Among the treasures I found on the staircase was a link to an online journal called OBIT, devoted to the concept of "what death can mean to the living, and what living may have meant to the dead." and which has a fascinating compendium of links and quotes relating to Heath's final performance, asking questions of whether the "staring into the void" bravery of his turn as the Joker could have led him to his sad fate.
The looking into the void thing can be a real danger if you are too brilliant for your own good. It's sucked some of our best and brightest right down the rabbit hole from which no man returns. What's freaking me out is just how jealous I am of what Duncan and Blake seemed to have: their fascinating rapport, their friends and artistic successes, their love and "perfection" for each other, and their fearless pursuit of whatever bizarre esoteric niches caught their fancy. Is it also, perhaps, that they died with so much undone, so poetically, the "long swim" and Tylenol PM plus bourbon (mmmmmm bourbon)? Is this the fate of our best and brightest when they get too far ahead of the pack, and realize they have no choice but to speed up into the void, or else go back with the rest and grow old as gracelessly and relentlessly as merciless banal time dictates, watching their beauty and relevance slowly fade under the dictatorial tick tock of the swiping scythe?


text:
Philip Bosco
History > Social History
History > Biography
Sports & Recreation > Sports
History > Politics & Government
History > Military & War
Under $5 (13)
50 Matching Movie Titles for
Director: Ken Burns
Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (1997)
directed by Ken Burns
featuring Adam Arkins, Murphy Guyer, Sam Waterston, Matthew Broderick, Kevin Conway
Ken Burns' The War [TV Documentary Series] (2007)
directed by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick
featuring Glenn Frazier, Sam Hynes, Quentin Aanenson, Jim Sherman, Earl Burke
Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip (2003)
featuring Tom Hanks, Keith David
Ken Burns: Jackie Robinson (2016)
directed by David McMahon, Ken Burns, Sarah Burns
featuring Keith David, Jamie Foxx
Ken Burns: The Dust Bowl [TV Documentary Series] (2012)
Ken Burns' Prohibition (2011)
featuring Peter Coyote, Patricia Clarkson, Blythe Danner, Paul Giamatti, Tom Hanks, John Lithgow, Oliver Platt
The Central Park Five (2012)
featuring Ed Koch, David Dinkins, Sr., Craig Steven Wilder, Calvin O. Butts III, Jim Dwyer, Natalie Byfield, Michael Warren, Lynnell Hancock, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise
Ken Burns: The Mayo Clinic - Faith, Hope and Science (2018)
directed by Christopher Loren Ewers, Erik Ewers, Ken Burns
featuring Peter Coyote, Tom Hanks, Sam Waterston
Thomas Jefferson (1996)
featuring Ken Burns, Ossie Davis, Sam Waterston
Ken Burns' America: The Shakers (1985)
featuring David McCullough
Ken Burns' Baseball [TV Documentary Series] (1994)
Ken Burns' America: Brooklyn Bridge (1982)
Ken Burns' America: Empire of the Air - The Men Who Made Radio (1991)
featuring Jason Robards, Jr.
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004)
featuring Samuel L. Jackson, Adam Arkin, Philip Bosco, Carolyn McCormick
Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony (1999)
featuring Sally Kellerman, Ronnie Gilbert, Julie Harris, Amy Madigan, Adam Arkin
Ken Burns' America: Thomas Hart Benton (1989)
Ken Burns' America: Huey Long (1985)
Ken Burns' America: The Statue of Liberty (1985)
featuring Jeremy Irons, Derek Jacobi, David McCullough
Frank Lloyd Wright (1998)
featuring Philip Bosco, Julie Harris, Sab Shimono, Edward Herrmann
Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War (2016)
directed by Artemis Joukowsky, Ken Burns
featuring Tom Hanks, Marina Goldman
The Address (2014)
Ken Burns' America: The Congress (1988)
The 50 Years War: Israel and the Arabs (2000)
Ken Burns' Mark Twain [TV Documentary Series] (2001)
featuring Kevin Conway, Keith David
Ken Burns' Jazz, Episode 5: Swing - Pure Pleasure, 1935-1937 (2000)
featuring Keith David, Wynton Marsalis
Page 1 of 2: 1 2 Next>
Kevin Conway

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
David J Singh (2009)
For contributions to the methodology for electronic structure calculations and in applications to diverse classes of materials.
Robert J Harrison (2005)
For studies of the electronic structure of molecules, computational chemistry, and high-performance algorithms and computing.
Thomas G Thundat (2005)
For developments in biomedical engineering and biotechnology, micromechanical devices, and nanoscale imaging and detection.
Kenneth W Tobin, Jr (2003)
For outstanding contributions to the field of applied computer vision research and development that address important national interests in industrial and economic competitiveness, biomedical measurement science, and national security.
J Michael Ramsey (1997)
For significant and fundamental achievements in laser-based chemical measurement techniques, such as single molecule detection in liquids, and pioneering the efforts in the development of microfabricated chemical instrumentation, including the laboratory on a chip concept.
Elias Greenbaum (1997)
Greenbaum, the winner of the 1995 DOE Biological and Chemical Technologies Research Award, has done extensive experimental work in photosynthesis, the process by which green plants grow, and its application to renewable energy production.
Lynn A Boatner (1992)
For research leading to the development of new materials and to the solution of a wide range of fundamental and applied problems in solid-state science through the application of modern methods for the synthesis and characterization of ceramics, glasses, and alloys and the growth of single crystals.
Paul F Becher (1989)
For basic studies in the fracture of and toughening mechanisms in ceramics and ceramic composites, in the establishment of the relationships between microstructure and composition and mechanical behavior, and in the development of advanced ceramic materials.
Benjamin A Carreras (1986)
For contributions to understanding plasma turbulence and the nonlinear properties of magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, especially their role in explaining the behavior of magnetically confined plasmas, and for development of new magnetic confinement concepts that overcome these limitations.
(-) Former Research Fellow (10)
Active Research Fellow (3)
Senior Corporate Fellow (1)


text:
import React from 'react';
import toJson from 'enzyme-to-json';
import fetchMock from 'fetch-mock';

import { act } from 'react-dom/test-utils';
import '../helpers/miqSparkle';
import { mount } from '../helpers/mountForm';
import TenantQuotaForm from '../../components/tenant-quota-form/index';

describe('Tenant Quota Form Component', () => {
  const api = {
    data: {
      quota_definitions: {
        definition1: {
          description: 'Testing Testing 123',
          text_modifier: 'Count',
          unit: 'fixnum',
          value: null,
        },
        definition2: {
          description: 'This is a Test',
          text_modifier: 'GB',
          unit: 'bytes',
          value: null,
        },
      },
    },
  };

  const api2 = {
    resources: [],
  };

  const api3 = {
    resources: [
      {
        href: 'http://localhost:3000/api/tenants/1/quotas/1',
        id: '1',
        tenant_id: '1',
        name: 'definition1',
        unit: 'fixnum',
        value: '3',
      },
    ],
  };

  afterEach(() => {
    fetchMock.reset();
    fetchMock.restore();
  });

  it('should render the manage quotas form for a tenant no quotas defined', async(done) => {
    fetchMock.get('/api/tenants/1', { name: 'Test Tenant' });
    fetchMock.once('/api/tenants/1/quotas', api);
    fetchMock.get('/api/tenants/1/quotas?expand=resources', api2);
    let wrapper;

    await act(async() => {
      wrapper = mount(<TenantQuotaForm recordId="1" />);
    });
    wrapper.update();
    expect(fetchMock.calls()).toHaveLength(3);
    expect(toJson(wrapper)).toMatchSnapshot();
    done();
  });

  it('should render the manage quotas form for a tenant with 1 quota already defined', async(done) => {
    fetchMock.get('/api/tenants/1', { name: 'Test Tenant' });
    fetchMock.once('/api/tenants/1/quotas', api);
    fetchMock.get('/api/tenants/1/quotas?expand=resources', api3);
    let wrapper;

    await act(async() => {
      wrapper = mount(<TenantQuotaForm recordId="1" />);
    });
    wrapper.update();
    expect(fetchMock.calls()).toHaveLength(3);
    expect(toJson(wrapper)).toMatchSnapshot();
    done();
  });
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Sequoia & Kings Canyon
National Parks California
Exploring Giant Sequoia Groves
The Giant Forest's Big Trees Trail
Alison Taggart-Barone
John Muir reflected that giant sequoia groves are "not like places, they are like haunts." He captured well the challenge of defining a sequoia grove. They are places in the sense they can be put on a map and characterized by area, number of trees, and sizes of trees. Describing the feeling and experience of being in a grove is harder. Consider exploring a giant sequoia grove for yourself. A few possibilities are highlighted below.
What is a Sequoia Grove?
Giant sequoia groves are portions of Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest that contain giant sequoias. In most groves, giant sequoias are fewer in number than other tree species, but are the most visually striking and dominant in size. Giant sequoias grow only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada in California, between 4,000 and 8,000 feet (1219 and 2438 m) in elevation. Within park boundaries, park staff distinguish approximately 40 different giant sequoia groves, ranging from one to tens of thousands of sequoia trees per grove. Numerous groves can be reached by road, while others are remote and involve an arduous hike to visit. In all the groves – from heavily visited to remote – these immense, majestic trees and sunlight filtered through lofty branches bring a sense of peace and wonder.
The House Group
Roland Rollinger
Giant Forest is a large sequoia grove, set on a rolling plateau between the Marble and Middle Forks of the Kaweah River in Sequoia National Park. It is the largest of the unlogged giant sequoia groves, and it contains more exceptionally large sequoias than any other grove. It hosts the largest living sequoia, the General Sherman Tree. In this grove, visitors can see the effects of decades of prescribed burning: open forest conditions and clumps of giant sequoia seedlings that establish after fire. Giant Forest has an extensive network of hiking trails that range from 1-2 hour hikes to half-day or longer explorations of this grove. From spectacular giant sequoia trees to historic structures leftover from the time cattle grazed in this area, one can learn about both natural and cultural history. Enjoy views from Moro Rock, or wildlife-viewing opportunities amongst the trees and scattered meadows. Visit the Giant Forest Museum for a good introduction, and explore from there by foot, shuttle bus, or car.
The Grant Tree Trail
Kirke Wrench
Grant Grove is located in Kings Canyon National Park, accessible by a short spur road from Highway 180 and located just 1.5 miles from the Kings Canyon Visitor Center. This grove has numerous exceptionally large sequoias grouped in a 90-acre area. A higher percentage of this grove's mature sequoias reach sizes of ten, fifteen, and twenty feet (3, 4.5, or 6 m) in diameter than in any other grove. For those who are interested in photographing an entire giant sequoia, a visit to Grant Grove provides a great vantage point of the immense and stunning General Grant Tree, celebrated each year as the nation's Christmas tree. The 1/3-mile (.05 km) paved loop trail leads to the General Grant Tree and includes other named trees and features, including the Gamlin Cabin, the Fallen Monarch, and the Centennial Stump. Explore this and other trails to see sequoias, meadows, and wilderness views. Nearby campgrounds and a summer shuttle bus facilitate visits to the Grant Grove area.
Looking up through giant sequoias in Redwood Mountan Grove.
Redwood Mountain Grove
Redwood Mountain Grove is a very large grove with spectacular old growth sequoias and a diversity of plants on the forest floor. In the spring, the colorful mix of wildflowers along the ridge trail and near Redwood Creek will delight hikers as much as the giant sequoias. In the fall, the dogwood shrubs turn a deep red color, and the fall light provides good photo opportunities.
Redwood Mountain Grove is the largest grove in total area, has the largest area of old growth giant sequoias, and contains more mature sequoias than any other grove. This grove was one of the first areas where Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks started prescribed burning to reduce fuels and stimulate giant sequoia reproduction. The large fire scars on some of the monarch giant sequoias are a testament to the presence of fire over many centuries in sequoia groves. Today, the open stands of trees and the growth of young giant sequoias at Redwood Mountain Grove illustrate successful outcomes of the parks' fire program.
At Redwood Mountain, you will find a grove within a grove if you hike out the ridge 2.5 miles to the Sugar Bowl Grove. The Sugar Bowl Grove is one of few examples of a nearly pure giant sequoia forest, rather than the typical mix of giant sequoias with other types of trees. From one spot along trail, one sees more than 50 giant sequoias.
In addition to the hike out to the Sugar Bowl Grove, additional trails provide access to giant sequoias along both sides of Redwood Creek and to vistas with views of the grove. The several loop hikes here range from 6.5 to 10 miles in length and involve some climbing. See Trails in Redwood Canyon for more detailed information about hikes in this area.
To access this grove, you will need to drive down a short (about 1 mile) stretch of somewhat bumpy dirt road to the parking area and trailheads.
Muir Grove
For those who are seeking more solitude in a giant sequoia grove, the mid-sized Muir Grove in Sequoia National Park is a two-mile hike from the parks' Generals Highway and is much less-visited than Grant Grove or Giant Forest. The Muir Grove features a high density of mature sequoias as well as a dramatic approach and entrance to the grove, with views across a creek gorge of the impressive giant sequoias on the grove's east side. The trail to this grove continues further into the grove for those who want a longer hike. This is a perfect day hike for visitors traveling between Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and for those camping at the nearby Dorst Creek Campground.
Atwell and East Fork Groves
Giant sequoias of the Atwell and East Fork Groves grace the north and south slopes along the East Fork of the Kaweah River. Drive approximately 19 miles (31 km) up the Mineral King Road off of Highway 198 to access these groves. Both groves occur on steep slopes which are characteristic of the East Fork Kaweah landscape. While most of the area of these groves is not accessible by trail, the Mineral King Road goes through the lower Atwell Grove, and the Atwell Mill campground offers tent-camping sites within a formerly logged portion of the grove. Tall stumps remain in the campground area from late 1870s to early 1920s logging operations. Elevations in these groves range from 5,300 feet (1615 m) along the river's edge in the East Fork Grove to the highest elevation of any grove at 8,800 feet (2,682 m) in Atwell.
A trail from the Atwell Mill Campground crosses the East Fork of the Kaweah River on a high bridge and takes hikers through portions of the East Fork Grove enroute to its destination of Hockett Meadow. The East Fork Grove was not logged, and it has an abundance of younger sequoias that have grown in the past 150 years following fire and avalanches. Some of these are visible from the trail. More hiking trails are available in Mineral King Valley, about 5 miles (8 km) further up the road beyond Atwell Mill Campground.
47050 Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA 93271


Rare original Salvador Dali Exhibition Poster for an exhibit in Japan of original paintings with collages in the collection of the Phyllis Lucas Gallery / Old Print Center of New York City. Shows the original lithograph entitled American Trotting Horses No. 1 from the The Currier and Ives Suite of six lithographs, published by the Phyllis Lucas Gallery in 1971. Dali reinterprets six 19th Century American lithographs originally published by the famous American lithographers, Currier & Ives. The original Currier & Ives image, like its facsimile tipped in on each lithograph of the Suite, shows the champion harness racing pair of Edward and Swiveller at full gallop, driven by champion harness jockey, John Murphy, at the Gentlemen's Driving Park in Morrisania, N.Y., 1882. Above the collaged image is Dali's butterfly surrealization set off below by his bold signature and the Japanese time-and-place lettering.


text:
Home > Featured > Bank of Uganda Blames Low U.S. Interest Rates for Shs2 Trillion Loss
FeaturedInterviewsNews
Bank of Uganda Blames Low U.S. Interest Rates for Shs2 Trillion Loss
BusinessFocus Reporter February 24, 2020 February 24, 2020 0
Uganda's central bank pointed to "abnormally low" rates for U.S. Treasury securities as a major reason behind the reported loss of 2 trillion shillings ($545 million) in the past 15 years.
Over 90% of Bank of Uganda's earnings are from interest income on foreign-reserve assets, spokeswoman Charity Mugumya said in an emailed response to questions, after lawmakers last week raised concerns about the bank's ability to deliver on its mandate.
"The global financial crisis that started in 2007-8 and associated economic recession led to a decline in global interest rates on these assets from about 5.24% in 2005-2007 to just 0.5% in 2010-12," she said. "The abnormally low interest rates adversely affected BoU's income."
BoU made losses of 859.2 billion shillings and 72.6 billion shillings in the past two fiscal years, according to its statistics. Finance State Minister David Bahati told parliament last week that it lost 2 trillion shillings in 15 years and only turned a profit in 2007.
Central banks' primary monetary-policy goals are price stability, optimal economic growth and financial stability. While making a profit is a distant priority, losses threaten their independence and often result in governments having to replenish their capital.
BoU has delivered on its constitutional mandate of maintaining low and stable inflation and a sound financial system, Mugumya said. The costs relating to this core business accounted for 72.3% of total expenditure in the fiscal year through June 2019, she said.
"The delivery of these public goods comes with costs, yet they are provided without any charge," she said. "BoU's credibility remains intact because it has consistently delivered on its constitutional mandate."
Museveni Calls For Tax Exemption Of Private Universities
Oil & Gas Activities To Improve Uganda's Health Sector
Analysis & OpinionsBankingFeatured
Uganda's Biggest Banks By Customer Deposits Revealed
Taddewo William Senyonyi May 22, 2020 May 25, 2020
FeaturedHealthNews
Gov't To Recruit 850 Medical Workers At Shs500k Each!
BusinessFocus Reporter April 18, 2018 April 18, 2018
Uganda International Trade Fair 2019 Attracts More Foreign Companies
BusinessFocus Reporter October 4, 2019 October 4, 2019


text:
Era il più giovane dei tre figli dell'imperatrice Matilde  e di Goffredo Plantageneto, conte d'Angiò.

Biografia

Primi anni di vita
William FitzEmpress, noto anche come Guglielmo d'Angiò, nacque nel 1136, terzogenito del conte Goffredo V d'Angiò e di sua moglie, l'imperatrice Matilde, figlia del defunto re inglese Enrico I d'Inghilterra. Suoi fratelli maggiori erano il futuro re Enrico II d'Inghilterra e Goffredo VI d'Angiò, conte di Nantes.

Nacque nell'epoca nota come Anarchia, una guerra civile durata un ventennio scatenata da sua madre Matilde contro suo cugino Stefano di Blois, a cui contestava il diritto a regnare sull'Inghilterra. Durante l'infanzia Guglielmo vide poco i suoi genitori poiché entrambi impegnati nei combattimenti, suo padre in Normandia e sua madre in Inghilterra.

Nel 1151 il conte Goffredo morì improvvisamente all'età di 38 anni, lasciando soli la moglie e i tre figli adolescenti. Il principe Enrico divenne così il nuovo capo della dinastia dei Plantageneti; secondo il testamento del defunto conte, l'Angiò sarebbe andato ad Enrico finché non fosse diventato re d'Inghilterra, quando sarebbe passato al secondo fratello, Goffredo VI. Guglielmo apparentemente doveva rimanere senza titoli, forse avviato alla vita ecclesiastica.

La guerra sarebbe continuata fino al 1153, quando l'anziano re Stefano, stanco di combattere, giunse ad un accordo con Enrico. Venne rispettato il diritto di Stefano a regnare, ma solo per il resto della sua vita; alla sua morte la Corona sarebbe quindi passata ai Plantageneti, in modo da permettere una pacifica transizione del potere. Re Stefano sarebbe morto l'anno successivo, ed Enrico d'Angiò ascese al trono come Enrico II d'Inghilterra.

Favorito di Enrico II
Nel 1156, ormai ventenne, Guglielmo era con suo fratello Enrico all'assedio di Chinon, causato dalla ribellione dell'altro fratello Goffredo. Guglielmo condusse per conto del re anche l'assedio al castello di Montreuil-Bellay; nel mentre lesse gli scritti del teorico militare romano Vegezio, e decise di replicarne le tattiche. L'assedio terminò il giorno successivo con una sua vittoria.

Nel settembre 1155 Enrico II tenne consiglio a Winchester, progettando di invadere l'Irlanda e affidarla a Guglielmo, elevandolo a re. Questi piani furono abbandonati quando la loro madre, l'imperatrice Matilde, vi si oppose, non considerando l'opera fattibile né degna d'essere intrapresa.

La conquista normanna dell'Irlanda fu comunque avviata, e nel giro di pochi anni Guglielmo divenne uno degli uomini più ricchi d'Inghilterra. Grazie al favore di cui godeva presso il fratello, gli furono concessi ben sette manieri (Maldon nell'Essex; Dartford, Hoo e Shorne nel Kent; Aylsham e Cawston nel Norfolk; Hintlesham nel Suffolk). Possedeva anche delle terre vicino Dieppe, in Normandia, di cui fu nominato visconte.

Fallito matrimonio
Nel 1162 Guglielmo provò a sposare Isabella de Warenne, contessa di Surrey, una delle grandi ereditiere d'Inghilterra. Il loro grado di consanguineità era però piuttosto elevato, e per vari motivi: il defunto marito di Isabella, Guglielmo di Boulogne, era un lontano cugino di Guglielmo d'Angiò; le nonne materne dei due poi erano sorelle, e il nonno materno di Guglielmo era il prozio dell'altro.

A causa di questi rapporti familiari, il matrimonio richiedeva una speciale dispensa papale. Tali dispense venivano generalmente concesse senza difficoltà dal clero ai nobili; tuttavia Thomas Becket, arcivescovo di Canterbury e strenuo oppositore di re Enrico II, rifiutò di dispensare Guglielmo dai legami di sangue; così, per motivi puramente politici, il matrimonio non ebbe luogo. Isabella in seguito sposò comunque, dopo la morte di Guglielmo, un suo fratellastro illegittimo, Hamelin d'Angiò.

Morte e conseguenze
Guglielmo morì poco dopo il fallito matrimonio, si diceva di crepacuore per la mancata unione con Isabella, e fu sepolto nella cattedrale di Notre-Dame a Rouen.

Suo fratello Enrico incolpò Becket della morte del fratello, e questo non fece che acuire la loro inimicizia. Quando Becket fu assassinato il 29 dicembre 1170 uno dei suoi uccisori era Richard le Breton, precedentemente cavaliere al servizio di Guglielmo. Quando Breton sferrò il colpo fatale all'arcivescovo, gli gridò: "Prendi questo, per amore del mio signore Guglielmo, fratello del re!".

Eredità

Possibile discendenza
Anche se ufficialmente Guglielmo non si sposò mai, alcune genealogie francesi lo identificherebbero con William Tournemine, sposato con Costanza di Penthièvre, una sorella del duca di Bretagna Conan IV. Guglielmo sarebbe quindi stato il fondatore della casata Tournemine e avrebbe avuto due figli da Costanza, Oliviero I e Goffredo. Tuttavia non ci sono prove certe di questo matrimonio, né della vera identità di William Tournemine.

Primo stemma inglese
Guglielmo è noto anche per essere il primo nobile che abbia fatto ufficialmente uso del simbolo del leone rampante, ovvero dello stemma inglese. Ne è rimasta traccia nel documento di una concessione (datata 1163 circa) fatta da Guglielmo al suo attendente Solomon, sulla quale è presente il sigillo di Guglielmo, che lo ritrae a cavallo con la spada levata e lo scudo. Proprio sullo scudo appare l'immagine del leone rampante, e altri due sono presenti nei contorni del sigillo.

Ascendenza

Note

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Linux remote access trojan (RAT)

This is the starting code for a Linux RAT written in C.  I was tired of there being no real Linux RATs, most of the time it's just ncat.  It uses mbedTLS for encryption and miniz (but able to use zlib) compression for all the communications. I'm unsure if I did the crypto correctly, but I feel that it's good enough for now
I started this project to learn C and I've been working on it for a couple months.  If any problems happens or features wanted, please let me know.

rat.c

        -Port is configurable at runtime through the environment variable "P".  It will bind on all interfaces by default.
                -Uses poll to handle multiple connections
        -Capable of calling back via "I" environment variable.

rat-client.c

        -Command history and tab completion provided by readline
        -Currently has 4 native commands:
                .exit - Closes that current client's connection
                .kill - Kills off the rat process and all the client's connection
                download <remote file> <local file> - Chunks a file, compresses it and sends it over.  Will verify the file transfer via SHAA1 hash
                upload <local file> <remote file> - Performs the same operation as download but uploads instead

rat binds and client connects to it

        remote shell> P=12345 ./rat
        shell> ./rat-client 127.0.0.1 12345

rat calls back to client

        shell ./rat-client 12345
        remote_shell> I=127.0.0.1 P=12345 ./rat

TODO:

        Simple:
                -Move the rat.c output inside of DEBUG blocks so it's not spewing everywhere
                -Clean up rat-client.c output so it's a little nicer
                -Change the client command prompt to actually get the target's IP address

        Advanced:
                -Add in SSH-type tunnels to be able to do forward and reverse tunels
                -Add in the ability to fork and bind on a different port or callback via commands


text:
Home Breaking News RBI's Move To Balance Inflation
RBI's Move To Balance Inflation
RBI has announced a hike in Repo rates for the fifth consecutive time. The difference this time accounts for 35 bps, leading the interest rate from 5.90 to 6.25. RBI has been announcing minimum possible increases in repo rate for the last few months in order to curb the inflation that the country is facing due to global trends. The reasons for increasing rates are the war at trade routes, global recession, increasing prices of raw material costs and various other factors that lead to a direct and indirect hike in prices. Though this hike will impact the home loan interest rates to score higher, the real estate market is expected to stay robust as the sector is believed to offer prominent returns on investment as compared to other industries.
Reserve bank of india raises repo rate by 50 bps continues withdrawal of accommodative stance
"The 35 bps repo rate hike will have a prominent impact on loan borrowings, which have witnessed a healthy demand this year. The inflation rates are also taming and we expected that there would be no further hikes as it would cause a dent in the real estate, which has marked a great improvement this year. For the momentum to continue, there needs to be stable loan borrowing rates for investors' benefit, the consistently increasing repo rates could dampen the outflow of money that is being invested in real estate spaces," said Mr. Sumit Agarwal, Director, Sales & Leasing, Bhutani Grandthum.
Mr. Uddhav Poddar, MD, Bhumika Group, said, "With inflation taming down, we were hopeful of no more rate hikes. The present hike in repo rate is beyond the comfort level of the real estate sector. The 0.35% hike will take the repo rate from 5.9% to 6.25% taking the home loan interest rates upwards of 9%. It will increase the cost of servicing loans and for new buyers also increase the cost of real estate. We can only hope that the situation improves and that it turns out to be the last hike."
"RBI's step to increase the repo rates by 35 basis points has created a little tough situation for investors as it will bring a hike in loan interest rates. Though it can be dealt with after some time as residential projects have been in massive demand for quite some time now, housing prices will undergo a hike as a result of this announcement. This will somehow be helpful for the realtors to deal with the rising input costs but cost adversely to the homebuyers. The effort by the RBI to reduce inflation is entirely reasonable, but prices for real estate developments will undoubtedly rise in the near future," said Mr. Salil Kumar, Director – Marketing & Business Management, CRC Group.
The repo rate and the reverse repo rate are continually adjusted by RBI in response to shifting macroeconomic circumstances. All economic sectors are impacted each time the RBI modifies interest rates, albeit in different ways. Some market segments profit from the rate increase while others suffer. Even if this move was designed solely to fight inflation, India may endure economic stagnation by the conclusion of the upcoming fiscal year. This, however, might only happen if the inflation-growth scenario remains the same.
Mr. Prateek Mittal, IIT Alumni, Executive Director, Sushma Group, said, "A marginal 35 basis point increase in the repo rate is hardly going to make any difference. The current total repo rate is only slightly higher than the pre-pandemic levels, and therefore, We don't see it making any impact on the real estate sector. However, in case the hike ends up achieving the RBI's stated objective of curtailing inflation, it will definitely be good for the country's economy. And what is good for the economy will also leave a positive impact on the sector."
Mr. Ansh Batra, Director, Buniyad Group, said "The repo rate hike was inevitable but this time RBI has taken a relatively moderate approach by raising it by 35bps which now stands at 6.25 per cent. Earlier, there was an upsurge of 50 basis points in the preceding RBI MPC meetings. Though the approaching intention is correct to ease the inflationary effects which continue to stifle the economy, a proper mechanism needs to be developed to oversee the aftereffects of the hikes, has it been able to achieve the end goals, and how is it impacting the real estate markets. The luxury won't be affected that much. But the mid-housing markets can be seriously impacted as buyers of the segment would again see increased costs of borrowings and loans. It can further diminish the affordability levels of affordable housing homes."
Harvinder Sikka, MD, Sikka Group, said, "RBI raises repo rate by 35bps to 6.25%, although the industry was expecting RBI to remain repo rate to the same. The hike is minimal, we believe that the market would get accustomed to it quite soon. RBI's move to curb inflation will somehow definitely cost the economic class of society as this would lead to an increase in the price of projects. Loan interest rates are also set to increase, but the real estate sector is expected to be strong and stable. The demand for residential projects is expected to grow. We believe that the residential segment has been doing exceptionally well in the recent past and it will remain the same in approaching months, as efficient projects await buyers."
Existing borrowers may see an increase in EMIs when banks hike interest rates, which will lessen their enthusiasm for buying a home. All loans kinds, including mortgages, auto loans, student loans, personal loans, business loans, credit cards, and anything else along those lines are impacted by the RBI rate increase. Any rate increase has an impact on consumers since it makes it more expensive to borrow money from commercial banks. The average person is discouraged from making unnecessary purchases as a result of greater borrowing costs, which also results in lower consumption of goods and services. This has a significant impact on the supply and demand chains as a result.
"This is the fifth consecutive rate increase in the last eight months. The 0.35% upsurge raises the repo rate from 5.9% to 6.25%, elevating home loan interest rates to 9%. The current increase in repo rates is beyond the real estate sector's comfort zone. Even though we understand the RBI's concerns, we can only hope that conditions improve, eradicating the need for further hikes," said Mr. LC Mittal, Director, Motia Group.
Indians prioritise owning a home, and demand for housing has changed from small homes in metro areas to larger homes in the suburbs. Small homeowners' demand for homes is hence anticipated to remain strong despite increasing mortgage rates.
ICCPL
Mr. Prateek Mittal
Mr. Salil Kumar
Mr. Sumit Agarwal
Mr. Uddhav Poddar
Previous articleBringing the Magic of Cornitos to the Foodverse
Next articleHeights Events Organises Run For Security to Honour 26/11 Bravehearts
Nora Fatehi has showcased her sexiest new look on social media
Day 3 of Jaipur Literature Festival 2023 features a gamut of ideas
Shark Tank 2023 : Startup "The Simply Salad" got Vineeta Singh and Aman Gupta as investors


We Offer You the Collectible Book of the Year!
Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Brian Keene, and Dr. Who!
Joe Hill has written an Afterword for the Deluxe and Lettered Editions.
$30.00 This item will be released on May 15, 2019.


Legalized state lotteries have failed, in most cases, as a tool for busting up organized crime's control of illicit numbers rackets and bookie operations, according to state and federal law enforcement experts.
More than a decade after state politicians and policymakers began pledging that the legalization of lotteries would help put Mafia-run numbers rackets out of business, law enforcement experts are concluding that the effect has been minimal.
They note that in some cases states promoting multimillion-dollar jackpots, rather than competing with the illicit rackets, are reaching out through vigorous advertising campaigns to generate a new clientele of novice gamblers.
Estimates in Massachusetts are that the state-run lottery may have reduced profits in the illicit numbers betting games by 10 to 15 percent. But no formal studies have been conducted.
Lottery officials in New York say there are indications that the state lottery has cut into the illicit numbers business in the upstate region near Buffalo. Officials add, however, that it has had no effect on the thriving, well-organized rackets in New York City.
These comments come at a time of heightened public interest in state-run lotteries after a string of well-publicized multimillion-dollar jackpots - including a $22.1 million New York jackpot early this month and an $18.3 million jackpot in Massachusetts in March.
Lottery critics argue that - as a result of publicity surrounding lottery winners - more people are being lured into playing lotteries without fully understanding their chances of winning. They say that little publicity is given to the millions who lose the lottery each week.
According to the odds, an individual has a better chance of being struck by lightning this year than of winning a weekly New York State jackpot. Lightning expert Richard Orville of the State University of New York, Albany, estimates the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are roughly 1 in 2 million. According to New York lottery officials, the odds of winning the Lotto jackpot are 1 in 3.5 million.
Currently, 17 states and the District of Columbia run legalized state lotteries. Several other states are considering enacting pro-lottery laws. Lottery supporters in California have submitted a petition with more than 1 million signatures calling for a state constitutional amendment to permit a California lottery.
The rationale of state politicians has been that lotteries provide an opportunity to hurt the existing Mafia-run numbers betting games and, at the same time, to create a new source of state revenue without having to raise taxes. In recent years, the additional revenue has become the dominant attraction for state policymakers and voters who have pushed to legalize state lotteries.
The California proposal would earmark 34 percent of lottery revenue for public education. Existing lotteries follow similar formulas: New York allocates 45 percent of its lottery revenue ($400 million this year) to local education; New Jersey earmarks 30 percent ($290 million this year) to education and state institutions; Pennsylvania earmarks 40 percent ($480 million this year) to senior citizens' benefit programs; and Massachusetts distributes 27 percent ($ 100 million this year) to cities and towns as a form of local aid.
Lottery supporters argue that state residents want to participate in lotteries as a form of recreation. They say if the legal game did not exist, organized crime would continue to reap big profits from the illegal street games.
Several church and community groups have argued against legalized lotteries on moral grounds. But over the years, the moral issue has been muted by a wider public attraction to the idea that a percentage of lottery proceeds will help boost public programs or projects, says Mr. Blakey of Notre Dame Law School. Lottery advocates have also suggested that lottery profits will help keep state taxes down.
Critics such as Blakey and Mr. Hardwick question whether lottery proceeds are being allocated and spent in accordance with the expectations of the local voters who approved referendums to legalize statewide lotteries. They say some of the referendums have been written to suggest that lottery funds would help beef up certain state programs like education or senior citizen projects.
In many states, these critics say, lottery proceeds have simply replaced budgeted funding for existing projects, thus freeing up previously budgeted funds to be allocated where state legislators wish to allocate them.
Most of the state-run daily lotteries have been specifically patterned after the illicit numbers games that have thrived in American cities for decades. Massachusetts State Police Lt. Charles Henderson says such lotteries have been ''the bread and butter of organized crime.'' He says gambling profits are recycled into other underworld activities, such as loan sharking and narcotics.
Massachusetts lottery officials say that when they first started the state's daily numbers game they were surprised at the number of Massachusetts residents who apparently already knew how to play. State officials saw this as a reflection of the extent of illicit gambling activity in the state.
One such racket in Boston was operated out of an office at 126 Prince Street in the city's Italian North End, according to documents on file in federal court. The operation was headed by Gennaro J. Angiulo, the alleged boss of the Boston underworld, the documents say.
The numbers-betting office was raided by federal agents in April 1981, according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit. The affidavit was filed in connection with the 1983 indictment of Mr. Angiulo and various associates. The charges contain a series of racketeering counts including murder , obstruction of justice, loan sharking, and illegal gambling. The case is expected to come to trial this summer.


Whether you're a bootstrapping startup or an established multinational brand, the office space you operate out of can have an enormous impact on your business.
It's no secret that location is one of the most important factors to take into account when looking at real estate, and office buildings are no exception. When searching for prospective offices, be mindful of the location and think about how convenient it would be for customers, suppliers, competitors and employees to commute there.
A good infrastructure is the backbone of any modern business. With customers expecting a higher level of communication and more support than ever before, you need to know that your office has the facilities to keep your business connected and visible. A speedy internet connection, reliable phone lines and uninterrupted power supply can all be considered bare necessities when looking for an office to rent in Harrogate.
Another thing you'll need to consider when weighing up your options is access to car parks. If the office doesn't provide free parking, you'll need to think about the potential financial impact on customers and employees and how it might affect your day to day operations. You may be able to negotiate with the property manager to secure better prices or design a parking arrangement that ensures there's always a few spaces reserved for customers.
Perhaps the biggest influence in the decision making process will be your budget. Work out your finances and calculate how much you can realistically spend on renting office space near Harrogate. It's important that your estimations are as accurate as possible, particularly if you're in the early stages of business when cashflow is typically most stifled. Be sure to factor in any hidden and/or ongoing expenses such as the costs involved with maintenance, cleaning, move in, rebranding, purchasing new furniture and so on.
If you're intending to grow your business over the coming months and years, it makes sense to rent an office in Harrogate that can accommodate future expansion. Look for commercial properties that are flexible in terms of size and capacity so that your office can grow in line with your business. As a general rule of thumb, you need about 125-175 square feet per cubicle employee, 125 square feet per open area employee and larger areas for managers and executives who require their own offices. Do keep in mind that these figures are just rough guidelines and do not take into account storage, break rooms, conference areas or reception.
If you're looking for an office space in Harrogate that ticks all these boxes and more, we'd love to hear from you. Oakwood Park Business Centre situated just minutes from Ripley on Fountains Road, Bishop Thornton, Harrogate, HG3 3BF, is the number one choice for office space in the Harrogate area. Give us a call today on 01423 779216 to book your viewing.


text:
THE SYMPTOM BURDEN OF TRANSPLANT PATIENTS COMPARED TO DIALYSIS PATIENTS
J HA1,2, A HOFFMAN1, MA BROWN1,2
1Department of Renal Medicine, St George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales; 2St George & Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW Medicine, Sydney, New South Wales
Aim: To compare the symptom burden of transplant and dialysis patients.
Background: The symptom burden of patients with end stage renal disease has been well documented but little is known about the symptom burden in transplant patients.
Methods: Symptoms in transplant, peritoneal dialysis (PD) and haemodialysis (HD) patients were measured in November 2015 (n=235) and 2016 (n=228) using the Integrated Palliative care Outcomes Scale (IPOS-Renal). It evaluates 17 symptoms reported as slight (1) to overwhelming (4), along with concerns including depression and anxiety. The maximum symptom burden score is 68.
Results: Response rate was 54%: 41% of patients were on hospital HD, 35% transplant [mean eGFR 51 mL/min (SD 19); 9% CKD Stage 4, 3% Stage 5], 13% PD and 11% home HD. Hospital dialysis patients were older (73±12) than PD (69±15), home HD (63±17) and transplant patients (60±11) (p<0.05). The symptom score for PD patients (15.6±8.6) was comparable to hospital HD patients (15.1±9.8) but higher than home HD (12.0±7.0, p<0.05) and transplant patients (9.6±8.0, p<0.05) in both surveys. Although transplant patients reported less pain, lethargy, poor mobility and difficulty sleeping than dialysis patients, 8-15% still reported severe/overwhelming lethargy (15%), pain (10%), poor mobility (9%) and difficulty sleeping (8%). Transplant patients also reported less anxiety than dialysis patients (5% vs. 14%, p<0.01) but comparable levels of depression most of the time at 7%. There was considerable family anxiety (29% of dialysis patients vs. 9% of transplant patients, p<0.01).
Conclusions: The symptom and psychological burden of dialysis, including home HD, is greater than that of transplant patients. However, the symptom burden of transplant patients is still considerable and under recognised.


text:
News Eleven Years After an Intestinal Transplant, Nicolas is Still Going Strong
Eleven Years After an Intestinal Transplant, Nicolas is Still Going Strong
At Mindy Demichele's 29-week, routine ultrasound, her obstetrician noticed a blockage in her baby's small intestine – a problem that was believed to be easily fixed turned out to be a life-threatening condition for her son, Nicholas.
Nicolas, who was born at a suburban hospital on March 26, 2004, had only four inches of small bowel (the average length of small bowel is 10 feet). In order to help Nicolas receive the nutrients he needed to stay alive, doctors put him on a nutritional drip called total parenteral nutrition (TPN), but it was only a short-term fix. He could not be on it indefinitely because of the possibility of severe side effects, including liver damage.
"The doctors told us there was nothing more they could do and suggested we contact Lurie Children's," says Mindy. "The hospital had an intestinal transplant program and offered us a hope that we hadn't had before."
Immediately, Nicolas was listed for an intestinal transplant, and nine months later — two weeks before Christmas — the family received a call that an organ was available. The 12-hour surgery under the direction of Kishore Iyer, MD, was a success and a month later Nicolas went home. "That was the one thing I asked the medical team, 'Can you make him better so I can take him home for his first birthday?' and they did," says Mindy.
Over the last several years, success rates for intestinal transplant have improved dramatically. One-year survival rates for patients after intestinal transplant are more than 85 percent, which is comparable to liver transplant patients.
Lurie Children's program is one of the few in the nation dedicated to caring for children with an improperly functioning small bowel (small intestine). Intestinal failure occurs when this essential part of the digestive system cannot absorb nutrients and fluids. A child with intestinal failure needs long-term nutritional support. Lurie Children's has performed 16 intestinal transplants since the program started in August 2004. The trend now is to manage or rehabilitate the bowel so a transplant is not needed.
"We are committed to avoiding intestinal transplant if possible, but in Nicolas' case there was just not enough bowel to work with," says Valeria Cohran, MD, Medical Director of the Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplantation Program at Lurie Children's, and a national leader in the specialty.
Over the last 12 years, about 90 percent of the program's patients have avoided transplant surgery through intestinal rehabilitation. Of those patients, 95 percent no longer need feeding through TPN. This avoids the cost and possible complications of TPN. When an intestinal transplant cannot be avoided, the survival rate for patients at Lurie Children's is well above the national average of 66 percent at three years.
Dr. Cohran considers Nicolas a poster child for the program because he is now 11 years post-transplant and is doing well. The Demichele's consider him their miracle child. "My husband and I are so grateful for Drs. Iyer and Cohran, and the entire gastrointestinal team at Lurie Children's. We also would like to thank the family that gave us the ultimate gift of life. Nicolas is truly our miracle," says Mindy.
Fetal Cardiac Program Pivots to Adapt to COVID-19 Environment


text:
San Francisco 49ers' Phil Dawson kicks an extra point during the 49ers' game against the Chicago Bears, in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2015. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)
49ers' Dawson wants another season
No parting shots, just Phil Dawson's standard, classy approach in saying farewell to Cleveland:
"Phil was here 1999-2012," he wrote in the cabinet where he stored his cleats, then later thanked the masses upon learning he really would be leaving town.
Three years after departing the only team he'd known, and after more than a decade of losing before he went west, Dawson acknowledges there are a few more grays in his signature goatee — and he hardly minds.
No doubt all those tough years in northern Ohio contributed to the current look of the 49ers placekicker, and this weekend he returns to face his former Browns in the unforgiving elements at FirstEnergy Stadium.
He's not thinking much about how he might be received from the old fans who loved him.
"I'm just going to go in there and try to zero in on the job at hand. There'll be a week where I can soak it all in and reminisce and all that, but not this week," Dawson said Wednesday. "I've just got to focus on my job. Kicking in Cleveland deserves your full attention in December."
Dawson is in his 17th NFL season and third with San Francisco after spending his first 14 years with the Browns, and he said Wednesday he is strongly leaning toward playing in 2016.
The soft-spoken, steady Dawson left his mark in Cleveland in so many ways, sticking it out through many frustrating moments.
"It was a job, one of 32 jobs in the world. You can't be very picky in my line of work," Dawson said. "I always considered it a privilege to be a Cleveland Brown. I was grateful to have a job and just put my head down and went to work. Before you know it, you were there 14 years. That's just kind of how it happened. I brought the same attitude here."
Sure, the 40-year-old Dawson might look all the more distinguished these days to locker mate and 21-year-old kicking partner Bradley Pinion, though the rookie punter didn't need any convincing to give Dawson all his attention and respect.
Dawson is probably not going anywhere, either. As he approaches his 41st birthday in late January, he seems nearly ready to commit to another season if his wife and three children give their blessing. But it will ultimately be his call.
Staying with the 49ers is his top choice, too — "It's great here."
"I'm totally open to continuing on," Dawson said. "I'll get home and discuss it with my family and get a pulse for how that is. My family comes before football. However, with that said, I still love playing the game, I still have a passion to win, I still have a passion to accomplish things in this league. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense at this point to go home and sit on a rocking chair."
Dawson has made 18 of 19 field goals this season, including all three from 50 yards and out, also hitting all but one extra point after missing his first try during a 26-20 win at Chicago last week.
He points to the career of veteran Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, who will be 43 at the end of the month.
"He's a guy I look up to a lot, and obviously he's still performing at an elite level," Dawson said.
Dawson is perhaps the most reliable member of these 49ers (4-8). He offers a positive presence in a locker room that has undergone so much change in one year since former coach Jim Harbaugh's departure late last December.
"Phil Dawson is incredibly important every week, and not just because he's such a good kicker, such a good football player," coach Jim Tomsula said. "Phil will come in at halftime, he's letting you know where the winds are. … Things like that with Phil Dawson are just huge. I laugh a lot and tell him we're the same age.
"That's a money guy. That's a good dude."
Dawson feels fortunate Chris Gardocki guided him in his early days, "so now I'm the old guy helping him," Dawson said of Pinion.
"I wouldn't have had half the season I've had without him," Pinion said.
Dawson misses kicking off after putting in extra work into that area through the offseason. Now, Dawson considers it a "win-win" because he has been able to concentrate all his efforts on field goals and PATs and feels much better physically.
Of course, Dawson would love to go out a winner when he is done.
"Very few people get a John Elway-type send-off," Dawson said of Elway going out a Super Bowl winner after the 1998 season. "At the end of the day, you're a grown man coming to work, and if your team wins that's a super valuable added bonus. If you feel you can come contribute to your team and help your organization, you need to take satisfaction in that. I still want to do that."
NFLPhil DawsonSan Francisco 49ers
49ers get dose of Johnny Football
Whitner recalls good old days with 49ers


text:
Crime & Security
Ahead FRANCE 2019
Senate President says some forces working to frustrate PIB
January 12, 2021 Promptnews News 0
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that there are forces within and outside the country working desperately to frustrate the consideration and passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill presently before the National Assembly.
Lawan made this known in a speech delivered when members of the Senate Press Corps paid him a visit to mark the occasion of his 62nd birthday celebration in Abuja.
"The PIB is like a demon. That PIB thing, there are people both inside and outside the country, who would work against it, but it is going to take the strength of our patriotism to pass it," he said.
According to the Senate President, it took the firm resolve of the National Assembly to pass the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Bill in 2019.
He said that the passage of the Bill by the Legislature caused an increment to the country's revenue profile from Deep Offshore activities from $216 million annually to $2 billion dollars.
Lawan, however, assured Nigerians that the same approach adopted by the National Assembly in ensuring the passage of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Bill would be deployed for the consideration and eventual passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
"In 2019, when we said we would pass the amendment to the Deep Offshore – Production Sharing Contract – people didn't want it to happen because they stopped it from happening for twenty years.
"When it is brought, they'll come and do something and it will disappear. So, when we said we would do it, some of them came to me and said, you don't have to do this thing now. It's not going to work.
"We said, we will try. The second day they came and said, if we do this (pass the PSC amendment bill), they would leave this country, because that will be against some interests.
"I replied: for once, allow us do something for our country. And I laughed, you are not going anywhere. The kind of things you do in this country, where else in the world would you be allowed to do it? So, we are going to do this amendment.
"They thought it was a joke. In a week, we finished the amendment. The House was on recess, the day they returned, they concurred.
"Mr. President knew how important that amendment was. He was in London, and that bill was flown to him. He signed it on a Sunday, just to give that amendment the validity that was needed.
"For that singular act that we lost billions of dollars, where we were supposed to be given $2 billion dollars, they were giving us $216 million. But from last year after the amendment, it is now $2 billion dollars.
"People didn't celebrate us, even though they knew what happened. That was what we did for our country, we are proud of ourselves as members of the National Assembly that we have done something worthwhile for our country. That is what we intend to do with the PIB by the grace of God," the Senate President said.
Senate PIB
It's time to enhance the look and feel of our cities (1)
Taraba health commissioner denies diverting N1.2bn COVID-19 Funds
Biden to issue executive orders to reverse Trump policies
Lagos-Ibadan expressway ready in December - Director
Late goal gives Sunshine Stars maximum points
Attack on Mobile Police in Birnin-Gwari: Mba Confirms 4 Officers Killed
Lagos Airport Police Command gets new Commissioner
Presidency Releases Full List Of Buhari's Appointments
NSCDC gets Acting Commandant-General
NAF helicopter gunships destroy 6 more terrorists' gun trucks in Borno – DHQ
Mast Collapse: Residents Threaten to Sue Akwa Ibom Govt, Radio Station
Prompt News Online is published by PNO Dynamic Media Limited.
Suite 24, Abebi Plaza, Oluseyi, Sango – Eleyele Road, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Managing Editor/CEO: Akeem Oyetunji
Or [email protected]
Phone / WhatsApp: +234806 286 2057
London / Abuja Office
34 Skipper Court, Abbey Road, IG 11 7GW Barking, London, UK.
Editor, London Bureau: Bolaji Oyegunle
ABUJA OFFICE:
Suite 76, Extension D,
Efab Mall, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
Editor, Abuja Bureau: Harry Awurumibe
GOCOP
Copyright © 2021 | PNO Dynamic Media Limited Designed by Osward


* Buy gas with the recommended octane rating. Premium can actually be detrimental to many engines.
* Check your tires before your holiday and inflate them to the manufacturer's recommendations. Under inflated tires create drag and increase gas consumption. Always carry a tire gauge in your glove compartment.
* Don't continually start and stop your engine. Each start burns about the same amount of gas as one minute of idle time.
* Some communities have websites that post fuel prices at local gas stations. Do your research before you leave to find out where the cheapest stations are. Use common sense: driving too far out of your way will gobble up more gas than you save. Try gasbuddy.com (USA and Canada) and your favorite search engines.
* Use your feet! Once you get to your destination, walk whenever possible. Walking is how you really get to know an area.
Save money, save the environment - and have more cash to spend on your vacation!
Hotels Etc. is a premier online and offline loyalty rewards program that provides members with up to 80% off travel, entertainment and recreation. Helping you save money is our job. Visit www.hotelsetc.com for more info.


This iconic Masai Mara is found in South West Kenya and is the northern continuation of the Serengeti in Tanzania. Completely unfenced, animals roam freely between the Kenya Masai Mara and the Tanzania Serengeti. The Masai Mara is famous for its unbelievable wildlife viewing. This includes the Big 5 and of course the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra and gazelles from the serengeti Plains known as the Great Migration. This usually occurs between July and October.
Even if you can't make your holiday around the Migration the Masai Mara teems with wildlife whenever you go. The endless rolling grass plains dotted with acacia trees makes the wildlife easy to see. The permanent water source of the Mara River keeps the animals there. We highly recommend that you combine four National parks and National Reserves in one week. The down button are popular packages that will takes you to the northern Kenya, the central highlands, the rift valley and southern Kenya offering all different options in one safari itinerary.
Amboseli offers one of the most classic and breathtaking views of Kenya, the gigantic Kilimanjaro mountain, with its 5,985 m dominating the plains like a powerful god ruling the world from his silver throne. Second in popularity after the legendary Masai Mara, Amboseli National Park not only offers great game viewing but it's also the place to go for the best views of iconic Mount Kilimanjaro. The world's tallest free-standing mountain actually stands just across the border in Tanzania, but Amboseli has a postcard-perfect view of its snow-capped peaks, rising almost six vertical kilometers above the savannah. The best time to view 'Kili' is at dawn and sunset when the clouds lift and the light is clear and soft.
Compact enough to experience in a day or two,Amboseli National Park is included on most Kenya safari itineraries and combines well with a Masai Mara safari or nearby Tsavo National Park – Kenya's biggest conservation area. Close by lies Chyulu Hills National Park, a small conservation area based around dramatic, ancient volcanic hills that offer great views of Mount Kilimanjaro and are home to a range of animals that include elephant, buffalo, leopard and many antelope species.
An Amboseli safari can also be combined with several Tanzanian parks. Mount Kilimanjaro National Park and Arusha National Park lie just across the border and are the closest, but the highlights of Northern Tanzania – the Serengeti, Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater – are easily accessible from this region.
This 5Day safari covers lots of miles and three parks in four days with wonderful views of Kilimanjaro. Will enables you to experience a wide variety of landscapes, habitats and wildlife in a short time and includes a stay in the shadow of Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain perhaps with a chance to get a photo of elephants with the mountain in the background.
7Day Safari to Amboseli,Lake Nakuru& Masai Mara Kenya.
This 7Day safari allows you to experience the wildlife of Kenya's most scenic national reserves and enjoy sightings of Elephants and Wildebeest during the Great Migration.Our safari package offer you an opportunity to see the best Kenya has to offer, suitable for groups and individuals. See magnificent Elephants against the backdrop of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro and then explore the vast open plains of the Mara which teem with plains game such as Wildebeest, Zebra and Thomsons Gazelles during your Kenyan safari tour.
Leave Nairobi for Masai Mara Game Reserve. Picnic lunch en-route. On arrival proceed to the Lodge. Afternoon game drive in search of Black manned lions, elephants, Leopard, cheetah, buffalo and other plains game. Dinner and overnight at the either Mara Sopa lodge, Mara Serena lodge, Keekorok Lodge Mara Safari club,Mara Intrepids,Mara Sarova camp,Mara Fig tree camp.
After brakfast proceed for a morning game drive. Return to the Lodge for lunch . 16.00hrs after a rest continue for the afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at Lodge.
Full game viewing in the Mara with an optional nature walk or a visit to a nearby Masai Village in between the meals break. Dinner and overnight at Lodge.
After breakfast leave for Nakuru National Park to arrive in time for Lunch. Afternonn game drive. Dinner and overnight at either Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, L.Nakuru Lodge.
06.30 hrs, proceed for an early morning game drive in L. nakuru Park known for its huge concentration of flamingoes. The park is rich in other bird life and a number of the rare species of wild animals example Rothchild giraffe and white Rhino. After breakfast leave for Samburu, to arrive there in time for Lunch. Dinner and overnight at either Samburu Lodge, Samburu intrepids, Samburu Serena, Sarova Shaba, Larsens camp.
06.30 hrs early morning game drive and after breakfast proceed for the morning game drive. Return to the Lodge for lunch and rest. 1600 hrs afternoon game drive might be lucky to se the rare species of the Grevy's Zebra and Somali Ostrich among the big five. Dinner and overnight at Lodge.
08.00 hrs after breakfast depart Samburu for Nanyuki at the base of Mt. Kenya for lunch. After drive back to Nairobi to Airport.
0930 hrs: Drive through the rich Kikuyu farmlands to the edge of the Rift Valley. Descend the escarpment and drive via Narok to Masai Mara Game Reserve. Picnic lunch served en route. The Masai Mara adjoins Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. Masai Mara is famous for its Black manned Lion and yearly migrations of Wildebeest and Zebra, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino, Gazelle, Leopards, Giraffe are also found here. Afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at either Mara Sopa lodge, Mara Serena lodge, Keekorok Lodge Mara Safari club,Mara Intrepids,Mara Sarova camp,Mara Fig tree camp.
A full day or morning and afternoon spent viewing and exploring this spectacular National Park. All the big five can be seen. Masai Mara is also famous for its bird life especially at the Mara River. Meals and overnight at Lodge.
After breakfast, leave camp/ lodge and proceed to L. Nakuru.On arrival check in at the Lodge and have lunch. Afternoon game drive. Lake Nakuru is famous for its pink Flamingos and many other types of birds. There are rare species of animals the white rhino and Roth child giraffe among a wide variety of game. Dinner and overnight at Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, L.Nakuru Lodge.
After breakfast spend the morning watching and photographing the birds and wild animals in the park. Leave for Nairobi stopping for panoramic views of the Great Rift Valley en-route. Arrive in Nairobi in the afternoon and Trasfer to Airport for flight back home.
0930 hrs: Drive north via Mt. Kenya past coffee plantations to Samburu Game Reserve noted for the unusual reticulated Giraffe, Grevy's Zebra, Gerunuk and Somali ostrich. Picnic lunch and game drive en-route. Dinner and overnight at either Samburu Lodge, Samburu intrepids, Samburu Serena, Sarova Shaba, Larsens camp.
After breakfast proceed for game drive in Nakuru National Park. Lunch at 1200 hrs and depart for Nairobi arriving late afternoon. For transfer to Aiport and flight back home.
The drive passes the small industrial town of Thika surrounded by extensive pineapple plantations. After crossing the Tana River, source of much of Kenya's Hydro power, the landscape changes and becomes more lush as you climb into the rich farmlands of the Kikuyu people. Lunch is taken at the Outspan Hotel in Nyeri for visitors visiting Tree Tops, at Mountain Lodge and at Aberdares Country Club for visitors visiting the Ark. In the afternoon proceed to your Tree Lodge where the night is spent and where a procession of wild animals visit the floodlight water hole and salt licks. Elephants , Rhino, buffalo, giant forest hog and many other species are commonly seen. Overnight at The Ark / Treetops tree Lodge.
Day 2- Aberdare | Nairobi.
In the morning after breakfast descend back to your base hotel and proceed back to Nairobi in time for lunch/ Transfer to airport.
Depart from your pick up point for a journey south along the floor of the Great Rift Valley past Narok and then climb the western wall entering Hemingway's country; "Serengeti Plains". Arrive late afternoon in time for lunch at your Lodge. Afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at Mara Sopa lodge, Mara Serena lodge, Keekorok Lodge Mara Safari club, Mara Intrepids, Mara Sarova camp, Mara Fig tree camp.
A full day or morning and afternoon spent game viewing across the rich tree studded savannah grassland and rolling hills. The famous Masai Mara is renowned for its great herds of plain's game, black manned Lion , Leopard and Cheetah. It also has numerous elephants and virtually every type of Wildlife to be found in Kenya. All meals and overnight at Lodge.
After breakfast depart for Nairobi, arrive in Nairobi late afternoon and Trasnfer to Airport.
A night stop in the park enables a more leisurely encounter with the magnificent array of wildlife than is possible on the – day of safari. The tour leaves in the morning reaching Amboseli National Park in time for lunch. An afternoon game drive in the area of permanent swamps will reveal much game,large and small, eminently photogenic in these splendid surroundings. Dinner and overnight at either Amboseli Serena Lodge, Amboseli Sopa Lodge, Ol tukai Lodge.
An early morning game viewing and after breakfast drive back to Nairobi to arrive before Lunch.


COACH C115 Leather & Suede Slip-On Sneaker - Chalk/White : Buy Cheap Shoes Online,Best T Shirt Women's 2018.
West Coast cool meets craftsmanship in an effortless slip-on. Contrasting leather textures and subtle baseball-inspired Rip and Repair details update this skater classic.


text:
Q: Parsing JSON in Delphi with slashes I receive JSON strings from a WebService with slashes in it.
When I parse them, Delphi adds backslashes.
V := TJSONObject.ParseJSONValue( '{"Kode":"ABC/123" }') ;

V.ToString returns :  {"Kode":"ABC\\/123"}

What is best practice to parse JSON strings in Delphi?
And why does the function V.Value always returns an empty string?
In the unit System.JSON, I see the following code:
function TJSONAncestor.Value: string;
begin
  Result := '';
end;

Do I need to add code myself to System units that ship with Delphi?

A: \ is required to be escaped as \\, so your claim that "Just removing the backslash in the result does not work, because the value could also be "ABC\123"" is wrong, as it would have to be "ABC\\123" instead.
The only other character required to be escaped is " as \".  / is certainly not required to be escaped, but it MAY be escaped at the discretion of the implementation. It is not invalid to do so.  As to WHY ToString() does that, you would have to ask Embarcadero.
If you needed to, you could easily do a search-and-replace of \/ into / without affecting other escape sequences, like \\ and \".  Or, try using ToJSON() instead of ToString().
Regarding TJSONAncestor.Value(), TJSONAncestor is a base class, and its Value() is a virtual method that returns a blank string by default.  Descendant classes (JSONString, TJSONNumber, etc) can override Value() to return more meaningful strings.  But in your example, your input string represents a JSON object, so V will be pointing at a TJSONObject instance, and TJSONObject does not override Value() because it does not make sense for an object to be represented by a string.  This is even documented behavior:
http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/Libraries/en/System.JSON.TJSONAncestor.Value

Returns the string representation of a simple JSON element like a string, number or boolean.
For structured JSON elements like an object and array returns empty string.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Virginia is sharing the national spotlight with New Jersey as the only two states with an election for governor. And since New Jersey incumbent Gov. Chris Christie is expected to be re-elected easily, much of the political world's attention has been here in the Old Dominion.
The governors' race features Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Libertarian Robert Sarvis. Also, the office of lieutenant governor is being contested between Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican E.W. Jackson. And the next attorney general will come from the state Senate. Republican Mark Obenshain is facing Democrat Mark Herring .
Locally, there are five major contested elections, two of which are in Hopewell. Of the five contested elections, two feature wide open races with no incumbents due to retirements.
In Hopewell, three candidates are seeking to replace retiring Sheriff Greg Anderson. Cathie Mitchell and John Hunter, both Hopewell police officers, and Luther Sodat, a lieutenant in the Sheriff's Office, are all vying for the seat.
For Hopewell commonwealth's attorney, incumbent Rick Newman is facing off against challenger David Cloninger.
In Colonial Heights, three candidates are seeking to replace retiring Commissioner of Revenue Marjorie DeDanko. Gayle Braswell, William "Bill" Feasenmyer and Tammy Ferguson are all seeking the office.
Voters in part of Dinwiddie County will decide between Democratic incumbent Roslyn Tyler and Republican challenger Al Peschke as their representative for the 75th district in the state House of Delegates.
The final contested election is an unusual one brought about by the resignation of a Prince George school board member in 2012. Dr. Patrick Bingham resigned when his wife, Brig. Gen. Gwen Bingham, was transferred to another military installation. Kevin Foster, who was appointed to the seat by the school board after Bingham left, is hoping to retain the seat. Michelle Riddick, a political newcomer, making her first bid for a school board seat.
In Chesterfield County, a major bond package backed up by a new meals tax could replace two aged local schools and refresh a third - if county voters approve the referendums on Election Day. The proposal includes the replacement of Enon and Matoaca elementary schools, and the revitalization of Ettrick Elementary.
On Election Day, voters face three items: Selling $304 million in bonds for new, replacement and substantially-renovated schools; selling $49 million in bonds for a new emergency communications system; and a 2 percent local meals tax, which would go toward paying down the debt. The meals tax would apply to restaurants and prepared foods at convenience or grocery stores.
While this is an "off year" election, there are plenty of important issues and offices for voters to consider. Everything from the top three offices in the state - governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general - to a local prosecutor and a sheriff and more await the verdicts of voters.
So an Election Day 2013, the message is simple: exercise one of your most fundamental rights and vote.


Facebook is the most prominent social networking site. How To Download Videos From Facebook To Your Computer: One of the most essential attributes of this website are picture and video sharing. Peoples are used to share trading videos and photos on facebook. There are many means to download facebook video however they are not as preferred as downloading youtube video. There has lots of on the internet facebook video downloading website however the majority of them has pests as well as most of them drive you to the unimportant web pages.
I have a simple tricks to download facebook video without going any kind of online video downloading web site or without downloading any type of software.
Found a video on facebook as well as save the video to you computer or mobile by using my method. This approach informs you to download facebook video straight from facebook without going additional web page or without downloading any kind of additional software application. Currently download the facebook video to your pc or mobile prior to removing the video from facebook To download facebook video, comply with the steps offered bellow with image.
Facebook organized ways, videos are uploaded by individual directly to Facebook as well as you can download just this type of video by utilizing my technique.
Now look at the browser bar and also edit the video link by clicking on the internet browser bar. If you could not locate the url of the video, after that ideal click on the video and click on Show video URL. Then Copy The video link.
Just change the https://www by m of your video URL as pointed out above image that is facebook mobile variation LINK.
Before editing: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=66545 ... ... ... After editing: m.facebook.com/video.php?v=66545 ... ... ... After altering the url, press enter switch as well as currently a new web page will certainly come that is in fact mobile variation of facebook.
A brand-new page will come much like this photo and click on the video as mentioned in the picture by red arrowhead.
A brand-new page will certainly open keeping that facebook video. Currently right click on video as well as click on Save video As ... It will certainly save the video to your tool.
I assume this is one of the most easiest and also safe approach to download facebook videos. I did this on Firefox browser as well as I usually utilize this technique to download facebook video. I am sharing this with you hoping that it will certainly help you too.


text:
Q: NSURLConnection switch to NSURLSession returning 404 response I am attempting to convert my project from using NSURLConnection to NSURLSession. However, after making the switch I cannot seem to get a response from the server. The returned response from the server is always 404.
My original code, using NSURLConnection:
@implementation RecorderManager

- (void)sendRequestToURL:(NSString*)url withData:(NSData*)postData forScreen:(NSString *)inScreenName
{
    RecorderAsynchSubmit* delegate = [[RecorderAsynchSubmit alloc] initWithScreenName:inScreenName andURL:url];
    NSURLConnection *urlConnection = [[NSURLConnection alloc] initWithRequest:request delegate:delegate];
}

@implementation RecorderAsynchSubmit
// Implementing NSURLConnectionDelegate, NSURLConnectionDataDelegate

- (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection didFailWithError:(NSError *)error
{
    // Handle error
}

- (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection didReceiveResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response
{
    [httpResponse setLength:0];
    httpResponseCode = [((NSHTTPURLResponse *) response) statusCode];
}

- (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection didReceiveData:(NSData *)httpdata
{
    [httpResponse appendData:httpdata];
}

- (void)connectionDidFinishLoading:(NSURLConnection *)connection
{
    NSString *responseString = [[[NSString alloc] initWithData:httpResponse encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding] copy];
    if (httpResponseCode == STATUS_CODE_VALID) { // response code for entry submitted
        responseString = @"Submit Succeeded";
    } else {
        responseString = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"Your entry could not be submitted. Data has been stored locally. Error Message: %@", responseString];
    }
    [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter]
     postNotificationName:@"submissionCompleteEvent"
     object:[[RecorderNotificationMessage alloc] initWithStatusMessage:responseString detailedMessage:responseString]];
}

My updated code using NSURLSessionTask:
@implementation RecorderManager

- (void)sendRequestToURL:(NSString*)url withData:(NSData*)postData forScreen:(NSString *)inScreenName
{
    RecorderAsynchSubmit* delegate = [[RecorderAsynchSubmit alloc] initWithScreenName:inScreenName andURL:url];
    NSURLSessionConfiguration *configuration = [NSURLSessionConfiguration defaultSessionConfiguration];
    NSURLSession *session = [NSURLSession sessionWithConfiguration:configuration delegate:delegate delegateQueue:nil];
    NSURL *URL = [NSURL URLWithString:url];
    NSURLSessionTask *task = [session dataTaskWithURL:URL];
    [task resume];
}

@implementation RecorderAsynchSubmit
// Implementing NSURLSessionDelegate, NSURLSessionTaskDelegate, NSURLSessionDataDelegate

- (void)URLSession:(NSURLSession *)session dataTask:(NSURLSessionDataTask *)dataTask didReceiveResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response
completionHandler:(void (^)(NSURLSessionResponseDisposition disposition))completionHandler {
    [httpResponse setLength:0];
    httpResponseCode = [((NSHTTPURLResponse *) response) statusCode];
    completionHandler(NSURLSessionResponseAllow);
}

-(void)URLSession:(NSURLSession *)session dataTask:(NSURLSessionDataTask *)dataTask
   didReceiveData:(NSData *)data {
    [httpResponse appendData:data];
}

- (void)URLSession:(NSURLSession *)session task:(NSURLSessionTask *)task
didCompleteWithError:(NSError *)error {
    if (error) {
        // Handle error
    } else {
        NSString *responseString = [[[NSString alloc] initWithData:httpResponse encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding] copy];
        if (httpResponseCode == STATUS_CODE_VALID) {
            responseString = @"Submit Succeeded";
        } else {
            responseString = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"Your entry could not be submitted. Data has been stored locally. Error Message: %@", responseString];
        }
        [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter]
         postNotificationName:@"submissionCompleteEvent"
         object:[[RecorderNotificationMessage alloc] initWithStatusMessage:responseString detailedMessage:responseString]];
    }
}

The original code is working fine and returns the expected result, however the updated code always returns a 404 response from the server.


text:
Raptors beat injury-hit Warriors to seize NBA Finals lead
Oakland (United States) (AFP)
Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points and the Toronto Raptors moved halfway to their first NBA title Wednesday by defeating the injury-hit Golden State Warriors 123-109 in the NBA Finals.
Kyle Lowry added 23 points and nine assists while Danny Green and Pascal Siakam each contributed 18 points as the Raptors seized a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, which continues Friday in Oakland.
Stephen Curry scored a career playoff high 47 points and added eight rebounds and seven assists for a Golden State squad playing without guard Klay Thompson due to a left hamstring strain and forward Kevin Durant with a right calf injury.
Golden State fell behind by as many as 14 points in the first half and pulled no closer than seven in the second half despite staying within reach thanks to Curry's one-man heroics.


text:
by Senpai | Oct 11, 2021 | Anime Recommendation
Welcome to the 15th week of our anime recommendation series. This week, I have something special for you. It is one of my all-time favorite anime that I was recently rewatching. Really though, more people need to watch this anime. If you like cars or racing this anime is basically perfect for you.
You have read the title; you know this week we are talking about Initial D. Aside from being the best car racing anime, Initial D also has one of the best anime soundtrack collections of all time. Initial D OST has countless bangers and they sound so damn good with the races.
Before we begin; a quick reminder that this is a recommendation and not a review. Hence, there will be no scores and I won't be pointing out any negatives. So let's start.
Initial D is the anime adaptation of the manga of the same name. It has 6 seasons and a total of 81 episodes and a cannon movie. The first season was also rebooted into 3 movies called "Initial D: Legends" but, I suggest you watch Legends after finishing the main series because Legends skips a lot of stuff from the first season. Despite having great visuals, Legends does not have the same vibe as the original series because of the absence of iconic soundtracks and change of character voices.
Despite not technically being a sports anime, Initial D does follow a pattern of one. It is fast-paced and all the races are extremely hyped. So much so that you will find yourself skipping some of the stuff that happens before the races. Almost all of the races manage to live up to this hype.
Initial D has a very simple plot. In seasons 1 through 3, it is about the protagonist learning to love cars and races. Seasons 4 through 6 become more about pride and not losing. There really isn't much need for a plot in anime like this. I will say this though; it is interesting to see how many different ways the opponents come up to beat the protagonist. It is always fun to see the protagonist grow.
Initial D does have a lot of characters in the beginning but, eventually, it boils down to 3 main characters. There are quite a few great side characters too. Like the protagonist, Takumi's dad is one of the best characters in the anime. My personal favorite has to be Takahashi Ryousuke probably because he is voiced by one of my favorite VAs.
As I said earlier, it is fun to watch Takumi grow. In the first season, he hated cars as he saw driving as work. Eventually, he comes to like cars and racing and he starts learning about them. He may be the typical nice guy protagonist but, it is fun to see how the small discoveries he makes contribute to his overall growth.
Animations and Soundtrack
Do keep in mind that the first 4 seasons of Initial D are really old. With that said though, they have some really good animations for the time. The first season animations look funny now but, back in the day, they were considered god-tier. The animation quality of the later seasons though still holds up today and is just a treat to the eyes.
And of course, the iconic Initial D soundtrack. I can't praise Initial D's soundtrack enough. It is one of the best anime soundtracks of all time for sure. There are such banger pieces in Initial D soundtrack and listening to them while the race is going on, makes you wanna race yourself. They are just perfect for the hype-y theme of Initial D.
Why you should watch Initial D?
Quick pointers on why you should check out this anime:
A straightforward plot
Awesome animations
Awesome races
Loads of hype
One of the best Anime soundtracks ever
That is it for this week. Let me know your thoughts down in the comments and also put your anime recommendations there. With that said, I will take my leave here. See ya!
Anime Recommendation of the Week – KonoSuba Anime Recommendation of the Week – Kimi to Boku Anime Recommendation of the Week – Hataraku Maou-Sama Anime Recommendation of the Week – Higurashi (Original + Kai) Anime Recommendation of the Week – Darwin's Game Anime Recommendation of the Week – Darker Than Black Top 5 Anime Covers to Listen to This Week Top 5 Anime Covers to Listen to This Week


text:
Challenge: NICU Parenting
After 73 days in the NICU, we are finally home
Published by Erica Ligenza Gwynn on January 20, 2020
The NICU is another world. One that, at times, feels really confusing and really, really isolating. After entering the world two months early (thanks, severe pre-eclampsia), Olivia Grace spent a whopping 73 days in the NICU — and 73 days is a freaking long time. But really, ANY time in the NICU is a long time. Because in it, time seems to stop altogether as you count the minutes spent sleeping inside incubators instead of cribs and wearing wires instead of onesies. Every NICU family has a different experience. Here was ours.
NICU #1
We started at the NICU of Olivia's birth hospital. Initially, she was just experiencing "typical preemie problems" — needing time to grow and time to OUTgrow issues that inevitably arise when you're not fully developed before existing outside the womb. Olivia was 3 pounds at birth, so girlfriend was a peanut — but a fighting peanut at that. With the hospital being six minutes from our house, we visited daily; I'd often spend most of the day at her bedside, sometimes with my laptop in tow to get some work done, and then we'd come back together in the evening once my husband was home from work. We had a routine.
Olivia's one real "problem" was bradycardia episodes, where her heart rate would decelerate, and her oxygen level would desaturate with it, sometimes to dangerously low numbers that required stimulation from nurses or doctors.
We were almost discharged. In fact, we were about two days away from supposedly going home when the transfer happened. One morning, Liv wasn't acting herself. She was lethargic, and she had multiple "episodes" in a few minutes. And then her bloodwork came back positive for a weird bacteria: campylobacter. Weird, because it's a bacterial strain almost NEVER found in children — let alone newborns who had never left a NICU — and comes from consuming undercooked poultry. When the neonatologist saw it, it was a five-alarm NICU fire.
Nurses started running — actually running — into the NICU. I just remember being off in the corner of the shared NICU space, crying as I pumped, the medical team whizzing past. That day was a numbing blur. The hospital transport team was already on their way. They boxed up little Liv in a heated isolette and plugged her monitors in so that she'd be tracked nonstop as we rode in the ambulance to a higher-level NICU an hour away.
Good but weird news: Her bloodwork was now negative for campylobacter. A blessing. But also, a stress because her hemoglobin count was still down significantly, as was her platelet count — and test after test came back negative.
The hospital was stumped. And let me tell you — it does not feel good when the best children's hospital on the planet cannot figure out what is wrong with your baby.
IV fluids, two broad-spectrum antibiotics, and two blood transfusions later, and she no longer looked like a sick baby.
They still had no idea what the mystery infection or virus was. They officially diagnosed her with central apnea, as well as reflux. She was put on caffeine for the apnea and Zantac for the reflux. Fast forward a few days. I got a call from our hospitalist that she was approved for transfer back to our first hospital since her case could be managed there, and she'd be back to five minutes from home.
Praise God.
Literally, 23 minutes later, I got a call back. No more going back to the home hospital just yet — she needed a swallow study from the speech team, to make sure she was not aspirating from the reflux. While she had been downing bottles like a champ before the mystery illness struck, now it was more of a struggle. She'd get tired and seem uncoordinated while feeding. So, the speech team was concerned. The medical team didn't suspect aspiration would be an issue, but since hospital #1 doesn't have a speech team, they wanted to cross that one off the list while they could.
Turned out ... her swallow study showed mild aspiration. (Bad, since it could cause pneumonia if left unfound/untreated.)
That meant no going back to the home hospital; they preemptively figured that Olivia would be going home with an NG tube, and the home hospital wouldn't discharge babies with that since they have no in-house speech team. So, we'd have to stay put until discharge home.
Beyond that, she had to go back to taking only 5 mL of food by bottle, only 3x per day — the rest of her feeding would be through a nasogastric tube (an NG tube — the little tube going in her nose, through to her stomach). From 50 mL ... to 5. We were devastated — it felt like such a step backward.
Fast forward a few weeks, and we have our first day without any bradycardia events! WOO. If we made it to five days event-free, Olivia could come home. HOME.
Next day ... an event.
Next day ... three events.
Next day ... seven. freaking. events.
With every step forward came two steps back — or so it seemed. The #1 thing we kept hearing was, "She just needs to outgrow it."
One of the most *frustrating* parts for us was the inconsistency/incontinuity in who from the medical team was seeing her. It was a different nurse every single day — MAYBE someone getting her two days in a row. It was a different doctor every two weeks unless we requested one "primary" for her where all decisions went through (which we did). There were hospitalists, fellows, residents, nurse practitioners, + various therapists — speech, occupational, physical — seeing her regularly, all on their rotations. Granted, I totally GET the want/need for variation in the medical team, to both keep the team members fresh themselves and to keep fresh perspectives coming to her case.
There were SO many occasions where I called in for my morning update and had to correct a nurse, who had her case file totally wrong. "She was on oxygen, right? Wasn't she intubated?"
No aaaaaand no.
I felt relatively well versed in medicine, having so many exceptional nurses in my family. Oftentimes I was left thinking, thank the sweet Lord Baby Jesus that I can comfortably talk the talk — because too often, it felt like they were relying on my own word instead of relying on Olivia's actual medical chart.
And sometimes, it felt like we were just guinea pigs for #science.
On her first day seeing Olivia, a nurse practitioner, came into the room during our nightly visit and said, "The best geneticist in the world stopped by to check her out today. We can do a genetics test now if you want to test for a genetic disorder."
"Do you think she has one?!? What would it be looking at? Is it what's recommended? What exactly did she say!??"
Our questions spit out like rapid-fire, and she was so thrown off — she went on to say that the woman hadn't actually noticed anything "significant," but it's just an option that parents have. So now ... do we freak out, or not? Is there a reason for concern, or not? You don't just flag down the top geneticist IN THE WORLD to come see a baby for no reason ... do you?
It wasn't until after she left when a particularly good nurse (a mother herself) gave me some #RealTalk, saying this woman was LITERALLY the best in the world and could look at you walking by in the hallway and tell you what was genetically wrong with you (legit). So if she saw nothing of concern — not to worry. But it was so much of situations like that — false alarm panic buttons, relatively unclear testing, or less-than-stellar bedside manner that left us feeling more confused or concerned than comforted.
I'm sure every experience is different, just like every baby, and every diagnosis is different. And I'm sure some mamas have it better, and some mamas have it worse — just like some babies have it better or worse. And it's not at all predictable, nor is it particularly fun — it's just a phase.
And this phase hit me hard.
I tried so hard to stay as positive as possible, but I'd be straight-up lying if I said it was easy, or that I was always full of hope or faith. I was shaky, at best.
I also had what I personally diagnosed as postpartum depression during this period. I was never quite sure if it was "actual" postpartum — a hormonal imbalance after giving birth — or more situational depression from seemingly unending NICU life, or a combo of both. And I'll never really know.
At 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, she had her last event. And she was event-free since being discharged on Day 5 – December 29 – to be home in time for the New Year. And I like to think that it was even more meaningful. Because it was on the night that our Lord came into the world as man. And it felt like God saying, I have come. I am here. It's going to be OK.
Erica Ligenza Gwynn
Erica Ligenza Gwynn is a one-woman blend of millennial chic, big heart, and savvy inspiration. As the founder of hit lifestyle blog Coming Up Roses, the Philadelphia-based business owner, mom, and wife covers every angle of modern young womanhood, from fashion and beauty to relationships and entrepreneurship. Determined to share what she's learned, Erica also created BossPitch, an accessible online course that guides aspiring bloggers and social media influencers through finding and maintaining the right brand partnerships. Erica also dives into tactical tips to help others not just survive but thrive in life during her weekly THRIVE PODCAST. A motivational, hilarious, candid voice that hundreds of thousands of followers trust daily, she pushes women to see their true worth, take action, and savor their lives. Erica's first book, CAFFEINATE YOUR SOUL: 52 Monday Mantras, is due in early 2020.
"Visiting Hours" Don't Apply to Me
Lessons learned from a year in the NICU/PICU
3 Mothers: One who gave birth, one who kept you alive, and one who raised you!


text:
Home » 'The Vise Is Tightening' On Patient Safety
'The Vise Is Tightening' On Patient Safety
The pace of improvement in patient safety is rapidly accelerating.
Bill Santamour
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.—"We're on the cusp of rapid acceleration of improvement in patient safety," Lucian Leape predicted at yesterday's opening plenary of the Patient Safety Congress outside Washington, D.C. "The forces are aligning."
Leape is an adjunct professor of health policy at Harvard and chair of the National Patient Safety Foundation institute bearing his name. Recent reports indicate that too many errors still occur in health care, but he said those findings don't jibe with the experiences of nearly everyone in the audience. "You've seen improvement. Maybe not as much as you'd like, but there's been real improvement in patient safety."
One indication: Three to four years ago, hospital CEOs and trustees were asking, "What should we do?" Now they're asking, "How can we do it?" Still, Leape lamented, too many leaders "still haven't gotten it."
They better. Medicare is implementing payment incentives and penalties based largely on quality and safety. Leaders might squawk at certain details of value-based purchasing and other payment reforms, Leape said, but "the vise is tightening."
Another powerful motivating force is the HHS-led Partnership for Patients to help providers reduce hospital-acquired conditions 40 percent and readmissions 20 percent by 2013 compared with 2010. HHS has committed $1 billion to the effort, "by far the biggest investment in patient safety in history," Leape said.
An audience member complained the reports indicating that too many errors still occur in health care also showed a significant proportion were not preventable, a point most media coverage failed to mention.
Leape's response was blunt: "There's a word we must get rid of—'preventable.' The notion that some incidents are not preventable. They're all preventable. Figure it out. As long as you say some are not preventable, you won't prevent them."
Creating 'the Safest Children's Hospital in America'
Also yesterday, NPSF awarded its 2011 Chairman's Medal to Robert Connors, M.D., president of Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The medal recognizes emerging leaders in the patient safety field, chosen, said NPSF President Diane C. Pinakiewicz, "for their ability to inspire and lead the change necessary to successfully implement patient safety improvements while creating a culture of respect, openness, learning and a positive team dynamic." Here's how NPSF described DeVos Children's' journey:
Beginning with the stated goal of creating "the safest children's hospital in America," Connors spearheaded a patient safety program in 2007 that empowered staff by removing traditional hierarchies and barriers to communication. After completing an intensive training program in safety sciences and armed with error reduction tools and techniques to guide their practice, employees directly involved in patient care gained the authority to raise safety concerns with anyone at any time. The program has now been adopted by the entire Spectrum Health System, the DeVos Children's parent organization, which includes nine hospitals and 180 care sites.
Among the outcomes:
Between 2008 and 2010 safety events declined by 68 percent.
Ventilator associated pneumonias in the pediatric critical care unit have been eliminated for 19 consecutive months.
Hand hygiene has improved from 56 to 96 percent for more than a year, helping to reduce hospital-acquired infections by 50 percent.
Catheter-associated blood stream infections in the newborn intensive care unit were reduced by almost 50 percent.
Asthma core measures at discharge achieved 100 percent compliance.
Spinal surgery infections were eliminated.
"Safety is now an integral part of our strategic planning and daily operations," Connors said. "We have appointed an executive director of quality and safety, created unit-based safety champions and forged partnerships with other leading children's hospitals engaged in safety work best practices."
Download: VHAgate_mar2013.pdf
Leadership & StrategyQuality & SafetyFinanceOperationsAffordable Care ActCQONurse WatchPhysiciansFiscal Fitness
Is Patient Safety Part of Your DNA?
A rural hospital adopts zero-defect strategy to reduce medical errors, even linking executive compensation to error rates.
Patient Safety Expert: Focus on Behavior Over Processes
Leadership behavior, not process improvement, is the true driver of quality and patient safety performance.