A blood test developed by researchers at Duke Medicine showed more than 90 percent accuracy in distinguishing between viral and bacterial infections when tested in people with respiratory illnesses.
The test, which detects a specific genetic signature that the sick persons immune system expresses as a response to the virus, demonstrates a potential new method for diagnosing the source of illnesses that have long been tough to pinpoint.
Reported in the Sept. 18, 2013, issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine, the finding moves the technology closer to clinical use, where it could help patients get quicker diagnoses and treatments, while curbing the unnecessary use of antibiotics that dont work on viral infections.
In instances such as pandemic flu or the coronavirus that has erupted in the Middle East, its extremely important to diagnose a viral illness far more accurately and speedier than can be done using traditional diagnostics, says co-senior author Geoffrey S. Ginsburg, MD, PhD, director of Genomic Medicine and professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. Current tests require knowledge of the pathogen to confirm infection, because they are strain-specific. But our test could be used right away when a new, unknown pathogen emerges.
When infected by a virus, a persons immune system responds differently than when fighting a bacterial infection. These differences are evident at the genetic level, where certain genes are switched on during a viral attack, creating a fingerprint that broadly identifies the culpable pathogen.
Unlike current tests that rely on evidence of the pathogen in the bloodstream requiring knowledge of that particular bug to detect it the new approach could be used to detect unknown emerging diseases, including potential bioterrorism threats.
This is important not only in viral pandemics where infection may be caused by unknown viruses but also in routine care where the decision to treat or not with antibiotics is paramount, says lead author Aimee K. Zaas, MD, MHS, associate professor of infectious diseases and international health at Duke.
The current study was a trial run of the blood test in a real-world setting. Among 102 people arriving at a hospitals emergency department with fever, 28 had a viral infection, 39 had a bacterial infection and 35 were healthy controls. Using the test, the Duke researchers were able to accurately classify more than 90 percent of the patients as having viral infection or not.
We were very pleased that the assay could pick out those with viral infection with a high degree of accuracy, Zaas says. This is perhaps the most important aspect of this effort the accuracy of the new test in a real-world setting. It is a major step forward in the test becoming a useful diagnostic to help physicians and patients.
Co-senior author Christopher W. Woods, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine, pathology and global health at Duke and the Durham VA Medical Center, said the new test, if proven successful in additional studies, could help resolve some of the most pressing issues around infectious diseases.
One of the big global threats at the moment is the emergence of bacterial resistance, and that is largely driven by overuse of antibiotics, Woods says. This is a growing public health threat, creating infections that are increasingly difficult to manage. A tool that enables us to accurately identify viral infections could curb the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and reduce the development of resistant pathogens.
Ginsburg, Zaas, Woods, Hero, Carin and Lucas have filed for a provisional patent on the respiratory viral signature.


text:
Super Van: The 2018 Honda Odyssey Is a Luxurious Surprise
Honda's newest minivan has everything your family needs in a vehicle, and then some
By Mark Richardson
Posted: July 25, 2017 11:05 AM ET
A solid improvement on what was already an exceptional vehicle.
8-passenger minivan
3.5-litre V6
9-speed: 12.6 L/100 km city, 8.4 L/100 km hwy, 10.7 L/100 km comb, 10-speed: 12.2 L/100 km city, 8.5 L/100 km hwy, 10.6 L/100 km comb
280 hp, 262 lbs.-ft.
Touring: 10-speed; lower trims: 9-speed
Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica, Kia Sedona
Carrying everyone in comfort
The new Honda Odyssey is probably the most luxurious, most comfortable, even most advanced vehicle that Honda makes, and that includes its premium Acura lineup.
It's loaded with everything Honda could think to put in a vehicle: clever seating, so the seats in the second row slide in and away from the door, making third-row access simpler; clever technology, including a night-vision camera for watching sleeping children in the rear; and clever performance, with the new, more powerful V6 engine from the Pilot SUV. All that is matched with a fuel-efficient 10-speed transmission in the top-end Touring edition; cheaper trims get the 9-speed from last year.
This is the fifth generation of the Honda minivan, and its designers see it as more than just family transportation. It's a place to keep everyone content, be they parents, teenagers, pre-teens or babies. It's also a safe place—its body 44 per cent stiffer than before, using high-tech materials that include ultra-high-strength steel, aluminum and magnesium. Despite its extra strength, though, the body is 26 kilograms lighter.
Road-Trip Tested: The Perfect Family Minivan for all Passengers
On a recent drive around Prince Edward Island, the new Odyssey proved itself exceptionally quiet, thanks to active noise cancelling through the sound system, thicker acoustic glass in the windshield and other sound-muffling materials. This is little benefit when the noise is all happening inside the van, so Honda added a few elements for frazzled parents. The smooth drive helps children sleep, while the "are we there yet?" mapping feature on the drop-down screens at the back helps answer everyone's age-old question.
The Odyssey is slightly longer and wider this time around, but while it's taller by 3 centimetres, the step into the cabin is lower by 3.5 centimetres. This is helpful for children and seniors alike. The larger dimensions mean there's more cargo room in the very back, behind the third row of seats. The much-vaunted vacuum cleaner now comes standard in all but the most basic edition.
The Odyssey Has Features to Get Excited About
There are six trim levels, ranging in price from $34,890 to $50,290, and the Honda Sensing package of driver-assistance features is standard in all of them. That includes the most important stuff: lane-departure assistance to help keep the van from wandering, automatic braking to help prevent a collision, adaptive cruise control and even automatic dipping of the headlights.
The safety features are what really count, of course. It's much more important than an improved sound system, or a speaker system in the rear to amplify the driver's voice for back-seat passengers, though they're available too. It's to Honda's credit that they don't expect buyers to pay extra for safety. The fact that all this is available in a comfortable, powerful and spacious minivan is a bonus that many families will truly appreciate.
In the market for a minivan? Here's a roundup of last year's reigning models, despite the SUV craze.
We're always driving! Check out our latest reviews.
What It's Like to Drive Hands-Free

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It's Monday. May the Force Be With You!
Loving on this Celtic spin to the Star Wars Rebel Alliance symbol!
TBT! Sea turtle with a Celtic flair!
Completed this custom Celtic black and gray half sleeve today! The addition included a phoenix, griffin, cat, spirals and knot work to integrate with the original lion.


GP7.5 - Where is the customer area for Guitar Pro 7.5?
The customer area no longer exists for Guitar Pro 7, it is available for Guitar Pro 4, 5 and 6 though via this link.
You can download Guitar Pro 7 from the download link that you received via email after your purchase or even download our trial version from this page then turn it into a full version using your license number.
If necessary you can retrieve your licence number from this link.


text:
int main(int argc, char** argv) {
  // Always run browser perf tests serially - parallel running would be less
  // deterministic and distort perf measurements.
  ChromeTestSuiteRunner runner;
  ChromeTestLauncherDelegate delegate(&runner);
  return LaunchChromeTests(1, &delegate, argc, argv);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Hardness testers and test specimens from Mitutoyo and to support Rockwell, Brinnell, Knoop, Vickers tests.
Because some systems require the configuration of multiple options in order to supply the system price, an "Add to Quote" button is provided. Click the "Add to Quote" button and you will be prompted for your contact information and a full system quotation will be forwarded to you at no cost or obligation.


Political and social commentator Dwyer Astaphan, a former government minister, has added his views to the ongoing debate over the use of the MRI services at the St. Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation.
He said while experts in the medical field say it is an industry practice for facilities to use a single MRI machine for both animal and human testing, the public was of the view that the government's partnership with the private company was a short term arrangement and MRI services would have been made available at the public hospital. Astaphan opined that procuring an MRI machine would have been a worthwhile investment for the government.
"I have consulted with people in the medical and medical research fields both locally and overseas and they say it's not unique for facilities to test human and other species, but there are certain protocols that need to be followed that deal with medical ethics, sanitation, hygiene, timing, that sort of thing; but also communication with the public and it was felt that in this case the public has not been sufficiently informed.
"Secondly, among professional decision-makers- not political- professional, I believe there was a presumption that this was a temporary arrangement so that the actual MRI equipment would be located in a government medical facility.
"I also understand that we have two local radiologists none of whom makes any revenue from the MRI.
"Of course the costs are quite significant- I'm told that an MRI machine can be procured for about 2 million dollars, if you have to build the space for it and the human resource etcetera- 4 million dollars, can you afford not to have it? And you could go back as much as you want and say the Labour Party was in power, they collected all of this money yes, but they're not in power- you're in power, you have to do the job. The former people in the Fire Department didn't put out the fire, you're in the Fire Department now, you have to put it out.
"Two million or even four million dollars cannot be regarded as too excessive an investment, particularly an investment that is so necessary. Maybe we don't need two MRIs in the country for our human patients but one would do, in a hospital or in a government facility.
Still making a case that the better scenario would be for the services to be provided at the JN France Hospital, Astaphan pointed out that transporting critical patients to the location of the MRI facility at Bourryeau could be detrimental to their conditions, or worse yet, result in fatalities.
Mr. Astaphan went on to claim that yet another critical medical service, CT Scanning, is being outsourced to a private entity, and like St. Kitts Biomedical, a controlling official has ties to the Monkey Farm and another is related to the Prime Minister.


At first I thought this would be my final project of 2012, but I enjoyed New Year's Eve with my family and finished this off today. I made this bag for my daughter as a new overnight bag. She's been using a backpack that's just way too small, and not nearly stylish enough.
This is the Holiday in London Duffle Bag pattern by my dear friend Bari J. As with all of her other patterns, this was well written, with helpful pictures, and a really good amount of explanatory detail.
I used some Tammis Keefe cat print that I had been saving for just the right project, and I think it's great for a girl's bag, that not to childish looking. I think she'll be able to use this for a long time.
A few things I learned while making this pattern. First, the type and quality of fusible fleece that you buy is SERIOUSLY important. I made the long strap with a thicker version of fleece and it made it nearly impossible to turn the sides in 1/4" to press them before folding the strap in half. The result was a too-thin strap. I will be re-making that for sure.
Another learning with this bag is just how important it is to trim. With so many layers, I had to pin like crazy and still some of the seams were not as straight as I'd like.
Finally, there were so many layers in some spots that I literally had to turn my wheel by hand to get the needle through the fabric. (This was a great tip I learned from another of Bari's patterns). If I let the machine try to stitch through all those layers, the needle just jammed. By hand turning, I could get through the 4-5 stitches that were just too thick for the machine.
I am very happy with the way the bag came out overall. I didn't realize that I had bought a goldtone zipper and silver hardware. This is my biggest beef with how the bag came out overall. On the plus side, the zipper opens nice and wide because of how long it is, so you can easily fill the bag, and see the inside (which ALSO has pockets!).
Things I didn't take pictures of, but are important to note...the whole bag is lined. I used a pink and white houndstooth vintage sheet that I bought from an Etsy seller that was PERFECT. I think using a light color inside will make it easier to find things. It also has a hard bottom insert to keep the bag looking firm and sturdy.
Overall, this pattern gets an A+. I will be making more for the other kids to be sure.
Oh this is too cute! I love it!


Gary Johnson, a former governor of New Mexico, has announced he's running for president as a Libertarian candidate.
"Well, Neil. I want to take this opportunity to announce my candidacy for president. I am hoping to get the Libertarian nomination for president in 2016," Gary Johnson said.
Gary Johnson took to "Coast to Coast" on Fox Business' to announce he's running for president as a Libertarian candidate.
Johnson, a former governor of New Mexico, ran for president before, so this isn't his first dip in the presidential pool.
In the 2012 election, he ran for the Republican nomination. After losing that to Mitt Romney, he ran as a candidate for the Libertarian Party. He ended up with just shy of 1 percent of the total electorate's votes.


Do you work for AIM (Automotive Internet Management)? Claim your company page now!
Do you work for AIM (Automotive Internet Management)? Claim your page now!
Great Customer Support and we get many solid leads!
Pros: THis vendor is easy to work with and always available to help.
Pros: They do a decent job of bringing the sales management team into the process of converting email leads.
Cons: Very inflexible, most just complain about our CRM tool. They pretty much just send out daily emails and come in once a month and request changes in the crm. No real results have been delivered.


text:
Two-Year Man
by Kelly Robson
First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, August 2015
Edited by Sheila Williams
4,800 words (about 20 minutes)
Getting the baby through security was easy. Mikkel had been smuggling food out of the lab for years. He'd long since learned how to trick the guards.
Mikkel had never been smart, but the guards were four-year men and that meant they were lazy. If he put something good at the top of his lunch pail at the end of his shift, the guards would grab it and never dig deeper. Mikkel let them have the half-eaten boxes of sooty chocolate truffles and stale pastries, but always took something home for Anna.
Most days it was only wrinkled apples and hard oranges, soured milk, damp sugar packets and old teabags. But sometimes he would find something good. Once he'd found a working media player at the bottom of the garbage bin in the eight-year man's office. He had been so sure the guards would find it and accuse him of stealing that he'd almost tossed it in the incinerator. But he'd distracted the guards with some water-stained skin magazines from the six-year men's shower room and brought that media player home to Anna.
She traded it for a pair of space heaters and ten kilos of good flour. They had dumplings for months.
The baby was the best thing he'd ever found. And she was such a good girl—quiet and still. Mikkel had taken a few minutes to hold her in the warmth beside the incinerator, cuddling her close and listening to the gobble and clack of her strange yellow beak. He swaddled her tightly in clean rags, taking care to wrap her pudgy hands separately so she couldn't rake her talons across that sweet pink baby belly. Then he put her in the bottom of his plastic lunch pail, layered a clean pair of janitor's coveralls over her, and topped the pail with a box of day-old pastries he'd found in the six-year men's lounge.
"Apple strudel," grunted Hermann, the four-year man in charge of the early morning guard shift. "Those pasty scientists don't know good eats. Imagine leaving strudel to sit."
"Cafe Sluka has the best strudel in Vienna, so everyone says," Mikkel said as he passed through the security gate.
"Like you'd know, moron. Wouldn't let you through the door."
Mikkel ducked his head and kept his eyes on the floor. "I heated them in the microwave for you."
He rushed out into the grey winter light as the guards munched warm strudel.
Mikkel checked the baby as soon as he rounded the corner, and then kept checking her every few minutes on the way home. He was careful to make sure nobody saw. But the streetcars were nearly empty in the early morning, and nobody would find it strange to see a two-year man poking his nose in his lunch pail.
The baby was quiet and good. Anna would be so pleased. The thought kept him warm all the way home.
Anna was not pleased.
When he showed her the baby she sat right down on the floor. She didn't say anything—just opened and closed her mouth for a minute. Mikkel crouched at her side and waited.
"Did anyone see you take it?" she asked, squeezing his hand hard, like she always did when she wanted him to pay attention.
"No, sweetheart."
"Good. Now listen hard. We can't keep it. Do you understand?"
"She needs a mother," Mikkel said.
"You're going to take her back to the lab. Then forget this ever happened."
Anna's voice carried an edge Mikkel had never heard before. He turned away and gently lifted the baby out of the pail. She was quivering with hunger. He knew how that felt.
"She needs food," he said. "Is there any milk left, sweetheart?"
"It's no use, Mikkel. She's going to die anyway."
"We can help her."
"The beak is a bad taint. If she were healthy they would have kept her. Sent her to a crèche."
"She's strong." Mikkel loosened the rags. The baby snuffled and her sharp blue tongue protruded from the pale beak. "See? Fat and healthy."
"She can't breathe."
"She needs us." Why didn't Anna see that? It was so simple.
"You can take her back tonight."
"I can't. My lunch pail goes through the X-ray machine. The guards would see."
If Anna could hold the baby, she would understand. Mikkel pressed the baby to Anna's chest. She scrambled backward so fast she banged her head on the door. Then she stood and straightened her maid's uniform with shaking hands.
"I have to go. I can't be late again." She pulled on her coat and lunged out the door, then turned and reached out. For a moment he thought she was reaching for the baby and he began to smile. But she just squeezed his hand again, hard.
"You have to take care of this, Mikkel," she said. "It's not right. She's not ours. We aren't keeping her."
Mikkel nodded. "See you tonight."
The only thing in the fridge was a bowl of cold stew. They hadn't had milk for days. But Mikkel's breakfast sat on the kitchen table covered with a folded towel. The scrambled egg was still steaming.
Mikkel put a bit of egg in the palm of his hand and blew on it. The baby's eyes widened and she squirmed. She reached for his hand. Talons raked his wrist and her beak yawned wide. A blue frill edged with red and yellow quivered at the back of her throat.
"Does that smell good? I don't think a little will hurt."
He fed her the egg bit by bit. She gobbled it down, greedy as a baby bird. Then he watched her fall asleep while he sipped his cold coffee.
Mikkel wet a paper napkin and cleaned the fine film of mucus from the tiny nostrils on either side of her beak. They were too small, but she could breathe just fine through her mouth. She couldn't cry, though, she just snuffled and panted. And the beak was heavy. It dragged her head to the side.
She was dirty, smeared with blood from the incineration bin. Her fine black hair was pasted down with a hard scum that smelled like glue. She needed a bath, and warm clothes, and diapers. Also something to cover her hands. He would have to trim the points off her talons.
He held her until she woke. Then he brought both space heaters from the bedroom and turned them on high while he bathed her in the kitchen sink. It was awkward and messy and took nearly two hours. She snuffled hard the whole time, but once he'd dried her and wrapped her in towels she quieted. He propped her up on the kitchen table. She watched him mop the kitchen floor, her bright brown eyes following his every move.
When the kitchen was clean he fetched a half-empty bottle of French soap he'd scavenged from the lab, wrapped the baby up tightly against the cold, and sat on the back stairs waiting for Hyam to come trotting out of his apartment for a smoke.
"What's this?" Hyam said. "I didn't know Anna was expecting."
"She wasn't." Mikkel tugged the towel aside.
"Huh," said Hyam. "That's no natural taint. Can it breathe?"
"She's hungry." Mikkel gave him the bottle of soap.
"Hungry, huh?" Hyam sniffed the bottle. "What do you need?"
"Eggs and milk. Clothes and diapers. Mittens, if you can spare some."
"I never seen a taint like that. She's not a natural creature." Hyam took a long drag on his cigarette and blew it over his shoulder, away from the baby. "You work in that lab, right?"
Hyam examined the glowing coal at the end of his cigarette.
"What did Anna say when you brought trouble home?"
Mikkel shrugged.
"Did the neighbors hear anything through the walls?"
"Keep it that way." Hyam spoke slowly. "Keep this quiet, Mikkel, you hear me? Keep it close. If anyone asks, you tell them Anna birthed that baby."
Mikkel nodded.
Hyam pointed with his cigarette, emphasizing every word. "If the wrong person finds out, the whole neighborhood will talk. Then you'll see real trouble. Four-year men tromping through the building, breaking things, replaying the good old days in the colonies. They like nothing better. Don't you bring that down on your neighbors."
"My wife will like the soap." Hyam ground out his cigarette and ran up the stairs.
"There now," Mikkel said. The baby gazed up at him and clacked her beak. "Who says two-year men are good for nothing?"
Four-year men said it all the time. They were everywhere, flashing their regimental badges and slapping the backs of their old soldier friends. They banded together in loud bragging packs that crowded humble folks off busses and streetcars, out of shops and cafés, forcing everyone to give way or get pushed aside.
Six-year men probably said it too, but Mikkel had never talked to one. He saw them working late at the lab sometimes, but they lived in another world—a world filled with sports cars and private clubs. And who knew what eight-year men said? Mikkel cleaned an eight-year man's office every night, but he'd only ever seen them in movies.
Nobody made movies about two-year men. They said four-year men had honor, six-year men had responsibility, and eight-year men had glory. Two-year men had nothing but shame. But it wasn't true. Hyam said so. Two-year men had families—parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters, children and wives who depended on them. They had jobs, humble jobs but important all the same. Without two-year men, who would grub away the garbage, crawl the sewers, lay the carpets, clean the chimneys, fix the roofs? Without two-year men there would be nobody to bring in the harvest—no sweet strawberries or rich wines. And most important, Hyam said, without two-year men there would be no one parents could point at and say to their sons, "Don't be like him."
Hyam was smart. He could have been a four-year man easy, even a six-year man. But he was a Jew and that meant a two-year man, almost always. Gypsies too, and Hutterites, and pacifists. Men who couldn't walk or talk. Even blind men. All drafted and sent to fight and die in the colonies for two years, and then sent home to live in shame while the four-year men fought on. Fought to survive and come home with honor.
Hyam returned swinging a plastic bag in one hand and a carton of eggs in the other. A bottle of milk was tucked under his arm.
"This is mostly diapers," he said, brandishing the bag. "You'll never have too many. We spend more on laundry than we do on food."
"I can wash them by hand."
"No you can't, take my word for it." Hyam laughed and ran up the stairs. "Welcome to fatherhood, Mikkel. You're a family man now."
Mikkel laid the baby on the bed. He diapered and dressed the baby, and then trimmed her talons with Anna's nail scissors. He fitted a sock over each of the baby's hands and pinned them to her sleeves. Then he wedged Anna's pillow between the bed and the wall, tucked the baby in his arms, and fell into sleep.
He woke to the clacking of the baby's beak. She yawned, showing her colorful throat frill. He cupped his hand over her skull and breathed in the milky scent of her skin.
"Let's get you fed before Mama comes home," he said.
He warmed milk in the soup pot. A baby needed a bottle when it didn't have a breast, he knew, but his baby—his clever little girl—held her beak wide and let him tip the milk into her, teaspoon by teaspoon. She swallowed greedily and then demanded more. She ate so fast he could probably just pour the milk in a steady stream down her throat. But milk was too expensive to risk spitting up all over the kitchen floor.
"Mikkel," said Anna.
She was standing in the doorway in her scarf and coat. Mikkel gathered the baby in his arms and greeted Anna with a kiss like he always did. Her cheek was cold and red.
"How was your day?" he asked. The baby looked from him to Anna and clacked her beak.
Anna wouldn't look at the baby. "I was late. I got on the wrong bus at the interchange and had to backtrack. Mrs. Spiven says one more time and that's it for me."
"You can get another job. A better one. Closer to home."
"Maybe. Probably not."
Anna rinsed the soup pot, scooped cold stew into it and set it on the stove. She was still in her coat and hat. The baby reached out and hooked Anna's red mitten out of her pocket with the trimmed talon poking through the thin grey knit sock. The mitten dangled from the baby's hand. Anna ignored it.
"Sweetheart, take off your coat," Mikkel said.
"I'm cold," she said. She struck a match and lit the burner.
Mikkel gently pulled on her elbow. She resisted for a moment and then turned. Her face was flushed.
"Sweetheart, look," he said. Anna dropped her gaze to the floor. The baby clacked her beak and yawned. "I thought we could name her after your mother."
Anna turned away and stirred the stew. "That's crazy. I told you we're not keeping her."
"She has your eyes."
The spoon clattered to the floor. Anna swayed. Her elbow hit the pot handle and it tipped. Mikkel steadied it and shut off the flame.
Anna yanked back her chair and fell into it. She thrust her head in her hands for a moment and then sat back. Her eyes were cold and narrow, her voice tight. "Why would you say that? Don't say that."
Why couldn't Anna see? She was smart. So much smarter than him. And he could see it so easily.
Mikkel searched for the right words. "Your eggs. Where did they go?"
"It doesn't matter. I needed money so I sold my ovaries. That's the end of it."
Mikkel ran his fingers over his wife's chapped hand, felt the calluses on her palm. He would tell her the awful things, and then she would understand.
"I know where your eggs went. I see them in the tanks every night. And in the labs. In the incinerator. I mop their blood off the floor."
Anna's jaw clenched. He could tell she was biting the inside of her cheek. "Mikkel. Lots of women sell their ovaries. Thousands of women. They could be anyone's eggs."
Mikkel shook his head. "This is your baby. I know it."
"You don't know anything. What proof do you have? None." She laughed once, a barking sound. "And it doesn't matter anyway because we're not keeping her. People will find out and take her away. Arrest you and me both, probably. At the very least, we'd lose our jobs. Do you want us to live in the street?"
"We can tell people you birthed her."
"With that beak?"
Mikkel shrugged. "It happens."
Anna's flushed face turned a brighter shade of red. She was trying not to cry. He ached to squeeze her to his chest. She would just pull away, though. Anna would never let him hold her when she cried.
They ate in silence. Mikkel watched the baby sleep on the table between them. Her soft cheek was chubby as any child's, but it broadened and dimpled as it met the beak, the skin thinning and hardening like a fingernail. The baby snuffled and snot bubbled from one of her tiny nostrils. Mikkel wiped it away with the tip of his finger.
Mikkel checked the clock as Anna gathered the dishes and filled the sink. Only a few minutes before he had to leave for the lab. He snuggled the baby close. Her eyelids fluttered. The delicate eyelash fringes were glued together with mucus.
"You have to go," said Anna. She put his lunch pail on the table.
"In a minute," he said. Mikkel dipped his napkin in his water glass and wiped the baby's eyes.
Anna leaned on the edge of the sink. "Do you know why I married you, Mikkel?"
He sat back, startled. Anna didn't usually talk like this. He had wondered, often. Anna could have done better. Married a smart man, a four-year man, even.
"Will you tell me, sweetheart?"
"I married you because you said it didn't matter. I explained I could never have babies and you still wanted me—"
"Of course I want you."
"I told you why I was barren. Why I sold my ovaries. Do you remember?"
"Your mother was sick. You needed the money."
"Yes. But I also said it was easy because I never wanted babies. I never wanted to be a mother." She leaned forward and gripped his shoulders. "I still don't. Take her back to the lab."
Mikkel stood. He kissed the baby's forehead. Then he put the baby in Anna's arms.
"Her name is Maria," he said. "After your mother."
Mikkel was tired walking up the street toward the bus stop. But that was fatherhood. He would get used to it. Anna would get used to being a mother too. He was sure. All women did.
The thought of his wife and child kept him warm all the way to the Josefstadt streetcar station. Then a four-year man shoved an elbow in his ribs and spat on his coat. Mikkel watched the spittle freeze and turn white. He stood shivering at the edge of the curb, taking care to stay out of everyone's way.
Mikkel relied on Anna's kindness, sure she would always do the right thing, the generous thing. She was good to him, good to everyone. For ten years she had taken care of him, cooking, cleaning, making their two rooms into a home. In return he did his best to fill those two rooms with love. It was all he could do.
As he stood in the wind at the edge of the station, doubts began to creep in with the cold. Why would Anna say she didn't want to be a mother? It couldn't be true. They lived surrounded by families—happy, noisy, families—three and four, even five generations all living together. Healthy children, happy mothers, proud fathers. Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. Family everywhere, but he and Anna only had each other.
Anna must regret being barren. Some part of her, buried deep, must long for children. But she said she didn't, and if it was true, then something in her must be broken.
He had seen broken men during his two years in the colonies, men with whole bodies and broken minds, who said crazy things and hurt themselves, hurt others. Anna could never be like them.
But his doubts grew with every step further from home. By the time he could see the lights of the lab glowing through the falling snow, the doubts were clawing at him. He imagined coming home in the morning to find Anna alone, ready to leave for work, pretending Maria had never been there.
He turned back home, but then one of the four-year men shouted at him through the glass doors.
"You're late, you stupid ass."
Mikkel watched his lunch pail slide though the x-ray. The guards ran it back and forth through the machine, just to waste time. Mikkel had to run to the time clock. He stamped his card just as it clicked over to eight.
Normally Mikkel loved the rhythm of work, the scrubbing, mopping, wiping. Even cleaning toilets brought its own reward. He knew the drip of every tap, every scratch on the porcelain and crack in the tiles. He took an inventory of them night by night as he cleaned, taking his time, double-checking every corner for dust, scanning every window and mirror for streaks, even getting down on his knees to swab behind the toilets, scrubbing away any hint of mildew from the grout, finding all the little nooks and crannies.
Tonight he rushed through his work, but each room felt like it took twice as long as usual. He kept checking the time, sure he was falling behind. Thinking about Anna dragged on the clock hands. Worrying made him forgetful, too. He left the four-year men's bathroom with no memory of cleaning it. He had to go back and check just to be sure.
In the tank room he began to feel better. He loved the noise of the tanks—the bubbling pumps and thumping motors. Here he always took his time, no matter what. It was his favorite place in the whole building. He wasn't supposed to touch the tanks, but he always took a few extra minutes to polish the steel and glass and check the hose seals. He even tightened the bolts that fixed each heavy tank to the floor and ceiling.
The tinted glass was just transparent enough to show the babies floating inside. Mikkel watched them grow night by night. He kept a special rag just for polishing the tanks, a soft chamois that a six-year man had discarded years ago. It was specially made for precious things—the logo of a sports car company had long since worn off. He always polished the glass with long slow caressing strokes, sure the babies could feel his touch.
Two of the tanks were empty. Mikkel polished them too, in their turn, making them perfect for the next baby. Maria's tank was in the last row on the far side of the room, two from the end. It was refilled but the baby was still too small to see, just a thin filament dangling from the fleshy organ at the top of the tank.
"Your sister says hello," Mikkel whispered. "Her mama and papa are proud of her. Maria is going to grow up smart and strong."
The filament twisted and drifted in the fluid. Mikkel watched it for a few minutes, wondering what Anna and Maria were doing at that moment. He imagined them curled up in bed, skin to skin, the baby's beak tucked under Anna's chin. He squeezed his eyes tight and held the image in his mind, as if he could make it real just by wanting it so badly. And for a few minutes it did feel real, an illusion supported by the comforting tank room sounds.
But he couldn't stay there. As he lugged his bins and pails upstairs to the offices, worry began gnawing at him again.
Women abandoned babies all the time. The mothers and grandmothers in the tenement always had a story to tell about some poor baby left out in the cold by a heartless and unnatural mother. Once, when they were first married, Anna told the woman next door that people did desperate things when they had run out of options. That neighbor still wouldn't speak to her, years later.
What if Anna bundled Maria up and put her on the steps of some six-year man's house? Or left her at the train station?
He could see Maria now, tucked into their big kitchen pail and covered with a towel. He could see Anna, her face covered by her red scarf, drop the pail on the edge of the Ostbahnhof express platform and walk away.
No. His Anna would never do that. Never. He wouldn't think about it anymore. He would pay attention to his work.
On the wide oak table in the eight-year man's office he found four peach pastries, their brandy jam dried to a crust. The bakery box was crushed in the garbage bin. When he was done cleaning the office he re-folded it as best he could and put the pastries back inside. Four was good luck. One for each of the guards. Then he made his way down to the basement.
The incinerator was an iron maw in a brick wall. For years, Mikkel had walked down those concrete steps in the hot red light of its stare to find the sanitary disposal bin bloody but empty, its contents dumped by one of the four-year men who assisted in the labs. Back then, all Mikkel had to do was toss his garbage bags in the incinerator, let them burn down, then switch off the gas, bleach the bin, hose the floor, and mop everything dry.
But now there was a new eight-year man in charge, and Mikkel had to start the incinerator and empty the disposal bin himself.
The light from the overhead bulb was barely bright enough to show the trail of blood snaking from the bin to the drain. Mikkel felt his way to the control panel and began the tricky process of firing up the incinerator. The gas dial was stiff and the pilot light button was loose. He pressed it over and over again, trying to find the right angle on the firing pin. When the incinerator finally blasted to life Mikkel had sweated through his coveralls.
The room lit up with the glow from the incinerator window and he could finally see into the bin. The top layer of bags dripped fluid tinged red and yellow. Most were double-and even triple-bagged, tied with tight knots. But they were torn and leaked. Sharp edges inside the disposal chute hooked and tore on the way down.
Maria had been single-bagged. Her beak had pierced the plastic, ripped it wide enough for her to breathe. And she had landed at the far edge of the bin, mostly upright. If she had been face down or if another bag had fallen on top of her she could have suffocated.
Mikkel wrenched open the incinerator door and began emptying the bin, carefully picking up each wet bag and throwing it far into the furnace. Some bags were tiny, just a few glass dishes and a smear of wax. One bag was filled with glass plates that spilled through a tear and shattered at his feet. The biggest bags held clear fluid that burst across the back wall of the incinerator with a hot blast that smelled like meat. He set the bloodiest bags aside, put them down safe on the pitted concrete floor, away from the glass.
As the bin emptied, a pit began to form in Mikkel's stomach. He turned away and kicked through the glass, pacing along the far wall where it was a little cooler.
The tank room had two empty tanks. He'd polished them just a few hours ago, but he hadn't paid much attention. He'd been thinking about Anna and Maria.
He knew those babies, the ones who had been in the empty tanks. One was a little boy with a thick, stocky body covered in fine hair. The other was a tiny girl with four arms that ended in stubby knobs. Where were they now? Had they been sent away to the crèche or put down the chute? If they'd gone down the chute they would be in the bin, waiting for him to throw them into the fire with the blood and tank fluid. With all of the failed experiments.
Mikkel picked up a bloody bag and hefted it by the seal, feeling the contents with his other hand. The fluid sloshed heavily and clung to the sides of the bag like syrup. There were a few solid pieces inside the bag, but nothing big enough to be a baby, not even a tiny one. He threw it into the incinerator and picked up the other bag.
Maria would probably be gone when he got home; he understood that now. The thought made a hollow in his chest, a Maria-shaped hole where he'd cuddled her to his heart. But if Maria was gone, if Anna had taken her to the train station and abandoned her, that only meant Anna needed time. He would give her time. He would be patient, like she always was with him, and gentle too. What was broken in her would heal and she would love their children. She would be a wonderful mother. Maybe not today, but soon.
He would find more babies. Night after night he'd search for them. Maria had survived, so others would survive, too, and he would find them. Find every baby and bring them all home until Anna healed. He would fill their home with love. It was all he could do.
The Three Resurrections of Jessica Churchill
Clarkesworld, February 2015
Waters of Versailles
Tor.com, June 10, 2015
Good for Grapes
New Canadian Noir, March 2015


I'm trying to look for a solution to an issue I have.
I'm a foreigner in the country I'm currently living. I kept my iTunes linked to my own country, because I bought apps there, and if I switch country I would lose everything.
Living in a country with a different iTunes country means that from time to time I cannot access a local app.
Before Apple decided to update iTunes, whenever I was in this situation, I would use a second account I created, download the app on my computer, and sync my device with iTunes. Why this? Because I have an Apple Music subscription, and if I change the country on my device directly just to download one app, I lose all my music, and when I switch back I have to download everything again.
The second account solution helped in this a lot.
But now, with the new iTunes the app store isn't there anymore, and I'm out of solutions.
If I got my hand on the .ipa maybe I could install it directly with Impactor (or any other tool you may suggest).
But I don't know how to do that, mainly because I don't know how to find the .ipa of the app I want (which in this case is even a free one).
What would be the steps to overcome this issue?
Does anybody have an alternative solution?
Any thought is much appreciated.
Thanks for the answer, but I'm on a Mac, and on Mac downgrading iTunes is a huge pain in the neck, with not complete guarantee of success (it is part of the system).
Moreover, already with iPhone 8 you need iTunes 12.7 (luckily I have iPhone 7) and soon this is an option that is going to disappear.
you just install over current itunes.
it is not an old version but fully updated for os11 and ALL devices !
Yes, that worked. Before I tried to install another version (suggested by someone else) and that version couldn't be installed.
The one you suggested worked like a charm. Thank you.


From learning Korean culture to speaking some of the language, Indiana State University's Early Childhood Education Forum gives current and future teachers continued professional development in cultural diversity.
The forum this semester features the Korean teacher in education, said Yong Joon Park, assistant professor in the department of elementary, early and special education. In attending the forums individuals will learn how to play the guitar for Korean children's songs as well as the characteristics of teaching and parenting in South Korea.
The forum is for Indiana State students with an interest in the early childhood minor as well as caregivers, daycare teachers, preschool teachers, primary grade level teachers, professors, administrators, staff and teacher candidates.
The forum meets on Fridays through Nov. 30 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and is located at the Center for Mathematics Education in room 217A at University Hall. Registration for the forum is free and is sponsored by the Richard Willey Memorial Faculty Development Fund 2012.
Park explained that the Early Childhood Education Forum was created to enhance the understanding of diverse communities through the lens of early childhood education.
"The forum will expand cultural diversity in early childhood education centers and school districts throughout Indiana, other states and the world," Park said.
Those attending the forum will share knowledge of cultural diversity, watch artistic performances and help potential teacher candidates. Eunice Yuju, a doctoral student in the department of curriculum instruction, specializing in early childhood education, described some of the activities at the Terre Haute Korean School.
"In our class we talk about the vowels and consonants, we read stories. Another part of the class is a group activity. They have a field trip to Rose Hulman where they watch the stars," she said.
Cultural differences will be topics chosen to discuss as well as how children learn and the Korean educational system.
"We can talk about what is very popular here now, like Gangnam Style," said Yuju. "In Asian culture attitude is very important, whoever your teacher, you have to honor them and respect him or her. Family value and country is also to be honored."
Students learn respect and participate in activities to gain knowledge on cultural diversity.
"We believe kids learn through senses plus one, hearing, smell, taste, touch and heart; the heart is where we talk about attitude," Yuju said.
Park said that the education forum is scheduled to be held in the spring semester and will focus on Taiwanese culture.
Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/photos/i-xS3ZpMS/0/L/i-xS3ZpMS-L.jpgYong Joon Park lectures during the forum.
From learning Korean culture to speaking some of the language, Indiana State University's Early Childhood Education Forum gives current and future teachers continued professional development in cultural diversity.


text:
Week 1 – Assignment Influence of Social Media on Business and Communication Management
Using APA Style
The purpose of this short research paper is to ensure proper understanding and application of APA style as required in all Ashford courses.
Using the Ashford Online Library, develop an annotated bibliography on one of the following factors that has had a significant impact on business and management communication in the past decade: diversity
globalization and outsourcing
pace of life and work
evolving workplace technologies
influence of social media
ethical challenges
Your annotated bibliography requires at least six (6) peer-reviewed articles, full reference information, and a short paragraph description of the main findings.
To receive maximum points, all of the following elements must be included in your paper:
Must be two to three double-spaced pages in length (not including the title), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must use at least six scholarly sources from the Ashford Online Library. One of the six sources may be the text.
Must include at least one direct quote from one of the sources (see Guidelines for Quoting Sources).
Must include at least one summarized statement from one of the sources (see Guidelines for Summarizing Sources).
Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
Week 1 - Assignment Influence of Social Media on Business and Communication Management


text:
Q: how to avoid duplicates while inserting data to database Having issues with duplicates while inserting values from excel to sql database. in my database I have a table sanction with 15 columns. my query:
INSERT INTO sanction (
                id,
                organization_type, organization, date,
                decision_number, penalty_type, penalty_way,
                penalty, violation, execution_period,
                article, note, type_npa,
                department, uploaded_date)
                VALUES (
                null,
                   %s, %s, STR_TO_DATE(%s,"%%d.%%m.%%Y"),
                %s, %s, %s,
                %s, %s, STR_TO_DATE(%s,"%%d.%%m.%%Y"),
                %s, %s, %s,
                %s, %s)

Tried if not exist, unique didn't help. can somebody help me with query? Want to use it without creating temporary table, and uniques.
thanks!

A: I'm pretty sure you will NOT know if the data in the data frame dupes some of the records in the database, at least until after you push the data set into the database.  If you want to de-dupe a data-frame, you can do it like this.
df.drop_duplicates()

import pandas as pd
raw_data = {'first_name': ['Jason', 'Jason', 'Jason','Tina', 'Jake', 'Amy'],
        'last_name': ['Miller', 'Miller', 'Miller','Ali', 'Milner', 'Cooze'],
        'age': [42, 42, 42, 36, 24, 73],
        'preTestScore': [4, 4, 4, 31, 2, 3],
        'postTestScore': [25, 25, 25, 57, 62, 70]}
df = pd.DataFrame(raw_data, columns = ['first_name', 'last_name', 'age', 'preTestScore', 'postTestScore'])
print(df)

df = df.drop_duplicates(['last_name'], keep='first')
print(df)

Or, test for dupes DURING the insert.  I found a couple samples on SO, which may help you.  If you are using SQL Server...
Using NOT EXISTS:

INSERT INTO TABLE_2
  (id, name)
SELECT t1.id,
       t1.name
  FROM TABLE_1 t1
 WHERE NOT EXISTS(SELECT id
                    FROM TABLE_2 t2
                   WHERE t2.id = t1.id)

Using NOT IN:

INSERT INTO TABLE_2
  (id, name)
SELECT t1.id,
       t1.name
  FROM TABLE_1 t1
 WHERE t1.id NOT IN (SELECT id
                       FROM TABLE_2)

Avoid duplicates in INSERT INTO SELECT query in SQL Server
Or, consider using VBA for this kind of thing, if you are already working with Excel.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


According to a research published in Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine homeopathy has survived for centuries in a variety of forms. Can you think of a reason behind this? You must have grown up hearing that homeopathy is a gentle and natural science of healing. But, do you actually know what the connection between homeopathy and nature is? Because of sudden exposure of the adverse effects of allopathic medicines to the world, everyone today is looking for an alternative healing science. Is homeopathy for health a probable answer to the diseased world? Every fact gives rise to a number of questions and these questions are vaguely answered at different places. And to adopt homeopathy or any other alternative medicine, you have to critically analyze its advantages as well as disadvantages. Clarity of facts and myths is also required. Hence, today we will see a research backed perspective of homeopathy and nature.
Homeopathy is not the only medicinal science based on nature and there are many others. We will also throw light on some of them. So, in short we will see some alternatives to allopathic drugs while understanding the connection between homeopathy and nature.
Homeopathy one of the oldest and well established alternate medicinal systems on this planet. Yes, there is ayurveda and Chinese medicines healing the world, but homeopathy has its own unique way of treating human body. Back in 19th century, homeopathy arouse as a strong and convicting way of healing and soon there were homeopathic hospitals in Britain. These hospitals had in patient units and were big enough, indicating that people then believed that homeopathy can cure any disease. Although it is popular in European countries, the very first institution specifically devoted to homeopathy was established back in nineteenth century. Around1900, about twenty percent of total doctors in the United States too were homeopaths, but due to various reasons, homeopathy became relatively unknown in the US until recently. In the last decade, things have gradually changed with the awakening of people against the ill effects of allopathic drugs.
Well, do you think it is true? Homeopathy is a widely recognized form of medicine used by over 200 million people worldwide, but do you think it is potent enough to treat chronic ailments? Can homeopathy for health become the perfect answer to ailing people? You will get the answer to this in a short while.
Despite lack of proper advertisement and people blindly following allopathic medicines, homeopathy has managed to survive in the last century. According to the World Health Organization, it is the second largest therapeutic system in use in the world at present. What is contributing to its survival? Not only homeopathy, but ayurveda too is an ancient science that has managed to keep hold of the universe. One thing common between the two is nature. Ayurveda, homeopathy and nature are closely related. How? The following discussion will help you understand the connection between homeopathy and nature.
Homeopathy and nature are closely related because homeopathy tries to assist human body in diseases. However, it does so by making the existing nature of the body strong. This way homeopathy and nature seem to be closely related.
Apart from this, homeopathy is based o the concept of "like cures like". This can be viewed differently according to perspective. In general, we can say that allopathy seeks to fight the body's natural response system by attacking the symptoms of healing. However, a homeopath regards symptoms as the body's healthy attempt to restore itself to balance. Hence, Homeopathy, embraces the body's natural response system by either encouraging the symptoms of healing or attacking the root cause of the illness. Allopathy aims towards suppressing the symptoms in most of the cases, however homeopathy tries to address and attack the root cause.
This is the era of alternative medicines. As and when people get time, they search of a healthier and easier way to treat their body. Some are becoming proactive and taking care of their health. It is good, but as you can never avoid illness, there is a need for a holistic system of medicine that does not harm human body. This is possible only when the alternate medicinal system does least disturbance in the body. For this reason, homeopathy and nature appear to have a close relation because as nature heals without any ill effects, homeopathy also does the same. Homeopathy is a form of medicine that works in harmony with your body. Homeopathy for health won't deposit toxic elements in the body that can produce unpleasant side effects. This is one of the reasons behind the science gaining popularity. Especially the USA about 15 years ago, it was estimated that the number of patients using homeopathic remedies had suddenly increased by 500% compared to last seven years. But, most of them purchased over-the-counter remedies.
The mechanism of human body is to self heal and homeopathy and nature of human body both stress more on self healing. Not only the principles of homeopathy make it closely related to nature, but, homeopathic medicines are also made up of natural products. All the homeopathic medicines are based on utilizing the healing capabilities of nature. Now you can exactly tell what the connection between homeopathy and nature is. Although homeopathic medicines are derived from natural substances, the science should not be confused with herbal medicine, Chinese medicine, or other types of natural medicines. It is its own and entirely unique system of healing humans.
This was all about the connection between homeopathy and nature. Now it is time to see why one should use this natural approach to treat human body. We have many reasons, but to cut it short, we would say those who want holistic, natural and natural healing should choose homeopathy. In case you are confusing the science with any other orthodox healer, you should open up your eyes to look up at the extensive research going on in the field. Up to the end of 2014, more than 100 research papers reporting good-quality placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in homeopathy have been published in peer-reviewed journals. All these experiments are done on 61 different medical conditions. And after 2014, research in natural healing sciences has gained momentum due to the awareness about the ill effects.
Homeopathy for health is considered to be perfect because of all these reasons. Since they are free from any side effects, most of the homeopathic medicines are available over the counter in grocery stores, drug stores, health food stores, homeopathic pharmacies, and online. Homeopathy and nature are closely related, but it is completely different from using the natural products directly. Preparing a homeopathic medicine from a plant is a multi step process. For instance, the first step is cleaning and preparing the plant with a mix of alcohol and water to make a tincture. The tincture thus formed is then diluted and strongly shaken without any chemical intervention. This step is repeated again and again to increase the potency of the medicine. The number of times the process is repeated will decide the concentration of the medicine.
But, since homeopathy aims at assisting the natural process of human healing, it is given in small doses or in diluted form until and unless we are dealing with a chronic problem. Homeopathy rather than treating just on body part treats the person as a whole. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. So, it is not easy to make homeopathic medicines as it is a science in itself. And prescribing the right homeopathic medicines also requires expertise.
In addition to homeopathic medicines, a person using homeopathy for health needs to accept some dietary and lifestyle changes. Also, homeopathy is magical and free from side effects, but you should keep in mind that it takes time. Because of small doses and its holistic healing, this science will not give you instant results. Hence, you have to take the medicines regularly. Only then you will get to see the expected results. Allopathy might be good for those who want instant relief, but these drugs are not in favor of your long term health. So, you can simply see them as two different choices. One attracts you with instant relief but many temporary and permanent ill effects, and the other one with promising but gradual results. This was all about homeopathy and nature. But, you can always look out for more natural options like ayurveda. This is also an ancient yet scientifically proven science with the concept of holistic healing. The key is to open up your eyes and try to avoid the ill effects of allopathic drugs. And because it is your body, you can choose what is best for your long term health and a happy life.


Kisses in Soft Grey on 100% Organic Flax Cotton/Linen Mix.
Handmade in the UK from hand-printed organic sustainable fabrics, and all sewn together with GOTS certified organic thread! These materials are carefully selected not only to create an eco-friendly product but to make sure they are safe against your baby's soft delicate skin! We even pack green sending your dummy clips in an organic linen bag, with oak wooden tags & a drawstring top to keep your littles dummy clip safe and clean when not in use!
Clips to baby's clothes, blanket or pram. Can attach dummy, teether/soother or baby's toy to cotton cord strap.
Washing Info: Hand wash in warm water, air dry, iron low to medium.
Any small parts are triple sewn for safety, but please remember to never leave child unattended with dummy clip.
All products are made to order so please allow 5 working days before item is posted.
This product plants one tree!
We will plant one tree for every one of these products purchased. Helping the world be just a little greener, cleaner, and healthier!
Together lets plant a world full of trees!


This post is not to "toot my own horn" or try and convince you that I'm so darn attractive I have to deal with this everyday. This list has been a steady accumulation over the years and will most likely continue to grow.
It's time for me to 'fess up.
Below you will find a variety of tactics I have used (and continue to use) to deter, desist, and maybe even disgust any unwanted leers or comments from random guys I've encountered.
These are all by-products of my ever-present passive aggressiveness. I wish I could be the kind of woman who could look a creepo in the eye and say, "GO AWAY." Or, more accurately: "You've obvioulsy never been shown what it looks like to be a man. My husband is an excellent man, want HIS number?" But alas, those remarks remain seething in my mind.
And, let's be honest, I may have employed some of these while still single.
# 1- Pulled out my Bible and placed it strategically in view of any and all passerbys during my lunch break 🙂 Nothing like catching some quality time with Jesus while simultaneously dissuading all the booty sharks prowling the break room or nearby Starbucks.
So, short of stuffing pillows up my shirt to feign pregnancy or neglecting to shower, I'm doing what I can to let all creepos out their know: I'm a happily married woman. With the bubonic plague.
Any other interesting tactics or suggestions for pest repellant? I'd love to hear them!
*Confession: OK so really I do this one almost every day regardless of who is around but, it can also be an effective deterrent!
Once while at Lynchburg these two creeps pulled up in the car next to me while I was waiting at a stoplight. They were giving me the "sup" head nod and oogeling my goodies (at least the goodies they could see through the car window). SO… in an attempt to disuade them I reached into the bag of McD's I have just acquired, calmly unwrapped my McDouble and shoved the thing almost entirely in my mouth. Then I proceeded to chew with my mouth open and wipe my face with my arm.
This is hysterical! Love this post! When I was in Paris and unhappily pursued I just walked into traffic. I wouldn't recommend it as a tactic, but it worked. My other Paris story is of walking away from a guy trying to get a date even through he was throwing out such melt-my-heart promises of "I'll shave my beard!" Keep it classy Paris.
Hahaha wow! I definitely feel like I'm missing out on some creative tactics! I've done the ring fiddling and the talking about how wonderful my husband is non stop (I figure that one is aggressive passive aggressiveness, because I usually start rambling abour Brian WAY before they've made any suggestive comments, just in case…) but mostly I just start talking about something entirely random if I guy is trying to flirt with me, it confuses them, weirds them out, and completely throws off any future "lines" "Hey baby, you're looking fine." "You know whats really fine? Avocados. Something about that green boogery blandness that just hits home you know? And I really don't understand all this hype about panda bears…" The would be creepies tend to back away looking confused and I make good my escape. I have got to try the McDouble tactic, though I'd probably laugh so hard I'd choke.
I LOVE this post and all the comments!!!! HA! Thanks for giving me some creative ideas!
haha you are so welcome! The comments add so much variety and I love it 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!


The Audrey is the perfect little number for your flower girl or even for your little princesses birthday party. This ballerina style dress would also make the perfect party dress.
Since 2007 we have delivered the best ultra girly clothing and accessories for very day and special occasions! We are constantly adding new things so be sure to check back often and sign up to receive our newsletter to make sure you are one of the first to be notified with new collections, sales and special offers!


The Mondo Vixen Massacre Price Drop.
As you can see below by the following three tweets, I've been trying to keep track of Amazon's odd price drops for the paperback edition of The Mondo Vixen Massacre. Do they know I have been secretly craving a price drop? Is this something the publisher signed onto when the book was published? Or, does Amazon occasionally drop the paperback price of a book even lower than the ebook version without rhyme or reason?
The answer: I don't know. However, I would like to thank them for lowering the price and allowing those on a budget to possibly pick up a copy. Given that it is a novella, I see nothing wrong with such a low price. If you haven't bought the book and are looking to do so, maybe now is the time to snag a cheap copy.
Observe the evolution of the price drop.
If you have any insight into why/how Amazon drops the price of certain books, please let me know in the comments. Otherwise, thank you for reading this bland, but important post. And, please let me know if you pick up a copy of the book. I hope you'll enjoy it. Thanks!
Posted in BooksTagged Amazon pricing, bizarro fiction, book, Buy Now, Cheap, Discount, Fiction, New, On Sale, Paperback, The Mondo Vixen Massacre, Twitter, Why Does Amazon lower book prices?


text:
Enthusiasm for Obama down …. even at SUNY Purchase!
Posted by College Insurrection Friday, October 19, 2012 at 12:15pm
Student support for Obama is tepid at best.
Few areas are more liberal than a university campus in a deep blue state.
Michael Sorge, a student at Purchase College – State University of New York, confirms in The College Fix that Obama is garnering the bulk of support and donations from faculty and students.
However, the enthusiasm for his candidacy is substantially less that is was in 2008.
At the State University of New York, Purchase, the backing of President Obama and his policies is evident. All you have to do is follow the money. According to OpenSecrets.com, a website run by The Center for Responsive Politics and dedicated to unearthing and making public the financial benefactors of politicians, $1,450 was donated to politicians by employees of the university. Of that total, $1,200 was given to candidate Barack Obama in the past year. No money was directed to Mr. Romney or any GOP related group.
As Election Day approaches, the presidential candidates are spending the bulk of their time wooing a small percentage of undecided voters in swing states. However, some states are getting far less attention from the candidates. These states are the dependable ones, the states that both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama have nailed down safely in their respective columns as they race to November 6th.
For Mr. Obama, there are few liberal bastions more safely in his corner than New York State. The New York Times has the chance of Mr. Obama winning New York at "100 percent". On it's election map the Times claims the odds that the state of New York will be prove "decisive" in the presidential race are "0.1" percent.
Within the Democratic-leaning stronghold of New York, the friendliest ground for the president's campaign may well be on the campus of the State University of New York, Purchase, where political support for Democratic politicians, and general distaste for conservative politicians is ubiquitous. Purchase students are ready to head to the polls to keep Mr. Obama in office.
It is increasingly common for college students with liberal political leanings to outnumber conservatives in universities across America, with liberal policies often entrenched in the fabric of university administration and course offerings. According to the Cooperative Institutional Research Program, a program affiliated with UCLA, incoming freshmen in 2012 have " decidedly more liberal views" than previous years.
Purchase College, with it's slogan "Think Wide Open", prides itself in diversity and as it's official website claims is home to students and professors who are "active culture generators". For a campus filled with students maintaining "open minds," there is relatively little political diversity. The "open minds" seem to translate into a narrow and rarely straying, dependable, voting bloc for Mr. Obama and his fellow Democrats.
But student support for Mr. Obama has not reached the level of enthusiasm this year that it did during the 2008 campaign. The magical feeling of "Hope & Change" is no longer evident. Students who support Obama are doing so with less enthusiasm.
Robert Turner, a SUNY Purchase student government officer, mounted a one-word reply when asked who he would be voting for, "Obama." When pressed as to why he would turn out for the incumbent he opined, "He is the better guy."
Another student, Isabella Sosa, echoed sentiments that can be heard almost every time elections are near. Ms. Sosa said, "Obama is the lesser of two evils."
Obama's student supporters are not so much pro-Obama as they are anti-Romney. A student, who asked to remain nameless, said she doesn't trust Romney and Ryan, and believes "they aren't open to finding common ground on big issues."
Almost all colleges experience a 'get out the vote' effort during election season. Purchase's equivalent effort, dubbed "Rave the Vote" is led by Associate Dean of Student Affairs, John Delate. Mr. Delate, while refusing to reveal which candidate he supports, responded to an email regarding this article saying, saying that he hopes "students and other community members will take the time to exercise our important constitutional right to vote."
Purchase College will hold no classes on Election Day as voters across the nation head to the polls. The outcome may hinge a few votes in a few contested states. But here at SUNY Purchase the outcome seems little in doubt—since Democrats received the lion's share of political donations from university employees, and Republicans received none, it seems clear that the professors and administrators here have their minds made up in favor of Obama.
Donations Go to Democrats, Not Republicans, at SUNY Purchase (The College Fix)


USB Pop-up Power Dock, Silver Finish, 102mm Diameter Recess, please see description below for full dimensions.
USB Pop-up Power Dock, Black Finish, 102mm Diameter Recess, please see description below for full dimensions.
USB Pop-up Power Dock, Stainless Steel Finish, 102mm Diameter Recess, please see description below for full dimensions.
USB & Speaker Pop-up Power Dock, Silver Finish, 102mm Diameter Recess. Please see description below for full dimensions.
USB & Speaker Pop-up Power Dock, Stainless Steel Finish, 102mm Diameter Recess. Please see description below for full dimensions.
Charger, 66mm, Pop-Up, USB With 2 x USB chargers – Silver finish. See below for full description.
Vertical Powerdock, rated IP54, 3 x UK 13amp sockets and 2 x 700 mA USB Connectors, requires 92mm drilled hole with neon master switch – black and aluminium finish with polished chrome top. Please see full description below.
Vertical Powerdock, rated IP54, 3 x UK 13amp sockets and 2 x 700 mA USB Connectors, requires 92mm drilled hole with neon master switch – black and aluminium finish with stainless steel top. Please see full description below.
Vertical Powerdock rated IP54, 3 x UK 13 Amp sockets, requires 92mm drilled hole with master switch – black and aluminium finish with black plastic top. Please see full description below.


Pics click save button to store these pics for your computer. There're all set for download, if you'd prefer and wish to get it, just click save symbol in the web page, and it'll be directly down loaded in your computer.
Pics I'm hoping you will want it. This kind of picture preceding will be labelled with.


Superb photograph. Almost enough to make me want to smoke cigarettes again!
🙂 I prefer Lucky Strike. But really: The photograph is superb. Perhaps I change to Camel.
I hope you will still share your photos here after becoming a millionaire with camel-photos 🙂 Or better: Share your millions 🙂 I`m just joking – your pictures are toooooooo good for cigarettes advertising.
Thank you very much for your compliment, Spitzfinder.
I have only been in Usbekistan, but I can very well imagine the great surrounding.
I guess the area at the Uzbek border is quite similar – but Kazakhstan is much bigger and has completely different landscapes and climatic zones.
oh, that's a perfect moment! it's good to always have our cameras ready!
Yes, one always has to hope for moments like that.
Yes, with the camel I really had a lot of luck that it was perfectly posing for the picture.
Perfect, the camel knows its best side!
You're welcome – and thank you as well, Cynthia.
This is a wonderfully evocative image – fabulous!
Thank you very much, Noeline.
Yes, it was a nice catch.


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Gesynta Pharma's GS-248 Wins FDA Orphan Drug Designation
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug status to Gesynta Pharma's GS-248, its oral therapy for people with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma). Orphan drug status aims to encourage therapies for rare diseases through benefits such as seven years of market exclusivity and exemption from FDA fees. "The orphan drug designation granted to our drug candidate GS-248
Diet & Disaster: The Role of Nutrition in Systemic Sclerosis
Dr Elizabeth Volkman, director of the UCLA Scleroderma Program, discusses gastrointestinal involvement in Systemic Sclerosis and how diet can affect your wellbeing.
Acid Reflux, Bloating & Diarrhoea in Scleroderma: What To Eat & What To Avoid
Dr Elizabeth Volkmann talks us through some of the most common effects of gastrointestinal involvement in SSc: acid reflux, bloating, and diarrhoea - and details how to adapt your diet to improve these symptoms.
Scleroderma, overlaps and related conditions
Dr. Price talks through some really useful information in the pre-recorded webinar above, including how to deal with dry eyes and antibodies that can indicate a vulnerability to scleroderma.
Cell Therapy Results Spur Pivotal Trial in Diffuse SCL Hand Function
Fat-derived cells from adults with diffuse cutaneous scleroderma that are then injected under the skin of the hands led to clinically meaningful improvements in hand function, according to published data from the Phase 3 STAR I clinical trial.
Scleroderma Has Caused Me to Question My Self-worth
Has your self-worth diminished over time due to Scleroderma? You're not alone.
Celebrating Signs That Scleroderma Awareness Is Increasing
Note: The headline of this story was updated April 19, 2022, to clarify that scleroderma isn't becoming less rare, but rather awareness of the disease is increasing.
Scleroderma and Intimacy - Virtual Education Session to be rescheduled
This month's Scleroderma Victoria Virtual Education Session topic is "Scleroderma and Intimacy". Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, the session was postponed and will be rescheduled soon. When we have a settled date, please join us as we hear from our guest speaker – a sex and relationship therapist – about adjustments you can make if necessary to ensure you and your partner feel fulfilled.
In the meantime, check out the Virtual Education Sessions to see what is on offer.
Researchers Find Fibroblasts May Be at the Forefront of a Rare Autoimmune Disease
The main findings of scleroderma are thickening and tightening of the skin and inflammation and scarring of many body parts, leading to problems in the lungs, kidneys, heart, intestinal system, and other areas.
Lung Problems?
Scleroderma symptoms can vary greatly from person to person, however, up to half of all scleroderma patients also develop lung problems.


text:
Cibak jezik (chibbak, chibbuk, chibok, chibuk, kibbaku, kikuk, kyibaku; ISO 639-3: ckl), čadski jezik podskupine biu-mandara, kojim govori 100 000 ljudi (1993 CAPRO) u nigerijskoj državi Borno
.

Etnička grupa zove se Chibuk, a srodni su s Bura i Marghi.

Izvori

Vanjske poveznice
Ethnologue (14th)
Ethnologue (15th)

Biu-Mandara jezici
Jezici Nigerije
Jezici po abecedi:C

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
LOOK: Did you make it into our Huddersfield Town vs Udinese fan gallery?
Have a look to see if you were snapped during Town's 2-1 pre-season friendly defeat at the John Smith's Stadium yesterday evening
Blake Welton
Huddersfield Town fell to their second pre-season friendly defeat in their only warm-up game to be held at the John Smith's Stadium this summer.
A crowd of 6,443 turned up to the patched-up stadium for the early evening kick-off to witness David Wagner's men lose 2-1 to Italian Serie A side Udinese.
It started so well for the hosts though, Tom Ince claiming his fourth goal in five outings before a defensive error led to an equaliser for the visitors.
Huddersfield Town transfer rumours: Boss David Wagner with the latest update
And, in a low-key second-half disrupted by substitutions and theatrics, Udinese took the spoils courtesy of the quick-thinking Ryder Matos.
Next up for Town is a training camp in Austria where the side will face VfB Stuttgart in Schwaz on Tuesday, August 1 before playing another Serie A side, Torino in the Stadion Jenbach on Friday, August 4.
Were you at last night's game? Scroll through the gallery above and see if you have been snapped by our photographer.
Huddersfield Town latest news
Grant linked
Winkler joins
Siewer on January moves
Town prepared for PL and Championship


Employers and employees both need to understand the Texas overtime laws. There are stiff penalties for those who willfully do not comply with these laws, including criminal prosecution and financial fines. The state of Texas follows the federal labor laws, and has not adopted any of their own as some other states have done. According to Texas overtime laws, employers are required to pay their employees overtime pay for hours worked over forty hours a week. Texas overtime laws require that overtime pay should be no less than one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay. The only employees that should not receive overtime pay are those that are exempt. Texas follows the federal laws regarding exempt employees. Exempt employees are strictly defined by the Department of Labor and include employees such as executives, professionals, teachers and certain commissioned positions. Texas overtime laws do not provide provisions for Holidays. Some companies will pay their employees time and a half for working on federal holidays but the decision to do so varies from company to company. Because Texas overtime laws are sometimes complex, it can be difficult for an employee to know if he or she should be paid overtime and there are many common misconceptions regarding overtime. If your private employer is giving you comp time instead of paying you overtime, they are likely breaking the law. Many private employers assume it is OK to give their employees comp time instead of the overtime pay they are entitled to but it is illegal! Employers often assign employees more work than can be done in forty hours. The employee often stays late without being paid or takes the work home. If your employer is aware of this, you are entitled to overtime. When an employee must correct mistakes in his or her work, the time must be treated as hours worked. The correction of errors, or "rework", is hours worked, even when the employee voluntarily does the rework. Time that an employee is required to be at work or allowed to work for his or her employer is hours worked. A person hired to do nothing or to do nothing but wait for something to do or something to happen is still working. The Supreme Court has stated that employees subject to the FLSA must be paid for all the time spent in "physical or mental exertion (whether burdensome or not) controlled or required by the employer and pursued necessarily and primarily for the benefit of the employer of his business." Hours worked include all the time during which an employee is required or allowed to perform work for an employer, regardless of where the work is done, whether on the employer's premises, at a designated work place, at home or at some other location. It is the duty of management to exercise control and see that work is not performed if the employer does not want it to be performed. An employer cannot sit back and accept the benefits of an employee's work without considering the time spent to be hours worked. Merely making a rule against such work is not enough. The employer has the power to enforce the rule and must make every effort to do so. Employees generally may not volunteer to perform work without the employer having to count the time as hours worked. Have your own questions? Contact us and we can give you more information and review your specific circumstances. You can submit your information using the convenient online intake form, send an email or call Michael Lore.


If you have to ask what Dothraki is, then you have never seen Game of Thrones. This epic sci-fi fantasy adventure series adapted from the "Songs of Fire and Ice" book series from the brilliant mind of George R. R. Martin is one of HBO's flagships and they are riding it all the way to the top. A bit of backstory: The adventure follows several kingdoms in a mythical world, their ruling families and the inevitable power struggle that goes along with it.
The Mother of Dragons was introduced to us by the charming Emilia Clarke. Her character begins as the quintessential exiled princess Daenerys Targaryen, who is married to Dothraki leader arranged by her evil brother in an effort to gain power. She turns the tides though, and with her command of the Dothraki language rises to a major force. But how does she speak a mythical language so fluently, leading us into the fantasy world and believing it is real? Emilia Clarke has a little trick, she learns her lines by beatboxing.
The complex process of learning her Dothraki lines includes listening to them first, then finding a rhythm which she does by clapping her hands, turning the lines into a song so her brain can comprehend the words and remember them. Despite the translation of the mysterious language into words the commoner can understand, Clarke needs to learn them in such a fashion that she can deliver these foreign phrases in a believable fashion which is why she beatboxes.


"Effect of magnetic field processing on the microstructure of micronsiz" by W. X. Li, Y. Li et al.
Li, W., Li, Y., Zhu, M., Chen, R. H., Dou, S. X., Qin, M. J., Xu, X. & Yao, P. (2007). Effect of magnetic field processing on the microstructure of micronsize Zn doped MgB2. Physica C: Superconductivity and its Applications, 460-462 (Part 1), 310-311.
The pulsed magnetic field was employed in the study on Zn doped MgB2 bulks. A phenomenon that the slurry of Mg, Zn, B and their compounds were excited by the Lorentz force was observed in the pulsed magnetic field process. The critical current density (J(c) ) of Zn doped MgB2 bulks shows great anisotropic dependence on the included angle between the process field and the measurement field. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.