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Vicky Bullen,CEO of Coley Porter Bell wrote an interesting piece on the Union Jack where she looked at its use in branding and a poll on how consumers feel about it.
If you look at international flags there are some rudimentary schema through which they are arranged. For instance, many flags follow France with a tricolore schema with three equal vertical strips, others with three horizontal bands. Some flags have a central unifying area to which the eye is drawn – Japan, Korea and Brazil would be prime examples. Other flags create schema that compartmentalize information like the Stars and Stripes. Some flags have a central line and an isosceles triangle off left, South Africa, for example – there is an off-kilter messiness to these which is not really compensated for by visual complexity and involvement. I hope I do not come across as a chauvinist but the Union Jack does complexity and dynamism in spades.
What the Union Jack does brilliantly is to simultaneously combine symmetry, or at least balance, with an interesting tension. Involving a series of intersecting lines, it has both a centrifugal and a centripetal force to it. It forms a rough schematic and is segmented into four sections but at the same time these are cohesive. This connotes both segmentation and a central axis of unity.
In a sense this is visual metaphor for the reality of the Act of Union, an uneasy co-existence of identity shards. A comedian recently said that it is a country no-one really wants to be part of. The English are phlegmatic, the Welsh simmering with resentment and the Scots positively contemptuous. Only half of Northern Ireland cares about the Union and that is only really to piss off the Irish Republicans in their midst.
The Union Jack is one of the few flags that seems to disrupt its own bounds. It aspires to break through its borders and even out of the 2D flat plane, creating a sense of outward protrusion and impact. It is brilliantly centrifugal and this combines with depth of field because the diagonals are layered underneath the cross to make it a much more engrossing semiotic phenomenon than most other flags – those, for example, which direct your eye to a single symbol, divide the plane up into three equal orthogonal segments or are partitioned into stripes and carve out a special corner zone.
All of this means that the Union Jack (or Union Flag, to give it its proper title before I vex vexillologists out there and you start to correct me) has high semantic density.
“The semantic density of something is the measure of how much information it conveys in relation to its size or duration. The higher the semantic density, or the more semantically dense something is, the more information it packs into the given space or time.” (Andy Bradbury, Neurolinguistic Programming). I always like to give the examples of an average Indian street sensorially – semantically dense – also I like to think that Japanese culture is probably the most semantically dense on Earth. If you were to download the whole of Japanese culture into a digital file (with Tokyo’s dizzying annual output of magazines, films, music and books) it would be very heavy!
Without wanting to get too technical, there are different types of semantic density, pertaining to the way meaning pools on, say, a 2D frame. The litmus test is what will distort the meaning. Sometimes meaning is condensed in a cultural symbol, (symbolic density) sometimes distributed in the schema, as with the tessellations of Islamic architecture – schematic density. Sometimes meaning is distributed through the entire visual field. Where some flags have one density type, the Union Jack seems to be finely poised between density types, keeping the eye busy flipping between them.
The flag hints at schematic density via indexes of the diagonals pointing like arrows whilst also imbuing the flag with transgression through breaking framing of the flag (a mereological density), through spilling over the cordon which most flags respect.
It is also a flag brilliant suited to inflection, which brands have only just started to see the potential of. Both Innocent and Sainsbury’s have seen the explosive potential of the Union Jack to render their messages more dynamic and seemingly youthful in their thrust. To be fair, this sense of explosive potential has always lurked latent in the Union Jack and is definitely one of the reasons it has become both a counter-cultural and a xenophobic symbol. At the same time brands like Ryvita can, in this fetching limited edition pack, exploit the wrapping, ribbon-like qualities of the flag.
The closest parallel to this uptake of the national flag is that of the humble Canadian maple leaf – which becomes much less humble in the hockey team logo context! The Union Jack has almost gone the reverse route – becoming more homely as required. Bullen notes the flexibility of the Union Jack (whichever fraction of the flag used it is instantly recognizable) and its iconic density – it is a flag easily inflected and sampled from, which is also true of the Maple Leaf. As a nation we’re not as comfortable with the flag yet as Canadians are with their flag. There is antipathy towards some of the Union Jacks’ anachronistic connotations while the Maple Leaf was crowd sourced in a national competition so is more indigenous. Even so, it is worth exulting in the Union Jack’s inventive design if nothing else.


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Over the past three decades, in vitro fertilization (IVF) has helped millions of women worldwide to conceive healthy babies. Despite the continuous improvement in IVF success rates, however, many IVF cycles end in frustration for women and couples as seemingly normal embryos fail to implant in the uterus and develop into a fetus. When failed implantation takes place in multiple IVF cycles, the patient or couple is considered to have recurrent implantation failure (RIF). There is no widely-accepted consensus on the definition of RIF among fertility specialists. One commonly used definition is the failure to conceive after three embryo transfers with seeming high-quality embryos. RIF includes negative pregnancy tests as well as biochemical pregnancies, those in which fertilization was achieved but implantation failed before a pregnancy sac could be visualized by ultrasonography. With the advent of pre-implantation genetic testing of embryos for chromosome abnormalities (PGT-A), the definition of RPL might be updated to include the failure to conceive after three single embryo transfers of chromosomally-normal (euploid) embryos.
Many known factors contribute to RIF. It is likely that many others have not yet been identified. Known factors include advanced maternal and paternal age, genetic competency of embryo(s), uterine abnormalities including congenital defects, fibroid tumors and polyps, chronic infections and inflammation of the fallopian tubes as well as the tissue lining the inside of the uterus (endometrium), autoimmune factors, hormone abnormalities, obesity, and environmental toxins including maternal tobacco, alcohol and drug use. As women age, the number of oocytes (eggs) diminishes and a higher proportion of oocytes are genetically abnormal. Failed implantation and the incidence of biochemical pregnancy increase with maternal age, particularly in women aged 38 and older. As RIF can occur, however, even with embryos that are deemed chromosomally-normal, age is just one factor contributing to RIF.
For any woman or couple who experience RIF, a logical, evidence-based evaluation must be performed that is both time-efficient and cost-efficient. Some information available to patients on the internet, in books and even from physicians and blogs can be valuable and supportive, while other information can be misleading and not evidence-based. A comprehensive evaluation should include an extensive medical and reproductive history from both partners, an appropriate evaluation of genetic, hormonal and immunologic factors, and a detailed assessment of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. Advanced testing of sperm may be warranted in some cases of RIF.
Many treatments are used commonly to help reduce the incidence of implantation failure. Hormonal supplementation, blood-thinning medications, uterine or other pelvic corrective procedures, antibiotic therapy, limited immunotherapy, and IVF with PGT-A might be appropriate treatments for some patients but not others. While many treatments are based on well-designed scientific studies, others are based on poorly-designed studies that do provide adequate data. As many patients feel desperate for answers, they may even partake in expensive, non-evidence based treatments.
All patients deserve state-of-the-art care that is based on sound medical and ethical parameters. RIF can be devastating and it is imperative for patients and couples to empower themselves with research and targeted questions and seek expert care and emotional support as they build their family.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


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Following the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of ‘Ekal’, the Ekal Cricket Cup 2014 was the fourth year of a fun filled sports event at Dubai. Friday 11th April 2014 was indeed a special and spectacular day for all members of the ‘Ekal family’ in the UAE region. The venue of the event was Dubai Men’s College Cricket Ground and the program was a full day and night cricket tournament of 8 corporate teams playing and a good sporting audience cheering. The ambience was fun, camaraderie, action and purpose. Ekal and Cricket are a good combination; both make you feel good and nice. With the IPL being announced to take place in UAE, the timing of the ‘Ekal Cricket Cup 2014’ was welcome.
•	The chief guest, guests of honor and guests were warmly received by Mr. Harshad R Mehta, Ms. Geeta Chhabra, Mr. Ashit Gandhi and all committee members and volunteers of ‘Ekal’.
•	Chief Guest of the program was ambassador of India H.E. Mr. T. P. Seetharam released the Ekal souvenir entitled ‘Glory to Education.’ His speech was truly inspiring stating the importance of these activities that bring about a huge contribution to the development of the country and he was given a special Ekal memento.
•	The Guests of Honor were Mr. Arjuna Ranatunga, 1996 World Cup Winning Sri Lankan Captain and Mr. Romesh Kaluwitharan, dashing Sri Lankan opening batsman of the 1996 World Cup and Mr Jitendra Bhansali, Ekal Trustee from Mumbai along with Mrs. Jitendra Bhansali. Mr. Ravi Samarakone was instrumental in getting the cricket celebrities who travelled from Sri Lanka for the event.
•	It was interesting to see the chief guests, cricket celebrities and Mr. Harshad R Mehta on the cricket ground playing for a while to the entertainment of the audience. They also briefly addressed the audience; on the good work done by ‘Ekal’ and the advantages of community service.
•	The cricket tournament was ably conducted by Mr. Gopal Jasapara and G Force Team with co-ordination by Mr. Sameer Mavani and Mr. Ravi Samarakone.
•	Complimentary homemade snacks and craft stalls from the volunteers team, snacks sponsored by restaurants apart from ice cream, tea, water by sponsors.
•	Free Health Check was provided by Zulekha Hospital.
•	Eight Corporate Houses played exciting 10 over cricket matches; the teams were Jain Social Group, Diamond Village DMCC, DUD Real Estate, Danube Lions, Shrenuj Jewellers, Unique Friends, Brilliant Diamonds and Homes4Life. There was a good combination of cricket commentary interspersed with ‘Ekal’ concept.
•	The ambience was colorful – a sports festival which was full of fun, team spirit and community service. Many teenagers had volunteered for the event and this was appreciated by all.
•	The final match was between ‘Homes4Life’ and ‘Danube Lions’ teams. Ekal Cricket Cup 2014 was won by Danube Lions. There were trophies given to the best batsman, best bowler and man of the tournament.
•	The cricket celebrities enjoyed the program and appreciated the great work done by ‘Ekal’. They signed autographs on cricket bats and balls and were magnanimous in giving three sessions of meet and greet the crowd with photo sessions. They expressed that they would certainly like to be part of the great work we were carrying out on this cause.
•	The Ekal Souvenir was distributed as one per family. The souvenir was designed by Mrs. Geeta Chhabra and was well received as it has a variety of photographs of past event, ‘Van Yatra’ of volunteers to different Ekal schools, brief on Ekal concept and 108 ‘Harsh quotes’ – which was a novel inclusion. The thoughts were indeed inspiring – for example ‘ Peace is not only the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice’; ‘think of giving not as a duty, but as a privilege’ etc.
•	The target for the program was 500 schools and the team was able to get a commitment for 640 schools.
•	Founded on the hard work for several months before by the volunteers it was finally a moment of satisfaction and fulfillment for all.
CNBC-TV18, a leading business news channel in India had done a video shoot as part of their ‘Unsung Heroes’ program. It was the first business news channel launched in India and still leads that genre. The channel has been an integral part of the Indian economic story, spearheading and mirroring India's enterprising times. This channel has a unique program called ‘Unsung Heroes’ which covers about socio-economic happenings across the state.
CNBC-TV18 covered the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), a premium sponsor to the Friends of Tribals Society adopted 100 villages in Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Nilgiri and Dindigul districts of Tamil Nadu during 2013-14. The news channel wanted to cover the Ekal Vidyalayas supported by IOB in Dindigul District. IOB adopted 25 villages of Patchalur cluster in Dindigul District. Hence, Mr. Justin, Manger-Development, IOB-Regional Office at Dindigul approached FTS-Chennai on 10 May 2013. Ms. Veena Krishna, Deputy Editor – Special Projects and Mr. Abhijit S Malge, Senior Producer – Special Projects from CNBC channel came to Kodaikanal with their crew on evening of 12 May 2014.
Mr. Kathrikamanathan, Anchal Pradhinidhi from Dindigul District coordinated the field visits. The team was guided by Mr.L. Boopathi, Manager-Corporate Outreach, FTS Chennai to the villages. CNBC team visited 3 villages viz., Kuppammalpatti, K.C.Patti and Solakkadu.
In Kuppammalpatti, they covered four different aspects during their video shoot. First, the village atmosphere by shooting the village roads, huts, people with different appearance, etc. Then they shot Ms. Muthulakshmi, Acharya as taking class, teaching letters, numbers, cultural songs. They interviewed Ms. Athilakshmi, Arogya Pramukh to explain about of Ekal Vidyalayas. After the interview with the Karyakartha, two girl students from the same village viz., Baby Ashifa Begam and Shalini were interviewed about their experience with Ekal classes.
K.C.Patti village welcomed the team with Kumbam and Aarathi. Ms. Chitra, Acharya and Ms. Ilangeswari, Karyakartha taken over the proceedings. Ms. Chitra, prepared a Arogya Life Chart consisting of different types of leaves found in the locality. The chart containing leaves from Neem, Pomegranate, Papaya, Amla and other trees. She explained the children about health benefits of those trees to the children. Ms. Ilangeswari took a class on Surya Namaskaar and helped them to practice the same. After Surya Namaskaar, the children performed different types of Yoga postures.
The team moved to Solakkadu village and interacted with the teacher Ms. Saraswathi and Mr. Sankar, Karyakartha on the longevity of the Ekal Vidyalayas in the village and how it’s benefitting them. The children lined up to get a smiling shot. After the completion of shooting at Solakkadu village, Ms. Veena Krishna interviewed Mr. Kathirkamanathan. She asked him on how the IOB’s support helped Ekal Vidyalayas.
The Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Kochi Division, a Public Sector Undertaking, has been actively supporting the Ekal Vidyalaya Movement in Kerala through Corporate Sponsorship for the last four years. During the three financial years 2010-11 to 2012-13, BPCL had sponsored 75 FTS Schools each year at Rs.12 Lakhs per year in Wayanad and had extended financial help of Rs.40 Lakhs to build 7 School buildings in different Tribal belts. During the financial year 2013-14 BPCL has sponsored 100 Ekal Vidyalayas in Idukki Dist. for an amount of Rs. 20 Lakhs.
On 29 March, a team of 26 people comprising of Women, Men and Children from the several departments of BPCL, Kochi Division reached Marayoor. The team was led by Mr. P N Sreekumar, Senior Manager (Administration) Ms. K R Girija (Senior Manager-Official Language) and Ms. Elizabeth Davis, (Public Relations Asst.) apart from other ladies, children and family members of the group. FTS Kochi was represented by President Mr. Shyam Sunder Agarwal, Mahila Vibhag, Chairperson, Ms. Sathya Sreepriya and Secretary Ms. Bhavana Parekh.
After Lunch at Marayoor, they proceeded to ‘Kovilkadavu’ where accommodation was arranged by Mr. Jayan Varyath, a staunch supporter of our Ekal Movement. Mr. Jayan is the Secretary of Ekal Samithy - Marayoor and is also a reporter of Mathrubhoomi daily.
In the afternoon, the team left for Kummittankuzhi, an Ekal Vidyalaya Village. This village is close to Marayoor town and is inhabited by Hill PulayaVanavasi Tribe. In Kummittankuzhi, Ekal Vidyalaya is being held at the community hall where 30 students assembled. Ms. Prema Balamurugan is the Acharya for that School. Mr. Jayan Varyath explained about the activities of Ekal in Marayoor area. The BPCL team communicated with the Acharya and Children and distributed note books, pencils and crayons to them. Ms. Bhavana Parekh, distributed sweets. By evening, the team left Kummittankuzhi Vidyalaya.
Thereafter, the team visited ‘Churakkulam Kudi’ Vidyalaya, also an Aadivasi Hill Pulaya colony. On the way they visited various ‘Muniyaras’. Under the leadership of the Mooppan (Head of the colony) the inmates and others assembled in the village. Ekal Samithy President, Mr. V. Moorthy and Ward member Mr. Sojan explained in detail about the Ekal activities. The BPCL team members interacted with the children and their Acharya, Ms. Shivakumari. Ms. Girija, from BPCL spoke about the company’s commitment to Social Service.
All the inmates of the colony entertained the guest by performing ‘Chikkumelam’ and ‘Dance’ (Traditional Hill Polaya Folk dance). The BPCL and FTS, Kochi members and Children enjoyed the cultural performances and they expressed that this was a new novel experience for them. The team returned to their base home-stay at ‘Kovilkadavu’, Marayaoor.
On 30 March morning, the team assembled at the Melady Panchayath community hall near Marayoor. By about 10 A.M. an interactive session took place with the Acharyas and Volunteers of Ekal. 18 Acharyas, 8 full time workers and 15 Ekal Students took part in this session. Ms. Girija, Mr. P.N Sreekumar, Ms. Suja and Ms. Susan of the BPCL team communicated well with the Acharyas and full timers. Ekal Kerala Bhag Pramukh Ms. P.K Sujatha, Acharya, Ms. Sreekumari, Ms. Anitha, Ms. Radhamani, full timer, Kumari Thankamma, Kottayam Karyalaya Pramukh Mr. P.R Abhilash explained in detail about Ekal activities and their experiences with Ekal.
Ms. Girija in her concluding speech expressed their satisfaction and said that this Vana Yatra has given clear idea of One Teacher School run by Ekal Vidyalaya and made them become aware of the good work done by Ekal and its vastness. She also added that BPCL would be in a position to extend further support in the future too.
The field co-ordination was done by a team led by Ms. P.K Sujatha involving Mr. T.M Rajashekharan, Ms. M.A Thankamma, Mr. S Roobi, Ms. Aruna Raju, Ms. M.Latha, Ms. R. Prema and Ms. R Deepa.
For the first time under the banner of Arogya foundation of India & Friends of Tribal Society-Coimbatore, had taken its first step towards conducting a free Ayurveda Medical Camp for its villages and successfully conducted one in Ettimoola village of Gudaloor panchayat on 20th April 2014. Dr. A Pradeep headed the camp. Dr Pradeep, BAMS is a qualified Ayurvedic physician, running his own clinic in Ooty in the name of Shree Amritha Ayurvedic Clinic for the past 4 years. He has been a part of more than 30 medical camps organized across Tamil Nadu.
Ms.Poongothai organized the camp with the help of cluster coordinator Mr.Paulraaj and Ettimoola village coordinator Ms. Parvathi. Villagers form Ettimoola and Nayakenmoola were the beneficiaries. Spreading the home remedy concept was welcomed by the patients as it saves their medical expenses, which is expensive nowadays. Patients range from new born to old age men and women. There were totally 60 patients benefited out of this trial camp. Considering the feedback of this program, the team plans to scale it across its villages on a monthly basis.
The camp was over by 3.00 pm with a valedictory note by Ms.Poongothai. Camp was concluded with a good lunch offered by acharya Ms.Parvathy at her residence.
Take home message: Helping public to reintroduce our traditional way of healing to treat simple ailments by using Home Remedies or ‘Patti Vaidyam” (Grandma Medicine) in Tamil.
Abiyas Warga for Ooty area was conducted in Arogya Training Center at Vishwanathapuram, Rukammal colony, Thudiyalur, Coimbatore between 16th to 20th April 2014. Participants from Gudalor, Conoor, Kothagiri and Mettupalayam took part in this program. There were 6 coordinators and 3 full time employees benefited out of this program. Dr Satheesh Kumar addressed the gathering. Following were some of the topics among the several subjects covered by the resource person's of the camp. Hindu family system and our culture, caution about conversion, daily routine and qualities of an acharya, Hindu stories, Yoga, early morning prayer songs, mother and child care, introduction to anemia and its medicine, climate change and its importance in connection with our food intake, what all we can eat and should avoid (Aagaram), how to manage appetite (Agni). The 5 day camp came to an end with an active feedback session from the participants and a warm valedictory ceremony by Dr. Satheesh Kumar. Resource persons were Mr.Kalidasan, Dr. Krishna Prasad, Ms.Poongothai, Ms. Sathyamani and Ms. Saritha.
Mr. Kathirgamanathan from Pazhani, Tamil Nadu has sent an emotionally charged with chronicled events at various stages of his involvement with Ekal and how he has been working for it full time now to Mr. Harish Karat. The letter runs to 3 pages in his mother tongue Tamil. A refugee from Srilanka with keen interest in Tamil literature, Kathirgamanathan came to Tamil Nadu and the family settled in a small village near Dindugal. He happened to come in contact with the Ekal activities. It was in 2000, the volunteers and some office bearers of Ekal movement approached the village for starting the school for his and the neighboring villages. The writer who nurtures great regard for the religion and tradition immediately liked it and became part of it. He had narrated the various activities he has taken up and also how he himself has become a part of Ekal in his long letter. He thanked the Ekal movement and promises to continue his services full time for the development of remote villages and its population.
On 15 April, 2014, Mahila Samithi of FTS Bhopal conducted Sanskar Upvan (Cultural Orchard). 275 members from Raysen Anchal and 30 full time workers were invited with their family. The Program started with a puja. Welcome speech was by Mahila Samethi, President Ms Ranjani Mangala. Later, all the teachers and their mothers and sisters were invited to stage to share their views on Ekal Vidhyalaya. The general view by them was that there was a big change in villages after Ekal came to their villages; like introduction of de addiction, self employment, religious get togethers, children education and culture. All the relatives of teachers and full time workers were given gifts by Mahila Samithi members. Secretary Ms Kiran Agrawal thanked the gathering.
It was an April last week morning when I had the opportunity to take along Mr. Duggal and Ms. Rashmi (from Dubai) to Vanyatra in villages near Palwal in Mewat Bhag. Starting from Delhi, we reached Palwal by 12:30. Mr Bhagwat Swaropji administration-in-charge, Palwal Sankul was with us. We reached Gailpur Vidyalaya by afternoon. The children started with Sarsvati Vandna and showed their learning skills including recitation of poems and tables. The couple had interaction with the children of the village and the elders. We were then at Rajoulka village by evening. After Deep Prajawalan and Gayatri Manter, the children solved sums of addition, division and multiplication. Rashmji joined the children in their class by sitting with them on the floor. The couple talked to the children and asked the parents about the difficulties being faced by them.

industry_corpus2: Sports


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Could these three messages be all that we need to change the world?
We have spent considerable time exploring in this space the idea that Separation ofanything from anything does not exist in the universe. Nevertheless, the idea that it does continues to persist.
A NOTE FROM NEALE: For the next several months this space will be used to explore — one-by-one — the messages, metaphysical principles, and spiritual meaning of the material found in the 3,000+ pages of the Conversations with God dialogues. This series of observations and interpretations is offered with my continuing disclaimer: I could be wrong about all of this.
Must we be able to ‘prove’ everything that is true?
Note from Neale: For the next several months my blog will be used to explore — one-by-one — the messages, metaphysical principles, and spiritual meaning of the material found in the 3,000+ pages of the Conversations with God dialogues. This series of observations and interpretations is offered with my continuing disclaimer: I could be wrong about all of this.
It’s been a while since I’ve had a presence here, so I wanted to check in and give you an update on how things have been going since my open-heart surgery Nov. 1.
It turns out that I needed a quintuple bypass, as most of the major arteries to my heart contained significant blockages. I am happy to say that I tolerated the procedure very well, and was actually sent home from the hospital five days later — which is much sooner than I expected.
It is now one-month post-op as I write this, and my life is back to normal. I have been up and around and out of my at-home hospital bed for 10 days now, and have been cleared to drive again. The doctors tell me that my recovery is ahead of schedule, in terms of what most patients experience, and I am very grateful.
I have just put the finishing touches on the final editing of the latest CWG dialogue book, Conversations with God-Book 4: Awaken the Species, to be released in March by Rainbow Ridge Books. The text offers an open invitation to members of the human race who feel they are ready to “self select” to be among those who feel they would like to move forward their own evolutionary process by doing whatever they can to help awaken our species.
This is the Perfect Time for Our Advancement, God tells humanity in this new dialogue, and in it we are given a list of 16 differences between how Highly Evolved Beings in the Universe live and the way human beings have constructed life here on Earth. We are also offered detailed notes on how we can integrate those ways of being into our everyday life, should we choose to.
It’s an exciting and unexpected dialogue, and I’m hoping its contents will be seen as being very useful in the Evolution Revolution movement. In the meantime, let me offer my thanks to the many of you who sent me prayers and good energies following my surgery.
The time has come for me to make a closing statement about Conversations with God — this wonderful experience that has touched my life and, amazingly, the lives of millions of others around the world.
By “closing statement” I do not necessarily mean “final” statement. I may very well have more things to say about CWG before I die (and after I die, for that matter, as I am sure there will be writings released after my departure). So by “closing statement” I mean to say that the words here are intended to bring a close to any speculation about how I feel about, how I personally hold, the Conversations with God experience — and how I wish and hope that anyone who is, or becomes, aware of it will feel also.
I want to put to rest any thought, idea, notion, or claim that may lead to a misunderstanding that any person or group may have about me, and about the body of work that has filled over 30 books and consumed the last 25 years of my life.
I am aware, of course, that some people and groups have called me a blasphemer, a heretic, an apostate, and, in the extreme, an instrument of the devil. I understand how they could have come to that, for many of the ideas I have placed into the world directly confront and specifically contradict their most sacred beliefs.
Because of this, I am very okay with them calling me these names. I am okay with it because I admire and encourage the active and energetic defense of one’s own most sacred beliefs, so long as that defense does not involve or include the inflicting of emotional or physical violence. (No, not even to protect — much less, to extend) — those beliefs.) For in my heart’s deepest experience and my mind’s highest understanding, sacred beliefs lose the quality which rendered them “sacred” if they are demonstrated in a way that deeply or irrevocably damages another.
But so long as we create and maintain the space within which you can share and practice your beliefs and I can share and practice mine…and we can do so while loving each other purely, and admiring each other genuinely, for having the courage and the gumption and the willingness to do so without rage-filled hostility, without brutality, and surely without bloodshed…then we will have both venerated our beliefs and honored each other. And what better way can there be to reveal why our beliefs feel so valid to us?
It is true that in my writing and in my speaking I have offered critical commentary on certain beliefs held by and espoused by particular religions, but I placed each of those statements into the arena of ideas in the spirit of simple and honest disagreement — and I hope that I have always welcomed the spirited disagreement of others with a willingness for open engagement in ongoing and vibrant dialogue.
That said, I hope you will hear me when I offer, with as much clarity as I can muster, this “closing statement” on the messages of CWG: I could be wrong about all of this.
My response was immediate, simple, and straightforward.
So I want to tell you to doubt as well. (I’m sure I don’t have to encourage this.) I want you to be clear that one of the most important messages of the Conversations with God dialogues is not to believe them.
We do well to remain our own authority in all matters regarding the Self and the Soul. No one can tell us what is True for us, and no one should try.
I hope that if and after you read and absorb the CWG material, you agree with me. I hold this hope because I truly believe its messages can profoundly change your individual life, and the world entire, for the better. But whatever your personal response to the 3,000+ pages of this dialogue, I think we can concur that this is a powerful subject we are talking about here, and it is good to proceed with care.
All of it is wrapped up in our relationship with The Divine—indeed, in the question of whether there even is a “God.” And that is not a small matter.
Our understanding of all of this is significant because most human beings need and seek and sooner or later deeply yearn to find some kind of meaning in life. Without that meaning, without some purpose for it all, many of us soon find ourselves simply trudging along with heaviness of heart, trying to make the best of something we haven’t even begun to understand, pushing through our days and nights engaged in what appear to be increasingly aimless, valueless, senseless activities that clarify nothing, produce little, and generate not much more than “things to do” while on our way to where, we don’t know, but an eventual end that we call death — the anticipation of which offers naught but a heightened sense of what feels like the almost bitterly laughable fruitlessness of it all.
And so we yearn, and we search. And giving it deeper thought as I write this, I arrive at a place of knowing that if we hold the notion that there is some sort of Higher Power in existence, our reaching clarity may very well be guaranteed.
Seek and ye shall find, God has said to all of us. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. We may very well be caused to remember that there is something greater going on here. Information may come our way that will make the “larger-ness” of all that is and all that occurs suddenly apparent.
But what is the larger reason for it? What is the greater purpose? What is the grander point? These are the questions we all ultimately ask about life. And this is what I believe only your own ongoing conversation with God can tell you. The ideas and the pronouncements of others can perhaps lead you closer to it, but only your own inner communion with The Divine can open your heart and mind to your deepest truth.
I hope, then, that you will allow yourself to experience such a communion, to have such a conversation, and to know . . . whatever your most sacred belief, whatever your religion, whatever your faith tradition, or if you have none at all . . . that you can experience your own first-person, one-on-one exchange with God.
For some it may come in the form of words. For others, as feelings, or a simple sense of “knowing.” For still others, pictures and thought forms and signs and signals may present themselves as life itself is being lived.
God’s “conversation” has no limits, no boundaries, no specifications in terms of “how” it may proceed and how its messages may be sent or received. But I do not believe that your interaction with The Divine was ever intended to be a one-way encounter. I believe it was intended to provide you with comfort, to produce for you wisdom and clarity and strength, and a goal worthy of your dedication, of your commitment, of your time and your effort.
And so, I encourage you to engage in your own conversation with God every day, in whatever way feels natural and good to you, based on your tradition or your innermost feeling. Call it prayer, call it meditation, call it inspiration, call it whatever you wish. And if my exchanges with God have lead you to your own, my publishing the CWG books will have succeeded in its goal—which was not to open you to my truth, but to put you directly in touch with your own.
God has blessed you, and me, and all the world. And if we simply extend God’s blessings to everyone whose life we touch, through all the days of our lives, in each of the encounters that fill our hours upon the Earth, we will have unlocked the Secret of the Ages held within the folds of the most sacred doctrines of all of humanity’s spiritual belief systems: Love is the answer. Love is all there is. Love is who you are. And the experiencing and expressing of love is why you are here.
There you have it. The mysteries of life have been solved.
I could, of course, be wrong about all of this.

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


text:
Established in 1987, we have been keeping Nottingham’s homes and businesses secure for over 30 years.
If you start to notice a fault with your UPVC doors or windows, Grays Locksmiths provide a quality UPVC repair service, which is both reliable and highly cost-effective.
After time UPVC doors and UPVC windows become exposed to damage and may start becoming difficult to lock. With a great amount of experience, our UPVC repair professionals can quickly diagnose and carry out repairs to secure faulty hinges, broken locks or damaged catches.
Don’t wait until it’s too late – avoid the time and expense of entire replacements, and contact us today regarding UPVC repairs.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text:
A selection of cultural events taking place in Estonia this week as curated by culture.ee: "Here are some recommendations for Valentine's Week that should offer you a lot of nice things to do with your friends and sweethearts. Have a beautiful week!"
Tasty Tartu 2018 is the fourth edition of a month-long special taking place in restaurants across Tartu. Only in February can you enjoy new food eperiences by trying affordable prix fixe three-course menus at 14 participating restaurants.
Exhibition "Leonhard Lapin: Void and Space"
Leonhard Lapin has been active on the art scene for 50 years, and he is considered one of the founders of Estonian pop art and a classic of the neo-avant-garde. His oeuvre stretches from graphic art and painting to installation and performance, from architectural criticism and essays on art to poetry. This exhibition provides an overview of the various stages of his career.
How are shipwrecks and underwater objects found? What can an underwater robot see and what can it do? Scientists have done fieldwork to search for and find dozens of ships, and now the exciting materials from the Arrows project, a major project in recent years in which the Estonian Maritime Museum also participated, are introduced to visitors.
For the first time in independent Estonia, on three consecutive evenings, the best pianists of our time will perform the best Estonian piano music of the past century. In addition to classics, new pieces will also be performed at the festival, which is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. The repertoire will include classics by Estonian masters such as Eduard Tubin, Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis, Ester Mägi, but also new pieces by Jüri Reinvere, Tõnu Kõrvits and Tõnis Kaumann.
Kumu Documentary: "Bombastic Rubbish. The Novgorod Spaceship"
A hilarious film about the architect Frank Matcham, who designed more than 120 theaters in Britain. Frank Matcham? Never heard of him? After seeing this film you’ll want to visit his theaters. Oh, Frank Matcham, where have you been all this time?
The Student Theatre Days is a festival dedicated to the activities of Estonian student theaters and amateur groups. The festival is organized by the students of the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy.
Runosong Room is a series of events where experienced traditional musicians will serve as fore-singers and participants will have the opportunity to sing along. This time, participants will have the opportunity to sing with Karmen Linnamäe, who has studied psychology but is currently active in music therapy. Linnamäe has employed runosong and elements thereof in her work.
Traditional Chinese New Year celebrations in Tallinn will include musicians, dancers and martial arts artists from Beijing. Over the course of the day, ice sculptures will be built, Chinese craftsmen will show their mastery of various skills, and visitors can enjoy delicacies of Chinese cuisine.
The "Winter Jazz" concert series takes place at Kumu Auditorium and there will be prominent musicians from six European countries. In this installment, "Winter Jazz" will take its listeners to the depths of cimbalom sounds from the far reaches of the galaxy as multi-instrumentalist Mihály Borbély will perform with his new project Polygon, inspired by folk and world music, jazz and contemporary music. Borbley is an acclaimed saxophonist, clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist. The trio's special music has a special flavor lent by the sounds of the cimbalom, a Hungarian folk instrument.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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COMPETING VERSIONS OF REALITY…. The good news is, most Americans acknowledge the reality of climate change; accept that it’s a serious problem; and support efforts, such as cap and trade, to address the crisis.
The bad news is, like practically everything else of late, it’s become a partisan issue in which the American mainstream has one set of beliefs, and Republicans have an entirely different reality.
The poll’s findings — which also show that 55 percent of respondents think the United States should curb its carbon output even if major developing nations such as China and India do less — suggest increasing political polarization around the issue, just as the Obama administration and congressional Democrats are intensifying efforts to pass climate legislation and broker an international global warming pact.
The increase in climate skepticism is driven largely by a shift within the GOP. Since its peak 3 1/2 years ago, belief that climate change is happening is down sharply among Republicans — 76 to 54 percent — and independents — 86 to 71 percent. It dipped more modestly among Democrats, from 92 to 86 percent.
That there was any drop at all is discouraging. The problem grows more severe with each passing year, and policymakers are more inclined to take necessary actions if they feel like they’re responding to public demand. The more people reject reality, the more likely politicians will put off hard work.
As this relates to legislation pending in Congress, there was one encouraging result — a 53% majority supports a cap-and-trade proposal. The results on this question have improved ever so slightly over the last several months.

industry_corpus2: Power & Energy


text:
The John Deere 240 tractor was built to be a versatile performer on the lawn and in the garden.
4 How Many Quarts of Oil Does a John Deere 425 Hold?
The John Deere 240 is a lawn and garden tractor that Deere manufactured between 1987 and 1992. It was a late entry in the company's 200 series of small tractors, and it was the smallest of the late-80s 200 series machines. A bit underpowered and overweight by current standards, the 240 was nonetheless capable of performing a full range of landscaping, gardening and utilitarian tasks.
The 240 tractor is equipped with an air-cooled, single-cylinder, 422-cc Kawasaki FC420V engine that produces 14 horsepower. The engine is mated to a Tuff Torq transmission with six forward gears and one reverse gear. The 240 also features electric start and a large 3-gallon fuel tank. In comparison to 2014 Deere tractor models, the 240 is a small garden tractor; the D105 lawn tractor is the smallest riding mower in Deere's current product line, and it's equipped with a 17.5-horsepower, 500-cc engine and an automatic transmission. Despite its relatively small engine, the 240 is heavy, weighing in at 590 pounds compared to the D105's 415-pound base weight.
The 240 could be outfitted with either a 38-inch or 46-inch mid-mounted mower deck. The 38-inch deck features two blades, a manual lift mechanism and adjustable cutting height between 1.5 and 4 inches. The 46-inch deck has three blades, manual lift and the same cutting height adjustments as the 38-inch deck. By comparison, the D105 is equipped with a 42-inch mower deck.
The 240 has a wheelbase of 47.9 inches, and it rides on 16-inch front tires and 23-inch rear tires. The overall width of the tractor when equipped with the 38-inch deck is 53.5 inches, and when the 46-inch deck is onboard the tractor's width is 57 inches. Compared to current models, the 240 is chunky; the D105's wheelbase is one inch longer, but its width is only 53.9 inches, and its tires are markedly smaller than those of the 240.
Despite its modest power and size, the 240 was intended to be a capable all-around tractor for the homeowner. It could be equipped with a 42-inch, single-stage, manual-lift snow blower, as well as a 46-inch manual-lift snow plow blade and a 33-inch tiller. A 30-inch mechanical-drive tiller in John Deere's current product line is also compatible with the 240 tractor.
Gillespie, Evan. "Description of the John Deere 240 Tractor Mower." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/description-john-deere-240-tractor-mower-97964.html. Accessed 19 April 2019.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text: I met Mya a few months back by phone and email. I'd never set eyes on her, other than her wedding web site on the knot. That's it.

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
"Some may wonder if Barrett, The Honors College is worthy of its name." Graphic published on Thursday, April 26, 2018.
Barrett costs $750 extra dollars per year for students, and for Tempe students, the special dining hall meal plan costs $625 more than in other residence halls.
Joey Green, a biomedical engineering freshman, dropped Barrett during his first semester at ASU because he said he doesn't think he needs it for his career path.
"I have a lot on my plate to finish in the four years that I'm here," he said. "Satisfying all of the pre-med requirements is a lot of time throughout the year."
Green said a representative of UA's medical school visited the University in the fall, and during his visit he asked if having a Barrett degree mattered.
"They said as long as you have good grades and a well-rounded resume, not having an honors degree will not prevent you from getting into medical school," he said.
Green said Barrett offers many different resources, but for him those resources weren't as important as they could be for other majors.
Mario Muñiz, a criminology and criminal justice senior, said he has enjoyed many aspects of his time in Barrett.
He said he didn't feel like quitting because he had already paid the extra two or three thousand dollars for it.
"I love it, honestly," he said. "I have a thesis on my resume now, and I have met a lot of important faculty members. Plus, I am a resident so I don't pay that much in comparison."
Muñiz said despite the extra work, he thought Barrett was beneficial because he was able to connect more with teachers in a smaller classroom.
"The biggest connections I have made in college were through Barrett," he said. "All my friends are in Barrett, everyone I've spent time with throughout the four years were in Barrett."
Connor Murphy, a senior studying journalism and political science, dropped Barrett because he had already been admitted to ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, and he did not see the benefit of having a thesis on his resume.
Murphy said while he was in Barrett, he took advantage of the smaller class sizes as well as the early class registration.
"In political science coursework, there are classes that would have 100 or more students," he said. "An honors course for that same subject may have 20."
Murphy has completed fellowships and internships throughout his time at ASU, and he said those experiences were more important to him than Barrett.
"Those had far more of an impact on me and benefitted my resume more than a thesis," he said.
Murphy said that if he had not been granted a scholarship, he would have dropped Barrett earlier because of the price.
Murphy said he has seen many students drop the honors college, and that while Barrett does have a good name, being an honors student doesn't matter that much as long as you do good work.
"I let my resume speak for itself, I don't need a line that says 'honors student,'" he said.
Connor Murphy previously worked as an opinion columnist for The State Press but did not contribute to the reporting or editing of this story.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that the additional cost of Barrett, the Honors College is $750 per year. The cost is an extra $750 per semester.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text:
? Link between celiac and vascular inflammation?
GF cough drops without artificial sweeteners?
GF Gefilte fish - finally - and Barton's chocolates!
Help - 5 yr old w/frequent "mini bowel accidents"
Making Tracks for Celiacs NJ?
new test for celiac and more...again!
Oh'Bryan's Family Steakhouse in Alabama - Terrific!
summary, do gluten reactions fade in time?


text:
Microsoft Project class in New York City.
These New York City Microsoft Project classes are designed to teach users of Microsoft Project from beginners to experts. Experience these techniques that you need to get the most from your Microsoft Project software for your business.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text: Congratulations, Jason! Thanks for leaving your reviews and your kind words about KC Tool. KC Tool offers international shipping to over 10 countries. If you do not see your country listed on our website, please contact sales@kctoolco.com (order minimums & restrictions may apply).

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text: Following the Labor Day Weekend project on the Bay Bridge, KQED Radio News’ Cy Musiker ran a story about bridge safety questions including critical comments from an authority on the bridge, UC Berkeley’s Abolhassan Astaneh-Asl. I found it difficult to listen to this story, partly because the audio for Prof. Astaneh-Asl was really bad, but mostly because it seemed like he was just speculating about the bridge being unsafe. Since they’d found a pretty serious flaw in part of the bridge suspension, he said that there probably more problems that they just hadn’t seen yet. OK, maybe. But maybe not? Without anything more to go on, I’m not sure why Cy went ahead with his “Is the Bay Bridge Safe?” story. It just seemed alarmist. I’m re-reading American Ground, and Prof. Astaneh-Asl shows up here as well. His portrayal in the book is not too flattering; he comes across as something of an opportunist, with a penchant for making attention-getting claims that turn out to be called into question. I’d missed the follow-up story the next day, where Cy interviews Tony Anziano, the Caltrans project manager for seismic upgrades on bridges, and who would presumably know what he’s talking about. He says the bridge is safe, which I accept as the answer to the question posed the previous day.

industry_corpus2: Transportation


text:
Buy Golden State Warriors tickets for any game this season and join your friends in supporting the team from some of the best seats in the arena. Take a look at the 2019 Golden State Warriors schedule and find the seats you want from center court seating to the cheap seats.
The Golden State Warriors schedule will usually come out in August for the home and away games. The more popular games and also the most expensive tickets will be for the games with the premier teams.
Golden State Warriors basketball tickets are available online or charge by phone. Fans can get more information by calling during regular business hours or pick your seats and reserve them online 24 hours a day.
The best seats for the Golden State Warriors are located in the center court area of the lower level of the arena. The lowest priced tickets will be in the upper level in the last few rows and basketball fans can find a wide selection for all of the games online or by phone.
Golden State Warriors ticket prices are determined by supply and demand. The quality of the teams and the popularity of the particular game will cause the supply of available tickets to go down and the cost to go up. Season ticket holders play a large role in the prices charged on the secondary market for NBA tickets.
To place your order simply choose the Golden State Warriors game from the schedule and then proceed to choose the seat location you wish. Both home game and away games are available. For more information or to purchase tickets by phone call 800 427-3914.


text:
LEGO has just announced that they have launched five construction sets based off of the highly anticipated Avengers: Endgame movie. The construction sets see our favorite heroes in various scenes inspired by the movie. Let’s check out the new LEGO construction sets!
We should warn you, these sets and descriptions contain potential spoilers for Avengers: Endgame.
This buildable superhero playset includes 4 Marvel Universe minifigures: Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Nebula and a 4-armed Outrider, plus poseable Hulk and Thanos big figures and an Ant-Man microfigure. The set features the Avengers compound with a 2-level office building, helipad, garage, plus a helicopter and offroader for creative play. Weapons include Nebula’s sword and Thanos’s buildable, double-sided battle axe. The Iron Man minifigure and Thanos and Hulk big figures are all new for March 2019, and the Nebula minifigure and Ant-Man microfigure each feature new-for-March-2019 Avengers team suit decoration.
Captain America’s bike features a minifigure cockpit, 2 Captain America shield shooters, front wheel with detachable non-shooting blasters, attachment points for minifigures, fold-down bike stand, headlight element and an exhaust flame element. This superhero playset includes Captain America’s new-for-March-2019 helmet element and Avengers team suit decoration.
Includes 5 Marvel Universe minifigures: Iron Man MK 1, Iron Man MK 5, Iron Man MK 41, Iron Man MK 50 and an Outrider. Iron Man lab includes: a rotating podium with 2 posable robotic arms; desk with translucent-blue screen, minifigure chair and cup elements; kitchen module with a buildable smoothie maker and cup element; weapon storage module with a stud shooter, power-up jetpack and energy beam element for the minifigures; tool storage module with a wrench; modules to store Iron Man suits; radar dish; safety barrier elements; fire extinguisher and 2 flame elements. Connect modules into a circle to create a screen room or a prison for the bad guys.
Get set for a battle against the Chitauri with the Avengers Ultimate Quinjet! Prepare the weapons with Rocket and Thor in the passenger compartment. Jump in the cockpit with Black Widow and take off. Fire the stud shooters and the 6-stud rapid shooter. Make a smooth landing and continue the fight on the wings. Then surprise the enemy with the stud-shooting trike!
This playset includes 6 new-for-March-2019 Marvel Universe minifigures: Black Widow, Hawkeye, Rocket, Thor and 2 Chitauri. The Marvel Ultimate Quinjet model features an opening minifigure cockpit, 2 stud shooters, opening passenger compartment with 2 minifigure seats and weapon racks, opening rear compartment with fold-out 6-stud rapid shooter and trike, adjustable wings and spinning rotors. Weapons include Black Widow’s 2 energy sticks, Hawkeye’s bow & arrow, Rocket’s gun and Chitauri’s 2 blasters for imaginative play.
War Machine Buster mech features an opening minifigure cockpit, 6-stud rapid shooter, 2 detachable stud-shooting cannons, 2 flick missiles, posable arms and legs, gripping hands and an opening storage compartment for extra ammo. This buildable superhero playset includes 4 Marvel Universe minifigures: War Machine, Ant-Man and 2 Outriders.


text:
House Bill 3164, sponsored by State Representative Wayne Krieger (R-1), passed the House by a vote of 51 to 7 on Tuesday, April 24.
HB3164 is an NRA-supported bill that would require the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to replace any public lands they close to hunting with an equal number of public lands that must be re-opened to hunting.
Please contact your State Senator TODAY and urge him or her to SUPPORT HB 3164. For contact information or help identifying your State Senator, please click here.


text:
Why are psychologists watching disturbing video art?
A few years ago while watching Paul McCarthy's video Painter (1995) at Ballroom Marfa, Texas, an artist friend murmured to me, 'This stuff makes me feel a bit sick.' Yes, me too. Before she said that, I probably would have felt obliged to use some sort of detached aesthetic terminology to express my response. But 'a bit sick' is better, not only because it's honest, but also because, as we now know, you can take the same thing for disturbing video art that you take for a cold: paracetamol.
The first interesting thing about meaning threats is that, after enduring one, people try to compensate by reaffirming some sort of dependable meaning somewhere else in their world. For instance, in another study with a great title, 'The Case of the Transmogrifying Experimenter', the woman giving the subjects the questionnaire was replaced half-way through by a different woman wearing the same outfit. Most of the subjects didn't consciously notice the swap, but afterwards they tended to set a higher bail for a prostitute in an imaginary courtroom scenario, as if on some deep level they were unsettled by the visual anomaly and looking for order and authority to cling to.
The second interesting thing about meaning threats is that you can soothe them with painkillers, just like physical pain. For instance, social rejection can be regarded as a type of meaning threat; and another study has shown that, if you leave someone out of a ball game, they won't be as upset about it if they've taken paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen.
David Lynch, Rabbits, 2002, film still.
In 'The Common Pain of Surrealism and Death', the psychologists from the University of British Columbia decided to apply these findings to yet another type of meaning threat: the avant-garde. They showed some of their subjects a four-minute clip from David Lynch's 'sitcom' Rabbits (2002). Now, Lynch fans will already have noticed that the aforementioned 'transmogrifying experimenter' is quite reminiscent of Lost Highway (1997), in which the protagonist is first played by Bill Pullman and then by Balthazar Getty. So I emailed Steve Heine, the psychologist involved in both of the studies, to ask him about this.
'You know, I think Lost Highway is the only Lynch movie that I haven’t seen,' he replied. He told me that he used Rabbits and the 'transmogrifying experimenter' trick because he 'had good theoretical reasons from a lot of psychological research to expect they should elicit the same unconscious feeling,' whereas 'Lynch seemed to intuitively know that on his own.' So Heine isn't deliberately working his way through Lynch's filmography in a clinical setting, but I still can't help hoping his next paper is as loaded with Twin Peaks references as an art pop band's Tumblr.
In the 'Surrealism and Death' study, the subjects were given another imaginary courtroom scenario, in which they were asked to set the fines for rioters convicted of vandalism after a hockey match. The ones who'd watched four minutes of Rabbits tended to slap on higher fines. Unless they'd taken paracetamol, in which case they didn't.
What are we to make of these results? At first sight, they seem to suggest that people who consume a lot of disorienting video will end up more right-wing. But that doesn't sound plausible. For instance, I have seen few works of video art more captivating in their strangeness than Marianna Simnett's bionic nightmare-cantata Blue Roses (2015), but in the conversations I had at the opening of her show at Seventeen Gallery, London, recently, I did not detect an undertone of draconian social conservatism. In fact, a previous study, which used a Monty Python sketch for its meaning threat, found that people don't engage in compensatory affirmation when they've been warned in advance that they're about to see something surreal. In other words, the video art lovers don't get any heebie-jeebies from it, because they already know what they're getting into.
Recent neuroscience suggests that meaning threats activate the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), a hook-shaped area near the front of the brain. As well as surrealism and transmogrifying experimenters and social rejection, the dACC responds to contemplation of morality and physical pain. It's been characterized as a general alarm system for errors, conflicts and discrepancies. This doesn't mean that watching David Lynch is neurologically the same as getting a headache. But there is some sort of overlap, which is why paracetamol helps with all of the above.
Artists sometimes complain that the market has no appetite for genuinely experimental or challenging work. But imagine if, before the arrival of a collector on a studio visit, you could spike their latte with an undetectable aesthetic tranquiliser. Imagine if you could do the same to every glass of champagne at the opening of an art fair. Perhaps the art market would become suddenly fearless.
One might argue that this would betray the work. For a lot of artists, keeping collectors comfortable is not exactly the top priority. Part of the point of Painter or Rabbits is to produce an involuntary reaction. Art moves us in many different ways; confusion and dread are profound emotions just like rapture and pity.
But if those emotions are integral to the work in some cases, perhaps they're a mere distraction in others. If you knew that your audience was dosed on paracetamol, you could count on them to appreciate even your most eldritch and fractured work in precise formalist terms, their responses unmuddied by primitive instincts from our evolutionary past.
Indeed, paracetamol abuse could spur artists to new extremes. When clubbers started taking ketamine, what followed was music even more cavernous and static than existing techno. Tomorrow's young gallery-goers, their limbic lobes numbed by swigs of calpol sizzurp, might demand ever more intense meaning threats, just to feel something. If a dACC-inhibitor even more potent than paracetamol is ever discovered, a sort of Modernist Singularity might follow, with art advancing on an unchecked exponential curve until we have revolutions and paradigm shifts on a weekly basis.
I tried taking a paracetamol myself before watching Painter on YouTube. I couldn't tell if it affected me any differently this time, and also I didn't make it all the way through the video, and also I have not yet been empowered to decide the fate of prostitutes or rioters (which is a shame because I would do an incredibly astute, Solomon-like job of it). So perhaps my little experiment would not pass peer review. But the next time I see some sickening art, I will be conscious that I am making a choice not to smooth out my response. Instead, like a woman in labour refusing an epidural, I will grit my teeth through the meaning threats, because that is the natural way.


text:
Comprehensive list of Banning, California based companies offering installation, maintenance and repair of home and business security systems, CCTV & burglar alarms, guard and video surveillance services.
Searching for a local home security or medical alert system supplier in Southern California? Protect your family and the sanctity of your home with your choice of a free Honeywell or DSC home security system from Watchdog Protection Industries., Southern California's most trusted name in business and home security.
Here at Don's Lock and Key we understand how important security is to each of our clients and aim to provide only the very highest products in security measures. When Don's Lock and Key opened its doors for business in 1990 the philosophy was simple. Provide clients with an enviable range of security tools at sensible prices.
ALL AMERICAN PRIVATE SECURITY AAPS is a professionally managed, complete service/ multi-faceted security firm. We differ in many respects from other security firms in the business. This difference is especially noticeable within the recruitment and range of our security staff, to most importantly, the supervision and management attention we supply to each customer.


text:
We have over 160 donated Auction Items! These include All Inclusive hotel packages, Condo Stays, gift certificates for restaurants, tours, salon/spa services, dental services, fitness classes, pet services, tattoos, diving, jewelry, art & much more! Most starting bids are at 20% of the true value! There are Great Deals to be had for Riviera Maya locals and visitors!
NOTE: If you see our Auction Announcements on Facebook, please consider sharing with your FB Friends! The Hotel Deals are Amazing!
Thank you for your kind support and good luck with your bids!
Great cause and very reputable. I hope you raise lots of money for your wonderful work. I couldn't follow the link because from work it is not a "safe" link for some reason.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text: Canopy style. Full day and weekend rentals. Also available is delivery, set up, take down, and pick up services.


text:
In the feature, Paul offers his expert opinion on the benefits DRaaS can offer IT Directors, discussing the affordable price point these services are now available at.
Paul also discusses the critical steps businesses considering DRaaS must take in order to ensure the maximum uptime of business-critical systems, including setting recovery point objectives (RPOs) and recovery time objectives (RTOs).
With a circulation of over 1 million in the UK and 200,000 subscribers to its weekly digital magazine, Computer Weekly is a leading business technology publication. TSG is proud to have our CTO featured in such a respected publication alongside our DR and backup partner Datto, who offers a unique hybrid DRaaS solution.
TSG is one of Datto’s leading partners, having recently been named EMEA Partner of the Year only a year after winning the Breakthrough Partner of the Year award.
Disaster recovery is essential to businesses who rely on technology and systems more than ever before. With crippling financial losses attributed to downtime – global shipping company Maersk lost £234 million in the wake of the WannaCry ransomware attack in May 2017, attributing this loss to the resulting downtime.
Read the Computer Weekly article or find out more about Datto’s innovative solutions.


text:
ALLI WOODS FREDERICK is a fine art photographer, artist, writer, reiki master, intuitive medium & zombie survival strategist™. Her feline companion, Mischa the Wonder Cat, is currently being considered for sainthood. She has a deep and abiding love of thunderstorms, fancy dress, Bruce Campbell, Bob Hope, Adam Ant, the 1930’s, tea parties and Diet Coke.
She can quote “Dune,” “Twin Peaks,” “Star Wars,” “Harvey” & “Buffalo ’66” word for word. Whether or not that is a good thing or a creepy thing is undecided. She has a borderline unhealthy obsession with ghosts, shoes, zombies, the deep south, history, bones, crystals, England and glitter, though not necessarily in that order.
A tattooed, redheaded driver of a Mini Cooper named Alice Tinker, her sunglasses are absurdly large and her windows are rolled down as she sings at the top of her lungs. Her dreams are hyper-vivid and she will tell you about them in great detail whether you care to hear them or not. She would also like it noted that her full life story reads like a Lifetime Movie of The Week, the screenplay for which she has been contemplating for quite some time.
A nomad and gypsy at heart, Alli has been known to run away with the circus at a moment’s notice and has done so on no less than two occasions. She is a hopeless romantic (don’t let her boots and tattoos fool you) and is never one to pass up a once in a lifetime opportunity. She loves traveling with all her heart and considers Chalford, England, St. Francisville, Louisiana, Natchez, Mississippi and Savannah, Georgia all to be her true homes as they each hold a piece of her soul, which she surrenders more of with each subsequent visit.
She has lived in Houston, Philadelphia, Austin (just to name a few) and a 1989 Ford Econoline 150 Custom Van named Chani which she traveled the country in working at Renaissance Fairs (yes she was a Rennie) and which she shared with her massive and freakishly hairy 120 pound dog, Lakota Parangaricutirimicuaro Woods. Yes, that was the dog’s full name…it’s a long story that started on a stormy night on a front porch in Austin.
While she loves the convenience and culture of living in the big city she has chosen a quieter life in the country. She now lives nestled between the beautiful and wild Ouachita and Ozark mountains where, every winter, she scans the barren tree on the mountainsides in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Bigfoot (yes there is a Bigfoot population throughout the area that extends into Northeastern Texas…now you know). She also keeps an eye on the pristine skies for UFOs. So far the score is UFOs, 3 – Bigfoot, 0.
Regardless of where she’s geographically located you can find her love emanating throughout this universe as well as all parallel and imaginary ones…’cause it’s all about the love, baby.
ALLI WOODS FREDERICK is an award winning fine art photographer and writer. She studied photography at University of Texas, Austin, and began pursuing her art and writing in 2004 while running her own massage therapy and reiki practice. She launched Alli Woods Frederick Photography and Kisses & Chaos in 2010 and quickly made the decision to dedicate herself to both ventures full-time in 2011 after saying goodbye to her brief but painful foray into the corporate world (two years at a desk was long enough).
Her photography has been featured in Artful Blogging’s Summer 2014 issue, Somerset Digital Studio Spring 2015, F-Stop Magazine (#35 and #43), Words Dance Issue 13, as well as multiple issues of All Things Girl, where she subsequently served as Art Editor from 2010 through November, 2013.
Her past group exhibits include Photon Extraordinary (2011) at Portland, Oregon’s Springbox Gallery, Annual Photography Exhibit (2009) at RAM in Fort Smith, Arkansas and Blue (2016) at G25N.
Her solo exhibitions include “.transmutations.” (June 2014) and “.(re)percussions.” (November 2015) at the acclaimed Fayetteville Underground, where she is currently a resident artist and serves as one of the curators.
Alli’s writing has been featured in numerous publications and sites including Artful Blogging, Somerset Digital Studio, Zooey Deschanel’s Hello Giggles, Kind Over Matter and The Radical Uprise.
Her fine art (as well as wedding and portrait) photography can be viewed and purchased online at Alli Woods Frederick Photography. She is also available for commissions, collaborations, portraits, weddings and one of a kind fine art portraiture for those who want to become their own work of art.
The forgotten ghosts that wander decaying halls of long abandoned buildings; melancholic music that rises, swells and sweeps us away in its undertow; phantoms of loves lost that painfully linger in our hearts…everyone and everything carries darkness within, and hidden within that mysterious darkness lies beauty, love, honesty & grace. These are the tales I tell, drawn from the depths of my heart; from histories that teeter on the verge of oblivion; from my daydreams and my nightmares.
I often utilize self-portraiture to explore emotions and experiences in surreal, abstract or magical ways. Fragments of our shared past are archived; motes of moments that, without preservation, would fade without notice into the thin wisps of dust and fog from which fragile, half-remembered dreams are born. This is sometimes achieved through the juxtaposition of contradictory and contrasting elements but, more commonly, through the use of muted tones, texture, and the interplay of light and shadow.
Though I begin with a clear vision of the final image, intuition and impulse are given free reign, allowing the visual refinement of the story while maintaining the original intent of the piece. Through the combination of these elements and themes worlds are birthed where darkness reveals our shared experiences; common threads weave us together, uniting us unexpectedly through the beauty, love, honesty and grace that exists in our shared pain and pasts. In that moment we bring light to darkness, beauty to suffering and understanding to us all.


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Applicants will need to submit an application to their home campus, which is determined by where your faculty advisor resides. If applying to Texas A&M University main campus, please contact Dr. Duncan MacKenzie duncan@bio.tamu.edu or Jennifer Bradford jbradford@bio.tamu.edu. If applying to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, please visit http://marinebiology.tamucc.edu. For information regarding the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Marine Biology in general and applying to Texas A&M University at Galveston contact Ms. Holly Richards (richardh@tamug.edu) in the Research and Graduate Student Office or visit Frequently Asked Questions.
Applicants can only apply to one track (M.S. non-thesis, M.S. thesis-option, or Ph.D.) per admissions year. In addition, applicants applying to the M.S. thesis-option or Ph.D. programs should only have one advisor agreement.
Instructions below only apply to applicants applying to the Texas A&M University at Galveston Marine Biology IDP. For those applying to Texas A&M University or Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Marine Biology IDP, please refer above.
*for M.S. Thesis-Option and Doctoral applicants only.
Graduate studies in science require that you identify a mentor who will guide you along your career path. A mentor needs to be identified prior to admission to the Graduate Program in Marine Biology for the M.S. thesis-option or doctoral degree. M.S. non-thesis option students will be assigned a faculty advisor upon acceptance for the Galveston campus only.
The faculty of the Graduate Program in Marine Biology recommends that students begin to contact potential mentors for admission into the program 9-12 months in advance. For students seeking the M.S. thesis-option or Ph.D. dissertation degree, this allows the potential faculty mentor to determine if your research interests match their own, and if proper funding and space are available. The research interests and contact information for faculty members in the Graduate Program in Marine Biology can be found here.
Please completely fill out the “Apply Texas” Application form. It is recommended that an applicant submits an application before submitting other required admissions items.
A statement of purpose presents a narrative explaining your reasons for applying to the Graduate Program in Marine Biology as well as professional goals. To complete the application process, it is required that you submit your statement of purpose through your Apply Texas application under the section "Career Objectives".
A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) demonstrates your involvement in academia and/or the workplace. It complements the statement of purpose. Send your electronic resume/CV (Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat format) to Ms. Holly Richards (richardh@tamug.edu) in the Research and Graduate Studies Office.
Recommendations are important professional documents that allow the selection committee to learn more about you, and your experiences from the perspective of others. These recommendations typically come from professors from whom you have taken coursework, conducted an internship, or research project, etc., as well as present or former employers. Recommendations from the academic community are preferred.
Recommendations are submitted electronically using the Applicant Information System (AIS). Applicants have access to AIS once their Apply Texas application has been submitted and processed.
Please arrange for official transcripts from your undergraduate institute (and if applicable graduate institute) to be sent to the Admissions Office. This often takes some time, so plan accordingly.
Please arrange for your official GRE scores to be sent to the Admissions Office. This also will take time, so please plan on taking the GRE early enough to allow for scores to arrive at the Admissions Office. GRE Codes are 6835 for Texas A&M University at Galveston, 6003 for Texas A&M University (main campus - College Station), and 6849 for Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi.
There is a required application fee: $75 for US citizens, and $90 for international students.
International applicants should visit the Graduate Studies website for additional requirements.
Not seeing what you’re looking for? Take a look at the links for Galveston Applicants and Students below.


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I have had my E-P2 since Friday but, since I work Sat, Sun and Mon, I haven't had a lot of chance to play with it. What I have seen, I'm impressed with.
The EVF is very good and controls are logical though a bit too easy to set by mistake. I also have the MMF2 adaptor which I use with my existing 9-18, and a Mk2 40-150 which I bought cheaply from Currys. This lens in particular works and sits extremely well with the E-P2. Focussing is quite quick, faster than the 9-18, and it's just as light.
For curiosity I weighed the total package and it came in at 2.2 Kg for the E-P2, EVF, 14-42 kit lens, MMF2 adaptor, 9-18 and 40-150, plus spare battery, and Billingham Hadley bag. Not bad!


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"I applied for a car loan at a dealership and they said I was declined. I couldn't understand it. I make good money, I pay my bills, I've only had a few late payments. The people from instantcarapproval.ca got me approved through my own bank."
Do you have a story you'd like to share about your experience at Easy Online Approvals? Tell us about it by filling out the form below.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


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Bmw Suv 2017. 2017 bmw x4 suv pricing for sale edmunds. new 2017 bmw x5 price photos reviews safety ratings. new 2017 bmw x1 price photos reviews safety ratings. bmw i5 suv 2017 hd wallpapers. 2017 bmw x6 m for sale 2017 x6 m pricing features. 2017 bmw suv x3 new cars gallery. 2017 bmw x6 price photos reviews features. 2017 bmw x3 images galleries with a bite. bmw x2 to launch at the 2016 paris motor show. 2017 bmw x5 edrive price photos reviews features. [Apriliasxv.com].
Bmw Suv 2017 Cars are one forms of transport that folks uncover for you to be the most comfortable currently any days. There are actually individuals who are obsessive about autos as well as really like them and everything onpar gps which enable it to go on and on talking about these folks at the stretch. Together with the continuing development of technology advances, a variety of extra features get appear now a day's most contemporary vehicles totally designed with the many options are located coming into your markets. With all the inflated selling price appear the particular great features, every being one of some sort of kind.
Similar to a residence, a motor vehicle can be one of those particular ventures in which you will make with your lifetime. Thus it is very important that you your account with reducing this car loans you happen to be having and acquire the purchase value only doable, down to a person's ease level. Sit down using the sales agents and keep your problems and also status when in front of these people, inform them particularly how much you can manage to pay for and just how significantly you actually will pay, and also as a result bring the steps needed following that on. Become definitely very clear from the beginning inside money associated issues.
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5271 W Vista Ridge Cir S is a $364,900, 3,046 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.0 bath home on a 0.20 acre lot located in Kearns, UT.
This recently completed NEW home features thousands of dollars of upgrades and bonus features! Enjoy an open floor plan with high vaulted ceilings, a large mud/laundry room on the main floor, stainless Whirlpool appliances, brushed nickel hardware and faucets, craftsman style doors and trim, two tone paint, oversized master bath tub, walk-in master closet with built-in shelving, high quality waterproof LVP flooring in all heavily trafficked areas, an extra deep garage, and a massive unfinished basement. This home is complete and move-in ready. Square footage figures are provided as a courtesy estimate only and were obtained from the plans. Buyer is advised to obtain an independent measurement.
I am interested in 5271 W Vista Ridge Cir S, Kearns, UT 84118.


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In the ever-changing retail world, coupled with the challenges of the growing popularity of online purchasing, it is now more important than ever to bring your brand to life and the products within stores as much as possible. When I worked in retail (I like to call this my grassroots period now), it became harder for myself and colleagues to deal with the influx of customers towards the end of my tenure. It become more difficult as general retail staff numbers were cut, but customers of course demanded the same level of service and waiting times as before. So the question arose: how do you keep customers in stores longer and be influenced to purchase without potential human interaction?
Today’s retail environment is still this way, particularly in peak seasonal periods and weekends. The silent salesman is actually really important today, and just looking around typical consumer electronic related stores you can see that brands, including ours, our taking the next steps in almost bringing a ‘digital’ feel to the retail shop environments. One great example I have seen is in the Oxford Street John Lewis store, within the Smart Home section. The interactivity is brilliant and with the store staff being busy with other customers, I can happily play with the products and learn about them through the educational POS and video loops.
I suppose one of my main tasks at TP-Link since I joined was to help the brand adapt to this modern way of interacting with the customer, with the ultimate goal of course being to help sell the products off the shelf. Mark my words, you will struggle to sell products if they are just sat on a shelf with no education or soft sell materials to support it.
I spend a good amount of my time, around once or twice a month, doing store visits. This is not just to check our brand and products, but also to see what competitors are up to, or even general brands not associated with our industry. I think it is really important in today’s retail world to step up otherwise you can see yourselves slipping behind others very quickly. One key result also from this will be that retail shops will still be around and needed, keeping as many jobs running for as long as possible.
In the future I would expect to see technology being used more in the retail space, so that even fashion retailers will potentially delve into an interactive experience. This will perhaps incorporate walking up to a digital mirror and seeing store items on you digitally to decide what it might look like before you go to look for it properly. I for one love retail and am excited about playing my part in helping to keep it going and growing alongside online shopping platforms.


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Last week, Tuesday was blogging about a visit to Trader Joe’s – since I don’t have one near me, I asked her what they were like and we started talking about all their goodies. Yesterday, I opened up my mailbox and had a wonderful surprise inside! Treats from Trader Joe’s and a pretty recipe card holder from Tuesday! I’ve already eaten 1/2 the bag of sesame sticks and even started dipping them in the hot mustard she sent (I love sweet hot mustards). I’m cracking the candy bar open tonight!
In other news, somebody grew overnight and it wasn’t my daughter!
I started putting my Simplicity tank together yesterday and noticed that the under layer was noticeably longer than the top layer (they should only be a few inches apart)! Even though they weren’t hanging, the fabric managed to (excessively) stretch in the front. I’m sure that this is because the layers were cut on the bias. Now that the top is put together, I’ll have to go back and adjust the hem. Be prepared for a finished tank tomorrow!
This entry was posted in General, Simplicity 3956 Layered Tanks on March 10, 2007 by stacy.
It’s it funny how inanimate objects grow? My dress form changed sizes, only unlike your fabric, it didn’t grow, it seems to have shrunk!
Since the garment was meant to be cut on the bias, the pattern instructions should have warned you to let the garment hang for a day or two before hemming. (Always when on the bias – also a good idea wth those heavy “slinky” knits or any heavy fabric.) Not a fun surprise for the sewer!
However, try it on and see if the extra “length” gets re-taken up by the width of your bod – before you cut any off. It might hang differently on you.
Trader Joes, how funny. That’s were I buy 80% of our groceries. It’s so normal to me,I never would have thought it would be exciting to anyone.
Can;t wait to see the finished tops.
We don’t have a Trader Joe’s either but I read about them all the time all over blog land. Maybe one day we’ll live near one.
I had to let my black & white dress hang for several days before hemming too. The skirt was onteh bias & it grew quite a bit. I love the way your tank looks so far!
I tried it on and the extra length is, oddly enough, only really in the front and doesn’t really change the length when I wear it.
I’m with you on the love for Trader Joes. I live in Salt Lake City, Utah and our closest Trader Joes is in Las Vegas. My sister lives there and brings me their “flattened bananas” and other dried fruit every time she visits. We’re stopping in Vegas on the way to our Disney trip next week and I’ll be growing my stash of Flattened Bananas in great amounts. YUM! YUM! YUM!
There’s a Trader Joe’s in Las Vegas? Cool, I’ll be there in just a few weeks – although, I’m guessing it might be kind of far away from where we’re staying. Have fun at Disney!
ACK, I’m several days behind ROFL, so I wanted to let you know I’m glad you were pleased with the package 😉 Those are a few of my favorite things (OMG, now that song is stuck in my head LOL).

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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WordPress has taken the internet by storm. It is the most commonly used CMS (content management system) out there. Plenty of people are using it. With this popularity, the competition is fears. There are a lot of speed up WordPress optimizations that you can do from within, like using a barebone theme, optimizing the content or using caching plugins but all of that request that you have SEO knowledge. You can speed up your WordPress from outside by using CDN (content delivery system).
To get to the meaning of DNS Delegation, first, let’s see two things. One is the DNS itself (Read this article), and the second is the definition of delegation. To delegate, it means to give the right to manage, the control of some resources or tasks to another.
CDN and SEO, are they connected?
CDN is a network of servers geographically located in different areas around the world. They serve as a load balancer that redirect the traffic that goes to your website to the closest Point of Presence near you. It is like a shortcut. Now your visitors will not waste time to get to the web host service you use. They will be conveniently redirected to a cached data of your site, that is milliseconds away from them. They will open the pages fast and will have a better experience.
Do you remember the time when we were reading the news in a printed newspaper and we were going to a video store to rent a VHS? The things have changed a lot ever since. Now you get the daily brief from an online portal and the content rental stores are all in the clouds. CDN is responsible for the global distribution of all that content. It makes it possible that all the viewers get their content in a matter of milliseconds, even if they live far away from the source.
Every media company who wants to be international relies on CDN. Youtube, Amazon, Netflix and many more can’t provide equal service in so many different locations without it. It can deliver quality 4k video without buffering (if the visitors have quality internet too).
Let’s first talk about the internet in Asia Pacific region. According to the Statista, this region is the most important internet area in the world. There are more than a billion users, with the 3 most connected countries – China (731m), India(462m) and Indonesia (132.7m).
Despite the enormous numbers, there is still plenty of room for growth. The internet penetration there is 44.7%, so still more than the half of the people there don’t use the internet. There are many users, and more are yet to connect. This makes it an exciting market. With a lot of traffic, the need of DNS in Asia will just grow as well. So to provide an excellent service in Hong Kong or Japan you will need DNS.


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In 1918 a human influenza virus known as the Spanish flu spread through the central United States while a swine respiratory disease occurred concurrently. A KansasStateUniversity researcher has found that the virus causing the pandemic was able to infect and replicate in pigs, but did not kill them, unlike in other mammalian hosts like monkeys, mice and ferrets where the infection has been lethal.
Juergen A. Richt, Regents Distinguished Professor of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology at KansasState's College of Veterinary Medicine, studied the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic with colleagues from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Their research supports the hypothesis that the 1918 pandemic influenza virus and the virus causing the swine flu were the same. Richt said the virus was able to infect and replicate in swine and cause mild respiratory disease. The 1918 virus spread through the pig population, adapted to the swine and resulted in the current lineage of the H1N1 swine influenza viruses. The researchers' study is published in the May 2009 issue of the Journal of Virology.
"This study emphasizes that an influenza virus, which is known to induce a lethal infection in ferrets and macaques, is not highly virulent in pigs, indicating a potential resistance of swine to highly virulent influenza viruses," Richt said. "It also suggests that pigs could have played a role in maintaining and spreading the 1918 human pandemic influenza virus."
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza among the animals and can be transmitted to humans. It is a typical zoonotic agent. While swine flu was first recognized as a disease in 1918, there also were reports of the influenza occurring in the Midwest in 1930.
For the study, the researchers used the 1918 pandemic virus and a 1930 H1N1 influenza virus for experimental infections in swine. The 1930 virus was chosen as a virus because it is thought to be a descendent of the 1918 virus, Richt said.
The researchers did not find a significant difference in effects from the 1918 and 1930 viruses in infected pigs. This was surprising, since the 1918 virus killed more than 20 million people and was lethal to ferrets, mice and macaques. Another surprising finding from the study was the rapid antibody response in the animals infected with the 1918 virus, which is not typically reported for the swine influenza virus.
Richt said he plans to conduct a follow-up project that will study what makes a swine flu virus a pandemic flu virus.
The researchers conducted the study in the biosafety-level 4 laboratory and animal cubicle at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Canada.


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Type specimen: Chien 5831 resides at SZ and E (specimen E000246291).
Primula chienii is described as endemic to Qingcheng Mountain, Dujiangyan (old name Guanxian), Sichuan though It seems also to be found at Bifengxia. It blooms early (starting in February) and grows on damp mossy, rocky slopes under mixed forest at 900m-1000m. Compared with P. leptophylla in the original description but unlike that species the budcsales are not persistent, the leaves are glabrous and the scape is shorter. Often this species is included under section Davidii, but seems better placed under section Petiolares. Flowers are pink, often with a protruding annulus at the eye.
Copyright © Pam Eveleigh 2019, All Rights Reserved.


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The State Directorate of Civil Protection announced todaythat it suspended the search of the American Kat Hammontre, 68 years old and resident of the town of San Felipe, Mexicali, who missing since April 11 in the area of El Cañón del Diablo in the lower part of the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, where she practiced hiking in the company of friends.
April 15, 2019. – Antonio Rosquillas Navarro, state director of Civil Protection, gave notice of the suspension of the search to the Attorney General of the State (PGJE), so that it initiates a ministerial investigation and tries by its means of locate the sexageria in an area where temperatures of up to 32 degrees are already registered.
The official reported that Hammontre went out with her friends to the canyon on Thursday, April 11 at dawn. They were going to observe the waterfall that forms inside the ravine. She got tired and asked her friends to continue the walk while she rested in a stream in the company of a dog. No more was heard of her.
When on the afternoon of Thursday, April 11, the group of walkers arrived back to the vehicle support units, the husband of the American woman notified that Kat had not returned.
He immediately began a search operation involving dozens of civilian rescuers and the State Civil Protection Directorate, elements of the Bomberos de Mexicali corps, the En-Sar Ensenada Search and Rescue organization, a helicopter of the Mexican armed forces. and Red Cross staff with the support of rescue dogs.
The group did not find the woman, but did locate two marijuana cultivation fields in the area that were reported to the Army and the Attorney General’s Office for investigation.
Regarding the woman’s background, Antonio Rosquillas revealed that, due to reports from her husband and friends, she has poor physical condition since she is in a period of recovery from cancer, and recently suffered a fracture in three fingers of one of her feet. .
“We suspended the search. We combed everything around the place where he was seen alive the last time. We speak of a perimeter of 5 kilometers around and we do not locate it, “said the state official.
In June of last year, the civil organization Emergency Prevention Agrestes requested the governor Francisco Vega de Lamadrid the creation of a State Search and Rescue Group specialized in areas of difficult access.
It should have sufficient economic resources , an official ambulance service that promptly attends to emergencies in roads and villages, and a special helicopter for rescue operations in rural areas and emergency aeromedical transfer .
His request, which was not answered, was based on media statistics that did not include accidents in towns, in motor vehicles, drowned in beaches, maritime or aerial accidents.
The regions where there were cases with hikers, workers and settlers affected in accidents are: Laguna Salada (period 1996-2016), 21 dead and 89 rescued. Sierra de San Pedro Mártir (span 1987-2017), 4 dead and 36 rescued.
Also the Sierra de Juárez (period 2000-2017), 5 dead and 139 rescued. And south of Ensenada to (phase 1996-2017), 1 dead and 3 rescued.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


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MANILA --- Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday said the Philippine Navy (PN) will be deploying a vessel to make a port visit in Vladivostok, Russia within the year.
The scheduled PN portcall is to reciprocate the visit of Russian warships in Manila last June and last year, he added.
"Ano lang naman tayo eh, parang, gantihan mo yun, kasi nag-visit din sila sa atin. Ang pinakamalapit nilang port dito is Vladivostok (We just like to reciprocate their visit here. Their nearest port from here is Vladivostok)," Lorenzana said in a media briefing.
Earlier, Russian Navy head Admiral Vladimir Ivanovich Korolev committed to support the ongoing upgrade programs of the PN in terms of training, maintenance, and sustainment of future acquisition especially its submarine acquisition program.
Korolev made the commitment during his meeting with PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad last July 29 where the draft memorandum of understanding for deepening security cooperation was discussed.
During his visit to Korolev, the PN chief was accompanied by Philippine Fleet commander, Rear Admiral Danilo Rodelas and Philippine Defense Attaché to Russia, Col. Dennis Pastor.
The Philippine delegation's official visit underscored the navy’s diplomacy efforts for increased interaction with other navies.
"These engagements are building blocks for closer cooperation in areas of mutual concern such as combating terrorism, violent extremism and transnational crimes, the conduct of humanitarian assistance and disaster response," PN spokesperson Cmdr. Jonathan Zata earlier said in a separte interview.