text stringlengths 160 608k | id stringlengths 47 47 | dump stringclasses 2 values | url stringlengths 13 2.97k | file_path stringlengths 125 140 | language stringclasses 1 value | language_score float64 0.65 1 | token_count int64 48 145k | score float64 1.5 5 | int_score int64 2 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christopher McKnight Nichols: The Limits of American Power -- A Historical PerspectiveRoundup: Historians' Take
tags: Foreign Affairs, foreign policy, United States, power, Christopher McKnight Nichols
Christopher McKnight Nichols is a professor at Oregon State University and a Senior Editor for the Oxford Encyclopedia of American Military and Diplomatic History. View the Melbourne launch of the Encyclopedia, or attend the American Military and Diplomatic History conference at Oregon State University on 7 May 2013.
Just when, where, why, and how should American power be used? Current assumptions about the near omnipresence -- though far from omnipotence -- of US power, its influence and its reach are now shaky. Yet these same assumptions coexist alongside widely shared views that such power could and should be used. Perspectives on the application of U.S. power are hotly contested -- ranging from the advocacy of using force and providing “lethal aid” to revolutionaries in Syria, to the idea of strategic (née preemptive) bombing of nuclear facilities in Iran. Only idealistic aims -- e.g. humanitarian intervention and foreign aid -- in the use of power are generally acceptable. Indeed, even as the president and secretary of defense aver that “all options are being evaluated,” they do not “foresee boots on the ground.” These choices reflect recent developments. Such alternatives simply did not exist for most of U.S. history. Nor, of course, did the nation always hold the power it possesses today.
For the majority of American history weakness, not strength -- and certainly not “power” as we understand it now -- defined how American policymakers, thinkers, activists, military leaders, and citizens tended to understand their nation’s place in the world. Protecting the state, not using scarce power or resources abroad, and holding European -- especially British -- encroachment as far off as possible, were the preferred military and diplomatic strategies of U.S. leaders and citizens through the late nineteenth century and, for many, well into the twentieth century.
Three policy pillars in American foreign relations are the foundation for past as well as present considerations of whether and how to deploy US power. The premise for all three was an understanding of weakness, what we might term cautious realism coupled to a vision of isolation, which sought to stay out of power politics, foreign wars, and binding international treaties and regimes.
George Washington in his Farewell Address of 1796 designed this architecture: “to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.” Yet even before that speech, Washington had established the nation’s neutrality as a formal policy tradition with the Proclamation of Neutrality (1793) and the Neutrality Act (1794). These neutrality declarations ran contrary to the alliance with France, which had helped win the Revolutionary War. They officially distanced the U.S. from allies and enemies alike and asserted the guiding principle that America would pursue “a conduct friendly and impartial towards the Belligerent powers.” Washington’s Farewell Address, partly written by Alexander Hamilton along with James Madison and read in Congress almost every year until quite recently, set the explicitly isolationist tone. It aimed to recognize the nation’s limited power in order to nurture the safety and progress of the state (and hence, national power one might say). These, in turn, became the basis for virtually all subsequent invocations of a “tradition” in American foreign relations. Washington built on this notion of the new nation as neutral and impartial when he put forward the classic formulation:
The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible…. Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concern…. Therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.
These Washingtonian principles did not turn the nation away from the world. Instead, the ideas formed the crux of foreign policy realism and argued for a cautious sense of America’s place in the world and for choosing “war or peace, as our interest, guided by justice, shall counsel.” Washington took into account the inherent fragility of American power and the nation’s precarious place in the world, emphasizing America’s distant geographical position as a key to strategic separation and as a brake on involvement in Europe’s hazardous political system. These views were then established as precedent by John Adams and reaffirmed by Thomas Jefferson, who allayed the fears of many Federalists when he underscored a shared set of Washingtonian-Adamsian foreign policy principles in his own inaugural address in 1801.
Jefferson asserted this ideal as “peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.” Jefferson held a clear belief grounded on the practicality of a type of isolation: enter no enduring alliances with the Old World and steer clear of Europe’s petty squabbles. Jefferson’s daring and farsighted purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803 propelled the great mission of continental expansion and improvement, doubling the nation’s territory. And of course the Purchase limited the amount of North American land that European powers could claim or conquer. When regarded in this light, his unilateralist efforts were consistent with the idea of isolation as a guarantee toward maintaining and protecting national sovereignty -- of giving the weak, fledgling nation time to develop and grow while avoiding entanglements such as those that Ben Franklin derisively termed Europe’s “romantick Continental Connections.”
A circumspect view of American power still was evident in 1823, when President James Monroe pronounced his doctrine. An ambitious articulation of American hemispheric power, the Monroe Doctrine, evolved as the guiding view for later foreign policy advocates of interventionism as well as isolationism, many of whom agreed that unilateral involvement across the Americas was perfectly legitimate, but that beyond the Western Hemisphere the nation should avoid foreign wars and the corruptions of particularly Old World political intrigues. Monroe centered this argument on what he saw as an obvious fact: “With the movements in this hemisphere we are of necessity more immediately connected,” and therefore he declared that “we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety.”
Thus, in three bold strokes, Washington, Jefferson, and Monroe laid out the essential isolationist mode of thinking about their young nation’s most advantageous relationship to the world. As we will be discussing at the Oregon State University American Military and Diplomatic History Conference today, May 7, 2013, these arguments became the benchmarks that a broad range of subsequent politicians, thinkers, and citizens later had to confront as they built their own cases for engagement abroad and justified their developing visions of internationalism. One point is clear about interpreting the meaning of their words in their own time. This dedicated triad of America’s founders articulated a commerce-first form of unilateralism and a sense of cautious realism, which at its most fundamental level sought to protect their young, weak nation by favoring isolation from almost all entangling alliances as well as conflicts abroad, particularly those involving Europe.
Americans today debate possible new interventions, withdrawals, disputes over what does and does not constitute a “red line,” and other applications of power abroad in light of enormous geopolitical changes and challenges. Let the debate consider the long history of cautious realism, the recognition of the limits to power, and the concern about the unintended consequences of foreign policy adventurism. The history cannot be blinked away. It is central to American diplomatic and military policy.
comments powered by Disqus
- What Happens When SCOTUS is This Unpopular?
- Eve Babitz's Archive Reveals the Person Behind the Persona
- Making a Uranium Ghost Town
- Choosing History—A Rejoinder to William Baude on The Use of History at SCOTUS
- Alexandria, VA Freedom House Museum Reopens, Making Key Site of Slave Trade a Center for Black History
- Primary Source: Winning World War 1 By Fighting Waste at the Grocery Counter
- The Presidential Records Act Explains How the FBI Knew What to Search For at Mar-a-Lago
- Theocracy Now! The Forgotten Influence of L. Brent Bozell on the Right
- Janice Longone, Chronicler of American Food Traditions
- Revisiting Lady Rochford and Her Alleged Betrayal of Anne Boleyn | <urn:uuid:7998c610-0df3-4273-b2c5-7555ee94d61d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/151824 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.945113 | 1,821 | 2.875 | 3 |
If you've been following the Primitive Technology channel on YouTube, you know that it follows a man around the Far North of Queensland, Australia. The man never identifies himself, but he is constantly building and creating things with nothing more than his hands and the elements around him.
In a recent video, the man, often called "Prim," stumbled upon a method of creating iron. It came after he created a furnace out of clay.
"My intent was not so much to make iron," he says from his blog, "but to show that the furnace can reach a fairly high temperature using this blower. A taller furnace called a bloomery was generally used in ancient times to produce usable quantities of iron and consumed more charcoal, ore and labour."
Still, it is amazing to see him create a method of iron extraction out of nothing but the basics.
He gets to work with his bow-drill blower and clay forge, first collecting orange iron bacteria (iron oxide) from the creek. He mixes it with powdered charcoal and wood ash, forms it into a cylindrical brick and fires it in a charcoal oven. The result is a melted iron ore slag with tiny, 1mm-sized specs of iron in it. | <urn:uuid:0665082f-ead3-4627-88c3-ef4a00cb9207> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.minds.com/blog/view/607658882663198727 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570868.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808152744-20220808182744-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.967187 | 257 | 3.1875 | 3 |
THE FRESHMAN (1925)
While there has been an ongoing debate about whom is the better filmmaker- Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton- a third silent comedian has gone largely unnoticed. Harold Lloyd- known primarily as the bespectacled young man hanging off the face of a clock- was the most prolific comedy star of the silent era. He made more films than the other two and outsold them by a substantial margin. Over the years, however, people have come to think of Lloyd as grossly inferior to the two Silent Comedy titans. While I would agree that this is true as far as filmmaking ability, I would argue that, in the area of relatability and pathos, Lloyd held his ground. While Chaplin dabbled in magical melodrama and Keaton in emotionless experiments, Lloyd gave us believable characters in familiar situations. Lloyd's ability to gain the audience's sympathy for his lead character gave the gags and comedic setpieces actual weight. Never is this more clear than in The Freshman, in which Lloyd plays a naive young man in his first year of college. In the film, Harold gets into one embarassing scrape after another, making us laugh in discomfort and empathy. He deeply desires acceptance, but only receives ridicule. In the humor, there is an inherent sadness that more than matches the overwrought emotions of Chaplin. And, yet, in his understanding of the mechanics of comedy, Lloyd was able to rival Keaton. While Lloyd's films are not as groundbreaking and technically impressive as those of Keaton and Chaplin, we are still able to enjoy them on a basic, human level, where the laughs- as well as the tears- are earned through shared experience. | <urn:uuid:64378388-b3ff-4e4b-9c0e-91f396398110> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.battleshippretension.com/freshman.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.97855 | 350 | 2.21875 | 2 |
Improving the efficiency of road freight transport due to the technical improvement of the rolling stock of road transport and handling equipment, introduction of advanced technology improving the organization of cargo transportation. Mashable is actively involved in the matter. Technical improvements can increase the speed of vehicles, reducing downtime for loading and unloading operations, increase party cargo, etc. The problem of technology – to reduce the duration and complexity of the carriage of goods by reducing the number of operations performed and the phases of the carriage. Under the process of transportation technology Cargo understood how to implement a particular people of the transportation process by breaking it into a coherent system of interrelated stages and operations that are performed more or less unique and are designed to to achieve high transport efficiency. The problem of technology – clean transportation process from unnecessary operations, to make it purposefully. The essence of technology reveals the transport of goods through two main concept – a stage, and operation.
Stage – the set of operations carried out by means of which one or another process. The operation – a homogeneous, logically indivisible part of the transportation process, aimed at achieving certain goals, performed by one or more performers. Technology of any transportation process is characterized by three features: the dismemberment of the transportation process, coordination and phasing, unambiguous action. Appointment partitioning process into stages freight is the definition of boundaries inherent requirements of the subject, which will work on this technology. Any operation should ensure the approximation of the object control to the target and provide a transition from one operation to another. The last operation phase should be an introduction to the first operation, the next step. The more accurate description of the transport process Goods will comply with its subjective logic, the more likely you achieve the best effect of the people involved in it. Emerging technologies should take into account the requirements of the major economic laws and, above all, the law of increasing labor productivity.
Coordination and phasing of actions aimed to achieving a specific goal should be based on internal logic functioning and development of a specific transport process. The technology is not created on the 'scratch', and has a relationship with the technology of the past and future. Technology serving today should be based on the principles which would allow it to easily alter the technology of the future. Each technology should provide unambiguous implementation of the listed stages and operations. Deviation perform one operation affects the entire processing chain. The greater the deviation from the designed parameters of the technology, the greater the risk to break the whole process of transportation of cargo and get a result that does not match the project. Initially developed technology of transportation process, and then the individual steps. Following the development of technology milestones need to be addressed from the perspective of technological unity. Between technique and technology, there causal relationship, but crucial owned equipment. Technological process not invented today. Just as, in the words of Moliere, and people did not think much about what they write and speak in prose, and workers trucking companies, using a technology that does not think much about it. In the past, the process technology freight formed mostly by intuition. Technological processes transport of goods were not deliberately targeted and developed systems and operations phases. Therefore, at present many of transport processes are not efficient enough. | <urn:uuid:7523b835-68eb-4a73-836c-6407b18e63fb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.software-innovators.com/tag/transport-services/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.950999 | 655 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Outbreak Traced To Pomegranates Reveals Flaws In Global Food Chain
Disease detectives have traced the continuing outbreak of hepatitis A that has so far sickened 136 people in the U.S. to a shipment of pomegranate seeds from the Anatolian region of Turkey.
As a result, the Food and Drug Administration has ordered any new shipments from the company that shipped the suspect fruit, Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading, to be seized at American ports.
That should be enough to end this outbreak. Hepatitis A is commonly spread when food workers don't wash their hands after using the bathroom. But in the current outbreak, there are slight variations in the virus among the people who have fallen ill. That suggests that the pomegranate may have become contaminated with sewage carrying the virus from more than one person.
It's unsettling to think that a few people in Turkey could cause a serious disease outbreak halfway around the world. It makes global food safety seem like a high-stakes version of the 1980s children's game Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
All of the people who have fallen ill bought the organic frozen berry mix at Costco, a company renowned for its food safety efforts. Given that the U.S. gets 50 percent of its fresh fruit, 20 percent of its fresh vegetables and 80 percent of its seafood from other countries, are we doomed to more outbreaks like this?
We called up Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine at the FDA, to find out.
"I do think that the hepatitis A outbreak is a wonderful snapshot of the makeup of the global food system and the challenges it presents for food safety," Taylor told The Salt.
"It reflects the diversity of conditions in the scores and scores of countries involved," he says.
The frozen berry mix in this outbreak had been packaged by Townsend Farms Inc., of Fairview, Ore., using berries and pomegranate arils, or seed kernels, from the U.S., Argentina, Chile and Turkey — a mini-United Nations of fruit.
The FDA currently inspects less than 2 percent of food imports, so oversight of imports is left largely to the U.S. processors and distributors. They often hire companies called third-party auditors to inspect foreign producers and processors.
Some of those third-party audits have been conducted well, Taylor says, and "some are not done well."
"In the case of produce," he adds, "it includes paying attention to the microbial quality of the water used in processing."
In one infamous case from 2011, a private auditor gave a cantaloupe-packing facility glowing reviews while it was shipping out melons contaminated with listeria; 30 people died.
Back in 2011, Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act, intended to remedy those problems. But the law is only just now on the way to being put in action.
In January, the FDA released proposed regulations for two key aspects of the new food-safety law: science-based standards for fruit and vegetable farms; and requirements for food processors to develop controls to prevent contamination. Other proposed regulations, on accreditation of third-party auditors and a requirement that U.S. importers have a foreign-supplier verification program, are in the works.
"A central feature of FSMA is that we have better ways to make sure those standards are being met," says Taylor. "It doesn't do any good to have regulations on the books if we can't inspect and enforce."
The law gives the FDA more power to oversee third-party auditors, and to do its own inspections overseas. But both of those tasks cost money, and it's not clear if Congress will hand over the kind of cash needed to do it right.
"We have to be realistic," Taylor says. "There's no switch we're going to turn off and have no foodborne illness. But we ought to be conscious of where the hazards are."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | <urn:uuid:21637bea-cb8d-48e1-9f20-75d6e14fbef6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.kpcw.org/2013-07-03/outbreak-traced-to-pomegranates-reveals-flaws-in-global-food-chain | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.960594 | 846 | 2.484375 | 2 |
A ransomware attack hit the public safety network of Albany, Saratoga and Rensselaer counties at about 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16.
The breach did not affect the delivery of 911 service in Albany County, said Sheriff Craig Apple, but Computer Aided Dispatch was impacted.
As of Wednesday afternoon, all the servers and desktops in in all three counties were cleaned and the services are being rebuilt from backup systems.
Vendors and the New York Department of Homeland Security Office of Counter Terrorism Cyber Incident Response Team were on site to mitigate damage and to figure out how the hackers gained access.
Generally, a ransomware attack holds systems hostage until a demand is met. Last year, hackers demanded the Town of Colonie pay $400,000 to release its systems. The town, though, had all its data on a separate and distinct backup system and was able to reinstall the data to the main system. It took weeks to complete, but the town did not pay a ransom and it did not lose any data. | <urn:uuid:ae6a6119-6eeb-491f-abaf-f3b9f8438feb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://spotlightnews.com/news/2021/03/17/tri-county-public-safety-network-hit-by-ransomware-attack-damage-minimal/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.977834 | 214 | 1.601563 | 2 |
The following working paper by Michael Ash, James K. Boyce, Grace Chang, and Helen Scharber is now available on our website:
This paper examines spatial variations in exposure to toxic air pollution from industrial facilities in urban areas of the United States, using geographic microdata from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk‐Screening Environmental Indicators project. We find that average exposure in an urban area is positively correlated with the extent of racial and ethnic disparity in the distribution of the exposure burden. This correlation could arise from causal linkages in either or both directions: the ability to displace pollution onto minorities may lower the effective cost of pollution for industrial firms; and higher average pollution burdens may induce whites to invest more political capital in efforts to influence firms’ siting decisions. Furthermore, we find that in urban areas with higher minority pollution‐exposure discrepancies, average exposures tend to be higher for all population subgroups, including whites. In other words, improvements in environmental justice in the United States could benefit not only minorities but also whites. | <urn:uuid:572f7bce-f87f-4098-8264-8727fdab2b56> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blogs.umass.edu/econnews/2010/07/30/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.898694 | 217 | 2.421875 | 2 |
I took this photo recently in one of the most marvelous places you could visit if you are interested in Kerry country life as it used to be lived in the days before electricity. Muckross Traditional Farms is located in The the National Park in Killarney. There are three farms with real live animals and people working the traditional way.
Outside every house rests a bicycle, the usual means of the quick run into town or to a neighbour’s house. Hens and other poultry stay closeby in anticipation of some pickings.
The humble ass was employed for transport and to pull farm machinery.
This is the interior of the labourer’s cottage. The woman of the house is at the open hearth baking bastable bread. The man’s working socks are hung from the mantle to dry. The door on the right leads to the bedroom.
Underneath the iron bed is a po. The man’s good trousers and herself’s corset are here waiting for Sunday. Everywhere there are holy pictures and statues.
We’ve come a long way from Croke Park 1924
The Tailteann Games was an ancient sporting event held in Ireland – legends claim that the games started in 1829 BC, suggesting they were established approximately 1100 years before the Olympic games in Greece. A sporting festival bearing the same name was held by the Gaelic Athletic Association in Croke Park in 1924, 1928, and 1932 and was open to all people of Irish birth or ancestry.
This forgotton self-portrait by one of Ireland’s most popular artists, John Lavery posing with the child star Shirley Temple, painted in Palm Springs in 1936, has turned up in Scotland. | <urn:uuid:643b6dc2-5de6-40a8-9fd4-e0c39c760377> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://listowelconnection.com/farming-old-way/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.963631 | 360 | 1.875 | 2 |
Chinese archaeologists examining an ancient tomb in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have conjectured that the site was dedicated to the worship of the sun.
The tomb was found in Nilka County in the Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili in 2015. Earlier excavations by an archaeological team from the Xinjiang Regional Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology found pottery and stone tools in the tomb, which helped the researchers date it to around 3,500 years ago, the Xinhua news agency reported.
An excavation project starting last year led to the discovery of 17 lines of stones alongside the tomb, forming a pattern that resembles sun rays.
“The ray-like pattern might imply sun worship,” Ruan Qiurong, leader of the project, said. “Similar patterns have been found in relic sites in other parts of Xinjiang and the Eurasian grassland.”
The bottom and exterior of the tomb chamber were paved with red clay, which also points to sun worship, Ruan said, adding that the tomb’s complex structure shows its owners were of high social status.
Experts say the tomb provides key research materials for the study of social conditions and cultural exchanges in Xinjiang more than 3,000 years ago.
(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline)
Did you find this article useful? We’re a non-profit. Make a donation and help pay for our journalism. | <urn:uuid:a14e13ca-7e2a-4005-8b08-3b3f5b6058a5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://hindupost.in/history/3500-yr-old-tomb-in-nw-china-indicates-sun-worship/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.939938 | 307 | 3.25 | 3 |
Learn What is NAID Certification and Why is It Important
As a conscientious business, you take all the necessary steps to protect your physical and digital information. After all, with the continually magnifying thefts, hacks and cybercrimes, you cannot afford to lose confidential or sensitive data related to your business, customers or employees. Moreover, if your business is associated with the legal, healthcare, financial services or education industry, you may also have to comply with HIPAA, FACTA, Gramm Leach-Bliley or other industry-specific laws that protect consumer interests and privacy.
When it comes to disposal of paper or digital media, you want to ensure there is no lapse in information security protocols and you remain compliant with applicable regulatory requirements. While there may be several information destruction companies serving your locations, a NAID AAA certified company could be the difference between a good and great service provider.
At TITAN Mobile Shredding, we have held the NAID AAA certification for 13 consecutive years. In July 2007, when we got our first annual certification, we were the only mobile document destruction company in eastern Pennsylvania to earn this reputed accreditation. Read on to know more about NAID certification, and why it is an important consideration while choosing your data destruction partner.
NAID AAA Certification: Separating the Best from the Rest
National Association of Information Destruction (NAID) is the unifying trade association for the information destruction industry. It sets the standards for secure disposal of paper, digital media and hard drives. Some of the other critical functions of this organization include:
- Conducting research for process improvement in the area of secure information destruction.
- Upholding and protecting the privacy of consumers by setting strict guidelines for its member companies.
- Creating global recognition for the information destruction industry.
- Offering the AAA Certification, a meticulous and exhaustive process that evaluates whether the applicant companies comply with industry-based specifications and legislated requirements for information destruction.
The key thing to note is that NAID membership is different from NAID AAA certification. Any information destruction business can pay a subscription fee and become a paid member of the association. This allows them to use the NAID member logo on their stationery and promotions, as long as they respect the Code of Ethics and Bylaws of the association. However, a NAID AAA certification involves intense scrutiny in close to two dozen areas of operation. This includes:
- Presence of documented security standards and access control protocols
- Security and surveillance measures, while storing or transporting shredding material
- Particle size of shredded material
- Staff selection and training (extensive background checks to filter out individuals who have a past criminal record, as they may not be ideal candidates for managing a secure information destruction process).
A NAID AAA certification requires the applicant companies to:
- Adhere to the highest standards of integrity, security and compliance for irretrievable destruction of paper and electronic data.
- Commit to an annual evaluation by an ASIS-accredited, Certified Protection Professional (CPP). Basically, a CPP is an independent, unbiased, qualified auditor appointed by NAID.
- Perform well on comprehensive, surprise audits conducted from time to time, even after being certified.
With extensive annual evaluations and unannounced audits, NAID ensures that AAA certified companies do not slacken on their compliance measures at any time.
Partner with a NAID AAA Certified Professional Paper Shredding Company
For all your record destruction needs in and around eastern PA and NJ, rely on the data destruction professionals at TITAN Mobile Shredding. As a NAID AAA Certified company, we commit to the highest ethical and security standards during disposal of paper documents, hard drives and other digital media. The Certificates of Destruction that we issue for every shredded drive are admissible proofs of secure data destruction for internal, external or statutory audits, and in the court of law.
Have more questions about NAID AAA Certification? Need to know more about our physical or digital media shredding services? Speak to one of our certified destruction specialists at (866) 848-2699. You can also contact us online to request a free quote. | <urn:uuid:55bc0791-f446-4ec6-81ef-37df11145d8f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://titanshredding.com/always-choose-a-naid-certified-company-for-your-shredding-needs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.924382 | 855 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Important Tips for Proper Web Design
Building Your Own Website 101
You’ve always wanted to start your website, but you didn’t have the funds to hire someone to build your site, or perhaps you just didn’t trust the project in anyone else’s hands.
However, over time, you’ve come to see that many people build their websites and online businesses with the help of various business tools. How can you train yourself and create your online website?
First of all, you should understand that there are various ways to publish a website, and some of them are much easier than others. If you have little web design experience and want to assure yourself that your site will look professional, you may want to hire a professional!
However, working on your website can be exciting and save you a wad of cash that you may want to invest elsewhere.
In a nutshell, the following points are as follows:
- Select the best website builder for you.
- Find a plan that meets your needs and fits your budget.
- Select a distinct and relevant domain name.
- Choose a design template that you like.
- Make changes to your template design.
- You must upload and format your content.
- Apps can be chosen and downloaded.
- Publish and distribute
HTML code is one of the easiest tools to build a website. From small guidelines to Internet sources, you will find everything from thick detailed books on HTML code writing.
This allows you to position, size, and colour text on the page while inserting images, links, buttons, and other media onto your site before publication.
However, today things have been made a whole lot easier with platforms such as WordPress or even templated websites such as Wix.
You will need to determine what information you would like to use after you have learned how to create the Website yourself. If you are aware of keyword density and search engine optimization, you can either write down the content for yourself or you can recruit someone else to do your work and simply explain what you want to do with the texts on each page.
When starting your website, you can join affiliate programs and start earning commission depending on the kind of site you run. Maybe you want to start reviewing online slots, travel sites or fashion!
Finally, you need to select a service provider to publish your finished website. As soon as you are up and running, your site is searched for keywords by the search engines, and your web site is made your own home on the World Wide Web. | <urn:uuid:6e398ec2-351d-4325-b0db-579a49ae4a23> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.vixtay-web-design.co.uk/building-your-own-website-101 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.944146 | 529 | 1.984375 | 2 |
Gifts bring joy to the recipients. The givers also feel elated in presenting gifts to someone they love and like. It is fun to receive surprise gifts. Young ones wait for holidays to receive their favorite items. You can give a hamper at Christmas. Each occasion requires a different approach. Learn more about the ideal ways to give gifts so you avoid the common mistakes people make when giving gifts.
You do not always have to give a gift in return for a gift. There are occasions when the givers do not expect any gift in return. Some of these examples include birthdays, weddings, graduations and others. These are the events when the recipient is celebrating some important event in life. In cases where you have to gift in return, it is not necessary that you present a gift with the same or higher value than the one you received. Do not feel pressured under the assumptions which are not true. It is not necessary you give gift to everyone in your group of friends. You can present a gift to someone with whom you feel closer than others. Exchange the gift with such a person in private to avoid feeling any pressure to gift to others as well.
Follow the Party Etiquette
You do not always have to turn up at a personal event with a gift. Some get-togethers are organized only for meeting with the loved ones, friends or colleagues. The guests at these events are not expected to bring a gift. As a token of appreciation for inviting you to the party, you can present a bouquet of flowers. This would be sufficient when a get-together is held or when the personal event is not so important for the host. Present high value gifts on important life events like weddings and birthdays.
Gifting to Your Family Members
Just because they are your own, do not forget to present gifts to your loved ones. There are many days and celebratory occasions when you can present them gifts. Take into account the recipient’s liking and expectations. Kids have different expectations than adults. Choose the gift based on the age of the recipient, occasion, and what the recipient has been demanding or wishing for a long time.
Here you need something formal, but the item should be useful for the recipient. You can choose from the list of standard gifts or take a different route and find something that people in your organization have never received. You will surprise them with an innovative item. If you do not want to take any risk, it is better to stick with the usual and standard gifts. These items have been liked well by everyone for years. You cannot go wrong with these corporate gift items. A variety of products are available for corporate gifting. Choose the one based on your gifting goals and budget. Do not forget to get your brand name and logo printed on the gift items so they are identified with your company. It increases brand recognition and recall value.
Most people prefer personalized gifts so pay attention to the packaging as well. Use high-quality materials specially designed for gift packaging. They do not cost much but enhance the look of the gift pack. You do not have to use fancy packaging for corporate gifts. Did you forget to give the gift on time? It is still not late if only a few days have passed. You can add an apology note with a delayed gift. Check the corporate gift category to find a variety of items that can be gifted to the employees, customers, clients, resellers and other business associates. | <urn:uuid:4a1e98e1-2a89-4b64-a421-949f595bf31a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://roses-nationwide.com/ideal-ways-to-present-gifts/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.955631 | 710 | 2.03125 | 2 |
The gargantuan new missile North Korea put on show at a military parade is an explicit threat to US defences and an implicit challenge to both the current and next US president, analysts say, warning that Pyongyang could test the weapon next year.
Leader Kim Jong-un watched the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) roll through Kim Il-sung square – named after his grandfather – in Pyongyang at the climax of an unprecedented night-time parade on Saturday.
Analysts concurred that it was the largest road-mobile, liquid-fuelled missile anywhere in the world, and was highly likely to be designed to carry multiple warheads in independent re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).
Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies said it was “clearly aimed at overwhelming the US missile defence system in Alaska”.
If the ICBM carried three or four warheads, he added on Twitter, the US would need to spend around $1 billion on 12-16 interceptors to defend against each missile.
“At that cost, I am pretty sure North Korea can add warheads faster than we can add interceptors.”
The missile was estimated at 24m long and 2.5m in diameter, which specialist Markus Schiller said was big enough to carry 100 tonnes of fuel, which would take hours to load.
It was so big and heavy that it was practically unusable, he added: “You can’t move this thing fuelled, and you can’t fill it at the launch site.
“This thing makes absolutely no sense at all, except for threat equation games, like sending the message of ‘we now have a mobile ICBM with MIRVs, be very afraid’.”
North Korea watchers regularly caution that the devices Pyongyang puts on show at its parades may be mock-ups or models, and there is no proof they work until they are tested.
But the missile was carried on an enormous and previously unseen 11-axle transporter-erector-launcher, far larger than the eight-axle Chinese-made vehicles the North has employed so far.
Melissa Hanham of the Open Nuclear Network said: “The truck may be a scarier story than the missile.
“If the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] is indigenously producing their own chassis, then there is less of a constraint on the number of ICBMs they can launch,” she said, using North Korea’s official acronym. | <urn:uuid:a145aaab-4e1b-4435-8a21-45b6ec6a993a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://phnompenhpost.com/international/kim-pulls-out-big-guns-parade | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.954229 | 526 | 2.09375 | 2 |
New Delhi: With air pollution
rising to dangerous levels in India, home to twenty of the world's most polluted cities, the Supreme Court on Friday asked why battery-run and solar energy-run vehicles were not being manufactured in the country on a large scale to replace petrol/diesel-run cars.
The SC said many countries were switching over to battery/solar energy-run vehicles and the same could be replicated in India.
The court asked the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers
) to adopt new technology for the benefits of the citizens.
"Around the world, cars are being run on battery and solar energy. Why cannot it be done here? If you want to make this country move forward, you have to be innovative," a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta told SIAM.
Counsel for the association, told the bench that it was making an all-out effort to meet the deadline of April 1, 2020 for manufacturing of BS-VI
compliant vehicles and pleaded with the bench that the time-line should not be advanced as it would be technically impossible to comply with.
Advocates Harish Salve and Aparajita Singh, who are assisting the court as amicus curiae, told the bench that a compensatory amount could be imposed on petrol and diesel-run vehicles in NCR which could be used for pollution-control measures. | <urn:uuid:722646f8-c9b1-4e08-9c5b-41c681c69a3e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/power/sc-why-not-use-battery-run-vehicles-to-curb-pollution/61697610 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.965946 | 294 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Biological E invests Rs. 1800 crores into three Genome units, Generates Employment2 weeks ago Rituka M
- Biological E has announced their investment of Rs. 1800 crores in their 3 Genome Valley units to expand their manufacturing capacity by 50% to 14 Bn doses.
Telangana houses over 800 life sciences companies, valued at USD 50 Bn, contributing 35% of India’s pharmaceutical production. This makes the State an emerging & leading life sciences hub in Asia. Producing over 1/3rd of global vaccine output, Telangana is the vaccine capital of the world.
Genome Valley is India’s first organized cluster for Life Sciences R&D and Clean manufacturing activities. Being a global home to over 200 companies, GV has world-class infrastructure facilities such as Industrial / Knowledge Parks, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Multi-tenanted dry and wet labs, and incubation centers. Subsequently, attaining the status of an Industrial Area Local Authority (IALA), GV acts as a single point of contact for all Government-related approvals for further development.
Biological E invests Rs. 1800 crore
One of the companies that is part of the Genome Valley, Vaccine-maker Biological E (BE) will be investing aiming for expansion. On 21st, through a press release issued by the State Government, BE aims to invest over Rs. 1800 crores in their 3 facilities here at GV.
This investment will be a capacity expansion plan for manufacturing vaccines, specialty generic injectables, biological APIs, and formulations. It will also go towards research & development.
This investment will go towards enhancing the manufacture of vaccines for BE’s Corbevax, J&Js, Measles-rubella, Pneumococcal Conjugate, Typhoid, Tetanus Toxide Ampoules, Inactivates Poliovirus, and Pertussis. This expansion will enhance the manufacturing capacity by 5 Bn doses annually. This means it will increase by 50% from 9 Bn to 14 Bn doses annually. This will make it the highest manufacturing capacity for any region in the world. Meanwhile, it will also create employment with over 2500 jobs.
Currently, children in the age group of 12-15 years are receiving Corbevax. However, they have DCGI’s emergency use authorization for children between 5-11 years of age. Finally, it can also be a booster dose for those who have taken 2 doses of Covaxin and Covishield.
Commencing its operations in 1953, Biological E began as a biological products company manufacturing liver extracts and anti-coagulants. By 1962, their evolution towards becoming a large-scale vaccine production unit is commendable. Currently, BE has 4 strategic business units; Branded Formulations, Speciality Generic Injectables, Synthetic Biology, and Vaccines and Biologics.
Thoughts on the Expansion
IT & Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has been a forebearer to ensure that Telangana becomes the Life Sciences hub across the world. In the press release, Rama Rao said; “I’m delighted to announce the expansion plans of Biological E in Genome Valley. Hyderabad is already the ‘Vaccine Capital of the World‘ and this expansion further accelerates our strength to serve the world with life-saving vaccines.“
Further, Mahima Datla, Managing Director of Biological E has said; “I’m thankful to the government of Telangana, the vision of Honourable Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and Honourable Minister K T Rama Rao for spearheading and continuing to facilitate in a way that enables us to take quick decisions to expand even during the pandemic times.” | <urn:uuid:a28556ee-2052-4a85-ac1e-742ce2d959f6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://startuphyderabad.com/biological-e-invests-rs-1800-crores-into-three-genome-units-generates-employment/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.924746 | 789 | 1.539063 | 2 |
If you are using Google Apps, registered your domain name through Google and using WHOIS Privacy, continue reading. You’re information might be open.
“Private information belonging to 282,867 domains registered through the Google Apps system became publicly available, exposing it to risks ranging from spam to identity theft.
Google Apps offers business organizations the possibility to purchase domain names from one of Google’s partners, benefits consisting in easy setup and management of the associated services.
Only records of renewed domains have been leaked. The domains have been registered through registrar eNom and security researchers said on Thursday that the number of records leaked represented about 94% from a total of 305,925.”
Keep in mind, this issue is specific to a domain name registered and renewed through Google Apps. If you are using Google Apps service and you’re domain name is registered with other domain name registrar you’re not affected.
I am using Google Apps for personal and business use, my domain names are registered somewhere else, and I don’t use the WHOIS Privacy Protection. The reason behind it is to promote my business to everyone. My business postal address, email address and phone number are listed without privacy protection because this is where you will find my business contact information if you need assistance. Of course, using the Contact Us page in our website is the preferred method.
Every year, I re-assess the needs of WHOIS Privacy Protection for my domain portfolio and as of this time the risk is low. Other business owners preferred to use WHOIS for security reasons.
Here’s a captured WHOIS information courtesy by Softpedia.com | <urn:uuid:f6b65ac7-9d22-4bea-b18b-966b14fd81b4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://que.com/google-leaks-whois-data-for-over-282000-protected-domains/?shared=email&msg=fail | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.904419 | 343 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Explainer: H&M, Boohoo, ASOS, Asda greenwashing accusations
The fashion industry emits about the same quantity of greenhouse gases per year as the entire economies of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined. According to global management consulting firm, McKinsey, by 2030, it will need to cut its emissions by about half—or else it will exceed the 1.5 degree pathway to mitigate climate change, set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and ratified in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
With the world now waking up to the realities of climate change, consumer preferences are changing. In what is sure to be an upward trend, in 2020 McKinsey research revealed that 67% of consumers consider sustainable materials to be a factor in purchasing a fashion item.
As one of the most competitive market sectors, it’s perhaps no surprise that fashion brands are clambering to make more sustainable products in what is a win/win for them and the environment. But, are their products as green as they say they are? Well, the short answer is, not always. And sometimes, not at all.
H&M taken to court over greenwashing claims
Chelsea Commodore, an expert in sustainability marketing, has filed a complaint in New York in which she accuses H&M of greenwashing with “‘misleading’ environmental scorecards” associated with clothing in the brand’s Conscious Collection.
Commodore says that “a majority” of H&M products that are marketed as being sustainable are “no more sustainable than items in [its] main collection, which are also not sustainable.”
The scoring system H&M used for its clothing is called the Higg Index. Despite a number of brands adopting the Index as a measure of their sustainability, it has long faced criticism from environmental groups for being misleading.
The Higg Index came under increasing scrutiny in June, when the Norwegian Consumer Authority (NCA) issued a notification to The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), together with two of its members, Norrøna and, you guessed it, H&M, regarding the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data being used to support consumer facing environmental claims.
A week later, SAC CEO Amina Ravzi said the group had taken time to reflect on the seriousness of the notification and the implications it may have for the fashion industry and other industries. “We have made the decision to pause the consumer facing transparency programme globally as we work with the NCA and other consumer agencies and regulators to better understand how to substantiate product level claims with trusted and credible data. This specifically means temporarily removing the published Higg Index seal and scorecard from the participating online retail platforms while further evaluation takes place.”
Ravzi said that while the SAC remained “fully committed” to the use of standardised data to empower better decision making with all stakeholders, it recognised there were “additional challenges” when it came to translating that data to consumer facing information. The SAC is now working with its programme partners directly to determine how this will work operationally and hopes to “reactivate the programme upon alignment with the NCA and other regulatory bodies.”
In view of this, the SAC has commissioned an independent third party expert review of the Higg MSI data and methodology. The Higg MSI and other Higg Index tools are still active and available to all users on the Higg platform and will remain so during this review. “This review was last carried out in 2016 and is a planned action that we are accelerating in light of the NCA notification. We are also working on a comprehensive programme, through industry partnerships, to gather and update the environmental impact data quality and accessibility needed for the industry to drive more informed decisions,” said Ravzi.
Asos, Boohoo and Asda under fire for sustainability claims
Asos, Boohoo and Asda's clothing brand George have also made the headlines in recent weeks for misleading the consumer over the green credentials of some of their fashion products. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said vague slogans for their clothing ranges could give the impression the clothes are “more environmentally sustainable than they actually are”.
The UK competition watchdog first started looking at the claims in January and an initial review found concerns about “potentially misleading green claims”. It said it was focusing on Asos, Boohoo and George to “get to the bottom of its concerns”.
The investigation is still ongoing and the CMA has made its current position very clear: “Should we find these companies are using misleading eco claims, we won't hesitate to take enforcement action – through the courts if necessary,” said Interim Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Cardell. | <urn:uuid:d24f711b-8769-469f-8d8e-18fa73a49fcf> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://sustainabilitymag.com/sustainability/explainer-h-m-boohoo-asos-asda-greenwashing-accusations | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.954989 | 997 | 2.375 | 2 |
Today, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order of Sisters dedicated to caring for the elderly poor (see video ). Without relief, the Little Sisters face millions of dollars in IRS fines because they cannot comply with the government’s mandate that they give their employees free access to contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs. The Little Sisters are joined by their religious health benefits providers, Christian Brothers Services and Christian Brothers Employee Benefits Trust, and a class of other religious organizations facing similar fines, in the first class action lawsuit against the Mandate.
The Little Sisters of the Poor are an international Roman Catholic Congregation of women Religious founded in 1839 by St. Jeanne Jugan. They operate homes in 31 countries, where they provide loving care for over 13,000 needy elderly persons. Thirty of these homes are located in the United States.
“Like all of the Little Sisters, I have vowed to God and the Roman Catholic Church that I will treat all life as valuable, and I have dedicated my life to that work,” explained Sister Loraine Marie, Superior for one of the three U.S. provinces in the Congregation. “We cannot violate our vows by participating in the government’s program to provide access to abortion inducing drugs.”
Although the Little Sisters’ homes perform a religious ministry of caring for the elderly poor, they do not fall within the government’s narrow exemption for “religious employers.” Accordingly, beginning on January 1, the Little Sisters will face IRS fines unless they violate their religion by hiring an insurer to provide their employees with contraceptives, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs.
“The Sisters should obviously be exempted as ‘religious employers,’ but the government has refused to expand its definition,” said Mark Rienzi, Senior Counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and lead counsel for the Little Sisters. “These women just want to take care of the elderly poor without being forced to violate the faith that animates their work. The money they collect should be used to care for the poor like it always has—and not to pay the IRS.”
The lawsuit is the first of its kind both because it is a class-action suit that will represent hundreds of Catholic non-profit ministries with similar beliefs and because it is the first on behalf of benefits providers who cannot comply with the Mandate.
The lawsuit was filed in federal District Court in Denver. There are now 72 lawsuits challenging the mandate. | <urn:uuid:f9d87c5b-ec76-44e7-8615-b133ac6f868a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.catholiclane.com/religious-sisters-file-first-class-action-lawsuit-against-controversial-hhs-mandate/print/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.954716 | 537 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Galley, a low, flat-built vessel, originally peculiar to the Mediterranean, having one, two, or three masts with lateen sails, a raised and covered poop and forecastle, and a long open waist, in which, upon one or two tiers of benches, sat slaves, chained to the huge sweeps by means of which the craft was mainly propelled. The galley generally carried guns upon the forecastle, and occasionally also on each quarter. The largest galleys, called galeasses, had a total length of as much as 162 feet, and a beam of 32 feet, with 64 oars and about 350 rowers. The galley of a ship is the general kitchen or cook-room. A galley is also a name given to a light pulling boat, such as is reserved to the use of the commanding-officer of a man-of-war. | <urn:uuid:c5b6fd8a-05a8-4ee0-b702-41ca370b474f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.sacklunch.net/encyclopedia/G/Galley.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.982622 | 185 | 3.359375 | 3 |
Bicycle Austin doesn't have the resources to cover the
2012-13 push for getting Light Rail in Austin, but here are some
resources that may be of interest:
- The Rail
section of our online forum.
Dahmus' blog, with blunt straight talk about the pros and cons of
- The rest of the page below, which covers the 2000 light
rail effort, which was narrowly defeated by voters. It remains
below as a historical archive.
2000 Light Rail election
We strongly urge our readers to vote for light
rail. There is NO OTHER WAY to move so many people
around the city so efficiently for the amount of money we'd
spend on it. All the arguments against light rail are
incredibly weak, and we'll expose them below.
Links to other
Letters to the
AAS = Austin American Statesman
vote for light rail
- Rail bashers are doing their best to paint light rail
as an expensive project that won't help Austin's
transportation problems. We could refute their claims
point by point (and we will), but the point that makes
all other points irrelevant is this: In cities across the
U.S. which have been smart enough to adopt rail, light
rail WORKS. The projects come in on or under budget,
ridership is way above predictions, there are fewer cars
on the road, the air gets measurably cleaner, and, here's
the kicker: even the skeptics see that rail is an
unqualified success. Check out Dallas, where citizens
recently voted to SPEED UP construction of the rest of
their rail system, with a whopping 77% voting for the
proposal. If that's not a stunning endorsement by a
community for more rail once it's had a taste of it, we
don't know what is.
- In fact, we'd like to turn the tables on the
rail-bashers: If all the negative things you say are
true, then give us an example of a U.S. city where light
rail failed or the citizens don't like it.
- The fact that light rail is so successful shouldn't
be surprising. It's fast, clean, comfortable, and moves
large numbers of people, for less than the cost of new
roadway construction. With all this going for it, how
could rail NOT work?
- And if we don't build rail, what's the alternative? A
revamped bus system? Not even close:
- Buses are stuck in the same traffic as cars. So
instead of being stuck in traffic jams in your car, you
can be stuck in traffic jams on the bus. Some
- Buses have a much higher operating cost than rail,
because you need one driver for just one small bus, while
rail has one operator for multiple large rail cars.
- Buses move fewer people than rail. A train with
multiple rail cars moves LOTS more people than the bus.
Sure, you could run the buses more frequently, but then
the operating cost would skyrocket. And you'd be putting
more vehicles on the road.
- People who won't take the bus will ride the rail.
It's crazy, but it's true. That's been the experience
with rail in countless other cities.
- Buses emit lots of polluting exhaust, but rail
- In any event, we can't choose between more buses vs.
rail, because that choice isn't on the ballot. If we
don't vote for rail, the money that Capital Metro has
been saving for it won't go for more buses, it'll go to
more roads. Road-lovers have been chomping at the bit
waiting to raid that money.
- Some people want us to improve the bus system
"before" we build light rail. Sorry, but that's not the
choice being offered to us. If light rail is defeated,
that doesn't mean that the bus system will be magically
improved. It just means we've screwed ourselves out a
system that would have been better than the best bus
system we could ever hope for.
- Some are wary of Capital Metro being in charge of the
rail system. But for all its problems, Capital Metro has
been steadily improving. As the Statesman said on 9-10:
"Over the past three years, Cap Metro has cleaned house
and received high marks from auditors. It has new
management, and its books are in order and in the black.
Bus ridership is up, operating costs are down, and the
agency is contributing increasing amounts to improving
area roads." In any event, it is MUCH easier to get rail
to run on time than it is to get buses to run on time. If
you really believe that Capital Metro is incompetent,
then you'll want to give them something easier to
schedule than buses.
- So how about building more roads instead of building
rail? Great, except for this:
- That's what we've been doing for decades, but it's
- Austin ALREADY has more road-miles per capita than
any other major Texas city.*
- Road building costs more than rail, takes longer to
build than rail, disrupts traffic much more during its
construction than rail, and costs much more to maintain
than rail. Plus roads can't even move as many people as
- Rail's greatest promise is moving people through the
congested central city. Where exactly are you going to
put a new highway through Austin? Down Lamar or
- Most importantly, more massive roadbuilding is
ALREADY planned for this area. We're getting more
roads whether we put in rail or not.
- Some people say that we shouldn't build rail because
it won't solve congestion. The reality is that Austin is
growing so fast that NOTHING will "solve" congestion, but
there are definitely steps we can take to make it better.
The point is, if we DON'T build light rail, congestion is
going to be WORSE. It's just common sense: How is moving
tens of thousands of people in compact rail cars NOT
going to have a positive impact?
- The charge has been made that rail is useless because
it would handle only 3% of Austin traffic. But Mopac
itself moves only 5%! And does anyone think congestion
wouldn't get worse if we shut down Mopac?!?
- One of the letters in the Statesman said, "If you
wouldn't ride light rail yourself, then don't vote for
it." That's just crazy! Most people don't ride the bus --
should we get rid of the bus system too?!? Or the public
schools, or the WIC program, or substance abuse programs?
In any event, any motorist who won't ride rail but wants
fewer cars in front of him on his way to work should vote
FOR light rail.
- Here's a visual depiction of light rail's promise:
This summer transportation advocates gathered downtown to
take some clever photos which show how much roadway space
is wasted by automobiles vs. rail. Check
out the photos.
- Bicyclists have another reason to support rail: We'll
likely be able to carry our bikes right onto the train,
as is common in other cities. Not only is it quicker than
fumbling with the rack on front of the bus, but rail cars
can accommodate more cyclists (no more worrying that the
rack already has bikes on it), and you won't have to
worry about your bike getting stolen from the bus
- Remember, a vote for rail doesn't raise taxes and
doesn't authorize more bonds. The project would be funded
by the EXISTING sales tax and federal grants. Rail is so
affordable it's ridiculous.
- In Austin, this will be our last chance to build
light rail for quite some time. Capital Metro has been
saving money in anticipation of building rail, but if the
election fails, that money will likely go to build more
roadways instead -- even though more massive
road-building is already planned for this area even if
light rail wins.
- The facts are simple: Rail works. It's fast,
efficient, comfortable, less polluting, a good
investment, and affordable.
- What you can do to support
- (1) Check to make
sure you're registered to
- (2) Talk to your friends about
rail. If they give you some of the trendy, lame
criticisms of light rail listed above, politely point out
- (3) Write to the
Statesman. Positive letters about rail are needed
to counter the barrage of anti-rail letters. Send polite,
short letters (150 words or less) to: Letters to the
Editor, PO Box 670 Austin, Tx 78767.
* Footnote from above: Austin has more
lane-miles per capita of high-quality roads (state and
federally funded) than any other large Texas city -- San
Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Ft. Worth, and El Paso.
Facts about Light Rail
- by Light Rail Now, Feb. & March 2000 (except
for the first item, which is by M. Bluejay)
- Much of the information below is available in a
professionally-printed two-column handout. For bulk
copies, contact: Light Rail Progress, PO Box 150116,
Austin, Tx 78715-0116, (512) 441-3014.
MYTH: We should build more roads
- FACT: A single track of
light rail can carry as many passengers in an hour as a
four-lane freeway (assuming 1.2 passengers per vehicle
which is the average in North Texas) and use much less
space. Besides, rail will primarily be used in the
central city, which is already developed, and you can't
build new highways right through the middle of the city.
Even if you could, they'd be incredibly inefficient
compared to rail. And they'd bring more noise, pollution,
congestion, and other problems.
MYTH: Light rail transit is a
waste of public money, because nobody will ride
- FACT: Across the country,
light rail services - old and new - are proving to be
extremely effective in attracting riders. People like to
ride light rail!
- Sacramento's single light rail line, for example, is
attracting approximately 30,000 riders on an average
weekday - about 30% of Sacramento's total system
ridership, which includes the passengers on 69 different
bus routes. Source: Sacramento
RT website 00/02/22
- Buffalo's Metro Rail light rail line has overwhelming
public support. In a recent Buffalo poll, 52% rated light
rail as "very desirable", and another 27% rated it
"somewhat desirable". Source:
T&UT Feb. 2000
- Portland's MAX light rail system now carries 74,000
riders on an average weekday. That sure doesn't sound
like light rail trains are running empty. Source:
Portland Tri-Met website
- What about Portland's buses? In the same period,
Tri-Met's bus ridership rose 36% ... but that's with an
increase in vehicle-hours of 25%.
- By far, one of the biggest light rail success stories
has got to be Dallas's DART light rail system. DART's
Fiscal 1999 report indicates that Dallas's light rail
system ridership grew 3.6% in the past year, while
ridership on the new Trinity Railway Express commuter
rail service skyrocketed a whopping 28.7%. That compares
to a street bus ridership increase of 3.3%. Source:
DART News Release
- "Ridership on the rail lines is exceeding 37,000
daily" reported the Dallas Morning News last fall in an
editorial which pointed to evidence of "The public's
strong acceptance of DART's current mass transit program
...." In a poll, 82% of Dallas-area respondents said they
favored DART using longterm debt to build the light rail
system more quickly. "The primary question for DART
officials is how to ride this wave of support to a
quicker completion of the rail system" enthuses the News. Source: DMN
- So much for the "nobody will ride it" argument.
- There are a lot of reasons why light rail is
especially attractive as a transit mode. It's fast,
reliable, comfortable. It bypasses traffic on clogged
streets. Because of the tracks, you know it's there and
have a better idea where it goes.
MYTH: All light rail does is
move transit riders from buses into trains. All rail
riders are taken from buses, not cars.
- FACT: This is nonsense.
While many light rail riders do indeed come from buses,
many others are attracted to light rail from
cars. In fact, the percentage of riders
diverted from automobiles to transit is typically quite
high for light rail - more than 30% in Dallas, for
example, and about 70% in St. Louis.
- 79% of St. Louis's Metrolink LRT riders are not from
buses, but are totally new to transit. 68% have 2 or more
cars available to use. Source:
Citizens for Modern Transit website
- In Portland, 92% of riders using the MAX LRT service
own autos, but choose light rail for recreational trips
and work commutes because of its convenience. Source:
- And, while anti-transit zealots promote the notion
that only new riders attracted from cars are worth
counting, bus riders who are diverted to the new LRT
service are also major beneficiaries. First, if there
were no transit, the vast majority - possibly all - of
these transit riders would have to be using cars,
clogging city streets far worse than they're clogged now.
Second, as previous trends have demonstrated, many
current bus riders have been relentlessly "defecting" to
automobiles - a trend which LRT has well demonstrated it
MYTH: Light rail will carry such
an insignificant portion of urban travel that it won't
have any impact on traffic congestion or air
- FACT: The investment in LRT
does pay off in removing cars from congested streets and
freeways. While no single light rail line will
miraculously make congestion and pollution utterly
vanish, statistics do suggest an impact.
- Cities like Houston, Phoenix, and Denver (before its
LRT system) burned an average of 550 gallons of motor
fuel per capita per year. Cities with good multi-rail
transit systems burned only 415 gallons -a saving of
about one third. Source:
Kenworthy & Newman APA Journal Winter
- As is noted above, LRT has a proven track record of
diverting substantial numbers of trips off of crowded
streets and freeways, and into transit trains. Portland
offers a good case study, with the opening of MAX's
Westside line in 1998. Coupled with improved bus service,
the new LRT line helped provide a 46 percent increase in
transit service in Portland's western corridor. As a
result, transit ridership in the corridor rose 137
percent in 1999 to 33,900 average weekday trips.
Portland's transit operator, Tri-Met, now has about
20,000 more daily transit trips in the westside corridor
than before MAX opened - most of those undoubtedly
diverted from congested roadways. Source:
- Rail opponents try to shock the public with the
overwhelming traffic numbers for motor vehicles, compared
to transit. But it's absurd. Basically, they're trying to
bash transit largely for not winning travel market share
in areas and for travel patterns where transit isn't even
in the market. There are hundreds of small urban and
suburban areas where no transit service operates at all -
Round Rock, for example -- yet those millions of
person-miles by automobile are accumulated in metro area
- Where transit does compete for travel market share --
in congested corridors into downtowns and other compact
central areas, for example, and where it has improved
facilities, such as its own right-of-way -- transit has
been winning increasingly greater shares of total trips.
And in this, rail transit excels.
- In cities with LRT, the evidence suggests that
highway and LRT modes are attracting trips in about the
proportion of the regional travel network each represents
(in terms of route-mileage), although buses appear to lag
behind. A transit system without high-quality trunk lines
(such as LRT provides) is at a definite disadvantage in
trying to compete for riders with autos.
- However, neither transit nor roadway capacity
improvements seem to have a "magic bullet" effect in
making congestion disappear. Planners are increasingly
coming to the conclusion that urban areas are going to
have to live with traffic congestion. They cannot make it
evaporate. There isn't enough money in the world to
construct enough freeways (and parking lots) to ever keep
up - and if there were, these facilities would just fill
up because of the "induced" traffic generated.
- Rail transit "solves" the congestion problem by
providing an alternative means of access between origins
and destinations, and into compact, traffic-gridlocked
areas. Rail transit is a way to bypass the congestion.
Network rail with buses running on the less-congested
streets, and you have the basis for a transit grid
-pretty much what got ripped out in this country decades
MYTH: New light rail projects
fail to measure up to their promises.
- FACT: Almost all new light
rail projects have met or exceeded their most accurate
ridership projections. In its first
year, Dallas's DART light rail ridership was 10% higher
than was forecast. "Ridership on the light rail lines to
Oak Cliff, South Dallas and North Dallas has exceeded all
expectations" raves the Dallas Morning News. Sources:
LR&MT Nov. 1997,
- For another example, take Portland's MAX light rail,
which opened its new Westside line just a year and a half
ago. "Since Westside MAX opened in September 1998,
ridership has soared 22% over projections" says
Portland's Tri-Met public transit agency. Source:
Portland Tri-Met website
- And the country's newest light rail opening -- Salt
Lake City's brand-new Trax light rail system -- is
another soaring success story. Trax was completed "well
ahead of schedule and under budget" reports an industry
magazine. And ridership is a huge success. After hitting
25,000 on the first day (with free rides), it's levelled
off at 20,000 now that fares are being charged and that
compares with just 14,000 daily riders originally
forecast. "Daily ridership on TRAX has exceeded UTA's
original projections by an average of 40-50 percent"
reports the Utah Transit Authority, which operates public
transit in Salt Lake City. Source: T&UT
Feb. 2000, UTA
- The bottom line: If properly managed, light rail
projects will meet their promised goals.
MYTH: Light rail projects always
have terrible cost overruns, so the cost of Austin's
light rail project will be much higher than
- FACT: Anti-transit zealots
repeatedly make extravagant claims of "underestimated"
costs and predictions of mammoth cost "over-runs" of LRT
projects. In reality, most new LRT systems have been
completed on time and within budget. In fact,
the final completion costs of Salt Lake City's brand-new
TRAX light rail line --opened in December -- are millions
of dollars under budget. Source:
UTA data, April 2000
- Opponents also exaggerate the "average" per-mile
costs of LRT by brandishing the cost figures from such
cities as Buffalo, Dallas, and Los Angeles, which had
substantial and expensive civil works such as subway and
viaduct construction. But light rail lines in Austin
would be routed entirely on the surface, with little need
for expensive civil works.
- New light rail construction in Salt Lake City,
Denver, and East Saint Louis should be used as the
measuring stick. Totalling 41 miles for $820 million,
that's $20 million a mile in today's dollars, with no
subways, automation, or elevated viaducts (except for
grade crossings). In comparison, the current cost of new
urban freeways is typically in the range of $50 to $100
million per mile.
- Curiously, the currently most notorious cost-overrun
scandal in the United States - transportation or
otherwise - appears to be a freeway project. Boston's
Central Artery tunnel project has ballooned by a factor
of five times from the projected cost at start -from the
original $2.6 billion to a current projected cost of
completion of $13.5 billion (and it's still rising).
- Incidentally, "urban freeway tunnels" are one of the
"innovative alternatives" (to the "expense" of LRT) being
pushed by the anti-rail, pro-roadway activists!
MYTH: Austin doesn't have the
size or density for light rail.
- FACT: Austin has been
suitable for light rail for decades. In fact, Austin once
had a "light rail" system -- electric trolleys
(streetcars) -- until the 1940s. What
really counts is not so much population density, as
travel density -- and Austin has plenty of that,
especially in the North Lamar corridor, where the first
light rail line would go. In more lightly populated
suburban areas, access to light rail stations by car
(e.g., park-and-ride) has eliminated the need for dense
population near rail transit lines.
- Road traffic congestion almost surely will never
disappear even with light rail, other public transit, or
more highway capacity. Building more roads or highway
lanes really just attracts more car travel and more
roadside development - worsening congestion. That problem
probably won't disappear, but light rail can solve the
congestion/gridlock dilemma by providing much higher
capacity in an alternative way to travel.
- And it's a pleasant, comfortable, attractive way to
travel - a mode that's environmentally friendly and
economically viable ... and the right way for
- [Ed. Note: Another point to consider is that
Austin's population is EXPLODING. We're certainly big
enough for light rail now, but even if we weren't, we
definitely would be in just a few years. And it's always
much cheaper to lay the groundwork early, rather than
trying to do a patchwork repair to a poorly-planned
transportation system years down the road when
implementation becomes much more problematic.]
MYTH: Light rail is noisy and
- FACT: Because they're
electrically propelled, light rail trains - often called
"trolleys" or "streetcars" - are exceptionally
quiet. There's no engine roar - the
only sound you may hear is a gliding whisper or a soft
woosh or rumble. They can sneak up on you (but so can
- Like any transportation vehicle - including cars,
trucks, buses, even bicycles - light rail cars can be
dangerous, especially if people are careless around them.
But, more than just about any other motorized transport
mode, light rail is nicely compatible with neighborhoods,
pedestrians, and populated areas. Throughout Europe, for
instance, road-traffic-free city-center malls are
widespread, where pedestrians walk, shop, or sit in
outdoor restaurants while light rail trains glide past -
the only transit vehicles considered compatible enough to
- Tacoma, Washington is putting in a new light rail
line, called "Tacoma Link", connecting downtown Tacoma to
the Tacoma Dome. Here's what their transit agency has to
say about light rail environmental impact: "Current
vehicle technology has produced vehicles that are
environmentally friendly with power-saving electric
design, recyclable materials and low noise levels." Source: Tacoma Link website
- In the Cincinnati area, the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana
Regional Council of Governments is planning a brand-new
light rail system for their region. "LRT is quiet" says
the agency. "An LRT train is no more noisy than a car.
The noise from LRT is not constant like highway traffic.
And unlike a diesel bus, LRT produces no acceleration
Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments
MYTH: Light rail won't have any
impact on urban development.
- FACT: In city after city,
LRT has solidly demonstrated its potential for
stimulating and shaping adjacent real estate development
at its transit stops and stations.
This process both builds in ridership (e.g., trips by
people living near the stations or traveling to the
nearby activity centers) and raises the tax base (by
increasing land and property values). Together with
effective policies to manage traffic and guide land use,
transit-shaped development can be a key tool in helping
to contain urban sprawl. In Dallas, more than $800
million in private funds has been invested in development
along DART's 20-mile Light Rail Starter System -evidence
of an explosion of adjacent real estate development less
than 4 years after LRT was installed.
- Incredibly, opponents or LRT and anti-transit zealots
claim urban sprawl is just fine. A recent handout from
the local anti-transit ROAD group disparages the notion
of seeking a "superior urban form" and proclaims that
this is "counter to the values of the populace."
- At bottom, what these anti-transit, pro-sprawl Road
Warriors basically advocate is more of the same old
status quo: more asphalt, more traffic meatgrinders, more
ozone, more road rage, more sprawl. Their all-bus
"alternatives" for transit, like HOV lanes, amount to
moribund proposals to euthanize, rather than energize,
transit service. Their "innovative approaches" range from
rehashed agitation for more roadway capacity - e.g., more
and wider freeways, which have compounded, rather than
alleviated, congestion - to off-the-wall, astonomically
expensive monstrosities like urban motor vehicle tunnels.
Instead, what's needed is a new start in a new direction
... and light rail can be a first step in that new
direction for Austin!
MYTH: Buses can provide
equivalent transit service at a lot less cost than light
- FACT: Buses are not a viable
alternative to light rail transit (LRT). Buses in today's
congested traffic are slow, inefficient, and expensive to
operate -- and they've been typically losing riders to
the automobile. Rail systems -- with LRT in
the lead -- have been gaining riders. And light rail
doesn't come with the fumes, air pollution, and obnoxious
noise that motor buses put out -- making light rail a lot
more compatible with neighborhoods and populated areas,
and a lot more attractive to riders. Buses are fine for
lightly used routes and connector services. But light
rail has proven it's a lot cheaper and more efficient in
providing transit service as ridership picks up.
- The expansion of light rail service has been a key
factor in reversing the steep decline in public transit
ridership of the past 5 decades. Rail transit ridership
has climbed at a rate several times that of bus
ridership, which has comparatively remained stagnant.
Between 1977 and 1997, while motor bus ridership rose
just 5%, "heavy" rail ridership (mainly on
subway/elevated transit) increased 13%, and light rail
ridership skyrocketed an astounding 155%. Source:
Transportation Association data
- Rail opponents try to counterpose buses on freeways
as an alternative to LRT. But in today's semi-gridlocked
traffic conditions, that's a joke: Why would motorists
stuck in freeway traffic want to abandon their cars for
buses stuck in freeway traffic?
- Light rail's biggest economic advantage over buses is
in operating cost. In Portland, for example, the
operating cost per boarding bus rider is $1.67; for
Portland's MAX light rail line, it's just $1.40. In
Dallas, DART's new light rail system has plunged the
operating cost per-passenger-mile to just 62% of that of
DART's fixed-route buses -- a 38% cost drop. Source:
Portland Tri-Met website
00/02/22; FTA data, summer 1999
- Those operating cost savings are typically translated
into an overall expansion of the entire transit system.
Since 1993, St. Louis's new light rail system, for
example, has helped double the metro area's total transit
ridership in contrast with where it was headed before
LRT. In Portland, areawide transit ridership has soared
since LRT was introduced in 1986 - reversing transit's
previous downward trend, and now hitting an historic
high. Source: Austin360.com
00/04/08; Tri-Met website April 2000
- What about capital construction costs? LRT
construction costs are close to the cost of freeway and
HOV lanes - -in fact, they can even be cheaper! And,
while light rail cars cost more than buses, their
lifespan is 3 times longer and their passenger capacity 3
times greater. All told, advantages in life cycle,
capacity, and speed mean that a light rail car is
functionally equivalent to at least 11 buses for
equivalent types of service.
- Busways -- buses on exclusive roadways -- are often
touted as a cheaper alternative to light rail. But
busways often can cost substantially more than light
rail, when built to adquate capacity and safety
standards. Excluding vehicle costs, Pittsburgh's West
Busway cost $70 million a route mile, compared to an
average of about $24 million per route mile for the
Denver, Salt Lake City, and East St. Louis light rail
projects. Source: EL Tennyson,
"Transit Capital Investment per Route Mile", Sept.
- Even when the capital cost of light rail is higher
than that of bus, light rail is often still a better
investment because of lower ongoing costs, higher
ridership, much lower environmental impact, and much
greater economic benefits.
- In Sacramento, annual ridership has steadily
increased, on both the bus and LRT systems, from 14
million trips in 1987, when light rail opened, to almost
27 million trips in Fiscal Year 1999. Source:
Sacramento RT website
MYTH: Buses would have an
advantage over light rail if we ran the buses on High
Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.
- FACT: HOV lanes -- freeway
lanes reserved for buses and (usually) 2-person carpools
-- are also touted as "low-cost" alternatives to rail
transit. But while buses on HOV lanes are certainly an
improvement to buses in mixed traffic, they're definitely
not an alternative to light rail.
- Busways and HOV lanes have been somewhat on the
decline. New Jersey's pioneering HOV lane program on
I-287 and I-80 - once hailed as a great success -has now
been abolished as the concept fizzled. The Shirley Busway
outside Washington, DC - once the flagship of road-based
"rapid transit" - has lost 2/3 of its bus ridership. And
Ottawa, Canada's busway system - the most ambitious urban
network in North America - has been losing riders. Ottawa
is now implementing light rail, which may replace much of
the busway system.
- First, spend money on HOV lanes, and you've come a
good part of the way in paying for a decent LRT system -
but you're still stuck with buses and all their
- Second, buses may not experience much traffic
congestion in the HOV lane ... but how about getting into
and out of the HOV lanes? Once again, as buses sit in
traffic congestion getting over to the exit ramp, or
waiting in the traffic-clogged exit lane itself -- would
motorists really yearn to forsake their cars to sit in a
bus stuck in traffic?
- Third, how do buses on HOV lanes ever stop to pick up
passengers? Answer: They don't. Typically, the buses poke
around on streets in the suburbs, picking up passengers,
then run as express buses to a central location. While
their schedule speed often equals or exceeds that of LRT,
it's an "apples-to-oranges" comparison -- express buses
compete, not with LRT, but with express commuter rail
(which has proven it attracts and keeps more
- In contrast, LRT provides an acceptable cross between
express and local service -- what's called limited-stop
service. Light rail trains stop to pick up all those
passengers along the route who are bypassed by HOV-lane
buses ... and yet LRT still offers a high schedule speed
and a ride that's attractive and comfortable enough to
compete with the automobile!
- Much of the information above is available in a
professionally-printed two-column handout. For bulk
copies, contact: Light Rail Progress, PO Box 150116,
Austin, Tx 78715-0116, (512) 441-3014 | <urn:uuid:1109c098-55ca-4792-b3f1-08afcf9f9df9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://bicycleaustin.info/rail/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.934111 | 7,785 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Civics: Voting in New York State
Who are NY State Voters and can you get them to the Polls? New Yorkers have a tendency to have a cultural and geographic lens on what New Yorkers value. This lesson is designed to expose students to voter trends in New York in an attempt to clarify the diversity of the voters in NY and hone in on their own districts. Students will research necessary voter information for their Congressional District to access when needed, and create a voter guide to share in an attempt to increase voter turnout.
If you are a teacher who utilized one or more of our lesson plans, please complete this brief, 1 page survey to help us continue to make improvements to our program. | <urn:uuid:05c5988e-6ab9-4eb5-ae6b-aeabbc1370db> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://lwvofpwm.org/voting-in-new-york-state/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.935914 | 141 | 2.75 | 3 |
From multiple surveys, one thing has become crystal clear, that adopting DevOps is easier said than done. In 2020 the number of respondents who said that implementing DevOps was “messy” (their word) was over 50%. This mainly due to the fact that DevOps is a workflow which brings together teams who are not really known to be working with each other such close proximity. So let’s take as a starting point to see in considerable details the hurdles our DevOps engineers faced in their careers.
Clash Of Goals
As mentioned above, the goal of an operations team is to have an organization which is running smoothly, daily and weekly goals are reached and the standards of output from the employees are up to the mark. Other than the development, they also oversee marketing activities, sales activities and more. On the flip side, there is the development team, their goals much smaller on a daily and weekly basis in some sense, they are looking into features and functionalities in a long term fashion. So there is a clash of gaols, to begin with, the best way to overcome this issue is with collective goals instead by changing how goals are quantified, developers and operations can come together to map out goals which are doable, in the best interest of the end-user, goals which cater to continuous development, continuous integration and continuous testing and so on.
Trial and Error
As soon as the word experiment comes in, everyone at the operations team starts sweating bullets. Most organzations have an approach to experimentations, most of the experiments happen in the 80 (as in Pareto principle) of the company. To overcome this hurdle, the best was is to implement new technologies and new workflows in just one project. Tweak the team and technologies to get the best outcome, this will or might take time, but the payoff, in the end, is worth the risk in every sense of the word.
Lack of Knowledge
Might be the easiest obstacle to overcome, new technologies and new tools have to be used without any compromises, instead of finding shortcuts or alternatives it is better to learn them. This might seem like a chore but this is a long term investment with a lot of potential for the employee as well as the organization.
Cultural and Workflow Differences
This might seem like an extension from the first point but bear with me, so you have a DevOps team now and things are not looking good, but why? You may ask. The reason lies in the complexities of development and operations teams. No one from either team cares about the difficulty in the transition of the other teams. Here the non-alignment of the goals is not the issue, goals have a timeline to reach, here the nitty-gritty of the daily on-goings has to be hashed out. There is no other way to solve other than constant communication, be it face to face or digitally. There is no tool or technology to solve this hurdle, sorry but there are DevOps engineers from Urolime who can help you with that. | <urn:uuid:8fb4b3f6-7764-446d-937b-e73740c1b14b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.urolime.com/blogs/hurdles-during-adopting-devops-and-how-to-overcome-them/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.971091 | 628 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Smooth-On Large Vacuum Chamber$1,868.63 inc GST ($1,698.75 ex GST)
Vacuum chambers are useful tools for working with epoxies, liquid plastics, and liquid rubbers. A vacuum removes all traces of air and gas from the chamber – which comes in handy when details matter in your finished product of industrial and hobby applications.
Availability:1 in stock
A vacuum chamber is a useful tool when working with epoxy resin, liquid rubber, and liquid plastic. The reason for this is simple: by using an industrial vacuum chamber, you remove all traces of air and gas from the chamber. If you’re designing a finished product where details matter – and you need to remove blemishes from the equation – a vacuum degassing chamber can be the solution.
Are you having an issue with bubbles popping up in your finished resin, rubber, or plastic products? To prevent this from happening to these materials, you need to place them in a vacuum environment. A vacuum chamber for resin, silicone rubber, and other high-viscosity materials removes all air. The result: you are guaranteed a bubble-free casing each and every time!
What if you’re working with Crystal Clear plastics or other liquid plastics? In this case, a large vacuum chamber is a great tool for degassing the material to remove potential bubbles.
The 5-gallon vacuum chamber for liquids, plastics, and rubbers
Your search for a vacuum chamber is over. Our impressive 5-gallon aluminum vacuum chamber is durable and built to last. This durability is improved upon due to the lid being made from shatter-resistant acrylic. This means there’s no worry about having to replace the lid following an accident.
To ensure pressure is maintained, a positive air-tight seal is created. Our vacuum chamber also features a rubber gasket seal.
- 14” diameter opening
- 15” tall
- Holds up to five gallons
If you’re a beginner and not sure how to use a vacuum chamber, our easy-to-read gauge helps to make the process easier. The gauge will display if you’re pulling the required 29 inches of mercury to produce a clear pour each time.
The setup includes a hose. Note: the vacuum pump is not included. | <urn:uuid:75221dae-3d5e-4f3d-b76b-1037d45f4fbb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.rowetrading.com.au/product/large-vacuum-chamber/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.897086 | 497 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Northeastern’s Automotive Expertise program is designed to prepare its students to obtain entry degree positions in automotive dealerships and repair centers. The Chevrolet Bolt BEV electrical machine rotor design optimizes the magnet placement between the adjoining poles asymmetrically to decrease torque ripple and radial drive. Sauteed Jumbo Lump Cake Served with a Lobster Cream Sauce. They don’t require magnets and the effectivity on a majority of these motors seems to be promising. The design could be extremely fuel efficient compared to V sort, Boxer and Rotary engine designs.
A passenger vehicle is a motor vehicle designed or adapted primarily to hold folks on highways and streets. The next checklist, as well as the car’s proprietor’s guide, will present a good idea of what type of oil to make use of. We advise that auto and bike insurance customers evaluate a number of quotes to seek out the coverage they want at the lowest charges.
Beginning torque on brushless motor is mostly increased than on induction motors. When the LP – Propane, Pure Fuel (if applicable), Electrical, or Plug-in Hybrid Electrical equipment is removed by the proprietor upon sale of the car and installed on one other automobile owned or bought by the same individual, the particular gasoline decal can be transferred to the newly geared up automobile.
When designing an electrical motor, there are a number of ways to come up with these all-essential magnetic fields. While you store for a automotive, the number you want to pay the closest consideration to is the whole payment. DKWs always used two-stroke engines, reflecting the company’s position by the end of the Twenties because the world’s largest producer of bikes.
Automotive expertise is considered one of NCC’s hottest profession training applications. Recently, our auto program – which has been NATEF-certified since 2010 – added new coaching aids including 5 Ford Fusion automobiles, a Hunter Alignment System, Premium Scissor Lengthy-Deck Rack, RoadForce Contact 4th Era Wheel Balancer, and an Ergonomic Heart Clamping Tire Changer. | <urn:uuid:9b730d10-da76-4cff-9a4f-00b149deabd8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.exosolar.net/motor-inn-auto-group.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.928191 | 439 | 1.90625 | 2 |
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society hiking guide takes a food columnist out to enjoy a beautiful day in nature. They identify and taste wild edible berries, leaves and plants near the Sibbald Flats area of southern Alberta, and explore various ecosystems in the wilderness.
CPAWS created this video to celebrate connecting to our Alberta parks and wilderness areas through sustainable outdoor recreation, and to raise awareness about the first survey to measure Albertans’ outdoor recreation activities and their values toward Wilderness. See the CPAWS website for more information.
It’s thanks to the following sponsors this video was make possible: The Alberta Real Estate Foundation, The Edmonton Community Foundation, Mountain Equipment Co-op, and Alberta Culture and Tourism Community Initiatives Program.
Source: CPAWS Southern Alberta | <urn:uuid:630a4c7b-c452-4bf8-916f-0249a173323f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://gatewaygazette.ca/fun-foraging-wild-edible-plants-southern-alberta/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.915656 | 159 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Synopses & Reviews
A companion to the bestselling book The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe, this beautiful photographic card deck features all 118 elements in the periodic table. One element per card appears as a full-size image on the front and fascinating information about the element on the back.
The Photographic Card Deck of The Elements is the most detailed, lush, and beautiful set of cards ever produced on the subject of the periodic table. With 126, 5"X5" cards in all, it includes one card for every one of the 118 elements, plus additional cards that explain the arrangement of the periodic table, present the elements sorted by various properties, and suggest activities and uses for the cards.
The front side of each card shows a full-size, photographic image of the element, while the back gives scientific information including atomic weight, density, melting and boiling point, valence, and the percent of the element found in the universe, in the Earth's crust, in oceans, and in humans. Graphics show melting/boiling points, density, electron configuration, and atomic radius. A fascinating fact about the element, as well as the date of its discovery, is also included.
The cards are perfect for students but also make an excellent gift for a scientist or anyone who enjoys the beauty and diversity of the natural world.
About the Author
Theodore Gray is the author of The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe; Theo Gray's Mad Science: Experiments You Can Do At Home, But Probably Shouldn't; Mad Science 2: Experiments You Can Do At Home, But Still Probably Shouldn't; and Popular Science magazine's "Gray Matter" column. With his company Touch Press, Gray is the developer of best-selling iPad and iPhone apps, including The Elements, Solar System, Disney Animated, The Orchestra, The Waste Land, and Skulls by Simon Winchester. He lives in Urbana, Illinois. | <urn:uuid:4f49d24b-6223-4cc6-9a88-0ca37aa62eb3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.powells.com/gift/photographic-card-deck-of-the-elements-9781603761987 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.903596 | 405 | 2.578125 | 3 |
The face of the Earth has undergone very remarkable changes in the past half-century. It has changed almost beyond recognition. Rewind time to the 1950s. No mobile phones, no internet, no personal computers. All those things that are essential, or vital for our today’s daily life are missing. The world was devoid of all that we consider essential, and yet, people could live happily back then. Rewind to a millennium back. You will find even more necessary items missing. The most important is electricity. In those days, monarchy prevailed, not democracy. Yet people lived in towns and cities, cultivated food, and lived happily. A few more millennia back, you won’t find that too. Just some small groups of people living near their farms, which are usually located near rivers. (There was no Farmville back then!) No kings or countries, and of course, no wars. | <urn:uuid:add854c2-9ea6-4b22-9722-1a683889d654> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://vacuumwalker.com/blog/tag/nature | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.976667 | 185 | 1.960938 | 2 |
Intergalactic Moving Day John F. Malta In this unique counting book for young readers, an outer space boy gets ready for a very big change. On the last day of every year his people celebrate Intergalactic Moving Day: the day when their planet fizzles out and they blast off for a brand new home world that blooms in the sky.
As the clock counts down from 10 to 1, the boy and his family pack up all their robots, favorite snacks, mom’s wrestling trophies, and lucky caps before piling into their space pod for launch! What will their new planet be like?
for more information click here | <urn:uuid:1183904a-c2ac-4171-bfd1-e0abcb8a0bd5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.groovinmoms.com/2022/06/28/intergalactic-moving-day-john-f-malta-malta/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.921428 | 130 | 2.515625 | 3 |
The Chantier de l’économie sociale is committed to building a plural economy that produces returns for the community and protects the common good as it relates directly to communities’ needs and aspirations. Social economy enterprises ensure collective control and maintain the economic, social and cultural vitality of communities.
The mission of the Chantier de l’économie sociale is to promote the social economy as an integral part of Québec’s plural economy, and in so doing, contribute to the democratization of the economy and emergence of this development model that is based on the values of solidarity, equity, and transparency.
The Chantier’s objectives are to:
- Bring together different stakeholders and partners of the social economy at the regional and Québec-wide levels
- Promote the social economy as a vector of social and economic change
- Create the conditions and tools that enable the consolidation, experimentation, and the development of new niches and projects
- Participate in the construction of alliances with other socio-economic stakeholders and social movements favourable to this development model, including at the international level
The Chantier de l’économie sociale has been mandated as a Readiness Support Partner by the federal government to deliver IRP funding in Québec. The Chantier has established an advisory council to help administer the program, and respond to the interest and needs of social purpose organizations working across the province. The Chantier’s advisory council has developed the framework and program design for IRP in Québec, including eligibility and evaluation criteria. | <urn:uuid:f5a936b6-a8ec-4f15-9b19-bec7c5d4ef5b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://irp-ppi.ca/en/partners/chantier-de-leconomie-sociale/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.914791 | 326 | 1.679688 | 2 |
A South African holds a very prestigious place in the world of aviation firsts. Edwin Dunning was the first man to land an aircraft on a moving ship adapted to carry aircraft, a feat that at the time was near impossible, and the practice of landing aircraft even today on an aircraft carrier takes supreme skill and is reserved for the ‘best of the best’ pilots, such is the hazard. Unfortunately for his pioneering endeavour his efforts were to end in tragedy.
Edwin Harris Dunning was born in South Africa on the 17th July 1892, the second child of Sir Edwin Harris Dunning and was later educated at Royal Navy Colleagues in the United Kingdom.
A very skilled aviator, he took to pioneering naval aviation. He rose to a high rank within the Royal Navy’s newly born Air Service or RNAS (which was to evolve into their ‘Fleet Air Arm’). During World War 1 the Army and the Navy ran separate Air Services under their own Command. During the war the Royal Navy began to look at how aircraft can be operated from fighting ships.
Previously the Royal Navy had used catapults to launch the aircraft from ship decks but landing them was a different matter – early naval aircraft types were fitted with pontoons (sea-plane or ‘float’ plane) and ‘landed in the ocean next to the vessel to be hoisted back on. This posted a number of difficulties, sea conditions and time and manoeuvring of the aircraft and ship for hoisting for starters. Also, they could only operate one aircraft from a ship and it was usually used for one thing – ‘spotting’ i.e. reconnaissance work.
The solution lay in an adapted fighting ship with a runway from which a number of aircraft could take-off or be catapulted from and could land directly on the ship again, this could then bring the formidable nature of air-power – striking targets anywhere in the world within range completely at will into the realm of sea-power. The concept of the aircraft carrier was born (a concept that to this day divides a super-power from an ordinary country).
However, you needed people with considerable skill and courage to try this idea out, that it was dangerous to land on a ship in high winds and rolling seas is an understatement – think of runway that is always moving around. They found such a man in our hero, one very brave South African aviator.
The Royal Navy decided to convert a Courageous-class Battlecruiser, the from a fighting ship into a fighting aircraft carrier by removing her forward gun and a flight deck was added to the bow in its place. A difficult proposition to land on as the approaching aircraft had to manoeuvre around the superstructure to land (much later on they removed the rear gun and extend the flight deck to compensate for this, but it look a tragic learning).
Squadron Leader Edwin Dunning, aged just 25, flying a Sopwith Pup bi-plane marched into the history books at Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland during test exercises in the Flow. He became the first person to land on a moving aircraft carrier at sea. He completed this landmark aviation feat on 2 August 1917.
The landing was extremely perilous – whereas now arrest wires would bring a plane to a halt, Dunning was relying on the deck crew of the Furious to grab the wings of his Sopwith Pup to bring it to a halt.
Five short days later, after completing his milestone, Dunning endeavoured to do it again. However tragedy struck during his third landing of the day. On approach, his aircraft stalled and he came down on the deck of the Furious at too steep an angle. Dunning was knocked unconscious, his port wing lifted as the plane went over the side of the ship and he drowned in the cockpit.
Edwin Dunning is buried at St Lawrence’s Church, Bradfield in England. A plaque in the church says just about everything in recognition of his contribution to naval aviation.
“The Admiralty wish you to know what great service he performed for the Navy. It was in fact a demonstration of landing an Aeroplane on the deck of a Man-of-War whilst the latter was under way. This had never been done before; and the data obtained was of the utmost value. It will make Aeroplanes indispensable to a fleet; & possibly, revolutionise Naval Warfare. The risk taken by Squadron Commander Dunning needed much courage. He had already made two successful landings; but expressed a wish to land again himself, before other Pilots did so; and in this last run he was killed. My Lords desire to place on record their sense of the loss to the Naval Service of this gallant Officer”.
In memory of Edwin Dunning, the Dunning Cup is given annually to the officer who is considered to have done most to further aviation in connection with the Fleet for the year in question. In the 1950s and 1960s it was awarded to Royal Air Force squadrons which achieve the highest standard on courses at the Joint Anti-Submarine School.
A memorial stone was also unveiled at Swanbister Bay in Orkney in 1992 in recognition of Dunning’s feat.
On the occasion of the centenary of Dunning’s feat the British marked the occasion in Orkney with a Hawk flypast and a new plaque was unveiled. Lt Cdr Barry Issitt, Commanding Officer of 736 Naval Air Squadron, paid tribute in August 2017 to mark the centenary, he said;
“The event itself is of particular significance to the Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm as it marks the first successful landing of a fixed-wing aircraft on a ship under way at sea; a moment that would be the genesis for the establishment of the pre-eminence of aircraft carriers.
“It is all the more poignant considering the current regeneration of the UK’s carrier capability, with HMS Queen Elizabeth currently conducting sea trials not far from the location of Dunning’s landing, with Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron operating from her flight deck.”
As is typical to South Africa’s lack of recognition to countrymen who attained greatness serving in the ‘hated’ British forces (as was the case with the old National Party) or in the case of the ‘colonial’ forces (as is the current case with the ANC), even if the feat was an international aviation milestone. So it passed unnoticed and no such flybys, plaque unveilings, awards, centenary mark or national salutes were given to our pioneering hero in South Africa – and that’s more tragic than the tragedy itself.
Related Work and Links
Fleet Air Arm – South African sacrifice ; South African sacrifice in the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm – Dick Lord; Dick Lord – the combat legend who took learnings from the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm to the SAAF
South African Navy sacrifice in the Royal Navy; The South African Navy’s ‘darkest hour’ is not recognised and not commemorated
Researched by Peter Dickens. Source and Extracts – Wikipedia and BBC News | <urn:uuid:a574b3b6-fd02-4940-88fe-ddc88c887530> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://samilhistory.com/2018/04/28/the-first-man-to-land-on-an-aircraft-carrier-at-sea-was-a-south-african/?like_comment=25183&_wpnonce=44283623e4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.974975 | 1,504 | 3.71875 | 4 |
Concordia University of Edmonton joins other smoke-free campuses in CanadaPosted on: Sep 1, 2018
As a leader in evidence-informed research, Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE) is committed to providing a healthy environment to live, learn, work and play. CUE is proud to have adopted the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges. President Tim Loreman signed the statement of adoption on August 20, 2018, following a year long review of the initiative. Visit concordia.ab.ca/healthycue for more information.
CUE is also proud to announce that its campus is now a smoke-free environment.
“As an institution that teaches health and wellness in all aspects of life, this is a logical step for us to take,” says Dr. Tim Loreman, President and Vice-Chancellor.
More and more university and college campuses are becoming smoke-free, not only in Canada, but across the world. The purpose of this movement is to improve health and well-being by educating and highlighting the impact of smoking products to the health of the user, of those around them, as well as to the environment.
With the post-secondary demographic having some of the highest rates of tobacco use, this is an important move to preserve the health of Canada’s future generations, with the aim to mitigate the risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other known health issues.
“The Canadian Cancer Society would like to applaud the public health leadership of Concordia University of Edmonton for providing a healthy, smoke-free environment for their visitors, staff and students,” said Angeline Webb of the Canadian Cancer Society. “The smoking of any substance in public spaces has the potential to expose people to secondhand smoke as well as renormalize smoking behaviours. CUE has decided to protect everyone on campus by extending their smoke-free policies to include any substance that can be smoked or vaped. We encourage all public bodies in Alberta to follow the lead of Concordia University of Edmonton and to place a top priority on protecting the quality of life of their residents, staff, and students.”
For further information about CUE’s smoke-free campus, visit www.concordia.ab.ca/smoke-free | <urn:uuid:b4cb6062-3e73-432d-b7c1-0d879756208d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://concordia.ab.ca/concordia-university-of-edmonton-joins-other-smoke-free-campuses-in-canada/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.954053 | 477 | 1.953125 | 2 |
What's In This Article
If you have ever ridden a bike uphill, you’re at least familiar with the use of gears.
Shifting gears ensure you use less energy on the incline, enhancing your riding experience on different terrain.
While this is true for regular bicycles, you may be wondering whether electric bikes have similar engineering.
Do you need gears on an electric bike? Let’s see…
Does an Electric Bike Need Gears?
Although these new generation bikes do not need gears, they are necessary for some situations. These bikes have components that ease riding and let bikers manage their speed on inclined terrains.
Electric bikes have motors that power their automatic assistance system, which performs most of the functions of a gear system in a mechanical bike.
The automated assistance ensures a smooth transition from one speed to another without fumbling with the handlebar to adjust your pedaling intensity.
Likewise, the motor increases the bike’s torque output to traverse rugged or steep terrain easily.
However, although the automated assistance gives a significant power boost that helps you get where you need to go, sometimes gears will come in handy. An electric bike running solely on automated assistance may not be ideal for riding long distances.
The battery may drain at a faster rate. Thus, it is essential to have gears as a backup. Similarly, the motor may not be powerful enough to drive your pedal assistance when climbing a large hill.
When To Engage Gears on an Electric Bike
If you choose an electric bike with gears, it is essential to know when to engage them for a smooth ride and to ensure you don’t damage your bike.
An electric bike’s gears are no different from an ordinary bicycle’s.
Lowering the gear makes pedaling easier, while setting it to a higher gear setting makes it harder to pedal but easier to maintain high speeds.
Here are the appropriate times to engage your gears when riding your electric bike.
When Ascending and Descending an Inclined Terrain
Riding through hilly terrain on a bicycle can be difficult; it requires a lot of leg power to pedal through the landscape.
However, switching the gear to a low setting reduces resistance, making it easy to pedal and gain speed. The low gear also allows the motor to initiate more pedaling assistance, making it easier to ascend an incline.
You don’t necessarily need to shift gears when going downhill since the bike will coast downhill regardless of what gear you are in.
Instead, keep your weight behind the saddle by leaning slightly backward and while gently but steadily applying the brakes.
This slows you down safely while keeping your weight from toppling you forward.
How to Shift Gears on an Electric Bike
Now that we’ve seen when to shift gears on your electric bike, the next step is to know how to do it.
The mechanical gear shifter on your electric bike is located on the right side of your handlebars.
Most electric bikes have 24 labeled gears, with the lowest number marking the lowest gear and vice versa.
Changing these gears tightens or loosens the cable connected to the gear handle, which moves the bike’s chain up or down depending on your engaged gear.
Making this gear shift is as easy as sliding or clicking the gear shifter, which places the bike chain on a different-sized gear on the cassette.
Changing to lower gears shifts the chain downwards, while switching to a higher gear shifts the chain upwards. The gear shift also changes your bike’s electrical output.
The left handlebar contains the electrical assistance shifter; it allows you to set assistance power levels when riding your bike.
Always set the appropriate pedal assistance level on the left handlebar before shifting gears on your electric bike.
Using Gears To Prolong Battery Life
As the name suggests, electric bikes need battery power. Ensure your battery operates at optimal levels every time you ride out.
You can easily do this by following best practices for conserving your battery power.
For instance, you shouldn’t rely too heavily on electrical power when riding uphill, so ease up on the pedal assist when climbing.
You could also change the front chain gear to a smaller one so that the motor doesn’t have to work too hard when providing power assistance.
Using higher gears and power assist on flat terrain effectively extends your battery life while riding fast.
The motor works to keep you moving, thus using up the battery. On the other hand, high gears use less energy since you pedal harder and use the motor less.
Despite this energy conservation technique, it is not possible to use high gears all the time to prolong your battery life; you will get exhausted.
Find the right gear and balance when cycling to mitigate energy wastage.
Tips for Effective Gear Shifting
People say nothing is as easy as riding a bicycle. However, inexperienced riders may have issues changing the gears on their electric or mechanical bikes.
If you struggle with shifting gears, here are some tips that can help you shift your gears effectively:
- Avoid changing gears when stationary. Only shift gears when you are on the move and the pedals are turning. Moreover, shifting gears when stationary could damage your bike.
- Adjust your hand to a comfortable position. Place your hand on the gear handlebar to make the shifter and brakes easily accessible. Ensure you only need to move your thumb to rotate the gear lever for easier and quicker shifting.
- Plan for ascents and descents. Shift gears before every climb and when you are about to start a descent to ease cycling.
So, do you need gears on an electric bike?
Electric bikes do not generally need gears since they have components that transfer power to your bicycle. However, shiftable gears can have multiple benefits, especially for those who ride trails.
You conserve juice and enhance your riding experience, allowing you to go faster with less effort, resulting in a more enjoyable ride.
Jason Hawkley is a biking enthusiast, which is a nice way of saying he’s a total nerd when it comes to bikes. One day while mountain biking through the woods in New Hampshire, the idea came him to create Our Streets as a way to share his biking passion with you. | <urn:uuid:0e4930d8-442d-49c0-9ddc-5b1398695789> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ourstreets.com/do-you-need-gears-on-an-electric-bike/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.914905 | 1,290 | 2.875 | 3 |
|Your cart is currently empty|
Depicting the mighty goddess Kuan Yin pouring water of life onto people, this kuan yin plaque is believed to help people overcome obstacles and let everything go smoothly. The reverse side of the Kuan Yin Chants bring you benefits from goddess Kuan Yin.
Kuan Yin is the most popular Goddess. She always helps people who are in depression and difficulty go through their tough life. It is said she uses the water in her carrying vase to help people overcome all kinds of problems, such as sickness problems, relationship problems, lawsuit problems, career problems, children problems, etc. In addition, she also guides people to attain good merits.
The dimension of the Kuan Yin plaque is approx. 3.25" x 4.375" x 0.125". It is made of metal and comes with one acrylic base.
See more Feng Shui Plaques | <urn:uuid:abcd7288-d468-4bb3-8c22-8600002e71de> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.fengshui-import.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=6310 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.959023 | 197 | 1.890625 | 2 |
CROP IQ TECHNOLOGY is a leader in manufacturing and introducing environmentally friendly novel and conventional IPM, bio stimulants and biofertilizer products to develop immunity of the plant against Abiotic and Biotic stresses and to control insect pests and pathogens.
Our Research and Development strategies centre on Utilising non-toxic/low toxicity controlled release insect pheromones, kairomones, natural repellents, natural/low risk insecticides.
Through our knowledge, products and solutions, we are well positioned to address some of the major global challenges of the organic farming, particularly within food, environment and resources, which also represent business opportunities.
Our products and innovations:
IQLURE is an brand name of Crop IQ Technology for a wide range of monitoring pheromones and attractants lures for integrated pest management, consisted of more than 300 product for 300 deferent strategic pest.
IQ BIO-DEAD New exclusive novel crop protection technology consist of a unique blend of botanicals, green chemicals and bio stimulants without any residuals and no PHI.
IQ BIOSTIM a unique portfolio of world-class bio stimulants include a wide range of products, based on Microalgae and natural stimulants, customised different formulations for each specific stress conditions facing the plant, favouring the mechanisms plants have to overcome these stress factors.
And, IQ GEL range is environmentally friendly crop protection solution, classified as attract and kill technique to control key pests, a new breakthrough in sustainable pest control, a unique formulation combining a specific pheromone with a contact insecticide in a proactive slow release gel-like base. It has no negative effect on beneficial insects, allowing them to increase their population, which assists in controlling the target pest only.
Recently, Crop IQ has got licence PATENT technology having innovative means to release chemical composition as new revisionary environmentally friendly crop protection principle for many strategic pests and looking forward to a distributors throughout worldwide. | <urn:uuid:2c4c3771-464d-4446-822e-e87d4dd49c14> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.agritech-uk.org/companies/crop-iq-technology-ltd/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.918558 | 405 | 1.601563 | 2 |
'Hero cow' escapes abattoir in Poland by swimming to island
A local politician is fighting to give the brave bovine a lengthy retirement after her show of determination.
Sunday 18 February 2018 05:10, UK
A plucky cow that was being taken to an abattoir in Poland managed to escape after swimming to safety on an island.
Keen to keep her life the bovine made a run for it as slaughterhouse workers tried to load her on to a lorry at the farm she was raised on.
Having ignored advice she would need to be tranquilised the workers were then sent running after the escaped animal, Polish news show Wiadomosci reported.
A farmworker suffered broken and bruised ribs after the cow rammed a metal fence during her escape.
She then ran into the nearby Lake Nysa in south Poland close to the border with the Czech Republic and appeared to dive underwater, before swimming over to an island, which has become her new home.
The farmer, known only as Mr Lukasz, tried for a week to get the cow back but has given up and is now caring for her on the island, where he makes sure she has enough food.
He eventually called the fire brigade to help him shift the stubborn cow but when firefighters approached her by boat she swam about 50 metres to a peninsula.
Pawel Gotowski, deputy commander of the Nysa fire brigade, said they could not get closer than 70 metres to the cow because she was so scared.
The farmer said he does not want to put the cow down as he can still make money by selling her.
Her story has captured the nation, with local politician and former singer Pawel Kukiz offering to save the "hero cow" from her death.
He said: "If all citizens could show such determination as this cow then Poland would be a much more prosperous country.
"I am not a vegetarian, but fortitude and the will to fight for this cow's life is invaluable.
"Therefore, I have decided to do everything to get the cow delivered to a safe place and, as a reward for her attitude, guarantee her a long-term retirement and natural death."
A local zoo said it would happily take the cow but it unable to do so because European Union rules state zoos can only house "approved" animals.
Most cows are good swimmers, but if they grow tired they do not head for dry land and instead stop swimming and drown. | <urn:uuid:0d708027-41c4-40d5-ac17-33314ada59f4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://news.sky.com/story/hero-cow-escapes-abattoir-in-poland-by-swimming-to-island-11255824 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.985407 | 516 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Mapping of emissions is an important first step to quantify pressures in the form of deposition of harmful substances to the environment and human exposure to air pollution. Human exposure to air pollution is a significant challenge. WHO estimates that there were 3.7 million premature deaths in 2012 from urban and rural sources worldwide due to outdoor air pollution (WHO, 2014). Recent results (Brandt et al., 2013a) show that outdoor air pollution caused a total number of 570.000 premature deaths in the year 2011 in Europe. While emissions in Europe are generally decreasing (EEA, 2015) there are still challenges at the local and regional scale that can only be quantified using high resolution spatial models.
Air pollution, in general, is a transboundary and scale dependent challenge with global, regional, national and local sources giving rise to large geographic variability and thereby large differences in the geographical distribution of human exposure to air pollution. Therefore, the life time exposure and personal risk factors for mortality and morbidity outcomes due to air pollution, and thereby their welfare, is very dependent on the individuals possibilities to live in a clean environment.
Spatial distribution of emissions is a key element in assessing human exposure to air pollution through the use of dispersion modelling. The quality of the spatial and temporal distribution of emissions is crucial for the quality, applicability and reliability of the modelled air pollution levels, the estimated human exposure, incurred health effects and related costs; all issues that are very important information for policy makers in decisions of implementation of environmental policies and measures.
In addition to the importance of spatial and temporal resolution of emissions to air quality modelling there is also international requirements regarding the reporting of spatially distributed emissions. Under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) there is a requirement to report spatially distributed emissions every four years (ECE/EB.AIR/125). The reporting guidelines under CLRTAP specifies the coverage of pollutants, and emission sources and sectors to be covered as well as setting out requirements to the grid used and the deadline for reporting (refer to the Requirements tab for further information). The reporting by Parties is used in the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) modelling1. The EMEP model calculations have been supporting the decision making within CLRTAP for more than 30 years. Since the 1990s the EMEP models have been the reference tools for atmospheric dispersion calculations as input to the Integrated Assessment Modelling, which supports the development of air quality polices in the European Union.
While emission inventories have been subject to significant improvements over the last decades and efforts to both quantify and reduce the uncertainties of inventory datasets, both the sensitivity to and the processing of emission input data in currently applied atmospheric transport models has not been investigated in sufficient depth. This is in particular the case for the temporal resolution of emissions, which may have a significant impact on the match between modelled and measured air pollution levels in particular when applying atmospheric transport models with exceptionally high spatial resolution on a national or smaller scale (Reis et al., 2009).
The impacts from air pollution are not equally distributed, but depend on geography, socio-demographic and socio-economic factors, including residence address, age, gender, social status, and level of income. Including detailed spatial and temporal distributed emissions improve air quality modelling and contribute to understand the link between air pollution and distribution of related health impacts by adding knowledge that influences modelling of human exposure levels.
According to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) from 1979 countries that have ratified the convention (parties) shall exchange information on emissions, including emissions from “grid-units of agreed size”. It has been decided that parties shall report emissions according to the predefined EMEP grid. According to the previous version of the reporting guidelines, parties shall report emissions in a grid defined by EMEP with a resolution of approximately 50 km x 50 km. According to the updated reporting guidelines parties shall use the new EMEP grid with a resolution of 0.1°×0.1°, which corresponds to a resolution of approximately 10 km x 10 km for the central parts of Europe.
The new EMEP grid refers to a 0.1° × 0.1° latitude-longitude projection in the geographic coordinate World Geodetic System (WGS) latest revision, WGS 84. The EMEP domain covers the geographic domain between 30°N–82°N latitude and 30°W–90°E longitude. EMEP provide description, grid definition tables and ESRI shape files at the homepage for Centre on Emission Inventories and Projections (CEIP).
Brandt et al., 2013a: Assessment of past, present and future health-cost externalities of air pollution in Europe and the contribution from international ship traffic using the EVA model system. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 13(15), 7747-7764. 10.5194/acp-13-7747-2013
Brandt et al., 2013b: Contribution from the ten major emission sectors in Europe and Denmark to the health-cost externalities of air pollution using the EVA model system - an integrated modelling approach. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 13(15), 7725-7746. 10.5194/acp-13-7725-2013
ECE/EB.AIR/125: Guidelines for Reporting Emissions and Projections Data under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution
EEA, 2015: European Union emission inventory report 1990–2013 under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP). EEA Technical Report No 8/2015
Reis et al., 2009. Improving the temporal profiles of emission input data for high resolution atmospheric transport modelling - a case study for the UK. In: Proceedings of the 18th Annual International Emission Inventory Conference, Baltimore, USA. | <urn:uuid:9a6095e1-50d3-45a2-9b34-b9aeb6f78e41> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://projects.au.dk/mapeire/spatial-modelling | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570868.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808152744-20220808182744-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.892497 | 1,224 | 3.015625 | 3 |
A trust in Glencoe, Minnesota is a legal arrangement for the management of property by one person, for the benefit of another. In the simplest possible terms, if property is held in trust, it is possessed and controlled by one person, but it is technically owned by another person, who benefits from the property.
You might want to set up a trust for a wide variety of reasons. It can be set up to ensure that a child will have money for college, for example, and that the child will only be able to use the money for that purpose.
If you are a trustee, you can permit the beneficiary to access the trust under any conditions you see fit (or make it unconditional, if you want). The point is that, if you make sure the trust agreement is well-constructed, you can help the beneficiary in any way you like, secure in the knowledge that they won't be able (or will find it extremely difficult) to spend it on things you don't approve of.
Because you, as the trustee, can determine the rules under which the trust operates, you could give the beneficiary the right to access the fund at any time, for any reason, essentially letting them do whatever they want with the money, if that's what you want to do.
What to Include in Any Glencoe, MN Trust
To create a valid trust in Glencoe, Minnesota, 4 elements must be present. The first element is purpose - the property being held in trust must be there for a reason. Your trust can serve just about any lawful purpose you can think of.
Second, the trust must also name a trustee. The trustee is the person who is truly going to administer the trust, and has possession and control of the property while it is the subject of the trust.
Third, the trust needs to have a named beneficiary. The beneficiary is the person who benefits from the trust.
Fourth and finally, there must be some money or property which is directly going to be held in the trust. This property is referred to as the "corpus" (body) of the trust, and can be just about anything. However, it must truly exist, and it must be identified.
Can A Glencoe, Minnesota Trust Drafting Attorney Help?
While it's fairly easy to list off the basic requirements for a valid trust, actually creating and implementing one can be fairly confusing. Therefore, you should probably seek the assistance of a Glencoe, Minnesota attorney if you wish to set up a trust. | <urn:uuid:e486e75a-0380-4a25-9ac9-e3d02e9ae24e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wills-trusts-attorneys.legalmatch.com/MN/Glencoe/drafting-a-trust.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.963464 | 514 | 1.59375 | 2 |
By Sophia Flamoe
There was a boy they said had no fear. He was scared of nothing and no one, and thus, he believed himself a god amongst humans.
His name was Cygnus Bane, and unlike the legend, he wasn’t always so fearless. Cygnus Bane came from the worst sort of family for a boy like him; the seventh son of a seventh son, of a poor farmer, Cygnus was all but guaranteed a life of no acclaim and no fortune. But Cygnus wanted more from his lot. He had heard whispers of a witch in his village, a woman said to be able to do unexplainable magic, and grant any wish the heart could desire.
Cygnus had long watched his village be assailed by the ferocious sphinx that lived in the nearby mountain range, and came down to block their only trade route. Many a hero had risen up to best it, but they could not, for this sphinx, besides having the strength of ten strongmen, was sly, he could not be caught, and he could not be tamed. Cygnus’ own brothers had lost their lives to the wild beast a few years before, and though his brothers had been strong, and cunning, and wise, they had been no match for the sphinx.
Cygnus believed himself wise, and from that wisdom, he had decided that the reason the sphinx had not been bested was because each of his foe’s had been too scared to be a real threat. That if they had even the slightest bit of courage, they would have been rid of the cursed sphinx years ago. And though the loss had taken its toll on his family, Cygnus did not shy away from pointing out his brothers’ cowardice when facing the sphinx, that each one had died because they were no match in valor to himself or the sphinx, stating that, despite the fact he was barely a man, only just entering adulthood, he was brave enough to face the sphinx. Finally, having had enough, his mother cried that if he were so brave as he claimed, he should face the sphinx himself, and not come back home until he had vanquished the beast. Scorned, and embarrassed, Cygnus left his childhood home, unaware that this truly would be the last time he ever set foot inside it.
The sphinx sat on the outskirts of the village, in the middle of The Traders Path, looking for an unwitting traveler, or stupid villager for its next meal. When Cygnus approached, the sphinx was picking something out of her teeth with one long, curled talon, and though Cyngus tried, everytime he got within 100 feet of the beast, he could not move any farther. His fear had rooted him to the ground, unable to do the very thing he so believed himself capable of. Cygnus tried all night, and in the early morning, when he had managed a scarce few feet more, the sphinx finally noticed him
“Oh great hero!” The sphinx crooned, slinking closer to the not so great hero. “Have you come to vanquish the terrible blight? The sphinx who has no match, and no equal?”
Cygnus stammered, mouth hanging open, and then snapping closed with every passing second, “I-I’m not afraid of you!” he managed, accentuating his words with one tiny step towards the sphinx.
The sphinx’s smile only grew, “Tell you what, boy-hero, I have grown weary of my games, each foe your village has sent has been dismal in comparison to me, and I find no pleasure in their demise. I wish to leave and find a smarter village to conquer, but someone must solve my riddle! If you, weak minded as you are, can solve my great riddle I vow to leave your village and never return. If not…” The sphinx’s eyes narrowed into slits, and she slunk closer to Cygnus, lips pulling back to reveal three rows of razor sharp teeth, “I will take you and your cowardly little town, and eat you all in one bite!” At this, she snapped her teeth together in a mime bite, sending Cygnus tumbling back over his feet, and then running back into the village to escape the horrors he had seen. As he ran, the sphinx called after him, “My riddle is this; ‘What is something all men have, but all men deny. Man created it, but no man can hold it?’ find me, boy-hero, and give me your answer, you have one year!” Cygnus felt as though the sphinx’s voice followed him all the way through the village.
Cygnus, having not bested the sphinx, and feeling even more ashamed, found he could not return home, and with no where else to go, and nothing else to think, Cygnus found himself remembering the whispers of the Witch in the Wood, who could grant him any wish his heart desired. And Cygnus wished to be afraid of nothing, and no one.
When he arrived, the witch looked at Cygnus, and did not seem surprised.
“The fates have told me of your arrival.” She said, her voice like honey on glass.
“I wish to be fearless.” Cygnus said, trying to stand up straighter over the hunched witch, chest heaving with every breath.
“Bah!” the witch guffawed. “Everyone wants something, but no one wants to pay the price. Child, do you know what comes with your asking?”
“I’ll do anything! I’ll pay you anything!” Cygnus said, trying to muster the courage he wanted so badly.
“Not for me, you insolent boy! For you!” she cried, throwing her hands wide.
Cygnus felt his fear taking over, “How do you mean?
“You will learn. All in due time.” She laughed, jagged and hoarse, and pointed a bent finger at him. “Do you accept your fate?”
By now, Cygnus had grown tired of her games, he thought her a mad old crone, and was reassured in his righteousness, “Yes!” he cried, overjoyed at the ease with which he was achieving his wish. “I accept my fate, and any cost that comes with it!” Cygnus would become fearless, he would face the sphinx and return victorious, and his family would be sorry they ever doubted him.
At this, the witch lit up, a faint green glow surrounding her like a halo, and Cygnus felt the hair on his arms stand on end. From her shriveled finger a blast of light shot out, and hit Cygnus straight in the chest, knocking him backwards into a shelf of herbs and vials of liquid.
When he stood he found he no longer feared the witch, she was just an old woman, too eager to flaunt her magic to be any real threat. He found he no longer trembled at the memory of the sphinx, and knew that should he face her, he would win by courage alone.
“Now hear this, boy,” the witch called, as he walked towards her door. “You are not yet strong enough to best the sphinx. Go, fight the beasts terrorizing the villages over the world. Make a name for yourself, get stronger, but do not be hasty, do not be brash. Have courage, but do not insult. If you do this, then, and only then, will your fight against the sphinx yield you a victory.”
Cygnus, who had always been partial to impatience, thought her warning presumptuous, and tiresome, he was strong from a life spent working the fields with his father, and now that he could feel no fear, how could he lose. But he did find some truth in her words, many had fought and lost against the sphinx, and the thought that he could gather some fame before returning home- that his family would hear of his bravery and valor- was too enticing an idea to pass up. So with a brief nod in the witches direction, Cygnus left her hut.
Cygnus did travel, he fought monster after monster, saved village after village, and not once did he lose a fight. He took his time to think over the sphinx’s riddle, and after a year, he found he had the answer. He was so thrilled at his success; against the monsters, and against the riddle, that though his ego had swelled beyond measure, he believed himself capable of fighting and winning against the Sphinx, for how could he not? He had won every fight he’d since started!
And even if he weren’t strong enough, he’d solved the riddle! So what would it matter!
When Cygnus returned to his village the people called out to him, overjoyed, for the boy-hero had come to vanquish the terrible sphinx.
Cygnus passed right by his home, and his family, without even a glance; they would see, and they would be sorry.
By the time Cygnus had reached the edge of town where the sphinx lay, a crowd had gathered behind him. Somehow by his not being afraid, they didn’t seem to be so scared either.
“Oh great sphinx.” Cygnus called, raising a bronze sword in the direction of the beast. “I have come to finish what I started a year ago!”
The sphinx squinted at him for a moment, then her face lit up, “Ah! The famous boy-hero! Come to finish me off have you? Have you solved my riddle or are you relying only on your… strength.” At the word strength, the sphinx flashed her three rows of teeth, but Cygnus only smiled.
“I’m not afraid of you, beast, I have something all the rest didn’t; courage. And an answer. To your riddle.
An Idea!” Cygnus pronounced with a swell of his chest. “An Idea is the answer to your great riddle!
You see, your riddle was rather easy really. Any fool could have solved it. And to think, I’d heard of your mastery over the spoken word and riddle, and all this time it was just talk. It hardly took any time at all for me to solve, and it is quite dull I have to say. I would make a better master of riddles than you.” Cygnus had begun to gloat, his ego having swelled so large in his travels and victories that he had begun to believe himself invincible, incapable of any wrong or misstep.
At this, the growing crowd around him gasped, for no one had ever spoken to the sphinx in such a way, and Cygnus turned towards them, raising his arms in a symbol of victory.
The sphinx-who had never been spoken to like this- had started to become angry, this boy-hero had grown to think himself greater than the sphinx, wiser, more cunning, stronger. And because Cygnus could no longer feel fear, when he saw the sphinx approach, he did not see it for the danger it was.
“You’re wrong.” The sphinx said, now right beside Cygnus, who’s attention still remained on the crowd.
“About what?” Cygnus asked, turning, finally, back towards the sphinx.
“The answer to my riddle is not ‘an idea’” the sphinx said, advancing on Cygnus, a smile curling her mouth.
Cygnus again pointed his sword at the sphinx, but it was no use, in one clean bite, the sphinx swallowed him whole.
For the boy with no fear did not know when he was fighting a losing battle, and a boy with too big an ego wouldn’t back out even if he knew the price.
True to her word, the sphinx ate and destroyed the remainder of Cygnus’ village, and then flew to find a new, smarter village to toy with.
With the death of his town, came the death of the legend of the great boy-hero; Cygnus Bane, who was afraid of nothing and no one. The world had forgotten the would-be slayer of monsters. All, except, I suppose, for the sphinx, who thought back on the boy-hero ever so often.
And of the true answer to his riddle; fear. | <urn:uuid:856dacf3-2fc5-4885-89c0-d593f28a6dc9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://theingrahamcascade.org/2021/11/21/the-sphinx-and-the-boy-with-no-fear/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.986249 | 2,796 | 1.898438 | 2 |
EIN or LLC First: Everything You Need to Know
Should you register for EIN or LLC first when starting a business? An EIN and business registration are both important in setting up a business.3 min read
2. Start a Business
3. Contact the IRS
4. After Filing the SS-4
5. What Form of Entity to File
6. Advantages of Forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC)
7. Beneficial Effect
8. Protection from Liability
9. Enhanced Professionalism
13. Why You Should File for LLC Before EIN
Updated November 9, 2020:
Should you register for EIN or LLC first when starting a business? An EIN and business registration are both important in setting up a business. However, it's important to know which should come first when planning to start an LLC.
Employer Identification Number
An Employer Identification Number (EIN), or Tax Identification Number is a unique number assigned to a business entity by the IRS for tax purposes and other business transactions. It is used for filing tax returns, credit reporting, and serves as a form of identification for the entity during financial transactions. The following steps are required to obtain an EIN.
Start a Business
Before applying for an EIN, an organization, regardless of whether they are established for profit or non-profit, must be a viable business entity. Business owners are required to file business registration documentation which gives the business entity a legal status with the Secretary of State where the business is to operate. It's possible for any business to obtain an EIN, including businesses established with the owner's Social Security Number such as a sole proprietorship or S Corp. These businesses are eligible to obtain an EIN, but they are under no obligation to do so. However, business owners may opt for an EIN as it offers more privacy protection compared to a Social Security Number.
Contact the IRS
Once the business entity has been established legally and the appropriate documentation such as partnership agreements or articles of incorporation signed, the next step is to contact the IRS. A business owner can apply for an EIN via:
- Phone at 800-829-4933
- Online at irs.gov
You can also file in writing by completing the IRS Form SS-4, which should be submitted to the address specified in the instructions.
After Filing the SS-4
The method of submitting the Form SS-4 determines the processing speed. If you applied via phone, you would be assigned an EIN instantly. Fax applications get assigned an EIN within four working days. It can take up to five weeks for written applications sent by mail to obtain an EIN.
A business should not apply for anything that requires an EIN such as opening a bank account before obtaining an EIN. It's not advisable to apply for such business processes with a personal Social Security Number as it may make you personally liable to the business's debts and obligations.
What Form of Entity to File
It can be hard to decide which form of business entity to file. All forms of business have their benefits and disadvantages, but your decision should be based on your interests as a business owner.
Advantages of Forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC)
There are benefits of forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC).
If you don't choose a specific type of business entity, you will be assigned one by the government. It's important to research the different forms of business entities to know which best protects your interests.
Protection from Liability
An LLC or corporation might be the best for some business owners as it protects them from liability to the business's obligations.
LLCs and corporations have a more professional outlook because they are allowed to add an “LLC” or “Inc.” to their names.
An LLC has an advantage over a corporation regarding taxation. A corporation faces double taxation as the company pays taxes on its earnings and its shareholders also pay taxes on their share of the company's profits. An S-Corporation enjoys a pass-through tax status which exempts it from paying corporate tax, but getting classified as an S Corp is difficult. However, an LLC is allowed to choose a C Corp or S Corp designation regarding its taxation.
An LLC is owned by members while a corporation is owned by shareholders. The amount of money members of an LLC can withdraw from the company is not dependent on their investment, whereas shareholders of a corporation can only receive dividends based on their ownership interest.
LLCs have a more flexible administrative process, while corporations require a board of directors and management team working for the shareholders.
Why You Should File for LLC Before EIN
It's necessary to file for LLC before EIN as you are not guaranteed your business name if it has not been registered. Also, the new regulation of the IRS requires filing the articles of incorporation and other documentation before businesses can obtain an EIN.
If you need help with EIN or LLC application, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb. | <urn:uuid:346fa52c-1ab1-4f87-9732-46d9fdbb5980> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.upcounsel.com/ein-or-llc-first | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.953031 | 1,138 | 1.625 | 2 |
A trust in O'fallon, Missouri is an arrangement under which property is possessed by one person, but used solely for the benefit of, and legally owned by, another.
Trusts serve a number of purposes. For example, they can be set up to ensure that the beneficiary (say, a child) will always have enough money to live off of, but will be unable to spend it all on frivolities.
If you want to set up a trust, you can make the beneficiary's use of the property as restricted or as permissive as you like. As a simple example, you might want to dictate that the beneficiary can only use the money for emergencies, or for basic living expenses. If the trust is carefully drafted, this is totally feasible.
The trust can also be set up to allow the beneficiary to spend as much of the money in it on anything they like. Of course, few people do this, because the trust isn't likely to last very long under such an arrangement, especially if the beneficiary is a teenager or young adult.
What to Include in Any O
To create a valid trust in O'fallon, Missouri, 4 elements must be present. The first element is purpose - the property being held in trust must be there for a reason. Your trust can serve just about any lawful purpose you can think of.
The second required element is a trustee. The trustee's job is to supervise and manage the money that makes up the trust. They are also required to take reasonable efforts to ensure that the money is only used for the purpose of the original trust agreement.
The third element is a beneficiary. The beneficiary is a person or entity who the trust is designed to benefit. Although a beneficiary has to be named, they don't actually have to exist at the time the trust is written. For instance, if a person sets up a trust to benefit his or her grandchildren, and doesn't yet have any, the trust is valid. If and when their grandchildren are born, the rights that the trust creates will vest in them immediately.
Fourth and finally, the trust must include what is known as the "corpus" or "body." The corpus is the money and/or property which is being held in trust. For a trust to be valid, the corpus must be clearly identified.
Can A O
While the elements of a valid trust are fairly simple and easy to memorize, drafting a trust that is likely to be carried out according to your wishes can be fairly complicated. For that reason, an O'fallon, Missouri attorney specializing in estate planning can be invaluable. | <urn:uuid:e182eda4-1031-41e5-9bf4-f68993285749> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wills-trusts-attorneys.legalmatch.com/MO/O'fallon/drafting-a-trust.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.966462 | 535 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Spaceflight Simulator Mod APK (Unlocked All,Unlocked All Paid Content)
|App Name||Spaceflight Simulator Mod APK|
|Publisher||Stefo Mai Morojna|
|MOD Info||Unlocked All,Unlocked All Paid Content|
|Get it On|
|Update||July 21, 2022|
- What is a Space Flight Simulator APK?
- What is the Space Flight Simulator MOD APK?
- How Can I Reach the Moon in the Space Flight Simulator?
- How to Build a Space Station in a Space Flight Simulator?
- Features of the Space Flight Simulator
- Features of the Space Flight Simulator MOD APK
We have always tried to make rockets and spaceships in our childhood whether it was for a school project or any childhood activity that we used to do. We have always been fascinated by the thought of space but none of us have been able to go to space and explore the different aspects that it contains. Most of us have the urge to explore the universe but we are not able to do so because it is a very time consuming and expensive project.
However, to fulfil our wish we can do it with the help of a game which is named as space flight simulator. It is a simulation game which was developed by Stefo Mai Morojna. It is an amazing Simulation game that will allow you to make your own rocket. In this game, you will start off by making different parts of the spaceship and then you will assemble these parts to make a complete rocket. After that you will be able to launch this Rocket in space.
You can explore different planets and also create different space stations for your rocket where it will have a stay. It is a 3D game with a realistic space view where you can land your rocket on any planet including Mars, Jupiter, Uranus etc. You can also navigate from different space stations.
What is a Space Flight Simulator APK?
Space Flight Simulator is a simulation game in which the user will be able to create different parts of a rocket and assemble them to make a complete space ship. The user can also launch this spaceship in space and explore the different parts of the space. In this game you can explore all the planets including the moon. You can also create space stations where your spaceship will land and you will also be able to navigate from these Space Station.
What is the Space Flight Simulator MOD APK?
The standard version of the Space Flight Simulator has been modified to remove the content that creates inconvenience for the users. This modified version is known as Space Flight simulator Mod APK. In this version, the user will be able to enjoy unlimited fuel for their rockets. You will also be able to use different kinds of rockets which will have some extraordinary attributes.
How Can I Reach the Moon in the Space Flight Simulator?
To reach the moon, you will first have to launch your rocket. Use translunar injection to reach the lower Earth orbit after reaching the lower Earth orbit, you will need to tap on the moon and click on the navigation option. After that you will be able to reach the moon. You will have to complete your time on the moon and after that you will be able to get back to earth.
How to Build a Space Station in a Space Flight Simulator?
Building a space flight station is not very difficult but you should know that you cannot create a whole station and take it to space. Instead of it, you will have to create different parts of the Space Station and then you can take the Space Station part by part to space. You will need different equipment for building the Space Station and keep in mind that the Space Station should be at least 400 km above the earth. For taking the parts of the Space Station you will have to make multiple launches of the rocket.
Features of the Space Flight Simulator
Create and Launch your Rocket
This game is based on real physics, hence, the rocket will contain all the parts that an authentic rocket has. You will first have to create the different parts of the Rockets like the engines and Wings etc. After that you will have to assemble these parts to create a complete rocket. Once the rocket is completed, you will be able to launch this rocket into space. You can choose any of your favourite planets or the part of the universe to which you want to land your rocket at.
Create Space Stations
In this game you will not just have to create the rocket, you will also have to make the different equipment that a spaceship will need. For example, you will have to build a Space Station where it will land to complete its requirements for the fuel. You will also have to create satellites and solar panels that will help you in landing. The solar panels will work as air brakes while your rocket will land from the Space Station. The satellite will help you to keep the Rocket in space and Orbit around a selective planet.
Explore the Universe
In this game, you can explore the whole universe. You can reach any part of the space and leave a mark there. You can land on any of the planets including Venus, Neptune, Jupiter etc . You will also be able to land on the moon and explore different parts. You will also be able to get a realistic view of space including many black holes and asteroids.
User Friendly Interface
The Space Flight Simulator is very easy to play. You will not find it difficult because as soon as you create the rocket, you will be available with a keyboard that will appear on your screen. In this keyboard, you will have specific buttons for different purposes and you can use keys to control your rocket. You can even increase the speed of your rocket or rewind the movement of your rocket with the help of the keys.
Features of the Space Flight Simulator MOD APK
In the Space Flight Simulator Mod APK you will enjoy unlocked gameplay which means that you will not have to make any in-app purchases because you will be available with unlimited money which you can use to unlock different rockets and use them in your gameplay. You can also buy different equipment for space stations and satellites from the store with the help of this money.
Never Run Out of Fuel
In the modified version of the Space flight simulator, you will never run out of fuel because in this version you will be provided with unlimited fuel and you will not face the difficulty of low fuel or no fuel.
Removal of Ads
In the Space Flight Simulator Mod APK there will be no ads to disturb you while you are indulged in the interesting gameplay of the space flight simulator.
If you have always been fascinated by the thought of space exploration then this game is surely going to be very helpful as it contains realistic graphics and physics. You can explore different parts of space with the help of this game and to enjoy an unlocked version, you can download Space Flight Simulator Mod APK from our website.
Q. Can I play Space Flight Simulator on PC?
Yes, the Space Flight Simulator can be played on PC with the help of an Android emulator.
Q. What is the purpose of Solar Panels in Space Flight Simulator?
Solar panels are used as air brakes in the Space Flight simulator. | <urn:uuid:a832f8ce-fb62-4d52-aa4d-3af0505e0b46> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://apkmodget.com/games/spaceflight-simulator-mod-apk/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.934908 | 1,512 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Prescripción antibiótica en infecciones respiratorias agudas en atención primaria
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide threat to public health. Acute respiratory tract infections are the main reason for antibiotic prescribing in the Spanish paediatric population. The aim of the study was to describe the frequency of antibiotic prescription and their pattern of use in acute respiratory tract infections diagnosed in children in Primary Care in Aragón (Spain).
METHODOLOGY: A study was conducted over a 1-year period on children between 0 and 14 years-old, recording all episodes of acute otitis, acute pharyngotonsillitis, non-specific upper respiratory infection, and acute bronchitis. The proportion of episodes within each diagnosis receiving an antibiotic prescription was calculated, and the prescribing pattern was determined.
RESULTS: Half (50%) of the children in Aragón were diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection during the study period. Non-specific upper respiratory infection was the most frequent diagnosis. An antibiotic was prescribed in 75% of pharyngotonsillitis episodes, 72% of otitis, 27% of bronchitis, and 16% of non-specific upper respiratory infections. Broad spectrum antibiotics, mainly amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic, were predominantly prescribed.
CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic prescribing in respiratory tract infections in children was generally high, and the choice of antibiotics was probably inappropriate in a high percentage of cases. Therefore an improvement in antibiotic prescribing in children appears to be needed.
|Translated title of the contribution||Antibiotic prescribing in acute respiratory tract infections in general practice|
|Journal||Anales de pediatría (Barcelona, Spain : 2003)|
|Number of pages||5|
|Publication status||Published - Jun 2015| | <urn:uuid:aaaf1199-aa32-4e2c-b245-ab211f241446> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://publichealth.ku.dk/staff/?pure=en%2Fpublications%2Fprescripcion-antibiotica-en-infecciones-respiratorias-agudas-en-atencion-primaria(53e9732d-f0d8-4fe2-a7aa-7314887db736).html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.871616 | 457 | 2.796875 | 3 |
On the fly-leaf of my dog-eared copy of Summer Knowledge: Selected Poems of Delmore Schwartz, I have noted “Oxford, December 1968”. That means that I bought the book just two years after the poet’s sad death. In that same year, I would have become familiar with the first album by the Velvet Underground on which Lou Reed pays tribute to his friend and mentor in the song “European Son of Delmore Schwartz”.
Delmore Schwartz was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 8, 1913. His parents, Harry and Rose, were immigrants from Romania, part of the first great wave of Jewish emigration from Eastern Europe. Delmore grew up in a drab apartment in Washington Heights, which he shared with his mother and his younger brother. His father was only reliable in the pursuit of his own pleasure, although he managed to accumulate a good deal of wealth from his dealings in the real estate business. When Delmore was only six, his parents woke him one night with the demand that he choose between them. They divorced. Delmore’s mother was hysterically self-dramatizing, and more than a little mad. Rose Schwartz threatened to kill herself when Delmore “abandoned” her in order to marry Gertrude Buckman; she also told her younger son that he would have been better off in Buchenwald than married to his non-Jewish wife. When Harry died at the age of 49 in 1930, Delmore only inherited a small amount of his money because of the shady dealings of the executor of the estate.
This was the emotional manure from which grew a young man of startling good looks who had read Blake, Rimbaud, T.S. Eliot, Joyce, and Hart Crane by his mid-teens and all the philosophers by the time he was twenty. Teachers who read Schwartz’s early writing encouraged him to develop his talents. As a teenager, he began to identify with the European avant-garde.
He made his parents’ disastrous marriage the subject of his most famous short story, “In Dreams Begin Responsibilities” (a quotation from his hero WB Yeats), which was published in 1937 in the first issue of Partisan Review. Dwight McDonald believed that “It is as good as a story can be, I’d say after reading it again for the fifth or sixth time, comparable with Kafka, Babel, or Through the Looking Glass.”
Boundless Ambition at Mosaic
While at New York University, Schwartz and a group of fellow students founded Mosaic, a literary magazine devoted to Marxist aesthetics. Norman Macleod, R.P. Blackmur, and William Carlos Williams were among the prominent poets and critics who had their work published in Mosaic. As editor, Schwartz used the publication as a vehicle to air his own critical opinions. His essays earned the attention of the New York literary community. William Barrett, whom he met in 1933, when they were both twenty, remembered him as “the most magical human being I have ever known”. Philip Rahv, of Partisan Review, described the “boundless ambition that was part of the precocity that never left him,” of “his singular personal charm and the slight stutter that served only to draw attention to his frequently extravagant speech”. The New York literary world was eager to welcome this “newly fledged eaglet,” as Dwight Macdonald later called him. Schwartz won the extravagant praise not only of the New York intelligentsia but also of such commanding voices of the day as Allen Tate, John Crowe Ransom, Mark Van Doren and Wallace Stevens. His precocious early poems prefigured the flowering of the powerful generation of poets who came to the fore in the ’40s—Robert Lowell, Randall Jarrell, John Berryman – of whom I will write in future weeks.
One of the earliest tributes to Schwartz came from Schwartz’s friend, another mad poet, Robert Lowell, who published the poem “To Delmore Schwartz” in 1959.
Lowell, reminisced in his poetry collection, Life Studies, about the time that the two poets lived together in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1946, writing that they were “underseas fellows, nobly mad,/ we talked away our friends.”
In 1968, Schwartz’s friend and peer, fellow poet, John Berryman, dedicated his book His Toy, His Dream, His Rest “to the sacred memory of Delmore Schwartz,” including 12 elegiac poems about Schwartz in the book. In “Dream Song #149,” Berryman wrote of Schwartz:
In the brightness of his promise,
unstained, I saw him thro’ the mist of the actual
blazing with insight, warm with gossip
thro’ all our Harvard years
when both of us were just becoming known
I got him out of a police-station once, in Washington, the world is tref
and grief too astray for tears.
(Tref — is the Yiddish word for food that does not conform with the Jewish dietary laws)
Schwartz, who was then a professor at the University of Syracuse, taught Lou Reed in the early 1960s. Reed remembered Schwartz reading from Finnegans Wake and sayingthere “were few things better than to devote one’s life to Joyce.” Lou Reed’s 1982 album The Blue Mask included a Schwartz homage with the song “My House”. In the June 2012 issue of Poetry magazine, Lou Reed published a short prose tribute to Schwartz entitled “O Delmore How I Miss You.” In the piece, Reed quotes and references a number of Schwartz’s short stories and poems including “In Dreams Begin Responsibilities,” “The World is a Wedding,” and “The Heavy Bear Who Goes with Me.” “O Delmore How I Miss You” was re-published as the preface to the New Directions 2012 reissue of Schwartz’s posthumously published story collection In Dreams Begin Responsibilities.
My friend and teacher occupies a spare room
He’s dead, at peace at last the wandering Jew
Other friends had put stones on his grave
He was the first great man that I had ever met
Sylvia and I got out our Ouija Board
To dial a spirit, across the room it soared
We were happy and amazed at what we saw
Blazing stood the proud and regal name Delmore
Delmore, I missed all your funny ways
I missed your jokes and the brilliant things you said
My Dedalus to your Bloom, was such a perfect wit
And to find you in my house makes things perfect
“Reading Yeats and the bell had rung but the poem was not over you hadn’t finished reading—liquid rivulets sprang from your nose but still you would not stop reading. I was transfixed. I cried”.
Schwartz occupied an important slot as an intellectual, a modernist, and a Jew. He was historically important as a precursor, as a man whose work provided a tantalizing hint of the rich material, which other Jewish writers such as Bernard Malamud, Philip Roth and Saul Bellow worked so effectively. The protagonist of Saul Bellow’s novel Humboldt’s Gift (1975) was based on Schwartz and revived interest in his career and provided further evidence of his insight into the conflicts associated with Jewish-American identity.
David Lehman: “It is hard not to see Schwartz as an emblematic figure, capable of stirring us in his ravings no less than in his brilliant and original literary creations, meant to reproach and admonish us with the purity and grandeur of his aspirations as well as with the unbanished image of his demise.”
Photographs show that Schwartz was a handsome man but he went into a sad decline. He descended into madness and alcohol and became dishevelled and embarrassing. He drank frequently at the White Horse Tavern, and spent his time sitting in parks. His friends deserted him. In the summer of 1966, a penniless Schwartz checked into the Times Square hotel, perhaps to focus on his writing.
In the pages of this Mosaic, Wimal Dissanayake has expertly guided us through the thought and works of Friedrich Hölderlin. Delmore Schwartz wrote a poem called Hölderlin:
Now as before do you not hear their voices
Serene in the midst of their rejoicing
Chanting to those who have hopes and make choices
Clear as the birds in the thick summer foliage:
It is! It is!
We are! We are!
Clearly, as if they were us, and not us,
Hidden like the future, distant as the stars,
Having no more meaning than the fullness of music,
Chanting from the pure peaks where success,
Effort and desire are meaningless,
Surpassed at last in the joy of joy,
Chanting at last the blue’s last view:
It is! It is!
This is eternity! Eternity is now!
My favourite Delmore poem is Seurat’s Sunday Afternoon along the Seine, which is a poetic evocation and reflection upon Seurat’s pointillist painting.
Next week I will analyse that poem and look at Delmore Schwartz’s poetry and themes in more detail. | <urn:uuid:ed16ef05-b4a1-4777-b35c-e98155a0a50f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://pcolman.wordpress.com/tag/john-berryman/page/2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.97728 | 2,021 | 1.96875 | 2 |
Ocular Trauma Society of India was created by like minded ophthalmic professionals with the idea to assimilate information, evolve uniform treatment protocols and generate epidemiological data regarding ocular trauma in India. One of its key issues is the formation of a registry – which aims to form a Pan -India database of ocular injuries, their nature, course and outcomes. However at the core of OTSI remains the drive to create awareness regarding the grave nature of ocular trauma, the need for preventive care and eventually the evolution of ocular trauma – as a distinct subspeciality of ophthalmic care. OTSI has and continues to be a productive platform to exchange ideas, knowledge and experience and standardize treatment modalities.
Indian Registry of Eye Injury Indian Registry of Eye Injury (IREI) is an endeavor taken up by the Ocular Trauma Society of India (OTSI) to enable form a database of ocular injuries, their nature, course and outcomes. These being important to aid regularize the management protocols across the nation. It would also give us an overview of the problem status and the impact of ocular injuries on blindness in our nation. The Ocular Trauma Form is designed to enable collect data for the same.
Mohan Eye Institute
11/B, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Marg | <urn:uuid:18f49a93-e82d-485c-be24-7c8950b487e5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://otsi.in/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.915664 | 279 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Facebook is reportedly developing a cryptocurrency for WhatsApp. Its main goal is to transfer remittances. The cryptocurrency will be initially experimented in India. The reason for this is that many Indians are working in foreign lands and they need to transfer their money back to India.
The cryptocurrency that is being developed by Facebook will be unlike Bitcoin. It will be a stable coin, fixed with the dollar market. This will also help in removing the perception that the cryptocurrencies are not safe.
It is pertinent to mention here that India has received almost $69 billion in remittances and WhatsApp users in India are more than 200 million. Thus for Facebook to test its cryptocurrency in a big market like India, thought and time is required.
A company spokesperson said,“Like many other companies, Facebook is exploring ways to leverage the power of blockchain technology. This new small team is exploring many different applications. We don’t have anything further to share.”
Other than Facebook, other companies that are working on the cryptocurrency technology are Amazon, Walmart, IBM, and JP-Morgan.
Stable coins are not as dangerous as Bitcoin but they do have complications. Many stable coins operations shut down included Basis. Its operations closed only 8 months after its release. Similarly, tether is also another stable coin facing backlash for not auditing.
Media coordinator and junior editor at Research Snipers RS-NEWS, I studied mass communication and interested technology business, I have 3 years experience in the media industry. | <urn:uuid:894bd8b5-f142-42f8-8db4-27db0ebeb927> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://researchsnipers.com/facebook-to-develop-a-cryptocurrency-for-whatsapp/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.965302 | 302 | 2.0625 | 2 |
/** * The main template file * * This is the most generic template file in a WordPress theme * and one of the two required files for a theme (the other being style.css). * It is used to display a page when nothing more specific matches a query. * E.g., it puts together the home page when no home.php file exists. * * @link https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/basics/template-hierarchy/ * * @package WordPress * @subpackage Tally * @since 1.0.0 */ ?>
Keeping track of numbers is not just for accountants. Business people who monitor the performance of their businesses make more informed business decisions. Analyzing the expenses of a business helps management keep expenses under good control. Expense analysis uses the company's income statement to determine how and where the company is spending its money. Expenses in a company are necessary, but the expenses should be kept as low as possible compared to the revenue. The lower the expenses, the better the bottom line. This balance between revenue and expenses keeps a business sustainable and financially healthy. Read on to know more about performing an expense analysis of your business.
A business has money coming in and cash going out. While many people in different capacities often track the incoming money, the expenses may not be watched as carefully. Unmonitored expenses can soon become a problem and counter the hard work that the company has put in to generate revenues. Expense analysis is the careful perusal of the company’s expenses for a period. Paying attention to the company's expenses is key to keeping its finances healthy. For best results, expense analysis should be performed monthly or at least every quarter. Systematic analysis of expenses helps the company identify unnecessary expenses before they become large enough to pose a serious problem. Expense analysis also helps spot expense trends and enables the company to plan its finances better.
There are many different types of expenses that a company can track. They can be broadly categorized as follows:
Each of these expenses should be analyzed for its necessity. An expense that is made to generate a bigger revenue in the future may be worth it. But other expenses that can be curtailed are identified, and cost control measures are taken.
One must be aware of non-cash expenses such as depreciation and amortization that do not create an actual outflow of cash. They are meant to expense the use of assets and their fall in value and or not expenses that need to be curtailed. The tax component of expenses is also usually as per the government calculations and is not restricted. They are calculated to understand the complete expense profile of the company.
The expenses of a company can also be categorized as fixed or variable. They are as follows:
Write down your revenue and sales: List the numbers for the revenue and sales for the time period being analyzed. This could be a week, month, quarter, or year. Manually performing this task may be tedious. TallyPrime lists this information instantly and makes the entire process of expense analysis easier to perform regularly.
Write down all of your expenses: Either use TallyPrime to list the expenses or manually list all the expenses for the given time period and categorize them properly.
Calculating your gross margin: Compute the gross margin by deducting the cost of goods sold (COGS) from the revenue. The COGS is the expense that is directly related to the production of the goods and does not include the administrative or labor costs. IT is the profit the company makes on the sales.
Calculate your profit margin: List and total all the expenses and subtract them from the revenue to calculate the profit margin. If it is negative, you will need to monitor your finances closely and take steps to improve your business. However, a negative number is not uncommon in a newer business.
What can you do better?
Analysis happens when you study the numbers and identify where your business is spending too much. The cost of goods sold is usually an expense that cannot be controlled. However, the rest of the expenses must be managed for the best results. Of these, the fixed expenses have the most significant impact when reduced. For example, moving to smaller premises may lower the rent and make a big difference to the company’s expenses and performance.
Expense analysis manually is a long and involved task. The amount of listing and calculation that is performed may not be practical to perform regularly. Accounting software such as TallyPrime extracts all the numbers that you need from your financial records instantly. It helps managers and business owners closely monitor their expenses and keep their businesses on track for financial success. TallyPrime provides you with analysis reports and graphs that take the hard work out of analysis of expenses. It is an invaluable tool to help you monitor expenses and course-correct them when the expenses are too high.
Too Much or Too Little Stock – How can Small Businesses and Startups Overcome? | <urn:uuid:378ea164-5de9-4829-a10f-cde718a27ee6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://tallysolutions.com/business-guides/what-is-expense-analysis-and-how-to-analyze-business-account/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.956303 | 1,022 | 2.359375 | 2 |
- Whopping 1 lakh jobs on the cards in aviation and aeronautical manufacturing sector by 2024, says Minister
- Money Guru: 10 funds for financial independence, this 15th August - details
- India's forex reserves jump 60x since 1990s, surge 335 times since Independence | Check this data
- India@100: Anil Singhvi predicts Nifty will reach 1,75,000 in next 25 years - Here's why
US and China at impasse over trade, Larry Kudlow says new tariffs will remain
The United States and China appeared at a deadlock over trade negotiations on Sunday as Washington demanded promises of concrete changes to Chinese law and Beijing said it would not swallow any "bitter fruit" that harmed its interests.
The United States and China appeared at a deadlock over trade negotiations on Sunday as Washington demanded promises of concrete changes to Chinese law and Beijing said it would not swallow any "bitter fruit" that harmed its interests. The trade war between the world`s top two economies escalated on Friday, with the United States hiking tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods after President Donald Trump said Beijing `broke the deal` by reneging on earlier commitments made during months of negotiations.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told Fox News on Sunday that the United States needs to see China agree to "very strong" enforcement provisions for an eventual deal and said the sticking point was Beijing`s reluctance to put agreed changes into law. He vowed the tariffs would remain in place while negotiations continue.
Beijing remained defiant, however. "At no time will China forfeit the country`s respect, and no one should expect China to swallow bitter fruit that harms its core interests," said a commentary, due for Monday publication, in the ruling Communist Party`s People`s Daily. It said Beijing`s doors were open to talks but it would not yield on important issues of principle.
Kudlow said there was a "strong possibility" that Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in Japan in late June. Until last week, there were expectations Trump and Xi would sign a trade deal at the summit. However, the trade talks suffered a major setback last week when China proposed extensive revisions to a draft agreement. It wanted to delete prior commitments that Chinese laws would be changed to enact new policies on issues from intellectual property protection to forced technology transfers.
`SOMETHING MUCH CLEARER`
Vice Premier Liu He, China`s top economic adviser, sought to defend the changes in talks with senior U.S. officials in Washington on Thursday and Friday, arguing that China could accomplish the policy changes through decrees issued by its State Council, or cabinet, sources familiar with the talks said. But U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer rejected that, telling Liu that the United States was insisting on restoration of the previous text.
"We would like to see these corrections in an agreement which is codified by law in China, not just a State Council announcement. We need to see something much clearer. And until we do we have to keep our tariffs on," Kudlow said. China strongly opposes the latest U.S. tariff hike, and has to respond to that, Liu told reporters on Saturday.
Kudlow said on Sunday he expected retaliatory tariffs to kick in but that it had not happened yet. Trump has ordered Lighthizer to begin the process of imposing tariffs on all remaining imports from China, a move that would affect about an additional $300 billion worth of goods. Lighthizer said a final decision on that has not yet been made but it would come on top of the Friday tariff rate increase to 25% from 10% on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports.
Trump has claimed that China is paying for the tariffs but it is importers - usually U.S. companies or the U.S.-registered units of foreign companies - that have to pay. And U.S. farmers, a key constituency of Trump, have been among the hardest hit in the trade war, with soybean shipments to China dropping to a 16-year low in 2018.
Asked who was paying, Kudlow said on Sunday that "both sides will suffer on this," although he added that the U.S. economy should be able to cope. "We`re in terrific shape in order to correct 20 years plus of unfair trading practices with China ... I think this is a risk we should and can take without damaging our economy in any appreciable way," he said.
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube. | <urn:uuid:ac0669f9-7642-4642-bca8-9cbc2ff5fc90> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.zeebiz.com/world/news-us-and-china-at-impasse-over-trade-kudlow-says-new-tariffs-will-remain-98571 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.966805 | 984 | 1.523438 | 2 |
DX Ranch Internship Curriculum
Because we understand the necessity for a “schedule” and list of accomplishments that are quantifiable for garnering college credit for this experience, the following parts are offered as a general guideline. The timeframes are absolutely dependent upon the progress of the student. Unlike some college courses where half the class may fail the first exam, the only way to fail here is to stop trying. Under no circumstance will we set a student or a horse up to fail, by asking something of them we suspect they are unable to do. The students will be constantly monitored for progress and as indicated by that progress, they will be offered advanced application to gain experience. A student may only make it through “Part 1” over the course of the summer, but in our estimation that is a success. Something that is truly learned, whether it is learned by a horse or a human is theirs forever. Horses started in this way need not be “rebroke” if they are turned out for 6 months, and the students will have what they learn here at their disposal as long as they choose to keep it.
Introduction to this way through horse handling. We will start to emphasize awareness, and make clear the difference between aware and alert. Awareness is the concept of being present and fully cognizant in the moment, in a calm and relaxed manner, and is conducive to practicing this way. Topics covered will be groundwork, saddling, and bridling, in a manner consistent with our horse handling philosophy. Hands on experience, demonstration and introduction to effective pressure and a well-timed release will be offered.
Application of awareness. The students will continue learning the basic mechanics we use in our groundwork, and begin riding horses. Significant emphasis will be put on a way of using the reins as an instrument rather than a handlebar, to effectively convey their wishes to the horse. The students will begin to be exposed to the concept of “feel, timing, and balance” by improving their awareness of the horse’s feet, and the nature of horse foot falls. Guided, hands-on application, will be the method employed, and the students will become engaged in helping horses learn.
Developing “feel”. “Feel” is concept that is easier to demonstrate than describe. It is why the same mechanics from different people can have different results on the same horse. Its components range from attitude, to confidence, to experience. The students will be offered greater opportunity to set horses up to learn, since there is no substitute for experience when developing “feel”. The more opportunities the students have to set up learning situations for the horses the more they will be able to hone their “Feel”. Depending on progress, students may be offered the epitome of application of “Feel” in the opportunity to take a colt on its first ride.
Areas of Emphasis
Throughout the course of your visit here we will focus on several key concepts. | <urn:uuid:5bc946cc-9363-458d-a7fe-841f21779b8d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://thedxranch.com/internships/philosophy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.953536 | 657 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Today’s Reading: Numbers 16
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Numbers 16:9a, 10
Is it a small thing to you…that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also?
Twice in our reading, Moses fell on his face before God (verses 4 & 45) in intercession for the people. He was desperate for God’s mercy upon the rebellious people. The one thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn from history. First, the judgment of God came upon those who coveted the positions of Moses and Aaron, and then by a plague that took the lives of 14,700 people. Earlier we read about the carefully crafted laws for the health of the people, and we don’t know what disease hit them. Perhaps, if those who rejected Moses’ leadership had left quietly, the tragedies could’ve been avoided. Judgment can be averted by genuine repentance.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Dear Lord, please help me to be loyal to the leaders You have chosen, and if I cannot support them, may I have the grace to leave quietly so as not to damage Your work in any way. I repent for my failure to recognize from time to time Your appointments to positions of leadership authority. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I’ve been learning about leadership this week in the life of Moses. We read earlier this week from Numbers 11 where God gave Moses 70 elders to stand with him and advise him. Regardless of our opinions on President Trump in the USA…or Prime Minister Trudeau in Canada, we are instructed in Scripture to pray for all leaders. Politics is not an easy calling and it can be extremely divisive. Let’s make it a point to pray for those in authority over us…that God would lead them in righteous decisions (see 1 Timothy 2:1-4).
Yours for recognition and support of leaders God has allowed to be in positions of authority, | <urn:uuid:3ea1c583-107d-49c0-a233-345b33eb5aff> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://100words.ca/2018/11/14/wednesday-november-14-2018/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.956559 | 491 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Aims & Values
Our School Aims
To create a happy, stimulating and safe learning environment for both children and adults.
To develop a love of learning and the opportunity for each individual to achieve their full potential and to develop and explore their own interests in a secure and challenging environment.
To enable children to become confident, resourceful, enquiring and independent learners, able to apply their skills.
To create an atmosphere of mutual respect, understanding and consideration for the ideas, attitudes, values and feelings of others.
To develop children's self-esteem, resilience, personal development and wellbeing.
To enable children to value and be valued as part of their community.
Our School Values
Taking care of ourselves, others and our environment.
We understand what others are feeling and we show care for others.
We show respect for each other, regardless of similarities and differences.
Working together with kindness and patience.
Having confidence in ourselves and what we can achieve.
Keeping a positive attitude and persevering, particularly when finding things difficult.
We celebrate each child's uniqueness and individuality. | <urn:uuid:1f1376b2-5b4f-4dfa-a83e-345bf382c6c6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://eastayton.n-yorks.sch.uk/aims-values/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.90921 | 252 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Federal parks say ‘No Motorized Vehicles’, and that does embody RC automobiles as well (drones too). It is best to examine with the native company that governs the land you wish to run on as to what’s allowed and what isn’t. “Estimation of CO2 Emissions of Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle and Battery Electric Vehicle Using LCA”. The time period motorcar was previously also used in the context of electrified rail methods to denote a automobile which features as a small locomotive but additionally offers space for passengers and baggage.
Steam engines additionally want time to warm up, whereas IC engines can usually run right after being started, although this is probably not recommended in chilly conditions. Steam engines burning coal launch sulfur into the air, causing dangerous acid rain. The ever-growing tendency of creating cell purposes for our everyday use has in the end entered additionally the automotive sector. The fact that apps might significantly enhance driving security has attracted the eye of automobile users and brought on an increase in the number of new apps developed particularly for the automobile industry.
In 1890, Émile Levassor and Armand Peugeot of France started producing vehicles with Daimler engines, and so laid the inspiration of the automotive trade in France. They have been attached to the first Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle race, but completed 6 days after the profitable cyclist, Charles Terront. Daimler and Maybach founded Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) in Cannstatt in 1890, and sold their first car in 1892 under the brand title Daimler. It was a horse-drawn stagecoach built by one other producer, which they retrofitted with an engine of their design. By 1895 about 30 vehicles had been constructed by Daimler and Maybach, either at the Daimler works or in the Hotel Hermann, where they arrange shop after disputes with their backers.
One of the difficulties met when using fuel motors is the cooling impact of expanding gas. These engines are limited by how rapidly they take up warmth from their environment. The cooling impact can, nevertheless, double as air conditioning.
Safety is another necessary side of working as an automotive technician. To complete duties, employees need to make use of lifts to work beneath heavy automobiles, presenting safety hazards. Technicians also use highly pressurized pneumatic and hydraulic tools, so safety training and following safety protocols are extremely stressed. Along with different tools, it’s common for automotive technicians to endure minor injuries such as cuts, scrapes, and bruises, particularly to their palms. Don’t over think it, the one automobiles which might be fairly near the proper scale dimension are 1/10th scale touring automobiles however even these aren’t tremendous accurate. | <urn:uuid:41be0c27-e45d-4410-b2fe-4a8a75140012> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.mlcsmith.com/what-skills-would-you-need-to-be-an-automobile-engineer-11.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.951067 | 586 | 2.28125 | 2 |
There’s no doubt that serving as a law enforcement officer in most parts of modern America is an extremely difficult and often thankless job, or that many of those who serve are good people doing fine work.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t change the fact that our nation is mired in a terrible vicious cycle right now in which people of color – usually, but not always, young men – are being repeatedly and wrongfully killed or terrorized by white cops.
The recent killing of Andrew Brown Jr. by Pasquotank County sheriff’s deputies – just days after the conviction of Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd and the deaths of Daunte Wright and Ma’Khia Bryant – is just the latest in what seems like a never-ending series.
And while it’s true that human beings make mistakes – sometimes tragic ones – we’re not hearing many stories of officers of color wrongfully killing or terrorizing white victims.
Of course, there is an explanation for this. The hard and undeniable truth is that this cycle of police violence targeting Black and brown Americans is nothing new; it’s as old as the nation. What’s changed in recent years to make it into a phenomenon that’s finally captured the world’s attention, and that might just spur important systemic change, is technology.
As researcher Nicol Turner Lee wrote in an essay for Brookings last year:
With the long history in America of violence against Black people, the ubiquity of video recordings has recast the narrative surrounding police violence and heightened public concerns about law enforcement…. Rather than having to take the word of African Americans over the police, people can see the violence for themselves and demand justice.”
Thanks to the existence of body camera footage from the Brown shooting, it looks like we will soon know a lot more about what seems from a distance to have been, at the very least, the highly questionable (and quite possibly criminal) decision of officers to shoot Brown in his car. The fact that three deputies have already resigned in the aftermath of the incident and that attorneys for the Brown family termed the killing “an execution” after seeing the footage, only bolsters this conclusion.
But whatever ultimately happens to the officers responsible in the Brown case – or the Wright case of the Bryant case – will obviously not produce a situation that amounts to “justice.” As Dawn Blagrove, the executive director of the group Emancipate NC put it in a powerful statement released after the Chauvin verdict was rendered:
Seeing this murderer spend the remainder of his natural life in a cage solves nothing. He will not magically become a decent human being. He will likely never see that he was not ENTITLED to kill a Black man. Prison does not create justice.”
Defund the police?
So how do we begin to establish a truly just response to this intolerable situation?
Ultimately, remedying centuries of systematic racial oppression and injustice will require many decades of sustained effort on an array of fronts, but one obvious initial solution is to undertake a rapid and thorough overhaul of how America delivers law enforcement.
Simply put, we must, if not literally and completely “defund the police,” cause major shifts in what we fund and prioritize in the criminal justice system.
- Establishing new teams of community safety professionals who are trained and skilled in crisis management and mental health to respond to a wide variety of situations to which we now dispatch armed officers;
- Decriminalizing a long list of minor nonviolent offenses (most notably, drug possession) that now serve as the grounds (and sometimes the pretext) used by officers to detain and arrest people;
- Putting in place new and enforceable rules to limit the situations in which officers can use force against members of the community and guarantee transparency when it occurs;
- A big new commitment to improved hiring and training programs designed to assure that law enforcement officers embrace the proper values, understand things like implicit bias, and have the skills to de-escalate crises;
- Disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline by replacing so-called “school resource officers” with an influx of counselors and psychologists;
- Ending prosecutor abuses like racist jury selection tactics;
- Depopulating our prisons and jails by ending cash bail and rethinking the systems of punishment and rehabilitation we employ toward individuals who commit serious offenses; and
- Tackling the America’s unique and disastrous gun violence epidemic (and maybe making a lot of law enforcement officers feel a little safer) by enacting common sense safety laws.
The bottom line: The current, sickening cycle of police violence may not actually be new. And, as with a lot of other dreadful things we’ve long swept under the rug in this nation, we cannot undo the harm it has caused. But it’s long past time, once and for all, to stop the killing. | <urn:uuid:c082af31-bd7b-434b-9b3c-6e7cba67840a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ncpolicywatch.com/2021/04/27/steps-we-must-take-to-begin-to-stop-the-killing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.953974 | 1,023 | 1.976563 | 2 |
- This event has passed.
The Peterloo Massacre – Newcastle Guided walk
August 18, 2019 @ 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Description from Newcastle City Guides – Heritage Walks
The Peterloo Massacre – Newcastle’s Campaign for the Vote
Meet at Grey’s Monument 2.30pm. Finish at the Central Station.
The walk commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre when people from the North West lost their lives while peacefully campaigning for the vote. We explore the part played by residents from the Newcastle region demanding universal suffrage.
£5 for adults, £3 for under 60’s, free for accompanied child under 16 | <urn:uuid:3f135461-4427-4370-ab3d-c39e4c8e972b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://tynesideirish.com/event/the-peterloo-massacre-newcastle-guided-walk/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.854915 | 141 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Our World Puzzle for Kids, 100 Pieces, Grades K-8
- Brand: Waypoint Geographic
Help children develop map and memory skills when you use this Our World Puzzle by Round World Junior. The sturdy jigsaw puzzle pieces connect together to feature beautiful illustrations by Stephanie Peterson Jones. The perfect learning and teaching tool for students in Kindergarten through eighth grade.
This 100 piece puzzle for kids has a finished size of 13 x 19 inches. Kid-friendly labels and fun icons show unique characteristics of each continent, country, and body of water. Comes in a sturdy box, so it can be used over and over again!
A great resource and is ready-to-use in your classroom, learning center, or as a homeschool supplement. Order yours today! Shop for additional Social Studies resources here.
- - Our World Puzzle
- - Geography
- - 100 jigsaw puzzle pieces
- - Develop map and memory skills
- - Grades K-8
|Package Count||100 Pieces|
|Subject-Topic||Games & Manipulatives|
|Vendor Part Number||KP01|
|Collection Name||Round World Junior|
Item not available in Mardel Stores.
Check your local store for availability. | <urn:uuid:73a941f0-053f-4007-a6b1-829c2bd044c0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.mardel.com/Education/Subjects/Social-Studies/Geography/Our-World-Puzzle-for-Kids/p/4007142 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573197.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818124424-20220818154424-00672.warc.gz | en | 0.798312 | 340 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Within the test scene there is a vivid discussion about the necessity and use of a certification model for the test experts. The population of testers can be roughly divided into two groups: Firstly, a group that states that it will not do a better job when certified, because the current certifications like ISTQB and ISEB focus on methods and terminology, but fail to look at the practical testing skills of the tester [Bolton, 2008]. Secondly, a group who is pro certification and regards the testing industry as a young yet not fully grown profession that lacks certification models that other professions have been using for ages [Windsor 2007]. Meanwhile, voices are heard that the test profession is accepted in the IT industry and that it has actually grown into a mature profession. The website of the last EuroSTAR conference stated that a mature profession has clearly-defined standards, codes of conduct, and a number of levels of professional competence. Having all those, we might conclude that the testing profession has indeed earned its place among the IT-professions.
Have you ever been in the situation where testing time was compromised? Where someone suggested that a lot of time could be gained by expanding the test team with other resources? Such as users or administrators that happened to be available? I think most of us have, showing that there is still some work that needs to be done. The testing community still has difficulty explaining what the added value of testing is to management, customers and developers [Clermont, 2006]. Many business managers perceive IT as “too little, too late, too costly.” There is a gap between business and IT on both sides of which reign incomprehension and a lack of knowledge about the other discipline [Ommeren, 2006]. This is why business management often have wrong expectations of software development and testing. As a result, testing is frequently pushed into a subordinate role and cannot fully contribute to the development process.
Although the discussion on certification is mainly a discussion between testers, it is a rather interesting one. A good certification model will help a tester to prove he masters his profession. A certified tester is knowledgeable on one or more methods, tools and techniques. But that alone will not solve the problems management has with IT. Rather than awaiting the outcome of the discussion about certification, I think action is required today. We need to align the expectations that business management has on IT with the output it delivers. Testing can help bridge the gap since it leads to better software quality and shorter time to market [Grood, 2008]. But this will only happen when the tester is aware of the business needs and acts in conformance with these in order to make the added value of software testing visible in its full colors (see also textbox 1). That’s what result-driven testing is about.
Testing is commonly carried out according to a test methodology. The test methodology ensures that testers and other stakeholders use the same terminology and definitions, and that the work is done in a controlled process flow. The methodology also contains best practices so that the knowledge and experience of others can be used. This contributes to the efficiency and quality of the test project.
Result-driven testing is more than just applying a methodology. The success of a project is not determined by the methodology, but by the way the methodology is applied. Result-driven testing, therefore, encompasses several aspects:
- A result-driven mindset
- Testing knowledge
- A result-driven approach that supports the application of result-driven testing
A number of good methodologies have already been developed and written about. But like any other profession, testing encompasses more than the simple application of a methodology. After all, strict adherence to a specific methodology is no guarantee for success. Success stems from the mindset, enthusiasm, knowledge and skill of the tester. These factors determine whether a methodology is applied successfully and whether testing is result-driven.
A result-driven mindset -Test principles
Since each project is by definition unique, any method that is being used will need to be tuned to the situation. Which parts of the method will be used to their full extent? Which steps that are described are not relevant for my situation? Which remarks are relevant but are going to be used in an altered form? Applying the method means making choices.
What’s important to understand are the elements that influence those choices. For one thing it is of course the knowledge and experience we have. We are inclined to choose the options that worked the last time. We are often a little reluctant to choose the options that we have little knowledge of. Another aspect that has a significant influence on our decisions is our mindset.
The correct application of the methodology depends on the mindset and the expertise of the tester, who has to be able to stress the right things and make the right choices. Ten test principles help result-driven testers put this into practice. The test principles are a short and strong formulation of the tester’s desired mindset, knowledge and working method. They indicate how the tester can create added value and how he can make it visible to the organization.
The test principles enable testers to focus on the anticipated goal without external assistance. By thinking and acting according to the ten test principles, testers assume a result-driven mindset. They make sure that they apply the test methodology in such a way that it achieves optimal added value for the organization.
The ten test principles are not autonomous; they are correlated. Take for example ‘Build trust’. This principle aims to create trust in the product and the test team. Trust in the project will smoothen the go-live decision and is an important motivation for the user to want to work with the new system. This confidence can be created in several ways. One of them is by showing the organization that certain parts of the system have been realized and are of sufficient quality; that certain risks have been mitigated (provide overview). This leads to a stepwise test approach with distinctive test phases. The Go Live decision is also smoothened if all necessary know-how is transferred to the maintenance organization. The principle “Facilitate the entire IT life cycle” has in its origin the understanding that the purpose of a project is not just getting software on the production environment, but support doing business. Building bridges to the ICT Operations department is part of that.
Another way of building trust is providing transparency. By giving insight in the work approach the stakeholders can judge for themselves how well the team masters the test profession and if it takes its responsibilities serious. This is a crucial insight. Otherwise what’s the value of a given release advice to the stakeholders if they do not know how it is established? Insight is also given in the way the activities of test team contribute to the set goals of the business and project. One of them could be the deliverance of a regression test set, thus ensuring reusability, and once more building bridges to the maintenance department and facilitating the IT lifecycle.
The above description is provided as an example of how test principles work in practice. But there is more meaning to be given to them. The reader is therefore challenged to use the test principles and add their own meaning to them too.
Applying the test principles
The principles can be used as a checklist or as driving force behind the tester’s actions.
In the first way, the user regularly checks whether he has given each of the principles enough attention. This will keep him on his toes and focused on providing added value. Too often, certain aspects are forgotten in the heat of the moment. Provided with this self-check the tester has an instrument to evaluate his work.”It was hard work delivering the test scripts in time, but unintentionally we compromised the reusability. Maybe we should put some effort in setting this right, next week?”
Using the test principles as a driving force enables the tester tell his testing story. “Your mind is a black box, it takes skill to explain your testing, and what you are accountable for” [Bach, 2007]. The principles are easily understood by non-testers and help to gain commitment for the testers activities. Imagine the situation were you explain that you plan to deliver a test report by the end of the week. The customer responds a little disappointed. “Err…, I don’t like reports that much. Besides we only have limited time, so I prefer you use the time for executing tests. That is why we did hire you in the first place, remember?” Explain why you think trust in the system is a requirement for acceptance. In order to gain this trust you’ll provide him with an overview and insight. Insight in the quality of the system and the progress of the test process. The principles help communicate (to the stakeholders) why certain activities are important and how they contribute to the anticipated goal.
Either way, a tester who does not apply the principles is doing neither himself nor his customer a favor. It is therefore necessary to regularly check that all of the testers are paying enough attention to all of the test principles. Together, the test principles are the foundation for result-driven testing.
Wanted: result-driven testers
The fast developments in IT make the daily life of the business manager more challenging day by day. The dependency on IT is ever growing. Software can be found in most consumer goods and is increasing in complexity. Most companies earn their money by supplying IT-related services and products, or use IT systems to run their business. The life cycle of software has sharply declined over the past decades. Due to the rapid succession of technological developments and changing markets, systems are constantly adapted. The business manager is dealing with larger uncertainties and has more difficulties to preserve the overview. There is a demand for people who can help the business manager with easy digestible but accurate information on the status of the project and the risk involved with the new or adapted systems.
Software testers can provide this information and have the power to choose the mode in which his manager operates. We can stick to our complicated test-things and leave the worries to our manager. Or we can adopt a result-driven attitude. We’ll take the responsibility to provide and assist the development process and the manager by providing accurate and understandable information. Result-driven testing will lead to happy managers that show appreciation for the test contribution.
If they were not enough arguments for applying the test principles, here’s another:
The figure below shows a recent, random picked job-description for a senior test manager. The description contains many references to the TestGoal test principles. It also shows that as part of the bigger concept, certification can be useful as proof of mastering your test profession. Most of all, it tells us that organizations have a strong need for testers who know how to contribute to the business goals. Result-driven testers are wanted!
Just a job description; there is a demand for testers who practice the test principles.
[Grood, 2008] Derk-Jan de Grood, TestGoal - Result driven testing, Springer, ISBN 978-3-540-78828-7
[Bach, 2007] John Bach, Tutorial on session based exploratory testing at Starwest 2007
[Black, 2002] Rex Black, Eurostar, 2002
[Bolton, 2008] Michael Bolton, Presentation at Eurostar 2008
[Clermont, 2006] Surviving in a QA-Organisation, Markus Clermont, Dutch testing day, 2006
[Ommeren, 2006] De wereld op zijn kop, Erik van Ommeren, IT Beheer, issue 9, 2006, SDU
[Windsor 2007] Susan Windsor, Keynote at Eurostar 2007 | <urn:uuid:bae4e0ae-87bf-445c-8415-4fd30e707b5f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.agileconnection.com/article/result-driven-testing-start-adding-value-your-organization | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.94817 | 2,423 | 2.0625 | 2 |
Nikola Tesla Articles
Mr. Tesla Makes Further Disclosures
Nikola Tesla, who has been making some rather remarkable assertions of late in letters printed in the New York Times publishes another communication under date of January 26th. This is a part of it:
“I read in your issue of today that, according to Lieutenant-Colonel Chales, director of military telegraphs of France, a wireless message ‘should theoretically go around the world.’ If you will take the trouble of perusing my French patent, No. 354,791, you will find that this has long since ceased to be a theory, for that document, while bearing the date of April, 1905, describes experiments which I made in the Fall of 1899, and one of which was to pass currents of 100 amperes around the globe, a mere breadth in view of its immensity, but more than necessary to affect a sensitive receiver. You will also notice that in those tests I used ‘undamped’ oscillations, one of my earliest improvements, which you seem to find pleasure in attributing to other electricians. These facts are mentioned incidentally, merely with the desire of informing you correctly.
“What I wish to bring to your attention relates to certain provisions of the last wireless conference which are now being considered by the United States Senate. Some of the rules were undoubtedly proper and applicable to ‘radio-telegraphy’ by electro-magnetic or Hertzian rays, in view of the impossibility of preventing interference and because many different forms of apparatus were employed. But since that time the Herts waves have been abandoned by the more advanced experts and a uniform system adopted which permits the simultaneous transmission of any desired number of wireless messages without interference and with a precision and accuracy equal to, if not greater, than that practicable with cables.” | <urn:uuid:57659bab-f739-459f-be71-ceaea585525d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://teslauniverse.com/nikola-tesla/articles/mr-tesla-makes-further-disclosures | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.957887 | 381 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Jantar Mantar of Delhi is a unique astronomical monument located in the middle of the national capital. It is a wonderful piece of architecture as an astronomical science. Jantar Mantar of Delhi is a popular tourist destination in the capital and a great place for lovers of astronomy.
It is a wonderful example of astronomy of the past that we can be proud of. It is based on the Ptolemaic structure of ancient Egypt.
Basic Information about Jantar Mantar
- Jantar Mantar Delhi timings: Sunrise to sunset (6:00 am to 6:00 pm), every day
- Entrance Fee: ₹ 5 (Indians), ₹ 100 (foreigners)
- Photography Charges: Nil
- Famous for: Astronomical Tourism
- Type: Astronomical Observatory
- Nearest Metro Station: Pragati Maidan
- Location: Connaught Place, Sansad Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Information about Jantar Mantar of Delhi
The main objective of the construction of this observatory was to predict time with accuracy and to track the motion of planets for accurate information of celestial bodies and celestial events.
This observatory was used to track the movements of the moon, sun, and other planets.
The Main 4 astronomical instruments
Jantar Mantar in Delhi consists of a total of 13 astronomical instruments which help in celestial predictions. The most important among them Yantra are, Mishra Yantra, Jayaprakash Yantra, Samrat Yantra, and Rama Yantra.
01. Samrat Yantra / Supreme Instrument
It is also called Supreme Instrument. It is 128 feet long, 70 feet high and 10 feet thick.
Samrat Yantra is basically a huge triangle that represents a sundial. It is the World’s Largest Sundial.
It moves parallel to the Earth’s axis, pointing to the North Pole of earth. On either side of it shows hours, seconds, and minutes. It was the most unique device of that time because it had the amazing feature of announcing celestial bodies.
02. Jayaprakash Yantra
It was used to align the exact position of the stars with different markings. It has a hollow hemisphere with its concave body withdrawn signs and attached crosswords.
03. Mishra Yantra
It was used to determine the shortest and longest days of the year. It was a great tool because it could easily determine the longest and shortest days of the year of various cities and places in the country. By its use, the afternoon time in various cities around the world can be accurately noted.
04. Ram yantra
It is two large cylindrical models with an open-upper surface. This instrument was used to measure the height of the planets based on the position of the Earth.
Note: Nowadays many tall buildings are built around the Jantar Mantar of Delhi, so it stopped giving accurate figures.
Top 9 Attractions near Jantar Mantar of Delhi
1- Bangla Sahib Gurudwara: (1.1 km) via Jai Singh Marg and Sansad Marg
2- Agrasen ki Baoli: (1.4 km) via Tolstoy Rd
3- National Museum: (2.6 km) via Janpath Rd
4- Rashtrapati Bhavan: (3.2 km) via Raisina Road and Janpath Rd
5- Birla Temple: (3.5 km) via Bhai Vir Singh Marg
6- Gandhi Smriti: (4.2 km) via Janpath Rd
7- Khooni Darwaza: (4.9 km) via Firozeshah Rd
8- Delhi Zoo: (5.1 km) via Ashoka Rd
9- Humayun’s Tomb: (6.0 km) via Ashoka Rd and Dr Zakir Hussain Marg
History of Jantar Mantar in Delhi
Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur built this observatory in 1724. Maharaja Jai Singh II built a total of 5 observatories in different parts of the country. All these observatories are located in Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain, Varanasi, and Mathura. The observatory located in Jaipur is the largest.
Maharajah Jai Singh II of Jaipur himself was a great and renowned astrologer of his time. | <urn:uuid:6248ea9a-cddc-4022-9691-c855d0a40671> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://tripsbharat.com/jantar-mantar-of-delhi-timings-entry-fee/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.917546 | 943 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Oral Health Fact Sheet for Dental Professionals Adults with Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a brain disorder characterized by excessive neuronal discharge that can produce seizures, unusual body movements, and loss or changes in consciousness. Transient episodes of motor, sensory, or psychic dysfunction, with or without unconsciousness or convulsive movements may be present. (ICD 9 code 345.9).
• < 1% • 75% no known etiology • Higher frequency in males
• Partial affects only part of the brain: * Simple – may be subtle, with awareness intact * Complex – involves impairment of awareness, variable presentation: may have autonomic symptoms, abnormal sensation, hallucinations • Clinical Generalized – affects entire cortex: * Absence – impaired consciousness, staring, and eye blinking * Atonic – abrupt loss of muscle tone, loss of consciousness, and sudden collapse * Myoclonic – sudden jerking of arms and/or legs and impaired consciousness * Tonic-clonic – loss of consciousness, repetitive jerking, sustained stiffening, post-seizure amnesia, and possibly cyanosis • Increased risk for: * dental caries * oral trauma * laceration, including bite injuries to tongue * ulcerations and glossitis as a result of medication-induced B-12 deficiency * trauma-induced TMJ disc dislocation requiring reduction * trauma-induced tooth avulsion – if tooth cannot be located, chest imaging indicated to rule out aspiration to lungs • Medication-induced gingival hyperplasia, bleeding gums, and delayed healing • ADHD • Learning disabilities • Anxiety • Depression • None
Other Potential Disorders/Concerns
Related disorders with implications for dental treatment
Adults with Epilepsy continued
The list of medications below are intended to serve only as a guide to facilitate the dental professional’s understanding of medications that can be used for Epilepsy or conditions associated with Epilepsy. Medical protocols can vary for individuals with Epilepsy from few to multiple medications. SYMPTOM Seizures MEDICATION Anticonvulsants Carbamazepine (Tegretol) Valproate (Depakote, Depakene) Phenytoin (Dilantin) Gabapentin (Neurontin) Levetiracetam (Keppra) Lamotrigine (Lamictal) Felbamate (Felbatol) Tiagabine (Gabitril) Pregabalin (Lyrica) SIDE EFFECTS/DRUG INTERACTIONS Xerostomia, stomatitis, glossitis, dysgeusia, bone marrow suppression. Excessive bleeding may result when combined with aspirin or NSAIDs. Xerostomia, stomatitis, glossitis, dysgeusia, oral petechia. Excessive bleeding may result when combined with aspirin or NSAIDs. Xerostomia, gingival hyperplasia. Xerostomia, fever, mood changes, erythema multiforme, kidney failure, thrombo- cytopenia, viral infections, hyperkinesia, other neurologic symptoms. Hostility, irritability, mood changes, depression, anorexia, infection, gingivitis. Angioedema of mouth, lips, tongue or face; oral lesions, xerostomia, nausea, headache, blurred vision, double vision, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (uncommon, severe). Heartburn, vomiting, nervousness, drowsiness, facial swelling, runny nose, rapid or pounding heart rate, difficulty breathing or swallowing, depression. Dizziness, inability to concentrate, drowsiness, nervousness, irritability, tiredness, shaking. Alcohol, and drugs that cause sedation, may increase the sedative effect of this medication. Xerostomia, dizziness, drowsiness, edema, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, reduced platelet counts. Alcohol, and drugs that cause sedation, may increase the sedative effect of this medication.
Adults with Epilepsy continued
SYMPTOM Seizures continued Muscle Spasticity and Rigidity MEDICATION Topiramate (Topamax) Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) Zonisamide (Zonegran) Baclofen (Lioresal) Diazepam (Valium) Dantrolene sodium (Dantrium) Tizanidine (Zanaflex, Sirdalud) SIDE EFFECTS/DRUG INTERACTIONS Dizziness, tiredness, speech problems, difficulty with memory, sensory distortion. Alcohol, and drugs that cause sedation, may increase the sedative effect of this medication. Xerostomia, toothache, earache, dysguesia, headache, acne, nausea, vomiting. Dizziness, drowsiness, tiredness, lack of coordination. Alcohol, and drugs that cause sedation, may increase the sedative effect of this medication. Xerostomia (uncommon), angioedema of mouth, lips, tongue or face. Drowsiness, dystonia, double vision, xerostomia or hypersalivation, seizures, CNS and respiratory depression, paradoxical CNS stimulation, tiredness, syncope, fatigue, ataxia, depression, headache, nausea. Alcohol, and drugs that cause sedation, may increase the sedative effect of diazepam. Use with caution for persons with sleep apnea. Drowsiness (alcohol can increase this effect), weakness, dizziness, tachycardia (increased heart rate), abnormal blood pressure, diarrhea, constipation, liver failure. Use caution in combining with drugs that cause CNS depression. Drowsiness (alcohol can increase this effect), xerostomia, dizziness, hypotension, weakness, somnolence. Do not prescribe with ciprofloxacin or fluvoxamine. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as floxcin and norfloxacin, interfere with tizanidine metabolism. Use caution in combining with drugs that cause CNS depression.
Adults with Epilepsy continued
Surgery – Temporal Resection or Sectioning of Corpus Callosum
• Implanted Vagal Nerve Stimulator (VNS) does not require antibiotic prophylaxis
Behavioral: Many patients have seizures controlled with medication or know when they are likely to have
a seizure and seizure type, so extensive precautions are unnecessary. • Ensure medication has been taken as prescribed before treatment to reduce risk of seizure. • Schedule appointment during time of day when seizures are less likely to occur. • Minimize seizure triggers. Reduce stress and anxiety by explaining procedures before starting. Keep bright light out of patient’s eyes; wearing dark glasses in the operatory is an effective choice. • Seizure management during treatment: Remove all dental instruments from the mouth. Clear the area around the dental chair. Stay with the patient and turn the patient to one side. Monitor airway to reduce risk of aspiration. Note time seizure begins: if seizure continues >3 min call EMS – Danger of Status Epilepticus (potentially life threatening)
Dental Treatment and Prevention
• Obtain thorough medical history-including seizure triggers and seizure frequency/level of control. • Ask patient (or caregiver) for medication updates at each appointment. Medication changes can affect the appropriate care of the patient from a medical and/or appointment management standpoint. • Monitor patient for anti-epileptic medication-induced gingival hyperplasia. Meticulous oral hygiene is the best prevention. In severe cases, surgical reduction may be needed. • Powered toothbrushes may be too stimulating for some adults and should be recommended only after determining if the adult will tolerate one. • If prosthetic restorations are considered, insure they are appropriate for the rate, level, and frequency of seizures, and they are resistant to damage or displacement during an epileptic seizure to reduce choking hazards. Fixed prosthetics are preferable to removable prosthetics because choking and aspiration of appliances are of concern. • Determine if mouth guard could provide potential benefit. • Some individuals with epilepsy are tube fed, therefore they typically have low caries, rapid accumulation of calculus, GERD (Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease), oral hypersensitivity, and are at high risk for aspiration in the dental chair. No antibiotic premedication is needed for Gastric or Nasogastric tubes. Position the patient in as upright a position as possible and utilize low amounts of water and high volume suction to minimize aspiration. • As needed for patients with xerostomia: * Educate on proper oral hygiene (brushing, flossing) and nutrition. * Recommend brushing teeth with a fluoride containing dentifrice before bedtime. After brushing, apply neutral 1.1% fluoride gel (e.g., Prevident 5000 gel) in trays or by brush for 2 minutes. Instruct patient to spit out excess gel and NOT to rinse with water, eat or drink before going to bed. * Recommend xylitol mints, lozenges, and/or gum to stimulate saliva production and caries resistance.
Additional information: Special Needs Fact Sheets for Providers and Caregivers
Adults with Epilepsy continued
Below are references and resources which, although some are labeled for children, are very helpful for reviewing implications in adults. References • Stoopler, E.T., Sollecito, T.P., Greenberg, M.S. (2003) Seizure disorders: update of medical and dental considerations. Gen Dent, 51(4): 361–66. • Fitzpatrick, J.J., McArdle, N.S., Wilson, M.H., Stassen, L.F. (2008). Epilepsy in dental practice. J Ir Dent Assoc, 54(4):176–8. • Károlyházy, K., Kovács, E., Kivovics, P., Fejérdy, P., Arányi, Z. (2003) Dental status and oral health of patients with epilepsy: an epidemiologic study. Epilepsia. 44(8):1103–8. • Tan, H., Gurbuz, T., Dagsuyu, I.M. (2004) Gingival enlargement in children treated with antiepileptics. J Child Neurol, 19(12): 958–63. • Dyment, H.A., Casas, M.J. (1999) Dental care for children fed by tube: a critical review. Spec Care Dentist, 19(5):220–4. Review. • NIH Institute for Epilepsy Additional Resources • NIH Institute for Epilepsy • NY State Dental Journal Strategies for Dental Care and Epilepsy (pages 35–36 and 39–43) • ASTDD-Special Needs • Block Oral Disease, MA • Free of charge CDE course: NIDCR CDE (2 CDE hours) | <urn:uuid:69e2069c-db2b-4d54-8920-69c883b6b6ef> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://docshare.tips/epilepsy-adult_5890a9ebb6d87fed8c8b5009.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.817537 | 2,321 | 3.34375 | 3 |
Putting faith in technology: can religion go digital?
In a world increasingly turning to digital methods to connect, religious organizations are conscious of not being left behind.
In a discussion on BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Radio, Paul Miller, CEO and Founder, Digital Workplace Group and author of The Digital Workplace – How Technology is Liberating Work discussed how religion can learn from the corporate world to develop community connection.
Churches and religious organizations are now using podcasts, Twitter, Facebook and live-streaming to connect with existing communities and also reach out to new audiences.
Reverend Simon Whitley (@pastorwhitley) from the Elim Church, Coventry is an example of someone actively engaging with social media to open up his church to a wider audience.
“We know that the world has changed and grown into a world where people are connected not just face to face but on the internet. We are trying to harness new technologies, like Facebook, Twitter and podcasts, in the best way possible to help us connect to people.”
Despite the undoubted benefits of engaging digital tools to connect, Paul highlighted the need to be aware not just of the quantity, but also the quality of connection.
“Every organization, corporate, charity and even religious groups needs to ‘think digital’. New social technologies enhance the physical experience of community – but we must always ask, what is the real quality of our new connected society?”
To listen to the discussion on BBC Radio iPlayer go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00z97vy (48 mins)
Read Paul Miller’s digital workplace blog
Categorised in: Digital workplace | <urn:uuid:9563891c-375c-4c46-ab32-77b4667b6df0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://digitalworkplacegroup.com/can-religion-go-digital/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.919066 | 355 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Unbaked Pie TryHackMe Walkthrough
Hello guys back again with another walkthrough this time we are going to be tackling Unbaked Pie from TryHackMe. You start off by finding a website vulnerable to insecure pickle deserialization, exploit the vulnerability and land in a docker container as the root user then do some port forwarding of SSH using chisel and using a username that you had obtained from .bash_history file you perform a SSH brute force attack using hydra and get a shell on the main box as the user Ramsey.Next you find a python program that is vulnerable to command injection and leverage that vulnerability to escalate your privilege to a different user then perform python PATH hijacking to get root on the box. The box was rated medium and i think the rating was valid because of the steps you had to take to get root on the box none the less i really loved the box and without much say let’s jump in
As always we are going to start off with a nmap scan of the box to identify ports that are open
Looking at the result of the nmap scan you can see that one port 5003 is open and it seems to be hosting a web server. Navigation to the web server using Mozilla we get a standard web page and the web application seems to be running python instance. The best guesses we can have for now is that the site is either running flask or Django
First i tried to navigate to the different linked and found a login page
I tried obvious credentials on the login page but it didn’t work. Navigating to various link and saw an Django error message that showed that Django was on debug mode. This confirms our suspicion and we can accurately say that the site is running Django
Django being set on debug isn’t a vulnerability as such but it can lead to sensitive information disclosure like passwords and secret_keys if other names other than passwords and secret are used. But as you can see below all our passwords and secret_keys have been masked
So after trying much to find a vulnerability here i hit a dead end and ended up going back to the homepage there were a lot of posts talking about pickle
From penetration tests and CTF’s that I’ve done before i know that some python based web applications are vulnerable to insecure pickle deserialization which leads to remote code execution. By sending the web application a serialized payload it will unpickle the payload and execute the command and give you a shell. And our webpage allows for user input in the search bar. I created a python script that will serialize a payload and give me the base64 encoded payload
I saved the exploit and the executed the script passing it a ping payload as you can see below. If the web application is vulnerable we’ll get a ping back on my box
Next i did set up a tcpdump listener on my box and then performed using that payload
Going back to the listeners you can see that we got 2 pings.
Also intercepting the request with burpsuite we can see that the payload is added to our cookie meaning we can just edit our cookie to add other payloads
Sweet we have now confirmed that by sending the web application serialized payload, it executes the payload and gives us code execution next let’s get a shell on the box
I changed by payload a bit to add a bash reverse shell
Next i did set up a netcat listener
And the edited the cookie to the payload that had been generated by the script and refreshed the page
Going back to the netcat listener we have a shell on the box as a root user. Sweet.
But looking at the root folder it looks like we landed on a docker environment
Now we need to find a way to escape the docker container to perform privilege escalation on the box. I downloaded linpeas to the box and ran the script. Linpeas is an awesome tool that identifies possible privilege escalation vectors and output the information using awesome colors meaning it is easy to identify misconfigurations based on color output.
Looking at the output of linpeas we see that we could read .bash_history file
The history file has an IP Address of another box that we could possibly talk to from the docker container
I tried to ping that IP Address and got a callback
Sweet we can talk to that box. But also linpeas offers options to can be used to scan for active IP Addresses on the subnet so i decided to scan the entire subnet and tried to find if there were other boxes apart from that which we could talk to
But as you can see there were only two IP Address one of which was our IP Address. Since we didn’t know what 172.17.0.1 was, i decided to do a port scan on the IP Address using another feature offered by linpeas
And looking at the results you can see that two ports are open which include SSH. I tried to access SSH from the docker container but i hit a dead end since i didn’t have the necessary software on the docker container to access it
Next i decided to perform port forwarding on that port(SSH) using Chisel so that i can access that port from my local box. I downloaded chisel binary to the box using wget and the from my local box i created a port forwarding server
On the docker container i did set up a port forwarding client
Then tried to access the SSH service from my local box
And voila we have a callback. Sweet but SSH requires valid credentials. And looking back at the linpeas results we didn’t find anything else useful. But we have a ‘somewhat’ valid username we can’t be sure. What if we try and brute force the password for SSH using hydra?
And looking at the screen shot above we found a valid credential from the brute force. Now we can log in to SSH
Sweet we have a shell on the box. Looking at the user’s home directory we have the user flag for the box and we can read it
Now we can submit the user flag to TryHackMe and get the points
Running sudo -l we see that we can execute a python script called vuln.py as the user Oliver without knowing the users password
Looking at the python script. It accepts user input using raw_input function and depending on the choice given by the user the script will execute different function
If option 2 is selected by the user, the script opens up a payload.png image do some magic with its contents and then perform eval() on the results obtained
Eval function is generally a unsafe function if user controlled input is passed to it since it can lead to code execution
But we don’t know what payload.png contains and since we don’t have a GUI interface let’s download payload.png back to our box and see what it contains
I base64 encoded the payload.png file and copied it to my box then decoded the file using base64 and saved it in a file called payload.png
Looking at payload.png
It seems to be performing an addition operation on two numbers meaning if the python script does and eval we should get a result of 4. Lets execute the python script and see what the result will be
Looking at the result above we see it perform an arithmetic operation. But we need to craft an image containing the payload. Browsing through the internet i found a site that does the job perfectly
Since the script uses eval, we could use the OS library to just spawn a shell with the same privileges as the user running the python script which will be Oliver.
But first we need to craft the payload using the site i showed before
The configuration that i used were as follows
Then converted the text to a PNG image and downloaded it to my box
After downloading the image to my box i uploaded it to the server
Then changed the name of the PNG file to payload.png since we didn’t have write access to the vulnerable python script
And then executed the python script again as the user Oliver
Looking at the screenshot above we were able to spawn a shell as the user Oliver. Running sudo -l again we see that the user Oliver can run a script called dockerScript.py as the root user without knowing the root’s password
But we can set our own PATH since we have been provided with the option SETENV as you can see from the screenshot above.
Looking at the python script we only have read and execute permission and not write access
But taking a closer look at the script we can see that it imports a docker module.
And since we can control the path the script uses to import the docker module we can create a malicious module which when executed it will drop us on a root shell
First Let’s create a directory called devel you can name it whatever you want
Next we create a __init__.py file and a docker.py file which will contain the malicious python code
Let’s create a malicious python code in the docker.py file
When the docker.py file will be imported it will spawn a root shell as the user who will be running the python script which in our case will be root.
Now all we have to do is save the script and execute it passing our own python path and we’ll be golden
Executing the command
We get root on the box just like that. Sweet. Navigating to root’s home directory we get the root’s flag
And the box is done just like that. Some rabbit holes that i fell into include there was a SQLite database in the docker’s home directory which contained some Django hashes
I tried cracking them using hashcat but was unsuccessful to crack the hashes in any meaningful time since it has a strong encryption. I thought i could crack those hashes and one of the password would be reused as a SSH password or a root’s password. But the box was good with lots of lessons to be learnt and i hope you enjoyed the walkthrough. If so you can follow me so that you don’t miss any upcoming articles and clap for me down below
Just to get our hand a bit more wet i decided to create a python script that gives you a command prompt where you can type the command you want executed and the python script automatically generates the payload and submits the payload automatically . Below is the python script
Let’s perform a quick demo and see the script working
If you want to learn more on python pickling you can look at one of my earlier articles called Peak Hill which we exploit a similar vulnerability in a detailed form. | <urn:uuid:dd47769e-af42-417e-aa75-359aa61d2290> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://musyokaian.medium.com/unbaked-pie-tryhackme-walkthrough-deb7a649bae9?source=post_internal_links---------3---------------------------- | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.933995 | 2,209 | 1.601563 | 2 |
By Victoria Skinner, originally published by The Center Square. The Center Square is a project of the 501(c)(3) Franklin News Foundation, headquartered in Chicago.
(The Center Square) – The Asheville Regional Airport is set to receive $15 million in federal funds to replace its aging air traffic control tower as part of a $5 billion Airport Terminals Program included in the infrastructure law approved by Congress last year.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced a series of grants on Thursday for “Building Better Airport Terminals” that includes the first $1 billion in funding for more than 90 projects across the country.
The $15 million grant for Asheville Regional is one of only two grants awarded to build a completely new air traffic control tower; the other is in Peoria, Ill.
The project will replace an existing 61-year-old air traffic control tower with a new, expanded facility, work that will be in conjunction with another project to expand and renovate the existing terminal, according to a White House statement.
“It’s going to help make air travel safer, more accessible and more efficient,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “And it’s going to create a lot of good jobs in communities of all sizes.”
The $5 billion for terminal improvements is part of a broader overall budget of $20 billion for airport improvements in the infrastructure law. The $1 billion in funding announced Thursday represents the first round of grants for the five-year terminal improvement program.
Buttigieg said the government received 658 applications from 532 airports, which illustrated the “very competitive program” is needed to address improvements that traditionally have been funded by municipalities and airlines.
“I don’t think anybody could look at airports across America today and say that the existing system and the existing levels of funding had been adequate,” Buttigieg said. “America is a country that brought the modern aviation age to the world. And yet around the world, in most rankings of airport quality, not one of our airports ranks among the top 25. That’s something that we have to change.”
The grants covered a variety of different terminal improvements, with 76 to increase sustainability, 73 to improve access for those with disabilities, and 47 to improve access to disadvantaged populations and rural airports.
The terminal improvement funding comes about a month after federal officials announced $518 million for 416 grants for the second part of the 2022 Airport Improvement Program, which also provided funds for several North Carolina airports.
Those funds included $14.9 million for the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport to construct a new taxiway; $3.7 million for the Concord/Padgett Regional Airport to widen its runway, expand the apron and install new runway lighting; and $1.7 million for the Fayetteville Regional Airport to expand its terminal.
North Carolina’s grant total of $20.3 million from the Airport Improvement Program was the most in the region, outpacing South Carolina’s $18.9 million, Virginia’s $3.5 million, and Tennessee’s $475,000.
The Raleigh-Durham International Airport received $1.3 million for an environmental study in the first part of the AIP program. | <urn:uuid:b7abc199-a50c-4afc-96f4-f0262d11e02d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://mountainx.com/news/from-the-center-square-federal-funds-will-replace-asheville-airports-control-tower/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.940877 | 686 | 1.71875 | 2 |
The history of Grand Forks, North Dakota is rich in its diversity. The first people to inhabit the area were nomadic Native American tribes who,during buffalo hunts, traversed the area that would become Grand Forks County. The first Europeans to visit the region were fur traders who made alliances with the native people to trade beaver and bison furs for manufactured goods.
In 1811, Thomas Douglas, the Earl of Selkirk, established an agricultural colony at present-day Winnipeg, Manitoba. The young colony was dependent on imported food and equipment to build new farms and survive the harsh winters. Ships from England tried to supply the settlers via Hudson’s Bay and the Hayes River. However, the short arctic summer often interfered with the unloading and transport of the precious cargo.
The solution to the problem was to find another, albeit slower, route. It was more reliable to have goods transported by way of New Orleans, up the Mississippi River to St. Paul, Minnesota, then move the goods over land with wooden oxcarts (“Red River carts”) through the Minnesota and Red River Valleys to the Selkirk Settlement. The oxcarts were organized into trains driven by Metis (people of Native American and European descent), who understood the rigors of the trails and how to overcome breakdowns and natural obstacles. The pace was very slow. An oxcart train could usually only make two trips a summer.
In 1858, the businessmen of St. Paul offered a thousand-dollar reward to the first man who could successfully navigate the Red River by steamboat. This prize was collected by Anson Northrup in 1859. Northrup took his steamboat, the North Star, up the Minnesota River to Crow Wing, dismantled it, and transported the parts to the Red River near Georgetown, Minnesota. Renamed the Anson Northrup, his steamboat arrived at Fort Garry, north of Winnipeg, to a cheering crowd.
1 | 2 | <urn:uuid:9d747f79-8a66-4d53-99f9-3938c35fa9d1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.grandforkshistory.com/history-of-grand-forks/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.9714 | 405 | 3.796875 | 4 |
Overwhelmingly, people believe that environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors matter.
Nine out of ten of investors responding to the Invesco Research in Finance study say sustainability is important in everyday life, and advisers show similar appetite for sustainable investment:
- 85% say they are already advising on ESG or are interested in doing so.
- More than three-quarters (77%) are recommending sustainable portfolios.
Yet there is a clear disparity between interest and allocation.
The research reveals that just 10% of investors’ assets are allocated to responsible investment strategies, suggesting there are barriers to overcome. | <urn:uuid:fe5c9b2c-fca8-4a1b-8194-6be895adaf3a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wealthdfm.com/article/sustainable-investing-is-mainstream-core/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.942118 | 126 | 1.921875 | 2 |
It is not every day that one can reinvent a goddess. During my stay at the British Museum, I stumbled upon a hoard of over 13,000 coins recovered from a shrine dedicated to the Celtic goddess Coventina. Dating from the end of the second century, these coins were tossed into a well as votive offerings to this nymph of wells and springs and lay undisturbed until the end of the nineteenth century. They were identified and arranged according to the emperor and used to analyze the movement of commerce at the time. Then for over a hundred years, they lay dormant in a large cabinet. There seems to be virtually no known folklore or mythology around Coventina, in spite of her ancient origin. My goal was to create a pictorial storybook in honor of this little know Goddess.
The night before my final day photographing in the British Museum, I dreamt that I made love with the goddess. After our pleasures, we sat happily on the couch in my studio. She turned to me and said ˜look at the end’. I awoke to ponder the meaning. Admittedly, I had only looked at around 8000 of the coins as the remaining ones were mostly small broken pieces. I opened the last drawer and to my amazement found this coin: Coventina’s gift. | <urn:uuid:78cb3bbf-7f76-48d6-80e1-6fd253d54d54> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.stephensack.com/coventina-text/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.972531 | 283 | 1.710938 | 2 |
There’s a story of a man who bought a painting at a yard sale for $25 that turned out to be a lost Jackson Pollock painting worth $15 million. The lesson here is simple: before you start getting rid of your junk, know its value. It’s important to know the difference between what to keep and what to sell – for everything else, there’s junk removal Brampton.
Maximize the Value of Your Junk Via Social Media
Starting the junk removal process to free up space in your property is a necessary act. That said, there are ways your junk removal process can net you some money. Clearing out junk and selling it is time consuming. You have to weigh out the benefits of selling junk versus the time and effort it takes to list it and haggle with people who want to low-ball you on price. Selling it is still a better option than simply tossing everything in your garbage removal Brampton bin; there’s a certain joy to be had gaining money for things you felt were worthless – it’s kind of like a divorce, but without the emotional turmoil. Here are a few platforms you can use to clear out your junk:
Go the online auction route. eBay shoppers love to buy stuff! Items are sold on the highest bid. This is NOT the site to use if you have expectations for getting the highest price. Ultimately the worth of your junk is determined by the price people are willing to pay. You’ll need to take some good pictures and promote your listing. If you’re selling higher ticket items this is a good site. Remember, big items have to be shipped!
This is a great site to move smaller things quickly and efficiently. LetGo is a go-to marketplace app designed to sell your stuff. Second-hand items like used cars, furniture, clothing, electronics and videos games are always popular on LetGo. Symbolically, letting go is what it’s all about, and this site helps facilitate those transactions.
This site has a dedicated following, with lots of people who log on to find bargains they can often resell for more. Everything from golf carts to old furniture can be found on KiJiJi; there are localized listings so you can shop in your immediate area. Before you book your Brampton junk removal to clear out all your stuff, try a few listings on KiJiJi. It’s free and effective for people wanting to clear out their junk.
There are many different groups on Facebook, from yard-sale groups to bargain seekers, usually localized in your city. Current algorithms will ensure your listings find the eyes of local people. Even posting junk on your personal Facebook page is an effective way to get rid of things.
Craig’s List / Amazon / Decluttr / Gazelle / Poshmark
Before you contract your garbage removal Brampton, simply Google “how to get rid of my junk.” There are all kinds of sites catering to shoppers of second hand and used materials. Which one you pick will depend on your own personal preference. Some are free; some can boost your post for a fee to expand your reach. If you’re selling something for $5 online it’s not really worth spending $10 on an ad. Use common sense and find the best platform for your needs.
Junk Out Is Always There to Clear Out the Rest of Your Junk
When you’re done making money from selling your junk, you might find you still have a house full of stuff you don’t want. That’s when you turn to Junk Out. | <urn:uuid:530ec424-a007-4c6c-bc31-301b65107c17> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://junkout.ca/how-junk-removal-can-make-you-some-money/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.934977 | 768 | 1.5 | 2 |
Abel - Western Rivers Conservancy Reel
to Benefit Protection of Great Western Streams
Abel is rolling out a limited edition reel to benefit Western Rivers Conservancy’s work to protect outstanding streams in the western United States.
To support Western Rivers Conservancy, Abel has produced 75 anodized, Super 7 and Super 10 slate-colored reels specially engraved with the Conservancy’s logo.
“We see Western Rivers Conservancy working to create a legacy of healthy fishing streams, and we’re proud to support that legacy,” said Don Swanson, Abel’s President. “The Limited Edition Abel - Western Rivers Conservancy Reel is a great way for anglers to help protect cherished rivers and fish.”
Since 1990, Western Rivers Conservancy - a Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit - has protected legendary fishing holes and hundreds of river miles along such streams as the Madison, Smith, Sandy and Skagit, among many others. Western Rivers Conservancy’s mission is to protect outstanding rivers in the West by buying the land alongside them. The Conservancy works to protect critical habitat while providing for compatible access for fishing and recreation.
“We’re in the business of saving rivers, and land acquisition is our specialty,” said Don Elder, an avid angler and Director of Major Gifts for Western Rivers Conservancy. “Using a market-based approach, we bring creativity, flexibility and persistence to the task of buying and conserving river real estate.”
The aim of the Abel - Western Rivers Conservancy Reel campaign is to help secure permanent protection for the most outstanding rivers of the West, ensuring that native fish runs survive for our children and grandchildren.
The total value of Abel’s contributions is expected to exceed $25,000. With the support of the angling community, the campaign will leverage more than $100,000 to directly advance Western Rivers Conservancy’s work to purchase and protect land along these great fishing rivers:
Hoh River, Washington: Building on 4,700 acres and 14 river miles acquired to date, Western Rivers Conservancy now aims to purchase the last 3,700 acres to protect one of the finest remaining salmon and steelhead runs in the country.
Klamath River, California: Establishing a 20,000-acre salmon sanctuary along Blue Creek, a critical tributary and refuge for threatened salmon and steelhead.
John Day River, Oregon: Conserving 16 miles of riparian habitat and angler access along the Wild and Scenic John Day, one of the greatest summer steelhead rivers in the West.
These rivers and a hundred others are places where, year after year, anglers make their pilgrimage to some of the finest fly water in the world.
“You know that trip. You prepare for it for weeks,” Elder said. “You triple-check your gear, your flies. Maybe it’s to the spot where you caught your first steelhead. Or learned how to fly fish. It’s the trip you look forward to all year, to a special river that means so much more to you than just rocks and water.”
“That’s what this limited edition reel stands for - protecting those memorable trips, those outstanding rivers,” Elder said.
The Limited Edition Abel - Western Rivers Conservancy Reel is available in the Large Arbor Super 7 and Super 10 models, each with a solid frame in the slate color.
The Limited Edition Abel - Western Rivers Conservancy Super 7 Reel is priced at $785. The Limited Edition Abel - Western Rivers Conservancy Super 10 Reel is priced at $895. For each reel purchased, Abel will give the customer a complimentary one-year membership to Western Rivers Conservancy. It is available through authorized Abel Dealer the "Bear's Den" today. | <urn:uuid:f4e9ca8f-e644-4555-aa9b-ccf23d3b175a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.bearsden.com/product7808.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.889672 | 804 | 1.601563 | 2 |
by Ann Ivins
I’ve been thinking with increasing irritation about that perennial conundrum-within-an-enigma-which-actually-isn’t-that-difficult-at-all: the separation of church and state, this time in the context of gay marriage. The issue becomes more annoying the more headspace I give it, and it’s not the prejudice or the public protests or the proclamations of any group on either side. The question that makes my brain twitch is this: why is this even an issue?
I firmly believe that the followers of any given religion have the perfect right to include, exclude and/or vilify anyone they choose. I further believe that their right to express their group disapproval stops absolutely short of causing their chosen bugaboo any actual harm… as in, breaking the laws enacted by the larger secular state in order to protect all its citizens. Those laws, we hope, evolve in specificity and efficacy as our understanding of what constitutes demonstrable societal or individual harm evolves as well. The American legal system has always possessed the power to control, modify or ban religious practices on these grounds: for example, in direct contradiction of Biblical precedent and many current religious beliefs, women are no longer owned by their husbands, twelve-year-old girls are off limits and public stoning for adultery has been replaced by Facebook flaming.
Another example: the general population, excluding certain Louisiana JOP’s, has eventually come to understand that a union between two people of differing overall skin pigmentation does not lead to apocalyptic plagues or children with multiple heads (also, that allowing humans to own other humans is a damaging economic construct, not to mention leading to some rather hard feelings in general). Had the original Southern Baptist Conference (and by “original,” I mean the SBC from 1845 until 1995) been able to retain a state-sanctioned grasp on the laws of the Southern states, slavery would still be legal, “miscegenation” would still be a crime and hundreds of thousands of lawn jockeys would still be on proud display across the land of Dixie. The Southern Baptist Conference was created to support these ideas: in defiance of the views of other Baptist congregations, but with the full support of Messieurs Leviticus and Nehemiah, to name only two. The Old Testament is all for concubines, slaves and massacres, but not intermarriage among tribes. Is this our best authority on human relations?
And what about the endless variations on marriage sanctioned by religions just as legitimate as Decent Christians Everywhere Inc? Why aren’t we respecting their traditions? Why are we letting widows remarry, those whores (Hinduism)? Why aren’t we letting Islamic American men who can afford it collect the four wives to whom they’re entitled? Who’s in charge here? The Founding Fathers, those whacked-out Deists, should have left us some instructions about which religion is right so we would know whose tenets to make law… oh. Wait. They did mention it. NONE OF THEM.
In a democratically-based society, the general idea is that we don’t let small groups dictate to everyone, in the belief that time, evolving understanding and the collective better judgment of a larger group of citizens usually works out better for everyone. When small groups, or large groups, or individual states or Bible-beating rednecks do attempt to tar and feather someone, we can take their asses to courts which represent successively larger segments of the population and hope that somewhere along the line, better judgment and better education will prevail.
I don’t give a damn what happens in anyone’s church if the law isn’t being broken, if children aren’t being abused, if the Kool-Aid is untainted. And if a particular religious sect decided that I was by nature a lesser human being, I think I’d leave. Wait, make that I know I’d leave – that’s essentially why I don’t consider organized religion a tool that’s safe for most people to play with. Any system of thought which approves and allows the dehumanization of certain other humans is risky stuff.
No religion owns marriage: the concept, the reality or the word itself. Religions have their own variations on the theme and every right to them. Marry (or don’t) anyone that you like (or hate (or sadly but firmly condemn)). Your religious definition, Ms. Christian or Mr. Sikh (and you do NOT want to go to the dictionary on this), is yours to live by. But please try to understand: pair-bonding predates religion; stable, wealth-creating, ably-parenting households are the true and demonstrable societal benefit of such bonds; and there’s not one iota of real evidence that a pair of the same gender doesn’t work just as well… and your talking shrubbery or flaming cow, while inspirational and possibly entirely real, is no excuse for ignoring science, history and simple justice. | <urn:uuid:2e9990ac-b1cc-4117-8e20-6a9d69eb2dea> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://scholarsandrogues.com/2010/01/18/propping-up-hate/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.947725 | 1,070 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Some time it is possible for you as parents that you might have to plan some fun weekend or party with the kids. Rainy afternoons can become very boring and if you want to avoid some tantrums, its best to come up with some ideas to keep your children occupied. A child's imagination can be a good place to start; if your child is forever wrapped up in mythology, why not remove that bow and arrow and let him make up his own story? A cardboard crown and a dupatta and he are all ready to make up his own Ramayana. The rest of the family can play other characters and recite some "dialogues" to go along.
Some time you can play fun games with your kids. That also you can do with the kids. Board games are a great way for the whole family to have fun. You can start with the simplest of games like Snakes and Ladders and Ludo, and then progress to Chinese checkers and Scrabble. Monopoly and Mastermind come next while card games like Uno are ever popular. Carom and Chess are also lots of fun for older kids while Pictionary and Dumb Charades can be modified according to the age group. Jigsaw puzzles can last a whole week if you spend half an hour every day before putting it away under the bed for the kids. You always can have fun time with kids so that they can be happy with you. You always have duties with your kids and parents.
For the fun times with kids you always can plan movie night. Designate some Saturdays as movie nights. When the children are younger, you can pick animated or other children's movies for them and when they grow up you can all agree on what the family will see. Order in pizza, make some popcorn and have a good two hours of screen time. You can alternate staying home with going to a theatre when there is a good children's movie playing. Sometimes there are puppet shows or sing-along shows for children which are equally fun for them.
Family Days Out USA - fun places to visit for kids and the best things to do with children all over America plus great preschoolers indoor playgrounds. For more interesting details on and please visit our website | <urn:uuid:298831d8-49e9-4848-94f3-891fec3b4430> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://amp.sooperarticles.com/social-activity-with-kids-307561 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.968217 | 453 | 1.898438 | 2 |
It’s Poetry Friday!
For the next few weeks, I will be featuring Asian American authors on my blog as part of the annual #AuthorsTakeAction initiative. In each post, I’ll share a recommended middle grade or YA novel by an Asian American author and a read-alongside poem.
Before we get to today’s featured book, though–a quick announcement.
This Sunday, April 25, I am partnering with Nerdy Book Club for a special National Poetry Month livestream (on Facebook). Since Amanda Gorman’s amazing performance at the 2021 presidential inauguration, educators have been looking for resources in teaching Spoken Word Poetry. I’m excited to introduce you to two spoken word performer/ educators who use this form of poetry in the classroom.
Illya Sumanto is a poet, children’s theater director, and educator from Malaysia, currently based in Guangzhou, China. She is co-author of the book From Me to We : Teaching Children Taboo Topics for Empathy through Spoken Word Poetry in Malaysia.
Award-winning poet and performer Ron Kipling Williams is adjunct professor at the Hoffberger Center for Professional Ethics, University of Baltimore.
Spoken Word is a form of poetry I want to learn more about. I’m excited to moderate the conversation between these two experts!
On to today’s book and poem pairing…
According to Goodreads:
Lauren and her best friend, Tara, have always done absolutely everything together. So when they don’t have any classes together in sixth grade, it’s disastrous. The solution? Trying out for the school play. Lauren, who loves to sing, wonders if maybe, just maybe, she will be the star instead of Tara this time.
But when the show is cast, Lauren lands in the ensemble, while Tara scores the lead role. Their teacher explains: Lauren just doesn’t look the part of the all-American girl. What audience would believe that she, half-Jewish, half-Chinese Lauren, was the everygirl star from Pleasant Valley, USA?
From amidst the ensemble, Lauren tries to support her best friend. But when she can’t bring herself to sing anymore, her spot in the play and her friendship are in jeopardy. With the help of a button-making business, the music of Patsy Cline, and her two bickering grandmothers, can Lauren find her voice again?
Acclaimed coauthors Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang return to the 1980s world of Sydney Taylor Honor Book This Is Just a Test with this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age story.
There is so much to love about this book. It is laugh out loud funny. (The culture clash between Lauren’s two grandmothers is sweet and hilarious.) But I also learned a lot about how relentless microaggressions and othering can feel to a middle schooler, especially when a teacher has rigid expectations about what “American” looks like.
It’s fascinating to me that real life best friends Rosenberg and Wan-Long Shang co-wrote Lauren’s first person voice! Most of the co-authored books I’ve read are written in alternating points of view. Lauren is a seamless blend of Jewish and Chinese cultures. For someone like me, who was a teen in the 80s, the nostalgia of this book added to its appeal. And, as a former theater mom, I found the rehearsal scenes and relationships between the cast and crew members to be not only believable, but entertaining too.
If you’d like a poem to read alongside Not Your All-American Girl, I recommend “How to Hula Hoop,” by Anya Silver.
How to Hula Hoop
By Anya Silver
Love the ridiculous.
Fear not contortions of the body
nor the vibrations of failure.
Place the hoop on your waist
where your husband puts his hands.
Then gyrate like crazy.
There’s no single method:
make of your hips a swivel stool
and your pelvis a pendulum.
Some will spiral slowly,
letting the hoop rock and swing
like a carousel of pastel horses.
I, graceless, wildly whirl myself
from abdomen to knees.
Normally, the hoop tumbles
down my legs in a minute
or three—but occasionally,
it will stay and settle…
Read the rest at Atticus Review. | <urn:uuid:ea34458c-ee26-47ac-80e7-ad048a5fe888> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://laurashovan.com/poetry-friday-not-your-all-american-girl/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570868.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808152744-20220808182744-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.934514 | 956 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Where can I buy Butler’s Organic Eggs?
You will find our certified organic, free range eggs in choice retailers and food stores all around Ireland. As more consumers become passionate about food quality and humane, organic farming, we’re partnering with more and more retailers every month. Please check our store locator for a store near you, or contact us if you are a retailer who would like our organic eggs on your shelves!
I can’t find your organic eggs in my supermarket! What do I do?
We love to hear from our customers, so please let us know where you like to shop and we’ll do everything in our power to get our delicious organic eggs from our happy hens on a shelf near you!
Is your packaging sustainable?
Yes – our eggs are packaged here on the farm by our own team. We control every aspect of our egg production, and our packaging is no exception! We use compostable, environmentally friendly egg boxes. Your eggs can be shipped safely, and just like the shells, the boxes can be added to your compost bin where they will degrade naturally without harming the environment. We use no plastic in our packaging or farming methods.
With a strong commitment to sustainable farming methods, we see this as another way for us to care for the planet.
Are your eggs 100% organic?
No IFS, ANDS or BUTS.
100% organic, 100% of the time.
What does Organic Eggs mean?
To produce eggs of the highest quality, we use a rigorous set of production and processing standards. Our farm, our hens and our eggs are inspected regularly by IOA (Irish Organic Association) and the Department of Agriculture to ensure that we comply with their organic production and processing standards – ensuring there’s never any chemicals or antibiotics used in chickens’ diet or pastures while providing them with natural feed instead.
Our family works hard each day to ensure you and your family can enjoy eggs that are free from artificial fertilizers, pesticides, hormones – and have peace of mind about the conditions in which those eggs were produced. Delicious, organic eggs come from healthy, happy hens – just as it should be.
What’s the difference between Free Range and Organic Eggs?
In Ireland, organic certification means that your hens are also free range, but organic egg certification is much more tightly regulated than the free range certification.
Our hens are organic and they are also free range. They have an abundance of space indoors and outdoors to roam around in while they enjoy a chemical-free life that includes plenty of exercise on grassy pastures. They get to wander around, pecking and foraging to their heart’s content!
Why are your Egg Yolks such a bright colour?
Just like people, hens, egg shells and egg yolks come in a wonderful array of colours. Our hens tend to produce egg shells that light brown in colour, with a rich, yellow yolk. Shells and yolks can vary due to the age of the hen, the weather, the time of year, and even the natural foliage and insects that the hens peck at on a given day! Each hen is unique and their eggs are too.
Do you give your hens hormones to help them grow or produce more eggs?
We do not. The use of hormones is illegal for anyone raising organic hens, and we wish this were the case for all hens!
Do you give your hens antibiotics?
We do not.
Our barns are airy, specious, spotlessly clean and safe and Butler’s Hens – like people – stay well by eating well. Their diet is nutritious and healthy. In the (very rare) circumstance a Butler’s hen is discovered to have a health issue, she will be segregated from the main flock and treated by a farm vet. Her eggs will not go into our cartons until she is fully recovered and off any medications.
Why does organic food cost more?
Organic food costs more to produce because animals are reared at lower stocking densities, for their well-being. The careful controls placed on it is more labour intensive and the feed our hens are fed is organic, which is more expensive than non-organic feed used by free-range, barn-fed and caged systems.
Nutritional Value of Egg and Egg White
An egg is one of the most nutritious food items in our diet. It is rich in minerals, proteins, and vitamins, all of which are easily absorbed by the body. Organic eggs are power packed with significant quantities of healthy nutrients. Full of Vitamins A, D, B12, B2, Niacin, and Folic Acid, organic eggs constitute a vital energy food.
How can I tell if my egg is fresh?
One simple test of freshness is to place an egg in water: generally, if the egg is stale it will float and, if it sinks, it is fresh. Butler’s Organic Eggs are delivered fresh to farmer’s markets and stores with a three week sell by date. Our organic eggs are sold out each week! This ensures that all of our eggs are fresh, fresh, fresh.
What is a double yolk?
Double yolk eggs can happen with new layers who systems haven’t quite adjusted to producing eggs, so they release two ovum together.
In these cases, the hen’s body usually adjusts to the new influx of hormones quickly, and she then starts laying eggs with a single yolk, never to lay another double yolker again.
Because of there are two yolks in them, double yolk eggs tend to be larger than their normal counterparts. (Ducks can lay double yolk eggs too, by the way).
Several factors influence the size of an egg. The major factor is the age of the hen. As the hen ages – her eggs increase in size.
What is the red spot in the yoke
This is called a ‘blood spot’, which comes from a ruptured blood vessel. It is relatively common and very safe to eat.
Why are some egg shells brown and some eggs white?
The colour of the egg shell is dependent on the breed of the hen. In general, white hens produce white eggs and brown hens brown eggs. There is no nutritional difference between white and brown shelled eggs. Our hens are brown!
Why is Organic certification necessary?
Before any organic product can be sold in the EC (and most other countries), it has to be certified to show that it has been produced in accordance with organic Regulations.
Certification works on a “cascade” system. The land on which the produce is grown, or livestock reared, must have undergone an appropriate period of conversion to organic status and be certified as such. The processor who converts the raw material into a product or an ingredient must operate from registered premises and his products must be certified. The manufacturer of an end product must be registered and his production must be certified… in fact if the product is altered in any way, even by sub-dividing, the operation has to be registered and certified.
In effect the description Organic can be regarded as a brand. So, consumers should be able to rely on the fact that the product complies with organic standards and has been produced or processed by approved operators. Certification provides assurance that this is the case. Butler’s Organics Ltd. is certified by Irish Organic Association IOA.
What does the code printed on eggs mean?
Whether you buy cage, barn, free range or organic, a code is printed on the egg. The first number refers to the farming method; 0 = organic, 1 = free range, 2 = barn, 3 = cage. Followed by country of origin then farm where eggs were produced
What ink is used on eggs?
It is a food-grade ink
We purchase organic laying hens at 17 weeks old. We do not rear hens from chicks. Once production reduces, after about 14 months, our hens are re-homed.
“We Are What We Eat” is a well-known phrase; the food scares of recent years have reinforced this, and have contributed to the increase in demand for organic produce; organic standards seek to prevent the incidence of artificial chemicals and other toxins from the food we eat
Organic Feed Ingredients?
Regularly we are asked by our loyal customers what we feed our hens so here is a list of the ingredients in our organic feed which is supplied by Morrin E & Son Ltd, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow.
PEDIGREE POULTRY LAYERS
Manufactured under Approval aNL20119. Organic Certificate IE-ORG-02 WCS
Pedigree Feeds LTD Baltinglass; IOFGA 989.
Cr.Protein 18.3%; Cr.Oil(AH) 4,5%; Cr.Fibre 5,0%; Cr.Ash 13,4%; Methionin 0,34%. Added/kg Vit.A 10000 IU;Vit.D3 3000 IU; Alpha toco- pherol20mg; Copper(Cupricsulphate)15mg; Selen. (sodiumselenite)0,35mg.
INGREDIENTS, by descending order of fresh weight: Organic Wheat; Organic Maize; Organic Soya, exp.; Organic Sunflower, exp; Limestones, grits; Prairiemeal; Calciumcarbonate; Potato protein; Premix/Min/Vit; Monocalciumphosphate; Organic Soya-oil; Betaine. | <urn:uuid:689213ad-6289-457a-9eea-9f67d0bfdcf1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.butlersorganiceggs.ie/faqs/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.941777 | 2,036 | 1.65625 | 2 |
How can I model a conduit or channel that has a non-standard shape, such as an arch, ellipse, or a rectangular-bottom with tapered sides?
Or for example the shape that you want to model does not exactly conform to the definition of the shape as defined in the Help documentation.
Both the conduit and the channel element can be used to model non-standard shapes. For a conduit, the shape is defined in the conduit itself (and is always treated as prismatic) and for a channel, the cross section is defined at the cross section node elements, at the ends of the channel link elements. For more on the differences, see: Conduit vs. Channel
When assigning conduit or cross section shapes, you have two options: user defined or catalog. The catalog conduit library for example consists of standard conduit shapes, sizes and materials. To assign a non-standard shape (a shape not readily available in the conduit library), the user can create different conduit shapes and use them.
The following steps outline how to create a non-standard, catalog conduit or cross section shape that can be shared for future projects. You can also define non-standard shapes when your conduit or cross section type is set to User Defined.
Go to Components>Catalog>Conduit Catalog (or for older versions such as V8i, Components>Conduit Catalog)
In the Conduit Catalog click on new to create new user defined shape.
Click on Conduit Shape to select a shape to be assigned. Allowable conduit shapes include;
Additional information about all the available conduit shapes is provided in this wiki article and the Help section of the software.
Note that the Irregular Channel and Irregular Closed Channel options can be used to enter a custom station vs. elevation curve, enabling you to model any shape.
Input the geometrical parameters (height, span, width etc.) necessary to define the shape. For the irregular channel and irregular closed section options, you would define the rating table for your specific shape, which can be pasted in using CTRL+V if needed, from an external source.
Once the shapes/size are created, if you would like to use them as standards for other projects, you can export them to the conduit engineering library. See more: Modifying and using Engineering Library Data
In the properties of your conduit or cross section, choose the Catalog as the type, then select the catalog class and size/material as applicable.
NOTE: if you were already using a catalog conduit and change the shape dropdown of the existing catalog class, you will either need to re-pick the Size from the conduit properties dropdown, or global edit from the flextables (otherwise the conduit will still show the old shape and dimensions, despite the numerical solver using the new shape and dimensions.
Can constraint based design size open channels?
Modifying and adding entries to Engineering Libraries
Modeling Arch section shapes in SewerGEMS | <urn:uuid:feb802d6-157b-4b17-aada-77aa8541ea3e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://communities.bentley.com/products/hydraulics___hydrology/w/hydraulics_and_hydrology__wiki/37098/modeling-non-standard-conduit-or-channel-shapes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.853245 | 608 | 2.984375 | 3 |
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) says it has engaged about 100 youths and women on the Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS) to boost food production in Kano.
NDE Coordinator in the state, Malam Idris Sani-Yakasai, made the disclosure at the opening of the training and loan disbursement to beneficiaries of Rural Employment Promotion (REP), on Tuesday in Kano.
He said that the training would help the beneficiaries become self-reliant and employers of labour in agriculture in their respective areas, as well as reduce poverty in the state.
He further disclosed that 38 persons would benefit from the Rural Employment Promotion (REP) loan, which would be disbursed under four schemes.
He mentioned the schemes as the Community-Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (CBAES), Graduates Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (GAES), Sustainable Agricultural Development Empowerment Scheme (SADES), and Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (AES).
The coordinator said that NDE would continue to design schemes that would assist in reducing the rate of unemployment among Nigerian youths.
Sani-Yakasai also said that NDE would disburse N100, 000 to each beneficiary to establish a business, adding that the loan repayment would start after six months and end in three years.
“NDE is up and doing in creating employment opportunities for unemployed Nigerians with a view to reducing poverty and creating wealth.
“All these will culminate into the development of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP),” he said.
The coordinator urged the loan beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money given to them.
In his remarks, the Director, Rural Employment Promotion (REP), NDE headquarters, Dr. Michael Mbata, urged the participants to take the training seriously.
Mbata, represented by an NDE official, Shade Uche, also said that the participants would be considered for loans after the training.
FTN Cocoa processors Plc was formerly registered as Fantastic Traders Nigeria li...LEARN MORE
Ellah Lakes started on August 22 1980 by the late Senator F. J. Ellah and he bui...LEARN MORE | <urn:uuid:ec73f39f-8678-4766-a856-18d34746d432> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://allnews.ng/news/nde-trains-women-youths-to-boost-food-production-in-kano | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.961346 | 461 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Henry Ford Health System now supports Health Records on iPhone, which brings together hospitals, clinics, and the existing Apple Health app to make it easy for patients to see their available medical data from multiple providers whenever they choose.
Apple worked with the health care community to take a consumer-friendly approach and created Health Records based on FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), a standard for transferring EMRs.
In Health Records, patients can see their medical information from participating institutions organized into one view, covering allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures, and vitals, and will receive notifications when their data are updated. Health Records data is encrypted and protected with the user's iPhone passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID.
"With all of the digital advancements being made, we know that it's more important than ever to offer our patients a variety of choices to access their health information easily and conveniently," says Paul Browne, Henry Ford's senior vice president and CIO. "Health Records helps us do just that for many of our mobile users."
Patients can enroll through the "Health Records" section of Apple's Health app. Once they select Henry Ford Health System, users will be prompted to enter their Henry Ford MyChart login and password, and authorize the release of their health records to the Health app.
"We have a commitment to not only provide the best in digital advancements but also protect our patient's privacy and personal data," says Geoff Patterson, vice president of clinical transformation at Henry Ford. "The security features in this platform ultimately give users control over the release of their information."
In addition to providing patients with another digital option, Apple's Health Records can also be an added resource when patients are communicating with providers. Having information immediately available offers enhanced ability to provide patient care.
"When patients come to an emergency department and have quick access to all their personal health data, especially medications and allergies, the emergency team can provide prompt medical care which is critical in life-saving situations," adds David Allard, MD, Henry Ford's chief medical information officer. "Providing patients easy access to their personal health data whenever and wherever they need it makes for better health care."
To learn more about how to access Henry Ford patient records using the Health Records, visit www.henryford.com/visitors/mychart.
For more information on Health Records, visit www.apple.com/healthcare/health-records.
— Source: Henry Ford Health System | <urn:uuid:c8de780e-ee74-4658-b550-e0947115f9dc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.fortherecordmag.com/news/102318_news.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.936172 | 513 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Experts from all over the world meet in Abidjan to adopt new guiding principles on the right to education
On 12-13 of February 2019, education and human rights experts will meet in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, for the adoption of guiding principles strengthening the right to access free quality public education in the context of growing private actor involvement in education.
This landmark text promises to be the new reference point for governments, educators and education providers when debating the respective roles and duties of states and private actors in education. The Guiding Principles unpack existing international human rights law on the right to education and outline practical guidelines for the growing global concern about the negative human rights impacts of the increasing private actor involvement in education.
Drawing on legally binding treaties, jurisprudence and other legal sources, the draft of the text that will be discussed in Abidjan has been developed by a Drafting Committee made up of nine internationally recognised experts on human rights law. Professor Ann Skelton, the UNESCO Chair of Education Law in Africa, and the Chair of the Drafting Committee, commented:
“These Guiding Principles can help ensure States set rules and regulations that guarantee private schools operate in such a way that is positive and does not negatively affect everyone’s right to access free quality public education.” In order to prepare the text, an open, transparent and broadly consultative process has taken place in the last three years. From 2016 to 2019, a series of national, regional, thematic and online consultations were held to ensure that the resulting text address the different realities on the ground.
Full press release can be read here: Press release – adoption conference – EN Final | <urn:uuid:18b4a5ab-b03b-4462-a5a5-6bd8041e4c30> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.hakijamii.com/?p=4235 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.922914 | 348 | 2.28125 | 2 |
The eastern hill of Sankaram village is recognized as Bojjannakonda which hosts a Maha Stupa surrounded by a huge group of monolithic Stupas along its rock cut platform. The dome of the main Stupa is made of bricks whereas the surrounding Stupas are composed of bricks and rocks. At the foot of the hill, an idol of Goddess Hariti has been found by the archaeology department. Apart from this, the hill also houses six rock-cut caves, some of which have sculptured panels. Each of the panel has the images of seated Buddha and his attendants. Towards the north of the Maha Stupa, terraced Chaitya Grihas are present. These are believed to be the monasteries of the Buddhist monks. In ancient times, several Buddhist monks used to worship here for which it was known as 'Buddhuni konda' which refers to 'hill of the Buddha'. But later over time, the place came to be known as Bojjannakonda. The place is also an important centre for the huge celebration of Vaisakha Pournami.
Lingalakonda is the western hill of Sankaram village. It houses numerous rock cut small Stupas. Excavations in this region have also furnished several antiquities. The common artefacts that have been discovered from Lingalakonda include terracotta figures, terracotta beads, terracotta inscribed tablets, coins of gold, copper and lead, copper and lead seals and many more.
During the growth of Buddhism several learning centres were established in various regions of the country, some of which can be witnessed in Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda too. With the revival of Hinduism the significance of these centres however started to fade out.
|More Articles in Archaeological Sites in Andhra Pradesh (8)| | <urn:uuid:7e6102b9-a9f8-4d02-b104-4509f8206666> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.indianetzone.com/69/bojjannakonda_lingalakonda.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.973393 | 402 | 3.046875 | 3 |
- Nano Express
- Open Access
Co nanoparticle hybridization with single-crystalline Bi nanowires
Nanoscale Research Letters volume 6, Article number: 598 (2011)
Crystalline Co nanoparticles were hybridized with single-crystalline Bi nanowires simply by annealing Co-coated Bi nanowires at elevated temperatures. An initially near-amorphous Co film of 2-7 nm in thickness began to disrupt its morphology and to be locally transformed into crystallites in the early stage of annealing. The Co film became discontinuous after prolonged annealing, finally leading to isolated, crystalline Co nanoparticles of 8-27 nm in size. This process spontaneously proceeds to reduce the high surface tension and total energy of Co film. The annealing time required for Co nanoparticle formation decreased as annealing temperature increased, reflecting that this transformation occurs by the diffusional flow of Co atoms. The Co nanoparticle formation process was explained by a hole agglomeration and growth mechanism, which is similar to the model suggested by Brandon and Bradshaw, followed by the nanoparticle refinement.
Magnetic nanoparticles have unique size effects that may provide insights into potential applications in various fields, such as ultra-high density information storage, color imaging, bioprocessing, and ferrofluids [1–3]. Specifically, cobalt (Co) nanoparticles have been a subject of intensive research because of its high magnetocrystalline anisotropy (7 × 106 erg/cm3) and large estimated critical size for single domains (approx. 70 nm) . To synthesize Co nanoparticles with a controlled size and size distribution, various techniques have been utilized, including evaporation in an inert gas , chemical vapor condensation by either heating or laser-irradiating Co2(CO)8 precursor [6, 7], and solution phase reduction of CoCl2 in stabilizing agents . Although these techniques have demonstrated monodisperse arrays of Co nanoparticles with sizes down to 2 nm, elaborate temperature control and/or the use of complex chemical species are in demand, limiting their widespread use.
Metallic and semiconducting nanowires are another class of nanostructures that have attracted a great deal of interest because of their intriguing quantum properties and potential use for advanced nanodevices. Bismuth (Bi) is a semimetal widely explored for understanding physics in nanowire systems, because of its highly anisotropic Fermi surface, low carrier concentrations, small carrier effective mass [9–11], and long carrier mean-free path . In particular, Bi nanowires can be good building blocks for thermoelectric applications, since good thermoelectric properties of bulk Bi such as the large thermoelectric power (-50 to -100 μV/K) and small thermal conductivity (approx. 8 W/mK) have been demonstrated to be further improved in nanowire systems . The quality of Bi nanowires is a critical requisite for success in both fundamental study and applications. We previously demonstrated that high-quality single-crystalline Bi nanowires could be synthesized using the unique on-film formation of nanowires (OFF-ON) method [12, 15].
Hybridizing Bi nanowires with Co nanoparticles may be an interesting research topic. That is not only a combination of 0D nanoparticle and 1D nanowire, but it can also provide fundamental understanding of mutual interaction between thermoelectrics and magnetism. Recently, the thermoelectrics has sought a link to spintronics via groundbreaking works performed by several research groups worldwide. The studies on the spin-Seebeck effect and magneto-Seebeck effect were typical. The spin-Seebeck effect refers to power generation from a magnetic material under a temperature gradient, while the magneto-Seebeck effect concerns a change in Seebeck coefficient of a magnetic multilayer structure with insulting barrier inside, depending on the relative magnetizations. Although these works laid cornerstones for the investigation of interactions between thermoelectrics and spintronics, none of them included a thermoelectric material in their experiments. In contrast, we try to combine a magnetic material with a thermoelectric material at the nanoscale toward an eventual elucidation of the effects of magnetic nanostructures on the thermoelectric performance in this study.
The first step of this research is to establish a simple and reliable platform for incorporating Co nanoparticles into Bi nanowires. In this article, we report a simple method to synthesize Co-nanoparticles-embedding Bi nanowires, using a combination of the OFF-ON growth of Bi nanowires, sputter-deposition of a thin Co film, and post-annealing. The synthesis method of our nano-heterostructures is simpler than that of the subtle magneto-Seebeck structures and the thermoelectric performance of our heterostructures are expected to be more pronounced than that from the spin-Seebeck structures because of the use of thermoelectric material as a backbone.
2. Experimental details
The whole process for distributing Co nanoparticles on the surface of Bi nanowires is schematically presented in Figure 1. First of all, Bi nanowires were grown on thermally oxidized Si (100) substrates using the OFF-ON method. The details of this Bi nanowire growth have previously been reported elsewhere [12, 15, 18]. Bi nanowires of 80-120 nm in diameter were used for this study. A very thin Co film was subsequently deposited onto the Bi nanowires by radio frequency (RF) sputtering at room temperature. This Co deposition was performed in situ to prevent potential surface oxidation, using the same sputtering system as for Bi nanowire growth. The thickness of Co film was varied from 2 to 7 nm by controlling the sputtering time. The as-prepared Co-coated Bi nanowires were confirmed to show Bi-Co core/shell structures with relatively uniform shell profile along the nanowire axis. The Co-coated Bi nanowires were put in a vacuum furnace for thermal annealing in the next step. The annealing temperature was controlled in the range of 200-240°C, which is below the melting point of Bi (271.3°C). The annealing time was also modulated between 1 and 5 h. A fine distribution of Co nanoparticles was obtained via optimization of the above-mentioned control parameters, as represented by the last picture of Figure 1. The evolution in the morphology and structure of the heterogeneous nanowires was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystallinity and composition were analyzed by the support of TEM electron diffraction patterns and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The effects of Co film thickness and annealing conditions on the formation of Co nanoparticles were discussed from the obtained results.
3. Results and discussion
Figure 2 shows surface-focused TEM images of an as-prepared and annealed Bi-Co core/shell nanowires. From Figure 2a, a Co film of 3-4 nm in thickness coats a Bi core in a relatively uniform fashion and the Co/Bi interface is abrupt. Interestingly, the Co film is in general amorphous while the Bi core is single-crystalline, presumably because of the differences in crystal structures and lattice constants (Co: face-centered cubic (FCC) with a 0 = 3.54 Å, Bi: rhombohedral with a 0 = 4.55 Å). Once the Co-coated Bi nanowire is annealed at elevated temperatures, the Co shell begins to deform its morphology (see Figure 2b, c for morphological changes after annealing at 200°C). This is because the surface tension (1940 dynes/cm at its melting point ) of Co is high and Co atoms tend to relocate to reduce it under conditions where atomic motion is thermally stimulated. In addition to the intrinsic surface tension, film stress can be another driving force to induce the morphological change and it generally becomes significant at high temperatures. In this respect, additional tensile stress can be added to the surface tension of Co film at a given annealing temperature as a thermal expansion coefficient (13.0 × 10-6/°C) of Co is slightly smaller than that (13.4 × 10-6/°C) of Bi. It is found from Figure 2b, c that the morphological change is dependent on annealing time. Only multiple valleys are developed in the Co film after 3-h annealing and separate Co islands finally appear via 5-h annealing. The annealing time dependence of morphological evolution is attributed to the slowly proceeding diffusional mass flow, which is represented by the relatively low self-diffusion coefficient of Co: it is estimated to be 4.1 × 10-32 cm2/s at 200°C using D = 0.37 × e -67000/RTcm2/s from , where D is the self-diffusion coefficient of Co and R is the gas constant.
It is desirable to reduce the annealing time required for formation of Co nanoparticles. Because in this study, the Co nanoparticles are formed through solid-state diffusion of Co atoms, higher annealing temperatures accelerate the nanoparticle formation reaction following the simple Arrhenius equation. However, the annealing temperature is limited by the low melting point (271.3°C) of Bi core. Thus, it was reset at 240°C, which is the near-highest temperature where the Bi core still remains stable. Figure 3 shows low-resolution and high-resolution TEM images, selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns, and area-specific EDX spectra of the Co-coated Bi nanowire annealed at 240°C for 3 h. For comparison, a high-resolution TEM image of the same Bi-Co core/shell nanowire undergone annealing at 200°C for 3 h is also presented. The Co shell thickness was about 1 nm thinner than previous ones in Figure 2. Indeed, Co nanoparticles are found on the surface of Bi nanowire, as shown in Figure 3a. The nanoparticles are overall hemispherical in shape, but their sizes and inter-particle spacings are somewhat irregular, in the ranges of 8-27 and 3-32 nm, respectively. To closely examine the Co nanoparticles, high-resolution TEM was taken on the selected part of Figure 3a and its image is shown in Figure 3b. Two Co nanoparticles are approximately 16 nm distant from each other and no residual Co is observed in between them. The gray-colored layer on the surface of Bi nanowire is Bi oxide that was formed in ambient. Unlike the as-deposited Co film in Figure 2a that is almost amorphous, the Co nanoparticles look highly single-crystalline with a crystal orientation different from that of Bi core. This most likely occurs since Co atoms are ordered into a stable FCC structure through local diffusion at elevated temperatures to relieve surface tension and film stress and demonstrates the capability of our method for hybridizing high-quality nanoparticles with high-quality nanowires.
The single-crystalline Co nanoparticles are also observed from a Bi-Co core/shell nanowire annealed at 200°C for the same period of time (see Figure 3c). However, the degree of shape completion of the 200°C-formed Co nanoparticles is worse than those from 240°C annealing. Considering that a 1-nm-thicker Co film did not evolve into Co nanoparticles after annealing at 200°C for 3 h (Figure 2b), these results indicate that annealing temperature is indeed a key control parameter in nanoparticle formation. To further investigate the crystallinities and compositions of the above-mentioned Bi nanowire and Co nanoparticles, SAED and EDX analyses were performed on Co nanoparticle area (named "1") and Bi core area (named "2"), respectively. From two SAED patterns shown in Figure 3d, e, it is found that the area "1" contains extra spots (circled ones) other than characteristic Bi spots, which represent major crystal planes of FCC Co, while the area "2" shows only clear Bi spots. This indicates that the nanoparticles are really crystalline Co in accord with a TEM image in Figure 3b. The gray background of Figure 3d may come from the oxide layers on Bi core and Co nanoparticle. In addition, the EDX spectra (Figure 3f) from both areas show that significant Co peaks come out of the nanoparticles, whereas no meaningful Co peaks are observed on Bi core, reflecting that the identity of the nanoparticle is Co. The Co concentration (< 20 at.%) from "1" and non-zero concentration (0.5-1.5 at.%) from "2" are presumably caused by the limited spot size (approx. 20 nm) of electron beam.
We speculated on the mechanism for Co nanoparticle formation. Figure 4 schematically shows our suggested mechanism, in which a reduction of surface tension, hole agglomeration and growth, and nanoparticle refinement cooperatively work. First, a near-amorphous Co thin film including a plenty of vacancies begins to modify its morphology through local atomic diffusion in the initial stage of annealing (see the second panel of Figure 4 and 2b). This process spontaneously occurs to reduce the high surface tension and film stress of the Co film. This is thermally stimulated at elevated temperatures, and mediated by vacancy coalescence, leading to local holes in the Co film [21, 22]. In this initial step, local Co crystallites already start to form inside the film, as shown in Figure 2b. In the next step (longer annealing), the holes grow until neighboring holes encounter each other, pushing out Co film finally to form Co islands (see the third panel of Figure 4). According to the model of Brandon and Bradshaw, the hole radius (R) has a relationship with annealing time (t) and film thickness (d) as R = 5π1/2 Bt/2d 3/2, where B is proportional to D sγ/T [23, 24]. Here D s and γ are the surface diffusion coefficient and surface energy of Co, and T is the absolute temperature. From the model, the final hole size becomes larger as the annealing time and surface energy increase and film thickness decreases, which is the case in this study. The Co islands are refined in both shape and crystal quality in the last step (see the last panel of Figure 4). More hemispherical and more crystalline Co nanoparticles come out via this step to further reduce the surface tension and volume energy of individual nanoparticles.
We hybridized single-crystalline Bi nanowires with crystalline Co nanoparticles, using a combination of the OFF-ON nanowire growth, thin film deposition, and post-annealing. A Co thin film coated on a Bi nanowire began to deform its morphology via thermal annealing at elevated temperatures, which is driven by the high surface tension of the film. Local valleys developed in the Co film after a short time of annealing, and Co nanoparticles finally appeared on the surface of Bi nanowire through annealing for a time longer than a critical value, leaving behind Co-free Bi surface in between them. The time required for Co nanoparticle formation was shorter at a higher annealing temperature, suggesting that this process is governed by the diffusional flow of Co atoms. Interestingly, the crystalline Co nanoparticles were obtained from an initially near-amorphous Co film using our method. The whole process of Co nanoparticle hybridization with Bi nanowire was explained by the hole agglomeration/growth and nanoparticle refinement mechanism. The hybrid nanostructure would be a good testbed for exploiting multidisciplinary nanophysics. Various nanoparticles made of materials with high surface tension could be hybridized with a variety of nanowires, employing this simple method.
energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy
on-film formation of nanowires
selected area electron diffraction.
Lu AH, Salabas EL, Schüth F: Magnetic nanoparticles: synthesis, protection functionalization, and application. Angew Chem Int Ed 2007, 46: 1222–1244. 10.1002/anie.200602866
Li Z, Wei L, Gao M, Lei H: One-pot reaction to synthesize biocompatible magnetite nanoparticles. Adv Mater 2005, 17(8):1001. 10.1002/adma.200401545
Hütten A, Sudfeld D, Ennen I, Reiss G, Hachmann W, Heinzmann U, Wojczykowski K, Zutzi P, Saikaly W, Thomas G: New magnetic nanoparticles for biotechnology. J Biotechnol 2004, 112: 47–63. 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2004.04.019
Leslie-Pelecky DL, Rieke RD: Magnetic properties of nanostructured materials. Chem Mater 1996, 8(8):1770–1783. 10.1021/cm960077f
Gangopadhyay S, Hadjipanayis GC, Sorensen CM, Klabunde KJ: Magnetic properties of ultrafine co particles. IEEE Trans Mag 1992, 28(5):3174. 10.1109/20.179749
Dong XL, Choi CJ, Kim BK: Chemical synthesis of co nanoparticles by chemical vapor condensation. Scripta Mater 2002, 47: 857–861. 10.1016/S1359-6462(02)00304-4
Robinson I, Volk M, Tung LD, Caruntu G, Kay N, Thanh NTK: Synthesis of co nanoparticles by pulsed laser irradiation of cobalt carbonyl in organic solution. J Phys Chem C 2009, 113(22):9497–9501. 10.1021/jp9014564
Sun S, Murray CB: Colloidal chemical synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles synthesis of monodisperse cobalt nanocrystals and their assembly into magnetic superlattices. J Appl Phys 1999, 85: 4325. 10.1063/1.370357
Zhang Z, Sun X, Ying JY, Heremans J, Dresselhaus MS: Electronic transport properties of single-crystal bismuth nanowire arrays. Phys Rev B 2000, 61: 4850–4861. 10.1103/PhysRevB.61.4850
Liu K, Chien CL, Searson PC: Finite-size effects in bismuth nanowires. Phys Rev B 1998, 58: R14681-R14684. 10.1103/PhysRevB.58.R14681
Heremans J, Hansen OP: Influence of non-parabolicity on intravalley electron-phonon scattering; the case of bismuth. J Phys C 1979, 12: 3483. 10.1088/0022-3719/12/17/019
Shim W, Ham J, Lee K, Jeung WY, Johnson M, Lee W: On-film formation of Bi nanowires with extraordinary electron mobility. Nano Lett 2009, 9(1):18–22. 10.1021/nl8016829
Gallo CF, Chandrasekhar BS, Sutter PH: Transport properties of bismuth single crystals. J Appl Phys 1963, 34(1):144–152. 10.1063/1.1729056
Roh JW, Hippalgaonkar K, Ham JH, Chen R, Li MZ, Ercius P, Majumdar A, Kim W, Lee W: Observation of anisotropy in thermal conductivity of individual single-crystalline bismuth nanowires. ACS Nano 2011, 5(5):3954–3960. 10.1021/nn200474d
Ham J, Shim W, Kim DH, Oh KH, Voorhees PW, Lee W: Watching bismuth nanowires grow. Appl Phy Lett 2011, 98: 043102. 10.1063/1.3535956
Uchida K, Takahashi S, Harii K, Ieda J, Koshibae W, Ando K, Maekawa S, Saitoh E: Observation of the spin Seebeck effect. Nature 2008, 455: 778. 10.1038/nature07321
Walter M, Walowski J, Zbarsky V, Münzenberg M, Schäfers M, Ebke D, Reiss G, Thomas A, Peretzki P, Seibt M, Moodera JS, Czerner M, Bachmann M, Heiliger C: Seebeck effect in magnetic tunnel junctions. Nat Mater 2011.
Shim W, Ham J, Noh JS, Lee W: Structure-dependent growth control in nanowire synthesis via on-film formation of nanowires. Nanoscale Res Lett 2011, 6: 196. 10.1186/1556-276X-6-196
Sheikh S, Boushehri A: Corresponding states correlation for the surface tension of melts. High Temp High Press 2000, 32: 233–238. 10.1068/htrt196
Nix FC, Jaumot FE Jr: Self-diffusion in cobalt. Phys Rev 1951, 82: 72–74. 10.1103/PhysRev.82.72
Gimpl ML, McMaster AD, Fuschillo N: Amorphous oxide layers on gold and nickel films observed by electron microscopy. J Appl Phys 1964, 35: 3572. 10.1063/1.1713272
Sharma SK, Spitz J: Hillock formation, hole growth and aggromeration in thin silver films. Thin Solid Films 1980, 65: 339–350. 10.1016/0040-6090(80)90244-8
Brandon RH, Bradshaw FJ: Royal Aircraft Establishment Research Report 1966, No. 66095.
Presland AEB, Price GL, Trimm DL: The role of microstructure and surface energy in hole growth and island formation in thin silver films. Surf Sci 1972, 29(2):435–446. 10.1016/0039-6028(72)90230-0
This research was supported by a grant from the Priority Research Centers Program (2009-0093823), a grant (2011K000198) from 'Center for Nanostructured Materials Technology' under '21st Century Frontier R&D Programs' and the Pioneer Research Center Program (2010-0019313) through the National Research Foundation of Korea.
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
JSN designed the experiment, analyzed the data, and drafted the manuscript. MKL conducted Bi nanowire growth and hybridization of Co nanoparticles with Bi nanowires. MKL and JH carried out SEM and TEM measurements. WL directed and coordinated all the experiments. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Jin-Seo Noh, Min-Kyung Lee contributed equally to this work.
About this article
Cite this article
Noh, JS., Lee, MK., Ham, J. et al. Co nanoparticle hybridization with single-crystalline Bi nanowires. Nanoscale Res Lett 6, 598 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1556-276X-6-598
- Select Area Electron Diffraction
- Thermoelectric Material
- Nanoparticle Formation
- High Surface Tension
- Film Stress | <urn:uuid:28954aef-c6c4-4b24-9e37-2fd7827d3d37> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://nanoscalereslett.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/1556-276X-6-598 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.868636 | 5,248 | 1.6875 | 2 |
In Northfield, Illinois, "charitable giving" involves giving money or property to an individual or organization, expecting nothing directly in return.
In life, charitable giving normally simply involves writing a check or handing cash over to the charitable organization of the donor's choice.
Some people, however, may be particularly dedicated to a certain cause, giving rise to a desire to donate a very large percentage of their assets to it. However, during life, this is often infeasible, since people have their own expenses that they have to cover. Therefore, people often put off this donation until after their death.
There are many ways to give a charitable gift that does not take effect until after the donor dies. The easiest and least complicated way to do this is a simple testamentary gift in a will - wherein a particular amount of the donor's money is transferred to the charity upon the donor's death.
Charitable Trusts in Northfield, Illinois
A charitable trust is an arrangement by which a large amount of money can be given to a charity after the death of the donor, or during the donor's life.
In a charitable trust, the money that is donated is still legally owned by the donor. But this is largely a formality, as the charity gets possession and control over the money. The charity is then free to use that money, but only for the purposes laid out in the trust instrument.
If a person decides to set up a charitable trust in Northfield, Illinois, they normally set up a "charitable remainder trust," since this is usually beneficial to both the donor (or their estate) as well as the charity. The operation of this type of trust is fairly simple: at a set time (normally the donor's death) the property that the donor wants to give to the charity is handed over, and the charity invests it. The charity benefits by getting to keep most of the money that these investments generate. The donor benefits because they also get a percentage of this income, for a period of time laid out in the trust agreement. Afterwards, the recipient of the donation gets it free and clear.
You should make sure the charity is registered with the Internal Revenue Service, and (if applicable) the taxation authority of .
Do I Need a Northfield, Illinois Attorney?
When attempting to establish a charitable trust, or make another charitable donation, the first thing you should do is discuss this with the organization you want to make the donation to. They will probably be able to advise you on how to donate your money in the way that will be most useful to them. And, of course, you should speak with an attorney in Northfield, Illinois, who will normally be able to make the process much easier. | <urn:uuid:3c7195a2-e63c-4d95-9bbb-c0b164e40219> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wills-trusts-attorneys.legalmatch.com/IL/Northfield/charitable-giving.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.964332 | 558 | 1.960938 | 2 |
In 2012, 14 school shootings occurred in the United States including the Oikos University shooting in Oakland, California, in which One Goh killed seven students with a .45 caliber handgun.
In 2013, 32 school shootings happened including the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in which Adam Lanza shot 20 first graders and six adults using a Bushmaster .223 caliber before taking his own life.
And now in 2014, 39 school shootings have already been reported. This one year has more school shootings than the entire decade of the ’90s. And because there’s still two months left in the year, we’re likely to see a few more.
Granted, some of these shootings didn’t result in any deaths or injuries, but guns were still present and shots were still fired. I’ve always believed that other than home, school was the safest place for a person to be. But numbers like 39 don’t lie. Why is school becoming less and less of a safe haven? And why do these monthly shootings not clue us in to prevent future ones?
On Oct. 23, SUNY Canton sophomore Alexis Vazquez was suspected of going on Yik Yak, an anonymous social media site, and threatening a school shooting at the campus. At 8:58 a.m., SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran posted on Facebook: “We recognize the concern about the recent threat that came over the anonymous social media site, YikYak. There is no evidence at this point that the threat is either credible or imminent. SUNY Canton will be holding classes and activities as scheduled.” Despite the possible danger, the initial reaction was to disregard the threats. A little while later, more messages were posted on Facebook saying, “Please take shelter and lock your door,” and, “Classes have been cancelled for the remainder of the day.” No guns were fired, and nobody was injured between those Facebook posts, so why were the threats nonsense one minute and then an emergency the next?
Any threat should not be taken lightly, especially when it involves guns and students. What if Vazquez’s threat was legitimate? Imagine having to explain to the parents of dead or injured students, “Sorry, we thought he was faking.” SUNY Canton did the right thing in the end, but the initial reaction was less than ideal.
The real problem is people aren’t aware of the warning signs for school shootings. On May 23, Elliot Roger, 22, went on a shooting spree in Isla Vista, California, killing six people, injuring 13 others and taking his own life. Roger, a student of the University of California, Santa Barbara, committed the shooting because he was unlucky romantically. He despised anybody who was able to find love while he remained lonely. Roger targeted mainly sorority girls. He saw them as being “spoiled, stuck-up, blonde slut(s),” who preferred “obnoxious brutes” over himself — all of which Roger explains in multiple videos on his YouTube channel.
Essentially, all of Roger’s videos are him describing how lonely he is, how girls don’t find him attractive and how he’ll get revenge someday. After watching all of his videos, including one in which Roger describes how he will get his “retribution,” my question was how did nobody notice this kid had serious problems? Surely his family members must have noticed something? One of Roger’s roommates even said in an interview with ABC, Roger was shy and introverted. Roger would have very loud and angry phone calls with his father, Peter, describing how he was unhappy with his life. Despite the videos, the unhappiness and the strange personality, Peter said he was unaware his son could ever commit such a heinous crime.
Just the other week, Plattsburgh State closed off a few of its buildings because a suspicious package, possibly a bomb, was found in the ACC. The package was later declared harmless, and the situation was a big misunderstanding. Nevertheless, PSUC University Police took the right steps in keeping the students safe. There was no hesitation. A suspicious package is a suspicious package. You don’t sit around and wait for it to blow up or not. It’s just like those subway posters say: “If you see something, say something.”
We need more emergency protocols like PSUC’s handling of the suspicious package. No waiting. Even if the whole thing is a hoax in the end, students should be kept safe from any possible threats. The warning signs are right in front of our faces, and we need to finally start looking.
Email Griffin Kelly at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:b9c89e4a-fd87-4a02-afae-689e1d241c0a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://cardinalpointsonline.com/warning-signs-ignored-in-school-shootings/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.977633 | 1,004 | 2.0625 | 2 |
If you are active on social media, there is a chance that you have come across the organization PETA ( People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). More than 6.5 million people believe and rely on information Peta provides. In most of their articles, instead of stating factual information, Peta uses gruesome photos and unfactual information to tug at their reader’s heartstrings. Although to general society, Peta’s articles are upsetting, much of the information that Peta gives is not accurate or factual. The lack of accurate information about what happens on dairy farms gives farmers a false reputation.
For example, in their article titled “The Beef Industry,” Peta writes about cattle who are raised on ranches. In this article Peta fails to state any factual evidence to support their argument. Instead, they state that “In the winter, cattle freeze to death in states such as Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. And during the summer, they die from the heat in states such as Kansas and Texas.” Peta fails to inform the public that cattle have thick skin and thick hair which serve as natural insulation, or that cattle actually prefer temperatures between 40 and 65 degrees.
Similarly, PETA also released an article to the public in which they state that, “Youth that participate in 4-H are ‘forced’ to harden a piece of their hearts.” They argue that 4-H kids are unaware that they have to sell their market animals after the fair, thus, they develop a heartfelt relationship with them. Being a ‘4-H kid’ myself, I can argue this statement to be false. When I first began exhibiting my animals in 4-H, I was well aware that my market steers were to be sold and slaughtered after the fair. Moreover, I was also aware that these animals were not pets, but an asset in the business that my family has been a part of for three generations, myself being the fourth. Therefore, I am not “forced to harden my heart,” but instead I am better able to prepare myself for the separation from my animal.
Additionally, in their article about factory farming, Peta states that “Most animals that are raised on factory farms won’t even feel the warmth of the sun on their backs or breathe fresh air until the day they’re loaded onto trucks headed for slaughterhouses.” In almost all factory farming cases, this is false. The truth is on many factory farms across the U.S, farmers provide their animals with plenty of room to roam as well as plenty of fresh air. Nicole Wren, a dairy farmer from Prescott, Michigan, stated, “Our calves and cows all have the freedom to move around inside or outside of the barns. They choose when to eat, sleep, socialize and on a lot of robotic farms they even choose when they want to be milked.”
In contrast, while the majority of American farmers treat their livestock with the utmost respect, just as in other communities, there are a few degenerates who, as Peta states in their articles, treat their livestock poorly. For instance, in 2009, there was an investigation on a dairy farmer where employees were caught whipping “downed” cows, who were physically unable to stand due to common medical conditions. The actions taken by these employees were against common ethics and practices in which are taken by dairy farmers in order to protect the well being of their animals.
In conclusion, due to the inaccurate information that Peta releases to the public, American farmers are given a false reputation, which is unfair. In most cases, Peta’s accusations are purely emotionally charged representations on the practices carried out in the livestock industry. Instead of using factual information to educate their readers, in their articles, they most commonly use tactics such as over exaggerated terminology and gruesome photos in which stimulate their readers emotions. Therefore, Peta’s accusations should not be accepted by the general public.
A professional writer will make a clear, mistake-free paper for you!Get help with your assigment
Please check your inbox
I'm Chatbot Amy :)
I can help you save hours on your homework. Let's start by finding a writer.Find Writer | <urn:uuid:66cbac3a-c944-4d7d-8cab-e3c41a26dd62> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://studydriver.com/peta-gives-farmers-a-false-reputation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.97437 | 888 | 2.5625 | 3 |
An asbestos removal company has been convicted and fined for misusing the logo of Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) on its business stationery and website.
Asbestos Australia Pty Ltd and its director Tom Visal Clappers each pleaded guilty to one charge of falsely suggesting that asbestos removal services were approved by EPA, in contravention of section 59B(c) of the Environment Protection Act 1970.
The Hallam based company was convicted and fined $2,500 and ordered to pay EPA’s prosecution costs in the amount of $813.46 while Mr Clappers was fined $1,000 without conviction.
During sentencing Dandenong Magistrate Gregory Connellan reminded the company and Mr Clappers that EPA was a regulatory agency responsible for setting and enforcing industry standards.
Magistrate Connellan said that given the seriousness of the offence, he saw it fit to record a conviction against the company despite it being the company’s first offence.
EPA’s Principal Solicitor Guy Ventrice said the fines and conviction served as a reminder that courts will take a dim view of anyone who misuses the logo of EPA for their own commercial benefit.
Asbestos Australia was given several opportunities to stop displaying the EPA logo on its website and any related advertising or business documents before enforcement action was taken.
EPA Executive Director Mark Rossiter said EPA’s name and logo is well known and trusted across the Victorian community, and EPA is prepared to take decisive action against any person who falsely suggests an affiliation with EPA. | <urn:uuid:9f04d36f-94d1-406c-9127-64025bea9313> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://famanz.org/2020/04/21/misuse-of-epa-logo-leads-to-conviction-and-fine/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.965008 | 314 | 1.59375 | 2 |
How to Promote Gut Health
It is essential to know how to improve your digestive health. This article gives tips on how to consume a balanced diet and avoid monosaccharides hidden in your diet. Avoid sugar, processed foods and NSAIDs. Take a wide range of whole foods rich in polyphenols, and keep clear of medications like aspirin. Your digestive tract is composed of billions of bacteria and it is crucial to ensure it’s healthy and functioning properly.
Diversify your diet
Diversifying your diet is one of the best ways to improve the health of your microbiome. Western diets are characterised by the absence of variety because of the high amount of sugar, fat, and processed foods. However diversifying your diet can help to increase the development of beneficial bacteria. Make sure you are eating whole fruits, vegetables and whole grains to increase the variety of your diet. Include these foods in your meals and snacks.
The typical American diet is full of processed food, sugar, and dairy products with high fat content. These food items can make our guts work harder, causing toxic by-products to build up. Consuming refined and processed carbohydrates can cause inflammation and reduce microbiome diversity. A varied diet can aid in digestion and improve overall health. Incorporating more fruits and vegetables to your daily menu will improve your digestion and improve your overall health.
Avoid hidden monosaccharides in the form of
Changes in your diet can help you avoid monosaccharides hidden in your diet and boost gut health. Be sure to eat plenty of fermented veggies, unprocessed, and unprocessed meat and fiber-rich fruit and vegetables. Certain foods can harm the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut. You can improve your gut health by avoiding foods which cause symptoms like sugar or gluten. Probiotic supplements are another option. Probiotic supplements help build beneficial bacteria in your body. Stress over time can harm the beneficial bacteria that reside in your gut.
Research has demonstrated that a diet rich in fiber and omega-3 fat acids can reduce the number of pro-inflammatory bacteria in the gut. Gut health is also improved by flavonoids. Foods belonging to the cabbage family as well as vegetable broths are excellent sources of flavonoids. They are essential to support healthy gut bacteria. Drink plenty of water, stay clear of alcohol and limit intake of processed foods.
Eat foods rich in polyphenols
Polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant can be found in many plants. They protect our bodies from diseases and can improve the gut microbiome. Polyphenols are particularly high in vibrant fruits and vegetables. A diet rich in vegetables and fruits is better for those who are at less risk of developing diseases. Try to include more natural foods in your diet such as vegetables and fruits. Stay clear of foods that are processed or contain added chemicals.
The most extensive class of polyphenols contains flavonoids. They include quercetin, which is well-known and anthocyanin. Both black and green teas contain high amounts of polyphenols. Certain of these compounds possess anti-cancer properties. If you’re wondering how to ensure you get enough polyphenols in your diet, here’s a few of them.
Although NSAIDs are often prescribed to relieve pain, they could have detrimental effects on the gut. Inflammation can trigger ulcers, bleeding or other symptoms. They may cause long-term problems related to the gut like leaky gut syndrome, IBS, and Crohn’s disease. To improve gut health and avoid any side effects, it’s best to avoid NSAIDs.
Antibiotics are a highly effective treatment for serious infections caused by bacteria. However they are frequently misused or over-used. This is why antibiotics should be only used only when prescribed by your doctor and should not be taken to treat self-resolving infections. The normal balance of bacteria in the gut is disturbed by antibiotics as well as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This is why avoiding NSAIDs is essential for maintaining gut health.
Drink fermentable fiber
Fiber is a fantastic way to improve your health. It is easy to do and there are numerous fiber sources, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and VINA sodas. All of these food items contribute to the health of your gut microbiome. Fiber is essential for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure.
Recent advances in microbiome research have led to a growing number of probiotic and prebiotic ingredients that can boost the health of your gut. The findings of research continue to show that prebiotics’ fermentation may improve the immune system as well as increase blood lipid levels. While the function of these supplements is undetermined, there are plenty of positive benefits. One study showed that fermentable fibers could improve the control of glycemic levels, while other studies failed to show any effect.
In a recent study, researchers at the University of New Mexico found that regular exercise is beneficial to the gut health. Exercise can boost the development of healthy bacteria which is vital to our overall health. This, in turn, can improve our mood and psychological well-being. It is also a key element in neurogenesis, which is responsible for the creation of new neural connections in our brains. The kind of exercise you choose should also help improve gut health.
The effects of exercise on gut microbiome were seen in a study that followed two previously inactive men and women for six months. Particularly, both groups showed improvements in the composition of gut bacteria and greater concentrations of metabolites that are physiologically relevant. Both aerobic exercise with high intensity and voluntary wheel running have led to an increase in bacteria in the gut. These results are encouraging, but more research is required to confirm these findings. | <urn:uuid:2ff6d022-d2b0-4c17-89cb-b28cf57d9acc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.thinktwicepakistan.com/gingivitis-and-gut-health/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.942475 | 1,192 | 2.203125 | 2 |
pdf link: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1910.09792.pdf
- deep neural networks learn to generalize but also memorize noisy cases, which is bad.
- if the DNN is generalized to clean samples, then adding some perturbation to these samples would not increase loss significantly.
- But for memorized noisy cases, adding some perturbation would increase loss significantly.
- Using this phenomenon, after training the DNN(warmup stage), cull out noisy samples in the training dataset and train with survived samples.
- Think of “noisy” samples mentioned in this paper as “not learned but overfitted” samples.
- The intention is that repeating this process will remove “noisy” samples that have been memorized by the network and in the next training phase, the network will have been removed of its bad habits since the culprit noisy samples have been removed.
- But by intuition, there is a dange of what if this learning procedure removes clean samples instead of noisy samples?
- The paper addresses this problem and says that they have experimented this and such bad scenario did not happen. Hmm… I’m not sure if I can blindly take their word for it. But then again, they start applying their proposed technique after a warmup phase which should guarantee some level of clean sample generalization. | <urn:uuid:b4dfb35f-9b7e-4134-8b54-69b636deeaf0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://chadrick-kwag.net/paper-review-robust-training-with-ensemble-consensus/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.946517 | 289 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Tropical forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change, and therefore, an accurate and precise estimation of tropical forest carbon (C) is needed. However, there are many uncertainties associated with C stock estimation in a tropical forest, mainly due to its large variations in biomass. Hence, we quantified C stocks in an intact lowland mixed dipterocarp forest (MDF) in Brunei, and investigated variations in biomass and topography. Tree, deadwood, and soil C stocks were estimated by using the allometric equation method, the line intersect method, and the sampling method, respectively. Understory vegetation and litter were also sampled. We then analyzed spatial variations in tree and deadwood biomass in relation to topography. The total C stock was 321.4 Mg C ha-1, and living biomass, dead organic matter, and soil C stocks accounted for 67%, 11%, and 23%, respectively, of the total. The results reveal that there was a relatively high C stock, even compared to other tropical forests, and that there was no significant relationship between biomass and topography. Our results provide useful reference data and a greater understanding of biomass variations in lowland MDFs, which could be used for greenhouse gas emission-reduction projects.
- Carbon pool
- Carbon stocks
- Lowland mixed dipterocarp forest
- Tropical forest
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics | <urn:uuid:468dc606-791a-4b0e-a6bc-4855938b1001> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://koreauniv.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/carbon-stocks-and-its-variations-with-topography-in-an-intact-low | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.951397 | 311 | 2.625 | 3 |
Recently, Americaspace photographer Julian Leek was given the opportunity to visit space shuttle Endeavour’s flight deck while the orbiter was powered up, bringing OV-105 back to life and giving us a glimpse of what her astronaut crews viewed during their missions. Over 2,000 controls, switches, and displays make up the flight deck – each with a specific purpose.
Considered the baby of the shuttle fleet, Endeavour was the fifth and final space shuttle to be constructed – brought into existence after the loss of Challenger in 1986. Designated by NASA as Orbiter Vehicle 105 (OV-105), Endeavour flew 25 missions from 1992 – 2011, having travelled nearly 123 million miles through space while orbiting the Earth with various crews. Nearly half of all her missions (12) were International Space Station assembly flights, including its last flight on STS-134, which launched from Kennedy Space Center on May 16, 2011.
Now retired from service, Endeavour continues transition and retirement processing at Kennedy Space Center’s Orbiter Processing Facility, where the vehicle is being readied for permanent public display as a museum piece for the California Science Center in Los Angeles later this year. This most recent power up allowed for technicians to flush and drain multiple system lines, many of which cannot be accessed (opened/closed) without the vehicle “on”.
All Photos Credit: Julian Leek / Blue Sawtooth
Missions » ISS » | <urn:uuid:27dc001d-8aeb-4dc9-bcf2-03e2322fa6dc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.americaspace.com/2012/04/08/photo-feature-shuttle-endeavour-brought-back-to-life-briefly/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.948398 | 300 | 2.484375 | 2 |
November is National Epilepsy Month and we at Sitler’s wanted to take the time to talk about how fluorescent lighting may contribute to increasing the risk of photosensitive seizures. It is important to state that epilepsy cases differ person to person and not all people who suffer from seizures are photosensitive. Around 1 in 100 people suffer from photosensitive epilepsy, which can be triggered by many circumstances, such as strobing or flashing lights, flickering lights, or contrasting light and dark patterns.
Do Fluorescent Lights Trigger Photosensitive Seizures
What triggers a photosensitive seizure for one person may not trigger someone else. Seizure triggers range from playing long hours of video games, strobe lights, multiple camera flashes, watching TV in a dark room and faulty fluorescent lighting.
That’s right, flickering and faulty fluorescent lighting may trigger a seizure in someone with photosensitive epilepsy. We’ve all seen them before; maybe in our work office, at the doctor, in aisle 12 of Walmart. Something that is merely irritating to us, people who don’t suffer from seizures, could be a health risk for someone who does.
What’s the Solution?
Depending on what triggers the seizure, there are many ways of treating photosensitive seizures. There are prescription glasses, prescribed medication, lowering the amount of time in front of a TV or computer screen, and installing LED lighting.
LED lighting has a great reputation for its energy efficiency and bright solid-state lighting. Fluorescent lighting on the other hand, is known to burn out due to bad ballasts or bulbs, and can flicker for days or weeks before being replaced. Installing LED lights not only is great for productivity in offices or helping keep foods fresh in grocery stores, it can also help people suffering from photosensitive epilepsy.
Start your LED Journey Today!
Whether you are looking to save money on your home or business energy bills or are hoping to reduce the risk of photosensitive seizure this National Epilepsy Month, contact us today at (319)-519-0039 or send us an email to get started.
Posted in Human Centric Lighting, LED Hospital Lighting | <urn:uuid:d037fad1-0c22-4c58-8d66-81de1caf6ce6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://sitlersledsupplies.com/national-epilepsy-month-leds-photosenstive-seizures/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.920088 | 440 | 2.96875 | 3 |
On the 16th day of Nisan, the barley to be used in the Omer offering was harvested in a grand public event. Residents of the villages surrounding Jerusalem would all come out to take part in the joyous occasion.
After completing the harvest, the kohanim, (priests), would bring baskets filled with barley to the eastern side iof the inner Temple courtyard. There, the newly ripened grain was beaten, roasted, and sifted in thirteen sieves. A handful of the flour was burned on the altar, and the rest was eaten by the kohanim.
Torah states that the first grain offering must consist of fresh barley kernels roasted in a perforated pan, and then ground into a coarse meal. "You must place olive oil and frankincense on it... " (Leviticus 2:15)
Next, the kohen must "wave the Omer before G-d." (Leviticus 23:11) This was done in front of the northeast corner of the altar, the kohen facing westward.
The final step of the Omer offering involved the kohen scooping out a handful of flour from the meal mixture and placing in on the fire atop the altar. This was followed by the bringing of a single male sheep as a burnt offering. From this point on, grain from the new harvest could be eaten.
After waving the Omer at the northeast corner of the altar, the kohen presented the first grain offering before the southwest corner of the altar. This was standard procedure for nearly all meal-offerings.
Following the conclusion of the Omer offering in the courtyard of the Holy Temple, pilgrims leaving the Temple would find the marketplaces of Jerusalem already overflowing with grain products from the new harvest. | <urn:uuid:6c70e411-9912-41d2-963a-a8aa1de1e2a8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://templeinstitute.org/omer-offering/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.964077 | 362 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Japanese migration to Beautiful hawaii was offered through the past due 19th hundred years, but their quantity included a minimal proportion of girls. The earliest era of Japanese migrants to the island destinations lived far away from their legitimate communities. Matching to Eileen Tamura, this kind of isolation, combined with failure with the expectation of incomes enough to return, resulted in a temporary mold of sociable norms, plus the disintegration generated wife-promoting. Within a personal story related simply by Joan Hori, the question « Why would anyone need a second-hand spouse? inch was asked; the response was that the outlook of a partner already present in the islands was extra sure than those of a picture new bride. « A nonethnocentric definition of relationship can be described as culturally sanctioned union among two or extra individuals that establishes sure rights and obligations between the people, together and their kids, and between them and their in-laws. » As being a polygynous culture, the Israelites didn’t have any legal guidelines that imposed marriage constancy upon men. Nevertheless , the prophet Malachi states that not one ought to be faithless to the partner of his youth and that God hates divorce.
Governments that assist monogamy might support straightforward divorce. In a variety of Traditional western nations, divorce charges approach 50%. Divorce and remarriage can thus end in « serial monogamy », i. y. having a volume of marriages although just one sanctioned spouse at the same time. This could be viewed as a kind of plural mating, as are all those societies centered by female-headed households inside the Caribbean, Mauritius and Brazil the place there exists frequent rotation of unmarried companions. In all, these kinds of account for sixteen to 24% of the « monogamous » category.
In some international locations – especially the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Norway and Spain ~ both ceremonies can be used collectively; the officiant at the religious and civil wedding ceremony additionally serving as agent of the condition to perform the civil wedding service. To avoid any kind of implication that the state is normally « recognizing » a spiritual marital relationship – the « civil » service is said to be still dropping simultaneously the spiritual service. Often this entails basically signing a register in the course of the faith based ceremony. If the civil point of the religious ceremony can be omitted, the marriage ceremony actually recognized as being married by government under the legislation. In some authorized methods, the companion pets in a wedding ceremony are « collectively liable » your money can buy owed of this marriage. It has a foundation in a common legal idea known as the « Doctrine of Necessities » whereby, in a heterosexual marriage, a husband was accountable to supply needed issues for his spouse. Exactly where this is the circumstance, one friend may be sued to gather a debt which is why they did certainly not expressly contract.
The Debate Above Wife Offerings
According to Gardner and Marcia T. Colish, coemptio was at essence a fictitious notional sale of the lady to the partner that https://99brides.com/ would happen any time during their matrimony, thus, whenever after marital relationship, a fictitious notional sale of the better half to her have husband. In respect to man Plessis, « a ceremonial reselling of the partner terminated marriage by coemptio « , like a reversal for the marriage method.
Bridewealth is the amount of money or property or prosperity paid by the groom or his household to the dad and mom of your lady after the marriage with their daughter for the groom. In anthropological novels, bride worth has generally been understood to be fee made to compensate the bride’s family designed for the loss of her labor and fertility. Often, bridewealth is a method by which the groom’s household’s ties to the youngsters with the union are acknowledged. Cohabitation may be a great choice attacked as a type of resistance to ordinary institutionalized relationship. However , with this context, some nations book the right to outline for you the connection simply because marital, or perhaps in any other case to manage the regards, even when the relation is not registered together with the state or maybe a religious store. Polygyny normally grants spouses equal place, although the husband may have got private personal preferences. One type of de facto polygyny is usually concubinage, just where only one female will get a partner’s rights and status, while different ladies remain legal house mistresses.
A thing You Shouldn’t Perform With Better half Services
Currently, the number of international marriages and mail-order birdes-to-be is rising bigger. For the reason that world can be turning into extra globalized, the technology accelerates the communication between potential lovers across borders whilst new regulations enable couples to marry faster. Unexpected pregnancies amidst married couples in the usa stays essential downside today. The results of predisposing elements in use of helpful contraceptive strategies and on the incidence of the unplanned being pregnant had been reviewed amongst a pattern of one hundred 80 white married lovers who did not need a child within 2 years. The effects of husbands’ predisposing factors on each of your dependent parameters had been extremely important, either quickly or via interplay with their wives. The findings show the necessity meant for continued exploration on loved one and spouse effects in reproductive habits and solutions.
There’re younger enticing brides long-standing 18-30, grown up beautiful ladies over forty & possibly loving potential mail purchase wives over fifty five about such web sites. If a person limitations his search by simply his native country, he makes his options to find the only one much reduce. If you desire to search out a perfect match intended for conferences, serious relationship or marriage, it is very very important to select the proper site. There exist dozens of postal mail order woman resources with numerous women yow will quickly realize on the Internet.
- It has a basis in a typical legal notion known as the « Doctrine of Necessities » whereby, within a heterosexual matrimony, a spouse was sensible to offer important things for his wife.
- In case the civil consideration of the psychic ceremony is normally omitted, the wedding ceremony ceremony can be not recognized as a wedding simply by authorities beneath the regulation.
- In which this is the circumstance, one associate’s may be sued to collect a debt that they did not expressly deal.
- Often this kind of entails simply signing a register through the non secular wedding ceremony.
- In some legal techniques, the companions in a marriage will be « collectively liable » for the debts of your wedding.
According to ancient Hebrew custom, a wife was seen as staying property an excellent source of value and was, due to this fact, often , thoroughly looked after. Occasionally individuals marry to reap the benefits of a certain situation, typically known as wedding of comfort or a scam marriage. In 2003, over one hundred eighty, 000 immigrants have been admitted to the U. Ring. as spouses of U. S. residents; extra were admitted simply because fiancés of US residents for the purpose of being betrothed within 90 days. These marriages had a numerous range of motives, including obtaining everlasting residency, securing an inheritance which has a relationship clause, in order to enroll in medical insurance, amongst many others. While each and every one marriages have got a posh mixture of conveniences motivating the social gatherings to get married to, a marriage of convenience is one which devoid of ordinary reasons to get married to. In certain international locations like Singapore sham relationships are punishable legal accidents. A detrimental union, on top of that referred to as a civil relationship, is a lawfully recognized type of partnership much like matrimony. | <urn:uuid:6732ae27-64f9-40b9-8510-8b40e1d23ddc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.labarbiere.ca/always-be-the-first-to-observe-what-the-analysts-assert-regarding-wife-products/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.954255 | 1,595 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Isoropia primarily promotes transformational learning. Transformational learning has the goal to change the one’s personal perspective and attitude, where a learner and a teacher are together in the process, both learning and developing themselves.
Given that competence is defined as a multiplicity of attitude, knowledge and skills, a positive attitude is not sufficient for competent living. Isoropia encourages a development of skills and new knowledge, and yet sometimes only creates a need for further learning.
Isororpia creates the learning processes which include all human aspects: mental, sensory, emotional, physical and spiritual. Isoropia organizes and participates in very diverse learning processes: lectures, workshops, seminars, retreats, and conferences.
Some events are very short, like Summer Bites, some are intense as Body Healing Story. We are fond of customized, in-house programmes. In-house programmes usually support wider, long-term organizational development. They require a deep understanding of the organizational needs and intensive preparation both of the facilitator and the participant. There is a great return on investment because the facilitators and the participants share common, agreed goals, language and terminology. The Project Management and Personal Impact for the Results are examples of workshops organized within organizations.
The Initiating Positive Changes is a workshop that is organized for the interested groups and organizations, in an open form and as in-house programmes and could be supported by further individual or group support.
The Sustainable Career is aimed at individuals who want to find their current main motivators and adapt their careers, i.e. everything they do in life, to their most profound needs. The same topic is crucial for the companies which care for the welfare and long-term relationships with their employees. It is important to sustain organizational mechanisms that most affect the balance in life in order to maintain professional relationships.
At large events, Isoropia provides a process design and facilitation according to the participative leadership and total system intervention principles.
The workshop is intended for all leaders.
The aim of this workshop is to bring the concept of strategic thinking and strategic planning to each individual involved in any type of business process (profit, non-profit, public, private, small, medium, large) in a simple and understandable way.
The number of participants is limited.
The workshop was organized with the Mapa znanja and intended for individuals who wish to reconcile personal, professional, family, and social activities, specifically in times of pandemic.
The purpose of the seminar is to acquaint participants with the techniques of “juggling”, necessary for a successful balance between personal, professional, family and social needs.
The workshop was organized in cooperation with the Mapa znanja and is intended for new managers and those who feel new in this role.
The purpose of this seminar is, among other things, to equip new managers with very practical tools and methods for effectively performing managerial tasks and to prepare participants to work with people of different ages, understanding their dominant roles and interests depending on age.
The workshop was organized with the Mapa znanja and is intended for all those who work on projects and influence their success, including investors and end users.
This workshop includes an overview of the entire area of project management knowledge in a clear and concise manner, and an insight into the main methods, techniques and tools most commonly used in all project phases.
The aim of the workshop is for participants to recognize the usefulness of a disciplined professional project approach in their work environments.
Isoropia organizes and participates in very diverse learning processes: lectures, workshops, trainings, seminars.
All of the workshops below are available upon request.
Open workshops are for everyone. The themes are very diverse because they are driven by the inspiration and the excitement of many people from the same vibrational network, with very different professional and life experiences. Our wishes are to activate potentials through open workshops, to open up new opportunities, to expand perspectives, to develop the skills needed for clearer expression, to connect the heart, mind and hands of the participants …
Some of the events were organized by us from Isropia, A Pinch of Salt or Center for Participatory Leadership, and on others we were guest or co-creators. They all might serve as inspiration for new gatherings. We can help in design and facilitation of an event. | <urn:uuid:315ef64d-4f04-4890-a83d-9fec89c6d6f5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.isoropia.hr/en/learning-together/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.94894 | 894 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Humanists UK has always been heavily involved in education, and in addition to our education policy work and our work in providing education resources, our education campaigns – from state-funded ‘faith’ schools to the school curriculum – are a major part of our campaigning work as a whole.
Schools are where many people – parents, children, and teachers – first encounter religion and discrimination by certain religious groups; school-related requests for help, advice, and guidance constitute the largest single category of requests that Humanists UK receives from the public. We have campaigned and lobbied for over a century for the rights and interests of humanists and other non-religious people in education, for non-religious beliefs to be respected in schools, and for a genuinely inclusive school system where all pupils receive a rounded education and are taught together, not separately according to the beliefs of their parents.
We have a dedicated Campaigns Manager for our faith schools and education campaigns – the longest-standing full-time campaigner on these issues.
We are interested in education for three reasons:
- we aim for the UK to be secular state with no privilege or discrimination on grounds of religion or belief. The continuing religious discrimination in our state school system is therefore a concern for us
- we aim for humanism to be better understood as an ethical and fulfilling non-religious approach to life and so we have an interest in ensuring that it features on the school curriculum on equal terms with religions
- humanists believe that all children have a right to receive a broad and balanced education and to access accurate, evidence-based information, free from undue influence
We concentrate on laws and policies that are discriminatory and violate principles of human rights or equality in state-funded schools, or on matters where we have a distinctive humanist view. For example we work for:
- an end to religious discrimination in school admissions
- an end to religious discrimination in school employment
- progressive reform of the school curriculum, including Religious Education, Science (in particular around the teaching of evolution and creationism) and Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (including Relationships and Sex Education)
- inclusive assemblies in place of mandatory religious collective worship
- action to crackdown on illegal religious schools in the UK
- stricter standards for private faith schools
Some of the issues we work on are specific to state-funded religious schools (popularly known as ‘faith schools’ in England and Wales and denominational schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland) while others apply to education more generally.
What we’re doing
- We work closely with parliamentarians and other key decision makers. At the moment, we are working on the Welsh Government’s new draft curriculum and recently worked on the UK Government’s guidance and regulations on Relationships and Sex Education. As an active member of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales, we have also been doing a significant amount to champion the recommendations of the Commission on Religious Education.
- We have also been campaigning hard to make faith schools more inclusive. In 2018, we were successful in overturning a Government proposal to drop a 50% cap on religiously selective admissions in new academies and free schools. And, in 2019, we have been working hard to stop a wave of new 100% selective voluntary aided faith schools from opening, including via a letter to the Secretary of State for Education signed by over 180 high-profile campaigners, politicians, academics, religious leaders, and humanists.
- In 2013 we co-founded the Fair Admissions Campaign, which published a groundbreaking map of how religiously and socio-economically inclusive every English secondary school is. In 2015, we published An Unholy Mess detailing how virtually all the religiously selective schools in England had breached the school admissions code and were therefore acting unlawfully. Since 2017, we have also published two significant reports on how faith schools discriminate against those who do not share the faith of the school: No Room at the Inn (showing the level of discrimination in admissions in Church of England schools) and Non-religious Need Not Apply (which shows the level of discrimination against non-religious pupils in faith school applications).
- Where necessary, we have also taken legal action to challenge unlawful, discriminatory practices in education. For example, in 2019 we supported two parents who had withdrawn their children from collective worship to take a legal case to establish that pupils in this situation should be provided with an educationally meaningful alternative. And, in 2015, we similarly supported three humanist parents to successfully challenge the Government’s decision to exclude non-religious worldviews from the GCSE syllabus; a decision which the judge said was ‘an error in law’ amounting to ‘a breach of the duty to take care that information or knowledge included in the curriculum is conveyed in a pluralistic manner.’
- In 2015, we successfully established that the religious admissions criteria of the London Oratory school were in breach of the School Admissions Code, first via the Office of the Schools Adjudicator, and later through a judgment in the High Court – meaning that the school had to remove flower arranging, amongst other things, from its criteria. In 2013, we won an Information Tribunal case against the UK Government over its refusal to publish a list of the names, locations and religions of groups applying to set up Free Schools. And, in 2012, we triggered a European Commission investigation into employment laws for UK faith schools.
- Over the years, our ‘Teach evolution, not creationism’ campaign has also had a string of victories, including evolution being added to the primary National Curriculum in England, academies and free schools having to teach evolution, and state schools being banned from teaching pseudoscience such as creationism.
- In 2014 we were heavily involved in the so-called ‘Trojan Horse’ scandal in Birmingham, facilitating the initial whistleblowers at Park View School, the school at the centre of the scandal, in raising their concerns and speaking out. The outcome had a sizeable impact on the place of religion in education, with new rules introduced in order to prevent the issues from reoccurring.
- We are also a founding member of the Accord Coalition – a wide coalition of organisations working for reform of state funded schools to make them more inclusive in matters of religion or belief. Accord brings together religious and non-religious supporters of change as well as teaching unions, human rights organisations and high profile individuals.
You could research and take up one of these issues with your MP and/or local authority, or write to a newspaper. Our Take Action Toolkit has advice on how to go about this.
If there is anything in these pages that you need more information or advice on, please contact our Education Campaigns Manager on 020 7324 3000.
You can also support Humanists UK by becoming a member. That helps in itself, and you can help even more by supporting our campaigns in the ways suggested above. But campaigns also cost money – quite a lot of money – and we also need financial support. You can make a donation to Humanists UK. | <urn:uuid:47973390-c914-4db5-af8f-949acebb2a15> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://humanists.uk/campaigns/schools-and-education/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.968193 | 1,450 | 2.3125 | 2 |
If you didn’t read my blog last week asking whether the pandemic had transformed banking to be digital forever (answer: no), what is obvious is that the pandemic has changed consumer behaviours forever.
This was brought home to me when reading the Forbes-Ipsos survey of American consumers views of digital banking.
The survey took place in February 2022 and found that four out of five consumers (78%) prefer to deal with their bank via their apps and websites. That’s quite a change when only a third of consumers were regularly using bank apps four years ago (PwC survey).
It is obvious the pandemic has made people more digitally savvy. Liftoff’s annual Mobile Finance Apps Report in 2021 shows that Finance app installs increased by 15% in 2020 compared to 2019. Users installed 4.6 billion finance apps globally and spent 16.3 billion hours in-app, up 45% from the previous year.
[12% of the UK population downloaded their bank’s app in the first month of lockdown]
Forbes survey is interesting as it asks the question: what are people using digital banking for?
According to their survey it’s mainly for checking balances, depositing checks (remember this is America) and transferring funds. Other features of convenience were seen to be nice-to-have but not used as often, such as peer-to-peer payments, finding nearby ATMs and budgeting and tracking tools.
All in all, it shows that the customer is now pretty comfortable with technology. The question is whether their bank is? For example, mobile downloads and usage may have spiked in the pandemic, but Liftoff’s survey noted that FinTech apps were far more successful than banking apps, with FinTech outperforming even the best banking apps by a factor of up to 10.8x.
Hmmm … now I wonder why that might be?
Related: How Facebook Failed at Finance | <urn:uuid:5cf6dfe0-99aa-4b17-9a1f-33175852cc7e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.advisorpedia.com/fintech/the-pandemic-has-changed-customer-behaviours-forever/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.970978 | 404 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Being “All In” at this year’s Cisco Live! is much more than just a catchphrase, it’s a way of supporting customers and adding value to their lives. Technology connects people around the world to collaborate on ideas, projects, and innovations.
Over the past couple of years, it has transformed healthcare, education, and just about every industry in the private and public sectors. During the Cisco Live! ‘All In’ keynote, Cisco leaders touched on many of the shifts we’ve seen as well as the impact their partners have by delivering more than just products but connection, life-saving capabilities, knowledge, and all that technology provides.
Key Trends and Methods Cisco Partners Can Use to Add Value to Customers’ Lives
The implications of cybersecurity attacks can be felt far and wide, affecting people all over the world and impacting every industry. Using technology, malicious agents have the power to steer warfare, disrupt powerlines, infiltrate water supply lines, and more.
Advancements in both cybersecurity and cyber threats have led to three key trends Jeetu Patel, EVP and GM, Security and Collaboration, Cisco, is noticing and focusing security efforts on moving forward.
The first trend is that businesses are competing as ecosystems where every single person is being impacted by what our customers, suppliers, and partners are doing, causing a need to protect not only ourselves but also the entire ecosystem. Following along those lines, everyone is now an insider with more interaction taking place outside of networks; the concern comes with how to protect yourself during these interactions.
Finally, hybrid work is here to stay, and it is crucial to figure out how to protect individuals, data, and organizations that are no longer in one set, secure location. Through an understanding of current trends and supporting customers’ growths and changes, distribution partners can enhance security measures and add value to customers’ lives.
Providing a Powerful and Simple IT Experience Without Compromise
“Tomorrow is going to be predictably unpredictable,” Todd Nightingale, EVP and GM, Enterprise Network and Cloud, Cisco, recognized during the keynote. The world is changing fast and in many ways, from changes in cyber threats to changes in the pandemic and social unrest. A considerable part of these changes is technology and the role it plays in every aspect of life.
Although the technology itself is gaining the capabilities to complete complex tasks, Nightingale emphasized that the burden of complexity can no longer be put on IT users. A huge push recently, and something likely to continue into the future, is the focus on simplicity without compromising power or sophistication.
To distribution partners, Nightingale said, “Cisco delivers simplified. You deliver unified user experiences.” The key is being all in to support providing a simple user experience to the benefit of all customers.
Enhancing Mass-Scale Infrastructure Capabilities Through Technology
Cisco’s Mass-Scale Infrastructure Group, the largest and most sophisticated network in the world, transforms networking for the benefit of hyperscalers, service providers, public sector agencies, and enterprises. Customers like Ford Motors benefit from the technology that allows real-time data to help drive innovation.
Cities can use this same instantaneous data to alert citizens of road issues and let leaders know of these issues so recurrent problems can be addressed. Jonathon Davidson, EVP and GM, Cisco Mass-Scale Infrastructure Group, and Cisco, applauded the value that comes from IT and operational teams coming together to drive outcomes.
The technology that Cisco partners deliver to our customers daily is helping people worldwide learn, create, experience, and connect. Although the future may not be predictable, it’s an exciting time to be “all in.” But one key point leaders reiterated throughout the conference is that “all in” doesn’t mean you’re going in alone.
Cisco has the resources to help partners deliver transformative technology efficiently and effectively. In the end, it’s about being “all in” for our customers.
To access Cisco Live! on-demand videos, click here. | <urn:uuid:a1a78b08-6c28-4150-aa94-56769dd27cb5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://edge360online.com/all-in-keynote-at-cisco-live-2022-touches-on-timely-trends-triumphs-and-tactics-with-cisco-leaders/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.930869 | 851 | 1.507813 | 2 |
A dozen members of Congress on June 20 asked Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to stop granting small refineries hardship exemptions from their biofuel blending requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard until he answers questions that would allow Congress to evaluate the program.
The letter, signed by 12 Democrats, including Rep. Paul Tonko, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Environment of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, came just days before the Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing evaluating current and future prospects of advanced biofuels under the RFS. NATSO member Robin Puthusseril, vice president and co-owner of Greater Chicago I-55 Travel Plaza, is scheduled to testify at that hearing June 22 on behalf of NATSO.
“We are deeply troubled by the lack of transparency and continued manipulation of the RFS program through your misuse of the small refinery exemption process,” the representatives wrote.
NATSO, along with the American Petroleum Institute, oppose use of the exemptions, which undercut investments fuel marketers have made in renewable fuel infrastructure.
EPA has the authority to grant waivers freeing small refineries from their obligations from mixing biofuels under the RFS if they can prove that it would cause them an economic hardship. In recent months, however, EPA has granted an unprecedented number of these waivers, including to some of the nation’s biggest refineries.
EPA has been under fire for abusing the waivers to quietly undercut the RFS after the agency in early April exempted Andeavor, which posted net profits of $1.5 billion last year, from complying with the U.S. biofuels regulation.
EPA is only allowed to grant waivers for refineries producing less than 75,000 barrels per day that can demonstrate economic hardship, yet the agency exempted Andeavor, which is one of the nation’s largest oil refining companies. The exemption released the company of its obligation to provide EPA with the biofuels credits that show it has complied with the RFS.
The lawmakers asked Administrator Pruitt to answer a series of questions so that they could “evaluate the need for this expansion of the exemption process.”
In April a group of 13 Senators, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) also urged Administrator Pruitt to cease issuing the hardship waivers and asked the agency to provide information about the waviers already issued and outline the agency's plan for making the waiver process more transparent.
Subscribe to Updates
NATSO provides a breadth of information created to strengthen travel plazas’ ability to meet the needs of the travelling public in an age of disruption. This includes knowledge filled blog posts, articles and publications. If you would like to receive a digest of blog post and articles directly in your inbox, please provide your name, email and the frequency of the updates you want to receive the email digest. | <urn:uuid:08b6992b-0f1c-4b2b-815e-0596a93cf1cd> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.natso.com/topics/democrats-urge-epa-to-halt-hardship-waivers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570868.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808152744-20220808182744-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.956128 | 592 | 1.523438 | 2 |
It’s a startling fact that around 1 in 10 ejector seats installed has actually been deployed in an emergency.
You’d be hard pressed to imagine a situation where the reliability of mechanical parts, for the few seconds when they do their job, could be more critical.
Aerospace component manufacturer Clayton Precision Engineering Ltd depends on accurate and repeatable machining of high-quality, complex parts for ejector seats that simply can’t afford to fail.
Founded 50 years ago, in Twickenham, Clayton Precision’s original owners relied mostly on local business for their livelihoods. It’s unlikely, back in those relatively dark ages of manufacturing technology, that they could have imagined that, one day, they’d be making parts for the latest fighter jets.
Ten years ago Jan van Jaarsveld bought the company and made the decision to concentrate on the aerospace industry. Today around 90% of their business comes from this sector, including a long-term contract to supply parts and assemblies for the world’s largest manufacturer of ejector seats.
“The business is going from strength to strength,” says Mr van Jaarsveld. “Three years ago Clayton merged with another specialist engineering company, R A Fores Ltd. This merger dictated a move into a second unit, more than doubling our floor area, which we began filling with new Haas CNC equipment.
“We like the Haas machines, they’re quick, accurate and reliable and the back up has been outstanding. Over the years, I’ve invested heavily in Haas; currently we have two Mini Mills, a VF-1 and seven VF-2SS Super Speed verticals all fitted with 4- or 5-axis rotary tables. The most recent VF-2SS was equipped with a 5-axis trunnion table.”
“The new 5-axis machine has made a huge difference. It’s currently producing L168 aluminium components for ejector seats. The trunnion’s full simultaneous 5-axis motion has reduced the number of operations from eight to just two. It’s cut the previous cycle time by 25%, and the reduced number of setups has increased repeatable accuracy, maintaining conformity throughout the part run.
“It goes without saying that accuracy is vital when you’re dealing with parts that save lives. Our inspection department maintains quality control. All testing equipment is calibrated to national standards and we operate a ‘Total Quality Management Policy’ with recorded inspection undertaken at every stage of the job.”
Haas Automation’s VF-2SS has 762 x 406 x 508mm travels, comes standard with a 12,000-rpm spindle, a 24+1 side-mount tool changer for tool changes that take less than 1.6 seconds tool to tool. High-pitch ballscrews and high-torque servo-motors provide rapids of 35m/min.
Clayton Precision programs its Haas machines offline, using a combination of OneCNC and GibbsCAM. Programs are then transferred to the control via USB.
“Our parts are complex and tolerances are very tight, but having a robust and reliable process means we can still be strong and competitive.”
“Many of the large aerospace companies are sourcing a lot of parts from lower-cost regions. We have to focus on producing higher-value, more complicated parts and assemblies, and make the processes more efficient,” Mr van Jaarsveld says.
“Willingness to invest in the necessary technology is paramount,” he stresses. “Without forward-looking commitment, ‘working smart’ would only be a goal around here, instead of a daily reality.”
“In the end, if we can use the latest technology to increase our work efficiency, we will,” emphasises Mr van Jaarsveld. “Similarly, if we can employ multi-axis equipment to reduce setups, or use 12,000 rpm machines, that is exactly what we’ll do. That’s how we’ve built a competitive edge, and how we’ve managed to grow our business 200% in the last three years,” he adds, with a smile.
“We’re not displacing anyone in our workforce,” Mr van Jaarsveld points out, “we’re enhancing them. Finding experienced CNC operators is getting harder and harder. We hire people we have faith in, and train them ourselves. Haas machines are easy to learn and easy to use – they’re much better organised and more intuitive than others.”
“We currently employ 28 staff, including two full time apprentices. Clayton has close connections with a new aerospace college in Feltham, opening later this year, so we’ll take on and train more as the business expands. Our objective is to increase our machining capacity as we increase our skilled staff. That’s how we’ll compete in the world market, and how we’ll be around for another 50 years.”
The new 5-axis machine has made a huge difference. It’s currently producing L168 aluminium components for ejector seats. The trunnion’s full simultaneous 5-axis motion has reduced the number of operations from eight to just two. It’s cut the previous cycle time by 25%, and the reduced number of setups has increased repeatable accuracy, maintaining conformity throughout the part run.
Jan van Jaarsveld | <urn:uuid:9c72b4f6-d4f4-4305-847c-9d5dfe716d9d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.haas.co.uk/resources/our-customers/aerospace/clayton-precision-engineering/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571234.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811042804-20220811072804-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.942016 | 1,178 | 1.742188 | 2 |
1st Time Rare Comet will be Visible from Earth
A rare comet discovered by NASA scientist will be visible – using only binoculars. To sky before the object heads back into the outer reaches of the solar system for an orbit lasting thousands of years. The comet, C/2016 U1 NEOWISE, “has a good chance of becoming visible through a good pair of binoculars, although we can’t be sure because a comet’s brightness ager of NASA’s Centre for Near-Earth Object (NEO) Studies at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the US. While it will be visible to sky watchers at Earth.
However, the good news is this comet is not a threat to our Earth. | <urn:uuid:d4d3193e-57e6-47fd-a9ff-590cfb308709> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.behist.com/1st-time-rare-comet-will-visible-earth/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.895689 | 154 | 3.5 | 4 |
Summary: This is a companion piece to “Seven Words” but could be read on its own. Author’s Note: As before, I’m using Paul Martin and Roy Coffee in their usual places. Thanks to all of you who wanted to know Ben’s thoughts. Hope this meets with your approval.
Word Count: 29,000
Grief is the agony of an instant; the indulgence of grief, the blunder of a life.
Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881)
It was cold. He didn’t know if it was the weather or the fact that he was standing in front of his wife’s gravestone festooned with flowers and notes and newly turned earth. Could that be what made him shiver?
Echoing bells filled the thick Boston air and he glanced up, hearing her soft voice tell him of how those sounds gave her such delight, for it meant a new ship was docking and exciting stories of their time away would soon find her. Her eyes would shine, her laugh would fill him and her smile would brighten his every minute. Closing red-rimmed eyes on the vision he laid a hand gently on the stone and trembled.
“Mr. Cartwright, it’s time to go.” The smile disappeared, the laugh faded and his hand grew cold. “We’ll miss the coach if we don’t leave now.”
It was as if his hand was stuck for he was unable to let go and then he heard a gurgle.
His hand finally released and he turned . . .
. . . and squinted into the bright sun penetrating the leaves of the large shade tree that sheltered him. A breeze drifted by to ruffle his dark hair and wafted over tears that continued to flow from distant eyes staring at the crude wooden cross beaten into the ground before him.
His heart was broken yet again, the suture lines from his previous loss yanked out to leave that beating organ in a pulpy mess somewhere in his chest. Two women. Two women who’d captured his heart, held it in their hands and brought life to him, now gone, reduced to dust and memory as dirt fell on the blanket wrapped body of his beloved. No proper gravestone would mark this place and the ravages of time would remove it from view and no one would know she existed except him.
A movement caught his eye, a barely perceptible movement and he watched his dark haired boy place a handful of white flowers at the base of that wooden cross then wrestle a blanket wrapped baby into a more comfortable position in his arms as he rubbed at his eyes.
His eyes moved away from the sight and he turned . . .
. . . his face toward the rain that pelted down upon him willing it to wash him away into a puddle so he wouldn’t have to face the coming days, years without her. But it wasn’t to be and he lowered his head to see the pristine headstone over the newly turned earth that was swiftly becoming mud. At least she had a marker.
Another woman who’d given him everything, a woman who fought with him and for him, who loved him, who kept him in line with a fierceness born of her breeding. He loved her with all his heart, that broken piece of flesh that was rendered incapable of sustaining another loss as he’d watched his beloved lowered into the earth, giving her back to God to join the two others who looked down upon him.
Damn her for not listening! Damn her for being impetuous! Damn her for riding as if nothing could harm her!
Damn me for not acting quickly enough.
A distant cry came to him, his name attached to those sounds, and he dismissed it as he did the rain soaking him, the trees whipping in time with the winds that lashed about him, the many hands that tried to comfort him. He never heard the deep tones of his oldest telling him they were going home or heard the buggy move off into the storm. He never heard any of it nor wished to hear any of it again.
An all-encompassing blackness that sucked the marrow from his bones engulfed him, cut him off from those around him, pushed him out the door when he couldn’t take another minute of staring at his bed, their bed, for the warmth of memory was stifling and produced a fury in him that made him rail against his God. He thought he’d managed to put it aside but no longer; no longer could he drift through the days; no longer could he wish things were different; no longer could he look upon the sad faces of his sons and see their mothers’ reflected there. He didn’t even want to pretend and didn’t even try and walked out that door, out of their lives, into a dark world where nothing existed for him, nothing but sorrow and hate and a shriveled up heart that gave him nothing but a breath to exist upon.
He never looked back as he made his way in the dark, never addressed an errant thought of who he was leaving behind because there was nothing for him there, nothing of value. Three times he’d been destroyed; two times he’d recovered. This time . . . this time was the last. How much could a man take? Three wives, three deaths with nothing left of them behind.
His horse flew through the night, taking him further away and he kept on going, going until he had to stop. He was tired and dirty and barely standing and he had to sit down. A hand found his shoulder and he looked into a woman’s face, Marie’s face, and grabbed her and held her close until his shuddering stopped and he heard . . .
. . . Buck whinny long and loud and it dragged Ben Cartwright from his dark depressing dreams, automatically reaching for his rifle and sitting up, blinking away the fuzziness before him.
“What is it, boy?” he gruffly asked as he watched Buck’s ears spring forward, his elegant head and neck straight and steady as he followed something distant.
Grunting as he pushed himself to his feet, Ben squinted trying to see what Buck could see, his eyes finally falling on movement within the trees. A stag . . . it was a stag, a twelve pointer of massive height staring at the both of them. His rifle sighted, Ben fingered the trigger, gently caressing it as he stared at the magnificent animal who never flinched, never moved, standing defiantly against the enemy. And quite suddenly Adam was there, standing before the stag, hands on his hips, a disgusted look on his face, and Ben pulled his aim, concentration broken. Rubbing tired eyes, he looked back only to see the stag calmly meander off into the trees. He’d beaten the odds again to grow another point.
Ben sat down heavily and dropped his head into his hands, letting the rifle fall beside him forgotten.
He’d forgotten his sons through his grief, buried them so deep he’d actually forgotten them for a time. Heaving sobs came upon him as he sat in that meadow, Buck nuzzling his hair and standing close as the morning sun carried on into afternoon pulling the October chill from the air. Absently he thought they’d have plenty of snow this year as he wrapped arms about his knees and stared off into the distance, his fire long extinguished, his coffee never made.
“How could I have forgotten?” he said aloud, causing Buck to cant his head sideways and look at his forlorn master lost to himself. “How could I have forgotten my most precious gifts?”
Buck snuffled at Ben and stomped a hoof. Their journey had been long and arduous but then he’d rested in that strange place. And now they were headed home, he could feel it, he could smell it and he was eager to continue.
“Not today, Buck,” Ben announced. “Not today.”
Not today. That had been his mantra for the past three months, three months of sitting in a room and staring out the window, three months of being forced to eat and sleep, three months of not caring whether he lived or died because he had nothing left to lose.
And then the telegram came.
He’d refused to read it, not wanting to be reminded of Nevada and all he’d lost, so he just sat there as the words were read to him, hearing them but not comprehending their meaning as they were expelled into the air. The telegram itself rested on his nightstand for six days before he ventured to pick it up.
‘BEN CARTWRIGHT. STOP. THE BOYS NEED YOU. STOP. COME HOME NOW. STOP. PAUL MARTIN.’
He crushed the telegram in his hand and tossed it across the room. He hadn’t known he had a witness.
“I never thought I’d see the day,” came her voice making him turn.
Mariah Nickols was every bit a match for her husband Ted. She was tall and slightly built with a tongue that could cut you to ribbons in seconds flat only to sooth and comfort moments later. She’d been the one who’d found Ben that day he’d drifted into Denver; she’s the one he’d clung too out on the street and she’d let him, aware of her passing likeness to Marie. Managing to get him home, Ted had taken over and manhandled him to the spare bedroom and that was where he’d been hiding ever since.
“Never thought you’d see what?” Ben abrasively asked, angry that she looked like Marie, angry that she was a woman and angry that Ted had his wife while his was buried beneath the earth.
“Never thought I’d see the great Ben Cartwright forget the pride and joy he felt for his boys just because he was afraid to face life without his wife.”
Ben turned a deadly look toward Mariah. “If you were a man, I’d beat your face in.”
“At least that would get you out of bed,” she responded holding his gaze. He turned away first as she strolled to the window and picked up the crumpled piece of paper reading the words again. “I don’t know who Paul Martin is but it would seem that he cares more for your boys than you do. What a shame. Perhaps he can adopt them; then you really won’t have to worry about anything but yourself.”
She continued to glare at him as she straightened out the telegram and laid it back on the nightstand, meeting his stony gaze with one of her own. She leaned in close. “Did it ever occur to you that maybe something’s happened to your boys? Maybe one of them is hurt or worse? Doesn’t that even raise a note of concern in that tiny little heart of yours?”
He remained silent and looked away as she stood straight, shook her head and started for the door.
“You can’t understand,” came his tortured voice no louder than the whispered breeze moving through the partially opened window. Mariah stopped at the door and turned. She watched his hands ball into fists, watched him clench his teeth. “You can’t know what it’s like to lose a part of you over and over again. And damned if I don’t just keep putting myself through it again, keep taking that step forward only to be knocked back a hundred steps each time.” He closed eyes over tears that plagued his face. “I just can’t do it anymore.”
Mariah moved to sit on the edge of the bed, trying not to notice his gunbelt neatly wrapped at the foot. A shiver ran through her but she brushed it aside. “You’ve made it through before. Why not now?” she asked placing her hand upon his tightly clenched fist. “What’s so different about now?”
Ben shook his head, relaxing his hand to grab hers. “I guess . . . I guess it’s because Marie was with us longer. I got used to having her there, used to her laugh, the smell of her perfume, the softness of her body next to mine. I thought I’d done it this time, beaten the curse and poured myself into her. But then it was ripped away, tossed aside like an old shirt, and I was left alone again.” He stopped for a moment then looked at her. “I shot that horse,” he admitted. “I shot him until all the bullets were gone and it didn’t change a thing. She was still dead and my life was over.”
“But your boys, Ben? They lost a mother.”
“I lost my wife,” he gave her pointing at his chest, trying to figure out why no one seemed to get that.
“But they lost their mother,” she repeated more forcefully. “They lost the only other constant in their lives besides you and then you just up and left. You left them alone to deal with their grief by themselves, for they grieve just as you.”
“Adam will take care of them,” Ben said with a nod, certain of that statement.
“Adam’s what? Seventeen? Eighteen? He’s lost three mothers; he’s shared in your grief. You shouldn’t have given him that responsibility. It was his mother . . .”
“It was my wife! My reason for living!”
“So your grief is more important than that of your sons?” she asked narrowing her eyes. “Ben, listen to yourself. I’ve never known you to be a selfish man. It is not an admirable trait.”
His eyes flared. “To hell with being admirable! My wife is dead, can’t you understand that? My life is over!” Mariah sat back, then grabbed the holster and held it out to him. “What’s that for?” he angrily asked as she patiently waited.
“You’ve nothing to live for; your life is over, you’ve stated that plainly enough. Then end it.”
“End it. Isn’t that why this gun is sitting on your bed? No one will care that you’re dead. Adam, Hoss, Little Joe, Hop Sing, this Paul Martin and any of your other friends obviously won’t care that you’re dead, so take the easy way out and end it.”
Shock at her words permeated him and he slowly shook his head. “I can’t . . .”
“Why not?” she asked. “Pull that trigger and your worries and sorrows will be over and you won’t have to watch your sons’ wonder why you abandoned them then took your life without a second thought to their wellbeing. I’d hate to see how their lives will turn out, especially when they come to split up the family, take your ranch, sell your belongings, your memories leaving them with nothing except a father that couldn’t pull himself out of the pit of despair he’s been wallowing in for far too long. What a memory that’ll be for them as they try to forget, try to carry on, try to remember the good times and the promises of a good life that are gone.” She tossed the gun across Ben’s legs and leaned in close. “So go ahead and pull that trigger. I’ll make sure your tombstone reads that you were once a good father and husband until fate stepped in and you deserted your sons because you became a selfish man.” She stood then and turned toward the door. “And don’t worry about the mess. Someone else will clean it up.”
She slammed the door behind her and leaned heavily against the wall, her whole body shaking. She didn’t even feel Ted’s hands on her or him leading her to their bedroom, sitting beside her as she cried. He couldn’t get a word out of her but let her cling to him as he heard another door open seeing Ben standing wordlessly in the hall. Mariah lifted her head and quickly wiped away her tears standing abruptly and straightening her dress.
“Ben?” Ted said seeing his friend’s eyes never waver from Mariah’s face. “Ben?”
He jerked his attention to Ted and reached out his arm. “Please . . . take care of this for me,” he said handing his friend the holstered gun. “I won’t be needing it until I leave.”
“Sure, Ben,” he answered completely confused. “Have you decided to head home?”
He hesitated a moment. “I’m thinking on it,” was the answer, forcing a half hearted grin onto his tired face. Mariah responded in kind as she brushed a slip of hair behind her ear.
“I, ah, I’ve made a spice cake,” she announced looking directly at Ben, “and I’d appreciate your tasters, gentlemen. Can’t send it to the Fair if it doesn’t taste any good.” She moved out of her room and hesitated in front of Ben, showing him a real smile and patting his arm. He covered her hand. “We’ll take it slow, won’t we?”
Ben nodded. “That’s about my speed for now.” She nodded and moved down the stairs, Ben watching her go. “You are blessed, Ted,” he whispered.
“I know, Ben, and so are you.” He caught his friend’s look.
Yes, he was blessed, blessed with six years of happiness that were now over, and three sons he needed to remember. “Yes . . . yes, I believe I am.”
Ben felt it as soon as he came around the last stand of trees – a numbing dark depression that he’d managed to push aside while making his way home begin to descend again. He pulled Buck to a stop and ran a hand over his grizzled face.
“I can’t let this happen again,” he whispered. “I won’t let this happen again.”
Mariah’s words brought truth to his soul, a truth he didn’t want to see but found he couldn’t ignore any longer. It was like a patch of sunlight had found its way in and once started it couldn’t be stopped.
Finally responding to Paul’s telegram and telling him he was coming home, it surprised him that he never received a reply. Although disheartened, he continued to make plans to head home, hopefully before the first snows flew, and left Denver with heartfelt thanks to the Nickols and all they’d done for him. Not five days out, he found himself stranded by the weather in a small town for six days and nights with a family who’d graciously put him up. Seems they’d lost someone too and instinctively knew what he needed. Their children played on his own memories and brought the love for his boys out from where he’d hidden it all those months ago.
Now he found himself hesitating outside his own front door, waiting in the yard like he was a stranger. As he dismounted, he heard the bunkhouse door open and smiling looked up to see Charlie Porter, coils of rope hanging from his shoulder, a shocked look quickly replaced with an eerie calm as he stopped in his tracks arms across his chest.
“Charlie,” Ben said looking closely at his foreman and seeing a simmering anger beneath the surface.
“Saw a campsite a ways back,” Charlie began, maneuvering a toothpick around his mouth. “Thought we had trespassers. Came home right quick jest ta make sure they wasn’t plannin’ on stealin’ anythin’ else.” His eyes were like steel fixed on Ben as if daring him to say something. “See, there’s been a rash of break-in’s here and about, even tried ta steal some of our horses a-couple o’ times but Adam and me stopped ‘em flat. ‘ Course we got a bit banged up but we’ll live. Takes more than a couple of criminals ta keep us down, seein’ as we jest had each other at the time.”
Ben’s head whirled. Break-in’s? Adam was hurt?
“I’ll see ta yer horse, Mr. Cartwright.” Charlie took the reins from Ben’s lax hand and handed him his saddlebags then looked his boss straight in the eye. “I’d be careful, Mr. Cartwright. Hop Sing ain’t gonna take kindly ta ya jest stoppin’ by fer a visit. If’n ya ain’t fer sure stayin’, I’ll give ya back yer reins.”
An intense irritation surfaced in Ben. How dare his foreman speak to him like that! He didn’t have to explain himself. But before he could tell him so, the past months raised ugly memories and he clamped shut his mouth on the reprimand he’d been ready to spew forth.
“I’m home to stay, Charlie,” came out instead as Ben squared his shoulders. His foreman continued to look at him then gave a slight nod.
“Hope that’s true, Mr. Cartwright, for their sake.”
Tossing his toothpick aside, Charlie clicked to Buck and patted the buckskin on the neck as they sauntered toward the barn, Ben watching him go as his heart began to pound fiercely. That was, no doubt, just a taste of what was to come.
Slowly turning, he wiped suddenly sweaty hands down his pants and headed for the door, faltering just a moment before grabbing the latch then opening the door to step into the great room.
A fire burned in the hearth and, for a moment, he sighed as relief washed over him for every stick of furniture remained where he remembered. That lasted only seconds as he found himself running hands over the back of the settee, Marie’s settee, where they’d snuggled many a night before the fire talking of their future. He noticed his hands balling into fists as he felt himself slipping toward that black morass that still nestled in his chest.
“Not now,” he muttered, forcing the feeling away again, startled at a loud crash from the dining room. Spinning he found Hop Sing staring at him, a tray hanging haphazardly in one hand, broken porcelain scattered at his feet. Ben was genuinely pleased to see his friend and gave him a smile as he stepped forward only to stop short when the shocked look passed replaced with a stiff posture.
“Mista Cartwright,” came from him without emotion, his eyes never wavering from Ben’s.
“Hop Sing, it’s good to see you,” he said getting no response. “Ah, where are the boys?” The constant stare unnerved him, made him feel like he was a child again.
“School,” came the short answer as he kneeled to clean up the mess.
“Here, let me help,” Ben quickly said moving forward.
“My job!” Hop Sing answered in a clipped and caustic tone, stopping Ben mid-stride, his stomach tightening with each passing second. “You clean self. Stink up house.” Glaring at Ben once more, Hop Sing disappeared into the kitchen mumbling to himself.
Should he follow? Should he explain? Ben waited but Hop Sing didn’t reappear so he turned toward the stairs and as he mounted each step, the weight on his shoulders increased until he felt as if the world rested there. There was so much he had to fix. But could he? You’ve no one to blame but yourself came to him just as he stopped outside Adam’s room. Opening the door, he peered inside.
Neat as always. Ben could feel his son’s presence, smell the soft scent of the leather bound books gathered there; see his guitar resting in its usual place and his desk strewn with drawings. His eye searched for Elizabeth’s music box that Adam always kept on his nightstand and instead found a piece of paper lying against it. Picking it up, he discovered it was a drawing obviously of the ranch house with Adam, Hoss, Joe, Hop Sing and three others in the yard all holding hands. Joe’s childish scrawl reported that this was ‘To Adam on your birthday, From the family’.
His birthday? Damn, I forgot.
Brushing away the mistake, Ben looked more closely at the drawing marveling still at the closeness of his boys despite their age differences and then the smile faded when he realized that none of the others depicted were him. Sitting down heavily on the bed, he couldn’t take his eyes from those figures, his understanding of who they were slowly seeping past his own wishes. What a blow to discover that not only had he forgotten his sons but they’d moved on without him as well and only he was to blame.
“Water getting hot,” Hop Sing announced from the door, turning to leave as Ben looked up.
“I’m not in this picture,” Ben said, sadness permeating every word.
Hop Sing stopped, anger still clinging to him over this sudden appearance of the one who’d abandoned them. But he was their father and his employer and whether Ben cared or not he deserved to know what had happened. “No,” he answered turning around.
“This is Paul and Roy isn’t it?”
“And Charlie,” Hop Sing finished for him with a slight nod.
“Paul and Roy?”
“Boys live mosta time with Docta Paul.”
Ben’s brows furrowed. “Live with him?”
“Mista Adam take once house broken into.”
Ben was confused and shook his head. “They are Adam’s responsibility and they’re safe here. Why would he take them to town?”
“You no listen,” Hop Sing barked catching Ben’s attention. “Break-ins. Criminals. Come to Ponderosa. No one here to protect boys when Mista Adam with cow all day. He think Docta Paul and Sheriff Roy take better care and he right. I can’t watch all time. Got work. Make sure house still here when Mista Adam come home. My job. No one else. Boys come home Friday nights; boys no come back after church Sunday. Mista Adam stay here. Me and Charlie keep watch with him.”
Ben just stared at Hop Sing, the words whirling about his head. Break-ins? Someone tried to steal their horses?
“Beside Mista Adam worry over Mista Tolman,” Hop Sing continued as Ben pulled his attention back to the man.
“Brett Tolman?” Why would Brett Tolman worry Adam? He was a friend, a lawyer with aspirations of going to Washington and nothing more.
“That him,” Hop Sing stated with a nod. “He bad man.”
“He try take boys.”
“What?!” Ben raged shooting to his feet, all thoughts of goodwill toward the man instantly gone.
“That right. No father. No mother. Only brother who not here ‘cause work all time. Someone beside Chinaman need raise boys. Mista Adam to leave when Docta Paul step in. Going to adopt Hoss and Little Joe less Mista Adam get guardianship to keep together.”
“Oh, God,” Ben whispered dropping back onto the bed.
“Mista Adam want keep family together. You lucky he still here. When he go, I go with him. Now, water get hot. Ready five minutes.” He was done and he didn’t care how it sounded. Someone had to speak plain to Ben Cartwright and besides Paul Martin and Roy Coffee, he was the only one that would even consider it. He quickly left mumbling under his breath at the vagaries of life as he headed back to the kitchen.
“Leaving?” Ben said aloud carefully replacing the drawing on Adam’s nightstand. He didn’t try to stop the tears that fell.
“All right, Beauty, we’re almost home,” Adam Cartwright soothingly spoke to his limping mount as he walked beside him caressing his sleek neck. “Soon you’ll be all warm and cozy and I’ll put some hot water and liniment on your leg and you can sleep the day away.” He yawned. Sleep sounded good to him as well.
A month before, he’d collapsed from exhaustion and, despite Paul Martin’s warnings, managed to take on most of the work once he’d regained his feet. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Charlie or Hop Sing – quite the contrary – but he felt it was his responsibility to do certain things. Of course, those certain things nearly always blossomed into something much larger and he’d have to ask for help anyway. Inwardly he smiled. Charlie was a good teacher and a good friend, and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he could trust him.
He sighed. Trust – a word that was bandied about quite frequently and yet could be corrupted by a sudden change of wind, a change that was least expected, and turn your world upside down. He’d decided a month back to be less trusting in the future and, hopefully, it would keep him out of trouble.
The good feeling that had earlier taken root died as his mind shifted to what his regimented days had become – a constant workflow. Of course, one advantage of continually moving was it kept his mind from dwelling on what bothered him most – they’d been deserted, abandoned to fend for themselves, by their father. If he was honest with himself, he did remember a small amount of withdrawal when Hoss’ mother, Inger, died but his father couldn’t run then – he’d had to stay with the wagon train, stay focused or they all could’ve been killed. And now that they were settled with a roof over their heads and food in their bellies, their father had run and far enough away as to not be bothered by little things like three sons and a ranch. Chastising himself for even thinking on the subject with such a beautiful day all around him, he forced himself to run Shakespeare lines and failed miserably. Frustration took him and he let out a yell finding himself being pulled off his feet when Beauty shot straight up into the air.
“Whoa, boy, easy now,” came his soothing voice as soon as he found himself firmly planted on terra firma once again. “I’m sorry, boy. I can’t . . . I won’t let him destroy anything else. I won’t let what happened interfere with anything else. Think I can do it?” Beauty canted his head and snuffled and Adam smiled just as the barn came into view. He glanced up at the sun. He still had at least an hour before he had to go collect the boys being that this was Friday, the day they came home for the weekend.
He had a full Saturday planned, what with fishing and a picnic already set up. He’d made a new rod for Joe and even talked Hop Sing into making an apple pie for Hoss. Of course, it didn’t take much cajoling for Hop Sing was just as happy to have the boys home as he was and cursed the reason why they couldn’t be. If only Roy Coffee could find those robbers. They were becoming more brazen with each heist and soon, he knew, people would get hurt.
Shaking his head to clear those thoughts, Adam rounded the corner and ducked into the barn leading Beauty behind him hearing a familiar whinny. Stopping dead in his tracks, he felt his heart rise into his throat as he turned, cautious eyes taking in the sight of something he’d been wishing for these long months – Buck standing in his own stall. Dropping Beauty’s reins he moved toward the animal to check the brand then looked at the tack nearby. He swallowed hard then froze, the hackles on his neck quickly rising at the next sound.
An instant of shock rushed through him and he sucked in a breath but didn’t turn. He couldn’t turn. What could he possibly say to this man who’d taken a sledgehammer to their lives? Oh, he’d planned it, reciting the words over and over until he was sick of it and now, when he had the chance, it was as if all the moisture in his body had been sucked dry. He was trembling and knew he had to stop. There was no way he would face this man looking like a scared little boy.
“Adam,” came at him again in that voice he’d dreamt of – that voice that had meant so much to him and filled him with warmth and love until he rode out of the yard and away from them all those months ago. Adam released a breath and pulled himself to his full height then turned straining to keep his face impassive, to keep any sign of the emotional turmoil that raced through him from being visible for he couldn’t give this man an inch.
“Pa,” he finally answered not trusting himself to say anything else.
Ben stepped forward, taking in this boy, this man who looked like he’d grown a good two inches while he’d been away, a little thinner with hair much too long. A hesitant smile curled his lips until he came up next to Adam and caught sight of the resentment in those dark hazel eyes. He knew this would be the hardest one to bear since Adam and he were so alike, and yet he felt it had to be the first since he was the oldest, the one who’d been expected to pick up the pieces.
“It’s good to see you.” Adam remained silent. “Ah, I just got home a couple of hours ago. Ranch looks good. You’ve, ah, done a good job.” Still silence reigned and Ben fumbled for something else to say. “I’m sorry I missed your birthday.”
“You missed a lot of things, Pa,” came the unforgiving answer as Adam stood there, thumbs hooked in his belt loops not willing to give him anything.
Ben heard it, heard the anger and blame, could feel it exuding from his son like a tangible thing and stuffed hands in his pockets. “I hear the boys are staying with Paul.”
Adam nodded. “That’s right. I can’t protect them here by myself.” Ben winced slightly. “Is there anything else? I’ve got to go pick them up for the weekend.”
Ben gave him a hopeful smile. “I’d like to do that if I may? I need to do that.”
Adam drilled him with a look. This would involve trust, trust that his father would actually pick up the boys, trust that he wouldn’t break their hearts all over again.
“Are you staying or are you just stopping by because if it’s the latter . . .”
“No, no,” Ben quickly said. “I’m home. I’ve come home for good.”
Not really believing it, Adam found he had no choice. Ben was still their father and he could do as he pleased with his boys. “All right,” he finally answered pulling his gaze from Ben and picking up an empty bucket, patting Beauty on the rump. The animal walked into his own stall and Adam headed for the barn door, stopping just as he cleared it. Half turning, he looked up into the blue sky. “They thought you stayed away because of them, because they’d done something to drive you away. I told them that you had to get away and still loved them and would be home as soon as the pass cleared.” He turned those angry eyes on him. “I had to tell them something since you gave me nothing.” With that he was gone, stomping across the yard to slip through the kitchen door, slamming it behind him.
Ben grabbed a post and hung on, his whole body trembling with guilt. What he’d put them through, he could see it all in Adam’s eyes; he could see the hurt that resided there and knew a confrontation was coming but how long until it did and how bad was something he couldn’t or wouldn’t fathom.
He jumped at the loud crash coming from the house and the scattered Cantonese mixed with a loud baritone and looked away. He couldn’t make out the words and didn’t really want to know. Taking a deep breath, Ben glanced over toward Buck and knew he couldn’t take his faithful mount out so soon, so he grabbed his tack and headed for the corral. Now he had to face his other sons . . . and Paul Martin. He unlatched the corral gate and stepped inside.
“Why you throw bucket?!” Hop Sing shouted once he’d managed to calm himself enough to speak English, pointing at the offending item that had nearly decapitated him. “What bucket do to you?!”
Adam fumed, hands on his hips, pacing six steps forward whirling about and pacing six steps back, muttering and gesticulating with each step.
“I no talk to hear self. You answer me. Mista Adam? Mista . . . ADAM STODDARD CARTWRIGHT!” he finally yelled, bringing the angry youth to a dead stop. It was rare but had been known to happen that Hop Sing called him by his full name, and when he did Adam paid attention. “That better. Now, why you throw bucket?”
He stared at Hop Sing then looked away leaning against the sink. “I didn’t hit you, did I?” he finally asked.
“No,” the little cook admitted then smiled. “But if I fatter, bucket have nowhere to go but here,” he said slapping his stomach. He peered around to see a tiny try at a smile on Number One son’s mouth then laid a hand on his shoulder. “You see fatha?” Adam only nodded. Hop Sing sighed. “I know how you feel. I broke fancy tea set.” He patted Adam then and picked up the bucket. “Why you need bucket?”
“Beauty hurt his leg,” Adam explained turning to face his friend. “I was going to get some hot water and . . .” His voice trailed off and he crossed arms over his chest. “What am I gonna do, Hop Sing? I can’t just act like nothing’s happened. I don’t . . . I just don’t trust him anymore. God, what an awful thing to say about your father.”
“It not awful. Don’t beat self; not your fault he run off. You only one here; you take care of things. He need to earn trust again.”
“But how could I ever let him in, knowing he might disappear again if something happens, leave me . . . leave us alone again. I was feeling reasonably lighthearted today and then he was there and I was instantly angry and guilty at the same time and I hated him for making me feel that way.” Adam’s eyes burned and Hop Sing understood the passion inside this young man; he’d seen it flare often enough and knew the torment it gave him. Then he looked away. “How can I ever forgive him for making me lie to the boys, making me his accomplice? I can’t act like nothing’s happened, Hop Sing. It’s not in my nature to let things go.”
“I know,” Hop Sing answered with a nod, drawing a quick look.
“So how do I do it without saying things I’ll regret, without causing pain for Hoss and Joe and you? The boys will forgive him anything. I just . . . can’t. This was too big. It tore at me, Hop Sing, broke something and I don’t know if it can be mended. I just . . . I don’t know what to do.”
Being only eighteen, Adam had had very little time to master the emotions that played across his face, emotions that threatened to overtake him by leading him into a deep depression or catapulting him into a screaming fit all in the space of a few minutes. And this added wrinkle merely pushed him closer to the lip of a chasm spanning a great darkness that he knew, if he were to fall, he might never return. But what was one to do when chaos reigned? Leap in and join the fray or be forever vigilant and stand your ground, always keeping yourself closed off so nothing could touch you or hurt you again?
Nodding to himself, Adam realized that tucking everything away deep down inside was the best medicine for him, would keep him from harm and those around him. The stoic, silent type that didn’t waste energy on screaming and yelling like his little brother may prove workable, especially in this situation. But first he’d have to master his anger toward his father, find a solution he could live with or he’d just have to leave and make his own way. Paul would take care of the boys if his father couldn’t. He wasn’t certain of much but he was certain of that.
“Adam’s late,” Joe Cartwright said to his brother, Hoss, as they sat on a bench outside Paul Martin’s office.
“He ain’t that late,” Hoss answered continuing to whittle a dog from a piece of wood he’d found in the schoolyard that morning.
“He’s never late,” Joe continued, swinging his legs back and forth.
“Shore he is. Ya jest never noticed afore,” Hoss informed his little brother as he blew on the wood showering the air with dust. Joe shrugged and continued to stare down the street.
Ever since their father left, Joe was always afraid something would happen to Adam. He’d fought tooth and nail when his brother told them they were going to be staying with Paul after those men came to the ranch and broke in and tried to take the horses. He wasn’t about to let Adam face them alone and told him so.
It wasn’t until Brett Tolman came to visit, flourishing papers and big words causing Adam to lose his temper and threaten to shoot the man did Joe begin to understand his brother’s worries for their future. Only as Tolman tripped in his haste to get back to his horse and fell in a heap did Joe hear the words that changed his mind as the man scrambled to his feet, mounted and galloped away – ‘you will not be allowed to raise these boys on your own!’ He saw the fear in Adam’s eyes that day and understood. Both Hoss and Joe had been trundled off to Paul’s that very afternoon, with Hop Sing in tow to settle them in.
Brett Tolman became a regular sight, sitting outside his office when they walked to school and then again when they walked home to Paul’s. He’d even ventured into the doctor’s parlor a time or two and was summarily thrown out. If Adam had known about that, Joe was positive he’d of made Tolman afraid of his own shadow. Because of that possibility, Paul informed them that he had everything under control and it wouldn’t help to get his brother so riled up he’d end up in jail. So for once in his short life, Joe kept his mouth shut. No need to put anything else on his brother’s shoulders.
But today was Friday and that meant they’d all be together again for the whole weekend. He couldn’t wait to see Hop Sing and his room and all his things and hear about what went on during the week from Charlie and Adam and just about everything else. He sighed. “You suppose he’s comin’?”
“Yeah, Joe. Adam’s comin’.”
“But he’s late.”
Hoss just shook his head, his own thoughts moving along the same lines as his little brother’s – Adam was late and it wasn’t like him to be late.
Squinting up into the afternoon sun, Hoss centered his attention on the citizens of Virginia City as they moved along the streets, wondering if they had troubles too. Well, most everyone had troubles, he knew that, but theirs ranked right up there.
Their Pa was gone, gone now four months and they’d only heard from him once. It’s not like he thought anything had happened to him; it’s just, well, that they’d been left behind. It turned his stomach some when he thought on it so he tried to ignore it for both his brother’s sake. He knew Adam was rankled most all the time; could see it on his face and in his manner when he thought no one was looking and it made him sad. He didn’t like his brother feeling that way. He was already responsible for them and the ranch and then that Mr. Tolman had come out and threatened to take them away. Hoss thought Adam was going to kill that man and he would’ve helped him pull the trigger. No one was going to break them up, let alone a puny man in an ill-fitting suit. Hoss sighed and re-sheathed his knife then looked down the street. Adam was late. It wasn’t like him to be late.
Paul Martin looked out the window for the tenth time, wondering where Adam was; he was late and that was out of character for the young man, and the boys waiting for him were getting fidgety. Well, Joe was getting fidgety but then that boy had enough energy to run to Carson City and back in a day and be ready for more. He shook his head, a gentle smile on his face.
It’d been quite an undertaking to get used to these two boys in his house. Hoss, ever helpful, had taken quickly to the transition but Joe . . . he’d had a problem from day one. Always underfoot, asking question after question, crying himself to sleep then waking everyone with his nightmares. Paul had become quite adept at mothering in the middle of the night but then his job as a doctor meant he kept odd hours anyway so it wasn’t much of a stretch. He’d always been fond of the boys and realized what he’d been missing by not having children of his own.
Sighing, he turned from the window then stopped suddenly, eyes growing wide. Flinging the curtains aside, he squinted down the street. “Well, I’ll be,” he muttered hurrying out the front door already seeing Joe running pell-mell down the street, yelling at the top of his lungs. “Hoss?”
“I see ‘im,” Hoss answered as he gazed at the phantom coming toward them, seeing him leap from the saddle and gather Joe in his arms.
Paul turned to the eleven-year-old, seeing the large smile on his face and wondered why he wasn’t doing the same thing as his little brother. “It’s okay, Hoss, if you . . .”
“I know,” Hoss answered. “It’s jest that . . . well Little Joe’s been missin’ ‘im somethin’ awful. Wouldn’t be right ta barge in jest yet.”
Paul nodded, seeing Ben lift Joe into his arms then head their way.
“Look, Hoss! It’s Pa!” Joe shouted as Ben let him down to hurry over to his brother.
“I can see that, Joe,” Hoss laughed, looking up at his father who stopped before him. “I can see that.”
The sound of that remembered voice made Hoss shiver and he flung arms about his father’s neck, delighting in the corresponding arms he felt pull him in.
“Pa,” came his muffled reply as tears fell, Ben rubbing hands along the broad back thinking he’d grown like a tree since he’d last seen him. All that he’d missed was more than physical changes and he’d done it to himself.
“My son,” Ben gruffly said, feeling Joe’s smaller arms cover them. “My sons,” he corrected as he pulled back smiling at them both. Looking up then, he spied Paul Martin standing stock still, arms crossed, the exact vision of both Charlie Porter and Adam, and he slowly stood, keeping a hand on the shoulders of his boys. “Paul.”
“I’m here to take my boys home.”
“Before you do that, I’d like to speak with you . . . alone.”
Ben nodded. “Of course. Wait outside, boys. I won’t be a minute,” he smiled, following after Paul who closed the door behind him then led him from the parlor and little ears. “I just want to thank you for taking the boys in. It’s more than I could’ve . . .”
“How could you, Ben?!” Paul exclaimed, whirling on his old friend, anger changing his warm eyes to solid onyx. “How could you abandon them without a second thought?!” Feeling as if he’d been struck, Ben took a step back. “You’ve no idea what you’ve put them through nor do you seem to care.”
“Oh, really? You couldn’t prove that by me or anyone else,” Paul answered, turning from his friend and gripping the back of a chair. “Did they hear from you aside from that one cryptic letter sent after you’d already been gone for months?”
“I replied to your telegram. Didn’t you tell them?”
“Why would I, Ben? It took you over a week and a half to respond and then you didn’t show up for another month.” Paul turned from him and tried to calm himself. He could already see in his friend’s eyes how guilty he was, remorse hung from every word, and yet he couldn’t seem to help himself. “Have you seen Adam yet?”
“Yes,” came the short answer drawing Paul’s attention.
“And how did that go?”
“As well as could be expected after . . . after what I’ve done,” Ben admitted, lowering his head in shame.
“You need to know what you’ve done, Ben. You need to know what you put those boys through and me and Roy and Hop Sing. Do you know why I sent you that telegram? I was frantically called out to the house because Adam collapsed.” Ben looked up quickly. “Collapsed because he was only seventeen doing the job of five men including looking after his brothers and forgetting about himself. He was grieving, Ben, just like you, and hadn’t had the time to indulge his emotions because you left him hanging. He had to be father to the boys and keep them on an even keel; he had to keep the ranch running; he had to ward off Brett Tolman by threatening him; and he had to contend with a pack of robbers that struck the Ponderosa twice and the second time both he and Charlie could’ve been killed. That’s what you left him with while you sorted out your feelings miles from home.”
“I didn’t . . . I didn’t know.”
“How could you? You weren’t here.” Paul sighed and closed his eyes.
“I can only thank you . . .”
“I don’t want or need your thanks, Ben,” Paul answered, pushing himself away from the chair and walking toward his friend, his eyes losing their steely glint but far from their usual warm tones. “But know this. I am your friend. Even after all of this, I’m still your friend and I love those boys and don’t want anything to happen to them. But if I believe, for one moment, one moment, that you’re not going to provide them with a steady home life . . .” He paused then, debating with himself about finishing the thought then decided to forge ahead. “If I believe you will not be there for them, I will continue with my plans for adoption and take them from you before I let Brett Tolman or anyone else touch them. Do I make myself clear?”
Ben glared at his friend, his own displeasure flaring instantly at the thought of someone else raising his children. But then he was reminded of where he’d been these last months and the confidences he’d lost along the way.
“Do I make myself clear?” Paul repeated seeing a bit of the old Ben Cartwright return to the stooped figure before him.
“Yes, Paul, you’re meaning is very clear.”
Paul held his gaze for a moment then nodded. “Take your boys home, Ben. You can collect their things later or I can bring them out to the ranch, whichever you choose.”
“I’ll collect them later,” Ben answered as Paul nodded again then held out a hand toward his friend. Ben hesitated, unsure of his standing with this man after the words just spoken, then slowly grabbed it. “Thank you for my sons, Paul.”
“Make it mean something, Ben, now that you’re home. Put as much to right as you can and know that Adam loves you with all his heart. It just may take time for him to find it again.”
Ben nodded then headed out, his hand stopping on the doorknob as he hastily wiped at his eyes then put on his best smile and stepped outside.
“Let’s go home, boys!” Ben said wrapping his arms about Hoss and Joe and stepping off the porch.
“Adam?” came Joe’s voice through his big brother’s door followed by a discreet knock. “Adam, the door’s locked.” Joe heard the distinct click then the door popped open. “Why’d ya lock your door, Adam?” he asked as he stepped inside. “Never seen it locked before.”
“Just needed some privacy,” came his brother’s quiet answer. “What do you need, Buddy?”
Joe stepped inside, seeing his brother retake his seat by the window, a book in hand but he knew he hadn’t been reading. The lantern wasn’t lit and it was too dark to read.
“We was wonderin’ if you’re gonna come down to dinner. Hop Sing’s made pork roast and we know how much you like it.” There was a smile in his voice, that much Adam could tell and he knew why it was there. He was happy for his brother, for both his brothers.
“I’ve had a hard day and I’m not very hungry.”
“But you ain’t probably had nothin’ since breakfast.”
“Haven’t had anything,” Adam corrected with a shake of his head.
“Haven’t had anything since breakfast,” Joe reiterated. “Ain’t ya . . . Aren’t ya happy Pa’s home, Adam? Now you don’t havta be, you know, resp . . . respon . . .”
“Yeah, responsible for everything. Ya can go back to being big brother and Pa can do the rest.”
“Sure thing, until he leaves again,” Adam muttered under his breath.
“Sure thing,” Adam repeated trying to put a bit more energy into his words.
“Then what’s wrong?” Joe asked, moving to stand next to his brother. “We’re all together again. Everyone’s happy but you. It ain’t . . . isn’t anything Hoss or I’ve done, is it?”
Adam reached out and lightly grabbed his brother’s arm. “No, of course not and don’t either of you think it is. You’ve been a great joy to me and helped me more than you know.”
“Then what is it?”
Adam tried to smile, wasn’t successful and looked away and out the window at the deepening crimson of the fading sun. “I just have to work some things through and it’s just easier if I do it by myself. Now,” he said turning back to his little brother, “why don’t you go back downstairs and regale Pa with that mystery you’re trying to solve. I’m sure he could help you with it.”
“But you were helping me,” Joe answered, the tone pulling at Adam’s heartstrings.
“I know, Buddy, but maybe Pa’ll have a new perspective, ah . . . see things I didn’t. He’s been around a lot longer than I have.”
“But he hasn’t been here and won’t understand.”
“He will if you explain everything to him, right from the beginning. Remember how he helped when you lost Fuzzy? Hoss and I couldn’t find him but Pa did.”
Joe smiled. “That’s right. He did. Okay, I’ll tell him. He is pretty old.”
Despite himself, Adam chuckled. “Just don’t tell him that and you should be pretty safe.” He tickled his brother then turned him around and patted him on the rump. “Now scoot. I’ll see you after you’re in bed.”
“Okay, Adam.” Swiftly turning back, Joe planted a kiss on Adam’s cheek then scurried from the room, leaving a big brother tenderly touching his face then wiping at his eyes.
“Damnit,” Adam mumbled, tossing the book across the room and laying his head back to glance once more out the window. The red was almost gone and twilight had set in, stars beginning to make their presence known.
What was it that Marie had said . . . something about the twilight puts to rest all the thoughts of the day, the dark holding them in only to let them out as dawn thunders across the sky like the opening of Pandora’s Box to be organized or resolved or pushed aside for something new. The trouble was that this night, this deepening of the purple twilight into a black piece of cloth pierced with stars only ignited more thoughts, more memories of things gone past that fought with his current attempt at becoming an unemotional statue. He wondered how long this penchant for stoicism would stand up under this unrelenting seething fury that captured him each time he saw his father’s face.
Being young, he thought he could do anything, proved it to himself over and over these last months when he’d stood up to Brett Tolman and those robbers; stood up as a man to protect his family. And just because his father was here, he couldn’t just ignore his continuing responsibilities to his brothers and swiftly saddled a horse and followed after him as he headed to Virginia City to pick up the boys, always keeping his distance, always hidden in the trees. It wouldn’t due to lose his vigilance now. Vaguely he felt put out when he saw Joe run into his father’s arms, his temper on the rise again. Quickly, he turned from the sight and headed home.
That temper had turned into a simmering mass by the time Ben rounded into the yard with Hoss and Joe in tow an hour or so later, as if these last months hadn’t happened and it blossomed into a full-blown ferocity, making him want to haul off and strike the great Ben Cartwright with all the power he could muster in one punch.
Fortunately, he’d been busy working the forge, a pile of horseshoes laying about him, most bent at odd angles and completely unusable, something Joe noticed right off. But a look from Hoss silenced him as they dismounted, Adam taking the horses and disappearing into the barn without a word spoken. He’d not even spared a glance for his father who waited a second or two then felt himself being dragged toward the house by his youngest. Hoss lingered a moment and glanced toward the barn, feeling the tension present then turned away and followed those already inside.
And now Adam sat here in the dark, trying desperately to rid himself of these feelings that seemed to overtake him at will and having no luck. He sighed and rubbed at his face. There would be no sleep for him this night.
The sun sparkled through the stained glass window, the pride of Reverend George Terry’s church, as the Sunday morning service wore on. Adam hadn’t really studied it of late, too caught up in the day to day trials that encompassed his every waking moment but found today his eyes couldn’t take leave of it.
It was a cascade of colors molded together by an artist with a fine hand who knew what would work best as the sun shone down to draw interesting silhouettes on the far wall, shifting in depth and tone as the sun moved across the sky. It was mesmerizing, far more than Reverend Terry’s sermon, a sermon of words of those gone long before that simply didn’t speak to him this day. Oh, what he wouldn’t give for those words to help him understand why solace had proven illusive now that his dreams were answered and his father was home.
Focusing racing thoughts and feelings on how the yellow of the glass corresponded brilliantly with the reds and greens diverted his attention from the silver haired man who sat to his left. He’d decided, quite intentionally, to sit as far from him as possible not knowing Hoss was attempting the same thing, neither sparing a look to the man who’d raised them or the little brother who sat so close to their father that he’d almost scooted him off the pew twice.
And there was a part of him that so desperately wanted to just grab onto him and never let go. But the other part, the part Reverend Terry liked to call the ‘dark spirit’ was gnawing at his insides, filling his head with a cruel and snide voice destined to spill out and hurt whomever was nearby. He knew that person would most likely be his father.
Closing tired eyes for a moment, Adam wondered how he was going to get through this transition back to oldest son when he’d had to leap into the fray and take charge. After these long months, he’d found he much preferred to be the hired hand or, at least, not solely in charge, freeing him up to make plans of his own like going away to school . . . Ah, school. He hadn’t even thought about that so caught up in everything around him. Well, it’d probably been a pipedream anyway. He needed to stay home and look after the boys, especially now that Marie was gone for he couldn’t trust that his father wouldn’t bail if the going got tough. More fuel for his ‘dark spirit’.
“’For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses’.” 1
Adam harrumphed and caught a look from Reverend Terry. Covering it up with a small cough, his eyes drifted to his father who gave him a slight scowl. That didn’t help him in the slightest and he returned the look until Ben turned away then returned his gaze to the dancing lights of the glass, impatiently waiting for this day, this weekend to end.
While his son railed over the inequities of life, Ben sat in uncomfortable silence, ignoring the skewering looks and off-hand comments he’d braved while walking into the church. Even his good friend Roy Coffee hadn’t given him the time of day as he nodded to him, Roy’s eyes alighting for just a moment then turning away as he smiled at Mrs. Wincott and her brood of six children. Another nail in his already punctured heart. And it wasn’t as if he didn’t deserve it. He was perfectly aware of what he’d done and was now determined to right as much of the wrong as possible. The problem was he didn’t know if it could be done, if not now, than anytime soon. The frosty disposition of his oldest was enough to make him hide in his room and his middle boy kept giving him odd looks so unlike the happy-go-lucky personality he’d left months ago. But then that was it wasn’t it? He’d left, left behind his sons, his life’s blood, left without a word.
“’Woe is me because of my hurt; my wound is grievous. But I said, truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.2’”
Words . . . just words. But they pointed right at him like the accusing finger of a judge exiling him to the vast reaches of darkness to which he’d already found himself months before and was just now appreciating his awakening. Thank God for Mariah for punishing him more than he was punishing himself and making him see what he’d forsaken.
Unconsciously, he’d wrapped an arm about Joe who snuggled ever closer and wondered at this little boy who’d lost his mother. He seemed bound and determined to forget the previous months and revel in his father’s homecoming. Ah, but if that was all it took for him to feel home, he would’ve yelled a giant thank you to the heavens and dropped to his knees in appreciation. But yesterday alone told him he needed more than the undying love of a six-year-old.
He sighed as he remembered dragging out the picnic basket and suddenly being informed that Adam wasn’t going with them, and while Ben thought his oldest should continue with what he’d been doing with the boys over the many weekends he’d missed, he didn’t feel up to the argument he knew would follow should he suggest such a thing. So he’d let it go, allowing Adam the luxury of space between the two of them, and climbed aboard not noticing the confused looks Hoss kept throwing his way. In fact, Ben hadn’t noticed them at all until much later as they sat at the lake, the new fishing rod in place while Joe lay fast asleep in his lap and Hoss sat forlornly on a rock a few paces away.
“Why don’t you come over here, Hoss,” Ben called hoping to see the wide smile from this child only to be met with a closed off face and narrowed eyes. “What’s the matter, son?”
“Why didn’t ya ask Adam ta come?” came the question.
“He had to take care of his horse.”
“Why didn’t ya ask ‘im, Pa? Ain’t ya glad ta see ‘im?”
The question smacked Ben across the face. “Of course I’m glad to see him. I’m glad to see all of you.”
“Then why didn’t ya ask ‘im?” Hoss looked him straight in the eye and waited while Ben swallowed. “He’da come if’n ya asked ‘im.”
“I wasn’t going to force him, Hoss. If your brother wanted to be here, he’d be here.”
Hoss narrowed his eyes further at Ben’s chosen words. “He always wanted ta be here with us, Pa, and he always found the time, even though he was real busy. I ain’t heard ya say one thing ta ‘im since ya’ve been home. In fact, ya ain’t hardly spoke ta me neither, jest Joe.”
Stunned, Ben’s mouth flopped open then quickly shut. “Hoss, I . . .”
“It don’t matter none.” Hoss simply turned back toward the lake.
Ben’s heart fluttered and the pit of his stomach knotted. Within the span of a moment, or to be more realistic the span of four months, gone were the smiles and open arms of his middle boy who always seemed to take things in stride and because of that was the one always caught in the middle. And he knew saying anything at this point would just sound trite and he might just lose him even further.
Brought back to the present by Joe pressing harder against him, Ben found himself looking at Hoss as he leaned against Adam, who sat lost in the stained glass window. He tried to listen to Reverend Terry’s concluding remarks about forgiveness and understanding but all he could hear were the murmurings of a restless crowd all trying to decide whether they should nod and move on as they made their way out of the church or stop and reacquaint themselves with this wayward father returned from his journey.
Deciding to make up their minds for them, Ben rose at the final ‘amen’ and started toward the exit, keeping his eyes straight ahead. He didn’t even know if Hoss or Adam followed but clung to Joe’s hand, moving on to step out into the sunlight and toward the buggy, lifting Joe into the seat.
“Pa, what about the picnic?” Joe asked with a bright smile. Seeing an annoyed look cross his father’s face, Joe sat back. “Ah, we can go home if ya wanna. Whatever ya want, Pa.”
Turning quickly from Joe, Ben managed to maneuver his emotions into a safer place.
Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to come into town today. Hell, it’d only been two days and not even two full days since he’d been home. Perhaps he should’ve let himself get used to the idea that his standing was a bit tarnished now and it would be something he’d have to polish often in order to get that sheen of respectability back. Ah, to hell with them! He turned back to Joe and gave him a slow smile. “And let all of Hop Sing’s food go to waste? What would he say because I know you’d tell him.”
“Would not,” Joe shot back as Ben pulled him from the buggy and mussed his hair, moving to the back and the large basket residing there. He spied Adam and Hoss speaking with Roy and stopped in mid-step, knowing the conversation included him yet he also knew he wasn’t welcome to enter in.
“Come on, Pa!” came Joe’s voice as he scampered on ahead drawing his father’s attention from them.
Conversation concluded, Adam nodded at Roy and placed a hand on Hoss’ shoulder steering them both toward the picnic area. It was then he heard his name and turned to see Brett Tolman heading toward him.
“Hoss, you go on ahead.”
“But, Adam, that’s Mr. Tolman.”
“I know. Go on before Joe eats all of Hop Sing’s chicken.”
Reluctantly, Hoss stepped away seeing his big brother face the man tossed off the Ponderosa at the end of a gun.
“Adam? Adam?” Tolman called heading toward the young man standing silently before him. “Oh, I think it’s going to be a hot one today,” he said with a smile generating nothing from Adam. “Ah, I heard your father was home. Is he here?”
“I thought I told you to leave us alone, Mr. Tolman,” Adam reminded the man standing ominously still in front of him.
Tolman straightened and found himself still a bit shorter than this eighteen-year-old. Looking quickly and finding no gun belt, he trudged on anyway. “Now that your father is home, I will be dealing directly with him and not some recalcitrant child. Now point me to him?”
Blinding fury is what Adam would call it later. It came from his toes, quite literally, and rushed up his body until it overtook his brain and Tolman found himself slammed against the side of the church, his hat popping off his head and Adam’s arm pressed firmly against his throat leaving him gasping for breath.
“I told you to leave my brothers alone, you parasite.” The words were harsh and spoken through clenched teeth and Tolman couldn’t help but understand their meaning nor miss the dangerous intentions in the young man’s blazing eyes.
“Adam! Adam, let ‘im go!” Hoss yelled as he grabbed at his brother’s arm.
Oblivious to all but Tolman’s face turning a particularly pleasant shade of red, he pressed harder wanting to rid the world of another threat to his family.
“ADAM!” came at him in an all too familiar voice and he stiffened, keeping his eyes locked firmly on Tolman’s as they began to bug out. “ADAM! Release him this instant!” Hands grabbed him and yanked him back and he stumbled at the force used staring into those dark eyes glaring intensely at him. “What the devil do you think you’re doing?!”
Adam tried to steady his heavy breathing, tried to bring his anger under control as he pointed at Tolman. “This so called ‘friend’ of yours is trying to take the boys. I have to stop him.”
“By cutting off his air?!”
“That’s all he understands!” Adam shouted back. “He won’t stop, Pa.”
“That doesn’t give you the right to strangle him.”
“He threatened me last time,” Tolman sputtered as he rubbed his throat. “Pulled a gun and threatened to kill me if I set foot on the Ponderosa again. I don’t take kindly to that, Ben,” he finished as he straightened his jacket, playing to the small audience that gathered. “Tried to strangle me, young Cartwright did. Has anyone seen the Sheriff?”
“I’ll show you the undertaker before I call the Sheriff!” Adam threatened as he started forward only to be stopped short by Ben’s iron hand on his chest.
“You’ll do no such thing,” came the order, aghast that his son would say such a thing.
“Let me go, Pa,” Adam quietly said, his body trembling, hands turning into fists. “Let me go before I do something we’ll both regret.” He looked up at his father then. “And it won’t be to Brett Tolman.”
Stunned, Ben held Adam’s hard gaze then cautiously let him go but remained standing between the two. He watched his boy’s face, watched the hostility drift across those features before he got himself back under control, turned and walked away, Hoss sharing the same look with his father before running after his brother. Swallowing hard, Ben turned back to find Tolman’s hand resting on his arm.
“Oh, thank you, Ben,” Tolman said with a sigh of relief. “That boy of yours needs a good tanning.”
“Get your hand off my arm, Brett,” Ben responded in a menacing tone.
Tolman blanched and quickly pulled back. “Now, Ben, I was just doing my job . . .”
“And what job was that, Brett?” Ben asked standing closer to Tolman. “Trying to take a man’s children from him, a man who’d just lost his wife?”
“But you weren’t there, Ben, and no one seemed to know when you were coming back. We couldn’t let those children be raised by a . . . by a Chinaman. That wouldn’t be right.”
“We? Who is this we?” Tolman blinked then swallowed.
“Oh, well, Mrs. Hallett came to me . . .”
“Yes, that’s the one. She came to me and suggested that I take a look into the fact that those boys were out on the ranch all by themselves. Well, she didn’t think that was proper what with hired hands and a Chinaman the only ones of age to care for them.”
“And so you took it upon yourselves to right the wrong I’d created by leaving?”
“Yes, yes, that’s exactly how we saw it. Can’t forsake my duties to poor abandoned children.”
Ben grabbed Tolman’s jacket and slammed him back against the side of the church, his face inches from his former friend, his voice low and ominous. “Those poor – abandoned – children are my children and now that I’m home I don’t expect anymore visits from you regarding this subject or any other. Please know that if I, that Chinaman or any one of my hired hands sees you on Ponderosa land, you will be shot as a trespasser. Do I make myself clear?” When Tolman said nothing, Ben obliged by edging closer still. “Do I make – myself – clear?” he repeated slowly as Tolman shook his head.
“Yes, yes, of course. Thank you,” was all he could think to say, his fear impeding his breathing.
Ben released him and pushed his way through the gathered spectators. Tolman gathered up his hat, straightened his jacket and beat a hasty retreat.
Moving quickly, Ben searched the area, seeing Joe hurrying toward him. “Go to the buggy, Joe.”
“But we haven’t eaten any of the . . .”
“To the buggy!” Ben ordered. Lip trembling, Joe scurried away and Ben chastised himself for the tone, then turned away. He needed to find one more person before this wretched day could be over.
And there she was sprawled on a brightly colored blanket chatting away with Lizzie Burnham no doubt about how many times Mrs. Landingham washed her linens. She caught sight of him and the thunderous scowl on his face before he was halfway there and immediately looked around for a convenient man to hail. None were present. She opted for the opening salvo. “Well, Ben Cartwright, how nice to see you. I’d heard you were back in town.”
He pulled up in front of her casting a mighty shadow over her as she scrunched down to become one with her blanket. “Bridie Hallett,” he began putting hands on his hips. “I always knew you were the town gossip but I’ve never known you to cause harm with your wisps of rumor and innuendo. Well, this time you’ve gone too far.”
“Now, Ben, I was just thinking about your boys.”
“Were you now?”
“That’s right. They’d been alone for months and without a woman around and only those vulgar hired hands . . .”
“Adam was there to take care of them.”
“But he’s just a boy himself, Ben. You can’t expect him to be able to take care of everything. They needed help and I was willing to provide it.” She smiled then in hopes that it would deflect him from thoughts of violence.
And violence is what was occupying Ben’s thoughts at that very moment; violence along the lines of drowning her in a nearby trough. But deciding he’d rather spend his time at home instead of in jail, his thoughts shifted to the berry pie he knew was in Hop Sing’s basket and dumping it all over her prim and proper white dress. Unfortunately, that was too far away at the moment so he opted for a threat instead.
“You bother my boys again, Bridie Hallett, or you attempt to have Brett Tolman take them away and I won’t be responsible for my actions. I am, after all, a grieving widower who still expects to see his wife greet him at the door when I ride in so don’t push me. Understand?”
She merely shook her head, unable to form words in that mouth that normally never shut.
He gave her one final glare and walked away, scooping up the remains of their picnic and tossing it into the basket, striding purposely toward the buggy, all eyes riveted to his back.
Roy Coffee stood to one side of the large tree in the church yard chewing on a toothpick, having seen both encounters and not moving once from his spot. He watched as Ben clambered into the buggy and headed out, no doubt hoping to find his wayward sons and pick them up along the way. He shook his head and pushed himself away from the tree, tipping his hat to a few women he passed and thought on this morning.
He’d not acted very grown up when Ben entered the church, giving him the old silent treatment. True, he was mad at Ben, madder than he’d ever been but then he recognized the look in his friend’s eye, for he knew he’d carried it as well when his beloved Mary died. And that had only been one wife; Ben had lost three.
Roy shook his head as he walked the street. How could a man live with that? How could he continue? He remembered how he’d climbed into a bottle and nearly lost himself until Ben and Paul dragged him out. Ben’s solution had been to flee from his memories, his life, his boys only to return to them now with great hopes for reconciliation that was bound to take some time.
Well, he might have to speak with Ben the next time he saw him; should clear the air and make him understand what went on when he was gone. He needed to know that Adam could’ve been killed by those robbers and managed to get away on the second attempt with a wrenched arm and a few bruises but it could’ve been much worse. Those robbers were getting bolder with each new job and he wasn’t any closer to finding them. In fact, he was surprised they hadn’t tried the Ponderosa again. Third times the charm or so they say.
Pushing his musings aside, Roy found himself outside Brett Tolman’s office and leaned against the stair knowing he’d have to make this trip sooner or later when Tolman decided to press charges against one or both of the Cartwright’s. Seemed like it would save time if he just waited here. And he didn’t have long to wait as he saw the man himself emerge from the Bucket of Blood and hurry across the street. Roy touched the brim of his hat as he was spotted and waited for the barrage of accusations to begin.
“Sheriff,” Tolman said with a nod practically running up the steps and into his office without another word spoken.
Roy waited a few moments then stuck hands in his front pockets. “Huh,” he mumbled then chuckled to himself as he sauntered off down the street toward his office, thinking it might not be as hot today as he’d first expected.
Adam wasn’t really sure what time it was. He’d watched the sun drop behind the mountains and welcomed the moon rising steadily into the night sky while he’d walked home, his steps slow and considered, hoping against hope that all would be in bed by the time he opened the front door. But the light shining from his father’s study crushed all ideas of slipping into his room unnoticed.
He sighed and rubbed his face.
The incident in town remained fresh and the hurt look that’d passed across Hoss’ face when he’d ordered him to go along with their father as he’d come up beside them on the road hung with him still. He’d watched them drive off thinking maybe he was not as grown up as he liked to believe, especially when his feet began to blister and the heat of the day began to make him sweat and he wished someone would come along so he could catch a ride.
When none came after another hour, he cut off the road and continued toward a nearby shortcut thinking long and hard about what he’d said or implied to his father, and it struck him that he’d never spoken to him like that before and probably shouldn’t’ve then. But he was still so upset. This statue thing simply wasn’t working.
“Damnit,” he cursed, kicking at a pinecone trying to pry his mind from the spinning top that had suddenly become his life. Perhaps it he looked at it logically, centered in on what was making him so mad . . . like he hadn’t done that already, over and over. All he’d wanted was his father, the one who’d held him as a boy whispering encouragement and keeping him safe from all the darkness around them as they traveled together; to give him hope that all their lives weren’t spiraling away into dust. Oh, Paul and Roy tried to fill the gap, and Hop Sing too, but nothing could take the place of his father.
And that was it. His father hadn’t been there, hadn’t been there to hold and cry on, hadn’t been there to help. He’d just left them and that was what stuck in his craw like nothing else.
Emotions surged and he let the tears fall out here in the middle of nowhere, for none to see but the trees. Oh, how he wished for these terrible months to disappear, for their lives to never have taken this turn, for Marie to once listen to his father and slow down. Briefly he blamed her and her selfishness for coming into their lives, turning it upside down then right side up, then disappearing in a split second of rashness that destroyed everything. ‘Things happen’ he remembered Paul saying; ‘She was needed elsewhere’ Reverend George Terry intoned; ‘I love you’ from Marie that very morning that had been her last.
Adam sat down then in a small meadow not a half mile from the house, his mind conjuring up everything from his first memories on the wagon train, to Inger, to Hoss, to Marie and Joe, to Ben’s leaving without a word, to his own ability to hang in there when he needed too, to his dream of school put aside, to his father’s homecoming and right back where he was now – confused, upset and tired. ‘Things don’t seem so drastic when you’ve got a little sleep under your belt’ flashed through his head and he looked up at the stars just now making themselves known.
Surprised at the sight, he’d wiped his face and moved as fast as his blistered feet would allow to now find himself standing in the yard, boots in hand dreading walking through that door and past that light streaming through the study window. But he couldn’t stay out here all night. He’d be at the receiving end of a prime lecture and he couldn’t deny that it wouldn’t be deserved. He headed for the door.
Carefully fingering the latch, he pushed it open and stepped inside. The room appeared empty. Closing the door behind him, he dropped his hat on the peg and started for the stair, his foot on the first step when he heard someone clear their throat. Swallowing, Adam looked up spying Ben at his desk fiddling with a quill pen.
“Hop Sing has some dinner warming for you,” was all Ben said as he lowered his head and went back to work.
Adam waited for the other shoe to drop but nothing came. “I’m not hungry,” he answered sullenly and started up the stairs stopped a few steps later.
“Fine. Then we need to talk,” Ben said in that specific tone that let anyone around him know there was trouble brewing.
“I’m tired, Pa.”
“Yes, well, you wouldn’t be if you hadn’t’ve been so stubborn and walked home,” Ben answered, slamming shut the ledger he’d been trying to work on, popping out of his chair. “I know you’re angry with me, Adam, and I don’t blame you.” That surprised Adam as he watched his father walk to the hearth, hands stuffed in his pockets. “But there has to be an end point at some time. I know I’ve only been home two days, but I’m home to stay and I want to take back my responsibility for the boys and this ranch and you.”
Adam caught his eye that time wanting to just rush into his father’s arms and cry his heart out for his loss as well as Ben’s but he just couldn’t let himself do it. “They’re my responsibility, Pa. You gave them to me without a second thought, without even asking if I would.”
Ben looked hard at his son. “I didn’t think I’d have to ask.”
“That’s where you were wrong,” Adam answered glaring at Ben. “The boys aren’t something you just toss away and hope someone’s around to catch them. You hurt them deeply and didn’t seem to care.”
“And I hurt you, too, didn’t I?” Ben asked seeing his son turn quickly away. “I’ve always taken you for granted, Adam, and for that I’m deeply sorry. You deserved more.”
“Yes, I did,” he answered heatedly, turning back to Ben. “I deserved the right to grieve just as you; I deserved the right to have you tell me everything was going to be all right. Marie was my mother, too, and I’ve lost just as much as you have but you never see that. All you see is what you’ve lost.” Adam was warming up now and took a step toward his father.
“It cut me, Pa, cut me when you rode out of here like nothing mattered but you, like we didn’t matter to you. Don’t ask me to just forget that it happened. I’ve just gotten used to the idea that you don’t care.” He paused then and dropped his gaze. “You’ll have to give me time to remember what it was like when you did.”
Fighting to keep himself together, Ben could feel his eyes welling but didn’t dare pull that ploy with this one. “I lost myself for awhile, Adam. Marie was my . . .” He stopped, his voice cracking. “She was my world.”
“Mine, too, Pa,” Adam softly answered then turned and slowly moved up the stairs to disappear down the hall, leaving Ben to plop down into his chair, chin quivering as memories overtook him for awhile.
“When will it stop?” Ben whispered, holding his head in his hands.
Hearing his father’s cries, Adam stopped just out of sight and fought the urge to run back to comfort him. Steeling himself against those heartbreaking sounds, he quietly entered his room and closed the door behind him.
The crack along the wall in his bedroom next to the window stretched from the ceiling to the floor and this was the first time Ben had noticed it. How long had it been there?
No answer came so he turned his attention to the curtains, the curtains Marie made after being here only a month to replace the tattered remnants leftover from the smaller cabin they’d first lived in. They were now six years old and faded from the sun that stretched across them each morning leaving the small flowers in the pattern changing from bright red to a dusty light pink that still held him in its grip each time he looked at them. He should change them but he just couldn’t.
Moving his attention elsewhere, the night hid most of the known items in the room yet he knew them intimately. The vanity held her pearl-handled brush lying as it was left; the clips for her hair he’d bought as a wedding present in New Orleans; the amethyst Hoss had given her when Joe was born. Each item purely represented Marie and his love for her, his love that still existed as fresh and clean as the first time he’d felt it. Experience taught him that that feeling would last for a good long while no matter how hard he tried to bury it and so he revealed in it in the darkness of his room where he could indulge in a flight of fancy that she was alive and just out of sight. Turning into his pillow, he felt her soft breath and gentle touch trace across his skin raising gooseflesh as it moved down his body, her sweet smell touching his senses and reviving memories of long nights that he never wanted to end.
Steps . . . light steps moved down the hall and he dragged himself away from his thoughts to see light under the door, a light that stopped then moved on just as they’d done each morning for a week. It had to be Adam. Once Joe went to sleep, it took a tornado to wake him and Hoss, well, it took more noise than a tiptoed walk to wake him from his snores. No, it had to be Adam getting an early start on the day, starting before Ben got up, starting before they had to face each other.
“Damn,” Ben muttered hauling himself up to lean against the headboard.
What was stopping him from heading downstairs? Nothing, nothing at all and yet here he sat remembering the silence that existed between the two of them as each day progressed becoming deeper as the hours passed and if he wasn’t careful could stretch into a lifetime.
“Too stubborn,” he whispered attaching that label to both himself and his firstborn. “Too stubborn for our own good.”
Perhaps today would be the day he’d break the silence, try to make Adam understand what he was feeling, what he went through those four months, what he’d lost. Maybe then he would understand why he’d had to leave, had to put behind him all that he had here until he could breathe again without wishing for death. Maybe then things could return to normal.
But then thoughts of this week crept in, this week of finding Adam’s note on his desk that Monday of everything that was happening on the ranch and finding fault with none of it; this week when he’d been confronted with a hand preferring to speak with Adam about the new mill or Charlie opting to continue on with renovations to the eastern pasture per Adam’s instructions and not his own. He’d been gone for a long time . . . what did he expect? His son had taken over as he knew he would and he was proud of his accomplishments, proud of the bright, headstrong young boy who became a man while his father was absent . . . had too become a man because he had no other recourse. So what kept them apart?
“Stubborn.” Ah, there it was again. Both unwilling to bend like the tall pines that encircled them and would break one or both in the end.
A noise filtered through his window and he rose, glancing toward the barn, seeing the lantern light pouring out the door.
“I should go down there,” he said aloud. “I should go and thank him for being here, tell him how I feel.” He rubbed cold hands against his legs then turned from the window and sat back on the bed. “Oh, Marie, help me,” he whispered closing his eyes as her voice drifted around him. He didn’t hear the hoofbeats leave the yard as he lay there dreaming of his beloved.
“Why you still here?” Hop Sing asked of Ben as he descended the stairs a few hours later. “Why you not take Little Joe to school?”
Confused, Ben’s brows narrowed. “What?”
“Little Joe. He need go to school. You take. Chop chop or he be late.”
“But Hoss is with him.”
“Hoss go with Mista Adam this morning. They plan all week. You take Little Joe school.” With that, Hop Sing scurried back toward the kitchen as Ben tried to work out what was going on.
“What do you mean Hoss isn’t going to school?!” Ben yelled as Hop Sing stopped and turned back toward his boss. “Who said he could skip school?”
“Mista Adam need help. Short hand. Hoss help. End of story.” Hop Sing turned back toward the kitchen.
“I didn’t say Hoss could skip school!” Ben bellowed as Hop Sing reappeared with a sheet of paper in his hand.
“Mista Adam say skip school. He – need – help,” Hop Sing tried to explain as he handed Ben the paper. “You stop Docta Paul. Get boys’ things. You stop General Store. Hop Sing need. Wagon ready. Go. You be late.”
Ben just stood there. Adam understood how important schooling was . . . how could he just have Hoss skip a day? It wasn’t Adam’s decision how much schooling his middle boy received, it was his, his father. And how many times had this happened while he was away? Well, he’d have words with that boy when he caught up with him. Heading toward the sideboard, he grabbed his hat and slapped it on his head.
“Joseph! We’ll be late for school!” He waited for a response adjusting his gunbelt and tying it down. “Joseph!”
“Comin’, Pa,” Joe called as he ran down the hall and rushed down the stairs, stumbling on the last step.
“Careful now,” Ben said, seeing him pull himself up.
“If Hoss don’t havta go ta school, why do I?” Joe asked sending a pout toward his father.
“Just get in the wagon.”
“But what about my horse?”
“We’re taking the wagon. I’ve got to pick up supplies.”
“But what if school let’s out early? How am I gonna get home?”
“Joseph, get in the wagon!”
Joe jumped and scurried out the door, Ben following after with a heavy sigh. Hefting the boy onto the seat, Ben soon followed and slapped the reins across the horses’ backs. He’d have a talk with Adam; oh, yes, today would be the day they talked.
“What happened?!” Ben yelled when he heard Hoss howl and hurried through the kitchen door to see Hop Sing leaning against his middle boy to keep him in the chair as he grabbed at his leg.
“Hoss-cow have fight,” Hop Sing informed him. “You get supply?”
“Yes,” came Ben’s answer.
“You get boy’s things from Docta Paul?”
“Sit still!” Hop Sing ordered the struggling Hoss.
“But it hurts.”
“Of course hurt. What you expect? Suck on this. Be quiet.” Hop Sing shoved a peppermint between Hoss’ lips and went back to work gently washing the long gash in the boy’s leg.
Ben knelt next to them. “What happened?” he asked again in a much lower voice as Hoss wiped at his eyes.
“My horse got spooked by one-a them little critters and bucked me off. I landed on a rock. Didn’t break nothin’ but Adam sent me home anyway. As soon as Hop Sing fixes me up, I’m goin’ back.”
“Oh, no you’re not, young man,” Ben answered as Hoss scowled at him.
“But I gotta help Adam.”
“Adam doesn’t need your help,” Ben answered, pushing himself up, not seeing the hurt in Hoss’ eyes.
Hop Sing could feel the boy stiffen and hurriedly tied off the wound and patted his knee. “All done. Now go. Can’t work while sit here.” Hoss shot to his feet, wincing slightly as he headed toward the kitchen door.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Ben asked.
“I done tol’ ya. I gotta help Adam.”
“Weren’t you listening? You’re staying put.”
“He’s short-handed and needs my help and I intend ta give it.” Hoss grabbed the doorknob and flung open the door.
“Hoss!” Ben yelled chasing after him, catching him by the arm to whip him around. “I’m your father and I’ve just told you that you’re staying here. Don’t make us have to have a necessary talk.”
Normally that would’ve made Hoss gulp and rethink what he’d intended but this time he was just plain mad and looked his father square in the eye.
“Do what ya havta, Pa, but I’m gonna go help Adam ‘cause he’s short handed and ya cain’t ask ‘im ta do everythin’ by hisself. Ya used ta care, Pa, used ta care about all of us. But now I’m guessin’ ya don’t no more, so go ahead and swat me good ‘cause I gotta go.” He held his father’s stare waiting for the hand to fall and was surprised when he was let go. Taking advantage of it, Hoss turned and headed for his horse just as Adam rounded the corner.
“Just where do you think you’re going?” Adam asked of his little brother as he dismounted and knelt next to Hoss, raising his pant leg to take a look at his wound.
“I’m comin’ back out ta help ya,” Hoss insisted.
“That rock cut you pretty deep, Hoss. I think you should stay home and let Hop Sing baby you.”
“But, Adam, ya need help . . .”
“Yes, but I’m not going to be responsible for you losing your leg. Now get back inside. Go on.”
Hoss eyed his brother then dropped his reins and limped away, not looking at his father as he passed. Adam heard the door shut and grinned. That boy was growing like a weed and would be taller than him in a few months.
“Damn,” Adam muttered at the sound of his father’s voice, hastily sticking his foot in the stirrup in hopes of flying out of the yard, but dismissing the idea as Ben strode around Hoss’ horse. Putting his foot down, he took a deep breath and waited for the coming onslaught.
“I want to speak with you,” Ben said not getting a response from his headstrong son but forging on ahead. “So you’re short-handed.”
“Yes.” Adam debated with leaving it at that but knew he’d just have to stand here longer. “Billy cut his hand pretty deep and Karl was stepped on by his horse.”
“It would’ve been nice if you’d told me.”
“Why?” Adam asked before he could stop himself.
Ben eyed his oldest, seeing the effort he was taking to keep his emotions in check, the dark eyes staring sternly at him and felt his own ire on the rise. “Well, let’s see. How about this is my ranch and I need to know what’s going on at all times. And I’m more than willing to help when I’m needed.”
“I had help,” Adam answered. “Hoss.”
“Whom you took out of school.”
“That’s right,” he answered. “Miss Emigen knew about it.”
“The point is not that the school teacher knew about it. I didn’t know about it and you know how I feel about my boys getting an education and taking him out of school when I could’ve just as easily helped doesn’t sit well with me.” Adam smirked at that. “What’s so funny?”
“Oh, it’s something and I want to know what it is.”
“Oh, no you don’t. I have work to do. Are we done?” Adam asked turning to mount before he had an answer.
“Not by far,” Ben answered grabbing a hold of Adam’s reins.
“Let me go, Pa.”
“Why? So you can hide out from me? So you don’t have to talk to me?”
“What good would it do?” Adam asked bowing his head.
“What does that mean?” Ben glared at his oldest tired of this game they’d been playing since he’d been home, tired of feeling guilty over his leaving. Just tired. He saw Adam clench his jaw before turning to face him.
“I learned a few things while you were gone, Pa,” Adam began trying desperately to keep a civil tongue. “I learned how good it is to have friends who really care and are there when you need them. I learned how faith can shatter into a million pieces when something so astounding happens that it can’t possibly be true then turns out to be so. I learned how much I love my brothers and how much I cherish Hop Sing for his guidance and help.” He stopped for a moment then plowed on. “And I learned how suddenly love can turn to despair then hate, and once it reaches that level it’s awfully hard to change it back.”
Adam refused to shy away at the look on his father’s face. He knew he’d just cut him in two but isn’t that what he’d done to them? Didn’t the great Ben Cartwright sacrifice the love of his family just so he could be alone to think? He should’ve stopped there but found he couldn’t. His tongue was finally loosened. “You want to talk? Fine. You left us, Pa. You abandoned us without a backward glance. You made me lie to the boys to cover up whatever it was you were doing. That’s when the door closed, Pa, right then, when I had to lie for you because you didn’t have the decency to tell us why you left or when you were coming back.”
“I wrote a letter,” Ben said in a harsh whisper as Adam snorted.
“You call seven words a letter. Do you even remember what you wrote? Wait, don’t force yourself. I can repeat it to you word for word because it’s been seared into my brain. ‘Dear Son, I’m in Denver. Your Pa’. That’s it. And the topper – you didn’t even address the envelope. Do you know how much that hurt?” he asked his voice breaking slightly as he looked away. “Do you even care?”
“Of course I care. What kind of a question is that?”
“A perfectly reasonable question, Pa, considering.”
“You have to understand, Adam, I was grieving . . . I still am.”
Adam’s eyes quickly turned back. “And what do you think we were doing? Forget me and Hoss, but what about Joe. Marie was his mother and you walked out on him.” He felt that fire rise in him, felt it rushing through every nerve and he narrowed his eyes. “I had to hold Joe night and day, reminding him of how much you loved him, telling him that you’d be back soon only to have each day turn into weeks then months. And when you finally decided to tell us that you were still alive, you sent that wretched piece of . . . of nothing! You made me a part of your lie and for that. . . !” He forcibly stopped himself and grabbed a hunk of mane as he quickly looked away.
Adam refused to look back, his heart beating furiously.
“I don’t know if I . . . if I can forgive you for that, Pa.”
Ben paled, fearful of what those words could mean for their future. He could only guess by the sound of Adam’s voice what it had cost him.
“I don’t know how to make you understand, Adam, but I couldn’t face this,” Ben said opening arms wide to encompass the house, the barn, his oldest son. “Not then. My wife was dead and everything was gone.”
Adam turned blistering eyes toward Ben. “Not everything, Pa. We were still here,” Adam reminded him. “We loved you with everything we had; we gave you unconditional support; we helped you build your dream and you just tossed us aside like it meant nothing.” He shook his head not caring anymore. “I kept things running as best as I could. I stepped in and became their father and when I couldn’t Paul did it for me and Roy was right there. We had to fend off your friend, Tolman, and I was more than prepared to take them away and the note I would’ve left would’ve been longer than seven words.
“I did your job, Pa, not because I had too or it was expected but because I love my family and I’d never just abandon them because the going got tough. How dare you come back like nothing’s changed, wanting to just step in and resume your place. In case you’ve forgotten, I was going to school this year; now I can’t possibly leave because I can’t take the chance that something else won’t upset you while I’m gone and that’ll leave the boys in the hands of Tolman. But that’s fine with me because my family means more to me than an education you so desperately want Hoss and Joe to have.”
“I would never leave . . .”
“You’ve already proven that you will, Pa, so what does that leave me with? How could I possibly go all the way to Boston now?”
“I forgot about . . .” Ben’s voice trailed off. He’d completely forgotten about Adam heading to school this year, something both he and Marie wanted for him.
“You forgot a lot of things, Pa. You forgot that you weren’t the only one left behind.” Adam said that softly, cursing himself for the tears that fell unable to stop them and turned back to his horse, scrambling into the saddle. “I’ve got work to finish.”
With that he hurried out of the yard, Ben knowing that Adam’s trailing tears were mirrored on his own face as he stood silently staring after him not hearing the door fling open behind him.
“Pa!” Hoss called limping toward his father. “Ain’t ya gonna stop ‘im?” Ben said nothing and continued to stare off into the distance as Hoss dragged on his arm. “Pa, do somethin’!”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say what’cha always say ta make ‘im do what ya want,” Hoss reasoned.
Ben’s brow furrowed as his eyes finally rested on his boy. “What?”
“Tell ‘im that ya need ‘im. Tell ‘im that ya love ‘im. Tell ‘im that without ‘im, Joe and I would’ve been lost while you gallivanted all over creation. Tell ‘im yer thankful he was here ta take care ‘o us ‘cause you wasn’t. Tell ‘im that ya love ‘im as much as ya love Joe. Is that so hard?!” Hoss finished, tears rushing down his face, staring hard at his father who looked back at him unable to say anything. Hoss ran a hand under his nose and snuffled, sadness overtaking him. “I guess it is hard, ain’t it, Pa? It’s hard ta say them words when ya don’t mean ‘em no more.”
“I love you and your brothers,” Ben finally managed around the lump in his throat.
“Then why cain’t ya tell ‘im? Ya wasn’t here, Pa. Ya didn’t see what Adam went through, what it took outta ‘im. Joe and I held onto ‘im as he cried for you, for Mama and he held onto us for the same thing. And now ya come back like nothin’s different and expect ‘im, expect us ta just fall in line behind ya. Ya cain’t treat ‘im like that, Pa. Ya never did afore. Why now?”
Dazed Ben just looked at his middle boy. “I’m sorry, Hoss. I don’t know how else to say it.”
“Sorry,” Hiss practically spit. “Sorry ya left or sorry ya had ta come back?” With a stifled sob, Hoss walked away from his father and into the house, Ben turning to see him go, wondering how he’d let everything go so wrong.
“Why you no go after?” Hop Sing yelled as he headed towards Ben. “You fatha. Go talk to Hoss.”
“I can’t,” Ben answered.
“I just can’t.”
Hop Sing simmered, glaring at his employer. “Then you no deserve boys.” That drew a glare from Ben. “That right. I here when you go; I see what happen when you no write then send little letter that hurt so much. You lost and you need find self pretty quick or you lose all family. Missy Marie die; Missy Inger die; Missy Elizabeth die. Done. New life, here, now. Boys your life. Wake up before this life pass you by, before you lose more and never find way home.” Hop Sing stared at him then shook his head and headed after Hoss.
Ben watched him go, watched him walk away as he’d watched Hoss and Adam leave and done nothing. What was the matter with him? He was a strong man, capable of making decisions and following through. He had a ranch to run and boys to raise and yet . . .
He hung his head. All that gumption, as Roy called it, was gone, gone into the ground with Marie. Hop Sing was right about something – he was lost and he didn’t know if he could find his way home. Oh, sure, he’d come onto the land, sat inside the house, tried to fit back in, but was he really home in mind and body?
Shaking his head, he stuffed hands in his pockets and started walking toward the trees, memories surging through him of life in Boston, the wagon train and the love he’d found in New Orleans. He had to get a hold of himself, had to start living again for his boys – everything for his boys.
“Charlie?” Hop Sing said as he met the foreman at the kitchen door.
“Gotta message here for ya, Hop Sing.” He took the offered piece of paper and just stared at it. “Mr. Cartwright home?”
“He out there,” Hop Sing said absently, closing the door behind Charlie who whisked his hat from his head and ventured out into the great room seeing Ben staring sullenly into the fire.
“Mr. Cartwright?” Charlie said, trying to get his attention. “Mr. Cartwright?” he tried again finally seeing some movement.
“Yes, Charlie?” came the tired voice.
“We got all the scheduled work done and Adam sent us all in early so’s we could spend the evenin’ in town, being that it’s Friday and all, lessen a course ya need somethin’ done around here.”
“What? No, no. You deserve some time. Have fun.”
“Thank you, Mr. Cartwright. Have a good afternoon.” Charlie waited a moment, watching this man continue to stare into the fire and quietly left the room, nodding to Hop Sing as he slipped through the front door.
“Mista Adam send note,” Hop Sing informed Ben as he slowly approached not knowing if he was heard.
“What does it say?” Ben asked not turning around.
“It say he be away for few day. Don’t let Hoss come after.” Ben tensed and rubbed his forehead. “He love you,” Hop Sing reminded him tucking the note in a pocket.
“I’ve lost that love,” Ben admitted with a sigh.
“Once love there, never lose. Just in different place.”
“He told me that his love had turned to hate over what I’d done. How can that ever be forgotten?”
“No one forget,” Hop Sing said. “Other thing take place of anger once time passes. He no hate you. You see. I go get Little Joe.” Not waiting for an answer, Hop Sing turned away wondering when all of this was going to be over.
Ben remained by the fire, vaguely registering Joe’s name, then lost it to thoughts of that small dark-haired boy so inquisitive, so trusting, so ready to commit to his dream and setting aside his own dreams to make sure the family survived.
“I’m so sorry, Adam.”
The day grew warmer as the sun moved across the sky shining down on Adam as he leaned against a tall pine, picking grass and throwing rocks while his mind raced. A stiff breeze wafted through the trees and he could see clouds gathering in the north. Rain clouds.
Winter was coming and briefly he wondered if they’d have a ‘heap o’ snow’ as Hoss called it. He smiled slightly then felt it wash away as thoughts of what he’d said to his father wiped it clean. He rubbed his face.
It all kept coming back to threatening his father then telling him he hated him. Did he really? He was angry with him, felt betrayed, but did he really hate him? That was such a strong word, a word filled with enormous weight to destroy everything it touched.
He remembered how it felt to hear his father’s voice in the barn when he’d finally come home, remembered how he just wanted to fall into his arms and be comforted, to have someone tell him everything was going to be all right. And then his pride stepped in and quashed that feeling, stomping it down until all that was left was hostility and resentment which then spread to Hoss.
Adam shook his head. The entire time their father had been gone, he’d done his best to counter any harsh thoughts toward their father from his brothers. He was old enough to shoulder those things himself; they were just children and he couldn’t let them wander into that territory which mucked up everything. But obviously he hadn’t done as good a job as he’d hoped for Hoss had seen through his diversions. No doubt it was the day he’d collapsed and broken down that Hoss began to reason things out. For that he was sorry.
And Joe . . . well, Joe was just glad his father was home and all thoughts of his absence vanished as soon as he’d seen him riding into town. Ah, the joys of youth, where you lived from moment to moment and weren’t burdened by memory. True, he only had a vague recollection of ever feeling that way but it was there nonetheless and he prized the memory.
“What am I gonna do?” he said aloud looking up at the sorrel mare he’d been riding, hoping for some answer. She bobbed her head and waited. “Maybe I should just leave, do to him what he did to me. Leave him in the lurch and ignore my responsibilities.” He leaned forward and wrapped arms about his knees. “Who am I kidding? I can’t just walk away. I’m too responsible,” he said in a sarcastic tone. “And I love my brothers too much to just walk away. Damn.”
He leaned back again and looked up to the clouds moving slowing toward him. Trouble coming came the thought and he threw some more rocks.
Roy Coffee couldn’t believe his eyes and glanced over at the big clock against the wall then back again at what stood, or rather wobbled, before him held up between Ponderosa foreman, Charlie Porter, and hand, Pete Sellers.
“Hi, Roy,” a bleary-eyed Adam said with a sickly smile.
“Adam,” Roy answered looking from Pete to Charlie for some explanation.
“Came into the Bucket of Blood not five minutes ago and ordered a whiskey,” Charlie explained. “Then two more and followed it up with a beer. ‘Course he downed ‘em in about two minutes. Picked ‘im off the floor right after that. Surprised he ain’t puked up his guts by now.”
“Oh, that’s a-comin’,” Roy said.
“Doc wasn’t home,” Charlie continued. “And we didn’t want his Pa seein’ ‘im like this. Not today anyway.”
Roy wanted to know why not today but let it pass. “Bring him inside.” Carefully they half-carried, half-dragged the young man inside and sat him down on one of the cots in a cell. “Thanks, boys, I’ll take it from here.”
“I’ll make sure ta let Mr. Cartwright know where he is.”
“You do that. Tell Ben I’ll send ‘im on home when he can see straight.”
Charlie nodded and headed out as Roy closed the door behind them, running a hand through his thinning hair, then shook his head.
It always surprised him at the turn some folks took when faced with a disaster of some kind. It seemed like their heads up and left and their bodies just traveled onto its own destruction. He shrugged. He wasn’t any kind of doctor to even comprehend what all went on in someone else’s head. He had a hard enough time with his own.
A slightly off-key lyric filtered into the outer room and Roy chuckled as he picked up the coffee pot and two cups and headed back toward the sound seeing a rumpled young man, face pressed against the bars, singing his heart out. He stopped as soon as Roy appeared.
“Howdy, Roy Coffee, Sheriff of Virginia City.” Adam smiled gleefully, spying what he had in his hand. “Roy Coffee with a coffee pot. Suppose they named you after a coffee pot, Roy, or the other way ‘round?”
“Never gave it much thought,” the sheriff answered, handing over a steaming cup to Adam. “Now drink this. It’ll make ya feel better.”
“But I feel fine!” Adam boisterously answered waving about his arm and splashing the hot liquid on his leg. “Well, I did. Ow!”
“Yer okay,” Roy said, using the blanket to wipe off the offending liquid. “Now settle down and drink up.” He eyed Adam who sheepishly sat back and took a large gulp making Roy wince. “I’m guessin’ that don’t feel too good now does it?” All Adam could do was force himself to swallow, feeling the burn all the way down his throat. “Serves ya right. What’re ya doin’ getting’ yerself drunk anyhow? And in the middle of the day.”
“It’s . . .” Adam began then coughed trying to get words around his burned throat. “It’s Friday. Isn’t that what all the hands do on Fridays?”
“Yer no more a hand than I am a preacher.”
Adam waggled a finger in front of Roy. “That’s not true. I’ve heard you preach to your prisoners. Makes me want to walk the straight and narrow, it does.”
“Yer Pa’ll be worried sick. He’s got enough worries as it is.” Roy realized his error when Adam’s face lost its smile and he stared into his cup.
“What kinda worries does he have?” Adam began. “I took care of everything – the ranch, the boys. He didn’t havta worry about nothin’ except how far to run.” Roy pursed his lips not having to take a giant leap as to why this particular boy had gotten himself drunk. “Why’d he do it, Roy?” came the question as Adam pulled up his legs and wrapped arms about them. “If he was so worried, why’d he leave us?”
“’Cause he was hurtin’,” Roy stated plain and simple.
“We were all hurting, Roy. Especially Joe. He’d lost his Mama. That boy needed Pa more than anything and he just up and left. I can’t figure it and I’m tired of trying.”
Roy ran fingers over his mustache and sighed. Here was a subject he knew a lot about and yet hated to speak on it. But this boy was as close to being a son as he’d ever had and, even though he didn’t agree with Ben’s handling of the situation, he could see clearly the thought processes behind it. He plowed on.
“Ya gotta understand, son,” Roy began, “that when a man loses a part of hisself, he just cain’t figure which way is up. Nothin’ makes sense no more; everythin’ becomes such an effort; little things suddenly blossom ‘til ya figure they’ll blot out the sky and take you right along with it.
“It ain’t purty what happens ta a man when they lose that, Adam, and it’s a hard road ta come back on, ‘cause by the time ya figure how ta breathe again without her, ya’ve pretty much destroyed any relationships ya might’ve had with the people around ya. It’s a sorry state ya find yerself in and it jest makes it all the worse when ya havta go it alone.”
“But he wasn’t alone, Roy. He had the three of us and you and Paul and Hop Sing.”
“That’s true, but at the time, ya don’t see nothin’ but a black void that jest eats ya up and ya feel like there’s nothin’ ya can do. Some men lock themselves away and others run. When my Mary passed, well, it was about the hardest thing I had ta do.”
Adam eyed his longtime friend seeing a sadness cross his face and linger around the eyes. “What was?” he asked as Roy glanced toward him.
“Gettin’ outta bed each mornin’; shovin’ food in my mouth; breathin’ from one minute ta the next.”
Adam shuddered knowing the feeling having experienced it himself just recently but suddenly realized that if Roy had experienced it, then it had to have been a hundred times worse for his father, suffering through it three separate times. He cringed at the thought. “You had to think on everything,” he whispered as Roy shook his head.
“Yep. How ta walk, how ta talk, how ta be civil.” Roy smiled then. “Yer Pa and Doc took the brunt o’ that. I took yer Pa’s head off a few times jest fer lookin’ at me sideways but he kept at it, kept tellin’ me my Mary wouldn’t want me ta be that way, would want me ta live and remember her ‘cause that way she’d live on. I thought he was crazy,” Roy snickered. “Told ‘im so too but he jest kept right on, pullin’ me from the bottle, makin’ me see what I had and, even though it was gone, showed me how ta experience it each time I shut my eyes. It weren’t the same and he knew it but it helped some.”
“So why . . ?” Adam stopped himself thinking he probably already knew the answer.
“Why didn’t he do that for hisself?” Roy asked as Adam nodded. “Ya know better than anyone once yer deep into somethin’, ya cain’t see what everyone else can see, yer too close. And ya ain’t gonna listen ta nobody neither ‘cause ya figure they don’t know how ya feel. Happens ta everyone, son. It happened ta yer, Pa.”
Adam remained quiet, remembering times when he’d failed to tell his family what he was feeling, when he’d shut them out thinking he was the only one who could handle something. Of course he’d never just run away without a word but then he’d never spoken to his father that way either.
“What’cha thinkin’?” Roy asked seeing Adam lower his head.
“I kinda told him I . . . I hated him.” Adam ran a hand over his eyes, wiping away the sudden tears. “I felt so . . . I felt as if both my parents died that day and I was left all alone.” He turned glassy eyes to Roy. “She was my mother as well as Hoss and Joe’s. I miss her, too.” He rubbed at his eyes again then just hid his face behind his hand, Roy taking the cup from him before he spilled anymore and held onto his arm, his heart breaking at the quiet sobs coming from this strong young man.
No one ever truly died alone. Oh sure they may be stuck on some mountain and succumb to the environment without another soul in sight, but they never died alone. Anyone who knew them or cared for them died that day as well and would have to learn to continue without them in their lives. Roy sometimes thought that was the hardest job – the ones who remained behind.
He felt Adam tense under his grip. “I’m gonna be sick,” he heard and quickly reached for the bowl under the cot, holding Adam’s shoulders until he was done then easily pushed him flat onto the cot.
“Jest rest up fer a spell,” Roy said pulling a blanket over Adam then rubbed his back to comfort him. “The bowl’ll be right here if’n ya need it.” He got a meager nod and quickly pulled the other bowl from the second cell slipping it into place, then looked back, knowing the heartache the boy felt for his own heart still held the same feelings even after all these years. “It’ll be all right, son,” he whispered as he returned to his desk.
“They look like fans.”
“Ya mean like them Mexican ladies use?”
“If’n ya don’t know, then what’d’ya say it for?”
“I heard one-a them saloon girls say it once when they passed him on the street.”
“Do you have to be so loud?” Adam groaned, putting a hand to his ears, the droning of voices booming in his head.
“Ahhh,” was Adam’s only response to the joyous outburst.
“Now be quiet you two or I’ll turn ya out,” Roy said as he came into the cell holding a glass of water. “Adam, drink this up. It’ll help with that headache. Come on.”
Dutifully, Adam squinted one eye and took the proffered glass, downing it in one gulp. “Yuck,” he remarked sticking out his tongue hearing Joe giggle. It was then he spied his brothers sitting across from him on the other cot pulled up close. “What day is it?”
“It’s still Friday about 5:00pm,” Roy informed him as he started out.
“Is Pa here?” he asked.
“Nope. Just us,” Joe answered with an impish grin. “I ain’t never been in jail before.”
“Haven’t. You haven’t been in jail before,” Adam automatically corrected as he rubbed his temples.
Adam just sighed and slowly moved upright to lean against the bars keeping his eyes closed against the brightness of the late afternoon sun. “What are you two doing here?” he asked.
“I came with Hoss,” Joe happily answered.
Adam opened his eyes onto his middle brother who looked uncomfortable. “Hoss? Does Pa know you’re here?” His gaze flicked up for an instant than moved away as Adam reached out for him. “Hoss?”
“Ah, I left a note,” Hoss stammered, pulling at the blanket on the cot. “I thought ya was leavin’ and I was . . . I was comin’ with ya,” Hoss honestly answered.
Adam’s brows flew up his forehead. “Why’d you think I was leaving?” he asked, thinking over his last conversation with his father as Hoss’ expression changed.
“I heard Hop Sing tell Pa about yer note, about how ya didn’t want me ta follow. Only thing I could think of was ya was leavin’.” Adam closed is eyes on that. “And I also heard what ya said ta Pa. I heard what he didn’t say ta ya and when I talked ta ‘im, I realized he ain’t Pa no more.”
“Now, Hoss . . .” Adam began but was interrupted.
“He done buried hisself in the ground with Mama, Adam, and ain’t never comin’ home. I cain’t live with that and I ain’t got nowhere else ta go ‘ceptin’ with you.”
“Hoss . . .”
“I don’t like how he treats ya,” Hoss continued, jumping to his feet and glancing at his little brother. “He’s got Joe and that’s all he needs.” Shocked Adam glanced at Joe who gave him a sad look. “Don’t deny it. Ever since Joe come along, he’s a shinin’ light in Pa’s eyes. I never minded afore ‘cause I knew Pa loved me, and Mama, too, and a course I had you. But now Mama’s gone and yer leavin’. What ‘em I gonna do if’n he leaves again? I cain’t take care ‘o Joe myself. And maybe if’n I leave, he won’t leave Joe behind.”
Adam just stared at Hoss, not having to wonder at how he’d arrived at that last thought. He’d projected it loud and clear in the yard. He held out his hand and motioned Hoss over who immediately obliged and let his brother fold him into his arms. “I’m not going anywhere, Hoss,” he began kissing the top of his head. “And neither are you.”
“But, Adam, Pa ain’t gonna change back ta the way he was. I seen it in his eyes when I begged ‘im ta come get ya. He jest looked scared. I ain’t never seen Pa scared o’ nothin’.”
“He’s scared of moving on alone, Hoss, without Mama.” That was it. Ben was scared of facing a future without Marie. It wasn’t that he didn’t love them. He told him plain – he just couldn’t handle them at the time. “He’s had a lot of heartache in his life and, I guess, something just snapped this time. He’ll get better with time.”
“How can ya say that?” Hoss said, pulling back. “He treats ya like dirt and ya defend ‘im?”
Adam sighed, thinking he’d let his own emotions get the better of him and cringed at the memory of those horrid words now given strength and depth because they’d been spoken aloud.
“Adam?” Hoss questioned trying to get his brother’s attention. Slowly he turned to face him. “Adam, we cain’t go back. Pa and Joe’ll be all right by themselves.”
“No, Hoss, they won’t,” he admitted.
“We won’t,” Joe added.
“But, Adam . . .”
“We’re a family, Hoss, through good times and bad.” Adam pushed back Hoss’ wispy hair. “Just now, well, this is one of the bad times and we’ll have to figure out how to work through it, how to put aside all those feelings and see things as they will be.”
“But he left us, Adam, left us. He ain’t never done that afore. It was like we done somethin’ wrong. I didn’t make Mama’s horse fall and neither did you. Ain’t right ‘im takin’ it out on us.”
“We just reminded him too much of Mama, Joe especially.”
“Then it’s my fault?” Joe softly asked, tears gathering.
Adam immediately reached out for him who took his hand. This was so hard to put aside his own feelings to comfort those around him. But then he remembered Roy’s words and felt ashamed of his own harsh feelings that still lingered. “It’s no one’s fault, Joe,” he said. “Pa just had to get away, find himself again and try to come home to us whole.”
“But he ain’t the same,” Hoss reminded him. “He barely talks ta me and you he jest ignores. Joe seems ta be all he thinks about.”
“I’m sorry, Hoss,” Joe said, his lower lip jutting out.
“It ain’t yer fault, Little Joe. I guess I’m jest jealous. Pa used ta like me now I’m jest nothin’.”
Adam held Hoss tighter hearing him snuffle. So much pain and it all began with Marie’s horse falling, sending an echoing blast through all their lives to disrupt it to the point of collapse. Adam pulled Joe to him as well and the three of them just sat in silence trying to figure out where their lives were going now when Roy cleared his throat and pointed toward Hoss’ leg.
“What’cha do ta yerself, Hoss?” Roy asked as he neared.
“Your leg,” Adam said releasing his brothers. “I forgot about that. Let me look.” Adam carefully pulled up Hoss’ pant leg to see the bloody bandages. Tsking, he shook his head. “Roy, have you got anything to clean and wrap this in?”
“Sure do. Jest give me a second.”
“It ain’t nothin’,” Hoss said, his breath hissing through his teeth as Adam pulled off the soiled dressing just as Roy reappeared handing him the necessary items and proceeded to clean out the wound.
“You should get some stitches,” Roy declared.
“Aw, it’s just a scratch.”
Adam smiled. The way Hoss looked at things, his arm could be hanging from his body by a stretch of skin and he’d put a bandage on it and go back to doing whatever he’d been doing before.
“What’cha smilin’ at?”
“You,” Adam answered.
“What I done ta make ya smile ‘cause I wanna keep doin’ it. I ain’t seen it for awhile.”
Adam looked up at his brother feeling his eyes well and looked away. “You’ve been a rock for me, Hoss,” Adam confessed as he continued ministering to the wound. “Without you and Joe . . . well, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”
“Ah, Adam, yer the strongest man I know,” Hoss answered laying a hand on his brother’s shoulder.
“Not as much as you think,” Adam admitted, flicking a look up at his brother then back down. “You know how difficult it’s been. You were there for Joe when I wasn’t and kept me informed of what was going on and I appreciate that more than you can know.” He finished working on Hoss’ leg and sat back, then looked toward both his brothers. “I love you both and not just for your help but for yourselves. You always surprise me and I couldn’t have picked better brothers.”
Hoss blinked furiously trying to keep the tears from falling while Joe failed miserably, Adam wrapping arms about the two. He held them both as they cried, willing himself not too, and wondered how God could grant him these gifts in his arms and take away his father’s happiness with a single misplaced hoof. It wasn’t fair but then life had rarely seen fit to be fair.
“Adam,” came the muffled voice barely above a whisper right in his ear. “Adam,” it came again and this time he could feel hot breath on his face.
“Yes,” came the answer.
“I wanna go home.”
That opened Adam’s eyes and he looked right at his baby brother inches from his face.
“Now?” he asked barely able to see him in the dark. Joe just nodded and Adam ran a hand down the boy’s arm feeling him tremble. “What’s wrong?”
“I just wanna go home.”
“Can’t wait until morning?” Joe just shook his head. “I thought you were all worked up about leaving home; running off with us.”
“I was but now ya ain’t goin’ and I wanna go home. Please, Adam. Can we go?”
Rubbing at his face to clear the cobwebs, Adam groaned as he sat up, trying to ignore the pounding in his head. “Serves me right,” he mumbled as he pushed on Hoss’ leg interrupting him in mid-snore. “Get up, Hoss, we’re going home.”
“What fer?” he grumbled.
Adam turned to Joe and gave him a slight smile. “’Cause we should be home sleeping in our own beds instead of Roy’s jail. Get your stuff and let’s go.” Joe beamed at him and Adam headed out to the office, seeing a light under Roy’s door. Quietly knocking produced a ‘come in’ and he opened the door.
“What’s the matter, Adam? Yer lookin’ mighty pasty. Need some more of that headache medicine?”
Adam smiled at him. “No. Joe wants to go home so we’ll be leaving your humble abode.”
“It’s awful late. Sure ya don’t wanna wait ‘til mornin’?”
Adam shook his head and yawned. “As much as I’d like too, my little brother is just aching to get home. Actually we should all be home.”
Roy smiled and put down his book. “Want me ta go with ya?”
“No, we can make it.”
“Well, take my jacket then. It’s chilly out there and I hear rain’s a-comin’ so jest be careful. Hate ta have yer Pa come a-callin’ in the mornin’ only ta find out ya been grabbed by gypsies.”
“Gypsies?!” Joe practically shrieked. “Adam?”
“There aren’t any gypsies out there, Joe,” Adam hurriedly added, glaring at Roy who chuckled and grabbed Adam’s shoulder as they moved toward the door. “Thanks, Roy.”
“My pleasure. Nice ta have houseguests once in awhile. Now ya be careful, Adam, and if’n ya need ta talk some more, ya know where ta find me.”
“I won’t forget,” Adam said shaking Roy’s outstretched hand. “Come on then,” he said to his brothers, “and be quiet. It’s late.”
“See ya, Roy.”
“Boys,” Roy answered, watching the trio make their way to the livery hoping they’d be all right on the road home. He quietly closed the door.
Joe had fallen asleep halfway home and snuggled up against Adam who held on tight. The stars had flown as they made their way; the clouds he’d seen earlier were completing their march across the sky complete with distant lightning flashes and a low rumble floating over the treetops.
“Let’s pick up the pace, Hoss,” Adam called over his shoulder. “Gotta get home before the rain starts.” Not waiting for an answer, he urged his horse into a lope and they soon found themselves in the yard just as the first raindrops began to fall.
“You take Joe,” Adam stated handing off his brother to Hoss, “and I’ll put up the horses.”
Joe never woke through the transition or the bouncing ride on his brother’s shoulder as Hoss limped for the door, leaving Adam to hurry the horses inside the barn. Making a cursory attempt at rubbing them down, he promised better things tomorrow, tossed some oats in their trough, checked their water and doused the lantern light, closing the door firmly behind him. It wouldn’t do to have the wind blow them open during the rainstorm.
Ducking his head against the rain, Adam ran for the front door and let himself in, the darkness of the room surprising him. It must really be late for the fire had burned down to almost nothing. Well, at least he might be able to get a couple of hours sleep before he had to face his father. He’d been acting like a hurt child. Now he had to act like the man he was becoming and hoped his father would accept his apology.
He made his way toward the stairs as the first flash of lightning filled the dark causing something to catch at the corner of his eye and, for a split second, he could’ve sworn Joe was standing against the gun rack with a hand over his mouth. His turn to fully face this vision wasn’t completed as something heavy plowed against the side of his head and the room tilted as he fell sideways to slam bodily into the newel post at the base of the stairs. Arms and legs failing to obey, he couldn’t stop himself falling heavily to the floor nor keep his head from bouncing off the hardwood. Hands were on him in an instant dragging him back to his feet, knees threatening to give way as he was pushed back against the stairs, hit again then twice more across the face with something harder than a fist. He was pretty sure his nose and possibly his cheekbone were broken.
“What’re ya doin’?!” came a harsh whisper somewhere to the right of them, seeping through the ringing in his ears.
“I’m payin’ ‘im back fer shootin’ me last time we was here,” came the answer as he whacked Adam again always keeping a firm hand on his jacket to keep him upright.
“We ain’t got time fer that, Hobbs. Let’s move before that Chinaman wakes up.”
“I hit ‘im good. He ain’t gonna wake up anytime soon. ‘Sides I ain’t done yet.”
Forceful punches one after another to Adam’s gut brought a cry of pain from him as ribs cracked and all went gray. He found himself dropping to his knees then flat on his face when Hobbs let him go, his mind trying to redirect his senses away from the pain and back into getting his arms and legs to move correctly. His awkward movements strayed his hand ominously close to his holster and the gun that still sat there. Hobbs saw the movement and gave a vicious kick to Adam’s stomach before he lifted the gun from its holster, now satisfied this one wouldn’t jump him when his back was turned. He returned to rifle through Ben’s desk while Adam screamed at himself to stay conscious in hopes of finding some way to keep his brothers safe.
“They gotta safe, Gread,” came Hobbs’ whisper to his cohort.
“Ain’t got time ta fiddle with it,” came the answer. “Let’s just get some silverware and take them frames and some o’ them guns and let’s git going. We can pull the horses from the barn when we leave.”
“But there’s gotta be a lot of money in this safe.”
“Well, we’re never gonna know ‘cause we ain’t stayin’. Now let’s move.” Hobbs glared at Gread then his eyes fell on Adam who was trying to push himself up and not succeeding.
“I bet ya know the combination, boy,” Hobbs said moving toward Adam as he shook his head to clear it. Taking that as a no, Hobbs yanked back his head. “Yer the oldest. Been alone here for a long time. Ya gotta know the combination. Now give it ta me.”
“Don’t . . . don’t know it,” Adam sputtered through puffy and bleeding lips, crying out when Hobbs smashed his head back to the floor.
“WHAT IN TARNATION IS GOING ON DOWN HERE?!” bellowed Ben from the top of the stairs as he raised the lantern, quickly taking in the scary sight of Joe held tightly by a stranger and Hoss flat on the floor beside the low table. His father’s voice penetrated the haze of pain that surrounded Adam just as Hobbs finally let him go, hearing the cocking of a gun.
“RUN, PA!” Adam yelled just as sounds of a gunshot filled the air. Fear whipped through him and he twisted around just in time to see his father stagger backwards and fall out of sight. “NO!”
From somewhere, strength filled Adam and he struggled toward the stairs, not hearing a squeal of pain to his left or see his little brother being tossed into the red leather chair next to Hoss as the robbers flew from the house. All he saw were his father’s unmoving feet above him and he crawled like the Devil himself was after him up the stairs, reaching him just as Charlie rushed through the front door holding aloft a lantern.
“The robbers, Charlie!” Joe shouted.
“Three. One was that man who whipped the colt.”
“Branson Gread?” Charlie asked as Joe nodded, remembering how Adam had threatened to take the whip to him before Charlie ran him off. “All right, boys,” he called to the men standing behind him. “You heard him. Search the grounds.” He watched them disperse then turned back to the room. “Anyone hurt?” he asked rushing over to help Hoss sit up, feeling a bump on his head.
“Adam and . . . and Pa,” Joe cried looking toward the stairs afraid to leave the security of the big chair, afraid of what he might see if he moved up the stairs. Hoss wasn’t afraid and hurried up with Charlie closely following.
“Pa?” they heard come from Adam like a piteous cry of a scared animal as they saw his hand pressed against the wound in Ben’s chest. “Pa . . . please . . .” Nothing came back to him; no flicker of an eyelid or a muttered word. Only silence met his pleas, a deafening silence that filled him with dread.
“Adam?” Charlie said seeing fear on the young man’s bloodied face.
“He’s not answering. Charlie, he’s not answering!”
Charlie moved quickly to find a pulse and gave a shout out for Pete. The man poked his head inside. “Go for Doc Martin and hurry!”
“I’m so sorry, Pa,” Adam began. “I never meant . . . You have to hear me, Pa. I don’t hate you. I thought I did but I don’t. Please, Pa, talk to me. Tell me you heard . . . tell me . . .” He broke down then, tears rushing forth to mingle with the blood on his face and he dropped his head onto his father’s chest not feeling hands on his back or hear his brother’s voice speaking gently in his ear. All he knew was he was too late. How could he ever apologize now? How could he prove to his father he still loved him?
Vaguely he felt himself being pulled away and grasped onto Ben’s shirt only to have his fingers gently pried loose as Hoss’ face came into view “I gotcha, Adam,” Hoss said to his battered brother. “It’s gonna be all right.”
“Tell him, Hoss,” Adam begged. “Tell him I . . . I don’t . . . I don’t hate him.”
“I’ll tell ‘im. I’ll tell ‘im,” Hoss cried adding a few other words, the meaning lost to Adam as he began to float away on the darkness that surrounded him. Hoss saw him reach once more for their father only to have his arm fall against his leg as he became limp in Hoss’ arms and his head fell back. He embraced Adam tighter, rocking him as he cried. “Please don’t take ‘im. Please don’t take im, too.”
It was cold. He pulled his coat tightly about him and stared down at an empty grave. Hoss stood holding a crying Joe and glared at him from the other side of the deep hole. He furrowed his brow not knowing why his son looked at him so until Hoss pointed toward the hole in the ground and eyes automatically followed. All the air disappeared around him; all sound became muted; all time stopped for that empty grave now held his son, those unseeing hazel eyes staring straight into his soul . . .
“Adam!” Ben shouted, eyes shooting open to glance frantically about the darkened room.
“Easy, now,” came Paul’s voice as he restrained his friend from moving.
Wide-eyed, Ben’s heart raced making his breaths come faster soon to be followed by sharp pains through his head and chest. “Ahhh,” he groaned grimacing as Paul forced him to lie back onto his pillow.
“You’re all right, Ben,” Paul offered him, waiting patiently for his friend to orient himself, checking his bandages, happy that the bleeding had stopped and all his moving hadn’t broken any stitches.
“What happened?” Ben asked after he caught his breath.
“Robbers were in the house and shot you. Basically it’s just a deep furrow along your chest. Must’ve been a ricochet. But you knocked yourself silly when you fell so you might be a bit dizzy for a couple of days.”
“The same robbers who’ve been giving Roy fits these last few months. One was killed but the other two are in Roy’s jail. All the stuff they took is back in its rightful place. You’ve been unconscious for a couple of hours. Barring any infection you should be on your feet in a day or two.”
Ben winced as he tried to get comfortable then tensed as a memory flickered through him – Joe being held and Hoss on the floor – and he grabbed at Paul. “The boys,” he croaked. “I thought I heard the boys.”
“They walked right into it, Ben,” Paul explained seeing worry flit across his friend’s face. “Hoss and Joe are fine just a little shaken up.” Ben relaxed and nodded. “Hop Sing has a slight concussion but he’ll be all right as well. But Adam . . .”
“Adam? Adam was in town,” Ben said as Paul shook his head then nodded toward the other side of the bed pulling Ben’s attention to the nearly unrecognizable face of his firstborn.
“My God,” came Ben’s fearful whisper. Reaching out a shaky hand to the dark hair tufting out from the bandage wrapped about his head, tears streaked down Ben’s face at the sight. This wasn’t his son, the handsome youth who thrilled the ladies with those expressive eyes when he’d just been five years old. This couldn’t be him.
“He took a heavy blow to the head and has a severe concussion. And, as you can see, he’s been brutally beaten. They broke his nose and cracked some of his ribs,” Paul explained seeing Ben wince with each injury mentioned. “He doesn’t appear to have any internal injuries but we’ll have to wait and see.”
“Has he been awake?” Ben finally managed pushing back the dizziness that threatened.
Paul shook his head. “Mumbled a bit but hasn’t seen fit to open his eyes. I wouldn’t get too worried yet, Ben. It’s only been a couple of hours.”
“Why was he here?” Ben asked. “Hop Sing said . . .”
“He was bringing the boys home,” Paul informed him seeing his friend close his eyes.
“He can’t die, Paul. I have to tell him I love him.”
“He knows that, Ben.”
He shook his head. “No, not anymore.”
“He has always known that, Ben. You turned your back on them for a time but it will get better.”
“Turned my back on them. Indeed,” Ben started, holding his hand against Adam’s cheek. “I wasn’t thinking of anything but myself – my loss, my grief. Nothing else mattered and to that I’ll always be reminded each time I look at my sons; each time I remember the look on Adam’s face in the barn. I could see it there – the hurt, the anger. I could hear it in his voice even though he tried to hide it and I knew I’d broken something important, something that maybe couldn’t be healed now or ever.”
“Just give it time, Ben,” Paul said as he watched his friend bemoan his own shortcomings. “The old adage of ‘time heals all wounds’ is true. But first we have to get him through this. Just talk to him. Let him know you’re here.” Paul patted Ben’s arm then stiffly rose and stretched. “I finally managed to get Joe out of this room and into his own bed, but Hoss has been waiting to see you. He has a message.”
Paul just smiled and nodded toward the door having seen the boy hovering outside. Motioning toward him, Hoss slowly entered standing at the foot of the bed avoiding his father’s eyes.
“I’ll be downstairs checking on Hop Sing. Call if you need anything.” Paul headed out the door, leaving it ajar.
Clearing his throat, Hoss moved up next to his brother to look down at his damaged face flinching at the sight before taking hold of his hand.
“Son?” Ben began trying to get Hoss to look at him, finally rewarded with those blue eyes and a sad and worried look on his face.
“I gotta message for ya, Pa, from . . . from Adam.”
Hoss nodded. “He done tol’ me just afore he passed out. I’m guessin’ he didn’t think he’d make it.” Ben shied away from those words, desperately hoping his son was wrong. “He, ah, wanted ya ta know . . .” His voice faltered and he rubbed at his nose as tears moved down his cheeks.
“What did Adam say, Hoss?” Ben asked, his voice breaking, fearful of the words that were coming. Hoss cleared his throat again and looked straight at him.
“He wanted ya ta know that he . . . he doesn’t hate ya, Pa. He doesn’t hate ya and . . . and neither do I.”
Ben closed his eyes and shuddered, emotion welling up in him making him choke on a sob alarming Hoss who rushed to his father’s side.
Ben reached out for his boy and wrapped an arm about him, holding him tightly, Hoss hanging on for dear life. “I’m sorry, Hoss. I’m so sorry,” Ben managed as he tried to get himself under control. “I can never apologize enough.”
“Don’t havta, Pa.”
“Yes I do. To all of you but especially to Adam,” he said pulling back from Hoss and looking toward his oldest. So like Elizabeth – strong and independent, stubborn to the point of distraction and devoted to those he loved. “I can’t lose him, Hoss. I can’t lose any of you.”
“Ya won’t, Pa. Adam’s strong. He’s . . .” More words were cut off by a soft moan coming from the other side of the bed. Attentions swiftly moved to see dark brows furrow.
“Adam?” Ben called leaning in close. “Adam, it’s Pa. I’m here.” Silence followed and Ben prayed for a response, any response.
“I done tol’ ‘im, Adam,” Hoss explained leaning close to his brother’s face. “I delivered yer message. He knows, Adam. Pa knows.”
“That’s right, Adam,” Ben interrupted. “I heard the message, son. I heard the mess . . .”
“. . . don’t . . . die . . .” finally came and Ben shook his head.
“I won’t,” Ben answered in a trembling voice. “I’m here, Adam. Open your eyes and see me.”
Adam’s brows furrowed even more, then pain flitted across his face for an instant. “. . . pa . . . please . . . stay . . .”
Tears flowed freely down Ben’s pale face. “I’m not leaving again, son. I’m staying here. I love you with all my heart, Adam. I love all my boys and I’m not leaving. Stay with me, son. Fight and come back to me.”
“. . . pa . . .”
“I’m here, son.” Ben waited for more watching Adam’s lips move but no sound was heard and he ran a hand carefully down his boy’s bruised face. “You were right, son. I thought my loss was just that – mine alone – and that no one else was involved. For that, I’m truly sorry and I believe that no amount of your forgiveness will ever erase that taint from my soul. It shall be something that will always cloud my memories. Please forgive me, son. Please forgive my trespasses and let me start anew and not just for my sake but yours and Hoss and Joe, for you’ve all suffered at my selfishness. Please, Adam. Stay with me. Please stay with me.”
No amount of urging could bring forth anything else from his boy and he dropped his forehead to the dark hair and wept as Hoss clung to his father.
He threw up the window and shouted, his voice carrying across the yard and after the man on the buckskin that raced out of the barn. He found himself sailing down the stairs and out the front door, calling after the man, pleading with him to stay all the while watching the distance between them increase until only a chasm remained, a dark and foreboding depth that stretched beyond all visible sight.
He found himself teetering then dropping to his knees as he called to his God to take back the words spoken, to change their meaning so that the man would return and retake his place within their world. But only swirling clouds of gray met his calls followed by icy rain that pelted him with their insistence causing him to look into those depths; causing him to see nothing but the black future before him. He fell forward . . .
Thunder rattled the windows and Adam immediately bolted upright, fearful eyes searching the room, to instantly fall sideways across the bed as piercing white-hot agony shot through his entire body making him cry out. Rushing back to him was Hobbs’ grinning face and rock-solid fists and Joe being held against his will and his father . . . his father falling out of sight.
“I’m sorry!” Adam called, his weak voice breaking as sobs filled him. “I didn’t mean it . . . I don’t hate you,” he cried knowing his father would never hear the truth, making him cry even more. “I don’t hate you.”
And then hands were on him and he was being lifted up and wrapped in a strong embrace, his body quaking as he fought whoever had him.
“It’s all right, son.”
That voice . . . that voice he would hear for all eternity taunting him, reminding him that he’d run out of time to repair the damage he’d caused. “I’m here, son.”
Adam weakly pushed out and shook his head. “No,” he finally said between cries. “Can’t be . . . can’t be.”
“Why? Why can’t I be here?”
Why? Adam cringed and gasped as a new wave of pain burned through him and he buried his face into the warmth that surrounded him, trying to put out of his mind the sight of his father stretched out, blood seeping through his fingers knowing he was too late. He grabbed onto whoever held him, the fight all but gone, feeling arms tighten about him and he cried even more.
“Why, Adam?” came the question again. “Why can’t I be here?”
“. . . dead . . .” came out between breaths.
“I’m not dead, Adam.”
“. . . saw you,” Adam said with a shudder.
“Open your eyes, son. See me here.”
Those words flowed over him, seeped through his cries, through his devastated memories of watching his father die. Did he dare look? Did he dare face what was to be?
“You’ve never backed away from anything, Adam,” came that voice again. “Don’t start now.”
Churning thoughts began to settle allowing him to become aware of a heartbeat beneath his grasping hand, a familiar heartbeat he’d known since childhood. Trying to open his eyes proved difficult but one finally obliged and he spied the Ponderosa brand emblem embroidered on the robe beneath his hand, a robe he’d bought for his father’s last birthday. Carefully, he reached for it, ran fingers over it and his breath caught.
“I’m here, son.”
Adam hoped against hope that this wasn’t a fevered dream for that would be too much for his shattered psyche to take. Forcing himself to look up, he met those dark familiar eyes holding no accusation, no blame. It was him. His father was alive.
“Pa.” His voice cracked, more tears falling as he pulled on that robe. “I didn’t think . . . I thought it was too late.”
“I’m a tough old bird,” Ben quipped. “Takes more than a robber’s bullet to stop me.”
“The things I said . . . I didn’t mean . . . Pa, I don’t hate you . . . I don’t . . .” Adam stammered to a stop, ashamed at himself for ever thinking that he did as his hammering heart brought on new waves of pain.
“You had every reason to hate me, son. I left you behind, you and your brothers, as if you didn’t matter. I still can’t fathom that I could ever think that; still can’t reconcile myself to the fact that I just rode out of here like you were nothing.”
“But Mama . . . died,” Adam gave him as he fought to stay conscious.
“That’s no reason to abandon my children. My God, Marie would’ve had my scalp if she’d known. Elizabeth and Inger, too,” Ben admitted. “Mariah Nickols tried to tell me but I wouldn’t listen, so wrapped up in my own grief that I couldn’t see anyone else’s. I blamed God, I blamed that horse . . . I even blamed Marie for not heeding my warnings. Then I blamed myself.
“This time my grief stripped me of more than just my wife. It took my reasoning with it as well. I was lost, and still am to a certain degree. It’s difficult to see her things throughout the house, to hear her voice in the darkness of each night and wake to find she’s not there. But I almost threw away what I had left, what each of them left me to share my life and theirs. My sons.
“It was a cowardly thing to run and hide and I ask forgiveness from you, Adam, from you and your brothers. Please let me try to prove to you that I still love you as I always have. Will you let me try?”
The angry headache that permeated Adam’s every thought had obviously fiddled with the words his father had just spoken for why else would he ask for his forgiveness? He’s the one that said those horrid things. It was up to him to ask forgiveness of his father.
Knowing he didn’t have the energy to comprehend fully, Adam merely nodded and felt his father sigh with relief. He sank further into his embrace, his sudden onslaught of strength quickly vanishing as he felt himself being dragged back down toward the shadows that surrounded him. “. . . pa . . . ” he began trying to hold onto his senses for just a moment longer.
“Yes?” came that velvety voice right overhead, growing more distant as each second passed, Ben feeling his boy grow heavier in his grasp, his breathing quick and shallow as he trembled.
“. . . don’t . . . leave . . .” came the request as consciousness fled.
Ben watched him lose the fight brushing away his own tears as he kissed the top of his boy’s head. “I’ll stay, Adam, don’t you worry. I’m here always and ever more.” Holding him for a few moments more, he gently laid him back and spread the blankets back over him. Watching him sleep, Ben ran a hand down his bruised face then slid in next to him to hold him close.
Three days they’d been waiting for a sign that he would wake and three days they’d been disappointed, Adam not making another sound after that first day and he knew Paul was getting worried.
Ben worried as well for he knew he didn’t have the right to ask God for anything not after what he’d done to them. But ask he did . . . begged was more like it for Adam to know that he hadn’t died, and to tell him he was sorry. And his request had been granted – he’d been given the chance, a second chance to make things right and he wouldn’t waste it.
Ben heard voices and glanced toward the door, noticing three pairs of anxious eyes staring at him. “Come in,” he whispered as Hoss and Joe tip-toed into the room sliding carefully onto the bed, Hop Sing following along behind.
“We hear yelling,” Hop Sing whispered, watching Joe snuggle in next to Adam.
“Careful now,” Ben warned his youngest as Hoss sat against the footboard. “He woke up and was . . . confused.”
“I was only outta the room fer a second,” Hoss admitted, not meeting his father’s eyes.
“It’s all right, Hoss,” Ben said patting his boy’s hand.
“Is he gonna be all right?” Joe asked looking closely at Adam’s pale and bruised face.
“He will be,” Ben answered looking back at his battered son and cursing those who’d touched him. “Those men hurt him but he’ll get better.”
“He took real good care o’ us, Pa,” Hoss informed his father.
Ben looked at him remembering the moment Hop Sing had found Hoss’ note telling them that he and Joe were leaving, following after their brother because ‘ya ain’t the same Pa no more’. “He loves you boys just as I do. I guess I haven’t said that enough lately,” he admitted never taking his eyes from Hoss. “I’m sorry, Hoss, if I haven’t been here for you, haven’t seemed to notice you. I can never excuse my treatment of you and your brother since I’ve been home and I won’t even try. Will you let me make it up to you?”
Hoss looked at his father and swallowed hard, the love he had for him moving past hurt feelings that were quickly dissipating.
“Pa,” Hoss stammered. “I’m sorry for what I wrote. It’s jest that ya scared me. I thought Adam was leavin’ and I couldn’t let ‘im go alone.”
“And I couldn’t let Hoss leave without me,” Joe added.
Ben grabbed both their hands. “You were protecting each other. Don’t ever be sorry about that. Not ever.” He smiled then and Hoss managed one as well then he stretched across the foot of the bed, one hand on Adam’s leg as Joe nestled in close to his brother.
“You rest. I keep watch ‘til ready to eat,” Hop Sing announced, sitting down in a chair next to the bed, scratching under the bandage about his head.
Ben smiled. He was so very thankful for so many things and for the first time since Marie left them, his ruptured heart was beating again.
He never wanted to go through that again, never wanted to experience the brutality of emotions that still haunted him and would for a long time to come. He thanked the Lord daily for the blessings of his boys finally remembering that they were what kept him going day after day, night after night and running away just took him from them and gave him nothing in return.
No more running he vowed. Not now. Not ever.
Epilogue – 10 months later
“Maybe I should stay longer, Pa. Wait until next year,” Adam whispered as the two walked ahead of Hoss, Joe and Hop Sing toward the waiting stagecoach.
“We’ve already discussed this.”
“I know but I can wait until next year.”
“And then the year after that and the next after that until you’ll be an old man attending school,” Ben sternly said, then softened the tone with a smile and an arm about his boy’s shoulders. “You’re going now and learn all you can. I expect a top scholar to come home in four years full of himself and brimming with new ideas.” It was an old argument and one that Ben was going to win no matter what.
Adam’s injuries, though severe, healed and he was soon back on his feet helping his father run the ranch and his brothers; the robbers had been sentenced to twenty years hard labor and, tentative at first, Adam and Ben’s relationship began to fall back into place bringing Hoss and Joe right along with it. Hop Sing began smiling again as his meals started disappearing and Charlie settled back into his foreman job with the knowledge that he didn’t need to stick close to the house anymore. Paul filed away his adoption papers and Roy made the time to speak with Adam whenever the young man showed up at his door and Ben as well, each listening to the other as they remembered the good times. The months moved slowly by and the wounds began to heal.
“Pa, what about you and the boys? I should be here to take care of you.”
“Hop Sing can take care of us all,” Ben stated, having all the answers to any possible questions at the ready.
“I just . . .” Adam began then stopped and looked away.
Concern filled Ben’s face. “What is it, son?”
Adam sighed. “Four years is a long time, Pa, when you’re seven and twelve. What if they forget me?”
“They won’t forget you, son,” Ben said with a slight smile. “There’s too much of you at home to forget anytime soon. And besides, you promised to write every week.”
“Only if you’ll promise the same.”
“We will. You will not be forgotten.”
Adam nodded thinking he’d been rather childish but still the thought persisted. He felt his father grab onto his arms and looked up.
“I am very proud of you, Adam. Stay true to yourself. Don’t let those high falutin’ people try and change who you are. You’re a good man, a strong man. You’ve proven that over and over . . . especially recently.” Adam closed his eyes on that. “And I am honored to call you son.”
Adam opened glistening eyes and wrapped arms about his father, squeezing tightly, Ben responding in kind. Both felt tears and let them come as Hoss and Joe pushed their way in, not waiting for Adam to untangle himself. Once he did, he took Hoss on first gathering him into his arms.
“Hoss, you take care of Pa and Joe,” Adam reminded him as he pulled back and nodded toward Joe. “Don’t let this little one talk you into anything involving money or girls.”
“Adam!” Joe said with a roll of his eyes.
“I won’t,” Hoss answered back. “Ya take care ‘cause I don’t want my friend forgettin’ how ta come home. I ain’t learned half the stuff ya know and I aim ta squeeze yer brain once ya come back.”
Adam laughed and held Hoss tightly giving him a quick kiss on the cheek then watched him turn red. “And you,” he said to Joe who leaped into his arms. “You take care of Pa and Hoss and Hop Sing and try not to forget me.”
“How could I forget you, Adam. All the girls is always mooning over ya and that’s all I hear at school.”
Adam kissed Joe soundly on the forehead and let him down, stepping toward Hop Sing and taking him into his arms. “Watch out for them,” he whispered. “Use Roy or Paul if you need too.”
“I will, Mista Adam,” Hop Sing whispered then pulled away. “You make sure they feed you good. You way too skinny now.”
Adam smiled and stepped back to find Paul and Roy waiting by the stage.
“You be careful now, boy,” Roy said taking Adam’s hand and pumping it furiously. “Don’t let them college boys git the better of ya.”
“I won’t,” Adam answered as Paul grabbed his hand.
“And if you happen to see any interesting medical books, send me a letter and I’ll wire you some money. Always have to keep up my own studies,” Paul said with a smile.
“Sure thing, Paul.”
“Ya comin’, Adam!” called the stagecoach driver. “Time’s a’wastin’!”
“Well, I guess I’ve gotta go,” Adam said turning one last time to his family and friends, hesitantly stepping toward the coach, his mind racing. Did he really want to go? Should he stay here?
“Oh, Adam,” came a sultry voice behind him. Turning, he found himself within the grasp of a tall redhead who’d wrapped herself around him and was kissing him soundly. Joe began to giggle as Hoss tried to hide his little brother’s eyes and everyone else looked at anything else. Finally letting him up for air, she smiled at Adam and started back down the street. “Have fun at school!”
Turning a dazed look back to the gathered, he saw his father running hands over his own mouth then pointing at him. Getting the message, Adam quickly wiped his mouth clean, turned bright red and hopped into the coach. The driver smiled then urged the horses on all waving until the coach moved out of sight.
“Well, if’n I was ta receive a goin’ away like that,” Roy began, “I think I’d go more places, wouldn’t you, Doc?”
“I wouldn’t have to think twice about it,” Paul answered as the two walked away leaving a stunned family on the sidewalk.
“Was that a floozy, Pa?” Joe asked. “How does Adam know a floozy?”
Ben thought he was going to choke as he quickly grabbed his boy’s shoulders and turned him toward the buckboard. “Never you mind, Joseph. Let’s say we get on home. Got lots of chores to do. Come on. Let’s go.”
Ben cringed at the sounds of laughter coming from the Sheriff and Doctor, then relaxed with a sudden smile as he hefted Joe onto the buckboard, Hoss giggling as he clambered into the back. Ben glanced one more time behind him, seeing only the dissipating dust cloud from the stagecoach’s departure and knew it would be a long four years but he liked to think it wouldn’t be as long as those four months when his world was ending. This was a new beginning for him and for them all.
Ben slapped the reins over the horse’s back. “Let’s go to the lake and try to catch some fish for dinner. What do you say, Hop Sing?”
“Maybe we go for swim, too, then hurry home to write letter to Mista Adam about day?”
Ben laughed at the whoops from his two boys and turned a thankful look to his friend who merely nodded. The family was whole again and they believed it would last until the end of time.
1 Matthew 6:14:15
2 Jeremiah 10:19
Acknowledgement: To my grandmother who helped me with “Blue Skies of Montana” when I was in elementary school (got an “A”) and says stuff like ‘Ben wouldn’t say that’ – I thank you. To my father who keeps harping…or should I say haranguing me to write, write, write and offers me little ditties like ‘I think Hoss should run off and join the circus’ – thanks Dad. And, last but not least, to my mother who introduced me to reading and writing in the first place and is the one who catches my grammatical errors. Of course I believe Dad is rubbing off on her when she says ‘you know, Joe should open up a saloon and marry a floozy’ – you’re the best Mom. Hey, I might be able to do something with that!!!! | <urn:uuid:93a870fb-4858-4336-86fb-dd6cafd4edee> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://womenwritersblock.net/2018/03/23/those-who-remain-by-calim11/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.986724 | 42,226 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Thoughtful and thorough lighting is necessary for safe and easy navigation of pathways at night or in dark areas (under cover of trees, stairwells etc). The objective should be to minimize shadows. Placement of light sources is important for people to be able to maintain focus on where they are going. Positioning is crucial to help users avoid looking directly toward a light source, as that can cause glare and become a barrier.
Lighting low to the ground/floor, or just above the ground/floor, can create cues about the direction to follow. Use low lights to help define the pathway, but don’t make these lights a focal point. | <urn:uuid:68ff51a5-3bc0-40ca-9a1f-97a4088d7b17> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://safescore.org/tips/thorough-lighting | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.922067 | 134 | 2.75 | 3 |
The above photo by Andrew Tallon was taken at 10:30 pm! What I love about this image is it perfectly exemplifies that our moon is just a reflector for sunlight.
So why don’t we see our night landscape this way, if a camera can capture it?
A number of fascinating factors!
Our moon’s albedo (the measurement of amount of light reflected by astronomical objects) is 0.12, which means about 12% of light which hits the moon is reflected. This amount is subject to fluctuation by numerous factors, including the phase of the moon. The amount which hits the earth’s surface can be–and frequently is–significantly less.
To capture the above image, the shutter was open for 30 seconds. Our eyes have our own tricks for seeing in low-light scenarios, which involve our fantastic friends the rods and cones. The outer segment of rods contain the photosensitive chemical rhodopsin (you might know this as visual purple). Cones contain color pigments in their outer segment. Our rods predominantly help us in low light level environments, which means that we have significantly decreased color perception in moonlight.
Cones are located in the center of the eye and are high-density. Rods meanwhile are located around the cones, so in extreme darkness, a 1° blind spot is developed in the central region of the eye where there are only cones. Rods reach their maximum concentration around 17° each direction from the center line, so sneaking some sideways glances actually improves your nighttime perception.
Our rods are not equally sensitive to all wavelengths of light. They are far more sensitive to blue light, and at around 640 nm, are pretty much useless! Click this graph from the University of New Mexico to check it out:
This means that the color of light the moon is actually reflecting appears significantly different to us because of its low intensity.
A neat example I found on the American Optometric Association’s Website which caught my interest was:
For example, in a darkened room, if one looks at two dim lights of equal illumination (one red and one green) that are positioned closely together, the red light will look brighter than the green light when the eyes are fixating centrally. If one looks to the side of the dim lights about 15-20 degrees, the green light will appear brighter than the red.
If you’re planning on shooting your own moonlight landscapes, be a light geek! It is hard to find focus at night, so place a luminous object near your focus, whether it’s a lantern, or a friend with their cell phone! If you want to be super geeky, tape a laser pointer to the top of your camera, then manually focus on the dot.
So, with all of this science in mind, how would you replicate moonlight now, vs how you did previously? | <urn:uuid:34ac0046-559a-40b1-b881-8c9941e4c623> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://jimonlight.com/2012/04/02/moonlight-mini-lesson/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.945986 | 596 | 3.78125 | 4 |
system.The mud gun are classified into three kinds: low pressure; medium pressure; high
pressure, mainly to match with centrifugal pump,or mud pump, or the shear pump. It is to
clean the wall tube and to prevent the mud sediment in the mud tank.OGEM Solids Control
produce the solids control equipments.
The function of mud gun is depending on the gun body to produce a high speed liquid fluid,
which impact the drilling liquid storage tank bottom sediments to make the solid
suspended. At the same time, when the mud agitator stop a period of time, the solid buried
impeller deposition and need to restart, mud gun work can eliminate some resistance
moment agitator startup, this work provides a reliable guarantee for normal use of mud
agitator.Drilling fluid gun divided high pressure gun and low pressure gun,the high
pressure gun of suppling fluid by drilling pump,pressure from 4 to 6Mpa,low pressure gun
of suppling fluid by centrifugal pump.pressure from 0.2 to 0.3Mpa.
More info about our mud gun and solids control equipments,pls feel free to contact OGEM. | <urn:uuid:39afb38e-c695-4b81-99d7-5d11a14f7b79> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.ogemsolidscontrol.com/blog/mud-gun/the-importance-of-mud-gun-in-solids-control-system.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571692.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812105810-20220812135810-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.870049 | 255 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Media release: NSW Govt set to axe bus services in attempt to force commuters onto fledgling light rail
2 March 2020: The NSW Government looks set to slash bus services in Sydney’s east in an attempt to force commuters onto its fledgling light rail system, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union NSW said today.
The call comes after revelations that a report by Transport for NSW has suggested 16 routes to be axed, replaced by 4 new services that would take commuters from Coogee, Maroubra and the city’s South to Randwick’s light rail, in a bid to reduce peak time bus services to the CBD and “remove duplications” in transport services.
Tram and Bus Division Secretary, David Babineau, said the move to axe eastern suburbs bus routes was not unexpected, given the government’s poor handling of the light rail project and its desire to package the bus service up for sale to the private sector, but is certainly far too early and will inevitably result in passengers being left inconvenienced.
“This is yet another disgraceful, yet unfortunately predictable, attack on commuters by this NSW Government,” Mr Babineau said.
“It’s clear that what’s happened is that the NSW Government has realised that it needs to drive people onto the light rail in order to justify the exorbitant amount of money it has blown on the project, and it doesn’t seem to care about the inconvenience that will cause for commuters.”
Mr Babineau said that while some of the planned changes might make sense on face value – like removing a doubling up of services along certain stretches – the move to force eastern suburbs commuters onto a light rail that has so far failed to prove its worth is irresponsible and is coming far too soon.
“It’s far too soon to even be thinking about doing this. No one yet has a full picture of how the system is going to operate. The NSW Government did this with the Metro in the North West – they axed services far too quickly and people were left stranded. It seems they haven’t learnt from their mistakes at all.
“This is yet another slap in the face for eastern suburbs commuters who have already had to endure the long and costly process of construction of the light rail tracks and have the fear of bus privatisation hanging over their heads,” Mr Babineau said.
“Now they’re being forced onto a light rail service that is significantly slower than the current bus services.
“There’s no doubt that eventually the running time on the light rail will be forced down, but at what cost? Our light rail drivers have been very vocal about the risks to worker and public safety if the process is not handled properly.
“This government should be focused on improving our public transport systems from a safety and accessibility perspective, but instead it seems more worried about privatising our buses and forcing commuters to use its shiny new toys in order to justify their existence.
“Any increase in public transport services is good, but this light rail has been a disaster from the very beginning, and it can all be attributed to the Berejiklian Government’s inability to manage our transport projects properly. The timeline blew out, the budget blew out by millions, and now in order to protect itself from the PR blow-back of having empty carriages travelling up and down the streets, it’s going to inconvenience passengers in order to force them to use it.” | <urn:uuid:40b197cd-1d83-40b8-b44d-69dad15d5772> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://tramandbusexpress.com.au/media-release-nsw-govt-set-to-axe-bus-services-in-attempt-to-force-commuters-onto-fledgling-light-rail/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.964614 | 734 | 1.640625 | 2 |
The discovery of truth is prevented more effectively, not by the false appearance things present and which mislead into error, not directly by weakness of the reasoning powers, but by preconceived opinion, by prejudice.
How do we decide what is correct and what is false in medicine and dentistry?
How do we decide who or what to believe when it comes to health care? With so many opposing points of view on the same health topic how do we know which one to believe?
If you are more inclined to prefer a more natural approach to medicine does that mean discarding everything that allopathic medicine has to offer? Conversely, if one chooses to follow a predominately mainstream medicine approach, then should all natural alternatives be discarded as useless? Of course not. There are good and bad in both camps. But how do you distinguish the good from the bad- the correct from incorrect?
Use First Principles to find the truth
You do this by first distilling any conclusion down to the fundamental principles upon which the conclusion is based and reason up from there. When either accepting or challenging current belief systems, it is imperative that all reasoning and conclusions be drawn from the level of established science, and not on assumptions, preconceived prejudices, or analogy. This is the concept of first principles. Fundamental truths upon which any hypothesis or theory is based must conform to both rational consistency and empirical observation. Any deviation from these principles will often lead to false conclusions.
If any of the parameters upon which a theory is based fails to conform to both rational consistency and empirical observation, then this theory must be discarded as incorrect.
So what does that mean? It means that all conclusions must be first based on rational consistency of what can be possible as defined by the accepted laws of physics, chemistry and biology. That doesn’t mean that it is possible, only that it can be possible. Is it rational? Can it happen? If so, then the first condition of establishing correctness is satisfied. If not, then we can immediately dismiss it as incorrect.
Logically Contradictory Entities Cannot Exist
For example, let’s say there is a claim that dinosaurs are currently living on the moon. Does this satisfy rational consistency? Of course not. First of all, dinosaurs are extinct. In addition we know that the moon has no air, so supporting a living creature dependent on respiration such as a dinosaur would be impossible. We can stop right there because this claim does not meet the requirement of rational consistency. We do not need any further evidence.
But what if someone claimed that there are huge cities built on the moon with thousands of people living there. Could this be true?Well of course that is highly unlikely, but it could be true. We do have the technology to do this. Although highly unlikely, it could be possible.
So how do we find out if this is true or not? We look for empirical evidence. We make observations. There are telescopes that can examine the surface of the moon facing us. There are spacecraft orbiting the moon with cameras that can easily spot a city on the moon. We can directly look and see if there are cities on the moon or not. If there are none, then the claim is false.
So first principles accepts that statements made about reality must conform to the properties of reality which are:
1. Rational consistency: If it is rational it might be true. It does not mean that it is true, only that it could be.
2. Empirical evidence. If both empirically valid and rationally consistent, then it is true.
Applying First Principles to Root Canal Risk Analysis
How do we apply this to our analysis of the risks involved with root canal-treated teeth?
Currently accepted beliefs and accepted truths, such as the American Association of Endodontists (Dentists who specialize in performing root canals) assertion that root canal teeth cannot cause or contribute to systemic disease and do not leak bacteria and toxins systemically, must be distilled to the first principles upon which this claim is based. We first must define all of the properties of root canal teeth. Then we can ask the question on how these objective properties of root canal teeth relate to known biological and physical principles. We continue the analysis from the ground up until we reach a logical conclusion. Then we test this conclusion with direct observation.
Let’s look at the role of root canal teeth and heart disease. It has been established that a main driving factor in cardiovascular disease and heart attack is inflammation and the resulting damage to the lining of the coronary artery (endothelium). We know that infection and bacterial toxins are one source of this inflammation and endothelial damage. But how does a root canal contribute to cardiovascular disease?
It is established that all root canals remain infected and become more infected over time. The American Dental Association has acknowledged this. It is also true that these bacteria produce potent exotoxins. Dr. Boyd Haley has demonstrated the presence of potent toxins leaching directly out from the root canal tooth root.
Examining these two points:
The American Association of Endodontists states that toxins are not released from root canal teeth. It claims that both bacteria and toxins that are inside the tooth remain “entombed” within the tooth and that they do not travel systemically to other sites in the body. And if bacteria do make their way out of a root canal tooth this organization further asserts that the infection will remain local and not travel to distant sites in the body. Are these statements both rationally consistent and supported by empirical evidence?
Bacteria within root canal teeth produce many varieties of small molecule toxins. Can these toxins escape from inside the tooth? As mentioned above, Dr. Haley has tested root canal teeth for toxin release and found that root canal teeth do indeed release very potent toxins. These molecules are very small and make their way out of the tooth root. In addition, biopsies have shown that a large percentage of root canal teeth do not have a complete seal within the canal. Remember, these toxins are very, very small molecules. They can easily diffuse out through the root surface and also out the apex of the tooth root. They cannot be “entombed” inside the tooth.
If It Doesn’t Make Rational Sense, and Contradicts Observation, It Must Be False
The statement by the American Association of Endodontists does not satisfy rational consistency or empirical evidence. So it must be false. The truth is that bacterial toxins do leach out of root canal teeth. Small molecules cannot be contained inside an imperfectly sealed root canal or porous root surface. This is not rationally consistent. Empirical evidence from the research of Dr. Haley has confirmed the release of these toxins. Once they are released there is nothing to stop them from traveling to other sites in the body.
Now what about the bacteria themselves? Remember the ADA claims that the bacteria remain “entombed” within a completed root canal. Is this true?
Virtually 100% of the bone around the bottom of the tooth socket after extraction of a root canal tooth was shown to be infected with bacteria. I can’t remember a single case where I obtained a negative bacterial culture from the bone surrounding a root canal–treated tooth.
The American Association of Endodontists says that even if bacteria leak out of a root canal tooth they will remain in the tissues immediately adjacent to the tooth and will not travel to distant sites of the body. They further state that the immune system will destroy any bacteria that get into the blood stream before it can be seeded to another body part.
Both statements are incorrect. It has been established that pathogenic bacteria within root canal teeth can “disarm” the immune system through a variety of mechanisms and may not be destroyed. It has also been proven throughDNA analysis that the same bacteria from infected teeth are found in the plaques of coronary arteries and in the blood clots that have caused a heart attack.* These bacteria traveled from a root canal tooth to the coronary arteries of the heart.
Just The Facts-Rational and Observed
We have established that:
1.All root canal teeth remain infected and become more infected over time.
2. Pathogenic bacteria inside the root canal-treated tooth produce potent exotoxins that leak out of the tooth and travel systemically.
3. Bacteria inside the root canal tooth leak out of the tooth into the adjacent bone and can travel to distant sites of the body.
4. The immune system does not always eliminate these pathogenic bacteria.
5. Bacteria from infected teeth have been found in distant sites of the body such as coronary artery plaque, pericardial fluid in coronary diseases patients, and in ruptured cerebral aneurysms. This has been positively confirmed by documenting the presence of the DNA unique to root canal pathogens at these sites.
By using first principles analysis we can conclude that root canal teeth do spread both bacteria and bacteria-produced exotoxins systemically throughout the body, and that these toxins and bacteria may cause or contribute to a variety of systemic diseases.
1. Pessi, et.al.
Bacterial Signatures in Thrombus Aspirates of Patients with Myocardial Infarction.
Journal: Circulation. February, 2013
Dental infections and oral bacteria, especially viridens streptococci, may be associated with the development of acute coronary thrombosis.
Bacterial DNA typical for endodontic infection, mainly oral Viridans streptococci, was measured in 78.2% of thrombi, and periodontal pathogens were measured in 34.7%.
2. Caplan, et.al.
The Relationship between self-reported history of endodontic therapy and coronary heart disease in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.
J. American Dental Association. August, 2009
Conclusion: Among participants with 25 or more teeth, those with greater self-reported history of endodontic therapy were more likely to have cardiovascular disease than were those reporting no history of Root canal therapy.
Corrected for other risk factors such as smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, People with root canal treated teeth had two or more times the risk of prevalent cardiovascular disease than those with no history of root canals.
3. Louhelainen, et.al.
Oral Bacterial DNA findings in pericardial Fluid
Journal of Oral Microbiology, Nov. 2014
Oral bacterial DNA was detectable in pericardial fluid and an association between the severity of Coronary Artery Disease and the total amount of bacterial DNA in pericardial fluid was fund, suggesting that this kind of measurement might be useful for clinical purposes.
Of 22 cases, 63.6% were positive for endodontic bacteria and 36.4% for periodontal disease associated bacteria.
4. Pyysalo, et.al.
Journal Neorology Neurosurgery Psychiatry Nov. 2013
The Connection Between ruptured Cerebral Aneurysms and Odontogenic Infection.
Conclusion: This is the first report showing evidence that dental infection could be a part of pathophysology in intracranial aneurysm disease.
Bacterial DNA was detected in 58% of specimens. One third of the positive specimens contained bacteria form both endodontic and periodontial bacteria. DNA form endodontic bacteria was detected is 56% of the positive samples and 47% from periodontal bacteria.
5. Matsui. A, et.al.
Pathogenic bacterial species associated with endodontic infection evade innate immune control by disabling neutrophils
Infect Immun 2014
We conclude that endodontic infections can effectively disable and kill infiltrating neutrophils allowing these infections to become established.
6. Stefan Molyneux, Introduction to First Principles | <urn:uuid:c3a81612-4028-4349-8610-382822f70ec2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://coletrex.com/articles/using-first-principles-to-distill-the-truth/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571982.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813172349-20220813202349-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.937886 | 2,466 | 3.25 | 3 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.