text:
Tribe misses one
By Jim Ingraham |
PUBLISHED: April 14, 2007 at 10:12 a.m. | UPDATED: July 16, 2021 at 12:25 p.m.
Whatever it was it was double ugly last night, as the Indians returned home for the second time to open the season for the first time, then promptly laid an offensive egg, losing to the Chicago White Sox 6-4. The Indians got stellar work from their bullpen, as relievers Fernando Cabrera and Jason Davis combined to pitch four scoreless innings on one hit. However, it was the Indians' starting pitching, not the bullpen, that was the problem. The starting pitching and the lack of hitting. The Tribe out-hit the Sox 13-8 — including a career high four hits from Ryan Garko — but the Indians had very few hits with runners in scoring position. All four of Garko's hits came with nobody on base. "I don't know how many men we left on base, but it was ridiculous," said Tribe manager Eric Wedge. "We're too good of hitters, and too good of a team to do that." The Indians came into the game hitting .222 with runners in scoring position. They came out of it hitting .203. It was a game filled with false starts, stranded base runners, and sabotaged rallies. The worst of those came in the fourth inning when the Indians had the bases loaded with one out and Trot Nixon and Travis Hafner due up. Sox starter Javier Vazquez struck out Nixon, then battled Hafner out to a 3-2 count. In bases loaded situations last year Hafner hit .571, with a major league record-tying six grand slams. Vazquez, unimpressed by those numbers, retired Hafner on a swinging third strike to end that inning. For the game, the Indians were a dismal 3-for-20 (.150) with runners in scoring position, and they left 13 men on base. Going back to the second game of the season, the Indians are 5 for their last 51 at bats (.098) with runners in scoring position. "We did a poor job of making adjustments," said Wedge. "We had multiple opportunities, but our approach was very poor to say the least, especially with runners in scoring position. We can do better than that." Garko said some of the credit goes to Vazquez. "We had trouble getting that one big hit, but when a guy makes his pitches you've got to tip your cap," said Garko. Wedge refused to concede that the Indians' lack of timely hitting is related to the layoff caused by the four snowed out games last weekend. "Anybody can use that as an excuse," he said. "It is what it is. We've got veteran hitters who have to have the mental discipline to make adjustments." Fausto Carmona started for the Indians. He was making his first start of the regular season, and his first appearance since a minor league start 10 days ago. It was not a start for Carmona's scrapbook. He lasted just 4 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on seven hits, including two home runs, two walks, two wild pitches, and a hit batter. The loss for Carmona came two days shy of the one-year anniversary of his first major league win, a decision over the Tigers in his major league debut on April 15 last year. Carmona's record since then is 0-11. A sacrifice fly by Juan Uribe in the second inning and a three-run homer by Uribe in the fourth gave Chicago a 4-1 lead. The Indians scored their second run on an RBI single by Andy Marte in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut Chicago's lead to 4-2, but Carmona's troubles continued in the fifth. He hit the second batter of the inning, Paul Konerko, then threw a wild pitch, moving Konerko to second. Jermaine Dye then blasted a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left to stretch the Chicago lead to 6-2. "Fausto was all right. He left a couple of sliders up for home runs, and that was the difference," said Wedge. "Other than those two pitches I felt good," said Carmona. The Indians got hits from the first three batters in the seventh inning, including an RBI single by Jhonny Peralta, who also picked up his third error in seven games an inning later. Following Peralta's hit, the Indians had runners at first and third with no outs, but reliever David Aardsma retired the next three batters in a row, striking out two of the three, to end that threat. The Indians' frustration was best symbolized by the ninth inning, when the first two hitters singled, setting the stage for a potential big inning. But the next two hitters grounded into force outs at second, and then Sox closer Bobby Jenks, who picked up his third save, got Casey Blake to pop out to end the game. JIngraham@news-herald.com
Jim Ingraham


In April 1981, having devoted considerable time to resolving the technicalities that surrounded his TV play Quad, Samuel Beckett confessed to Ruby Cohn: "Not long back from Stuttgart. Unsatisfactory. Television is beyond me." Frustrating as it may have been at times, technology held its fascination for Beckett and often became enmeshed with his work. It remained central for him, as it continues to be for researchers and practitioners engaging with his work today.
We also welcome theoretical discussions of the interplay between writing, media, and technology in the context of Beckett's work, as well as reflections on the advent of the post-human, hypermedia, and cyber spaces in the 21st century.
Abstracts up to 300 words and a short biography should be sent to beckettprague2018@gmail.com by 22 January 2018. Inquiries can be made at the same e-mail address.
The conference venue is fully accessible and we will make our best efforts to accommodate special requests. If you have any questions regarding accessibility at the conference and in Prague in general, please contact us.
The conference is hosted by the Centre for Irish Studies, Charles University, Prague.


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UPDATED: Watch Abby Johnson Deliver Pro-Life RNC Speech
On Tuesday, the former Planned Parenthood clinic director and author of Unplanned shared her heart-wrenching pro-life story to a national audience of millions.
On August 25, 2020, Abby Johnson addressed the live telecast of the 2020 Republican National Convention from Washington, D.C.
By Josh Shepherd Published on August 27, 2020 •
Editor's note: Originally published August 23, this story has been updated to include video of the August 25 RNC speech.
The Republican National Convention kicks off tomorrow, with a prime spot reserved on Tuesday for former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson.
"I have been tasked with giving a profound, impactful pro-life speech in five minutes," said Johnson in a phone interview. "So I am still working out exactly what I'm going to say!"
Even pro-life liberals praise the move. "The American people need to hear from Abby Johnson, who has a very powerful story," said Terrisa Bukovinac of Pro-Life San Francisco. "The life issue is the most pressing human rights issue of our day. It's a good thing any time an anti-abortion speaker has a prominent opportunity like this."
Bukovinac spoke in a phone interview from Milwaukee. She and a dozen activists spent the DNC convention protesting the lack of pro-life inclusion in the Democratic Party.
"I want people to understand what's at stake," said Johnson. "The threats against unborn lives are real."
To See Pro-Life Progress, Follow the Money
Last year's major theatrical release Unplanned adapted Johnson's story as a former Planned Parenthood clinic director. The pro-life film, currently available on Amazon Prime, elevated her national profile.
Abby Johnson
"What differentiates me from other pro-life speakers is my lived experience inside of an abortion clinic," she said. "I definitely want to highlight the things I have seen firsthand in this industry."
Her former employer has faced setbacks during the Trump administration. In 2017, International Planned Parenthood Federation lost millions in abortion-related funding.
Last summer, new regulations barred federally funded clinics from making abortion referrals. Planned Parenthood affiliates pulled out of the program. In February, an appeals court upheld the Trump pro-life policy.
"President Trump set an important precedent by defunding Planned Parenthood from the Title X program," said Johnson.
"The court challenge against that didn't hold up. Now there is an opportunity to defund them from other cash grant title programs such as Title V and Title XX."
Nevertheless, Johnson says she has been "frustrated" by Planned Parenthood affiliates still receiving hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds. It's a sticking point for many pro-life advocates.
"I do think [President Trump] has worked diligently on pro-life priorities." – Abby Johnson
"Unfortunately, it's complicated to remove [PPFA] entirely from the federal budget," she said. "Some people may think that President Trump is able to just use his pen and make that happen. It's not quite that simple."
"But I do think he has worked diligently on pro-life priorities, including this one."
Planned Parenthood's New York Scandal
In June, Planned Parenthood made headlines for surprising reasons. Staff members at a New York affiliate organized a joint letter that called out discriminatory practices by top leadership.
Terrisa Bukovinac
"This was a crisis media stunt," said Johnson. "Planned Parenthood of Greater New York got nervous and reacted to the letter. They even removed the president of that affiliate. But I don't believe they meant any of it."
This minority-led petitioners called out Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger as a "racist." Her name was removed from a clinic building and a local street.
Pro-life advocates have often noted Sanger's founding role in the genocidal eugenics movement. "The abortion industry is rooted in eugenics, this idea of 'whitening up' our nation," said Bukovinac.
"Today, racial discrimination remains extremely present in health care. Stats show black moms die at a rate five times higher than white women in childbirth. It has nothing to do with economic status, it is about racial bias."
Johnson contends eugenics is embedded into Planned Parenthood's mission. "They didn't go nearly far enough," she said. "No one said, 'Well, come to think of it, look at the disproportionate amount of black babies aborted in our facilities. Look at where we strategically locate our abortion clinics.'"
The women's health group continues to honor their founder Sanger, even giving out annual 'Maggie Awards' named in her honor. "They were hoping that, with some superficial response, all of the hype would go away," said Johnson. "And it looks like it did."
Life in the Parties
In recent months, related issues of human dignity and equal justice have risen to the cultural forefront. Liberal pro-life activists confess they feel politically homeless.
"We really need to act on abortion as if it was an emergency, because it is," said Bukovinac. "If we find ways to justify voting for pro-choice candidates, we are complicit in the horrors of abortion. Obviously, I also feel that voting for Trump would make me complicit in some problematic things that I do not want on my conscience."
Johnson, who leads Pro-Love Ministries in central Texas, has kept focused on the life issue. "For me, I've seen abortion in a very real and tangible way," she said. "I don't think that any other issue takes precedence over the right to life in the womb."
While the two women have been friends, they differ on how to approach this election. "Pro-life advocates believe that abortion is the deliberate killing of an unborn child," said Johnson. "At the end of the day, if you hold that view, then I think you have a responsibility to vote that way."
The liberal activist emphasizes common values over electoral choices. "As pro-lifers, we stand for human dignity — which is contrary to the concept of 'otherness,'" said Bukovinac. "If we fall into thinking that people with different ideals must be stupid in some way, I believe we are going to postpone victory for the cause of life."
"The only way to truly change our culture is to respect each other, to stay open-minded, and to unify at every possible turn."
Stream contributor Josh M. Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy issues for media outlets including The Federalist. Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.
Pro-Lifers See Opportunities as Supreme Court Hands Down 'Grievous' Decision
Shunned By Democratic Party Leaders, Liberal Pro-Life Activists Rally in Houston
7 Surprising Cameos in the Breakout Box Office Hit Unplanned
Watch the Preview for Unplanned and Meet Real-Life Heroes of Pro-Life Film

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Applying for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits can be a lengthy and complicated process. The initial application stage usually takes about three to six months, but only about 30% of applicants get approved at this stage.
For the other 70% of applicants who get denied benefits by the SSA for their initial application, there are still options available. The next step towards attempting to get SSD benefits for your disabling condition is called the reconsideration stage. This is the first step in the appeals process for your SSD application.
For the SSA to take another look at your SSD benefits application, you need to submit a request for reconsideration with the SSA. You have 60 days from the date that you received your notice of denial. If you do not file the request within 60 days, you have to start the entire initial application process again, which will most likely decrease your chance of approval.
The Social Security office will send your initial application back to the Disability Determination Services (DDS) for a second review of your records. Your application will be sent to the same office, but reviewed by a different person. Although the second reviewer is different, they are following the same set of rules as the initial application reviewer. So, if there are no major changes or additions to your application, it will most likely be denied a second time. In fact, about 86% of applications get denied at the reconsideration stage.
The applications that are approved at the reconsideration stage most likely left out a large, important piece of information or medical history in the initial application.
The reconsideration stage takes about three to five months. You will receive a notification letter saying if you were approved or denied. If approved, the letter will state how much money you will be receiving each month and when it will start.
If you plan to file for reconsideration of your SSD benefits application, you need to provide the SSA with any updates to your medical records, including doctor's visits, test results, and any new treatments. Also include any work activity you have had to perform since your initial application, and the problems you encountered because of your disability while working.
You should also look over your initial application and the included materials to see if there is anything important that may be missing. One of the biggest reasons initial applicants are denied is due to a typo on the application.
Lastly, it may be a good idea to look into hiring a disability lawyer who can help you through the appeals process for your disability claim.
Although you have 60 days to file a request for reconsideration, you should submit it to the SSA as quickly as possible to quicken the process and maximize your chances of a successful appeal.
Submit ongoing medical records to the SSA. Any new piece of medical information that relates to your disability may help your application be approved, so don't be afraid to stay in constant contact with your Social Security office.
Repeatedly check in with the SSA about the status of your application for a better chance of success and to make it known that you are invested in your appeal. Sometimes paperwork is lost in the shuffle, and if you are communicating with the SSA, you could avoid an unnecessary denial.


Our North Lanarkshire Dads Hub have just secured further funding from the Early years Collaborative Change Fund to continue with the service.
The Wednesday Hub session includes information on health and well-being, family finances, welfare reforms, parenting and the opportunity for dads to meet other dads and share tips on parenting alone.
One to One support outwith the Hub is also provided. Our mentors have been single parents, and know of the issues and barriers many single dads face. Single dads taking part have informed us this is an invaluable part of the service.
Recently several of the dads took part in a local community event hosted by Cornerstone House and funded through the Scottish Government Particpatory Budget programme.
This has allowed the dads to bid for a share of the funding. They were awarded £1200 for their "Making Memories" programme. This programme will allow the dads and their children take part in a series of family outings over the Easter and summer period and create memory books for their children.
Crèche, transport costs and light refreshments are provided for all families.
Please email Margaret McTaggart or call 07751 529034 for more information.


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Q: Internal working of FileInputStream I searched for something in Java to read the file. I found FileInputStream and DataInputStream, but I wanted to know the internal working of this stream. Can somebody explain me clearly how they work?

A: How it works is different for each system (Linux, Mac, Windows, and even different versions of those.) That's what's so great about it. You don't NEED to know, you just know it is handled. You get to work with it the same on every system.
If you really want to know how it works, you'll have to look at the source to the jvm implementation for the system you're working on.
From the FileInputStream source:
private native void open(String name) throws FileNotFoundException;

public native int read() throws IOException;

private native int readBytes(byte b[], int off, int len) throws IOException;

This indicates it's written different for each system. But when you want to use it, you can use the same code no matter what system you're on.

A: To get a definitive answer of the differences between the two (at least, from a strictly Java point of view), check out the Java API (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/api-141528.html) specification for the version of Java that you're using. In the case of JavaSE 1.6, look at FileInputStream and DataInputStream.
By my understanding, DataInputStream is useful for using input streams of data that is accessible within your program; whereas FileInputStream is used to access files, which are external to your program (e.g. on a filesystem).

A: FileInputStream is a class that reads a file as a stream of bytes.
DataInputStream is a class that reads another stream and applies transformations for standard types (ie, instead of reading bytes, you can tell it to read a 4-byte int).
They serve two completely different purposes.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Greek Police Scramble to Catch Onecoin's 'Cryptoqueen' Ruja Ignatova, Local Media Reports – Bitcoin News
Law enforcement in Greece has recently tried to locate Ruja Ignatova, founder of the infamous Onecoin pyramid scheme. According to a leading Greek daily, investigators acted on intelligence suggesting she was still in the country. Also known as 'Cryptoqueen,' Ignatova was last seen boarding a plane to Greece several years ago.
Authorities in Athens Try to Find 'Missing Cryptoqueen' Who Flew to Greece 5 Years Ago
Greece has become the scene of the latest episode in the manhunt for Ruja Ignatova, one of the co-founders of the notorious crypto pyramid Onecoin. The country is believed to be the last destination she visited before her disappearance almost five years ago.
Ignatova, dubbed the 'Cryptoqueen,' has been missing since Oct. 25, 2017 when she took a Ryanair flight bound for Athens in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. She is now wanted by Interpol, Europol and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for misappropriating at least $4 billion from investors in the fake cryptocurrency project.
Quoting sources from the Hellenic Police (EL.AS.), the newspaper Kathimerini reported this week that Greek authorities received intelligence, both locally obtained and from abroad, indicating that Ignatova was in Greece and holding meetings with specific persons.
Less than a month ago, EL.AS. launched a special operation to detain her. However, despite the active search efforts, investigators were unable to confirm the information they had and catch her, the leading Greek daily revealed.
When the FBI added Ignatova to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, the agency said she may be traveling on a fraudulent passport and may have visited the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece, and Eastern Europe, where she has known connections.
Kathimerini's police sources noted that a dozen countries are now working closely to pinpoint her whereabouts, actively exchanging materials related to the case. The investigation continues with full force and in fact law enforcement authorities are stepping up efforts to tighten the noose around the Cryptoqueen.
Global Hunt for Onecoin Pyramid's Mastermind Continues
The FBI is offering $100,000 as a reward for any information leading to the arrest of the only woman among the top ten fugitives in its ranking. In mid-May, Ruja Ignatova was also listed by Europol as one of Europe's most wanted while Interpol has issued a red notice for her accompanied by a monetary reward as well.
Onecoin's co-founder is now considered one of the world's most enigmatic fraudsters, the newspaper remarks. The 42-year-old Ignatova was born to Roma parents in Bulgaria but when she was only ten, her family moved to Germany and she also became a German citizen.
Ruja graduated from the University of Oxford in 2005 and later earned a PhD in private international law from the University of Constance. While she reportedly worked for the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, her shadowy career began before 2012, when she was convicted for fraud related to the acquisition of a company which went bankrupt and received a 14-month suspended sentence.
After a brief involvement in a multi-level marketing scam called Big Coin the following year, in 2014 Ignatova created the Onecoin pyramid scheme around a supposedly blockchain-based cryptocurrency advertised as "Bitcoin killer," which lured investors with promises of "financial revolution." She ran and promoted the project together with her partner Sebastian Greenwood, who is now jailed in the U.S., and her brother Konstantin Ignatov, who sought witness protection after his arrest in LA in 2019.
co-founder, crypto pyramid, Cryptoqueen, founder, Fraud, Greece, Greek, Hellenic Police, Investigation, investigators, Law Enforcement, manhunt, Mastermind, most wanted, Onecoin, Police, Pyramid, Pyramid Scheme, Ruja Ignatova, Scam, search
Do you think law enforcement authorities around the world will eventually locate Onecoin's Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova? Tell us in the comments section below.
Lubomir Tassev is a journalist from tech-savvy Eastern Europe who likes Hitchens's quote: "Being a writer is what I am, rather than what I do." Besides crypto, blockchain and fintech, international politics and economics are two other sources of inspiration.
Crypto mining still profitable in the long-term, expert says
Director of 9/11 Fund Picked to Estimate Cost of J&J Talc Claims


I accidentally deleted one of my categories. I fixed this by select all of the images and doing View -> Update catalog from files. That brought back the category that I had accidentally deleted. But now all the images that were affected by the deleted category now shows up in the Categorized section even though they're already tagged! Is this a bug or is there something that I need to do?
I just realized that everything in my catalog has double of every image! The actual files are not duplicated on my harddrive. But within xnviewmp, it shows double. Please help!
do you use only catalog, or xmp too for categories?
I only use catalog. No XMP. Is this recommended btw?
is it possible to have your catalog file?
Is XnView.db the catalog file? If so, I've PM'ed you a link to my catalog file.
Also I recently got a new laptop and I used XnViewMP to access the library over the network. I added the folder with all the images and let it rebuild catalog from scratch on the laptop. Everything was good except there were about 33000 images that's showing up under "Uncatagorized" But when I select those images and hit control + i for Edit IPTIC-IIM/SMP and Keywords Tab, it shows the category in there. Any ideas?
Is XnView.db the catalog file?
yes, which file do you have twice?
and if you put one file with keywords and not categorized in an empty folder, and browse it, categories are good?
Ya if the empty folder is not excluded by me, it'll extract the keywords and add them as catagories. Did you have a chance to take a look at my catalog file?
i means which is twice in one category?
and only once in the categories?
I don't know what you mean by twice in one category. I have images that have keywords attached to them. But when i build my catelog from scratch, a lot of them show up in "Uncategorized" under special items instead.
could you tell me whcih file is affected by the problem?
2018.08.01_SS_0851.png and 2018.08.01_SS_0850 for example.
this file is not in 'Avengers: Infinity War (2018)' category?
It is in the category on my main computer. But on my new computer. where I built a new catalog from scratch. It failed to extract keywords from many of the images.
and same settings? The .db that you have sent to me is from main computer?


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Dr Barry Walsh returns to give a lecture on the exhumation and reburial of Richard III, which began with the discovery of the king's remains within the site of the former Greyfriars Friary Church in Leicester, England, in September 2012.
Following extensive anthropological and genetic testing, the remains of Richard III, the last English king killed in battle, were ultimately reinterred at Leicester Cathedral on 26 March 2015.
Richard III, the final ruler of the Plantagenet dynasty, was killed on 22 August 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field, the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses. His body was taken to Greyfriars Friary in Leicester, where it was buried in a crude grave in the friary church. Following the friary's dissolution in 1538 and subsequent demolition, Richard's tomb was lost. An erroneous account arose that Richard's bones had been thrown into the River Soar at the nearby Bow Bridge.
Blue Badge Tourist Guides are the official, professional tourist guides of the United Kingdom. They wear a Blue Badge to indicate their professionalism. They are recognised by local tourist bodies throughout the UK, and by Visit Britain as Britain's official tourist guides. There are over 2000 Blue Badge guides in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, who guide at Britain's tourist attractions and cities. Some guides run guided walking tours on themes such as Jack the Ripper, Harry Potter and The Beatles. They are responsible for the regular 2012 Summer Olympics walking tours and are the guides for the summertime public tours inside the Houses of Parliament.


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Women within Missouri GOP speak out against Eric Greitens as party remains silent
State News April 5, 2022 Jason Hancock
(Missouri Independent) – In just two weeks since allegations of domestic violence surfaced, Eric Greitens' campaign for the U.S. Senate has been under siege from fellow Republicans urging him to drop out of the race.
With one notable exception.
The state party, which in recent years has denounced several candidates running under the GOP banner for behavior it considered beyond the pale, has remained silent on allegations by Greitens' ex-wife that he physically abused her and their children.
But even as the Missouri Republican Party itself keeps quiet — its executive director, Charlie Dalton, did not respond to several requests seeking comment about Greitens — a handful of women with prominent roles within the party have begun speaking out.
"I'm appalled that the Missouri Republican Party hasn't put out a statement calling for Eric Greitens to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race," said Rene Artman, a member of the party's executive committee who also serves as chairwoman of the Republican central committee of St. Louis County.
"Eric Greitens disgraced the state as governor," Artman continued, "and has somehow taken that disgrace to a new level with highly credible reports that he beat his then-wife and three-year-old son. Eric Greitens does not have the character to represent Missouri."
Joining Artman in publicly calling for Greitens to abandon his campaign are Carla Young, another member of the Missouri GOP's executive committee; Pat Thomas, the party's longtime treasurer; and the two women who led the party during the last election cycle, former Chairwoman Kay Hoflander and former Executive Director Jean Evans.
"By asking for our former governor to stop his campaign and focus on his family, I'm asking him to do the right thing for everyone," Young said. "This is not the scandal-ridden leadership we need in Washington."
Each has made it clear in their public statements that they are not speaking on behalf of the party.
Those familiar with discussions by Missouri GOP leaders told The Independent there was concern that a formal denouncement by the party itself would likely backfire and help Greitens' anti-establishment campaign strategy. Any attempt to block him from the ballot, as the party has done with two state legislative candidates this year, was likely no longer possible since he'd already paid his filing fee.
And even if it could keep him off the August ballot, the party worried Greitens would simply run as an independent in the fall and surrender the seat to a Democrat.
The political conundrum may have the Missouri GOP biting its tongue, but it hasn't dissuaded women who have long worked behind the scenes to build the party.
"If Republicans nominate Greitens, they seriously risk losing their credibility as the champions of family values issues," said Thomas, who has served as treasurer for the party for years, including when Greitens was governor.
History of abuse allegations
Greitens was forced to resign from the Missouri governor's office in 2018 to settle a felony charge and avoid impeachment.
His campaign to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt was pitched as his redemption tour, with Greitens claiming exoneration from the litany of accusations that ended his tenure as governor.
Since joining the campaign, he has led in polls of GOP primary voters, and a crowded field of candidates meant Greitens could claim the nomination without winning a majority — just like he did during his successful gubernatorial campaign in 2016.
But last month, an affidavit filed by Greitens' ex-wife as part of an ongoing child custody battle threatened to upend his campaign.
Greitens was accused of "unstable and coercive" behavior, including physically abusing their children. His ex-wife described numerous acts of violence, and said Greitens became so unstable in the months before his resignation in 2018 that his access to firearms had to be limited.
A spokesman for Greitens' campaign did not respond to a request for comment for this story, but the former governor has denied all of his ex-wife's allegations and has accused her of coordinating with his political enemies to undermine his campaign for Senate.
Yet the latest charges echo those made by a woman with whom Greitens had a brief affair in 2015.
She testified under oath in 2018 as part of impeachment proceedings that Greitens taped her hands to pull-up rings in his basement, blindfolded her, spit water into her mouth, ripped open her shirt, pulled down her pants, and took a photo of her to use as blackmail to keep her from talking about their relationship.
The woman said that as she tried to leave the basement, Greitens grabbed her in a "bear hug" and laid her on the floor. Then he started fondling her, pulled out his penis, and coerced her into oral sex while she wept "uncontrollably."
The allegations led to a felony invasion of privacy charge that was dropped during jury selection when a judge agreed to allow Greitens' attorneys to call the prosecutor as a witness. A special prosecutor decided against refiling charges, citing statutes of limitation that had or were about to pass and potentially missing evidence.
Evans, the former executive director of the Missouri GOP, said Greitens has a demonstrated pattern of abusive behavior, pointing to run-ins he had with former political rivals, fellow Republicans in the legislature, and the women who accused him of physical violence.
"He bullied his opponents in the gubernatorial primary, bullied legislators, bullied women, and even bullied his own children," she said.
Public condemnation
Twice this year, the Missouri GOP has sought to block candidates from running under the party's banner by rejecting their filing fee.
The party refused to accept filing fees from state Rep. Patricia Derges, a Nixa Republican under federal indictment over allegations she sold fake stem cell treatments, and Steve West, who has previously sought a Kansas City-area House seat despite years of racist and anti-semetic statements.
But because candidate filing ended last week, and Greitens filed and paid his fee in February, only a court order could remove him involuntarily from the August primary ballot.
That leaves public condemnation as the only strategy for Greitens' critics, something the party has thus far declined to do.
His top two rivals for the nomination — U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt — haven't been as reticent.
Hartzler, who demanded Greitens resign as governor in early 2018 after the first round of accusations emerged, called the latest allegations part of a "pattern of criminal behavior that makes Eric unfit to hold any public office."
Even Schmitt, who was one of the few Missouri Republicans holding a major office who never weighed in during Greitens' 2018 downfall, broke his silence soon after Greitens' ex-wife's affidavit became public.
He now says Greitens should "be in prison, not on the ballot for U.S. Senate."
Greitens has shown no indication he's even considering dropping out, doubling down on his campaign strategy of painting all allegations of wrongdoing as part of a "witch hunt" against him.
Hoflander, the former chairwoman of the state party, noted that the two women alleging abuse against Greitens did so under oath, something the former governor has steadfastly refused to do.
"What reasonable, even what sane, stable person, would run for office under these circumstances?" she said. "I call on him to step aside and get his life in order and not have his personal troubles 'be' the story."
(Eric Greitens's photo is a screenshot from Eric Greitens YouTube channel)
2016, 2018, ABLE, abuse, AC, ACC, acces, accused, ACE, ACT, acts, ad, affair, after, ag, again, against, aid, air, AL, allegations, allow, another, AP, app, Area, arm, arms, art, ate, attempt, attorney, attorney general, attorneys, August, avoid, back, ball, ballot, ban, band, bat, bed, Bee, before, behavior, behind, black, block, build, Bull, bus, called, calling, camp, Campaign, candid, candidate, candidates, car, cat, cause, CC, cement, central, Chair, charge, charges, child, children, CIA, CIT, city, claim, commit, concern, consider, continue, control, COO, county, court, CTE, custody, cut, date, dates, DAV, decide, decline, demand, democrat, denied, despite, Director, Disc, discuss, discussion, DOE, domestic, down, draw, dropped, early, eat, Ed, eject, elect, Election, ended, Era, Eric Schmitt, evidence, executive, Executive Director, face, Fair, fall, family, February, FEDERAL, fee, fell, felon, felony, felony charge, few, FFA, field, file, filed, filing, fire, firearm, firearms, Fl, floor, focus, force, form, former, gains, GED, general, going, Governor, gun, half, Ham, hand, hands, help, him, Hold, hot, House, hunt, ICE, ID, IED, independent, IRS, IS, Issues, IT, join, judge, just, Kansas, Kansas City, keep, Ken, king, KS, LA, lab, lack, land, last, last month, lead, leader, leaders, leadership, leave, LED, leg, legislative, legislature, level, lie, lied, life, limit, line, long, lot, LT, Ma, made, mail, Main, Major, Majority, man, May, member, men, merge, Meth, mil, mine, Miss, missing, Missour, Missouri, mite, Mo, month, months, move, MS, nation, NATO, need, NL, note, NSA, NY, office, OK, only, open, OPP, oral, order, OU, own, PA, paid, pain, paint, party, PAS, pass, peak, person, photo, PI, pit, political, pond, possible, potential, primary, prison, pro, proceed, prom, prosecutor, public, pull, race, rate, read, rear, reason, refuse, relation, relations, remain, report, Reports, Republic, Republican, request, requests, resign, resignation, respond, rig, right, rings, Rio, rival, RN, ROK, role, Ron, rose, Round, row, running, SAT, SC, scene, sea, seat, SEC, see, seek, seeking, self, Semen, senate, sent, serious, serve, set, sex, ship, show, sign, SIL, sing, skin, sought, special, St. Louis, STAR, start, state, statement, STEM, step, stop, success, sues, surface, Table, taken, talk, tea, Ted, test, these, threat, threaten, THS, time, TN, to do, told, top, torn, tour, treasurer, treat, TRI, U.S., under, US, USA, used, UT, VA, value, van, vote, voter, voters, Washing, Washington, water, weeks, were, West, wHO, WIC, win, without, woman, women, Work, would, year-old, young
Missouri State Treasurer kicks off Financial Literacy Month with new resources for Missourians
Jackson wins 3 GOP votes as U.S. Senate advances her Supreme Court nomination
Jason Hancock
Jason Hancock has been writing about Missouri since 2011, most recently as lead political reporter for The Kansas City Star. He has spent nearly two decades covering politics and policy for news organizations across the Midwest and has a track record of exposing government wrongdoing and holding elected officials accountable.
Home News State News Women within Missouri GOP speak out against Eric Greitens as party remains silent


text:
New $500,000 grant to help employers implement family-friendly practices
Joanna Seow
Manpower Correspondent
http://str.sg/zMD
SINGAPORE - Employers will soon be able to tap on a $500,000 grant to help improve the family-friendly and flexible working arrangements in their companies.
The Labour Movement announced on Saturday its new U Flex Family-Friendly Grant, which is funded by the Government.
The one-year pilot programme targeting 50 companies of various sizes, will be launched in the second half of this year. More details will be released at that time.
The exact criteria to qualify has not been finalised, but employers will likely have to put in place more flexible leave schemes, such as for employees who care for their elderly parents or dependents with special needs. Employers can also look into drawing up career progression pathways for employees on flexible work arrangements.
"The pace of pick-up of family-friendly practices is not as fast as we want to see," said Ms Toh Hwee Tin, director of the National Trades Union Congress U Family arm.
She was speaking on the sidelines of NTUC's annual May Day Family Fiesta, a carnival at Downtown East for union members and their families.
The grant will be managed by NTUC's U Family and the Women's Development Secretariat and will be reviewed after one year.


text:
Q: Join tiles in Corona SDK into one word for a Breakout game grid? I have a game project to re-implement Breakout. I want to display two words, each word on a line. They are joined by the bricks block. Inside, the top line is the first name, aligned left. The bottom line is the last name, aligned right. They are input from textboxes, and rendered as shown:

Each second that passes, the screen will add a configurable number of bricks to the grid (for example, five bricks per second) until the two words appear complete. I displayed a letter of the alphabet which is created from the matrix(0,1).
...But I don't know how to join them into one word. How can I join these letters?
This is what I've gotten so far:
Bricks.lua
local Bricks = display.newGroup() -- static object
local Events = require("Events")
local Levels = require("Levels")
local sound = require("Sound")
local physics = require("physics")
local Sprites = require("Sprites")
local Func = require("Func")

local brickSpriteData =
{
    {
        name = "brick",
        frames = {Sprites.brick}
    },

    {
        name = "brick2",
        frames = {Sprites.brick2}
    },

    {
        name = "brick3",
        frames = {Sprites.brick3}
    },

}

-- animation table
local brickAnimations = {}

Sprites:CreateAnimationTable
{
    spriteData = brickSpriteData,
    animationTable = brickAnimations
}

-- get size from temp object for later use
local tempBrick = display.newImage('red_apple_20.png',300,500)
--local tempBrick = display.newImage('cheryGreen2.png',300,500)
local brickSize =
{
    width = tempBrick.width,
    height = tempBrick.height
}
--tempBrick:removeSelf( )

----------------
-- Rubble -- needs to be moved to its own file
----------------

local rubbleSpriteData =
{
    {
        name = "rubble1",
        frames = {Sprites.rubble1}
    },

    {
        name = "rubble2",
        frames = {Sprites.rubble2}
    },

    {
        name = "rubble3",
        frames = {Sprites.rubble3}
    },

    {
        name = "rubble4",
        frames = {Sprites.rubble4}
    },

    {
        name = "rubble5",
        frames = {Sprites.rubble5}
    },

}

local rubbleAnimations = {}
Sprites:CreateAnimationTable
{
    spriteData = rubbleSpriteData,
    animationTable = rubbleAnimations
}

local totalBricksBroken = 0 -- used to track when level is complete
local totalBricksAtStart = 0

-- contains all brick objects
local bricks = {}

local function CreateBrick(data)

    -- random brick sprite
    local obj = display.newImage('red_apple_20.png')
    local objGreen = display.newImage('cheryGreen2.png')
    obj.name = "brick"
    obj.x = data.x --or display.contentCenterX
    obj.y = data.y --or 1000
    obj.brickType = data.brickType or 1
    obj.index = data.index

    function obj:Break()

        totalBricksBroken =  totalBricksBroken + 1
        bricks[self.index] = nil
        obj:removeSelf( )
        sound.play(sound.breakBrick)

    end

    function obj:Update()
        if(self == nil) then
            return
        end

        if(self.y > display.contentHeight - 20) then
            obj:Break()
        end
    end
    if(obj.brickType ==1) then
        physics.addBody( obj, "static", {friction=0.5, bounce=0.5 } )
    elseif(obj.brickType == 2) then
        physics.addBody( objGreen,"static",{friction=0.2, bounce=0.5, density = 1 } )
    end

    return obj
end

local currentLevel = testLevel
-- create level from bricks defined in an object
-- this allows for levels to be designed
local function CreateBricksFromTable(level)

    totalBricksAtStart = 0
    local activeBricksCount = 0
    for yi=1, #level.bricks do
        for xi=1, #level.bricks[yi] do
            -- create brick?
            if(level.bricks[yi][xi] > 0) then
                local xPos
                local yPos
                if(level.align == "center") then
                    --1100-((99*16)*0.5)
                    xPos = display.contentCenterX- ((level.columns * brickSize.width) * 0.5/3) + ((xi-1) * level.xSpace)--display.contentCenterX
                    --xPos = 300 +(xi * level.xSpace)
                    yPos = 100 + (yi * level.ySpace)--100
                else
                    xPos = level.xStart + (xi * level.xSpace)
                    yPos = level.yStart + (yi * level.ySpace)
                end

                local brickData =
                {
                    x = xPos,
                    y = yPos,
                    brickType = level.bricks[yi][xi],
                    index = activeBricksCount+1
                }
                bricks[activeBricksCount+1] = CreateBrick(brickData)

                activeBricksCount = activeBricksCount + 1

            end

        end

    end

    totalBricks = activeBricksCount
    totalBricksAtStart = activeBricksCount

end

-- create bricks for level --> set from above functions, change function to change brick build type
local CreateAllBricks = CreateBricksFromTable
-- called by a timer so I can pass arguments to CreateAllBricks
local function CreateAllBricksTimerCall()
    CreateAllBricks(Levels.currentLevel)
end
-- remove all brick objects from memory
local function ClearBricks()

    for i=1, #bricks do
        bricks[i] = nil
    end

end
-- stuff run on enterFrame event
function Bricks:Update()

-- update individual bricks
    if(totalBricksAtStart > 0) then
        for i=1, totalBricksAtStart do
            -- brick exists?
            if(bricks[i]) then
                bricks[i]:Update()
            end
        end
    end
    -- is level over?
    if(totalBricksBroken == totalBricks) then
        Events.allBricksBroken:Dispatch()
    end

end
----------------
-- Events
----------------
function Bricks:allBricksBroken(event)
    -- cleanup bricks
    ClearBricks()
    local t = timer.performWithDelay( 1000, CreateAllBricksTimerCall)
    --CreateAllBricks()
    totalBricksBroken = 0

    -- play happy sound for player to enjoy
    sound.play(sound.win)

    print("You Win!")
end
Events.allBricksBroken:AddObject(Bricks)
CreateAllBricks(Levels.currentLevel)
return Bricks

Levels.lua
local Events = require("Events")
local Levels = {}
local function MakeLevel(data)
    local level = {}
    level.xStart = data.xStart or 100
    level.yStart = data.yStart or 100
    level.xSpace = data.xSpace or 23
    level.ySpace = data.ySpace or 23
    level.align = data.align or "center"
    level.columns = data.columns or #data.bricks[1]
    level.bricks = data.bricks --> required
    return level
end
Levels.test4 = MakeLevel
{
    bricks =
    {
        {0,2,0,0,2,0,0,2,0},
        {0,0,2,0,2,0,2,0,0},
        {0,0,0,0,2,0,0,0,0},
        {1,1,2,1,1,1,2,1,1},
        {0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0},
        {0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0},
        {0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0},
    }
}

Levels.test5 = MakeLevel
{
    bricks =
    {
                    {0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0},
                     {0,0,1,0,1,0,0,0},
                     {0,0,1,0,1,0,0,0},
                     {0,1,0,0,0,1,0,0},
                     {0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0},
                     {1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0},
                     {1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0},
                     {1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0},
                     {1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0}
    }
}
-- Levels.test6 = MakeLevel2
-- {
--  bricks =
--  {
----A         "a" = {{0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0},
--                   {0,0,1,0,1,0,0,0},
--                   {0,0,1,0,1,0,0,0},
--                   {0,1,0,0,0,1,0,0},
--                   {0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0}},
----B
--            "b" = {{1,1,1,1,0,0,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,1,0,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,1,0,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,1,0,0},
--                   {1,1,1,1,0,0,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,1,0,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,0,1,0},
--                   {1,0,0,0,0,1,0},
--                   {1,1,1,1,1,0,0}},
--...........
--.......
--...
-- --Z
--             "z"= {{1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0},
--                   {0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0},
--                   {0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0},
--                   {0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0},
--                   {0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0},
--                   {0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0},
--                   {0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0},
--                   {0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0},
--                   {1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0}}
--  }
-- }
-- stores all levels in ordered table so that one can be selected randomly by index
Levels.levels =
{
    --Levels.test4,
     Levels.test5
    -- Levels.test6,
}
function Levels:GetRandomLevel()
    return self.levels[math.random(#Levels.levels)]
end
Levels.notPlayedYet = {}
Levels.currentLevel = Levels:GetRandomLevel()
-- Events
function Levels:allBricksBroken(event)
    self.currentLevel = Levels:GetRandomLevel()
end
Events.allBricksBroken:AddObject(Levels)
return Levels

The work I've done thus far (same as above) as an external download: http://www.mediafire.com/download/1t89ftkbznkn184/Breakout2.rar

A: In the interest of actually answering the question:
I'm not 100% sure what you mean by "How can I join these letters", but from poking through the code I have a guess, so please clarify on whether it is accurate, or if I am wrong about what you wanted.
Scenario 1
You haven't successfully achieved the image illustrated in the screenshot - you've been able to draw one letter, but not multiple ones.
In this case, you'll need to have a better understanding of what your code is doing.  The CreateBricksFromTable function takes in a Level object, which is created by the MakeLevel function from a table with a bricks property, which is a table of tables that represent rows with columns in them, showing what type of brick should be at each position.  In your commented-out level, you have created an table where the bricks field contains a field for each letter, but the MakeLevel function still expects a bricks field that directly contains the grid of blocks. You will have to - as it seems you attempted - create a MakeWordLevel function (or the like) that takes this letter list, and a word for each line, and constructs a larger grid by copying the appropriate letters into it.
StackOverflow is not your programming tutor, and an SO question is not the right forum for having people write code for you or getting into step-by-step details of how to do this, but I'll leave you a basic outline.  Your function would look something like this:
local function MakeWordLevel(data, line1, line2)
    local level = {}
    ...
    return level
end

And then would have to:

*

*Populate all of the same properties that MakeLevel does

*Calculate how wide (level.columns) the level should be with all the letters

*Create a table in the same format as the bricks properties, but big enough to hold all of the letters

*Go through the input strings (line1 and line2), find the correct letter data from what is now the test6 array, and copy that data into the large table

*Assign that table as level.bricks
This question already is a bit outside of what StackOverflow is intended for in that it asks about how to implement a feature rather than achieve a small, specific programming task, so any further followup should take place in a chatroom - perhaps the Hello World room would be helpful.
Scenario 2:
This was my original guess, but after considering and reading past edits, I doubt this is answering the right question
You may want a solid "background" of, say, red blocks, surrounding your letters and making the field into a solid "wall", with the name in a different color.  And you may want these bricks to slowly show up a few at a time.
In that case, the main thing you need to do is keep track of what spaces are "taken" by the name bricks.  There are many ways to do this, but I would start with a matrix to keep track of that - as big as the final playing field - full of 0's.  Then, as you add the bricks for the name, set a 1 at the x,y location in that matrix according to that block's coordinate.
When you want to fill in the background, each time you go to add a block at a coordinate, check that "taken" matrix before trying to add a block - if it's taken (1), then just skip it and move onto the next coordinate.
This works if you're filling in the background blocks sequentially (say, left to right, top to bottom), or if you want to add them randomly.  With random, you'd also want to keep updating the "taken" matrix so you don't try to add a block twice.
The random fill-in, however, presents its own problem - it will keep taking longer to fill in as it goes, because it'll find more and more "taken" blocks and have to pick a new one.  There are solutions to this, of course, but I won't go too far down that road when I don't know if that's even what you want.

A: I don't really understand (or read, for that matter) your code but from what I see joining them into complete words is easy. You have two possibilities.
You can "render" them directly into your level/display data, simply copy them to the appropriate places, like this:
-- The level data.
local level = {}

-- Create the level data.
for row = 1, 25, 1 do
    local rowData = {}

    for column = 1, 80, 1 do
        rowData[column] = "."
    end

    level[row] = rowData
end

-- Now let us setup the letters.
local letters = {
    A = {
        {".",".",".","#",".",".",".","."},
        {".",".","#",".","#",".",".","."},
        {".",".","#",".","#",".",".","."},
        {".","#",".",".",".","#",".","."},
        {".","#","#","#","#","#",".","."},
        {"#",".",".",".",".",".","#","."},
        {"#",".",".",".",".",".","#","."},
        {"#",".",".",".",".",".","#","."},
        {"#",".",".",".",".",".","#","."}
    },
    B = {
        {"#","#","#","#",".",".","."},
        {"#",".",".",".","#",".","."},
        {"#",".",".",".","#",".","."},
        {"#",".",".",".","#",".","."},
        {"#","#","#","#",".",".","."},
        {"#",".",".",".","#",".","."},
        {"#",".",".",".",".","#","."},
        {"#",".",".",".",".","#","."},
        {"#","#","#","#","#",".","."}
    }
}

-- The string to print.
local text = "ABBA"

-- Let us insert the data into the level data.
for index = 1, #text, 1 do
    local char = string.sub(text, index, index)
    local charData = letters[char]

    local offset = index * 7

    for row = 1, 9, 1 do
        local rowData = charData[row]

        for column = 1, 7, 1 do
            level[row][offset + column] = rowData[column]
        end
    end
end

-- Print everything
for row = 1, 25, 1 do
    local rowData = level[row]

    for column = 1, 80, 1 do
        io.write(rowData[column])
    end
    print()

end

You save you letters in a lookup table and then copy them, piece by piece, to the level data. Here I replaced the numbers with dots and number signs to make it prettier on the command line.
Alternately to that you can also "render" the words into a prepared buffer and then insert that into the level data by using the same logic.


In large-scale networked virtual environments, excessive load on the server occurs due to an increase of clients. In order to reduce the server load, we previously proposed a broadcast-based cyberspace, methods of scheduling spatial data at the server, and prefetching methods at clients. In this paper, we assume an environment where information on the positions and properties of objects is broadcast as data items and propose a scheduling strategy for improving broadcast efficiency. Our scheduling strategy considers the object popularity, distance between objects, and the broad cast period. Moreover, we show the results of simulation experiments to evaluate the performance of our proposed method.


On Thursday night, January 31st, members of the MBS community gathered in the lobby of the Math & Science Center to celebrate the opening of Upper School English teacher Peter Donahue's exhibition, "Inquiries and Failures: Recent Works in Oil and Acrylic," in The Phoebe Stiles King '49 Gallery.
The exhibition documents Peter Donahue's process of tinkering with alternative color gamuts, paint additives, and application techniques. The resulting paintings range from traditional portraiture to abstract expressionism. In celebration of the learning process, Peter is sharing both "successes" and "failures" in the exhibition.
Donahue joined the MBS English Department in 2014 and is a writer himself: his poetry has appeared in online and print journals such as The Lyric, Exit 13, and Verdad. He also blogs about teaching and writing, publishes a webcomic, and is currently working on a novel. He earned a B.A. and an M.A. from Seton Hall University.


below and how to connect all the lights and what are the different techniques to join such switches to getour own desired outputs as mentioned below. The dual battery switch is the simplest and easiest to construct. It is appropriate for the boater that simply wants to "day-boat" but wants the safety of having a backup battery on board. Why is the neutral wire in my home carrying power? - Answered by a verified Electrician Jul 13, 2004 · Here is an article from Bass and Walleye Boats.
4hv.org gave the circuit a comeback with it converted to a simple induction heater. Excellent resource – two questions though. Do you have a service manual for a Portege 7020? My Portege 7020 sometimes makes a long beep and blanks the screen.


text:
REAC Makes Plan to "Substantially Increase" Inspections
On Friday, April 23, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge sent a letter to public housing authority Executive Directors (EDs) and Multifamily housing owners and property managers announcing that REAC will conduct "increased inspections" of its portfolio beginning June 1. In the letter, Secretary Fudge writes that the Department's priorities are for the health and well-being of residents, and that "REAC will conduct inspections using protocols informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) guidance that will help ensure safety and minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission among residents, inspectors, and property staff alike." The Department uses the term "increase" to reflect that since REAC inspections were largely paused in early 2020, the Department has reserved the right to conduct inspections when critical issues are brought to staff's attention, and indeed, some inspections have been carried out.
Additional information has been provided in an email from Public and Indian Housing's General Deputy Assistant Secretary (GDAS) Dominique Blom. That email focuses exclusively on public housing properties. At the time this article was written, the Office of Housing had not yet released guidance for the Multifamily program. In her email, GDAS Blom echoes Secretary Fudge's message that the health and safety of all stakeholders – residents, inspectors, and property representatives – is critical and broadly outlines the Department's plans. REAC Deputy Assistant Secretary Ashley Sheriff sent a memo to public housing and Multifamily program owners and managers on April 28 with additional details and REAC issued Inspector Notice 2021-01 amending prior guidance. Additionally, an FAQ has been posted to the REAC website. DAS Sheriff's memo identifies which properties will be inspected this calendar year
PHADA's Advocacy Generates Results
REAC first announced its "Return to Operations" (RTO) plan in August 2020. That plan defined the parameters for resuming inspections with a primary focus on health and safety; the REAC "heat map" was developed to designate which states and counties were deemed safe enough to conduct inspections. Coronavirus transmission rates never reached levels that enabled widespread inspections to commence, thus, HUD has developed a new plan that places less emphasis on coronavirus transmission and gives more deference to guidelines on the use of mitigation tools such as testing and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and relies on the fact that vaccinations are now widely available.
At the time that the 2020 RTO plan was announced, PHADA members were deeply concerned that resuming REAC inspections would counter efforts to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. PHADA wrote a letter to then-Deputy Assistant Secretary for REAC David Vargas detailing the overwhelming responses from members on several fronts: residents were wary about inspectors entering units and buildings, HAs were keeping their focus on maintaining safe environments for residents and staff and had not yet resumed normal maintenance operations, and the then-current guidance about the resumption of PHAS scoring in 2021 was unreasonable. PHADA is pleased that this feedback was largely received by the Department: residents will have the ability to opt-out of unit inspections, and PHAS scores will only be advisory until April 2022. Additionally, in recognition that routine maintenance operations have not fully resumed, public housing inspections this year will focus on using the NSPIRE standards to identify life-threatening deficiencies that must be remedied within twenty-four hours. Importantly, HAs will receive twenty-eight days of advance notice prior to their scheduled inspection date. This time period was not in REAC's 2020 RTO plan and is a welcome, common-sense adjustment given the conditions under which public housing properties have operated for the last 13-plus months. The focus on life-threatening deficiencies is reasonable as HAs have been conducting emergency maintenance throughout the pandemic in accordance with the requirement to provide safe housing.
NSPIRE Standards Seem Daunting but are Manageable
The list of life-threatening deficiencies under NSPIRE has increased by more than forty compared to the list under UPCS. This is in large part due to the much narrower definitions under NSPIRE. For example, under UPCS, a smoke detector had one observable deficiency: "missing/inoperable," whereas under NSPIRE there are separate deficiencies for each of those conditions. There are relatively few NSPIRE life-threatening deficiencies that are not also life-threatening under UPCS. In fact, the almost 60 new individual life-threatening deficiencies can be collapsed into 13 item categories, and most of the deficiencies are listed under more than one observable area. As an example, in the "Unit" inspectable area there are four life-threatening deficiencies associated with sprinkler assemblies (obstructed, painted, head missing, and cover plate missing) which are repeated in both the "Inside" and "Outside" inspectable areas. The result is that what was one non-life-threatening deficiency in one inspectable area under UPCS is now 12 life-threatening deficiencies among three inspectable areas. Clothes Dryer Exhaust Ventilation also accounts for 12 life-threatening deficiencies under NSPIRE. Other newly designated life-threatening deficiencies include:
Call-for-Aid System, System does not function properly.
Carbon Monoxide Alarm, Carbon monoxide detector is missing, not installed, or not installed in a proper location.
Exit Sign, Exit sign that clearly identifies the emergency exit is missing or obstructed.
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Outside temperature is below 68 degrees Fahrenheit and the resident is unable to maintain a minimum temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit through a safe heating source.
Toilet, Only 1 toilet was installed, and it is damaged or inoperable.
The full list of NSPIRE life-threatening deficiencies is available at: https://bit.ly/3aPxRqA. The challenge of using the NSPIRE standards seems to fall more heavily on inspectors. Given that contract inspectors have not been trained to conduct inspections under NSPIRE, REAC is expected to use its in-house inspectors, a move that foretells the steep learning curve that contract inspectors will face.
PHADA urges the Department to remain cautious, transparent, and communicative as it executes its plan. While months have passed since REAC last attempted to increase inspections and much of the nation is dealing with "pandemic fatigue" and desperately wishes to move past the days of coronavirus, the national 7-day average of new coronavirus cases was higher at the writing of this article than it was when REAC announced its RTO in August of 2020. Just like then, new infections are currently trending downward but the future is unknown. It would behoove the Department to consider PHADA's recommendation to adopt remote video inspections for REAC inspections, an idea which was put forward in a September 2020 Advocate article. At the time we wrote, "Implementing remote inspections for public housing would have required the UPCS protocol to be pared back to focus specifically on critical health and safety items relevant to each property based on data from previous inspections and other information." That advice is not only still suitable, but even more applicable as REAC is already adopting a strategy to limit the inspection and will consider risk factors to prioritize properties.
Complimentary NSPIRE Session for ALL PHADA Members
PHADA encourages HAs to attend the May 18 session, "The New NSPIRE Rule and Implementation Plans," during the upcoming Virtual 2021 Annual Convention & Exhibition. The session will feature Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of REAC Ashley Sheriff, to whom attendees will be able to pose questions directly. All conference programming is free for executive directors, staff, and Commissioners from PHADA member agencies. Register today.


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Gibara, a balcony to the sea in eastern Cuba
Published on 2020-10-29 by Norlan Echevarria
By Darianna Mendoza Lobaina
ACN Special for Infotur
Gibara has the magic of the coastal cities, with the wall of its boardwalk as a witness of hundreds of stories, loves and clandestine romances forged between the salt water and the breeze that comes from the Atlantic Ocean.
Located in the northern part, some 32 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Holguín, the Villa Blanca de los Cangrejos, as it is also known, is distinguished at the same time by its architectural beauty, the Cuban gastronomy, the greenness of its landscapes and the simplicity of its people that make it a coveted tourist destination.
Those who come to this town in eastern Cuba will discover a space far from the city's hustle and bustle, with a historical center that has been well preserved as a National Monument since 2004.
With more than 200 years of history, Gibara treasures majestic buildings that exhibit styles typical of the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Spanish-Mudejar, eclecticism and neoclassicism, which embellish its urban environment. Among them are the Museum of Decorative Arts, the current headquarters of the House of Culture, the Colonial Theater, which is undergoing a major restoration, and the Church in the central Calixto Garcia park.
Eduardo Mora, architect of the Villa Blanca, explained that it is a peculiar city, whose urban layout respects the natural characteristics of the land and obeys the amphitheater model, where the population settlement serves as showy stands and the sea by the coast identifies them as a reference scenario in various parts of the world.
The Ordoño, Arsenita, Plaza Colón and Bahía del Almirante hotels are important attractions for tourism, recognized for offering their clients high comfort, personalized attention and excellent services.
All the natural charms are combined with exquisite recipes of the typical gibberish cuisine, prepared mainly with seafood.
The idiosyncrasy of its inhabitants also captivates outsiders, since they are humble people who stop to chat in the middle of the street while they deal with the gulf's wind, tell their anecdotes, provide the roof, the food without sparing anything and take pride in their piece of land.
The outstanding Cuban filmmaker Humberto Solás found in the beautiful Villa the perfect location to shoot scenes of Miel para Oshún, one of the most representative films of the national filmography, which starred renowned artists such as Jorge Perugorría, Isabel Santos, Adela Legrá and Mario Limonta.
These sequences were followed by the initiative of giving the city a permanent space for the seventh art, which in its beginnings was called the Festival de Cine Pobre Humberto Solás, currently the Festival Internacional de Cine de Gibara (FICGibara).
In front of the sea, from the viewpoint or in the intimacy of the caves, this town founded in 1817 always invites you to dream, and although sometimes it awakens nostalgia, it is the ideal place for the meeting of lost loves.
@holguintravel #CubaTuDestinoSeguro #CubaSalva #Cuba


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A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
First Freddy Sequel Features A Possession Storyline and A Few Other Surprises
April 7 2010 Categorized Under: Movie Reviews 5 Commented
Tags: 80s • freddy krueger • gore • horror • monsters • psychos • reviews • sequels • slasher • supernatural • suspense • thriller
You are here: Home » Movie Reviews » A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 – Freddy's Revenge (1985)
Directed by: Jack Sholder
Starring: Mark Patton, Kim Myers, Robert Rusler, Clu Gulager, Hope Lange, Marshall Bell, Robert Englund, Melinda O. Fee, Tom McFadden, Sydney Walsh, Christie Clark
The worst part is - he masturbates with that hand.
Ah, Freddy's Revenge, the red-headed stepchild of the Nightmare on Elm Street series. The flick has a bad rap, lambasted by critics and fans, mostly for deviating too much from formula. The idea that a long dead killer comes back to kill you in your dreams just turns people on more than the concept of the long dead killer who comes back to kill you in real life, which is the route that this first sequel chooses to take. Of course, you can't stray too far from formula, so Freddy's Revenge uses dreams as a jumping off point, as well as incorporating the iconic Elm Street house, former abode of the Thompson family and now lived in by the Walshes – high school teen Jesse (Mark Patton), his little sister (Christie Clark), concerned mom (Hope Lange, aka Mrs. Muir!), and overbearing daddy (the incomparable and awesome Clu Gulager). The thing is, after 25 years, this film is much more interesting to come back to than any of the increasingly silly sequels past #3, all of which kept returning to the same well over and over again.
I'm going to give you a piece of my mind...
Jesse is the new kid in town and he's already burdened by horrible nightmares involving a burned up guy in a red-and-green sweater with a razor-glove on his right hand. His new friend Lisa (the Meryl Streep-looking Kim Myers) takes a liking to him, but he still needs to deal with asshole coach Schneider (Marshall Bell), who likes to tour S&M clubs by night, and rival/friend/rival Grady (Robert Rusler) who's first encounter with Jesse involves pulling his pants down and wrestling with him in the dirt. Things get weird when Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) tells Jesse "We've got special work to do. You've got the body, I've got the brains" before ripping his own skull back and exposing a pulsating brain. Other occurrences include the family parakeet going berserk (in a nod to The Birds , but it reminded me more of something I've witnessed in cheesy Italian horror flicks) before bursting into flames, the toaster catching fire even though it's not plugged in, and a constant temperature of 90+ degrees in the household. Clu thinks his son is either playing pranks or on drugs (it's still the 80s, remember) – he's great in the oppressive parent role. One night, Jesse sleep walks into a gay S&M club where he orders a beer (while wearing his jammies, but hey, he seems to fit in); Coach Schnieder (who likes to hang there, remember?) takes him back to Springwood High and makes him run laps as punishment. Then Schneider (still dressed in his leather gear) is assaulted by flying sports equipment, strung up in a shower, whipped on the ass with a towel, and slashed to death by Freddy, or perhaps Freddy using Jesse's body. Basically, we've got a possession storyline grafted onto the Elm Street mythology (which is given a nod, ever so briefly, in Freddy versus Jason). Our other deviation from the norm is the use of a male as the central character, although this could be debated – one could easily see Myers' character as the "final girl" and Jesse a simple medium for Freddy to do battle with her. Complicating matters, though, are the homo-erotic metaphors.
Please don't say anything... I already know how you feel about me.
In addition to various shots of a semi-nude and sweaty Jesse, who's friendship with Grady involves sports-field rivalry, some wrestling (but not backed by any malice, really), and locker-room bonding, we see Jesse in a kind of sexual confusion. He's playing around in his room, gyrating to music, when Lisa walks in on him (A reading of this might be that he's caught masterbating by his would-be girlfriend and his mom, horrors!); he starts to get it on with Lisa at a party before stopping at second base (Freddy's long icky tongue taking the place of his own turns Jesse off, but Lisa never notices) – naturally, he storms out and right into Grady's bedroom, leading in this exchange of dialogue:
Jesse: Something is trying to get inside my body!
Grady: Yeah, and she's female and she's waiting for you at the cabana. And you want to sleep with me!
There is, of course, the S&M club sequence and Coach Schneider's domineering attitude towards Jesse in a metaphorical master/slave relationship. (Although, maybe you could make the case that Freddy made Jesse go to that club because he knew that's where Schneider would be.) In any case, there's this air of confusion where it seems Jesse is torn between feelings for Lisa and feelings for Grady. Freddy's appearances could even be considered Jesse's repressed homosexuality trying to get out (which bursts forth in Grady's room in a particularly nasty way). I read one review that compared Freddy with Jesse's "nocturnal emissions." That's probably a fair assessment, too. The weaknesses of Freddy's Revenge turn up in silly campy bits involving attacking animals and inanimate objects, and an underwhelming love-conquers-all ending (Lisa helps Jesse vanquish the monster inside him by planting Freddy one on the lips). It's as if the movie didn't quite know how to end itself after blowing its wad on a pool party sequence where Freddy takes out a bunch of guests before exclaiming "You are all my children now!"
Is it Freddy's personality or his good looks?
The main leads give good performances (and I gotta admit, Kim Myers is pretty hot). Also, to its credit, the movie wisely keeps Freddy in the background for the bulk of the running time (he still manages to get some one-liners out – after Dream Warriors there'll be no shutting him up). The orchestral score (courtesy of Christopher Young) is also a bit of a change from the original, but it works well, and reminds me of the Hellraiser score he would do a few years later. Finally, the special effects are pretty inventive, the highlight of which is a transformation sequence where Freddy literally pops out of Jesse's stomach before discarding him away like he's simply taking off a suit. I also liked the beginning dream sequence involving a school bus and a desert setting which eventually peels away to reveal hell below. Freddy's Revenge isn't the masterpiece that the first movie was but it's a much better film than people give it credit for, as long as you are willing to go along with the possession story and don't get all worked up over mythology. I consider it among the best of the Nightmare sequels.
– Bill Gordon
Hand me that bottle of Tums, will ya?
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Chicago's Champs
White Sox - contender or pretender?
By Avi, January 12, 2015 at 10:58 pm
By now, we are all aware of the moves Rick Hahn made this winter. He added Samardzija, LaRoche, Duke, Robertson, Jennings, Cabrera, and recently, Bonifacio. These moves in addition to the core of Sale, Quintana, Garcia, and Abreu, have made the White Sox into a team to watch. The question is, are they legitimate contenders?
The bullpen of the White Sox was the thorn in their side. I cannot even count how many times the bullpen blew the game. The biggest problem was that the White Sox did not have the appropriate personnel in the correct situations. Despite the lack of success, a few arms emerged that could contribute in the future. Daniel Webb, Zach Putnam, and Jake Petricka emerged to be building blocks in the bullpen. The silver lining of the disaster was that they gained late game experience that can only help them in the future.
The addition of Zach Duke and David Robertson not only solve the need for a left hander in the bullpen and a closer, they have a trickle down effect by putting Webb, Putnam, and Petricka in 7th inning or situational positions where they can thrive. Putting these young relievers in early game situations can better harness their talent before putting them in late game situations later in their careers. Also, do not discount the acquisition of Dan Jennings. An unheralded left-hander from Miami had a good season last year. He posted a 1.34 ERA with a 1.537 WHIP in 40.1 innings. He isn't mechanically sound yet, but Don Cooper said at the Winter Meetings that he can fix Jennings and take him to the next level.
Another early season addition to the White Sox bullpen should be Carlos Rodon. He pitched 12 innings in AAA and looked very good. With a full spring training, he may start the season in the bullpen before moving to the starting rotation in the second half of the season, a la Chris Sale and Mark Buehrle. His start in the bullpen allows for the White Sox to "acquire" a top pitcher at the trading deadline to strengthen their starting rotation while also strengthening the bullpen for the first half of the year. This allows some younger pitcher to develop in AAA before being promoted to take his spot in the bullpen.
Speaking of the starting rotation, the White Sox have one of the strongest in majors. The 1-2-3 punch of Sale, Samardzija, and Quintana is devastating because all three pitchers are among the best in the majors. Beyond that, there is a huge drop-off. Danks is a shell of his old self while Noesi is far from a sure thing. Although he showed some flashes last year, he isn't the ideal fifth starter. Yes, Rodon is a midseason acquisition for the starting rotation, but the rotation becomes left-handed heavy. Most likely Noesi gets bumped out of the rotation, and that would leave the rotation with four lefties. It isn't the worst thing, but ideally you would have more balance in the rotation.
From 2013 to 2014, the White Sox offense scored 62 more runs with the addition of Adam Eaton, Avisail Garcia (for a limited period of time), and Jose Abreu. With a year of experience and an offseason to focus on baseball instead of rehabbing from injuries or immigrating to the country, those three players should improve heading into 2015. Rick Hahn bolstered the offense by adding Adam LaRoche and Melky Cabrera. Cabrera offers a high on base percentage and he has hit for power at US Cellular in the past. Cabrera offers Abreu more opportunities to hit with men on base. LaRoche has consistently hit 20-25 home runs and entering a hitter's ballpark for 81 games should only help him. He offers Abreu more protection as pitchers cannot elect to pitch around him without having to face LaRoche.
A name that no one has talked about all winter is Matt Davidson. He was acquired last year for Addison Reed and he was viewed as the future third baseman as early as opening day 2014. He went to AAA and struggled immensely. His power number (20 home runs) were at his average, but he hit .199 and struck out a ton. I believe that Davidson should bounce back in 2015 and be the player that he was expected to be last year. In a recent interview with Dan Hayes, Davidson claimed that his struggles last year were mental. He was putting too much pressure on himself to perform and instead regressed. This is absolutely plausible because he showed consistency at every minor league level and showed that he can play at the AAA level when he was in the Arizona system. I don't think its realistic to expect him to be the opening day starter, but I think that at some point in 2015, Davidson will be another power bat in the White Sox lineup.
The biggest question in the White Sox lineup is at second base and catcher. The competition at second base will be between Micah Johnson and Carlos Sanchez. Micah Johnson is the more superior baseball player. He has a wider defensive range, hits more consistently, and has base stealing power. I think that Johnson wins the competition and at some point in his career, he will be a top of the order hitter. For 2015, he will probably hit in the 8 or 9 slot to take some pressure off of him.
My biggest concern is at catcher. Tyler Flowers does a decent to above average work calling a game and he is defensively sound, but his offensive production has been underwhelming. He hit .241 with a .297 OBP last year, which doesn't fit the scope of offensive production for most teams in baseball. Can he improve? Potentially, but I don't think he can improve to the level that is needed. The White Sox acquired former top prospect Michael Brantley who projects to be the backup catcher. Can Brantley overtake Flowers? Maybe, but that is not a realistic expectation. I think that a trade for the Cubs' Wellington Castillo. Castillo hit .237 with a .296 OBP. Those numbers are worse than Flowers, so why trade for Castillo? Castillo hit .274 with a .349 OBP in 2013 and showed improvement every year since being a pro. Flowers showed gradual improvement every year before dipping in 2013 and rebounding in 2014.
When all is set and done, I don't think the White Sox trade for Wellington Castillo and stick with Flowers. What the White Sox lose in offensive production from Flowers, they gain in his defensive and game management. He is the weak link on the offensive side, but he is the best option for the White Sox. Within the system there isn't a catcher who is ready to take over for Flowers. There really isn't a catcher on the free agency market or via trade that is worth bringing in. Flowers will be the catcher for this team, but he should be able to hold his own. All championship teams have some hole on their team. I believe that catcher is the hole for the Sox.
All in all, Rick Hahn made a legitimate contender of this team in a year and a half. He acquired a lot of talent that eliminated deficiencies and gave Abreu the most opportunities to maximize his talents. He also managed to take some pressure off of Chris Sale. I think he gave too much money to Robertson, but all his moves were calculated and effective. I did not expect this team to be contenders this quick. This winter's moves took the team to the next level and there should be some baseball being played on the South Side this October.
canOcorn said January 15, 2015 at 12:00 am
Astros just acquired Gattis. Jason Castro would improve the Sox.
Michael Medley said January 21, 2015 at 12:00 am
First, the phrase is "when all is said & done". Now, to the Sox, I hope you are wrong about Noesi. When we got him, I wasn't too enthused. But Coop worked his magic & was more than good. He should be in the rotation. I agree with you about catcher. Flowers is better in a platoon situation. I liked Phegley. Too bad we had to give him up.
Studying biomedical engineering/Pre-med at Washington University in Saint Louis. What else do you need to know!?


My first gig shoot with Big Country.
He was out reviewing local gigs and posting the write up on his website. As most people know content is king on the web and I suggested that he should have some images to go with his well-crafted words. At the time I was pushing myself to go out more with my camera but those long winter nights aren't exactly conducive to landscape photography so I offered my services.
And so one cold October evening I photographed Big Country at the Exeter Phoenix in Devon. As soon as I started shooting I was hooked! This was a totally different type of photography. While the learning curve was steep I still managed to get some quality images. This was the perfect way to keep my hand in with the camera and since gigs don't often start until after 8pm it didn't interrupt my family or work live.
Gary Barlow at Radio One Big Weekend.
Don't get me wrong, I love landscape photography and I'm committed to being a success in it (see my post on The Pain and Joy of Photography Competitions). However, I feel it is important to not only broaden your photographic horizons but to keep on practising (see my blog post of Practising The Craft of Photography). As I work a full time job and I have many family commitments, getting out to shoot landscapes during the week can be problematic. Gig photography gives me that photography fix I need. It has also taught me a LOT about my camera. I can control most of it now without even looking at the camera!
This year I was lucky enough to shoot Radio 1's Big Weekend when it visited Exeter. I photographed Cold Play, Mumford & Sons, and Ellie Goulding to name but a few. It was one hell of an experience but something that I had built up to over a number of years.
If you want to see some more of my music related images please head over to julianbaird.com have a blog over there as well but it's a different style than this one. Where this blog is more of a journal and a way to share information, my music blog is a way to share my latest images.
So do you have two photographic identities? Do you keep them separate? Is it possible to fully immerse yourself in two genres of photography? Let me know in the comments.


Prom night, I count it as once in a lifetime experience owing that its tightly related to the most of important factor of one's life, that is time which never remains the same and things, especially we humans, tend to change, further places get changed, positions get changed, views get changed and situations to get changed.
Owing to its uniqueness, Prom nights are an unforgettable experience. They are always a fun and one would surely revere them for rest of the life, however, it's all up to his plans and efforts for celebrating it in most memorable manner.
Celebrating it in the luxury of a well-appointed, especially if it's a party lime with all all-in facilities compliments the event to the level one has ever dreamt of, concluding it, it's really fantastic! The way prom nights are being celebrated these days is amazing. It no more an event of high school.
Times have gone when limousines used to be the wedding cars only but now it's the first and foremost choice of teens for their prom nights.
Travelling via limousine to and from your prom is exceptionally romantic.
Couching with your date in the comfort and seclusion of the limousine raises the confidence and trust of both while your professional chauffeur remains at your disposal to serve you whatever and whenever you want.
Remember, if you have planned it to make the memorable night of your life then do not finally conclude it on the dance floor rather keep it interim.
Stop at any of your favorite spots of the town and continue with your celebrations, pre-prom and post-prom.
Let your chauffer play your favorite music and you keep enjoying its tones till you say good morning to the rising sun through its open roof.
One may not resist admiring the party features offered by the full-featured prom party bus or prom party limo.
These luxury limos, by their design, provide ample space, state of the art sound system, huge video screens, laser lights and much more.
It's not just being glamorous but the convenience of the limousine that gets counted on. If you plan to be accompanied by your buddies at all phases of the prom night, I mean pre-party, party and after party, then remember that transporting through limo is highly convenient.
Z Limousine Services Inc is the best limo rental in Houston and they have a wide variety of limousines.
They could cater your limo rental requirements for prom transfers, all within your required size and budget.


Most of us have experienced photographing an incredible sunrise or sunset only to get home and realize that the colors in your images are not nearly as good as the colors you witnessed with your own eyes. There can be many reasons to this, such as camera limitations or mistakes you made in the field. However, that's not what you will learn about in this article. Correcting the colors, or adding color, isn't something you need to spend hours working on. In fact, it can be done in just a few minutes using Adobe Photoshop and you don't need to be a Photoshop expert to do it.
As we all know there are many ways to get to Rome, there isn't only one method of adding colors in Photoshop either. It can, as I mentioned above, be done fairly easy but the more detailed adjustments you wish to make, the harder it will become. In this article, we will be looking at two easy methods to add color in Photoshop.
The first method we will look at involves the Photoshop tool called Photo Filter. This is an Adjustment Tool which you can find by clicking the Adjustment Tool icon (the half-filled circle located below the layers palette, see screenshot below). This creates a new layer named Photo Filter 1, which we will be working on.
A warming filter is the default setting so, as you might see, the image now has an orange color cast. Personally, I prefer using Warming Filter (LBA) as I find this to have the most natural color that suits my images best (see screenshot on the right). Select this filter by clicking on the Filter dropdown menu. Alternatively, you can select a color manually that might suit your specific image better. If you find the adjustment to be a little too weak you can strengthen its appearance by increasing the Density. I rarely go above 40% Density as the colors then quickly become washed out and results in a look I don't want.
By using this filter we have brought back some of the color in the sky. There's not a huge difference but we've managed to keep a natural look in the image while the sky still looks good. However, there's one problem. We don't necessarily want to add the extra color to the landscape itself, we only wanted the sky to be affected.
With the Layer Mask still selected, carefully paint on the areas you do not want affected by the filter. You'll see the adjustment disappear from those places as you paint.
The Photo Filter layer masked to only affect the sky.
This is the easiest way to manually choose where the adjustment will be visible. Unfortunately, it's also the least accurate. You might see some haloing along the edges or perhaps the color bleeds onto the horizon at certain places. By zooming in on the image and using a smaller brush you'll be able to reduce the amount of haloing or bleed. Other methods, such as Luminosity Masking, are more accurate but also demand a better understanding of Adobe Photoshop.
Open a Curves Adjustment Layer by clicking on the Adjustment Layer icon again, and selecting Curves this time.
You want to add some contrast and increase the colors slightly by darkening the sky. Do this by clicking in the middle of the line in your Curves layer and pulling it down gently. Make sure that you don't go too far as that will lead to unwanted grain or color distortions.
That's it. To remove the adjustment from the landscape create another Layer Mask and follow the same steps as with the previous method above.
As you might have noticed these are two subtle adjustments. You won't get a surreal sky by following these methods. Instead, you'll maintain a natural look and still bring out some of the color you wanted to capture.
The post 2 Simple Methods for Adding Color to Your Images Using Photoshop by Christian Hoiberg appeared first on Digital Photography School.


Orange Spain says it will increase its investment in fibre optic by €2 billion and surpass 16 million homes and businesses by 2020 – two million more lines than initially expected.
The company plans to cover 70 per cent of all Spanish cities with over 5,000 inhabitants with FTTH, and 90 per cent of all cities with over 10,000 inhabitants.
The new FTTH plan comes soon after Orange brought forward its target of reaching 14 million homes with FTTH during 2018.
Currently, the company covers 11.3 million homes with FTTH, having added 2.3 million over the last year.


The Counsel Balanced Portfolio is designed to balance the growth potential of equity markets with the stability of fixed income investments. This portfolio is for investors who want a balance between income and capital growth over the long-term, and can tolerate some variability in returns. The portfolio invests in Canadian, U.S., and international equity and fixed income mutual funds.


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The American Dream is Not Dead for Millennials
by Matt Palumbo Posted: November 8, 2019
The financial news network CNBC has relied upon some surprisingly unsophisticated financial analysis to declare the American dream dead for millennials.
"Millennials earn 20% less than boomers did [at this stage in their life] – despite being better educated" reads their headline.
"Specifically, median earnings for those 18 to 34 are lower than they were in the 1980s, a disparity that was first noted in a 2017 report from the non-profit Young Invincibles" reports Megan Leonhardt. That's in spite of the fact that "Nearly 40% of millennials 25 to 37 have at least a bachelor's degree, compared to just a quarter of baby boomers and 30% of Gen X when they were the same age."
When it comes to wealth, "The average millennial's wealth in 2016 (ages 23 to 38) was 41% less than those who were at a similar age in 1989, the report says."
To start with the obvious flaw in this analysis – those aged 18 to 34 today are not earning 20% less than baby boomers were at that age. This report CNBC is quoting claims that boomers earned $50,910 at that age, compared to $40,581 for millenials. This is contradicted by the Census Bureau's income statistics (see table H-10), though their data is of 25-35 year olds. That time-frame makes more sense regardless, because it removes teenagers and college students from the sample.
Adjusted for 2018 dollars, the average household income for someone aged 25-34 earned $66,417 in 1989, with a median of $58,476. In comparison, one in the same age demographic earned an average of $84,951, and median of $65,890. The median is the relevant statistic here, as mean statistics are twisted by income inequality.
It is true that despite seeing higher pay, millennials do have net worth's lower than baby boomers at this stage in their life. As per CNBC for the exact figures, "The average millennial's wealth in 2016 (ages 23 to 38) was 41% less than those who were at a similar age in 1989, the report says." This is entirely due to student loan debt, which for most does carry a return on investment.
While there's no questioning that many go to college for pointless degrees, on average there is a nearly 60% pay jump for college grads relative to high school graduates. Would you rather be someone with $30,000 in income and a $30,000 net worth at age 30, or someone earning $48,000 and a $5,000 net worth at age 30? Assuming a constant career trajectory for both individuals, the latter will end up far wealthier by the end of his career, even if he is lagging "at this stage of his life."
None of this is to deny that there are unique challenges that millennials do face that prior generations did not as this point in their life, such as skyrocketing college and rent/housing costs, but these are mostly the result of government intervention. What is clear is that capitalism is not failing millenials like Bernie Sanders, AOC, and their followers would have you believe.
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