I have another post brought to you by Bright Starts. Bright Starts™ wants to honor eight women who have led an inspirational fight against breast cancer. I'm all for supporting them because I know so many women that have fought or are fighting breast cancer. My grandmother on dad's side, my grandmother on my moms side, and an aunt.
These amazing women have persevered through their battle and have gone on to make a difference in the world, motivating and inspiring those around them.
What does it take to be a Pink Power Mom?
Read about the former winners at http://www.pinkpowermom.com.
Nominate your Pink Power Mom today by sharing your stories about that amazing woman in your life. Recognize and empower these amazing women by submitting stories about your Pink Power Mom right here at Mom Start and don't forget to submit your stories to Pink Power Mom.
The deadline on Pink Power Mom is June 30, 2010.
In October, we will announce the national winners and the winner from our giveaway here.
This giveaway ends July 12, but the winner will not be announced until October.
Also, don't forget to Become a Fan of Bright Starts on Facebook and Be a Giver. Through the month of June, Bright Starts™ will donate $1 for every new fan that joins us during the campaign to benefit Pink Power Mom charities. Your Pink Power Mom will appreciate your help and support.
I wish I could nominate my mother in law but last July she lost her battle against breast cancer. I did nominate the mother of a dear friend of mine who also played a very important role in my life growing up and has fought her battle against breast cancer and has been one of the fortunate ones to succeed in her fight.
I would like to nominate my mother, she is a remarkable woman. She has raised 4 children and continues to raise 3 grandchildren. Back in 2003 her doctor told her that she had a lump in her left breast, when she told us kids about it, ofcourse we were afraid for her, but she tried to tell us that it was probably nothing to worry about. The doctor scheduled her for a biopsy, and we all were waiting until after it was done to go into her room to see her. We ask her, well, mom, is everything ok? What did the doctor tell you? She looked at us and told us that it was cancer, so he removed my breast and some of my lympnodes. I remember being so sad and feeling really bad for her, while wondering at the same time…Did he get it all…Has it spread? But while my mom was lying there, she looked at us and said…awww it will be ok, don't worry about me, I'll just get a falsie.. LOL! She is a very brave woman, if she was sad or depressed, she never let us know it. My mom is cancer free and I thank GOD above that I still have her in my life!!
What a wonderful campaign…..I too wish I could nominate my mom. She was Stage 1 when we unexpectedly lost her. I hardly ever saw her wear her wig…..the memory of my mom that is in my head is of her with not so much hair and a baseball cap! She didn't care…..and I loved that!
This is what I wrote. I nominate a wonderful women inside in out my aunt Cheryl. She was diagnosed with Breast cancer at the age of 35. She was also pregnant at the time. They removed the lump and breast but she still had to go through chemotherapy. The doctor had advised her that her unborn child would not make it or if she did, she would be disabled because of the treatments. Well, I am happy to report that my aunt Cheryl has been cancer free for over 17 years and her daughter is wonderful and very intelligent young lady.My aunt is a Pink Power Mom.
If I could nominate any mom it would be my own. My mom is really my aunt, she took me and my sister Amanda when I had just turned three. Life wasn't easy for my parents back then. My parents had to work hard and they never asked for any help with us. I don't think many people realize just how hard it is to raise children with issues from their parents. I wasn't always the easiest kid but she tried so hard to love me. I can't say it was always easy but I now know. My mom gave so selflessly throughout my entire life and she is one of the most inspirational women I've ever met. She gave me a family, a real one. One with love, respect and traditions.
I am the person I am today because of her, she is my power mom!
M. L., Power Mom, was up early this morning weeding the garden and watering flowers and hasn't stopped all day. She's in the kitchen now, making a big family dinner. Her generosity, courage, and energy are hard to match.
You won the Pink Power Mom Giveaway on Mom Start. Please send me your name address and phone number, and take a look at the post again and pick out your prize so I can tell the sponsor what it is you wish to win. Thank you and congrats on winning!
I would nominate my mother, she was a very loving and caring Mom. She made alot of my sister's and my clothes growing up, she was always there for us, attending all our school functions and just always being there and encouraging us in all that we would do.
i nominate my mother, she is a hard working woman. she is in her 60's and she still works full time and teaches sunday school. she never says no to anyone asking for anything. she is the best person i know.
My mom. She is a cancer survivor.


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We're finding vegetarianism is hard in social situations. Jesse seems to be modifying so that he eats vegetarian at home, but at others homes and church events he eats what's offered.
We agree about not eating with others being very awkward. Let's remember the Seinfeld episode with the apple pie. Poppy a little sloppy. I've got to hand it to you. I have a hard time saying no to the oreo's on sale, let alone the amazing food you've been offered. Good luck on finding a happy medium.


Chances are you're pretty familiar with the concept, but in case you aren't, a one-on-one (1:1) is a 30-60 minute meeting between a manager and their employee that is held weekly or bi-weekly. The purpose of the meeting is to connect with your employee and collaborate on items that require focused attention.
In football, the huddle is known as a moment when a team rallies into a circle to strategize, motivate and celebrate. Typically, the captain of the team will lead the huddle and inspire teammates to achieve success. Huddles hold a certain power when it comes to the psyche of the team. When translated to an individual level, the same can be said for 1:1 meetings. In the workplace, one-on-ones have the power to transform employees and business outcomes, but they have to be approached in the right way.
For starters, as their manager, you are also your employee's mentor. In the great game of business, it is important to not lose sight of your role on the team. Imagine the '85 Bears without Da Coach himself, Mike Ditka. "Somebody said to define a leader, and so I said a leader must see the need, envision a plan, empower the team for action. Leaders are guys who don't tell people how to do things; they show people how to do things." 1:1s are more than delegation meetings, individual huddles give you the opportunity to have honest conversations, build trust and model leadership.
Before you go into the meeting, mentally prepare yourself for an effective and meaningful meeting. Review the agenda, craft some great questions, release any personal judgment and remember the big picture: working together will improve client service, inspire your staff and make you more profitable.
What progress have you made toward your goals?
Are there any roadblocks you need help with?
Culture fit plays a huge role in how managers and employees communicate and get along. My best advice on this subject is to be transparent about your expectations for mutual respect. If you have behavioral or insubordination issues, get Human Resources involved before it affects other team members or your business.
Don't have your huddle in the same place every time. If you are able, change up your location every once in a while. This could mean taking a walk or grabbing a cup of coffee.
Don't skip meetings. Do your best to prioritize these meetings and reschedule, or offer to have the huddle "online." Ask your staff to submit their agendas via email, even if you can't meet to discuss.
Don't waste time on status updates – there is a time and a place, regularly via email. Encourage your team members to let you know what keeps them from doing their job and enjoying it. Individual huddles are a great opportunity to uncover things that affect employee retention.


Eurostar was forced to cancel at least eight trains, sparking disruption for the weekend getaway, due to the man being in "a precarious position".
An image showed the man standing in the middle of a tunnel entrance roof several hundred yards away from the station clutching the flag as police looked on.
One woman described how she was left hundreds of pounds out of pocket and "fed up" after her Mother's Day treat had been scuppered by the cancellations.
Catherine Inkster organised a weekend break for her mother in Lille, France, but the pair were eventually forced to scrap their plans. They spent four hours waiting in a lounge at St Pancras on Friday evening before finding out their train had been cancelled.
"There was this huge line, hundreds of people, and obviously there were no Eurostar staff, at least not visible to me," she said.
Inkster had already spent £450 for accommodation in Lille. She and her mother have scrapped their plans to go to the continent and are going to spend the weekend in Brighton instead.
Police were called to investigate at 7pm on Friday after the man was spotted on the roof. It quickly led to disruption, with Eurostar cancelling the 7.34pm service from St Pancras to Brussels. Further services were cancelled to and from the station until 9.45am on Saturday morning.
The man's presence meant that overhead lines had to be switched off, leading to further disruption on Southeastern services heading towards the station from Kent.
A Eurostar spokesman said: "We have suspended all services to and from London St Pancras until 9.45am, due to a trespasser on the tracks.
Eurostar announced shortly before 9am that services would resume soon.
Eurostar trains eventually re-started at around 11am.


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Julius Shareef Abdur-Rahim (Marietta, 11 december 1976) is een voormalig Amerikaans basketballer. Hij won met het Amerikaans basketbalteam de gouden medaille op de Olympische Zomerspelen 2000 in Sydney.

Carrière
Abdur-Rahim speelde voor het team van de Universiteit van Californië - Berkeley, voordat hij in 1996 zich kandidaat stelde voor de draft. Hij werd als derde gekozen door de Vancouver Grizzlies. Hij speelde vijf seizoenen voor de Grizzlies voordat hij geruild werd samen met Jamaal Tinsley naar de Atlanta Hawks. De Grizzlies kregen in de ruil Pau Gasol, Brevin Knight en Lorenzen Wright.

Hij speelde twee seizoenen en een half voor de Hawks voordat hij geruild werd samen met Dan Dickau en Theo Ratliff naar de Portland Trail Blazers, de Hawks kregen in de ruil Wesley Person en Rasheed Wallace. Bij Portland speelde hij anderhalf seizoen voordat hij als vrije speler tekende bij de Sacramento Kings. Na drie seizoenen bij de Kings stopte hij met basketten.

Alford werd ook opgenomen in de Amerikaanse selectie voor de Olympische Zomerspelen van 2000 in Sydney. Tijdens deze Olympische Spelen speelde hij aan de zijde van oa. Vince Carter, Ray Allen en Kevin Garnett mee in alle 8 wedstrijden, inclusief de finale tegen Frankrijk die ze ook winnend afsloten. Gedurende deze wedstrijden scoorde hij 51 punten.

Na zijn carrière als speler was hij enkele seizoenen assistent bij de Sacramento Kings. Sinds 2018 is hij directeur van de NBA G League.

Erelijst
 NBA All-Star: 2002
 NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1997
  Olympische Zomerspelen: 2000

Statistieken

Regulier seizoen

Play-offs

Amerikaans basketballer
Amerikaans olympisch kampioen
Amerikaans basketbalcoach

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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What Is Amateur Imaging?
To scientists, images are data, measurements of the properties of the surfaces and atmospheres of solar system bodies. To most of the public, the images are pretty pictures returned from interplanetary voyages. But to space enthusiasts, the images are a treasure trove to be sorted through, studied, processed, and shared. To amateurs, the images are photos returned from interplanetary voyages. So, for most amateurs, the goal of space image processing is to produce views of other worlds as they might appear to human voyagers.
As with the professionals working with the science data, amateurs may take steps like warping individual images to assemble them into a larger, seamless mosaic; produce color views by aligning several images taken through different-color filters; overlay low-resolution color imagery on higher-resolution black-and-white images; stack numerous images to sharpen a view; or animate time-series of images.
But amateurs can take liberties with image data that scientists do not, though they typically strive to maintain as much fidelity to the data as possible. In the pursuit of aesthetic beauty, they may paint out data gaps or cosmic ray hits; artificially colorize images; cut and paste parts of images to account for motion between the acquisition of image frames; or perform other image manipulation tricks to improve its appearance. As a result, amateur-produced images are often not usable for scientific interpretation, but they are uniquely valuable for illustration.
Amateurs can also breathe new life into old data. In the past, only a tiny fraction of spacecraft image data was publicly released. Once a mission's funding expired, it usually ceased to release any newly processed images. But in its raw form, the vast majority of image data received on Earth from the dozens of interplanetary missions has been made freely available online, and an increasing number of people have developed the skills and knowledge needed to access and process this older data into previously unappreciated views of our solar system. There is now an international community of amateur image processors who trawl through the vast data collections of past and present missions, producing spectacular views not seen before by the wider public. One place that has become a major center for this creative activity is UnmannedSpaceflight.com.
Home > Explore > Space Topics > Space Imaging


You're presently in the application form form. To be able to successfully get through the procedure, the work application forms are manufactured and so the applicant can complete the form. Filling out an internet job application form is comparable to knocking on the doorway of a recruiteryou are trying to convince them you're the best candidate. When you build an on-line job application form and publish it upon your own personal company site, you can entice candidates who curently have an affinity for your business. The application form form is intended to discover evidence that you've every one of the essentials and perhaps several the desirable abilities too. The net application form has the conventional sections, such as for instance education and employment details etc and there's advice on assisting one to fill out every individual section. For instance, the on-line job application form can also have a research section. Post our application to your website for a download, and you're going to have an on-line job application form anyone can utilize.


Please fill out the registration form below. Fields with an asterisk (*) are required. After clicking 'Submit', your registration will be complete.
Week 3 - More Crazy Kitchen Concoctions!
Week 4 - Reality Minecraft: Craft Like Steve!
Week 5 - Land, Sea and Air, Oh My!
Week 6 - Game On!
I hereby give permission for my child to participate in Camp IO. While all reasonable precautions will be taken to assure my child's safety and to prevent any injuries from occurring, I will not hold the staff liable for any accident, which may occur. My child and I understand that if, after one warning, any child is unable to maintain appropriate behavior at camp, that child will not be allowed to attend the remaining camp sessions scheduled for that week. I understand that parents will be notified at the time of the warning and before a child is removed from camp activities. Refunds will not be issued for any child so removed. We do not offer refunds for Camp fees paid, once a session has begun, but will provide a credit towards future Camp IO programs when warranted.
Please let us know if you have any questions or if you'd like to share additional information.


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Home Technology Artificial Intelligence
Helpful and harmful AI – Benefits and threats of artificial intelligence
Every major technological innovation brings social potential or damage. The data processing and analysis capability of artificial intelligence can help alleviate some of the most pressing problems in the world, from the development of diagnosis and treatment of diseases to transportation, urban development, and climate change mitigation. However, the same skills can also help monitor the most vulnerable to an unprecedented degree, identify and discriminate and revolutionize the economy so no job retraining program can continue to operate. And despite the critical steps in AI development, the so-called "artificial intelligence revolution" is only a decade old.
Below are some ways in which AI can help or harm societies. Note that even "helpful" AI uses can have negative consequences. Many healthcare AI applications, for example, pose severe threats to the protection of privacy and risk to underserved communities and focus on data ownership in large companies.
At the same time, the use of AI to mitigate harm may not solve underlying problems and should not be considered a cure for social issues. For example, although AI may alleviate the need for under-served medical practitioners, it does not provide the resources or stimuli that professionals need to relocate. Similarly, there were some cases of a use classified as "harmful" due to good intentions but which have caused significant harm.
Benefits of AI
Improved access to healthcare and disease outbreak prediction: Significant progress was already made in the diagnostics and prevention of diseases through the use of AI. AI is also used in regions lacking access to healthcare. AI also allows health officials to intervene early to contain an outbreak before it begins.
Making life easier for the visually impaired: Image recognition tools help people with visual impairment better navigate the Internet and the real world.
Optimization of agriculture and adaptation of farmers to change: AI combines global satellite imagery with weather and agricultural data to support farmers in improving crop production, diagnosing and treating plant disease and adapting it to changing environments. This approach is known as precision farming and can contribute to increasing agricultural productivity to feed more people in the world.
Climate change mitigation, natural disaster prediction and wildlife conservation: With the effects of climate change globally, machine learning helps scientists make climate models more accurate. AI is used already to classify climate models, to forecast extreme weather events, to anticipate extreme weather events better, and to respond to natural disasters. AI also helps to identify and apprehend wild animals and to locate and catch animals that spread disease.
To increase efficiency and accessibility of government services: While the use of new technologies is often slow, governments around the world use AI to make public services more efficient and accessible at local and national levels, with emphasis on "smart cities" development. AI also serves to allocate government resources and to optimize budgets.
Risks of AI
Continuing bias in criminal justice: In the criminal justice system, many documented AI cases are wrong. The use of AI often occurs in this context in two different areas: risk assessment— to assess whether or not an accused is likely to re-offend to recommend sentence and bail — or the so-called "predictable police" — using insights from various data points to predict what or when a crime will take place and direct law enforcement action.
These efforts are most likely well-intentioned. The use of machine learning to assess the risks of the defendant is announced as removing known human partiality of judges in decisions on sentences and bail. And predictive police efforts are aimed at best allocating frequently restricted policing resources to prevent crime, although the mission is always at high risk. However, the recommendations of these IAs often exacerbate the prejudicial nature of these systems, either directly or by incorporating factors that are proxies for prejudice.
Facilitating mass monitoring: As AI provides the ability to process and analyze multiple data streams in real-time, it is no wonder that mass surveillance is already being used worldwide. AI in facial recognition software is the most pervasive and dangerous example. While technology remains imperfect, governments are looking for the technology of facial recognition as a tool to monitor their citizens, facilitate profiling of groups, and even identify and locate people.
Discriminatory profiling: Facial recognition software is used not only to monitor and identify but also to target and discriminate.
Spread of disinformation: AI can develop and disseminate targeted propaganda, which is compounded by social media algorithms that most likely promote content. Machine learning allows social media companies to develop targeted advertising user profiles. Also, bots disguised as real users spread material from targeted social media circles by sharing links to false sources and actively interacting with users as chatbots through natural language processing.
Moreover, AI systems that produce realistic video and audio recordings of real people believe that technology will be used for malicious purposes to make the forged videos of world leaders. Although deep falsehoods still seem to have to be used as part of actual propaganda or disinformation campaigns, and forged audio and video are still not good enough to be completely human, there is still a potential for seeding chaos, sparking conflict and causing a crisis of truth not to be discounted.
Perpetuating job-market bias: Recruitment procedures have long been full of prejudice and discrimination. In response, a whole industry emerged that uses AI to remove human prejudice. Ultimately, however, many products risk perpetuating their own prejudices. The main reason for this is the common use of historical data from past "successful" employees to train the ML model, naturally reproducing the bias in previous recruitment.
Financial discrimination against the marginalized: Algorithms have long been used to create credit scores and inform credit screening. With the rise of big data, however, systems now incorporate and analyze non-financial data points with a machine learning method to determine creditworthiness, how people live, how they browse the Internet, and how they buy. These systems' outputs are known as e-scores and are mostly unregulated, contrary to formal credit scores. As data scientist Cathy O'Neil pointed out, these scores are often discriminatory, causing harmful feedback.
Can AI and Machine Learning replace human traders?
Four types of cyber attacks against AI models and applications
Top 9 terms to watch out for on your next SAAS agreement
What are deepfakes? Methods, benefits, and threats
Voice computing (speech recognition) explained
Integrating Artificial Intelligence into CRM – Why is it the future?
What makes Python so popular with developers?
2022 consumer trends in Artificial Intelligence (AI)
How AI is changing the world of gaming
Virtual assistants – Use cases and security concerns
Conversational AI: The prospects of speech recognition


Perma Damp Guard - EP is a two component water based epoxy coating product highly useful in arresting leakages in walls, ceiling, RCC structures and rising dampness in internal walls. It is user friendly and easy to use.
Based on water dispersible epoxy hence can be diluted and washed away with water.
It is economical when compared with conventional epoxies.
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Packing : Perma Damp Guard - EP is available in 1 kg, 2 kg and 20 kg packing.


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Houston Gamer
"Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth" Premium Edition UNBOXING, Skylanders Giveaway!
By M4d Ski11z on November 20, 2014 at 1:04 AM
Here's an early review copy of "Persona Q: Shadows of the Labyrinth" for the Nintendo 3DS.
So, Atlus sent over the premium edition of "Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth" over for review.
the game, which drops November 25th, will allow gamers to choose two paths – they can either choose the "Persona 3" path or the "Persona 4" path. The premium edition includes a decorative Nintendo 3DS case, Sound of the Labyrinth music CD, cards and the game.
Stay tuned for the review! Here's the unboxing.
The winner of the "Skylanders: Trap Team" starter pack is – Blake Flora! He was the lucky winner and Activision will send out his starter pack soon.
Thank you for playing! Stay tuned for MORE giveaways right HERE on Houston Gamer!
Look out, New York City. Skylander Eruptor will be invading the Macy's parade this year.
And speaking of Skylanders, one of them will be INVADING the Macy's parade this year!
Here are some details:
Skylanders, the popular kids video game that brings physical toys to life, is taking flight in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time! Fan-favorite Skylanders character Eruptor will join the prestigious collection of balloons at the parade, marking a significant pop culture milestone for the franchise.
To re-create Eruptor's smoldering physique, artists used more than 40 gallons of florescent paint and five barrels of glitter! The live broadcast of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will begin at 9 a.m. all time zones on NBC.
According to Twitch, "Advanced Warfare" was the most streamed video game of 2014.
Most streamed game on Twitch this year? "Advanced Warfare"
Twitch has confirmed that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the most streamed console game of 2014 in its launch week worldwide. Last week, over 75,000 unique broadcasters shared gameplay from Sledgehammer Games' latest release, with Advanced Warfare content being viewed over 26 million times.
"Since the Call of Duty community on Twitch is extremely passionate, we are not surprised that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare set a milestone for most streamed console game of the year based on launch week comparisons," said Ernest Le, Director, Publisher & Developer Partnerships, Twitch. "Our community spent over an hour a day watching and engaging with people playing the game, illustrating the incredibly strong appeal of live interactive video."
Additionally, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare gameplay was watched by nearly 6 million unique viewers last week, totaling to over 327 million minutes watched.
"The response from the global community to Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare has been incredible, with millions of fans playing the new era of Call of Duty and even more watching the action unfold live on Twitch in its first week in the wild," said Michael Condrey, Co-Founder and Studio Head, Sledgehammer Games. "The team at the studio is thrilled to see players think the game we've poured our heart and soul into making these last three years is not only be fun to play, but very exciting to watch," added Glen Schofield, Co-Founder and Studio Head, Sledgehammer Games.
M4d's thoughts: "Advanced Warrior" had the crown to lose and it didn't disappoint. Watching actual gameplay will be a huge deal in 2015, with developers giving exclusive sneak peeks to viewers with Twitch. Mark my words.
Did you get "Call of Duty?" What version did you buy?
Willie Jefferson


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Death Toll Rises to 431 in Yangtze Ferry Disaster
china ferry, by jason pearce
YANGTZE RIVER, China - Almost a year after the Korea Sewol ferry incident, another fatal ship accident occurred in Asia — this time in China on the Yangtze River. The vessel was carrying over 400 passengers and capsized last Sunday with the death toll now reaching 431 people — leaving 11 bodies left to be found.
Unlike the Korean ferry incident, in which most passengers were high school students, the majority on board the ship in China were aged over 60-years old and traveling as tourists from Nanjing to Chongqing. The ship served as a retirement cruise for those aboard.
The cause of the sunken vessel is still being investigated, but it is reported that there were thunder storms and a tornado above the ship before if capsized.
The remains of the battered boat were lifted out of the water on Friday. A team of rescuers went through the remains in search of any more survivors and bodies. In the excavation process the rescuers discovered smeared mud hand-prints on the walls of the sunken vessel. Photographs have been released of the hand-prints and the remains of the ship showing the passenger's horrifying struggle for life as the ferry sank.
The rescuers also increased the search area 1000km for possible survivors and bodies to be found that may have floated or swam away.
Because the ship flipped over and sank in remarkable time, out of all the people on board only 14 people were rescued. It made it harder for rescuers to find bodies because the ship was completely over turned. However, almost all of the bodies that were found were discovered still trapped inside of the ferry itself.
According to a Chinese cultural tradition, seven days is a fundamental time to grieve over the dead. As families receive more news concerning the incident, they come together and mourn with sadness deep in their hearts. Families of passengers continue to gather near the Yangtze River to mourn and to put their hearts at ease by lighting candles and crying out the names of their loved ones.
Contributing Journalist: @VictoriaCopeland
Asia & Pacific, China, News
Asia, Asian Ferry Boat Sinks, China, China Boat Capsizes, China Ferry Kills 400, Chongqing, Death Toll in China Ferry, disaster, Ferry, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jianli County, Monday Night Football, Nanjing, News, Xinhua News Agency, Yangtze, Yangtze River
Top EU Diplomat Expelled on Orders ...
Qatar: Conciliators, Regional ...


This warm, classic Sekonda watch features a 42mm rose tone chronograph case, with a silver dial and inner tachymeter ring. The clear silver dial has; three inner sub dials, luminous markers for ease of use in the dark and a date window placed between four and five o'clock. To complement the warm rose gold tones of the case, the watch is presented on a brown leather strap.
The watch is water resistant to 50m and comes complete with a 2 year Sekonda guarantee and a Sekonda branded box. Watch reference 3847.


Away from the heated day and into the cool night.
Earlier than I expected. Revelers grow quiet.
The river will soon widen into the dark ocean.
Wait for me at the lighthouse.
Past river trees with firecracker colors hidden inside.
As soon as my skiff crosses that invisible line.


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Home › The Nettle Spinner
Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer
The Nettle Spinner
Paperback: 9780864924223 $21.95
In her early twenties, Alma met a tree-planter and fell in love — not with the man but with his strangely romantic work. Now, after several seasons of planting trees out west, the tough-minded hero of Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer's visceral first novel has come home to northern Ontario to help reforest the ravaged landscape with a gang of filthy ex-hippies and idealistic students. Baking by day in the hot sun and tormented by mosquitoes and blackflies, Alma and her fellow planters relieve their backbreaking toil at night with sex, dope, and alcohol. But her brief passionate affair with a charismatic newcomer named Willem raises the ire of Karl (whose amorous attentions she has deflected in the past), and he viciously rapes her. Pregnant and alone, Alma flees to an abandoned mining camp where she and Willem once made love. There, with the help of the camp's single weird inhabitant, she constructs for herself and her unwanted baby an increasingly ominous new life.
Weaving together Alma's story with an ancient Flemish folktale about a peasant girl's magical hold over a lustful count, Kuitenbrouwer links the power of narrative with the passion for self-realization. The Nettle Spinner is a gritty, sensuous debut that portrays sex with startling clarity and violence with peculiar tenderness.
+Show more
Critics described the stories in Way Up, Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer's first book of fiction, as "some of the most impressive examples of new Canadian fiction in recent memory." Published in 2003, Way Up received a Danuta Gleed Award and was a finalist for the Relit Award. The Nettle Spinner, her first novel, was shortlisted for the Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award and was also named a best of 2005 by January magazine. Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer is the former fiction editor of the Literary Review of Canada and has also worked as a tree-planter, a lumberjack, and a baker. Her reviews have appeared in the Globe and Mail, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Toronto Star, and the National Post. She teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto and is the magazine editor for Bookninja.com.
"Brilliantly, this writer illustrates the need for an examined life. Analysis. Accountability. A responsibility that we have to the world around us, to each other, the earth beneath our feet ... She manages, and often, to knock me off my feet in one sentence flat ... Unconventional, dense, provocative prose." — Globe and Mail
"Sections of The Nettle Spinner are visceral and nasty and positively hum ... Immensely satisfying, both as an elaboration of the themes Kuitenbrouwer took up in Way Up, her earlier collection of short stories, and as a contribution to the tradition of sexy Canadian fiction written by women." — Winnipeg Free Press
"In The Nettle Spinner, Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer intertwines an old-world tale of peasant love and a count's power with the modern story of a wayward treeplanting crew. Where the former is traditional folk tale, the latter is feral, fecund, and sexually fierce. Kuitenbrouwer is a brawny, gifted writer. The Nettle Spinner is one of those forceful, elemental novels where bliss and ache compound into an unexpected sublime." — Jonathan Bennett
"Kuitenbrouwer uses a bold, unapologetic Canadian consciousness to explore existential concerns." — Donna Bailey Nurse
Paperback 9780864924223 $21.95
David Palmer & Tracy Glynn
The Great Trees of New Brunswick, 2nd Edition
Philip Lee
Restigouche
Edward Burtynsky, Jennifer Baichwal, & Nicholas de Pencier
Laura Trethewey
The Imperilled Ocean
Blaze Island
Jim Waddington & Sue Waddington
In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven


Like Kundera's nonfiction, The Festival of Insignificance is divided into seven parts.
Then along comes 86-year-old Czech novelist Milan Kundera, mildly lampooning our pointless preoccupations in The Festival of Insignificance.
Destiny of the younger generation fades into insignificance as pensioners work in Government.
It certainly made the inconvenience of waiting for your wages pale into insignificance by comparison for today's squad.
However, it all pales into insignificance alongside two events this week as the Hillsborough scandal has been in the spotlight and hopefully the families will finally get justice.
Yeo added even more funny fuel to the comedy fire by asking whether Cammers wanted to preside over "a dignified slide towards insignificance.
They make us realise, each one of us in our insignificance, how important we are in some other way that we have not yet realised.
How such nonsense pales into total insignificance when one takes a moment to reflect on how difficult life must be right now for a grieving husband so many of us know and his family.
No person is against the respect of historical figures, but when this is completely sponsored with large amount of money and when our own urban locations are donated for such grandiose works, then doubt appears that all of this is done to cover up someone's insignificance," says Sejdiu.
It is also an issue which (though serious) pales into insignificance when compared to the untold harm done to thousands of children by religious organisations entrusted with their care in the Irish Republic.
The consequences of the global financial crisis could pale into insignificance when compared with the human misery caused by failing to address climate change, the Prince of Wales told world leaders.
The case has been dropped against Mohammad Asif due to insignificance.


text:
Nurture Genuine Sorrow for Your Sins
Fr. Basil W. Maturin
The virtue which for obvious reasons we should consider first is contrition, for those who have lost their baptismal innocence can be saved only as penitents. Which of us can think that we have kept our garments in their baptismal purity? If we have not, then the foundation of our Christian character, upon which all must rest, is penitence.
So completely can this virtue stamp itself upon the whole character that we can describe many a person in one word — "penitent." Just as innocence shines out through every virtue in those few choice souls who have preserved it, and gives a special radiance and light to all they do or say, so penitence marks the whole man: it gives its own tone and color to everything; it represents to us a definite character, in spite of all else that goes to make up the character, and leaves its impress upon every virtue and grace. The other virtues get a special tone from this: the purity of St. John is different from the purity of St. Augustine. In the one it was never lost; in the other it was lost, and fought for, and regained; one had the purity of innocence, the other the purity of penitence.
It begins, no doubt, in many less perfect forms. A real penitence may take its rise from the sense of one's own personal loss. "How many hired servants of my Father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger." Such was the beginning of the life of penitence in the Prodigal, but it was only the beginning; it must rise higher than that. Such a sense of loss could not brace the will up; for all it has to do and to endure and to forgo, it can only lead the soul a certain way.
This article is from a chapter in "Spiritual Guidelines for Souls Seeking God." Click image to preview/order.
It can lead it back to his Father's embrace, and then it passes under the control of a stronger and more enduring power, the love of the Father, who has been offended; then it cries "Against thee only have I sinned."
Thus it may be said that there are two conversions: the conversion from sin to self and the conversion from self to God. In the first stage, the thought of God is indeed present, but the sense of one's own misery and loss is the strongest. In the second, the thought of self has almost disappeared; the soul is glad to suffer, complains of nothing, rejoices if by all it has to endure it can make reparation to the love of God, against which it has sinned.
Contrition, then, in a more or less perfect form, is to be found at the very beginning of the spiritual life of all those who have ever sinned deeply. It is its first movement, that which causes it to say, "I will arise." It is the first thought that breaks in upon the soul as it awakens to the sense of its sin. "When he came to himself he said, "How many hired servants of my Father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger. I will arise and go to my Father!"
The Prodigal awakened to a sense of sin and its misery, and this produced a resolution of the will: "I will arise and go to my Father." It was the dawn of the spiritual life amidst all the squalor and degradation that sin had brought in its train.
Where the sense of sin is not, the spiritual life cannot exist; as the life of holiness grows, the spirit of contrition deepens. It seems strange, but it is undoubtedly true, that contrition deepens in proportion as the soul becomes purer, that is, in proportion as the guilt of sin is removed.
This virtue stands, then, at the entrance of the life of devotion and prayer, waiting to receive the soul and lead it onward in the pathway of holiness, and there is no grace that it does not help to form, over whose development it does not preside, and into which it does not impart something of its own stern yet gentle spirit.
Yes, we can little tell the source of the power or the immeasurable strength of the force that sets the long clogged wheels and rusted springs of the spiritual life in motion and produces such a wonderful result; and least of all is that soul in whom this grace is working such wonders, conscious of what is taking place within it. For the strange thing is that while for the penitent contrition is the mother of all virtues, she is herself the outcome of sin, and while weaving the holiest virtues, she sees how stained her hands are and seeks to wash them with her tears.
For she can never forget the past; she is the child of that past, the offspring of the mystical union between the love of God and the memory of sin; and yet the remembrance of the evil past does not hold her back or make her timid, or morbid, or over-introspective; her very strength consists in, and depends on, the perfectly healthy tone of the mind. She knows the evil of the past, but she remembers it only in the presence of her Savior, who has pardoned her. She cannot think of her sins but as forgiven, yet the very certainty of the forgiveness makes the pain of recalling them more keen, while robbing it of every vestige of morbidness or self-consciousness.
And thus there is nothing that she will not dare. She will strive after the virtues that seem to belong only to those who have been always kept pure. Despair cannot exist where she is, nor timidity. Although in another sense there is none so timid, timid she must be, remembering the past, yet not timid in the sense that she is afraid to face dangers and to aim at the very highest.
In such persons, contrition is the life and center of all the soul's strength and progress. When hope begins to get clouded, it is because contrition begins to fail. When faith grows dim and love grows cold, it is because contrition has lost her strength and is dying. Nay, so clear is her own vision of God, so certain is she of her own love, that she can encourage and sustain the soul in times of utmost darkness and deadness. At these times, contrition is up and awake, and all her strength and tenderness is expended in keeping the soul from fainting. She speaks to it again and again with accents of encouragement and inspiration. "You have deserved to lose the sense of love and clearness of faith. Why should you expect all to be clear when you remember the years in which you did not try, did not want to believe? Fight on bravely now, and the light and peace will come again."
It is at such moments that contrition shows her unfailing strength, or at times that are even worse, when old temptations come back with redoubled force, when the power of habit reasserts itself, when all the succors of grace seem to be withdrawn and the soul is left face-to-face with the multitude of her enemies, conscious only that the will has no strength to resist. Then it is that contrition comes to the rescue, and her power is felt as never before. Her power — and yet she herself seems so weak — for the inspiration of love seems to have died out of her too; yet still she is there in the thick of the fight, standing by the will, urging it on with arguments, appealing to it, strengthening it; and when every fortress of the soul seems overthrown, contrition holds the will and gains the victory.
Thus, contrition is indeed the molding and controlling force that forms, restores, and preserves the penitent. Its transforming power is so great that it can fit the greatest sinner for the company of the saints. The Magdalene was not out of place by the side of the spotless Mother. Penitence can give to the soul what it would seem could be gained only by innocence. It verily can "raise up the poor out of the dust, and lift up the beggar from the dunghill to set him among princes, and to make him inherit the throne of glory."
Contrition Is Patient
Contrition is ready to endure all that comes upon it, whether justly or unjustly; it knows what it deserves, and it knows that if others knew it as it truly is, it could be treated with no consideration or kindness. It recognizes that it has no rights; that the chief reason that it is permitted to live is in order that reparation may, in some degree, be done for the past. It bears about within itself an awakened conscience that speaks as the representative of the justice of the all-holy God; and the voice of conscience is ever passing sentence upon it, and the soul, in the spirit of penitence, is ever more and more ready to welcome everything as acting toward it for the satisfaction of an offended God. Nay, it longs to find new offerings to make, for it can never lose sight of God's love, and it knows that whatever it may have to suffer is not a mere penalty sent in anger, but a loving chastisement to restore and perfect it.
And it accepts above all things the consequences of past sin without a murmur, the constant presence of temptation, the sense of weakness and of loss, the deadness of heart, the poverty of prayer, the very fear of self-deception, the agony of doubt that at times darkens all the path, filling it with uncertainty, whether its penitence is real or whether, after all, it is not a specious form of self-interest.
Even this it learns to bear, and, by bearing, to overcome.
Sometimes, when tempted to doubt whether there can be pardon for one who has sinned so deeply, it triumphs by an all-enduring act of self-surrender, saying, "Well, if I am to go to hell, even that I will bear as my desert. For hell itself cannot make me cease to grieve for having offended God," and thus it conquers even the fear of hell. And it endures patiently the loss of all that it has forfeited, even its best gifts. As God has withdrawn them, it puts away the desire for them, and it knows if they are to be regained, it must be by a growing transformation of itself. It longs not so much to receive anything as to regain the love of God that it has forfeited.
And what if the power of old sin asserts itself and it yields again and falls? Even then it does not lose patience or despair but, with a deeper sense of need, strives to cling more closely to God. Despair or deep discouragement after a fall is the result of dependence on self, a subtle form of pride. True contrition knows that any moment in which the soul lets go of God, it plunges into the depths of its own weakness, and therefore if it fails, it takes the warning, saying, "Why art thou cast down O, my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."
Contrition Is Strong
Contrition shows its strength by what it puts away rather than by what it does. It puts away those things with which it has formerly sinned. If by necessity it has them as part of its life, it puts them away from the heart.
That which has been an occasion of sin must be a memorial of sorrow. We may be violent in active antagonism to sin while we are continually recurring to objects that have been the causes of sin; but contrition puts them away, and at whatever cost. We may hate sin very much and yet feel that we must have certain things, indulgences, and friendships that have been the cause of sin in the past.
So far we are lacking in contrition. We have the element of hate, but not of love. The love of God strengthens the soul to put away from itself what has caused it to offend God. How can it love Him and enjoy what has been the means of separating it from Him?
No, it has but one great longing: to return to God: "I will arise, and go to my Father." And it has one great fear: sin. "Love is stronger than death," and in the strength of love, tempered with the fear of sin, it can give up anything. No gain, no result, could make it tolerate the occasion of sin.
What strength it has to break with things that have become almost a part of our life from long habit; what strength to break with companionship that are so sweet, albeit so dangerous!
The penitent soul needs indeed to be strong, and strength is always calm. It is not merely in moments of spiritual excitement that it deals sternly with itself, relapsing into ease and self-indulgence when the clearness of spiritual perception has passed and dullness and chill have settled down on heart and mind. No, it is as calmly firm in the darkest as in the brightest times.
When all the lower nature cries out for rest and ease, and God has withdrawn every token of His presence and love, the will remains firm in the practice of self-denial.
And again, when God grants to it moments of joy, when it has no doubt, no fear, when the assurance of its acceptance and of God's love comes upon it with an overwhelming rush of emotion, it does not permit itself to be carried away. In the midst of all that inner joy, there is the firm grasp upon itself and things around it, and it quietly perseveres in its penitential exercise. How strong it is! How faithful! How unbending toward the offender — the chief of sinners!
Contrition Is Tender
Contrition has no harshness. It springs from the love of God. It does not come before the mind as a duty; it springs out of the heart by the necessity of its own inspiration. It is the longing of a soul burdened with the sense of defilement to be conformed to the holiness of Him whom it loves. It springs from the love of God, not from the hatred of sin. We cannot rise to love by hatred, but we must pass on from the love of God to the hatred of what He hates.
The inspiration of contrition is love, not hate; there is no taint of bitterness or irritation toward self. Thus, stern and unbending in its self-discipline, it is nevertheless always tender. It bears deeply marked upon itself both the strength and the tenderness of love. It has a "heart of fire toward God, a heart of flesh toward man, a heart of steel toward self."
There is an asceticism that is harsh and stern and cruel, but it is not the asceticism of the Christian penitent. There is none so tender toward others, so sensitive for their well-being, so slow to condemn or to see others' faults. It seems to it as if all the world needs kindness and care except itself. Contrition closes the eyes toward the sins of others and opens them upon its own; it sees itself as the one culprit in the midst of a world that throbs with the love of God.
Patience, strength, tenderness! A spirit that can endow the selfish, sensual, worldly, easygoing nature with such graces must indeed be mighty. It is. It is as strong as God's justice, as gentle as His love, as patient as His mercy.
Editor's note: This article is from a chapter in Fr. Maturin's Spiritual Guidelines for Souls Seeking God, which is available from Sophia Institute Press.
Tagged as: Best of Week, confession, contrition, forgiveness, penance, sin, Sophia Excerpts
By Fr. Basil W. Maturin
Fr. Basil W. Maturin (1847–1915) was an Anglican priest who became a Catholic priest at age 51. Both before and after his conversion, he was famous for his preaching and psychological insight: he had a profound gift for guiding souls. In 1915 he was on board the Lusitania when a German U-bost sank the ship; he drowned after helping numerous other passengers to safety.


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Ninmah Temple
Ninmah or Ninmakh Temple (معبد ننماخ), located near the Ishtar Gate on the Street of Processions. According to Tallay Ornan the plans of the temple and it's contemporaneous great palace of Nebuchadnezzar II resemble structures from the old Babylonian period rather than their Assyrian counterparts.
Home > Middle East > Iraq > Mosul (Babylon) > Ninmah Temple
circa 575 BCE
Reconstructed facade of the temple, which lies to the right of the right side of the processional street it was dedicated to goddess Ninmah, the E-mah, one of a number of temples in the inner city of Babylon. Ninmah was a mother goddess in ancient Mesopotamia. Most of the walls were reconstructed during the 1980s CE by Saddam Hussein, former president of Iraq. An older temple was built by Nebuchadnezzar II on this site (604-562 BCE). It is situated east of the Ishtar Gate, and was called e-mah (great temple) of the mother goddess Ninmakh.
The central courtyard of the temple, characterised with the presence of the holy well. The inner santum of the temple of Ninmah was restricted for women only, who would gather in the sacred precint of the temple and pray for good marriages and married women would pray for offspring among other worship rituals. The women also used the water from this well for ritual bathing and for purification. It was one of the several sacred wells located in the sacred precints around the city.
Artist's concept of the original building as it would have stood. During excavations carried out in the vicinity of the Ninmah Temple, a large number of artefacts were discovered, including clay female figurines, a clay tablet bearing the names of workers and their wages. The plan of the temple was very simple, it consists of a central courtyard surrounded by several rooms, including the chamber of Holy of Holies, where the statue of the godess was placed and religious hymns were offered.
Study shows that the temple structure and the attached fortification wall encompassed several rebuilding phases, which cannot be dated solely to the Neobabylonian time. The ground plan of the Ninḫursaĝ temple changed more than once and was used at least till the Parthian time. The pavement (flooring) of the temple previously thought to date back to the Neobabylonian time actually belongs to the Parthian era.
The Saddam Inscription, mentioning the details of reconstruction. It was one of the four major temples of the ancient Babylonian city state, in addition to the temple of Nabu, temple of Ishtar, temple of Murdoch.
The E-mah (great temple of Ninḫursaĝ) as seen from the west, looking over the Ishtar Gate in the bottom foreground. Currently the walls and roofs of the temple are in a very bad condition and no recent renovations have been done. Due to its use as military base by US the site has suffered extensive damage, according to a study by the British Museum, the damage was extensive: some 300,000 sq m (4,000 acres) was covered with gravel.
Ishtar Gate (Overview)
Ishtar Gate at Babylon
Processional Street
Inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II on Ishtar Gate
Ruggeri, A. (2015, March 02). Culture - The Great Gate of Ishtar: A door to wonder. Retrieved June 11, 2019, from http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150302-ancient-babylons-greatest-wonder
Amin, O. (n.d.). The Temple of Ninmah at Babylon. Retrieved June 11, 2019, from https://www.ancient.eu/image/9261/the-temple-of-ninmah-at-babylon/.
Beaulieu, P. (1997). A New Inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II Commemorating the Restoration of Emaḫ in Babylon. Iraq, 59, 93-96. doi:10.2307/4200440
https://www.britishmuseum.org/PDF/BabylonReport04.pdf
Amin, O. (n.d.). Ninmah Temple. Retrieved June 11, 2019, from https://www.ancient.eu/image/9870/ninmah-temple/


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Q: How to find greatest item from list in Python I have below code:
lst = ['2022-12-08 21:53:28.230556_54_12748.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.314088_86_14029.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.363581_72_12540.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.448268_65_13491.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.907252_50_7001.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.998206_55_13458.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.066905_60_8857.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.167242_54_8327.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.260880_52_11163.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.318770_52_7859.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.992619_51_7173.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:30.380722_55_7301.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:31.546448_59_7005.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:31.820877_53_6044.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:31.901512_51_5818.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:35.622028_56_7221.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:35.706456_72_7522.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:36.785644_53_8222.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:36.872902_60_10873.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:36.952308_59_10217.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.034774_57_7258.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.151830_52_7745.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.236664_80_13584.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.401254_70_13281.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.485339_91_16176.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.564524_74_13113.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.652097_90_13526.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.729431_82_13303.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.777823_66_12084.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.857692_72_14855.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.939566_72_16755.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.017759_65_13656.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.098182_59_14190.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.180636_55_13150.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.261705_54_11044.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.346376_67_11908.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.586157_59_11200.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.715544_64_10425.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.837041_64_12068.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.924294_77_13531.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.008601_60_10283.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.174924_60_10160.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.256190_65_10555.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.340980_63_10775.png']

runOnce = True
highCon = 0
for img in lst:
    tmp = img.split("_")
    con = tmp[1]
    if runOnce:
        highCon = con
        runOnce = False
    else:
        if con > highCon:
            highCon = con

print(highCon)

lst is a list containing list of filenames. Filename consist of datetime_score_area.png. From the list I have to find the first and second highest score of a file and print it. With above code I am able to print the highest filename but not sure how to find the second highest filename.
What can I try next?

A: Write a function that isolates the score and converts to int. You can then use this as the key to sorted() as follows:
lst = ['2022-12-08 21:53:28.230556_54_12748.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.314088_86_14029.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.363581_72_12540.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.448268_65_13491.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.907252_50_7001.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.998206_55_13458.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.066905_60_8857.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.167242_54_8327.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.260880_52_11163.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.318770_52_7859.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.992619_51_7173.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:30.380722_55_7301.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:31.546448_59_7005.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:31.820877_53_6044.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:31.901512_51_5818.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:35.622028_56_7221.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:35.706456_72_7522.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:36.785644_53_8222.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:36.872902_60_10873.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:36.952308_59_10217.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.034774_57_7258.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.151830_52_7745.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.236664_80_13584.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.401254_70_13281.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.485339_91_16176.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.564524_74_13113.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.652097_90_13526.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.729431_82_13303.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.777823_66_12084.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.857692_72_14855.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.939566_72_16755.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.017759_65_13656.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.098182_59_14190.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.180636_55_13150.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.261705_54_11044.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.346376_67_11908.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.586157_59_11200.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.715544_64_10425.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.837041_64_12068.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.924294_77_13531.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.008601_60_10283.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.174924_60_10160.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.256190_65_10555.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.340980_63_10775.png']

def score(s):
    return int(s.split('_')[1])

print(*sorted(lst, key=score)[-2:], sep='\n')

Output:
2022-12-08 21:53:37.652097_90_13526.png
2022-12-08 21:53:37.485339_91_16176.png

Note:
You could use a lambda expression for the key but this is my preference

A: You can sort the list first:
lst = ['2022-12-08 21:53:28.230556_54_12748.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.314088_86_14029.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.363581_72_12540.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.448268_65_13491.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.907252_50_7001.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:28.998206_55_13458.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.066905_60_8857.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.167242_54_8327.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.260880_52_11163.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.318770_52_7859.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:29.992619_51_7173.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:30.380722_55_7301.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:31.546448_59_7005.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:31.820877_53_6044.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:31.901512_51_5818.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:35.622028_56_7221.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:35.706456_72_7522.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:36.785644_53_8222.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:36.872902_60_10873.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:36.952308_59_10217.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.034774_57_7258.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.151830_52_7745.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.236664_80_13584.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.401254_70_13281.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.485339_91_16176.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.564524_74_13113.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.652097_90_13526.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.729431_82_13303.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.777823_66_12084.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.857692_72_14855.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:37.939566_72_16755.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.017759_65_13656.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.098182_59_14190.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.180636_55_13150.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.261705_54_11044.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.346376_67_11908.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.586157_59_11200.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.715544_64_10425.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.837041_64_12068.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:38.924294_77_13531.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.008601_60_10283.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.174924_60_10160.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.256190_65_10555.png', '2022-12-08 21:53:39.340980_63_10775.png']
lst.sort(key= lambda x: int(x.split("_")[1]),reverse=True)
print(lst[0]) # Highest score filename
print(lst[1]) # Second highest filename

If you don't want to change the order of the original list you can use sorted as well:
highest, nxt_highest = sorted(lst, key=lambda x: int(x.split("_")[1]),reverse=True)[:2]

A: Code:
sorted([int(l.split('_')[1]) for l in lst], reverse=True)[:2] ## [91, 90]

A: If "highest" means alphabetical, a simple sort would suffice:
lst.sort(reverse=True)
print(lst[0]) # highest
print(lst[1]) # second highest

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Panthera leo leo is a lion subspecies, which is present in West Africa, northern Central Africa and India. In West and Central Africa it is restricted to fragmented and isolated populations with a declining trajectory. It has been referred to as the Northern lion.

Results of a phylogeographic study indicate that lion populations in West and Central African range countries are genetically close to populations in India, forming a major clade distinct from lion populations in Southern and East Africa. In 2017, the Cat Classification Task Force of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group subsumed lion populations according to the major clades into two subspecies, namely P. l. leo and P. l. melanochaita. Within P. l. leo three subclades are clearly distinguishable. One from Asia, which includes the extinct Barbary lions of North Africa, another one from West Africa and a third one from Central Africa, north of the rainforest belt.

P. l. leo is regionally extinct in North Africa, southern Europe, and West Asia. Asia's sole lion population lives in and around Gir National Park, India. The West African lion population is geographically isolated and numbers fewer than 250 mature individuals. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Taxonomy
A lion from Constantine, Algeria was the type specimen for the specific name Felis leo used by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. In the 19th and 20th centuries, several lion zoological specimens from Africa and Asia were described and proposed as subspecies:
Felis leo persicus described in 1826 by Johann N. Meyer was a lion skin from Persia.
Felis leo senegalensis also described by Meyer in 1826, but based on a lion skin from Senegal.
Felis leo nubicus described in 1843 by Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville was a male lion from Nubia that had been sent by Antoine Clot from Cairo to Paris and died in the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes in 1841.
Leo gambianus described in 1843 by John Edward Gray was a specimen from Gambia in the collection of the British Museum of Natural History.
Felis leo kamptzi described in 1900 by Paul Matschie was a lion skull from northern Cameroon.
Leo leo azandicus described in 1924 by Joel Asaph Allen was a male lion that was killed in 1912 in northeastern Belgian Congo as part of a zoological collection comprising 588 carnivore specimens. Allen admitted a close relationship of this lion specimen to Leo leo massaicus from Kenya regarding cranial and dental characteristics, but argued that his type specimen differed in pelage colouration.
In 1930, Reginald Innes Pocock subordinated the lion to the genus Panthera when he wrote about Asiatic lion specimens in the zoological collection of the British Museum of Natural History.

In the following decades, there has been much debate among zoologists on the validity of proposed subspecies:
In 1939, Glover Morrill Allen recognized Felis leo kamptzi and F. l. azandicus as valid taxa among ten lion subspecies.
Three decades later, John Ellerman and Terence Morrison-Scott recognized only two lion subspecies in the Palearctic realm, namely the African (P. l. leo) and Asiatic lions (P. l. persica).
Some authors considered P. l. nubicus a valid subspecies and synonymous with P. l. massaica, a specimen from Kenya.
Some authors considered P. l. azandicus synonymous with P. l. massaicus and P. l. somaliensis, and P. l. kamptzi synonymous with P. l. senegalensis.
In 2005, Wallace Christopher Wozencraft recognized P. l. kamptzi, P. l. bleyenberghi and P. l. azandica as valid taxa.
In 2016, IUCN Red List assessors used P. l. leo for all African lion populations.
In 2017, the Cat Classification Task Force of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group subsumed lion populations in North, West and Central Africa and Asia to P. l. leo, based on results of genetic research on lion samples.

Phylogeny

Since the beginning of the 21st century, several phylogenetic studies were conducted to aid clarifying the taxonomic status of lion samples kept in museums and collected in the wild. Scientists analysed between 32 and 480 lion samples from up to 22 countries. They all agree that the lion comprises two evolutionary groups, one in the northern and eastern parts of its historical range, and the other in Southern and East Africa; they are estimated to have genetically diverged between 245,000 and 50,000 years ago. Tropical rainforest and the East African Rift possibly constituted major barriers between the two groups.

The two lion groups overlap in Ethiopia, as lion samples from Bale Mountains National Park clustered with lion samples from Central Africa, whereas other samples from this country clustered with samples from East Africa. Three clades can be distinguished within P. l. leo. Lion samples from North Africa and India clustered into a single clade, and the lions in West Africa and northern parts of Central Africa also form distinct clades. Analysis of phylogenetic data of 194 lion samples from 22 countries revealed that Central and West African lions diverged about 186,000–128,000 years ago from the melanochaita group in East and Southern Africa.

Samples from West Africa shared alleles with samples from Southern Africa, and samples from Central Africa shared alleles with samples from Asia. This indicates that Central Africa was a melting pot of lion populations after they had become isolated. They possibly migrated through corridors in the Nile Basin during the early Holocene. Genome-wide data of a historical lion sample from Sudan showed that it clustered with P. l. leo in mitochondrial DNA-based phylogenies, but with a high affinity with P. l. melanochaita. The taxonomic position of lions in Central Africa may therefore require revision.

Characteristics

The lion's fur varies in colour from light buff to dark brown. It has rounded ears and a black tail tuft. Average head-to-body length of male lions is  with a weight of . Females are smaller and less heavy. Zoological lion specimens range in colour from light to dark tawny. Male skins have short manes, light manes, dark manes or long manes. Taxonomists recognised that neither skin nor mane colour and length of lions can be adduced as distinct subspecific characteristics. Then they turned to measuring and comparing lion skulls and found that skull length of Barbary and Indian lion samples does not differ significantly, ranging from  in females and  in males. A few lion specimens from West Africa obtained by museums were described as having shorter manes than lions from other African regions. In general, the West African lion is similar in general appearance and size as lions in other parts of Africa and Asia.

Skeletal muscles make up 58.8% of the lion's body weight.

Distribution and habitat

Today, P. l. leo occurs in West and Central Africa and India. It is regionally extinct in Gambia, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, the Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Palestine, Israel, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan.
In 2005, a Lion Conservation Strategy was developed for West and Central Africa.
Contemporary lion distribution and habitat quality in savannahs of West and Central Africa was assessed in 2005, and Lion Conservation Units (LCU) mapped. Educated guesses for size of populations in these LCUs ranged from 3,274 to 3,909 individuals between 2002 and 2012.

West African clade

The last populations of the West African lion clade are surviving in a few protected areas from Senegal in the west to Nigeria in the east. This population has lost 99% of its former range. Between 246 and 466 lions live in the WAP-Complex, a large system of protected areas formed mainly by W, Arli, and Pendjari National Parks in Burkina Faso, Benin, and Niger. It is regionally extinct in Mauritania, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Togo, and possibly extinct in Guinea and Ghana.
The border between the West African and the Central African lion clade is following largely the lower Niger River, which seems to act as a permanent barrier for gene flow.

Central African clade

The Central African lion population inhabits protected areas of:
Cameroon, where lions are present in Bénoué National Park. In the North Province, Cameroon, lions were recorded during a survey between January 2008 and May 2010. The small lion population in Waza National Park is isolated, and by 2008 had declined to maximum 20 individuals. In the southern part of the country, 2 lions were discovered in Mpem and Djim National Park in April 2019.
Central African Republic, where lions are present in Bamingui-Bangoran National Park and Biosphere Reserve, Manovo-Gounda St. Floris and Awakaba National Parks, Aouk Aoukale, Yata Ngaya, Nana Barya and Zemongo Faunal Reserves, and in several hunting reserves of the country. Estimated lion numbers in the country are generally thought to be unreliable.
Chad, where lions inhabit Siniaka-Minia Faunal Reserve and Zakouma and Aouk National Parks, but have been extirpated in Manda National Park. Lions may still be present in pastoral rangelands and mountain ranges outside protected areas. In 2004, the lion population in the country was estimated at maximum of 225 individuals.
northern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where lions permanently inhabit rainforests and clearings in rainforest mixed with savannah grassland.
Sudan's Southern Darfur province, where lions were abundant in the 1950s; some caused damage to livestock and were poisoned; 76 lions were shot between 1947 and 1952. Lions were recorded in the Dinder–Alatash protected area complex during surveys between 2015 and 2018.
South Sudan, where little is known about lion distribution and population sizes. Lions in Radom and Southern National Parks are probably connected to lions in the Central African Republic.
Ethiopia has lions from the Northern as well as from the Southern lion subspecies and is considered an admixture zone. While lions from Gambella National Park belong to the Northern subspecies (P. l. leo), lions from other parts of the country belong to the Southern lion.

Asian/North African clade
The Asiatic lion is the last surviving population of this clade. Once also found in the Middle East, it is nowadays confined in the wild to Gujarat in India. Genetically, the extinct lions from Northern Africa, formally termed as Barbary lions, fall into the same clade as the Asiatic lion. Therefore, the range of this lion clade encompassed historically North Africa, southeastern Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. In these regions, lions occurred in:
the Sahel, mountain ranges of the Sahara, Barbary Coast and Maghreb,
the eastern Mediterranean Basin and the Black Sea region,
reed swamps of Mesopotamia, wooded steppe vegetation and pistachio-almond woodlands in Iran,
the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent up to Rajasthan and Bengal in North India.

The Barbary lion population in North Africa is extinct since the mid 1960s.
The Asiatic lion population survives in Gir Forest National Park and remnant forest habitats in the two hill systems of Gir and Girnar that comprise Gujarat's largest tracts of dry deciduous forest, thorny forest and savanna. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of its small size and area of occupancy.

Behaviour and ecology

Male Asiatic lions are solitary or associate with up to three males forming a loose pride. Pairs of males rest, hunt and feed together, and display marking behaviour at the same sites. Females associate with up to 12 females forming a stronger pride together with their cubs. They share large carcasses among each other, but seldom with males. Female and male lions usually associate only for a few days when mating, but rarely travel and feed together.

In Pendjari National Park, groups of lions range from 1–8 individuals. Outside the National Park, groups are smaller and with a single male.
In Waza National Park, three female and two male lions were radio-collared in 1999 and tracked until 2001. The females moved in home ranges of between  and stayed inside the park during most of the survey period. The males used home ranges of between , both inside and outside the park, where they repeatedly killed livestock. One was killed and the other shot at by local people. After the pellets were removed, he recovered and shifted his home range to inside the park, and was not observed killing livestock any more.

Hunting and diet

In general, lions prefer large prey species within a weight range of . They hunt large ungulates in the range of  including gemsbok (Oryx gazella), Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), common eland (Tragelaphus oryx), greater kudu (T. strepsiceros), nyala (T. angasii), roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus), sable antelope (H. niger), zebra (Equus burchellii), bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus), common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), hartebeest (Alcephalus buselaphus), common tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus), Thomson's gazelle (Eudorcas thomsonii), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) and kob (K. kob).
Analysis of 119 faecal samples of lions collected in Cameroon's Faro National Park revealed that lions preyed foremost on kob and harnessed bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), and to a lesser extent also on waterbuck, crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata), bushpig, roan antelope, olive baboon (Papio anubis) and oribi (Ourebia ourebi).
In India's Gir Forest National Park, lions predominantly kill chital (Axis axis), Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), cattle (Bos taurus), domestic buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and less frequently also wild boar (Sus scrofa). Outside the protected area where wild prey species do not occur, lions prey on buffalo and cattle, rarely also on Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius). They kill most prey less than  away from water bodies, charge prey from close range and drag carcasses into dense cover.

Lions probably prey on livestock when wild prey species occur at lower densities, especially during the wet season. An interview survey among livestock owners in six villages in Waza National Park's vicinity revealed that lions attack cattle mostly during the rainy season when wild prey disperses away from artificial waterholes.

Threats
In Africa, lions are killed pre-emptively or in retaliation for preying on livestock. Populations are also threatened by depletion of prey base, loss and conversion of habitat.

The lion population in West Africa is fragmented and isolated, comprising fewer than 250 mature individuals. It is threatened by poaching and illegal trade of body parts. Lion body parts from Benin are smuggled to Niger, Nigeria, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Guinea, and from Burkina Faso to Benin, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Guinea.
In Nigeria, the isolated lion population in Gashaka Gumti National Park is hunted and poisoned by local people.

The lion population in Central Africa is threatened by loss of habitat and prey base and trophy hunting. Between seven and 12 lion trophies were exported from Cameroon every year between 1985 and 2010.
In Bénoué National Park, local people were observed at a lion kill cutting off chunks of meat. Local people living in the vicinity of the protected area accounted in interviews that lions frequently attack livestock during the dry season. They use poison on carcasses to kill carnivores. In Waza National Park, two of four radio-collared lions were killed between 2007 and 2008, and probably also an adult female, two other adult males and three cubs. Nomadic herders use bow and arrows poisoned with cobra venom to kill lions in retaliation for attacks on livestock.
In northern parts of Cameroon, increased migration of people from Nigeria following the political insecurity in the region posed a threat to the area's lion population.

Poaching of lions by paramilitary forces has been reported by local people living in the vicinity of Ethiopia's Gambella National Park. Local people around Chebera Churchura National Park kill lions, leopards (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) using traps to retaliate against attacks on their livestock.

Surveys in the Central African Republic's Chinko area revealed that the number of lions decreased significantly between 2012 and 2017 after transhumant pastoralists from the border area with Sudan moved into the area. Rangers found multiple lion cadavers and confiscated large amounts of poison in the camps of livestock herders. They were accompanied by armed merchants who also engaged in poaching large herbivores, sale of bushmeat and trading lion skins.

Conservation

In India, the lion is protected, and included in CITES Appendix I. African lions are included in CITES Appendix II. In 2004, it was proposed in 2004 to list all lion populations in CITES Appendix I to reduce exports of lion trophies and implement a stricter permission process, due to the negative impact of trophy hunting.

In 2006, a Lion Conservation Strategy for West and Central Africa was developed in cooperation between IUCN regional offices and several wildlife conservation organisations. The strategy envisages to maintain sufficient habitat, ensure a sufficient wild prey base, make lion-human coexistence sustainable and reduce factors that lead to further fragmentation of populations.
Surveys and interviews with herders around protected areas revealed that improved enclosures for livestock significantly decreased depredation by lions, and hence contributed to mitigating human-lion conflict.

The effect of lion trophy hunting and whether it is a sustainable conservation measure, has been discussed controversially.
In 2016, a group of authors recommended a quota for lion trophy hunting of one lion per  in the WAP protected area complex, and to refrain from imposing an import embargo of lion trophies from this region.
This recommendation was questioned and strongly opposed, with the argument that the estimate for lion population size in the WAP region is not reliable and therefore the suggested quota inappropriate.

In captivity
In 2006, 1258 captive lions were registered in the International Species Information System, including 13 individuals originating from Senegal to Cameroon, 115 from India and 970 with uncertain origin. In addition, several lions kept in Ethiopia's Addis Ababa Zoo were thought to be genetically similar to wild lions from Cameroon and Chad. They also differed from lions kept at Sana'a Zoo, which were suspected to be of Ethiopian origin. Genetic research did not corroborate this result, but placed these lions in P. l. melanochaita.

In 2023, a lion in the Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal has give,n birth the three new cubs, two males, and a female. The park is aiming to increase the lion population to 50 lions by the end 2025, before doubling that population in the 5 years after that.

See also
Damnatio ad bestias
Cape lion, extinct P. l. melanochaita population
White lion
Maneless lion

References

External links

 Photos of West African lions at Pendjari National Park at flickr
 ROCAL West and Central African lion conservation network
 BBC News: Lions 'facing extinction in West Africa'
 Is this one of Central Africa's last lions? (2015)
 Take two: Gabon's lone lion makes another on-camera appearance (2016)
 The Rare Central African Lion - أسود حديقة الدندر فيديو فبراير 2017 (in Dinder National Park, YouTube)
 The Telegraph, August 2018: Pride of India

Lions
Subspecies
Mammals of West Africa
Mammals of Cameroon
Mammals of the Central African Republic
Mammals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mammals of Ethiopia
Mammals of South Sudan
Mammals of Sudan
Felids of India
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Fauna of Benin
Fauna of Burkina Faso
Fauna of Niger
Fauna of Nigeria
Fauna of Senegal


When we moved into our house here in York, the kitchen was the very first room that I updated. I have to say that this wasn't a decision that made me very popular with Joe. The house had been renovated by a property developer and it had a spanking new, gleaming Howdens beauty installed, complete with granite worktop and light up glass wall cupboards. For many, this kitchen would have been the dream. Indeed, in the nine houses that we had lived in since Joe and I met, we had never before had a new kitchen - we (*read me) had spent many hours planning our dream kitchen without the cash to back up our plans. This cream coloured, pillared unit stunner was Joe's dream. From his perspective, all that were missing were the white leather pump action comfort padded island bar stools. This is a man who would have inset spot lights in every room in the house if he were given the chance. Unfortunately, our personal kitchen dream goals were as far apart as a Brexit deal and as the person who spent the most time in the space, I decided that changes had to be made. And won. Obvs.
The original kitchen. Yes, it's a shocking and very tiny photo - I think I had an iPhone 1 or something similar.
I was very clever, even if I say so myself. I removed the wall mounted display units, sold them on eBay and had solid wooden shelves made with the proceeds. I repainted the cupboards in Hague Blue, changed the handles, brought in the neon, a huge beaded chandelier and added a huge, vintage Persian rug (a move which caused some interesting views on my feed). You can read what I did in my blog post here, but I did it on a super tight (less than £1500 in total) budget and it looked vastly improved on the showroom styled, shiny yet characterless room that had come with the house. And I loved it. A lot. For two years. Then, reader, the inevitable happened. It started to bore me.
Slightly better quality picture but it feels dated and needs a change.
Okay, so there's nothing ACTUALLY wrong with the kitchen but it was feeling, it has to be said, a little dated. Much as I loved Hague Blue when I decided on the paint colour, it was far too dark for the space. There's two windows opposite each other in the room - one looking on to the courtyard and one on to the driveway, both of which provide very little direct light.
I'd also made a classic last minute mistake when deciding on a wall colour. I'd been Brilliant White all the way to B&Q and when I got there, decided it was a little harsh and gone for Strong White instead. I'd taken the colour right up and over the ceiling (which is a heightening trick which I love) but because it's darker, it only served to make the room feel even gloomier. However, there were eight of Joe's favourite inset spots in the ceiling as well as a five bulb chandelier, plus a couple of over the shelf wall lights so it wasn't lacking light. In fact, when all were on it could easily have been mistaken for an operating theatre. Anyway, it wasn't giving me any joy and I was totally over Hague Blue (and, in fact, dark colours in general) so changes were a coming.
We've been in this house for four years now and when planning the revamp, I knew that I had absolutely no intention of removing kitchen base cupboards. They're totally solid, good quality and the layout suits me perfectly. My main objective is to lighten the space and also to recycle and reuse what I already have wherever possible. I decided against telling Joe that I was going to update the kitchen until last week. I could see no benefit in including him in my plans and knew that he would immediately respond with, 'didn't you already update it two years ago?' which would be swiftly followed by 'why are you spending money on an unnecessary kitchen revamp when we could be paying for a family holiday?'.
The project, therefore, was on a need to know basis. I was forced to tell him that changes were afoot when he returned home to find Miles The Worlds Best Decorator glossing the ceiling and someone from Freecycle at the door collecting the around the fridge larder unit. To be fair, he took it well. Strangely enough, he seems to be becoming accustomed to random house changes.
So what are my plans and how am I going to banish the dark and, in the words of Anthony Burrill, bring back the golden sunshine? Here's what I'm going to do.
Birchwood kitchen from Custom Fronts.
Around the fridge was a tall, ornate larder unit that always made my eyes bleed. Removing it has already made the space feel bigger and also forced me to reassess what was in my cupboards, culling the vast amount of chipped crockery and food tins which expired in 2011 (true story) to make my kitchen storage more organised. Winning already. I also removed a curved corner unit which wasn't required to free up even more space. Both of these items I Freecycled to new homes.
Aha, yes. Now, this is an EXCELLENT trick to make your kitchen look brand new at a fraction of the cost. I've recruited Kennet, the kitchen fitter, to measure up the doors and the lovely people at Custom Fronts will be making me new ones in Finnish Birch Ply. They're light, bright and made from sustainable material with coved handles which means no hardware required. I wanted doors that were natural textured and unpainted and these ones are completely perfect for my requirements. I've been obsessed with ply doors since seeing a 1970's kitchen in Livingetc about eight years ago so for me, these are a dream come true. I'm going to sell the old doors on eBay to contribute towards the revamp.
So the current worktop is dark brown and I've never been that keen on it, tbh. It doesn't help with the natural light issue and feels very dated. So I'm replacing it with white marble from Caesarstone which will transform the space and bring huge amounts of light back in to the room. I'm going to take the splash back up to the shelves and above the cooker which will be far more cohesive than the tiles that are currently in place. I've already arranged for the old one to be taken away and recycled.
I've done what I should have done initially and had the entire room painted in Brilliant White. I've also, despite gasps of horror, had the ceiling painted in gloss white. Why? Because it reflects the light and with the new white marble work surface, it will give some serious light impact to the room. The blackboard wall is no more, although to be honest I ruined it when it was first painted by inadvertently drawing on it with non removable chalk pen (who even invented that and what even is the point?) so we've had dodgy looking hanging baskets on it for three years.
So currently there are large cream tiles adorning the floor. Our house is old - 1759 - and the kitchen is in the original scullery area of the house. As such, it's the coldest room. Even the radiator on full blast doesn't stop it feeling like Siberia. It's being screeded and then Amtico flooring will be laid on the top. I'm going for a medium tone laid in a pleat pattern and it's going to feel much warmer to the feet. A simple change but one that will have a huge impact on the room.
Task Wall Light from Original BTC.
When I did my original update, I put fisherman's lights above the shelves. However, I didn't really think this through and quickly realised that because they weren't extendable, the only area that they focused on was whatever was beneath them. Sort of pointless, really. I'm adding extendable task lighting from Original BTC which will allow light to reach the work surface and food preparation areas of the kitchen which will make a huge difference to the space. I've also found a vintage Danish lamp which will hang central in the room, over the dining table. Joe's favourite spots will remain, unfortunately, but I'll put them on a dimmer to create a more subtle look.
I'm going to add a new sink from Grohe - it's a full basin rather than the split one which is there at present which is much more suitable for my needs. I'm also getting a hot tap so that I can be kettle free, keeping the new work surface nice and clear. This is Joe's absolute dream - he has always wanted one - so he's pretty pleased about this addition. It may even encourage him to make a cup of tea. Miracles can happen.
We've got a workbench in our garage that came with the house and upon closer inspection (and removing the four years worth of rubbish that was covering it), we discovered that it's an old wooden dining table. I've ordered a orbital sander (I'm so tech) and I'm going to sand it down to see what it looks like. It's unbelievably heavy but I I think if it works, it will be great. I've already got kitchen chairs but I may have to reassess in favour of stools if the table turns out to be too high. I'm hoping it will work though - I think it would look great.
I'm happy with all the appliances and there's no need to change any. The only thing I've updated is I've swapped the single wine fridge for a double to fill the space left by the larder unit. Priorities.
That's pretty much my plans. I spend more time in the kitchen than I do in any other room in the house and I think it's going to make a huge difference. I'm obsessed with bringing in the natural materials and textures and love the mix of the different types of wood. I think that the white surfaces and walls will make a huge difference to the lightness of the room and think the whole effect will be really calming.
So let the changes commence! The plan is for it to be finished before Christmas so fingers crossed it all sticks to schedule. Let's see if Joe notices the difference.
Part of my kitchen refit will be carried out in collaboration with sponsors. I would never work with a brand or use their products in my home if I didn't really love them and feel confident promoting them.


Prior to the Cricket World Cup 2015, ESPN Cricinfo launched a redesigned digital experience with a complete web responsive site, enhanced homepage and more in-depth quality content.
Additionally, ESPN Cricinfo continues to update its signature mobile app, featuring its fastest ever performance and a range of new features. Delivering the most comprehensive cricket coverage from across the world, the refreshed app will enhance fans' ability to stay up to date with the latest news, info, scores and more.
Match Point is ESPN Cricinfo's live studio show and offers a panel of top cricket analysts providing their opinions and predictions on the latest in the world of cricket.
Match Point was broadcasted live from Sydney overlooking the iconic Opera House during the Cricket World Cup 2015.


Thanks to the ever-evolving intersection between women's health and mobile app technology, you can now have birth control pills delivered to your home faster than the next book on your Amazon wishlist!
One of the most important health achievements in the modern era has been the ability for women to decide when or if they want to become parents. Contraception has allowed for women who want to become parents to space their pregnancies for optimal maternal and child health outcomes. It's also allowed women to help support themselves and their families through educational and career advancements.
These barriers to accessing health care can exist for anyone but they have a much larger impact on women in rural locations, those with limited financial resources, and Black women who simultaneous experience racism within the healthcare system. So, now that the technology industry and women's health have converged to help women overcome the many challenges we face in accessing health care, it's essential that we support Black women by getting the word out.
For some time now, pharmacists in many states have been providing emergency contraception (EC) to women without a prescription. Now, many women's health experts believe that other forms of birth control are safe enough to be sold without a prescription. In fact, several states, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon, trained pharmacists can prescribe birth control so you can skip the doctor's visit and get the medication at the same place you purchase condoms and feminine hygiene products.
They are committed to disrupting the traditional healthcare model that too often leaves women of color with poor outcomes. Perhaps the most popular of the mobile health platforms, Nurx also provides the widest range of birth control, with over 50 options that include the patch and the ring.
Nurx also prescribes pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), to women at risk for contracting HIV, making it unique among the online options. It's available in 17 states and expanding to offer services in other states.
PrjktRuby aims to break the cycles of generational poverty by empowering women to decide if/when they want to become parents.
PrjktRuby is available in 48 states, giving it the widest reach of any of the platforms. Also, they demonstrate a commitment to their mission of halting generational poverty by donating 25 cents of every $20 pack of birth pills purchased, toward the provision of contraception in developing countries.
If you live in California, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, or Washington, you can order birth control online through Planned Parenthood Direct. They offer delivery of 5 different birth control pills through the app. You can also get information on more effective birth control like IUDs and implants. Consistent with their provision of comprehensive care in person, they also provide treatment for UTIs. Unique to this app is that you always have to option to turn your online visit to an in-person one if necessary.
Lemonaid Health's mission is to provide ultra-low cost healthcare to everyone in America. Birth control is just one of many medications the deliver. They offer a wide array of birth control pills and although you can skip the doctor's visit, you will need to go to the pharmacy to pick it up the patch or the ring.
In general, the mobile health platforms require an online medical assessment, which most women are capable of completing quite accurately. Licensed clinicians then review your responses and meet with you, usually via telephone or video. No physical exam needed so the mobile app options may be most appropriate for women who have no pre-existing health conditions. And there is no substitute for the experience of meeting face-to-face with a licensed health care provider so it may be a good idea to visit the doctor's office if you're just getting started on birth control and use the online option for refills. Without insurance, prices start as low as $9 per cycle, depending on the birth control method and the platform you use. In most cases, that's less money that it takes to take the train to the doctor's office!
So what do you think! Have you tried either of these platforms? Do you think ordering your birth control online s something you'd be willing to try? Let me know in the comments below!


text:
Carlstedt est un nom de famille suédois notamment porté par :

Par ordre alphabétique
 Birger Carlstedt (1907–1975), artiste finlandais ;
  (1891–1952), artiste finlandais ;
 Lily Carlstedt (1926–2002), athlète danoise ;
  (née en 1934), artiste suédoise ;
  (1892–1964), peintre finlandais ;
  (née en 1976), chanteuse et guitariste suédoise.

Notes et références