Going the Distance is a short, non-linear adventure for Cyberblues City involving crime bosses, boxers and cyborg bears.
And here's the cyborg bear I mentioned.
The new Deluxe edition includes a brand new, off-the-wall setting, Cyberblues London and all new artwork.
I'm very lucky. Somehow I've managed to write, publish* and sell three half decent game systems – Golden Heroes**, Squadron UK and The Comics Code (et al).
That should be enough for anyone and I really should settle down to refining what I've already got and producing supplemental material for it.
But, no, I've got a yearning to write something else. A game halfway between by full-trad stuff (SqUK) and my lightweight "Code" games. Something truly multi-genre.
3) A superb front cover. As soon as you start promoting the game, you need something for people to lock onto. It doesn't matter how good your game is inside the book, the first impression people get is the Cover. It has to tell readers about your game in a single glance and convince them to read the blurb. I've been blessed with the two artists who have done my covers (Dave Eadie and Shane Mitchell).
But I'm about to go around play-testing it and conventions want a NAME to put on their web-sites. Also casual players will be more likely to sign up for a game of "Unbounded" as opposed to "Simon Burley's new RPG".
So, yes, I came up with the name "Unbounded" just as a placeholder on websites etc. only to be contacted by a fellow designer who has been working on a game with a similar title. Not being wedded to the title, I'm now going to change it but coming up a new one is proving hard. I came up with a new one but a quick web search has shown it's already been used. This is the first time in over thirty years of writing RPGs that I've found it this hard.
To be honest, I never liked the title "Golden Heroes" anyway!
** GH was co-authored by Pete Haines, a design genius who came up with many of the original ideas. In fact, he also came up with the Squadron UK tag for one of his Superpowered teams for GH – which I later appropriated for my second game.
Golden Heroes: because the first two Superhero RPGs (Superhero 2044 and 1st Ed. Villains and Vigilantes) didn't simulate the comics.
Squadron UK: anger when Games Workshop sent me a "cease and desist" letter when I tried to resurrect GH.
The Comics Code: So I didn't have to carry loads of kit to Conventions in Scotland and Dorset. I can now take everything I need in a single piece of hand luggage, meaning I can fly up to Scotland. Also to fit in the shorter game slots favoured by many conventions.


Modern map showing the location of the tunnel, where to park and how to get there. If you go and if you take some decent light painted pics, please send me a couple. Thanks! The public footpath leading to the north portall of the tunnel (which is behind the fallen tree in the distance).
The north portal. Close up. You can just see the other end. About 50yds in.
The odd sleeper survives. Is this the most ineffective attempt to block a tunnel in the universe? On the other side of the, erm, barrier it starts to get moist.
To get out the other end I had to get wet feet - even with wellies on and, after all that, I forgot to take a pic! (btw, It's very muddy and wet outside for quite a way and either side of the trackbed). Looking back from the water at the south portal. Heading back to the north portal and the barrier.


Computer researchers from the Austrian Graz University of Technology have identified two major bugs, named Meltdown and Spectre, in the main chip of most modern computers—the CPU. It's really a design flaw in the hardware that has been there, in some cases, for over 20 years. The Meltdown and Spectre bugs affect all Intel, AMD, and ARM based processors. This is a big deal because that includes almost every computer on the market; including your PC, laptop, tablet, smart phone, and even business workstations and servers.
These hardware bugs allow malicious programs to steal data that is being processed in computer memory. Normally, applications are not able to do that because they are isolated from each other and the operating system. These hardware bugs can break that isolation.
If malicious software gets installed and runs on your computer, criminals may be able to access your passwords. This includes data stored in a password manager or browser, your emails, instant messages and even business-critical documents. This can be devastating.
What Can You Do About Meltdown & Spectre?
You need to install updates and security patches on all of your devices to protect against the threat of Meltdown and Spectre. However, this is going to take some time, as some of the patches are not even available yet. Check often for updates on Windows, Mac, and iOS and Android Devices to make sure those devices are fully up to date. This is only a software fix for a hardware issue, however. The issue will not be permanently resolved until new CPUs are manufactured that do not have this flaw in their design. That is a process that could take a few years (just in design and engineering alone).
In the meantime, you need to be extra cautious, with security on the top of your mind. Always think before you click – the malicious software needs to find it's way on to your device first. Avoid clicking unknown links in emails, popups, or installing unknown software. Also, hang-up on anyone calling you claiming to be tech support from Microsoft or the like (this is always a scam).
Appel Technology Solutions, LLC is always available to help. We offer security check-ups that can verify that your devices are up-to-date and secure.Visit the Contact Us page or call us at 570-851-0925.
© 2018 Appel Technology Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.


Cry Baby Sour Bubble Gum -- Fun Cheap Prize for Older Kids!
Brightly colored Cry Baby Sour Bubble Gum is great fun for older kids and teens! These Sour Bubble Gum Balls make great consolation prizes for older kids and even are a fun item to give your teen volunteers as a treat! Pick some up for your carnival this year!


Meet Wednesday! This sweet girl is looking for her forever home and is hoping that it will be with you. She is a little shy at first but once you get her in your arms she warms up right away. Wednesday originally came to us after her sibling passed and would love to have a friend to keep her company! She has lived with children before and could continue to as long as they are respectful of her space and how to hold her. If Wednesday sounds like a good fit for your family, stop by the shelter to meet her today!


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in CDs, Opinion, Sources, Vinyl
No, vinyl did not outsell CDs in the UK in 2022
by John January 16, 2023, 15:10
Let's start with a quick thought experiment. The Essential Turntable Belt Co. makes two types of turntable belt. The first, a BudgetBelt™ made of basic rubber, sells for €1. The second, the LuxuriousBelt™ (containing rare earth metals), sells for €10,000. Now for some recent sales figures. In 2022, the Essential Turntable Belt Co. sold 1000 units of its BudgetBelt™ (to net €1000 in revenue) but only one of its LuxuriousBelt™ (for €10,000 in revenue). Now we ask: which was the best-selling belt model?
We'll get to the answer shortly. But first, a twist.
Just after Christmas, the UK's Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) sent out a press release to the mainstream press about 2022's physical music format music sales, in which they omitted the number of units sold of each format to focus solely on revenue generated. From ERA's press release: "vinyl album sales grew 11% to £150.5m, while CD album sales fell 17.4% to £124m, the first time vinyl outsold CD by value since 1987."
But nowhere did those two very important words – "by value" – make it to the ensuing headlines or a BBC news radio report.
On December 28th, a Sky News headline read "Vinyl sales overtake CDs for the first time in 35 years – and the best sellers might surprise you". The following day, DJ Mag went with "Vinyl outsells CDs in the UK for first time in 35 years". On 10th January, Music Week and the NME breathed new life into the story with "Vinyl outsells CD for first time in 35 years as total music sales reach £2 billion" and "Vinyl outsells CD for first time in 35 years" respectively.
If we were to apply the same reporting logic to the Essential Turntable Belt Co.'s 2022 sales figures, we would headline our article: "The LuxuriousBelt™ was 2022's best seller". Only in the article's body would we clarify that our claim was based on revenue generated and not on units shifted.
But we've been here before, haven't we?
Anyone with a passing interest in physical formats knows that buying a new album on vinyl is more expensive than buying the same new album on CD. How much more expensive? On the narrow end, we might see a vinyl version of an album selling for 50% more than the CD. But get into double album territory – where two or three pieces of vinyl are required – and that retail price delta might jump to 100%. With such a large price disparity, is it any wonder that vinyl makes more money for the UK music industry than CDs?
Fortunately, a report by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) published last week provides greater clarity on sales data:
"There were 11.6 million CDs and 5.5 million vinyl LPs purchased across the year, as well as 195,000 cassettes and 3.7 million album downloads. Vinyl LPs represented 31.7% of all physical purchases as sales grew for a 15th consecutive year and reached their highest level in over 30 years (stretching back to 1990)."
Read it again: 11.6m CDs and 5.5m vinyl LPs.
In other words, in the UK in 2022, CDs outsold vinyl two-to-one. In 2021, it was closer to three-to-one with 14m CDs and 5m vinyl LPs sold.
Just as the LuxuriousBelt™ did not outsell the BudgetBelt™ in our thought experiment, vinyl did NOT outsell CDs in the UK last year.
Further information: BPI
I shall be discussing this article with Michael Lavorgna in a forthcoming episode of the Darko.Audio podcast.
BPICDERAUKvinyl
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Musical Fidelity introduces Nu-Vista PRE, PAS & PAM

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Who is the Transcendent Team??
Cris grew up in Central New York, the Finger Lakes region to be exact. She grew up on a farm and started her life journey with animals with horses and dogs at a young age. She rode and showed medium and large pony hunters until she graduated to a young Thoroughbred/Quarter horse cross who never had a saddle on him before. With that young horse, Cris began to learn how to work and communicate with animals on a deeper level and become a trainer. She took a bit of a break from horses and dogs as she attended college. But as an adult, she found her way back to sharing her life with a working partner.
Lars is Cris' 8 year old male Rottweiler and he too hails from Upstate New York. Lars is also known as URO2 UCD UCH Deerwood's Larson Bravo Zulu UD GN RAE NJP NAP NFP OCC OJC TG-E EAC O-WV-E S-TN-E APDT RL2 AOE-L1, L2 HIC TT CGC TDI (All Breed Obedience High in Trial Winner - 2010 American Rottweiler Club Agility Top 10 - 2011 Colonial Rottweiler Club Agility Top 10 - 2012 American Rottweiler Club Open Obedience Top 10 2013 - American Rottweiler Club Final Rally Top Ten - NADAC Novice/Open Versatility - 2012, 2013 NADAC Judge's Choice Award - 2012, 2013 NADAC #1 Rottweiler.) He and Cris have been very successful in rally-obedience, competitive obedience and agility. Currently, Lars is working on his AKC Utility Dog Excellent (UDX) title, AKC Obedience Master (OM) title and higher levels of AKC agility. It seems that he has taken on the role of what Cris believes to be her once in a lifetime dog.
Not only is he an accomplished performance dog, Lars spends some of his free time at the local library as their Tail Waggin' Tutor with Therapy Dog International, Inc. He helps children practice their reading skills by being an active listener and helps them build confidence with their reading. He's become quite a popular character at the library with not only the kids and their parents, but with the librarians too!
Ocean is Cris' 4 year old and her newest performance dog. Ocean's alias is Deerwood's Oh Stars on the Water! RE OAP OJP XFP PD SPS SPJ APG SPR NJC TN-O APDT RL1 AOE-L1 HIC CGC (2013, 2015 American Rottweiler Club Agility Top 10, 2015 American Rottweiler Club Rally Advanced and Excellent Top 10) and he comes from Upstate New York as well. He and Lars are very closely related. They are cousins and their mothers are litter mates. Ocean is an excellent example of "You don't get the dog you want, you get the dog you need." When Ocean came to live with Cris, her husband, and Lars...none of them were thinking about bringing a puppy into the house. But, they decided to let fate bring them a new family member two years ahead of their planned schedule and see what sort of purpose Ocean had for them.
Ocean's performance forte is dog agility and he has been competing in AKC and USDAA agility. He shows great drive and power when running an agility course. He runs agility with conviction and confidence. As he is maturing, it's becoming apparent, Ocean will be a powerhouse of an agility dog. While Ocean is learning all about competitive obedience, he is also actively competing in three venues of Rally Obedience. Watch out for this Kidd-O because he is well on his way of becoming a working dog force to be reckoned with like his "big brother," Lars.
Home / Who is the Transcendent Team??


Tech5 will always remain an organization that combines state of the art technology and exceptional human resources to develop and leverage value to our clients.
Tech5 holds to an "old fashioned" business philosophy that is based on the provision of real value and development of synergistic partnerships to ensure long term sustainability and growth.
Initially, the company provided radio-based communication infrastructure to emergency services, a field that requires mission-critical "always on" communication capabilities.
As a result of this service the company developed the most extensively available privately owned Wireless network in KwaZulu-Natal.
The expansion of the company into an Internet Service Provider that carried over the philosophy of "always on" connectivity to the provision of highly reliable Internet connectivity was a logical step forward.
At present Tech5 is a Second Tier Internet Service Provider and is one of a select group of ISPs to have been awarded a Value Added Network Service Provider (VANS) license by ICASA confirming that the company is considered to be sufficiently excellent, both in terms of technology and service/support provision enabling it to provide services above and beyond the norm in a reliable fashion. Tech5 provides support to numerous third tier ISPs and is acknowledged to be a technological leader in its field.
However, unlike the vast majority competitors Tech5 delivers connectivity across the full range of spectra – analogue and digital fibre, wireless ground wave and satellite.
Tech5 can design and support a solution that is customized to the specific needs of the client in a cost-effective manner backed by experienced support staff.
Tech5 is one of the very few ISPs in Southern Africa that can honestly claim to be able to provide clients with an integrated, secure "ubiquitous" computing solution that will seamlessly integrate their entire operation in terms of data management and control in a secure environment.
The company also engages in software development and provides both specialized and general hardware support to its extensive client base. Tech5 only accepts a commission once a thorough needs analysis is completed, client expectations are discussed, agreed to and a firm commitment that is backed by on time delivery project management plan is in place.
Tech5 is a preferred service provider to organizations that require extremely reliable and secure Internet connectivity for amongst other services: secure banking, real-time video surveillance, the provision of Virtual Private Networks to Corporate clients and ecologically friendly wireless networks for golfing estates and other luxury community developments.
Tech5 is a national service provider capable of designing, implementing and supporting extensive WAN services.
Having built up strong relationships with an extensive supplies network, Tech5 has positioned itself as a channel partner, not only acting as distributors but trusted as a valuable technical research and development source often engaged in pre-launch and product development partnerships. To this end, Tech5 has enjoyed privileges beyond the scope of many aspiring ICT companies and has made critical contributions to various projects.
The breadth of services across various media and platforms, combined with a highly skilled team of developers and technicians has enabled Tech5 to provide customized multi spectrum solutions to our client base. These solutions have become an important ingredient in their product offering, providing them with a sustainable competitive advantage in their market segments.


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Australia Is Complicit in Israel's Atrocity Crimes: An Interview With ACIJ's Rawan Arraf
19/05/2021 by Paul Gregoire
As the violence in Palestine-Israel continues to escalate, so too does the mainstream media's focus on the rockets Hamas is launching out of Gaza, despite their impact being dwarfed by the force of the sophisticated weaponry being unleashed upon civilians by the sizable Israeli defence forces.
Much has been made of Hamas rockets being fired before the initial Israeli airstrikes, however, less is being said about Israeli police having attacked unarmed Palestinians in a mosque and elsewhere in Jerusalem's Old City – with over 700 injured – prior to the cross border conflict erupting.
Since the fighting broke out on the evening of 3 May, 200 Palestinian civilians in Gaza have been killed, over 6,000 have been injured and at least 48,000 have been left homeless. In terms of the death toll in Israel, 12 people have been killed by rocket fire, with around 800 injured.
In an effort to suppress information regarding the situation in Gaza, Israel destroyed the building housing the offices of the Associated Press and Al Jazeera on Saturday. And it's now threatened to destroy two Palestinian schools, which are to be used to house internally displaced persons.
Canberra's problematic ties
In a 13 May joint statement, Palestinian and Australian human rights organisations called on the Morrison government to drop consideration of entering into a free trade agreement with Israel and review current trade cooperation in light of what's unfolding in the Gaza Strip.
The statement outlines that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is currently undertaking an inquiry into whether our government should strengthen its trade ties with Israel and potentially enter into a free trade agreement with the nation, which came into being in 1948.
The Palestinian Human Rights Organisations Council and the Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) assert that the evidence that apartheid Israel is deriving economic benefits from subjugating the Palestinian people is stark and should warrant a halt to trade ties.
The ACIJ has previously condemned the Australian government for attempting to block the International Criminal Court from investigating international crimes allegedly perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians in the occupied territories. The ICC has ruled to proceed with the inquiry.
Upholding international law
Established in early 2019, the Australian Centre for International Justice is a not-for-profit legal centre advocating for the prosecution of international crimes, with the aim of bringing about justice for the survivors of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Rawan Arraf is the executive director of the ACIJ. Prior to starting up the centre, the Palestinian Australian lawyer worked for the Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS), where she advocated on behalf of those in offshore detention, as well as on the citizenship claims of the stateless.
Sydney Criminal Lawyers spoke with Rawan Arraf about the bias in the mainstream media reporting on the conflict, the problematic trade ties that our government has with Israel, and the noticeable shift in wider support for the Palestinian cause.
Executive Direcor of the Australian Centre for International Justice Rawan Arraf
Firstly, since the current outbreak of violence in Palestine-Israel, close to 200 Palestinian civilians have been killed in Gaza, with over a quarter of that number being children.
There's been a lot of criticism about the mainstream media's focus on the rockets being fired out of Gaza by Hamas, rather than the Israeli airstrikes.
Rawan, can you elaborate upon why this reporting has been so problematic?
The Palestinian narrative often encounters this significant problem where Israel's narrative and its justifications are constantly privileged over the Palestinian narrative.
There are several reasons for this. The first is that there's a lack of curiosity on the part of the media to understand the issues better. There's also an element of racism that discounts the value of Palestinian life and right to freedom from oppression.
But we also have to acknowledge that the Israel lobby is quite active in many western countries. It lobbies media organisations incessantly.
Part of the consequence of this harassment is that it makes journalists fearful about how they report on the issue. That's fundamentally part of the problem.
The cross-border conflict began on the night of 3 May. On the morning prior, Israeli authorities attacked unarmed Palestinian worshipers inside the al-Aqsa mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The police fired rubber bullets upon a morning prayer session, injuring 300 worshippers.
What sort of justification has been given for attacking unarmed people gathered in a mosque?
It's the very typical Israeli justification for targeting Palestinian civilians, civilian property and essential infrastructure – blaming everything on Hamas. Of course, before Hamas existed there were other justifications used by Israel.
The broader point to make is that Israel sees any Palestinian as a threat to its settler colonial reality.
Australians should reflect on the power dynamics – and the asymmetry of power – this is fundamental to understanding the issue.
The basis of this conflict is that Israel has built a settler colonial society by subjugating and oppressing the Palestinian people.
If Australians understand this as the basis of where we are today, then everything else becomes much easier to understand and Israel's justifications would be dismissed as misleading information.
On 15 May, Israeli forces destroyed the building that housed the Gaza offices of the Associated Press and Al Jazeera. Journalists and staff were given a one hour warning to vacate the building.
What does this development tell us about how the Netanyahu government is approaching the current escalation in violence?
It's a reflection of Israel continuing to act with impunity. And that impunity is encouraged by the international community, including the Australian government.
As Palestinians have been saying for decades, the international community must act within their obligations under international law to hold Israel accountable for such crimes.
Whether that be through the mechanisms available to the international community through the UN Security Council – of course, we know what the problem is there – or through other effective measures such as through targeted sanctions regimes that countries can impose.
Australia has the ability to implement targeted sanctions against Israeli officials and entities that are directly involved or complicit in these ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people.
But we know that the Australian government is in lockstep with the Israeli government and provides cover and encouragement for its crimes. This, again, is part of the problem that needs to be remedied.
The Australian people have an opportunity to call their government to account for its unconditional support of Israel.
State and territory governments are also implicated through various agreements and cooperation programs with Israeli entities that are directly responsible for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Palestine.
In light of the unrest, the ACIJ and other Palestinian human rights organisations called on the Australian government to halt its consideration of entering into a proposed free trade agreement with Israel.
In your opinion, was consideration of this trade agreement problematic prior to the current escalation. And how would such an arrangement impact Palestinians?
The Australian government's trade cooperation with Israel needs to be urgently reviewed, because it is complicit in Israel's crimes through numerous trade and defence cooperation agreements.
These agreements need to be suspended, because they breach our international obligations as a third state under international law to ensure that we're not encouraging illegal situations.
This includes Israel's military occupation and the regime of apartheid implemented against the Palestinian people.
The impacts of these agreements on the Palestinian people are grave. We know that Israel exploits its occupation through its appropriation of Palestinian land and its extensive and illegal settlement enterprise.
It exploits Palestinian' natural resources for its own economic benefit. These are all crimes under international law, and Australia's criminal code.
This is all done at the expense of the Palestinian people, while Palestinian economic growth is continually stunted by Israeli crimes and actions daily.
This should not be rewarded. These crimes must be called out. Australia cannot be encouraging them by entering into free trade with Israel.
We set out ten recommendations the Australian government must undertake in order to comply with its own obligations under international law to not encourage illegal situations and deprive Palestinian people their fundamental human rights.
Last Saturday, thousands turned out in support of the Palestinian people at a Sydney rally. This was echoed nationwide, as well as around the globe.
Some have suggested that while the mainstream media continues to reflect a bias towards Israel, there has been a grassroots shift in support towards the Palestinian cause.
As a Palestinian-Australian, would you say a change has occurred in how the broader public are perceiving what's unfolding in Palestine-Israel?
Yes. In speaking with Palestinians and their supporters around the world, we have seen a dramatic shift, and that could be related to a number of reasons.
We have seen a global reckoning with the structural injustices related to race and power, reflected in the Black Lives Matter movement in the US, but also here in Australia, and a growing movement for justice for First Nations people and Aboriginal Lives Matter.
This has helped people understand the basis for Palestinian oppression, under Israel's settler colonial regime.
When you are able to view the issue in this context, then it becomes easier to understand what Israel is doing to the Palestinian people and has been doing for the last seven decades.
The Australian Centre for International Justice advocates for the prosecution of atrocity crimes. Looking at what's been taking place over the last week in Palestine through an international crime lens, how would you sum up what's taking place?
In the occupied West Bank what we are seeing is systematic human rights abuses, such as the ethnic cleansing of the Sheik Jarrah residents.
These acts do not only amount to war crimes, but also encompass acts which contribute to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution.
We recently saw Human Rights Watch issue a landmark report that analyses what's happening in the occupied Palestinian territory as acts amounting to the commission of the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution.
But what we are also seeing again is the Israeli campaign of flattening Gaza. Every few years, Israel wages intense warfare from the sky against defenceless people.
We are witnessing serious and numerous breaches of international humanitarian law, which amount to war crimes. It's important to note that these are also offences under Australia's criminal code.
There is the targeting of the civilian population and property in Gaza, vital civilian infrastructure, the targeting of media organisations, health clinics and even roads that lead to hospitals.
This is part and parcel of Israel's decades of continuing crimes against the Palestinian people.
And lastly, Australian PM Scott Morrison said last Friday that Israel has a right to defend itself. Foreign Minister Marise Payne called on all parties to refrain from violence.
Rawan, what's your take on how the Morrison government is responding to the crisis? And in your opinion, how should it react?
Unfortunately, the Morrison government has been the most pro-Israeli government that we have seen in Australian history.
This was reflected last year, when the Australian government intervened at the International Criminal Court to prevent an investigation into Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity from taking place.
Australia acted on the encouragement of the Israeli government. And we know that because DFAT acknowledged this at Senate Estimates last year.
The Australian government acted on the request of the Israeli government to intervene and stop an investigation into serious crimes from happening. That's appalling.
It shows a double standard towards the human rights of the Palestinian people and their right to seek justice and accountability for the crimes against them.
As I said earlier, it is a reflection of Australia's encouragement of Israel's impunity for ongoing crimes against Palestinians.
To go back to your question, what the Australian government should be doing is condemning Israel for its grave abuses and taking action against Israel so that it would stop its ongoing daily crimes against the Palestinian people.
The Morrison government is doing the opposite. And I would argue that the majority of Australians wouldn't support the Morrison government's position in its unconditional support to Israel at the expense of Palestinian rights.
Paul Gregoire
Paul Gregoire is a Sydney-based journalist and writer. He has a focus on social justice issues and encroachments upon civil liberties. Prior to Sydney Criminal Lawyers®, he wrote for VICE and was the news editor at Sydney's City Hub. Paul is the winner of the 2021 NSW Council of Civil Liberties Award For Excellence In Civil Liberties Journalism.
Morrison's Jerusalem Moment: The Damage Done
Australia Gives the Nod to Israeli Expansion in Occupied Palestine
Morrison's Jerusalem Fiasco: Diplomacy in a Wet Paper Bag
Israel "Constitutionally" Enshrines Its Apartheid System
Apartheid Israel Unleashes Terror Campaign Upon Palestinians in Gaza
Apartheid Israel Destroys Gaza Press Tower in Attempt to Silence Journalists
SEE PREVIOUS The International Crime of Genocide Continues to Be Perpetrated Globally
SEE NEXT Inmates Continue to Be Denied Medicare: An Interview With NSPTRP's Connie Georgatos


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The 2 days and 1 night Cappadocia tour will begin form Istanbul and will end at the bus station in Cappadocia. From the bus station we can provide bus tickets to travel to Antalya, Pamukkale, Selcuk, Izmir or Istanbul as per your itinerary.
04:30 You will be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul and transfered to airport.
08:15 Upon arrival at the airport you will be transferred to Cappadocia where you will meet your professional tour guide to begin your 2-days Cappadocia tour.
After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel in Cappadocia for check-in. Overnight in Cappadocia.
KAYMAKLI: Kaymakli underground cities are the two largest and deepest of the 40 others in Cappadocia. They both have eight floors, although not all are open to the public.
There are two available options at the end of the Cappadocia tour.
Option 1: You can end your tour in Cappadocia. This will be the end of our service.
Option 2: You can choose to be transferred to Kayseri Airport to take a domestic flight or be transferred to the Cappadocia main bus station to take a bus to another destination e.g. Antalya, Pamukkale, Selcuk, Izmir or Istanbul. This will be the end of our tour service..
Please note that the cost of a domestic flight ticket or bus ticket in Option 2 is not included in the tour price.


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No matter what the function – from retail space to athletic facilities – let Spectra-Grid™ bring the power of color to your next design. Call 888-759-2678 or email sales@majorskylights.com for more details.


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Lieutenant General Richard Ingoldsby (died 1712) was an Anglo-Irish general, who enjoyed the personal regard of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and later played a prominent role in the government of Ireland.

He was the son of Colonel Sir George Ingoldsby, a soldier who came to Ireland with his cousin Oliver Cromwelll, and his wife Mary Gould, daughter of James Gould of Ludden Castle, Corbally, County Limerick. His father was the sixth son of Sir Richard Ingoldsby of Lenborough in Buckinghamshire and Elizabeth Cromwell, aunt of Oliver Cromwell; his uncles included Richard Ingoldsby the regicide, and Sir Henry Ingoldsby, 1st Baronet. His father was granted substantial lands in County Limerick, and acquired other holdings in the same county by marriage: his main residence was Ballybricken Castle. He held a variety of official posts, both under Cromwell and after the Restoration.

Richard was commissioned as an army officer before 1670, but little more is heard of him until 1689. Given his family's republican background, and his family connection to Oliver Cromwell, it was natural that he should welcome the Glorious Revolution, although he inclined to Toryism in later life. He was appointed colonel in 1692 and adjutant-general for the expedition against France. In 1693 he was appointed colonel of the Royal Welch Fusiliers and commanded them at the Siege of Namur. In 1696 he became a brigadier general. He claimed to have suffered serious losses, amounting to £12000, as a result of his support for the Glorious Revolution and petitioned the English Parliament for redress.

He spent some time in Ireland, and was briefly imprisoned for his involvement in a duel between John Methuen, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and Thomas Fitzmaurice, 1st Earl of Kerry. King William III, anxious to avoid a scandal, quickly ordered his release.

During the War of the Spanish Succession he became major general and then lieutenant general. He commanded a division under Marlborough 1702–6, and fought at the Battle of Schellenberg. At the Battle of Blenheim he was second in command of the first line under Charles Churchill. He became colonel of the Royal Irish Regiment in 1705. After 1707 he spent much of his time in Ireland, being by then incapacitated from active service after being seriously wounded. He combined military and political offices: he was commander of the Irish forces Comptroller of the Ordinance and Master of the Horse, and also sat in the Irish House of Commons as member for Limerick City, and wielded considerable political influence locally. Despite his support for the Revolution, he was now seen as a Tory in politics, as was the rest of the Dublin government at the time. He was an Irish Privy Counsellor and Lord Justice of Ireland 1709–10; a letter from Marlborough makes clear that this appointment was his doing, a sign of his personal regard for Ingoldsby. He became rich enough to buy Carton House, ancestral home of the Earl of Kildare, and was recommended for a Peerage shortly before his death.

Ingoldsby died in January 1712 and was buried after an impressive State funeral in Christ Church Cathedral. By his wife Frances Naper, daughter of Colonel James Naper of Loughcrew, County Meath, he had one son, Henry, who also served with the Royal Welch Fusiliers and as MP for Limerick City. He wasted most of his father's fortune on high living in London, and after his death, his heirs were forced to sell Carton back to the Earl of Kildare in 1738.

References

Sources

Walsh, Patrick  A.; Beaumont,  David  "Ingoldsby,  Richard" Cambridge  Dictionary  of  National  Biography 2009

Irish generals
1712 deaths
Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for County Limerick constituencies
English generals
Year of birth unknown
British Army lieutenant generals
Irish MPs 1703–1713
Members of the Privy Council of Ireland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The accommodation briefly compromises of; entrance hallway, open plan kitchen/living/dining area, double bedroom with en suite bathroom, single bedroom and a family bathroom.
The property also benefits from double glazing, electric night storage heating and an external bike store.
Coving, bay window to the rear aspect, electric wall heater and carpet flooring.
Range of kitchen wall, base and drawer units, electric oven and hob, extractor hood, 1.5 bowl sink with mixer tap, tiled splashback, extractor fan, electric wall heater, laminate flooring, laminate worktops and space for dining table.
Integrated storage and wardrobes, en suite bathroom, windows to the rear aspect, carpet flooring and electric floor heater.
Shower enclosure with thermostatic shower, part tiled walls, W/C, pedestal wash basin, karndean flooring, electric wall heater, extractor fan and shaving point.
Electric wall heater, carpet flooring and window to the rear aspect.
Fully tiled walls, karndean flooring, bath with shower attachment, W/C, pedestal wash basin, shaving point, integrated storage, electric wall heater and extractor fan.


Some of you have mentioned your difficulty in creating strings. Whenever I am confronted with that, I resort to something real simple . . . stripes! . . . lines, ribbons, pipes, moldings, borders.
In one of my past lives, I was part owner of a frame shop. I did not do the actual "cut the frame" part, but I often did the custom mat jobs . . . with either "French lines," marbled paper borders or calligraphy.
Now, this has morphed into creating patterned borders around art or photos in a Zentangle way whether with pen and ink or with brush and color.
There is a basic simplicity of tangling within the string of a stripe and then shading on the outer edges to tie it all together.
This is also a fun exercise/challenge to do with tangles that you wouldn't immediately think of as "border" tangles.
I am especially attracted to the unevenness of these stripes and borders because it's obviously hand-made . . . not machine made. So, no worries if your strings aren't perfectly straight or parallel!
wonderful ideas!! I love these tangles.
This, I really like...I'm a 10 year long Scrapbooker, and I've always used clean lines with patterned edgings as opposed to filling my pages, which draws attention away from the photos...so zentangling borders suits me beautifully!
Wonderful idea, and very versatile!
Verrrry beautiful! I love them all!
Simple, but so beautiful and can be used in so many ways! Thanks for sharing.
Maria, this was perfect timing to give me what I needed to finish a humble "namentangle, nomentangle?" for my friend's birthday today. Paula, aka Paulala, that is. I'll email a picture. Thanks!
Maria, you are super amazing, there is something in the air, you have picked up my thought waves in a spooky kind of way... thank you!
Thank you for this. It is perfect timing as I am demonstrating at the fair and have people come up at least once an hour and tell me they "can't do Zentangle because I can't draw a straight line." I will print this out and bring it with me tomorrow. I hope it will encourage lots of people. I know it does me.
Wow... I didn't realize I thought that out loud! Thank you for this. Stunning work and suggestions (as always). I love the frames - I now have a ton of ideas racing around. Must jot some down before I forget them. Thank you so much!
These are fabulous! I love the way they overlap each other. Definitely need to remember how you did this! Very inspiring!
Maria replies . . .


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The Center for Rhetoric in Society
The Center was formed in 2006 in the Department of English. With a mission to investigate language use through rhetorical and narrative analysis to understand significant social problems, the Center serves as an incubator for individual and collaborative research projects, events, and community outreach programs. We ask how language inspires people to action and how writing changes society and why. We search for answers by studying everything from the communication strategies of national social change movements to everyday rhetorics that often go unnoticed and unexamined.
The Council on VT History
T he Council on the History of Virginia Tech has developed a comprehensive approach to the opportunities offered by Virginia Tech's 150th commemoration in 2022. Broad-based programming, reflecting the multiple perspectives of our shared histories, will feature projects connecting students, alumni/ae, faculty, and staff through a wide variety of disciplines and media across the university and beyond.
Voice of Witness
Refugee, Migrant, and Displaced Populations. Faculty and students are involved in several research projects and outreach activities with recently resettled families in the Blacksburg and New River Valley areas. Collaborating with faculty, staff, and students from across the University including History, Science and Technology in Society, the School of Public and International Affairs, the Moss Arts Center, the School of Architecture and Urban Studies, the School of Visual Arts, the Global Forum on Urban and Regional Resilience, and the Office of International Research, Education, & Development, the Center also works with several service agencies and volunteers from the Blacksburg Refugee Partnership, the Roanoke Refugee Partnership, the regional Office of Refugee Resettlement, Blue Ridge Literacy, and others to engage in community activities and reciprocal research. This research has received seed funding from ISCE and from the Voice of Witness Foundation.
The Healthstorian
The Healthstorian is a vintage style camper that has been retrofitted as an audio booth. This mobile "storycorps" camper will go a long way in documenting the history of healthcare and of the health in our community and neighborhoods.
The project is a result of collaboration between partners VTC School of Medicine and Research Institute, Jefferson College of Health Sciences, Carilion Clinic, City of Roanoke Libraries, and several departments at Virginia Tech; especially VT Library System and VT Stories.
The Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
The Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences combines the wide-ranging intellectual exploration of the liberal arts with the technological advantages of a leading university and the civic engagement of a land-grant institution. Recognizing that technology alone is never a solution and that innovation is fundamentally a human achievement, the college brings the perspectives of the arts, humanities, and social sciences to achieve meaningful solutions to complex human problems.
Together, the college's 12 academic departments and two schools offer 31 majors, 60 minors, 39 master's programs, and 32 doctoral programs. The college proudly claims nearly 600 faculty members, more than 4,000 students, and more than 60,000 living graduates.
In the Department of English, we teach students how to think critically and creatively, and we conduct research to advance knowledge about culture, language, and the written word. Our graduate and undergraduate curricula emphasize deep research skills and unbounded creativity, preparing students for successful careers in academia, business, law, and other professions, as well as nonprofit work, teaching, writing, publishing, and the arts. Courses refine students' oral and written communication skills, teaching them to be precise, clear, and inventive stylists.
Additional Partners:
VT Alumni Association
VT Libraries
VT Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS)
VT Department of History
Office of the Provost and Pathways


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by elissa field | May 13, 2016 · 10:30 am
copyright Elissa Field (use w written permission only)
I'm midway through a 4-week break between classes, at the tail end of my Masters. This perfectly coincides with having a printed draft to complete a read-through revision, which makes this a busy writing week.
I've been wrestling with technology — finding the most efficient ways to keep track of complicated novel structures while moving large chunks around. I've written about mid-level novel revisions often, here, and this revision has had its own insights.
This week, I'm debating moving my outline (the structural spine devised to guide the revisions) into Excel. Complete nerdfest: that allows me to not only graph the chapters and parts, but graph key reveals, reactions, crossing of internal and external conflicts… Not word-nerdy enough? I've been obsessively analyzing concepts of action-reaction — the dialogue and external conflicts comprising actions, and all the modes by which characters react, in layers. Worth its own post — a post requested by another venue — but for today…
It's time for Friday Links for Writers. Not surprising at least one link is a piece on character action. As always, share in the comments to let us know what resounds with you, what you'd like more of, or share your own favorite links. Have a great writing week!
Character Reaction — Make Your Character Respond
On The Editor's Blog, Beth Hill discusses the need to reveal character in the written responses to action and events. While I've been considering a dozen different layers to response, she covers the big 4: action, dialogue, thought, and emotion.
Okay, so this will be, what, the third Donald Maass piece I share lately? Yeah well, he must be good at getting one thinking. His latest post at Writer Unboxed talks about using the most emotionally charged details to power your writing (and delete the rest). Experiences shared in the comments are just as inspiring as the initial piece.
Found on Pinterest: Plot Timeline Infographics
Plotter or pantser, I strongly believe in understanding (or planning) the best structure for the novel you're writing. In revising Never Said, that backbone has been key to building a more complex story than would have been possible without it. The link above goes to pin for the "first act". Click here to find Act 2 and here for Act 3. Want more? Clicking the pins takes you to the original articles.
How Mapping Alice Munro's Stories Helped Me As a Writer
And, hey, if I'm confessing my inner word nerd… well, look, Elizabeth Poliner was geeking out on diagramming Alice Munro, too. For me, it's been a mix of Anthony Doerr and Tana French – but, point is, if you're diagramming your favorite writer, you're not alone.
Print Products: Turn Your Book into a Notebook or Workbook
Many of my readers may already have stumbled on Joanna Penn, who has been generous, as her self-publishing career took off, to share creative ways to make a living with your writing. This post is just that, with advice on how to create accompanying workbooks or other print materials from your existing book (especially nonfiction). This would be a great approach for speaking engagements and workshops.
Santiago Caruso via The Guardian
On Charlotte Bronte's 200th Birthday: Illustrating Jane Eyre
This one is just for a little inspiration, for any of us kindling a love for the Brontes. A Guardian piece, featuring the Gorey-esque artwork of Santiago Caruso depicting scenes from Jane Eyre.
Ta-Nehisi Coates: the Privilege of Writing from in the Mess
I loved this answer Ta-Nehisi Coates gave to a Howard University student who asked him what responsibility he thought writers have. The link above gives that one answer. Or, here is the full conversation between him and professor Greg Carr, including a reading from Between the World and Me.
April seemed to be a huge month for writers using challenges to reach writing goals — and just as many of my friends hit May (and look forward to summer) with editing now on their mind. What is your current writing goal? What challenges or strategies keep your going or make hurdles in your work?
Have you come across any great writing links or resources lately?
Do share your thoughts or links in the comments.
If you like this blog, be sure to click the WordPress +follow button, or follow via email or Bloglovin options in the sidebar. You can find me on Twitter @elissafield or on Facebook.
Round tower bend, Waterford, Ireland. copyright Elissa Field.
For more Friday Links for Writers:
Friday Links for WritersL 04.29.16
Friday Links for Writers: Quirky Research Sources for Writers #3
Scan summaries of the links shared on mostFriday Links posts: hover over individual post-titles listed on the Links & Where to Find Me page
Novel Revision Strategies: Printing for Read Through
Join Wordsmith's Live Writing Sprints on Twitter
My Fall Reading List: 2014
Tagged as #pubtip, amwriting, blog, character motivation, edit, editing, Editor for Hire, Elissa Field, fiction, friday links, friday links for writers, internal and external conflict, novel, novel revision, Novel Writing, revising, revision, write, writer, writetip, writing, writing advice
by elissa field | May 12, 2016 · 6:21 pm
I've been meaning to post my Spring Reading List for weeks — in reality, I've done so much reading in the past year, it's ironic that I slacked off sharing my reading lists.
Shaming me into it just the littlest bit today is one of my favorite activities with writing friends. A group of writers with Writer Unboxed meet via Facebook every other month to discuss the craft details that led to a breakout novel's success. While I posted today's questions and waited for discussion to start, well, there was just no excuse for not getting this post ready to go live.
So first off, shout out to my WU Breakout Novel Dissection group who are, as I type, in the throes of some really interesting analysis of everything from tittle to time structure.
And then, here's to great reading. Let us know the best titles you've read lately, or releases you're looking forward to.
Julianna Baggott, Harriett Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders (Aug. 2015). Julianna is one of the most forthright, witty, magical and generous writers I've met, over the years, and I have been really looking forward to reading this novel, which, itself, serves as essentially the missing 7th book in an imagined series. This book is full of surprises, and one of the few books I've given as a gift lately.
Anthony Marra, The Tsar of Love and Techno (Oct. 2015). Anthony Marra has become one of my favorite writers –his Constellation of Vital Phenomena (2014) is the only book I have ever reviewed on this site, and makes my favorite read of year list — so I was excited to see this release. While identified as "stories," this collection reads like a novel that is handed from one story to the next. I don't want to oversell it… but it was new and smart and funny and… yeah, great.
Tana French, In the Woods (2008). Something about workshopping with Ben Percy last year has had me in a mind of getting back to my reading roots: honoring the kinds of stories that first inspired me as a reader. I crave the mental puzzle of a good mystery — equally despising poorly written ones — so have been glad to discover French's rich & flawless writing in her Dublin mystery series. Next up: Likeness. Next up after that: Faithful Place. Hooked.
Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train (2015). Keeping with the mystery thread, this one finally made my reading list when it was selected by the group of writers I mentioned in the intro (Writer Unboxed Breakout Novel Book Dissection group). If you'd been holding out to read this once the paperback came out, it just released last week.
Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries (2013). This novel has been in my almost-read pile for more than a year, and I'm only adding it here again because I actually read it this time. Incredible writing, great detail, my kind of topic. But the kind of over-writing where you got to each "reveal" about a hundred pages ahead of her. Really turned it tedious.
Emily Carpenter, Burying the Honeysuckle Girls (April 26, 2016). I have really been looking forward to this debut novel, which uncovers the multigenerational mystery behind the disintegration of women in one Alabama family. Emily delivers a page-turning thriller with a bit of wit and magic. I look forward to more from her.
Alexander Chee, Queen of the Night (Feb. 2016). Having followed Alexander online for years, I've been really excited to see the acclaim that has arisen around the release of this novel this year. Already a bestseller, a New York Times pick, and rising on numerous reading lists, it's been described as a mesmerizing work, something like opera. I've read the opening chapter and look forward to more.
Hanya Yanagihara, A Little Life (2015). You may be the same: this one came home from the book store with me because so many people kept reporting what an emotional read it is. It was a Man Booker Prize Finalist, and made the "best book of the year" lists for more than 20 major publications.
Sara Novic, Girl at War (May 2015). I'm really looking forward to this novel, a coming of age debut that has been an award winner and finalist internationally, with comparisons to two of my favorite novels: Tiger's Wife and All the Light We Cannot See.
Nicole Krauss, The History of Love (2005). I came to this one as a fan of Jonathan Safran Foer, Anthony Doerr, and Nathan Englander. Everything, from a starred Publishers Weekly review to excerpts and recommendations, has me looking forward to an unexpected point of view on love.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun (2006). I previously read this author's acclaimed Americanah (2013), but had several friends recommend her Orange Award winning earlier novel, so Half a Yellow Sun made my list. (If you prefer audiobooks, Julianne Stirling highly recommends Americanah via Audible, as she says the narrator, Adjoa Andoh, brings the African dialects to life.)
Middle Grade/Young Adult Fiction
Kwame Alexander, Crossover (2014). I'm excited to be able to add not only a diverse voice into my sons'/students' reading this spring… but it's a highly awarded novel in verse.
Claudia Rankine, Citizen: An American Lyric (2014). I keep forgetting to order this collection, but have heard it consistently recommended.
Richard Engel, And Then All Hell Broke Loose (Feb. 2016). From elsewhere on the blog, you may be aware of the thread about dangers to conflict zone reporters that influences part of my novel draft. While researching and tracking one missing journalist, I was sorry to hear of the capture of Engel and his crew. If you've seen him report, he's the real thing, honest to goodness, diehard reporter, and I look forward to his insights.
Robert Young Pelton, The World's Most Dangerous Places (1995, 2000, 2003). I first read the 1995 edition when writing Breathing Water, and returned to it, over the years, in writing about characters working in hot spots around the world. I tracked down the 2000 version this spring, as a resource a character in Never Said would have consulted before heading overseas. I got a kick out of the deadpa n, gravedigger wit of this first time around — but the advice rings much more somber, post 9/11.
Benjamin Percy, Thrill Me (Oct. 18, 2016). Yes, this one's not coming out until October, although I'd love to get ahold of a galley to review. Of everyone I've workshopped with, Ben's advice on fiction has been the most like rocket fuel.
What is on your current must-read list, or what books have you read recently that you highly recommend? How do you usually get your reading recommendations — suggestions from a friend? lists in the news? books on shelves in the store?
If you post your own reading list, feel free to share your link in the comments below. If you would like to join in a reading blog hop, let me know.
Or, click to connect on Goodreads.
Where do the book links take you?
For convenience, you can click book titles for their link on Amazon — or find them at your favorite indie bookseller through indiebound.org:
What's my "VIDA Count"?
Equity or diversity in voices is an issue many of us are working on improving — some from the publication-end, and I've addressed it with curriculum in classrooms. The VIDA count is a done by a group that evaluates representation of gender and identity within publications each year. I'm not a part of their counting, but thought it was positive to see the number of women (11 out of 18) and marginalized voices (7) that coincidentally populate my reading list this time around.
If you like this blog, be sure to subscribe using WordPress's +follow option, or via email. I can be found on Twitter @elissafield , on Goodreads, or on Facebook. I love to connect with like-minded readers and writers!
More on Books and Reading:
My Summer Reading List 2014
My Reading List Winter 2014
March Reading Challenge: The Books You Always Meant to Read
Are you working on a writing goal?
Novel Revision Strategies: Retyping the Draft
Novel Strategies: A Day's Work in Pictures
Filed under Books, Reading
Tagged as Book, books, Elissa Field, fiction, novel, reading, reading list, recommended reading, Summer reading


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Fair Districts = Fair Elections
Take the End Gerrymandering Pledge
What is Gerrymandering?
History of Reform
Fair Maps Fight Continues
BREAKING: On June 27, the US Supreme Court ruled that the federal judiciary cannot rein in partisan gerrymandering.
The US Supreme Court had the opportunity to end partisan gerrymandering once and for all but instead a narrow majority chose to wash their hands of any responsibility for stopping rigged elections.
Chief Justice John Roberts writing for the majority: "We conclude that partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts. Federal judges have no license to reallocate political power between the two major political parties, with no plausible grant of authority in the Constitution, and no legal standards to limit and direct their decisions."
Justice Elena Kagan's dissent: "The partisan gerrymanders here debased and dishonored our democracy, turning upside-down the core American idea that all governmental power derives from the people."
Ohio is a step ahead
While the decision is both angering and incredibly sad, we here in Ohio are feeling grateful that we have already passed restrictions on gerrymandering for both the state legislature and US Congress. Because of the hard work of Fair Districts volunteers and advocates, we passed anti-gerrymandering legislation in 2015 and 2018. When district lines are redrawn in 2021, the divided communities and grotesque distortions of the current map will not be allowed.
Unfortunately, because of the SCOTUS decision announced today, Ohio will have to wait until 2022 for fairer district lines. Ohio voters reined in gerrymandering and new rules will be in place for both the state legislature and Congress. Unfortunately, a ruling from the Supreme Court that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional would have strengthened our reforms and meant new maps in 2020 because of the challenge to Ohio's congressional gerrymander (APRI Ohio v. Householder).
Nevertheless, we still need to keep up the pressure on our legislators to let them know we are watching, and we demand Fair Maps!
Urge your legislators to Take the Pledge to End Gerrymandering!
Take part in our map drawing competition! The League of Women Voters of Ohio and Common Cause Ohio will be sponsoring a map-drawing competition in 2021 to make sure we have the best possible maps when the districts are finally redrawn.
Ohioans can also help other states move forward towards better rules curbing gerrymandering.
READ THE DECISION
Fair Districts = Fair Elections Update June 2019
Thanks to everyone for joining our Tuesday evening webinar about the A. Philip Randolph Institute v. Householder gerrymandering lawsuit. If you weren't able to be on the call, here's a link to a recording. You can also look at the presentation slides HERE.
Breaking news! On June 5, the US Supreme Court granted the State of Ohio's request for a delay of the appeal process until July 19, 2019 (a three week extension). Although the plaintiffs would have preferred no extension, and fought against one, there is still time for making a map for the 2020 election.
You can stay up to date about all the latest twists and turns in the court case (and also see a full timeline) on the Fair Districts website.
An important decision is coming soon: We expect to hear about the NC gerrymandering (Rucho v. Common Cause) and the MD gerrymandering (Lamone v. Benisek) sometime this month. The highest court in the land has the opportunity to declare gerrymandering unconstitutional and lay down some ground rules. However, it is extremely difficult to know which way they will go and how that will affect Ohio's case.
Here are some rough examples to illustrate the difficulty of making a solid prediction:
1. The US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) could find the maps are illegally gerrymandered but decides there is no judicial remedy;
2. SCOTUS could determines that gerrymandering isn't unconstitutional in general;
3. SCOTUS could find one of the maps unconstitutional and rule in such a narrow way that the decision doesn't impact other states;
4. SCOTUS could find both maps unconstitutional and rule in such a narrow way that the decision doesn't impact other states;
5. SCOTUS could find some districts unconstitutional and the ruling is truly narrow;
6. SCOTUS could punt, and rule on some other ground that leaves vital questions still unanswered, as it did last June in the Wisconsin case, or
7. We could win big! SCOTUS could rule gerrymandering is unconstitutional and establish standards to identify gerrymandering. It's hard to be patient while we wait to hear the next steps for the Ohio gerrymandering case, but we will do everything we can to keep you up-to-date.
Take the Pledge: During the presentation we encouraged participants to get involved by signing the End Gerrymandering pledge and urging their Ohio legislators to do the same. We hope everyone will take the pledge and continue to spread the word about the need to support #FairMaps. Here are the links you'll need:
Sign up to meet with your Ohio legislator
Join us for the #FairMaps Twitter storm on Fridays at 1pm. If you're looking for material, here's an image to share. Don't have time? Just retweet @OhFairDistricts or search for #FairMaps and retweet your favorites.
Support the Census: Stay up to date on the Census via the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition:
Sign up for their newsletter
Like their Facebook page
Show your support for a fully-funded Census
All blog posts represent the views of the guest blogger, and are not necessarily representative of the larger coalition of organizations that support Congressional redistricting reform.
This site is paid for by the League of Women Voters of Ohio, 100 E. Broad St., Suite # 1310, Columbus, OH 43215. To contact the League, please call 614-469-1505.


Win the hearts of your favorite vinyl junkie with a Jive Time Records gift certificate! Purchase this $100 certificate and we'll even sweeten the deal by throwing in a free Jive Time T-shirt or canvas LP tote bag!
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There are reports that nearly 20 years after The New York Times Company shelled out a U.S. record $1.1 billion to buy The Boston Globe, the company is about to receive an unsolicited bid to take the ailing newspaper off their hands.
According to Boston.com, 38-year old Boston area entrepreneur Aaron Kushner is preparing a bid thought to be around $200 million for the paper and its parent company, New England Media Group.
Kushner has the support of former Globe editor Ben Bradlee, Jr., and Benjamin and Steven Taylor, members of the family that sold the paper to the Times in 1993.
A spokeswoman for the Times Co. declined to comment. The Times Co. previously tried to sell the New England Media Group and received three offers in 2009. However, the company took the papers off the market as financial conditions began to improve.
If Kushner is successful in his bid he will be buying not just the Globe but also the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, for which the Times spent an additional $296 million, bringing the Times' total purchase price to nearly $1.4 billion.
In 2007 as market conditions began to sag, the Times wrote down both properties by $814 million, leaving a book value of just under $600 million.
Even with an uptick in conditions in the last two years, it hasn't been nearly enough to prevent continued losses now estimated at $85 million per year at just the Globe alone.
Kushner is handing the Times an early Christmas present with his bid. The paper can now rid itself of an albatross around its neck and at the same time raise some much needed cash to keep the rest of the company afloat. This also allows the Times' executives to close an ugly chapter on what has to be one of the worst, if not the worst, business decisions ever made in the newspaper industry.
But I wouldn't be surprised if the Times rejects the bid. Not because it is inadequate but because the Sulzberger family is too proud to admit they made a colossal mistake by buying the Globe in the first place.
As for Kushner, even with his entrepreneurial skills it is hard to imagine that there is any real value in buying the Globe beyond its Internet properties, and that he can ultimately recover his proposed $200 million investment.
Kushner may be a smart guy but this idea is more of a fools errand than anything else.


text:
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text:
Taliban Bar Government Employees Without Beard from Work
Taliban has instructed all government employees to wear a beard and adhere to a dress code or risk being fired.
Representatives from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice were patrolling the entrances to government offices on Monday March 28, to check that employees were in compliance with the new rules.
According to the sources, "Employees were being instructed not to shave their beards and to wear local clothing consisting of a long, loose top and trousers, and a hat or turban.
Chelsea Owner, Roman Abramovich 'Went Blind for Hours and His Skin Peeled Off' after Suspected Poisoning at Ukraine Peace Talks
"They were also told to ensure they prayed at the correct times."
Workers were told they would from now on be unable to enter offices and would eventually be fired if they did not meet the dress codes.
Last week, the Taliban banned women from taking flights without a male chaperone and failed to open girls' schools as promised.
The Taliban administration has drawn criticism at home and from Western governments for forcing its hardline interpretation of Islamic law onto all Afghans.
Adorable Video of Teacher Welcoming Pupils to School by Busting Different Dance Steps with Each of Them
On Sunday it ordered parks to be segregated by sex, with women allowed to enter three days a week, and men the other four days, including the weekend, meaning even married couples and families cannot visit together.


The 2012 McWilliam's Maurice O'Shea Award has been awarded to the Australian Screwcap Initiative.
The award was presented in recognition of all those involved in the successful introduction of the screwcap closure and the contribution this innovation has made to the advancement of wine quality in Australia. Clare Valley winemaker, educator and long-time advocate of screwcaps, Jeffrey Grosset, accepted the award on behalf of all supporters in front of 250 guests at a gala dinner at The Whitehouse Institute of Design in Melbourne last night.
Considered by many to be the Australian wine industry's most prestigious honour, the Maurice O'Shea Award is presented biennially to recognise an individual, brand, institute or entity that has made a "historically significant" contribution to the Australian wine industry.
The award was established in 1990 in memory of the late Maurice O'Shea, McWilliam's Wines winemaker and founder of Mount Pleasant winery. For the first time in 2012, nominations were invited from across the entire wine industry.
McWilliam's Wines Group Chairman, Doug McWilliam, said the Australian Wine Industry's widespread use of the screwcap closure throughout the 2000s was a significant achievement that advanced both the quality and standing of Australian wine.
"The initiative and introduction of screwcaps changed perceptions and showcased Australia as brave, quality focused and innovative on the world stage," said McWilliam.
Screwcaps were trialled in Australia in the 1970s, but not widely adopted. In August 2000, a group of 13 Clare Valley winemakers, including Grosset, made a collective push to reintroduce the closure to consumers by launching their Rieslings under screwcap.
"The early trials undertaken in the 1970s were thorough and the closure was excellent, but its commercial introduction wasn't realised because people weren't aware of the benefits," said Grosset.
The dinner was held in conjunction with the biennial Winemakers' Federation of Australia's Wine Industry Outlook Conference, which has been running 23-24th October 2012 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.
It's a big week for awards dinners in Melbourne, with the Royal Melbourne Wine Show awards presentation gala dinner taking place tomorrow night, Thursday 25th October.
Previous recipients of the McWilliam's Maurice O'Shea Award include: Philip Laffer (2010), the Australian Wine Research Institute (2002), Dr Wolf Blass AM (2000), Hazel Murphy AM (1996), James Halliday (1995), Jacob's Creek (1994), Len Evans, OBE AO (1991) and Max Schubert AM (1990).


The 40 gets to board in the sunlight!
We went west down Essex Street, going by lots of retail, which continued as we turned onto Broadway. However, it started to get a little more mixed, with houses coming in between the businesses. For a bit, one whole side of the street was occupied by huge old factories, and then a new shopping plaza appeared as we entered Methuen.
We went over the Spicket River twice, passing more houses and businesses, then we entered Methuen Square, which was...a lot less exciting than I thought it would be. We turned onto Hampshire Street, beginning the route's long-winded outbound-only deviation - this was the square's main drag, I guess, but the retail ended quickly. Turning onto Lowell Street, we crossed the Spicket River again.
There were a few more businesses as we turned onto Pelham Street, but it very quickly turned to houses. We emerged in a strange area with an apartment development, a baseball field, pylons, an MVRTA commuter park-and-ride for its Boston express service, and some suburban businesses. We turned onto Mystic Street from here, and after going under the pylons again, it normalized back to houses.
Question: why are people parked in the commuter park-and-ride on a Sunday?
We came back to Pelham Street, ready to finish the deviation, but...oh, there's a deviation-within-a-deviation onto Barker Street. This was just a little jog to serve some more houses and the Methuen Senior Activity Center. We turned onto Lowell Street, then it was a left onto Hampshire Street, and this finally took us back onto Broadway. We were only on it for enough time to go over Route 213, and then we pulled into Village Plaza, a thoroughly boring shopping center.
This is kind of a cool view, seen from the deviation.
So was that it? No, because the route has an inbound-only deviation too! It occurs a little south of Methuen Square, and the route is: right on Oakland, right on Union, left on Railroad, left on Oakland, back onto Broadway. What does it serve? I guess some houses? A few businesses? It's all within a less than five minute walk from Broadway, so it feels, uh, pretty darn useless.
Oooh, an old railroad station!
Ridership: The 40 gets good ridership, with 403 passengers per weekday and 224 per Saturday.
Pros: This is the only route to serve Methuen's main drag and central square, and it's mostly direct. Also, it has the MVRTA pulse schedule of hourly service seven days a week with half hourly service at rush hour, so that's good.
Cons: Those darn deviations! The outbound-only one is fairly tolerable, since it does serve a lot and it's close to the end of the route, but even then, the jog in the middle of it is annoying. The inbound-only one just feels useless, and seems like it could be easily eliminated. Also, good luck trying to get to Methuen Square on time, because at almost every time of day, that trip is gonna take a heck of a lot longer than the scheduled ten minutes.
Nearby and Noteworthy: I'm sorry, but I really didn't see all that much along here! Maybe Methuen Square has some hidden gems, but it doesn't seem like a place where you could spend hours walking around in.
The route is...okay. Yeah, the deviations are annoying and the timing is off, but the bus does serve a lot and it seems to get a good amount of people. I can't hate it too much.


text:
from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, \
    with_statement

import hashlib
import hmac
import re

try:
    from urllib import urlencode
except ImportError:
    from urllib.parse import urlencode

try:
    import urlparse
except ImportError:
    import urllib.parse as urlparse

def derive_signature(key, qs):
    """Derives the signature from the supplied query string using the key."""
    key, qs = (key or "", qs or "")
    return hmac.new(key.encode(), qs.encode(), hashlib.sha1).hexdigest()

def sign(key, qs):
    """Signs the query string using the key."""
    sig = derive_signature(key, qs)
    return "%s&%s" % (qs, urlencode([("sig", sig)]))

def verify_signature(key, qs):
    """Verifies that the signature in the query string is correct."""
    unsigned_qs = re.sub(r'&?sig=[^&]*', '', qs)
    sig = derive_signature(key, unsigned_qs)
    return urlparse.parse_qs(qs).get("sig", [None])[0] == sig

def main():
    import sys
    import tornado.options
    from tornado.options import define, options, parse_command_line
    define("key", help="the signing key", type=str)
    args = parse_command_line()
    if not options.key:
        tornado.options.print_help()
        sys.exit()

    qs = args[0]
    if qs and qs[0] == "?":
        print("Invalid query string, should not include leading '?'")
        sys.exit()
    print("Query String: %s" % qs)
    print("Signature: %s" % derive_signature(options.key, qs))
    print("Signed Query String: %s" % sign(options.key, qs))

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()