Marijn Verschure, General Manager C.A.S.T.
C.A.S.T. is located in the center of the Netherlands and is the trading platform for shoes, bags, leather goods, travel articles and accessories. C.A.S.T. presents itself as a modern indoor shopping center and has an area of 20,000 m2. Together agents, importers, wholesalers and representatives of domestic and foreign manufacturers present an international selection of more than 600 brands in 160 showrooms.
C.A.S.T. not only houses permanent exhibitors, but also organizes tradeshows and events in which guest exhibitors with particularly interesting collections participate.
The management has indicated that they want to have more insight into the visitor movements within C.A.S.T. and project this information on the type of 'visitors'. In addition, there is the possibility to build an app to share information with these visitors in the future. Everything with the focus to better match supply and demand of the (potential) customer.
PFM provided C.A.S.T. with several counting points to map the hotspots. We use the latest technology with an accuracy of 98%. The data from these sensors is visible in the PFM Advantage Dashboard and ensures there is 24/7/365 insight into visitor numbers. In addition, there is 'almost' real-time access to visitor numbers per zone, floor and total.
C.A.S.T has a great focus on professionalisation. In addition to the regular opening days, they also offer exhibitors special opening days focused on a specific product segments and tradeshows to serve the right visitors. By gaining more insight into visitor numbers during such days, C.A.S.T. is able to evaluate these specific days. With these valuable insights, C.A.S.T. able to optimise their business.
More information on C.A.S.T. can be found here.


Small, but deadly. These tiny speaker cubes, measuring just under 2.5 inches square, have not one, but two speakers inside. JVC has packed a lot of sound into these SP-A440 Active Speakers.
If you're in the market for some a new set of desktop speakers or a compact iPod-based audio system, these might fit the bill. They come in four colors, black, red, silver, or white and will set you back $79 for the set. The included speaker stands will also let you position them just right, and they will disappear into anyone's decor.


My name is Nathan Holt and I have been studying, practicing and 'consciously' applying metaphysics and the Law of Attraction in my life for the last 3 years. I say consciously because this Law is in operation all the time but when we become consciously aware of it we can then utilise it to create the life we desire.
I am an artist by profession for the last 10 years, due to experiencing a Godself awakening 13 years ago and my mediums of choice to express this were art, music and writing. Previous to this life changing experience I was working in the corporate world of computer engineering for a global company.
Further more to my story, about five years ago in 2012 I discovered I could feel a strong energy coming from my hands. I played around with it and showed my close friends and family who all described a deep calmness when I focused this energy onto them. Long story short, I have performed many sessions on many people from all walks of life, and I now include this energy work in my professional life.
As you can now imagine, I have a good insight into the golden thread of divine energy that flows through all of us and indeed everything. The information I have received through consciously connecting regularly to this divine source has included details of how to use the Law to attract what we desire.
I have studied the ancient truths of our incredible ancestral civilisations and the works of great metaphysicians of our contemporary era such as Wallace D. Wattles, Neville Goddard, Napolean Hill, Norman Vincent Peale, Jack Canfield, the Seth, Abraham and Bashar channels plus many more inspirational beings. All of these sources express the empowering teachings of The Law of Attraction.
I love this life and embrace both the physical and nonphysical aspects of it. I feel the calling for mainstream business and money beliefs to come more into alignment with the creative, abundant and expansive true nature of life, and that is where the inspiration for this website came from.
I have created this website to provide a place where people can come to access metaphysical information on The Law, business, money and any other aspect of life that comes to mind. I believe that to ask questions, share our own experiences, connect with likened minds and businesses and also find links to courses and other resources will enhance the knowledge, understanding and application of this incredibly empowering Law.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to visit Metaphysical Corporation and for reading this page.
I have already imagined you living the life you desire in all its glory!


TOP > Business Copywriter – attract The perfect One.or better!
Business Copywriter – attract The perfect One.or better!
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During the past couple months, ransomware known as CryptoLocker has made its presence known in homes and businesses around the world. While ransomware is not a new concept, the pervasiveness of CryptoLocker, combined with its strong encryption, make it a particularly nefarious, nasty and destructive ongoing threat.
• Make sure your operating system is up-to-date with the latest security patches.
• Encrypt the files you particularly want to keep private, such as documents containing your passwords or personal information, to prevent criminals from reading what's in them. Read this useful "Ask Jack" post on the Guardian technology blog to find out more about encrypting your files.


text:
NewsHillsborough County
New Vanessa Guillén law changes military investigations into sexual assault, harassment
WFTS
By: Wendi Lane
TAMPA, Fla. — It's estimated that 20,000 sexual assaults occur in the military every year… and most of them go unreported, But now a historic new law that goes into effect January 1, is focused on getting victims help and justice.
Jacob Manning is retired from the U.S. Army, and is a military sexual assault survivor. Manning says he suffered for decades after being brutally sexually assaulted by fellow soldiers during a hazing ritual while at Fort Drum.
"I had been beat so bad, from that beating I suffered from narcolepsy and seizures, and the inability to have children," said Manning.
Manning said he tried to report the crime to his sergeant, but nothing was done.
"He said, 'Are you saying something or are you saying that you're gay?' And I was like no, and he said, 'You're new to the unit, just keep your mouth shut and move forward.' My whole career went downhill," said Manning.
According to the Department of Defense, there are an estimated 20,000 military sexual assaults a year. But in 2019 only 138 resulted in convictions. That's less than one percent of victims getting justice.
"The military justice sentencing system is really no different than George Washington's in 1775. All the reforms we've seen in the civilian world have not been caught up in the military," said Col. Don Christensen, founder of "Protect Our Defenders."
For 30 years, Christensen has been a lawyer for military sexual assault victims. He also runs "Protect Our Defenders," an organization dedicated to fighting for survivors and advocating for better laws to protect them.
Laws, like the monumental Vanessa Guillen Act that was just signed by the president and takes effect on January 1, 2022.
"What event really pushed us over the top sadly was the murder of Vanessa Guillen. That really highlighted the failures of the military justice system," said Christensen.
Under the new law, military commanders will no longer be involved in military sexual harassment or sexual assault investigations. The decision to prosecute sexual assault and sexual harassment will be made outside the service member's chain of command and they will be offered protection against retaliation.
"I would say this is the most significant justice reform in our nation's history when it to the military," said Christensen.
Christensen says while he and others have worked decades trying to make change, things erupted after news broke of the murder of U.S. Army specialist Vanessa Guillen.
The 20-year-old was stationed at Fort Hood. Last year, her body was found dismembered two months after she went missing from the base. The suspect was a fellow soldier who she had told her family was sexually harassing her.
"They weren't afraid to take a bullet for our country but they were afraid to report sexual harassment or misconduct, and it's quite troubling," said Natalie Khawam, a Tampa attorney representing the Guillen family.
Khawam was one of many pushing for this new law to pass.
"It's a monumental day, it's actually historical because our military has never had these protections before," said Khawam.
Protections than Manning never got. He says he struggled with addiction for years and made several suicide attempts while suffering from military sexual trauma. But, he says his faith in Jesus saved him and helped him find forgiveness. He's sharing his story to bring hope to survivors and says he believes the new law will give survivors the hope to heal.
"So they don't have to go through the avenues of the drug abuse, the alcohol abuse, the self-mutilation, and all the other traumas that come with it. Yes, there will be trauma, but there's hope that they can get it fixed early on instead of waiting years and years and letting it boil up inside and destroy your life," said Manning.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can receive confidential help by calling the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network's 24/7 toll-free support line at 800-656-4673.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


BELLEVUE, Wash. (DTN) -- Delegates to the National Farmers Union annual convention here on Tuesday maintained the group's commitment to addressing climate change, but they rejected a proposal that it become involved in the Green New Deal that some Democrats in Congress have proposed.
The NFU, the nation's second-largest general farm organization and the most Democratic-leaning one, has long been involved in the climate change debate and has shown more willingness to address the issue than most other farm groups on the grounds that carbon sequestration and other farm practices offer farmers opportunities as well as challenges.
NFU's rejection of the Green New Deal reflects the backlash it has created in rural America.
This year, state delegations brought policy proposals on the Green New Deal, regenerative agriculture, and climate change to the convention, and the NFU's policy committee combined them into a document that did not endorse the Green New Deal as written but did use the term.
The proposal said: "The Green New Deal is a bold proposal to transform our society, but as it stands, the resolution appeals to an urban voter base and does not recognize the essential contribution of rural America."
The proposal continued: "We need to have a seat at the table as the Green New Deal framework is being developed. National Farmers Union policy supports no less than 30 individual positions that align with the core values of the Green New Deal."
But delegates from states such as North Dakota and Montana, as well as California, did not want to be associated with policy and phrasing that has been promoted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and others viewed as on the left of the Democratic Party.
As Ryan Taylor, a delegate from North Dakota and former Democratic state legislator and gubernatorial candidate, put it, "The Green New Deal is polarizing language."
Not all delegates agreed. One Wisconsin delegate said that NFU should get together with "these energetic young legislators" who are "driving the discussions" and influence them on policies that affect farmers.
Republicans have pounced on the Green New Deal and the most-overreaching elements of its advocates. Last weekend's Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) conference was filled with lines about Democrats wanting to ban cows or hamburgers.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, one of the Senate's most ardent defenders of biofuels and wind turbines, took to the Senate floor to criticize the Green New Deal on Tuesday and pointed out the reference to Franklin Roosevelt's original New Deal.
"Just like the original, the Green New Deal sounds like really bold action," Grassley said. "But it's really a jumble of half-cocked policies that will dampen economic growth and will hurt jobs. Everything our government ought to be trying to do is to encourage economic growth and to create jobs."
Several Republican senators are lined up Wednesday to condemn the proposal on the Senate floor.
Some farm groups have responded by denouncing the Green New Deal. The Iowa Cattlemen's Association issued a statement last week citing that "eliminating meat consumption would only have a very minor impact on the environment."
"In fact, removing all livestock and poultry from the U.S. food system would only reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by less than one-half of 1%," said Mark Deppe, CEO of the Iowa Cattlemen's Association.
While debate rages over the Democrats' climate proposal, some farm groups continue working to highlight the low-carbon benefits of cropping practices. Just this week, the American Coalition for Ethanol, National Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Farmers Union and the Natural Resources Defense Council all submitted comments supporting a $25 million USDA pilot project to test and measure soil carbon sequestration. Famers involved in the project will be paid to implement practices that sequester carbon and improve soil health.
"This demonstration project will help justify our work to position corn ethanol as part of the solution to policies at the state and federal level aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Brian Jennings, CEO of the American Coalition for Ethanol.
The American Farm Bureau Federation also released a Market Intel report Tuesday on agriculture and greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture equaled about 9% of U.S. emissions by economic sector in 2017, but that data doesn't reflect the emission reductions by carbon sequestered in grasslands and forestry. Agricultural emissions have risen, but those emission numbers don't reflect the growth in U.S. agricultural productivity.
"U.S. Farmers and ranchers are producing more crops, livestock, fruits and vegetables, fuel and fiber than ever before while using less water, protecting against erosion and conserving more soil, avoiding nutrient loss, increasing wildlife habitat and improving biodiversity while using less cropland," AFBF's report stated.
Frank Mitloehner, an animal-science professor and air-quality Extension specialist at the University of California-Davis, reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's team about agriculture and the Green New Deal after seeing social media posts late last month about "farting cows" that drew a great deal of attention.
"I appreciate her interest in climate-change mitigation, but the 800-pound gorilla is the use of fossil fuels, and I told her that even the notion of cow flatulence makes this whole thing sound silly, and that's not what we need this discussion to be," Mitloehner told DTN in an interview.
Mitloehner got a call from staff at New Consensus, which operates as an outside group for Ocasio-Cortez and others promoting the Green New Deal. Mitloehner said the focus on livestock and agriculture in general not only drifts away from the debate about fossil fuels but highlights one more attempt by urban policymakers to try to tell farmers how to do their jobs.
The discussion needs to shift, Mitloehner said, because farmers and livestock producers can bring far more to the table when it comes to carbon mitigation and growing renewable energy.
"Currently, we have all kinds of people from urban centers who are leading the discussions. They tell farmers what sustainability is, and tell farmers how to farm who have never set foot on a farm," Mitloehner said. "They have never set foot on a farm, never had soil from the farm on their hands. Yet they are driving the discussion, and that is driving me insane."
The Green New Deal, the way it was rolled out and the leaders behind it have largely added gas to a fire in rural America. Farmers are largely cognizant of the debate around climate change, but resist being accused of adding to the problem.
"Most farmers are very negative about the whole discussion around greenhouse gases and their contributions," Mitloehner said.
Mitloehner said he told Ocasio-Cortez's New Consensus staff, if they were serious about making changes, they can't turn their backs on farmers. At the same time, Mitloehner added that farmers themselves need to be more at the forefront of the conversation about climate change.
"I want to turn frustration into renewed energy into encouraging the farm community to own the topic. This is not a cuss word," Mitloehner said. "This I what they do. Sustainability is what they do day in and day out. So don't let it get hijacked by people who use it to throw arrows at you."
The risks of long-term climate change show increased challenges to food production while the global population keeps rising. The latest National Climate Assessment cites that climate change will "alter the stability of food supplies and create new food security challenges for the United State as the world seeks to feed 9 billion people by 2050."
Mitloehner noted, "I think this is a danger to the national security of our country and the food supply chain that supports all of us." At the same time, he said, "What's really important is the finger-pointing stops, that farmers are explained to what this is all about and they become open to it."


text:
Q: oracle sql to convert timestamp to date i have to convert different timezone string to date. in my table, i have column defined as varchar2. which contains data as below. i need to convert to one time zone(exampple to central time) and extract date from that. i tried different ways but getting invalid month error or not date. ANy suggestions from your end?
1/16/2020 6:28:44 AM -08:00
11/8/2019 3:20:30 AM -05:00
10/25/2019 6:08:21 PM +05:30

A: I believe you first need to convert it to timestamp with timezone ad then cast it to date:
select CAST(to_timestamp_tz (dat_col, 'MM/DD/YYYY HH12:MI:SS AM TZH:TZM' ) AS DATE)
from test

here is a demo
This will turn your data into specific timezone :
select
to_timestamp_tz(dat_col, 'MM/DD/YYYY HH12:MI:SS AM TZH:TZM')at time zone 'Europe/Moscow'
from test

Then you can cast that :
select
CAST
(to_timestamp_tz(dat_col, 'MM/DD/YYYY HH12:MI:SS AM TZH:TZM')at time zone 'Europe/Moscow'
AS DATE)
from test

Please provide your expected results for more accurate code...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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More than 1,000 players have already signed up to compete in World Squash Day's 2020 Challenge to back the sport's Olympic bid.
Less than a week after the launch of the 2012 World Squash Day, which takes place on October 20th, clubs from around the world have flocked to sign up for the groundbreaking "Team Squash v Team 2020" match which organisers hope will be the biggest sports match in history.
Clubs from England, Scotland, Belgium, Italy, India, Pakistan, New Zealand and the Czech Republic have already committed to the match and many thousands more are expected to follow suit.
The format at each club is to have two teams of 20 players, each representing Team Squash or Team 2020, although many clubs have already signed up to hold 30-a-side events.
Each individual match between two players is played to 20 points, and the club's total score is added to the global tally to decide the ultimate winners.
Clubs are planning a range of activities to run alongside the match to promote the game and back the World Squash Federation's bid for inclusion in the Olympic Programme for 2020.
Some clubs are holding radar gun challenges to see if anyone can beat Australian Cam Pilley's world record speed of 175mph, while others are holding doubles challenges, free coaching, big screen videos of famous players, Olympic petitions, and more!


text:
... and in regard to measures for the prevention of epidemic and contagious diseases; and when pestilence prevails, it is their duty to face the danger, and to continue their labors for the alleviation of the suffering, even at the jeopardy of their own...
Transactions - Сторінка 339
автори: American Medical Association - 1864
Повний перегляд - Докладніше про цю книгу
The Mobile Medical and Surgical Journal, Том 2
...location, arrangement and dietaries of hospitals, asylums, schools, prisons and similar institutions; in regard to measures for the prevention of epidemic...their labors for the alleviation of the suffering people, even at the risk of their own lives. "Sec. 3. Physicians when called on by legally constituted...
Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association
American Medical Association - 1903 - 35 стор.
...location, arrangement and dietaries of hospitals, asylums, schools, prisons and similar institutions; in regard to measures for the prevention of epidemic...their labors for the alleviation of the suffering people, even at the risk of their own lives. PHYSICIANS AS WITNESSES. SEC. 3.—Physicians, when called...
Southern Practitioner, Том 25
...location, arrangement, and dietaries of hospitals, asylums, schools, prisons and similar institutions ; in regard to measures for the prevention of epidemic...their labors for the alleviation of the suffering poople, even at the risk of their own lives. SEC. 3. — Physicians, when called on by legally constituted...
The St. Louis Medical Review, Том 47
...location, arrangement, and dietaries of hospitals, asylums, schools, prisons and similar institutions ; in regard to measures for the prevention of epidemic...their labors for the alleviation of the suffering people, even at the risk of their own lives. Sec. 3. — Physicians, when called on by legally constituted...
Physician and Surgeon, Том 25
...location, arrangement, and dietaries of hospitals, asylums, schools, prisons and similar institutions in regard to measures for the prevention of epidemic...their labors for the alleviation of the suffering people, even at the risk of their own lives. SECTION 3. — Physicians, when called on by legally constituted...
Physicians' and Dentists' Directory of the States of Pennsylvania, New ...
1903 - 552 стор.
...and similar institutions; in relation to the medical police of towns, as drainage, ventilation, etc.; and In regard to measures for the prevention of epidemic...and to continue their labors for the alleviation of suffering, even at the jeopardy of itheir own lives. SECT. 2. Medical men should also be always ready,...
Nashville Journal of Medicine and Surgery, Том 71
...to their profession, as on questions of sanitary police, public hygiene and legal medicinepestilence .prevails, it is their duty to face the danger and...their labors for the alleviation of the suffering people, even at the risk of their own lives. " Sec. 3. Physicians, when called on by legally constituted...
The Medical Dial: A Monthly Record of Medicine & Surgery, Том 2
...similar institutions; in relation to the medical police of towns, as drainage, ventilation, etc. ; in regard to measures for the prevention of epidemic and contagious diseases," and "when called on by the legally constituted authorities, to enlighten coroners' inquests and courts of justice...
Transactions of the Texas State Medical Association, Том 22
...of towns, as drainage, ventilation, etc., and in regard to measures tor the prevention of epidemics and contagious diseases; and, when pestilence prevails,...suffering, even at the jeopardy of their own lives. SEC. 2. Medical men should, also, be always ready, when called on by the legally constituted authorities,...
Transactions of the Homoeopathic Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania
...and similar institutions; in relation to the medical police of towns, drainage, ventilation, etc., and in regard to measures for the prevention of epidemic...and to continue their labors for the alleviation of suffering and the saving of life, even at the risk of their own lives. SECTION 2. Physicians should...
Уперед


There are many things to consider when you get hit with hail on your vehicle.
Will this raise my premiums if I claim it?
Should I fix it myself?
I will attempt to answer all these questions and provide you with the right insight to make the correct decision for you particular situation. Hail damage is a very costly thing to fix so if you have comprehensive insurance and the damage is over $1,000, you should probably make the move if your deductible is $500 or less.
If you think you have $1,000 in damage, you probably have more like $3,000 in damage.
If your deductible is at least half of the damage then it's a no brainer as if you don't fix it, it will come back to haunt you in the near future. Like when you either sell your vehicle or you get into some other damage problems. If you get into some other type of damage you end up claiming then they will deduct the amount of the hail damage from your settlement and you will end up loosing big time.
Will a hail claim increase my insurance premiums?
It will depend upon your state's laws and insurance carrier's ratings system, but generally comprehensive claims of this nature don't affect your rates. There are even some states that don't allow surcharges for comprehensive claims or claims where you are not at fault.
Claims for damages caused by natural events typically are not held against you, since they are unforeseeable and out of your control. But you should check with your insurer to be certain.
Keep in mind that even if your rates can't be raised due to a hail claim, the number of claims placed against your policy can affect your rates. If you have recently placed other claims, the total amount of claims made could cause you to be seen as a higher risk, and thus you'll pay more.
First Question: Am I covered for hail damage on my vehicle?
This is a very common question when it comes to hail damage as many people think that it's not covered. On the contrary, most insurance policies that have comprehensive and above will cover you for hail unless otherwise stated. You can look at your insurance policy and if it says anything about storm coverage or disaster coverage then you will be just fine.
You're covered for hail damage only if you've purchased comprehensive insurance coverage or better. Sometimes this is known as "other than collision," which also covers theft, and disasters.
For this you will have to pay your comprehensive insurance amount but we can cover this for you so you pay nothing out of pocket. Or if you do pay your deductible we will remove any and all prior damage that is repairable by PDR.
Very minor hail damage, like $1000 or less is probably not worth claiming unless your deductible amount is less than $250. This way you will get your vehicle repaired for nothing at all.
We understand that hail dent damage puts a problem in front of you that you would rather just sweep under the rug. Many people could live with dings and would rather just not go through the claim process. We are here to tell you that it's a better idea, just to get it fixed, because it can come back to haunt you in the future. . Others have no problem in filing a comprehensive insurance claim as they know it will not affect them in any way. Just as long as your deductible isn't crazy expensive we will cover all the costs including car rental.
Should you fix your car? YES you should, unless the deductible is too high without enough damage to merit doing the claim.
Should you keep a hail-damaged car that's been totaled? Well this depends if you can live with a hail dented car. If they totaled it then it might mean that the damage was way severe and in this case you can keep the car and use some of the remaining money to get many of the unsightly dents repaired with our pick and choose approach.
Do I have to repair my vehicle?
If you are the full owner of your vehicle, meaning there is no lean holders then you have the choice to do what you will with the insurance settlement. You can fix the full car, fix half the car or not fix any of it at all.
If you are thinking of doing this it's best to have us or some other company on your side when you are dealing with the insurance company. If the insurance company knows you are not going to fix it or knows there is not any body shop or dent repair service involved they will take advantage of you. We can help you maximize your return and you will pay us much less than you will gain then going through it on your own.
It's a good idea to fix your vehicle because if you are involved in another hail storm or if you are in an accident they will deduct what they gave you from the previous hail damage if you didn't fix it. This is why it's a good idea to have someone on your side that can fix it and say it was fixed by providing a receipt of repair.
If you have a loan outstanding on the car, yes, you probably will have to fix your car. Any settlement check will arrive made out to both you and your lien holder, which will want the value of the asset it still owns protected.
Does hail damage affect the title of the car?
The insurance company has declared it a total loss.
Your state allows hail damage as the sole reason for a salvage title.
If the car is not declared salvage, the title is still clean which is the case with over 90% of the vehicles out there with hail damage. . The damage may show up on electronic notification systems such as Carfax, if you don't fix it.
Can I keep my totaled hail car?
You can totally decide to keep your totaled car if you want but there are some things to consider before you do. If your car is declared totaled and you love the vehicle and it's a good vehicle then it might be best to keep it and fix it little by little and live with some of the rest. If your car was worth $12,000 before the hailstorm and your insurance company places its salvage value at $7,000, it will send you a check for the difference — minus your deductible, of course then you buy it back and keep the rest of the money and use it to fix the vehicle.
This only makes sense if you have a good vehicle and you get payed more than you would by just settling and getting a new car for a better cash price then the car you have.
You may need an inspection before the car is allowed back on the road. The title will be "branded" — forever reflecting the car's declaration as a total loss. Some states have a hail-damage notation for titles.
A car with a branded title is difficult to insure for comprehensive and collision coverage's because its value is difficult to determine.
Will gap insurance cover the loss in my vehicles total value?
Gap insurance will not cover the diminished resale value of your car. Gap insurance pays only in cases where a car is totaled, and it pays only the difference between what is owed on the car and what it was worth before it was damaged, minus any deductible.
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Dash is British sparkling spring water infused with wonky fruit and vegetables for a dash of flavour containing no sugar, sweeteners or calories.
We want to encourage people to start drinking more water and stop throwing away deliciously-wonky fruit and veg. Both from farming backgrounds, we've seen first-hand just how much produce never even gets to our plates.
We sampled our flavours in parks around London to see if people would swap their usual sugar or artificially filled fizzy drink with a healthy, natural, beverage.
We received amazing feedback which gave us the confidence that we weren't the only ones who loved our infusions!
Absolutely, I've always been keen to create an exciting and innovative start-up.
The food amd beverage space is buzzing with people looking for more specialist products so it's a great time to get going!
Dash was backed by the Virgin StartUp team who gave us investment and a great mentor to launch the brand.
We infuse our spring water with either wonky lemons or cucumbers in Herefordshire. These are then packaged in our recyclable cans and are retailed in top speciality stores around the UK.
Creating an innovative beverage for the first time is never easy, it took us about a year and a half to perfect our infusions before we were confident to launch!
Launching into Selfridges, Planet Organic and Daylesford.
With the ease of retailing online and connecting with customers on social media there's never been an easier time to start a business.
To keep encouraging people to drink more water and less sugar as well as raising awareness about food waste.


text:
Category Archives: European Union
Donald Trump, Europe, European Union, Iran, JCPOA, Middle East Nuclear, nuclear Iran
Iran Nuclear Deal: Is Europe Going Back to its Historic 'Plan B' of Appeasing a Bully?……..
Tweet to https://twitter.com/ text
"It looks as though Britain, France, and Germany have decided to appease President Donald Trump to discourage him from withdrawing the United States from the July 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA). "After meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May… and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said they had agreed to set up a working group of experts on fixing flaws in the landmark 2015 agreement that President Trump has warned he will walk away from this spring unless adjustments are made to his liking." (PBS)….. "France's foreign minister said on Sunday he would visit Iran on March 5 to discuss its ballistic missile program and the nuclear deal agreed with world powers in 2015." (Reuters)…. "Germany is lobbying among European allies to agree new sanctions against Iran …………"
So, there are some early signs of fissure. Weak signs so far, but ominous. Are the Europeans, sans Russia, going back on their own commitment to the nuclear deal (JCPOA)? Are they going to unwittingly nickle and dime it to death by chipping away at its credibility? Are they going to yield, gradually, to the new loud-mouth bully in the White House?
Are they falling back on their perennial Plan B when facing pressure from bullies? Are they going back to their own old pattern of appeasement of bullies who threaten war?
Appeasement eventually leads to what it was hoped to prevent, just as it did in Europe decades ago. The war the Europeans have tried to avoid.
AppeasementEuropeJCPOAMiddle East WarsTrump
Europe, European Union, Fascism, France
In France the Choice is Clear: a Smug Corrupt Establishment Circles the Wagons Around Macron……
After the first round of French presidential elections on Sunday the media, especially in the USA, has simplified matters as a race between sanity and madness, moderation and extremism. No, it ain't that simple.
France's famous pop-philosopher Bernard–Henri Lévy is a good representative of the ruling elites of France. Recently he waxed eloquent about the establishment candidate, Emmanuel Macron. He compared him to John F Kennedy. I don't know M. Macron, but I know a lot about Jack Kennedy. Macron is no Jack Kennedy. He is more like Bill Clinton, and we know what he did in the 1990s, the deals he cut against trade unions and poor minorities who kept voting for him and his wife because they were terrified of the rapacious Republicans.
Macron represents the usual candidate of a corrupt smug French establishment. He is just younger. If he comes to power his instinct will be to toe the European and Globalist line, strip the middle and lower classes of France of as much of the social safety net as he can get away with. He is closer to the British conservatives than to an American liberal, but just barely (American liberals are also closer to British conservatives than they like to think or admit).
Marine Le Pen appeals to many French and European racists, no doubt. But she is in fact closer to the working classes of France than even the Socialists have been lately. She is no Donald Trump, she is more genuine in her own way. Trump is a billionaire with phony populist claims, he got elected by deceiving many voters with a fake agenda. Trump's first instinct upon taking power has been to try and strip the health and other benefits middle class and poorer Americans get, in favor of giving the rich more tax cuts.
Trump's other instinct has been typical of the American establishment in recent years: if all else fails at home, start or expand (or surge) an existing foreign war. This is typical of both major parties: Republican and Democrat. (Expect an escalation in Yemen, Syria, Libya, possibly in the Persian Gulf if the Arabian king and this princes get their way).
Le Pen might, or might not, pull France out of the European Union. She might scale back cooperation. That is what scares the establishment the most: they have so many vested interests, so much invested in the European plan.
In this coming election the left and the right-center are the terrified establishment, and the Front National represents the insurgency. Possibly a genuine insurgency, not a fake reality-TV insurgency that brought Trump into the White House.
Bernard-Henri LévyFrance2017Front NationalMacronMarine Le Pen
Donald Trump, European Union, U.S. Foreign Policy, U.S. Politics, USA
A Second American Century, But Trump Can't Lead the Free World: Und Warum Nicht?…….
The United States has been leading the "Free World" since the second week of December 1941. Seventy Six years of uninterrupted U.S. domination of the West and of the world. It has managed to do so through various presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama. All based on the strength of the US economy, US military, and the attractive American ideals.
But with this last election of 2016, the Shining City on the Hill looks less shiny to more in the world. Don't get me wrong: the American ideal and its attraction still exist, its pull beckons both the needy and the persecuted and oppressed from across the world. Its freedom of speech and expression is unequaled, so far. But the new American ruling classes are not in sync with the rest of the Industrial World, with the rest of the Western World.
Some years ago in Paris, in my other carnation, I was at a lunch near Avenue Georges V with some French associates. They were curious what I thought the new 21st century would be like. They had doubts about another American Century. Europe was consolidating, asserting itself; China was grown, opening. I surprised and seemingly displeased them by asserting that this new century will also be an American Century, a Second American Century. I said that I can't see any challenger in Europe or in Asia to the United States of America. The allure, the values, and openness of America continue.
I still do: I can't see any challenger to America as the world's dominant power. Nor as the world's ideal destination, and as the main source of human innovation. Emma Lazarus endures……
But the new ruling classes that took power in January are small and mean by normal American standards. Possibly the worst in the past hundred years. The louder he praises his appointees, the smaller they look. They are not what the world is used to. They are not what most Americans are used to. And they are not nearly as honest as Americans are used to in their ruling classes.
Trump is no Roosevelt, and no Kennedy: a comparison would be an insult to both those dynasties. He has no vision of a New Deal type restructuring. He has no group of the Best and Brightest advising him. No "we are going to the moon" ideal. And he is no war hero, on the contrary…… Instead he has a gaggle of the meanest, greediest, and most selfish people advising him and running government departments. He appeals to some baser instincts in America (every nation in the world has them).
His first legislative act was to try and deprive millions of Americans of their health care coverage. With the goal of clearing up billions of dollars to finance tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, like himself and his associates. That has failed spectacularly. By executive order he has sought to destroy the beautiful natural treasures of this country, turning the treasures over to developers. Making the United States into another Brazil.
I can go on and on. The Second American Century is here. Unfortunately Mr. Trump and his gaggle of extremist ideologues and small thinkers can't lead it. They are not qualified, and the rest of the world will not follow. His administration is the only Industrial Country Government that denies Climate Change and Evolution and Healthcare as a human right.
America's best chance now is that Donald Trump will do something stupid that gets him impeached and convicted.
As he liked to yell during his noisy campaign rallies: Get Him out of Here!
Donald TrumpEmma LazarusEuropeJFKSecond American Century
Economics, Europe, European Union, Greece
Greek Drama: Beware Europeans Bearing Poisonous Gifts……..
July 15, 2015 Mohammed Haider Ghuloum
Several years of disastrous economic policies imposed by the IMF and the European Union and its bureaucrats have brought Greece to its knees.
Now that Greece is in a deep recession, with low income and terrible high unemployment, the same European bureaucrats are set to impose deeper tightening economic policies on Greece. What can result from deeper tightening in an economy that is in deep recession with little to export? Why, the next step is logically a depression.
What seems to matter most to European bureaucrats is that European governments and banks do not reduce Greek debt. Unlike decades ago in the 1950s when the United States and others canceled about 50% for German foreign debt and extended reduced payments over several decades. But that was when the West was facing the Soviet challenge and needed to showcase the Western part of Germany. There is no Communist challenge, so the West can afford to tighten the screws on Greece, so the Greek people will suffer for many decades, years after they leave Europe. Unless the Europeans come to their senses.
EconomicsEuropean UnionGreeceTsipras
Arab Revolutions, Arabian Peninsula, European Union, GCC, Yemen
A Solution: Hadi to Join European Union, Erdogan to Join Gulf GCC……..
During the turmoil of the Arab uprisings of 2011, the Saudi king came up with an interesting idea, what Americans would call "a dilly". He invited two unlikely Arab kingdoms to join the Gulf Cooperation Council– GCC: humorless Jordan and faraway but certainly more exotic Morocco. Even though the two countries are not located on the Persian Gulf, unlike for example Iraq or Iran or even the United States Navy. Anyway, I opined loudly and persistently that it will never happen, that it was a knee-jerk reaction by the Saudis to the Arab turmoil around them. I suggested that they will end up at most with a sort of watered-down 'association'. As it happened the Arab turmoil turned the wrong way, and the princes used their money wisely to influence events in Egypt, Bahrain, Syria, Libya, and Yemen. Or so they thought. There was even some loose talk of membership and maybe association with military-ruled Egypt. Yemen was never mentioned at that time.
The invitations to the kingdoms of Morocco and Jordan were quietly shelved. The assumption was that Yemen can also forget about it. Now that the country is in turmoil, its former president is on the run, the issue comes up. Reports claim that the former president AbdRabuh Hadi is formally applying for membership of the GCC. The man is not even the true president as his term expired last year and he decided to unilaterally extended his own term, in true Arab fashion. I suppose it could be a way to show that he and his ministers are acting like a real 'government'. Even after escaping first Sanaa and then Aden to the safety of Riyadh.
It will be interesting if the Saudis encouraged them to apply, or if they decided to spring a spring surprise while the Saudis are busy in their own power struggle. It is possible they resorted to this after failing to raise the expected popular militia in support of the air campaign: the opposition to Houthi-Saleh is mainly Southern Independence, Al Qaeda, and some tribal elements.
Either way, his chances of joining the GCC now are zero, mainly because Hadi will never return and rule in Sanaa. He has as much chance to join the GCC as Erdogan of Turkey has of joining the European Union. This is not to say that Yemen does not fit into the GCC, culturally and historically it could fit. But Yemen has three handicaps:
(1) it is a republic not a monarchy, presumably with an elected president;
(2) it is very poor, and;
(3)it is a large country that has more citizens than Saudi Arabia. Which means it can be the most populous country of the GCC, with all the economic and financial pressures that would create on the rest of the GCC.
So, if I were a joking type, which I probably am not, I would suggest that Yemen Hadi has a better chance to join Europe than the GCC and Erdogan Turkey has a better chance to join the GCC than the European Union. I bet you know where this is leading……….
European UnionGCCSaudiTurkeyYEMEN
European Union, GCC, Human Right, MENA, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Potentates of the Gulf Unite! (Against Human Rights)………
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recalled the UAE ambassador to Sweden in wake of comments the country's foreign minister made about Saudi Arabia. In addition to recalling the ambassador, Sultan Rashid Al Kaitoob, the ministry also summoned the Swedish ambassador to the UAE, Jan Thesleff, and delivered a formal memorandum of protest over Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallstrom's remarks, state news agency Wam reported. Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, highlighted the "condemnation by the UAE of strong statements made by the Foreign Minister of Sweden to the Swedish Parliament against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its judicial system". Dr Gargash stressed that these statements violate the principle of sovereignty…………….."
This show of outrage by the princes and potentates and their minions. Supposedly 'sisterly or brotherly' outrage as Gulf media and officials like to call it. This outrage would be funny if it were not outrageous. Coming from Persian Gulf potentates who meddle in Libya and Syria and Iraq and Lebanon and Bahrain and Egypt, among other places. Who paid billions to crush the Tahrir Uprising by the military and help repress Bahrain even as they claim to seek to liberate Syria and steer it towards the joys of Wahhabism.
So why would the Abu Dhabi potentates protest a diplomatic issue between two other countries? Maybe it is a case of "If the shoe fits, wear it". In Arabic it would be "He who has a bump on his head will reach and touch it" (اللي على راسه بطحة يتحسسها).
Likely it has to do with a (non-mathematical) principle of transfer. They also do it, so maybe they expect the Swedish diplomats to mention them as well at some point. They feel entitled to certain consideration and accommodation, because they can threaten to block lucrative contracts (some may consider it a sort of blackmail). You never see the British or French governments talk about human rights in these countries. Why do you suppose that is so? Certainly it has nothing to do with principles: both these European governments leave their principles on the other side of the Mediterranean before they hit our shores. They always have.
GCCHuman RightsSwedenUAE
Arab League, Europe, European Union, Human Right, Saudi Arabia
Swedish-Saudi Wars: Arab League as Chopped Liver……..
Sweden is one of a few 'Western' nations that has had good relations with almost all Muslim or Arab countries. They even recently recognized "a" palestinian state, whatever that may happen to be. That is not to say that I like all their successive governments. Sweden has even started dabbling in arms-for-money deals with despotic absolute Arab regime, including Saudi Arabia, in recent years.
The foreign minister of Sweden was invited to speak to a meeting of the Arab League (actually it is a Saudi-UAE League) a few days ago. The Saudis decided to prevent her from speaking, and they did. Shows you who "owns" the Arab League. The rest of the Arab delegates were as silent as chopped liver. They were afraid that, being a Suédoise, she would mention the unmentionable: "human rights", "corruption", and maybe even worse. The shaikhs may have fatwa-edd that uttering some of these words would send anyone straight to the fires of hell.
Now Sweden has decided to review its policy of supplying arms to the Saudi regime. Which pissed off the Saudi princes, who usually feel entitled because they believe their money makes them entitled to a lot of special European 'consideration'. The princes have recalled their ambassador to Stockholm. Which has depressed the ambassador, since he will have to spend not only St. Patrick's Day and Easter, but also the coming beautiful Swedish summer in the arguably the most boring capital in the whole wide world, Riyadh.
That is where things stand now…..
m.h.ghuloum@gmail
Arab LeagueSaudi ArabiaSverigeSweden
European Union, France, Israel, Uncategorized
Israel Invites a Swedish Minister to Stay Away……..
January 18, 2015 Mohammed Haider Ghuloum
"A high-ranking government official revealed on Saturday that Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom canceled her trip to Israel after she was notified that she would have to bring her own security personnel and that her trip would not be considered an official state visit. The very public breakdown in relations between Sweden and Israel began after Sweden officially recognized Palestine as a state in October……………"
It is no secret that there is no love lost between Mr. Netanyahu and almost all (West) European leaders. Almost without exception. That also goes for his top ministers. That is also true about his relationship with the Obama administration which usually bends backwards to please his lobby of groupies in the Congress. That would also be true if a Republican is ever again elected to the U.S. presidency, even if it is the historically-challenged Louie Gohmert. Even if it is the extremist Las Vegas gambling tycoon the Likudist Sheldon Adelson.
Odd for leaders of countries that are strong and consistent supporters of Israel. It must be some personality issue, no?
IsraelNetanyahuPOTUSSweden
Europe, European Union, Migrant labor, Racism
Asian Migrants in Europe: Beware Greeks Holding Wages and Guns………
August 1, 2014 Mohammed Haider Ghuloum
"A Greek court's decision to acquit farmers who admitted shooting 28 Bangladeshi strawberry pickers when they asked for months of back pay has sparked outrage in the country. Politicians, unions and anti-racist groups condemned the verdicts, describing them as a black day for justice in a case that had shone a light on the appalling conditions in which migrant workers are often kept in Greece. "I feel shame as a Greek,"…………."
Who would have thunk it. Even the Greeks, usually mellow and not into racist stuff, are changing. Tsk, tsk. A terrible ugly sign of the bad economic and political times.
EuropeGreeceMigrant LaborRacism


text:
The Final Statement of the 11th Palestinians in Europe Conference – Brussels
The 11th Palestinians in Europe Conference ended in Brussels, on Saturday, 18th May 2013. The conference was convened under the title, "Signs of Return is blossoming". Thousands of Palestinians participated in the annual event, which was attended by delegations from various European countries. A number of Palestinian politicians, community leaders and public figures participated in the event. They came from locations either in the occupied Palestinian territories or the Diaspora. European MPs, activists, journalists and representatives of various NGOs also took part in this year's event.
The conference was organized by the General Secretariat of the Palestinians in Europe Conference, the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), and the Palestinian Assembly in Germany.
The conference reaffirmed declarations from the previous years: London 2003, Berlin 2004, Vienna 2005, Malmo 2006, Rotterdam 2007, Copenhagen 2008, Milan 2009, Berlin 2010, Wuppertal 2011 and Copenhagen 2012, and added new ones.
After a day of engaging discussion, workshops, lectures and debates, the conference concluded the following:
1- We reaffirm our adherence to the Right of Return for Palestinian Refugees. This right is inalienable and non-negotiable. It can't be vetoed, circumvented, supplanted or altered. The Right of Return is a collective and individual right that is irrevocable. Our people will continue their struggle until it is achieved.
2- We are proud of the struggle and resilience of the Palestinian people who continue to make great sacrifices, 65 years after the Nakba, against occupation and oppression for their dignity freedom and self-determination.
3- We express our deep concern over the Israeli aggressions on Jerusalem and its indigenous Palestinian residents, especially in the light of growing deportation. We warn against the systematic discrimination against Jerusalemites which sees them besieging in their residential areas by settlements and the apartheid wall. We also warn against the assault on historical Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem.
4- We are proud of the sacrifice and determination shown by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, especially their bravery against unjust Israeli policies. The issue of Palestinian prisoners is one of our main priorities and we ask the international community to demand an end to their mistreatment.
5- The conference affirmed the need to intensify efforts to face the systematic expulsion of Palestinians in the West Banka and occupied Palestine in 1948 territories. The policy of apartheid, segregation, annexation of land trough the illegal wall and settlements should come to an end so people can live freely.
6- The conference salutes the steadfastness of the people of Gaza. Despite Israeli aggression and a long siege they remain strong. We vow to continue exposing Israel and its crimes against the people of Gaza.
7- We condemn the call for land swap between the state of Palestine and the Israeli regime. We warn that such a step will jeopardize Palestinian rights and legitimatize Israeli occupation. It also endangers the rights of Palestinians inside occupied lands of 1948. We totally reject such plans and reaffirm our inalienable and legitimate rights.
8- We declare our solidarity with the Syrian people in their plight. We are extremely fearful of their future and very concerned over the growing humanitarian crisis where thousands have died and millions have been displaced. We also call on all sides in Syria to refrain from dragging the Palestinian refugee into their internal differences. The camps should always remain neutral. Humanitarian aid should be offered to Palestinian and Syrian refugees freely without any restriction.
9- In light of the dreadful conditions that Palestinian refugees experience in Arab countries, including those fleeing Iraq and Syria; we call on all Arab countries to treat Palestinian refugees justly and fairly. We invite the Arab League to investigate the extent of Arab countries' commitment to the Casablanca Protocols of 1965 concerning the treatment of Palestinian refugees. This should be in accordance with their right of return to occupied Palestine.
10- We stress the importance of achieving National Palestinian Unity Agreement between all Palestinian parties. This should include reforming the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). This is an indispensable building block within the internal Palestinian community. This unity would ultimately help to protect our national rights. Such measures will unite the Palestinian people and enable them to face Israeli occupation. Additionally, we call for democratic representation of the Palestinians in Europe. The conference also calls on Palestinian parties to enforce the civil NGO work wherever the Palestinian people exist. In this regard, we call on Europe and the International community to respect the democratic choices made by the Palestinian people.
11: The conference stresses historical responsibility of Europe for the Palestinian Nakba and displacement of 1948. Generations of Palestinian people are still paying the price of Europe's mistake and still Europe continues to assist in the expansion of the state of Israel and its illegal policies. We announce our full support for the International Campaign demanding an apology from Britain for the Balfour declaration which marks the beginning of Palestinian suffering.
12- We commend all efforts by everyone helping the Palestinians in challenging and confronting Israeli wars, siege and illegal practices. We urge everyone to remain steadfast and develop these efforts that support the Palestinian people for their fight against occupation and injustice towards freedom, justice, human rights and a democratic Palestine.


text:
Democrats Slam Trump Over "Dangerous Escalation" With Iran
"I doubt there is congressional authority for this strike. And I doubt the president has a plan for what comes next."
Qassem Soleimani attends Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's meeting with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in Tehran in 2016.Pool / Press Office of Iranian Supreme Leader/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Democrats lost no time in condemning Donald Trump's strike on Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani, calling it a "dangerous escalation" that has brought the United States to the threshold of another Middle Eastern war without congressional authorization. "We cannot put the lives of American servicemembers, diplomats and others further at risk by engaging in provocative and disproportionate actions," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement late Thursday. "America—and the world—cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return."
The U.S. and Iran may already have reached that point after Trump ordered an attack on Soleimani and other top military officials, killing the influential Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force leader and eliciting threats of "harsh retaliation" from Tehran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo justified the move Friday morning, telling CNN that the assassination disrupted an "imminent attack." But the airstrike, carried out in Baghdad, appears to have made the situation even more volatile. On Friday, the State department urged U.S. citizens to leave Iraq immediately, and Americans and their proxies in the region have been left vulnerable to an Iranian counterpunch, which Axios reported Friday could include a cyberattack.
https://twitter.com/NewDay/status/1213078598405505024
While Republicans cheered the killing, Democrats expressed alarm. "This is a hugely escalatory move in an already dangerous region," 2020 frontrunner Joe Biden said in a statement Thursday. "President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox." Bernie Sanders, who opposed the war in Iraq, added that "Trump's dangerous escalation brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East that could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars." Elizabeth Warren, meanwhile, called Soleimani a "murderer, responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of Americans," but noted that Trump's "reckless move escalates the situation with Iran and increases the likelihood of more deaths and new Middle East conflict."
Given Soleimani's significance, a response from Iran is virtually inevitable. As Daniel Byman, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center For Middle East Policy, pointed out, U.S. military forces and facilities in Iraq are especially at risk for retaliation, as are servicemembers in Afghanistan and Syria. U.S. allies in the region may also be under threat. Heightening concerns, of course, is the president's own instability and incompetence. Such a dramatic act by any administration would raise alarms, but an international crisis in the hands of the Trump White House is particularly concerning. "I doubt there is congressional authority for this strike," said Chris Murphy, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "And I doubt the president has a plan for what comes next."
Trump Blames Iran, Calls for Iraqi Coup After Attack at U.S. Embassy
Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq stormed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Tuesday, further escalating the conflict between the U.S. and Iran.


...t it affect cooking time? Thanks!
I think it will work out fine, if there is plenty of water as suggested above, and just use the longest suggested cooking time, shouldn't make a difference after 3 hours or so anyway. Such a great way to do corned beef, I love it. But I always make it with World's Best Braised Cabbage instead of steamed.
You'd want to make sure that the simmering water could get to all the brisket -- so if they were stacked tightly, the middle ones might not get cooked as thoroughly as the outer ones. Think you could space them out in the pot, maybe by nestling the onion in between? If so, the cooking time shouldn't change much, but you should double the water.


text:
7#!/sw/xc40/python/2.7.11/sles11.3_gnu5.1.0/bin/python

import argparse
from decimate import *
import pprint

DEBUG = False

cmd_line = (" ".join(sys.argv)).split("--decimate")
cmd_line = (" ".join(sys.argv))

if 'DPARAM' in os.environ.keys():
  cmd_line = clean_line(os.environ['DPARAM']) + " " + cmd_line

if len(cmd_line) >= 2:
  if cmd_line.find(" API ") > -1 or cmd_line.find("API,") > -1\
     or cmd_line.find(",API") > -1:
    DEBUG = True

class slurm_frontend(decimate):

  def __init__(self):

    decimate.__init__(self,app_name='decimate', decimate_version_required='0.5',
                      app_version='0.1',extra_args=True)

  #########################################################################
  def user_filtered_args(self):

    self.job_script = None
    index = 1
    args = []
    decimate_args = []
    is_decimate = False
    is_job_parameter = False
    self.job_parameter = []

    for f in sys.argv[1:]:
      if os.path.exists(f) and not is_decimate:
        self.job_script = f
        is_job_parameter = True
        continue
      if f == "--decimate":
        is_decimate = True
        continue
      if is_decimate:
        decimate_args = decimate_args + [f]
      elif is_job_parameter:
        self.job_parameter = self.job_parameter + [f]
      else:
        args = args + [f]
      index = index + 1

    self.create_slurm_parser(DEBUG)
    self.slurm_args = self.slurm_parser.parse_args(args)

    if DEBUG:
      print('command line slurm_args: %s' % pprint.pformat(self.slurm_args))

    if (self.slurm_args.help):
      print(HELP_MESSAGE)
      sys.exit(1)

    decimate_extra_config = []
    if 'DPARAM' in os.environ.keys():
      decimate_extra_config = clean_line(os.environ['DPARAM']).split(" ")

    if (self.slurm_args.decimate_help or decimate_extra_config == ["-h"]):
      return ['-h']

    if not(self.job_script) and len(decimate_args) == 0:
      self.error('job script missing...', exit=True)

    if self.slurm_args.yalla:
      decimate_extra_config = decimate_extra_config + ['--yalla']

    if self.slurm_args.filter:
      decimate_extra_config = decimate_extra_config + ['--filter',self.slurm_args.filter]

    if self.slurm_args.max_retry:
      decimate_extra_config = decimate_extra_config + \
                              ['--max-retry', "%s" % self.slurm_args.max_retry]

    if self.slurm_args.yalla_parallel_runs:
      decimate_extra_config = decimate_extra_config + \
                              ['--yalla-parallel-runs', "%s" % self.slurm_args.yalla_parallel_runs]

    if self.slurm_args.use_burst_buffer_size:
      decimate_extra_config = decimate_extra_config + ['--use-burst-buffer-size']

    if DEBUG:
      print('job_file=/%s/\nargs=/%s/\nparams=/%s/\ndecimate_args=/%s/' % \
            (self.job_script,args,self.job_parameter,decimate_extra_config + decimate_args))

    return decimate_extra_config + decimate_args

  #########################################################################

  def user_initialize_parser(self):

    self.parser.add_argument("-e", "--ends", type=int,
                             help=argparse.SUPPRESS,default=-1)
    self.parser.add_argument("--banner", action="store_true",
                             help=argparse.SUPPRESS, default=False)
    self.parser.add_argument("-np", "--no-pending", action="store_true",

                             help='do not keep pending the log', default=True)

  #########################################################################
  # submitting all the first jobs
  #########################################################################

  def user_launch_jobs(self):

    # self.log_info('ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ setting max_retry to 1 ZZZZZZZZZZZZ')
    self.load()

    new_job = {}

    p_slurm_args = vars(self.slurm_args)
    self.slurm_args.script = os.path.abspath("%s" % self.job_script)

    # does the checking script exist?
    if self.slurm_args.check:
      if not(os.path.exists(self.slurm_args.check)):
        self.error('checking job script %s missing...' % self.slurm_args.check, exit=True)
      self.slurm_args.check = os.path.abspath("%s" % self.slurm_args.check)

    for k,v in p_slurm_args.items():
      new_job[k] = v

    self.log_debug('job submitted:\n%s' % \
                   self.print_job(new_job,allkey=False,\
                                  print_all=True,except_none=True), \
                   4, trace='API')

    if self.args.yalla:
      new_job['yalla'] = self.args.yalla_parallel_runs
    if self.args.use_burst_buffer_size:
      new_job['burst_buffer_size'] = self.args.burst_buffer_size
    if self.args.use_burst_buffer_space:
      new_job['burst_buffer_space'] = self.args.burst_buffer_space

    (job_id, cmd) = self.submit_job(new_job)

    self.log_debug("Saving Job Ids...",1)
    self.save()

    print('Submitted batch job %s' % job_id)

  #########################################################################
  # checking job correct completion
  #########################################################################

  def check_job_old(self, what, attempt, task_id, running_dir, output_file, error_file,
                is_done, fix, job_tasks,step_tasks):

    self.log_info(("check_job(what=>%s<, attempt=>%s<, task_id=>%s<, running_dir=>%s<," +\
                   "output_file=>%s<, error_file=>%s<, is_done=>%s<, fix=>%s<, " +\
                   "job_tasks=>%s<,step_tasks=>%s<") % \
                  (what, attempt, task_id, running_dir, output_file, error_file,
                   is_done, fix, job_tasks,step_tasks))

    return SUCCESS

  #########################################################################
  # checking job correct completion
  #########################################################################

  def check_job(self,step, attempt, task_id,running_dir,output_file,error_file,\
                is_job_completed,fix=True,job_tasks=None,step_tasks=None):

    s = "CHECKING step : %s attempt : %s   task : %s " % \
        (step,attempt,task_id) + "\n" + \
        "job_tasks : %s  \t step_tasks : %s" % (job_tasks,step_tasks) + "\n" +\
        "Output file : %s" % (output_file) + "\n" +\
        "Error file : %s" % (error_file) + "\n" +\
        "Running dir : %s" % (running_dir) + "\n"
    self.log_info(s,4,trace='CHECK,USER_CHECK')

    done = 'job DONE'
    is_done = self.greps(done,output_file,exclude_patterns=['[INFO','[DEBUG'])
    if not(is_done):
      return FAILURE
    else:
      return SUCCESS

if __name__ == "__main__":
    K = slurm_frontend()
    K.start()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
CKEDITOR.plugins.setLang( 'codemirror', 'cy', {
	toolbar: 'HTML'
});


Each insect would drown in Mono Lake, a saline soda lake in California. Each insect, except for the alkali fly, which has unique adaptations to survive the extreme environment, as Floris van Breugel and Micael Dickinson show.
Only bacteria, algae and brine shrimp tolerate the saline water of Mono Lake in California- and the alkali fly Ephydra hians, which flourishes here. It is an amazing critter. The larvae develop in the water, feeding on the algae. Adult flies, which occur in great numbers along the shores, regularly crawl into the water to feed on algae or to lay their eggs. They are the only adult insects that are able to dive into the briny water and emerge alive, Floris van Breugel and Michael Dickinson report.
Several insect species exist that survive submersion in the water of lakes or streams, thanks to a water-repellent layer of hydrocarbons (waxy substances) on their cuticle and tiny hairs that trap a layer of air. But they would be wetted and drown in Mono Lake. That is because the water of this lake contains a large amount of sodium carbonate, a salt known as baking soda, the presence of which renders the insects incapable of keeping the layer of air intact; such water is 'wetter' than pure water and penetrates into the layer of air. Sodium carbonate is one of the substances that make the water strongly alkaline.
But the alkali fly easily dives into the alkaline water and when it emerges, it is completely dry. The researchers show that this is possible because the diving fly possesses a very dense mat of hairs and a layer of superhydrophobic hydrocarbons which, combined, prevent wetting. Upon entering the water, a stable air bubble forms around the fly, which enables it to spend 15 minutes underwater; the bubble protects it from the hostile water and offers a supply of oxygen.
In the past 60,000 years, Mono Lake became more salt and more alkaline because it has no outlet, and as water is evaporating, the concentrations of mineral salts gradually rise. Limestone columns, named tufa, developed, along which the flies descend below water surface.
The alkali fly's ancestors had to enter the lake to forage in a time when the lake was still fresh and algae were the only food available, the authors hypothesize. While the lake gradually became more alkaline, the fly adapted to the new conditions. Nowadays, it can safely graze underwater, as no fish predators occur. The flies are preyed upon by many birds that forage near the lake, like gulls.
When oil, from decaying organic matter or sunscreen and other cosmetics, is floating on the water, even the alkali flies are wetted and drown, in spite of their unique adaptations.


A few practical tips for setting your intentions & the tone in your classroom.
Luckily for me, my sponsor teacher has made yoga and mindfulness a regular part of the students' daily routine. When I go in and do yoga and mindfulness with them, it is already a normal part of their day. They have not been in a classroom setting where they have not done yoga or mindfulness practices.
I was wondering, how will I start this in my own class next year? How do you make this important and routine in your classroom community?
Volume- Talk to your students about what the volume of the room should be. You will be leading the exercises, so make sure that to adjust your voice level to a calm and slower level.
Personal Space- This is a great way to teach students about what personal space is. Talk to your students what having enough personal space looks like. Have a discussion about why it is necessary to have enough personal space when you are trying to calm your mind and your body.
Sounds- YouTube is a great resource for mindfulness. Students love music in the background. Another thing that is great is getting a triangle or a gong for your classroom. It is a very calming sound for students.
Many students struggle with transitions- especially coming in from lunch or recess. This can be a stressful and chaotic time for teachers too. This is a fabulous time to incorporate mindfulness. I get all of my students to enter the classroom, go to their tables, and put their heads on their desks. They close their eyes, and then we do some breathing techniques or yoga exercises for a few minutes. The students love it, and it sets them up for success for the rest of the day. A good way to spend five minutes if you ask me!
I hope these tips will help guide you in the implementation of mindfulness and yoga in your classroom!
This past year, I have become obsessed with yoga, meditation and mindfulness. I have been practicing yoga for a few years now, but I really delved deep into yoga this year after I suffered a fairly serious sports injury. I relied heavily on yoga and meditation to keep me active and sane when I was not able to do any type of rigorous physical activity. This time in my life forced me to take a step back and re-evaluate what is important to me. I wasn't sure if I was going to stick to yoga and meditation once I got better, but it turns out it has become a huge part of who I am in my personal life and in my professional life. For a long time I couldn't explain why yoga, meditation and mindfulness is important to me. I knew it was important, but I couldn't articulate it- and that bothered me because I love to talk.
I was reading a really insightful book over the winter break called "Braving the Wilderness" by Brené Brown. This book left me speechless many times. I would go to sleep after reading a chapter, and would be up for hours thinking about what I just read (that doesn't happen often for me).
"Tonight we will exhale and teach. Now it's time to inhale. There is the in-breath and there is the out-breath, and it's easy to believe that we must exhale all the time, without ever inhaling. But the inhale is absolutely essential if you want to continue to exhale"(p. 148).
When I read this, I realized that this was exactly my answer. Yoga has forced me to become a more balanced and thoughtful person. It was essential in my recovery, because it forced me to take time, let my mind relax, and to learn how to appreciate quietness.
This is also the reason why I think that yoga, mindfulness and meditation have a place in schools. Teaching students the skills to self-regulate and calm down will create a generation mentally strong and healthy people.


IN ENGLISH, the symbol is boringly known as "commercial at", but other languages offer more imaginative names. In Swedish, it is called snabel-a , ("a" with an elephant's trunk), or kanelbulle , the Swedish equivalent of the Chelsea bun.
Total Wine & More is an American alcohol retailer founded in 1991 by David and Robert Trone through the opening of two wine stores in Delaware.
Free CSS has 2722 free website templates, all templates are free CSS templates, open source templates or creative commons templates.


text:
NOWCAST 16 WAPT News at 6:30am
Food For Families
Two local products help LSU win national title in a big way
Updated: 10:23 PM CST Jan 14, 2020
Joe Cook
Sports Director
WDSU
Damien Lewis of Canton reacts to winning the national title with LSU
SOURCE: WDSU
Two big reasons why Joe Burrow had success this season, the LSU Tigers completed a 15-0 season with the national title is because of two starting offensive lineman from the Metro. Junior Left tackle Saahdiq Charles out of MRA and Canton Product Damien Lewis. Charles made the All-SEC freshman team. This year he and Lewis were part of the Joe Moore Award winners which goes to the best offensive unit in college football.Lewis was a first team All-American this year and second team all-sec. Damien is a senior and he's going out on top. This how he describes this season for LSU."A video game man. It really was a video game-the whole season. I'm not here to brag but I'm just saying the whole season,Lewis said as confetti rained around him after LSU defeated Clemson 42-25 on Monday night in the Superdome. He says the journey to a national title was long time coming."Stuff takes time you know. It's already been written. I thank God. The man above and you know Joe (Burrow). a great leader. He did what he did to help us win and it's just a blessing. We're going to take this W and head back to Baton Rouge with it."No doubt MRA and Canton fans from their high school days can hear them in Baton Rouge.
Junior Left tackle Saahdiq Charles out of MRA and Canton Product Damien Lewis.
Charles made the All-SEC freshman team. This year he and Lewis were part of the Joe Moore Award winners which goes to the best offensive unit in college football.
And we're "overrated and hold the whole game" 🤣🙏🏾💣 https://t.co/nBY667lqoe
— hulk77 (@saahdiq) January 15, 2020
Lewis was a first team All-American this year and second team all-sec. Damien is a senior and he's going out on top. This how he describes this season for LSU.
"A video game man. It really was a video game-the whole season. I'm not here to brag but I'm just saying the whole season,Lewis said as confetti rained around him after LSU defeated Clemson 42-25 on Monday night in the Superdome. He says the journey to a national title was long time coming.
"Stuff takes time you know. It's already been written. I thank God. The man above and you know Joe (Burrow). [He's] a great leader. He did what he did to help us win and it's just a blessing. We're going to take this W and head back to Baton Rouge with it."
Two-time NJCAA All-American ✅
2019 Joe Moore Award winner ✅
2019 First Team All-America (The Athletic) ✅
2019 Second-Team All-SEC ✅
SEC champion ✅
National champion ✅
I think that pretty much sums it up... pic.twitter.com/4HOMOjXfLG
— Thereal_Damienlewis (@Damienlewis72) January 14, 2020
No doubt MRA and Canton fans from their high school days can hear them in Baton Rouge.
16 WAPT News Jackson
©2020, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WAPT-TV.


text:
Naijaurban
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MKO Abiola begged IBB to allow him be President even for one day – Anenih
Naijaurban Publisher June 13, 2018
Fani-Kayode reacts as court orders GTB to pay Innoson N12bn in 14 days
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Nigerian govt never demanded probe of soldiers implicated in 2015 Shiite, army clash – US
The United States has noted that there was no record that the Nigerian Government or military authorities had demanded accountability from the soldiers implicated in the December 2015 clash between the Army and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria led by Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
The US stated this in the International Religious Freedom Report for 2017 released yesterday by the Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.
The report also noted that the Nigerian government continued to hold El-Zakzaky and restrict the free movement and association of his followers.
It read, "Human rights groups continued to report the Federal Government often failed to prevent, quell, or respond to violence affecting religious groups, particularly in the North Eastern and central regions of the country.
"In November, Kano State police fired tear gas and bullets, killing three members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria during its annual Ashura procession.
"The government continued to detain the leader of the IMN, the country's largest Shia group, and restrict the activities, free movement, and free association of its members.
"There were no reports of accountability for soldiers implicated in the December 2015 clash between the army and IMN members that, according to a Kaduna State Government report and reports from non-government observers, left at least 348 IMN members and one soldier dead, with IMN members buried in a mass grave."
It, however, alleged that dozens of IMN members were still being held since December 2015, charged with the death of the soldier.
It recalled that in August, the then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo announced the creation of a Presidential Investigative Panel that was committed to transparently and credibly investigating human rights abuses committed by the military.
It said the IMN, however, publicly stated that it would boycott the panel because it doubted its sincerity.
External human rights observers, it noted, also expressed concern over the lack of transparency and rigour of the panel.
The report noted that the Nigerian government had yet to obey court orders on the detained El-Zakzaky and his wife.
"The government stated publicly that Sheikh El-Zakzaky, leader of the IMN and a prominent Shia cleric, would remain in what it said was 'protective custody' pending the appeal of the December 2016 decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja that the government must release him.
"At year's end, El-Zakzaky remained in prison.
"The court also ruled that the government must provide him with a house and pay him and his wife restitution of N25m ($69,600) by January 15; at year's end, the court's order had yet to be followed," it said.
The report also indicated that terrorist organisation, Boko Haram, and its splinter organisation, the Islamic State-West Africa, continued "carrying out numerous attacks, committing mass killings, and targeting civilians. "
It quoted Nigeria Watch as estimating that activities by Boko Haram and ISIS-WA resulted in the deaths of 1,794 persons in 2017, including members of the two groups.
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text:
Congress has refused to give President Donald Trump the funding he wants for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
U.S. government shutdown starts to take a bite out of science
By David Malakoff Jan. 7, 2019 , 6:00 PM
*Update, 9 January, 1:30 p.m.: Shenandoah National Park today informed ecologist Jeff Atkins, featured below, that he will be allowed to enter the park for stream sampling despite the shutdown.
Rattlesnakes, bears, hurricanes, and freezing weather haven't stopped ecologist Jeff Atkins from taking weekly hikes into Virginia's Shenandoah National Park for the past 8 years to collect water samples from remote streams. But Atkins is now facing an insurmountable obstacle: the partial shutdown of the U.S. government, in its third week.
Park managers have barred Atkins from entering since 22 December 2018, when Congress and President Donald Trump failed to agree on a deal to fund about one-quarter of the federal government, including the National Park Service. That has shut down the sampling, part of a 40-year-old effort to monitor how the streams are recovering from the acid rain that poisoned them in past decades.
"It's very frustrating to have this needless disruption" in what is one of the park system's longest continuous data sets, says Atkins, a postdoctoral researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. "This is the biggest [sampling] gap we've had. … Now, there is always going to be this hole."
Atkins is one of tens of thousands of U.S. scientists feeling the pain caused by the shutdown, which resulted after Congress refused to give Trump the $5.7 billion he wants for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The impasse has all but halted work at more than a half-dozen agencies that fund or conduct research, including NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and parts of the Smithsonian Institution.
Many of the scientists at those shuttered agencies have been furloughed without pay, barred from working at home, and prohibited from checking their government email. A travel ban has hurt attendance at several major conferences and caused organizers to cancel other events.
The shutdown is also creating chaos for university researchers, private contractors, and others who collaborate with idled federal scientists, or depend on affected agencies for funding, facilities, and data. Besides doing lasting damage to some research projects, the standstill is threatening livelihoods. "In a moment's notice, I went from believing I had secure income to not knowing when I would be paid," says Marshall McMunn, an ecologist at the University of California (UC), Davis, on an NSF postdoctoral fellowship. He can't even find out whether it's OK to take a part-time job to help pay his bills.
U.S. shutdown begins: 'It's disheartening, ... discouraging, ... deflating'
Amy Freitag, a social scientist who does contract work for NOAA at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory in Maryland, says the shutdown has "made it very hard to make progress on any research that involves my [NOAA] colleagues … or do any kind of planning." Freitag has been able to continue working—from home and coffee shops—because her private employer is paid in advance. To stay on the job, however, she'll need new assignments. But key NOAA managers have been furloughed.
Atmospheric scientist Rachel Storer, who works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, but is employed by Colorado State University in Fort Collins, says, "My paycheck isn't in immediate danger." But Storer has suspended work on building digital simulations of cloud formation because she can't get access to NASA supercomputers. (JPL is open because it is operated by the California Institute of Technology, a contractor.) "I have other work to fill my time … but it's a setback," she says.
The shutdown has also stung entomologist Rufus Isaacs of Michigan State University in East Lansing. Some endangered bumble bees he has collected are now "sitting in a fridge in my lab" and can't be shipped to USDA laboratories until they reopen. He notes that a few months' delay in agricultural research "can mean a whole year of progress is lost, because if we don't have the answers from the recent experiments, we don't know how to prepare for the coming growing season."
Marine biologist Mykle Hoban, a doctoral student at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology in Kaneohe, was to begin a 10-week project on fish taxonomy this week at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. The museum is closed, and he can't reach the researcher he's supposed to work with, but Hoban still plans to take the trip "and hope for the best."
Even researchers funded by agencies not affected by the shutdown are feeling the pinch. Rita Hamad, a health policy researcher at UC San Francisco, is supported by the National Institutes of Health, which is open. But she relies on data handled by staffers at the U.S. Census Bureau, which is closed. The result, she says: "I can't publish timely evidence on policies that I study."
Other scientists have been forced to cancel long-planned trips and meetings. USDA's Forest Service pulled the plug on what would have been the 30th annual Interagency Forum on Invasive Species, scheduled for this week in Annapolis. "It's just a very sad day for science," says retired federal entomologist Michael McManus, who organized the forum and was expecting 200 attendees.
The travel ban forced hundreds of federal scientists to drop trips to major meetings held by the American Meteorological Society and the American Astronomical Society—in Phoenix and Seattle, Washington, respectively—where they had planned to present work. U.S. scientists will also be absent from a technical meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scheduled for this week in Vancouver, Canada.
On Twitter, astrophysicist Jane Rigby of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, mused about the implications of being furloughed. "Can't work. Can't travel for work. … Can't use work laptop," she wrote. "Can I think about the universe? Unclear."
With reporting by Daniel Clery, Kelly Servick, and Paul Voosen.
doi:10.1126/science.aaw5898
David Malakoff
David is a Deputy News Editor specializing in coverage of science policy, energy and the environment.
In killing citizenship question, Trump adopts Census Bureau's preferred solution to a thorny problem


text:
Our group had an interesting discussion about this classic novella, first published in 1937 into chapters, with what is believed as the author's intent of being adaptable into a play format. Plays at the time of this original publication date were not prominent; however, this novella was written in a way to have objective descriptions relating to the characters and settings.
Several members researched the background of the book that became a play. When people later saw the play, different emotions about the book's content were evoked and then the play was often modified. In the play, Slim had a greater role in whether or not George should kill Lennie, while in the book, Slim tries to be supportive of George after he shoots Lennie by saying, "….Do what you have to do…" There was sharing of personal stories regarding this book including one member noting participation as the character Candy in a community theater group that performed the play.
There were comments in the discussion about experiences with hearing the audio book narrated by actor Gary Sinese, who also starred in the movie with John Malkovich. Watching the movie on YouTube was also a great representation of the book, especially when George and Lennie talked about the future and their dreams with motivation for them to live differently than others. However, the dreams start to break down in an analogy to a broken heart in a failed romance, along with the joy of having a dream and then losing it.
Members commented that the writing style of the content and the dialogue were often difficult to conceptualize. This book was ahead of its time based on the relationships to social injustices that are often still prevalent in today's society. There was a lack of compassion in the way Lennie was treated as is sometimes the case today with special needs individuals; often in tragic times, the most vulnerable are affected.
Steinbeck also had an interesting way of bringing up prejudices and labels that were placed on people, which helped to give members a different perspective when reading the novella perhaps for the second time since high school. Migrants in the book had a feeling of loneliness and isolation along with unrest, anger, and riots, similar to our experiences the past 18 months due to the pandemic.
Although the imagery in the book was very good, several members were uncomfortable with the killings of animal and human lives, the lack of reliance on any type of technology, and the description of characters being overdone. There was discussion about the Texas Supreme Court Case, The Lennie Standard, regarding the legality of punishment by death of intellectually disabled individuals.
A discussion question was posed regarding the title, thoughts about the wording, and whether or not this book was worthy of the Nobel Prize. Members expressed a comparison of mice and men as Lennie was somewhat obsessed with mice. Each person in the book had a dream that was not fulfilled, and there was nothing each one could change in their lives, showing that the best laid plans can go awry. Some were definite that this book deserved the Nobel Prize and others were not in agreement.
Our group rated Of Mice and Men as the highest rating of 5 for how much they enjoyed this book and also gave the rating of 4 for how willing they are to recommend this book to others. The themes selected for this book are Courage, Culture, Ethics, Fate, Friendship, History, Relationships, Racism, and Setting.