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Are we ready for the Better Medication Management System?
Jeremy P Wrobel
Med J Aust 2003; 178 (9): 448-450. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05288.x
Published online: 5 May 2003
The Better Medication Management System (BMMS) is an Australian project to provide electronic access to patient medication records.
It aims to improve access to patient medication information and to reduce adverse drug events and hospital admissions.
Evidence supporting the achievability of the BMMS aims is limited.
Voluntary participation of patients in the BMMS may limit its ability to achieve its aims and capitalise on its potential benefits.
The Better Medication Management System (BMMS) is an Australian project to create electronic records of patient medications. Despite the many potential benefits of such a system, concerns arise as to whether its goals are achievable and whether the effects of different patient participation styles (voluntary or mandatory) have been adequately considered.
The BMMS is currently being developed by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing with input from key industry participants, including consumer groups and healthcare providers. The system will enable electronic transfer of medication information between doctors, pharmacists, hospitals and the Health Insurance Commission (HIC). It is envisaged that it will improve access to patient medication information for both healthcare providers and consumers, assist healthcare providers in prescribing and dispensing medications, provide information for research, and act as a testing ground for developing a more comprehensive electronic health information network. It is currently planned to be a voluntary system for healthcare consumers, providers and pharmacists.1
The BMMS will have profound implications for healthcare delivery in Australia, and significant resources are being invested in the project. Three success measures of the BMMS have been identified:
to improve access to information about a consumer's medicines;
to reduce adverse outcomes; and
to reduce hospital admissions.1
Despite the enormous effort expended in developing the BMMS, evidence supporting the achievability of its goals is scarce. A great deal of research has focused on the effectiveness of information technology in medical practice, but most has assessed decision-support systems and measured physician parameters rather than patient outcomes.2-5 Further, most was conducted in tertiary care settings, with non-voluntary participation of patients and physicians. There are also concerns about the quality of much of this research.6
Development of the BMMS has relied heavily on the experience of PharmaNet in the Canadian province of British Columbia. PharmaNet is a secure computer network containing up-to-date medication profiles for all patients who have prescriptions filled in the province (Box). Two pilot studies have been conducted on the effects of enabling doctors in emergency departments and medical practices to access PharmaNet.7,8 Although these studies were considered successful, they yielded less quantitative evidence than expected. In particular, the study of medical practice access did not provide evidence supporting the achievability of the BMMS aims.
First, the response rate was not high, with many medical practices withdrawing before or during the study and 60 from 85 actively participating practices returning survey questionnaires (see Box).8 Second, the evaluation assessed medical practitioners' perceptions of the system and their prescribing, rather than patient outcomes. Third, while patient participation in the pilot studies was voluntary, participation in PharmaNet is not. Thus, patient medication profiles were already available on PharmaNet and did not need to be entered before useful information could be retrieved. In Australia, the Health Insurance Commission has some patient-specific prescription information,9 but there is currently no equivalent to PharmaNet. Australian doctors may be less enthusiastic about participating if their initial access is to enter rather than retrieve medication data. A PharmaNet equivalent is a desirable initial step before the BMMS is introduced.
In addition, there are insufficient data to establish a voluntary model of participation as the preferred alternative. While voluntary participation of patients, doctors and pharmacists is perceived as more acceptable than mandatory participation, it may be less successful in achieving BMMS objectives. Regardless of participation style, it is fundamental that doctors and pharmacists are willing to participate. This can only be achieved by incorporating their concerns into the development of the BMMS and providing sufficient incentives to guarantee their involvement. Fortunately, the Federal Government is committed to a comprehensive consultation process with all major stakeholders, and many organisations are represented in the BMMS Development Group. In conjunction with field testing, this will enable many problems apparent in the Canadian experiment to be overcome before implementation (eg, onerous patient consent procedures, complex data presentation and inefficient access protocols).8
The Exposure Draft of The Better Medication Management System Bill 2001 (Cwlth) provides patients with substantial control over their medication profiles, including the ability to suppress information and destroy their profiles.10 However, I believe this Draft is too consumer-oriented, potentially jeopardising the commitment of healthcare providers to the BMMS. If they cannot be assured of the completeness of the data retrieved, they may be reluctant to participate.
Once healthcare providers have confidence in the BMMS and are keen to participate, they will need to promote participation of healthcare consumers. Workshops conducted by the Consumers' Health Forum of Australia in 2001 found that elderly people, people with chronic illness and some women's groups were interested in the BMMS.11 However, no other data are currently available on the likely participants in the BMMS. The characteristics of patient participants may profoundly affect whether the BMMS can reduce adverse drug events and hospital admissions.
Voluntary patient participation will raise other important issues. First, if it improves clinical decision-making, those not participating will be relatively disadvantaged. This will potentially widen the gap in quality of healthcare services to groups less likely to participate, such as Indigenous Australians, people from non-English-speaking backgrounds and those from remote and rural areas.12 Second, if providers rely on automated alerts from the BMMS, there is the potential for more prescribing and dispensing errors for non-participating patients. As a result, providers may decide only to treat participating patients to reduce the risk of missing drug interactions. Finally, without complete participation, the market may be too small to ensure the development of effective and efficient support systems.
Despite these concerns, it is evident that adverse drug events cause a significant amount of morbidity and cost in Australia.13 These events occur in both hospitals and general practice, and may arise from a multitude of system failures.14 Many are deemed preventable.15-20 If the BMMS is able to win the confidence of healthcare providers and consumers, it may significantly reduce drug-related morbidity and hospital admissions.
In addition to its expressed goals, the BMMS has the potential to provide a wealth of health information for research and statistical purposes.9,21,22 It may help overcome many of the limitations of current health data by providing information about over-the-counter and complementary medicines.9,22 However, some studies have shown that patients who consent to use of their health information for medical research differ significantly from those who do not consent, and serious concerns arise about the completeness of data collected if patient participation is voluntary.23,24 Resulting biases would be unquantifiable and would render such data almost useless.
Despite the potential benefits of the BMMS, several outstanding issues require resolution. It is imperative to ensure community acceptance of the project, and this will come only through demonstrated improvements in patient outcomes while maintaining the balance between patient confidentiality and clinical utility. In addition, implementation of the BMMS must not widen social disparities in health outcomes.25
Experience of accessing PharmaNet in British Columbia, Canada
PharmaNet
PharmaNet is a secure computer network containing up-to-date medication profiles for all patients who have prescriptions filled at community and hospital outpatient pharmacies in British Columbia, Canada.
PharmaNet was developed in 1995 by the province's Ministry of Health Services as a foundation for an integrated health network.
The effects of providing prescribers with access to PharmaNet have been evaluated in two pilot projects:
in emergency departments (beginning in 1997, with a final report released in November 19987); and
in medical practices (beginning in 1999, with a final report released in July 20018).
Medical practice pilot access study
Participants: Of 263 medical practice sites that expressed interest, 105 enrolled; 20 of these later withdrew.
Outcome measures: Evaluation was by questionnaires that assessed use of medication profiles and, where necessary, reasons for withdrawal from the pilot project. Surveys were also conducted on the value of each medication profile accessed over a sample day and week.
Results: Sixty of the active sites (71%) and 17 of the withdrawn sites (85%) responded to the questionnaire. One-week surveys were conducted at 13 sites, and a one-day survey at one site.
76% felt that PharmaNet met their expectations most of the time.
Over 50% felt that PharmaNet improved the accuracy and timeliness of their local patient medication history.
Over 50% felt that patient visit time was extended.
Over 50% felt that their overall access to PharmaNet was less than expected because of difficulties with internet connections and patient consent requirements.
Less than 50% felt that PharmaNet affected medication or treatment decisions.
The major reasons for sites withdrawing included the need for written patient consent, impact on office workflow, slow internet connection, negative patient response, and need for staff confidentiality undertakings.
Further information is available through the Ministry of Health Services, Government of British Columbia (http://healthnet.hnet.bc.ca/index.html) and the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (http://www.bcpharmacists.org/)
Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC.
This article was developed from an honours project undertaken under the supervision of Professor George Rubin and Professor Michael Kidd, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney. Professor Kidd is also Chair of the Better Medication Management System Development Group. All research was undertaken independently, and Professor Kidd's position did not in any way influence the research or findings.
1. Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. Better medication management system. Available at: http://www.health.gov.au/bmms/index.htm (accessed Aug 2002).
2. Bates DW, Leape LL, Cullen DJ, et al. Effect of computerized physician order entry and a team intervention on prevention of serious medication errors. JAMA 1998; 280: 1311-1316.
3. Hunt DL, Haynes RB, Hanna SE, Smith K. Effects of computer-based clinical decision support systems on physician performance and patient outcomes. JAMA 1998; 280: 1339-1346.
4. Teich JM, Merchia PR, Schmiz JL, et al. Effects of computerised physician order entry on prescribing practices. Arch Intern Med 2000; 160: 2741-2747.
5. Mitchell S, Sullivan F. A descriptive feast but an evaluative famine: systematic review of published articles on primary care computing during 1980-97. BMJ 2001; 322: 279-282.
6. Randolph AG, Haynes RB, Wyatt JC, et al. Users' guide to the medical literature XVIII. How to use an article evaluating the clinical impact of a computer-based clinical decision support system. JAMA 1999; 282: 67-74.
7. Schrader C, Carter L. Final report — emergency department access to PharmaNet pilot project. HealthNet/BC. Nov 4, 1998. Available at: http://healthnet.hnet.bc.ca/catalogu/products/emerg/index.html (accessed Mar 2003).
8. Carter L. Final report — medical practice access to PharmaNet pilot project. HealthNet/BC. Jul 11, 2001. Available at: http://healthnet.hnet.bc.ca/catalogu/mpppic/index.html (accessed Mar 2003).
9. Robertson J, Henry D, Dobbins T, et al. Prescribing patterns in general practice: a comparison of two data sources. Aust Fam Physician 1999; 8: 1186-1190.
10. Better Medication Management System Bill 2001 (Cwlth) — Exposure Draft (Australia).
11. Consumers' Health Forum of Australia. Consumers and e-health report on State and Territory workshops. Mar 2001. Available at: http://www.gpcg.org/topics/BMMS.html (accessed Jan 2002).
12. Consumers' Health Forum of Australia. Better medication management system submission on the draft legislation. Jul 2001. Available at: http://www.chf.org.au/chf_submissions/E-%20Health/BMMS/BMMS%20Submission%20on%20the%20Draft%20Legislation.htm (accessed Jan 2002).
13. Roughead EE. The nature and extent of drug-related hospitalisations in Australia. J Qual Clin Pract 1999; 19: 19-22.
14. Leape LL, Bates DW, Cullen DJ, et al. Systems analysis of adverse drug events. JAMA 1995; 274: 35-43.
15. Malpass A, Helps SC, Runciman WB. An analysis of Australian adverse drug events. J Qual Clin Pract 1999; 19: 27-30.
16. Roughead EE, Gilbert AL, Primrose JG, Sansom LN. Drug-related hospital admissions: a review of Australian studies published 1988-1996. Med J Aust 1998; 168: 405-408.
17. Bhasale AL, Miller GC, Reid SE, Britt HC. Analysing potential harm in Australian general practice: an incident-monitoring study. Med J Aust 1998; 169: 73-76.
18. Steven ID, Malpass A, Moller J, et al. Towards safer drug use in general practice. J Qual Clin Pract 1999; 19: 47-50.
19. Bates DW. Frequency, consequences and prevention of adverse drug events. J Qual Clin Pract 1999; 19: 13-17.
20. Wilson RM, Runciman WB, Gibberd RW, et al. The quality in Australian health care study. Med J Aust 1995; 163: 458-471.
21. Gardner TL, Dovey SM, Tilyard MW, Gurr E. Differences between prescribed and dispensed medications. N Z Med J 1996; 109: 69-72.
22. Mount CD, Kelman CW, Smith LR, Douglas RM. An integrated electronic health record and information system for Australia? Med J Aust 2000; 172: 25-27.
23. Woolf SH, Rothemich SF, Johnson RE, Marsland DW. Selection bias from recruiting patients to give consent to examine data for health services research. Arch Fam Med 2000; 9: 1111-1118.
24. Yawn BP, Yawn RA, Geier GR, et al. The impact of requiring patient authorization for use of data in medical records research. J Fam Pract 1998; 47: 361-365.
25. Mandl KD, Kohane IS, Brandt AM. Electronic patient–physician communication: problems and promise. Ann Intern Med 1998; 129: 495-500.


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Tiere, Pflanzen, Natur
Plant Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses in Agriculture: Role of Genetic Engineering
Herausgegeben:Locy, Robert D.; Cherry, Joe H.; Rychter, Anna
Environmental stresses represent the most limiting factors for agricultural productivity worldwide. These stresses impact not only current crop species, they are also significant barriers to the introduction of crop plants into areas that are not currently being used for agriculture. Stresses associated with temperature, salinity and drought, singly or in combination, are likely to enhance the severity of problems to which plants will be exposed in the coming decades. The present book brings together contributions from many laboratories around the world to discuss and compare our current…mehr
Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants
Ashwani Pareek / Sudhir K. Sopory / Hans J. et al. Bohnert (Hrsg.)
Abiotic Stress Adaptation in Plants
Govindjee / Hans J. Bohnert / W. Bottomley / D.A. Bryant / John E. Mullet / W.L. Ogren / Himadri Pakrasi / C.R. Somerville (eds.)
Molecular Biology of Photosynthesis
Paul H. Li / E. Tapio Palva (Hgg.)
Plant Cold Hardiness
Nijkamp
Progress in Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology
Sulfur Assimilation and Abiotic Stress in Plants
Environmental stresses represent the most limiting factors for agricultural productivity worldwide. These stresses impact not only current crop species, they are also significant barriers to the introduction of crop plants into areas that are not currently being used for agriculture. Stresses associated with temperature, salinity and drought, singly or in combination, are likely to enhance the severity of problems to which plants will be exposed in the coming decades.
The present book brings together contributions from many laboratories around the world to discuss and compare our current knowledge of the role stress genes play in plant stress tolerance. In addition, strategies are discussed to introduce these genes and the processes that they encode into economically important crops, and the effect this will have on plant productivity.
NATO Science Partnership Sub-Series: 3 83
Verlag: Springer / Springer Netherlands
Artikelnr. des Verlages: 978-0-7923-6567-9
Erscheinungstermin: 30. September 2000
I: High Temperature Stress. Functional Specialization of Plant Class A and B HSFs; E. Czarnecka-Verner, et al. The Arabidopsis TCH Genes: Regulated in Expression by Mechanotransduction? J. Braam. The Regulation of GABA Accumulation by Heat Stress in Arabidopsis; R.D. Locy, et al. GABA Increases the Rate of Nitrate Uptake and Utilization in Arabidopsis Roots; J.M. Barbosa, et al. II: Low Temperature Stress. MAP Kinases in Plant Signal Transduction: Versatile Tools for Signaling Stress, Cell Cycle, and More; C. Jonak, et al. The Second Stage of Plant Acclimation to Low Temperatures: The Forgotten Step in Frost Hardening? A. Kacperskla. Genetic Engineering of Biosynthesis of Glycinebetaine Enhances Tolerance to Various Stress; A. Sakamoto, et al. III: Salinity Stress. Salt Tolerance at the Whole-Plant Level; A.R. Yeo, et al. Plant Homologues to the Yeast Halotolerance Gene HAL3; A. Espinosa-Ruiz, et al. Novel Determinants of Salinity Tolerance; N.K. Singh, et al. Progress and Prospects in Engineering Crops for Osmoprotectant Synthesis; B. Rathinasabapathi. IV: Drought Stress. Plant AP2/EREBP and bZIP Transcription Factors: Structure and Function; C. Nieva, et al. Role of Arabidopsis MYB Transcription Factors in Osmotic Stress; E. Cominelli, et al. Gene Expression During Dehydration in the Resurrection Plant Craterostigma plantagineum; J.R. Phillips, D. Bartels. Some Physiological and Molecular Insights into the Mechanisms of Dessication Tolerance in the Resurrection Plant Xerophyta viscosa Baker; S.G. Mundree, J.M. Farrant. Targets of Modifying Plant Growth and Development by ABA-mediated Signaling; A. Himmelbach, et al. V: Signal Transduction. Positional Cloning of A Plant Salt Tolerance Gene; L. Xiong, et al. Regulation of Ion Homeostasis in Plants and Fungi; J.M. Pardo, et al. Adh as a Model for Analysis of the Integration of Stress Response Regulation in Plants; M. Dolan-O'Keefe, R.J. Ferl. Sense and Sensibility: Inositol

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Why Physical Therapy Students Need to Attend CSM and Network
by Casey Coleman
Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) is the premier physical therapy conference in the US, and we spoke to a couple attendees, Jonathan Momplaisir and Danielle McDonald, about the experience of attending CSM and why it's a great opportunity for PT students to network and meet other people who share their passion. Momplaisir and McDonald are both students in physical therapy at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and are impressed by the number of other attendees at the conference.
"To meet 17,000 other people who are passionate about what you're passionate about - you can't miss it," Momplaisir says. He sees physical therapy as being all about progress and getting better, and says that CSM gives PT's an opportunity to grow as clinicians and connect with other professionals. "It's a great place to network," McDonald agrees.
CSM features presentations and classes discussing the cutting edge of physical therapy, and Momplaisir is impressed by the diversity and sheer number of people attending these classes and improving their skills as professionals. "Just seeing who we are as a group, it's been jaw dropping," he says.
The exhibit hall shows off all the latest technology in physical therapy, as well as offering free swag to attendees and even the chance to play games. "Pretty sure this is where Iron Man got his suit," Momplaisir laughs. "Some of the biotech is next level stuff."
Momplaisir feels physical therapy is not taking advantage of its scope of practice, citing injury prevention and "maximizing the potential of the human form" as areas where the profession can grow and innovate. He points to the importance of helping clients reach the next level of health for their bodies. "Crossfit is on every corner, like McDonald's," he says. "Physical therapy can take advantage of this market."


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Supreme Court becomes School Master for Corrupt Indian Government (Congress Party) – Appoints 2 Former Judge SIT (Jeevan Reddy,MB Shah) Black Money Case
Abhishek Shah wrote on 4 Jul, 2011
India's Supreme Court took the matter of hundreds of billions of dollars of Black Money stashed into foreign bank accounts into its own hands as the government has repeatedly failed to take any action stalling the case.The Indian government led by the Congress Party has been repeatedly blasted by the Supreme Court for not acting against corruption matters.Recently the Court in an unprecedented move took over the supervision of the CBI in 2G Telecom Scandal Case Investigation.Note CBI is under the Home Ministry and like other investigations was being tardy to take action government ministers.The 2G Telecom case has resulted in top ministers and corporate CEOs being jailed with prospects of more being convicted.
India's Supreme Court has become a schoolmaster for the errant Indian investigative agencies which keep showing glaring incompetence and reluctance to go after top offenders.Note it was only after Supreme Court castigated the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that the agencies swung into action taking Hasan Ali and Tapuriah into custody and attaching their properties.But the government has refused to learn and is slowly losing its power and authority to the judiciary and the civil society.Remember the government was brought to its knees by the Anna Hazare agitation which received mass support from the Indian Middle Classes.The Congress Party had to eat humble pie and drafted civil society members to draft the anti corruption Jan Lokpal Bill.The Supreme Court has appointed a 2 member SIT led by Shah and Reddy and asked the government committee to report to it.This is the second time the Supreme Court has taken over the investigation responsibilities for the failure of the government to act.In its judgement the SC said that Black Money cannot be taken lightly and it reflects the weakness of the Indian state that such massive amounts had to be stashed abroad.
No faith in govt, SC appoints special team to trail blackmoney
The Supreme Court today appointed a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by former apex court judge B P Jeevan Reddy to monitor the investigation and the steps being taken to bring back blackmoney stashed in foreign banks.The bench said that it was a serious lapse on the part of the government which will have implications on the country's external and internal security. The bench said the issue of black money has to be taken with a degree of seriousness and the state is primarily responsible to make all efforts to bring back into the country such wealth and punish people who have stashed away money in foreign banks.
Search by Tags:: Anna Hazare, Big Business, Black Money, Bribery, Bureaucracy, Cash, CBI, Corruption, Debt, ED, Government, Graft, Hawala, Housing, Indian Economy, Interest Rate, Jan Lokpal, Judge, Land, Legal, Legislature, Manipulation, Poor, Regulator, Scam, Scandal, Stock Market, Supreme Court, Telecom
Abhishek Shah


Z Energy Ltd. Dividend History.
Subject to Z`s performance and other relevant factors including the Directors` discretion, their assessment of investment opportunities available to Z, and Z`s outlook, the Directors expect to distribute to Shareholders approximately 80% of Z`s Replacement Cost Net Profit After Tax (after adjusting for any significant non-cash items), and to impute dividends to the extent possible.
Dividends to Shareholders, to the extent they will be paid, are expected to be payable in arrears for the six month periods ended 30 September (interim dividend) and 31 March (final dividend). Interim dividends (to the extent declared) are expected to be paid in November/December, and are expected to represent approximately 35% of the total full year forecast dividend. Final dividends (to the extent declared) are expected to be paid in May/June following the completion of the relevant financial year.
No guarantee can be given about future dividends, the level of imputation of such dividends (if any) or the extent of pay-out ratios for any future period as these matters will depend upon future events, including the profitability, growth opportunities, and financial and taxation position of Z and its subsidiaries. The payment of dividends by Z will be at the complete discretion of the Board.


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Hunchback of Notre Dame Sculpture
RiverCygnet
Sculptures Inspired by The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame as not only inspired countless film and stage adaptations but it's has also inspired artists from all media.
This page is focused on Sculpture from small and intimate to larger and grandiose. All of them pretty much depict Esmeralda.
Antonio Rosetti - 1850
Antonio Rosetti 1850
Like many of these Sculpture Esmeralda is featured with Dajli and her tambourine. It's made of marble. She topless and fabric draped over her lower half. She wears her amulet and has a bow in her hair.
I would suggest that by looking at her attire or rather the lack of it, she is supposed to be in Sanctuary although it could just be the artist's style.
This sculpture is very lovely and captures Esmeralda's beauty and sweetness as well as her love for Djali.
Statue of Quasimodo
Statuette of Quasimodo. He standing on the novel of The Hunchback of Notre Dame which is very cute.
You don't really get a sense of his facial deformities but the legs and slight hunch indicate his other deformities to the viewer.
This statuette is made from cast metal which gives Quasimodo a warmth though it's ironic that there is not a Quasimodo sculpture made from stone as that is a classic line from the novel where he bemoans the fact that he wasn't made of stone.
Edouard Charles Marie Houssin - 1885
Edouard Charles Marie Houssin Esmeralda (large)
This is a Statue of Esmeralda Dancing with Djali. It about 3 feet tall (47 1/4 inches) and it's cast bronze. She is wearing a coin headband and necklace. The word "Phoebus" is spell out on the carpet.
It really lovely as it depicts Esmeralda and Djali dancing.
Emmanuel Villanis - 1890
Emmanuel Villanis, Bust of Esmeralda 1890
This is a bust of Esmeralda. It's in the Art Nouveau style. You can't make it in this picture but "Esmeralda" is written at the bottom along with flower details.
It made out of cast bronze and it a rather nice depiction of Esmeralda. Headscarfs were a 1800s Gypsy indicator.
Emmanuel Villanis Esmeralda
This statue of Esmeralda is 18 inches, so it is actually a statuette. Esmeralda is written on the front. She wears a low-cut off-the-shoulder belted peasant-type dress. She is barefoot. A tasseled purse hangs from her belt. In her right hand she holds playing cards. Her left hand supports a tambourine that carries more playing cards. Her hair is long and she wears a kerchief on her head. She wears her amulet around her neck. Her features are strong, yet still youthful and sweet, which is the way Esmeralda should look.
Maria Dillon
This statue of Esmeralda and Djali is by Maria Dillon. It depicts Esmeralda sitting down with her head resting on her tambourine. She has a dreamy look on her face while Djali looks up in a concerned manner.
Raymond Sudre
This is really two Stautes; Esmeralda with Djali and Quasimodo.
Quasimodo is bowing to Esmeralda in reverence, which fits his character. Esmeralda stand above him on a higher level. She hold her signature tambourine and has her other hand on Djali. She looks unmoved by Quasimodo's reverence, which is fitting of her character.
Hippolyte Francois Moreau
These two statues by Hippolyte Francois Moreau are very similar so that I both then together. The one with exposed breast is 82 cm. It made of bronze and is mounted on a mottled red marble.
These are my favorite sculptures of Esmeralda. The dancing looking very fluid and graceful and she seems to be in mid pose like she is about switch positions. She looks very young and sweet but with a hint of allure, which suits her character perfectly. Also the connection between her and Djali is delightful.
Statue of Gina Lollobrigida
This is a statue of Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda. Gina Lollobrigida played Esmeralda in the 1956 French film adaptation called Notre Dame de Paris.
This staue is in Pietrasanta Natale, Italy. It has some gold elements. It fearures her in mid dance with flowing skirt and Djali standing on two legs. the motion is this sculpture is really stunning. Every aspect of the statue is so expressive, the arms and the skirt in particular are very expressive.
It really captures Gina Lollobrigida's portrayal as Esmeralda perfectly in that she is free-spirited and daring.
Disney Esmeralda in Bronze
This a broanze statuette of Disney's Esmeralda. It's housed at the Toon Studio, Walt Disney Studios Park.
It may look simple but this statuette captures Disney's Esmeralda nicely. It gets her bold personally perfect but want makes this statuette stand out is all the little details. You can see her hoop earring admits her hair, the knot on her hip scare, her anklet, her feet and the cobble stone base she is standing on.
Esmeralda by Armani
This is a sexier version of Esmeralda by Armani. It's made of porcelain.
This is a very lovely and bold version of Esmeralda which is clearly not based on the book but on it's own it nice interpretation of Esmeralda. The motion is wonderful.
Armani Gypsy Girl
Armani Figurine Gypsy
Though technically not officially Esmeralda, this figurine looks like Disney's Esmeralda doesn't it? It's 13 inches and is made of porcelain.
This is a really lovely statuette. She looks coy and flirtatious yet strong which are not Esmeralda's traits but since this is more inspired by Disney's version it does't matter. I really love the skirt it's is very pretty.
What do think of the Sculptures? Which on is your Favorite????
Keira on February 18, 2015:
Love all of them but Emmanuel Villanis - 1895 - Esmeralda is exactaly how I saw her reading the book. He captured the essence of Esmeralda. You said it right, strong features, but sweet and young.
I also like the Maria Dillon Esmeralda very much, but strangely she looks a lot like my older sister.
Laniann on June 17, 2011:
Beautiful. I like the first sculpture inspired by The Hunchback of Notre Dame.


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Emancipation and (Self) Preservation
Posted on July 18, 2011 by Gregg Levine
It is perhaps ironic in the extreme to take to the internet to extol the virtues of contemplation, and to do so while discussing a story that, by the time you read this, will be over a full day old (a near-eternity in the blogosphere), but President Obama's allusions to the Emancipation Proclamation (or more accurately, the release of a months-old talk where he praises Lincoln's move as a marriage of principle and pragmatism) in the contextual crucible of the debt-ceiling debate, makes me wish we could really spend some time learning, relearning, and discussing the Proclamation and Lincoln's actions in the context of his time and the lessons they might hold for action in ours.
It would be as fun as it would be enlightening for me (and a lot of others, I'd hope) to have a back-and-forth about what President Lincoln and his Emancipation Proclamation did and didn't do—for slaves in Union and Confederate states, for the war effort on both sides of America's Civil War, and for the future of the (as opposed to "these") United States—because there is room for argument. And, it would be great if we could first pursue the pure knowledge and understanding before having to turn it into an ironclad metaphor for our current president and his very current "crisis" (another point open to interpretation). But Obama "went there"—first in a March talk with a group of students, and this weekend with the release of tape of that talk and another video alluding to the same issue—and so the metaphor, like a battle, is joined.
Because my preamble ramble is already closer to the pre-internet-age chat than I had intended, let me shorthand a lot of my thinking on Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation and say that while I feel comfortable in raising an eyebrow about just how few slaves were freed on its first day, January 1, 1863, and also feel comfortable in asserting that Lincoln understood the shrewd politics of the Proclamation's exact language, a day of looking at recent scholarship on these issues also has me believing that "Emancipation," such as it was proclaimed, did much to help the Union's war effort by adding a second "cause" (the eventual abolition of slavery in addition to the opposition to southern secession) to the fight, by painting a stark moral contrast between the warring parties to European powers that had abolished slavery themselves, but still had other reasons to aid the Confederacy (such as Great Britain), and, quite notably, by allowing northern blacks and freed southern slaves to enlist and fight, swelling the ranks for the Union side.
All of this allowed Lincoln to attain his stated primary goal—the preservation of the Union—but it also (along with some very critical acts of Congress) laid the groundwork for the degradation of slavery in Northern slave states, the outlawing of slavery in US territories, and soon after, the passage of the 13th Amendment, outlawing slavery across all states. (It also helped blunt any thoughts of a challenge to Lincoln's re-nomination from the abolitionist wing of the Republican Party in 1864, which is interesting even in today's context, and an attractive grace note to my point here.)
With all of this (all of this) in mind, let us now examine President Obama's words, as delivered to a politically mixed group of students:
[Obama] noted that President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation permitted slavery in border states loyal to the Union, in an attempt to hold the nation together.
"Here you've got a wartime president whose making a compromise around probably the greatest moral issue that the country ever faced because he understood that 'right now, my job is to win the war and to maintain the union,'" Obama said.
"Can you imagine how the [liberal news outlet] Huffington Post would have reported on that? It would have been blistering. Think about it, 'Lincoln sells out slaves.'"
He told the students: "The nature of our democracy and the nature of our politics is to marry principle to a political process that means you don't get 100 percent of what you want."
Again, setting aside just how accurate the analogy is with respect to what the Emancipation Proclamation did and/or was intended to do, and trying, too, to ignore the gratuitous hippy punching, I want to focus on the last paragraph with respect to the broader invocation of Lincoln's pragmatism.
Obama seeks to praise Lincoln for his ability to attain his goals in light of and in spite of both factional opposition and structural impediment, and in so doing, the current president rather nakedly implies that he is doing the same. Obama essentially says: "Lincoln married his principles to process and achieved his goal, and now, so too, will I. Someday, many will appreciate what I am doing the way we now appreciate Abraham Lincoln."
But here's the rub: What principle? And what goal? Obama's big lesson, he says, is "you don't get 100 percent of what you want," but what is it that Obama wants?
I don't think he is concerned about the actual preservation of the Union. Aside from a marginal group of racists and paranoids—and the small handful of opportunist politicians that will claim some common cause even if they intend to do nothing as noteworthy as a Jefferson Davis—few are expecting another war between the states. Is the president then thinking that the fight against America's current economic woes is the moral equivalent of the fight to preserve the Union? Could be, but then how have his actions moved us closer to that goal? What principle is he marrying to politics?
Deficit hawking will do nothing to create jobs or consumer demand, and laying things his party holds dear on the table (or whatever euphemism Obama is using this week for offering up benefit cuts to Social Security and Medicare) not only makes the personal economies of so many Americans that much more precarious, it does nothing—nothing—to affect the deficit, or, much more to the immediate point, the debt ceiling. This would not just be me saying this; this would be the vast majority of our nation's economists. I would also wager big money that any of the president's long trail of ex or soon to be ex economic advisors—from Austan Goolsbee to Jarred Bernstein to even (yes) Larry Summers—would agree: if your goal is to usher in a robust economic recovery, cutting trillions from public projects, social programs and so-called "entitlements" will be almost entirely counterproductive.
Is the "goal" compromise itself? Many, including myself, often feel this way. But what is that? How does that marry "principle" to "politics" when it defines them as exactly the same thing?
Which leaves me with two remaining possibilities—both unpleasant.
I am going to give short shrift to the sinister one—that Obama is a sort of "Manchurian Candidate" whose entire career was engineered for the goal of destroying the Rooseveltian welfare state and the Democratic Party that built and defended it. It might be true in practice, but the psychology and construction of this thesis requires more supposition than I am comfortable writing.
To me, it seems the more obvious answer is now the correct one—and maybe the sadder one, too: Obama's goal, the principle and practice that the president is equating with the Emancipation Proclamation, is in fact his re-election. To Obama, the preservation of his presidency is the same as Lincoln's preservation of the Union.
How else can we explain Obama's "leadership" on economic issues, especially since the "grand compromise" of last December when he allowed the continuation of Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest of the wealthy? What other "principle" dictates that the president insist on moving further and further toward a camp of greedy, rich corporatists and their Washington proxies? What "goal" is achieved by taking away from the president's own party the one sure-fire electoral winner, the contrast between the party that protects Social Security and Medicare, and the party that openly has suggested cutting them?
These questions are even more pointed, to my ear, if we are to believe (as some keep insisting) that the president does not intend to make these cuts or move as far right as he might make it seem, but is instead just posturing to throw his opposition off balance, to reveal them as the more intractable. It is a posture that does nothing for Democrats in Congress (or anywhere down ticket, really), but it does, in the eyes of Obama's political team, anyway, project the president as more "independent" and more appealing to some dubious grouping of "independent voters."
Imagine, then, Abraham Lincoln approaching the same problem. Lincoln was not above politics—as noted, the Emancipation Proclamation was a shrewd document politically, and during Lincoln's senatorial and first presidential campaigns, he would address slavery in very different terms depending on his audience—but it was politics toward a goal bigger than himself, and it would eventually come to be politics married to a principle that, even though not as enlightened as our current approach to race, still became steadfast in its alliance with the abolition of slavery.
Would Lincoln feel that simply positioning himself for a second term, giving his re-election the best of all possible chances, was the same thing as preserving the union? That one is a stretch for me. And, even though Lincoln's initial indication of the impending Emancipation Proclamation (in September 1862) was bad for some Republican members of the House (they lost seats in the 1862 midterms), with the principle of abolishing slavery in hand, the president's party was given an issue to run on that served them well in many places for the next 100 years.
Can Barack Obama look at his moves in the current "battle" and expect a similar legacy? He can want it, but history will be the judge. It will be, should the republic survive or no, the stuff of future discussions and scholarship. It is for time to decide, not Beltway strategists, not "independent voters," and certainly not the president, himself.
(A version of this post appears at Firedoglake.)
This entry was posted in Barack Obama, Economy, Messaging and tagged 2012 election, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, budget negotiations, Civil War, compromise, debt ceiling, deficit, economy, Emancipation Proclamation, Medicare, politics, principle, Republicans, Social Security by Gregg Levine. Bookmark the permalink.
3 thoughts on "Emancipation and (Self) Preservation"
JimWhiteGNV on July 18, 2011 at 2:18 pm said:
Somehow, whenever I think about Obama making this comment, I can't help wondering if the previous screw-up attributed to Jeh Johnson, where he said MLK would have approved of the war in Afghanistan actually started with Obama. The two sets of remarks seem so similar.
[And I love the new blog name!]
Gregg Levine on July 18, 2011 at 2:46 pm said:
I try to resist allusions to Obama's hubris because it plays so easily into TEA-OP and racist memes about the president, but you wonder why Obama doesn't pause a moment before drawing such analogies.
[& thanks–this is actually the 2nd iteration of capitoilette. I had a version for years before I joined FDL (as noted in the "welcome" up top, and found here: http://capitoilette.blogspot.com/)%5D
Gregg Levine on July 19, 2011 at 3:55 am said:
Joan Walsh also got to thinking about Obama's history lesson: http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/joan_walsh/politics/2011/07/18/arianna_huffington_vs_frederick_douglass
She thinks the president isn't just explaining the bad political reality, he's helping shape it.
Walsh also makes interesting point that when Obama wants to hippy punch, he punches "leftist" media and media figures as "stand-ins" for political leaders. What does this say about the president, and what does this say about leaders on the left?


Learn about the artists who have transformed the ranch into a unique site-specific art installation harmonious with the surrounding environment.
The tower designed by Ann Hamilton is a unique, acoustic environment, a solid but living conduit for an ever-changing range of sensory projects and performances.
Join us for a 2-3 hour memorable walking tour of the ranch, generally held in the Spring and Fall. Tours are given by donation and tickets sell quickly.


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Helmet maker sued for alleged football death
On behalf of Hoffman Legal Group, LLC | Jun 6, 2018 | Catastrophic Injuries
Protective gear, such as football helmets, may not prevent catastrophic injuries despite assurances from manufacturers and athletic teams. A father in Ohio is believed to be the first person to sue a helmet maker for fatal head injuries his son suffered when playing football.
The lawsuit was filed in Ohio and Los Angeles against Riddell and the owner of Schutt Sports on his son's behalf. The father charged that the defendants engaged in misrepresentation and did not protect the plaintiffs or warn them of the increased risks of playing football despite scientific and medical information linking the risk of long-term brain injury from repeated injuries, sub-concussive blows and cumulative brain trauma.
His son wore helmets manufactured by Rydell and Schutt when he played football from 2001 through 2011. He died on May 29, 2016, when he was 22 years-old, after suffering a seizure on a boat while fishing with his grandfather at Lake Lorelai near Fayetteville, Ohio. He collapsed into the lake and drowned.
His parents gave their son's brain to an Illinois hospital. Doctors discovered that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known as "CTE." CTE is a degenerative brain condition that can result from playing tackle football.
The plaintiffs charged negligent misrepresentation, negligent product liability, fraud and wrongful death. The lawsuit was filed in Ohio because he played football in that state, and in California where the defendants engage in business and have offices.
According to the lawsuit, the defendants knew in 2000 that impacts in football can pose a 95 percent chance of brain injury for adult players. However, the defendants continued to affix a sticker to youth helmets claiming that the equipment met the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment standard. This sticker created a false assurance that the helmet was tested for safety and injury protection, according to the lawsuit.
An attorney may be able to help brain injury victims and their families seek compensation for injuries caused by negligence or defective equipment. They can attempt to help obtain evidence and pursue rights in court or settlement negotiations.


I've been friends with Ashley since we were kids and we would walk our dogs together. I could tell Ashley loved her dog very much and I believe she would be a responsible and caring dog walker.
I cared for a dog for 14 years and it was the best 14 years of my life. My dog was a Beagle, German Shepard, and Rottweiler mix; the sweetest creature ever. Then that sad day came when I had to send her "home". Now I want to give that same love and attention to other dogs. My life no longer has space for round-the-clock dog care right now, but the time I do have I want to share with other dogs (ie dog walking). Currently I have a part time job that fluctuates, so I will update my info when provided. Some days I may be able to take a job at the last minute, based on my schedule. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
If a dog is nursing or on her period, if they have a special harness, any bathroom problems (ie diapers), any anxiety issues and how to keep them calm, introduction techniques special to the dog, etc.
Normally I would take the dog on a walk around the neighborhood; get them familiar with the area. This is a good way for them to recognize the area and how to get home in case of an emergency. And if the park allows, I'd take them through a park.


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Here's how at-home COVID-19 tests could be impacting Maryland's data
At NFL Draft like festivities, Naval Academy midshipmen choose their first ship and future home
Annapolis police arrest 17-year-old from D.C. in connection with September killing of Annapolis teen
Testimony begins in Leopold trial: "It was my experience ... That you don't tell him no"
Incoming Anne Arundel County Council has new look: A Democratic majority, historic number of women
Flooding causes sewage overflows, raises other pollution concerns for Chesapeake Bay
Anne Arundel County Councilman Andrew Pruski says he tested positive for COVID-19
Annapolis police investigating suspicious death of 17-year-old as a homicide
College Roundup: Navy women tie Holy Cross
NAVY WOMEN'S SOCCER: Navy (5-7-2, 2-1-1 Patriot League) and Holy Cross (1-8-2, 0-1-2 PL) ended 110 minutes of play in a 2-2 double-overtime draw on Sunday at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.
In the 31st minute, Navy senior Rachel Feldman took a pass from Anabell Motley and sent a liner past Holy Cross goalkeeper Brooke Holle to the far post to give Navy a 1-0 lead. It was her third goal in the last two games.
Holy Cross responded in the 40th minute to tie the game. With the score still even in the 66th minute, Navy senior defender Cat Macklin sent a pass through two Holy Cross defenders to the foot of teammate Karli Sottung, who took the pass in stride into the box and struck a low shot past the goaltender for the go-ahead score.
With time winding down, Navy gave up a foul just outside of the 18-yard box in the 84th minute. Sophomore Andj Seslija lined up the kick and looped it over the Navy wall to even the game.
Navy will host first-place Bucknell (10-0-1, 4-0 PL) on Saturday at 8 p.m.
[More from sports] Anne Arundel JV athletes laid the foundation during 2019-20 winter season »
NAVY RIFLE: The Mids began their season on Saturday by picking up a pair of victories in a home tri-meet at the Bancroft Hall rifle range. On the strength of a 4,634-point output, the Mids defeated both VMI and John Jay as the Keydets recorded a 4,507 score, while the Bloodhounds turned in a 4,390.
NAVY GOLF: Senior Devin Terry won the 18th hole of the final match on Sunday to halve the final point, as the Mids won two singles matches and halved two others on the final day of competition to defeat Army, 6-5, at the West Point Golf Course.
NAVY WOMEN'S TNNIS: Freshman Meghan O'Malley won the "E" singles bracket in her collegiate debut to highlight Navy's weekend at the Wake Forest Invitational. Navy faced tough competition in the form of opponents such as Duke, Georgia, Louisville and Wake Forest. Navy competed in 69 total matches at the tournament, going 17-28 in singles play and 11-13 in doubles action.
TOWSON WOMEN'S SOCCER: Despite controlling play in the second half, Towson couldn't make up a two-goal, first-half deficit and fell to Drexel, 2-0.
Drexel (7-5-1, 3-1-0 CAA) is now tied with Northeastern University atop the CAA standings while the Tigers (5-8-1, 2-2-0 CAA) are in a three-way tie for third with James Madison and Delaware.
Latest Navy
Navy LB Diego Fagot, Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa selected as Touchdown Club of Annapolis collegiate award winners
Patrick Dorsey, Jaylen Walker produce off the bench as Navy men's basketball beats Boston University, 72-65
UM VOLLEYBALL: Sophomore libero Kelsey Wicinski served a career-high six aces but Maryland (8-8, 0-4 B1G) fell to No. 24 Illinois (10-5, 3-1) in five sets on Sunday afternoon. The Terrapins fell by set scores of 18-25, 25-22, 28-30, 25-23, 14-16.
Drexel Dragons
Towson Tigers
Northeastern Huskies
James Madison Dukes


Eases the pain associated with long hours of chair sitting.
Idea for slip disc patients.
The Healthy Back Lumbar Support will cradle your back to keep it in perfect horizontal alignment.
Soft Cushioning and wedges are designed to improve your back, body posture.
Anatomical moulded foam back support designed as per your spine shape.
Groovy channeled design on the foam ensures proper aeration / ventilation.
Helps in relieving tension individuals who suffers from back injuries.
Relives low back disc pressure, back pain and fatigue by forming the natural curve of lower back.
Strengthens your back muscles while you sit.
Hugging Wings cradle your torso providing superior lateral stability.
You can carry it with you for support at work, in the car, at the movies, at a stadium and at home.
Used for spinal support when placed on any chair, car seat and soft wheel chair etc.
Removes discomfort and pain after surgery.
Removable & washable Absorbent velvet cover.


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Northeastern University is a private, comprehensive university focusing on cooperative education. Founded in 1898, it adopted coeducation in 1943. Programs are offered through the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Engineering, Nursing, and Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions; the Schools of Engineering Technology and Journalism; and the Boston-Bouve College of Human Development Professions. It offers students an inside track to careers in the arts and sciences, business, engineering, criminal justice, law, health professions and more. Through its signature cooperative education program, this full-service school provides hands-on experience in more than 200 courses of study. Students come from throughout the United States and more than 100 countries to participate in a demanding and exciting mix of academics and work, graduating with both a degree and valuable on-the-job training for today's competitive workplace. Its 60-acre campus is located in Boston, near the Fenway.
Website: www.northeastern.edu/
Boston Population
18.2% from 124 countries
admissions@neu.edu
Rolling, notification begins April 1
Financial need is a consideration in the admissions process
sfs@neu.edu
American Sign Language (ASL)
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics and Special Effects
Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
Civil Engineering, General
Computer Engineering, General
Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other
Human Services, General
Intermedia/Multimedia
Jewish/Judaic Studies
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
Business/marketing, Engineering, Health professions and related sciences, Social sciences
Accelerated program, Cooperative work study program, Student-designed major, Double major, Honors program, Independent study, Internships, Study abroad, Summer session
Master of Legal Studies, Master of Laws
Acute Care/Critical Care Nursing
Applied Arts and Design--General
Computer and Information Systems Security
Engineering and Applied Sciences--General
Industrial/Management Engineering
Internet and Interactive Multimedia
Legal and Justice Studies
Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Coed housing
public safety website
Crew x x x x
choral groups, drama theatre, radio station, student newspaper, television station, national fraternities, national sororities, student government association, council for university programs, resident student association, downhillers ski and snowboard club, northeastern university huskiers and outing club
Army ROTC offered on campus, Navy ROTC is offered off campus, Air Force ROTC offered off campus


Physique: well built but not particularly muscular. Toned.
Temper: He is tough. but only because he's a dumb kid on the inside. He hates it when people give him pet names. Has temper tantrums often.
what an exelent way of descriving the characters! >:3 we shall do it this way or at least similar from now on!
Faolan- D: I'm a pooch of sorts though. Don't affiliate my kind with that dolt!
Faolan- you have a fangril eh?
Xerxes- so It would appear.
Faolan- Are you a groupie!?
Tath: =__=u *takes puppet out of noms mouth* and who would be that?


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Kenseth Armstead, Firelei Báez, Maria Berrio, Chitra Ganesh, Fay Ku, Lina Puerta, Frohawk Two Feathers, William Villalon
American Histories, London, 18 November 2016 - 7 January 2017
Kenseth Armstead, Firelei Báez, Maria Berrio, Chitra Ganesh, Fay Ku, Lina Puerta, Frohawk Two Feathers, William Villalon: American Histories
Pi Artworks London is pleased to announce American Histories curated by New-York based curator Alexandra Schwartz. American Histories is the second of five exhibitions that make up Pi Artworks London's Curatorial Season that runs from October 2016 – July 2017. For the season Övül Ö. Durmusoglu, Alexandra Schwartz, Sacha Craddock, Oliver Sumner, and Morgan Quaintance have been invited to devise and develop their own curatorial project working with artists predominantly or entirely from outside the gallery's roster.
American Histories brings together nine artists, all based in the United States, who explore cultural histories through figurative works on paper. Their work reflects their own diverse heritages and influences while speaking more broadly to the array of international cultures that make up the United States. The exhibition spotlights how artists examine and synthesize such themes through a personal lens.
Cultural difference, and its link to issues surrounding immigration and inclusiveness, is one of the most pressing political issues of our day, as has recently been evidenced by the refugee crisis in Europe, the presidential race in the United States, and numerous other events worldwide. While the artists in this exhibition do not explicitly address politics, they are concerned with processing matters of difference through their art; many of the artists come from international backgrounds or are themselves first-generation American. All working on paper, they call on international artistic traditions—some relating to their personal heritages, some not—to reflect and comment upon the interconnections between global histories and contemporary cultures. Though united by a passion for history, an interest in racial, ethnic, and gender identities, and an emphasis on figuration, the artists in American Histories are wide-ranging and diverse.
In his epic series of drawings, Spook, Kenseth Armstead, born Washington, D.C.; lives Brooklyn, chronicles the true story of James Armistead Lafayette, an African-American slave who became a spy for the United States' first director of central intelligence, George Washington.
Firelei Báez, born Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic; lives New York, uses large-scale drawing to depict objects of personal adornment—textiles, hair designs, body ornaments—that speak to the complexities of Black identities.
Maria Berrio, born Bogotá, Colombia; lives Brooklyn, uses painting and collage, mostly with Japanese papers, to create works that blend historical and religious allusions with examinations of contemporary notions of gender, sexuality, and family. Chitra Ganesh, born Brooklyn; lives Brooklyn, combines a wide array of references—Hindu mythology, European fairy tales, Bollywood posters—in lushly detailed works focusing on traditionally marginalized figures from art historical and literary narratives.
In her drawings, Fay Ku, born Taipei, Taiwan; lives Brooklyn, conjures surreal worlds in which Chinese scroll painting, Italian Renaissance altarpieces, and contemporary pop culture, play equally influential roles.
Raised in Colombia, Lina Puerta, born Englewood, New Jersey; lives New York, is concerned with the natural and built environments and their fraught relationships to the human body; the two- and three-dimensional works shown here combine handmade paper with found objects, ranging from rocks and seeds, to textiles and beads.
Frohawk Two Feathers, born Chicago; lives Los Angeles, invents elaborate historical narratives that cast light on issues of colonialism and race; the drawings in the exhibition depict fictitious, 18th-century male and female warriors who are also informed by the present-day Nation of Gods and Earths, an offshoot of the Nation of Islam.
William Villalongo, born Hollywood, Florida; lives Brooklyn, brings together imagery from African-American and American history and mass culture to orchestrate a conversation between history and art. Working in painting, video, drawing, and collage, his recent series of hand-cut velvet-paper works call on a repertory of cultural signifiers to reflect on the interrelationship between human—particularly Black—bodies, nature, and society.
Saya Woolfalk, born, Gifu, Japan; lives Brooklyn, makes installations, videos, paintings, and works on paper exploring the increasing hybridity of global cultures and technologies. Influenced by anthropology, her work takes the form of fictional narratives exploring the effects of these seismic shifts on cultural and gender identities.
Copyright © 2021 Pi Artworks


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Image title: Dublin Liberty Hall and Custom House (bw)
Two of Dublin's most prominent landmarks, Liberty Hall and the Custom House, set against a cloudy sky.
The two buildings date from very different periods and tell a very different story, all part of the fascinating history of Dublin. LIberty Hall was built in the 1960s, the Custom House was built in the late 18th century and rebuilt in the early 20th century. My earliest memories of Dublin are of a broody, grey and depressing city that I was always glad to get out of. Luckily things have changed since then.
Dublin Liberty Hall and Custom House (bw)
IeDLibHallCustHse9605.jpg
Dublin architecture, high rise buildings, Dublin landmarks, Republic of Ireland, Ireland


This project brings back into use a previously condemned high rise block of flats, upgraded and converted to suit a change of tenure from social housing to mid market rent.
When GHA assumed responsibility for Glasgow City Council's social housing stock, Multi-Storey Flats (MSFs) accounted for 23,543 (almost one third) of the total dwellings, and of the 201 towers that were included, only 73 were cleared for investment (GHA identified a 'sustainable' proportion of its stock by undertaking their 'Housing Futures Assessment' programme, a sample of 20% of the total stock).
As a result, the 3 Ibroxholm tower blocks, each standing at 22 storeys, were earmarked for demolition. However, in early 2011, the Scottish Government approved £1.1m of funding from its 'Innovation and Investment Fund' towards the cost of redeveloping one of the buildings, 15 Ibroxholm Oval, whilst an additional £1.1m of funding was secured from the Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP) in partnership with Scottish Power. Thereafter, further investment was set aside to fund the proposed £7m transformation of the building and its surroundings.
Given the nature of the investment it was intended that Lowther Homes, part of the Wheatley Group (which was formed in 2012 as an 'umbrella' for 4 housing associations, including GHA and other subsidiaries), would operate the building for mid-market rent for those on modest incomes who are unlikely to qualify for social housing but who might be struggling to either buy a home or rent at full market rates. This would alter the building from its previous social housing tenure to provide affordable flats for young professionals and city centre commuters, particularly given the block's proximity to the new South Glasgow University Hospital, the Digital Media Quarter at Pacific Quay, and the transport links to the city.
In the early stages of the project it was crucial to gain an understanding of the building's capabilities and the limitations that the various types of construction utilised on the original fabric presented (a combination of masonry and concrete panel constructions), with further complications posed by the numerous balconies to the east, west and south facades. As a result, various intrusive investigations were undertaken to the existing fabric (behind the concrete cladding and to the masonry elements) in order to determine which cladding options would be feasible.
Following these investigations, it was crucial that a balance be struck between the client's aspirations, the structural capability of the existing building fabric, the thermal efficiency improvements required and the visual appeal of the materials utilised. 3DReid therefore worked closely with Wates, Ramboll and the Lowther Homes to develop options to form an aesthetic which met these various requirements.
As a result, the initial project concept sought to introduce a robust material and warm colour to enhance public areas and main core, in this case red brick to the ground floors unified with red terracotta rainscreen to the main façade directly above the entrance. Next, the corner element to the south west of the building was lifted to split the facade and break-up the mass, with pearl grey terracotta rainscreen above, whilst the corner to the south east facade was highlighted in dark grey terracotta rainscreen and the colour carried through the balcony enclosures to the east façade, which were set against a crisp white PermaRock Mineral Fibre external wall insulation system to the remainder of the facades.
This saw the removal of some of the balconies to the east façade in order that balcony 'pods' could be formed, generally consisting of 4 separate balconies, which create a feature but also maximise the thermal efficiency of the walls by reducing the thermal breaks that the original balcony slabs would have generated. The tiny balconies to the south façade were also removed and the original ventilated drying room walls infilled, again improving the thermal efficiency of the walls but also allowing the internal spaces to become more attractive lobbies at the various lift landings (which were generally every 3rd floor to suit the maisonette layouts) or to be adopted by the adjacent flats as an additional bedroom.
The new entrance lobby was another significant element of the works, being the main transition space for tenants and visitors, as well as being the location of the concierge. Various options were considered, with the final solution being fully glazed with a 2 storey foyer which addresses Edminston Drive and is set against the existing mature trees.
As the works undertaken by Wates focussed only on the external fabric of the building, the project was not subject to benchmarking against any generic evaluation system, with the scope of works and the selected wall and roofing solutions being driven by the client's brief and the contractor's preferred approach.
Nonetheless, there are obvious benefits, with the original walls and their various construction scenarios achieving u-values of approximately 3.3W/m2K, which following the addition the TI Tiles Rainscreen system (incorporating 125mm of insulation), PermaRock Mineral Fibre external wall insulation system (incorporating 110mm-120mm of insulation), and the masonry cavity walls to the ground floor areas (incorporating 50mm of insulation), these were all improved to achieve u-values in the range of 0.26-0.27W/m2K.
The original roof was in relatively poor condition prior to works, with various areas of pooling water and the waterproof coating failing. However, following refurbishment, which included the introduction of 120mm of insulation with an Alwitra Evalon V waterproof coating (incorporating a polyester fleece backing); the u-value is now 0.15W/m2K, exceeding the contemporary requirements for a new build project.
GHA have also suggested that a refurbishment project of this extent, with external and internal works being undertaken alongside the CHP boiler installation would "be 15 times more carbon efficient than producing a likenumber of new-build properties" (GHA, October 21, 2011).
The works undertaken by Lowther Homes have fully transformed 15 Ibroxholm Oval from being dilapidated and unpleasant into a landmark which is now attractive and welcoming. Such regeneration gives the building a new lease of life which, in spite of initial scepticism within the local community given the building's chequered past, has now allowed it to reinvigorate the area and welcome new people to the neighbourhood.
The project demonstrates that towers of this nature can have a new beginning in order that they meet modern energy performance requirements and contribute to their surroundings. It can also be argued that such work represents 'real' sustainability by reimagining the building and its use whilst avoiding the need for demolition within 50 years of its original construction.


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Leitrim author's "Winter's Tale" is a No 1 best seller on American and British Amazon.
Author Kevin McManus
The Whole of the Moon, a novel by Leitrim author, Kevin McManus has hit the top of the Amazon charts in three categories, British and Irish literature, Contemporary Literature and British and Irish Crime Fiction.
The novel is set at Christmas in 1988 in Western Ireland in the fictional Sligo village of Ballinastrad. The central character is Conor Doyle who has recently emigrated to London but has returned home for the Christmas holidays. On his return he is reunited with his life long friend, Darragh Lonigan. The two men become caught up in the fall out from a terrible crime which tests the strength of their friendship.
In a recent interview the author discussed with us some of the reasons why the book has been so popular. He explained how one of the principal ideas in the book is how a rural community can be destroyed by lack of investment and emigration and how people are affected by emigration on a deeply personal level. The author believes that the novel appeals to people who grew up through the economic hard times of the late 1980s and also young adults today that have just endured the recent years of austerity.
He also went on to explain that he tried to write a book that was not over long and not overly demanding for the reader. He said: "Sometimes I think potential readers are put of by protracted and very arduous books. There are some people that only read a few novels in a year. The Whole of the Moon is not a lengthy novel so a reader could pick it up and get through it over a night or two or on a wet Saturday afternoon. The story is delivered largely through local dialect that I hope it reads quite naturally. It deals with a very serious subject matter but there is a good deal of humour and there are lighter episodes in it too particularly in the conversations between the central characters at the start of the novel."
The story is set against the popular culture of the time with many references to music of the decade including the book title itself of course which was inspired by the classic Waterboy's song.
Back in the early Autumn, Kevin published a sequel to "The Whole of the Moon" entitled "Under the Red Winter Sky".
It too has been very well received and has been shortlisted for an award for best Crime-Thriller of the Year. Both books are available to purchase in paperback or eBook format from www.amazon.co.uk


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BIM Hangover
DTS, News
by Robert Manna
Is it possible that the AE side of AEC has a BIM hangover? Sometimes when I'm at conferences or just talking to people internal to my own firm or external it seems that BIM has become almost a swear word; I know in my own experience that more than one principal has said to me "I don't want to hear about BIM anymore".
I for one didn't embrace technology, the design industry and even "BIM" to become a BIM specialist or a BIM manager or a BIM anything and in my career I've studiously avoided ever putting "BIM Manager" in my title anywhere and specifically avoided that role (though it could have been mine for the taking on more than one occasion).
So what does it mean then? As anyone will say BIM is a process, or maybe I have a BIM, but our interest in BIM is not an interest unto itself (at least I don't think so?). Furthermore the "C" side of AEC even went so far as to come up with its own acronym, VDC (or perhaps we have Autodesk to thank for that too); to specifically differentiate itself from that "BIM" stuff that architects are doing. Not to say that VDC isn't its own subset to a larger BIM process, I was there in the early, heady days of "VDC" conversations (thank you BIMForum for some memorable days and nights in cities not to be named), but it's still BIM by another name…
So if we do have a malaise affecting us, how widespread is it and what does it mean? I'm not championing a return to the mid 'aughts and BIM this and BIM that and BIM washing and BIM everywhere! But what is it that we need to do to move "Design Technology" forward or is "Digital Practice" as simple as Visual Programming, Generative Design, etc. as Autodesk would have us believe? Is it "Big Data" which has become the fashionable trend in other industries? Do we need to change "the dialog" in our own firms and in the industry, or are we still trying to figure out BIM?
A friend and colleague of mine likes to say that "training" is not the issue any longer, people know how to "use" the tools, but are we actually doing BIM, does the conversation need to move beyond "BIM"?
Do you find these questions provocative? Do they make you think? Do they describe your firm and how you feel? Do you think you already have the answers? Join us at the Design Technology Summit this summer if you think this conversation interests you!
Mindful BIM
What will rock your world at BCS 2016?


text:
Paul Offit with a different take on the measles vaccine
ACSH Trustee Paul Offit has much to say on vaccinations. And people are starting to listen
A big shout out to Brandon Bisceglia on Science 2.0 writing about Dr. Paul Offit and the anti-vaccine movement
Paul Offit s Do You Believe in Magic? already making a splash.
California vaccine bill progresses through another committee
Eliminating vaccine exemptions: Pure common sense
By ACSH Staff — February 10, 2015
ACSH trustee Dr. Paul Offit takes on a very sensitive topic in his op-ed in today s New York Times: How is it possible to reconcile the clash of mandatory immunization and religion an impossible task if ever there was one.
Yet Offit, a world renowned expert on vaccines, who is the chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children s Hospital of Philadelphia, really nails it in his essay What Would Jesus Do About Measles?
In particular, Offit focuses on a measles outbreak that occurred in Philadelphia during 1990-91. He should know. He was in the middle of it.
During that time more than 1,400 Philadelphians came down with the infection, despite the fact that a vaccine against it had been discovered almost three decades earlier. Nine children died unnecessarily. The epidemic, which began when an infected teenager returned from Spain, was completely preventable. It was later determined that one-third of both the cases and the deaths were people who belonged to one of two churches.
Offit explains, Two fundamentalist Christian churches Faith Tabernacle Congregation and First Century Gospel Church were at the heart of the outbreak.
Not only were the church members unvaccinated, but church practices made the matter even worse. Sick children were not taken to a hospital where some of them presumably could have been saved. Instead the churches used prayer, which didn t work especially well.
Offit quotes one church member: If I go to God and ask him to heal my body, I can t go to a doctor for medicine. You either trust God or you trust man.
ACSH s Dr. Josh Bloom says, At that point, enough was enough. Religious practices were directly causing otherwise-preventable deaths. Something had to give. Fortunately, sanity prevailed.
Public health officials went to court and got permission to examine the children of parents who belonged to the churches, hospitalize those who were ill, and mandate the vaccination of children over the objection of their parents.
Offit recalls, At the [hospital], we saw more than 200 children in our emergency department and admitted about 40. Children would come in, covered in rashes, squinting in the bright light (a side effect caused by eye irritation), struggling to breathe and often extremely dehydrated. It was like being in a war zone. When I asked their parents why they had done what they had done, they all had the same answer: Jesus was my doctor.
Although it is difficult to provide a logical response to that, Offit has done so numerous times in the past. He simply asks. Where in the Old Testament, New Testament or Qu'ran does it say you shouldn't be vaccinated?
Offit concludes: Religious exemptions to vaccination are a contradiction in terms. In the good name of all religions, they should be eliminated.
We applaud him for taking on this extraordinarily difficult issue head on. His op-ed is a must read.
ACSH's Dr. Gil Ross added this: "The concept expressed that one has to rely solely on God or Science, and never both, is nonsense from any point of view. I've known deeply religious people who nonetheless rely quite comfortably on medical science to maintain their health, and find no conflict thereby."
Dr. Paul Offit
measles vaccine
By ACSH Staff
Latest from ACSH Staff:
Investigation: Scientology-Linked Lawyers Spread Lies About Vaccines and GMOs, Attack Scientists
ACSH, Paul Thacker, and His 'Thacker of Trolls'
Why a Vaccine Can Provide Better Immunity than an Actual Infection
Perchlorate in Drinking Water
Concussion Prevention: Sorting Through the Science to See What's Sound


text:
Fragile Legacies
The Photographs of Solomon Osagie Alonge
Amy J. Staples Bryna M. Freyer Flora Edouwaye S. Kaplan
Fragile Legacies quantity
280 x 240 mm (9 ½ x 11 in)
In association with the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution and National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria
A major alternative visual history of Nigeria viewed through the lens of its premier photographer
"Offers a rich tapestry of essays and viewpoints illuminating Chief Alonge's legacy. For scholars of visual culture in Africa and, more generally, global photographic practices, the publication presents a major milestone and a timely addition to the literature. For readers interested in colonial and postcolonial history and changing cultural landscapes in African kingdoms and particularly
in Benin, it adds to the understanding of social and political dynamics through the lens of photography."—Christraud M. Geary, African Arts
Contributions by Kokunre Agbontaen-Eghafona, Eni Ehizibue Ehikhamenor, Tam Fiofori, Daniel E. Inneh, George Osodi and Theophilus Umogbai
Fragile Legacies showcases the extraordinary photographs of Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge (1911–1994), one of Nigeria's premier photographers and the first official photographer to the royal court of the Benin kingdom. Alonge's photographs document a half-century of the Benin palace and the rituals, pageantry, and regalia of the obas (kings), and provide rare insight into the early histories and practices of studio photography in West Africa. His insider status provides an important perspective for examining the transformations of Benin City during the early to mid-twentieth century.
This volume explores the contemporary significance of S.O. Alonge's photography and its relationship to the visual
arts and cultures of the Benin-Edo peoples. It is the result of a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian National
Museum of African Art and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria, to preserve, research, and
publish the Alonge collection and to reveal its historical, artistic, and cultural significance to global audiences.
"Fragile Legacies clearly places Alonge among the great African photographers of the mid-20th century, showing us a
man passionate about photography, understanding of its role in serving historical memory, and critically located in Benin City, a magnificent artistic legacy and living kingdom."—Jean Borgatti, PhD, Professor, Art History, University of Benin, Nigeria
"This book brilliantly joins together many voices from Nigeria and the geographic north, exploring and contemplating the oeuvre of photographer S.O. Alonge. It is a model for future collaborations and publications on photography and Africa. A must-read for anybody interested in world photography as well as Nigerian history!"—Christraud M. Geary, PhD, Curator emerita and scholar of photography in Africa
"The book offers unprecedented insight into mid-20th century Benin art, cultural history, and social life by presenting
the work of the court photographer and owner of the first photo studio in Benin City. Its multi-perspective approach
highlights what a treasure trove the Alonge photographic archive represents, not only for scholars of African photography or historians of the Benin kingdom but particularly for the Edo themselves and their culture of remembrance."— Barbara Plankensteiner, PhD, Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation Curator of African Art
Amy J. Staples is senior archivist in the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at the National Museum of African
Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Flora Edouwaye S. Kaplan conducted groundbreaking fieldwork in Benin, Nigeria, and is professor emerita of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, New York University.
Bryna M. Freyer is curator for collections at the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Kokunre Agbontaen- Eghafona is a professor of anthropology at the University of Benin, Nigeria.
Eni Ehizibue Ehikhamenor has had a long career in photography, television, and film in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He opened a photography studio in Benin City in the 1960s.
Tam Fiofori has been a writer, filmmaker, and photojournalist for more than four decades. He was the founding secretary general of the Photographers Association of Nigeria.
Daniel E. Inneh is an accomplished bronze caster and a member of the distinguished Inneh royal bronze casting family.
George Osodi is an internationally acclaimed photographer, whose latest photography project, Nigerian Monarchs, documents the traditional kings and rulers of Nigeria.
Theophilus Umogbai is curator at the National Museum of Benin, Benin City, and a cultural research officer in ethnography.
Forewords by Johnnetta Betsch Cole and Yusuf Abdallah Usman
Preface: Through the Lens of Benin-Edo Cultural Heritage: The Photography of Chief S.O. Alonge by Theophilus Umogbai
Preface: Solomon Osagie Alonge: Celebrating Fifty Years of Nigerian Photography by Amy J. Staples
Benin Timeline: A Selected History of the Obas
Photography and Visual Culture in Benin
Chapter 1: Imaging | Imagining History by Amy J. Staples
Chapter 2: Remembering Solomon Osagie Alonge | Revisiting History by Flora Edouwaye S. Kaplan
Chapter 3: Redeeming the Image of the Benin Monarchy and People by Tam Fiofori
Photographing the Oba of Benin by George Osodi
Benin Arts and Historical Memory
Chapter 4: Art as a Medium of Recording: Precolonial Benin Revisited by Daniel E. Inneh
Visualizing History: Bronze Plaques and Photographs by Bryna M. Freyer
Chapter 5: Photographic Record keeping in Benin: Ancient and Modern by Kokunre Agbontaen-Eghafona
Fancy Fabrics and Photography by Bryna M. Freyer
The Ideal Photo Studio
Chapter 6: S.O. Alonge as Artist-Photographer- Social Documentarian by Amy J. Staples
An Interview with Eni Ehizibue by Ehikhamenor, Esan Photographer by Amy J. Staples
Epilogue: Preserving a Fragile Legacy: Forging by Ties with a Nigerian Community by Amy J. Staples
Holbein's Sir Thomas More	GBP £14.95
Beyond the Face	GBP £29.95
Everyday Beauty	GBP £10.95
Fabergé	GBP £35.00


text:
Family|Some L.G.B.T. Parents Reject the Names 'Mommy' and 'Daddy'
Some L.G.B.T. Parents Reject the Names 'Mommy' and 'Daddy'
Isaac Schankler, left, and Amanda Davidson are among a wave of gender-nonconforming parents reconsidering the labels of "mommy" and "daddy."CreditCreditChris Schell
By Stephanie Fairyington
When Amanda Davidson, a 42-year-old Los Angeles-based artist and writer, welcomed her firstborn child in December — a boy named Felix — with her partner Isaac Schankler, 39, a composer, she chafed at the assumptions the medical staff members made about how the pair wanted to identify themselves as parents.
"'Hi, Mommy! Where's Daddy? Mommy needs to know this, but so does Daddy,'" she said with a big laugh. The binary clashed so much with how the couple sees themselves and exists in the world — she's queer-identified, and her partner goes by pronouns they/their/them and uses the gender-neutral title Mx. — she refrained from calling herself anything vis-à-vis Felix for the first two weeks of his life.
She eventually settled on Mama. "I was racking my brain for a mama-alternate, but it feels right for the moment," she said, adding that in her universe, "identity wiggles around," and she's open to other possibilities.
Mx. Schankler remembers reading the queer writer Andrea Lawlor's essay on identifying as "Baba" (as opposed to some iteration of mother) in Mutha magazine and thinking that "dad" or "daddy" wouldn't work for them either, so they opted for "Abba." It means "dad" in Hebrew, providing a link to their Jewish heritage: "It does feel more gender-neutral, or at least doesn't have quite the same baggage that dad and daddy have," Mx. Schankler said.
Naming is particularly important to the pair as a means of signaling their queerness, since they "pass" as a straight couple. "We don't look visibly queer," Ms. Davidson said, "So in some ways, our choice of names helps us affirm our identities."
The duo's ambivalence about traditional monikers is reflected in a study, currently under peer review, on the naming practices in same-sex adoptive families. The study, by Abbie E. Goldberg, Clark University's pioneering L.G.B.T. family scholar; Melissa Manley, a doctoral student, and Emma Frank, a recent Clark graduate, is one of the few on the topic. It found that of 80 participants — 20 lesbian couples and 20 gay couples — recruited from adoption agencies across the United States, including cities with high concentrations of lesbian and gay populations, all opted for derivatives of mother and father.
And nearly 13 percent — 20 percent of the lesbian couples and 5 percent of the gay couples — participated in some version of "undoing gender." Many do this by taking parental names from their native cultures or religions that strip away the binary in this cultural context, collapsing the dichotomy between terms by merging them, such as "Mather," a fusion of mother and father, or creating nicknames ("Muzzie," in one instance).
Ellen Kahn, the director of the Children, Youth & Families Program at the Human Rights Campaign, said the gender binary that underlies "mother" and "father" doesn't jibe with some parents' self-understanding and self-presentation: "For queer parents who don't think of themselves as gender conforming, 'mommy' and 'daddy' may be a little discordant with the way they think about themselves."
When Isaac Schankler and Amanda Davidson's baby, Felix, was born, the couple considered name options and chose to go by Mama and Abba.
Both Dr. Goldberg and Ms. Kahn surmise that the couples who are using new terminologies are willing to do so because of the hard-won rights L.G.B.T. people have secured, particularly the right to marry. "Now there's more willingness to push some of those boundaries," Dr. Goldberg said, "because of greater legal recognition and acceptance."
Also, Ms. Kahn said, some L.G.B.T. people don't want to seem as if they are aping heterosexuals: "There's a political component for some, which is that we don't want to seem like we're emulating or mimicking straight people." Similarly, there's a contingent of L.G.B.T. people who refuse marriage because they don't want to be "assimilated into this heterosexual, patriarchal society," Dr. Goldberg added. (Others feel the institution reinforces an unfair hierarchy that privileges matrimonial coupledom above all other forms of romantic coupling.)
Dr. David Schwartz, a psychoanalyst and psychologist who has spent his decades-long career thinking about the ways in which gender and sexuality get constructed, however, isn't so sure eschewing traditional parental labels is good for L.G.B.T. parents or their kids. While he's all for challenging the gender norms that inform the mommy and daddy dyad, he pointed out that children of L.G.B.T. parents are already steeped in a heteronormative culture that stigmatizes their families, and it would be doubly hard for them to have to explain why they call their parents some unusual names. "And," he emphasized, "you certainly don't want to do anything to devalue your family," noting that the legitimacy, visibility and value of L.G.B.T. people as parental figures is often called into question already.
"I won't say it's a disadvantage," Dr. Goldberg said, "but it's a challenge. It requires a lot of explanation and clarification, maybe even pushback from schools in certain geographical contexts, less gay-affirming areas of the country, like, 'What do you mean you go by 'Maddie'?" — an amalgamation of mommy and daddy. "Nobody is going to know what that means. How do we explain that to other children?'"
For families who decide to adopt atypical terms and want to minimize the potential risk of social discomfort, Dr. Goldberg suggested some parents might consider giving children the freedom to call them mom or dad "in certain settings and at certain ages," adding, "they may become more comfortable with alternative language as they grow older."
Ms. Kahn guessed that the reason the vast majority of participants in Dr. Goldberg's study stuck with labels derived from mother or father is because becoming a parent was beyond the community's reach for so long. "It's so powerful to be a parent," she said, "to have the title mom or dad. A lot of us want that because for decades it seemed like it wasn't on the table for us to build a family, so there's almost like a privilege in finally being able to say 'I'm a mom' or 'I'm a dad.'"
Eric Rosswood, author of "The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads" and "Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood," said we shouldn't get too hung up on parenting terms as a means of upending the status quo: "We're already defying labels and challenging gender stereotypes regardless of what we call ourselves."
Dr. Goldberg agreed: "The label is not the role. Being a parent is being a parent," she said. "It's actually quite interesting that we don't have a de-gendered parenting label in English, but in the 21st century our roles are far less gendered."
For Ms. Davidson — and 26 percent of the participants (14 lesbians and seven gay men) in Dr. Goldberg's study who believe that their parenting labels could change over time — "naming is fluid and subject to infinite riffing." She cataloged a list of her many nicknames, which play off her first name, Amanda: Manzo, Manzers, Man and Sissy Man, among others. "I'm sure we'll riff, invent and gather up new words," Ms. Davidson said, "Felix will surely contribute some of his own. I'm open to what lies beyond 'Mama' … I just don't know what it is yet."
Correction: April 27, 2018
An earlier version of this article misstated the percentage of parents in a study who were "undoing gender" by creating new names. It is nearly 13 percent, not a quarter.
Same-Sex Parents Still Face Legal Complications
Back-to-School Worries for Gay Parents


text:
Q: Width overiding justify content I have 2 <views> in a main <view> I set the second view to 90% width , the width is 90% of the screen size but it does not center on the page and I have set the justifycontents to center,when I remove the width property, the view centers,  Please what am I doing wrong
return (
            <View style={BackStyles.main}>
                <View style={BackStyles.container}>
                    <TextInput placeholder="Search for your herbs..."
                               underlineColorAndroid={'transparent'} style={BackStyles.textBox}/>
                </View>
                <View style={BackStyles.herb_box}>
                    <Text>values</Text></View>
            </View>
        );
    }
}
}

const BackStyles = StyleSheet.create({
herb_box: {
    backgroundColor: '#fff',
    borderRadius: 7,
    marginTop: 20,
    // alignItems: 'center',
    justifyContent: 'center',
    margin: 'auto',
    width: '90%',
},
main: {
    flexDirection: 'column',
    flex: 1,
    backgroundColor: '#E2E2E2',
    // justifyContent: 'center',
},
container: {
    flexDirection: 'row',
    alignItems: 'flex-start',
    alignSelf: 'stretch',
    //   flex: 1,
    //  backgroundColor: '#E2E2E2',
    marginTop: 20,
    //  width: '100%'
},
textBox: {
    flex: 1,
    height: 45,
    padding: 4,
    //  textAlignVertical: 'top',
    paddingLeft: 20,
    // marginRight: 5,
    flexGrow: 1,
    //  fontSize: 18,
    color: '#000',
    backgroundColor: '#fff',
    // textAlign: 'center'
 },

A: You need to set the marginHorizontal to 5% Update the herbBox to this:
herb_box: {
    backgroundColor: '#fff',
    borderRadius: 7,
    marginTop: 20,
    marginHorizontal:"5%",
    margin: 'auto',
    width: '90%',
},

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: DB Connection php OOP What is best way to achieve following:
class abc
{

 function xyz()
    {
      $PDO->Query(); //run any query
    }

}

Don't want to make connection on every PDO query/operation.
How can we make DB connection to achieve above, using public function, class or something else.
Thanks.
I need to update it.
Don't want to make connection in same class. Connection need to be imported from other class/function. This class abc must not make connection. DB connection come from other class or public function or any other good approach, thats exactly what I am looking for.

A: class abc
{
    private $PDO;

    function __construct($pdo)
    {
        $this->PDO = $pdo;
    }
    function xyz()
    {
        $this->PDO->Query(); //run any query
    }

}
$pdo = new PDO(...);
$foo = new abc($pdo);

A: You can use a singleton pattern to persist the connection...
class DB {
    private $_conn = null;

    // Make private to prevent direct object creation
    private function __construct($config) {
        $this->_conn = new PDO("mysql:host=".$config["host"].";port=".$config["port"].";dbname=".$config["dbname"], $config["user"], $config["password"]);
    }

    public static function connect($config) {
        static $_instance = null;
        if($_instance == null){
            $_instance = new DB($config);
        }
        return $_instance;
    }

    public function query ($res) {
        $query = $this->_conn->prepare($res);
        $query->execute();
        return $query;
    }
}

It can be used like this to either create a PDO connection or grab an existing PDO connection:
$db = DB::connect($config);
$res = $db->query("SELECT * FROM table");

A: // OOP Database Connection
class db{
  private $host;
  private $username;
  private $passwoord;
  private $dbname;

  protected function connect(){
   $this->host="localhost";
   $this->username="root";
   $this->password="";
   $this->dbname="database";
   $conn = new mysqli($this->host,$this->username,$this->password,$this->dbname);
   return $conn;
 }
}


Here you will find a collection of downloadable PDF files. Feel free to email us if you are unable to locate the document you need.
All of our available drawings and solid models can be found on the individual product pages.
You can choose to download our full-line gearhead product catalog or individual sections for a specific product. We also have a general catalog that gives an overview of our extended product offerings.


WWE latest update : Seth Rollins vs Brock Lesnar for Universal championship match winner revealed at wrestlemania 35 !!
Seth Rollins vs Brock Lesnar match winner revealed.
After defeating 29 other Superstars to be victorious in the 2019 Men's Royal Rumble Match, Seth Rollins had challenged Brock Lesnar for the Universal championship match at WrestleMania 35, WWE company's COO Triple H told Seth Rollins to choose which World Champion he wants to face at wrestlemania 35. However, when Seth Rollins left the ring to begin a brawl with Brock Lesnar later that evening, the universal champion Brock Lesnar hit him with six F-5s, however, Seth Rollins was unable to stand up after getting striked with 5 f-5s but he again asked Brock Lesnar for more! And at last the beast again hit a 6th f-5. WWE universe also had shown their interest in this fued by booing Brock Lesnar.
So now let us tell you that this match is now officially conformed by the WWE officials. And now we gonna see the architect Seth Rollins vs the beast Brock Lesnar for the Universal championship at the Grandest stage of all time "wrestlemania". Also let us make sure that this match also have chances to take place in the main event.
Now the biggest question is that, who gonna win the universal championship at wrestlemania 35, will their be a new universal champion Seth Rollins or Brock Lesnar will again retain his universal title at wrestlemania 35? So, readers let us make you sure that some updates are predicting that their will a new universal champion Seth Rollins. This time Brock Lesnar will not be able to hold the title for long.
Now let us also tell you that this match could also be a triple threat match! Some major updates are conforming that Brawn Strowman could be added in this match at just last moment. But no doubt Brock Lesnar is currently the hardest Superstar to defeat. But still here some updates are predicting a new universal champion at wrestlemania 35. However we can't say this news as a perfect news. As WWE also can change their at last moment.
So readers this is all about in this update. Let us know in the comment box below that which superstar you wanna see as a new universal champion at wrestlemania 35?


I love infant baptisms. It isn't because the baby's are cute and frequently do things to disrupt the service.
I love baptisms because of what they stand for. They are not only a statement of inclusion, but a statement of communal responsibility. We pledge to the spiritual welfare of the child being baptized.
John Richardson writes about the failure of our baptismal responsibility in his Presbytery Outlook article - College Ministries: I am a big, fat liar.
It is worth reading and passing around your church and presbytery.
Here are three things you can do to fulfill your sacramental responsibilities.
First, if you have students from your church who are a way at college. Organize a gift campaign. For special events, send them a box of food and other thoughtful items. Also put them on your newsletter mailing list.
Second, go find the closest college, go to the student affairs office, and ask about what the college or university offers in the way of campus ministries. Get the name and contact information for the chaplain or campus minister, and ask them how your church can help.
A little effort goes along way. Build relationships, and students will realize that the church is a place to belong. Be creative in organizing opportunities for interaction and service. You never know what will come from your outreach to the campus.
Third, encourage your presbytery to include campus ministry in its annual budget. The money needs to be more than token support. If you consider campus ministry a mission outreach just like those to other countries, then you'll begin to understand the kinds of things you can do to make a difference.
If you have questions about what to do, ask your local campus minister or chaplain. They can give you all sorts of insight. Don't wait until you think you can do something. Just do something, and then build on that slowly. In so doing, you will begin to fulfill the baptismal vows that are so important to the future of our church.