It's that time of year! I don't mean the many holidays celebrated this month. I mean the annual personal planning process that gears up in December. It can be a real crunch to execute at year-end while also planning for the coming year. Still, it's on your mind regardless of whether you're using a structured process or just daydreaming about what you'll achieve in 2013. Would you like to try a relatively simple, rewarding, and productive approach?
Most advice for annual personal planning begins with getting out of the box to envision the incredible possibilities for the year, but that's not how most lives work. By the time you're doing your 2013 plan, you probably already have dozens of commitments for the year, yet it's suggested that you ignore all of these to have your beautiful, glorious strategic visioning moment.
This tension between the greatest possibilities and managing reality is healthy and it occurs naturally in the psyche. In fact, if you didn't feel this tension, it would be a sign that there's something important you're ignoring. It's so important that it's one of the topics I'm focusing on in my upcoming book, Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: How to Remove the Invisible Barriers to Extraordinary Leadership.
Instead of assuming you must begin by visioning, try starting with the reality of your whole life (not just work), so you know how much time you will really have to pursue the more radical possibilities.
Here's the process I personally use, step-by-step.
1. Begin with a large blank wall calendar. There is something grand about seeing the whole year laid out in one physical – not virtual – place. It will take very little time to transfer into Outlook when you are ready. Here's the calendar I use.
2. Mark in any known critical dates in your job and/or business. For example, if you are a finance director in a publically-traded company, you'll almost certainly be working long hours during the first and last two weeks of each quarter. If you're in Sales, even if annual sales events haven't been scheduled, you should know roughly when they are occurring, because they don't change much from year to year. For consultants, write in every speech and webinar you've already committed to do, any face-to-face work that is committed or reasonably close to being committed, and any professional development you know you will do, particularly if it requires travel or real-time webinars.
3. Now for the fun part. Block out vacation time, including at least one long weekend each quarter and at least one vacation that lasts 10 calendar days, inclusive of weekends. If you don't, you'll miss the mental and emotional renewal that keeps you intellectually at your best. Your stakeholders need your best thinking and enthusiasm far more than they need whatever you would have personally produced in those days. Even if you're not 100% sure of the exact dates, block them out on the calendar in a dotted line so you can at least get a visual image of how much time you've allocated.
4. Next, add in any family travel. Many of us live in a different city or country than our families, and while it may be difficult to pinpoint exactly when you will see them, you can hold some dates as a starting point. I list this separately from Step 3 because I believe it's important to designate both time with your loved ones and vacations that focus on relaxation or new adventures.
6. For small business owners, be sure to include a chunk of time each quarter to discuss your revenues, expenses, and tax situation with your accountant and bookkeeper. No business owner should ever be surprised by how much time their finances take quarterly and at year end. If you've allocated the time, you won't be caught off guard. This is true whether you have a finance person or not. You are accountable for all of the finances of the business, and need to personally be on top of this.
I've honed this process over several years and it has made a world of difference in the accomplishment of my goals and in my personal satisfaction. It's a hybrid containing the best of each process I've learned along the way, and it keeps both sides of the dynamic tension in balance. I hope you enjoy it, and I wish you a very happy and prosperous 2013!


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TECH SWAT TEAM
FIX – SECURE – CONNECT
NMD Technology Services
Google virus waring Wall mounted relay computer
Google Chrome OS Security Risk
On 03/08/2011, in Security, by Norman Dean
http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/38227/page1/
Today at Black Hat, a computer security conference in Las Vegas, researchers described how they were able to steal data from ChromeOS, an operating system built by Google that requires the user to do almost everything via the Web. By using the operating system's Web-based design against itself, the researchers were able to get access to users' names and passwords, and even banking information. While the specific vulnerabilities they exploited can be closed, the researchers say there is no way to block the broader threat.
Google has touted ChromeOS as a revolutionary approach to computing, and emphasized its security. Since applications run on the Web, users won't run out-of-date software, which commonly leaves them open to security vulnerabilities. The system is also automatically updated, and little is stored on the user's computer. If a malicious piece of software tries to get onto a Chrome computer, Google can remotely restore the operating system to a pristine state. These aspects should make it less vulnerable to viruses and other threats.
But the researchers, Matt Johansen and Kyle Osborn, from the Web application security company White Hat Security, demonstrated that moving to the Web comes with its own set of dangers. "There is no access to the hard drive, but we don't care," says Johansen. "We're after information. We're not trying to build a botnet on your Chromebook."
The pair used common hacking techniques. They were successful almost immediately with a method called cross-site scripting. This involves injecting a Web page with code that runs in the browsers of visitors to the site. The code then performs malicious tasks on those visitors' machines.
ChromeOS is designed to limit the damage this technique could cause. It does this via a technique called sandboxing, which is meant to prevent what's happening in one browser tab from affecting another. Johansen and Osborn used cross-site scripting to attack ChromeOS's browser extensions, which typically add new functionality.
In ChromeOS, extensions are more powerful than in other browsers, and aren't subject to the same sandbox rules as browser tabs. That's because they exist, in part, to provide functions that affect multiple tabs. "You're talking a super pared-down version of the operating system," says Osborn, "and they're trying to rebuild functionality through extensions."
The researchers found that extensions can get broad access to what's going on in users' browser tabs. As such, someone could use them to steal usernames and passwords, cookies, and browsing history information, including information that comes from sites that don't have vulnerabilities themselves.
The researchers found that many existing extensions had broad permissions, and were vulnerable to cross-site scripting. They also showed that it's possible to build malicious extensions. They could be disguised, for example, as ways to get images of pop stars.
The researchers say there's no way to block this threat because anyone can make an extension, and Google doesn't review them before they're made available to users. There are nearly always going to be some extensions with security vulnerabilities, giving hackers a way to bypass the otherwise solid protections of ChromeOS.
The researchers were also able to steal data from LastPass, a password management system, by taking over a different extension and using it to open new tabs. This allowed them to see the password information that LastPass inserted. Though LastPass changed its system so that user information is no longer automatically entered, this still wouldn't protect a user from a hacker who got in through a malicious extension, the researchers say. A hacker would just have to wait until the user opened a new tab.
"Whose problem is this on the whole?" Johansen says, noting that both Google and extension makers may have a responsibility to protect against the attack.
Google has fixed the problems with its own extensions, and is contacting extension makers who may be able to help. On Friday, the company posted a blog entry emphasizing the power of Chrome's built-in security: "We continue to improve features like our Safe Browsing API and our extensions model that help protect users from malicious Web content." Still, Google says users need to be careful about what permissions they grant to extensions and where they travel on the Web.
In other words, moving the computing experience entirely to the Web may solve one set of security problems while opening up a box full of new ones.
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Lies, Lies, and Liars – Foreign Courts Doing Business Here! Fraud!
As a follow-up to my further expose of Satanism — the worship of The Father of All Lies–and the practices of his followers in the world we live in, please take note of this information in light of the release this morning of The Memo, which details who lied to you, how they lied to you, why they lied to you about Donald Trump in order to "influence" the election.
1. Notice that what the perps accused Trump of doing — using the Russians to influence an American election, is precisely what they were doing themselves. The pot is calling the kettle black. According to the liars, Trump was colluding with the Russians to influence the Presidential Election, but in fact, they were themselves ginning up a non-existent Russian connection to influence the election even after the fact. Even though Trump won fair and square, they were counting on lies and help from their old buddies in Congress to get him impeached. How's that for interfering in an election?
3. They then used the Big Lie to justify other perversions of justice— using it as the basis to request a FISA warrant to wire tap and otherwise spy on an American, Donald Trump, and his campaign. These people knew that the dossier was hokum. They had cause to know it was pure bunk. They nonetheless went before a judge, lied their rumps off, and proceeded to unleash an illegal and immoral spy op on Donald Trump and his campaign. Hillary and her Boys at the FBI and DOJ were sitting in on every Trump Campaign strategy session, planning out how Hillary was going to counter every move the Trump Campaign made. These are government employees on your payroll, actually and factually abusing police power and abusing the authority of their public offices, directly and materially interfering in and skewing a presidential election right in front of your faces. Please notice that all of this is being accomplished via the use of what? Lies.
4. Notice also that the affect of the Big Lie was multiplied because confirmation of it was coming from people in positions of authority and respect—- the FBI and DOJ. I wouldn't believe a Death Certificate issued by the Democratic Party, even if I had possession of the corpse, but the FBI and DOJ are supposed to be responsible, impartial and professional Third Parties. What is an average American supposed to think? No matter how outlandish the Big Lie, the normal response would be— well, there must be something to it, if the FBI and DOJ are involved. Think of the abuse of power and authority as another amplifier for the Big Lie, similar to the Media Group jamming the airwaves— only the purpose of the "Credible Witness" is to give the Big Lie a patina of credibility.
5. What if, during Watergate, the FBI and DOJ had conspired to set up Bob Woodward as a Russian spy? Well, here you have the FBI and DOJ colluding to set Donald Trump us as a Russian patsie and sexual pervert, and giving Christopher Steele Whistleblower protection. Remember what I said about whistleblowers— that you can't take them at face value? Some are genuine and some are not? Here's a grand example of someone appearing to blow the whistle on potentially dangerous "Russian connections" when this was really nothing but one of Satan's many minions doing what Satan does best— telling lies. Also note that Steele "smelled his own hole first"— another Hallmark of the Satanist tradition.
6. There is a reason that Satan is called "The Father of All Lies". When you catch someone lying, you know for sure that they are connected to the Source of All Lies. If they are not knowingly and willingly worshiping Satan as a practicing Satanist, they are nonetheless worshiping him in fact by purposefully creating, repeating, and giving credibility to lies. Hillary, Huma, James Comey, Obama, Loretta Lynch, Christopher Steele, the Ohrs, all these people — are liars, purposeful, self-interested liars. They concocted this whole story with malice aforethought to gain a political advantage. They purposefully lied to you, the American People, and they abused your trust in them and their public offices. That is the actual story–and the Truth— coming out of all of this wasted time and energy and money.
7. One of the greatest ills of this whole process of telling, spreading, and amplifying lies is that innocent people believe them, and they then repeat the cycle of telling, spreading, and amplifying lies— lending their good names and credibility to garbage. When someone tells you a lie and you believe them, you naturally make wrong assumptions based on those lies, you say wrong things, you take wrong actions— and the people who love and respect you are misled by you in turn. It's a domino effect that corrupts and degrades everyone in its path. So if you believed any of this horse-hooey, and repeated it to anyone else, you inadvertently became an agent of corruption and tracked the poo around, dirtying your own good name and credibility in the process. You have Hillary Clinton and Christopher Steele and James Comey and………. to "thank" for this circumstance, and I hope that you let the entire Democratic Party Machine know how much you appreciate being set up and lied to and used to disseminate false information.
8. When this story about Trump paying Russian whores to pee on his bed first came out, I guffawed and spit coffee through my nose, just as my Father sometimes did if I surprised him in mid-gulp. I came up gasping— "Not in a million years! Trump is a hotel owner!" It was an odd reprise of my reaction to 911 — "Where's all this full-color Technicolor film footage coming from?" Donald Trump has made his fortune in real estate and hotels and resorts. Can you imagine how much he takes in losses every year from people doing stupid stuff to bed mattresses and linens? I didn't need any multi-million dollar investigations to know that I'd just been fed a Big Lie. Congressional Subcommittees didn't have to vote. President Trump didn't have to release memos. I knew it was a Whopper the moment I heard it. If you didn't, you need to work on fine tuning your Shinola Sensor so you don't get fooled again.
9. My final point for today— the success of evil people in telling lies depends on large part on our gullibility and willingness to believe lies. We can overcome gullibility by training ourselves to look around the corner and be skeptical like Will Rodgers used to say— "Don't take any wooden nickels!" — and by checking our prejudices at the door. A lot of people believed this whole preposterous story about Donald Trump and "the Russians" because they wanted to believe it. They let themselves be led astray because they didn't like Donald Trump and/or they didn't like the Russians, and they allowed themselves to be pre-disposed to believe lies about them. This is another important common trick of the Satanists— they play to your prejudices, always. These people will play on your prejudice against egotistical, rich, white men just as easily as they will play on a prejudice against burly, poor, black men. They could care less. If you hold a prejudice toward anyone, it's like a chink in your own armor that makes you susceptible to believing lies and being Satan's little helper by spreading them. So become aware of your own fears and prejudices and guard against them.
If you want to stay aligned with the True God, if you want to save yourself the embarrassment and shame of carrying lies, if you want to do justice and be just— then be diligent in your reasoning and sifting of facts, be aware of the tricks and methods of the Satanists who are very much alive and active in this world. Hillary and her Gang just gave you a fine example of how they operate and what they do and how decent innocent people can be misled by these Tricksters to do great harm to themselves and to others.
A few weeks ago I was having lunch with a young woman, the daughter of a friend. She is a senior in college, bright and pretty, hard-working, a really good-hearted young woman who will be a prize mate and a good Mom and a strong force in the community in years to come. I like young people in general, and I have always had a soft-spot for her. So I had cleared my schedule and invited her to lunch at a trendy organic restaurant I know she likes— and can't afford— and was sitting there playing my long-accustomed role as The Ear, just listening to what she had to say and looking for whatever opportunity there might be to help her.
Imagine my horror to discover that she had swallowed The Kool-Aid? She actually, earnestly, innocently believed all the Russian Connection bunk. Now, my friend, her Mother, is an idealist and quite religious—- not a worldly woman at all. She never went to college. She couldn't debate the color of the sky. I should have known that she couldn't prepare her daughter to be the least bit skeptical about such authorities as the FBI and DOJ. I shouldn't have been surprised to hear all the Trump-hating venom and repetition of the bed-wetting story coming from her innocent lips, but somehow I was.
Like many college students today she has been taught endless facts and no small amount of liberal political theology along the way, but she hasn't been taught how to think for herself. She hasn't been taught to reason her way carefully from Point A to Point Z. If she has a Shinola Sensor, it has yet to be developed and honed. Gently, I told her I didn't believe the story about Trump being in bed with any Russians, literally or figuratively. She looked astounded and deeply disappointed in me. I was the first person in her circle to lift a hand and sound a note of caution, much less say I flat-out didn't believe the media, the FBI or the DOJ.
I struggled for a moment trying to think of a way to joggle her own Shinola Sensor. I observed a few things to her. She thought about it. And that was really my duty to her, to make her think more deeply and critically and fairly about the information she'd been fed and who was feeding it. We parted friends.
Now the infamous Memo has been released and it is obvious to even true dullards and True Believers that the DNC and Hillary and the Gang are self-interested liars. I am sure my young friend will blush in shame the next time she sees me. She will probably stammer something about being sorry for spreading lies and saying all the evil things she said about the Russians and Trump. She's that kind of young woman. But my point to all of you is that it really isn't her fault. She was lied to by people much older and more sophisticated, people occupying prestigious public offices, people she ought to have been able to trust.


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"The Personal Prisoner" – Gueled Mohammed
September 16, 2018 October 19, 2018 Admin Uncategorized
Written by: Belay Manaye
Translated by: Befekadu Hailu
Gueled Mohammed is a 41 years old man who used to work as the Ethiopia's Somali regional government communication head before he was jailed years before. He is married and has two children. He suffered seven years of combined arbitrary detention in Jigjiga Zone Prison and Jail Ogaden without having formally charged. He remembers his time in jail as a time when he was a "personal prisoner" of former president of the region, Pres. Abdi Mohammed Omar (Abdi Illey).
Jigjiga Zone Prison – Arbitrary Detention
Gueled was jailed twice in three prisons. In his first arbitrary detention, he was detained in 2010 and held in Jigjiga Zone Prison located in Amira. He was detained for 8 months without a single appearance before court and was just released without explanation.
'Jail Ogaden'
– Lack of basic necessities and facilities
– No formal charges
– No access to lawyer
In May 2011, a few weeks after he was released from his previous arbitrary detention, Gueled was jailed again. This time he was thrown into the infamous and notorious 'Jail Ogaden' of Somali region in Ethiopia. There was no drinking water in the prison, thus the prisoners were dependent on water trucking. The prisoners received small quota of water a day even though they feel very hot and thirsty due to the high temperature in the place. In addition to lack of basic necessities, he faced intimidated and his family members were harassed.
Gueled did not have access to visitors in 'Jail Ogaden'. He couldn't see a lawyer. He was never taken to court. No one explained to him why he was detained. In Jail Ogaden there are torture chambers named Chifnajok. Gueled says, "Chifnajok were firs built to be bathrooms. They are very narrow, half a meter by half a meter wide each. To be put in Chifnajok is the ultimate torture. You can't sit, you can't lay but just stand there shaking your exhausted body. They [prison officials] sometimes put two or three people in these small rooms. The rooms are suffocating; people die in them." Gueled was not put in Chifnajok. He said his public visibility helped him spared from being put in there.
In Jail Ogaden, there was no sufficient food and water. Gueled says, "I prefer to be asked which rights are not violated in Jail Ogaden rather than to be asked which rights are violated. Practically, all my rights were violated. They forced us to do labor works. Sometimes, they pay you a piece of cigarette after forcing you to work for three days. The pain passes; but some people die. Jail Ogaden is the biggest torture facility."
Gueled has never been taken to court in his detention. One day in October 2011, fourteen prisoners including himself were transported to Zeway Federal Prison. Zeway Prison is a place where convicted prisoners are held. But, each of the prisoners with Gueled were not formally charged. On their way, around place called Qobbo, a vehicle from Jail Ogaden stopped their bus and officials from there told each of them their conviction and sentence. Gueled was told that he was charged of 'rape' and that he was found guilty to be sentenced 10 years of severe imprisonment. No questions asked. Then they put them in a container and transferred them to Zeway. "Who believes this really happens at this time?" asks perplexed Gueled. He has never seen any document that shows charges pressed against him.
Zeway Federal Prison
Zeway Prison was better for Gueled. He said "there was no physical torture. The food was better than offered in Jail Ogaden. I was allowed to talk anything I wanted to with inmates." However, his hopes that someone will visit him from the federal government didn't happen. He said, "it was without a case that I had suffered 6 years and 8 months in jail." Finally, Gueled was paroled and released from Zeway Federal Prisons.
Life after Prison
Gueled Mohammed says he was a personal prisoner of former Pres. Abdi Illey. "Abdi Illey jailed me because I spoke, because I breathed" says Gueled Mohammed. "My detention has nothing that seems to have legal ground."
Gueled has gotten no compensation for the violations of his rights. No one was held accountable for it all. He believes he was released because of people's pressure. But, even after his release, he had travel restrictions. He was not allowed to leave his town Jigjiga. He was under constant surveillance. He had government's employee before his arrest but unemployed. Life continued harder after his release too.
Ethnic based attacks and conflicts should be resolved – HRC 143th Special Report
Kefyalew Teferra – The Man who Lost His Legs in Prison


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The Majestic
Theatrical Release: December 21, 2001
Content Rating Descriptions
Comedian Jim Carrey takes on a relatively serious role as Hollywood screenwriter Peter Appleton in this family-oriented fiction set in the early 1950s. Just as Peter sees his career beginning to take off, he gets notice to appear before the Congressional Committee on un-American Activities led by Senator Joe McCarthy. With implications of being Communist, Pete quickly sees his dreams fade away. But after a late night car accident, Pete wakes up on the outskirts of Lawson, California and can't remember anything. Harry (Martin Landau), owner of the town's run-down theater, recognizes Pete as his son Luke, thought lost during World War II. Lawson lost 62 of its young men in the war and with the war dead, the town lost hope for the future, reflected in the neglected Majestic. Believing Pete is Luke, finally returning from the war, restores the town's hope. In turn, the town helps restore the movie palace to its former glory. But when both his memory and the law catch up to Pete, will the town's dreams fade again? Although it rides an emotional rollercoaster, audiences will cheer this inspiring and patriotic story reminiscent of Frank Capra's films.
Dove Review
Martin Landau's performance is especially touching as a father suddenly given his son back. Major themes of rekindled hope, restoring broken lives and reminders of American ideals shine through this refreshingly wholesome film. Unfortunately, the dialogue includes several obscenities and a number of strong profanities. Without the vulgar language, THE MAJESTIC could be recommended for ages 10 and up.
Company: Warner Brothers
Industry Rating: PG
Reviewer: Movie Morality Ministries - Paul Bicking
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Roadhouse Hostels currently has two hostels with a total of 80 beds in Goa and Jaipur and plans to add as many as five such properties in Kerala and Himachal Pradesh by the year end. New Delhi: Roadhouse Hostels, a chain of backpacker hostels, on Wednesday said that it has raised an undisclosed amount of […]
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A file photo of Jeff Bezos. Bezos is piling up his chips while counting aloud, so his opponents can watch and hear clearly. Photo: AFP There are four rounds of betting in poker—pocket, flop, turn and river. In my bookThe Golden Tap— The inside story of hyper-funded Indian startups, I write about the Indian e-commerce […]
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U.S. Agency for International Development
Prioritizing Family
The power of nurturing, protective care for children in adversity
Jun 17 · 4 min read
Positive parenting sessions help a Cambodian mother of three manage a demanding job and maintain a healthier and happier family for her children. / @UNICEF Cambodia/2017/Ayphalla Te
Social worker Sun Chhailim regularly visits families in her service area in Cambodia. Because of poverty, lack of employment, and other challenges, many of the families she meets are unable to send their children to school or to care for their basic needs. Some families have recently migrated, and others are headed by aging grandparents with very limited resources to care for their grandchildren.
Sun teaches these families how they can protect their children and provide a nurturing and loving environment essential for healthy development even in the face of threats and challenges.
When families assume their children will be better cared for by others in a local orphanage, Sun explains the benefits of staying together and helps provide support that allows them to care for their children at home.
Since 2013, with support from Cambodia's government, USAID and other U.S. agencies, and social workers like Sun, over 45,000 families have received services allowing them to stay together.
The best investment a country can make to eliminate extreme poverty, boost economic growth, and promote a peaceful society is to invest in its children. When the family unit is strong, all other goals and outcomes for children are well within reach.
Mothers receive training in optimal health and nutritional behavior, which will benefit their children. / Valerie Caldas, USAID Suaahara project
Cambodia is just one of many countries that prioritizes investment in the care and protection of vulnerable children and families. Over the past year, as the U.S. Government Special Advisor for Children in Adversity, I have witnessed similar commitments around the globe.
Many countries — including Armenia, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Moldova, and Rwanda — have made renewed pledges to care for and protect their children from violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect, recognizing their investments in children as the cornerstone to sustainable economic development. The impact on the lives of these children and their families has been remarkable.
Despite all the progress, in many ways, the need to care for and protect the most vulnerable children and families has only grown. As a result of poverty and other factors — including disease, disability, humanitarian crises, exploitative labor, and human trafficking — millions of children continue to live without protective, nurturing, and loving care that only a family can provide. Faced with chronic, unaddressed adversities, the resulting toxic stress has shown to have life-long and debilitating mental, emotional, and physical effects.
A family on their farm in Tajikistan. / Sandra Coburn
The next five years is a critical time for action. The U.S. Government's whole-of-government commitment offers a unique platform, strong momentum, and a clear path forward to continue our investments in the development, care, dignity, and safety of the world's most vulnerable children. Ensuring that every child can survive, thrive, and reach his or her full potential is central to each country's long-term development and will ultimately produce positive gains in families, communities, and the nations where they live.
The good news is that strategic investments in parents, children, and the families who love and care for them is possible to both prevent adverse childhood experiences, and to build resilience so they can thrive even under difficult conditions.
I am proud to stand behind the U.S. Government's new strategy, Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: A U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance (APCCA). It builds on our past successes and calls for continued comprehensive and coordinated commitments across several U.S. Government Departments and Agencies.
Our investments will be even more effective when implemented through innovative partnerships including with the faith and community organizations and the private sector that increase the scale and effectiveness of U.S. efforts.
APCCA moves our work forward firmly with three evidence-based objectives: (1) Build Strong Beginnings, (2) Put Family First, and (3) Protect Children from Violence. Success with each objective creates a multiplier effect by contributing to a solid foundation to protect children and adolescents from a wide array of risks, and supporting their development, care, and safety.
The strategy is ambitious. With the expertise and bold commitment of our U.S. Government partners, including the U.S. Departments of Labor and State; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the National Institutes of Health; and the Peace Corps, our mandate for action is realistic and achievable.
A family receives necessary education and nutritional support to help their children thrive. / Morgana Wingard for USAID
Sarah Gesiriech is the U.S. Government Special Advisor on Children in Adversity.
Click here at 2 p.m. June 17 for a live stream of the strategy launch.
Stories of USAID's Work from Around the World
We advance U.S. natl. security & economic prosperity, demonstrate American generosity & promote self-reliance & resilience. Privacy: http://go.usa.gov/3G4xN


The charming town of Desenzano lies on the southern banks of Lake Garda, gazing out towards the Alps. With three large beaches and numerous cafes along the lake's waterfront, it's easy to relax here. Spend some time walking the pleasant historic streets up to the town's Castello, where you can enjoy wonderful views over Desenzano, visiting the impressive Roman villa or marvelling at the cathedral's 16th-century architecture. There are plenty of shops dotted around the town, with everything from well-loved high street shops to charming, individual boutiques.
Desenzano is a great base for explorations of northern Italy. Lake Garda's other towns are accessible by regular ferries and the cities of Milan, Verona and Venice are easily reached by train.
Why just stop at Desenzano del Garda?


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BuzzFeed News Home Reporting To You
How Beyoncé Called Out Coachella's Whiteness
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By celebrating and offering up a history lesson on black music, the pop star's Coachella performance was a brilliant rebuke of the whiteness of most music festivals.
By Tomi Obaro
Tomi Obaro BuzzFeed News Reporter
Posted on April 16, 2018, at 2:59 p.m. ET
Larry Busacca / Getty Images
Beyoncé performs onstage at Coachella 2018.
Not very long into her scorching, historic debut as the headlining performer at Coachella on Saturday night, Beyoncé began singing the opening lines to "Drunk in Love" while standing atop a giant crane suspended over the middle of the audience. It's a moment that lingers, not just because it confirms the daredevilish lengths to which Beyoncé will go to innovate a performance. (This is a woman who once voluntarily started her set at the 2003 VMAs singing upside-down while hanging in the air.) "I can see you, I can see you all the way back there," Beyoncé announced, looking over the Coachella crowd, and the camera cut to a sea of pink hands and faces awash in the festival lights.
I recognize those pink hands. Those pink hands are the cornerstone of most music festivals in the United States today. According to Nielsen, 69.2% of festivalgoers are white. And a self-reported survey of Coachella in 2013 revealed that only 4.9% of festivalgoers were black. The owners of those pinks hands gather in a field, or a desert valley or a grassy nook, young and flush; they wear booty shorts and crop tops, or no shirt at all; they are drunk or maybe high or maybe both; their teeth are slick and newly straightened. They are there to have a good time, to try some hallucinogens, perhaps, to listen to Migos or Chance the Rapper or Vince Staples. They are ready for #chella or #lolla or #bonnaroo. Their phones are fully charged at the beginning of the day as they prepare to Instagram their experience.
I've seen those pink hands at Lollapalooza, which I covered two times while working at a magazine in Chicago. I once watched those pink hands fall slack at their sides, as their owners waited impatiently for Outkast — then performing a truly resplendent version of "International Players Anthem" — to get on with it and play "Hey Ya." Those pink hands sometimes wave yellow glowsticks in the air and shout "Nigga" in unapologetic abandon as they rap along with the black artist onstage.
Beyoncé's performance on Saturday night acknowledged that most of the hands raised in the midnight air, in thrall of the Queen, would be pink. That they would perhaps not fully understand or grasp what she was trying to accomplish with her epic set. But because they were young people, she decided to teach them something.
Kyle Grillot / AFP / Getty Images
Fans watch as Beyoncé enters the stage during Coachella 2018.
Beyoncé sang the first half of "Drunk in Love" on top of the crane, and then, for those of us watching at home, the camera suddenly cut to two people, a man and a woman, onstage. As Nina Simone's "Lilac Wine" played, they danced in kinetic motion, clearly trained as modern dancers, their muscles taut in tension and release. Bathed in white spotlight, they rendered the aching melancholy of Simone's tear-fIlled voice in vivid, compelling physicality. And then, just like that, they were gone. Beyoncé made her way back onto the stage, and the sunflower-colored Beyoncé Delta Kappa marching band reprised the 'surfboard' portion of "Drunk in Love" before segueing into the rousing chorus of F.L.Y.'s 2009 single "Swag Surfin'."
That transition from Nina Simone, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that same night, to the silly, jubilant glee of that improbably durable 2009 banger encompasses so much of what Beyoncé set out to do at Coachella. Part history lesson, part celebration, she was giving a primer to the owners of those pink hands in the audience, while celebrating and acknowledging the far fewer brown hands also in attendance and the many more watching the livestream at home.
Beyoncé's performance deliberately evoked the historically black college or university. All of her musicians and background singers sported marching band attire with the initials BΔK, a fictionalized nod to black Greek organizations, and she performed the first third of her set clad in typical college attire — denim cutoffs and a yellow hoodie with BΔK emblazoned on the front. In the middle of her performance of "Sorry," she and a group of female dancers teased a group of black male "pledges" as the audience watched in what seemed like confused silence.
Beyoncé's performance on Saturday night acknowledged that most of the hands raised in the midnight air, in thrall of the Queen, would be pink.
By using this HBCU theme throughout the performance, Beyoncé was both paying homage to an explicitly black education apparatus that is in many ways under siege while also preparing us for the knowledge she was about to impart: a black music history lesson for the masses, as she, in the words of New York Times critic Jon Caramanica, "performed musicology in real time."
From her a capella rendition of the black national anthem "Lift Every Voice and Sing," to Fela Kuti's "Zombie" horns playing shortly after her performance of "Deja Vu," to her quick, seamless cover of Jamaican artist Dawn Penn's "No No No" and the musical allusions to Sister Nancy's "Bam Bam," Beyoncé's black music history lesson was wide-reaching and diasporic.
Her performance was also a survey of her own discography, a reminder of the sheer breadth of singles she has cooked up in her 20 years as a performer, already a veteran at 36. And she dug deep. She rapped "Kitty Kat's" bridge. There were instrumental renditions of great songs that don't get a lot of love and attention outside of her avid fan base, like "Ego," "Greenlight," and "Why Don't You Love Me?" She brought out Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child and thrilled with a gorgeous interpolation of "Say My Name" that reminded viewers that they were all singers first and foremost, who used to make a cappella arrangements of church hymns like "Amazing Grace." She danced with her sister Solange to "Get Me Bodied," the 2006 club anthem that never quite took off the way it should have, in a sweet reversal of the time Beyoncé came out and danced wordlessly with Solange during the latter's Coachella set in 2014.
Beyoncé also brazenly called out the fact that she is the first black woman headliner during Coachella's 19 years of existence: "Ain't that 'bout a bitch?"
Beyoncé performs onstage during Coachella 2018.
During the European leg of her 2016 Formation Tour, Beyoncé wore her hair in braided extensions that cascaded down her back. They gave her a lot of trouble, constantly flying in her face. In one grainy video a fan took, you can see her mouthing "Shit," as a braid hits her mouth. But there was something clearly subversive, in my mind anyway, about Beyoncé wearing braids in some of the world's whitest cities. Usually sporting billowy locks of golden hair, the braids felt in a way like an announcement of her blackness, an imprimatur of it.
Earlier today, Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles Lawson, admitted in an Instagram post that she was afraid that "the predominately white audience at Coachella would be confused by all of the black culture." Beyoncé's response, according to her mother, was that she "wanted to do what's best for the world." That rendering might sound arrogant — but Beyonce's decision to steep her set in black images, to offer a sample course of the rich history of black music, even at the risk of occasionally confusing or even alienating her white audience, is radical.
In 2011, Beyoncé was the first black woman to headline the Glastonbury Festival, and the livestream of her performance played during the BET Awards; that, too, was a very intentional act and acknowledgment of her black fanbase. As live performances increasingly become the most reliable way for artists to make money, more black artists are forced to confront the unbearable whiteness of most music festivals and concerts. And here Beyoncé offers a solution.
Her Coachella performance, sure to go down as the best in history, was her way of saying to those few brown hands in the audience, and the millions more around the world: I see you. I see you. ●
Tomi Obaro is a senior culture editor for BuzzFeed and is based in New York.
Contact Tomi Obaro at tomi.obaro@buzzfeed.com.
Got a confidential tip? Submit it here.
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Furouen Garden opened to the public in 1897. The vast hillside grounds are home to over 30 varieties of flowering trees and shrubs, about 2,000 trees in all.
From February to March, visitors can enjoy the graceful Ume plum blossoms in bloom all over the hillside, a signifier of the start of spring.
There is an observation hut at the top of the hill offering panoramic views of Mount Fuji and the Southern Japan Alps.
* Holders of a physical disability certificate are entitled to free entry.
* 100 car parking spaces are available on Sundays and public holidays.


text:
Оряьн Хаскъёльд Ниланд (; ) — норвежский футболист, вратарь клуба «РБ Лейпциг» и сборной Норвегии.

Клубная карьера

В детстве Оряьн занимался гандболом, горными лыжами и футболом. Свою карьеру он начал в футбольной школе родного города Волда. В 2007 году Ниланд присоединился к молодёжной команде клуба «Хёдд». Первый сезон он был третьим вратарём после Кима Лейноффа и Вейбъёрна Скийде. В 2008 году Орьян дебютировал в первом дивизионе Норвегии и провёл три матча. В том же году он был признан одним из самых талантливых вратарей Норвегии и тренировался с «Русенборгом», «Мольде» и английским «Эвертоном».

В 2010 году Ниланд завоевал место основного голкипера команды. В 2012 году «Тромсё» хотел подписать Орьяна в качестве сменщика Маркуса Салмана, но не смог осилить финансовые требования «Хёдда». В том же году он помог клубу завоевать Кубок Норвегии.

В 2012 году Ниланд стал свободным агентом и подписал контракт с «Мольде». Вначале Орьян был третьим вратарём после Эспена Петтерсена и Уле Содерберга. 6 мая 2013 года в матче против «Старта» он дебютировал в Типпелиге. После травмы Эспена Петтерсена, Ниланд стал основным голкипером команды. В 2013 году Орьян во второй раз выиграл кубок и через год стал чемпионом Норвегии.

Летом 2015 года Орьян перешёл в немецкий «Ингольштадт 04», подписав контракт на четыре года. 23 августа в матче против дортмундской «Боруссии» он дебютировал в Бундеслиге.

Летом 2018 года Ниланд перешёл в английскую «Астон Виллу», подписав контракт на три года. Сумма трансфера составила 3 млн евро. 11 августа в матче против «Уиган Атлетик» он дебютировал в Чемпионшипе. По итогам сезона Орьян помог клубу выйти в элиту 10 ноября 2019 года в матче против «Вулверхэмптон Уондерерс» он дебютировал в английской Премьер-лиге.

1 февраля 2021 года Ниланд подписал контракт до конца сезона с клубом «Норвич Сити». 26 июня было объявлено, что он покинул клуб.

17 августа 2021 года на правах свободного агента Ниланд подписал контракт с клубом «Борнмут». 28 августа в матче против «Халл Сити» он дебютировал за новую команду. В начале 2022 года Ниланд перешёл в «Рединг». 15 марта в матче против своего бывшего клуба «Борнмут» он дебютировал за новый клуб. Летом 2022 года на правах свободного агента Орьян подписал контракт с «РБ Лейпциг».

Международная карьера
В 2013 году в составе молодёжной сборной Норвегии Ниланд принял участие в молодёжном чемпионате Европы в Израиле. На турнире он сыграл в матчах против команд Англии, Израиля и Испании. По итогам соревнования Орьян вошёл в символическую сборную.

19 ноября 2013 года в товарищеском матче против сборной Шотландии Ниланд дебютировал за сборную Норвегии.

Достижения

Клубные
 «Хёдд»
 Обладатель Кубка Норвегии: 2012

 «Мольде»
 Чемпион Норвегии: 2014
 Обладатель Кубка Норвегии: 2013, 2014

 «Астон Вилла»
 Обладатель Кубка Английской футбольной лиги: 2019/20

 Международные
 Бронзовый призёр молодёжного чемпионата Европы: 2013

Индивидуальные
 Символическая сборная молодёжного чемпионата Европы: 2013
 Вратарь года чемпионата Норвегии: 2014, 2015

Примечания

Футболисты Норвегии
Игроки сборной Норвегии по футболу
Игроки сборной Норвегии по футболу (до 21 года)
Игроки ФК «Молде»
Игроки ФК «Хёдд»
Игроки ФК «Ингольштадт 04»
Игроки ФК «Ингольштадт 04 II»
Игроки ФК «Астон Вилла»
Игроки ФК «Норвич Сити»
Игроки ФК «Борнмут»
Игроки ФК «Рединг»

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
require 'rails_helper'

RSpec.describe Metric, :type => :model do

  before(:each) do
    @metric = FactoryGirl.create(:metric)
  end

  it "should return all columns of the result set" do

    mn1 = MetricOperatorNode.create(:operator_cd => 1)
    pattern = FactoryGirl.create(:pattern)
    mn2 = MetricNode.create(:measurable_id => pattern.id)
    mn2.aggregation = mn2.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => pattern.nodes.first.id, :operation => :sum, :alias_name => "IndividualContribution")
    mn2.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => pattern.attribute_constraints.last.id, :operation => :group_by, alias_name: "AcGroup")

    mn3 = MetricNode.create(:measurable_id => pattern.id)
    mn3.aggregation = mn3.aggregations.create(:pattern_element_id => pattern.nodes.first.id, :operation => :sum, :alias_name => "AllContribution")

    mn1.children << mn2
    mn1.children << mn3
    @metric.metric_nodes = [mn1,mn2,mn3]

    expect(["AllContribution", "IndividualContribution", "AcGroup", "Ownership"] - @metric.result_columns()).to be_empty
  end

  it "should determine which pattern a user needs to translate next to run this metric" do
    expect(@metric.first_untranslated_pattern(nil)).to be_nil
    pattern = FactoryGirl.create(:pattern)
    mn1 = MetricNode.create(:measurable_id => pattern.id)
    @metric.metric_nodes = [mn1]
    repo = FactoryGirl.create(:repository)
    Pattern.any_instance.stub(:executable_on?).with(repo.ontology){false}
    expect(@metric.first_untranslated_pattern(repo.ontology)).to eq(pattern)
    Pattern.any_instance.stub(:executable_on?).with(repo.ontology){true}
    expect(@metric.first_untranslated_pattern(repo.ontology)).to be_nil
  end

  it "should create the proper node type" do
    expect(@metric.create_node(FactoryGirl.build(:pattern)).is_a?(MetricNode)).to be(true)
    expect(@metric.create_node(FactoryGirl.build(:metric)).is_a?(MetricMetricNode)).to be(true)
  end

  it "should properly combine results from two different metric nodes" do
    build_simple_metric()

    results = {
      @mn1 => [{"NodeGroup" => "node1","AcSum" => 5},{"NodeGroup" => "node2","AcSum" => 10}],
      @mn2 => [{"NodeGroup" => "node1","AcAvg" => 2.5},{"NodeGroup" => "node2","AcAvg" => 0}]
    }

    complete_results = @metric.process_results(results)
    expect(complete_results.size).to eq(2)
    expect(complete_results.first[@metric.name]).to eq(2)
    expect(complete_results.last[@metric.name]).to eq(0)
  end

  it "should detect overlapping headers in the results" do
    expect(@metric.overlapping_result_headers({a: [{:b => 2, :c => 3}], :b => [{:b => 5, :f => 4}]})).to eq([:b])
    expect(@metric.overlapping_result_headers({a: [{:d => 2, :c => 3}], :b => [{:b => 5, :f => 4}]})).to be_empty
    expect(@metric.overlapping_result_headers({a: [{x1: 2, y: 3, z: 4}, {x1: 4, y: 34, z: 34}], b: [{x1: 2, x2: 3}, {x1: 4, x2: 5}]})).to eq([:x1])
  end

  it "should properly combine results from metrics with other stuff" do
    build_simple_metric()
    mmn = MetricMetricNode.create!(:measurable_id => @metric.id)
    meta_metric = FactoryGirl.create(:metric, name: "AdvancedOwnership")
    mmn2 = MetricNode.create!(:measurable_id => @pattern.id)
    agg3 = mmn2.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.nodes.first.id, operation: :group_by, alias_name: "NodeGroup")
    mmn2.aggregation = mmn2.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.attribute_constraints.first.id, operation: :sum, alias_name: "AcSummm")

    meta_metric.metric_nodes = [mmn, mmn2]

    results = {
      mmn => [{"NodeGroup" => "node1","#{@mn1.id}_AcSum" => 5, "#{@mn2.id}_AcAvg" => 10, "Ownership" => 50}],
      mmn2 => [{"NodeGroup" => "node1","AcSummm" => 2.5}]
    }

    complete_results = meta_metric.process_results(results)
    expect(complete_results.size).to eq(1)
    expect(complete_results.first["AdvancedOwnership"]).to be_nil
    expect(complete_results.first["NodeGroup"]).to eq("node1")
    expect(complete_results.first["#{mmn.id}_Ownership"]).to eq(50)

    # now let's add a calculation
    mopn = MetricOperatorNode.create(:operator_cd => MetricOperatorNode.operators[:add])
    mmn.parent = mopn
    mmn.aggregation = mmn.aggregations.create!(column_name: "Ownership", operation: :avg, alias_name: "AvgOwnership")
    mmn.save!
    mmn2.parent = mopn
    mmn2.save
    meta_metric.metric_nodes << mopn

    results[mmn] << {"NodeGroup" => "node2","#{@mn1.id}_AcSum" => 10, "#{@mn2.id}_AcAvg" => 20, "Ownership" => 100}
    results[mmn2] << {"NodeGroup" => "node2","AcSummm" => 5}
    results[mmn] = mmn.get_aggregates(mmn.group_results(results[mmn]))
    complete_results = meta_metric.process_results(results)
    # one result per "NodeGroup"
    expect(complete_results.size).to eq(2)
    # once 75 + 2.5 and the second is 75 + 5
    expect(complete_results.first["AdvancedOwnership"]).to eq(77.5)
    expect(complete_results.last["AdvancedOwnership"]).to eq(80)
    # 4 elements per result: NodeGroup, AcSumm, AvgOwnership, AdvancedOwnership
    expect(complete_results.all?{|res| res.size == 4}).to be(true)
  end

  it "should pass through results from other metrics" do
    build_simple_metric()
    meta_metric = FactoryGirl.create(:metric, name: "AdvancedOwnership")

    mmn = MetricMetricNode.create!(:measurable_id => @metric.id)

    mmn2 = MetricNode.create!(:measurable_id => @pattern.id)
    agg3 = mmn2.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.nodes.first.id, operation: nil, alias_name: "NodeGroup")
    mmn2.aggregation = mmn2.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.attribute_constraints.first.id, operation: nil, alias_name: "AcSummm")

    meta_metric.metric_nodes = [mmn, mmn2]

    results = {
      mmn => [{"NodeGroup" => "node1","#{@mn1.id}_AcSum" => 5, "#{@mn2.id}_AcAvg" => 10, "Ownership" => 50}],
      mmn2 => [{"NodeGroup" => "node1","AcSummm" => 2.5}]
    }

    complete_results = meta_metric.process_results(results)
    expect(complete_results.size).to eq(1)
    expect(complete_results.first["AdvancedOwnership"]).to be_nil
    expect(complete_results.first["NodeGroup"]).to eq("node1")
    expect(complete_results.first["#{mmn.id}_Ownership"]).to eq(50)
  end

  it "should ask all its leaf nodes whether it is executable" do
    build_simple_metric()
    Pattern.any_instance.stub(:executable_on?){false}
    expect(@metric.executable_on?(@mt)).to be(false)
  end

  it "should start threads for all leaf nodes and call process results for the created hash" do
    build_simple_metric()
    MetricNode.any_instance.stub(:results){[{"happy" => "hunting"}]}
    @metric.stub(:process_results){|input| input}
    results = @metric.run(@mt)
    expect(results.size).to eq(2)
  end

  it "should allow for multi level metric calculations" do
    build_simple_metric
    second_op = MetricOperatorNode.create(operator_cd: MetricOperatorNode.operators[:add])
    second_op.parent = @mon
    second_op.save!

    @mn2.parent = second_op
    @mn2.save
    @mn3 = MetricNode.create(:measurable_id => @pattern.id)
    @agg3 = @mn3.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.nodes.first.id, operation: :group_by, alias_name: "NodeGroup")
    @mn3.aggregation = @mn3.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.attribute_constraints.first.id, operation: :count, alias_name: "AcCount")
    @mn3.parent = second_op
    @mn3.save!

    results = {
      @mn1 => [{"NodeGroup" => "node1","AcSum" => 5},{"NodeGroup" => "node2","AcSum" => 10}],
      @mn2 => [{"NodeGroup" => "node1","AcAvg" => 2.5},{"NodeGroup" => "node2","AcAvg" => 0}],
      @mn3 => [{"NodeGroup" => "node1","AcCount" => 2.5},{"NodeGroup" => "node2","AcCount" => 0}]
    }

    complete_results = @metric.process_results(results)
    expect(complete_results.size).to eq(2)
    expect(complete_results.first[@metric.name]).to eq(1.0) # 5 / (2.5 + 2.5)
    expect(complete_results.last[@metric.name]).to eq(0) # 10 / (0 + 0)
  end

  def build_simple_metric
    @repo = FactoryGirl.create(:repository)
    @pattern = FactoryGirl.create(:pattern, ontologies: [@repo.ontology])
    @mn1 = MetricNode.create(:measurable_id => @pattern.id)
    @mn2 = MetricNode.create(:measurable_id => @pattern.id)
    @agg1 = @mn1.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.nodes.first.id, operation: :group_by, alias_name: "NodeGroup")
    @mn1.aggregation = @mn1.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.attribute_constraints.first.id, operation: :sum, alias_name: "AcSum")
    @agg2 = @mn2.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.nodes.first.id, operation: :group_by, alias_name: "NodeGroup")
    @mn2.aggregation = @mn2.aggregations.create!(:pattern_element_id => @pattern.attribute_constraints.first.id, operation: :avg, alias_name: "AcAvg")
    @mon = MetricOperatorNode.create(operator_cd: MetricOperatorNode.operators[:divide])

    @mn1.parent = @mon
    @mn2.parent = @mon
    @mn1.save
    @mn2.save
    @metric.metric_nodes = [@mon,@mn1,@mn2]
    @mt = MonitoringTask.create(repository_id: @repo.id, measurable_id: @metric.id)
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
DRC opposition leaders warn of vote-rigging risk in presidential poll
December clashes in west DRC killed some 900 – UN
DRC delays presidential vote until December 30
Ebola death toll exceeds 1,600 mark in DRC
Mortar bombs fired at UN peacekeeping base in eastern DR Congo
At least 19 dead in new DRC massacre
Chad set to open embassy in Israel
Equatorial Guinea gets 1st female prime minister
UN experts call for probe of war crimes executed by Wagner, Mali forces
Malawi president sacks eight ministers in cabinet reshuffle
New attacks by suspected insurgents kill at least 28 in Burkina Faso
The introduction of electronic voting and the authorities' exclusion of a number of candidates from the ballot has united opposition parties ahead of the long-delayed vote on December 23 that will choose a successor to Joseph Kabila.
Supporters of Congolese political parties attend a joint opposition rally in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo September 29, 2018. (Reuters)
Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) opposition leaders warned thousands of supporters at a rally in the capital Kinshasa on Saturday of what they say are moves by the government to steal the presidential election in December, when Joseph Kabila is due to step down after 17 years.
The introduction of electronic voting and the authorities' exclusion of a number of candidates from the ballot has united opposition parties ahead of the long-delayed vote on December 23 that will choose a successor to Kabila.
Despite the suspension of all state public transport in the capital and the presence of heavily armed police, the rally site was thronged with supporters waving flags and hand-made signs with slogans such as 'RIP voting machines.'
Addressing the crowd, Felix Tshisekedi, the president of DRC's largest opposition party and a front-runner to replace Kabila, said opposition forces would remain united in the run-up to the election.
"No one will divide us. We will not cheat, anyone who cheats will provoke a scandal," he said.
While united on some issues, opposition leaders have yet to coalesce behind a single candidate despite repeated promises to do so.
A key common concern relates to the introduction of tablet-style devices for voting, which some say are more vulnerable to vote-rigging and could be compromised by the unreliability of DRC's power supply.
The authorities argue the system will cut costs, help reduce electoral fraud and accelerate the counting of votes in the vast central African country where past elections have been marred by voting irregularities or violence.
"They are not voting machines they are cheating machines," opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba said via video-link from Brussels.
"They are not reliable, too slow and there are 10 million fake voters who have already been registered. We, the opposition, have united to say no to the machines," he said.
Western governments and investors regard the vote as a crucial step towards ending political instability that is impeding investment in DRC, which is rich in natural resources but mired in poverty and economic and humanitarian crises.
But widespread voting irregularities would undermine what is hoped will be DRC's first democratic change of power.
"We are ready for December 23 but we want fair and transparent elections. We do not want the voting machines, they are not ready to be used," construction firm worker Eleck Tshibuabua,41, said on the sidelines of the rally.
On Tuesday, outgoing president Kabila told the annual UN gathering of world leaders that the election would be peaceful and credible.
Kabila has ruled since his father's assassination in 2001. He agreed last month not to defy term limits by running for re-election, calming tensions following his refusal to step down when his constitutional mandate expired in December 2016.
'Up to 50%' of medicines in Africa's Sahel region are fake or substandard
'Stop choking Africa': Pope blasts foreign plundering of DRC


text:
Obama's Iran Nuclear Weapons Deal
Posted on 2 April 2015 by eehines
Here's a "fact sheet" on the thing, via The Washington Post. In quotes because Iran considers the thing to be so much spin, and they don't agree to it. Some highlights below, with my interpretation in italics.
Iran has agreed to reduce by approximately two-thirds its installed centrifuges. Iran will go from having about 19,000 installed today to 6,104 installed under the deal, with only 5,060 of these enriching uranium for 10 years. All 6,104 centrifuges will be IR-1s, Iran's first-generation centrifuge. Iran will go on enriching uranium, just at an allegedly slower pace.
Iran has agreed to not enrich uranium over 3.67% for at least 15 years. See below regarding verification
Iran has agreed to not build any new facilities for the purpose of enriching uranium for 15 years. Iran agreed to this years ago, too; Fordo was only recently discovered, after it had been in operation for several years.
Iran has agreed to convert its Fordow facility so that it is used for peaceful purposes only—into a nuclear, physics, technology, research center. As a research center, it'll continue to be used for nuclear weapons research.
Iran has agreed to not conduct research and development associated with uranium enrichment at Fordow for 15 years. See the bit about verification.
The IAEA will have regular access to all of Iran's nuclear facilities, including to Iran's enrichment facility at Natanz and its former enrichment facility at Fordow, and including the use of the most up-to-date, modern monitoring technologies. "Regular access:" on notice, with plenty of time to "get ready" for the inspection. "All of Iran's…facilities:" that they've revealed.
S. and E.U. nuclear-related sanctions will be suspended after the IAEA has verified that Iran has taken all of its key nuclear-related steps. A prompt end to sanctions after IAEA is promptly fooled. See verification above.
There's nothing in this framework that prevents Iran from developing and building nuclear weapons. Maybe—maybe—this slows them down a little bit.
The community organizer and the motorboat skipper got played by the JayVee's coach.


text:
order: 0
english: Ant Design Mobile of React
---

`antd-mobile` is the React implementation of the [Ant Design](http://ant.design)'s mobile specification, serving the ant and koubei wireless service.

  +

## Features and Advantages

- The UI is fully Configurable and Scalable, easily adapt to all kinds of product style.
- Support Web / iOS / Android platform (Based on React Native), has a wealth of components, can fully cover all kinds of scenes.
- Provide "Components are loaded on demand" / "Web page HD display" / "SVG Icon" optimization features, integrated development.
- Use TypeScript to develop, provide type definition files, support type and attribute smart tips for easy business development.
- Fully compatible with react / preact.

## Applicable Scenes

- Medium-sized and large-scale applications.
- Multi-terminal applications based on react / preact / react-native.
- Custom UI-style applications.

## Getting Started

> Before delving into Ant Design React, a good knowledge of [React](http://facebook.github.io/react/) and [ES2015](http://babeljs.io/docs/learn-es2015/) is needed.
>
> Make sure that you had installed [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/)(> v4.x) correctly.

### 1. Create a New Project

Can be an existing project, or a newly created empty project with [dva](https://github.com/dvajs/dva) / create-react(-native)-app, you can also copy and modify from the official example [scaffolding](https://github.com/ant-design/antd-mobile-samples/tree/master/rn-web).

> More official [examples](https://github.com/ant-design/antd-mobile-samples).
> Also, you can use any [scaffold](https://github.com/enaqx/awesome-react#boilerplates) available in React ecosystem.

### 2. Installation

```bash
$ npm install antd-mobile@next --save
```

### 3. Usage

### Web usage

Entry html page settings:

> Add [FastClick](https://github.com/ftlabs/fastclick) and set the html `meta` (more ref [#576](https://github.com/ant-design/ant-design-mobile/issues/576))
>
> Use Promise fallback support (some Android phones do not support Promise)

```html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <!-- set `maximum-scale` for some compatibility issues -->
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, minimum-scale=1, user-scalable=no" />
  <script src="https://as.alipayobjects.com/g/component/fastclick/1.0.6/fastclick.js"></script>
  <script>
    if ('addEventListener' in document) {
      document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
        FastClick.attach(document.body);
      }, false);
    }
    if(!window.Promise) {
      document.writeln('<script src="https://as.alipayobjects.com/g/component/es6-promise/3.2.2/es6-promise.min.js"'+'>'+'<'+'/'+'script>');
    }
  </script>
</head>
<body></body>
</html>
```

Example of usage:

```jsx
import { Button } from 'antd-mobile';
ReactDOM.render(<Button>Start</Button>, mountNode);
```

And import stylesheets manually:

```jsx
import 'antd-mobile/dist/antd-mobile.css';  // or 'antd-mobile/dist/antd-mobile.less'
```

#### Use modularized antd-mobile

- Use [babel-plugin-import](https://github.com/ant-design/babel-plugin-import) (Recommended)

   ```js
   // .babelrc or babel-loader option
   {
     "plugins": [
       ["import", { "libraryName": "antd-mobile", "style": "css" }] // `style: true` for less
     ]
   }
   ```

   This allows you to import components from antd-mobile without having to manually import the corresponding stylesheet. The babel plugin will automatically import stylesheets.

   ```jsx
   // import js and css modularly, parsed by babel-plugin-import
   import { DatePicker } from 'antd-mobile';
   ```

- Manually import

   ```jsx
   import DatePicker from 'antd-mobile/lib/date-picker';  // for js
   import 'antd-mobile/lib/date-picker/style/css';        // for css
   // import 'antd-mobile/lib/date-picker/style';         // that will import less
   ```

#### More enhanced (optional):

> [Custom theme](https://github.com/ant-design/antd-init/blob/master/examples/customize-antd-theme/README.md).
> Your custom UI library based on antd-mobile: [web-custom-ui](https://github.com/ant-design/antd-mobile-samples/tree/master/web-custom-ui) / [web-custom-ui-pro](https://github.com/ant-design/antd-mobile-samples/tree/master/web-custom-ui-pro)

### React-Native usage

> Note: `Menu`/`NavBar` does not have React-Native implementation.

Example of usage:

```jsx
import React, { Component } from 'react';
import { AppRegistry } from 'react-native';
import { Button } from 'antd-mobile';

class HelloWorldApp extends Component {
  render() {
    return <Button>Start</Button>;
  }
}

AppRegistry.registerComponent('HelloWorldApp', () => HelloWorldApp);
```

#### Use modularized antd-mobile

- Use [babel-plugin-import](https://github.com/ant-design/babel-plugin-import) (Recommended)

   ```js
   // .babelrc or babel-loader option
   {
     "plugins": [
       ["import", { libraryName: "antd-mobile" }] // The difference with the Web platform is that you do not need to set the style
     ]
   }
   ```

   This allows you to import components from antd-mobile without having to manually import the corresponding stylesheet. The babel plugin will automatically import stylesheets.

   ```jsx
   import { DatePicker } from 'antd-mobile';
   ```

- Manually import

   ```jsx
   import DatePicker from 'antd-mobile/lib/date-picker';  // for js
   ```

#### More enhanced (optional):

> [Custom theme](https://github.com/ant-design/antd-mobile-samples/tree/master/rn-custom-ui)

## Version

- Stable: [![npm package](http://img.shields.io/npm/v/antd-mobile.svg?style=flat-square)](http://npmjs.com/package/antd-mobile)
- Next: [![npm package](https://cnpmjs.org/badge/v/antd-mobile.svg?&tag=next&subject=npm)](http://npmjs.com/package/antd-mobile)

## Size

- Components are loaded on demand, in other words, components that are not imported are not packed.
-
The size and dependency analysis of `./dist/antd-mobile.min.js`

## Environment Support

- `iOS`
- `Android 4.0+`

## Links

- [Home Page](https://mobile.ant.design/)
- [Developer Instruction](http://github.com/ant-design/ant-design-mobile/blob/master/development.en-US.md)
- [React components](http://github.com/react-component)

## Companies using antd-mobile

- [Ant Financial](http://www.antgroup.com/index.htm?locale=en_US)
- [Alibaba](http://www.alibaba.com/)
- [Koubei](http://www.koubei.com/)

## Contributing

Please read our [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/ant-design/ant-design-mobile/blob/master/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md) first.

If you'd like to help us improve antd-mobile, just create a [Pull Request](https://github.com/ant-design/ant-design-mobile/pulls). Feel free to report bugs and issues [here](https://github.com/ant-design/ant-design-mobile/issues/new).

> If you're new to posting issues, we ask that you read [*How To Ask Questions The Smart Way*](http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html) and [How to Ask a Question in Open Source Community](https://github.com/seajs/seajs/issues/545) and [How to Report Bugs Effectively](http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html) prior to posting. Well written bug reports help us help you!

## Need Help?

For questions on how to use antd, please post questions to [stackoverflow](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/antd) using the `antd`/`antd-mobile` tag. If you're not finding what you need on stackoverflow, you can find us on [gitter](https://gitter.im/ant-design/ant-design-english?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge) as well.

As always, we encourage experienced users to help those who are not familiar with `antd`!

1. [Stack Overflow](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/antd)
2. [Segment Fault](https://segmentfault.com/t/antd)
3. [![Join the chat at https://gitter.im/ant-design/ant-design](https://badges.gitter.im/Join%20Chat.svg)](https://gitter.im/ant-design/ant-design?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge&utm_content=badge)


Rebecca Wheeler will facilitate the first gathering in the "Spirit of Life" workshop series slated for January 16, 2019 in the UUFP Sanctuary.
Beloved Community Wednesdays potluck supper begins at 6:30, and the workshop runs from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
All workshops are "stand alone" so we hope you will join us for one, several or for all nine sessions.
Spirit of-Life discussion series kicks off January, 16,2019.


text:
'Fall Guys' Going Mobile In China Thanks To Bilibili
Chris Katje
August 25, 2020, 1:14 PM ·3 min read
After launching in early August, the battle royale "Fall Guys" has quickly become one of the hottest video games.
Instead of gamers shooting at each other, "Fall Guys" centers around 60 jelly bean-style players competing in mini-games, with contestants eliminated over time until one gets the golden crown.
What You Need to Know: "Fall Guys" is only available for PlayStation 4 and PC. Whether the game will hit the Xbox or Nintendo Switch remains a mystery.
Fans of the game did get a surprise announcement that a mobile version of the game will be coming to China soon thanks to an exclusive partnership with Bilibili Inc. (NASDAQ: BILI).
The co-founder of Mediatronic Limited, the British company behind "Fall Guys," told Digital Trends that the company "can confirm Bilibili have secured publishing rights to a mobile version in China."
The mobile version of the game is titled "Jelly Bean: The Ultimate Knockout."
Bilibili opened pre-registration on Monday, and130,000 users have expressed interest in the game.
Why It's Important: Mobile games are a huge revenue driver for Bilibil. The company has diversified into livestreaming, esports and advertising, but still receives the majority of its revenue from mobile games.
In the first quarter, Bilibili saw overall revenue increase 69% to $327 million. The mobile games segment had growth of 32% to $162.5 million.
Monthly active users grew 70% to 172.4 million. Mobile monthly users grew 77% to 156.4 million.
Bilibili is the publisher of "Fate/Order," which has been one of the world's most successful mobile games. This title, which comes from partner and part owner Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE) led the game sections of apps for 2019.
The game also ranked fifth on a list of the top-growing games for the decade of 2010 to 2019. The game has made over $4 billion for Sony and Bilibili and has more than 11 million downloads.
"Fall Guys" has seen impressive numbers on Twitch, the game streaming platform owned by Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN).
The game ranks third in average viewers over the last week with 163,866. The game trails only Twitch's popular "Just Chatting" feature and "League of Legends." Fall Guys has even seen more viewers watch gameplay than popular battle royale "Fortnite."
What's Next: According to Reuters, Bilibili has considered a secondary Hong Kong listing.
Bilibi could seek to sell 5%-10% of the company, Reuters reported. This offering wouldn't come until next year, as the city's listing rules include two years of financial records and good regulatory compliance on another qualifying exchange.
The "Fall Guys" momentum will probably not let up, as a second season is in the works.
The company announced that a sneak peak of season two will be aired during the opening night of Gamescom on Aug. 27.
As long as this game stays hot, Bilibili looks to have secured a huge property for its mobile games lineup in China.
Photo courtesy of Mediatronic.
Tortoise Acquisition Corp. II Files For IPO: What You Need to Know
What You Need To Know About Joyy, Owner Of TikTok Competitor Likee
Why Nintendo Shares Hit A 52-Week High Friday


text:
Staying sane in a pandemic
$1 a bunch
Self gratification
Self isolation is taking its toll. It is not that I feel lonely, but I am starting to feel somewhat useless. Not being able to hug my family and help look after my grand-daughters is depriving me of a sense of purpose. In my desperate need to make myself useful, I reach out to my elderly neighbours and share with them the results of my frenzied cooking and baking. They have been recipients of my chicken soup, cauliflower cake with Nigella seeds, vegetarian lasagna, mango ice cream, shortbread, chocolate cookies, upside-down apple cake, orange and almond cake, and more recently ANZAC biscuits. They seem happy and tell me how kind and generous I am. Little do they know that my motives may not be as altruistic as they think. Pleasing them gives me a deep sense of satisfaction which is becoming addictive.
For this reason, I am very happy when Nancy accepts my offer of helping her pick her flowers. I will be doing something that she really needs as opposed to sharing what I think she might enjoy.
Nancy grows chrysanthemums
Nancy is 92 years old and has been growing chrysanthemums for over forty years. She usually picks them and sells them on Mother's Day, the second Sunday in May. But the 1.5 metres of rain that fell at the start of autumn has caused the flowers to bloom early, and in profusion. They must be cut now or they will go to waste. So she decides to put some bunches out for sale on ANZAC weekend, and hopes that despite the lockdown, there will be enough passers-by who will take up the offer of fresh flowers for $1 a bunch.
By the time I turn up just after 8AM on Saturday morning, sun-blocked, donning a broad-brimmed hat, comfortable shoes, and equipped with my newly sharpened secateurs, Nancy has already been at it for 2 hours. She assigns me a garden bed, and with no time to waste, I set about cutting all the open flowers, following her specific instructions to cut them as far down at the base of the stem as possible, and stack them in a wheelbarrow while she works on another bed.
The flowers all used to be pink. Nancy blames the bees for turning them white.
Once the wheelbarrows are full, we proceed into the garage, where, seated side by side on a bench we get to work preparing the bunches. We may not quite respect the 1.5 metres imposed by social distancing rules, but since we do not face each other I trust we are legit.
The music blares from a small transistor on her washing machine as our gnarled fingers strip all the stems one by one, cut them to an even length, and gather the flowers into small bunches which are then tied with short pieces of coloured wool. The wool is left over from the hundreds of squares that Nancy has knitted, and that her friend from the bowling club will crochet together to make blankets for the needy.
Nancy is quite deaf and the music is very loud. We shout snippets of conversations as we work and it is a wonder that she hears anything over the music. The conversation invariably turns to my husband, for some reason she likes to know that I am looking after him. Her particular sense of social justice dictates that a good wife should feed her husband and always kiss him goodbye when they leave the house.
'Did you give your hubby his breakfast before you came?' she asks.
The question takes me aback. 'Good heavens no, he looks after himself.' She frowns her dissatisfaction and I find the need to explain further.
'He usually sleeps at least two hours more than me. I get too hungry to wait for him for breakfast and he doesn't mind. Really…'
She's listening.
'Besides it's the weekend, Nancy, and he'll probably have eggs on toast. I only ever I cook porridge for breakfast.'
'How does he like his eggs?'
'Poached I think, yes poached.'
And I reassure her that he is used to cooking eggs to his liking, and is quite capable of doing so.
'He churns the eggs around in boiling water with a dash of vinegar. He creates a sort of vortex', I explain with profuse gestures. 'Then he drops his eggs in one by one, churning them with a spoon. He probably does a much better job than I ever could.'
'Vinegar with eggs?' she asks, 'I've never heard of that!'
'He says it stops the whites from breaking up and having all these flimsy tentacles floating all over the pan. He' very particular. He likes his eggs to be perfectly shaped, firm little white balls with the yoke set in the middle, just right.'
'Where did he learn to do that?'
'Google, of course. He never does anything without checking the instructions on Youtube.'
I suddenly realise that Google and Youtube are not part of Nancy's lexicon, so I change the subject.
'It's funny,' I say, 'He seems to be sleeping more since the pandemic. Maybe he feels that there is no reason to get out of bed. He's also dreaming a lot these days.'
'Really? What does he dream about?'
'Actually he had a funny one a couple of nights ago. He woke up quite excited and told me that he dreamt that he had created a music tree. He had given it to the Council, who loved it, and they planted it in an open space for everyone to enjoy. People could come and stand under the tree and select a song, any song that they wanted to hear, and the tree would play it for them. The Council thought it would help people overcome their anxiety during the pandemic.'
Nancy laughs, 'Really?'
'It was a vivid dream. He described the thick tall black trunk and at the top of it there was a big ball with all these Apple headphones sticking out of it. He reckoned it looked like a giant coronavirus.'
'Apples? An apple tree?' Nancy asks.
'Apple tree? Oh no, no, no, no … I mean it had Apple headphones sticking out of the big black ball. You know, headphones, you see all the young ones using them with their iPhones to listen to music. They plug them in their ears. Apple is the name of the company that makes them.'
Nancy is not impressed with all this new technology. She tells me that she has found no need for all these gadgets. She's never had a mobile phone, not been interested in using a computer; in fact she doesn't even have a credit card. She tells me how she was at the Good Guys last week to replace her twin tub washing machine after the spinner broke down. She was quite annoyed that not only did they not make twin tubs anymore, but when she got to pay for her new washing machine, they would not accept her cash, they wanted a credit card.
Come what may
The transistor on top of the new washing machine is blaring 1960's – 70's pop songs, mostly country music. A song comes on that I once loved, I tell her that I knew this song in French and loved it.
'Sing it for me,' she says.
I wrack my brains, dig deep into my past, and as the chorus comes on, I suddenly remember:
Et pourtant tu dois savoir
Qu'après toi
Je ne pourrai plus vivre, non plus vivre
Qu'en souvenir de toi
Après toi
J'aurai les yeux humides
Les mains vides, le coeur sans joie
Avec toi
J'avais appris à rire
Et mes rires ne viennent que par toi
Après toi je ne serai que l'ombre
De ton ombre
Après toi …
'What does it all mean?' Nancy asks.
Translating lyrics word for word doesn't always work, so I give her the gist of the song.
'She is singing about how sad she is now that her lover has left her. Tears, emptiness, and a joyless heart is all that she has left. With him she had learnt to laugh, but now she will only live in his shadow, with only a memory of their love …'
I subsequently find out that Après toi sung by Vicky Leandros won the Eurovision contest in 1972 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka89ORFu_Tc). It was a huge hit, no wonder it had stuck in my memory. I had loved it, and still do. It is a song of lost love, but the English version now blaring on the transistor is a song of joy. Come what may, also sung by Vicky Leandros, is all about new found love. Roll on happy times!
Naughty children trees
I wonder about Nancy's love life. She never married. I tell her how wonderful and generous it is for her to plant all these flowers for mothers, given that she does not have children of her own. But she corrects me, she says she feels like she has had thousands of children, all the ones she has taught over her long career as a teacher and senior mistress.
'Were they good children?' I ask.
'Oh yes, they were good, mostly. But there were some naughty ones, I got them to plant trees around the oval at McGregor High in Brisbane. Then I made them water the trees. You can see the big trees today. That's what the naughty children did.'
What a wonderful legacy, I thought to myself. Bring on the naughty children so they may help patch up our wounded planet!
Once the wheelbarrows are empty, we go back for more, and more. It is close to 11 AM by the time all the buckets are full and we decide to call it a day as the sun is getting hot. We place them under a tree in the front garden next to the FLOWERS $1 BUNCH sign. She has bolted a yellow padlocked cash box to a sleeper. On it, the words THANK YOU. Nancy also leaves out plenty of plastic bags for the customers.
A woman walks past and asks permission to take a photo of the flowers so she can post it on Facebook. Nancy looks suspicious.
'Why is she going to do?'
'She's going to advertise your flowers on the computer so everyone in Kingscliff will know about them.
'She can't do that, we're going to run out if everybody finds out.'
'Isn't that the idea, Nancy? If you sell out, we'll pick some more bunches tomorrow.'
'Ha, Ok.' She reluctantly agrees, she would hate anyone to turn up and find all the flowers gone. She hates to disappoint.
But by early Saturday afternoon, all the bunches have sold. We repeat the process on Sunday morning, and by the end of the weekend, 130 homes are all the brighter with Nancy's chrysanthemums.
Her endless hours over the past months, tilling the soil, weeding, untangling unwanted roots, planting hundreds of runners, setting up the watering system that feeds from her spear pump; then pruning, picking, bunching … all her hard work has paid off. Nancy is satisfied.
$2 a bunch?
Two years ago all her plants had died. The drought had caused the underground water to turn salty and it had burnt all her flowers. The neighbourhood mourned, but it never occurred to Nancy to give up. She dug them all up, made new cuttings from the runners that had survived, and started all over again, albeit with half the number of beds.
'It's getting harder every year', she admits, reluctantly. She tells me that she used to churn in some horse manure that she had fetched from the stables in Murwillumbah, but this is not possible now that her restricted license only allows her to travel a maximum of 15 kms from her home.
'It's a lot of work, Nancy, maybe you should put the price up. $2 a bunch, that's nothing these days'' I suggest.
'Oh no, I don't do this to make money. I just want mothers to have flowers on their special day.'
I know you do, but you if you don't need the money, you could always donate half the proceeds to the local pound or maybe the Koala Foundation. After the fires, they would appreciate this.'
'But I can't,' she says.
'Why ever not?' I ask.
'Because I've run out of black paint for the sign.'
Author Diana Guillemin
Fingal Head Dreaming
Linguist, blogger, tree hugger. I am obsessed with grammar, in awe of Nature and all its creatures, and in love with my twin grand-daughters
Memories - England
Old photos – Part I England
Being a grandma
Searching for roots
Ti lakaz Ticuantepe
Being a grandma (7)
Memories – England (1)
Memories – Mauritius (1)
Staying sane in a pandemic (3)
Copyright © 2020 Grammaroflife. All rights reserved.


June 20, 2017 - Mike Lessard, Adventure Cycling's Tours Assistant Director shares his Bike Travel Weekend experience.
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to join the fun of the nationwide Bike Travel Weekend with our group taking an overnight trip up the Bitterroot Valley near Missoula. It had been a while since I took an overnight bike trip, always blaming the hustle and bustle of everyday life as an excuse to not get out the door, but this quick weekend getaway re-prioritized my perspective of balancing adventure in my life.
Even in a group tour, there is always time to relax and have a little quiet time.
The trip was simple, but the outcome was spectacular. I met up with a group of families and together we rode 27 miles of bike path, set up camp, slept, and reversed home the next day. The most amazing part to me was the makeup of the families, with large groups of first, second, and fifth graders leading the way. Having their energy and enthusiasm, many of them completing their first ever bike overnight, kept a fun and adventurous spirit the entire way.
The Bitterroot Trail was our turf for a two-day ride, offering a vehicle-free path and making it a great experience for everyone.
Some of our youngest riders were true champions! I know I never rode 50 miles in two days when I was in first or second grade.
In total, we were about 40 strong, stopping for ice cream, photo opportunities with the local bison, and meeting new friends along the trail. I forgot how fun it is to ride in a big group tour with people you're excited to get to know. It gave me the opportunity to learn new things about so many different people. I was truly inspired talking to my new companions about why they decided to join the fun, and hearing from them at the end that it was even better than they expected!
Ice cream in any fashion is a mandatory stop in my book on an overnight adventure.
A friend we met along the way, soaking up the summer sun.
A group campfire and s'mores to celebrate a job well done.
I get excited, and honestly a little jealous, as I hear stories and see photos from our riders out on our Adventure Cycling guided tours. I look at all the opportunities Adventure Cycling offers to make my daydreams a reality, and I catch myself drifting off into another world when I'm out on a ride. I sometimes smell the salty air on the Oregon Coast, feel the cool mountain breeze of the Sierra Sampler, or hear Zydeco music off in the distance on Ragin' Cajun Country, and only come back to reality after being slapped in the face by a bug.
I came to a realization after my quick Bike Travel Weekend excursion — I need to make this a reality … but now which one to choose?
Enjoying every minute on the road!
ON THE ROAD is written by the tours team— Paul, Mandy, Emma, Mike, and Arlen — tours specialists and intrepid bicyclists, helping you bring your cycling dreams to fruition. Check out our 2018 Guided Tours today!


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The design space of ubiquitous product recommendation systems.
Content consumption and exchange among college students: a case study from India.
Bringing technology into school: NFC-enabled school attendance supervision.
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Multimedia service creation platform for mobile experience sharing.
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Context-aware messaging: how personal, spatial and temporal constraints affect text-based communication.
UbiRockMachine: a multimodal music voting service for shared urban spaces.
Botnet-inspired architecture for interactive spaces.
Designing social features for mobile and ubiquitous wellness applications.
TV clips: using social bookmarking for content discovery in a fragmented TV ecosystem.
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Developing mobile services for specific user groups using virtual environments.
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Marauders light: replacing the wand with a mobile camera projector unit.