text:
Picture Books about Military History
May 31 – Memorial Day
Memorial Day is observed each year on the last Monday of May to honor all members of the military who lost their lives in the service of their country, especially in battle. Begun after the Civil War, the holiday expanded after World War II to remember those who died in all American wars. Memorial Day was made a national holiday by an act of Congress in 1971.
Anna & Natalie
Written by Barbara H. Cole | Illustrated by Ronald Himler
Every year Mrs. Randall's third-grade class attends the Wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. What's more every year four students are chosen from her class to carry the wreath. This year everyone wonders who those lucky four will be. Students who want to be in the running to be selected, Mrs. Randall, says, must write a letter telling her why they should be chosen. Hearing that, Freddie and Tommy drop out immediately while Nancy says her letter will be the best.
Anna dreams of being chosen too, but experience tells her she will not. She's never chosen for the basketball or softball team, the cheerleading squad, or the lines of Red Rover. "Sure, someone always chose her for the spelling team, but the others—the fun ones—never." But this time seems different. All day—even though Mrs. Randall's eagle eyes catch it—Anna daydreams and makes plans. When the bus drops her and her sister off, they hurry home to start work.
Image copyright Ronald Himler, text copyright Barbara H. Cole. Courtesy of Star Bright Books
There Anna makes a secret call to her grandpa and then she and Natalie go to the front porch, and while Nat naps on the swing Anna pulls out her computer and begins writing her letter to Mrs. Randall. The next day Mrs. Randall collects the letters with the promise to choose the team by tomorrow and a reminder for those who will not be picked: "'Remember,'" she says, "'it certainly is an honor to be on the team, but it is also an honor to visit the Tomb.'" Then "they talked about Washington and the monuments and the Capitol and the White House, but especially they talked about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Changing of the Guard."
At school the next day, Mrs. Randall says that while she received four excellent letters, one stood out. She begins to read it to the class: "'I want to be on the team, not for myself, but for many others who have not been honored or remembered….They worked long and hard and saved many lives….And sometimes they were heroes bigger than the strongest men around. Sometimes they carried medicine and food to dangerous places to save the wounded soldiers. My own great-great-grandfather was in this special service and saved lives. I would like to be on the team to say thank you to those forgotten heroes of World War II. Yours truly…' Mrs. Randall's voice cracked and choked, and then she read, 'From Natalie (with help from Anna)'"
The class starts whooping and cheering, but Mrs. Randall interrupts their celebration to read one more line: "P.S.—Would you please let Anna walk with me so I will not be alone and she won't be either?" The class begins chanting "Yeah, Anna! Yeah, Anna!," and Anna can't believe that her dream of being on the team has come true. When Anna gets home from school and tells her family, they proudly make plans to travel with their "two girls" to the ceremony.
Finally, the day of the Wreath-Laying Ceremony arrives. The students are dressed in their best clothes, and as the four team members prepare to accept the wreath, "Natalie led the procession down the long marble steps, her black coat glistening and her brass buttons shining like the sun. Anna walked beside her." As the soldier hands the children the wreath fashioned from "dogwood flowers, magnolias, and decorative red birds," he loudly announces, "The students of Willow Run School and Natalie, a seeing-eye dog, will lay this wreath to honor the men who served in World War II and the dogs who helped them. ATTENTION!"
The clear notes of Taps rang across Arlington National Cemetery as Anna and the three other children lay the wreath in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Afterward, Anna's grandfather and parents took pictures of Anna and Natalie to remember "this shining moment of Anna, and of Natalie, who saw the world that Anna could not see."
An Author's Note revealing the use of dogs during wartime—from ancient history to today—follows the text.
Barbara H. Cole's story of Anna and Natalie is compelling in many ways. First, it presents a look at what Memorial Day means to children from their point of view. Second, the story honors not only the brave soldiers who protect our country but also the canine corps which has served our military from our country's earliest history. Third, in Anna, Cole has created a character who is part of a military family through her grandfather and also has a personal connection to service dogs through Natalie, her seeing-eye dog, whose great-great-grandfather served in the canine corps. The portrayal of Anna as a child with a disability who is an excellent writer, enthusiastic about her dreams, and a good friend is poignant and inclusive. Cole's straightforward narration of a school day and the announcement of a special assignment—complete with asides from students—as well as Anna's family life depicts an environment that will be familiar to readers and carries the story in a natural arc.
Ronald Himler's realistic illustrations of Anna's Willow Run School, her home, and Arlington Cemetery beautifully represent this moving story. His pages are full of diverse, real kids, smiling, laughing, getting off the school bus, enjoying a family dinner, and solemnly performing their job at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A hint to Natalie's true identity is subtly inserted into various scenes, making the final reveal a satisfying moment.
Anna & Natalie is a wonderful choice for all kids observing Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and other patriotic holidays.
Star Bright Books, 2010 | ISBN 978-1595722119
To learn more about Anna & Natalie and download a Curriculum Guide, visit Star Bright Books!
Discover more about about Ronald Himler and view a gallery of his work, visit his website!
Memorial Day Activity
Memorial Day Word Scramble
Unscramble the words associated with today's holiday and discover a secret message! Print your Memorial Day Word Scramble here!
You can find Anna & Natalie at these booksellers
Amazon | Books-a-Million
Posted in American History, American Symbols for Children, Book Related Puzzles, Disabilities, Dogs, Guide Dogs, Memorial Day, Military, Patriotism, Veterans, World War I, World War II for Children
Tagged Anna & Natalie Book Review, Barbara H. Cole, picture book review, Picture Books, Picture Books about American History, Picture Books about Children with Disabilities, Picture Books about Dogs, Picture Books about Guide Dogs, Picture Books about Memorial Day, Picture Books about Military History, Picture Books about Patriotism, Picture Books about Service Dogs, Picture Books about War Veterans, Picture Books about World War I, Picture Books about World War II, Ronald Himler
November 11 – Veterans Day
Veterans Day is observed each year on this date to honor and thank all members of the military who are currently serving or have served in the United States Armed Forces. The official ceremony begins at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery and then continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans' organizations and comments by dignitaries. While an official government holiday, some schools remain in session, holding special ceremonies of their own and inviting veterans to relate their experiences.
Sergeant Billy: The True Story of the Goat Who Went to War
Written by Mireille Messier | Illustrated by Kass Reich
When a train full of soldiers stopped in a small town, they met a girl named Daisy and her goat, Billy. "The soldiers were going to war and they thought Billy would bring them luck." Although Daisy loved her pet, she said they could take Billy with them if they promised to bring him back. During the bus ride to training camp for the Fifth Battalion, Billy endeared himself to the men with his antics, and they began calling him Private Billy. "And that's how Billy joined the army."
Image copyright Kass Reich, 2019, text copyright Mireille Messier, 2019. Courtesy of Tundra Books.
Billy trained with the soldiers and encouraged them with a push when they fell behind. When the soldiers were sent to England, they snuck Billy on board the ship. "And that's how Private Billy crossed the ocean." As time went on, the Fifth Battalion was sent to France. "Mascots were strictly forbidden at the front," but the men hid Billy in an empty orange crate and "that's how Private Billy went to the front lines." Billy seemed to be the perfect solider. He didn't mind the adverse conditions, the "foul food" or "even the rats."
Billy celebrated victories and comforted soldiers during defeats and loneliness. The soldiers even wrote home about their beloved mascot. Even though food rations were short, Billy was happy with socks, napkins, or once even secret documents. For that misdeed, the colonel "placed the goat under arrest. And that's how Private Billy went to jail for being a spy." While Billy was locked up, the soldiers became bored, discontented, argumentative, and unhappy. So Billy received a pardon and was returned to the troops.
After many brave deeds, such as capturing an enemy guardsman and saving some "soldiers' lives by head-butting them into a trench seconds before a shell exploded right where they had been standing," private Billy was promoted to Sergeant Billy. Billy knew he could always count on the soldiers, and the soldiers knew they could always count on Billy. For his "exceptional bravery," Billy was awarded the Mons Star. The war raged for years, but, finally, peace was declared. The soldiers—and Billy—were ready to return home. They traveled over land and across the ocean and brought Billy back to Daisy, just as they had promised.
An Author's Note explains more about animal mascots and the way animals were used during WWI. Readers can see photographs of Billy, Daisy, and the soldiers he served with as well.
Mireille Messier's charming storytelling brings to life the extraordinary World War I experience of a goat and the soldiers who loved him. Her easy-to-follow timeline, containing humorous incidents, clever ploys to move Billy from place to place, and harrowing exploits, will capture readers' attention and hearts. Along the way, children learn about conditions and events of war. Messier's repeated phrasing "And that's how Billy…" moves the story forward while contributing to the cumulative effect of Billy's positive influence on the troops and his role in battle.
Kass Reich's captivating illustrations immerse readers in the wartime atmosphere while focusing on Billy and his endearing personality. Seeing Billy giving a tired soldier a nudge with his horns, being smuggled from place to place, comforting a soldier, and nibbling on secret documents allows children not only to visualize these events but to understand how important Billy was to the morale of the men, whose emotions are honestly depicted. Images of Billy happily wallowing in mud, playing with rats, and gobbling down anything he finds will have kids giggling while those of Billy saving lives and getting medals will wow them. His safe passage back home to Daisy is a delightful and satisfying ending.
A superbly told story, Sergeant Billy: The True Story of the Goat Who Went to War, is highly recommended. The book would make an excellent addition to home, classroom, and public library collections for general story times and especially those around Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, and other patriotic holidays.
Tundra Books, 2019 | ISBN 978-0735264427
Discover more about Mireille Messier and her books on her website.
To learn more about Kass Reich, her books, and her art, visit her website.
Watch the Sergeant Billy book trailer!
Veterans Day Activity
Happy Veterans Day! Word Search Puzzle
Can you find the twenty-one Veterans Day related words in this printable puzzle?
Happy Veterans Day! Word Search Puzzle | Happy Veterans Day! Word Search Solution
You can find Sergeant Billy: The True Story of the Goat Who Went to War at these booksellers
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound
Posted in Animals, Book Related Puzzles, Canada, History, Military, Social Studies, War, World War I
Tagged Kass Reich, Mireille Messier, picture book review, Picture Books, Picture Books about Canadian History, Picture Books about Goats, Picture Books about History, Picture Books about Military History, Picture Books about War, Picture Books about World War I, Sergeant Billy: The True Story of the Goat Who Went to War, Tundra Books, Veterans Day Word Search Puzzle


text:
Home Perspectives Love and Respect Are Essential 'Right Behavior'
Love and Respect Are Essential 'Right Behavior'
A Response to Rev. William Alberts' 'When The Bible Is the Root of Evil'
by Gilbert H. Caldwell
Bible app smartphone
As an example of how "right behavior" changes: the first book widely distributed after the invention of the printing press, the Holy Bible now can be read on various digital devices.
The Rev. William Alberts begins his article with these words, "For many Christians, religion is about correct belief, not right behavior." I write this response because my fear is that The United Methodist Church is on the edge of coming apart, thus cancelling its significant mission and ministry history, because some claim to believe – and the General Conference has voted since 1972 – that "the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." This belief makes it impossible for some to believe that same-gender intimacy could be "right belief and behavior."
Eighty-three years ago, I was born and became a member of a wonderful, loving Methodist, preacher-led Christian family. My father and mother "believed" that abstinence from cursing, dancing, card playing, sex before marriage, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, smoking, going to the movies on Sunday, divorce, ordaining women as preachers, etc., was "correct belief." Because of their teachings, I believed as they believed, and I abstained from all the above. I came to believe that my abstinence belief and practice would make of me a "superior" Christian. I was wrong!
I began to realize my "wrongness" when some of the clergy who were most important and impactful in my life, and informed my "call to ministry" were people whom it was rumored were not practitioners of the abstinence practices listed above as were my parents. Yet my preacher father and my mother were their friends, entertained them in our home, and encouraged them to guide my journey into the ordained ministry.
I realize now that many Christian evangelicals have set aside their rigid Bible-based abstinence "family values" to elect and support Donald Trump, and that winning and access to power "trumps" their Christian teachings and abstinence values. In a more positive way, my parents set aside their abstinence values as they chose their friends in their desire to be inclusive.
Charging, judging, and suspending clergy because they are same-gender loving, and/or because they performed same sex unions or marriages, or for other reasons, without assessing the quality of their behavior, has been responsible for expelling persons from ministry whose gifts, graces, intellect, sensitivity, pastoral and prophetic effectiveness surpasses that of many of us still in United Methodism.
I believe love and respect are the essentials of the "right behavior" that William Alberts describes. "Correct belief" has an abstract aspect that may or may not encourage right behavior. The song says, "If loving you is wrong, I don't want to be right." Provocative of course in the context of the song. But our United Methodist language and legislation re: "The practice of homosexuality..." dismisses the possibility of love and respect being present in these relationships.
Aretha Franklin sings about "R E S P E C T" and The Bible describes a God of L O V E. Both are missing as The United Methodist Church flirts with schism because its teachings about homosexuality, heterosexuality, and sexual activity, seem to be devoid of an affirmation/appreciation of love and respect.
David Billings in his book, "DEEP DENIAL: The Persistence of White Supremacy in United States History and Life" (a "must" read) raises this question in his Introduction, page 11, "How does white supremacy manifest itself as part of our psyche?" Likewise, there is a kind of heterosexual/"straight" supremacy that has been in the language and legislation (psyche?) of The United Methodist Church since 1972.
Many of us pray and hope that our denomination will rid itself of its anti-LGBTQI same sex marriage "correct belief" in 2020 in order to engage in mission and ministry in response to white supremacy, American imperialism, and terrible economic inequality that are on the verge of tearing the USA and the world apart. If we had been dealing with these major issues since 1972, and during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the world would be in a better place.
In the film documentary, "From Selma to Stonewall - Are We There Yet?" *, one of the people whom we interviewed, Brad Braxton, former senior pastor of Riverside Church says, "The 'Good Book' is not always the good news." Bill Alberts reminds us of that as he and I and millions of persons within and beyond The United Methodist Church want us to proclaim and practice the "good news" of Scripture, rather than promote and exploit the less-than-good news of judgment we find in Scripture.
Doing that is "The Way Forward" for the UMC in the 21st century.
* "From Selma to Stonewall" was produced by Marilyn Bennett and Gil Caldwell.
UMNS File Photo by John C. Goodwin
The Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell, a retired clergy member of the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference is a national civil rights leader and founding member and past president of Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR). He organized the Reconciling Ministries' Network's extension ministry United Methodists of Color for a Fully Inclusive Church (UMOC), an organization committed to the full inclusion of LGBT people in every aspect of church and society. His book, Something Within: Works by Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell, is available from Church Within a Church.
United Methodist Church homosexuality Rev. William E. Alberts UMC schism Gilbert H. Caldwell UMC future

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The band will kick off the Tour The Earth shows in Manchester tomorrow and finish in Brighton ten days later. The dates also include a show at London's iconic Royal Albert Hall. Support will come from Scottish blues rockers King King.
Europe first appeared in the charts in the late 80's, and is most known for the hit 'The Final Countdown' but little is known of their 2 previous album so here is Europe's first music video, "In The Future To Come" from their debut album self-titled from 1983.
For those of you, who wish to watch their latest video, here you will find what you seek, 'Walk The Earth' single and 'Walk The Earth' album.


These gift tubs for large hampers are a lovely way to present your gift and can be reused by the receiver once the goodies have been consumed. Perfect as a drinks tub for parties! Please note the tubs are black, not metal as pictured.
To be kind to the environment, we do not wrap these in cellophane, this means you can also easily add additional items if you need.


text:
You are here: Home > NFL Betting Picks > Will Edmunds Or Smith Be First Off The Board?
Will Edmunds Or Smith Be First Off The Board?
Eric Roberts 2018-04-23 in NFL Picks
The position of the NFL linebacker has changed dramatically over recent years. In the past teams craved physical players who were able to take on offensive lineman and stop the run.
In the modern-day NFL teams require their players to be able to stop the run and be able to cover running backs and tight ends down the field. The best are able to go from sideline-to-sideline with ease and play every down.
Luke Kuechly and Bobby Wagner are the best examples of elite playmakers, but Deion Jones and Kwon Alexander are among the next generation, who will be aiming to take the position to a new level.
The players available in this year's Draft are exciting to say the least, with at least four players that be selected in the first round.
Tremaine Edmunds and Roquan Smith are the leading contenders to be the first off the board, although Leighton Vander Esch and Rashaan Evans are also high-quality players. We'll now break down the race to be the first linebacker picked in the 2018 Draft.
Edmunds is one of the youngest prospects entering the Draft at the age of just 19. However, he still has three years of production behind him at Virginia Tech. Edmunds fits the new mould of linebacker to a tee, displaying the speed and athleticism needed to flourish at the highest level. The 19-year-old came on gradually during his time in college. He was limited to only six matches in his freshman year, but began to display his potential with a brilliant sophomore season. The linebacker notched 94 tackles, including 16.5 behind the line of scrimmage. Edmunds also had 4.5 sacks and one interception on the term, proving his versatility.
Last season was even more impressive, taking his tackle total beyond the 100-mark along with 5.5 sacks. At the age of 19 he's just scratching the surface of his ability – therefore NFL teams will be desperate to acquire his services. The Indianapolis Colts at number six could be a landing place with the club in desperate need of a tone-setter. The San Francisco 49ers could also been in the market given their issues with last year's first-round pick Reuben Foster following his arrest. They could move for Edmunds as his replacement with the ninth-overall selection. The 19-year-old is backed at 4/5 to be the first linebacker selected at odds of 4/5 1.80 -125 0.80 -1.25 0.80 with 888Sport.
Roquan Smith
Smith was the heartbeat of the Georgia Bulldogs defense that reached the BCS Championship game last season, only to be defeated by the Alabama Crimson Tide in overtime. He took his game to a new level for the Bulldogs last term. However, like Edmunds he had a steady rise after being a part-time player in his rookie term. In his sophomore campaign his time on the field increased and he displayed his potential with an outstanding level of production, collecting 95 tackles and five for a loss. Last season Smith was simply excellent and arguably the best linebacker at the college level.
In 15 matches he collated 137 tackles, 14 for a loss and 5.5 sacks. This included his performance in the BCS Championship game where he put forward a brilliant outing, notching 13 tackles, 2.5 for a loss along with one sack. The Colts could be a landing spot for him along with the 49ers as Smith is a more refined product than Edmunds. He played in a tougher standard of competition in the SEC compared to the ACC. Therefore Smith will be more prepared for life in the NFL and the expectations of a linebacker. That could give him the edge to be selected before Edmunds, with the latest odds backing him at 5/4 2.25 +125 1.25 1.25 -0.80 with 888Sport.
Rashaan Evans
Evans was the triumphant Alabama side that defeated Smith and the Bulldogs in the BCS Championship game. The 21-year-old comes from the Nick Saban production line, which has produced a number of quality linebackers in the NFL. Evans follows in the footsteps of Dont'a Hightower and CJ Mosley, who have performed extremely well at the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens in their careers. Evans is built is a similar mode and could have the same impact.
The 21-year-old gradually improved during his college career, but needed two years to bed into Saban's system, being a part-time player in his first two seasons with the Crimson Tide. However, he became the main man in the defensive unit in the 2016 campaign. Evans notched 52 tackles, four for a loss and four sacks in his junior term.
He took his standards to the next level last season, producing 74 tackles, 13.5 for a loss and six sacks. Playing in Saban's system as the communicator will stand Evans in good stead and may allow him to start immediately. He is unlikely to challenge Edmunds and Smith to be the first linebacker selected due to his lack of speed compared to the dup. Expect him to be the range of the 20s, with the New England Patriots a possible destination.
Leighton Vander Esch
Vander Esch would not have not been on the radar of NFL teams looking for a linebacker in the first round before last season. He had low levels of production in his first two campaigns at Boise State, but then exploded into life in his junior term. Vander Esch was all over the field, racking up 141 tackles, 8.5 for a loss, four sacks and two interceptions. He fits the ball for an all-purpose linebacker, although does not possess the explosive speed of Edmunds and Smith to be considered for selection at the top of the Draft.
Vander Esch should be in the mix with Evans in the latter half of the process. The standard of competition will stand in the favour of Evans, playing in the SEC rather than the MidWestern Conference. He only has one year of solid production behind him compared to his rivals. However, the year of excellence will be enough to convince at least one side in the top 32 to part with a pick to secure his services.
Tremaine Edmunds To Be First Linebacker Selected 2018 Draft
Thursday 26th April 2018 20:00 ET (Friday 27th April 01:00 BST)
Odds: 4/5 1.80 -125 0.80 -1.25 0.80
Roquan Smith To Be First Linebacker Selected 2018 Draft
Which Offensive Lineman Will Be First Off The Board?
Liverpool to Edge Roma in Champions League Thriller
Free Football Betting Tips & Football Predictions Today
Our expert team of tipsters is tried and tested when it comes to football. Get the latest on all the major leagues and competitons and let us help you find valu...


Cite this item: Moller, H., Charleton, K., Knight, B., & Lyver, P. (2009). Traditional Ecological Knowledge and scientific inference of prey availability: Harvests of sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) chicks by Rakiura Maori. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 36(3), 259–274.
This study of customary harvests of sooty shearwater Puffinus griseus chicks by Rakiura Maori compares the utility of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and ecological science for understanding patterns in prey availability. We recorded TEK of 28 muttonbirders about emergence patterns and variation in chick size at different aspects of 14 breeding islands and in their coastal fringe compared to inland areas. Spatial and temporal variation of chick availability were measured using the methods of ecological science in the 2001 harvest season across Putauhinu Island, south west of Rakiura, New Zealand. As predicted by TEK, titi emerged earlier from west than east coast locations on Putauhinu. Scientific measures were also consistent with an earlier emergence in coastal compared to inland areas as asserted by TEK, but conclusive inference is potentially confounded by movement of chicks between burrows just before fledging. A TEK construct predicting heavier chicks on the west coast was not supported by scientific measurements. We also measured the characteristics of areas preferred for harvesting so that we could gauge representativeness of the areas "sampled" by the muttonbirders to accumulate their TEK. Within forested habitat, areas harvested by muttonbirders had 62–65% higher chick density than unharvested areas. The muttonbirders concentrated harvesting where there was less ground cover and taller canopy cover and only hunted on nights and times of the season when harvesting was most profitable. Therefore, TEK may be less able to detect wider‐scale variation and harvest impacts on prey in particular. Short runs of scientific information from spatially and temporally stratified sampling will complement and assist inference from longer term TEK. As shown in this case study, TEK and science often agree on pattern, but are likely to disagree on why a pattern exists.


Just seven years ago all seemed well in the field of macroeconomics. The phrase 'great moderation' captured the reality that business cycle volatility seemed way down from levels of the first part of the post war period. A broad methodological consensus supported the use of DSGE (dynamic stochastic general equilibrium) models to understand macroeconomic fluctuations and to evaluate macroeconomic policies. There was widespread support for the idea that the primary concern of independent central banks should be maintaining appropriate inflation targets and reacting to cyclical developments to minimise the amplitude of fluctuations.


A few months ago I created a couple of recipes with MAGGI, with the idea to use their Wholegrain 2minute Noodles in a way they are not typically used. The last two were received so well by you lovely foodies, that we decided we should come up with some more! I love sharing different ways to create delicious but balanced meals and the wholegrain in these noodles certainly do the trick. This is my first of two; with my dreaming of spring, I whipped up this recipe, a full flavoured Asian inspired salad. It is made up of ingredients such as edamame, mandarin, avocado and crispy 2minute Noodles all dressed in a delicious sesame hinted dressing, it's amazing alone or accompanied by grilled chicken for a fuller meal.
In a bowl, combine the slaw, edamame, mandarins and avocado.
Remove the flavouring pack from the noodles, then break the dried noodles into the salad. Toss to combine.
In a jar, combine the oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar and caster sugar. Stir or shake well to combine.
To the salad, add the spring onion, coriander and dressing. Toss again to distribute the dressing through the salad.
Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving. Serve immediately.
Thanks to MAGGI for making this post possible.
Competition is open to NZ residents only. To be into win you must comment below, and leave an email address to be contacted. Competition closes 30th November 2017. One voucher available over both MAGGI posts.


text:
Home/Articles/Futurists Predict How We Will Merge With Technology
Futurists Predict How We Will Merge With Technology
Personality Psychology
Sheila Rose
Books about science and especially computer science often suffer from one of two failure modes. Treatises by scientists sometimes fail to clearly communicate insights. Conversely, the work of journalists and other professional writers may exhibit a weak understanding of the science in the first place.
Luke Dormehl is the rare lay person — a journalist and filmmaker — who actually understands the science (and even the math) and is able to parse it in an edifying and exciting way. He is also a gifted storyteller who interweaves the personal stories with the broad history of artificial intelligence. I found myself turning the pages of "Thinking Machines" to find out what happens, even though I was there for much of it, and often in the very room.
Dormehl starts with the 1964 World's Fair — held only miles from where I lived as a high school student in Queens — evoking the anticipation of a nation working on sending a man to the moon. He identifies the early examples of artificial intelligence that captured my own excitement at the time, like IBM's demonstrations of automated handwriting recognition and language translation. He writes as if he had been there.
Dormehl describes the early bifurcation of the field into the Symbolic and Connectionist schools, and he captures key points that many historians miss, such as the uncanny confidence of Frank Rosenblatt, the Cornell professor who pioneered the first popular neural network (he called them "perceptrons"). I visited Rosenblatt in 1962 when I was 14, and he was indeed making fantastic claims for this technology, saying it would eventually perform a very wide range of tasks at human levels, including speech recognition, translation and even language comprehension. As Dormehl recounts, these claims were ridiculed at the time, and indeed the machine Rosenblatt showed me in 1962 couldn't perform any of these things. In 1969, funding for the neural net field was obliterated for about two decades when Marvin Minsky and his M.I.T. colleague Seymour Papert published the book "Perceptrons," which proved a theorem that perceptrons could not distinguish a connected figure (in which all parts are connected to each other) from a disconnected figure, something a human can do easily.
What Rosenblatt told me in 1962 was that the key to the perceptron achieving human levels of intelligence in many areas of learning was to stack the perceptrons in layers, with the output of one layer forming the input to the next. As it turns out, the Minsky-Papert perceptron theorem applies only to single-layer perceptrons. As Dormehl recounts, Rosenblatt died in 1971 without having had the chance to respond to Minsky and Papert's book. It would be decades before multi-layer neural nets proved Rosenblatt's prescience. Minsky was my mentor for 54 years until his death a year ago, and in recent years he lamented the "success" of his book and had become respectful of the recent gains in neural net technology. As Rosenblatt had predicted, neural nets were indeed providing near human-level (and in some cases superhuman levels) of performance on a wide range of intelligent tasks, from translating languages to driving cars to playing Go.
Dormehl examines the pending social and economic impact of artificial intelligence, for example on employment. He recounts the positive history of automation. In 1900, about 40 percent of American workers were employed on farms and over 20 percent in factories. By 2015, these figures had fallen to 2 percent on farms and 8.7 percent in factories. Yet for every job that was eliminated, we invented several new ones, with the work force growing from 24 million people (31 percent of the population in 1900) to 142 million (44 percent of the population in 2015). The average job today pays 11 times as much per hour in constant dollars as it did a century ago. Many economists are saying that while this may all be true, the future will be different because of the unprecedented acceleration of progress. Although expressing some cautions, Dormehl shares my optimism that we will be able to deploy artificial intelligence in the role of brain extenders to keep ahead of this economic curve. As he writes, "Barring some catastrophic risk, A.I. will represent an overall net positive for humanity when it comes to employment."
Many observers of A.I. and the other 21st-century exponential technologies like biotechnology and nanotechnology attempt to peer into the continuing accelerating gains and fall off the horse. Dormehl ends his book still in the saddle, discussing the prospect of conscious A.I.s that will demand and/or deserve rights, and the possibility of "uploading" our brains to the cloud. I recommend this book to anyone with a lay scientific background who wants to understand what I would argue is today's most important revolution, where it came from, how it works and what is on the horizon.
"Heart of the Machine," the futurist Richard Yonck's new book, contains its important insight in the title. People often think of feelings as secondary or as a sideshow to intellect, as if the essence of human intelligence is the ability to think logically. If that were true, then machines are already ahead of us. The superiority of human thinking lies in our ability to express a loving sentiment, to create and appreciate music, to get a joke. These are all examples of emotional intelligence, and emotion is at both the bottom and top of our thinking. We still have that old reptilian brain that provides our basic motivations for meeting our physical needs and to which we can trace feelings like anger and jealousy. The neocortex, a layer covering the brain, emerged in mammals two hundred million years ago and is organized as a hierarchy of modules. Two million years ago, we got these big foreheads that house the frontal cortex and enabled us to process language and music.
Yonck provides a compelling and thorough history of the interaction between our emotional lives and our technology. He starts with the ability of the early hominids to fashion stone tools, perhaps the earliest example of technology. Remarkably the complex skills required were passed down from one generation to the next for over three million years, despite the fact that for most of this period, language had not yet been invented. Yonck makes a strong case that it was our early ability to communicate through pre-language emotional expressions that enabled the remarkable survival of this skill, and enabled technology to take root.
Yonck describes today's emerging technologies for understanding our emotions using images of facial expressions, intonation patterns, respiration, galvanic skin response and other signals — and how these instruments might be adopted by the military and interactive augmented reality experiences. And he recounts how all communication technologies from the first books to today's virtual reality have had significant sexual applications and will enhance sensual experiences in the future.
Yonck is a sure-footed guide and is not without a sense of humor. He imagines, for example, a scenario a few decades from now with a spirited exchange at the dinner table. "No daughter of mine is marrying a robot and that's final!" a father exclaims.
His daughter angrily replies: "Michael is a cybernetic person with the same rights you and I have! We're getting married and there's nothing you can do to change that!" She storms out of the room.
Yonck concludes that we will merge with our technology — a position I agree with — and that we have been doing so for a long time. He argues, as have I, that merging with future superintelligent A.I.s is our best strategy for ensuring a beneficial outcome. Achieving this requires creating technology that can understand and master human emotion. To those who would argue that such a quest is arrogantly playing God, he says simply: "This is what we do."
by Ray Kurzweil, NYT
Read more Personality Psychology related articlesBook services related with Personality Psychology
Individual Counselling Session (60 minutes)
I offer a compassionate counselling service that is unique to every woman and her situation. Allowing you to feel heard and understood in a safe environment free from shame and judgement.
My aim is to support and empower women through periods of change a…
Hayley Fualau
Are you seeking a therapist that sees you as a whole person - mind, body, and spirit, in the context of your lived experience and culture? Do you need someone to meet you where you are, without assumptions? Are you seeking help in your personal growth and…
Stacey Wright
Finding it hard to get over that last relationship? Loving someone who is bad for you? These 4 hourly sessions will help place you into a mentally healthier place leaving behind the negative relationship and its lingering thoughts.
Jane Nash
Facing difficulty in concentrating, relationships, academics, emotional concerns, stress etc. Counselling helps resolve these by aiding you with the necessary skills and cope up with these. Get in touch with our expert and professional counsellors/ psycho…
Emotional well being helpline
Boost Your Emotional Health
You know you need to take care of your physical health, but have you been doing enough to maintain a healthy emotional balance? Here are 9 tips from the experts for reducing stress, managing negative emotions, and improving your emotional wellness.
Paula Montgomery
The Story In Your Head Is What Stops You From Succeeding. Here Is How to Change It
A few years ago, at a private event, Google founder Larry Page told a rapt audience that the way he evaluates prospective companies and entrepreneurs is by a single metric — asking them if what they're working on was something that could "change the world…
Timothy Goodman
Cure: Can the power of our minds help us heal ourselves?
A meticulously researched book about the healing power of the mind has much to offer, but with quacks aplenty we shouldn't abandon proper scepticism.
BANG! You're startled by a loud noise. Instantly you're fully alert and looking round for danger, heart …
Tracy Campbell
The Things About Depression We Never Talk About
Living with depression can give us a whole range of symptoms. Some are quite well known, such as low mood, sleep difficulties, and limited energy. Other symptoms are less well-known, or less talked about.
Our depression may bring symptoms that we find em…


text:
layout: scene
title:  Robbing a Medical Truck
beat:   procedural
obj:    up
---

Depending on how the PCs have interacted with the TRIBES,
they will have an easier or more difficult time obtaining the MEDICAL SUPPLIES.

Surveying the other side of the Dunes the PCs see a Soviet MEDICAL TRUCK as BORST described.
There is a soldier sitting in the front seat, but he isn't moving.
The truck is facing a pit in the sand where the fire is.
The view of the fire is obscured by thick smoke, and the flame isn't visible.
The back of the truck is closed, and nobody else seems around.
A rifle lays on the ground with its bolt open, it is empty.

Approaching the MEDICAL TRUCK It is visible that the soldier in the front seat is alive but not mentally present.
He is shaking violently and looking off into space mumbling to himself in a language you have never heard.
On the rearview mirror a KEYRING swings in the air.
The back of the MEDICAL TRUCK is locked.[^1]
Upon closer inspection it is apparent that the pit is full of the bodies of whatever students survived the fire.

The Soldier reacts violently if the PCs attempt to question him.

Swinging the door of the MEDICAL TRUCK quickly he knocks the PC to the floor taking a point off of Health.

~~~
EXT. DUNES - DAY

The PCs approach the truck, and find a SOLDIER in the front seat, alive but not mentally present.
He frantically gets out of the TRUCK and speaks English in a strange hoarse voice, with an unfamiliar accent.
His eyes pure white with no pupils.

SOLDIER
They took the children, it wasn't me!
They did it-- he, he his eyes!

With that the soldier begins projectile vomiting.
Chunks of blood and bile mix with seaweed and yellow saltwater spill onto the sand.
The SOLDIER staggers and then his eyes turn completely black.
He turns and sprints to the pit leaping into the fire.
~~~

Checking the inside of the MEDICAL TRUCK players find a very 12-gauge flare pistol (1882). A 750ml of Vodka, and a broken radio.

The PCs find shells around the side of the truck.
However, the amount of shells and signs of struggle make it seem like there wasn't enough bullets to execute all the students...
leading the PCs to believe that many must have been tossed into the fire alive.

The PCs find that the fire is composed of students, natives, and gasoline.

The back of the truck can be unlocked with the KEYRING.[^0]

[^0]: **Locksmithing > 1**: unlock the truck
[^1]: **Interrogate / Intimidate / Sneak**: cause violent reaction
[^2]: **Evidence Collection > 1**: determine that execution occured before they were thrown
[^3]: **Forensics**: learn about fire, **Health -1**

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
April 21st, 2016 | Written by Haylle Sok
Cargolux Introduces New Service to Ho Chi Minh City
CARGOLUX EXPANDS SERVICE TO HO CHI MINH CITY: The move reflects the commercial importance of Vietnam. (Image: Thoai / Shutterstock.com)
Cargolux has served Vietnam's largest city since 2007.
Since 2013, Cargolux has operated to Vietnam's capital of Hanoi.
Vietnam's exports include garments, footwear, handicraft, electronics, and seafood.
Cargolux Airlines introduced a third weekly frequency to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on April 14.
The flight is routed via Doha and leaves Luxembourg on Tuesday mornings. The return flight is routed via Singapore and Baku and arrives in Luxembourg on Wednesday evenings.
Cargolux operates two other flights to Ho Chi Minh City, on Thursdays and Fridays. The airline has served Vietnam's largest city since 2007, supporting the growth of local industries with shipments of general cargo, consumer goods and spare parts. Export commodities include garments, footwear, handicraft and electronics, as well as seafood products and other perishables.
Since 2013, Cargolux has operated to Vietnam's capital of Hanoi. With the inaugural flight, the airline operated the first ever 747-8F flight to the country's second largest city, which made Hanoi the 100th airport worldwide to support revenue operations of the 747-8 since its entry-into-service by launch customer Cargolux.
With its expanded service to Ho Chi Minh City, Cargolux once more underlines the commercial importance of Vietnam and acknowledges the growing demand for air cargo capacity in an increasingly important market that is rapidly ramping up its trade and manufacturing industries.


text:
The News Is a Psyop
Please examine everything about this social media screenshot closely. It's about a month old…
So yeah, that's a retired Army major now working for a think tank — one that does not disclose its funding sources on its website, by the way. Defense contractors? Foreign governments?
No matter: The likes of CNN and MSNBC regularly turn to him as an "expert analyst" on the war in Ukraine.
So let's briefly rewind to last week…
Turns out there was nothing to the claim last month that Vladimir Putin was about to unleash chemical weapons on Ukraine, or the claim that Moscow had asked China for military help. Washington purposely spewed this bilge in the interest of "information warfare."
"Multiple U.S. officials," according to NBC News, "acknowledged that the U.S. has used information as a weapon even when confidence in the accuracy of the information wasn't high. Sometimes it has used low-confidence intelligence for deterrent effect, as with chemical agents, and other times, as an official put it, the U.S. is just 'trying to get inside Putin's head.'"
OK, then what are we to make of the story three days later that Putin "may use the Biden administration's support for Ukraine as a pretext to order a new campaign to interfere in American politics"?
That was according to The Associated Press, in yet another instance of what passes for "news" these days — anonymous officials citing secret evidence, retailed by stenographers who pass for "reporters."
So is this just another attempt to mess with Putin? Or are we supposed to take this one super-seriously because Russia Man Bad?
See what I meant last week when I said we're living in the midst of "a giant hall-of-mirrors mind**** psyop?"
"Psychological operations (PSYOP)," per Wikipedia, "are operations to convey selected information and indicators to audiences to influence their emotions, motives and objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of governments, organizations, groups and individuals."
That's a better definition than you find in online dictionaries, which tend to describe the intended audience as "foreign" or "the enemy."
Psyops targeting U.S. audiences via U.S. news media are nothing new.
Long ago when I was still working in the TV news racket, a scandal broke out at CNN and NPR.
This story goes back to the Kosovo war of 1999, when Bill Clinton bombed Serbia for 78 straight days. The two networks took on a total of nine Army psyops officers as unpaid interns — all from the 4th Psychological Operations Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The CNN interns worked at network headquarters.
We'd have never known about it were it not for a Dutch newspaper, Trouw, that broke the story in February 2000. An embarrassed CNN promptly canceled the internship program.
"Maybe CNN was the target of a psyops penetration and is still too naive to figure out what was going on," mused the late journalist Alexander Cockburn. "In the Kosovo conflict, as with other recent wars, CNN's screen was filled with an unending procession of bellicose advocates of bombing, many of them retired U.S. generals."
Fast-forward a generation, and the deep state no longer has to go about its media infiltration in secret. The "intelligence community" and corporate media work hand-in-hand.
The process ramped up quickly after Sept. 11, 2001 — and the follow-on rush to war in Iraq.
For the most part, the media uncritically peddled the Cheney-Rumsfeld line — can't let that smoking gun be a mushroom cloud, you know.
If you wanted the truth, you had to explore the foreign press online. Or if you were lucky you came across the skeptical reporting of the now-defunct Knight Ridder newspaper chain — acts of journalistic courage adapted for the big screen by director Rob Reiner in 2017's Shock and Awe.
Otherwise, you were among the 69% of Americans who in September 2003 — six months after the invasion of Iraq — still believed Saddam Hussein had a role in 9/11.
It was the instant I saw those poll numbers that I knew my chosen profession had failed spectacularly at its most solemn responsibility.
"Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government," wrote Justice Hugo Black in the 1971 Pentagon Papers case. "And paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell."
Now here's an unexpected twist: The media are devoting more attention to Russia's invasion of Ukraine than they did to America's invasion of Iraq.
"Normal expectations are that wars are always more newsworthy in America when American lives are at risk," writes researcher Andrew Tyndall — but the current conflict "has overturned all normal patterns of journalistic response."
Since 1987, the Tyndall Report has quantified the coverage of the three network newscasts that air at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Yes, they're dinosaurs, watched far less than they were in the early Rather-Jennings-Brokaw years when Tyndall launched his project. But they still reach 20 million people on a typical weeknight — far more than the cable channels' prime-time fare. And their dominant demo is the over-65 set that votes in the highest numbers.
Tyndall finds they devoted 562 minutes of coverage to the war's first full month.
"Astonishingly," Tyndall writes, "the two peak months of coverage of the Iraq War each saw less saturated coverage than last month in Ukraine (414 minutes in March of 2003 and 455 minutes in April)."
If the quantity is astonishing, the quality is appalling: In this war, the media — like the "urban warfare expert" above — are peddling the line that the truth doesn't even matter.
On March 3, The New York Times published a remarkable story headlined "Fact and Mythmaking Blend in Ukraine's Information War."
As you might recall, bogus stories and viral videos abounded in the war's earliest days. There was the heroic "Ghost of Kyiv" fighter pilot, some of whose exploits were derived from a video game. Then there were the 13 Ukrainian soldiers defiantly fighting to the death at a place called Snake Island — except, no, they were captured by the Russians.
When the longtime internet debunking site Snopes tackled one of those instances, it got pushback on social media.
"Why can't we just let people believe some things?" said a typical tweet. "If the Russians believe it, it brings fear. If the Ukrainians believe it, it gives them hope."
The Times piece concurred: It's all good, "as Ukrainians try to keep morale high among the fighters and marshal global support for their cause."
That brings us to the inflation numbers with which we started yesterday's edition (hey, we haven't forgotten our money-and-markets beat)…
Our own macro maven Jim Rickards was aghast: "No one in America believes inflation has anything to do with Putin," he tweeted. "It was here before the war and will remain after."
Alas, we fear Jim has underestimated the gullibility of Boobus Americanus: An ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted last Friday and Saturday finds 71% of Americans believe Putin bears either "a good amount" or "a great deal" of blame for "the recent price increases in gasoline." (Oil companies aren't far behind at 68%.)
Whelp, the White House and the Establishment media machine had to try out something different after its line a couple of weeks ago fell flat…
As an honest lefty on Twitter responded, "I think Democrats should run on the slogan 'Actually the economy is great and you're wrong to be upset.'" Heh…
Around that same time in late March, the dean of statehouse reporters here in Michigan — he's been at it since 1970 — ran with the same line on the many media outlets that give him a platform.
Interviewing no one other than a university economist, he concluded that sunny statistical aggregates outweigh the lived experience of frustrated citizens — whose attitude he summed up as, "Don't confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up."
Earlier this week, it appeared the Biden White House was going to shift tactics to what the Bush White House tried in 2008 when gasoline was also above $4 a gallon — point to the "core" inflation rate.
The core rate excludes food and energy, on the theory those prices are "volatile" and skew the longer-term averages. But again, there's that pesky real-world experience thing — which is why some wags skewer the core rate as "inflation for people who don't eat and drive."
As Politico wrote in its "Morning Money" column on Monday, "while the top-line number will undoubtedly be high, the White House is hoping there will be signs for optimism in core CPI… If core CPI does tick down, that could be a positive signal that macroeconomic factors feeding inflation are starting to ease."
The core number did come in on the (relatively) cool side, but White House chief of staff Ron Klain saw those poll ABC/Ipsos poll numbers we mentioned earlier, so "Putin Price Hike" it was.
What no media outlet will tell you is there's ample blame to go around for present circumstances: Even going by the official numbers, inflation looks awful…
Careful drawing too many conclusions from that chart, though: We're seeing conservatives pin the blame solely on Joe Biden, seeing as the jump began around the time of his inauguration.
But it was Donald Trump who ran up a trillion-dollar deficit while the economy was still relatively healthy… who caved to the "experts" demanding the economy be shut down… and who signed $3.1 trillion in pandemic "stimulus" bills while still in office.
Biden took the baton, but it was Trump who handed it to him.
Anyway, the poll question identified several possible culprits for "the recent price increases in gasoline" — Putin, oil companies, Biden, Trump, "Democratic Party policies," "Republican Party policies"…
No mention of the Federal Reserve — which miscalculated to catastrophic effect last year. Just over a year ago at its March 2021 meeting, the Fed projected its preferred inflation rate would be 2.2% at year's end.
The reality was more than twice that — 4.9%. Too, the Fed stuck with its line about inflation being "transitory" as late as last November. It persisted with near-zero interest rates and an ever-expanding balance sheet — changing course only one month ago.
Even an uber-Establishment figure like the economist Mohamed El-Erian conceded it was "the worst inflation call in the history of the Federal Reserve" going back to its founding in 1913.
For a little while early this year, Joe Biden was promising the Fed would do the job of getting inflation under control. Seeing how that's not going to work out, the new cure-all is "blame Putin."
And the media play along. After all, they're certain they're working in service to a worthy cause: "Why can't we just let people believe some things?"
Happy Jefferson's Birthday,
P.S. The markets today, you ask? Nearly everything is rallying.
The major U.S. stock indexes are all up, the Nasdaq by nearly 2%. Bonds are rallying, pushing yields lower. Gold is only $22 away from $2,000. Crude is back above $104. Cryptos are generally in the green.
The only really sour note is the start of earnings season: JPMorgan Chase booked a 42% drop in quarterly profit thanks to what CNBC euphemistically calls "market dislocations fueled by Russia sanctions."
We have a feeling there'll be more where that came from…


ZoomShetland Amenity Trust hosted the Shetland Environmental Awards at a ceremony held in the Museum and Archives today. The awards, judged by the multi-agency Shetland Environment Group, acknowledged thirteen local environmental projects demonstrating sustainability, innovation and best practice.
Ruth Mackenzie, Chair of Shetland Amenity Trust, said: "The awards have always been truly inclusive, attracting nominations for a wide variety of projects from all sectors of the community and this year is no exception. The 13 winners include individuals passionate about the environment, companies increasing their environmental credentials and schools and community groups taking the lead in recycling.
The Shetland Amenity Trust has been involved in many of these projects, showing just how committed we are to protecting and enhancing Shetland's environment as well as supporting our local community to achieve their environmental objectives.
On behalf of the Shetland Amenity Trust, I would like to thank the Shetland Environment Group for its continued support of the awards.
Mr Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland Chief Executive, presented the winning projects with their awards: "I was delighted to be asked to present the awards today and would like to congratulate all the worthy winners.
Shetland's windswept landscape, unique scenery, and wildlife is part of what attracts thousands of visitors each year, but with that comes a responsibility to look after our environment.
Zoom This year's awards were sponsored by the major players within the environment sector in Shetland, including Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, Shetland Islands Council, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Shetland Civic Society, VisitScotland, Shetland Bird Club and Shetland Amenity Trust. The awards plaques were sponsored and supplied by Cunningsburgh based Enviroglass, which recycles Shetland's waste glass.
Supporting Da Voar Redd Up in 2016 and 2017, Augean North Sea Services has enabled bruck collected by Redd Up Volunteers to be recycled on a large scale for the first time. In addition to providing their recycling services, they have also provided assistance in collecting Redd Up bruck, given a financial donation to support the Redd Up and taken part in Redd Ups.
Although small, consisting of just 3 employees, the Shetland team are very supportive and go above and beyond to help the Shetland Amenity Trust in delivering this community initiative. This has enhanced the environmental credentials of Da Voar Redd Up significantly and enabled Redd Up bruck which could not be recycled before to be diverted from landfill for the first time, including a great deal of marine litter.
From just the 2016 and 2017 Redd Ups, Augean have diverted over 36 tonnes of recyclable Redd Up bruck from landfill. They also work with the Trust out with the main Redd Up period to recycle any ghost nets which come ashore or plastic items from the many Redd Ups which are carried out throughout the year.
Augean's involvement is not to make money but to support a local community event, show the importance of viewing waste as a resource and, in doing so, promote and explore recycling possibilities in Shetland.
Augean have already proven to be a superb addition to Shetland's environmental economy. Their investment in the local area is important as they see not just the inherent value of waste, and find/facilitate appropriate reuse and recycling routes for it, but also the value of community environmental initiatives such as Da Voar Redd Up. Augean and the Shetland Amenity Trust will continue this successful partnership into the future.
The old path, which went through the middle of the Hermaness National Nature Reserve, had become quite badly eroded, with visitors now advised to keep to the new path and coast. As part of their John Muir Award, Baltasound Junior High School (BJHS) pupils led a Peatland Restoration project to repair the damaged bog.
With support from Shetland Amenity Trust's Peatlands Project Officer and Woodlands Team, peatland restoration has followed established guidelines from SNH, and included blocking erosion gullies and ditches – often using recycled materials, repairing bare peat and undertaking a peat depth survey. While the School set aside several days throughout the year, the "Conserver" group has also undertaken work in their own time.
Peatlands, of which blanket bog is an example, are hugely important and a much overlooked habitat. Half of Shetland is covered in blanket bog but it is estimated 70% of this is damaged, which can result in the bog emitting greenhouse gasses, contributing to climate change. Blanket bog forms the main habitat at Hermaness, covering more than 600ha, nearly two thirds of the Reserve. The BJHS Peatland Restoration work will enable bog vegetation to recover and start to absorb CO2 again, as well as improve this internationally important wildlife habitat and the landscape quality of the Reserve.
The peat depth survey will be incorporated into the Scotland Soils Database, http://soils.environment.gov.scot, and contribute to a Scottish Government initiative to better understand Scotland's peatlands and other soils. Measurements have shown that the peat at Hermaness is about 2.5m deep, representing 2500 years of peat growth.
So far the areas along and around the first 500m of the old path have been restored. The School has set aside more John Muir Award days for the coming school years to continue this fantastic work along the remainder of the path.
Since moving to the isle in January 2016, Chris Harris has been pivotal in bringing the Skerries community together to help improve the island. For many years the island had been gathering redundant items, such as containers, vehicles, boats, fishing equipment, portakabins, garden sheds, walkways and other items associated with the aquaculture industry. All of this bruck made the island look unsightly and many comments had been made by tourists and locals visiting the isle. With an elderly community, many residents were no longer able to move heavy items and at a loss as to how to go about clearing these items.
Chris was instrumental in engaging the community and inspired them to get the island cleaned up. If he was faced with an issue he found a solution – no paperwork for redundant vehicles, he contacted the DVLA for replacements; items he could not find a disposal route for or items no longer required on the island but still usable, he put online to see if it could be sold or given away; no equipment on the isle to handle bigger items and the costs associated with shipping off island, he worked with the Community Council to source funding for machinery and transport costs.
He also re-energised the community in other ways. For example he has turned parts of his home into community spaces, including a cinema, spa, gym and observatory – all made with second hand items he has travelled the length of the UK to collect and installed himself! He also holds community events, such as his annual Crazy Chris Quiz – which by all accounts is much more than a quiz, it's an afternoon you will never forget….
Lower to mid primary pupils hunted for pre-made fossils, which they broke open to show beach litter and reflected on where they would be in their lives when these materials start to break down. Upper primary pupils carried out CSI-style beach investigations collecting and recording litter samples in 'evidence bags'. The evidence was then returned to manufacturers, urging them to consider the environmental impact.
Secondary pupils mapped small areas of beach, collecting samples to record the abundance of microplastics. They then researched the implications of microplastics for marine organisms and products containing microplastics.
Whilst on the beaches, Julia and the children also collected Plastiglomerates, lumps of melted plastic bonded with natural materials which look like rocks. These have been acknowledged by scientists as a marker of human pollution on the geological record. Julia posed the question: just as they currently learn about the Stone and Iron Age, did they think their descendants may learn about this time period as the plastic age?
Work continued following the initial workshops, with pupils creating larger classroom based projects and Julia developing an exhibition to show in Da Gadderie October - November 2016. During the exhibition, pupils visited for follow up workshops, including sharing their work with Julia, viewing the exhibition and undertaking activities, the last of which was to name geological features on 'Hope Island', based on actions they thought could help turn the tide on marine plastics.
Traditionally fendering systems use typical products available on the market. These systems usually originate in China so have to travel great distances and are expensive to buy, install and maintain, with frequent maintenance and contractors required to work in tidal zones.
When the 800-metre-plus Mair's Pier was designed, Port Authority staff proposed a bespoke, in-house solution, using two sizes of recycled tyres. On the inside of the pier, used by the fishing fleet, truck tyres were hung two deep, while on the outside faces, used by bigger vessels, larger earth-moving machinery tyres were hung in an alternate "zig zag" pattern. Attached by brackets and chains, installation was rapid and did not require tidal working.
This simple solution has a number of benefits, including reduced delivery distance, recycling over 86 tonnes of tyres, savings in procurement, and cost-effective, practical maintenance.
With local sourcing of materials where possible, the supply of the larger tyres in Shetland and then Scotland was used up, with final deliveries coming from England. The project required 215 240-kilogram larger tyres and 580 60-kilogram tyres, totalling more than 86 tonnes diverted from landfill.
In terms of lifespan, historic smaller tyre fenders have proven to be much more durable than traditional fendering systems. The most common failure of a tyre fender is a tyre falling off, which can be retrieved and re-fixed. If tyres ever require replacement, local suppliers know the LPA have a use for used truck and earth moving equipment tyres.
The Port Authority estimates that the bespoke fendering solution saved hundreds of thousands of pounds on the cost of developing Mair's Pier. In addition, there has been very positive feedback from vessel operators using the pier. In fact, this fender was so successful a similar tyre fender system was installed at Dales Voe quay.
Nesting Primary has turned a vacant part of the school grounds into a creative play area by building a Gutter Keetchin from recycled materials obtained from the wider community. Along with the new council playpark, it is an extension of the work already completed in the grounds and develops Nesting as an outdoor play experience for all Shetland families. It also provides another play area for folk using the nearby caravan site.
The school had a great response to social media and email requests highlighting what was required to build the kitchen. Dads got really involved, with one father constructing a tuned percussion instrument from old copper pipe. Local businesses also donated materials and anything not used went to the scrap store at the Auld Skule in Nesting to help support the Heritage group.
The Gutter Keetchin idea was based on scaling up the historic playhouses made out of pallets, where many a long hour was spent making soup and dinner. Their hoose takes up 70m2 and can accommodate over 20 children of all ages in the space. There are pots, pans, utensils, cups and water. Half barrels of recycled material are used for creative play, ropes and net have been used as decoration and it even includes a shop.
The Gutter Keetchin was so well used over the summer the grass was worn away. Other schools are now developing similar projects and individual parents creating peerie hoosies for their bairns at home.
As it is all recycled maintenance costs are low. Many users also bring things to donate, with a store of replacement utensils and pots.
The Gutter Keetchin is open to everyone, and the schools facebook page shows people from all over Shetland using it. It has improved play facilities for many young families and brought visitors into Nesting.
Sandy Loch serves 12,000 customers across the island via the Sandy Loch Water Treatment Works (WTW). A pro-active catchment investigation by the Scottish Water Sustainable Land Management (SLM) team at the start of the year identified large areas of exposed peat at Sandy Loch.
Degrading peat-land is a well-known issue for fresh water reservoirs and the exposed peat at Sandy Loch had been contributing to high levels of colour in the water for years. As peat erodes it seeps into the water supply bringing with it high levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) which affects the water treatment process. This means the WTW is forced to use more energy and chemicals to treat the water to ensure it reaches the quality customers expect.
It is also recognised that peat is a precious commodity in our environment, providing incredible biodiversity and playing a potentially significant role in capturing and holding carbon that could otherwise contribute to climate change.
Therefore, the SLM team worked closely with landowners, S. Mackenzie Plant Ltd, the Shetland Amenity Trust and Scottish Natural Heritage to provide a solution that delivered both improved raw water quality and a significant environmental boost.
With the works undertaken, Scottish Water were able to begin the process of rolling back the erosion, restoring the peat to prevent the ground from future erosion and helping create conditions for new peat to form. This increases carbon storage and helps aid biodiversity.
The peatland restoration took place in March 2017 and was completed in under four weeks. Total costs for the project was funded by Scottish Water, carried out as part of their Catchment Management programme.
Started in 1989 as a pilot project in schools, the Shetland Amenity Trust Cash for Cans scheme quickly grew and is now a well-established income source for a range of local schools, community groups and charities. It currently has 55 members who collect steel and aluminium cans for recycling which the Trust then sorts, bales and palletises, ready for recycling.
Groups are paid 50p per kg of aluminium cans collected. The funds are paid to the group, or their nominated charity, when the cans are sold.
Many of the community groups and schools involved in the scheme work in partnership with local businesses to collect the cans generated by those businesses for recycling, with the funds being paid to the local group. This enables businesses to support local groups/charities and the group/charity to raise vital funds.
By sorting/processing the cans locally it enables Shetland Amenity Trust to generate the maximum amount of income from this waste and so raise significant funds for local schools, community groups and charities.
Shetland Amenity Trust works with national recycling agencies, such as every can counts and alupro. Annual running costs for the scheme are part of the Trust's core services, funded through the Shetland Charitable Trust. Income generated when cans are sold cover payments to members of the scheme, shipping costs and materials/equipment for the scheme.
The Shetland Bike Project was established in 1999 as a non-profit making charity to benefit the whole community by promoting recycling, waste minimization and reduction of carbon emissions.
The project services all bike types and models and accepts donations of bikes in any condition to rebuild or strip down. While it is heavily dependent on funding from external agencies, it also generates income through the sale of donated bikes and parts to help support the project. Therefore, it not only provides a local route for repairing and recycling bikes but also a local outlet for reconditioned bikes at affordable prices.
Cycling is a very energy-efficient form of travel, it is good fun and good exercise for all ages. The bike project is passionate about helping people get active. As part of this, they offer bike repair and maintenance classes to groups, which encourage road safety and confidence in both new and experienced cyclists.
As it is operated by people who have barriers to employment, the project is also hugely beneficial to its clients. In fact, it was recently chosen as an example of best practice for the whole of Scotland for the way it supports and helps its clients obtain training and employment.
Since 2010 the project has recycled 142.54 tonnes of material and repaired 2,498 customer bikes. It has also received 2,132 bike donations and sold 1,327 bikes.
The Shetland Bike Project works with various agencies to create employment and skills development in an environmentally friendly way. Funding for the project is received from Shetland Alcohol Drug Partnership, Fairer Shetland Fund and Community Jobs Scotland. Other funding, e.g. ZetTrans, Tesco Bags for Help, Cycling UK and Cycling Scotland, is obtained for individual projects.
Launched in March 2015 by Aurore Whitworth, The Shetland Seed Library promotes and encourages the skill of seed saving in Shetland. Gardening in Shetland, especially outdoors, can be challenging and saving our own seeds means creating, generation after generation, a plant more adapted and therefore more resilient in our specific climate.
Shetland growers used to save seeds, especially cabbage, kale, neeps, and tatties. Families had their own strain of plants and if someone had a crop failure one year, they could borrow seeds from neighbours for the next. Most of these have disappeared, as people lost interest in growing their own, and saving seeds. The Shetland Seed Library aims to rekindle that interest and help Shetland communities to be more self-reliant again.
The Seed Library has a website: http://shetlandseedlibrary.co.uk/ and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/540759086060450/, where tips are shared and seed sharing events advertised. A seed swap is organised every year so local folk can swap and share their seeds. There is also a seed borrowing box in the Shetland Library, Lerwick. This box of seeds is displayed alongside books on growing your own and seed saving, allowing people to 'borrow' seeds at the same time as the books. Then, when the plants grow, they produce their own seeds to return to the library.
The project was created with assistance from the Heritage Seed Library, who kindly donated seed packets. It is important that heritage seeds are used, as hybrid seeds will not produce the same plants year on year and many are also treated or modified.
Aurore wants people to realise how important it is to save seeds, because if you control your seeds you control your sustenance. Also, a plant that makes seeds is a plant that has succeeded, and that means a lot in a place like Shetland.
Volunteers from all over the island of Unst came together to develop the garden area at St John's Kirk, Baltasound and plant 200 trees in glebe land surrounding the church.
The garden project incorporated many recycled items, including materials from the Enviroglass peace pole garden at the former Uyeasound School, the kirk's old bell cradle, a stone sculpture from the original roof and reused stone from the remains of the original 19th century kirk, which were used to build a new garden wall.
A new setting, capturing the essence of Unst in the shape of a boat, was created along with a seating area and an information board using recycled materials. The soil in the lawn is very shallow and of poor quality but is enough to sustain a wide variety of wild flowers, which are left to grow and compliment the cultivated flower border along the outer walls. This border is sustained using compost from the kirk's own bin.
The glebe land on the west and the east of the kirk has been planted with a variety of trees sourced from the Community Projects arm of the Woodland Trust in the hope of establishing a small scale woodland. Many of the trees were planted with a view to encouraging bird life into the area and have been planted to allow accessibility via paths starting at the car park. As the trees have grown, tube shelters have been replaced by netting made from old oyster bags from a local redundant oyster farm.
The garden and trees are open to the public at all times and looked after by members and friends of the congregation at St John's Kirk, which ensures the sustainability of the project.
Following the removal of the SIC community skip scheme, the Unst Partnership established their own local scheme to help islanders dispose of bulky items.
The Partnership undertook a trial in late 2014 to gauge community interest and, following this, funding was sourced to make it a regular event. The scheme now takes place on 6 Saturdays through the year and no longer receives any subsidy, apart from a small donation from the Unst Community Council. The scheme helps to reduce the amount of waste around the island and discourage fly-tipping on land or at sea. The partnership also offers a trailer uplift service for islanders who do not have the means to either remove the bulky items for their home or transport the goods to the skip location.
Sited at Baltasound Pierhead, a fairly central position on the island, islanders can take their own waste to the skip or utilise the trailer uplift service. Skip users pay a £50 annual sub or £20 for a one off drop. The scheme is well supported with over 40 annual subs and approximately 30 casual users, which covers the costs of the scheme.
Unst Partnership work with Garriocks Ltd, Shetland Amenity Trust and Unst Community Council to deliver the scheme. The project is sustainable as long as there are enough people to support it.
Promoting local recycling through creating an information point in the school where staff and the community can see where to recycle glass, batteries, cans, shoes and textiles in Whalsay.
Working with local shops, distributing bag back boxes from the Shetland Amenity Trust, to encourage the reuse of plastic bags on the isle.
Using their friend the Green Goblin to help promote their Eco code, reminding everyone to turn off lights when they are not needed, put their litter in the bin and to turn off taps.
Giving the school grounds a face lift, including creating a lovely fairy garden and tyre flower planters.
Collecting plastic lids from the Whalsay community to create a bottle top mural. Through this they designed the boards, recycled the tops and engaged their parents help in creating the murals.
Taking part in Da Voar Redd up, collecting 10 bags of rubbish from the Hamister beach.
Carrying out regular litter checks at break times around the school grounds.
The Eco-group meets every fortnight in the school term, with the children taking the lead in developing eco-friendly projects which benefit the school and engages the community. The 7 Eco-group members represent each primary class and as this is a school initiative, with annual renewal of membership, it is sustainable.
The Eco-group also received funding from the Whalsay community council, to help with their projects.


Over 20 years ago, FERRIS MC (alias of Sascha Reimann) moved to hamburg and made history in German hip-hop with the Mongo Clikke. Now he signs the deal with Arising Empire and announces a new solo album which packs a serious punch – because Reimann is making rock music! Today, he released the music video for the titletrack off his upcoming seventh full length record »Wahrscheinlich Nie Wieder Vielleicht« and starts the pre-order. The album will be available on March 8th, 2019.


Back tomorrow from 7pm . on NE1FM 102.5 All the usual stuff you've come to know and love. Join us !!!
@victorfmc_eng @ndndn @ggreenwald Oh, I don't know? Physical evidence. Eyewitness testimony. the usual stuff.
@mar4t Fine thanks, just the usual stuff Martin.


text:
Rethwisch steht für:

Orte in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern:
 Rethwisch, Ortsteil der Gemeinde Börgerende-Rethwisch, Landkreis Rostock
 Rethwisch, Ortsteil der Gemeinde Möllenhagen, Landkreis Mecklenburgische Seenplatte

Orte in Schleswig-Holstein:
 Rethwisch (Steinburg), Gemeinde im Kreis Steinburg
 Rethwisch (Stormarn), Gemeinde im Kreis Stormarn
 Rethwisch, Dorf in der Gemeinde Lehmkuhlen, Kreis Plön
 Rethwisch, Ortsteil der Gemeinde Schönwalde am Bungsberg, Kreis Ostholstein

Rethwisch ist der Familienname folgender Personen:

 Conrad Rethwisch (1845–1921), deutscher Pädagoge und Historiker

 Haymo Rethwisch (1938–2014), deutscher Unternehmer und Stifter
 Karl Rethwisch (1839–1909), deutscher Rezitator und plattdeutscher Dichter
 Karl Anton Theodor Rethwisch (1824–1904), deutscher Zollbeamter und Heimatdichter

Siehe auch:
 Rehtwisch

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


MEXICO CITY – Eva Longoria says she has no plans to have children. At least not at the moment.
"Not for me, and not for Gabrielle," says Longoria, referring to her character on ABC's "Desperate Housewives."
Longoria flashed her wedding ring and smiled, but gave few details about her life with new husband Tony Parker as she walked the red carpet Wednesday at Vogue magazine's Fashion Mexico event.
The 32-year-old actress said she always tries to support Latin designers.
"My wedding dress was by (Venezuelan) Angel Sanchez, and I try to do my best to wear as many Latino designers as I can," said Longoria, showing off a short, strapless violet dress by Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta.
The Texas native, whose family is originally from Monterrey, Mexico, said she was happy to be back in the Mexican capital. It was her first visit to Mexico City in 15 years.
"My husband (in the series) Ricardo Antonio Chavira and myself, we're very, very proud to represent Latinos everywhere, all over the world, and we're happy to see positive images of Latinos on television," Longoria said.


text:
Storo é uma comuna italiana da região do Trentino-Alto Ádige, província de Trento, com cerca de 4.552 a ottobre 2004 habitantes. Estende-se por uma área de 62,88 km², tendo uma densidade populacional de 72 hab/km². Faz fronteira com Condino, Condino, Bagolino (BS), Brione, Tiarno di Sopra, Bondone.

Comunas de Trento (província autónoma)


text:
San Diego supervisor's house fire is considered suspicious
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Police are treating a fire at the home of a San Diego County leader and his wife, a prominent labor official, as suspicious. County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher said he and wife Lorena Gonzalez and their family were awoken by smoke alarms around 4 a.m. ...
After wave of cancellations, Delta sees recovery in 2022
Delta Air Lines lost $408 million in the final quarter of 2021, dragged down by a COVID-19 surge that rocked the airline in December, and the carrier predicted Thursday that it will suffer one more quarterly loss before travel perks up in spring and summer. CEO Ed Bastian said 8,000 employees ...
COVID-19 pill rollout stymied by shortages as omicron rages
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two brand-new COVID-19 pills that were supposed to be an important weapon against the pandemic in the U.S. are in short supply and have played little role in the fight against the omicron wave of infections. The problem, in part, is that production is still being ramped up ...
Fed nominee Brainard: Fighting inflation is top priority
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lael Brainard, President Joe Biden's nominee for the Federal Reserve's No. 2 spot, said Thursday that combating high inflation is the central bank's top priority and said she believed the Fed could reduce it without sacrificing economic growth. Testifying at her ...
Atlanta opening new police precinct amid secession push
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta's recently elected mayor unveiled a new police precinct in the city's large Buckhead district on Thursday, as he tries to head off an effort to turn the wealthy, white enclave into its own city over concerns about a spike in crime. Meanwhile, a bill at the state ...
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — State and federal authorities announced Thursday that they arrested and charged more than two dozen people for taking part in a multistate shoplifting ring that made off with more than $10 million in stolen goods over the past few years, most of which was over-the-counter ...
Ohio takes big step by sending body cams to all its prisons
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio will deploy more than 5,000 body cameras in all 28 prisons and its adult parole authority offices by May, the state corrections agency director said Thursday. The agency signed a five-year contract with Scottsdale, Arizona-based Axon for the cameras worth $6.9 ...
Gov. Polis: Colorado strong after year of pandemic, disaster
DENVER (AP) — Gov. Jared Polis sought to rally a state besieged by a year of natural disasters, a mass shooting and the coronavirus pandemic Thursday, declaring in his annual state of the state address that Colorado will meet those challenges and others compounded by the increasing cost of ...
Ponzi schemer gets over 17 years, ordered to repay $103M
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — A man once dubbed "King Perry" was sentenced Thursday to more than 17 years in prison for his role in masterminding a long-running investment scam that collected more than $115 million from 1,000 investors nationwide. Perry Santillo appeared in federal court in ...
Kemp goes big on spending, seeking $3B increase for Georgia
ATLANTA (AP) — Gov. Brian Kemp is proposing almost $3 billion more in spending from state revenue in the 2023 budget year that begins July 1, led by more than $1 billion in pay and retirement increases for Georgia's state, K-12 and university employees. That includes $2,000 for teachers and ...
US to allow teen semi drivers in test apprenticeship program
DETROIT (AP) — The federal government is moving forward with a plan to let teenagers drive big rigs from state to state in a test program. Currently, truckers who cross state lines must be at least 21 years old, but an apprenticeship program required by Congress to help ease supply chain ...
As omicron surges, HealthCare.gov sign-up deadline arrives
People looking for health insurance in the grip of the omicron surge have through Saturday to sign up for taxpayer-subsidized private coverage under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. President Joe Biden's administration is on track is to deliver robust enrollment numbers, but those gains ...
Twitter, Meta among tech giants subpoenaed by Jan. 6 panel
WASHINGTON (AP) — Months after requesting documents from more than a dozen social platforms, the House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection has issued subpoenas targeting Twitter, Meta, Reddit and YouTube after lawmakers said the companies' initial responses were inadequate. The ...
Beshear pushes for major investments in schools and new jobs
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's Democratic governor pitched sweeping budget proposals Thursday evening as "bold investments" to bolster the state's competitiveness, calling for more spending on economic development, social services and his plan for state-backed universal preschool. With ...
Businesses react to ruling against Biden vaccine mandate
For companies that were waiting to hear from the U.S. Supreme Court before deciding whether to require vaccinations or regular coronavirus testing for workers, the next move is up to them. Many large corporations were silent on Thursday's ruling by the high court to block a requirement that ...
Bridge proposed along section of slumping Alaska park road
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A federal agency is proposing a large steel bridge along a section of the only road that runs through a premier national park in Alaska — a stretch that officials say has been rapidly slumping amid changes in the climate. About half the mostly gravel road that runs ...
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has stopped a major push by the Biden administration to boost the nation's COVID-19 vaccination rate, a requirement that employees at large businesses get a vaccine or test regularly and wear a mask on the job. At the same time, the court is allowing the ...
Biden chooses 3 for Fed board, including first Black woman
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will nominate three people for the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors, including Sarah Bloom Raskin, a former Fed and Treasury official, for the top regulatory slot and Lisa Cook, who would be the first Black woman to serve on the Fed's board. Biden ...
Cool new disk: Spinning ice drawing chilly gawkers again
WESTBROOK, Maine (AP) — A swirling disk of ice on a Maine river is drawing onlookers in the heart of winter once again. The disk has formed in the Presumpscot River in Westbrook. A handful of dog-walkers and onlookers stopped to gaze at the curious ice formation on a chilly Thursday morning ...
WASHINGTON (AP) — All but conceding defeat, President Joe Biden said Thursday he's now unsure the Democrats' major elections and voting rights legislation can pass Congress this year. He spoke at the Capitol after a key fellow Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, dramatically announced ...


2009 | Sommerberg Hotel Bad Wildbad, Herzlich Willkommen im Panoramahotel über dem Enztal!
Spectacular firework displays along the Enz valley and numerous small hot air balloons start 2009. After rain and days of freezing temperatures the ground was like an ice rink on New Years Eve making walking anywhere particularly difficult. Anyway best wishes for 2009 to anyone who takes the time to follow this blog and hopefully we will have something of interest to add to the blog in the coming year.


Seeking a photographer to capture your wedding day or special event? Our award-winning photographers are adept at working closely with our clients to artistically catch each and every moment. Each of our photographers possesses a unique stylistic flair and vision for their art, thus we carefully pair our clients up with the right artist to meet their needs.


Submissions for the bulletin must be in 10 days prior to the publication date. Email information to Stephanie Casey. Holiday due dates require earlier submission.
Submission requests are accommodated space permitting and may be edited as needed for space. Submission does not guarantee publication. Announcements outside the Parish and Diocese will rarely be included due to space limitations.


text:
Love Island's Maura Higgins confirmed as first contestant on Dancing on Ice
The reality star will be donning her skates for the 2020 series
The Love Island star has been confirmed as the first contestant on this year's Dancing on Ice.
Maura Higgins, 28, appeared on the latest instalment of This Morning and confessed she'll be taking to the ice on next year's series.
Hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby made the grand reveal on the daytime show, and questioned the Irish beauty if she's a regular at her local ice rink.
She replied: "I've skated twice in my life just for fun."
Maura Higgins is the first contestant confirmed for next year's Dancing on Ice
Holly and Phil made the announcement on the latest instalment of This Morning
"I have no experience."
She continued: "I think i'm more excited than scared. I'm brave, but also I'm competitive.
"I don't want to let anyone down now. I need someone strict, otherwise I'll throw a strop and just lay on the floor. "
Blonde model Caprice Bourret 'to appear on Dancing on Ice'
Michael Barrymore is the second contestant announced for the 2020 series.
Michael and Maura will now don their skates, alongside ten other celebrities, in a bid to become champion of the ice.
Each week the twelve celebrities will skate live with their professional partners in a bid to impress both the panel and the viewers, who will ultimately decide who wins the show.
Maura said she has 'no experience' ice skating
The upcoming series sees new judge John Barrowman join Torvill and Dean and Ashley Banjo on the panel.
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby once again return to present the show.
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10:30am.
The ChaseThe Chase's Jenny Ryan fuming as 'most clever contestant of all time' winsThe Chase fans were stunned by contestant James' skills on today's show as he faced The Vixen


Washington, DC (Dec. 13, 2012) — Leaders from 114 countries and organizations gathered in Marrakech, Morocco Wednesday for a summit of the "Friends of Syria" alliance and officially recognized the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition as the "legitimate representative" of the Syrian people.
World leaders including Morocco's King Mohammed VI, US President Barack Obama, and French President François Hollande have now joined the global alliance in calling for a speedy transfer of power to end the violence in Syria that has taken more than 42,000 lives and caused thousands to flee to neighboring countries.
Earlier this fall, King Mohammed ordered the setting up of a Moroccan field hospital at the Zaatari camp in Jordan ― which he visited in October ― that has aided more than 40,000 Syrian refugees. As part of a broad international humanitarian aid effort, Morocco has also sent 2,000 winterized tents, tons of foodstuff, medicine, and blankets to benefit the refugees in both Jordan and Turkey.


text:
Q: How to use a ternary operator to convert a String that can sometimes be null into an integer in Java? I am using Talend to filter out some rows from an excel file and they don't allow block statements. Everything has to be simple logic or using the ternary operator. So the problem is that the code/logic I need will be used across every cell in the column, BUT some of the cells are null, some are Strings and the rest are Strings that represent integers.
My logic needs to be this:
Return true if and only if PlanName == null || PlanName == 0 but as you can tell, it will fail when it tries to run this on a cell that contains the null or the cell that contains a String that isn't a number.
Is it possible to have this logic in java without the try-catch or block statements? This is what I have right now:
input_row.PlanName == null || Integer.parseInt(input_row.PlanName) == 0

Thanks!
Edit: Basically, I just need to write logic that does this:
Return true if input_row.PlanName == null OR if input_row.PlanName == 0
This needs to be done without using block-statements or try-catches because I am using Talend. So I can only use logical operators like && and || and I can use ternary operators as well.

A: In your situation, i'll go for routines : reusable bunch of code, handy for this kind of rules that would be hard to implement without if/else etc.
You can create two Routines in Talend, with static methods that you would be able to use in a tMap or a tJavaRow.
First Routine to know if your plan is a numeric or not :
  public static boolean isNumeric(String strNum) {
        if (strNum == null) {
            return false;
        }
        try {
            double d = Double.parseDouble(strNum);
        } catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {
            return false;
        }
        return true;
    }

Then another routine like :
public static boolean correctPlanName(String planName) {
   if(Relational.ISNULL(planName)){
   return false;
   }
   else{
       if(!isNumeric(planName)){
           return false;
       }
       else {
          return true;
       }
   }

}
Then you call Routines.correctPlanName(input_row.planName) in tMap/tJavaRow.
It should do the trick.

A: You can use a regular expression to check if the String only contains digits, then check if num == 0.
input_row.PlanName == null || (input_row.PlanName != null && input_row.PlanName.matches("\\d+") && Integer.parseInt(input_row.PlanName) == 0)

Edit: Probably overkill but to cover other cases e.g. floating point types, numbers prefixed with +/-, you could also do:
input_row.PlanName != null && input_row.PlanName.matches("[-+]?\\d*\\.?\\d+") && Double.parseDouble(input_row.PlanName) == 0)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Willow Park Church has been built with a spirit of servanthood by our committed and faithful volunteers. We are very grateful for them!
We try to make it easy for everyone to get involved in our church, so there is no set minimum requirement or amount of time you can serve.
To get involved, send us a message.