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9 best image optimization software for PC – Windows Report

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

For various PC problems, we recommend to use this tool.

This tool will repair most computer errors, protect you from file loss, malware, hardware failure and optimize your PC for maximum performance. Quickly fix PC issues and prevent others from happening with this software:

Image optimization is essential for both professional and home use. This is especially important if youre an online publisher or blogger. Most of the websites (focus on social networks) have limitations for image size. So, you have to optimize photos in order to use them online.

In addition, the large image files that you add from your gallery will increase website page size and thus, largely increase loading time. And we certainly dont want that. Because the common visitor wants that page to load in a blink. On the other hand, we neither want to trade so much of the image quality for improving the site speed. So, compromising between size and quality is the only viable option.

In that manner, weve prepared some fast, online and offline tools for image compression and optimization. All of them are free to use.

Compressor.io is a great online image/photo compressing tool. It lets you choose between two compressing modes: Lossless or Lossy. Lossless will optimize the size of your photos, while maintaining the image quality at the same. Lossy will compress the photo more but will reduce its quality. Lossless mode supports only JPEG and PNG formats, while Lossy works out with the following 4 formats:

The Compressor is simple to use. You select a preferredoptimizing mode, upload your image and it gets automatically optimized. A nice addition is a split screen preview that lets you see the exact difference in transition. A tool supports only one file per compression up to 10 MBs of size.

You can find Compressor.io here.

JPEG Optimizer is a simple and reliable online tool for both compressing and resizing images. It kind of lacks the advanced features, but it gets the basic job done. Furthermore, the files can be compressed from 1 up to 99 percent, but have in mind that photos will lose a lot of original quality.

The procedure is simple:

Optimizilla is a well-designed online tool for image optimizing. The interface is great and easy to use. It supports only 2 file formats: JPEG and PNG, but since these are the most common formats, you shouldnt have any major problems. Even though some other solutions support more formats, most of them dont have the drag-and-drop option. To optimize your photo using this tool, do as follows:

You can try out Optimizilla here.

Kraken.io utilizessimilarfeatures as most of other optimization tools. But it goes one step further. It has a premium version called KrakenPro. In addition, it supports cloud store input.

Same as Optimizilla, you can drag and drop files in the marked area. However, a free version is limited to 1 MB per file so this may be a deal-breaker for some users. In addition, there is no image preview on the site. Nonetheless, there are Lossy and Lossless compression modes and Expert mode for advanced tweaks. To optimize your photo with Kraken.io, do as follows:

You can try out Kraken.io here.

Resize Photos trades interface simplicity for an abundance of options. Yes, you can just select simple optimization and resize the selected image. But there is much more you can do. For start, you can modify output format. Once the photo is uploaded, there is a variation of difference features. Some of them are shadows, effects, and captions. It supports only one file per conversion which can be JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, or PSD format, respectively.

To optimize your photo/image with Resize Photos, follow the instructions:

You can try optimizing with Resize Photos here.

Convert Image is a simple, but quite useful online compression tool. Its distinctive feature are multiple input-output files choices, with most of them unavailable with other online solutions. You can compress only one photo per conversion up to 24 MB. A tool offers tips about compression levels and preview image. That way youll get full insight in the image export quality. Though, switching between the output format is somehow complicated and confusing.

To compress photos/images with Convert Image, do as follows:

You can try Convert Image here.

TinyPNG is one of the simplest online optimization solutions that offers great compression without quality loss. It merely decreases the number of colors in the image without reducing its quality. However, you cant tweak anything compared to some other available solutions.

It supports only 2 main formats: JPEG and PNG. Per conversion, you can compress up to 20 files with 5 MB as a single file limit. After the conversion, the file-bundle is downloaded as a ZIP archive. Additionally, it offers premium service and WordPress and Photoshop plugins for a modest price. Finished photos can be directly downloaded or transferred to a Dropbox. To optimize photos/images with TinyPNG, do as follows:

To compress your photos using TinyPNG, go here.

We now move onto the free third-party applications. Youll need to download and install those, but theyll reward you with improved features and basic editing possibilities.

The first tool we are presenting you with is RIOT (Radical Image Optimization Tool). RIOT is, as its name speaks for itself, an image optimization tool with various features. The interface is intuitive and user-friendly, so even newbies will find it easy to use. The most noteworthy difference comparing to online tools are formats. RIOT supports all basic image/photo formats with the addition of PSD, RAW, HDR, and even a few unusual scientific formats.

Besides compression, you can use RIOT as a full optimization tool for all the operations needed (cropping, rotating, adjusting brightness or gamma). On the other hand, we are here for the automatic optimization feature. It works fast and your photos will be as good as they were before the size reduction. The automatic preview will let you see all the changes, with both dual or single view. Additionally, multiple compressions can be done parallelly, and you can choose the output size threshold. RIOT also comes as a plugin for GIMP, IrfanView or XnView.

If you are keen to move from browser to desktop, you can find RIOT,here.

File Optimizer is an all-around open source application. Its a file compression tool that can be used as an image optimizer. Dont let its multipurpose fool you: this application is agreat option for optimizing your images. And quite a simple one. The interface is simple, one may say a bit old-fashioned, but intuitive and well-designed. Youll fast get used to it. It supports 275 file formats, and is a leader in that category.

Optimizing photos, like the all other files, is fast and easy. You drag wanted images in the files grid, and simply select those you want to optimize. After that, just right-click the Optimize All Files option. Have in mind that the original files are moved to the Recycle Bin, in case you need them. Optimization mode is strictly lossless so the quality is unchanged. After the compression, the PNG files are shrunk almost to the half of the original size. The JPEG and GIF files compression stand around 15-20 percent of size decrease. Even RIOT is behind in that category.

In conclusion, you have a compressing tool to that can shrink most of the files youll ever use. This can prove worthy if you want to unite all compressing functions in one application.

You can get File Optimizer for free here.

No matter what option you choose, optimizing your photos for online implementation is imperative. On the other hand, images you upload must maintain a certain quality and be a valid addition to your site. So, trying to balance between those two is the key.

What is your favorite image/photo optimization tool? Tell us your impressions and experience in the comments section.

Appealing Social Security Decisions Online – Danbury News Times

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

Was your Social Security claim denied by the Social Security Administration (SSA)? It is your right to appeal the decision, and now you have an even easier method of doing so. As of December 10, 2016, the SSA allows you to file an appeal online for both medical and non-medical issues to dispute adverse actions or denials of a claim. (Non-medical appeals cover issues such as disputes over Medicare premium rates and cases of overpayment.)

The online appeals process extends to recipients living outside the US. Prior to the online process, appeal options were limited and often impractical for those in other countries.

The SSA online appeal site walks you through the appeal process in a user-friendly fashion. The initial menu allows you to choose between medical decisions or non-medical decisions, as well as allowing you to resume a medical appeal that you had already started.

Before you begin the online appeal process, make sure that you have the necessary supporting documents (forms, medical reports, written statements, and legal documents) to process your appeal. Further information on required documents may be found on the SSA website.

Generally, supporting documents may be uploaded through the website, so make sure you have all of your documents in a suitable electronic form for uploading. However, SSA only accepts original or certified copies of some documents; those will need to be mailed into the SSA (or brought into the SSA office if you prefer but in that case why bother with an online appeal?).

SSA estimates that medical appeals should take from 40 to 60 minutes assuming a suitable Internet connection. Non-medical appeals should take less time, approximately 25 minutes.

The online site for non-medical appeals saves answers automatically as you proceed through the process, but you cannot exit the application and come back to complete it later. The medical appeal site also saves answers automatically, but it does allow you to take a break and return to an appeal that has been saved in progress.

The SSA will contact you if there are any questions or updates regarding your appeal. If you have a personal appointed representative for your SSA claim, make sure that his or her contact information is also included with your submitted information.

You can check the status of your appeal from the submissions page at any time. A simple click of a button will direct you to My Social Security, where you can log in to your personal page (or create one if you do not already have one established).

Keep in mind that the same time limits apply to online submissions as they do to other methods. Generally, you have sixty days from the date of receipt of the letter that informs you about the decision. The SSA assumes that you received the letter within five days of the date on the letter. If you received it later than five days beyond the letter date, keep that limitation in mind.

For any other questions regarding the general appeal process, refer to the Social Security Publication "Your Right To Question The Decision Made On Your Claim".

You still have the traditional options of appealing by phone or in person at your nearest Social Security Administration office, if you prefer. We hope you don't have to dispute a Social Security claim at all, but if you do, at least you have choices on the method to use.

Read our article on what you need to get the Social Security benefits you deserve to learn more about the four levels of appeal and the supporting documents you need to submit for your case to be re-evaluated.

Let the free MoneyTips Retirement Planner help you calculate when you can retire without jeopardizing your lifestyle.

Photo iStockphoto.com/shapecharge

Appealing Social Security Decisions Online - Danbury News Times

Hands on: D-Link Apple HomeKit Omna security camera – The Sydney Morning Herald

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

The first security camera to tie into Apple's smart home ecosystem, D-Link's Omna 180 Cam HD makes it easy to keep an eye on things while you're out and about.

The modern smart home isn't just about the ability to control your appliances from afar, it's also about letting your devices talk to each other and start making smart decisions on your behalf. This requires pledging your allegiance to a smart home ecosystem, to ensure your devices can interact and you're not constantly switching between apps and services to get things done.

Making that pledge is difficult when there are so many smart home ecosystems vying for control of your home, from Google Home and Amazon Alexa to Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings and Belkin WeMo. Some ecosystems aim to be as device and platform agnostic as possible but, not surprisingly, Apple HomeKit is a non-starter unless you're an iCentric home.

She'll be apples

D-Link's $329.95 Omna 180 Cam HD requires an iGadget running iOS 10.1 to set up the camera, plus you'll need an iPad or Apple TV 4th generation lying around your home to act as a central gateway if you want to access the camera when you're away from home.

An iPad isn't the most reliable of choices for a central gateway you might not want to leave your iPad at home and, even if you do, who's to say that someone else in your home won't take it with them as they walk out the door. Alternatively your iPad might run flat while sitting home alone on the coffee table.

To be absolutely sure that your HomeKit camera will always be contactable remotely you'll want to invest in a $239 Apple TV 4th gen for your lounge room an older Apple TV won't do the job. This makes HomeKit an expensive proposition but, to be fair, it might not be a deal-breaker because if you're running an iCentric home then you probably already own the latest version of Apple's little streaming set-top box.

Get up and running

Assuming you own the right Apple gadgets, the Omna 180 Cam HD is quite easy to set up. You simply download D-Link's Onma app, grant it permission to access HomeKit data and then use the "Add Accessory" button to connect the app to the D-Link camera. This works by simply pointing your iGadget's camera at the code printed on the back of the camera, similar to the way you can scan the code on an iTunes gift card.

If you've never used HomeKit before you'll also need to grant Apple's Home app access to your iCloud account, at which point it should automatically find the Apple TV 4th gen in your lounge room and configure remote access. You can also give the camera a name and link it to a specific room in a specific house, to make it easyto manage all your devices.

Room with a view

After this quick set-up process you can easily call up the camera's live view of your lounge room via Apple's Home app or D-Link's Omna app. If your home is full of HomeKit-compatible gear then Apple's Home app is going to act as your central command centre, but D-Link's Omna app lets you tap into the camera's advanced features and configuration menus.

You can't control where the camera points, nor can you zoom in on objects, but the fisheye lens offers a 180-degree horizontal view which lets you see the entire room when the camera is up against a wall or sitting in a corner. Meanwhile the lens offers roughly a 90-degree vertical view, so you can see most of the floor and ceiling.

The tiny cylindrical camera stands about as tall as an iPhone 7 androughly two-thirds as wide. Unfortunately the camera doesn't support wall-mounting, instead it's designed to sit on a shelf or tabletop which might not suit every room. Also keep in mind that the camera needs AC power, with a 3-metre AC to micro-USB cable in the box.

Once you've found the right location to place the camera, it offers an 1080p widescreen view of the room with minimal distortion despite the fisheye lens. The picture looks excellent; the colours are a little cool, giving whites the slightest of blue tinges, but the picture is very sharp and there's minimal lag even when viewing from an iPhone over mobile broadband. Obviously you're at the mercy of your home broadband upload speeds.

The camera lens is optimised for indoor, low-light performance ensuring that you can always see plenty of detail in the room, even if there are brightly-lit windows in the background (the trade-off is that the view out of the window can be lost in a haze of white on a sunny day). It's also an infrared camera with a 5-metre range, so you can see what's happening even if it's pitch black in the room.

Strike up a conversation

While watching the live video feed you can listen to what's happening in the room or turn on your microphone to hold a two-way conversation with someone at home.

While this would let you negotiate with burglars ransacking your house, the two-way audio feature is more likely to be used to talk to loved ones while you're away from home.

You might use the camera to keep an eye on your children after school, or perhaps to monitor strangers you've welcomed into your home such as cleaners or tradespeople although you might become frustrated at the fact you can't easily mount the camera inconspicuously out of sight, hard-wired into the AC power.

At this point the camera becomes less about burglardetection and more about family safety/surveillance, which presents a whole lot of privacy implications that you'll need to discuss with everyone who lives in the house.

Keep a watchful eye

If you're concerned about uninvited guests you can set Apple's Home app to alert you to movement in the room, plus the motion detector can trigger other smarthome events.

D-Link's Omna app splits the camera's view of the room into a 4x4 grid and lets you nominate which areas to monitor. You can also adjust the overall sensitivity, to reduce false positives such as pets walking across the floor or objects moving outside the window. At its default 90% sensitivity, the camera will usually detect a shoe-sized object thrown across the room which passes through a single area on the grid.

When something moves you're immediately notified via a pop-up alert on your iPhone which takes you directly to a live feed in Apple's Home app. You can set the motion retrigger delay to between 30 seconds and five minutes, to ensure you're not constantly notified of the same ongoing event. Bumping the sensitivity up to 100% is unwise as it causes the motion detector to constantly trip even when nothing moves.

Switching to D-Link's Omna app offers a 20-second instant video replay, starting just before the incident, but to take advantage of this you need to slip a microSD card into the camera. It's not designed to keep hours of security footage, just to capture the highlights.

Unfortunately the camera doesn't automatically upload these video clips to the cloud, so if burglars make off with your camera you've also lost your video evidence. The upside of this is that you don't need to pay for a cloud subscription service, but it's a shame that can't tie it into existing cloud storage services like iCloud, Google Drive or Dropbox.

Unfortunately the camera is not smart enough to only send you pop-up notifications when you're away from home, or only during certain times of day, which could have made it a set and forget security device. In this department Apple drops the ball compared to some of the more mature and robust smart home ecosystems.

So what's the verdict?

D-Link's Omna 180 Cam HD has a lot to offer, with impressive picture quality and the ability to quickly alert you when something moves at home while you're out on the road. From a security perspective, its lack of cloud upload features is an Achilles Heel which some users might not be able to overlook.

Merits of the camera aside, it really comes down to whether you're prepared to pledge your allegiance to Apple's HomeKit smart home ecosystem. If you own iEverything then D-Link's Omna 180 Cam HD is a good fit, otherwise you should weigh it up against the competition before taking the plunge.

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Hands on: D-Link Apple HomeKit Omna security camera - The Sydney Morning Herald

Homeless Find a Champion in Canada’s Medicine Hat – The New … – New York Times

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

New York Times

Homeless Find a Champion in Canada's Medicine Hat - The New ...
New York Times
A small town leads the charge on a strategy embraced across Canada allowing homeless people begin to address their other challenges only after they have ...

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Homeless Find a Champion in Canada's Medicine Hat - The New ... - New York Times

Medicine in the 4th Industrial Revolution: the third entity of the new doctor-patient relationship – The European Sting

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

(IFMSA, 2017)

This article was exclusively written for theStingbyMr ErickDupont.The writeris and a 3rd year medical student from UFPEL, a federal university from southern Brazil. He is alsoaffiliated tothe International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA). However, the opinions expressed in this piece belongstrictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSAs view on the topic, nor The European Stings one.

Since its beginning with Hippocrates in Greece, despite its evolutions and breakthroughs, the practice of medicine has always consisted in the relation between both patient and physician.

This once told basis of healthcare is being rewritten by a process called the 4th industry revolution, a term crafted in Germany in 2013 to describe a group of scientific innovations in the field of technology that are already revolutionizing our known world (1). Fortunately, or not, the area of medicine is not being spared.

Differently from the previous industry revolutions, where the man dominated the physical forces of nature, the 4th revolution takes place on the digital field. Among other characteristics, the artificial intelligence is one of the most impressive promises of the revolution. Thats justified by the immensely bigger capability of computer to process data when compared to humans.

Some even dare to say that the future of medicine remains on data processing, and not on the development of new surgeries or medications (2). With this tool at hand, the famous Dr. Google could become a reality, bringing diagnosis to a simple touch of a button. However, this new horizon is not bright for everyone.

Most must think that if a computer is able to process tons of data per second, access the latest information available and dont have the memory bias that human doctors have, the days of sitting in a M.D. waiting room are counted. But thats not quite right, remaining hope for those who still want to heal people.

All this future seems so promising, but for it become true, theres a big path yet to be trod. Devices that can remotely monitor and create continuous reports of blood pressure and sugar levels are already among us, but even with the cheapening of the technology, is not yet feasible to substitute the human labor for technological devices.

Besides all the changes that this revolution may bring to the medical market, is beyond discussion that its breakthroughs will benefit the way we deal with health. The possibilities are limitless: mapping every patients DNA in order to develop specific medications and also discover genetic diseases; 3D printing personalized prosthesis and even use the Internet of Things to receive constant, instead of transversal, data from patients devices are just some of them (3).

The key to a smooth transition into a reality where these gadgets take place is not to compete with them, but to see them as useful and indispensable tools.

As this is an already in motion process, neither health professionals nor students can stay idle. Adaptation is going to be needed, and learn how to use and when to use the new options are duties for all the ones in the health field.

Knowing the basics of informatics is the minimum that can be done in this technology revolution, and if all that is promised become real, new tools wont only be a differential for those physicians that seek them, but will need to be included on a remodeled grade of the medicine course.

References

About the author

Erick Dupont is a 19 years old man and a 3rd year medical student from UFPEL, a federal university from southern Brazil. He has already been involved in volunteering projects of International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA) and now is local exchange officer from IFMSAs Exchange Program. Currently awaiting his first IFMSAs exchange, to take place in Germany in February 2017.

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Medicine in the 4th Industrial Revolution: the third entity of the new doctor-patient relationship - The European Sting

Dr. David Katz: Preventive Medicine: The fasting and the furious – New Haven Register

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

I have yet to see any installments of the long-running Fast and Furious movie franchise, although my son and I recently agreed we probably should. There is, however, a much longer franchise that Ive been watching closely throughout my career: the fad and folly franchise, devoted not to fast cars, but fast weight loss and promises of high-octane health, achieved magically and without effort.

There is a new one on the marquee at the moment. I put new in quotes for two good reasons. First, we have known there is no truly new thing under the sun since Ecclesiastes. Second, that is more true of weight loss than anything else. Standard operating procedure in the weight loss space is to wait out the 20-minute attention span of our culture, and then re-peddle repackaged leftovers as new.

Given that, the new item here is fasting. Fasting, of course, is the furthest thing from new. When actual scholars write about the Paleo diet, the intermittent cycles of feast and famine that figure in the catch-as-catch-can diets of hunter/foragers get prominent mention. Intermittent fasting has almost certainly, almost always been part of the human dietary experience for want of choice.

Eventually, of course, it did evolve into choices such as those made by most major religions to impose times of fasting. Whether this was about public health, crowd control, spiritual concentration, or strategic rationing, I defer to historians, sociologists, and theologians. We may simply acknowledge that among the many non-new things under the sun, fasting is notable.

But there is a new study about it, and that has engendered a constellation of media attention, in which my own recent interviews have figured. The study assigned a group of overweight people to either their usual diet, or fasting five days per month for three months. Those who fasted lost weight.

What is being touted as new is improvement in an array of metabolic markers, spanning lipids, glucose, and measures of inflammation, in the fasting group. The study authors suggest this is a benefit of fasting, and the media have seemed fairly inclined to eat it up. If you are sensing I dont buy it, you are correct.

Short-term weight loss among those with an excess of body fat improves metabolic markers temporarily at least no matter how its achieved. Cholera works. So does cocaine. That does not make either of these a good idea.

Playing to the popular palate, coverage of the fasting trial implies something uniquely, even magically beneficial about fasting. But as I see it, all weve got is this: eating some of the time leads to weight loss relative to eating all of the time. Weight loss, in turn, produces short-term improvement in all of the biomarkers that weight loss always improves, whatever good or bad, sustainable or fleeting thing is causing the weight loss. Fasting has not been shown to have anything that cabbage soup, or grapefruit didnt have before.

Is intermittent fasting a good idea? I think I can be. If the fasting is suitably intermittent, sustained over time, and combined with sensible eating the rest of the time it can be beneficial. That said, if it does temporarily and then stopped; or associated with eating poorly on bingeing on the other days I think it can just as readily be harmful. Its certainly no panacea.

Of course, when fasting is being peddled to us, we are unlikely to get any such provisos. The Fast Diet, for instance, makes all the customary promises. The assertions that invariably accompany diet claims always make me think of Bertrand Russell: The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. I think Bert should included swindlers on his list, but otherwise pretty much nailed it.

Until or unless my son and I indulge in that movie marathon weve discussed, I wont really know where those guys are going fast, or why they are furious. I do know, however, that public health nutrition has been going nowhere fast for decades, spinning our wheels instead in the repetition of folly. I do know that we should all be furious about a culture propagating obesity and chronic disease for profit with willfully addictive junk food.

And alas, I also know that misplaced hope will likely triumph over experience yet again, and the public will line up to buy tickets to the latest installment of fast-weight-loss-meets-false promises, never noticing that fools, fanatics or swindlers are in the drivers seat just about every time.

Dr. David L. Katz;www.davidkatzmd.com; founder, True Health Initiative

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Dr. David Katz: Preventive Medicine: The fasting and the furious - New Haven Register

Donkeys hides smuggled from SA to China for medicine – News24

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

Cape Town - A Johannesburg businessman was arrested last week after falsely declaring a shipment of 300 donkey hides at OR Tambo airport. Investigators suspect that the man, a Chinese national, is the leader of a local donkey smuggling ring.

Gelatin from donkey hides is used to manufacture a traditional Chinese medicine called ejiao. Prescribed for treating anaemia, sleeplessness and excessive menstrual bleeding, among other ailments, ejiao sells for up to R5 000 per kg. (Though clinical evidence for these treatments is lacking, a small peer-reviewed study suggests ejiao may be effective for treating anaemia.)

Surging demand and a shortage of donkeys in China have led, in the last few years, to the unprecedented emergence of a global donkey market, with reports of large-scale trade across Africa. According to Grace de Lange from the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) Farm Animal Protection Unit, donkey prices in South Africa have increased more than fourfold in the last two years.

The trade, though not technically illegal, is poorly regulated, and has drawn condemnation from welfare groups following reports of donkeys being slaughtered inhumanely. Donkeys are the latest victims of the trade in animal parts for medicinal purposes to the Far East, wrote the NSPCA in a statement last September, when news of the trade first broke.

South Africas Animal Protection Act forbids cruelty towards animals. According to Mpho Mokoena, an inspector in the NSPCAs Farm Animal Protection Unit, large numbers of donkeys have been slaughtered using knives and hammers in rural parts of Limpopo, the Northern Cape, and North West Province.

Its extremely upsetting to see the remains, Mokoena said.

In an incident last October SPCA officials intercepted a flatbed truck carrying 41 crushed, dead or dying donkeys in Limpopo. Four foreign African men were sentenced to eight months in jail.

The confiscation at O.R. Tambo took place on February 15 after customs officials noticed a foul smell emanating from 39 boxes labelled cladding. The boxes were destined for Hong Kong.

Four days later police raided a farm in Randfontein, confiscating more than 1 000 skins. The premises had been rented by the same man whose fraudulent shipment was blocked. (Police have not yet released the mans name, which is known to GroundUp, and did not respond to questions in time for publication.)

Government is starting to take the illegal skins issue seriously, said Ashley Ness from the Highveld Horse Care Unit (HHCU), a welfare nonprofit that has been monitoring the trade. Hopefully this will lead to more arrests.

Spike in donkey hide demand

Separately, the North West Department of Rural, Environmental and Agricultural Development (READ) announced on Tuesday that it was embarking on a formal donkey production program, investing in farms and equine abattoirs for meeting Chinese demand. Provincial representatives signed a memorandum of understanding with China last year.

The spike in donkey hide demand around the world means that donkeys and donkey products are an agricultural commodity and will contribute to [growth] in the province, the department wrote in a statement. The Department strongly condemns illegal trade of [donkey] hides and meat.

But Ness, from the HHCU, feared that these initiatives would lead to further animal abuse. Whos going to monitor the facilities? Theres a risk that this will cause more welfare issues.

The HCCU launched a petition the same day calling for an end to all donkey slaughter in South Africa. By Friday afternoon it had drawn nearly 500 signatures.

Gumtree South Africa announced on Friday that is was prohibiting all sales of donkeys and donkey skins on its platform. We decided that extreme measures would be necessary to prevent further unsavoury practises, spokesperson Claire Cobbledick said.

24.com encourages commentary submitted via MyNews24. Contributions of 200 words or more will be considered for publication.

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Donkeys hides smuggled from SA to China for medicine - News24

Doctors urged to avoid ‘over-treating’ – BBC News

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

BBC News

Doctors urged to avoid 'over-treating'
BBC News
And she names her plan "realistic medicine" in her new annual report. Dr Calderwood said she came up with the concept in response to research that found that doctors would make different choices for themselves and their families than they do for their ...

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Doctors urged to avoid 'over-treating' - BBC News

Idaho’s Medical School: Training the next generation of Idaho doctors – Idaho Statesman

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

Idaho Statesman

Idaho's Medical School: Training the next generation of Idaho doctors
Idaho Statesman
As many doctors reach retirement age, and as our population grows and ages, medical care providers will be in higher demand. Thanks to Idaho's Medical School, an innovative, 45-year partnership between the state of Idaho, the University of Washington ...

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Idaho's Medical School: Training the next generation of Idaho doctors - Idaho Statesman

UNLV med school may help erase Nevada’s ‘shocking’ shortage of female doctors – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

With five months remaining until the new UNLV School of Medicine officially welcomes its first class, the university has offered admission to 40 prospective students half of them women.

That shouldnt come as a surprise, given that women make up nearly half of Nevadas population. But its an anomaly in a state that ranks near the bottom nationally in terms of physician gender diversity.

Women make up only about 27 percent of the physician workforce statewide, well below the national average of 34 percent and a far cry from the national leader in doctor parity, Washington, D.C., where 46 percent of active licensed physicians are female, according to Kaiser Health News.

I think its shocking, UNLV School of Medicine Dean Barbara Atkinson said of the states current physician gender imbalance.

And there is more at stake than equal opportunity.

Atkinson said that female patients often prefer to be seen by doctors of the same gender, especially when it comes to obstetrics and gynecological services.

A study published in December in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine also found that female doctors may be more successful on average than their male counterparts at treating patients in the hospital and keeping them healthy long-term.

IMBALANCE IN ADMISSIONS

The even split of early admission offers by the UNLV medical school represents the quality of female would-be students, even though just 40 percent of applicants for the coming school year were women, about 7 percent below the national average, Atkinson said.

Men also outnumbered women applicants last year at both established medical schools in the state Touro University Nevada in Henderson and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine by 14 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

Dr. Jennifer Baynosa, a University Medical Center general surgeon specializing in treating breast cancer, said medical schools can help boost those figures by improving outreach, especially among girls in high school and early college, and by creating cultures that encourage women to aim high.

She applauded UNLV and UNR for trying to ensure diversity, as she recalled being discouraged from pursuing a surgery specialty during medical school at the University of Southern California in the early 2000s. She said some staff told her the challenge of a career as a surgeon could be too great.

Things that kept coming up were the fact that Im female, that if I wanted children it might not be the best career path, said Baynosa, 40, who is married to a fellow doctor and has two young daughters.

Baynosa, who also is program director of the UNR medical schools general surgery residency in Las Vegas, said having more women in teaching roles is important to help young women wrestling with similar questions.

You have to have female mentors. I think its really important that we have female faculty, female physicians doing the outreach and showing you can have a family, she said.

A GREAT CAREER FOR WOMEN

Atkinson, the UNLV School of Medicine dean, said the fact that women are flourishing in other health care jobs, including as physician assistants, in Nevada suggests that some women still see becoming a doctor as too arduous or too demanding, especially if they want to have families.

She said the new medical school could help address that misperception with programs to encourage female physicians.

Its a great career for women, and there are ways to get help with all kinds of things like child care, she said.

Despite the challenges, Atkinson and others highlight how much progress has been made by women over the last few decades.

Dr. Eliza Chin, executive director of the American Medical Womens Association, said its important to realize that nearly half of medical students in the United States are now women.

She acknowledged that increased enrollment hasnt erased the female doctor deficit as quickly as it could have. The reason for it isnt exactly clear, she said, adding, somewhere theres a leaky pipeline.

Dr. Kate Martin, a family medicine physician and director of UNRs family residency program at the Las Vegas campus, said she thinks todays gender imbalance is a reflection of previous decades when women made up a smaller proportion of medical students.

Martin, who graduated from medical school in 2006, recalled that she also was discouraged, including by some women, when she talked about becoming a doctor in high school. But by the time she entered college, she said, she encountered mentors to help her.

This is a generational thing, she said. It takes time to make change. I see this process as working.

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UNLV med school may help erase Nevada's 'shocking' shortage of female doctors - Las Vegas Review-Journal

University of Minnesota encourages medical school path – TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

Ten incoming college freshmen will be chosen to participate in a seven-year program that guarantees acceptance into the University of Minnesota medical school.

School leaders started the new program to ensure that students work as physicians in the state after graduation, the Minnesota Daily reported.

A panel from the universitys liberal arts college and medical school conducted interviews with 20 applicants last week and are in the selection process.

Minnesota high school students who have been accepted in the liberal arts college and express an interest in medical careers are invited to apply after being reviewed for experience in leadership and medicine. Grades are also a factor.

Students in the program must declare undergraduate majors in biology, physiology or society and environment.

Our review team is looking for medically related experience, said Taisha Mikell, the medical schools director of pipeline programs, a program to help accelerate degree progress. We want to make sure that they are mature, because this is going to be an early and long-term commitment to the field of medicine.

The programs goals are to invest in future physicians earlier in their education and to create a diverse workforce, said Dimple Patel, the medical schools associate dean for admissions.

We want our students to be culturally aware, professional, she said. We want them to have a rigorous education that allows for creativity.

Patel said she hopes the program will encourage students to stay in the states workforce. The students will receive mentorship, exposure and encouragement to continue in the program.

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University of Minnesota encourages medical school path - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

Back after a century, for-profit medical schools could make impact – Science Daily

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

Back after a century, for-profit medical schools could make impact
Science Daily
"It's not so much that we're in favor of it," said Dr. Phil Gruppuso, professor of pediatrics in the Warren Alpert Medical School and former associate dean for medical education. "We are merely documenting that it's happening. We hope that it can make ...

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Back after a century, for-profit medical schools could make impact - Science Daily

Spencer Long: From Medical School to Center for the Washington Redskins – Riggo’s Rag

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

Dec 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Redskins center Spencer Long (61) in action during the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Redskins defeat the Bears 41-21. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmy Garoppolo Could Be A Fit With Washington Redskins If Kirk Cousins Leaves by Jacob Camenker

Spencer Long followed in his dads footsteps when he walked on at Nebraska. It was fully expected that when he graduated from Nebraska he would follow in his dads footsteps once again and become a doctor.

Dr. Doug Long is a successful neurosurgeon in Omaha, Nebraska who played one year of football for Tom Osborn at the University of Nebraska as a walk on. Long and his twin brother, Jake, both turned down scholarships to the University of Nebraska Omaha in order to walk on at the University of Nebraska. For Spencer, a funny thing happened on the way to medical school.

According to Randy Yorks N-Sider, Long, while playing at Nebraska, when asked about his future plans said:

I have an awful lot of work yet to do before I see how it all plays out. I just want to make a positive influence on society. I want to be the best man I can and help out my neighbors. I want to have fun at the same time Im having a positive impact on peoples lives.

How it has all played out since then is that Spencer Long is the starting center for the Redskins.

When Kory Lichensteiger went down the Redskins called on Long to take over for him. Longs 3.79 GPA in Biological Sciences (Pre-Med) comes in handy when reading defenses and making line calls. His work ethic makes him a valuable member of the Redsins locker room.

According to Randy Yorks N-Sider, one of their Nebraska teammates said of the Long twins:

Theyre competitive. They care, and they have great work ethic. Football means a lot to them, and thats probably the biggest reason why they play.

With Long at center it can surely be said that each play begins with the ball in good hands. His strong work ethic and steady demeanor will make him a potential building block on the teams strong offensive line as they move forward.

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Spencer Long: From Medical School to Center for the Washington Redskins - Riggo's Rag

K-State Grinds Out 4-3 Win Over Liberty Sunday – K-StateSports.com

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

GAME RECAP NR LIBERTY FLAMES 4-3 (0-0 Big South) NR K-STATE WILDCATS 6-2 (0-0 Big 12) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LIB 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 8 2 KST 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 X 4 6 2

W: Rigler (1-0) L: Bertsch (0-1) S: Floyd (4)

LEXINGTON, S.C. The Kansas State baseball team continued its best start to a season since 2011 with a 4-3 comeback victory over Liberty Sunday at Lexington County Stadium.

K-State (6-2) scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 3-2 and held on for its second straight come-from-behind win against Liberty (4-3). The Wildcats 6-2 start to the season is its best since the 2011 season when K-State started 11-2.

Again, another tough win by our guys, said head coach Brad Hill. Coming into the season, we stressed the importance of winning one-run games. Those are games that can turn an average season into a really good season. They arent easy to win, but so far weve been on the right side of it.

K-State is 4-0 in 2017 in games decided by one run, already eclipsing last seasons win total of three. By comparison, the Cats were just 3-10 in one-run games in 2016.

Both teams were able to get a run across in the opening inning. Liberty got three singles off K-State starting pitcher Parker Rigler and the Wildcats leveled the score with an RBI single by Jake Scudder in the home half.

After the first, Rigler surrendered just one hit and, at one point, retired seven straight Flame batters, but LU managed to push across the go-ahead run in the fourth inning by way of a bases-loaded walk. The senior lefty threw five innings and gave up two earned runs while striking out four in earning his first win of the season.

Headed into the fifth, Liberty starting pitcher Jackson Bertsch had set down 10 straight Wildcat batters but senior third baseman Quintin Crandall led off the inning with a walk. Following a single by junior Hanz Harker and freshman Will Brennan being hit by a pitch, the Cats had the bases loaded and nobody out.

Freshman leadoff hitter Cameron Thompson reached on a fielders choice that scored Crandall to tie the game at two. A second hit batsman of the inning loaded the bases for a second time and Harker scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Bertsch.

Sophomore catcher Josh Rolette singled home Scudder in the sixth to increase the Wildcat lead to 4-2.

In relief of Rigler, freshman Kasey Ford and senior Nick Jones held Liberty scoreless over a combined 2 1/3 innings to get the ball to closer Jordan Floyd in the eighth.

The senior left-hander converted a five-out save for his fourth save in four opportunities this season.

Hitting in the cleanup spot, Scudder finished the day 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored.

Crandall went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run, extending his on-base streak to 15 games, dating back to 2016, and is the only Wildcat to hit safely in all eight K-State games this season.

K-State will open its home schedule Friday, March 3 with the first of three games vs. Eastern Illinois. First pitch for the home opener is slated for 3 p.m., and will be broadcast worldwide on K-StateHD.TV. Fans can listen to Matt Walters (play-by-play) and Blair DeBord (analyst) call all three games with EIU on KMAN 1350 AM, 93.3 FM and streaming free online at k-statesports.com.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

K-State scored four runs on eight hits and committed two errors and left six runners on base. Liberty scored three runs on eight hits and committed two errors while stranding 11 baserunners.

Liberty left 11 men on base for the second straight game vs. K-State.

The win was Riglers fifth career victory.

Scudder was the only Wildcat to record multiple hits on the day, his second multi-hit game of the weekend. He now leads the team with three doubles.

K-State hitters struck out a season-high 10 times.

K-State pitchers held LU to just 2-for-14 (.143) with runners in scoring position

On the season, K-State relievers have inherited 22 runners and have only allowed two to score (9%)

Thompson went 1-for-4 with an RBI and stole his second base of the season. The freshman leads the team with a .371 average.

NOTES

K-State now leads the all-time series with Liberty, 3-0.

Crandall and Rolette have each reached base safely in all eight K-State games this season.

Crandall extended his on-base streak to 15 games, dating back to last season, and is the only Wildcat to hit safely in each game this season.

Entering Sunday, K-State led the Big 12 with a team ERA of 2.29.

K-State is 4-0 in one-run games this season and were 3-10 in games decided by one run in 2016.

The Wildcats have outscored opponents 8-2 in the first inning this season. Their eight first-inning runs are second-most in any single inning (12 in the sixth).

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K-State Grinds Out 4-3 Win Over Liberty Sunday - K-StateSports.com

UNC Asheville downs Liberty to gain share of title – Asheville Citizen-Times

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

MIKE GORE, CITIZEN-TIMES CORRESPONDENT Published 5:46 p.m. ET Feb. 25, 2017 | Updated 7:00 p.m. ET Feb. 25, 2017

The Bulldogs bench reacts after Ahmad Thomas scores a slam dunk Saturday afternoon against Liberty. Thomas poured in a career-high 31 points to help UNC Asheville win the game before a frenzied crowd of nearly 3,000.(Photo: Maddy Jones/mjones@citizen-times.com)Buy Photo

Ahmad Thomas made sure UNC Asheville got at least a share of a championship on Saturday.

The junior forward scored a career-high 31 points to lead the Bulldogs to a hard-fought 63-45 victory over Liberty before a frenzied crowd of 2,929 at Kimmel Arena.

The win propelled Asheville (23-5, 15-3) to at least a share of the Big South Conference regular-season championship. Now the Bulldogs must wait on the outcome of the Winthrop-Presbyterian College and High Point-Gardner Webb games and then perhaps a tiebreaker procedure to play out that may not determine the top seed until the next RPI figures are released. The latest RPI figures will come out Sunday morning. The top seed will host at least the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Big South Tournament starting on Thursday.

The RPI is a ratings percentage index that uses several factors to rate Division I mens college basketball teams. It is used by the NCAA Tournament Committee to help select and seed teams for the tourney. The lower the number, the better the ranking. Asheville entered Saturdays action at 74, with Winthrop right behind them at 75.

UNC Ashevilles Ahmad Thomas takes a shot during Saturday afternoons game against Liberty at the Kimmel Arena. Thomas, a junior forward, scored a career-high 31 points to help the Bulldogs defeat Liberty 63-45.(Photo: Maddy Jones/mjones@citizen-times.com)

Bulldog coach Nick McDevitt was fine with the RPI being used to determine whether Asheville or Winthrop hosts the Big South Tournament.

Its different but what are you doing to do, stated McDevitt. I mean Winthrop and Asheville are tied and when you look at all the different tie-breakers were still tied. You have to have something to break the tie and an RPI isnt a bad way to do it. Its better than a coin flip or point differential. Hopefully, our tough non-conference schedule will reward us but well see.

A teams non-conference schedule is one of the factors that goes into an RPI.

Asheville entered the day tied with Liberty and Winthrop for first place at 15-3. The win by the Bulldogs was their first share of a regular-season title since 2012.

For the Bulldogs to worry about their RPI, they first had to beat Liberty. The Flames led by seven midway through the first half and led 26-25 at halftime. Liberty forward Myo Baxter-Bell dominated Asheville inside with 14 points.

We didnt do a good job on Bell in the first half and Libertys defense stymied us, said McDevitt. They double-teamed us whenever the ball went into the post and we werent moving very well. We did a much better job in the second half in both areas.

Thomas simply took over the game in the second half. The Big South Player of the Year Candidate scored 23 points in the second stanza, including a four-of-four effort from beyond the arc. He also had an emphatic dunk that gave the Bulldogs a 44-40 lead with eight minutes left. The junior forward hit three of his treys in the final four minutes to allow Asheville to sprint away from the Flames (19-12, 14-4).

We made some tweaks at halftime both on offense and defense, stated Thomas afterwards. And our coaches did a good job of finding places for me to get the ball and get good looks. We just got tougher in the second half.

The Bulldogs out-rebounded Liberty 36-26 and allowed the visitors to have only one offensive rebound in the second half. Asheville outscored the Flames, 38-19 in the second half. The 45 points allowed was a season-low for a Bulldog opponent.

Ahmad was incredible today. He was special and just put on an amazing performance, added McDevitt.

David Robertson drives to the basket Saturday afternoon during the Big South regular season championship game against Liberty at the Kimmel Arena. UNC Asheville defeated Liberty 63-45.(Photo: Maddy Jones/mjones@citizen-times.com)

Macio Teauge bounds towards the basket Saturday afternoon against Liberty during the Big South regular season championship game at the Kimmel Arena. UNC Asheville defeated Liberty 63-45.(Photo: Maddy Jones/mjones@citizen-times.com)

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UNC Asheville downs Liberty to gain share of title - Asheville Citizen-Times

Liberty and Prosperity group raises funds for small government message – Press of Atlantic City

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

ATLANTIC CITY The second floor of the Irish Pub, decorated like an elaborate Victorian parlor, was packed with members of the nonprofit Liberty and Prosperity group Sunday for its annual fundraiser.

This is a little nicer than were used to, joked the groups Executive Director Seth Grossman. Were a bunch of deplorable people, referring to the words used by Hillary Clinton to describe Donald Trump supporters.

Free bumper stickers were stacked around food tables, saying No Toll Hikes! and Repudiate NJs Unconstitutional Debt!

The group is named for the states official motto, Liberty and Prosperity, Grossman said to the gathering of about 70 people.

It is an educational nonprofit, several attendees explained, dedicated to founding principles in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

The Constitution is the basic foundation. Cut that anchor and we are adrift and lose our identity, said Len Grossman, of Atlantic City, a physician who has no relation to Seth. The further away you get the less liberty people in the country will have.

He said the group educates about the nations founding principles and advocates for Legislatures to make laws, not judges.

Carlene Abbott, of Egg Harbor Township, said she has been a member for several years and its important to her for the government to control its borders and improve the economic situation so people can get jobs.

Were in economic dire straits here now, she said of the Atlantic City region. Im more than thrilled that Trump has been elected, and Im giving him all the space to prove what he is going to do. At this point its wait and see.

Len Grossman and his wife Dora said they find Atlantic City government spending unsustainable, but they dont think the state takeover is the answer because there is a lack of accountability. The state is not being transparent about what it is doing and how much money it is spending, they said.

Republican candidate for governor Jack Ciattarelli, the assemblyman representing parts of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset counties, was the guest speaker.

When asked about the state takeover of Atlantic City, he said he would have preferred the city go through a bankruptcy proceeding.

Im an MBA and a CPA, he said. A municipal bankruptcy would be in everybodys best interest because it removes all politics.

The room erupted in applause.

Conservatism means government should only do what the people cannot do for themselves, Ciattarelli said.

Government is trying to do too many things, he said. Were on the verge of collapse in the country and this state (because of it).

His five-point plan for improving the state includes reforming three things: school funding to solve the property tax crisis, public employee benefits to restore fiscal responsibility, and state tax laws to spark economic growth. It also includes making government smaller and improving bipartisan communication, he said.

People think after eight years of Gov. Chris Christie Republicans cant win, but this year is different, he said.

The Chicago Cubs are the world champs and Donald Trump is president, said Ciattarelli. Throw out conventional wisdom.

It was the Washington-Lincoln fund raiser, which Liberty and Prosperity hopes will fund its $18,000 annual budget.

The group spends about $1,500 per month to fund its activities, it said. In addition to this one February event, it raises money through membership dues of $30 per year.

LibertyAndProsperity.org said it maintains two websites, a Facebook page, and sends email updates that reach roughly 15,000 people in New Jersey each week.

It also has breakfast discussions every Saturday at a local diner and sends speakers to high schools, colleges and civic groups throughout the state.

Every September it co-sponsors a ceremony to remember Somers Point hero Richard Somers, who died in Tripoli in the First Barbary War.

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Liberty and Prosperity group raises funds for small government message - Press of Atlantic City

‘Moonlight’ casts a glow on Liberty City that will shine long after Oscars – Miami Herald

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

Miami Herald

'Moonlight' casts a glow on Liberty City that will shine long after Oscars
Miami Herald
Sunday night, Moonlight is poised to make Oscar history by becoming the first made-in-Miami movie to win Best Picture. Barry Jenkins could become the first African-American filmmaker to win Best Director. Joi McMillon could become the first black ...

and more »

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'Moonlight' casts a glow on Liberty City that will shine long after Oscars - Miami Herald

Craigmont outlasts Liberty in Region 8-AA quarterfinal – Jackson Sun

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

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Liberty eliminated by Craigmont in a Region 8-AA quarterfinal on Saturday.

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Kevin Odom, USA TODAY NETWORK -- Tennessee Published 9:55 p.m. CT Feb. 25, 2017 | Updated 10:13 p.m. CT Feb. 25, 2017

Liberty Tech fell to Craigmont in the Region 8-AA quarter-final Saturday.(Photo: KENNETH CUMMINGS/The Jackson Sun)Buy Photo

Liberty finished the first half on a big scoring run to take a 14-point lead into halftime and looked to be rolling on to the next round of Region 8-AA tournament play.

Unfortunately for the Crusaders the Craigmont Chiefs were not ready to go home without a fight. Craigmont fought back to a 63-61 victory to eliminate the Crusaders.

In the third quarter Craigmont outscored the Crusaders by 10 points to pull within two points going into the fourth.Branden Bailey scored nine points in the third quarter after not scoring a point in the first half.

Using an aggressive full court press, the Chiefs forced several Liberty turnovers that led to easy baskets.

We worked on breaking the press all week in practice, but we just continued to put ourselves in bad situations against it tonight, said Liberty coach Terrell Green. We kept picking up our dribble in the corner and made some bad passes by jumping in the air.

Craigmonts Bailey scored with 2:06 left in the game to give the Chiefs their first lead, 53-52, since early in the game.

Libertys DJ Bonds scored 10 seconds later later to put Liberty back in front for the last time 54-53.

Craigmont then went on a 6-0 run to take a five-point lead and held on for the victory.

Noel Blachard led the Chiefs in scoring with 18 points, and Bailey finished with 13.Mason Bates led them in rebounds with 10 and blocks with three.

Libertys Bonds and MartaviousMoore led the Crusader effort with 21 points each. Elijah Harris pulled down 12 rebounds and had two blocks.

The loss brings Libertys season to end with a record of 15-11.

Craigmont will play in the Region 8-AA semifinals on Tuesday.

If I were to sum the season up in one word it would be unpredictable. That is what we were this season, Green said. The players know I am disappointed, but they also know that I love them and know they are young and make mistakes typical of young men.

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Craigmont outlasts Liberty in Region 8-AA quarterfinal - Jackson Sun

Youngstown news, I-80 speed cam to remain off-limits for Liberty … – Youngstown Vindicator

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

Published: Sun, February 26, 2017 @ 12:05 a.m.

By Sarah Lehr

slehr@vindy.com

LIBERTY

Township officials had hoped that new Ohio legislation would allow Liberty officers to expand speed camera enforcement to Interstate 80 within the township.

Under a law that will take effect April 6, however, I-80 will remain off limits.

The township debuted a handheld speed camera last summer in partnership with Optotraffic of Landham, Md. The private company provides the camera, mails citations and collects 35 percent of fine revenue.

Township officials have said civil citations from the camera will discourage speeding and improve safety. Additionally, the townships 65-percent share of fine revenue will benefit the general and police funds, which are running deficits.

From implementation in August 2016 to the start of December 2016, the township raised more than $40,000 from the camera, said police Chief Richard Tisone.

Liberty police have been focusing their camera use on state Route 11, state Route 304, state Route 193 and a Shady Road school zone.

Law Director Mark Finamore has advised the police department it cannot use the camera on I-80.

Finamore cited Ohio law restricting police serving small townships from enforcing traffic violations on national and interstate highways.

That distinction will change some April 6 when Ohio House Bill 378 takes effect. That new law will expand the authority of officers serving townships with populations under 50,000 people. Those officers will be able to make traffic arrests on national highways that are not part of the interstate system,

An earlier version of the bill would have allowed officers from small townships to make traffic arrests on interstate highways as well.

If that provision had passed, Liberty would have started using its camera on I-80, Tisone said.

Lawmakers, however, rescinded the interstate provision at the request of the Buckeye Sheriffs Association.

Bob Cornwell, Buckeye Sheriffs Association executive director, described the final version of the bill as an acceptable compromise. Cornwell said the association objected to the earlier draft because of concern township officers could place themselves in legal jeopardy if those officers ended up tailing a suspect in and out of township boundaries while attempting to pull someone over.

The representatives who sponsored HB 378 said it would enable township officers to use the highway system toward curtailing offenses such as drunken driving and human trafficking.

Hubbard Township briefly operated its own speed camera on I-80 before pulling the program due to concerns about its legality. Finamore is the law director for both townships.

Weathersfield Law Director Cherry Poteet, however, takes a different view. Weathersfield police officers have been operating a speed camera since December 2015, and officers do use the camera on I-80 within township limits.

Poteet said her interpretation derived from the definition of an arrest, as established by Ohio law. A citation from the camera does not count as a traffic arrest, she said.

Because of a 2014 Ohio law that effectively prohibited unmanned traffic cameras, speed cameras such as those used in Liberty and Weathersfield must be operated by a uniformed officer. That officer, however, has discretion about whether to pull over a suspected speeder.

After being nabbed by the camera, a driver will receive a civil citation in the mail. The driver can appeal the fine before a hearing administrator.

The cities of Youngstown and Girard also have been operating speed cameras, including on I-80. Under Ohio law, cities generally have more authority than townships.

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Youngstown news, I-80 speed cam to remain off-limits for Liberty ... - Youngstown Vindicator

NCS soccer: Liberty, Livermore girls roll to championships – The Mercury News

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Danzig

DUBLIN Liberty High overcame an early 1-0 deficit to capture its second North Coast Section title in three seasons with a 3-2 victory over Carondelet in Saturdays NCS Division I championship game.

The Lions (20-1-1) had multiple chances to even the score in the first half, including a free kick from Delanie Sheehan that bounced off the left side of the post, but they were unable to capitalize.

While the first half belonged to the Cougars, the Lions came roaring back in the second.

Liberty came out of the half on fire with a barrage of goals. The Lions scored three goals in the first five minutes. Devyn Gilfoy was involved in all three, scoring two and assisting Sheehan on the third.

It was kind of a silent message at halftime where we all looked at each other and said Alright, its time to turn it on, Gilfoy said. We got a little worked up after giving up the first goal but our coaches assured us and kept saying Its gonna come. Its gonna come. That really helped us out.

Liberty coach Tony Martins said Gilfoy and the rest of the seniors, who have been a part of four straight Bay Valley Athletic League championship teams, were a calming influence on the younger players.

Our team showed a lot of character coming out in the second half like that, Martins said. Our seniors took it upon themselves. It was a great team effort.

NCS Division II Livermore 2, Northgate 1

Livermore defeated Northgate in a championship game that featured a wild finish.

With Livermore ahead 1-0 in the final four minutes, Northgates Colette Cardinale fired a shot past goalkeeper Ashley Morton for the equalizer.

Two minutes later, Livermores Makenzie Farro sealed the victory with the game-winner from inside the penalty area.

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