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due to language, and sensual content and violence
Reader & Loco
When Sober, he as sweet as a puppy, but when Drunk He's a true thug... You as one of the best cat burglars get caught when he's a Drunken Thug. Oh the things he does to you, the threats he makes come true. Makes you work for him, but only when he drunk. He ignores you when sober, in fear you will use his sober state as an escape.
~(Loco POV)~
"Yo Loco-ah, you coming or what!?"
Jay hyung called out to me, as I came running down the stairs. "Ne, I'm coming, I'm coming." We were heading out to the club to celebrate the success of the concert. We called Uber for a ride, since most of us had been drinking already. A bit of pre-gaming is what Jay hyung calls it. We requested for an Escalade driver, and they were more than happy to grant. I ended up sitting shot gun, since the others were already in the car, chatting away.
The driver looked over at me, and gave me a very warm smile. I couldn't help but smile back. I then turn to face the crew, and join their convocations. It didn't take the driver long to get us to the club, just like it didn't take us long to have ladies all over us in the V.I.P section of the club. Jay hyung and Kiseok hyung, were the first ones to start shoving their tongues down their girl's throats.
"Yah, Loco hyung, why aren't you drinking?"
"Nah, I'm good right now, Duckie. I'll get a drink in a bit."
I just didn't want them to be able to remember how I actually get went truly shit faced. I usually always wait til everyone was drunk so they wouldn't notice me slipping away to drink on my own. I would occasionally drink a shot or two with them, but normally cut myself off. Its already bad enough they caught me being drunk a few times. Luckily I wasn't fully blacked out. I was able to control myself, and appear like their goofy lovable Loco. The squishy puppy of AOMG.
After a good while, they were drunk enough, for me to make my own way to the bar. I drank until I felt my personality shift to my true Loco side. I turn around and grabbed the closest beauty to me. She turn around, and happily came over to me. "You here alone?" She nodded her head yes, as I smirked. "Good, go towards the back, tell them I sent you. I'll be there in one moment."
She looked a bit confused by my words, yet with a smile she did as I told. I chugged another drink down, before going in the same direction. I slipped the security guard a couple of hundreds, before slipping into the private room. She had already set up the pot as I sat beside her. "You smoke I see, normally I have to corrupt a beauty into smoking."
She looked up at me, and I noticed she wasn't the same girl I had pulled towards me before. This trick was classier than that other one. She had long leather gloves on and diamonds in her ears, and along her neck. She was using her long silver like hair cover half of her face. She gave me a winning eye smile, before putting the pot down.
I just stared at her, before looking around. This woman stop me midway though, by clawing over me, and straddling my lap. My hands found her waist that was barely covered. She had a crop top, long sleeve shirt on, with a V-neck, and leather jeans, that sagged due to the big ass she had. Damn this thot knew what she was doing, and made me want to know what she was up to.
"Speak, who the fuck are you. Or am I gonna have to actually lay a hand on a woman."
This woman raised an eyebrow, as if to challenge me. I growled under my breath, as I noticed her hand grab the bottle of wine, that was on the table. She was up to not good, but she didn't know, when drunk I was more alert than I was when sober. I quickly moved out of reflex, and started to choke her out with one hand, before pulling the wine bottle out of her grasp.
"I see you made your choice."
She started to struggle to get free, as rolls of cash fell out of her leather jeans front pocket. More spilling out of form under her crop top, as I pushed her backwards, by her throat. I then looked over at my wall safe, and saw it was crack open. This bitch just try getting away with robbing me.
"You fucking whore!"
I pushed her back far enough, that she was almost laying on the floor. She was coughing, as I squeezed, but she still manage to catch me off guard, and pull a weapon on me. I lighten my grip, the moment she had a knife to my neck. I smirked at her actions, it was actually a major turn on. "Do it, I'm the owner of this club, and got a good rep, so you'll be going down hard."
She press a bit into my neck, making a tiny cut, and drawing blood. I saw fire burning in her eyes, as her silver hair wig fell off revealing she had short brown hair, and was a foreigner. She was making me hungry in the position I had her in. This woman was going to feed it...
As I jump from rooftop to rooftop, I looked at my phone, to get more detail and information on my target. I stop and crouched down, once I made it on the roof top of my hit. I looked over the edge, and saw crowds of people laughing, dancing, throwing up, cursing and parking their cars.
This was going to make escaping a bit difficult, but not impossibles. I had been casing this place for over a month now. The owner of the club went by Hyuk Woo, and was making shit ton of money from this one location. It was a nightclub, and from what I learn, he used this club as a way to make dirty money. He was dealing and playing with woman in this club.
Which just peak my interest in the club more. I was suppose to be in South Korea to be on the down low from the Feds, but I just had that itch I needed to scratch. Taking money and priceless beauties was an a drug. That came with an amazing rush that left me high for days. I look off my backpack, and got my silver long hair wig on. I then snuck into the building via rooftop entry.
This man was making it way to easy to rob him. I sighed out of boredom from being able to get in with such ease. I had made my way to the hallway, that lead to the private rooms. The security was guarding the wall entrance to the crowd of people. Making it cake walk to get into their boss's private room.
Pot in a was in a jar on the table with blacks, and a pipe as well. I smirked and took an already rolled up one, and place it in my mouth, before making my way to the secret wall safe.
"Who the fuck are you?"
I mumbled under my breath, before jumping over the couch and punching her once in the face, and once in the gut. Wasn't hard to knock out another woman. Since all woman then to share the same two week spots. I dragged her into the bathroom, before locking her inside, and went back to the safe.
I knew I had to make this fast, or else I wasn't going to be able to escape in time. Normally he takes his time picking her prey for the night, but he was moving faster today, more than usual. I grinned when I crack the safe, and started stashing money away, into my pockets, and into my bra. I wasn't going to be able to hit this place again for a while, let along get away with much.
But the funds will help me get by for a while. I froze the moment I heard the door knob be touched. I quickly closed the safe up, jump over to the couch, pulled the pot from my lips, and pretended to be rolling it up. I saw the door wing open, from the eye that wasn't being covered by the wig.
"You smoke I see, normally I have to corrupt a beauty into smoking."
The owner spoke, as he closed the door, and made his way to the couch. I looked up at him, to see that he was actually one of the famous rappers from AOMG. I was a bit shocked to see it was Loco... Mr. Puppy. I snap out of it though and gave him my winning eye smile, before putting the pot down.
His smile faded as he realized I wasn't his original girl that was now locked in the bathroom, knocked out. He then started to look around the room, which made me noticed the safe was still cracked open. I moved swiftly, and crawl over to straddle his lap. He instantly looked back at me, as his hands rest on my waist. I could smell alcohol on his breath, as he licked his lips.
"Speak, who the fuck are you. Or am I gonna have to actually lay a hand on a woman."
I sigh under my breath, as I arched an eyebrow at him. Mr. Puppy was gonna lay a hand on me? He didn't seem like the type to do that, but you never know someone until you truly meet. I think it was time for him to sleep though, so I can get out of here smoothly. I lean back, and went to get the bottle of wine he had out to get his prey drunk with.
"I see you made your choice."
I moved faster, the moment he told me, he noticed my actions. He beat me to the bottle though, by catching me off guard. He had one arm grabbing my arm, kicked the table away, and started to choke me with his other hand. I started to cough as his grip tighten.
Loco's eyes went to the rolls of cash that fell out of my pocket. He then looked up at me, to see some trying to escape my bra. With in seconds, he looked at the safe, growled loudly. His grip tightening around my neck.
"You fucking whore!"
I used my free hand, to pull out my switch blade and put it to his neck, in hope of his grip loosing. It appear I had caught him off guard with my actions, as I noticed his eyes darken, whilst he grinned. "Do it, I'm the owner of this club, and got a good rep, so you'll be going down hard."
He had pushed me back enough to make my wig fall off, as I pushed the knife deeper into his neck, drawing blood. He licked his lips, before letting my arm go to remove the knife from his neck. He pushed me down on the floor, with his hand still firmly around my neck. "You're a beauty yourself... so how about I make you a preposition."
Loco had completely loosen his grip, but kept his fingers wrap around my neck. "Join my crew here... get me back the money people own me, and I'll cut you in a good 40%. Since it seems you're so good at robbing people, as well know how to get out of sticky situations. If you decline... I'll have my men get rid of you permanently."
Well Damn... He had me by my neck and my knife in his hand. Yet he made me an offer like a true mobster. Work for him or die right here right now.
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saboteur 15 results
- - But I thought we could get enough information that way to tell us who our saboteur is. - "Psichopath", Gordon Randall Garrett
- - No one really believed that it was just bad luck, but they'll all accept the idea that Bern was a saboteur. - "Psichopath", Gordon Randall Garrett
- - Is there a saboteur at work? - "Prologue to an Analogue", Leigh Richmond

subset: commoncrawl


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Congrats to our February Athlete of the month, Jen Chapman! I have know this lady for about 6yrs and she has always come in and worked hard inside and outside them gym! She has stepped out of her comfort zone this winter and completed her first marathon while still training CrossFit group classes! Learn a little bit more about her below:
What makes you, you?
I love corny jokes, listening to podcasts, reading, and running. I can be a little abrasive at times, but I have a lot of people in my life that I care about.
Describe your experience at CFNC.
Challenging but rewarding. My fellow nooners never disappoint when it comes to a good laugh and a great experience each day. Even though it might be at the expense of my buddy Francis. Ya know I love ya!
What are your major life goals?
Being debt free, those damn students loans.
Running a Spartan Race
Owning a small clinic/space to practice in my spare time
What are your 3 major CrossFit goals?
To be more efficient in general movement
To do better with the mental/attitude aspect
To get better at "gym-nasty" things
What has been your favorite CrossFit moment so far?
I have had a lot of great moments. But I'd have to say when I finally got a sub 6 Annie time. Two seconds counts! 😂
What has been your favorite CrossFit WOD and why?
DT – hang cleans are my fave.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Possibly working as a PT in the Air Force. If not, still working in Outpatient, working out, running as often as I can, and traveling more.
Share a recipe for a favorite clean meal
Ummmm….Glenn does the ALL of the cooking so no specific recipe. But my fave that he makes is Spicy Turkey Sausage and asparagus.
What is your favorite cheat meal?
A buffalo chicken pizza from Mod Pizza
What is the most challenging aspect of CrossFit?
Making it all the way down the floor on the warm ups. I may be guilty of skipping a few feet here and there.
What advice would you give to someone new to CrossFit?
Have fun. It's about doing something you enjoy with good people and community.
What is your personal 'walkout song' or anthem?
Anything Eminem. But also, some Biebz


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Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, NIT Bhopal, MANIT, Madhya Pradesh /
Maulana Azad College of Technology, MACT / Regional Engineering College, Bhopal
Year of Establishment :
MANIT was started in 1960 as Maulana College of Technology. The college got renamed after the first Minister of Education, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad. The college was established in 1960 at Govt. Polytechnic with an intake of 120 students.
History :
It was one of the first eight Regional Engineering Colleges. It was set up with just seven faculty members and an initial intake of 120 students. The institute commenced with polytechnic programs from the campus of Swami Vivekanand Polytechnic. Today the college has the total intake capacity of 820 students.
The college was inaugurated by the former Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), also known as National Institute of Technology, Bhopal (NIT Bhopal), formerly Maulana Azad College of Technology (MACT), is an Institute of National Importance under the NIT Act. It is part of the group of publicly funded institutions in India known as National Institute of Technology.
College Grade / Ranking :
Location :
Air :
Bhopal is well connected with daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Gwalior and Indore. MANIT is 11 Km from the airport.
Rail :
Bhopal is best connected by train on the central and southern railways. It is well connected with trains from Mumbai, Bangalore to Delhi, Jaipur, Patna, Trivandrum etc. More than 150 daily trains have stoppages in Bhopal.
From Bhopal Station :
Bhopal railway station is 9 kms away from MANIT.Prefer to exit station from the platform 4-5 end. It is advised to refer MANIT with its old name MACT to Auto-wallas. Approx. fare is Rs. 80-120 by Auto, Taxi fare Rs. 200-240.
The Habibganj railway station :
It is 5 kms away from MANIT. Prefer to exit station from the platform 1 end. It is advised to refer MANIT with its old name MACT to Auto-wallas.& (Approx. fare is Rs. 60-80 by Auto,Rs. 150 - 200 Car Rental from Habibganj Railway Station to MANIT Bhopal. )
It is well connected by road as well.
Admissions :
Post graduate courses include Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Computer Applications (MCA), Master of Technology (M.Tech) and Ph.D in relevant fields, as well as other Master degrees. Admission to B.Tech. programs is made through All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) & to M.Tech. programs is made through Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE).
For the Master of Business Administration course, admission is through CAT.
Courses / Departments :
|Branch / Course
|Course Start Year
|Architecture and Planning
|Applied Mechanics
|Civil Engineering
|Chemical Engineering
|Computer Applications
|Computer Science and Engineering
|Electrical & Electronics Engineering
|Electronics and Communication Engineering
|Humanities & Social Sciences
|Information Technology & Software Engineering
|Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
|Material Science and Metallurgical Engineering
|Mechanical Engineering
|Textile Engineering
|Management Studies
|Physical Education & Sports Science
|Energy Science & Technology
|Water Resources Engineering(proposed)
Student Societies @ NIT Bhopal :
1) NITB web club (commonly known as Club NITB) - The online community which keeps track of all the ongoing activities of college and further works on web and software development. It is also responsible for maintaining the college's website.
2) Go Green Forum - The environment protection society of the college which creates awareness and takes various initiative in improving college environment through means of green ideas.
3) Pixel - Photography club
4) ISTE - MANIT Chapter
5) Roobaroo - Cultural Society of MANIT.
College Campus :
The institute is located in South east Bhopalon a beautiful highland with a lush 650-acre campus.MANIT's Computer Centre, Canteen, Athletic Ground, Gymnasium, Energy Centre and the open air auditorium are the places where students enjoy vigorous and competitive environment.
The campus houses about 4,000 students and faculty members. It has 9 hostels and new ones are in construction which has the excellent catering and lodging facilities.
The Auditorium has a capacity of around 800 people and is fully a/c accompanied by a incredible Hi-Tech sound system.
College Fees :
For Degree Engineering ( B.Tech. ) Course Fees is Rs. 67,000 per year.
Festivals / College Events :
MANIT hosts major national-level festivals and meets, including :
1)Technosearch- annual national level technical festival
2) Maffick- annual cultural festival
3) CHEMICARNIVAL- annual chemical engineering festival
4) Robotics- annual festival for displaying robots made by the students
5) SportsMania- annual sports meet
6) Samadhan- annual national level programming test
7) TATVABODH- annual Materials science & Metallurgical Engineering festival.
Campus Placements :
Contact :
Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology,
Link Road 3, Vaishali Nagar,
Bhopal – 462051,
Madhya Pradesh
Tel : +91 755 4051000 / 4052000 / +91 755 5206006/07/08/09/10
Fax : +91 755 2670562, 2670802, 2671175
Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal Website : www.manit.ac.in
Email : firstname.lastname@example.com
Opinion / Review :


text:
POST-FLOOD FAQS FOR HOMEOWNERS – Practical Advice When You Need Answers After a Flood at your House
Practical Advice When You Need It
By Dan Bawden Graduate Master Builder, Pres. Legal Eagle Contractors Co.
2017 Chairman, National Association of Homebuilders Remodelers
Click here to download the ebook
What is the first thing I should do if my home got flooded?
- Call your flood insurance company and file a claim, preferably before August 31, 2017, when the flood settlement rates go down.
How can I find out if I have flood insurance, and who to call?
- Call your homeowner's insurance company or your mortgage company. They can tell you how to contact your flood insurance company.
Should I wait to hire a general contractor/remodeler?
- No – Do detailed phone interviews Interview with local remodelers now, pick one and ask to get on his or her list.
- An accurate estimate for repairs cannot be given until the tearout/dryout stages are complete.
What things are important to document with pictures for insurance purposes?
- Document all damaged surfaces and contents. Do this before you do any remediation.
- Specifically, be sure you take pictures of the water level at is highest (or the high-water line), both inside in all rooms, and outside your home.
- Take photos of damaged furniture, where the water line got to on all appliances, including the washer, dryer and water heater.
- Document what floor material you have in each room.
- Take photos of all lower cabinets and document the type of countertop each has.
- Take pictures of your vehicles and any flooded outdoor structures.
- You cannot take too many photos.
Who can I get to remove the wet stuff from inside my home?
- If you can cut the carpet into small pieces and lug it out to the curb yourself, do so.
- Same with soggy furniture pieces, clothing and items you can manage.
- Do not remove the sheetrock and insulation yourself. Why? You may remove more than is necessary and this adds cost to the build-back.
- Also, handling these materials will put your skin in too much contact with the toxic floodwater.
- This water wicks up into the insulation in your outside walls.
- If the mold has started to appear inside or outside the walls, use of a respirator mask (a real one, not the paper ones) and gloves are a must.
If you cannot manage to do this removal work on your own, keep the A/C running as cold as possible and wait for the remediation company.
Tip: Call the larger churches in town – sometimes they have volunteer teams who can remove the wet stuff from your home for free.
Your home's central air conditioning system can reduce the humidity level to about 45%. This is not enough to dry out wet surfaces such as the slab and lower walls. It just helps. The dehumidification machines the pros use, reduce humidity levels to 15% to 17%.
Is my homeowner's insurance going to pay for any of this?
- No. Not unless there is non-flood related damage – such as structural or roof damage.
- If flood water rose from below and that water also actively flowed through your home, there may be structural damage to the framing.
- You will have to hire an engineer to prove the cause of the damage, as insurance companies these days are fighting to deny coverage wherever they can.
Do I have to have dumpster?
- No. Put your wet contents out front on the curb for city pick-up.
- It may be there for a few weeks and kill your grass, but it is a small price to pay.
How do I find a water remediation company?
- Ask your homeowners insurance agent for a list of names.
- Calling a company you find on Google may be OK if it is a recognizable name.
- Always check to see if they are members of the BBB and check their reviews on Google before signing a contract.
- Also, ask to have their general liability insurance company email you a copy of their "insurance certificate" with your name placed as the loss payee at the bottom left. If they can't do this, pass them by.
I was thinking of doing some updating and remodeling soon anyway. Is now a good time to do that or will it mess up my insurance claim?
- Your insurance settlement, in theory, is supposed to put your home back where it was before the flood (this is not true).
- Once you find out what your settlement is, doing more extensive remodeling will not affect it.
- Note that flood insurance will not write you any checks if you do not actually spend the money to rebuild your home.
- They may require an affidavit from you and your contractor that the work was completed.
I have men coming to my door offering to remove the carpet and sheetrock? How do I know if they are Pro's? Should I hire them? What questions should I ask?
- Professional remediators should not be knocking at your door.
- Hiring an unsolicited contractor puts you at very high risk that the work will not be done properly, or worse.
- Your home is your biggest investment. Do not risk it. As tempting as it is, do not hire someone who knocks on your door unsolicited.
The remediators I am using want most of the money up front. I don't want to lose them. What should I do?
- Most pros are going to bill the insurance company so you don't have to worry about paying them.
If you hire a non-pro, be very careful.
- If you are self-paying, do not pay more than 10% up front.
- These guys do not need "materials money" to do tear-out and remediation.
- They should be using equipment the already have.
- Further, the bulk of the work takes place in less than a week.
- Then there are only dehumidifying machines running for a few days after that.
- Ask to pay on completion.
- If they are unwilling, offer 40% when the drywall has been removed and mildewcide applied.
- Pay the final 50% on completion, which is when the home has been checked with a moisture meter and determined to be dry.
- This testing should be done when the remediator when the fans and dehumidifiers are being removed.
- Your home should be swept clean by the remediators, and all trash hauled off or place out front of the home before you released the final payment.
What is the proper procedure for effective, professional remediation?
The extent of removal depends on the height and duration of the flood waters.
Someone who had only 1" of water come in may be able to keep all their cabinets.
Someone who got 6 feet of water will not be able to salvage anything.
I can't list all the steps that might be necessary, but …
Here is a summary of what a professional remediator will typically do after a flood:
- After photographing it all, remove: wet flooring ((including the "screeds" or strips of wood under wood floors), furniture, clothing, appliances that sit on the floor, and cabinets if the water rose above 3".
- Remove baseboards, all wet insulation, drywall to 2 feet, 4 feet or 8 feet, depending on the water height. If doors and trim (like door trim and window sills) got saturated, they should be removed too.
- After the walls are opened and the slab cleaned up, apply mildewcide to all exposed surfaces in the walls, and all framing that got wet.
- Install and monitor commercial dehumidifiers – at least 3, for homes 2000 feet or less.
- Install high velocity air mover floor fans – at least 6 for homes 2000 feet or less.
- If the home had mildew growth begin in the walls, the open walls will need to be sprayed with a special primer.
I have no idea what the remediation cost will be. Are there any rules of thumb?
- There are no accurate per square foot rules because the extent of damage varies a lot depending on the depth of the water in the home.
- To give you some idea, a 2000 square foot home that had 2 feet of water in it could cost between $5,000 to $8,000 for the remediation process.
- This does not cover any of the "build-back" costs.
Will my flood insurance pay for all the remediation costs?
- Usually, but not always. Flood insurance allows reimbursement for a certain set of activities, but some will not be covered. For example, removal and replacement of your kitchen and bath countertops is not covered, even though removal of your soggy lower cabinets is covered!
Will my flood insurance pay for all the cost to put my home back together?
- Unfortunately, no. The sad reality is that flood insurance will only pay about 50% of the real cost to restore your home. That means you will have to pay the rest out of pocket. If you don't have the cash, you will have to borrow it. You may decide to sell the home after the remediation.
I can't afford to repair my home. Should I walk away without doing the remediation and sell it as is?
- No. You must remove all the wet surface and dry out the home, or it will turn into an old farm and severely hurt the market value, even if you think it is a tear-down.
Do I need to pull City permits?
- Yes.
How does the Model Energy Code affect my whole-house restoration?
- The City of Houston, Bellaire, the Villages and many local jurisdictions have adopted the Model Energy Code. This Code adds a lot of extra requirement.
What questions should I ask to screen out bad contractors when rebuilding after a flood? What are the red flags? Look for contractors who:
- Are they members of a professional trade organization, such as the Greater Houston Builders Association (www.GHBA.org, 281-970-8970) or the National Association of the Remodeling industry www.NARIHouston.com.
- Get and call references and confirm that they have done this type of work (in your part of town) before. Avoid all out of town contractors.
- Are they BBB members and are listed there when you search www.BBBhou.org . Check their rating. If you search on the BBB site and they don't show up at all, that is a red flag. If they have no reviews (Google, Yelp, Houzz, etc.), that is a red flag. Pass them by. All legit contractor have at least these trappings of professionalism.
- Do they have a general Liability Insurance policy in place? If so have the insurance company send you proof of insurance. Do NOT take the insurance certificate directly from the contractor. They can be easily forged.
The remediation crew is going to be working all over my home at once. How do I protect my valuables?
- On regular remodels, you can change the locks on one bedroom door and keep your jewelry, guns, cash and expensive collectibles in there. Not so with flood remediation.
- The best idea is to box those items up and take them to the home of a family member or friend until your home is repaired.
- Do this before the remediators get there. I heard several stories of big-name remediation crews who stole jewelry and cash while onsite doing the remediation.
Is my mortgage company involved in this?
- Yes. If you have a mortgage, your flood insurance company will probably mail you a check (or series of checks) that require both your signature and the mortgage company's sign-off.
- Often the mortgage company is slow to cut checks during the work.
- Contractors cannot wait weeks to get paid as they typically pay their workers every week.
- You may be asked to pay for work as it progresses and get reimbursed when the check arrives later.
What do I do after I get the house dried out?
Unfortunately, the remediation companies do not do a very good job of the re-construction. My company has been called to undo and re-do unacceptably poor workmanship done by the same companies who did the remediation. Try to find a professional residential local remodeling contractor. If you can find one with a national certification in remodeling, your chances of having a good experience are even higher. Use the trade organization web sites listed above, and call contractor's references before you have the contractor come out to your home.
What questions should I ask when I call a contractor's references when rebuilding after a flood? Here are some great questions to ask:
- What was the communication like? Could you get your contractor on the phone if you needed him or her?
- Did you get a weekly Schedule?
- How neat was the jobsite kept? Did they broom clean the job every day? Did they use any dust removal machines?
- Do you feel like you got a good value for the price paid?
- What were the workmen like? How comfortable were you having them in your home? Were they friendly and polite, or were some "sketchy"?
- Was there always an English-speaking person on the job in case you had an important question?
- Did they have a fixed place of business or did they "work out of the back of their truck"?
These are just a few of the questions my clients have been asking me as they deal with the overwhelming task of dealing with their newly flooded homes.
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Mafia: Respect and Retaliation Fighting Tips
Fight the Mob
Fighting is a key part of Mafia: Respect and Retaliation. It is through this that you not only gain experience points and money, but throw down opponents, securing your place on top. If you are intent on becoming one of the top ranked players in Mafia: Respect and Retaliation you have to start fighting, but also do it with proper planning and thought. Here are some quick tips for fighting other players in Mafia: Respect and Retaliation.
Size Up
When you are about to fight an opponent in Mafia: Respect and Retaliation you have to analyze who they are. If at all possible you should try to fight people lower than you unless you are trying to level up quickly. The important thing to remember in the fighting system is that every loss will play against you on your record so it is better to win every low level fight instead of win some high level and lose several others. Do not try to fight people with a higher level or more members in their mob than you at first. The first people you should go for should be those with significantly low mob numbers for their level.
Save It
Avoid fighting too much for the first ten levels as you should be camping out as long as you can. Do not level up as this will mean you will be progressing to more difficult opponents without being on top in terms of mobsters and weapons. Instead, you should focus all of your financial needs on property and avoid completing missions or fights until you have reached huge numbers in both weapons and mobster areas.
Friend Codes
Right from the beginning, you need to be adding people to your mob if you are going to win fights. Try placing your Friend Code everywhere you possibly can, including both iPhone applications and web boards dedicated toward Mafia: Respect and Retaliation Friend Codes. The more Friend Codes you can add the larger your mob will be. This will end up being the deciding factor as to how well you are going to do, especially before level thirty-five or forty.
This post is part of the series: Mafia: Respect and Retaliation Tips
Here are articles with tips and guides for Mafia: Respect and Retaliation for the iPhone and iPod Touch.


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Current Events Reporter Charlotte Kissick-Jones interviewed members of KCL Action Palestine in the wake of their recent protest on Waterloo Bridge. Inviting a response from KCL Israeli Society, this interview and analysis examines the ways in which KCL funds human rights abuses in direct opposition to their 'Strategic Vision 2029'.
[Featured Image: KCLAP activists protesting on Waterloo Bridge, holding a sign reading 'Apartheid Off Campus'.]
Thursday 29th of November marked the 'International Day of UN Solidarity with the Palestinian People', a 71-year-old struggle for the Palestinian people to regain self-determination and independence. An event that has more of a direct association to the student body at King's also took place; KCL Action Palestine staged a protest on Waterloo Bridge in support of the UN's solidarity, but primarily to call for Apartheid Off Campus. King's College London's ongoing commitment to Israel, a regime that has been officially declared an Apartheid by the U.N Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, means that our establishment is fundamentally supporting the violation of Palestinian Human Rights. The protest of green and red flares, applying the Palestinian flag as a reminder of their national identity, should be commended as a necessary form of political activism in reaction to the questionable alliances that KCL has made. The international standing of our university provides a privileged position for students and professors alike to contribute to global matters, improving lives and increasing opportunities for those less fortunate. Especially with the current importance of international intervention, students should be able to study at an institute that encourages the implementation of our education into important matters such as this. The Chairman of Council paradoxically states in 'King's Strategic Vision 2029' that 'King's aspires to tackle global challenges and serve society in a way that is contemporary, forward-looking and unrestrained', this brings into question the faith that students can place into the vision of a university that has funded the brutal military occupation of Palestinian territory.
KCL Action Palestine has responded to my questions on this protest and their aims following the event on Waterloo Bridge, the location of the protest due to its situation between the two main campuses of King's. The society decided to take part in a national day of action alongside other student activist groups, in reaction to 'illegal settlement construction (that) unrelentingly expands, Palestinians are forced to endure ongoing violence and incitement'. Previously, the society has staged a non-violent creative Festival of Resistance to counter the presence of Mark Regev, the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, on campus. A representative of KCL Action Palestine stated that this included 'music, chanting and dabke (a Palestinian dance)' all of which complied with the university's newly imposed restrictions of protests. The university demonstrated clearly violent responses with three police riot vans being called to the scene, this extreme reaction to the protest caused a safety threat to students, the majority of whom were people of colour. KCL Action Palestine responded to this exhibition from the university as 'not only abhorrent, but extremely telling of KCL to comply with the excessive security demands of the Israeli Embassy.' Both the new restrictions on freedom of assembly proves the university's increasing fear of students utilising their knowledge, and reluctance to listen to the demands of the student body. In reaction to the university's disregard of the society's actions, their representative has stated 'On Monday the 3rd, we will be releasing an Open Letter to Ed Byrne, calling on the College to cease all links with institutions which are complicit in Israeli Apartheid. A key example is KCL's l ink with the Technion- Israeli Institution of Technology. The Technion develops weaponry for Israel's largest weapon company, Elbit Systems. Elbit Systems makes surveillance and killer drones, large weapons systems, and ammunitions that Israel uses against a civilian population. We aim to collect as many signatures as possible from students, academics, staff and alumni; further action will depend upon how KCL chooses to respond to the call'.
The demonstrations of KCL Action Palestine bring to light the ability of student bodies to act against violence and human rights violations. Awareness of international politics is greatly important, but this also emphasises our duty in following the decisions of our university. Our institution has a large role in the international arena in terms of researching and funding; large contributions to the weaponry of an apartheid regime should be a wake-up call for students to care about where the money we invest into the university is implemented.
I would like to invite a dialogue in response to this article, in particular from the Israeli Society. I am a firm believer in expression of counter-narratives, and a resolution being reached through respectful debate and mutual understanding. If you have a response or questions please do not hesitate to contact myself, or the blog.
'My narrative is that I exist'- Lyricism as Palestinian Resistance
Attending 'An Evening with Reem Kelani' was a perfectly-timed reminder that Palestinian resistance through literature and song is just as important today as it was when it first emerged.
Reem Kelani, in contrast to the political activism demonstrated by KCL Action Palestine, stands as a symbol for an alternative form of activism. Her performance of Palestinian and Arabic music situates itself within her homeland before and after 1948 as a means to educate listeners, a Western audience in particular, of what it means to be Palestinian. This was supported through the translation of lyrics into English after each performance, 'we were driven out of this house and a stranger came'. Her lyricism and song hold the ability to create simultaneous celebration, sorrow and hope. Even without an understanding of the Arabic language, Kelani's powerful vocals and personal expression of loss was enough to evoke tears from the audience. Her lyrical inspiration from poets, such as Mahmoud Darwish who embodied the struggle for Palestinian nationalism, puts life back into resistance writers of the past.
The union of both Middle Eastern and British citizens at the event served as reflection of the artist's transnational standing, finding home in both Manchester and Palestine, and the importance of international unison. The artists ability to captivate a diverse audience through participation of singing, clapping and dancing transformed a performance into a unified celebration. Events such as these offer a platform to reclaim celebration of Palestinian identity and serve as a reminder that it will live on regardless of the Israeli's actions. Reem Kelani symbolises the powerful Palestinian feminine figure, an image that the media has attempted to reduce and instead portray as vulnerable and mournful. As Kelani faultlessly put it, 'I have lost a beautiful dream, but I have not lost the willing'.
In Kelani's interview with The Guardian in 2008 she stated that she initially struggled to get a record contract in England due to her subject matter, and she was unable to say that she was from Palestine on the cover of her CD. This clear political agenda of censoring in England enhances the importance of her performances as a free space for expression of nationality.
To restrict the use of 'From Palestine' on an album is to contribute to the deconstruction of one's identity. This clearly demonstrates that the role of lyricism and literature as a form of resistance should not be overlooked, even within a more politically active society. In 'Permission to Narrate', Edward Said stated that 'the inadmissible existence of the Palestinian people whose history, actuality and aspirations, as possessed of a coherent narrative direction pointed towards self-determination, were the objects of this (summer of 1982 invasion) violence'. This proves the importance for a reclaiming of a national voice, and the event held at St John's Church did just this, through a celebration of Palestinian nationality and simply, a love for Arabic music.


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Hawaiian Telcom's half-million or so customers might have to wait longer to get a new line installed or to talk to a customer service representative starting this weekend, as the company takes its final step to change into a stand-alone communications firm.
Executives say that any glitches will be relatively short-lived and that customers will benefit in the long run from a new, $100 million back-office operations system designed to give Hawaiian Telcom more flexibility in responding to customers. Nonetheless, executives are trying to prepare consumers for possible growing pains.
Spun off from Verizon Communications Inc. and acquired by the Carlyle Group last year for $1.6 billion, Hawaiian Telcom continues to rely on Verizon for its back-office systems, which support scores of operations, including such complex tasks as billing and human resources functions.
The new project, which is owned by Hawaiian Telcom, will encompass 80 separate systems, said Ann Nishida, a company spokeswoman. The company plans to make the switch Friday night, Nishida said.
"We've anticipated that every single process could have a failure, so we have created contingency plans for everything," said Harvey Plummer, Hawaiian Telcom's senior vice president of engineering and operations.
Also, all customers will begin receiving a newly designed bill starting in April.
Because of the project's enormity -- Nishida said no other phone company had ever made such a complex system change at once -- the transition period could last as long as a few months, she said.
Precisely how many customers will be affected is unclear. Although Hawaiian Telcom has reported that its network has approximately 650,000 land-line phones, that number refers to lines, not customers. Nishida said it would be reasonable to estimate the company has about 500,000 customers, but she said the company does not report that.
In any case, the new system is essential for Hawaiian Telcom's future. The company has been paying Verizon for back-office support, so the new system will let Hawaiian Telcom invest that money in its local operations instead of paying it out to Verizon.
Perhaps more important, the system will let Hawaiian Telcom offer a broader menu of options to customers. In an age of increasing competition among telecoms, old-style land-line phone companies such as Hawaiian Telcom are expanding services in order to compete with their upstart wireless, Internet and cable-based competitors. In addition to land-line phone service, Hawaiian Telcom offers DSL Internet and wireless phone services, and plans to offer video content over the phone lines as an alternative to cable television.
So far, Hawaiian Telcom has shown only glimpses of the sorts of bundled packages executives say the company ultimately will offer. That is in part because the company has been limited by its back-office services contract with Verizon, said Dan Smith, a Hawaiian Telcom spokesman. The agreement required Hawaiian Telcom to keep its services pretty much the same as they were before the spinoff, which meant that Verizon did not have to spend a fortune to customize back-office systems to serve a small customer that soon planned to launch its own operations system anyway.
The new system will allow Hawaiian Telcom to provide customers many more bundling and billing options, Nishida said.
Sean McLaughlin, chief executive of Hawaii Consumers, a research and advocacy organization, said the new system, and the jobs it will bring, appear to be good for the local economy and consumers, as a locally based enterprise is more likely than a big conglomerate to respond to the community's needs. In that context, the potential short-term pain associated with the transition is a minor trade-off, McLaughlin said.
"There may be some short term inconvenience or not, who knows?" he said. "But clearly it's moving in the right direction."


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A yoga rug, as fewer than expected know, is another type of yoga mat or surface for your practice. Its thickly woven cotton material is 100% environmentally friendly and perfect for any outdoor setting. This alternative mat provides a non-slip surface on its own or can be layered with another mat material.
The most advanced form of a travel mat, a yoga rug is agreeable to use in exceedingly more diverse environments, serve multiple purposes, and do it all in great repetition.
{ Yoga Accessories Cotton Multi Shade Yoga Rug }
Home Decor
One of the ways I use my yoga rug while not traveling is in my home. The durable canvas-like cotton material makes it great for laying in my front hallway. I even find myself practicing yoga in my pajamas some mornings due to its convenient location between two closely spaced walls. When it starts to collect some dirt, I throw it in my washer on cold with some detergent and then hang it over my shower to dry.
Beach Blanket
A towel usually does the job pretty well when it comes to spending time in the sand, but for some, a yoga rug provides better support from the sand under us taking too much shape to our bodies. How many times have you had to shake out your towel and reposition it on top of the sand?
A yoga rug is thick enough to claim its space on top of the sand to avoid the movement that brings all that sand to the surface. I like to layer with my towel for extra comfort, but this method has become a must for all my beach trips!
Tent Bottom
Glamping anyone? Pitching a tent and organizing all your supplies inside for convenient maneuvering is a must, but what about your feet? Bringing my yoga rug and laying it in the space next to my bed helped to remove dirt from my feet and supply a dry place to sit during either those rain storms or morning dew. We all know a towel can be a lifesaver while camping, so an even more absorbent yoga rug keeps your space a little extra dry when you need it most!
Grass Yoga
Those pop-up outdoor yoga classes can be a real treat! However, bringing the yoga mat you usually use in an indoor studio setting can not only damage the mat but also make for a harder uneven surface to practice on.
Instead, why not bring your yoga rug for these outdoor classes? They will conform to any surface placed on while also providing the comfort and support needed during your practice. The superabsorbent durable material will keep your surface dry, while also being easily brought back to new with a quick wash afterward.
Having a separate yoga mat for indoor and outdoor environments is very necessary to ensure a longer life for both mats.
Yoga Mat Protection
If you love your indoor yoga mat too much and can't see yourself practicing without it, try using the yoga rug underneath while outside to protect its material. Great for festivals as well, you can avoid damp or muddy grounds by using a yoga rug to protect your yoga mat for every outdoor class.
{ Folded in half above; Available in 4 color options }
You can purchase a yoga rug from almost any yoga vendor, but from my personal experience, I have been using the one from Yoga Accessories for about 4 years now and it still looks and feels brand new. Aside from some color-fading from most likely the detergent I have been using, I would highly recommend their yoga rug not only for the affordable price but also for a yoga rug that will most likely last a lifetime.
Namaste Yogis!


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GIScience at FOSSGIS conference
Posted in Events on Mar 27th, 2017
Last week, the German FOSSGIS conference about Free and Open Source GIS software was held in Passau. GIScience was also there with a small delegation, presenting some of our current research topics, from routing, to data analysis and machine learning. The talks (in German language) are already available on youtube, for example:
Routenplanung durch Flächen (by [...]


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But in the madness, the Cat has gone missing. Your challenge is to find him.
It's a wonderfully imaginative interpretation of Carroll's much loved story, and one tailored specifically for adults. But don't panic if you're not clued up on the ins and outs of the plot as the hunt does not follow a linear narrative in any way shape or form.
The aim of the game is to solve a series of mind-bending cryptic clues – sent as text messages to your mobile by the Cat himself – that will lead you closer and closer to the elusive missing beast. As soon as you have cracked a clue, send your answer to the Cat, and he will decide whether you can continue your quest or not. He suffers no fools, trust us.
Charles Peale, Charles Waterton (detail), 1824 © National Portrait Gallery
During this three-hour trail, which is predominantly outside and navigated on foot, you will encounter the strange, surreal and absurd. Starting at the National Portrait Gallery, prepare to scour the archives of Piccadilly's most famous bookshop, to scurry through dark cellar vaults, and race through the backstreets of St James' to sip tea with the Queen (of Hearts, that is).
The clues and riddles are mysterious at times, and always complex, so prepare for a challenge; this is most definitely not a kiddy-like treasure hunt. To complete the trail, abandon all preconceptions, and have your wits about you. Speed is of the essence, here, for the clock is ticking and the Cat is waiting.
Now, the question is, do you want to go alone or pledge allegiance to the Queen of Hearts?
Practical Information:
Hunt of the Cheshire Cat is designed for adults but supervised children are welcome.
|HiddenCity: Hunt for the Cheshire Cat, review
|Various Locations | MAP
|Nearest tube
|Charing Cross (underground)
09 Dec 17 – 31 Jan 19, Monday-Saturday: 11am-4:30pm (start by 4:30pm) Friday 11am - 7:30pm Sunday 11:30am - 2:30pm
|£23 per person
|Please click here for more information


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It turned out that this was one of the "mystery herons" first noted LAST summer at this location. An abbreviated timeline of these birds is as follows:
Summer/Fall 2011 - Two or three juvenile herons, superficially much like TRHE, were reported throughout this period. Abnormal for TRHE were white-edged feathers that would normally show rust in this species, plus bill structure intermediate between TRHE and LBHE. Mark Szantyr, who may have been the first person to point out that these birds were not typical TRHE, captured some great images. Mark raised the idea of hybridization as a possibility. Of note, most birders were happy to count these individuals as Tricolored Herons and reported them as such.
Spring and early Summer 2012 - Many reports of a TRHE were posted to the state listserv during this time period. When Carolyn and I first spotted this individual (photos below) I had expected it to be a typical TRHE, but was a bit surprised to find that it was almost certainly one of last year's mystery juveniles...now sporting first-spring plumage. Once again, the features that seemed incorrect for TRHE just so happened to be fine for a bird with LBHE genetic influence. However with the main plumage abnormality still being disproportionate amounts of white, leucism could not be ruled out (even though the structural differences remained).
hybrid Tricolored x Little Blue Heron
Fast forward to August 2012 - Mark Szantyr again observes TWO first-summer mystery herons, one of which is darker than the other. His photos of this dark bird are located HERE. This bird, again showing obvious characteristics intermediate between Tricolored and Little Blue, differs in one important way: it is now showing DARK feathering in places that should be white in a pure Tricolored (belly, thighs, etc).
So, in both plumage and structure, over their first 14 months of life these birds have shown many features perfectly intermediate between TRHE and LBHE with leucism pretty much ruled out at this point! Technically we're still missing genetic proof, but these "mystery" herons are really no longer a mystery.
It will be interesting to see what this/these birds look like when they are last seen this autumn. And equally fascinating will be exactly what they look like next spring if they return again. Following these birds, mostly via photographs by others, has been rather interesting. I've still only had that one encounter with one of them, but nobody has spent more time with them than Mark Szantyr who deserves major kudos for following-up over the past two summers.
- Nick


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WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Barack Obama opposes the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military, so why are Obama administration lawyers in court fighting to save it?
The answer is one that perhaps only a lawyer could love: There is a long tradition that the Justice Department defends laws adopted by Congress and signed by a president, regardless of whether the president in office likes them.
This practice cuts across party lines. And it has caused serious heartburn for more than one attorney general.
The tradition flows directly from the president's constitutional duty to take care that the laws are faithfully executed, says Paul Clement, who served four years in President George W. Bush's administration as solicitor general, the executive branch's top lawyer at the Supreme Court.
Otherwise, Clement says, the nation would be subjected to "the spectacle of the executive branch defending only laws it likes, with Congress intervening to defend others."
That is why solicitors general not only serve the president who nominated them but also have a special duty to Congress, "most notably, the vigorous defense of the statutes of this country against constitutional attack," Justice Elena Kagan testified to Congress in 2009 after Obama nominated her to be solicitor general. She joined the Supreme Court a year later.
On occasion, the Justice Department will even defend a law it knows is likely to be judged unconstitutional, said Seth Waxman, who served as President Bill Clinton's solicitor general.
Six federal judges had ruled against the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that made it a crime to make available to minors on the Internet material that was "indecent" or "patently offensive." Nevertheless, Waxman backed the law in an appeal to the Supreme Court. He lost there, but felt good about serving "our adversarial system of constitutional adjudication."
William French Smith, President Ronald Reagan's first attorney general, once said that defending congressional action that extended the ratification period for the proposed Equal Rights Amendment for women caused far and away his most uncomfortable moments in four years in office because of the irate calls he got from administration supporters — who staunchly opposed the ERA.
Obama's supporters have similarly criticized the administration for its legal efforts on behalf of "don't ask, don't tell," the law that bars gays from serving openly in the military, even after U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips in Riverside, Calif., ordered the military to immediately suspend and discontinue any investigation or other proceeding to dismiss gay service members under the law.
Indeed, Justice lawyers delayed their response to Phillips because the White House weighed in on the matter, according to a government official with knowledge of the situation. A couple of White House lawyers did not want to seek a court order that would temporarily suspend the judge's ruling, this person said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the administration's internal deliberations. Failing to challenge the ruling would have had the effect of ending the policy.
Obama says he supports repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" but only after careful review and an act of Congress.
Ultimately, the government did ask Phillips to suspend her ruling pending the government's appeal.
After Phillips refused, the administration asked the federal appeals court in San Francisco to freeze her ruling temporarily, which it did late Wednesday. Justice lawyers argued that while appeals were pending, abruptly ending "don't ask, don't tell" and immediately allowing openly gay service members could harm troop morale and unit cohesion when the military is fighting two wars.
On rare occasions, Justice officials conclude there is no reasonable argument that can be made in defense of a federal law.
Clement recalled two instances during his tenure. One posed free speech problems, because it sought to prevent recipients of federal transportation money from running ads favoring legalization of some drugs. The other was an obscure 1800s statute dealing with licensing of salvage operations.
When George H.W. Bush was president, he vetoed the Cable Television Act of 1992 in the belief that certain provisions were unconstitutional. The bill became law when Congress overrode Bush's veto.
Cable operators challenged the law in court, and Bush's Justice Department said it would not defend what the president had vetoed.
But then Clinton was elected. He reversed course and sent Justice lawyers into court on behalf of the law. The Supreme Court eventually upheld it.


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Tyler Perry is a busy man in Hollywood, producing and acting in film and TV projects while also lending his hand and fortune to various philanthropic organizations, primarily through his own The Perry Foundation.
But he never forgets the woman who first brought him to the dance – Mabel "Madea" Simmons.
Today reports that there's the a trailer for the latest Madea movie titled "A Madea Homecoming" has just arrived.
The saucy Madea – whom Perry based on his mother and aunt – is back in action with a slew of quotable quips and funny antics.
The trailer opens with a packed crowd at a huge concert, and the announcement: "The Queen is back!" Then it returns right back to grandma Madea's more familiar setting – the hilarious, crazy family drama that always goes on around her house.
This time, the family is prepping for a visit from Madea's great grandson and a backyard BBQ celebration for his graduation. Exploding grills, Mr. Brown jumping off the roof, and even a black and white flashback of a young sexy Madea ensure things aren't going to go as planned.
Plus, there's a new loose-tongued visitor to, Agnes Brown, played by iconic Irish actor Brendan O'Carroll.
The usual repertoire of actors return, including Tamela Mann as Cora, David Mann as Mr. Brown and Cassi Davis Patton as Aunt Bam, plus first-timers Gabrielle Dennis, Brandon Black, and Isha Blaaker.
"A Madea Homecoming" is the first production coupling of Perry's signature creation with Netflix, more proof that the Madea franchise is as strong as ever. Starting in 2005 with "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," this will be the 12th installment in a series that has grossed more than $670 million at the box office.
Nevertheless, this new film is a bit of a surprise. After first creating the character in 1999 for his play "I Can Do Bad All by Myself," Perry was planning to retire Madea after 2019's "A Madea Family Funeral" and his 2020 live "Farewell Play Tour." Apparently though, the pandemic made him rethink his plans.
As he told Variety in 2020, "...as I've been looking at the state of the world – and I finished a tour in January, just before the pandemic started to break in the country – and the amount of joy and laughter that it brought to so many people, that's what I think is missing. We need that laughter and that joy."
Near the end of the new trailer, Madea states, "Sometimes you just gotta do crazy stuff." And for Perry, Madea surely lets him get all that crazy stuff out of his system.
"A Madea Homecoming" will stream on Netflix starting February 25.
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Study Finds Free-Roaming Cats Pose Threat from "Serious Public Health Diseases"
Cat with American Coot by Debi Shearwater
(Washington, D.C., September 18, 2012) A study published in the peer-reviewed public health journal, Zoonoses and Public Health, has found that free-roaming cats pose a threat from "serious public health diseases" to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.
The paper was authored by R.W. Gerhold of the University of Tennessee's Center for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, and by D.A. Jessup, retired from the California Department of Fish and Game.
Among the key findings of the paper are:
- Free roaming cats are an important source of animal-transmitted, serious diseases such as rabies, toxoplasmosis, and plague.
- Free roaming cats account for the most cases of human rabies exposure among domestic animals, and are the source for one-third of rabies post-exposure treatments in the United States. Because of inconsistent incident reporting, that number is likely an underestimate of the actual cases of rabies exposure.
- Trap, neuter, and release (TNR) programs may lead to increased, un-inoculated populations of cats that can serve as a source of transmittable serious diseases.
The study found that since 1988, rabies has been detected more frequently in cats than in dogs; in 2008, the number of cats detected with rabies was four times higher than dogs. In 2010, rabies cases declined for all domestic animals except cats, which comprised 62 percent of all rabies cases for domestic animals.
"This is a significant study that documents serious wildlife and public health issues associated with 125 million outdoor cats in the United States. Decision-making officials need to start looking at the unintended impacts these animals have on both the environment and human health when they consider arguments to sanction Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) cat colonies. These colonies are highly detrimental to cats, wildlife, and people, and only serve to exacerbate the cat overpopulation problem," said Darin Schroeder, Vice President for Conservation Advocacy at American Bird Conservancy.
According to the study, which cites numerous specific examples of rabies exposures from cats, "…….human exposure to rabies is largely associated with free-roaming cats because of people being more likely to come into contact with cats, [the existence of] large free-roaming cat populations and lack of stringent rabies vaccination programs."
Importantly, the study also seems to directly contradict notions that TNR programs lead to smaller sizes of cat colonies and that they pose no health risk. Those programs purport to capture all the cats in a colony, neuter and vaccinate them, and return them to a colony that is fed and by volunteers.
"….neutered groups (colonies) increased significantly compared to [sexually] intact groups because of higher immigration and lower emigration. ………sexually intact adult cats immigrated into the neutered groups at a significantly higher rate than [they did to the] sexually intact group. ………immigrating sexually intact females had increased fertility along with increased survivorship of kittens as a population compensation response to neutered individuals."
The authors report that the data suggest that neutered cat groups act as an attractant of sexually intact free-roaming cats, thus negating the belief that TNR programs lead to decreases in free-roaming cat populations. This attraction and subsequent movement of unneutered and un-inoculated cats into cat colonies "…may severely limit the protection offered by vaccination of TNR processed cats and would not abate the [transmittable disease] threat of rabies in these groups."
The report also cited the dangers associated with TNR feeding stations in attracting raccoons, skunks, foxes, and other wild animals associated with rabies. The feeding stations not only increase the likelihood of contact between humans and rabies-exposed animals, they also increase the human and wildlife exposure to a potentially fatal parasite, raccoon roundworm, harbored by raccoons that is being seen in ever-increasing parts of the country. The danger to wildlife was illustrated in a 2008 study that found that five Florida panthers were killed as a result of a single such infected cat.
Another significant disease threat cited by the study concerns is a parasite frequently found in water or soil contaminated by cat feces. This parasite is responsible for causing the disease toxoplasmosis. Consequences of contracting this parasitic infection are most serious if you are either pregnant, HIV positive, or are undergoing chemo-therapy treatment, and range from significant to severe to fatal. The report cited a 2011 study that found that 63 percent of the patients with acute toxoplasmosis had become infected through cat feces.
The authors conclude by saying that their study "…highlights the serious public health diseases associated with free-roaming cats and underscores the need for increased public health attention directed towards free-roaming cats." The fact that rabies exposure in humans is disproportionately associated with free-roaming cats "…should be of paramount concern to health officials because of the high mortality rate of clinical rabies…"


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Founded in 1986, N Salon supply top quality Nail Salon products throughout the UK and Europe.
Through continual innovation we keep our customers at the forefront of new trends within the industry.
Delivery Info
Standard deliveries on all UK and Republic of Ireland orders is £5.98.
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By Kang Hyun-kyung
The government plans to phase out the real-name verification policy to prevent the leaking of bloggers' personal information amid growing concerns over online privacy.
At a meeting with senior ruling party lawmakers held in the National Assembly building Thursday, officials from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security said the existing policy will be scrapped as it exposes vulnerability to online hacking.
The ministry was initially negative about scrapping the measure because it had helped prevent groundless accusations and cyber defamation in Internet forums and chat rooms.
Under the plan, bloggers are required to pass a verification process to post messages or opinions by entering real names and residential registration numbers.
It was adopted in 2007 after Internet chat rooms, forums and message boards became key vehicles through which false rumors and malicious attacks against people, especially celebrities, were produced and spread rapidly.
The government changed its position on the online verification rule after a recent huge hacking case revealed the loophole of the measure designed to fight cyber defamation.
Approximately 35 million Web users' personal data, including their residential registration numbers, were leaked after the sites were hacked, raising concerns about online privacy.
To protect online privacy, the public administration ministry will team up with related ministries and government agencies to investigate public and private entities' use and management of personal data to see if there is any systematic weakness that could lead to the further leaking of bloggers' private information.
The government also plans to review the tax- and finance-related laws which require Internet users to enter their personal data to get services they want, to look into vulnerabilities and develop technologies to bolster online security.
Government officials and senior ruling party lawmakers participated in the policy coordination meeting.
On the ruling Grand National Party's side, chief policymaker Lee Ju-young and a few senior lawmakers were briefed on the government's plan to protect personal data online.
Also joining the meeting on the government side are deputy ministers from the public administration ministry, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the National Tax Service and the Ministry of National Defense.


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SMN report:
We were recently sent two rather nice contemporary drawings of the Junkers Ju 88 - and thought they would come in very useful as background reference for interior detail fans.
Inside the cockpit
They look like they were drawn up for the Junkers flight manual of the time, though we're not sure - so if anyone can fill in the blanks that would be good. There's lots to look at in the fore- and aft-facing pictures, not least being able to see what a busy place the inside of an 88's domed command cupola was. The forward view clearly shows the excellent all-round view the pilot had, and note the flip-over control yoke, ideal for accessing controls down in the left quadrant. The machine gun is shown in the latched position - in use, it could swivel freely.
Looking aft
To the rear, the bulkhead is stuffed solid and the rear gun is again shown latched in place. Visibility is good through the 'conservatory' windows, with precious little chance of an Allied aircraft sneaking up unseen - provided there's an 88 crew member keeping an eagle-eye view, of course.
Big-scale Luftwaffe attacker
The Junkers Ju 88 is among the most-modelled subjects for aircraft modellers, with the two current top dogs coming from Germany, appropriately enough. Revell has a pair of truly first class offerings: if you want big, then the 1:32 scale Ju 88 A-1 is packed with detail and follows the contours of the real thing faithfully. We found a brief review by Diedrich Wiegmann, who rated the kit very highly indeed. The pix (above, below) are of his work, with much more over at his Hyperscale review.
1:72 scale Ju 88 A-4 bomber
If you want a smaller model, then the recently released new-tool 1:72 scale Revell Ju 88 A-4 bomber version is also a good buy. The kit has 206 components, plus a choice of decals, and comes with plenty of finely engraved surface detail. And for the scale, detail is where it's at with this kit - for example, the landing gear features brake line connectors, neatly moulded to the inner surfaces of each tyre-wheel assembly. Nice. Bombs and bomb racks are included, though (and this is a pity) the fuselage bomb bay has been all but ignored - there are no internal details or opening bay doors.
Clear and thin
On the upside, the transparencies are clear and thin. As ever with German-sourced Luftwaffe kits, swastikas are not supplied on the decal sheets. However, don't mark Revell down for this shortfall - it's against the law in Germany to display or sell the Nazi Party symbol.
Strapping in with Eduard
On the superdetail front, it's worth noting that Eduard supplies a 1:72 photo-etch set (above, below) for this Ju 88 A-4, providing elements that the Revell kit lacks, such as seat harnesses.
Review of 1:32 scale Revell Ju 88 by Diedrich Wiegmann at Hyperscale here.
First look at the latest Revell 1:72 Ju 88 A-4 here.
SMN look at the 1:72 scale Hasegawa Ju 88 night fighter - plus fascinating YouTube video here.
Eduard photo-etch set here.


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Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI) participated in the 11th edition of World Chambers Congress and Competition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 12-14 June 2019. International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and World Chambers Federation holds World Chambers Congress and the competition every 2 years. The competition was in three categories, Best Education and Training Project, Best SME and Entrepreneurship Development Project, and Best Unconventional Project. AWCCI participated in the category of Best SME's and Entrepreneurship Development competition this year. After being among 16 finalists of world Chambers Competition, AWCCI won the competition among 6 of its category and they were Cali Chamber of Commerce (Colombia), Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (Turkey), Konya Chamber of Industry (Turkey), National Confederation of Industry (Brazil), and Quito Chamber of Commerce (Ecuador).
AWCCI represented its achievements and accomplishments in less than two years to reflect its efficiency in women economic empowerment and advocacy for Afghan women, such as: in the first year of establishment: facilitating 665 participation of more than 200 women-owned businesses in 31 events (including exhibitions, conferences and workshops) inside and outside Afghanistan, Since 2016; more than 500 women attendance in legal awareness and advocacy training from 5 provinces Kabul, Mazar, Herat, Jelalabad and Kandahar. In 2018, 5% priority for women in procurement by National Procurement Authority (NPA) , 15-20% Industrial rule for SME's and women, Private Sector Development NPP, National Export strategy, National Trade Policy, facilitating more than 700 participation of a total of 321 women from Kabul and provinces in more than 25 Exhibitions outside the country 15 Exhibitions inside the Country, Weekly Juma Bazaars in two locations of Kabul since July, 2018 , providing 160 women business owners with opportunity of participation in 6 training outside the country and 7 training inside the country, 13 conferences outside of the country, First Time in 16 years 8 women companies went to Dubai to sell of Global Village for six months, Establishing first mini Industrial Park and 20 women recognized and provided business expansion support in four years of annual Bibi Khadija Award and creating the Made by Afghan Women trademark to introduce top products of Afghan women made within and outside the country in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
AWCCI will keep on the hard work to develop Afghan women businesses and give them a national and international level recognition.
AWCCI's President Ms. Manizha Wafeq not only spoke at the panel of the competition of Best SMEs and Entrepreneurship Development about above activities and accomplishments of AWCCI but also spoke in another panel "Chambers and Startups" highlighting from her experience the importance of Chambers to do policy advocacy for the startups and to provide them the platform to engage and network with experienced businesses.
It is worth mentioning that AWCCI's participation in such a world class platform was possible due to its membership and support of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Afghanistan Chapter. AWCCI would like to thank all its supporters specially H.E. First Lady of Afghanistan, the Ministry of Industry's and Commerce, ICC Afghanistan, ICC's World Chambers Federation, International Trade Center (ITC), Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), Afghanistan International Bank (AIB), Roshan Telecom, the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW) and the country of Brazil, the city of Rio de Janeiro for their hospitality.


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I still have to develop a great cover. To be honest, I'm not sure what to put on the cover. I keep going back and forth on ideas.
I started the year with big plans. I see them starting to develop, but like most things worth doing it takes time. If it all works out I'll have a half a dozen great books by the end of the year.
The next book after "Rifts" is published will be a tossup between the second book of "Rifts" (the actual title has not been decided) and "The awakening" a supernatural thriller.
I have a police/detective series that I am working on as well. I'm not sure right now when the first book will be published. It depends on how quick I can write and how much free time I have.
I have a little promotional thing for the end of the month. After that I'm not sure what direction I'll take in promoting my books. My main objective at this time is to make the best books I can.
I hope to overhaul the books I had put out some time ago. Nexus: Expanded Edition is the first book I published. It needs work. When I have time (not sure when that will be) I hope to go over it and see if I can make it great or if I just need to delete it. The doorway trilogy is a middle grade book. I'm not sure how to promote a children's book. I'll need to get more feedback on that.
The coming of dark which has done very well with 25 reviews and a 3.8 rating had flaws that kept it under a 4 star rating. Good news on that. I had it properly edited a couple of weeks back. It's the same book, with the same story, but much easier to read.
Since the publication of "Rifts" is so near I will be deleting the "Rifts" preview chapters. When it is published on Amazon I will not be allowed to show previews on my site.


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MorphoSys is asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve its CD19 antibody tafasitamab, in combination with Revlimid (lenalidomide), to treat patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the company announced.
The biologics license application (BLA) submitted to the agency included data from the L-MIND Phase 2 clinical trial (NCT02399085) testing the combination, and the Re-MIND retrospective observational study assessing the outcomes of matched DLBCL patients receiving Revlimid alone.
The studies demonstrated superior response rates and survival outcomes among people receiving the tafasitamab and Revlimid combination, compared to Revlimid alone. The FDA has 60 days to determine whether the application is complete and acceptable for filing.
"The BLA submission marks a significant milestone in MorphoSys' history and demonstrates our dedication to address the high medical need in relapsed or refractory DLBCL," Malte Peters, MD, chief development officer of MorphoSys, said in a press release. "If approved, tafasitamab and lenalidomide could become an alternative treatment option for patients with this serious disease."
Tafasitamab (formerly known as MOR208) is an antibody that targets a protein called CD19, which is present in high amounts at the surface of lymphoma cells. While several CD19 antibodies are in development for lymphoma treatment, tafasitamab has a special modification meant to boost immune responses to cancer cells, increasing tumor cell death.
The ongoing L-MIND clinical trial is testing tafasitamab, in combination with Revlimid, as a treatment for DLBCL patients who are unfit for high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant, and have received one to three prior lines of therapy, including a CD20-targeted therapy such as rituximab.
The study's main goal was to determine the proportion of patients responding, partially or completely, to the combination. Secondary measures included assessing those with at least stable disease, duration of response, time to disease progression or death, overall survival, and safety.
Results presented at the 2019 International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma showed that L-MIND met its primary objective, with more patients responding to treatment (60%), compared to published data on treatment with tafasitamab (27.5%) and Revlimid alone.
This update included data from all 80 patients in the trial, who had been followed for at least one year. Their median age was 72, and they had received a median of two prior therapies.
Complete responses were attained by 43% of patients, and 82% of them were confirmed on positron emission tomography scans. Responses were also durable, lasting a median of 21.7 months.
Patients lived without signs of disease progression for a median of 12.1 months, and more than half were alive after a median follow-up of 19.6 months. The one-year survival rate in these patients was 73.3%.
"The results from the L-MIND study … are very encouraging. We are particularly pleased to see such a high complete response rate and a prolonged response duration, which is unusual in this population of relapsed or refractory DLBCL," professor Gilles Salles, lead investigator of L-MIND, said in a press release reporting the findings.
The combination of tafasitamab and Revlimid was generally well-tolerated. The most common serious or worse treatment-emergent adverse events were low levels of neutrophils (a type of immune cell), low platelet counts, and anemia. Reductions in Revlimid doses were required in 43% of patients.
Aiming to compare L-MIND findings to those of Revlimid treatment alone, researchers designed Re-MIND, a retrospective observational study that included data from matched patients receiving Revlimid in Europe and the U.S. in a real-world clinical setting.
Re-MIND collected data from 490 relapsed or refractory DLBCL patients, who were also unfit for stem cell transplant. After examining specific qualification criteria such as age, gender, and number of prior therapies, researchers ended up with a subset of 76 patients, matched for 76 of the 80 L-MIND patients.
Results revealed in October 2019 showed that response rates among the 76 patients receiving the tafasitamab combination were significantly higher (at 67.1%) than among those on Revlimid alone (34.2%), meeting the trial's primary objective.
The addition of tafasitamab also tripled complete responses (39.5% vs. 11.8%) and reduced the risk of disease worsening or death by 53%.
"I'm very excited about this real-world data approach of the Re-MIND trial to isolate a single-agent contribution of tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide in a matched patient population in r/r DLBCL," Pier Luigi Zinzani, MD, PhD, one of the lead investigators in Re-MIND, said in another press release. "This study further strengthens the synergistic effect of tafasitamab and lenalidomide, as already observed in the L-MIND trial."
MorphoSys has also announced its intention to seek tafasitamab's approval, in combination with Revlimid, for the treatment of relapsed or refractory DLBCL patients in Europe. A marketing authorization application is expected to be submitted to the European Medicines Agency by mid-2020.
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Sam Hamill knows!
If only we could touch the things of this world at their center, if we could only hear tiny leaves of birch struggling toward April, then we would know.
Nothing will change until we demolish the "we-they" mentality. We are human, and therefore all human concerns are ours. And those concerns are personal.
The only thing we all agree on, virtually every poet in this country, is that this Administration is really frightening, and we want something done about it.
Poetry transcends the nation-state. Poetry transcends government. It brings the traditional concept of power to its knees. I have always believed poetry to be an eternal conversation in which the ancient poets remain contemporary, a conversation inviting us into other languages and cultures even as poetry transcends language and culture, returning us again and again to primal rhythms and sounds.
My ethics, my sense of morality…
View original post 769 more words


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"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. "
– Psalm 118:1
Hey Papa, This world is a buzz with the coming Holiday season… I can feel it in the air, everyone is about to go bat shit crazy over their holidays!!! Christmas music is on, red and green is everywhere, and the chaos is increasing daily. JESUS, Help us all!!!
Don't get me wrong God, I love to celebrate, and I believe you created us to celebrate and be joyful… But Im pretty sure you didn't intend for our joy to be centered around the latest toy crazes or fancy electronic gadgets. Yet, we are human and easily distracted by worldly entertainments. Forgive us papa… But on a more attuned note… Today Papa and all the days ahead of me, remind me that you are the reason for every season. Although, I will partake in the celebrations and enjoy all the sights, sounds and festivities; help me not tolose sight of you.
Cheers to staying grounded!
Love you Papa, your daughter x0