Wellcome to the officially released Swift Page Builder doc. We' ve been spending countless working days designing and revising this Page Builder to make it as smooth and user-friendly as possible. When you are looking for Page Builder assistance, you need to ask the questions via the special topic forums in our Supportforum.
Maybe you've already made it this far, if you've already got the plugin up and running, please continue. Otherwise, you will want to go to Appearance > Installs Plugins once you have one of our topics up and running. You will find there the possibility to download and use the Swift Framework Plugin.
The Page Builder settings can be found in the Swift Framework Plugin pull-down menus. See the Page Builder settings below. If you want to insert a contents item to the page, follow the instructions below. The Swift Page Builder will display a list of all the elements that can be added to the Page Builder.
Choose your item from the dropdown menu. Use the top tabbed pages to narrow your options by typing, or use the top right find field to spontaneously sort the items. As soon as you have found your item, just click on it to directly append it to the Builder, or drop it in the Builder area at the place you want.
Component control is faded out until the component is moved to maintain the neat look of the components and the client in general. When you hover the mouse over the item, the control items for that item appear on the right. Operating items in order from right to left are: erase, save, duplicate and edit.
Clear - removes the item from the Builder entirely. Store - stores the currently configurated item in the Saved Items window. Multiply - duplicates the item in its currently configurated state. Allows you to set the item to the default state.
This is explained in more detail in the Edit Elements section. Resizing an item is unbelievably easy. The only thing you have to do is move the mouse over the right border of the item, click and drop to change the size. There is an overlap display for the width to which the item resizes, as shown on the right.
Just release when the item display shows the required resize and the item fits to that resize. In order to move an item, just move the cursor over it, click and holding the cursor, and then move it to the location you want. In order to modify an item, just move the cursor over the item and click the Modify button in the hidden control.
The Edit Item Model will be loaded, and here you can customize the different items for this particular item. On the right you can see an example of the model. You can customize the Edit Model item to your needs, you can move it on the monitor and also change the width from the right edge of the model, simply search for the resizing cursors and then enlarge/reduce the model according to your needs.
It is possible to change the name of an item by either modifying the upper box of the item in the Modal Editor with the title "Item Name". You can also quickly change the item name by selecting it in the area of the Home Page Builder, see right for a demo: Swift Page Builder can be used in different style options according to the level of detail of your page.
In the following we will explain some fundamental principles, but in the end the final form of your site is up to you and will be defined by the type of designs you want to have. This would mean that only items with different sizes will be used on your site. Another more sophisticated way would be to use rows within your page to group items, apply colors to the backgrounds, and so on.
Sequences are conceived in such a way that they contain the items they contain. So you can put a wallpaper /video/color on the line to give your page a more imaginative look, and this can be used to highlight the items within the line, or lines can actually be used alone as a full width picture or movie section.
A sample lay-out with rows + items is shown on the right. When you want to get maximal page agility and controllability, you can insert column into the tree to further group certain items. Splits make sure that items always appear in line with other items, and allow you to arrange several items vertical in a line with other individual or more items.
It now appears in the "Saved Elements" tab, which can be accessed from the Page Builder headline. Storing a page style is a handy way to save a set of items that you have already set up, which you can then upload to several pages and modify as needed. When you want to build sets of items that you want to refer to on several pages without making changes, an SPB section would be better, see this section for more detail.
In order to store a page style, just make the page you want to store, and then click the Store Style icon in the Swift Page Builder headline. After saving, the page style is then available in Stored Items mode on the Page Templates page. In order to download a page style, just click the Stored Items icon in the Swift Page Builder headers, click the Page Templates page and click the page style to download it.
When you load a page style, the contents of that style are added at the bottom of your page - it does not substitute the contents of the page. The SPB section is a great way to create reusable section of items that are common to many pages, but can all be refreshed at once from a central place.
In order to generate an SPB section, just go to SPB Sections > New, using the WordPress Admin menus on the right. It then opens a regular WordPress page viewer, and here you build your SPB area. The SPB sections are used like any other elements in the Page Builder.
In the Swift Page Builder headline, click the Add Item icon. Choose the SPB Section item. Modify this item, then choose the section you want to view in the editing mode that is displayed. We' ve built a shortcode mapper so you can use third-party shortcuts within the Builder.
From the WordPress Admin menu on the far-left, go to Swift Framework > Preferences. In the Page Builder area you will find the short-code mapper utility (see right). As soon as we have added this card, you will want to click Save and then go back to your page to insert the item. As soon as we have assigned our short code in the Swift Framework option, we can then go back to the Swift Page Builder to insert the item into our page.
As soon as you have edited your page, just click the Add item in the Swift Page Builder headline and you will find the item you have assigned, see right: Modifying your associated shortcut is the same as modifying all other elements in the Page Builder. Just move the mouse over the item, click the Modify symbol and the associated parameter will be available for modification.


text:
Late outburst sends Lakewood back to state
Lancers outhit Panthers, 12-4, to remain unbeaten
PICKERINGTON - Every time Brenna Brownfield came up with runners on base, something good happened for Lakewood.
In a game on Saturday featuring two of the state's best pitchers in the Lancers' Courtney Vierstra and Maysville's Madison Riggle, it was Brownfield's bat that left the biggest mark.
The Lancers' No. 3 hitter drove in five runs, including a grand slam in a seven-run seventh inning, as they pulled away for a 10-0 win in a Division II regional final at Pickerington Central.
Lakewood (27-0), the state's No. 1 ranked team, advanced to play seventh-ranked Akron Hoban in the state semifinals at 12:30 p.m. on June 3 at Akron Firestone Stadium. The other semifinal features Hamilton Ross and either No. 2 LaGrange Keystone or Maumee, who will play at 2 p.m. today after its game on Saturday was postponed.
The Lancers lost in the state finals last season, so there's plenty of unfinished business remaining.
"It's kind of like tradition now," said Vierstra, who allowed four hits and struck out eight in a complete game. "We want to go all the way so bad and we've worked so hard."
Lakewood's balanced lineup, blessed with speed and power, has outscored its opponents 35-2 in the postseason.
Brownfield also had a two-out RBI triple in the two-run third inning on Saturday that pushed a one-run lead to 3-0, which seemed all but insurmountable with the stingy Vierstra allowing the Panthers little.
On both occasions,Brownfield got pitches up in the zone she could elevate. Riggle, who signed with Robert Morris, generally works up and down and turns the ball over at the knees.
"I was struggling my last two games, so I went through five or six sessions in the batting cage by myself," Brownfield said. "So I got here and I was just looking for a first-pitch strike, and they were there. They were both hard shots."
Vierstra, a Miami recruit, allowed only four hits - all singles - and rode a 3-0 lead until her team sent 12 runners to the plate and had eight consecutive batters reach base in the final inning. They had seven hits that inning, all after Riggle got the first batter out.
Kate Peacock reached on a bases-loaded error at shortstop - a potential double play ball - to make it 4-0. Brownfield then hit a liner over the fence to the left field power alley, which officially put it away. Kristen Peacock and Vierstra followed with doubles before Megan Davis capped the scoring with an RBI single.
The Lancers outhit the Panthers 12-4 and had five extra-base hits.
"I think the first five innings were just kind of going through the motions, but then we really got up in the dugout, and more hits just lead to more hits," Brownfield explained. "It's contagious."
Riggle retired 10 of 11 batters entering the seventh to keep the Panthers close, but inability to get a clutch hit - they were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position - cost them when the game was still within reach.
After stranding runners at second base in the second and third, leadoff hitter Sydney Shreve walked and Kaylie Farmer had a bunt single to start the sixth. It brought up Riggle, the team's leader in homers and RBIs, but Vierstra induced a pop out after Riggle fouled the first pitch back.
Cleanup hitter Madeline Foster followed with a soft liner to shortstop, which resulted in a double play after Shreve was doubled off second base.
"It's 3-0 with two on and no outs and Madison coming to the plate, so we did have an opportunity," Maysville coach Greg Vaughn said. "We didn't have many. It just didn't work out for us."
Vierstra admitted she was relieved to get away unscathed.
"We knew after that if we could hold them it was going to be over," Vierstra said. "It made me a lot more comfortable."
Vaughn's team ended a 24-win season that included the school's first Muskingum Valley League title in 26 years and its first regional win in 31.
Saturday was the Lancers' day, however.
"They just outplayed us, outhit us," Vaughn said. "It's like I told them, if this is the worst thing that happens to you in your life, you'll be doing alright. It's tough. I know we had bigger things in mind, but someday they'll look back and say, 'hey, this was a pretty good year.'"
sblackbu@gannett.com
Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
using System;

namespace Cocos2D
{
    public class CCControlSaturationBrightnessPicker : CCControl
    {
        /** Contains the receiver's current saturation value. */

        //not sure if these need to be there actually. I suppose someone might want to access the sprite?
        private CCSprite _background;
        private float _brightness;
        private CCSprite _overlay;
        private float _saturation;
        private CCSprite _shadow;
        private CCSprite _slider;
        private CCPoint _startPos;
        protected int boxPos;
        protected int boxSize;

        public CCControlSaturationBrightnessPicker()
        {
        }

        public CCControlSaturationBrightnessPicker(CCNode target, CCPoint pos)
        {
            InitWithTargetAndPos(target, pos);
        }

        public float Saturation
        {
            get { return _saturation; }
            set { _saturation = value; }
        }

        public float Brightness
        {
            get { return _brightness; }
            set { _brightness = value; }
        }

        public CCSprite Background
        {
            get { return _background; }
            set { _background = value; }
        }

        public CCSprite Overlay
        {
            get { return _overlay; }
            set { _overlay = value; }
        }

        public CCSprite Shadow
        {
            get { return _shadow; }
            set { _shadow = value; }
        }

        public CCSprite Slider
        {
            get { return _slider; }
            set { _slider = value; }
        }

        public CCPoint StartPos
        {
            get { return _startPos; }
            set { _startPos = value; }
        }

        public override bool Enabled
        {
            get { return base.Enabled; }
            set
            {
                base.Enabled = value;
                if (_slider != null)
                {
                    _slider.Opacity = value ? (byte) 255 : (byte) 128;
                }
            }
        }

        public virtual bool InitWithTargetAndPos(CCNode target, CCPoint pos)
        {
            if (base.Init())
            {
                TouchEnabled = true;
                // Add background and slider sprites
                _background = CCControlUtils.AddSpriteToTargetWithPosAndAnchor("colourPickerBackground.png", target, pos,
                                                                               CCPoint.Zero);
                _overlay = CCControlUtils.AddSpriteToTargetWithPosAndAnchor("colourPickerOverlay.png", target, pos,
                                                                            CCPoint.Zero);
                _shadow = CCControlUtils.AddSpriteToTargetWithPosAndAnchor("colourPickerShadow.png", target, pos,
                                                                           CCPoint.Zero);
                _slider = CCControlUtils.AddSpriteToTargetWithPosAndAnchor("colourPicker.png", target, pos,
                                                                           new CCPoint(0.5f, 0.5f));

                _startPos = pos; // starting position of the colour picker
                boxPos = 35; // starting position of the virtual box area for picking a colour
                boxSize = (int) _background.ContentSize.Width / 2;
                // the size (width and height) of the virtual box for picking a colour from
                return true;
            }

            return false;
        }

        public virtual void UpdateWithHSV(HSV hsv)
        {
            HSV hsvTemp;
            hsvTemp.s = 1;
            hsvTemp.h = hsv.h;
            hsvTemp.v = 1;

            RGBA rgb = CCControlUtils.RGBfromHSV(hsvTemp);
            _background.Color = new CCColor3B((byte) (rgb.r * 255.0f), (byte) (rgb.g * 255.0f),
                                              (byte) (rgb.b * 255.0f));
        }

        public virtual void UpdateDraggerWithHSV(HSV hsv)
        {
            // Set the position of the slider to the correct saturation and brightness
            var pos = new CCPoint(_startPos.X + boxPos + (boxSize * (1f - hsv.s)),
                                  _startPos.Y + boxPos + (boxSize * hsv.v));

            // update
            UpdateSliderPosition(pos);
        }

        protected void UpdateSliderPosition(CCPoint sliderPosition)
        {
            // Clamp the position of the icon within the circle

            // Get the center point of the bkgd image
            float centerX = _startPos.X + _background.BoundingBox.Size.Width * 0.5f;
            float centerY = _startPos.Y + _background.BoundingBox.Size.Height * 0.5f;

            // Work out the distance difference between the location and center
            float dx = sliderPosition.X - centerX;
            float dy = sliderPosition.Y - centerY;
            var dist = (float) Math.Sqrt(dx * dx + dy * dy);

            // Update angle by using the direction of the location
            var angle = (float) Math.Atan2(dy, dx);

            // Set the limit to the slider movement within the colour picker
            float limit = _background.BoundingBox.Size.Width * 0.5f;

            // Check distance doesn't exceed the bounds of the circle
            if (dist > limit)
            {
                sliderPosition.X = centerX + limit * (float) Math.Cos(angle);
                sliderPosition.Y = centerY + limit * (float) Math.Sin(angle);
            }

            // Set the position of the dragger
            _slider.Position = sliderPosition;

            // Clamp the position within the virtual box for colour selection
            if (sliderPosition.X < _startPos.X + boxPos) sliderPosition.X = _startPos.X + boxPos;
            else if (sliderPosition.X > _startPos.X + boxPos + boxSize - 1)
                sliderPosition.X = _startPos.X + boxPos + boxSize - 1;
            if (sliderPosition.Y < _startPos.Y + boxPos) sliderPosition.Y = _startPos.Y + boxPos;
            else if (sliderPosition.Y > _startPos.Y + boxPos + boxSize)
                sliderPosition.Y = _startPos.Y + boxPos + boxSize;

            // Use the position / slider width to determin the percentage the dragger is at
            _saturation = 1.0f - Math.Abs((_startPos.X + boxPos - sliderPosition.X) / boxSize);
            _brightness = Math.Abs((_startPos.Y + boxPos - sliderPosition.Y) / boxSize);
        }

        protected bool CheckSliderPosition(CCPoint location)
        {
            // Clamp the position of the icon within the circle

            // get the center point of the bkgd image
            float centerX = _startPos.X + _background.BoundingBox.Size.Width * 0.5f;
            float centerY = _startPos.Y + _background.BoundingBox.Size.Height * 0.5f;

            // work out the distance difference between the location and center
            float dx = location.X - centerX;
            float dy = location.Y - centerY;
            var dist = (float) Math.Sqrt(dx * dx + dy * dy);

            // check that the touch location is within the bounding rectangle before sending updates
            if (dist <= _background.BoundingBox.Size.Width * 0.5f)
            {
                UpdateSliderPosition(location);
                SendActionsForControlEvents(CCControlEvent.ValueChanged);
                return true;
            }
            return false;
        }

        public override bool TouchBegan(CCTouch touch)
        {
            if (!Enabled || !Visible)
            {
                return false;
            }

            // Get the touch location
            CCPoint touchLocation = GetTouchLocation(touch);

            // Check the touch position on the slider
            return CheckSliderPosition(touchLocation);
        }

        public override void TouchMoved(CCTouch touch)
        {
            // Get the touch location
            CCPoint touchLocation = GetTouchLocation(touch);

            //small modification: this allows changing of the colour, even if the touch leaves the bounding area
            //     updateSliderPosition(touchLocation);
            //     sendActionsForControlEvents(ControlEventValueChanged);
            // Check the touch position on the slider
            CheckSliderPosition(touchLocation);
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home-Libya-Maritime MoU between Libyan GNA and Turkey takes effect
Maritime MoU between Libyan GNA and Turkey takes effect
Turkey announced that its MoU with Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) in maritime boundaries and cooperation is now in effect.
Since the signing of the MoU on November 27 between Head of Presidential Council Fayez Al-Sarraj and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tensions have gone higher regionally and internationally.
The first article of the MoU tackled the demarcation of the neritic zone and the economic zone between Libya and Turkey in the Mediterranean.
The fourth article says in its first item that any dispute about the implementation of the MoU shall be resolved through diplomatic channels as per Article (33) UN charter.
The second item of the fourth article says if there are natural resources in the economic zone in one of the two sides of the MoU signatories that stretches to the other side's zone, the two sides benefit from it.
The last item of the fourth article says of one of the countries of the MoU wanted to negotiate with a country for demarcation of maritime boundaries, it needs to inform the second country of the MoU and negotiate with it first.
This controversial agreement brought to light the tensions over the eastern Mediterranean region's oil exploration activities as Cyprus called on the International Criminal Court to protect its rights in the maritime resources that are disputed with Turkey.
The President of Cyprus said his country is committed to protecting its sovereignty in all legal ways, while Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, said the MoU between Turkey and Libya aims to secure Ankara's rights as per the law.
Çavuşoğlu told reporters that his country couldn't strike such deals with other countries, but it will do in the future.
GNA Libya Maritime MoU Turkey


text:
Танамирза́ () — аул у складі Аксуатського району Абайської області Казахстану. Входить до складу Ойшиліцького сільського округу.

Населення — 546 осіб (2009; 608 у 1999, 653 у 1989).

Національний склад станом на 1989 рік:
 казахи — 100 %

До 1999 року аул називався Чапай, у радянські часи мав також назву Бригада 1-а Комсомол.

Примітки

Джерела

Посилання
 На Вікімапії

Населені пункти Аксуатського району
Аули Абайської області

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I was supposed to make these days ago, but finally got the time this afternoon right before I had to give them away. The blue one is for a friend from her grandsons (blue is her favourite colour). She is far from her children and missing them terribly. I planned to leave it outside her room and sneak off, because she is very soft-hearted. She caught me on the way out and cried her eyes out, I felt terrible for her.
This was for my mum from me and my siblings.


The biggest rumour that is floating around is that Valve is working on a new Half-Life game that will be released in the future, possibly with this new headset.
Valve has announced that their upcoming headset will be called the "Index".
Valve wasn't exactly forthcoming about what exactly the Valve Index is. Elsewhere on the page is the slogan "Upgrade your experience", accompanied by the broad date - May 2019. Gaben is obviously teasing us. Given Valve's work on Linux SteamVR support and enabling the HTC Vive on Linux, more than likely the Valve Index will feature first-rate Linux support.
We'll be bringing you all the news of the Valve Index launch when it happens, but in the meantime, you might want to hold off on that VR headset purchase. Fingers crossed we'll receive a bit more details about it over the coming weeks.
The Valve Index has been rumored for a while, but we only got confirmation that Valve will be shipping its own VR headset last week. Nonetheless, we are excited to see the headset when it releases. However, it is good to see a strong new entrant, from PC games goliath Valve, which previously put its weight behind HTC's products. Till now, Valve, for its VR needs, partnered with HTC Vive.
To reinvigorate public interest in VR technology again is Valve as they've hinted at their very own VR headset.
The government must now present a new way forward to the European Union by 12 April or face leaving without a deal on that date. Meanwhile, Leave voters registered their anger at the latest vote rejection with a protest at Westminster.


text:
Q: Ansible error: /bin/sh: -c: line 0: unexpected EOF while looking for matching " I am trying to use Ansible with several CoreOS virtual machines. I've installed ActivePython, and the binaries are recognized by the system. When I try to use a builtin Ansible module (ping) to test, it throws the following error:
deploy@kube-bh:~$ ansible dhcp-coreos155 -m ping
dhcp-coreos155 | FAILED! => {
    "changed": false,
    "failed": true,
    "module_stderr": "Shared connection to dhcp-coreos155 closed.\r\n",
    "module_stdout": "/bin/sh: -c: line 0: unexpected EOF while looking for matching `\"'\r\n/bin/sh: -c: line 1: syntax error: unexpected end of file\r\n",
    "msg": "MODULE FAILURE",
    "rc": 1
}

Interestingly enough, if I run an Ansible command with -m raw, it succeeds:
deploy@kube-bh:~$ ansible dhcp-coreos155 -m raw -a 'uptime'
dhcp-coreos155 | SUCCESS | rc=0 >>
 20:02:21 up 1 day, 22:11,  2 users,  load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00
Shared connection to dhcp-coreos155 closed.

I used the -vvvv flag on the failing command to see the connection state, and it appears SSH is connecting properly to the CoreOS node. I do glean a bit more information, but why the error is occurring is not clear.
<dhcp-coreos155> ESTABLISH SSH CONNECTION FOR USER: deploy
<dhcp-coreos155> SSH: EXEC ssh -C -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o 'IdentityFile="/home/deploy/.ssh/id_rsa"' -o KbdInteractiveAuthentication=no -o PreferredAuthentications=gssapi-with-mic,gssapi-keyex,hostbased,publickey -o PasswordAuthentication=no -o User=deploy -o ConnectTimeout=10 -o ControlPath=/home/deploy/.ansible/cp/6852b73873 -tt dhcp-coreos155 '/bin/sh -c '"'"'sudo -H -S -n -u root /bin/sh -c '"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'echo BECOME-SUCCESS-fisdfsesqopuqybnmnfhfdijsvkmxvoh; /home/deploy/bin/python" /home/deploy/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1510602904.61-255211842882017/ping.py; rm -rf "/home/deploy/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1510602904.61-255211842882017/" > /dev/null 2>&1'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"' && sleep 0'"'"''
<dhcp-coreos155> (1, '/bin/sh: -c: line 0: unexpected EOF while looking for matching `"\'\r\n/bin/sh: -c: line 1: syntax error: unexpected end of file\r\n', 'Shared connection to dhcp-coreos155 closed.\r\n')

A: To me it looks like you have messed with Python executable definition somewhere (you don't show the config, it's likely the Ansible inventory or ansible.cfg) -- there is an unbalanced quotation mark in the command Ansible executes:
 /home/deploy/bin/python"

Shell opens a quote, but before it finds matching closing quotation mark, the whole command ends, so  it throws an unexpected EOF-found exception.

raw module doesn't call Python, so there is no error.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Prison Officer Gets 3 Years in Federal Prison for Inmate Beating
Former Officer Helped Cover Up The Severe Beating of an Inmate in 2008
Published June 17, 2014 • Updated on June 17, 2014 at 4:04 pm
A former Maryland correctional officer who helped cover up the severe beating of an inmate in 2008 was sentenced Tuesday to three years in a federal prison.
Former Lt. Edwin Stigile was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. He is the highest-ranking former officer among 16 convicted of crimes stemming from the systematic beating of inmate Kenneth Davis at Roxbury Correctional Institution near Hagerstown.
Stigile pleaded guilty to charges he destroyed incriminating surveillance video after other officers delivered a series of beatings meant to punish Davis for punching a guard. Davis was hospitalized with a broken nose, back and ribs.
Stigile's sentence is the stiffest given so far to any of the 14 officers convicted of federal charges. One more awaits sentencing.
Two others were convicted in state court.
On Tuesday, Stigile told U.S. District Judge James Bredar "I didn't know what I was thinking'' before apologizing for his participation in what Bredar characterized as "systemic corruption'' at the penitentiary.
The courtroom was full on Tuesday, with members of Stigile's church lining the benches. A pastor and Stigile's brother-in-law spoke on the former correctional officer's behalf.
"This one act does not define the man I know,'' said Pastor Donald Preston, who described Stigile as "a solid guy who makes good decisions.''
But Bredar harshly criticized Stigile and his role in the cover-up, saying the high-ranking former officer's decision to destroy evidence "made the beating possible.''
"It was a gross violation of his oath to serve people lawfully, and the sort of violation that allowed this cancer to grow unabated in this prison,'' Bredar said. "We expect better, we require better, and if you're a lieutenant and you crack and you destroy videotapes and you lie, the consequence is, if you get caught, you're going to federal prison.''
Stigile was ordered to surrender to the U.S. Marshals on Sept. 17.


The band conveyor is a conveyor 3000 mm long, equipped with the chevron band. It is employed to transport bulk cargo and construction materials via horizontal, slanting and combined routes. Its reliable panel construction provides for low energy consumption, thus leading to efficient work and productivity of technological processes.


No smoke and mirrors needed. Just friendly curves and a tight supportive seat and back. With a round powder coated steel base. Puff Puff is a smoking departure from the crowd. Sturdy solid hardwood and plywood frame. High resiliency foam and webbing provide a firm and supportive seat. Materials: Condit Dusk: plum powder-coated steel base, 100% Polyester upholstery.


text:
We Are Trying To Bring Out The Elephant In The Room: Taapsee Pannu On Thappad
Taapsee Pannu Said Women Are Often Told To "tolerate" And Are Given A Different 'to-do' List Than Men For A Relationship, Which Creates An Imbalance And The Film Addresses These Disparities.
PTI | Updated on: 03 Feb 2020, 07:06:39 PM
Taapsee Pannu (Photo Credit: Instagram)
Calling domestic violence "an elephant in the room", Bollywood star Taapsee Pannu hopes her film "Thappad" starts a conversation around the issue. In the Anubhav Sinha-directed movie, Taapsee plays an educated, upper middle-class woman who is forced to take stock of her relationship after being slapped by her husband.
"The film is not just about domestic violence. It is just one trigger. There is a dialogue in the film which says 'I can suddenly see all the unfair things that I did not notice earlier'. So 'Thappad' (slap) is a trigger and suddenly you see these things that were taken for granted in a relationship," Taapsee told PTI in an interview.
"We are trying to bring out the elephant in the room. Let's see how many discussions or how many awkward silences are there after people see the film," she added.
The 32-year-old actor said women are often told to "tolerate" and are given a different 'to-do' list than men for a relationship, which creates an imbalance and the film addresses these disparities.
Kya yeh bas itni si baat hai? Kya pyaar mein ye bhi jayaz hai? Yeh #Thappad Ki pehli Jhalak hai! #Thappadfirstlook
A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) on Jan 29, 2020 at 10:39pm PST
"It is like there is a (separate) to-do list for both women and men that is expected from them in a relationship. Who decided this? Did you just blindly follow what was told to you? It is not a mistake of any one person but of everyone as a society that we are trying to normalise it," Taapsee said, adding that her character Amrita questions everyone, including herself, in the process.
According to Taapsee, it was a conscious decision to set the background of the story in an upper middle class, educated and well-to-do family. "It is not that such things happen in those houses where people are uneducated, this happens in educated families as well. It is happening with three women out of five," she said.
Asked whether she had questioned herself as well, the actor said she unlearned certain things that were ingrained in her as a woman. "When you are growing up you are told to follow certain things.... But with age as I became independent, I realised I am working as hard as a man of my age and I am earning well, maybe not more, but I can run my house like any other man. So why are rules different for me? I should not do certain things because I am a woman, why? When you start becoming independent, you become confident and start questioning things."
Thappad also features Pavail Gulati, Dia Mirza, Ratna Pathak Shah, Tanvi Azmi, Kumud Mishra and Manav Kaul. It is set to hit the theatres on February 28.
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Taapsee Pannu Thappad


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HOME |	Latin America (Click here for more)
US to Morales: Vote Count Accuracy Crucial to Uphold Legitimacy
WASHINGTON – The acting head of US diplomacy for Latin America, Michael Kozak, has called on Bolivia's current President Evo Morales to ensure that all the votes in Sunday's presidential elections were counted "accurately" to uphold legitimacy.
Kozak, who has spent almost half a century in US diplomacy, welcomed EFE to his office for his first interview since taking on the role of Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs in September.
In Bolivia, after Sunday's elections, Evo Morales proclaimed himself the winner but his government has asked for a second round of voting, why?
Well, our position has been that the vote should be counted and every vote counted accurately. Now, we were very supportive of the government of Bolivia when it asked the Organization of American States to send election observers experts on this matter.
And I had the opportunity to meet with a couple of the ministers of the Bolivian government this morning and said look, when you asked for the experts to come and validate your election, you need to take their recommendations not just take the ones you like and ignore the others. So it's a very critical moment for Bolivia.
Even though we've had our differences with the current government there we've always considered it to be a legitimate democratically elected government. But if this matter of the election isn't handled properly that can be put in jeopardy.
Could the relationship with Bolivia be altered? Any proposals to stop recognizing Morales as the legitimate president?
I mean, you can look around the world and see the kinds of relationships that you have with governments that are democratically elected and legitimate are very different than you have with governments that are not.
I'm not going to go into detail of what the government to government relationship would be but I can certainly say one thing if you're an investor, whether it's a Bolivian investor or a foreign investor, and you're looking at a situation where there's a real question as to the legitimacy of an election, that's going to influence your decisions and not in a way that's good for Bolivia.
CHILE'S UNREST
You told a congressional committee this week that "foreign actors" had been detected in the protests in Chile, what exactly did you mean?
We've identified on social media fake accounts emanating from Russia that are people pretending to be Chilean people but, really, the whole message that they're doing is trying to undermine all Chilean institutions and society. Now, this doesn't mean that was the cause of the unrest in Chile.
These actors are not unique to the region but where people pretend to be a fellow citizen and they say 'oh have you heard about this or have you heard about that.' And it's a made-up story but designed to provoke you into some kind of action oriented at distrusting your own institutions. And that's a very dangerous thing.
TAKING ON NARCOS IN MEXICO
Last week, Mexican authorities arrested and later released Ovidio Guzman Lopez, one of El Chapo's sons. The streets of Culiacan, in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, turned into a battlefield. What's your view on the reaction of the Mexican government.
I don't think, if you ask the Mexican government their opinion, it's something that they would be happy about, it was very unfortunate, has a lot of bad implications.
We understand the situation they found themselves in where, according to their accounts, they were outgunned by the bad guys, there would have been a lot of civilian damage.
But that tells you there's a broader problem there that has to be dealt with and something that we and the government in Mexico have been dealing with together, trying to fight these transnational criminal organizations and not have them be able to do something like this.
Do you think that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador still has not defined a solid strategy for this?
Every strategy needs to be refreshed every so often just because people tend to forget and it's this is very much a bureaucratic problem.
In bureaucracies, we all get focused on what we're supposed to be doing right now. So I may be sitting here thinking what can I do about stopping X and I'm not looking at the 10 things that are going on over here and maybe there's something over here that actually could be more effective. So that's where having a bit of a vision is it is a good thing to do.
So, we're not criticizing what Mexico is doing now but we're saying let's reinvigorate what the strategy is.
Last week, in New York, a judge found former Honduran official Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernandez, brother of the president, Juan Orland Hernandez, guilty of drug trafficking. New York prosecutors named the president as a co-conspirator and he has been linked to drug trafficking several times. Does the US still consider him an ally?
We see Honduras as a reliable partner and we will work with the officials in office. I obviously can't comment about what's going on in the criminal justice system that's for our Justice Department to do.
But we are working with the government of Honduras, continue to work with them and we've got a big broad agenda that we have to work on sort of regardless of what's going on that front. So that's where we are.
But you still have confidence in Hernandez? Or you simply have to keep a good relationship because he is the president?
I think I will leave it saying we're dealing with the elected officials of Honduras.


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Student files Title IX complaint against LA Tech
Kaleb Causey
kcausey@thenewsstar.com
A Louisiana Tech University student has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education over a student fee.
The fee, the Association of Women Students fee, is a 50-cent fee on all full-time female students to fund the AWS chapter.
"I have filed a complaint ... under Title IX," Nick Smith said. "We're just trying to get the fee removed."
Title IX is a set of federal laws that prevent federally funded educational institutions from discriminating on the basis of sex.
Smith first looked into the fee when writing a story for a student-operated magazine at Tech.
"One of the administrators basically said in the story I wrote that this is a fee that we already have. Good luck trying to get rid of it," he said. "The reason why I filed a complaint is because a student affairs dean from another university contacted me when I initially wrote the story in the Tech magazine. He encouraged me to pursue a complaint because he felt it was in violation of Title IX."
Dave Guerin, executive director of university communications, said, "Louisiana Tech has no knowledge of a complaint having been filed regarding our Associated Women Students fee and thus cannot comment further."
Smith said he has a phone conference scheduled with an attorney from the Department of Education Thursday that is looking into the complaint.
Follow @Kaleb_Causey on Twitter.


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[ARCHIVED] City of Eugene Launches Online COVID-19 Household Survey
In an effort to continue supporting the community now and prioritize future needs, the City of Eugene has launched a COVID-19 Household Survey. Data from the survey will help determine how best to focus City efforts to recover from the pandemic. Community input on this survey is critical as responses will help inform decisions for programs and policies as we move forward.
"Thank you, Eugene residents, for the strength, resiliency and generosity you have shown as a community over the last year," said Sarah Medary, Eugene City Manager. "The challenges of COVID-19 and its impacts on our lives, schools, businesses, and city have been significant. As a city, we have changed and adapted our services and programs to support the health and safety of community members and staff during this pandemic. We know you've had to make sacrifices and faced challenges too, and it is important to know how you are doing since the onset of COVID-19."
The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and community input is greatly appreciated. Information will be remain confidential, and results from the survey will only be shared as a group (no individual's answers will be made available). To access the survey, community members must create an account on Engage Eugene, the City's online engagement platform. The COVID-19 Household Survey will be open through January 31.


FRESNO, CALIFORNIA (March 23, 2019) – A Greyhound bus driver was arrested following a bus accident after hitting a guardrail by Highway 99 near Highway 180.
California Highway Patrol are saying that the accident first took place around 9:30 a.m. There were a total of 35 passengers on the bus at the time of the accident.
A total of 10 people were injured in the crash and the bus driver has since been charged with DUI. Greyhound sent another bus to pick up the passengers following the crash.
The road was partially closed as the investigation continued.
According to FMCSA regulations, the blood alcohol limit for commercial drivers is 0.04. This stands in contrast to the 0.08 limit adopted by California and many other states. Any bus driver that chooses to drink and get behind the wheel may face civil and criminal liability. Victims of bus accidents will be able to recover damages for lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. A bus accident lawyer can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your options are.
We at West Coast Trial Lawyers extend our thoughts and prayers to all of those that were injured in this bus accident. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. It's important that bus drivers understand how medication might affect their ability to drive safely. In many circumstances, commercial drivers don't use alcohol but can still have their driving ability compromised through prescriptions or medicine purchased over the counter. There needs to be some accountability on the part of Greyhound for what has happened.
Have you or someone that you love been involved in a bus accident? You may have legal recourse. our team of personal injury attorneys are here to answer any questions that you may have. We are committed to making sure that our clients are justly compensated for their injuries. Whether you're thinking about hiring an attorney or just have questions about your rights we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 888-9285.


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Need to give push to reforms with human face: Venkaiah Naidu
November 23, 2017 by qayam
Kochi: India is now the most favourable investment destination globally and there is need to give a push to reforms with a 'human face', Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday.
He said there were great opportunities to invest and progress and the states were engaging in healthy competition with each other to prosper.
India has been able to move forward and was now the most favourable investment destination globally, he said at the 160th anniversary celebrations of Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry here.
"We need to push the reforms, reforms with a human face," he said, adding that investment has to be improved.
He urged the industry to invest more, taking advantage of the 'favourable situation' prevailing in the country.
He said industry bodies like the ASSOCHAM, FICCI and Chamber of Commerce have a greater responsibility to ensure their members follow ethics and ethical corporate governance, tax compliance and corporate social responsibility.
"You must also have a self code of conduct," he said
On demonetisation, he said its purpose was to bring the unaccounted money into banks. Money lying in various places "has come to banks with an address", he said.
The vice president said 56 lakh people have joined the ranks of the Income Tax payees post the exercise by the government last year. There would be further addition and once the tax net was widened, the tax rate would come down, he said.
On the Goods and Services Tax, he said it was a culmination of the combined efforts of all parliamentarians cutting across party lines.
He said the government was trying to address shortcomings (in GST) and said it could be further improved after taking suggestions from all political parties.
Categories Business Tags Venkaiah Naidu Post navigation
Rupee appreciates 12 paise against dollar to 64.80
Key Indian equity market indices open higher


Having grown up painting, I decided to do the "practical thing" and pursue a degree in graphic design. In 1990 I received my BFA in Graphic Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design. I worked as a graphic designer for many years, but eventually came back to my painting roots by working on commissioned paintings and murals. I've been an active part of the arts community in the Augusta, Georgia area for many years now, presiding over two non-profit art community art groups, helping run a co-operative art gallery, organizing events and festivals, teaching classes, and helping other artists pursue their artistic goals. Currently I am practicing art in Statesboro, Georgia while I pursue my Master of Fine Arts in studio art at Georgia Southern University.
Assisted with student development in several undergraduate level classes.
Commissioned paintings and murals for private and public-sector clients including the Greater Augusta Arts Council, Augusta-Richmond County Water Department, Cross Creek High School, and Columbia Middle School. Selected, through a juried contest, as one of six artists who completed separate murals in Augusta's Art on the Wall project.
Designed and planned mural and its execution at orphanage outside of Port Au Prince, Haiti. Lead non-artist team members, and children from the orphanage to create 15' x 10' mural.
Assisted with children's activities for the Averitt Center for the Arts.
Appointed by the Columbia County Board of Commissioners to serve on the seven-member committee to oversee the allocation of grant funds raised to support area events including, but not limited to those involving the arts. Reviewed and approved grant applications and liaised with county representatives on upcoming public events.
Juror for the area's largest art event with over 80,000 attendees.
Partnered with government and business leaders to host community arts events. Authored event-associated grant requests that were funded. Served as board president from 2012 to 2014, vice president in 2011, and event coordinator from 2010 to 2014.
Promoted guild members' work by hosting and participating in community events. Efforts resulted in a three-fold increase in active membership (from 35 to over 110). Coordinated with local businesses to create venues hosting members' work and held outreaches that offered classes and workshops. Authored event-associated grants that were funded.


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Q: ExtJs Grid BufferRenderer doesnot display the grid rows I want to implement grid bufferrenderer in my simple grid panel that shows a list of information using ExtJS 4.2.1. Without using the bufferrenderer plugin, it shows all the data, but when i used this plugin, my grid contains no data.
This is my grid without using the plugin

This is my grid using the plugin

The grid panel's code is:
Ext.define('MyApp.view.MyPanel', {
extend: 'Ext.panel.Panel',
itemId: 'myPanel',
title: '',
requires: ['Ext.grid.plugin.BufferedRenderer'],
initComponent: function() {
    var me = this;
    Ext.applyIf(me, {
        items: [
            {
                xtype: 'gridpanel',
                autoRender: true,
                autoShow: true,
                itemId: 'gridPanel',
                title: 'My Grid Panel',
                store: 'MyJsonStore',
                columns: [
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'id',
                        text: 'Id'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'firstName',
                        text: 'FirstName'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'middleName',
                        text: 'MiddleName'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'lastName',
                        text: 'LastName'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'age',
                        text: 'Age'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'country',
                        text: 'Country'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'city',
                        text: 'City'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'street',
                        text: 'Street'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'mobile',
                        text: 'Mobile'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'phone',
                        text: 'Phone'
                    },
                    {
                        xtype: 'gridcolumn',
                        dataIndex: 'zip',
                        text: 'Zip'
                    }
                ],
                plugins: 'bufferedrenderer'
                /*plugins:  {
                    ptype: 'bufferedrenderer',
                    trailingBufferZone: 20,
                    leadingBufferZone: 25
                }*/
            }
        ]
    });

    me.callParent(arguments);
}

});

The Store's code is:
Ext.define('MyApp.store.MyJsonStore', {
extend: 'Ext.data.Store',

requires: [
    'MyApp.model.GridModel'
],

constructor: function(cfg) {
    var me = this;
    cfg = cfg || {};
    me.callParent([Ext.apply({
        autoLoad: true,
        model: 'MyApp.model.GridModel',
        storeId: 'MyJsonStore',
        buffered: true,
        clearOnPageLoad: false,
        clearRemovedOnLoad: false,
        leadingBufferZone: 25,
        pageSize: 500,
        purgePageCount: 10,
        trailingBufferZone: 20,
        proxy: {
            type: 'ajax',
            url: 'data/users.json',
            reader: {
                type: 'json',
                root: 'users',
                totalProperty: 'total_user'
            }
        }
    }, cfg)]);
}
});

Can anyone help me with this? Thanks

A: Setting the height property in grid will fix this issue.
height: 300

A: Make sure that all panels up to the viewport have their layout set to "fit". Also, region of the grid should be "center".
I have not tested, but something like this should work:
var grid = Ext.create('MyApp.view.MyPanel', {
     layout: 'fit',
     region: 'center'
     });
var viewport = Ext.create('Ext.container.Viewport', {
        renderTo: Ext.getBody(),
        items: [
            grid
            ]
        });


text:
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J.James Bousquet Realty Inc.
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McLaughlin Real Estate
Remax Island Real Estate Brokerage
Leanne Lewis | Royal LePage
Isobel Edward – Coldwell Banker
Jordan Stephens Real estate Team
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Home News Headline Wiky High robotics squad places in top third at Ontario competition
Wiky High robotics squad places in top third at Ontario competition
Michael Erskine
The Wikwemikong robotics team.
First-ever contest for rookie team
NORTH BAY––When the Wikwemikong High School robotics team pulled into Nipissing University's Robert J. Surtees Student Athletics Centre in North Bay on Wednesday, March 25 pulling the small trailer containing their robot and tools for the FirstRobotics Regional Competition, they found themselves immediately overawed when another team pulled in behind them.
"They had two big full-sized buses with their team," said Wikwemikong High School teacher and robotics team mentor, Chris Mara.
"They have team shirts and matching sweaters. We are going home," quipped Wikwemikong robotics team member Tim Pitawanakwat.
The Wikwemikong robotics team consisted of Wikwemikong High School students Tim Pitawanakwat, Kaitlynn Recollet, Reynold Assiniwe, Shaelynn Recollet and Annie Wemigwans and despite the initial shock of the resources they were up against, the team remained undaunted. Despite facing well-established and funded opposition, they knew they were from the little school that could––and they did! Finishing in the top third of all of their competitions, winning their first round and taking home two out of three rookie trophies despite the challenges facing them from many well established teams. The team finished 13 overall out of 36 teams competing from across the province.
"Our team did really, really well," beamed Mr. Mara of the five-person Wikwemikong robotics team. Three of the members arrived with the robot as an advance group for the unloading and preliminary work while two other students joined the team for setup on the second day.
"I am excited that our students have had the opportunity to put into practice the math and science skills they have learned in our school board," said Wikwemikong Chief Duke Peltier. "One of the things I have learned from this weekend is that they can compete with any school board in the province." Chief Peltier noted that the students have also learned in a very concrete way that they have skills that can be transferred to any post-secondary school in the world.
"The example this team has set has certainly raised the bar for their peers," he said. "They have been able to garner awards and recognition from the event organizers." This inaugural team's success, he noted, is something that future teams can build upon and develop the program further.
The Wikwemikong robot was designed to be both robust and simple. "Our robot was designed to do one thing, but to do that one thing very, very well," confided Mr. Mara. This was a good proven strategy for a rookie team, as the competitors were grouped into alliances. The Wikwemikong team was chosen as one of the alliance leaders.
The FirstRobotics competition is very collegial, which the Wikwemikong team discovered to their delight. "This competition is all about developing and encouraging student engineers," said Mr. Mara, who noted that teams gain points for assisting other teams.
Many of the experienced teams have large corporate sponsors and incredible resources to draw from, noted Mr. Mara. "One team even had their own metal lathe set up in their pit," he said. "Another team had a dedicated machine shop at their school for robotics."
With deep pocketed sponsors, some teams would only have to draw a part they needed in AutoCad, email the drawing to their sponsor, and the part would arrive 24 hours later, laser cut, machined and ready for action.
"We have one tote full of tools," noted Mr. Mara.
But that aforementioned collegial atmosphere fostered at the competition went a long way to fill in any gaps in the tool rack. "If a team needed a tool or were lacking a part, there was a form to fill out and an announcement would be made over the PA system," he said. "All the teams would rummage through their toolkits and someone would supply the needed materials." Since most of the teams sported $2,000 toolboxes and even large screen televisions, that was a very good thing.
From the very beginning the Wikwemikong teams experienced a welcoming atmosphere. "When you first arrive your robot is placed in a gymnasium, sealed for inspection," noted the teacher. "Each team has a pit, set up something like a NASCAR race pit, with your tools and parts." When the Wikwemikong team arrived at their "pit" they found that one of the well-funded larger teams had gone out and purchased shelving and benches, which they then had set up for the arriving rookie team." In fact, another team had gone so far as to source a bank of 12-volt batteries and placed them in the pit on charge, ready for the new team's use.
"All the teams pull together," said Mr. Mara. "The idea is to foster the kind of cooperation that engineers need when they are working on projects. Since the ultimate goal is to develop engineers, the point is not to privately hoard your great idea but to share."
There was good community support from across the Island for the team. "We had good access to the Assiginack recycling program, and Delmer Fields' workshop, which really helped out," said Mr. Mara.
After the first day of the competition, the Wikwemikong team found itself ranked among the elite group of eight. "As captains, we wound up choosing a team for the quarter finals, semi-finals and finals."
The Wikwemikong team also stood out as unusual in that there were a larger percentage of females on the team.
"At one point the three students gathered around working on the robot were our female team members," noted Mr. Mara. "There were other female members on other teams, but they were always surrounded by a large contingent of male students." On the Wikwemikong team, the Anishinaabekwe played a central role.
The team proved beyond any doubt that First Nations students from a remote and rural school can reach the highest levels of success in the math and sciences. "First Nations students tend to be underrepresented in the maths and sciences," noted Mr. Mara. "These results show that we can stand shoulder to shoulder and toe to toe with anyone across Ontario and will help other students to recognize the possibilities that are out there for them."
With this first competition behind them, the Wikwemikong robotics team also now has the results they can show potential corporate sponsors in order to attract their support. From here on, the sky truly is the limit.
Ontario government to repeal Bill 128 amid unprecedented support for education workers
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Workload for families overseeing homeschoolers concerns Rainbow Board's Director of Education
Island students reflect on virtual education
Wiikwemkoong literacy program digitally partnering students with business elite now North American model
State of emergency issued travel order Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory
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Liberals back down on some weapons that were to be included...
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OTTAWA—Last Friday, the Liberal government unexpectedly withdrew amendments that would have banned firearms commonly used by farmers and hunters across Canada. The controversial amendments...
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LOS ANGELES, Jan 19, 2013 (AFP) - Former US Anti-Doping Agency chief Terry Madden said Saturday that Lance Armstrong did offer USADA a donation in 2004, contrary to the shamed cyclist's claim in a confessional TV interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Armstrong's vehement denial of the claim made by current USADA chief executive Travis Tygart, came in the second installment of his pre-recorded interview, which aired on Friday.
"This is another personal attack on Travis Tygart and the United States Anti-Doping Agency," Madden, chief executive of the agency from 2000–2007, told the New York Daily News. Tygart said in an interview with Showtime television's 60 Minutes Sports last week that an Armstrong representative called the agency in 2004 and offered a $250,000 "donation."
"That is not true," Armstrong told Winfrey, telling her he "asked around" among his camp to see if someone had made the offer without his knowledge. "That's a lot of money," Armstrong said. "I would know."
But Madden, who hasn't commented publicly on doping matters since his tenure at USADA ended, told both ESPN.com and the Daily News that he remembered the day that Tygart, then USADA's general counsel, received the call.
"Travis received a telephone call from one of Lance's closest representatives, who offered to make a contribution to USADA," Madden said. He said Tygart reported the call to him, and "within 30 seconds" Madden told Tygart to call back and reject the offer, since a donation from a person who could be drug-tested by the agency would be improper.
A similar six-figure donation by Armstrong to the International Cycling Union (UCI) has become a point of contention in the governing body's handling of Armstrong, with suggestions it was a pay-off.
Madden declined to identify the person who made the phone call to Tygart, saying he couldn't because of the U.S. federal whistleblower lawsuit filed by cyclist Floyd Landis that names Armstrong and several business associates as defendants.
That's not the only legal action Armstrong is facing. The Sunday Times is suing Armstrong for more than $1.6 million over a libel payment made to him in 2006. SCA Promotions, a Texas insurance company that paid bonuses to Armstrong for multiple Tour de France titles, has threatened to sue to get that money back. The firm tried to withhold payment because of doping allegations against Armstrong then, but the cyclist sued and won.
The first installment of Armstrong's interview with Winfrey included the American's first public admission—after years of vehement denials—that he used an array of performance enhancing drugs in winning a record seven Tour de France titles from 1999–2005. The belated admission comes three months after USADA issued a devastating 1,000-page report detailing the doping program in Armstrong's US Postal Service team, stripping him of his Tour titles and banning him for life from competition.


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Ridesharing Could Be Kickass For the Environment
by Christine Stoddard | Jul 20, 2016 | Auto News | 0 comments
Have you ever wondered how effective ridesharing actually is? Does it help the environment or is it just a pragmatic choice for people who can't afford a car? According to a new study of Car2go, every shared car the company puts on the road means 7 to 11 cars are taken off the road.
Time Magazine reports that Berkeley professor Susan Shaheen, who specializes in transportation studies, is the wonk who led the study of nearly 10,000 Car2go customers. Transportation startups like Car2go give Shaheen access to their data so she can determine their environmental impact. Though Shaheen's study on Uber and Lyft is in the works, she will be publishing her assessment of Car2Go next week.
"We had access to an unprecedented data set where we were really able to ask all the questions we wanted to ask," she told Time. Her team had the chance to learn how Car2go customers got around before they began using the service and how their behavior has since changed.
Overall, Shaheen found that Car2go gets cars off the road, a result that will ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions if the ridesharing trend continues. According to a Time story published in June, one of the biggest modern transportation challenges is the large number of people who drive alone.
So how does Car2go work? The simplest way to explain it is that it's a floating model rather than a round-trip one. What that means is that Car2go customers can pick up a car anywhere and drop it off anywhere within a specified zone. Customers pay by the minute.
Shaheen's study found that between two and five percent of customers even sold a car because they found Car2go an effective replacement. Seven to ten percent of surveyed customers did not buy a new car because of Car2go filled their need for one. Car2go therefore took an estimated 28,000 cars off the road. When thousands and thousands of cars are taken off the road like that, communities witness lower congestion and lower parking demand. It also means that people are wasting less gas.
Ridesharing may not be perfect, but it looks like it has some serious environmental potential.
(H/T Time Magazine)
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Have you ever wondered how effective ridesharing actually is? Does it help the environment or is it just a pragmatic choice?


text:
In the Shadow of the Duomo: A Season in Firenze
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Corporate Japan pursues to step up women's growth drive
Katherine Yearwood
Recently, Japan introduced a bill aimed at securing more women into their corporate world. Despite the new bill, many say it will likely still be difficult for women to flourish in the workplace due to the country's social structure and defined gender roles.
Director of Suffolk University's Rosenberg Institute of East Asian Studies and History Professor Ronald Suleski described in an interview with The Journal Japan's polar spectrums and has little faith in the system.
"There are two environments in Japan. One is what the law says and the other is the reality," said Suleski.
While there are laws that are aimed at promoting gender equality among Japanese citizens, these laws are not always completely effective or enforced, according to Suleski. He said that women may get the job, but will be assigned duties that are less than a man's opportunities, which give them less of a chance to be promoted.
Suleski explained the traditional work that women would have in an office would sometimes be preparing refreshments and tea for the male guests that would be visiting the office to meet with the male supervisors.
Within the past 20 to 30 years, Japan has enacted a number of laws all aimed at empowering women in the workplace. However, it has been reported that these laws are not enforced.
"If you look at the law, the law paints a very different picture," said Suleski. "It paints a picture of giving women more opportunity for advancement to be treated in a more proper way equal to men, but the law is in the books but it's often not followed."
In Japan there are different factors at play as to why women generally have yet to be viewed as equals to their male counterparts. Suffolk University Communications and Journalism Professor Bruce Wickelgren believes the country is paternalistic.
"It follows a masculine way of understanding, it believes that the man is the breadwinner and that a woman's job is to serve men. Obviously Japan is not alone in this," said Wickelgren. "We have that in the United States, but we like to pretend that it's not as strong as it is in Japan, and perhaps to a certain extent it's not, but it is similar across both cultures."
The economy in Japan has made it harder for many people to get by and this can have even harsher effects on women over a certain age range.
"Japan I think is a very conservative society," said Suleski.
He explained that Japanese companies will advertise that they are looking for a female secretary, but has to be between 25 to 30 years old.
"If you're over 30, don't apply. They say it very clearly," said Suleski.
Japan's culture largely circles around tradition and when it's not followed, that can bring about tension and conflict.
"There's a traditional role of the Japanese woman," said Suleski. "She's quiet, she's polite, she serves her husband, her children, her family, and that makes the country strong."
This traditional role may affect many women in Japan when it comes to how they perceive themselves and how they should operate in society.
"There needs to be a representation of a greater thing before real change can take place and a matter of fact most of the time it can be generations before those kind of change actually happen," said Wickelgren.
While many of the older women have accepted the customary role of women and some may even like this, there are many young women who want gender equality and less restrictive roles imposed on them.
"I don't think that anything can lead to gender equality," said Wickelgren. "I don't think that the concept of equality is something that is possible. I think that there are ways that a culture can create better access to more things. A law is only as good as the people who are willing to pay attention to it, but is it a start? I believe that we have to start somewhere in a culture."
Katherine Yearwood, Staff Writer
As a senior at Suffolk University, I major in Communications with a concentration in print journalism and a minor in sociology. I have worked with The Suffolk Journal since 2015. The stories that have been the most electrifying to write are the ones where I am working with people who inspire me or the ones that allow me to call attention to social justice issues on or off of Suffolk's campus.
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