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Written in 1899, Joseph Conrad's most well-known work, Heart of Darkness, tells the tale of Charles Marlow, an ivory transporter, and his colonial-era journey up the River Congo. Marlow becomes increasingly obsessed with the enigmatic Kurtz, the tyrannical 'chief' of a station up-river who has become a 'god-like' figure to the people he brutalizes.
In more recent years, Conrad's story has been accused – rightly or wrongly – of racism. For me, however, the most famous line of the novella, immortalised too in Francis Ford Copolla's Vietnam-era movie Apocalypse Now, comes as Kurtz is dying: "The horror, the horror." Kurtz's final words are ambiguous: the meaning is deliberately nebulous, leaving us to interpret for ourselves. My reading, however, has always been clear: that, like Conrad's depiction of Western 'civilisation', there is a dark side to all of us. We must learn to stare this in the face before it is too late.
I am very aware that this is a very dramatic opening to a blog post on education and graded lesson observation! Please hear me out. Recently, I have read a spate of fantastic posts from the big-hitters of the blogosphere – David Didau, John Tomsett and Joe Kirby to name but three – all questioning the purpose of graded lesson observation and providing us with alternative options. It was further encouraging to read this week in David's blog that (a) Ofsted are listening to educational bloggers and (b) that Ofsted have now ruled that individual lessons will not be graded during school inspections. The momentum is gaining weight.
This is all promising, but how does it relate to Conrad and Heart of Darkness? Well, my big concern with graded lesson observations is the way that they, and the associated culture, unwittingly encourage us to hide our own 'horrors'. If we know we are to be graded, if we know that this grade might be directly linked to performance related pay, then, for many of us, lesson observation becomes about covering up our weaknesses – our 'hearts of darkness' you might say. (Sorry if that sounds a little grandiose!).
Over the last few years, I will admit, I have sought to achieve 'outstanding' in my lesson observations. On good days I have been graded such. Yet has there been a cost to this? Have I really worked out how to become a great teacher or have I just learnt to successfully cover over the cracks? Could, impossibly, my earnest attempts at 'outstanding' have hindered rather than helped my students? In the spirit of veracity, here are a few of the obfuscating strategies many of us employ in an attempt to hide our weaknesses:
- Ensure that we are teaching something 'easy' and covering up the fact that we know the class are already quite good at this.
- Warning the class that someone from SLT is coming in to watch them before the lesson and expects to see PERFECT behaviour.
- Offering future 'reward' lessons for a particularly good lesson.
- Changing schemes of work around to incorporate an 'Ofsted'-style lesson, even if this is not what the class need. (This is the worst crime as students are losing out directly.)
- Putting all other marking and planning to one side to micro-plan a lesson over about three days.
And the list goes on… You could legitimately argue that even without graded observations, the sly amongst us might still employ such tactics. It is natural, and good for professional development, to spend longer on planning a lesson than we normally would. However, I do believe that the removal of grades would dramatically alleviate the problem. Most importantly, I think schools need to grow cultures in which we are not afraid to discuss openly our weaknesses and foibles. I would like to be comfortable enough to invite my colleagues to see me teaching my most challenging class, who are learning the material I find most challenging to teach. Then, perhaps, the feedback would be more useful.
Once again, in the interests of honesty, here are what I perceive to be my main weaknesses:
- Poorly planned and executed explanations. Too often I have to rely on heavily-scaffolded tasks to make up for the paucity of my verbal offerings.
- Questioning students too much – especially when I have not given them adequate knowledge to work on.
- Moving around the classroom too much and too nervously.
- Offering feedback too quickly.
- Being unsure when and how to give praise – see my previous blog post.
This is the stuff I try to cover up in observations; I would, ideally, like more feedback on this. (I am going to finally work up the courage to video myself at some point this year as I know this will help me to address some of the concerns.)
There are a couple questions – addressed well in the posts I mentioned at the start – that schools do need to answer before moving away from graded lesson observations:
1) How would under-performing teachers be identified and monitored in the absence of grades?
2) What alternative methods would schools use to encourage and motivate teachers to aim for the best?
Leaders like Shaun Allison are drawing attention to the 'bright spots'. Shaun is blogging about the great stuff he sees in lessons – here and here for instance. This is inspiring leadership as it imbues a sense of positivity – if the good things are highlighted they surely will grow.
So here is another voice – a lesser one I'm sure – to add a tiny bit more strength to the argument that graded lesson observations can be damaging. The more voices the better. Now that Ofsted are not doing it, surely schools must follow suit? My vision of an education utopia is one where our 'bright spots' are celebrated, and one where, finally, we can also feel confident and secure in sharing – and ultimately defeating – our 'hearts of darkness'.


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Sam Allardyce has steadied the ship at Everton and took a team with a genuine fear of a relegation scrap to a comfortable position in mid-table. Often the story when Allardyce gets a job in the Premier League.
But perhaps unsurprisingly, he isn't the most popular man on Merseyside, with his drab style of play and negative football turning most fans against him. Not the first time Allardyce's effective but limited methods have been criticised by home fans, with West Ham and Newcastle fans feeling the same way during his stints there.
News coming out of Everton recently has revealed the club have sent a survey out to fans, allowing them to rate their confidence in the current management system. In a supposed attempt to discover how connected fans feel to the club, the survey asks fans how much confidence they have in the current management team in regards to making decisions, and also asks whether fans believe the current squad is loyal and performing to the best.
This is not a new phenomenon with Everton, who regularly send out fan surveys, and sent a similar one out last May, asking similar questions of then manager Ronald Koeman. Everton have endured one of their worst seasons in recent history, especially when you consider the money they spent in the summer, and the increased expectations that brought.
The debate amongst fans is whether Allardyce deserves a chance to bring his own players in, and a full preseason program, or whether he just isn't the right man for the job. Meaning the results of this survey may have some effect on the future of Allardyce, as an overwhelmingly negative response may have an influence on the boards decision. And with Marco Silva and Shakhtar Donetsk gaffer Paulo Fonseca waiting in the wings, owner Farhad Moshiri will not be short of alternatives if he does decide to wield the axe.
But is it right that the board have sent out this survey? Knowing there is a high chance the response will not be positive. Allardyce has done the job he was brought in to do, and perhaps deserves a little more respect from the board, who have basically threw him under the bus. While the idea of giving the fans a voice at the club is a brilliant one, this should not include the manager, and is possibly giving fans more power and influence than they deserve.
Allardyce signed a contract until 2019, meaning he has one year left to run on his deal, but will he still be there come the start of the 18/19 season?

subset: commoncrawl


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Frigid 'Polar Vortex' Helps Solve Mystery of a Lost Wedding Ring Just in Time for Couple's 40th Anniversary
January 14th, 2014
The "polar vortex" that delivered a dangerous blast of icy conditions and record-cold temperatures to much of the U.S. last week is being credited with helping to solve the five-year-old mystery of a lost wedding ring.
In Willowbrook, Ill., homeowners Tara Catogge and husband Ian Comes were battling frozen pipes and trying to noodle out why no water was flowing to their second-floor bathroom when Comes decided to clean out the U-shaped trap below the sink.
Amazingly, embedded in the gunk and "looking disgusting," according to Comes, was a ring. No, this wasn't just an ordinary ring. After they cleaned it up, they could see it was a diamond-and-sapphirewedding ring.
"It looked old and important to somebody, so that's when we started the search," Catogge told Chicago's WGN.
Their investigation led them to the previous homeowners, Louise and Randy Hearne, who are now living in Colorado. Catogge was able to get a surprised Randy Hearne on the line.
"I asked [Randy] if Louise ever lost a diamond ring," Catogge told WGN. "He said, 'Oh, my God. Yes.' And I asked if it has sapphires. He just kept gasping almost."
Catogge learned that the previous homeowners lost the precious wedding ring five years earlier and had searched for it in vain. Louise and Randy assumed that it had been lost at a family gathering and was gone forever. Now they're thrilled to get it back.
The ring was delivered to the Hearnes on Saturday and is now back where it belongs — proudly displayed on Louise's finger just in time for the couple's 40th anniversary celebration. Catogge included a heartfelt note with the package: "Louise, Hooray for ice storms! I am overjoyed at finding your ring and being able to return it to you. I trust the two of you will not be separated again..."
"I mean these things happen in the movies," Catogge said. "It's almost a cliché that you find a ring in the drain in the bathroom."
In the end, Catogge and Comes will always remember the "polar vortex" a little differently than their flash-frozen neighbors.
"We have nothing but the fondest feelings about this horrible ice storm. It's a happy New Year, indeed," she said.


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Melanie Jones, Affiliate Manager for Income Access, Sheds Some Light on Best Practices when Promoting Online Bingo Sites.
To effectively promote bingo sites, it's important to understand what distinguishes bingo players from players in other online gaming verticals. With that understanding, you can better target potential players.
First, unlike the stereotypical bingo-hall patron, the average online bingo player is female, age 18-40. Secondly, online bingo rooms have much more of a community feel than other gaming verticals. There can be hundreds of players in one bingo room at a time, so it feels less like a competition and more like a lottery. When it comes to promoting online bingo, then, you want to (1) target women ages 18-40, and (2) add to the community experience.
Social Media Marketing
A great way to do this is through Social Media Marketing. Basically, social media marketing is about creating interactive user experiences. It is so well suited for promoting bingo rooms, moreover, because the online bingo community is already hyper-social. In fact, bingo affiliate portals commonly use a number of social media tools.
Online bingo forums are one of the most common places to promote online bingo rooms. They allow users to both share and discuss the experiences they've had in various bingo rooms.
As the forum moderator, you can post bingo room reviews and start threads that members can then respond to and discuss. Because online bingo players are so community-oriented, the kind of interaction provided by forums is ideal for attracting and retaining a user base of bingo players.
Much like forums, the comments area on blogs gives bingo players a place to express themselves and interact with each another. You can also add to the bingo community by publishing bingo room reviews and reporting on various player promotions. A blog that's regularly updated can easily attract bingo players looking for a reliable source of up-to-date information.
Other Community Contributions
You can also engage bingo communities without building your own. What draws bingo players to communities is the useful information they find there. A great way to drive traffic, then, is to re-package existing information.
XML Powered Tables
One way to offer useful information is by featuring real-time bingo information on your site. This is often done by pulling the XML feeds from various bingo rooms and packaging the information into an easy-to-read table. These tables commonly feature information on the number of players in different rooms, current and recent jackpots, and when the last time was that a room paid-out.
Such tables let players compare the jackpots and odds of different bingo rooms at a single glance. So when they make their choice where to play next, the affiliate makes a referral commission.
Desktop Widgets
Desktop downloads are a great way to retain users even when they're not on your site. Bingo affiliates commonly offer desktop widgets that serve real-time updates on player promotions and popular bingo rooms. By developing desktop widgets that provide players with useful information and offering them for download, you can engage players even when they're not on your site.
Sharing is Social
Because online bingo players are so social, the best way to reach out to them is to add value to their interactions. As a bingo affiliate, you can do that by either creating a space that they interact in, or providing information that they can share.


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The Associated Press
PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) — An architect who designed modern and whimsical postmodern structures and later household goods sold at Target stores has died in New Jersey. Michael Graves was 80 years old.
Spokeswoman Michelle DiLello says Graves died of natural causes Thursday in his longtime hometown of Princeton.
Graves was born in Indianapolis. He designed buildings including The Portland Building in Portland, Oregon, and The Humana Building, in Louisville,...
Celebrity Deaths by Category
Celebrity Search
Years in Review
A look back at those who passed.
Receive email notification about people of national interest.


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A wedding is a wonderful celebration of a union of love between two partners that have decided to come together as one. A lot of work goes into planning a wedding ceremony, and there are people that want to make sure that they soak up every memory with customized colors for decorations and foods that are going to be delectable to their guests. There are also couples that are interested in having clothing that is going to make guests do a second take. There are couples that are going to want to have some very unique suits, ties and gowns when they make the decision to take the vows before all of their closest family and friends.
Bountiful Wedding Dress Choices
The bride always has so many different choices to consider when she gets married. It is not uncommon for someone that is taking a walk down the aisle to consider many choices before a dress is actually chosen. In most cases people are going to expect the bride to have a customized gown that is going to fit her personality. Some women choose a dress that shows a lot of cleavage. Others may choose a gown that shows none. There are so many possibilities that exist when it comes to picking the right dress, and men are going to have a lot of chances to sit with the bride as she goes through her numerous elections. From this perspective, it only makes sense for a man to consider a customization for his suit and tie.
Getting Customization for the Groom
There are also some men that want to add a bit of flair to their suits as well. This is why there is a growth in custom wedding suits. Man have gotten to a point where they also want to stand out in the wedding as well. They may have different ideals about the type of color schemes and styles of the jackets that they are wearing for the wedding. For a long time, the traditional tuxedo with a cumber bun was something that was seen in many wedding photos. This is a different age. Millennials have a different perspective when it comes to how they want to dress for their wedding day.
In many cases it is the bride that may also encourage the man to add his own style into the wedding. This will typically be based on color coordination and a number of different suit styles for the best man and the groomsmen as well.
Customization Equates to Interesting Photography
All in all, customized gowns and suits are the thing that equate for very interesting wedding photos. This is going to be where the memories are shared with others that may not have been able to attend the wedding. This is the reason why so much emphasis is put into customization in many cases. People want to be able to remember that they did the wedding in a way that best fit their personality.


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As real estate agents, we know firsthand that moving to a new home when you have pets can be a challenging situation, not to mention stressful on the pets. For most people, leaving their animals behind is out of the question. For those of you who will eventually move with pets, proper preparation can ensure that your next move will go more smoothly, for you and your pets.
Before the Move
For the most part, dogs respond to a family relocation with different behaviors. Many of our past clients socialize
their dogs quite a bit, taking them places and often stay overnight with them. One of our agents, Caroline Hersh, has a dog named Olive who was quite comfortable with their move a couple of years ago. This is not the case for all dogs.
Dogs are often easier to travel with, but if your dog only travels in the car to go to the vet, you'll want to acclimate him to riding in the car a few weeks before your move. Start with short trips, perhaps to the park. Positive attention will reinforce the pleasurable aspect of car rides and help decrease anxiety.
Cat owners tell us that during moves, their cats were clingy and atypically affectionate or temporarily reclusive.
If your cat's only exposure to a carrier was when she came home from her prior home, leave it where she can examine it daily. Place your cat's favorite blanket or toy in the carrier, and praise her when she goes inside. When the cat feels stressed, she'll hopefully hide in the carrier instead of in a suitcase or box.
On the day of the move, place your cats or other small animals in their carriers and confine your dogs to one room or the backyard. If your dog has any territorial protectiveness or gets stressed out easily, ask a neighbor to watch him for the afternoon until all of your belongings are packed away. Only after everything is out of the house should you retrieve your animal and place him in the car or moving truck.
Cats should be placed in a hard-sided carrier. Allow enough room on either side of the carrier for proper ventilation, covering the carrier with a sheet or light blanket for the first few hours of the trip. Cats get a little freaked out when they see the world moving by, but that after a few hours, they should relax.
Dogs should also be restrained. Safety harnesses, which attach to any seat belt, allow your dog to sit or stand comfortably, whereas safety gates, made of either mesh or metal, give him added mobility in a restricted area. An unrestrained, uneasy dog can compromise your control of the car while driving. Plus, your already disoriented dog may escape from the vehicle at a roadside stop.
Additionally, don't forget to pack a separate bag for your animal. Take some of his favorite food, as well as a gallon of water, because water characteristics change regionally. If you are traveling with cats, they can generally travel for eight to 10 hours without having to use a litter box, but it never hurts to bring along a disposable litter box for emergencies or overnight stops. You will also need to bring a pet first aid kit and some extra towels, in case of accidents. Place temporary ID tags with your new address and phone number, or a cell phone number, on your pet's collar.
Hidden Hazards
Not all moves can be made in one day. If you must stop for the night, call ahead to hotels that claim to be pet-friendly. Many pet-friendly hotels have a limited number of rooms available for people with pets, or will only allow small dogs and cats.
In the hotel room, look around for any dangers, such as open windows or holes in the wall, before letting your cat out of her carrier or your dog off his leash.
New Home Sweet Home
When you reach your final destination, immediately remove your animals from the car and segregate them in a single room as you assess the home. Check for open windows, chemicals in the water, mousetraps under the bed or dressers and even drapery cords, which cats can get tangled in. Only after all of your boxes and furniture have been moved in, and all of the movers have left, should you let your animals out to explore. For some animals, it may take days or even weeks to become comfortable.
"It's not easy to move with animals," says Schoem, "but it's part of the obligation we have to them." With forethought and planning, there is no reason why moving to a new home cannot be accomplished with a minimum of stress—for both you and your companions.


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Nicholas Pajerski made a tutorial on Instructables describing how to build a desktop Stewart platform with lasercut and 3d printed parts. It is controlled by Arduino and uses linear actuators enabling it to carry heavier loads.
Detailed build guide and all the parts files can be found at:
I have a feeling that a field of home manufacturing robotics is entering a very rapid development phase. 3d printers were just the initial phase.
Here is a much larger MOOG platform controlled by IPad used for flight simulations:
And here is a smaller version doing some balancing:


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There has been a formal changing of the guard for The Hamilton Niagara Fleet Safety Council chapter at recent elections held on June 24, 2015. The chapter is now breaking for the summer with the exception of Annual Board Member in August. When regular meetings resume in September the following Board members will be in charge. Thank you to all that have served in the current, future, and the past. For 2015-2016:
- Bruce Outridge-Past Chairperson
- Jim Campbell-Chairperson
- Charlie Shields-Vice Chair Person
- all other positions remain the same
We look forward to a great year with Jim and Charlie at the helm.


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Tri Marine Management
Tri Marine was originally formed in Singapore in 1972 as a tuna procurement activity for an Italian government-owned group of companies.
In 1986 when the Italian government implemented a change in public policy calling for divestiture of food sector businesses, Tri Marine became a private company. Since then the Company has grown to be one of the largest tuna supply companies in the world.
Recent Posts


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Brazilian Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles was listed as the country's representative to the G20 summit over the weekend, as President Michel Temer continues his struggle to retain power as a corruption scandal drags on.
Though Temer managed to make it to Hamburg for a brief appearance, Meirelles stayed for three days in the German city, Bloomberg reports, making efforts to reassure world leaders that Brazil's economic recovery continues, regardless of the political situation.
"Meirelles is the guarantor of economic stability," Senator Jose Agripino Maia, from the government-allied Democratas party said. "If the politics is going badly, the economy is on the right track."
"The economic team is on board, it was chosen by him and will continue," Meirelles said in a video taped in Hamburg. "You can continue investing, consuming, the country will continue its growth path."
A Constitution and Justice Committee will begin discussions this week on whether the congress should vote on putting Temer on trial.


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The transparency law of South Sudan has been in force since 2013 and with it has earned 120 points in the Global Right to Information Rating (RTI Rating). With that score South Sudan is ranked 12, as its transparency law adequately guarantees access to information, when compared with other countries.
This index ranks countries giving them a score of 0-150 depending on the strength of its legal framework which guarantees the right to information.
In the next table you can also see the scores obtained by South Sudan in each of the groups that make up the index. Access the list with the classification of all countries by clicking on RTI Rating and the economic information for South Sudan by clicking on Economy of South Sudan.


text: We do some things very well, and this is one of them. Founded by Eaton's Department Store, The Santa Claus Parade is among the largest in the world. The outdoor spectacular attracts hundreds of thousands every year – in person and on television. This year, more than ever, we need a little Christmas!


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Not only do these results implicate common causal variants as the source of heritability in disease susceptibility, but they also suggest that gene-gene (epistasis) and gene-environment interactions are of limited impact. Both the genetic and environmental backgrounds for a particular allele vary across Eurasia, so replicability puts an upper limit on their influence. See also Epistasis vs Additivity.How can it be? But what about the marvelous incomprehensible beautiful sacred complexity of Nature? But But But ...
In the blood pressure (BP) study cited below, the data include East and South Asians, African Americans and Europeans. The effect sizes of variants in one population are well correlated with effect sizes in other populations, despite changes in the genetic background (i.e. other genes) and environments with which they interact. This suggests the interaction effects are small.
Genome-wide Association Analysis of Blood-Pressure Traits in African-Ancestry Individuals Reveals Common Associated Genes in African and Non-African Populations
Abstract: ... We also demonstrate that validated EA BP GWAS loci, considered jointly, show significant effects in AA samples. Consequently, these findings suggest that BP loci might have universal effects across studied populations, demonstrating that multiethnic samples are an essential component in identifying, fine mapping, and understanding their trait variability.
(COGENT = African Americans, ICBP = European Americans)
Long live "beanbag genetics"! :-)
A Defense of Beanbag GeneticsSee also Eric, why so gloomy?
JBS Haldane
My friend Professor Ernst Mayr, of Harvard University, in his recent book Animal Species and Evolution1, which I find admirable, though I disagree with quite a lot of it, has the following sentences on page 263.
The Mendelian was apt to compare the genetic contents of a population to a bag full of colored beans. Mutation was the exchange of one kind of bean for another. This conceptualization has been referred to as "beanbag genetics". Work in population and developmental genetics has shown, however, that the thinking of beanbag genetics is in many ways quite misleading. To consider genes as independent units is meaningless from the physiological as well as the evolutionary viewpoint. [Italics mine]... In another place2 Mayr made a more specific challenge. He stated that Fisher, Wright, and I "have worked out an impressive mathematical theory of genetical variaion and evolutionary change. But what, precisely, has been the contribution of this mathematical school to evolutionary theory, if I may be permitted to ask such a provocative question?" "However," he continued in the next paragraph, "I should perhaps leave it to Fisher, Wright, and Haldane to point out what they consider their major contributions." ...
Now, in the first place I deny that the mathematical theory of population genetics is at all impressive, at least to a mathematician. On the contrary, Wright, Fisher, and I all made simplifying assumptions which allowed us to pose problems soluble by the elementary mathematics at our disposal, and even then did not always fully solve the simple problems we set ourselves. Our mathematics may impress zoologists but do not greatly impress mathematicians. Let me give a simple example. ...
Fisher's Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection identifies additive variance as the main driver of evolutionary change in the limit where selection timescales are much longer than recombination (e.g., due to sexual reproduction) timescales. Thus it is reasonable to expect that most of the change in genus Homo [traits which have been under selection] over the last millions of years is encoded in a linear genetic architecture.


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The Kenya Films and Classification Board (KFCB) boss Dr Ezekiel Mutua has written a letter to the NGOs coordination board to investigate foreign NGOs suspected of funding homosexuality in Kenya.
In an exclusive interview with The Nairobian in Kakamega town, Dr Mutua says these NGOs reach out to poor innocent youth in rural villages and surprise them with big money to engage in the practice (homosexuality).
"We (KFCB) have asked the NGO Coordination Board to investigate the activities of some of the foreign NGOs in the country. If they do not stop, I will lead in picketing and demonstrations to make our message heard," Mutua said.
He added: "There are foreign NGOs in Kisumu and Kakamega which move to the villages to manipulate our poor innocent youth with 'big money' of up to Sh3 million for them to engage in this wicked act."
According to him, this is a kind of neo-colonialism that will not prosper under his watch since it will end up destroying the country that is enriched with African morals and principles.
"These mzungus who are bringing and sponsoring this practice in Kenya should know that we are entrenched in our African morals and principles that portray sexual decency. Our fore parents did not practice homosexuality," he said.
The 'moral cop' said he is ready to lose his job if the fight against homosexuality becomes so fierce for him to win.
"I am willing and ready to lose my job of heading the moral board in a country where homosexuality is the order of the day. It will destroy even the future generations, which should not be the case."
Mutua further termed the supporters and sympathisers of homosexuality as insane because, "mature men end up in diapers because they have been 'destroyed' by their fellow men. It is high time we stopped this Westernised and good-for-nothing practice."
In the neighbouring East African countries of Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, homosexuality is banned and "it is only in Kenya where such people are getting a safe haven to continue with their acts."
This comes after KFCB banned the distribution, exhibition or broadcasting of a Kenyan film titled Rafiki for advancing lesbianism.
"The name of the movie should be changed to Immorality, because that is what it is. It is so dirty to let anybody watch it," he said.
Article 45 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 defines marriage as a union between persons of the opposite sex. Further, sections 162,163 and 165 of the penal code criminalises homosexual behaviour, with the state not recognising relations between persons of the same gender.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, in an interview with CNN said the topic of gay rights is of no importance to Kenyans.


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|"be consistent"
Ever wonder where your XP comes from?by krujos (Curate)
|on Sep 11, 2002 at 18:02 UTC ( #197016=monkdiscuss: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
For the last couple days I have logged in to see that I have gained XP (ok well once I lost a point as well). While this is nothing remarkable it has got me thinking. Where did all of this XP come from? Personally I would like a way to figure out what I gained a point for and what I have lost points for. I know that one way to check this is to look at the reputation of my nodes and see if any have changed. But more often than not I don't know what the reputation of my nodes was before I logged off. I was wondering if any of the other monks had nifty tactics to figure out where their extra XP comes from. Also, anyone familiar with the perl monks code how hard would it be to implement something that simply said where the XP +|- came from. e.g.
Back to Perl Monks Discussion


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Collin Morikawa seizes control of Open Championship with brilliant 64
This time last year, Collin Morikawa was one of a whole crew of heralded but untested young players just making their way onto the big stage. Now, he's put himself into position to win his second major in less than a year.
Using spectacular iron play and a calm precision rare in someone playing in their first Open Championship, Morikawa seized control of the tournament Friday with a spectacular 6-under 64. Combined with his 3-under round on Thursday, Morikawa entered the weekend with a three-stroke clubhouse lead on the field.
Morikawa credited a trip to the Scottish Open last week with his improved iron play on the links.
"I'm able to be fully committed," he said earlier this week. "I feel confident with my irons again that I just didn't have last week. It's a learning process."
He learned the ways of the wind and the turf quickly enough that he threatened the all-time major scoring record of 62. After seven birdies, a late bogey on 15 killed those chances, but he still finished with enough momentum that his odds to win dropped to +250 from a pre-tournament mark of +3300, according to BetMGM.
The two opening rounds bode well for Morikawa's chances at Royal St. George's. Twitter golf stats maestro Justin Ray noted after Morikawa's round that since 1900, 41.2 percent of Open champions were in the lead or co-lead after 36 holes.
If he were to win on Sunday, he'd become the first player in history to win his debuts at two different majors. Last year, he won in his debut performance at the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Earlier this year, he finished T8 at the PGA and T4 at the U.S. Open.
Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter at @jaybusbee or contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com.
More from Yahoo Sports:


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Yesterday I told you that I was working on a lot of changes for ChiqueChic. Well, most of them are done, but there's still more to come!! In the mean time, I'm going to get back to posting. Enjoy!
© 2009, ChiqueChic. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide link to original post.


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The obviously questionable casting of Priyanka Chopra as the lead actress and the choice of the principal shooting locations (Manali, Dharamshala, et al) are the least of the numerous glaring problems that mar first-time director Omung Kumar's well-intentioned but excessively effusive Mary Kom.
The film presents a preposterously strident re-enactment of a real-life blood-and-sweat tale.
It is aggravated manifold by injudicious use of musical numbers and a loud, unsubtle background score rustled up ostensibly to highlight the intensity of the protagonist's many struggles. It only ends up being more distracting than piercing.
What Mary Kom achieves is just the opposite of what it sets out to: the perpetually-on-the-edge style of storytelling takes the sting and authenticity out of the story of the inspirational rise of the spirited daughter of a Manipuri rice farmer in the world of amateur women's boxing.
Not that Priyanka is a complete washout. Far from it – there are parts of the film where she manages to make the audience forget that she simply isn't the right face for Mary Kom's role.
She plunges into the character with all her might and when the writing is somewhat sensible, she is more than passable.
Sadly, that is not often enough because Omung Kumar decides to craft the Mary Kom story as an out-and-out Bollywood melodrama about a woman who negotiates familial and societal odds to emerge on top rather than a genuinely heartfelt and pinpointed sports movie about a world champion.
In any case, it is a tall order for the hardworking Priyanka not to stick out like a misguided missile amid the likes of Robin Das, Rajni Basumatary (as Mary Kom's father and mother respectively) and Sunil Thapa (as her coach), who meld in far more easily with the purported setting of the film.
Even the music employed in Mary Kom – there is a surfeit of it, in the form of both songs and background effects – does not do anything at all to accentuate the flavour of Manipur.
The first few scenes of the film take cognizance of the unrest that Manipur has been witness to for decades and which has impacted the lives and livelihoods of the state's youngsters caught in the crossfire between rebels and the security forces.
The screenplay, however, does not go through with that strand of the narrative, abandoning it all too quickly for it to become an integral part of the film.
The bouts between Mary Kom and her opponents (despite the much publicized use of specialists and action experts) are staged more like violent freestyle street fights than thoughtfully choreographed boxing contests.
Mary Kom is another reminder that sports biopics aren't up overkill-loving Bollywood's street.
It shows why the Hindi movie industry should steer clear of the task of chronicling the lives of India's sporting icons. There are anyways only a handful of such athletes who can rightfully lay claims to greatness. Why toy with their exciting stories and reduce them to labored fairy tales?
But all said and done, Mary Kom is an infinitely better sports film than the bloated mess called Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
If nothing else, Omung Kumar shows an occasional inclination to locate his narrative in largely believable settings and situations. It is in the pitching of the drama that he goes wrong.
A couple of the characters are utterly unconvincing. The boxer's husband, played by Darshan Kumar, is too much of a willingly suffering man to be true.
And the boxing federation boss who makes life miserable for Mary Kom and other female boxers is a brazen caricature that gobbles up footage without adding any value to
the story.
The question is: should you watch Mary Kom? You should, the simple reason being that we owe it to the pugilist who has gone where few Indians have ever gone – to the pinnacle of her sport – and stayed there long enough not to be remembered as a flash in the pan.


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Saturday 18th June 2011
Dear friends and supporters,
It is with deepest regret that I inform you that our father, Brian, passed away this morning.
As you know he was battling lung cancer, and was having treatment in Germany.
He left us in his sleep and in no pain, after a long, hard fight.
With your help we have been able to share months more than we should have had with him, and for that we are eternally grateful.
We would like to have this time to be together as a family, to share in the love he gave us, and respectfully ask that you allow us this time undisturbed.
We will make further arrangements known to you all in due course.
Once again thank-you for your kindness and continued support,
Kind regards,
Brian's family.
Babs was with Brian when sadly he passed away early on Saturday morning.
The Parliament Square Peace Campaign extend their deepest sympathies to Brian's family.
We would also like to thank all the very many kind people who supported and took such special care of Brian during his illness.
Brian showed great determination and courage during the many long hard years he led his Peace Campaign in Parliament Square, during which it is well documented that he was relentlessly persecuted by the authorities which eventually took its toll on his health.
Brian showed the same courage and determination in his battle with cancer. He was keenly aware of and deeply concerned that so many civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine did not have access to the same treatments that were made available to him.
Parliament, the police, and courts etc, should forever be ashamed of their disgraceful behaviour towards Brian.
Brian is an inspiration to all in our campaign and we appreciate the many messages of support for Brian whose spirit continues to guide us in the work we do.
We love & miss Brian very much.
We know that it was Brian's greatest wish that everyone should take responsiblity to do what they can to stop the government murdering innocent civilians in ongoing illegal wars of aggression.
It is clear that if everyone showed the same courage as Brian, in challenging this government, that many lives would be saved, now.
We only have to look to the Arab World to see what is possible in what are historical times.
Further arrangements for Brian will be posted on our website.
Love, Peace, Justice For All,
Brian Haw's Parliament Square Peace Campaign.


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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
She's quite large and from all appearances seems healthy. The colony looks just like a laying worker colony - full of drone brood (capped and across many frames). This does not appear like you may see when a queen is just starting out. I'm talking lots of drone brood. I almost shook out this colony until I saw the big beautiful queen lumbering around. This came from a cut-down split that didn't take on the first try. I went back in and gave them a frame of eggs. They made nice queen, but something is definitely wrong. Could it be that the delay in getting them queenright after the split put them closer to LW state and the new mated queen can't overcome this - hard to believe? I've never seem a queen that clearly appears to be mated and laying only drones for an extended period.


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Boxed In tells us the tracks filling up his ipod at the moment
The Playlist does what it says on the tin: a ten track selection of songs picked by an artist with impeccable taste designed to educate, enlighten and open up your ears to some exciting new sounds. This week, ahead of his headline show at Kamio on September 29, Boxed In mainman Oli Bayston picks nine modern cuts of forward-thinking leftfield pop: he's keeping good company...
Blood Orange, 'Hands Up'
"Really enjoying his new record. It has a narrative running throughout. Musically and lyrically a far cry from his Test Icicles days."
Wild Beasts, 'Big Cat'
"Everything they release has something I can enjoy"
Bill Evans, 'Young and Foolish'
"I'm enjoying a Bill Evans resurgence at home. He's on the record player a lot this month"
Anna Meredith, 'Blackfriars'
"She's a huge talent with a great ear for dissonant harmonies. The strings arrangement on this track is brilliant".
Little Cub, 'Breathing Space'
"I mixed this record along with the rest of their album, coming out early next year"
Leon Vynehall, 'Paradisea'
"Love his new album and this track is a standout"
Ryuchi Sakamoto, 'The Revenant Main Theme'
"Love this album. The music is a standout for me, particularly as the cinematography and direction is on another level to most films I've seen recently"
Hello Skinnny, 'Crush'
"Amazing drummer Tom Skinner's solo album. It reminds me a little of Silver Apples, who i'm a big fan of, but with a broader instrumental palette."
Everything Everything, 'No Reptile'
"I'm a bit slow to this one but I absolutely love it. It has a wonderful tempered progression and packs a lot of emotion at the end. I recently found out it's all samples as well, assuming the orchestration was live."
Boxed In plays Kamio on September 29. Tickets on sale here: http://rockfeedback.seetickets.com/event/boxed-in/kamio/995931?src=RFBRW129


text: I love all Jenny's dresses, they are so classy and striking its easy to tell her designs from any others. As one of the UK's most regarded designers you feel that little bit more special in one of Jenny's wonderful dresses! Go to her website to see more of the Jenny Packham designs.


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How to Run a Self-Catered Hotel
Opening a small hotel is a dream for many, especially those who enjoy interacting with people and have a passion for running their own business. It takes careful research, management and financial planning to run a successful self-catering hotel. Accommodation in Essex is highly sought after, especially for businessmen and women who are looking for hotels in Braintree that offer a home-from-home experience and great transport links into the City. Here, we have put together some helpful tips on how to run your own self-catered hotel.


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Call Today (301) 231-5858
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Questions About Dental Services in Rockville, MDWe encourage you to contact us whenever you have an interest or concern about dentistry procedures such as porcelain veneers, dental implants, and tooth whitening in Rockville.
Contact us with the form below:


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Having completed my first and probably last marathon, I had the first hand opportunity to observe many types of injuries during a long distance run. I will be covering the first two long distance running injuries in this blog.
Shin splints
This problem typically occurs during repetitive motions such as running, walking, and cycling. It is caused by placing too much strain on the front muscle groups of the leg. This condition is also called Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTTS). The pain is usually on the inside of the leg or the outside and is described as a sharp burning pain. Runners who have inadequately stretched and have not trained properly will most likely suffer some form of shin splints. Also, improper shoe gear, running up hill, and running on banked trails can cause symptoms to worsen. The pain will actually hurt more in the morning since muscles tend to tighten during the night and it will be difficult to raise your foot up using your ankle since the muscles responsible for that movement are affected.
The way to treat shin splints is quite easy. Stop the activity that is causing the pain and start stretching.The proper stretch is to sit on your legs with your toes pointed behind you. This stretch works very well since you are using your own body weight to help stretch the front muscle group of the legs. Compression stockings or sleeves will also help to decrease symptoms when running. Essentially the phrase "too much, too soon" should be avoided whenever you are training for any long distance run. Gradually increase your mileage over time so that your muscles and body can adjust to the new added stress.
Achilles Tendinitis (AT)
Pain at the back of the ankle can be very debilitating and unfortunately is quite common for runners. Patients describe the pain as a dull ache or a sharp pain when performing activities. This condition is caused by overstraining of the Achilles tendon which is the largest and most powerful tendon in the body. As we run and push off the Achilles tendon is constantly being used and therefore symptoms increase. Patients who are not stretching adequately or are training aggressively on hills can develop these symptoms easily. Also, over pronators, (their feet rotate too far inward on impact) have an increase in AT.
Treatment is stopping the activity causing the pain. Taking ibuprofen, icing, and massage therapy all help with the pain. After the inflammation has calmed down you should not just start running again. You have to gradually increase your activity so that you do not injure your AT again. Stretching of the tendon will also help to reduce tension and strain. Placing your toes on a step and then gradually letting your heels fall to the ground will result in a great stretch of the tendon. Custom orthotics to prevent over pronation will help to decrease stress on the Achilles. Kinesiology Taping (KT taping) also helps to reduce strain to the Achilles by supporting the muscles attached to the tendon and is used when running.
If you experience any of these problems please call 813-875-0555. The doctors of Advanced Podiatry will help you get back on your feet today!


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- keyword(s): south orange
Showing Results: 1 - 3 of 3
Papers of John Morley
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: Mss 0149
Dates: 1975-2009
John M. Oesterreicher papers
Identifier: Mss 0053
Abstract John M. Oesterreicher was born February 2, 1904 in Stadt-Liebau, Moravia, then a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, into a Jewish family. He studied theology at the Universities of Graz and Vienna, was ordained to the priesthood in 1927, and in 1953 he founded the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. The John M. Oesterreicher papers include manuscripts, correspondence and sermons centering on his work in Judaeo-Christian Studies and...
Dates: 1904-1996
Office of the President & Chancellor: James F. Kelley records
Identifier: SHU-0003-011
Msgr. James F. Kelley was the President of Seton Hall University from 1936 to 1949. The James F. Kelley records contain both personal records and records of Seton Hall College.
Dates: 1910-1996


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The European Championships (C-Group) for national team will start July 27, 2003 with the game Denmark vs. Czech Republic at Copenhagen.
With this tournament EFAF has regrouped its national team competition in a three level system. All federations participate in three levels: C, B and A. The winner of C-group will start in 2004 in the B-group tournament which will be held at France. The loser of 2004 B-group will have start next time at 2007 C-Group-tournament.
For Czech Republic this year tournament is the first time ever participation with a senior national team. Italy and Russia played last time in the 1998 qualification round for EC 2000. Netherlands last participation at a final tournament was 1991 at Helsinki with winning the bronze medal. Denmark played last game versus Sweden in EC 2001 qualification.
Tournament favorit is Italy which has won the EC 1983 at Castel Giorgio (Italy) and EC 1987 at Helsinki (Finland) plus 3 silver medals and 1 bronze medal.
July 27th - Sunday
Denmark vs. Czech Republic Kick off: 18.00
July 29th - Tuesday
Czech Republic vs. Italy Kick off: 14.00
Netherlands vs. Russia Kick off: 18.00
July 31st - Thursday
Italy vs. Netherlands Kick off: 14.00
Russia vs. Denmark Kick off: 18.00
August 2nd - Saturday
Game for 3rd and 4th place Kick off: 12.00
Championship Final Kick off: 16.00
European Championsships (C-Group) starts at Copenhagen
Category: News - published 2003-07-23 by EFAF


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Things have been really quiet over here, because I've been diligently working on getting my company Dollface Delights a face lift. I've decided to rebrand the company to reach out to a different market and offer some additional services. Right now I am taking a 14-week small business course and learning so much on running my business the legit way. One of the things I've realized I really need to get my butt on is business cards. People are always asking for them and its kind of embarrassing that I don't have any to hand out.
When I had my original website and logo created I received a ton of business cards, but with the rebranding and getting a new phone number those cards are pretty useless. I've been doing a ton of research to find the best place to order my cards for the value and I came across the site Print Runner. Print Runner is an online printing company that offers business card services.
There website is so user friendly and I love how you can create your own style of business card or use their templates. Here are a few ideas I've been playing around with.
Out of pure coincidence I received an email from them asking me if I would be interested in hosting a giveaway for some of their products, which of course I was stoked about. So thanks to Print Runner and allowing me to host this Giveway, the winner and myself will receive the following:
Business Card Size and Style Business Cards - 2x3.5 (Standard)
Quantity 250
Colors 4/4 Color Both Sides
Paper 14 pt. UV Coating on Front, 14 pt. UV Coating on both sides,
Proof NONE
Rounded Corners NO
*Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.
To make this quick and dirty, if you want to enter email me at firstname.lastname@example.com, with the subject line PRINT RUNNER. Include your mailing info, that way if your selected I don't have to chase you down for your info and I can submit your info to them ASAP. Winner will be announced on May 25, 2012!!!


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Want your images downloaded to your computer? Add this option and you can download all the photos we scan directly to your computer. $19.95
Same day scanning and upload is available. Simply order our "Express Service" along with this "Upload Service" to receive your uploaded images to the email provided within 24 hours. If your order is received before 1pm (Pacific Time) your order will be scanned and uploaded the same day. Same day scanning only available to standard photographic scanning. Limitations may apply. Upload service is only available for photo scanning, slide scanning, and negative scanning. Same day upload is only available during regular business hours Monday - Friday and excluding holidays.
For further information please contact our custom service representatives.


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Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Brian DeToy
Lieutenant Colonel Brian DeToy. ND '85 with a BA in History, is a recently retired Academy Professor and Director of the Defense & Strategic Studies program at the United States Military Academy, West Point. His immediate previous assignments were in the Academy's History Department, Chief of Research and Publications in the Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and Professor of Military Science at the University of Kansas. DeToy commissioned Infantry and served as a lieutenant in the 7th ID(L)'s 3rd Battalion, 27th Infantry, as a captain in the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry at the CMTC, and as a major in the 25th ID(L)'s 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry. He deployed on multiple operations in Central America and the Middle East. DeToy received MA and PhD degrees in History from Florida State University. He has taught at the United States Military Academy, the University of Kansas and for the University of Maryland's University Campus. He has presented papers, and chaired and commented sessions at numerous conferences both in the United States and Europe. He has also appeared on numerous television programs on A&E, Discovery, PBS, History Channel and others, on topics of military and social history. He wrote a chapter, "Commanders-in-Chief: Wellington and Berkeley, 1809-12" in the University of Southampton's Wellington Studies II (1998), the Oxford New DNB article on "George Berkeley" (2004), and wrote the introduction for Barnes & Noble's December 2005 publication of Napoleon's Art of War. In September 2004 DeToy organized a conference held at Fort Leavenworth and edited the book produced from it, entitled Turning Victory into Success: Military Operations After the Campaign (2005). In 2009-10 he served as the Command Historian for the main warfighting headquarters in Iraq, Multi-National Corps – Iraq. In his post-military career, DeToy and his wife, Sheryl, have built "Essential History Expeditions" and led numerous groups to visit battlefields and tour historic cities, including Gettysburg, the beaches of Normandy, the battle of the Bulge and Cuba among so many others. In addition, DeToy has numerous writing projects – travel, fiction and non-fiction.


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text:
Draft Warehouse is comitted to providing quality draft beer supplies for commercial and personal use. We stock select products and are able to provide them at very reasonable prices. All our products are commercial quality and are infact used throughout the industry in Bars, Stadiums, Breweries etc.
We guarantee every item that we sell against defects in material or workmanship. We stand behind all our products and will gladly repair or replace defective parts to ensure our customer's satisfaction. Please see shipping and returns section for more information.


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Irish Examiner:
Feature on Kanturk. Co. Cork and its small businesses. 22 new businesses have opened in the town in the past year despite the tough economic times. They credit the diversity of small businesses as the key element in its successful mix – Sean O'Riordan. http://tinyurl.com/2whdzhx
British shoppers are predicted to spend €632million online today on what is set to be the busiest online shopping day of the year – Josie Clarke. http://tinyurl.com/2wm9ybm
The Irish arm of the world's largest video game and entertainment software retailer, Gamestop, went into the red last year, recording pre-tax losses of €3million – Gordan Deegan. http://tinyurl.com/32jwdak
Irish Independent:
Organisers of the Taste of Dublin Christmas Food Fair, which opened on Friday and closed last night, said that the event was filled to capacity despite the cold weather. http://tinyurl.com/2uq5rsd


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Spring Pains
Forget about the myriads of daffodils that redefine the color yellow. Ignore the tulips that are just beginning to open up their petals. Roll your eyes at the crocus that are beginning to fade away.
You should, however, take note of achy bones, creaky joints, heavy eyelids, useless muscles: these are the REAL harbingers of spring. With all the planting, the digging, the standing, the stretching, I don't think there's a part of my body that doesn't feel the consequences of hard work!
Just when I'm feeling that I have things organized, in a routine, and "just right," something changes. I'm realizing that one of the greatest lessons that I learned from being the youngest of four children was how to be flexible and "go with the flow." Adapting to a million different needs, desires, and issues is definitely necessary to stay happy and content with life. Thank GOODNESS I learned that young, because, Lord Almighty, I use it every day!
What's that have to do with today? I'm not totally sure, but I do know that there are days when I try to do too much…Jeffrey left for a long drive to California with Victor, Lorena, Yovani………and, just barely, my brother Jake. Lorena and Victor were rushing around the property trying to make sure to tie up loose ends as much as they could before their vacation; Jeffrey was working; Ellie was busy running around and playing with Grandma; the dogs were running wild somewhere on the property; the horses were turned out enjoying the weather; and I was trying to make the most of the last few hours of help I would have. Things, of course, weren't exactly smooth sailing. When Jeffrey finally headed out, an hour later than he had hoped, I think we both were ready for some deep breathing.
The good news is that we survived. Take a look at what got done today:
1. Woke up, fed the horses, got coffee for the household while Ellie hung out with Grandma.
2. Turned the horses out for a day in the beautiful sunshine.
3. Cleaned the stalls with Victor and discussed how I would deal with EG while still dealing with everything at the barn.
4. Pruned 8 fruit trees (probably incorrectly).
5. Cleaned up the mess left from the pruning.
6. Discovered that a *@$*&*! mouse had eaten my melon, cucumber, and squash seeds.
7. Cut and arranged flowers for the house in preparation for my friend Gioia's arrival tomorrow night.
8. Helped Geekah with fencing the garden to keep out the deer.
9. Planted carrots, radishes, onions, early lettuce, and spinach.
10. Replanted seeds that the mouse had eaten and have since decided to keep them in the house…
11. Went on a walk with my mother while EG was napping
12. Did laundry (those of you who know me can close your gaping jaws now – I DO know how to run the washer!!!).
13. Drove with Grandma to pick up the Suburban at the rental company where my husband left it after attempting to get the oil changed (yes, one of THOSE days).
14. Blanketed the horses, prepped their food, and tucked them in.
15. Organized and filtered my infused vodkas (the kiwi berry is finally finished brewing and is insanely yummy).
16. Descaled my Nespresso coffee maker (it makes the best coffee, but needs some TLC every few months to keep up the quality – so worth it!).
17. Played with my daughter, and laughed until we snorted.
18. Painted my toenails (for the first time since I moved to Oregon, I think. Oh, wait, Renee painted my toes when I was in the hospital, pregnant and drugged up…she dropped the bottle of polish and then cleaned it up…apparently, in my drugged-up state, I thought this was really amazing! hee hee. Oh man, I'm glad that experience is in the past).
19. Got the guest bathroom guest-ready.
20. Crawled into bed feeling tired, but productive.
How's that for busy?
It'll be interesting to see how the next 10 days pan out without Victor and Lorena. I am, however, really glad they are taking this time off, and even more happy that I get to see two of my girlfriends! Gioia comes for the first half of the week, and then my dear friend Erin comes for the second half. With another set of hands, I just might be able to succeed in keeping this place running! It won't be the same; but I'm cool with the acres and acres of grass not getting mown, the living room not getting dusted, and the garden growing some weeds. I probably won't be able to take a shower without Ellie Graye at my feet, but I know that I'm going to love catching up and hanging out with my girls. Who knows, I might even actually try to forget about the things that "need to be done" and pretend like I'm on vacation myself! Ha. We'll see how THAT goes!


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A complex set of relationships on this island July 23, 2016Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.
Thanks to the friend of the CLR who sent this link from the NewsLetter.
A former DUP firebrand Assemblyman and Free Presbyterian minister has told how he wept when he heard that an IRA man had been shot dead by a paratrooper.
Writing in today's News Letter, the Rev Ivan Foster recounts how when he was jailed with Ian Paisley half a century ago he struck up an unlikely relationship with Official IRA man Joe McCann.
- 2. roddy - July 24, 2016
A relative of Joe McCann stated a few years back that Joe was quite religous and belonged to the Clonard confraternity or some such group.


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Robert Curl
Robert Curl is a recent Masters of Fine Arts degree recipient from California State University-Chico, and a recent addition to the art and design faculty at Southern Utah University. Curl works mainly in photography and printmaking, though will use whatever medium he finds necessary for a given project. Curl's work tends to focus predominantly on existential themes such as death, meaning of life, memory, afterlife, etc.


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Nightcrawler by Dan Gilroy
Creepy Performance Jake Gyllenhaal
By: Charles Giuliano - Nov 12, 2014
The genius behind the billion dollar Bourne series of films, Tony Gilroy, the writer/ director gave an illustrated lecture on the art of suspense at Mass MoCA. It was a feature of the 16th annual Williamstown Film Festival.
In discussing the genre he included and discussed clips from his Bourne films as well as classic cuts from Hitchcock, Kubrick, the seminal Aliens, and his brother Dan's current release Nightcrawler. Remarkably Dan, who has collaborated with Tony, is directing for the first time. Masterfully one might add.
Although Nightcrawler has a bankable star, Jake Gyllenhaal, by Hollywood standards it is a relatively low budget film shot on location in Los Angeles.
Tony discussed all of the limitations and constraints leading up to the climatic, suspenseful scene in the movie.
The action occurs in a glass walled, Chinese restaurant in LA. The location is so perfect that he wondered why it hadn't been used previously.
The norm for such scenes is to pick up a lot of details. In this case it is shot entirely from the exterior, with one take, from the perspective of two freelance TV news cameramen.
There is an explosive shootout and one of the downed characters shatters a plate glass window. There was no budget to reshoot that prop or for interior details. The approach is stark and compelling in its minimalism.
Gilroy urged us to see the film which we did last night.
Enticed by that key scene our primary reason for attending. There was a steady and involving dramatic progress leading to that decisive moment.
Fitting the description of a low budget film it focuses on the sociopathic character of Gyllenhaal (Lou Bloom) as a smart, self educated, brutally ambitious individual with no moral compass.
He first appears as a thief fencing stolen goods. For a fancy bike he bargains for a camcorder and police radio. The hope is to film crime scenes and accident footage to sell to a local TV station.
Initially he is clueless but proves to be a fast learner. The first check is for just $250 which in his world is not bad for a night of work. He clicks with Nina (Rene Russo) a woman of a certain age who buys his work. Thinking he has potential and a good eye for news she provides guidelines for what will sell. Mostly this means crime and accidents involving middle class whites in good neighborhoods.
In the news room if it bleeds it leads.
Soon Bloom is logging an expanding portfolio of news stories on his computer.
The cash allows for purchasing a better car and advancesd camera. He also cons Rick (Riz Ahmed) into riding shotgun. The homeless man is offered a gig as an intern with the chance to develop a career. Insisting on making some money Bloom bends at $30 a night for hazardous work. It's Rick's job to navigate the fastest route through GPS and shoot with a backup camera.
In a ruthless drive to the top Lou reveals no love or compassion for anyone but himself. Knowing that Nina is coming to the end of a two year contract as the bottom ranked TV station during sweeps period he leverages that to the hilt. For openers he demands sexual favors, serious money, and on air credit. Or, now in the game, he walks with his hot product.
While the character of Lou is fascinating and revolting Gilmore involves us in the larger issues of the nature of news as gory exploitation and entertainment.
We watch as Lou develops into altering a crime scene to get a better shot. Or charging into a home before the cops arrive to "help the victims." A crock. A family killed in a sensational murder in a surburban neighborhood is a sensational story. The irate police demand his footage. He given them an edited clip withholding footage of the killers. He stalks them by tracing the number plate of their vehicle.
When he follows them to the late night Chinese restaurant he calls in their location to 911. He is poised to film an inevitable shootout. Rick is horrified to be drawn into an illegal stunt. Lou threatens him with physical harm if he does anything rash.
Through his antics people get killed including his sidekick who wanted half of the take. In an earlier scene he rigged an accident for a competitor that led to severe, career ending injury.
More or less all of these elements have been going in journalism since the Bible first reported on Adam and Eve.
During the Civil War photographers were know to arrange corpses to get more dramatic shots. We see Lou set up a corpse. As to helping victims news photographers are known for keeping the camera rolling. First you get the shot and then you call the ambulance.
The station leading with the most gruesome footage leads in rating.
In that sense we are all complicit. We watch.
While Nightcrawler is a grim film Gyllenhaal delivers a creepy but powerful performance. Unfortunately, his pathetic, disgusting character is all too credible.
Film live at 11. First and exclusive at Station WXYZ.


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Laura Linney to make London stage debut in My Name Is Lucy Barton
Laura Linney will make her London theatre debut in a production of My Name Is Lucy Barton directed by Sir Richard Eyre.
The Ozark actress will perform the haunting dramatic monologue adapted by Rona Munro from Elizabeth Strout's best-selling short novel of the same name.
Linney will reunite with Sir Richard after he directed her in the movie The Other Man and on Broadway in Arthur Miller's The Crucible.
In the play, Lucy Barton wakes from an operation to find her mother sitting at the foot of her bed.
She hasn't seen her in years, and her visit brings back to Lucy her desperate rural childhood, and her escape to New York.
As she begins to find herself as a writer, she is still gripped by the urgent complexities of family life.
The show will run from June 2 to 23 2018 at the Bridge Theatre, with the opening night on June 6.


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Evidently, Jesus is bored with appearing on toast and taco shells. Now he's appearing in bird poop on windshields of believers.
Jim Lawry insists this is a picture of Christ. I think it looks more someone wearing a novelty dog snout, but who am I to argue with the faithful?
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and I shall poop on your windshield." – first draft of 2 Peter 3:10


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Mickey Kaus is a Sad, Pathetic Man
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by Brien Jackson
I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of "Journolist" (what can I say, I'm not really a big deal). But even then, I'm not sure I've ever seen something as transparently pathetic as this:
First of all, good on Bob Wright for calling Mickey out on his nonsense, to the point of open mockery in places. And yes, this is all because Mickey wasn't invited to be in the club, so he decided to trash the place and ruin things for everyone else, validating, of course, the decision not to invite him in the first place. On the other hand, it was probably the most attention Mickey has gotten since 2002, so take that for what it's worth. Still, watching Kaus babble at length leaves me with a couple of questions.
First of all, does Mickey have a functioing critical thinking process? Is his main critique of the group that having a listserv will make them all go "more and more private?" At the risk of pointing out the obvious, we're talking, mostly, about a group of professional writers, publishing writing is how they pay their bills. I'm not sure how doing all of their writing privately, or even most of it for that matter, is really an option for someone like Ezra Klein, whether he wants to or not. I think we're all safe from the prospect that a group of public intellectuals will decide they don't want to get paid anymore.
Secondly, does Mickey understand the concept of thinking it all? I mean, when he asks why Paul Krugman can't "tutor" in public, I'm more or less shouting at my computer screen because responsible experts don't do their raw thinking in public you stupid twat! If Paul Krugman and Brad Delong are bouncing unformed opinions about a somewhat complicated subject off of each other on their blogs, readers are going to get quite a bit confused. Worse, they're likely to come away misinformed or misunderstanding the subject, because the nature of forming an opinion or processing data isn't exactly a snap action (although I suspect it is for Mickey). Again, responsible people who carry a certain weight of authority do this sort of thing privately, and only go to the public when they're prepared to expound, explain, and discuss with a more full understanding of the issue and their own opinion on it. And, even more fundamentally, most people (i.e. people other than Mickey Kaus) find it helpful to think before they publish. The body of his work clearly suggests Mickey is not one of these people.
Finally, does Mickey Kaus read? In response to Wright's point that making the list public would change the nature of discussion therein, Kaus asserts that you wouldn't call Marty Peretz a crazy fucking racist in public? Excuse me? Marty Peretz is a crazy fucking racist. How's that? Moreover, I'm pretty sure I've seen most of the people in the discussion (I know Yglesias and Delong have, as has Ezra, who wasn't actually in that discussion) call Peretz a racist publicly. I mean, it's not like Peretz's racism is a controversial point or something. And this sort of begs the question, does Mickey agree with Marty? He certainly seems to want to defend him, to the point of whitewashing that Peretz said Latinos were "congenitally corrupt" and displayed "near-tropical work ethics," until Wright brings it up, when he sort of brushes it and moves on, so the question is, does Kaus agree? And using the Kausian standard, I think it's safe to assume he does until he renounces Peretz's statement. But not too forcefully of course, because that won't be believable. But not a weak brush off either, because he obviously won't mean it in that case.
Also, goat sex.
Tags: Mickey Kaus


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. . . are a good thing!
At least so I believe! I met Paxton Quigley several years ago at an event and was quite taken by her book. When I was teaching personal safety classes it was one of the books we recommended that people pick up. It was, and still is, a valueable tool for everyone, but was written with women in mind.
The Washington Post (of all publications) has a guest blogging column in its "Political Bookworm" section this week. In a nutshell, she makes a compelling argument for why women should be armed. The sidearm was in the old days, and remains today, "the great equalizer."
Her observations are many. Here are three favorites of mine from the guest blog she has penned:
People who fight back should be celebrated for their prowess – and many women are quietly learning to defend themselves. But in our culture it is considered unwomanly to pursue a self defense plan that gives you some peace of mind. That attitude only empowers men who commit crimes against women because the criminals recognize that women are easy targets.
(regarding interviews with prisoners).... They said if they knew women were armed, they would think twice. Consider what happened in Orlando when women began buying guns after a wave of violent assaults. The police gave training sessions which were publicized in the papers. Rapes plummeted in Orlando while increasing in the surrounding cities.
and finally....
It is difficult to admit that our free country is also prone to predatory violence. But when we leave the survival of women to chance, we sell them out. Perhaps this explains why many women enjoy seeing Nikita blast a bad guy with her AK 47. For once, a woman is celebrated for taking control.Read the full story by clicking here.


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A Lesson in Gender and IdentityNovember 27, 2012 at 7:32 am | Posted in Life and Living | 2 Comments
Tags: gender, identity, Lana Wachowski, transgender
We are all born into certain assumptions. We are born with the parts of a boy or a girl, the skin of our parents' race. We are designed to meet certain societal expectations. The spectrums we are measured on are made simple. Everything seems white or black in this simple world.
But alas, the world is not simple. You can't paint a little girl's room pink and automatically expect her to connect with her femininity. It is true that most people will connect with the gender they are born into, but life is not black and white. There are many colors on the spectrums we are measured on. But we are taught that it is this biology that assigns your gender. So many may never even find the language to explain why they don't feel right in their own skin.
So when my husband began talking about the transition of Lana Wachowski, who directed the Matrix Trilogy with her brother Andy, I was intrigued. My husband, the movie buff, informed me that these directors, clearly incredibly accomplished contributors to the film industry, never did interviews, so when this announcement came, that made it even more interesting. Lana was finally ready to give up her privacy for the greater good — becoming a voice for those struggling with gender identity.
I can honestly say that I personally have never felt a lack of clarity in my own gender or sexuality. But I have a natural curiosity and desire to understand people who are different from me. I have grown and continue to try to be open-minded and accept that the world as it was handed to me at birth is not what is seems, and in the differences I learn of from all of the people I meet, the world is, in fact, a much more colorful, and wonderful place.
Lana Wachowski recently shared her story at the Human Rights Campaign's annual gala, where she received the Visibility Award. I have watched her 30 minute speech several times, relating to her desire to fit in, to find her voice, to be seen for who she is. I share the video of her speech with my readers because I truly believe that this woman, this hero, can touch so many people beyond the transgender community. I believe that, if you remain open-minded, the possibilities are endless. I hope that her courage inspires us all to not shut out people we don't understand, not to hate those who are different, that we, as a society, need to be more welcoming. That the human race is a broad spectrum that isn't measured in black and white. It is a beautiful rainbow with talented souls like Lana who make the world a better place.
How Well Do You Know Your Former Self?July 7, 2011 at 7:32 am | Posted in Life and Living | 1 Comment
Tags: email hacking, identity, passwords
When I was 13, I got my first email account. As a teen, my screen name was very symbolic and teen angst — Pyro 143, because I loved fire and I love you (that's what 143 stood for on a beeper — I love you). I had this screen name for 8 years, but when I was 21 and starting out my career I decided to go with something more professional. I set up a new account and transitioned slowly.
So over the weekend, my account got hacked and emailed every contact I had ever emailed — friends, every job I ever applied to, and even a former county legislator (sorry to anyone who received an email from me telling you about products that make you skinny and/or erect). Totally worried that my privacy was being invaded, I went to change my password.
Truth be told. I had not changed the password on this account since I created it, but no worries. This is the first issue I ever had. So I'll just change my password and move on.
Until the security question stumped me. There are only 2 or 3 questions I usually pick for this, but for some reason, I had gone off the normal path and posed this question: What is your favorite restaurant?
My favorite restaurant? From 7 years ago? Believe it or not, I actually knew the answer. There was only one possible answer — my favorite hang out, where I made so many friends and memories — so I typed it in. DENIED.
I was completely stumped. I know exactly the frame of mind I was in, the stage of life I was at when I was 21… or did I?
So I sat back and thought about it for a while. What else could it be? Was I trying to stump somebody and ended up fooling myself? Maybe it was a different restaurant? No, it couldn't be.
And then it dawned on me. I had a nickname for that restaurant. That has to be it! And so it was.
And all was well.
Good try 21 year old, Dana. Good try.
Defining Who We Are and What We DoJune 3, 2010 at 7:29 am | Posted in Career Moves, Life and Living | 5 Comments
Tags: career, family, friends, identity, job, non-profit, writing
When you're in grade school, what you look like and who you hang out with defines who you are. Kids have a tendency to see things in very simple terms. When you get to college, this gets a bit deeper – where you're from, what's your major, and what sports team are you a fan of (ok, so maybe that last one only pertains to certain fanatical states, but you get the idea).
In the real world, at least in America and other capitalist societies, you are very often defined by what you do for a living. This goes back to our earliest ancestors whose last names were Blacksmith and Baker.
I work in the non-profit industry for a living. I am a communications professional, and ironically enough, when I try to explain what this means to somebody who is unfamiliar with communications work, they have a hard time grasping it. Why can't us communications professionals define what we do to an unfamiliar audience? We pride ourselves on reaching target audiences, the moveable middle, being wordsmiths that know how to talk about our company and our cause. But for some reason, trying to explain what we do, day in and day out is an ongoing struggle.
For me, it is true that what I do for a living defines me — in some ways, at least. I got into this field because I love to write. I love being creative. I can't draw, I can't paint, I can't sing, but I can write. So that is my craft. I am a literary artist who chooses to use my talent for the greater good.
Of course, what you do changes over time, and as you learn new skills you tweak your self-definition. Writer with technical skills, who can do some design, some web, some PR, some this, some that. And over time what defines me will change. One day, I'll be an aunt, a wife, a mother, a grandmother.
Today, I am a communications professional. I am also a daughter, a sister, a girlfriend, a friend, a woman, an advocate, a dog lover, a chocolate fanatic, a traveler, a blogger, and a human being.
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