The glaucoma-specific blindness prevalence in Nigeria (0.7 %, 95 % CI 0.6–0.9 %) among those aged ≥40 years is one of the highest ever reported. This study determined the risk factors for open-angle glaucoma (OAG) in adults examined in the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey.
A nationally representative sample of 13,591 people aged ≥40 years in 305 clusters in Nigeria were examined (response rate 90.4 %) between January 2005 to June 2007. Everyone had logMAR visual acuity measurement, Frequency Doubling Technology (FDT) visual field testing, autorefraction, A-scan biometry and optic disc assessment. Full ocular examination (n = 6397), included Goldmann applanation tonometry. Values for defining glaucoma using International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology criteria were derived from the study population. Disc images were graded by Moorfields Eye Hospital Reading Centre. Socio-demographic factors (age, gender, ethnicity, literacy and place of residence), ocular parameters (intraocular pressure [IOP], axial length and mean ocular perfusion pressure [MOPP]) and systemic parameters (blood pressure, blood glucose and body mass index [BMI]) were assessed for association with OAG.
Thirteen thousand eighty-one (96 %) of 13,591 participants had vertical cup:disc ratio measured in at least one eye. 682 eyes of 462 participants were classified as OAG, with 12,738 controls. In univariate analyses the following were associated with OAG: increasing age, male gender, Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups, illiteracy, longer axial length, higher IOP, lower MOPP, greater severity of hypertension and low BMI (underweight). In multivariate analysis, increasing age (odds ratio [OR] 1.04, 95 % CI 1.03–1.05), higher IOP (OR 1.22, 95 % CI 1.18–1.25) and Igbo ethnicity (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.18–2.56) were independent risk factors for OAG.
Case detection strategies for OAG should be improved for those aged ≥40 years and for ethnic groups most at risk as a public health intervention.
In 2013 it was estimated that there were 64.3 million people aged 40–80 years with glaucoma worldwide, projected to increase to 76.0 million by the year 2020 and 111.8 million in 2040 . Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is the most prevalent type of glaucoma in Africa [1–6] and a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment [2, 7]. The glaucoma-specific blindness prevalence in Nigeria (0.7 %, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.6–0.9 %) among those aged 40 years and above is one of the highest ever reported , and glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness after cataract . The all glaucoma prevalence in Nigeria in this age-group was 5.02 % (95 % CI 4.60–5.47 %), with 86 % being OAG based on gonioscopy. An estimated 1.2 million adults in Nigeria had glaucoma in 2012 .
There are some similarities in the epidemiology of OAG in sub-Saharan African and Caribbean populations. An interesting aspect of the Barbadian history is that a significant portion of the population was derived from the Bight of Biafra (also known as Bight of Bonny) in southeastern Nigeria; and about 44 % of enslaved Africans taken to Barbados during the 18th century were said to be mainly of Igbo origin . Studies of risk factors for OAG in sub-Saharan Africa and African-derived black populations have reported that increasing age [3–6, 11–13] and higher intra-ocular pressures (IOP) [3, 4, 12, 14] are consistent and important risk factors. Although not always observed, men have a higher prevalence of glaucoma [4, 5, 12, 15]. A consistent finding is a higher prevalence of OAG in blacks compared to whites in populations where the two racial groups were studied [11, 13, 15]. The prevalence of glaucoma was higher in those with darker skin and of African birth , which suggest possible influence of environmental factors and inter-ethnic variation in the prevalence and risk of OAG within black populations, mediated by genetic factors. A higher prevalence of OAG in the urban population of Chennai compared to the rural population suggest a possible influence of lifestyle differences and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes which are also more prevalent in the urban population . Very few studies have explored other socio-demographic and systemic risk factors.
The Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey (hereafter referred to as the Nigeria Blindness Survey) is one of the largest population-based survey ever undertaken in Africa . The present paper analysed data from the Nigeria Blindness Survey to explore risk factors for OAG among adults aged ≥40 years. Factors other than age and IOP were assessed. Identifying population groups most at risk, such as ethnic groups, will aid in planning appropriate control strategies and enhance the development of care-pathways to prevent visual loss from glaucoma. It is envisaged that these results will also be relevant to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa and for African-derived black populations.
Details of all the methods used in the Nigeria Blindness Survey have been published  as well as data on the prevalence  and causes of visual impairment and blindness  and the prevalence and types of glaucoma in Nigeria .
The sample size calculation and sampling strategy for the Nigeria Blindness Survey gave a nationally representative sample of 15,375 persons aged 40 years and above in 310 clusters across the country. The sample size was also adequate for precise estimates of glaucoma prevalence and was adequately powered for risk factor analysis for OAG.
Multi-stage sampling using probability proportional to size methods was used to select the study population. Clinical data were collected by two teams, each comprising two ophthalmologists, one optometrist and two ophthalmic nurses.
All participants were invited to a temporary clinic for examination. Relevant personal and demographic details and examination findings were recorded.
The examination flow chart (Fig. 1; adapted ) indicates the data collected by the team members. All participants had presenting and best-corrected visual acuity (VA) measured with a reduced logMAR tumbling E-chart, automated refraction and keratometry (Takagi ARKM-100, Takagi Seiko, Japan), frequency doubling technology (FDT) visual function testing (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Jena Germany) and ultrasound A-scan biometry (Bioline Biometer OPTIKON 2000 S.p.A Roma, Italy). All participants had basic eye examination performed by the first ophthalmologist, and detailed ocular examination was performed by the second ophthalmologist: in those with VA of worse than 20/40 in one or both eyes; vertical cup:disc ratio (VCDR) ≥0.6 in one or both eyes or VCDR asymmetry of ≥0.2, or any retinal abnormality seen on undilated fundoscopy . In addition, a subsample of 1-in-7 participants who also had the detailed examination regardless of their VA had a random blood glucose (RBG) test (OneTouch Ultra blood glucose meter, LifeScan UK).
There were five socio-demographic 'person' factors (age, gender, ethnic group, literacy and place of residence), six biophysical 'person' factors (presence of hypertension, severity of hypertension, systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], RBG and body mass index [BMI]); and three 'ocular' factors (axial length, IOP and mean ocular perfusion pressure [MOPP]). Age was analysed as a continuous variable and gender as a binary variable. Participants were asked about their ability to read and/or write and their ethnic group. Literacy was classified as ability to read and write or not at all and analysed as a binary variable. The geographical origins of some of the major ethnic groups are shown in Fig. 2. The Ibibio and Ijaw are from the southern Niger delta region, the Igbos and Urhobos are from the southeastern equatorial region and the Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri are from the northern savannah region. Ethnic groups with ≥200 participants (Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani, Kanuri, Tiv, Ijaw, Urhobo, Ibibio and Nupe) were categorised and analysed separately, and the smaller ethnic groups were combined into an 'others' category. Urban place of residence was defined as a settlement of more than 20,000 people.
Blood pressure (BP) was recorded three times with BP Omron wrist instrument (Omron Healthcare Ltd, Milton Keynes, England) after resting for at least 10 min . Average values were used for analysis. Hypertension was defined as BP ≥140/90 mmHg and severity was categorised using World Health Organization (WHO) categories: stage 1 for systolic/diastolic BP of ≥140/90 mmHg, stage 2 ≥ 160/100 mmHg and stage 3 ≥ 180/110 mmHg . SBP and DBP were analysed as continuous variables. RBG was grouped as less than 11.1 mmol/L or ≥11.1 mmol/L . Height was measured to the nearest tenth of a centimeter and weight was measured to the nearest 100 g using standard equipment. BMI was calculated by dividing body weight (kg) by height (m) squared and categorised according to the international classification for adults i.e., underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), normal (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2) and obese (≥30.0 kg/m2) .
Axial length was measured by contact ultrasound A-scan biometry. IOP was measured using one Goldmann applanation tonometer in each of the two teams by the second ophthalmologist, using standard methods. To explore the association of vascular perfusion and OAG, the MOPP was calculated as 2/3[DBP + 1/3 (SBP-DBP)-IOP] . Axial length, IOP and MOPP were analysed as continuous variables.
A person was classified as having glaucoma if one or both eyes had glaucoma. The diagnosis of glaucoma was based on the International Society for Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology (ISGEO) criteria with defining values obtained from a subsample of this study population : VCDR ≥0.7 or VCDR asymmetry ≥0.1 (97.5th percentile) with evidence of glaucomatous visual function deficit; or VCDR ≥0.75 or VCDR asymmetry ≥0.2 (99.5th percentile) when visual fields results were not available; or IOP ≥28 mmHg (99.5th percentile) ± VA worse than 20/400 or known glaucoma on treatment; or if there was relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) associated with high IOP and/or corneal edema. The Van Herick's anterior chamber (AC) angle estimation was performed on the slit-lamp with a narrow slit of light projected on the peripheral cornea, and was based on the relationship between the corneal slit image on the corneal surface and the AC depth. Grades 3 and 4 infer open angles and angle-closure is unlikely. The validity of the Van Herick's method for the estimation of the AC angle to correctly identify grades 3–4 as being open angles was assessed in comparison to identification of open angles by gonioscopy. Eyes with glaucoma were classified as OAG based on open-angles seen on gonioscopy or Van Herick's grades 3–4 in those who did not have gonioscopy.
Data for all participants classified as OAG were compared to those of the control group in analysis. Socio-demographic, ocular and biophysical factors were analysed for associations with OAG. The control group consisted of all other participants without OAG after excluding glaucoma eyes that did not have gonioscopy or Van Herick's test findings and those with other types of glaucoma, and phthisical eyes. The algorithm for selection of OAG cases and the control group is shown in Fig. 1.
Statistical analysis was performed using Stata/IC 13.0 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX).
We examined the association between OAG and each risk factor separately and report odds ratios with 95 % confidence intervals (CI). We used logistic regression to assess the independent effect of each risk factor on OAG and report adjusted odds ratios and 95 % CI intervals. BMI was also adjusted for gender. The following variables were included in the multivariable model: age, gender, ethnic group, literacy, rural/urban residence, BP, BMI, ocular axial length, IOP and MOPP. For ocular factors, the analysis took account of within-person correlation using robust standard errors. Possible extra variation introduced by the cluster sampling strategy was also considered but it did not impact the results.
A summary of completeness of data for the Nigeria Blindness Survey has been reported: for participants undergoing full examination (6397), 88 % had IOP measurement with Goldmann applanation tonometer in at least one eye . In the Nigeria Blindness Survey, 950/27,182 (3.50 %) eyes of 682/13,591 (5.02 %) participants had glaucoma according to the ISGEO criteria, of which 320 eyes of 208 persons were classified as OAG by gonioscopy. 375 eyes had Van Herick's AC angle estimation but did not undergo gonioscopy. In eyes with both values, Grades 3 and 4 Van Herick's AC angle estimation had a 99.1 % sensitivity and 93 % positive predictive value in identifying open angles by gonioscopy. Thus, an additional 362 eyes of 254 persons were included as OAG cases as they had grades 3 or 4 Van Herick's estimation. Hence, 462 persons (682 eyes with OAG) were included in the analysis as OAG while 12,738 persons were classified as controls (without OAG) and 391 participants were excluded (Fig. 3).
The OAG group was older and more likely to be male (Table 1). The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of participants with OAG was significantly higher than that of controls (66.2 ± 12.3 years Vs 55.4 ± 12.1 years, p <0.001). Men with OAG were significantly older (mean age 67.6 years ±12.7) than women with OAG (mean age 64.8 years ±11.8; p = 0.02). The OAG group also had a higher proportion of participants that were of the Yoruba or Igbo ethnic group, illiterate and with hypertension and low BMI (underweight). After adjusting BMI for gender, the odds of OAG was higher in underweight women (OR 1.84, 95%CI 1.27–2.68; p = 0.001) but not after adjusting for age or for age and IOP. The mean ± SD IOP was higher in eyes with OAG (22 ± 11 mmHg) than in eyes without OAG (14 ± 4 mmHg, p <0.001). Similarly, the mean ocular axial length was longer in eyes with OAG (22.8 ± 1.09 mm) than in those without OAG (22.6 ± 0.97 mm, p = 0.001).
In univariate analysis, increasing age was positively associated with OAG (Odds ratio [OR] 1.06, 95 % CI 1.06–1.07; p <0.001), as was being male (OR 1.29, 95 % CI 1.06–1.57; p = 0.01) (Table 2). There was 6 % higher odds of OAG with each increasing year of age. The following factors were also positively associated with OAG: Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups, being illiterate, any hypertension and greater severity of hypertension, low BMI (underweight), longer ocular axial length, higher IOP and lower MOPP (Table 2). When adjusted for myopia, axial length remained significantly associated with OAG (OR 1.13, 95 % CI 1.02–1.25; p = 0.03). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, increasing age, higher IOP and Igbo ethnic group were identified as independent risk factors for OAG. The ethnic group-specific prevalence of OAG for the analysed ethnic groups are shown in Fig. 2. The Urhobo had the lowest odds of OAG (OR 0.69, 95 % CI 0.24–1.97), while the Kanuri (OR 1.81, 95 % CI 0.90–3.63; p = 0.10) and Igbo (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.18–2.56; p = 0.01), the highest. The Igbo ethnic group had a 73 % higher odds of OAG than the Hausa (reference group) (Table 2); and when adjusted for gender, Igbo men were 2.5 times more likely to have OAG than Hausa men (OR 2.54, 95 % CI 1,50–4.30; p = 0.001).
Systemic hypertension (BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg) was also associated with OAG, with moderate and severe hypertension having stronger and significant association with OAG in univariate analysis. After adjusting for age, IOP and other potential risk factors in a multivariable model, mildly elevated BP (stage 1) was protective of OAG compared to participants without hypertension but this was not statistically significant (OR 0.87, p = 0.52). There was a strong association between lower MOPP and OAG (p <0.001) in univariate analysis which did not persist after adjusting for age, IOP and other factors.
In univariate analysis, lower BMI was associated with 60 % greater odds of OAG (p = 0.001) and the odds decreased with increasing BMI. However, in the adjusted model, BMI was not statistically significant.
We report results of the first cross-sectional study of risk factors for OAG in sub-Saharan Africa in a large population-based, nationally representative survey in Nigeria. We did not explore the risk factors for angle-closure glaucoma, as the numbers were too few. Older age and higher IOP were independent risk factors for OAG. Additionally, an important and new finding was that the Igbo ethnicity was an independent risk factor associated with OAG, especially in men.
Significant inter-racial variation between White, Asian and Black populations has been described [11, 13, 15, 24] with the prevalence and risks of OAG being higher in Blacks. However, studies in smaller population groups in sub-Saharan Africa have not identified differences in risks of OAG by ethnic group within black populations [5, 25]. Under-powered sample sizes may be a reason why they could not detect ethnic differences in those studies. The Nigeria Blindness Survey had relatively large numbers of the main ethnic groups, giving adequate power to detect significant associations and differences within the black population. One of the potential reasons for the ethnic differences we observed may be the differential susceptibility due to larger optic discs. As reported in the normative data for the classification of glaucoma in prevalence surveys in Nigeria, the 97.5th percentile VCDR for the Igbo was 0.7 compared to 0.6 for the Fulani. Interestingly, the 99.5th percentile for IOP was lower for the Igbo (22 mmHg) than for the Hausa (28 mmHg)  and this may imply that the Igbos have thinner corneas. However, a major limitation in interpreting this difference is the absence of pachymetry to measure central corneal thickness in the Nigeria Blindness Survey, which would have enabled corrected IOP estimates for comparison. Optic disc parameters are important in OAG with respect to attenuation of structural support, axonal protection and metabolic support provided by astrocytes . These quantitative parameters are heritable traits [27, 28], thus genetic variation is another plausible reason for the ethnic differential risk. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in the African Caribbean population of Barbados, which has a high prevalence of OAG (6.8 %, 95 % CI 6.1–7.7 % in Blacks ≥40 years old) , confirmed two mechanisms of gene interaction with OAG: the absence of protective genes, and the presence of predisposing alleles increased the risk for OAG [29, 30]. Although the demographics of Barbados have been dynamic, and there are other socio-demographic and lifestyle factors that influence disease incidence  and progression [12, 32], the historical link between the Igbos and Barbadians lends credence to the genetic basis for the ethnic differences in risk of OAG seen in Nigeria.
Another interesting observation in our study was the strong association between low BMI (underweight) and OAG, albeit only in univariate analysis: presumably because of age, as older persons have lower BMI especially when of poor socioeconomic status. Higher BMI has been reported to be protective for OAG in Barbados  and Rotterdam . Systemic inflammatory process  are possible linking factors which may also result in weight loss from general debilitation.
Our study did not find significant difference in risk for OAG in urban compared to rural population as seen in urban South India where the prevalence of OAG was more than doubled than in the rural population ; and possible associations with hypertension or diabetes were not statistically significant.
All studies have shown increasing age to be a risk factor for OAG [12, 31, 32, 35–43]. Indeed, in the Barbados Eye Study a 4 % increase in the relative risk of OAG per year was reported , and comparable to 6 % higher odds of OAG per year in this study. Increasing mitochondrial dysfunction in retinal ganglion cells and increased vulnerability of the optic nerve to neurodegeneration from oxidative stress serve as possible links between ageing and increased risk for OAG [44, 45].
This study also demonstrated that higher IOP has an independent association with OAG, as in numerous other studies. Higher IOP was an independent risk factor for glaucoma despite a large number of eyes having IOPs lower than the 'upper limit of normal' i.e. mean (+2SD) . In the National Blindness Survey, 56 % of glaucoma eyes had IOP <22 mmHg; the mean IOP in glaucoma eyes was 23 (SD12) mmHg and the mean IOP in non-glaucoma eyes was 14 (SD4) mmHg . This underscores the role of IOP as a tool for monitoring response to treatment rather than as a diagnostic factor.
Men had higher odds of OAG but only in univariate analysis. An increased risk of OAG in men has been reported in previous prevalence studies in Barbados, United States [12, 32] and Singapore , and in a Bayesian meta-analysis, men were more likely to have POAG than women (OR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.23–1.52) . Further incidence studies are needed to clarify gender differences in risks of OAG.
Some studies have addressed associations between ocular perfusion factors (IOP, BP and MOPP) and OAG which suggest that vascular insufficiency is an important factor in OAG [31, 38, 46], as was in our study, higher BP and lower MOPP were significantly associated with higher odds of OAG.
Longer ocular axial length has been associated with OAG [37, 47]. In the Nigeria Blindness Survey axial length was longer in OAG eyes and was significantly associated with OAG, but this was not an independent risk factor after adjusting for age, IOP and other variables. In our study we assessed axial length rather than myopia as a potential risk factor because there was a high prevalence of nuclear lens opacities (8.8 %, 95 % CI 7.5–10.1)  which would increase the risk of index myopia; and a relatively low prevalence of myopia ≤0.5D (after excluding persons with lens opacity, 9.4 %, 95 % CI 8.7–10.2) .
A strength of the Nigeria Blindness Survey is that it was nationally representative and had a large sample size with adequate power to detect statistical associations. A range of ethnic groups was represented in large enough numbers to allow comparison of risk between the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria. As part of the study protocol, not all participants had gonioscopy done and we did not record the presence of pseudoexfoliation (PXE). Hence, PXE was not assessed as a risk factor for OAG. In addition, some eligible participants did not have gonioscopy performed due to damage to the mirrors on the gonioscopy lenses by high humidity; and did not have Van Herick's AC angle estimation due to structural ocular pathology. Another limitation was that IOP was measured once and it was not interpreted using central corneal thickness, which was not measured. Additionally, visual field analysis was by FDT and participants classified as glaucoma did not undergo Humphrey visual field analysis (HFA). We were also not able to obtain information on duration of hypertension, history of cardiovascular disease or use of antihypertensive medication. However, this may not have a significant impact as only 14 % of participants reported being hypertensive . Additionally, we did not obtain information on family history of glaucoma which would not have been reliable in this context. Indeed, only 5.6 % of those identified with OAG knew they had the condition .
This is the first time that an association of OAG has been observed with some ethnic groups. It is imperative that this finding be replicated in further studies as it may be a chance finding. While cultural or other practices might underlie the differences, or failure to fully adjust for confounders, given the relative lack of environmental factors identified to date for OAG, these observations suggest the need for a molecular genetics study of glaucoma in Nigeria. This might be included within a follow-up study on the cohort of the Nigeria Blindness Survey to explore the natural history and incidence of glaucoma, and the influence of immunological markers of inflammation.
This study gives us risk factors data on OAG and confirms that OAG is a public health problem in people ≥40 years. As a public health strategy, opportunistic eye examination, case detection and examination for OAG need to be performed on all people aged ≥40 years and the ethnic groups most at risk.
AC, Anterior chamber; BMI, Body mass index; BP, Blood pressure; CI, Confidence intervals; DBP, Diastolic blood pressure; FDT, Frequency doubling technology; GWAS, Genome-wide association studies; IOP, Intra-ocular pressure; ISGEO, International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology; MOPP, Mean ocular perfusion pressure; OAG, Open-angle glaucoma; OR, Odds ratio; RAPD, Relative afferent pupillary defect; RBG, Random blood sugar; SBP, Systolic blood pressure; SD, Standard deviation; VA, Visual acuity; VCDR, Vertical cup:disc ratio; WHO, World Health Organization.
1. Abdullahi Imam, MSc. Ministry of Health, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria.
2. Adenike Abiose, FRCOphth. International Agency for Prevention of Blindness, Africa Region, Ibadan, Nigeria.
3. Christian Ezelum, OD. Ministry of Health, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
5. Hannah Faal, MSc. Africa Vision Research Institute, Durban, South Africa.
7. Olufunmilayo O Bankole, FWACS. Lions Eye Centre, Isolo General Hospital, Lagos State, Nigeria.
9. Tafida Abubakar, FWACS. Ministry of Health, Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria.
RW is funded in the UK by financial support from the Department of Health through the award made by the National Institute for Health Research to Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology for a Specialist Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology.
Data are currently with the authors as the study is on-going. It will be deposited with the Director, Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria.
FK and CG developed the study concept and design. FK, MA, RW, JE, WN, GVSM and CG were involved in acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data. The manuscript was drafted by FK and edited by RW and CG. FK, AM, RW, JE, WN, GVSM and CG critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. Statistical analysis was done by FK and JE. FK and CG obtained funding. The study was supervised by FK, RW, WN, GVSM and CG. All authors have read and approved of the final version of the manuscript.
Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria. Oral informed consent was obtained from community leaders, heads of households and all participants. The study adhered to the tenets of the declaration of Helsinki. Participants with treatable ocular conditions were referred and cataract blind participants were offered surgery.
Some information in this paper was presented in part as a poster at Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Orlando, Florida, USA. May 2014.
Morgan PD, Hawkins S. Black Experience and the Empire. Oxford University Press. p. 82. 2006. ISBN 0-19-929067-9. From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_people_in_the_Atlantic_slave_trade. Accessed 3 Jun 2016.
WHO: World Health Organization. http://apps.who.int/bmi/index.jsp?introPage=intro_3.html. Accessed 3 Jun 2016.


text:
Tauri Watson
What Can Black People Do About Racism?
I believe the answer is nothing.
Black Panther Leader, Bobby Seale said,
"We do not fight racism with racism. We fight racism with solidarity. We do not fight exploitative capitalism with Black capitalism. We fight capitalism with basic socialism. And we do not fight imperialism with more imperialism. We fight imperialism with proletarian internationalism."
Racism is a tool of white supremacy.
Racism is a white people problem.
It's a fear of survival, that is taught both subconsciously and consciously through color blindness, non-diverse spaces, school to prison pipeline, adultification, discrimination and white-washed curriculums just to name a few (very few). I say racism is a white people problem because, it will be their own job to become aware of their role in perpetuating racism, and work intentionally to dismantle the systems it supports. However, a lot are silent because racism is so entwined in all of Americas institutions that if you take it away, the current government, housing, school and banking systems will all fail. Look below for some Ted Talks you can share with your "allies."
What black people can do is love each other.
Love enough to unify,
Love enough to shop black,
Love enough to fight for each other,
Love enough to teach each other in our own schools,
Love enough to learn our history,
Love enough to protect each other,
Love enough to respect each other,
Love enough to build safe communities for each other
.....just love.
And to answer..."Well, in times of collision between black people and racism, what do we do?" I refer to number 7 of the October 1966 Black Panther Party Platform.
7. We want an immediate end to police brutality and murder of Black people.
We believe we can end police brutality in our Black community by organizing Black self-defense groups that are dedicated to defending our Black community from racist police oppression and brutality. The second amendment to the constitution of the United States gives a right to bear arms. We therefore believe that all Black people should arm themselves for self-defense.
Here's the TED talks to share with your allies
https://www.ted.com/talks/verna_myers_how_to_overcome_our_biases_walk_boldly_toward_them?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
https://www.ted.com/talks/mellody_hobson_color_blind_or_color_brave?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
Kwanza: Daily Celebration Activities
To Thanksgiving or to not...
Black Owned Holiday

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


India is the world's largest democracy and the highest honour anyone can get from the Indian government is Bharat Ratna. Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian order and recently it was awarded to Assamese singer Bhupen Hazarika posthumously.
Bhupen Hazarika is highly regarded and appreciated for his contribution to the field of Indian culture and music.


text:
Aach (variants Ach, Ache; Aa) is a widespread Upper German hydronym, from an Old High German aha (Proto-Germanic *ahwō) "running water" (ultimately from PIE *hakʷā- "(moving) water").
The word has also been reduced to a frequent suffix -ach in Alemannic and Austro-Bavarian toponymy.
The word is cognate with Old English ǣ (reflected in English placenames as -ea, also Yeo, Eau), Old Frisian ē, Old Saxon aha, Low Franconian Aa, Old Norse á, Gothic aƕa, all meaning "river; running water".

The Old High German contraction from -aha to -aa, -â in compound hydronyms present from an early time (early 9th century). The simplex noun aha remained uncontracted, however, and Old High German -aha (Modern German -ach) could be restituted in compounds at any time.

Related is the German Aue (variant Au) with a meaning "river island, wetland, floodplain, riparian woodland", i.e. a cultivated landscape in a riparian zone. It is derived from the same root, but with a -yo- suffix (Proto-Germanic *awjō). This word was also reduced to a suffix, as -au (as in Reichenau). It is frequent as a river name, as in Große Aue, Aue (Elbe), Aue (Weser), etc., as well as the name of a settlement, as in Aue, Saxony; Au, St. Gallen; Au, Vorarlberg; Au am Rhein; Au am Leithaberge; etc.

The river-name Aach in Upper Germany is reserved for broad, but non-navigable, running streams with noticeable gradient sufficient to power water mills; it contrasts with Fluss used for navigable rivers on one hand, and with Bach for minor brooks or rivulets.
An instructive example is Salzach, now classed as a Fluss ("river") but formerly as Ache as it was only navigable by raft, not by regular riverboats.

Hydronymy in -ach generally indicates a Germanic settlement in the early medieval or migration period, while names in -bach indicate
names of the high medieval period.
In French, the Old Frankish form evolved into aix, as in Aix-en-Provence, Aix-les-Bains; the Italian reflex is -acco.
Hydronyms in aar, ahr, acher reflect a cognate Celtic word.

References

 Dieter Berger: Duden, Geographische Namen in Deutschland. Herkunft und Bedeutung der Namen von Ländern, Städten, Bergen und Gewässern, 2nd ed., Mannheim 1999,
 Werner König: dtv-Atlas zur deutschen Sprache. Tafeln und Texte. 10th ed.. dtv-Atlas Nr. 3025, München 1994,

See also

German toponymy
List of early medieval watermills

Hydronymy
Water streams
Fluvial landforms

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


It enables psychological and biophysical reorganization, it fights against insomnia, neurasthenia, fatigue, and generally against intellectual inhibitions.
It increases the understanding of subtle manifestations, starting with powerful orders and assertions, for oneself and for the transmutation of others.
It potentiates the organism by rebalancing the cellular frequency through the molecules.


text:
This Post May Change Your Life (Or Bore You To Death)
Hello, people of Earth.
My name is Kenn Beck.
I'm an American artist in my 40's, and I'm here today because I felt driven to share something with you.
I'm warning some of you you right now, what I have to say will shock, anger, or offend you. If you are the type of person who gets shocked, angered and offended by someone speaking their opinion on touchy subjects, then I'll wait a few seconds for you to close your browser window or click on a link to a video of cute fluffy kittens or something. Because no one likes being told they are wrong about a central tenet of their life, especially by some dorky guy on the internet.
I mean, look at me: what's up with my hairline? Why does it look like I just ate a crate full of Pop Tarts? Did I shave with a dull spoon?
I get it. I just do not look like the type of person that's about to bust into your brain-scape and challenge your preconceptions about matters that have dominated your way of thinking since the day you were conceived.
Nevertheless, here I am, and here we go.
Religion. You're doing it wrong.
Wait. I sense a great disturbance in the Force. It's as if a million souls clucked their tongues, rolled their eyes, and shook their heads disapprovingly all at once.
Let me explain where I'm coming from.
I was born into a Catholic family, but I am a bad Catholic. I drink. I cuss. I covet. I have anger management issues, an irreverent sense of humor, and hate and question many of God's creatures (Like slugs. Why, God, Why?)
I am as lapsed as Artie Lange's gym membership. I was still hazy about the differences between Catholic and Christian until I just Google/Binged them for the purposes of this discussion. I only go to the Catholic Church for baptisms, communions, weddings and funerals.
I was dragged as a child to a few Latin Masses, where I was forced to kneel on concrete floors in a poorly ventilated basement and pray for my soul. In retrospect, my dad may have been trying to make us appreciate regular, above-ground churches with their carpets and padded kneeling benches and windows and fresh air.
I became an ordained minister over the internet as a joke and my first act was to bless the drinks of my friends at a local pub that night.
I have a very logic-oriented mind. I am great at spatial relationships, puzzling things out, and putting together the pieces of any puzzle. I fancy myself to have a keen detective's mind, much like Batman, without the spandex body armor, olympic level athletic prowess or billionaire lifestyle. I love me some science.
The problem I have faced for much of my life is that what I have been taught academically and what I have been taught religiously never seemed to be able to get along with each other.
The Bible (yes, I've read it) says that the Earth was created in six days, yet science tells us that it's billions of years old, and that mankind has only been around for a fraction of it. I believe the evidence I've seen of the existence of dinosaurs, yet there was no verse in Genesis where the Lord created the velociraptor.
There are some that have tried to deny that dinosaurs ever existed. They, according to these folks (some of which I may or may not be related to), are a creation of those seeking to discredit the Bible. Why do I believe in scientific fact, they ask? Because I was told to, by scientists, they say.
If I had a job sitting down and looking at black jelly beans all day, then I will very likely come up with theories and hypotheses and calculations supporting why the study of black jelly beans is important, and you should trust me on it, because I am the foremost expert on the study of black jelly beans, seeing as how I have devoted my life to the study of black jelly beans.
Of COURSE science tells us to take science as science. Because science! But they're doing it because they don't know the truth about God. At least, that's what these certain people have to say about it.
I have a hard time with that. Because, ultimately, they are telling me that these people, who's theories are backed up by consistent results in countless tests over hundreds of years, are wrong, because other people, who have held certain beliefs for hundreds of years, BELIEVE that they're wrong.
My logical mind refuses to accept the OPINION, the BELIEF, that black jelly beans do not exist when I am presented with evidence of their delicious existence (their deliciousness being another controversial topic, sadly).
I lack that ability to just accept something as fact without seeing some kind of concrete quantifiable evidence that can be repeated under controlled conditions. I believe those in the know call it "faith."
I lack faith. And the sad part is, I pity myself for that, because I know faith makes so many people around the world happy. I envy people for their faith. For their trust in a force that cannot be quantified, cannot be commanded, examined, or analyzed. I wish I could shut off the part of my brain that screams "prove it."
Since the moment I was able to look sideways at someone for trying to convince me that a guy with a beard could turn water into wine and come back from the dead because a book said he could, I have identified myself to any who should inquire as an Agnostic. Definition: a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is unknown and probably unknowable, or more broadly, one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god. (Thank you, Merriam Webster.)
I do not object to the concept of religion, mind you. I have dated girls of several religions and spiritual alignments, and I've never shied away from a deep conversation about how their beliefs differ from what I've been told my beliefs were. I LOVE hearing about all the wondrous things that religions promise. And I secretly wish I could suck a little of their faith form them and keep it for myself.
The problem I have is that I have not seen any religion to date that doesn't have at least one rule or credo or commandment that makes me say "wait, WHAT?!"
Killing in the name of whatever god you believe in, first and foremost, is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of. If your god exists, and he's as all powerful as you claim he is, I think he can handle his own smiting, and he'll be far more efficient than you ever could be, meat-suit. He won't take innocents as collateral damage.
Blowing up marketplaces, burning witches, torturing people until they claim they believe in the same invisible man that you do, shooting people in a subway, flying airplanes into buildings, nailing people to wooden structures and leaving them to die, murdering people who try to draw a picture of the star of one of your holy stories... you're really just an embarrassment. It would be like telling a six year old to drive down to McDonalds and get you a Big Mac. If your god wants them dead, he'll kill them. I'd think he'd be more pissed at your assuming that he couldn't do the job himself.
Denying people the same freedoms you yourself enjoy based on their gender, the color of their skin, the place that they were born, the people they choose to spend their lives with or who they choose to talk to when they look into the sky is pathetic and elitist. If your god didn't want women to be able to read, he wouldn't have allowed them to evolve eyes (or bothered shaping them from Adam's rib, or whatever your sacred creation myths tell you).
If you cling to a book nineteen hundred years old, and use it to defend your crusade against homosexuals being allowed to marry or even engage in their lifestyle of choice, while ignoring the fact that the same book also tells us that selling one's daughter into indentured servitude is acceptable, you are a hypocrite. And frankly, if you DO believe selling your daughter into indentured servitude is acceptable, you're an asshole, and probably shouldn't be allowed to have a daughter in the first place.
"Love thy neighbor as you would love thyself, unless he's too poor to afford insurance and you'd have to buy a smaller, off-brand TV because part of your paycheck is going to socialized medicine to help pay for his cancer treatments, in which case, fuck him," do I have that right? Every life is sacred from the moment of conception right up until the moment it would cost you an extra 1% of your six figure salary to help keep it from being homeless.
Or the other end of the street, where the rights of a child too young to even draw breath on it's own are less important than the rights of a three time sex offender to get a college education for free. The sentinels of liberty who make it possible for a person, injured while attempting to make a quick escape after stealing from your house, to be the plaintiff in a personal injury case against their victims.
The champions of free speech, who will fight endlessly for your right to say anything you want, as long as it's not on the list of words that people don't want to hear because it makes someone feel less special than everyone else. The ones who fight for the right to believe in any god they choose, but forbid people from praying in schools and government buildings because someone might disagree with which invisible man they're talking to.
We live in a world where people firebomb abortion clinics, then complain about paying for assistance programs for the children they were trying to save, and then profit from the process of trying to get these children into loving homes.
Look, I understand why people feel the need to analyze and interpret the scriptures of their given religion, in an attempt to understand the will of their god. What I don't get is why many of those people feel the need to try to impose their interpretation of their god's will on others. You disagree with my choice to listen to thrash metal? Oh well. You're going to pray for my sinful soul? Hey, thanks! I don't know if an all-powerful deity who can create an entire cosmos farther than humanity can even conceive needs advice from you on whether or not I am a good person, but I appreciate you putting in the extra effort in my name. I owe you one; let me know next time you need a party invitation designed or something, I'll try to hook you up gratis.
Oh, wait, you're telling me I am going to Hell and your god hates me? Gee, that's not very nice. Are you sure your god wants you yelling at people and damning them to Hell? I though he was more about the love and forgiveness. Are you sure you're not just falsely representing your own fear and ignorance as the feelings of your chosen lord? Seems like the kind of thing a powerful man might look down upon.
I'm tired of it. I have finally come to the point where I realized I'm jealous of people who spend their days trying to make people feel bad because they don't believe in the same invisible man. I've been enviously chasing people who live by the words of documents written hundreds of years after their documented sources have died. I've been wishing for the ability to abandon the ability to think for myself.
Because I think I might have stumbled upon the secret.
As an artist, I have often created pieces of artwork that make no logical sense to me. Slapped paint on a canvas and watched it drip, fascinated by the shapes it created as it traced its way down the canvas. Pushed brushes through it in no logical direction save for a vague idea in my head about a certain formation or effect I might want to see. I created that art, not to gain notoriety or fame, but because I saw something I could not grasp and wanted proof it existed. I made my own proof. I brought it into existence.
And I see that in the universe as well.
Nebulae, galaxies, sunsets and sunrises, mountains, streams, oceans, fields of colorful flowers, narrow paths through dense forests. I see beautiful patterns, most seemingly random, that fill me with feelings of awe and tranquility, a soothing stillness in my core. Who created these? Who is the artist on whose canvas I wander? Obviously it is someone who can work on a much larger scale than any artist I know. And his palette kicks some serious ass.
Someone created this. They may not be an actual person; they may just be a collection of forces and energies that guided chemical reactions.
Social convention dictates that we assign names to topics of discussion to keep things brief and avoid confusion, and when you name something there is always the likelihood that someone is going to anthropomorphize it into a human-like being. So I'm going to concede that this creator, this force, is commonly referred to as a being, and for the sake of brevity, I'll just borrow a name from what my parents tried to instill within me. I'll call him God, this being that I'm choosing to acknowledge, just so we have a common frame of reference.
And because until the end of time itself, some people are going to cling to their beliefs, even should they be proven wrong beyond a shadow of a doubt to everyone else, I'll further concede that there will never be a universal consensus as to which version of God is the right one, and therefore refer to the god I am speaking of as "my" God, even though I hold no claim on his creation and expect no credit for his works.
I also make no claim that "my" God and YOUR god are not the same person; they may well be, though I will leave that judgment to the judgmental.
The God I envision, "my" God, is a painter who has created a canvas beyond vast, and has offered it up to any who would look and enjoy what they might find in it.
"My" God wants people to understand that beauty is everywhere, in everyone, and that that is to be celebrated. Accept compliments. Recognize beauty, in all its forms, be it physical, intellectual, spiritual, even if that recognition is a simple sincere smile. If you see someone smile at you, smile back.
"My" God doesn't need us to go to daily prayer meetings, or weekly masses, or to genuflect at a specific time of day. He has no single sacred place or time. His church is the universe, his holy day is today, and tomorrow, and yesterday. He doesn't take attendance, and he doesn't require you to wear anything special or expensive. When you see a mountain and gaze in wonder, you are praying to him. When you smile at someone on the streets, that's his amen.
"My" God isn't limited by the human condition. He can be whatever he decides to be. He knows that this may be confusing to those of us who base a person's worth on their gender, race, color, geographic location, or income, but appreciates that there are some of us willing to recognize that as both our father and mother, he can be a she. He certainly doesn't get mad when someone refers to him as a her, and certainly doesn't need you correcting people about it.
"My" God doesn't want people to lie about important things, to be genuine about themselves, appreciate when others are genuine about themselves, know that none of us are perfect, and wants us to accept that about ourselves and others.
"My" God has a sense of humor. He cherishes laughter and happiness. If you're making someone laugh, you're making someone happy. He especially likes it when people are willing to laugh at themselves. Being the willing butt of a joke is a gift to all those who get a laugh from that joke.
"My" God views us all as equals. We're all beautiful. We're all brilliant souls that burn like stars for a short time before flickering out, and should be viewed with awe and wonder.
"My" God wants people to be happy, but not at the expense of happiness of others. If you're happy and you have the ability to make someone else happy, do it. If making someone else happy is what makes you happy, so much the better. But don't go through life banking on the suffering of others. If you're happiness comes from the fact that others cannot be happy, then you're doing it wrong. If you profit from the suffering of others, you're doing it wrong.
"My" God loves random acts of kindness. He loves when people tape a dollar to a vending machine for the next person to use, or pay for the coffee of the person behind them in line. He loves it when a struggling single mother still puts a few pennies in a charity box. He loves it when someone gives up their coat to a shivering person. He is saddened by those who continue to amass wealth beyond their needs when others lie in the streets suffering, simply because they can.
"My" God chuckles when we mention "karma." He likes the name, but doesn't see how we don't get it, that when we enjoy the suffering of others, even if they call it upon themselves, we too are finding joy in the misery of others. Recognize it, yes, but don't roll around in it.
"My" God is not in charge of when and why every single person dies. He doesn't have have a "divine plan" for every soul. He doesn't take children away from their parents, and he doesn't strike people down with disease to teach lessons. He's just as shocked and saddened by sudden, senseless killings as we all are. He's just as saddened by those who linger and suffer as those who love them. But he does welcome those innocents who died by violence and tragedy into his home and gives them shelter, and he does welcome those who have finally passed from suffering and eases their pain. He knows our hearts, and doesn't base his decisions on who he welcomes on how long it has been since they've eaten a wafer or whether or not they've dunked their heads in a river (or had it forced upon them).
"My" God understands the human attachment we feel for those in our immediate circles, and the grief we experience with their passing. But he wants us to celebrate their life as well, and not be afraid to share happy times and memories about that person, even in the process of mourning their physical passing.
"My" God wants people to cherish every life, not just their own. He is saddened by people getting abortions when there are others unable to bring children into this world, and compares it to a thirsty man watching someone let water pour into the ground because carrying it is inconvenient. He is also saddened that there are those who would let this happen because the cost of bringing those people together to solve each other's problems is too high, or threatens their own pocketbook, and views that as someone who is too self-centered to just give the thirsty man a bottle of water without needing to make a profit.
"My" God doesn't want anyone to want to kill anyone. He also understands that some people demonstrate depraved indifference towards the life of others, and that we may need to kill them so that others might not suffer. We should not enjoy their deaths, we should mourn them as we mourn the lives they took.
"My" God certainly doesn't want you killing anyone in his name, especially for using his name, painting his portrait, or describing him. He likes to see what kind of creative images and stories people come up with. Every parent cherishes their children's artwork. And if he wants someone dead in his name, he can handle that himself. But he doesn't enjoy it, and we shouldn't either.
That's "my" God. He might be yours, too, and you just don't know it. He's a pretty neat guy, the Creator Of Life. Col, to his friends (and we're all his friends, if we want to be (he's kinda chill like that)).
When I finally die, whatever constitutes my soul will be met by Col. I like to think he'll look at me and what I've done in my life, the kind of man I've tried to be, and nod.
"I could have been better," I'll lament.
"Of course you could have," he'll reply, "but you were good enough. Come on in. We have black jelly beans."
Star Trek: Beyond Offensive
The new Star Trek Beyond Trailer is here! Here, I'll give you a link. Watch it, and then we'll discuss.
Oops! Wait, it's here somewhere.
Pretty jarring mistake to make, right? You think you're going to get a cerebral sci-fi story about space exploration, and you're confronted with a bunch of ass-shots and fart noises pandering to someone with a short attention span.
Hmm, I think there's a lesson to be learned here.
A good buddy of mine (like me, an early 40's male Sci-fi fan) told me that people have been taking him to task for his dislike of the new Star Trek Beyond trailer. He said "I keep getting told that I'm stuck in the mindset that Trek has to be made for me." Implying, if not outright stating, that it doesn't.
Well, I call bullshit. Star Trek movies do have to be made for him in the same way that it has to be made for me, because we are the generation that have been keeping Star Trek alive with our ticket purchases. The average seventeen year-old does not give damn number one about Star Trek, nor will they ever. I don't care if they cast Miley Cyrus as the next Edith Keeler and score it exclusively with nothing but Drake songs, the average seventeen year-old will never give a damn about Star Trek.
Check out this disturbing shit.
Simon Pegg (Scotty, also re-penning the script) has been "doing what he can to make the script less like Star Trek than ever before."
Hey, Simon, I'm a fan of your previous work, but how would you like it if someone said "I'm gonna make a sequel to Shaun of the Dead except without all those poncy English accents and dry, unfunny jokes"? Dry, English humor and the cast sounding more intelligent than Americans are integral parts of what makes that movie the treasure it is. Changing the vital elements ruins the point of it carrying the label.
"They had a script for Star Trek that wasn't really working for them. I think the studio was worried that it might have been a little too Star Trek-y." - Simon Pegg, without a trace of irony.
"Pegg actually draws a comparison to... the Avengers. That seemingly niche movie, based on a beloved but specialized property, made $1.5 billion dollars, while... Star Trek Into Darkness made less than one-third of that. And the studio is wondering why." - Quote from aforementioned disturbing shit
Note to the studio; Star Trek Into Darkness sucked big floppy donkey dick, and it sucked because you weren't trying to make a Star Trek movie, you were trying to make an action movie using Star Trek characters. It's almost like they're trying to plug Star Trek characters into non-Star Trek movies, which is such an idiotic concept that they can't possibly oh for the love of God-
"The strategy is to 'make a Western or a thriller or a heist movie, then populate that with Star Trek characters so it's more inclusive to an audience that might be a little bit reticent.' " - Simon Pegg, crushing the last ounce of respect I had for his artistic vision and integrity
I'm crushed two-fold, because not only are they destroying a beloved franchise in a cash grab, but I had so much respect for Simon Pegg, and that has now been turned into a cube and crushed. Taking a series known for cerebral sci-fi and making it a music video is an obnoxious money grab, and the new generation that my friend's friend claims they are making this for will cast it aside for whatever shiny product comes next down the line that isn't beholden to the tropes that need to be in a Trek movie. The crew are part of a government military branch, not roguish scoundrels, and if you try to change that, why not just renew Firefly? The ships are slow and lumbering, more like naval vessels than the sexier fighters in a movie like Star Wars, but if you swap out the Enterprise with the Millenium Falcon, you're no longer watching Star Trek.
All their doing is risking alienating the one demographic they know they'll almost always have. You don't put a singing Billy Bass plaque in Little Women just to get the Larry the Cable Guy crowd, and putting a tribble in Fast and Furious 8 doesn't make it Star Trek. Star Trek is a series grounded in cerebral sci-fi set in a space exploration setting, even when it's got space hippies and cuddly hairballs, and Simon Pegg is an idiot if he thinks it could ever be as successful an action movie as the Avengers, which is History's Greatest Movie.
This will kill the series, because, as a tent pole action franchise, Star Trek is sub-par, and if labeled and developed as such, it will inevitably collapse. The series will be branded a failure, and no one will be willing to make Star Trek movies in the future because of it. Because they disrespected their loyal fans and pandered to mouth-breathers, who were never their audience to begin with. They're part of the dumbing down of science fiction, and the world in general. Congratulations, Simon Pegg and Paramount; you're now part of Mike Judge's superbly made Comedy-turned-Documentary, Idiocracy.
So it looks like I posted the right trailer after all.


Looking forward to all the 'parts'. Enjoy this first teaching.
This is the time of year when most of Christendom is focused on the advent of the Messiah of Israel, commonly called Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ. In churches and in homes Scriptures from the Old and New Testament will be read that detail the coming of the Long Expected One. Most of us have heard these verses so many times that they almost flow off of our tongues as they are being read to us… We know the flow and the rhythm to the point that they offer incredible comfort. A halcyon warmth embraces us and we float on the river of sweet memories and blessed promises. But, do we really pay attention?


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Celine Dion reveals rare neurological disorder, reschedules 2023 tour dates
FILE - Celine Dion performs live on stage at Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time Hyde Park at Hyde Park on July 05, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Simone Joyner/Getty Images)
Celine Dion on Thursday revealed that she has been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder in a tearful video shared with fans, adding that some concert dates have either been rescheduled or canceled.
Appearing visibly emotional, the 54-year-old Canadian singer said in an Instagram video that she has "always been an open book, and I wasn't ready to say anything before – but I'm ready now."
"I've been dealing with problems with my health for a long time. And it's been really difficult for me to face these challenges and talk about everything that I've been going through," Dion said.
She then revealed that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome (SPS), which she explained had been causing severe muscle spasms. SPS is a rare, progressive syndrome that affects the nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord, according to the National Institutes of Health.
In the U.S., the disease is estimated to affect fewer than 5,000 people, according to the NIH.
Symptoms can include "extreme muscle stiffness, rigidity and painful spasms in the trunk and limbs, severely impairing mobility," the NIH said. Spasms can generate enough force to fracture a bone.
There are multiple forms of the syndrome, but the most common in patients is called "Classic SPS," in which patients describe difficulties bending and turning and feeling that they walk like a "tin-man," the NIH notes.
"Eventually, it leads to multiple chronic orthopedic abnormalities such as increased lumbar lordosis, joint deformities, and abnormal posturing, which results in a 'statue-like' appearance," a description of the syndrome reads.
Celine Dion reschedules, cancels some 2023 tour dates
"While we're still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what has been causing all of the spasms I've been having," Dion said in her Instagram video. "Unfortunately these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I'm used to."
"The Power of Love" singer pre-recorded a video in English and another video in French, explaining to fans that she will be focusing on her health, and will therefore have to postpone the European leg of her tour.
"It hurts me to tell you today that this means I won't be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February," Dion said. "I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help get better and my precious children, who are supporting me and giving me hope."
This day in 1998: 'Titanic' won 11 Academy Awards | NewsNOW from FOX
FOX's Ashley Dvorkin joins NewsNOW from FOX's Pilar Arias to talk about the significance of a film like 'Titanic,' what the blockbuster did for the main actors and what's next for James Cameron.
"I'm working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again," she continued. "But I have to admit it's been a struggle All I know is singing. It's what I've done all my life. And it's what I love to do the most."
Her spring 2023 shows have been rescheduled to dates in 2024, and summer shows scheduled between May 21 through July 17, 2023, have been canceled. Those tickets will be refunded, according to her website.
Dates scheduled between Aug. 26 and Oct. 4, 2023, remain as scheduled.


Each week brings new jobs, emails, files, and job lists. Just how much of this is totally different from the job you've done? Odds are, not much. A number of our tasks are variants on something.
Do not reinvent the wheel each single time you start something new. Use templates–standardized documents with formatting and text as starting point for work. Once you save a separate version of the template, simply add, remove, or change any info for that unique document, and you'll have the new work.
Templates work anywhere: in word processors, spreadsheets, project management apps, survey programs, and also email. Here's how to use templates and how to create documents from a template–so it's possible to get your common tasks quicker.
Templates take time to construct, and it's easy to wonder if they're worth the investment. The brief answer: absolutely. Editing a template takes far less time than formatting some thing. It's the distinction between retyping it, or copying and pasting some text.
That's only one advantage: Using a template means you're not as inclined to leave out key information, also. By way of instance, if you need to send freelance writers a contributor arrangement, modifying a standard contract template (rather than writing a new contract every time) ensures you won't depart out the crucial clause regarding owning the material once you've paid for this.
Templates also guarantee consistency. Maybe you send regular job updates to customers or investors. Using a template, you know the upgrade will constantly have the formatting, layout, and structure.
Imagine you're creating a template of your resume. You'd want to list in-depth details so you'll have all the info you need to apply for almost any job.
You always have the option to delete notes on, but you might forget it in the final 25, if it's not from the template.
Some applications will automatically fill in all these factors for you (more on this in a little ). But if you have to fill in the data by yourself, include some text that's obvious and simple to look for so you can locate.


A reading nook, pretty knick-knacks, tea and cookies all next to a pretty window. Ah! that is life :) As the weekend approaches this seems like the perfect weekend inspiration.
Step back, relax and unwind with the people and the things that make you happy this weekend. Enjoy!
Your reading nook looks so inviting. I could spend hours there reading and drinking coffee or tea!


Pregnancy: are you gaining the right amount of weight?
A recent study has found that not gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy puts mothers and babies at an increased probability of various health risks.
Research concluded that 75% of women do not gain a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy. The study, led by Monsah University researchers in Melbourne, Australia, discovered that women who gain too much weight during pregnancy are at a higher risk of having a large baby and undergoing a caesarean birth, whereas those women who do not gain enough weight have an 8% risk of having an underweight child and an 8% risk of premature birth.
The results revealed that 23% of women did not reach the recommended weight gain during pregnancy, whereas 47% of women gained too much weight. The study emphasized the recommended guidelines for healthy weight gain during pregnancy, which are 12.5kg to 18kg for underweight women, 11.5kg to 16kg for healthy weight women, 7kg to 11kg for overweight women, and 5kg to 9kg for obese women.
Professor Helena Teede led the research team, and emphasised the importance of women and health professionals closely monitoring weight gain during pregnancy; "Women need to be aware of what their individual recommended healthy pregnancy weight gain is and note that the old stories of confinement or resting throughout pregnancy and eating for two are not healthy for mothers or their babies."
Moving forward, Teede spoke about the importance of having healthy conversations with health professionals regarding the issue. "For health services and policy makers' recognition that effective simple health lifestyle interventions are available and now need to be incorporated into routine care to optimise reach and availability for all women."


Nice to know I'm not the only one who missed their strategy to tackle the illegal immigration problem. I thought maybe it was discussed on one of the occasions when I left the room, or switched to The First 48.
Strategy? None. I should have just watched "Honey, Boo, Boo", which got more viewers than the RNC.
I doubt that either candidate will address the illegal immigration problem during the conventions. Hopefully it will come up in the debates.
Well at least they didn't promise to give all the illegals amnesty like Obama is promising them if they re-elect him.
The lack of promises of quick and easy citizenship to all who manage to get illegally over the border is the only thing we really have I think.
Republicans are not going to get any more of the Hispanic vote unless they turn into Democrats on the issues so why pander to them in their native language?
Many American "Hispanics" DON'T speak Spanish and I DON'T see the point of even using that language cause unless above a certain age like maybe 60, a legal alien NEEDS to know English to become a US citizen. Illegals; who cares?
Yea, in between all the finger pointing, name calling and patting themselves on their own back.
Maybe Julian Castro, the keynote speaker at the DNC, will give some insight??? I'm wondering if the DNC will have subtitles in Spanish?


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ANCOR Names 2016 National and State DSPs of the Year
INARF's national partner ANCOR has announced its 2016 DSP Award recipients. The recipient of the 2016 National Direct Support Professional Recognition Award is Joshua Alford of Independent Opportunities in Somerset, KY. ANCOR will present the award to Alford at a ceremony honoring Direct Support Professionals (DSP) from across the nation on May 3rd at ANCOR's 2016 Conference: Get Smart! Get Inspired! Get It Done! in Chicago, IL in front of an anticipated audience of nearly 400 attendees. Indiana's 2016 State Direct Support Professional Recognition Award winner was Penny Hostetler of INARF member organization Dungarvin Indiana.
Since 2007, ANCOR has honored exceptional Direct Support Professionals with the Direct Support Professional Recognition Award for exemplary work in furthering community inclusion and full participation for the many Americans living with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities. Josh Alford was the standout of this year's field of 242 nominees. ANCOR also named state recipients of the DSP Recognition Award in 45 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.
INARF congratulates Mr. Alford and Ms. Hostetler on the receipt of these prestigious awards.


This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (the "Plan") outlines the policies, practices and actions that John Deere Canada ULC and John Deere Financial Inc. (collectively "John Deere" or the "Company") will implement in its Ontario operations to improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The Plan also incorporates and references John Deere's existing accessibility policies and practices in an effort to streamline the Company's efforts in achieving its accessibility goals, and to comply with all applicable laws.
John Deere is committed to treating all people, including individuals with disabilities, in a manner that respects their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. To this end, we are committed to meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities in a timely manner, and will identify, prevent and remove barriers to accessibility in all aspects of the Company's operations. John Deere is also committed to ensuring compliance with the accessibility requirements contained in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and its regulations ("AODA"). The Company's AODA Team will be responsible for ensuring the Company implements the obligations contained in this Plan in accordance with this Statement of Commitment.
John Deere is committed to providing Ontario customers and clients with any publicly available emergency information in an accessible manner, upon request. We will also provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information where necessary, in accordance with AODA. The Company will take steps to determine whether employees require individualized emergency response information on an ongoing basis as part of our facilities, human resources, and occupational health and safety functions.
John Deere understands that, as of January 1, 2014, AODA requires it to consider the needs of people with disabilities when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks. As such, prior to January 1, 2014, John Deere canvassed its operations to determine whether or not it has any involvement in designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks. To the extent such involvement is identified in the future, the Company will implement a policy and/or practice to ensure that accessibility issues are considered.
John Deere is committed to meeting the communication needs of individuals with disabilities. The Company will consult with such individuals to determine their information and communication needs and will provide information and communications in accessible formats and with communication supports in a timely manner (and at a cost that is no more than any regular cost) in accordance with the requirements of AODA. John Deere has developed practices to ensure that it can make publicly available information accessible to individuals with disabilities, upon request. The Company is also committed to specifically ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the ability to access John Deere's feedback processes. To this end, John Deere has completed a review of all existing feedback processes and considered the manner in which those processes can be made accessible upon request by individuals with disabilities. The public is hereby notified about the accessibility of feedback processes in accordance with AODA. John Deere has and will monitor the creation of any new internet websites and content including those internet websites undergoing a significant refresh and (as applicable) make those websites conform to WCAG 2.0 Level A. John Deere also recognizes its obligation under AODA to ensure the accessibility of its internet websites in accordance with WCAG 2.0 Level AA (with certain exceptions) by January 1, 2021. In general terms, the Company will take the following steps to ensure compliance with its AODA obligations with respect to accessible internet sites: (1) conduct a website audit to determine gaps; (2) develop a compliance plan to close gaps identified; (3) communicate plan to internal stakeholders; and (4) execute against the plan by January 1, 2021.
John Deere is committed to fair and accessible employment practices and to removing any barriers that prevent or hinder the career development of employees with disabilities at the Company. We have taken steps to: notify the public and staff that, when requested, John Deere will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment and selection process as well as during the course of employment; provide employees with employment-related information in accessible formats and with communication supports; develop individual accommodation and return-to-work policies and plans as required by AODA; and ensure the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities are taken into account in John Deere's performance management, career development and redeployment processes. We have: (1) conducted a gap analysis of employment practices in the areas of recruitment, performance management and career development; (2) reviewed existing accommodation policies and return to work practices; and (3) completed a project plan with timelines associated to the identified gaps and required policy updates.
John Deere will meet its AODA accessibility obligations in respect of the design of public spaces when building or making major modifications to public spaces, including service counters, fixed queuing lines and waiting areas. In order to ensure that accessibility issues are taken into account in the context of new builds and major modifications on or before January 1, 2017, John Deere will continue to adhere to all applicable building code requirements.
This Plan will be reviewed and updated by John Deere at least once every 5 years. At the time of revision, information regarding accessibility policies and practices adopted by the Company in accordance with the Plan or otherwise will be included in the revised Plan.
John Deere will maintain its accessibility policies in a written format. It will be made available to the public and accessible formats of this document will be provided free upon request.


text:
Nats Fan Holds On to Beers as World Series Ball Wallops Him
By Andrea Swalec	• Published on October 28, 2019 at 7:51 am
UPDATE (Oct. 29, 2019, 1:15 p.m. ET): The "beer guy" is headed to World Series Game 6! Go here for info.
A World Series ball is coming straight at you but you're holding a pricey beer in each hand. Do you go for the ball or try to hang on to the beers?
A Washington Nationals fan opted for the beers.
The Nats fan is being hailed as a "hero" after he gripped two Bud Lights as a ball flew at him during Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday night.
In the second inning, Houston Astros rookie Yordan Álvarez hit a home run. The ball hurtled toward the fan.
Video that's now viral shows the fan steel himself as the ball whizzes toward him. He's gripping a tall, blue can of Bud Light in each hand. He puffs out his cheeks as the ball hits him in the torso, but the beers are safe.
The "beer guy" is D.C. resident Jeff Adams, The Washington Post reported. He's likely bruised, but he said the hit didn't hurt too much.
"Listen. It's a World Series baseball. I didn't feel anything," he told the paper.
Bud Light, unsurprisingly, liked the video. "This man is a hero. Twitter please figure out who this guy is so we can reward him," a post to the brand's Twitter account said.
Some baseball fans said it only made sense to protect the expensive beers.
"Ok a beer at Nationals Park is like $15 so I can understand why he held on for dear life," one Twitter user wrote.
Adams reportedly took the ball home.


text:
<?php
namespace InventoryTest\Item\Rep;

use Application\Infrastructure\Persistence\Domain\Doctrine\CompanyQueryRepositoryImpl;
use Doctrine\ORM\EntityManager;
use Inventory\Infrastructure\Doctrine\ItemQueryRepositoryImpl;
use ProcureTest\Bootstrap;
use Procure\Domain\Exception\InvalidArgumentException;
use PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase;

class ItemVariantsTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
{

    protected $serviceManager;

    public function setUp()
    {}

    public function testCanCreateVariant()
    {
        try {
            /** @var EntityManager $doctrineEM ; */
            $doctrineEM = Bootstrap::getServiceManager()->get('doctrine.entitymanager.orm_default');

            $rep = new CompanyQueryRepositoryImpl($doctrineEM);
            // $filter = new CompanyQuerySqlFilter();
            $company = $rep->getById(1);
            $companyVO = $company->createValueObject();

            $rep = new ItemQueryRepositoryImpl($doctrineEM);

            $id = 5763;
            $token = "fbf18488-7fb1-403a-927a-6589b0a038c1";

            $rootEntity = $rep->getRootEntityById($id);
            \var_dump($rootEntity->makeSnapshot()->getStatistics());
        } catch (InvalidArgumentException $e) {
            // var_dump($e->getMessage());
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Separate class for list of objects? I have a class in Active Record pattern. Lets call it "Car". So I have all my methods like insert, update etc but they work only on single object. What if I want to work on a list of these objects? Should I create a separate class lets say "CarCollection" that will be used to work on list of Car objects? Or should I create a method in my Car class that will return a list of Car object? I am a beginner in OOP but the second option (method that returns a list) seems kinda wrong.
Thanks for answers.

A: As you say yourself: you'll have to work with a collection of cars. The question is in what class you're going to store this list.
When you're just using it as a standalone example you can store the collection in the class that holds your main method. In reality though you'll probably have a class Dealership or something similar that logically contains a list of cars.
There are other posibilities like classes specific for performing actions on a list of objects like a CarManager, but they are to be used with caution.

A: Not a huge fan of the active record pattern, but if you're going this route, I'd expect the methods that return multiple cars would still live in your Car class - you wouldn't use a separate class.
That seems to be the way Rails does it.

A: It is standard practice to use Arrays, List or Dictionary. I like using Dictionaries because it is VERY quicker to link classes together with unique entries.
Create a class (Not a struct) called car.
You can use it in a Dictionary to enable Primary Unique key acceleration.
Public class Car
{
 public string id;
 public string name;
}

Create:
Dictionary<string, Car> carList = new Dictionary<string, Car>();

You can add this inside your method and pass it as parameters or create it global (according to your application)
To add:
Car car = new Car(){id = "1", Name="car1"};
carList[car.id] = car;

You can use Linq to link your classes together (almost like SQL):
Basic LINQ Queries

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Accused Mar-a-Lago trespasser proclaims innocence; thanks US
by: TERRY SPENCER, Associated Press
Posted: Sep 9, 2019 / 10:39 AM EDT / Updated: Sep 9, 2019 / 06:55 PM EDT
FILE – In this April 15, 2019, file court sketch, Yujing Zhang, left, a Chinese woman charged with lying to illegally enter President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, listens to a hearing before Magistrate Judge William Matthewman in West Palm Beach, Fla. Zhang, 33, who is accused of trespassing at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club and lying to Secret Service agents will be tried by a jury after frustrating the federal judge hearing her case. (Daniel Pontet via AP, File)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A Chinese businesswoman defending herself on charges that she trespassed at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club and lied to Secret Service agents gave one of the shortest opening statements in legal history Monday, proclaiming her innocence and appreciation for the country that may put her prison.
After a federal prosecutor gave a 20-minute opening statement laying out Yujing Zhang's alleged lies that gained her access to the president's Palm Beach resort on March 30 and her suspicious activities during her brief presence on the grounds, Zhang stood at the defense table for 20 seconds and addressed the 10 women and two men.
"I don't believe I did anything wrong and that's what I want to say. USA, thank you," Zhang said in another unusual turn in an unusual case. She faces up to six years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutor Michael Sherwin, on the other hand, said evidence and testimony will show that Zhang's story to club employees and agents contained one lie after another as it evolved. First, the 33-year-old Shanghai consultant told a Secret Service agent outside the resort that she was there to visit the pool and didn't answer when an employee asked if she was the daughter of a member, he said.
The confusion over who she might be got her past two lines of security and into a reception area, where she surreptitiously took photos and video and told an employee first that she was there for a United Nations friendship meeting that didn't exist, and then that she was there for a dinner, Sherwin said. When confronted by Secret Service, she dashed into a restroom where an employee saw her frantically texting, he said. He said she then told agents she was there to meet with the president and his daughter, Ivanka Trump, about China-U.S. trade. The president and his family were staying at Mar-a-Lago that weekend, but he was at his nearby golf club when Zhang arrived.
Sherwin said Zhang spoke English well during her interaction with employees and agents, and was "calm, cool and collected."
"She wasn't nervous or rattled at all," Sherwin said an employee would testify. "She was extremely stoic."
Zhang's insistence on being her own attorney has frustrated District Judge Roy Altman. On Monday, jury selection had to be delayed as she came into court dressed in her brown jail clothes. Most defendants wear civilian clothes so the jury won't be prejudiced against them. Zhang said she had not put on the clothes she had been provided because the jail had not given her any underwear. After some discussion of over which agency was responsible, she retired to a holding cell and donned a copper blouse and khaki pants.
Altman tried repeatedly Monday to change Zhang's mind about representing herself as he has done during every hearing since she fired her public defenders in June. When he demanded that she answer yes or no if she wanted to use her attorneys, who are in court on standby, she went into a long monologue in Mandarin. Altman cut her off before it could be translated, and she said she didn't want them.
He spoke to Zhang sternly after she told him "I don't know why I am here" and said she wasn't prepared because she said she thought the trial had been canceled.
"You know precisely why you are here," Altman told her. He has repeatedly accused her at previous hearings of "playing games."
Zhang primarily used a translator Monday, but at one point told Altman she hadn't spoken Mandarin in months and was having a hard time following along.
"You speak Chinese — you are from China," Altman replied.
But her refusal to use an attorney might have harmed her case Monday. Prosecutors called Willy Isidore, a Palm Beach limo driver, who spent 20 minutes describing how he drove an Asian woman who was acting suspiciously to Mar-a-Lago's security checkpoint the night before Zhang's arrest.
When asked by prosecutor Rolando Garcia if he could identify the woman, however, he said he wasn't sure. An experienced defense attorney would have challenged Isidore and asked Altman to strike his testimony as unreliable, but Zhang said she had no questions.
Prosecutors have filed under seal secret evidence that they say has national security implications, even though Zhang is not charged with espionage. The Secret Service said when agents detained Zhang at Mar-a-Lago she was carrying a computer, a hard drive, four cellphones and a thumb drive containing malware, although agents later recanted the accusation about the malware.
Agents said Zhang told them she brought the electronics to Mar-a-Lago because she feared they would be stolen if left at her nearby hotel, but in her room they allegedly found a device to detect hidden cameras, computers, $8,000 in cash, and credit and debit cards.


text:
Breein Tyree sets a career-high in points as Ole Miss beats Middle Tennessee State
Guard Breein Tyree had a career-high 34 points in the Rebels' 82-63 win over Middle Tennessee State on Saturday.
Breein Tyree sets a career-high in points as Ole Miss beats Middle Tennessee State Guard Breein Tyree had a career-high 34 points in the Rebels' 82-63 win over Middle Tennessee State on Saturday. Check out this story on dnj.com: https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/ole-miss/2019/12/14/ole-miss-beats-middle-tennessee-behind-career-high-breein-tyree/2650996001/
Nick Suss, Mississippi Clarion Ledger Published 3:54 p.m. CT Dec. 14, 2019 | Updated 4:34 p.m. CT Dec. 14, 2019
OXFORD — Midway through the second half on Saturday, Ole Miss senior guard Breein Tyree used a stoppage in play to walk over and hug new football coach Lane Kiffin. In that moment, it was hard to tell which man was more popular.
Tyree had one of his best afternoons of his four seasons in Oxford on Saturday, scoring a career-high 34 points in Ole Miss' 82-64 win over Middle Tennessee State. With the win, Ole Miss improved to 7-3 while Middle Tennessee State dropped to 4-7.
In addition to his career high in points, Tyree also set a new career-high in 3-point baskets made with eight. He finished shooting 11-for-20 from the floor and 8-for-11 from 3-point distance with five rebounds and four assists.
"All week I've been shooting like that," Tyree said. "Not even just shooting like that, but guarding like that and rebounding pretty well. I just tried to keep it going."
Tyree's previous career high was 31 points, a feat he had achieved twice.
As for how Tyree's hug with Kiffin came around, Tyree said it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
"It was just something I saw," Tyree said. "I saw the opportunity and just took it. I was like 'Wow. That's Lane Kiffin. He's right there.' He said 'Keep balling.'"
How it went
As a team, Ole Miss shot 14-for-22 from 3-point distance. That marked the most 3-point baskets Ole Miss had scored in a game since Dec. 12, 2017 against Texas A&M Corpus-Christi.
Tyree began the game on an absolute tear. The senior guard started 6-for-6 from 3-point distance and finished the first half with 25 points. He shot 8-for-12 from the floor and 7-for-8 from 3-point distance for the half. Prior to Saturday, Tyree's season high for scoring was 24 points in a game.
"We looked like an All-SEC backcourt today," Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said. "We shared the ball. Devontae Shuler almost had a double-double with nine assists and 10 points. We got out in transition... A good win for us."
Ole Miss went into halftime with a 48-31 lead. Tyree wasn't the only sharpshooter in the period, as sophomore forward Blake Hinson finished the half with nine points on three 3-pointers.
Middle Tennessee State fought back early in the second half. The Blue Raiders trimmed Ole Miss' lead to 10 points with 17:06 remaining in the game. After that point, Ole Miss steadily increased its lead, winning by as many as 23 points in the second half.
Davis has complained that his team has struggled offensively because the ball has been "sticking" to the floor and his players haven't been passing or moving well. That seemed to change Saturday, as the Rebels finished with 23 assists on 28 made baskets. Ole Miss has only had more assists in a game once during Davis' tenure.
"The last three games, even Butler, our assists to baskets made has gotten much, much better," Davis said. "We're moving and we're scoring in the 80s. That's why. It's been a big improvement the last four or five days of work and it's going to stay a huge, huge emphasis with our team."
MTSU guard C.J. Jones finished with a team-high 23 points, tying a season-high. The Blue Raiders shot 44.1% from the floor, outscored Ole Miss in the paint 28-26 and kept pace with Ole Miss rebounding, finishing with 32 compared to the Rebels' 35.
The big difference for MTSU was bench scoring. Only three of the Blue Raiders' 64 points came from bench players. By comparison, Ole Miss scored 15 bench points.
Ole Miss will return to action next Saturday when the Rebels travel to Jackson to play against Southeastern Louisiana in the Mississippi Coliseum.
Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or nsuss@gannett.com. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.
Oakland's McGowan adjusts to leadership role, first-time coach
Lady Raiders notch 13th consecutive win over FIU
Blackman wrestlers outduel Oakland in battle for first in District 10-AAA
Oakland football players learn a lot about recruiting process
Lady Raiders win turnover-filled contest against the Owls
JaCoby Stevens to return to LSU for senior year


text:
import java.io.File

import sbt._
import sbt.io.Path._
import sbt.Keys._

/** Packages libraries built with JniNative. */
object JniPackage extends AutoPlugin {
  // The JvmPlugin is required or else it will override the resource generators when first included.
  override def requires: Plugins = JniNative && plugins.JvmPlugin
  override def trigger: PluginTrigger = allRequirements

  object autoImport {
    val unmanagedNativeDirectories: SettingKey[Seq[File]] =
      settingKey[Seq[File]](
        "Unmanaged directories containing native libraries. The libraries must be regular files contained in a " +
            "subdirectory corresponding to a platform. For example, " +
            "'<unmanagedNativeDirectory>/x86_64-linux/libfoo.so' is an unmanaged library for machines having the " +
            "'x86_64' architecture and running the Linux kernel.")

    val unmanagedNativeLibraries: TaskKey[Seq[(File, String)]] =
      taskKey[Seq[(File, String)]](
        "Reads 'unmanagedNativeDirectories' and maps libraries to their locations in the classpath " +
            "(i.e., their path in a fat JAR file).")

    val managedNativeLibraries: TaskKey[Seq[(File, String)]] =
      taskKey[Seq[(File, String)]](
        "Maps locally built, platform-dependant libraries to their locations on the classpath.")

    val nativeLibraries: TaskKey[Seq[(File, String)]] =
      taskKey[Seq[(File, String)]]("All native libraries, managed and unmanaged.")
  }

  import autoImport._

  lazy val settings: Seq[Setting[_]] = Seq(
    unmanagedNativeDirectories := Seq(baseDirectory.value / "lib_native"),
    unmanagedNativeLibraries := {
      unmanagedNativeDirectories.value.flatMap(dir => (dir ** "*").get.filter(_.isFile).pair(rebase(dir, "/native")))
    },
    managedNativeLibraries := {
      val platform: String = JniNative.autoImport.nativePlatform.value
      JniNative.autoImport.nativeCompile.value.map(l => l -> s"/native/$platform/${l.name}")
    },
    nativeLibraries := unmanagedNativeLibraries.value ++ managedNativeLibraries.value,
    resourceGenerators += Def.task {
      val libraries: Seq[(File, String)] = nativeLibraries.value
      val resources: Seq[File] = for ((file, path) <- libraries) yield {
        // Native library as a managed resource file.
        val resource = resourceManaged.value / path
        // Copy native library to a managed resource, so that it is always available on the classpath, even when not
        // packaged in a JAR file.
        IO.copyFile(file, resource)
        resource
      }
      resources
    }.taskValue
  )

  override lazy val projectSettings: Seq[Def.Setting[_]] = inConfig(Compile)(settings) ++ inConfig(Test)(settings)
}