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This patch implements parallel mounting for zfs filesystems. This was first implemented on Illumos and ported to ZOL. After asking on the zfs-devel mailing list it was suggested that I start with the ZOL patch because it would be easier to port.
Delphix has seen huge decrease in latency of the mount phase with this patch (see results here: https://github.com/openzfs/openzfs/commit/a3f0e2b569). Performance improvements measured at Gandi are on par with those at Delphix.
Mailing thread here: https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/zfs-devel/2019-February/000516.html
- the ZOL patch pretty much applies directly to FreeBSD (unlike the Illumos patch)
- Had to take some code from the Illumos patch for #ifdef Illumos specific code that was removed when ported to ZOL
- After the ZOL port, a fix for a race condition was amended, this is included. (https://github.com/zfsonlinux/zfs/commit/e63ac16d25fbe991a356489c86d4077567dfea21) | <urn:uuid:a8c0323e-674a-469a-abdc-58d05aeb2424> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://reviews.freebsd.org/D19098?id=54399 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.890906 | 268 | 1.773438 | 2 |
All 4.7 million models of the Fisher-Price Rock ‘N Play have been officially recalled
Following a warning about the Fisher-Price Rock ‘N Play last week, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is officially recalling all models of the Rock ‘N Play sleeper after it was linked to over 30 infant deaths.
A Consumer Report analysis was published a few days after the initial CPSC warning, which found, contrary to the initial warning, many children who had died while using the sleeper were actually younger than three months old. The cause of death for some of the infants was asphyxia, meaning the babies were unable to breathe due to the child’s position. When babies reach three months old, many are able to roll over enough to render the Rock ‘N Play dangerous and potentially fatal.
Earlier this week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) called on the CPSC to recall the products. “This product is deadly and should be recalled immediately,” said Kyle Yasuda, MD, FAAP, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“When parents purchase a product for their baby or child, many assume that if it’s being sold in a store, it must be safe to use. Tragically, that is not the case. There is convincing evidence that the Rock ‘N Play inclined sleeper puts infants’ lives at risk, and CPSC must step up and take immediate action to remove it from stores and prevent further tragedies.”
Fisher-Price is offering a full refund to parents who have owned the product for six months or less. Parents who have older Rock ‘N Plays at home can be reimbursed on a sliding scale — the longer you’ve owned it, the less money you’ll receive.
Surprisingly, many parents seem to be on the fence about the recall. The Rock ‘N Play sleeper has been an incredibly popular sleeping device for parents and new babies for years — with many sharing that their babies wouldn’t sleep in anything else.
In their statement, the AAP said it does not recommend babies sleep in any products that require restraining a baby, or products that are inclined.
It’s also important to remember that after the initial warning about the product was issued, the Consumer Report analysis found that many of the infant deaths occurred in babies who were younger than three months of age — meaning even babies who didn’t have the capability to roll over still died from asphyxia. The infant deaths now trace back to 2011, four years earlier than first reported.
“The AAP advises against using car seats, strollers or other devices for sleep,” the group says, “because of the risk that a baby could roll or turn into an unsafe position and be incapable of moving, leading to suffocation or strangulation.”
To find out if you’re eligible for a refund or voucher, head over to the Mattel website.
This article was originally published on | <urn:uuid:cdbd15cf-b219-4cb1-9358-2d20805819d9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.scarymommy.com/fisher-price-rock-n-play-recall | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.971971 | 625 | 1.945313 | 2 |
The Fourteenth Annual Thomas Jefferson Lecture was held at the University of Tennessee Space Institute Auditorium on April 22, 2010. As part of the Thomas Jefferson Day at UTSI, students from surrounding high schools were given an opportunity to participate in an essay contest in conjunction with the lecture. The topic of the essay contest was “Jefferson’s Relationship with John and Abigail Adams.”
This year there were joint first place winners. Sarah Hall, a junior at Franklin County High School in Winchester won a $300 joint first place prize. She is the daughter of Mickey and Melissa Hall of Estill Springs, Tennessee.
LeAnne Kuhns, a junior at Lincoln County High School in Fayetteville, Tennessee, also won $300 joint first place for her essay. LeAnne is the daughter of Brenda Kuhns of Fayetteville, Tennessee.
In addition to the students receiving a cash prize, $500 was given to each school for academic program development. Cindy Calloway, English teacher at Franklin County High School accepted the award on behalf of the school, and Theresa Patton, Social Studies Chair, accepted the award for Lincoln County High School.
Richard A. Samuelson, the guest speaker at the Thomas Jefferson Lecture, spoke on “Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the American Future.” He is assistant professor of history at California State University, San Bernardino and is currently the Garwood Visiting Fellow in the James Madison Program at Princeton University. Samuelson has held fellowships at numerous colleges and universities throughout the world.
Attendees arriving early for the event had the pleasure of listening to the music of the Tullahoma High School Flute Trio, Megan McKinney, Kelia Washington and Demetrius Seay.
The Thomas Jefferson Lectures are funded by an anonymous donor. | <urn:uuid:cf7870c4-63ca-463a-a59e-f51f1dc2e321> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.utsi.edu/thomas-jefferson-essay-contest-winners-named/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.9562 | 374 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Analysis and management of the process according to
1. Plant-Machinery-Equipment Context
The plant/machinery/equipment tree is defined according to the structure defined according to categories and sub-categories. In the asset sheet are inserted the technical characteristics (freshmen, power, model etc.), the technical documentation, the changes occurred, the certifications, the status. It is possible to insert a plan of the location of plants/machines/equipment.
2. Context Locations and Buildings
The type of usage characteristics, authorizations and documentation is defined for each location and building. It is possible to insert a plan of the location of plants/machines/equipment.
3. Maintenance Specifications
Depending on the type of plants/machines/equipment, the scheduled maintenance interventions, the type of activities, the managers, the frequency, the management and qualification of suppliers/external maintenance, the qualification of qualified workers/maintenance technicians are associated.
4. Planning and Management of Maintenance Activities
It builds the scheduled maintenance plans, manages the scheduled maintenance and fault maintenance by recording the date, the problem encountered, the action taken and the person in charge. Allows the creation of the master check list to support maintenance and checks. The expiry activities (notifications also via email) to the manager are automatically generated by the system. Generate a Dashboard indicators on the recording of performance indicators interventions (KPI).
5. Register Maintenance performed
A navigable report is created allowing you to view all the interventions carried out.
6. Reports, indicators and trends
Reports, indicators, distributions and time representations are managed.
|Changes Management||The Change Management flow manages the entire process from the change request to the planning and management of change activities. Enables management of approval and information workflows. Different types of documents are managed both with external documents uploading and as documents generated by the Platform.|
|Suppliers Qualification Management||Allows management of the entire vendor list management cycle and supplier evaluation criteria. Enables the management of audits at the Suppliers and through an area reserved to them allows the uploading of documents both binding and requested by the Company.|
Integrated Areas and Flows
The processes of Audit, Targets, Operational Controls, Event Management and Non-Conformity and Re-examination are managed in integrated flows for the different Management Systems: Environment, Health and Safety, Quality, Energy, Privacy, Information Security, Anti-corruption, Social Responsibility.
Human Resources Area
- Registry File Management: allows you to manage the integration between the corporate HR Database and the KRC HR Database. It allows the production of personal data sheets: it associates the job, the qualifications and the legal and corporate titles; it composes the training booklet from the training flow, the risk assessment form from the risk assessment flow, the health protocol from the health surveillance flow, the PPE per task and distributed by the PPE flow.
- Organization charts: allows you to produce the corporate and legal organization chart.
- Roles and Responsibilities: allows the Job Description to be produced with regard to activities and responsibilities from the Procedures and Instructions Management flow.
Flow Norms and Laws for the Management of Legal Prescriptions
It allows to produce the regulatory framework, the systematization of the provisions contained in the provisions and to assess the legislative compliance by identifying methods of verification and control and those responsible. It generates the regulatory schedule with the sending of prescription notifications to the managers. The rules and laws and the provisions relating to the risk element will be displayed in the risk and environmental aspects forms.
Norms and Laws update service
KEISDATA provides the supply with a fortnightly update of the rules and laws characterized by Scope, Thematic, Sub-topic, Topic and Element of risk with relative upload of the legislative document. Generates the regulatory schedule with notifications to managers.
Autohorization management flow
It allows you to manage authorization from identification to assigning responsibilities. Create the authorization framework, manage the related activities and create the authorization register. Generates the schedule with notification of notice and registration of the successful completion with upload of the documentation. | <urn:uuid:4d8855fe-5ddd-4e4e-93fa-00967dc41027> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.keisdata.it/eng/pag/facility-management-171/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.890907 | 876 | 1.625 | 2 |
Paypay uses different data storage solutions in it’s microservices, such as SQL Database, NewSql Database, KV Database, File system, etc. For this purpose, the DaaS (Data as a Service) team is responsible for building DWH to provide integrated data for users to perform data analysis.
We built a data extraction application for different data sources by using Spark, which is a batch application, and like many traditional approaches we pull data incrementally, deduplicate the data, and write to aws s3 based on the timestamp. Then we upload data to google bigquery after data regularization. With this approach we have to create a RO(read-only) replica instance in each database cluster to provide data extraction and avoid the performance impact on the RW(read-write) instance. In the early days when the data volume was small this solution solved almost all of our use cases.
As the data volume increased, the binlog synchronization between the RO replica instances and the RW instances became more frequent and slower, which caused the timestamp-based extraction to become less reliable. We had to spend a lot of time and effort on fixing the synchronization problems of the database. And we also had to spend a lot of time and effort on fixing the contemporaneous problem of databases and the data consistency problem within DWH and databases. At the same time, by using this approach to read data, we could not identify the data that had been deleted, which had a considerable impact on the data analysis afterwards.
In order to solve and improve the above problems, we decided to build a incremental updates data pipeline by reading the binlog generated by the rw instance. Because of the seriality and atomicity of the binlog, we no longer need to care about the data inconsistency caused by the timestamp on the data layer, and secondly, because the binlog is directly generated by the RW instance, we do not rely on using RO replica to get the data, which makes data acquisition simpler and more efficient. In addition, the binlog records deletion operations against rows, which lets us know what data has been deleted from the data source.
We compared Delta DataLake and Apache Hudi, which both support Hadoop-based CDC incremental building ACID data solutions. Since we preferred to build a write-optimized architecture, Apache Hudi, which supports write-optimized mode aka MOR (Merge On Read), became our final choice.
The basic workflow of Hudi can simply summarized with the following
- Data ingest
- Calculate index and generate base file relations
- Generate parquet and avro files
- Compaction and clean
1. Data ingest
We use Apache kafka as the message queue for the binlog, and we ensure that the data with the same primary key will always be in the same kafka partition, ensuring that the data order is trusted at the partition level. We use at least once mode in the design for performance, and solve the data duplication problem in the subsequent data processing.
We use kafka’s offset and the sequence information in the binlog event to determine the final data to be written to Hudi, this step ensures that the data will not be duplicated before we write to Hudi.
3. Calculate index and generate relations with base files
Hudi will generate index based on user-defined record key and partition fields, we can get the partition position by partition fields, which is similar to Apache Hive, due to the nature of bloom filter, due to the nature of the bloom filter, by using the index we can simply determine which file slice of the partition the data needs to be saved to.
4. Generate parquet and avro files
Binlog events contains Insert, Update, Delete three kinds of operations, in order to distinguish delete operation in the subsequent data pipeline operations we only consider Insert and Update, Delete operation will be converted to set the value of specified field of the internal column ‘is_deleted’ to true, so this will also become an Update operation. We generally use upsert operation, it will pass index (bloom filter) to determine whether the data is a new insert, when yes it will be written to a new parquet file, conversely it will generate an avro file to the same file slice. In order to record the operations against the data, Hudi provides a complete timeline design, each write operation will be recorded in the timeline.
5. Compaction and cleaning
This step is most important in Hudi, since although Hudi provides a snapshot query method that supports avro and parquet reads together, the reads consume performance in de-duplication, so compacting avro to parquet can provide better query performance. Hudi uses a timeline to figure out which file slice needs to be compacted, not only as an avro to store update data, but also to merge small parquet files into a new parquet file of a certain size. Since we are using MOR mode, for reducing the performance issue caused by compaction, we set the compaction operation to be performed after every N write operations.
After the compaction operation, Hudi will clean up the files, it will delete the files which are not used anymore. operations of cleaning will be recorded by Hudi timeline as well.
In the actual operation process, how to migrate the existing data to Hudi-based DWH is also an important point, because there are many historical problems with the previous data pipeline, we finally used JDBC on Spark and could platform-based data extract function to re-migrate all the data.
When we decided to use Apache Hudi, Hudi was still incubating and we encountered a lot of problems, but we solved most of them by communicating with the Hudi community and contributing code for some of the features. This helped us to understand the workflow of Hudi and how to improve our programming.
Through the DaaS team’s efforts, we successfully ran 400+ data tables from Filesystem, Mysql, TiDB and DynamoDB, running on a Hudi-based data pipeline. Since we used Spark Structured Streaming to run micro batches one at a time, we set the job interval to 5 minutes by default, and most of the micro batches were able to complete all operations from ingestion to compaction within the specified time. This allows us to reduce the data latency from hours to minutes, which is a leap forward.
Hudi natively supports data queries from Apache Presto, Apache Spark, Apache Hive, etc., which makes it easy for other groups to use our data, and also starting 2020.09, AWS Athena also starts to support Hudi’s data queries natively, just by using AWS Glue or a simple You only need to use AWS Glue or simple schema sync code to display and use Hudi tables in Athena. | <urn:uuid:8d251295-9002-4c44-9316-7a42a929bed7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blog.paypay.ne.jp/en/paypay-data-as-a-service-daas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.929849 | 1,438 | 1.765625 | 2 |
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Some COVID-19 patients in India have developed a rare and potentially fatal fungal infection called mucormycosis, also known as "black fungus," according to news reports.
Mucormycosis is caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes, which grow in soil and decaying organic matter, such as rotting leaves and wood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"It is ubiquitous and found in soil and air and even in the nose and mucus of healthy people," Dr. Akshay Nair, a Mumbai-based eye surgeon, told BBC News.
The mold can enter the body through cuts and other abrasions in the skin, or the infection can take hold in the sinuses or lungs after people breathe in the fungal spores. Once inside the body, the fungus can sometimes spread through the bloodstream and affect other organs, such as the brain, eyes, spleen and heart.
Most commonly, mucormycosis strikes those with weakened immune systems, including those with diabetes and those taking medicines that suppress immune activity, according to the CDC. Now, an increasing number of COVID-19 patients in India appear to be contracting the infection, The New York Times reported.
For instance, in the state of Maharashtra, where Mumbai is located, 200 individuals caught mucormycosis after recovering from COVID-19, and eight have died from the black fungus, the Times reported, citing local news coverage.
Cases are also appearing in the capital city of Delhi and in the state of Gujarat, where the state government has ordered 5,000 doses of the antifungal drug amphotericin B to treat the disease.
"We have heard that in some areas, people who are COVID-infected or recovered suffer from mucormycosis, but there is not a big outbreak of it," Dr. V.K. Paul, head of India's COVID task force, said at a press conference last week, according to the Times. "We are watching and monitoring."
The rise in cases may be connected to the use of steroids in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, since the drugs suppress the immune system, BBC News reported. And those with diabetes start out at increased risk for the infection, even before taking steroids.
"Diabetes lowers the body's immune defenses, coronavirus exacerbates it, and then steroids which help fight COVID-19 act like fuel to the fire," Nair told BBC News.
In addition, many families have had to treat relatives for COVID-19 at home, meaning people may become exposed to the mold after receiving medicine or oxygen therapy in less-than-sterile conditions, the Times reported.
Nair saw several dozen Mumbai-based patients with the black fungus in April; many of them had diabetes and had recently recovered from COVID-19 at home, since hospitals were overrun with patients, BBC News reported. Eleven of the patients needed to have an eye surgically removed due to the fungal infection, since the mold can easily spread from the eyes to the brain.
In the early stages of infection, patients often present with a stuffy or bleeding nose; swollen eyes; droopy eyelids; or blurred vision, BBC News reported. Black patches can also appear on the skin around the nose. | <urn:uuid:59c502b7-b19c-454e-b98a-e6204f029d86> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.sciencealert.com/potentially-fatal-black-fungus-is-now-infecting-coronavirus-patients-in-india | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.96119 | 693 | 3.28125 | 3 |
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increase in the quantity of the local currency | from France, in return for which no merof a particular country will raise prices in chandise had been exported from this counthat country exactly in the same manner as try. He observed, on the other hand, that an increase in the general supply of precious the export of colonial produce to the contimetals raises prices all over the world. By nent had increased in the last year compared means of the increase of quantity, the value with former years; and that during the last of a given portion of that circulating medium, year there was an excess, to a considerable in exchange for other commodities, is low- amount, of the exports of colonial produce ered in other words, the money prices of all and British manufactures to Holland above other commodities are raised, and that of bul- the imports from thence, but not nearly equal, lion with the rest. In this manner, an excess he thought, to the excess of imports from other of the local currency of a particular country parts of the world, judging from the state of will occasion a rise of the market price of the exchange as well as from what fell genegold above its mint price. It is no less evi- rally under his observation. He afterwards dent, that, in the event of the prices of com- explained that it was not strictly the balance modities being raised in one country by an of trade, but the balance of payments, being augmentation of its circulating medium, while unfavourable to this country, which he asno similar augmentation in the circulating signed as the principal cause of the rate of medium of a neighbouring country has led to exchange; observing, also, that the balance a similar rise of prices, the currencies of those of payments for the year may be against us, two countries will no longer continue to bear while the general exports exceed the imports. the same relative value to each other as be- He gave it as his opinion that the cause of the fore. The intrinsic value of a given portion present state of exchange was entirely comof the one currency being lessened, while that mercial, with the addition of the foreign exof the other remains unaltered, the exchange penditure of government; and that an excess will be computed between those two countries of imports above exports would account for to the disadvantage of the former. the rates of exchange continuing so high as 16 per cent. against this country for a permanent period of time.
In this manner, a general rise of all prices, a rise in the market price of gold, and a fall of the foreign exchanges, will be the effect of It will be found in the evidence that several an excessive quantity of circulating medium other witnesses agree in substance with Mr. in a country which has adopted a currency Greffulhe, in this explanation of the unfavournot exportable to other countries, or not con-able state of the exchange; particularly Mr. vertible at will into a coin which is export- Chambers and Mr. Coningham. able.
Sir Francis Baring stated to the committee that he considered the two great circumstances which affect the exchange in its present unfavourable state, to be the restrictions upon trade with the continent, and the increased circulation of this country in paper as productive of the scarcity of bullion. And he instanced, as examples of a contrary state of things, the seven years war, and the American war, in which there were the same remittances to make to the continent for naval and military expenditure, yet no want of bullion was ever felt.
Your committee are thus led to the next head of their enquiry-the present state of the exchanges between this country and the continent. And here, as under the former head, your committee will first state the opinions which they have received from practical men, respecting the causes of the present state of the exchange.
Mr. Greffulhe, a general merchant, trading chiefly to the continent, ascribed the fall of exchange between London and Hamburgh near 18 per cent. below par, in the year 1809, "altogether to the commercial situation of this country with the continent; to the circumstance of the imports, and payments of subsidies, &c., having very much exceeded the exports." He stated, however, that he formed his judgment of the balance of trade in a great measure from the state of the exchange itself, though it was corroborated by what fell under his observation. He insisted particularly on the large imports from the Baltic, and the wines and brandies brought
The committee likewise examined a very eminent continental merchant, whose evidence will be found to contain a variety of valuable information. That gentleman states that the exchange cannot fall in any country in Europe at the present time, if computed in coin of a definitive value, or in something convertible into such coin, lower than the extent of the charge of transporting it, together with an adequate profit in proportion to the risk attending such transmission. He conceives that such fall of our exchange as has exceeded that extent in the last fifteen months, must.
certainly be referred to the circumstance of the course of exchange-Very considerable our paper currency not being convertible into shipments from the Baltic, which were drawn specie; and that if that paper had been so for, and the bills negotiated immediately on convertible, and guineas had been in general the shipments taking place, without consultcirculation, an unfavourable balance of trade ing the interest of the proprietors in this councould hardly have caused so great a fall in try much, by deferring such a negotiation till the exchange as to the extent of 5 or 6 per a demand should take place for such bills: He explains his opinion upon the sub- The continued difficulty and uncertainty in ject more specifically in the following answers carrying on the correspondence between this which are extracted from different parts of country and the continent: The curtailed his evidence. number of houses to be found on the continent "To what causes do you ascribe the present willing to undertake such operations, either unfavourable course of exchange?-The first by accepting bills for English account drawn great depreciation took place when the French from the various parts where shipments take got possession of the north of Germany, and place, or by accepting bills drawn from this passed severe penal decrees against a commu- country, either against property shipped, or nication with this country; at the same time on a speculative idea that the exchange either that a sequestration was laid upon all Eng-ought or is likely to rise: The length of time lish goods and property, whilst the payments that is, required before goods can be converted for English account were still to be made, into cash, from the circuitous routes they are and the reimbursements to be taken on this obliged to take: The very large sums of mocountry; many more bills were in consequence ney paid to foreign ship owners, which in to be sold than could be taken by persons re- some instances, such as on the article of quiring to make payments in England. The hemp, has amounted to nearly its prime cost communication by letters being also very dif- in Russia: The want of middle men who as ficult and uncertain, middle men were not to formerly used to employ great capitals in exbe found, as in usual times, to purchase and change operations, who, from the increased send such bills to England for returns; whilst difficulties and dangers to which such operano suit at law could be instituted in the courts tions are now subject, are at present rarely of justice there against any person who chose to be met with, to make combined exchange to resist payment of a returned bill, or to dis-operations, which tend to anticipate probable pute the charges of re-exchange. Whilst ultimate results."
those causes depressed the exchange, pay- The preceding answers, and the rest of this ments due to England only came round at gentleman's evidence, all involve this princidistant periods; the exchange once lowered ple, expressed more or less distinctly, that by those circumstances, and bullion being bullion is the true regulator both of the value withheld in England to make up those occa of a local currency, and of the rate of foreign sional differences, the operations between this exchanges; and that the free convertibility of country and the continent have continued at a paper currency into the precious metals, and low rate, as it is only matter of opinion what the free exportation of those metals, place a rate a pound sterling is there to be valued at, limit to the fall of exchange, and not only not being able to obtain what it is meant to check the exchanges from falling below that represent." limit, but recover them by restoring the ba"The exchange against England fluctuat-lance. ing from 15 to 20 per cent., how much of that Your committee need not particularly point loss may be ascribed to the effect of the mea-out in what respects these opinions, received sures taken by the enemy in the north of from persons of practical detail, are vague Germany, and the interruption of intercourse and unsatisfactory, and in what respects they which has been the result; and how much to are contradictory of one another; considerathe effect of the Bank of England paper not ble assistance, however, may be derived from being convertible into cash, to which you have the information which the evidence of these ascribed a part of that depreciation?-I persons affords, in explaining the true causes ascribe the whole of the depreciation to have of the present state of the exchanges. taken place originally in consequence of the Your committee conceive that there is no measures of the enemy; and its not having point of trade, considered politically, which recovered, to the circumstance of the paper is better settled, than the subject of foreign of England not being exchangeable for cash." exchanges. The par of exchange between "Since the conduct of the enemy which two countries is that sum of the currency of you have described, what other causes have either of the two, which, in point of intrinsic continued to operate on the continent to lower value, is precisely equal to a given sum of
the currency of the other; that is, contains and so, if that same country has the balance precisely an equal weight of gold or silver of of trade in its favour, the computed rate of the same fineness. If 25 livres of France exchange will appear to be much less favourcontained precisely an equal quantity of pure able than the real difference of exchange will silver with twenty shillings sterling, 25 would be found to be. Before the new coinage of be said to be the par of exchange between our silver in King William's time, the exLondon and Paris. If one country uses gold change between England and Holland, comfor its principal measure of value, and another puted in the usual manner according to the uses silver, the par between those countries standard of their respective mints, was 25 cannot be estimated for any particular period, per cent. against England; but the value of without taking into account the relative value the current coin of England was more than of gold and silver at that particular period; 25 per cent. below the standard value; so and as the relative value of the two precious that if that of Holland was at its full standard, metals is subject to fluctuation, the par of ex- the real exchange was in fact in favour of change between two such countries is not England. It may happen in the same manner, strictly a fixed point, but fluctuates within that the two parts of the calculation may be certain limits. An illustration of this will be both opposite and equal, the real exchange in found in the evidence, in the calculation of favour of the country by trade being equal to the par between London and Hamburgh, the nominal exchange against it by the state which is estimated to be 34/3 Flemish of its currency: in that case, the computed shillings for a pound sterling. That rate exchange will be at par, while the real exof exchange, which is produced at any parti- change is in fact in favour of that country. cular period by a balance of trade or payments Again, the currencies of both the countries between the two countries, and by a conse- which trade together may have undergone an quent proportion between the supply and the alteration, and that either in an equal degree, demand of bills drawn by the one upon the or unequally in such a case, the question of other, is a departure on one side or the other the real state of the exchange between them from the real and fixed par. But this real becomes a little more complicated, but it is to par will be altered if any change takes place be resolved exactly upon the same principle. in the currency of one of the two countries, Without going out of the bounds of the prewhether that change consists in the wear or sent enquiry, this may be well illustrated by debasement of a metallic currency below its the present state of the exchange of London standard, or in the discredit of a forced paper with Portugal, as quoted in the tables for the currency, or in the excess of a paper currency 18th of May last. The exchange of London not convertible into specie; a fall having on Lisbon appears to be 67; 674d. sterling taken place in the intrinsic value of a given for a mill ree is the old established par of exportion of one currency, that portion will no change between the two countries; and 674 longer be equal to the same portion, as before, accordingly is still said to be the par. But of the other currency. But though the real by the evidence of Mr. Lyne, it appears that, par of the currencies is thus altered, the in Portugal, all payments are now by law dealers, having little or no occasion to refer made one half in hard money, and one half in to the par, continue to reckon their course of government paper; and that this paper is deexchanges from the former denomination of preciated at a discount of 27 per cent. Upon the par; and in this state of things a dis- all payments made in Portugal, therefore, tinction is necessary to be made between the there is a discount or loss of 13 per cent. ; real and computed course of exchange. The and the exchange at 67, though nominally at computed course of exchange, as expressed par, is in truth 134 per cent. against this in the tables used by the merchants, will then country. If the exchange were really at par, include not only the real difference of ex-it would be quoted at 56,55, or apparently change arising from the state of trade, but 13 per cent. in favour of London, as comlikewise the difference between the original pared with the old par which was fixed before par and the new par. Those two sums may the depreciation of the Portuguese medium of happen to be added together in the calcula- payments. Whether this 13 per cent. which tion, or they may happen to be set against stands against this country by the present exeach other. If the country, whose currency change on London, is a real difference of exhas been depreciated in comparison with the change, occasioned by the course of trade, and other, has the balance of trade also against by the remittances to Portugal on account of it, the computed rate of exchange will appear government, or a nominal and apparent exto be still more unfavourable than the real change occasioned by something in the state difference of exchange will be found to be; of our own currency, or is partly real and
partly nominal, may perhaps be determined circumstances of the present state of the war,
It occurred, however, to your committee,
Your committee are disposed to think, from the result of the whole evidence, contradictory as it is, that the circumstances of the trade of this country, in the course of the last year, were such as to occasion a real fall of
It was stated to your committee, by the merchant who has already been mentioned as being intimately acquainted with the trade between this country and the continent, that the present expense of transporting gold from London to Hamburgh, independent of the premium of insurance, is from 1 to 2 per cent. that the risk is very variable from day to day, so that there is no fixed premium, but he conceived the average risk, for the fifteen months preceding the time when he spoke, to have been about 4 per cent.; making the whole cost of sending gold from London to Ham- our exchanges with the continent to a certain burgh for those fifteen months, at such ave- extent, and perhaps at one period almost as rage of the risk, from 5 to 6 per cent. Mr. low as the limit fixed by the expense of reAbraham Goldsmid stated that, in the last nitting gold from hence to the respective five or six months of the year 1809, the ex-markets. And your committee is inclined to pense of sending gold to Holland varied ex- this opinion, both by what is stated regarding ceedingly, from 4 to 7 per cent. for all the excess of imports from the continent charges, covering the risk as well as the costs above exports, though that is the part of the of transportation. By the evidence which subject which is left most in doubt; and also was taken before the committees upon the by what is stated respecting the mode in which bank affairs in 1797, it appears that the cost the payments in our trade have been latterly of sending specie from London to Hamburgh effected, an advance being paid upon the imin that time of war, including all charges as ports from the continent of Europe, and a long well as an average insurance, was estimated credit being given upon the exports to other at a little more than 3 per cent. It is clear, parts of the world. therefore, that in consequence of the peculiar
Your committee, observing how entirely
the present depression of our exchange with | naval, military, and other expenses in foreign Europe is referred by many persons to a great parts. Your committee had hoped to receive excess of our imports above our exports, have an account of these from the table of the called for an account of the actual value of house; but there has been some difficulty and those for the last five years; and Mr. Irving, consequent delay in executing a material part the inspector general of customs, has accord- of the order made for them. It appears from ingly furnished the most accurate estimate of" an account, as far as it could be made out, both that he has been enabled to form. He of sums paid for expenses abroad in 1793, 4, has also endeavoured to forward the object of 5, and 6," inserted in the appendix of the the committee, by calculating how much lords' report on the occasion of the bank reshould be deducted from the value of goods striction bill, that the sums so paid were, imported, on account of articles in return for In 1793, £ 2,785,252 which nothing is exported. These deductions 1794, consist of the produce of fisheries, and of imports from the East and West Indies, which are of the nature of rents, profits, and capital remitted to proprietors in this couutry. The balance of trade in favour of this country, upon the face of the account thus made up,
8,335,591 11,040,236 10,649,916
In 1805 about
So far, therefore, as any inference is to be drawn from the balance thus exhibited, the exchanges during the present year, in which many payments to this country on account of the very advantageous balances of the two former years may be expected to take place, ought to be peculiarly favourable.
The following is an account of the official value of our imports and exports with the continent of Europe alone, in each of the last five years :
The balances with Europe alone in favour of Great Britain, as exhibited in this imperfect statement, are not far from corresponding with the general and more accurate balances before given. The favourable balance of 1809 with Europe alone, if computed according to the actual value, would be much more considerable than the value of the same year, in the former general statement.
A favourable balance of trade on the face
Your committee, however, place little confidence in deductions made even from the improved document which the industry and intelligence of the inspector general has enabled him to furnish. It is defective, as Mr. Irving has himself stated, inasmuch as it supplies no account of the sum drawn by foreigners (which is at the present period peculiarly large) on of the account of exports and imports, preaccount of freight due to them for the em-sented annually to parliament, is a very proployment of their shipping, nor, on the other bable consequence of large drafts on governhand, of the sum receivable from them (and ment for foreign expenditure; an augmentaforming an addition to the value of our ex- tion of exports, and a diminution of imports, ported articles) on account of freight arising being promoted and even enforced by the from the employment of British shipping. It means of such drafts. For if the supply of leaves out of consideration all interest on ca- bills drawn abroad, either by the agents of pital in England possessed by foreigners, and government or individuals, is disproportionate
Great Britain, as well as the pecuniary transactions between the government of England and Ireland. It takes no cognisance of contraband trade, and of exported and imported bullion, of which no account is rendered at the custom-house. It likewise omits a most important article, the variations of which, if correctly stated, would probably be found to correspond in a great degree with the fluctuations of the apparently favourable balance; namely, the bills drawn on government for our
on capital abroad belonging to inhabitants of to the demand, the price of them in foreign money falls, until it is so low as to invite purchasers, and the purchasers, who are gene. rally foreigners, not wishing to transfer their property permanently to England, have a reference to the terms on which the bills on England will purchase those British commodities which are in demand, either in their own country, or in intermediate places, with which the account may be adjusted. Thus, the price of the bills being regulated in some degree by that of British commodities, and | <urn:uuid:7ef8156e-584c-4c6b-a780-ff3494e0ef12> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://books.google.to/books?id=QqIRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA9&focus=viewport&vq=%22further+enacted,+That+if+any+person+shall+falsely+make,+forge,+or+counterfeit,+or+cause+or+procure+to+be+falsely+made,%22&dq=editions:HARVARDHJ12N6&lr=&output=html_text | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.970589 | 4,672 | 2.34375 | 2 |
Public Release: 16-Sep-2015
University of Adelaide
A University of Adelaide led study has found that a psychiatric drug claimed to be a safe and effective treatment for depression in adolescents is actually ineffective and associated with serious side effects.
Professor Jon Jureidini, from the University of Adelaide’s newly created Critical and Ethical Mental Health Research Group (CEMH) at the Robinson Research Institute, led a team of international researchers who re-examined Study 329, a randomised controlled trial which evaluated the efficacy and safety of paroxetine (Aropax, Paxil, Seroxat) compared with a placebo for adolescents diagnosed with major depression.
Study 329, which was funded by SmithKline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline), was reported in 2001 as having found that paroxetine was effective and safe for depression in adolescents. However, Professor Jureidini’s reanalysis showed no advantages associated with taking paroxetine and demonstrated worrying adverse effects.
“Although concerns had already been raised about Study 329, and the way it was reported, the data was not previously made available so researchers and clinicians weren’t able to identify all of the errors in the published report,” says Professor Jureidini.
“It wasn’t until the data was made available for re-examination that it became apparent that paroxetine was linked to serious adverse reactions, with 11 of the patients taking paroxetine engaging in suicidal or self-harming behaviours compared to only one person in the group of patients who took the placebo,” he says. “Our study also revealed that paroxetine was no more effective at relieving the symptoms of depression than a placebo.”
“This is highly concerning because prescribing this drug may have put young patients at unnecessary risk from a treatment that was supposed to help them,” he says.
Professor Jureidini says it is important that research data and protocols are accessible so they can be reviewed and scrutinised.
“In 2013, an international researcher consortium called for undisclosed outcomes of trials to be published and for misleading publications to be corrected. This initiative was called restoring invisible and abandoned trials (RIAT),” says Professor Jureidini.
“Study 329 was one of the trials identified as in need of restoration, and because the original funder was not interested in revisiting the trial, our research group took on the task.
“Our reanalysis of Study 329 came to very different conclusions to those in the original paper,” he says. “We also learnt a lot about incorrect reporting and the considerable fall out that can be associated with distorted data.”
“Regulatory research authorities should mandate that all data and protocols are accessible,” he says. “Although concerns about patient confidentiality and ‘commercial in confidence’ issues are important, the reanalysis of Study 329 illustrates the necessity of making primary trial data available to increase the rigour of evidence-based research,” he says.
Professor Jureidini’s study was published in the leading medical journal BMJ today.
CEMH is committed to undertaking and promoting critical and ethical appraisal of evidence, to help improve decision-making in mental health policy and practice. | <urn:uuid:03e024ac-ed01-4545-b80f-1a2d6c611d9a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://engineeringevil.com/2015/09/17/children-on-an-antidepressant-were-11-times-more-likely-to-harm-themselves-over-a-placebo-the-criminal-cover-up-of-study-329/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.963359 | 692 | 2.296875 | 2 |
We understand that a visit to the dentist can sometimes seem intimidating and become stressful. But it’s not really worth worrying about. We work with the latest equipment and technology to ensure the best quality of results, while protecting You from discomfort and pain as much as possible.
IMPORTANT! We follow the principles of proper prosthetics. First of all, during a detailed consultation and interview, we find out Your expectations and wishes, and then we produce a project of future functional teeth that meets this vision.
A dental project is like a visualization of what Your new smile would look like. It can be adjusted until You finally decide that the aesthetic image is great. What is more, an orthopedic dentist can try this dental project on Your teeth without grinding them. This way You can try Your future smile. Only when You are completely satisfied with the future dental project does the dental prosthesis itself begin.
This precise planning of the prosthetic work allows You to feel at ease knowing what the end result will be.
Our clinic’s doctors can offer a wide range of prosthetic services. To help, we not only provide micro-prosthetic services that can restore impeccable dental aesthetics, but also solve extremely complex problems by restoring the functions of chewing or speech.
Dental prosthesis is the restoration of tooth tissue and occlusion.
Dental restoration methods used for prosthetics:
Metal-free ceramics, “E. max veneers.
- zirconium ceramic crowns;
- zirconium ceramic crowns on implants;
- Cermet crowns.
- Complete dentures – a full-arch restoration on 4 or more implants;
- removable dentures.
Materials used in our clinic for prosthetics:
- zirconia ceramics,
- ,, E. max “ glass ceramics.
Zirconium oxide ceramics is a high-class option of prosthetic material that has been used for many years in the production of joints, teeth and other prostheses. It is found in the earth, in the form of the mineral badelite. This substance is biologically inert, so the body accepts it as natural, its own.
Advantages of zirconium ceramic prostheses:
- extremely strong,
- wear resistant,
- characterized by bio-inertness,
- helps to restore the natural anatomical shape of the tooth,
- resistant to high chewing loads,
- requires less grinding of hard tissues,
- has no gray line on the edge of the gums,
- does not cause gingivitis,
- suitable for both anterior and molar prosthetics,
- perfect for the production of crowns on implants,
- has excellent aesthetic qualities,
- does not cause allergies,
- ensures adequate retention of the prosthesis.
Aesthetic prosthetics with ‘E. max’ pressed ceramics
These pressed ceramics are several times stronger than metal or purely ceramic crowns. ‘E. max’ ceramic materials have outstanding physical and chemical properties – resistance to wear, reaction to temperature changes, etc. Prosthetics with this crown type boast exceptional aesthetics and precision.
Advantages of ‘E. max’ ceramics:
- long-lasting aesthetics;
- accuracy of restoration;
- excellent aesthetic properties;
- longevity of restorations;
- suitable for restoring individual teeth;
- plaque does not stick;
- biocompatibility – no side effects in the oral cavity;
- greater resistance to fractures;
- the color and shine do not change over time.
Important to know
Having our own laboratory of dental technicians allows us to guarantee the highest quality and aesthetic appeal of dental prosthetics.
What are dental prostheses?
If one or more teeth are lost or the tooth has broken off, there are two treatment methods to restore the chewing function and aesthetic appearance - dental implantation and prosthetics. If You choose a prosthetic method, Your doctor may offer a removable prosthesis (plate) or a fixed prosthesis (bridge).
Fixed dentures are attached to the remaining teeth or implants. Removable dentures (plates) are usually offered when some teeth are lost or when it is not possible to fix the dentures on existing teeth or implants.
How do I know if I need dental prosthesis?
Only a dentist can advise and assess the need for prosthetics. If the tooth is deeply damaged by caries, the root canals were previously treated, the remaining walls of the tooth are thin or partial, as well as other common causes, You may need a dental crown to restore the tooth anatomy.
What is a dental crown?
It is a specific tooth casing created in the clinic to replicate the damaged part of Your tooth. Dental crowns are sometimes called dental crowns or shells - because an artificial shell is placed on the visible part of the tooth like a crown. If several teeth are restored at the same time, this is the so-called "dental bridge".
How thick are dental crowns?
The thickness of the dental crowns on the lateral surfaces ranges from 0.1 to 1.5 mm, and on the chewing surface is about 1.5 mm.
When are dental crowns used for prosthetics?
Whenever there is a need to restore a broken-off tooth, that is, when there is a remaining healthy part of tooth. Also - when You want to mask tooth discoloration (for example, due to caries). Veneers or dental fillings can sometimes be used to restore a tooth.
Crowns are usually placed after injuries, due to age-related tooth decay, tooth extraction, or when the teeth have been used for improper purposes (such as opening bottle caps). During the procedure, the dentist tries to preserve as much of the remaining tooth and tooth roots as possible.
How are dental crowns attached?
Artificial shell or crown is cemented to a slightly polished remaining tooth. It is given a natural shape for chewing and smiling. This crown placement procedure is usually performed on permanent teeth, but in rare cases can also be performed on deciduous teeth if a tooth defect interferes with, for example, singing.
What are the types of dental crowns?
Dental crowns are divided into partial and full. As the name suggests, partial crowns or dental crowns are attached to individual defective teeth. The so-called micro-prosthesis allows to restore the hard tissues of the tooth, chewing function and aesthetic appearance.
The crowns are stronger, harder, more resistant to wear and tear and more durable than conventional seals. After the procedure, the color and overall appearance of the mouth will be no different from natural teeth.
Full dental crowns are attached to the treated individual tooth or its preserved part. If the tooth was not treated properly, it could continue to decay inside, so a repeat procedure would be needed.
What materials are dental crowns made of?
Dental crowns can be made of porcelain, gold, cermet, zirconium oxide with ceramic coating. The latter material is the most advanced, extremely strong and suitable for teeth with the highest chewing load. Gold crowns are becoming obsolete because they do not give the desired natural look.
Learn more about the benefits of dental implants over other dental restorations.
Will the dental crowns be different from the color of my natural teeth, or will I feel them chewing?
When choosing materials, the dentist will adapt the color, design the crowns so that they have a natural look. Depending on which tooth the crown is for, an appropriate relief will be created. So after 1-3 days You should not feel any discomfort when chewing. By choosing a porcelain coating or zirconium oxide with a ceramic coating, it will be impossible to determine from appearance which teeth are real and which are with a crown.
What is the difference between a dental crown, a full dental crown and a dental bridge?
A dental crown or crown is a method of prosthetics where not all teeth are covered with a tooth replacement. A full dental crown covers the entire tooth, ie there is no natural tooth in the visible part. Dental bridges are a restoration technique in which several dental crowns are connected in succession instead of several broken and sometimes lost teeth. Sometimes such a procedure is called a simple denture.
If You have a lot of worn teeth (such as chews), a dental bridge is recommended. The price will depend on how many teeth will need to be covered with artificial material. In order for the dental bridge to be stable, it is necessary to preserve as many of Your own teeth or parts of the teeth as possible.
Jei turite daug nusidėvėjusių dantų (pvz., kramtomųjų), rekomenduojamas dantų tiltas. Kaina priklausys nuo to, kiek dantų reikės padengti dirbtine medžiaga. Norint, kad dantų tiltas stabiliai laikytųsi, būtina išsaugoti kuo daugiau nuosavų dantų ar dantų dalių.
|S. No||Service||Proce (€)|
|1||Individual mouth care instruction||FREE|
|2||Diagnostic waxing - project (single tooth)||20 Eur|
|3||Mock-up - future dental project (silicone, transparent)||22-62 Eur|
|4||Mock-up - future dental project (two-component, opaque)||20 Eur|
|5||Mock-up - putting on a future dental project||25-45 Eur|
|6||Temporary crown (produced in the clinic)||40 Eur|
|7||Temporary milled tooth crown||75 Eur|
|8||Temporary milled crown on the implant||82 Eur|
|9||Temporary crown on BioHPP material||127 Eur|
|10||Zirconium ceramic crown (side / front)||367-395 Eur|
|11||Zirconium ceramic crown on implant (side / front)||395-445 Eur|
|12||Zirconium individual support (with details)||218 Eur|
|13||Zirconium + Emax Fusion crown||445-465 Eur|
|14||Zirconium full anatomy crown (side / front)||355-368 Eur|
|15||Fiberglass liner||110-130 Eur|
|16||Cermet crown (side / front) ***||295-303 Eur|
|*** We do not recommend for possible allergic reactions. You will learn more about this during the consultation.| | <urn:uuid:7124b83b-4a04-47eb-b3de-b97395e03547> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://dantuestetika.lt/en/dental-prosthetics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.880633 | 2,329 | 1.882813 | 2 |
The Basic Features Of Camelbak Back Packs
There are many devices on the market which claim to assist people to who want to exercise more efficiently. Camelbak back packs are one device people use to help them stay hydrated when they are outside, since going back for more water is not usually an option. These bags are a great way for people to stay hydrated while they are working or exercising outside.
Keeping the body hydrated is crucial when a person is exercising. This can be trying when the person is outside, as there is not always clean water around and water bottles might not be a good fit. Hydration packs are a good way to replace water bottles while allowing for more freedom of movement and the ability to carry more things.
Camelbak makes a variety of hydration bags for any number of purposes, but they all have similar features. They usually come equipped with an independent suspension harness to help with ventilation and to give the person more support. For runners or joggers this is crucial because they do not want a bag that is going to be bouncing up and down.
Even though the bag may be small and lightweight it usually has features which make it larger than it seems. Most bags have side pouches for carrying additional liquids. There may also be additional space in the middle of the bag, so that the person can load a few snack items as well.
Any hydration bag would not be complete without a good reservoir for holding water. People should look for a bag that has at least a one hundred ounce reservoir and at least three liters of load capacity. Many of these bags will also come with a wide mouth opening that allows for easier drinking and makes the bag easier to clean.
Many such hydration packs will also have a chest harness and a waist belt. These not only allow the user to carry additional clothes, but they also keep the bag snug against the body. This makes it easier on the back and also restricts the movement of the bag so that there is less jostling around.
Camelbak back packs come in so many different varieties that people are sure to find one that will work for them. They also make a pack for many different specific types of training so a little homework might be necessary. Using a hydration bag is an excellent way to keep the body full of water while exercising.
- Prev:Camelbak BFM 500 Is A Great Product
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As per my understanding the WaitForInputAllowed method, will wait for a certain amount of time(30000 ms). This will ensure that the controls get created.
Instead, you use the IsCreated property of an object to see if it is matched at a specific point in time. Along with this you define a looping logic, that will check if the control is created, if it is created it will proceed, if not it will take the else path and retry again.
We faced exactly same issue, and the use of isCreated saved us. Hope this helps.
It would help to see a screenshot of your automation. Generally speaking, the way I prefer to navigate between text adapter screens is to use the NewScreenShowing event. I wait for this event and use the "Setup" of the WaitForEvent to trigger the keystroke that changes the screen. The WaitForInputAllowed is really used only for scenarios where you have a screen that is basically blocked until something else happens. In my experience, this isn't very common.
You'll know when you need the WaitForInputAllowed based on automation errors telling you the field is not editable or something to that effect.
It doesn't sound like you are waiting for the right event to navigate between screens then. I would suggest writing the NewScreenShowing event to a ListBox on screen so you can see when it happens. You can then navigate manually and that would tell you if you can wait for it or not. I don't follow your explanation of why you cannot use it, but if you can test it for yourself, I am betting you'll see enough information to determine where it would be appropriate. Its usage is in places where you might navigate from Screen A to Screen A (back to itself) as there's no other event you can really wait for in that case. | <urn:uuid:7e7fa62f-3467-480f-9d19-a10ddcab5a68> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://support.pega.com/question/waitforinputallowed-made-bot-slow | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.955391 | 382 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Oregon Communities Launch Statewide Network
for Community Rights
“The corporate state is not science fiction. Corporate agribusiness is taking over what, how, and who grows food in my community. It has become obvious that the government isn’t going to lift a finger to stop them. It’s clear that the people, in the places where we live, must break the chokehold of a system of law favoring corporations to one that recognizes community rights.” – Dana Allen of Corvallis, Oregon
September 16, 2013
CONTACT: Kai Huschke
On September 12th, community members from eight Oregon counties gathered in Corvallis, Oregon, to launch the Oregon Community Rights Network (ORCRN).
Attendees of the Oregon Community Rights Summit released the Corvallis Declaration of Community Rights, calling upon communities across the state to join together in a movement to elevate the rights of people, their communities, and nature above the claimed rights of corporations. This comes with an understanding, as stated in the Declaration, that:
We the people recognize that our health, safety, welfare, and survival of our local businesses, farms, ecosystems, and neighborhoods depend on restructuring the current system of governance, because it favors corporations over community-based, democratic decision-making …
The formation of the Oregon Community Rights Network comes out of ongoing and emerging community rights campaigns in eight counties in Western Oregon.
The Network is helping expand community rights organizing to communities across Oregon. Kai Huschke of the Community Environment Legal Defense Fund – an organization working with communities across the country to advance community rights and bring communities together to form state “community rights networks” – explained, “As a growing number of communities face threats including pesticides, GMOs, coal trains, and corporate water withdrawal, they are reaching the shared conclusion that corporations, along with our state and federal government, have more power to decide what happens in our communities than the people who live there. They are now coming together through the Oregon Community Rights Network to organize for local self-governance to elevate community rights over corporate rights.”
The Oregon Community Rights Network joins Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Washington as states with community rights networks supported by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund. CELDF, headquartered in Mercersburg, PA, has been working with people and communities across the United States and internationally since 1995 to assert fundamental rights to democratic local self-governance, recognize nature’s rights, and end destructive corporate actions aided and abetted by state and federal governments. | <urn:uuid:2a06340d-f768-4e70-a5a9-1c329b64887b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://celdf.org/2013/09/press-release-oregon-communities-launch-statewide-network-for-community-rights/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.934775 | 551 | 1.523438 | 2 |
If you want to take playing games to another level, you can always install a PC Driving Wheel on our computer. The PC driving wheel majorly works for racing games, but you can also control other games provided they support the device. Although it looks complicated in reality, it is one of the simplest devices to set up.
Set Up PC Driving Wheel For Games on PC
To set up the PC driving wheel, all you need to do is follow these three steps:
Step 1: Install The PC Driving Wheel
The process for different PC Wheel brands would be different and can be checked in the manual or user guide that came along with the device. But the basic plan to setup will always remain the same for different devices.
1) Assign the pedals (and Gear, if available) to the PC Wheel.
2) Connect the power switch to the PC driving wheel.
3) Join your PC Wheel to a any USB port on your Computer.
4) Fix the pedals, gear, and steering wheel and place it in their correct position.
6) Finally, Switch on your computer, and connect your PC driving wheel into a power socket
Step 2: Install The Appropriate Driver
Your PC driving wheel will not work until a link is established between the hardware and the operating system. This can be done with the help of a coded program known as a Driver. All the hardware can only function properly if there is a driver that can communicate between the PC wheel and the racing game. To get the most appropriate and updated driver, you have two options:
- Option 1 – Manual Download and Install.
- Option 2 – Automatic Download and Install.
Option 1 – Manual Download and Install
You can always get your PC wheel working by installing the driver that came along with the device and user manual in the box. Supposedly you have purchased the Logitech Steering Wheel for PC, and then you would get a disk or a website address along with it to help you install the driver. This driver provided would be compatible and get your PC Wheel up and running, but it may not necessarily be the most updated driver.
Outdated drivers can help run hardware but do not provide enhanced performance of the device. On the other hand, updated drivers would enable the users to use the hardware to its optimal level. To update the driver manually, you can always use the Windows Device Manager or visit the Logitech Steering Wheel for PC’s official website, choose the correct model and version, download and finally install the driver.
Option 2 – Automatic Download and Install
Automatic method of updating drivers includes using a driver updated software which can scan your computer’s drivers and hardware and perform the following functions:
Update the outdated drivers.
Replace the corrupted drivers.
Install the missing drivers.
Automatic driver updater software does not require the user to enter the brand, model number, or version of the hardware installed in the computer but obtains it automatically while scanning. It also saves the user’s time and effort to manually check different websites for each driver installed in the system and find out if there is an updated version. There are many driver updater software in the software world. Still, there is one that I have been personally using for a couple of years and experienced a smooth and flawless performance of my computer.
Smart Driver Care: The all-in-one software for all your driver issues and needs. Here are the quick and simple steps to use this application:
Step 1. Download the Smart Driver Care on computer.
Step 2. The file stored on your computer is the executable file which can be used to initiate the installation process and complete it.
Step 3. Registration is important in order to use the product.
Step 4. You need to press the Scan Now button in order to begin the process
Step 5. After the results have been displayed click on the repair button to complete the process.
This will finally install the PC driving wheel updated drivers and, at the same time, take care of the audio and graphic drivers to provide a unique gaming experience as an experience never before.
Step 3: Configure Your PC Driving Wheel
Once the hardware is connected correctly and the driver is installed, it is time for the final step, and that is to configure the PC driving wheel. Again, this process can differ from PC Wheel to PC Wheel. The following steps are for configuring a Logitech Steering Wheel to PC:
1) Execute the driver program first.
2) Next, click on Profile and then click on New.
3) Locate and add the title you want to launch.
4) Now click on Edit and then on Specific Game Settings.
5) Here, you can configure your PC driving wheel and then hit the OK button.
That’s all, folks!. You can now drive your way through all the racing games and other games that support the PC driving wheel, and the best part is you don’t need a license to drive here.
The Final Word On How To Set Up PC Driving Wheel For Games On PC
Although different brands have different methods of setting up PC Wheel, the generic process is the same. I am sure that the above steps would give a fair amount of idea on installing any PC Wheel, including Logitech Steering Wheel on PC.
Follow us on social media – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. For any queries or suggestions, please let us know in the comments section below. We would love to get back to you with a solution. We regularly post tips and tricks, along with solutions to common issues related to technology. Subscribe to our newsletter to get regular updates on the tech world. | <urn:uuid:4ac9e70b-8611-401b-bcc1-1cbfe8ad15bb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wethegeek.com/how-to-set-up-pc-driving-wheel-for-games-on-pc/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.917761 | 1,171 | 2.140625 | 2 |
WADA’s “whereabouts system” – athletes’ price to pay?
An abstract of the latest developments
„Winning isn’t everything – it’s the only thing!” This famous maxim, widely attributed to American football coach Vince Lombardi, underlines a sportsmen’s ambition to achieve the best results in competition. If one internalises this sentence it is in a certain, but admittedly, in a very abstract kind of way understandable that athletes try everything, even prohibited methods, to realize victory and success. The idea of enhancing performance illegally is almost as old as sporting competitions themselves. Nevertheless, it is cheating and contrary to the “spirit of sports” and in general in opposition to all the values sport provides. For this reason the anti-doping-fight is vital in nowadays world of sport.
In the last decade since its founding, WADA, as the institutionalised anti-doping-body, has been the driving force in this combat. It finally has established a complex system of rules and regulations to harmonize coordinate and upgrade national and international anti-doping programs on a global level. Through its latest achievement the WADA Code 2009 (introduced in January) the worldwide Anti Doping Organisations (ADOs) are operating on a new level. Media often accuse “doping-hunters” to be one step behind the cheaters and their newest methods. However, the new Code gives excellent evidence for the latest initiatives and developments to fight this massive and steadily increasing problem. One major achievement is the harmonisation of the “whereabouts system” of the new Code which will be analysed in detail on the following pages.
The adoption of the new Code brought up some questions and concerns about specific legal aspects in relation to whereabouts and the way the rules should be carried out. Prominently, FIFA, the world governing body of football, criticised the rules as a system of prejudice in which all sportspersons are “suspected of doping and therefore accused”. This more or less qualified statement of FIFA’s president Sepp Blatter is just one aspect, and will probably not be helpful for a legal analysis. Though, it shows the current excitement in relation to this issue. The aim of this paper is to analyse the relevant provisions in the Code and investigate its proportionality, practicability and efficiency from different perspectives.
Whereabouts in the WADA Code 2009
WADA Code 09
A WADA press release confirmed that in May 2009 the Code has finally been accepted by all Olympic sports. This constitutes a major step towards a harmonization of fundamental anti-doping principles. The Code as the basic and universal document of the World Anti Doping Program is essential for a worldwide course of action. Alongside, the International Standards and the Models of Best Practice and Guidelines developed over the last decade shape the practical implementation of the anti-doping rules. All the different levels of anti doping-rules have been established to govern the conditions of the way the sport is played. Their deeper objective is the promotion of what is understood by the “spirit of sport”. Therefore, in relation to scope and characteristics of the body of rules they may be characterised as “purely sporting rules”.
ADOs, Athletes and other Persons are responsible for implementation or adherence of the anti-doping program. The three “elements” of the code also constitute different levels of norms and accordingly different implications for the signatories. Rules and principles provided in the code are compulsory in relation to its substance and conversion. Also the second level of rules (“International Standards”) is mandatory and necessary for a technical and operational compliance with the code. The “Models of Best Practice and Guidelines” as third level only constitute recommendations.
For a long time, there has been a lack of a common legal definition of the term “doping” in international sports. Global sports organisations had their own definitions of what was understood by the term doping and what actually constituted a doping offense. However, as a result of the broad acceptance of the WADA Code through Sports Governing Bodies (SGBs)/International Federations (IFs) and national Governments Articles 1 and 2 of the Code have become the standard provisions. Thus, doping in the sense of the Code is “defined of one or more anti-doping rules violations set forth in Article 2.1 through 2.8”. Obviously, the presence of a prohibited substance, just as well as the use or attempted use by an athlete of a prohibited substance or prohibited method fall under this definition. However, doping practices in sport made it necessary to widen the definition of what constitutes doping and doping offenses over the last years. In this context, the so called Out-of-Competition Testing has become a core point of the WADA program. Therefore, the Code in force provides a harmonized regime of Out-of-Competition Testing and clarifies what constitutes a violation of those rules.
The idea behind whereabouts rules is closely linked to the latest developments in sport and its major problem “doping”. Nowadays, tests during competitions (in-competition-testing) are by far not sufficient to ensure “clean”, drug free sports competitions. Methods of athletes, trainers and doctors to enhance performance are well-thought-out. In this context, the term “systematic” doping is often mentioned. Prohibited substances and methods are mostly employed in phases of hard training in order to support recovering processes or strengthen physical capacity. In this regard, no advance notice out-of-competition testing is a logical and probably the only efficient way to fight doping entirely. The whole system would not work if sportsmen would be informed about the testing in advance. Therefore, it is necessary that out of competition controls are conducted without notice to athletes. Moreover, to ensure a working testing system it is necessary to provide doping-controllers with some essential information, in particular about their location. And that is what makes whereabouts rules that important in the new WADA code. Over years, the systems of out-of-competition testing has been organised in various ways depending on the controlling systems of IFs (International Federations) or NADOs (National Anti-Doping Organisations). In the Code 2009, for the first time, a harmonized system was introduced.
Whereabouts in the Code and Standards
WADAs new whereabouts system was the result of an intensive review of the Code and the associated International Standards and a two year consultation period, where different opinions and positions of stakeholders in sport were collected. As we will see later on, for different reasons the new rules made waves throughout the whole professional sports world and even political institutions, like the EU Commission, got involved. The criticism resulted in further changes. Thus, it is necessary to present in a few lines the relevant provisions in the Code and its detailed embodiment in the International Standards and the Guidelines.
To establish a harmonized system for out-of-competition testing WADA had to determine (i) the group of athletes to be tested, (ii) the kind of whereabouts information to be provided and (iii) the circumstances which result in anti-doping violations:
Registered Testing Pools
As a first step and to ensure an efficient testing system, it was necessary to limit the number of athletes to be tested. WADA, however, only determines a framework rule in this relation. It imposes IFs and NADOs to establish two kinds of registered testing pools. IFs have to lay down criteria for an International Registered Testing Pool, which includes, according to these criteria, international top-athletes. The National Registered Testing Pool, in contrast, is related to athletes who fall under criteria established by NADOs. In the International Standard of Testing (IST) WADA provides an informative basis (“general principle”) which includes “(…) athletes over which the NADO has jurisdiction that have been included in an international Registered Testing Pool; Athletes who are part of national teams in Olympic, Paralympic or other sports of high national priority (or who may be selected for such teams); and Athletes who train independently but perform at Olympic/Paralympic or World Championship level and may be selected for such events.” Therefore, once again it must be notified that WADA does not directly assign the persons to be tested. Only IFs and NADOs are responsible to establish relevant characteristics and select a significant/meaningful circle (pool) of athletes who are part of WADA’s whereabouts system.
Those sportspersons are subject to the whereabouts filling requirements and have to provide ADOs with detailed information. The fillings have to be made available to NADOs and/or IFs quarterly in the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS). According to the IST initially some general information about the athlete’s residences and his agenda in the following three months is required. This contains, firstly, contact details and a confirmation that other potential testing Authorities (ADOs) have access to his/her whereabouts fillings. Secondly, addresses of all locations where the athlete is residing (e.g. home, hotels) as well as carrying out regular activities (e.g. work, training, studying, and school). Thirdly, schedules of all regular activities and competitions during that time have to be added.
Apart from this general part, and most important for the doping controls, a 60-minute time slot between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. for every day has to be termed. The athlete must be available for testing personnel at a specific spot and has to guarantee an unproblematic test procedure through detailed whereabouts information. The athlete may delegate his duty to provide whereabouts fillings to a third party via written notice. However, in any case the registered athlete continues to be ultimately and personally responsible for accurate and correct details. As the agenda of professional sportsperson may be sometimes quite unsteady and changeable (e.g. forthcoming in competitions) whereabouts information has to set down the expected location for the relevant times. In case, changes in the athlete’s schedule occur he/she or the respective third party has to update details and ensure accessibility.
Violations of whereabouts requirements
Referring to Article 2.4 of the code, violations of anti-doping rules in relation with out-of-competition testing may be the result of two different circumstances: a failure to file required whereabouts information or a missed test. A Filing Failure may, on the one hand, be ascertained when an ADO is able to determine insufficiency of the information itself and, on the other hand, if an athlete may not be located outside the 60-minute time slot as a result of insufficient information. However, if an athlete may for the same reasons not be located inside the 60-minute time slot, it constitutes Missed Test. Any combination of three missed tests or filing failures, within eighteen month from the first offence, results in an anti-doping rule violation.
In this respect it is necessary to mention once again that the athlete remains ultimately responsible at all times for providing accurate and complete whereabouts fillings and being available for testing. This applies to all sports including team sports, and also in case an athlete delegates his/her duty to make the fillings to a third party. The delegation to a third party shall not be a justification for an accusation of a filling failure or a missed test. This may be seen in a line or according to the strict liability rule, one of the basic legal principles in the anti-doping fight. Otherwise, the athlete could “avoid accountability for his/her whereabouts for Testing”.
General remarks – Does the whereabouts system work?
Now that the theoretical basics of the systems are pointed out it is worth looking at the practical side before the strong criticism WADA has to face is analysed in detail. As mentioned above, the necessity of out-competition testing is unquestionable in the scope for a clean sport. However, different opinions and positions have come up over the last months. There are statements which clearly support WADA’s initiatives and new provisions as an important step in the fight against anti-doping. This view is not only followed by Politicians, ADO’s, IF’s and SGBs but also by athletes who are themselves affected by the strict rules. Even in cycling, probably the sport with the worst doping-reputation at the moment, athletes are arguing for such a complex test system to establish a level playing field.
Athletes who were convicted of a doping violation often argue that they have been controlled several times without being tested positively. Their argument is that doping cheaters steadily develop new ways of doping and the testing system is not efficient enough.However, the results of the test made after last year’s Tour de France and Olympic Games that doping controllers are close on the cheaters heels. The complex system of out-of-competition testing, which is part of the so-called intelligent testing, is another important measure. Nowadays, athletes know that no competition takes place without doping controls. To be honest, sports men/women would be stupid to participate in an event drugged up to the eyeballs with illegal substances. Thus, the ability to localise and test athletes during the whole year, in periods of training or regeneration is that important.
Obviously, at the moment, the negative aspects of the system enjoy more media coverage than the question if the system works or not. As mentioned, issues of data protection, human rights and certain exceptions from the rules are raised in the current dispute between stakeholders in sports. It is hardly possible to analyse the effectiveness after a half year. Yet, it is necessary to analyse critical points so far to develop a fair system which serves the purpose of the anti-doping fight and does not go beyond what is necessary.
Criticism and Positions
Even if whereabouts rules are principally seen as a “key weapon in the fight against drugs in sport” the opposition on its embodiment in the new Code has been immense. There are several points which have been mentioned, especially in connection to proportionality and practicability of the rules, the related data protection regulations and their applicability for team sports. These frequent points of criticism are going to be analysed in the following sections. Latest developments have shown that in particular three influential parties stand in the centre of the debate: the EU Commission and its data-protection working group, FIFA, and the athletes as main addressee of the rules.
Article 29 Data Protection Working Party (WP) about whereabouts
The WP and its Opinion on the WADA Code
The Article 29 Data Protection Working Party is an independent EU advisory body on data protection and privacy. Its legal foundation is set up in Article 29 of the Directive 95/46/EC. Primarily the Working Party’s tasks are to provide expert opinion and advise EU institutions, ensure coherent application of legal principles and issue recommendations to the public and (EU) institutions in matters of data protection and privacy. Expert opinion on data protection in relation to doping has already been requested by the European Commission’s Directorate for Education and Culture (DG EAC) in 2008, when the first draft of the International Standard on the Protection of Privacy (ISPPPI) was analysed. Yet, various changes in WADA’s regulations made it necessary to provide a second opinion in April 2009 on the current standards in force. The WP investigates all “privacy issues in the context of the fight against doping in sport”, consequently, also on whereabouts rules.
Initially, one important point with regard to the characteristics of the WP and its competences in this particular field has to be made. The WP is, primarily, an EU internal advisory body without any decisive or assertive capacities. Neither the directive nor the WPs Rules of Procedure authorizes the WP to investigate internal rules of a worldwide, non-governmental organisation without expanding the literal meaning of its tasks. Responsibilities are merely restricted to the examination of governmental legislation and its implementation. However, in relation to the (contractually based) Code and its standards the WP carries out a general advisory competence. This goes definitely beyond its jurisdiction. Albeit, the “legal pressure” on WADA through the WP’s opinion may be questionable, the practical influence appears on a different sphere. The recommendations and ideas offered in the document detect weaknesses of the system and stimulate the sports political discourse on this particular topic.
The general position of the WP on the WADA code and the ISPPPI issued in both opinions has principally been a critical one. Some of the recommendations from the first opinion have been integrated in the Privacy Standard in force since January 2009 (ISPPPI January 2009). However, from the WP’s perspective those changes have not gone far enough. Thus, in the second opinion it repeated its major concerns on privacy issues. Once again, critical points were particularly mentioned in relation to the level of data protection established through the ISPPPI. This included detailed questions on missing or unclear definitions of several terms and various reservations in relation to the handling of personal information.
In the first opinion the WP generally criticised that certain provisions of the WADA Code do not comply with the fundamental principles for the protection of privacy and personal data in the EU. The modified ISPPPI explicitly stated that the standards should primarily be a minimum set of rules. National legislations may constitute stricter rules which have to be applied by ADOs. The specific data of athletes is stored and transferred to Quebec (Canada) where the database is located. Therefore, WADA and its database system ADAMS are subject to the Canadian law. Data protection in the private sector, consequently relevant for the present case, is established by the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, the Civil Code of Quebec and the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector. According to the Quebec Commission on Access to Information this legislation complies with the fundamental principles of the Directive 95/46 EC.
Although the WP has recognised the established minimum standard and WADAs effort, in its eye there are still a number of problems in relation with the use of ADAMS occur and specific provisions conflict with European law. As shown in the forthcoming part, the main example of this paper, whereabouts rules and its application is one of these questionable parts of the Code. However, it has to be mentioned that in the meanwhile new ISPPPIs (ISPPPI June 2009) have been developed and went into force the 1st of June 2009. This document has already been recognised by the EU Conference on Anti-Doping in Athens in May 2009. The Education and Culture DG, responsible for sport, has greeted the progress made in the relevant field and the cooperation of WADA.
The WP on whereabouts
The WP’s critique on whereabouts rules in the second opinion formed an important section of the whole document and reached a massive echo in the media. The WP rightly pointed out that only athletes who are registered by their IF or NADO are under constraint of WADA’s whereabouts rules. Those sports persons have to provide accurate, current location information which should be provided to ADOs through ADAMS. The WP generally supports the idea of effective out-of competition testing. However, it also made clear which provisions in relation to whereabouts could go too far in the anti-doping fight.
In this context the experts referred in the second opinion to the Council of Europe Antidoping Convention where basic principles of adequate anti-doping controls are specified. Tests should be “carried out at appropriate times and by appropriate methods without unreasonably interfering with the private life of a sportsman or sportswoman”. With regard to whereabouts rules this provision should guarantee that only relevant and proportionate personal information is processed to the WADA database. This should happen in compliance with the data protection principles and general legal principles of necessity and proportionality. Thus, the real intention of taking out-of-competition tests and collecting relevant information should always be taken into account. The WP pointed out that in all cases it should be avoided to interfere in the “athletes’ privates lives or reveal sensitive data on the and/or third parties (e.g. relatives)”.
With regard to the handling of relevant, proportionate information the WP also emphasises on the importance to accomplish an effective risk analysis to ensure a proportional testing system. Risk analysis should primarily include the selection of eminently “doping-prone” athletes. Nonetheless, also the extent of required whereabouts information and the level athletes are competing in should be taken into account. In this regard, the WP welcomes the fact, that WADA does not call for a disproportionate 24/7 whereabouts system which could reveal athletes’ sensitive data in an evitable dimension. The 60-minute time slot is for all athletes irrespective the level they are competing in a proportionate method. However, with regard to the filling requirements of regular activities other than competition and training and disclosure of residences on each day the type of athletes should be distinguished. From the WP’s perspective it could be disproportionate for other athletes than high-level athletes to fulfil the same requirements. The necessity of processing this kind of personal data with regard to lower level athletes is questionable. ADOs should, therefore, differentiate between different levels of athletes and enlighten them about what kind of information is obligatory or facultative. In this respect, it is also desirable that athletes are informed about the consequences of a (filling) failure.
Questions were also raised in relation to the legal standard and the use of ADAMS. As mentioned above, uncertainties with regard to the standard of protection already brought up in the first opinion were repeated once again. The WP criticised that there are no detailed remarks in the code or the standards whether WADA and ADAMS are subject to a legislation which ensures an adequate level of protection. In their view it is still unclear whether Canada (Quebec) can provide appropriate legislation. Another point is that personal data has to be available for ADO’s all over the World. Thus, transfers of personal data from the EU into third countries pose another threat for privacy protection. IFs or NADOs may be subject lower levels of protection in the particular countries. A transfer in a third country has to be made according to Article 25 and 26 of the Directive. The criteria of article 26 (1) have to be met or additional safeguards to ensure an adequate protection have to be appended. In this context, the WP pointed out that this is not the fact for all ADAMS transfers. The requirements of Art 2 (h) of the Directive, which is the relevant EU law provision, are not met. The only justification could be if the anti-doping fight would constitute “an important public interest” in the sense of article 26 (1), (d) and be identified as such by national legislations subject to EU law. Moreover, the WP demanded an appropriate legal framework for all international data transfers.
Finally, also retention periods in general and specifically in relation to whereabouts information were considered in the WP’s expertise. Article 2.4 of the Code provides that doping violations are the result of three missed tests/filling failures within an eighteen-month period. Generally, information like test results, use exemptions, or the records of doping violations will retain for a minimum of eight years, which is considered as an appropriate time span. This period is generally accepted and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has developed the principle that every new offence during that time will count as a second offence. With regard to whereabouts information the WP claims to change the data retention policy WADA is carrying out. Whereabouts “information shall be used exclusively for purposes of planning, coordinating or conducting testing; and shall be destroyed after it is no longer relevant for these purposes”. This provision of the Code explicitly lays down the guidelines for the retention of whereabouts information. An exception, under consideration of a doping-violation in Article 2.4 of the Code, may only be justified for a period of 18 months if a filling failure/missing test occurs. In any other case personal information should be deleted as, in the WP’s eyes, no valid argument could justify a longer period to retain these specific data. Although, the WP considers the arguments for keeping relevant information for a period of eight years, it suggests revising these provisions and excluding certain types of information as irrelevant.
WADA’s Position and external Opinions
Generally speaking, WADA’s comments on WP’s position have been almost as critical as the two opinions on the Code and standards themselves. WADA criticised that the WP made various (factual, legal) errors when analysing the opinion. Moreover, the WADA was disappointed by the experts’ confrontational attitude because it expected constructive support instead. According to the information on WADA’s website, offers to the WP for an intensive debate, to clarify critical points and to ensure a better dialogue, have not been accepted. In WADA’s view, this might be the reason for some alleged misapprehensions made in the opinion. Nonetheless, an enhanced discussion between WADA, ADO’s, EU authorities and the WP itself is to be expected.
As regards content WADA consistently repeats that the Code and the Standards do not conflict with EU law. The relevant provisions and regulations should only constitute a minimum standard to protect personal data and privacy of sports persons who are subject to the Code. It particularly criticises that the WP on the one hand does indeed consider the ISPPPI as minimum set of rules but on the other hand does not analyse the provision with respect to this principle. WADA expressly mentioned that fundamental data protection principles of domestic law and EU law have to be respected. Moreover, according to the standard of protection, WADA requested external expertise which confirmed that the relevant Canadian legislation is applicable and fulfils the standards of protection according to the Directive 95/46 EC. Additionally, there are other legal foundations which could justify the whereabouts regime with regard to the standard of data and privacy protection. E.g. athletes voluntarily participate in sports and are by no means forced to accept WADA’s doping programme and the standard of data protection with regard to ADAMS and the transfer of data. This expressed consent to the data transfer (also to a third country) constitutes an adequate legal basis. However, an external expert suggests data-transfer-agreements or alternatively an approval of the transfer by national data protection agencies as acceptable legal basis. This would support the WP’s opinion with regard to data transfer in a third country with lower standards of protection, and fulfil the demand of guarantee in article 26 of the Directive.
Apart, from this general debate, WADA has also been disappointed from the WP’s challenge of well established anti-doping rules (e.g. eight-year statute of limitations period) and the restrictive interpretation to EU data protection law. For instance, it seems, as the anti-doping fight does not serve a “public interest” unless “carried out by parties specifically designated by national law”. This, obviously, would delimitate the SGBs and, in particular, WADA’s competences in this connection. According to WADA, this is the result of a too restrictive interpretation followed by the WP through the whole opinion. For instance, with regard to international data transfer, the directive states that “the transfer is necessary or legally required on important public interest grounds”. Thus, it is a question of interpretation. And the way the WP interprets this provision and similar ones is, in WADA’s eyes, too restrictive.
With regard to the whereabouts regime WADA reflects on the core issues of relevant, personal information, risk analysis and retention periods – mainly by referring to the provisions in the Code and the standards to explain its position. For instance, WADA pointed out that ADO’s very well distinguish between top athletes and others when requesting localisation information. The IST lays down the criteria for athletes in the testing pools and demands an appropriate risk analysis for the selection. Therefore, not all athletes are subject to the strict set of rules. WADA also insists on type, regularity and volume of information athletes have to provide to ADAMS. Risk analysis and distinction according to the level sports persons are competing in is reasonable. At the top level it is absolutely necessary to receive consistent information to ensure an effective fight against doping. WADA’S opinion on retention periods is just as well indisputable. Firstly, they are well established over the last years and part of the body of anti-doping rules. Secondly, the periods are necessary to identify testing efforts regarding high risk athletes. These particular points are in any case necessary to ensure an effective out-of competition testing.
WADA constantly repeats that the considered rules are well thought out and satisfy the principle of proportionality as well as adequacy and practicability. The development of privacy protection standards may proof that WADA does not act arbitrary to achieve its objectives. Even more, it tries to include different positions and external opinions as shown in the latest developments of the Code and the standards. Although the WP’s opinions are not binding, they influence positions of stakeholders in sport, primarily athletes and cast a damning light on WADA’s work. WADA complained that the critique provided in the opinion the WP does not support the anti-doping system but undermine previous efforts. In particular, the WP has not offered any “constructive solutions” for contentious areas. This and the fact that the WP has not stepped in a constructive dialogue a priori are further points of criticism. Nevertheless, WADA has recognised the critique faced by the WP and other parties. As a result it initiated new ISPPPIs (major changes are described below) which has taken effect on 1st of June.
FIFA’s critique and Athlete’s statements
FIFA – an exception for Team sports?
The conflict with FIFA over the last months was the issue which has brought WADA’s whereabouts regime a lot of attention in the media. FIFA’s aim was to achieve a so-called “lex football”, in other words an exception, with regard to whereabouts information. The football body signed the new WADA Code in May 2008 but made clear that, in particular, with regard to whereabouts certain rules have to be revised. The Code (respectively the standards) offers specific rules and testing guidelines for team sports to reflect its different character. Team sports, such as football, are “carried out on a team basis rather than on an individual basis, with most of the activities carried out in pursuit of that sport being conducted on a collective basis rather than on an individual basis”. The fact that WADA recognises the specificity of team sports compared to individual sports reflects, obviously, also reflects the position of FIFA. However, FIFA insists on further changes in its discourse with WADA.
The IST provides with regard to team sports that IFs (and NADOs) may establish their testing pools with regard to teams. In case, criteria for the selection of athletes are based on “teams” all the specific characteristics, like regular changes of squads, the participation in different competitions (club, domestic, international), the membership in more than one team (club, national team) have to be taken into account. However, professional players in football and other team sports will carry out most of their sporting activities not only on a collective basis, but also as employees of their clubs. The athlete is under regular supervision of its team. Thus, all activities carried out on a team basis are defined as team activities, no matter if the athlete participates in a training (collective activity) or in individual team based activity (e.g. massage, gym, treatments). The player may delegate, like all athletes subject to the code, the filling duty to a coach, manager, the club secretary or a national federation. This should simplify whereabouts fillings for the athletes and the clubs or national federations. However, for the time outside the team activities, the athlete is responsible to provide relevant information. Moreover, the athlete will always be ultimately liable for filling failures or missed tests. This also applies to periods of team activity and in cases where team officials have made a mistake with regard to an athlete’s whereabouts requirements.
As mentioned above, FIFA has accepted the new Code in 2008 and established a roadmap to achieve the requirements of the 2009 Code. Apart from more or less general anti-doping policy statements, criteria for testing pools in football were set down in the roadmap. However, with regard to whereabouts rules and availability for tests FIFA does not go into details. This point is still an unsolved problem in FIFA’s eyes, and President Sepp Blatter does not miss out any opportunity to state his concerns about the whereabouts system in the new code. Blatter suggests that football players should only be controlled at times they are with their teams, primarily in or around competitions. In-competition testing is, as stated in the roadmap, also the key instrument for FIFA’s anti doping fight. In relation to whereabouts FIFA stated that “doping testers would be able to visit team training facilities six days a week with a hiatus between the end and start of the season so that the privacy of players can be respected”. One idea mentioned was a 20-days-exemption for holidays. These points of criticism were also supported by UEFA and officials of other team sports. However, Blatter’s general critique published over the last months goes even further. He criticises the whereabouts system as a “witchhunt” and contrary human rights.
WADAs position has always been that generally there should be no exceptions for any specific sport. Thus, WADA stepped into a dialogue with FIFA with perspective to give the new Code and rules some time to establish and assess them after a year. The dialogue ended in a summit of FIFA and WADA in April where the issue was discussed once again. Media presented the results of the meeting as big success for FIFA. However, the basic provisions have not been altered in any direction. The rules in the IST according to team sports are still relevant and have to be followed by all different sports, also football. These rules are the result of an “extensive consultation with team sports, including FIFA, as part of the revision of the Code that took place from 2006 to 2008”. One of the crucial points of the Code and WADA’s work is that the anti-doping fight should be based on harmonized rules valid through all different kinds of sport all over the world. This principle should also apply to the whereabouts regime. With regard to the FIFA proposal of “testing breaks” between the seasons WADA President John Fahey argued “you cannot have a time when you are clean and a time when you are not”. Therefore, team sports and football in particular should be treated like other sports. Exceptions are not useful and harm the whole system. Changes could be the result of a reassessment next year, however, at the moment the current rules should apply to all sports.
Athletes’ Positions – pro and contra
WADA presents on its website a collection of athletes’ testimonies which, obviously, support the WADA code in general and the whereabouts system in particular. These statements taken from different media represent the opinion of athletes from different sports (individual and team sport). Those athletes who are already used to the system also have recognised a positive development with regard to whereabouts. Although, there is no need to provide information 24/7, the system ensures the fight against cheats. Moreover, with regard to practicability certain professional athletes argue that they have a plan for competitions and training and, therefore, generally know where they will be in the future – also three months in advance. Most of the athletes underline the importance for out-of-competitions testing as a major element to enhance credibility to the respective sport. This was also mentioned by athletes who did not have to provide their whereabouts before and had to discover a new system. Athletes noted that the system is demanding and requires discipline. However, they prefer a demanding system in contrast to system which aids doping cheats. FIFA’s claim was also part of some comments. In this relation, athletes from other sports made the remark that there should be no disparity between different sports.
However, this positive view is not shared by all athletes. Some of the professionals who are subject to the whereabouts system tend more to line out the negative sides of the rules and a few have even taken legal steps to fight the system. The sort information which has to be provided, the way it is processed and the handling of personal information has been criticised since the introduction of the new Code in January. For instance, Belgian football player Bjorn Vleminckx criticised, “we have to inform them of everything. […] If I want to go to the cinema, I have to update the site to say I’m going to the cinema. […] But I can’t always get to a computer. If they call me and I’m not in the right place they can suspend me. I don’t think that’s right.”
Athletes’ action in Belgium
Vleminkcx is one of 65 athletes from different sports (cyclists, footballers, volleyball players) initiated a law suit relating to WADA’s whereabouts system. Based on an initiative of Sporta, a Belgium organisation which represents the interests of sports persons, and the Belgian sports lawyer Kristof de Saedeleer the claim was brought to the Flemish regional government, responsible for anti-doping issues. Additionally, FIFpro, the umbrella organisation of football players’ unions, has taken and is planning to take further legal action in the same context. The main point of the claims is that whereabouts contradict to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). Article 8 ECHR protects an individual’s right to privacy. This fundamental right is violated through the “draconian measure” to provide information regularly and three months in advance. Location information of athletes from 6 am to 11 pm, 365 days a year is too harsh, disproportionate and beyond what is necessary. FIFPro also argues that the rules infringe EU law. Not only data protection laws, as mentioned in the WP’s opinions, but also the EU working time directive, which entitles every employee to 20 days of annual holiday. For FIFPro, which is in line with the FIFA position, it is sufficient that footballers are available five days a week. They may be controlled when they are at their clubs. Additionally, players from 19 different EU countries complained to their national Data Protection Authorities. The decisions are coming up not before the end of 2009. Thitherto, certain insecurity will continue. Whatever the outcome will be similar effects as the landmark decision in Bosman with regard to the free movement of workers situation can be expected for the anti-doping fight.
The proceedings bear, in WADA’s eyes, an imminent risk that courts could declare whereabouts rules illegal and WADA will be able to ensure an effective anti-doping fight for the future. WADA’s position according to the system and, particularly, to the relevant issues of data protection and privacy is understandable. It would not fight its own (slowly) developed system. As response to the accusations of WADA countered that no party during the consultation process has ever pointed out any concerns in relation to privacy issues. Additionally, principles have explicitly been taken into account to protect athletes, athletes’ privacy and their personal information.
Representative for WADA Director General David Howman stated that these are the rules of the sport and they have to be followed if one wants to participate on a professional level. There has been a consultation period of 18 months where all stakeholders had enough time to present better systems of testing. The system is not new either. The new Code only provides a further developed and harmonized system for all sports subject to WADA. Moreover, he points out that there has not been a successful legal challenge in the last five years, since the time the former whereabouts system was in force. This should be good evidence for a working system.
Also other ADOs and SGB, responsible for sport, share this WADA’s position but also its fear. For example Andy Parkinson, head of UK Sport’s drug-testing agency, underlines the importance of whereabouts on several occasions. He noted that they are necessary to locate athletes and ensure a system of intelligent testing. However, if the rules would fall the anti-doping system would have to be reassessed as a whole.
Human Rights perspective
The different positions with regard to data protection have already been pointed out. However, the privacy issue may not be analysed without taking the human rights perspective into account. Until now, the main focus was on the positions of WADA and critique from other stakeholders in sport as well as from the WP with regard to EU data protection law. However, the athletes’ critique is largely based on human rights concerns, above all, the right to protect individuals’ privacy. The often debated issue of athletes’ fundamental rights in the anti-doping fight have already been analysed by several commentators. Nevertheless, mostly other human rights were at stake and the right to privacy got less attention. But with regard to whereabouts it plays a major role, as the most intimate details of an athlete could be affected.
Application of Human Rights
In the current conflict, it is often referred to Article 8 ECHR as source for the protection of privacy. As a result, this work will consider the ECHR as the relevant legal basis. Generally, human rights, also referred to as fundamental rights, should protect the individual from the state. Therefore, with regard to this so-called classic approach the application of human rights in doping disputes, originally, only affected disciplinary proceedings carried out by SGBs provided with delegated power of the state (“vertical effect”). With a few exceptions doping disputes are exercised by private sporting bodies. On an international level, also WADA is a private legal entity. The same applies to its national “departments”, the NADOs, and the IFs, which are responsible to combat doping in their respective field. In the meanwhile, most of the scholars as well as the European Court of Human Rights follow the opinion that human rights also display an “indirect horizontal effect”. In this respect, also private legal relations in sports are affected by the application fundamental legal principles and the human rights. If one considers the monopoly position of SGBs in their respective sport this may be seen as a logical effect to protect the weak position of athletes compared to the SGB. Therefore, it is the SGBs duty to respect fundamental rights and integrate essential legal principles and rights in their rules and regulations.
The right to privacy in anti-doping issues
The right to privacy, as stated in Article 8 of the ECHR may protect an athlete from interventions in his private life. According to Article 8 ECHR,
“1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”
In contrast to other fundamental rights which mostly refer to disciplinary procedures in doping disputes, the right to privacy primarily concerns the controls and testing procedure itself. Obviously a doping-control constitutes an intrusion in an athletes’ privacy and the same applies to his duty to provide his whereabouts to the ADOs to be available for testing. Moreover, in collecting information about an athlete also his data privacy is endangered.
Whereabouts and privacy protection
In doing his/her fillings the athlete discloses, for example, his/her daily routines, private hobbies or religious practices. The athlete has to provide his residences and the places where he will conduct his regular activities, trainings, rehab or work. This constitutes an invasion in one’s privacy. Therefore the question arises, whether the interference in an athlete’s private life as whereabouts rules do may be justified. This leads us back to beginning, where the protection of the “spirit of sports” and the establishment of a “level playing field” were mentioned as major arguments for the anti-doping fight. Yet, the spirit of sport, also referred to as “Olympism”, is only one rationale. “Doping” has become a significant issue in nowadays society. Morally it is reprehensible and undermines the credibility of sport as well as its social an economic standing. Moreover, in several states doping offenses has been integrated in national legislation and in some states they are even part of the criminal law.
Article 8, 2. ECHR specifies the reasons which could justify an invasion in an individual’s privacy. However, are the above mentioned rationales sufficient? Undoubtedly, it is argued that anti-doping rules are absolutely necessary in sport. This statement is based on sporting, moral, ethic, business, health, social considerations. It is necessary to ensure an effective anti-doping fight; otherwise, sports as whole would be called into question. From this point of view, an intelligent testing system with regular out-of competition controls is absolutely essential. The main complaints about WADA’s whereabouts system address the embodiment of the rules. Therefore, the legal challenge of the opposing parties seems to be based on questions of necessity, adequacy and proportionality of whereabouts in relation to their aim. The general ambition of the rules, to guarantee a clean sport should not be the subject. The question occurs, if the court would qualify the reasons WADA provides for its objective as well as the methods (rules) to achieve it are proportional and adequate.
Latest developments – New ISPPPI and EU conference on Anti Doping
The latest version of the standards for the protection of privacy has been in force since the beginning of June 2009. The standards may be seen as a reaction of the harsh critique WADA had to deal with since the introduction of the new Code. The ISPPPI were in the centre of the criticism. However, WADA has tried to include the recommendations and demands of all parties involved in the whole opinion building process. Until now, no backlashes have appeared from the “opposition”. In contrast, the EU has recognised the latest developments on its Anti-Doping Conference in Athens (13 – 15 May 2009). Therefore, the author will present the most important changes in the new ISPPPI, before a final analysis of the whole issue is going to be followed.
Changes in the ISPPPI June 2009
The detailed changes made in the standards may seem not very spectacular. Yet, essential parts of the former standards and certain definitions, criticised in the WP’s opinions, were changed. One point which characterises the whole document is the explicit remark that the standards constitute a minimum set of rules. The standards have to be followed even if applicable data protection and privacy law is exceeded to protect participants and other persons.
The new standards include more detailed definitions of relevant terms which are necessary to ensure effective data protection. For instance, the uncertain notion of personal information was widened and includes now not only participant but also information of other persons whose information is processed in the anti-doping context. Third party, is also newly defined, likewise as third party agents, who are carrying out anti-doping duties on behalf of ADO’s. The reference to other persons or persons to whom the information relates appears in several provisions of the standards. This is stated to be evidence for the enforced clarifications requested by the WP in the second opinion.
Noticeable, the standards explicitly mention that all measures in relation with the handling of personal data have to be made in accordance to data protection and privacy law. Article 6.0 lays down the criteria for the procession of information. ADO’s shall only process personal information “on valid legal grounds […] or where permitted, with a Participant’s or other person’s informed consent”. This change may also be seen as an unambiguous reaction of the WP’s criticism in the opinion and, therefore, WADA has met the criteria of the directive.
With respect to the contentious issue of retaining information in the ADAMS system Article 10 has also been changed. WADA clearly differentiates between sensitive and non-sensitive data. This means, sensitive data needs more compelling reasons and justifications to be retained. The general provisions in Article 10.2 and 10.3 that ADOs shall retain personal information only as long as necessary and that the shall establish clear retention periods were upheld in the new ISPPPI. Yet, the major change in this context brought a new rule stating that “different retention times shall apply to different types of Personal Information”. A comment to this specific standard reveals that WADA is planning to develop harmonized guidelines for concrete retention periods.
Finally, the participants’ or other persons’ rights with regard to transferred information has also been widened. They have the right to be informed whether and what kind information is processed. Moreover, they may obtain a copy of the personal information processed. Exceptions may arise to ensure an effective no advance testing system. Also, their access to relevant information has to be guaranteed by ADOs. Additionally, ADOs have to guarantee that complaints about the anti-doping activities are treated in a fair and impartial manner. Therefore they have to develop an appropriate procedure. In case a conflict may not be resolved, the participant may give notice to WADA and/or complain to CAS. There the respective panels have to decide “whether a violation occurred”.
EU Conference on Anti-Doping
An important step in the conflict between the WP, respectively the EU, and WADA was the Conclusions of the Conference made in May 2009. Apart from the general EU-strategy on anti-doping presented in the paper, it included a specific part on data protection. In this section the efforts made by WADA with regard to the new ISPPPI (June 2009) were recognised and welcomed. The Commission and its DG accentuated the importance of a dialogue and cooperation between WADA as the regulating body and the European political institutions, which intensify their engagement in the anti-doping initiative. The latest developments, in particular the revision and reintroduction of the standards, on data protection in this context were the result of such a constructive work.
In the conclusion the EU Conference accentuated on the importance of data protection, as an upcoming issue. It is important to protect the clean athletes’ rights on the one hand through an effective system. On the other hand, it is necessary to respect fundamental legal principles such as personal data protection. Therefore, the systems have to be progressively renewed and developed. Cooperation between anti-doping specialists and data protection specialists is needed. Moreover, the compliance with European and national data protection law has to be controlled by national data protection authorities. However, the EU sporting authorities seemed to be quite happy with WADA’s changes in the new ISPPPI.
Analysis and Conclusion
Recently, a convicted Austrian cyclist made a comment, stating that “athletes of summer sports dope in winter, and the other way around”. This statement is good evidence for the necessity to provide a coherent system of out-of competition testing in the anti-doping fight. Whereabouts information is necessary to make athletes available for doping controllers. There are diverse arguments whether the current system is appropriate and proportional for the purpose or whether goes beyond what is necessary.
The 60-minutes time slot, where athletes may be tested, may be probably seen less critical. As professional athlete you are professional athlete 365 days a year. You have to subordinate all other parts of your life, even your family, to achieve best results in sport. It is the athlete’s right to participate in a clean sport. However, athletes themselves have to contribute to guarantee this right. As Britain’s most successful wheelchair athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson says “I don’t think it’s too much to ask people to say where they’ll be for an hour a day. It’s part of the deal that you should have to live by as a sportsperson.”
It is argued that the duty to provide residences and activities for the whole day is more questionable. “Whereabouts opponents” question whether it is necessary to know where athletes are and what they are doing almost for the whole day. The key point is the control anyway, where they have to be available for the ADOs anyway. The outcome of the ongoing proceedings will be interesting to see. The decisions could give the direction for the future of whereabouts in particular and the WADA’s anti-doping program in general.
In relation to all points of criticism WADA had to face in respect to the new code one thing has to be mentioned. One should not forget the development the whole system has gone through and above all its short history. The new system got into force since January 2009 and the ISPPPI have already been revised in the first months. The system is probably not perfect. Yet, the whole anti-doping process it is a steady development where all stakeholders have to contribute something to achieve the best result. The efforts made in relation with the ISPPPI may be seen as a signal for WADA’s recognition of external opinions. Furthermore it shows that WADA does not act outside legal boundaries and respect the standards of protection in certain countries and fundamental rights of athletes, such as the right of privacy. As mentioned above, testing athletes always does inflict in a person’s rights. Thus, it is even more important that WADA shows initiative to protect the athletes and establish a proportional system with a certain level of protection. Obviously, the EU as a supranational organisation tries to ensure its legal standards. Nonetheless, EU institutions and bodies have to respect the autonomy of private sporting bodies and the specificity of sports as declared in its strategic papers on sports policy. This does not prohibit a pro-active attitude and the possibility to explain its recommendations and positions on certain issues, like the WP did in the “whereabouts” conflict. However, a constructive dialogue a priori would probably be more effective than the mere publication of opinions.
Still, one point with regard to whereabouts should be clear. All sports which have accepted the WADA code 2009 have to follow its rules. Harmonisation to achieve a coherent worldwide anti-doping system is a key point of WADA’s work. Therefore, there should be no exceptions for FIFA or other team sport. WADA has provided specific rules for teams in the code. Yet, the necessity to provide whereabouts information is also applies to football. If WADA would allow “holidays” for some sports disciplines it would be impartial compared to athletes from other sports who have to provide there localisation information for the whole year. Thus, the arguments brought up by FIFA are sometimes difficult to understand compared to the effect an exception would have for the whole system.
One final remark should be allowed. Athletes themselves, particularly, in certain sports (e.g. cycling) are responsible for the current situation and the system they are in. Controllers have had to develop test systems and methods to enhance the possibility to catch cheats. It is necessary to establish a level playing field and to promote the principles of sport. A clean sport is in the athlete’s interest. For this purpose they have to contribute to an efficient and well-functioning anti-doping system. Therefore, the statement of the Norwegian javelin Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen is right when he says, „It’s the price you have to pay to be a professional athlete. If you want to have a clean sport you have to go sacrifice something. And I don’t think that’s a very big sacrifice compared to other jobs”. | <urn:uuid:b245208c-6cf4-496a-b501-aab2158254ae> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://paper-market.com/free-essays/wadas-whereabouts-system/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.95451 | 11,722 | 1.617188 | 2 |
This article from a Jacksonville periodical, Jax4Kids, discusses a presentation made at the Florida Association of Science Teacher's statewide convention which was made by PolarTREC teachers Steve Kirsche and Adeena Teres.
Local newspaper, Saint Johns Sun, reprints an article from the St. Augustine Record about PolarTREC teacher Steve Kirsche's upcoming trip.
The Dartmouth Engineer Magazine profile Eric Wagner, the PhD candidate who is a member of the team going to Greenland. PolarTREC teacher Steve Kirsche is also mentioned in the article.
Local news reporter from St. Augustine Record visits PolarTREC teacher Steve Kirsche and discusses his upcoming trip to Summit Station, Greenland. | <urn:uuid:1822cd53-8910-4730-afea-d578fa1989de> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.polartrec.com/resources/search?search_api_fulltext=&f%5B0%5D=expeditions%3A13310&f%5B1%5D=expeditions%3A38795&f%5B2%5D=expeditions%3A41237&f%5B3%5D=expeditions%3A42356&f%5B4%5D=expeditions%3A43283&f%5B5%5D=grade%3A81&f%5B6%5D=region%3A211&f%5B7%5D=resource_type%3A194&f%5B8%5D=user_name%3ASteve%20Kirsche | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.942601 | 140 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Governing sustainability of bioenergy, biomaterial and bioproduct supply chains from forest and agricultural landscapes
Joint organization of IEA Bioenergy Task 43, SNS-NKJ and CAR-ES.
This conference aims at:
- Identifying lessons learned on how data and scientific knowledge may inform development of well-functioning, credible and legitimate sustainability governance systems for bioenergy and the bioeconomy. This also includes their continuous improvement and adaptation to new conditions.
- Exploring and comparing the variety of approaches to sustainability governance that are emerging or exist in different geographical regions, for different biomass-based supply chains, as a basis for building theory on how trust and legitimacy of sustainability governance systems is granted and achieved.
- Providing a forum for information exchange between researchers and other stakeholders involved in developing sustainability regulations and standards, assuring that standards are being met, or implementing standards on-the-ground in the bioenergy and bioeconomy sectors, through which policy advice can be developed. | <urn:uuid:66e674aa-363f-4a53-b8a2-e8a148e2904d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ieabioenergy.com/blog/ieaevent/governing-sustainability-of-bioenergy-biomaterial-and-bioproduct-supply-chains-from-forest-and-agricultural-landscapes/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.917974 | 205 | 1.90625 | 2 |
The United States Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom
Soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines study history not to glorify past campaigns (well, maybe a little), but rather to prepare for future campaigns. In that vein, On Point also examines what the implications of the events of spring of 2003 might be. The central question is what do the events of spring 2003 tell us about the conduct of warfare in the 21st century. In suggesting what that might be, there are several cautions--the war in Iraq to remove the regime is over, but the coalition has not achieved the strategic goal of the campaign. Furthermore, individual anecdotes from OIF do not necessarily equate to trends. Still, there are implications for the way the Army and the joint team operate. This chapter suggests what some of the implications may be and what may be done about them. Some implications carry with them "lessons" that can be applied; others are only suggestive of directions that may be explored. Still others are discernible, but with insufficient clarity to suggest solutions or means of application.
The Army has a good system for collecting and then applying lessons at the tactical level. The Army is very good about developing tactics, techniques, and procedures that may be applied in similar conditions. But there are lessons or at least implications that may reasonably be discerned from OIF that transcend tactics, techniques, and procedures. These broader lessons are really only learned when they are applied in training, force structure, and combat developments. This takes time and study to determine whether what works in the short term really has application over time and in other environments. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 reviewed the application of many lessons learned as the Army and the armed forces emerged from the Cold War era, as well as lessons learned from the post-Cold War military operations, at the Combat Training Centers, and from Army and joint experimentation. The success of combat operations in OIF suggests that many of the lessons garnered in the early post-Cold War era were learned and, more important, applied. The unique circumstances of OIF major combat operations also suggest some lessons that must still be learned and some possible implications for how the Army considers the nature of future conflict and how it structures, equips, and mans the force.
Some observers have argued that Army and Marine ground units demonstrated absolute tactical dominance based on Iraqi ineptitude. That argument assumes the difference in demonstrated capability stemmed exclusively from what the Iraqis did or did not do and on their equipment. The evidence suggests that this explanation is inadequate. The Iraqis showed considerable competence in shielding forces, in reaching similar conclusions as their opponents on what constituted defensible terrain, and in demonstrating the ability to maneuver forces despite coalition control of the air and tremendous advantages in technical means of gathering intelligence. The Iraqis successfully shielded some of their equipment and managed to mount coordinated counterattacks such as the one TF 3-69 AR repelled at objective PEACH. The Iraqis also executed ambushes and, in some cases, attained tactical surprise. They found ways to close the range and, in more than one case, fought effectively enough to compel reaction, as they did when the counterattacked the 3-7 CAV on the east bank of the Euphrates during the "mother of all sandstorms" and again at objectives ROMMEL and MONTY in Baghdad. Certainly, their ability to defeat the efforts of the 11th AHR does not suggest uniform ineptitude.
But in intense close combat, they simply could not match the US forces in marksmanship, tactical technique, and the ability to adapt rapidly. The US should not apologize for fielding better-equipped units, but neither should it concede the point on training and the qualitative superiority of US units. Nor should US forces assume a qualitative edge in all domains. The venerable rocket-propelled grenade (a lineal descendant of the World War II Panzerfaust) remains elegantly simple, ubiquitous, and effective.
The sections that follow discuss implications for the future that may apply to the Army and, in some cases, to joint forces collectively. First there are some observations that apply to the peculiar environment of OIF that deserve consideration under the broad heading of the Contemporary Operating Environment. The remainder of the chapter considers implications that fall within the five broad areas or themes suggested in the introduction. These areas tend to overlap in terms of implications for how the Army structures, trains, and equips forces but serve well for organizing general groupings of implications from the campaign. The areas address:
- Command and Control
- Combined Arms Operations
- Joint Integration and Support
- Deployment and Sustainment
- Information and Knowledge
The Contemporary Operating Environment (COE)--Embedded or Not
|"While it is impossible to predict the exact nature of future conflict, it is possible to determine those factors which will have the greatest effects on military forces and thus form the critical variables in future military operational environments."|
|TRADOC COE White Paper|
Chapter 1 introduced the development and publication of the Army white paper that delineated the variable in the COE and attempted to describe that environment. Several years in development, the white paper reflected the Army's assessment of fundamental change in the operational environment following the end of the Cold War. This assessment stemmed from an ongoing internal debate over what the end of the Cold War meant. Specifically, those implications suggested the conditions for which the Army should be prepared and how the Army should train and equip forces. In fact the COE, as articulated in the white paper, followed and codified perceived changes in the environment, many of which had been applied in training, leader development, and acquisition before TRADOC published the white paper. The central argument in the COE white paper is that the variables are dynamic, and thus the COE is continuously changing and requires continuous adaptation by the Army and joint forces.
The OIF experience largely validated the COE white paper and the efforts the Army made to incorporate it in training and as a means to inform force design and combat development. Arguably, OIF also demonstrated that the Army still had not fully internalized and accounted for the implications of COE. The tragic tactical defeat of the 507th Maintenance Company is an eloquent argument for this point of view. Similarly, the 11th AHR experience is very much a reflection of change in the environment not discerned or at least not fully accommodated by the Army.
OIF demonstrated that the COE is not just the enemy, but truly an environment consisting of the enemy, friendly forces, noncombatants, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, neutrals, terrain, weather, and other factors. More important, the Army's experience in--and ability to cope with--the COE as it existed in Iraq in March andApril of 2003 suggests some areas worthy of consideration as the Army determines how to prepare for future combat operations or operations other than war. OIF also lends the Army a direction that transformation could take to maintain current demonstrated battlefield dominance into the middle of the 21st century.
OIF, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, and the many other operations conducted since the end of the Cold War also demonstrate that the COE is dynamic. Friends and foes will make adjustments based on what they observed in OIF. Adaptation is therefore the rule for the Army and the other services. Specifically, adaptation in anticipation of change should characterize the way the Army designs, equips, mans, and trains units.
If the COE is valid for the Army, it has utility for joint forces as well. In the absence of easily defined threats, the COE has some acceptance in the joint community. As a conceptual framework, it has utility for the other services as well. Continuing to study the COE and attempting to anticipate the future operational environment is essential to the joint team. To support developing and encouraging study focused on understanding the implications of the operational environment, TRADOC, along with Joint Forces Command (JFCOM), hosted a joint operational environment conference in June of 2003. JFCOM will also publish the Army opposing forces strategic doctrine as a Joint Opposing Forces strategic doctrine and will begin the work of developing opposing forces doctrine to enable consistent replication of the operational environment in joint training and experimentation. JFCOM and TRADOC understand that the dynamic nature of the COE must preclude "doctrinaire" application of the COE or the development of a fixed "threat" for use in joint training and experimentation. The joint community will profit from developing a joint operational environment (JOE) not only as a means of focusing experimentation and transformation, but also to sharpen the debate on the conduct of warfare and operations in the 21st century.1
A cautionary note on training and readiness is necessary. The US armed forces have often been justly accused of preparing to fight the last war. In considering how to prepare for the next war, the COE and its likely successor, the JOE, is a concept, or context for considering the problem. It is not a specific threat. The COE affirms that each mission, enemy, and scenario is unique and that all of these components are dynamic. The Army should not adopt the Iraqi model as the basis for determining the operating environment. Instead, the OIF experience can inform the design of threats and scenarios. Replicating the operational environment must be so dynamic that operating in conditions of uncertainty and ambiguity becomes second nature to soldiers and their units. What can be imported from the Iraqi model is the range of threats (Special Republican Guard, regular army, Fedayeen, terrorists, etc.); the combination of enemy conventional, unconventional, and information operations; and the variety of conditions. These conditions range from terrain and weather combinations, simultaneous combat and humanitarian assistance, and changing political/social factors.
Considering implications for US forces is fine, but it does not address the implications of OIF from the point of view of potential adversaries. Clearly, the Iraqis learned and applied some lessons from their experiences in DESERT STORM. There is some evidence that suggests they sought to learn from others, including the Serbs and perhaps the Russians, or at least from the Russian experience in Chechnya. Saddam's posturing about killing Americans in Iraqi cities was not without basis in fact. Indeed, the Iraqis did bring US forces to battle in their cities. Friends and adversaries alike watched OIF with keen interest. What did they learn?
There are web pages on the Internet that ran commentary during the campaign and continue to draw conclusions about what worked well for the coalition and what did not. Some of these sites are interested in discovering vulnerabilities. To understand fully the implications of OIF, examining what outside observers concluded from DESERT STORM has utility. Writing in 1991 for publication in the occasional papers of a defense think tank in India, Brigadier V. K. Nair reached some interesting conclusions. Of the United States, Nair observed, "With the technological giant--the United States having "willy nilly" and progressively conducted offensive military operations against Libya, Grenada, Panama and Iraq, developing countries, especially the threshold powers, need to review their threat perceptions."2 During and after DESERT STORM, US operations were not viewed necessarily as benevolent. Nair notes, "While fully appreciating the inadvisability of coming into conflict with a superpower, what are the courses open to third world countries to ensure survival if a confrontation is thrust upon them."3 In short, a thoughtful observer from a country with whom the United States has no quarrel concluded from observing the US that this superpower "willy nilly" attacks countries who are at a disadvantage vis-à-vis the US. More important, he suggests that countries may have such a confrontation "thrust on them" by the US.
Nair and his colleagues writing in War in the Gulf: Lessons for the 3rd World suggested possible solutions to this problem of American aggression. Among other things they recommended acquisition of electronic technology, consolidation of research and development, covert acquisition of technology, establishing priority thrust lines, and developing dual- use technologies, to name a few means to close the technological gap with the US. To this technological approach, they suggested practical additions, including deception, increasing automation, developing both passive and active means to protect critical sites, and developing integrated command, control, communications, and intelligence. Of particular interest, they suggested research and development efforts in lasers, electronic countermeasures, UAVs, thermal imaging, and missile guidance technology.4
It is possible, and some of the evidence suggests, that the running start surprised the Iraqis because it broke the pattern of operation inherent in the concept of overwhelming force. Avoiding discernible patterns is sound policy and one that others will respect. What might contemporary observers learn from OIF? They might conclude that apparent US dependence on technical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance may afford opportunity to shield, hide, or deceive. They may conclude that RPGs with more powerful warheads, including perhaps tandem warheads, may offset US armor. For that matter, they may conclude that the Iraqis did not make the best use of urban terrain, and they may confront the next US operation rather differently. They may conclude that the US forces in the field transition too slowly and are vulnerable to classic insurgency operations. They may even believe that US forces are vulnerable in nonlinear, noncontiguous operations.
In June of 2003, members of the Russian Academy of Military Sciences Scientific Council met and presented a number of essays at a conference devoted to "Lessons and Conclusions from the War in Iraq." The Russians found much to learn from and, perhaps more important, much to fear. The academics and soldiers present, like V. K. Nair before them, did not perceive that Operation IRAQI FREEDOM was a benevolent activity. One of them, Major General G. A. Berezkin, asserted that OIF represented "the first steps on the path toward the establishment of Washington's absolute hegemony in the world."5 Beyond noting the clear and present danger that the US constituted to the rest of the world, Berezkin asserted that the United States had developed a new form of operations. To Berezkin the integration of joint forces, coupled with precision munitions, had reached a new plain requiring the "invention" of a term to describe them adequately. According to Berezkin, that new form of warfare is "joint operations."6
The Russians found much to applaud from a military point of view in what they perceived to be innovation, adaptation, and effective use of information and an integration among the services that is new. On the other hand, they were critical of Iraq's performance and believed that the Iraqis had the means to defeat US forces in the field. General of the Army M. L. Gareyev argued that the Iraqis did not effectively defend the approaches to Baghdad. He argued that "With thorough camouflage, combined with a large number of decoy targets and minefields, they (troops defending the approaches to Baghdad) could have played an important role in repulsing the invasion of the Anglo-American troops."7 Gareyev also argued that Russia could learn from the US experience in combating guerilla warfare. For example, US operations in Iraq suggested to him that Russia should train and organize units to operate in "maneuver- intensive raids" and that greater attention must be paid to "reliable protection for lines of communication, command and control posts and logistics."8 For the most part, these Russian observers did not believe the coalition handled urban warfare well and felt that a well-executed urban fight would give the US pause. The Russians also noted with satisfaction that the US did not achieve the "contactless" battle that it sought. More important, some argued that the US has a weakness stemming from the effort to fight contactless battles--they perceive that the US may be vulnerable to close combat.9
There are still other possible lessons for outsiders that US forces need to anticipate. The point is as the Defense Department moves on transformation, the operational environment remains dynamic and so must the transformation effort. Equally important, friends, adversaries, and even some who are neither will seek ways to cope with perceived US strengths and exploit perceived US weakness. Adapting to stay ahead promotes adapting to keep up or get ahead. For example, what might outside observers conclude from the CFLCC's effort to build infrastructure to support the arrival and staging of units? Perhaps they will determine that denying or limiting access is the key to surviving--or at least extending--a conflict to attain a favorable diplomatic solution. US transformation must occur in the context of considering what potential US adversaries might have learned from OIF. This is the essence of understanding the implications of the contemporary operating environment and the future operating environment.
The preparation of the theater and ongoing operations since DESERT STORM proved essential to rapid tactical and operational success in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. The US staged ground forces primarily in a comparatively robust theater infrastructure. Despite the fact that coalition forces could not stage in either Saudi Arabia or Turkey, they enjoyed the benefits of continued presence in the theater that their predecessors in the Gulf War did not. It is hard to overstate the importance of this fact. The caveat for US armed forces is clear--a decade's preparation adjacent to the territory on which ground combat operations are anticipated may not precede the next operation.
On the other hand, the work the services did to assemble and maintain pre-positioned equipment and improve lift capabilities clearly paid dividends and are independent of the theater. Similarly, the effort the Army made to improve deployment infrastructure at Army posts in CONUS and in Europe also are important preparation tasks independent of the theater. Bases and forces stationed in Europe played a central role in OIF. European bases played important roles as power-projection platforms. NATO partnership for peace and the EUCOM "in the spirit of partnership for peace" initiatives assisted in developing the relationships that afforded overflight, staging, and basing that supported the effort in Iraq. Some nations that joined the coalition arguably did so as a means of clearly stating their commitment to their new relationships with the US. The work NATO and EUCOM did helped assure interoperability with coalition units that participated in the decade following DESERT STORM.
The proximity of Europe and efforts in the US notwithstanding, the fact is that the US forces in Iraq directly benefited from more than decade on the ground in Kuwait. This kind of situation may not apply in other contingencies. For that reason alone, there is much work to be done to assure adequate lift is available and pre-positioned equipment--whether afloat or ashore--is prepared and can be used. Marine and Army gear in those stocks has been used and used hard. Restoring that equipment and perhaps modernizing it are clearly priorities. It is not difficult to imagine contingencies that will require this equipment and contingencies where the US does not have a long-term presence.
Finally, Iraq made no direct effort to impede the buildup in the theater. Planners should consider what might have happened if Iraq had attempted a strategy based on denying access to the region. Planners might also wonder what the outcome would have been if Iraq had attacked US forces in Kuwait before they were ready for the running start. The point is that the conditions in CENTCOM in 2003 are unlikely to be replicated elsewhere.
As the US armed forces prepared for operations in Iraq, the specter of large-scale urban operations haunted commanders, planners, and soldiers. There was no doubt that removing the Saddam Hussein regime from power required fighting in Baghdad, and possibly in some or all of the numerous cities along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers en route. It was not unreasonable to suppose that large-scale urban operations would produce high casualties (coalition, Iraqi, and civilian), significant expenditure of resources, and major destruction of the infrastructure necessary for postcombat restoration of normalcy. None of this was far from the minds of those expecting to deploy to Iraq.
In the fall of 2002, when planning started in earnest, the Army's knowledge and understanding of urban operations stemmed from three sources. First, recent Army experience, including urban operations in the 1990s in Mogadishu, Somalia; Panama City, Panama; Brcko, Bosnia; and Port-au-Prince, Haiti.10 Of course, none of these operations rivaled the scope, scale, or potential lethality of major combat in Baghdad. The Army drew also on the recent experience of others. The Russian experience in Grozny and Israeli experience in the West Bank and Gaza provided grist for Army planners.11 The third source was historical experience, including Hue in the Vietnam War, and Manila, Berlin, Stalingrad, and Aachen in World War II. These examples did not encourage complacency among planners or units. Not surprisingly, the Army and the joint team sought solutions that could enable the removal of the Saddam Hussein regime without the casualties and destruction historically associated with urban operations.
Eventually that search produced results. Rather than simply viewing urban areas as complex terrain occupied by an enemy force, Army planners took the approach that a city is a system of systems. Political, civil, social, religious, military, power generation and distribution, transportation, water distribution, and a host of other systems combined, interacted, and adapted constantly. Understanding these systems and how they interacted seemed key to understanding how to conduct military operations there. Accordingly, intelligence officers and planners joined traditional intelligence analysis with the system-of-systems approach in an attempt to truly understand Iraqi cities--starting with Baghdad. This drove the development of courses of action intended to defeat Iraqi forces and remove Saddam's regime from power while avoiding killing large numbers of noncombatants and destroying critical infrastructure. This approach held out the possibility of restoring basic services quickly after the end of major combat operations. Further, this analysis aided subordinate, higher, and joint headquarters in their own preparations.
Armed with recently published doctrine and provided with a reasonable understanding of his opponent and urban systems, Lieutenant General Wallace and his staff developed the scheme that would eventually be executed in Baghdad. As in any fight, the details in execution varied from the plan, but V Corps and I MEF applied what they learned--and the results of their own analysis--with great success. Paraphrasing Major General Dave Petraeus, the CFLCC rapidly adapted and fought the enemy they found rather than the one they planned on. When Petraeus said this, he meant that he fought in An Najaf first rather than in Karbala, as he had anticipated, but he would likely also agree that no one anticipated the paramilitary threat that confronted the coalition.Although the concept of isolating Baghdad and reducing the regime by means of attacks from forward operating bases seemed sound and may have worked, it was modified in execution.
Colonel Perkins and his superiors concluded that while raids into the city's core were feasible, seemed effective, and might produce the intended outcome, they also produced unintended outcomes such as "Baghdad Bob" portraying the withdrawal of Perkins' troops after his first raid as a defeat. Equally important, "Baghdad Bob" and people in Baghdad may actually have believed that Perkins' withdrawal meant that his brigade had been defeated. Thus, Perkins planned the second thunder run intending to stay if he could create the tactical conditions that would support remaining. Wallace, having thought through the same problem, underwrote Blount and Perkins on the basis of a few probing questions. The "plan" evolved in execution--as it should have, given the conditions obtained and the implications of not going downtown and staying.
New doctrine, a new way of looking at the problem, and alert leaders went a long way toward resolving the problems posed in the urban venue. But technology also contributed. For example, before they reached Baghdad, Army leaders had learned to trust BFT. Being able to track friendly units in urban terrain eased a classic problem in urban fighting--controlling the fight. Additionally, air- and ground-delivered precision munitions permitted artillery and close air support while minimizing collateral damage and noncombatant deaths. The 101st, for example, developed and executed a technique of attacking point targets with infantry following on the heels of JDAMS. To a large extent, precision munitions offset the advantage that urban terrain accorded to the defenders. Abrams tanks and Bradleys proved themselves nearly impervious to Iraqi weapons and allowed US forces to penetrate the heart of the urban areas.
Rapid fielding of the equipment necessary for urban combat also proved vital. Body armor, elbow and knee pads, and laser pointers seem trivial in comparison to the D9 Bulldozer and improved precision munitions, but body armor, pads, pointers, and similar relatively inexpensive devices protected infantrymen and made them deadly in urban terrain. The Army's decision in the fall of 2002 to procure and issue specialized equipment directly contributed to a quick victory with relatively few casualties. Fielding equipment early enabled units to train with their new equipment--better still, the stuff worked.
Army leaders and units anticipated that urban combat would be characterized by a series of transitions: battles and engagements followed by security operations and humanitarian assistance. They realized that a successful engagement in a city or town had to be followed by successful transition to postcombat operations. In preparation, major Army formations (brigades and higher) received civil affairs and psychological operations units to assist in those transitions. Few anticipated the frequent transitions from major combat to support operations and back again. For example, the 3rd Infantry, 101st Airborne, and 82nd Airborne Divisions each fought successive engagements in As Samawah, with periods of low intensity or no conflict in between.
As the Army fields Stryker Brigades and continues transformation, the OIF experience will influence combat development. Tanks and Bradleys performed brilliantly in OIF, but they did not meet all of the operational requirements. Despite their advantages in armor, tanks and Bradleys evinced a number of disadvantages --they could not elevate their weapons far enough to fire at the upper floors of buildings from close range. But as 3rd ID discovered, the lowly M113, full of engineers armed to the teeth, could engage the second and third stories. Clearly no weapon system is perfect for all environments, and even the superbly equipped forces that fought OIF have vulnerabilities. Adaptation, flexibility, and a mix of capabilities seem vital.
Preparation for the urban operations anticipated in OIF revealed a significant deficiency in Army training capabilities. The Army's premier urban operations training sites--Fort Polk, Fort Knox, and Hohenfels--are really just small villages. The computer simulation that drives the Battle Command Training Program's WARFIGHTER exercises poorly replicates urban operations. Joint and other service capabilities are no better. Fortunately, the "joint" way ahead to improve the nation's capability to conduct urban operations includes efforts to upgrade and enlarge urban operations training capabilities. Just since the buildup for OIF, the National Training Center has built a number of small "towns" in which both the opposing forces and "civilians" confront training units. At Fort Polk's JRTC, the Army has built an Iraqi village, complete with Iraqi mayor. In the fall of 2002, the Department of Defense established a cell in JFCOM to develop and experiment with concepts for urban operations that will also produce benefits. What must be done next is to build a simulation that affords joint commanders the opportunity to plan and execute realistic training in large urban areas that replicate both the urban core and urban sprawl. This task, while daunting, is not out of reach.
Although urban operations in OIF proved intense to the soldiers and marines who executed them, the coalition avoided the high rate of casualties and destruction historically associated with them. Speed, well-trained and adaptable troops, and luck all played roles in delivering this outcome. Coalition troops adapted during execution, task-organizing on the fly when required, overcoming every problem they confronted. However, it is plain that the Iraqis could have made the fight far more difficult had they not committed their relatively fragile forces to successive, suicidal attacks against armored formations. Finally, although outside the bounds of this study, prosecuting a counterinsurgency campaign in the urban venue remains difficult. Urban terrain continues to offer defenders and/or insurgents opportunity.
The initiative to assign JFCOM the responsibility for joint urban operations experimentation will have far-reaching effects because the OIF campaign appears to confirm what most soldiers understand instinctively:
- Urbanization is a trend that is unlikely to be reversed.
- Most potential opponents know they cannot confront American forces symmetrically, so they must consider, among other things, using complex and urban terrain to their advantage.
- US forces must be able to win the "close fight" inherent in urban terrain.
- US forces must be able to integrate fires with minimal collateral damage.
Operation IRAQI FREEDOM affords ample opportunity to consider the ramifications of how the armed forces have organized and prepared for combat operations in the COE. Iraq, however, is not the COE, but instead a subset of that larger context and must be understood as such.
Command and Control
Command and control is a particularly broad area of consideration. It affords the opportunity as a domain in which to consider decision making, organizations, the separate functions of command and control, and leadership, to name a just a few of the possible areas of discussion. Here the focus is narrowed to three separate areas of discussion which, while still broad, sharpen the focus and reflect those areas that could be observed with sufficient clarity and frequency as to warrant suggesting implications. Those are leadership and decision making, battle command, and how forces are echeloned.
Leadership and Decision Making
The quality of leadership and decision making in OIF--from the highest to lowest levels--is striking. Soldiers and their leaders demonstrated courage, compassion, initiative, and sacrifice. The troops and their leaders took care of each other and illustrated the ephemeral concept of unit cohesion. Leaders led from the front and made decisions based not only on enhanced command and control tools afforded by comparatively high levels of digital linkage, but also by seeing for themselves the conditions on the battlefield. Even in the 21st century, warfare is a human endeavor that requires the human touch. In OIF, the leaders and the led both demonstrated they understood this salient fact.
So why did Army leaders from Tommy Franks down perform so well? Several possibilities emerge. The body of work to produce effective leaders includes getting the right folks to join the service and continues through career-long training and education. It is difficult this early after the end of major combat operations to say with certainty what "right" looks like and what developmental assignments, training, and education should be reinforced. What is clear is that the present system of schools for troops, officers, and noncommissioned officers, and training--particularly collective training at the Army's training centers--paid dividends. As Lieutenant General Dave McKiernan put it, "I think in the Army our training, our doctrine, our leader development programs are pretty damned sound and produced soldiers and leaders who made great decisions out there and who are pretty aggressive."12 Obviously, these institutions should remain dynamic to stay abreast of a dynamic operating environment, but they seem sound at their center. Although McKiernan asserted that Army training and education worked, in the same interview he identified the need to ramp up joint education at lower levels and go into "overdrive" at the war college level.13
Leading From the Front
I will remember Colonel Anderson (commander, 2nd BCT, 101st Airborne Division) and Brigadier General (Ben) Freakley (assistant division commander, Operations, 101st Airborne Division) the rest of my life. Right after the artillery--we received artillery--I hear this "tink," "tink" on the TC (tank commander's) hatch and I open up (the hatch) and look over and there is Colonel Anderson. He said, "What do you need?" I'm like, "What, sir?" He goes, "I got the call, I got the read and everything, I see you're in contact here. I can have Apaches right here to try to loosen up those dismounted infantry positions. I've got three battalions of FA (field artillery) and it's all yours, Gerard."
Later Ben Freakley arrived and Cribb described him as cool among "sporadic machine gun fire" and wanted to know "Is everything ok?"
This is unbelievable. Here we are in contact and both of these guys are asking us what do we need to make our situation better. That was great--definitely made us feel good going into the fight.
After the conclusion of major combat operations, Colonel Will Grimsley wrote to the commanding general of the National Training Center to thank him and his key leaders for the work they did in preparing Grimsley's 1st Brigade, 3rd ID. According to Grimsley, "I told them I could draw a straight line correlation from how we fought in OIF successfully directly back to my National Training Center rotation."14 In anticipation of fighting on the escarpment, the NTC replicated the conditions Grimsley expected to see in the central corridor of the training area and tailored other fights during the rotation against possible OIF scenarios. Although at the training center they trained against an enemy replicating dismounted Special Republican Guard troops, the fact that they confronted paramilitary forces did not matter since the enemy fought generally the way intelligence estimated they would. More important, the opposing forces at Fort Irwin "replicated" the enemy in accordance with that estimate. In a manner of speaking, Grimsley's troops fought the escarpment fight before ever reaching Iraq. Major Mike Oliver, TF 3-69 AR's operations officer, noted that his task force performed much better against the actual enemy they confronted on the escarpment than they had against the "opposing forces" provided by the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin in the fall of 2002.15
But this anecdote simply does not tell the whole story. No one anticipated that the paramilitary forces would fight with the fanaticism they showed or that the "mother of all sandstorms" would strike. Training, even in anticipation of highly specific conditions such as the escarpment, cannot alone produce the agility, innovation, and adaptation that the Army's troops and leaders showed. Soldiers from private to general demonstrated "values" the Army has sought to inculcate, including loyalty to each other, integrity, and courage. These must be taught and learned. Similarly, the tolerance for ambiguity that unit commanders showed--that ability to understand that even with great technology there are some things you cannot know, is also, at least in part, learned.
Toleration for ambiguity, innovation, and technical competence all contribute to effective decision making. But while sound decision making is necessary in effective leaders, it is not sufficient. The ability to lead and motivate stems from many factors, including talent. But even talented leaders can be taught how to become more effective. The Army's leaders in OIF showed they understood their business, could motivate troops, respected troops, and handled themselves with the courage, candor, and competence their troops expected. Examining how the training and education system in the Army and in the joint community contributed both to effective leadership and decision making will be an important component of helping US forces maintain the edge.
Battle Command--Enabling Commanders to Lead from the Front
The ability to describe what is to be done, to visualize the end state, and to direct execution are components of the art and science of battle command. Art implies, among other things, intuition and a feel for the battlefield. Because combat operations remain, even in the early 21st century, human endeavors, commanders must also be able to assess the battlefield for themselves and inspire and direct important actions. The best commanders, therefore, also are good leaders who lead from the front. The science of command lends itself more to the technical competence soldiers expect in their commanders, but also to the means of effecting control in execution. Lieutenant General Wallace developed and executed a battlefield circulation scheme to visit each of his divisions daily to see his commanders and look them in the eye. When Lieutenant General McKiernan needed to make critical decisions, he went forward, as he did on his visit to Jalibah on 28 March, to see and hear from his commanders personally. To lead from the front and to command effectively, commanders need support. They need the tools to communicate their vision and aids to command that enable or support control and direction. They need the means to communicate and they need the support staff to assist in assessing enemy intentions, planning operations, and directing execution. The following sections discuss aids to command, battle command on the move, and the way in which staffs operate and organize to facilitate battle command.
Aids to Command
Force XXI initiatives aimed to enable commanders to "see" their units and the perceived or actual positions of enemy units. The Army Battle Command System (ABCS) provided the core capability commanders needed to see their own forces, describe what they wanted done and, with adequate communications, talk with subordinates and their superiors. In the fall of 2002, the Army rushed to field key components of ABCS and other tools to support battle command. Many units that fought in OIF had not received the entire ABCS suite. These units bought and fielded workable solutions of their own. Most damning for the ABCS, the V Corps/US Army Europe off-the-shelf solution, Command and Control for Personal Computers (C2PC), worked better than the Maneuver Control System, the cornerstone of ABCS, and became the preferred means of tracking units and effecting command. Arguably, BFT, or as it is technically know, Force 21 Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2), delivered over L-Band satellite, proved the most critical of all the various tools available.
Coupled with BFT, commanders using C2PC, ABCS, and one or two other aids--including the Automated Deep Operational Coordination System--could see their forces, plan and execute fires digitally, track the air space, and achieve high-resolution situational awareness of "blue" activities. Commanders also had access to digital map products that enabled them to produce high-resolution maps for their units and their own use. Using software such as FalconView and Topscene, they could visualize terrain with high fidelity as well. Their confidence in these systems and, as a consequence, their confidence that they understood the "blue" picture, enabled them to view fights in which their units were widely dispersed. This confidence in BFT, in particular, encouraged aggressiveness.
There are three major variables in controlling a combat engagement: "Where are my troops?" "Where is the enemy?" and "Where are we in relation to each other?" BFT enabled commanders to understand one of these three key variables. High-resolution maps on screens that showed their units helped them understand part of the third variable. For the second variable, the enemy, although few felt they had the fidelity they desired, they had sufficient grasp to fight with confidence.
All of this is fine and a plus for the Army and joint forces, but more remains to be done. No commander expressed complete satisfaction with MCS. C2PC received, by comparison, rave reviews, but what is required is a "joint" interoperable system in the hands of every unit. What remains missing is "red force tracking," some means of discerning red activities in relation to blue and identifying or at least estimating red intentions. Obviously, red is unlikely to collaborate by providing that information, so red force tracking is not going to happen, but the means to update perceived and actual red positions inherent in ABCS proved inadequate. For the most part, commander aids the Army fielded proved useful, but there is more to be done and these systems need to be proliferated.
Battle Command on the Move and Dispersed
The Army developed and fielded purpose-built command and control vehicles with broad- band satellite suites that provided the means for commanders to command from well forward and while on the move. But there were very few of these systems, none were fielded below division level, and not all of the divisions had them. Maneuver commanders down to brigade level did have satellite communications, and most combat and combat support (CS) units down to company level had BFT that enabled at least limited email via satellite. Voice communication provided by single-channel wide band (25 kHz) tactical satellite assured communications over long ranges so that brigades could talk to each other and their division. Below that level, units relied on short-range FM radios. Some units remained tied to mobile subscriber equipment (MSE), which meant, in effect, that they had no means to effect battle command on the move enhanced by ABCS until the MSE nodes caught up--which is to say, too late to support them in the advance on Baghdad. Even maneuver units depended on MSE to some extent. Thus, if the nodes were not "in" and able to communicate, maneuver brigades lacked the means to receive updated imagery. Units below brigade level rarely were able to tie into MSE. Thus, while the CFLCC C2, Major General Marks, expressed satisfaction with his ability to provide intelligence products, he noted with resignation that he had no means to "refresh" the picture provided to lower tactical units because of the digital divide stemming from the fact that the Army still relied heavily on MSE in OIF.16
Many of the CS and most of the combat service support (CSS) units depended exclusively on MSE to access ABCS. Similarly, these units often lacked BFT. If the Army is serious about fighting dispersed in nonlinear fights, this issue will need to be addressed.
Operation and Organization of Command Posts
Quite apart from communications and software issues to which Major General Marks alluded, the Army might profit from examining how it organizes, mans, and equips command posts. Although the Army went to war largely "networked," the structure and general concept for establishing command posts that were echeloned from front to rear--with a tactical command post (TAC), a main command post, and a rear command post--is one that World War II commanders would have recognized. These three command posts had discrete functions more or less associated with their proximity to the forward line of troops. Given a nonlinear and noncontiguous fight, reorganizing command posts to associate them by "time" rather than space may be appropriate. Thus, a corps might have an assault command post that would fight the current fight with the capability to direct and coordinate immediate effects throughout the corps battlespace. The corps main, possibly operating many miles away in relative sanctuary, would focus on longer-term planning and sustaining the current and near-term fights. Echeloning command posts may no longer be the best approach if and when the Army is able to solve the problem of generating reliable broadband communications on the move and dispersed.
The way staffs organized also evolved before OIF. Lieutenant General McKiernan reorganized the CFLCC staff around operational functions rather than the traditional vertical staff stovepipes. Thus, although Major General Marks, the CFLCC intelligence officer, developed and distributed operational intelligence, intelligence officers could be found in the other staff sections devoted to supporting intelligence requirements extant in operational protection, for example. McKiernan also rejected the traditional staff update and substituted a staff assessment instead--seeking to learn the "so what" of events rather than a history of events. Other units also organized multidiscipline functional cells, such as fires and effects coordination cells, that sought to apply the concept of effects-based operations. The implications of digital means to visualize, describe, and direct--along with concepts such as effects-based operations--suggest the Army needs to revisit how it organizes staffs and command posts.
The headquarters employed in OIF are larger than most commanders would prefer. During the development of ABCS and various commanders' aids, some have argued that these tools would produce smaller staffs. That goal proved illusive. Automation has not tended to reduce the size of staffs. There is energy and opportunity to examine how to organize command posts now within the present echelons and formations and, as a consequence, consider how to organize and structure echelons and formations. It is possible that developing more effective command posts may not necessarily make them more efficient in terms of size.
There is much more work to be done to fully understand or identify the implications of OIF on the general domain of command and control. BFT, for example, clearly paid dividends-- enabling commanders to "see" their units to coordinate tactical decisions rapidly. Continued effort to proliferate these systems seems warranted but must be accompanied by developing the means that ensure communications pathways to enable units to enjoy the benefits of both digital communications and networks.
How units are structured and how they are grouped to effect command and control and the functions they perform are key components \of command and control. Structure and functions define echelons of command. In OIF, the Army employed echelons with names Napoleon would have found familiar. But to argue that echelons in the Army are the same as in Napoleon's day is as inaccurate as arguing that because we call them ships, the USS Reagan, the newest carrier in the US Navy, and USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned US Navy vessel, are the same and that, therefore, ships have not changed since the 18th century. Echelons are the means by which the ground forces exercise command and control and execute critical functions. Critical functions have remained fairly stable--logistics, fires, and the development of intelligence, for example, are functions that armies have had to perform and will continue to perform in combat operations. Echelons as a means to execute functions are not new either. The term "corps" to describe an echelon of ground forces dates back to Napoleon, but the functions performed by that echelon have varied historically. For example, in World War II, the corps had almost no logistics functions, but in OIF, V Corps had a great many logistics functions. In World War II, the field army had a pool of combat units that it could send to corps and divisions to weight the effort or execute particular functions. Although CFLCC is not an analogue to the field army, it performed many of the same functions but had no pool of "army-level" units. Digital means of communication, coupled with enhanced aids for commanders and emerging operations concepts, will also affect Army echelons.
The Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Study Group did not set out to examine the contribution of echelons or whether they should be restructured to eliminate one or more of them. However, in considering the Army story in OIF, echelons emerged as part of the tale. Because V Corps, as did I MEF, fought decentralized operations, some will argue that division echelon did not prove necessary. Obviously, CENTCOM could have mounted this campaign without the CFLCC as it did in the first Gulf War. Perhaps it is less obvious, but whether CFLCC could have operated without corps-level subordinates is a question that warrants consideration as well. The functions each echelon performed should drive further study and consideration of the utility of combining some functions so that an echelon could be eliminated.
The evidence of OIF does not compel conclusions on this matter except to suggest that there was more than enough work to go around for the echelons and formations fielded. The evidence suggests that all of the echelons played useful roles. For example, the CFLCC performed functions at the theater level that both I MEF and V Corps would have found difficult if they had also retained responsibility for fighting their organic units. In an interview with officers from Joint Forces Command, the OIF Study Group, the Center of Military History, and the Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, Lieutenant General Dave McKiernan articulated as clear an argument for the current echelons as can be found by describing their functions. In response to a direct question on whether the CFLCC could have controlled divisions without V Corps and I MEF, McKiernan responded, "I don't think so. I don't think you could because I am spending a lot of energy working strategic, theater-wide, operational components, cross- components and tactical (issues)."17
CFLCC also managed the battlespace; oversaw joint intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance; assigned priorities for resources; and dealt with theater logistics and joint reception, staging, onward movement, and integration. It is hard to see how either I MEF or V Corps could have managed these functions and its internal tactical operations. Although they often fought with their brigade and regimental combat teams widely separated, the higher headquarters--division, corps, or MEF--integrated and synchronized the air, ground, and logistics efforts that won those fights. Finally, brigades organized as tactical headquarters and not as fixed organizations. They task-organized and integrated units with whom they had never trained and took them into a fight within hours. The actions of 2nd BCT, 101st Airborne, and TF 2-70 AR in the feint on Al Hillah on 31 March epitomize the flexibility of the brigade as an echelon of command. Most important, brigades managed widely dispersed fights and showed great flexibility and initiative in execution.
Still, the Army should examine how it echelons and how it assigns functions and organizes to execute them. For example, there may be ways to leverage digital technology to reduce the number of echelons. But examining formations within echelons may prove even more useful--the Army and joint community may find ways in which joint interdependence can reduce the number of certain kinds of formations. For example, if the air component will commit to attacking deep targets that support tasks assigned to the land component, the land component may require less artillery. As another example, how the Army organizes to deliver theater logistics and how logistics are managed certainly should be examined in great detail.
Combined Arms Operations
The discussion of this broad thematic area is bounded by how units are organized now, but it is not intended to underwrite either the current organization or alternatives presently under consideration. Rather, the focus is on how the Army conducted combined arms operations in a joint context. Joint concepts and joint doctrine both reflect and affect how the Army organizes and operates now and are essential to how the Army transforms. What is clear from OIF is that combined arms and tailoring or task-organizing to create combined arms worked in OIF. Combining the battlefield effects of engineers, maneuver units, and fires clearly produced synergy. The Army proved able to task-organize on the move to create combined arms teams tailored to mission requirements and could do so on little or no notice. This stemmed from training, education, doctrine, and practice that produced a culture which supported flexible organizations on the basis of the analysis of the mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available, and the proximity of civilians or critical infrastructure that might affect execution. In OIF, this produced lethal and flexible task-organized formations stemming from the complementary effects of effective battle command, intelligence, maneuver, indirect fire support, close air support, Army aviation, engineers, tactical logistics, and integration with special forces. All of this, coupled with world-class training received both in theater and prior to arriving, made for a dominant force.
As the Army considers what conclusions may be drawn from OIF, reflecting on just how these lethal, flexible, and adaptive combat teams came to be seems appropriate. Task-organizing for specific missions is possible because of inherent flexibility in the way Army units are organized. Army doctrine and concepts for the design of units provide the foundation for flexibility. Specifically, units are built on the basis of not only what they will be asked to do, but also how they will do it. Design principles include concepts of "pooling" some resources, while making others organic. Some of those principles stem from doctrine. For example, the notion that artillery is never in reserve is a doctrinal concept that leads to pooling artillery at the division echelon and higher so that artillery can be moved rapidly to support operations wherever it is required. Thus, each division has divisional artillery, and the Army fields artillery brigades that can be assigned to support corps and divisions as needed.
That design decision produces advantages in training artillery and making the maximum use of a limited resource. It is not the only way to do business, though. Artillery could be assigned as units organic to a brigade. Following World War II, the Army moved away from fixed regiments toward brigades that were assigned units as required. In practice, and to accommodate reductions to end strength, Army brigades have gradually evolved toward fixed organizations with tables of organization and equipment (TOE) and modified tables of equipment (MTOE) to accommodate a "semi" fixed structure. For example, a forward support battalion in an "armor" brigade of two tank battalions and one infantry battalion has an MTOE assigning tank automotive and turret mechanics that reflect the routine "semi" fixed status of the brigade it is assigned to support. In fact, the BCT really is an aphorism that reflects the increasingly fixed nature of brigades and stems from the regimental combat team usage current 50 years ago. Fortunately, commanders did not allow this quiet evolution to prevent them from task-organizing as required.
Choosing a concept for structuring forces based on efficiency is not inherently wrong, but neither is it inherently right. Structuring units for tactical effectiveness rather than efficiency is appealing. Many of the arguments for fielding an Army based on the fixed brigade as the basic module stem from this notion. Fixed organizations at brigade level produce both benefits and risks. The benefits in training combined arms are fairly obvious; but fixed structures may produce reluctance to task-organize and may not be affordable in the long term. Lieutenant Colonel "Rock" Marcone developed and trained "combat patrols" in TF 3-69 AR composed of tanks, Bradleys, and engineers. Whatever structure is developed should not constrain commanders from reorganizing to accommodate their analysis of mission requirements that may be discrete.
Of course, building a doctrine and concept of operations reliant on frequent task reorganization to match combat team capabilities to the specific mission requirements came at a price. The most obvious is that members of these transient combat teams rarely had the opportunity to train together before joining the fight. The initial friction between the 173rd Airborne Brigade and JSOTF-North stemmed from the fact that conventional units and SOF generally do not train together. Training and rehearsing together is clearly a key element for building effective combat teams that can adapt to the ever-changing battlefield. The second difficulty was the overuse of the low-density/high-demand units, such as military intelligence, special forces, psychological operations, and civil affairs units. As priorities shifted, these units often moved around the battlefield to meet demand.
How the Army organizes to facilitate combined arms and take advantage of joint integration and interdependence also affects modularity and therefore deployment. Weight and volume are key components of determining lift requirements, but determining what needs to go is also important. Army units, as they are organized now, often require "plugs," some of which are quite small detachments. Fixed organizations that include these plugs could simplify deployment planning and execution. Equally important, developing a fixed module at some level will enable the Army to communicate deployment requirements more quickly and clearly. Thinking through the matter of both echelons and formations within them is a key part of developing "modules" that support contingency deployment.
Generating SOF-like Qualities
Examining formations within the current echelons may prove fruitful. Fixed organizations offer advantages on the battlefield logistically, and if they include civil affairs, psychological operations units, and other low-density plugs, they provide part of the solution to assuring the Army can deploy and field tactical "modules" rapidly. These studies and experiments obviously should also consider just how these "new" formations should be equipped to assure that the Army's tactical formations retain the edge they have now.
Joint Integration and Support: Effectiveness, not Efficiency
Perhaps the biggest accolade on the relative success of joint integration is offered by the Russian observer cited earlier, who argues that in OIF the US armed forces executed a new form of warfare, "joint operations." Obviously, that is the result of serious effort to improve joint integration since the passage of the Goldwater-Nichols legislation. Much remains to be done, but OIF shows how much has been achieved. The term "integration" used here differs from another term used to describe joint operations--interdependence. Integration is about combining resources in such a way as to produce synergy or results greater than the sum of the parts. Integration does not suggest efficiency so much as it suggests effectiveness. Interdependence, on the other hand, does suggest efficiency and therefore the elimination of capabilities in one service that may be redundant if they can be provided by another service. There are instances where interdependence makes absolute sense, and one instance was suggested in a preceding paragraph in the discussion on whether air power might enable the Army to reduce the amount of artillery that it fields. However, it is not appropriate in this effort to mandate solutions, but rather to suggest what implications might be drawn. Accordingly, integration is the term used in this discussion rather than interdependence.
Army Support to the Joint Team
By law, the Department of the Army is not a warfighting organization. Instead, the Army provides trained and ready forces to combatant commanders. The Army also provides forces to other services that enable economies across the Department of Defense. For example, the Army provides special forces, psychological operations, and civil affairs units to the Marines or elsewhere as required by the combatant commander. Similarly, theater air and missile defense units extend land-based air and missile defense wherever the combatant commander requires it. The same is true for certain kinds of support, including processing and securing enemy prisoners of war. The Army also provides port-opening, terminal management, and logistics over the shore services and thus is a major contributor to JLOTS operations. Finally, the Army provides certain common user commodities to all of the services. For example, the Army is responsible for providing fuel and bulk water to all forces ashore.
The Army did all of this and more in OIF. It provided both mandated support and support that it volunteered to provide. More than 40,000 soldiers either supported the joint team or were assigned directly in support of other services. Some 6,200 soldiers served in or supported the Coalition Force Special Operations Component Commander. More than 2,700 soldiers served with I MEF, doing everything from chemical reconnaissance to manning rocket artillery units.18 The Army and the Marine Corps also collaborated to solve serious logistics problems. The Marine hose and reel system, the Army pipeline, and "bag farms" provided the means to assure adequate fuel reached Army and Marine ground units. Similarly, the Marine Corps provided air and naval gunfire liaison teams to the Army to assist the Army in requesting and employing Naval and Marine air.
This campaign not only illustrated the power of the US armed forces, but also showed how much more powerful the parts are when integrated rather than merely deconflicted. The campaign also suggests that the missions of the Army and Marine Corps may be converging. These two services should find more ways to collaborate and train with each other. They may also find ways to achieve interdependence that could result in efficiencies that make them more effective as well. In some ways, this might prove painful for the Army. For example, to provide marines and the joint team the ability to sustain joint land campaigns and to do so quickly may force reallocation of force structure to provide active units to theater support and CS operations in lieu of Reserve Component units that are not able to respond as quickly. That structure is not extant in the current force.
There are various solutions, but none are easy. Determining the right end strength, mix of units, and mix between Active and Reserve Component units are interrelated and not without political implications. More important, the "right" mix will be dynamic as long as the JOE remains dynamic.
Theater Air and Missile Defense
The development of theater air and missile defense (TAMD) following DESERT STORM proved successful for a number of reasons. First, the services developed joint solutions to the problem. The USS Higgins, an AEGIS destroyer, provided the fastest means of early warning and effectively linked the Navy's missile defense capability to the Patriot defense umbrella. Second, the Army designed and organized a formation to fight TAMD. The 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command afforded the means to exercise battle command over the many units that provided TAMD and supported the commander of Coalition Force Air Component Command, serving as his deputy for TAMD. The Kuwaitis added their own Patriot defenses to the fight, freeing the US Patriots to defend other friendly nations in the theater. Equally important, the 32nd afforded the CFLCC the means to maneuver Patriot units to protect the V Corps and I MEF as they advanced. Finally, the Army invested a great deal of time, money, and effort to improve the Patriot. The performance of joint TAMD in OIF validates these efforts. The resulting improvement in operational protection afforded the ground forces the ability to operate and, when required, the freedom to concentrate virtually free from the specter of enemy missile attack.
The work is not necessarily complete however. Missiles are a relatively inexpensive means both to challenge US access and to threaten US interests in a theater. The enemy adapts just as surely as the US does. In OIF, planners assumed that, as in 1991, Iraqi Scuds would be the main threat. As one Patriot battalion commander put it, "We spent four months doing a defense based on three absolutes--the primary threat to Kuwait would be theAl Hussein [Scud] missile, coming out of Baghdad, and fired at night. So, of course every one of our engagements was the Ababail or Al Samoud, out of Basra, during the day."19 Moreover, land-attack cruise missiles emerged as a dangerous threat. Patriot and short-range air defense units can protect against the cruise missile threat, but work needs to be done to integrate these efforts into airspace management.
Other problems with TAMD warrant mention as well. Using the term "maneuver" in association with the movement of Patriot battalions to support offensive operations in OIF is kind to the point of exaggeration. Patriot is mobile, but not designed for cross-country maneuver in support of offensive operations. Examining solutions to this problem will absorb some energy in the coming years. Shooting down two friendly aircraft marred an otherwise brilliant performance. Sorting out friend from foe is unlikely ever to become foolproof, but "zero defects" is the right goal when lives are at stake.
Patriot battalions identified an implication of operating in the "rear" area in a noncontiguous fight. Lieutenant Colonel Joe De Antonna put it this way:
There is no rear area anymore. And I think we have to adjust our training to reflect that, but we also have to adjust our resources to reflect that. I do not have hard-top HMMWVs with ring mounts. I have only a couple of crew-served weapons per unit. We only get to fire our weapons once per year. But, at the same time, I saw the expectation for us to be able to do the same thing the infantryman does. We've got to figure out how we are going to do that, and it's not going to be cheap, but if that is the expectation--and I see it as being a legitimate expectation--then we need to address that.
Special Forces and Conventional Forces Integration
The successful integration of SOF and conventional forces is one of the great stories of OIF. Effective integration took place at every echelon, from A-teams (ODAs) to the joint special operations task forces (JSOTFs). Integration occurred throughout the length and breadth of the Iraqi Theater of Operations--on land, in the air, and at sea.As a result, both SOF and conventional forces were more effective and presented the Iraqis with significantly more and different challenges. In the V Corps area, the ODAs of 5th and 19th Special Forces Groups and conventional brigades from the 3rd, 82nd, 101st, and 4th Divisions shared intelligence, fire support, medical treatment, and other support as the corps advanced toward Baghdad. For example, when the lead elements of 3rd ID approached the bridge across the Euphrates at An Nasiriyah, SOF already had "eyes on" and passed valuable intelligence that enabled a rapid and successful operation.
In the north, the JSOTF organized around 10th Special Forces Group served as the controlling headquarters for both the 173rd Airborne Brigade and a battalion of the 10th Mountain Division. A National Guard infantry battalion also supported the effort by providing security for forward operating bases. JSOTF-North performed the operational preparation of the battlespace necessary for the 173rd to conduct its operational maneuver from Europe into Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq. Units from the 10th Mountain Division's 2-14 IN provided the conventional punch and staying power for JSOTF-North to defend against Iraqi divisions counterattacking along the Green Line. The failure of those counterattacks so demoralized the Iraqis that the Iraqi V Corps surrendered to JSOTF-North. Special forces from JSOTF-North and 2-14 IN also combined to attack and destroy the terrorist camps of Ansar Al Islam.
CENTCOM assigned JSOTF-West the key mission of denying western Iraq to the Iraqi forces so that Scud missiles could not be launched against Jordan, Turkey, or Israel. To accomplish that mission, they were assigned National Guard conventional light infantry. A SOF task force employed tanks of C/2-70 AR(-), flown in by C-17s--demonstrating SOF, Army, and Air Force flexibility and integration executed in the middle of the campaign. After attacking into As Samawah one day, the troops of C/2-70 AR found themselves en route to operate with SOF forces more than 270 miles away the next. The combination of Abrams tanks and SOF proved extremely powerful and mobile in controlling the vast expanse of western Iraq and interdicting LOCs as Iraqi leaders and forces attempted to flee to Syria. And of course one of the first operations of the war took place offshore, where Army watercraft supported SOF troops in seizing oil platforms in the gulf.
Special Forces in Action
At 0430, the raid convoy departed its base en route to Ghamas. The task force consisted of an assault team, a security team, a command and control element, and three blocking forces composed of troops from a scout platoon and antiarmor company of the 101st Airborne Division. At 0515, the convoy hit the release point outside Ghamas. The 101st vehicles moved to their blocking positions at three bridges surrounding the town. The rest of the task force moved into the town. An interpreter quickly found a local guide who knew where the house was. He took the SF team to a walled two-story dwelling with a courtyard. The security team isolated the objective and provided overwatch while the assault team forcibly seized the dwelling and apprehended three adult males. Among them was Abd Hamden, the target of the raid and a senior Ba'ath Party official from Baghdad. After a tactical interrogation, one of the men provided the location of a Fedayeen major nearby in Ghamas. The SF and conventional force raided this house minutes later but only found his relatives. As the Americans left the town with their captives, they were cheered by locals throughout the town. A thorough interrogation of the prisoners was conducted and documented, and the prisoners were handed over to higher authorities.
The success of SOF-conventional integration was not assured by any means. After the failure at Desert One of the aborted attempt to rescue the hostages in 1979, the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) was formed, and Army Special Forces soon became a separate branch. The services resisted losing their unique, special operations-capable units to a separate command. Similarly, the regional combatant commanders resisted losing control of special operations in their respective areas of operations. Despite lukewarm reception and sometimes outright opposition, the creation of SOCOM, with its dedicated resources and mission focus, significantly improved the conduct of special operations missions but with unintended consequences. Through the 1980s and early 1990s, a physical and cultural gap grew between Army conventional and special operations forces. Once NCOs and officers joined Army Special Forces, they were separated from their conventional counterparts for the remainder of their careers. They followed different career paths, attended different schools, served in compounds or remote corners of Army posts, and deployed on separate missions around the globe. More important, they seldom operated together. In the end, special operations and conventional forces grew apart to the point that they did not always work well together.
The shift toward integration of SOF and conventional operations began with US involvement in the Balkans, and Haiti in particular. SOF units supported operations effectively, and conventional units learned to work with SOF. In Afghanistan, the momentum drawing the two types of forces closer together continued to build. By Operation ANACONDA, special forces, conventional, and interagency leaders were sitting side-by-side planning, coordinating, and executing operations. It was not always smooth or elegant, but soldiers on both sides worked to tear down the barriers between SOF and conventional soldiers.
Integration continued to improve during the planning for OIF. Collaborative planning between Third Army and USSOCOM units began early in 2002 and continued right through the campaign. The Special Operations Command and Control Element (SOCCE) embedded in V Corps served as an active participant in all V Corps planning, preparation, and deployment. Throughout 2002 and the spring of 2003, 3rd ID brigades and special forces units executing Operation DESERT SPRING worked and trained closely together. When the time came for execution, 3rd ID and its SOF colleagues were ready. As other conventional units arrived, the pattern of integration continued.
In the 1990s the mark of success for an Army unit was to conduct a successful training rotation at a Combat Training Center, combining heavy and light forces (called a heavy-light rotation). Conventional units believed that heavy-light rotations were the most complicated, but critical combination of forces because the capabilities and requirements of the two are so different. Eventually, though, training and employing diverse units, most of which had no chance to train together at home, became second nature. In OIF, the Army illustrated the benefits of heavy-light training.
Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq raised the bar for integration. In the future, effective integration must be the standard. This will require cultural, doctrinal, organizational, and training changes across the Army. In that regard, there is much to be learned from the execution of OIF in terms of SOF and conventional force integration and interoperability. Some lessons are subtle, some are easily discerned; all must be resourced and translated into action if true integration is to be achieved.
The effective conduct of SOF-conventional operations requires trained leaders and units. For example, battalion and brigade pre-command courses are already effective at teaching how to integrate combined arms and contributed significantly to the lethality of Army brigade combat teams in OIF. Adding instruction on integrating SOF and conventional forces would build on that success. OIF experience suggests that captains' education also ought to address the tactics, techniques, and procedures necessary to integrate these operations.
Effective joint SOF and Army conventional operations are dependent on common doctrine and training, understood and practiced by all. Currently, Army doctrine does not provide for integrated operations. For example, FM 3-90, Tactics, fails to address joint SOF and conventional operations for offensive or defensive operations. This lack of common doctrine can have disastrous effects. In OIF the SOF and conventional units' approaches to planning and execution varied, requiring adjustments on the way. As joint and Army doctrine development moves forward, it must draw SOF and conventional forces toward a common language and integrated operations. Training together at the CTCs can further the cause of integrating SOF and conventional operations. Presently, conventional and SOF elements rarely train together. Although Army SF units regularly train at the CTCs, their training rotations are usually not linked directly with conventional units. Training together will produce the trust and confidence required to assure that successful integration is the rule rather than the exception.
Liaison between Army special forces and conventional forces assured effective integration. Special forces paid a greater price than conventional forces since relatively small special forces units must liaise with conventional force units that are both more numerous and larger. In the past, when the two forces rarely worked together, liaison generally occurred at the corps level. In OIF, the number of special forces and conventional forces working together was so large that special forces units were hard-pressed to provide sufficient liaison to Army and Marine Corps formations. In fact, some entire ODAs (normally combat units) served as liaison teams. For example, ODA 916 divided into three sections, simultaneously serving as Special Forces Liaison Element (SFLE) for 3rd ID Headquarters, 3rd Brigade of 3rd ID, and 3-7 CAV. Lacking digital battle command systems that could "talk" to each other further exacerbated liaison. For example, ODA 915, providing the SFLE to the 101st, did not have C2PC, BFT, ADOCS, or other command and control systems used by the 101st.
If the trend toward greater SOF and conventional force integration continues, generating, training, and equipping liaison teams will require effort and investment. Across the area of operations and throughout the OIF campaign, the integration of SOF and conventional forces was a tremendous success. In the south, north, and west, missions were accomplished more effectively and with fewer lives lost as a result. The Army has the opportunity to build on this success.
Air Power: Flexible, Responsive, and Central to Decisive Joint Operations
Coalition air forces and ground component attack aviation drove home the qualities of flexibility and decisiveness that air power brings to the battlefield. The Coalition Forces Air Component Command demonstrated flexibility right from the outset when, for sound reasons, A and G days merged. Everyone, including the Iraqis and coalition ground troops, anticipated that a lengthy air campaign would precede any ground operations. When it did not, the air component commander still had important tasks to execute in support of his campaign to meet CENTCOM objectives. The proliferation of precision guided munitions and the fact that the coalition enjoyed air superiority enabled the airmen to undertake five separate tasks at once, some of which they may have preferred to do sequentially.
The airmen still needed to defeat or at least suppress Iraqi air defenses, attack strategic targets, attack theater ballistic missile sites, execute deep shaping operations, and provide close air support. To their credit, air component troops managed all of that and provided what the ground units acclaimed was first-class support to them. On more than one occasion, responsive, accurate close air support turned the tide for Army ground troops or, as a minimum, reduced their vulnerability to enemy combat systems. All four air forces (USAF, USN, USMC and RAF) flew for Grimsley's 1st BCT, destroying artillery that Grimsley could not defeat with his organic artillery. Instead, his artillery dealt with targets immediately to his front. Again at objective JENKINS, airmen attacked columns of paramilitary troops on the east side of the Euphrates, interdicting them before they could close with ground troops. In the fight at TITANS, airmen supported Lieutenant Colonel J.R. Sanderson's TF 2-69 AR, attacking targets at the head of the column while artillery struck targets on the left side of the road the TF was traveling. Time and again during OIF, airmen intervened at critical points on the battlefield.
Although some of the sources remain classified and therefore cannot be discussed here, the evidence suggests that the high rate of desertion among Iraqi units can be directly attributed to strikes by fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft. The Iraqi military learned to fear attack from the air in 1991. Airmen striking without warning in 2003 reprised the lesson. Air power demonstrated its efficacy once again.
Effecting Joint Integration
Joint integration in OIF stemmed from the effort to secure a commitment to joint warfare across the services, from improved joint doctrine and education, but also from investing in personal relationships. At CFLCC, Lieutenant General McKiernan believed that joint warfighting stemmed not only "from the doctrine and technical interoperability, but it is also the personal relationships."20 Joint training and education support developing personal relationships, as does training together in service training, including the Army's Battle Command Training Program, the Army's training centers, and at the counterpart institutions of the other services.
Deployment and Sustainment
Deploying Troops: Issues and Possible Solutions Across the Department of Defense
The commitment of the services to improve deployment following DESERT STORM was sustained and effective over the last decade. Developing and fielding fast sealift, USMC Maritime Pre-position Squadrons, Army Pre-positioned Stocks, the C-17, and single port management all paid dividends during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Much remains to be done. The Request For Forces initiative, intended to afford greater flexibility to the regional combatant commander, did not work. Yet there is no question that the system in place did not meet the needs of commanders in contingency environments.
According to McKiernan, that system is "a peacetime efficiencies based system. So every airplane and every ship is validated and loads are validated and efficiencies gained so no space goes unvalidated. To me, it doesn't work worth a damn in contingency operations."21 Few could be found in the theater who would defend either the Request for Forces process or the more traditional means of moving troops. Contingency operations require more flexibility. Organizing the Army in more modular fashion may also enhance deployment planning and execution.
Designing a deployment system and determining lift requirements are not for the Army alone. This is a joint matter of compelling importance to national security. The Army will play a role, but this matter will be driven by joint requirements. Arguably, the issue is so important that it will require Department of Defense leadership to determine lift requirements and develop a system that meets the needs of regional commanders.
Operational Maneuver from Strategic Distances
Operational maneuver from strategic distances is an important concept for Army transformation and relates both to how the Army organizes formations and to the general topic of deployment. Both the insertion of the 173rd Airborne BCT into northern Iraq and the accelerated deployment of the 2nd Armored Cavalry illustrate the promise inherent in this concept. While executed largely using today's doctrine, organizations, and equipment, this operation provides several insights that can be used to refine and make the concept a practical tool for joint commanders.
Simply stated, operational maneuver from strategic distances seeks to introduce new forces into the fight from outside the theater, upsetting the opponent's correlation of forces and forcing him to deal with an unexpected threat. The concept assumes that an operationally significant force, a brigade as minimum, can be delivered by air to an unimproved airfield or airfields, and "fight off the ramp." This early-entry capability complements the forcible-entry capability provided by airborne forces and the Marine Corps. Fighting off the ramp means that rather than going through deliberate buildup of combat power, staging, and preparation, the force is configured, trained, equipped, and prepared to engage in combat operations almost as soon as personnel, vehicles, and weapon systems exit aircraft.
Employment of the 173rd Airborne, although successful, was not without difficulties. "Fighting off the ramp" and supporting the force logistically proved problematic. The Army, together with the Air Force, planned, prepared, and executed the airborne assault superbly. They also executed follow-on air landing of heavy equipment and reinforcing troops professionally and effectively. But the United States has a limited number of transport aircraft with the strategic range and cargo capacity required. The 173rd jumped from the same C-17 aircraft that supported all other missions in the Iraqi theater of operations. Making operational maneuver from strategic distances routine will require difficult decisions and/or more aircraft.
One way to address the lift problem is for the Army to develop formations that provide greater lethality, survivability, and mobility than current units while reducing lift requirements. The Army's ongoing efforts with the Stryker BCTs and Future Force Units of Action are designed to do exactly that. The 173rd BCT, including TF 1-63 Armor, required 89 C-17 sorties to deploy two infantry battalions, five M1 tanks, four M2 Bradleys, a battery of 105mm howitzers, three platoons of 120mm mortars, and two Dragoneye UAVs.22 In contrast, for the same number of sorties, a Stryker BCT can deliver one Stryker battalion of 700 troops, 65 Stryker variants, along with an artillery battery, organic CS, supporting CSS units, and seven days of supply. Finally, a brigade assault command post would provide command and control. Once landed, the Stryker package would enjoy greater lethality and mobility than its counterparts in the 173rd.23 On the other hand, the 173rd has a forcible-entry capability by virtue of its ability to do an airborne assault that the Stryker does not have.
The 173rd did not fight directly off the ramp. Since the end of the Cold War, campaigns have been relatively short, high-tempo affairs. Major combat operations in 1989 in Panama were over within 24 hours; the Kosovo air campaign took 78 days; and major combat operations in DESERT STORM and OIF each lasted about six weeks. In OIF, the 173rd BCT closed the combat elements of its airborne infantry battalions within 96 hours of deployment and could have conducted light infantry offensive operations at that time. It was another 10 days before the full BCT and sufficient supplies for brigade-size operations were available. Fighting off the ramp is a doctrinal, as well as a physical and materiel, challenge. Both the 173rd and Stryker Brigades can be configured to fight off the ramp. Of course, this requires more lift since combat loading is never as efficient as cargo loading. Fighting off the ramp requires tailoring lift based on the scheme of maneuver. Doctrine and techniques to achieve this end do not currently exist, although amphibious, air assault, and airborne doctrine and techniques can provide the inspiration and starting points. Similarly, these techniques can also stimulate developing intelligence and logistics systems to support fighting off the ramp.
Last, learning from the 173rd BCT should not stop with operational maneuver. With some HMMWV motorized infantry and TF 1-63 Armor, the 173rd BCT represents an embryonic middleweight force, the forerunner of the Stryker BCT. As such, the Army can learn from this experience and refine its concepts for such forces. For example, Army transformation set a standard of 96 hours to deploy a brigade-size force anywhere in the world, and the Stryker BCTs are designed with that requirement in mind. The 173rd BCT deployment to northern Iraq demonstrates that 96 hours may not be just a "mark on the wall," but legitimate and feasible as well. The mission-scenario set that the 173rd faced was similar to the high-end small-scale contingency (SSC) missions envisioned for the Stryker BCTs, suggesting that is the appropriate focus for the design of those brigades.
Logistically, OIF tested the Army. The size of the theater, tempo of operations, complexity, distribution of forces, nature of the threat, terrain, strategic constraints, paucity of logistics forces, and requirements to support other services proved daunting. Despite these difficulties, Army CSS troops turned in a heroic performance by providing "just enough" to sustain the fight. Significant lessons can be drawn from the OIF campaign that will enable future campaigns to be supported more effectively across the full range of logistics functions, no matter how challenging the circumstances.
From an Army logistic standpoint, the theater of operations encompassed Kuwait, Iraq, and parts of other countries in the region. The pace of operations was high, with whole brigades moving more than 100 kilometers in a single day. Customers included Army, joint, special operations, and coalition units across a vast expanse, and the pace of operations only amplified the burden on the logistics systems. Additionally, strategic and policy constraints limited which countries could be used for basing, transit, or host nation support. These same constraints had the effect of distributing the joint force across the length and breadth of the Persian Gulf. As a consequence, nearly all of the supplies and equipment required to support combat operations had to come through the relatively small Kuwaiti ports. Mobilization and deployment decisions slowed arrival of many logistics units or resulted in their elimination from the troop list altogether. As a result, the major theater logistics command, 377th Theater Support Command, was not fully operational with its required units until after the conclusion of major combat operations.
For these reasons and others, logistics in OIF were less than an unqualified success. Most logistic functions and classes of supply during the campaign functioned just barely above subsistence level. For example:
- For most of the major combat operations and into the summer of 2003, the theater stocks of food barely met demand. During major combat operations, there were times when the sup- ply system was incapable of providing sufficient MREs for the soldiers fighting Iraqi forces.
- Early in the mission analysis and planning process, and as a result of their DESERT STORM experience, leaders at every level focused on the necessity to provide fuel to the force during the long march up-country. While there are no recorded instances of units running out of fuel during offensive operations, success was achieved by nondoctrinal petroleum, oil, and lubricants (POL) resupply efforts. Some of these included combat arms commanders retaining control of POL tankers rather than returning them to support units.
- Package POL products such as grease and lubricants rarely reached units after they crossed the berm. Requisitions for replacement stocks went unfilled long after major combat operations ended. Units resorted to using Iraqi lubricants acquired by foraging parties and draining oil from non mission-capable equipment.
- The logistic system failed to resupply engineer explosives and barrier material to units in Iraq. Once initial supplies were depleted, units used what they captured from Iraqi forces or improvised. For example, some units disassembled explosive Mine Clearing Line Charges (MICLIC) and used the charges to destroy captured Iraqi equipment.24
- Ammunition resupply was also problematic. At one point in the fight, 3rd ID was forced to ask the 101st Airborne Division for an emergency resupply. After coordination, the 101st fired the missions with its own artillery as a more efficient means of accomplishing the fire support missions.25
- Resupply of major items of equipment was extremely limited. The one positive example of effective resupply was provision of six Apache attack helicopters, flown in from Fort Hood, Texas, to replace those severely damaged or destroyed.
- The medical supply system failed to work. Units were forced to resupply their unit medical platoons from the stocks held by the combat surgical hospitals.26
- Repair parts for vehicles and equipment simply didn't make it forward to attacking units. Brigades that attacked north from Kuwait and defeated the Iraqi forces in Baghdad did so without receiving any repair parts whatsoever.27
- To meet transportation requirements, the V Corps deputy commander personally approved the allocation of trucks daily.
- Soldiers across the theater did not receive mail from the time they crossed the berm until well after the fall of Baghdad.
The difficulties outlined above are not the result of any single deficiency in the logistic system. On the contrary, a number of converging factors degraded the support provided to units in combat. Despite a decade of transitioning from a Cold War defensive system, current logistics doctrine and systems do not support offensive operations across distributed battlespace. Many classes of supply are still managed as independent systems. All classes were supposed to be transported from the port as far forward as possible, ideally to the forward brigades. Medical supplies have traditionally been handled in a separate supply chain, so that the life- saving supplies could move faster. In OIF, that approach complicated supply management and distribution. In a high-tempo, long-distance operation, handling supplies at each echelon made it practically impossible for logistics leaders to streamline their efforts across the theater.
Combat developers spent the dozen years after DESERT STORM attempting to establish digital and automated logistics processes to improve logistics by establishing distribution management practices, installing in-transit visibility and upgrading automated information systems. Among other things, the intent was to reduce the infamous "iron mountains" of supplies that were pre-positioned in Saudi Arabia before DESERT STORM, by shipping supplies straight from the United States and Germany when required during the campaign. For the most part, these initiatives did not work in this complex and high-tempo campaign. As in other campaigns, logistics in OIF succeeded as a consequence of sheer hard work.
The physics of combat theaters complicate all operations, and perhaps logistics most of all. Requisitions for supplies had to make their way from the requesting unit back to the source; in some cases this meant all the way to the overseas depots. Inadequate communications and the chaos of the battlefield conspired against even getting requests through the system. Assuming all went well, critical parts, supplies, and equipment moved by air into the aerial port at Kuwait City and then to the Theater Distribution Center (TDC). Ideally the part or supply item was then placed on a truck to bring it forward. However, because attacking units continued to move away from Kuwait throughout the process, supplies did not catch up to the units that requested them. Requirements for fuel, ammunition, food, and water are easier to predict than requirements for parts, but moving the large quantities required remained difficult.
This physical problem grew worse due to cybernetic disconnects across the logistics system. Investments in "in-transit visibility" during the 1990s failed to pay off. Visibility of supplies was particularly problematic at transload points, including the TDC. Repair parts and other supply items simply disappeared from view. The automated management system lost track of whole units, as the codes designating each individual company or battalion changed as units deployed into the theater. Frustrated unit commanders compounded the problem by sending foraging parties to camps in Kuwait to try and find items they had requested. Automated systems designed to pass requisitions and track status of requests simply failed to work under the extreme stress imposed in this large and difficult theater of operations. Finally, there were not enough trucks to move supplies forward. In-transit visibility and the other initiatives of the past decade have promise, but they had not matured adequately by March of 2003 to deliver on their perceived potential.
Perhaps the most important issue contributing to the myriad problems that confounded delivering parts and supplies, from paper clips to tank engines, stems from the lack of a means to assign responsibility clearly. In the current logistics system, there is no single cargo distribution manager. Quite apart from the confusion generated by the separate management of classes of supply, there is currently no one person or unit that is directly responsible for delivery of all things large and small. Just as the Military Traffic Management Command had to organize units to provide a single port manager capability to TRANSCOM, so must the Army at least consider developing functional cargo distribution capability with the means to track and assure that supplies are distributed.
There is still another distribution issue that should be examined. Brigadier General Stultz, who worked literally around the clock attempting to get supplies forward, complained with some bitterness that hauling water consumed an inordinate amount of line haul because units preferred bottled water to water they produced in their own reverse osmosis water purification units. That is partly true--soldiers will swear that water produced from purifying river water has a chemical taste. But the truth is, even if purified river water tasted as good as boutique bottled water, there is currently no effective means to distribute water at the tactical level. Water is delivered to tactical units by 450-gallon water trailers, generally apportioned one to a company whether the company has fewer than 100 soldiers or as many as 200 soldiers. Every tank company, infantry company, and artillery battery is authorized a single water trailer. There are simply too few means to haul bulk water to the fighting troops. Bottled water, on the other hand, while bulky to the point of waste, can be hauled by everything that moves. That is why units in the field want bottled water. Water distribution is emblematic of the overall distribution problem.
There are some good news logistics stories. Under incredibly difficult conditions, logistics troops made sure that food, fuel, and ammunition got forward. Logistics troops and their leaders literally fought their way forward to get the vital supplies in the hands of the combat soldiers. The scope and scale of their effort are hard to grasp, but it was truly monumental. Joint logistics functioned across 8,000 miles and met the theater's needs without a long buildup of stocks. As one logistician put it, there were still some "iron hills," but there were no "iron mountains."
The Army Theater Support Vessel moved supplies or units from one end of the Persian Gulf to the other. The TSV and the Navy equivalent, the HSV, were responsive and capable, achieving great success in their combat debut. Army watercraft performed brilliantly, supporting everything from clearing debris from the channel into Um Qasr to supporting SOF operations. Army logistics over the shore (LOTS) capabilities also proved particularly effective, supporting Army, Marine, and UK forces and relieving pressure on the few, crowded Kuwaiti ports.28
The "air bridge" supporting the 173rd JSOTF-North demonstrated the tremendous utility of both strategic and tactical airlift and the enormous flexibility they provide the joint commander. Although the Turkish government ultimately allowed fuel to be supplied from Turkey, airlift met all of the 173rd's requirements initially. Other supplies, parts in particular, were requisitioned electronically through the brigade's home station in Vicenza, Italy, and its servicing logistics centers in Germany. The Army brought the required supply items and repair parts to Ramstein Air Base, where Air Force transport troops assembled and packaged them for daily delivery by air.
Setting the Conditions for Early Deployment of Logistics Units
Finally, sufficient Army logistics capabilities must be deployed early enough to meet theater requirements for joint, coalition, and Army units. Some of the tension in deciding when to deploy CSS units stemmed from a shortage of theater-opening units in the Active Component. Accordingly, the Army may need to examine whether a theater-opening organization equivalent to the 7th Transportation Group's port-opening capability is required in the Active Component. In fact, the Army has guidance that will take it in this direction. On 9 July 2003, the secretary of defense sent a memorandum to the secretaries of the military departments, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the undersecretaries of defense. In this document, Secretary Donald Rumsfeld observed, "the balance of capabilities in the Active and Reserve components today is not the best for the future." He further ordered the services to "eliminate the need for involuntary mobilization during the first 15 days of a rapid response operation (or for any alerts to mobilize prior to the operation)."29 Secretary Rumsfeld's guidance is clear and cuts to the heart of the matter where theater logistics are concerned.
Learning From the 507th Maintenance Company Experience: Implications of the Noncontiguous Battlefield
The home at 301 Sherman Avenue on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is the quarters designated by the Army for the director of the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS). This 3-story, red brick Federal, built in 1888, is situated on a historic site on the bluff overlooking the Missouri River. From the front door, one sees the very spot where ferries carried settlers and their wagons across the Missouri, leaving behind them the security of the East. From the back door, one sees the plain where those same settlers assembled into "trains" of wagons to begin the march west along the Oregon, Santa Fe, or California Trails.
Why the brief historical lesson? Because those wagon trains were heading into a dangerous operating environment. The 19th-century "battlespace" in the West was noncontiguous, nonlinear, and of varied terrain and weather. This was an environment in which a mobile, lethal, and determined enemy, prone to acts of "terrorism," could attack at any time and from any direction. This environment consisted of long lines of communication, along which there were relatively few friendly forces available to provide security. Every wagon master and every family knew that the wagon train must be organized and prepared to conduct its own defense. In the same manner, every Army supply column knew it also must be prepared to defend itself.
The ambush of the 507th Maintenance Company and subsequent rescue of some of its soldiers was one of the more dramatic events in OIF, but not the most lethal and certainly not the most decisive. Still, if it serves as a catalyst for real change, the 507th could have a positive and lasting effect that saves lives in future conflicts. Changing a culture is difficult, and in a large organization such as Army, with very definite collective opinions about serious issues, it is even more difficult. Often it takes a cathartic event to initiate such a change. The 507th ambush may be such an event, causing the Army to pause, seriously examine the provisions for security of its CS and CSS units, and initiate changes that enable logistics and support units to make contact with the enemy, survive, and continue their mission.
A Short Discussion of the 507th
Anytime armies are able to cut their way through a country rapidly in a "blitzkrieg"-like offensive, the result is noncontiguous warfare and nonlinear fights. But what briefs well at a war college or in a think tank is fraught with practical problems on the ground. Belton Cooper, a World War II maintenance officer, writing in his memoir, Death Traps: The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II, described the area between the advancing legions of 3rd Armored Division tanks and the "rear" as the "void." According to Cooper, then a lieutenant, in the fast-paced attacks of the fall of 1944, the gap between the "front" and the "rear" often contained no friendly troops, as the infantry could not keep up. Going to the rear with his maintenance reports required what Cooper called "running the gauntlet." As he put it, "It was logical to assume any units that we met on the road at night would probably be German." Cooper also found Germans in his way during the day. Nonlinear warfare is neither good nor bad, but it brings a special set of conditions soldiers cannot ignore, and one of them is that there is no safe place on a nonlinear battlefield.30
What happened to the 507th reminds those who wear the uniform and those who send them in harm's way that any defeat, however small, is catastrophic for those in the fight. More important, no one thing doomed the 507th. Instead, there was a series of events and missteps that led to this tactical defeat of a small unit-- a defeat that somehow, from the safety of television studios in America, seemed incomprehensible. But this does not take account of the conditions of combat. Combat operations, even at their best, are confusing, frightening, and exhausting.
Following the incident, the Army launched a series of investigations and studies to determine the cause of the tragedy. Determining why Captain King did not understand that he was to transition from Route BLUE to Route JACKSON is one aspect. One possible cause is that he joined the 600- vehicle convoy under the control of the 3rd Forward Support Battalion, 3rd ID, after its rehearsals. It is unclear if there was any requirement or time for him to back-brief the plan to demonstrate that he understood what his unit was required to do.
A second contributing factor is the ad hoc nature of the convoy and a lack of realistic tactical road march training. The 3rd FSB is a tactical support battalion that trains at the NTC. There, logistic troops "fight" to defend their support areas and even their convoys. However, the 507th belongs to a Patriot unit that gets no opportunities to undergo the same highly realistic combat training. The 507th never trained at any of the Army's combat training centers: the NTC, the JRTC, or the CMTC. A third contributing factor may be the distances, routes, and the duration of operations. Out of radio range with the 3rd FSB and eager to catch up, Captain King and the 507th took the shortest, most direct route to get to Highway 8 on 22 March. This shortcut, only 15 km cross-country, took 5 long hours to travel with trucks designed for paved roads. However, the entire convoy had already traveled cross-country to reach the point from which he departed, so what seems like a bad decision now may have looked prudent to King on the evening of the 22nd. Farther behind, the 507th finally reached the traffic control point at the crossover of Routes BLUE and JACKSON, but no one was directing traffic. Soldiers were present at the traffic control point, but they made no effort to turn the 507th and so, King, believing he was to continue on Route BLUE, drove past the turn and headed into An Nasiriyah. Some commentators have wondered why the 507th did not fire on the armed Iraqis they passed on the way into An Nasiriyah. One reason may have been that the soldiers were expecting to be greeted as liberators. Moreover, the rules of engagement (ROE) were not as clear as they might have been. With some 13 sections detailing when one could fire, the ROE card concluded with guidance to "attack enemy forces and military targets." These ROE are clear enough when soldiers are well rested and when one is certain he is in hostile territory, but if the situation is ambiguous and soldiers become tired and lost, then they might, as those in the 507th did, choose not to fire. Even if they had fired on first contact, the outcome is not certain. What is clear is that once Captain King and First Sergeant Dowdy recognized they were in a hostile environment, they locked and loaded and assumed the worst. Once the 507th entered the firefight, several other challenges hindered its defense. Several of its weapons jammed repeatedly. The sole .50-caliber machine gun did not function at all. Nonetheless, they never stopped fighting. Soldiers who might have escaped went to the aid of those who were injured or whose vehicles had been disabled by enemy fire. Surrounded, they attempted to resist until resistance seemed futile.
Carl von Clausewitz would find none of this surprising. Nearly 200 years ago, he described exactly the phenomenon that dogged the 507th. He would have described this chain of mistakes, confusion on the route, inadequate weapons maintenance, potentially confusing ROE, difficult terrain, and a traffic control point that no longer operated, as "friction." Friction produced by humans, physical conditions, and ambiguity, remain constants in warfare regardless of how sophisticated the technology of war has become. The CSA understands this, as he demonstrated in his first message to the Army. On 1 August 2003, General Peter Schoomaker observed, "War is ambiguous, uncertain, and unfair."31
The last point to recall about the 507th soldiers concerns the way they and the marines of Task Force Tarawa comported themselves. The marines did not pause to ponder why the 507th had been in An Nasiriyah or wonder whether they should take responsibility for rescuing them. Rather, they honored their predecessors' exploits at Tarawa and launched north to rescue their fellow Americans. Perhaps the lesson of the 507th soldiers stopping to help one another and the marines rescuing the survivors are the best things to remember about this darkest day of OIF.
Some have argued that what happened to the 507th is easily explained. They assert that the 507th was poorly led, poorly trained, and poorly disciplined. Others said that the 507th reflected a CSS culture of lackadaisical approach to security and that this never could have happened to a combat unit or to their CS or CSS unit. These are possible explanations. Another possibility is that the 507th is indicative of an Armywide problem. This view holds that the some CS and most CSS units are generally not equipped, manned, or trained to defend themselves while stationary, let alone when on the march. CSS units are generally the last units to field night vision, armor plating for "flak" vests, and other combat gear. They also have fewer radios, crew-served weapons and far less armor protection than their colleagues in combat and CS units. Finally, they do not get either the focus or resources to conduct tactical simulations or live-fire training that their colleagues in combat and CS units receive.
None of this is a problem if the 507th is a singular example of a poorly equipped, poorly trained and poorly led unit. Nor is it a problem if the Army expects to operate with clear demarcation between "front" and "rear." If, however, the 507th is indicative of an Armywide problem in training, equipping, and manning CS and CSS units, and if the Army expects to operate in a nonlinear, noncontiguous operational environment, Army leaders may need to examine everything from culture to equipment in CS and CSS units. Equally important, the Army should examine any concept that envisions operations in nonlinear and noncontiguous battlespace to determine how forces should be manned and equipped to operate in the so-called white spaces and on LOCs. Assuming that technical means of surveillance will protect those units may not be justified. The culture and expectation in the Army should be, to borrow a phrase from the Marines, that every soldier is a rifleman first, and every unit fights.
Despite these criticisms, Army CSS soldiers, noncommissioned officers, and officers overcame one of the most challenging campaign situations possible to meet the needs of the warfighting units that defeated the Iraqi armed forces and removed the Hussein regime. They did so through dedication, courage, and innovation that overcame any obstacle in their path. General Dave McKiernan offered the best testimony to the logistics troops when he noted on 1 May 2003, "the truth of the matter is we did not stop operational tempo because of any class of supply, and what was accomplished was never impeded by logistics, and I think that is a remarkable story."32
Information and Knowledge
This broad domain cuts across every other area discussed. Developing and communicating information and generating knowledge from information are at the heart of what the Army and other services tried to achieve in the years since DESERT STORM. Attempting to leverage information to maneuver out of contact with the enemy and to apply overmatching combat power at a time and place that US forces choose is at the heart of emerging joint and Army concepts. Communications technology, information technology, and how units are structured and equipped are all part and parcel of implications on information and knowledge. Effects-based operations and joint integration also stem from the ability to share information and knowledge. Effects-based operations, including the ephemeral domain of information operations and subsets such as perception management and electronic attack, are concerned with information and knowledge as well.
Grouping so many capabilities in the realm of information operations and the more general theme of information and knowledge complicates discussing them, but seems essential to preserve the essence of their interdependence. So while no attempt is made to separate the various components that merit discussion for purposes of organization, they include the following general areas.
- Toward Netcentric Warfare
- Information Operations
- Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
Toward Netcentric Warfare
Information has always enabled warfare, and the fight to protect information and to gain information has always been critical to success in battle. DESERT STORM and subsequent operations vividly demonstrate the power of information. The Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled coalition forces in DESERT STORM to maneuver with confidence across the trackless expanse of the Iraqi desert. Simultaneously, Tomahawk cruise missiles and laser-guided bombs struck targets with seemingly unerring accuracy. Leveraging the power of information became one of the central tenets of the 1990s' Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), the defense establishment's campaign to continue US dominance in warfare.
Theorists, pundits, and decision makers, both within and outside the military, began to examine the opportunities to transform America's military forces into an information-age force. What evolved was a concept known as Network Centric Warfare (NCW). The proponents of netcentric warfare perceived revolutionary change in how warfare would be conducted. To netcentric warfare theorists, warfare would no longer be about fighting for terrain or to destroy forces, but would instead be a fight for information. Whoever won the fight for information would win all conflicts. For traditional theories of warfare, such as that of Clausewitz, they substituted new constructs such as systems theory, chaos and complexity theory, and nodal warfare. Each of the services also saw the net as a means to empower commanders and units with information. Service initiatives, including Army digitization and Force XXI, the Air Force's Effects-Based Operations, the Navy's Cooperative Engagement, and Marine Corps Sea Dragon, all sought to move from Industrial-Age warfare toward what Alvin and Heidi Toffler termed "Third Wave Warfare."
But what does this mean? Is the net really only about information and the amount of it that can be made available to commanders? There is at the heart of netcentric warfare an important concept--that anyone on the network has the information, the means to act on it, and the authority to do so. Netcentric warfare, then, is not about moving digits and ever-larger communications pipes, but rather a self-adapting system of thinking participants who are able to act rapidly on the basis of understanding both the commander's intent and the situation around them. The focus then is on waging war and not on the net as an end in itself. It is possible to lose this distinction in the pursuit of the means to move the digits.33
The Army's evolution toward a digitally net-enabled force actually began long before the emergence of the concept of NCW. In the 1980s, the Field Artillery branch led the Army into the information age with the adoption of TACFIRE as the means to coordinate and execute fire missions in a digital network. TACFIRE provided the Army both a proving ground for digitization and an opportunity to understand the DOTMLPF implications of net-enabled warfare. Following the lead of the artillery, each battlefield operating system (BOS) developed a digital command and control system. These disparate BOS communications tools were then loosely integrated into a broader Army Tactical Command and Control System (ATCCS).
After DESERT STORM, the Army embarked on a deliberate effort to leverage the power of information in warfare. In Force XXI, the Army sought to field nothing less than a digital, net-enabled force. Comparing a DESERT STORM tank battalion to a Force XXI tank battalion illustrates the magnitude of change the Army sought. A DESERT STORM tank battalion employed four Fire Support Teams (FISTs) that were digitally connected through TACFIRE to supporting artillery batteries. In contrast, a Force XXI digitized task force has 74 entities digitally connected to supporting artillery batteries, including: FISTs, scouts, Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, and dismounted infantry and engineers.
The Army's investment in digitization paid off in OIF, or rather showed promise. Army units fought enabled by a digital network that allowed them to see their units and their activities, which let to situational understanding. Confident that they knew the location of their units, commanders could decide rapidly where, when, and how they would be employed. Additionally, because of joint initiatives in communications and networking and the provision of selected Army systems to other services, coalition ground forces could fight joint net- enabled operations.
In OIF, a combination of command and control aids provided Army commanders timely and accurate situational awareness of their units and their activities, which led to situational understanding. BFT allowed them to pass to their subordinates orders and graphics necessary to describe how they intended to fight. BFT supported joint operational commanders by providing current positions of Army forces via the Global Command and Control System (GCCS). Similarly, other components of ABCS, when combined with join systems, enabled integration of the "friendly" air picture.
A typical artillery engagement in OIF illustrates the power of the network. When an Iraqi target appeared, Army tactical forces in contact sent a digital call for fire through the AFATDS. The call for fire, including target description and desired effects, stimulated two simultaneous digital processes at the controlling headquarters. The first involved clearing fires. Using BFT, the operations staff verified that no friendly unit occupied the targeted space. This capability varied by unit depending on the how far down they had BFT. As a minimum, fire supporters could usually verify clearance with a single radio call. Using accurate mapping systems, the effects cell verified that indirect fires could be safely employed without endangering civilians or creating collateral damage to protected sites such as mosques or schools. Using the AMDWS, representatives of Army aviation, air defense, and the Air Force ensured the artillery would not adversely affect air operations. While the effects staff cleared fires, the artillery used AFATDS to execute the fire mission. AFATDS determined the optimal firing unit for the commander to approve or override. AFATDS also computed firing data for each howitzer, including ammunition type, range, direction, and number of rounds necessary to achieve the desired effect. Using these digital means, units routinely were ready to fire in less than a minute. Army net-enabled tube artillery fires generally could be cleared and delivered in less than 2 minutes.
The efficacy of net-enabled means to clear artillery fires did not apply to clearing CAS. CAS was available, responsive, and effective during OIF; but generally speaking, clearing CAS was not net enabled. Developing the systems to clear CAS digitally rather than only by voice may be an avenue worthy of exploration as part of joint transformation. If the means to provide the "blue" picture to pilots, the tactical control parties, and airborne command and control nodes existed, presumably CAS could be cleared more quickly and made even more responsive than it was in OIF. More important, shared situational understanding between air and ground forces may enable more effective combination of fires than currently possible. Finally, shared situational understanding may well further reduce the possibility of fratricide.
On the other hand, limited functionality of some of the core ABCS elements inhibited netcentric warfare. The Maneuver Control System (MCS) was the core system of the overall ABCS, but V Corps' C2PC proved more effective. As a result, only those units that had no alternative routinely used MCS. Similarly, few units used ASAS-RWS, the core intelligence system of ABCS. Due to ASAS limitations, Army units resorted to processing intelligence over secure networks using other systems. CSSCS, the core logistics system, also proved too difficult to use in a complex, overburdened network. Simpler systems, such as the Movement Tracking System, were employed instead, and CSS units accepted loss of function as the cost of utility.
Interoperability remained a problem as well. Major General "Spider" Marks recalled that at one point, he and Major General "Tamer" Amos, commanding the 3rd Marine Air Wing, became action officers to pass images Amos and the marines required because Marks could not do so digitally. Similarly, at one point the marines generated great data from one of their unmanned aerial vehicles, which V Corps needed but could not access since it had no means to link to the data stream. Interoperability proved even more difficult for coalition members, partly for technical reasons and partly for security reasons.34 For all of these of reasons, joint and coalition forces did not fight a netcentric campaign in Iraq. It is accurate to say they fought a net-enabled campaign.
The Army employed its only digitized division, the 4th ID, in OIF. Although the 4th ID did not undertake major tactical engagements prior to the end of major combat operations, its experience tends to validate the idea of digitally networking maneuver divisions. Designated as the Army's experimental force for digitization in 1994, 4th ID has spent most of the last decade experimenting and training with a full suite of digital, networked capabilities. Largely reliant on terrestrial-based communications, the vast distances and rapid pace of operations reduced most of the functionality of the 4th ID's core ABCS components. However, as the war transitioned from mobile warfare to stability operations, 4th ID largely regained full use of its networks and their advantages. The 4th ID operations demonstrated the power of organic net- enabled surveillance and reconnaissance at the brigade level. Only 4th ID brigades employed networked UAVs, Long-Range Acquisition and Scout Surveillance Systems (LRASSS), and Kiowa Warriors. The 4th ID's BCTs often could see the enemy, develop the situation, and make contact on their terms.
Several implications are implicit as the services look toward a networked future. First, the forces must be able to maneuver the net, and like the Stryker Brigades, they must train to do so. Although today there is some network coverage nearly everywhere, there will probably never be enough resources to establish a complete and functioning network of communications, sensors, and systems everywhere in the world. As OIF demonstrates, the network must be built, shaped, and then maneuvered to ensure necessary connectivity and capability.
Along with maneuvering the net, OIF suggests that for fast-paced offensive operations, ground forces need to break free of terrestrial-based, line of sight (LOS) communications. The pace of operations, global reach, and noncontiguous battlespace of 21st-century military operations demand that all except the lowest-level tactical voice communications be space based. This will require significant joint investment in military satellite capabilities to ensure the entire joint force has access with sufficient bandwidth to support networked systems.
The OIF experience also suggests that networks do not have to provide a vast array of functions to be effective. Clausewitz observed, "War is a very simple thing, yet in war the simplest things are very difficult." In OIF, networks eliminated some of the difficulty of doing simple things. Commanders need to know where their forces are, where the enemy is, and how to coordinate the actions of their subordinates through passing messages, orders, and graphics. The most useful systems in OIF (C2PC, BFT, ADOCS, AFATDS, AMDWS, and MTS) provided the basic capabilities the force required.
OIF's TMD network and joint use of BFT and AMDWS reinforce the value of joint digitization initiatives. Such initiatives, and those designed to standardize networks, are vital to achieving a true NCW capability. The Army's Future Force research and development is already headed in the direction of full and complete joint connectivity.
Meanwhile, the challenges of integrating US armed forces with allies and coalition partners continue to grow. The provision of BFT and robust LNO teams to the 1st UK Armoured Division assisted in bridging the digital gap in OIF, but the growing post-Cold War disparity in technology between the US armed forces and allied forces is a fact. As the Army moves toward the Future Force and joint transformation proceeds, the gap is likely to grow wider. This is particularly likely in the area of networked battle command, where the US is investing heavily. Some likely coalition partners are unlikely to catch up, and others are investing in battle command systems of their own that are not interoperable with US systems. Solutions that facilitate integrating coalition operations will have to be found.
OIF also suggests that simply winning the fight for information will not be enough to ensure victory. Early in OIF, the US employed operational fires (air, Tomahawks, ATACMS) to destroy much of Iraq's strategic and operational communications infrastructure and to neutralize Iraq's integrated air defense system. Yet, the defending Iraqi forces continued to fight fiercely. Primarily using simple instructions, they continued to maneuver and continued to fight. The lesson is that although the Iraqis lost nearly every engagement, they did not give up simply because they had lost the war for the networks.
While not yet a truly netcentric force, the Army in OIF was clearly a net-enabled force, one that was significantly more effective because of digitization efforts since DESERT STORM. Additionally, the Army's efforts toward joint battle command enhanced the joint forces' capabilities for net-enabled operational maneuver, fires, and protection. These investments in technology should be continued. They must include education in doctrine, organization, and leader development to assure that joint forces are truly able to wage netcentric warfare.
Operation OIF is another step, but neither the first nor the last step, along the path of US armed forces from Industrial-Age to information-age operations. While DESERT STORM is generally considered the first information-age campaign, virtually every aspect of Army and joint information operations (IO) was more mature and robust in OIF. But much remains to be done.
Information Operations in the Campaign
Throughout the era following DESERT STORM, CENTCOM continued to conduct IO against Saddam's regime. Operation SOUTHERN WATCH had IO components inherent in maintaining the no-fly zone. Similarly, operations in the north included IO. Identifying and refining targets and building an audience for IO messages continued virtually without respite over the decade preceding OIF. However, the tempo of operations accelerated in the fall of 2002, characterized by increasingly bold efforts such as a large leaflet drop in December.
IO planning supported tactical and operational objectives, including encouraging Iraqi units to surrender, keeping civilians off the roads and out of harm's way, and preventing the destruction of the oil infrastructure. Kinetic and electronic warfare attacks focused on disrupting command and control discretely while minimizing collateral damage. Generally, CENTCOM, CFLCC, and the tactical forces fully integrated IO planning and execution during OIF. Assessing success in IO remained difficult, and it is still too early to draw many conclusions with confidence. Frankly, with a few exceptions in electronic warfare and intelligence, it is hard to make the case that US efforts in the broad category of IO produced any dramatic results. US IO may have been more successful than suggested here since success in most of the domains of IO is difficult to measure. "Battle damage assessment" is, to say the least, difficult in this arena.
Psychological Operations (PSYOP) achieved important success but experienced some disappointments as well. PSYOP units can point with satisfaction to success in minimizing damage to the oil fields and keeping civilians off roads. However, they do so with risk since there is very little evidence available yet to support that contention. It is entirely possible that the Iraqis chose not to fire their oil wells for their own reasons. Moreover, the PSYOP effort enjoyed far less success in encouraging Iraqi units to surrender. Clearly the regime respected the effort since Iraqi security forces worked hard to collect leaflets as quickly as they fell. Nonetheless, it is clear that on the whole, PSYOP produced much less than expected and perhaps less than claimed.
Kinetic and electronic attacks to disrupt or destroy critical command and control infrastructure proved more effective. The continued dramatic improvement in the accuracy of precision-guided munitions afforded planners a scalpel that US forces applied throughout the campaign. "Surgical strike" was a useful and accurate term in the conduct of IO in OIF. The means to conduct electronic attack also proved useful during the campaign. Even so, the Iraqis managed to move some units and, on the whole, retained control over the country until ground forces physically took control of the centers of power. Following the end of major combat operations, the regime's survivors and perhaps others have shown resiliency and have been able to mount a serious insurgency effort against the coalition. To do this they retained or built at least some ability to communicate, both to coordinate operations and to affect perceptions in Iraq and around the world.
Although not planned as a component of IO, the Department of Defense decision to embrace the media's desire to accompany the troops paid dividends. Embedded media showed the American public the quality of American troops and often counteracted Iraqi propaganda. Journalists embedded in Army units were given unprecedented access to information and plans. Access allowed the media to apply context to what they were reporting. Stories filed by embedded reporters tended to be better balanced than those by reporters covering the Pentagon, Central Command (CENTCOM), or Coalition Land Forces Component Command (CFLCC). Reporting during the now-infamous sandstorm is a perfect example. Reports coming from outside of Iraq often claimed that US forces had become bogged down and that the campaign was in trouble. However, journalists embedded with 3rd ID units in the field generally filed less pessimistic stories than their stateside colleagues. Journalists in the field reported the "pause" in context, thus balancing reports suggesting the campaign was coming unhinged.
Near-term Implications of Army Information Operations in OIF
Even after a decade of emphasis, IO planning, coordination, and execution remain ad hoc. The formation of 1st Information Operations Command and an IO career field are promising steps toward improving Army IO. As the Army and joint forces consider OIF and the future of IO as a discipline, the Army should examine how it organizes and resources IO planning and execution in tactical formations.
IO doctrine remains mostly unwritten. The Army's FM 3-13, Information Operations, begins to fill the void but was published months after major combat operations. The doctrinal void hampered planning and the education of combined-arms officers and senior formation commanders in the planning and conduct of IO. The resulting IO effort was often disjointed and not well integrated with maneuver, fires, and other combat activities. Most important, there is no joint consensus on IO, which hampered planning and execution of the joint campaign. For example, in preparing for operations in Baghdad, there was significant disagreement between Air Force and Army planners on how to approach information operations. Army planners tended to favor "soft kills," while the Air Force favored "hard kills."35 A joint experimentation aimed at developing and testing joint concepts will prove helpful. The Air Force may well be right, at least in the effect hard kills had on fielded units.
The one clear point in IO doctrine, at least as it applies to psychological operations, is that top-down development of themes and messages often inhibits opportunity for tactical success. In OIF, as in the Balkans, centralized themes and messages sometimes proved irrelevant to local populations and situations, and centralized control of active IO was not responsive to rapidly changing situations. For example, Tactical PSYOP Teams (TPTs) were provided capitulation leaflets for the first 48 hours of the conflict. After that, the centralized message approval process proved unable to provide leaflet texts appropriate to the situations V Corps confronted.37 TPTs were reduced to using their loudspeaker capability. The Army and the joint team should revisit PSYOP doctrine and organization to find ways to provide commanders PSYOP support that is as agile as their combat units.
There are some obvious OIF implications for Army public affairs. First and foremost, the bar has been raised with regard to media access to Army operations. The media and the American public now see embedding as the standard for reporting combat operations. Embedding provided unprecedented access to leaders and soldiers, and the American public got to see their Army accomplishing great things. From the perspective of the services, the embed program was an enormous success. Neither mission accomplishment nor the integrity of the media was compromised. The big winners were the soldiers, who fought bravely, and the American public, who got to see it first-hand. After the fact, some of the media believe they were manipulated effectively by the services or that because they could see only their part of the story, they failed to report on the context. This demonstrates more than anything else that a free press will always be wary of government and the instruments of government. The Army and the services should not expect a free ride and, for good reason, will be as wary of the media as the media are of them. The key now is to put into practice systems that will enable smooth embed operations in future contingencies and major operations. Leaders and soldiers alike must be educated in embedded media and how to assist them in the performance of their mission, while recognizing that the media's mission is not the same as their own.
Two observations about IO as a whole seem important. First, because IO as a domain is so broad and cuts across so many other domains, it is conceivable that the ability to develop a coherent IO campaign as the concept is presently conceived is illusory. Second, if IO objectives need to be developed at the top and driven downward, then execution of IO as presently conceived may mean that netcentric warfare is not desirable after all, since that form of warfare presumes anyone on the net with the means to act may do so.
The Future of Army Information Operations
IO must support reducing the uncertainty about enemy and friendly conditions on the battlefield. IO, in conjunction with intelligence, may enable deliberate attack--that is the vision for the Future Force. IO in the Future Force may enable future commanders to develop the situation before making contact, maneuver to positions of advantage largely out of contact, and, when ready, initiate decisive action with initiative, speed, and agility. To support tactical and operational requirements, IO must bring full-spectrum capabilities and effects to the fight. Future Force IO organizations must be able to operate with greater competencies in multiple disciplines and develop unique effectiveness and purpose to perform the full spectrum of IO missions and tasks. More important, the joint force must provide the tools to execute these operations and the means to measure effectiveness.
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
Much has been made during the campaign and since about the "failure" of intelligence to estimate accurately the intentions of the Iraqis and the location of--or even whether--the Iraqis genuinely had the means to employ weapons of mass destruction. It is too early to assess fully whether the Iraqis had weapons of mass destruction, but it is clear they had the means to deliver them in the form of artillery and various short-range ballistic missiles. That issue is not within the province of this study, beyond reporting that the 75th Exploitation Task Force apparently did not turn up weapons of mass destruction. Generating intelligence, and whether or not CENTCOM, CENTCOM components, and ground units generated useful intelligence, is within the province of this study.
Clearly the various intelligence means within the theater produced effective and actionable intelligence that enabled planning and execution, including successful attacks on fleeting targets. CFLCC's soldiers and marines went to war with a fairly accurate idea of the location of the enemy's conventional units, Special Republican Guard, and many of the paramilitaries. Estimating intentions and tracking discrete Iraqi military units proved difficult, and paramilitary units proved nearly impossible to track and even harder to assess in terms of intentions. Even so, both technical and tactical means of generating intelligence proved effective. For example, at Objective JENKINS and again at PEACH, TF 3-69 AR benefited from warnings of enemy activity and profited from those warnings. At PEACH, the task force, thanks to intelligence, anticipated an attack from commandos. Prepared for that attack, it also defeated an unanticipated attack from conventional units.
Assessing intelligence success proved more difficult than arguing that the estimates proved inaccurate. As debriefs of captured Iraqi generals and their soldiers become available, a more accurate assessment will be possible. After seizing SAINTS, 3rd ID attacked south against suspected enemy units, and they found them, or rather, found enemy equipment oriented south and mostly unmanned. The intelligence system had detected these positions, some of which were well hidden. But that same system lacked the ability to assess their readiness and intentions with high resolution. On the other hand, 3rd ID attacked with small units, based on high confidence that the Iraqi units' lack of activity indicated they were destroyed or combat-ineffective. These attacks intended to verify assumptions based on intelligence estimates.
Major General Marks, the CFLCC C2, notes that CFLCC could generate and pass intelligence with great success within the limitations of communications technology and the systems units had to manage information. For example, the links that enabled V Corps to receive and process national and joint intelligence were in many cases not available in I MEF. Marks recalled that to solve that dilemma, "we stripped away XVIII Airborne Corps capabilities," and provided them to the MEF.37 As noted in a preceding paragraph, the problem cut both ways. A second difficulty stemmed from what the Marine Corps' lessons learned team called the digital divide. Often units below division level simply lacked the communications means to receive updated images and other kinds of intelligence that could be shared at higher echelons. Nonetheless, units generally found ways to work around the problem via telephone or secure email. Still, there are seams based on communications, interoperability, and the structure or architecture within the CFLCC and its subordinates.
No one anticipated or estimated the intentions of the paramilitaries accurately. As Marks put it, " We did not predict that (the paramilitaries) were going to come out of the cities and expose themselves to armored vehicles and armored formations without similar protection."38 Finally, no one believed that US forces could remotely identify and continuously track Iraqi units that chose to move by infiltration and to shield themselves where and when possible. The ability of the Iraqis to hide, with some success, from the incredible array of technical intelligence available to the coalition may give pause to those advocating that US forces will be able to develop the situation out of contact and attack from standoff distances.
Most tactical unit commanders claimed that they made every assault as a movement to contact. There is no reason to dispute that claim, other than to argue that most of these same commanders generally anticipated when contact was likely, whether they knew precise locations of the enemy or not. They knew or could anticipate where to expect contact for two reasons. First, the intelligence system identified with a fair degree of accuracy starting locations of the uniformed forces and tracked them with some success. The intelligence system also identified many of the paramilitary formations and where they might be expected, with several notable exceptions. The second reason commanders were able to anticipate contact stemmed from their own analysis of what constituted danger areas. Concealment and cover afforded in complex terrain is unlikely, at least in the near term, to become transparent to technical means of surveillance and reconnaissance. Technical means to shield tactical units are affordable, as are passive means, including camouflage, decoys, and emissions control. It is likely that the final assault in close combat will continue to feel like a movement to contact to soldiers in the lead unit for years to come, just as it did to tactical units in OIF.
The problem of locating accurately the enemy in the close battle is the justification, indeed the requirement, for the means to generate tactical intelligence and to field tactical reconnaissance units. But here too, seams exist. For example, scout platoons and brigade reconnaissance troops exist to provide the means for tactical commanders to "see" the enemy. Mounted in lightly armored HMMWVs, battalion and brigade scouts are vulnerable to RPG and cannon fires. This design is intentional and reflects a widely held view in the late Cold War era that armored and armed scouts would fight rather than conduct reconnaissance. As a consequence of this, if contact seemed imminent, commanders often chose not to use their scouts and brigade reconnaissance troops. In short, they elected to give up their "eyes" rather than risk losing them. Put another way, commanders chose not to employ scouts and brigade reconnaissance troops in the role for which they were intended. This phenomenon warrants study and arguably action to correct problems commanders perceived. Heavier scout vehicles may not be the answer; perhaps the answer is how reconnaissance units are trained and supported.
The Army should also assess long-range surveillance units. Lightly equipped helicopter- inserted long-range surveillance units organic to conventional maneuver divisions and the corps military intelligence brigade did not produce great effect for the investment of talent and the risk to those involved. There may be nothing inherently unsound in the structure of long-range surveillance units. Perhaps the issue is whether the Army is prepared to risk these relatively fragile units in fast-moving, ambiguous situations. These same units might prove useful in some other environment, but in any case, assessing the utility and the means of employing these units makes sense based on their apparent lack of utility in OIF.
On balance, military intelligence and national intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance means worked well. For the most part, CFLCC knew where the Iraq uniformed forces were, could target them, and could provide data on their whereabouts to tactical units. Tracking the paramilitary forces and estimating Iraqi intentions proved more difficult. Units in contact generally acquired information that, coupled with reports from higher echelons, enabled them to develop useful intelligence. Colonel Arnie Bray's paratroopers at As Samawah and the operations of the 101st at An Najaf demonstrate the efficacy of analysis of enemy patterns developed over time. Discerning patterns and developing intelligence from combat information still takes time and is likely to require time in the future as well. Structuring units to be able to do so and enabling them to receive information and intelligence generated from higher echelons seems indicated. Finally, the experience of OIF seems a reminder that the enemy gets a vote. Ambiguity is likely to remain a factor in combat operations indefinitely.
The Way Ahead for Considering Implications
It is just not possible to reach fully supported conclusions this early. For this reason, observations based on the data available do not result in conclusions, but instead are suggested as implications. Without the benefit of fully understanding enemy actions and enemy intentions, it is not possible to proceed with confidence in several areas for which implications are suggested. To some extent then, the implications suggested here are areas that may require further study. Nonetheless, taken as a body, the implications of operations for the Army in OIF are important, particularly for concepts fundamental to the way the Army and the joint team consider the execution of future combat operations. For example, what does the running start suggest about the utility of shaping and decisive operations? Are effects-based operations really feasible if the services are unable to develop and apply metrics to enemy actions that are sufficiently accurate to gauge whether the effects intended have been obtained? Is the Army notion of developing the fight out of contact feasible? Can the Army expect to develop and field forces on the basis of see first, know first, understand first, or should the Army expect the kind of ambiguity in the future that characterized the location, capability and intentions of Iraqi units in OIF? Moreover, how do forces in the field assess enemy actions as reactions to friendly actions and do so with certainty? In OIF accounting for why the enemy did some of the things they did proved difficult, if not impossible. More important, it is potentially dangerous to impute motivation for enemy actions on the basis of the intent of friendly operations. Recognizing this, Lieutenant General Wallace eventually stopped trying to make sense of discrete enemy movements and operations and focused on what the needed to do, regardless of what enemy reactions might be.
- JFCOM and TRADOC are moving on converging axes in developing a common approach to understanding the COE. J7 will republish TRADOC's strategic-level Opposing Forces Doctrine as a joint publication, setting the stage to a common approach to replicating the COE, at least in the context of opposing forces. In June 2003, JFCOM and TRADOC sponsored a conference on the COE to develop some ideas on how to proceed and to consider early implications of OIF on the COE.
- Brigadier V. K. Nair, War in the Gulf: Lessons for the 3rd World (New Delhi: Lancer International, 1991), 97.
- Ibid., 13.
- Ibid., 100, 101-111, and 121.
- Compilation of essays presented at the Russian Academy of Military Sciences Scientific Council in Moscow on 6 June 2003.
- An important benefit of low-intensity and stability operations in urban areas in the 1990s was to raise a crop of noncommissioned and company to field-grade officers in the US Army with a firsthand appreciation of the challenges of urban operations.
- Study of Chechyan urban defenses in Grozny and Palestinian actions in the West Bank and Gaza indicated the new directions irregular forces were taking in the defense of modern cities. In contrast, Russian and Israeli forces took decidedly different approaches to defeating those threats. In their successful offensive into Grozny, Russian forces essentially leveled the city with artillery and air power, largely ignoring destruction and civilian casualties. Far more responsive to world and Arab opinion, Israeli offensives in Palestine were extremely surgical in nature.
- Lieutenant General Dave McKiernan, commander, CFLCC, interview by Colonel James Embrey, Colonel James Greer, Colonel Neil Rogers, and Colonel Steve Mains, 1 May 2003.
- Colonel Will Grimsley, commander, 1st BCT 3rd ID, interview by Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army, Retired, 19 November 2003.
- Major Mike Oliver, S3, TF 3-69 AR, discussion with Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army, Retired, 11 December 2003 at the OIF Lessons Learned Conference, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
- Major General "Spider" Marks, C2, CFLCC, interview by Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army, Retired, 14 June 2003. Marks goes on to remark; "We can get oven-fresh imageryas the young analysts call itinto the hands of the users but we cannot refresh it...Intel on the move is a challenge, so battle command on the move remains a problem...Static, we can provide anything; on the move is a challenge."
- "US Army Contributions to the Iraqi Theater of Operations," Department of the Army briefing to the Secretary of Defense, 4 June 2003.
- Lieutenant Colonel Joseph De Antonna, commander, 2-1 ADA, interview by Major Jim Houlahan, 12 June 2003.
- Lieutenant General Dave McKiernan, commander, CFLCC, interview by Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army, Retired, 8 December 2003.
- McKiernan, 1 May 2003.
- Deployment data for 173rd and TF 1-63 AR provided by USAREUR Movement Operations Center, Lieutenant Colonel Brad Wakefield, 16 September 2003.
- SBCT Ready Force Movement Data (undated), provided by TRADOC Integration Cell, Fort Lewis, Washington. Sixty-five C-17 sorties deliver the Stryker Ready Force (one battalion task force); the other sorties could deliver addition brigade-level command and control, as well as combat, CS, or CSS capabilities.
- Colonel Robert W. Nicholson, division engineer, 4th ID, interview by Colonel James Greer, 16 May 2003.
- Colonel William L. Greer, commander, 101st Airborne Division Artillery, interview by Colonel James Greer, 15 May 2003. This confirms similar comments in interview conducted by Colonel James Greer with the 3rd ID DIVARTY commander, Colonel Thomas G. Torrance, on 12 May 2003.
- Lieutenant Colonel Erin Edgar, division surgeon, 82nd Airborne Division, interview by Colonel James Greer, 4 May 2003. After exhausting critical medical supplies treating Army and Marine Corps wounded, and unable to obtain resupply through Army Class VIII (Medical) resupply, the 82nd medical units scrounged needed supplies from the 28th CSH. Another unit, the 212th MASH, resorted to foraging for supplies. See also interview with Colonel Canestrini, commander, 212 MASH, 30 MED BDE conducted by Lieutenant Colonel Robinson at FOB DOGWOOD on 24 May 2003.
- Confirmed by Colonel James Greer during interviews held separately with all the brigade commanders in both the 3rd ID and 101st Airborne Division (total of 13 brigades) during 9-16 May 2003. Most brigade commanders reported receiving no repair parts at all. In an interview on 15 May 2003, Colonel Ben Hodges, commander of 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, stated that in the month and a half since his brigade was committed to combat, it had received a total of five repair parts. That was the most repair parts reported received by any of the brigade commanders who had fought the major combat operations.
- Although Army watercraft did perform many operations well, port operators believe they could have performed the mission without them. While this assertion may be so, Army watercraft won the acclaim of theater logisticians because they provided flexibility and eased the logistics burden. See MTMC feedback re: On Point and Colonel Victoria Leignadier interview.
- Donald H. Rumsfeld, Rebalancing Forces, memorandum dated 9 July 2003.
- Belton Y. Cooper, Death Traps: The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II (New York: Random House Ballantine Books, 1998), xix.
- General Peter J. Schoomaker, chief of staff, US Army, Arrival Message, 1 August 2003.
- There are a number of possible definitions for netcentric warfare. This one is derived from several sources with the help and advice of Dr. James Ellsworth, US Naval War College.
- Major General James A. "Spider" Marks, C2, CFLCC, interview by Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army, Retired, 17 November 2003.
- Discussions taken from Baghdad City Planning Conference held by Third Army/CFLCC at Fort McPherson, Georgia, in October 2002.
- Master Sergeant Courtney Mabus, noncommissioned officer in charge, V Corps IO Planning Cell, discussion with Colonel James Greer, 26 April 03.
- Marks, 17 November 2003.
- Brigadier V. K. Nair, War in the Gulf: Lessons for the 3rd World (New Delhi: Lancer International, 1991), 97.
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What You Should Know About Allergy Induced Autism
Allergy prompted autism has best been diagnosed with the aid of using scientists and medical doctors for a especially quick time considering the fact that the “discovery” of autism.
Since being diagnosed, its presence has come to be more and more more not unusualplace; in keeping with the boom in autism cases.
Those who’re at the very best threat for allergic reaction prompted autism are kids who’ve regressive autism – that is, the ones kids who expand typically and begin regressing at across the age of years – and kids with behavioral and neurological troubles in aggregate with severe digestive issues (which includes intractable constipation).
Such kids are typically incapable of metabolizing (digesting) vital not unusualplace meals proteins; in particular casein and gluten. Casein is certainly considered one among milk’s fundamental proteins and is likewise usually applied withinside the production of meals. Gluten is a protein observed in wheat and numerous grains and is frequently brought withinside the production of meals.
In a few kids with autism, gluten and casein are not digested withinside the regular way. Instead, they’re metabolized best in part and come to be a substance pretty just like morphine, that may byskip thru the wall of the digestive tract and input the blood stream.
These kids additionally frequently have a “mutant” shape of protein of their urine after consuming casein or gluten. This protein is thought to be the byproduct of the introduction of the morphine-like substance; the end result of that’s “spacey” conduct in kids and a digital dependancy to meals that incorporate casein and gluten.
Due to this unsuitable digestive functioning, those kids also are incapable of doing away with most of the chemical substances inside their surroundings and their meals. These can consist of pesticides, pollution, detergent additives, synthetic shades and flavorings, chemical meals additives, and different materials that could come to be poisonous whilst constructed as much as surprisingly excessive quantities.
The signs and symptoms of autism will normally gift themselves inside a kid’s first 3 years.
While a few autistic kids might also additionally have intolerance to chemical substances in meals, different materials can effect different kids. The maximum not unusualplace “culprits” are believed to be corn, sugar, wheat, and citrus fruits.
Symptoms can be absolutely unnoticeable, however, it’s far not unusualplace for kids with the disease to revel in low blood sugar, immoderate sweating (in particular at night), bloating, diarrhea, lack of ability to alter frame temperature, rhinitis, a redness withinside the face and/or ears, and under-eye circles.
The discount or removal of trouble materials from a kid’s weight loss program will now no longer remedy their autism, however it is able to assist with a number of the signs and symptoms of allergic reaction prompted autism. And this technique has been observed to be powerful in lots of kids and adults.
The upgrades stated had been widespread in a few cases, however for plenty kids, who regarded to be significantly autistic, limiting their weight loss program has decreased their signs and symptoms best so long as they do not deviate from the stern nutritional limitations.
Weighted Blankets Can Induce Melatonin For Sleep in People With Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and ADHD
Children and adults with autism gain from weighted blankets due to the fact they calm the anxious gadget that allows you to loosen up and sleep. Melatonin is the chemical withinside the mind that enables us sleep. The technology of the way a weighted blanket ends in melatonin lies withinside the frame and mind’s sensory processing.
People at the autism spectrum frequently have Sensory Processing Disorder (a.k.a. Sensory Integration Dysfunction). Sensory Processing Disorder is a neurological disease concerning smell, hearing, pain, frame function, taste, visual, temperature, and the frame’s function and movement. In quick, the mind gets all this stimuli however cannot make experience of it so it is able to react typically.
One kind of sensory stimulation, as a substitute calming, is proprioceptive enter, that’s stress at the muscle tissue and joints. Proprioceptive enter sends alerts to the mind that motive serotonin to be launched, that’s the neurotransmitter withinside the mind that makes human beings experience happy. A loss of serotonin getting used well with the aid of using the mind is one of the reasons of depression.
Further down the route we get to melatonin. Some mother and father provide their kids melatonin tablets to assist them go to sleep. But, an boom in serotonin reasons herbal melatonin to be launched withinside the mind.
This is wherein the hyperlink happens: weighted blankets motive the serotonin to be launched, that’s calming, which in flip reasons melatonin to be produced, which reasons a sense of sleepiness. So, a weighted blanket enables human beings with autism, Asperger Syndrome, PDD, ADHD, and ADD will assist them go to sleep and live asleep. | <urn:uuid:b0814a3b-244b-4a2c-9363-0f14cee441a9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://canadianrxpharmacies.com/144/what-you-should-know-about-allergy-induced-autism.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.936102 | 1,065 | 2.5625 | 3 |
The Center for Auto Safety is the nation’s premier independent, member driven, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving vehicle safety, quality, and fuel economy on behalf of all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
Science, Sources, Solutions, and Impacts
A Safe Climate for All of Us
Everyone wants a safe world where we can enjoy a clean environment. The Safe Climate Campaign is working to solve the biggest challenge we face: Global warming. The technology exists today to protect our fragile climate by cutting our dependence on polluting fossil fuels, such as oil. We have a responsibility to our children and our communities to take sensible steps now to become good stewards of the air and climate we depend on to sustain us.
climate is regulated by the greenhouse effect. The layer of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere acts like a heat-trapping blanket around the planet by capturing some of the sun’s radiation and sustaining life. Working like the glass in a greenhouse, this crucial system relies on a precise balance of atmospheric gases. Our pollution is pumping more and more…
To read more about Global Warming 101: Science, Sources, Solutions and Impacts, click here. | <urn:uuid:d7274aa5-b69d-4b5e-a0b8-919b64f40703> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.autosafety.org/safe-climate/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.922532 | 248 | 2.796875 | 3 |
“What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?”
This question, posed by Pope Francis in “Laudato Si’,” has been rattling around my brain. It seems like every morning I see news stories that belong in a dystopian novel: Up to 1 million species face the threat of extinction; Congress fails to pass protections for infants born alive after a failed abortion procedure; within one week of each other two young men sacrifice their lives to protect their peers from gunmen at school.
The world in which our children are growing up is one in which common sense and common ground have been sacrificed for all-or-nothing ideological commitments that lack a consistent application of principles.
The responses to these challenges are hardly child-friendly.
When it comes to offsetting or reversing the devastating effects of climate change, some propose population control as the only viable solution. The logic is that fewer children will mean a lighter burden on the earth’s resources.
But Pope Francis has been quick to point out the problem with this reasoning: “To blame population growth instead of extreme and selective consumerism on the part of some, is one way of refusing to face the issues. It is an attempt to legitimize the present model of distribution, where a minority believes that it has the right to consume in a way that can never be universalized, since the planet could not even contain the waste products of such consumption.”
A better way forward is to consume less and differently, in such a way that more people have what they need and without overburdening or altering the landscapes other species inhabit. And this can all be done while respecting the natural ecology of human reproduction, which the Church has borne witness to from its beginning.
It’s a tough sell to say that declining to provide life-saving or palliative care to newborns who survive an abortion is the best available option for them. Anyone who comes into the emergency room with a life-threatening injury has to be treated. How can an infant be denied the same care in the same hospital?
What does it say about us that we apply an arbitrary litmus test to unplanned or severely disabled children about their wantedness, one which determines whether they live or die? Every human being aches to be wanted. Every person who is infirm or disabled requires assistance. Every dying person deserves a good death, one marked by communal love, not sterile isolation.
Pope Francis said, “When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities — to offer just a few examples — it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself; everything is connected.”
Just a few weeks after we marked the 20th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, Riley Howell and Kendrick Costillo — both still on the verge of adulthood — tackled gunmen in their schools to protect their peers. Adolescents should not have to make such grave and final decisions about laying down their lives, nor should their schools be places of carnage.
The predictable, all-or-nothing debates on firearm restrictions and mental health services ensued. But I wonder, will we have the courage to look even deeper into the ecologies of our homes to assess how today’s families are faring? Why young men and women are experiencing isolation, anger, anxiety and depression at unprecedented rates? How parents are doing at a time of economic bifurcation and political polarization?
At 17 weeks pregnant, I am now pre-occupied with the question of what kind of world my child will inherit, whether the next generation will know the line between dominion and domination.
Children instinctively see the world’s beauty; they wonder at it. They recognize the good in each another and in us. They are comfortable with their dependence and vulnerability. Children show us how the world ought to be.
It was one Child who saved us; maybe others — if we protect them — can help us, too.
Elise Italiano Ureneck is associate director of the Center for the Church in the 21st Century at Boston College and a columnist for Catholic News Service. | <urn:uuid:fcd3e97f-dace-4b94-9b8f-b990243a3dae> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.archstl.org/finding-god-in-all-things-the-world-we-leave-our-children-4071 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.957886 | 868 | 2.078125 | 2 |
What’s Next for Construction Staffing After Passage of Infrastructure Bill
With the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in late 2021, an estimated $1.2 trillion goes toward repairing the nation’s roads, bridges, and electric and water systems. Starting in the first half of 2022, the bill is expected to create a steady flow of projects for construction contractors that specialize in infrastructure projects.
As the construction industry prepares for the rollout, here are three things construction contractors need to know right now.
The Act will result in significant construction activity
One in five of the nation’s roads and major highways, and 45,000 bridges, are in poor condition, according to the White House. To combat this issue, an estimated $110 billion of the funds in the IIJA were marked for the improvement of roads and bridges along with other major infrastructure projects. For instance, some of the ways they’re using those funds include:
- $39 billion to modernize public transit—the largest federal investment in public transportation in 50 years.
- $7.5 billion in funds to support the construction of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, plus research for new renewable energy technologies like geothermal, solar and wind energy.
- $50+ billion investment to protect against droughts, heat, floods and wildfires, in addition to a major investment in weatherization.
By the fourth quarter of 2025, there will be 872,000 more jobs as a result of the IIJA, according to Moody’s Analytics. Most importantly, over half of these new jobs (461,000) are in the construction industry.
In addition to the IIJA, the $1.85 trillion Build Back Better Act could also mean significant investments—and more jobs—in construction. However, its fate remains uncertain. Regardless of what happens, it’s safe to say there’s a strong funnel of projects set to hit the construction industry in 2022.
The construction staffing shortage will put new infrastructure projects at risk
Given so much activity on the horizon, there’s one big challenge ahead: filling these job openings. With members of the workforce retiring or transitioning to other industries, the construction labor shortage is only getting worse. In fact, there were 88,000 fewer construction workers at the end of 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels, per Contractor News.
Without enough construction workers and tradespeople to keep up with demand, construction contractors may be unable to take advantage of the opportunities resulting from the IIJA or Build Back Better Act. A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey found that 88% of commercial construction contractors reported moderate-to-high levels of difficulty finding skilled workers. Meanwhile, more than a third of contractors surveyed had to turn down work due to labor shortages.
Finding construction staff for new infrastructure projects will require creative solutions
In conclusion, if you’re a construction contractor bidding on future projects, a construction staffing agency like PeopleReady ensures that you have the workers you need to meet project demands. PeopleReady has 35 years of staffing experience plus the industry expertise you need to find a reliable construction workforce. We support commercial, residential and disaster recovery projects, among others.
Whether you’re looking for general laborers, skilled tradespeople or skilled laborers, our construction staffing solutions are available 24/7. For example, construction roles we fill include but are not limited to:
- Site maintenance workers
- Flaggers and cleanup crew members
- Concrete workers
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Looking for construction staff? | <urn:uuid:7fd273c3-217b-4063-b3b4-21c99da6faa6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.peopleready.com/the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-impact-on-construction-staffing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.922987 | 746 | 1.789063 | 2 |
It’s not often that I search for the term Malwarebytes on Google. I know how to get to my own company’s website by typing it into the address bar. However, when a friend or family member asks me how to get to our website, I almost always instruct them to search.
Unfortunately, there exists a market where bad people benefit by preying on our users. They create websites which advertise that they distribute Malwarebytes and instead, download a product of their own onto our user’s machine. They advertise on Google and turn up in search results. I’d equate this to a cereal company packaging their generic, less delicious brand into a Cheerios box and putting it on shelves.
If you see a page like this, it is fraudulent and you should go directly to www.malwarebytes.org instead.
It makes me sick, and I refuse to let it go on. Today, I instructed our legal team to pursue all of these cheaters in hopes that we can wipe them from the face of the Internet.
But that’s not all. How far is too far? Should advertisers on Google be allowed to use company names as keywords? If I search for Cheerios, should the first advertisement be for the generic brand? It’s allowed, a common practice, and in my opinion completely unethical. | <urn:uuid:87fdc2bd-804e-4fd8-8a39-318a2d2537e3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blog.kleczynski.com/tag/exploited/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.944314 | 283 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Please log in to watch this conference skillscast.
In this talk, Luc will show how to create a language by making use of LLVM and Haskell. At the start, an introduction will be given on LLVM and the corresponding Haskell bindings.
Afterwards, Luc will explain how techniques such as combinators and partial evaluation can be used to create performant functions optimized by LLVM. At the end, everything will be brought together and the result will be a small language that compiles all the way down to assembly.
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- Keynote — Haskell: What To Do When Success Can't Be Avoided (SkillsCast recorded in November 2021)
Generating fast and expressive code using LLVM and Haskell
Luc is a freelance software engineer on a never-ending quest for writing correct, robust, and maintainable programs. Along this journey, he came into contact with functional programming via Elixir and Haskell and has never looked back since. Recently, he's been focusing on writing an optimized runtime for his Eclair Datalog language using the Haskell LLVM bindings. | <urn:uuid:80a1a161-a900-4950-ab12-785f286fd7e7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://skillsmatter.com/skillscasts/17415-generating-fast-and-expressive-code-using-llvm-and-haskell | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.907345 | 291 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Understanding Woodturning Catches
Learn why woodturning tools catch and how to avoid this potentially dangerous situation
Let’s face it: when turning wood at the lathe, catches can not only ruin a beautiful workpiece, they can startle even the surliest of craftsmen—and some (gouge catches in particular) can be downright dangerous.
In this detailed video, veteran woodturner Richard Raffan demonstrates some of the most common woodturning tool catches, and offers tips for how to prevent them. Beginning with the skew chisel, Raffan demonstrates techniques for smoothing cylinders, as well as cutting beads and V-grooves.
Next, Raffan demonstrates the right and wrong way to smooth the exterior of a bowl, as well as its base, using a variety of gouges before wrapping things up with tips on scraper technique. | <urn:uuid:d97065b3-b91d-4606-8d53-9ea68398242b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.finewoodworking.com/2014/02/27/understanding-woodturning-catches | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.891249 | 181 | 2.125 | 2 |
Laughter: A Human Characteristic in Classical Imagery
12:30 am | 5/2/2014 | 308A Doe Library
Rolf Michael Schneider, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
My interest in representations of emotion, particularly laughter, took shape while I was studying Hellenistic and Roman sculptures of satyrs. My questions have been rather ambitious. How distinctly were (and could be) emotions expressed in classical imagery? Whose faces and/or bodies were affected by laughter? Who commissioned such images and for what purposes? In which social and religious places was visual laughter familiar? How does it relate to (present) concepts of (ancient) history? Influential for my research have been inter alia studies on the carnivalesque (Michail Bachtin), on Darwin and facial expression (Paul Ekman), on laughter as a phenomenon of cultural psychology (Stephen Halliwell), on the sinister, bare-teethed Gorgo (Jean-Pierre Vernant), and on medieval laughter (Jaques Le Goff). Most profoundly, however, I have profited from the essay ‘Lachen und Weinen: Eine Untersuchung nach den Grenzen menschlichen Verhaltens’ (1941), written by Helmuth Plessner. He developed a type of philosophical biology and anthropology which, in cultural studies on laughter, has gone for the most part unnoticed. It was he who made me aware of the fundamental human relationship between laughter and body. As laughter is a crucial property of man (Aristotle, de an. 3.10) a key question of my lecture is why the visually ‘obsessed’ cultures of Greece and Rome produced countless texts negotiating virtually all aspects of (the paradoxes of) laughter but almost no equivalent images. What price had such a society to pay when it limited laughter in its otherwise omnipresent and very human-like imagery so radically? Keeping this in mind I will discuss in my lecture the difficulties encountered when distinguishing between smiling, grinning, and laughing in imagery (in contrast to texts) and the relationships between laughter, face, and body. In a further step I will tackle two case studies: the ‘Archaic Smile’ and laughter in the world of Dionysus. At the end I will relate my conclusions to the normative aesthetics of ancient imagery – which, as far as laughter is concerned, seems to border on the non-human.
Prof. Dr. Rolf Michael Schneider has been invited to U.C. Berkeley as part of Berkeley’s exchange program with the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. He will be giving two lectures on behalf of the Department of History of Art and the Department of Classics. | <urn:uuid:8ab98a09-8b80-4727-a90a-0f7edcc56b72> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://arthistory.berkeley.edu/events/laughter-a-human-characteristic-in-classical-imagery/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571150.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810070501-20220810100501-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.925238 | 573 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Many people do not know that they can get yachting tips to help them. Even though real sense of yachting gets on the market and fishing just, there are a few simple items you should know. Knowing about these will go quite a distance to causing you to a better and much more comfortable boat mate.
The best thing about sailing is definitely that it’s fun and very relaxing. Most people find that it is rather easy to relax following a good meal as well as after a day of getting along with relatives and buddies. It is no wonder that so many people who sail on the boats are so happy with it.
In order to stay in shape also to learn some of the more valuable training that sailors are usually taught, there are some yachting tips that you should know. It’s important which you have the right equipment for the working work accessible. You don’t need to get whatever will damage your boat or your life.
A good rule of thumb is to make sure that you have everything that you need ready to go. For instance, if you’re going to end up being sleeping on the boat, be sure that you have got all your blankets and pillows prepared. If you are going to be developing a bath, you need to get all of your soap and towels ready furthermore.
There are many times if you want to prepare yourself to go once you are on water. It is not a straightforward feat, nonetheless it is vital for safety reasons. If you are going to be resting during the night, you will want to make sure that you have a set of bedding that’s strong more than enough to withstand any kind of weather that might come up.
Some of the very most important things you should be ready for consist of emergency circumstances that arise. If you know you are going to maintain a fishing boat incident, then you need to have a kit that is ready to go. Not only will you be able to get out and assist others, but you will have the ability to gather yourself and get on your foot furthermore.
It is definitely smart to have a change of clothes available for you and your family as well. There are lots of situations where you shall be needing to use the restroom, so it is good to have something handy when you have to. You could also need to get a obvious switch of clothes because this is a great way to save lots of money.
Some other important safety tips include not using flashlights, cell phones, along with other devices on the boat. Getting them within the deck could cause a fire. You should also avoid taking them out in to the water and not leaving any wires connected to them.
Excess weight and size are usually two other things that you will want to think about when preparing your trip. The theory is to take the heaviest ship you could and you ought to look for one that is as small as you possibly can. This way it is possible to take on much less pounds and obtain out right now there and revel in the experience still.
A word of caution though, unless you have time and energy to make a vacation because you don’t have the time or the patience to check through different things, then you can’t wait to get out there and enjoy the water. Make sure that you are prepared and know very well what you need before you decide to set off. You shall want to be capable to enjoy yourself as well as becoming comfy.
One other important things to remember is that it’s always important to have your emergency medical kit with you. You should also look through it to make sure that you are using the correct products regularly. When you there sail out, you might have to use some of the tools that you have on the way. You should ensure that you have all you need for a comfortable, safe boat sailing experience. Remember that it’s smart to take your time, look at the different options close to, and discover what you ought to make your sailing encounter a really pleasurable and fun expertise. !
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When visiting Melbourne, one simply must see the largest museum in the Southern Hemisphere, the Melbourne Museum.
Located in Carlton Gardens, the Melbourne Museum needs to be seen over a full day to do it justice.
Over two floors, it tells the story of nature and culture in an array of interactive and interesting exhibition spaces.
Some highlights for us included:
Bugs Alive – the amazing world of insects and spiders.
First Peoples – this exhibition tells the story of Victoria’s Aboriginal People.
Wild – over 600 taxidermied birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals from around the world.
Dinosaur Walk – plenty of dinosaurs here, plus a huge skeleton of a blue whale in the hallway.
Marine Life – up close with creatures under the ocean.
Dynamic Earth – immersive exhibition about our ever-changing Earth.
Phar Lap – Australia’s greatest race horse has been taxidermied here.
The newly renovated Children’s Gallery is a hit with littles, although it’s only meant to be for kids up to the age of five. The gallery features an indoor play space and outdoor garden with features like water play, rocks, fossil dig zone and chill out spaces.
I would say it’s suitable for kids aged up to about eight, with the older kids needing to be very aware of the younger ones, particularly in the indoor play space.
A cafe near the Children’s Gallery sells basic food (kids’ lunch box pictured), but you can bring your own and eat it either in the garden or outside the museum as a picnic in the park.
The museum features a wide variety of activities for families, particularly during school holidays. Check the website for details in advance of your visit.
Melbourne Museum puts on incredible exhibitions throughout the year – ones in the past have included Titanic and Jurassic Park – so it’s worth seeing what’s coming and planning a visit accordingly.
11 Nicholson St, Carlton VIC | <urn:uuid:47c57962-18c0-438e-8cbd-53dabe8a0d05> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://christineknight.me/2018/02/melbourne-museum/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.916802 | 434 | 2.140625 | 2 |
eyes lenses No Further a Mystery
. A one that reads Jane Austen’s Pleasure and Prejudice through a Marxist lens is using the perspective of Marxism to make your mind up just what the e book usually means. This usage is quite popular in tutorial producing, but less widespread somewhere else.
Radio astronomy and radar methods normally use dielectric lenses, usually referred to as a lens antenna to refract electromagnetic radiation into a collector antenna.
In the former case, an object at an infinite length (as represented by a collimated beam of waves) is targeted to a picture for the focus on the lens. While in the latter, an object in the focal length distance from the lens is imaged at infinity. The airplane perpendicular to the lens axis positioned at a length file through the lens is called the focal plane.
^ The variant spelling lense is typically witnessed. When it really is shown instead spelling in a few dictionaries, most mainstream dictionaries never listing it as acceptable.
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The lens is often a transparent physique, flatter on its anterior than on its posterior area, and suspended within the eye via the zonular fibres of Zinn attached to its equator; its anterior surface is bathed by aqueous humour, and its posterior area from the…
The distance with the entrance focus in the combined افضل عدسات لاصقة lenses to the initial lens is called the entrance focal duration (FFL):
If two slender lenses are separated in air by a ways d, the focal length to the merged technique is supplied by
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The optic nerve carries it in in the form of indicators towards the brain.Even though the picture formed on the retina is inverted,but our brain interprets this properly i.e the best way up.
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HLTAID003 Provide First Aid – 2 Day Course in Melbourne
Be prepared and get the training that saves lives! This course will give you the confidence, knowledge and skills to provide a valuable First Aid Response until medical help arrives. This course also includes free CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) Accreditation, which is valid for 1 year. Our 2 day course, or 3 session night course, is classroom based with no online learning required! Book and pay online today; just click here to select your course and make your booking.
Included CPR Accreditation
Weekdays or evening sessions
Multiple Melbourne locations
Nationally recognised training
Friendly and supportive trainers
Valuable skill for any industry, or your personal life
Sue – Provide First Aid
“[The trainer] was very knowledgeable about this course, the presentation was awesome and delivery [is] highly recommended for future training to anyone…[the courses] are clear and concise and very enjoyable. Thank you InterCare for your choice of trainers.”
More than one-in-ten Australians have been confronted by an emergency where somebody
has required first aid, and have been unable to help. Only six percent claim to be completely
confident that they would be able to render first aid if called upon to help. Source: Pzer
Health Report Issue #37
Seventy-three percent of Australians say that it’s as important to learn first aid as it is to learn
to swim! Seventeen percent say that learning first aid is more important. Source: Pzer Health
Report Issue #37
More about First Aid | Is this Course for You
Our Provide First Aid training is suitable for those looking to become a First Aid Officer in their workplace, who need to fulfil an employment requirement, or people who want to have the ability to provide a First Aid response for injury or illness in everyday situations.
This course was previously known as Apply First Aid Level 2, but is now called Provide First Aid HLTAID003. Your First Aid Statement of Attainment completed in this course will be valid for 3 years. The CPR Accreditation is valid for 12 months.
Having a First Aid Certificate can also benefit people looking for employment; with the current industry focus on workplace safety, having a current First Aid accreditation gives you an advantage over other job-seekers; especially for high risk workplaces.
Classroom & Workplace Training Available | Victoria
This training is run across Melbourne metro areas as a 2 day classroom based course in Brooklyn, Keysborough, Somerton and various locations; you can book directly into this course by clicking here. Workplace training is also available on or off-site for employers; group bookings are welcome and discounts may apply; call us on 1300 10 2273 to discuss. | <urn:uuid:e73c184f-4735-47e5-9721-da6307808976> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://intercarese.com.au/courses/first-aid-training-melbourne/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.95982 | 591 | 1.578125 | 2 |
One can’t underestimate the importance of health insurance here in the United States. If you and your family have a social security number, you can usually obtain a policy that complies with the Affordable Care Act. Some people here in the United States, including children, don’t have a social security number. We know your children are very important. You want the best for them. You can still purchase health insurance for them, even if they do not have a social security number. In this article, we discuss health insurance for children without a social security number.
You’d have to be living under a rock if you didn’t know that healthcare costs are rising fast. Many families are facing year-over-year premium rate hikes or increased cost-sharing. Does the rising healthcare costs make you worried? There are ways to mitigate the impact. One of the ways is using a healthcare discount card. A healthcare discount card could help with paying medical bills in various ways. In this article, we discuss how to save money on medical bills using a healthcare discount card.
A colleague told me about her second mortgage. Unaware of the reason, I asked her why.
“Oh, John,” she says laughing. “I’m talking about my health insurance premiums.”
You know the saying. You must be living under a rock if you haven’t heard about the proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA, also known as “TrumpCare”). Maybe you have heard from one of your friends that he or she will no longer be able to obtain affordable health insurance due to a pre-existing condition. Or, that premiums will rise significantly. Or, that penalties will increase. The proposed bill has certainly garnered much attention, some truthful and some not. In this article, we will give an AHCA summary and discuss the truths and myths of the Act. We hope that after reading this article, you feel empowered and informed. Continue reading AHCA Summary: What You Need To Know Now | <urn:uuid:a9fd73e7-5482-4732-a6a7-64cc649333e8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://myfamilylifeinsurance.com/tag/affordable-care-act/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.961374 | 418 | 2.046875 | 2 |
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, Iberdrola chairman Ignacio Galán and other officials.
The 1.1GW project was built over a period of eight years with an investment of more than €1.5bn.
It features the Alto Tâmega, Daivões and Gouvãe power plants and can store 40 million kWh, which is enough to meet the domestic energy requirements of 11 million people for 24 hours.
The Tâmega Gigabattery project’s launch is expected to help reduce annual oil imports and eliminate 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
In a statement, Iberdrola said: “This major engineering project, on which several thousand people have worked, will prevent the importation of more than 160,000t of oil a year, consolidating its position as a socioeconomic and job-creating driving force in the region.”
The company added that the project’s construction was accompanied by several social, cultural and environmental initiatives benefitting seven municipalities.
At the event, Galán reaffirmed Iberdrola ‘s commitment to Portugal and said that the company will double the investments made in the gigabattery to €3bn over the coming years.
This will be invested in new wind farms and solar plants that are already under development or construction.
Galán also said that the Tâmega Gigabattery project showed that the European Union’s goals of energy independence and decarbonisation ‘are perfectly compatible as long as work is done to electrify the economic and production system’.
One of the projects involves installing 1,707km of transmission lines between Minas Gerais and São Paulo, while the other project will deliver 291km of lines in Mato Grosso do Sul.
The two projects will involve a combined investment of around $1.02bn and generate more than 11,000 jobs during their construction. | <urn:uuid:055f07f7-1a9f-4977-8a7a-6cefe35ab817> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.power-technology.com/news/iberdrola-hydroelectric-portugal/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.956416 | 411 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Winter is a time when many of us develop viral or flu-like symptoms – what can you do, and what advice should you give your patients? Is it ok to stay active and maintain a regular exercise schedule?
Well, of course, the answer depends on the type and severity of the symptoms. In general, exercising with mild head congestion and rhinorrhea is fine, and may even be beneficial in the healing process. But if there is fever, generalized muscle aches or diarrhea, rest is probably more appropriate as the stress of exercise may cause worsening symptoms.
A common rule of thumb is if the symptoms are limited to above the neck (sore throat, stuffy nose, sneezing, watery eyes, etc.) it is usually safe to continue with light to moderate exercise. But if the symptoms include chest tightness, forceful or prolonged coughing, widespread body aches, fever or diarrhea, an appropriate period of rest should be considered to allow the body to recover.
Many of us believe that taking time off from our regular exercise routine puts us at risk for losing the progress we’ve made or getting completely out of shape. However, research has demonstrated that it takes several weeks for endurance and muscle mass to be significantly affected. This holds true for both the conditioned athlete who has been training regularly for years and the novice who has been working out for only a couple of months.
The good news is that every time you exercise, your immune system is fired up. Light to moderate exercise (jogging, Pilates, bicycling, etc.) will stimulate your immune system and has even been shown to help reduce the effects of minor illness. High-intensity exercise (interval training, sprints, long-distance training and races) can deplete the immune system and leave you vulnerable to worsening your condition. Your body also may need more recovery time than usual when you are sick, so make sure you get plenty of rest around any exercise.
Remember to stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of liquids before, during and after any exercise. Also remember that when you are sick, you are a risk to others. If you are coughing and sneezing in a closed environment (like a gym) you are putting others at risk for getting ill – which will not make you many friends! Always use a towel, wipe off all equipment regularly, and wash your hands and face often.
See Larry Collins, PA-C, ATC speak in 2018 at Skin, Bones, Hearts & Private Parts CME/CE Conferences for PAs, NPs, MDs, and DOs. | <urn:uuid:e0d0031c-8cd4-4a1e-bc18-3570efe2c839> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.skinbonescme.com/2017/11/17/stay-active-not-feeling/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.959704 | 530 | 2.46875 | 2 |
07 Apr Birmingham and Coventry building surveys: sulphate attack on concrete floors
When carrying out building surveys in the Birmingham and Coventry areas, one of the things our surveyors will check is whether the house has concrete floor slabs. If it does, they will be on the lookout for sulphate attack damage.
What is a sulphate attack on a concrete floor?
Sulphate attack on a ground floor concrete slab is a very serious problem.
One of the main causes is leakage of sulphates into the concrete floor slab from the material below. Once the sulphates and concrete are in contact, react with each other. This reaction produces crystals, which force the concrete slab the expand. The reason sulphate attack can be so serious is that the expansion of the concrete puts pressure on the external walls, pushing them outwards and destabilising them. The concrete slabs also start to disintegrate, weakening them and reducing their ability to support the building structure.
Damage from sulphate attack can take several years to show up. This is because at first, the extra volume produced by the sulphate–concrete reaction fills up tiny pores within the concrete slabs themselves. It is only once these are full that the concrete becomes lumpy and expansion becomes more obvious.
Which properties do building surveyors consider to be high risk?
Sulphate attack to flooring is a more likely to be problem in post-war properties (i.e. those built between the 1940s and early 1970s) than in houses from other periods.
A timber shortage after the Second World War meant that builders tended to use concrete ground floor slabs instead of the more traditional suspended timber floors. Hardcore beneath the slabs was made up of clinker (broken brick) from demolished houses and furnace ash from industrial processes. Such hardcore materials were cheap and plentiful, but high in sulphates.
Concrete floors in this era also had particularly low cement contents because concrete was mixed on site, with lots of water. This is an issue because high cement content concrete has a greater resistance to the sulphate attack than the low cement concrete used in this period.
Sulphate attack cannot happen without water present to transport sulphates from the hardcore into the concrete above. Moisture can come from ground water or nearby drains or service pipes. A damp-proof membrane between the hardcore and concrete can prevent this (but it should be noted that these can deteriorate and leak, so there is always some risk if high-sulphate hardcore is present). Although supposedly standard practice, damp-proof membranes were rarely used in the post-war period.
There was an extraordinary about of building work in in Birmingham and Coventry following the war, and a scarcity of building materials at that time in these regions. Surveyors are therefore particularly keen to check for sulphate attack risk and damage when carrying out RICS surveys in these areas.
What do surveyors look for during a building survey?
During an RICS building survey, particularly surveys of houses in the West Midlands with concrete floors built during the post-war period in the Midlands, surveyors will be looking for signs of sulphate attack. These include:
- heaving and cracking of the floor
- lumpiness or doming of floors
- traces of white salts on the floor surface
- expansion of flooring at the damp-proof course level, pushing the outer brick walls sideways
- lateral movement of brickwork
- stepped diagonal cracks in external walls
- moisture rising through the top of the floor because of the concrete’s reduced strength and density.
Surveyors may comment on the risk of attack, even if the signs of attack are not evident. If a property is in a high-risk area, has a concrete floor and was built between the 1940s and early-1970s, it is at high risk. This is especially true of local authority housing, which at that time was built quickly and cheaply.
The later the property was built during the post-war period, the lower the risk. This is because building practices were gradually improved – hardcore was chosen more carefully, and damp-proof membranes and sulphate-resisting concrete were more likely to be used.
Surveyor recommendations for properties at high risk
If sulphate attack is suspected, or the house is thought to be at high risk, the building surveyor will recommend an invasive sulphate test. This will involve excavating a trial hole to assess the condition of the concrete, determine what type of material is below the concrete and find out if a damp-proof membrane is present. Concrete and hardcore samples will be tested on-site for moisture levels and in a lab for sulphate content and cement levels.
Even if sulphate attack has not occurred, if the concrete tests show that it has a cement level lower than that needed to resist attack, and the material below has a high sulphate content, replacement of the floor slabs and potentially the hardcore below may be recommended to prevent structural damage in the future. This is particularly likely if there is no damp-proof membrane. For example, if a water source becomes present in the future e.g. leeching of water from old clay drains, then the property could be at risk. | <urn:uuid:c2481340-6e60-4f1e-81fb-57b0cb76f871> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.allcottassociates.co.uk/blog/birmingham-survey_sulphate-attack/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.955504 | 1,078 | 3.015625 | 3 |
While purple passion is self-fruitful, pollination must occur under humid conditions. The yellow passion fruit is self-sterile. Carpenter bees are the most successful at pollinating passion fruit vines, more so than honeybees.
Prune passion flowers after flowering just to keep them neat, cutting back to a healthy bud. There's no need to cut them back hard. If plants have got out of hand and need retraining, cut them back in spring. Passion flowers grown in a container Read more
Watering: Passion flowers are tough enough to handle drought conditions, but grow best when planted in a well-draining location and watered frequently. The soil should be moist, not wet. Water helps all plants transport raw materials to leaves, where they're turned into food for the Read more
What type of fertiliser should I use? A fertiliser high in nitrogen promotes plenty of passionfruit leaf growth at the expense of fruit and flowers. Therefore, you are better to fertilise with chicken manure, well-rotted cow manure, citrus foods or compost.
I water my passiflora deeply once a week when it is hot, less if it is cool or raining. They are pretty low maintenance, minus suckers. In the spring I dilute 1 tablespoon of epsom salt to 1 gallon of water and fertilize ONCE. Don't Read more
Potting and Repotting Passionflower Repot young plants every spring into a larger pot. Older plants can be stretched out every few years between repotting. To control their size, it's best to cut your passionflower down in the fall, leaving only a few vines 15 to Read more
Passion flower seeds are naturally dispersed by birds and small mammals, which consume the fruits and release the seeds with their droppings. When seeds contact the soil, rain helps move them into the soil, where they can eventually germinate if conditions are favorable.
Purple passionflower attracts butterflies. Young tendrils are eaten by wild turkey. Deer resistance is at a moderate level.
Try laying some mint or cinnamon-flavored gum around the base of the affected plant. Or just sprinkle some cinnamon around the base of the plant. Place ant killing food around the base of the plant – There are several recipes that can be used for Read more
Passiflora is a tropical plant native to hot and humid climates that will continue to bear fruit year-round if you live in a climate that is always warm.
This popular houseplant or garden vine is also easy to propagate. Passion flower propagation can be achieved through seeds or stem cuttings in spring, or by layering in late summer.
The passion vines have special glands that produce nectar at the base of the leaves which attract ants.
Fruit on lemon tree is also showing white spots. Suspect pest but also some sort of nutrient deficiency. Passionfruit can be attacked by certain pest such as mites and the passionvine hopper. The leaves can also become infected with a fungus called Septoria spot.
The exotic flower leads to the exotic fruit known as the passion fruit. The fruit's sweet scent and taste will attract everything from caterpillars and butterflies to bees and ants. It also attracts aphids and other plant-eaters, and so it's important to keep your plant Read more
Toxicity. Passion vines are toxic to pets. They contain substances that create cyanide when broken down by the body. According to the Governor Animal Clinic in San Diego, California, pet owners should consider all parts of the passion vine plant toxic except for mature fruits.
The part of the plant that is above ground will still die back, but the root structure will survive. In warmer climates, the root structure will most likely survive regardless, but a sheltered area out of the wind will ensure that more of the upper Read more
Passion flowers have a look and reputation for being exotic and hard to grow. However, this perennial vine is widely adapted in USDA zone 6 to 10 gardens, flowering from mid-summer until frost.
You can reduce watering during winter when plants slow their growth and become semi-dormant. Passionflowers also appreciate high humidity and benefit from occasional misting with a sprayer, especially when grown indoors as houseplants.
Passionflowers are low maintenance during their growing season and do not need to be deadheaded. These plants flower on new growth, so make sure to prune them before growth begins each spring in order to preserve the season's blooms.
Hardy Passion flowers will survive most of our winters, but in colder areas the plant will need protection such as a mulch to the roots, or even a hessian cover during the coldest months.
Caterpillars, beetles and other foliage-chewing insects love the broad, juicy leaves of the passion vine. Sap-sucking insects, such as spider mites and scale, often line the stems of the plant. In most cases, this slows the growth of the plant but does not destroy it.
Dig a hole as big as the root ball and incorporate some compost or aged manure. Push in a trellis, stakes or other support. Plant the vine as deep as it was growing previously, filling in around the roots carefully and tamping the soil. Use Read more
Anchoring it in place with a small stone may be necessary. Water well and, within a month or so, it should begin rooting.
As winter approaches, you will want to cut back on fertilizer you may be giving to the plant. This will discourage any new growth as the warm weather comes to an end. You will also want to heavily mulch the area around the Passiflora vine. Read more
Passion flowers may look exotic, but in fact they are easy to grow, and Passiflora caerulea, commonly known as the Blue Passion Flower is hardy with an abundance of showy flowers in the summer. The most universally hardy, easy to grow and widely sold is Read more
What to do for it? Your passionfruit vine may be infested with Aphid. These sucking insects commonly cause passion fruit leaf curl. Treat the plant by spraying with Kiwicare Organic Insect control available at your local Palmers if you find this to be the case.
Side effects have been rarely reported for passion flower but may include nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, rapid heartbeat, and mental slowing. When taking passion flower, make sure you don't drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you. In general, passion flower is Read more
How to care for passion flowers. Prune passion flowers after flowering just to keep them neat, cutting back to a healthy bud. There's no need to cut them back hard. If plants have got out of hand and need retraining, cut them back in spring.
Passion flowers are considered heavy feeders. The first application should be in very early spring. Plants cultivated for fruit are fertilized 4 times per year, but those in average culture should be fertilized every 4 to 6 weeks until fall.
Passion flowers can be planted in spring or early Autumn when the soil is still warm, and the autumn rains will water the plant until it is well-established. If planted in spring or summer, it will be necessary to ensure the plant has plenty of Read more
The soil you plant your vines in should be well-draining, but rich and moist. Soil pH isn't terribly important and can be in the neutral to acidic range, anywhere from about 6.1 to 7.5.
The passion flower was discovered by the Spanish doctor, Monardes in Peru in 1569. Forty years later, it was introduced to Europe as an ornamental plant, for, long before the passion flower was included in the Europe's treasury of medicinal plants, botanists were fascinated by Read more
Take passion flower cuttings in early spring. Remove new growth from below a node – about 6cm in length is long enough. Remove the bottom leaves and tendrils and place the cutting in a pot of cutting compost. Cuttings will root successfully when placed in Read more
It is possible to grow passion flowers in containers, however you'll need to feed and water them more often, and they won't grow quite as vigorously as those growing in the ground. Choose a gritty, free-draining, peat-free compost.
But the most common cause of lack of flowers in passiflora is too much nitrogen and too little potassium. Nitrogen will promote vigorous green growth at the expense of flowers. A weekly watering with liquid seaweed in May, June and July should do the trick. Read more
Honey bees are passionate about passion flowers (Passiflora). The intricate tropical flower is their private merry-go-round, their favorite hide 'n seek place, their gathering spot. If you've been around passion flower vines, you know they attract honey bees, carpenter bees and Gulf Fritillary butterflies.
These vines have shallow roots and a thick layer of organic mulch can really help the plant flourish. Although passionflowers prefer to be in sandy, well draining, fertile soil, they will grow in heavier soils that contain clay.
It appears to boost the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in your brain. This compound lowers brain activity, which may help you relax and sleep better. In a trial published in Phytotherapy Research , participants drank a daily dose of herbal tea with purple passionflower.
Passionflowers may look like they are from the tropics, but they can actually be grown almost anywhere, including much colder areas. In fact, you may even find these seemingly delicate vines growing along the side of the road—some passionflower species can spread vigorously in warmer Read more
One of the biggest problems with passion flower is the fungus that causes fusarium wilt. Fusarium wilt is a soil borne disease that can be deadly. The first signs are yellowing leaves followed by dying and dropping leaves. Viruses, like cucumber mosaic, can affect passion Read more | <urn:uuid:9fe5694f-d2f3-4011-9560-48ab38f62fd6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://positivenet.net/passion-flower/do-passion-flower-need-to-be-pollinated | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.952051 | 2,081 | 2.65625 | 3 |
CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) — In addition to being the Fire Chief with Seneca Hose Co. 1 in West Seneca, Josh Myers is also the state fire instructor and lead instructor for his class of 18 volunteer firefighters.
Since the pandemic, he noticed a decline in volunteer applicants and urges all Western New Yorkers to consider completing volunteer firefighter training as a way to better serve the community.
To learn more about becoming a volunteer firefighter, watch the video above and check out their website here.
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- Bolton ’embarrassed’ at ‘low price’ allegedly offered in assassination plot | <urn:uuid:d551b24b-d442-443e-a033-88b50c238bf2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/erie-co-fire-chief-calls-for-more-volunteer-firefighters-across-western-new-york/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.900372 | 205 | 1.648438 | 2 |
BackgroundThe 11 x 18 km Fisher caldera on western Unimak Island NE of Westdahl volcano is one of the largest calderas in the Aleutian arc. The caldera, which is elongated in a NE direction, formed around 9400 years ago, accompanied by emission of large-volume, mobile pyroclastic flows that reached the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Two satellitic cones are located below the north rim, NE of its 1112-m high point at Eickelberg Peak, which rises more than 900 m above three lakes on the caldera floor, one of which drains through a notch in the southern caldera rim. A large composite cone, Mount Finch, is found at the center of the caldera, which also contains a small breached cinder cone. Historical eruptions have occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries. Low-temperature fumaroles are located at the western flank of Mount Finch, and Turquoise Lake, at the base of the cone, emits hydrogen sulfide gas.
Smithsonian / GVP volcano information
Wild sea and the fisher houses at Klima (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Fishermen at the coast of Rakata island. (Photo: Tobias Schorr)
Fishermen at Rakata island (Photo: Tobias Schorr)
Indonesian fishermen at the coast of Rakata island (Photo: Tobias Schorr)
See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS | <urn:uuid:e88149a1-f903-4125-9ef6-53f731cf5c7d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/fisher.html?refresh | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570692.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20220807181008-20220807211008-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.913082 | 321 | 3.265625 | 3 |
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Our promise to you is to:-
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Let us deal with the regulations whilst you design and build your project.
The Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method
The BREEAM assessment.
The Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method, is the
most widely recognised method of assessing the environmental quality of building design for commercial buildings.
The Simplified Building Energy Model
SBEM calculations must be submitted at the same time as your Building Control Application. Does this automatically mean more pressure if you’re developing commercial buildings? Actually, that needn’t be the case if you have suitable professional support. | <urn:uuid:8097396e-94e4-442d-be2e-6fb4a990c439> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.jsplimited.co.uk/commercial-services/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.918899 | 297 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Enstitute's apprenticeship program is transforming the way millennials think of higher education.
“In K-12, we’ve identified many different ways with which young kids learn,” says Shaila Ittycheria. “But somehow, when everyone turns 18, we say OK, college is the one pathway.” Ittycheria is the cofounder of Enstitute, an apprenticeship program that matches young go-getters with high-powered mentors. Apprentices, who range in age from 18-24, are thrown directly into the deep end of the professional pool, suddenly immersed in the culture and real-life responsibilities of the working world.
Mentor and mentee are paired throughout a rigorous screening process – sticking with each other for at least a year so that apprentices learn how to walk, talk, act, and think like a successful person in their field. “Basically, they’re looking to see their Mini Me,” says Ittycheria of Enstitute’s professional partners, “this is a really serious relationship.” Apparently, the meticulous approach is working out. “Ninety percent of our original cohort either work for the companies where they apprenticed or have started their own companies,” she says.
A generation of college students is graduating into a lifetime of crushing debt and a job market that all too often treats a 4-year Bachelor’s degree like an expired fishing license. Topping that off with more school, or an unpaid internship has made the traditional path to professional life a frustrating, uphill slog for many students. “We think that learning by doing, especially when it comes to careers and jobs, in this 21st century world, is one of the most important things you go through to figure out where you need to be,” Ittycheria says.
Enstitute’s early days were exciting; the first generation of mentors in fall 2012 included hot tech and media startups like Bit.ly and Thrillist, and the entire cohort of 11 students lived together in a loft in downtown Manhattan. “We were two crazy people with a concept and a website,” says Ittycheria, “and when you’re asking young adults to move to New York, many of them are either deferring, or dropping out of school, or didn’t know what to do—we wanted to minimize other obstacles for them.” Though their expenses were covered, the original group only received a minimal stipend of $800 a month; current apprentices are paid a wage of $30,000 annually, and though encouraged to room together, they are expected to figure out their own living situations.
The program’s founders learned another important lesson from their first class: The apprenticeship was shortened from two years to one (an optional second year is still available) as most participants were offered full-time jobs before the end of their first year. “We wanted to make sure the companies not only saw the value of taking on these apprentices, but really thought of it as marketing and recruitment for future years," Ittycheria explains. “We’re changing the way people, especially senior people, look at entry-level talent.”
Enstitute has since grown. This year will begin their first partnership with an accredited school, George Mason University, which will grant a year credit to students that complete an apprenticeship. What began as a pack of ambitious, tech-savvy millenials crammed into a New York loft is following what Ittycheria calls an “aggressive growth plan,” and has already established programs in Washington, D.C., and St. Louis.
“St. Louis is going through a really interesting growth curve,” says Ittycheria. “We didn’t originally have it on our list, not even in our top five radar at all – but one of our apprentices, who was living in New York, wanted to go back home to St Louis. He kept saying ‘guys, you got to check out St. Louis, you’ll be shocked.’ And we said yeah, sure, whatever, but when we got there, frankly, we were blown away – there are a lot of really strong companies there that just don’t get the New York style exposure. The population is so diverse, and they have a lot of that Midwestern humbleness and work ethic.” A fourth city is coming later this year.
“It’s looking like Miami,” she says.
This 3-part editorial series is brought to you by GOOD, in partnership with Target. We’ve teamed up to explore educational projects that are creatively engaging students outside of a traditional classroom environment. Learn how you can help Target help schools here. | <urn:uuid:4f3b0e5f-d076-4ba1-a8b0-4c84817d45f3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.good.is/articles/learning-by-doing | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.974645 | 1,012 | 1.992188 | 2 |
The loss of the war in 1994 torpedoed the aspirations of southern independence and led to the occupation of the southern territories. The Salih regime took the following actions to permanently marginalize, destabilize and suppress the south:
After the war, the entire South Yemeni army was dissolved. The military personnel, including soldiers and officers, were forced into retirement. Hundreds of thousands of employees were affected. Likewise, police and civil servants were forcibly retired. High state ranks in the south, such as governor positions, were granted to North Yemenis.
Factories which had been state property of the PDRY were looted and plundered, or sold below price to people loyal to the regime. Factory workers lost their jobs. Besides the numerous factories that had to cease their operations, regime supporters and high-ranking officers of the Salih regime confiscated land equivalent to the size of the state of Bahrain. Multitudes of South Yemenis were dispossessed and their civil rights stolen.
Aden, the capital of the PDRY – once a flourishing port city with one of the most significant harbors in the world in the 1950s (second only to New York) – was proclaimed the economic capital of the unified country. However, the promises of economic prosperity were not fulfilled, and the harbor business operated far below its capabilities. Moreover, investment in infrastructure failed to appear. Large scale corruption discouraged investment in the commercial and economic sector. Northern elites became shareholders in any investment in the south, and they profited from any such business that existed. Because of the discontinuation of operations in numerous factories, the private sector has been so weakened that, to this day, scarcely any employment is available. A majority of the southern population is unemployed today. Particularly among young people, the unemployment rate is very high.
Furthermore, the Salih regime has profited for more than two decades from the exploitation of southern oil. Approximately 80 percent of oil in Yemen is situated in the southern governorates of Hadramawt and Shabwa. The local population are excluded from profits from the oil; however, they do suffer from the consequences of oil exploitation, such as poisoned ground water. International companies which produced oil in the south paid enormous sums to gain oil concessions from the Salih regime. Moreover, North Yemeni generals charged for the protection of the oil companies and their facilities. They made millions in profit. | <urn:uuid:1200af62-7dca-4918-a89f-2d7c5d7bc0be> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://stc-eu.org/en/missstaende/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.978728 | 486 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
|Title:||Sport and education: how to develop a proper dual career (Deporte y educación: cómo desarrollar una carrera dual adecuada)||Authors:||da Costa, Felipe Rodrigues
de Miranda, Iuri Scremin
Figueiredo, António J.
|Keywords:||Brazilian legislation; Education; High-performance sport; Sports training||Issue Date:||2021||Project:||Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal - Brasil (FAPDF) [grant number 00193.00002099/2018-65]||Serial title, monograph or event:||Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte||Volume:||16||Issue:||47||Abstract:||This study aimed at analyzing the legislation on High-Performance Sports (HPS) and educational training in Brazil under the concept of Dual Career (DC). Through a documentary analysis, reflection questions about a national sports project capable of supporting the successful conciliation between sports and school/ academic training in dual career dynamics were raised. Since the Constitution ensures equal conditions for access and continuation of education, clarity and understanding about the HPS development process and its demands regarding the conciliation with school/ academic training is necessary. The analysis of the legislation in force in Brazil shows that student-athletes are not supported and that although some proposals in progress are advancing, they do not fully address the needs of DC. Therefore, alignment among the State, sports institutions, and school institutions is essential for developing specific rules so that athletes make the most of their sporting condition without losing sight of school/academic opportunities. © 2021, Universidad Catolica San Antonio Murcia.||URI:||http://hdl.handle.net/10316/100883||ISSN:||19897413
|Appears in Collections:||I&D CIDAF - Artigos em Revistas Internacionais|
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Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. | <urn:uuid:4b8e95ba-fcdb-4233-a5ed-cdd94e1ac3c5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://estudogeral.sib.uc.pt/handle/10316/100883 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.782346 | 586 | 1.75 | 2 |
Ameresco has begun construction on two ground-mount solar arrays for Hamilton Southeastern Schools in Fishers, Indiana. The two projects will power three of the district’s schools. Ameresco has also provided Hamilton Southeastern Schools with two solar wagons and programming to incorporate sustainability education into its curriculum.
Hamilton Southeastern Schools will finance this project with bond fees and operational cost savings generated from the solar arrays. Already the project has generated funds for the construction of a playground at Riverside Intermediate School and is projected to generate additional funds to build two more in the district.
“Our partnership with Ameresco has already allowed us to invest in projects that directly benefit our students and create a more sustainable learning environment at our schools,” said Dr. Allen Bourff, Superintendent of Hamilton Southeastern Schools. “The curriculum Ameresco provided will help our teachers educate their students about the latest innovations in renewable energy technology and the importance of sustainability for the future of our environment.”
The solar panels at Sand Creek Elementary and Intermediate Schools have a projected annual output of 1,492,919 kWh and those at HSE Intermediate and Junior High with another 892,681 kWh.
“By taking steps to integrate solar power into its energy portfolio, Hamilton Southeastern Schools will provide more comfortable, cost efficient learning environments for its students and teaching staff,” said Lou Maltezos, Executive Vice President of Ameresco. “We are thrilled to be their partner in this endeavor and help them complete this project in a budget-neutral way.”
News item from Ameresco | <urn:uuid:7816e667-9379-4dba-b91d-bc5569e3b03a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/07/ameresco-begins-construction-on-two-solar-projects-for-indiana-school-district/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.93981 | 329 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Hazel’s dementia story: “Dementia took away my husband’s ability to speak; Music Makes Us! helped us reconnect”
Hazel’s husband Robert, 92, was diagnosed with vascular dementia with Lewy bodies in December 2018 following a heart attack and a stroke.
The retired engineer was discharged from hospital eight days later but his health continued to decline following more transient ischaemic attacks, known as TIAs or ‘mini strokes’.
Hazel, a former teacher from Northwich, Cheshire, gave up work to care for Robert two and a half years ago after realising he was no longer safe at home on his own.
She said: “He went into hospital still perfectly cognisant and active.
“But when I went in to see him a few days later, the doctor just said ‘he’s got dementia’ and walked off. That was it.
“Eventually, I realised he wasn’t safe at home on his own anymore, so I handed in my notice.
“You think you’re prepared for something like this to happen, but when it actually happens to you, you realise you can never be prepared for someone you love being so different to how they were before.”
Hazel discovered The Brain Charity’s Music Makes Us! programme for people living with dementia in February this year after being recommended it by a support worker.
Hazel said: “Robert absolutely loves all forms of music, so I thought we’d give it a try.
“It was brilliant – we did every session together. It was so enjoyable, but also something beneficial for Robert.
“Even though he can no longer speak, he loves to play along to the songs with shakers and bells and will clap and hum to the tunes, and sway in his chair.”
“Because the same people featured in the videos each week, they became familiar and Robert would wave at them and touch the screen as if he recognised them.
“When you’re caring for a partner with dementia, it means so much to have that connection through music with them and see them smiling and happy.
“Seeing Robert engage with songs we used to dance to together was lovely to see, and gave back a sense of who he was before the dementia.”
Hazel said the best thing about the Music Makes Us! Sing and Music Makes Us! Move sessions was that they were pre-recorded so could be followed at whatever time was most convenient for them, and revisited over and over again.
Sadly, Robert recently had a further stroke and had to be moved into a care home for temporary respite care.
Hazel said for all carers of someone living with dementia, having a social connection with other people in similar situations through the community The Brain Charity creates was a big support.
She added: “I had always planned to look after Robert at home until the end, and sadly that was taken away.
“You put so much into caring that when that person isn’t physically with you, you don’t know what to do with yourself, so having that connection with other people going through the same thing is so important.”
Do you have a loved one who might benefit from The Brain Charity’s Music Makes Us! programme?
It’s open to people from anywhere in the UK. Sign up online today. | <urn:uuid:fa78bb2c-bb41-43bb-8855-63073698df23> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.thebraincharity.org.uk/story/dementia-music/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.984904 | 729 | 1.53125 | 2 |
According the web development company in Mumbai the success of commerce was determined through a simple formula. Choose a location that will be profitable for your shopping cart. You can operate at a lower price so you can make more money. Louder than your competition to draw more attention.
Today, things are difficult to understand. Large, vocal brands frequently fail to reach modern customers. The physical location could become more of a nuisance than a benefit. Small stores can run on a slim budget and have no inventory.
All of this allows retailers that are digital-first to make a mark even in saturated markets. If you plan to launch an online retailer, there’s plenty of room in 2022.
These are the Statistics for Selling Online
The retail industry went through major chaos. However, the terrible global events spurred the rise of online sales:
- 46 percent of U.S. consumers tried a new brand or placed an order with new retailers last year. Due to the convenience of shopping online and the blurring of the lines between different regions, consumers are constantly shifting their brands.
- According to a study published in May by Accenture that the number of purchases by inexperienced or not frequent users of e-commerce is predicted to grow by 160% over the next few years.
- Many people in the past year realized the extent to which they enjoy the convenience of shopping online — and are becoming more accustomed to it.
- 50% of online transactions will be made on smartphones by September 2022. U.S. consumers spent $190 billion using mobile devices in 2020.
- Smaller online stores experienced a 96.5 percent increase in web traffic from October 2019 to October 2020. More than one-third of them reported an increase between 100 and 200 percent. Most people also expect this increase to continue in the next few years.
Based on the facts, online retail has immense and increasing potential. The opportunities are expanding. The conditions for the launch of stores online are good as they can be despite the general economic uncertainty.
Based on the information, there’s an opportunity for differentiation chance. How many websites do you browse on your mobile device with a seamless shopping-to-checkout experience?
If you think that 50% of your spending is likely to be made via smartphones (never think about what that means for browsing on mobile), Let’s imagine that their phones are likely to be the primary interface to all interactions across the funnel.
Making sure that customers have a smooth and usable shopping experience, even on their smaller phones -is a significant difference.
What is the reason for creating an e-commerce site?
The increase in e-commerce has many advantages to a company’s bottom line. However, the website developers in Mumbai believes are many more reasons to start an online business. Online presence provides businesses with numerous opportunities to make connections that can lead to growth.
- Market acquisitions in the new year.
It is difficult for many businesses, especially small businesses, and startups, to get customers into new markets without an online storefront.
A website that sells online allows you to connect with new customers on the internet, which you can’t do through brick-and-mortar stores.
- Create unique shopping experiences
Online businesses can also directly impact customers’ experience by creating a unique shopping experience with videos or stories and customized services.
Shopping experiences don’t have to be finished at the end of the transaction since you can contact customers through email marketing or social media.
These amazing experiences can be the ability to convince customers that shopping online offers a variety of possibilities that brick-and-mortar stores generally don’t offer.
- Build your brand.
If you are selling through an online marketplace such as eBay or Amazon, your products will be generally listed in generic terms and are often branded with the marketplace’s branding.
A few customers might not know they’re buying from you and thus will not know about your company’s name. Making your eCommerce site will ensure that you control the way your products are displayed. Your customers will remember you and not the market.
How to build an eCommerce Website Step-by-Step
Creating an online store isn’t as difficult as you’d think. There are e-commerce platforms available that can do the majority of the work.
However, you need to know what’s available and what you need from your website. If you’re able to do the necessary investigation, you’ll be able to make the right choices to create an amazing website that expands and changes with you over the future. The digital marketing agency in Mumbai offers various packages related to web development.
- Select your perfect e-commerce platform.
- Purchase a domain.
- Find the developer.
- Select your e-commerce theme.
- Modify your e-commerce template.
- Include your items.
- Install payment methods.
- Find out the settings for your shipping.
- Check out the preview, test… as well, and then launch your store on the internet.
1. Find Your Perfect E-commerce Platform
Finding the best web-based store builder for your business is the initial step on your journey. It’s crucial to find one that meets your product’s and brand’s requirements.
Different types are available for Ecommerce platforms
There are three kinds of E-commerce platforms. There are many options to select from that will work for different types of businesses and offer various Functionality. Here’s what you should be aware of:
- Open source
The name implies that open-source platforms make their source code for free for anyone who would like to utilize it. It’s completely free to install and customizable. But, open-source platforms generally require a high level of coding expertise to be used correctly.
Security attacks are also a worry as users are often required to employ people who are committed to protecting the security of their platform, which could be more expensive than a subscription with another kind of platform.
SaaS, also known as Software as a Service, is an online marketplace that’s provided as a subscription-based service. Since they’re specifically designed for online shopping, they can handle the logistics, such as checkout and processing payments.
They are typically simple to use, adaptable and feature robust security. Pricing is an issue with SaaS since there is a monthly subscription fee, transaction fees, and charges for plugin applications. Certain services also come with branding limitations, which limit designers’ creativity.
Websites built on Wix, such as Wix, include “powered with Wix” in the middle of the page, meaning that you’re not just advertising your company’s image but also being a part of the show with Wix.
Premium services typically allow you to design the look and feel that represents your company’s identity on its own.
- Commerce without head
Headless commerce ensures that both the cart for shopping and the display layer of e-commerce websites are separate.
This means you can make use of the content management system (CMS) as well as a digital experience platform (DXP), progressive web application (PWA), or other technology in the front end and combine by integrating an eCommerce engine in the backend.
Headless commerce allows customer-facing modifications to be implemented swiftly and offers businesses a lot of options for creative management.
Additionally, it lets businesses be more efficient in bringing their products to market at a lower cost and gives them more control over their stores while outsourcing security and PCI compliance.
- Hosting for Ecommerce.
The web hosting of Ecommerce is where your information is kept. It could affect security as well as expenses, so take the time to consider the options available to you.
Cloud hosting is a term used to describe e-commerce websites hosted off-site. It’s typically offered through SaaS as well as headless commerce businesses.
The platform is responsible for the time of uptime, as well as patches, updates, and upgrades to keep websites secure.
Open-source platforms may include a cloud service which includes the cost of hosting, but they require security-related maintenance to be performed by the seller.
On-premise hosting refers specifically to e-commerce websites hosted on servers owned by the company and usually come with open-source Software.
The business must have an area for hosting, managing the installation, and employing staff to manage its maintenance to guarantee that the website is up and running. This is typically more feasible for larger companies.
Considerations to make when selecting your e-commerce service. Many systems must work together to provide your customers with the most enjoyable shopping experience.
Examine how your chosen E-commerce platform operates in these areas to make sure it operates efficiently now and in the future.
- Website performance
Check that the platform is regularly operating and has a solid uptime record to ensure that your website is up and running for customers to shop.
Unlimited API calls can make your website easier to manage, while pages that load fast offer customers the best possible experience.
- Capacity for traffic
Does the platform fulfill your current requirements for traffic? Does it have the potential to grow along with you as your business grows? Can it cope with big days such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
- Mobile Optimization
The majority of customers are purchasing through mobile devices. It’s therefore crucial that your website’s platform is optimized your site for a great mobile experience.
Find ways to improve the user experience by using mobile technology, such as geolocation. It helps shoppers locate the closest retailer.
- Secure payment and data
The platform needs to be secure enough to protect your customers and your data. SaaS solutions offer security features, such as SSL and PCI, as part of their monthly packages.
Open-source and self-hosted solutions demand users to have a better knowledge of security as there is a greater chance of an attack.
- Ecommerce website builders to make use of.
The website builder you choose to use is the base for your store online. Ecommerce-specific options provide more options and the potential to expand than standard website builders using an add-on for eCommerce. Here are some possibilities to consider:
BigCommerce is a SaaS solution that is known for its scalability. It offers 24/7 customer assistance, including priority assistance for accounts with large amounts. There are many included options.
Security layers keep data secure, and local payment methods attract customers from all over the globe.
BigCommerce is headless-compatible, meaning brands can offer API-driven experience using a CMS DXP, device, application, or even a custom front-end using BigCommerce as the engine behind the commerce.
Shopify is another SaaS solution that is fully hosted and well-known for being fast and easy to set up. Shopify can handle a large volume of transactions every minute; therefore, it can deal with the peaks in traffic.
Shopify offers an extensive selection of plugins. However, the cost can quickly go up if you’re using lots of plugins.
Magento can be described as an entirely self-hosted solution, which means you can be completely creative; however, you’ll require a developer to make the most of the platform.
There are a variety of integrations, and it’s able to handle instant purchases and suggestions for products.
WooCommerce is an open-source WordPress plugin and, therefore, completely free to download. It is generally used by users who have an existing WordPress website.
WooCommerce is flexible and offers unlimited customization options, and industry experts review its code for security.
2. Purchase Domain Names Domain Name
If you have already registered a domain that you want to transfer, it is possible to transfer it to your store builder. If you don’t own an existing domain name, follow the top methods listed below.
- Avoid creative spellings
Domain names should be simple to recall and use, so stay clear of the use of creative spellings. It doesn’t have to pass an examination for spelling, but in fact, Google wasn’t an actual word until Google invented it.
However, it should be simple to spell. Also, make sure it’s easy to pronounce as you want your customers to share it with their acquaintances about it. Do not use hyphens or numbers, as it makes it difficult for people to share the URL.
- Beware of generic names.
A generic name comes with two drawbacks: people might forget the name or choose a company with a similar name that has a higher ranking in search engine optimization (SEO) rank. A memorable brandable name makes sure your domain name is distinctive.
- The shorter the length, the more efficient.
Make your domain name between 6 and 14 characters long, which makes it simpler for your customers to remember.
The shorter names are also easier to use for marketing purposes, increasing the number of customers, regardless of whether they are finding you via a search engine.
3. Find an Enterprise Developer
Even when you’re operating your business as a bootstrap, A professional can make creating an online store much easier. They’re equipped with the technology to set up your site quickly, which means you can begin selling earlier.
When you’re considering a developer inquire about their timeline so that you can determine the time of your launch. See other websites they’ve created and request the names of those companies.
Be sure that the developer is in agreement with your ideas and can create the website you want within the budget you have set.
4. Pick Your Templates: Choose an appropriate theme to match your eCommerce Website’s Vision
Templates, also known as themes, are pre-built pages that you can personalize to fit your branding and make your website look professional without the need for design or programming expertise. Take note of the following points when choosing a template.
- Customer navigation
A smooth navigation experience is crucial to a positive customer experience. The navigation bar is simple to read and is located on the left-hand side of the page.
Users read the page from left to right. If a user cannot find what they’re looking for and want, they’ll click the back button and go elsewhere.
- The style that is used on the homepage
Does the homepage of your template reflect your image? Does it include areas that allow you to upload slideshows, photos, or videos?
Are there spaces to tell your story to your visitors? Customers should be able to identify the type of business you represent from the first moment they see you. Therefore, make sure that your template conveys that.
- Options for customization
What areas of the website can be altered? Are there fonts as well as a color scheme that is consistent with your brand? What number of images can you include? How do you display your products, and how can they be changed?
Are social media able to be integrated? Most web-based store designers use apps to include features that aren’t built in; therefore, think about the number of apps you’ll require to integrate with the template.
5. Add Your Products
The product pages rank among the top important pages you can have on your site because they tell your visitors what you can offer them.
Ensure your products are displayed in the best possible light by incorporating optimized product descriptions with appealing images and simple categories.
- Product descriptions.
Descriptions of products are an integral element of your online store. They provide information about the use of the product, its dimensions, colors, textures, and/or the importance of the product for your customers.
They also allow robots to index your site for search engine optimization. Avoid long sentences, cliches, and complicated phrasing when writing descriptions. Also, ensure that the descriptions address the questions below:
- Who’s the target market for the product?
- What are the basic specifications?
- What is the most appropriate place to be able to use this product?
- What is the best time to make use of the product?
- Product images.
- Visitors to websites are captivated by visual information, which is why photos of high-quality products are crucial.
When designing photos, think of the following points:
- Utilize images with high quality
Images reflect what people think of as the quality and worth of the product. Photos that are of high quality make your products stand out. Colorful photos make images more attractive and keep your customers looking.
- Be sure that every image is of identical size
Each photo must be the same size since different sizes of images can frequently cause a misalignment in your gallery. Make use of an image editor program to modify each photo to the proper size.
- Add product variation image
The majority of photos should be exclusive to the product, which shows the product from every angle.
Including an in-context image that shows the product in use is also recommended. They are useful on product pages and could also be utilized on social media to increase the emotional connection.
- Categories of products
You can include products into categories, such as books, clothes, and movies, to assist customers in finding the items they’re looking for.
They can be utilized with filters that allow people to search for certain categories or price ranges and still stay in their price range. The highlighted items are a fantastic option to direct customers to the path you prefer to shop.
6. Install Payment Methods
The most appropriate technique for payment is crucial to closing the sale. Be sure that it meets the needs of your payment processing. If the payment method is not simple enough or reliable, your customers could quit their shopping cart and never return.
- Three kinds of e-commerce payment gateways
There are three kinds of payment gateways, each with each its pros and pros. When choosing the right gateway, you should consider the steps you must follow to ensure that transactions and data are secure.
A redirection takes the user to a different website for payment processing. The most commonly used illustration is PayPal. This is an easy solution for retailers that transfer security issues to a third party, but it also adds another layer of risk for customers that could turn some customers away.
- Checkout on-site and payment off-site
The gateway is the front-end payment which includes collecting the details; however, the payment processing happens off-site. Stripe is a well-known business providing this service.
It removes the need for additional steps for customers. However, it is important to ensure your website is properly encrypted so the information can be securely transmitted to the payment processor.
- On-site transactions
On-site payments are processed on your website and give you total control and accountability. It is ideal for large companies that handle many transactions since they have the financial resources to keep it up and running and safe.
- Tips for selecting your payment integration
Integrating a gateway to payment is a safe method that secures and sends your credit card’s data directly to the payment processing company.
Because it’s an essential component of your online store, ensure that you do your investigation and comprehend the benefits you’ll get through your payment integration.
- Check the easy integration
Imagine how easy it is to incorporate the system into your site. Does it integrate with the e-commerce platform you’ve chosen?
- Take into account reviews from customers
Check out reviews of customers on other sites. Are the gateways reliable? Does it operate regularly? Are there any reports of people having issues paying or receiving money?
- Remember the cost of your visit.
Charges are incurred in each stage of the process, including making payments and processing refunds. Check out the fine print to be aware of how much it costs and are pleased with the cost.
- PCI secure and PCI compliant
Specifically, PCI stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. This is to ensure that your credit card information is protected.
Failure to comply could result in penalties, lawsuits, and even a decrease in trust with clients, so ensure that your gateway is in compliance and security.
It is also important to ensure that your website is secured with the SSL certification to make sure that all transactions and data from the customers to merchants are secure.
7. Make sure you have your shipping settings in order
Shipping is an essential element of e-commerce. Customers need their items quickly, so make sure you choose the right shipping settings.
- Decide on the shipping policies of your company
Your shipping policy covers costs and transportation. Do you offer delivery for no cost, a flat fee, or a variable rate? Which shipping company are you using?
Also, think about whether you’re planning to send your parcel internationally if you don’t ensure that the details are readily available to ensure that international customers don’t get frustrated when they check out.
- Select e-commerce shipping solutions for your business
Select the best shipping option. Are you going to be handling the packing or dropping shipping? The Software for shipping that is integrated with your other workflow lets you automate this part of your company, freeing your time to focus on other things.
8. Review and Publish Your Online Store
A successful launch is contingent on everything that’s on your site running just as it is supposed to.
If a link isn’t working, payment processing isn’t working, or your site does not look great for mobile users, you could cause customers to leave and cause delays while correcting your errors. Be sure to test every aspect before clicking “Publish”.
- Does the checkout function?
Test the Functionality of an order. Are you able to add items to your cart? Are you able to make the purchase? Did you receive all the confirmation emails you expected?
- Are the functions of the store working?
Click each button and then link to your website. Are the links and buttons work? Are filters and categories working? If a link isn’t working, is your 404-page able to send customers back to your website?
- Does the store function on mobile?
Check out the store on your smartphone. Are the measurements, right? Are the buttons simple to use? Are the images clearer even on smaller screens?
- Try your store out on various browsers
Check out the store in all the browsers you can, such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Verify that it is working on all browsers, and If you encounter issues, contact the developers to correct them.
- Set the settings for your store
The store settings cover items like language, time zone, language, email address, contact information, taxes, and measurement units. Ensure all of these settings have been correctly set before starting.
Check out our website development packages in Mumbai for hassle-free e-commerce website.
A successful eCommerce site is more than an online store where you can sell your products. It’s where businesses can provide an experience that builds their brand, draws in new customers, and turns customers who are not loyal to the brand into loyal patrons.
Selecting the best e-commerce platform as well as having a proper marketing strategy for an online store that is successful can provide you with a leg up in becoming an e-commerce success. I you want to read, check out our previous blog Sales Funnel: Boost Your Sales by Converting Visitors Into Buyers (2022 Guide) | <urn:uuid:3332642c-3aef-4230-b1cc-9f3a9053774c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://syspree.com/guide-on-building-a-e-commerce-website/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.941247 | 4,939 | 1.546875 | 2 |
As my faithful readers know, I had been fretting about Munchkin going into a grade 1-2 split class. I had hoped that this would allow for her to be challenged a bit.
I think that I now need to figure out how to express this to the teacher. I would like her to be challenged, but at the same time, I want there to be the option to take a step back if we’ve pushed too hard.
Last night’s events will help you understand where I’m coming from.
After picking up the girls from my in-laws, I read the note from the teacher advising us about the “Words of the Week” that Munchkin should practice at home for her spelling test on Friday. I was very excited as I knew that these would be good exercises for Munchkin.
I was working on dinner and excitedly ask Munchkin to grab her agenda and we’d check out the word list.
But after reading them, I tried not to show my disappointment because I had started this exercise with much enthusiasm and I didn’t want to let Munchkin down. So I read out each work and she spelled them without hesitation.
I gave her a big high five and told her what a great job she did. She was smiling because she was proud.
Then there was a slight pause, and she said “I hope next week’s words are harder.”
She said exactly what I was thinking. So now I have to figure out if we approach the teacher about this or if we wait to see what next week brings.
To cheer her up a bit, the rest of our making-dinner time was spent spelling other words.
My word list included:
She tried spelling sister with an “ir” at the end but we sounded it out again and she got it right. So then Munchkin wanted to know how to spell “stir”.
She definitely needs to be challenged.
Any suggestions on what to say to the teacher without sounding like a pushy-know-it-all parent? | <urn:uuid:8f85870e-317c-40aa-a9f7-a8f2e654cbbc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.mapsgirl.ca/2010/09/being-challenged.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.983372 | 488 | 1.539063 | 2 |
AirCare is part of an EMS network serving patients in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina. The service includes three aircraft and five mobile ambulances stationed in strategic locations to provide fast, safe transportation for critically ill and injured patients.
- AirCare 1, a twin-engine Airbus EC135 helicopter, is based at the Davidson County Airport in Davidson County NC.
- AirCare 2, a twin-engine Airbus EC135 helicopter, is based at the Wilkes County Airport in North Wilkesboro NC.
- AirCare 3, a twin-engine Airbus EC135 helicopter, is based at the Blue Ridge Airport in Henry County VA.
- Critical Care Ambulances are based at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and affiliated hospitals.
Our aircraft are operated by Metro Aviation.
These vehicles are located to provide the fastest possible response to calls for critical care transportation. AirCare 1 primarily covers south and southwest of Winston-Salem, AirCare 2 covers northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia, and AirCare 3 covers Henry County, Patrick County, Pittsylvania County, Rockingham County and Stokes County.
AirCare treats adult and pediatric patients with a variety of conditions, including trauma, cardiac, stroke and burns.
Wake Forest Baptist is the only Level 1 trauma center in the region and has one of only two burn centers in North Carolina. The Level 1 trauma center designation was first received in 1982 and has been renewed since then. The designation is awarded to hospitals that demonstrate the highest commitment to caring for critically injured patients.
AirCare responds to calls from First Responders and hospitals 24/7. The helicopter is in the air within minutes of receiving a call, and the crew is in direct radio contact with EMS personnel at the scene or the physician at the referring hospital.
The crew treats patients at the scene. Within 10 minutes, the aircraft usually is back in the air, and the crew is in direct contact with physicians in the emergency department at Wake Forest Baptist. Studies indicate that the mortality is lower when patients are transferred to a trauma center within 60 minutes of an accident.
The AirCare crew includes a pilot, flight nurse and paramedic. The nurse and paramedic are certified in several areas of emergency care and have undergone extensive training in advanced airway management, transport physiology, burn and trauma care, pediatrics and cardiology. The aircraft are equipped with sophisticated life support and patient care equipment.
For more information, contact firstname.lastname@example.org.
Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Team
The Brenner Children’s Hospital Critical Care Neonatal/Pediatric Team transports critically ill children through their 17th birthday to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the Pediatric Emergency Department, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Brenner Children’s Hospital.
The Team serves a 20-county region of northwest North Carolina and southern Virginia.
The Neonatal/Pediatric Team consists of registered nurses and respiratory therapists who are trained in the transport of newborns and specialize in the care of critically ill children.
Requests for Transport Service
Referring physicians can request the Neonatal/Pediatric Team by calling the Physician’s Access Line at 1-877-716-1999. The ambulance will be on the road within 20 minutes of the call, and helicopters will be airborne within 10 minutes.
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Helipad Information
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
FAA Designation: 5NC7
- The Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center dual roof-top helipads are located on top of a parking deck on the west side of the hospital campus.
N 36° 05.377 W 80° 16.220
Primary ingress/egress routes from the west and east
104ft. X 62ft. Elevated helipads.
- Perimeter Lights:
All incoming aircraft contact the transport communication center for availability.
Transmit Freq: 458.025 mHz
Receive Freq: 453.025 mHz
PL Tone: 88.5
- Helipad weight limits: 12,000 lbs. each helipad
- Maximum Capacity: Two helicopters
- Restricted Use: Military Blackhawk and Huey helicopters
- Automatic snow-melt system | <urn:uuid:ad9dd2ba-e091-4136-b537-7cd1a255c62a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.wakehealth.edu/referring-physicians/transporting-patients | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.907479 | 952 | 1.773438 | 2 |
There are a lot of things to understand and know about when it comes to a wonderful amazing country like Egypt. There, you will find dozens of ancient temples, tombs, attractive sites, unbelievable treasures that you can explore while being in Egypt. When you want to relax for some time and head to a different place abroad to take a break from your busy life, Egypt is going to be the best possible destination to have such a break since it contains some fascinating landmarks that date back to much more than 4500 years ago.
While planning your adventure to Egypt, you will find that there are so many questions that you need to answer like what are the exact tourist places that you shouldn’t miss:
- When you should visit Egypt?
- What is the season that you should avoid?
- Is it safe enough to enjoy a tour in Egypt?
- How much money to spend in Egypt?
- Is Egypt a suitable destination for solo travelers?
- Will my children enjoy while being in Egypt?
And tens of other similar questions that make any traveler feel hesitated in planning a tour to such a destination.
We have come today with the best guide which includes answers to the majority of inquiries which any traveler may have and we have included them in a form of questions & answers to get the feeling that you have someone to answer all the questions that you may have so kindly keep reading and you will find the answers you are looking for.
- What is the Best Time to Visit Egypt?
In case you are planning to enjoy a wonderful tour and enjoy the beautiful weather in Egypt, then you need to avoid the summer season in Egypt as the temperature can get up to 38°C during the daytime and that is definitely not the best weather for the majority of tourists. After comparing the different feedback of Egypt’s visitors, we have found that the winter season that starts from around the end of October until the end of April is considered the most favorable part of the year for tourists who want to tour around the greatest historical sightseeing around Egypt especially those which are located in Upper Egypt & Giza Complex.
Some travelers prefer the summer season more than the winter season as they can enjoy some interesting water sports in the coastal beaches of the Red Sea like those in Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh. That is definitely not the only reason as the second major reason that attracts tourists is the discounts & affordable prices they can get in such a season since it is known as the low season in Egypt for tourists. So you can enjoy a relaxed tour with no tourists’ crowds and a really good deal.
- Best Public Holidays to Attend in Egypt
There are some highlighted holidays and celebrations that tourists can attend while being in Egypt and that option will allow them to spend a totally exceptional vacation. Among those celebrations is the wonderful Ramadan which is one of the most famous Islamic holidays in Egypt. Muslims fast during that month from the sunrise up to the sunset as an act of obedience to the orders of Allah. Tourists who visit Egypt during that festival enjoy the most delicious oriental food during their accommodation and know a lot of amazing traditions & customs of the Egyptians.
There is also the fascinating Eid El-Fetr which comes directly after Ramadan and it is a celebration in which Egyptians head to their families & friends, go to public parks, and enjoy the best traditional customs they have a long time ago. We can’t forget the incredible Eid El-Adha when Muslims pray and sacrifice a sheep following the sacrifice of Ibrahim. There is also the remarkable Coptic Christmas & the Coptic Easter which are known in Egypt with the most exciting ceremonies and it is a totally wonderful chance for tourists to get to know more about the amazing Egyptian civilization.
- How Can I Get a Visa to Enter Egypt?
There are some nationalities including the Arab & the Western European countries, New Zealand, the USA, Australia, Canada, and similar countries that can obtain their e-visa before their arrival or even wait until their arrival to Egypt and get their visas at Cairo International Airport. There are other countries that can’t receive their visas upon their arrival to Egypt and they need to apply for it before their arrival including Nigeria and India.
- What are the Must-be-Visited Places in Egypt?
There are countless places to visit and in order not to get confused or even miss any important sightseeing, you need to write down the most interesting attractions that you want to explore and consider hiring Egypt tours that include your top spots. From our point of view and based on the history of the following attractions, we can guarantee that these sites are the most exceptional spots in Egypt and you will love each one of them:
- In Cairo, there are Giza Pyramids Complex, the Mythical Sphinx, the Valley Temple, Saqqara Step Pyramid, Memphis City, Dahshur Pyramids, Cairo Citadel, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Amr Ibn El-As Mosque, The Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, El-Refai Mosque, St. Virgin Mary Church, and the exceptional Khan El-Khalili Bazaar.
- In Luxor, there are the wonderful Karnak Temples Complex, Luxor Temple, Colossi of Memnon, Luxor Museum, the hypnotic Valley of the Kings, Dendera Temple, Abydos Temple, The Valley of the Queens, Madinet Habu Temple, and Deir El-Medina.
- In Aswan, there are the charming Philae Temple, The High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, the Nubian Village, Kom Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple, and Aswan Museum
- In Alexandria, there are so many great sightseeing that you can explore in Alexandria including Qaitbey Citadel, Pompey’s Pillar, Alexandria Library, and the Catacombs of Kom El-Shoqafa.
- In Hurghada & Sharm El-Sheikh, you will get the chance to practice so many water activities and enjoy a memorable recreational tour through which you are going to explore so many kinds of fish, coral reefs, do some snorkeling & diving, and spend some time on the beach.
Check Egypt Tours one of the top travel agencies in Egypt and tourism organizations which offer a wide variety of tours include visits to all Egypt top tourist attractions.
- What Types of Tours I can Have in Egypt?
There are three famous types of tours that you can enjoy while spending your vacation in Egypt:
- An Overland tour: it is when you move between the famous tourist Egyptian cities by Plane, car, or train. It is the favorable option for the travelers who want to explore the beauty of nature in Egypt around them and visit as possible places as they can. It is about having a closer look at the Egyptian cities.
- A Nile Cruise Tour: it is the most interesting option for any traveler who wants to go for a more relaxing option and explore the greatness of the majestic Nile River. Such an adventure is about boarding a floating hotel and sail the greatest river in the world. It is such an incomparable adventure for you and your family as you can enjoy the best luxurious accommodation and use the most astonishing facilities & amenities.
- A Recreational Tour: There is no visit to Egypt is complete without heading to a coastal city like Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Sharm el-Sheikh, or El-Gouna as there you will get rid of the whole stress in life and be accommodated at an exceptional resort which will have its own beach and facilities for its guests.
You can also enjoy a mixture of those types of tours in Egypt so for example, you can have a Nile Cruise tour with your overland tour in Cairo, or you can mix between having an overland tour with a visit to a coastal city, and finally, you can have a mixture between a Nile Cruise tour with a coastal tour and an overland tour in Cairo to visit the whole interesting sites in Egypt and enjoy a tour to the tiptop highlights in the beautiful Land of Pharaohs.
- Is it Safe Enough to Visit Egypt and What are the Places that I Shouldn’t Head to?
Regarding the archeological & historical sites in Egypt like those which are located in Cairo, Giza, Luxor, Aswan, and Alexandria, we would like to assure that they are all safe and secured for all of the tourists who come to Egypt as the Egyptian government is doing its best efforts not to face any kind of unfortunate events and they have learned a lot from the previous events to make sure that the life of all guests are safe and they will get back home with the best possible memories from their adventure in Egypt, it is even much safer than what the media will have you believe so there is nothing to worry about regarding Egypt at all. It is the dream destination for any traveler who is interested in history and aim to explore some fabulous great treasure that were left by the greatest rulers ever reigned any country.
There are some non-recommended destinations in Egypt that you need to avoid including:
- The Sinai Peninsula, especially the north due to the terrorist activity and the criminal activity. This isn’t applied for the Red Sea resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh.
- Egypt to the Gaza (Occupied Palestinian Territories) border.
- The Western Desert, for the armed groups in this area near the border with Sudan or Libya.
- The Hala’ib Triangle as it is a disputed territory between Egypt and Sudan.
- Can I Visit Egypt as a Solo Traveler or Should I join a Group Tour?
When it comes to the difference between independent travel & group tours in Egypt, We would like to clarify that both options are totally available and it depends on you whether you would like to travel alone or to head with the ones you love but the most important thing to keep in mind is that Egypt is a safe country and you will be able to enjoy the best Egypt tours whatever the number of travelers who are with you. You should also know that it is highly recommended to have a tour guide to join you during your tours as he will be the one who knows the best places to visit, the duration of time you need to spend on each site, the most recommended cafés and restaurants, and assist you to spend the best tour you want but you decided to travel alone with no tour guide, you may miss some of the most important attractions in Egypt without even knowing that during your vacation.
- What is Tipping in Egypt and is it Obligatory?
There are so many traditions and customs in Egypt that you will know once you arrive at Egypt and among the most notable of them is the tipping issue. The Egyptians always expect receiving tips after assisting any foreigner and it is something known and totally acceptable, however, you should never feel that you are obliged to do so. If you found that the services that you received are totally satisfactory and that the one you requested something for did it well, feel free to give tipping that match the services you have received. If you didn’t feel satisfied regarding what you got, don’t hesitate to say no regarding the tipping and leave. If you felt that someone is following you and insist on taking money from your side, then it is highly recommended to seek for help from and police officer around you and they will assist you in a very good way.
- Do I Need Vaccinations to be Able to Travel to Egypt?
It is very safe to visit Egypt without vaccinations although the CDC “The Centers of Disease Control & Prevention” has mentioned that travelers should have routine vaccines for mumps, measles, tetanus, rubella, diphtheria, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid.
- Can I Drink Water from the Tap while Being in Egypt?
Egyptians usually drink Tap water but it is not recommended for foreigners as it is heavily chlorinates. You can use tap water to have a shower, brush your teeth, and so on. In order to drink good water, you can get bottled water which is very easy to obtain and its price is very reasonable.
- What Can I Eat in Egypt?
Egypt is world-wide known with its amazing meals that are prepared at its different cafés and restaurants. Among the most recommended Egyptian meals are foul, falafel, kebab, Kofta, Shawerma, hummus, mahshi, koshari, hawawshy, and so many desserts like konafa, basbosa, om Ali, golash, ros blaban, and other delicious meals that will make you fall in love with the Egyptian cuisine but you definitely should check the quality of restaurant that you are going to eat at and make sure that the food hasn’t been left out and that the restaurant is following a good hygiene standard.
- What Should I Wear While Being in Egypt?
This is the second most important question after asking about the best time to visit Egypt as it is something very confusing and stressful while packing your bags to get ready to travel to Egypt. The most important thing to keep in mind is that what you wear depends on the season you have chosen to visit Egypt. So after making sure of temperature in Egypt and the state of weather during the time of your tour, you should start packing the most suitable clothes for you. Make sure that what you are going to wear matches the culture in Egypt and always be modestly dressed. Men can wear shorts while being in Egypt and women can wear pants, t-shirts, and dresses. There is no specific dress-code in Egypt but try not to get any unnecessary attention over you while being in the land of Pharaohs.
- What do I Need to Pack for an Egypt Tour?
There are some essential things that you need to pack with you to enjoy your tour in Egypt including the following items:
- A camera with an extra battery
- A small bag to carry your essential items during your tours
- A cell phone
- A local SIM card that you can get right upon your arrival in Egypt
- A sunscreen
- Your most important medicine
- Insect repellant
- A Hat and sunglasses
- Some toiletries
- Extra Credit Cards
- Suitable footwear.
- What is the Main Currency that I Can Use in Egypt and How Can I Exchange Some of my Money?
The main currency that is used in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound “EGP” but in any tourist site, café, hotel, and shops, you will find that they deal with USD or with Credit Cards as they provide every available payment way to make it much easier for Egypt’s visitors to buy and get whatever they need. Regarding exchanging your money, you can do so once you arrive in Egypt as you can get the best exchange rate directly at Cairo International Airport including USD, EGP, EURO, GBP, CAD, AUD, or whatever currency you have and if you don’t want to carry lots on money with you, you can use your card to withdraw any amount of money you want from the ATMs that are located in public.
We hope that we have provided you with the most important answers to any of the main questions that can come to your mind while planning a vacation to the majestic land of Pharaohs and the most important thing to keep in mind is that, Egypt is the most affordable destination that you can head to in order to spend some unforgettable time with the ones you really. | <urn:uuid:b1bc5226-b3e9-47a3-af3e-7be4cd524178> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://thetravelmanuel.com/best-travel-guide-to-visit-egypt/amp/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.959913 | 3,186 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Strategies for Buying a House
We all have the freedom to access the right home. With time a growing child get old and feel it is time for him or her to have their own homes. You need a new place to raise your family once you get old. Though some of the families feel good about it, most prefer to have their own homes to avoid disputes with their parents. For that purpose, you are required to learn more about the best homes you can have before making decisions. You will know about buying a house once you read this page. You can have a home for your family in any place provided it is fascinating. You will get multiples houses for selling in the market. In avalon park homes for sale are availed in different nature. You are the one to select the house you want. There you will have the best home selections. You will be able to have the right home as governed by this site. It is also advisable to visit homes for sale college park fl to choose a home that fits your family. This article, therefore, highlights strategies for obtaining a good house.
To start with, you need to get appraised. This means that you should try your best to get any assistance from the nearby bank or money lending institution. This will help you get any back up that you require to have the best house for your family. Search for evaluations from money lending companies. Once you are evaluated, you will make the right decision.
Secondly, you are required to have a clear map to direct you to the place where you can find better homes. Ensure that you understand where your new house is to be located. Once you get to know where better homes, ask for a map that will direct you all the way to the exact place. Do not be carried away by brokers to get to the right place. People typically go for those houses that are fascinating. Your efforts will determine the right home.
Explore a lot for a better home. Be aware of the right documentation. Present the documents to the specialists for approval. Get a legal representative to ensure that all the details presented to you are okay. Be assured of having an approved residential place. Be assured of the rights obeyed when the property was built.
Ensure that you hire the right real estate negotiator. Avoid contracting with the wrong agent. You can explore through the internet to know more about the best agents in the marketplace to guide you through. You will be directed well to have the best agent by the internet. More firms use blogs where you research about agents you want. Therefore, read more now before you make any decision. | <urn:uuid:0f6a247f-c127-44d4-b552-f411ad88a239> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://brodaty-shams.com/2019/02/22/getting-to-the-point-4/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.962837 | 532 | 1.601563 | 2 |
The American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) is sometimes also called the spoonbill. It is a primitive cartilaginous fish that has remained unchanged for some 300 million years. The American paddlefish is one of only two such species in the world; the other is the Chinese paddlefish from the Yangtze River, thought to be extinct. This fish is a plankton feeder, swimming with an open mouth and using electroreceptors in its long, paddle-shaped snout (called a rostrum) to detect its microscopic prey in murky river waters. It is harvested primarily for its caviar, which closely resembles that of sturgeon. Its meat is of secondary importance, but is also delicious fresh or smoked. The average size of a mature, egg-bearing female is about four feet and 35-40 pounds, though paddlefish can reach six feet long and 200 pounds. They are one of the largest freshwater fish in America. Considering that the paddlefish has a historical range that encompasses nearly the entire swath of the central United States of America, it is difficult, if not impossible, to assign it to one community or region. The native range of the American Paddlefish extended throughout the entire Mississippi River drainage system, or to put it another way, from Pittsburgh to Yellowstone to New Orleans. Modern day production of paddlefish caviar is centered in Kentucky, due in large part to the efforts of Kentucky State University researchers and aquaculture programs. Other states also produce paddlefish through farming, including Missouri, and farming stocks are beginning in Ohio. Paddlefish caviar has a good balance between salinity, richness and earthiness. It has less ‘pop’ and texture than sturgeon caviar, tending toward a bit softer texture. The flavors of the best paddlefish caviar are long lasting, balanced, warm, buttery rich, slightly nutty, with no metallic notes or other off-flavors. The overriding quality of fresh paddlefish meat is that of firmness. This robust quality of mature paddlefish lends tremendous versatility to chefs. Younger fish are also attractive to farmers because the rapid growth allows them to quickly bring a product to market. A young paddlefish displays a superbly delicate texture and flavor. The smoked fish can be profound, and the style can range from pungently smoked and salty to delicate in flavor and texture. Paddlefish are particularly vulnerable to overfishing in the wild, since fishermen and poachers target mature, gravid females for their eggs, which would otherwise, of course, become mature paddlefish. However, the farming of paddlefish is relatively simple and avoids the many pitfalls commonly associated with fish farming, such as pollution, feeding of staple crops or other fish to farmed fish and over breeding. Since paddlefish feed on zooplankton, they do not disturb the feeding patterns of other fish, nor do they eat other fish. Hence, a farming model for paddlefish is inherently sustainable, unlike that of fish-eating salmon or grain-fed tilapia. They will not reproduce in these managed environments (they spawn only in running water), so overpopulation is never an issue. They are caught using large-mesh gill nets. This very specific gear allows other fish to swim through the large openings, ensuring there is no by-catch. Also, for caviar production, the nets are used in winter to harvest the paddlefish while most other fish are dormant. For a variety of reasons, paddlefish are best harvested in cool weather. They are sexually mature and produce eggs at about eight years of age. The eggs begin to form in November and continue to swell through the winter. The optimal time to collect the eggs is when they are large and firm. The eggs are gently cleaned, salted, and cured into caviar. Caviar freezes quite well, with a frozen life of many months. The meat is sold fresh in late winter and early spring. It also freezes well; in fact, certain preparations of paddlefish, particularly older and larger fish, benefit from freezing. During the American ‘Caviar Rush’ from about 1870 to 1900, and again in the 1990s, American paddlefish were overfished by poachers in order to supply caviar that could be falsely sold as Caspian caviar. Today, the paddlefish faces a uniquely modern challenge from another fish: the Asian carp, an invasive species in the Mississippi drainage system, which is also an adult plankton feeder. Although other American fish may not typically eat the adult paddlefish, it may yet be out-eaten in plankton by voracious, fast-maturing Asian carp.Farmed paddlefish has the potential to replace sturgeon as a primary source for caviar, thus easing pressure on sturgeon populations worldwide. There even exists the possibility that the cartilaginous fins of the paddlefish might be used in place of shark fins in Chinese-style soups. Consider the possibility that with proper farming, one threatened species-the paddlefish-might eventually provide a measure of salvation to two other fish facing intense pressure from overfishing. While wild populations of paddlefish are threatened on multiple fronts, the encouragement and wider establishment of paddlefish reservoir ranching and polyculture farming would decrease poaching pressure by making its caviar less expensive, better quality, better known, and more widely available. To see these magnificent fish protected in the wild, but farmed in astonishing sustainability would greatly help to safeguard their survival. | <urn:uuid:62896c5c-d3d2-4b79-91c5-177bc32225be> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/american-paddlefish/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.9555 | 1,128 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Professor Cynthia Goh named academic director of BBCIE
Goh brings “entrepreneurship experience and passion for the translation of scientific discovery to technologies that benefit society,” Scott Mabury says
Professor M. Cynthia Goh, scientist, educator and serial entrepreneur, has been selected as the inaugural academic director for the University of Toronto’s Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (BBCIE).
“The world has changed, and while we provide an excellent fundamental education, our students could use more,” said Goh.“U of T needs to be the leader in training and inspiring our world-class students to use their talents to reach out and create an impact.
“Entrepreneurial skills are not just for building a company. In creating this new position, the university recognizes that we want to foster an entrepreneurial mindset and a culture of innovation in our students because these are crucial elements for their future.”
A physical chemist with appointments in the departments of chemistry, materials science and engineering, the Institute of Medical Science and the Munk School of Global Affairs, Goh is the founding director of the Impact Centre, a U of T campus-linked accelerator (CLA) which aims to bring science to society. She has published more than 80 scientific papers and holds more than 20 patents.
With her graduate students, Goh has started seven science-based companies which employ dozens of people in a variety of industries – from medical diagnostics and agriculture to nanomaterials and science education. As director of the Impact Centre, she has nurtured more than 100 technology startup companies and advised hundreds of entrepreneurs over the past five years on how to turn the results of research into real products and processes.
Professor Scott Mabury, operations vice-president, said Goh is recognized for both her scholarship and entrepreneurial activities.
“Her entrepreneurship experience and passion for the translation of scientific discovery to technologies that benefit society make her well-equipped to enhance the entrepreneurial activity taking place at the university.”
The originator of Entrepreneurship 101, the flagship training program at MaRS which was first offered in the chemistry department and is accessed by about 20,000 annually, Goh has more than 15 years of experience in introducing entrepreneurial skills to students. Her activities within universities in Canada and abroad have inspired tens of thousands of students in science and innovation.
The BBCIE is the central office for student-related entrepreneurial activity across the three campuses of the university. The appointment of an academic director recognizes the important role that innovation and entrepreneurship will continue to play within the academic mandate of the university.
U of T houses nine CLAs coordinated under the BBCIE umbrella. Each of the CLAs has been established to fill demand from the university’s diverse disciplines and three campuses. In operation for more than three years, the BBCIE takes the administrative lead on all things entrepreneurship at U of T and now will be complemented by Goh as the academic link for students.
“The CLAs are the beginning,” Goh said, “but we need to move even further – to reach out to all students, as well as beyond STEM disciplines to build connections and generate new ways of thinking.”
In this new position, Goh said, her goal to reach as many students as possible.
“The appointment of an academic director is part of the university’s commitment to fostering tomorrow’s entrepreneurs,” said Vivek Goel, vice-president of research and innovation. “Considerable work has been done building the entrepreneurial ecosystem so far and this next step will help ensure U of T students are receiving the best experience possible to prepare themselves for the future.”
As academic director, Goh will lead efforts to create opportunities for collaboration on initiatives across the CLAs and the university as a whole. She will spearhead initiatives that will continue to position the university as one of the leading centres for innovation and entrepreneurship. | <urn:uuid:fa49e897-90f2-4a35-b0a9-51f4f5113038> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://d3oxxpqksdxu7j.cloudfront.net/news/professor-cynthia-goh-named-academic-director-bbcie | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.95034 | 820 | 1.578125 | 2 |
2006 Drosophila Image Award
A cluster of Fruitless-expressing neurons in the Drosophila brain has been found to differ between male and females. This difference is produced by active elimination of neuronal precursor cells in females. The male-specific Fruitless protein inhibits programmed cell death in a cluster of neurons, allowing them to form a neural circuit that directs males to court females and not males. This research shows how a single gene can direct brain development and subsequently a sex-specific behavior. In this framework, sexual orientation can be understood in relation to an identified neuronal circuit and defined actions of a sex-determination gene.
This figure shows the projection pattern of sexually dimorphic mAL (medially located, just above Antennal Lobe) neurons in the brain of a female (left) and a male (right).
Kimura, K.-I., Ote. M, Tazawa, T and Yamamoto, D. Fruitless specifies sexually dimorphic neural circuitry in the Drosophilabrain. Nature, vol. 438, 229-233 (2005).
Genetically targeted photostimulation of dopaminergic neurons in Drosophila melanogaster alters locomotor activity and navigation patterns.
Flies expressing an optically gated ion channel in dopaminergic neurons were analyzed in a 25-mm circular arena (grey circles). Movement trajectories of four individuals during 2-minute observation periods before and after photostimulation of dopaminergic neurons are shown. Note the changes in locomotor activity and in centripetal vs. centrifugal movement patterns following illumination. The four examples are arranged, from top to bottom, in the order of increasing pre-illumination locomotor activity.
Lima, S.Q. and G. Miesenböck (2005) Remote control of behavior through genetically targeted photostimulation of neurons. Cell 121: 141-152.
Drosophila, like other multicellular organisms, decides whether to feed or not based on external stimuli, including gustatory information. Displayed is a composite fluorescence image of a Drosophila central nervous system showing a population of neurons interconnecting taste input with higher brain centers, thereby modulating the fly’s feeding behavior.
Christoph Melcher and Michael J. Pankratz (2005). Candidate gustatory interneurons modulating feeding behavior in the Drosophila brain. PLoS Biology 3(9):e305.
The picture shows the pale and yellow ommatidial subtypes in a whole mounted Drosophila retina. The pale R8 are stained for the blue-sensitive Rhodopsin 5 (red) and the yellow R8 for the green-sensitive Rhodopsin 6 (green). Phalloidin (blue) stains all photoreceptors.
Through a bistable loop the growth regulator melted and the tumor suppressor warts specify opposite cell fates in the R8. While warts and it’s partners hippo and salvador are necessary and sufficient to induce the yellow R8 fate, melted is sufficient to induce the pale R8 state.
Picture by Esteban O. Mazzoni, from:
Mikeladze-Dvali T, Wernet MF, Pistillo D, Mazzoni EO, Teleman AA, Chen YW, Cohen S, Desplan C.
The growth regulators warts/lats and melted interact in a bistable loop to specify opposite fates in Drosophila R8 photoreceptors. Cell. 2005 Sep 9;122(5):775-87
SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR TRAINING OF DROSOPHILA GENETICISTS
“Learning to Fly: Phenotypic Markers in Drosophila.”
A poster of common phenotypic markers used in Drosophila genetics.
Jennifer Childress, Richard Behringer, and Georg Halder. 2005. Genesis 43(1). Cover illustration.
SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR TRAINING OF DROSOPHILA GENETICISTS
The UCLA Undergraduate Research Consortium in Functional Genomics (URCFG).
This image contains pictures of all URCFG members (including 140 undergraduate students) that were authors on our first publication. The data describes the eye phenotype through the use of the eyFLP/FRT technique of 1375 different lethal P-element insertions on the 2nd and 3rd chromosomes. The wings contain only a small fraction of the light and scanning electron microscope images that the students took and uploaded onto our database. These and all images are available on our database at www.BruinFly.ucla.edu. This image is a perfect representation of how Drosophila can be used to further both science and education—especially in a method that combines the two.
Chen J, Call GB, URCFG, Banerjee U. (2005) Discovery-based science education: functional genomic dissection in Drosophila by undergraduate researchers. PLoS Biol. 3:e59.
Candidate to the award: David E. Larson, BS
Snapshots from movies showing control (A- D) and Csk -deficient developing retinas (E-L) from live pupae.
In the control movie, normal programmed cell death was observed (red pseudo colored cells) as well as tertiary pigment cell morphogenesis (green pseudo colored cell). In contrast, no cell death was observed in Csk retinas, and aberrant cell movements were observed (examples were highlighted in green, orange and blue). Together with other experiments, such movies indicated that a broad loss of Csk results in decreased cell death and cell adhesion.
Vidal M, Larson DE, Cagan RL. Csk-deficient boundary cells are eliminated from normal Drosophila epithelia by exclusion, migration, and apoptosis. Developmental Cell January 10, 2006;10:33-44.
MBC Feb 2005 cover
Reversible phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC) is a key regulatory mechanism controlling myosin activity, and thus regulating the actin/myosin cytoskeleton. In a recent paper in Molecular Biology of the Cell we showed that PP1β, a specific isoform of Serine/Threonine Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1), regulates non-muscle myosin in Drosophila and that this is the essential role of PP1β. Loss of PP1β leads to increased levels of phosphorylated non-muscle MRLC (Sqh) and actin disorganisation; these phenotypes can be suppressed by reducing the amount of active myosin. The cover image shows a confocal micrograph of a small clone of PP1β mutant Drosophila ovarian follicle cells (marked by lack of EGFP, green), which have accumulated high levels of phosphorylated myosin regulatory light chain, Sqh (red). PP1β, together with its proposed specific substrate and regulatory proteins, are all highly conserved between flies and humans, suggesting that this role may be conserved.
Credits: The sample was prepared by Natasha Vereshchagina, the confocal image was acquired and processed by Helen White-Cooper.
Ref: Vereshchagina, N., Bennett, D., Kirchner, J., Szöor, B., White-Cooper, H. and Alphey, L. Regulation of non-muscle myosin is the only essential role of PP1β in Drosophila. (2004). Mol. Biol. Cell, 15: 4395-4405. This picture was published as the cover to MBC vol 16, issue 2 (2005).
Intestinal Stem Cells reside at the base of cell nests.
A three-cell intestinal stem cell (ISC) clone (two days after induction) showing a single ISC, ISC daughter (EB), and one early enterocyte (EC). B-gal (green), Armadillo (red), DAPI (blue). Scale bar, 10 um.
Benjamin Ohlstein and Allan Spradling. The adult Drosophilaposterior midgut is maintained by pluripotent stem cells. Nature. 2005 Dec 7; [Epub ahead of print].
Figure: Keith Amonlirdviman
Simulation of a proposed feedback loop model involving Frizzled (Fz), Dishevelled (Dsh), Van gogh (Vang) and Prickle (Pk) was used to explore emergent planar polarity patterns surrounding mutant clones. The results demonstrate that the model provides a feasible explanation for the characteristic planar polarity phenotypes in and around clones.
The Figure shows simulations of wild-type (A-D) and four mutant clones (as marked), and compares the polarity patterns to confocal images of phalloidin stained clones in wings. Protein concentrations (all four in A-D, and Dsh in remaining simulations) are shown on a color scale, where 1 is scaled to the initial uniform concentration of Dsh and the scale is truncated so that concentrations greater than 3 are shown in red. Note that the model replicates the presence or absence, as well as the direction of domineering nonautonomy.
Amonlirdviman, K., Khare, N., Tree, D.R., Chen, W.-S., Axelrod, J.D. and Tomlin, C.J. (2005) Mathematical modeling of planar cell polarity to understand domineering nonautonomy. Science307: 423-426.
In Drosophila courtship, the male performs an innate “song-and-dance” ritual to woo the female. The song is generated by extending and vibrating a wing. Normally, males court and females do not. However, if females are forced to express the male form of a single gene, fruitless, they now perform the male courtship ritual. In this image, such a female is “singing” as she courts another female. Thus, the action of a single gene is sufficient to generate a complex innate behavior.
fruitless splicing specifies male courtship behavior in Drosophila. Demir, C and Dickson BJ (2005) Cell 121 785-794.
Hexagonal packing of cell in the Drosophila wing epithelium
Wild type wings at prepupal-pupal transition and at hair formation were stained for E-cadherin to outline cells. Images were analyzed using Cellenger to visualize the number of neighbors for each cell in the epithelium.
Wing epithelial cells are irregularly arranged throughout most of development but become hexagonally packed shortly before hair formation. During the process, individual cell boundaries grow and shrink, resulting in local neighbor exchanges and regularization of packing geometry.
Hexagonal packing of wing epithelial cells depends on the activity of the Planar Cell Polarity pathway.
Anne-K. Classen, Kurt Anderson, Eric Maois, Suzanne Eaton (2005) Hexagonal packing of Drosophila wing epithelial cells by the planar cell polarity pathway. Developmental Cell. 9(6):805-17.
Time-lapse fluorescent images of PER-CFP (top), TIM-YFP (middle) and FRET (bottom) from a single cell. FRET (Fluorescence Resonant Energy Transfer) measures the interaction between these two proteins.
PER/TIM stably interact in the cytoplasm for 320 minutes after their production, and just before their transfer to the nucleus, they separate.
P. Meyer, L. Saez, M. W. Young, Science 311, 226-9 (Jan 13, 2006).
Neuroglian loss-of-function axonal pathfinding phenotype in the ocellar system of an adult Drosophila head.
Shown are dorsal views of two Drosophila heads, which have been stained using a monoclonal antibody (22C10) to highlight sensory neuronal axons and neuronal cell bodies. The head on the top depicts the wild type pattern, whereas the head of the individual on the bottom has a mutation its neuroglian gene. InDrosophila the neuroglian gene is the sole representative of the L1 family of neural cell adhesion molecules. Ocellar pioneer and bristle mechanosensory neurons of the head ocellar sensory system both require Neuroglian for proper axonal growth and pathfinding. Kristiansen et al. demonstrate in their publication that this axonal pathfinding phenotype is mediated by endogenous receptor tyrosine kinases. Furthermore, by expressing Drosophila and vertebrate L1 family members in the ocellar sensory system of transgenic Drosophila and rescuing the mutant phenotype they explore the requirement for specific cell adhesion molecules during axonal pathfinding of different neuronal cell types.
L.V. Kristiansen, E. Velasquez, S. Romani, S. Baars, V. Berezin, E. Bock, M. Hortsch, and L. Garcia-Alonso: Genetic Analysis of an Overlapping Functional Requirement for L1- and NCAM-type Proteins During Sensory Axon Guidance in Drosophila. Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 28: 141-52, 2005.
The southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by the Drosophila promoter act88F, a flight muscle-specific promoter. GFP expression in the transgenic mosquito is restricted to the indirect flight muscles of the adult (above) and pupa (below), and not detected in the egg or larva stage. This level of tissue-specific promoter functional homology between insect species is rare. C. quinquefasciatus is a vector for human lymphatic filariasis, and the pathogenic nematode completes development within the flight muscles of the vector.
Margaret L. Allen and Bruce M. Christensen, Parasitology International, 53: 307-314. | <urn:uuid:8a45aaf1-c144-4af4-a7cd-fd8d311d0090> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://drosophila-images.org/2006-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.872212 | 3,019 | 2.984375 | 3 |
BBC: Public share their views on TV licence fee
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As the cost of living crisis continues and energy bills soar, it’s more important than ever to check if there are any savings to be made. One way could be to get a TV licence refund.
A TV licence is needed in the UK to watch any programme that is being broadcasted or streamed live.
It is needed to watch live content that is on streaming services, such as BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime, however, Britons could be eligible for a refund if they only watch Netflix and YouTube.
Currently, the cost of the television licence comes to £159 per household which covers every device in one home.
It should be noted that while the BBC is responsible for managing the licence fee, the Government sets any deals, concessions or discounts.
Examples of specific discounts include the 50 percent concession for those who are considered legally blind.
In this circumstance, households that own a blind TV licence will only get £79.50 back in a refund.
Residents in care homes that have ARC schemes only have to pay a concessionary rate of £7.50, while those over 75 in residences with ARC schemes are eligible for a free licence.
Over 75s in receipt of Pension Credit don’t have to pay as well as anyone who doesn’t watch live TV on any channel or service, including BBC iPlayer, no matter what their age.
Even if people have forked out for the BBC licence fee already, they can follow a few simple steps to get their money back.
Those interested can apply for a refund on their television licence if they will not need it again before its expiration date.
Those applying for the refund will not need to calculate out how much they are owed as this will be done for them by TV Licensing.
TV Licensing is the body responsible for the administration of the licence fee and related issues.
As part of the refund application, applicants should include the name on their TV Licence, address and postcode.
As well as this, applicants must also include the date from when they no longer need the licence within the application.
On the TV Licensing website it says: “Please check you won’t need your licence again before it expires.
“That means you won’t ever be watching TV live on any channel or service, or using BBC iPlayer.
“If we approve your refund, your licence will be cancelled automatically.”
People can then go to tvlicensing.co.uk to apply for a refund or backdated discount.
The £159 fee will be frozen, remaining the same until at least 2027.
The BBC is currently in talks with the industry about a new funding model – the exact details of which are yet to be confirmed.
BBC boss Tim Davie recently told the Deloitte Media and Telecoms conference: “I believe we will still offer great value for the licence fee.
“We have some choices to make. I think we will still be able to offer a great service.”
Source: Read Full Article | <urn:uuid:9e2aaf45-8323-49a2-95a2-3b603b3946e4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://fntalk.com/personal-finance/tv-licence-simple-steps-to-get-your-refund-worth-159/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.956791 | 696 | 1.53125 | 2 |
In She Wears Prada, we find a signature, multi-layered and complex personage constructed by Croatian painter Zivana Gojanovic, demonstrating the artist’s singular passion to convey the subtle nuances of the human being’s enigmatic place within the worldly plane.
Through her unique compositions, meticulous color palettes and old master layering and glazing processes, Gojanovic manages to capture the energy and power of our solitary human existence, which both captivates and provokes inner reflection.
Zivana has been called an existential and emotional artist as her paintings grow from passion, tempered by thoughtful execution. This, when balanced by a strong visual esthetic and compelling symbolism, sum up the forces which direct her creative process. She starts with a simple small-scale drawing, frequently sketching on any handy scrap of paper, making a visual note to herself. She next works out the details, size, composition, and colors.
From there she “grows” her paintings almost as if nurturing an organic process, building them layer by layer over a period of weeks, sometimes months. This allows her to connect with, and react to, the painting as it develops, striving to fill the work with imagery and emotion so that the viewer can relate as strongly as she does.
Her hope is to communicate the simplicity, as well as the complexity of oneself, while at the same time creating beautiful paintings that satisfy in their resonance and visceral connectivity.
For a closer look at this painting and a short virtual gallery tour, please enjoy the video above. For more information on Gojanovic and her work, we welcome you to visit online here.
"She Wears Prada"
Mixed Media on Canvas
51" x 51", framed 53" x 53"
Price on Request | or log on to my.hohmann.art | <urn:uuid:641fec1e-6cd7-4e09-a03a-f379be380086> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://news.hohmann.art/zivana-gojanovic-she-wears-prada | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.937595 | 383 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Controlling by Thought? – Brain Computer Interfaces and Embedded Brain Reading – An Introduction
series DFKI Documents, volume 14-07, Nov/2014. DFKI GmbH, Universität Bremen.
Machines, like PCs or robots, can be controlled by brain signals. Brain activity is often used to reestablish
communication and control for human that are disabled to move or to communicate. Brain computer
interfaces, which are used to link the human brain with a machine, do often require the attention of the
human to enable explicit control. For such approaches it is unimportant how and which brain signal is used.
Highest relevance has robustness and easiness. Using brain activity for the support of healthy people brings
new challenges. Adding the link between brain and machine must not require extra cognitive resources from
the human. Thus, for many applications a rather passive approach that uses brain activity implicitly should
be chosen. However, beside the question on how to use brain activity, i.e., implicitly or explicitly, other
questions are also relevant for the development of intelligent and intuitive interfaces for control or support.
For example, other technical or physiological data can improve reliability but bring along challenges for signal
processing and classification and must be handled by adequate software frameworks. | <urn:uuid:2bb6c107-8044-4fc5-b657-cbc9a0259bcf> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://robotik.dfki-bremen.de/en/research/publications/8505.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.886622 | 297 | 2.8125 | 3 |
By Santo D. Banerjee
Image credit: World Conference
NEW YORK (IDN) -– In a dramatic warning from 13 Nobel Prize winners about the existential dangers of nuclear weapons and climate crisis, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists on January 23 set the hands of its iconic 'Doomsday Clock' to 100 seconds to midnight. [2020–04-30 | 03] CHINESE | JAPANESE TEXT VERSION PDF | KOREAN | RUSSIAN
On April 25, during the Covid-19 crisis, over one thousand activists across the peace, climate, and social movements gathered online to take part in the first-ever virtual World Conference: Abolish Nuclear Weapons | Resist and Reverse Climate Change | For Social and Economic Justice.
The event as an in-person conference in New York coinciding with the NPT Review Conference, which was to take place at the United Nations headquarters in New York from April 27-May 22. But it is postponed to 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. "Nevertheless, the energy and motivation of the in-person conference was not lost," said an observer.
The virtual conference served as a starting point for bringing a variety of movements together for a more peaceful, just, and responsible world. A case in point was the participants' commitment to "continue to work tirelessly" for a set of objectives.
These include Immediate fulfilment of Article 6 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which requires cessation of the arms race and the elimination of nuclear weapons. Equally critical is early entry-into-force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as an essential and reinforcing step towards a nuclear-weapons-free world.
The conference also emphasized the commitment of participants to campaign for an early establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons as agreed by the States parties to the NPT.
They will furthermore continue efforts for achieving regional détente processes to end conflicts and arms racing in all regions of the world including South Asia, North East Asia, and Europe.
Global disarmament with a just transition for workers in the weapons industry and a policy of détente that reduces conflicts and favours peaceful conflict resolution is essential is yet another goal they have set themselves.
They call for military budgets to be slashed worldwide, with those funds redirected to meet human needs and protect the environment. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the centre of efforts to redistribute resources from militarism to peace, can only be realized through disarmament, they add.
The International Peace Bureau (IPB), a co-organizer of the World Conference, underlines the significance of these commitments by highlighting that while military spending is on the rise, health budgets remain insufficient in confronting the Covid-19 pandemic.
The latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows global military spending in 2019 at a new high of US$1,917 billion. Military expenditure has increased by 3.6% from 2018 and represents $252 for every person on the planet.
"The increase is evidence that the world is in a global arms race that benefits few and raises the likelihood of a global catastrophe. It sheds light on the effectiveness of military industries’ lobbying, particularly in Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania. NATO’s military budget alone totals $1,035 billion and accounts for 54% of total global military spending," says IPB.
The conference also calls for several fundamental changes. These include translating into reality the vision for the 20th century elaborated in the Charter of the United Nations.
"We are confronted with existential challenges: nuclear weapons and wars that can destroy the planet in short order and the creeping destruction caused by climate change, ecological devastation, and pandemic threats. Militarization is increasing dramatically in Europe and other parts of the world," the participants say.
They add: 75 years after the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the worldwide cry of “never again”, the warnings of the Hibakusha must never be forgotten.
Seventy-five years after the end of the Second World War and the oath “never again to fascism – never again to war”; we must remain steadfast in our commitments.
Seventy-five years after the founding of the United Nations to end war; its charter and commitments must be honoured.
Fifty years after entry-into-force of the NPT, to end the nuclear arms race and achieve nuclear disarmament; its commitments must be fulfilled.
Besides, the world now suffering from millions of Covid-19 cases and hundreds of thousands of related deaths, the pandemic has illuminated national and international systemic weaknesses, policy failures and a profound lack of international cooperation.
"Yet, in crisis, there is an opportunity. The pandemic has also illustrated ways in which we can prepare for the inevitable future pandemics, as well as to reverse the threats posed by nuclear weapons and the climate crisis."
The conference points out that the world is also confronted with an increasing number of authoritarian governments and the growth of far-right radicalism and fascist threats. Undemocratic, dictatorial politics increasingly influence and dominate the political climate in more and more countries around the world, endangering the lives of minorities and migrants. Even the most fundamental democratic rights are in danger. Democracy is in a deep crisis.
The conference participants go a step further and note that the world is confronted with the fact that governments and corporations – as well as individuals – are planet earth with ever-increasing intensity, "as if we could easily rectify the environmental degradation or move to another planet".
"Man-made climate change is becoming a daily threat to life and survival, while other ecological disasters threaten our coexistence and the shaping of the future for humans, other animals, and plants.
"The beneficiaries of these developments are few, while the vast majority of people on Earth are affected and suffer. Millions of refugees have been generated by wars, injustice, and ecological disasters on a global scale." [IDN-InDepthNews – 30 April 2020]
Image credit: World Conference
IDN is flagship agency of the International Press Syndicate.
facebook.com/IDN.GoingDeeper - twitter.com/nukeabolition | <urn:uuid:bda29280-c047-4468-b890-0195c6bfe11c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.nuclearabolition.info/index.php/1790-world-conference-calls-for-abolition-of-nuclear-weapons-and-reversing-climate-change | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.927152 | 1,313 | 2.328125 | 2 |
In that spirit, I want to offer five things that everyone should learn from the jQuery source code. These are tips and techniques that will improve your skill as a coder, and ultimately make you a better developer. And that’s what we’re all after anyway, right? Plus, these are small improvements in how you write your code meaning they are more accessible to the novice to intermediate developer. So, without further adieu, let’s get started. The next five posts you’ll read will all be dedicated to this theme.
Here is an index to them in case you want to get to a particular one: | <urn:uuid:cb781d53-0aa0-4a16-8eaa-27d0f7980c9e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://donburks.com/posts/5-things-everyone-could-learn-from-the-jquery-source/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.955331 | 520 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Sheikh Allauddin of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has suggested to the Punjab Assembly that they invite Indian novelist and rights activist Arundhati Roy to talk on the Kashmir issue, the Dawn newspaper has reported.
Sheikh’s suggestion was welcomed by labour and human resources minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, after which PML member Ramesh Singh Arora raised the issue of Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar’s statement on Pakistan. Parrikar had said "going to Pakistan was like going to hell".
Arora demanded the foreign office summon the Indian ambassador and record a protest.
He added that New Delhi was committing atrocities against the Kashmiris, and accusing Islamabad of fomenting violence in the region. He said the propaganda against Pakistan must be checked, the Dawn reported.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently announced the appointment of 22 special envoys who would be dispatched to various capitals around the world to "raise the Kashmir issue".
Roy, who has been vocal about the issue, as she has about most others that she has touched upon, has got into trouble over Kashmir earlier. In 2010, she was charged with sedition after she said the region was not an integral part of India.
(WION with inputs from agencies) | <urn:uuid:28722e1e-0271-4127-9694-49422d3af9d3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-state-assembly-mulls-inviting-indian-author-arundhati-roy-to-talk-on-kashmir-issue-5894 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.977066 | 271 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Charleston County, in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is proposing to make improvements to HWY 78 from Rivers Avenue (US 52) to the intersection of HWY 78 and Berlin G. Myers Parkway (SC 165). The Project is generally located along the existing alignment of HWY 78 for approximately 8.0 miles between Rivers Avenue and Berlin G. Myers Parkway. This project is currently proposed to be wholly funded by Charleston County as part of the Transportation Sales Tax Program. The project will follow the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as to remain eligible for federal funding and to ultimately comply with provisions of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
The HWY Route 78 Corridor is a known source of congestion in the tri-county area. Important features along the corridor include the Wannamaker County Park, Trident Medical Center, Charleston Southern University, and the Exchange Park (fairgrounds).
HWY 78 serves as a vital connection to I-26 and provides a direct route between Summerville and North Charleston.
The corridor also contains dense commercial, industrial, and residential development with numerous driveway access points and unsignalized intersections. The SCDOT, Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG), Dorchester County, and Charleston County have all explored options for improvements within the corridor. Past and ongoing studies and projects include, but are not limited to:
- The SCDOT I-26 Corridor Management Plan.
- The SCDOT HWY 78 University Boulevard Roadway Safety Assessment.
- HWY 78, College Park Road, and Ladson Road Intersection Alternative Traffic Analysis.
- Medical Plaza Drive/Excellence Way at HWY 78 Intersection Improvements.
- Shadow Lane and Elms Plantation at HWY 78 Intersection Improvements.
- Widening of U.S. Route 78 (Dorchester County Phase 3B) to Berlin G. Meyers Parkway.
- BCDCOG Lowcountry Rapid Transit Project.
Some segments of the BCDCOG Lowcountry Rapid Transit (LCRT) project fall within the HWY 78 project limits, from Exchange Park & Fairgrounds to Rivers Avenue. Due to this overlap the County project team has been developing the HWY78 project in close coordination with the BCDCOG, and that coordination will continue until the HWY 78 Improvements project is complete.
Purpose & Need
The purpose and need sets the stage for consideration of the alternatives and is a key element/baseline used by the Lead Federal Agency to determine the Preferred Alternative. It has three parts, the purpose, the need, and goals and objectives.
- The purpose defines the transportation problem to be solved.
- The need provides data to support the purpose.
- The goals and objectives describe other issues that need to be resolved as part of a successful solution to the problem.
The purpose of the proposed project is to accommodate projected increases in traffic volume by improving roadway capacity, efficiency of key intersections, and system continuity throughout the project limits.
This section of roadway serves as a principal arterial that has historically experienced an increase in traffic due to regional growth, and currently sustains operations that exceed the capacity of the current roadway system and are projected to worsen over time.
The project seeks to implement capacity and system improvements along this currently congested corridor segment, due at least in part to a high rate of residential growth in the region over the last 20 years. The proposed project will accomplish the following objectives:
- Improve capacity along HWY 78 from Rivers Avenue to Berlin G. Myers Parkway.
- Provide safe opportunities for bicyclists and pedestrians.
- Reduce congestion and increase capacity at key intersections along the project corridor.
Schedule & Path Ahead
Due to the unknown environmental impacts associated with the proposed project, this project will be divided into multiple phases. Phase 1 will include the notice of intent, project scoping, and studies required to determine the appropriate level of NEPA documentation. Subsequent phases of development will be at the discretion of Charleston County based on the results of the first phase. The anticipated proposed milestones are listed below. Click to enlarge.
* All dates are subject to change and will be updated as the project development progresses. | <urn:uuid:2bd0ff05-3161-4dea-b29a-2ab47a695af5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://hwy78corridor.com/about/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.923535 | 880 | 1.546875 | 2 |
Warfighting and Peace Ops: Do Real Soldiers Do MOOTW?
NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIV WASHINGTON DC INST FOR NATIONAL STRATEGIC STUDIES
Pagination or Media Count:
One major challenge facing the development of doctrine for peace operations is the tension between the principles of war and military operations other than war MOOTW. This difficulty was addressed by the Army in Field Manual 100-23, Peace Operations, a capstone manual which states that the principles of war should not be overlooked in planning peace operations because the possibility of combat does exist, especially in peace enforcement. Joint doctrine more specifically pronounces that the principles of war generally apply to MOOTW. In addition, the approach to training for such operations found in joint and service doctrine stands on a pillar of training for war that allows commanders to adjust to operational conditions, including peace operations. Moreover, doctrine does not deal with the planning process for MOOTW any differently than it does for war. Nonetheless doctrine highlights differences between warfighting and peace operations by focusing on the application of the principles of MOOTW in peace operations. Recent though not unprecedented use of the Armed Forces in disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, and peace operations has offered insights into conducting war on a complex battlefield of the future. Military operations in the information age are likely to encounter close scrutiny while ethnic friction, refugee populations, and nongovernmental and nonmilitary agencies continue to come into play. Enemies may be transnational criminal gangs or rogue actors instead of organized military formations. Such considerations must be fully incorporated in the mainstream of doctrine rather than being relegated into some new category of military operations.
- Military Operations, Strategy and Tactics | <urn:uuid:436f20f1-1c88-4f85-8460-87996d58691f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA528964 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.92172 | 396 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Drone technology could be the answer to your low mobile signal woes at festivals in the future according to mobile carrier AT&T.
Everyone who has ever been to a festival knows that getting good mobile reception is nigh on impossible when there's thousands of people all trying to call, text or update their Facebook statuses at the same time.
AT&T have suggested that in the future the company could deploy an army of tethered drones to provide extra bandwidth and coverage in areas of high usage like festivals.
In a blog post on the company’s website, AT&T explained that in the future they could deploy the flying COWs (Cell On Wings) to help alleviate the high demand from festival goers, and even suggested that the technology could be used in “rapid disaster response” situations like floods and earthquakes.
“Imagine you’re at a concert watching your favorite band, and out of the corner of your eye you notice a tethered drone hovering nearby,” says AT&T.
“But this drone isn’t taking photos or videos of the band. It’s temporarily providing enhanced LTE wireless coverage at the packed venue so you, along with thousands of others in attendance, can simultaneously send photos and videos to share the moment.”
AT&T did say however that the technology is still a way off and they are currently only trialing the tech to inspect mobile phone towers to see whether it’s a viable solution for festivals in the future.
Copyright Thrust Publishing Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.djmag.com as the source. | <urn:uuid:56fed3a0-82d6-4ab2-b6b3-b8cec38037ab> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://top100clubs.djmag.com/news/could-drones-solve-no-mobile-signal-festivals | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.945847 | 346 | 2.0625 | 2 |
This article was co-authored by Sarah Schewitz, PsyD. Sarah Schewitz, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist by the California Board of Psychology with over 10 years of experience. She received her Psy.D. from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2011. She is the founder of Couples Learn, an online psychology practice helping couples and individuals improve and change their patterns in love and relationships.
There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 21 testimonials and 91% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
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Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to tap into your emotions and use them to make your life better. Being in touch with your feelings allows you to manage stress levels and communicate effectively with other people, two skills that enhance your life both personally and professionally. Unlike IQ, which remains constant throughout your life, EQ can be developed and honed over time. See Step 1 to learn how to develop your emotional intelligence using techniques you can try right away.
Part 1 of 3:Tapping Into Your Emotions
1Note your emotional reactions to events throughout the day. It's easy to put your feelings about what you experience throughout the day on the back burner. But taking time to acknowledge how you feel about experiences is essential to improving your EQ. If you ignore your feelings, you're ignoring important information that has a big effect on your mindset and the way you behave. Start paying more attention to your feelings and connecting them to experiences. X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source
- For example, say you’re at work and you get cut off during a meeting. What emotions arise when this happens? On the other hand, how do you feel when you get praised for good work? Getting into the practice of naming your emotions as sadness, embarrassment, joy, contentment, or any other number of feelings will start raising your EQ right away.
- Get in the habit of tapping into your emotions at certain times every day. What are your first emotions upon waking? Your last before you fall asleep?
2Pay attention to your body. Instead of ignoring the physical manifestations of your emotions, start listening to them. Our minds and bodies are not separate; they affect each other quite deeply. You can raise your EQ by learning how to read physical cues that clue you in to what emotions you're feeling. X Research source For example:
- Stress might feel like a knot in your stomach, tight chest, or quick breathing.
- Sadness might feel like waking up with slow, heavy limbs.
- Joy, pleasure or nervousness might feel like butterflies in your stomach, a racing heart or increased energy.
3Observe how your emotions and behavior are connected. When you feel strong emotions, how do you react? Tune into your gut responses to situations you face every day, instead of just reacting without any reflection. The more you understand what spurs your behavioral impulses, the higher your EQ will be, and you'll be able to use what you know to actually change your behavior in the future. Here are some examples of behaviors and what's behind them:
- Feeling embarrassed or insecure might cause you to withdraw from conversation and disconnect.
- Feeling angry might cause you to raise your voice or angrily stomp away.
- Feeling overwhelmed might cause you to panic and lose track of what you were doing, or cry.
4Avoid judging your own emotions. All the emotions you have are valid, even the negative ones. If you judge your emotions, you’ll inhibit your ability to fully feel, making it more difficult to use your emotions in positive ways. Think of it this way: every emotion you have is a new piece of useful information connected to something that's happening in your world. Without this information, you'd be left in the dark about how to adequately react. That's why the ability to feel your emotions is a form of intelligence.
- It's hard at first, but practice letting negative emotions surface and connecting them to what's happening. For example, if you feel bitterly envious, what is that emotion telling you about your situation?
- Fully experience positive emotions, too. Connect your joy or satisfaction to what's happening around you, so you can learn how to feel them more often.
5Notice patterns in your emotional history. It's another way to learn as much as you can about your own feelings and how they're connected to your experiences. When you have a strong emotion, ask yourself when you last felt like this. What happened before, during and after?
- When you see patterns, you can exert more control over your behavior. Observe how you handled a certain situation before, and how you'd like to handle it next time.
- Keep a journal of your emotional reactions, or how you feel from day to day, so you can clearly see how you tend to react.
6Practice deciding how to behave. You can't help what emotions you feel, but you can decide how you want to react to them. If you have an issue with lashing out in anger or shutting down when you're hurt, think about how you'd rather react. Instead of letting your emotions overwhelm you, decide how you’re going to behave next time your feelings grow strong.
- When something negative happens in your life, take a moment to feel your emotions. Some people describe it as having a wave of sadness or anger wash over them. Once the initial wave has passed, make a decision about how you want to behave. Decide to communicate your feelings instead of repressing them, or get up and try again instead of throwing in the towel.
- Don’t turn to escapist habits. It's not easy to let bad feelings fully rise to the surface, and many people tamp them down by drinking too much, watching a lot of TV, or turning to other habits that numb the pain. Do this often enough, and your EQ will begin to suffer.
- Fully experience positive emotions, too. Connect your joy or satisfaction to what's happening around you, so you can learn how to feel that more often.
Part 2 of 3:Connecting With Other People
1Be open-minded and agreeable. Openness and being agreeable go hand-in-hand when it comes to emotional intelligence. A narrow mind is generally an indication of a lower EQ. When your mind is open through understanding and internal reflection, it becomes easier to deal with conflicts in a calm and self-assured manner. You will find yourself socially aware and new possibilities will be open to you. X Expert Source Sarah Schewitz, PsyD
Licensed Psychologist Expert Interview. 15 April 2019. To strengthen this element of your EQ, consider:
- Listening to debates on television or the radio. Consider both sides of the argument, and look for the subtleties that require closer inspection.
- When someone does not react emotionally the same way you would, consider why this is, and try to see it from their point of view.
2Improve your empathy skills. Empathy means being able to recognize how other people are feeling, and share emotions with them. X Research source Being a more active listener and really paying attention to what people are saying can help you get a better sense of how they're feeling. When you can use that information to inform your decisions and improve your relationships, that's a sign of emotional intelligence.
- To improve empathy, put yourself in other people's shoes. Think about how you would feel if you were in their situation. Actively imagine how it must be to go through the experiences they're having and what might alleviate some of their hardship in terms of support and care.
- When you see someone experience a strong emotion, ask yourself, "How would I react in the same situation?"
- Be truly interested in what people are saying, so you can react in a sensitive way. Instead of letting your thoughts drift, ask questions and summarize what they’re saying so it’s clear you’re in the conversation.
3Read people’s body language. Make a point of trying to read between the lines and pick up on people’s true feelings by observing their facial expressions and other body language. Often people say one thing when the look on their face reveals that there's a deeper truth. Practice being more observant and picking up on the less obvious ways that people communicate their emotions.
- If you're not sure that you're skilled at interpreting facial expressions, try taking a quiz to telling. A higher tone of voice indicates that someone's stressed.
4See the effect you have on others. Understanding other people's emotions is only half the battle when it comes to EQ; you also need to understand the effect you're having on other people. Do you tend to make people feel nervous, cheerful or angry? What happens to conversation when you walk in the room?
- Think about what patterns you might need to change. If you tend to pick fights with your loved ones, your girlfriend cries easily during conversations, or people tend to close up a bit when you come around, you might need to change your attitude so that you have a better emotional effect on people.
- Ask trusted friends or loved ones what they think about your emotionality where you have room for improvement. X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source
- A person's tone of voice can also be of impact. You may have trouble recognizing the effect you have on others, and they can help.
5Practice being emotionally honest. If you say you’re "fine" and have a scowl on your face, you’re not communicating honestly. Practice being more physically open with your emotions, so people can read you better. Tell people when you’re upset, and share happiness and joy as well.
- Being "yourself" helps other people really get to know you, and they'll trust you more if they see where you're coming from.
- However, understand that there’s a line: control your emotions so as not to hurt others with them.
Part 3 of 3:Putting EQ to Practical Use
1See where you have room for improvement. Being intellectually capable is important in life, but being emotionally intelligent is just as essential. Having high emotional intelligence can lead to better relationships and job opportunities. There are four core elements to emotional intelligence that help you lead a balanced life. Read this over and decide where you might have room for improvement, then take steps to practice your skills in that area: X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source
- Self awareness: The ability to recognize your own emotions for what they are and understand their origins. Self-awareness means knowing your strengths and limitations.
- Self management: The ability to delay gratification, balance your needs with those of others, take initiative and to pull back on impulsivity. Self-management means being able to cope with change and to stay committed.
- Social awareness: The ability to be attuned to other people's emotions and concerns, as well as being able to notice and adapt to social cues. Being socially aware means being able to see the power dynamics at play within any group or in an organizational context.
- Relationship management: The ability to get along well with others, manage conflict, inspire and influence people and to communicate clearly.
2Lower your stress level by raising your EQ. Stress is a catchall word for feeling overwhelmed by a variety of different emotions. Life is filled with difficult situations from relationship breakdowns to job loss. In between, there are myriad stress triggers that can make any daily issue seem much more challenging than it probably is. If you’re stressed a lot, it’s difficult to behave in the way you want to. Having a good plan for relieving stress improves all aspects of your EQ.
- Figure out what triggers your stress, and what helps relieve it. Make a list of effective forms of stress relief, like hanging out with a friend or taking a walk in the woods, and put it to good use.
- Get help if you need it. If your stress feels too overwhelming to deal with alone, seek the help of a therapist or psychologist who can give you tools to cope (and help you raise your EQ in the process).
3Be more light-hearted at home and at work. X Research source When you're optimistic, it's easier to see the beauty in life and everyday objects and spread that feeling to those around you. Optimism results in emotional well being and greater opportunities – people want to be around an optimistic person and this draws them to you, with all the possibilities that more connections bring you.
- Negativity encourages people to focus only on what can go wrong rather than building resilience.
- People with high EQ tend to know how to use fun and humor to make themselves and others feel safer and happier. Use laughter to get through tough times.
QuestionHow can I improve my emotional self-control?Sarah Schewitz, PsyDSarah Schewitz, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist by the California Board of Psychology with over 10 years of experience. She received her Psy.D. from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2011. She is the founder of Couples Learn, an online psychology practice helping couples and individuals improve and change their patterns in love and relationships.
Licensed PsychologistLicensed PsychologistExpert AnswerIf you disagree when someone gives their opinion, try to remember that it's not a personal attack on you and everyone thinks differently. You shouldn't get upset because it has nothing to do with how they view you.
- Be emphatic and try to understand what others are feeling.
- Don't despair – always remember that emotional intelligence can be improved, no matter how low or high it is, through concerted effort and a willingness to be open and to change your ways.
- Emotional intelligence is more than just controlling your feelings. It is also controlling yourself.
- Having a high IQ does not ensure a high EQ.
- Open mind does not mean giving equal weight to ideas like bigotry, persecution or genocide over healthier ideas. It means understanding why someone else is so fearful of a category of people that they feel a need to try to stamp them out.
- ↑ http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eq5_raising_emotional_intelligence.htm
- ↑ http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-mind-your-body/201201/10-ways-enhance-your-emotional-intelligence
- ↑ Sarah Schewitz, PsyD. Licensed Psychologist. Expert Interview. 15 April 2019.
- ↑ http://www.fastcompany.com/3026707/work-smart/5-ways-to-boost-your-emotional-intelligence
- ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/ei_quiz/
- ↑ http://helpguide.org/mental/eq5_raising_emotional_intelligence.htm
- ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2014/01/09/emotional-intelligence/
About This Article
To develop emotional intelligence, work on being open-minded and agreeable so you can deal with conflicts in a calm, self-assured manner. For example, try watching debates on TV and consider both sides of the argument instead of deciding who's right or wrong. You can also improve your empathy skills by putting yourself in other people’s shoes and imagining how you would feel in the same situation. Additionally, observe people's reactions, like whether they seem cheerful or nervous around you, to understand your effect on others. For more tips, like how to read body language, read on!
Reader Success Stories
"I have been experiencing confusion about my feelings several times and being kind of impulsive. I used to think it is my personality and I can't change it. It was suffering to think how awful I am and I can't change who I am, but this article gave me clues to think about this problem in a different way and to consider a change. "..." more | <urn:uuid:ef93dcbd-063e-4b0e-9719-2470fc56b161> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.wikihow.com/Develop-Emotional-Intelligence | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.948342 | 3,515 | 2.484375 | 2 |
Girls Love Mail, the national charity featured on The NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, People.com, Today.com, and The Steve Harvey Show is fighting breast cancer with sheets of paper and good penmanship. The mission of Girls Love Mail is to give the gift of hand-written letters to women going through breast cancer treatment. Since August 2011, they have handed out over 125,000 letters – that’s 125,000 women across the country encouraged by kindness anyone can do. Letters come in from around the globe and go out through 165 cancer centers across the country, and the numbers are growing.
In 2009, author and founder of Girls Love Mail, Gina L. Mulligan, was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time Gina was working on an epistolary novel, a novel that is made up of all letters. While undergoing treatment and writing letters for her novel, she started receiving letters and cards filled with well wishes. Gina received over 200 letters, many from people she had never met. “Letters were all around me, and I realized letters are a precious gift with the power to heal,” says Gina. She wanted to give back and started Girls Love Mail with the goal to get a letter to every woman diagnosed – that’s 250,000 letters each year.
Visit http://www.girlslovemail.com/contact/ for more information. | <urn:uuid:28f20b5a-9e63-4a08-aa1c-ffa48287c23a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://todayshonoree.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/girls-love-mail-founder-gina-l-mulligan-is-todays-honoree/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.971764 | 290 | 1.703125 | 2 |
SCRIPT TO SCREEN: FILMMAKERS, DARE SOMETHING DIFFERENT or "A 3-Act Structure Tale About 3-Act Structure Elements Called "3-Act Structure""
The 3-Act Structure rules Hollywood even though some think the 3-Act structure actually kills scripts . And as the cartoon demonstrates below in amusing and sarcastic fashion, the 3-Act structure is made up of elements that engage and entertain us while also being repetitive and derivative. So here's a challenge to all filmmakers, from indie newbies to hollywood bigshots, do you dare tell stories outside of the 3-Act structure? Ok, you say, I'm down but what else is there outside of the 3-Act structure? Well, my friend, that's where your creativity as a writer, director, producer and editor comes in. Plus the cojones to dare and even fail or get audience heads scratching. But if you want some suggestions for ideas well here are a few places to look: One way to start is by considering other options for narrative structures beyond just "linear narrative." Another suggestion for inspiration is to look to the East for non-Western dramatic structure | <urn:uuid:4e68ea6b-9e8c-4508-b7aa-87d3e9a91700> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.filmstrategy.com/search/label/Tom%20the%20Dancing%20Bug | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.934056 | 240 | 1.875 | 2 |
Claims that at least 30 Syrian civilians were killed on Tuesday when US warplanes hit an ISIS target in Syria have raised concerns that a renewed and aggressive approach to the war on terror may come at an unacceptable human cost.
The US military acknowledged that it had carried out 19 airstrikes in the Raqqa region on Tuesday, but denied knowledge of civilian casualties. This is the second time in one week that the US has been accused by Syria of killing non-combatants.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday that coalition warplanes struck the town of al-Bukamal in the south of the province near the Iraqi border, killing three militants and 13 civilians, and seven civilians in the town of al-Husainiyah.
Last week, the Syrian government claimed that 49 people were killed in American airstrike on Al Jinah, a village in western Aleppo Province. United States officials claimed al-Qaeda were in the building hit by the airstrike, but residents said the warplanes struck a mosque.
President Donald Trump is giving the military more leeway in aggressively fighting terror groups in the region, while also opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Three weeks ago, Assad used sarin gas in an attack that killed almost 90 Syrians. The US responded with a missile strike targeting the airbase from which the chemical strike originated.Last Thursday, the US dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on an Islamic State (ISIS) target in Afghanistan.
The post Syria Claims US Airstrike Killed Dozens of Civilians appeared first on Breaking Israel News | Latest News. Biblical Perspective..
Source: Israel in the News | <urn:uuid:8072a1c6-b89a-494a-87e9-dcf06e7a3a95> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://beitemet.com/syria-claims-us-airstrike-killed-dozens-of-civilians/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.956887 | 326 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Architecture of the United States; Contemporary architecture.
B.Arch. University of Arizona
M.Sc. University of California, Berkeley
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley
Jeremy White is an architectural historian teaching at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and a licensed architect. His field of study is the modern landscape, urbanism and the architecture of the United States. He also teaches art history in the M.F.A. program at the Brooks Institute. His current research projects include a book exploring the relationship of memory, history and architecture, and another on the contemporary architecture. His is also on the Board of Directors of the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara, and on the Board of the Santa Barbara branch of the American Institute of Architects.
6F Survey of Architecture
6J Survey of Contemporary Architecture
136C Architecture of the United States
136D Design & the American Architect
136H Housing American Cultures
136Q Deviant Domesticities
136W Introduction to 2D/3D Visualizations in Architecture
137DD America by Design
137GG Negotiating Density in Isla Vista
186SJ Memory, History and Architecture [undergraduate seminar]
187Z Museum Studies Seminar: House Museum Movement in the USA | <urn:uuid:786879b0-f886-410c-9560-b972a29e78a7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://arthistory.ucsb.edu/people/jeremy-white | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.865874 | 293 | 1.5 | 2 |
If you’ve been on the fence about trying acupuncture, now is the time to give it a try and feel the pain lift from your body. A lot of people may be put off by the method, but it is proven to alleviate pain. And if you’re currently dealing with pain management in the Dr. Philips area of Florida, there’s no reason not to give it a go in hopes of finding more alternatives to your pain. Innovative Pain Solutions in Orlando can help you feel more like yourself, offering many different pain management and solution options.
Alleviating Pain The Right Way
Anyone who has received an acupuncture treatment may know it works, but research has always been lagging on specific, documented successes within this treatment option. There are now several studies performed on multiple types of pain, all with universal conclusions that indeed, acupuncture treatments work. Researchers from Georgetown University, Harvard Medical School, Creighton University, University of Arizona, and Louisiana State University concluded that these treatments can reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of migraines. Using specific acupuncture protocols during treatments almost trained the patient’s brain structure to become predictive of the success rates. Researchers used MRIs and machine learning to be able to note patterns in the brain grey matter and compare between before and after treatments. It’s also noted that regular treatments may help patients suffer less anxiety attacks and depression. If your regular pain management in the Orlando area isn’t giving you the results you want, acupuncture may be your next best option.
If you are unfamiliar with the basics, acupuncture treatments involve inserting very thin needles into specific, targeted areas of your body to relieve pain. A part of traditional Chinese medicine, this technique acts as a balancing of the flow of energy or life source that is believed to flow through pathways in your body. By inserting these needles into those strategic points on the pathways (or meridians), practitioners believe your energy flow will re-balance and alleviate whatever your body is experiencing. Many Western practitioners believe the strategic points stimulate the nerves, muscles and connective tissues to better activate your body’s natural painkillers. These treatments are typically used to alleviate many forms of pain, including menstrual cramps, dental pain, chemotherapy-related pain and nausea, low back pain, migraines, neck pain, labor pains, and even respiratory disorders, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis.
Pain Management In Dr. Philips
When researchers started out on performing more studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture treatments, it was to finally say with a more definitive answer that it does indeed alleviate pain, and can be used as an alternative to medications amidst an opioid epidemic. Research from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York concludes the analgesic effects of acupuncture treatments are superior to sham controls, and found longer lasting pain relief in patients with chronic pain, also concluding that it’s an effective and reasonable treatment option. There’s also research being done on acupuncture’s effectiveness on providing tissue repair, with research by Dr. Hawks citing this treatment is “highly effective, with rapid results for both acute and chronic Achilles tendinopathy and was performed easily”. With such glowing results in medical universities research, it’s no wonder people have been getting these treatments for years and years.
Ready to give acupuncture a try? Here at Innovative Pain Solutions in Orlando, we strive to provide excellent pain management options, including stem cell and PRP therapy. We treat anything from a herniated disc to whiplash, and work to ensure you leave as pain free as possible. Call us today! | <urn:uuid:91c1ce51-72dd-452e-aac4-ade61d7777aa> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.orlandopainsolutions.com/acupuncture-in-orlando/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.939879 | 742 | 1.609375 | 2 |
This tutorial gives an overview of the ideas behind Marlowe, as a domain-specific language embedded in Haskell. It also introduces commitments and timeouts, which are central to how Marlowe works in a blockchain context.
Programming Languages and Domain-Specific Languages¶
The first computers were programmed in “machine code”. Each kind of system had a different code, and these codes were low-level and inexpressive: programs were long sequences of very simple instructions, incomprehensible to anyone who had not written them. Nowadays we are able to use higher-level languages like C, Java and Haskell to program systems. The same languages can be used on widely different machines, and the structure of the programs reflects what they do. On blockchain, their equivalents are languages like Plutus, Solidity and Simplicity. These higher-level languages are general purpose – they can be used to solve all sorts of different problems – but the solutions they express are still programs, and they still require programming skills to use them effectively.
In contrast, Marlowe is a special purpose or domain-specific language (DSL) that is designed to be usable by someone who is expert in a particular field, rather than requiring programming skills to use it. In the case of Marlowe, the domain is the field of financial contracts.
Using a DSL has many advantages beyond its use by non-programmers:
We can ensure that certain sorts of bad programs cannot even be written, by designing those possibilities out of the language. By doing this we can aim to avoid some of the unanticipated exploits which have been a problem for existing blockchains.
We can also more easily check that programs have the properties that we want: for example, in the case of a Marlowe contract, we can make sure that the contract will never fail to make a payment that it should.
Because it is a DSL, we can build special-purpose tools to help people write programs in the language. In the case of Marlowe we can emulate how a contract will behave before it is run for real on the blockchain; this helps us to make sure that the contract we have written is doing what it is intended to.
Marlowe in a nutshell¶
Marlowe is modelled on special-purpose financial contract languages popularised in the last decade or so by academics and enterprises such as LexiFi, which provides contract software in the financial sector. In developing Marlowe, we have adapted these languages to work on blockchain. Marlowe is implemented on the Cardano blockchain, but could equally well be implemented on Ethereum or other blockchain platforms; in this respect it is “platform agnostic” just like modern programming languages such as Java and C++. The Marlowe Playground online simulation allows you to experiment with, develop, simulate and analyse Marlowe contracts in your web browser, without having to install any software. Marlowe Run is the client application that allows you to run Marlowe contracts on chain: it is available as a prototype and will presently be running “live” on the Cardano blockchain itself.
What does a Marlowe contract look like? It is built by combining a small number of building blocks that describe making a payment, making an observation of something in the “real world”, waiting until a certain condition becomes true, and so on.
Timeouts, deposits and commitments¶
Where we differ from non-blockchain approaches is in how we make sure that the contract is followed. This means not only that the instructions of the contract are not disobeyed – “nothing bad happens” – but also that the participants participate and don’t walk away early, leaving money locked up in the contract forever: “good things actually happen”. We do this using timeouts.
A contract can ask a participant to make a deposit of some funds, but obviously the contract cannot actually force a participant to make a deposit. Instead, the contract can wait for a period of time for the participant to commit to the contract: when that period of time expires, the contract moves on to follow some alternative instructions. This prevents a participant stopping a contract by not taking part, thus making sure that “things happen”.
All the constructs of Marlowe that require user participation – including user deposits and user choices – are protected by timeouts. Because of this, it is easy to see that the commitment made by a participant to a contract is finite: we can predict when the contract will have nothing left to do – when it can be closed. At this point any unspent funds left in the contract are refunded to participants, and the contract stops, or terminates. So, any funds put into the contract by a participant can’t be locked up forever: at this point the commitment effectively ends.
What is more, it is easy for us to read off from the contract when it will terminate, we call this the lifetime of the contract: all participants will therefore be able to find out this lifetime before taking part in any contract,
In our model, a running contract cannot force a deposit or a choice to happen: all it can do is to request a deposit or choice from a participant. In other words, for these actions it cannot “push”, but it can “pull”. On the other hand, it can make payments automatically, so some aspects of a Marlowe contract can “push” to make some things happen, e.g. ensuring that a payment is made to a participant by constructing an appropriate transaction output.
Marlowe in action¶
We are working on a production release of Marlowe on the Cardano blockchain early in 2021. From today, you are able to explore Marlowe for yourself, either by downloading it and using the Haskell implementation directly, or by using the online Marlowe Playground simulation tool; these are both covered in subsequent tutorials. These will also cover the details of Marlowe, introduce a series of examples, look deeper into the tools for Marlowe.
We have also worked on developing a set of templates for popular financial instruments taken from the Actus standard, and are able to generate particular contracts from these templates according to the various parameters and options that can be set.
Because Marlowe is a DSL we can work out how Marlowe contracts will behave without running them: this means that we can provide valuable diagnostics to potential participants before they commit to a contract, using static analysis. We can also use logic tools to formally prove properties of Marlowe contracts, giving users the highest level of assurance that their contracts behave as intended.
Marlowe is based on original, peer reviewed, research conducted by the Marlowe team, initially at the University of Kent supported by a research grant from IOHK, and latterly as an internal engineering team in the company. We are also working jointly with Wyoming Advanced Blockchain R&D Laboratory (WABL) at the University of Wyoming. If you are interested in working with us, please get in touch.
Our research work is reported in these published papers.
Marlowe: financial contracts on blockchain The paper that introduced the Marlowe language. It is an earlier version, but nevertheless it explains the principles and rationale behind its design and implementation.
Marlowe: implementing and analysing financial contracts on blockchain This paper describes the implementation of Marlowe on the Cardano blockchain, and the analysis supported by the Marlowe Playground web-based development and simulation environment.
Efficient static analysis of Marlowe contracts This paper explains how we optimised the static analysis explained in the previous paper.
Standardized crypto-loans on the Cardano blockchain In this paper we explore a smart contract framework for building standardized crypto-loans using Marlowe, with the ACTUS standard at its core.
and in this eprints survey paper.
Scripting smart contracts for distributed ledger technology Here we give an overview of the scripting languages used in existing cryptocurrencies.
Finding out more¶
The Marlowe Playground an in-browser development, analysis and simulation environment.
Marlowe Run the end-user client for downloading and running Marlowe contracts on the Cardano blockchain; currently in prototype.
The Marlowe github repository from which you can download Marlowe.
The Marlowe Website landing page for all things Marlowe.
YouTube playlist: Marlowe: financial contracts on blockchain. A general introduction to Marlowe from October 2020. Some features of the Playground have been updated since then. | <urn:uuid:022303ad-96a2-443c-9f4d-34caccec2f69> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://play.marlowe-finance.io/doc/marlowe/tutorials/introducing-marlowe.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.931183 | 1,927 | 2.578125 | 3 |
When to travel to Greece and the Greek islands: weather and seasons
Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Greece, not just because it’s not too hot but also because it’s not too crowded.
Mid-June to the end of August is the high season, when accommodation can be in short supply and the ferries full. Between Easter and mid-June the weather is pleasantly warm in most places (although definitely not all).
I personally prefer the period from the end of August to mid-October when the season winds down. It can get quite cold in Athens and on the mainland in October.
Don’t forget that 2004 was Olympics year in Greece, and amazingly it all went off without major incident, so you might like to spend a little time wandering around the various facilities, especially in the normally pleasant autumn season!
The most significant festival in Greece is of course, Easter. The Greek Orthodox Church traditionally stresses Christ’s Resurrection rather than the Crucifixion, so it is regarded as a happy celebration, with candle-lit processions, feasting and displays of fireworks.
There are also numerous summer festivals across the country, the most famous being the Hellenic Festival (mid-June to late September), which hosts drama and music in ancient theatres across the country.
Our other Greece pages:
Travel to Greece for a Europe Tour that’s a Gold Medal Experience! | <urn:uuid:1b89c74f-158a-4c14-905a-570e52e5dee5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.travelsignposts.com/Greece/weather | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.955619 | 296 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Not on display
- Larry Bell born 1939
- Glass and wood
- Object: 349 × 324 × 222 mm
- Purchased 1972
T01695 Untitled 1962
Wood and glass, 12 3/4 x 12 3/4 x 8 3/4 (32.5 x 32.5 x 21.2)
Purchased from the artist through the Felicity Samuel Gallery, London (Grant-in-Aid) 1972
Lit: Fidel A. Danieli, 'Bell's Progress' in Artforum, V, Summer 1967, pp.68-71; Barbara Haskell, Introduction to exh. catalogue Larry Bell, Pasadena Art Museum, April-June 1972
In the early 1960s, Larry Bell's paintings became increasingly concerned with the creation of an illusion of volumes on a flat surface, based on an isometric projection of a cube. Certain of these works incorporated pieces of mirrored and transparent glass. Then in 1962 he began to make actual boxes.
T01695 is typical of his earliest boxes in being oblong and not cubic, and in that it is only possible to see into it from one side. The planes are partly mirrored, partly opaque (black) and partly transparent. The back plane is entirely covered with a chequer-board pattern of squares alternately black and mirrored. Larry Bell said that he made it by buying a household mirror and scraping away squares which he then painted black. The front plane repeats this pattern, except that instead of black squares there are squares of clear glass through which one can look into the interior of the box and see a complex play of patterns and reflections; also the four mirrored squares in the centre each have two corners cut off diagonally. This effect was achieved by a process of vacuum deposition and masking out, and was Bell's very first use of vacuum deposition in a construction. The squares in the centre with the corners cut off are intended to suggest flat diagrams of a cube and refer (as he said 'like a signature') to certain of the shaped paintings he was making before he started to make constructions. The interior of the box was coated with silver leaf, with a mirror strip. It was the third or fourth box he made of this type; two of a similar kind are owned by his parents.
Larry Bell said that he kept the three boxes T01695, T01696 and T01697 together as a group because he thought that they represented very clearly the main stages in the development of his boxes. They were sent to the Felicity Samuel Gallery, London, on the occasion of his exhibition there in November-December 1972, but were not publicly exhibited.
(The notes on this work, T01696 and T01697 are based on information given by the artist on 15 October 1974).
Ronald Alley, Catalogue of the Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists, Tate Gallery and Sotheby Parke-Bernet, London 1981, p.41, reproduced p.41 | <urn:uuid:79c0cebb-da2a-4025-bc64-128def6a36c6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bell-untitled-t01695 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571150.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810070501-20220810100501-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.968099 | 649 | 1.992188 | 2 |
CERN hosts hundreds of web servers, thousands of websites and more than a million webpages. Most of them work and have a well-defined purpose, many are sleek and well done, modern or fancy, some are a bit 90s style, and some are outdated or obsolete. While the aesthetics can be discussed, disputed and depend strongly on subjective tastes, there are certain ground rules that all web servers, websites and webpages should follow – not on the surface but more “under the hood”. Some beauty is also appreciated there.
So, to all you webmasters here at CERN, think of your favourite webpage that you manage and maintain. Does your webpage’s name make sense and is it sufficiently short and meaningful? What if I use the associated IP address instead – do I get the same content? And if I browse to a subpage, any subpage, do I get some meaningful content even if I misspelled the full URL (the webpage’s full path)? Does your webpage catch errors appropriately and redirect accordingly (e.g. no pages that don’t exist, requiring authentication or where access is plainly forbidden)? What about certificate errors? Or any other error or debugging message? Do you redirect to HTTPS, in particular when hosting sensitive and access-protected content?
While overlooking any of these settings is not security-critical by itself, attackers might still get the impression that the overall set up is sub-optimal or mediocre and decide it’s worth poking deeper (see our article on a “Digital Broken Windows Theory”. It also shows a lack of professionalism and puts CERN in a bad light. Hence, check your web server, website or webpage once more, and pimp it up. Fix those issues. Beautify it, also under the hood. Take advantage of external guidance. For example, CIS offers free benchmarks to harden not only the underlying operating system, but also several web server software and versions. Qualys SSL Labs provides a few SSL/TLS configuration analyses. And you can also check out the OWASP cheat sheet series for more specific hands-on guidance on web development. Finally, have a look, too, at our more general recommendations for software developers and webmasters. Or, as always, reach out to us for help or advice or to request an independent look and security check: email@example.com.
Do you want to learn more about computer security incidents and issues at CERN? Follow our Monthly Report. For further information, questions or help, check our website or contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:12aa3d89-ef4d-4928-99d7-303629182e07> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://home.web.cern.ch/news/news/computing/computer-security-beauty-under-hood | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.895297 | 828 | 2.3125 | 2 |
Several ethanol producers from Iowa and South Dakota—representing more than one billion gallons of capacity—called on the ethanol community to focus their near term advocacy efforts on fuel efficiency rules that are likely to be a top priority for the incoming Biden Administration.
In an open letter to the ethanol community published in Biofuels Digest, the producers said the industry was facing some tough questions as to how to overcome a trend line of lowered demand due to a number of factors. Regardless of who is in the White House they say, reduced gasoline demand, an RFS under constant attack, the emergence of electric vehicles, and inconsistent exports are variables that hinder any sustained pathway for growth.
The letter argues that a high-octane low-carbon fuel strategy is a win-win for the ethanol industry, refiners, and automakers.
While E15 provides one point of octane, we have the ability to provide an increase of 2-3 points at the pump and triple ethanol demand from today’s E10! That much ethanol reduces carbon, not just in the fuel, but also at the refinery level by replacing energy intensive aromatics used for octane.
The fuel economy rule established in 2012 was regarded as a significant achievement of the Obama-Biden Administration before the Trump Administration rolled back most of the required efficiency increases. This may be one of the first climate-related measures the new Administration will address.
Ethanol producers and corn growers need to get behind the rewrite of the SAFE Rule and argue for higher octane while enforcing toxics controls, give us a fair reckoning in our carbon footprint, remove barriers such as RVP limits, and allow ethanol to be used in whatever volume the market demands. Incorporating these pieces into a revised future automobile efficiency standard results in an unfettered path for growth and expansion without federal subsidies or mandates. | <urn:uuid:a3c240d8-1e0b-4529-8d8f-457d693d86cf> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.greencarcongress.com/2020/12/20201201-octane.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.93437 | 375 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Do you have a dread of talking in English? Or then again do you just not feel certain about your capacities?
It may sound self-evident, however correspondence is critical when taking in another language. So today, we will talk about correspondence, and help you to overcome your dread.
There are numerous individuals who trust that it’s important to ponder for quite a while before one is prepared to talk. In any case, this isn’t valid.
It is unreasonably normal for individuals to start by concentrate the punctuation and the structure of the language—the greater part of the principles—however they barely talk.
This issue gets from the customary language encouraging techniques utilized by most schools that put huge amounts of accentuation on contemplating and remembering the tenets, and barely any, open doors for understudies to talk and to encounter the way of life.
What’s even most noticeably awful is that these schools instruct that oversights are awful.
Have you at any point stepped through an Learn English speaking and gotten it back with a cluster of red stamps on it? What’s more, how does that influence you to feel? Does it increment your enthusiasm for taking in the language? Likely not…
Missteps aren’t awful: truth be told, the more oversights you make, the speedier that you can redress them and learn.
Instructors shouldn’t be there to “educate” you the language. They ought to be there to expand your energy for it and to enable you to learn it.
All things considered, what’s a language if not an apparatus that gives us a chance to speak with other individuals?
Also, last, we shouldn’t be terrified to talk, but instead we ought to be pleased that we know how to talk an outside language!
What’s the most exceedingly bad that can happen on the off chance that you move yourself, open your mouth, and talk the language that you are working so difficult to learn? Literally nothing. In the event that you are energetic about taking in the language, others will see this, and they will encourage you.
Nobody will rebuff you. What’s more, in the event that somebody snickers at you that lone implies that you have to figure out how to giggle at yourself. Keep in mind: botches are critical.
I need you to consider how a tyke takes in his first language. He hears it for quite a while before he even endeavors to talk. He never takes in the guidelines—nobody discloses to him he’s not prepared to talk since he hasn’t aced the present consistent! Furthermore, he never considers it a subject in school.
Youngsters have a great time and play with the language. For what reason don’t you consider doing likewise?
I’ve been “examining” French for a couple of months now. Be that as it may, I’ve never opened a course reading. I encircle myself with the language. I tune in to music, I tune in to French radio stations while I am working, I utilize online assets. Through this, I’ve turned out to be enthusiastic about French culture and language.
Along these lines, what I need you to do TODAY (not tomorrow, not one week from now) is to discover some approach to address a local Learn English speaker. Sound hard? I guarantee you it isn’t! You can begin by perusing this article… and after that this one.
Dialects were designed for correspondence. Try not to disregard it. Associate, find, and have a great time!
Look at this video of me talking the four outside dialects that I know (at different levels). I beyond any doubt had some good times making it, and I trust it motivates you to open your mouth and commit loads of errors! I needed to conquer my very own portion timidity to considerably think about imparting this to you, so I know you can do it, as well.
They are similar elements for achievement in anything. You simply need to choose you need it sufficiently terrible, begin strolling, fall all over and keep getting up with a grin all over. Good fortunes! You can depend on RealLife English to help you on your way to familiarity.
We’d love to catch wind of your experience and dialect learning insight, any issues or guidance you need to share, and any input you have. On the off chance that you enjoyed this article, we would truly welcome you clicking “like,” as it enables the RLE to extend a considerable measure.
Buy in to our mailing rundown to get our free month to month Genuine English bulletin, with selective dialect learning tips, refreshes as to occasions, and access to our immense database of articles. Lastly, we would truly value it in the event that you spread the news about the venture and educate your companions regarding it. You’re the best. | <urn:uuid:48d48134-197f-45b0-b011-e3c53b8303bf> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://hirharang.com/why-communication-is-so-important-to-learn-english-language.html?amp=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573104.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817183340-20220817213340-00465.warc.gz | en | 0.954086 | 1,041 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Me Inc: the rise of the freelancerby
Since 2009, the number of freelancers working in the UK has risen by 25%. Together they turnover an estimated £109 billion a year. And more than 2 million people now classify themselves as contingent workers or independent contractors. People who’ve made their living working from one project to the next have always been around.
However, in recent years freelancing has become a lifestyle choice rather than a necessity.
There are two key drivers for the rise of what is now being called “the gig economy.” From the workers’ perspective, there is a demand for diversity and autonomy in their roles and the ability to showcase their unique skill sets. For some organisations, there’s a shift in strategy from ‘I need to hire a person’ to ‘I need to complete a task.’
Whereas once salary topped employee priority lists, this no longer holds true. Our research has shown that a flexible environment - from working remotely to less restrictive hours - is gaining in importance at a rapid pace.
A linear career path is no longer of interest to today’s generation; in fact, the thought of working in the same industry or at the same company for a concerted period of time, is downright daunting for many employees.
And why should they?
Technology sector is leading the way
Our dynamic business environment, driven by globalisation and technological advances, has made freelancing a far more accessible option than ever before.
Companies like Uber and Deliveroo have elevated the gig economy to new heights and the widening skills gap in STEM fields has flipped the job market in favour of the employee.
Organisations are increasingly recognising this movement with seventy-three percent of our survey respondents reporting that they use freelancers on either a regular or as-needed basis.
A broad range of our clients across a variety of sectors are asking for advice on how to manage a contingent workforce, particularly those looking to fill positions in the technology sector, e.g. data scientists.
Unsurprisingly, the technology sector has been at the forefront of embracing freelancers, realising the tremendous contributions they make to an industry that is suffering from an extreme talent drought. But we can also observe other industries like media and customer service becoming more open to hiring contingent workers.
At the other end of the spectrum are more traditional industries like engineering. With a lot of the current staff about to retire, there’s a real desire to secure talent for the long term.
Engineering companies still hold on to the mindset of ‘pinning down’ employees for as long as possible. The cost and time of onboarding and training new joiners certainly plays a part here too. However, as workplace automation becomes more sophisticated, this issue will become less significant in the future.
It’s not all about the money
At Futurestep we consider the contingent workforce as a complementary addition to the traditional full-time workforce. My advice to businesses would be to avoid thinking that cost savings is the primary reason to ramp up the number of independent contractors.
Their hourly rates may actually be higher than salaried employees, but you are essentially paying for a unique skill that only a few select people can bring to the table.
By the same token, employers would be well advised not to enter into a financial competition and focus on other benefits they can offer candidates.
They need to ask themselves: what do staff really value above all else? What sets your company apart from others? It’s key to keep your finger on the pulse and identify these things. Then leverage your employees as brand ambassadors to communicate these messages through company channels.
Freelancers will frequently be spoilt for choice. Showing them why they should spend time with you, and giving them a flavour of what your company stands for, may well be what tips the balance.
Furthermore, businesses hiring contingent workers ought to overhaul traditional engagement and retention metrics.
As project-based work becomes the new normal in many industries, identifying short and long-term needs for contingent workers with the right skills is business-critical.
Although some industries may be slower than others to adapt to change, I am confident that we will make major strides here in the next couple of years. It’s clear that the benefits of the gig economy outweigh the downsides. We are moving away from traditional 9-5 working days and our need for an on-demand global talent pool becomes ever more urgent.
As traditional sectors continue to be disrupted by this emerging economy, it will become a force in itself for transformation. | <urn:uuid:cf8f5ecd-0421-448e-9030-1a317d56e827> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.hrzone.com/lead/future/me-inc-the-rise-of-the-freelancer | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.954301 | 942 | 1.625 | 2 |
Public Health Experts Explore Ways To Better Integrate NCD Treatment Into Health Systems
Devex: An emerging strategy to tackle chronic disease
“… ‘Where we are now on NCDs is not far from where we were 20 years ago on communicable diseases,’ Isabelle Torres, global head of access to medicines at Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., told Devex at an event hosted by the company in Geneva to bring together government, NGO, and private sector leaders to discuss a roadmap for NCDs. Public health experts described an emerging consensus around actionable steps that can help countries and that the global health community can take to address this evolving reality. Tackling NCDs will require policy adjustments, reformed health system structures, and effective partnerships that break down silos…” (Saldinger, 7/12). | <urn:uuid:e4e37653-5d01-449f-ac69-11eca61a2908> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.kff.org/news-summary/public-health-experts-explore-ways-to-better-integrate-ncd-treatment-into-health-systems/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.926453 | 173 | 2.03125 | 2 |
The Gold Report: James, from your perspective in Europe, is the region in as bad a financial crisis as it appears in the headlines here in the U.S.?
James Turk: Yes, it really is. However, Europe is a big place, and you have to look at the individual countries one by one to understand the situation. Generally speaking, the Mediterranean countries are in the worst shape. Germany has been in the best shape, although recent economic data indicate it may be falling into a recession again. France is not quite as bad as the Mediterranean countries, but in economic activity, it is worse off than Germany and the rest of Northern Europe.
TGR: What role does the euro play in all this, and where might the next crisis take place?
JT: Most of the problems we have seen in Europe are not really euro crises; they are banking crises. That was clearly the case in Cyprus.
The hot spot now is Slovenia, a small Alpine country that is part of the European Union and the Eurozone. Its banks are overleveraged and under scrutiny because of the number of bad loans they carry.
The banks in Luxembourg and Malta are also very highly leveraged relative to the size of those countries' gross domestic product (GDP). This concern follows on what happened in Iceland, Dubai and Cyprus, where the perception was that the banks were potentially vulnerable to "hot money" withdrawals due to the banks' high percentage multiple to the country's GDP. In other words, if depositor money were to flee, those banks might experience liquidity squeezes too big for the government to manage. That is what happened when the European Central Bank (ECB) pulled the plug on Cypriot banks after Russian depositors pulled out large sums.
Economic activity is the second part of the problem. Italy is probably the most vulnerable at the moment, and that is saying quite a bit, given how bad off Spain is. But Italy has more political uncertainty.
TGR: Italy has a new coalition government. Could that calm things down?
JT: It could calm things down for a while, but there is so much difference of opinion as to what is needed to solve Italy's problem, the various groups are too polarized. I do not see this coalition government lasting very long.
TGR: What will it take to cure this banking crisis?
JT: Capital. The banks are overleveraged and have too many bad assets on their balance sheet. Capital has been wiped out, even accounting for reserves set aside by the banks. That was clearly the case in Cyprus and is the case in most other countries.
The banks look solvent because the ECB is keeping them afloat with liquidity. If the ECB removes that liquidity, as it did with Cyprus, it will soon become apparent which banks are truly insolvent. Bank crises occur overnight for that reason: When the liquidity is gone, the bank closes up because it is not solvent. It lacks quality liquid assets that can be sold into the market to raise cash to meet depositor withdrawals.
Capital cannot be created out of thin air, which is something that politicians have yet to learn. They think that by borrowing more money from the market they can save the banking system. But they are just adding fuel to the fire because most European countries are already overleveraged.
TGR: Looking to the east, Japan just announced its own quantitative easing (QE). Will it win the currency race to the bottom?
JT: We seem to have a horse race going on that no one should want to win. Which is going to the fiat currency graveyard the quickest: the yen, the dollar, the euro or the pound? Right now, Japan is leading the race with its debasement of the Japanese yen through QE and government spending programs. This is astounding because when you look at economic activity around the world, Japanese GDP growth is better than most, and it has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the industrialized world. Japan was in pretty good shape until its new prime minister took over and laid out his policy to debase the yen.
TGR: Why has the dollar remained so strong despite QE here?
"Capital cannot be created out of thin air, which is something that politicians have yet to learn."
JT: Is the dollar really strong? When you look at the dollar against goldwhich is what it should be measured againstthe dollar has lost 16% per annum on average for 12 years in a row. At any moment, the dollar might look OK compared to the euro or vice versa, but you have to measure the dollar against something meaningful. I do that by looking at the dollar relative to the gold price.
I expect this multi-year weakness in the dollar to continue because, just as in Europe, Japan and in the U.K., the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve are following destructive monetary policies that are eroding the dollar's purchasing power.
TGR: Will that lead to hyperinflation and is there a tipping point for that to happen?
JT: I think it will lead to hyperinflation. There have been signs for quite a number of years.
You have to keep a couple of things in mind. One is that the inflation numbers released by the U.S. government and most governments around the world have been massaged and doctored to make inflation look lower than it really is. I rely on the inflation statistics that John Williams of ShadowStats.com puts together. Right now inflation in the U.S. is running about 9.5%. For example, commodity prices and the cost of things like property taxes and insurance premiums have been running much higher than what the U.S. government reports inflation to be.
Second, hyperinflation always comes from one cause: excessive government spending, forcing it to borrow. When a government borrows, it can only borrow what the market is willing to lend or what the market has the capacity to lend. If the government is borrowing more than the market is saving, it is, by definition, debasing the currency.
When no one is willing to lend to the government, it tells the central bank to buy its debt and turn it into currency. The central bank then puts this newly "printed" money into the government's checking account, which the government then spends.
We are headed for hyperinflationnot necessarily the paper-currency hyperinflation that occurred in Germany's Weimar Republic or in Zimbabwebut a deposit-currency hyperinflation, like Argentina 12 years ago. There is not a lot of paper currency being printed, but there is a lot of money in bank accounts; this is currency that people spend with checks, wire transfers and plastic cards.
TGR: Recently, you talked on the "Keiser Report" about Bitcoin. Does it matter if digital currency has no value beyond accounting? Are there parallels between gold and Bitcoin?
JT: Bitcoin is not only a digital currency, it is a crypto-currency, a technological innovation we have not seen before.
The parallels to gold are quite interesting. I did a study recently for the GoldMoney Foundation showing that the aboveground stock of gold grows by about 1.8% per annum, year after year after year. That number is approximately equal to world population growth and new wealth creation, so gold's purchasing power has been consistent over long periods of time. Gold mining does exactly what Milton Friedman recommends in his K-rule: it grows the gold money supply by the same amount year after year after year.
Bitcoin is designed in essentially the same way, but instead of mining the earth you are mining mathematical formulas to arrive at a very consistent growth of Bitcoin until 2040, when approximately 21 million Bitcoins will be in circulation.
"Bitcoin is not only a digital currency, it is a crypto-currency a technological innovation we have not seen before."
Bitcoin and gold each have advantages and disadvantages. The piece of gold you hold in your hand has 5,000 years of history. Bitcoin has maybe four years of history. On the other hand, because you can hold gold in your hand and store it in vaults, it can be confiscated by governments. Bitcoin, because it is a crypto-currency based on mathematical formulas stored in computers all around the world, cannot be confiscated.
Bitcoin has value to people who understand that confiscation is a real risk. In the last century, Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler and Roosevelt all confiscated gold to increase the power of the state. Once the state controls the money we use, it can control economic activity, which explains what we are seeing today around the world.
Crypto-currencies are here to stay and should be looked at closely by everybody, particularly those who understand sound money and appreciate the value and usefulness of gold.
TGR: Is Bitcoin an investment vehicle?
JT: No, because neither gold nor Bitcoin generates cash flow. Both are sterile assets. Investments generate cash flow. You put your money at risk in the hope of getting cash flow from your investment.
Gold is money. When the price of gold goes up, you are simply taking wealth that is already created and in the hands of people who own fiat currency, and transferring that wealth to people who own gold.
The same concept applies to Bitcoin. Bitcoin is money, not an investment. Its exchange rate can go up or down just like the price of gold. In that sense, Bitcoin could be called a store of value just like gold. The difference is that gold has a 5,000-year history; Bitcoin is much younger. We will have to see how Bitcoin plays out as a store of value in the years ahead, but regardless, Bitcoin is a useful currency because it makes possible low-cost global payments. It is a technological advancement that leaves bank payment systems in the dust.
TGR: Will governments see Bitcoin as a threat because it is an alternative currency not under their control?
"The rule of thumb is to have gold bullion equal to your age. A 65-year-old should have 65% of his or her assets in gold bullion; a 25-year-old can have 25%."
JT: They may see it as a threat, but there is nothing they can do about it unless they seize every personal computer in the world. People are studying it, becoming familiar with it. Some day there may be a Bitcoin2 or a Bitcoin3 that is even better than the original.
That is the beauty of technology. Technology enables society to move forward and improve everyone's standard of life. Crypto-currencies may be the technological innovation that gets us out of our current monetary malaise arising from state control of money and enables us to return to vibrant economic activity that results when we use sound money.
TGR: Based on your Fear Index and the Gold Money Index, would you explain the difference between value and price?
JT: Price is the measurement we use when we enter into an exchange with someone else in the marketplace. Value is what something is truly worth.
In other words, I might have a house worth $500,000, but I sell it at $400,000. The purchaser is buying it at a price below its true value. On the other hand, I might sell that house at $600,000, in which case the purchaser is buying the house above its true value.
To correctly analyze gold, we must look at its value. We can measure gold's value by comparing it to national currencies.
I use the Fear Index to compare gold to the dollar and the Gold Money Index to compare gold's role in international trade and finance against all of the foreign exchange reserves held by the world's central banks. Gold is undervalued by both of those measures. Even though its price has been rising for 12 consecutive years against the U.S. dollar, it remains undervalued because the dollar itself is being debased at almost as rapid a rate as the gold price is rising.
The other thing about gold is that its value is not only expressed numerically. Gold is money that is outside the banking system. Because it is tangible, it has no counterparty risk. It is not money that depends on a bank or a government promise.
Given what happened in Cyprus and the fragility of many banks around the world, I think everybody should have some gold to protect themselves from the eventuality of a much larger banking crisis than what we have seen so far.
TGR: In light of all the volatility of gold and silver recently, how are you adjusting your portfolio? What roles do cash, physical gold, mining stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) play?
JT: When you buy gold, you have to first identify your objective. Do you want to profit from movements in the gold price, or do you want a safe haven as protection from monetary and banking turmoil? You want the right tool for the right job, which depends on your objective.
If investors want a safe haven, physical gold with no counterparty risk is the way to goyou want to hold gold bars and coins. If investors want to trade to profit from fluctuations in the gold price, then you can look at what I call paper-gold instruments. These would be futures, options and ETFs. In this case, you do not own gold; you own exposure to the gold price and that exposure comes with counterparty risk.
I recommend focusing on gold as a safe haven: own physical gold and leave paper-gold to the professional traders and the speculators. Gold is part of the cashthe liquidity partof your portfolio.
Mining shares go into the investment part of portfolios. Investors need to look at mining shares using the same process they do when buying any equity. What is the quality of management? What does the balance sheet look like? What do the assets look like? What is the political risk where the company operates? And so forth.
If you are prepared to shoulder those investment risks, you might then decide to have some mining shares in your portfolio as well. Generally speaking, I have never seen mining share prices this undervalued in relation to the cash flow they are generating, and, as a result, many mining companies have increased their dividends. If I am correct that the gold price will go much higher, I think mining company shares will rise much higher as well.
TGR: Is the TSX Venture Exchange a bargain basement right now?
JT: Everything is pretty much on sale. The question is when the mining shares go up, which ones will go up first?
There are a couple of characteristics that may give us a clue. Good dividend payers with secure cash flow will probably rise first. I would stay away from any mining shares that have any hedge positions, because those hedge positions will cut into profit as we have seen in the past.
I also would look to the mining shares with management teams that have proven themselves. There were a number of disasters over the past few years caused by companies focusing on growth rather than cash flow. They overpaid for investments and diluted their shareholders. Many of those executives have left and their successors have, I hope, learned the lessons of those departures. You always have to look at management first and have complete confidence in management before investing in any company.
TGR: Some people have predicted that hundreds of junior miners will be gone by year-end. Do you agree, or are you more optimistic?
JT: It is possible that a lot of them will go by the wayside and disappear, simply because capital is very hard to come by today. A lot of these little companies are the explorers looking for a resource, but even those that have a resource cannot always find the capital they need to develop it.
A lot of the smaller companies are at bargain-basement prices, but they come with a lot of risk. The less risky play would be companies that have a dividend record, a good management team and a strong, solid cash flow that will likely continue into the future.
TGR: Based on the five standard deviation decline that occurred in mid-April, what would the technical analysts predict for the price of gold this summer and the rest of 2013?
JT: The present drop in prices is very similar to what occurred in 2008, although it is not as severe a percentage decline. And remember, within one year of the low of 2008, gold made a new record high above $1,000/ounce ($1,000/oz) and silver more than doubled within 12 months.
I think history will repeat. Within the next 12 months a new record high in gold above $2,000/oz is possible, and I think silver will double.
TGR: Any last advice for investors looking to preserve or increase their wealth?
JT: When you are preserving wealth, you want a safe haven. Physical gold has been the best safe haven over the past 12 years, and I expect that to continue. You just need to make sure you store it with a professional storage firm where you have the assurances of integrity, that your gold is safe.
If you want to grow your wealth, you have to focus on investments, not the money in your portfolio. Here, you might want to look at the mining companies because there are some very good opportunities because of today's low prices.
I guess it comes down to a question of age. If you are older, you want to be more conservative and take less risk. If you are younger, you might want to take more risk. For me, the rule of thumb is that you should have gold bullion equal to your age. A 65-year-old pursuing a less-risky portfolio strategy should have 65% of his or her assets in gold bullion and the rest in various investments. A 25-year-old can have 25% of his or her assets in gold bullion and invest the remaining 75%, which means the portfolio has less liquidity and more risk.
Whether you are the 65-year-old investing 35% or the 25-year-old investing 75%, look at the gold mining shares because they are extremely undervalued right now. I do not think the gold mining industry is going to disappear, for the same reason that gold, with its 5,000-year record, is not going to disappear.
TGR: Great advice. Thank you so much for your time.
James Turk is the founder and chairman of GoldMoney, which launched in 2001. GoldMoney is an online bullion dealer in gold, silver and other precious metals , which its customers can store in Canada, UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore. After positions with The Chase Manhattan Bank (now JP Morgan Chase) and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Turk began the Freemarket Gold Money Report in 1987, which published until 2009 when he began occasional blogging at fgmr.com.
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1) JT Long conducted this interview for The Gold Report and provides services to The Gold Report as an employee.
2) Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for its services or as sponsorship payment.
3) James Turk: I was not paid by Streetwise Reports for participating in this interview. Comments and opinions expressed are my own comments and opinions. I had the opportunity to review the interview for accuracy as of the date of the interview and am responsible for the content of the interview.
4) Interviews are edited for clarity. Streetwise Reports does not make editorial comments or change experts' statements without their consent.
6) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned and may make purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise. | <urn:uuid:f1ba04ac-3424-45dc-a65c-48ab2652d174> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ino.com/blog/2013/05/gold-and-bitcoin-currencies-of-the-future-james-turk/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.968034 | 4,201 | 1.882813 | 2 |
In Novorossiysk, the delegations of the Russian Navy and the Navy of the Arab Republic of Egypt held a three-day conference on the preparation and drawing of the joint exercise "Bridge of friendship-2020".
The main task of the meeting between the military seamen of the two countries was to work out and approve the plan of the exercise, which will be held for the first time in the Black sea.
During the upcoming exercise, tactical groups of warships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy and the Egyptian Navy, with the support of aviation, will work out joint tasks to protect sea routes from various threats. According to the unified plan, forces will be deployed to organize communications and resupply at sea, and actions on inspection operations against suspicious vessels will be worked out.
Also, under the guidance of the joint staff of the exercise, Russian and Egyptian sailors will work out the organization of all types of protection and defense at sea, conduct missile and artillery firing from the ship's weapons.
The purpose of the exercise is to strengthen and develop military cooperation between the Egyptian Navy and the Russian Navy in the interests of security and stability at sea, as well as to exchange experience between personnel in repelling various threats in areas of heavy navigation.
During the conference, sightseeing tours of the hero city of Novorossiysk were organized for the Egyptian Navy delegation as part of the cultural program. | <urn:uuid:f49598a4-5264-4e69-b019-e039421b617d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.defensehere.com/en/russia-and-egypt-getting-ready-for-bridge-of-friendship-2020-in-novorossiysk | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.968322 | 290 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Nature is in a cycle. Sunrise, sunset, seasons all have their prescribed times. This is because physical laws govern this Existence. Imagine the chaos if the sun rose and set at random times each day! We would not know when to get up, to go to work, to sleep at night. Even though everything in nature changes constantly, there is an underlying stability that brings predictability about how the time of day and the seasons change, enabling us to structure our lives without worry about when – or whether – the sun will rise tomorrow. To that extent, Nature is very compassionate.
Everything in Nature is in tune. We notice a certain hustle and bustle during the daytime where every creature goes about its activities, and then, as night approaches, everything quietens down. We are each a small part of the larger Existence, with an internal clock that is in tune with Nature. If we are sensitive enough, we will see that our cycles of sleep, digestion, etc are happening at prescribed times.
However, with our current lifestyle – work hours, food/sleep habits, social media distractions – we have lost that connection with our inner clock. This has been linked to a host of health problems – sleep disorder, poor cognitive function, diabetes. obesity, heart disease, substance abuse etc. Many health problems can be remedied by simply being in tune with our body cycles, which are constantly transacting with the rest of Nature.
Ayurveda, a system that was developed many thousands of years ago, prescribes a daily regimen called Dinacharya; in Sanskrit, Din means ‘day’ and Acharya means ‘to follow’. It means to align our daily cycle with the natural cycles of Sun, Moon, Earth, and other planets in our solar system, which brings about a natural balance. As we come into balance, being healthy, happy, and joyful becomes our natural state.
Everything on this planet and in the cosmos is made up of the 5 elements – Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Space. So also is the human body. Even though the materials are the same, the unique combination of these 5 elements is what makes each creature unique. Ayurveda groups these 5 elements into 3 basic types of energy in our body which in Sanskrit are called Vaatha, the air element; Piththa, the fire element; and Kapha, the water element.
These 3 energies are dominant at certain times of the day. Vaatha is dominant from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. and from 2:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m. Kapha is dominant from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Piththa is dominant from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. The wisdom of Ayurveda prescribes an ideal daily schedule which moves in accordance with these energy cycles. That is Dinacharya, which if we inculcate into our lives, creates natural balance and harmony.
Below is the recommended daily schedule.
Waking: As Vaatha is dominant from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. one should wake up before dawn. This is the time where there is more sattva (quality of balance and purity) in the air.
Detox and Elimination: After waking up comes cleansing. Emptying the colon and bladder ensures healthy functioning of the digestive system. Waiting until later in the day to empty yourself creates toxins and can lead to chronic conditions. Drinking 2 glasses of warm water acts as a laxative.
Clean the senses: Wash your eyes and face with cold water. Rose water is ideal, but cold water also works. Similarly clean your ears, brush your teeth and scrape the tongue. This will bring a freshness to the system. Gargling with warm water helps clear the throat.
Yoga or Exercise: After cleansing, it is time for yoga or exercise. Between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. the Kapha energies is dominant and is an optimal time for yoga and exercise. Doing this type of activity removes stagnation in the body, ignites the digestive fire, reduces fat and leaves you feeling light and joyful.
Bath: Have a warm water bath to wash off the sweat and toxins. Wear comfortable clothes.
Meditate: Sit in a quiet space and meditate for a few minutes to an hour. Doing this balances the Prana and connects you with your Inner Self or Larger Consciousness. This is an important aspect of Dinacharya as it brings peace and sets the pace for the day.
Breakfast: Eat a wholesome but light breakfast. Eat enough to sustain you through lunch. Offer gratitude to the food before you eat as it is that which sustains you every day.
Work: Next it is time for your work.
Lunch: Have your lunch between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The Pitta energy is dominant during this time, which means your digestive fire is at its best. This should be your largest and main meal of the day. So eat a nutritious meal. Take a walk after lunch to help digest the food. Avoid taking naps.
Work: Back to work.
Sunset/Dinner: As evening approaches, everything in nature begins to slow down. This is the time to start winding down. It is best to finish dinner by 7 p.m. so that the food can be digested before it is sleep time. Eating a light dinner (compared to lunch) is recommended.
Relaxation/Sleep: It is time to relax and spend time doing the things we enjoy. 10 p.m. is sleep time so you can get 6 – 7 hours of sleep before it is time to wake up before dawn.
This, in essence, is Dinacharya. If the above routine is not feasible, at least tuning our sleep times to the natural cycles, eating wholesome and nutritious food and most importantly, avoiding sleeping immediately after meals ensures we will live a healthy, happy, and disease-free life.
47 Most Famous Motivational Quotes of All-Time
49 Greatest Love Quotes
37 Inspirational Quotes that Will Change Your Life | <urn:uuid:ed78c202-0170-44c6-8580-b0ec6f6c138d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://celebrateyoga.org/dinacharya-ayurveda-healthy-joyful-living/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571150.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810070501-20220810100501-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.953017 | 1,317 | 2.515625 | 3 |
One of my favourite writers is Emma Donoghue, author of the best-selling Room, but I particularly like her book of short stories The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits. In the foreword, Emma writes: [This] is a book of fictions, but they are also true. Over the last ten years, I have often stumbled over a scrap of history so fascinating that I had to stop whatever I was doing and write a story about it…I have tried to use memory and invention together, like two hands engaged in the same muddy work of digging up the past.
Hell, yeah! Except, I want to stop what I am doing and find out more about it. So, here are some scraps of history where I stumbled down the rabbit hole of research and eventually dug my way out with a story.
Story: Feeding the Hungry Ghost
Seed: Kim Lee, Chinese fruiterer, of Adelaide-road, Newtown, who has been removed to Somes Island under suspicion of being a sufferer from leprosy, is one of the trio of Chinese against whom charges for possession of opium are still pending before the Stipendiary Magistrate.
Source: Evening Post, 14 July 1903
Research: Opium, leprosy, lighthouses, Matiu/Somes Island, Chinese in New Zealand. Letters that I found in Archives, NZ showed something much more complicated than these bare facts.
Seed: No one took much notice of the small boy of eleven who categorically stated he had seen a plane crashing into the sea at Lyall Bay. However, he was emphatic about it, and when it was suggested by the Police that perhaps he would not know an aeroplane if he saw one, he asserted that he had become quite familiar with them when the U.S. Fleet was in Wellington.
Source: Ungrateful People, G.K. Fraser
Research: Aviators, spiritualism, Mrs Douglas Blair (an obscure and forgotten NZ author)
Story: You Are Not Alone
Seed: In ‘A History of the Birds of New Zealand’, Walter Buller described how a pair of laughing owls bound for London Zoo escaped his Wellington aviary one stormy night. Their calls were traced from The Terrace to the Episcopalian Cemetery where the sexton reported hearing ‘most all kinds o’ noises among them graves.’
Source: Caption on an exhibit at Te Papa Museum
Research: Extinct birds, Walter Buller, Lord Rothschild, Bolton Street Cemetery.
Saving the Huia
Something I learnt that didn’t make it into that last story, was about the efforts to save the huia from extinction in the 1890s. The New Zealand-born son of the Governor General was given the name Huia to promote awareness of the campaign. The story of The Baptism of Huia Onslow (with some wonderful photographs) is told on Old St Paul’s website. They have many more great stories, but that’s a whole new rabbit hole…
Joanne Preston writes about getting side-tracked on her blog A Dark Feathered Art: The guest writer was Des Barry, who had worked as a research assistant for Peter Carey when he was writing his Commonwealth Writers’ Prize-winning novel, Jack Maggs. I remember Des talking about spending months researching the details of how quill pens were made; which feathers were best, how they varied, how long they lasted, the inks, the paper, the whole business. And all this painstaking research came down to one sentence in the final book: “He cut three inches off the feather’s top, cleared the barrel of its scurf, and made six fast cuts.”
I think research assistant for Peter Carey would be my dream job. | <urn:uuid:efe2b504-e44d-4f44-af8c-11bbb3111707> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://catherineclarkeauthor.com/2018/02/28/down-the-rabbit-hole-research/?like_comment=6&_wpnonce=48b51f54e1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.973389 | 801 | 1.835938 | 2 |
Have you been watching the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang? I love em – and will be glued to the set most evenings watching all the drama unfold. I think it’s always fun to watch excellence and people competing for their sports greatest honor.
I’ve always wondered how many of the athletes support themselves during training (do they work full-time jobs – or do they get stipends?), OR what can each medalist expect to earn from their victories (if anything)? All these questions and a few more I posed to my oldest nephew a couple years ago, who had the honor of coaching the inaugural US skier-cross team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He was also a member of the US ski team and has traveled all over the world competing in alpine events.
Here’s what he had to say:
So, what can the average medalist expect to earn from their medal wins?
I only can give you what a US athlete can expect to earn, as each athlete from another country could be quite different. The USOC has a program called “operation gold” which pays out medal winning performances at the Olympics. A US athlete who medals in the Summer/Winter Olympics can expect to receive $37,500 for a Gold Medal, $22,500 for a Silver Medal, and $15,000 for a Bronze medal. Now, as you can imagine that is not a huge sum of money for some of the “pro” athletes that compete in the games. However, when you look at it from a organizational standpoint, that is a huge amount of money to award each medalist considering the US is one of the most successful countries in the medal count at any Olympic Games! Then some athletes will have endorsement deals laced with incentives that will pay them based on their performance – i.e. Sponsor “A” will pay “X” athlete $50,000 extra for Gold, $20,000 Silver, $5,000 Bronze…. And again these athletes are like independent contractors so they will be taxed on all their earnings.
I guess if you’re Michael Phelps (8 Golds from the last Summer Games) – you can come away with quite a chunk of change! Though, I suspect most will earn their money from endorsements then, right?
Certainly some of the top athletes will earn a bulk of their income from endorsements. Though that list of athletes who have lucrative endorsement deals is small. I’m not counting the “pro” athletes that participate in basketball, and tennis. Most athletes who are not the Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt, or Lindsay Vonn of the Olympics struggle to “make a living.” Generally speaking most athletes who participate in Olympic sports – i.e. swimming, skiing, rifle, running, archery, etc. don’t have long contracts, if any contracts, with companies/sponsors. Most sponsors look to bring on marketable athletes to help promote their brand 2 years prior to an Olympics. Many contracts are signed for 2 or 4 years (Olympic cycles). And because many of these athletes are only seen or known during this one, two week period every four years, their overall marketability is limited. Again, the exceptions are the athletes like Phelps, Vonn, etc.. Endorsements can range all over the place depending on the stature of that particular athlete and their accomplishments and certainly what they will bring to that sponsor in return. So as you can probably guess those can be in the millions or even very small as a couple thousand or less. Many athletes have deals with sponsors that will pay them based on performance – better known as an incentive-based contract. This is typical because obviously the better an athlete does the more publicity that athlete gets, hence more marketability for a given time frame.
How do most Olympians support themselves? Do they work regular jobs and then train on the evenings or weekends? And if they are on the US team, can they receive compensation during training? I’ve also heard that Home Depot was a big employer of athletes – is that still true?
This is the question that really is all over the map. Generally speaking, the average American Olympian will have to support themselves in other ways to “make a living.” There really are very few who can dedicate 100% of their time and effort into training without help or assistance. This is why athletes say they have “sacrificed” so much to get that Olympic medal. I believe that 100%, because many athletes for-go all sorts of open doors to chase the Olympic dream. There are all sorts of different ways that athletes get by and train at the same time. Some sports have more funding than other sports so those respective national governing bodies may have grants that athletes can be awarded – but that is rare. I recently read about swimmers on the national swim team are given a $3,000/month stipend so that they can continue to train and race. I’m not sure how other sports may operate. I think track may have something similar but I’m not sure. I know for sure skiing does not have that. Athletes, if they are on the national team, can possibly live and train at one of the three Olympic training centers in the US. If they went that route they would have their lodging, and food taken care of as they have dorms at those facilities. San Diego is probably the nicest one, but I think all three have their own strengths since I’ve spent time at all of them.
As for the Home Depot program, I had heard that stopped after 2010, as I don’t believe Home Depot is a US Olympic sponsor anymore. But that program allowed athletes who went to work for Home Depot to earn a full-time paycheck (40 hour) while working a part time schedule which allowed for training and competing. I knew a few who did that and seemed to like it, but again, it was a perk to be able to collect a full-time paycheck [while doing part-time work].
Overall most Olympic athletes who don’t medal, won’t have big endorsement deals so it is hard to put a figure on what Olympians earn.
What do you think of the Olympics and how Olympians support themselves? | <urn:uuid:9eae1664-0a4d-4f20-8c35-60f0375765fa> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.threethriftyguys.com/2018/02/what-can-olympic-athletes-expect-to-make-for-their-wins-interview-with-an-olympic-coach/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.981038 | 1,308 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Dr Abraham Verghese did not become famous for performing physical exams, but when he places his hands on the abdomen of a standardized patient in a teaching hall, a crowd quickly forms. The learners watch intently as he palpates the area.
"Let the spleen come to you instead of the other way around," he says softly, heads bobbing in acknowledgment.
Dr Verghese is a best-selling author and recipient of a National Humanities Medal for his contributions to literature, but in this space, it's his medical prowess and approach to patient care that invite admiration. Many people who work with him describe him as the model of a caring physician.
"Very often, at the end of a physical exam, I am told two things," Dr Verghese says. "One: 'I've not been examined this way before'– which, if that's true, is a real condemnation of our system.
"And then, surprisingly, I find that I can tell [patients] exactly what they heard elsewhere: 'This is not in your head. This is real, but the good news is that it's not cancer or tuberculosis, or whatever. The bad news is that we don't know exactly what's causing this, but here's what we should try to do.'
"And I always feel that, if I get the buy-in, it's because something happened in the exam."
His appreciation—almost awe—of the patient physical exam has spawned several initiatives at Stanford University, where he teaches. Most recently, it was the centerpiece of a weekend symposium that attracted residency program directors, chief residents, and other clinicians from across the country who wanted to improve their own bedside exam skills and then teach others at their own institutions.
The annual symposium includes discussions about the importance of patient exams as well as hands-on tutorials of the essential exam techniques called the "Stanford 25," which range from hand exams to gait abnormalities.
"There's a meaning that's enacted, even if there's nothing of relevance that's going to come out of the exam," Dr Verghese says. "Even if none of these things 'pan out,' you will have gotten the buy-in to be able to say, 'No, you don't need a CT scan, we don't need the neurology consult; let's just watch this and see each other in 3 weeks, and then let's go from there.'
"That's priceless, you know?"
It's obvious that Dr Verghese has a special place in his heart for patients. His own mention of Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich brings tears to his eyes. (He describes it as "the most profound description of what it is like to be ill.")
But he has a similar ache for clinicians who are experiencing burnout at epidemic levels, and he's an outspoken critic of the electronic medical record (EMR), which he believes has driven a wedge between physicians and patients.
"Meaningfulness in this profession comes from one-on-one interactions with patients," Dr Verghese says. "The moment you feel like you're just another widget, it just takes the soul out of many physicians' lives."
As physicians have seen their connections with patients weaken, they have become more isolated and have lost the joy in delivering patient care, he says.
"I think we've worked harder in previous times; we've had longer hours in previous eras," he muses. "We've been exposed to more dangers directly, from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), tuberculosis, smallpox, etc, but I don't think we've ever had a point in time where physicians felt that meaning had eroded as much as they do now."
Although he is critical of EMRs, he is not anti-technology. In fact, the promise of artificial intelligence (AI) has captured his enthusiasm.
"Physicians are totally frustrated, because every measure of how they do is based on how they enter things in the computer," Dr Verghese says. "AI has a great potential to change that."
He recalled his own recent visit to a doctor who used Google Glass to record the entire exam.
"It was the first time that I felt that neither of us was distracted by this third party!" he said.
If AI systems are able to perform tasks such as record keeping for billing purposes, it could leave physicians free to focus on what they really want to do: provide patient care.
"The moment we can separate [billing] from the true record keeping, we'll make a lot of progress," Dr Verghese says.
Physicians need to start a "revolution," he suggests, to demand the resources needed to restore patient care, and he's optimistic that they will succeed.
"I mean, a hospital administrator who has to deal with 50% of their physicians being burnt out and depressed—that can't be good," he said. "I think that if a physician says, 'You know what, buy Google Glass or we're not going to be able to do this anymore,' they will buy Google Glass. They will do whatever it takes!"
In Dr Verghese's "utopian vision" of the near future, doctors will be able to focus on "making sure that what's plugged into the AI machine is based on an accurate interpretation of what patients are saying and what we're seeing," rather than on actual data entry, which, in its worst form, involves copying and pasting information that was not gathered during the actual patient exam.
In the current world of reality television and social media, physicians today often miss what is really going on with patients, Dr Verghese says.
"How is it that, in a postmodern society that has People magazine and all of this crap out there that indicates how flawed we are as human beings, how complicated we are, how rich our emotional lives are—how is it that in medicine we can feel that it's not important?"
This disconnect may explain the rising popularity of acupuncturists, massage therapists, and other "healers."
"They do one thing that we don't do well: they touch," Dr Verghese says, adding that his own personal experience bears that out. When he experienced back and neck problems, he saw many specialists, from surgeons to neurologists to pain specialists. But the strongest connection he felt was with the physical therapists and massage therapists.
"They were the only ones who really examined my body," he said. "The others were more comfortable with the image or the representation of the disease."
Competency in performing physical exams is a prerequisite, Dr Verghese notes, which is why he is committed to programs like the Stanford 25, a set of skills that are taught not just in occasional symposia but year-round to medical residents training at Stanford. But mastering those skills is just the beginning of true bedside medicine.
"You can't make this a decision tree," he says. "It's more than that; it's the art and science of medicine. It's a human experience."
Another project of his called, simply, "Presence" focuses on that human part of medicine. An introduction on the site explains the foundation of the program:
Being present is essential to the well-being of both patients and caregivers, and it is fundamental to establishing trust in all human interactions. Being present is integral to the art and the science of medicine and predicates the quality of medical care.
In his own words, Dr Verghese explains how this focus can transform patient care.
"We [as patients] aren't just coming to the hospital for a peptic ulcer; we are coming to the hospital with a peptic ulcer in the setting of a terrible marriage, and the kid who is driving us crazy, and God knows what else."
For physicians who have lost that vision, recovering it may take some soul-searching, and Dr Verghese strongly recommends reading the Tolstoy classic he loves as well as other inspiring works. His own books have proven inspiring for many other physicians, especially the bestseller Cutting for Stone.
Another renowned author, Siddhartha Mukherjee, once told Medscape that he recommends an earlier Verghese tome, the nonfiction book My Own Country , which describes the early days of the AIDS epidemic in rural Tennessee, where he was practicing.
"Verghese's portrait of these patients is intimate, compassionate, and unforgettable," Dr Mukherjee said.
Fans of Dr Verghese as author will be happy to hear that he is working on another novel, this time about a spinal surgeon who is "making the crooked straight."
A common thread running through all of his work, on the page or at the bedside, is a love of medicine, gratitude for his role as healer, and faith in the medical profession.
"My operating philosophy is to remind ourselves, 'We're getting to do this. It's not that we have to do this—we get to do this,'" he says. "It's a privilege."
Follow Christine Wiebe on Twitter @CWiebeMedscape
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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Abraham Verghese: 'Revolution' Starts at Bedside - Medscape - Oct 24, 2017. | <urn:uuid:83de6393-b8b0-4b92-89d7-182579a385c9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/887249 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.97759 | 1,979 | 1.984375 | 2 |
The mystery of how the Galápagos Islands, a rocky, volcanic outcrop, with only modest rainfall and vegetation, is able to sustain its unique wildlife habitats has been resolved.
The Galápagos archipelago, rising from the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean some 900 km off the South American mainland, is an iconic and globally significant biological hotspot. The islands are renowned for their unique wealth of endemic species, which inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and today underpins one of the largest UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Marine Reserves on Earth.
In this new research, published in Nature Scientific Reports, scientists from the University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre and Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador used a realistic, high-resolution computer model to study the regional ocean circulation around the Galápagos Islands.
This model showed that the intensity of upwelling around the Galápagos is driven by local northward winds, which generate vigorous turbulence at upper-ocean fronts to the west of the islands. These fronts are areas of sharp lateral contrasts in ocean temperature, similar in character to atmospheric fronts in weather maps, but much smaller. The turbulence drives upwelling of deep waters toward the ocean surface, thus providing the nutrients needed to sustain the Galápagos ecosystem.
Alex Forryan of the University of Southampton, who performed the research, said: “Our findings show that Galápagos upwelling is controlled by highly localised atmosphere-ocean interactions. There now needs to be a focus on these processes when monitoring how the islands’ ecosystem is changing, and in mitigating the ecosystem’s vulnerability to 21st -century climate change.”
Professor Alberto Naveira Garabato, also of the University of Southampton, who led the project supporting the research, said the new knowledge of where and how the injection of deep-ocean nutrients to the Galapagos ecosystem happens is helpful in expanding the Galápagos Marine Reserve. | <urn:uuid:36d0fbda-e91c-4a61-b0d1-6c81019e7834> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://indiainternationaltimes.com/scientists-discover-the-secret-of-galapagos-rich-ecosystem/4696 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.904185 | 409 | 4.34375 | 4 |
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A critical Azure Active Directory vulnerability (CVE-2021-42361) left user credentials stored in easily accessible plain text – a bug that could have let attackers make themselves a contributor to the affected Azure AD subscription, creating, managing and deleting resources across the cloud-based IAM service; which, abused, hands a potentially terrifying amount of control to any bad actor who’s gained access.
The Azure Active Directory vulnerability resulted in private key data being stored in plaintext by four key Azure services in the keyCredentials property of an Azure AD application. (The keyCredentials property is used to configure an application’s authentication credentials. It is accessible to any user or service in the organization’s Azure AD tenant with read access to application metadata, Microsoft noted in its write-up.)
Azure Automation, Azure Migrate, Azure Site Recovery and Azure applications and Service Principals were all storing their private keys visibily in the public property Microsoft admitted.
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“Automation Account ‘Run as’ credentials (PFX certificates) were being stored in cleartext, in Azure Active Directory (AAD). These credentials were available to anyone with the ability to read information about App Registrations (typically most AAD users)” said attack surface management specialist NetSPI.
The bug was spotted and reported by security firm NetSPI’s practice director Karl Fosaaen.
(His technically detailed write-up can be seen here.)
Microsoft gave it a CVSS score of 8.1 and patched it on November 17 in an out-of-band security update.
Impacted Azure services have now deployed updates that prevent clear text private key data from being stored during application creation, and Azure AD deployed an update that prevents access to private key data that has previously been stored. NetSPI’s Fosaaen warned however that “although Microsoft has updated the impacted Azure services, I recommend cycling any existing Automation Account ‘Run as’ certificates. Because there was a potential exposure of these credentials, it is best to assume that the credentials may have been compromised.”
There’s no evidence that the bug has been publicly exploited and it would require basic authorisation, but for a motivated attacker it would have represented a significant weapon in their cloud-exploitation arsenal and raises questions about QA at Microsoft given the critical nature of the exposure.
Microsoft described the Azure Active Directory vulnerability in its security update as “an information disclosure vulnerability [that] manifests when a user or an application uploads unprotected private key data as part of an authentication certificate keyCredential on an Azure AD Application or Service Principal….
“This vulnerability allows a user or service in the tenant with application read access to read the private key data that was added to the application” it added.
In a separate blog by Microsoft Security Response Center the company noted that “access to private key data can lead to an elevation of privilege attack by allowing a user to impersonate the impacted Application or Service Principal” — something illustrated and automated by NetSPI’s Karl Fosaaen.
It’s not Azure’s first serious security issue this year: security researchers at Israel’s Wix in August 2021 found a critical vulnerability in its flagship CosmosDB database that gave them full admin access for major Microsoft customers including several Fortune 500 multinationals. They warned at the time that the “series of flaws in a Cosmos DB feature created a loophole allowing any user to download, delete or manipulate a massive collection of commercial databases, as well as read/write access to the underlying architecture of Cosmos DB.” | <urn:uuid:9b848cfc-dbea-422d-a5f1-8a1534449588> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://thestack.technology/azure-active-directory-vulnerability-private-keys-plaintext-netspi/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.93823 | 765 | 1.546875 | 2 |
THE NOMAD PROPOSAL
Research By Chris Ashworth
The famous aero-engine firm of D. Napier & Sons of Acton, West London, though often thought reluctant to move with the times, had in the 1920s experimented with exhaust-driven superchargers and in the 1930s dabbled in diesels, but with little success. During World War 11 the firm was too busy getting the Sabre into production and sorting out its many problems to be concerned with less conventional though theoretically more economical engines. Napier was, however, well aware that the General Electric Company of America had developed heat-resistant steels that enabled turbo-superchargers to be in-stalled in operational aircraft such as the P-38 Lightning, P-47 Thunderbolt and B-29 Superfortress, and that other firms, notably Junkers, had steadily improved the aircraft diesel.
At the beginning of 1945 the Ministry of Aircraft Production issued a requirement for an economical 6000 hp engine, fully expecting tenders to propose the use of power-recovery systems employing exhaust gas turbines, possibly driving the crankshaft through fluid couplings, as was being proposed by the Curtiss Wright Company in America. However, Sir Harry Ricardo, one of Britain's greatest engine designers, had recently suggested that the most economical combination would be a diesel two-stroke allied to a gas turbine, propounding the theory that careful design would enable the virtues of one to compensate for the weaknesses of the other, and result in an engine of considerable power that would be economical throughout a wide altitude band.
Napier was impressed by his arguments and using pre-war experience with the Culverin and Cutlass (valveless two-stroke diesels) and more recent work on the Sabre (horizontally opposed cranks and centrifugal compressor) designed a 24-cylinder H-type engine of 75 litres capacity. It was not built, however, because the company decided that the commercial outlets for an engine of this size would be very limited. It was cut in half, a horizontally opposed 12cylinder two-stroke diesel driving the rear propeller shaft of a contra-rotating unit, while an 11-stage axial compressor and twin-turbine assembly (based on the Niaid), mounted below the main engine and driven by augmented diesel exhaust, drove a co-axial shaft and the front propeller. Both turbine discs were used for take-off, but during the cruise stage one was isolated and the fuel/air augmentation cut off. This engine was expected to produce at least 3000 shp - it was named the Nomad.
The compressor and turbine assemblies of the Napier E. 125 (Nm.3 Nomad 1) were tested during 1948 and in October 1949 the prototype engine was run as a complete unit. It was 10ft 6in. long, 4ft 10in. wide and 4ft 1in. deep. Weighing 4200lb and rated at 3125 ehp, the engine was installed with considerable difficulty in the nose of Lincoln SX973, which had been allocated to Napier's Luton Flight Test Department in November 1948. SX973 flew with the Nomad 1 in 1950, the engine making its only public appearance at the 1951 SBAC display at Farnborough. In total the Nomad 1 ran for 860 hours on the test rig, 270 hours driving test propellers and 120 hours in flight. It was temperamental, but when running properly it could produce 3000 shp plus 320lb thrust with an sfc of 0.36 lb/ehp/hr.
Long before tests on the Nomad 1were complete Napier had decided to re-design the engine to achieve a better gas flow and less complication. Designated the E145 Nomad 2, the revised version took advantage of development work on a much improved axial compressor designed for the Niaid, a new loop scavenge system which smoothed the gas flow through the diesel, and the Beier infinitely variable gearbox. The original centrifugal compressor was deleted, the 12-stage axial compressor being used to provide supercharged air for the diesel, the exhaust gases of which drove the three-stage turbine. The turbine in turn powered the compressor and assisted the diesel in driving the single 13 ft-diameter four-bladed Rotol or de Havilland propeller through the Beier gearbox, which reduced the output rpm to match the crankshaft. The design of the Nomad 2 was impressive and six engines were ordered by the MoS.
In June 1950 Avro produced a brochure for the Avro 717, a Lincoln fitted with two Nomad engines installed in the standard inner nacelles for use as an additional test bed and a possible long-distance record breaker. With the outer Merlins removed and the airframe generally cleaned up it was estimated that the aircraft would be capable of a still-air range of 13,382nm at heights above 30,000 ft. This was not practical from the crew aspect in an unpressurized aircraft; figures were also given for 15,000 ft, where a range of 12,687nm was suggested. As ever the MoS was less sanguine, estimating that 10,500nm was more likely, and the record-breaking idea was quietly dropped. Plans for the aircraft's use as a test bed continued, however, with Avro suggesting the use of Tudor wing assemblies from the six Mk I airframes about to be scrapped, and the fitting of Lancastrian-type nose and tail fairings. It was proposed that Air Service Training Ltd. should carry out the modifications at Hamble, although Napier, who wanted to do the engine installation at Luton, opposed this.
It had been expected that flight testing of the Nomad 2 mounted in the nose of SX973 would start in June 1952, but a year earlier it was already clear that the engine would be late, and so the plan was changed. The use of SX973 and the development of the Avro 717 was abandoned and it was proposed that a Lincoln or Shackleton should be used with Nomads installed in the outer nacelles. The airframe work required would be minimal and the MoS was satisfied that Napier could do the complete job. On 13 October, 1952, they authorized the transfer of the second prototype Shackleton, VW131, to Napier for conversion and subsequent flight development of the E145 Nomad, the aircraft arriving at Luton on 16 January, 1953, about a month after the engine had first run in the test chamber. The E 145 was 10ft 11in. long, 4ft 10in. wide and 3ft 4in. deep, weighed 3580lb and produced 3135ehp for take-off at an sfc of 0.345 lb/ehp/hr, well below that of its nearest competitor, the Wright Turbo Compound Cyclone.
The engine installation in the Shackleton was extremely neat. The power plant was slung from four vibration dampers carried on a pair of semi-cantilever bearers. The beautifully faired cowlings fitted tightly, with streamlined blisters over the cylinder heads. The cooling radiators were mounted within the wing leading edge between the inner and outer engines, reminiscent of the Mosquito. The installation was first checked with dummy engines, which were also used for vibration tests carried out in April 1954, by which time some 350 hours running time had been attained on the Nomad 2. At least one, possibly two, flight-cleared engines were installed soon afterwards and some reports suggest that the engines were run in the airframe. Unfortunately interest in the Nomad was waning, and following the demise of the R.112D flying boat, and the decision to order the Griffon-powered Shackleton MR 3 for Coastal Command, development of the engine slowed markedly and the project was finally cancelled in April 1955 after an expenditure of £5.1 million.
VW131 remained at Luton until the fuselage was allocated to Avro for research into the ditching characteristics of the aircraft early in January 1956. The aircraft was dismantled and the fuselage despatched to their Bracebridge Heath facility near Lincoln on 7 February 1956. The remainder of the aircraft was scrapped at Luton. | <urn:uuid:c9fb57ec-9027-4480-8539-a2684d241b43> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.thegrowler.org.uk/avroshackleton/the-nomad-proposal.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.974909 | 1,724 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Most major cities in America are affected by gentrification and Washington, D.C. is no different. In what was once known as Chocolate City, the District of Columbia’s African American population has dropped below half for the first time in decades.
With the increase in development and changing demographics, Ryan Florig focuses on the locals in the drastically changing neighborhoods that surround the nation’s capital.
Ryan Florig is a self-taught documentary photographer based in Washington, D.C. His vision is to document an inside perspective of everyday life as a way to archive developing urban landscapes. Florig focuses on the off-beat moments of ordinary people, often overlooked in cities with changing demographics. See more of Ryan Florig’s work on his website – ryanflorig.virb.com | <urn:uuid:7e179fe3-4000-4cc8-8dc8-eba69f325d23> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://theheavycollective.com/2016/09/08/friday-fry-up-ryan-florig/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.958987 | 166 | 1.992188 | 2 |
The quick and easy answer to why people are religious is that God – in whichever form you believe he/she/they take(s) – is real and people believe because they communicate with it and perceive evidence of its involvement in the world.
Only 16 percent of people worldwide are not religious.
But this still equates to approximately 1.2 billion individuals who find it difficult to reconcile the ideas of religion with what they know about the world.
Why people believe is a question that has plagued great thinkers for many centuries - Karl Marx, for example, called religion the 'opium of the people,' while Sigmund Freud felt that god was an illusion and worshippers were reverting to the childhood needs of security and forgiveness.
However, a more recent psychological explanation is the idea that our evolution has created a 'god-shaped hole' or has given us a metaphorical 'god engine' which can drive us to believe in a deity.
Essentially this hypothesis is that religion is a by-product of a number of cognitive and social adaptations which have been extremely important in human development.
We are social creatures who interact and communicate with each other in a co-operative and supportive way.
In doing so we inevitably have stronger attachments to some individuals more than others.
British psychologist John Bowlby demonstrated this influence of attachments on children’s emotional and social development, and showed how these can suffer when they are threatened through separation or abuse.
We continue to rely on these attachments in later life, when falling in love and making friends, and can even form strong attachments to non-human animals and inanimate objects.
It is easy to see that these strong attachments could transfer to religious deities and their messengers.
Our relationships depend on being able to predict how others will behave across situations and time.
But the things that we form attachments to don’t necessarily need to be in front of us to predict their actions. We can imagine what they would do or say.
This ability - known as cognitive decoupling - originates in childhood through pretend play.
It is a small leap from being able to imagine the mind of someone we know to imagining an omnipotent, omniscient, human-like mind - especially if we have religious texts which tell of their past actions.
Another key adaptation that may help religious belief derives from our ability to to anthropomorphise objects.
Have you ever seen the outline of a person only to realise that it is actually a coat hung on the door?
This capacity to attribute human forms and behaviours to non-human things shows we also readily endow non-human entities, such as gods, with the same qualities that we possess and, as such, make it easier to connect with them.
In addition to these psychological aspects, the ritual behaviour seen in collective worship makes us enjoy and want to repeat the experience.
Dancing, singing and achieving trance-like states were prominent in many ancestral societies and are still exhibited by some today - including the Sentinelese people, and Australian aborigines.
As well as acts of social unity, even more formal rituals also alter brain chemistry.
They increase levels of serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin in the brain – chemicals that make us feel good, want to do things again and provide a closeness to others.
These cognitive adaptations are facilitated by educational and household norms which don’t tend to dispute religious ideas.
While we are encouraged to challenge other ideas presented to us early in childhood that may not have a strong evidence base – such as Father Christmas or the Tooth Fairy – this is not the case with religion.
These challenges are often discouraged in religious teachings and sometimes regarded as sinful.
Regardless of your point of view, the impact of religion and religious thinking on human functioning and evolution is a captivating intellectual debate that shows no sign of ending.
Of course, one might argue that god creates everything outlined above but then this leads us onto another, bigger question: what is the evidence for god?
The article originally appeared in The Conversation.... | <urn:uuid:c9dc951a-ad85-4ccc-b031-ffcb9a4fce2f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/viral-and-trending/201218/heres-why-people-believe-in-god-reveal-researchers.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.965921 | 831 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Short presentation of the programme:
Requirements for prospective students:
- High school graduates present their diplomas, take a general education test, and sit a specialised exam.
- Graduates of other higher education institutions present their diplomas, take a specialised exam, and get an accreditation of the training received according to NBU standards and procedures. They are exempted from the general education test.
Admission is based on:
- general education test score - 70%
- average grade of all matriculation exams - 30%
Prospective students with an average matriculation grade excellent (5.50 - 6.00) receive 10 points in addition to their general education test score.
All prospective students receive 5 points in addition to their general education test score for their first-choice programme. | <urn:uuid:79a4ea61-951e-4c29-b75e-cfc9cb2fd408> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ecatalog.nbu.bg/default.asp?V_Year=2022&PageShow=programpresent&P_Menu=admission&Fac_ID=3&M_PHD=0&P_ID=2200&TabIndex=1&l=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.940191 | 174 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Introduction | Temperatures are rising | Ice shelves are collapsing | Glaciers are shrinking | Glaciers are thinning | Glaciers are accelerating | Sea level is rising | Impact of climate on glaciers | References | Comments |
What is happening around the Antarctic Peninsula? This is a region of very rapid warming, and this has resulted in a whole suite of glaciological changes. What are the implications of this change for us? How do glaciers respond to climate change, how are they related and linked, and what is driving these changes? This article summarises glaciers and climate change around the Antarctic Peninsula.
Temperatures are rising
Climate change is strongly affecting Antarctica. Around the Antarctic Peninsula, temperatures are warming at a rate that is approximately six times the global average. Air temperatures increased by ~2.5°C from 1950-20001. Regional rapid warming here began in the 1930s2. The annual mean air temperature -9°C isotherm has moved southwards, resulting in ice-shelf collapse and glacier recession3. A recent ice core from James Ross Island shows that warming in this region began around 600 years ago and then accelerated over the last century. This rate of warming is unusual, but not unprecedented4. Warming over the Antarctic Peninsula is exacerbated by a strengthening of the Antarctic Oscillation, which is a periodic strengthening and weakening of the tropospheric westerlies that surround Antarctica5. Changing pressure patterns result in flow anomalies, with cooling over East Antarctica and warming over the Antarctic Peninsula.
But how unusual is this warmth? Ice core records provide a longer-term perspective on climate over the past four glacial cycles or longer6. The ice-core record indicates that carbon dioxide and temperature co-varied over the last 400 thousand years, which suggests a close link between these ‘greenhouse gases’ and temperature. Ice core records show that methane and carbon dioxide atmospheric concentrations are higher than at any point in the last 650,000 years7. The IPCC states,
“The total radiative forcing of the Earth’s climate due to increases in the concentrations of the LLGHGs CO2, CH4 and N2O, and very likely the rate of increase in the total forcing due to these gases over the period since 1750, are unprecedented in more than 10,000 years”
Ice shelves are collapsing
What effect is this having on the glaciers of the Antarctic Peninsula? Ice shelves have disintegrated very rapidly over the last few decades8-13, which has destabilised on-shore glaciers, which rapidly thinned and receded following removal of a buttressing ice shelf11,14-21 (quick check – do you understand the difference between ice shelves, sea ice, ice bergs and marine-terminating glaciers?). Higher air temperatures around the Antarctic Peninsula contribute to ice shelf collapse by increasing the amount of meltwater ponding on the surface8,9,22. When combined with ice shelves that are thinning due to melting from below following the incursion of warm ocean currents onto the continental shelf10,23-25, you have a recipe for rapid ice shelf disintegration. With one particularly warm summer, a thinned ice shelf that is close to its threshold is liable to break up very quickly as meltwater ponding on its surface propagates downwards and initiates iceberg calving by hydrofracture. Some of these ice shelves have collapsed for the first time26.
Larsen Ice Shelf
The Larsen Ice Shelf collapsed dramatically and very rapidly in 2002, and glaciers that previously fed into the Larsen Ice Shelf have since accelerated, thinned and receded. The ice shelf disintegrated very rapidly, with the main event happening over just one warm summer. The Larsen B Ice Shelf, shown in Figure 5, has been stable throughout the Holocene and this is the first time it has collapsed in the last 10,000 years.
Pine Island Glacier
Ice shelves are warmed from below, and the ice shelves around Pine Island Glacier are thinning and receding. The thinning of these ice shelves may limit their ability to buttress the flow of ice from the interior of the ice sheet. Pritchard et al. (2012) say in their paper in Nature (Figure 6) that melting from the base of ice shelves is the primary driver of Antarctic Ice Sheet ice loss, by reducing the buttressing capability of the ice shelves. The rapid thinning of the Pine Island Glacier ice shelf is caused by warm oceanic water at depth that reaches the underside of ice shelves by travelling along troughs on the continental shelf.
Glaciers are shrinking
There is increasing evidence that glaciers around the Antarctic Peninsula are shrinking and receding. Alison Cook found that 87% of the glaciers around the Antarctic Peninsula are receding27,28. Other workers have found evidence of glacier recession and a measureable sea-level contribution29. There is evidence of widespread glacier recession around the northern Antarctic Peninsula21,30. Land-terminating glaciers in this region are shrinking particularly rapidly31, which is significant, as their mass balance is more directly controlled by temperature and precipitation, compared with marine-terminating glaciers, which respond non-linearly to climate forcing.
Glaciers are thinning
A paper published recently in Geophysical Research Letters32 showed that glaciers around the Antarctic Peninsula are thinning. 12 glaciers around the Antarctic Peninsula showed near-frontal surface lowering since the 1960s, with higher rates of thinning for glaciers on the north-western Antarctic Peninsula. Surface lowering ceases at about 400m in altitude across all the glaciers, which may be due to increased high-altitude accumulation32. These marine-terminating glaciers are affected by both oceanic and atmospheric warming. The thinning of these glaciers is bringing them nearer to floatation. Kunz et al (2012) conclude that the majority of the glaciers around the Antarctic Peninsula are likely have been thinning for decades, but that the pattern of surface change is not simple. Lowering is not caused by reduced mass input, as it is not observed at higher elevations (in fact, the amount of lowering has probably been reduced by this higher precipitation).
Glaciers are accelerating
Glaciers are accelerating across the Antarctic Peninsula33. This may be due to the thinning observed at the glacier snouts32,33, and combined with the thinning and recession observed across the Antarctic Peninsula, indicates that there is a climatically-driven rise in sea level from this region. Thinning glaciers are easier to float. Once warm ocean water can access the underside of a glacier, melting from below exacerbates thinning from above, resulting in increased and rapid glacier thinning34. Thinning glaciers accelerate as part of their dynamic response, as changes near the grounding line can impact glacier velocity some distance inland35. Pritchard and Vaughan (2007) argue that thinning as a result of a negative mass balance will reduce the effective stress of a glacier’s bed near the margin, reducing basal resistance and increasing sliding. This leads to further thinning, floatation, rapid calving and increased glacier recession33. The retreat rate will be controlled to a large extent by fjord depth and geometry, and over deepened basins resulting in particularly rapid glacier recession.
Sea level is rising
Global sea levels are currently rising at a rate of about 3 mm per year7. The contribution from the Antarctic Peninsula is −41.5 Gt yr−1 36, although a recent study refines this to -34 Gt yr-1 37. King et al. calculate that the Antarctic Ice Sheet as a whole currently contributes about 0.19 mm±0.05 mm per year to global sea level rise, which is largely from the Antarctic Peninsula, the Amundsen Sea sector (including Pine Island Glacier), and which is partly balanced by increased ice accumulation in East Antarctica.
Most modern sea level rise, and sea level rise predicted over the next 100 years, comes from ocean expansion and the melting of small glaciers and ice caps. However, the amount that the sea level will rise in the future depends not only on temperature, glacier recession and ocean warming and expansion, but also the dynamic behaviour of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Marine Ice Sheet Instability may result in rapid future sea level rise, contributed to by ice-shelf collapse and the dynamic behaviour of ice streams. How much will Antarctica contribute to sea level rise in the future? You can read more about that in this blog post.
Impact of climate on glaciers
The Antarctic Peninsula is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to its small size and northerly latitude2. It receives high snowfall but high melt, with a large number of days above 0°C in the summer months33. It interrupts the Circumpolar Westerlies and is liable to be affected by small changes in these winds. Increased numbers of positive degree days 32 coincide with increased rates of thinning on Antarctic Peninsula marine-terminating glaciers, and increased meltwater ponding and hydrofracture on ice shelves. Glaciers are thinning and receding in response to warmer temperatures, and thinning glaciers are easier to float. We know that basal melting of ice shelves drives ice sheet loss34, and we can observe the impacts of climate change around the Antarctic Peninsula today.
- Marine Ice Sheet instability
- Ice shelves
- Sea level rise
- Glacier recession in Patagonia
- Glacier recession on the Antarctic Peninsula
- Antarctica’s contribution to global sea level rise
- Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet evolution
- The Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet
- Antarctic Peninsula photographs
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2. Vaughan, D.G., Marshall, G.J., Connelly, W.M., Parkinson, C., Mulvaney, R., Hodgson, D.A., King, J.C., Pudsey, C.J. & Turner, J. Recent rapid regional climate warming on the Antarctic Peninsula. Climatic Change 60, 243-274 (2003).
3. Morris, E.M. & Vaughan, A.P.M. Spatial and temporal variation of surface temperature on the Antarctic Peninsula and the limit of viability of ice shelves. in Antarctic Peninsula climate variability: historical and palaeoenvironmental perspectives, Vol. Volume 79 (eds. Domack, E.W., Leventer, A., Burnett, A., Bindschadler, R., Convey, P. & Kirby, M.) 61-68 (American Geophysical Union, Antarctic Research Series, Volume 79, Washington, D.C., 2003).
4. Mulvaney, R., Abram, N.J., Hindmarsh, R.C.A., Arrowsmith, C., Fleet, L., Triest, J., Sime, L.C., Alemany, O. & Foord, S. Recent Antarctic Peninsula warming relative to Holocene climate and ice-shelf history. Nature advance online publication(2012).
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7. Solomon, S., Qin, D., Manning, M., Chen, Z., Marquis, M., Averyt, K.B., Tignor, M. & Miller, H.L. (eds.). Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007).
8. Scambos, T., Fricker, H.A., Liu, C.-C., Bohlander, J., Fastook, J., Sargent, A., Massom, R. & Wu, A.-M. Ice shelf disintegration by plate bending and hydro-fracture: Satellite observations and model results of the 2008 Wilkins ice shelf break-ups. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 280, 51-60 (2009).
10. Vieli, A., Payne, A.J., Shepherd, A. & Du, Z. Causes of pre-collapse changes of the Larsen B ice shelf: Numerical modelling and assimilation of satellite observations. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 259, 297-306 (2007).
11. Rack, W. & Rott, H. Pattern of retreat and disintegration of the Larsen B ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula. Annals of Glaciology 39, 505-510 (2004).
12. Scambos, T., Hulbe, C. & Fahnestock, M. Climate-induced ice shelf disintegration in the Antarctic Peninsula. in Antarctic Peninsula climate variability: historical and palaeoenvironmental perspectives, Vol. Volume 79 (eds. Domack, E.W., Leventer, A., Burnett, A., Bindschadler, R., Convey, P. & Kirby, M.) 79-92 (American Geophysical Union, Antarctic Research Series, Volume 79, Washington, D.C., 2003).
13. Cook, A.J. & Vaughan, D.G. Overview of areal changes of the ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula over the past 50 years. The Cryosphere 4, 77-98 (2010).
14. Rott, H., Müller, F. & Floricioiu, D. The Imbalance of glaciers after disintegration of Larsen B ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula. The Cryosphere 5, 125-134 (2011).
15. Glasser, N.F., Scambos, T.A., Bohlander, J.A., Truffer, M., Pettit, E.C. & Davies, B.J. From ice-shelf tributary to tidewater glacier: continued rapid glacier recession, acceleration and thinning of Röhss Glacier following the 1995 collapse of the Prince Gustav Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula. Journal of Glaciology 57, 397-406 (2011).
16. Hulbe, C.L., Scambos, T.A., Youngberg, T. & Lamb, A.K. Patterns of glacier response to disintegration of the Larsen B ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula. Global and Planetary Change 63, 1-8 (2008).
17. Scambos, T.A., Bohlander, J.A., Shuman, C.A. & Skvarca, P. Glacier acceleration and thinning after ice shelf collapse in the Larsen B embayment, Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters 31, L18402 (2004).
18. Rignot, E., Casassa, G., Gogineni, P., Krabill, W., Rivera, A. & Thomas, R. Accelerated ice discharge from the Antarctic Peninsula following the collapse of Larsen B ice shelf. Geophysical Research Letters 31, L18401 (2004).
19. De Angelis, H. & Skvarca, P. Glacier surge after ice shelf collapse. Science 299, 1560-1562 (2003).
20. Rott, H., Rack, W., Skvarca, P. & De Angelis, H. Northern Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica: further retreat after collapse. Annals of Glaciology 34, 277-282 (2002).
21. Davies, B.J., Carrivick, J.L., Glasser, N.F., Hambrey, M.J. & Smellie, J.L. Variable glacier response to atmospheric warming, northern Antarctic Peninsula, 1988–2009. The Cryosphere 6, 1031-1048 (2012).
22. Glasser, N.F., Kulessa, B., Luckman, A., Jansen, D., King, E.C., Sammonds, P.R., Scambos, T.A. & Jezek, K.C. Surface structure and stability of the Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula. Journal of Glaciology 55, 400-410 (2009).
23. Walker, R.T., Dupont, T.K., Holland, D.M., Parizek, B.R. & Alley, R.B. Initial effects of oceanic warming on a coupled ocean-ice shelf-ice stream system. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 287, 483-487 (2009).
24. Smith, J.A., Bentley, M.J., Hodgson, D.A., Roberts, S.J., Leng, M.J., Lloyd, J.M., Barrett, M.S., Bryant, C.L. & Sugden, D.E. Oceanic and atmospheric forcing of early Holocene ice shelf retreat, George VI Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula. Quaternary Science Reviews 26, 500-516 (2007).
25. Shepherd, A., Wingham, D., Payne, T. & Skvarca, P. Larsen ice shelf has progressively thinned. Science 302, 856-859 (2003).
26. Domack, E., Duran, D., Leventer, A., Ishman, S., Doane, S., McCallum, S., Amblas, D., Ring, J., Gilbert, R. & Prentice, M. Stability of the Larsen B ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula during the Holocene epoch. Nature 436, 681-685 (2005).
27. Ferrigno, J.G., Cook, A.J., Foley, K.M., Williams, R.S., Swithinbank, C., Fox, A.J., Thomson, J.W. & Sievers, J. Coastal-Change and Glaciological Map of the Trinity Peninsula Area and South Shetland Islands, Antarctica: 1843-2001, 32 (USGS, Denver, 2006).
28. Cook, A.J., Fox, A.J., Vaughan, D.G. & Ferrigno, J.G. Retreating glacier fronts on the Antarctic Peninsula over the past half-century. Science 308, 541-544 (2005).
29. Hock, R., de Woul, M., Radic, V. & Dyurgerov, M. Mountain glaciers and ice caps around Antarctica make a large sea-level rise contribution. Geophysical Research Letters 36, L07501 (2009).
30. Rau, F., Mauz, F., de Angelis, H., Jana, R., Neto, J.A., Skvarca, P., Vogt, S., Saurer, H. & Gossmann, H. Variations of glacier frontal positions on the northern Antarctic Peninsula. Annals of Glaciology 39, 525-530 (2004).
31. Carrivick, J.L., Davies, B.J., Glasser, N.F. & Nývlt, D. Late Holocene changes in character and behaviour of land-terminating glaciers on James Ross Island, Antarctica. Journal of Glaciology 58(2012).
32. Kunz, M., King, M.A., Mills, J.P., Miller, P.E., Fox, A.J., Vaughan, D.G. & Marsh, S.H. Multi-decadal glacier surface lowering in the Antarctic Peninsula. Geophys. Res. Lett. 39, L19502 (2012).
33. Pritchard, H.D. & Vaughan, D.G. Widespread acceleration of tidewater glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula. Journal of Geophysical Research-Earth Surface 112, F03S29, 1-10 (2007).
34. Pritchard, H.D., Ligtenberg, S.R.M., Fricker, H.A., Vaughan, D.G., van den Broeke, M.R. & Padman, L. Antarctic ice-sheet loss driven by basal melting of ice shelves. Nature 484, 502-505 (2012).
35. Payne, A.J., Vieli, A., Shepherd, A.P., Wingham, D.J. & Rignot, E. Recent dramatic thinning of largest West Antarctic ice stream triggered by oceans. Geophysical Research Letters 31, L23401 (2004).
36. Ivins, E.R., Watkins, M.M., Yuan, D.-N., Dietrich, R., Casassa, G. & Rülke, A. On-land ice loss and glacial isostatic adjustment at the Drake Passage: 2003-2009. J. Geophys. Res. 116, B02403 (2011).
37. King, M.A., Bingham, R.J., Moore, P., Whitehouse, P.L., Bentley, M.J. & Milne, G.A. Lower satellite-gravimetry estimates of Antarctic sea-level contribution. Nature advance online publication(2012). | <urn:uuid:79d848bb-4ba0-4c77-87de-b01393d956d3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.antarcticglaciers.org/glaciers-and-climate/changing-antarctica/glaciers-and-climate-change/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.820015 | 4,818 | 3.703125 | 4 |
The tertiary education system in Sri Lanka is once again the subject of public scrutiny following a series of high-profile protests by university students.
Many on social media dismissed the student protests. “People should learn to protest without blocking roads and inconveniencing others,” one commenter wrote on Groundviews’ Facebook page, while another on Twitter called the IUSF protest against private universities ‘sour grapes.’ And what of the violence by the Police? Some said that the protesters provoked the Police, while many said the action was shameful.
As the images from and news of the protests fades from the headlines, perhaps now is the time to critically discuss the reasons behind and meaningful responses to what gives rise to them. Is this truly simply creating a public nuisance – or is it a legitimate call to address the grievances inherent in Sri Lanka’s education system? Do you think the actions of the Police were justified or an abuse of power?
Join us on Skype’s new public chat feature here to air your views. Note that you don’t need Skype installed to join the conversation.
The public chat will be actively curated till 12th November. | <urn:uuid:7516a13f-56c5-41f0-91e1-81b1d0d8a598> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://groundviews.org/2015/11/05/student-protests-public-nuisance-or-genuine-activism/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.943807 | 241 | 1.695313 | 2 |
July 21, 2022
The Iris plant was named after the Goddess of the Rainbow and blooms beautifully in the early summer season in Michigan. While there are many different types of iris plants from all over the world, there are a few that do well in this climate with the right landscaping and care.
Types of Irises
In this area, the two main types of Iris plants you will see are the Siberian Iris and the German Bearded Iris. The Siberian Iris is often the traditional purple color many expect with an iris, although you will also see yellow. The German Bearded Iris has a wider variety of colors to choose from. Both are considered geophytes, which are perennials that have underground food storage, such as a bulb, tuber, corm, or rhizome. The underground food storage for these irises are corms and rhizomes. Both types of iris plants attract butterflies and hummingbirds and make an excellent addition to a cut flower bouquet.
Best Growing Conditions for Iris
Bearded Iris do not like too much water. Rhizomes can rot when there is too much water in the soil. However, Siberian Iris corms do well with moisture and often are able to thrive near ponds or other water sources. Both types of Iris plants love the sun and do well in areas with ample sunlight throughout the day.
When and Where to Plant Iris
Iris plants should be planted in late summer to early fall and do best if you get them in the ground before the nighttime temperatures drop too low. Because these plants do best in full sun, you’ll want to choose a sunny spot where they will not be shaded out by other plants. Irises love well-draining and slightly acidic soil for optimal growth.
The bare rhizomes of Bearded Iris need to be planted horizontally with the top exposed and the roots underground. Iris plants do best if they are spaced 1-2 feet apart and are usually planted alone or in groups of three. You’ll want to water your Iris plants thoroughly, but be careful not to leave them in soggy soil that could allow the roots to rot. Too much mulch can also encourage rot, so it’s best to mulch them sparingly, and mostly just around their circle of long, sword shaped leaves. In the spring, old mulch and leaves should be removed, and plants can be fertilized. The top of the rhizome should continue to be exposed, unlike bulbs that usually are completely underground. Taller iris plants may need to be stalked so they do not fall over.
The corms of Siberian Iris can be planted deeper in the ground, much like traditional bulbs, and a little bit more moisture in the surrounding soil is ok.
How to Grow Iris
Iris tend to crowd over time and blooming can decline over the years unless the plants are divided every few years. Dividing Iris plants is actually good for the plant, and they will produce better blooms. Dividing your Iris plants is an excellent way to keep them thriving over many years. Before dividing a Bearded Iris, you will need to “fan” the leaves. When the iris plant is done blooming for the year, the stalks will need to be pruned at the ground or below the leaves. Any dead leaves should be cleaned out, but leaving the rest of the leaves will replenish the food storage for the next year. Siberian Iris do not need much clearing of spent leaves and their seed pods can be left to add another visual and textural interest to the landscape.
Iris plants are beautiful, but they do require some knowledge and care to keep them happy. Finding a landscaping expert can help ensure that your Iris plants are healthy, thriving, and ready to bloom for many years. Having someone who understands Iris plants will help keep your garden looking beautiful all season long. To learn more about our landscape maintenance services, contact Twin Oaks Landscape today! We can keep your lawn and flower beds looking their best, and our gardening experts will take care of all your seasonal pruning and plant care needs so you can spend your time relaxing and enjoying your beautiful landscape.
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Medicine from data and technology
How will digitalisation change medicine and healthcare? At ETH Zurich’s Digital Health event last weekend, more than 150 guests got an exclusive insight into new technologies and had the chance to discuss the opportunities and risks with experts.
Digitalisation has long been a feature in the world of medicine. At ETH Zurich’s Digital Health event last Friday and Saturday, more than a hundred guests discovered what this means for diagnosis, therapy and healthcare. Attended by members of the public and professionals from the worlds of science, politics, healthcare and industry, the event offered guests an opportunity to exchange ideas and talk with experts and medical students in a series of debates.
Discovering the medicine of the future
An interactive exhibition in the Dozentenfoyer showed the many ways in which data and technology can be used to benefit our health. ETH Zurich researchers, spin-offs and industry partners gave an insight into what scientific research can offer the world of medicine, including innovative sensors that can be placed on the skin to deliver biomedical data in real time. Visitors had the chance to try out specially designed computer games for movement therapy and learned more about the use of exoskeletons to help people with reduced mobility. Also on display were technologies to assist in training doctors, including a heart operation simulation and a virtual autopsy. Drones to transport medication and tiny computers for use in eye surgery highlighted the potential for robotics in the field of medicine.
On their way to the exhibition, visitors also got the chance to try out a fun and interactive digital platform in the ground-floor main hall: by stepping on the large, transparent surface, they found out more about the complex interrelationships in modern medicine.
Natural sciences for doctors
“Today, around one-third of all ETH researchers are working directly or indirectly on issues related to medicine,” said Lino Guzzella, President of ETH Zurich, at the opening on Friday, highlighting the close relationship between the natural and computer sciences and medicine and healthcare. Last autumn, the University launched a Bachelor in Human Medicine for the very first time. According to Guzzella, the course is a logical progression of ETH’s existing activities: “If we look beyond the training and practice of the medical profession, then ETH has been active in areas related to medicine, such as pharmaceuticals, for more than 160 years.” He went on to add that many medical breakthroughs were only made possible thanks to the life and engineering sciences.
The expert debates took place on both days under the ETH Zurich dome. Topics ranged from how doctors of the future might use artificial intelligence and biosensors to the responsible use of technology and data. From these discussions, it became clear that patients and healthy people feel differently about the technological developments: while healthy people are most concerned about the misuse of their data, patients primarily see opportunities. “We have to be better at highlighting the advantages,” said Gregor Zünd, President of the Hospital Executive Board at University Hospital Zurich. Like many other experts, he also believes that digitalisation offers many opportunities for better, more personalised medical care.
Data for more personalised treatment
To develop artificial hearts that adapt to any possible situation, researchers would need access to extensive data on how the heartbeat changes when walking, running or at rest. Data could also help to optimise the treatment of people with allergies by showing how they react to a specific combination of temperature and pollen.
Parallel to the event in the main building, ETH students were also investigating various topics around the future of healthcare, discussing their ideas with experts in the InCube on the Polyterrasse. “We want to offer the students’ view,” explained Moritz Mussgnug from the Student Project House, which along with the ETH Entrepreneur Club was one of the founders of the Student Edition workshops. The students also had a booth at the exhibition, so that they could share their views and ideas with visitors.
The Digital Health event was just the beginning for the ETH Entrepreneur Club’s glass cube. The real fun begins on 21 September 2018, when teams of five students will live for four days in five glass cubes in five different locations. Each team will be presented with a challenge, which they will work on over the four days with the help of experts. An expert jury will announce the winning team at the end of the challenge.
call_madeMore on the InCube Challenge 2018 | <urn:uuid:80455833-5865-4a6f-8cf2-fba72f5279cd> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2018/09/digital-health.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.955114 | 922 | 2.625 | 3 |
One of the manifold changes of modernity is manifest in the modern methods of food preparation. No longer must one literally spend pretty much the entire day in the kitchen in order to eat well. Speciality cookbooks – I imagine another symbol of modernity – often note the preparation time and often market themselves with such titles as “Quick and Easy” or “Short on Time”, allowing those who desire to leave the kitchen and enter the paying workplace.
In a time before fridges and freezers, combined with antiquated delivery systems food could not be prepared in advance and one’s diet consisted of very local food. What we have gained in convenience we have lost in freshness and it is the rare person who eats meat a mere hours after its slaughter or fresh pita out of the oven.
Due to this change the halacha no longer allows one to slaughter an animal on Yom Tov. As is well-known, the basic halachic difference between Shabbat and Yom Tov is that ochel nefesh, the preparation of food is allowed on Yom Tov. In Talmudic times what greater ochel nefeshcould there be than shechting an animal on Yom Tov. How else to fulfil the teaching “that there is no joy other than with meat and wine”. Even if – and that is a big if – the meat would not spoil if kept overnight–fresh meat, really fresh meat, just tastes better. But we today do not eat this way. Even if we don’t–and that is a big if –take meat out of the freezer, we are not eating it immediately after slaughter. Hence one today who slaughters an animal on Yom Tov would violate a biblical command – even if they ate the delicious meat on Yom Tov itself.
The changes in food preparation have had far reaching social, economic and educational implications. At the turn of the 20th century some 60% of Canadians lived on farms, a number that is less than 2% today. With agriculture making up a much smaller part of economic output the discussion about how to properly observe the shmitta year–which begins in a mere few days–has undergone tremendous change. But one need not live in Israel, or wait seven years for the halachic impact of changes in food preparation.
As food production has moved from eating home grown produce to a multi-billion (trillion?) business and as much of what we eat is no longer 100% natural but made up of so many ingredients, keeping kosher has become a multi-billion dollar business, requiring knowledge in many areas beyond the Talmud and Shulchan Aruch. It was not long ago that one read the ingredients of a product and based on that information alone decided whether it should be eaten. What was written on the package fully described what was inside. No longer is such the case. Today those who oversee kashrut must be expert in the ways of the business world i.e. have street smarts, in addition to knowledge of the science of food preparation.
Masechet Beitza is the tractate that details the laws of Yom Tov. The Yamim Tovim of Pesach, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Purim, and even Chol HaMoed each have their own masechet detailing the specifics of each Yom Tov. Beitza and Chagigah are the masechetot that deal with those aspects common to every Yom Tov. Chagigah deals with the mitzvot of aliyah leregel, the mitzva to visit Jerusalem on the festivals, and those of purity and impurity, laws what we might call the chatzi lashem, the half of the day we are to dedicate to G-d. Beitza deals with the laws of eating on Yom Tov, what we might call the chatzi lachem, the half of the day for our own personal enjoyment. With one possible exception each of the 42 Mishnayot deals with the topic of food.
The opening Mishna (Beitza 2a) famously begins with a debate between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai as to whether one may eat an egg that was laid on Yom Tov.
If one needs any indication of changed eating habits here it is. Had we today been editing the masechet surely we would have begun with the second chapter and the laws of eiruv tavshilin, something that is needed on a regular basis, at times three times within four weeks. We would likely place the third chapter dealing with catching fish on Yom Tov, the fourth chapter discussing the laws of transporting wine and even the fifth and final chapter which discusses bringing fruit laid out to dry into the house when it rains, before discussing a chicken laying an egg on Yom Tov. All, I imagine, are for most people more common occurrences than dealing with a newly laid egg on Yom tov something I have never encountered. But for those living in the time of the Mishna, an egg laid on Yom tov was a most regular occurrence. Whether one could eat such an egg was a most relevant question – and one that takes up six pages of Talmudic discussion.
In trying to understand the reasoning for the view of Beit Hillel that the egg is forbidden, Rabba postulates that we are dealing with a case when Yom Tov is on a Sunday. Since “any egg that was born today was finished yesterday” (Beitza 2b) and yesterday was Shabbat this would be a “violation” of the principle that we cannot prepare on Shabbat for Yom Tov. If so, Abaye asks, why does our Mishna not make such a distinction, thereby implying that regardless of the day of the week the egg is prohibited. The Gemara answers that in theory such an egg should be permitted. However, the rabbis were concerned that if eggs born on the other days of the week were permitted one might mistakenly (or not) eat an egg laid on Sunday. While this may be a bit far-fetched for us urbanites, it is not hard to imagine the need for such a rabbinic decree.
Yet, if so the Gemara wonders, why did the Braitta teach that if one slaughters an animal on Yom Tov– something that surely happened thousands of times every Yom Tov–and finds an egg inside the chicken one may eat the egg. Why not make a decree forbidding such lest one accidentally eat an egg that was laid on Yom tov. To this the Gemara answers that finding an edible egg in a slaughtered chicken is a rare occurrence and one does not make decrees for rare occurrences. There is little doubt that for the farmers of old it was much more likely to encounter a ready to eat egg in the slaughtered insides of a chicken than for city dwellers of today to encounter an egg born on Yom Tov.
While our methods may have changed, that food plays a major role in our celebration of Yom Tov has not.
It is fascinating that at least one remnant of agricultural society refuses to allow for changes. The long summer vacation for students has its origins in the need for ‘all hands on the farm’ during the summer. Despite the changed circumstances the summer break continues.
Shavuot has too few laws to warrant its own masechet. Furthermore, it is seen as an extension of Pesach, much like Shimnii Atzeret is the extension if Sukkot. Hence the Mishnaic name for Shavuot is Atzeret.
Abaye asked this question not to his colleague and bar-plugta, interlocutor Rava, but to his teacher, Rabba. | <urn:uuid:4c486579-a767-42a3-9c14-9b77009788e4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://torahinmotion.org/discussions-and-blogs/an-introduction-to-masechet-beitzah | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571150.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810070501-20220810100501-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.966433 | 1,656 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Foraminal Stenosis is similar to spinal stenosis, except that it primarily affects one or more vertebral foramen. The vertebral foramen is the opening formed by the anterior segment and the posterior part. These openings are found on either side of the vertebrae and allow passage of the nerve roots that branch off the spinal cord. It begins at the cervical vertebrae and continues to the lumbar vertebrae. The foramen consists of the spinal cord and associated meninges.
Foraminal Stenosis Definition
In a healthy spine, there is enough room for the nerve roots to slip through the foramen. As you age, your foramen can become clogged with debris that can trap and compress the nerves. This is where the stenosis begins to take effect.
Types of Foraminal Stenosis
There are three basic types of narrowing. These include:
- Far lateral
Bilateral is when both foramina become narrow. Unilateral is when only one foramen, either the left or right becomes narrow. Far lateral is when the area surrounding a nerve root after it has exited the foramen becomes narrow.
Common Locations for Foraminal Stenosis
This condition can occur at any level of your spine; however, it is most commonly found in the neck (cervical) and lower back (lumbar). The middle back or the thoracic region can become affected by this condition; however, this region is generally protected against age-related deterioration.
Foraminal stenosis neck and lower back symptoms can occur after years of stress-inducing movement and from supporting the weight of your head and upper body. The symptoms will occur in different areas, which is how your doctor can narrow down the type you have.
Cervical foraminal affects the head, neck, shoulders, upper back, arms, and hands. The thoracic region, which is not as common, includes your ribcage, shoulders, arms, and internal organs. The lumbar area includes your lower back, buttocks, legs, feet, and toes.
Causes of Foraminal Stenosis
Disc degeneration is the most common cause for this particular condition. Disc degeneration is generally caused from a herniated or bulging disc that occurs due to the natural aging process. This results in a narrowing of the foramen. As it continues to narrow, nerves are compressed causing symptoms.
Another cause for this condition is rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis of the spine. Arthritic changes in the spine can lead to nerve compression. Spinal arthritis can also create bone spurs, calcification of the spinal ligaments, thickening of joint tissue from chronic inflammation, and the degeneration of the spinal disc. These changes can narrow the space around the nerves, which will eventually cause nerve compression.
This condition can also be caused by inherited conditions, such as: congenital spinal stenosis, scoliosis, and achondroplasia.
Symptoms of Foraminal Stenosis
The symptoms will not occur until the nerves become compressed. Some of the symptoms include:
- Sensations of burning, tingling, and pins and needles in the location affected
- Functional loss, which can include the ability to feel and move
Functional loss is generally the result of the condition not being addressed. Your nerves can die, which can cause a loss of function.
Foraminal stenosis pain can generally be relieved with non-surgical methods; however, there are minimally invasive procedures available for long term relief if the non-surgical approaches are not effective. | <urn:uuid:d814934a-b302-470d-98d4-b1b3febf591c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://discectomy.net/foraminal-stenosis/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.92761 | 768 | 3.28125 | 3 |
Today, the New Zealand Herald starts a special series on youth suicide.
New Zealand has the second worst youth (25 and under) suicide rate in the developed world and the worst teen (15-19) suicide rate. The annual rates have remained largely unchanged for around two decades.
We want to encourage people who need help to ask for it; and we want to let them know there is hope. We believe it is time for a national conversation about the matter. Are we doing enough to help? Are we doing the right things? We do not profess to be experts, but we have spoken to many people who are, from all sectors of the debate, during six months of research.
Of course, many New Zealanders have been touched by suicide. The issue will be very raw for many of our readers. Throughout the series we will cover many aspects of this issue that could be confronting or upsetting.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
We wanted to let our readers know the series was starting so they could choose to take care around the subject.
The series is called Break The Silence and stories from it will be clearly marked.
Where to get help:
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
Or if you need to talk to someone else:
• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633
• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 | <urn:uuid:179cf9db-888b-4072-910f-4cc9950692a5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/break-the-silence-new-herald-series/ZOUIF5FPEYUYW2F6DYDGC7V2CY/?c_id=1&objectid=11885369 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.926204 | 430 | 2.078125 | 2 |
The reason why we do such things is because:
Our Middle Class and upper are cowardly and want to be White socially therefore they desire integration at all costs, even if it means death.
Our Middle Class and upper do not like non Middle Class and Up Black people, thus there is no class collaboration what so ever.
Us ordinary folk, don't have the capital to perform such feats as I suggested, it could only be with the help of our Upper class. Thus nothing gets done.
African Americans seem to have a love and hate relationship with European Americans, due to our integration upbringing and integration being the dominant political ideology of African American politics, thus like I said, nothing gets done.
Also, ultimately, African American politics are controlled and moderated with White liberals who seek to keep African Americans subordinate to bolster their moral superiority. And African Americans are afraid of losing the support of the White liberal, so nothing gets done.
I think it would take, European Americans having a full scale violent attack on us for us to even think about nationalism as a whole.
But the White man is afraid of a Black messiah, he actually thought MLK would've been one if he was a nationalist instead of a liberal. They probably thought Fred Hampton was one and that's why they assassinated him.
White people, the European, no matter liberal or conservative is afraid of a populist Black nationalism. | <urn:uuid:38c2961a-a47d-45a3-955a-e9780c92bf36> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.africanamerica.org/printer-friendly-topic/justice-dept-to-investigate-ferguson-police?forReply=407609122179553150 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.967377 | 289 | 1.539063 | 2 |
SDN-assisted Service Placement for the IoT-based Systems in Multiple Edge Servers Environment
Keywords:Edge computing, Software Defined Networking, Internet of Things, Resource Allocation, Containerization
Edge computing is proved to be an effective solution for the Internet of Things (IoT)-based systems. Bringing the resources closer to the end devices has improved the performance of the networks and reduced the load on the cloud. On the other hand, edge computing has some constraints related to the amount of the resources available on the edge servers, which is considered to be limited as compared with the cloud. In this paper, we propose Software-Defined Networking (SDN)-based resources allocation and service placement system in the multi-edge networks that serve multiple IoT applications. In this system, the resources of the edge servers are monitored using the proposed Edge Server Application (ESA) to determine the state of the edge server and, therefore, the acceptable services by each server. Benefiting from the information gathered by ESA, the service offloading decision would be taken by the proposed SDN Non-core Application (SNA) in a way that ensures an efficient load distribution and better resources utilization for the edge servers. A Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment Method (WASPAS) was used to determine the best edge server. The proposed system was compared with a non-SDN system and showed improvement in the performance and the utilization of resources of the edge servers. Furthermore, the request handling time was considerably reduced and settled in constant rates for a different number of devices. | <urn:uuid:d82e6b77-86d9-427b-af8b-ae31118d9c96> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ijs.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/eijs/article/view/2090 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.903382 | 347 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Announcing a grease wrestling competition held in Ankara, the poster features the photograph of globally renowned Kırkpınar wrestlers Kurtdereli Mehmet and Adalı Halil. However, considering that Adalı Halil and Kurtdereli Mehmet passed away in 1927 and 1939 respectively, and that the 19 Mayıs Stadium was completed in 1936, the wrestlers could not have participated together in this particular competition.
Legend has it that the identification of Edirne with wrestling, which can be dated to prehistoric times, began with the story of brothers Ali and Selim, who wrestled an entire day and night on the Ahıköy meadow during Orhan Gazi’s Roumelia Campaign. Unable to beat each other, they died wrestling. In memory of the brothers, the locals named the area “Kırkpınar”, after a well that sprung from the bottom of a fig tree where the brothers were buried. Until 1928, the Kırkpınar grease wrestling tournaments were organized by the wrestling “aghas.” From 1946 onwards, the Municipality of Edirne took over the organization.
The Istanbul Research Institute Poster Collection is made up of a total of 408 vintage posters, 276 of them from the Republican Era and the rest from the time of the Ottoman Empire. The are posters in Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, French, and English, as well as other languages. The posters advertise various organisations and their merchandise. | <urn:uuid:4c9bbc2a-0c35-48fb-b5a5-095f15607af0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blog.iae.org.tr/en/poster-collection/poster-of-the-month-grease-wrestling | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571993.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814022847-20220814052847-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.96848 | 309 | 2.453125 | 2 |
Want Unlimited CE?
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – 4 CE
At the conclusion of this continuing education activity, the participant will be able to:
- Define COPD
- Identify the various conditions included under the term COPD
- Differentiate COPD from other pulmonary diseases
- Define the various stages of COPD
- Identify the primary causes of COPD
- Identify the primary symptoms and potential complications of COPD
- Identify the treatments currently used to manage COPD
Level 2. Basic Application of Skills and Concepts
AchieveCE is an approved provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Georgia Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. GNA Approved Provider Number is 4003268.
Start Date: 07/14/2022
Expiration Date: 01/14/2023
Financial Support Disclosure
This activity was developed by AchieveCE free of any commercial support.
Home Study Monograph
4.0 Contact Hours
Advanced Practice RN
Certified Nursing Assistant
Licensed Practical Nurse
Nursing Assistive Personnel
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Contains case-based material
AGD No. 386503
CA BRN No. 2020138
CE Broker No. 20-612807
GNA Approved Provider No. 4003268
Jaimini Patel, RPH, PHD, MBA
Requirements for Credit
Participants must score a passing grade of 70% or higher on the activity post-test and complete an activity evaluation. There are no time limits and unlimited test-taking attempts. Credits will be reported automatically to CE Broker if your license information is entered properly in your profile.
PLEASE NOTE. AchieveCE does hold national accreditation from the Academy of General Dentistry. AchieveCE also is an approved provider of nursing CE from both the California Board of Nursing and the Florida Board of Nursing. For all other professions, this activity is only approved for Florida credit.
Windows 8.1, Windows 10
Mac OS X 10.1 or higher
iOS 10+, Android 4.3+
Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Broadband Internet Connection:
T1, Hi-speed DSL or Cable
4G cellular connection
You may also be interested in: | <urn:uuid:a5962c24-cfe5-43c1-bca0-33580086b2d0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://achievece.com/course/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd-4-contact-hours/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571150.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810070501-20220810100501-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.831068 | 592 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Some changes in the heart and blood vessels normally occur with age. However, many other changes that are common with aging are due to or worsened by modifiable factors. If not treated, these can lead to heart disease.
The heart has two sides. The right side pumps blood to the lungs to receive oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide. The left side pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body.
Blood flows out of the heart, first through the aorta, then through arteries, which branch out and get smaller and smaller as they go into the tissues. In the tissues, they become tiny capillaries.
Capillaries are where the blood gives up oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, and receives carbon dioxide and wastes back from the tissues. Then, the vessels begin to collect together into larger and larger veins, which return blood to the heart.
- The heart has a natural pacemaker system that controls the heartbeat. Some of the pathways of this system may develop fibrous tissue and fat deposits. The natural pacemaker (the sinoatrial or SA node) loses some of its cells. These changes may result in a slightly slower heart rate.
- A slight increase in the size of the heart, especially the left ventricle occurs in some people. The heart wall thickens, so the amount of blood that the chamber can hold may actually decrease despite the increased overall heart size. The heart may fill more slowly.
- Heart changes often cause the electrocardiogram (ECG) of a normal, healthy older person to be slightly different than the ECG of a healthy younger adult. Abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias), such as atrial fibrillation, are more common in older people. They may be caused by several types of heart disease.
- Normal changes in the heart include deposits of the "aging pigment," lipofuscin. The heart muscle cells degenerate slightly. The valves inside the heart, which control the direction of blood flow, thicken and become stiffer. A heart murmur caused by valve stiffness is fairly common in older people.
- Receptors called baroreceptors monitor the blood pressure and make changes to help maintain a fairly constant blood pressure when a person changes positions or is doing other activities. The baroreceptors become less sensitive with aging. This may explain why many older people have orthostatic hypotension, a condition in which the blood pressure falls when a person goes from lying or sitting to standing. This causes dizziness because there is less blood flow to the brain.
- The capillary walls thicken slightly. This may cause a slightly slower rate of exchange of nutrients and wastes.
- The main artery from the heart (aorta) becomes thicker, stiffer, and less flexible. This is probably related to changes in the connective tissue of the blood vessel wall. This makes the blood pressure higher and makes the heart work harder, which may lead to thickening of the heart muscle (hypertrophy). The other arteries also thicken and stiffen. In general, most older people have a moderate increase in blood pressure.
- The blood itself changes slightly with age. Normal aging causes a reduction in total body water. As part of this, there is less fluid in the bloodstream, so blood volume decreases.
- The speed with which red blood cells are produced in response to stress or illness is reduced. This creates a slower response to blood loss and anemia.
- Most of the white blood cells stay at the same levels, although certain white blood cells important to immunity (neutrophils) decrease in their number and ability to fight off bacteria. This reduces the ability to resist infection.
EFFECT OF CHANGES
Normally, the heart continues to pump enough blood to supply all parts of the body. However, an older heart may not be able to pump blood as well when you make it work harder.
Some of the things that make your heart work harder are:
- Certain medicines
- Emotional stress
- Physical exertion
- Angina (chest pain caused by temporarily reduced blood flow to the heart muscle), shortness of breath with exertion, and heart attack can result from coronary artery disease.
- Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) of various types can occur.
- Anemia may occur, possibly related to malnutrition, chronic infections, blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract, or as a complication of other diseases or medicines.
- Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is very common. Fatty plaque deposits inside the blood vessels cause them to narrow and totally block blood vessels.
- Congestive heart failure is also very common in older people. In people older than 75, congestive heart failure occurs 10 times more often than in younger adults.
- Coronary artery disease is fairly common. It is often a result of atherosclerosis.
- High blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension are more common with older age. Older people on blood pressure medicines need to work with their doctor to find the best way to manage their high blood pressure. This is because too much medicine may cause low blood pressure and could lead to a fall.
- Heart valve diseases are fairly common. Aortic stenosis, or narrowing of the aortic valve, is the most common valve disease in older adults.
- Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) or strokes can occur if blood flow to the brain is disrupted.
Other problems with the heart and blood vessels include the following:
- Blood clots
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Peripheral vascular disease, resulting in intermittent pain in the legs when walking (claudication)
- Varicose veins
- Aneurysms may develop in one of the major arteries from the heart or in the brain. Aneurysms are an abnormal widening or ballooning of a part of an artery due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel. If an aneurysm bursts it may cause bleeding and death.
- You can help your circulatory system (heart and blood vessels). Heart disease risk factors that you have some control over include high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, obesity, and smoking.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet with reduced amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol, and control your weight. Follow your health care provider's recommendations for treating high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes. Reduce or stop smoking.
- Men between the ages of 65 to 75 who have ever smoked should be screened for aneurysms in their abdominal aorta usually with an ultrasound exam.
Get more exercise:
- Exercise may help prevent obesity, and it helps people with diabetes control their blood sugar.
- Exercise may help you maintain your abilities as much as possible, and it reduces stress.
- Moderate exercise is one of the best things you can do to keep your heart, and the rest of your body, healthy. Consult with your provider before beginning a new exercise program. Exercise moderately and within your capabilities, but do it regularly.
- People who exercise often have less body fat and smoke less than people who do not exercise. They also tend to have fewer blood pressure problems and less heart disease.
Have regular check-ups for your heart:
- Have your blood pressure checked every year. If you have diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems, or certain other conditions, your blood pressure may need to be monitored more closely.
- If your cholesterol level is normal, have it rechecked every 5 years. If you have diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems, or certain other conditions, your cholesterol may need to be monitored more closely.
Heart disease - aging; Atherosclerosis - aging
Forman DE, Fleg JL, Wenger NK. Cardiovascular disease in the elderly. In: Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 88.
Howlett SE. Effects of aging on the cardiovascular system. In: Fillit HM, Rockwood K, Young J, eds. Brocklehurst's Textbook of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier, 2017:chap 16.
Seki A, Fishbein MC. Age-related cardiovascular changes and diseases. In: Buja LM, Butany J, eds. Cardiovascular Pathology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 2.
Walston JD. Common clinical sequelae of aging. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 22.
Review Date 7/19/2020
Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. | <urn:uuid:fd7444af-b77f-4128-b423-bb94d5f0edf3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/004006.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.907854 | 1,970 | 3.75 | 4 |
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