Jonathan Halvorson, June 6, 2019 Categories: Good Morning San Diego, Local San Diego News FacebookTwitter Jonathan Halvorson 00:00 00:00 spaceplay / pause qunload | stop ffullscreenshift + ←→slower / faster ↑↓volume mmute ←→seek . seek to previous 12… 6 seek to 10%, 20% … 60% XColor SettingsAaAaAaAaTextBackgroundOpacity SettingsTextOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundSemi-TransparentOpaqueTransparentFont SettingsSize||TypeSerif MonospaceSerifSans Serif MonospaceSans SerifCasualCursiveSmallCapsResetSave SettingsSAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Top-ranked competitive eater Miki Sudo will square off with the legendary Matt Stonie on the flight deck of the USS Midway on Friday, June 7 for The Salvation Army’s National Donut Day Donut Eating Championship.These two competitive eating juggernauts will fend off all challengers as The Salvation Army celebrates National Donut Day and remembers America’s veterans.The Salvation Army’s long history of support to the men and women in uniform began in 1918 when more than 200 “Donut Lassies,” traveled to the fields of France and served the comforts of home (donuts and coffee) to soldiers during World War I.The competition’s contestants will have eight minutes to eat as many glazed doughnuts as possible, according to the Salvation Army. Defending champion and number four-ranked competitive eater Matt Stonie and top-ranked female competitive eater Miki Sudo are both expected to compete. Stonie won last year’s event by eating 48 doughnuts.“It is with incredible honor that Major League Eating and our slate of competitive eaters can take part in the Salvation Army’s effort to support our veterans in the sweetest way possible,” said Major League Eating emcee Sam Barclay. “We fully anticipate a new world record to be set in the doughnut- eating discipline.”Joey Chestnut, the world’s top-ranked competitive eater, set the doughnut-eating record in 2017, downing 55 doughnuts in eight minutes. In addition to Stonie and Sudo, number 21-ranked Matt Hazzard, number 45-ranked Doug Ecks and number 49-ranked Mary Bowers are expected to compete in the event.Donut Day guests arriving at the USS Midway on June 7 between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. can enjoy the Donut Eating Contest for free on the flight-deck and spend the remainder of their time touring the amazing USS Midway Museum. 
Posted: June 6, 2019 Celebrate Donut Day on the USS Midway Updated: 6:25 AM
ASA President Ray Gaesser, of Iowa, addresses the USB Board during team meetings the first week of February.ASA liaisons met with United Soybean Board (USB) this week in Little Rock, Ark. to discuss new ideas and ways to increase profit opportunities for U.S. soybean farmers. ASA leaders met with USB Action Teams during the meeting, and ASA President Ray Gaesser spoke before the board, highlighting recent accomplishments, including the passage of the farm bill by the House and Senate this week.
A new patch of land, donated this week by Hinton Development Corp. of Vancouver, will extend the city of Vancouver’s Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway east of Interstate 205 for the first time.The city has spent years creating a swath of more than 100 acres along the 13-mile Burnt Bridge Creek focused on managing stormwater runoff, meeting state requirements, fixing environmental issues and preventing flooding, said Annette Griffy, Vancouver engineering program manager.The 8.76 acre site, located at a business park on Northeast 127th Avenue, is the first major such acquisition across I-205, she said.“We’re working our way upstream, so to speak,” Griffy said.The land is left over from the development of the business park, and includes a drainage pond, wetlands and other elements. Donating the land to the city will land the developers a tax break, but how much wasn’t immediately clear. Griffy said prior land values along Burnt Bridge Creek have been about $10,000 an acre.A representative from Hinton Development did not return a phone call and email for comment Tuesday.Griffy said there is “very good vegetation and a lot of benefits for surface-water management” on the site. Vancouver assumes the maintenance of the area, but Griffy said it can easily be folded into the city’s greenway management program. The site will help take stormwater runoff from roads and other impermeable surfaces, filtering the water and helping to even the flow into Burnt Bridge Creek to prevent flooding, Griffy said.
Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享One thing that all Alaskans have in common is that we all have a story to tell, one that keeps everyone’s eyes wide open when it’s regaled around the campfire. In addition to Pick.Click.Giving their Permanent Fund Dividends towards underwriting traditional library events like summer reading programs and storytime for children, the Friends of the Homer Public Library have added value to their holdings with a unique collection that reflects community values and fabric. Friends of the Homer Public Library Board member Marylou Burton: “Brenda Dolma wrote this play called Home Sweet Homer, which was a great play, and they did it out at Pier One and that was our Top Drawer book for last year.”Since the early 1980s, Friends of Homer Public Library have been providing resources for library programs and capital improvements and publicizing the tools and services available to community members at no cost, without discrimination.The Friends of Homer Library have received nearly $13,000 from the Pick.Click.Give program since it started in 2009.Story as aired:Audio PlayerDorene-on-friends-move-storytelling-from-top-drawer-to-top-shelf-1.mp3VmDorene-on-friends-move-storytelling-from-top-drawer-to-top-shelf-1.mp300:00RPd
Courtesy of Homer Public LibraryFriends of the Homer Public Library Board member Marylou Burton: “The Top Drawer collection started as an attempt to get people to get their great American novels or their manuscripts out of the top drawer and onto the shelf of the library.”Local writers can submit their manuscripts. Those which meet the Top Drawer criteria are bound and placed in the special collection by located by the Library fireplace.Friends of the Homer Public Library Board member Marylou Burton: “Some of the books, especially the older ones, they are amazing because we have a lot of people who were Homer pioneers. They’ve written about their early years in Homer, and there is quite a bit of history in that collection right now.”Burton says that in recent years the Top Drawer collection has stepped into a more theatrical world, and among its shelves you will not only find the bound plays of Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde, but also local playwrights.Last year, in conjunction with the NEA Big Read of Our Town, the Top Drawer program held a writing contest.
Tags Read the Rylo camera preview Turo is kind of like Uber meets Airbnb: You borrow someone’s car, but you do all the driving. I’ve used it many times and found it a great alternative to traditional car-rental services — in part because you get to choose exactly the vehicle you want (not just, say, “midsize”) and in part because you can often do pickup and dropoff right outside baggage claim.Between now and Sept. 1, the first 300 people to check out can get $30 off any Turo rental with promo code LDW30. DJI Osmo Action camera: $261 (save $89) JBL Soundgear wearable speaker: $90 (save $160) CNET may get a commission from retail offers. $6 at Tidal A powerful selfie camera and 5G rule ZTE’s MWC phones $90 at Daily Steals via Google Express See it Angela Lang/CNET $999 The Axon 10 Pro Angela Lang/CNET The Axon 10 Pro, which debuted in February at MWC 2019 as ZTE’s first 5G handset, is coming to the US. But instead of having 5G connectivity, the device will be sold unlocked as a 4G phone through ZTE, Newegg and B&H Photo’s online stores. Already being sold in Germany, this variant of the Axon 10 Pro starts at $549 (8GB/256GB). There is also 12GB of RAM variant for $599. $59 at eBay I thought this might be a mistake, but, no, the weirdly named HP Laptop 15t Value is indeed quite the value at this price. Specs include an Intel Core i7 processor, 12GB of RAM, a 256GB solid-state drive and a 15.6-inch display. However, I strongly recommend paying an extra $50 to upgrade that display to FHD (1,920×1,080), because you’re not likely to be happy with the native 1,366×768 resolution. $520 at HP Read Lenovo Smart Clock review Google Nest Hub: $59 (save $70) HP Laptop 15t Value: $520 (save $780) $261 at Daily Steals via Google Express $999 The Cheapskate $60 at Best Buy Spotify and most other streaming services rely on compressed audio, which robs the listener of full fidelity. Enter Tidal, the only “major” service that delivers lossless audio — meaning at least on par with CD quality, if not better. Want to see (er, hear) the difference for yourself? Grab this excellent extended trial while you can. It’s just $6 for three months, and it’s good for up to six listeners. 3:02 24 Photos Mentioned Above Apple iPhone XS (64GB, space gray) Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case: $155 (save $45) $999 Sarah Tew/CNET Sarah Tew/CNET Share your voice Boost Mobile ZTE,I’m shocked — shocked! — to learn that stores are turning Labor Day into an excuse to sell stuff. Wait — no, I’m not. As much as I respect the original intent of the holiday (which became official back in 1894), to most of us, it’s just a bonus day off — one that’s blissfully tacked onto a weekend. So, yeah, stores; go ahead, run your sales. I’m listening. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Labor Day doesn’t bring out bargains to compete with the likes of Black Friday (which will be here before you know it), but there are definitely some sales worth your time.For example:We’ve rounded up the best Labor Day mattress deals.We’ve also gathered the best Labor Day laptop deals at Best Buy.Be sure to check out Amazon’s roughly three dozen Labor Day deals on TVs and audio. Google Express is having a big sale as well, one that includes deals on game consoles, AirPods, iPhones, laptops and more.Below I’ve rounded up a handful of individual items I consider to be the cream of the crop, followed by a handy reference guide to other Labor Day sales. Keep in mind, of course, that products may sell out at any time, even if the sale itself is still running. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page. Free Echo Dot with an Insignia or Toshiba TV (save $50) TVs Speakers Mobile Accessories Cameras Laptops Automobiles Smart Speakers & Displays 7 Lenovo 130-15AST 15.6-inch laptop: $210 (save $90) See It Mobile Phones Seen as ZTE’s “comeback phone,” the Axon 10 Pro marks the company’s quiet re-entry into the US market after a tumultuous 2018. In May 2018, ZTE was found violating 2017 trade sanctions, and the US government banned companies from selling products and services to ZTE for seven years. After ZTE agreed to pay a $1 billion fine, though, the ban was lifted. The ordeal crippled ZTE and ongoing trade tensions between the US and China continue to hang ZTE’s future in the air. With the Axon 10 Pro, however, ZTE hopes to show US consumers that they are still capable of selling premium phones at affordable prices.The phone features a 6.47-inch display with an in-screen fingerprint reader and an IP54 water resistant rating. It’s equipped with a Snapdragon 855 chipset, a 4,000mAh battery and runs Android Pie with an update to Android Q planned for the end of the year. On the back is a triple rear camera setup that includes an 8-megapixel telephoto camera, a 48-megapixel standard camera and a 20-megapixel wide-angle lens. On the front is a 20-megapixel shooter. Though the phone does not have a headphone jack, its $549 starting price is notably more affordable than other Android phones with comparable specs, like the $669 OnePlus 7 Pro and $799 Pixel 3. Formerly known as the Google Home Hub, Google’s Nest Hub packs a wealth of Google Assistant goodness into a 7-inch screen. At $59, this is within a buck of the best price we’ve seen. It lists for $129 and sells elsewhere in the $89-to-$99 range.This is one item of many available as part of eBay’s Labor Day Sale (which, at this writing, doesn’t specifically mention Labor Day, but that’s how it was pitched to us). Amazon
Though not technically a Labor Day sale, it’s happening during Labor Day sale season — and it’s too good not to share. Nationwide Distributors, via Google Express, has just about the best AirPods deal we’ve seen (when you apply promo code ZBEDWZ at checkout). This is for the second-gen AirPods with the wireless charging case. Can’t imagine these will last long at this price, so if you’re interested, act fast. $999 Post a comment Turo: Save $30 on any car rental ZTE brings 5G to MWC with the Axon 10 Pro, debuts Blade V10 too An Echo Dot makes a fine match for any Fire edition TV, because you can use the latter to say things like, “Alexa, turn on the TV.” Right now, the 24-inch Insignia Fire TV Edition starts at just $100, while the 32-inch Toshiba Fire TV Editions is on sale for $130. Just add any Fire TV Edition to your cart, then add a third-gen Echo Dot, and presto: The latter is free. Use promo code 19LABOR10 to get an unusually good deal on JBL’s interesting hybrid product — not quite headphones, and not quite a traditional speaker, but something you wear like neckphones to listen to music on the go. Best Buy Now playing: Watch this: Sprint Sarah Tew/CNET Read Google Home Hub review DJI’s answer to GoPro’s action cameras is rugged little model that’s shockproof, dustproof and waterproof down to 11 meters. It normally runs $350, but this deal drops it to $261 when you apply promo code 19LABOR10 at checkout. Comments Other Labor Day sales you should check out Best Buy: In addition to some pretty solid MacBook deals that have been running for about a week already, Best Buy is offering up to 40% off major appliances like washers, dryers and stoves. There are also gift cards available with the purchase of select appliances. See it at Best BuyDell: Through Aug. 28, Dell is offering an extra 12% off various laptops, desktops and electronics. And check back starting Aug. 29 for a big batch of Labor Day doorbusters. See it at DellGlassesUSA: Aug. 29 – Sept. 3 only, you can save 65% on all frames with promo code labor65. See it at GlassesUSALenovo: The tech company is offering a large assortment of deals and doorbusters through Labor Day, with the promise of up to 56% off certain items — including, at this writing, the IdeaPad 730S laptop for $700 (save $300).See it at LenovoLensabl: Want to keep the frames you already love and paid for? Lensabl lets you mail them in for new lenses, based on your prescription. From now through Sept. 2 only, you can save 20% on the blue light-blocking lens option with promo code BLOCKBLUE. See it at LensablSears: Between now and Sept. 7, you can save up to 40% on appliances (plus an additional 10% if you shop online), up to 60% on mattresses, up to 50% on Craftsman products and more. The store is also offering some fairly hefty cashback bonuses. See it at SearsMore to come! Note: This post was published previously and is continuously updated with new information.CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page, and find more great buys on the CNET Deals page. What’s cooler: A snapshot of a firework exploding in front of you, or full 360-degree video of all the fireworks and all the reactions to seeing them? Oooh, ahhh, indeed. At $250, the compact Rylo dual-lens camera is selling for its lowest price yet. And for an extra $50, you can get the bundle that includes the waterproof housing.This deal runs through Sept. 3; it usually costs $500. Review • iPhone XS review, updated: A few luxury upgrades over the XR See It 0 Read the AirPods review $210 at Best Buy Rylo See It See at Turo Sarah Tew/CNET Chris Monroe/CNET Turo $155 at Google Express Recently updated to include digital-photo-frame capabilities, the Lenovo Smart Clock brings Google Assistant goodness to your nightstand. It’s a little smaller than the Amazon Echo Show 5, but also a full $30 less (and tied with Prime Day pricing) during this Best Buy Labor Day sale. Preview • iPhone XS is the new $1,000 iPhone X Best laptops for college students: We’ve got an affordable laptop for every student. Best live TV streaming services: Ditch your cable company but keep the live channels and DVR. Apple iPhone XS Lenovo Smart Clock: $59.99 (save $20) Tags Share your voice Tidal 3-month family subscription: $5.99 (save $54) Read DJI Osmo Action preview The problem with most entry-level laptops: They come with mechanical hard drives. That makes for a mighty slow Windows experience. This Lenovo model features a 128GB solid-state drive, so it should be pretty quick to boot and load software, even with its basic processor. Plus, it has a DVD-burner! That’s not something you see in many modern laptops, especially at this price. Rylo 5.8K 360 Video Camera: $250 (save $250) See at Amazon $299 at Amazon
Salman Khan and Disha Patani in Bharat song Slow Motion.YouTubeWe meet Disha Patani at a five-star hotel on Juhu Beach in Mumbai on a hot summer afternoon. Instantly, one is reminded of the first meeting with her, back then during the promotions of the biopic M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016), in which she starred as Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s first girlfriend. Now, in her denim jacket, tee and jeans from the brand she endorses, Disha Patani is still the same small-town girl, down-to-earth and calm, easy-going yet strong.There is one difference though. As she gets talking about Bharat, her first film with superstar Salman Khan, we notice that she has grown more confident and speaks her mind. She surely has come a long way. Having played good roles in her fairly new career, including in a film with Chinese superstar Jackie Chan (Kung Fu Yoga – 2017) and with Tiger Shroff (Baaghi 2 – 2018), Disha Patani plays a trapeze artist in Salman Khan’s Bharat.Excerpts from International Business Times, India’s chat with Disha Patani on Bharat, on her stunts and dancing skills, her forthcoming films, on her rumoured boyfriend – actor Tiger Shroff, and on acting with Salman Khan, and comparisons with Katrina Kaif. Disha Patani in Bharat.InstagramIBT: How did you get the film Bharat? What did you think of a chance to work with a big star like Salman Khan?Disha Patani: I got a call from Ali Sir (director Ali Abbas Zafar) who asked me if I’d be interested in doing the role. He showed me a few references of what he wanted to shoot and he told me about my character. I loved it and I said yes. My reaction to getting a chance to work with Salman Khan was an instant ‘yes’.How was it to shoot with Salman Khan?It was not intimidating. I was excited mostly. It was a good opportunity to work with Salman Khan and I don’t know if I’ll ever get it again. There is an age gap but the fact that he’s shown in the film in a younger age (the part where Disha appears) is very exciting. He’s such a nice person, very kind and very grounded. It was an experience to work with him in just my third film in Bollywood, and I learnt a lot. I’m very grateful.Your song with Salman Khan in Bharat, Slow Motion, is a hit with over 73 million views on YouTube. Were there any spontaneous changes in the dance steps?Always! Because you have to dance according to him (Salman). That’s how it is. You have to see what he is doing and go according to that. Because he has this charm. He makes everything his own and that’s what we call ‘Salman Khan dancing’ or ‘Salman Khan style’. So, you have to change the steps on the spot. Of course, there was the choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant and we had to follow her. She has really made the song beautiful.It feels really good that the Slow Motion song has done well. I am a huge fan of massy songs and item numbers. I’m a girl who has grown up on Bollywood songs. This is my first song that is messy, and it’s with Salman Sir. I’m very, very happy that people have accepted it. I have had to work really hard on my body to look good in the song. I also thank the stylist Ashley Rebello and Ali Sir for making me look good in the yellow saree.Your chemistry with Salman Khan is being compared with Katrina Kaif’s, who plays the lead in the film. Bharat – Salman Khan and Disha Patani kiss.YouTubeI don’t understand comparisons. Maybe the fans like the Slow Motion song… Ali Sir had told me that I have a special appearance in the film. Anyway, I was happy to be a part of a film with such a great cast – you have Katrina Ma’am, Salman Sir, Jackie Shroff, Tabu, Sunil Grover! It’s a great opportunity and I don’t feel any competition. We’re from the same industry and we should always help each other grow. It’s always great learning to work with these people.What was your training for playing a trapeze artist in Bharat?Actually, the reason Ali Sir called me for this role in Bharat was that he saw me on Instagram doing flips and all, and they needed a girl who could do all that. So, after saying yes to Bharat, I had to train properly for two months. That’s the time that I had before the shoot started. It was very vigorous.How scary was it to train for it? Tell us about your experience. Disha Patani in Bharat as a trapeze artist.InstagramIt was scary, because generally when you’re training for yourself, it’s not like you have to learn something in a day or a week. Then, you have a lot of time and you are not stressed. But here, I was really stressed. Because I’d said yes, oh yeah, I can do it – but I knew I had to really train for it. And I remember a week before the film began, I broke my knee. Because I was doing a front flip and I landed right but I did something that gave me a major jerk on my knees.The problem was that I was doing everything together – I was training in gymnastics under Nadeem Akhtar (front flip, backflip, salto, handspring), I was going to the gym, I was doing dance rehearsals for three-four hours every day. My body was going through a lot of pain and I think that was the point where my body broke.So, I was on bed rest for one week before I could start the Bharat shoot. Once the shoot began, I had to start shooting from the gymnastics part in the film, going towards the dance part. It was very tough and very painful. But we did it and now I feel it was all worth it.Was it difficult to get the circus lingo right?A little bit because that’s not how we usually speak. The people in a circus speak a little differently, they are more bindaas and straightforward. It was fun rather than challenging.How excited are you for Bharat and your first Eid release?I’m very excited. But I’ve been so occupied shooting for Malang (directed by Mohit Suri and co-starring Aditya Roy Kapur). I get one day off and I go to eat some good food. We’ve been shooting at night, so it’s from 6 pm to 6 am. I pack up in the morning and take two hours to come back home, and I can’t even sleep because my dogs are barking. (Laughs) So, my life has been like proper chaos and I’m not getting a chance to think about the release of Bharat! But I am happy and excited about everything about it. Salman Khan and Disha Patani in Bharat.InstagramIn your last few films, your character has died. We hope not this time…(Laughs) You have to find out. It’s a thing. I don’t wanna die in my films but people make me die. I hope I don’t die in Bharat.What was your experience shooting with Tiger Shroff’s dad Jackie Shroff in Bharat?Jackie Shroff is the busiest person on the planet. He’s one guy who has not taken a day off in his life, even at this age. I remember him shooting for Bharat. We used to pack up at 7 pm and start at 4 am. After the pack up, he’ll go for the dubbing of some animation film and dub until 4 in the morning, and then come directly on the sets of Bharat. He doesn’t sleep!What does Tiger Shroff have to say about Bharat? Did you like his film Student of the Year 2?He loved it. Tiger really liked my look in Bharat. Yes, I loved Student of the Year 2. I really like entertaining films. I don’t really like serious stuff because when you’re working and you get only one day and you’re watching a movie, you just wanna relax and be happy. I loved SOTY 2, the songs, everyone in the film.How has your journey been in the movies?It’s been very good. I am loving it. I remember all my films. With each actor, co-star and director, you learn something. You have to keep it and apply for the next film. I try to do that. Everyone has taught me something in life that I’ve been taking. That’s how life is – you keep improving and bettering yourself.Any plans of doing films in south India after your Telugu film? Or in Hollywood?Yes, my first film was in Telugu (Puri Jagannadh’s Loafer – 2015). I’d love to do more films down south and I have some offers. The language doesn’t matter. It’s about the story, and they are really professional and really good with their work. I really respect them for that. No, I’m not doing a film in Hollywood.What’s your normal day like?I wake up and go for either gymnastics or my MMA (mixed martial arts) class. Sometimes I dance in the morning before these classes. If I don’t have a meeting in the day, I come back home and have lunch. Then I go to the gym, then I dance and come back home and sleep. That’s distressing for me.Bharat releases on Eid, June 5, 2019. The film stars Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Disha Patani, Tabu, Jackie Shroff, Sunil Grover, Aasif Sheikh, Sonali Kulkarni and Nora Fatehi, among others.
.Two adolescent girls of the ethnic community Tripura have been raped allegedly by the members of Border Guard Bangladesh in Lama upazila of Bandarban, according to victims and locals.The victimised teenagers on Thursday filed a case with the Lama police station a day after the incident on Wednesday night.Lama police station officer-in-charge (OC) Appela Raju Naha said none has been arrested in connection with the incident.He also said necessary steps will be taken after an investigation into the incident.Meanwhile, the girls, the OC added, have been sent to Bandarban Sadar Hospital for a medical check-up.Locals said three armed members from the BGB’s Fasiakhali union camp went to the Tripura neighbourhood in the Lama upazila around 10:00pm on Wednesday.They called out two Tripura girls over phone to a nearby jungle where two of the BGB men raped the girls at gunpoint while other guarded them, the locals added.The victims alleged that the BGB men called them out over a phone through a certain aunt of the girls. The girls said when they refused to go with them, the aunt told them that it will create a problem.At first, the BGB members, according to the girls, offered them money. When they refused, the BGB men threatened and raped them at gunpoint.When the community people appeared to save them, the BGB men fled the spot, according to the case statement.Bandarban superintendent of police (SP) Zakir Hossain Majumdar said the girls were interrogated in presence of BGB officials, upazila nirbahi officer and police high-ups.“They have specifically filed complaints against three BGB men. We have registered the case upon their statements,” the SP added.Bimal Tripura, a witness of the incident, said, “When we came to know the incident, we began searching the girls. A BGB man stopped us. They finally fled the spot when community people appeared.”Lutfur Rahman, a businessman at Banfur Bazar, and a physician Ringku Das there said the BGB men are known to the locals. They used to discharge duties in the market area and buy kitchen items from the ethnic community and the market.BGB’s Naikhongchhari battalion commander lieutenant colonel Asaduzzaman said a team of BGB was on duty in the Banfur Bazar area. But, they were not supposed to go to the Tripura neighbourhood.“The names mentioned in the case statement do not match the names of BGB men deployed at the Banfur camp. We are investigating into the matter should any BGB members concealing their names went there.”The BGB official said it is very unfortunate if the incident really takes place.“We must condemn it if the incident is a fabricated one,” Asaduzzaman said.Fasiakhali union parishad chairman Zaker Hossain Majumdar said there is no doubt that an incident has taken place. However, everything will be cleared after the investigation, he added.
Map locating Sobane-Kou in Mali, where 95 people were killed during an attack overnight Sunday to Monday. Photo: AFPNearly 100 people were killed in a gruesome overnight attack on a village in central Mali, in the latest violence to strike the fragile region, officials said Monday.There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the massacre, targeting a village inhabited by the Dogon community, bore the hallmarks of tit-for-tat ethnic attacks that have claimed hundreds of lives.It came less than three weeks after nearly 160 members of the Fulani ethnic group were slaughtered by a group identified as Dogon.”Right now we have 95 dead civilians. The bodies are burned, we are continuing to look for others,” an official in Koundou district, where the village of Sobane-Kou is located, told AFP.The government, giving a provisional toll, said 95 people had been killed, 19 were missing, numerous farm animals had been slaughtered and homes had been torched.”Armed men, suspected to be terrorists, launched a murderous attack on this peaceful village,” it said in a statement.A Malian security source at the site of the massacre said “a Dogon village has been virtually wiped out.”The local official said the attackers came and “started shooting, pillaging and burning.”The village had about 300 inhabitants, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.An association of Dogon traditional hunters, called Dan Nan Ambassagou, deplored the “barbaric and vile” attack which it described as tantamount to genocide.A brutal cycle of violence in central Mali, an ethnic mosaic, began after a predominantly Fulani jihadist group led by preacher Amadou Koufa emerged in 2015.It started targeting the Bambara and Dogon ethnic groups, which in turn started to form “self-defence groups” of their own. The Fulani are primarily cattle breeders and traders, while the Bambara and Dogon are traditionally sedentary farmers.On 16 May, the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA) announced it had recorded “at least 488 deaths” in attacks on Fulanis in the central regions of Mopti and Segou since January 2018.In the bloodiest raid, about 160 Fulani villagers were slaughtered on 23 March at Ogossagou, near the border with Burkina Faso, by suspected Dogon hunters.According to MINUSMA, armed Fulanis had “caused 63 deaths” among civilians in the Mopti region, also since January 2018.”It’s a shock, a tragedy,” MINUSMA chief Mahamat Saleh Annadif said of the latest bloodletting, noting that it came at a time “when we are discussing the renewal of the (MINUSMA) mandate.”There are currently about 14,700 troops and police deployed in Mali, which ranks as the most dangerous UN mission, with 125 peacekeepers killed in attacks since deployment in 2013.Donor countries to MINUSMA are to to meet at the UN on Wednesday. A decision on renewing the force’s mandate is expected by 27 June.- UN warning -Speaking at the UN headquarters in New York, Annadif voiced regret that the Malian authorities had not been present enough in the area to prevent such violence.Just a week earlier, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had warned of a “high risk” of atrocities and called on the government to strengthen its response to extremist groups.”If these concerns are not addressed, there is a high risk of further escalation that could lead to the commission of atrocity crimes,” he wrote in a report to the UN Security Council.In Monday’s statement, the Malian government expressed its condolences and said “every measure will be taken to arrest and punish those responsible for this bloodshed.””Reinforcements are currently deployed in the sector and carrying out a wide-ranging search,” it said in a statement.MINUSMA was established after radical Islamist and Tuareg militias seized the north of the country in 2012.The insurgents were pushed back by French troops in 2013. A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups aimed at restoring stability.But the accord failed to stop jihadist violence, which then shifted to central Mali, inflaming ancient inter-ethnic hostility.Koufa in March 2017 joined the newly-formed Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), the leading jihadist alliance in the Sahel region, with links to Al-Qaeda. Its leader is Iyad Ag Ghaly.
Listen at WEAA Live Stream: http://amber.streamguys.com.4020/live.m3uIn Baltimore no city agency — except for the Department of Recreation and Parks — has been audited for at least 25 years. But, that will change in 2015 when five agencies; police, public works, transportation, finance, as well as recreation and parks will be audited and a preliminary meeting on that process is scheduled before the end of 2014. We’ll talk about fiscal transparency, spending and performance at City Hall with Baltimore City Councilman Carl Stokes and the AFRO‘s Roberto Alejandro. Plus, city officials including Police Commissioner Anthony Batts held a press conference yesterday discussing BCPD’s strategic plan. We’ll talk policing with Fox 45 investigative producer Stephen Janis, Taya Graham, contributor and co-editor of “You Can’t Stop Murder: Truths About Policing in Baltimore and Beyond;” and retired Baltimore City Homicide Lt. Steven Tabeling, co-author of “You Can’t Stop Murder: Truths About Policing in Baltimore and Beyond.” All coming up on AFRO First Edition with Sean Yoes.
Easter is just around the corner and one can relish exquisite dishes at the restaurants 1911 and La Baguette at The Imperial in the national Capital. As food plays a definitive role in shaping a community’s culture and tradition, Easter is one such festival where food can be discussed.The enthusiasts interested in relishing the delicacies can also cook these exquisite dishes with the help of the recipe given below. Easy to make, these buns are bound to tingle your senses. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’HOT CROSS BUNS 450 g plain white flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 55 g butter (diced) 1teaspoon easy-blend dried yeastFinely grated zest of 1 lemon25 g caster sugar85 g sultanas25 g chopped mixed peel1 large egg, lightely beaten250 ml warm milk85 g ready made short crust pastry55 g granulated sugarMETHOD: Grease 2 baking sheets and set aside. Sift the flour, salt and spices into a large bowl, and then rub in the butter. Stir in the yeast, lemon zest, caster sugar, sulatans and mixed peel. Make a well in the centre, and then add the egg and enough milk, mixing to form soft dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a round, then place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Knock back the dough on a lightly floured surface, and then divide it into 12 or 14 equal pieces. Knead each piece into a ball and place on the baking sheets. Flatten each ball slightly. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into narrow strips. Brush the buns with a little water and top each one with a pastry cross. Cover and leave to rise again for about 30 mins, or until doubled in size. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 190’c.bake the buns for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack. Meanwhile, make the glaze, place the granulated sugar in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons of water. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 2 minutes. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them twice with the sugar glaze. Leave to cool and serve warm or cold.
Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra were one of Hollywood’s most infamous couples. In an era of MGM contracts and secret love affairs, Gardner and Sinatra exploded into the gossip columns when they were spotted out for dinner together in 1950. They had been secretly dating for some months before this while Sinatra’s long-suffering wife Nancy was left at home caring for two children and a newborn baby.At the time of their first meeting, Gardner was married to Mickey Rooney, and she would go through a series of affairs and another marriage before the two met again.Young Ava Gardner. Pierre Tourigny CC by 2.0It seemed like nothing could stop the flame between Gardner and Sinatra. Before they had even met, Sinatra saw a photo of Gardner and told friends “I’m going to marry that woman.”During the years between their first meeting and the beginning of their affair, Ava had become a star in her own right. Capitalizing on her dramatic looks and femme fatale image, she was MGM’s hottest property, with a movie star love life to match.1953 publicity photo of GardnerAround the same time, Sinatra was on a downward turn — his fan’s interest was waning and his contract with MGM had been terminated. Sinatra didn’t seem to care. He told Gardner when their affair started in 1949 “All of my life, being a singer was the most important thing in the world, now you’re all I want.”Nancy finally granted Frank a divorce in 1951, and he married Gardner a few days later. The marriage did not calm the pair down, they were notorious for drinking, arguing and passionately making up, fuelled by Gardner’s paychecks and Sinatra’s frustration at being out of work.Sinatra in 1955Gardner was the breadwinner for their entire marriage which created an imbalance of power between the two. Sinatra was going through possibly his darkest period; there was no support, just Ava.Of this time, Gardner is quoted in Vanity Fair as saying “Frank was flat broke when we tied the knot. I don’t know where those stories came from that the Mafia was taking care of him. They should have been. But the…Family was nowhere to be seen when he needed them.”The rumors that Sinatra attempted suicide during their relationship are confirmed by Gardner, who has discussed at least three attempts in the seven years they were together.Getty ImagesThe first attempt was a trick to lure Gardner back to his hotel room after a drunken argument. As told by the Daily Mail, “There were two loud shots. Ava screamed and ran into his bedroom. Sinatra was lying on the floor with his eyes closed, a gun smoking in his hand. ‘Oh my God.’Ava threw herself on to Frank’s body and began to cry…. then his eyes opened. For a moment, the lovers just stared at one another. Then Ava noticed a gaping hole in his mattress — into which he’d fired the bullets.”Screenshot of Ava Gardner and Burt Lancaster from the trailer for the film The Killers.The second time, after yet another row, Sinatra tried using sleeping pills. His valet found him and called the doctor, who called Gardner, who rushed to his side. Gardner is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying of the incident “You can be sure he counted how many sleeping pills he took. I could have kicked the cr** out of him. Instead, I forgave him in about 25 seconds.”The third time Sinatra was drunk and high on pills when he turned on the gas hobs in his kitchen and fell asleep. Sinatra was saved by a friend who turned up just in time to save his life.Ava Gardner in Show Boat (1951)Gardner also confirms that she had two abortions during their marriage, feeling that their marriage was too rocky to provide a stable home life. By Gardner’s own account it was the second abortion that led to the final breakdown of their relationship. Gardner said at the time “I’m afraid there’s no coming back from this. What I’ve done is so monstrous.”It’s likely that Gardner had a hand in getting Sinatra the role in From Here to Eternity that would ultimately revive his career and earn him an Oscar. Pulling strings with her contacts in Hollywood she got him a screen test, and the rest is history. He repaid her by cheating on her, and she repaid him in kind.Read another story from us: A Love Story with a Hollywood Ending: Paul Newman and Joanne WoodwardTheir marriage was over by 1957, but they never stopped loving each other. According to the Daily Mail, Gardner called Sinatra the love of her life, and when she died of emphysema in 1990, Sinatra reportedly wept uncontrollably as was overheard saying “I should have been there for her.” Friends of Sinatra said that Frank, throughout his life and all his loves, never quite got over Ava.
Video Player is loading.Sudhen Desai explains how deep learning might assist pediatric imagingPlay VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 8:21Loaded: 1.95%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -8:21 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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Feature | Digital Radiography (DR) | July 19, 2019 | By Greg Freiherr DR Advances Promote Imaging of Whole Spine Recent advances in… read more Blog | Greg Freiherr, Industry Consultant | May 08, 2013 An Emerging Trend — Patient Satisfaction Video Player is loading.Cynthia McCollough discusses bridging diversity gaps in medical physicsPlay VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 6:05Loaded: 2.67%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -6:05 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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Videos | AAPM | July 23, 2019 VIDEO: Bridging Diversity in Medical Physics to Improve Patient Care Cynthia McColl… read more The top piece of content in July was a video interview explaining how Princess Margaret Cancer Center is using machine learning to create automated treatment plans. This was a hot topic at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) 2019 meeting in July. Video Player is loading.Cynthia McCollough explains new advances in CT technologyPlay VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 13:56Loaded: 1.17%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -13:56 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. 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Videos | Cardiac Imaging | July 30, 2019 VIDEO: The History of CT Calcium Scoring Arthur Agatston, M.D., clinical pro read more FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrint分享 Advances in long-length digital radiography are creating opportunities for visualization during spinal surgery, as well as pre- and post-operatively. Image courtesy of Fujifilm Medical Systems Saving lives is no longer enough. Patients need to be satisfied. You might thank the recession for that.Since the downturn, retailers have been treating customers like … people. Stores from Walmart to Menards walk customers with questions to their answers. The folks at Festival Foods smile good morning, good afternoon and good evening to passing shoppers. It’s as if they actually want customers to be there. Now, medical centers, hospitals and clinics are catching on.At the Cleveland Clinic and its nine other hospitals and 16 satellite clinics and emergency departments, janitors are opening doors for patients and their families. Radiologic techs hand patients flowcharts detailing what to expect during their exams. “You’re having a nuclear medicine HIDA or gastric scan today!” proclaims one. Videos posted on the clinic’s intranet offer a “you are there” introduction.It’s all part of the Cleveland Clinic Experience Employee Engagement, which has as its mantra “we’re all caregivers.” And the Cleveland Clinic is not alone. Among the others are the University of Utah Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Illinois, and the Medical Center of South Arkansas.Transformational is not too strong a word to describe it.Medicine has too long been seen as a healing machine, increasingly technologized and ever more dehumanized. A growing emphases on data collection and processing has distracted caregivers from their purpose for being there. Today’s patients are getting fed up. They are coming to expect courteous, friendly service from grocery, department and hardware stores. Why not healthcare providers?The fact that patients want more should not come as a surprise to anyone. Their appetite for personalized care has been whetted by commercials designed to sell drugs and medical services. They have been enabled by information networked to their PCs, smartphones and iPads.Increasingly it is becoming clear that to succeed — really succeed — medical centers, hospitals and clinics are going to have to make these patients happy. The RSNA certainly believes so. Witness the “Patient First” campaign at last year’s annual meeting. (http://www.itnonline.com/article/rsna-wags-its-finger-put-patients-first)Putting patients first sounds great. And institutions are working at it. But how do you know it’s working? Hospitals are not hotels. It’s not a good idea to ask the end stage cancer patient whether “your experience has met with your expectations.” But there are ways to gauge patient satisfaction.The Cleveland Clinic Imaging Institute thanks patients with a card at registration, asking them to “let us know” (with a phone call) if any aspect of your experience “was less than very good”. Negative calls are stratified by complaint; for example, long wait times, lack of compassion, scheduling problems and poor instructions. But, interestingly, very few calls are negative. Given the opportunity to sound off, patients tend to voice their satisfaction. Of the 871 calls received from Dec. 1, 2011 through Jan. 8, 2013, nearly four of every five were positive, according to the Cleveland Clinic Imaging Institute.Making patients’ experiences as pleasant as possible seems the smart thing to do. Intuitively, it seems reasonable that happy patients are likely to choose the same healthcare provider in the future, just as they would likely encourage friends and family to do the same. And this is just the most obvious.Stories of clinics and hospitals that cater to patients would be a welcome relief from the all-too-common negativity that surrounds healthcare today. It would seem also an opportunity for institutions that put in the extra effort to nurture the financial benefits of a happy customer base. Videos | Artificial Intelligence | July 03, 2019 VIDEO: Artificial Intelligence May Assist in Pediatric Imaging Sudhen Desai, M.D., FSIR, read more A 3-D printed model (left) and a model constructed in augmented reality (right), both of a kidney with a tumor. In both models, the kidney is clear; the tumor is visible in purple on the AR model and in white on the 3-D printed model. Photo courtesy of Nicole Wake, Ph.D.
Feature | August 05, 2019 | Dave Fornell, Editor Most Popular Radiology and Radiotherapy Topics in July 2019 August 5, 2019 — Here is the list of the most popular content on the Imaging Technology New (ITN) magazine website fr read more Greg Freiherr, Industry Consultant Greg Freiherr has reported on developments in radiology since 1983. He runs the consulting service, The Freiherr Group. Body language expert Traci Brown spoke at the AHRA 2019 meeting on how to identify when a person is not being honest by their body language. She said medical imaging department administrators can use this knowledge to help in hiring decisions and managing staff. Feature | Radiology Business | July 23, 2019 | Greg Freiherr Liars in Radiology Beware! Can you tell when someone is lying? read more Videos | Computed Tomography (CT) | July 30, 2019 VIDEO: New Advances in CT Imaging Technology Cynthia McColl… read more Related Content Arthur Agatston explains the history of CT calcium scoring Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 9:54Loaded: 1.67%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -9:54 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio Trackdefault, selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Demand for ultrasound scans at U.S. outpatient centers could grow by double digits over the next five years, according to a speaker at AHRA 2019. A variety of factors, however, could cause projections for this and other modalities to change. Graphic courtesy of Pixabay Feature | Radiology Imaging | July 29, 2019 | By Greg Freiherr Imaging Market in U.S. Could Rise In Coming Years The coming years may be good for the medical imaging community in the United States. But they will not be easy. read more News | Radiology Imaging | July 22, 2019 AHRA and Canon Medical Systems Support the 12th Annual Putting Patients First Program For the past twelve years, Canon Medical Systems USA, Inc. has partnered with read more Feature | Advanced Visualization | July 02, 2019 | By Jeff Zagoudis Augmented Reality Versus 3-D Printing for Radiology Three-dimensional (3-D) printing and… read more
Last week, Julia 1.1.0 was released with some new features, performance improvements, and small changes in behavior. The following is a list of some of the changes in this new version of Julia: Better exception handling and root cause analysis is now possible due to the exception stack maintained on each task. This can be accessed using the experimental function Base.catch_stack. Binary ~ can now be dotted, as in x .~ y. Previously, parser inputs ending with a comma were sometimes parsed as tuples depending on whitespace. Now, they are consistently treated as incomplete. Spaces in broadcast call syntax, e.g. f. (x). are now disallowed. Using the same name for both a local variable and a static parameter is an error instead of a warning. When a script that runs in interactive mode (-i) throws an error, the REPL now starts after the error is displayed. This is a change to the REPL that previously only started if the script completed without error. 7zip has been upgraded from version 16.04 to 18.05, OpenBLAS has been upgraded from 0.3.2 to 0.3.3. Busybox is no longer bundled with Julia on Windows. Support for LLVM dropped and LLVM has been upgraded to 6.0.1 Pkg upgraded to version 1.1. one(i::CartesianIndex) should be replaced with oneunit(i::CartesianIndex) The internal array Base.Grisu.DIGITS stands deprecated; to get an appropriate task-local buffer and pass it to grisu(), use Base.Grisu.getbuf(). Base._default_type(T) has been removed. Calls to it should be replaced with just the argument T. You can head over to GitHub for a complete list of the changes in Julia v1.1. Read Next Julia for machine learning. Will the new language pick up pace?Introducing Jupytext: Jupyter notebooks as Markdown documents, Julia, Python or R scriptsKata Containers 1.5 released with Firecracker support, integration improvements and IBM Z series support
Of course I’m not the first to try a Facebook detox. Books have been written about it, whole families have gone cold turkey overnight, and much of America has gone off the idea of the world’s biggest social media platform almost entirely. But I’ve never tried even the shortest of breaks. In fact, after Gmail, Facebook is usually the first thing I check in the morning, and not only to see who might have messaged over night…My sister lives in Alaska, so about the time I’m waking up, she’s posting her news of the day. Her world is very different from mine, and I like starting my day with a touch of the unreal: ice fishing on the lake, warnings of bears on the prowl, videos of Cessna flights to Valdez. About an hour later, my Cotswold-based mother comes online (she’s an early riser) and I get the village updates: who’s turned 80, the latest yarnbomb project, petitions against world domination by Tesco. In between, I’m scrolling through my friendship groups (other than relations, these divide roughly into the Colleagues, the Do-gooders, and the Entertainers – if you’ve made the cut, you know where you fall!), occasionally sharing or liking a particularly witty post. Work aside, I don’t actually engage that much. But what I do like is knowing what’s going on: that fear of missing out is borne of being a) a nosy journalist and b) an insecure introvert. So goodness knows what a week sans Facebook is going to do to my career and my self-esteem!The funny thing is, I never thought of Facebook as my preferred platform. I have social media accounts on Instagram, YouTube, Behance, Reddit, Tumblr and Google+, but always considered myself a LinkedIn career girl through and through, a Pinterest crafter in my spare time and an occasional tweeter. Then I decided to monitor my social media usage (smartphones store these details) and discovered Facebook was, to me, what bananas are to monkeys. I was posting, sharing and liking A LOT more than I realised. Even when I deducted the work-related stuff, I was still actively using Facebook for over 30 minutes each day.So I bit the bullet, Vibered my family to let them know I wasn’t about to drop off the face of the earth, took a last, fond look at as many cat videos as I could find (special thanks to all the teachers in my network!) and then quietly disappeared…TUESDAYIt took most of Monday to organise the trial separation. I use Facebook to source articles, quotes and interviews, to stay in contact with interviewees and to exchange documents and images. So everything had to be done at the start of the week. But by Tuesday, I was ready to go.I went to sleep the night before feeling strangely relieved – but on booting up this morning, I was stumped. The emails were answered, I had my work for the day prepared and I was ready for the usual – a shot of Facebook. For a few seconds I was at a loss. But I girded my online loins and hit the BBC instead: I might not know exactly how many grizzlies are currently on the loose in Alaska but, my goodness, there’s a lot else going on in the world! The problem is that I then wanted to share this. I resort to Google+ and LinkedIn.WEDNESDAYThis is the day my Mail articles go online, and I always look forward to seeing who has posted, shared and commented. Sadly, I may never know – my Facebook feed moves so fast, they’ll be completely lost in the rubbish tip of technology by next week. It’s an issue I share with others in the trade. Radio host Maria uses “Facebook to advertise the show”, while fellow author Lorna says the platform, “generates interest and builds sales of my books!” I also found find a fascinating piece on ‘5 tips for Facebook success for dentists’ (“Thursday is your best friend in the health and beauty industry”!), and an article on ‘Making Facebook work for your accounting firm’. So it seems every it’s not just those of us in the media who rely on the social giant for work.One friend in the educational sector reveals she intentionally blocks the site when “there’s too much work on: it’s a huge distraction. If I’m in the middle of a project, I just quit for weeks at a time. Nobody ever notices I’ve been gone; I’m not sure how to take that!” For me, it’s only been two days. But I haven’t had a single email or call asking me why I’m not on Facebook. Are we all so wrapped up in who HAS liked our posts that we don’t notice who HASN’T?THURSDAYI seem to be spending an increased amount of time on other social media platforms. In my down-time, I’m watching much more YouTube and have upped my tweeting levels. But then I discover that Facebook owns 77 per cent of mobile traffic, including Instagram and WhatsApp (am I cheating by insta-sharing a picture from today’s interview, I wonder?). The social media giant has even launched a collaborative platform, Facebook Workplace –used by companies such as Starbucks, booking.com and the WWF – which connects all their employees. But then other organisations ban the use of Facebook completely, although this is increasingly rare. Back in 2009, a study revealed that 54 per cent of US businesses had prohibited social media usage within work hours. In the subsequent eight years, the stats have gone quiet… perhaps our bosses have realised its benefits?It seems it’s not only companies that put the kibosh on social media; governments like to dictate our cat-pic-sharing capabilities too! Thailand has recently been in the new over a proposed Facebook ban, while – at one time or another – Turkey, China, Iran, North Korea and Pakistan have all banned the platform… This Facebook detox doesn’t half teach you new things!FRIDAYAfter cheating early in the day to retrieve some image files for a freelance piece (it was an emergency job; emailing is too slow, honest!) I go for a drink with a couple of friends. And I start counting. In the space of an hour, both have checked Facebook – one posted a snap of her wine the instant it was poured. I enforce a phone-ban. It doesn’t go down well.There are simply so many things we use Facebook for that it’s difficult to live without. Cyprus is the most Facebook-saturated country in Europe, with 97 per cent of account-holders regularly online. A Boston University study entitled Why do people use Facebook? proposes the social network meets two primary human needs: the need to belong and the need for self-presentation. Recent psychological research suggests that frequent Facebook users “exhibit high levels of neuroticism and narcissism”. Both of which were evident on my night out. You don’t notice these traits when you’re buried in your own phone. Look up, and you’ll notice the self-doubt selfie Still Rules OK.SATURDAYAlthough I’m still tempted every morning, it seems easier to ignore Facebook at the weekend. Possibly because there’s less traffic: the biggest spike in Facebook usage is on Wednesday afternoons, while Saturdays and Sundays are the least popular days of the week. This makes me a feel a little bit less left out: if other people are out living their lives, I should be too!Okay, I love being at home. I’m an introvert and, according to a study published in the Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, that means greater Facebook usage. As in life, extroverts may be more active on Facebook, but introverts actually use the social network for far longer periods of time; it’s a communal safe haven for those of us more sensitive to the bangs and clangs of real life. Or to anyone who’s going through a challenging period…“My hormones were already difficult in the first months of my pregnancy, and I couldn’t face any more posts of people and animals in pain. So I took a break for a couple of months and it was a huge relief,” says one of the mums in my network.Even my mother weighed in with a few words of wisdom: “Obviously there was no Facebook when I was expecting, but I did have strange reactions to baby animals on TV and had to rush out of the room! There must be a connection between modern technology and pregnancy…”Luckily, I have no intention of being with child; my already fraught emotional state couldn’t handle that sort of hit!SUNDAYWe’re off to the beach! Where you’d think there’d be fewer opportunities for Facebooking. Not true! CytaNet has set up Wireless Zone Hotspots all over the island; there are literally hundreds, according to the network provider, in “cafes, restaurants, hotels, stadiums, conference centres, clinics, marinas, squares and other public spaces which are partners in our wireless network.” Okay, both of us have 4G on our phones, so we’re never really disconnected from the ether, but it’s a bit disconcerting to see so MUCH phone usage from the tourists on the beach.And anyway, I’m a real child of the sea, so if there’s one thing that trumps my desire to know what’s happening in the online world, it’s the chance to get in a spot of sunbathing, swimming and snorkelling. Once we’re done with that, we take out our books and indulge in a good old beach read. I do take a few snaps to post to Instagram later on, but other than that Sunday is a total tune-out, and it’s wonderful. I’m starting to get the hang of this!MONDAYI’m almost done with my week sans Facebook, and NOT ONE PERSON has mentioned it! “I can leave my account for three weeks at a time, and nobody realises!” says one ex-colleague. But one avid poster in my network tried the same thing for double that time: “I lasted seven weeks and people DID notice. Lol!”I’m assuaging my ego by maintaining that most of my Facebook usage is for work, so friends won’t necessarily clock my absence. Though a few have commented on my increased engagement in real life: it seems I’ve been far better about returning phone calls and meeting up than per usual. I gather there have been quite a few announcements I’ve missed, but in that I deplore the use of the platform for hard news (seriously? Check the source; it was written by some man in a pub after one over the eight!) the majority of what I’ve skipped is probably a cascade of cat vids and kid pics.Emotionally speaking, I think a Facebook detox might be a good thing. I’ve found I’m less angry: although I tend to delete those who soapbox, each day does see a fair few opinions which put my back up. Probably, the most tempting attribute is the need to feel connected. As a work-from-home freelancer, sometimes my only interactions are via social media, and Facebook is a big part of that.It has been hard. I have cheated a couple of times (though only for work, promise!) and I’m not sure I could do it again. But at the end of the day, Facebook is an indulgence rather than a necessity. Nobody misses you when you’re gone and I reckon, if I’d lasted another seven days, I wouldn’t have missed them either… I’m not sure how much I’m looking forward to logging back on tomorrow, but I know it will be fun to catch up. 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