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josh blakesley
Relating, Creating, Transforming
Interfaith Encounters Day 1
PhillyGueroUncategorized2014, Day 1, encounters, havdallah, interfaith, jewish1 Comment
This week, and part of next week, I will be participating in the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia's Interfaith Encounter Alternative Break program.
Students from Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College will journey with Walter Hjelt Sullivan, Haverford's Director of Quaker Affairs; Vanessa Christman, Bryn Mawr's Assistant Dean of the College and Director of Leadership and Community Development; Joyce Thompkins, Swarthmore College's Religious Advisor to the Campus Protestant Community; Rabbi Michael Ramberg, a teacher and community organizer; and me.
On Wednesday and Thursday, students and staff from the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech will join us.
We have many hopes for this week; perhaps we all are excited to:
Visit & interact with 7 different religious communities [Jewish, Coptic Christian, Sikh, Quaker, Won Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim].
Engage in service-learning work with 4 different organizations.
Learn about and from each other as we participate in interfaith workshops and reflection.
Most of all, we will encounter unique cultural and religious communities and unique, justice-seeking organizations that are seeking cooperation for the common good.
We will meet people and hear their stories.
We just might learn more about our own stories, too.
First off, we went through an orientation together to get ready for the week–going over details of transportation, meals, etc. It is a full week indeed.
Then, we participated in an opening workshop about asking good questions. We discussed two types of questions:
1. Curious Questions
2. Judgmental Questions
The students gave examples of each and came up with adjectives to describe each type of question.
We hope to carry this with us all week as we seek to be respectful and humble as guests in each unique community–building bridges of understanding and trust and removing any barriers of misunderstanding or prejudice.
After that, the students formed a human machine and found creative ways to be both unique and cooperative [in relation with one another].
Finally, after dinner, Rabbi Michael led us in a Havdalah service.
Havdalah marks the end of Shabbat for those of the Jewish tradition. Shabbat begins on Friday at sundown. Havdalah is performed no earlier than nightfall on Saturday night. There were three basic elements that Rabbi Michael used for the ritual: a glass of wine [or as he mentioned, it could be another liquid]; some fragrant spices; and a special candle.
He walked us through some of the meaning behind this service and we read some parts of the creation story in the Torah.
He taught us a tune to sing some of the Havdalah blessings in Hebrew. One of the students held the candle as it dripped wax and we continued to sing.
At the service's conclusion, Rabbi Michael said Shavua Tov (a good week) and we responded in kind.
Then, students asked some questions about Jewish practice in general and also about the Torah.
It was a fitting way to begin our good week!
I greatly look forward to Sunday…won't you join us on our journey?
Posted by PhillyGuero
Josh grew up in Indiana and Iowa before completing a Masters of Divinity [M.Div.] at Princeton Theological Seminary [NJ]. He has worked in a variety of settings, including the Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Church of Christ (UCC) in Philadelphia, Hawai'i, Mexico, and Michigan. Currently, he serves as pastor of Love in Action United Church of Christ, a progressive, Christian, LGBTQIA+ affirming and interfaith community in Hatboro, a suburb of Philadelphia. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre/Speech from Northwestern College (IA). Josh has worked with youth and young adult programs for 25 years regionally, nationally, and in Latin America. He is also a trained actor and performs regularly with the dinner theatre company, Without a Cue Productions, LLC. He has developed theatre arts curriculum for use in worship, youth groups, education, and group-building. Josh is also committed to promoting religious pluralism and partnering with people of all faiths and those who identify as atheist or agnostic to build bridges of shared values and cooperation. He is honored to work with the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia as a Fellow and a Consultant. Focus areas include: University alternative spring break and summer programs that incorporate faith encounters and service-learning for students; workplace diversity programs that promote understanding in organizations, corporations, schools, and hospital settings. Josh also enjoys playing basketball, strumming on the guitar, traveling, learning language, or making strange and funny faces. He lives in Center City Philadelphia and thinks vegan cheesesteaks are amazingly good.
Trans-Figuring…and We Go Beyond
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Looking forward to following your journey. Thanks!
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Even for parents with a working knowledge of the various college savings accounts, putting your plans into action can still feel overwhelming. Hiring a trusted professional can take a lot of the pressure off parents who are already managing busy lives.
But choosing a professional can feel like an equally daunting and confusing task. There are a lot of people who claim to be experts, many of whom have official sounding designations after their names. There are also a lot of horror stories about parents getting scammed out of hundreds or thousands of dollars by professionals who did not perform as advertised.
Here's a primer on some of the more credible designations you may want to consider if you're shopping for help.
The CFP designation is perhaps the most widely recognized designation in the financial planning industry, and for good reason. To become a Certified Financial Planner, an individual must have a bachelor's degree, complete 18-24 months of study, and pass a rigorous licensing exam.
Additionally, the CFP Board of Standards actively responds to complaints about licensees. It's not uncommon for the Board to revoke licenses of those found to be acting below the accepted professional standards.
However, while a CFP has extensive training in the financial planning and investment process, they do not receive exhaustive training in college planning. So it's best to consider the CFP designation as a minimum standard for a college planning professional. Ideally, if you choose to hire a CFP, he or she will have additional credentials or extensive experience working with college planning.
Lesser-known designations that can be considered fairly equivalent to the CFP designation are the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) designations.
A great place to begin looking for a CFP is on the CFP Boards of Standards directory, or by contacting your local Financial Planning Association.
Since many of the acceptable "financial licenses" do not even require a college degree, it's advisable to use an advisor with this designation only if they have more extensive training and credentials. If they hold this designation and are not a licensed stockbroker or investment advisor, they legally should not be giving you investment advice.
If you would like to find a professional with the CCPS credential, you can visit the website for the National Institute of Certified College Planners.
A Registered Representative, more commonly known as a "stockbroker", is an investment professional that works for a Wall Street brokerage firm like Merrill Lynch. Becoming a stockbroker requires passing a fairly difficult exam known as the Series 7, which primarily covers investment principles.
Stockbrokers vary widely in their ability and focus, and may have little or no training in financial planning. This means that there are stockbrokers out there who will be great at helping you plan and save for college, as well as those who have very little experience.
Since the vast majority of stockbrokers work on commission, there is a natural conflict of interest that exists between your needs and their income. Oftentimes, a stockbroker will only make money if you invest with them, which can blind their ability to give impartial advice. Further, many stockbrokers' investment recommendations are limited by their firms' relationships with other investment companies.
For example, a large Wall Street firm may only have agreements with a portion of the companies offering Section 529 plans. Thus, a stockbroker's recommendation may be based more on what they can offer you through their firm than what is best for you.
Generally, the best way to find a stockbroker is by asking other friends or professionals you trust. Once you've narrowed it down to a few potential candidates, you can perform an abbreviated background check on the National Association of Securities Dealers website.
While most Certified Public Accountants do not give specific investment advice, they are invaluable in maximizing your college related tax benefits. Many things like the Hope Scholarship and the Lifetime Learning Credit, as well as Section 529 and Education IRA withdrawals, have complex tax rules.
Even if you're already using a trusted CFP or Registered Representative to help you manage your college investments, these individuals are usually prohibited by law from giving you tax advice. Using a CPA in conjunction with one of these other professionals will help make sure you maximize your tax deductions and credits.
The Enrolled Agent (EA) designation is a lesser known, but equivalent designation in the world of tax preparation.
There is no one designation needed for someone to get paid for helping people complete their FAFSA form. Virtually anyone can extend themselves as a "Professional FAFSA Preparer," which is a little scary.
If you truly feel like you need help filling out the FAFSA form (the instructions are very clear when you complete the form online), consider asking your tax preparer or financial planner for help.
Again, this is one of the areas where no designation is required to call yourself an expert. Naturally, there are a lot of scams built on promises of huge scholarships and juicy financial aid packages.
You don't need a paid professional to help you participate in Federal and state aid programs. In fact, the financial aid office at your college of choice is there to help you accomplish those exact tasks.
This isn't to say there aren't professionals out there who know the scholarship world like the back of their hand. If you can truly find one of these professionals, and you have a student that may qualify for more obscure scholarships, this may be a great person to have in your corner.
When it comes to choosing one of these professionals, the best method is going to be a solid referral from someone who has already used them. Ask other parents and financial professionals if they've worked with anyone worthy of your trust.
The investment and planning industry is full of less recognized designations that are often misrepresented to attract new clients. While none of these designations are bad things, they should be considered "bonus" designations for a college planning professional. These designations include the MBA, CLU, CIMA, CFA, and any type of insurance license.
Additionally, you need to be aware of designations created by larger investment firms and awarded only to their employees. Designations as "Section 529 Plan Specialist" may have only required an individual to complete a day-long class, and are as much a marketing ploy as a real credential.


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One of the largest COVID-19 laboratories in Europe is now also on the hunt for Omicron:
15 December 2021 News
Laboratory software from CliniSys | MIPS enables record number of PCR tests
Over 23 million samples have already been evaluated in the Vienna COVID-19 laboratory of Lifebrain Covid Labor GmbH in the past 12 months, and the numbers are increasing by several hundred thousand every day. The extensive test program in Austria is supported by state-of-the-art laboratory software from CliniSys | MIPS.
Exactly 12 months ago, on December 15, 2020, a new COVID-19 test laboratory was opened in Vienna. On the location of the former Otto Wagner Hospital, Lifebrain built one of the largest and most modern test laboratories in Austria within a few weeks; converting and equipping two old pavilions with state-of-the-art technology.
With the roll-out of the Vienna test program "Alles gurgelt!", the number of COVID-19 tests carried out there dramatically increased. The unique and successful campaign of the City of Vienna offers all citizens the opportunity to get PCR tests for free. The Lifebrain laboratory can process and analyse up to 500,000 samples every day with the results being available in less than 18 hours on average.
State-of-the-art equipment and sophisticated logistics
In order to be able to carry out such immense amounts of tests quickly and reliably, state-of-the-art equipment and sophisticated logistics are necessary. Citizens can pick up the PCR test kits free of charge in drugstores throughout Vienna, carry out the test easily at home and then hand over the sample tubes in numerous supermarkets and petrol stations. Dozens of trucks transport the samples from there to the Lifebrain laboratory, where they are examined by 1,000 employees with the help of 400 pipetting robots and analyzers. The result is available to citizens in the shortest possible time via a web portal.
The complete workflow from sampling and testing to the rapid delivery of the results and the "Green Pass" certificates is being processed with the help of powerful laboratory software from CliniSys | MIPS. The GLIMS laboratory information system and the CyberLab order communication software have been developed in close cooperation with the experts from CliniSys | MIPS and implemented by the Vienna system vendor Assista – in record time. In addition to continuous support, a new function to support pooling tests, essential for the massive expansion of capacity, has been developed and integrated into the system.
"Alles gurgelt!" – a test offensive with exemplary character
In total, more than 23 million PCR tests have been carried out in Lifebrain's laboratory so far, mainly for "Alles gurgelt!", but also for the Viennese schools and projects in other parts of the country. And the success is contagious: there are more and more interested parties who also want to use the successful program. With the rising demand and the handling problems several Austrian states have experienced with the test quantities, the laboratory is currently significantly expanding once again: the conversion of two further pavilions on the laboratory site will soon increase the daily capacity by 50% to 750,000 tests , and up to 600 additional employees will be hired to manage and process the increased samples. This will make the Lifebrain laboratory in Vienna by far the largest COVID-19 laboratory in Europe.
On the hunt for Omicron
Another important innovation has already been implemented: In addition to the proven, fast and reliable PCR tests, it has recently become possible to examine positive test results for infection with the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. If Omicron is suspected, the corresponding samples can be immediately sequenced. This is done directly in the laboratory using high-end NextSeq analyzers and enables the virus genome to be decrypted within a few days. After sequencing, the result can then be reported to the authorities and scientific databases. This enables the spread of the new variant to be understood at an early stage – an important prerequisite allowing immediate reaction and for countermeasures to be undertaken.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Brouwerij Rodenbach - Caractère Rouge
Beer Club featured in Rare Beer Club
Oak-Aged Sour Ale w/ Cherries, Raspberries, and Cranberries
Alcohol by Volume: 7%
Serving Temperature: 43–50° F
Suggested Glassware: Tulip, Flute, or Pinot Glass
The exclusive RODENBACH Caractère Rouge, with an alcohol content of 7%, is the result of a 6-month maceration with fresh fruit (sour cherries, raspberries and cranberries) of RODENBACH Vintage Ale, which matured in oak casks for 2 years. After its maceration, the beer is re-fermented in the bottle. … This beer evokes the delicacy and experience of a fresh Burgundy wine."–Caractère Rouge label notes
We would take this over fresh Burgundy. While there are certainly exceptions to the rule that the land of fruit beers tends to be ruled by the sour (Wisconson examples come to mind…), bright acidity really does work beautifully alongside fresh-fruit character. We are much more likely to be sated by a sour peach beer than a peach beer. And, exceptions aside, we were just floored by how well the vibrant sourness here supports a huge abundance of juicy red fruits.
The appearance of this beer, though—and despite the number of times we're inclined to use the word "fruit" in the following paragraphs—kind of gives a better sense of what this beer's about: this is more ruby and caramel and barrel-brown than fruit-pop red, or anything along those lines. Headless, it might pass for sherry. It does give a berry-color glow at some angles. A firm, off-white/light-pink foam lingers for a while at the edge, with well-structured lacing.
The berries make the aroma on this pop. The combination, and aspects of the color, kept us thinking strawberries, but you can also kind of pick out each of the noted additions: the tang of cranberry, the deep purple of raspberries, that familiar cherry. There are darker fruits, plus leather, a relatively soft influence from the years in oak, and a plush, mouthwatering acidity.
We love how the fruit character on this beer is just massive and still backed up by a generous degree of structure and barrel influence. The cherries were first to register, then cranberries, while raspberries, at least as we were tasting things, basically took the wheel mid-palate. The tongue gets a nice zestiness of bubbles and acidity—certainly sour, but very welcoming.
While the berries play out no problem, the overall effect isn't a berry. It's more fruit leather, like Fruit Roll-Ups but good ones, a combination of the fresh-fruit additions, an underlying layer of barrel character (toasty oak, an edge of tannins, some rounding vanilla), and various aged notes playing out between them: caramel, sherry, a variety of vinous qualities to support the earlier Burgundy comparison. Deeper still, we found hints of peppery spice and almonds.
The brewery puts a best-by date on Caractère Rouge of around four or five years out. And it definitely seems like a cellar-worthy choice to us. Watch for how that fruit dissipates and the caramel ramps up. When thinking of pairings, the overall structure of this beer is sort of like elements of balsamic vinegar and strawberry: which had us thinking bitter greens, or creamy.
Brouwerij Rodenbach (Roeselare, West Flanders, Belgium)
There is perhaps no more famous brewery in all Belgium than Brouwerij Rodenbach. While the country has a long history of brewing both tart and downright sour beers using wild yeast and bacteria, it was Rodenbach in the late 19th century that helped pioneer and define the specific style of beer we know as Flanders Red Ale, considered by many to be the most vinous, or wine-like, of all beer styles. The standard Rodenbach is a blend of approximately 75% fresh and 25% 2-year aged ale, while Rodenbach Grand Cru incorporates much more aged beer (approx. 66%). The Caractère Rouge we bring you this month is unique in that it incorporates fresh cherries, raspberries, and cranberries, before itself being aged in oak.
We were proud to bring you Rodenbach's Grand Cru and Vintage in previous years, and are even more excited that close ties with the brewery and its importer have enabled us to offer Rodenbach's Caractère Rouge, one of the brewery's most exceptional and limited offerings, even less so than Vintage as less than 500 cases will be sold in the US this year.
The brewery bears the name of the Rodenbach family, who not only contributed their unique beer to the world, but also helped contribute Belgium to the world, at least as an independent country. The brewery was founded in 1821 by Rodenbach brothers Pedro, Alexander, Ferdinand, and Constantijn. All four played critical roles in the Belgian Revolution of 1830, which led to the secession of Belgium from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. In fact, when Leopold I greeted the crowd from the balcony of the House of the Nation after being crowned king, Alexander (who ran the brewery from 1821 to 1836, and happened to be blind), appeared at his side.
In 1878, Pedro's grandson Eugène became manager of the family brewery. From a brewing perspective, as opposed to a political one, Eugène is certainly the most influential Rodenbach in the family line. During his travels to southern England, he was exposed to, and learned much about, the early porter beers popular in London at the time. In the 19th century, these early porters were typically aged for at least several months in giant barrels where they matured and acidified. Eugène took what he learned and applied it at home in Belgium, developing and refining the technique, and creating the style of Rodenbach beers we know today.
Rodenbach's red ales undergo a primary and a secondary fermentation, with both yeast and lactobacillus bacteria, creating beer with a distinctively acidic, sour quality. However, it's when the beers enter the maturation stage that the fun really begins. The beer is aged in huge oak barrels known as "foeders" in Flemish ("foudres" in French), some of which are older than 150 years. Of these impressive foeders, Rare Beer Club founder Michael Jackson earlier wrote, "Rodenbach, in Roeselare, has ten or eleven halls full of these tuns. There is nothing comparable in any brewery elsewhere in the world, and the whole establishment is a temple of industrial archaeology."


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Shayna Abramson
Mikvah in the Age of Coronavirus
Mar 22, 2020, 4:24 AM
As the severity of the coronavirus crisis was beginning to reveal itself, I wrote about the bravery of the mainstream Orthodox rabbinic establishment in responding to the crisis. Since then, my feelings have changed somewhat. I have seen continued rabbinic courage on this issue. However, I have also seen rabbinic failures. Perhaps this is to be expected, since no institution will manage a crisis perfectly.
However, there is one failure I keep coming back to: We have seen numerous rabbinic rulings concerning megillah readings, public prayer, kaddish, and Torah readings. All of these have one thing in common: They take place in the synagogue. In the Orthodox world, the synagogue has traditionally been a male domain. These rituals are considered so vital to a man's religious experience, that there is no way they can be given up. Whether it is outlining safe ways to have physical minyan while maintaining social distancing, or allowing one to say kaddish via a virtual minyan, it is taken as a given that one cannot be expected to forgo these rituals. In other words, they are treated as a religious right.
However, this right is not generally extended to women in the Orthodox world: Women attend Orthodox synagogues as spectators, not participants. Women's sections are often smaller and may be located at a place where it is hard to hear the services. Women who attend services during the week have sometimes been reported being kicked out of the women's section by men who enjoyed praying in the women's section for the extra legroom, or by men who did not respect their right to say kaddish.
In other words, we take public prayer as a right for men, while taking it as a given that women are expected to live without that experience. Why? Because women are exempt from time-bound mitzvot, in order to enable them to carry out the most important mitzvah of all: maintaining a Jewish home.*
One of the most important aspects of maintaining a Jewish home is observing the laws of niddah, by abstaining from sex while one has one's period, and not resuming sexual relations until one has immersed in a mikvah. This set of laws is euphemistically termed, "taharat hamishpacha" – family purity. This mitzvah regulates a couple's sexual cycle according to halacha, thereby significantly impacting a core part of their romantic relationship. It is the woman's mitzvah, because it is her body that is in a state of purity/impurity, her body that menstruates, and her body that immerses in the mikvah.**
Recently, the Eden Center and Nishmat came out with guides to safe mikvah immersion.
The Nishmat guide is divided into four sections: information for mikvah attendants, information for the general public, information for those in quarantine, and general medical information. It also includes a list of questions it has been asked by women, alongside the answers, and a hotline number to call.
The top of the guide reads: "The Torah holds public health paramount… One who vigilantly follows the instructions of the health authorities fulfills the mitzvot of "be most careful for your life" (Devarim 4:15) and "love your fellow as yourself" (Vayikra 19:18)…Stay informed about local guidelines designed to prevent new cases of coronavirus and follow them, even if the instructions sound overly cautious. Official medical guidelines of this sort are halachically binding."
Thus, mikvah observance is framed within the context of the overarching commandment of maintaining public health. It is clear that fulfilling the health guidelines takes religious precedence over mikvah observance at this time. This also fills the reader with confidence that any halachic or practical advice given will adhere to current health and safety rules.
The Eden Center has released a chart that expands on and clarifies the advice of the Israeli Religious and Health Ministries: Anyone in quarantine or who has potential coronavirus symptoms is forbidden from immersing. Women who are immersing should shower and get ready at home, to minimize contact with surfaces at the mikvah. The chart also explains the sanitization measures that are being undertaken by mikvahs.
These guidelines respond to a real need: Women are afraid of immersing, even as they long to immerse for religious reasons. It is important both to make sure that women who are potentially infectious do not immerse, while allaying the fears of non-contagious women who want to immerse, and helping them to do so in as safe a manner as possible. I do not think it is coincidental that the two institutions that are acting as leading voices on this issue are led by halachic women, rather than by halachic men.
In contrast, the exclusively male Israeli Rabbinate and mainstream Orthodox rabbinic establishment has yet to make pronouncements on mikvah in the age of coronavirus, other than the official religious guidelines not to go while in quarantine.
Many women are understandably petrified of going to mikvah: In order for the immersion to count as valid, you must immerse your entire naked body, so that the water touches you completely. One of the main ways of transmission of coronavirus is by touching surfaces that have the disease -and some people may have coronavirus and be asymptomatic, in which case they might show up to mikvah.*** It is true that mikvahs are now sanitizing the mikvah in between users, and that chlorinated water does not transfer the virus, according to the CDC. Nevertheless, it's understandable that women might not feel that these assurances are good enough.
Rabbi Dr. Daniel Sperber, in conjunction with Kolech and the Center for Women's Justice, released a statement that due to the emergency nature of the situation, there might be room, theoretically, to allow couples to engage in physical intimacy while fully clothed, even if the wife does not go to mikvah. Intercourse would still be prohibited, as would any other sexual activity involving nudity. Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig has written on Facebook validating women's concerns about mikvah, and urging individual women who are concerned to contact either Nishmat or himself for a personal psak. This implies that there might be some wiggle room within the laws, though gives no indication as to what that wiggle-room might be, or how far it would extend. It also legitimizes women's feelings, instead of dismissing them.
Both of these rabbis are extremely well-respected. But they are also rabbis who are known for their halachic innovation. When will a more "mainstream" rabbi take a stand? What about the official Rabbinate?
The chief rabbis did finally release a statement: It starts off by saying that the mikvahs have been declared safe according to the Health Ministry (which is true) and that there is "no worry at all, God forbid, to become sick or infected."
In other words, it starts off by invalidating and delegitimizing women's fears. It then goes on to dispel the notion that one can immerse in a home bathtub, explaining that unless a woman immerses in a mikvah she is "a complete niddah, and forbidden to her husband." It ends by saying: "We know the dedication of the women of Israel in keeping the purity of the home, and we hold their hands in this matter. Continue to keep the halacha properly, and don't listen to lies and false advice."
The main point of the statement is to impress upon women the importance of their going to mikvah, and the silliness of their fears about doing so. Praising the dedication of Jewish women who go to mikvah is apt to cause guilt among those who are considering not going because of the public health situation, especially when combined with an exhortation to "keep the halacha properly." The statement fails to forbid women who are in quarantine or not feeling well from going to mikvah. It also says nothing about women who have extra health risks, such as diabetes or heart conditions.
Contrast this to Chief Rabbi David Lau's statement on keeping synagogues open. He starts off saying not to close the synagogues, and then spends the rest of the letter explaining how to pray while observing the Health Ministry guidelines, calling it "an obligation" to stand 2 meters apart, before ending by saying that the elderly or those at risk are "forbidden" from attending synagogue. Here, two values are paramount: 1) Enabling a religious experience by keeping the synagogues open; 2) Enforcing public safety by giving strict guidelines that turn health rules into religious obligations.
We are told over and over by religious apologists that the heart of the Jewish tradition is the Jewish home, which is why a woman's role in Orthodox Judaism, as keeper of that home, is so important. But now, the rabbis are showing where their priorities really lie, when they issue countless rulings about how to have minyan safely or how to say kaddish from home, without issuing clear guidelines on mikvah immersion. Women's concerns about their own health and safety are being invalidated. Halachic flexibility is being used to help men to have a better prayer experience,* but where is the halachic flexibility when it comes to helping women navigate a halachic issue that dictates one of the most basic aspects of their lives: their relationships with their romantic partners?
From a purely halachic perspective, the laws of family purity are Torah laws that carry a severe penalty if they are violated. Praying in a minyan and/or saying kaddish, in contrast, are rabbinic enactments. So it is understandable that when it comes to mikvah, there are fewer loopholes. However, the flexibility that is being applied to laws of public prayer isn't being used to find loopholes, but rather, to help men to exercise what is seen as their religious right to public prayer. Perhaps the core of the problem is that women are not seen as having a religious right to having more flexible halachic rulings made on their behalf.
It could seem that sexism is a minor issue during this time of emergency. But we are living in a historic moment. The steps we take during this time of crisis will shape the future of the community we become. Therefore, it is precisely at this moment, that we need to pay attention to the power imbalances and assumptions underlying our community structures.
In the meantime, let's pray that this crisis passes soon, and we find ourselves living in times of health once more, when nothing seems too petty for the internet.
*at least, that is what the apologetics tell us
** Please pardon the cis/heteronormativity of this post. I am working within the framework of halachic paradigms.
*** I am not a doctor or a medical expert. This is my understanding based on what I have read. I strongly urge you to do your own research and make sure you are up to date on your country's health guidelines.
****even as it is an accepted norm that women are not entitled to that experience
Shayna Abramson, a part-Brazilian native Manhattanite, studied History and Jewish Studies at Johns Hopkins University before moving to Jerusalem. She has also spent some time studying Torah at the Drisha Institute in Manhattan, and has a passion for soccer and poetry. She is currently pursuing an M.A. in Political Science from Hebrew University, and is a rabbinic fellow at Beit Midrash Har'el.
Coronavirus-Halacha
Jewish Law - Halacha
Mikveh
The Rabbinate
Women & Judaism
Women as second-class citizens
Acute angles. Must I remove my tattoo?
Chaim Ingram


Churches are searching for young adults. Survey's have repeatedly shown that people in their 20's are abandoning churches in growing numbers. Some return when they marry, have children and begin to look for additional stability but some never come back.
To plug the slow drain some churches have turned to big bands and big social programs but that hasn't worked well and certainly has not solved the problem.
But the wow factor—expensive bands, charismatic preachers, elaborate social events—doesn't come cheap. What's more, many religious leaders worry that offering that kind of experience only encourages young people to think about "the attractional church," the kind of place you go for entertainment but not for any long-term commitment.
So writes Naomi Schaefer Riley at the Wall Street Journal. Riley is examining a new para-church movement which seeks to draw the young adults into services which promote a sense of unity among believers in Christ. One survey has 98% of respondents saying the CityOne movement has brought them closer to a personal relationship with Christ. 42% say they have been helped to connect with local churches.
We want people to be attracted to Jesus. We want people to be drawn to the salvation that is in Christ alone (John 14:6). But it is essential that people be drawn to the true Christ which includes what he paid for with his blood, his church, and the entirety of his teaching (Acts 20:27-28). It is good to see people thinking more about Jesus. It is good to see people giving serious thought to their souls and their eternal home. The church must supply them properly with truth.
What is disappointing, however, is that it takes a non church to do the work that should belong to the church itself.
Religious leaders ought be asking some very basic questions about our own decline. At the heart is a question about the heart. What do we believe and what do we teach? When any church moves away from the Bible as its single source of doctrine it always fails. When a church changes Biblical teaching in order to attract those outside, it fails. Evangelism is critical. Outreach is vital. Jesus said to go teach and baptize (Matthew 28:18-20). We teach and baptize while God adds them to the church (Acts 2:41, 47).
The church must be pure yet it seems the religious community has morphed into something that doesn't look too much like the original Christians. We have gone from worship services, a God centered service, to worship experiences which put the person at the center. We come to get something out of worship instead of putting something into worship.
It might be a good idea to examine what we are doing when the church assembles. There is only good in standing on the words of the Lord. Let us come back to the Bible alone as the source of our teaching. Let us refocus our worship toward God and not the creature (Romans 1:25).
Fine blog site. I got plenty of good info. I have been watching this topic for some time. However, have you experienced much effect since Google generated their recent improvement?
Interesting use of an analogy with romantic relationships. There are people who overemphasize substance and commitment, and ignore the need for attraction. I, for one, really dislike it when off-key singing is praised for being genuine but never critiqued for being sloppy, inconsiderate, and mediocre, not to mention painful for those forced to listen to it.
Previous post: Are You Looking in the Right Mirror?


text:
Q: How to replace an empty string with 0, but leave it alone if not empty Python's behavior seems inconsistent when replacing values in the case shown below (using python 3.6.5)
    >>> emptyString = '    '
    >>> emptyString.strip().replace('','0') #produces expected results
    '0'
    >>> notEmptyString = ' 50 '
    >>> notEmptyString.strip().replace('','0') #expected '50'
    '05000'
    >>> shortString = notEmptyString.strip()
    >>> shortString  #results as expected
    '50'
    >>> shortString.replace('','0') #unexpected results - expected '50'
    '05000'

This is what I'd like to see:

*

*if string has a value, just strip() the leading and trailing spaces.

*if string is empty (i.e. "") or string is just blank characters (i.e. "    ") then strip it to be "" and replace "" with '0'

  Example #1...  string  = " 10 "....  then just strip leading and
  trailing spaces
  Example #2...  string  = '   ' .... then convert to
  '0'

I can get the results I want by other means, but I wondered if anybody understands why python produces these results.

A: If s is a string, then:
s.replace(old, new)

returns a copy of s with every occurrence of the string old replaced with new, so for example:
In [7]: "abracadabra".replace("a","4")
Out[7]: '4br4c4d4br4'

As a special case, if old is the empty string, it inserts new at the start and end of the string and between every pairs of characters:
In [8]: "12345678".replace("","_")
Out[8]: '_1_2_3_4_5_6_7_8_'

The rationale is that there's a "empty string" before the first character, between each pair of characters, and after the last character, and that's what's being replaced.
So, replace isn't doing what you were thinking.
To do what you what, you can use one of the solutions already proposed, or something like this if you're feeling clever:
s.strip() or "0"

A: This is related to how replace works.
Think of it as looking through every index of the string, and creating a substring starting from each index. Then it checks if any of the substrings start with the string to look for. It then records the index of the substrings that start with the string to look for, removes the your string to look for, and inserts your replacement string at those indices.
For '', there is only one index to look through, and the substring starting from that index is '', which starts with '', so a 0 is inserted.
For 50, there are 3 indices to look through. The substrings starting from the indices are:
'50'
'0'
''

All of these substrings start with '', so a 0 is inserted in all the indices, creating '05000'.

A: How str.replace works
You interpret the method str.replace as if it replaced the whole string by the new value. This is not the case.
What it does is replace every occurence of the first argument by the second argument within the string.
'ababc'.replace('ab', 'x') # 'xxc'

What may be confusing here is that you are replacing every occurence of the empty string. It turns out the empty string is present everywhere, between every two character is an empty string.
If that does not make sense to you just consider that the following is indeed True
'' + '5' + '' + '0' + '' == '50'

So doing this...
s.replace('', '0')

Is equivalent to inserting '0' between all characters. It is equivalent to the following.
'0'.join(s.split())

How to default an empty string to a value
What you want to do is strip your string and make it '0' if it is empty, here are a few ways to do this.
# 1)
s = emptyString.strip()
s = s if s else '0'

# 2)
s = emptyString.strip() or '0'

A: As @coldspeed suggested in comment, You need:
def myfunc(string): return string if string.strip() else '0'

print(myfunc(' 050  '))
print(myfunc('   '))
print(myfunc(''))
print(myfunc('abcd'))

Output:
 050
0
0
abcd

A: Another way of doing this:
def f(s):
    return {'':'0'}.get(s.strip(),s)
print(f('   '))
print(f(' a '))

Output:
0
 a

Explanation (for str.replace):

*

*str.replace(..) replaces first arg with second arg

*also "" is always in a string (to see what i mean 'ab'.count('') returns 3)

Explanation (for my example):

*

*I create a def (function)

*Then i make a dict

*Then i do dict.get for checking

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Home Office Fitout – Today's home office or study can take many shapes, from a small alcove to a fully-fledged business office. Many of us are working from home at least part time and appreciate having a dedicated workspace. This is in addition to students of all ages working together or separately. Talk to us about how we can custom design and build your home office fitout to suit you and your family.
Wardrobes – Long gone are the days of shelving and railing to complete a wardrobe. Today's modern wardrobe is a piece of exquisite bespoke joinery, incorporating the very latest in mechanical and manual technology, coupled with excellence in design.
Outdoor Al Fresco – The options for outdoor al fresco areas are endless – not only in the choice of materials that can be used in an outdoor entertainment area but also in the appliances that are available. Our designers can incorporate pizza ovens, teppanyaki plates, wine coolers, dishwashers, and much more.
Home Entertainment – You want a piece of furniture which is aesthetically pleasing and meets the needs of your technology – both today and into the future..
Lounge Room – In keeping with the growth in home entertainment, many of our clients are seeking advice with the general lounge room theme as well as the design, supply and craftsmanship required to complete an entire lounge room.
Hallway and Stairwell Storage – Make valuable and better use of tired or dead areas. With storage at a premium and our desire to retain many items for longer, Brilliant SA can transform that old hallway cabinet or create something new and rewarding under any stairwell.
Wine Cellars –Wine storage is critical for those who take their wine seriously. We can custom build your wine cellar incorporating a variety of storage techniques. Whether you prefer steel mesh storage, side on modular racks, refrigeration, timber racks or modular, we can design a room – or just an area to suit your needs and budget.
These are examples of speciality areas we regularly create. The list of speciality areas is only limited by your imagination. If you'd like some more specific advice tailored to an area in your home, don't hesitate to get in touch with the team at Brilliant SA we'd be happy to help.
Your specialty area renovation experts.


"Dad looked out of the window and said that finally the Germans will lose and Hitler will die, but we will hear of it only when it will be shouted into our graves. And now I sit here, in Auschwitz, in my block. The Russians are knocking at the gates." The memories of Reiza (Shoshana) Klingberg, later Cohen, who was my mother-in-law. She survived Auschwitz, to where she was sent, not because of being Jewish.
I was a little girl when the strange people started coming to Israel, wearing a blue number tattooed on their left hand. People whispered, pointed their finger at them, and argued. I did not quite understand. The streets filled with people who would mumble to themselves, or shout in all kinds of languages and frighten us, the children. Parents whispered that they were not dangerous, but wretched, that they lost their mind in the concentrations camps. At school, they taught us about the Holocaust and asked: "Why did they go without resistance? prosecuted like sheep to the slaughter." We did not understand.


What I REALLY want for Christmas is a voice like Mariah Carey so I can sing that song – all I want for Christmas – without making Nilla leave the room because her ears hurt. But shopping for clothes and home items I want for Christmas will have to do.
Huge confession – I usually use black Friday as a shopping day for me. There is so much shopping to be done from now until the 25th… and it can get stressful. So I like to take Black Friday as a "me shopping day" and just buy things that I personally like (like this Olivia Pope wine glass and this J. Crew scarf I've been lusting after for a while. Afterall – if there is a great sale, and a great sweater, but then the person I give it to returns the awesome sale item…. that would be a good sale gone to waste.
If any guys are reading… that black travel Tory Burch bag is LEGIT – it was $450 and now it's $250 and it's vinyl, so practical, gorgeous, and she will use it often and forever.
if you ARE going to tackle your Christmas list for everyone today – Amazon is doing 30% off of a lot items with code: 30BlackFR.


Congratulations! If you're staying at Raffles we assume you've won the lottery or are at least on your honeymoon.
Raffles may be the iconic Singapore hotel, but its room rates warrant a special occasion. Every room is a suite with a bedroom and parlour decked out with period furnishings and oriental carpets. Personality suites evoke memories of the hotel's famous guests like Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling with old photos and memorabilia. Guest quarters are kept separate from the touristy areas of the hotel and there's a secluded rooftop pool and garden. If there's anything missing to complete your colonial experience simply ring the butler!


About three times a year, I develop an insatiable craving for fried chicken. Ironically, that's also the average number of cravings per annum for a Whopper with cheese, but that's another story.
Not all fried chicken is created equal. Really good fried chicken should have a golden crispy crust without any more than a trace of oil. Greasy, oily chicken is an abomination. Underneath that crust, the meat should be tender, juicy and yielding. I like chicken that is cooked to the point that it is still juicy, but sufficiently done to melt the connective tissues and cook the meat around the joints.
As much as I love good fried chicken, getting it is part of the overall adventure. In the Golden Age of Fried Chickendom on the east side, that meant going to the Keg, plopping down on a bar stool and placing a to-go order, which was generally ready in the span of two ice cold beers. The people-watching at that place was unparalleled. But, alas, the Keg started experimenting with economies of scale and an expansion that evidently didn't pan out. Fortunately, the Keg is back. Unfortunately, their location on West 12th Street near Interstate 29 isn't always convenient when a craving strikes.
Thanks to the late Jon "Jono" Bot, Botski's Bar & Grill is convenient. And it delivers that quirky neighborhood watering hole experience that I like with my chicken. Jono may have flunked retirement a couple times, but he deserves a spot in the Fried Chicken Hall of Fame.
Botski's Bar & Grill is inconspicuously located in a small strip mall at 1914 S. Sycamore Avenue. That's near 26th and Sycamore. Walk in and the first thing you are going to notice is the place is cozy. Décor is pretty much limited to a mural consisting of album covers (as in records, LPs, vinyl) and some beer signs. Note the lack of an "e" on "Grill." Overall, Botski's is pretty unpretentious, and that's just fine. It's the people that make the place, and Botski's is usually full of regulars, enjoying a cold beer and sharing a laugh or two with each other and the staff. That is, unless the Minnesota Vikings are playing. Then the entire crowd is focused on the game.
As an added bonus, when the Vikes score, the staff dispenses plastic cups that will be filled with your beer of choice. Not a Vikings fan? I suggest you just keep your mouth shut and enjoy the beer.
The chicken at Botski's checks all the boxes on my list. It's always cooked perfectly. The coating is crispy but not overly done. The seasoning is good and accents the flavor.
I like to get a mix of light and dark meat, because they are both tasty. Why choose when you can have both? With a four-piece meal, you are basically getting a half a chicken: breast, wing, thigh and drumstick. I like to start with the wing and get all the crunchy coating off it. Then, I move onto the thigh and enjoy the skin and coating like an amped-up potato chip. By then, the thicker breast meat has cooled enough to reduce the odds of getting burned. And if it is still too warm, I hit the drumstick.
A meal comes with two sides and a slice of Texas toast. I like some baked beans because the sweetness offsets the salty notes of the chicken. For the second side, it's either fries or maybe coleslaw, depending on my mood. The toast is handy for dunking in the bean juice and generally absorbing chicken-ness. Consider it an edible napkin.
I like to drink a couple beers while I wait for my chicken order, which I take home. I'm not going to sugar-coat it, I like privacy with my fried chicken, preferably in front of a television. A fork is handy for pulling the chicken pieces apart and eating the sides, of course, but other than that, fried chicken is finger food. The goal is to remove every speck of protein and crunchy coating from the bones. All of it. Because that's the way to enjoy fried chicken to the fullest. It's just not something I prefer to do in a bar full of football fans.
If you haven't tried Botski's, you should. Just make sure to raise a glass, or a drumstick, for Jono while you're there in gratitude for a friendly little joint and some delicious fried chicken.


text:
Quentin Taratino in talks to produce and star in 'Hell Ride'
Quentin Taratino in talks to produce and star in Hell Ride
Brian B.
Hell Ride: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Following their successful collaboration in Kill Bill-Vol. 2, Quentin Tarantino is set to team again with Larry Bishop, the actor who played the foul-mouthed owner of a strip club in the hit movie.
Tarantino and Bishop will produce Hell Ride, a motorcycle movie that Bishop is writing and will direct and star in. Sources say Tarantino might star in the movie as well.
Michael Madsen, who also starred in "Bill," is attached to star in what is being described as a spaghetti biker film.
The story deals with the characters Pistolero (Bishop), the Gent (Madsen) and Comanche (Tarantino) and the deadly unfinished business between them. As befitting the genre, the budget would be low, and the movie would shoot in August or September.
Bishop starred in several biker movies in the late '60s and early '70s, including "The Savage Seven," "Chrome and Hot Leather" and "Angel Unchained." He also wrote, directed, co-produced and starred in 1996's "Mad Dog Time," whose cast included Diane Lane, Gabriel Byrne and Burt Reynolds.
Co-founder of Movieweb. Heavy-metal-horror head. Guitar in Ignite & Into Another. Freshly minted Pinball guy. I like to create.


text:
$500K bond for suspect in armored car shootout in Aurora
By: TheDenverChannel.com Team
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. -- Bond has been set at $500,000 for the man arrested after a shootout with an armored car guard.
Carl Rumph was initially hospitalized for his injuries, but was treated and released and was booked into the Arapahoe County Jail.
Rumph is suspected of trying to rob an armored car outside a Wells Fargo Bank in Aurora on Monday. It happened as a Brinks truck driver was servicing the bank's ATM.
"It was like boom, boom, boom," said one witness who heard the exchange of gunfire.
Rumph is scheduled to be in court Friday.
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text:
La frontière entre Maurice et les Seychelles est une frontière maritime, délimitant les zones économiques exclusives de ces deux pays. Elle est déterminée par traité et s'étend à l'est de La Réunion et à l'ouest de l'île Maurice.

La ligne de délimitation composée de  entre la zone économique exclusive de la République de Maurice (à partir de l'île d'Agaléga) et la zone économique exclusive de la République des Seychelles (à partir des îles de Coëtivy, Saint-Francois, Providence et Farquhar, respectivement) est fondée sur l'équidistance, qui est considérée dans ce cas particulier comme une solution équitable conformément au droit international. Cette ligne a été déterminée en utilisant la ligne de base servant à mesurer la largeur de la mer territoriale de chaque État.

En mars 2011, la Commission des limites du plateau continental a adopté des recommandations confirmant des deux pays sur une zone étendue de  de plateau continental sur le plateau des Mascareignes.
L'approbation par la CLPC de la soumission conjointe des deux États leur a donné accès à une zone supplémentaire où des ressources telles que réserves pétrolières et gazières, gisements minéraux et organismes marins vivants peuvent être explorées et exploitées.

En mai 2016, la Commission Mixte Maurice / Seychelles du plateau continental a organisé un concours ouverts aux citoyens de Maurice et des Seychelles, âgés de 15 à 25 ans pour dessiner le logo pour la zone de gestion conjointe avec à la clé une récompense de .

Voir aussi

Liens internes
 Délimitation maritime

Références

Maurice-Seychelles
Maurice
Seychelles

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text:
Stories Photos Classifieds Everything
Monett Times
Stories from Thursday, October 31, 2013
Springfield, MO- Livestock Marketing Center: Feeder Cattle Auction Report for 10/30/13 (Agriculture Report ~ 10/31/13)
Madge Meadows (Obituary ~ 10/31/13)
Madge Meadows, age 56, of San Diego, Calif., loving wife, mother, daughter and sister, went home to be with her Lord on Oct. 21, 2013, at her home. Madge was born on Oct. 17, 1957 in Berlin, Germany, daughter of William and Ilse (Foltin) Burton. At the age of 6 months, Madge was baptized at Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Berlin. ...
Shelley Norton (Obituary ~ 10/31/13)
Shelley Norton, age 51, of Denton, Texas, died on Monday, Oct. 28. Graveside services were held on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m. at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Butterfield.
Back in the Good Old Days (Features ~ 10/31/13)
EIGHTY YEARS AGO Oct. 31, 1933 Goblins will be out on their usual grand frolic tonight. Plans indicate Broadway will be the scene of much festivity as it is every Halloween. Stores report the usual sale of masks and other material entering into make-up and costumes...
Mighty Mite third grade cheerleaders (Community Sports ~ 10/31/13)
The 2013-14 Monett Cubs Mighty Mite third grade cheerleading team is pictured above. In the front row, from left, are: Torrie Graessle and Lexus Hatfield. Second row: Grace Lee, Cadence McGlothlin and Jazmin Villa. Third row: Aubrey Baker, Sadie Camp, Kaylin Collins, Kaylee Burruss, Sidnee Poynter and Macey Flynt...
Mighty Mite third grade (Community Sports ~ 10/31/13)
The 2013-14 Monett Cubs Mighty Mite third grade team is pictured above. In the front row, from left, are: Tim McRoberts, Riley Dierker, Jared Smith, Luis Groomer, Rhyn Withnell, Christian Johnson and Phalen Fryling. Second row: Cody Cook, Matthew Burdett, Aiden Freeman, Jake Hoyt, Marcus Young, Blaine Salsman, Dylan Gorman and Kaden Palmer. ...
Survive and advance, Monett and Aurora open district play (High School Sports ~ 10/31/13)
sports@monett-times.com It was former North Carolina State basketball coach Jimmy Valvano who coined the phrase "survive and advance" when discussing NCAA basketball tournament play. No truer words have ever been spoken when regarding bracketed play. The state's football playoffs officially get underway tonight (Thursday) across the area...
Seniors part 2 (High School Sports ~ 10/31/13)
sports@monett-times.com Every high school team needs to have senior leadership. It is an intangible quality that no system devised by man can measure. The knowledge that seniors have gained from prior seasons and the calming influence that they give the younger players is invaluable...
Candy tastes great when safety is first rate (Local News ~ 10/31/13)
jwhitlock@monett-times.com As Halloween quickly approaches and children begin to dream of bags full of candy, take time and review some safety rules to follow. CoxHealth and the American Red Cross offer several tips to insure families have a safe and happy Halloween...
Verona Woman sustains moderate injuries in crash (Local News ~ 10/31/13)
jwhitlock@monett-times.com One person received moderate injuries in a two-vehicle crash on Highway Z at Pleasant Ridge at 4:50 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Amanda J. Gregg, 37, of Galena, was traveling west on Highway Z in a 1999 Cadillac when Carol M. Ethridge, 72, of Verona, driving a 1996 Saturn southbound on Highway ZZ, failed to yield and drove into the path of Gregg...
News In Brief (Local News ~ 10/31/13)
The Monett Times and the Monett Lions Club will again host a community Halloween costume contest at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31 at the Monett City Hall Auditorium. Children from the surrounding area as well as Monett are welcome to participate. Winners in several age categories will have their photo appear in The Times...
Preparing for a new season (Local News ~ 10/31/13)
Players in the Ozark Festival Orchestra ran through final rehearsals this week in advance to opening the OFO's 34th season on Sunday, Nov. 3 at the Monett City Park Casino. The Pops in the Park concert will include a wide range of American music, from Gershwin's "An American in Paris" to Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," with a salute to the Armed Forces, folk songs and other favorites included. ...
New business coming to downtown Monett (Local News ~ 10/31/13)
times-news@monett-times.com Monett Auction Gallery has announced the new business has signed to rent 311 E. Broadway, the former Westco store, and run weekly sales from the site. The owners are Kevin Cameron, auctioneer, and Jeremy Danzer. Cameron, who has been in the auction business for 22 years, also runs an auction service at a 100,000-square-foot facility in Birch Tree, near West Plains...
Freistatt loses appeal for post office (Local News ~ 10/31/13)
times-news@monett-times.com The appeal over closing the Freistatt Post Office has been rejected. Village trustees received the news at their October monthly meeting. Clerk Deborah Schoen reported the Postal Regulatory Commission rejected the village's appeal because it was filed late and the extension was rejected. The chairman of the commission voted contrary to the majority in favor of proceeding with the case. With no further options, the appeal process is concluded...
Speeding throught the Golden Age Games (Local News ~ 10/31/13)
Times Photo by Jon Whitlock Pictured above, Edith McCleary, of Brookhaven Health and Rehab, had a need for speed that she used to win first place in the hands and feet wheelchair race during the Golden Age Games on Friday, Oct. 25.
Guard unit scheduled for Afghanistan deployment (Local News ~ 10/31/13)
times-news@monett-times.com For the second time, soldiers from one of the Missouri National Guard companies in the Monett area from the 203rd Engineer Battalion will see a full deployment to duty as part of the United States response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001...
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text:
Involvement of industry in review articles published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
You are currently viewing an earlier version of this article (November 22, 2019).
View the most recent version of this article
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5445-548XMartin Rudwaleit
Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Klinikum Bielefeld Rosenhöhe, 33647 Bielefeld, Germany
Correspondence to Professor Martin Rudwaleit, Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Klinikum Bielefeld Rosenhöhe, 33647 Bielefeld, Germany; martin.rudwaleir{at}klinikumbielefeld.de
Specifically, I refer to the Review Article on IL-17A by McGonagle et al.1 The article is excellent and reads very well, and the authors are highly acknowledged scientists and clinicians, some of them I know personally—nice colleagues and friends. Yet, I was puzzled to find out that the article was written by a professional medical writer sponsored by a company. Although all this information on funding and involvement of medical writers is transparantly provided in the article in the sections on acknowledgements, contributors and funding, the value of such a Review Article may change once the reader becomes aware of the involvement of pharmaceutical industry.
In Review Articles in highly accredited journals like Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, authors express their views and interpretation of recent findings in the field, usually in a scientifically adequate and, importantly, pharmaceutical industry-independent way! Readers of such Review Articles expect a highly balanced, critical and objective review of the topic of choice. This expectation may not be met if the article is written by professional writers, paid by a company which manufactures a drug approved for a disease that is discussed in such an article.
Clinician rheumatologists are often involved in clinical trials, and all manuscripts on clinical trial data are usually prepared by professional writers hired by the companies, with authors commenting, often substantially, as the manuscript develops. Such a procedure is generally accepted by the scientific community, and it is also understandable since the data of the trial are in fact owned by the company. The situation with ReviewArticles, however, is strikingly different: if the motivation of such articles is driven by (economic) interests of a third party (industry), such an article gets a certain 'flavour'.
Apart from the principal concerns I have with Review Articles in ARD written by professional medical writers sponsored by industry, I provide a precise example from the article demonstrating potential risks: in figure 4 of the article on p11721, it is stated by a simple symbol that secukinumab is effective in many disease domains and manifestations including structural progression in the approved indications psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Although this aspect (structural progression) is not further discussed, neither in the main text nor in the legend of figure 4, the message from figure 4 for the reader is crystal clear: secukinumab inhibits structural progression in both PsA and in AS! As of to date, however, there is only indirect circumstantial and very limited information on potential effects of IL-17 blockade on structural progression in AS, similar to the limited and circumstantial evidence of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents on inhibition of AS structural progression. The reported structural progression in AS patients treated with secukinumab over 2 and 4 years, respectively, was indeed low, but there was no comparator group in this trial (uncontrolled data).2 3 In another paper on radiographic progression after 2 years of secukinumab treatment as compared with historical data from AS patients tretated with non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) only, there was only a statistically non-significant trend for less progression in secukinumab-treated patients as compared with the historical cohort.4 A head-to-head study on the effects of secukinumab on radiographic progression in AS with adalimumab as a comparator is ongoing but the results are not available yet. Accordingly, the current evidence on inhibition of strucutral progression by IL-17 is weak, yet figure 4 in the Review Article1 suggests a clear inhibitory effect in both PsA and AS. This single example illustrates how apparant subtleties introduced intentionally or by mistake by professional medical writers may dramatically impact on the content and message of such Review Article.
I suggest to the editor and to the editorial board of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases to reconsider their policy of acceptance of Review Articles written by professional medical writers sponsored by industry.
McGonagle DG,
McInnes IB,
Kirkham BW, et al
. The role of IL-17A in axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis: recent advances and controversies. Ann Rheum Dis2019;78:1167–78.doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-215356
Braun J,
Baraliakos X,
Deodhar A, et al
. Effect of secukinumab on clinical and radiographic outcomes in ankylosing spondylitis: 2-year results from the randomised phase III measure 1 study. Ann Rheum Dis2017;76:1070–7.doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-209730
. Secukinumab shows sustained efficacy and low structural progression in ankylosing spondylitis: 4-year results from the measure 1 study. Rheumatology2019;58:859–68.doi:10.1093/rheumatology/key375
Haibel H,
de Hooge M, et al
. Spinal radiographic progression over 2 years in ankylosing spondylitis patients treated with secukinumab: a historical cohort comparison. Arthritis Res Ther2019;21.doi:10.1186/s13075-019-1911-1
Contributors The author wrote this article without the contribution of other authors.
Competing interests During the previous 10 years, the author received honoraria and/or consulting fees and/or travel and accomodation support at scientific meetings from AbbVie, BMS, Celgene, Chugai/Roche, Janssen, Eli Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB Pharma.
Patient consent for publication Not required.


Our custom putting greens range from $12.00 – $25.00 per sq. ft. depending on the size, location, and elevation of your property.
How is our turf different from other synthetic turf?
The difference between our turf fibers and other synthetic turf begins with the manufacturing process. Our specially designed spring set turf fibers are manufactured to interlock with each other, creating a realistic bent fiber look, just like "real bent grass" greens.
Note: Most deep sand-filled synthetic turf has straight end fibers that must be sand filled and periodically rolled with a heavy water-filled sod roller. Our turf fibers have been manufactured to stand-up naturally. Unlike other synthetic fibers, our fibers have been made with a dulled finish, rather than made shinny. This helps create a natural, real looking green.
How Realistic Is our turf? – our turf is so realistic it putts the same speed as most PGA greens. It is the most realistic synthetic bent-grass turf on the market.
How does the turf hold up in an outdoor environment?
Our turf is assembled using the finest UV-treated polypropylene & nylon, water-resistant fibers. Our turf carries a 8 year limited warranty against excessive wear and fading, and resists normal rain, wind, and sun.
Is the Turf maintenance free?
Our non-sand filled turf is as maintenance free as it gets, even when partially infill assisted/weighted. Our specially designed, interlocking spring set fibers help hold the infill in place, while stabilizing the root of the fiber. Even our infill-assisted/weighted greens are virtually maintenance free. Once installed, just keep the leaves and debris off the surface, just like you would with a real putting green. You can even vacuum our turf!!!
Don't be fooled by other companies that state their turf product is totally "maintenance free." This is as far from the truth as it gets. Unlike our turf, synthetic sand-filled greens require periodic sanding, top dressing, sweeping and water rolling.
Why shouldn't I install a real grass putting green?
Real bent grass putting greens are very expensive to install and require expensive daily maintenance. Just ask a golf course superintendent or anyone who has owed a real grass putting green about the required maintenance, and I'm sure you will not want a real bent grass green in your yard.
Can our Putting Green be sculptured with breaks and undulations?
Yes! Our Putting Green can be made to look just like real grass tour greens.
What size or shape can our Putting Green be?
Just about any size or shape you want can be constructed.
Yes! Our special shock-absorbing backing, coupled with the spring action inter-locking fibers, makes our surface "check-up," similar to most real grass greens. Please keep in mind that no synthetic putting surface will hold a ball exactly like a real tour green, and don't let anyone tell you differently. Our greens are as close as it gets to real grass greens.
Is our turf the same style synthetic turf that you see installed on miniature putt-putt courses?
No, absolutely not! Miniature golf turf is usually installed as a glue down on a cement, and their fibers are short and not very dense. They putt very fast, and the turf does not last very long.
Where can our turf be installed?
Virtually anywhere, including any areas where natural grass can't grow (e.g., desert areas and extreme cold climates). All you need is a fairly level surface with a porous base that allows rainwater to seep into the ground through perforated holes in the backing of the lawn grass. The turf comes in 15-foot widths that can easily be cut to fit any size or shape.
Our synthetic grass ranges from $7.00-$15.00 a square foot depending on size, elevation, product, and location.
Can you sculpt our turf around walkways, pools, plants or trees?
Yes. You can install our turf around all types of obstacles, just like real sod grass. As a matter of fact, in most cases, our grass is easier to install than sod because it comes in wider widths and longer lengths.
What holds the turf down and in place?
The turf's own weight (approximately 1-2 pound per square foot) will usually be enough to weight down the turf, but some infill is required to help the fibers stand up naturally and prevent "matting." Additionally, this infill will assist in weighing down the turf so it doesn't wrinkle, shift or move. Sand seems to be the most popular, and least costly.
How does the cost of our turf compare to installing a natural real grass lawn?
When you compare the costs and tasks required for a natural real grass lawn care, such as watering, mowing, weeding, edging, fertilizing, and spraying of toxic pesticides, it's only a matter of time before a lawn actually pays for itself.
Is our turf safe for playgrounds?
Yes, as with a real grass lawn, safety when playing should be a primary concern. We have made available a fall zone rated safety under-layment pad along with a shock absorbing antibacterial infill. With these added materials it meets a fall zone rating up to 9′.
Our turf fibers are UV-protected and have been manufactured to resemble real grass. There has been extensive research and development to get these advanced fibers to the point they are today. Please refer to the Product Information section for addition details. All of our turf is made in the USA.
Is the turf the same style synthetic turf that you see installed on patios as indoor/outdoor carpet?
No, absolutely not. Indoor/outdoor turf is usually installed as a glue-down on a cement pad and the fibers are short and not very dense. This style of turf grass does not look realistic, and it does not last long in hostile climates. Our product looks like real grass!
How long will our turf last in outdoor environments and does it fade?
Our turf carries a 8-year limited warranty against excessive wear, fading and sun.
With our turf, it's relatively easy to keep your turf looking beautiful all year long. Our turf is hassle-free and as maintenance-free as it gets. Once installed, just keep leaves and debris off the surface. If you see any weeds, just spray or pull them as you would with your real grass lawn.
How do I keep my turf clean, especially when I have pets?
Our turf is even easier to keep clean than real grass. Use a rake or blower to clean up leaves. To remove animal feces, scoop it up and wash the area with a garden hose, just like you would real grass. Urine flows through just like rainwater, but please keep in mind, in dry, arid areas, a periodic rinse down with a garden hose is recommended.
During the manufacturing process, our turf is specifically perforated with holes engineered to accommodate the normal drainage requirements of rain and snowstorms. The water simply drains through the small drainage holes into the ground. During heavy rains, some water will run off the top of the surface just as it would with natural grass or dirt. This is actually a big advantage over rock, since the infill allows for evaporation and the perforated holes encourage vertical drainage.
Is our turf subject to mold?
No, with proper drainage, standing or pooling water is eliminated and thus the mold is not an issue.
Will bugs be attracted to the synthetic turf?
No. Our turf doesn't offer any nutrients for bugs to feed on. As a result, they will likely move to a yard with real grass. In addition, bugs have a difficult time coming through the perforated rubber backing.
Why should I install a synthetic lawn?
Real grass lawns are not only expensive, but they require irrigation and weekly maintenance, such as mowing, watering, fertilizing, thatching, wedding, edging, toxic chemical pesticides and winter over-seeding. Our lawns save you these expenses and hassles, and will actually help increase property value. As well, our turf helps preserve natural resources, cuts down on yard waste in landfills and helps reduce pollution from lawn mowers.
See our turf, plants, trees & grass on display in our showroom.


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International Women's Day 2020 | Discover Education Blog
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Friday, 6th March 2020
Jo Coles
International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day set aside to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This year it is celebrated on Sunday 8th March. The first IWD gathering was in 1911, and signified a call to action for accelerating and promoting women's equality.
The theme for IWD2020 is #EachForEqual with the focus that an equal world is an enabled world, and with gender equality throughout all walks of life being the aim.
One aspect of gender equality is that of occupation, employment and education. Historically speaking, women across the world have experienced fewer years in education, been stereotyped into certain roles and received unequal pay. As educators, it is part of our responsibility to encourage the next generation to feel confident to pursue any field of study or employment. We also need to excite and enthuse our students, and one way to do this is to consider examples of real women working in previously male-dominated fields, such as science.
This year we have interviewed Dr Sylvia Knight of the Royal Meteorological Society.
Q: How did you get into your chosen field of work?
A: After A-levels, I did a Natural Science degree at Cambridge University, specialising in physics and geology. It's fair to say that this degree opened up the path to everything I have done since – a PhD in Meteorology at Reading University, followed by post-doctoral positions at Reading, Oxford, Imperial and the Open University. Through these posts, I moved gradually from a research-focused to an outreach-focused role, and so when the job of Education Officer at the Royal Meteorological Society was advertised, it was the perfect opportunity. I've been at the society for 13 years now, during which time the job has changed immensely, but broadly speaking, my role is to support the teaching of weather and climate in UK schools.
Q: What inspired you to follow this field?
My dad had enjoyed being a meteorological observer during his National Service, and although I didn't like being asked what I wanted to do when I left school it was always an area I suspected I would really enjoy.
A: Geography and physics were my favourite subjects at school, and meteorology is one of the natural meeting places of the two. I've always been interested in the weather: it is 'down to earth physics'. This inspires me far more than other 'trendy' areas of physics. I've always worked very conceptually, and love finding ways of explaining physical processes to different audiences.
Q: What challenges have you faced?
…women were a tiny minority…
A: In my undergraduate physics cohort, women were a tiny minority but, for me at least, I never really felt that that mattered. Maybe that's because we had tremendous support from our college. Meteorology is far better mixed in terms of gender. The challenges have been more to do with short term contracts (I was on 3 month contracts for a couple of years, largely responsible for finding my own ongoing funding) and finding places where two married academics could both work. I seem to have ended up doing most of the commuting.
Now, my biggest challenge is how to reach the teachers and schools who probably most need our support, but who are not in the habit of looking to learned societies or indeed externally for CPD or teaching resources.
Q: What's the most memorable moment of your career?
A: When you introduce yourself to someone new as a meteorologist, there are two responses most common – either 'is that something to do with meteors', or 'so are you on the TV then?'. The answer to the second question is no, except that once I was asked to be the 'expert' on 'Britain's Wildest Weather' on Channel 4. They didn't show very much of me, but I wasn't prepared for how many people would see it – or how often it would be repeated, even years later. That was quite fun, and my kids were utterly bemused when I was stopped on the street or asked about it in shops, but it is not something I'm particularly keen to repeat.
Another memorable moment was briefing the Environment Minister for Kazakhstan on climate change at very short notice.
Other fun things I have been involved with included making the forecasts for an attempt on the highest balloon flight record and working with a German theatre company to develop our climate negotiations resources, which truly gave me a different perspective on a learning 'experience'.
Q: What would you like to achieve in your career?
A: No idea, I've still not got a career plan! I just want to carry on being really passionate about what I do, and enjoying it. Actually, having a really good reason to go to Antarctica has been a long-held ambition too.
Q: What would be your advice to the next generation to encourage them to enter a STEM career?
we need young people equipped for careers who will develop solutions to climate change
A: There are so many opportunities that a good STEM background can provide. At the moment in particular, we need young people to be equipped for careers as meteorologists, climate scientists or engineers who will develop solutions which will allow us to avoid or adapt to climate change.
Dr Sylvia Knight, FRMetS PhD, is the Head of Education for the Royal Meteorological Society. Sylvia works frequently in schools and educational institutions to improve understanding of weather and climate and raise awareness for climate change, as well as aiming to engage a younger audience with weather science and empowering teachers to deliver quality weather education and fieldwork. Through her work she has trained hundreds of teachers, delivered a wide range of CPD, developed countless teaching resources, and developed online course materials that have been accessed by over 23,000 individuals.
Over-tourism in Iceland – myths dispelled by the experts
Don't be put off Iceland. We'll tell you the facts about tourism in Iceland you need to know!
Friday, 10th November 2017
Ten volcanoes you can visit with Discover the World Education
What are your favourite volcanoes? We have picked ten very different volcanoes you can visit with us, from the Azores to New Zealand.
10 Air Travel Tips For Effortless School Trips
We asked former teachers and current group tour leaders for their advice on how to make your journey as smooth as possible, from Departures to Arrivals.
Wednesday, 14th February 2018
Experience Iceland – Classroom Ideas
How to use our new GIS video map - GIS Iceland
Thursday, 25th April 2019
Why You Should Visit West Iceland
A day or two in the West fits in nicely to a 5 day itinerary including the Golden Circle highlights so you don't have to choose between them.
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Area of use: Brazil - Distrito Federal.
Area of use: Brazil - offshore - Santos basin.
Area of use: Brazil - offshore - Campos basin.
Area of use: Brazil - Tucano basin south.
Area of use: Brazil - Tucano basin central.
Area of use: Brazil - Tucano basin north.
Area of use: Brazil - offshore - Pelotas basin.