The Los Angeles River Projects Status Reports prepared by the City Administrative Officer can be here.
The most recent Los Angeles River Projects 2013-2014 Status Report can be found here.
The responsibilities of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LACDPW) include the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of roads, bridges, airports, sewers, water supply, flood control, water quality, and water conservation facilities as well as for the design and construction of capital projects.
With similar goals, the City of Los Angeles' 2007 Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan builds upon the County of Los Angeles' 1996 Los Angeles River Master Plan, but specifically focuses on the 32 miles of the River within the City.
For more information on the County of Los Angeles Los Angeles River Master Plan and its watershed, click here.
California Coastal Conservancy -- The Coastal Conservancy acts with others to preserve, protect and restore the resources of the California Coast. Their vision is of a beautiful, restored and accessible coastline. The South Coast region extends from Ventura County to the Mexican Border. It is known for its beautiful beaches, moderate climate and rich biodiversity. The region is defined by the coastal plains of several major rivers and is bounded by the Transverse Mountain Ranges.
California Department of Water Resources -- The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is responsible for managing and protecting California's water. DWR works with other agencies to benefit the state's people, and to protect, restore and enhance the natural and human environments. Their work includes important planning frameworks such as the California Water Plan and the Bay Delta Conservation Plan.
California Resources Agency -- The mission of the California Resources Agency is to restore, protect and manage the state's natural, historical and cultural resources for current and future generations using creative approaches and solutions based on science, collaboration and respect for all the communities and interests involved. Numerous bond programs, including River Parkways, are available through this agency.
California State Parks – California State Parks contains the largest and most diverse natural and cultural heritage holdings of any state agency in the nation. State park units include underwater preserves, reserves, and parks; redwood, rhododendron, and wildlife reserves; state beaches, recreation areas, wilderness areas, and reservoirs; state historic parks, historic homes, Spanish era adobe buildings, including museums, visitor centers, cultural reserves, and preserves; as well as lighthouses, ghost towns, waterslides, conference centers, and off-highway vehicle parks. Theyprovide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Serving as anchors along the Los Angeles River, State Parks has acquired and manages Los Angeles State Historic Park and Rio de Los Angeles State Park.
Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) -- The MRCA is dedicated to the preservation and management of local open space and parkland, watershed lands, trails, and wildlife habitat. The MRCA manages and provides ranger services for almost 60,000 acres of public lands and parks that it owns and that are owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) , or other agencies, and provides comprehensive education and interpretation programs for the public. The MRCA works in cooperation with the Conservancy and other local government partners to acquire parkland, participate in vital planning processes, and complete major park improvement projects. The MRCA provides natural resources and scientific expertise, critical regional planning services, park construction services, park operations, fire prevention, ranger services, educational and leadership programs for thousands of youth each year, and is one of the lead agencies providing for the revitalization of the Los Angeles River. The websiteLAMountains.com is a service of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and is maintained by the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority. It includes a listing of SMMC parks along the Los Angeles River in the San Fernando Valley region and downstream of Griffith Park. In addition, the MRCA is currently managing a recreation program in a portion of the Glendale Narrows section of the Los Angeles River.
San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy -- The San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy was created by the California legislature in 1999. One of nine conservancies within the California Resources Agency, their mission is to preserve open space and habitat in order to provide for low-impact recreation and educational uses, wildlife habitat restoration and protection, and watershed improvements within their jurisdiction. Their territory covers eastern Los Angeles County and western Orange County. This vast and varied area includes mountains, valleys, rivers, coastal plain, and coastline.
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy -- Through direct action, alliances, partnerships, and joint powers authorities, the Conservancy's mission is to strategically buy back, preserve, protect, restore, and enhance treasured pieces of Southern California to form an interlinking system of urban, rural and river parks, open space, trails, and wildlife habitats that are easily accessible to the general public. They have helped to preserve over 69,000 acres of parkland in both wilderness and urban settings, and have improved more than 114 public recreational facilities throughout Southern California.
The Urban Waters Federal Partnership aims to stimulate regional and local economies, create local jobs, improve quality of life, and protect Americans' health by revitalizing urban waterways in under-served communities across the country. The Los Angeles River pilot is one of several nationally recognized programs under the Urban Waters Federal Partnership. The Urban Waters Federal Partnership is fostering collaboration and communication to bring attention and change to the river.
"The Urban Waters Federal Partnership established seven Urban Waters Pilot locations in June of 2011, with the goal of working closely with local partners to restore urban waterways. Cleaning up and restoring local water resources is essential to protecting Americans' health and improving their overall quality of life. Revitalizing urban waterways will also reconnect citizens to open spaces, and will have a positive economic impact on local businesses, tourism and property values, as well as spur private investment and job creation in these communities..."
President Obama launched the America's Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative to develop a 21st Century conservation and recreation agenda. AGO takes as its premise that lasting conservation solutions should come from the American people - that the protection of our natural heritage is a non-partisan objective that is shared by all Americans. Instead of dictating policies, this initiative turns to communities for local, grassroots conservation initiatives. Instead of growing bureaucracy, it calls for reworking inefficient policies and making the federal government a better partner with states, tribes, and local communities. In 2010 the America's Great Outdoors Initiative held a listening session in Los Angeles where communities were able to express their priorities regarding the river, recreation, and open space.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development's $28 million Community Challenge Planning Grant Program fosters reform and reduces barriers to achieving affordable, economically vital, and sustainable communities. Such efforts may include amending or replacing local master plans, zoning codes, and building codes, either on a jurisdiction-wide basis or in a specific neighborhood, district, corridor, or sector to promote mixed-use development, affordable housing, the reuse of older buildings and structures for new purposes, and similar activities with the goal of promoting sustainability at the local or neighborhood level. The Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program is being initiated in close coordination with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), co-leaders with HUD in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. In Los Angeles this grant has been awarded to fund the Northeast Los Angeles Riverfront Collaborative.
Similar to the City of Los Angeles Sister Cities program, an International "Sister Rivers" program began in 2006 to foster information sharing and the gathering of best practices from restoration projects around the world.
Environmental and community groups have been a driving force in efforts to revitalize the Los Angeles River. Fueled by a passion for the river, what it was in the past and what it can be in the future, these groups have inspired, initiated, developed, and sponsored projects to make the river more safe, accessible, healthy, and beautiful.
The intent of this page is to provide a list of active organizations related to the Los Angeles River for informational purposes. No specific endorsement of any group or groups is intended or implied.
Over the past nine years Amigos de los Rios has worked as a liaison between the community and public agencies to facilitate the collaborative effort known as the Emerald Necklace. When complete, the Emerald Necklace Regional Park Network would unify a vast region of Southern California from the desert through the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, by linking more than 1,500 acres of parks and open spaces along an interconnected green-way around Rio Hondo, San Gabriel and the lower Los Angeles Rivers. The Emerald Necklace Vision Plan was inspired by the 1929 Olmsted Bartholomew Plan, designed for the Los Angeles area by the Olmsted Brothers – John Charles and Frederick Law Jr., sons of Frederick Law Olmsted. Like their father's emerald necklace design the plan set out a system of parks and parkways, children's playgrounds, and public beaches, which incorporated the Los Angeles, Rio Hondo and San Gabriel River watershed areas.
Anahuak Youth Soccer Association (AYSA) is a non-profit children's sports organization. They provide group team soccer opportunities to children whose families cannot afford the fees charged by other local programs. AYSA also provides a social network for youth and their families and community leaders. They are actively involved in providing environmental educational opportunities along the Los Angeles River for the youth they serve.?
The Arroyo Seco Foundation (ASF) was founded by Charles Lummis more than one hundred years ago to preserve and promote the Arroyo Seco, one of Southern California's greatest natural treasures. Lummis was a journalist, poet and photographer who walked from Ohio to California in 1884 and became editor of the LA Times. The Arroyo Seco Foundation was revived in 1989 to continue his vision. Since then they have planted several thousand native trees in the Arroyo, participated in and led major planning efforts, educated the public about the riches of the Arroyo, and most importantly worked to restore and enhance the natural splendor of the Arroyo, a major tributary to the Los Angeles River, for future generations.
The Center's mission is to inspire people to experience, understand and care for the local natural world. The nature-based education and community programs at Debs Park are designed to engage children and their families in the outdoor world, and to give them a personal stake in its protection by making environmental issues relevant to their lives. The Center is operated by Audubon California, a state field program of National Audubon Society, and is a vital part of Audubon's national outreach initiative to engage Latino audiences. The Center, which is surrounded by predominately Latino neighborhoods, is a unique gathering place and dynamic focal point for outdoor recreation, environmental education and conservation action.
The mission of The City Project is to achieve equal justice, democracy, and livability for all. They carry out this mission by influencing the investment of public resources to achieve results that are equitable, enhance human health and the environment, and promote economic vitality for all communities. Focusing on parks and recreation, playgrounds, schools, health, and transit, they help bring people together to define the kind of community where they want to live and raise children. The City Project works with diverse coalitions in strategic campaigns to shape public policy and law, and to serve the needs of the community as defined by the community including work along the Los Angeles River.
Formerly the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council, the Council for Watershed Health is a non-profit organization of community groups, government agencies, business and academia working cooperatively to solve problems in the watershed. Its mission is to facilitate an inclusive consensus process to preserve, restore, and enhance the economic, social, and ecological health of the region's watersheds through education, research, and planning.
The team behind the Not A Cornfield project in Downtown Los Angeles became Farmlab, a short-term multi-disciplinary investigation of land use issues that are related to sustainability, livability, and health. Metabolic Studio is introducing LA Noria, the first water wheel connecting the Los Angeles River in 135 Years. LA Noria will bend the Los Angeles River and deliver water to the planned wetlands at the downtown Los Angeles State Historic Park or other adjacent open spaces. It is being conceived in combnination with ongoing conversations about water to commemorate the centenary of the LA Aqueduct.
Friends of Atwater Village (FAV) was founded in May 2000 by a group of concerned citizens. They are "hands on" group of volunteers working to improve their neighborhood, from river clean-ups to mural projects and more. FAV encourages responsible urban gardening, landscaping, and community plantings as well as promotion of local history including that of the Los Angeles River.
FOLAR is a non-profit organization founded in 1986, whose mission is to protect and restore the natural and historic heritage of the Los Angeles River and its riparian habitat through inclusive planning, education and wise stewardship. One of the oldest and best-known grassroots organizations devoted to the L A River, they offer river tours as well as their annual river clean-up known as La Gran Limpieza.
Green LA's purpose is to build a strong movement to win campaigns to transform Los Angeles into a sustainable city. The operating principles that guide their collaboration are inclusiveness; democratic participation with a commitment to hear diverse voices; transparency and accountability. Restoring our urban ecosystems means bringing nature back to our overly paved, gray urban core. Green LA's work on this monumental task is being done by three committees of its Urban Ecosystems Work Group - the Verde Coalition/Open Space Committee, the Water Committee, and the Urban Ecosystems Committee.
Heal the Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to making Southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean since 1985. They use research, education, community action and advocacy to pursue their mission.
The mission of Los Angeles Audubon is to promote the enjoyment and protection of birds and other wildlife through recreation, education, conservation and restoration.
The primary mission of the LA Conservation Corps is to provide at-risk young adults and school-aged youth with opportunities for success by providing them with job skills training, education and work experience with an emphasis on conservation and service projects that benefit the community. The LA River Corps Program, in partnership with the City of LA's Community Development Department and the Board of Public Works' Bureau of Sanitization, is working to restore and revitalize sections of the LA River. Youth working on this project are providing clean up service at various project sites along the LA River. The services include litter abatement, graffiti removal and vegetation management. This project combines classroom education with outdoor experience for corps members. They participate in education and training sessions covering topics such as watershed habitat, native landscaping, river hydrology, ecology, and water quality management efforts for the River.
Founded in 1998, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) works to build a better, more bike-able Los Angeles County. LACBC is the only membership-based nonprofit organization working exclusively for the millions of people who ride bikes in Los Angeles County. They organize the annual Los Angeles River Ride and through advocacy, education and outreach, bring together the diverse bicycling community in a united mission to make the entire L.A. region a safe and enjoyable place to ride.
L.A. Creek Freak is a blog featuring links, posts, and educational information towards healthy Southern California streams, creeks, rivers and neighborhoods and much more!
Mujeres de la Tierra is a nonprofit environmental equity organization. Their mission is to support women and families interested in becoming active participants and decision makers in environmental issues impacting their neighborhoods in the Southern California area. They do this by creating a network of trained community leaders to lead, speak and act with a collective and influential voice.
The NRDC is one of the nation's most effective environmental action groups, combining the grassroots power of 1.4 million members and online activists with the courtroom clout and expertise of more than 350 lawyers, scientists and other professionals. NRDC was founded in 1970 by a group of law students and attorneys at the forefront of the environmental movement. Their staff work with businesses, elected leaders, and community groups on the biggest issues we face today: curbing global warming and creating a clean energy future, reviving the world's oceans, defending endangered wildlife and wild places, preventing pollution, ensuring safe and sufficient water, and fostering sustainable communities.
The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. They are working with communities to make a positive impact around the world in more than 35 countries, all 50 United States and your backyard, including local rivers in California.
North East Trees is a community based, grassroots, environmental non-profit organization. They design and build parks that provide passive recreation opportunities and serve as gateways to bike paths, pedestrian and equestrian trails. Many are located along the Los Angeles River and local waterways. Founded in 1989 by Mr. Scott Wilson, a retired LAUSD high school teacher and licensed Landscape Architect, Northeast Tree's mission is "to restore nature's services in resource challenged communities, through a collaborative resource development, implementation, and stewardship process. Mr. Wilson's pledge to plant 5 trees a day for the rest of his life, and his parallel commitment to helping at-risk youth find meaningful employment in the green industry, have resulted in a non-profit organization delivering effective training and environmental restoration programs to underserved communities in the greater Los Angeles Area.
Remapping-LA is a project of the REMAP Center at UCLA (Center for Research in Engineering, Media, And Performance). REMAP was created by the School of Theater, Film and Television and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science at UCLA. The Center aims to interweave artistic creativity with engineering invention, engaging significant issues of culture, community, and communication through research, production and education. REMAP aspires to make contributions that enable a diverse, inclusive and community empowering technological cultural environment. Remapping- LA, led by Prof. Fabian Wagmister, is creating a cultural and civic computing center across the street from the Los Angeles State Historic Park. REMAP aspires to make contributions that enable a diverse, inclusive and community-empowering technological cultural environment.
The River Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to planning for natural resource protection, conservation and enhancement in Los Angeles County. Their mission is to encourage responsible management of our watershed lands and revitalization of our rivers for the social, economic and environmental benefit of our communities. Through outreach, advocacy, scientific research and hands-on educational programs, they provide communities with the tools to reclaim their riverfront lands.
Due to development pressures, open space is often targeted for additional building. Save LA River Open Space is an advocacy group working to build the Los Angeles River Natural Park. Located at 4141 Whitsett Avenue in Studio City, the property is the last river-adjacent open space in the San Fernando Valley.
The Trust for Public Land is a national, nonprofit, land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, community gardens, historic sites, rural lands, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since 1972, TPL has worked with willing landowners, community groups, and national, state, and local agencies to complete more than 3,500 land conservation projects in 47 states, protecting 2.5 million acres. Since 1994, TPL has helped states and communities craft and pass over 330 ballot measures, generating almost $25 billion in new conservation-related funding. In Los Angeles, TPL's Parks for People program centers around creating and improving parks, installing Fitness Zones and championing Green Alleys in some of the city's most densely populated, park poor neighborhoods as well as creating a green corridor along the Los Angeles River.
TreePeople is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the Los Angeles area for over three decades. Their work is about "helping nature heal our cities". TreePeople's mission is to inspire, engage and support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, making it safe, healthy, fun and sustainable and to share the process as a model for the world. They offer sustainable solutions to urban ecosystem problems, focusing on three areas: training and supporting communities to plant and care for trees; educating school children and adults about the environment; and working with government agencies on critical water issues.
With a mission of revitalizing cities one river at a time, the Urban Rivers Institute focuses on river story telling, river school practice-oriented training, and an innovative urban river's edge design integrating urban land use needs with sustainability-driven river restoration, using a watershed approach.
Urban Semillas is a community-based, watershed-driven organization promoting socially conscientious reconnaissance and outreach services. Their overarching goal is to educate underserved and monolingual (Spanish-speaking) communities about watershed and social justice issues, and to provide them with community-building skills, thus empowering them to actively participate in local, citywide, statewide, and nationwide planning and policy development.
The Village Gardeners of The Los Angeles River is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the beautification of the Los Angeles River between Coldwater Canyon Avenue and Fulton Avenue, in Studio City & Sherman Oaks, CA. The mission of The Village Gardeners is to lead community in the environmental enhancement of Los Angeles River greenways with emphasis on?conservation, ecology, and restoration of natural habitat, through partnerships with schools, community organizations, and governmental agencies.
The William C. Velasquez Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy analysis organization chartered in 1985. Its purpose is to conduct research aimed at improving the level of political and economic participation in Latino and other underrepresented communities. WCVI, through its Community Development Strategies program, provides its 30,000-member network of community leaders and elected officials with data, analysis, and alternative strategies to help resolve longstanding socioeconomic challenges and problems. Through their Eco-Intern and Earth Day Latino programs they raise awareness about environmental issues including the Los Angeles River.


SquareTrade®, the top-rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers, today announced that its President and CEO Steve Abernethy was named as a finalist for CTIA's annual B!G Idea Awards competition. This year, the awards honor the champions and visionaries who are transforming the mobile ecosystem. The B!G Ideas winners will be announced at CTIA 2013™, taking place May 21-23, 2013 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.
To learn more about the finalists, as well as all the entries, visit http://ctiait.ctia.org/bigIdea/2013/public/index.cfm/viewEntries. To get smarter about CTIA 2013 or to register, visit www.ctia2013.com.


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Treasures from the Yale Film Archive: Crooklyn
Thursday, April 6, 2023 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Crooklyn (Spike Lee, 1994, 115 mins)
Alfre Woodard and Delroy Lindo lead the cast in a semi-autobiographical family tale written by siblings Spike, Joie, and Cinqué Lee. Set 50 years ago in Bed-Stuy, this "warmly nostalgic coming-of-age drama" is "at once street smart and sweetly sentimental" (Joe Leydon). The Staple Singers, Sly Stone, Curtis Mayfield, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder grace the soundtrack.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Christmas and the holiday season are right around the corner, and viewing holiday light displays has been a longstanding seasonal tradition. Whether you are driving around looking at homes and neighbourhoods or enjoying more commercial displays, this is a great way to explore Vancouver. As you continue the house shopping with your real estate agents at Team Kerr, take some time this holiday season to enjoy the city you call home – or will be calling home. The city has countless festivities to help spread holiday cheer, but many locals will agree that some of the best are our holiday light displays. Many places around Vancouver go all-in for the holiday season, but below are three of our favourite annual Christmas light displays.
Stanley Park is a Vancouver staple and a must-visit destination no matter the time of year. During the holiday season, though, this beautiful green space becomes extra special. The Bright Nights Christmas Train and Stanley Park Train Plaza get transformed into a holiday wonderland, complete with millions of bright lights. The train ride is perfect for the kids, and the light displays are enough to turn even the biggest Scrooge into a holiday fanatic.
Similar to Stanley Park, VanDusen Botanical Garden is a beautiful spot to visit year round but really pulls out all the stops over the holidays. Their Festival of Lights is the longest running holiday tradition in the city. With over one million lights illuminating the 15+ acre gardens, this display has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Whether you are looking for a family outing, romantic date, or a place to catch your breath from the multi-faceted home-buying process, the VanDusen Botanical Garden this winter is the place to be.
Enjoy the magic of the Lower Mainland's largest free outdoor lights display at Lafarge Lake in Town Centre Park.
While located a little out of Vancouver proper, Coquitlam's Lights at LaFarge boasts the area's ultimate holiday festivities. Take your family to the shores of LaFarge Lake this Christmas season and enjoy more than 100,000 holiday lights, roving performers, many varying activities for kids, and stages with live music and storytelling. If you are looking to harness the holiday spirit, then there is no better place than Coquitlm's Lights at LaFarge.
It is easy to get wrapped up in the process when shopping for homes or exploring different real estate options. However, this time of year, don't let that stop you from enjoying the holidays and experiencing what Vancouver has to offer to boost your Christmas spirit. Team Kerr's favourite light displays are a start, but the city has countless other options to celebrate the season. Whether you ask your friendly real estate agent for suggestions or discover the magic on your own, you won't be disappointed! Contact us today.


Besides the inadequate method comparison results, there are things like linearity, precision, and carryover with which one cannot use to estimate the distribution of differences.
It's a shame that in this day and age, with so many standards, that the studies have such low information content.
You are currently browsing the Krouwer Consulting blog archives for June, 2012.


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Congress May Rework, Possibly Increase Bush's IT Budget
By Kerry Gildea
With President Bush proposing only a 1 percent increase in spending on information technology in his 2002 budget, industry observers expect lawmakers to make many changes ? and possibly bolster IT spending ? during this year's budget process.
"The president's budget proposal is understated," said Albert Nekimken, vice president of research for Input Inc., a market research firm in Chantilly, Va. "I think spending will go up for IT."
Lawmakers may seek to reverse planned decreases in IT spending for the Justice Department, the military services, NASA and other agencies.
"The main thing to stress is that [the president's budget] is a preliminary proposal and may look quite different after the legislative process," Nekimken said.
In his proposed budget delivered to Congress last month, President Bush recommended spending $44.9 billion on IT in fiscal 2002, only a $429 million increase over IT spending in 2001.
The new budget must be approved by Congress and signed into law by the president. Fiscal 2002 begins this October.
Harris Miller, president of the Information Technology Association of America, said the president's proposal, while containing some important provisions for the IT community, raises questions about the future of certain programs. ITAA, based in Arlington, Va., represents more than 500 high-tech companies, including many systems integrators that do business with government.
Government IT Spending Stays Flat
Planned federal spending on IT products and services in 2002 shows little growth over 2001.
(In $billions)
Annual Growth
2001 $44.4 7.5 %
Source: Input
"Some of the key technology modernization programs undertaken by the federal government are significantly underfunded in the Bush budget," he said in an April 18 statement.
One of those programs, said Miller, is the U.S. Customs Service Automated Commercial Environment program. IBM Corp. of Armonk, N.Y., was awarded a $1.3 billion contract for the program April 27. The Internal Revenue Service modernization also is significantly short of required funds, he said.
ITAA will lobby Congress to provide necessary funding for these programs, Miller said.
Another area likely to get a lot of attention is proposed spending on IT for the Education Department, which received only a 1.5 percent increase from $643 million to $653 million in the president's budget. Nekimken noted that IT support for processing of student financial aid data was cut.
The president's budget, however, provides funding for some specific programs aimed at improving IT education. For example, Miller said the budget contains $200 million to develop the President's Math and Science Partnership initiative to create working partnerships between K-12 schools and institutions of higher learning to encourage math and science education.
It also proposes a significant increase in student loan forgiveness for math and science graduates who teach in "high needs" schools for five years from $5,000 to $17,500 per teacher.
"With the critical shortage of much-needed skilled technology workers, this emphasis on math and science education cannot be underestimated," Miller said.
The State Department received one of the largest boosts in IT funding, a 9 percent increase from $582 million to $634 million. The "long overdue" increases will provide high-profile, critical upgrades in the security and network systems for diplomatic posts around the world, Nekimken said.
The Agriculture Department's IT budget received a 7.5 percent increase from $1.384 billion to $1.488 billion. Nevertheless, the proposed budget is likely to be scrutinized because it cuts funding for natural resource management as well as for modernization and ongoing operations, Nekimken said.
NASA's IT budget, which drops 6 percent from $2.23 billion to $2.096 billion, could also draw attention.
The high-tech industry supports proposed budget increases to fight cybercrime, Miller said. The FBI, for example, received an 8 percent increase to provide for additional technical personnel and development of new technology in this area. And the General Services Administration received a large increase to combat attacks on government systems.
Miller also lauded the proposal's inclusion of a permanent extension of a research and development tax credit, but he said the president needs to take a closer look at the government's overall R&D spending. While the budget proposes medical research funding at significant increases, some of the key nonmedical technology research programs have been frozen or cut, he noted.
"ITAA will work with the administration and Congress to make a case for restoring and increasing federal dollars spent in this area," Miller said.
Some key lawmakers are still reviewing the budget proposal, such as Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., who chairs the Senate Commerce subcommittee on communications and is a member of the Senate Republican High Tech Task Force.
Burns said the administration is taking too long to appoint people to senior information technology posts at the Commerce Department, which could hamper lawmakers as they try to assess the president's proposals.
Officials who are "in the know" need to be in place soon to iron out budget specifics and controversial IT issues like deployment of broadband services and improved communications within the United States and abroad, he said.
Industry representatives expect lively debate as industry, Congress and the administration battle to shape the federal IT budget.
"The government budget process is a lengthy, at times heated, one that will require all sides to make their case," Miller said.


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TfL spends $270 million/year on bike infrastructure.
Parking for 380 bicycles at Paddington Station, London. Image Cyclehoop.
Remarks to the Port Authority of NY&NJ, 5/23/19
Last month, NJ Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg challenged the administration in Washington to come up with a plan to mitigate the "transit Armageddon" that would result from the loss of the Hudson rail tunnels.1
The Senator is correct. Contingency planning for tunnel closure deserves immediate attention. Given the stalemate over funding, and the time to complete construction, replacement tunnels won't come online for at least a decade.2
But congestive failure of the region's transport network is something that can happen anytime, for a host of reasons. Preparing for it is something the region can, and must, do for itself.
And creation of a regional bike grid should be key component of that plan. For successful models, we can look at numerous cities that have invested heavily in cycling to reduce reliance on private cars and to supplement mass transit.
London, for instance, with 8.8 million residents, now invests $270 million per year in cycling infrastructure—$30.68 per pers.3 Transport for London ("TfL") has built extensive bike parking at transit hubs, bike share programs, and a radial network of bike superhighways to connect outer boroughs to its central business district.
In 2017, TfL performed a strategic analysis of its network to provide a framework for future growth.4 Some of those findings are visualized in eight maps below. For scale, London spans 607 square miles, equal to Union, Hudson, Essex, Bergen and Passaic, south of Route 287.5
Figure 1.1 shows bike routes with heaviest current demand. Transport for London.
Figure 2.2 projects where residents will cycle if provided adequate connectors.
Figure 2.3 highlights areas projected to grow jobs and population.
Figure 3.2 shows where investment has greatest potential to reduce fatalities.
Figure 3.3 shows where future connections may coincide with high-use bus routes.
Figure 3.4 shows transit hubs which forecast high demand for bike parking.
Figure 3.5 depicts areas where investment can extend access to "transport deserts."
Figure 5.1 details top candidates for further study.
A Roadmap for the Port District
The Transport for London study provides a model adaptable to the Port District. The challenges and opportunities it addresses are the same:
Encourage biking and walking to reduce strains on transit systems
Ensure abundant transit modes to areas of job and population growth
Develop connections to reduce bike-ped fatalities and improve comfort
Coordinate high-use bike and bus routes
Establish ample bike parking at transit hubs based on demand
Provide robust and equal transit access to currently underserved areas
Envision areas for longer-term improvements
Build an extended network to facilitate point-to-point travel
London is fortunate to possess a single transport entity with comprehensive responsibility, the wherewithal to access to its central business district. Although this region doesn't have a single powerful agency, the Port Authority comes closest with its mission to facilitate bi-state travel and statutory monopoly on Hudson crossings.
Given this, and its own financial stake in the region's well being, it is incumbent upon the Agency to take a leadership role in planning for tunnel failure. It must also engage long-term opportunities, such as congestion pricing, to take point on the secular shift to active transportation.
Viewed in this context, the Agency's decision to spend $2 billion to maintain automotive access across the George Washington Bridge, while restoring its mile-long paths to a pedestrian standard, is wasteful and outmoded.6 Rather than fortifying the region, it increases its vulnerability if, or when, the Hudson tunnels must be closed.7
1 "Is NJ Transit ready for Mass Transit Armageddon?" NJTV-NJ Spotlight, 4/3/19, https://tinyurl.com/y54tcfe2
2 Presuming Democratic control of the White House in 2020 and a seven year construction period once funds are appropriated.
3 "In 2018, London Mayor Sadiq Khan demonstrated his continuing commitment to cycling by increasing annual funding to £214m ($267.8 million) despite central government's complete withdrawal of the £700m annual operating grant." "How London is Aiming to Become the World Best Big City for Cycling," The Guardian, 12/31/18, https://tinyurl.com/y4o4f7md
4 "The SCA presents datasets, forecasts and models to justify investment needed to improve all modes of sustainable transport. It will help plan future Superhighways, Quietways and Liveable Neighbourhoods and which furthers Healthy Streets objectives to get more people walking and using public transport." "Strategic Cycling Analysis," Transport for London, June 2017, https://tinyurl.com/y4uzep4a
5 Union County, NJ – 105 square miles, 564K residents, Hudson – 62 miles, 692K, Essex – 130 miles, 808K, Bergen – 247 miles, 948K, Passaic (total) – 197 miles, 513K vs. London – 607 miles, 8.8M, Wikipedia
6 "Nine Ways the Port Authority's Plan to 'Restore the George' Gets it Wrong," Complete George, September 2018, http://tinyurl.com/ybeo524b
7 "With tunnel repairs in the offing, bikes are key to keeping people on the move," NJ Spotlight,7/23/18, https://tinyurl.com/yave2bmy
Neile Weissman, 2019


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Front Row at Viktor & Rolf Couture Spring 2022
Coachella Party Roundup: Weekend One
As always, the ruckus in the desert delivered a handful of memorable moments.
By Lesley McKenzie Plus Icon
Lesley McKenzie
Recent Articles by Lesley McKenzie
April 13, 2015, 2:40pm
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival wrapped up the first of two weekends on Sunday night. As always, the ruckus in the desert delivered a handful of memorable moments, not least of which was Madonna's kiss with Drake, and the fashion contingent turned out in force to get a cut of the action.
On Friday, there was an afternoon concert sponsored by Coach at the Soho Desert House pop-up in La Quinta. "Coach. Coachella. To me there was something just really, really obvious with the words," said executive creative directory Stuart Vevers, who was surrounded by the likes of Kate Bosworth, Dylan Penn, Zoë Kravitz, Daisy Lowe and Rosie Huntington-Whitely. Meanwhile, at the Ingleside Inn, Kate Perry and Patricia Field dropped by to toast pal Mia Moretti's festival-inspired makeup collaboration with MAC.
"People come to my store to buy outfits for Coachella, so I had to see what it was all about," said Field.
On Saturday, things started with a splash — literally. A synchronized swimming troupe called the Aqualillies performed at the Avalon Hotel for the Popsugar + ShopStyle x CFDA brunch for a crowd that included Kravitz, Trina Turk, Nanette Lepore and Jamie Chung, a 10-year Coachella veteran who noted, "I wear what makes me feel good. I'm not too hung up on trends." A stone's throw away at the same property was the People StyleWatch x Revolve party, where Michelle Trachtenberg confessed she hadn't even planned on coming out this year.
"I actually swore my last Coachella would be my last because I'm not really a summer-heat, 100,000-people-at-a-festival kind of gal," she said. "But it's Drake. He's a badass."
Just as Jack White finished his headlining performance at the Coachella Main Stage that night, The Misshapes and DJs Diplo and Skrillex were heating up the outdoor dance floor at Jeremy Scott's annual Coachella bash inside a private residence in Indio, Calif. "We're in a new location, and we're with Moschino, which is the first time I've brought them out for my annual party," Scott said of the event, which he's cohosted with Adidas at the Frank Sinatra house in Palm Springs in years past. "We wanted to have a location that would be a little closer to the festival this time, and a little bigger. We can haul in more people."
Even the larger venue wasn't enough to accommodate the throngs of Scott fans who piled up outside the gates, decked out in the designer's signature Pop Art inspired threads, hopeful for entry. Alas, only Fergie, Mayer Hawthorne, Alexander Wang, Binx Walton and Robert Pattinson and fiancée FKA twigs made it in.
On Sunday, designer Cynthia Vincent hosted her annual "hangover brunch" at Palm Springs hotspot Workshop Kitchen + Bar. "I thought this would be a great way for people to recoup and get some energy back," she said. At the Cabana Club at the Avalon Hotel, Atlanta de Cadenet primed crowds for the night's last acts with a DJ set.
"Once I started working at Coachella, I stopped having to harass my dad [Duran Duran's John Taylor] for tickets," de Cadenet recalled. Between her father and stepfather, The Strokes' Nick Valensi, the young DJ admitted that not only is she spoiled when it comes to music, but she's also not attracted to boys in bands. "Unless you're headlining at Coachella, I don't want to hear it."


Sysco (SYY 70.71, +2.23) is higher by 3.3% in premarket after reporting a slim earnings beat. The early gain has lifted the stock into the neighborhood of its record high (71.97), which was notched in late July.
The food marketer and distributor reported above-consensus fourth quarter earnings of $0.94 per share on a 6.2% year/year increase in revenue to $15.32 bln, which was just ahead of estimates.
Looking at the segment breakdown, sales in U.S. Foodservice Operations grew 6.1% to $10.4 bln while local case volume within broadline operations increased 5.0%. Organic case volume grew 3.0%. Total case volume in U.S. broadline operations increased 5.3% while organic growth was reported at 3.5%.
Domestic gross margin weakened by 18 basis points to 20.05% due to a 1.1% increase in food cost inflation in U.S. broadline operations. Domestic adjusted operating expenses grew 3.8% due to higher supply chain and selling expenses.
International sales grew 7.9% year/year to $2.9 bln with a 1.0% boost from favorable currency exchange rates. Gross margin improved by 28 basis points to 21.68%. International adjusted operating expenses increased 9.2% due to investments in supply chain transformation and business integration.
Sales in the company's SYGMA unit, which supplies products to chain restaurants throughout the U.S., grew 6.1% to $6.56 bln. Gross margin increased by 17 basis points to 7.80%.


To ensure that the least restrictive level of care is used, which meets the needs of the youth, prior to considering a higher level of care.
To collaborate with community based agencies and system partners (targeted case managers, social workers, counselors, judges, psychiatrists and psychologists) and ensure there is continuity of care throughout all levels of care.
To oversee the use of incidental funds which are utilized to support youth in the community and progressively gain stability so that they will not require residential placement.
Our Kids of Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, Inc.
Review incoming cases of youth whom may require mental health and/or substance abuse treatment and help coordinate least restrictive level of care to meet the needs of the youth.
Provide oversight of clinical quality, utilization, chart compliance, policy & procedure and implementation for district residential programs and community behavioral health providers for Miami-Dade and Monroe County.
This is an outreach service that provides mobile crisis intervention and assessment.
A Baker Act is a means of providing individuals with emergency services and temporary detention for mental health evaluation and treatment when required, either on a voluntary or an involuntary basis. Private Baker Act facilities are funded by private insurance.
A list of Private and Public Baker Act Facilities can be found in the Consumer and Family Resource Manual.
Or go to your nearest hospital to have the youth assessed for crisis intervention and stabilization?
Abuse can come in many forms, such as verbal, physical or sexual mistreatment. The Abuse Hotline is the phone number you can call to report abuse, neglect and/or exploitation (unfair treatment) for all youth and vulnerable adults in Florida. The Florida Abuse Hotline accepts calls 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
An emergency situation occurs when someone appears to face immediate risk of abuse/neglect that is likely to result in death or serious harm. If your concerns are an emergency, FIRST CALL 911; SECOND contact the Abuse Hotline.
Residential Treatment Assessment according to FAC 65E-9 (within 90 days prior to SIPP or STGH admission) recommending this level of care.
Regulatory References: Florida Administrative Code 65E-9, Florida Statutes 394.492, SFBHN UM Manual 2014.
BNet part of a statewide network of providers of Behavioral Health Services who serve non-Medicaid eligible youth with mental or substance-related disorders. BNet is part of the Children's Medical Services Network (CMHN). As a current CMS participant your youth may be able to receive additional services and benefits. BNet serves youth 5- 19 years of age, whom are eligible for Kid Care Children's Medical Services, have a primary ICD-10 Diagnosis of mental disorders or substance related disorders except for ADHD (code series 314.00) as the primary diagnosis and demonstrates significant level of function impairment as measured by Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) with a sore of 50 or below.
CAT provides family-focused, community-based mental health and substance abuse services to youth and young adults and their families. CAT provides therapeutic services, case management, mentoring, pediatric care, psychiatric care (Will take un-insured). The CAT team works collaboratively to deliver the majority of behavioral health treatment required by each youth or young adult and family; in addition, the team assists the family in developing a natural support network, which may include but is not limited to extended family, friends, educational programs, cultural or volunteer groups and religious organizations. CAT serves youth 11- 21 years of age, in Miami-Dade County, has a mental health or co-occurring substance use disorder, and must have at least ONE of the following: at risk of out of home placement, previously failed other treatments, has had 2 or more psychiatric hospitalization, involved with the Department of Juvenile Justice or multiple episodes involving law enforcement, or poor academic performance/ school suspensions.
FACES program is designed to serve the population of Miami-Dade County who have co-occurring diagnosis. Services include therapeutic services, case management and peer support for the youth and family. FACES serves youth 6- 17 years of age, whom are severely emotionally disturbed or have a co-occurring substance use disorder, in Miami-Dade County.
CCRT is an intensive crisis intervention program for indigent youth who have continuous Baker Acts and are at risk for entering residential treatment services. Services include therapeutic services, case management, life coaching and psychiatric medication management, as needed. CCRT provides short term intensive in-home services intended at diverting residential placement for youth and adolescents, ages 5- 17. Youth and family/ legal guardian must be willing to collaborate with the CCRT. Youth must demonstrate poor response to less intensive services and/or have had crisis hospitalizations and are in need of residential placement.
Outpatient services and lower levels of care can be accesses by the community through a South Florida Behavioral Health Network providers. A full list of providers can be found in the Consumer and Family Resource Manual.
For any questions about accessing care for your youth at the different levels of care, please contact the Children's System of Care Department at South Florida Behavioral Health Network (305) 858- 3335.
Child Welfare Integration is the coordination of efforts and integration of services for Community Based Care organization (CBC/Our Kids) and Managing Entity (ME/SFBHN). Coordinating efforts between various contractors, and their network of subcontractors is essential to the efficient operation of publicly funded child welfare and behavioral health services.
The purpose of the Child Welfare Integration Coordinator is to increase cooperation, collaboration and communication across the two systems in order to ensure that the two systems of care can work closely with each other for the benefit of the children, adult caregivers, families and the community. The goal is to improve the outcomes for Child Welfare involved families with Behavioral Health issues.
For questions on any of the above programs please contact Nikita Arias, LMHC at (305) 858-1141 or narias@sfbhn.org.
Screening/UA and Referral for Mental Health and Substance abuse (behavioral health). Follow-up is provided up to 90 days.
Masters level BH Subject Matter Experts, co-located in the CPI Service Centers/HUBS and are available to provide clinical consultation on any CW case (adult or child).
High and Safe case where there is a child under the age of 10 and a caregiver who has indicators of Substance use. Caregiver on the case cannot be a minor.


text:
Florida State defeats Miami in the 56th edition of the competition upon relegation at the last minute.
For most of the 2021 season, the margin between win and defeat was slim for a Florida State football team that has seen five of its six losses, including each of the past two weeks.
But Saturday night against arch-rival Miami, the Seminoles reversed that trend by embarking on a last-minute game-winning campaign to make a thrilling 31-28 and secure one of the program's best wins in more than half a decade.
FSU's offense captured her 20-yard streak, trailing by five points and reeling from the 20-7 lead at halftime.
The impetus that ensued led to a fierce competition win, while also sending the raucous crowd at Doak Campbell Stadium and the FSU collegiate fan base in a state of jubilation.
"So proud of our team, the coaches, and everyone involved in the program," said Mike Norville, Florida State's second year coach. The work, the investment, the response to adversity, the way we work, everything we do on our program is preparing you for a moment like this. The way it ended. With that match, I no longer feel proud of our team."
*** Don't miss our exclusive football coverage. 30 day free trial***
The Seminoles didn't have much momentum when they broke through the crowd to start their winning campaign, with Miami coming back from a 17-point deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter. FSU was trailing 28-23 and on the brink of a fifth straight loss to the Hurricanes.
That all changed when quarterback Jordan Travis slipped to number one and ten. The Redshirt's sophomore took a shot in the first play of the drive, raising a deep ball into a soft zone in Miami's defense between the corner and safety, down the right sideline. She was perched over the shoulder of the receiver Ja'Khi Douglas and in his hands.
"I just said, 'Don't drop it, don't drop it.'" Douglas said with a smile. 'I had to grab her. It was a big match in a big moment to put the team on their way to score."
Fortunately for the Soviet Union, Douglas kept the pass and then some others. He sprinted another 30 yards down the sideline, and in an instant, Noles was already in the 21-yard line in Miami and threatening to score.
Hurricanes' defense, which had only allowed three points during the second half up to that point, wasn't going down without a fight.
Recruits respond to Florida's win over Miami
Florida State Seminoles Football Recruitment: List of Miami vs. Fifa Visitors


text:
Leila Lopes Named One Of Africa's Most Powerful Women (PHOTOS)
The annual Miss Universe competition airs tonight on NBC, and will be hosted by GlobalGrind's own Leila Lopes.
Leila, who is originally from Angola, Africa, was crowned Miss Universe last year and is known for both her beauty and dedication to philanthropic work.
Forbes recently highlighted Leila and 19 other incredible women from Africa on their list of "20 Youngest Power Women In Africa 2012."
Mfonobong Nsehe reports:
As Africa continues to rise, so do African women. With the upward economic, social and political trajectory of the continent, a new breed of African women continues to emerge. So much so, that the African Union christened the years 2010 to 2020 as the "African Women's Decade."
With Leila's spot on the prestigious list, they highlighted some of her hard work and dedication:
On September 12, 2011, Lopes was crowned Miss Universe, becoming the first Angolan woman to win the position, the fourth African to win the title (Miss South Africa took the title in 1978, Miss Namibia won in 1992, Miss Botswana won in 1999) and the second Black African woman to win following Mpule Kwelagobe from Botswana in 1999. As the reigning Miss Universe, Lopes used the platform for advocacy for HIV and AIDS patients worldwide.
The other honorable women include:
Leymah Gbowee, Liberia, Peace and Women's Rights Activist
Cina Lawson, Togo, Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Togo
Juliana Rotich, Kenya, Co-Founder Ushahidi
Patience Mthunzi, PhD. South Africa, Senior Scientist, CSIR
Maud Chifamba, Zimbabwe, 14-year old University Accounting Student
Florence Iwegbue, Nigeria, Attorney & Co-Founder, LiveWello
Lisa Opoku, Ghana, Chief Operating Officer, Goldman Sachs
Isha Sesay, Sierra Leone, News Anchor & Journalist, CNN
Rainatou Sow, Guinea, Women's Right Activist, Founder & Executive Director, Make Every Woman Count
Biola Alabi, Nigeria, Managing Director, MNET Africa
Lorna Rutto, Kenya, Sustainable Living and Green Technology Entrepreneur, Ecopost
Yolanda Sangweni, South Africa, Senior Editor/Producer, ESSENCE.com
Danai Gurira, Zimbabwe, Actress & Writer
Eunice Cofie, Ghana, Founder & Chief Cosmetic Chemist, Nuekie
Marieme Jamme, Senegal, Social Entrepreneur, Technologist & CEO, SpotOne Global Solutions
Jepchumba, Kenya, Digital Content Creator, Cultural Curator, African Digital Art
Redi Tlhabi, South Africa, Journalist, Broadcaster & Author
Swaady Martin-Leke, Ivory Coast, Entrepreneur & Founder, Yswara
Jacqueline Chimhanzi, PhD. Zimbabwe, Corporate Executive
Congrats to the 20 women and don't forget to watch Leila host tonight's Miss Universe competition on NBC.
Leila Lopes miss universe


text:
India set to reveal stringent CAFE standards of 40.7 mpg (U.S.) by 2015
India's government is expected to officially reveal stringent fuel efficiency standards that will go into effect in 2015. According to the Hindustan Times, India's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards will require automakers to increase fuel economy of gasoline-burning vehicles from the current average of 14.1 kilometers per liter (33.2 miles per gallon U.S.) to 17.3 km/liter (40.7 mpg U.S.) by 2015. In addition, automakers will be required to boost the average fuel economy rating of diesel-burning vehicles from the current level of 36.6 mpg to 46.8 mpg by 2015. Within the new guidelines, vehicles will supposedly be labeled with one to five stars depending upon their overall fuel economy rating.
The Hindustan Times explains that India's:
Draft fuel efficiency standard, based on CAFE, will be notified in May. The draft standard will be CO2 emission of 135 grams per kilometer for entire fleet in 2015. In 2010, the average CO2 emission was 165 gm/km. The draft also provides for further improvement by 2020.
Apparently, some environmental organizations want even stricter standards. For example , Anumita Roy Chowdhury, associate director at India's Centre for Science and Environment, wants India to follow Europe's lead by shooting for 110 g/km of CO2 emission by 2020.
[Source: Hindustan Times via Green Car Congress]
Government/Legal
CAFE standards


text:
Kris' Reviews
Review: Making Nice by Elizah J. Davis
Blake Dunlap needs to finally meet his twin sister's Bianca's boyfriend, so he reluctantly agrees to go to poker night. Matt turns out to be a good guy, and someone Blake can grow to like. But Matt's best friend Ryan Everett is an asshole. Every time he opens his mouth, insulting things come out and Blake has serious disdain for the man. Ryan isn't enamored with Blake either, thinking the man is snotty, snarky, and pretentious. Despite the fact that they are physically attracted to each other, their personalities clash big time and they do not get along.
The next time Blake and Ryan meet doesn't go any better. Halloween brings another encounter that has Ryan showing off his foot in mouth problem, but also showing his chivalrous side. Blake and Ryan kiss, but Blake leaves before it can go any further. When Ryan shows up for the Dunlap family Thanksgiving, there are more kisses to be had, but once again Ryan opens his mouth and ruins the moment. Blake certainly dislikes Ryan, and Ryan doesn't like Blake too much either. But Ryan can't get Blake out of his head. At a New Year's Eve party, Matt and Bianca get engaged and while the news is happy, Blake is lost in his own head and gets drunk. Not wanting his sister to see him like that, Blake agrees to sleep it off at Ryan's and Ryan again shows his thoughtful, caring side. But with the impending marriage of Blake's sister and Ryan's best friend, the men know they can't avoid each other forever. Blake goes to Ryan's in an attempt to start a friendship, but their attraction comes to a head and they sleep together. They still aren't exactly friends, but the sex is so good that they agree to keep it as a no strings affair, with rules in place. The biggest of which is that they don't tell anyone.
For weeks Blake and Ryan see each other for phenomenal sex but continue to keep it a secret. But both men are tied up in knots about it, wanting more but not thinking they can have it. When Matt and Bianca figure out that Blake and Ryan are sleeping together, Ryan is forced to say it's actually the beginning of a relationship so that they can smooth the ruffled feathers. He asks Blake to pretend to be his boyfriend so they can keep the peace. It actually goes really well, though both men know they aren't being truthful. And then Blake's lease is up, Bianca is going to move in with Matt, and Blake has nowhere to go. He agrees to stay with Ryan until he can find a place, and Ryan sees it as the perfect opportunity to really woo Blake. Ryan is in love with him, but can't say the words and he sets out to show Blake how he feels. Except Blake has some serious baggage as a holdover from a past relationship, and Blake can't trust himself. Their lack of communication and trust ends in an argument, and Ryan breaks things off realizing that Blake is never going to care about him the way that he cares about Blake. Blake walks away without a fight, and it's only after that he realizes he wants to fight for Ryan. Now Blake has to figure out how to win Ryan back and show the man that he loves him.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was its predictability and I don't mean that in a bad way. Sometimes I just want a familiar story, written in a wonderful way, and Making Nice is exactly that. Yes, you know what's going to happen as you read this book, but Davis has a great writing style, the pacing was good, the characters are well defined and developed, and the plot has a wonderfully fleshed out feel. All in all, in was a very enjoyable read.
Blake has some serious issues to work through in this book, and I liked being on his journey. He's faced with the loss of his twin sister, not in any tragic means thank goodness, but in the fact that she has found the man that she wants to spend her life with and her loyalties are shifting, as they should. As happy as Blake is for Bianca, it's hard for him to reconcile that he's no longer the most important person in her life. Add to that the fact that he's always has the fantasy that they would find their forever men at the same time, and Blake is feeling hurt and lost, though he doesn't really blame Bianca for that. And as much as he doesn't like Ryan at first, he's definitely attracted to him. A no strings and careless affair isn't exactly Blake's style, but he's willing to do it because he wants Ryan. What I really enjoyed about him was that, deep down, he understood his own faults in the relationship. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ryan, it was that he couldn't trust himself to make good judgment calls, not after the horrid ex. Blake had the most growth in this story, as he realized that his world was changing and that, sometimes, the risk is worth taking.
Now, I simply adored Ryan. Yes, he certain comes off as an ass at the beginning, but just with Blake. I liked that Blake seemed to fry his brain cells, and that he always wanted to get some sort of reaction out of Blake, even if it was a negative one. He's funny and witty, and he certain says and does some jerky things. But when he realizes that he wants to be with Blake for real, he does what he can to show it. I love his gestures toward Blake, both big and small. He has trouble saying those three little words, because he's never felt it before and because he truly thinks he'll be shot down. He's a bit oblivious to the way others view him, and he just can't see that Blake is besotted with him. In fact, neither man can really see how the other sees him. They are both caught up in their own misconceptions, and that adds to the conflict. The whole time I was pulling for both Blake and Ryan to get their heads out of their asses and open their eyes.
So I really liked this book but I did have a couple of little quibbles. There were a couple of times where we had to rely on secondary characters to explain the behavior of the main characters. This isn't always a bad thing, but in a few instances, I wished we could have seen it for ourselves. And, while the pacing over all was really good, at about the three quarters point, I was feeling the story drag just a little, waiting for these guys to finally communicate. That they were still not talking to each other got ever so slightly wearying. But these things didn't dampen my overall enjoyment of the book.
Honestly, Making Nice is a trope-tastic endeavor into the romance genre and I really enjoyed it. The angst isn't too high, and the characters are really great. If you're looking for a wonderfully written, predicable in the good way read, then I can definitely recommend this book to you.
Throwback Thursday Review: Holiday Short Story Roundup
Review: Demanding Discipline by Silvia Violet
Review: Virtually Screwed by Isla Olsen
Review: Distant Swimmer by Jacob Cheyenne
FILED UNDER: 4.5 stars, Contemporary, Kris' Reviews
TAGGED: Dreamspinner Press, Elizah J. Davis, enemies to lovers, fake relationship
Lisa B on January 27, 2015 at 2:16 pm
Thanks Kris —- this was on my "maybe" list, but I think I will move it to my "to be purchased/read list" after reading this review as it sounds great!


text:
News February 24, 2013
Madeleine Morgenstern
By All Means, Leave': The Amazingly Blunt Response One State Rep. Gave a Citizen Who Wrote Him Opposing Concealed Carry in Schools
Rep. Hans Hunt (Photo Credit: Wyoming State Legislature)
Wyoming state Representative Hans Hunt told one resident, "by all means, leave."
Get out of here.
That was one Wyoming state representative's message to a resident who contacted him recently stating her opposition to a bill that would have allowed people with concealed carry permits to carry guns in public schools, colleges and sporting events.
Rev. Audette Fulbright had emailed all state legislators, including Republican Rep. Hans Hunt, earlier this month to say she and her husband had just moved to Wyoming and were "seriously reconsidering" their decision amid the proposed expansion of gun laws.
"Ample evidence has shown that schools and guns do not mix, and in particular, guns in the hands of amateurs/non-professionals is extremely dangerous, especially in any highly-charged situation," Fulbright wrote. "To expose our children to greater risk in their schools by encouraging more guns on campuses is something that we cannot allow."
Fulbright also said she was concerned about "the profoundly serious dangers of fracking" and said the question of whether to leave was "wrenching to all of us."
"I know of other new-to-Wyoming families in similar contemplation. Your choices matter. It would be sad to see an exodus of educated, childrearing age adults from Wyoming as a result of poor lawmaking," she wrote.
Hunt's response? "By all means, leave."
"I'll be blunt," he wrote back. "If you don't like the political atmosphere of Wyoming, then by all means, leave. We, who have been here a very long time (I am proudly 4th generation) are quite proud of our independent heritage."
Fulbright is not one of Hunt's constituents, but he was one of just two lawmakers who responded to her letter. The other, state Rep. Mary Throne (D), said the bill had moved to committee and to contact committee members. It has since been shot down by legislators.
Fulbright told the Casper Star-Tribune her family moved from Virginia in July to have access to better schools and a beautiful environment.
"Apparently I have to live here a certain amount of time before I have an opinion," she told the newspaper.
Hunt, who was the youngest member of the Wyoming legislature when he was elected in 2010 didn't back down from his response.
"Was it blunt? Yes. Would I apologize? No," Hunt told the Star-Tribune. He said later: "If I had to do it again, would I sit and think about how to phrase my words more carefully? Probably."
Read the full correspondence below:
Fulbright's email:
Dear Representative,
I hope you are taking care of yourself during this busy session. I know it is a challenging, compressed time.
I am writing to express my grave concern about House Bill 105. Ample evidence has shown that schools and guns do not mix, and in particular, guns in the hands of amateurs/non-professionals is extremely dangerous, especially in any highly-charged situation. to expose our children to greater risk in their schools by encouraging more guns on campuses is something that we cannot allow.
My husband and I moved to Wyoming not too long ago. We believed it was a good place to raise children. With the recent and reactive expansion of gun laws and the profoundly serious dangers of fracking, we find we are seriously reconsidering our decision, which is wrenching to all of us. However, the safety of our family must come first. We are waiting to see what the legislature does this session. I know of other new-to-Wyoming families in similar contemplation. Your choices matter. It would be sad to see an exodus of educated, childrearing age adults from Wyoming as a result of poor lawmaking.
Rev. Audette Fulbright
Hunt's response:
Rev. Fulbright,
I'll be blunt. If you don't like the political atmosphere of Wyoming, then by all means, leave. We, who have been here a very long time (I am proudly 4th generation) are quite proud of our independent heritage. I don't expect a "mass exodus" from our state just because we're standing up for our rights. As to your comments on fracking, I would point out that you're basing your statement on "dangers" that have not been scientifically founded or proved as of yet.
It offends me to no end when liberal out-of-staters such as yourself move into Wyoming, trying to get away from where they came from, and then pompously demand that Wyoming conform to their way of thinking. We are, and will continue to be, a state which stands a head above the rest in terms of economic security. Our ability to do that is, in large part, to our "live and let live" mentality when it comes to allowing economic development, and limiting government oversight. So, to conclude, if you're so worried about what our legislature is working on, then go back home.
Hans Hunt
Representative Hans Hunt


Poker is by far the most popular card game for a wide variety of reasons, one being that anyone can play it: young or old - rich or poor. It all depends on the crowd that you're playing with as to what kind of stakes are involved and the kind of fun you can have.
Poker is a game that can be played in all kinds of settings: at home, at the office, at a club and anywhere else you can image. All you need is a cool group of friends and a deck of cards and you're set to have a ball. I have enjoyed many great poker games with my friends over the years, many of which ran late into the night. It's amazing how quickly time flies for a game that's considered rather slow.
Hundreds of poker varieties exist today. One of the contributing factors is the fact that poker is known worldwide and as time went on, the game took on an individual style depending on where it was played. One example would be Caribbean poker and it's not difficult to guess where this version was invented. The interesting part, however, is how it came to be. You can read all about it in the Caribbean poker section.
I trust that you will find just what you are looking for on this poker site. For those of you who are just starting out, you'll find the poker hands and rules sections particularly useful. You may also want to have a look at the strategy section to give yourself an advantage when playing poker; you'll find that there are ways of playing the game that will put more money in your pocket. To give the game a go (at no cost), try downloading the poker software. It'll give you a chance to play for free and practice your strategy and test your understanding of the game.


text:
Q: Strange behavior about WEXITSTATUS with `G++ 4.9.4` This code snippet below does compiles,
#include<sys/types.h>
#include<sys/wait.h>
#include<iostream>

int main()
{
    int ret = 0xFFFF;
    std::cout << WEXITSTATUS(ret);
}

whereas this code snippet does not compile indeed with G++ 4.9.4:
#include<sys/types.h>
#include<sys/wait.h>
#include<iostream>

int main()
{
     std::cout << WEXITSTATUS(0xFFFF);
}

Here is what the compiler complains:
In file included from /usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu/sys/wait.h:77:0,
                 from t.cpp:2:
t.cpp: In function 'int main()':
t.cpp:7:22: error: lvalue required as unary '&' operand
         std::cout << WEXITSTATUS(0xFFFF);
                      ^

Here is the detail info about the compiler:
g++ --version
g++ (Ubuntu 4.9.4-2ubuntu1~16.04) 4.9.4
Copyright (C) 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

And the compiler is installed on Ubuntu16.04 by the commands below
sudo apt-get install gcc-4.9
sudo apt-get install g++-4.9
sudo update-alterntives --install /usr/bin/gcc gcc /usr/bin/gcc-4.9 20
sudo update-alterntives --install /usr/bin/g++ g++ /usr/bin/g++-4.9 20

Note:
I have to use g++-4.9, I have no other choice.
And It's strange that I could not reproduce the said phenomenon on godbolt.org. It compiles on godbolt.org with gcc 4.9.3(gcc 4.9.4 is not available).
Here is the output of g++ -E the_said_code_snippet_does_not_compile.cpp
//omit
# 4 "t.cpp" 2

int main()
{
        std::cout << ((((*(const int *) &(0xFFFF))) & 0xff00) >> 8);
}

Could anybody shed some light on this matter?
UPDATED:
I can reproduce the error now!See this link.
UPDATED:
It's just a simplified example. What am I actually face is WEXITSTATUS(pclose(fp)) does not compile.

A: The WEXITSTATUS macro is a matter of the C standard library implementation, not the compiler per se. Typically (and in the case of GCC) the compiler doesn't supply the C standard library implementation. It is an independent package.
Most Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, use glibc as C standard library implementation.
In glibc until version 2.23, inclusive, the macro was defined in the following way when using C++ and __USE_MISC is set (see commit link below):
#   define __WAIT_INT(status)   (*(const int *) &(status))

// ...

# define WEXITSTATUS(status)    __WEXITSTATUS (__WAIT_INT (status))

The actual implementation of the macro is inside __WEXITSTATUS, but the use of __WAIT_INT seems to be for the purpose of supporting the non-POSIX "union wait" variant of the wait interface. With this definition, a prvalue cannot be used with the macro, because it tries to take the address of status.
In 2016, with commit b49ab5f4503f36dcbf43f821f817da66b2931fe6 support for union wait - according to the NEWS entry deprecated in the early 1990s - has been removed and now the definition is simply
# define WEXITSTATUS(status)    __WEXITSTATUS (status)

Now it would work with a prvalue as well.
It seems that Ubuntu 16.04 still uses a glibc version from before that change, which isn't surprising since it was released at the time of the commit.
I don't know what POSIX has to say about whether or not it should be possible to use the macro with a int rvalue rather than the name of a variable.
That WEXITSTATUS can't always be used directly on a call to pclose seems to be known issue. Apparently the above-mentioned extension, which is now not present in glibc anymore, was (is?) also present in (some?) BSDs (and may originate from them?). See e.g. this question, in which the answer also expresses doubts about POSIX-compliance. However, OpenBSD, mentioned in the linked question, also removed union wait in 2014. According to the changelog it had been deprecated since 4.3BSD (released 1986).

A: That looks like  an oddball implementation of macro, causing problems with operator precedence. Usually it should be something like this:
#define     WEXITSTATUS(status)        (((status) & 0xff00) >> 8)

now if it is (and completely wrong   as result)
#define     WEXITSTATUS(status)        status & 0xff00 >> 8

You wold get following order:
( std::cout << status ) & (0xff00 >> 8)

Though I can't imagine that such broken implementation could exist?
The processed code snippet shows that macro assumes status to be an expression returning at least a prvalue, something  one can get address of and  "magic" of casting  it to const int.
#define     WEXITSTATUS(status)        ((((*(const int *) &(status))) & 0xff00) >> 8)

The error happens from address operator getting a wrong operand. Essentially this macro cannot work with a constant  only with expression or variable, assuming that those are values returned from particular source described in documentation.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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While Saint-Gobain is more than 350 years old, Saint-Gobain North America isn't exactly young. Our roots stretch back more than 130 years.
Through strategic mergers and smart acquisitions, Saint Gobain North America has grown and expanded into all 50 states and dozens of different product categories. Here's a history of our history.
Saint-Gobain Calmar is sold to MeadWestvaco.
Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics sells its Synflex business to Eaton Corporation.
CertainTeed's window business is sold to Ply Gem.
The Saint-Gobain Desjonquères perfume bottle business is sold to Sagard and Cognetas.
Norandex Building Materials Distribution, with more than 150 branches, is acquired by Saint-Gobain, representing the company's first major investment in the distribution business in the United States.
Saint-Gobain sells its Reinforcements & Composites businesses, including three U.S. plants, to Owens Corning.
J&J Scientific, a supplier of innovative, single-use products for the biopharmaceutical market, is acquired and becomes part of Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics.
Moyco Abrasives, a manufacturer of highly technical coated abrasive products for lapping, grinding and polishing applications, is acquired.
Saint-Gobain wins the Environmental Protection Agency's "Energy Star Partner of the Year" Award for the first time.
Ottawa Fibre, a Canadian manufacturer of fiber glass insulation products, is acquired by CertainTeed.
Saint-Gobain acquires 50 percent of SAGE Electrochromics, a leader in tintable electrochromic glass for use in building windows, skylights and curtain walls, to build the world's first large-scale electrochromic glass plant in Faribault, Minnesota (United States).
Saint-Gobain announces the development of a new manufacturing facility in Goodyear, Arizona, a solar mirror line for solar thermal power station, the company's first solar plant in North America.
Saint-Gobain acquires SolarGard, a high-end glass coated films used in the habitat market (architectural glazing for residential and commercial buildings), the automotive market, and various industrial applications. SolarGard has 140 million in global sales with 250 employees, with sites in San Diego, as well as Belgium and China.
Saint-Gobain is awarded the ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognizing the Company's outstanding leadership in energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Saint-Gobain acquires 100 percent of SAGE Electrochromics.
Saint-Gobain announces the development of a Crystals substrate plant in Devens, Massachusetts, to make sapphire wafers used to make LEDs. Approximately $30 million invested with up to 90 new jobs created.
Saint-Gobain's Performance Plastics Business acquires a range of healthcare related businesses.
Saint-Gobain sells Verallia North America to Ardagh, and no longer manufactures or sells glass packaging in North America.
Saint-Gobain, the world leader in the habitat and construction markets, designs, manufactures and distributes building and high-performance materials, providing innovative solutions to the challenges of growth, energy efficiency and environmental protection.
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text:
Presidency Cautions Muslim Group to Leave Kukah Alone
The presidency yesterday waded into the raging controversy over the Christmas homily of the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Hassan Kukah, with a caution to an Islamic group that demanded that he should apologise or quit Sokoto State, to back off.
It said in a statement by a presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, that it was wrong for the group based in Sokoto, Muslim Solidarity Forum, to give conditionality to Kukah, over the homily in which he accused President Muhammadu Buhari of promoting northern hegemony, and interpreted by some Islamic interests as attacking Islam and Muslims.
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) also expressed concern over what it described as disturbing comments with religious undertones, which it said were causing anger and fear in the public domain.
READ ALSO; Muslim forum threatens Kukah – Cleric 'should apologise or leave' Sokoto Caliphate
Kukah, in his Christmas homily, had said that there could have been a coup if a non-northern Muslim president had done a fraction of what Buhari did.
His homily drew censures from the federal government and the Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI), led by Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, which attacked the bishop for allegedly denigrating Islam and Muslims.
The Muslim Solidarity Forum joined the fray on Tuesday, with a call on Kukah to apologise for his alleged attack on Islam and Muslims or leave the Caliphate.
The forum, which labelled itself as an umbrella body for Islamic organisations, scholars and clerics, said Kukah's Christmas homily was capable of triggering religious violence in the country.
The Acting Chairman of the forum, Sokoto chapter, Prof. Isa Maishanu, said the message of the cleric was a direct attack on Islam, adding that that was not the first time Kukah was attacking Islam and Muslims, especially those from the northern part of the country.
He faulted the message of Kukah in which he said if a fraction of the nepotism committed by Buhari, a Muslim and a Northerner, was committed by "any non-northern president," there would have been a coup in the country."
READ ALSO; QuickRead: Kukah's bombshell, Buhari's assurances. Three other stories we tracked and why they matter
However, Kukah, on Monday, rebutted the allegations and accused the JNI Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, of inciting violence against him.
He also challenged the JNI to "as a matter of honour" show where he attacked Islam or Muslims in the statement, adding that he is "more than happy to apologise" for such.
However, in a bid to douse tensions of Kukah's homily, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Shehu, cautioned the Islamic forum against issuing such an ultimatum and should, therefore, let Kukah be.
The presidency described as wrong and unconstitutional the ultimatum that was given to Kukah.
It said: "Under our laws, groups or factions must not give quit notices, neither should they unilaterally sanction any perceived breaches. Where they occur, it is the courts of law that should adjudicate. Unilateral action is not the way to go.
"Groups such as the Muslim Solidarity Forum must be seen to share and uphold the country's multi-religious principles. And individuals like Father Kukah must respect the feelings of his fellow Nigerians in his private and public utterances.
"Under our constitution, every citizen has the right to, among others, freedom of speech and expression, the right to own property and reside in any part of the country, and the right to move freely without any inhibitions. Nigeria's strength lies in its diversity. The right for all religions to co-exist is enshrined in this country's constitution.
"The duty of the government, more so, this democratic government, is to ensure that the constitution is respected. But all must respect the rights and sensitivities of their fellow Nigerians."
The presidency added that although Kukah had offended many with his controversial remarks against the government and the person of the president, with some even accusing him of voicing anti-Islamic rhetoric, "on matters such as these, responsible leadership in any society must exercise restraint."
"Knee-jerk reactions will not only cause the fraying of enduring relationships, but also the evisceration of peaceful communities such as Sokoto, the headquarters of the Muslim community as a beacon of pluralism and tolerance. The Sultanate has historically had good relations with followers of all faiths. That is why Father Kukah was received on his arrival in Sokoto with friendship and tolerance," it stated.
READ ALSO; Sultan-led JNI Tackles Kukah Over Christmas Message
Northern Elders Warn against Inflammatory Religious Comments
Meanwhile, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has expressed concern over what it described as disturbing comments with religious undertones, which it said were causing anger and fear in the public domain.
NEF, reacting to the Department of State Services (DSS) alert of a plot to incite religious violence in some states, including Kaduna, Rivers, Kano, Lagos and Oyo called on Nigerians to be wary of mischief makers and subversive elements whose objectives could be to worsen the difficult circumstances under which Nigerians live today.
NEF's Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement yesterday, said: "Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is concerned over disturbing comments with distinctly religious undertones, which are causing anger and fear in the public domain.
"The forum's concerns have been compounded by published warnings from the Department of State Services (DSS) over attempts to cause breaches in security and peaceful co-existence through incitement in many parts of the country."
It added that it would be cruel and tragic if communities are set up against each other in the names of their faiths.
READ ALSO; Rapper, Busta Rhymes reveals how he lost almost 100-pounds after a near-death experience
"There are no threats to any religion under current circumstances that would justify action, which will threaten peace and harmonious co-existence in this country.
If there are indeed reasons that could be exploited to engineer religious conflicts, the forum demands that governments deal decisively with them."
It added that Muslims and Christians have no reasons to fight one another.
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text:
Biden's end-of-year pardons include domestic abuse survivor who killed her husband, drug convictions
December 31, 2022 | Vivek Saxena | Print Article
President Joe Biden issued end-of-year pardons to six convicts Friday, including one who'd been convicted of second-degree murder.
"Today, President Biden is granting six full pardons for individuals who have served their sentences and have demonstrated a commitment to improving their communities and the lives of those around them," a White House official said in a statement.
"These include individuals who honorably served in the US military, volunteer in their communities, and survived domestic abuse. President Biden believes America is a nation of second chances, and that offering meaningful opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation empowers those who have been incarcerated to become productive, law-abiding members of society."
Our Administration believes in a criminal justice system that allows for second chances.
Today, @POTUS granted six full pardons. These include individuals who honorably served in the U.S. military, volunteer in the community, and overcame domestic abuse. https://t.co/Bqo46Ngnum
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) December 30, 2022
The Ohio convict who survived domestic abuse, 80-year-old Beverly Ann Ibn-Tamas, is in fact the one who was convicted of second-degree murder for killing her husband.
"Ms. Ibn-Tamas, 33 at the time of the incident, was pregnant and testified that before and during her pregnancy, her husband beat her, verbally abused her, and threatened her. According to her testimony, her husband had physically assaulted her and threatened her in the moments before she shot him," according to a White House fact sheet.
"During her trial, the court refused to allow expert testimony regarding battered woman syndrome, a psychological condition and pattern of behavior that develops in victims of domestic violence. Ms. Ibn-Tamas was ultimately sentenced to a term of one to five years' incarceration, with credit for time served," the fact sheet continues.
The rest of the convicts were convicted for drug/alcohol-related crimes.
Take 66-year-old Arizona man Gary Parks Davis. He pleaded guilty "to use of a communication facility (a telephone) to facilitate an unlawful cocaine transaction at age 22."
But after serving his justified sentence, he completely turned his life around.
"Mr. Davis earned a bachelor's degree and worked steadily, including owning his own landscaping business and managing construction projects. He has also been engaged with his community over the past decades, serving as the president and treasurer for the local high school's booster club, even after his children graduated, and performing civic works and fundraising as a member of the local rotary club and chamber of commerce," according to the White House fact sheet.
Comment from Arizona @RepGrijalvaCS
"Davis was convicted of a minor drug charge, incarcerated, released, and has since rehabilitated himself to become a model citizen. Davis' story is one of redemption. It's a story that we must make more commonplace…
— Christina Estes (@reporterestes) December 30, 2022
through common-sense criminal justice reforms. I'm glad to see President Biden grant this clemency for Gary and I hope that this will bring peace of mind and closure for him and his family."
Then there's California man Edward Lincoln De Coito III, 50. At the age of 23, he pleaded guilty to participating in a marijuana trafficking conspiracy. This conviction came after years of him serving in the military.
"Prior to his offense, he honorably served in the U.S. Army and the Army Reserves. In the course of his service, he received numerous awards, including the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal," according to the fact sheet.
Next is fellow California man Vincente Ray Flores, 37, who at the age of 19 "consumed ecstasy and alcohol while serving in the military" and "later pleaded guilty at a special court-martial."
"In exchange for his plea, the convening authority directed his participation in the Air Force Return to Duty Program, which is a six-month rehabilitation program that provides selected enlisted offenders with a chance to return to duty after therapy and education," the fact sheet notes.
Since completing the program, he's gone on to be awarded the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Award.
"His conduct and efficiency ratings have been outstanding. Further, Mr. Flores serves on the Honor Guard, has helped train others for Honor Guard ceremonies, and has volunteered for a number of causes through his military units. These include Habitat for Humanity, a cancer research fundraiser, and events for military members returning from deployment," the fact sheet reads.
Note that one person who wasn't pardoned was Leonard Peltier, a militant Native American activist who killed two FBI agents in 1975. Some leftists genuinely believe he deserves to be pardoned as well on the basis that he didn't commit the killings:
Biden just granted full pardons to six people.
Not on his list for clemency: Leonard Peltier. pic.twitter.com/c27LSY2CEQ
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) December 30, 2022
The remaining two pardoned convicts are South Carolina man Charlie Byrnes Jackson, 77, and Florida man John Dix Nock III, 72.
Jackson "pleaded guilty to one count of possession and sale of distilled spirits without tax stamps" decades ago.
Nock III meanwhile "pleaded guilty to one count of renting and making for use, as an owner, a place for the purpose of manufacturing marijuana plants."
Vivek Saxena
Senior Staff Writer -- [email protected]
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
Latest posts by Vivek Saxena (see all)
NYT mourns the heavy-handed sentence judge delivered to FORMER lawyers who torched NYC police car - January 27, 2023
25 attorneys general sue Biden admin over retirement investment rule that places 'woke' priorities over profit - January 27, 2023
Pfizer official snaps when confronted about his undercover confessions, assaults Veritas crew - January 27, 2023


If this is your first time booking with me, Welcome! I am looking forward to working with you. Things to consider when booking your first session. Please allow for 48 hours before our first appointment. This will ensure that I can provide you a customized yoga experience. If you signed up for a 5 session package, most folks will book all five sessions for the same time(s) during the week, and will book all five in advance.
When you're considering hiring a doula for birth or postpartum it's important to interview a few and get a feel for one you like. I'm happy to meet with you for up to one hour for free so we can discuss what a doula does, what I offer, what you're looking for, and figure out if we'd be a good match.


text:
Sure, I am a flautist. But that's only the beginning. I am also an international performer, enthusiastic musician, and a man with a big musical vision. I want to live in a world where flute playing is unapologetically bold, anything but conformist, always soulful and tells us something fresh. I perform at regularly scheduled events through giving back to my community.
I aim to unlock something in the listener that will be there long after the music has ended.
Why I perform
There is this moment in a performance where the energy of the audience and myself, the performer, become one. It is as if we are inhaling and exhaling together. Transcending to another space beyond the venue. When this shift happens I know immediately. Suddenly no one moves, the air is thick, and there is complete synchronicity between the audience and myself. I am simply the medium from which the music flows; the holder of this sacred space for the audience. And that is why I perform: because of this one, divine moment.
How the flute found me
I grew up in a musical atmosphere and my father, Pandit Gopal Das, one of the pioneers of Indian classical music on the clarinet, was my first guru. It was an unconscious and organic initiation. I was around five, my father's guru, Pandit Bholanath Prasanna, who was also Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia's teacher, made me sit on his lap and gave me a flute. That's when I knew I wanted to hold a flute too. I feel now, in retrospect, that moment was a significant message of what was to come.
How I reached here
I had my first concert when I was 8, at Prayag Sangeet Samiti's conference in Allahabad and since then I have been performing regularly in India and abroad. I am the recepient of a national scholarship offered by the Indian Government which allowed me to get a master's degree from Banaras Hindu University with distinction. Incredible musicians always appeared in my path when I was ready to receive their wisdom: I have studied with Acharya Pandit Anupam Rai and Pandit Udhai Mazumdar (a renowned tabla exponent and music composer of Benaras-Maihar Gharana).
An ICCR empanelled artist, "A" grade artist by All India Radio & Doordarshan, I have been honoured with multiple awards in music competitions such as Sangeet Natak Academy, Sangeet Samiti, Sahara International Music Competition, All India Radio Competition.
My strength lies in the ability to imbibe the essence of classical music's rich heritage while being able to then interpret it in various collaborations. I enjoy playing all kinds of music – classical, jazz, world music, Bollywood music. Balancing the twin worlds of traditional thought and contemporary perspective, my strong classical roots allow me to not only acknowledge its deep presence in the melodies gone by and those yet to come, but it also allow me to appreciate the tenets of world music.


text:
Q: Can't Import libraries for SQLhelper class I'm trying to remove duplicate code to connect to SQL database, create stored procedure parameters, etc.
I found that SQLHelper class requires Enterprise library. So as we use NuGet, I downloaded the package and referenced it in the project.
I then would want to import it with "using", but I can't import the following:
using Microsoft.ApplicationBlocks.Data;

as it can't find the assembly.
With Enterprise Library 6 NuGet automatically referenced two assemblies: Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Common and Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Data
Under neither of these I could find the SQLHelper class.
Can somebody tell me what do I do wrong, and how can I use the class?
Thank you!

A: I have made a nuget package for just the sqlhelper (databasehelper): https://www.nuget.org/packages/MsSqlHelper/
I think that that will contain everything you need.