text:
A year with Justin Canha, a young man with autism who is part of an new transition program to ready him for an independent life as an adult.
But such efforts carry their own costs. In this New York City suburb, the school district considered scrapping Ms. Stanton-Paule’s program almost as soon as it began, to save money on the extra teaching assistants who accompanied students to internships, the bank, the gym, the grocery store. Businesses weighed the risks of hiring autistic students who might not automatically grasp standard rules of workplace behavior.
Oblivious to such debates, many autistic high school students are facing the adult world with elevated expectations of their own. Justin, who relied on a one-on-one aide in school, had by age 17 declared his intention to be a “famous animator-illustrator.” He also dreamed of living in his own apartment, a goal he seemed especially devoted to when, say, his mother asked him to walk the dog.
“I prefer I move to the apartment,” he would say, reluctantly setting aside the notebook he spent hours filling with tiny, precise replicas of every known animated character.
“I prefer I move to the apartment, too,” his father, Briant, a pharmaceutical company executive, replied on hard days.
Over the year that a New York Times reporter observed it, the transition program at Montclair High served as a kind of boot camp in community integration that might also be, for Justin, a last chance. Few such services are available after high school. And Justin was entitled to public education programs, by federal law, until only age 21.
Ms. Stanton-Paule had vowed to secure him a paid job before he left school — the best gauge, experts say, of whether a special needs student will maintain some autonomy later in life. She also hoped to help him forge the relationships, at work and beyond it, that form the basis of a full life.
But more prosaic lessons arose at every turn: when he should present money at the pizza place (not until after he ordered), how close to stand to the person using the weight machine he wanted at the gym (not so close), what to say when he saw a co-worker drinking a Coke (probably not “Coca-Cola is bad for your bones”). Often, Ms. Stanton-Paule and her staff seemed to spend as much time teaching the residents of Montclair about Justin as teaching him the tasks at hand.
For his part, Justin sometimes flagged in his pursuit of autonomy. “When do I retire from this?” he asked of drills in phone etiquette. But he never stopped trying, sometimes warbling the theme song to his favorite movie, “Pinocchio,” as a means of soothing himself.
If he recognized himself in Pinocchio’s classic quest for acceptance, Justin did not say it in so many words.
Justin’s adulthood had been looming for his parents, Briant and Maria Teresa Canha, ever since he was given his diagnosis in 1993 at age 3. Like many parents of autistic children before them, they wondered what would become of their son, who threw frequent tantrums, looked straight through them and did not answer to his name.
But some things were changing for the better. The explosion of research that followed the formal recognition of autism as a psychiatric diagnosis in 1980 underscored its biological basis, lifting some of the stigma that persisted through the 1970s, when bad mothering was often blamed for the condition’s mix of social impairments and circumscribed, repetitive behaviors.
And Justin’s parents were not alone. As the condition’s hallmark behaviors became better recognized, many children who were previously designated as mentally retarded or just dismissed as strange were being given an autism diagnosis, a trend that has continued. Some experts also believe that the actual number of people with autism has been climbing.
Even now, autism’s root causes remain unknown; many genetic and environmental factors are believed to contribute to its different forms and degrees of severity. Justin, for example, is unusually sensitive to noise; others are uncomfortable with light or touch. Some are physically aggressive, others withdrawn. About half score low on I.Q. tests, a handful are savants, and many, like Justin with his drawing, shine brightly in one particular area and stumble in others.
But emboldened by the growing understanding of what it means to be autistic, parents in the 1990s were increasingly demanding full access to education for their children and searching for ways to help them.
Many interventions the Canhas tried — gluten-free diets, neurofeedback therapy, high doses of vitamin B6 powder — made no apparent difference. A trip to Israel “to swim with those sweet bottle-nosed dolphins,” as Justin later described it, was a boon for a boy whose affection for animals contrasted with the indifference he showed people, but it yielded no breakthroughs.
Months of intensive language and cognitive therapy at age 4, however, did seem to help Justin, who learned a few words in sign language. To communicate with him, Justin’s brother, Julian, 18 months older, learned them, too.
If Briant occasionally raised an eyebrow at his wife’s tireless trial and error, he never held her back. He could not bring himself to have the third child she wanted, unwilling to risk another with autism. But the decision made the search all the more pressing: Julian, they knew, might one day be his brother’s sole caretaker.
The family had been living in Europe, where Briant had a promising career in international business and Maria Teresa, the daughter of a Brazilian diplomat, had embraced an expatriate lifestyle. There Justin found some comfort drawing characters from the Disney videos he watched incessantly; at 5, he littered the Canha home with hundreds of likenesses of Dumbo, Simba and a “Jungle Book” favorite, Baloo the Bear.
But when Justin was in first grade, near Munich, his tantrums became so frequent that he was often removed from the classroom. For months, he would eat only grilled cheese sandwiches. A generation earlier, his parents might have placed Justin in an institution. Instead, the Canhas returned to the United States in 1997 to look for better services.
The realization that Justin was among the most severely impaired in the classroom set aside for children with autism in their new Florida school district was a blow to his mother, already battling depression. But with help from a new form of behavioral therapy that would prove to be one of the few effective interventions for some with the condition, Justin’s tantrums subsided.
With positive reinforcements for small tasks, Justin was coaxed by his therapists to answer questions like “what did you do today?” by drawing, providing a first glimpse of the confusion behind his outbursts, as well as his sense of humor.
The day a teacher at school took his markers away, he drew himself crying on a long, winding road home. After his father returned from a fishing trip, Justin drew a “bad dream”: his own body on a plate, a fish above him with knife and fork, ready to dig in. By the time the Canhas moved to be near family in Providence, R.I., Justin, 9, had taken the top award in a cartooning contest for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. His diet, still devoid of all vegetables, had expanded. He spoke a few short phrases.
And by the time Briant was offered a job in northern New Jersey a year later, Maria Teresa had learned of “inclusion,” a practice that allowed students with disabilities to participate fully in mainstream classes. Said to produce better academic outcomes for such students and instill compassion in their classmates, it held the chance for Justin, his mother believed, to learn the social language that was still so foreign to him.
It took a year to find a public school that would take Justin on those terms; over the 1990s, federal courts had ruled that districts must try to integrate students with disabilities, but gave them discretion. Three superintendents told his mother without even meeting Justin that they would bus him to a specialized private school.
But in Montclair, her plea to have her son educated in the community where she hoped he would one day work and live had been sounded by other parents just a year earlier. Having already trained teachers and adapted material so that six middle school children with other special needs could attend regular classes, there was no reason, the superintendent agreed, not to accommodate Justin.
The move to Montclair in 2002 took its toll on Justin, who clung to routine. In his high-pitched singsong, he ticked off to himself each place the Canhas had lived. “Five moves,” he said. “I hate it.” With a new cognitive behavior therapist, he practiced making eye contact and strategies to stanch the steady stream of “self-talking” that drew stares even as it soothed his anxiety.
And with new computer software, he developed his own cartoon animations and a comic strip called “Jickey and Fanky” about a fox and a wolf that sometimes took on a decidedly personal twist. In “Jickey Goes to Behavior Therapy,” for instance, Dr. Fanky P. Wolf gets his eyes gouged out by his patient, Jickey, whom he is prodding to make eye contact.
When Maria Teresa probed his feelings, Justin brushed her off.
But at his new middle school, Justin’s autistic qualities earned him a kind of celebrity status. His classmates stifled smiles when he yelled “You’re fired!” at an unpopular teacher, and the novelty of his composition book served as a social bridge.
If he did not exactly have friends, he had admirers.
With simplified copies of school books and an aide to keep him focused, Justin participated in the same lessons as his peers, often using art to complete assignments. And when the Ricco Maresca gallery sold more than a dozen of his drawings for as much as $4,000 each at the Outsider Art Fair in Manhattan shortly after Justin entered high school, the Canhas allowed themselves the thought that he might one day support himself through his art.
But meeting regularly with Justin’s family, under the new requirements of a civil rights law called the Individuals With Disabilities in Education Act, school officials encouraged him to pursue independence. The term became a mantra of sorts for the Canhas. For Justin, like any adolescent, it seemed the key to freeing himself from his parents’ grip — and from the very activities designed to help him reach that goal.
“Mom, when is the last day of Dr. Selbst?” Justin asked on the weekly trips to the cognitive behavior therapist.
“Independence,” Justin sighed, turning on classical music on his iPod and settling in for the ride.
At bustling Montclair High, where Justin wore giant ear protectors to block out hallway noise, he faced a less gentle side of inclusive education. A gym teacher threw him out when the murmur of his self-talking broke an order for “total silence.” His middle school fans shrugged him off when he approached with his composition book. “They’re busy,” Justin reported when his mother asked if he ever had lunch with classmates or wanted to invite anyone over.
He still had trouble with basic math, and with understanding someone else’s point of view. His speech was halting, almost formal, and he never asked a reciprocal question in conversation except when prompted. He bristled at criticism, particularly of his artwork (“No opinions, please” was a Justinism his teachers knew well).
And sometimes, the rules bent his way. Justin’s aide braced herself when he raised his hand one day in a class that had focused for several months on Africa. The students had just finished reading a book on apartheid.
The teacher, who is black, turned around.
Justin would walk with his classmates at graduation in June 2009. But at 19, he would be staying on for two years devoted to preparing for adult life. That spring, Ms. Stanton-Paule asked him to design a poster to present at a leadership conference for students with disabilities.
“If you could achieve anything, what would it be?” she challenged him.
He contemplated the outline she gave him: in a bubble at the top, he was to write his vision of the future. On steps leading to his goal, he would write his course of action.
On graduation day, he dressed in a cap and gown. As he paced in the overheated hallway, talking loudly to himself, his classmates calmed him. When they marched out on stage together, they made sure he took his place in line.
Before Justin joined her program, Ms. Stanton-Paule drove her teaching assistants to a low-slung building near the high school known as a “sheltered workshop.” There, in a windowless room, people with autism and other developmental disabilities sorted colored combs and placed them in plastic bags. They were paid by the piece at subminimum-wage rates, based on how fast they performed compared with the prevailing rate for nondisabled workers.
Some family members see such government-subsidized facilities as safe, productive alternatives to keeping disabled adults idle at home. Others criticize them as a form of segregation, where people cannot reach their potential.
To Ms. Stanton-Paule, the workshop represented one of the grim realities her students might face should they fail to find real jobs before leaving school. And for Justin, the stakes were particularly high. Post-high-school programs that have had some success in placing adults with disabilities like Down syndrome in rewarding jobs are often ill suited for those with autism, whose challenges center more on social and communication barriers than basic cognitive functioning.
Like all of the nation’s public school districts, Montclair was required by federal law to provide some kind of transition program to prepare special education students to live independently. As in many schools, Montclair had traditionally assigned them to a classroom equipped with appliances, so they could practice skills like cooking and folding laundry. Some also worked in town a few hours a week.
But in the fall of 2008, Ms. Stanton-Paule had moved nine such students out of the school building entirely and into the town. Individually supervised, they shopped for food, went to the gym and worked at the local businesses that provided internships in response to her combination of charm, persistence and offers of free labor.
The approach, sometimes called “community-based instruction,” is widely viewed by educators as the best way to prepare special needs students to navigate real-life settings. But the federal government, which pays states extra for their education, does not require that school districts track which students are employed in the years after they leave school to determine the relative success of different transition programs.
And experts say few schools implement programs based fully in the community, which require a type of very public teaching for which there is little training.
Deceptively calm, with straight blond hair and an unflinching green gaze, Ms. Stanton-Paule, 49, had long championed the approach: a decade earlier she had found jobs for several special needs students who still worked in town, at a hair salon, at the library, at the Y.M.C.A. The same group of activist parents who had inspired the Canhas’ move to Montclair had requested that Ms. Stanton-Paule be hired back when their children reached high school, and another teacher, Leslie Wallace, quickly volunteered to be her co-director. The program, they argued, could serve even the students most severely affected by autism and other disabilities.
But others saw them as overly idealistic.
The vice provost at Montclair State University, for example, suggested at a meeting that it would not be in the best interest of Ms. Stanton-Paule’s students to audit college classes, even if the institution had resources to handle them. “This is a competitive environment,” she told the teacher.
And a year after she started the community-based program, Ms. Stanton-Paule was already clashing with administrators about whether they would assign enough teaching assistants, at a cost of about $20,000 per student, to continue it.
The Canhas were counting on it. Their quest for inclusive education had all been aimed at enabling Justin’s independence. But so far, the only place he went by himself was the volunteer job Ms. Stanton-Paule had set up at the Montclair Township Animal Shelter — where he excelled, as it turned out, at “socializing” stray cats.
The morning he was to present his “Dream” poster at the statewide conference at a local college, Justin buzzed with excitement.
It had taken months for Ms. Stanton-Paule to persuade Randy Rossilli, the president and founder of the start-up animation studio Nightstand Creations, to meet Justin.
“Call me next week,” Mr. Rossilli, whose company had won a regional Emmy for a children’s show, told her over the fall of 2009.
There were other disappointments that fall as the teachers sought internships for Justin, promising on-the-job support that would fade only when everyone was ready. The supervisor at the public library where Justin volunteered to shelve books gave him high marks for accuracy, but budget cuts meant there would be no paid position. Artware, a store that made custom T-shirts and coffee mugs, declined to take him on.
“I can’t do it, Kate,” said Diana Polack, the owner, who had recently employed someone with disabilities and found the extra attention he required too costly.
Justin’s other volunteer job, assisting an elementary school art teacher, was initially going well. The first graders delighted in his deft animal sketches, and he laid down the law with a moral clarity that might be attributed to his autism.
The art teacher, Kathleen Cooney, who had had some trepidation about Justin’s internship, started to relax. But one afternoon in December, when Justin repeatedly mentioned the coming Christmas holiday to his students, Ms. Cooney asked him to stop talking about religion at school.
He paced in the hall, his self-talking growing louder. He made explosion sounds. Ms. Cooney summoned Ms. Stanton-Paule to help calm Justin.
It was when rules of social behavior rang false to him, Ms. Stanton-Paule suspected, that he found them especially hard to grasp. But later that month, she saw a new empathy in her student when she accompanied Justin to distribute holiday cards he had hand-made for colleagues.
He turned to walk away as she started to thank him.
And when Mr. Rossilli finally agreed to meet on that cold morning in January 2010, in an office with posters of Mickey Mouse on the wall, Justin was better prepared than he had ever been.
Mr. Rossilli did not miss a beat. “My favorite Disney animated film was ‘Jungle Book,’ and my favorite character of all time is Baloo the Bear,” he answered.
“As a matter of fact, let me show you how much I love the film,” Mr. Rossilli said, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a tattoo of Baloo.
With Ms. Stanton-Paule and Ms. Wallace on the sofa beside their student, Mr. Rossilli flipped through Justin’s portfolio and his composition book, trying to ignore the feeling that he was interviewing a star who had come with his manager.
“How do you keep your focus when you’re doing your art?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Justin replied, staring off at the Mickey Mouse poster.
Ms. Stanton-Paule forced herself to remain silent.
Then Justin looked his potential first boss in the eye. “I use my brain,” he said.
Mr. Rossilli was impressed with Justin’s passion for a craft he loved himself. But his offer of a two-day-a-week unpaid internship was a business decision. The company was developing a property called “Tinosaurs.” There was no doubt that Justin could draw tiny, and he just might have the attention to detail it would take to learn animation.
“Yeah,” Justin agreed, unaware that he was teasing.
Mr. Rossilli smiled. Somehow, it made him all the happier to give Justin a chance.
But as the snow melted in the spring of 2010, Justin began to develop what Ms. Wallace called “his own voice.” His teachers encouraged it.
Maria Teresa, for instance, encouraged Justin to pack his lunch.
“Do you want to buy lunch sometime?” Ms. Stanton-Paule asked Justin one morning. Several of the other students went to local restaurants during their breaks.
“I like to buy lunch, but Maria Teresa forbids me,” Justin replied in his formal way, exaggerating slightly for effect.
“Yeah, but whose life is it?” Ms. Stanton-Paule asked.
On another occasion, he complained about his after-school schedule, packed with therapy and social skills classes.
Justin spoke his mind, too, in a cartooning class he was auditing at Montclair State University (Ms. Stanton-Paule quietly helped him enter through the college’s program for the gifted, avoiding the provost’s objections). One classmate credited Justin’s suggestion that she use Porky Pig in an illustration of swine flu with making her project funnier and improving her grade.
And if Nightstand was not the permanent job they had all hoped for, it was a work experience that could not have been replicated in school.
Justin’s teachers taught him to take the public bus to the office, first accompanying him and then spying from afar. Since he did not talk to himself when he listened to music, Ms. Stanton-Paule coached him to avoid drawing hostile looks by turning on his iPod.
Ms. Wallace advised him on his dress.
“You look like a geek, Justin,” she told him when he pulled his pants up too high one day.
“Let your pants ride,” she said, and he pushed them down on his hips.
Because Justin could be overwhelmed by verbal information, Ms. Stanton-Paule asked his co-worker and chief tutor, Javier Manzione, 30, to sit next to him with his computer and encouraged him to refocus Justin when necessary. “You’re not hurting his feelings,” she assured him.
Over the following weeks, Justin learned to animate an arm, to lip-sync a character’s voice and, perhaps just as importantly, to make small talk with colleagues. It helped that their interest in animation was as genuine as his.
One afternoon, Mr. Manzione heard Justin muttering lines from “Family Guy.” “Was that the episode they were on the couch throwing up in the living room?” he asked.
“Yes!” Justin answered, surprised. No one had ever interrupted his self-talking before except to tell him to stop.
He completed every assignment he was given and was the only one to complain when a snow day forced the office to close. But when Justin came in for a morning entirely on his own, yawned, used the bathroom several times and was unable to focus, Mr. Rossilli reported to Ms. Stanton-Paule. And small disruptions to routine threatened his growing social confidence.
One Tuesday morning, for instance, he marched up the steps to the high school to meet Ms. Stanton-Paule before going to work, unaware that standardized tests were being given that day. Ignoring the man with a “volunteer” badge at an official-looking table near the entrance, he turned down the hall.
“Can I help you?” the man asked testily.
Oblivious to the subtle signals that carry so much social meaning — a tone of voice, a furrowed brow — Justin took the question literally. “I don’t need your help,” he said.
A guard hearing the ruckus advised him, not unkindly, to come back another time. But when Justin, outside, called Ms. Stanton-Paule’s cellphone, as she had taught him to do in emergencies, he grew confused by her voice mail and hung up.
“I am waiting patiently,” he informed a snowdrift.
For Ms. Stanton-Paule waiting inside, the episode was among the most nerve-racking in the program so far. Her boss, Keith Breiman, who supervised special education at the high school, was the one to spot Justin kicking the snow outside his window.
When Ms. Stanton-Paule visited Florida with her family the following month, she received a message from Justin.
Weeks of cellphone practice had paid off. Later that month, when Justin’s parents drove to Michigan for Julian’s college graduation, leaving Justin alone for the first time, he promised to keep in touch by texting, his new preferred mode of communication. “Why are you interrupting my independence?” he asked his mother when she called from the road.
Less successful were the friendships Ms. Stanton-Paule had sought to foster with other students in the program. Fearing that Justin would not leave his room all weekend, the Canhas paid one of his teaching assistants to meet him at Starbucks. Told that they were to meet “for a drink,” Justin had his drink and immediately departed.
He was more interested in completing his latest “Tinosaur” sketch for Mr. Rossilli — a kind of “Where’s Waldo?” with dinosaurs. His first rendition had too much white space, Mr. Rossilli told him, a comment Justin took with a new humility.
“Randy gave me a feedback,” Justin told his co-worker, Mr. Manzione, and revised the drawing until Mr. Rossilli declared it perfect.
But Justin still needed more one-on-one training to become an animator than Nightstand could provide, and by the summer of 2010, Mr. Rossilli had signaled that the internship would need to end. The business was faltering, and he needed to lay off his last two employees.
The Canhas learned too, that the state’s Division of Developmental Disabilities, where Justin would apply for support after the transition program ended, had threatened major budget cuts. And in the fall, they were told, Ms. Wallace’s hours in the transition program would be cut in half.
At home, Briant and Maria Teresa’s voices rose as they discussed Justin’s future. None of Justin’s artwork had sold that year.
“Maybe ‘Sesame Street’ will come through,” Maria Teresa ventured.
“Let’s just deal with what’s in front of us,” Briant insisted.
The next month, he woke his mother in the night, crying. He had had a nightmare, about “parents’ death and my death,” he told her.
It was, his mother thought, the first time he had registered what it would mean to truly be on his own.
In January 2010, Gower Nibley, another student with autism who had joined the transition program the previous fall, received a text on his cellphone from Justin.
On his way to his internship at a nursing home, Gower, 20, let out a giggle.
The grin that spread across Justin’s face whenever he saw Gower was striking. And Ms. Stanton-Paule, who was struggling to convince Justin’s parents that this budding friendship was a priority, hastened to schedule time for the two to eat lunch together. She created “Plan an Activity” worksheets so that they would not stand each other up by accident when they intended to get together, as had already happened more than once.
Roger Ricco, co-owner of the Ricco Maresca Gallery, discusses Justin Canha’s paintings, many from a recent show at the gallery.
That September, Maria Teresa had peppered Ms. Stanton-Paule with suggestions of gourmet bakeries where Justin might intern. The voice mail followed when a few weeks passed and the busy teacher had not yet followed up on all her leads.
But by October, Ms. Stanton-Paule had prevailed on Gencarelli’s Bakery in nearby Bloomfield to train Justin to dip cookies. And at a tense meeting in January, she told the Canhas that Justin needed to spend time with fellow students, even taking time to attend a class she was teaching on relationships and sexuality.
Maria Teresa objected. How could they be sure Gencarelli’s would turn into a real job? Perhaps he should take an animation class at Montclair State.
Briant, jet-lagged from a trip, closed his eyes.
Ms. Stanton-Paule held her ground. “Justin’s social competence is going to be a huge gauge of whether he is accepted in the workplace,” she said. Beyond that, she thought, he simply needed a friend.
“Thanks,” Justin said, looking sideways at Gower.
But Gower was considered higher-functioning than Justin. His interests included weather and geography, and he had a girlfriend. Fearing that Gower would tire of Justin’s single-minded focus, Ms. Stanton-Paule had urged Justin to broaden his discussion topics. But it was slow going.
Maria Teresa began to cry. Of course she wanted her son to have a friend. It was just that the responsibility for Justin’s future was suddenly almost unbearable, she apologized. She wanted so desperately for him to live up to his promise.
Her husband reached over and put his hand on her arm.
One day as Justin dipped cookies in chocolate in the bakery, a baker bumped into a co-worker carrying a tub of custard.
“Oh, did I hit the bucket?” she exclaimed, her words slurring somewhat in her alarm.
“You’re right, Justin,” the woman said, though she explained through her laughter that she had not, in fact, cursed.
The report of the incident, by amused bakery employees, filled Ms. Stanton-Paule with unexpected joy. Justin had not needed her prompting to interact with his colleagues. And they had not needed her to decipher his quirks.
Ariel Tuck, 21, Justin’s supervisor, found herself enjoying his spontaneous off-key singing. Justin was not quite as fast as the other interns, Ms. Tuck told the bakery’s co-owner, but his work was neater. Justin was filling up entire racks of cookies now, 14 trays at a time. With each new assignment, she had learned to ask him to use the notepad Ms. Stanton-Paule had supplied; drawing the shapes helped him remember which cookies went with which color sprinkles.
Justin received his first paycheck, for $84, in March, shortly after the Valentine’s Day rush, where he learned to write with chocolate for the first time. For now, he would work two days a week, at minimum wage.
Paloma had followed Justin’s art career on his Web site after meeting him once at an exhibit, and her mother had sought out Maria Teresa. When the two met at the Kalisches’ home, Justin drew Paloma’s favorite character, Tod the Fox, in a composition book she had bought as an homage to him. A few months later, both mothers drew back as Justin took Paloma’s hand after a visit to his solo exhibition at the gallery in Chelsea.
If there was a hint that something more than friendship could grow — perhaps with Justin’s adoption of vegetables into his diet, after watching Paloma eat a salad — their discussion seldom strayed from animation.
But one spring morning with Gower, Justin took a conversational leap. “I hate moving,” Justin confided on their walk in a local park, recounting the places and dates of his moves, as he had so often done for himself over the years. Gower told him that he, too, disliked moving.
The young men lay down in a field and looked up at the sky. Justin told Gower that he planned on saving money, and that he might get a cat when he moved to his own apartment.
“Once I move into the apartment I’m going to feel so relieved,” Justin said. Gower would be welcome to visit whenever he wanted.
Ms. Stanton-Paule visited the bakery once more before the transition program ended in June, just as Ms. Tuck — whom Justin enjoyed calling “my boss” — was showing him how to make cookies that looked like rolled-up diplomas and hats.
Another part-time job had come through for him too, stocking shelves at an art supply store. And this year, at least, he would have a state-financed job coach a few hours a week and $16,000 in aid for continued training in independent living skills like banking, shopping and cooking.
His teacher watched him for a while as he worked.
“What are you still doing here, Kate?” he asked, his trademark bluntness making her smile.
She stayed for a little longer. Then she slipped away, the glass door closing behind her.
An article last Sunday about a young man with autism and his struggle for independence misspelled the surname of a Manhattan teenager. She is Paloma Kalisch, not Kalish.
Autism, Grown Up: Articles in this series will chronicle the struggles of autistic youths coming of age. If you are a person with autism, or a relative, friend, neighbor, romantic interest or co-worker of someone who is, you can help inform this series. Share your story with The New York Times at nytimes.com/national.


text:
This beautiful and adorable kawaii inspired nursery art print design features a cute baby pig. This playful kids wall art is perfect for all ages and can be used as part of a nursery animal print theme. It’s designed primarily with a light pink color scheme. This micro pig illustration is printed on fine art matte paper and will be a perfect decor hanging on the wall of your living rooms, craft rooms or kids rooms.
Our popular teacup pig alternate design is also available here.

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
In section 2.2.1 there is confusion about randomization.  The ports are selected psuedo-randomly, definitely not randomly.
Improved over what?  Nothing, the algorithms presented in RFC 6056, or something else?
I think you're saying that there's an option to specify another cryptographic algorithm in "function" element (e.g., "2")?  I'm curious why you'd need to define them in a Standards Track document.  Would that document be updating some internal Huawei registry?  Based on the empty IANA considerations, I assume it's not going to be hosted at IANA.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text: On Tuesday, President Donald Trump welcomed Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to Washington D.C. This was the first White House visit for the Brazilian president. In a press conference after the leaders met, President Donald Trump said the two have similar views. “We certainly feel very, very true to each other on trade.” Trump went on to say President Bolsonaro and himself are both committed to reducing trade barriers. “That includes facilitating, investing and supporting innovation across a range of industries, particularly energy, infrastructure, agriculture and technology.” As a result of the meeting, Brazil agreed to import 750,000 tons of U.S. wheat duty-free. The two countries also plan on using science-based conditions for U.S. pork exports to Brazil. For beef, USDA food safety officials are scheduled to visit Brazil to evaluate its raw beef inspection system before allowing Brazilian beef imports into the U.S.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text:
You can set dining table, it may be the perfect option for an open air in summer. Install a fire pit at the center, according the space allow to you. This may be a great idea for family gathering.
Gazebo can add beautiful look to your Backyard, it can be used for outdoor dining. It is a free standing garden structure with floor and roof. The gazebo could be made for wood, pressure treated lumber, metal, or stone. Gazebo designs provide a beautiful look to the home garden. Many designers set gazebo on the porch or deck, near to the house.
Adding deck is a good idea for the backyard garden. You can spent family time here, can have outside dinner in the summer days. It may make you feel happy and connect you to the nature more than having dinner inside the home. Having deck provides beauty to your garden too. Make sure your garden space allows you to arrange the deck and add beauty to the look otherwise drop the idea is good idea.
Installing an inground pool is a great way to have fun time for the kids, if you are couple you can enjoy your spouse company by having a swimming pool. Many people love to have swimming after dinner in the summer time. So that they install small or large swimming pool according to the space. If you are keen to have visit to the resorts occasionally this could be the great option to install swimming pool in your home backyard, it will save your time and money. Kids love swimming during summer vacation.
If you have not enough space to set a swimming pool you have alternative option to install water fountain in your backyard garden area. It will append beauty to the garden also make you feel of nature, helps to keep your home cool in hot summer.
You can built decorative pavers or stones as pathways. Separating your yard into distinct areas can make it look broader. If you have a small backyard then you can make it look larger by going upwards. Vertical landscaping can add height to your yard and make it look more spacious and feel good.
Add up varieties of plants into your backyard garden with varied heights. You can incorporate perennials, tall shady trees to your garden. Small nursery plants can also be placed on flower beds or planters. Small patio has lesser chances of bringing visual attraction compared to the spacious ones. The best solution is to use intense colors, colorful flowers may be the perfect fit for your summer gardening, it is simply like decorating your interior. You can use colorful cushions and throw pillows for your patio or sitting area. However, it’s also nice to get some inspiration from nature. Colorful flowers are great way of adding a touch of color to your nursery garden. Instead of using same colors you can add beautiful look by using variety of colors.
Try to keep the backyard garden simple as much as possible. If you have a small backyard, you can easily get overwhelmed it, and your yard may seem jumbled. You can consolidate your design by placing your adornments on the insignificant side. Ensure that your yard is regularly maintained by occasional trimmings and proper care for plants. If you have small kids who always forget to keep their toys then inspire them to clean up.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text:
Saban just hates the fact he can not stop it. He believes that everything in football should be catered to him, and his beliefs. He is a spoiled coach JUST like the fans of his program.
I don't know why DA left when he did, but him staying for another year and having to play through the mess we had last season would not have benefitted him at all, IMO. He made the best decision by getting out when he did - at least he's playing and getting paid by the Canadian's. He wouldn't have played last year. It would have been 2011 and it would have been nice if Trotter had someone else to throw to other than Blake. It would have helped him and us. Well it would have been at least another side of the field to throw a pick on you mean.
She didn't leave her SI job on her own accord. They didn't renew her contract. Her career path is going in the wrong direction......from a NYT reporter to an internet blogger. The more outrageous the story, the more hits she'll have to her new site (started last week). Oh wow even better. Thanks for the correction.
FIFY My guess is that this is her method of getting a job interview. Look how publications are hiring up idiots like Thayer Evans and Pete Thamel. She's showing them that she can pull in big numbers with semi-truths and get her name mentioned all over the sports media world. I completely agree. I completely forgot about Thayer Evans. I wonder if those two are BFF now. They are both bottom feeders.
The problem is Selena Roberts left her job at SI, and started her own website. Since the release of the website I do not think she has had a HUGE story. If this turns out to be any truth at all (which I doubt) her website would be booming. Who would benefit from this? Selena Roberts. Let's be honest with all the reports of "Auburn Paying players" this would be an article that is half believable by the media. She has a shady past, and no better than a bama blogger at this point shooting for the moon, and hoping to hit it big.
Is there a group getting together for the LSU/AU game.
I will have to get with you on this. The 2nd year I lived in Nashville Vandy beat our...you know what. This year I do not want to miss retaliation for that loss!
Well at least he was half right! Will have to see if I can stir up some pictures from the show. I guess Alabama will claim that he wore their shirt the whole time since they like to claim things like ummm championships that share with other teams.
So this is my first time posting on these forums so I hope I am in the right thread here. So I did not see another post about it, but somewhere in Alabama Journey had a concert. I heard down the line that the lead singer was wearing an Auburn shirt. I am a huge journey fan, and an Auburn alum, and that would be amazing regardless if he cared what it meant. Also, a huge stab to the hearts of all the bammers. Also, these are by far the best Auburn forums around. It actually is a family atmosphere which you will NEVER find in any other college in the world. I had to add that in, and War Eagle!

industry_corpus2: Sports


text:
Low back pain worries many people. For some people it can be difficult not to imagine it is a symptom of something more serious. It is very important therefore to be aware that while low back pain is an enormously common symptom, serious underlying disease is not.
When heath care professionals ask questions, examine you, or do tests and scans, they are often looking for causes to help explain pain that they can reverse or improve. Rarely are serious or life threatening issues found, and its critical to realise this. Common findings include degenerative problems relating to facet joints, bone and discs.
Several particular pointers, called red flags, are recognised by health care professionals. These flags are specific symptoms or patterns that, if present, should make us think harder about the cause of pain, though. They do not mean there is a serious or life threatening problem, but may indicate a check-up, scan or even a blood test should be considered.
Think of these flags in the context of a headache. If your headache came on after a long day at work but was gone the next day that would be unlikely to worry you, although it wouldn’t be fun at the time. If that headache didn’t go away though, stayed for several days, or started after you banged your head on the way into work, that would probably be your flag to get a professional opinion and make sure you are ok. It doesn’t mean there is a problem really – but its worth getting checked out.
Back pain flags are there primarily to make sure the serious concerns like infection, fractures or cancer are not present. They can include symptoms like on-going fevers or temperatures, sustained pain that doesn’t get better at rest or symptoms such as numbness, and leg weakness. Sudden changes in function, being on some medications and having other medical issues can all raise flags too.
Recognising symptoms and seeking advice should make sure you are investigated properly and at the right time.
Arthritis UK – Should I see a Doctor?

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


text:
Turns out your washing machine isn't just for clothes! Today we're revealing loads of surprising things you can get clean in your washing machine, and trust us, you don't want to miss them.
Don't spend time scrubbing at trainers, picking hair off of dog beds and wiping down car mats - you can get these things and much more clean in your washing machine.
Start saving time and effort today and check out the surprising list of things you can wash in your washing machine below.
Are your shower curtains looking a bit worse for wear?
As they rarely get a chance to dry completely, shower curtains can soon become gunky, slimy and begin to develop mould.
They can be washed by hand, but by far the easiest way to clean them is in the washing machine. Wash at 30ºC with detergent and half a cup of white vinegar to banish any lingering odours.
Ever worry about the germs your children are coming into contact with?
Not only can you wash lego in the dishwasher, but also in the washing machine.
Place the pieces in a mesh bag and wash at 40ºC with a very small amount of detergent.
Get that sticky mat clean again.
You might not realise it, but yoga can be a sweaty business. Sweat will seep into the fabric, providing a warm, moist environment for germs - yuck.
Luckily, most yoga mats can be washed on a cold, gentle cycle in the washing machine. Just be sure to check with the care instructions before you try it at home.
Pillow inners need to be washed too.
Despite popular belief, even the inners of pillows should be washed.
We sweat a surprising amount at night. Heavy perspiration seeps into pillows, creating the ideal, moist and warm environment for germs to bread.
Fortunately, you can get your pillows clean in the washing machine. Wash them every 3-4 months, checking the care instructions before you do.
Has your house developed a potent 'dog smell' that seems almost impossible to shake?
It's probably time to give the dog bed a clean, and thankfully, it's a lot easier than washing your pup - most dog beds can be thrown into the washing machine.
Wash at 60ºC with a doggy detergent and they'll come out looking and smelling lovely and fresh.
Be sure to run a rinse only cycle afterwards to remove any lingering hair.
Muddy car mats? This is also a dilemma your washing machine can solve.
All rubber backed car mats can be washed in the washing machine. We'd recommend giving them a good shake down first to remove any excess mud and debris. Then, wash at 30ºC with your regular detergent.
Avoid washing them too frequently as the rubber will wear down over time.
Don't forget to check out our other great car cleaning hacks for more great tips.
7. Can you wash trainers in the washing machine?
Throwing your mud-covered trainers in the washing machine is always a tempting prospect. Well, we have good and bad news.
Some trainers can indeed be washed in your washing machine. A 20ºC wash with a small amount of detergent will get nylon and canvas trainers looking as good as new.
For sports trainers, however, it's best to hand-wash. The power of the washing machine can damage the fabric and also distort the insole, altering your running gait.
Reusable shopping bags can get surprisingly dirty - do you know how to clean them?
The quickest and easiest way is in the washing machine. Most bags are 100% cotton and can be washed at high temperatures along with your clothes.
If they're extra dirty, it may be worth doing a separate wash at 60ºC to remove tough stains and kill germs.
Your living room rugs might be a tall order for your comparably small washing machine, but it'll be able to take care of smaller rugs made of cotton or synthetic fibres no problem at all.
Use a gentle cycle and cold temperature along with a mild detergent. If they're rubber backed, avoid washing them this way too often.
Be sure to let them dry thoroughly before returning them to their former place.
There's an easy and effortless way to disinfect it - throw it into the washing machine.
Place in a net bag to prevent it getting caught anywhere, and wash at 60ºC (preferably with an anti-bacterial detergent).
Dry completely before putting away to prevent germs from forming.
Outdoor furniture covers add a dose of comfort and splash of colour to the outdoors.
Keeping them looking great can be tricky, however - ketchup stains, muddy hands and wine-spillages can soon take their toll on those Summery brights and leave them looking drab and dirty.
Luckily, outdoor furniture covers are one of the surprising things you can wash in the washing machine. Be sure to treat stains first, then pop them on a 30ºC wash with your standard detergent.
Adventures are muddy work! Now there's an easy way to get backpacks clean - in your washing machine.
Treat muddy marks using a stain-treatment (we like Vanish stain remover bar) then pop your backpacks in the washing machine.
Then follow the instructions on Mountain Warehouse to get your backpack looking spotless.
It's not just pet beds you can clean in the washing machine, but dirty nylon and cloth pet collars and leashes too.
The grime that collects on these over time can be tricky to remove by hand, so this is definitely a pet tip worth trying! Pop them into a mesh bag and wash at 30ºC with a mild detergent.
Don't forget to read our other genius cleaning tips for pet owners too.
Good news for you sporty types - you can also clean baseball caps in the washing machine.
It's important to use a gentle wash and cold water, especially for caps with embroidery and other detailing.
A thorough wash will remove sticky sweat stains and odours to keep your cap hygienic and fresh.
He'll come out smelling amazing!
When was the last time you washed your little one's fluffy friends?
Kids take their soft toys everywhere - to bed; to the kitchen; to the toilet. Germs can be picked up from the surrounding environment and dirty hands - especially after sickness.
Persil has a wonderful guide explaining how to wash soft toys without damaging them, and it's good news - most of them can be cleaned in the washing machine.
Did you enjoy this tip? Then you'll love our other parent cleaning tips too!
Are there any unexpected things you put in the washing machine? Let us know in the comments below!
We wash our sheepskin rug in the washing machine, much cheaper than having it professionally cleaned, and it comes out lovely & clean, doesn't shrink at all as good as new once it's line dried.
I always wash my sheep skin rug in the washing machine. I was advised to wash it this way when I bought it years ago in New Zealand. Wash on a wool wash with a mild detergent add some hair conditioner to make time soft. Only line dry it pulling into shape as it drys.
How do I get clothes clean, that have been in the wardrobe for a few years and not since worn? They have pale yellow, dust-like marks, on the seams and where the hangers touch, and when I've sprayed with stain remover, and then washed them, the marks remain. I have some lovely bits, that although I haven't worn for a while, I don't want to throw away, as still plenty of wear left in them. Please advise with your most helpful tips, as always.
Hi Lorraine! Can I ask what material the clothes are made from?
I have actually tried most of your tips!!! I have never let anything get the better of me regarding washing! It is the one household task I actually enjoy. Thanks for heads up on Sheepskin rug washing Maria, Was thinking of getting a couple when we move. Good to know we can machine wash them.


text:
170 million people use WeChat’s mini program every day, and WeChat is pushing efforts to upgrade mini program and mini game features to help businesses utilizing mini program actually monetize.
As users pull down their chat list, they can see recently used mini program and mini games. Recently, WeChat was found to be experimenting a new function, IThome is reporting.
A new feature on WeChat called “Nonstop Features (功能直达, our translation) ” is going through a beta test. When a user starts WeChat’s search function, if the keyword is related to a certain mini program, then the function will be displayed directly in the search.
“The WeChat ‘Nonstop Feature’ is going through experimentation. We have invited some developers who configure the relevant capabilities based on our guidelines. After the configuration is complete, when users search keywords in the ‘Discover Mini Program,’ they can directly reach the corresponding function. The capacity is currently not officially released,” WeChat told TechNode.
This is important for mini program developers and business owners who use mini program, because this creates a new search engine market for WeChat, and add importance to following WeChat’s mini program guidelines. Just like how keyword search on Baidu made the company a search engine giant, with WeChat’s “Nonstop Feature (功能直达)”, WeChat will possess strong search results offering the mini program that specifically solves users’ problems.
In other words, WeChat can give you a direct recommendation inside the relevant mini program so that you can use it directly.
For example, if users search kuaidi (courier, 快递), they will get a list of functions like Track Packages, Call a courier, My past packages, and Address management which link to related WeChat mini programs.
Also, at the bottom of the search page, the mini programs that the users have used in the past as well as recommended ones are shown. If users search delicious food, a list of highly reputed restaurants is shown with their price range and rankings.


text:
We've had a good week for wildlife, with spectacular visits from whales and seals.
Early Monday evening we were raised over the radio by James declaring he had a whale in the entrance to the bay. Quickly throwing on insulated boiler suit, jacket, boots, hat and gloves (I've learned from experience that it's far better to be a minute later and prepared than the first one there who has to leave after a few minutes to put on more layers) we rushed out to join him.
We'd had a couple of whales close in the previous few days so weren't too surprised, until we saw it blow from just behind the rocky point in front of base. This one was close in. Taking advantage of the low tide we scrambled out across the rocks until we were on one side of the narrow entrance to the bay, the other side less than 30 meters away. In between us this whale repeatedly raised it's head then dropped below the surface.
That day there had been huge numbers of gulls, terns, duck and petrels feeding in the shallows. In places you could see the pink mist where krill and other marine crustaceans had washed up close. I guess a current had a brought a swarm our direction and those that depend on it, including this whale, had followed.
It seemed such a small space for it to be feeding it we were a little worried it had swum in and got caught as the tide dropped, and were even considering what we would do if we found it lying on one of the beaches the following day.
It has been a good winter for leopard seals with several familiar individuals returning, some of them after long absences, and a number of new records. Most of the sightings have been of animals sleeping in the water, just nostrils above the surface. When we're lucky they haul out on the beaches and occasionally we see them feeding.
A leopard seal eating is one of the most exciting wildlife spectacles I have witnessed. We never see them catch their prey but if you're lucky you catch them at the point when they're pushing a penguin or small seal round on the surface, after the kill but before the feed.
Again we were alerted by James, running across the beach to where he'd seen a gathering of scavengers - skuas, gulls, giant petrels - all hovering over one point, then a big splash in the water as the thrashing began.
Leopard seals grip their prey, in this case an unfortunate fur seal, in their incredible teeth then whip them through the air, slamming them down against the sea surface. This flaying is reminiscent of the way crocodiles throw their prey around. It's brutal but compelling and an impressive show of strength.
is a good start though.
) will sum it up better than I can.
Team talk before launching the net.
Harnessed up, standing at the very back of the ship ensuring a smooth launch.
Incredible views so close to the ship.
Pulling in a mooring buoy containing dozens of measuring devices.


text:
The “Data Science through Python” programme is a specialized programme that intends to empower professionals across industries and business functions with cutting-edge skills in data analytics, particularly in Data Science.
The programme also offers a skill-building platform for all professionals interested in devising analytics-driven solutions to business challenges using Python, the vastly popular open-source statistical analysis software.
The “Data Science through Python” programme has been designed & developed primarily for professionals keen to work in the emerging & rapidly growing analytics industry.
Professionals who wish to acquire proficiency in Python, the popular open-source statistical analysis software, would also benefit from the programme.
The “Data Science through Python” programme is essentially of a relatively specialized nature, and hence there are certain learning pre-requisites for the programme.


text:
Allah tells us that we will be tested. He also makes it clear to us what is expected from us when we undergo these trials and what our reward will be if we are successful.
The Muslim may be tested by all sorts of difficulties like sickness, lack of income, and disobedience from his children. In fact, the many afflictions that may beset a person are incalculable. This is the point that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was stressing when he mentioned: “fatigue, illness, anxiety, sorrow, harm or sadness …even to the extent of a thorn pricking him”.
ALL OF THESE AFFLICTIONS, IF ENDURED PATIENTLY BY THE BELIEVER, ARE A MEANS OF ATTAINING ALLAH’S FORGIVENESS AS WELL AS HIS REWARD.
Every one of us is being tested by Allah. He tests us all in different ways. We should not assume that the difficulties that we face in life are punishments or are signs that Allah is displeased with us. Likewise, we should never construe the success and pleasures that others enjoy as signs that Allah is pleased with them or that they are privileged. Sometimes, quite the opposite is true.
Allah makes it clear that everything in our lives – the good and the bad of it– is a trial for us. How will we cope in the situation that Allah has placed for us? Will we be grateful in prosperity and patient in affliction or will we be arrogant and disobedient?
Allah says: “Every soul shall taste of death. And We will test you with evil and with good by way of trial. And to Us is your return.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 35].
Some people are blessed to be born and raised in good Muslim families then turn their backs on Islam, while others are born and raised in non-Muslim countries to unbelieving parents and grow up to be among the best of Muslims. I’m of the opinion, that those who are born in an environment of injustice, will rise above that injustice and become the best of believers.
We are tried with wealth as well as poverty. If we are wealthy, will we hoard our wealth or spend in charity? Will we use it for lawful purposes or squander it in vice? Will we trust in Allah in our investments, or will our avarice and fear of losing our wealth make us take recourse to unlawful means to preserve it and increase it?
We are tested with health as well as sickness. A man with good eyesight is tested with regards to his use of it. Will he use the blessing of his sight to good purpose or to gaze at unlawful things? His good eyesight may be what takes him to Hell. A blind man is tested whether he will bear patiently with his disability. His patience in affliction may be what earns him his place in Paradise. Our goal is the Hereafter and we are all being tested.
We may also be tested through others. We know from experience that even a small child can experience suffering as well as a person who is mentally handicapped to such a degree that he cannot understand the concepts of Islam and is not legally accountable. Though it may not be that such a person is not undergoing tests of his own; however his plight may very well be a test for those his life affects. How will they treat him? Will they care for him, respect him, and give him his rights?


text:
Home Blog Building plans and consents: Will they add value when you sell?
However, before you do anything, it’s important to think carefully about what these might add to your listing and whether it’s worth the effort. If the project needs building or resource consent, then it will take time and money (time frames and costs vary between councils), and the same goes for any architect plans you might get drawn up.
Plans and consent could equally add value if they address a negative feature of the house – for example, the lack of an outdoor deck – by showing buyers that the addition can be done and allowing them to cross that particular ‘black mark’ off their list.
If the renovation or add-on is really going to add value by making the property more attractive, remedying a very negative feature, or adding a potential income stream, then it could be a better idea to simply forge ahead with the work before you put the house on the market, and potentially reap the rewards in your sale price.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text: Yoga and meditation may promote many health benefits, such as reducing fatigue and stress, for cancer survivors, patients actively in treatment or receiving palliative care, and caregivers. Yoga nidra is a guided meditation to induce full-body relaxation and deep rest. It helps quiet the overactive mind and brings it into a conscious, meditative state. Yoga nidra has been found to reduce symptoms of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and insomnia. Led by Claudia Simpson, yoga therapist. Learn more about cancer survivorship: www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/centers/cancer_survivorship/.


text:
Cybriant is a fast-growing company seeking technical instructors, engineers, security analysts and sales professionals to work in a fast-paced, fun environment. We take a collaborative creative approach giving all of our employee’s space to deliver quality results and a voice that will be heard within team projects. We are seeking hard-working, knowledgeable professionals like you!
If you want to work in a team environment where opportunities are offered, skills are stretched and excellence is rewarded, you might be exactly what we’re looking for.
Cybersecurity is our passion. Work with us and you’ll join a group of cybersecurity leaders that have made a huge impact in this industry. By working with Cybriant you will learn more than you could have ever imagined and be inspired by cybersecurity leaders.
We are a fast-growing company. Cybriant was recently named the 22nd fastest growing private company in Atlanta by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Read more here.

industry_corpus2: Information Services


text:
In 2009, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Gerard Martinez (Ricky Wayne) went into an art museum in Tampa Florida and shot dead ten completely random people before killing himself. Now why would he do such a thing?
Rewind to the first Iraq war, when Martinez wrote his Pulitzer Prize winning article revealing war crimes of the Bush sr-administration in 1991. Later, while working undercover in Iraq, Martinez was taken hostage by Kurdish rebels - but freed by a soldier who seemed to be impervious to bullets ... and whom he later traced down to the obscure World War II comicbook hero Mon Protecteur. Mon Protecteur would quite simply save innocent soldiers from the crossfire, using his ability to not die to save them. As a comicbook, Mon Protecteur failed to catch on because he saved soldiers regardless of their nationality ... but several soldiers from around the world, mostly those who have never even heard of the character, claim to have been saved by a guy just like him.
Who is Delsin?, despite not being a comedy or being intended as one, is great fun, fun because of the way it's made. Basically, Who is Delsin? tries to come across as a documentary, being made up in equal part of talking head footage, a very weirdly concocted factual background rooted in forced cultural relations, conspiracy theories and the like, and alleged "found footage" - pretty much what your typical mockumentary would be made of, right? But Who is Delsin? goes one step further inasmuch as I've heard even more far-fetched and less coherent mumbo jumbo in some actual "documentaries" and because the film makes an effort to remain plausible throughout. Now add to this that the film is structured like a thriller and has all the proper mystery elements in place throughout, and you've got yourself a pretty interesting movie!

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


text:
International Tire specializes in selling top quality tires. We carry an extensive inventory of reliable and high performance tires for a variety of vehicles, designed to improve road holding and handling, reduce fuel consumption and much more.
Our Michelin, BF Goodrich and Uniroyal tires are known for their quality manufacturing and durability. If you’re looking for winter tires, summer tires or all-season tires, you’ve come to the right place! Or even the new All Weather Tire by BF Goodrich.
Take a look at our online selection of tires and feel free to contact our team for more information and to choose the right tire based on your needs.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


text:
Gamelan music is one of the great musical traditions of the world, beginning nearly 1,000 years ago. The tradition is strongest in Bali and Java–its name is from the Javanese word for hammer, gamel. It is played quite differently from Western music, with a 50-piece orchestra of mostly percussion instruments that are built and tuned as one unit.
Whereas western orchestras are a collection of individual players who excel in one particular instrument, in the gamelan orchestra good performers are often proficient in most of the instruments. The instruments of a gamelan are tuned to each other and not to a standard pitch.
Musicians play simultaneous variations of a melodic line, creating a shimmering, pulsating sound. The musical forms in gamelan involve the repetition of melodies and rhythms. The feeling of the ensemble is cooperative, and no one instrument dominates.
The instruments of the gamelan are divided into three classes according to their musical function: the structural instruments, the melody instruments and the elaborating instruments.
The structure and rhythm is articulated by gongs of various sizes. The fast-playing instruments, kempyang and kethuk, keep a regular beat. The larger gongs, kempul and kenong, are used to mark recurring points in each musical cycle. The largest gong, the gong ageng, represents the largest time cycle and generally indicates that that section will be repeated, or the piece will move on to a new section, or will end.
The main, or skeletal, melody, called balungan, is generally played by instruments made up of tuned metal bars. These are the saron family and the slenthem.
The panerusan,or elaborating instruments, play variations on the balungan, or melody. Panerusan instruments include the gendér, suling, rebab, bonang, and gambang. The female singer is also often included, as she sings in a similar fashion to the instrumental techniques. As these include the only wind, string, and wooden percussion instruments, their timbre sound stands out from most of the gamelan.


text:
Uses sampling (from a distribution) instead of argmax and passes the result through an embedding layer to get the next input.
softmax_temperature: (Optional) float32 scalar, value to divide the logits by before computing the softmax. Larger values (above 1.0) result in more random samples, while smaller values push the sampling distribution towards the argmax. Must be strictly greater than 0. Defaults to 1.0.
seed: (Optional) The sampling seed.


text:
Increase your home's security with a new entry, patio or sliding glass door.
Universal Windows Direct is Denver, Colorado's, exclusive provider of UniShield® home improvement products to area homeowners. Top-rated UniShield® replacement windows, vinyl siding, and entry doors will provide your home with maximum energy-saving benefits and a lifetime of beauty. Each product is custom designed by you with available options and upgrades, to meet your home's exact needs and suit your unique style.
All products are expertly installed and backed by industry-leading warranties, so you can be comfortable that your purchase will provide a lifetime of worry-free operation. Denver residents looking for the best home improvement products and services, at the best possible prices, trust Universal Windows Direct.
Energy-efficient replacement windows from Universal Windows Denver feature UniShield® high performance glass. Exclusive to Universal Windows Direct, UniShield® glass helps reduce heating and cooling costs, provides soundproofing, and reduces effects from harmful UV Rays.
In addition, our replacement windows feature SuperSpacer™ technology. This non-metal spacer system helps to reduce thermal transfer between the inner and outer panes of glass. Replacement windows featuring SuperSpacer™ also help keep your home healthier by inhibiting infiltration of harmful mold, allergens, and bacteria. Choose from a wide variety of glass and grid styles and available color options to make your replacement windows truly unique.
Update your home and save time with new, low-maintenance UniShield® vinyl siding. Increased panel thickness and a unique locking design provide enhanced rigidity and support; our vinyl siding will stand up to the toughest of weather conditions.
Color is blended throughout that panels to ensure that there is no fading, peeling, or blistering; occasionally hosing is all that is needed to maintain pristine appearance. Combined with fullback underlayment and Universal housewrap, vinyl siding from Universal Windows Direct of Denver will help reduce air infiltration and provide increased insulation, saving you money on energy bills.
Make your Denver home more secure and less drafty by replacing your entry doors from Universal Windows Direct. Our doors are made with same quality and energy-saving benefits as our windows and are custom manufactured specifically for your home.
Whether you're enhancing your home's focal point with a new front door, providing a secure entrance with a new patio door, or opening your home to nature with a sliding glass door; a new entry door is sure to have a dramatic effect on your home. Entry doors from Universal Windows Denver are available in a wide variety of styles, colors, and finishes.
When the time comes for your next home improvement project, schedule a free, in-home consultation for your Denver, CO, home and let one of our trained representatives help you find the perfect product to fit your needs and budget.


text:
به عنوان یک راننده کامیون حمل و نقل وظیفه دارید در شهر رانندگی کرده و سوخت را به جایگاه های سوخت رسانی برسانید.
کامیون را به تانکر نفت متصل کرده و شروع به رانندگی کنید، این کار خیلی هیجان انگیز می باشد.
ایمنی کامیون در دستان شماست پس مراقب باشید. رانندگی در ارتفاع بالا و ارائه سوخت به سرمایه داران محلی را تجربه کرده و محموله خود را در محوطه های مختلف خطرناک به مقصد برسانید و به ماموریت بعدی در این بازی شبیه ساز حمل و نقل بروید.
با شروع کار تانکر نفت، باید به پالایشگاهی بروید که در آن روند پالایش کامل شده است و محصولات تصفیه شده آماده حمل و نقل هستند. بنزین را در تانکر کامیون بریزید و سفر خود را به ایستگاه های سوخت رسانی شهر آغاز کنید.
So you think you can drive Mega transporter cargo truck? So get ready to drive oil tanker safely from one petrol station to the next with this transport simulator. As a transporter truck driver your duty is to drive in city, pick and deliver oil to the petrol stations in this cargo transportation game. Let’s see how you perform transporter driver duty in “Oil Cargo Transport truck” 3D simulation game in which you have to drive a long wheelbase trucks with a oil tanker attached to it. Cargo transportation driving games were never this much exciting so be the Hero truck driver in this oil tanker game. Oil Cargo Transport truck is all about transporting petroleum in city. The safety of the cargo truck is in your hands so be careful when you drive heavy tractor trailer on extreme roads. Drive high uphill into the mountains and deliver the fuel to the local businesses tycoon Experience the life of a real big transporter driver simulator who drives his cargo to many different places. Drop the dangerous gasoline at the destination and go to the next transport truck driving missions in this transport simulator game. As you start oil tanker job, you have to move to a refinery where the refining process has been completed and refined products are ready to transport. Load all the gasoline in transport truck container and start your journey to city fuel stations. In this transporter simulator, enjoy real road traffic animations, racing challenges, 3d city environment. All driving features exist in truck driving simulator, so start up the engine of your very own oil truck in the latest transporter simulation game.
Oil Cargo Transport truck offers you to drive grand trailer lorry from petrol station depot and deliver oil cargo on different fuel stations in the open city areas. Become road king with this simulator of truck game designed for big boys who love real trailer driving in open city map locations. 4x4 Gasoline trucker is heavy duty vehicle with highly explosive and flammable fuel material. Play as transporter driver in this 3D simulator driving game and transport fuel to the gas stations.
This is not some ordinary trucker parking lot or tractor game. You have to drive fuel tanks, dump truck wheelbase lorry with treacherous sharp turn city roads. Be careful with flammable gasoline material so avoid any collision and don’t damage your oil tanker transporter vehicle. City petrol pumps are running out of fuel transport oil lorry and fuel up the gas stations with your gasoline tanker trailer in this transport simulator game. Enjoy one of the best cargo truck games you have ever played before. Precision and speed driving simulator can let you deliver your cargo with safety. If you have ever controlled a heavy-duty trailer, this one is going to be an ultimate adventure simulator mission for you. Don’t get anything damaged while loading the truck.
- Clock is ticking so transport Fuel on time.
- Extreme precision 3D simulator of Mega Truck.

industry_corpus2: Gaming


text:
retribution \ retaliation — mattio.
there's morning light that slants across the wall, catching on cracks and juts of concrete.
this is our purpose - in a building of black and grey and white, to see the advantages, the opponent, the opportunities, and to use them. to train for ten years and die in one. but some people are stuck with the kind of heartbeat that gets them nowhere - to live is to survive and to survive is to live.
and i think i might be weak-willed.
there's no crowd this time, no sense of strange glory. just a handful of trainees and their bruised egos. i see serpentino reznik from across the room, walk a little closer, trace a pattern into the wall, and wonder what his distraction is.
i doubt he'll enlighten me.
I didn’t lose the finger, in fact all ten lay deep in my pockets as the doctor, medic or whatever, sews with her needle and wraps my arms up where the cuts aren’t too deep. Cordelia, overall, was less of an ordeal than the Hammerfell, but she still brought me a pain that sunk deep like a ball and chain from head to toe.
I see her, after she’s done getting tended to like me, advance on my left. I never did get to shake her hand, but given the bloodstream coming from the finger she stole away, I saw it as a little bit awkward. Maybe now, as the spectators have left and only a few energetic voices remain, it may be a little appropriate. She was a good fight, and I had to give credit where credit was due.
I found myself being kind for a change, probably out of respect for fight she put up. Maybe chivalry wasn't dead in me after all.


text:
If you have any questions, drop us a line. We do not list our address or phone number for the public, but will share that information on contact.
Nicholas Learning Associates Inc is not accepting applications for employment at this time.
Nicholas Learning Associates is not accepting employment applications at this time.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text: The problems you will have with rodents in your home aren’t just that they may make you jump, rats and mice cause more problems than you could imagine. They are seen as cute animals but mice and rats spread disease and may well have recently been in bins and sewers so who knows what is on their coats: they are then running around on your kitchen surfaces looking for food. Rats especially like to gnaw, they will gnaw not just at your food but at wood and even wiring. They could take out your electricity for your whole property, and probably themselves as well though this is little consolation. Rodents are often easy to spot from the mess they make where they have chewed skirting boards and cabinets and from their feces everywhere. With mice be aware that it is smaller than you might think and so don’t mistake it for coffee granules or something similar dropped on to your floor or worktop. Once you kill rodents you may have an even bigger problem, with conventional traps you will inevitably find dead corpses of rats and mice everywhere which you may not want to deal with and which may upset children. Poison means that they can die anywhere and then begin to rot, humane traps are an option but less effective and more time consuming to use.


text:
In Descartes’ “Of The Things of Which We May Doubt”, he questions his understanding of reality from the standpoint that perception, through the body’s senses, is based on deception. Throughout his work he confronts reality as an illusion that is indiscernible from the state of dreaming—a reality that exists only within out minds. It is difficult to conceptualize his posits just from his writings. However, the 1999 movie “The Matrix” provides us with a lens to understand them.
“The Matrix” is a science fiction movie that depicts a world in which reality exists only within the consciousness of a computer program. It is a world where the human race lives only within their minds, and are subject to the laws of programming just as we are subject to the laws of physics. Only a small number of people are actually conscious outside of the program. It is through this movie that Descartes’ deceived perception of reality becomes evident.
In Mediation I Descartes begins by questing how his ideas are even possible. If the senses we posses, the ability to feel and see, define our perception of reality. Then, how can we deny that our perception is false without being labeled as insane (3)? It stands to say that if a person doesn’t believe his own eyes, or if they can’t feel if the air is hot or cold, then there is something wrong with them. However, Descartes presents us with a possibility that we all have experience with, dreams. In our dreams we can experience all the senses that we feel while we are awake (5).
We can see this in “The Matrix” storyline, where reality is based within the unconscious minds of those who are still “plugged in.” It is easy to relate to this. “Ever get the feeling where you’re not sure if you’re awake or still dreaming (The Matrix)? Most of us have experienced waking dreams, lucid dreams, or even day dreams, to a similar extent. Yet, we all eventually awake to a conscious reality; a reality where we can recognize our dreams as dreams.
This position was also addressed by Descartes. How can we perceive these dreamt senses unless they “have been formed in the likeness of reality” (6), unless there is some common ground to base them on. In The Matrix, Morpheus says “Unfortunately no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.” Similarly, how can something be dreamt, imagined, unless there is a “real” to base it on?
So, “What is real? How do you define real (The Matrix)?” Descartes questions this by examining his faith in a higher power. He is confronted with the understanding that if there is a god, then he it must be some “malignant demon” (12) because the uncertain limbo of reality is a constant deception of his mind. This is similar to the computer program Smith in The Matrix. The Smith is a program designed to enforce the servitude of consciousness to the created reality of the Matrix. Its purpose is to coerce and enforce the deception of their programmed reality. Similarly, in the light that there is no way of discerning whether reality is merely deception Descartes can only concede that the can be only one avenue to his pursuit, there can be nothing certain (M. II 2).
In Meditation II, Descartes’ approach to understanding what is real is by trying to perceive reality without his senses (12 M. I). Admittedly, this is all but impossible to do. Yet, we can gain some understanding through the hero Neo in The Matrix. Neo is rescued from the software reality, and is taught how to override the programming of the machines—by realizing that his former perception of reality is based on deception.
After doing the reading and watching the movie I could draw obvious parallels between the two, but because the concepts of each are so surreal I didn’t think I could draw any correlation to other forms of new media. However, I realized that we have a very similar form of the matrix within our reality, MMORPGs (massive multi-plyaer on-line role playing games.) Obviously these players aren’t “jacked in” to some computer program, but the concept of immersing yourself within a world bound by the constraints of a computer program is somewhat similar. Albeit, most players are aware of reality, and do occasionally return to the real world for at least bio breaks (bathroom). Nevertheless, the key point is there are players that are so immersed with these games that they prefer them to actual reality (I’ll admit to playing WOW for 24 hours strait only if you do). Accordingly, MMORPGs have also become a form of digital media that can alter an individual’s perception of reality to the point where facing reality as we know it can be extremely difficult.
I dont think this accurate depicts most on-line gamers, but I do believe this is a fair representation of some of the youths I know that play WOW.
This entry was posted in Introduction and tagged Descartes, The Matrix, World of Warcraft. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
Hacking Freedom, by Matti Freeman – Page 23 – Applying the Desteni Principles to hack the mind and learn what freedom really means in a physical reality of relationships.
Day 157: Google’s most-searched terms of 2012 – Do they indicate a Global Spiritual Awakening?
Day 151: Does colonizing Mars indicate Intelligent Behavior?
Day 150: Does the Weather have the power to change my Mood?


text: Fast Skateboard Wheel Company are all about the urethane. These wheels ride hard and fast with lots of slide just when you need it. Flatspot resistant. 52mm perfect for street and park.


text:
In the Lakers last 20 games (remember, Lonzo has missed 7 of these games), the Lakers ORtg is 2.3 points better when Lonzo is ON the floor (104.2 vs. 101.9) and their DRtg is 10.5 points better when he is ON the floor (100.2 vs. 112.7).
well, it was a competitive 1st half.
Team is so bad without lonzo.
Get Rid of Puke Walton!!!


text:
What is a Branding Strategy?A brand is not just a logo or a name, it represents your business identity. Therefore, it is a crucial part of the start up process for any business. Branding strategies are employed to provide the fundamental steps and recognize the valuable tools that will help create a strong business brand. In general terms, a strong brand is one that people recognize and believe to deliver good quality. Have you ever found yourself at the grocery choosing one product over the other because it is the more recognized or trusted brand?It is therefore a branding strategy’s objective to recognize what could turn your business into a trusted brand name. How can you make people trust your brand and its reputation? What should you do to communicate the objective and mission of your company? What is the message you are trying to send out to produce loyal customers? A sound business branding strategy will aim to find answers to these questions before you can establish a brand for your company that would excel in the market.
Create Name, Logo, or WebsiteComing up with a name for your business goes hand in hand with creating a logo that will identify your company. When it comes to logos, always opt for something unique. Logos will be utilized in your advertising and marketing campaigns, so it must be well-recognized.For beginners, think of a logo that will readily hint consumers about the nature of your business – such as whether you are in the food, automotive, or telecommunications business. Hence, choose images that are associated with the nature of your business and the products they will be used to represent.Slogan or Tag lineOnce you have the logo that you want, you can think of a slogan that will reinforce the message you are trying to communicate to the consumers. As long as you keep this part brief and straightforward, then this can be an effective branding tool for your business. This tag line will serve as an additional touch to the main message you are trying to give, thus giving you an edge over your competitors and highlighting the unique experience or service that consumers will be able to avail of.One advantage that you can get with including a tag line is that it is not permanent, unlike the logo. Therefore, if your company wishes to employ a new marketing strategy, you can readily change your tag line to highlight this new marketing ploy. A tag line then opens up several opportunities to expand your marketing campaigns, as compared to the static nature of company logos because they are the ones more difficult to establish.Colors and ImagesAs with logos, colors and images can be used to establish the identity of your business. Colors depict a corresponding set of emotions as well. Therefore, you need to carefully pick out exactly what type of color you are going to use in your logo in accordance with the image and personality of your business. Try to conduct a little bit of research about the different qualities of color types so you can determine exactly what best to use for your company.
Unique ServicesWhen communicating your company brand into the market, highlight the services that only you can offer. If you can guarantee a service that none of your competition can, then you create an edge on your customers over the same businesses. Then, you can use that as a chief marketing strategy to draw more people into your business. An example of this would be a time guarantee on your delivery services, if you’re in the food business.Learning how to effectively employ these business branding strategies will help boost your company’s campaign and be that much closer to your desired business success.


text:
Las Vegas now has its name listed amongst the other cities of massacres carried out by lone gunmen who, with but one weapon and a lot of ammunition, destroy a multitude of lives. I have written so often in blogs about this that I can see no point in repeating what I have said on those other occasions. Our society is very sick. We should be alarmed. We should be rational and logical about how we limit access to these hideous weapons. But we aren’t and we won’t. And at the center of that hollow problematic is a wicked disposition desperately in need of a remedy and redemption. Let me state that last sentence more clearly: the problem is deeply spiritual. The remedies are simply mechanical and legislative but there must be a will, an intention to do what must be done to safeguard our society.
As you cross the threshold to enter the world, do so with blessing on your lips. When you cross the threshold and re-enter your home, do with thanksgiving and gratitude in your heart. In the various decisions you make in a day—from how you greet someone to how you carry out your work—consider doing no harm and expanding the circle of friendship and kindness. Join a community of the Spirit so your and my life might be hallowed, not rendered hollow.
We remember the perished and wounded in Las Vegas.
January 8th is a week away and we can begin worshipping together again! I hope the two weeks away have rekindled your love of our church and you’ll enter this new year ready to make a difference. I have certainly missed being with you as the People of God, formed in the crucible of Grace and Mercy and the proclamation of God’s Good News.
As many of you know, I took retreat in Barcelona for a week where I ducked into ancient churches (like the Cathedral of Barcelona and Santa Maria del Mar) and a “new” church, begun in 1882 by the architect, Antonio Gaudi, La Sagrada Familia. I lit a few candles, said prayers and otherwise pondered my life within the light and quiet of these sacred places. I commend our church leadership for its unwavering commitment to the pastoral office and the need for pastors to have not just down time, but time held in the suspension of sacred duties in order to be renewed. Not every church makes that kind of commitment. That annual line item in the budget that secures a means by which I can retreat and renew is a significant affirmation and I am deeply grateful. Clergy burn out (as do others in other professions). There are, sadly, those congregants and churches that begrudge their pastors time away and needless to say even more who, while they may embrace the idea, will not financially support it. Riverside is not one of those churches. “Pastoral care” then is a two-way street. Pastors who have congregations that care for them can, in turn, provide pastoral care.
In my book of sermons, Sermons in War, there is a sermon that was preached as the third in a sequence of sermons immediately following 9/11 entitled, “God’s Savage Country.” By that I meant there were true believers and fundamentalist zealots in any number of religions who feel it their duty to maim, kill and destroy. I suggested we as Christians should be led by another vision, the mercy and peace of our Lord.
As we pause this coming holiday week-end to remember those who have served and fallen in military service to the United States, let us ponder some words I preached September 30, 2001.
Beloved, there is another country that has no borders. You will not find it on any map traced in lines or crossed by coordinates of longitude and latitude. It is the kingdom of love and light, mercy and kindness, generosity and benevolence. It is a country that exists in the meadows of the heart, filled with light and the fragrance of a loving God. Its citizens span the earth and include people from every nation, tribe and clan. Those who dwell there seek nothing less than the healing of creation, the redemption of humanity from its battles and wars with the flesh and the peaceful co-existence of all God’s creation. This country is the peaceable kingdom of God. May God’s kingdom of peace and justice overcome hatred and the darkness of this hour in which we find ourselves. May his love rule in our hearts now and always.
For those of you who attended Sunday services the first Sunday in 2016, for those of you who asked and for those absent but interested, you may find my sermon, “A New Year’s Day Enchiridion,” on the sermon page. We have begun another year, celebrating Christ’s birth, sharing in holy communion and worshipping God together. This is an auspicious beginning and one we want to carry through in the weeks and months ahead.
Begin and end there. Let it be the incantatory response of your life, for life. See you Sunday~ Thanks be to God.
You know the summer is over, a new season is upon us and you know it’s good to be in the house of the Lord. Let’s worship together.
Our “Gates of Praise” ended this past Sunday morning with our linking hands and singing that great Civil Rights song, “We Shall Overcome.” Now it is fine for us to remember and affectionately recall those countless thousands–most of whom will forever be unnamed–who fought and overcame segregation, lynching, Jim Crow and the murderous context of racism in America. We sang for them, in honor of them and certainly in honor of the Preacher King. But that is insufficient for realizing the Dream. It is our turn to work for the actualization of that dream in our generation.
Rev. King drank from the chalice of Christ’s love and covenant of hope. He carried the cross because as he himself stated it, the cross precedes our wearing of a crown. This holiday, this holy-day, let us covenant again with one another to love God and neighbor, to pray for our persecutors and non-violently but courageously resist evil.
As I said today in my sermon, you and I have a remarkable opportunity to actualize the Beloved Community by our participation in this brave church. You may wonder at times if there is progress; you might consider that your life has not amounted to enough; but beloved, there is nothing quite as important or exhilirating as being in this congregation of inclusion! Let us not grow weary of well-doing. This is YOUR church. This is OUR time. With King, let us drink from the chalice and carry the cross.


text: Our Vinyl Siding installations services in Sharon, ND have been designed to enable you have peace of mind by eliminating your concern about timely and reliable service providers. You will also notice that Vinyl Siding Guys also have very affordable Vinyl Siding rates that won’t cause any financial strain when you are contracting us for the installation. Vinyl Siding is a well-known choice for homeowners who would like to enhance their home's appearances without painting. Considerations when considering Vinyl Siding. - There are many gains to installing Vinyl Siding in your house.


text:
The Owls’ Championship home fixture with Derby has been rescheduled for Tuesday 13 February (7.45pm).
The game was originally set to take place four days later but given Wednesday’s progression in the FA Cup, it will now be brought forward.
The Owls host either Notts County or Swansea in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday 17 February (12.30pm), with the tie having been selected for live TV broadcast on BT Sports 2.