The audience for this research is fellow researchers and others helping product developers to start including sustainability when they are selecting product concepts.
The aims of the research were to understand the needs of product developers integrating sustainability into concept selection and what might be done to help them.
The research approach was to iterate between the three studies of design research methodology. The first study focused on understanding the challenges that product developers face when integrating sustainability into concept selection. The aim of the second study was to identify potential support to help product developers to deal with the challenges. And the third study was to try out the potential support to see if it actually helps product developers address the challenges they face. These studies were executed through reviewing literature and exploring two cases.
The results led to a focus on supporting the decision-making process and supporting analysing with respect to social sustainability. Selecting concepts is a complex decision made under challenging conditions. Bringing in the complex, new and unfamiliar aspects of sustainability can make good decision-making even more challenging. When integrating sustainability, two particular barriers to good concept selection decision-making are errors due to illusory correlation and confirmation bias.
Despite the challenges, how good you are at making decisions matters. And a good decision-making process drives good decisions. This is especially relevant when bringing in complex and unfamiliar aspects, such as sustainability. A likely candidate for helping product developers achieve a good decision-making process when integrating sustainability is active, value-focused decision-support. In other words, structuring the process into bite-sized steps and using particular techniques to avoid bias. At each step, decision-makers' focus is anchored by the things that stakeholders value as important. Further research is required to investigate the details of how to employ these process-support approaches in the particular context of integrating sustainability into concept selection decision-making.
In addition to a process, complicated selection decisions demand analysis. Support for analysing concepts with respect to social sustainability was identified as a gap. We explored a potential approach that might contribute to this analysis, but found that it was not useful for the particular decision in hand. This opened up some interesting questions for further research.
Karlskrona: Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, 2015.
Chalmers Institute of Tecnology; GKN Aerospace.
Selecting concepts involves challenging decisions because decision-makers must consider many factors and the implications of the selection are far-reaching and unknown. As markets become increasingly sustainability-driven, bringing sustainability considerations into the decision is necessary. This is challenging due to the complexity of the concept of sustainability and it being unfamiliar to many decision-makers. In this work we therefore aimed to develop support for helping decision-makers to consider sustainability when selecting a concept. We undertook a case study where we studied decision-makers selecting a road construction process. Then we developed a method of support to help these decision-makers to select a process. The developed method helps decision-makers consider sustainability aspects when selecting concepts. The method supports decision-makers to compare alternatives by using indicators that are based on the values of actors in the extended value network. Global society is included as an actor who values development that is more sustainable. We modelled and visualised the outputs from the developed method in order to support decision-makers in the case study with their specific decision. Early indications from our testing are that the method and general approach could be useful for decision-makers wanting to consider sustainability in concept selection.
Sustainability, sustainable product development, value, value-focused, concept selection, decision-making.
Tools and Methods for Competitive Engineering 2014 conference proceedings. ISBN/EAN (Printed Proceedings Volumes 1 and 2): 9789461861764. ISBN/EAN (Digital Proceedings USB Flash Drive): 9789461861771.
Product development is a phased decision making process that is difficult to manage, for example, due to lack of knowledge in the early phases when design freedom is high. The management becomes even more challenging when adding the new, complex and potentially long range considerations of sustainability to decision making in product development.
More explicitly, the management challenge is manifested in that product developers initially know little about the design problem, which is when they have highest design freedom. Later, when the product developers have acquired more knowledge about the design problem, design freedom has diminished. In sum, this paradox illustrates two challenging situations in which product developers undertake decision-making – low knowledge and high freedom, and higher knowledge and lower freedom. With the addition of time pressure, these challenging decision making situations lead product developers to become susceptible to relying on heuristics, and prone to systematic errors and biases.
In our study, we aim to outline and understand which cognitive shortcomings are involved and create potential problems in development of more sustainable products. We do so by asking the question 'Which cognitive barriers are most relevant when incorporating sustainability considerations into product development?' Out of four identified categories of product development decisions - concept development, supply chain design, product design, and production ramp-up and launch – we focus on the first three as they are categories of decisions where product developers may try to incorporate sustainability. To address this question, we used the rich psychology literature on cognitive shortcomings to identify which barriers are particularly relevant in the decision-making context described by the literature on product development and decision-making for sustainability.
We contribute to the practice of people developing decision support for sustainable product development by increasing awareness of cognitive barriers that are particularly relevant in this context. Theoretically, we contribute with increased understanding regarding how different cognitive barriers may be influential under certain phases, and not under others – a matter which underpins a forthcoming discussion on how clusters of cognitive shortcomings may affect outcomes of including sustainability in the product development process.


METALLICA COMMODITIES CORP. (DOS ID 2675723) is a corporation registered with New York State Department of State (NYSDOS). The initial filling date is August 29, 2001. The corporate CEO is GLENDON ARCHER.
Entity Name METALLICA COMMODITIES CORP.
DOS Process Name METALLICA COMMODITIES CORP.
Location Name METALLICA COMMODITIES CORP.
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text:
Analysis: Australian Miner Eyes Opportunity Amid Conflict in Shan State
Our Fight For Press Freedom
Tatmadaw Representatives in Parliament Call for Govt-Military Cooperation
'Myanmar will Worsen if the Peace Process Stalls'
Rights Group Urges New Myanmar Sanctions Over Rakhine Crisis
Marking 70 Years of US-Myanmar Relations
How is Coverage of Rakhine Affecting Myanmar's Image?
Where There's Struggle, There's Hope
Women Live in Fear After Rakhine Attacks
Myanmar Says US Official Barred From Rakhine State Conflict Zone
Analysis: Myanmar Journalists Call For Balanced Rakhine Coverage in Intl Media
Myanmar Photojournalists Detained in Bangladesh
Govt Investment Director Confident in Foreign Investment Despite Rakhine Conflict
Southern Thailand Insurgent Group Says Talks Doomed
TIMELINE: Reporters' 67 Days Behind Bars
N. Korea Fires Another Missile Over Japan, Deepening Regional Tensions
Thai Human Rights Body Hears Complaints Against Tanintharyi Coal Mine
Behind the 'Textbook Example'
Court Drops Charges Against Three Journalists
The Saffron Revolution in Cartoons
In the Wake of Rakhine State Crisis, Support for Suu Kyi is (Almost) Solid
US State Dept Official to Visit Rakhine
Ethnic Bloc Denounces ARSA
Myanmar UN Rep Objects to UN Chief's Terms for Rakhine Issue
Media Law Charges Dropped Against Voice Daily Editor and Columnist
No Soft Touch
Confiscated Land Returned to Farmers in Magwe
UN Chief, Security Council Call on Myanmar to End Violence
News Analysis: Myanmar's State Counselor on a Dangerous Tightrope
Aung Myint Turns Everyday Objects into Art
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is Still Myanmar's Best Hope
88 Generation Peace and Open Society Stand by Govt on Rakhine
USDP-led Alliance Criticizes Govt for Action on Rakhine Report
Independent Cinema Resists Censorship at Local Film Festival
Govt to Implement Recommendations on Rakhine Issue 'Without Delay'
Rakhine Govt Forges on With Maungdaw Economic Zone
State Counselor Calls Citizens to Curb Betel Chewing
Al Qaeda Warns Myanmar of 'Punishment'
Rakhine State Education Department Instructs Staff to Return to Duty
A Struggle for Authority
Senate Leader Opposes 'Lecturing' Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
What Have NGOs Done Wrong in Rakhine?
Continue Aid for Displaced Camps: Karen Organization
Govt Eyes Six Billion Dollar Foreign Investment in 2017-18 Fiscal Year
State Counselor Will Not Attend UN General Assembly to Focus on Internal Issues
Myanmar Faces Mounting Pressure Over Refugee Exodus
Muddling Through in Rakhine is Not Enough
Bawdwin mine site, as seen in 2015. / The Irrawaddy
By Seamus Martov 18 September 2017
A recent announcement from Myanmar Metals, a mining firm listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, has described northern Shan State's Bawdwin mining site as "one of the largest underdeveloped" zinc, lead, silver and copper deposits in the world.
The company—which was, until August, known as Top End Minerals—is currently in the process of acquiring mining rights for the locale.
It remains to be seen if the firm's lofty predictions will be realized. Even if detailed, ongoing studies of the area do indeed prove that the Bawdwin mine is as lucrative as Myanmar Metals hopes, developing and then running a mine in northern Shan State will be accompanied by significant challenges.
A presentation released by the Perth-based Myanmar Metals describes Shan State as "awash with opportunity," yet much of Myanmar's largest state continues to be awash with drug and arms trade, as well as ongoing conflict.
Clashes between the military and several ethnic armed groups have persisted in recent years across a wide stretch of countryside in northern Shan State. Namtu Township, where the Bawdwin mine is located, has seen repeated clashes between the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Myanmar's military, as recently as mid-September. There has also been fighting between the TNLA and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), an armed group presently in a ceasefire with the central government. The TNLA continues to maintain a strong presence on the ground in the region despite military efforts to drive them out.
While Myanmar Metals touts the mineral potential of Shan State and the Bawdwin site, there does not appear to be any mention on the firm's website or in its filings with stock market regulators in Australia of the ongoing conflict and continued displacement of thousands of refugees in the region. This arguably leaves potential investors with an incomplete understanding of the situation on the ground in Namtu Township.
Other foreign mining firms who have sought to do business in northern Shan State have come up against a range of difficulties. In October 2014, the Hong Kong-based Asia Pacific Mineral Limited (APML) was granted an exploration permit for minerals in the region, a concession that included areas adjacent to the Bawdwin mine site. Reuters reported that just three days after APML was granted the permit, clashes between the army and the TNLA broke out near their concession.
Rights and Ownership
According to Myanmar Metals, the company's main priority with Bawdwin is "to obtain, assess and validate the historical geology, drilling, underground sampling, and mining data" that provided the basis for estimates, according to figures originally obtained by another Australian firm, Mandalay Mining Co. NL (MMC). In the late 1990s, Mandalay Mining had an exploration permit for the area around Bawdwin and conducted feasibility work there, but the firm's activities on the site were eventually suspended.
Whether the struggles Mandalay Mining faced when trying to move the project forward some 20 years ago will affect Myanmar Metals today remains to be seen. Should the firm go ahead with developing Bawdwin, it is likely that Myanmar Metals will face a series of regulatory hurdles in addition to the logistical issues involved with operating in a state that has been home to some form of civil war since the 1950s.
Myanmar Metals recently reached a deal with the local entity that currently controls the rights for Bawdwin, which enabled the Australian firm to "secure the option to acquire an 85% interest" in the mine. As part of the deal, Myanmar Metals paid what it described as a non-refundable deposit of US$1.5 million to Win Myint Mo Industries Co. (WMM). WMM have a mining and production sharing agreement for Bawdwin with Mining Enterprise No. 1, a state owned entity held by the Ministry of Mines. Myanmar Metals in turn borrowed the funds for this payment from Yandal Investments, a privately held firm that is controlled by mining entrepreneur Mark Creasy, dubbed a "superstar prospector" in his native Australia.
Information disclosed by Myanmar's first ever Extraction Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report, released in November 2015, indicates that WMM is 60 percent owned by someone named Hla Myint Myanmar, with the remaining 40 percent owned by Aye Aye Aung. While the pair are officially the owners on paper, WMM has been described by local media covering Shan State as being a subsidiary of Asia World, the conglomerate founded by Lo Hsing Han, a Kokang Chinese entrepreneur dubbed the "Godfather of Heroin" by US officials in the 1970s. When The Irrawaddy visited Bawdwin back in 2015, Asia World was maintaining a skeleton crew at the mine site, which appeared to be barely functioning.
Lo Hsing Han's son Steven Law, who inherited control of Asia World from his late father, achieved a significant victory last year when both he and the company were removed from the US sanctions list. However, the US treasury department has yet to retract its claim describing the origins of Law's career: "Steven Law joined his father's drug empire in the 1990s and has since become one of the wealthiest individuals in Burma," read the announcement about Law's inclusion on the US sanctions list, which is still accessible on the US government's website.
A deal similar to the one put forward by Myanmar Metals saw Asia World make a payment of $500,000 last November to acquire an option to buy a 60 percent stake in Cornerstone Resources (Myanmar) Ltd (CRML). CMRL is an entity owned by Australian and Chinese investors and that operates a zinc refinery in Lashio—a major town in northern Shan State—as well as a zinc mine at Long Keng. The window for Myanmar Metals to move forward with this buy expired in August.
Following in Herbert Hoover's Footsteps
Bawdwin has been the site of mining operations for centuries. Before embarking on a political career, young Herbert Hoover—President of the United States from 1929 until 1933—initially traveled the world working as a mining engineer, and first arrived at Bawdwin in 1907, where both he and his wife contracted malaria. According to his memoirs, he and his colleagues saw tiger tracks in one of the mineshafts during a field visit. "To fight a Bengal tiger with a miner's candlestick made no appeal whatever to either of us. With no delay and with steadily increasing panic, we made for the entrance. The tiger, fortunately, was not of an inquiring turn of mind and did not come to greet us," wrote Hoover about his time in what became known as "the tiger tunnel."
Hoover's involvement with and expansion of the Burma Mine Corporation at Bawdwin earned him much of his fortune, according to his biographer; during the colonial period, Bawdwin was considered one of the most lucrative mines in the world.
The Second World War saw much of the infrastructure at the mine severely damaged by fighting. Though operations began again after the war, the mine's nationalization in 1965 by General Ne Win's newly installed regime led to a significant drop in production at Bawdwin. New Zealand academic Peter John Perry chalked this up to mismanagement in his book "Myanmar (Burma) Since 1962: The Failure of Development."
The site was also attacked during the Ne Win years by various armed groups at war with the government. In 1974, Ne Win's regime was forced to withdraw all foreign advisers from the area, after a German mining technician working at Bawdwin was kidnapped by an ethnic armed group and held for ransom, which the West German government was compelled to pay.
The Bawdwin mine remained state-owned until it was sold off during the rapid wave of privatization that took place at the end of Snr-Gen Than Shwe's regime. Reports from the area indicate that years of mining operations at Bawdwin have significantly polluted the surrounding landscape, with toxic runoff from the site flowing into local waterways. The result of decades of mining operations, has, in the words of one report from 2000, left a "deleterious impact on the health of workers and local residents," a legacy to be considered as the rights to the site may shift once again to new prospectors.
Topics: Australia, Conflict, Environment, Investment, Mining, Natural Resources, Shan State
Seamus Martov ...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Melchi M. Michel, Robert A. Jacobs; Cue acquisition based on visual-auditory but not visual-visual correlations. Journal of Vision 2006;6(6):678. doi: 10.1167/6.6.678.
Wallach (1985) hypothesized that people will acquire a new cue to a perceptual judgment when a novel stimulus is correlated with a known cue. We tested this hypothesis in four experiments in which we introduced novel and systematic correlations between different pairs of sensory signals. The first three experiments each paired the visual motion direction of a random-dot-kinematogram with one of three signals. Experiment 1 used an auditory signal (broadband auditory stimulus) whereas Experiments 2 & 3 used visual signals (binocular disparity or brightness). Using a near-threshold conflict between the actual visual motion direction and the direction indicated by the new signal, subjects were evaluated for whether they used the new signal when making direction judgments. Though the procedure was identical in all three experiments, and the signals were each adjusted to be equally salient, subjects learned to use the auditory signal as a cue to motion direction but failed to learn to use either of the novel visual signals. Experiment 4 checked whether subjects' inability to learn the new visual cues was particular to the motion direction discrimination task by asking subjects to make a different perceptual judgment (determining light source direction). As in Experiments 2 & 3, however, subjects were unable to learn a new visual cue. Overall, the results suggest that the learning processes underlying cue acquisition are not equipotent but rather are biased—novel contingencies involving cross-modal signal pairings are easier to learn than novel contingencies involving only visual signals.


text:
Harris Aims High: Saline Pole Vault Record Holder Shooting for State Championship
by Andrew Birkle
Saline junior Eric Harris goes up and over the bar at the MHSAA DIvision 1 regional track and field meet.
After breaking the Saline High School record, Saline junior pole vaulter Eric Harris has loftier goals in mind.
He wants to be state champion.
Harris is moving on to the state finals after setting the school record of 15-03.5 while winning the regional championship. The MHSAA Division 1 track and field meet is held Saturday at East Kentwood High School.
"At the beginning of my track season, my goal for this year was 15 feet and pretty quickly I started realizing I was going to jump higher than that this year," Harris said. "Luckily I got 15-03.5 at the regional meet and now my goals have kind of changed."
Entering this year, the record was 15 feet, set by Steve Bastien in 2012.
Harris said he is incredibly proud to be the school record holder and he now wants to build on his success.
"It means a lot to me because it has been one of my goals from the day I started pole vaulting and I'm honored to be able to say I'm the school record holder now," Harris said
Eric Harris clears 15 3 1/2 to set a new school record pic.twitter.com/uwmdWK6XLP
— Tran Longmoore (@TranLongmoore) May 19, 2017
Harris said his record breaking jump was a cultivation of lots of hard work and attention to detail.
"Pretty much every practice we go back to long runs and a lot of technique, watching videos, and just making sure I am as healthy as I can be so I can go hard everyday," Harris said.
The mental aspects of pole vaulting are incredibly important and learning the skills to have your mind right during a jump is crucial, Harris said.
"One of my biggest things this year was just trying to control my adrenaline and just keep myself calm before my jumps," Harris said. "At the same time you've got to have enough adrenaline to be as amped up and as ready as you can to take the jump. Last year, that was one of my biggest struggles, just trying to keep my adrenaline at a good spot. This year, now that I've been able to learn it I've been able to just take advantage of the raw talent I kind of started with and just make something of it."
Harris said that he has learned having close relationships with your teammates and coaches is an incredibly important part of improving.
"One of the big things is just getting closer with teammates and coaches and just bonding with everyone on the whole team," Harris said.
Saline pole vaulting coach Matt Leaders said future track athletes should take note of how Harris is always open to changes and new ideas.
"When I came here Eric was already a pretty decent vaulter," Leaders said. "He had really good mechanics, he did things really well, but what really took him over was just being open to changing a couple of things and really putting the work in, and that is what made a big difference for him."
Harris said none of this would have been possible without all the help he has received from his coaches.
"My original coach, Adam, he got me to 14 feet and helped me with a lot of the basic things like just getting a good run, a good plant and just things like that," Harris said. "Then luckily I was able to get Matt Leaders as my coach this year and he has done a lot to improve my form and make me able to jump even higher."
Harris has high expectations for the state finals and has set his bar even higher than his record breaking jump at regionals.
"My goal right now is to come in first place," Harris said. "I am hoping to jump about 16 feet. That would be the biggest goal."
Saline Boys Track & Field
Steve Bastien
Record Setters
Andrew Birkle
Andrew is a journalism student at Michigan State who graduated in 2014 from Saline. Andrew has a focus in sports and community news and looks forward to covering his home town.


text:
Q: No service for type 'Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.UserManager when starting application I have an ApplicationDbContext that is located in a ClassLibrary called App.ClassLibrary. This is where I perform my db migrations and model creations.
I also have another application called App.UI that has a dependency to App.ClassLibrary. However, it seems that when I start my application, my LoginPartial is giving me this error

InvalidOperationException: No service for type
  'Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.UserManager`1[Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.IdentityUser]'
  has been registered.

This is my Startup in my App.UI
public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
{
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    services.AddMvc();
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}

// This method gets called by the runtime. Use this method to configure the HTTP request pipeline.
public void Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IHostingEnvironment env)
{
    if (env.IsDevelopment())
    {
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        app.UseDatabaseErrorPage();
    }
    else
    {
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            name: "default",
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    });

    using (var serviceScope = app.ApplicationServices.GetRequiredService<IServiceScopeFactory>().CreateScope())
    {
        serviceScope.ServiceProvider.GetService<ApplicationDbContext>().Database.Migrate();

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}

This is my Users and Roles Class
public class Users : IdentityUser
{
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    [DataType(DataType.Date)]
    [DisplayFormat(DataFormatString = "{0:yyyy-MM-dd}", ApplyFormatInEditMode = true)]
    public DateTime DateOfBirth { get; set; }
    private DateTime createdOn = DateTime.Now;
    public DateTime CreatedOn
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        get
        {
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        }
        set
        {
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    }
    private DateTime updatedOn = DateTime.Now;
    public DateTime UpdatedOn
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        {
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        {
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}

public class Roles : IdentityRole
{
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}

And finally, this is the LoginPartial page that is giving me the error:
@using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity

@inject SignInManager<IdentityUser> SignInManager
@inject UserManager<IdentityUser> UserManager

@if (SignInManager.IsSignedIn(User))
{
    <form asp-area="Identity" asp-page="/Account/Logout" asp-route-returnUrl="@Url.Action("Index", "Home", new { area = "" })" method="post" id="logoutForm" class="navbar-right">

                Hello @UserManager.GetUserName(User)!

                <button type="submit" class="btn btn-link navbar-btn navbar-link">Logout</button>

    </form>
}
else
{

Register

Login

}

I have tried switching SignInManager from <IdentityUser> to <Users> but it won't compile.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Job Opening at Bridge International Academies
On 20:24 By NaijaHotJobs
Bridge International Academies was founded to address the education crisis in the developing world. Bridge aims to provide vastly improved education in Africa and South Asia to the hundreds of millions of students who do not receive an adequate education and the 200 million children who are not enrolled in school. Bridge does this by providing technology-enabled, national-syllabus aligned primary and nursery school content that empowers communities to provide their children a high-quality education. Bridge directly operates ~500 schools across Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria, and India and acts as a government school operator for public primary and nursery schools in Liberia. Bridge works with parents, teachers and communities to provide the technology, training and resources to provide under-served communities with the support they need to deliver an education to their children that engages both their hearts and minds, and ensures that they will complete primary school literate, numerate, and prepared for the challenges ahead.
POLICY AND PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR
Report to the Nigerian Country Director to help design policies, build partnerships, and execute strategy to advance Bridge's goals in Nigeria.
Work closely with the global Policy & Partnerships and Public Relations offices, to ensure continuity and alignment of goals and strategy across Bridge regions;
Work in partnership with the Government of Nigeria to ensure Bridge schools become registered on Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training (APBET) thus recognizing the safer and more formal platform on Bridge runs its schools in Nigeria than other unregistered schools;
Identify and execute strategies to design, pass, and implement legislation to create Private Public Partnerships (PPP) in education, also known as public charter schools;
Manage broader strategic stakeholder management with NGO/ donor/ think tank/ academic and other important 'influencers' to unlock new funding and advance Bridge's standing with these important communities;
Utilize lead management techniques and maintain a detailed and dynamic database of these key influencer communities while tracking progress;
Network with new and unfamiliar audiences while preparing for and understanding your audience;
Partner with the in-country team on strategic communications to achieve our goals;
Work with local, regional and national officials and groups with respect to the Bridge International Academies' registration, strategic efforts, and related activities;
Work with key stakeholders on consultative efforts to drive reforms in delivery of education to underserved communities;
Identify opportunities and work with partners in the private sector to drive efficient service delivery with government schools;
Identify CSR partners in the private sector to strengthen Bridge International Academies' market presence and delivery;
Identify the larger contours of PPP and CSR relationships and be responsible for structuring PPP and CSR contracts;
Plan, develop, administer and evaluate programs, activities and daily operations related to the governmental affairs support function;
Coordinate complex interactions with legislators, legislative staff, other local and state officials, federal agency staff and other government officials/staff;
Establish and implement short- and long-range goals, objectives, policies and operating procedures for the government relations support function; monitor and evaluates program effectiveness; effects changes required for improvement; and
Lead proactive and reactive media relations, social media, web-based communications, and others as necessary;
WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE:
Master's degree or vast experience in public policy, public relations, communications or a related field;
Bachelor's degree in public policy, public relations, communications or a related field;
Over 10 years' experience in government, advocacy, or public sector;
Extensive knowledge of local, state and federal government organization and legislative processes in Nigerian primary education;
Regular contacts within the ministry of education or equivalent local and state regulatory bodies or easy access to make them;
Knowledge of local, state and federal government issues related to the provision of primary education in Nigeria;
Experience acting as an on-the-record spokesperson;
Prior experience within a fast-paced, metric driven consulting or educational organization;
Demonstrated ability to work with Nigerian media, including local, national and regional media across print, broadcast and online;
Relationships with editors and reporters in Nigerian media;
Excellent writing skills including the ability to draft press releases, statements, talking-points, and opinion pieces in partnership with Bridge Public Affairs;
Traditional and social media monitoring and participation skills; and
Experience working for a political, non-profit, or other social campaigns that concern an idea or a movement rather than a product.
YOU ARE ALSO:
Proactive – You don't always need supervision and you are a self-starter. Your personal drive to succeed and deliver keeps you working when you may not have a supervisor with you.
A detailed doer - You have a track record of getting things done. You're organized and responsive. You take ownership of every idea you touch and execute it to a fine level of detail, setting targets, engaging others, and doing whatever it takes to get the job done. You can multi-task dozens of such projects at once and never lose sight of the details. Likely, you have some experience in a start-up or other rapid-growth company.
A networking mastermind- You excel at meeting new people and turning them into advocates. You communicate in a clear, conscientious, and effective way in both written and oral speech. You can influence strangers in the course of a single conversation. Allies and colleagues will go to bat for your ideas.
A creative problem-solver- Growing any business from scratch comes with massive and constant challenges. On top of that, Bridge works in volatile, low-resource communities and runs on fees averaging around $7 a month per pupil. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand.
A customer advocate- Our customers – these families living on less than $2 a day per person – never leave your mind. You know them, get them, have shared a meal with them (or would be happy to in the future). You would never shrink back from shaking a parent's hand or picking up a crying child, no matter what the person was wearing or looked like. Every decision you make considers their customer benefit, experience, and value.
A malleable learner -You believe you can always do better. You welcome constructive criticism and provide it freely to others. You know you only get better tomorrow when others point out where you've missed things or failed today.
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I am a newborn and family portrait photographer in Collierville, TN, and the greater Memphis area. I offer natural light, on location photography services as well as newborn photography sessions in my studio. I have mentored with some of the top photographers in the world and passionately pursue my goal of perfecting the art of photography with every session.
My children, Kate, Logan, and Josie, have been my inspiration and are the reasons I became a photographer.
I owe any/all of my success to my loving husband, Jeff, who has always encouraged me in this endeavor even when it wasn't convenient for him, and to the Almighty, my Creator.


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NV - Convicted predator is now a coach
Two organizations are asking a Nevada baseball program to oust a little league coach who was convicted in Nevada of child sex crimes
Leaders of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) and SESAME (Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct, and Exploitation) are writing to officials with the Carson City Capitals about Desi Navarro who now coaches boys between nine and 13.
Navarro was convicted in 2002 for sexually abusing a student while he was the girls' basketball coach at Dayton High School. Following his conviction, Navarro was given a suspended prison sentence and placed on five years of probation. Due to his felon status we believe Navarro should no longer work around children.
"This is an absolute outrage," said Terri Miller, President of SESAME (Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct, and Exploitation.) "How can a convicted sex offender – found guilty of felony child sex abuse – get a job around kids? Nevada and Carson City officials should look into this immediately.
"Shouldn't he have been made to register as a sex offender?" asked David Clohessy, Director of SNAP "Perhaps if he had, this situation wouldn't have happened. We don't know if Navarro has victimized any more kids, but the fact is, right now he is in the prime position to do so."
SNAP and SESAME are calling for the immediate ouster of Navarro, and an inquiry into how the ex-convict was able to secure a job as a coach. Weeks/months ago, some parents reportedly told officials of the Carson City softball league (of which Navarro is a board member) about Navarro's criminal history, but their pleas have been ignored.
"We want to know if anyone at the Carson City Capitals was aware of Navarro's past crimes, and we want them to immediately fire him from his position," said Miller. "We've heard from parents who say that they tried to tell officials about Navarro's history, and those same parents have told us that league officials are doing nothing."
SNAP's letter to the Board President of the Carson City Softball League is below:
Rick Cooley
President, Carson City Softball Association
Dear President Cooley;
We are writing you today on behalf of two separate organizations; SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, and SESAME, the Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct, and Exploitation organization. Together, we seek to protect children from abuse and to help heal those who have suffered abuse in the past.
We are sending this letter because we are deeply concerned about a coach on your staff, Desi Navarro. As you are well aware, Mr. Navarro was convicted in 2002 of having sex with a teenage student while he was a coach and teacher at Dayton High School. Following that conviction, Mr. Navarro received a five-year deferred prison sentence, and was disallowed from ever working around children again. Yet somehow he is now a coach and board member of your organization, which not only flouts his sentencing but also the trust of every child and parent in your organization.
We are asking you to immediately remove Mr. Navarro from his position.
We are demanding to know how he got this position in the first place.
And we are urging you to reach out to all the children that Mr. Navarro has had contact with and ensure he hasn't victimized anyone else.
We are disturbed that Mr. Navarro was able to become a coach within your organization, but we are even more concerned that he has a seat on your board of directors. Is there no background check process? Were you simply naïve of his crimes, or were you aware and didn't care? Mr. Navarro's position is not only in direct conflict with his sentence, but also with common sense. Was Mr. Navarro given his job because his wife Tammy is also a board member? If so, then his position was even more ill-gotten than previously imagined.
We understand that it is difficult to comprehend that people you think you know can commit heinous misdeeds. The fact of the matter is that concealing the monster within is an all too common tactic employed by child predators. They seek to gain the trust of everyone within a community in order to gain access to their targeted victim. Mr. Navarro selected an adolescent teenage child and he apparently still prefers this age, otherwise he would not be so vehement in his desire to serve on your board. Navarro's felony conviction for crimes against a minor makes him a danger to children. Our aim is to make sure you are aware of the responsibility you owe to the young female athletes you serve to ensure their safety. Not one child should feel precluded from participating in such a healthy and enriching activity as softball because you have chosen to select a board member with such an egregious criminal history.
We have heard from several different parents that they have already brought this egregious situation up to you, and that they have been ignored. We've been told that you personally emailed the parents' concerns to Mr. Navarro, who responded with veiled threats of legal action against the parents. To date, no action has been taken against him.
Mr. Navarro must be removed immediately, and your organization must publicly acknowledge his removal and ensure that there are no new victims of this predator. We hope you will take these simple steps today and do your part to make sure kids in Carson City are safe.
David Clohessy
SNAP Director
(314-566-9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com)
Terri Miller
SESAME President
(Babe4justice@aol.com)
Disclaimer: This letter represents solely the opinion of those who drafted it.
David Clohessy published this page in Media Statements 2012-08-07 10:33:00 -0500


What are the causes and risk factors of lice infestations and dandruff?
What are the signs and symptoms of a lice infestation and dandruff?
How do health care professionals diagnose a lice infestation and dandruff?
What are the treatments for a lice infestation and dandruff?
What is the prognosis for a lice infestation and for dandruff?
Is it possible to prevent a lice infestation and dandruff?
Lice infestations and dandruff, including infant/toddler seborrheic dermatitis (cradle cap), are extremely common.
Scalp/hair infestations by lice are due to a parasite. Dandruff is due to excessively inflamed, dry, or greasy scalp changes.
Common signs and symptoms for both lice and dandruff are itching and white structures on the scalp/hair shaft from either lice, nits, or dandruff (dried skin flakes).
Diagnosis is straightforward and effective therapy exists.
Lice are small parasites that can affect three areas of the human body. Head lice (the subject of this article), body lice, and pubic lice (also known as crabs) are causes by three different but related parasites. Lice infestation occurs only in humans. Head lice infestation is by far and away the most common version of the three parasitic infections and is very contagious. Direct contact or sharing of items (fomites) that would touch the infected individual's hair/scalp is the primary mode of transmission from one person to another. Examples would include sharing caps, combs/hairbrushes, headphones, etc.
Dandruff, also called seborrheic dermatitis, is not an infection and not contagious. Rather it is a scalp abnormality that causes dry, scaly flakes to be shed in excess. Another manifestation of seborrheic dermatitis that may affect infants more frequently is commonly called cradle cap. This scalp change appears as scaly scalp areas that have a greasy character rather than the dryness of classical dandruff (which is not usually seen in infants or toddlers).
Lice infestation is a person-to-person transmission of a parasite via contaminated agents (fomites) that facilitate transfer of the agent. Such agents would include caps, combs/hairbrushes, pillows, and headphones. Lice infestation is highly contagious and is very common in the toddler and early childhood grades. Between 6-12 million children from 3-11 years of age will develop a lice infestation annually. Crowded conditions, day care centers, and female gender (more likely to share hair brushes/combs) are risk factors. For reasons not fully understood, African-American hair is less likely to support a lice infection.
The presence of dandruff is extremely common. Many teen and adults have experienced such scalp changes. Some experience repeated exacerbations of the condition and may someday to be demonstrated to have a genetic predisposition to dandruff. Seborrheic dermatitis (cradle cap) is similarly a very common scalp situation found in the infant and toddler. Similar to dandruff, the situation may be of minimal consequence to some and a repeated experience to others. Neither condition reflects poor hygiene.
Treatment of seborrhea (dandruff) is directed at fighting the skin inflammation. This is done either directly, by using cortisone-based creams and lotions (which reduce inflammation), or by using topical anti-yeast lotions and shampoos. Treatment should be directed at the cause of the dandruff.
While both lice infestation and dandruff share common signs and symptoms, both may also occasionally appear without symptoms. Common elements include moderate scalp itching and small (2 mm in length) ivory white/opalescent material on the hairs shaft. Scalp lice infestation tends to occur predominately at the nape of the neck and may demonstrate immature lice (called "nits") attached to hair shafts approximately 1-2 cm from the scalp. Mature forms of lice (3-5 mm in length, resembling a mobile sesame seed) may be observed moving over the scalp surface. Dandruff affects the entire scalp and is unique (vs. lice) in that small white flakes are easily demonstrated on the shoulders after rubbing the scalp. The scalp of an infant with cradle cap will characteristically demonstrate the area to have a yellow greasy character that may be loosened and removed by scraping with a fingernail.
A history and physical examination allow accurate identification of the diagnosis. The characteristic changes in the scalp and examination for nits/mature lice help solidify the diagnosis. A Wood's lamp ("black light") may be used to facilitate demonstration of nits on the hair shaft. It is rare that a specialist (such as a dermatologist) would need to be consulted.
Treatment for lice consists of application of over-the-counter shampoos that contain either permethrin 1% (Nix, Rid, A200) or pyrethrin (Pronto). The former agent is generally used in that it kills both nits and adult lice whereas the latter is only lethal against lice (but not nits). In addition, permethrin products continue to be effective for several days after the shampoo is washed out. A repeat shampoo is recommended for both agents seven to 10 days after the first application. A prescription shampoo (ivermectin [Sklice]) is available if the above over-the-counter measures are not effective. Nit removal from hair shafts using a fine-toothed comb is worthwhile. Combs used to remove fleas from dogs and cats work well. All potential contact items (combs, caps, etc.) should be washed in water between 120-140 degrees. All other fomites (sofa cushions, pillows, towels, etc.) should be thoroughly vacuumed. The CDC recommends that all family members be screened for lice infestation and treated if demonstrated to be infected. Those not infected do not need to be treated.
Effective treatment of dandruff involves using an anti-dandruff shampoo (Head & Shoulders, T-Gel, etc.) that are effective but may require daily use to establish control of the situation. Infants and toddlers with seborrheic dermatitis (cradle cap) usually respond well to washing the scalp with routine baby shampoos. If the scalp is excessively involved, using the adult anti-dandruff shampoos detailed above may be safely used.
Both conditions carry an excellent prognosis. Repeated therapy may be required if the primary problem is not addressed (for example, not sharing hairbrushes). The symptoms (moderate itching of the scalp) are typically bothersome but not severe.
Following scalp/hair hygiene by not sharing items that may be contaminated by lice is effective prevention. Dandruff and/or cradle cap are not preventable at this time. However, they are only cosmetic by nature and not contagious and effectively treated by simple measures.
Devore, C.D., and G.E. Schutze; AAP, Council on School Health, Committee on Infectious Dises. "Head Lice." Pediatrics 135.5 May 2015: e1355-e1365.
United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Parasites -- Lice -- Head Lice." Sept. 24, 2013. <https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/>.
Weston, William L., and William Howe. "Overview of Dermatitis." UpToDate.com. April 2017. <http://www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-dermatitis>.
Please share your experience with head lice and/or dandruff.
What treatment(s) was effective for your head lice or dandruff?
What symptoms and signs did you experience with head lice and/or dandruff?
Dandruff (Seborrhea) is a common scalp condition resulting in white flaky skin shedding from the scalp. Learn more about the causes of dandruff as well as treatments like dandruff shampoos and more.
Head lice infection is called pediculosis. Lice are parasites that feed on blood and can be found on the scalp and hair of infected people. Signs and symptoms of head lice infestation include a tickling sensation, itching, and sores on the head. Head lice may be eliminated with various over-the-counter shampoos and washing all clothing and bed linens in the hot water cycle. Combs and brushes should be disinfected, and the floor and furniture should be vacuumed.
Pediculus humanus capitis, parasitic insects found on the heads of people. See a picture of Head Lice and learn more about the health topic.
Learn how to get rid of head lice. Head lice attach themselves to the scalp and feed off of human blood. Discover head lice symptoms, including the presence of lice eggs, and learn what head lice look like and effective head lice treatment.
Seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff) is a chronic condition in which skin on the scalp flakes and sheds. Dandruff is not contagious. Sunlight exposure and stress reduction can improve the symptoms and signs of dandruff.
Permethrin topical cream (Elimite, Nix Cream) is a medication prescribed to treat scabies. Drug interactions, side effects, warnings and precautions, dosage, and pregnancy safety information should be reviewed prior to using this medication.


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Q: converting resnet-50 network based on tensorflow with TensorRT3.0 see this problem

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/root/anaconda3/lib/python3.4/site-packages/tensorflow/python/framework/importer.py", line 489, in import_graph_def
  graph._c_graph, serialized, options) # pylint: disable=protected-access
  tensorflow.python.framework.errors_impl.InvalidArgumentError: Shape must be rank 2 but is rank 4 for 'import/dense_p7/MatMul' (op: 'MatMul') with input shapes: [1,256,1,1], [256,1]

we can successfully complete the tensorrt subgraph convension, but we meet the problem during the inference phases. My model is resnet-50 based tensorflow. who can help me solve this problem, thanks!


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Shark Fins Remain on the Menu, Despite State Bans
Photo by Andy Murch
Washington, DC—As Shark Week kicks off July 28, restaurants across the nation are contributing to the rapid decline in shark species by serving up soup made from shark fins, despite bans in 12 states and counting.
According to an online database maintained by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), nearly 200 restaurants across the country continue to offer shark fin products, including shark fin soup, a traditionally expensive East Asian dish associated with banquets and celebrations. Dozens of these restaurants are violating their state's prohibition on shark fins and shark fin products. California, for instance, leads the nation in the number of restaurants offering shark fin products—59 were found by AWI in its latest audit—despite a 2013 state law that prohibits the possession, sale, trade or distribution of shark fins. In New York, which passed a similar ban in 2014, 19 restaurants continue to sell the dish.
AWI regularly contacts law enforcement officials in states with shark fin bans to investigate restaurants that violate the law.
Bills banning the sales of shark fins are pending in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.
"The United States is a major producer, exporter and trade stop for shark fins," said Cathy Liss, president of AWI. "Clearly, the existing patchwork of state laws and uneven enforcement have failed to shut down a lucrative billion-dollar industry. When shark fin soup is on the menu, so is animal cruelty."
Shark finning is the inhumane practice of cutting off a shark's fins—often while the shark is still alive—and throwing the mutilated body in the ocean, where the helplessly immobile shark will suffocate, bleed to death, or succumb to an attack by a predator. It is an unnecessarily cruel and senseless practice that is decimating shark populations and unleashing cascading effects throughout marine ecosystems.
An estimated 73 million sharks are killed annually for their fins alone. While the United States prohibits shark finning in federal waters, there is no nationwide ban on the sale of shark fins, fueling the global shark fin trade. Sharks are apex predators and crucial to a functioning marine ecosystem, yet a quarter of all shark and ray species are listed as threatened or endangered. Earlier this month, the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified all but one of the 16 warm-water flat shark species as critically endangered—with declines of more than 80 percent over the past 30 to 45 years—primarily due to overfishing and shark finning.
Last month, Canada, the largest importer of shark fins outside of Asia, banned shark fin imports and exports. AWI endorses the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019 (H.R. 737/ S. 877), which would make it illegal "to possess, buy, or sell shark fins or any product containing shark fins." Further, this federal legislation would enhance existing state bans by preventing shark fins from entering those markets via interstate commerce.
Margie Fishman, (202) 446-2128, margie@awionline.org


We are opening a farang restaurant (mainly burgers, salads, etc.) in a very Central Bangkok place but we expect to offer the best quality in the area. We need 1 chef, 1 second, 2 assistants with experience. the chef needs to understand English (or French).
Please do not call but send email.


Earlier this month, author Linden Forster released his debut novel, Divine Invention.
Here Linden tells us what inspired him to write the first novel in his The Hero's Arc series.
Why bother writing a book? There are so many books out there for people to read. More books being written now than ever before. Stories being written that you couldn't write half as well. But, none of the legions of writers out there could write your stories as well as you either (or so I like to believe). So I think most writers write, because they have something that only they can say or a story only they can tell.
I started writing because I wanted to make people laugh. That was the beginning. When I started, the story was almost an afterthought. I just needed a world with some events and some characters to play with. I wanted to pull and bend concepts and reality in a way that meant it needed to be set in another world. So I knew I wanted to write fantasy. I just needed a place to start, and sitting at the back of a classroom I was thinking about how things get their names (specifically how the first boat got its name) and I noticed if you took half of float and the b from buoyancy you could make boat. So in my world, when the world's first boat gets invented it took the other letters to make its name (but I dropped the 'u' because I preferred how floyancy looked on the page).
I don't think it is a huge surprise that I chose an island community to be the origin of the world's first boat. Writers love islands. It is a simple solution for creating an isolated set of characters and rules that the writer can get to grips with, and then when the characters need to leave, all you have to d o is give them a floyancy. I didn't consider that when I first started writing though, I just thought it logical that the peoples who invented the boat should be from an island. I also didn't realise that the island I was writing about was a me taphor for our planet. The invention of the boat is a necessity for them as with overpopulation they have all but exhausted their natural resources.
Although the first boat has only recently been invented, the rest of the world's technologies are in a more advanced state. Forges exist, castles too and reading and writing are common. That's because no one had ever needed a boat before. I found myself writing about a world where it is more commonplace for the pressures on human advancement to be related to what is needed rather than what is wanted. I think in the real world, we are guilty of losing sight of that.
On the surface, Divine Invention is a light-hearted story, but beneath it all, I do feel that I'm writing about real issues, real people and real humanity, and that's why I write.
Divine Invention is available to buy on Amazon now.


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Tornado Outbreak of 1995
A small but very strong tornado outbreak occurred on this date 15 years ago this evening. Numerous thunderstorms were moving through the western and central portions of the state early in the evening hours. The first tornado warnings were issued just before 7pm near Sioux City. Between 7-11pm, 26 more tornado warnings were issued (25 from the NWS in Des …
Charles City-Oelwein Tornadoes of 1968
NOTE: The woman on the front page of the Oelwein Daily Register (above) died shortly after the picture was taken. She was one of the 2 fatalities in Oelwein, the other 2 mentioned in the newspaper were from nearby Maynard. On the afternoon of May 15, 1968, an F5 tornado moved through Butler, Chickasaw, Floyd, Franklin, and Howard Counties in …
Largest Tornado Outbreak in Iowa
The morning of Wednesday April 11, 2001 was a stormy one across the state. Numerous showers and thunderstorms were roaming the countryside as a storm system was strengthening over the central plains. A warm front was sprawled along the Interstate 80 corridor. It had already been an active weather week. Numerous severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings had been issued two …
The Flood of 2008
No words can describe what occurred across the state of Iowa a year ago. Rivers were cresting or within a week of cresting (some at record levels) across the state. At Cedar Rapids, the Cedar River crested 11 feet above the previous record (31.2 feet) on June 13th. The river flowed into neighborhoods that thought the river would never get …
Camanche Tornado of 1860
In Historical by Jeff Wilcox June 4, 2009
The civil war was about to begin only months later. It was quiet hot summertime Sunday afternoon on the banks of the Mississippi River in the little town of Camanache, a town that had just be founded only a few years prior. People were milling around with their activities until they noticed darkening skies to their west. Most townspeople thought …
Barneveld, WI F5 Tornado
A complex of thunderstorms had moved across the northern part of the state early on the morning of June 7th 1984. By afternoon, the atmosphere had bounced back, temperatures had risen into the 70s and 80s. Dewpoints were approaching or exceeding 70. The first round of thunderstorms developed in northwest Iowa producing numerous tornadoes throughout the afternoon into the early …
One Year Later: Parkersburg EF-5 Tornado
One year ago on Sunday May 25th, the EF5 tornado struck the towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford in Butler County. This was the first F5/EF5 tornado since the Jordan tornado back on June 13th 1976. This tornado began around 4:45 pm south of Aplington and began moving slowly ENE toward Parkersburg. It hit the south end of town a …
May Tornadoes
Several Historic tornadoes occurred in the state of Iowa in the month of May. The EF5 in Parkersburg and New Hartford on the 25th in 2008. The F5's in Charles City and Oelwein on the 15th in 1968. The F3 Washington Tornado on the 15th 1998. The F3 tornado that skirted Palo (which was devestated in the Flood of 2008) …
Tornado Outbreak of March 13th, 1990
In Historical by Jeff Wilcox March 12, 2009
An Unseasonably warm spell brought an early season tornado outbreak to the midwest. Temperatures rose into the 60s and 70s. Low pressure moved along a stalled front over northwestern Iowa. As the low moved northeast, numerous severe thunderstorms developed. 2 F5 tornadoes dropped down in Kansas, with Hesston being the most devestated. In Iowa, the tornadoes began after 4pm, the …
State Basketball and Snowstorms
Whenever the Boys and especially the girls are playing at the State Basketball tournament in Des Moines, there always been a very good chance of a major snow storm based on history over the last few years. A major snow storm on March 14th 1959 stranded spectators at Veterans Memorial Auditorium after Gladbrook had beaten West Central of Maynard in …


It has been quite a while since my last "On Wednesdays we wear Pink" segment - but I'm back! Today I've been trawling through oceans of clothes from Topshop and River Island to finally find out who has the TOP pink picks!
We'll start with Topshop! It was definitely harder to find a lot of pink on Topshop than River Island - but I love what I found! The dress (featured above left), has such an elegant shape! Remember, you don't have to wear fitted clothes to still look ladylike! I love the length of the sleeves and the shoulder seams!
Topshop also had a great selection of Nail Polish too. I'm definitely not the best at doing my nails, but I still love this nail varnish, especially the retro look of the bottles!
The shoes are gorgeous! They might be a tad high, but sometimes it hurts to look good! I love the strap and buckle around the ankle. These aren't actually peep toes, the photo just got cropped off!
The sunglasses are really retro, I love them!! Definitely very classy - a great compliment to the satchel above!
Overall I LOVE these looks, but I'm not so convinced that Topshop is the place to go for all your perfect pinks!
There was looooaaads to choose from at River Island! I really love the casual look I've put together above.
Plimsolls are the rage right now (so you better be wearing pink ones on Wednesday)! These van look-a-likes are a great way to catch the trend!
I really love the floral accessories I've featured here! Florals are all in this season, so these pieces are perfect for the occasion! Better still, they're very versatile so you can switch them between outfits!
As you can see, I'm loving my woolen knits! These ones are perfect for the (not so) beautiful Irish weather, and hey, if it stays like this they'll probably take you straight through Summer too!
River Island have loooaaads of lipgloss and lipsticks, you can even find the perfect shades to match your outfit!
Overall, River Island have a larger stock of pink clothes, while Topshop still manages to maintain a high standard to keep up! I can't pick a favourite, what's yours?


Osaka Municipal Subway's Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line runs between Taisho Station in Osaka City's south-west and Kadoma-minami Station in Kadoma City, which is just north-east of Osaka City. The line is named after Nagahori-dori, a major boulevard in central Osaka, and the Tsurumi-ryokuchi park in north-eastern Osaka. The line was originally opened to provide access to the Tsurumi-ryokuchi Park during the International Garden and Greenery Exposition of 1990.
Osaka Municipal Subway is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. However, there are other discount passes that can be used on the subway and these are listed at the end of this article.
The key destinations are listed below with fares and train times given from Taisho Station.
Taisho Station is the western terminus of the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line and is located in the Taisho Ward of Osaka City. Transfer here to the Osaka Loop Line.
Dome-mae Chiyozaki Station is convenient for the baseball stadium, Osaka Dome. There is another station nearby called Dome-mae Station, at which transfers can be made to the Hanshin Namba Line.
Transfer here to the Sennichimae Subway Line.
Shinsaibashi is a popular shopping area in Osaka. It is famous for the Shinsaibashi-Suji, a covered shopping arcade which has many tailors, brand shops and boutiques selling clothing and jewelry of all kinds. Nearby is Amerika-Mura (also called Ame-mura) a local center of youth culture with stores selling second-hand clothes, records and imported goods. Use the official Shinsaibashi and America-mura websites to find out more about this area.
Transfer here to the Midosuji Subway Line and Yotsubashi Subway Line.
Exit here for the Crysta Nagahori underground shopping mall. Transfer here to the Sakaisuji Subway Line.
This station is convenient for Matsuyamachisuji Shotengai, a shopping arcade with many wholesalers selling dolls, toys, candies, and fireworks.
Tanimachi Rokuchome Station is convenient for Karahori Shotengai, a historical shopping street that has recently seen a resurgence in popularity for its fashionable boutiques and cafes. Transfer here to the Tanimachi Subway Line.
This station is convenient for Tamatsukuri Inari Shrine. Transfer here to the Osaka Loop Line.
This station is at the southern end of Osaka Castle Park and is within walking distance of the Osaka International Peace Center. Transfer here to the Osaka Loop Line and the Chuo Subway Line.
This station is at the northern end of Osaka Castle Park and is convenient for the Osaka-jo Hall (a multi-purpose arena), and the Izumi Hall (a classical music concert hall).
Kyobashi is a large commercial and entertainment district, packed with bars and restaurants. Kyobashi is also an important transportation hub as there are two more stations here which are run by JR West, and Keihan Railways, as well as the Osaka Municipal Subway station.
At JR Kyobashi Station transfer to the Osaka Loop Line, the JR Katamachi Line which connects with Kizu Station in Kyoto Prefecture and the JR Tozai Line which connects with Amagasaki in Hyogo Prefecture.
At Keihan Kyobashi Station transfer to the Keihan Main Line which runs between Osaka and Kyoto. Osaka bound trains diverge here for final destinations Yodoyabashi Station or Nakanoshima Station.
At Gamo Yonchome Station transfer to the Imazatosuji Subway Line.
Exit here for the botanical gardens at Tsurumi-ryokuchi Park.
This station in the city of Kadoma, is the northern terminus of the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line.


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WORLD Parents angry as Delhi schools reopen despite smog
Parents angry as Delhi schools reopen despite smog
AFP | AFP
05:40, November 14, 2017
Indian schoolgirls walk to school in Amritsar after three days off due to severe smog Photo: AFP
Angry parents accused Delhi authorities on Monday of "playing with children's health" as schools reopened despite a fresh surge in pollution to emergency levels.
Doctors declared a public health emergency last week when choking smog descended on the capital and elsewhere in northern India, prompting authorities to close schools, ban construction and bar trucks from entering the city.
On Monday authorities reopened schools amid concerns over upcoming exams, angering some parents.
"There has been no let-up in the pollution levels. So if the situation is the same, action should be the same. Why open the schools now?" said Ashok Agrawal, president of the All India Parents Association.
"On one hand the government is saying there is a health emergency and on the other they are playing with children's health.
"It is so disturbing to see children coughing and struggling to breathe all the way to the school."
On Monday levels of PM2.5 topped 500. The smallest and most dangerous particulates penetrate deep into the lungs, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The World Health Organization says 25 is the most anyone can safely be exposed to over a 24-hour period, and levels over 300 are considered hazardous.
Doctors say children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution and this can cause long-term damage to their lungs.
One 2015 study found that four in 10 Delhi children were suffering from severe lung problems.
"It is a fact that children are particularly vulnerable and more affected by pollution than adults," said Ajay Lekhi, doctor and president of the Delhi Medical Association.
"They breathe more air per pound of body weight, so their exposure to air pollution is much greater," he told AFP.
A report in the Lancet medical journal said pollution had claimed as many as 2.5 million lives in India in 2015, the highest in the world.
Large swathes of north India and Pakistan see a surge in pollution at the onset of winter, when farmers burn crop stubble following the harvest.
The cooler air also traps particulates close to the ground and prevents them from dispersing -- a phenomenon known as inversion.
In Delhi, local industry, coal-fired power plants and a growing number of cars on the roads have worsened the crisis.
The state government last week announced restrictions on private car use from Monday, but the plan collapsed after India's top environmental court objected to exemptions for women, VIPs and motorcycles.
It was expected to appeal the court's ruling on Monday.
Delhi is now the world's most polluted capital according to a WHO survey conducted in 2014, with levels regularly exceeding those in Beijing.
Pollution monitoring authorities have said the situation could improve later Monday as winds strengthen.
Heavy smog shrouds New Delhi again, causing health concerns
Visibility decreases to less than 200 meters in the dense fog in downtown area of New Delhi, capital of India on November 7. (Photo: Yuan Jirong)The Environment Pollution-Prevention and Control Authority (CPCA) said New Delhi is facing a "crisis situation" in India. The Central Pollution Control Board recorded "severe" air quality, which is likely to persist for the next few
Anger rises as toxic air chokes India's capital
Indian commuters wait for transport amid thick blanket of smog on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. Photo: APAs thick smog crept over India's capital this past week and smudged landmarks from view, Nikunj Pandey could feel his eyes and throat burning.Pandey stopped doing his regular workouts and said he felt tightness in his lungs. He
Online vanity fair reveals abnormal parent-school affair
Illustrations: Peter C.Espina/GT"Hi, I'm Xiaoguobao's mom. Now I'm working at world's No.1 investment bank - Morgan Stanley - after finishing my postgraduate studies at Harvard University. My husband is a fund manager in a well-known assets management company responsible for managing assets worth 3.5 billion yuan ($528 million).""I'm not running in the election, but I'm here to warn you, who


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Oscar-Winning Actor Got Some Stunning News About A Run For Governor
Photo Moody College of Communication on Flickr
Donald Trump was villainized by Hollywood celebrities for five years.
He also undoubtedly inspired some celebrities to consider a transition into politics.
Now one Oscar-winning actor got some stunning news about a run for governor.
Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey has ruffled some feathers on the left by wading into the political sphere.
He infuriated the left by sitting for interviews with comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan, and author and psychologist Jordan Peterson.
The far-left outlet The Daily Beast wrote an insane hit piece about McConaughey associating with "alt-right darlings," which is nonsensical slander.
In the piece, the author wrote:
"The issue with 'cancel culture,' to the extent that one even exists, is not that anyone is, to borrow McConaughey's neologism, 'illegitimizing' what these guys are saying…The Jordan Petersons and Joe Rogans of the world are not, as they so often complain, being persecuted or, as McConaughey put it in his Russell Howard interview, erased. They're simply peddling the losing ends of arguments that have already occurred countless times—perpetuating a culture war while simultaneously trying to frame themselves as its victims."
Despite the attacks from the Left, McConaughey has maintained his mass appeal, and one poll shows that he could be a legitimate contender for governor of his home state of Texas.
From Breitbart:
"A new poll finds that 45 percent of respondents would support Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey for governor of Texas, while 33 percent support sitting Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The Dallas Morning News-University of Texas at Tyler poll reported that the Lincoln Lawyer star leads Abbott 45 percent to 33 percent, with 22 percent choosing someone other than the actor and the governor."
Governor Greg Abbott has won elections by comfortable margins, but he was excoriated by the so-called mainstream media for defying overbearing COVID restrictions and his handling of a once-in-a-century winter storm that knocked out power across the state.
McConaughey identifies as a political centrist and a Christian, which would make him wildly unpopular with the Left.
During an interview with Joe Rogan, McConaughy called out the pervasive anti-Christian culture in Hollywood:
"I have had moments where I was on stage receiving an award in front of my peers in Hollywood, and there were people in the crowd that I have prayed with before dinners many times, and when I thanked God, I saw some of those people go to clap, but then notice that, 'bad thing on my resume' and then sit back on their hands."
McConaughey has also spoken out in favor of gun rights, which would be another strike against him if he were to run as a Democrat.
It's too soon to tell if McConaughey is seriously considering a future in politics, but his future would likely be limited in the Democrat Party.
His views on God, guns, and the "illiberal left" would almost automatically put him in the Republican camp, but that would be a death blow to his Hollywood career.
Tags entertainment Joe Rogan Jordan Peterson Matthew McConaughey politics
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It's Not Luck — It's HBO
WHY THE PREMIUM CABLER RULES THE EMMYS
R. Thomas Umstead
Nearly a decade ago industry observers questioned whether HBO would ever reach the same lofty status of critical acclaim and buzz-worthiness after shows such as The Sopranos, The Wire and Sex and the City left the air.
The Television Academy answered that question by awarding the pay service a resounding 43 Emmy Awards. HBO took home the triple crown of the Emmys, winning Outstanding Drama Series for popular fantasy drama series Game of Thrones; Outstanding Comedy Series for quirky political satire Veep; and Outstanding Limited Series for poignant miniseries Olive Kitteridge.
The network's 43 Emmys — 14 awarded during the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast on Sept. 20 and 29 during the Sept. 12 Creative Arts Emmys ceremony — easily topped the 30 combined Emmys won by broadcast networks NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC and PBS, and the nine Emmys garnered by OTT services Netflix and Amazon.
With 12 awards, Game of Thrones also set an all-time Emmy record for most statuettes won, besting the nine Emmys won by NBC's political drama The West Wing in 2000. Veep, with its five Emmy wins — including the fourth straight Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series win for star Julia Louis-Dreyfus — won cable's first Outstanding Comedy Series statuette since Sex and the City in 2001.
While HBO enjoyed a record-setting Emmy performance, it has over the years consistently finished at the top of the Emmys heap by adhering to a single operating principle of going after quality producers and writers and giving them incredible artistic freedom to apply their craft.
Finally, HBO executives seem to have a keen ability to greenlight projects that end up appealing to both audiences and critics.
HBO president of programming Michael Lombardo said in a pre-Emmys interview with Multichannel News that 2015 was already shaping up to be a momentous year for the network, with HBO having earned a record 126 Emmy nominations.
"What was so great about it was that it was spread out in all divisions — miniseries, movies, documentaries, comedy series and comedy specials," he said. "We're continuing to lean into all of it, and hopefully next year is as successful creatively as we feel like this year has been."
HBO also led a great night for cable networks, which together won 69% of the Primetime Emmy Awards presented. Seven cable networks drew multiple awards, with Comedy Central and FX Networks leading those with eight wins each.
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Your characters haven't gotten any sleep. Write about it.
Write about being sleepless for fifteen minutes. When your time is up, post your practice in the comments section. And if you post, be sure to comment on a few practices by other writers.
Even after growing out of adolescence and into mortgage-paying adulthood, he hated to go to sleep. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy sleeping. On Sundays, he liked to lie in until mid-morning when his housemate would begin to do the dishes intentionally too loud and the guilt at his irresponsibility would bring him to a groggy wakefulness. No, he enjoyed sleep, but he resisted transition into sleep until as late as possible, procrastinating the inevitable until exhaustion or panic at the prospect of waking up exhausted in just a few hours forced him to bed, where he would often toss and turn for thirty minutes or more.
It was after just such a night that he met Gwen.


Planning a wedding, a honeymoon, and a future all at the same time can take its toll. You are overworked, stressed, sleep deprived, and your beauty regime has fallen apart. Now of all times, when you are determined to look your absolute best! How we look impacts how we feel. When you appear polished and put together you are more likely to act that way. If you feel out of control over the little things in your life, every other problem or worry might seem insurmountable. Well relax! This is suppose to be fun, remember? You're no good to anyone, especially yourself, if you fall apart. So here are a few tips on how to survive your crazy schedule and still be able to look at yourself in the mirror.
This entry was posted in Lifestyle, News, Party Planning and tagged beauty, beauty tips, caffeine, emma approved, exercising, hair, metabolism, nails, showers, wedding, wedding planning on October 25, 2013 by Emma Woodhouse.


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US: glass product manufacturing report
2010-03-01 Sector trends
IBISWorld has published announces a new industry report providing a detailed analysis of Glass Product Manufacturing in the US, including key growth trends, statistics, forecasts, market shares, as we...
IBISWorld has published announces a new industry report providing a detailed analysis of Glass Product Manufacturing in the US, including key growth trends, statistics, forecasts, market shares, as well as key issues facing the industry. The glass industry is made up of four segments: flat glass manufacturing; pressed or blown glass and glassware; glass container manufacturing; as well as glass products such as lighting, mirrors, architectural glass, and electronic glassware. The Key Statistics chapter, which provides three years of key indicators, includes industry revenue, industry gross product, employment, establishments, exports, imports, domestic demand and total wages. The Market Characteristics chapter covers: market size, linkages, demand determinants, domestic and international markets, basis of competition and life cycle, while the Market Size section informs on the size of both domestic and export markets. The Linkages section includes a comprehensive list of the industry``s major supplier and major customer industries, and the Demand Determinants section gives a range of key factors which are likely to cause rise or fall in demand. The Domestic and International Markets section, which defines the market for the products and services of the industry, provides the size of the domestic market, as well as proportion accounted for by imports and exports and trends in the levels of imports and exports. In the Basis of Competition section, the key types of...
IBISWorld has published announces a new industry report providing a detailed analysis of Glass Product Manufacturing in the US, including key growth trends, statistics, forecasts, market shares, as well as key issues facing the industry. The glass industry is made up of four segments: flat glass manufacturing; pressed or blown glass and glassware; glass container manufacturing; as well as glass products such as lighting, mirrors, architectural glass, and electronic glassware. The Key Statistics chapter, which provides three years of key indicators, includes industry revenue, industry gross product, employment, establishments, exports, imports, domestic demand and total wages. The Market Characteristics chapter covers: market size, linkages, demand determinants, domestic and international markets, basis of competition and life cycle, while the Market Size section informs on the size of both domestic and export markets. The Linkages section includes a comprehensive list of the industry``s major supplier and major customer industries, and the Demand Determinants section gives a range of key factors which are likely to cause rise or fall in demand. The Domestic and International Markets section, which defines the market for the products and services of the industry, provides the size of the domestic market, as well as proportion accounted for by imports and exports and trends in the levels of imports and exports. In the Basis of Competition section, the key types of competition between firms within the industry are outlined, also highlighting competition from substitute products in alternative industries, while the Life Cycle section provides an analysis of the stage of development of the industry. The Segmentation chapter includes products and service segmentation, major market segments, industry concentration and geographic spread, while the Products and Service Segmentation section gives information regarding the industry``s key products and/or services, highlighting the most important so as to demonstrate those with a more significant influence over industry results. In the Major Market Segments section, key client industries and/or groups are detailed, also indicating the most important to the industry. The Industry Concentration section shows how the top four players account for industry revenue, and the Geographic Spread section includes a guide to the regional share of industry revenue/gross product. The Industry Conditions chapter deals with: barriers to entry, taxation, industry assistance, regulation and deregulation, cost structure, capital and labour intensity, technology and systems, industry volatility and globalization. The Barriers to Entry section gives a general description of factors that can prevent a new company from entering this industry, along with an indication of the extent to which this occurs. The Taxation section provides details regarding all kinds of specific or particularly important taxation for this industry, including taxation concessions, while the Industry Assistance section deals with government and/or other measures set up to improve industry performance. The Report also includes a Regulation and Deregulation section with details of industry regulations and/or deregulations, as well as a Cost Structure section listing average costs for a company operating in this industry with regards to total revenue. The Capital and Labor Intensity section informs regarding the amount of capital used in production/providing a service compared to the amount of labour in the total mix of inputs. The Technology and Systems section informs on the latest technology and/or systems available in the US, including machinery and equipment and systems involving methods of production that enable better and more efficient production. The Industry Volatility section refers to the year-on-year fluctuations in industry output, while the Globalization section informs on how the industry is based on elements such as foreign ownership, proportion of demand from foreign operators and the volume of production in other countries. The Performance chapter, which gives an analysis of both the industry``s Current Performance and Historical Performance, provides, respectively, the key analysis for the industry over the past five years, along with key performance, and previously important events in the development of the industry. The Key Competitors chapter names the industry``s major players along with an analysis of activities in the industry, and market share information. The Key Factors chapter covers key sensitivities, with key factors that are outside the control of an operator in the industry, but are likely to have significant impact on a business, and key success factors, where the factors within the control of an industry operator and which should be followed in order to be successful in the industry are detailed. The Report also includes an Outlook chapter, which gives a key analysis of the report, with expectations for the key industry indicators over the next five-year period, and forecasts.


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Extremetech did a good article on memory. They show the difference in performance between 2 and 4 megs. The only problem with the test is that it is on Vista. I am not sure if the tests can be extended to other Oses like XP and Linux though. I don't have any plans on going Vista, but I might upgrade to this new Mojave. I think it is what Vista was supposed to be.
I might upgrade to this new Mojave. I think it is what Vista was supposed to be.
Uh, no. It's what Vista **IS**.


Happy to Talk – A new movement to spread happiness through connecting.
ASC Project – A project working in the East of Blackburn aims to help people with long term health conditions feel happier and healthier by identify health and lifestyle goals and the barriers preventing them from reaching their aspirations.
Facing Up Project -A project funded by the Big Lottery designed by men for men. Facing Up gives men in Blackburn with Darwen the time and tools to get back on track.
Lancashire Mind has a vision of mental well-being for all.


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FAT GIRL (À MA SOEUR!)(director/writer/music: Catherine Breillat; cinematographer: Yorgos Arvanitis; editor: Pascale Chavance; music: Laura Betti, Tavernanova; cast: Anaïs Reboux (Anaïs), Roxane Mesquida (Elena), Libero de Rienzo (Fernando), Arsinée Khanjian (Mother), Romain Goupil (Father), Laura Betti (Fernando's Mother); Runtime: 83; Cowboy Pictures; 2001-France)
"Breillat is a skilled director, who has created a troubling film that examines the simple pleasures of the human condition for young people and puts a complex spin on it."
Catherine Breillat ("Romance") presents an in-your-face tale about two sisters from a bourgeois family facing their growing up pangs and their first encounters with sex. The 12-year-old younger sister Anaïs (Anaïs Reboux) is fat, a loner, a big eater, broods a lot about her sad life, and is dominated by her older sister. Elena (Roxane Mesquida) is a slim and attractive 15-year-old who knows she attracts boys and is confident, as she is very boy conscious and very much aware that she's still a virgin but plans to find love before yielding. She is already angling to find a marriage partner. Anaïs claims she would rather her first sexual encounter be with someone she didn't care for. In other words, the sisters are polar opposites. Breillat will make their relationship and adventure in a seaside resort a coming to terms with their femininity issue, as well as a call to arms in the war between the sexes. Her look at sex is more matter of fact and clinical than erotic. The company director father (Goupil) is distant from the family and is a workaholic, while his attractive wife (Khanjian) is weary of the girls and their secrets and remains aloof while at other times scolds them when she disapproves of their behavior. They are trying to enjoy a rare holiday with the whole family together, but happiness is not in the cards for the materialistic family. The story features graphic sex and a metaphorical shock ending which may not please everyone, but it does clearly explain the point Breillat is trying to make about the power of sex. This provocative look at childhood yearnings and their sex drive, offers a fascinating look at how such youngsters think about sex. The film also offers a brilliant performance by Anaïs Reboux, who plays a character that has similar problems to the one had by the feature player, Heather Matarazzo, in Todd Solondz's "Welcome to the Dollhouse."
When the girls sneak out of their gated residence, they hit an outdoor coffee shop and get picked up by a suave older college law student from Italy named Fernando (de Rienzo). He and Elena have a sexual attraction for each other and Fernando is invited by her to climb through the balcony window to enter the room the sisters share. An all-night love scene takes place where the smooth talking law student tries to be the first to get into her by bombarding her with so much false flattery, as they lay naked in her bed while Anaïs follows her sister's orders by pretending to go to sleep. But Anaïs can't resist staying awake and is filled with jealousy and seethes with disappointment why she can't attract boys. Anaïs contemptuously listens to the lovers as they both profess to love each other (with Elena the only one meaning it). Anaïs catches on that he's a phony, but sis will not accept that even though she suspects that is so. Though Elena gets pleasure from constantly needling sis about her weight, the sisters nevertheless have frank discussions and show some concern for each other in their love-hate relationship.
Anaïs's lovemaking is accomplished in a more comical way as she swims and pretends objects in the pool are the two lovers she must choose from, as she kisses the railing and then the pool's ladder pretending each is one of her imaginary lovers.
The slick Fernando borrows his mom's expensive opal ring and presents it to Elena as an engagement ring, which opens up the doors he wants. But trouble comes when his crass mom (Betti) barges into Elena's house and confronts her mother with the story of the ring, which she wants back. She says the ring is used to get girls in bed. Since the father already fled to his office, the mother packs the girls in the car and heads home cutting the vacation short on an unhappy note. Elena is threatened with a physical exam to see if she's still a virgin and Anaïs is made to feel so uncomfortable she vomits by the side of the road. The road home is congested with traffic, as the impatient mother weaves from lane to lane in a rush to get back to their suburban Parisian home. Some kind of accident seems likely, but instead the ending is more sensational and devastating. Yet the director's point is that what happened before, was even more upsetting and troubling psychologically to Anaïs.
Breillat is a skilled director, who has created a troubling film that examines the simple pleasures of the human condition for young people and puts a complex spin on it. It is rare to get this kind of depth and character-driven story in a troubled teen flick, but here you get that plus an even-handed laying out of the blame between the sexes. Though Fernando is merely a user of women and Elena is not that innocent — her sexual curiosity made his conquest possible — while Anaïs, on the other hand, is more complex than the other two. She gains our sympathy but she's not very likable, yet she is the more perceptive sister and the one the film revolves around and is used to see how society helped create such traumatic inner problems by their hypocrisy and false sex values.
REVIEWED ON 6/14/2002 GRADE: B