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In Norway, the closure of the Russian plant was called a Christmas Gift
A Russian Christmas gift for Norway was called the closure of a metallurgical plant in the town of Nikel, Murmansk region. This opinion was expressed by environmental activists.
The outlet from the Nornickel nickelmelting plant in Nikel have made many different influences to the surrounding through the years. Therefore, the closure of this production can have a positive impact on the environment, according to the Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research and Norwegian Institute for Air Research.
In the 1970s and 1980s, there were serious environmental problems in the area, including on the Norwegian side. Since then, emissions have dropped, and now it's more about an air quality issue. "Although the concentrations at our monitoring stations have been in compliance with Norwegian threshold values, we still experience episodes with very high concentrations of SO2." Tore Flatlandsmo Berglen, who works at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, told.
Production at Zapolyarnoye will continue, leading to a reduction in emissions. However, the closure of the Nikel plant is good news for both air quality in Norway and the environment, as well as for Russian-Norwegian cooperation, Berglen is sure.
Paul Erik Asfolm, researcher at NIBIO Svanhovd or the Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomic Research, noted the restoration of nature.
"From the perspective of nature protection, the stopping of SO2 and other pollutants from the Nickel- melting plant will make the nature to recover slowly. Already, there are some changes in the nature as a response to the lowering emissions since the 1990-thies. The process of recovery is slowly but visible through some decades," noted the scientist.
Thomas Nielsen, a Norwegian journalist who broadly reports on oil drilling in the Arctic region, believes the modernization plan is a welcome development.
"It's 30 years of overtime, but it's very enjoyable. This will be the largest reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions in Northern Europe in many, many decades. It is very good. Not only for the nature of the Kola Peninsula in Russia, but also for nature and people in the border areas of Finnmark," Nielsen told local media.
Also Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel is modernizing production and will soon become a green company, said the largest shareholder of the mining company, businessman Vladimir Potanin.
"We belong to the category of people who care about criticism, who listen to this criticism, especially in its constructive part, and therefore, of course, we wanted to make such – well, a business card of our company, to demonstrate that we are not just talking about that we will be a green company sometime, but right here and now to do and show something," Potanin said.
Earlier it was reported that the Russian "Norilsk Nickel", the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium, closed a metallurgical plant in the city of Nickel in northern Russia. Kola is a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel on the Kola Peninsula with mines and processing plants and pellets in Zapolyarny, as well as metallurgical plants in Monchegorsk and a plant in Nikel, closed on December 23, 2020.
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New research published today by Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) about incinerators in three countries – Spain, Czechia, and Lithuania – finds a high level of contamination in the vicinity of incinerators, posing a significant risk to the environment and to the health of people living nearby.
To assess the real impact of waste incineration, the biomonitoring research conducted by ToxicoWatch Foundation for ZWE analysed the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the surroundings of incinerators in Valdemingómez (Spain), Pilsen (Czechia, and Kaunas (Lithuania).
The study used bioassays, an analytical method to determine the concentration or potency of a substance by its effect on living animals, plants, living cells, or tissues. This particular study used carefully collected biomarker samples – such as eggs of backyard chickens, pine needles, and mosses – in areas around incinerators.
The research found that:
The majority of eggs analysed exceed the EU action limits for food safety as regulated in the EU Directive 2013/711/EU.
A high percentage of eggs exceed the safe level for consumption. If these eggs were intended for the commercial market, they should have been withdrawn from the market.
The analysis of the vegetation, pine needles, and moses also shows high levels of dioxins in the vicinity of the waste incinerators. This means people living in the vicinity of incinerators could be harmed if they eat vegetables grown in the contaminated soil for consumption.
The research warns of the impacts of the current incineration strategy for human health and highlights the incompatibility of the current incineration heavy strategy with the EU's zero pollution agenda. It also gives a warning signal for contamination of the environment with highly harmful toxic substances for human health and the environment – such as dioxins (PCDD/F), dioxin-like PCBs, PAHs, and PFAS.
Janek Vähk, ZWE's Climate, Energy, and Air Pollution Programme Coordinator, said: "There is an urgent need to assess the real impact of waste incineration on human health and the environment. People living near waste incinerators need to be reassured about their health risks and the safety of such combustion facilities "
Based on the report conclusions, ZWE and the research project group strongly recommend to:
Make biomonitoring research mandatory for all existing incineration projects across Europe.
Mandate continuous measurement of chlorinated and brominated dioxins including under the "other than normal operating conditions" such as start-ups and shut-downs and technical accidents.
Put a moratorium on new waste incineration projects and develop phase-out plans for the existing ones.
Promote and fund circular, healthy, sustainable alternatives to waste incineration.
Read the full "The True Toxic Toll – Biomonitoring of waste incinerator emissions" reports: here
How UNEP is helping education systems go green
The world is facing a three-pronged environmental crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. To turn around the planet's fortunes, the participation of young people will be key, says Sam Barratt, Head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Youth, Education and Advocacy Unit.
Ahead of the International Day of Education on 24 January, we spoke to Barratt about the role of young people in reviving the natural world and what UNEP is doing to enlist their support.
Lots of different players are involved in youth education. What is UNEP's mandate?
Sam Barratt (SB): The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is the lead on education in the UN system. But here at UNEP, we work closely with them, focusing on non-formal education and higher education. This mandate allows us to work with major global partners and networks that can reach millions to bring environmental issues into the curriculum of schools, on to university campuses, into massive games, such as Subway Surfers, or even into Scout and Girl Guide badge curricula. It's a huge opportunity to shift norms and reach billions of youth, both inside and outside the classroom.
Collaborating with universities to promote sustainable development seems to be a key aspect of UNEP's education work. Is that right?
SB: Yes, it's huge as universities produce the leaders of tomorrow. Our approach is to see how universities can be Petri dishes to shift the habits of students. In September 2020, UNEP launched The Little Book of Green Nudges in 136 campuses around the world. It's a quick guide composed of 40 nudges to spark sustainable behaviour among students and staff.
In 2021 we launched UNEP's Sustainable University Framework, which seeks to define what it means to be a sustainable university and lays out a pathway to becoming one, and the Global Guidance for Education on Green Jobs. These initiatives are designed to give the higher education community, employers and youth organizations the tools to prepare students to participate in a green transition.
And in October 2021, UNEP worked with Times Higher Education to organize the inaugural Climate Impact Forum at which Times Higher Education launched its new data-led report, The Race to Net Zero. It presented how well higher education institutions across the globe are performing when it comes to reducing their own greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to net zero. So far 1,086 universities from 68 countries, representing over 10 million students, made commitments to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
What are you doing to support developing countries?
SB: There are already lots of networks in Europe and North America, but we want to focus on emerging economies. Given this, we've launched the Africa Green University and Youth Education Network hosted by the Hassan II International Centre for Environmental Training in Morocco. The network is growing and now includes 22 universities from eight African countries. With the support of the TERI School of Advanced Studies, we talked to stakeholders who agreed that there is a need to establish an India Green University Network. The plan is for this network to be built up and officially launched in 2022.
Any initiatives specifically on the climate front?
SB: Yes. We've provided early support for initiatives such as Count Us In, a campaign that aims to inspire 1 billion people to take simple, impactful actions which will directly reduce carbon dioxideemissions, accelerate the uptake of climate solutions and challenge leaders to act boldly to deliver global systems change.
Hundreds of millions of young people play video games. How is UNEP working with the video gaming industry to promote environmental awareness?
SB: UNEP facilitates the Playing for the Planet Alliance, which is an initiative in support of the video gaming industry to use their influence, reach, and creativity to address some of the world's biggest environmental challenges. Gaming companies in the alliance have made commitments ranging from integrating green activations in games to reducing their emissions. Since the Playing for the Planet Alliance was launched in 2019, 60 per cent of its members have made a commitment to become net zero or carbon negative by 2030. On top of that, the second annual Green Game Jam welcomed 30 (game) studios with a combined reach of 1 billion players.
UNEP's GEO-6 for Youth report shows how youth have the power to bring about transformative change for the environment. How is UNEP getting youth to help tackle the scourge of single-use plastics?
SB: The Tide Turners Plastic Challenge Badge seeks to support the World Organization of the Scout Movement, the World Associations of Girl Guides and Scouts, Junior Achievement and university students to take action to reduce single-use plastic in their lives. Since February 2019, more than 470,000 young people have started the badge in over 32 countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Thanks to financial support from the United Kingdom government this work will continue in 2022.
UNEP and partners launched "Earth School" in April 2020 in response to school closures in the wake of the pandemic. In just three weeks, it reached nearly 1 million students. How did you come up with such an idea?
SB: We saw that many pupils, parents and teachers were struggling with COVID-19 so we wanted to try and do something different. Earth School was built with educators and over 40 partners and shows what can happen when a big idea is run by many. It's the biggest online learning initiative in UNEP's history and is available for free on TED-Ed's website.
2021 joins top 7 warmest years on record
Last year joined the list of the seven warmest years on record, the UN weather agency said on Wednesday, and was also the seventh consecutive year when the global temperature has been more than 1°C above pre-industrial levels; edging closer to the limit laid out under the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Although average global temperatures were temporarily cooled by the 2020-2022 La Niña events, 2021 was still one of the seven warmest years on record, according to six leading international datasets consolidated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Global warming and other long-term climate change trends are expected to continue as a result of record levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the agency said.
The average global temperature in 2021 was about 1.11 (± 0.13) °C above the pre-industrial era levels. The Paris Agreement calls for all countries to strive towards a limit of 1.5°C of global warming through concerted climate action and realistic Nationally Determined Contributions – the individual country plans that need to become a reality to slow down the rate of heating.
WMO said that it uses six international datasets "to ensure the most comprehensive, authoritative temperature assessment", and the same data are used in its authoritative annual State of the Climate reports.
Since the 1980s, each decade has been warmer than the previous one, said WMO and "this is expected to continue."
The warmest seven years have all been since 2015; the top three being 2016, 2019 and 2020. An exceptionally strong El Niño event occurred in 2016, which contributed to record global average warming.
"Back-to-back La Niña events mean that 2021 warming was relatively less pronounced compared to recent years. Even so, 2021 was still warmer than previous years influenced by La Niña", said WMO Secretary-General, Prof. Petteri Taalas.
Undeniable trend
"The overall long-term warming as a result of greenhouse gas increases, is now far larger than the year-to-year variability in global average temperatures caused by naturally occurring climate drivers".
"The year 2021 will be remembered for a record-shattering temperature of nearly 50°C in Canada, comparable to the values reported in the hot Saharan Desert of Algeria, exceptional rainfall, and deadly flooding in Asia and Europe as well as drought in parts of Africa and South America", the WMO chief added.
"Climate change impacts and weather-related hazards had life-changing and devastating impacts on communities on every single continent", Mr. Taalas underscored.
Others key indicators of global heating include greenhouse gas concentrations, ocean heat content, ocean pH levels (levels of acidity), global mean sea level, glacial mass and the extent of sea ice.
WMO uses datasets – which are based on monthly climatological data from observing sites and ships and buoys in global marine networks – developed and maintained by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (NASA GISS), the United Kingdom's Met Office Hadley Centre, and the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit (HadCRUT); and the Berkeley Earth group.
WMO also uses reanalysis datasets from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts and its Copernicus Climate Change Service, and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
WMO said that the temperature figures will be incorporated into its final report on the State of the Climate in 2021, which will be issued in April this year.
This will reference all key climate indicators and selected climate impacts, and updates a provisional report issued in October 2021 ahead of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.


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3-star Florida TE Aaron Hackett puts Syracuse football in Top 5; will visit in July
Updated: Mar. 22, 2019, 1:51 a.m. | Published: Jun. 29, 2016, 11:00 a.m.
By Stephen Bailey | sbailey@syracuse.com
Aaron Hackett.PNG
2017 Florida tight end Aaron Hackett's positional coach is former SU tight end Beckett Wales.
(Courtesy/Aaron Hackett)
Syracuse, N.Y. — Earlier in the school year, Aaron Hackett would joke around with Beckett Wales about following in his footsteps at Syracuse.
The former, a Class of 2017 tight end at Venice (Fla.) High School. The latter, an ex-Orange starter now coaching tight ends at Venice, where he once played.
Two weeks ago, those conversations turned a little more serious. That's when SU extended Hackett a scholarship offer.
"(Wales) definitely wants me to take a visit and check it out for myself," Hackett said. "He wants me to explore it and go wherever I feel most comfortable."
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Hackett will visit SU the weekend of July 30 after checking out South Florida (July 23) and possibly Louisville (July 16). He listed those three programs, along with Florida Atlantic and Cincinnati, in his Top 5 and is eager to find a school that can be a "home away from home."
Rated three stars and the No. 77 tight end in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com's composite rankings, Hackett also holds offers from Kentucky, Minnesota, Iowa State and UConn, among others.
If he feels comfortable enough at any point in his recruitment, he said he'll be ready to make a commitment.
"I think that if I find the right school for me, I'll commit and I'll be happy about it," Hackett said.
Hackett said he was initially contacted by Syracuse assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Kim McCloud a few weeks ago and has spoken with tight ends coach Reno Ferri twice since then.
The tight end position is flexible in SU head coach Dino Babers' hurry-up spread offense. Depending on the strengths of the tight ends, and likely the offense as a whole, the role can shift from in-line blocker to split-out receiver to H-back type.
Hackett believes his versatility makes him an ideal fit. After picking up tight end his sophomore year and serving primarily as an in-line blocker, Hackett caught 27 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns during his junior season, per MaxPreps.com.
He's grown comfortable running the basic route tree as an in-line player and expects to see more time split out in bunch sets this fall. Shifting before the line of scrimmage to create mismatches and even lining up in the backfield could also be on his plate as a senior.
"Coach Reno really likes my versatility," Hackett said, "being able to flex out, but also being able to go in-line and put my hand in the dirt."
Hackett recalled Ferri telling him that the Orange plans to take two tight ends this cycle — ideally one high school player and one junior college addition. And both of them will have to be ready to play right away as SU graduates its three returning contributors at the position next spring.
Looking ahead to his visit, Hackett is eager to see how the staff interacts with one another. He's heard rave reviews from ex-Venice defensive lineman Dino Fanti, who played for Babers at Eastern Illinois.
"He said they're the best coaches he's ever had," Hackett said.
And while Hackett said location won't play a major factor in his recruitment, coming to Syracuse would allow his brother, who lives in New York City, to come watch him play.
Syracuse currently has 10 players committed to its Class of 2017, including seven pledges who've joined up since last Saturday. All verbal commitments are non-binding until the player signs a national letter of intent in February.
Contact Stephen Bailey anytime: Email | Twitter

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Die Volkshochschule Essen ist eine kommunale Bildungseinrichtung der Stadt Essen. Sie befindet sich in einem 2004 errichteten Neubau im Stadtkern am Burgplatz.

Geschichte

Gründung
Nach dem Ende des Ersten Weltkriegs, am 28. Mai 1919, gründete der von der Essener Stadtverordnetenversammlung gebildete Ausschuss für Volksbildung, zu dem unter anderem Artur Jacobs gehörte, die Volkshochschule. Am darauf folgenden 1. September wurde die Satzung der Volkshochschule der Stadt Essen verabschiedet. Sie beginnt mit (Zitat):

Der damalige Essener Oberbürgermeister und spätere Reichskanzler Hans Luther trieb die Gründung im Wesentlichen voran. Im Oktober 1919 übernahm der zweite Stadtbibliothekar Heinrich Dicke nebenamtlich die Leitung der neuen Volkshochschule. Die erste VHS-Kanzlei befand sich in einem Haus an der Burgstraße 14 (heute Kettwiger Straße, südlich des Baedekerhauses).

Erste Kurse wurden im 1912 erbauten Keramikhaus am Flachsmarkt 2 angeboten. Zunächst gab es einen politisch gespaltenen Lehrkörper, der die tief gespaltene Gesellschaft nach dem Krieg widerspiegelte. Die einen bedauerten das zerfallene Kaiserreich, die anderen wollten eine linksgerichtete Revolution, was deutliche Unruhen im Ruhrgebiet auslöste. So hatte sich ein katholischer und ein sozialistischer Bildungsausschuss herausgebildet, die auf ihre Selbständigkeit beharrten. Jedoch waren beide auf die Unterstützung der Stadt Essen angewiesen. Zudem machte der damalige Oberbürgermeister Hans Luther deutlich, dass die Stadt nur eine allgemeine Volkshochschule fördert. Der hieraus erfolgte Kompromiss ging als Essener Modell in die Geschichte der Volkshochschulbewegung ein. So gab es in der Satzung der städtischen Volkshochschule den §15, der erlaubte, dass "Lehrer und Schüler der Hochschule […] unter sich Gruppen bilden" durften. Es kristallisierte sich eine sozialistische, eine katholische, eine evangelische und eine freie Gruppe heraus, welche unter dem Dach der Stadt die angebotenen Kurse auswählten und die Lehrkräfte bestimmten. Im ersten Semester wurde mit 75 Kursen begonnen, die stetig mehr wurden. 1930 wurden 4477 Kursteilnehmer gezählt.

Von der Weimarer Republik zum Nationalsozialismus
Das Programm der Volkshochschule war in der Zeit der Weimarer Republik von einem weitgehend demokratischen Gremium ausgegangen, das sich aus dem Oberbürgermeister, Vertretern der Stadt, des Lehrkörpers und der Schülerschaft zusammensetzte. – Einer der Mitbegründer der Essener Volkshochschule, der Pädagoge und Politiker Artur Jacobs, warnte schon 1919 in seiner programmatischen Schrift "Ueber Wesen und Ziele einer Volkshochschule" vor sich abzeichnenden völkisch-rassistischen Tendenzen in dieser neuen  Einrichtung der Erwachsenenbildung in öffentlicher Trägerschaft. Mit Teilnehmenden eines Volkshochschulkreises gründete Artur Jacobs 1923 den Bund, eine Gemeinschaft, die sich einer "neuen Einstellung von Mensch zu Mensch" verpflichtet sah und angesichts des auftrumpfenden Nationalsozialismus gegen Ende der zwanziger Jahre die politische Verantwortung immer mehr in den Mittelpunkt ihrer Arbeit stellte; Jacobs und sein Kreis halfen dann unter der nationalsozialistischen Gewaltherrschaft Verfolgten; eine Reihe von Bund-Mitgliedern wurde 2005 von der israelischen Gedenkstätte Yad Vashem als Gerechte unter den Völkern ausgezeichnet.

Nach der Machtergreifung 1933 bestand das von den Nationalsozialisten beeinflusste Sommersemester 1933 aus lediglich 35 Kursen, zu denen nur noch deutschblütige und unbescholtene Staatsbürger zugelassen waren. Es war die niedrigste Anzahl an Kursen seit Gründung. Die weltanschauliche Vielfalt der sozialistischen, katholischen, evangelischen und freien Gruppe wurde unterdrückt. Ein weiteres Semester hat es dann nicht mehr gegeben. Die Volkshochschule wurde unbegründet für die Zeit des Nationalsozialismus geschlossen und blieb es auch im Zweiten Weltkrieg.

Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg
Am 16. Oktober 1946 erhielt die Volkshochschule die Erlaubnis der britischen Militärregierung zur Wiedereröffnung. Ohne die vor dem Nationalsozialismus existierenden vier eigenständigen weltanschaulichen Gruppen lehnte man sich an die Arbeit der 1920er Jahre an. Das inhaltliche Kursangebot wurde unter anderem auf die Vermittlung von Fremdsprachenkenntnissen erweitert. Der Museumskurator Friedrich Meisenburg († 1967) wurde kommissarischer Schulleiter. Der erste hauptamtliche Leiter wurde 1964 der spätere Kulturdezernent Essens, Wilhelm Godde (1926–2016); zu dessen Nachfolger als Direktor der Volkshochschule wählte der Rat der Stadt Essen im Jahr 1977 den Kulturamts- und Volkshochschulleiter der Stadt Unna, Gerd Hergen Lübben. Nach dem Abschied von Gerd Hergen Lübben Anfang 1996 und bis zur Wahl von Friederike Brunnbauer als seine Amtsnachfolgerin, leitete die langjährige Stellvertretende VHS-Direktorin Rosemarie Seelig kommissarisch die Essener Volkshochschule. Nach Eintritt der Direktorin der Volkshochschule Essen Friederike Brunnbauer in den Ruhestand im Januar 2014 übernahm ihre Stellvertreterin Elke Timm die kommissarische Leitung, bis der Rat der Stadt im Januar 2015 Michael Imberg, der in den Jahren von 1993 bis 2000 Dezernatsbeauftragter für das damalige Dezernat für Kultur, Freizeit, Bildung und Wirtschaft, von 2000 bis 2007 Leiter der Verwaltung der Städtischen Museen Essen und von 2007 bis 2015 Referent für Kultur und Sonderprojekte im Büro des Oberbürgermeisters war, zum neuen Leiter der Volkshochschule bestellte.

Gebäude an der Hollestraße

Im April 1971 nahm ein eigens für die Volkshochschule errichtetes Schulgebäude an der Hollestraße im Essener Ostviertel den Betrieb auf. Es befand sich auf dem Grund der in der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts dort ansässigen Puddlingwerke Schulz-Knaudt. Die Grundsteinlegung des Gebäudes mit Waschbeton-Fassade fand im März 1969 statt. Vorn wurde das Gebäude auf einem Grundstück von rund 7000 Quadratmetern von Betonsäulen getragen. Nach hinten waren die Etagen stufenartig angeordnet. Das vom Team um den Bochumer Architekten Wilhelm Seidensticker entworfene frühere Haus der Erwachsenenbildung (Volkshochschule) an der Hollestraße in Essen galt als historisch beispielhafter Baustein für ein modernes Ruhrgebiet.

Anlässlich des 75-jährigen Bestehens der Essener Volkshochschule verwies die damalige Oberbürgermeisterin Annette Jäger zugleich auf das 25 Jahre zurückliegende Richtfest für das Volkshochschulgebäude an der Hollestraße. Die Volkshochschule hat sich stetig den veränderten gesellschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen anpassen müssen. Überregionale Beachtung hatte die Essener VHS Mitte der 1980er Jahre für ihre innovative Erkundung und Schaffung von Beschäftigungsmöglichkeiten für arbeitslose Lehrer gefunden, unter anderem durch Einrichtung umfangreicher, Zusatzqualifizierung und Berufserfahrung in außerschulischen Bildungsbereichen vermittelnder Projekte, beispielsweise zu Entwicklung und Aufbau eines Dokumentations- und Informationssystems für die Weiterbildungsberatung in der Stadt Essen: Eine "Weiterbildungsdatenbank", die neutral Informationen über Inhalte, Unterrichtsmethoden, Kosten, Förderungsmöglichkeiten und Termine jeweils konkurrierender Weiterbildungsangebote beziehungsweise Weiterbildungsanbieter bereithält, war grundlegend für die erstmalige Einrichtung der Essener kommunalen "Weiterbildungsberatungsstelle" bei der VHS mit der Zielsetzung, Arbeitnehmerinnen/Arbeitnehmer, Berufsrückkehrerinnen/Berufsrückkehrer, Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund sowie Menschen mit Behinderungen bei der Suche nach Aus- und Weiterbildungsmöglichkeiten in der Region zu unterstützen. Als beispielhaft gelten auch die zur Qualitätssicherung ihrer Bildungsdienstleistung gehörenden spezifischen Angebote der Volkshochschule Essen zur Mitarbeiterfortbildung; hierzu waren im Erwachsenenbildungshaus an der Hollestraße als "Didaktisches Labor" bezeichnete Funktionsräume eingerichtet worden, deren technische Ausstattung zudem ab dem Jahr 1992 die sendefähige Erstellung bürgerschaftlicher Lokalfunk-Beiträge für das "Radio Essen"-Programm möglich machte. Abgestützt und mobilisiert durch die Übernahme ihres zentralen "Mutterhauses" an der Hollestraße hat die VHS ihr Weiterbildungsangebot modellhaft ausbauen können, was nach Aussage des Kultusministers des Landes NRW bedeutete (Zitat):

Der "GROSSE KOMMUNIKATOR" – die aus einem vier Meter langen ausgehöhlten Weidenstamm gefertigte, an einer der Öffnungen mit einer gegerbten Kalbshaut bespannte so genannte "STANDPAUKE" – stand, einladend zu "aktiver Musik", bis zum Umzug des VHS-Teams in den Neubau am Burgplatz zwischen Foyer und Zugang zum Forum des Volkshochschulhauses an der Hollestraße: Hier gelangten etwa für dergleichen "Klangobjekte" eigens komponierte Werke zur ersten Aufführung; in der Aula wurden von der VHS-"Spielgruppe" erarbeitete Bühnenwerke aufgeführt, beispielsweise in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Schauspiel und der Alten Synagoge das Stück "SIE SAGTEN NEIN • Essener Frauen und Männer im Kampf gegen das Hakenkreuz"; und zu den auch überregional ausstrahlenden Veranstaltungen der "Offenen Volkshochschule" gehörten von Beginn an die regelmäßigen Ausstellungen, unter anderen die fotografische Nachgestaltung des großen Wandreliefs, welches der aus Essen gebürtige und vor dem nationalsozialistischen Terror aus Deutschland noch als Kind geflohene israelische Künstler Naftali Bezem für die Ausgestaltung der Jerusalemer Holocaust-Gedenkstätte Yad Vashem geschaffen hat. Wie die Alphabetisierung als ein Eckstein im Baukasten aller Bildungs- und Kulturarbeit auch der Volkshochschule gilt, so zielt das Konzept dieser sozial engagierten Bildungsarbeit auf die vollseitige Entwicklung und eigenschöpferische Kulturteilhabe der Menschen ab. Das für die moderne Erwachsenenbildungsarbeit vielfältig nutzbare, multifunktionale Raumprogramm des VHS-Gebäudes an der Hollestraße war für weit über die Ruhrgebietsregion ausstrahlende Großveranstaltungen wirksam: 1995 fanden hier Veranstaltungen der Weltmusiktage der Internationalen Gesellschaft für Neue Musik ebenso statt, wie zuvor diverse Begleitveranstaltungen zu dem breit gefächerten interkommunalen Diskursprojekt "Kultur '90" sowie 1983/1984 die Gründungsveranstaltungen der Internationalen Spieletage, die weltgrößte Publikumsveranstaltung für nicht-elektronische Spiele, die mittlerweile in der Messe Essen stattfindet.

Abriss
In den 1990er Jahren bezeugten Messungen der Raumluft im VHS-Komplex an der Hollestraße, dass er stark durch PCB belastet ist und gesundheitsschädlich sein kann. Daraufhin wurden Kosten in Höhe von rund sieben Millionen Euro für eine Sanierung und zwei Millionen Euro für einen Abriss veranschlagt.

Im Dezember 2013 wurde mit der Entkernung des Gebäudes begonnen, wobei der PCB-haltige Bauschutt speziell entsorgt wurde. Infolge wurden die Waschbetonplatten der Fassade entfernt. Die Arbeiten mussten im Mai und Juni 2014 ruhen, damit an der nördlich angrenzenden Frida-Levy-Gesamtschule die Klausuren der Abiturienten ungestört geschrieben werden konnten. Ende 2014 war die Niederlegung des gesamten Gebäudekomplexes abgeschlossen.

Für die Nachfolgenutzung des Grundstücks wurde am 25. April 2018 vom Rat der Stadt Essen eine Bebauung mit einem Bürokomplex der Projektentwickler Kölbl Kruse beschlossen. Dieser Beschluss wird derzeit nicht weiter verfolgt, dafür jedoch über eine Erweiterung der benachbarten Frida-Levy-Gesamtschule bis auf das alte VHS-Grundstück auf kommunaler Ebene diskutiert.

Neubau am Burgplatz 2004
Im Juni 2000 beschloss der Rat der Stadt Essen den Umzug in einen Neubau am Burgplatz. Der Bauantrag für den Neubau am Burgplatz wurde im Frühjahr 2002 genehmigt, worauf am 12. September 2002 die Grundsteinlegung folgte. Die neue Volkshochschule wurde am 16. September 2004 im Beisein des Architekten Hartmut Miksch und des damaligen Oberbürgermeisters Wolfgang Reiniger eröffnet.

Der Neubau steht stadtgeschichtlich auf interessantem Grund. An dieser Stelle gibt es Natursteinreste des Fundaments der Jesuitenresidenz, die hier Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts erbaut wurde und als prachtvoller Bau galt. Auch sie wurde bereits später als Schulgebäude genutzt und gilt damit als Vorläufer des heute benachbarten Burggymnasiums. Der verglaste heutige Neubau der Volkshochschule Essen wurde nach Plänen des Architekten Hartmut Miksch errichtet. Einige Schulungsräume befinden sich zudem im angrenzenden Lichtburg-Gebäude mit Durchgang zum Neubau auf den Etagen 2, 3 und 4. Rechts des Eingangsbereiches vom Burgplatz aus war bis Dezember 2015 das Café Lernbar integriert, das von der Jugendhilfe Essen geführt worden war. Seit Anfang 2016 befindet sich hier ein neuer,  privat geführter Gastronomiebetrieb nicht nur für Schulbesucher.

Bildungsangebote und Statistik
Heute bietet die nach der Norm EN ISO 9001 zertifizierte Volkshochschule diverse Kurse in den Bereichen Gesellschaft und Kultur, Sprachen, Arbeit und Beruf, EDV, Informatik, Umwelt und Gesundheit an. Es werden auch Einbürgerungskurse zur Bewältigung des Einbürgerungstestes angeboten. Dazu gibt es Schulische Weiterbildung sowie spezielle Senioren- und Jugendangebote.

Im Jahr 1979 konnte die Volkshochschule Außenstellen mit Weiterbildungsangeboten "vor Ort" eröffnen: In Steele, im nun "Kulturforum Steele" genannten, "alten Bezirksamt an der Dreiringstraße", ausgestattet mit "Cafeteria" und einem "Zugang für Rollstuhlfahrer", wie auch in Borbeck, dort in eigenen Räumen in der neuen Bezirksverwaltungsstelle an der Gerichtsstraße; zugleich ist in der Volkshochschule unter Leitung von Gerd Hergen Lübben das Konzept eines "besonderen Kultur-Modells" für das Schloss Borbeck mit dem dazugehörenden Wirtschaftsgebäude entwickelt worden, wodurch nach Auffassung des damaligen Kulturdezernenten Wilhelm Godde für die Zukunft eine "raffinierte, rationelle und vielseitige Nutzung" ermöglicht wurde. Zahlreiche VHS-Angebote finden seither sowohl in der Außenstelle der Volkshochschule in der Gerichtsstraße in Borbeck als auch im Kulturforum im Gebäude der ehemaligen Sparkasse Steele in der Dreiringstraße in Steele statt.

Die Volkshochschule am Burgplatz zählte im Jahr 2010 mehr als 83.000 Besucher bei rund 58.000 Unterrichtsstunden. Die Besucherzahl am vorherigen Standort an der Hollestraße lag zuletzt bei etwa 63.000. Am heutigen Standort arbeiten neben 44 Festangestellten weitere 650 freiberufliche Dozenten. Im Programm für das erste Semester 2012 wurden insgesamt 938 Lehrgänge und Kurse angeboten.

Ausstellungen und Veranstaltungen
Die Eingangshalle sowie die Wartebereiche auf den einzelnen Etagen werden für ständig wechselnde Kunstausstellungen genutzt.

Im Großen Saal finden zeitweise Konzerte, Aufführungen und weitere Veranstaltungen statt.

Publikationen

 Volkshochschule Essen (Hrsg.): Initiative gegen Lehrerarbeitslosigkeit / IGEL – Erkundung alternativer Einsatzfelder für arbeitslose Lehrer. 1985.

Literatur

 Detlef Hopp, Baoquan Song: Archäologisches vom Gelände der Volkshochschule in der Essener Innenstadt. (= Berichte aus der Essener Denkmalpflege. Band 16). Stadt Essen, Institut für Denkmalschutz und Denkmalpflege/Stadtarchäologie, Essen 2017, ISSN 2199-1693.

 Stadt Essen – Der Oberstadtdirektor (Hrsg.): 75 Jahre Volkshochschule Essen. Weiterbildung – Subjektiver Faktor – Standort Faktor. Dokumentation der Jubiläumsfeier am 24. November 1994. 1994.

Weblinks

 Homepage der Volkshochschule Essen

Einzelnachweise

Essen
Bildungseinrichtung der Erwachsenenbildung in Nordrhein-Westfalen
Bauwerk in Essen
Schule in Essen
Kultur (Essen)
Stadtkern (Essen)
Gegründet 1919
Erbaut in den 1970er Jahren
Erbaut in den 2000er Jahren
Zerstört in den 2010er Jahren

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The 2018 Wa She Shu It' Deh Native American Arts Festival takes place July 28-29 in South Lake Tahoe. This image is from the event's promotional poster.
RENO, Nev. — Below is a list of ongoing and upcoming events, as published in the July-August 2018 edition of First Nation's Focus, for a timeframe of July 18 to August 15.
Bishop Paiute Tribal Council Meeting — 5:30-7 p.m., July 26 and Aug. 9, Bishop Paiute Reservation, 2490 Diaz Lane, Bishop, Calif.
Redbird's 18th annual Children of Many Colors Powwow — July 20-22, Moorpark College, 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark, Calif. For information, email redbirds_vision@hotmail.com, or go to http://www.redbirdsvision.org.
Wa She Shu It' Deh Native American Arts Festival — July 28-29, Tallac Historic site, South Lake Tahoe, Calif. This event features native arts and crafts, food vendors, basket-making, raffles, Native American dance and drum performances, and more. Go to valhallatahoe.com for information.
48th annual Indian Fair Days & Powwow — Aug. 4-5, Minarets High School, O'Neals, Calif. $5 admission benefits the nonprofit Sierra Mono Museum, dedicated to preserving Mono Indian culture. For information, go to sierramonomuseum.org.
18th annual Robert Canada Friendship Powwow — Aug. 11-12, Furgeson Elementary School, 22215 S. Elaine Ave., Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. All dancers and drums are welcome. For information, call 562-420-2641, ext. 229.
2018 Silver State Gourd Society 4th Annual Gourd Dance Celebration — Aug. 17-19, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, 34 Reservation Road, Reno, Nev. The event will culminate with the annual Silver State Gourd Society meeting at 11 a.m. on Aug. 19. For information, contact Sandra Williams at 775-721-6016 or via email at davidsamily911@gmail.com.
2018 Lori Piestewa National Native American Games — July 20-22, Scottsdale 101/Corridor Gyms, WOLF Way of Life Facility, Salt River Recreation, Scottsdale, Ariz. Contact: 602-740-8264 or 480-517-9700.
Feathers, Football & Goals Basketball Tournament — July 20-22. Shiprock High School, Shiprock, New Mexico. For information, email Cassandra and Donovan at ballin4tournaments.com, or call 505-879-9550 or 505-409-2168.
Big Sioux 3-on-3 Cante Skuya Tournament — July 20-22, Wicoicaga Otipi Community Center, Flandreau, South Dakota. Contact Sylvia Roy at 605-573-4195 for information.
Back to School Bash XI — July 27-29, Arizona Window Rock Sports Center, Window Rock, Ariz. Division: 18U Boys & Girls; 16U Boys & Girls; 14U Boys & Girls; 12U Boys & Girls; 10U Coed. Entry costs $125. Awards will be given. Contact: Al at 928-751-8038.
Warrior Wars Summer Classic — July 27-29, Berry Creek Rancheria Gym, Oroville, Calif. Division: All Native High School Boys/Girls divisions for ages 13-18. A $50 deposit is due by July 20. The $125 entry fee is due by tip off. Contact: Frankie, 530-966-8918, frankiemedrano23@gmail.com.


text:
Netflix's worst-rated original TV show cost the company $200 million
Image source: Screenshot | Netflix
By Yoni Heisler @edibleapple
December 23rd, 2016 at 12:07 PM
More so than any other company, Netflix seems to have a special talent for being able to pinpoint and air incredibly unique and original content. Whether it's an 80s sci-fi throwback like Stranger Things or an irreverent cartoon like BoJack Horseman, Netflix's batting average when it comes to original content is impressively high.
Nonetheless, no one ever bats 1000 and Netflix has, on occasion, released a few flops over the past few years. While some shows like Sense8 simply failed to live up to amped up expectations, other shows were surprisingly horrible, if not downright unwatchable at times.
Chief among them is Marco Polo. Recently cancelled by Netflix after a forgettable two-season run, the historical drama which focuses on the famed trader and explorer has the lowest critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes across all of Netflix's original programs with just 24% on the tomatometer.
With the writing clearly on the wall, Netflix earlier this month mercifully axed Marco Polo, thankfully saving viewers from a third season.
What's particularly interesting is that Netflix reportedly lost $200 million on the show, an interesting data point given how rigorously Netflix tends to guard its financial information with respect to individual programs.
Predictably, Netflix has never conceded that the show was a disappointment despite an avalanche of evidence to the contrary. A few months back, Netflix executive Ted Sarandos harped on the fact that the show is "hugely popular all throughout Asia and Europe."
A life long Mac user and Apple enthusiast, Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large for over 6 years. His writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and most recently, TUAW. When not writing about and analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions, the most recent examples being The Walking Dead and Broad City.
PokeScout is the ultimate tool for finding Pokemon Go gyms
Mike Pompeo says there's evidence the coronavirus escaped from a Wuhan lab
By Chris Smith 1 day ago


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About CJR
G. McConway
Homeless Man Mercilessly Beats Woman Subway
Yet another attack in the New York City subway system has left an innocent victim beaten and battered.
A video surfaced this week of a brutal attack of Elizabeth Gomes.
After ignoring a homeless man, he drug her across the station and brutally beat her, and now she may lose vision in one of her eyes.
Brutal to Watch
My stomach turned as I watched this video…
Gomes is a security guard at Kennedy Airport and was on her way to work when the attack took place.
Gomes stated, "He was targeting me or something" and ranting "about the devil, about … a whole bunch of stuff that you don't even want to hear at five o'clock in the morning."
The assailant has a mile-long record, with Gomes' husband explaining, "This guy kill his grandmother at 14 years old.
"He injured so many people. Why is he on the street? That's what we trying to find out.
"It's crazy — she's going to lose her sight if she doesn't get some help real soon."
Violent crime in the NYC subway is up 42 percent since 2019.
What are you going to do about it, Mayor Adams?
Sources: New York Post & Fox News
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Paul Pelosi Attacker Made Disturbing Call to Television Station
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text:
New Nova Scotia premier must seize opportunity for economic change
By Joseph Quesnel on February 25, 2021 No Comment
Nova Scotia is envied for its commitment to the environment. But it must also more aggressively encourage resources and startups
The Nova Scotia Liberal Party has chosen a new leader so it's important to think about the policy priorities of the province's new premier, Iain Rankin.
Although an election doesn't need to be held until spring 2022, Elections Nova Scotia is already preparing for one as early as April 1 of this year.
The premier has some big shoes to fill. His predecessor Stephen McNeil was incredibly popular and shepherded the province through the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nova Scotia has become known for its quick actions in response to the pandemic and low rates of infection.
Rankin and his cabinet were sworn in on Tuesday. Here are some policy recommendations for the group that transcend party labels:
Rankin should continue on the same path regarding the pandemic as McNeil. The province has worked closely with top scientists and has been strict on isolation requirements (as part of the Atlantic Bubble, which has burst somewhat recently, but not in Nova Scotia). The next challenge will be the vaccine rollout, working closely with the federal government.
The pandemic forced the province to eat through its slim surplus; Rankin will be dealing with a $500-million deficit by the end of the fiscal year. The tourism and hospitality industries have suffered greatly throughout the pandemic. The government faces the perennial choice between tax increases or budget cuts.
The province needs to work with the federal government on ensuring a balanced economic recovery.
However, as Rankin plans the recovery, he should thumb through some insightful commentary. David MacKinnon, a senior fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy and a native of Prince Edward Island, looked at the system of regional subsidies in Canada. He points out how the federal equalization scheme – while aiming at regional fairness – often distorts the policy choices Atlantic provinces make. The system damages the provinces' market economy, reduces their competitiveness compared to other jurisdictions, and encourages provinces like Nova Scotia to engage in risky policy because it's shielded from the consequences.
For example, Nova Scotia, like some other subsidy-dependent regions, has an excessive public sector per capita. It also tends to generate large budgetary deficits, thanks to federal bailouts.
Moreover, the way natural resource wealth is calculated in the federal subsidy formula has allowed the province to shun fracking and uranium mining, which other provinces that contribute to the equalization fund permit. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have important energy resources that aren't being developed because the revenue isn't needed.
While Nova Scotia is envied for its laudable commitment to the environment, it must also embrace its entrepreneurial, risk-taking side and more aggressively encourage resource developments and business startups.
Rankin should also dust off the report of the Nova Scotia Commission on Building Our New Economy, called Now or Never: An Urgent Call to Action for Nova Scotians. This honest, insightful and hopeful 2014 report identified many of the systemic challenges facing the province.
The report was compiled well before the pandemic but many of the challenges it identified still ring true. Most hopeful was its declaration that Nova Scotia wouldn't necessarily remain a have-not province. An aging and shrinking population and lower traditional rates of economic growth affects the province's standard of living and critical public services. However, the province's educated human capital could change things. The government must think beyond the pandemic to the province's future prosperity.
Nova Scotia must also work with the federal government and the other provinces to bring about systemic change to the way equalization payments are calculated.
The province must also find ways to restructure its costly public sector. This doesn't have to mean mass layoffs but it must deal with large hospital and university infrastructures.
Rankin and his government must have an honest conversation now with all Nova Scotians about the systemic reforms needed to improve the province's prosperity.
Joseph Quesnel is a senior research associate with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.
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Covid-19, Natural resources
New Nova Scotia premier must seize opportunity for economic change added by Joseph Quesnel on February 25, 2021
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Joseph Quesnel
Joseph Quesnel received a BA honours in political science and history from McGill University and is currently completing a master of journalism degree from Carleton University, with a specialization in public affairs reporting. Joseph has over 15 years of experience in print journalism including over three years as lead staff writer at the Drum/First Perspective, a national Aboriginal publication.
A Farmers' Convoy could prove fatal for Trudeau
Killing Trans Mountain project would devastate Indigenous communities
Moving aboriginal services closer to people a good idea


It's a great sport" Mitch says, "It's fun, challenging but not too strenuous, anyone can learn to play". He became a Pickleball ambassador (really, there are hundreds throughout the country) and set about searching for suitable locations. He created a Meetup, www.meetup.com/southflpickleball/ and already has several members who are ready and anxious to play. The Meetup is free to join, just go to the site and register/sign-up so you can receive updated information.
We need ladies for the Regional Tournament!!


text:
Robotic Surgery at Methodist Health System
Robotic Surgery Whipple
da Vinci® Robotic Whipple for Pancreatic Cancer
Robotic Whipple Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer with the da Vinci® Surgical System
Methodist Dallas Medical Center was among the first hospitals in the country to offer advanced minimally invasive, fully robotic Whipple surgery, or pancreaticoduodenectomy.
When the Whipple procedure is performed with the aid of a robot, patients benefit from five small incisions rather than one large incision.
Potential benefits of the robotic Whipple surgery vs. traditional open Whipple surgery include:
Less pain
Fewer complications
Faster healing, which enables patients to begin chemotherapy and radiation treatment more quickly
A national epicenter for innovative, progressive care of pancreatic cancer
In September 2014, Dr. Alejandro Mejia, a transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon at Methodist Health System, was designated as an epicenter surgeon by Intuitive Surgical (Intuitive is the maker of the da Vinci® robotic surgical system). This is the first hepatobiliary-focused general surgery robotic epicenter designated by Intuitive Surgical.
The epicenter designation recognizes Methodist Dallas' quality outcomes, compassionate care, and leadership in advanced treatment options for liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and other diseases of the liver, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract. The epicenter will draw surgeons from across the country to learn about these advanced treatments from our experts.
Advanced pancreatic cancer care in North Texas
"The Whipple procedure is one of the most common surgeries for pancreatic tumor removal," says Alejandro Mejia, MD, transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon with The Liver Institute at Methodist Dallas.. "The addition of the robot into the surgical procedure enhances the patient's care, typically reducing pain and shortening recovery time. At Methodist Dallas, we are now offering some of the most advanced hepatobiliary care in North Texas."
Home in five days following Whipple surgery with five small incisions
"I was genuinely impressed. I've been in a lot of hospitals, but this one I'd put at the very top. At Methodist, I found a world-class physician and world-class facilities and staff. There was also a real expression of compassion that meant an awful lot. It really did." —
Rex W. pancreatic cancer patient treated with the robotic Whipple procedure
Jimmy Patterson benefited from the robotic Whipple procedure for the removal of his pancreatic tumor. "I was home five days following surgery with five small incisions," says Patterson. "They told me a typical hospital stay for Whipple surgery is seven to 10 days. I was also glad that the pain seemed to be less severe than I expected. I didn't need the pain medicine when I got home." The procedure allowed Patterson a faster recovery time from surgery and the advantage of being able to start chemotherapy and radiation treatment quicker to treat his pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Mejia performed the procedure using the da Vinci® Surgical System. To execute the minimally invasive procedure requires advanced skills and training in minimally invasive surgical techniques. Dr. Mejia sits at a console viewing a three-dimensional image of the surgical field and then precisely manipulates small flexible instruments inserted through the incisions. "The robotic camera allows for magnified, high-definition viewing of organs," says Dr. Mejia. "It results in benefits to the patient in a very meticulous operation."
The robotic Whipple procedure is a significant advancement of a very complex operation for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The fully robotic Whipple procedure requires advanced technical abilities that only highly skilled surgeons successfully carry out. The robot benefits the surgeon by providing an enhanced three-dimensional view of the abdomen and advanced fluorescence to improve visualization of the blood vasculature in real time.
The Whipple procedure involves the removal of the head of the pancreas, gallbladder, bile duct, part of the stomach, and small intestine. Methodist Dallas is pleased to be joining an elite group of hospitals across the United States now offering advanced minimally invasive robotic hepatobiliary surgery, including fully robotic Whipple surgery.
Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The physicians on the Methodist Health System medical staff are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System, Methodist Health System, or any of its affiliated hospitals.
Methodist Medical Group is owned and operated by MedHealth and staffed by independently practicing physicians who are employees of MedHealth. The physicians and staff who provide service at this site are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System or any of it's affiliated hospitals.
Robotic Surgery Physicians
Robotic Colorectal Surgery
Robotic Heart Surgery
Robotic Gallbladder Surgery
da Vinci® Single-Site™ Gallbladder Surgery
Robotic Gynecology
da Vinci® Single-Site™ Hysterectomy
Robotic Surgery Patient Success Stories


text:
Perspective > Medscape Diabetes & Endocrinology > Conference Reports
Highlights From The First World Congress on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome
Zachary T. Bloomgarden, MD
Definitions of the IRS
Richard C. Pasternak, MD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, discussed the deliberations that led the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) ATP III panel to propose its definition of the metabolic syndrome.[35,36] Clinical trials show evidence for modification of atherogenic dyslipidemia, for blood pressure treatment, and for aspirin administration. Primary management goals should be the reversal of the root causes of obesity and physical inactivity. Intensified LDL lowering should be considered. In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, 52% of persons with the metabolic syndrome and 23% of those without the metabolic syndrome had increased carotid artery intima-media thickness. The association of CRP with atherosclerotic risk in the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study was additive to the presence of metabolic syndrome.[37]
Daniel Einhorn, MD, Scripps Whittier Institute for Diabetes, San Diego, California, gave a similar assessment of the ACE/AACE consensus definition of the IRS,[38,39] which differs from ATP III in the following ways:
It focuses on the IRS rather than on CVD;
It excludes persons with type 2 diabetes;
It recognizes the limitations of the fasting glucose and the usefulness of the 2-hour post-challenge glucose; and
It views obesity, based either on BMI or waist circumference, as a risk factor rather than as a criterion.
Factors that increase the likelihood of the IRS include CVD; hypertension; PCOS; NAFLD; acanthosis nigricans; non-Caucasian ethnicity; sedentary lifestyle; age > 40; a history of gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance; and a family history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or CVD. Suggested targets for reducing CVD risk are LDL < 100 mg/dL, triglyceride < 150 mg/dL, and BP < 130/80 mm Hg.
Jacqueline M. Dekker, PhD, Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, reviewed the working definitions of the IRS proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO),[40,41] the NCEP ATP III, the ACE, and the European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance (EGIR) ( Table ).[42]
In a study[43] of 1209 Finnish men aged 42-60 years, the 10-year CVD risk was 2.1- and 2.5-fold increased with the ATP III and WHO IRS definitions, respectively. In the Botnia Dietary Study,[44] there was a 1.8-fold increase in risk in persons satisfying the WHO IRS criteria.
Dr. Dekker presented an analysis of the Hoorn study of 2484 persons, begun in 1989 with persons then aged 50-75 years.[40] Among both men and women, those with ATP III IRS were more likely to have hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL cholesterol, and higher glucose, insulin, and waist circumference. Nineteen percent of men and 26% of women in the study had IRS by the ATP III criteria; 32% and 17%, respectively, had IRS by the WHO criteria; 19% and 26%, respectively, had IRS by the EGIR criteria; and 35% and 33%, respectively, had IRS by the ACE criteria, with 60% to 80% agreement between the various definitions. Among men, those having IRS according to either the ATP III or ACE criteria had a doubling of risk for CVD, while those with IRS according to the WHO and EGIR had a 1.5-fold increased risk. Among women, the associations were less strong: those with IRS by the ATP III criteria had twice the risk of CVD without increase in fatal CVD; those satisfying the ACE criteria had doubling of nonfatal CVD and a 1.5-fold increase in fatal CVD. The strengths of association were weaker among women for the WHO and EGIR criteria.
Persons with IRS based on the ACE guidelines who did not have recognized CVD risk factors did not in fact have increased CVD risk, while risk increased (as would be expected) with the number of risk factors. Other studies have shown that the IRS was not an independent predictor if individual risk factors were included in the analysis.[45] Using the Hoorn study data, among men, high insulin predicted a 1.5-fold increase in CVD, increased waist circumference predicted a doubling, and hypertension predicted a 2-3-fold increase in risk. Among women, high insulin and waist circumference predicted risk of nonfatal but not fatal CVD, and both low HDL and high triglyceride levels were significant factors predicting both fatal and nonfatal CVD.
Medscape Diabetes. 2004;6(1) © 2004 Medscape
Cite this: Highlights From The First World Congress on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome - Medscape - Jan 30, 2004.
Table. Definitions of the IRS
ATP III: Metabolic Syndrome
≥ 3 of the following criteria:
Waist circumference > 102 cm in men and > 88 cm in women
Serum triglyceride ≥ 150 mg/dL
HDL-C < 40 mg/dL in men, < 50 mg/dL in women
BP ≥ 130/85 mm Hg
Serum glucose ≥ 110 mg/dL
WHO: Metabolic Syndrome
Diabetes, IFG, IGT, or HOMA insulin resistant and ≥ 2 of the following criteria:
Waist-hip ratio > 0.90 in men or > 0.85 cm in women
Serum triglyceride ≥ 150 mg/dL or HDL-C < 35 mg/dL in men, < 39 mg/dL in women
Urinary AER > 20 mcg/min
Blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mm Hg
ACE: Insulin Resistance Syndrome
Presence of ≥ 1 of the following factors:
Diagnosis of CVD, hypertension, PCOS, NAFLD, or acanthosis nigricans
Family history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or CVD
History of gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance
Non-Caucasian ethnicity
Sedentary lifestyle
BMI > 25 kg/m2 and/or waist circumference > 40 inches in men, > 35 inches in women
Age > 40 years
and ≥ 2 of the following criteria:
Triglycerides > 150 mg/dL
HDL-C: Men < 40 mg/dL, women < 50 mg/dL
BP > 130/85 mm Hg
Fasting glucose 110-125 mg/dL or 120 min post-glucose challenge 140-200 mg/dL (diabetes is excluded from the ACE IRS)
EGIR: Insulin Resistance Syndrome
Fasting hyperinsulinemia (highest 25%) and≥ 2 of the following criteria:
Fasting plasma glucose ≥ 6.1 millimoles/liter (mM)/L, but nondiabetic
BP ≥ 140/90 mm Hg or treated for hypertension
Triglycerides > 2 mM/L or HDL-cholesterol < 1 mM/L or treated for dyslipidemia
Waist circumference ≥ 94 cm in men and ≥ 80 cm in women
ACE = American College of Endocrinology; ATP = Adult Treatment Panel; BMI = body mass index; BP = blood pressure; CVD = cardiovascular disease; EGIR = European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance; HDL-C = high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HOMA = homeostasis model assessment; IFG = impaired fasting glucose; IGT = impaired glucose tolerance; IRS = insulin resistance syndrome; NAFLD = nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; PCOS = polycystic ovary syndrome
Zachary T. Bloomgarden, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical School, New York, NY
Disclosure: Dr. Bloomgarden has no significant financial interests to disclose. He does not discuss any investigational or unlabeled uses of commercial products in this activity.
News Teprotumumab, Canagliflozin, and Kevin Pho Top AACE Agenda
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Intermittent Fasting Promotes Weight Loss, Improves Lipids
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Melatonin: Magic Potion or Unregulated Danger?
High-Protein Diet Could Be Harmful, Even for Healthy Kidneys
Mediterranean Diet Repeats as Best Overall of 2020
b:recommendationscuratedHasData : false


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text:
package com.epimorphics.server.stores;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStream;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Iterator;
import java.util.Map;

import javax.servlet.ServletContext;

import org.apache.jena.riot.Lang;
import org.apache.jena.riot.RDFLanguages;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import com.epimorphics.util.EpiException;
import com.hp.hpl.jena.graph.Graph;
import com.hp.hpl.jena.graph.compose.MultiUnion;
import com.hp.hpl.jena.query.Dataset;
import com.hp.hpl.jena.query.DatasetFactory;
import com.hp.hpl.jena.rdf.model.Model;
import com.hp.hpl.jena.rdf.model.ModelFactory;

/**
 * Store implementation in memory, used for test harnesses.
 *
 * @author Dave Reynolds
 */
public class MemStore extends StoreBase {
    static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger( MemStore.class );

    protected Model unionModel;
    protected MultiUnion unionGraph;

    @Override
    public void init(Map<String, String> config, ServletContext context) {
        super.init(config, context);
        dataset = DatasetFactory.createMem();

        Model dflt = ModelFactory.createDefaultModel();
        unionGraph = new MultiUnion( new Graph[]{dflt.getGraph()} );
        unionModel = ModelFactory.createModelForGraph(unionGraph);
        dataset.setDefaultModel(unionModel);

        installJenaText();
        installQueryEndpoint(context);
    }

    @Override
    protected
    void doAddGraph(String graphname, Model graph) {
        lockWrite();
        try {
            Model m = getSafeNamedModel(graphname);
            m.add(graph);
            m.setNsPrefixes(graph);

            unionGraph.addGraph( m.getGraph() );
            unionModel.setNsPrefixes( graph );
        } finally {
            unlock();
        }
    }

    protected Model getSafeNamedModel(String graphname) {
        Model m = dataset.getNamedModel(graphname);
        if (m == null) {
            m = ModelFactory.createDefaultModel();
            dataset.addNamedModel(graphname, m);
        }
        return m;
    }

    @Override
    protected
    void doDeleteGraph(String graphname) {
        lockWrite();
        try {
            unionGraph.removeGraph( dataset.getNamedModel(graphname).getGraph() );

            dataset.removeNamedModel(graphname);
        } finally {
            unlock();
        }
    }

    @Override
    public Dataset asDataset() {
        return dataset;
    }

    @Override
    protected void doAddGraph(String graphname, InputStream input,
            String mimeType) {
        Lang lang = RDFLanguages.contentTypeToLang(mimeType);
        if (lang == null) {
            throw new EpiException("Cannot read MIME type: " + mimeType);
        }
        lockWrite();
        try {
            getSafeNamedModel(graphname).read(input, graphname, lang.getName());
            try { input.close(); } catch (IOException eio) {}
        } catch (Exception e) {
            abort();
            throw new EpiException(e);
        } finally {
            unlock();
        }
    }

    @Override
    public Model getUnionModel() {
        if (unionModel == null) {
            // This block now redundant, to be cleared out
            Map<String, String> prefixes = new HashMap<String, String>();
            int count = 0;
            for (Iterator<String> i = dataset.listNames(); i.hasNext();) {
                i.next();
                count++;
            }
            Graph[] graphs = new Graph[ count ];

            count = 0;
            for (Iterator<String> i = dataset.listNames(); i.hasNext();) {
                Model m = dataset.getNamedModel( i.next() );
                graphs[count++] = m.getGraph();
                prefixes.putAll( m.getNsPrefixMap() );
            }

            unionModel = ModelFactory.createModelForGraph( new MultiUnion(graphs) );
            unionModel.setNsPrefixes(prefixes);
        }
        return unionModel;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: SQL Select Query Combining two queries if/else, null, empty input For example I have a table
State | Zip | CategoryID | ProductID
FL    |12345|     2      |  3
GA    |98765|     1      |  5
GA    |98765|     1      |  4

My goal is to come up with a query that matches the state, zip, categoryID, and productID. However, my input for category 2 ProductID could be null or an empty string from the user cause there isn't always a productID associated with the input. If categoryID == 2, it doesn't really care about the specific productID. But if categoryID == 1, it cares about the productID. Is there an if/else I could do like if it's category 1 is it equal to the input or null or empty string and category 2 check the product id? Or is there a way I can make both of these queries into one?
If category 2, the input for productID could be 3, but could also be null or an empty string. So, if it is null, empty string, or 3. I need it to return.
FL    |12345|     2      |  3

select * from locationPurch l
where l.state = :state
and l.zip = :zip
and l.category = :category

If category 1, the input for productID will always be there. So if we are querying for productID 4, it should return.
GA    |98765|     1      |  4

select * from locationPurch l
where l.state = :state
and l.zip = :zip
and l.categoryID = :category
and l.productID = :productID

A: Does this do what you want?
select l.*
from locationPurch l
where l.state = :state and
      l.zip = :zip and
      l.categoryID = :category and
      (:category <> 2 or l.productID = :productID)

A: Its not 100% clear what conditions you are looking for, but this version assumes your that if your categoryid=2 then we not only get rows that match the :productID, but also we will match any row where either the parameter is null or the table contains a null.
BTW you mention null or empty string - I am assuming that they are integers in the table and the parameter, which means they will never be an empty string. If this isnt true then change the tests for is null to isnull(l.productID,'')='' or isnull(:productID,'')=''
Your test for categoryid would also have to be categoryID='2'
select l.*
from locationPurch l
where l.state = :state and
  l.zip = :zip and
  l.categoryID = :category and
  (l.productID = :productID
     or (:category = 2 and (l.productID is null or :productID is null))
  )

A: This should work:
SELECT l.*
FROM locationPurch l
WHERE
    -- we look just at categoryId 2
    (:category = 2 AND
     l.CategoryId = 2 AND -- filter only products from Category 2
     (
              :productId IS NULL OR -- :productId is not specified as filter
              (ISNULL(l.ProductId,-99) = :productId) OR -- :productId is specified
              (:productId IS NOT NULL AND l.ProductId IS NULL) -- :productId is specified but user hasn't inputed data for productId in table
     ) AND -- productId resolving
     (:state IS NULL OR l.state = :state) AND
     (:zip IS NULL OR l.zip = :zip)
    )
    OR
    -- only category 1 is observed
    (:category = 1 AND
     l.CategoryId = 1 AND -- filter only products from Category1
     l.ProductId = :productId AND -- only specified productId
     (:state IS NULL OR l.state = :state) AND -- if state is entered then use that state as filter
     (:zip IS NULL OR l.zip = :zip) -- if ZIP is entered use that zip as filter
    )

Edit: Part 2
You can join queries using UNION or UNION ALL operators like this:
select * from locationPurch l
where l.state = :state
and l.zip = :zip
and l.category = :category
and l.category = 1
UNION ALL
select * from locationPurch l
where l.state = :state
and l.zip = :zip
and l.categoryID = :category
and l.productID = :productID
and l.category = 2

* This is just for showing how to use UNION, this script has to be further improved by using WHERE clauses I've used in previous query.
But there are some limitations to using UNION, read here about them: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/language-elements/set-operators-union-transact-sql.

A: Checkout this query:
select *
from locationPurch l
where l.state = :state
  and l.zip = :zip
  and l.categoryID = :category
  and (
    l.categoryID = 2 or l.productID = :productID
  )

If categoryID is 2, it will not care about the productID because of the or operator. If categoryID is any other value (that includes 1), it would check for the productID after the or operator.
For this to work, the operands are enclosed in parentheses ANDed to the rest of the where clause.

A: just try this.
select * from locationPurch l
where l.state = :state
and l.zip = :zip
and l.categoryID = :category
and l.productID = case when :category = 1 then :productID else l.productID end

it will give you your expected output

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Denise M. Quinones August, Miss Puerto Rico 2001, poses while rehearsing Wednesday, May 9, 2001 for the 50th Annual Miss Universe Competition. Miss Universe 2001 will be crowned during the LIVE CBS telecast from the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on Friday, May 11, 2001 starting at 9 PM (ET). ho/Miss Universe Organization
Denise M. Quinones August, Miss Puerto Rico 2001; smiles while performing the opening number during the 50th Annual Miss universe competition on Friday, May 11 2001. Quinones August went on to win the title of Miss Universe 2001. ho/ Miss universe Organization
Keywords: telecast
Denise M. Quinones August, Miss Puerto Rico 2001; smiles as she is chosen one of the top ten finalists during the 50th Annual Miss universe competition on Friday, May 11 2001. Quinones August went on to win the crown of Miss Universe 2001. ho/ Miss universe Organization
Denise M. Quinones August, Miss Puerto Rico 2001; competes in the Bluepoint Swim swimwear competition as one of the top ten finalists during the 50th Annual Miss universe competition on Friday, May 11 2001. Quinones Augustwent on to win the title of Miss Universe 2001. ho/ Miss universe Organization
Eva Siso Casals, Miss Spain 2001; Eva Ekvall, Miss Venezuela 2001; Eva Ekvall, Miss Venezuela 2001; Ilanit Levi, Miss Israel 2001; Evelina Papantoniou, Miss Greece 2001; Celina Jaitly, Miss India 2001; Oxana Kalandyrets, Miss Russia 2001; Kandace Krueger, Miss USA 2001; Elodie Gossuin, Miss France 2001; and Denise M. Quinones August, Miss Puerto Rico 2001; compete in the Bluepoint Swim swimwear competition as the top ten finalists during the 50th Annual Miss universe competition on Friday, May 11 2001. ho/ Miss universe Organization
Denise M. Quinones August, Miss Puerto Rico 2001; ompetes in the evening gown competition as one of the top ten finalists during the 50th Annual Miss Universe competition on Friday, May 11 2001. Quinones August went on to win the title of Miss Universe 2001. ho/ Miss universe Organization
Denise M. Quinones August, Miss Puerto Rico 2001, reacts to being named Miss Universe 2001 at the conclusion of the LIVE CBS Television Network broadcast of the 50th Annual Miss Universe competition from the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on Friday, May 11, 2001. Quinones August also won the Bluepoint Swimsuit/Fitness Award and the Clairol Herbal Essences Style Award. ho/Miss Universe Organization


text:
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text:
Saudi Arabia accuses UN Security Council of 'inaction' against Houthis
Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the UN Abdallah al-Mouallimi presented an urgent letter to the UN Security Council. (Screengrab)
Staff writer, Al Arabiya English Sunday 12 August 2018
Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the UN Abdallah al-Mouallimi presented an urgent letter to the UN Security Council which said that the Arab coalition considers the operation which targeted Saada governorate last Thursday as a legitimate military action according to the rules of humanitarian law. The operation was targeted at Houthi militia leaders responsible for recruiting children and putting them in battle fields. It was aimed at a senior weapons trainer and another trainer of sniper units.
Al-Mouallimi confirmed that the Arab coalition referred the incident to the Arab Coalition's Joint Incident Assessment Team (JIAT). FULL STORY
The Saudi letter also criticized the UN Security Council's inactions toward the Houthi militias' violations of UN Resolutions, especially Resolutions 2216 and 2231, permitting Iran to arm the Houthis who benefited from a growing stockpile of ballistic missiles, drones and naval mines, threatening regional stability and maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Khalid bin Salman, said on Friday that one of the leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Brigadier General Nasser Shabani, admitted with all brazenness that the Iranian regime ordered its followers - the Houthis - to hit Saudi tankers in the Red Sea.
"There should be no more doubt about the Iranian regime's menacing role in Yemen and disregard for human suffering and the environment," Prince Khalid tweeted.
Shabani had also said that the Houthi militias in Yemen and Lebanese Hezbollah militias "represented Iran's depth in the region."
Prince Khalid attached a screenshot of the original article where Shabani made his statements to his tweet.
In a statement published by Iranian Fars news agency quoting Brigadier General Second Class Naser Shabani, the operations deputy of "Sarallah Base" (Tehran), as saying on Tuesday: "We asked the Yemenis (Houthis) to attack the two Saudi oil tankers, and they did that."
Few minutes later, the news agency deleted the post which is tantamount to an Iranian confession of backing the Houthi militias.
The United Nations special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths said on Saturday that the Kingdom has a legitimate right to secure and stabilize its borders. It territory should not be targeted and the UN stands for such principles. Read more
AL MOUALLIMI
Gulf Cooperation Council to hold meeting discussing Yemen in Saudi Arabia
Yemen: Five Houthis killed in al-Bayda amid clashes in south Hodeidah


text:
Katarina Jagellonica (polska: Katarzyna Jagiellonka), född 1 november 1526 i Kraków, död 16 september 1583 på slottet Tre Kronor i Stockholm, var drottning av Sverige genom sitt äktenskap med kung Johan III av Sverige. Hon beskrivs som politiskt aktiv och anses, i egenskap av katolik, ha utövat inflytande över Johans värderingar och politik, särskilt i religionsfrågor.

Tidigt liv

Katarina var yngsta barnet av fem till kung Sigismund I av Polen (av den Jagellonska ätten) och Bona Sforza av Milano. Hon lärde sig förutom polska att tala latin och italienska. Efter faderns död 1548 lämnade hon Kraków och bosatte sig med sin mor och sina systrar i Masovien (Czaplinski). Hennes bror, Sigismund II August, hade inte ett nära förhållande till sina systrar, och efter att hennes mor hade återvänt till Italien 1558 levde Katarina och hennes syster Anna under ganska ovissa och knappa förhållanden.

Bland de äktenskapskandidater som föreslogs fanns hertig Albrekt av Preussen och ärkehertig Ferdinand av Österrike. Ett annat äktenskap föreslogs med tsar Ivan den förskräcklige, men förhandlingarna uppfattades vara avslutade 1560. En äktenskapsallians mellan Polen och Sverige hade föreslagits redan 1526, då Gustav Vasa friade till Katarinas halvsyster Hedvig. 1555 föreslogs ett äktenskap mellan Katarina och Erik, därefter med Johan. Efter Erik XIV:s trontillträde inledde Johan egna förhandlingar 1561. Mot Erik XIV:s förbud, reste hans bror Johan, hertig av Finland och sedermera Johan III av Sverige, till Polen sommaren 1562 för att bedriva förhandlingar på plats.

Vigseln mellan Katarina och Johan ägde rum enligt katolsk vigselritual i Vilnius i Litauen 4 oktober 1562. I äktenskapskontraktet försäkrades Katarina fri religionsutövning. I hennes följe ingick både polsk och italiensk personal, två huskaplaner, en "klerk", en apotekare och några "dvärgar". Hon medförde en praktfull utstyrsel, men hennes övriga hemgift och arv efter hennes mor skulle aldrig utbetalas. Paret avreste efter bröllopet till Johans hertigdöme Finland, där de bosatte sig på Åbo slott. Katarina förde med sig en stor hemgift: i hennes bagage ingick silverföremål till en vikt av 240 kilo sammanlagt, bland dem de första gafflar som användes i Finland (gafflar började användas i Europa just vid denna tid), och en garderob på 113 plagg i svart, röd, gul och violbrun taft, siden, atlas och sammet, av vilka bara mössorna hade ett värde av 6.650 daler (4,6 miljoner kronor i 2018 års penningvärde).  Utöver föremålen medförde hon ett stort följe av både polska, italienska och tyska personer: där ingick kocken Stanislaw Leszczynski, bagaren Marcinek, hovmästaren Jan Manowski, den italienska vinmästaren Cola, fjorton kvinnor och fyra "hovdvärgar" varav två manliga, Maciek och Siemionek, och två kvinnliga, Baska och  Dorothea.

Hertiginna

Paret höll hov som hertig och hertiginna av Finland över jul och nyår 1562–1563. Johans anknytning till Polen ledde till en oförsonlig missämja mellan honom och Erik, som misstänkte Johan för att konspirera med Polen-Litauen. Under våren 1563 utbröt konflikt mellan Johan och Erik XIV. I augusti 1563 togs Johan till fånga efter att ha belägrats på Åbo slott i ett par veckor. Katarina följde av egen fri vilja med Johan till fångenskapen i Sverige på Gripsholm, enligt traditionen med hänvisning till inskriptionen i vigselringen – Nemo nisi mors – ingen utom döden (skall skilja oss åt). Hon behöll ett antal polska hovdamer och andra personer ur sin personal, bland andra hovdvärgen Dorothea Ostrelska, men bad Erik om att de övriga av hennes hov skulle få återvända till Polen.

Förhållandet mellan Katarina och Johan ska ha djupnat och utvecklats under den fyra år långa fångenskapen tillsammans 1563–1567. Katarina ska då ha påverkat Johan i katolsk riktning. Hennes närvaro gjorde Johans fångenskap bättre, eftersom Erik var tvungen att ta hänsyn till henne då hennes tillvaro observerades internationellt. Katarina var under fångenskapen inte satt under lika hård bevakning som Johan. Hon tilläts promenera i slottets omgivningar och ska även ha hämtat vatten från en källa, efter henne kallad drottningkällan, under perioder när hon var rädd för att Johan skulle förgiftas, och Erik biföll normalt allt hon bad om ifråga om bekvämligheter, med undantag av allt som hade med katolicismen att göra, där han tvärtom nekade henne det mesta inklusive besök av en katolsk präst.
Erik kunde också använda henne som potentiell gisslan mot Polen under det pågående dansk-polska kriget mot Sverige. Erik XIV slöt ett förbund med Ryssland, som innebar att han gick med på att utlämna Katarina till hennes före detta friare, Ivan den förskräcklige. Tsaren hade möjligen planer på att använda henne som gisslan i sina förhandlingar med Polen. Erik drog sig dock för att uppfylla villkoret med hänsyn till den europeiska opinionen. Katarina sände i alla fall två brev till Erik med begäran om frigivande år 1565.

Johan och Katarina försonades med Erik XIV vid Väntholmen intill Svartsjö slott i oktober 1567, varefter de frigavs.  Katarina skrev vid denna tid till sin syster Sofia: "Herren Gud har berövat kungen av Sverige hans förstånd, vilket har hjälpt oss att bli befriade", men hon skrev också att Erik inte var helt från vettet utan "snarare besatt av desperation och samvetskval på grund av sina gärningar som inte ger honom någon ro."
Våren 1568 väntade ryska sändebud i Stockholm på Katarinas utlämnande till Ryssland.  Strax därefter började Johans och Karls uppror mot Erik. Oppositionen mot Erik antas ha sett Johans äktenskap med en medlem av ett kungahus som en fördel, eftersom Erik nyss hade gjort skandal genom att gifta sig med Karin Månsdotter. Katarina bodde i Vadstena under upproret, och besökte då flera gånger Vadstena kloster, som hon gav donationer. Hon ska ha spelat en viss roll i upproret, och hade bland annat ansvaret för det kapital man samlade ihop för att finansiera det. Hon var vän med Ebba Månsdotter (Lilliehöök), som tillsammans med sin make bidrog till att övertala hertigarna att göra uppror mot Erik, och hon mottog också en direkt uppmaning från Pontus De la Gardie, som uppmanade henne att övertala den obeslutsamma Johan att höja upprorsfanan i protest mot kungens giftermål. Hon ska då ha svarat: "Pontus! Jag har väl åhört era råd och skälen ni för fram, och de är alla mycket riktiga och träffande men svåra att sätta i verket. Mina kära vän, visa oss vänligheten och äran att låta detta stanna mellan oss, så talar jag med min herre och make."

Efter Stockholms fall och Eriks avsättning gjorde Katarina sitt intåg i huvudstaden 7 november 1568. Hon färdades då från Vadstena till Helgeandsholmen ledsagad av båtar med vimplar och fördes sedan i en procession i en "ryssebår" (hästbår) till en högtidlig aftonsång i Storkyrkan.

Drottning

Katarina gjorde ett högtidligt intåg i Stockholm och kröntes vid Johans sida våren 1569.

Det finns inte mycket information om Katarinas personlighet, men hon har heller inte fått någon större negativ personlig kritik.  I Polen beskrevs hon som tålmodig, from och "humanitas et modestia" och berömdes för sin tålamod under fångenskapen.
Som Sveriges drottning mottog hon ofta ansökningar från supplikanter som bad henne om understöd eller tjänster, eller som bad henne påverka kungen för deras räkning, något som under denna tiden betraktades som normalt inom rollen för en drottning.
I hertig Karls rimkrönika beskrevs hon: "Hon var en furstinna dygdefull och from, ändock hennes lära var kommen av Rom".
År 1582 tog hon emot Karin Månsdotter på Stockholms slott och såg till att hennes konfiskerade smycken återlämnades till henne.

Relationen mellan henne och Johan var fortsatt god under resten av hennes liv, och några utomäktenskapliga kärlekspartners är inte kända.  Katarina anses ha haft inflytande på Johan inom många områden, så som hans religiösa inställning, utrikespolitiska orientering och konsthistoriska renässansinriktning: kontakterna mellan Sverige och de katolska rikena och kurian avbröts efter hennes död.
Johan III förklarade att Katarina skulle bli Sveriges regent och tillsammans med riksrådet "förestå och regere Sverigis rike" fram till Sigismunds myndighetsdag, om han själv skulle avlida innan sonen var myndig.

Religiös roll
Efter att Katarina blev drottning utsattes hon genast för internationellt intresse, framför allt från kurian i Rom, där hon betraktades som en utsatt katolik i en kättersk omgivning. Hennes tidigare polske rådgivare koadjutorn Martin Kromer uppmanade henne 1569 att försöka omvända Johan till katolicismen. Hon svarade att hon var villig, men att det inte var genomförbart eftersom varken Johan eller allmänheten skulle acceptera det. Kardinal Commendone uppmanade samtidigt hennes syster Anna att stödja Katarina i hennes katolicism, och Anna assisterades i detta av den polske kardinalen Hosius. Anna Jagellonica meddelade dock kurian att Katarina hade mottagit kalken i nattvarden, "sub utraque", något som efter tridentinska mötet blivit helt förbjudet för lekmän och sedan dess ansågs skilja katoliker från kättare. Efter detta tog påven Pius V avstånd.

Hon bad om att få två lämpliga rådgivare, och mottog 1572 polacken Johan Herbst, en anhängare av jesuiterna, som huskaplan och biktfar. På slottet Tre Kronor inreddes ett katolskt kapell för Katarina. Från 1572 hade Katarina direktkontakt med kardinal Hosius, som lovade stödja henne i hennes arbete för motreformationen och förmedla kontakt med påven. Hennes son Sigismund ansågs efter broderns död 1572 ha arvsrätt till Polen, särskilt som han hade uppfostrats katolskt, något som också gav henne en storpolitisk roll. Dessa planer komplicerades dock av det faktum att Polen från 1569 inte längre var ett arvrike utan ett valrike och någon arvsrätt inte längre fanns.

Hösten 1572 ansökte Katarina om absolution för att hon mottagit "sub utraque", bad om tillstånd att fortsätta med det och om lättnader i fastan. Dispensen i nattvardsfrågan handlade om undersökningar om vilka liturgiska eftergifter påven kunde godkänna för Sverige och upprepades i flera år i den politiska brevväxlingen mellan Katarina, Anna, Hosius och påven, och hon påpekade att utan denna eftergift kunde Johan och svenskarna inte godkänna någon motreformation.

Inom Polen-Litauen fanns det en för sin tid unik religiös tolerans. Som första stat tillät Polen-Litauen protestantismen i en del av riket – den polska vasallen Preussen. Där tilläts lutherdomen från 1525 som en jämställd trosuppfattning med de redan existerande katolska, rysk-ortodoxa, judiska och muslimska trosuppfattningarna. Detta i en tid som slets sönder av religionskrig. Hennes make Johan III försökte dessutom att jämka den katolska och lutherska tron med bland annat en gemensam Bibel.

Hennes agent i dessa frågor var Paolo Ferrari. Hon vägrade att ta emot nattvarden alls då påven vägrade ge efter. 1574 fick hon absolution. Hon erhöll också lättnaderna i fastan. Katarina hade sina egna ambassadörer i Rom, sändebuden Petrus Rosinus och Ture Bielke: dessa var Johans sändebud i övriga Italien men enbart hennes i Rom. De skulle också undersöka hennes rätt till hennes mors egendom i Neapel. Kurian hyste stora förhoppningar om en motreformation i Sverige tack vare henne. 1574 mottog hon den polske jesuiten Stanislaus Warszewicki på uppdrag av påven och underhandlingar med Filip II.

Katarina intresserade sig för Vadstena kloster, som beskrivs som hennes skötebarn. Hon och Johan besökte ofta klostret, bekostade ombyggnader och reparationer så som Sancta Birgittas kammare, och inrättade en jesuitskola i en av klosterbyggnaderna.

Det italienska arvet

Kungaparet bedrev också förhandlingar om att få tillgång till hennes arv efter sin mor i Italien, Sforzaarvet, med Pontus De la Gardie som sändebud, och fick stöd av kurian, men eftersom detta arv låg inom domäner som tillhörde Filip II av Spaniens italienska domäner kunde de ändå inte uträtta något. Kurian sände diplomaten och jesuiten Antonio Possevino till Sverige, där han vistades 1578—79 och 1579—80, med uppdrag att omvända Johan, ge dem tillgång till Sforzaarvets utbetalande och till medla mellan Sverige och Polen, men han misslyckades med alla uppdrag. Han bekräftade dock äktenskapet mellan Katarina och Johan, som i katolska ögon var tveksamt eftersom ett äktenskap mellan en katolik och en kättare krävde påvlig dispens. Under Stefan Báthorys regering bedrev Polen en politik utan hänsyn till svenska intressen, något som gav henne en svår mellanställning. Hon mottog 1582 det polska sändebudet Alamanni och förklarade att hon inte kunde påverka Johan till fred mellan Sverige och Polen. Vid en följande audiens mottog hon honom i närvaro av sina barn och klagade över att Polen sällan hade brytt sig om hennes intressen.

Död

På våren 1583 insjuknade Katarina svårt i gikt, och efter ett långvarigt lidande avled hon i september 1583. Hennes stoft jordfästes i Uppsala domkyrka i februari 1584. Ett minne efter Katarina till denna dag är namnet Drottningholm, efter det sommarresidens hon lät uppföra där.

Barn
 Elisabet (1564–1566), kallad Isabella
 Sigismund (1566–1632)
 Anna (1568–1625)

Anfäder

Se även
Drottningkällan i Taxinge som är uppkallad efter Katarina Jagellonica.

Källor och litteratur
 , urn:sbl:12406, hämtad 2013-12-05
Eva Mattsson, Furstinnan. En biografi över drottning Katarina Jagellonica. 2018.

Noter

Vidare läsning
 Mattsson, Eva: Furstinnan - en biografi om drottning Katarina Jagellonica, Bring to Life, Vadstena, 2018

Externa länkar

Svenska hertiginnor
Födda 1526
Avlidna 1583
Sveriges drottningar
Kvinnor
Huset Jagiello
Personer från Kraków
Personer under äldre vasatiden
Gravsatta i Uppsala domkyrka
Personligheter inom romersk-katolska kyrkan i Sverige


text:
Fear The Walking Dead 2×10 Do Not Disturb preview
Pip Ellwood-Hughes September 3, 2016
Madison (Kim Dickens), Strand (Colman Domingo), Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) and Ofelia (Mercedes Mason) took refuge in an abandoned hotel on the latest episode of Fear the Walking Dead.
After searching for Nick (Frank Dillane), the group headed back to board the Abigail only to find it gone. They left a message for Travis (Cliff Curtis) and Nick on driftwood and took shelter in a hotel. While Alicia and Ofelia searched the rooms for supplies, Madison and Strand bond over a bottle of tequila.
Madison revealed to Strand that Nick and Alicia's father committed suicide and didn't die in an accident like she had told her children. Alicia took a shower in one of the empty rooms she found and when she finished Ofelia was missing and hordes of walkers were heading towards the hotel. Down in the bar, the walkers managed to get in putting Madison and Strand in jeopardy.
Meanwhile Nick went on a supply run with Luciana (Danay Garcia) and were almost maimed by gangsters when Nick stole some food.
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text:
PS5 could take virtual reality gaming to the next level with this brilliant device
Published Dec 7th, 2019 11:05AM EST
Image: Jacob Siegal | BGR
Information about Sony's PS5 has been trickling out ever since lead systems architect Mark Cerny was interviewed by Wired back in April, but there's still plenty we don't know. For example, while Cerny confirmed that all current versions of the PlayStation VR headset will be compatible with the next-gen console, we don't know what the company's plans are for the future of the product. Will a PSVR 2 be ready in time for the launch of the PS5 next holiday season? Is a true sequel to the successful virtual reality headset even actually in the works?
We won't know for sure until next year, but LetsGoDigital just discovered a recently published patent from Sony for an "actuator apparatus" that appears to be one piece of an entirely new VR system.
The patent describes a system that uses a spherical device with a stereo camera attached to it paired with a head-mounted display to allow two parties to connect to and interact with one another in VR. While one user is wearing the PSVR headset, they receive audio and visual feedback from the cameras and microphones on the spherical device in real-time. Plus, while your head is moving inside the headset, the spherical device on the other end of the connection mirrors your movements by sliding along arc-shaped rails. Here's an example from the patent:
Image source: LetsGoDigital
We're likely quite a ways away from Sony discussing the future of PlayStation VR, but this sounds like it could be a clever and entertaining way to bring multiplayer to virtual reality. Of course, there are plenty of VR games that have multiplayer components, but this contraption would seemingly be a major leap forward for the technology. With the actuator apparatus, it would be almost like having someone else in the room with you.
PlayStation 5 PlayStation VR sony


text:
Tibouchina strigosa är en tvåhjärtbladig växtart som först beskrevs av Louis Claude Marie Richard, och fick sitt nu gällande namn av Célestin Alfred Cogniaux. Tibouchina strigosa ingår i släktet Tibouchina och familjen Melastomataceae. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Myrtenordningen
strigosa