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A Sakarya court on Friday accepted an indictment against the sister-in-law and the father-in-law of Turkey's major coup suspect Adil Öksüz, state-run Anadolu news agecy reported.
The indictment drafted by the Sakarya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and seeks a life sentences and additional jail sentence of up to 15 years for the Öksüz's sister-in-law Emine Sennur Sen, and father-in-law Cevat Yıldırım.
Öksüz is accused of being the head of the Gülen group's alleged network within the air force. He was briefly detained after the coup attempt and is still at large.
Sen and Yıldırım are accused of having used ByLock, and of membership in a terrorist organization.
ByLock is a controversial mobile app that Turkish authorities claim to be the top communication tool among followers of the Gulen group.
Turkey survived a military coup attempt on July 15, 2016 that killed 249 people and wounded more than a thousand others.
Immediately after the putsch the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government along with President Tayyip Erdoğan pinned the blame on the Gülen group.
Fethullah Gülen, the leader of the group, denied having any role in the failed coup, but President Erdoğan and his government initiated a widespread purge aimed at cleansing sympathizers of the movement from within state institutions, dehumanizing its popular figures and putting them in custody.
Turkey's Justice Ministry announced on July 13 that 50,510 people have been arrested and 169,013 have been the subject of legal proceedings on coup charges since the failed coup.
Turkey has suspended or dismissed more than 150,000 civil servants, including governors, judges, prosecutors, teachers, soldiers and police, since July 15 through government decrees issued as part of the state of emergency.


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Amazon just acquired all North American rights to Woody Allen's next untitled picture in what marks a split from his Sony Pictures Classics partner of seven years. What did it take for Woody Allen to split ties with SPC? Perhaps, money? Sources said that the Amazon deal is in line with the Sundance Birth of A Nation acquisition which Netflix offered $20M for and ultimately ended up over at Fox Searchlight for $17.5M. This one is said to be under that but still an eight-figure deal.
Under terms of the deal, Amazon will open the film this summer with a traditional, nationwide theatrical release. Following its theatrical run, it will become available exclusively to Prime members through Prime Video. Amazon was active at Sundance with acquisitions, and they need a co-partner to co-release in theaters.
No word on which distributor that will be but sources told Deadline that it will not be going through SPC who have released the last seven Allen films.
The deal with Amazon marks an expanded relationship between the on-line retailer turned producer and the filmmaker. Allen is currently writing and directing an untitled six-episode television series for Amazon starring himself, Elaine May, and Miley Cyrus. It is executive produced by Erika Aronson, produced by Helen Robin, and begins shooting next month.
How wide the theatrical release of the newly acquired period romantic comedy will get remains to be seen, but there are said to be guarantees in place with Allen to give him a similar theatrical run that he enjoyed in his relationship with SPC. At Amazon, Bob Berney and his crew will oversee the theatrical distribution of the yet, untitled film.
"We have always been exceptionally pleased working with Michael Barker and Tom Bernard at SPC," said Aronson. "Amazon made us an offer that we couldn't refuse, and we have a responsibility to our investors. Woody wishes that SPC could be the sub-distributer for this film but apparently they would not. It's their policy to not do that. We certainly look forward to working with them again in the future."
SPC produced and released the director's films since 2009, probably the most critically-acclaimed of those was Blue Jasmine which earned Allen an Oscar nom and Cate Blanchett a win. Others included Midnight in Paris and Magic in the Moonlight. Of the seven titles, Blue Jasmine ended up with the widest release with 1,283 theaters after platforming. The film earned $33.4M domestically and $97.5M worldwide. The average gross, however, for most of the director's films is $13.7M with an opening weekend (mind you, they usually platform) for wide releases of $2.8M.
This new film, which was shot last summer on location in New York and Los Angeles, is set in the 1930s and stars Jeannie Berlin, Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll, and Ken Stott. Allen's sister and longtime collaborator, Letty Aronson, is producing, along with Steve Tenenbaum and Edward Walson. Executive producers are Ronald L. Chez, Adam B. Stern, and Marc I. Stern.
RELATED: Sony Pictures Classics Michael Barker and Tom Bernard On New Companies Looking For Films
Previously Amazon released Spike Lee's anti-violence film Chi-Raq in 305 theaters at its widest run. That film ultimately grossed $2.6M after its run. It was their first feature production and their first time out at bat distributing theatrically. Chi-Raq ran in the theaters for 30 days in theater and then landed on Amazon Prime on Feb. 4th. That was the first feature title in their library.
Allen's film will be platformed and then rolled out, similar to what SPC did, we hear.
They have a number of films upcoming, including Creative Control (due in March), Elvis and Nixon (in the Spring) starring Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey, Love and Friendship (in May) from director Whit Stillman. The Allen film is one of 12 films that Amazon will release this year as the company starts to grow its own library of titles. For each title, Amazon partners with a theatrical distributor. For instance, Love and Friendship will go through Roadside Attractions, however, the Amazon team is actively involved in the decision-making of how to distribute each picture.
"Woody Allen is a brilliant filmmaker," said Roy Price, Head of Amazon Studios. "We're so proud to be in business with him for both his next film and his first ever TV series."
The film deal was negotiated by John Burnham and Jessica Lacy of ICM Partners, Erika Aronson of Taborlake, and Loeb & Loeb on behalf of the filmmakers.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Addison Park Wedding photos 2019 March 16th Janet & Mike
Quick edit of a few of the wedding photos from Friday nights wedding at Addison Park Keyport New Jersey
The Addison Park can host parties from 65 to 800 people, making it an ideal venue for weddings, anniversaries, sweet 16 parties, bridal and baby showers. The service is excellent.
About Addison Park Wedding venue , I love it
From the street, it's hard to figure out what this place is like because of all the landscaping. It's actually quite beautiful inside and the courtyard for outdoor wedding ceremonies is beautiful too.
Has a nice, big lobby with two staircases and a balcony. The railings on the staircases are very detailed. The color scheme is black and white which really makes it feel like an elegant wedding hall.
The first thing I noticed was how PERFECT the air conditioning was. It was as if they performed studies of how men feel in suits and knew exactly what the air quality needed to be like to make them feel comfortable.
The place is quite large, there was at least one more wedding going on during the one I attended. But the best part was that I didn't even notice it. Both weddings never seemed to cross which is great.
The staff at Addison Park is very attentive and always with the bridal couple. There are plenty of great spaces there to do wedding photography and its a great place any time of year, The gardens at Addison Park are beautiful and well maintained.
There are many private areas and the bridals suites are huge! I love doing wedding photography at The Addison Park its a great venue – Bill McKim
More about Addison Park on route 35 in Keyport New Jersey
This is a beautiful venue in NJ! I've been to bridal showers and 12 weddings here and I'm always blown away with the food and service. They have the most amazing cocktail hours with ice sculptures and different stations. The decor is well done and classy. They offer valet also which is always a fave for me.The place is huge


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Inspiring web developers to have a sense of ownership and pride in their work is important
For a few years now, I have been shifting the strategy of my web design business to focus on automation and reducing the complexity of development so that we can stay competitive at a time when prices are lower and competition is more fierce. Solving the problems which occur from having web developers as employees is something that I've still been unable to solve entirely. Since I am a developer myself, I find it easier to do this work by myself.
Increasingly, I wish to be able to collaborate with other developers. I want people to notice the technical merits of my work and make meaningful recommendations for it. However, I refuse to hire others if I can't provide a way for them to be effective and cover their own costs. I'm barely able to pay my own way, so I don't want to be responsible for giving someone else a steady paycheck when I can't even guarantee one for myself.
For now, I try to work with other companies until we've grown to support a large team. Through these other companies, I plan to learn what is needed for success and then grow from that foundation of proven strategies. I've learned with most relationships that it's important to learn how to compensate for how people behave, rather then try to make them behave differently.
Proprietary work is just a job
A developer who is just an employee in a team that is told to build specific proprietary features for specific clients on a daily basis is not really achieving anything for themselves except a paycheck. That paycheck can be larger at another company and if they haven't gained what they wanted as an employee, they may have very little loyalty in the long term. It seems highly likely to me that developers like this will constantly be preparing for a move to a better job or to start their own business after a few years of getting burnt out. As someone running a web design company, you need to be in a position that you are ready for that when it happens whether intentionally or unexpectedly.
One great way to increase your employee's motivation
If salaried developers are instead allowed to build something they can reuse anywhere else, they are more likely to see a common interest in the work. One of the easiest ways to do this is to make most of your programming done through free open source projects.
Hiring experts is difficult
Many companies see attracting quality help with the proper training as one of the most difficult parts of business. Many times it is the developer who provides the tools necessary for the business to function. Their role is so critical that it may lead to inflated salaries and egos.
Hire an "expert", but plan for average performance
Salaried developers may only be working for you as a shortcut for reducing the amount of things they need to worry about. Maybe they aren't very talented with managing sales & marketing. Someone who is a great programmer, however, has fully integrated the business and marketing strategy with their programming knowledge.
As someone hiring a programmer, you kind of have to expect they aren't going to be "great". You need to setup an environment where average people can succeed and feel useful. You can easily find someone who talks all the lingo and sounds excited, but you won't know if they are really cost effective until extensive time and money has been spent to bring them up to speed. So you need to plan for them to only perform at the "average" level, and not the expert level.
Realistic expectations combined with more employee focused business model
People who are inspired may go home and find ways to improve your business for fun. Employees who contribute their free time and daydreaming to help you grow are able to make a profound impact on the company. Consider that most of Google's most successful projects were born out of their 20% time (Employees receive 1 day per week to develop projects they are interested in for the company). Projects like gmail.com, google earth and youtube.com are considered to be born out of 20% time. Those projects have since changed the world.
Inspiration reinforces the desire to do quality work
Being paid to do what you want to do instead of what you have to do is a big deal. I know I quickly lose productivity once I have to switch to a project that I am not interested in. I think most web developers would like to think they are doing what they love, but the reality is too often that they are just trying to get paid and maybe have 10% of their time to do what they love. Too many companies are closed source and building poor quality applications that no one inside the company or outside the company really care about or use.
Putting your code in the spotlight (open source) and collaborating with others better forces you to stop doing things the wrong way and learn more. It helps to elevate your craft, while at the same time making it easier to see where you have trouble. If no one is adopt your open source project or they have a lot of trouble with it, it is likely that you have trouble with it within your own company too. Perhaps a lack of documentations, tests and organization are causing more waste then you might realize. With making the code open source, you have to be more concerned about security, code quality and other issues then with a proprietary project.
Security, stability and brand reputation
There is a such a thing as "security through obscurity", which implies that your application only seems secure because no one has discovered the serious security flaws it has. You've hidden them away in some unexpected way, similar to sweeping the dirt under the rug to give the appearance of security. The same could be said for bugs. The lack of validation and load testing could lead to serious bugs in production even though the application seemed to work when tested for its expected behavior. Security issues and bugs will be fixed more quickly when other users are affected since it can more quickly destroy the reputation of your project. When you can no longer hide your problems, you will feel more responsible.
Having a few people outside the company urging you to make improvements could be a really useful tool for setting priorities and bringing awareness to technical issues. If dozens of people report similar issues with the software, it will be clear that something should be done about that. Management will see preserving their reputation as a serious business issue and this will lead to a better technical direction where technical issues are considered in more detail instead of the mad rush to knock out new features.
Most people have the opinion that open source projects are typically more secure especially over time, since the number of people looking through the code will be substantially higher then what you can afford to do within your own small business. Having a popular open source project gives you a worldwide quality assurance team for free. These benefits alone could justify making the code open source.
What else can be done to inspire developers?
Maybe you've adopted a open source development mindset with employee focused business model, but things are still a mess and people are losing faith in their work and the company?
Encourage them to learn how to write better code
In many ways programming is still too new for there to be any certainty about how things must be done, but there are schools of thought that have laid out an excellent foundation on improving the software development process. A book called "clean code" was written by Robert Cecil Martin in 2008 and it is going to leave a lasting impact on the way I write code in any language even though I've already read numerous books for many languages and been programming for over 10 years. Robert is the early leader of the Agile software development methodology which set out to replace the slow, inefficient traditional software development process with something more rapid and effective. Years later, the data shows that Agile is truly an improvement and most developers have a familiarity with Agile, but may not have fully implemented it yet. Agile started over 10 years ago, but Robert's more recent writing is further clarifying the points that Agile set out to make and it really brings makes it easy to understand how developers should be writing applications.
Make better priorities starting at the management level
One of the biggest points the book makes is that it is unprofessional to stop working on your code at the moment it functions correctly. An application that simply works is far from its ideal state. It may be an unorganized mess with numerous difficulties that will occur later when the project grows. A manager who demands for a rush job on a project on a frequent basis is destroying the productivity company in the long run.
Management should learn more about programming methodologies
It should be just as important for the management to learn what Agile is about, and not just expect programmers to do the right thing. Management needs to create an environment that encourages a consistent and effective work-flow. The book says that most projects are in a constant state of repair and the more that can be done to make maintenance faster, the more "Agile" your development process will become. A key part of all this is for you to implement as much automated testing as possible, but in addition to that the book describes in great technical detail how to write code that is easier to understand assuming that you already know the basics of Agile Software Development and especially Test Driven Development.
Allow problems to occur and learn from them
Looking back at most of my work in the past, I have done many things wrong. It will take me years to improve this and to further my understanding of Agile and other programming concepts. It is likely that your team will not get it right the first time. You have to expect this and still encourage it to continue to evolve. After a period of refinement, the most elegant design will reveal itself. I feel like the book really sets the bar very high - perhaps too high. Too high because it may be impractical to immediately jump straight to the most elegant solution. It takes many smaller steps of refinement over a longer period of time. Mix this difficulty with fast paced business priorities and it can be quite hard to follow the Agile discipline strictly, but it should be always be recognized when a shortcut has been made, and an attempt to return to the stricter discipline should be made eventually.
No matter how senior your team, it is likely they can still learn more.
Google engineers often say how they were known to be experts at their previous job, but are often quite low in the pack once getting to Google. Despite doing this work and trying to improve my craft for over 10 years, I still learned a great deal from the "Clean Code" book. It has taught me more about BETTER programming then anything else I've ever read. I recommend that any developer who considers themselves "good" or "expert" level to read the book. If this information was applied over the next few years in your work, it is likely to have a noticeable positive impact on the projects and companies affected.
Smarter people may be accidentally making things worse
Smarter people have all kinds of bad habits that make you have to think way too hard about the code. The smarter you are, the more likely you aren't even noticing how cryptic you are being. "Clean code" is more about helping less smart people not be encumbered by smart people. Management should frequently encourage code reviews that attempt to measure how well the project is progressing in terms of organization and tests. The difficulty of understanding what you've done just gets exponentially worse by the time the project grows large enough to be truly useful software. It may seem all exciting to have new features rapidly in year 1, but then in year 2, you have 50% as much productivity and a lot of people start thinking "we need to rewrite", "we should start over", "we need a different framework", "we need our own framework", "we need a different language", but it's probably that they did everything in a rush without considering the long term impact of doing that.
The book makes the example of a patient who asks that doctor not to wash their hands because they need to be helped immediately. It is the doctor's responsibility to tell the patient no. It is similar with programming. The management must be told that there are serious implications which will infect the company if they go unchallenged.
Researchers have found that the Agile approach is impressively more successful
People have have done thorough studies of large and small organizations that apply the Agile Software Development approach compared with traditional approaches. I invite you to browse through some of them on google.
From my research, I have found they always find Agile increases project success and reduces cost compared to traditional approaches. The traditional approach is typically better then what we do even, so there is a lot that many web developers just never find time to do. It's taken me a lot of time to improve and automate my business enough to be thinking about this again. It is easy to understand how to improve applications and companies, but far more challenging to execute those changes. Likewise, delivering new features is easy, but delivering an open source project that other people can understand is insanely difficult.
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Module Summary – Animals Two by Two (CA Ed.)
The Animals Two by Two Module provides young students with close and personal interaction with some common land and water animals. Appropriate classroom habitats are established, and students learn to care for the animals. In four investigations the animals are studied in pairs. Students observe and care for one animal over time, and then they are introduced to another animal similar to the first but with differences in structure and behavior. The firsthand experiences are enriched with close-up photos of animals, some related to animals that students have observed in class and some animals that are new. This process enhances observation, communication, and comparison.
- Develop a growing curiosity and interest in the living world around them.
- Observe and describe the structures of a variety of common animals – fish, snails, earthworms, and isopods.
- Compare structures and behaviors of different pairs of animals.
- Acquire the vocabulary associated with the structure and behavior of animals.
- Observe interactions of animals with their surroundings.
- Describe positions of animals relative to other objects.
- Describe properties of objects, compare them, and sort them by one physical attribute.
- Communicate observations and comparisons orally and through drawings.
- Handle animals carefully, and participate in the care and feeding of classroom animals.
- Learn that stories sometimes give animals attributes they do not really have.
For a description of each investigation in the Animals Two by Two Module and the correlations to the National Science Education Standards, download the Module Overview PDF.
©2007 UC Regents


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According to the Boston University CTE Center, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma. Most of what we have learned about CTE has come from the research of Dr. Ann McKee, director of the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, who has revolutionized our understanding of CTE. In CTE, a protein called Tau forms clumps that slowly spread throughout the brain, killing brain cells. CTE has been seen in people as young as 17, but symptoms do not generally begin appearing until years after the onset of head impacts.
Early symptoms of CTE usually appear in a patient's late 20s or 30s, and affect a patient's mood and behavior. Some common changes seen include impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and paranoia.
Related: Register for our free webinar Tuesday, April 21: "Supporting Caregivers for Suspected CTE".
As the disease progresses, some patients may experience problems with thinking and memory, including memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, and eventually progressive dementia. Cognitive symptoms tend to appear later than mood and behavioral symptoms, and generally first appear in a patient's 40s or 50s. Patients may exhibit one or both symptom clusters. In some cases, symptoms worsen with time (even if the patient suffers no additional head impacts). In other cases, symptoms may be stable for years before worsening.
Learn more about CTE from Dr. Ann McKee, director of the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, by watching the video below. You can support her research by clicking here.
A brief history of CTE
CTE was first described in 1928, when Dr. Harrison Martland described a group of boxers as having "punch drunk syndrome." Over the next 75 years, several researchers reported similar findings in boxers and victims of brain trauma, but fewer than 50 cases were confirmed. In 2005, a pathologist named Bennet Omalu published the first evidence of CTE in an American football player: former Pittsburgh Steeler Mike Webster. Shortly thereafter, the Concussion Legacy Foundation partnered with Boston University and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to form the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, led by Dr. Ann McKee. The Brain Bank has revolutionized how we understand the disease, with more than 600 brains donated, over 360 of which have been found to have CTE.
Learn more about the symptoms of CTE from Dr. Robert Stern, director of clinical research at the Boston University CTE Center:
What causes CTE?
The best available evidence tells us that CTE is caused by repetitive hits to the head sustained over a period of years. This doesn't mean a handful of concussions: most people diagnosed with CTE suffered hundreds or thousands of head impacts over the course of many years playing contact sports or serving in the military. And it's not just concussions: the best available evidence points towards sub-concussive impacts, or hits to the head that don't cause full-blown concussions, as the biggest factor.
Learn More: What is a subconcussive impact?
Who is most at risk for CTE?
Every person diagnosed with CTE has one thing in common: a history of repetitive hits to the head.1 CTE is most often found in contact sport athletes and military veterans, likely because these are some of the only roles in modern life that involve purposeful, repetitive hits to the head. CTE has been found in individuals whose primary exposure to head impacts was through tackle football (200+ cases confirmed at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank), the military (25+ cases), hockey (20+ cases), boxing (15+ cases, 50+ globally), rugby (5+ cases), soccer (5+ cases, 10+ globally), pro wrestling (5+ cases), and, in fewer than three cases each, baseball, basketball, intimate partner violence, and individuals with developmental disorders who engaged in head banging behaviors.
|CTE has been found in...
|Source of head impacts
|Punches to the head
|Tackle football players
|Hits to the helmet
|Soccer players
|Headers and collisions
|Ice hockey players
|Fighting, checking
|Military veterans
|Blast injuries, combat
|Victims of domestic abuse
|Repeated violence
Related: I think I have CTE. What do I do?
Importantly, not everyone who has suffered repetitive hits to the head will develop CTE. There are several risk factors at play that make some people more prone to develop CTE than others, including:
Length of exposure to head impacts
Athletes with longer careers playing contact sports are at greater risk for CTE than athletes with shorter careers. A 2019 study on deceased football players led by Boston University researchers and published in the Annals of Neurology medical journal found that the risk and severity of developing CTE among football players is not correlated to number of concussions, but is instead correlated to the number of years playing tackle football.
The study analyzed 266 deceased football players, 223 of whom had CTE and 43 of whom did not. The researchers found that the risk of CTE increases by 30 percent every year of tackle football, and doubles every 2.6 additional years. (We don't know the risk of developing CTE after one year of playing tackle football, but it's likely very low.) This shockingly strong relationship between years of tackle and risk of CTE may be even stronger than the link between years of smoking and risk of lung cancer.
The link is so profound that a high school football player who starts tackle football at age 5, instead of age 14, has an incredible 10 times the risk of developing the brain disease CTE.
The discovery that risk of CTE is correlated with length of career – or, years of exposure to repetitive head impacts – has remained true with other contact sports and head impact exposure groups. Researchers have also found that among those diagnosed with CTE, athletes with longer careers are more likely to have more severe pathology than those with shorter careers.
There are very likely other risk factors that have yet to be discovered, including possible genetic differences that make some people more prone to develop CTE than others. More research will help scientists determine what those factors might be, and could help us understand how to prevent and treat the disease.
Age of first exposure to head impacts
Athletes who begin playing contact sports at younger ages are at greater risk for CTE. Several published studies show that exposure to head impacts before age 12 is associated with worse outcomes than starting after age 12.
How is CTE diagnosed?
Currently, CTE can only be diagnosed after death through brain tissue analysis. Doctors with a specialty in brain diseases slice brain tissue and use special chemicals to make the Tau clumps visible. They then systematically search areas of the brain for Tau clumps with a unique pattern specific to CTE. The process can take several months to complete, and the analysis is not typically performed as a part of a normal autopsy. In fact, until recently there were relatively few doctors who knew how to diagnose CTE.
In 2015, researchers from the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, led by Dr. Ann McKee, collaborated with the National Institutes of Health to develop diagnostic criteria for CTE, so that any neuropathologist familiar with brain diseases can accurately diagnose CTE. This important work has made it possible for more and more scientists to be on the lookout for CTE, helping accelerate progress.
I suffered a concussion. Is that going to give me CTE?
One concussion in the absence of other brain trauma has never been seen to cause CTE.
The best evidence available today suggests that CTE is not caused by any single injury, but rather it is caused by years of regular, repetitive brain trauma. There are also many individuals who suffer years of head impacts, but do not develop CTE. More research will help us understand these factors in the future.
What treatments exist for CTE?
Treating a disease that can't be officially diagnosed until after death is difficult. Luckily there are lots of things that patients worried they have CTE can do to address their symptoms and find relief. Most treatments for CTE involve identifying the symptoms that are causing patients the most difficulty, and treating those symptoms with targeted therapies.
Mood changes
Mood changes, including depression, irritability, and anxiety, may be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy. Working with a cognitive behavioral therapist can help patients develop strategies that help them manage the particular mood symptoms that are causing the greatest problems.
A variety of treatment options exist for headache, including craniosacral therapy, massage, acupuncture, or medications. Working with a doctor to determine the type of headache is helpful for determining the best treatment options.
Memory problems
Memory training exercises, including consistent note-taking strategies, can be helpful for continuing a patient's activities of daily living, despite increasing difficulty with memory.
If you think you or a loved one has CTE, read more of our recommendations on living with CTE and check out the CLF HelpLine, where we support patients and families struggling with the outcomes of brain injury.
If you are interested in contributing to research, consider pledging your brain to CTE research or reviewing other opportunities to participate in research.
1. A single case report claims a Stage 2 CTE case in a 45-year-old male. However, as the authors state, "lack of a trauma history comes only from the recollection of the patient's wife," so until other cases are reported with better exposure histories, we do not consider this isolated report meaningful, although we will continue to monitor the literature closely for other possible causes of CTE.


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Xanterra-Job Descriptions
During my 5 years of FLL, I have learned many things including the fact that some people succeed at and enjoy certain parts of the program more than others. This is part of what inspired us to create jobs for all of the team members to allow them to focus a little more of their time on what they enjoy. For example, my passion is writing so the job 'Master Scribe' is the perfect fit for me. This give me the chance to focus on writing while also being part of the project, robot game, and the core values.
We first started implementing jobs mid-season last year. To come up with jobs, we brainstormed with our team until we had more than enough ideas and a wide variety to allow everyone to have multiple ones to pick from. After that we said which one we wanted the most and then compromised in places where more than one person thought they would be a good fit for the title. In the end, we all got a job that we were happy with and could all contribute something unique to the team.
Over time we have defined our jobs in more detail. This is a list of our current job descriptions and how we contribute our specialties to the team.
Caleigh – Core Values Lead: Leading team building activities. Making sure everyone is being included in activities & that core values are being followed in day-to-day activities. Leading the production of core values posters & presentation.
Kaia – Master Scribe: Keeps the team organized in both note taking & record keeping, and gets us prepared for competitions. She creates & maintains a blog with the purpose of sharing our experiences & ideas with others in FLL & in our community.
Carol Lin – Robot Design Lead: Her job is to have knowledge of general and complex concepts of robot building to assist the rest of the team in keeping the robot in working condition, in good maintenance & to assist them when they need help with their design ideas or troubleshooting problems. She copies our attachments into the Lego Digital Designer program and works with teammates to have at least a general knowledge of how their attachments work in case of their absence.
Emma – Spirit: She keeps the morale of the team up by helping anyone having a tough time by being positive & making sure everyone is being included. She leads the team in coming together at the end of meetings to do a team chant to celebrate our progress & encourage unity. She also creates team cheers and teaches them to the team.
Dalton – Piecekeeper: He organizes and puts pieces away that aren't being used. He also keeps the robot building area clean and encourages others on the team to keep pieces picked up. He puts the robot & the attachments away in the storage room at the end of meetings and checks the robot tables at the beginning of each meeting as well as of at competition to make sure they are set up properly. He also communicates any issues found on the table to the refs.
Austin – Project Lead: He takes the lead on the project research and leads the team in ideas and development of the project. He helps create a creative project presentation and documents all the project research to create a project research binder.
Caleb – Programming Lead: Goes through everyone's programs with them and makes notes about what each part of the program does. For the competition, he makes sure the programs being used are downloaded on the robot, are in order, and are ready to go.
Cody – Timekeeper: At the competition, he keeps track of time and makes sure we are where we need to be on time. He overlooks our Kanban organizational chart that helps us keep track of our team goals in a "to do, doing & done" fashion throughout the season to ensure everything gets done by competition. He also times the robot rounds during practices to make sure we do not go over the time limit.
Conner – Robot Manager: At competition, he makes sure that the robot is monitored and cared for properly at all times. He helps design the robot & attachments in LEGO Digital Designer along with the Robot Design Lead. At each meeting, he checks for challenge updates and prints copies of any updates for all team members to place in their binders. He leads the team in writing the RDES.
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The following is the text of Ted Hope's closing keynote address (as prepared and delivered to indieWIRE today) for the Arthouse Convergence, a gathering of exhibitors and others held this week in Salt Lake City prior to the Sundance Film Festival.
In case you haven't heard, our business is in the midst of a transformation from a limited supply gatekeeper entertainment economy based on impulse buys to a new paradigm based on creator-controlled content and an ongoing dialogue with the audience. This affects all of us: filmmakers, exhibitors, distributors, and film lovers.
It once was that distributors generally only made available films that fit their pre-existing marketing model. Their marketing spend was not based on the film's content – but their acquisition or production of a film was based on justifying that pre-set marketing spend. We (both the filmmaking and film exhibiting community) are now just learning how to determine, and to access, what an appropriate marketing spend — based on the film that was actually made – is, and in the process, we are learning how to prepare for, access, and exploit what have far too long been under-utilized tools and practices: community, collaboration, and appreciation.
Community, collaboration, and appreciation. These tools are the new tools. These are the good old tools. These tools are where our marketing money also now needs to be spent.
But let's ALL step out of The Hell Of Now, and instead let's imagine the future. Let's imagine next year. Let's imagine what the production/distribution/marketing/exhibition alliance could be like in a very short time. Let's imagine what it would be like if we established a "Best Practices" for filmmakers and exhibitors alike and thus clarify what audiences can expect. These three entities –filmmakers, exhibitors, audiences — that want to create, exhibit and appreciate diverse high quality specialized work to the fullest.
Let's imagine that next year is actually right now. So what does this present (formerly the future) look like?
– Each side recognizes each other as a partner – a critical partner – a partner that wants to inspire the other to the highest level of work and experience.
– Filmmakers recognize that completing their film is only half the work.
– They recognize that the other half of the job is both marketing their film and maintaining a dialogue with their audience.
– The filmmaker is taking responsibility for their work through the end (aka forever).
– They no longer entertain dreams of riches exchanged for rights.
– They no longer anticipate surrendering control of their film to distributors.
– The filmmaker now thinks of their ultimate creation as what will be their body of work. They no longer look at each movie as a stand-alone entity. They recognize it is all a continuum.
– They no longer see themselves contained with a single form of medium. They make long and short form work for different platforms and different audiences.
– They look at all their work as an ongoing dialogue with an evolving audience.
– The filmmaker has already established at least one platform from which to maintain an ongoing dialogue with their audience(s). This platform will be: Blogs and/or Social Networks. They maintain regular – daily or weekly – contact with their audience. They reward them, and visa versa.
– The filmmaker is no longer an isolated individual who only looks out for his or her own singular work. The filmmaker is a curator, championing others' work. And others champion their work in return
– The filmmaker is an "expanded" collaborator who encourages audiences/fans participation, both or a richer dialogue and to mine their desires. She considers exhibitors' needs in terms of reaching an audience.
– The filmmaker thinks for the long tail and they ask how their film will be discovered in ten years. They ask how will their film be relevant in ten years.
– The filmmaker recognizes that their action affects others, and they will either build on success or be burdened by others' failure. They recognize that financial outcome is one measure of success but that audience and infrastructure building is another. Mostly they want to encourage good behavior in others.
– The filmmaker knows that power is a collective experience not a private one. They believe in an "open source" culture. They share information with others who share information.
How does this filmmaker work? Before the filmmaker shoots a frame, before she raises any money, this filmmaker identifies the audiences for the film and where those audiences can be reached. This filmmaker finds where the discussion of the issues within the film are taking place, identifies possible promotional partners for the film, be they brands or advocacy organizations.
Again before the camera is turned on, this filmmaker builds:
A team of passionate soon to be experts
A website specifically for the film;
Blog(s) addressing the issues within the film;
Blog(s) addressing the audiences for the film
And this filmmaker prepares to build the film beyond the 90 minute border by creating shorts, ARGS (Alternative Reality Games), a Graphic Novel, various books, IPhone Applications and Casual Games, truly anything and everything to drive audience's attention to and their appreciation of the film at every step.
During production, the filmmaker is looking for new ways to expand the audience ad the audience's participation. This filmmaker provides the audience with access to production particulars, be they production information or location specifics. They grant true fans access to the script and encourages them to go shoot their own version. The filmmaker tries to increase the audience's rewards for their appreciation, and provides for them exclusive behind the scenes footage or maybe the filmmakers' journal. Really what ever they can do, the filmmaker provides their true fans with access to the process in an unprecedented manner.
After the film is shot — and before it is ever publicly screened anywhere –the filmmaker has:
– listed the film everywhere online (IMDB, Wiki, Databases)
– tested the film themselves before audiences
– cut a trailer and put the trailer on their website and elsewhere. This filmmaker is even prepared to refresh that trailer upon release.
– Designed a poster (or several) and put the poster on their website and elsewhere/
– Designed a collectors' edition DVD complete with lots of additional material
– Manufactured unique merchandising items
– Written a film clubs' study guide
– Selected a stills collection and put some stills on their website and elsewhere.
– Selected clips and put the clips on their website and elsewhere.
– Manufactured DVDs and offered them for sale personally at early screenings.
– Locked a DVD manufacturer and fulfillment center.
– Locked a Digital Download partner.
– Locked an Online Streaming Partner.
– Built a highly selective festival strategy and is prepared to both execute it and support it.
After the first festival screening, in order to facilitate and grow positive word-of-mouth the filmmaker has:
– Set a pre-release publicity building speaking tour.
– Built a chain of Living Room Theaters through non-retail DVD sales.
During the release of the film, the filmmaker is prepared:
– To travel to anywhere that covers their expenses, even in part.
– To collaborate with other filmmakers in a traveling festival road show.
– To provide an I-Chat dialogue with audiences.
– Maintain dialogue with the audience throughout the release.
– Release new short-form work to heighten interest in the long-form.
What does this filmmaker want? The same thing as the exhibitor, the same thing as the audience. This filmmaker wants to make movies an event again. And you know what? This isn't the future. This isn't even next year. This is right now. This is how filmmakers are currently thinking. And the question we all need to ask is how do we collaborate with them?
So let's look at how can the filmmaker and exhibitor collaborate? The exhibitor should redefine the theater in the audience, filmmaker, and industry's mind that it is not just for exhibition any more. So what is it?
– An Indie Merchandise Store selling T-shirts, collectors DVDs, and indie film specific publications.
– The Theater is a gallery displaying traveling exhibits on indie history, and film-based artwork.
– It is a Preservation Center, leading the charge for preservation of indie and digital film. From this platform, the theaters will facilitate the vote for indie works in the National Film Registry.
– The theater is the community's Media Literacy Center forever asking how can filmmakers further contribute?
What new practices will earn exhibitors the filmmakers' love?
– Data-mining & transport. Filmmakers want to learn the details: Who comes to the theater and why? What gets an audience at a particular theater. Exhibitors who share this data back and forth with the filmmakers will be rewarded with the filmmakers' loyalty.
– Throw out the old way and bring more filmmakers in earlier for shorter terms. Book your own "festival". Utilize Filmmakers pre-release publicity tours. Set a subscription model with your audience freeing you to pursue the distributor-less film on your own.
– Recognize that your audience, your community, is your greatest asset, but respect their indivuality and recognize their loyalty to you. Facilitate access to and dialogue with your audience by the filmmakers. After all, you can't keep them secret or hidden. Sooner or later, everyone will eventually find each other.
– Create your own social network. Supply it with new information regularly. Share it with Filmmakers. Share it with other theaters. Build this network that the Art House Convergence has brought together.
– Establish A Third Party Collections & Remuneration Agency so you don't have to deal with filmmakers on payment and other back room issues.
– Establish best practices on what Exhibitors want from filmmakers and then get that word out to them (I would be more than happy to help).
– Establish an info on your community's film tastes so filmmakers know what won't work at your theater.
– Filmmakers are like any other entity. Dialogue with them does not have to be painful or intimidating. Good fences make for good neighbors, right?
What additional exhibition practices will filmmakers reward?
– Think Big. Don't internalize the last two decades of neglect and despair. Share your dreams of growth
– Think Differently. You don't really need to screen the same movie all week long, no matter what the distributors say. Build audiences for the classics. Ask local notables to program. Give them what they can't get at home.
– Focus on community building. Can Monday be dedicated to Community programming at all the art houses. Share your mailing lists with filmmakers if they share theirs. Encourage others' choices, reach out, and mobilize.
– Design for the audiences needs with flexible screening schedules. Shouldn't the moto be: "What they want, when they want"?
– Communicate with the filmmakers and let them know want you & when.
– Accept the mutual responsibility to build the new infrastructure. Be willing to test the new infrastructure.
– Find new and build new alliances, be they Advocacy Groups or Corporate Sponsors. Use them for or Screening series and for Specific Films. These groups come with their own audience and a desire to build further upon it. Every theater should have ongoing media alliances so when a filmmaker visits they expect that they will go on radio show and record a podcast for a local website.
– Whatever you can do, invest in technology. Whether it is digital production or Digital Delivery everything points to that the physical will soon be gone. Costs will come down and new opportunities like more flexible programming and booking policies will become expected.
– Whatever can be done to wean oneself from Specialized Distribs Hit menu represents freedom. It is not healthy for anyone to be so dependent on a singular supplier.
– Fight to preserve Net Neutrality. It will soon come to a vote and an open internet is necessary to source, inform, and aggregate audiences.
– Educate and encourage people to make a choice, not an impulsive decision in all they do. Isn't that one of the definitions of art film? A film that people must decide to view ahead of time.
With all that has occurred, all that has gone wrong, with the devastation that has been wrought on this country and our culture, WHY DO I REMAIN HOPEFUL?
Last month as the year ended, I asked myself that question, and in one hour came up with 52 reasons, one for each of the weeks to come (and all are available on TrulyFreeFilm.blogspot.com). And truly, the main reason, is right here in the room, at the first meeting of the Art House Convergence. It is all of us. It is we who have come here and it is the reason why we came here. We recognize the potential we hold. And now that potential is becoming a reality.
I believe in – and I know you do too, or else you wouldn't be here now:
– The power of organization.
– The influence of collective action.
– The incredible results of collaboration.
– And all that entire great cinema inspires.
I know there is a great new era of art film on the eve of occurrence. I know this
because I have met the new generation of filmmakers and I know who they are.
And I can tell you that these filmmakers are:
– Individuals with far more diverse stories to tell than we imagined.
– Artists with a commitment to quality and innovation.
– Not just feature orientated.
– Recognizing that making the movie is only 50% of the job and that the other half is marketing.
– Early adopters of new technology.
– Committed to Social Networks.
And I know these filmmakers want to work for YOU, the exhibitors.
And I know we aren't going to run out of great movies. Last year was the best year ever for American film made for budgets of under $1M. Internationally, new directors produced exciting new work and established auteurs expanded their range. Not only are these great works not currently reaching audiences, but now with the major corporations stepping out of the specialized space hopefully will give a chance for this harvest to really bloom!
Theaters are often said to be our place of worship – but they are really our community centers. Theaters are where we all come together to share our dreams, to experience what it means not to be defined as a demographic but to be recognized as the expansive, passionate, engaged, and connected individuals we are. As far as I can tell, exhibitors have been left to their own devices for all these years – and so maybe there's hope for indie film because you have managed to survive, even prosper. And now you are working together. You are working with filmmakers. Wow. What's to come?
I love movies. Obviously.
And: I love making them, but even more: I love watching them, but even more than that:
I love talking about them, sharing them.
Let's stop thinking of theaters in terms of exhibition and instead recognize them, you, the theaters, for what they truly are – the heart of our community and our life line to the audiences.
Thank you. I can't wait until next year.
A producer of "Adventureland," which is screening at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Ted Hope is a partner at This is that, writes the Truly Free Film blog (among others), and is a founder of HammerToNail.
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# The malaria atlas project aims to disseminate free, accurate and up-to-date geographical information on malaria and associated topics.
The Malaria Atlas Project (MAP) brings together a global network of researchers with expertise in a wide range of disciplines, from public health to mathematics, geography, and epidemiology. We work together to assemble global databases on malaria risk and intervention coverage and develop innovative analysis methods that use those data to address critical questions. These include better understanding the global landscape of malaria risk, how this is changing, and the impact of malaria interventions. By evaluating burden, trends, and impact at fine geographical scale we support informed decision making for malaria control at international, regional and national scales.
As part of this mission, MAP obtains, curates, and shares a wide variety of malariometric data. These include malaria cases reported by surveillance systems, nationally representative cross-sectional surveys of parasite rate, and satellite imagery capturing global environmental conditions that influence malaria transmission. The MAP group provides the outputs of our research, as well as broader technical advice and support, to National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCPs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Ministries of Health, and other third parties as part of our commitment to open access data.
MAP is led by Professor Peter Gething of Telethon Kids Institute at Curtin University. The MAP group comprises research staff conducting academic work and technical staff who deal with obtaining, curating, and disseminating data and providing mapping support to NGOs and NMCPs. MAP is a collaborative project with partners across the world. We are based at Telethon Kids Institute at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia.
# World Health Organization Collaborating Centre
MAP is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.
The Malaria Atlas Project has received designation as a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre in Geospatial Disease Modelling. This designation primarily recognises MAP's contribution to supporting the modelling, monitoring and evaluation activities of the WHO Global Malaria Programme.
MAP collaborates with WHO on the estimation of malaria programme coverage and disease burden and projecting changes in malaria risk to 2040.
This work includes the production of country-level risk and incidence maps for P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria and the socio-economic impact of malaria and malaria control.
MAP also provides the country profile maps for the WHO's annual World Malaria Report.
# Support for Other Projects
The Malaria Atlas Project aims to support other programmes engaged in the fight against tropical infectious diseases and we have provided maps and data to a wide range of international groups including:
- The Roll Back Malaria Partnership (2011) A Decade of Partnership and Results. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland on behalf of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Secretariat, 139 pages
- The Global Atlas of Helminth Infections
- The Malaria in Pregnancy Consortium
- VectorMap: Researchers at the Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit have incorporated our models of the effect of temperature on malaria transmission into their online VectorMap tool. By selecting Vector Theme: Mosquitoes and Disease Model: Malaria, users can visualise the outputs we have generated for infectious days and suitability index together with other important parameters.
And to National institutions:
- The National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Madagascar
- The Division of Malaria Control, Ministry of Health, Kenya
- The Directorate of Vector Borne Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Indonesia
- The National Malaria Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Republic of the Sudan
- The National Vector-borne Disease Control Programme, Ministry of Health & Social Services, Republic of Namibia
- Zanzibar Malaria Control Program (2009) Malaria elimination in Zanzibar: a feasibility assessment. Zanzibar Malaria Control Program, Zanzibar, Tanzania, 87p
- The Department of Health Services, Nepal
- The Programme National de Lutte Contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Sante, République de Djibouti
- The Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Health, South Sudan
- The National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Mbabane, Kingdom of Swaziland


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Our Pleasanton psychiatry clinic office is convenient for people living in Walnut Creek, Livermore, Dublin, San Ramon, Dublin and Hayward. There is ample parking and the office is a little under a mile away from the Dublin / Pleasanton BART station.
Two clinicians affiliated with Gateway Psychiatric work in the office –
Dr. Peter Forster, MD, the Clinical Director of the clinic. Dr. Forster specializes in the treatment of people with bipolar disorder and depression. He also provides treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders.
Dr. Vandana Aspen, PhD, a psychologist with expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Aspen works with families and adolescents as well as adults.
Dr. Forster sees patients on Mondays. Dr. Aspen has a full time office in the clinic. Dr. Forster flexes his schedule to make sure that all of the patients in the East Bay who need a psychiatric consultation are seen within a week of a request for an appointment and Dr. Aspen is available to see patients who have more urgent needs.
There are no administrative staff at the office. Please review the information under the heading "Beginning a Consultation" for information about how to get started with treatment in Pleasanton, or at any of the other offices.
If you are visiting the clinic for your first appointment you will want to go into the waiting room and flip the switch beside the name tag of the clinician you are seeing.
Pleasanton Psychiatry Clinic
Pleasanton Psychiatry Clinic
Fax: (415)551-0524
Email: email@example.com


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Two weeks ago, I decided that week -between Labor Day and the Sunday after the holiday -were definitely a week purely from Hell for me. Every other day something happened that didn't exactly make my life a dream come true, for sure.
It was, in essence, a total nightmare.
Today, I decided if there was one word that would be descriptive of my nemesis for this month, it would have to be "Commode!"
Yes, that piece of equipment which the overwhelming majority of us (at least I would hope it is in that numerical range) consider to be not a luxury item for us but rather, something that is really a major necessity.
And normally, this particular item functions in a very quiet manner -obscure from the general traffic and public it sits patiently waiting to serve our needs. And that is as it should be.
But every now and again, this "throne" as it is often called by many, decides to be a bit rebellious and when it does that, it's almost as bad an event as a really wicked storm or more. It can be quite the problem when it decides it's not going to do what it's supposed to do.
And last night, that's pretty much what the lovely, pale green appliance I acquired a mere two weeks ago after I had apparently changed my name to grace and fell backwards landing with a hard slam against the tank of the previous commode and breaking the tank, which in turn created a flood situation in my bathroom. Except this time, it didn't gift me with only one flood in the bathroom but rather three of them!
And of course, the timing of this event was impeccable too! It was after 11 p.m. when this commodity decided to overflow, spewing water all over the bathroom floor. And it did that then three times -once to call my attention to the fact there was evidently a problem in the line someplace and then two more times -just for good measure!
Although I was born and raised in this house, I haven't lived here for my entire life. But back in 1979, when my Mom, who was the resident in this house, passed away, my children and I moved in to this old house -my family homestead.
Between December of 1979 and now -almost 35 years -only one time about a month or two after we moved in here has there been a problem with the commode in which it stopped up and overflowed!
Considering the fact that the bathroom usage over those years has been very steady -downright strong, at times, the fact of the matter is that my three children and my two younger grandchildren, as well -never placed anything in the commode that didn't actually belong there! All things considered with children of virtually any age, the fact that none of them ever tried to flush anything down the drain of the commode other than "waste" materials and toilet paper.
Considering the things my kids and the grandkids too often got into that wasn't in the best interests of operating the household, the fact that they never plugged up the toilet I consider to be at least borderline of miraculous.
Now, I will confess here that I am not exactly material that would qualify as an excellent candidate for employment with "Merry Maids" or any other such entity, but there are a few things -quirks that I have -that sort of tend to awaken a bit of the neatness factors my Mom and Grandmother tried their level best to instill in me and one of them pertains to extra things floating in the commode water. I don't care if it is a piece of toilet paper someone has pulled off and used it in place of a kleenex or just to wipe off a little bit of excess makeup or something, if they toss that into the commode and don't flush it, or if the last time the commode was flushed, the flow of the water didn't take every last shred of whatever evidence of usage down the drain, this annoys the living daylights out of me and I am then compelled to flush the commode and get that out of sight (and yes, out of mind then too!)
And last night,shortly after11 p.m. I had gone into the bathroom with full intentions of taking a shower and getting ready to go to bed when I happened to glance over at the commode and saw there was a bit of bunchedup toilet paper floating around there and so, my "quirk reflex" kicked into gear and I flushed the commode.
However, I didn't notice when I did that a problem existed already in that the water was already high and almost to the top of the bowl when I reached over and pushed down on the handle there. But within about 3 or 4 seconds, I was made fully aware of a problem as the water came pouring up and over the top of the toilet bowl and flooded the entire bathroom floor!'
I didn't panic then because after all, these things can happen occasionally as we all know and I have a new plunger now too that I purchased about two months ago when the old plunger I discovered had virtually fallen apart from apparent dry rotting! And so, I figured it's a fluke type situation and a couple strong pushes into the toilet bowl would suck whatever was blocking the free flow of water down through the pipes and not over the bowl and life would be back to normal here.
Now, knowing me as many of you do by now, you know that rarely does my life run really nice and smooth as glass and this was a really golden opportunity for the commode to become VERY rebellious about doing the job for which it was intended!
There would be no quick return to normalcy of this circumstance!
When the plunger didn't cause even a teeny-weeny bit of a lowering of the water level at the top of the bowl, I decided to try to straighten a coat hanger as much as I could and use it sort of the way you would do with a "toilet snake" or auger to loosen up whatever it was blocking the flow. I tried that but it too proved unsuccessful.
My next move involved surfing the web for sites telling how to go about unblocking a commode and one method recommended caught my eye. That one said to take a box of baking soda and dump it into the standing water and watch as it would begin to fizz up a bit and when that happened, you were to begin pouring vinegar into the water -slowly, a little at a time -because the vinegar would react with the baking soda and would then foam up and cause more overflow if you poured too much vinegar in at once. Another overflow was exactly what I didn't want to happen so I watched the pouring of the vinegar very closely. And since, the instructions said that this would then erode and "eat away" whatever was blocking the system as long as it wasn't some hard object of wood or plasticand such.
It also stated that this was a rather lengthy and time consuming method, so after fighting with the plunger, the coat hanger too, for well over 4 hours, once I had the ingredients in the bowl, ''
I went to bed to allow the components then to do their thing and hopefully, I would get up in the morning to find a commode that was flushable.
However, when I got up early this morning, I saw the water was still standing just as I had left it several hours earlier.It was then that I decided I was going to have to call in my reserves!
A couple who are friends of mine up on the other end of town had seen a post I had put on my Facebook page about my current bathroom calamity and she posted early this morning asking if I'd been able to succeed on clearing out the blockage and I responded, telling her that was a big fat negative.
She then said that "Sir Richard" (her husband) was in the process then, as we spoke, of gathering up his tools and such and would be down to my place in about 15 minutes to give me a much needed assist.
He arrived carrying his plunger plus an old auger snake thing that he informed me had seen many, many years of successful duty as he and his wife had raised four children and now, they have grandkids too,plus he told me that his kids had plugged their commode on many occasions with things that definitely don't play nicely with a commode.
It took him a lot of hard work -plunging and then trying to get the auger to breakup whatever was hindering any progress before he finally got the water to begin to go down!
Let me tell you, the sound of the water gurgling a bit as it began to flow through again was the most heavenly sound to hear!
I still don't know what caused this blockage as nothing came up into the bowl once he got things beginning to flow again.
But you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll look closely at how high the water level is in that throne before I allow my quirk reflex to jump into action and flush a little bit of toilet paper down the tubes!
Thursday, September 25, 2014
2 comments:
- Suldog said...
Well, after reading your FB response to me, I headed over here to see what troubles were happening around your way. This certainly qualifies as a doozy. I hate when something like this happens (and I'm the same way with things in the toilet, as I don't want to see them once they hit the water.)
I have the feeling there's been more trouble than this, though. I read about the kitten and the photos, but... Want to tell me what else has happened?
- Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at 6:36:00 AM EDT
- terri said...
That sounds frustrating beyond frustrating. Good thing your friend and neighbor checked in on you and sent help!
- Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at 9:23:00 PM EDT
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Brendo is joined by author Chris Troutt in the Podcast Lab at Los Angeles Podcast Festival 2017. He and Brendo talk about Chris' new book, We'll Be Right Back!: Television's Reunions, Revivals, and Reboots. They also talk about podcasting, wrestling, and a lot more. There's even a Marmaduke! Thanks for listening and tell your friends!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:27 — 19.4MB)
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The following Factual products are protected by patents in the U.S. and elsewhere. This website is provided to satisfy the virtual patent marking provisions of various jurisdictions including the virtual patent marking provisions of the America Invents Act. The following list of Factual products may not be all inclusive, and other Factual products not listed here may be protected by one or more patents.
Global Places, Global Products, Resolve, Places Crosswalk, Products Crosswalk, Geopulse Audience, Geopulse Proximity, Geotag, World Geographies: Protected by one or more of the following patents: US8,959,070; ZL 2010 8 0041039.8 (CN). Additional patents may be pending in the U.S. and elsewhere.


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This crispy and chewy Chive Pancake was inspired by my Auntie P from Napa, California. You see, Auntie P and her family ran a Chinese restaurant in the 80s. During my first visit to the states, I experienced how a real commercial kitchen was run. I was impressed at how such a slight and small frame woman could handle the heavy wok with ease. I eagerly pitched in serving and busing tables so I can play restaurant in real life. At night, Auntie P continued to prepare more food for the next day. My favorite was her Northern Chinese favorite snack, Chive Oil Pancake. Here I am using the dough adapted from Predominantly Paleo, hope you like it.
Makes 6 servings Prep time 15 mins Cook time 10 mins
- 5 stalks of green onions, chopped
- 1 pack grated cassava, defrost if from frozen
- 1/4 c coconut flour
- coconut oil
- avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
- optional - 2 tbsp cooked ground pork
- Sprinkle salt over grated cassava
- Heat oil in pan over medium heat
- Empty pack of defrosted grated cassava into oiled pan
- Using a wooden spoon or silicon spatula to prevent scratching the pan, stir cassava until translucent dough forms, the dough will be firm to form and he might build some upper body strength while you are at it
- Sprinkle coconut flour on rolling board
- Roll dough out to 1/8" thickness into a rectangular shape
- Spread a thin layer of coconut oil on flattened out dough
- Sprinkle chopped green onions ( optional - I added some cooked ground pork in one of the pancakes) over rolled out dough
- From the longer side of the rectangle dough, roll it up like you were making a burrito
- Cut the long dough into two sections
- Close up one end of each dough sections by sealing it with your fingers
- Now, roll the long dough up like a cinnamon pin wheel
- Seal up the outer end of the dough to prevent any green onions from leaking out
- Take your rolling pin and flatten the "pin wheel"
- Repeat 11-14 with the second dough section
- Heat oil over medium heat in a pan larger enough to pan fried the pancakes
- Pan fried each side until golden brown about 4 mins.
- Cut into 4 -8 sections and serve with sauce


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This is now a legacy site and could be not up to date. Please move to the new IGF Website at https://www.intgovforum.org
Dynamic Coalition on Public Access in Libraries (DC-PAL)
Round Table - Circle - 60 Min
Digital Inclusion
Meaningful Connectivity
Social Inclusion
This session will look at how public access in libraries features in national broadband strategies designed to support digital inclusion. As neutral, welcoming public centres, libraries have a particular role in achieving both specific internet policy objectives and the Sustainable Development Goals more broadly. Alongside schools, libraries are noted as key venues not only for providing connectivity (as a stepping-stone towards, and a complement to, home connections), but also as places where people can develop digital skills and confidence. Women and other often marginalised groups have benefitted particularly from the possibilities offered by libraries. Speakers will share experience of government programmes which have looked to realise this potential, describing both the logic for working with libraries, the potential to reach marginalised groups, and the achievements (both in terms of connectivity and positive side-effects) that were achieved. This session will support the Dynamic Coalition on Public Access in Libraries' 2019 report, focusing on broadband strategies and how libraries can support these. Speakers: • Emmanuel Muyomba, Rural Communications Development Fund, Uganda Communications Commission - government support for libraries • Mahmoud Khalifa (Egypt, academic) – connectivity in library laws • Teddy Woodhouse (A4AI) – libraries and public access in affordability strategies • Paul Kiage, Assistant Director, Universal Service Fund (USF) of the Communications Authority of Kenya - Utilising USF for public access through libraries • Stuart Hamilton, Head of Libraries Development, Local Government Management Agency (Ireland) - Libraries at the heart of development policies
Stephen Wyber, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Stuart Hamilton, Electronic Information for Libraries
Emmanuel Muyomba, Rural Communications Development Fund, Uganda Communications Commission - government support for libraries
Mahmoud Khalifa (Egypt, academic) – connectivity in library laws
Teddy Woodhouse (A4AI) – libraries and public access in affordability strategies
Paul Kiage, Assistant Director, Universal Service Fund (USF) of the Communications Authority of Kenya - Utilising USF for public access through libraries
Stuart Hamilton, Head of Libraries Development, Local Government Management Agency (Ireland)
GOAL 1: No Poverty
GOAL 2: Zero Hunger
GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-Being
GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 5: Gender Equality
GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequalities
GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
GOAL 12: Responsible Production and Consumption
GOAL 13: Climate Action
GOAL 14: Life Below Water
GOAL 15: Life on Land
GOAL 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
GOAL 17: Partnerships for the Goals
1) From what angles do broadband policies and strategies approach the question of public access in libraries, and what trends are in evidence?
2) What trends can be discerned from looking at broadband policies gathered and reviewed by the ITU?
3) In order to assess the effectiveness of these initiatives in reality, what key questions and issues should be borne in mind?
There was broad support for the view that libraries play several roles in ensuring meaningful connectivity for more people: providing reliable internet access and access devices, digital literacy training, support for digital newcomers, access to digital materials and services. Several speakers emphasised the importance of such access and services for vulnerable populations.
Similarly, many speakers pointed out that public access in libraries serves to meet a wide range of broader societal needs, which are often universal across various national contexts. These include access to e-learning and e-health services, conducting online businesses and making use of financial services, accessing government and public services online. Similarly, it can support youth skills development, empower women, and bring communities together.
Many speakers pointed to Universal Service Funds as a way to support public access in libraries. This can be particularly relevant in light of World Wide Web Foundation's 2018 report, which points out that a significant number of Universal Service and Access Funds are currently underused or inactive. Making use of these funds to ensure public access in libraries and similar facilities could be an effective way to foster digital inclusion . During the session, examples of supporting public access in libraries through USFs in Kenya, Ugansa and Ghana were discussed.
Several speakers addressed the question of financial sustainability of public access solutions and policy initiatives supporting them. Many speakers suggested different ways this can be ensured - whether through government support, by libraries themselves, by local communities or other partners (e.g. from the civil society or private sectors).
Finally, several speakers pointed to the relationship between public access in libraries and other connectivity models to bring the next billion(s) online. For example, libraries can work with local communities to support community network projects, or provide connectivity to offside locations through TVWS technology.
Overarching policy recommendations (predominantly socio-cultural and economic):
Next steps within the IGF ecosystem:
Related digital inclusion initiatives are also being organised by other stakeholders. For example, the "Total Digital!" initiative run by the Library Association in Germany promotes digital skills and media literacy among youth through a media content creation project.
Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), an international NGO, has trained librarians and library users to develop digital skills and community services in many countries.
Alongside Universal Service Funds, the discussion highlighted the potential of various partnerships to support digital inclusion through public access in libraries. Several examples of civil society actors, private companies and communities offering support for public access initiatives have been mentioned.
In addition, public access in libraries can be deployed alongside other alternative connectivity models to provide internet access for underserved areas and populations: community networks and offline/cached internet. Synergies and potential for collaboration between these models can be further explored.
Finally, high-capacity and high-speed connectivity in libraries can be used not only to offer new services, but also to provide connectivity to offsite locations through such technologies as TVWS. Such offsite access could offer more flexibility or convenience for users.
30 participants, of which approximately 10 had participated online. Approximately 15 women participated onsite and online.
During the presentations, it was pointed out that libraries have the ability to specifically focus on and target connectivity (as well as broader) needs of marginalised groups, including women, and work to address gender imbalances. In addition, it was highlighted that one of the strengths of libraries as public access facilities lies in the availability of on-site support for users who are less confident with their ICT skills. This can particularly apply to new women and girl users, which makes public access in libraries more accessible and approachable for them.
DC-PAL report on the role of libraries in national broadband plans and policies, presented during the session: https://www.ifla.org/digital-plans


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Pasadena Napalm Division - "P.N.D. EP" (CD/EP)
"P.N.D. EP" track listing:
1. Spell It Out
2. 100 Beers with a Zombie
3. Non Ti Amo
4. Speaking in Tongues
5. Failure
6. Okra
Reviewed by Joe Reviled on February 8, 2011
Crossover thrash will likely never be as invigorating and rush inducing as it was at its inception, no matter how many new bands try to rehash the past. The feeling that came with something new coming virtually out of nowhere and sparking a movement simply can't be recreated. The second time around, everything is expected, and there's nothing to come out of left field and cave in your sinuses like an errant elbow in the pit. But when a legend of the old guard returns, it can potentially be the next best thing to having been there in the days when punks and metal heads still took the steel toes to each others' teeth, and a band called D.R.I. spat in both of their collective faces by fusing metal and punk into an arrogant, brash, and volatile sub-genre. Now, D.R.I. vocalist Kurt Brecht is back with three members of Dead Horse and Bubba Dennis of Verbal Abuse on bass in Pasadena Napalm Division, a band that tries to resurrect the pure crossover snottiness of decades past.
Formed in 2008, and drawing its members from Austin, Pasadena, and Houston, Pasadena Napalm Division recently released its P.N.D. EP on Abyss records. From the outset its pure old school crossover all the way with the opening track, "Spell It Out," setting the tone with that juvenile sense of humor that's arrogant and simple enough to cut through the bullshit and get to the heart of the target. It's the continuation of D.R.I., and Brecht sounds like he's back in the bad old days of near starvation, van breakdowns, and getting ripped off by shady promoters, and he couldn't be happier or more ready to let the venom flow. Every word in this song is actually spelled out in Brecht's own unique hardcore yell delivery. "I l-o-v-e you, I k-i-l-l you." Classic stuff from the crusty old progenitor.
Next on deck is "100 Beers with a Zombie," a song with serious overtones in a humorous guise. Dark comedy espousing the damaging effects of repeated overconsumption. The best comedy comes from pain, as they say. The song goes through the requirements, ticking off the boxes on the old school checklist, with some competent guitar solo work thrown in as well. Then there's "Non Ti Amo," sung by Brecht entirely in Spanish, with a gang vocal chorus. It's an evil sounding anti-love song. "Speaking In Tongues" almost has Pasadena Napalm Division sounding a bit like a D.R.I. cover band. This one has a bit of Motorhead fever and speed metal gallop to it, with some "Haunting the Chapel" era Slayer vibrations. This track is the highlight of the E.P., with Brecht sounding like thrash's answer to Ian MacKaye.
"I'm a failure, fuck, fuck, fuckin' failure." This is the sound of the middle class, middle age realization that the dream is dead, or worse, was never pursued in the first place. It was given up in pursuit of something fake—something sold to us all and bought wholesale at big box retail outlets like super-sized tubs of Prozac chewables. The second last song on the E.P, the appropriately titled "Failure," shows that Pasadena Napalm Division has a message behind the sneers and jabs. Ending the disc is the so-called hidden track, "Okra," a joke tribute to the edible green seed pods of the flowering plant.
You can't dig up the bones of the past and expect them to whirl around the pit and head bang like they did in the days of yore. But as Pasadena Napalm Division shows, there's plenty of life left in those old bones yet.
Highs: The P.N.D. E.P. is a total throwback to crossover's early days in the most positive sense of the word.
Lows: What's up with the hidden track? It seems like a complete waste of studio time.
Bottom line: Fans of D.R.I. and crossover thrash should check out this release and keep their eyes peeled for a future full length from Brecht and co.
Get more info including news, reviews, interviews, links, etc. on our Pasadena Napalm Division band page.


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'Tis finally spring - and it sure came quickly. Right before we got yummy golden heat, we had record-setting spring snows that had buses spinning their wheels in giant white drifts. But now spring is here, the snow is gone, and the only thing that really reminds me I'm in Canada is all the yellow grass and trees that are still bare (in April). Oh yeah, and the job search.
Regular readers of my blog know what happened to me last year - when I was laid off my lazy job at Second Cup in the second week of May, and the ensuing failure to find a better job ended with my coronation as the Butter Queen of Cineplex Odeon. This year, considering the misery of last summer cleaning popcorn kettles and cheese buckets, the pressure has been on to find a job, a GOOD JOB, preferably clerical, governmental, or in entertainment retail (ie: book, music, or movie stores).
Looking for summer employment is killer on me and my self-esteem, for several reasons, which I shall relate:
1) I have to learn to sell myself, and I always tend to sell myself rather short. Past a typing speed of 85 words per minute and a talent in writing, I often draw a blank. So, by the end of the day, I end up feeling like I have absolutely nothing to offer...
2)...Not even experience. Other than The Green Man Review and SEE Magazine, all of my other jobs have been entry-level, two-month, food-service industry jobs like Safeway, McDonald's, and Second Cup. No clerical experience. No retail experience. No customer service experience without a counter getting in the way.
3) I can't drive, so I always have to figure out how to get to certain places by bus. Some areas are just about damn impossible to get to, so I might have a dream job, but no way to get there, or it's in a scary part of town, or whatever. My parents, who are fully aware of the debacle last summer was, have agreed to offer some help in transportation, but it can't be every day.
Well, I've sent in dozens of resumes and coverletters early this year, and as my parents have advised me, I'm going to go with the first employer who offers me full-time summer work. The first one - no waiting for the dream job this time. No gambling. Well, my spirits have risen, because my numerous lines have brought up three possible fish, er, interviews. I shall relate to you the bare details:
Job #1 - Governmental
Ironically enough, I've been considered a candidate for a governmental program that actually HELPS students find employment. How cool is that?
Pros: Close to the LRT route. Regular work. Great pay. Might be able to use my writing. Also - I had this interview the other day, and it went really well. I had to bring a written letter advertising the program, a PowerPoint presentation on Employment standards, and answer questions. I actually think I did really well - which is rare. Most interviews I come out of feeling incredibly stupid. Plus - one of the senior employees recognized me from The Gateway where she works too, but in News, while I'm in Arts and Entertainment.
Cons: Well, it's a damn fine job. It'll pay my tuition and books besides, they offer regular hours, and since it's a summer program there's a great chance they'll rehire me next summer. But will it be a fun job? Naturally, that's not going to stop me from accepting, should they ask. But still...
Job #2: Book Retail - big store.
Pros: It's a big store. And did I mention they sell books? And there just might be a STAFF DISCOUNT? I'm very nervous when actually talking to people, except when I'm talking about thinks I KNOW ABOUT and LIKE. I know and like books. This would be an extremely fun job!
Cons: It's a pain in the ass and a half to get there. I'm talking an hour long bus ride, there and back, and not past 10pm! Plus, they'll probably pay less then the government job. Still - if I get full-time hours I can still make tuition, and it's right across the street from the beautiful big movie theatre. I'm going to have an interview with them in about a week, though, so I can't blow it.
Job #3: Book Retail - tiny store.
Pros: Easy as pie to get there - it's in a mall, by a bus hub, and because it's part of a mall it doesn't have wonky hours. Plus, the manager was really nice when I handed in my resume and asked me serious questions straight off. Also, given the location, ease of which to get there from University, and my interest in books, this could very well be the job I hold throughout the school year as well, part-time of course.
Cons: It's a tiny, tiny store, and it shares the mall with a much larger, more popular bookstore. On the one hand, it means I have less competition as, judging from the manager's tone of voice on the phone, more students tend to apply to the large store and forget all about the bitty one. On the other hand, I'm guessing this bookstore can be kind of quiet, all tucked away.
I've already had the Job #1 Interview, which went swimmingly, I think. The other two interviews are coming up later in the week. I know, I know, some of you are thinking "Whaaat? This crazy girl would rather tell a lower-paying bookstore job because it's fun than work a regular government job that just might mean she'll never have to look for a summer job again?" But the point is this - whoever offers me a full-time summer job first, gets me. No questions. I can't take a risk this time. All of these jobs have really great benefits, so I'll consider myself lucky if even one offers me a job. I really hope one of them does - because if they don't then I'm really in trouble.


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Want to know the secrets to running a successful business? Business Review talked to the top managers who head up 20 of the most important organizations in their sectors to get the lowdown on the main lessons they have learned since taking the helm.
Here's a lesson from Florin Talpes, CEO, Bitdefender:
"One of the things that helped us get to where we are today was the fact that we made mistakes from the start of Bitdefender's evolution. Life gives you plenty of opportunities to make mistakes. One does not reach success by being successful; success comes from failure. So, when you start your journey, a lot of things will not turn out as planned. But if you learn well and fast enough from what is happening, then you have a high chance of always adjusting your path and reaching the target you and your team have set."