text:
Find a Trial
Los Angeles: Glamour, Hollywood, and…Clinical Trials?
Written by Jack Beecher, TrialScout Data Analyst
"The Clinical Trials Landscape is an information series that is derived from the proprietary database transformation that www.TrialScout.com is built on," said Dr. Irfan Khan, CEO of Circuit Clinical. "With these insights, we hope to increase awareness of clinical research as a care option to patients, as well as healthcare providers and administrators, and help them understand it as well." Craig Lipset, the former Head of Clinical Innovation for Pfizer and a current board member of Empirican Group Inc. (which owns Circuit Clinical), adds "Pharmaceutical research is heavily reliant on tremendous amounts of data in selecting the locations at which multi-center clinical trials will be conducted. The TrialScout Clinical Trial Landscape Project provides novel insights for study planners that will improve decision-making and thus accelerate the development of new medicines." While Los Angeles gets significant contributions from a wide array of players in its clinical trials landscape, most notably UCLA Health, the clinical trial volume of the city as a whole shows room for growth considering its size.
In line with being the second-most populous Combined Statistical Area (CSA) in the country5 as well as being ranked as its second-largest Designated Market Area (DMA) by Nielsen3, the greater Los Angeles area is only bested in the U.S. clinical trial industry by New York City1,2. According to the TrialScout database, a total of 43,226 clinical trials have been conducted in Los Angeles since they have been recorded, significantly outpacing the totals of similarly-ranked DMAs (with the exception of New York)2,3. Chicago, ranked third by Nielsen, has a total of 24,610 clinical trials, while Philadelphia (ranked fourth) and Dallas (ranked fifth) have 22,308 and 14,309 respectively1,3. As can be seen below, the greater Los Angeles area is bound by Ventura and Lancaster to the north, Temecula and Palm Springs to the south, and the Arizona state line to the east; it thus encompasses notable cities such as Anaheim, Riverside, Santa Ana, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, and Oxnard among many others.
Distribution of Clinical Trials per Zip Code1
Copyright © 2019 TrialScoutTM
Despite an objectively high trial count, population totals put a slight damper on Los Angeles's overall clinical trial performance. The Los Angeles CSA has an estimated population of 18,764,814 residents, while the next-highest performing cities and their populations are as follows: Boston (8,233,270), Chicago (9,901,356), Philadelphia (7,206,807), Miami (6,832,588), San Jose (8,837,789), Detroit (5,336,286), and Washington D.C. (9,765,772). The population of the Los Angeles CSA more than doubles those of each aforementioned city besides Chicago and Washington, yet its trial volume does not quite line up in the same manner. When both trial volume and population totals for the comparison cities are doubled, both Boston (twice its actual total of 26,653 equaling 53,464) and Philadelphia (twice its actual total of 22,308 equaling 44,616) have more trials than Los Angeles does to date despite twice their populations still being less than Los Angeles's actual population. Under the same circumstances, Miami's doubled trial volume (twice its actual total of 21,625 equaling 43,250) becomes very comparable to Los Angeles's actual output, while San Jose (20,934 x 2 = 41,868) and Detroit (20,877 x 2 = 41,754) are not far behind despite all three having populations less than half of Los Angeles's1,5. Theoretically, then, it can be said that Los Angeles is outperformed in the clinical trial industry by Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, and Detroit while being relatively in line with San Jose, Washington D.C., and Chicago, and this is supported when trial volume is divided by population to determine a normalized index of clinical trial performance for each CSA:
Number of Trials1
Number of Trials per 1000 Residents
Los Angeles 43,2262 18,764,814 2.3
Boston 26,732 8,233,270 3.2
Chicago 24,610 9,901,356 2.5
Philadelphia 22,308 7,206,807 3.1
Miami 21,625 6,832,588 3.2
San Jose 20,934 8,837,789 2.4
Detroit 20,877 5,336,286 2.1
Washington D.C. 20,087 9,765,722 2.1
*Sorted by number of trials in descending order
As seen above, more clinical trials per person have been conducted in Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, and Detroit, as well as San Jose and Chicago in actuality, than Los Angeles1,2.
Clinical Trials in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside CSA CSA (2018)1
10 Years of the Top 5 Clinical Trial Hospitals in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside CSA CSA (2018)1
UCLA Health is the predominant reason why Los Angeles has such a high trial volume in a vacuum, leading the way in its clinical trial industry with 1,235 active trials in 2018. This health system accounted for 16% of active trials in the Los Angeles CSA last year. Following UCLA Health are City of Hope (727 active trials last year, 9.4% of all in Los Angeles), Keck Medicine of USC (701 active trials last year, 9.1% of such trials in the CSA), Cedars-Sinai Health System (545 active trials in 2018, 7.1% of Los Angeles's total), and Kaiser Permanente (537 active trials in 2018, 7% of all in Los Angeles). As a testament to the depth in Los Angeles's clinical trials landscape, an additional nine health systems in the CSA had at least 100 active clinical trials in 2018: UCI Health (412 active trials), Children's Hospital Los Angeles (284 active trials), Loma Linda University Health (255 active trials), the Los Angeles County Health Services Department (250 active trials), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (195 active trials), St. Joseph Health System (160 active trials), Providence Health and Services (131 active trials), MemorialCare Health System (104 active trials), and Children's Hospital of Orange County (104 active trials)1.
The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center was the most active individual location in the Los Angeles CSA in 2018 with 786 active clinical trials, accounting for 63.6% of UCLA Health's active trials as well as 10.2% of all active trials in the area last year alone. Following this medical center are Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (470 active trials), City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte (464 active trials), the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (309 active trials), and Children's Hospital Los Angeles (284 active trials). Outside of Los Angeles's top five, eight additional locations had at least 100 active trials in 2018: the USC Health Sciences Campus (251 active trials), University of California Irvine Medical Center (217 active trials), Loma Linda University Medical Center (185 active trials), City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte (136 active trials), Los Angeles County and USC Medical Center (121 active trials), UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (108 active trials), Children's Hospital of Orange County's main campus (104 active trials), and Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center (101 active trials). To further speak to Los Angeles's depth, a total of 58 individual locations in the area had at least 30 active clinical trials last year1.
The Los Angeles CSA has doubled in active trial output over the past decade; in 2008, there were 3,833 total active clinical trials in the area, and this jumped to 7,708 in 2018. Unsurprisingly, most of this growth is accounted for by the top performers in the CSA. The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center leads the way in this department as well, with a total growth of 453 active trials (333 in 2008 to 786 in 2018). The City of Hope National Medical Center has grown from 141 active trials in 2008 to 464 in 2018 for a total growth of 323, while the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has grown from 170 active trials in 2008 to 470 in 2018 for an overall growth of 300. Further, Children's Hospital Los Angeles grew from totals of 143 active trials in 2008 to 284 in 2018, and the USC Health Sciences Campus has grown from 112 active trials in 2008 to 251 last year. Beyond the aforementioned top performers, significant growth is seen for several other locations, including St. Joseph Health's St. Jude Medical Center (16 active trials in 2008 to 99 in 2018), Keck Hospital of USC (18 active trials in 2008 to 97 in 2018), UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica (from nine active trials in 2008 to 64 last year), and the UCLA Oncology Center in Westwood (17 active trials in 2008 to 71 last year) among others1.
Alternative Clinical Centers in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside CSA CSA (2018)1
Los Angeles also has several alternative clinical trial sites that make significant contributions to its clinical trials landscape, and several of them have grown demonstrably over time as well. The most active of these locations last year was LA BioMed at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, with 80 active clinical trials (from 32 in 2008). LA BioMed is followed in this department by the American Institute of Research in Whittier (57 active trials last year, up from a single trial in 2008), Anaheim Clinical Trials (53 active trials in 2018, growing from 31 in 2008), the Angeles Clinic and Research Institute's West Los Angeles office (52 active trials last year, from 15 in 2008), and CNS Network's Orange County Headquarters (44 active trials last year, growing from 13 in 2008). Outside of the top five, other alternative clinical trial sites in Los Angeles making their mark on the city's landscape include the Inland Empire Liver Foundation (39 active trials last year, from four in 2013), Sarcoma Oncology Center (38 active trials last year, up from 13 in 2008), Syrentis Clinical Research (33 active trials in 2018, from two in 2013), and Facey Medical Group in Mission Hills (32 active trials last year, from six in 2008) among many others1.
Current Active Clinical Trials in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside CSA CSA2
More recent analyses of the TrialScout database reveal that there are currently 9,786 active clinical trials in the Los Angeles CSA; of these, 5,357 (54.7%) are currently recruiting for participation. UCLA Health is still the most active health system in the area at the moment with 1,215 currently active clinical trials (679, or 55.9%, of which are recruiting); this system accounts for 12.4% of Los Angeles's active trials as well as 12.7% of the area's recruiting trials. In addition, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is still the single-most active clinical trial location in the CSA, with 729 active trials (418, or 57.3%, of which are recruiting); it currently comprises 60% of UCLA Health's active trials and 61.6% of its recruiting trials, as well as 7.4% and 7.8% of all active and recruiting trials in Los Angeles alone. In a new development, Kaiser Permanente is now Los Angeles's second-most active health system for clinical trials, with 1,080 currently active trials in the CSA (542, or 50.2%, of which are recruiting). This system accounts for 11% of active trials in Los Angeles as well as 10.1% of its recruiting trials. City of Hope is the next-most active health system in the area with 929 active trials at present (486, or 52.3%, of which are recruiting), making up 9.5% of Los Angeles's active trials as well as 9.1% of its recruiting trials. Following City of Hope is Keck Medicine of USC, with 783 active trials (447, or 57.1%, of them recruiting); these totals comprise 8% of active trials in the Los Angeles CSA along with 8.3% of its recruiting trials. Rounding out the top five in Los Angeles is the Cedars-Sinai Health System, which currently has 569 active clinical trials (316, or 55.5%, of which are recruiting). This health system accounts for 5.8% of Los Angeles's active trials as well as 5.9% of its recruiting trials2.
While Los Angeles is the second-largest contributor to the clinical trials landscape of the entire U.S., population figures and their relation to trial output suggest that it should be ahead of where it stands. This is not to discount the CSA's contributions as a whole, however, as its widespread contributions and depth in performance make it a lynchpin in the industry, and this will not change.
To follow the clinical trial landscape series, visit the TrialScout Clinical Trials Landscape
*Active in 2018 = Active at any point in 2018 (Start date of study is before 12/31/2018 and end date is after 1/1/2018)
Approximate attributable data as per the TrialScout database collapse as of 4/11/2019. All data is derived from clinicaltrials.gov
Lyons Public Relations Broadcast PR Solutions. (2017). 2017 Nielsen DMA rankings – Full list. Retrieved from Lyons PR
U.S. Census Bureau. (2018) New Census Bureau population estimates show Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has the largest growth in the United States. Retrieved from Census.gov
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. (2019). Annual estimates of the resident population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2018 – United States – Combined statistical area; and for Puerto Rico. Retrieved from Factfinder.Census.gov
Abbreviation Guide
Keck Medicine -- Keck Medicine of USC
Cedars-Sinai -- Cedars-Sinai Health System
Reagan UCLA -- Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai MC -- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Hope-Duarte -- City of Hope - Duarte
USC Norris -- University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Children's LA -- Children's Hospital Los Angeles
LA BioMed -- LA BioMed at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
AIR - Wittier -- American Institute of Research - Whittier
The Angeles Clinic -- The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute - West Los Angeles Office
CNS Network -- CNS Network - Orange County Headquarters
Look Up a Research Center
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Clinical Trials Landscape
Clinical Research 101
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Q: C# Convert int to short and then to bytes and back to int I'm trying to convert int to short and then to byte[] but I'm getting wrong values, i pass in 1 and get 256 what am i doing wrong?
this is the code:
//passing 1
int i = 1;
byte[] shortBytes = ShortAsByte((short)i);

//ii is 256
short ii = Connection.BytesToShort (shortBytes [0], shortBytes [1]);

public static byte[] ShortAsByte(short shortValue){
    byte[] intBytes = BitConverter.GetBytes(shortValue);
    if (BitConverter.IsLittleEndian) Array.Reverse(intBytes);
    return intBytes;
}

public static short BytesToShort(byte byte1, byte byte2)
{
    return (short)((byte2 << 8) + byte1);
}

A: The method ShortAsByte has the most significant bit at index 0 and the least significant at index 1, so the BytesToShort method is shifting a 1 instead of a 0. This means BytesToShort returns 256 (1 << 8 + 0 = 256) instead of 1 (0 << 8 + 1 = 1) .
Swap the byte variables in the return statement to get the correct result.
public static short BytesToShort(byte byte1, byte byte2)
{
    return (short)((byte1 << 8) + byte2);
}

Also, props to you for taking endian-ness into consideration!

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The Board of Directors of the AARC has authorized a continuous sale of various Club owned, donated or consigned equipment. This continuous sale, to ONLY AARC members in good standing, will be for items published in a spread sheet on the www.W3VPR.org web site.
Each item will be available for viewing and demonstration prior to purchase.The FIRM price and condition of each item shall be displayed in the spreadsheet. To view or purchase any item on the spreadsheet contact Ike Lawton,W3IKE at club.sale@w3vpr.org or 410-693-2723.
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This continuous sale is in addition to the Club's annual equipment sale which is held at the first meeting in April of each year.
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Q: Android application crashes as I try to update a field in onPostExecute(...) method I am trying to set the value of myString in onPostExecute(..) method. Well, I am sure that myString is set there.
Next I want to set a ListView containing also myString which was set in the onPostExecute(..) method. But when I run the application it crashes, and it crashes only because I am adding myString in the ArrayList.
What is wrong with setting values in onPostExecute(..) method? How can I fix it? Thanks in advance.
public class SearchTwitter extends ListActivity {
private ArrayList<String> events;
private ArrayAdapter<String> adapter;
private String myString;

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.search);
    searchTweets();

    events = new ArrayList<String>();
    events.add("Item");
    events.add(myString); // Application crashes because of that line

    adapter = new ArrayAdapter<String> (this, android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, events);

    setListAdapter(adapter);
}
private void searchTweets()
{
    new SearchTweets().execute("Hello World");
}

class SearchTweets extends AsyncTask<String, String, List<Status>> {
    @Override
    protected void onPostExecute(List<Status> result)
    {
          myString = result.get(0).getUser().getScreenName();
    }
    @Override
    protected List<Status> doInBackground(String... params)
    {
        //Do the work here and return a List<Status>
    }
}

EDIT 1
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696): FATAL EXCEPTION: main
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696): Process: com.bledi.android.twittertest, PID: 2696
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696): java.lang.NullPointerException
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.widget.ArrayAdapter.createViewFromResource(ArrayAdapter.java:394)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.widget.ArrayAdapter.getView(ArrayAdapter.java:362)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.widget.AbsListView.obtainView(AbsListView.java:2240)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.widget.ListView.measureHeightOfChildren(ListView.java:1263)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.widget.ListView.onMeasure(ListView.java:1175)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.View.measure(View.java:16497)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.widget.RelativeLayout.measureChildHorizontal(RelativeLayout.java:719)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.widget.RelativeLayout.onMeasure(RelativeLayout.java:455)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.View.measure(View.java:16497)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.ViewGroup.measureChildWithMargins(ViewGroup.java:5125)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.widget.FrameLayout.onMeasure(FrameLayout.java:310)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.View.measure(View.java:16497)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.ViewGroup.measureChildWithMargins(ViewGroup.java:5125)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at com.android.internal.widget.ActionBarOverlayLayout.onMeasure(ActionBarOverlayLayout.java:327)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.View.measure(View.java:16497)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.ViewGroup.measureChildWithMargins(ViewGroup.java:5125)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.widget.FrameLayout.onMeasure(FrameLayout.java:310)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow$DecorView.onMeasure(PhoneWindow.java:2291)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.View.measure(View.java:16497)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.ViewRootImpl.performMeasure(ViewRootImpl.java:1916)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.ViewRootImpl.measureHierarchy(ViewRootImpl.java:1113)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.ViewRootImpl.performTraversals(ViewRootImpl.java:1295)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.ViewRootImpl.doTraversal(ViewRootImpl.java:1000)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.ViewRootImpl$TraversalRunnable.run(ViewRootImpl.java:5670)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.Choreographer$CallbackRecord.run(Choreographer.java:761)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.Choreographer.doCallbacks(Choreographer.java:574)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.Choreographer.doFrame(Choreographer.java:544)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.view.Choreographer$FrameDisplayEventReceiver.run(Choreographer.java:747)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:733)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:95)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:136)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5017)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:779)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:595)
06-22 10:39:51.073: E/AndroidRuntime(2696):     at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)

A: Your onCreate() should look like this:
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.search);
    searchTweets();

}

and your onPostExecute() should look like this:
@Override
protected void onPostExecute(List<Status> result) {

    myString = result.get(0).getUser().getScreenName();

    events = new ArrayList<String>();
    events.add("Item");
    events.add(myString);

    adapter = new ArrayAdapter<String> (SearchTwitter.this, android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, events);

    setListAdapter(adapter);
}

Try this. It should work.


text:
Pair of 'DREAMERS' Murdered Man In North Carolina
December 18, 2017 by Dave Gibson
ASHEBORO, NC (The News & Record) – Two Siler City residents pleaded guilty this week to charges in connection to the October 2015 death of a man.
On Thursday, Miguel Angel Munoz, 19, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and concealing an unnatural death in the death of Francisco Rivas Galves, also of Siler City, according to the Randolph County Sheriff's Office.
Randolph County Superior Court Judge V. Bradford Long sentenced Munoz to 200 to 252 months in prison. Munoz is a citizen of El Salvador and will be returned to his home country based on an pre-existing federal warrant.
On Friday, Ingrid Morales Rodriguez, 25, pleaded guilty to accessory to commit second-degree murder. She received a sentence of 75 to 102 months.
Authorities say during the late-night hours of Oct. 23, 2015, Munoz and Rodriguez picked up Galves at his home in Siler City. They traveled north on U.S. 421 through Randolph County. Prior to returning to Siler City during the early morning hours of Oct. 24, Galves, who was 21 at the time, was shot twice by Munoz in the backseat of the vehicle in which they were traveling. His body was left off of Shiloh Road in an undeveloped area. He was found Oct. 30.
Categories MurderTags Americans Murdered by Illegal Aliens, DREAMERS Murder Man in North Carolina, Illegal Alien Crime In North Carolina	Post navigation
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3 thoughts on "Pair of 'DREAMERS' Murdered Man In North Carolina"
Obama's Children.
Titus Greenwood
But…but…but…I thought all the "Dreamers" were here to become Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers and Teachers, so they could contribute to our society? Isn;t this what the Democrats have told us?
April 1, 2018 at 9:05 am	 | Reply
Ronald Bola of 12764 Newport Ave #D Tustin ca 92780 married and paid a US citizen name Albina Danganan to obtain a green card while living with his wife Lilia. He is now a naturalized citizen. He also used fake documents to get here and overstayed is tourist visa. His son Ronald Aaron lied on his college application at Buffalo Medical School to get in .

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text:
Bonafide Films secures BAFTA award-winning writer, Peter Straughan
Bonafide Films secures acclaimed BAFTA award-winning and Emmy and Academy Award-nominated writer, Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, The Men Who Stare At Goats, Frank) to pen two feature film adaptations of Ned Beauman's 2012 Man Booker long-listed novel The Teleportation Accident and George Saunders' short story Bounty for Film4.
Straughan reunites with Bonafide having previously collaborated with the indie when he wrote and directed two shorter works Gee Gee and Nosferatu In Love. Straughan is attached to direct Bounty for Film4, which will mark his debut outing as a feature film director.
Both features will be executive produced by Margery Bone, managing director and founder of Bonafide Films, and partner Elwen Rowlands.
Bone said: "Bonafide is delighted to continue our work with Peter Straughan, one of our greatest screenwriters and adaptors, and to bring these two projects to Film4. It will be wonderful to collaborate with Peter as he makes his feature film directorial debut. Equally Ned Beauman is a young novelist who is rapidly gaining a name as one of the most unique voices in contemporary literature and as for George Saunders' novella, as America splits down a seismic political divide his story couldn't be more darkly resonant or relevant."
The Teleportation Accident is a dark comedy set in Germany in the 1930s with an intricate plot that weaves elements of sci-fi and noir with romance. As well as being longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, the novel won the Somerset Maugham award for UK author Ned Beauman.
Bounty is a novella that makes up part of CivilWarLand In Bad Decline, the first short story collection from Chicago-born writer George Saunders. Bounty is black comedy set in postapocalyptic America where environmental poisoning has led to social decline.
Taiba Amla wins Northern Writers Award June 29, 2018
The Last Post available to stream on Amazon Prime December 22, 2017
Writers Development Opportunity with Channel 4 November 16, 2017
The Last Post starts on BBC One this Weekend September 29, 2017
The Last Post Coming to Amazon Prime in the United States August 16, 2017
Bonafide Films
22-23 James Street
WC2E 8NS
T 020 3865 3476
E info@bonafide.co.uk
Taiba Amla wins Northern Writers Award
The Last Post available to stream on Amazon Prime
Writers Development Opportunity with Channel 4
The Last Post starts on BBC One this Weekend
The Last Post Coming to Amazon Prime in the United States
© 2020 Bonafide All rights reserved


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text:
A Marketplace Desires To Entry Information
On high of conventional instrument readouts like velocity and RPMs, some hybrids are using more and more subtle hybrid system indicators, which inform the green-minded commuter about vital statistics like actual-time gas economy and battery ranges. On this paper, we current a shortcut to immediately translate a classical framework into a discipline-formalism model and find the backgound fields that describe the collective states and the worldwide options of the system. In the process, straight-to-video has misplaced its stigma and remodeled right into a reputable business model for movies that won't shatter field workplace records, however can certainly make a tidy profit if they will attain the proper audience. They find that they are able to model the impact of public corporations on the general electricity market, moderately than making an attempt to enhance the bidding strategy of a single firm. Since many of those options could be reused across completely different SECOs tailor-made to totally different countries' wants, the reusability that the MPL strategy offers for the software program growth corporations may be highly significant that mitigates the technical risks and enhances the prospect of projects' success.
In this environment, BlackRock favors trade-traded funds targeted on shorter-dated fastened earnings, as well as equity ETFs that invest in "quality firms with robust stability sheets and pricing energy," in line with Gargi Chaudhuri, the firm's head of iShares funding strategy for the Americas. The trick labored particularly well on mid-sized, two-door "personal" automobiles that sustained the big Three by these difficult occasions. Large SUVs have greater than double the frontal space of some small automobiles. On the spot mpg readouts and other instantaneous fuel economy displays have been part of the inexperienced driving movement for a while. Embrace the broader points of circularity: In addition to the environmental and economic advantages, the circular economy brings constructive impacts by way of job creation, GDP growth, and alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Growth Goals. In actual fact, roads and highways all through the state direct tourists to battlegrounds, museums, and points of curiosity. Amongst home manufacturers, Ford's rear-wheel-drive Thunderbird was perhaps the Monte's closest rival, and it scored points with its obtainable V-eight engine. Inquisitive about how movies end up missing out on an opportunity at field workplace glory?
But the world of straight-to-video is now not designed solely for films destined to bomb. Other films are particularly designed for DVD sales. In a rising variety of instances, nevertheless, going on to DVD says little to nothing about the quality of a film. How Does the Film Trade Really Earn cash? In comparison with the iPhone 13, you are primarily dropping out on battery life and new photographic capabilities, so if you may dwell with out those, the iPhone 12 can save you some cash. McCormick, Wealthy. "How the PlayStation 4's 'Playroom' brought out the worst in players." Verge. MacManus, Christopher. "Finer particulars about PlayStation 4's DualShock four Controller, Eye camera." CNET. Greenwald, Will. "Sony PlayStation Camera." Laptop Magazine. Greenwald, Will. "PlayStation EyeToy loses toy, turns into PlayStation Eye." CNET. However assuming that Rajapaksa resigns as promised, Sri Lankan lawmakers have agreed to elect a brand new president on July 20 who will serve the remainder of Rajapaksa's term, which ends in 2024. That individual could probably appoint a new prime minister, who would then must be accredited by Parliament. Months of demonstrations have all however dismantled the Rajapaksa political dynasty, which has dominated Sri Lanka for many of the previous two many years however is accused by protesters of dragging the country into chaos by means of poor management and alleged corruption.
That article is a superb overview of the tactics, however there are also just a few strategic adjustments which have made an impact. Positive, many direct-to-DVD films — films that skip the theater and go straight to disc — are merely not that nice. Simply because a movie is direct-to-DVD doesn't mean it is bad — plenty of them make millions of dollars. However to make a flooded residence secure enough to live in at all, you may need to hose down all walls and hard floors using soap and water. Since the early days of VHS within the 1970s, the house leisure market has served as the proper place for Hollywood to ship films unlikely to make a splash at the field workplace. Relatively than watch them tank at the box office, studios send them off to the house entertainment market and hope for the best. To grasp the harm a flood may cause, let's check out a few of the frequent problems and hazards associated with a flooded residence. And when a flood strikes your private home, the choice of what to salvage and what to let go of is particularly coronary heart-wrenching.
desires, entry, information, marketplace


pivoted from one student desk to the next.
was broken already and snapped again.
thumbed smooth the pinhole: hidden.
Here, I told my brother. Squeeze this.
dotted the linoleum from living room to kitchen.
to find some meaning in the suffering.


text:
Pebbles thrown in the water: Rise of extremist views and lessons for our time
Posted on June 11, 2014 by editor
By Shaykh Hafiz Mahmut, slightly edited by the MuslimAnswers.net Team
In the year 212 A.H., Khalifah al-Ma'mun announced that the view of the Qur'an being Makhlooq (a created entity) was to be imposed as the I'tiqad (creed) of the state. He was affected in his Aqeedah by the intellectuals and scholars of the Mutazilite ideology. However, he was opposed by many Muslims and as a result he had to withdraw his statement.
In year 218 A.H., after 6 long years of silence, he tried to impose the same view again through despotism. He put pressure upon laymen and scholars to accept this view. Those who opposed him were sought after and arrested, so as to be taken into account by government officials and the Khalifah himself.
Many scholars and intellectuals were interrogated about whether the Qur'an was Makhlooq or not. Those who agreed with the formal state legislation of the Qur'an being Makhlooq were released and those who opposed this creed were incarcerated. Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RA) and three other scholars were also taken from their homes to the presence of the Khalifah for interrogation. However, the Khalifah passed away while this group of scholars was on their way to see him. Hence, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RA) and the scholars were sent back to Baghdad.
Al-Mu'tasim became the new Khalifah after al-Ma'mun. He was also of the same view as al-Ma'mun in his Aqeedah. Hence, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RA) was arrested and imprisoned. He was whipped to the point of unconsciousness, and was jailed for 28 months.
Khalifa al-Mu'tasim also passed away and left the rein to his heir al-Wathiq who was also of the same view as his father at the beginning. But he then repented from his beliefs and passed away. The next one in line was Khalifah al-Mutawakkil who was against imposing the view of the Qur'an being Makhlooq upon people and left people free in their views. Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RA) was also released from jail during this time.
While these events were unfolding, people started having immense respect for Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RA). They went to extremes in their admiration of him. They saw him as the leader of the Ahl us-Sunnah. When his name was mentioned in Baghdad, everyone was in awe.
Under his leadership, a group of people with new views emerged. Their slogan was to hold on to the rope of the Salaf us-Saliheen (lit. pious predecessors). However they also had some other absolute statements such as their view that anything which was not uttered by the Salaf is an innovation. As a result, the views and ideas of Imam Ahmad (RA), his students and the people around him were taken as the ultimate proof of Islam. People would accept anything that they said and reject anything they rejected. If they were to make a statement against any given scholar, people would take an immediate stance against that scholar without even investigating the matter further.
As we can see, the pressure started by al-Ma'mun returned with a reverse effect. The opposite view represented by the motto "hold on to the rope of Salaf us-Saliheen" applied great pressure to many great scholars of that era. Thus, many scholars, due to views differing with that of Imam Ahmad (RA) or his students in many religious matters were ostracized, labelled as innovators and seen as deviants in the eyes of the people.
It should be noted that this attack was not only against those who shared Mu'tazili views. Also attacked were other scholars who were interested in Kalaam (scholastic discursive theology) and those who uttered certain Kalaami statements that were unheard off previously. Scholars such as Ibn Kullab and Abu 'Ali al-Karabisi (RA) were presenting solid proofs against M'utazili views, yet they were also opposed by this group of extreme Hanbalis.
As an example, Harith al-Muhasibi (RA) would mention some statements of wisdom related to the sciences of Tasawwuf (Islamic spirituality) which were not known through the Salaf. Hence, he was left in isolation. This is a very sad and upsetting story for Muslims. Khatib al-Baghdadi (RA) mentions that Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RA) cut off his relations with al-Muhasibi (RA) due to his views with respect to Kalaam and Tasawwuf. People who observed the behavior of Imam Ahmad (RA) also acted in the same way and took a stance against this great scholar.
Thus, some cut relations with al-Muhasibi (RA) due to peer pressure, and others did so due to some other reasons. People started hating him as a result. Thus, al-Muhasibi (RA) hid in an isolated house to run away from the hatred of people and passed away alone in that very same house. May Allah bless him. It is very saddening to know that there were only 4 people in his funeral prayer. It is also unfortunate that Ibn Kathir (RA) mentions this story as a lesson for those who are interested or occupied in the sciences of Kalaam and Tasawwuf.
As another example, Abu 'Ali al-Karabisi (RA), who is one of the distinguished students of the Shafii' school, was compared by the scholars of "Ahl al-Hadith" with his contemporary and one of the big guns of the Shafii' school, Abu Thawr. The Ahl al-Hadith concluded that Al-Karabisi (RA) was interested in Kalaam and hence he was not as famous as Abu Thawr (RA). The blessings of Al-Karabisi's (RA) knowledge were taken away from the people at large due to his interest in Kalaam. This sort of misinterpretations was unfortunately common in the past, and today what we see is no different.
Also, Abu Bakr ibn Khuzaima cut his relations with his students such as Abi 'Ali ath-Thaqafi (RA) who were interested in learning Kalaam. He also put them into a very difficult position due to his powerful charisma in the society. This also shows that the tension which started in Baghdad also affected people in far-away lands such as Nisabur.
So firstly, the Mu'tazilah used political power to create pressure upon people. And then the victims of the previous Mu'tazilah-dominated era used the power of religion through the charisma of the Salaf us-Saalihin. The 'victims of yesterday' were the "Ahli al-Hadith" and some Fuqaha, whereas the 'victims of today' were figures such as Harith al-Muhasibi, Abdullah bin Kullab, Abu 'Ali al-Karabisi (RA), due to their interest in Kalaam, Fiqh and Tasawwuf. The 'victims of yesterday' created more victims later on in a vicious cycle and applied huge pressure upon the Muslims.
Thus, the strategy of policing the view of people begun under al-Ma'mun changed hands later on and transferred from the pressure of the Mu'tazila to the despotism of the "Ahl al-Hadith" and the (extreme) Hanbalis. Hanbali pressure started after the events of the Mihna (tribulation) and continued through the 4th and 5th Hijri centuries.
On numerous occasions, people spilled onto the streets due to the issues of Tajseem, Tashbeeh (anthropomorphism and likening Allah to the creation), and Ta'weel (interpretations given to the primary Islamic texts), all of which are Kalaam-related discussions (i.e. academic scholastic discussions). Confusion, unrest and havoc were created amongst the people. Those subjects which are normally discussed in sober, academic scholarly circles were taken to the circles of laymen in the streets. Even two centuries after Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA), scholars such as Imam al-Qushayri and Imam al-Juwayni (RA) were severely pressurized by certain groups.
Moreover, even 3 centuries after Imam Ahmad (RA), there were unrests in the streets of Baghdad. In the 6th Hijri century, those who were considered to be moderate Hanbali scholars such as Ibn al-Jawzi (RA) were upset by those extreme Hanbalis. It is of note that Ibn al-Jawzi wrote a critique called, 'Daf' Shubh At-Tashbeeh' (دفع شبه التشبيه), against these people whose aim was to go against Mu'tazilah but which culminated in taking their views one step further, to the point of defending Tashbeeh-related views (i.e. anthropomorphic views, and likening Allah to His creation). On top of that, in order to go against the Shias, they went to a stage where they even started defending Yazid. Please read this book if you can get hold of it.
The important lesson we can gain from this is that what is happening in the Muslim world right now is like a Deja vu of what occurred at that time. In today's chaotic world, people are looking for action heroes to follow. One can easily be portrayed as a hero and the masses, regardless of their creed or sect, can be easily driven to follow that particular person as people have lost their identity, both intellectually and spiritually.
Also if we consider the opposite case, as we saw above, one can adopt an extreme form of views and create a hero for the opposition, and the opposition will follow that hero without even questioning. We are experiencing these examples in today's world especially in the Muslim lands.
The conditions are very ripe for create extremists of every kind, whether directly or through reverse psychology. Those who are interested in extremism should take a lesson from these events. Even if you throw a small pebble into a source of water, the waves it creates may last for a long time.
This entry was posted in Commentary/Opinion and tagged Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Imam Ahmad, Mutazila, Quran. Bookmark the permalink.
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The 'Centre for Innovation and Change Leadership' at Suffolk University is hosting the bi-annual symposium on Cross Sector Social Interactions (CSSI) on 29-30 May. Dr. Carlos Rufin and Dr. Miguel Rivera-Santos, Co-programme Symposium Chairs have prepared a cutting edge programme focusing on: 'Innovative Collaboration for a Complex World: Reaching Across Institutional Divides'.
One of the symposium sessions will address the multiple institutional divides between companies in the extractive industries (oil, mining, gas, dredging, quarrying) and local communities. Institutional divides often cause extreme polarisation of issues leading to complete communication break-down. Hence, discussing how to avoid fragmentation in the early stages of cross sector social interactions will allow for moving beyond constraints and possibly achieving innovative collaboration. The panel of experienced academics and practitioners will aim to unpack collaborative innovation in regions where institutional divides are pronounced, in an industry with inherent problems that cause concern to local communities, national governments and global stakeholders, and where complex problems intensify the need for innovation. Among the speakers of the 4th CSSI Symposium are: Prof. Kasturi Rangan of Harvard Business School (key-note speaker of the Symposium), Mark Camp, Deputy Executive Director, Cultural Survival; Prof. Ans Kolk of the University of Amsterdam; Steve Waddell, Ecosystems Labs; representative from Teck Resources Limited in addition to a host of other academics and practioners from around the world.
For more information about the 4th International CSSI symposium, including the full list speakers, please visit the website or download the programme here below.
To get more information contact Ms. Teri Malionek, Director of Marketing & Communications, University of Suffolk, Boston or call +1 617-573-8631.


A trip to Norway is incomplete without trying our national sport! This tour is an introduction to cross-country skiing for beginners.
If you have never tried skiing before, or are hesitant, this is your opportunity to learn cross country skiing in a scenic and relaxed environment.
Departure twice daily: at 8.30 (am) and 13.00 (1pm)).
We ski in flat terrain, mostly on prepared trails on the top of the Tromsø island, just a short (about 10 minutes) drive from the city centre.
We start by teaching you how to take the skis on and off and then we start to ski using basic techniques in a completely flat area. After some training, we introduce some different ski techniques and try to ski a little up and down the hill. By the end of this trip, you can challenge yourself on small hills.
We ski toward the northern part of the island in a scenic area with birch and spruce forests.
What is the biggest risk on this trip? After this trip you need to practice your newly acquired skills on your own, so you should probably start thinking about coming back here again, for longer.
As the weather can change quickly in the Northern Norway, everyone must wear warm clothes - wind-proof jacket/trousers, hats and mittens.
* Please provide information about height, weight and shoe size of each participant in advance.
In the main season, if trips are fully booked, we will offer an extra departure at 14.30 (2.30pm).


The Regulatory/Legislative Manager works independently to perform assignments under the general direction of the Chief Executive Officer. The incumbent participates as an MBCP representative before various regulatory agencies, including the CPUC, in matters affecting community choice aggregators (CCAs) and other electric utilities, including in ratemaking proceedings, rulemakings, and proposed rules and regulations. The Regulatory/Legislative Manager is tasked with reviewing and drafting comments and briefs, providing technical and/or analytic input on regulatory matters, preparation of data requests, testimony, and hearing exhibits, participation in administrative hearings, and researching and preparing legislative policy responses at the State and local level.
Develop high-level policy and responses for key regulatory issues affecting MBCP, including strategy and prioritization of regulatory and legislative action.
Represent MBCP in regulatory proceedings through preparation of data requests, written responses, position papers, analytical models, testimony, and exhibits.
Track, review, analyze and summarize filings prepared by utilities and other entities that could impact MBCP and its customers.
Track, analyze and interpret regulatory proposals, legislation, and other policy issues with an eye toward impact on and response from MBCP.
Under direction of the CEO, work closely with technical experts and external regulatory counsel to develop effective and persuasive communications before the CPUC, CA Energy Commission, CA Legislature and any other legal or regulatory body as may be needed.
California electric utility regulatory issues, CPUC regulatory practices, protocols, and procedures.
California utility rate design, electric resource planning, demand resource solutions and regulatory relations.
California legislative process and protocols.
Communications portals and web-based resources for regulatory and legislative activity.
Depending upon the assignment, principles and practices in the areas of energy efficiency, energy resources and procurement, or other to be determined areas.
Microsoft Office Suite including Excel, Word, Adobe Acrobat and PowerPoint.
The history of Community Choice aggregation legislation and implementation in California.
Take responsibility and work independently, as well as coordinate collaborative efforts within MBCP and the greater CCE community.
Convey complex information in a simple and understandable manner.
Superior writing skills, especially related to regulatory filings, briefings, legislation, and related regulatory and legislative correspondence.
Achieve goals and provide accurate, timely, and meaningful progress updates under pressure.
Demonstrate patience, tact, and courtesy.
Orally communicate complex topics in easy to understand presentations before the Board, staff and other audiences.
MBCP is located in the city of Monterey. Employees are expected to work from the Corporate office. Relocation funds are available.
Resumes will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in the job description. Candidates deemed to have relevant qualifications will be contacted.
Job Categories: Clean Energy. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 100,000 and above.


text:
Summer Tanager Life History
HabitatOpen Woodlands
Summer Tanagers breed in gaps and edges of open deciduous or pine-oak forests across the southern and mid-Atlantic U.S. In the Southwest they breed in low-elevation willow and cottonwood woodlands, and in higher-elevation mesquite and saltcedar stands. During migration, Summer Tanagers stop in habitats similar to those of their breeding range, as well as parks, gardens, and beach ridges. They spend the winter in many types of open and second-growth habitats in southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.Back to top
Summer Tanagers specialize on bees and wasps on both their breeding and wintering ranges. They also eat other aerial and terrestrial invertebrates—such as spiders, cicadas, beetles, ants, termites, grasshoppers, flies, moths, and bugs—as well as fruits such as mulberries, blackberries, pokeweed, Cecropia, citrus, and bananas. They capture flying insects during short sallies, carrying their prey back and beating it repeatedly against the perch. They glean terrestrial insects from the leaves and bark of trees and shrubs. To harvest fruit, they may hover and pluck individual fruits, or glean from a perched position.Back to top
Nest Placement
The nest is usually within a cluster of leaves or a fork of branches overhanging a road, creekbed, or treefall gap in the forest.
Nest Description
The female gathers the nest material and builds the nest by herself, though the male may accompany her as she moves back and forth. Using dried grasses and other herbaceous vegetation, she weaves a crude cup measuring about 3.5 inches across and 2 inches high on the outside, with an inner cavity about 1 inch deep and 3 inches across.
Nesting Facts
Clutch Size: 3-4 eggs
Number of Broods: 1-2 broods
Egg Length: 0.9-1.0 in (2.2-2.5 cm)
Egg Width: 0.6-0.7 in (1.6-1.8 cm)
Incubation Period: 11-12 days
Nestling Period: 8-12 days
Egg Description: Pale blue to pale green, with brown markings.
Condition at Hatching: Helpless and covered with yellowish gray down feathers, with eyes closed.
At the beginning of the breeding season, males sing and chase each other vigorously to define territorial boundaries. Each male has only one mate per breeding season. The female incubates the eggs by herself while the male forages, preens, and rests. In some breeding pairs, but not all, the male brings food to his incubating mate. However, all males seem to bring food on the day the chicks hatch, and the parents share feeding duty for the nestlings. When the young leave the nest at about 10 days old they are barely able to fly, so they take cover in vegetation and beg for food by calling periodically. Their parents feed them for at least three weeks after they fledge. Breeding tanagers are parasitized by cowbirds (which lay eggs in their nests) and aggressively chase these intruders from nesting areas. Outside of the breeding season, Summer Tanagers are usually solitary, although they sometimes follow mixed-species flocks of fruit-eating birds on their wintering grounds.Back to top
Summer Tanagers are fairly common and despite declines and increases in local populations, overall their populations increased slightly between 1966 and 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates their global breeding population at 12 million and rates them 9 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, indicating a species of low conservation concern. Populations have declined in some areas due to the rapid conversion of riverside forest to agriculture and other uses.
Lutmerding, J. A. and A. S. Love. (2020). Longevity records of North American birds. Version 2020. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Bird Banding Laboratory 2020.
Partners in Flight. (2020). Avian Conservation Assessment Database, version 2020.
Robinson, W. Douglas. (2012). Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Sauer, J. R., D. K. Niven, J. E. Hines, D. J. Ziolkowski Jr., K. L. Pardieck, J. E. Fallon, and W. A. Link (2019). The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966–2019. Version 2.07.2019. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD, USA.
Sibley, D. A. (2014). The Sibley Guide to Birds, second edition. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, USA.
Western Tanager
Hepatic Tanager
Cardinals and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Cardinalidae)
Pyrrhuloxia
Lazuli Bunting
Varied Bunting
Why do birds leave the nest before they can fly?
What can I do about a bird that sings all night long outside my window?
You're seeing fewer hummingbirds at your feeder. Should you worry?
Snowy Owls Aren't Starving: Two Canadian Farmers Help Bust a Pervasive Myth
Feeding Birds: a Quick Guide to Seed Types


text:
"use strict";

var _ = require("lodash");
var tools = require("./tools.js");
var eventsModule = require("../events.js");

function generateEvents(actions, world, rules, counter) {
    if (counter >= rules.maxCount) {
        console.log("Last round standings:");
        _.each(world.bots, function (bot) {
            console.log("bot", bot.name, "- hp:", bot.hp);
        });

        if (_.isEmpty(world.bots)) {
            // everyone dead
            return eventsModule.tieEvent();
        } else {
            // counting hp per team
            var teamHps = _.chain(world.bots)
                .groupBy(function (bot) { return bot.teamId; })
                .map(function (bots, teamId) {
                    return {
                        teamId: parseInt(teamId, 10),
                        hp: _.chain(bots)
                            .pluck("hp")
                            .reduce(function (x, y) { return x + y; }, 0)
                            .value()
                    };
                })
                .value();

            console.info("Team HPs at the end:");
            _.each(teamHps, function (p) {
                console.info("Team", p.teamId, ":", p.hp);
            });

            var maxHp = _.chain(teamHps).pluck("hp").max().value();
            var teamsWithMaxHp = _.filter(teamHps, function (p) {
                return p.hp === maxHp;
            });

            // If only one team have max hp:
            if (teamsWithMaxHp.length === 1) {
                return eventsModule.winningEvent(teamsWithMaxHp[0].teamId);
            } else {
                return eventsModule.tieEvent();
            }
        }
    }

    if (_.unique(_.pluck(world.bots, "teamId")).length === 1) {
        return eventsModule.winningEvent(world.bots[0].teamId);
    }
    return null;
}

function applyEvents(ev, world) {
    if (ev) {
        world.finished = true;
    }
    return world;
}

function messages(ev) {
    if (ev) {
        return tools.createMessage("all", ev);
    } else {
        return null;
    }
}

module.exports = {
    events: generateEvents,
    applyEvents: applyEvents,
    messages: messages
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Stetson Veterans Law Institute Director Tapped for Federal Judgeship
Stetson University College of Law Veterans Law Institute director Michael P. Allen has been selected for a federal judgeship.
GULFPORT, FL, June 08, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ — Stetson University College of Law Veterans Law Institute director and Professor of Law Michael P. Allen has been selected by President Trump for a federal judgeship on the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims based in Washington, D.C.
Professor Allen is a renowned expert on the law of veterans' benefits, and has testified before Congress and written widely on veterans' benefits issues. Congress created the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in 1988 to hear appeals from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
"I can't imagine a greater honor than to be able to serve those who gave so much to protect our freedoms," Professor Allen said. "It is incredibly humbling to be able to live out the exhortation of President Lincoln to care for those who have borne the battle."
Allen has served in a variety of roles at Stetson since 2001, receiving numerous awards for excellence in scholarship and teaching as a professor for 16 years and as an associate dean for four years, overseeing both academic affairs and faculty and strategic initiatives. Professor Allen also directed Stetson's internship programs at the Florida Supreme Court, the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
"Professor Allen has been a leader and a tremendous colleague at Stetson. For over 15 years, he has helped to transform Stetson as a law professor, associate dean, and mentor to so many students," said Stetson Dean and Professor of Law Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
About Stetson University College of Law
Stetson University College of Law, Florida's first law school, has prepared lawyers and leaders since 1900. Today, Stetson leads the nation in blending legal doctrine with practical training, evidenced by its top-ranked programs in advocacy and legal writing. Through our academically rigorous curriculum and commitment to social responsibility, Stetson lawyers are ethical advocates ready to succeed in the legal profession.
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Especially enjoyed "Car Ride with Lena". I will leave the philosophy to others, but the car ride alone with your child is a valuable experience not to be missed. My sister-in-law thought it was the worst experience possible and I was aghast. That one-on-one time when you are both caught in the same box is elucidating to say the least. For me these memorable experiences started in middle school and continued through the junior year of college. I will never forget them.


He has nothing on him but he jin heypi sia.
Got siao cho bu or not?
Mental health hospital have, they need volunteer to give patients TLC some more.
This version has been cropped.
he happy or you happy ??
Edited by chryst, 29 January 2019 - 07:35 AM.
Video working fine. Thanks sis.
Nothing funny at all instead is kind of sad to see a person in such a mental state. His family members would be even more hurting..
Edited by 13177, 29 January 2019 - 08:58 AM.
Wah bingo. I wanted to see who will praise the post.


The search dragged on for several years.
It all started about four years ago when I came into an old Sega Saturn system from the mid-90s. It was an entire console catalog that I completely skipped over back in the day. I hooked it up to my TV and soon I was knee-deep in classic fighting games like Street Fighter vs. X-Men and shoot-em-ups like Thunderforce V. The low-poly art style was gorgeously retro, but I quickly realized that the image was stretched and distorted on my HDTV. I Googled "retro console fidelity," and that's where it all went wrong.
Without getting too deep into the AV nerd wormhole -- and I am certainly no expert on this matter -- the short of it is that that old video game consoles were designed in very small resolutions specifically for old CRT televisions. You remember those old bulky beasts that took two grown men to lift? They had actual cathode ray guns inside of them that drew the image on the screen with a spray of electrons. Old consoles (we're talking pre-PlayStation 2) were designed to make use of this specific process: They relied on CRT-specific features like scanlines (this usually refers to the horizontal black lines that noticeably ran through the image), color bleed between the lines and interlacing.
So when you plug one of these systems into a modern HDTV, the signal has to be treated and interpreted for your big shiny flat panel. The TV must upscale the pixels and deinterlace the signal -- not to mention it has no cathode tubes, so there would be no scanlines, which means no color bleed. Plus, there's a resolution problem. A Super Nintendo, for example, outputs at 256 x 254; a 4KTV is 3,840 x 2,160. That means if you plugged one into a 4K set, the signal would need to be expanded by inserting several million useless pixels into it.
On top of all of this, CRTs are in a square rectangular 4:3 format, while modern TVs have a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, which means your game will also appear stretched and distorted. Taking all of this into account, the image resulting from plugging an old console into a modern TV is a far cry from what the console intended to produce. An old Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo, NES or any console before the HD generation, is going to look pretty ugly on a modern screen.
If you're like me and you've come this far into the retro fidelity wormhole to learn about stuff like "interlacing," then you're probably going to do something about it. The most sensible and economical thing to do is buy a scaler -- a device that sits between your console and your modern television and handles all of that tricky business of translating the signal. The Framemeister XRGB-mini is probably the most popular.
While a scaler can get the job done for most people, the image it transmits is only an emulation and an approximation of what the signal would look like on a CRT. In other words, the scanlines would not be real, and so a scaler could never deliver the image that the consoles intended. To achieve actual honest-to-God retro fidelity, you're going to need to get your hands on a genuine cathode-ray tube monitor. My quest was born.
Shopping around, I soon realized that some of the best CRTs ever made -- specialist devices once far out of reach price wise -- were now readily obtainable. So I set my sights on acquiring a Sony BVM -- a high-end RGB monitor that was most frequently used in broadcast stations and editing bays. Getting one of these bad boys would not only satisfy in the myriad output issues associated with older consoles plugged into new TVs, but it would also be an RGB-input monitor, which means it would display the crispest colors from your old consoles. For the purist -- which, to my horror, I realized was me -- this was a far better option than a scaler.
I put the Sony BVM20F1 in my sights. It's a 20-inch monitor that tips the scales at almost 70 pounds. It originally retailed north of $12,000 (yes, that's right), but they now run between $120 and $200 -- if you can find one. I scoured eBay for weeks, but the few BVMs I could find were pick-up only (shipping a 70-pound hunk of equipment is expensive and onerous). I found many possible compromises. In particular there seemed to be a lot of similar but smaller Sony RGB monitors going up for auction around me. But they were only 8 inches or 12 inches and intended for use as medical imaging equipment.
While there's certainly something charming in the ridiculous notion of playing Super Mario on a 8-inch screen that had 10,000 hours of displaying sonograms under its belt, I decided to hold out for the real deal. After several weeks of fruitless searching, I failed to turn up anything affordable. Obtaining these old monitors was harder than it seemed. Years passed, and this quest went on the backburner.
But then I moved to Los Angeles. I suddenly realized that I was in the broadcasting monitor capital of America. A quick look on Craigslist took me to a storage unit in Studio City, where an aging video editor hauled out two RGB behemoths for me to check out. I hoisted them out of their travel cases to discover two Sony PVM20s. Not the BVM holy grail I had been searching for, but these were a close second (the main differences between the PVM and BVM are in the types of formats the monitors support natively). I bought both PVMs for $100 together -- a steal -- thinking that I could sell the second to another foolish person like myself and maybe even cover my costs and somehow justify this whole mad endeavor.
So, finally, after several years with the goal of perfect retro fidelity hanging over my head, I had myself a glorious RGB box complete with scanlines. Imagine my dismay, then, when I got home and realized I needed a set of custom cables to rig my old consoles up with RGB output that would connect to the weird specialist BNC connections on the back of the monitor. So another six weeks passed as I hunted down the RGB cables that had to be custom-built for the Saturn and the SNES and shipped from the United Kingdom. And yet, they still needed BNC adapters. These were shipped in from Hong Kong. So about two months after I burdened my home with a 70-pound monitor that every befuddled guest asked questions about, I could finally -- finally -- experience the glorious RGB scanline-infused signal that I had longed for all these many years.
I hooked up my Sega Saturn and basked in the glory. The monitor turned on with a satisfying hum as the cathode ray guns warmed up. The screen glowed with a buzz of static electricity that was fuzzy to touch. I played an hour or so of old fighting games and shoot-em-ups. The Darkstalkers sprites were gorgeous; their animations popped. Radiant Silvergun was, um, radiant. The colors, carried over RGB signals that separated the reds, greens and blues, were vibrant and alive. These games looked magnificent, better than I could have ever experienced them back in the day because I would never have had access to such an expensive monitor. They were simply the best they were ever going to look.
But the glow faded fast. After a couple of weeks of dabbling with the equipment and various games and consoles, my attention drifted. I sold one of the monitors to an artist who was making an installation. The other got boxed up and put in the basement. I had seen Sonic the Hedgehog in its most pixel-perfect incarnation, and yet I felt empty inside.
Searching for retro fidelity, I realized, was not merely about making old games achieve an objectively "perfect" gold standard of visuals. At the end of the day, even on the best hardware you can obtain, it all becomes subjective anyway. Dive deep into retro gaming forums like Shmups and you'll find that at a certain level, it is just a matter of preference.
No, this quest was always about something more personal. Old video game consoles -- and old CRT televisions, for that matter -- exert an emotional pull on many of us. These devices created the images that we grew up with. They were charmingly imperfect, and elegant in their solution to technical problems. These images are attached to memories; to our sense of identity. Re=creating them as we think we remember them has become a time-consuming, burdensome endeavor -- and as the tech ages and disappears, it will become increasingly difficult and also more expensive. It's not that the games themselves will go away -- there will always be plenty of ways to play them, but what we will be playing will always be a mere emulation. It will be, like our memory, simulations of images that were once magical -- beautiful in their imperfections -- but are now gone forever.
Zach Hines is a writer based in Los Angeles. His debut young adult fiction novel, Nine, is due in 2018 from HarperTeen. His writing on video games and interactive art has also appeared in Kill Screen.


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Executive Charged In Deadly Meningitis Outbreak Is Not To Blame, His Lawyer Says
Denise Lavoie, The Associated Press
Barry Cadden, co-founder of the now-shuttered New England Compounding Center, declined to testify before a congressional committee in 2012. (AP)
The former president of a compounding pharmacy blamed for a deadly meningitis outbreak in 2012 put "profits over patients" and ignored repeated warning signs that drugs manufactured by his company were being contaminated by mold, a prosecutor told jurors Monday in a federal racketeering trial.
Barry Cadden, the former head pharmacist at the now-closed New England Compounding Center in Framingham, is charged with causing the deaths of 25 people who died after getting injectable steroids, mainly for back pain, from their doctors.
Compounding pharmacies mix customized medications for patients in the strength and dosage they require.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Varghese told the jury the government would prove that Cadden oversaw the operations of the center and was responsible for making sure industry rules for sterility and cleanliness were followed in the manufacture of the steroids.
Varghese said 17,600 bottles contaminated by mold were shipped to 23 different states in the fall of 2012. A total of 64 people died, many from fungal meningitis, and nearly 700 more were sickened by the tainted steroids. Varghese said the contaminated drugs caused the "largest public health crisis in this country ever by a pharmaceutical drug."
"It's a story of greed, cutting corners and fraud," Varghese said.
Cadden is charged with 25 counts of second-degree murder under racketeering law and dozens of other felonies. He has pleaded not guilty.
Cadden's lawyer, Bruce Singal, told the jury that Cadden oversaw the company's operations, but was not one of the people who worked in the so-called "clean rooms" or mixed the drugs. Regulators found numerous cleanliness and sterility violations while inspecting the clean rooms.
"He is not a murderer and he is not responsible for their deaths," Singal said.
Singal said prosecutors are trying to blame Cadden for mistakes made by other employees — including pharmacists and technicians -- of New England Compounding Center. He showed the jury emails Cadden sent to a company hired to do extra cleaning of NECC's clean room, reprimanding the company for not following sterility guidelines.
"He cannot be held responsible for all the corporate wrongs," Singal said.
Varghese told the jury that Cadden showed a "shocking disregard" for the lives of patients.
"He was making millions of dollars off this, but he couldn't be bothered to do it right," Varghese said.
The trial is expected to last several months. Glenn Chin, the former head pharmacist is scheduled to go on trial after Cadden. He faces similar charges.
This article was originally published on January 09, 2017.
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