfer. There was quite a bit of DMA setup overhead for each request though, but yes the SPI was fully utilized and leaving the CPU to do something else. In my case, it is a RTOS so the cycles can get utilized by other tasks. Not so much for Arduino unless you coded it that way.
Freescale had a brain dead design in their DMA that required interleaving each *single* transfer with SPI setup making it a moot point for block transfer.
I don't quite understand what you mean by this. Can you explain it in another way please?
* The SPI hardware has chip select signals, but they need to be activated by asserting the appropriate bits in the upper half-word of PUSHR.
* Short writes to PUSHR are filled with zeros, i.e. they will clear previously set bits in the upper half-word of PUSHR. It would be cool if the SPI kept these bits during short writes.
* The above two points are also true for the transfer attribute select bits and other control bits in PUSHR.
>This boils down to this thing can't do much more than an AVR SPI if you want DMA. In fact, the resulting code I've come up with looks pretty much like my AVR code that handles SPI transfers in the background. On the plus side, as we can't use the hardware CS signals, we are forced to implement our own CS scheme, which in turn can be anything we like. We can even place the chip selects on an I²C port expander, if such madness is necessary.
So if you were to want to use their hardware chip select line, you would have to alternate each data byte/word with an upper half word for the setting in your buffer. Fine for a single transfer, but you are really using DMA for a block transfer (e.g. SD memory) or you won't bother in the first place.
The short write fills the upper half word is not documented, meaning that they do not intend people to use it. So by design they want people to fill a large buffer with alternating data and setting – if that's not brain dead, I don't know what is.
Yes, that will indeed save you a few cycles per SPI operation, and can be an easy optimization (as long as you can guarantee you won't try to send "too fast"). However, just doing that would, I believe, not have squeezed nearly as many cycles from this library. Removing the "this" pointer overhead (both passing and accessing) and virtual calling overhead was pretty significant also. Also toggling /CS and DC "too often", careful inlining etc. It all adds up.
Interesting writeup – well constructed and presented. I've limited interest in software development but I still read the whole thing. I also have some of those displays that I've been using with the Adafruit library so some definite practical value for me.
I know it can be a bit of a task, but good technical writing that follows a story from recognition of a problem through to solution is a great learning aid for people outside that field.
Gcc 5.1 does devirtualization now for optimization. Even 4.9.2 is noticably better than 4.8.1, especially when it comes to link-time optimization.
Another thing to watch out in the Adafruit libraries is that their bit-bang SPI is not well optimized. I wrote an implementation that is 3x faster.
And instead of fastpin you can go back to Wiring (what Arduino was forked from) to get a fast digitalWrite.
Another reason yet why I've stayed away from arduino – wonderful for knocking together some hardware for a quick proof of concept, but libraries are a crutch that no-one ever seems to understand, they just borrow someone else's code and make simple calls to it, never realizing how poorly a lot of it is written. If it works for what you need, great. But often times the is a far simpler, easier, and better way of doing things that people never knew was there because they only know how to put together a sketch.
Now the monster is so huge and out of control, you could spend a lifetime re-writing the libraries to optimize them and get the most bang for your buck. it comes full circle when you start writing your stuff from the floor up because its more efficient and you know what's going on.
We're raising a whole generation of "coders" who don't actually know how to "code"! how is this a good thing?
I don't think it's an issue of them not knowing how to code. I think it's more an issue of high-level programming vs. low level programming.
For most high-level programmers, you look for a library to do it for you instead of rolling your own because you don't want to expend the effort. However, for coders like you and me, working low-level can be fun and more satisfying than using what someone else wrote. So the high-level coders rely on us to find those mistakes and fix them.
it's interesting, you see this loop of coding skills and techniques repeating over time. I see the same optimisations here as i've seen happen in the past with different areas. what is old is new again. people will say, keeping it understandable is part of the goal but you can do both. there are a lot of people who've only used scripting languages and not really caring.
partially its just part of the current mantra, take whats out there, or bang up something that works and let other people make it better and call that part of the system, just make it good enough to be able to sell it and pass the buck on.
there is a misguided notion that it doesn't have to be that fast for people learning, it is just not true since there are a lot of things you wouldn't be able to achieve with mediocre performance and a lot of people won't have the same ability, time or simply want to be able to make it better.. not being able to get the end result due to a lack of say refresh speed can be frustrating for someone only wanting to dip the toes in.
i don't think its as much of raising a generation of coders who can't code, i think its more raising a lot of people who don't want to be coders, but do want to be involved in hacking stuff together to do neat things. like using a hammer doesn't mean you need to know about how to make one.
decent core libraries are great, but these companies aren't in it for that, they're electronics box shifters getting it out to as many as possible. the next gen radio shack.
That's a bad analogy. A hammer is not an abstraction, whereas code libraries are.
If you don't understand how electronics works, then putting something together that works reliably is difficult, and debugging problems is near impossible.
its a good enough analogy to show you do not need to understand underlying mechanisms to do what a considerable amount of what the people buying things like this are doing, and they are doing. feel free to choose a different tool to use for analogy. maybe a car is better, its got lots of electronics, code and complex interactions but its abstracted down to a few easy to use controls.
because we can do this things we tend to look at it from that perspective, but these things are mostly toys with interfaces that have gotten much simpler. i've seen people who know nothing about electronics or much coding getting things together. a good abstraction allows you to hide the innards well.
The first time I drove an LCD, I did it on a PIC. Starting with a simple example library provided with it, that was written for the MSP430, and commented mostly in Chinese.
Within an hour, I had it running. Within a day, I had it running 300% faster. In two days, I had it completely rewritten as a protothread, where drawing ops are pushed into a ring buffer rather than immediately drawn. The actual drawing routine can be called when the CPU has spare time, and it checks a global flag every few pixels that causes it to exit and release the SPI bus; with the checks performed almost exclusively while waiting for SPI transfers to complete, so there's little speed penalty. An "interrupt" can occur even in the middle of an op, like drawing a line/rect/circle/char, it resumes the op when next called. This allows it to be "interrupted" by things running in non-interrupt context, and multitask fluidly regardless of whether a preemptive multitasking kernel is used.
Regardless of how cool that may be to me, I would NEVER release that as example code, or even as a general-purpose library. Should someone want to port that, or add features to it, it would be significantly harder for them to understand well enough to do so. In fact I bet that if my own, current code was somehow sent back in time, and provided to me as an example when I was just starting out with a LCD, if it didn't work on the first try I would probably reject it and look for something simpler.
Simple non-optimized code has its place.
And I'll add that complex, cut/paste spaghetti code has no place. On many occasions I've "optimized" other people's mostly by deleting superfluous code, streamlining what is left so it flows well. The resulting code runs faster, takes less space, and is easier to maintain.


September 21 was a special day for our client, the Stewart Home & School. This marks the celebration of their 125th Founder's Day. Several Stewart family members were in attendance, as well as leadership, friends of the School, staff and students. The students put on a wonderful performance of singing and dancing; a great afternoon was had by all who attended. Schaefer General Contracting would like to thank our established client, Stewart Home & School for inviting us to be a part of this special day, and for working with us on the new Health Center facility on campus. We are nearing completion and will have some great photos to show soon. Thanks everyone for a great project~!


text:
Don Lemon Praises Fox News Hosts For Criticizing Trump And Barr
Dimitrios KambourisGetty Images
CNN's Don Lemon praised two Fox News hosts for criticizing President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr on Friday, Mediaite reports.
Lemon commended host Chris Wallace, and legal analyst Andrew Napolitano. Lemon said that Wallace "plays it straight on his show," and praised Napolitano, while condemning the conservative network for pandering to conservatives and Trump supporters.
He divided Fox News employees into two categories — entertainers and journalists — suggesting that Wallace and Napolitano belong in the latter, while those who say what their viewership wants to hear belong in the first category.
"They have entertainers over there who get on the air and spout what they think their base wants to hear. They also have a couple real journalists over there and a lawyer who can call it straight."
It is somewhat surprising that Lemon, one of CNN's most familiar faces, is complimenting the most popular conservative network's employees, but given that both Wallace and Napolitano have recently broken out of the Fox News mold, criticizing both the president and members of his administration, his praise is perhaps not as unusual as it may seem at a glance.
As The Hill reported, on Friday, Wallace discussed Barr's controversial interview with Bill Hemmer, echoing a Democratic talking point and suggesting that the attorney general is "advocating" Trump's "point of view." Wallace reminded the viewers that Trump has long complained about not having a loyal attorney general, at least according to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report, opining that he appears to have finally found one in William Barr.
"The attorney general seemed almost to be acting as the counselor for the defense, the counselor for the president, rather than the attorney general, talking about his motives, his emotions," the host said.
Fox News' Chris Wallace says Trump has a new fixer and it's Bill Barr: He "clearly is protecting" Trump https://t.co/FemkYaWwNo
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) May 17, 2019
As detailed by a previous Inquisitr report, Barr's statements were widely condemned, since the attorney general appeared to echo Trump, suggesting that the president's 2016 campaign had been unlawfully spied on. In agreement with Trump, Barr also said that the origins of Robert Mueller's Russia inquiry need to be investigated.
Legal analyst Andrew Napolitano did not take aim at Barr, choosing to focus on Trump instead. As Newsweek reported, Napolitano accused the president of violating the supreme law of the country; according to the judge, Trump violated the Constitution's separation of powers three time during the past week alone.
Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano says Trump has violated the separation of powers three times in the last week alone.
Napolitano says Trump has been "abandoning separation of powers Madison so carefully crafted," calls it a "very dangerous trend." https://t.co/GHv5HinkMA pic.twitter.com/90xoQEOWi4
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 17, 2019
This was not the first time for Napolitano to rip into the president. Trump has taken notice of the criticism, slamming the legal analyst in late April. According to Slate, Trump claims that Napolitano became "very hostile" in retaliation for not being nominated to the Supreme Court.


text:
Tom Kemper recently retired after five years as the executive director of Central Oregon's public housing authority. (Photo by Celeste Noche)
Tom Kemper harnessed knowledge in law, finance and development to build hundreds of affordable-housing units
by Amanda Waldroupe | 20 Apr 2018
If you ask anyone in Central Oregon who has been the most productive developer of affordable-housing units in the region, you will get the same name over and over again: Tom Kemper.
Kemper retired as the executive director of Housing Works, Central Oregon's public housing authority, this month after working in that position for five years.
His time as executive director may have been brief, but he has made an indelible impact on Central Oregon's stock of affordable housing.
Under his leadership, Housing Works has nearly doubled the number of affordable-housing units the agency operates; it has developed more than 400 units, bringing the authority's portfolio to a little over 1,000.
"Without a doubt, he's changed the landscape of affordable housing in Central Oregon," said Lynne McConnell, the city of Bend's affordable-housing manager. "Just by the productivity of (Housing Works) and putting units on the ground."
Kemper leaves behind a legacy of creating housing, as well as a reputation as a visionary thinker who made Housing Works the largest provider of affordable housing in Central Oregon by harnessing his knowledge of law, financing and housing development – a combination of skills many say, in a housing developer, is a rarity.
In person, Kemper is energetic and dynamic, with broad shoulders and an intense gaze. He has a Lyndon Johnson-esque intensity about him, especially when he is talking about affordable-housing finance and development.
Those who have worked with him described him as a go-getter, a mover and a shaker, and a hard-nosed businessman who knows how to bring a development to fruition and "make the deal go" – a phrase often spoken by Kemper.
Kemper, 65, became Housing Works' executive director after consulting with and working as a development partner for the housing authority since the mid-1990s. As the founder of Kemper Co., a real estate development and consulting firm, he worked with Housing Works as a partner in the development of three affordable-housing complexes, including Putnam Pointe, a mixed-use development with commercial space and affordable housing in Bend.
He originally started out in law, with degrees from Lewis & Clark College and New York University. He worked as in-house counsel for PacifiCorp and later co-founded ScanlanKemperBard, a real estate merchant bank. Some of the bank's early investments included investing in bonds issued by public housing authorities, including Housing Works.
Kemper's experience in finance, law and development, many say, has been integral to Housing Works' success.
"Tom has a unique skill set that you don't see in a lot of other people," said Peter Baer, president of Pinnacle Architecture, which has designed numerous projects for Housing Works.
"Developers always see opportunities," Baer said. But Kemper is able to see some that others cannot. "He's very innovative."
FURTHER READING: As Central Oregon's population spikes, so does its housing crisis
A small plot of land, owned by the city of Bend, sits on Northeast Forbes Road, across from Lava Lanes Bowling Alley and Pilot Butte in eastern Bend. This year, the city decided to open a competitive bidding process for the plot, giving the land, for free, to a developer willing to build affordable housing.
The plot consists of two narrow strips of land with an access road cutting in between them. A high-tension power line runs across the southern end of the plot, which makes it impossible for heavy construction equipment to drive through.
A small plot on Northeast Forbes Road in Bend is "weird," Tom Kemper acknowledges, but he has a plan for building housing there.
Image from Google Earth
When the city put the land out for bid, McConnell predicted that few would apply.
"It is a funky little thing," McConnell said of the plot. "You don't look at it and think, 'Oh, we could build a house here.'"
Kemper does.
"We just sat down and thought about it. We're creative. Let's figure it out!" Kemper said.
He admits that the plot is an improbable choice for development. "It is weird!" he said, laughing.
Housing Works has applied for tax-credit funding from the Oregon Housing and Community Services agency, which will allow the housing authority to move forward with construction. Housing Works plans to build 32 units on the land, along with 5,000 feet of office space on the ground floor that will be reserved for Housing Works' property management company and office space for social service agencies. Preference will be given to people who have HIV, are victims of domestic violence or are developmentally disabled.
The housing units will have project-based Section 8 vouchers attached to the units, meaning people who move in will have two-thirds of their rent paid for by the federal Section 8 program.
"He might have actually been the only applicant for that city surplus lot," McConnell said. "He was the only one who had that vision of how to make it work."
Housing Works' development of Ochoco School Crossing is another example of an improbable affordable-housing development.
Ochoco School Crossing is a 29-unit apartment complex being built from the conversion of Ochoco Grade School, the oldest school in Prineville, which closed in 2015 after a new elementary school was built.
The Crook County School District put the school and the six acres of land around it up for sale that year. After touring the building, Kemper said, he immediately wrote a letter of interest to the school board "and went after it." Within six weeks, Housing Works had purchased the property and began planning the conversion.
"Most people would have just torn it down and done something commercial on it," Kemper said. "We looked at it and (thought), we think we can preserve the building."
Last fall, construction began on 29 units for lower-income renters – a combination of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments. Two-bedroom units make up the bulk of the complex; the 800-square-foot classrooms, Kemper explained, were most conducive to that size of apartment.
The development is on 6 acres of land. In addition to housing, Housing Works will lease a separate building, which was once the cafeteria, to NeighborImpact, a social services agency, to open a Head Start school.
Housing Works is also leasing another building, which used to be the gym, to Crook County Parks and Recreation, which will rehabilitate the building to become a community recreation center. There is additional land on the back of the property that Housing Works gave to the Parks District, which will build a pocket park.
With the exception of demolishing interior clay brick walls and replacing them with walls that are more seismically sound, little had to be done to the building to convert it into an apartment complex.
The complex is expected to open this fall.
The completion of Ochoco School Crossing is not the only project Housing Works is working on this year, or even this month. The frenzy of construction, beginning or nearing completion, makes the housing authority a plate spinner of housing development.
Most recently, on March 20, Housing Works broke ground on two projects, the Village Meadow Apartments, a 48-unit apartment complex in Sisters, and the LaPine Townhomes, a 42-unit subdivision. All the units will be affordable to people who make 60 percent of the area median income, or $38,400 a year for a family of four.
Earlier in March, Housing Works received certificates of occupancy – the last step in housing construction before anyone can move in – for Daggett Townhomes, a 24-unit housing development in Bend. Late last year, the authority received certificates of occupancy for the Moonlight Townhomes, a 29-unit development near the St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.
"It's just constant," McConnell said.
"We've been very focused on trying to increase housing units throughout Central Oregon," Kemper said. "There's not enough affordable housing in Central Oregon."
During his time at Housing Works, the authority has developed single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and apartment complexes like Ochoco School Crossing.
Some developers are willing to build only certain kinds of housing, such as single-family homes. When asked why he is willing to build all manner of housing types, Kemper became quizzical.
"Why wouldn't you?" he said.
He ardently believes building an array of housing types, especially multifamily housing, is essential to solving Central Oregon's shortage of affordable housing, given that Central Oregon's demographics are changing and people, depending upon their lifestyles, prefer different kinds of housing.
"The issue really is who's going to want to live in those places," Kemper said. "You have to think about who's (moving here) and make sure you've got housing for those people."
Millennials, for instance, may prefer to live in an apartment. Retired seniors either want a single-family home or a condominium that doesn't require a lot of upkeep.
Housing Works builds housing for those who make 60 percent of the area median income, about $38,400 a year for a family of four, or less. A family making that amount of money can afford a mortgage between $188,000 and $245,000, according to a report on Bend's housing market by Portland-based economic consulting firm ECONorthwest, depending upon the down payment. A home for sale in that range is practically impossible to find in Central Oregon; the average sale price of a home in Bend, according to the Redmond-based real estate company Beacon Appraisal Group, was $418,000 in 2017.
Housing Works has begun developing for-sale homes that it sells to the homeowner while maintaining ownership of the property that the house is on, known as a ground lease. That means the homeowner's mortgage doesn't include the cost of the land, which significantly drives down the amount they pay.
Housing Works developed six homes in the NW Crossing, an affluent and trendy neighborhood on the west side of Bend where home prices easily exceed $1 million, "where people would kill to live," Kemper said. There are working-class families living in that neighborhood whose combined income is around $48,000.
Housing Works last year also built seven homes in Skygate, a 45-home subdivision in Sisters. The city of Sisters has a policy akin to inclusionary zoning, which requires any development to make 10 percent of the developed units affordable to people who make below 60 percent of the area median income.
Skygate's developer was required to build the homes but chose instead to sell the lots to Housing Works for $5,000, and Housing Works built the seven homes, ground-leasing them to the new homeowners, so that the homes were able to sell for $180,000.
Kemper admitted that in the days when he was in private development, he probably would not have developed those homes.
"It would depend," he said. "If you were getting big prices on the other homes and that absorbed your loss, that would make sense."
Central Oregon's housing stock is predominantly single-family homes, and developers still want to build that kind of housing.
"You can make money doing that," Kemper said. "It's an easy business."
It gets to the biggest problem in affordable housing – how to pay for it.
"You can only build what you can finance," Kemper said. "That's the problem."
Housing affordable to low-income earners is the most difficult to build, despite the fact that it is needed the most.
Costs of construction and development often are paid for by loans and debt service financed by a bank, on the guarantee that the money will be paid back via the sale of a home or the market rents of an apartment unit.
In a white hot housing market like Portland or Bend, financiers know they'll get a return on the investment – the home will sell quickly, for a price likely above market value, given the competition. The same is true of new apartment buildings, given how much landlords can charge for rent.
But that scenario does not apply to affordable housing. Because rents are subsidized, sometimes deeply, the money generated from renters or low-income homeowners is not enough to pay for the development. Financing for affordable housing thus is not entirely paid for by bank loans or financing.
The amount of money generated from rent is generally around half the cost to develop the building. That leaves at least half the development costs unaccounted for, which is often referred to as "gap financing."
"My world is trying to find gap financing," Kemper said. "That's the trick."
The spectrum of funding sources that Kemper, like any other affordable-housing developer, needs to apply for includes Low Income Housing Tax Credits, available through Oregon Housing and Community Services, which provide 4 percent and 9 percent tax credits for affordable-housing projects.
"Nine percent tax credits are the golden ticket," Kemper said. "A 9 percent tax credit will give you 70 percent of the financing. Four percent tax credits help. A 4 percent (credit) is 30 to 40 percent of your financing."
Then there are at least a half-dozen other funding sources to go after, including bank loans or bonds; funds administered by the state's General Housing Account Program, which is funded by the state's document recording fee when real estate transactions are filed; and exemptions from paying system development charges, which are between $20,000 and $30,000 for each building built to pay for city utilities, such as sewer, water, roads and parks infrastructure.
The two housing developments in Sisters and LaPine are financed together, and Kemper can rattle off the funding streams for the projects as if he were reciting the day's grocery list or the lines of a favorite song.
It's a $17 million deal. Housing Works issued bonds, took out $6 million in debt and got $5 million in tax credit equity. The city of Sisters contributed $300,000 to the development there. LaPine gave Housing Works the land the townhomes are being built on. Housing Works is contributing $1 million toward the development. Another bank loan paid $3.4 million. And nearly $400,000 came from the General Housing Account Program.
"That's eight stacks of financing to get that deal done," Kemper said. "It's crazy. It's hard."
The Oregon Legislature tripled the amount of money generated by the document recording fee, from $20 to $60, during its February 2018 session. The increase will generate an estimated $30 million each year for affordable-housing projects, which Kemper thinks is a boon to affordable-housing development.
"That's huge!" Kemper said. "That's gap money to make deals go. That'll be the difference between whether a deal goes through or not."
Half a million dollars may not sound like a lot in a deal worth $17 million, but it is the hardest to find.
"It's those last dollars," Kemper said. "It's all the difference in the world.
"And if I have a $10 million deal, I can get 4 percent tax credits and I can get a loan and I can get the city to kick in an SDC (system development charge) exemption; I'm at $9 million," Kemper said. "I'll carry my developer fee. I'll even put in some money, but that last million bucks is what's going to make that deal go."
Kemper, although he is retired, is still working. Financing of the Forbes Road development is yet to be finished. He now lives full time in Southwest Portland (he had lived in Central Oregon during the week and in Portland on weekends). He plans to travel with his wife and spend time with his family, but he's also interested in turning his developer's eye to a problem closer to home: Portland's homelessness.
"It's affecting the very character of Portland as a city," he said. "You can't have people camping in downtown Portland. You need to create a place for them to be."
He said he's been communicating with Homer Williams, one of the founders of the nonprofit Harbor of Hope. Williams announced this month that the organization intends to build a "navigation center" in the Pearl District for people experiencing homelessness, following a $1.5 million contribution from Columbia Sportswear owner Tim Boyle.
Kemper is interested in micro-housing – including single room occupancy, or SRO, housing – for the same reason he pursued the housing he developed at Housing Works: There are plenty of people who want to live in it, and it's what they can afford.
Housing Rural Oregon, housing crisis
Tillamook Creamery partners with locals to tackle area housing shortage
In Prineville, 'the builders can't even build fast enough'
In rural Oregon, trips to food banks are the new normal


text:
Early Voting Now Underway In Lone Star State
Credit: Brand X Pictures, ThinkStock
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texans who've registered to vote have the opportunity to cast ballots early for the Nov. 8 general election.
Early voting began Monday and runs through Nov. 4 as Texans make their choices for president and other races.
Voters must present one of seven acceptable forms of photo identification. Some examples are a Texas driver's license, a U.S. military identification card, a U.S. passport or a Texas license to carry a handgun.
Secretary of State Carlos Cascos earlier this month announced Texas set a record for statewide registered voters at more than 15 million. That means nearly 78 percent of the state's estimated voting age population of 19.3 million has registered.
Texas had more than 13. 6 million registered voters during the 2012 presidential election.
Filed Under: record, statewide registered voters, Texas, through Nov. 4
Categories: Associated Press, News


text:
Staff in the News
Making and Breaking the Law
Wealth and Poverty
A&S Departments
OHIO Compass
Research Communications
Alumni News | Chapman Finds Career Success with Quidel
Nate Chapman
by Kristin Distel
Ohio University alum Nate Chapman '04 has put his Biological Sciences degree to work every day for the past 14 years right here in Athens—at Quidel Corp. on East State Street.
Chapman works as the Associate Director of Molecular Manufacturing, a position that requires him to oversee the production of Quidel's molecular assays.
Connect with Nate Chapman on LinkedIn.
Chapman heads up a team of employees that consists exclusively of OHIO graduates, including two alums from Biological Sciences and one from Chemistry & Biochemistry. The team focuses on molecular production and new product transfers.
"My team is responsible not only for making the assays that we have currently cleared with the FDA—all of the assays that we make for my department are FDA-cleared—but also for transferring new products from Research & Development. We work with our R&D facilities in Boston and San Diego to do test lots and small production runs, and we scale things up along the way, to where we eventually transfer the product. We produce it here and go to market with it once we have FDA clearance," Chapman explains.
Bringing Cutting-Edge Product Segments to Market
Quidel's Athens branch current has three core product segments that target different markets and areas of the medical device market. These three product segments are Lyra, AmpliVue, and Solana.
"One of our assays is called the Lyra product line, which is a traditional PCR product [and] a moderate- to high-complex type assay. That's targeting high-throughput, large labs, like Quest and LabCorp. Then we have our AmpliVue product line, which was one of our early product lines that uses a very unique PCR-type assay. It's meant for small-throughput labs. Our newest product is the Solana assay, which is meant for almost anyone: moderate- to high-throughput labs. It uses a very simple process to bring PCR to everyone," Chapman explains.
'Are Their Science Jobs Available?'
Chapman participated in the College of Arts & Sciences 2018 Career and Networking Week. He notes that the opportunity to help current students learn about career opportunities in the sciences was a great pleasure—and precisely the type of guidance he himself needed while he was an OHIO undergraduate.
His original plan was to attend medical school and become a physician, in part because he was unsure of the career opportunities available to people earning biology degrees.
"I asked myself, 'What do I have to offer to the industry? Are there science jobs available?' I didn't know what jobs were out there for somebody with my background, especially since I couldn't teach and I wasn't ready to go back to school just yet. Talking to people from the industry, whether it be the chemistry side of industry, or something like DuPont, would have been incredibly useful," he states.
He explains that talking with current students and encouraging them to gain work experience here in Athens was a privilege.
"I said to several students, 'I think it's great that you're going to go work for a particular company, but maybe consider spending a couple years in Athens after you graduate getting your feet wet.' Students should see if this is a path they want to go down. If it is, great! We'd love to have them. Plus, the job you start in doesn't have to be your lifetime job. You have to get a feel for what jobs are available to know what you're interested in doing long-term," he suggests.
RSVP to the Career and Networking Week and view a schedule of events here.
Seeking Employees with Initiative
Hiring and training new employees is a key part of Chapman's work with Quidel. He explains that applicants' résumés are not the sole determining factor in whether they are hired.
"I would much rather hear somebody say 'I really haven't had a lot of lab experience, but I really enjoyed the time I spent in this lab doing this very specific thing.' To me, that says that they remember something very specific that stuck with them. Even though they don't have a lot of experience, the experience that they do have meant something to them. It's emphasizing what's important to you from your education, as opposed to just letting me know that you got an education," Chapman remarks.
He notes that explaining in an interview why one "enjoyed a particular class or kept a certain textbook" can have a tremendous impact in an interview and demonstrate the applicant's passion and interests.
"Not everybody is going to be passionate about bulking reagents, but coming in and describing personal experience that had an impact on you goes a long way to making a connection," he adds.
Additionally, while practical experience and academic success are certainly advantages, Chapman is especially interested in hiring employees who come to work with an open mind and an eagerness to learn.
"I would much rather have someone who's going to come in and let me mold them, as opposed to somebody who's going to come in and tell me that they know how to do the job already. Some students really try and give their best effort; maybe their grades don't show that they're the best in the class, but they're showing investment. Those are the types of people I would love to have steered in our direction—people who are invested in what they're putting out, not only the people who have the best grades," Chapman explains.
From Student Worker to Award Winner
Chapman looks back on his time as an OHIO student with great fondness, and he is grateful for the sense of diligence he developed as a student and employee.
"When I was in school, I gave 100 percent, and not just to my classes, but I also worked in the dining hall and started off washing dishes. Hard work, studying, and giving your all really can pay off. Patience is an important part of that."
Chapman's patience and industry have indeed paid off. In addition to his rewarding career with Quidel, he has been recognized by the City of Athens for his outstanding work ethic. In 2016, the Athens Chamber of Commerce named Chapman the Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
"That was definitely an honor," Chapman says. "It made me feel like I'd made an achievement, that I was appreciated, that all the hard work I've put in really paid off."
Jumpstart Your Career
Information about careers with Quidel is available on the company's website. Queries about internship opportunities may be directed to Laura Davidson, Human Resources Senior Manager, at 800-874-1517.
About Quidel
Quidel Corp. is a leading manufacturer of diagnostic healthcare solutions serving to enhance the health and well-being of people around the globe with well-known and respected products that provide healthcare professionals with accurate and cost-effective diagnostic information at the point of care. Its core competencies and capabilities focus on immunoassay and molecular testing in the areas of infectious disease, women's health, and virology.
Quidel is headquartered in San Diego, with research and manufacturing operations in Ohio, Massachusetts, and Germany. Quidel and Ohio University are working together to support alumni in pursuit of rewarding career opportunities.
alumni, biological Sciences alumni, biological Sciences news, career corner, internships, Nate Chapman, Quidel
Alumni News | McCarley Becomes Quidel's Associate Director of OperationsApril 28, 2019
Happy Beginnings | Stevens Excels in Quality Control at QuidelApril 27, 2019
Career Corner | Quidel Offers Wide Range of Employment for STEM MajorsMarch 19, 2019
Quidel Joins Fight Against COVID-19 Outbreak with Fast, Accurate Diagnostic ToolMarch 21, 2020
Financial Times Quotes Dutcher on Creativity and Serendipitous Conversations
WTRF Quotes Spiker on Certification of Electoral Votes
Insider Higher Ed Reviews Brian Collins' Square Peg Podcast Series
Negash Sheds Light on the Current Conflict in the Horn of Africa
The Nation Reviews Mattson Book on Punk Rock
Washington Post Quotes Jellison on First Lady Blasting Critics
Krzic Quoted on South Korea Survival Boxes Sent to Peace Corps Alumni
Ivan Crespo: Dr. Lima rocks!…
Rita Connolly: We are so proud of you. Grandpa and I can't wait to see you.…
lori: Sterling--Go directly to Disney for info: https://jobs.disne…
lori: Thanks for the note!…
Andrew Stuart: Hello, You need to fix the headline on this article, it's Me…
Singh Interviewed on Pakistani Television, Book Published in His Honor 14 comments
Living Through 1970 Closure, Campus Riots and Protests 12 comments
Luring Bobcats with 'Chanel #5 for Kitties' 11 comments
Singh's New Book Examines Far-Reaching Impact of India's Partition 10 comments
Geography Professor's Name To Adorn Hill Near His Former Home 8 comments
Sasquatch DNA: A Red-Haired Sister to Humans? 7 comments
Lit Fest | Spring 2017 Literary Festival is April 5-7 7 comments
Popescu Lab Takes on 4-Year Study of Bobcats Returning 'Home' to Ohio 7 comments
Singh Discusses Sikh Ideals of Equality, Social Justice at White House Celebration 6 comments
Before Maize, Relative of Quinoa Fed Ohio Valley 3,000 Years Ago 5 comments
Copyright © 2021 Ohio University | College of Arts & Sciences. All Rights Reserved.


One of the purposes of the Chinese Lunar New Year is to provide the people with joy and easily digested movie entertainment. Therefore, the stars all turn up in mostly romantic comedies that make millions at the box office. Good for them, good for Hong Kong's economy but not good if you're after actual quality filmmaking. Those are the rules and I accept that. However the star filled Fantasia, Wai Ka-Fai's first solo directing gig since the wonderfully manic Too Many Ways To Be No.1, seemed to have one goal; to ACTUALLY provide something akin to great fun. Something few movies at that time of year or any time of year even come near to achieving.
You can tap into the 80s era of Hong Kong cinema and find fun aspects, even the 90s, but undoubtedly director/producer/co-writer Wai Ka-Fai wanted to put on a colorful show and what better way than to give us a movie concentrating on icons of 1970s Hong Kong cinema, most notably the Hui brothers.
Despite my attempt at a plot synopsis, Fantasia really is a lot like that famous quote from Seinfeld; "It's a show about nothing!" But if that worked for Michael Hui when directing comedy classics such as The Private Eyes and Security Unlimited, it can work for Wai Ka-Fai as well, right? You bet! Together with Johnnie To, Wai is one of the premier creative forces at Milkyway but when directing separately, they have shown two different, very distinguishable styles. Johnnie favors quietness, subtlety, understated nature to his films and Wai have primarily so far gone for the completely insane, fast paced route, most evident in the mentioned Too Many Ways To Be No.1 (also starring Lau Ching Wan and Francis Ng). How unlikely it may seem for you when watching Fantasia, proceedings and atmosphere are at least 10 times calmer compared to that film but overall it presents a relentlessly fast paced and insanely funny plotless ride. In actuality, Wai has remade The Private Eyes to a large extent and added touches of his with references to Security Unlimited, Aces Go Places, Jurassic Park and the Harry Potter movies. Since he's choosen the former film as his main palette, it also means that the entire movie really just is a series of skits barely strung together by a main plot device but we're talking very barely here.
It's useless to compile a list of what the highlights are in this film because, especially in the first half, every scenario is a triumph in the way it references the previous films by Michael Hui and the way Wai himself adds elements (the CGI creature Bug being one such noticeable element). The movie ultimately belongs to Lau Ching Wan and Francis Ng, playing characters or rather the screen personas of Michael Hui and Sek Kin (the real Sek Kin was the villain in The Private Eyes) respectively. If there ever was a time in my review career that I had to use the word rock, it's now! These veteran actors absolutely rock and Lau as the bullying character of Michael, absolutely nails his impression of Michael Hui. Lau has good comedic instincts, as seen in La Brassiere, but that he was going to be able to come this close to the great timing of Michael Hui, I could never have imagined. You're in for a treat.
That leads to a scene that should be discussed as it connects to these two men's performances. I'll have you know that the Johnnie To & Wai Ka-Fai directed Lunar New Year comedy of 2002, Fat Choi Spirit made me downright angry because it was easily digested filmmaking at its worst and all that Mahjong playing didn't do much to enhance the experience for me either. Now, I still don't know the game of mahjong but Fantasia gives us a fantastic scene involving that. Michael has, unbeknownst, to him been given luck in mahjong by Bobo and trying to avoid winning too much, he discards the tiles, mainly in his mouth while Kin is threatening him with death because he obviously thinks he's cheating. Lau lives perfectly up to the trademark Hui reacting in this very painful scene while Francis, mugging so much in this film he might pop any minute, in a good way, simply put is hysterical here (and for most of the film). One other scene that threatened to fall flat is actually Louis Koo's big Bruce Lee scene. For most of the time, it's not very well executed and Koo isn't as well in tune with Bruce as Sammo Hung was in Enter The Fat Dragon for instance. What saves this scene and makes it one of the most memorable in the film is an unexpected twist that further solidifies Fantasia's entertainment factor. The filmmakers seem to run out of the steam for a few minutes towards the middle though and no wonder, neither audiences or the makers can sustain that energy forever.
Rest of the star cast do well, especially Jordan Chan, doing the Ricky Hui character from The Private Eyes, as Fugu. Ricky was always the underdog in these films but incredibly likable because of it and Jordan brings that nicely to his performance. An almost unrecognizable Cecilia Cheung I would have to say provides what she should but is not nearly as memorable. Hard to shine though especially when you're acting against Ng and Lau. Louis Koo stands somewhere in the middle also but displays good signs of that silly energy needed. Even The Twins (Gillian Chung and Charlene Choi) manages to create laughs in their attempts at emulating Kin. Yes, much of this film is about imitation and exaggeration but as said, it wouldn't be the great experience it is without it. Also appearing is Eric Kot, Cheung Tat-Ming, Christy Chung, Wong You Nam and a surprise cameo by the end by none other than...come on, that you can figure that out by yourself! Let's just say that Lau Ching Wan's work gets full respect when this moment occurs.
Even without beforehand knowledge of the movies it references, Fantasia should be very enjoyable but do yourself a favour anyway and familiarize yourself with The Private Eyes first (and even Security Unlimited). Then you'll fully appreciate this wonderfully entertaining and fun Lunar New Year comedy. It brings back an energy to these films akin to the New year's efforts such as Eighth Happiness while standing on its own two feet despite being one big imitation. It is a movie about absolutely nothing and I've never had a more easier time to summarize it all despite that. What great fun!
Mei Ah's 1.78:1 framed anamorphic presentation only suffers from some light damage on the print but showcases the eye popping colours of this show very well.
The Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1 track mostly livens up the front stage and does so fairly well. One wish it had a little bit more dynamic but this draws you in to a good degree still. Cantonese DTS 5.1 and Mandarin 5.1 tracks are also available.
The English subtitles presented no problems whatsoever and only a slight mistime in one dialogue scene was the only error I could spot. Traditional and simplified Chinese subtitles are also included.
Mei Ah have actually provided a little bit more special features than usual, starting with the making of (7 minutes, 49 seconds). It only comes with burned in Chinese subtitles so little here is of interest for non-Cantonese speakers. The behind the scenes footage of the kitchen fight, with the stand in for the CGI character of Bug is fun to see though as well as the cast working with the action directors but the program as a whole, is a one watch show. The MTV (1 minute, 53 seconds) is less of a music video and more a reel of movie clips intercut with the actors "singing" along to theme song of the film. The brief Outtakes Footage (1 minute, 2 second) is fun while it lasts, especially to see poor Lau Ching Wan do extended takes of Bruce Lee war cries and handling sausage chucks at the same time. Best Buy section holds trailers for The Legendary La Roise Noire 92 and the animated feature The Butterfly Lovers.
Here's for the big revelation and a sure sign that armageddon is upon us. Mei Ah's Data Bank section actually has content in it outside of the plot synopsis screen and cast & crew listing! Interview of main cast (7 minutes), again has Chinese subtitles only. In the style of the making of, Lau Ching Wan, Cecilia Cheung, Louis Koo, Francis Ng, Jordan Chan, Gillian Chung & Charlene Choi and Christy Chung are interviewed respectively in combination with movie clips and behind the scenes footage. Again, the shots of Gillian and Charlene working with the action choreographers is the only noteworthy bit here that us non-Cantonese speakers can appreciate.
Interview of director (56 seconds) Obviously over before it stars, short interview bites and Wai Ka-Fai working on set can be seen in this segment. Interview of singer (24 seconds) rounds off the Data Bank section.
Finally, the trailer for Fantasia ends the special features section. To get English subtitles for extras is not a given on Hong Kong dvd's but Mei Ah including a little bit more than usual is noteworthy. They haven't lived up to the great initiative on the Men Suddenly In Black set (the Cantonese audio commentary came with English subtitles) but their current wonderful remastering of their back catalogue is enough to forgive the inclusion of Chinese subtitles only on this, a release of a recent film.


text:
Why Modi's appeal to Twitter trolls is too little, too late
'I actually deeply admire, respect and like Modi. So the fact that I was threatened with rape and acid attacks by his bhakts deeply saddened me.'
Meghna Pant
Jul 06, 2015 · 12:30 pm
In March, I wrote an article exhorting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stem sectarian violence against the Christian community. The article went viral and it opened, as actress Shruti Seth describes it, the "floodgates of hell" for me. Like her, I was barraged with hate-filled tweets for days on end.
Initially the trolls started a diatribe telling me that I was a bitch, a bimbo, a moron, a stupid person and an Adarsh Liberal. Then they began accusing me of being a presstitute, paid media and of taking money from rival political parties to write down my opinion. Then they threatened to file lawsuits against me under different sections of the IPC. They said I'd be booked for hate speech and my "links" would be questioned. I was unperturbed by this utter silliness.
When the trolls couldn't evoke a response from me, they became personal and vicious. This is when I started getting scared. Some of them began to comment on my body and my face. Someone called me a prostitute. One man threatened to find out where I lived and rape me. Another man threatened to hunt me down at a public event and throw acid on me.
It's hard to describe the kind of fear I began to feel, but it was somewhat like being publically lynched.
I started blocking the troll accounts and reported a few overtly vitriolic ones for abuse. I had a public talk that day, ironically about power women who write, and I began to feel that it might be unsafe for me to attend the event. Still, I went, but I spend the entire session feeling vulnerable and exposed. My eyes were glued to the door almost expecting a man to walk in with a bottle of acid in his hands.
Two days later, when the onslaught somewhat abated, my fear turned to anger. No one had the right to do this to me. It was one thing to attack my work, but it was another thing to attack me for being a woman. I began to look closely at the Twitter accounts of those who were abusing and threatening me. Many of them were right-wing extremists claiming to be proud Hindu nationalists, Namo fans and Modi bhakts.
Now the thing is that I actually deeply admire, respect and like Modi. Modi is the kind of leader that India needs, as he strives to do great things for our country and works damn hard at it. So the fact that I was threatened with rape and acid attacks by his bhakts deeply saddened me. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
I couldn't imagine that these were the kind of bhakts that a great leader like Modi would want. Bhakts who resorted to abuse as an answer to dissent. Bhakts who send messages to women that were violent, abusive or sexual. Letting a handful of trolls derail his plans for a billion-plus people is not what Modi deserves.
True devotees
A true bhakt would strengthen Modi's national agenda, not vilify it. Instead of threatening to rape a woman for stating her opinion, a bhakt would find ways to stop rape. A true bhakt would dare women to think, to dissent, and to question so that the daughters and mothers whom Modi is trying to empower truly become empowered.
Such Modi bhakts are distancing Modi fans from him, especially women. And this is a sad thing for a leader of Modi's calibre and ambition, who needs thinkers more than he needs chamchas.
Actress Shruti Seth's open letter may have compelled Modi to urge his supporters on social media to steer clear of abuse, but he may be too late. His supporters have already unleashed too much damage on Twitter.
Modi needs to seriously crack down on this hatred and intimidation that is taking place in his name. Cyber harassment should be made illegal. Threatening to rape a woman just because she voiced her opinion should be made punishable by law.
Abuse is not acceptable in real life and it is certainly not acceptable on Twitter.
Choosing to speak up
Like any woman faced with cyber abuse, I can remain silent. But I choose not to. Because I refuse to let women become the repository of shame in matters of abuse. For too long we've carried the onus of misogyny and patriarchy.
I will not be scared into silence. I will not let the women of my country be silenced. No one, not trolls nor threats, will stop us women from stating opinions that matter to us, our nation and, most importantly, should matter to those who claim to be Modi bhakts. And if we do scare the women of our nation into silence then, Mr Modi, our democracy will have a huge problem in our hands.
And not even your bhakts can troll their way out of that one.
Launching satellites is no longer a big deal for ISRO – it needs to set higher goals


text:
La Societat Cultural i Recreativa La Cumprativa és una entitat cultural creada el 1918 a Llorenç del Penedès. El 2018 va rebre la Creu de Sant Jordi.

Referències

Creus de Sant Jordi 2018
Llorenç del Penedès

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement is the result of months of writing, years of research, and a lifetime of trying to get it right. It's your blueprint for achieving Absolute Engagement, which our research links both to growth and well-being.
The book will give you the tools to: take stock, intentionally design a business that supports the life you really want to live, and align your client and team experience with that personal vision.
Get a sneak peek! Chapter One: Life, Discontent and Possibility will help you understand the 'fulfillment flatline' and provides the framework for Absolute Engagement.
Too often we are just doing the work and we don't actually engage with our business to figure out what's meaningful and relevant. Julie Littlechild has managed to capture all of the most important considerations and boil them down to an understandable step-by-step approach to making change. Filled with education, information, insights and action-oriented assessments to complete, this book inevitably leads you to important "ah-hahs!" that allow you to create a vision and execute on it. Well written and thoughtful, it's an easy read but -- if you follow Julie's steps – it will most definitely have significant impact on your practice or firm.
Julie Littlechild has written the blueprint that will—if you allow it—change your professional life and make it possible to live in the financial services space on your own terms.
With Absolute Engagement, Julie Littlechild gives advisors the key to a better business and a better life—and figured out how you can make the two go together. What a wake-up call! Every advisor should read this book!
Being in your own business is a very personal experience. It starts with a dream and if you're lucky the dream evolves into an extension of you, your value systems and beliefs. Too often business owners let their vision be co-opted into something they don't recognize.  Following Julie's formula for first starting with personal vision and then actively designing your service delivery system will help you get the right clients and customers every time.  Read this book, do the exercises and find your own path that will add value to you and your customers.  You'll be glad you did.
This book and the accompanying workbook are must 'read-and-engage' tools for top financial advisors and their teams, and also for those aspiring to become top advisors.  Julie knows this space first hand as an entrepreneur herself, and applies much of what she's learned about what's most important, both personally and professionally, to drive Absolute Engagement. She's presented the information in a way that enables the reader to go to work, with Absolute Engagement in their firm and their life as an expected outcome.  Once you get started with the exercises at the end of chapter one, you won't want to put it down.
A fabulous collection of insights, ideas and tips in order to truly achieve the life and the business that you want. With a combination of facts, guidance and personal exercises, the book absolute engages and certainly hits the spot.
This is a brilliant 21st century business book that will help financial services entrepreneurs get back to what they love. As I read it I was constantly reminded and re-focused on the things that really matter; client engagement, the higher purpose underpinning any business, and the importance of keeping balance and good health as part of the journey. It's been written by a person who knows her subject inside out and has clearly lived it too. I'd recommend it to all advisers.
I have been coaching financial advisors for 25 years. During that time, I have often referred them to Julie Littlechild's research on Client Engagement. For much of that same 25 years, I have been hoping that Julie would share her insights in a book, so they would become more widely known. The truth is, however, that I am glad she waited until now, because the value of her knowledge has just increased exponentially.
Within The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement, Julie elevates the concept of "engagement" to a whole new level of meaning as a powerful force in the development of an advisor's vision for their life as well as their business. It is the perfect foundation on which to build a truly "engaged" practice. I now have a potent, yet very practical addition to my coaching tools. Thanks Julie!
The secret to a more successful business is client engagement. And the secret to client engagement is for you to be fully engaged in your business. In The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement, Littlechild takes you step by step through creating a vision and putting together the right clients, the right service mix and the right role so you can be fully engaged in your vision. Overcome the pressures of overwork, difficult clients, management and competition. When you have a business and a role that inspires you, you will be inspiring.
I wish Julie had written this book several years ago. As long-time, single-company business owner, I have at times struggled with many of the concepts Julie addresses in this book: the push/pull between business and personal commitments, periods of quiet discontent or downright frustration, breakthrough and the triumph of success – and still, at times, wondering if when I look back at my life I'll be 100% happy with the choices I've made, the chances I took, and the impact I made over the course of time. Written in a conversational, engaging way, this book confirms what I've known for many years: Julie Littlechild is a wise and measured person with terrific insights to share. If you want to push past "the fulfillment flat line", read this book and consider her advice.
President and CEO, Impact Communications, Inc.
Two thirds of advisors say they have either drifted from the original vision they had for their businesses or know (deep down) that what's important to them has changed along the way. Like you, they want and need to re-energize and create a compelling vision for the future of their business and to take action on that vision. The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement provides you with a clear blueprint.
Experience the benefits of Absolute Engagement, which advisors report as higher revenue, less stress, better health and more time spent doing the work you love.
Julie Littlechild is a speaker, writer and the Founder of AbsoluteEngagement.com.
She helps successful professionals and entrepreneurs design businesses that support the lives they want to live and to create lives that fuel their capacity to do just that. Julie has worked with and studied top producing professionals, their clients and their teams for twenty years. She is a recognized expert on driving deeper engagement and growth and the author of a popular blog. She sat on the national board of the Financial Planning Association from 2010 – 2013, was twice identified as one of the 25 Most Influential People in Financial Planning by Investment Advisor Magazine and won the Influencer Award in practice management from Financial Planning Magazine. She works in the US, Canada, UK and Europe and holds an MBA from the University of Toronto.


World Cup winner Marco Amelia joined Chelsea on a free transfer earlier this month and the former Italian international has confirmed his conversation with Jose Mourinho that paved the way for his transfer.
Amelia was handed a contract by the Premier League champions after a long term injury to Thibaut Courtois.
The Belgian picked up an unfortunate knee injury against Swansea earlier this season and was been ruled out for two months.
The Belgian is set to return to action by the end of November and in the meantime Mourinho decided to sign the former AC Milan keeper as a backup to Asmir Begovic.
Amelia revealed that he sent a text to the Chelsea staff regarding his availability and offered to help out if they need a keeper in the absence of Courtois. Mourinho responded to his gesture and asked him to train with Chelsea before they could offer him a contract.
"I am a lucky man because after the injury to Thibaut Courtois, I sent a message to Jose Mourinho's staff to ask if they need a goalkeeper.
"And he (Mourinho) called me and said, 'Marco, come here and train with us and then we will decide about you'.
"Then the club called to give me a contract so now I am staying here and I am very happy", he said.
Begovic is a new signing at Chelsea this season and has been in good form since taking over from Courtois.
Despite Amelia's experience Mourinho will want to avoid anymore injuries on the goalkeeper front and will hope that Begovic can continue until Courtois is back.


<>The Special Coagulation laboratory is pleased to announce the completion of the migration of all routine and special coagulation tests to the new Beckman ACL TOP Coagulation Analyzers. This will significantly improve the turnaround times for many assays and allow us to accommodate stat requests that had not been possible with the old methodologies.
*Note that the DRVVT-confirm Test Ratio is a new parameter with a new cut off value. The Test Ratio replaces the previous DRVV-confirm ratio, which had a cut off value of 1.20. Please refer to the PCIS Results Detail screens for more information and clinical interpretation.


Can you participate in this conference?
Would you like to be a part of an upcoming blog hop?
Will you write a guest blog on my site?
Can I have my page listed on your resource page for writers/speakers?
Can you speak at an event I'm coordinating?
I am happy to answer yours!
The best way to contact me is with my Shortwhale contact form.
Just click the link and follow the steps!


ProstateReport.com was created, written, researched and is owned and operated by Fred Buckley. Buckley has been in the health and nutrition industry for over 20 years specializing in men's health formulas. He has sold over 5 billion capsules with many of his products setting sales records as such national retainers as Walmart, GNC, CVS, Rite Aide and Walgreens. He attended Stanford on a football scholarship as a quarterback. He graduated in 1985 with a degree in political science. He is the president and founder of Verified Nutrition, LLC, the developers of ProstaGenix.
"My goal in setting up ProstateReport.com was to have one source men could go to see what is really contained in prostate supplements. I'm 55 years old and I started developing prostate problems a few years ago and realized that many of the supplies of ingredients and manufactures' where not being honest in what is really contained in their prostate products. Often times the ingredients inside the capsule do not match what is stated on the label of the bottle. Many of the companies, either intentionally or unintentionally – are cheating the consumers on what is really in the product. There was no way for the public to know who to believe. So I decided to take it upon myself to test the products at top laboratories," Buckley recently told an audience at a National Health Federation event.
As of this writing I have tested over 180 prostate products from 16 different countries and have spent over $100,000 of my own money to do so. In the process I have uncovered some fantastic products as well as some massive frauds. I believe men interested in improving their prostate health will find this information very valuable.
In doing this research I relied on the help of many people much smarter than myself! Specifically I would like to acknowledge the following people who made this website and crucial information possible.
In my opinion I consider Roger the world's number one expert on natural prostate supplements. His research, insights and books on the subject are second to none. His book – The Natural Prostate Cure is a must read for all men. Roger has a supplement line called Young Again Products – that's where I get most of my non-prostate products. Great formulas, great knowledge and all around great guy. His monthly "economic rant" newsletter that he publishes is always interesting, insightful, innovating and filled with great humor as well!
A researchers researcher. Dan travels the world searching out new health innovations and compounds. He wrote one of the best books every written on natural compounds for your health called, Botanical Medicine: A European Professional Perspective. He wrote a special report for me with his insights on prostate formulas and the various clinical studies on natural prostate compounds he felt were most impressive and showed the most promise for men. He was extremely instrumental in the development of ProstaGenix due to his recommendations and research.
I remember sitting in the French countryside with Dan, my wife Corinne and some of our friends drinking great wine and ….. talking about prostate formulas! Probably the only time two American's were in such a beautiful setting and talked about prostate pills! Great researcher, formulator and super great guy.
They call him "The Vitamin Man" and you may have heard him on the radio. Bill has been on the radio for years giving advice on natural health. He has also written close to a dozen books on health and fitness and natural ingredients. Check out Amazon for all his books. He is literally a walking, talking encyclopedia of natural health knowledge. He has a line of his own products which I also highly recommend as he is maniacal about using the best ingredients to get the best results. Eating lunch with Bill in Beverly Hills one day was so interesting as he broke down everything I ate and what was good about it. . except my tiramisu!
The legendary interviewer did men all over America a huge favor when he agreed to do the television infomercial with Corinne and me on ProstaGenix and ProstateReport.com. So often in the crowded marketplace it is difficult to get noticed, no matter how great your product might be. So when a superstar like Larry stands up and gives you thumbs up it helps everyone. Hopefully you're reading this right here and will get ProstaGenix and improve your prostate health all because Larry caught your eye one day and you decided to watch and listen. That's Great.
Larry was so great to work with and a tremendously nice man. I'm not a TV guy, but he made the process so easy. Plus he is a bigger sports fan than me! We spent tons on time talking sports, from Al Davis to Tommy Lasorda, Jackie Robinson and everyone else you can think of. In addition to his great sense of humor Larry is also an encyclopedia on sports … actually an encyclopedia on pretty much everything!
Scott is the president of America's oldest non profit health freedom organization –TheNHF.org. They recently celebrated their 60th anniversary. That's 60 years of fighting so that you and I are free to make the food and vitamin choices we want. They fight for so many great issues regarding our health and access to health – Scott is a street fighter at the highest level. He was a great source of information on this project and a great friend. You should definitely check out the super information the NHF has on their website and support the NHF – they are a great organization and my wife Corinne and I are happy to support them every year.
15 Emmy winner and the producer/director of the infomercial. George is a Hollywood legend, and one of super great guy!
My wife of 29-years was the real star of this entire endeavor! The key ingredient in ProstaGenix that makes it better than all the other products on the market comes from the Landes' Forest in France. I discovered this on a fluke when Corinne and I were over in France and I went into a health food store and started asking questions like I always do. If we hadn't been in Paris this never would have happened.
Corinne was also by my side every step of the way from the first lab test to the last and I think her enthusiasm for the product was even greater than mine! But Corinne really played the pivotal role in getting our website such exposure because it was Corinne who got Larry King involved in this project! We see Larry around town all the time, Corinne knew he was a customer of ProstaGenix and she went up to him at breakfast one morning and talked to him, and that's how we ended up doing the TV infomercial.
Finally, I hope this website and the work I put together helps you. You have to be proactive when it comes to your prostate health. You must change your diet and eat right. That's #1. Try and lose weight and stay as trim as you can. Get rid of the obvious bad habits like smoking and heavy drinking and stop eating junk food. Stay away from sugar as much as you can. Sugar is poison. – literally. Exercise is important. It doesn't have to be a ton of exercise, even just walking around your neighborhood a few times a week can be a big help. And of course get a smart supplement plan in place. ProstaGenix is a great product that has helped a ton of men and is the perfect centerpiece for your prostate health strategy.
Thank you for coming to the website and for taking the time to read this. Feel free to contact me and I'll do my best to help you out.


text:
Black Freethinkers
E-book – $39.95
Cloth Text – $99.95
Paper Text – $34.95
Christopher Cameron (Author)
Critical Insurgencies
A History of African American Secularism
Christopher Cameron
Black Freethinkers argues that, contrary to historical and popular depictions of African Americans as naturally religious, freethought has been central to black political and intellectual life from the nineteenth century to the present. Freethought encompasses many different schools of thought, including atheism, agnosticism, and nontraditional orientations such as deism and paganism.
Christopher Cameron suggests an alternative origin of nonbelief and religious skepticism in America, namely the brutality of the institution of slavery. He also traces the growth of atheism and agnosticism among African Americans in two major political and intellectual movements of the 1920s: the New Negro Renaissance and the growth of black socialism and communism. In a final chapter, he explores the critical importance of freethought among participants in the civil rights and Black Power movements of the 1960s and 1970s.
Examining a wealth of sources, including slave narratives, travel accounts, novels, poetry, memoirs, newspapers, and archival sources such as church records, sermons, and letters, the study follows the lives and contributions of well-known figures, including Frederick Douglass, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, and Alice Walker, as well as lesser-known thinkers such as Louise Thompson Patterson, Sarah Webster Fabio, and David Cincore.
CHRISTOPHER CAMERON is an associate professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is the founder of the African American Intellectual History Society, the author of To Plead Our Own Cause: African Americans in Massachusetts and the Making of the Antislavery Movement, and a coeditor of New Perspectives on the Black Intellectual Tradition (Northwestern, 2018).
"Cameron offers a compelling survey of African American freethought across two centuries. Rather than treating secularism as a regulatory discourse of modern statecraft, Cameron unpacks the alienations, arguments, and aspirations of black secularists themselves. He brings depth and clarity to an aspect of African American religious history rarely given the sustained attention it deserves." —Leigh Eric Schmidt, author of Hearing Things: Religion, Illusion, and the American Enlightenment
"In African American intellectual history, religious skepticism, agnosticism, atheism, and secular humanism have long been lost in the shadow of the black church. Taking a closer look at the evidence, Cameron shows that the experience of slavery and the degradations of proslavery Christianity also led some enslaved and free blacks in the nineteenth century to varieties of unbelief. This tradition laid a foundation for the next century, from the Harlem Renaissance to the Black Power movement and beyond. With deft readings of a host of fascinating figures, Cameron shows how black freethinkers made important interventions in American culture." —Christopher Grasso, author of Skepticism and American Faith: From the Revolution to the Civil War