text:
Monday News Grab Bag!
By The Paw Report / Serpent Club on September 29, 2014 • ( Leave a comment )
Today's news brought to you by a rabbit… Why? Scroll to find out!
European Rabbit, by J.J. Harrison (creative commons).
A PAINFUL REALITY: Nebraska among top states with dog breeders who neglect their animals. "Regulation alone cannot put an end to puppy mills. They will end for good only when consumers stop buying their puppies and insist on dealing only with animal shelters, breed rescues or small responsible breeders they have met in person."
Miami-Dade imposes new rules for puppy sales. "A new Miami-Dade law requires pet shops to advertise the source of dogs for sale, a measure designed to flag some far-flung providers of local puppies. With Colombia the top exporter of dogs into the United States and a heavy user of Miami ports, local regulators expect to see Bogota show up as a puppy source in Miami-Dade. Backers of the new law say it will give potential dog buyers a chance to research breeders and rethink whether it makes sense to buy. 'For puppies coming in from Missouri, which is a big source in Miami-Dade, the [U.S. Department of Agriculture] posts its reports online. So it's very easy,' said Kathy Labrada, chief of operations and enforcement for Animal Services in Miami-Dade. 'For a farm in Colombia, that presents a bit of an issue.'"
Animal Rights: Protestors Rally Against Police Shooting Dogs. "Animal-rights activists are concurrently lobbying for increased pet training for police officers. Illinois and Colorado have already implemented some measures to reduce dog shootings, other states are currently considering such legislation."
Susie the therapy dog, abused as a puppy, named Hero Dog of the Year. "In the months following her adoption, Susie became a therapy dog to help other people who had survived traumatic events. Together, Lawrence and Susie also fought for stronger anti-cruelty laws in North Carolina. In 2010, they stood by as Gov. Bev Perdue signed Susie's Law into effect, with Susie's paw print appearing beside the governor's signature."
Animals and the Law
Protection for Wolves Is Restored in Wyoming. "A federal judge restored Endangered Species Act protection for wolves in Wyoming on Tuesday, ruling that the federal Fish and Wildlife Service accepted a state commitment to maintain the wolf population without requiring adequate safeguards."
Lake Erie, not factory farms, needs to be protected. "Lake Erie is a vital resource for millions of residents and visitors yet it is being threatened by harmful algal blooms which produce potentially deadly toxins. Last month, these toxins resulted in the loss of drinking water for over 400,000 residents in the Toledo area. Although manure runoff is suspected as one of the major sources of the phosphorus that feeds the HABs, Ohio has failed to regulate Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations as mandated under the Clean Water Act."
Beef, pork prices on long march higher. "The USDA forecasts beef and veal prices will rise by 8 to 9 percent for the whole of 2014, and pork prices will rise by 7.5 to 8.5 percent. Price increases in 2015 in both categories are expected to reach a more modest 3.5 percent." […] "Although the USDA predicted this year that the drought in California would push up fruit and vegetable prices, it hasn't happened yet. Vegetables and fruits were a bright spot in the most recent USDA consumer price index. Fresh vegetables were up only 2 to 3 percent while fruit dropped 4.5 to 5.5 percent for the year. Those figures helped to temper the growth of total food inflation."
Animal Experimentation
Monkey dies during USF research study. "[W]ater was withheld from monkeys on two occasion since April of 2013. In an incident that took place on December 11, 12, and 18th, water was withheld, which resulted in one monkey having to be put down and 3 other falling ill after coming down with a condition known as ketosis."
Victories!
Sopwell House removes foie gras from menu after online protest from animal rights activists. "Eight hours after we started the campaign, we received a polite response from the management of the restaurant confirming that they will remove foie gras from their menu. We were very happy about this and sent our best wishes and gratitude to the management team." [Note from Rachel: Now if only we'd get animals off menus completely…]
RCMP swapping muskrat fur hats for animal-friendly alternative. After decades of pressure from animal-rights activists, the RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] have agreed to replace their cold-weather muskrat fur hats with something more fur-friendly. An RCMP spokesperson confirmed this week that the national police force will begin a 'significant move' away from using muskrat fur for their traditional winter hats. Starting this winter, Mounties will instead wear a tuque made of merino wool. [Note from Rachel: Wool is not actually "animal friendly." To learn more about wool, please read this.]
And finally, I have been involved in this on-going discussion/argument on this rabbit article. If you're interested in reading the lengths at which people will go to defend their decision to raise and kill rabbits for "food," then grab your popcorn!
Got any articles to share? Please feel free to post in the comments.
Rabbit, by Dulup. (Creative Commons)
Tagged as: animals and the law, beef, beef costs, dog breeders, dogs, factory farming, foie gras, fur, grab bag, Hero Dog of the Year, Lake Erie, Miami-Dade, news, puppy mills, rabbits, Sopwell House, Susie the therapy dog, USF, wolves, Wyoming
Photo of the Day: People Pretending To Be Me On Disqus
Photo of the Day: Meat Consumption Declines in France


There's an old saying in aviation circles that aeroplanes turn good fuel into noise!! Well, if you ever need proof positive - check out the Antanov AN2 hangared at Watts Bridge. The AN2 is the world's largest single engined biplane, manufactured in Poland under license to the Russian Antanov company. VH-CCE is owned and operated by three brothers, Seppo, Pauli and Vesa, all of whom are commercial pilots along with their dad Erkki who hails from Finland.
Now it takes a lot of fuel to make all that beautiful noise, which can only be good for the airfield bottom line now that AVGAS is available on the field !
where you can see VH-CCE being started.
Search from there for more.
The aircraft was flown to Australia by Barry Hempel in the early 90's from Poland. It operated here on the Polish register for about a year. It was manufactured in 1989 in Mielec, Poland under license from Antonov. Until recently it had the record for the longest production run of any aircraft.
It has a 1000hp radial engine with a fuel capacity of 1200lts and oil capacity of 120lt. Max takeoff weight is 5500kg, empty is about 3500kg. TAS is between 80 - 130 kts, depending on how much fuel you give it.
We all learnt to fly at Hempels aviation and worked for Barry at various stages. In recognition of what Barry had done for us, we thought it would be good to keep the AN2 running. Pauli, Vesa and I bought the aircraft in April with plans to get it flying again in November 2009.
We are all flying for a living at the moment, Pauli for National Jet on 717's, Vesa at VirginBlue on the 737 and myself at Toll Aviation (Jetcraft) on Metro's.
The Antonov is a different kind of flying, closer to what flying is really about. There are currently 2 AN2's in the Family, Dad flies one in Finland and we have one here. Dad has a club in Finland called www.lennuklubi.org which operates an AN2. He is coming here in the end of November to warm up a little in Australia.
The never ending task of mowing the airfield's runways, taxiways and amenities areas just got a whole lot easier with the commissioning of a new Superior Slasher. On each pass, the new slasher cuts a wider area than the previous equipment. The rear wheel assemblies make mowing the rougher areas of the airfield significantly easier and helps to avoid wear and tear on the machinery.
This equipment was proudly funded by the Queensland Government's Gambling Community Benefits Fund. Superior Equipment Australia is a Queensland Company so the funding not only helped the airfield, but also contributed to the local economy keeping local manufacturing and employment opportunities viable.


2G AstroTurf sports pitches in Aberarder PH20 1 are basically a second generation artificial grass designed to be infilled with sand or dressed with silica sand. The 2G surfacing is used widely across the UK as a multi use games area artificial turf pitch (ATP) which can be used for almost any sport including football, rugby, tennis, netball and hockey. The carpet is made up of vertical fibres and yarns of synthetic turf filled or dressed with sand creating usual pile height of about 22-24 mm high. Although this surface is ideal for the use of hockey, it is often installed in ATPs, MUGAs and STPs as it is a surface which can lend itself to many sports. The 2G astro turf pitches are commonly fitted with surrounding rebound fencing and floodlighting meaning that the surfaces can be utilised in almost any conditions, all year round.
We can also install various other surfaces including 3G and 4G. If you require details on 4G surfacing, please click here http://artificialturfpitchreplacement.co.uk/new-surfacing/4g-astroturf-surfaces/highland/aberarder/ Our team can install surfaces from second generation to fourth generation, so please let us know if you require pitch replacement. If you'd like more information on nearby 2G astroturf surfaces, please complete our contact form and we will get back to you straight away with all the information you need regarding sand filled and sand dressed surfaces.
We can carry out the entire installation process for you from start to finish, disposing of any old synthetic turf or natural grass. Since we have worked in the surfacing industry for many years, we are highly qualified professionals and our installations are completed to a very high standard. To learn more about our professional team, please click here http://artificialturfpitchreplacement.co.uk/highland/aberarder/ If you wish to have a 2G pitch installed, please speak to a member of our team regarding costs and prices for the installation by simply filling in our contact form. Once we receive your enquiry we will respond with all the information you need along with a free quotation for installations and resurfaces.
The rip up, recycling and replacement of 2G surfaces may be required in order to refurbish old Astro grass multisport flooring that needs resurfacing or upgrading to a 3G rubber infilled football, rugby or hockey surface. For more details on renovating sports pitches, have a look at this http://artificialturfpitchreplacement.co.uk/upgrade-facility/renovation-sports-fencing/highland/aberarder/ If the primary sport is still likely to be hockey, an organisation may decide to rip up the worn 2G surfacing and replace it with some new second generation sand-dressed or sand-filled artificial grass surfaces.
If you are interested in the installation or resurfacing of 2G astroturf sports pitches in Aberarder PH20 1 please get in touch with our team by filling in the enquiry form provided.


Many people who follow the preparedness lifestyle, say that their number one frustration is prepper time management. There is no doubt about it; prepper time management can be a big frustration.
We all know that prepping takes up a lot of time and isn't easy.
Preparedness takes dedication and effort. After all, being prepared doesn't just happen overnight.
Novice preppers and those who recall our entry into prepping know that just deciding where to begin can be overwhelming.
Heck, the amount of information available on the Internet and in other places can be confusing. Where do you go? What site has solid prepping information? Who do I follow on Facebook? What prepping podcast is correct? You can go on and on.
Fortunately, there is an easy to follow mindset to help you overcome your frustrations with prepper time management.
If you've read other blog posts and listened to podcasts here and elsewhere, you already have the answer.
The answer is the OODA Loop. What, how can it be the OODA Loop?
As I discussed in my Developing Your Mind4Survival blog post, the OODA Loop is used to facilitate our decision-making.
In other words, you can better manage the time dedicated to your preparedness efforts by using the OODA Loop.
To overcome your frustration with prepper time management, you must first observe your situation.
Observing your situation means to see what is going on around you. Look at and take in your daily life.
Notice who and what is important to you and your future preparedness.
Orienting yourself to your situation is key to successful prepper time management.
This means doing your risk analysis on the people and things that you observed in the previous step. In so doing, you'll identify your most significant vulnerabilities that require addressing.
What (who) do I have to protect?
By answering those three questions, you will be able to prioritize your prepping better.
You will understand what is most important to you. This may be family members or something that is important to your survival.
Once you orient yourself as to what (who) is most important to protect, you next need to decide what it will take to address your concerns.
To help you decide, you can make a checklist.
That checklist will include a ranking of all of your vulnerabilities and risks. Next, you'll add everything you think it will take to address those risks.
As you do, you'll find many of your vulnerability and risk solutions are applicable across a number of the items on your checklist.
Now that you've determined what your vulnerabilities are and what it will take to address them, you can take action.
Taking action means addressing your most significant risk and vulnerability first. Some of the things you do to address your first risk may help address other threats and so on.
Over time, as you work your way down your prioritized list, you'll find that your early preps will have addressed some of the needs of your later preps.
In other words, by addressing your main priorities first, you will simultaneously address others.
This process, while simple, is the solution to helping you overcome your frustrations with prepper time management.
Whenever you begin to look at new preps or want to decide on what to do next, use this system.
Sit back, take a tactical pause and work your way through the OODA Loop process.
Doing so in a manner that applies to your overall prepping strategy will help you manage your prepper time.
It will also help improve your overall personal situational awareness so that you are better prepared and ready when needed.


We have been trying to get the Gfx team going a bit. We've been getting some great designs, and meeting a lot of cool and talented people. However.. One thing we have been missing, is a leader for this team. Today we decided to promote @Valar to the rank of Gfx Manager! There is no special rank for this (at the moment) but it is being worked on.
He will be deciding which players he would like on his team (and be able to contact Admins to give ranks out) as well as making sure everyone is working on something. Sean (Valar) has shown leadership qualities, and we have no doubt that he is ready to take this next step.
Congratulations, and if anyone has any questions on this, feel free to ask below, or pm me.
Gratz Sean. Something you deserve. You're always dedicated to the Graphics side of things.
Thanks for the support guys! Won't disappoint!
wow great decision from overlord chris! This truly brings tears to my eyes seeing how my little sean is growing up so fast! I never thought i'd see the day where he took over my company! I want to say thank to louis for making this possible!
Valar is great! Way to go man!
Congratulations Valar! One of the best graphic designers on here.
Well deserved Valar, looking forward to this.


text:
Convergence Guide: What We Know So Far
By Brian Delpozo
The changeover from Winter to Fall weather means that Summer is right round the corner – and that Event Season is upon us! D.C. Comics' entry into the fray is the vast, multiverse-spanning series Convergence! Here are the highlights:
What exactly is Convergence?
The storyline of the main Convergence mini-series centers around Superman villain Brainiac collecting various entire cities from throughout the DC multiverse, trapping them in domes, and depositing them on a planet that exists outside the normal flow of space and time. The cities have varied origins from across the publishing history of DC, with pre and post Crisis on Infinite Earths, Zero Hour, Falshpoint, and different Elseworld universes (such as Kingdom Come) represented. Initially these disparate cities are kept separate beneath their domes, however Brainiac opens the domes to allow the cities to battle each other for survival, opening up the opportunity for character interactions between the residents of the various timelines and universes. A new villain named Telos will also be involved in the story, though little is known of him as of this writing,
How many books make up Convergence?
The proper Convergence mini-series, written by Jeff King with art by Ethan Van Sciver, is 8 issues long, with a #0 issue predating number one and is scheduled to ship weekly for the duration of April and May. There are no traditional tie-in issues. Instead, DC is putting it's entire normal line on hiatus for the duration of the event (not so coincidently timed to correspond with DC's real-world move of its offices from New York to California) and publishing 40 two-issue miniseries, shipping one issue each in April and May, detailing various multiverse characters' reactions to being trapped by Brainiac and their encounters with each other instead.
These series are split into waves of ten, with each wave roughly corresponding to a different period in DC history. Those shipping in the first weeks of April and May focus on characters directly pre-Flashpoint/The New 52, the second week books are centered around the Zero Hour period, the third week around Crisis on Infinite Earths, and the fourth in the pre-Crisis DC Universe. The books' creative teams generally are made up of creators who worked on the characters during the time period specified, such as Gail Simone's directly Pre-Flashpoint Nightwing and Oracle, or Marv Wolfman's New Teen Titans.
Click Here For A Full List Of Convergence Titles and Their Creative Teams
Is Convergence the end of The New 52?
From marketing standpoint yes, from story standpoint not really. Starting in June, DC is eliminating The New 52 branding that's been in place since the company's 2011 reboot and not enforcing the 52-books-a-month quota that's been standard since. The line will be made up of 49 books, 25 of which are series continuing with the numbering they had going into Convergence, and 24 new series aimed at varied demographics of readers. New 52 Universe continuity seems to be staying intact for the most part, however according to DC head honchos Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, strict continuity won't be adhered to across the line to allow for more flexibility in character representation and progression.
Is Convergence #0 Issue that was released on April 1st necessary to read?
Zero issues in comics can be a funny thing, especially when they serve as preludes to an mini-series event. Sometimes they're such a brief snippet that they barely go beyond preview advertising information, other times they have such important story material that they may as well have been Issue #1. Convergence #0 falls somewhere between those two extremes. The main story of the comic, done by the normal Convergence team with the addition of Dan Jurgens as cowriter, features the New 52 version of Superman captured by Brainiac and transported to the planet where the domed cities are being kept.
Check out the ComicsVerse review!
The story is a bit light on content, mainly comprising of New 52 Supes threatening/punching various version of Brainiac before being sent back to his normal Universe with his memory erased. Van Sciver's art is the normal quality work one would expect from him, with the highlight being a double-page spread of Brainiac showing Superman various versions oh his death from across the Multiverse.
The emphasis, of course, is on the famous image of Lois Lane cradling Superman's body after he was killed by Doomsday in 1992's Superman #75.
The real meat of the issue comes in its supplemental material, a guidebook of all fifty cities contained on the convergence planet. The guide provides a short description of each city, talking about which corner of the multiverse and era of DC publishing it comes from and provides a first appearance date for each, and would be especially helpful for readers not familiar with the ins and outs of DC's vast multiverse mythology.
Even with all the information above, it's a bit hard to predict what lasting changes could come out of Convergence. While the New 52 continuity is staying, it could be otherwise altered, or Convergence era characters could remain a part of it. DC is presenting a first look at the Post-Convergence DCU with its May Free Comic Book Day release Divergent, which is scheduled to include 8 page previews of the new status-quos for Batman, Superman, and The Justice League. Until then, we're all just along for the ride.
Check out more ComicsVerse articles!
TagsConvergenceD.C. ComicsJustice Leaguesuperman
Previous article Convergence #0 Review
Next article Revisiting Thor (2011)
More By Brian Delpozo
ComicsVerse Spouts Off!: DC December Solicits 2019
Tim Stevens dives into the DC December Solicits to crack wise and be wise about all of DC'…
Wally West, Five of The Best of The Best
With Wally going through some significant changes in HEROES IN CRISIS, he has returned to …
Get Ready for Scott Snyder's YEAR OF THE VILLAIN
Writer Scott Snyder has been crafting a huge story. At last, YEAR OF THE VILLAIN is here a…
RAVEN #1 Review: What Fans Have Been Waiting For
Marv Wolfman returns to one of his greatest creations and reintroduces her to the post-Reb…
BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS OF PREY #2: That's More Like It
After two two mildly disappointing outings, BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS of PREY finds its post-R…
GOTHAM ACADEMY ANNUAL #1 Opens Up the SECOND SEMESTER
The first issue of GOTHAM ACADEMY ANNUAL should be kickstarting the title's new era, howev…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


JAKE Hyde cracked a hat-trick to open his Hayes & Yeading account last night.
The ex-Barnet striker scored his first goals since signing on at Church Road last month with his treble sparking a 5-2 romp over Hillingdon Borough in the first round of the Middlesex Senior Cup.
Spartan South Midlands Premier outfit Borough more than held their own for the majority of the match with two Ryan Welsh goals, before they ran out of steam against their their full-time opponents with Hyde's treble, an Adam Green strike, and an own goal.


ISLAMABAD, Aug 15 (APP): United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that Voluntary Repatriation Centers (VRC) Chamkani in Peshawar will reopen on August 16 (Tuesday).
All the VRC were closed on account of Pakistan's Independence Day holiday on August 14.
Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) or UNHCR- issued refugee cards, who are planning to return to Afghanistan from Pakistan under the UN Refugee Agency's facilitated voluntary repatriation programme have already been informed, said a press release.
to proceed through the VRCs after facilitated returns resume are encouraged to contact UNHCR helpline numbers, which are operational between 8am to 8pm, before approaching the centers.
0300-858-5600, Quetta: 0300-0771699, 0333-781-9601, Karachi : 0342-270-4888.
(0) 700308177 or 0093 (0) 799032233.


Fresh breezes, orchid and Ylang dance on top of cypress trees, frosted woods, Oakmoss, and fresh spices. Reminiscent of a walk in the woods on a snowy December day!
Our goat milk soap is made on our farm, using fresh goat milk from our little herd of goats & natural, moisturizing oils. It is free of artificial coloring, detergents and harsh chemicals.
All of the soap is handmade. The look, color and size very from batch to batch, but the quality is always the same.


After you purchase H35-570 practice exam, we will offer free update for ONE Year!
Killtest Practice Exams for H35-570 are written to the highest standards of technical accuracy, provided by our certified subject matter experts and published authors for development.
We hope you will success with our practice exams. If you do not pass the HCNA "H35-570" (Huawei Certified Network Associate-IBS Test&RNO), and you are sure our practice exams don't give you any help. We will give you a FULLY REFUND of your purchasing fee OR send you another same value product for free.
3. Killtest HCNA H35-570 Exam Downloadable.
Our PDF or Testing Engine Preparation Material of HCNA H35-570 exam provides everything which you need to pass your exam. The HCNA Certification details are researched and produced by our Professional Certification Experts who are constantly using industry experience to produce precise, and logical. Our Product will help you not only pass Huawei Certified Network Associate-IBS Test&RNO exam, but also save your valuable time.
- Comprehensive questions with complete details about H35-570 exam.
- H35-570 exam questions accompanied by exhibits. Verified Answers Researched by Industry Experts and almost correct.
- Drag and Drop questions as experienced in the Real HCNA exam. H35-570 exam questions updated on regular basis.
- Like actual HCNA Certification exams, H35-570 exam preparation is in multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Tested by many HCNA exams before published.
- Try free HCNA exam demo before you decide to buy it in http://www.Killtest.com.
High quality and Valued for the H35-570 Exam: It will help you to pass your H35-570 exam and get your HCNA Certification. Come to http://www.Killtest.com The easiest and quickest way to get your HCNA Certification.
KillTest professional provides HCNA H35-570 the latest study materials, completely covers H35-570 test knowledge points. With our completed HCNA resources, you will minimize your HCNA cost and be ready to pass your H35-570 test with our study materials, 100% Money Back Guarantee included!


WIN A Pair of Tickets to see Wilko Johnson with Special Guest Glen Tilbrook @ Tyne Theatre and Opera House on the 15th March @ 8pm.
Heavily influenced by Mick Green, Wilko employs a finger-style, chop-chord strumming action (the 'stab', as he describes it). This allows for chords and lead to be played at the same time, giving a fluency and a distinctive sound very unlike the cleaner swat of a pick. With this economic sound, coupled with that black-suited, scowling look, and the yards he covered across the stage pausing only to twist the guitar lead out from under his feet, Wilko became one of the guitar heroes of the era.
Wilko played a show at The Royal Albert Hall to mark which birthday?


text:
Margaret G. Hays (née Margaret Parker Gebbie; July 3, 1874 – September 13, 1925) was an American illustrator, cartoonist, and children's author.

Biography
Hays was born Margaret Parker on July 3, 1874, to George, an art publisher, and Mary Jane (née Fitzgerald) Gebbie. She was educated by governesses until the age of 13 when she then attended the Convent of Notre Dame. Hayes worked with her sister, Grace Drayton, on a number of comic strips and children's books, including The Turr'ble Tales of Kaptain Kiddo. Hays created post cards and paper dolls, and while her sister Grace Drayton is best known for creating the Campbells Soup kids, Hays created jingles for Campbells.
Hays best known strip is Jennie and Jack, also the Little Dog Jap, a strip that was syndicated in 1908.
Along with writing comic strips and children's illustrated books, Hays wrote poetry and was published in a number of magazines.

Personal life
Hays married Frank Allison Hays (1866–1930) in 1893. He was involved in working with the Children's Novelty Company alongside his wife as a place that published paper dolls. She had two children, Mary A. Huber and William Hays; Mary also was a cartoonist. Hays died on September 13, 1925, in Philadelphia, aged 51 years, and is buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Legacy
A concert of music that included pieces from Hays' Vegetable Verselets for Humorous Vegetarians was performed on April 29, 2012 at Virginia Tech. Inspired by the poem 'Heart-Beets' from the collection, Tracy Cowden – then associate professor of music at Virginia Tech – worked with composer Daron Hagon to set several poems to music, with soprano Caroline Worra enlisted to sing at the concert.

Resources

External links
 Books available online by Margaret G. Hays

American children's book illustrators
American women children's writers
American children's writers
American female comics artists
American women illustrators
1874 births
1925 deaths
Artists from Philadelphia
20th-century American women artists
Writers from Philadelphia
20th-century American women writers
Burials at West Laurel Hill Cemetery

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
var mongoose = require('mongoose');
var passport = require('passport');
var LocalStrategy = require('passport-local').Strategy;
var User = mongoose.model('User');

// Serialize sessions
passport.serializeUser(function (user, done) {
	done(null, user.id);
});

passport.deserializeUser(function (id, done) {
	User.findOne({ _id: id }, function (err, user) {
		done(err, user);
	});
});

// Use local strategy
passport.use(new LocalStrategy({
		usernameField: 'email',
		passwordField: 'password'
	},
	function (email, password, done) {
		User.findOne({ email: email.toLowerCase() }, function (err, user) {
			if (err) {
				return done(err);
			}
			if (!user) {
				return done(null, false, {
					'errors': {
						'email': { type: 'I\'m sorry: it doesn\'t look like that email has been registered, yet.' }
					}
				});
			}
			if (!user.authenticate(password)) {
				return done(null, false, {
					'errors': {
						'password': { type: 'Password is incorrect.' }
					}
				});
			}
			return done(null, user);
		});
	})
);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
West Africa, often an overlooked part of the Muslim world, is a place with a rich, and lengthy Islamic history. Islam first appeared here during the early 8th century and has had a strong influence ever since.
But how much do we know about this history?
How often do we even hear about the 135 million Muslims living there today?
We wish to give you an insight into how Islam went from being the religion of the passing Arab traders to becoming the major state religion of various empires in the region – now practised by 54% of those living there today.
By learning more about the history of this area, we can give our West African brothers and sisters in Islam the recognition they deserve and begin to appreciate to what extent Islam belongs to all people of all colours.
The coming of Islam
Islam first came to West Africa in the 8th century. From there it spread slowly over hundreds of years in a peaceful process involving missionaries, traders, and scholars.
By this point, Islam was already widespread in neighbouring North Africa after the area was conquered by the Umayyad dynasty of Syria in the mid-7th century.
The Amazigh (also known as Berbers), the native inhabitants of North Africa, played an important part in its spread via trade routes that crossed south through the Sahara and deep into West Africa.
Islam and trade
Early Islam was limited to communities living near the trans-Saharan trade route. Visiting Arabs and Amazigh built settlements along these routes, as mentioned by the Arab-Andalusian scholar Al-Bakri.
The great empires of West Africa were famous for their trade in salt and gold; the two largest and most valuable commodities being exported. Dates, camels, horses, timber, and local foods were also traded along the network spanning from north to south of the Sahara Desert and below it.
Although the local people of Ghana did not accept Islam, they were tolerant of it and allowed Muslim traders to settle in their lands. The king of Ghana also allowed Muslims to live in Kumbi (a great market town of the Ghana Empire) where they built 12 mosques and even had their own imam.
Bilad-al-Sudan
Although modern-day Sudan is the name of a country in the northeast of Africa (all the way on the other side of the continent), historically Sudan has been used to refer to a different part of Africa.
The word Sudan comes from Bilad-al-Sudan literally 'Land of the Blacks' – a term used by the earliest Arabs who came into contact with the lands of the black people living below the Sahara.
In this context, West Sudan refers to a large portion of West Africa where multiple empires inhabited, the three biggest empires, and most important in the spread of Islam, were:
Kingdom of Ghana (6th to 13th century)
Kingdom of Mali (1240-1645)
Kingdom of Songhai (1460-1591)
Fun Fact: The Ghana Empire we mentioned is different to modern day Ghana, they're in different locations, but modern day Ghana actually named itself in tribute to the old Empire!
The Kingdom of Ghana under The Almoravids
The Almoravids (from al-Murabit literally meaning "one who is trying") were a Muslim Amazigh dynasty centred in Morocco.
During the 11th century, they conquered the Ghana Empire to the south and imposed a 'fundamentalist' version of Islam on the local populations in an attempt to purify their beliefs.
Their conquest of the kingdom gave the conversion process new energy - under them the Islamic practices and laws of the population of Ghana became outwardly more uniform with a shift from Islam being mixed with traditional beliefs, to what the Almoravids believed to be true Islam.
However, they didn't hold power in the region for long. Their rule over the Ghana Empire soon weakened and they eventually pushed the people of Ghana over the edge through excessive taxing and political agitation. The Ghana empire eventually collapsed into smaller tribal groups, losing its position of power by 1100.
Mansa Musa and the Rise of the Mali Empire
Towards the south, while the Ghana Empire was still thriving, the Mande (a collection of ethnic groups in the region) had also accepted Islam. During this time the religious climate was relatively open. The fact Muslims were tolerant towards the traditional spiritual beliefs of West Africans allowed Islam to spread more easily. Rulers became the first to accept Islam and blended it with the traditional beliefs of the region, and over time the local population followed in their footsteps.
After accepting Islam, the Mande went on to conquer Kumbi (the large market town of the Ghana Empire mentioned earlier) and took control of trade routes in the area. Kumbi was the last of the capitals of the Kingdom of Ghana before the Empire crumbled.
Out of the ruins of the Ghana Empire rose a new superpower in the region - the Mali Empire.
While the founder of this empire wasn't Muslim, by the year 1300 its rulers most definitely were. The most famous ruler of the Mali Empire was Mansa Musa, and under him, Islam took on a new status within the kingdom.
Mansa Musa made Islam the state religion of Mali – encouraging merchants, traders, and scholars from Egypt and North Africa to come to Mali to both trade and settle. Islam also introduced the skill of literacy to what had previously been a largely oral society, allowing scholars to now record traditions and history in books.
Mansa Musa gave the Mali Empire fame when he went to Hajj in 1324.
He travelled more than 3000 miles to Makkah, with as many as 80,000 people accompanying him there. On his way, he stopped at Cairo after travelling for 8 months, along with his caravan of 200 camels carrying 30,000 pounds of gold, along with food, clothing, and supplies.
In Egypt, his donations and spending were so generous that he caused a recession from which it took the economy 10 years to recover.
When word began to spread in Makkah and Madinah that the king of Mali was coming, people lined the streets to catch a glimpse of him. Mansa Musa paid in gold for every single good and service he received during his Hajj and gave lavish gifts to his hosts. Similarly to his time in Egypt, he spent so much gold that the value of it in the economies of the two holy cities plunged.
Mansa Musa (and his unlimited gold) put Mali on the map – literally; by 1375 Mansa Musa appeared on European maps holding a nugget of gold. He is believed to be the richest man to have ever lived.
When returning from Hajj, he brought the architect al-Sahili back with him and embarked on a large building program, erecting mosques and madrasas in the cities Timbuktu and Gao of Mali.
Around the same time, several Muslim societies were developing further east, including the Hausa city-states and the Kingdom of Kanem in modern Northern Nigeria.
One of the groups within the Mali Empire was the Songhai. The warrior Sonni Ali became their ruler in 1460. He built a powerful army allowing the Songhai to break away from the Mali empire and then eventually conquer it.
Songhai ruled over a diverse and multi-ethnic empire.
Although Islam was the state religion, many blended it with traditional belief systems, and Sonni Ali was known to persecute Muslim scholars, especially those who criticised pagan beliefs.
Later rulers of the Songhai Empire supported Islamic institutions and sponsored mosques, libraries, and public buildings. By the 16th century, the city of Timbuktu was thriving commercially and became a world-leading centre of 'ilm, attracting scholars from across the Muslim world. For the people of Timbuktu, literacy and books were symbols of barakah, power, and wealth. The prominence of Timbuktu as a centre of learning meant that the activity, and education of scholars in this city had wide-reaching effects which spread to reach the Ummah across the globe.
The fall of the Songhai Empire in 1591 marked the decline of the big empires in West Africa. Merchant scholars in Timbuktu and other centres of 'ilm dispersed, sharing what they had learnt to the more rural populations.
In this post, we've only encompassed a drop in the ocean that is the Islamic history of West Africa. We hope by giving you a glimpse into this history, we will all be able to better value the diversity of our Ummah and be inspired to learn more about our origins. We encourage you to make the most of this Black History Month, and as always stay tuned as we try to help you achieve this, insha'Allah!
Note: one resource we're loving this Black History Month (and we're sure you'll love too) is the History Nights 'Inspiring Stories about Black Muslims in History' series by ilmfeed with Mustafa Briggs. You can find the previous week's lectures on ilmfeed's YouTube channel and make sure to tune in live for the upcoming ones!
The Legacy of Sumayyah Bint Khayyat
Another remarkable woman with great significance in early Islam is Sumayyyah bint Khayyat. She played an important role in early Islam by exhibiting strength in the face of persecution and being the first martyr in Islam.
Her Beginnings
Before embracing Islam, Sumayyah RA, a Black Abysinian (modern day Ethiopia) woman, was a slave in Makkah who was owned by Abu Hudhaifah ibn al-Mughirah, from the tribe of Makhzum. The tribe of Makhzum was one of the most powerful in Makkah and later became one of the most resistant tribes to both Islam and the clan of Banu Hashim (the clan of the Prophet SAW). Abu Hudhaifah ibn al-Mughirah gave Summayah in marriage to Yasir ibn Amir, a man from Yemen, and they had a son called Ammar ibn Yasir who was born in the same year as the Prophet SAW, the year of the elephant. Sumayyah RA's family lived in Makkah in service to the entire tribe of Makhzum. She was one of the first 7 people to embrace Islam as a 60-year-old woman, along with her son Ammar. Her husband Yasir RA also embraced Islam soon after, making her whole family amongst the earliest to embrace Islam.
Her Persecution by the Quraysh
When the Prophet SAW began to preach Islam publicly, it resulted in the active persecution of the small Muslim community, and due to the societal disadvantage of the family of Yasir, they were left vulnerable to persecution. This family was not rich nor powerful, they had no protection, and were therefore at the mercy of the tribe. Those without protection were often targets for the cruelty of the Quraysh, and Abu Jahal (one of the leaders of the tribe) was one of the strongest opponents against Islam often gave the worst punishments and torture to harm the followers of the Prophet. He did not have any mercy on the old age of Sumayyah and Yasir, but instead used many forms of pressure, threats and torture to get them to renounce their faith. The Prophet SAW was troubled by the persecution of the Muslims, especially the family of Yasir, but he was not able to do anything to protect them. The only thing he could do was to comfort them by saying "Patience O family of Yasir! For you are destined for paradise" (Sahih al-Tirmidhi). It was this promise of paradise which strengthened them to be steadfast in their faith and to be patient with the trials they faced in this world. They were beaten and humiliated in public under the hot sun with no one to defend them, but they chose the reward of the hereafter and stayed true and never went back on 'La ilahaillAllah Muhammad ur-rasulullah'.
Her Death
Despite their conviction and faith, Abu Jahal especially would not give up on targeting Summayah and her family, as he wished to send a message to the Muslims of Makkah that they would either need to renounce their faith or die. But, each time Sumayyah RA was tortured, she would respond with strength and conviction in Allah SWT and his messenger. This powerful man could not fathom how the faith of this old woman could not be shaken, which only enraged him further and on one occasion he took the violence to an extreme length, more than anything that had been seen before Islam. The entire family of Yasir were each tied to trees and tortured and beaten in front of one another so they would renounce their faith and curse the Prophet SAW. But, as physical torture increased, their perseverance and conviction would increase. Then, Sumayyah RA, weak from torture, used the remnants of her energy to spit at Abu Jahal from her position and humiliate him. A humiliation which would enrage him so far that that he took a spear and pierced her through her midsection, killing her and sending her to Allah SWT. Her husband Yasir RA also died soon after she did.
There is something wondrous about how this woman never saw bliss in this world and experienced only hardship, but with the first strike of Abu Jahal she was able to see the promise of the Prophet SAW, the promise of paradise. "And then that person from amongst the persons of the world be brought who had led the most miserable life (in the world) from amongst the inmates of Paradise. and he would be made to dip once in Paradise, and it would be said to him. 0, son of Adam, did you face any hardship? Or had any distress fallen to your lot? And he would say: By Allah, no,0 my Lord, never did I face any hardship or experience any distress." [Sahih Muslim 2807].
So as the first mayr of Islam, although she did not see the glory days of the Islam, she preceded everyone from our Ummah to experience the promise of Allah SWT.
The Legacy of Lineage
In speaking about the legacy of Sumayyah RA we also speak of her son, Ammar ibn Yasir. He was a noble companion who faced a lot of persecution like his parents. However, on the occasion that he was tied to the tree, he was tortured until he had a moment of weakness and so maligned the Prophet SAW. Because of this, his life was spared by Abu Jahal. However, he recognised that he had erred and immediately went to the Prophet SAW and confessed. But the Prophet SAW asked 'How did you find your heart?', and Ammar RA replied that he was still a muslim in his heart so the Prophet SAW comforted him with the verses "Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment." (16.106). After this, Ammar RA continued as a companion of the Prophet SAW and he helped build the first mosque in Islam. He participated in many battles and many years after the death of his parents, during the Battle of Badr, the Prophet SAW came to him and revealed "Allah has killed your mother's killer", to help alleviate Ammar's anguish of seeing his parents' killer roam Makkah for years without consequence. Ammar ibn Yasir was a strong warrior and years later, in the Battle of Siffin, he was also martyred. Thereby gaining the title of a martyr like his parents before him and making theirs a family of martyrs who gave their lives to protect and spread the message of Islam.
Her Legacy
The life of Sumayyah bint Khayyat was not one of ease before her death, again, she did not get to experience the ease in the glory days of Islam. Her life was one that was full of hardship, and as an old woman who was amongst the first to embrace Islam, she was persecuted, and her life became harder ever since. But her death is one of immense importance in Islamic history. Her death did not send the message of weakness which Abu Jahal had intended, but it sent one of strength and unshakeable faith. The significance of the fact that Sumayyah RA, an old Black Abyssinian woman, was willing to stand with her truth, and not just accept the torture but do what she could to fight back, and as a result lost her life, is the ultimate strength. She became a symbol of strength, courage, bravery and faith to all Muslims. The Prophet SAW himself assured her that her destination is paradise and she is an example that there is nothing more important than devotion to Allah SWT and standing strong in the face of adversity. She gave the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of Allah SWT, and Allah honoured her sacrifice and exalted her status to being the first shaheeda of Islam. Allah SWT does not know the distinctions of this world, he just elevated her position because of her faith, and she was honoured in the best way.
THE DEPTH BEHIND THESE LEGACIES
We have only touched upon a portion of the lives of these remarkable muslims. There is a lot more to be learnt when you uncover their histories, as well as the stories of many other figures in the history of Islam. We encourage you to do your best to learn more, and also stay tuned for our next blog post which will help you on your journey!
The Legacy of Umm Ayman
The early history of Islam is marked by many remarkable black individuals who played an important role in the life of the Prophet SAW and the beginnings of Islam. We wish to give you an insight into one of these women and her legacy in the muslim ummah.
UMM AYMAN
The early history of Islam would not be done justice without honouring Umm Ayman, a woman truly like no other. The only one who can be said to have been with the Prophet SAW from the moment of his birth to the moment that he died. She is one of the few Muslims the Prophet SAW assured of paradise, and is a woman whom the Prophet honoured with the status of "mother after my own mother".
Barakah bint Tha'labah, later known as Umm Ayman was a young Abysinnian girl brought to Makkah and sold as a slave. She was fortunate enough to be brought into the household of a noble and gentle man, Abdullah ibn Muttalib, the father of the Prophet SAW. She took care of his affairs as well as his wife Aminah bint Wahb, the mother of the Prophet SAW. It was Barakah who comforted Amina whilst her husband left on a long journey and it was Barakah who conveyed the news of his death to her too.
Whilst her husband was on the trip, Aminah fell ill and had a dream where she saw "lights coming from my abdomen lighting up the mountains, the hills and the valleys around Makkah" and it was Barakah who interpreted this to mean that she would "give birth to a blessed child who will bring goodness". The young girl stood by Aminah's side throughout her entire pregnancy and was also the only person present during the delivery of the Prophet SAW, where she was the first to hold him, bathe him, and care for him his entire life.
When Barakah RA was a young woman and the Prophet SAW was 6 years old, she accompanied him and his mother on a journey to Madinah, but on their return back to Makkah, Aminah fell seriously ill. She entrusted her son to Barakah and said "Be a mother to him, Barakah. And don't ever leave him." Aminah passed away at al-Abwa with Barakah and her son Muhammad SAW, so they buried her; Barakah then consoled the young boy and took him back to Makkah where they lived with the grandfather of the Prophet SAW, Abdul Muttalib. When the Prophet SAW was 9, his grandfather also died and Barakah was there to console him too. She stayed with the Prophet SAW throughout his life and although the Prophet inherited her from his father, he freed her. To him, she was his 'mother after his mother' and played a pivotal role.
The Marriages of Umm Ayman
Umm Ayman had devoted her youth to the Prophet SAW and remained unmarried, she lived to care for the young orphaned boy. However, as the Prophet SAW grew and got married to Khadijah RA at 25 years old, he encouraged her to get married too. He would say "Ya Ummah!" Now I am a married man, and you are still unmarried. What do you think if someone should come now and ask to marry you?" However, she would reply saying "I shall never leave you. Does a mother abandon her son?". To which he would then say to his wife Khadijah RA "This is Barakah. This is my mother after my own mother. She is the rest of my family." Khadijah RA said "Barakah, you have sacrificed your youth for the sake of Muhammad. Now he wants to pay back some of his obligations to you. For my sake and his, agree to be married before old age overtakes you." Barakah RA agreed and married Ubayd ibn Zayd from the Khazraj tribe of Yathrib (Madinah) and moved there. She gave birth to a son whom they called Ayman, and from then onwards she was known as "Umm Ayman", the mother of Ayman. However, her marriage did not last very long as her husband passed away so she returned to Makkah as a widow with her son, and lived with Muhammad SAW in the house of the Khadijah RA.
Umm Ayman was one of the first to accept Islam as she lived in the Prophets household when he received revelation. She did not hesitate to believe in his message and Prophethood, and immediately submitted to the will of Allah SWT. She bravely endured the persecution of the Quraysh, and performed invaluable services for the cause.
One night a few years after revelation, Umm Ayman risked her life to convey a message to the Prophet SAW by passing a blockade of disbelievers in Makkah to reach the House of Al-Arqam (where the Prophet SAW gathered his companions to teach about Islam). The Prophet SAW told her "you are blessed, Umm Ayman. Surely you have a place in Paradise." And when she left he said to his companions: "should one of you desire to marry a woman of the people of paradise, let him marry Umm Ayman." From them Zayd ibn al-Harithah, the Prophet SAW adopted son, said he would marry her because "By Allah, she is better than women who have grace and beauty". From this marriage, despite her old age, she bore the child Usamah ibn Zaid, a boy whom the Prophet SAW loved like his own and people would say 'he is the beloved son of the beloved'.
The Devotion of Umm Ayman
When the time of the Hijrah came, Umm Ayman, at the old age of about 70 years, also made the long and difficult journey on foot through the Arabian desert. She travelled through the intense heat and sandstorms and persisted in the way of Allah SWT fueled by her love for the Prophet SAW and his religion. On the journey she even found herself in a situation without any water. However, she believed in the mercy of her Lord, and Allah SWT sent down help. It was narrated that she saw a bucket tied with rope being lowered from the sky, it contained cold water for her to quench her thirst and cool her body. After this blessing she narrates that she 'never felt thirsty after that, even when I fast on the hottest day', what an honour. When she reached Madinah, her feet were swollen, her face covered with sand and dust, and upon seeing her the Prophet SAW wiped her face and eyes, massaged her feet and rubbed her shoulders, exclaiming: ""Yaa Umm Ayman! Ya Ummi! Indeed for you is a place in Paradise!".
Even throughout history she witnessed every battle of the Prophet SAW, and accompanied him on expeditions such as to Khaybar and Hunayn. At the Battle of Uhud she distributed water to the thirsty and tended to the wounded. And when the Prophet was rumoured to have died and many muslims were running from the battlefield, she stood her ground along with some other muslim women to defend the Prophet SAW and the muslims. She would follow him everywhere as his protecting mother with a watchful eye.
Her Relationship with the Prophet SAW
Umm Ayman had been with the Prophet SAW throughout his life and he honored this relationship into his adulthood. She comforted him in times of hardship, treated him with care and affection, and he would do the same. They also shared a jovial relationship too, the Prophet SAW would laugh and joke with her and one such instance is when she came to the Prophet SAW said "O Messenger of Allah, may you give me an animal to ride." The Prophet jokingly told her, I will give you the offspring of a she-camel to ride." She said, "O Messenger of Allah, what will I do with the offspring of a she-camel? It would not be able to carry me." The Prophet said: "Are riding-camels born except from she-camels?". Their relationship contained light heartedness as well as full faith and conviction in the message of the Prophet SAW. On occasions he would ask how she was and she would reply "I am well, O Messenger of Allah, so long as Islaam is". She had complete dedication to his cause and never forsook him or Islam despite the difficulties or persecution she may have faced, she never complained to the Prophet SAW about her hardships, but showed continual support.
The Death of the Prophet SAW
This woman's entire purpose in life was defined by the moment she held the Prophet SAW and she had spent her entire life by his side. Therefore, after his death Abu Bakr RA and Umar RA would visit her, as they had seen the Prophet SAW do every day throughout his life, and would be there to comfort her.
Anas reported that after the death of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) Abu Bakr said to 'Umar:
Let us visit Umm Aiman as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to visit her. As we came to her, she wept. They (Abu Bakr and Umar) said to her: What makes you weep? What is in store (in the next world) for Allah's-Messenger (ﷺ) is better than (this worldly life). She said: I weep not because I am ignorant of the fact that what is in store for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (in the next world) is better than (this world), but I weep because the revelation which came from the Heaven has ceased to come. This moved both of them to tears and they began to weep along with her. [Sahih Muslim 2454]
The Legacy of Lineage - The legacy of Umm Ayman also lies in the greatness of her children
Ayman ibn Ubaid embraced Islam in Makkah and made the hijra to Madinah where he was a shepard and was entrusted to look after the goats of the Prophet SAW. He was a faithful companion of the Prophet and was also a participant in campaigns to defend Islam. At the battle of Hunayn when many of the muslims fled from the battleground because they were panic stricken; he was one of the 8 people who stood steadfast with the Prophet SAW. Ayman RA ended up being martyred at this battle, but the muslims were successful in their campaign. After his martyrdom, Al-Abbas RA, the uncle of the Prophet SAW composed a poem praising the steadfastness and bravery of Ayman ibn 'Ubaid.
Usamah ibn Zaid, known as "The Beloved Son of the Beloved" having been born to parents the Prophet SAW considered as his own family, he was also loved immensely by the Prophet SAW. He cared for him and, as one of those who were born into Islam, was taught from an early age. He showed signs of great leadership in his early teens and attempted to join the muslims in the battles such as Uhud (although the Prophet SAW did not permit him) as well as the battle of the Trench where he fought bravely. He also participated in the battle of Mu'tah against the Byzantine alongside his father, Zayd ibn Harithah who was appointed head of the expedition but was later martyred in this battle. Usamah RA had the opportunity to encounter the Byzantines again as part of the last mission the Prophet SAW. The Prophet sent the muslims to face them and put the eighteen year old Usamah as their commander in chief. A young, yet intelligent, capable and accomplished fighter who was able to return to Madinah with his army and "people saw no army that was safer and richer in booty than Usamah's army". Usamah RA was a mighty warrior for the muslims and was greatly loved and respected.
By the time Umm Ayman RA died, she had witnessed the death of both of her husbands, both of her children, and the death of the Prophet SAW. She also outlived Abu Bakr RA and saw the assassination of Umar ibn al-Khattab. She experienced hardships in her life yet lived through the lives of almost everyone who was a part of hers. She died with honour as she was devoted to the Prophet SAW and as such, he elevated her status to that of his mother. He honoured this woman despite her lack of tribe, her skin colour, gender and poverty; he held her in such high regard which made society honour her as a mother after the Prophet's mother. The life of Umm Ayman was unique as the only one who lived so closely to the Prophet SAW from birth till death, and the Prophet himself said that she is a woman of Jannah. She is an example of sincerity and piety to the entire muslim ummah because of her love for the Prophet SAW, her commitment to Islam, her sacrifice and her service - all to please Allah SWT. She embodied her statement "I am good as long as Islam is good" and lived each day caring for the message and Prophet she knew to be true.


Ripples at Sydney Wharf (56 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont, Ph 9571 1999) is a sister to the other Ripples at Milsons Point and Chowder Bay and is open for breakfast lunch and dinner. Designed by Richard Koh, it's mostly outside with views across to Darling Harbour. Owners are Grant and Yvonne Andronicus (yep, the coffee bean family) with chef Richard Park dishing up simple, unfussy bistro fare.
More openly Greek, Ouzo 88 (88 Crown Street, Woolloomooloo, Ph 9326 0888) is offering the full catastrophe (to paraphrase Zorba): ouzomezedes — that is, mezedes matched with ouzo and other great Greek wines over five courses for a ridiculous $59, and there's a full a la carte menu as well. Ouzo 88 is the brainchild of Nicholas (Nikos) Kalis who grew up in a deli in Marrickville where the family made wine in the backyard. I tasted some of that Marrickville Greek wine — once.


Do VLTs emulate playing with real decks of cards?
Since I had no electricity at home thanks to Irene, I called my gambling buddy and we took a drive to Maryland's recently opened Hollywood Casino in Perryville for the first time. I was surprised to find both video blackjack and video poker machines there.
Since Maryland runs a VLT system and not RNG machines, how can these games properly emulate the play of a real deck? Are the usual strategies useless on these VP machines? How about the blackjack?
Anyway it wasn't too bad of a place to kill an afternoon, if you like slot barns.
VLTs (video lottery terminals) do not emulate playing with a physical deck of cards. A central computer system tells your machine (terminal) what the result of your spin or hand will be, and your machine will do whatever it has to do to give you that result.
Strategies are useless on these video poker machines because they don't deal from fair decks and because the outcome of your hand has already been determined. Suppose the central system has determined that you should win the value of a full house. The machine may deal you a full house. You can discard the full house and the machine may either deal you another one, or it will deal you a garbage hand and a wizard will appear and award you the value of a full house. Whatever it takes, the machine will give you the value of a full house.
Strategies are also useless on the blackjack machines. The central system has already determined how much you will win. No matter what smart or stupid moves you make, you will win that amount.


text:
Jewish Day School Looking to Open in LIC, to Hold Focus Meeting
The Solomon Schechter School of Queens in Flushing (Google Maps)
Nov. 1, 2019 By Allie Griffin
The administrators of a Jewish Day School in Flushing are looking to open a satellite school in Western Queens.
The Solomon Schechter School of Queens (SSSQ), an Egalitarian Jewish Day School founded in 1956, is exploring opening an early childhood center in either Long Island City or Astoria.
The center would serve 3- and 4-year-old students in the first year and depending on demand, administrators would possibly add a kindergarten program and additional classes per age level the following year.
If demand is high, the school administrators would continue to add a grade each year.
The school is hosting a focus meeting on Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Modern Spaces Corporate Office, 10-27 46th Ave. Fourth Floor, to hear from interested parents.
"Long Island City and Western Queens is one of the fastest growing areas within the borough," a spokesperson for SSSQ said. "It's our hope to give Western Queens children the opportunity to see why our school has been so successful for more than 65 years."
Located at 76-16 Parsons Blvd in Flushing, SSSQ is the first and only Egalitarian Jewish Day School in Queens and serves 310 students. It provides a comprehensive dual curriculum covering Jewish and secular learning to children aged 3 years old through eighth grade.
To attend the focus meeting, RSVP to Paul Friedman, Director of Development and Public Relations, at [email protected] or 718-591-9800 ext. 305. The meeting is for adults only.
For more information visit sssq.org.
AU November 7th, 2019
We need a lot more schools in LIC and I'd rather have one built that would welcome my family.
Anne Horowitz November 5th, 2019
Exclusionary facilities like this should not be welcomed in the community. We need diverse representation for all faiths, not closed private clubs for the wealthy.
JD November 5th, 2019
Sure, let's close all the churches while we're at it.
Anon November 7th, 2019
Funny- it seems like most of the luxury condo buildings in LIC are like closed private clubs for the wealthy


text:
Revision as of 20:32, 11 September 2011 by Brunners (talk | contribs) (→Distance RMSD)
In figure 5 you can see the protein in motion. Compared to the results in Normal Mode Analysis the motion is not as strong as we had seen it there and the parts that are moving are smaller. Here we can see the sidechains bouncing and little elements of the protein. But there are no attraction or repulsion moves as in the Normal Modes.
In figure 6 you can see the plot for the temperature during the simulation. It fluctuates between 295 K and 301 K. So the temperature is very stable, the difference is only six Kelvin. That means that the system reached very soon a stable temperature.
0 bar? 1.00032 bar? higher?
In figure 9 you can see the volume fluctuating between 734 nm³ and 737 nm³. The difference is only three nm³. So the colume also converged to a an interval.
In figure 12 you can see the Coulomb Energy. It has its average at -24690.5 kJ/mol. It fluctuates around that value in an interval of about 1000 kJ/mol. At the end it is more stable. As the equilibration takes longer for this term it may be that the value at the time 8000 to 10000 is the equilibrium.
In figure 13 you can see the van der Waals interaction energy. It has its average at -3184.89. The values are fluctuating in an interval of about 1000 kJ/mol. Also at the end of the time there is no equilibration recognisable. Maybe it always fluctuates in such a big interval or it needs more time to converge.
In figure 15 you can see the RMSF fluctuation. With that you can recognise flexible regions. The most flexible region seems to be between residue 125 and residue 175. Other flexible regions are at the beginning of the protein between residue 20 and 50 and at the region about position 350.
In figure 16 you can see the protein colored according to b-factors and flexible regions. Blue means that the region is not flexible and red means that it is a very flexible region. You can see some loops that are flexible and parts of the alpha helices and beta sheets that are a bit more flexible. The most of the inner part of the protein is colored blue and therefore not flexible.
If you compare the different methods (all atom/backbonde and against starting structure or average structure) as you can see in figure 17a, b and 18a, b there are different times when the RMSD reaches a plateau. For all atoms and backbone against the starting structure both reach their plateau at about 1500 ps with a value of 0.18 and a bit lower for backbone with about 0.17.
For the comparison to the average structure they reach a plateau later. At 3000 to 4000 ps. All atom versus all reaches a RMSD of about 0.2, the backbone of 0.06, which is very low.


text:
Ember Earns Silver for Its Sleek Design at the 2017 IDSA IDEA Awards
Temperature control innovator recognized at the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) in the Kitchen & Accessories category
Press Release - updated: Aug 29, 2017
Westlake Village, California, August 29, 2017	(Newswire.com) - Ember Technologies, the leader in consumer-facing temperature control technology and creator of the world's first temperature controlled mug, took home top honors at the 2017 International Designers Society of America (IDSA) International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). On August 19 at the 2017 IDSA International Design Conference in Atlanta, the company was named as a Silver IDEA Award winner in the Kitchen & Accessories category, demonstrating the way Ember continues to rack up awards for its innovation and design.
Design experts from around the world judge the international design competition, sponsored annually by IDSA. Criteria include design innovation, user experience, benefit to the client, benefit to society, and appropriate aesthetics. Ember worked closely with design firm Ammunition Group on the development of the Ember mug.
"Ember solves a simple, yet universal challenge faced by coffee and tea drinkers everywhere: keeping a hot beverage at the ideal temperature for an extended period of time," says Clay Alexander, founder & CEO of Ember Technologies. "We wanted to show how a mug could be a work of art, beautifully designed and an object of desire. We worked hard to bring this product to life and Ammunition worked with us every step of the way. It's an incredible honor to be recognized by such an esteemed organization as IDSA."
Ember's flagship product is the only temperature adjustable mug that keeps coffee or tea at a consistent drinking temperature from the first sip to the last drop. The company's patented temperature-control technology combines phase change cooling with microprocessor-controlled active heating, creating the world's most precise temperature control system. Launched in November 2016, Ember saw unprecedented success in sales and wide adoption from consumers. Ember is currently available at Starbucks stores across the country and online at Starbucks.com, Ember.com, and on Amazon Prime.
About Ember
Ember is revolutionizing the way people eat and drink with the world's first line of temperature control housewares, including Ember's flagship product, the Ember mug. Founded in 2012 by inventor and serial entrepreneur Clay Alexander, Ember's team of world-class product designers and engineers (formally with Apple, Microsoft, Nokia and Amazon Labs), are transforming the drinkware and dishware industry one degree at a time.
For more information, visit Ember.com and follow us on Instagram (@ember), Facebook (Facebook.com/Ember) and Twitter (@Ember_Tech).
About International Designers Society of America
Founded in 1965, IDSA is one of the oldest and largest membership associations for industrial design professionals with thousands of members in Student Chapters, Professional Chapters and Special Interest Sections in the United States and internationally. IDSA sponsors IDEA®, the world's most prestigious and rigorous design competition. The Society hosts events including an annual International Design Conference, five District Design Conferences and a Medical Design Conference, bringing together some of the biggest names and brightest minds in industrial design and related fields.
Media Contact
Emerald Stocker
TRUE Communications for Ember
emerald@trueoverdrive.com
Source: TRUE Communications on Behalf of Ember Technologies
Categories: Design and Architecture, Consumer Goods, Gadget
Tags: Award, Design, Ember, Ember Technologies, IDEA, IDSA, Silver
About TRUE Overdrive
We are a media relations company dedicated to driving exposure for brands in the active outdoor, wearable technology and consumer electronics sectors. We deliver results that help achieve business success for our clients.
Spot Launches Subscription Injury Insurance
Affordable and Easy-to-Access Injury Coverage Eliminates Deductible Pain
TRUE Overdrive - Sep 18, 2019
VOCIER Awarded if Design Award 2019
German luggage brand known for innovation and design adds prestigious accolade to ever-growing list of international design awards
TRUE Overdrive - Feb 21, 2019
VOCIER Launches Avant With InterlinkTM -- the World's First Configurable Luggage System Utilizing Magnetic-Mechanical Latching Technology
The creator of the World's most award-winning luggage announces a revolutionary new product line for the new year
TRUE Overdrive - Jan 10, 2019


BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — On Monday, December 17, the newly elected officials for the Tehachapi City Council and Treasurer were sworn in at the regularly scheduled meeting.
Mayor Pro-tem Susan Wiggins and Councilmember Phil Smith were re-elected to the council and newly elected Councilmember Michael Davies was sworn in along with the Treasurer Susan Showler by the Tehachapi City Clerk Tori Marsh.
Another nely elected official, Councilmember Joan Pogon-Cord will be sworn in at the January 7 council meeting.
The selection of Mayor and Mayor Pro-tem will also take place at the January meeting.


text:
Reviews - Live May 8, 2014
Metal Alliance Tour: Behemoth & more, Toronto, April 23, 2014
METAL ALLIANCE TOUR: BEHEMOTH with GOATWHORE, 1349, and INQUISITION At The Opera House, Toronto, April 23rd, 2014 Recap and photos by Danielle Griscti An ambitious…
Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live April 8, 2011
FINNISH METAL TOUR Wrap-Up: March 10, 2011 in Charlotte NC/ March 11, 2011 in Raleigh, NC
"Being the last night of the tour, we were treated to various members of the other bands taking the stage. Mikko from Barren Earth/Swallow the Sun jumped on stage at the very beginning and sported a pig nose and a leather police cap. Other guys who joined Finntroll during the evening were Olli-Pekka Laine and Janne Perttilä from Barren Earth, Petri Lindroos from Ensiferum, and Keijo Niinimaa of Rotten Sound. Even as the last songs were sung, there was a mood of excitement, gratitude, and celebration. Finntroll played their heart out for everyone. Skrymer in particular was trying his best to avoid smiling, but couldn't help but crack a few."
Justin Richardson reviews the final two dates of the FINNISH METAL TOUR 2011 that happened in early March in Charlotte, NC and Raleigh, NC
Articles, Features, Headline November 10, 2010
On the Bus with Tom Gabriel Fischer
"Once you have lived this for a while you are free to have different experiences. Each tour brings a new experience. But I'm a somewhat nostalgic guy. This is my seventh U.S. tour or something like that and there are a lot of memories. We played Portland last night and there was a full moon. And there was a full moon the first time I ever played Portland. I remember looking at the moon in 1986 and making some notes about it. Then I find myself on the first Triptykon tour and there's a full moon. Certain memories stick forever."
Hellbound's Justin M. Norton sits down with Triptykon mastermind Tom Gabriel Fischer to discuss his life on the road, the nature of evil, and J.D. Salinger.
Albert Mansour, Blogs, Featured October 18, 2010
Photo Gallery: Triptykon / 1349 / Yakuza – Live in Toronto, ON
Photo Gallery: Triptykon / 1349 / Yakuza – Live in Toronto, ON. All photos by Albert Mansour
Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live October 18, 2010
Triptykon / 1349 / Yakuza / Sylvus @ the Wreckroom, Toronto ON, October 11 2010
"Visually the band's performance style is understated, but the smaller venue allowed them to overwhelm the space. Alongside the expected Triptykon material, sounding much like it does on record, the set list was Celtic Frost-heavy, songs like "Procreation (of the Wicked)" snarled out with vicious intensity."
Laura Wiebe reviews the recent Toronto performance of Triptykon, who were joined by 1349, Yakuza and Sylvus.
Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Vinyl June 28, 2010
Inter Arma – Sundown
Gather 'round, ye of the underground, for here is a band of Richmond dudes who combine touches of all manner of metal, from doom and thrash to black and traditional to sludge and psychedelic, and do so with a gritty, dirt-under-the-working-man's-fingernails sound lacking show and polish
Albert Mansour, Blogs, Featured May 26, 2010
Photo Gallery: 1349 @ Opera House, Toronto ON, April 28, 2010
Here are some of my photos of 1349, live in Toronto on April 28, 2010. I will put up pics of the other bands in the days to come


text:
станции Сазоново — посёлок в Шатурском муниципальном районе Московской области. Входит в состав Дмитровского сельского поселения. Население —  чел. ().

Расположение и транспорт
Посёлок станции Сазоново расположен в юго-западной части Шатурского района, расстояние по автодорогам до МКАД порядка 141 км, до райцентра — 58 км, до центра поселения — 16 км. Ближайший населённый пункт — посёлок Лесозавода к северо-западу, ближайшая автобусная остановка расположена в 4,5 км к северо-востоку, в селе Середниково.

Высота над уровнем моря 138 м.

Название
Станция названа по деревне Сазоново, расположенной к юго-западу от посёлка.

История
Станция Сазоново открыта в 1944 году на участке железнодорожной ветки Кривандино-Рязановка.

В 1993 году население посёлка составляло 22 жителя, 8 дворов.

В советское время посёлок входил в Середниковский сельсовет, позднее, до 2005 года — в Середниковский сельский округ.

В 2009 году станция закрыта.

Население

По результатам переписи населения 2010 года в посёлке проживало 3 человека (2 муж., 1 жен.).

Галерея

Примечания

Литература

Населённые пункты Шатурского района
Сельское поселение Дмитровское (Московская область)